not only have brought wrath upon themselves but also upon all the People So the wickednesse of Hophny and Phinehas was part of the cause of that sad discomfiture that the People of Israel did meet with 1 Sam. 2 ver 12. comp with Cap. 3 ver 11. and with Cap. 4 ver 10 11. So Esai 43 ver 27 28. because the Teachers had transgressed against the Lord. Therefore was Iacob given to the curse and Israel to reproaches So Lam. 4 v. 13. among other provocations the sinnes of her Prophets are mentioned and the iniquities of her Priests So Micah 3 v. 11 12. Because the Heads did judge for reward and the Priests did teach for hire and the Prophets did divine for money Therefore Zion was to be plowed as a field and Ierusalem to become heaps and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forest 2. That the sinnes of a few have procured judgments unto the whole multitude or put them in hazard thereof So Deut. 13 v. 12 17. the Apostate city would kindle the fiercenesse of God's anger against the whole People For it is said The Lord would not turne from the fiercenesse of his anger and shew them mercy and compassion and multiply them until it were destroyed and all that was within it So Num. 25. for the sinne of these who joyned with Baal peor the anger of the Lord was kindled against the whole congregation So when Moses was speaking unto the two Tribes and halfe Num. 32 14 15. he sayeth And behold yee are risen up in your Fathers stead to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel for if yee turne away from after him he will yet againe leave them in the wildernesse and yee shall destroy all this People So Ios 7 ver 5. for one Ahan's sin all Israel was troubled and Ios. 22 v. 17. 18. say the commissioners of the whole congregation unto the two Tribes and half And it will be seing ye-rebel to day against the Lord that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel And it was this which moved all the Tribes to goe against Benjamin Iudg. 20 3. That the Subjects have suffered sad and dreadful judgments for the sinnes of their Rulers As Micah 3 9 10 11 12. formerly cited Abimelech's sin Gen. 20. was like to hazard himself and all his Kingdome ver 7 9. For Pharaoh's refusing to let Israel goe not only he and his Princes but his Subjects through all his coasts did smarte Exod. 6 and 7 8 and 9. and 10 Cap. Neh. 9 v. 10. So Saul's sin in seeking to destroy the Gibeonites brought on three yeers famine on the land in the dayes of David 2 Sam. 21 v. 1. So David's sin of numbering the people cost the lives of three score and Ten thousand 2 Sam. 24 v. 1 2 15. 1 Chron. 21 1 2 14. So the Lord threatned by the Prophet 1 King 14 ver 16. that for the sins of Ieroboam who did sin and who made Israel to sin he would give up Israel And for Ahab's sin of letting Benhadad goe the Man of God told Ahab 1 King 20 ver 42. Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appoynted to utter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life and thy People for his People So for Manasseh's sin Ier. 15 ver 4. The Lord sayes I will cause them to be removed into all King domes of the Earth because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah King of Iudah for that which he did in Ierusaelem So it is also spoken 2 King 21 ver 11 12 13. Because Manasseh King of Iudah hath done these abhominations therefore thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel behold I am bringing such evil upon Ierusalem and Iudah that whosoever heareth of it both his eares shall tingle c. And notwithstanding of the reformation that was in the dayes of Iosiah Yet this judgement came to be accomplished and the Lord sent the bands of the Caldees and of the Syrians surely so it is said 2 King 24 v. 3 4. at the commandement of the Lord came this upon Iudah to remove them out of his sight for the sinnes of Manasseh according to all that he did and also for the innocent blood that he shed which the Lord would not pardon And 2 King 23 26. Though there was a great work of reformation done in the dayes of that non-such King v. 25 Iosiah yet it is sayd notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Iudah because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him with all Yea so did this sin of Manasseh provoke the Lord against the land that how beit Manasseh himself repented and found mercy 2 Chron. 33 v. 12. and questionlesse many of the People turned with him yet these same sinnes of Manasseh are mainly taken notice of as the procureing cause of that final stroke Out of these particulars these few things are very obvious to any 1. That People combined into a society have great cause not only to look to their owne carriage but also unto the carriage of others Since the carriage of others will bring them in hazard of God's judgments and hasten downe vengeance wrath from God on all sure they have need to look about them 2. Especially they have reason to take notice of the publick carriage and deportment of Princes and Pastors seing in a special manner those highten the wrath hasten the judgments of God as hath been shewed 3. If these sinnes in Princes Pastors and others were not committed those plagues and judgments which are threatned and at length executed upon that account would have been prevented 4. If People considering their hazard by reason of these publick transgressions had actively bestirred themselves interposed as that these iniquities had not been committed they had not smarted so for as they did not had they felt the weight of the hand of Gods anger as they were made to do 5. It was not enough for them to have keeped themselves free of these actual transgressions whereof others were really guilty for we finde some punished for that iniquity of others which could not be laid to their charge as actors 6. How ever such as were so punished were not free of inherent transgressions and other sinnes which deserved judgment at the hands of the Lord yet when the Spirit of the Lord is pleased to make no mention of these as the Procureing cause of these plagues but seemeth to lay the whole or maine stresse of the businesse upon that sin committed by others we must thinke that that hath had no small influence but rather a mine causality in the procureing of these plagues and it becometh us to be sober in inquireing after other causes hid from us and rest satisfied with what the Spirit of the Lord is pleased particularly and evidently to poynt
15. Iam. 6. c. 2. Parl. 23. Iam. 6. Act. 1. Parl. 1. Char. 1. and act 14. 15. of the same parl act 13. parl Anno 1661. Charl. 2. and this is reckoned by the forementioned politicians among the prerogatives Volgm pag. 57. Hoen pag. 129. Bodin pag. 244. Timpl. ubi supra 4. Nor doth it belong to him alone to appoynt the value of money as is cleare by our acts act 67. parl 8. Iam. 3. act 93. 97. parl 13. Iam. 3. act 23. parl 1. Iam. 1. act 33. parl 8. Iam. 2. act 59. parl 13. Iam. 2. act 2. parl 1. Iam. 4. act 17. parl 2. Iam. 4. act 40. parl 4. Iam. 4. act 17. parl 1. Iam. 6. act 20. of the same parl act 249. parl 15. Iam. 6. c. 9. parl 16. Iam. 6. yet the forecited authors reckon this also among jura Majestatis 5. He must not rule us by his meer will but by the lawes of the land act 79. parl 6. Iam. 4. act 130. 131. parl 8. Iam. 6. and not by any special grant or privat privileges act 48. parl 3. Iam. 1. 6. He is not the proper judge of all causes in the first instance act 45. parl 2. Iam. 1. act 62. parl 8. Iam. 3. 7. Some causes are fully exempted from his judgment and determination act 105. parl 14. Iam. 3. 8. The Lords of the Session may finally decide causes according to the act 65. parl 3. Iam. 1. without any liberty granted to the party to appeal to the King act 63. parl 14. Iam. 2. and this privilege of the Session in ratified act 93. parl 7. Iam. 5. act 1. parl 2. Mar. act 170. parl 13. Iam. 6. act 183. of the same parl act 211. parl 14. Iam. 6. act 23. parl 1. Carol. 1. act 23. parl Anno 1661. Charl. 2. Yea the judges are allowed to discerne according to equity notwithstanding of any write of the King 's to the contrary act 92. parl 6. Iam. 6. act 47. parl 11. Iam. 6. act 79. of the same parl 9. He is limited in granting remissons sic act 46. parl 2. Iam. 1. act 51. parl 3. Iam. 1 act 75. parl 14. Iam. 2. act 42. parl 6. Iam. 3. act 94. parl 13. Iam. 3. act 62. 63. parl 6. Iam. 4. act 174. parl 13. Iam. 6. 10. He is limited in alienating of lands possessions or moveable goods act 2. parl 1. Iam. 2. act 41. parl 11. Iam. 2. act 70. and 71. parl 9. Iam. 3. act 112. parl 14. Iam. 3. act 5. parl 1. Iam. 4. act 10. parl 2. Iam. 4. act 22. ejusd parl act 50. parl 4. Iam. 4. act 90. parl 6. Iam. 4. act 84. parl 6. Iam. 5. act 115. and. 116. parl 7. Iam. 5. act 6. parl 9. Iam. 6. act 176. parl 13. Iam. 6. act 159. ejusdem parl act 203. and 204. parl 14. Iam. 6 act 236. parl 15. Iam. 6. act 242. and 243. ejusdem parl act 1. parl 16. Iam. 6. cap. 4. parl 23. Iam. 6. act 10. parl 1. Carol. 1. 11 So is he limited in erecting Royal brughs act 43. parl 11. Iam. 2. 12. He is limited in appoynting publick offices for admininistration of justice act 44. parl 11. Iam. 2. 12. He may not passe gifts signatures or remissions but with the consent of the privy Council act 12. parl 2. Iam. 4. 14. He hath been aftentimes admonished of his duty by the Parliament see act 23. parl 1. Iam. 1. act 5. and. 6. parl 3. Iam. 2. act 14. parl 6. Iam. 2. act 92. parl 13. Iam. 3. act 8. parl 2. Iam. 4. act 29. parl 3. Iam. 4. act 17. parl 1. Iam. 6. If this Surveyer hath a minde to defend the King 's civil prerogative royal or his absolute power Let him take all these particulars to his consideration but we goe on to our purpose From what hath been said concerning this limited power of the Kings we draw these particulars for our purpose 1. If the King be a limited Prince Then he may in some cases be lawfully resisted Gerhard himself de Magistrat Pol. § 484. pag. 1303. in answering of that quaestion what shall Subjects do if a Magistrate who is an infidel or an haeretick doth force them unto a false religion sayeth That such a Magistrate who hath absolute and unlimited power and is under no compacts may not be resisted by such as are meer Subjects So that he would grant in this case That it is lawful for meer private Subjects to resist a limited Prince who is bound by compacts and contracts It is true when he cometh afterward to speak of resisting a Tyrant and proponeth the quaestion § 486. whether such who have absolute power and turne Tyrants may be resisted after he hath cited some sayings of Papists he tells us § 487. That all the arguments of iunius Brutus Rossaeus Buckerius are solidly answered by Barclaius Albericus Gentilis Cunerus and Arnisaeus and this passage our Surveyer bringeth in Pag. 89. But who seeth not that it cometh not at all home to our purpose seing our King is not a King of absolute power though he hath his Kingdom by succession but is limited by conditions and stipulations And further every one may see the weaknesse of Gerhard's reasons and how inconsistent he is with himself For. 1. Sayeth he such is only under Gods jurisdicton But alas 1. May not I resist a person vvho is not under my jurisdiction 2. Royalists will say the same of all Princes even Barclaus and Arnisaeus Againe he sayes The People have translated their whole power unto such a Prince cannot recall it But 1. They have never translated over unto him a power to inslave themselves for that was not in their power to do Nor 2. Could they ever give away the power of self defence which is their birth right 3. Sayes he Subjects in this case want God's command and a Superiour power But 1. They have God's command in nature no lesse then these who are under limited Princes 2. They have a superior virtual power in cases of necessity 4. Sayes he He is a Father of the Republict and not a Tutor only and therefore as Children have no power over their Parents no more have Subjects over their Princes But 1. Are not even limited Princes as well Fathers to the Commonwealth So that by this argument it shall be as unlawfull to resist these which he will not say 2. Yea such absolute Princes Look rather to be Tygers and stated enemies unto the Common-wealth then Fathers 3. They have no proper Parental power as we shewed but Metaphorical 4. Even natural parents may be resisted Ergo much more they 5. We are not speaking of giving judgment against Tyrants but of resisting of them and if he grant this vve have our desire And his question vvas touching resistence § 485. Quest. 4. 2. A Limited and pactional Prince may be legally resisted Ergo also with force when a legal resistence cannot be had The antecedent is true
