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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	church_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	15,184	5	9.5685	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46641	An apology for, or vindication of the oppressed persecuted ministers & professors of the Presbyterian Reformed Religion, in the Church of Scotland emitted in the defence of them, and the cause for which they suffer: & that for the information of ignorant, the satisfaction and establishment of the doubtful, the conviction (if possible) of the malicious, the warning of our rulers, the strengthening & comforting of the said sufferers under their present pressurs & trials. Being their testimony to the covenanted work of reformation in this church, and against the present prevailing corruptions and course of defection therefrom. Prestat sero, quàm nunquam sapere.	Smith, Hugh.; Jamieson, Alexander.	1677 (1677)	Wing J446; ESTC R31541	114,594	210

necessare righteous from the Word of God before their obligation can be admitted received which we have laboured to doe in this following discourse And if from it our Covenants and Oaths doe appear to be just are we not assured that the corruptions and sins engaged against by such divine tyes and relapsed into contrare to these engadgments doe provoke our Holy and righteous God to the inflicting of all those plagues and judgments threatened in the word against the violators of such sacred bonds And if this be a truth as we hope none will deny what can we then expect to our selves posterity if reformation repentance doe not prevent but ruine and desolation according to every ones accession to these evils which no doubt are crying for vengeance on this declining Church Next We pray your Lo. to consider that we build our conclusions on no other foundation then our worthy reformers in this Church and others laid downe in their arguments and debates against popery which for its want of and opposition to the holy Scriptures they have condemned for an Antichristian defection from the doctrines of Christ We hold to the sufficiency and perfection of the holy Scriptures resolving thorow the Grace of God to admit of no other rule of faith and obedience in the maters of our God but these what they condemne we must renunce whatsoever doctrins or practises in the house of our God want their authority and approbation we cannot yea dar not admit The experience of the Church in preceding ages shews what mischeifs the opening of this door hath brought in upon her to the almost uter ruine of all her concerns The present grouth of popery and the quick advance it makes among all degrees of Professors in this and our nighbouring Churches sayes to all we suppose to your Lo. that the fasety preservation of the protestant reformed Religion does in all prudence require that its real and sincere friends should be encouraged and not thus persecuted with violence which no doubt tends so to the weakening of the Protestant interest cause that in one of Queen Elizabeths Parliaments it was judged a sufficient reason not only to restraine the rigide pressing of conformity but likewise to encourage all Non-conformists who in those times were looked upon as stout antagonists to popery and such as might be employed entrusted and made use of in opposition to it Is it not to be feared that the ●ope having his instruments and emissaries amongst us for working out of his designes on these Churches which all his former engines have not hitherto effected and finding through our confusions and distempers the occasion fitted for his purpose hath no question a secret active hand in influencing and increasing of this violence which if the Lord in his mercy to this many wayes afflicted and ruined Church doe not prevent will facilitat his longed for much endeavoured designes against the reformed Religion in these Ilands And however we are represented to your Lo. as unfriends to Religion and the interests of State as if they must ruine if we stand yet the experience of past and present times beside our publick confessions doth sufficiently witnesse how malitious our adversaries are in this unjust calumny We are no innovators nor pleaders for innovation in Church or State but do hold adhere to and resolve through the grace of God to maintaine the reformed Protestant Religion against all sorts of enemies as it is contained in the holy Scriptures summed up and breifly comprehended in the Confessions of faith of the reformed Churchs especially in the Confession of faith Larger shorter Catachismes of this Church in opposition to all Popish Arminian Socinian and Sectarian errors and innovations We hold for our maine rooted principle the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God the absolute perfect and only rule of faith and maners not needing any supplement of Ecclesiastical tradition yet we do not deny Antiquity its due respect use reverence and although we maintaine that every Christian of what rank degree soever ought to study be conversant in the Scriptures yet we acknowledge the necessity and great use of a Gospel standing Ministry and receive the directive authority of the Church not with an implicit faith but with the judgment of discretion We hold the teaching of the Spirit necessare to the saving knowledge of Christ but absolutly deny that the Spirit bringeth new revelations in maters of doctrines worship Government but only that he opens the eyes and enlightens the understanding that we may perceive and rightly take up what is of old revealed in the word by the same Spirit We rejoice in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flesh or in a legal righteousnes desireing to be found in him who of God is made unto us wisdom righteousnes sanctification and redemption yet we constantly affirme good works of piety towards God of equity and charity towards men to be necessare both necessitate precepti medii our Ministers presse on themselves hearers the necessity of Regeneration as the solid fundation of good works the severe strict exercise not of a popish out side formal but of a spiritual real mortification and self denial We extol all ordinances of divine appointment but reject all humane inventions especially religious and significant not institute ceremonies in the worship of God It ought to have no little weight with your Lo. that by using of such violence the most sober judicious universally religious and industrious part of the subjects and consequently the most useful and stedfast to his Maj true interest and honour are exposed to dayly vexation and trouble to the great dammage and prejudice of this Nation and Kingdom We suppose that upon an impartial view it will be found that the choice and better part of the subjects is dissatisfied with the Government now introduced into this Church and consequently obnoxious to the severity of the lawes enacted against non-conformists and of what dangerous consequence this may prove to Church and State we leave to your Lo. most serious consideration We know the certaine issue of all maters is known to God only but if we shall take our measures in conjecturing at future events from the working of present causes there is all rational ground to fear that there are dismal and heavy times coming on this nation which by taking and fallowing of right wayes in the present juncture of affaires your Lo. may prevent and if not done will no doubt afford mater of bitter sorrow repentance to your Lo or children afterwards It is shall be our hearty prayer to God that your Lo. may have the Spirit of wisdome and of the fear of the Lord poured out upon you to foresee the evils that are hastening towards us and in time to hide yourselves this Church Kingdom from them Is it not apparent to all that conscience does not

