Church but in a way of Dependence upon subordination to Christ as King who ascending far above Principalities Powers appointed gave the Gifts of the Ministry Eph. 4. 8. 11. and set them in the Church 1. Cor. 12. 28. and gave them commission to go teach the Nations by virtue of that all Power that was given to Him in Heaven Earth Math. 28. 18 19. If then they take a new holding close with a new Conveyance of the Ministrie and of the Power to exercise the same from a new Architectonick usurped Power in the Church encroaching on Christs Royal prerogative we dare not Homologat such an affront to Christ as to give them the respect of His Ambassadours when they become the servants of men and subject even in Ministerial functions to another Head then Christ for then they are the Ministers of men by men and not by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead because they do not hold the Head Col. 2. 19. Hence those that receive derive their Church-Power from and are subordinate in its exercise to another Head then Christ Jesus should not be received and subjected to as the Ministers of Christ in His Church But the Prelats their curats do receive derive their Church Power from are subordinate in its exercise to another Head then Christ Therefore they should not be received c. The first Proposition cannot be denyed The Second is proved thus Those officers in the Church Professing themselves such that derive their Church-Power from are subordinate in its exercise to a Power truly Architectonick Supreme in the Church to wit the Magistrate beside Christ Do derive their Power from are subordinate in its exercise to another Head than Christ Jesus But so it is that Prelats their Curats do derive c. Ergo The Major is evident for whosoever hath a Supreme Architectonick Power in over the Church must be a Head to the same and the fountain of all Church Power The Minor is also clear from the foregoing Historical Deduction manifesting the Present Prelacy to be Gross Erastianisme for the disposal of the Government of the Church is declared by Law to be the Croun right and an inherent perpetual Prerogative and thereupon the Bishops are restored to the Episcopal function And it is expressly Declared that there is no Church Power in the Church-office bearers but what depends upon is subordinate unto the Supremacy and authorized by the Bishops who are declared accountable to the King for the Administration By virtue of which Ecclesiastick Supremacy He put excomunication spiritual Censures consequently the Power of the Keyes into the hands of Persons meerly Civil in the Act for the High Commission Hence it is clear that as the fountain of all Church Government he imparts his Authority to such as he pleases and the Bishops are nothing else but his Commissioners in the exercise of that Ecclesiastick power which is originally in Himself and that the Curats are only His under Clerks All the stress will lie in proving that this Monster of a Supremacy from which the Prelats their Curats have all their Authority is a Great Encroachment on the Glory of Christ as King which will appear if we briefly consider these Particulars 1. It usurps upon Christs Prerogative who only hath all undoubted right to this Architectonick Magisterial Dominion over the Church His oun Mediatory Kingdom not only an Essential right by His Eternal Godhead being the Everlasting Father whose goings forth hath been of old from Everlasting Isa. 9. 6. Mic. 5. 2. in recognizance of which we oune but one God the Father and one Lord by whom are all things we by Him 1. Cor. 8. 6. But also a Covenant-right by Compact with the Father to bear the Glory rule upon His Throne by virtue of the Counsel of Peace between them both Zech. 6. 13. A Donative right by the Fathers Delegation by which He hath all power given in Heaven in Earth Math. 28. 18. and all things given unto His hand Iohn 3. 35. and all judgment Authority to execute it even because He is the Son of man Iohn 5. 22 27. and to be Head over all things to the Church Eph. 1. 22. An Institute right by the Fathers inaugaration who hath set Him as King in Zion Psal. 2. 6. and appointed Him Governour that shall rule His people Israel Math. 2. 6. An Acquisite right by His oun purchase by which He hath merited obtained not only subjects to Govern but the Glory of the Sole Soveraignty over them in that relation A name above every name Phil. 2. 9. which is that He is the Head of the Church which is as much His Peculiar Prerogative as to be Saviour of the body Eph. 5. 23. A Bellical right by Conquest making the people fall under Him Psal. 45. 4. and be willing in the Day of His power Psal. 110. 3. and overcoming those that make war with Him Rev. 17. 14. An Hereditary right by Proximity of blood Primogeniture being the first born higher then the Kings of the Earth Psal. 89. 27. and the first born from the dead that in all things He might have the preeminence Col. 1. 18. An Elective right by His peoples choise surrender having a Croun wherewith His Mother Crouned Him in the day of His Espousals Cant 3. ult By all which undoubted Titles It is His Sole incommunicable Prerogative without a Copartner or Competitor Coordinate or subordinate to be Iudge only Lawgiver King in Spirituals Isa. 33. 22. to be that one Lawgiver Iam. 4. 12. who only can give the power of the keyes to His officers which Comprehends all the power they have Math. 16. 19. to be that one Master over all Church officers who are but brethren Math. 23. 8 10. in whose Name only they must perform all Church Acts and all Parts of their Ministry and not in the Name of any Mortal Math. 28. 18. 19. Math. 18. 20. from whom only they receive what ever they have to deliver to the Church 1. Cor. 11. 23. To be the only Instituter of His Officers who hath set them in the Church 1. Cor. 12. 28. and gave them to the Church Eph. 4. 11. whose Ambassadours only they are 2. Cor. 5. 20. from whom they have authority for edification of the Church 2 Cor. 10. 8. 2 Cor. 13. 10. in whose Name only they are to assemble and keep fence their Courts both the least Math. 18. 20. and the Greatest Act. 15. But now all this is usurped by one who is not so much as a Church member let be a Church Officer as such for the Magistrate is neither as he is a Magistrate otherwise all Magistrats would be Church members Hence they that have all their power from a meer usurper on Christs Prerogative who is neither member nor officer of the Church have none
the King of Kings and all his instructions set doun limited in the book of God that cannot be extended abridged or altered by any mortal wight King or Emperour And seeing he was sent to all sorts his Commission discharge of it should not nor cannot be Lawfuly judged by them to whom he was sent they being sheep not Pastors to be judged by the Word and â—â—t to be judges thereof in a judicial way The Interloquutor being past against him for this the Brethren thought it duty that the Doctrine of the Preachers should be directed against the said Interloquutor as against a strong mighty hold set up against the Lord Jesus and the freedom of the Gospel and praised God for the force unity of the Spirit that was among themselves And being charged to depart out of Toun they leave a faithful Declaration at Large shewing how the Liberties of the Church were invaded robbed But all this was nothing in comparison of their wrestlings for the Royalties of their Princely Master and Priviledges of His Kingdom against that Tyrants Insolencies after he obtained he Croun of England For then he would not suffer the Church to indict her oun Assemblies And when the faithful thought themselves obliged to counteract his Encroachments and therefore conveened in an Assembly at Aberdeen anno 1605. they were forced to dissolve and thereafter the most eminent of the Ministers there assembled were transported Prisoners to Black-ness Whence being cited befor the Council they decline their Judicatory And one of their Brethren Mr Robert Youngson who had formerly succumbed being moved in Conscience returned and when the rest were standing before the Council desired to be heard and acknowledged his fault and therefore howbeit not summoned by the Lords was charged by the Living God and compelled to compear that day to justifie that Assembly to the great astonishment of the Lords and comfort of His brethren He subscribed the Declinature with the rest And for this they were arraigned and condemned as guilty of Treason and banished Before the execution of which sentence Mr Welsh wrote to the Lady Fleming to this effect What am I that He should first have called me and then constituted me a Minister of glad things of the Gospel of Salvation these fifteen years already and now last of all to be a sufferer for His Cause Kingdom To witness that good Confession that Jesus Christ is the King of Saints and that His Church is a most free Kingdom yea as free as any Kingdom under Heaven not only to convocate hold keep her Meetings Conventions Assemblies But also to judge of all her affairs in all her Meetings Conventions among His members and Subjects These two points 1 That Christ is the Head of His Church 2 That she is free in her Government from all other jurisdiction except Christs are the special Cause of our imprisonment being now convict as Traitors for maintaining thereof We have now been waiting with joyfulness to give the last Testimonie of our blood in confirmation thereof If it would please our God to be so favourable as to honour us with that dignity After this the King resolving by Parliament to advance the estate of Bishops again as in the time of Popery without Cautions as before and further to establish not only that Antichristian Hierarchie but an Erastian Supremacy The faithful Ministers of Christ thought themselves bound in Conscience to protest And accordingly they offered a faithful Protestation to the Parliament Iulij 1606. obtesting that they would reserve into the Lords own hands that Glory which He will communicate neither with man nor Angel to wit to prescribe from His holy Mountain a Lively pattern according to which His oun Tabernacle should be formed Remembring alwise that there is no absolute undoubted Anthority in this world except the soveraigne Authority of Christ the King to vvhom it belongeth as properly to rule the Church according to the good pleasure of His oun vvill as it belongeth to Him to save His Church by the Merit of His oun Sufferings All other anthority is so intrenched vvithin the marches of Divine Command that the least overpassing of the bounds set by God Himself bring men under the fearful expectation of Temporal Eternal judgements If ye should authorize Bishops ye should bring into the Church the ordinance of man vvhich experience hath found to have been the ground of that Antichristian Hierarchie vvhich mounted up on the steps of Bishops preeminence until that man of sin came forth as the ripe fruit of mans vvisedome vvhom God shall consume vvith the breath of His oun mouth Let the svvord of God pierce that belly vvhich brought forth such a monster And let the staff of God crush that egg vvhich hath hatched such a Cockatrice And let not only that Roman Antichrist be thrown down from the high bench of his usurped authority but also let all the steps whereby he mounted up to that unlawful preeminence be cut down utterly abolished in this Land And beware to strive against God with an open displayed banner by building up again the walls of Iericho which the Lord hath not only cast down but also hath laid them under an horrible Interdiction execration so that the building of them again must needs stand to greater charges to the builders then the reedifying of Iericho to Hiel the Bethelite in the days of Ahab Yet notwithstanding of all opposition Prelacy was again restored in Parliament And to bring all to a Complyance with the same Presbytries Synods universally charged under highest pains to admit a constant Moderator without change which many refused resolutely as being the first step of Prelacy Upon this followed a great Persecution of the faithful for their Nonconformity managed by that Mongrel Monstrous kind of Court made up of Clergy-men Statesmen called the High Commission Court erected anno 1610. whereby many honest men were put violently from their charges habitations the Generality were involved in a great fearful Defection But the Copestone of the wickedness of that Period was the Ratification of the five Articles of Perth kneeling at the Communion private Communion to be given to the sick private Baptisme and Confirmation of Children by the Bishop and observation of festival dayes Which were much opposed testified against by the faithful from their first hatching anno 1618. to the year 1621. when they were ratified in Parliament at what time they were also witnessed against from Heaven by extraordinary Lightenings Tempest And against this the Testimony of the faithful continued till the Revolution anno 1638. Here we see how the Cause was stated in this Period and may gather also wherein it aggress and how far it differs from the present Testimony now suffered for under all rage reproach I. The matter of the Testimony was one with that that we are suffering for against Popery Prelacy Supremacy