no judgment and he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessour Truth and the cause of God was so at under that a man could not get leave to live if he depairted from evil he was a prey unto the persecuters so general and universal was this defection and at this time he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessour to interpose none that would stand up and lay out themselves to the utmost to set things in order none that would bestirre himself for truth and the right which was then oppressed see the English Annot. on the place the word is used 2 Sam. 22. 17. where it is said the servants of Saul would not fall upon the Priests of the Lord. So Exod. 5. 3. lest he fall upon us c. So that we see there was some positive thing required of them some effectual mediating and interposeing and hindering of these iniquities some publick owneing and avowing of the truth and by publick testimonies or other wayes of interposeing falling-into impede and stand in the way of that course of wickednesse 4. So Ier. 8 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not a right no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done It is not probable that there was none penitent among them where then was Baruch and Ebedmelech Cap. 38. 7 9. and others that stood for the Prophet Cap. 26 8 16 17 24. But there must be some other thing imported viz. That there was few or none repenting of national evils and labouring to remove these no man was standing up and opposeing these publick land defections labouring by this meanes to raise up the virgin of Israel who was fallen Amos 5. 2. 5. Ierm 9 3. And they bend their tongues like their bowes for lies but they are not valient for the truth upon the earth that is they were ready enough all of them to imploy their power to the utmost for the evil cause to establish errour and a false way but they used no valour for the oppressed cause and truth of God they did not their utmost to have Truth established and the true Religion They did not put out themselves or make use of their strength for the maintainance of truth and equity in the land say the English Annot. and they make it parallel with Esa 59 4. This was their guilt and hereby we see what was the duty even of privat persons for of such this is to be meaned as the context cleareth in such a general day of defection viz. to be valient owners and maintainers of Truth against all opposers 6. Ier. 5 v. 1. Run yee to and fro throw the streets of Ierusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can finde a man if there be any that executeth judgment that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it We can hardly think that there were no mourners in secret in all Ierusalem though it is like they were very few but there was none to owne the good cause that was now troden under foot none bestirring themselves to oppose and hinder the carryed on course of defection If that had been the Lord sayes he would have spared the place which shewes how desirable a thing this was and how acceptable it would have been in the Lords eyes that for that cause he would have forborne to have destroyed them or to have cut them off 7. Ezech. 22 30. And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me that I should not destroy it but I found none There were some even at this time sighing and mourning in secret for these abhominations who were marked Cap. 9. but there were none to make up the hedge which their provocations had made none to redresse the publick defection and Apostasy and stand for the truth and the suppressing of errour and iniquity So is it laid to the charge of their Prophets Cap. 13 5. that they did not goe up into the gaps neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battel in the day of the Lord Whereby we see that by this standing in the gape and making up the hedge more is meaned then a secret mourning even a faithful and publick owneing of the truth and opposeing of defection and putting a stope unto it as Moses did when he stood in the breach Exod. 32. though with authority as a Magistrate which private persones have not he not only prayed and wrestled with the Lord v. 11 12 13. but in great zeal took the calfe which they had made and brunt it in the fire and ground it to powder and strawed it upon the watter and made them to drink of it v. 20. If there had been any who thus effectually would have stood in the breach the Lord sayes he would have spared them so acceptable would such a work have been to him 8. So that word Ier. 13 18. Say unto the King and to the Queen humble your selves sit downe for your principalities shall come downe even the crowne of your glory Will import something more it being spoken to all indefinitely giveth a warrand to all to deal with King and Queen to prevent the sad dayes which were coming by reason of the defection and abounding sinnes 9. So that word Hos 2 2. Plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife which is spoken to private persones and so is a warrand to them to contend in judgment as the word doth import against the Church which was corrupted and had forsaken the Lord and his wayes and so to stand to the defence of truth and to plead for the cause of God against their very Mother the Church The body of the Nation that not only they might exoner their owne consciences but also get things reformed so far as lay in their power and keep the memory of the cause of God afresh that it should not be buryed These places and the like though we bring them not to prove immediatly our maine Question as it may be the Surveyer who useth to take but half a look of matters will suppose yet when duely considered in their just latitude and extent they will clearely evince That more is required of private persons in a general day of defection then to keep themselves free of the same or to mourne in secret or the like And if we lay them together they will clearly prove it the duty of privat persones in such a day of defection to be publickly declareing their abhorrence of the wicked courses which are carryed on to be actually and effectually interposeing with King and Great ones that a stope may be put unto the course of wickednesse and God's wrath averted that they would plead Zions cause against all opposers and thus stand up in the gape and make up the hedge by publick and avowed owneing of
consonant to the word of God and publickly received with all solemnities imaginable notwithstanding of acts and lawes made to the contrary and no true Christian will say That subjects should imbrace any Religion which Magistrates will countenance and prescribe be what it will or upon that account 2. As they were thereby declareing their soul abhorrence of these corruptions which were countenanced and authorized by sinful acts and statutes so they were defending to the utmost of their power the reformed Religion according to their Covenant and vow to God And that such a defence as this is lawful we have shewed 3. They were defending themselves against intolerable and manifestly unjust violence offered because of their adhereing to the cause of God and to the reformed Religion which King Parliament and all rankes of People in the land were solemnely sworne to owne and avow all the dayes of their lives really sincerely and constantly as they should answere to God in the great day no lesse then they 4. They were mindeing their Oath and Covenant made with God with hands lifted up with solemne attestations and protestations the Covenants which they did make and renew in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to performe the same 5. They were endeavouring in their places and stations according to the latitude allowed in times of such necessitie and in matters of such weight and moment to have the Church and Kingdome purged of these abhominable and crying corruptions and grievous abhominations which provoke the Lord to wrath against the whole Church and Kingdome 6. They were defending the maine fundamental law and constitution of the Kingdome and that maine article of Agreement and Compact betwixt Soveraigne and Subject which all the members of the Nation were no Lesse bound unto then they 7. They were joyning together as detasteing that detestable indifferency and neutrality abjured to defend and assist one another in the same cause of maintaining their reformed Religion with their best counsel bodyes meanes and whole power against the old inveterate and Common enemie that malignant spirit and rage according to their Covenants 8. They were repenting of their National sin in complying by their sinful silence not giving open faithful and faire testimony when the Truth of God was openly and violently trode under foot with that dreadful course of backslideing which was violently carryed on They were calling for justice and valiently pleading for truth sinfully and tyrannically borne downe and oppressed They were with zeal and courage valiently interposeing labouring to put a stop to the begun and far-carryed-on defection when truth was failing and he who depairted from evil made himself a prey that God might pardon and look in mercy on the land They were endeavouring to stand in the gape and make up the hedge and pleading with their Mother Church or a malignant faction in her shamefully departing from God when there was no other way or meane to be followed or essaved When all these things are duely considered and laid together It will appeare to impartial and unbyassed persones That the late act which is so much condemned and cryed our against is not so hainous and unpardonable a crime as this Surveyer and his wicked party vvould give it out to be but vvas a noble and laudable interprize for the glory of God the good of Religion Church and Kingdome beside that it vvas a most necessary and unavoydable act of self defence Since the Scriptures formerly cited vvill allovv more unto private persons then vvhat this Surveyer restricketh them unto as vve have shevved in a time of defection Then vvhen there vvas no other vvay left to do these dutyes there required and vvhen vvith all several other things did call aloud to a mutual conjunction in armes for defence of one another and repelling of unjust violence and prosecuteing the holy and necessary ends of the Covenants vvhich they svvore no man in reason can suppose that such a vvork is repugnant to Scripture or right reason but rather most consonant to both And though many do and will condemne the same even as to this interprize of Reformation upon what grounds and motives themselves best know yet Our worthy and Noble Reformer famous Mr Knox if he were living this day would be far from speaking after the language of such For he in his appellation Pag. 22. c. hath these words The second is that the punishing of such crimes as are idolatry blasphemy others that touch the Majesty of God doth not Appertaine to the Kings and chief rulers only but also to the whole body of the People and to every member of the same according to the vocation of every man and according to that possibility and occasion which God doth minister to revenge the injury done against his glory when that impiety is manifestly knowne And that doth Moses plainly speak Deut. 13 v. 12 13 14 15 16. in these words if in any of the cities c. plaine it is that Moses speaketh not nor giveth charge to Kings Rulers and judges only but he commandeth the whole body of the People yea and every member of the same according to their possibility And who dar be so impudent as to deny this to be most reasonable and just for seing that God had delivered the whole body from bondage and to the whole multitude had given his law and to the twelve Tribes had he so distributed the inheritance of the land of Canaan that no family could complaine that it was neglected was not the People and every member addebted to acknowledge and confesse the benefites of God Yea had it not been the part of every man to have studyed to have keeped the possession which he had received Which thing God did plainly pronounce they should not do except that in their hearts they did sanctify the Lord God that they embraced and inviolably keeped his Religion established and finally except they did put away iniquity from amongst them declareing themselves earnest Enemies to these abhominations which God declared himself so vehemently to hate that first he commanded the whole inhabitants of that Countrey to be destroyed and all monuments of their idolatry to be broken downe But in such cases Gods will is that all creatures stoup cover their faces and desist from reasoning when commandement is given to execute his judgement Albeit I could adduce diverse causes of such severity yet will I search none other then the holy ghost hath assigned first that all Israel hearing of the judgement should feare to commit the like abhomination and secondly That the Lord might turne from the fury of his anger might be moved towards the People with inward affection be mercyful unto them multiply them according to his oath made unto their Fathers Which reasons as they are sufficient in God's children to correct the murmuring of grudging flesh so ought they to provoke every man as before
