sake although differing from us in some other things 5 It is thought sufficient ground for this charge that some yea many of the persons that come to and haunt our meetings are found not to be conscientious and Christian in their walk but flagitious or in many of their practises scandalous We cannot think our adversaries are serious in this do beleeve as they speak seing 1 This does fall as heavy and will to onlookers reflect as much and more on the objectors themselves as on us whose meetings for worship are found to be the sinck of all debauched and profaine persons thorow the Land can they refuse this It is like the foresight of this forced them to say in their lybel of greivances against us that the abominations mentioned in one Article were commited at our meetings and not by persons present at them otherwise their assemblies for worship should have been as chargeabâ—â— therewith as ours but in this our Antagonists 〈◊〉 like to the persecutours of the Christians in the prâ—â—mitive times who charged them for having these 〈◊〉 the like abominations commited at their assemblies as is to be seen in Church Histories The Lord deliver us from and rebuke the lying Spirit that is entered into and possesseth many 2. But if the presence of wicked and scandalous persons at the assemblies of Christians for hearing of the word and performing of other acts of worship be sufficient ground for chargeing the wickednesse and impieties of such on them as the cause inductive to scandals will not the assemblies that Christ his Apostles Ministers and Christians keeped in all ages be as lyable to this charge as we who excluded none but admited all to the hearing of the word and some other acts of worship as is manifest from Scripture and History whatever our adversaries will say for clearing of Christ Iesus his Apostles c. will acquit us 3. Do not men know that in preaching of the Gospel to sinners we should designe and labour their conversion as much as the edification of the converted Is not the Gospel with which Ministers are intrusted the mean and power of God to the one as well as to the other And seing this is our designe as it hath been our practice so it is our resolution not to exclude any from our assemblies how wicked soever they have been or are Truth is to charge us and our meetings with the sinnes and scandals of those that frequent the same is to reproach the Gospel of Christ and to Father all the wickednesse of its hearers on it contrare to its grand designe which is to save sinners from sin and all the miseries that follow upon it SECT V. Some Reasons why the Indulgence was not accepted IN the next place we come to the head of the Indulgence the not allowing of which hath been represented as a full evidence of our pivish wilful and stiff disposition to unpeacableness and distoyalty but we hope when our carriage in this mater is seriously thought upon and the reasons that determined us to this refusal are weighted in the ballances of the sanctuarie this charge will be found light and we are confident that upon trial it will appear we are not against but with all expressions of thankfulnes shall be ready to intertaine and receive any libertie for the Gospel its true interest and our selves that is consistent with our known principles that the Magistrat shall be pleased to grant us We look upon it as an unjust state of the question in this mater which hath been offered by some whether the Magistrat jure may or have it within the compass of his Magistratical power to give liberty to Ministers and people for serving and worshiping of God in his Son Christ Iesus according to his word this we do not deny but chearfully grant that although the exercise of Church power that is properly such be independent on the Magistrat yet the peacable exercise of it is truely from him it belongs to him no doubt to encourage countenance and protect the Church against all enemies and to relieve her of oppression when under it to this he is impowered and oblidged both as a Magistrat and as a Christian Neither is it with us a question whether the Magistrat may command Ministers to the duties of then function nor whether he may exeem them from the hazard of suffering to which they are obnoxious by law for their non-conformity nor yet whether he may confine Ministers simply and abstractedly considered from our present case which is only proper to the Magistrat and not all to the Church All these and much more we yeeld to the Magistrat about persones and maters Ecclesiastical according to the Word But the true state of the question to us is whether the Magistrat Jure Magistratico may of himself and immediatly without the Church the previous election of the people assigne and send Ministers to particular Churches to take the fixed and pastoral over sight of them prescribe rules and directions to them for the exercise of their Ministery and confine them to the said congregations The question thus stated being complex and consisting of several branches conform to the acts of Councel anent the indulgence we must of necessity for giving a just accompt of the grounds of our dissatisfaction therewith speak to them severally in some assertions with the reasons subjoyned Assertion First The Magistrat by vertue of his Magistratical power cannot of himself and immediatly assigne or send Ministers to particular congregations to take the pastoral charge and oversight of them For 1. We finde not in all the Word of God any such power given to or exercised by the