power of naturs enmity in Professours over the life of true godliness and their being given up to the lusts sinful inclinations of their owne hearts that thus sets them in opposition to the meanes appointed for their delivery from the dominion power of damning sins whither are we gone and what may we expect will be the hight of our defection and the judgment of it if Professours put themselves in such a plaine open professed contradiction to their Christian Profession 2. Let not your Lo. think we say this with an intention to justify any failing in this mater commited by any of our perswasion that shall be made appear to be such from the Word of God our Professed principles And although we cannot condemne all the instances that are now disapproved by our antagonists yet we grant there were considerable escapes in preaching exercise of discipline which were the effects of imprudence passion in some and of wordly inclinations designes in others of corrupt minds who to raise themselves in this world and for that end to gaine the favour of persons of leading influence power keept no measure but rune to strang hights of zeal against some sins while they connived at others but seing by their compliances with the cryed-up cause of these times they do now declare to all the world that they vvere never of us how unjustly are their wicked follies imputed to our Government and vvay But for all the instances given in against us and the hideous cry raised after them yet vve must say the greatest and most common failing among Ministers vvas in the defect in that the most vvere not so diligent faithful impartial in the application of the vvord to the sins of the times personal rebukes censures as they should have been as alas vvas too visible observed by many for vvhich novv they bear their rebuke in that many of those are now become their cruel persecutors to whom they were sinfully sparing indulgent Moreover let it be granted that many of these instances were in the excesse unjustifiable yet if the constitution and principles of Presbyterian Government were not for but against them it cannot be charged with these they must be the faults of the persons and not of the Government otherwise all Governments must be condemned as guilty of all the mal-administrations commited by Governours which all acknowledg to be absurd But when any of the contrare minded shall demonstrat these to be the native product of our principles for doctrine and Government they shall be considered according to the conviction they give of the same they shall be acknowledged But will your Lo. be pleased to consider the sad deplorable extreme our antagonists are run into who medle not with any sort of scandals except a few and these in the meanner lower degree of persons over looking all in the more opulent and great which hath encouraged wickedness to lift up its head and to diffuse its self thorow all ranks without control to the infecting of this Church with all kindes of scandals which no doubt will resolve either into the total ruine of the Protestant Religion or els in sad desolating judgments on this land and if it come this length which we earnestly beg of the Lord he would prevent by pouring out of a Spirit of repentance and reformation on us where will be our advantage by Prelacy that is now so much extolled Therefore not loving to trouble your Lo. any further we shall adde but this humble and earnest request that your Lo. would be pleased to make some due and just representation of the true State and low condition of this Church unto his Maj. who we hope through your Lo. intercession will in his wisdome and clemency finde out some just expedient for relieving of this Church of her oppressing evils under which she groans and undoing of these heavy burdens that lye on us for which we are your Lo. humble petitioners and had been so alittle sooner if we had not been discouraged by lawes anent Church maters that seems to us to close all door of accesse to his Maj. and your Lo. for representing our just greivances this way If we may not obtaine this reasonable and just request as we suppose there is not another refuge left us but to referre our cause to the righteous tribunal of the just and almighty God where your Lo. and we will stand on evâ—n ground and have judgment passed without respect of persons An Apology for or vindication of the oppressed persecuted Ministers and Professors of the Presbyterian Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland emitted in the defence of them and the cause for which they suffer The Introduction IT is not unknown as we suppose to the Churches of Christ in the Ilands of Britans and Ireland and other parts of the Christian World what persecutions upon the introduction of Prelacy in the Year 1662 the partie called Presbyterian hath suffered especially in the Church of Scotland and yet lytth under throw the implacable and violent rage of their adversaries the Prelates and their adherents who having 〈◊〉 the Civil powers on their side have prevailed to the enacâ—â—â— of such lawes that these who from the conscience of duty 〈◊〉 wards God and sense of the obligations of their Covenaâ—â—â— and Oaths lying on them and these Churches cannot coâ—ply with nor give obedience unto are not only exposeâ— to bitter and hard sufferings for a considerable time 〈…〉 loaded with all sort of reproach and represented as 〈…〉 ous and disloyal to Authority contrary to their 〈…〉 ciples and actings It is not the designe of 〈…〉 to descend into the consideration of the 〈…〉 ferings nor yet to lay any Odium on 〈…〉 prâ—judice of their just authority as the righteous judge of the worâ—â—â— knowes and we hope will make manifest in due 〈…〉 â—o clear some Necessary truths and duties and to vindicaâ— some of our practises from the unjust aspersions of adversaries who by lies and unjust representations of our principles and carriage do publikly and privatly defame and misrepresent to Authority and others our behaviour under the present course of affairs an artifice they have used of old and late for ingratiating of themselves and their interests into the favour of our Rulers and sharpening of the â—dge of persecution against us in which they have had no smal successe If it were not for the Interests of truth and Religion which through the hot contests and debates of thir times actuated by ambition and covetousness on the one â—and and the love of truth on the other are in hazard to suffer shipwrack we incline rather to keep silence and to possâ—sse our souls in patience under the present violence used against us as our too much silence hitherto does sufficiâ—â—â—ly witness but finding that the interests of the Gospel â—nd the concerns of immortal souls are struck at and are 〈◊〉 to