forth unto us and pitch upon as the peccant and procureing cause 7. Though we could not satisfy wrangling wits touching the equity of this which yet the common and ordinary practice of men forfaulting a whole posterity for one mans transgression will not suffer us to account insolent yet we ought to rest satisfyed with what is clearly and undenyably held forth in the word and beleeve that for these causes such and such plagues were inflicted upon distinct and different persones because the spirit of truth sayeth so 8. As all Scripture was given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the Man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim 3 v. 16 17. So these particular passages so particularly described are written for our learning Rom. 15 ver 4. and are out examples that we should not do as they did 1 Cor. 10 v. 6. and are written for our admonition 1 Cor. 10 ver 11. And therefore we must not look slightly upon them but ponder then narrowly as so many documents given us for our use and instruction and particularly that we may take warning to prevent such evils Now let us hear what the Surveyer sayeth Pag. 51. He layes downe two assertions 1. That no man is involved in divine judgments and punishments for the sinnes of others as the deserving cause of his punishment if he be no way accessory to these sinnes of others 2. That no private Subject is accessory to the sins of Rulers nor involved in the punishments of the same meerly upon the accouut of his tolerating the sinnes or not violent resisting the Magistrate in his sinful courses Answ Not to enlairge on these now because of what he is to say in explication of these we are then to speak I would only at present enquire 1. What accession had the army of Israel which was defate by the Men of Ai a stroke which made Iosua rent his cloaths and fall upon his face to the Earth until the even tyde he and the elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads unto the sin of Achan And why doth the Spirit of the Lord say Ios. 7 v. 1. That the Children of Israel had committed a trespasse in the accursedthing And againe ver 10 11 12. And the Lord said unto Iosua Get thee up wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned and they have also transgressed my Covenant-for they have taken of the accursed thing-and they have put it even amongst their owne stuff Therefore the Children of Israel could not stand because they were accursed neither will I be with you any more except yee destroy the accursed from amongst you Though we can learne of no accession which they had unto this particular fact yet we see the whole body is punished as guilty and must be legally purified and sanctified and purged from that contagion 2. What accession had all these who suffered in these three yeers famine which was in David's dayes unto that bloody act of Saul and his house which was committed many yeers before thousands of these who suffered therefore knew the right hand from the left or were borne possibly 3. What accession had the children unborne to the third and fourth generation unto the sinnes of their forefathers and yet the holy Lord thinks good to visite their iniquities on them 4. What accession had the People unto David's sin of numbering the people doth not David himself say 2. Sam 24 ver 17. But these sheep what have they done But let us heare how he explaineth this A certane thing it is sayes he that God doth not properly punish any man but in reference to his owne personal sins as the deserving cause of the punishment albeit he may and often taketh occasion in his wise providence to punish men for their owne sinnes from the sinnes of others and in that only sense they may be said to be punished for the sins of others But every soul suffers for his owne sin Divine justice finding causes of punishment in every one that is punished either their personal accession to the sinnes of others which is their owne sin or else some other sinnes for which he may in justice inflict the punishment upon them albeit the impulsive cause or occasion rather for punishing in such a manner and time c be from the sinnes of others Ans 1. Though vve desire to be vvise unto sobriety in this matter and not to meddle vvith matters beyond our reach yet vve think it saifer to speak in the language of the Holy Ghost then in the vvords of this Surveyer vvho giveth us no Scripture for vvhat he sayes The expressions of Scripture hold forth some thing more then a meer occasion It semeth strange to say that Ahan's sin should have been only an occasion of that discomfiture when the Spirit of the Lord sayes that Israel had sinned and therefore could not stand before their Enemies because they were accursed and that till this accursed were taken from amongst them he would not be with them any more 2. He vvould do vvell to explaine to us vvhat he meaneth by a proper punishment and vvhat is the opposite tearme thereunto 3. We grant divine justice findeth deserving causes of punishment in all in whom is original sin but vve suppose that vvhen that is not mentioned as the procureing cause of such a stroke but the sin committed by another vve ought to look on that mainly as having a procureing causality in that affliction 4. How ever we see he granteth one may be punished for the sin of another or upon occasion of the sin of another as he loveth to speak to which he hath no personal accession 5. If these sinnes of others were only the occasion of punishing in such a manner or time how cometh it that the very punishment it self is removed upon the taking away of that sin according to God's appoyntment and God is pacified toward the whole as he was vvith Israel vvhen Ahan vvas killed and Seven of Saul's sones hanged up 6. But whether vve take these sinnes of others as impulsive causes or occasions of such punishments This is cleare That if these sinnes had been prevented these punishments had been prevented also so that if Saul had not gotten liberty to have staine the Gibeonites in his bloody rage contrare to oath and Covenant these three yeers famine had not come And if David had been hindered from numbering of the people and had not gotten his vvill these Seventy thousand had not died then as they did And seing no other cause or occasion is rendered of this it vvould clearly warne all in a Community and Society to labour by all meanes according to their power and places to hinder the Committing or removing when committed of these sinnes which bring heavy plagues on the Community The Dutch Aunot on 2 Sam. 21 1. say that
Survey of that book entituled Naphtali and of several doctrines in Lex Rex and the Apolog which had been at rest for some considerable time especially Lex Rex after they had been burnt into ashes as being judged no otherwayes answerable but by a fiery faggot till this Man began to rake in the ashes of these dead Martyres and finde some bones of doctrines yet unburnt which he thinketh now to honour with a more solemne burial But with what evidence and demonstration of truth he hath managed the questions handled in this first part thou mayest judge by what is here replyed in vindication of that solemne truth which he endeavoureth according to his poor strength to dethrone and tread under foot Though we have not followed the Surveyers Methode disireing to be as succinct as might be and to cleare that maine question controverted touching the lawfulnesse of privat persons defending themselves and their Covenanted Religion from the manifest violence tyranny and intolerable oppression of the Soveraigne and inferiour Magistrats to the edification of all yet we have not dealt with him as he hath done even with Naphtali the book which mainly he setteth himself against For he is so far from answereing that book of which he offereth a survey that the most part of the grounds and arguments made use of there to prove the thing intended are not so much as touched by him in all this voluminous pamphlet But we have fully examined and answered all which he hath asserted leaving not one material sentence which was to the purpose in his whole book untouched The judicious Reader will finde this true upon search And no man will think we were called to answere the same thing oftener then once though he was pleased to fill up many pages with meer repetitions The methode we have followed all who know what it is to cleare controversies vvill acknowledge to be the most solide satisfying succinct and perspicuous and such against which no man can justly except We suppose also That we have been as plaine and cleare as the nature of this controversy vvould suffer us and some possibly vvill think VVe have been too too plaine but they knovv vvhom to blame for giving us this occasion for vve made it our designe to bring this question vvhich did concerne common people no lesse then the learned seing it was a matter of life and death unto them no less then unto others home so far as was possible to the capacity of the meanest that they might know and be distinct in the knowledge and perswaded of the lawfulnesse of the grounds of their acting in such a vindication of their Religion and libertyes The truth we have confirmed by many arguments reduceing them to their several heads the better to cleare and confirme the matter and to settle the judgments of all in the apprehension of the Truth and all of them we have so framed that every one of the lowest reach may see how they plainely and peremptorily force home the poynt cotroverted with a demonstrative perspicuity and irrefragable strength So that whosoever shall undertake to draw this saw againe must not think to leave any one of all the arguments which are here adduced if he reckon aright he will finde moe then a hundereth which I shall make good if put to it un-examined for if any one hold And I am not afrayed that many of them shall be found feeble the cause vvhich vve contend for is uncontrovertably yeelded seing one reason which is unanswerable is enough to captivate the judgment unto an assent unto the truth one argument deserted of the adversary declareth his cause desperate We have also dealt faithfully and ingenuously touching on every thing vvhich vvas offered to us and vvich vve thought might conduce unto the clearing of this contraversy because we finde some thing belonging unto this question said by the author of the Second part of the Survey vvhich is now come to hand in the last chapter Pag. 263. c We shall a little touch upon that here reserving the examination of the rest of this 2. Part until a fitter opportunity when if the Lord will we shall discover the weaknesse of all his reasonings and vindicate the truths vvhich he setteth himself against vvith as much clearnesse and succinctnesse as may be He cometh in the place now named to consider the defence made by the impanelled unto what was objected or what further defence Naphtali whom after the old manner he stileth the Lybeller makes for them And 1. He tells us They were posed where they had learned that under pretence of Religion it is lawful for Subjests to rise in Rebellion against lawful authority And then addeth That to this Queree this advocate declines to give a direct answere where such a thing is read or could be instructed Answ Who doth not see That this was a Queree utterly unbecomeing such as pretended to occupy the places of lawfull judges in such matters to propose to persones Empanelled upon their life it being nothing but a meer caption like unto that which is called Multiplex interrogation unto which both the impanelled and this Advocat as he calleth him might lawfully have declined to give a direct answere Because it supposed 1. That their riseing was against lawful authority Whereas it was rather a riseing for lawful authority while against persons abuseing their authority and not walking in the right line of subordination unto the Supream Magistrate and Governour of Heaven and Earth but rebelling against him in makeing lawes contrary to his lawes and executing them contrary to his will and command 2. That their riseing was in rebellion while as it was rather in loyalty to God and the Countrey against such as had erected a Standart of rebellion against the High and mighty Prince Jesus Christ our Lord and Supream Governour and were destroying his interests And in loyalty to that Supreme law The saifty of the People defending themselves against manifest and intolerable tyranny 3. That it was in pretence of Religion when as it was really and unquestionably for the re-establishing of our religion reformed in doctrine worshipe discipline government confirmed ratifyed and approved by Solemne Covenants Subscriptions vowes oathes engadgments declarations professions publick actings acts and Statutes of King Nobles persons of all ranks Parliaments and judicatories Higher Lovver Whereas the true Queree was this Where they had learned to rise in their owne defence and in the defence and maintainance of the true reformed Religion against Such in power who were tyrannically oppressing them and destroying the Established Religion contrare to Vowes Covenants Promises Compacts Declarations Protestations Solomne Engagements Subscriptions c. And if the Queree had been thus proposed it might have received a direct answere To wit That they had learned this from the law of God the lavv of Nature the civil lavv the lavv of Nations Sound reason and the practices of Christians both under the