Magistrat in the Church none hath yet given any instances of this If there be let them be produced and we shall acquiesce All acknowledge the Church not to be founded on the law of nature but on positive institution and supernatural revelation and therfore not to be governed in wayes and methods of Mens invention but in these that are revealed by the Holy Scriptures without which there cannot be a Church so that she owning her being constitution and all to them there must be some evident proof produced from these before we can yeeld to any such power in the Magistrat how long shall we exspect this 2. Also we finde the Church in the possession and exercise of this power from the times of the Apostles to the breaking up of the reformation by Luther and others in Germany as is manifest from Scripture and History We grant there was for some time a considerable debate betwixt the Pope and the Emperour of Germany about the investiture of Bishops which gave the rise to other Princes claming of the same seasing upon it but what says this to the mission of Ministers application of their Ministery to particular congregations For as Prelacy was the invention of men and the cause of horrid contentions in Churches and States so
exercise her Government in these times by confederation and mutual consent and not by institution and command for as there is nothing in Scripture and pure antiquity for this So the Churches being gathered and constitute by the Apostles we presume they continued in the constitutions which the Apostles left according to the precepts and rules they gave them to which we find in the word and Church History their practice conforme When the persecutions of the Church ceased upon the Magistrats turning Christian we find her continuing in the exercise of the former Government but with the addition of some corruptions which grew to a sad hight afterwards throw the excessive munificence bounty of Constantine the great the first Christian Emperour and exercising the sameâ— as formerly as is clear from History that speaks of these times Here our adversaries speak of some instances of the power the Magistrat did exerce in the Church as convocating of Synods labouring in the peace of the Church lorely rent at sometimes through lad heresies and schisms And that saying of Constantines repeated by them ad nauseam vos estis Episcopi ad intra Ego ad extra But how is our Antagonists conclusion made out by all these will it follow that becaus the Magistrat did convocat Synods its Government is derived from subordinat to him No wayes for 1. Albeit the Magistrat have a power to convocat the officers of the Church anent maters relating to his owne conscience and duty whether about Church or State yet this is not privative of the Churches power to convocat her owne assemblies either for worship or government as we find she did in the primitive times not only without but against his consent yea when the Magistrat became Christian she retained and exercised this power in assembling into several Synods without the Magistrat It is true we do not read of general Synods assembled after this but by the Magistrat till the Pope of Rome claimed this power and usurped therein on the Church and Magistrat as he did in all other things but the vastness of the Empire and large extent of the Church which exceeded its bounds made this in point of prudence necessare for without the Magistrat it could not easily be done But 2. Convocating of others is not alwayes in its self and infallible signe of a superiour power and dominion over judicatories convocated as in limited Monarchies and not absolute where the Supream power is lodged in the King and States of the Kingdom although the King have the power of conveâ—ning the States yet they share wiâ—h him in the leg stative and executive power while in being therefore the illation is bad and not concludent 4 What imaginable advantage-can accrew to our adversaries assertion by that saying of Constantines formerly cited We grantâ— the Magistrat is the overseer of things without the Church but this will not prove that thâ— government of the Church is in and from his hands and subordinat to him they must first make it appear by good reason that ner Government is ad extra which they have not yet done nor never will for although it be visible in its institution and exercise yet it is as intrinsinck to and within her as her doctrine and worship which by this sence will be as much derived from and subjected to the Magistrat as her Government seing the one is as visible in its dispensation as the other Arg. 5. The Magistrat may not yea cannot jure impede and hinder the exercise of the Churches government therefore it is not derived from nor subjected to him the reason of this consequence is what ever power is derived from the Magistrat and subordinated directly to him he may suspend hinder its exercise yea he may totally remove and annihilat it this is yeelded by all and taken for a sure Maxime in Politicks but the Magistrat may not do this in the Government of the Church and that becaus it is of divine institution and the persons intrusted with and called to its â—xercise are under the obligations of divine precepts and commands for it which the Magistrat cannot hinder nor by any deed or command of his make void These that deny this divine institution of Church Government we refer to the forecited book where it is strongly pleaded made out from clear and express Scriptures in the New Testament Likwise as he