which indisposes him to answer his trust and to do the work of his office to which upon the revelation of the Gospel he is bound and seing it is so either the Church in exercising of her Government independantly on heathenish Magistrats usurped on his office power which the adversary dare no say Or els the Christian Magistrat hath no more power in over rhe Church then the other had and therefore the Church in exercising her power under the Christian Magistrat does not usurp upon him more then on the other 2 The Ministers of the Gospel are by vertue of their office Keepers of both tables of the law of the table of Righteousness as well as of the table of Religion will it from thence follow that they may medle with the Magistrats office and assume its exercise or that the same does depend on them No wayes and yet the consequence is as good in the one as in the other by the same medium we shall prove Ministers have as good right and power to manage the affairs of the State as the Magistrat hath in our adversaries sense to manage the affairs of the Church We know they will reject the consequence with disdaine as to Ministers and ask for our proofe for which we grant they have just cause so we deny the consequence as to the Magistrat for which they have not given us yet any colourable proofe but dictator-like assert it The truth is every man in his capacity is a Keeper of both tables of the law but in doing of it is to hold within the compasse of his station the nature and limites of the power granted him and is not to invade the office and power of others nor the work proper thereto as is evident from multitude of precepts in the Word of God So if Ministers notwithstanding their being Keepers of the tables of the law may not invade the Magistrats office and power So neither may Magistrats invade the Ministerial office and power 3 The acts and wayes of the Magistrats keeping of the tables of the law should answer and be agreable to the nature extent and limits of his office power within the verge of which he is to walk as all others are to do in theirs As Ministers are to keep both the tables of the law by preaching the word dispensing of Ordinances and exercising of discipline according to the rules of the word to which they are impowered by the institutions and commands of Christ without dependance on the Magistrat so the Magistrat is to keep them likwise by commanding all to their several duties protecting them therein by the sword which is given him for that end executing of justice in punishing of evil doers and rewarding the good c. but is not to medle with the Government of the Church in whole or in part but to see that it be done by these whom Christ hath called to and intrusted with it It is objected by others that it is not the intrinsick visible and internal Government of the Church that the Magistrat assumes in the acts of Parliament it is only the external Government that is expressely so called in the act of restitution Ans This is materially Answered above but that we may be distinct there are two things belonging to the Church 1. The outward and external adjuncts or accidents As the Biotica or Mundana Stipends Manse Glybs outward liberty and peace c. 2. The proper and true objects of Church Government or power that are intrinsick to it although visible as the Word Ordinances Ministery and necessary circumstances c. It is not the first of these but the second that the act of restitution with other acts do truely mean as is undoubtedly made out by the former arguments as particularly the first three that it is the Church judicatories the maters handled in and by them proper thereto that constituts the King Supream these being essential and intrinsick to the Government of the Church in its several parts he that is made supream to these is made supream to the Church and all that appertaine to her Obj. 2. But it is only the ordering and disposeing of the Government that is declared to belong to the King Ans It is so said in that act but it is evident from the mater and frame of it that it is the Government in whole that is truely meant and intended as is formerly proven But 2. Ordering and disposing of things proper and specifick to any Government is a part of the Government it self and to whom the Government belongs the ordering of it belongs likwise by the same reasons that any shall undertake to prove that the ordering and disposeing of the civil Government belongs to the Magistrat we shall prove the ordering and disposing of the Churches Government does belong to Church Officers â—no Government can be perfect without it or able to attaine its ends and therefore must necessarily be implyed in and intrinsick to it Obj. 3. But there are some acts of Church power the Magistrat may do as convocating of Synods determining of circumstances indicting of publict fasts and thanksgivings Ans As we deny all formal Church power to the Magistrat and all acts formally proceding therefrom so we grant there are acts First some common as prayer rebuking instructing of others and others of the like nature which when they come from a Church Officer are authoritative and acts of Church power that are yet performable by others in their stations and so to speak are charitative 2. Some are proper and only belongs to Church Officers as preaching of the Gospel dispensing of the Sacraments exercise of Church discipline c. We doe not deny but chierfully grant wishing with all our hearts there were many such Magistrats in the Church that the Magistrat ought to rebuke to exhort admonish instruct pray c. As all others in their stations and offices should do but from thence it will not follow that he may exercise formal acts of Church power more then others or that the Church power is dependant on him the Consequence is wide But to the particular instances as that of convocating of Synods or any Church judicatory we say it is within the verge of his power as a Magistrat who may and ought to command all within his dominions to their several duties and Ministers among others as they ought to doe to him so the Magistrats convocating of Ministers is but a putting of them to their duty which in the Magistrat is no act of Church power but an act of his office he owes to all 2. This act or deed of the Magistrat is not privative of the same in the Officers of the Church who may ought come together of themselves as the necessities of the Church requires On the by it is an evil consequence the Magistrat may gather Synods therefore Ministers may not doe it It is like to this others may rebuke admonish
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
necessare righteous from the Word of God before their obligation can be admitted received which we have laboured to doe in this following discourse And if from it our Covenants and Oaths doe appear to be just are we not assured that the corruptions and sins engaged against by such divine tyes and relapsed into contrare to these engadgments doe provoke our Holy and righteous God to the inflicting of all those plagues and judgments threatened in the word against the violators of such sacred bonds And if this be a truth as we hope none will deny what can we then expect to our selves posterity if reformation repentance doe not prevent but ruine and desolation according to every ones accession to these evils which no doubt are crying for vengeance on this declining Church Next We pray your Lo. to consider that we build our conclusions on no other foundation then our worthy reformers in this Church and others laid downe in their arguments and debates against popery which for its want of and opposition to the holy Scriptures they have condemned for an Antichristian defection from the doctrines of Christ We hold to the sufficiency and perfection of the holy Scriptures resolving thorow the Grace of God to admit of no other rule of faith and obedience in the maters of our God but these what they condemne we must renunce whatsoever doctrins or practises in the house of our God want their authority and approbation we cannot yea dar not admit The experience of the Church in preceding ages shews what mischeifs the opening of this door hath brought in upon her to the almost uter ruine of all her concerns The present grouth of popery and the quick advance it makes among all degrees of Professors in this and our nighbouring Churches sayes to all we suppose to your Lo. that the fasety preservation of the protestant reformed Religion does in all prudence require that