lost as a prey in the Dragons Mouth Yet Christ having such undoubted manifold right to it will not so easily quit or forego His possession But also because He hath so constantly continued His possession maintained His Title by a long course of Contendings by the Testimonies of His witnesses against the Invaders thereof through all the Periods of the Church from the very infancy of this new Dispensation And because Scotlands conversion into the Christian Faith was among the first fruits of the Gentiles of the oldest date that any standing Church holding the head Christ this day can deduce its original from For it is clear from Ancient Records the Christian Faith was imbraced here a few years after the Ascension of our Saviour being taught by the Disciples of Iohn the Apostle received afterwards great increment from the Brittons flying to Scotland to escape the Persecution of the Emperour Domitian was long promoted by the ancient Culdees or Cultores Dei men whose memory is still fragrant for piety purity of faith life who continued some hundreds of years under various vicissitudes of Providence before either Prelacy or Poperie was known in Scotland They were first universally encouraged by King Cratilinth in the time of the last Persecution under Dioclesian which brought many of Christs witnesses hither for Shelter who were very helpful for the setling of Truth the total extirpation of the Idolatry of the Druides the Heathen Priests whereby the pure Doctrine Worship Government also of Christs Institution was established continued many years while these Witnesses of Christ had no other emulation but of well doing to advance Pietie In this Period these ancient first Confessors Witnesses of Christ did wrestle strenously according to their strength light for the Truths words of Christs patience controverted in their day both against professed Enemies Pagan Persecutors 〈◊〉 pretended friends corrupters of the Faith. Their Testimony was stated in a peculiar manner for the verity value vertue of Christs Natures Offices in 〈…〉 relâ—â—ive to either against the Malignants Sectaries of their time particularly for the concerns of His Prâ—phetical Office. And though we be at a loss that for the most art their witness is buried in oblivion through the darkness of the times succeeding yet the scraps fragments that are left do furnish us with these few Remarks I. They maintained the verity of the Christian Doctrine against both Pagan Persecutors Heretical perverters And the purity of His instituted worship without the vanity of humane inventions or conformity with either the Druides on the one hand or the Hereticks on the other with which sometime befor the end of that Period they were inâ—ested Chiefly the Pelagians with whom the faithful would have no communion but abstracted themselves in a Monastical life liveing exercising their Religion in Cells from whence many places in the Countrey yet retain the name as Kilmarnock Kil-Patrick c. that is the Cells of these eminent men among the Culdees And their Government also was that of the primitive order without Bishops with litle vanity but great simplicity holyness Many Authors do testity that near about 400 years the Church of Scotland knew nothing of the Episcopal Hierarchy untill Paâ—adius brought it in not without great opposition II. In these Recesses they had the advantage both of outward peace when others were in trouble of inward peace of conscience when others were debauched with many conjurations abjurations combinations confederacies imposed exacted by them that prevailed for the time whereby they might both keep themselves free of insnaring Oaths perfidious complyances Associations with the wicked also intertain incourage the oppressed for equity who fled unto their sanctuary for safety We find they refused to enter into League with malignant Enemies One memorable passage I shall insert though strictly it belong not to this Period as I distinguish it yet falling out within 80 years thereafter in the time of the Culdees it will not obscurely evidence the truth of this Goranus the 45 King of Scots earnestly dissuaded Lothus King of Picts to entertain the League with the Saxons not only because they were treacherous cruel but because they were Enemies to the Countreâ— to the Religion they professed concluding thus Homiâ—i vero Christiano id longe omnium videri c. But to a Christian nothing must seem more grievous than to consent to such a Covenant as will extinguish the Christian Religion reduce the profane Customes of the Heathen arme wicked Tyrants the enemies of all humanity piety against God His Law whereupon Lothus was perswaded to relinquish the Saxons Buchan Histor. rer Scotic III. Though they were not for partaking in wicked unnecessary Wars without authority or against it yet we have ground to conclude they were for War did maintain the principle of resisting Tyrannie since there was never more of the pactice of it nor more happy resistances in any age than in that Where we find that as their Ancestors had frequently done before so they also followed their footsteps in resisting reduceing to order repressing bringing to condign punishment Tyrant Usurpers And thought those actions which their Fathers did by the light of nature dictates of reason worthy of imitation when they had the advantage of the light of Revelation dictates of Faith the one being indeed moderate directed but no ways contradicted by the other Therefore we read that as their Predecessors had done with Thereus the 8 th King of Scotland whom they banished in the year before Christs Incarnation 173. With Durstus the II King whom they slew in Battel in the year befor Christ 107. Evenus 3. who was imprisoned dyed there in the year befor Christ 12. Dardanus the 20 th King who was taken in Battel beheaded by his oun Subjects his head exposed to Mockage his body cast into a sink Anno Christi 72. Luctatus the 22. King who was slain for his Leachery Tyranny anno 110. Mogaldus the 23. King slain anno 113. Conarus the 24. King a Leacherous tyrant dyed in Prison anno 149. Satrael the 26. King hanged anno 159. So after the Christian Faith was publickly professed they pursued Athirco the 29. King when degenerate into Tyranny who was forced to kill himself anno 231. They slew Nathalocus the 30. King cast him into a privy anno 242. They beheaded Romachus the 36. King and caryed about his head for a show anno 348. As they did with many others afterwards as witnesseth Buchan lib. 4. Histor. Scotic IV. Whence it is evident that as they attained even in these primitive times maintained the purity freedom of their Ministery independent on Pope Prelate or any humane Supremacy that Antichristian Hierarchy Erastian blasphemie not being known in those dayes so they contended for the order
boundaries of the Magistracy according to Gods appointment the fundamental constitutions of their Government thought it their duty to shake off the yoke disoune the Authority of these Tyrants that destroyed the same Yea we find that even for incapacity stupidity folly they disouned the Relation of a Magistrate disposed of the Government another way as they did with Ethodius 2. whose authority they did oune but Titulo tenus See Buchan loco Citato PERIOD II. Comprehending the Testimonie of the same Culdees with that of the Lollards THe following Period was that fatal one that brought in universal Darkness on the face of the whole Church of Christ and on Scotland with the first of them which as it received very early Christianity so it was with the first corrupted with Antichristianisme For that Mystorie of iniquity that had been long working till he who letted was taken out of the way found Scotland ripe for it when it came which while the Dragon did persecute the woman in the wilderness did vallantly repell his Assaults but when the Beast did arise to whom he gave his power he prevailed more by his subtiltie than his rampant Predecessor could do by his rage Scotland could Resist the Roman Legions while heathenish but not the Roman Locusts when Antichristian At his very first appearance in the world under the Character of Antichrist his harbinger Palladius brought in Prelacy to Scotland by that conveyance the contagion of Popery which hath always been as every where so especially in Scotland both the Mother Daughter cause effect occasion consequence of Popery These rose stood lived together sometimes did also fall together we have ground to hope that they shall fall again their final fatal fall is not faâ— off Whatever difficulty Authors do make in calculating the Epocha of the 42 moneths of Antichrists duration in the world because of the obscurity of his first rise yet there needs not be much perplexity in finding out that Epocha in Scotland nor so much discouragment from the fancyed permanency of that Kingdom of wickedness For if it be certain as it will not be much disputed that Popery Prelacy came in by Palladius sent Legate by Pope Celestine about the year 450. then if we adde 42 Moneths or 1260 Prophetical dâ—yes that is years we may have a comfortable prospect of their Tragical conclusion And though both clashings combinations oppositions conjunctions this day may seem to have a terrible aspect portending a darker hour befor the Dawning yet all these â—eelings revolutions though they be Symptoms of wrath incumbent upon us for our sins they may be looked upon through a prospect of faith as presages prognosticks of Mercy impendent for His Names Sake encouraging us when we see these dreadful things come to pass in our day to lift up our heads for the day of our Redemption draweth nigh This dark Period continued â—igh about 1100 years in which though Christs witnesses were very few yet He had some witnessing Prophecieing in sackcloth all the while Their Testimony was the same with that of the Waldenses Albingenses slated upon the grounds of their secession or rather abstraction from that Mystery Babylon Motâ—â—â—r of harlots Popery Prelacy for their corruption in Doctrine worship Discipline Government And did more particularly relate to the concerns of Christs Priestly Office which was transmitted from the Culdees to the Lollards And by them handed doun to the Instruments of Reformation in the following Period Their Testimony indeed was not Active by way of forcible