cannot impede its exercise so he may not nullify its sentences by himself which he may do in the sentences passed by all powers derived from and subordinat to himself Arg. 6. The Christian Magistrat is by vertue of his Christian Profession bound to subject himself to the acts exercise of Church Government in the hand of Church Officers and is as much obleidged to yeeld thereto as any other Therefore Church power is not directly subordinat to him The antecedent is clear for all are commanded submission and obedience to Church Officers in the exercise of their power in watching overseeing and ruleing of the Church Heb. 13.7 17. to which exercise of their power we finde Magistrats in the word submitting as UZZIA who was by the priests confor me to the law separated and secluded from the holy things of God and communion with the Church in these yea it is given for the maine cause of all that heavy wrath and judgment that came on Zedekiah 2. Chron. 36.12 that he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking the word of the Lord to him Obj. But this subjection in Magistrats to Church Officers is properly to Christ and not to them Ans we confess the subjection is primarily and cheifly to Christ Jesus whom such in the exercise of their Office doe represent yet the subjection is to them too whom all without exception of any in the Church are commanded to receive hear and obey so that in the dispensation of holy things they are superiour to all in the Church Magistrats and others as their constitut Rulers Overseers Governours and Watch men whom they ought to obey when acting in their Office agreable to the law of Christ which obedience is not CATACHRESTICAL or ABUSIVE as VIDELIUS speaks in the Magistrat but proper and really a debt they owe to the Ministers of the Gospel dispensing holy things as much as any other member of the Church their obligation to it being of the same kinde and nature with the obligation of others If any think other-wayes let them produce their reasons and Scriptures 2. If the fiery and zealous promotters of the Magistrats power in and over the Church of God did consider the true and real prejudice they do to Magistrats by exeeming them from that subjection that they with all others owe to Church Officers they would if there be any sense of Religion and its advantages remaining with men hold their hand and should have little thanks from Magistrats for their preposterous zeal who by their opinions in this mater do
AN APOLOGY FOR OR VINDICATION OF THE Oppressed persecuted Ministers Professors of the Presbyterian Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland emitted in the defence of them and the cause for which they suffer that for the information of ignorant the satisfaction and establishment of the doubtful the conviction if possible of the malicious the warning of our Rulers the strengthening comforting of the said sufferers under their present pressurs trials Being their Testimony to the Covenanted work of Reformation in this Church and against the present prevailing corruptions and course of desection therefrom PROV XXIII Vers 23. Buy the truth sell it not also wisdom instruction understanding I. PET. III. Vers 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknes fear JUD Vers 3. It was needful for me to write unto you to exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints Prestat sero quà m nunquam sapere Printed in the Year 1677. To the most Noble and Honourable LORDS The Lords temporal of his Majesties Secret Council in the Kingdom of Scotland Most noble and honouralbe Lords CAsting our eyes about us to see under the wings of whose patrociny protection we should shelter the ensuing Apology or vindication we could not in our apprehensions fix upon any so fited for this as your Lo. who by the station office you bear under his Maj. in this Kingdom are constitute the protectors of the poor the Releevers of the oppressed the breakers of every unjust yoke the serious thoughts of which does aflord us this confidence that as our unjust oppressions make us objects fitted for your Lo. compassion and justice so your Lo. office and what it binds unto in the behalf of the oppressed before God and men will on the ingenuous plaine production of our reasons for the justice of our cause at length prevail for breaking of these yokes of oppression now on us and removing of their real causes We therefore cannot but in charity and reason expect that much humanity justice from your Lo. that was granted by heathen Rulers to Ministers Christians in the primitive times of the Christian Church of which we have in Scripture History memorable instances Was not Paul Act. 26 1 permited by King Agrippa to speak for himself who in vindication of his righteous cause deduced the grounds thereof and cleared the so to the conviction of his hearers that they judged him neither worthy of death nor of bonds Did not some of the Roman Emperours upon the reading of the Apologies of the Christians as of Justin Martyr Apollinaris Mileto Origen Tertullian and others declare their innocency and mitigat the rage of persecution that then prevailed against them May not we then who professe the same Protestant Religion with your Lo. entertaine ourselves with the hope of the same favour justice that was shewed by Rulers to the Lords people before us As our adversaries calumnies bitter reproaches with which they labour to render us odious to all especially to your Lo. are unjust and malitious being partly their