its real and sincere friends should be encouraged and not thus persecuted with violence which no doubt tends so to the weakening of the Protestant interest cause that in one of Queen Elizabeths Parliaments it was judged a sufficient reason not only to restraine the rigide pressing of conformity but likewise to encourage all Non-conformists who in those times were looked upon as stout antagonists to popery and such as might be employed entrusted and made use of in opposition to it Is it not to be feared that the â—ope having his instruments and emissaries amongst us for working out of his designes on these Churches which all his former engines have not hitherto effected and finding through our confusions and distempers the occasion fitted for his purpose hath no question a secret active hand in influencing and increasing of this violence which if the Lord in his mercy to this many wayes afflicted and ruined Church doe not prevent will facilitat his longed for much endeavoured designes against the reformed Religion in these Ilands And however we are represented to your Lo. as unfriends to Religion and the interests of State as if they must ruine if we stand yet the experience of past and present times beside our publick confessions doth sufficiently witnesse how malitious our adversaries are in this unjust calumny We are no innovators nor pleaders for innovation in Church or State but do hold adhere to and resolve through the grace of God to maintaine the reformed Protestant Religion against all sorts of enemies as it is contained in the holy Scriptures summed up and breifly comprehended in the Confessions of faith of the reformed Churchs especially in the Confession of faith Larger shorter Catachismes of this Church in opposition to all Popish Arminian Socinian and Sectarian errors and innovations We hold for our maine rooted principle the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God the absolute perfect and only rule of faith and maners not needing any supplement of Ecclesiastical tradition yet we do not deny Antiquity its due respect use reverence and although we maintaine that every Christian of what rank degree soever ought to study be conversant in the Scriptures yet we acknowledge the necessity and great use of a Gospel standing Ministry and receive the directive authority of the Church not with an implicit faith but with the judgment of discretion We hold the teaching of the Spirit necessare to the saving knowledge of Christ but absolutly deny that the Spirit bringeth new revelations in maters of doctrines worship Government but only that he opens the eyes and enlightens the understanding that we may perceive and rightly take up what is of old revealed in the word by the same Spirit We rejoice in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flesh or in a legal righteousnes desireing to be found in him who of God is made unto us wisdom righteousnes sanctification and redemption yet we constantly affirme good works of piety towards God of equity and charity towards men to be necessare both necessitate precepti medii our Ministers presse on themselves hearers the necessity of Regeneration as the solid fundation of good works the severe strict exercise not of a popish out side formal but of a spiritual real mortification and self denial We extol all ordinances of divine appointment but reject all humane inventions especially religious and significant not institute ceremonies in the worship of God It ought to have no little weight with your Lo. that by using of such violence the most sober judicious universally religious and industrious part of the subjects and consequently the most useful and stedfast to his Maj true interest and honour are exposed to dayly vexation and trouble to the great dammage and prejudice of this Nation and Kingdom We suppose that upon an impartial view it will be found that the choice and better part of the subjects is dissatisfied with the Government now introduced into this Church and consequently obnoxious to the severity of the lawes enacted against non-conformists and of what dangerous consequence this may prove to Church and State we leave to your Lo. most serious consideration We know the certaine issue of all maters is known to God only but if we shall take our measures in conjecturing at future events from the working of present causes there is all rational ground to fear that there are dismal and heavy times coming on this nation which by taking and fallowing of right wayes in the present juncture of affaires your Lo. may prevent and if not done will no doubt afford mater of bitter sorrow repentance to your Lo or children afterwards It is shall be our hearty prayer to God that your Lo. may have the Spirit of wisdome and of the fear of the Lord poured out upon you to foresee the evils that are hastening towards us and in time to hide yourselves this Church Kingdom from them Is it not apparent to all that conscience does not
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
〈◊〉 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
and their respective flockes of which they use to boast much But reason and experience do fully convince and leave us beyond all Doubt that this good is as easily and better wine at by Presbyters in their associated and presbyterated meetings lesser and greater then by prelats what can prelats do in this that may not and hath not been done by Presbyters to the great benefite of the Church as is manifest from the experience of this Church in preceeding times and now not alittle confirmed by the contrare Mworeover in the act of restitution Parl. 1. S. 2. Act 1. it is given for one Reason induceing to the bringing in and establishing of prelacy among us that it is most suitable to Monarchy What good this does or can bring to the Church we cannot divine we wish it had been instanced in the foresaid act we know the government of the Church considered in its due latitude and extent according to the presbyterian principles is truely and properly Monarchical for is not Christ Jesus the Supream and immediat head of the Church and do not her officers act in her government in an immediat dependance upon and subordination to Him as her King So that if the Churches government being Monarchical be the good intended and meant in this expression it is as much attainable without prelacy as by it but we suppose that this is not the good understood Next if by suteablenesse to Monarchy be meant that kinde of Authority and Dominion in Church officers in and over the Church that is exercised by kings and Monarchs and hath been assumed by prelats fince ever they appeared in the Church this is expressy discharged and forbidden to Church officers in her government Matth. 