resistance against the Soveraign Powers but passive by way of Confession Martyrdom sufferings verbal contendings witnessings against the prevailing corruptions of the time And no wonder it should be so in this some way different from ours because that was a dispensation of suffering when Antichrist was on the Ascendant they had no call nor capacity to oppose him any other way and were novv spirited for this passive Testimony in which circumstances they are an excellent pattern for imitation but not an example for confutation of that principle of defensive resistence which they never contradicted had never occasion to confirm by their practice But as in their manageing their Testimony their manner was somevvay different from ours on this respect so they had far the advantage of us that their cause was so clearly stated upon the greatest of heads of sufferings having the clearest connexion with the fundamentals of Religion Yet we shall find in this Period our Heads of suffering someway homologated if we consider I. That as they did faithfully keep contend for the word of Christs patience under that dispensation in asserting maintaniâ—g both the verity of Christs Doctrin the purity of His Worship by testifieing against the corruptions errors Idolatries Superstitions of Popery so they did constantly bear witness against the usurpation Tyrannical domination of the Antichristian Prelats And as the Culdees did vigorously oppose their first introduction and after aspiring domination as well as the corruptions of their Doctrine As we have the contendings of Eminent witnesses recorded from age to age in the fourth fifth Age Columbe Libthac Ethernan Kintogerne or Mungo in the Sexth seventh Age Colmanus Câ—emens Samson with others in the Eight ninth Age Alcuin Rabanus Maurus Ioannes Scotus Acrigena are noted in Historie And the Lollards by their Examinations Testimonies are found to have witnessed against the exercise of their power sometimes against the very Nature of their power it selfe so in their practise they condemned Prelacy as well as Popery in that their Ministers did in much painfullness poverty simplicity Humility Equality observe the Institution of our Lord. And so far as their light served had occasion to inquire into this point they acknowledged no officer in the House of God superior to a preaching Minister according to this standart they rejected craved Reformation of exorbitant Prelacy And it is plain that they were frequently discovered by discountinanceing withdrawing from their superstitions Idolatrous worship for all which when they could not escape nor repell their violence they cheerfuly embraced endured the flames II. That their Adversaries did manage their cruel craft crafty cruelty in murdering those Servants of God much after the same methods that ours do except that they are many stages outdone by their successors as much as perfect Artists do outstrip the rude beginings of Apprentices But on the other hand the Suffeâ—ers in our day that would follow the example of those Worthyes under Popery would be much condemned by this generation even by them that commend the matter of their Testimony though they will not allow the manner of it to be imitated in this day The Adversaries of Christ in this that generation are more like then his Confeâ—sors witnesses
others that touch the Majestie of God doth not appertain to Kings 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 occasion which God doth minister to revenge the injury done against His Glory And that doth Moses more plainly speak in these words of the same Chapter If in any Citie which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt hear this bruite there are some men sons of Belial Plain it is that Moses speaks not nor giveth charge to Kings Rulers Judges only but he commands the whole body of the people yea and every member of the same according to their possibility And who dare be so impudent as to deny â—his to be most reasonable just For seeing God had delivered the whole body from bondage and to the whole multitude had given His Law and to the twelve tribes had distributed the Land of Canaan was not the whole every member addebted to confess the benefits of God and to study to keep the possession received which they could not do except they kept the Religion established put out iniquity from amongst them To the carnal man this may seem to be a rigorous severe judgement that even the Infants there should be appointed to the cruel death and as concerning the City and spoill of the same mans reason cannot think but that it might have been better bestowed than to be consumed But in such cases let all creatures stoup and desist from reasoning when Commandment is given to execute His Judgment I will search no other reasons than the Holy Ghost hath assigned first that all Israel should fear to commit the like abomination And secondly that the Lord might turn from the fury of His anger Which plainly doth signifie that by the defection Idolatry of a few Gods wrath is kindled against the whole which is never quenched till such punishment be taken upon the offenders that whatsoever served them in their Idolatry be brought to destruction c. I have inlarged so far upon this Period that it may appear there is nothing now in Controversy between the suffering reproached party now in Scotland and either their Friends or Enemies which could fall under our Reformers inquiry but they have declared themselves of the same sentiments that are now so much opposed And therefore none can condemn the present heads of suffering except also they condemn the Reformers judgment and consequently the imputation of novelty must fall PERIOD IV. Containing the Testimony of the first Contenders against Prelacy and Supremacy from the year 1570. to 1638. HItherto the Conflict was for the Concerns of Christs Prophetical Priestly Office against Paganisine Popery But from the year 1570. And dounward the Testimony is stated and gradually Prosecuted for the Rights Priviledges Prerogatives of Christs Kingly Office which hath been the peculiar Glory of the Church of Scotland above all the Churches in the Earth that this hath been given to her as the word of her Testimony and not only Consequentially Reductively as all other Churches may challenge a part of this dignity but Formally Explicitely to contend for this very head The Headship Kingship of Iesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and His Mediatory Supremacy over His oun Kingdom of Grace both visible Invisible This is Christs supremacy a special radiant Jewel of His Imperial Croun which as it hath been as explicitely incroached upon in Scotland by His Insolent Enemies as ever by any that entered in opposition to Him so it hath been more expressly witnessed and wrestled for by His suffering Servants in that Land than in any place of the world This was in a particular manner the Testimony of that Period during the reign of King Iames the Sixth as it hath been in a great measure in our day since the year 1660. Which as it is the most important Cause of the greatest Consequence that Mortals can contend for So it hath this peculiar Glory in it that it is not only for a Truth of Christ of greater value then the standing of Heaven Earth but also it is the very Truth for which Christ Himself died considered as a Martyr And which concerns Him to vindicate maintain as a Monarch The Witnesses of that day made such an high account of it that they encouraged one another to suffer for it as the greatest Concern being a witness for Christs Glorious free Monarchie which as it is the end of the other two Offices so the Testimony is more Glorious to God more honourable to His Son and more Comfortable to them then the Testimony either for His Prophetical office or for His Priesthood because His Kingdom was specially impugned at the time As Mr Forbes Mr Welsh write in a Letter to the Ministers at Court. The Corruptions Usurpations wronging this Truth that they contended against were Prelacy and the Kings Supremacy in Ecclesiastical matters which will be usefull to hint a litle how they Prosecuted the Conflict When Sathan whose Kingdom was then declining by several instruments means both by force fraud did endeavour to put a stop to the Reformation by reintroducing the Antichristian Hierarchy of Prelacy when he could not reestablish the Antichristian Doctrine of Popery he left no means unessayed to effectuate it And first he began to bring the name Bishop in request that was now growing obsolete odious by reason of the abuse of it as it ought to be still for though the name be found in the Scriptures yet neither is that Catechrestical application of it to Prelats to be sound nor was there any other reason for the translation of it after that manner except it were to please Princes seeing the native signification of it is an Overseer proper and common to all faithfull Pastors And indeed his first essay reached litle further then the bare name for they were to be subject to tryed by Assemblies and hardly had so much power as Superintendents before But it was a fine Court-juggle for Noblemen to get the Church revenues into their hands by restoring the Ecclesiastical titles and obtaining from the titulars either Temporal Lands or Pensions to their dependers so they were only Tulchan Bishops a Calfeskin to cause the Cow give milk Yet though this in our day would have been thought tollerable The faithful Servants of Christ did zealously oppose it Mr Knox denunced Anathema to the Giver and Anathema to the Receiver And the following Assembly condemned the office it self as having no sure warrant authority nor ground in the Book of God but brought in by the folly corruption of mens invention to the overthrow of the Church and ordained all that brooked the office to dimit simpliciter and to desist cease from preaching while they received de novo admission from the
Antichrists Interest And therefore having gotten the Supremacy devolved upon him by Law for which also he had the Popes dispensation to take it to himself for the time under promise to restore surrender it to him as soon as he could attain his end by it as the other Brother succeeding hath now done he would now exert that usurped power and work by infnaring policy to effectuate the end which he could not do by other means Therefore seeing he was not able to suppress the Meetings of the Lords people for Gospel Ordinances in house fields but that the more he laboured by violent courses the greater more frequent they grew he fell upon a more Craftie device not only to overthrow the Gospel and suppress the Meetings but to break the faithful and to divide between the Mad-cap the Moderate Fanaticks as they phrased it that he might the more easily destroy both to confirm the usurpation and to settle people in a sinful silence stupid submission to all the Incroachments made on Christs Prerogatives and more effectually to overturn what remained of the Work of God. And knowing that nothing could more fortifie the Supremacy than Ministers their homologating acknowledging it Therefore he offerd the first Indulgence Anno 1669. Signifying in a Letter dated that year Iune 7. His gracious pleasure was to appoint so many of the outed Ministers as have lived peaceably orderly to return to preach exercise other functions of the Ministrie in the Paroch Churches where they formerly served provided they be vacant and to allow Patrons to present to other vacant Churches such others of them as the Council should approve That all who are so Indulged be enjoyned to keep Presbytries and the Refusers to be confined within the bounds of their paroches And that they be enjoined not to admitt any of their neighbour Paroches unto their Communions nor Baptize their Children nor marry any