evil and uncharitable deductions from our principles and actions and partly grosse notorious lies such as the heathens charged on the primitive Christians who finding no just mater for their accusations from their Profession and behaviour gave it out to the world that they worshiped the Sun an asses head and used promiscuous copulation at their assemblies So it is the Testimony of our consciences that as a brazen wal does sheild uphold our Spirits from sinking under those burdens with which they have aimed to keep us at under with your Lo. We know there is no new or strange thing happened unto us but what hath been the common lot of eminent saints yea of Christ Jesus our blessed Lord and Master the servant is not greater then the Master if they dealt so with him no mervail they deal so with us So great is the Testimony witness of our consciences as to all the greivous things they have and do charge upon us that we have hitherto possessed our souls in patience and not opened our just and true greivances as we might and should have done for fear of offending your Lo. But perceiving the truth of the Gospel the righteousness of our cause and the welfair of immortal souls are like to suffer thorow our too long silence we have adventured to disclose our thoughts and to give so far as we can a satisfieing account of the grounds of that faith and hope for which we suffer The God of Gods knowes Israel shall know we use this fredom and plainness of speech towards your Lo. and all others not from any contentious and ill affected humour but from the sense of the obligations laying on us for the conservation of the true interest of Religion and the hope of relief for these from your Lo. which we most humbly beg and exspect for the sake of truth and righteousness that are now fallen in the streets and fled into Corners if on an impartial examination of what we have said in the defence of our cause and of ourselves for its sake against the reproachs of our enemies it shall be found that it is not just but iniquous we ask no benefite from your Lo. clemency and justice let all severity be used But if the cause of our former and present sufferings be righteous in the confidence of which we have been bold to give to your Lo. and the Christian world this sober ensueing account we humbly entreat that protection and relief in its defence which your power and station in this Kingdome do enable and oblige your Lo. to Wherefore casting ourselves at your Lo. feet We doe in the behalfe of pure Religion undefiled the souls of all concerned therein beseech your Lo. First That our just well grounded exceptions against Prelacy Erastianisme may be taken into consideration laid to heart for if they hold good will not the future consequences of these evils to this land your Lo. families posterity be dreadful who thereby are laid pento the judgments denunced in the the Word of God against perjury and Covenant breaking We doe not lay the stresse of our cause on the Covenants Oaths taken by this nation against the foresaid evils or corruptions as the primary and chief Argument as will appear to all on the perusal of our subsequent Apology but on their opposition to the Word of the holy and true God for we grant Covenants and Oathes that are obligatory and binde to an observance suppone their matter to be antecedently just and do bring their primary obligation from it hence the things contained in engaged to by Covenants and Oaths must be proven and made out to be
act nor lead our antagonists Do not their opinions about Prelacy their Profession of all readiness to comply with the contrare if on foot their frequent changes into the interests and formes of all preceeding times how contrare soever to their once professed and sworn principles while true Presbyterians remained constant and immoveable thorow the times that went over their heads their covetous and licentious lives discover their want of conscience in the courses they now so furiously run Let not your Lo think that it is his Maj. interests as they pretend or any true consciencious regaird to these that moves them to such obseqiuous compliance with the present lawes Let the out ward interests of this world be separated from their way and it shall soon appear how void they are of true zeal for his Maj. and his lawes as is evident beyond all denial from their carriage behaviour in past present times As we have no external benefite to expect to engage us against conformity to the present lawes about Church Government so we are to look from our principles and practises conforme thereto no lesse then the ruine of our selves families in this world if conscience of duety towards God this Church according to the word did not determine and move us of all men we were the most foolish and miserable but seeing our hearts in the consideration of the justice of our cause of the sincerity of our intentions in acting conforme to it does not condemne us we have this confidence towards God that as we are acquit shall be justified before him so shall we be recompenced and rewarded to the aboundant compensation of all outward loses even for these things for which we are condemned of men so that that which is esteemed our folly sin and misery is and shall be reputed our righteousness wisdom and glory Albeit we have not the external advantages of power riches and wordly policy but the contrare to contend with and endure yet seing the Word of God in our hands doeth prosper and prevail to the gaining of immortal souls