defence without the conduct of their representative cannot in every case be condemned particularly not in our case now The antecedent I say is abundantly proved in the books mentioned which this windy man thinks needlesse to run out upon but he might rather say he thinks impossible to answere and beyond his poor strength to graple vvith as he sayeth Page 20. vve must then take some notice of vvhat in that Page vvhich he thinks sufficient to oppose unto the many arguments produced by them he is pleased to present what sense sayes he the people of Scotland when they have come to liberty have of these armes their late representative have declared and it were to be wished that the memory of such wayes were buryed that the posterity might never look upon them as exemplary Their progenitors have so deeply drunk of the bitter fruites of the same the result of them having been so much sin shame and sorrow vastation confusion and destruction to Princes and People I answer 1. What that liberty is which the people of Scotland are now come to who can see it for the perfect slavery and bondage they are sold unto A freedome he talkes of when all our libertyes are sold and we given up as bond men and bond women unto the lust of a Man and are denyed the very liberty which is the privilege of all free subjects yea and that which is the birthright and native privilege of all men viz. to supplicate petition or to pray what liberty can he then meane unlesse the liberty which is licentiousnesse to forsake God and our Covenant to turne Apostats from his truth and our profession to sweare foresweare to drink debauch whore commit sodomy all sort of wickednesse without curb or controll Is this the liberty he understandeth Sure all true christians and such as feare the Lord account that develish slavery and bondage 2. We know what this late Representatives have done but whether therein they have acted the part of Representatives and given the true sense of the people of Scotland will it may be be considered when He and I both are rotten Sure they never had any expresse yea nor tacite commission from the people of Scotland to give up all their necks to the stroke the axe as treatours and rebels for doing nothing but standing to their owne defence against manifest tyrranny and oppression of both soul and body and to condemne them and their worthy progenitors who valiently stood for the truth and the libertyes of Church and State to the losse of their lives and fortunes and to proclame and declare themselves guilty before God and Men of all the blood that was shed in that warre though most lawful and laudable 3. We are persuaded let him with what he will the memory of these memorable wayes shall never be buried but shall stand as exemplary monuments to succeeding generations when God shall think it meet to animate them with the spirit of courage to free the land of tyranny and of domineering abjured prelats withal their taile and traine and wise men will think that his Representatives have not taken a course fit for burying the memory of these wayes but rather a way to revive afresh the memory of them and to commend them more to the thoughts and hearts of all who love and pray for the comeing of our Lord's Kingdome 4. What bitter frutes these are which he sayeth our progenitours have drunk so deeply of we know not They lived and died such of them as owned and stedfastly adhered to that cause and Covenant in honour and peace and their names shall be in perpetual remembrance when his and the names of the rest of this perjured Malignant apostate faction shall rot We needed not have feared that either sin shame sorrow vastation confusion or destruction should have come to Prices or People if we had prosecuted the ends of our Covenants with zeal and faithfulnesse according to our manifold vowes promises solemne oathes and ingagments But what ever of these have followed should be and will be rightly fathered on our defection and lose of zeal And what sin and shame and sorrow vastation confusion destruction shall now follow both to Princes and People if they repent not upon this unparallelable defection Apostasie whereof now they are avowedly guilty none who is not an utter stranger unto God his faithful word and dispensations but may without any extraordinary Spirit of Prophecy foretell Next he tells us That these disputes proceed upon a most untrue and malitious misrepresentation of matters of fact upon two false hypotheses Let us heare what are those As if sayes he the King had been the first invader of the Nation whereas it is known his authority was first invaded his lawes trodden upon kis proclamations openly despised his castles violently seised his armes he took were notinvasive against the Nation but defensive of his owne authority of his lawes and the persones of orderly walking subjects and for reduceing these who strayed from their duty Answ Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes Who would suffer such a manifest notorius lyar to say that others made misrepresentations of matters of fact But 1. Do not all who then lived and yet read the publick papers and other acts that passed then know that through the instigation of some false perfidious fugitive Prelates the King was stirred up to make warre on Scotland ere ever they thought of any such thing Was not warre concluded both by sea and land Was not free tradeing taken away Were not the Scottish Nobility at court made to abjure the National Covenant and the General Assembly at Glasgow was there not a declaration emitted Feb. 27. publickly read in all the Churches of England wherein the faithful subjects and Covenanters in Scotland were tearmed Rebels Were not Berwik and Carlile frontier cities strongly fortifyed and garrisoned Was not the Earle of Huntly made Governour of the North of Scotland and had some foure or five thousand men in armes for the King Was not Aberdeen fortifying it self to take in the King's navy of shipes when it should come Was not the Marquis of Douglas Lord Haris ready to rise with the Papists in the South of Scotland Was not the Deputy of Ireland prepareing men to land them in the West of Scotland Was not the Earle of Arundale made the Kings General and was not the King to have his rendezvouz at York in Aprile and all the English Nobility commanded to attend him there by a letter written Ian. 26. before the faithful People of Scotland had any army in readinesse What impudency is this then to say the King was not the first invader of the Nation And as for the second expedition Anno Dom. 1640. managed and carryed on by the Parliament it was abundantly verified by their publick papers that it was purely defensive And it is notour that before the leavy was made and appointed
are in great esteem with the reformed and his praise is in all the Churches and whatever come of the book his reasons stand firme and valide In the History of our Reformation Pag. 397 398. edit in 4 to Edinb we finde that Iohn Knox had the Apology of Magdeburgh subscribed by the Ministers there declareing the defence of the towne against the Emperour to be most just and lawful and offered it to Secretary Lithingtoun who then was disputeing against him to read And having now made Mention of Mr. Knox what was his judgment in this poynt that history doth abundantly demonstrate His words to the Queen are remarkable see history of Reformation Pag. 317. When she asked him if he thought That subjects having power might resist their princes He answered If princes do exceed their bounds and do against that wherefore they should be obeyed there is no doubt but they may be resisted even by power for there is Neither greater honour nor greater obedience to be given to Kings and Princes then God hath commanded to be given to Father and Mother But so it is That the father may be stricken with a phrenzie in the which he would stay his owne children Now if the children arise joyne themselves together apprehend the father take the sword or other weapon from him and finally binde his hands and keep him in prisone till that his phrenzie be over-past think ye Madame said he that the children do any wrong or vvill God be offended vvith them that have stayed their father from committing wickednesse It is even so with princes that would murther the people of God that are subject unto them their blinde zeal is nothing but a very mad phrenzie and therefore to take the svvord from them to binde their hands and to cast them into prisone till that they be brought to a more sober minde is no disobedience against princes but just obedience because it agreeth vvith the vvord of God thus he vvho knevv not vvhat is vvas to feare the face of any breathing in the defence of his Master's cause and interest and vvas an eminent divine a holy Man of God living in near communion vvith God and vvas far above the reproaches and calumnies of his adversaryes And it is considerable that this vvas a particular vvhich he had frequent occasion to be thinking upon and no doubt this holy Man vvould be often reflecting upon the matter and upon his ovvne judgment and consulting God and his vvord there anent that he might knovv vvhether his grounds vvere such as he vvould not have cause to be ashamed of vvhen he vvas to appeare before his judge being oft called to shevv his judgment concerning that matter And his constant practice being consonant thereunto And yet vve never finde that his heart reproached him for maintaineing any such opinion vvhile living or vvhile dying nor did he ever change his judgement thereof yea not when the maintaineing thereof might have been a sufficient ground of an accusation and doubtlesse he vvould before hand examine if he vvould lay dovvne his life upon such a ground yet constant vvas he in that cost him vvhat it vvould or could he vvas no changeling nor had he so drunken in truth Yea in the end of that conference vvith Lithingtoun he told them that he vvas not only fully resolved inn conscience but also had heard the judgements of the most godly and learned that he knevv in Europe in that particular and in all other things that he had affirmed I came not sayes he into this realme without their resolution and for my assurance I have the hand-writeing of many Neither was this his judgement alone but also of Mr Georg Hay vvhom the Earle of Mortoun vvould have had disputing against Mr Knox. But sayd he I will not oppose my self unto you as one willing to impugne or confute that head of Doctrine which not only yee but many others yea and my self have affirmed farre be it from me for so should I be found contrarious to my self And of Mr Craig Mr Knox's collegue vvho told vvhat a conclusion he heard defended at Bonnonia Anno 1554. by Thomas de Finola Rector of the University and approved by Vincentius de Placentia as agreeable both to the lavv of God and man viz. That all Rulers be they Supreame or inferiour may ought to be reformed or bridled by them by whom they are chosen or admitted to their office so oft as they break that promise made by oath to their subjects because that the prince is no lesse bound by oath to the Subjects then the Subjects to the Princes therefore ought it to be keeped reformed equally according to law and condition of the oath that is made of either party and when some said that Bonnonia was a Republick He answered My judgement is that every Kingdome is or at least should be a Commonwealth albeit that Every Commonwealth be not a Kingdome and therefore I think that in a Kingdome no lesse diligence ought to be taken that lawes be not violated then in a Commonwealth because that the tyranny of Princes who continue in a Kingdome is more hurtful to the subjects then is the misgovernment of those that from yeer to yeer are changed in free Commonwealths but to assure yow and all others that head was disputed to the utter-most and then in the end was concluded That they spoke not of such things as were done in diverse Kingdomes and Nations by Tyranny and negligence of people but what ought to be done in all Kingdomes and Commonwealths according to the law of God and unto the just lawes of Man and if by the negligence of the People by the Tyranny of Princes contrary lawes have been made yet may that Same people or their posterity justly crave all things to be reformed according to the original institution of Kings and Commonwealths and such as will not do so deserve to eate the frute of their owne foolisnesse thus he see Hist of Reform Pag. 399. 400. Edit in 4. Yea this was the judgement of all the reformed preachers at that time as we see witnessed by the Congregation vindicating the doctrine of their preachers concerning obedience to be given to Magistrats in these words see Hist of reform Pag. 184. In open audience they declare the authority of Princes and Magistrates to be of God and therefore they affirme that they ought to be honoured feared and obeyed even for conscience sake provided that they command nor require nothing expresly repugning to God's commandement and plaine will revealed in his word Moreover they affirme That if wicked persones abuseing the authority established by God move Princes to command things manifestly wicked That such as can do bridle the inordinate appetites of misled Princes cannot be accused as resisters of the authority which is God's good ordinance To bridle the rage and fury of misled Princes in free Kingdomes and Realmes they affirme it appertaineth to