20 25. Luk. 22 25. How much Emperours Princes Kings and States have smarted by this dominion is known in history Some say it is the superiority and subordination of Church officers and judicatories that is understood in this act This may be had and hath been attained in the Church under presbyterian government both as to officers and judicatories the Pastour is superior both to Elders and Deacons c. the classicall presbytery 〈◊〉 above the congregational eldership the provincial synod above the presbytery c. Obj. there is not the superiority of one above the rest Ans but what good doth this either to Church or State we know it hath brought much evil to both but never any good that might not have been wine at yea and was not actually attained without it they that judge otherwise are bound to give instances which we earnestly beg they will doe we know this brought forth the Pope and did mid wife Antichrist into the Christian world But the thing we suppose that is truly intended is the bringing of the Church into a slavish dependence upon and subjection to the Magistrat for which we confesse prelacy is every way fitted how excellently did it serve the Pope in establishing of his Dominion and in bringing and keeping of all in subjection to him and albeit since the reformation the prelats changed their head in taking on the Magistrat in the roome of the Pope yet they retaine their use which exceedingly endears them to worldly Princes that affect domination in the house of God but is shall be proven afterwards this is contrare to the fredome of Christs kingdome his absolute supremacy and dominion over the same and is inconsistent with Christain princes their professed subjection thereto so that this is no good but and evill destructive of the true concerns of the Church 2. It is no small discovery to us of the evil and corruption of prelacy that it is much approven allowed and cryed up by all persones of profane dissolute and debauched lives except where it crosses their wordly interests and the reason of this is obvious to all for as corrupt and wicked nature does dislike all that is from God as opposite to its wicked inclinations and wayes so it loves and is in much liking with all that is friendly to and does encourage it in these Is it not visible that the encouragement which flagitious and wicked persones find for their impieties under the wings of prelacy is the true reason and cause for which it is so liked and cryed up by such In this it is contrare to Presbytery in its due and faithfull exercise which hath been and yet to this day is hated for its impartialitie strickness and severitie against all sorts of scandal in all ranks of persons high and low for this we appeal to the general sense and observation of all in these landes can we think that course to be of God which for this reason is approven by the generality of the wicked 3. Besides this does not the prelates opposition to the godly whom in rationall charity all are bound to judge such in reproaching oppressing persecuting of them to a strange hight of severity who in profession differ only from them in a point that depends on the meer will and pleasure of the Magistrat we say does not this declare godlines to be their quarrel and it to be inconsistent with and contrare to their interests which we are sure cannot be th◠effect of these means and wayes institute by God in his word whose end and tendency is to promove godlines and not to persecute and destroy it as is now done And whoever consider the constitution of prelacy the rules for its exercise to wit the doctrines and opinions of prelats about Church-power and government and the hight of Dominion they lay clame to over the Church will see that of its self it must be an enemy to true god-lines while it crys up its forme and layes it self out for advanceing of it in opposition to its power 4. It is received for a sure truth among all protestants that as the renewed nature of the Godly does hate and is an enemy to all that is contrare to and destructive of true godliness so it is the evidence and signe of the evil and sinfulness of a cause when it is disliked opposed by the generality of the truly sober judicious and humble Godly If we shall apply this to prelacy as it is established and exercised amongst us at this day have we not cause to suspect its corruption and to judge its descent not to be of God seing it is universally disliked and hated by the truely Godly which eminently appears in persons converted from wickedness and sin in which they lived before conversion what ever likeing they had to prelacy or hatred to presbytery immediatly upon their conversion they drink in an aversation from and hatred of prelacy and love to the contrare We know this was objected by Independents against presbyterians when the controversy about Church government was hot betwixt them But. 1. This objection was without any true cause as Independents were forced afterwards and at this day to confesse they finding upon trial that
and all wayes taken to crush us and our cause who owne no other principles but these that are either implicitly or explicitly asserted by all Protestants which are known to the world to be corroborative of government and such as make way for all just obedience from the Subject to the same To make way for the full and sure execution of this law there is another enacted Parl. Caroli 2. Session 2. Act. 2. Intituled an act against those who refuse to depone against delinquents which is particularly designed for comeing at full information against Conventicles and Conventicle keepers as is expressed in the body of that act but so conceived and framed as it answers to that oath de super inquirendis used by the Papists in their inquisition condemned by all Protestant Divines for its opposition to justice mercy and equity for first no sort of persons are exeemed the Father against the son the husband against the wise c. were the relations never so near no exception of them is made in this act which use to be admitted in all other crimes except that of treason Next by this act the deponent whoever he be is oblidged to answer all interrogations and questions proposed to him although he hath had no previous consideration of them which in all other crimes used formerly to be allowed that so the deponent might answer from mature and sure knowledge which here is not granted What aâ— foundation is hereby laid for the molestation of the subject Shall we be that unmerciful and unjust to all men yea to our nearest and dearest relations as to reveal that of them which if keept secret brings no prejudice to Church or State And if revealed will ruine them in this present world and that for a mater that antecedent to the law is no transgression before God but the doing of a necessare duty An invention we must say framed against the good and dousciencious who cannot escape by this law and for the encouraging of the bad to the persecuting of such who throw the power of their lusts are at liberty to say and do what they list Are these the fruits of Prelacy that most endeared it to us Whither are we gone Shall we thus fight against heaven to reach a poor handful of persons that are able to do nothing but to look up to God and sigh to him for these evils that no doubt are procureing and bringing dismal and sad dayes on this land We forebear to anatomiz these and other acts of the like nature and to give judgment to every clause and part of the same but leave them to the impartial consideration of all concerned to whom the effects thereof may afterwards speak more then we love to utter at this time Only in all humility we offer two things to be observed which are the observations of not a few that these and other acts do pave the way to all sort of cruel persecution if a furder declension in religion shall happen to follow which we beg the Lord in his rich mercy to this nation would prevent Rulers are subject to â—erre in the matters of God as well as others as the instances of all ages leave beyond debat and if others shall arise after us that incline to popery or any other false Religion are there not lawes made to their hands by us that will facilitat their work and make it most easy What have they more to do but to rescind some very few in regaird of these that once were and to execute those they finde in force and on record for the persecuting of all opponents to the height of crulty Next there needs no act of Parliament to this change and introduction of another Religion an act from