the restraining of impiety and the propagating of the savour of the true knowledge of Christ Jesus in all places where it comes notwithstanding of the opposition made unto us in this work it will on many accounts be your Lo. wisdome not to stand in contradictory tearmes thereto least your Lo. be found to fight against God in the persons of his servants and people for we are assured that this work and cause is of God partly for its conformity to his holy word partly for its undeniable fruit and successe in converting saving of souls from sin preserving and maintaining of its self against the opposition it meets with on all hands which we take for a signe of its being of God as the Christians did of old in their debates for the Christian Religion against its adversaries which under great opposition grew and prevailed exceedingly although stript of all the outward advantages of worldly power and policy If this cause be of God and approven by him as we nothing doubt it will not be in the power of the mightest to crush it Men may afflict and put us to great sufferings which to them will be a signe of perdition but to us of salvation but while this Church continues Protestant and hath God abiding in her their contradiction will be in vaine as is hitherto manifest And a thowsand to one but it resolve in their own ruine here here after The mater of difference betwixt us and our adversaries being in their owne confession a popular argument they much use with the people not foundamental but indifferent we humbly beg of your Lo that for preventing of further confusions in this Church attaining of the true peace of the same you will be pleased to consider whether it be better and safer for this Church that the Chistian Reformed Religion be totally ruined among us for satisfying of a few or a thing indifferent far removed from the vitals of Religion be taken away and not thus enforced by violence on so considerable a part of the subjects who for conscience sake cannot receive nor subject thereto And knowing that a serious and impartial examination of this one question if diligently pursued would quickly determine your Lo to courses quite opposite to these now prosecuted with so much heat against us we intreat your Lo not to give eare to these calumnies and undue representations of the present case of affaires in this Church made by our enemies the Prelates by which they labour to instigat to all this unjust and unseasonable violence that will Produce bitter and lamentable effects to this the succeeding generation if not prevented in time Most noble honourable Lords we cannot but take notice of that too common prejudice entertained against Presbyterian Government instilled with so much artifice by our opposits in the mind of many on which they have alas too much advantag through the love of sin natural enmity at the wholsome severity and power of the Christian Religion that is predominant in all unregenerat persons to wit the strictnes impartiality of Presbyterian Government in its exercise against all sorts of scandals in all degrees of Professours the great as well as the meane for we know that while Presbytery was up and in vigour amongst us the zeal and faithfulness of Ministers in reprehending all sorts of sins and exercising of discipline impartially conforme to the commands and ruls of the word without exception of persons is that which hath caused all this dislike of and rigour against Presbytery and conciliat that much respect to and love for Prelacy as to eject the one bring in the other We will not now enter on the debait whether this strictnes against sin be the native product of Presbyterian Government when exercised conforme to its principles or the contrare the genuine consequence of Prelacy that necessarly results from its constituent preserving causes Which were no great labour to make out But leaving this we humblie entreat your Lo. to have that patience towards us as to suffer us to say 1. In conformity to the principle of the Christian profession it must be in the confession of all Christians mater of sad regrait lamentation that in places where the Christian Religion is owned zealous faithfulness against soul destroying sins should be admited received as a prejudice against Ministers their Government which should commend cry it up yea that does endear it to all conscientious Christians that rightly understand their owne Profession Must it not be a terrible length this generation is gone in declineing from the power of Religion when that which is its excellency glory in the sight of God good men is become the occasion mater of its dislike reproach Can there be a fuller evidence and discovery of the predomining prevailing