now we get for our vast expence of blood oppression and Ten years bondage that we must be declared a conquest and a subdued Nation 2. It is a manifest lye to say that his interest vvas expresly disowned by the publick judicatories of the land before Dumbar fight for that act of the West Kirk to vvhich I knovv he looketh vvas not an expresse disovvning of his interest as may be seen by the act it self which was as followeth Westkirk the 13 day of August 1650. The commission of the Generall Assembly considering that there may be just ground of stumbling from the King's Majesties refuseing to subscribe and emit the declaration offered unto him by the commmitee of Estates and commissioners of the General Assembly concerning his former carriage and resolution for the future in reference to the cause of God Enemies Friends thereof doth therefore declare that this Kirk and Kingdome do not owne nor espouse any Malignant party or quarrel or interest but that they fight meerly upon their former grounds and principles and in defence of the cause of God and of the Kingdome as they have done these twelue yeers past and therefore as they do disclame all the sinne and guilt of the King and of his house so they will not owne Him nor his interest otherwise then with a subordination to God and so far as he ownes and prosecutes the cause of God and disclaimes his and his father's opposition to the work of God and to the Covenant and likewise all the Enemies thereof and that they will with convenient speed take in consideration the papers lately sent unto them from Oliver Cromwel and vindicate themselves from all the falshoods contained therein especially in these things wherein the quarrel betwixt us that party is mis-stated as if we owned the late King's proceeding's and were resolved to prosecute and maintaine his present Majesties interest before and without acknowledgment of the sinnes of his house and former wayes and satisfaction to God's People in both Kingdomes Which when the committee of Estates had seen and considered they did approve the same and heartily concurred therein and what could this honest and most seasonable declaration import but only that if the King would not by a declaration acknowledge his sorrow for his his father's carrying on a course destructive of the work of God and his renunceing of the Malignant interest and all who would owne the same and his purpose to adhere unto the Covenants they would not espouse a Milignant quarrel but fight upon the same grounds and principles that they had done for twelue yeers before aud only owne him with a subordination to God and in so far as he did owne the cause of God and renunce Malignancy and Milignants and that they vvould take into consideration Oliver Cromwel's papers for their ovvne vindication and clearing of the true state of the quarrel Which vvas necessary before they did engage in fight And vvould this Malignant Gnatho have had the Land and the publick judicatories thereof contrare to their Covenants many Purposes Resolutions Vowes Engagements postponing Christ's interests unto man's and hazard Religion Libertyes all for one who would not declare himself a friend to Christ and his interest but would persist in a stated opposition to Christ and his cause 3. But let him make of this what he will sure his interest was owned when he upon second thoughts emited that declaration at Dumfermline upon his refusal of which this act made at the Westkirk passed and this was before Dumbar fight So was his interest sufficiently owned with the subordination requisite when he was crowned which was not very long after that stroke a Dumbar and after vvhich vve gote blowes enew and vvere redacted at length to bondage What sayes he next to this 2. What ever engagements were upon him for the good of the Nation yet if these mens principles were to be followed they could have had no force on him to move him to labour our vindication into liberty for do not they teach that in the mutual contract and Covenant betwixt King and People the People are loosed from their duty if the King fail in his frangenti fidem fides frangatur eidem and why then in not the King loosed if the people fail on their part It is known that although the Nobles and body of the people were well enough affected to the King and cordially loved him when they were over powered and could do nothing yet by their Representatives he was disowned which in law would be rekoned their owne deed and if a sworne people deserte and disclaime their King by their Representatives may not the King also have the benefite of the conditional Covenant and leave them as he found them in bondage to forraigners But such was his Majesties graciousness and wisdom as well as conscience of duty that although the Nation had failed much to him he would not walk after the counsel of these men And we may all things considered assert that the people of Scotland do rather owe their liberty to him then he doth owe his authority to them or by virtue of any Covenant with them Answ 1. By vvhat he hath been formerly saying and by the instances vvhich he hath brought vve see vvhat is the scope he driveth at viz. To have us novv a formal conquest that so the King may tyrannize over us and deal vvith us as he seeth good jure conquestus as being novv free from all bonds and obligations vvhich ever passed betvvixt Him and the People For the fift particular which he undertooke to cleare by these five instances was that the constitution of this Kingdome neither was not is founded on a Covenant betwixt King and People and yet we see the poor man so straitned that he knoweth not what to say He would saine loose the King from all Bonds and Covenants and former obligations and yet he dar not positively and clearly assert it but only sayes if the King would follow our principles he would account himself loosed from all but unlesse he assert it clearly and positively that the King is really loosed from all his former obligations he speakes nothing to he poynt but must grant that at least as to this King the constitution is founded upon a conditional Covenant and though we should yeeld all therest if he grant this to us we need desire no more for all our Ends. But 2. in good earnest let him tell us Whether the former engagements which were upon the King at his coronation be loosed or not If they be loosed and made null because of what these supposed Representatives did Then 1. we have a new ground of dissolving the sacred obligations of the Oaths and Covenants which the King made with God and with his People which was not thought upon till this needle-headed man did invent it The King himself at his returne gave no such ground 2. If he
blood by Magistrates bringeth judgement on the Subjects for Ieremiah sayes that if they should have killed him they should have brought innocent blood not only to themselves who gave out the sentence and did execute it but on the whole city and on the inhabitants thereof To this he hath many words Pag. 55. but little answere The summe is this for it were wearisome to transcribe all his needlesse tautologies and repetitions which if taken away his pamphlet of a 120 pages might be reduced to 20 All who were defiled behoved to be accessory either by doing or not hindering what they were called and capacitated to hinder which was not by violent resistence nor doth the Prophet meane that all the absents should be guilty and properly deserve Gods wrath upon that account but only that the actors and such as were accessory should be guilty and others should upon this occasion fall under wrath though for other sinnes and yet the judgment on the People might be a punishment to the Rulers for that same particular sin for God may punish Princes or Fathers in the punishment of Subjects and Children and yet these same Subjects and Children have no reason to quarrel with God or to say as it is Exech 18. v. 2. Answ We grant God may and doth punish Princes and Parents in their Subjects and Children and That these same Subjects and Children so punished have no just cause to say that their Fathers have eaten sowre grapes and that their teeth are set on edge as if there were no sin in themselves But that God may not visite the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children who have not formally acted these evills nor consented thereto we dar not peremptorily assert against so many clear scriptures 2. Sure this place seemeth to hint something else then that this sin of shedding Ieremiahs blood should be an occasion of God's visiting the City for their other sinnes For he sayes you shall bring innocent blood upon this city so that by this Murther they should have brought innocent blood as well on the other inhabitants as on themselves who were to be actors the text maketh no difference 3. If the People here had done all which in their calling and station they were capacitated to have done for hindering of this sheding of blood they would have hindered it effectually and further violent resistence was needlesse If a wicked Magistrat should condemne an innocent person and make this his sentence that he should not have the benefite of a lodging within the land The People need do no more to resist the Magistrat's unjust sentence but notvvithstanding thereof receive the innocent into their house and intertaine him friendly And still vve say the People vvere to do all that lay in their povver to hinder innocent blood to be shed that so innocent blood might not be laid to their charge And in so far as they came short in this they made themselves guilty be accession notvvithstanding of any thing he hath said The next place he speaketh to is Deut. 13. vvhich vve have already vindicated and must observe this further That in all his long ansvvere he speaketh nothing to that vvhich novv vve are upon viz. the hazard that People in such a case are into both of sin and of judgment if effectuall course be not taken to suppresse idolatry and apostasy from God and to put that crying evil avvay from amongst them For v. 17. it is clearly held forth that till this city and all which was within it was rooted out the Lord would not turne from the fiercenesse of his anger nor shew them mercy nor have compassion upon them nor multiply them as he swore unto their Fathers So that their not doing their utmost to execute this sentence of God made them lyable to the constant abideing of the fierce anger of God upon them and closed the door of Mercy and compassion so that they could not expect the blessings promised and Covenanted Then Pag. 59. he cometh to speak to Ios 22 ver 17 18 19. and tells us That they were not private persones that transacted that businesse with the Children of Reuben for the body of the People concurred with the Magistrates Supreame and Subordinate What makes all this for the encroachment of meer private persons upon the use of the Magistrates avenging sword Answ It is true the Magistrates and major part of the People were here concurring but why doth he not take notice of the words cited by Naphtaly which clearly hold forth the end of his adduceing that passage If yee rebel to day against the Lord to morrow he will be worth with the whole congregation of Israel which do clearly hold forth that the defection of a part though a minor part will bring wrath upon the whole Nation aud Society And may not any see hence That each are to concurre in their places and stations according to their povver to prevent this defection or to remove it even when the major part is infected with it yea even though Magistrates should be remisse and should rather encourage then discountenance such rebellion against God Seeing the reason holdeth à fortiori for it upon the defection of a minor part wrath will come upon the whole much more will wrath come upon the defection of a major part and of the Magistrates too And therefore if in the former case private persons be bound to concurre with Magistrates for rooting out of that provoking sin of a few then it cannot be unlawful for private persones in this later case to do what they can to stirr up Magistrates to their duty if it be possible and to prevent their owne destruction from that wrath of God kindled against all and to remove the provokeing cause of that anger And as we have said they may take an effectual course for this without encroaching upon the use of the Magistrate's avenging sword or exercing any formall Magistratical power The next place he speaketh to is Iudg. 20. where Israel warreth against Benjamin because of a notorious crime acted there and countenanced and defended by that whole Tribe to the end that such a crying abhomination might be purged out of the land To which he answereth in short to let passe his unchristian jibes thus Though this was when there was no King in Israel yet it is likely they retained somewhat of their Sanhedrin appoynted Deut. 17. which in such a horrid case might draw together in an extraordinary meeting It was the body or the major part of the People that useth the sword against the lesser which maketh nothing for the minor parts using the sword to punish Magistrates the major part of the People also Answ Though I should grant that they retained yet something of the Sanhedrin yet in all this passage there is no mention made thereof but it is said v. 1. That all the Children of Israel went out the Congregation was gathered together as one Man to Mizpeh