of them without the allowance of the Minister of the Paroch and if they Countenance the people deserting their oun Paroches they are to be silenced for shorter or longer time or altogether turned out as the Council shall see cause And upon Complaint made verified of any Seditious discourse or expressions in the Pulpit uttered by any of the Ministers they are immediatly to be turned out and further punished according to Law And seeing by these orders all Pretences for Conventickles were taken away if any should be found hereafter to Preach without Authority or keep Conventickles his Pleasure is to proceed with all severity against them as Seditious persons Contemners of Authority To salve this in point of Law because it was against former Lawes of their oun and to make the Kings Letter the supreme Law afterwards and a valid ground in Law where upon the Council might proceed enact and execute what the King pleased in Matters Ecclesiastick he therefore caused frame a formal Statutory Act of Supremacy of this Tenor. That his Maj. hath the supreme Authority Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes Ecclesiastick within his dominions and that by virtue thereof the ordering disposal of the external Government of the Church doth properly belong to him his successors as an Inherent right to the Croun And that he may settle enact emitt such Constitutions Acts Orders concerning the Administrating therof and Persons employed in the same and concerning all Ecclesiastical Meetings Matters to be proposed determined therein as he in his Royal wisdom shall think fit which Acts Orders Constitutions are to be observed obeyed by all his Maj. Subjects any Law act or custom to the contrary notwithstanding Where upon accordingly the Council in their Act Iuliâ— 27. 1669. do nominate several Ministers and appoint them to Preach and exercise the other functions of the Ministrie at their respective Churches there specified with Consent of the Patrons The same day also they conclude enact the forementioned Restrictions conform to the Kings Letter above rehearsed And ordain them to be intimat to every person who is by Authority foresaid allowed the exercise of the Ministrie These Indulged Ministers having that Indulgence given only upon these termes that they should accept these Injunctions and having received it upon these termes also as an essential part of the bargain Condition on which the Indulgence was granted accepted as many following Proclamations did expressly declare do Appoint Mr Hutcheson one of the number to declare so much In Acknowledging his Maj. favour Clemency in granting that Liberty after so long a restraint And however they had received their Ministrie from Jesus Christ with full Prescriptions from Him for regulating them therein yet nothing could be more refreshing on earth to them than to have free Liberty for the exercise of their Ministrie under the Protection of Lawful Authority And so they purposed to be have themselves in the discharge of the Ministrie with that wisdom that became faithful Ministers and to demean themselves towards Lawful Authority notwithstanding of their known judgment in Church affairs as wel becometh Loyal subjects And their prayer to God should be that the Lord should bless his Maj. in his person Government and the Council in the publick administration and especially in the Pursuance of his Maj. mind in his Letter wherein his singular moderation eminently appears Afterwards they issued out Proclamations reinforcing the punctual observation of the forementioned Injunctions and delivered them into the Indulged In the mean time though Cruel Acts Edicts were made against the Meetings of the Lords people in houses the fields after all these Midianitish wyles to suppress them such was the presence of the Lord in these Meetings and so powerful was His Countenance Concurrence with the Labours of a few who laid out themselves to hold up the Standart of Christ that the number of Converts multiplyed dayly to the praise of free Grace and to the great encouragment of the few hands that wrestled in that Work through all humane discouragment Therefore King Council was put to a new shift which they supposed would prove more effectual To wit because there was a great number of Non-conformed Ministers not yet Indulged who either did or might hereafter hold Conventickles therefore to remeed or prevent this in time coming they appoint ordain them to such places where Indulged Ministers were settled there to be confined with allowance to Preach as the Indulged should employ them thinking by this means to incapacitate many to hold Meetings there or elswere And to these also they give injunctions restrictions to regulate them in the exercise of their Ministrie And to the end that all the outed Ministers might be brought under restraint and the Word of God be kept under bonds by another Act of Council they Command that all other Ministers not Disposed of as is said were either to repair to the Paroch Churches where
supposing also they might be pardoned for that which is done from whose guiltiness the Land cannot be cleansed but by executing Gods righteous Judgements upon them yet they cannot now be believed after they have violated all that humane wisdom could devise to bind them Upon these accounts they reject that King and those associate with him in the Government and declare them henceforth no lawful Rulers as they had declared them to be no lawful Subjects they having destroyed the established Religion overturned the fundamental Lawes of the Kingdom taken away Christs Church-Government and changed the Civil into Tyrannie where none are associate in partaking of the Government but only these who will be found by Justice guilty of Criminals And declare they shall God giving power set up Government Governours according to the Word of God and the qualifications required Exod. 18. vers 20. And shall not commit the Government to any single person or lineal succession being not tyed as the Jewes were to one single family and that kind being lyable to most inconveniences aptest to degenerate into Tyrannie And moreover that these men set over them shall be engaged to Govern Principally by that Civil Judicial Law not that which is any way Typical given by God to His people of Israel as the best so far as it goes being given by God especially in matters of life death and other things so far as they reach and are consistent with Christian Liberty exempting Divorces Polygamie 6. Seeing the greatest part of Ministers not only were defective in Preaching against the Acts of the Rulers for overthrowing Religion but hindered others also who were willing and censured some that did it and have voted for acceptation of that Liberty founded upon given by virtue of that blaspemously arrogate Usurped power and appeared before their Courts to accept of it and to be enacted authorized their Ministers whereby they have become the Ministers of men and bound to be answerable to them as they will And have preached for the lawfulness of paying that Tribute declared to be imposed for the bearing doun of the true Worship of God And advised poor Prisoners to subscribe that Bond which if it were universally subscribed they should close that door which the Lord hath made use of in all the Churches of Europe for casting off the yoke of the whore and stop all regress of men when once brought under Tyrannie to recover their Libertie again They declare they neither can nor will hear them c. nor any who encouraged strengthened their hands and pleaded for them and trafficqued for union with them 7. That they are for a standing Gospel Ministrie rightly chosen rightly ordained that none shall take upon them the Preaching of the Word c. unless called ordained thereunto And whereas Separation might be imputed to them they refell both the malice and the ignorance of that Calumnie for if there be a Separation it must be where the change is and that was not to be found in them who were not separating from the Communion of the true Church nor setting up a New Ministrie but cleaving to the same Ministers Ordinances that formerly they followed when others have fled to new wayes and a new Authority which is like the old piece in the new Garment 8. That they shall defend themselves in their Civil Natural Divine Rights Liberties And if any assault them they shall look on it as a declaring a war and take all advantages that one enemie does of another but trouble and injure none but those that injure them This is the Compend of that Paper which the Enemies seised and published while it was only in a rude draught and not polished digested nor consulted by the rest of the Community yet whether or not it was for their advantage so to blaze their oun baseness in that Paper truly represented I leave it to the Reader to judge or if they did not thereby Proclaim their oun Tyrannie and the Innocency honesty of that people whom thereby they were seeking to make odious but in effect inviting all Lovers of Religion Liberty to Sympathise with them in their difficulties distresses there discovered However that poor Partie continued together in a posture of defence without the Concurrence or Countenance of their Covenanted Brethren who staid at home and left both them to be murdered and their Testimony to be trampled upon untill the 22. of Iulij 1680. Upon the which day they were attacqued at Airsmoss by a strong party of about 120 horse well armed while they were but 23 horse and 40 foot at most and so fighting valiantly were at length routed not without their Adversaries Testimony of their being resolute men Several of Zions precious Mourners and faithful Witnesses of Christ were killed and among the rest that faithful Minister of Christ Mr Richard Cameron sealed fulfilled his Testimony with his blood And with others the valiant and much honoured Gentleman David Hackstoun of Rathillet was after many received wounds apprehended brought in to Edinburgh and there resolutely adhering to the Testimony and disouning the Authority of King Council and all their Tyrannical Judicatories was cruelly murdered but countenanced eminently of the Lord. Now remained Mr Donald Cargil deprived of his faithful Collegue destitute of his Brethrens concurrence but not of the Lords Counsel Conduct by which he was prompted helped to prosecute the Testimony against the Universal Apostasie of the Church Nation Tyranny of Enemies Backsliding of Friends and all the wrongs done to his Master on all hands And considering in the zeal of God and sense of His holy Jealousie provoked and threatening wrath against the Land for the sins especially of Rulers who had arrived to the hight of Heaven-daring Insolence in all wickedness in which they were still growing going on without control That notwithstanding of all the Testimonies given against them by publick Preachings Protestations and Declarations remonstrating their Tyranny and disouning their Authority yet not only did they still persist in their sins scandals to make the Lords fierce Anger break forth into a flame but were ouned also by Professors not only as Magistrats but as members of the Christian Protestant Church And that however both the defensive armes of men had been used against them and the Christian armes of Prayers and the Ministerial weapon of Preaching yet that of Ecclesiastical Censure had not been Authoritatively exerted against them Therefore that no Weapon which Christ allowes His Servants under His Standart to manage against His Enemies might be wanting thô he could not obtain the Concurrence of his Brethren to strengthen the solemnity formality of the Action yet he did not judge that defect in this broken Case of the Church could disable his Authority nor deâ—ur the duty but that he might and ought to proceed to Excommunication And accordingly in September