the King recoâ—ded in the Councel bookes and sufficiently published which is declared to be of sufficient force and obligation about this mater is enabled by law to do all An act without a precedent in this nation when confidered in its full latitude and extent From what is said anent these acts any may gather the true reasons of our refuseing the Bond lately framed by the Councel that takes us engaged against Conventicles as they are called and was enforced by violence on us Not pretending to much knowledge in the lawes we have alwayes understood bonds to be voluntare and first to proceed from persons found guilty and sentenced by the judge conforme to the law which the clemency of the Magistrat doeth often suspend or remit upon the guiltys offered and voluntare engagment for better behaviour in times comeing and never required of nor imposed on persons not proven nor found guilty The truth is if this violenting imposition of bonds be thus allowed and practised what ground will there be thereby laid down for the trouble and molestation of the subjects And who can promise to himself security from the oppression of others that out of malice or covetous designes may on any pretence give information against others altho never so quiet and peaceable SECT III. The Ministers preaching and peoples hearing vindicated and foure Objections answered HAving thus far opened our hearts and touched at some things that are truly greivous to us not so much for what we have suffered as for the fear of what is like to be the consequences of the engines framed and set on foot for perpetuating ours and the Churches oppressions in this and the following generations we shall in the next place give an accompt of our practise in preaching and hearing of the Gospel dispensing and receiving of ordinances at and from the hands of the ejected Ministers the new cause of these heavy acts sentences and punishments inflicted on us for the same in doing of which we shall first in all singlness of heart bring forth the true grounds and reasons binding our consciences to these practises and then shall take off the exceptions that are most used against us Our practise in this mater we build on such foundations that all Christians especially Protestants by vertue of their professed subjection to Christ Jesus our only King and Law giver in the house of our God are bound to owne and adhere to and from which they cannot recede without contradicting of the said profession and doing manifest violence to the law and word of Christ the holy Scriptures our only statute and law book in all matters of doctrine worship and government If on bringing our case to them it shall be found that our condemned practice in these stands justified we hope with much assurance we shall be acquited in the sight of God and in the consciences of all that have any feeling and sense of true Religion the censures and talkings of others against us which do not a little afflict us for the sad consequences thereof to themselves shall not much move us Therefore first the Ministery of the Gospel being by positive institution and appointment from Christ Jesus as Head and King of his Church
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
disobedience and the reason is becaus no power can justly crave obedience when it acts either beyond or against its true adequat formal object but of this above 3. When Magistrats commands are opposite to Gods which hath often fallen out obedience to God can be no disobedience to the Magistrat But in our case we undertake to prove that altho the thing commanded to wit appearance be within the compasse of the Magistrats power that it was contrare to mercy and justice yea and things commanded and allowed us of God which will exeem our non-appearance from disobedience consequently from contempt of Authority Knowing and being morally certaine that the unjust violence designed against us would have inevitably followed on our appearance we chused rather to forbear it and to use the flight Christ allowes to his servants and people in the like cases It is a Maxime in Morals or practical divinty accorded to by all Divines that of two penal evils when the election of them is in our arbitriment the lesser is to be preferred to the greater And to any that consider the case we then had before us it will be manifest that flight was much preferable to the severity we were to expect on appearance of which we were assured not only from the standing lawes of the Kingdome but likwise from the preceeding carriage of our Rulers who altho slow and negligent enough in the execution of the lawes against Papists Quakers and other heterodox opinious and wicked practises yet punctual and strick in puting the law to more then its full execution against us to which they have been and are instigated by our enemies the Prelats to such a hight of keenness that if the mater contamed in our summonds cannot be made to appear we are put to answer such interrogatories and required to give and subscribe such oaths engadgments and bonds to which they know we cannot without destroying of our principles yeeld for refuseing of which many of our party have been cast into prisons fined banished c. Thirdly It had no little influence on us in determining our non-appearance that the usual legal forme of procedour in judgment allowed to and used vvith others is not observed towards us from which we could not expect justice but all severity On our appearance we have no accuser often no lybel condescending on or containing our crimes with the circumstances no witnesses produced but an oath administred to the empannelled for expiscating of accusations against ourselves and others and that in crimes made by law capital and the oaths of these whom the law calls socij criminis sustained for valid probation wayes of procedour condemned by the law of God and nations except where the Papists cruelty takes place And if all these sail the subscribing of engagments and bonds is pâ—oposed required as is said above on the refusal of which a prison is the best we meet with Let any man of ordinare reason and justice judge whether appearance before Rulers who by following of such methods and wayes in judgment declare themselves resolved to have at the persons arraigned whether â—ure or not we say let any judge whether appearance before such when it is in their choise to appear or not be rational and safe except where the supposed guilty intends by their appearance to prevent greater severity Fourthly Among other things that came under consideration with us against this appearance was the oath de super inquirendis lately framed into a law and now pressed on us which for the reasons formerly given we dar not take for besids the severe punishments as imprisonment arbitrary fines exile to forraigne plantations c. we were to look for for refuseing of this oath if we take it we are contrare to all natural equity mercy and justice made the accusers of ourselves and others contrare to the provision made in the act establishing and imposeing of this oath which declares that the oath taken by any shall not militat in judgment against the takers of it to suâ—h such penalties therein specified and yet the mater of their lybel useth to be diawne from it and if they deny their deposition an oath is adduced for probation against them And it is not intelligible by us how such an oath can be sustained 〈◊〉 valide probation against others and not against the deponent seing a person 's own confession of his crimes is judged sufficient against him much more should this oath which necessarly suppons and infers confession even