contrary criminal and guilty with your Princes and Rulers in the same crimes because you assist and maintaine your Princes in their blind rage and give no declaration that their tyranny displeaseth you This doctrine I know is strange to the blinde world but the verity thereof hath been declared in all notable punishments from the beginning vvhen the Original vvorld perished by vvater vvhen Sodome and Gomorah vvere punished by fire and finally vvhen Ierusalem vvas horribly destroyed doth any think that all vvere alike vvicked before the vvorld Evident it is that they vvere not if they be judged according to their external facts for some were young and could not be oppressours nor could defile themselves with unnatural and beastly lusts Some were pitiful and gentle of nature and did not thirst for the blood of Christ and his Apostles but did any escape the plagues and vengeance which did apprehend the multitude let the scripture witnesse and the histories be considered which plainly do testify that by the vvaters all flesh onâ—arth at that time did perish Noah and his family reserved That none escaped in Sodome and in the other cities adjacent except Lot and his tvvo daughters And evident it is that in that famous city of Ierusalem in that last and horrible destruction none escaped God's vengeance except so many as before were dispersed And what is the cause of this severity seing that all were not alike offenders let flesh cease to disput with God and let all men by these examples learne betimes to flee and avoyd the society and company of the proud contemners of God if that they list not to be partakers of their plagues The cause is evident if we can be subject without grudging to God's judgments which in themselves are most holy and just for in the original world none was found that either did resist tyranny nor yet that earnestly reprehended the same In Sodome was none found that did gain-stand that furious and beastly multitude that did compasse about and besiege the house of Lot and finally in Ierusalem was found none that studyed to reprepresse the tyranny of the priests vvho vvere conjured against Christ and his Evangel but all fainted I except ever such as gave vvitnesse vvith their blood or flying that such impiety displeased them all keeped silence by the which all approved iniquity and joyned hands with the Tyrants and so were arrayed and set as it were in one battle against the almighty and against his Son Christ Jesus for whosoever gathereth not with Christ in the day of his harvest is judged to scatter and therefore of one vengeance temporal were they all partakers will God in this behalf hold you as innocents be not deceived dear Brethren God hath punished not only the proud tyrants filthy persones and cruel murtherers but also such as with them did draw the yoke of iniquity vvas it by flattering their offences obeying their unjust commands or in winking at their manifest iniquity All such I say God once punished vvith the chief offenders Be ye assured brethren That as he is immutable in nature so will he not pardon you in that which he hath punished in others and now the lesse because he hath plainly admonished you of the dangers come and hath offered you his mercy before he poure forth his wrath and displeasure upon the disobedient So in his Exhortation to England P ag 107. No other assurate will I require that your plagues are at hand and that your destruction approacheth then that I shall understand that yee do justify your selves in this your former iniquity absolve and flatter you who list God the Father His son Christ Jesus his holy Angels the creatures sensible and insensible in heaven and earth shall rise in judgment and shall condemne you if in time you repent not The cause why I wrape you all in idolatry all in murther and all in one and the same iniquity is that none of you hath done his duty none hath remembered his office and charge which was to have resisted to the uttermost of your power that impiety at the beginning but you have all follovved the wicked commandement and all have consented to cruel murther in so far as in your eyes your Brethren have most unjustly suffered and none opened his mouth to complaine of that injury cruelty and Murther I do ever except such as either by their death by abstaining from Idolatry or by avoiding the realme for iniquity in the same committed and give testimony that such an horrible falling from God did inwardly grieve them But all the rest even from the highest to the lowest I feare no more to accuse of idolatry of treason committed against God and of cruel Murthering of their brethren then did Zecharias the son of Iehojadah 2 Chron. 24 ver 20. feare to say to the King Princes and People of Iudah Why have yee transgressed the commandements of the Eternal God it shall not prosperously succeed unto you but even as ye have left the Lord so shall he leave you And againe Pag. 109. But let his holy and blessed ordinances commanded by Jesus Christ to his Kirk be within the bounds so sure and established that if Prince King or Emperour would interprise to change or disannul the same that he be the reputed enemy of God and therefore unworthy to reigne above his people Yea that the same Man or Men that goe about to destroy God's true Religion once established and to erect idolatry which God detasteth be adjudged to death according to God's commandement The negligence of which part hath made you all these only excepted which before I have expressed murtherers of your Brethren denyers of Christ Jesus and manifest traitours to God's Soveraigne Majesty Which horrible crimes if ye will avoyd in time comeing then must yee I meane the Princes Rulers and People of the realme by solemne Covenant renew the oath betwixt God and you in that forme and as Asa King of Iudah did in the like case 2 Chron. 15. This is thy duty this is the only remedy O England to stay God's vengeance which thou hast long deserved and shall not escape if his Religion and Honour be subject to mutation and change as oft as thy Rulers list The-reader may consider also what he sayes to this in his discourse with Litingtoun who was of this Surveyer's judgment History of Reformation Lib. 4. This is consonant likewise unto our confession of faith authorized by King Iames and Parliament Anno 1567. Act. 14. where among good works of the 2 table these are mentioned To honour Father Mother Princes Rulers and Superiour powers To love them to support them yea to obey their charge not repugning to the commandement of God to save the lives of innocents to represse tyranny to defend the oppressed c. the contrary whereof is To disobey or resist any that God hath placed in authority while they passe not over the bounds of their office to
their tongue or pen. And rather blush when they read or remember this we are hopeful that such and the like perfidious practices well pondered will not only contribute much to re-unite them in hearty affection unto their faithful Brethren now in the same furnace with themselves for the same cause and interest but also cause them reflect upon their former proceedings consider what a native tendency that which gave the rise to all that debate had unto this which is to day our sin our shame and our Sorrow that they may joyne with the Rest of the faithful of the land in mourning for such national sinnes Whereby the wrath of God may be turned away from us and the Church restored to her former beauty and integrity in the Lord 's good time 3. It is Manifest that this Surveyer who ever he be some others with him had some other thoughts in their heads at that time then they durst expresse finding the far greater part of the Ministerie corrupted would have had the rest resolving upon an absolute submission to all their determinations though they had been openly avowedly to introduce prelacy yea popery to have submitted to their summar censures of deposition what else they thought good to inflict without the least resistence or counteracting thus to have patiently submitted to see Christ his royall truthes banished out of the land by ecclesiastical acts Popery Prelacy re-established by horrible iniquity Though we were ever confident such as now through grace abide stedfast had no such thoughts or intentions 4. This Surveyer dealeth with all alike as he misrepresented Lex Rex in the civil debate so doth he now misrepresent the protesters in the Church-debate for when or where did they say That persones were not bound to submit but to counter-act the judicatories of the presbyteriall government whensoever they thought the sentence wrong unlawfull Did they ever assert that a mans owne conscience was the only vvarrand and ground of his submission or non-submission or of his obedience or disobedience 5. So doth he abuse misrepresent Naphtaly as any vvill see who considereth his words in the place cited which are these Now how a discretive judgment in these cases both of unrighteous commands wicked violence specially in the later which is by far the more sensible doth necessarily remaine with the people in what manner the same is to be determined cautioned so as neither to license disobedience against authority nor create seditions in the Commonwealth is already fully cleared This is some other thing then to say that al is to be referred to every man's privat discretive judgement vvithout any caution or limitation added or supponed 6. Because it is not our purpose to revive that debate vvhich vvas betvvixt the Protesters the Publick Resolutioners but as vve vvish it had never been heard of so vve desire it may buryed in perpetual oblivion that hence forth there may be hearty joyning in the cause covenant of God for prosecution of all the ends thereof according to our severall capacities That so we may become one stick in the hand of the Lord renunce this apostacy all courses tending thereunto so goe on as before that un happy difference broke out with zeal unanimity Therefore we shall forbeare to examine what that Reviewer of presbytery no papacy said And though we finde that much of what the Surveyer sayeth here is borrowed from that Reviewer is answered already as to our purpose yet we finde the Reviewer grant severall things which will quite destroy the parallel as to our case shew the Surveyer to have been but a fool in mentioning that pamphlet now For 1. He Pag. 104. sayeth We do not urge submission in this matter betwixt us in matters of doctrine or articles of faith in morshipe government nay nor rules of discipline And so insinuats as much as that if the Dogmatick and Diatactick power of Christ's courts be abused and corrupt doctrine and practices pressed he would not be for submission And therefore upon this ground waves the arguments of the protesters taken from the instance of Athanasius not submitting to the Arians deposeing him for asserting the divinity of the Sone of God and the 11. Arg. making a supposition of enacting the Masse and all the heresies of Rome saying For when Church judicatories deny homage to the Sone of God and returne to Rome We shall not debate the poynt of non-submission only with them but shall run from them as from synagogues of Satan Upon this same ground he waves the argument 13. which did shew that this submission was prelatical And the passage of our confession of faith ratified An. 1567. which is thus art 12. So far as the Council proveth the determination and commandement that it giveth by the plaine word of God so soon do we reverence and imbrace the same but if men under the name of a Council pretend to forge unto us new articles of our faith or to make constitutions repugning to the word of God then utterly we must refuse the same as the doctrine of devils which draweth our souls from the voyce of our only God to follow the doctrines constitutions of Men. So doth he upon this ground lay by what they said Pag. 49. That by this submission there was no remedy but that at one stroke the precious interests of Christ and truthes of God must be borne downe and buryed in oblivion and the Saints and Ministers of the gospel be buryed under the rubbish thereof As also their Arg. 15. which did shew that this unlimited submission did Leave the Church destitute of all Ecclesiastical remedies in the case of a general defection and open a wide door for making the government of the house of God degenerate into Tyranny c. And their 2 Argum shewing how contrary it was to Scripture and how hard it was to say that a man duely qualified being suspended from the Sacrament or from the exercise of his Ministery or excommunicated because of his pressing and holding forth some precious Truth of God which a Church judicatory condemneth for a lie should submit And also their 8. Arg. Pag. 108. which was this What is denyed jure to Oecumenick Councils and so lawfully called Prophets and Ministers of the gospel to Nathan to David to Paul to an Angel from heaven Gal. 1 ver 18. cannot warrantably be given to General Assemblies If they teach or decree not according to the word of the Lord we are to counteract and to contradict Gal. 1 ver 8. Therefore c. Now in all these cases the Reviewer would not plead for submission to Church judicatories Why then doth this Surveyer plead for absolute submission and unlimited to civil powers since he is pleased to draw a parallel betwixt them But we see that evil men and seducers waxe worse and worse So that by