1680. at the Torwood he excommunicated some of the most scandalous and Principal Promoters Abettors of this Conspiracy against Christ as formally as the present Case could admit After Sermon upon Ezek. 21. 25 26 27. And thou profane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come c. He had a short and pertinent discourse on the nature the subject the causes and the ends of Excommunication in general And then declared that he was not led out of any private Spirit or passion to this Action but constrained by Conscience of duty and zeal to God to stigmatize with this brand and wound with the Sword of the Lord these Enemies of God that had so Apostatized rebelled against mocked despised defied Our Lord and to declare them as they are none of His to be none of ours The persons excommunicated and the Sentence against them was given forth as followes I being a Minister of Iesus Christ and having Authority and Power from Him do in His Name by His Spirit excommunicatâ— cast out of the true Church and deliver up to Satan Charles the Second King c. The Sentence was founded upon these grounds declared in the pronunciation thereof 1 for his high mocking of God in that after he had acknowledged his own sins his fathers sins his mothers Idolatrie yet had gone on more avowedly in the same than all before him 2 for his great Perjurie in breaking burning the Covenant 3 for his rescinding all Lawes for establishing the Reformation and enacting Lawes contrarie thereunto 4 for commanding of Armies to destroy the Lords people 5 for his being an Enemy to true Protestants helper of the Papists and hindering the execution of just Lawes against them 6 for his granting Remissions Pardons for Murderers which is in the power of no King to do being expressly contrare to the Law of God. 7 for his Adulteries and dissembling with God man Next by the same Authority and in the same name he excommunicated Iames Duke of York for his Idolatrie and setting it up in Scotland to defile the Land and entycing encouraging others to do so Not mentioning any other sins but what he scandalously persisted in in Scotland c. With several other rotten Malignant Enemies on whom the Lord hath ratiâ—â—ed that Sentence since very remarkably whose sins punishments both may be read more visiblie in the Providences of the time than I can record them But about this time when amidst all the abounding defections divisions of that dark dismal hour of tentation some in zeal for the Cause were endeavouring to keep up the Testimony of the day in an abstraction from Complying Ministers Others were left in holy judgment to be a stumbling block to the Generation hardening them in their defections and to be a beacon to the most zealous to keep off from all unwarrantable excesses to fall into fearâ—ul extravagances and delirious damnable delusions being overdriven with ignorant blind zeal into untroden paths which led them into a labyrinth of darkness when as they were stumbled at many Ministers their unfaithfulness so through the deceit of Sathan and the hypocrisie of his Instruments they came to be offended at Mr Cargil his faithfulness who spared neither left hand declensions nor right hand extremes and left him and all the Ministers not only disouning all Communion with those that were not of their way but execrating Cursing them and kept themselves in desert places from all Company where they persisted prodigiously in fastings and singing Psalms pretending to wonderful raptures Enthusiasmes and in fine I. Gib with 4 more of them came to that hight of Blasphemy that they burnt the Bible Confession of Faith. These were the sweet singers as they were called led away into these delusions by that Impostor Sorcerer Iohn Gib who never encreased to such a number as was then feared reported being within thirty most part women all which for the most part have been through Mercy reclaimed from that destructive way which through Grace the Reproached Remnant adhering to the foresaid Testimony had alwayes an abhorrence of Wherefore that ignorant impudent Calumnie of their Consortship with Gibs followers is only the vent of viperous Envy For they were the first that discovered them and whose pains the Lord blessed in reclaiming them and were alwayes so far from partaking with them that to this day these that have come off from that way and have offered the Confession of their scandal do still complain of their over-rigid severity in not admitting them to their select fellowships To which may be added this undenyable Demonstration that whereas the persecuâ—ing Courts of Inquisition did alwayes extend the utmost severity against the Ouners of this Testimony yet they spared them And the Duke of York then in Scotland was so weâ— pleased with Gib's Blasphemies that he favoured him extraordinarly and freely dismissed him This was a cloudy dark day but not without a burning shining light as long as that faithful Minister of Christ Mr Donald Cargil was following the Work of the Lord who shortly after this finished his Testimony being apprehended with other two faithful zealous Witnesses of Christ Mr Walter Smith and Mr Iames Boog who with 2 more were altogether at Edinburgh 27. Iulij 1681. Crouned with the Glory of Martyrdom Then came the day of the Remnants vexation trouble darkness dimness of anguish wherein who so looked unto the Land could see nothing but darkness sorrow the light darkened in the Heavens thereof wherein neither Star nor Sun appeared for many dayes and poor People were made to grope for the wall like the blind and to stumble in noon day as in the night While the Persecution advanced on the one hand a violent spait of defection carried doun the most part of Ministers Professors before it driving them to Courses of sinful scandalous Conformings with the times Corruptions Compearings before their Courts Complyings with their Commands paying of theis Cesses and other Exactions Taking of their Oaths Bonds and countenancing their Prelatical Church-Services which they were ashamed to do before And thereupon on the other hand the Divisions and Confusions were augmented and poor people that desired to cleave to the Testimony were more more offended and stumbled at the Ministers who either left the Land in that clamant Call of the peoples necessity or lurked in their own retirements and declined the duty of that day leaving people to determine themselves in all their perplexities as a prey to all tentations But the tender Pastor and Shepherd of Israel who leads the blind in the way they know not did not forsake a Remnant in that hour of tentation who kept the Word of His Patience and as He helped those that fell into the hands of Enemies to Witness a good Confession so He strengthened the zeal of the remaining Contenders against all the
defection to the Enemy and taken on with him Let the Indulged and Addressing Ministers advert to this And consider whether or not the truly tender have reason to discountenance them while they continue in their palpable defection But undenyably this refells that Objection of the Curats Ordination before they were Curats For they that change their holding of a right and take a new right which is null they forego forefeit their old right all right But the Prelatick Curats have changed their holding of their right and taken a new one which is null Therefore they have foregone forefeited their old one The minor I prove thus They who had aright from Christ by Conveyance of His officers and take a new grant for the exercise of it not from Christ but by conveyance of such as are none of His officers they change their holdâ—ng and take a new one which is null But the Prelatick Curats who had a right by conveyance of His officers have taken a new grant for the exercise of it not from Christ but by conveyance of the Prelat which is none of His officers Ergo The stress of all will ly in the Probation of this that the Prelat is none of Christs officers and therefore the conveyance of a power from him is not from Christ. Which I prove 1. Because His office is cross to the very nature of Gospel Church-Government and therefore he cannot be a Gospel Church Ruler Christ discharged His officers to exercise Dominion or Lordship Luk. 22. 25. or Authority as the Gentils did but that the Chiefest should be only a Minister Math. 22. 25 26. The Apostle Paul disclaims Dominion over the Church 2 Cor. 1. ult Peter exhorts the Elders not to be Lords over Gods Heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3. The Authority of Church officers then is not a Despâ—tick power but a Ministerial Stewardship But the Diocesan Bishop is both a Lordly Title Power having all Authority in the Diocess derived from him as being as it were the Universal Pastor and so taking upon him a power which is neither commanded nor can be discharged Hence he that subjects his His Ministrie to the Domination of a strange Lord inverting the Nature of Gospel Church-Government cannot be ouned in His Ministrie But all Curats subject their Ministry c. Ergo 2. Because he is an officer Distinct from superior to a Presbyter or Pastor whereas the Scripture makes a Bishop and Presbyter all one The Elders of the Church of Ephesus are called Episcopi or Overseers Act. 20. 17. 28. An ordainded Elder must be a blameless Bishop as the steward of God Tit. 1. 5 7. Again it cannot be shown where the Scripture mentions either Name qualification work Duty or ordination of an ordinary Church officer Superior to Presbyters and which are not likewise appropriat to them who are called Rulers Governours Bishops In all the Holy Ghost His purposed recitalls of ordinary Church Officers there is not the least hint of a Diocesan Bishop and yet a Deacon is described the meanest officer in His work qualifications Hence then if this Diocesan Prelate be such an uncouth beast that neither in name nor Nature is found in the word of God all the power derived from him is null But the first is true Ergo 3. Because every Officer in the Scripture relates to the flock except the extraordinary Officers who were further extended now ceased Bishops of Ephesus were overseers over the flock Act. 20. the Elders that Peter writes to were over the flock But this Diocesan Antiscriptural Monster pretends to be over the Shepherds And invents new Degrees orders of Superiority inferiority of officers of the same kind beside against the Scripture which makes all Apostles alike all Evangelists so all Teachers though there be a Distinction Superiority in diverse Kinds yet not in the same God hath set some in the Church first Apostles Secondarly Prophets thirdly Teachers 1 Cor. 12. 28. but not among Teachers some above others in a power of order Jurisdiction Hence an Officer over officers of the same kind is not an Officer of Christs institution And consequently any power conveyed from his is null But a Prelat pretends to be an officer over Officers of the same kind Ergo 4. Because every officer in the Church hath equally and in perfect parity equall power Authority allowed them of God in the exercise of both the keyes both of order Jurisdiction All ruling Elders may rule alike and deserve equal honour And all Preaching Elders have the like Authority and the like honour conferred upon them 1 Tim. 6. 17. The scripture attributes both power of Order Jurisdiction to all Preaching Presbyters equally They must oversee the flock or as the word is do the part of a Bishop over them Act. 20. 28. and they must also feed the flock 1 Pet. 5. 2. Subjection obedience is one to them all alike All that are over us and admonish us we must esteem highly for their works sake 1 Thess. 5. 12. and obey submit our selves to them that watch for our souls Heb. 13. 17. we find also excommunication belongs to all alike 2 Cor. 2. 6. and ordination 1 Tim. 4. 14. But the Diocesan Prelat takes from Presbyters to himself power of ordination assuming only his Curats for fashions sake and the sole decisive power in Church Judicatories wherein he hath a Negative voice like a Diotrephes the first Prelat who loved to have the preeminence 3 Iohn 9. the only precedent for Prelacy in the Scripture Hence he that would take all power to himself which is undivided equall to all officers by Christs appointment hath none by Christs allowance but is to be reckoned an usurping Diotrephes But the Diocesan Prelat would take all the power to himself which is undivided equall to all By all which it appears the prelate being no Authorized Church Officer of Christs no Authority can be derived from him And so that such as betake themselves to this pretended power for warranting them in the function can warrantably claim no deference thereupon nor can be ouned as Ministers whatever they were before For this were an acknowledging of the power Authority of Prelats especially when the Law commands our hearing as a submitting to them The reason is because these men came forth from the Prelat having no other call or warrant but what the Prelat giveth And so a receiving of them will be a receiving of the Prelate as a refusing of them will be accounted a slighting of the Prelat his power Apol. Relat. 15. pag. 272. III. It is necessare also that all with whom we oune Communion as Ministers should be Christs Ambassadours having then when we hear them and holding still their Commission from Christ as King and only Head of His Church conveyed not only from Church officers in a way that He hath revealed as the Prophet of His