judicial But Fiftly In the next place the evil consequences that by our appearance we were certane would have redounded to many made us forbear it for if we had appeared we were sure perpetual imprisonment or exile from our native countrey had ensued thereon whereby we should have been put out of a capacity for labouring the preservation and advancement of the Gospel in this Church of which we are members and to which we as Ministers and Christians are so straitly tyed and bound the people should have been robbed of a faithfull Ministery anâ— he benefite of the word purely dispensed by them the rod of persecution now on the back of this Church should have been more sharpened against the remnant of our party the people exposed to more shakeing and winnowing temptations to the endangering of their stedfastnes our adversaries of all sortes more emboldened to vent spew out their venemous doctrines and to carry on their designed defection to a greater hight all which being more then probable yea to us morally certane we durst not do that which would have opened the door to all these evils These arguments do suppone and lean on the unjust oppression intended and prosecuted against us which is made out both as to mater designe in the precedent and subsequent discourse Sixtly It was never a piece of disloyalty and disobedience to Magistracy even for persons confessedly guilty to keep themselves from the stroke of the law to run away from it and to escape out of prisons if they could effect it and consequently not to enter into prisons when cited thereto must be as free of disloyalty especially when the cause for which any is in hazard thereof is righteousness as ours is at this day SECT IV. Our practice cleared from separation where it is also proved unlawful to submit to the Ministry of the Curats Exception 5. The ejected Ministers preaching dispensing of ordinances and peoples runing to and hearing of them in this manner and withdrawing from communion with the Church in the allowed publick ordinances is separation which is against the principles and practises of the Presbyterians in foregoing times Ans because this in acts of Parliament publict Sermons and in Pamphlets is with great confidence asserted we shall take it a little into consideration and see whether the Prelats and their Creatures or our Ministers and the people adhering to them be the separatists a sinful separation
we grant there is but who are the Causers of it and guilty thereof before God they or we let our following answers and reason determine to which that they may be more clearly apprehended we premise 1. That it is not every sort of separation that is sinful and evil some kinds of it are duty and commanded as our Protestant divines make good against the Papists as Joseph Hall 〈◊〉 all that writ on that subject for it is our part to separat from sin and Professors joyning together in it with which the worship of God comes too often to be vitiated and polluted for this we have many precepts and commands in the word Ephes 5 11. with other Scriptures 2 To make non-presence or absence from the meetings of Christians for worship and goverment sinful separation there must be first a stated habitual absence secondly Such reasons and grounds for it as will not justify it for if the absence be not ordinare it is not esteemed separation altho the reasons of it be not justifiable pro hic nunc and albeit the absence be ordinare and habitual yet if its causes whether moral or physical be right and warrantable it is not sinful separation for absence from the meetings of Christians in worship or government is either sinful or not according to the causes or reasons of it 3 The grounds that will justify and warrant a withdrawing in ordinare from such meetings must be 1. The want of a just authority or right in those that dispense the ordinances of worship and government The Pharisees question proposed to Christ Matth. 21 23. did suppone a commonly granted and received truth which Christ does not deny but tacitly yeelds that they who act publickly in the Church must have a just authority right so to do we ought to have some rational convincing evidence of this if it be wanting it will warrant this withdrawing much more if its want be positively clear 2. Corruptions in the worship of God so knit to them in their use that they cannot be used without the use of these corruptions will also allow a withdrawing from such roeetings as all in these grant 3. Sinfol â—â—â—cumstances as such places times causes persons c. That in their connexion with and respects to things that are truely sinful and evil becomes so prohic nunc as fasts thanksgivings c. when observed at such times and for such Causes as are evil 4. Unsound and heretical doctrine taught in ordinare in such meetings Matth. 24. We grant it is not every error and erronious doctrine that will justifie a peoples withdrawing from ordinances dispensed in the assemblies of the Church there being nothing besides that may justly cause it but only such as is truely heretical and subversive of the foundations of Religion Righteousness peace When poison is administred in stead of wholesome food a people are bound to see to their own safety that they be not destroyed by that which was intended for their health 5 There are some things in the stated case of some times and other circumstances that will give sufficient ground for this withdrawing that will not do it at other times as in the beginnings of defection under the contests betwixt the orthodox and unsound party usually some things fall in that will call for a secession from Church assemblies which have often fallen out in the Church and is evident from history particularly in the time of the Arminians predomining in the Church of Holland and many others that are to be seen in the records of the Church 4 Although in some cases a negative separation be lawful and right where a positive is not yet in some cases a positive separation is lawful and duty it is hard to determine of cases in this matter except where the ease hath been or els is existent there are two cases in which this is allowed intrusion and an universall infection of the worship and government of the Church with superstition idolatry and tyranny to the polluting of all its ordinances we hope there will be no controversy anent the second seing it is the doctrine and hath been the practice of the reformed Churches in their secession and departur from the Church of Rome on that very head who not only withdrew from the communion of that idolatrous Church but erected themselvs into distinct Churches with officers and ordinances conforme to the commands and institution of Christ and when the mater is seriously and impartially weighted there will be found as little ground of controversy about the first anent which we take these two to be evident truths 1. That Churches are not bound to subject to but to withdraw from these intruded upon them partly because the just rights of the Church are wronged and taken from her which all ought to maintaine and not to quite partly because she is enslaved thereby and subjected to the lusts tyranny of men and a preparative laid downe to othâ—rs for doing of the like in times coming 2. That this intrusion is either on Churches that have bin and are setled in Christs way with able and faithful Ministers or else on these that want are vacant for the time If it be on Churches that are under the setled inspection of faithful Ministers they are bound to adhere to these and not to give place to the intruders from whom to withdraw can be no sinful separation the intruders and these