they were time out of minde exerâ—â—ed But this with other Acts of the like nature which followed was suitable to the basis and foundation on which the new superstructure of â—hurch government was founded and built the â—â—premacy How visible is it from this act the 〈◊〉 used for bringing in 〈◊〉 prelacy the frame of the 〈◊〉 of Parliament anent it and the Supremacy 〈◊〉 proâ—â—dour in executing of the same that the designe was not only to subject the Church wholly to the State but to rob her of all power which the prelates perceiving laboured to help in their after outting of Ministers not comprehended in this Act some of them complaining that Ministers should be exautorated by the Magistrat without any Church sentence preceding but more of this afterwards But supposing this to be within the compasse of the Magistrats power yet how unproportionat was the penalty to the alleaged crime if there had been heresy in doctrine or scandals in life conversation a justification might have been made of this sentence but for simple non-conformity to prelacy that had been by Church State exploded from amongst us as an high corruption in the government of the Church and its reentry barred with the solemnest Covenants and oaths that ever any Church or Nation came under we say for such a crime in such a case to take from Ministers as men their lively hoods and as Ministers their Ministery dearer to them then their lives is a punishment when weighted in the ballances of equitie and justice much beyond we are sure the demerit of the cause especially considering that the Persones imposeing conformity and punishing others so severely for refusing it were the same for the most part that had made and enacted lawes severe enough against it What is prelacy a jewel of so much worth that the Church of God cannot be well without it have we not found the contrare from the experience of past and present times Although we should be judged uncharitable in this yet we mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 it that they who see not this do either 〈…〉 eyes throw carnal interest or wilfull 〈…〉 â—â—â—inst all evidence that not only Scripture but the effects of Prelacy in this Church affords to all men Or els fight against their light If we take our measures by the true interests of the Church or these things wherein her true welfare does consist we shall undoubtedly and undeniably see that prelacy is not of that worth and use to the Church of God as to inflict such grievous punishments on Non-compliers with it sure we are soundness of doctrine purity of worship and holiness of life have flourished in this Church without it and since its erection these have come under a sad decay Obj. But many place the demerite of these severe punishments in the disobedience to the lawes establishing Prelacy the now great cry of these engadged in the present course for justifying of all enormities committed in the administrations of government Ans To this we say first that all Divines and Lawyers assert if non-obedience be seperated from contempt of authority as in many cases it may be that the demerit of disobedience is not rigourously to be pursued with punishments especially of so high a naâ—â—â—â— as these inflicted on us for meer non-conformity and the reason they give is because there are and maâ— be such things in non-obedience as will to â—â—â—â—teous judges not only alleviat the guilt thereof 〈◊〉 discharge it from disobedience let be contempt 〈◊〉 authority as invincible ignorance inability 〈◊〉 of passion the tendencie of the thing commanded 〈◊〉 sâ—me cases to the everting of the end of the law â—â—â—â—ch in such cases is presumed not to be the will of 〈◊〉 makers the disposition profession of persons 〈◊〉 â—â—dieiâ—nce-manifested in all others things c. if our known and professed principles extant in our publict confessions and treatises on this head with our actions in all other matters relating to authority be admitted and beleved we will have as much so say for freeing of our non-obedience to lawes in this matter from contempt of authority as any Give us the just liberty of our Religion in preferring of God our absolute and Supream Soveraigne to all others and in yeelding to him that obedience he requires of us in his word and none shall be found more obedient to Authority in all things that do not intrinch on this We do solemnly professe and in the sight of the alseeing God who searches the hearts and reins that this and this only is the cause why we cannot give obedience to the lawes establishing prelacy for upon all the search we have made we cannot find a warrant for it in the word of God that perfect rule of Religion and Righteousness but find it contrarâ— unto â—lagainst the precepts and institutions of Christ â—â—sus anent the government of his house This being our perswasion we are not able to evite the force of these obligations of our Covenants and Oaths made to God and one another against it to the strick observation of which we are by commands and threathings contained in the word most indispensibly bound and from which tyes no humane power can loose us Is it not a sad matter in this case that we meet with no other thing from any for satisfying our consciences and bringing us the length of cheerful obedience in this thing but the cry law law which in the matters of God can be no sure bottome to our consciences 〈◊〉 seing we as Christians are under a law antecedent 〈◊〉 superior to that of mens Secondly Where the guilt of disobedience is truly sound yet the sentence passed against it ought cheefly to respect the matter of the disobedience and according to the quality and circumstances of it the punishment should be proportionated there are no divines or lawyers that we know of but hold this and it is beyond disput evident from the judicial lawes of the Iews enacted and established by God himself for the administration of justice in that Common-wealth for the guilt of disobedience being alike in all deeds contrare to law disobedience in smaller matters sould have as heavy punishments inflicted on the contraveeners as in greater which all acknowledge to be a strange solecisme in government contrare to all natural equity and justice the basis and ends of government Thirdly And that our non-obedience to lawes erecâ—â—ng and establishing prelacy is so high a crime in itself as to deserve such punishments as have been statute and execute upon us we do not yet see especially while we consider 1. The little evidence as hath been said for it in the word of God Some of that party â—â—â—e racked their witts for finding out its divine right and institution as Ioseph Hall and some others but wiâ—h so little successe as hath forced many of them to â—â—â—te that plea and take them to arguments of another â—â—ture 2. The confessions of some who plead for the