goe and reflect upon the magazine as he speaketh to Lex Rex who Quaest. 26. proveth by unanswerable arguments that the King is not above the Law but this Surveyer for all his big words dar not meddle with that debate but quarrelleth with a word Pag. 241. where that worthy Author is answering the objection of that Apostate Prelate Maxwel the Author of Sacrosancta Regum Majestas stollen from Arnisaeus which was this Why might not the People of Israël Peers or Sanhedrin have conveened before them judged or punished David for his Adultery and Murther Unto which he answered thus He taketh it for confessed that it had been treason in the Sanhedrin and States of Israël to have taken on them to judge and punish David for his Adultery and Murther but he giveth no reason for this nor any Word of God and truely though I will not presume to goe before others in this God's Law Gen. 9 ver 6. compared with Numb 35 ver 30 31. seemeth to say against them Nor can I think that God's Law or his Deputy the judges are to accept the persons of the great because they are great Deut. 1 ver 17. 2 Chron 19 ver 6 7. aud we say we cannot distinguish where the Law distinguisheth not The Lord speaketh to under judges Levit. 19 ver 15. Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty or of the Prince for we know what these names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth I grant it is not God's meaning that the King should draw the sword against himself but yet it followeth not that if we speak of the demerite of blood that the Law of God accepteth any judge great or small And if the Estates be above the King as I conceive they are though it be a humane politick constitution that the King be free of all coaction of Law because it conduceth for the peace of the commonwealth yet if we make it a matter of conscience for my part I see no exception that God maketh if men make I crave leave to say à facto adjus non sequitur Thus that worthy Author and could he have uttered his judgment more spareingly and soberly in a matter that was not of great Moment to the question in hand so that though he had forborne to have spoken any thing to this at all his cause had not been in the least weakened and though we should grant that the Sanhedrin could not have judged David for these facts which yet we can cannot do what losse shall we have Seing we may easily grant and Lex Rex with us Pag. 243. that Tyranny only must unking a Prince and these acts were not acts of Tyranny and what shall this vaine Surveyer gaine then Why would he not examine other things which that worthy Author sayd more apposite to the cause Will not wise men laugh at this dealing and account him a fool in the first magnitude in handleing such a cause which so nearly concerneth his Majesties life after such a manner that a very school-boy may smile at Then he addeth So Pag. 348 and 428 and 238. and often elsewhere he that is Lex Rex will have the Estates executing the moral Law as he calls it on the King and punishing him and why because he sayes most thrasonically Pag. 460. I have unanswerably proved that the Kingdome is superior to the King and the People may be their owne judge in the tribunal of necessity Answ Lex Rex in two at least of these pages cited speaketh no such thing and if this Surveyer were not more windy and vaine then ever Thraso was he would not speak so of that Author till first he had discovered the answereablenesse of these arguments which neither he nor any of his complices shall ever be able to do But this Epicompothrasibombomachides will force a beliefe upon the world that with this very adverb thrasonical diffavit omnes in Castris Gurgustodianis and cry to his enchanted fraternity to sing Jo pan at his invention But what sayes he to all this 1 sayes he what should he meane to make it conduceable to the peace of the commâ—nwealth that the King be free of the coaction of Law and yet not so if it be made a matter of conscience is the preservation of the peace of the commonwealth no matter of conscience to him Or is not the constitution freeing the King from coaction of Law for that end warrantable Ans Doth not this ignoramus know that a question of this nature may be considered and answered politically and theologically And that many things may be tolerated or forborne in poynt of policy upon politick grounds and ends which if considered stricto Iure according to conscience should not be forborne nor tolerated David in point of policy did forbear to execute the Law upon the Murtherer Joab whom yet in poynt of conscience he accounted a man of death and therefore recommended the execution of the Law of God unto his Son Solomon and this toleration or forbearance may be lawfull or unlawful according to the weight of the matter tolerated or forborne and the nature and weight of the grounds in policy upon which this forbearance is determined So that though we should suppone it lawful for a Commonwealth to enact and determine in Law that their King should not be questioned for one single act of Murther or Adultery as other persones are Yet in poynt of conscience if the question be stated in thesi whether a King may be questioned for one single act of Murther and Adultery as another private person it may be answered affirmatively because the Law of God makes no exception of persones 2. It may be made a matter of conscience to make the King free of the coaction of Law in some small and inconsiderable particulars because of the probable hazard into which the Commonwealth may be brought by coërcing of him which all the value of the particular anent which the coaction is exerced will not countervaile But it will never be allowed in poynt of conscience to make him free of all coaction of Law so as he may without control murther millions destroy and waste Religion For that were not conduceable to the peace of the Common-wealth but a ready way to destroy all So that a constitution freeing the King from all coaction of Law how ever pretended for the preservation of the peace of the Common-wealth can never be warrandable For that were to make him actu primo and in actu signato a Tyger a Lyon a waster of the Commonvvealth if his good Nature should incline him to good peaceable things yet no thanks to the constitution Whereas he would make his reader beleeve that the Kings of the jewes were under no coërtion let him consider what Zuinglius sayeth explan art 42. Tom. 1. oper where he expresly sayeth That the Kings of the jewes and others
so must be a precedent example for judges and Magistrates in all time coming and by this example any member of the Council might lawfully rise up and execute judgment on this wicked wreatch and his cursed fraternity who have brought by their apostasy and defection from the Covenant and cause of God the wrath and curse of God upon the land 2. That Phineas was the High Priest's sone we know and that he was afterward High priest himself is truth but that he was at this time a publick Magistrate or a member of the great Sanhedrin we see not It is true there were some Princes of the tribes men of renowne Numb 1. ver 16. but he is not mentioned among those neither were these the great Sanhedrin So these princes of the assembly Numb 16 2. were not the Sanhedrin which did consist but of 70 Members Numb 11. Nor was Phineas one of them And that congregation of the children of Israel mentioned Numb 25 6. amongst whom Phineas was ver 7. was not the Sanhedrin which we never finde as I remember so called but the whole body of the People who were then mourning partly for the sin commited and partly for the execution when the heads of the People vvere hanged up and a thousand moe killed by the judges at Moses his command for Paul 1 Cor. 10 ver 8. sayes there died of the plague tvventy three thousand and here vve finde there fell in all tvventy foure thousand Againe it is remarkable that this single act of Phineas in killing two persons is so much rewarded and taken notice of by the Lord yea more then the many who were killed by the judges ver 5. So that it seemes he was no publick Magistrate and that he did it with the approbation of Moses is probable but that Moses did command him we see not only we finde that the Zeal of God moved him and therefore is he highly rewarded though he was but the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron Yea that which the Surveryer citeth out of Deodat rather confirmeth this for Deodat calleth it an act of extraordinary zeal motion of God's Spirit and he addeth that Moses the Supreme Magisstrate did approve it but what needed this if he had been a Magistrate seing there was a command given to the Magistrates ver 5. and a command is more then an approbation Aquinas and Gerhard call him it is true a judge but we see no proof unlesse they could evince that he was a member of the Sanhedrin of which Gillespy speaks in his Aarons rod. lib. I. c. I. The Dutch Annotat. on Psal 106 31. Suppose him to have been no Magistrate but say that this fact was beside his ordinary calling His 2. answere is Pag. III. That suppose he had been a meer private person yet it could prove nothing because he did it with the approbation and good liking of Moses and so he is but the executor of that unanimous sentence Answ But not only is this not written but the scripture giveth another ground of his fact then any warrand or command of Moses And so his answere in rebus facti a non scripto ad non factum non valet consequentia is not to the purpose Now I say the scripture giveth another ground viz. his zeal for his God which is not spoken of the other judges who ver 5. were commanded of Moses to execute judgment yea that word Psal 106 30. then stood up Phineas and executed judgment clearely hinteth at more then his being a meer satelles Magistratus and the ample reward which was given him and the Lord 's counting it to him for righteousnesse speak some other thing then that he had a call of the Magistrate and was his executioner In the 3 place he sayes The cases are different for then was horrible idolatry and villanous whordome committed avowedly and with a high hand in the sight of the Sun and in way of open doing despite to God but it is not so now Answ Prudence might have taught him to have concealed this for it were easy to draw such a parallel as would make him afrayed if any did intend to follow that example For I am sure what ever he account of the present apostasy and how ever he mince it as no doubt zimri would have minced his uncleannesse when he justified the fact before the Council as he told us Iosephus said yet the apostasy and perjury is open avowed abhominable and villanous committed in the sight of the Sun in despite of God and maintained as right and lawful howbeit it be such as the very heavens may be astonished at For such open avovved malapert vvickednesse defection and perjury all things considered vvas never heard of in any generation Hovv our reformation aud confession of faith is maintained vve have heard and albeit he make all the change to be only a change of the exterior forme of Church government yet when he is before his judge he shall finde in the cup of this iniquity manifest avowed perjury overturning of the work of God destroying of the interest of Christ blasphemy near unto that unpardonable sin if not the very same in fathering the works of the right hand of the Most high on Satan open and avowed persecution of godlinesse opening of a gap to all licentiousnesse horrid iniquity increase of idolatry villanous and avowed whordome Sodomy atheisme and devilry and more wickednesse then tongue can tell or pen can paint out but is on clear record before the Lord. 4. Sayes he Let it be so that he was a meer private man and had no warrand from the Supreame Magistrate to do what he did his fact cannot warrand Men to attempt the doing of such acts unlesse they can shew as good warr and and approbation from God as he could Answ That he had God's warrand and approbation vve do not doubt but that it was such an approbation as was peculiar to extraordinary un-imitable acts is the thing in question we grant with him That God is the Lord of all Magistrates and of all men's lives can when it pleaseth him crosse ordinary rules and apppoynt some to execute his judgments extraordinariely but the question is whether every thing which the Surv. accounteth extraordinary is so indeed He may sayes he send Moses to kill the Egyptian Eglon to kill Ehud he should say Ehud to kill Eglon Elias to destroy companyes of men with fire from heaven or to kill Baal's Priests He may command Abraham to kill his sone Isaac he may excite David to a bloody duëel Sampson to murther himself Ans Will the Surveyer account these instances alike extraordinary and unimitable Sure Royalists will think that Ehud's killing of Eglon may warrand any private person now to kill a tyrant without title But I lay more weight upon Iohn Knox his distinction in this matter in his debate with Lithingtoun hist. of reformation Pag. 390. edit in fol. And as touching sayes Mr.