that fall off to them are the separatists if the Church or Churches be without faithful Ministers they also are obleidged to refuse the intruding Ministers and if this unjust and violent intrusion on them continue they are oblidged to provide themselves of Ministers that under their oversight they may have and enjoy the benefite of the Gospel and its ordinances to which by the commands of Christ and the necessity of the means of eternal life they are straitly bound for as unjust intrusion brings nothing with it to make a people yeeld to the intruders so it untys no obligation formerly on them for endeavouring of their setlment with a faithful Ministery If we thought these in thesi were questioned by any we could with great ease make them out to the conviction of all but taking them for granted we surcease any further probation Therefore5 We desire it may be also considered that there is a vast difference betwixt hearing of and submiting to Ministers in the exercise of their Ministery in the general and doing of these to such and such Ministers the question betwixt us and our adversaries is not whether we should hear and submit to Ministers in their Ministery for this we do not deny but whether we should hear and submit to these that were our Ministers set over us by the holy Ghost before this change in the Church or these sent from and thrust in upon us by the Magistrat and Prelates It is no little wrong done us by our enemies
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
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
then any he there produceth before we subject to such neither is it a sufficient argument he useth in the 6. proposition that they are Ministers of Jesus Christ Suppone it be so yet the consequence is wide we aske at them if they think it lawful to hear and receive ordinances from our ejâ—cted and inhibited Ministers If they do how comes it that they do not hear our Ministers but disswade the people from it If they judge hearing of us unlawful they must either say that our Ministers are no Ministers or els that Ministers may be withdrawn from and not heard although they be Ministers of Christ Jesus and consequently it will follow from their own opinion and practice anent us that there are some things for hearing and receiving of ordinances from any person beside there being Ministers of Jesus Christ Or els the charge of schisme and separation will fall as heavy on themselves for not hearing and receiving of ordinances from our Ministers as on us But enough of this Whoever reads that manuscript will find it sufficiently answered in this short touch for all his argueings are against his owne shadow and misse the mark he should shoot at To shut up this wearysome and unpleasant subject In the last place we are charged with all the profanity wickedness and enormous practices that are commited and do since the erection of Prelacy abound in the Land yea our meetings for worship now branded with the anciently odious name of Conventicles with which assemblies of Christians in the primitive times were noted and designed by their persecutours are given out and represented to the world as the cause inductive to these horrid abominable scandals which are boldly asserted to be acted commited at them in a paper of greivances given in from the Diocesan Synod of Glasgow in Prelat Lightons time and presented to the then Kings Commissioner the Duke of Lawderdal and the honourable privy Councel by the parson of Glasgow Mr. Arthur Rosse and now Prelat of Argile that impudent and viperous Calumniator who from the pulpit other places useth to father all the scandals of the time on our party and their meeting Ans passing that Prelats malicious and venemous railings against us as not worthy of our notice whose not-our and manifest lies his bitter invictives and ill grounded assertions which not only speaks his heart and tongue to be set on fire of hell but renders him distiked and odious to many of his owne party we say 1. From whence came that fearful deluge of all sorts of profanity and wickedness that filled the before at after the last erection of Prelacy and for a considerable time when there were few or no Couventicles We have not forgetten and we hope the sober and humble that mourne for the abominations done in the midst of us will not with what a Spirit of impietie Prelacy entered into this Church and followed it for a long time could our meetings for worship called Conventicles be the cause of these when they were not and had not a being 2. We beg of our opposites that they will assigne us the cause of the open reigning scandals found in them that follow not our meetings but keep and adhere to theirs especially in the places where there are no Conventicles but an universal subjection to Prelacy That there are such impieties reigning without any control in these parts is past all denyal And what will our adversaries give for the cause of these Surely they cannot with any shew of reason Father them on our meetings 3 Is it not observeable yea observed by all that in places drowned in ignorance sin and wickedness where Conventicles have come and at this day are in use a sensible reformation in persons and families hath ensued thereon and that to the restraining of these scandalous impieties that prevailed in these bounds before and the shameing of these that yet live in them can that be the cause of scandals that in experience is alwayes found to be the effectual means of restraining and removing of them 4. While we cast our eyes about us to discover the grounds on which they fix this greivous and heavy charge it does not appear to us so much as to give the least degree of probability to it yea the evidence of the contrare is so clear and full that we cannot think our adversaries do beleeve themselves in these and other reproaches they load us with Sure we are they cannot binde this charge on the doctrines we professe and are preached in our meetings which are contained in our printed Confessions of faith long since emited to the world especially in the Confession of faith the large and shorter Catechismes composed by the Assembly of divines at West Minster We earnestly beg of our Antagonists that they will give instances in any of these doctrines if they can that of themselves do tend to licenciousness and profanity Upon a review of the whole of our doctrine in its several parts we cannot pitch upon one except the doctrine of justification by faith only throw the alone merits and blood of Christ Iesus maintained by all protestants except some who of late do assert the interest of good works as a preexistent condition of a sinners justification before God which yet is not directly and positively done but by indirect wayes and hints as is to be seen in Mr Gilbert Burnets first dialogues Patrick the Pilgrim and the Author of the whole duty of Man who resolve a sinners justification before God in his serious purpose and endeavour of good works at least as a preexistent condition of it which is not only against the doctrine of all protestants till of late as is to be seen in their writings but directly against the great Apostle Paul in his Epistles to the Romans and Gallatians whose arguments in that mater when our adversaries have answered them we shall consider at more length All the reasons they give for this charge from the head are so fully answered by that Apostle in the6 Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and 2. to the Galatians towards the close that we judge it needlesse to insist any further on this We do not charge all of the Prelatical party with this corrupt doctrine some of them particularly doctor Tully hath so clearly and soundly asserted and vindicat the doctrine of Protestants in this mater against the exceptions and arguments of the contrare minded that he if living deserves thanks from all the Protestant Churches of Christ in this and other parts of the Christian world A doctrine that hath been esteemed fundamentall among them and given as one great characteristick betwixt us and Papists yea it hath been looked upon as the note and signe of the resurgentis aut cadentis ecclesiae as she holds to or departs from the same We are not so antiprelatical as not to love truth wherever we find it and the assertor thereof for its