is there not here a reciprocal subordination and superiority of persons with a coordination of powers as is hinted above We plead no more for the Ministers of the Gospel and the Government of the Church commited to them We grant a great difference in other respects betwixt the Magistrat and Ministers they act as meer servants without all dominion in them He with dominion and Magistratical authority over the persons of Ministers yet for all this the powers are coordinat and in their exercise not directly subject to one another 2. These powers their exercise and respective objects becoming reciprocally the object of one another as the Ministry and its objects being one part of the Magistrats power the Magistrat and the objects of his power being likewise a part of the object about which Ministers exercise their power under different formalities and specifications there arises or results not only a sweet harmony and a mutual subserviency to one another in advancing of their respective ends but likewise an indirect subordination to one another in the exercise of their powers without any dependance of these powers upon one another But this subordination is only of the persons and not of the powers which by being the mutual objects of one anothers powers does not subject the power and its exercise but only the persons for any thing or power becoming the object of another does not subordinat it to that power the Word Ordinances c. are not by being the object either of the Ministerial or the Magistratical power subordinated or subject thereto so that the Ministerial power its exercise and the maters about which it converses are not by being the object of the Magistrats power subordinated to it This breaks the force of our adversaries Argument which lyes mainly in this Obj. 6. It is only this sort of Supremacy and subordination that the act of restitution does mean Ans It is not so as is clear from the words and frame of the acts for it is the Church assemblies their proper maters their constitution the intrinsick obligation of their conclusions that are subordinated to the Magistrat so that all is nothing without him Obj. 7. All Divines even the Presbyterians and independents in the Church of England grant the Magistrat to be Supream in all causes and over all persons Ecclesiastical none of them scruple to take the oath of Supremacy as it is established by law in that Kingdom Ans All Divines do not grant this as is to be seen in the writings of many and for any thing we know it is not yeelded by the Presbyterian and Independants in the sense controverted among us neither can it seing it quyt overthrows all Church Government in its distinction from and independency on the civil Government of the Magistrat which is contrare to the known principles both of Presbyterians and Independants and if the Prelats themselves durst speak their minde conforme to their owne principles they would not in this differ from us as Thorndike more free and engenuous then the rest of his party does declame and cry out against the oath of Supremacy as the great crying sin of the Church of England but to an excesse would assert all and much more then we do in this mater were it not for fear of offending the Magistrat on whom now they wholly depend and whose Creaturs they only areâ— which hath in our times reconciled the Prelatical and Erastian principles at least in appearance that are most contrare to and distant from one another yea more then theirs and ours And although the Presbyterians and Independants in the Church of England do take the oath of Supremacy yet it is with such explications allowed assented to by the Magistrat that give it a sound sense which was stumbled and scrupled at both in Queen Elizabeth and King James times till its sense was explicat and allowed as is to be seen in the instructions given to justices of the peace by Queen Elizabeth for administrating the said oath Bishop Ushers explanation of it approven by King James In which sense it is understood taken to this day among them But to understand this mater aright and to avoid the labyrinth of generalities ambiguities with which some divines perplex intricat it it would be considered 1. That there is a two fold proper supremacy one civil and another Ecclesiastical about Church power meetings and maters 2 There are two Kinds of Causes of those they call Ecclesiastical some that are only extrinsically such but in their nature immediat ends and use civil that for their more remote ends and respects to things truely and properly sacred are called Ecclesiastical as lawes made for the Church her concerns outward liberty and peace external rewards and punishments c. Againe some causes Ecclesiastical are intrinsically and formally such as who shall preach the Gospel be invested with the Ministery or who shall be deposed from it who shall be rebuked admonished and excommunicated or received and admitted into the Church c. 3 The terme CAUSES is not here to be