at all to be ouned or received as His Lawful Ambassadours But the Prelats their Curats have all their power from a meer usurper on Christs Prerogative who is neither Member nor officer of the Church Ergo 2. It confounds the Mediatory Kingdom of Christ with subjects it to the Kingly Government of the world removes the Seripture Land Marks Limits between civil Ecclesiastick Powers in making the Governours of the State to be Governours of the Church and denying all Church Government in the hands of Church officers Distinct from independent upon the civil Magistrat which clearly derogats from the Glory of Christs Mediatory Kingdom which is altogether distinct from not subordinate to the Government of the world both in the Old Testament in the New. For they have distinct fountains whence they flow civil Government flowes from God Creator Church Government from Christ the Lord Redeemer Head King of His Church whose Kingdom is not of this world Iohn 18. 36. though for this end He came into the world that He should have a Kingdom there vers 37. They have distinct Objects civil Government hath a civil object the out ward man Church Government a Spiritual object men considered as Christians In the Old Testament the matters of the Lord are clearly distinguished from the matters of the King 2 Chron. 19. ult In the new Testament there are matters of Church Cognizance which do not at all belong to the civil Magistrate as in the case of offence they must tell the Church not the civil Magistrate Math. 18. 15. 20. In the case of Excommunication the Church is to act by virtue of the power of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. not by the Magistrats power In the case of Absolution the Church is to Iudge what Punishment is sufficient and what evidence of repentance is sufficient to remove it 2 Cor. 2. 6. 7. So in the case of Tryal ordination of Ministers c. None of these belong to the Magistrate They have distinct Natures The civil is a Magisterial the Ecclesiastick is a Minsterial Government the one is the power of the sword the other of the Keyes The one put forth in Political Punishments the other in Ecclesiastick Censures In the Old Testament the Magistrats power was Coactive by death banishment Confiscation c. Ezra 7. 26. The Church by puting out of the Synagogue interdiction from Sacred things c. In the New Testament The Magistrats power is described Rom. 13. to be that of the sword by punishment the power of the Church only in binding Loosing Math. 16. 19. They have distinct Ends the end of the one being the good of the Common wealth the other the Churches Edification In the Old Testament the end of the civil Government was one thing and of the Church another to wit to warn not to trespass against the Lord in that forecited 2. Chron. 19. 10. In the New Testament the end of Magistratical power is to be a terror to evil works a praise te the good Rom. 13. 3. but the end of Church power is Edification 1 Cor. 5. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 2. Cor. 13. 10. They have distinct Courts of officers In the Old Testament the distinction of the civil Ecclesiastick Sanhedrin is known where there were distinct causes Persons set over them to judge them respectively 2. Chron. 19. ult In the New Testament we find officers given unto the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. with no mention of the civil Magistrate at all And Church-Assemblies distinct from Parliaments or senats yea when the Magistrate was an Enemy determining questions that did not belong to the Magistrate at all Act. 15. we have Rulers distinct from the Rulers of the Common wealth 1 Thess. 5. 12. whom we are to obey and submit our selves as those who are accountable to Christ only for to whom else can they give account of souls Heb. 13. 17. we have Rulers inferiour to Labourers in word doctrine not to be honoured so much as they Sure these cannot be civil Rulers 1 Tim. 5. 17. we have Rulers commended for trying Impostors which were not Magistrats Rev. 2. 2. And others who are rebuked for suffering Hereticks ibid. vers 14 15 20. which supposes they had Authority to do it yet distinct from not depending on the Magistrate Besides from this confusion of the two Governments together and making the Supreme Magistrate to be Supreme Governour of the Church would follow many absurdities as that They who are not Church members should be Church officers even Heathen Magistrats yea women should be Church officers and none should be chosen for Magistrats but such as have the qualifications of Church officers Sic Apol. Relat. Sect. 12. pag. 190. Rectius Instruen Confut. 1 Dial. chap. 6. pag. 50. Hence they that in deriving their Authority do confound the tuo Governments civil Ecclesiastick and take it all from a meer civil power cannot be ouned as having any Authority of Christs Institution But the Prelats their Curats in deriving their Authority do confound the tuo Governments civil Ecclesiastick and take it all from a meer civil power This same Argument equally militates against hearing the Indulged Ministers who have taken a Licence warrand from the Usurper of this Supremacy because it is highly injurious to Christs Headship very contrary to to Presbyterian Principles clearly Homologatorie of the Supremacy plainly Prejudicial to the power of the people very much establishing Erastianisme Sadly obstructive destructive to the good of the Church wronging our cause ground of suffering Strengthening the Prelats hands contradictory to our Covenants Prejudging the Meetings of Gods people and heinously Scandalous offensive As is clear by unanswerably poven in the History of the Indulgence IV. There is a necessity that any man whom we may Joine with as a Minister must not only be a minister and a Minister cloathed with Christs commission then when we Joins with Him but He must also have a right to administer there where we Ioin with Him. Else we can look upon him no otherwise than a thief a robber whom Christs sheep should not hear Io. 10. 1-5 Now the Prelats Curats though they should he accounted acknowledged Ministers yet they have not a right to officiate where they have intruded themselves Hence we have several Arguments as 1. They who have no just Authority nor right to officiate fixedly in this Church as the proper Pastors of it ought not to be Received but withdrawen from But the Prelats their Curats have no just Authority or right to officiate in this Church as her proper Pastors Therefore they ought not to be received but withdrawen from All the debate is about the Minor which may thus be made good They who have entered into do officiate fixedly in this Church without her Authority Consent have no right so to do But the Prelats
their Curats have entered into officiate fixedly in this Church without her Authority Consent Ergo The Major is manifest for if this Church have a just right power of Electing Calling of Ministers then they who enter into officiate fixedly in this Church without her Authority Consent have no just Authority or right so to do But this Church hath a just right power of Electing Calling of Ministers as all true Churches have And if it were not evident from what is said above might be easily demonstrated from Scripture The minor to wit that the Prelats their Curats have entered into officiate fixedly in this Church without her Authority consent is evident from matter of fact for there was no Church Judicatory called or convocated for bringing of Prelats in to this Church but on the contrary her Judicatories were all cashiered discharged and all her officers turned out to let them in And all was done immediatly by the King Acts of Parliament without the Church A practice wanting a Precedent in this and for any thing we know in all other Churches All that the Curats can say is that they came in by the Bishop Patron who are not the Church nor have any power from her for what they do all their right power is founded upon derived from the Supremacy whereby the Diocesan Erastian Prelat is made the Kings Delegate substitute only impowered thereto by his Law. This is Mr Smiths 1 st 6 Argum. If we suppose a particular Congregation acknowledging their oun Lawful Pastor and a few violent Persons arise and bring in a Minister by plain force and cast out their Lawful Pastor Are not the faithful in that Church obliged to relinquish the Intruder and not only Discountenance him but endeavour his ejection This is our case Napth Pag. 106. § 5. Prior Edit 2. If we cannot submit to these Curats without consenting to the great Encroachments made upon the Priviledges of this Church then we cannot submit to them without sin But we cannot submit to them without consenting to the great Encroachments made upon the Priviledges of this Church Therefore we cannot submit to them without sin The Minor is all the question but instances will make it out As first The robbing of the Church of the Priviledge of Election of her Pastors and substituting the bondage of Patrons presentations is a great Encroachment upon the Priviledge of this Church But accepting of Curats as Ministers Lawfully called notwithstanding that they want the Election of the people and have nothing for their warrant but a presentation from the Patron were a Consenting to that Robberie and wicked Substitution It will be of no force to say our forefathers did submit to this and to a Ministry who had no other Call. This is answered above in the Narrative It s a poor Consequence to say the posterity may return backward because their forefathers could not advance further forward Secondly the thrusting out of Lawfull Ministers without any Cause but their adhering to the Covenanted work of Reformation and the thrusting in others in their rooms who denyed the same is a great Encroachment on the Churches Priviledges But embracing encouraging Curats by countenancing their pretended Ministry were a consenting to this violent extrusion intrusion The minor is proven thus They who leave the extruded countenance the Intruded they consent to the extrusion intrusion and declare they confess the Intruded his right is better than his who is extruded But they who embrace encourage Curats by countenancing their pretended Ministry do leave the extruded to wit their old Ministers and countenance the intruded Ergo To say that people in this case should protest against these Encroachments is frivolous for withdrawing is the best protestation And if after their protestation they still countenance the Encroachment they should undo their oun protestation The same Argument will militate against countenancing the Indulged or any that obtained Authority to Preach in any place by a power encroaching on the Churches Liberties There is an objection to be removed here from Math. 23. 