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
exercise her Government in these times by confederation and mutual consent and not by institution and command for as there is nothing in Scripture and pure antiquity for this So the Churches being gathered and constitute by the Apostles we presume they continued in the constitutions which the Apostles left according to the precepts and rules they gave them to which we find in the word and Church History their practice conforme When the persecutions of the Church ceased upon the Magistrats turning Christian we find her continuing in the exercise of the former Government but with the addition of some corruptions which grew to a sad hight afterwards throw the excessive munificence bounty of Constantine the great the first Christian Emperour and exercising the sameâ— as formerly as is clear from History that speaks of these times Here our adversaries speak of some instances of the power the Magistrat did exerce in the Church as convocating of Synods labouring in the peace of the Church lorely rent at sometimes through lad heresies and schisms And that saying of Constantines repeated by them ad nauseam vos estis Episcopi ad intra Ego ad extra But how is our Antagonists conclusion made out by all these will it follow that becaus the Magistrat did convocat Synods its Government is derived from subordinat to him No wayes for 1. Albeit the Magistrat have a power to convocat the officers of the Church anent maters relating to his owne conscience and duty whether about Church or State yet this is not privative of the Churches power to convocat her owne assemblies either for worship or government as we find she did in the primitive times not only without but against his consent yea when the Magistrat became Christian she retained and exercised this power in assembling into several Synods without the Magistrat It is true we do not read of general Synods assembled after this but by the Magistrat till the Pope of Rome claimed this power and usurped therein on the Church and Magistrat as he did in all other things but the vastness of the Empire and large extent of the Church which exceeded its bounds made this in point of prudence necessare for without the Magistrat it could not easily be done But 2. Convocating of others is not alwayes in its self and infallible signe of a superiour power and dominion over judicatories convocated as in limited Monarchies and not absolute where the Supream power is lodged in the King and States of the Kingdom although the King have the power of conveâ—ning the States yet they share wiâ—h him in the leg stative and executive power while in being therefore the illation is bad and not concludent 4 What imaginable advantage-can accrew to our adversaries assertion by that saying of Constantines formerly cited We grantâ— the Magistrat is the overseer of things without the Church but this will not prove that thâ— government of the Church is in and from his hands and subordinat to him they must first make it appear by good reason that ner Government is ad extra which they have not yet done nor never will for although it be visible in its institution and exercise yet it is as intrinsinck to and within her as her doctrine and worship which by this sence will be as much derived from and subjected to the Magistrat as her Government seing the one is as visible in its dispensation as the other Arg. 5. The Magistrat may not yea cannot jure impede and hinder the exercise of the Churches government therefore it is not derived from nor subjected to him the reason of this consequence is what ever power is derived from the Magistrat and subordinated directly to him he may suspend hinder its exercise yea he may totally remove and annihilat it this is yeelded by all and taken for a sure Maxime in Politicks but the Magistrat may not do this in the Government of the Church and that becaus it is of divine institution and the persons intrusted with and called to its â—xercise are under the obligations of divine precepts and commands for it which the Magistrat cannot hinder nor by any deed or command of his make void These that deny this divine institution of Church Government we refer to the forecited book where it is strongly pleaded made out from clear and express Scriptures in the New Testament Likwise as he cannot impede its exercise so he may not nullify its sentences by himself which he may do in the sentences passed by all powers derived from and subordinat to himself Arg. 6. The Christian Magistrat is by vertue of his Christian Profession bound to subject himself to the acts exercise of Church Government in the hand of Church Officers and is as much obleidged to yeeld thereto as any other Therefore Church power is not directly subordinat to him The antecedent is clear for all are commanded submission and obedience to Church Officers in the exercise of their power in watching overseeing and ruleing of the Church Heb. 13.7 17. to which exercise of their power we finde Magistrats in the word submitting as UZZIA who was by the priests confor me to the law separated and secluded from the holy things of God and communion with the Church in these yea it is given for the maine cause of all that heavy wrath and judgment that came on Zedekiah 2. Chron. 36.12 that he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking the word of the Lord to him Obj. But this subjection in Magistrats to Church Officers is properly to Christ and not to them Ans we confess the subjection is primarily and cheifly to Christ Jesus whom such in the exercise of their Office doe represent yet the subjection is to them too whom all without exception of any in the Church are commanded to receive hear and obey so that in the dispensation of holy things they are superiour to all in the Church Magistrats and others as their constitut Rulers Overseers Governours and Watch men whom they ought to obey when acting in their Office agreable to the law of Christ which obedience is not CATACHRESTICAL or ABUSIVE as VIDELIUS speaks in the Magistrat but proper and really a debt they owe to the Ministers of the Gospel dispensing holy things as much as any other member of the Church their obligation to it being of the same kinde and nature with the obligation of others If any think other-wayes let them produce their reasons and Scriptures 2. If the fiery and zealous promotters of the Magistrats power in and over the Church of God did consider the true and real prejudice they do to Magistrats by exeeming them from that subjection that they with all others owe to Church Officers they would if there be any sense of Religion and its advantages remaining with men hold their hand and should have little thanks from Magistrats for their preposterous zeal who by their opinions in this mater do
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
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
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