understood in a physical but moral and juridical sense that is for questions to be decided by those who are impowered either by God or men to this work 4 Causes or questions as they are the object of power its exercise are either proper and immediat or els improper and remote Hence we say 1. That the Magistrat is Supream Governour in all things or causes properly civil relating to causes and persons Ecclesiastical the judicial cognition and definitive judgment of these belong to him and not to the Church in this sense we admit the oath of Supremacy declared ourselves willing to take it which was refused us 2 That the Magistrat is not the supreme Governour in Causes and over persons formally Ecclesiastical This we assert belongs to Christ Jesus only and not to the Magistrat as hath been proven above This is the supremacy we deny to the Magistrat and for which we have declined to take the oath anent it that is now established law being perswaded for the reasons formerly given that this is the supremacy granted by law and understood in this oath But3 That causes and persons formally Ecclesiastical are not the proper and immediat object of the Magistrats power but only improper and remote and the reason is becaus in the execution of Christs law given to the Church the judicial cognition and definitive judgment about these belongs not to the Magistrat but to the Ministers of the word as for instance it is not the Magistrats part to cognosce and determine who is to be received into the Church and who not this is proper to the Ministers of the Gospel and so of other causes and questions of the like nature Obj. Then the Magistrat in protecting countenancing and furthering of the Churches acts and sentences by the sword must be a blinde executer of them Ans This must be said
Scriptures for a pairt of the Churches Canon and rule seems to draw a barr on much of the Romish trash which is condemned thereby but does not the prelates boldness in violenting and forceing of them in answering of our arguments and maintaining of their concepts remove this barr and lay the door open for what they will for howbeit the Scripture speaks against the worshiping of Creatures Images Angels and Men and chargeth these practises with idolatry yet Thorndike and most of the now prelatical gang purge the popish masse the worshiping of the host of the virgine Mary Images Saints from idolatry and superstition How impudently bold are the Erastians in wresting the Scriptures used by their antagonists in which they are not inferior to the Socinians and the most noted hereticks of the Church but we must say with lesse shew of reason as will be evident to any that will compare them together in their comments What security can the Church promise her self from these mens principles and wayes who build their conclusions on such foundations which if once admitted overturns all But alas when to enlarge the Magistrats power and to give support to their wild assertions about it the divine authority and doctrins of the Holy Scriptures are boldly contradicted and all Religion ultimatly resolved into the Magistrats Conscience and Lawes as Hobs Leviathan Parker others undertake to make out against the foundations superstructuâ—s of our Religion are they not thus pulled done to uphold the Magistrat to extend an immense power in him but we hope to the external shame confusion and ruine of the cause for which they contend How much doe we finde that saying of Pauls 2. Timoth 3.13 verified in these men evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but our confidence is that their folly being made manefest to all men they shall proceed no further for the cause which they oppose is Gods and that which he must owne and plead seing the Royal prerogative of his absolute Soveraignity and Supremacy are intrinched upon and struck at â—â—y his Creatures the wormes of the earth who contrare to their indebted and professed subjection to him assault his throan and invade the regalities of his high and glorious Crowne which he will uphold OH that all ingadged in this warr against the Lord and his anointed would read and consider the Second Psalme and yet hearken to what is there foretold anent the issue of it which will be sad and heavy to them that obstinatly set themselves in opposition to Christ and his Kingdome Let none that side with Christ in this quarrel be affrayed or ashamed to appear in its defence against all sorts of opponents for as we have the full light and evidence of the Word of God to justify its righteousness from the reproaches of men So we have the righteous and Almighty God to take our part who on the account of his justice and Supream dominion is ingadged to owne them that owne him in this cause In contending for these we contend not for honours dignities and the riches of this world but only for the Lawes Ordinances and Servants of Christ Jesus and that obedience and subjection to him in them that he requires of all in his word yea for the Royal dignities supereminent prerogatives of his righteous and glorious Crowne which the Father hath placed on his head giving him a name above all names that in the name of this JESUS all knees should bow yea shall bow Who needs to be affrayed who owne such a King and have him on their side who in his own persone overcame Triumphed over all his enemies yet againe will doe so in the persones of his weak contemned and persecuted servants people The Lord build up the walls of Jerusalem make her a peacable habitation Amen