2 3. The Scribes Pharisees sit in Moses Chair therefore whatever they bid yow observe that observe do therefore they who without a title usurpe the office may be heard Ans. 1. The case is no wayes alike for then the Lord had no other Church in the world but that which was confined in its Solemnities of worship to that place where they intruded themselves He had not yet instituted the New Testament forme of Administration in its ordinances Officers Therefore the Head of the Church being present might give a Toleration Durante beneplacito But it is not so now But 2. Our Lords words bears no command for the people to hear them at all but only not to reject sound Doctrine because it came from them Surely he would not bid them hear such as He calls Plants that His Father had never planted whom He bids let alone Math. 15. 13 14. and who were Thieves Robbers whom His Sheep should not hear V. They must not only be Ministers acknowledged as such then and there when where we joine with them but they must be such as we can oune Church Communion with in the Ordinances administrated by them as to the matter of them Otherwise if they pervert corrupt their Ministrie by preaching maintaining errors either in Doctrine Worship Discipline or Government contrare to the Scriptures our Confessions principles of our Covenanted Reformation and contradictory to our Testimony founded thereupon aggreable thereunto maintaining errors condemned thereby or condemning Truths maintained thereby we must withdraw from them For if any seek to turn us away from the Lord our God we most put away that evil not consent nor hearken to them Deut. 13. 5 8. We must cease to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge Prov. 19. 27. we must have a care of these Leaders that will cause us to erre lest we be destroyed with them Isa. 9. 16. we must mark these who contradict the Doctrine that we have Learned avoid them Rom. 16. 17. If any man teach otherwise we must withdraw our selves from such 1 Tim. 6. 3 5. If there come any bring not this Doctrine we must not receive him nor bid him God speed in that work of his preaching or practising against any of the Truths we have received from the word 2 Iohn 10 11. Hence we most not hear false Teachers who in preaching prayer bring forth false Doctrine contrary to the principles of our Reformation But the Curats are false Teachers who in preaching prayer bring forth salse Doctrine c. Therefore we must not hear them The Minor is certain in that not only many of them are tainted with points of Poperie Arâ—inianisme but all of them do teach false Doctrine
all the concurrence there required for seeking searching delating apprehending of these people and to all the cruel villanies committed against them 4 They have taken on their prescribed discriminating Sign of Loyaltie and of being repute by them men of good principles that is their friends men for the times Which is so sinful scandalous that it is shameful to hint at them and yet shameful to hide them 6. If we consider the Apologetical Declaration it self which is so bespattered and so odiously represented and so rigorously enjoined to be abjured who will more narrowly look into it and ponder perpend the purpose Scope of it will see nothing that can be abjured conscienciously in it but the whole of it laying aside prejudice invidious Critical Censoriousness capable of a fair acceptable Construction The Motives leading them to set it forth being only their desires and just endeavoures to prosecute and secure themselves in the prosecution of Holy Commanded Duties and to keep a standing Testimony against the Insolencie of those that are given up of God to lay out themselves in promoving a Course of profanity persecution notwithstanding of all their viperous threatenings Their Measures being none other than the commendable precedents Examples of zealous tender hearted Christians who have done the like and our National and Solemn Covenants lying with their binding force indispensable upon all of us and obliging us to endeavour all that 's there declared as being bound for ever to have common friends foes with our Covenanted Reformation to all which they declare avouch their resolved adherence And their oun former Declarations Disouning their Allegiance to Authority of a Man who had ipso jure forfeited all Authority by his intollerable Tyrannie Perjurie perfidious breach of Trust reposed devolved upon him by Covenant and by his overturning all the fundamental constitutions of the Government perverting inverting everting all Laws all Liberties all Priviledges of Church State all establishments of our Covenanted Work of Reformation all Securities of our life and enjoyments whatsoever Usurping to himself an absolute Tyrannical Civil Supremacy inconsistent with the safety or freedom of the people and a monstrous blasphemous Ecclesiastical Supremacy Upon which considerations to endeavour to make good their freedom emancipation from that yoke which they had cast off they behoved to resolve upon defensive resistence against him and his bloody emissaries Which war being declared before they only in this Declaration testified their unanimous approbation of adherence to and resolutions for prosecuting the same against him his accomplices such as lay out themselves to promove his wicked hellish designs By which war they do not mean a formed stated declared Insurection with hostile force to break the Peace of the Nation and involve all in blood but a resolved avowed constant Opposition to the Murdering violence injustice oppression persecution of this wicked faction now raging rather than reigning who have declared still prosecute a declared war against Christ bearing doun His Work Interest in the Land And a constant endeavour in opposition to them to pursue the ends of our Covenants in standing to the defence of the Glorious Work of Reformation and their oun lives And in the defence thereof to maintain the cause Interest of Christ against His enemies and to hold up the Standard of our Lord Jesus Christ meaning the Gospel the Word of our Testimony whereunto they looked upon themselves as bound obliged by their holy Covenants being therein dedicated to the Lord in their persons lives Liberties fortunes for defending promoving this Glorious Work of Reformation notwithstanding of all opposition that is or may be made thereunto and sworn against all neutrality indifferency in the Lords Matters Whereunto they beseech invite obtest all them who wish well to Zion to a concurrence concerting the same cause Quarrel In maintaining of which opposition against such wicked Enemies because by them they were restlessly pursued and hunted and Murdered wherever they were found neither could find any harbour or hiding place in any Corner of the country for Searchers Informers Justigators who still stirred up the country to raise the hue Crye after them and caused them to be delivered up and delâ—ted them to the Courts of their Murdering enemies whereby much innocent blood was shed Therefore to stop their Career of violence and deter them from such Courses they found it necessary to threaten them with more active vigorous opposition and that they might expect to be treated as they deserved Wherein they are far from ouning assassinating principles or practising assassinations for they give only open plain warning and advertisement to the world of their necessitated endeavours to defend themselves and prevent the Murder of their Brethren And can no way be charged with asserting it Lawful to kill all employed in the Kings service in Church State Army or Country as the Proclamation in viperous invective Calumny misrepresents the Declaration but on the contrary do jointly unanimously declare they detest abhor that hellish principle of killing such as differ in judgement from them and they are firmly really purposed not to injure or offend any whomsoever but such as are directly guilty of or accessory to the Murder of their Brethren whom yet they mind not to assassinate or kill tumultuarly but to prosecute them with all the legal formalities that Justice in their Capacity and the times disorder distracted condition will allow Expressly declaring that they abhor condemn discharge all personall attempts upon any pretext whatsomever without previous deliberations common consent certain probation of sufficient witnesses or the guilty persons confession Neither could it ever be supposed that they threaten all imployed in the Kings service with this sort of handling but some select expressly distinguished Kind of Notorious villains men of death blood openly avowing vaunting of their Murders and these they distinguished into several Classes according to the respective aggravations of their wickedness In the first they place those that Murder by Command under pretext of an usurped Authority as Councellours Justiciary Officers of their forces or bands of Robbers not all nor any of these neither but the cruel bloody In the second Class they threaten such as are actually in armes against them of an inferior rank And such Gentlemen and Bishops Curats as do professedly willingly serve them to accomplish effectuate their Murders by obeying their commands making searth for these poor men delivering them up instigating informing and witnessing against hunting after them not all these neither but such as cruelly prosecute that service to the effussion of their blood Neither do they threaten all equally nor any of them peremptorly but that continuing after the publication of this their Declaration obstinately habitually in these courses