standers or that his manifest unchristian dealing may help to open the eyes of such as he labours to delude and bring them to abhorre his way or that the really Religious and righteous dealings of Church and State may more forcibly put him to silence then words or writings can It had been indeed more advantagious to the King's cause and lesse dishonourable to himself to have been silent then thus to have letten out waters to the King 's great prejudice and his owne discredit If he had any expectation that the Man's conscience would have confuted him in most of his assertions why did he hinder that work by confirming him in the truth of his assertions by his weak and foolish replyes Praestat otiari quam nihil agere and why did he not more manfully discover these unchristian dealings the better to undeceive such as he supposeth were deluded What are these manifest unchristian dealings of his Sure the event hath and shall furder we hope declare that his owne dealing hath been much more manifestly unchristian by labouring to blinde the eyes of such as savv before But I suppose he may talke at leasure of his proselyts When the really religious and righteous dealings of Church and State shall forcibly confute what is there said we know not Sure when ever their actions become really Religious and righteous they will condemne his pamphlet to the fire and himself to the correction-house and approve of all which is said in Naphtaly Sometimes sayes he keeping silence is seasonable the Man according to God's owne heart would not suffer Shimei's revileings to be repayed upon the head of that dead dog Hezekiah discharged to answere a word to railing Rabshakeh Ieremiah the Prophet contradicted by the false Prophet Hananiah went his way and said nothing The wise Solomon forbids to take heed to all words that are spoken and to answer a fool according to to his folly The Lord of Kings and Prophets sometimes answered not his accusers a word True sometimes silence is not only seasonable but 〈◊〉 and so would the Kings cause have found it now and by his answering not withstanding of what he here sayes it would seem that Naphtaly is no Shimes Rabshakeh Hananiah nor fool nor an enemy to Christ Or that the King is not like the Man according to God's heart nor like good Hezekiah Nor is this Pamphleter like Ieremiah nor hath follovved either Solomon's advice or Christ's example But I see not why both may not be true Yet furder So it seemed fit to let alone an insolent and forward railer and mocker and not to lavish out precious time which might be better bestowed upon one that gives such visible evidences both of a reasonlesse and unchristian Spirit whose libel may be reckoned amongst the things quae spreta exolescunt and worthy to be answered with nothing but silence contempt Then it seemeth he expecteth a reward also from the Author of Naphtaly for lavishing out so much of his precious time to keep in memory such a book which if he had miskend would have dyed out of minde and which he hath honoured with another answere then silence but all the reward he can expect will be but par pari referre payment without putting any thing in his purse and yet a payment in his owne coine Then to him it is a lavishing of precious time to maintaine the King's cause it seemeth also that he hath lavished out much time upon it and what will not money do The gredy gapeing after which will make a Man not only lavish out precious time needlesly But also put honour and respect on what he accounteth worthy of contempt 10. Let us see what did preponderat and bring this tossed Man to a firme resolution and determine him to bring this brate to light this product of his ill composed heart and not well tempered braine Upon the other hand sayes he it seemed something hard especially in such a distempered time to suffer an insolent person in whose mouth is a rode of pride to cast the truth downe to the ground without control and to tread upon and triumph over a holy and righteous cause and upon honourable persons of all ranks engaged in the maintainance thereof in so abusive despiteful and intolerable a way and not give him any check Not to put some stop to this furious driver who againe and againe assaults this Church with vile lyes and reproaches looked like the betraying and deserting of an honest and honoruable cause or like the hirelings seeing the Wolfe and flying and leaving the flock to be destroyed with delusion fugisti quia tacuisti There is an evil silence that leaves Men in sin as well as an evil speaking that leads Men to sin and we are not only to give an account pro atio so verbo but pro otioso silentio for idle silence when God and the publick necessity of the Church or Society whereof we are members Calleth for a valiant not brutishly violent and forcible way such as this mans pleads for and rational contending for the truth It is sinful pusillanimity and not warrantable prudence to see truth fall in the streets and not lift it up And verily this man seems to be amongst these of Whom Solomon sayes Prov. 26 v. 5. who must be answered lest he seem wise in his owne conceite and to be amongst these Tit. 1 v. 10 11. unruly and vaine talkers and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped that the gangrene of his words may not creep further to the consumption subversion of Church State Faire words ad faciendum populum qui si decipi vult decipiatur But he hath this disadvantage that few that know him will beleeve that these or any of these are the true cause of this undertaking But that rather vvhich he thought good to conceale viz. The Three hundereth pound sterling brought to him by the greater rogue the better rewarded Ia Sharpe deceiver of that ilke for if these things here mentioned had been his end and motive why was he feared that this should have wronged a well composed heart and Should not have been a honouring of God in his station but a needlesse lavishing out of precious time which might be better bestowed Nay there was reason for all this for whether he saw it or not he who together with his complices distempered the times and all things in whose mouth there being a rode of pride did insolently cast the truth downe to the ground as they could and endeavoured to tread upon and triumph over a holy righteous cause and all the maintainers thereof in an abusive despiteful and intolerable way and laboured to lift up an exploded depised and cursed falshood once dethroned with shoutings and great exclamations of joy but we have seen his horns have been but short He is truely as the sober vvill judge the furious driver who againe and againe doth assault the true Church and cause of God with lyes
purge the lesser if a considerable part it might not be because that were a way to dissolve humane Societies and all Kingdomes and Commonwealths Ay but he meaneth that it is so To teach that any meer privat persones or any part of a People who think themselves strong enough should take on them to sit and act as punishing judges over all Magistrates Supreme and Subordinate yea and upon the Major part of the People themselves and upon their owne fancyes led with their own lusts draw the Magistratical sword Answ But then against whom doth he fight Naphtaly spoke not so Nor doth our cause require that we should say so We say not that private persones should take up the Magistrat's sword and with Magistratical power and authority judge and execute the whole body of the People and the Magistrates Supreme and Subordinate far lesse do we say That they should do this upon their fansies or when led with their owne lusts This is nothing else but to fansy an adversary to himself when he cannot answere or stand against his proper adversary and after he hath busked him up in as ugly a shape as he can then he may well cry out Oh horrid confusion to be detasted of all rational and Christian hearts But this is not faire dealing yet suteable enough to him and his cause which he can get defended no other way But then he tells us Pag. 59. That though the words be spoken to the People yet it is alwayes to be understood that the Peoples concurrence in the punishing of an Apostate city was to be within the bounds of their calling and under the conduct of the Magistratical power set over them As when inticers to idolatry are in the former part of the chapter enjoyned to be taken order with however nearly they were related to People and to be stoned it is not to be supposed that the charge is given to every private person brevi manu to do this but judgment was to be execute on them after judicial conviction and sentence given by the Magistrate as sayeth Diodat on v. 8. and Pelargus on v. 14. Answ 1. That the Peoples concurrence was to be within the bounds of their calling we grant But the question is how far the bounds of their calling did extend Did it extend no further then to goe out when called thereto of the Magistrate to punish that Apostate city Then if the Magistrate neglected to call them out they were not so much as to mourne for that Apostasy by this text Nor to use any other meanes to have the Matter rectified nay nor to beare witnesse against that way For if the Magistrate was to preceed and they only to goe under his conduct if he called them not forth they were exonered all that was required of them being only to be willing and ready at a call But sure this interpretation is not consonant to other texts of scripture as we shall shew 2. If we look to the other particulars spoken to in that chapter we will finde that there was more required then that or a simple mourning in secret for no man wil think they were exonered if they had been only willing to execute the sentence of the Magistrate upon the false Prophet and dreamer that sought to draw them after other Gods Seing they were not to hear him So as to the enticer they were not only not to hearken unto him but they were not to pity him nor to conceale him v. 8. but now what in case the Magistrate should have refused to have done his duty to have examined the Matter or what in case the Magistrate should have countenanced and encouraged such an one was there no more required of them but to have made offer of ther Son Daughter Wife or Brother unto justice and when justice could not have been gotten executed upon them take them home again to their house and into their bosome live as formerly good friends together I feare such cleaving to the letter of the scripture shall be found a meer eludeing of scripture and a mocking of the holy ghost by whom it was given 3. Yea that wich Diodat sayes is more for he sayes They were to procure vengeance on him in way of justice accusing him to the Magistrate by information or sufficient proof And if the Magistrate refused to do justice I suppose they might have provided for their owne security and shot him or her out of doores with violence that was seeking to draw them a way from the true God So that granting what the Surveyer would be at the place will make for us For though the Magistrate was bound to examine judge and sentence the Apostate city in a judicial authoritative manner yet in case the Magistrate should have connived at or countenanced such apostacy they were to use other meanes to have the land purged of that crying obhomination then simple mourning in secret even to have taken the sword in their hand in case the defection was approaching to themselves and Magistrates were forceing them to a complyance with that evil or apostasy and never to have laid it downe till not only themselves were secured as to theirpart but the land were purged of that idolatry the idolaters executed according to the law Their Zeal in this case should have carryed them without doors though not to an assumeing of the Magistrates juridicall authoritative and punishing sword 2. Esai 59 v. 4. None calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth Where the Prophet among the rest of the evils wherof that People was guilty and for which heavy calamities did presse them reckoneth this that there was none who called for justice or did plead for truth that is there was none who endeavoured to relieve and right the wronged or to redresse what was amisse see the English Annotat. no man owned the right cause or took God's part against falshood and wickednesse No man say the Duth Annotat. to dehort them that deal unjustly or to maintaine a just cause and the truth to the utmost of his power So that by this we see what was required of People in a day of defection even to call and cry aloude that justice might be executed and deal with such as were Magistrats to do their duty and not to bring and keep on the wrath of God upon the Land And this is more then the Surveyer will have to be the only duty of private persones in a day of general defection Pag. 52. viz. To keep themselves pure without any degree of acting these sinnes to mourne and sigh for the evils that are done to be earnest in prayer that God may convert others to admonish faithfully and study to reclame these who are out of the way But this will be more cleare by the following passages 3. Esay 59 15 16. Yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himself a prey and the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was