but our Ministers that ventured their lives in preaching in the fields have had a certain seal to their Ministry is sealed sensibly in the conviction of many confession of moe That Christs Ministers Witnesses employed about the Great Gospel Message cloathed with His Authority under the obligation of His Commands lying upon them must preach the people must hear them not withstanding of all Laws to the contrary Divines grant that the Magistrate can no more suspend from the exercise than he can depose from the Office of the Ministry for the one is a degree unto the other See Apollon de jure Majest circa Sacra Part. 1. Pag. 334. c. Rutherf Due right of Presb. Pag. 430. c. For whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto men more than unto God the Consciences of the greatest enemies may be appealed unto Act. 4. 19. They must not cease wherever they have a Call Occasion to Teach Preach Iesus Christ Act. 5. ult Necessity is laid upon them yea wo unto them if they Preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 16. In all things they must approve themselves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities c. by honour dishonour by evil report good report as deceivers and yet true as unknown yet well known 2 Cor. 6. 4 8 9. They must preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 2. Dare any say then that a Magistrats or Tyrants Laws can exauctorate a Minister or silence him by his oun proper elicite acts as King or Tyrant or formally immediately Will Mischiefs framed into a Law warrant such iniquity or an act of a King of Clay rescind the Mandats of the King of Kings or exempt people from obedience due thereunto Or will the Bishops Canons who have no power from Christ or the Censures of them that stand condemned themselves by the Constitutions of the Church Acts of the General Assemblies have any weight in the case And yet these are all that can be alledged except odious invidious Calumnies the ordinary Lot of the most faithful against the present preachers in the fields which are sufficiently confuted in their late Informatory Vindication and need not here be touched Seeing therefore they have given up themselves unto Christ as His servants they must resolve to be employed for Him to the outmost of their power and must not think of laying up their Talent in a Napkin especially now when there is so great necessity when Defection is yet growing covered countenanced more more Division nothing abated but new oyl cast daylie into the flames of devouring Contentions the people generally drouned in the deluge of the times snares sins and like to be over whelmed in the inundation of black Poperie now coming in at the opened sluce of this wicked Toleration with the Congratulations of Addressing Ministers when now the Harvest is great and the Labourers are few Great then is the necessity and double must the woe be that abideth such Ministers as are silent at such a time And great inexcusable is the sin of the people if they do not come out and countenance faithful Ministers the Messengers of the Lord of hosts from whom they should seek the Law Mal. 2. 7. especially when there are so many that have palpably betrayed their Trust and so few that are faithful in the necessary Testimony of the day Seeing then faithful Ministers must preach people must hear where can they meet with conveniency safety freedom except either under the shelter of this wicked Toleration which they dare not do or else go to the fields 5. It must be obtained also that the Ministers have a right to Preach in this unfixed manner whereever they have a Call their relation now in this disturbed state of the Church being to be considered more extensively than in its settled condition For understanding which we must distinguish a three or four-fold relation that a Minister of the Gospel stands into First He is a Minister of Christ and Steward of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. having his Commission from Christ as his Master And this relation he hath universally wherever he is Secondly he is a Minister of the Catholick Church though not a Catholick Minister of it which is his primary relation for that is the Church in which Ministers are set 1 Cor. 12. 28. and to which they are given Eph. 4. 11 12. Thirdly He is a Minister of the particular Church whereof he is a Member and so in Scotland a Minister is a Minister of the Church of Scotland and is obliged to lay out himself for the good of that Church Fourthly he is a Minister of the particular Congregation whereunto he hath a fixed relation in a constitute case of the Church This last is not essential to a Minister of Christ but is subservient to the former relations but when separated from such a relation or when it is impossible to be held he is still a Minister of Christ and His Call to preach the Gospel stands binds See M r Durhams Degression on this particular on Revel chap. 2. pag. 89. c. in quarto For thô he be not a Catholick Officer having an equal relation to all Churches as the Apostles were Nevertheless he may exerce Ministerial Acts Authoritatively upon occasions warrantably calling for the same in other Churches as Heraulds of one King having Authority to charge in His Name wherever it be especially in a broken state of the Church when all the restriction his Ministerial relation is capable of is only a tye call to officiate in the service of that Church whereof he is a Member and so he hath right to preach every where as he is called for the edification of that Church The reasons are 1. He hath power from Christ the Master of the whole Church and therefore wherever the Masters Authority is acknowledged the Servants Ministerial Authority cannot be denied at least in relation to that Church whereof he is a Member as well as a Minister 2. He hath Commission from Christ principally for the edification of Christs body as far as his Ministrie can reach according to the Second relation 3. His relation to the whole Church is principal that which is fixed to a part is only subordinate because it is a part of the whole 4. His Commission is indefinite to preach the Gospel which will sâ—it as well in one place as in another 5. The same great ends of the Churches greater good edification which warrands fixing of a Minister to a particular charge in the Churches peaceable state will warrand his officiating more largely in her disturbed state 6. Else it would follow that a faithful Minister standing in that relation to a disturbed destroyed Church and all his
the chief of our fundamental Land-rights and the Cardinal Condition of the established Policy upon which we can only oune men for Magistrats by the Law of the Land And this Testimony by defence of the Gospel and of our oun lives cannot be given expediently any where but in the Fields It is also a Testimony for the freedom Authority of the Gospel-Ministrie and for their holding their unremovable Relation to the Church of Scotland which is infringed by these Tyrannical Acts and maintained by these exercises which is a priviledge to be contended for above beyond all other that can be contended for or defended especially to be maintained against those that have no power or Authority to take it away There will no man quite any of his goods upon a sentence coming from an incompetent Judge And shall Ministers or people be hectored or fooled from such a priviledge by them that have no such power 6. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for our Covenants the ouning whereof is declared Criminal by that same Law that discharges these Meetings in which we are sworn to preserve the Reformation in Doctrine Worship Discipline Government and to defend all the Churches Liberties and to oppose all their Opposites and endeavour their exstirpation And in the Solemn Acknowledgment of sins Engagment to duties we are sworn because many have of late laboured to supplant the Liberties of the Kirk to maintain defend the Kirk of Scotland in all her Liberties Priviledges against all who shall oppose undermine the same or encroach thereupon under any pretext whatsoever Since then the ouning of these Meetings and the Covenants are both discharged together and the ouning of the Covenant does oblige to a publick opposition against the dischargers and an avowed Maintinance of the Churches priviledges whereof this is in a manner the only chief Liberty now left to be maintained to keep Meetings where we may testify against them without dependence on their Toleration it must follow that these Meetings are to be maintained which only can be in the fields with conveniency 7. To give over these Field-Meetings now would be an hardening encouraging of these Enemies in their wicked design of banishing all these Meetings out of the Land which manifestly would be defeat by a resolute refusal of all to submit to their discharging of them and they that do submit and give them over do evidently contribute to the effectuating that wicked design which is certain does not nor will not terminate upon a simple suppression of that sort but further is intended to exstirpate all Meetings for Gospel Ordinances in which there is any Testimony against them To Comply therefore with such a forbearance of them at this time would lay a stone of stumbling before them to encourage them in these their designs when they should see their Contrivance so universally complyed with wherein they might boast that at length they had prevailed to put quite away that eye-sore of theirs Field-Meetings 8. To give over these Field-Meetings now were a stumbling to the poor ignorant people who might think that now it appears that Work was but of men and so hath come to naught and would look upon it as an evidence of fainting succumbing at last in the matter of the Testimony as being quite overcome and that indeed all have embraced accepted this present Toleration and were all alike sleeping under the shade and eating the fruits of such a bramble 9. Finally To give over these Field-Meetings now would be very scandalous to the posterity and to Strangers who shall read the History of our Church to find that as Prelacy came in without a joint Witness and the monstrous Blasphemous Sacrilegious Supremacy was erected without a Testimony in its season So black Poperie it self and Tyranny was introduced by a Toleration which laid them all by from a Testimony against these who formerly had valiantly resolutely faithfully contended against all lesser Corruptions but at last when that came and stricter prohibitions of all publick Meetings but under the Covert thereof were emitted then all were perswaded to comply with that Course How astonishing would it be to read that all these Contendings sealed with so much precious blood should come to such a pitiful Period But I hasten to the Next which is the Second Positive Ground of Suffering HEAD V. The Principle of Testimony for Defensive Armes Vindicated THis Truth is of that sort that can hardly be illustrated by demonstration not for the darkness thereof but for its self evidencing clearness being scarcely capable of any further elucidation than what is offered to the rational understanding by its simple proposition As first Principles can hardly be proven because they need no probation and cannot be made clearer than they are and such as cannot consent to them are incapable of conceiving any probation of them So this Truth of Self-preservation being Lawful because it is congenite with and irradicated in every nature that hath a Self which it can preserve can scarcely be more illustrated that it may do so than that it can do so And therefore to all who have a true respect to their oun as well as a due concern in the Interest of Mankind and zeal for the Interest of Christ it might seem superfluous to make a doubt or debate of this Were it not that a Generation of men is now prevailing that are as great Monsters in Nature as they are Malignant in Religion and as great perverters of the Law of Nature as they are Subverters of Municipal Laws and Everters of the Laws of God Who for ouning this principle as well as using the practice of Defensive Resistence for self preservation against Tyrannical violence have set up such Monuments of rage cruelty in the Murder of many innocent people as was never read nor heard of before It hath been indeed the practice of all Nations in the World and the greatest of men have maintained this principle in all ages But the bare Asserting the principle when extorted by severe Inquisitions was never a Cause of taking the lives of any before this was imposed on the poor Sufâ—erers in Scotland to give their judgement Whether or not such Appearances for Defence as the Tyranny of Rulers had forced people to were Rebâ—llion and a Sin against God Which they could not in Conscience assert and therefore thô many that have suffered upon this head have been as free of the practice of such Resâ—stence as any yet because they would not condemn the principle they have been Criminally processed Arraigned Condemned to the death And against this Truth they have been observed to have a special kind of indignation either because the light of it which cannot be â—id hath some heat with it to seâ—rch them or because they fear the impression of this in the hearts of people more than others knowing that they deserve the