the Romane Church of Idolatry and superstition their asserting the difference betwixt Papists and us in doctrine worship and government not to be fundamental nor on their part damnable c. All which discover to the world the native tendency of prelacy and what it will if 〈◊〉 ●●nue ultimatly resolve into 11. Do not the opinions of prelatists their practises the ways taken for bringing in and establishing of Prelacy among us reflect upon and condemne all the reformed Churches and their divines except Scultetus who in their confessions treatises reformations conforme thereto disclame prelacy as no office of divine appointment As will be evident to any that peruse them We know there was a Pamphlet emitted in the beginning of prelacyes last introduction that undertakes to prove the contrare but it is so destitute of all evidence of truth that we wonder exceedingly at the impudence affrontedness of the author in alleadging of Calvine Beza Bucer c. for prelacy who in their practise and writings have argued and debated against it Did not this Author know that their writings are extant and others as much versed therein as himself But the unjust know no shame 12. As prelacy or prelatical government in its constitution and exercise is a compound of additions to the Word of God which for want of its authority we reject so presbytery or presbyterian government in the confession of our Opposites is in all its parts of divine institution or right which we offer to make out from scripture and the concessions of our Antagonists who first yeeld all our Church Offic●rs except Ruling elders to be of divine appointment Doctor Hammond only excepted granting that presbyters or ordinare Pastores and Deacons to be institute by the Apostles and alwayes used in the Church to this day they likewise grant the power of ordination and jurisdiction in Presbyters till of la●● As also the meetings of Pastores lesser and greater for government and discipline and all the particularities of power anent these asserted by and formerly exer●●●●● among us We think strange of Stillingfleet in denying of Presbytery to be of Divine institution who yeelds all we seek for if all the former be of Scriptural institution and practise must it not be of divine right even as to its forme We cannot for bear to declare our resentments to the world of the high indignities done to our Royal and great Master Christ Jesus and his blessed word the holy Scripture in that 1. The forme of the government of his house is asserted to be mutable at the pleasure of men and made capable of any forme they please to assigne to the same Was it ever heard in the world that the forme of any government was taken from the Officers thereof and not from the Supream head in whom the Legislative power is lodged All that ever treated of governments and spoke to their different forms did always found their forms on the head and not on the Officers of it Is not Christ Jesus the Supream and only Head of the Church by divine appointment Are not ordinare Pastores or Presbyters found institute in the word with all the parts of their power that we afterwards grant to them c Will it not then necessarily follow that the forme is of divine right both in the head and officers which is truely Monarchicall and not alterable at the will of any 2. For making way to this the sufficiency and perfection of the holy Scripturs as to matters of obedience and practice in the Church is denied and thereby the fundation of the Protestant Religion is shaken How inconsistent is this with their granting the perfection of the Scripturs in maters of faith For if all maters of obe●●●●●● be first and primarily Maters of faith must 〈◊〉 they be perfect in these also How our Oppo●its will defend our arguments for the perfection of the Scripturs in matters of faith and manners against the Papists who in this speak more consequentially then the Prelatists and maintaine the former affertion is unintelligible to us For our arguments plead as much and as strongly for their perfection in the one as in the other But must it not be a desperat cause that needs such a prop to support it 13. In the last place We humbly offer the following particulars to be considered by all nothing doubting that when they are duely and seriously weighted it will soone appear that our exceptions against Prelacy are not light and groundless As 1. There is no good to the Church and immortal souls attainable by Prelacy that may not be win at without it It is a sure truth that every ordinance of Divine institution hath it's proper good to the Church in order to which as it's end it was appointed by Christ which is not easily reachable by other ordinances As will appear to any on a particular condescension for as there is nothing defective in divine institutions so there is nothing redundant and superfluous Now we desire to know what is that good to the Church and immortal souls that cannot be obtained without Prelacy let our Antagonists give instances If they think that ordination and jurisdiction is the good that the Church hath by prelacy we offer to prove from Scripture and antiquity as hath been done before us without a reply yea and granted by many of them that Presbyters have the power of ordination and jurisdiction and the truth is it was never questioned by any but yeelded by all till of late for we have not only instances in Scripture and antiquity for Presbyters exercising ordination and jurisdiction but the reason that all gave for it was that the ministery conferred by ordination consisting of the power of order and jurisdiction as it 's integral constituent parts persons ordained receive the power of both If this be a truth why may not the Church have these by Presbyters as much to her advantage and benefite as by Prelats But son e say there can be no unity or peace in the Church without Prelacy The contrare is evident from the Churches experience in former later times for as the Church was never more rent and filled with contentions and schisms then under by Prelates of which there are innumerable instances in history so there hath been much flourishing unity and peace under Presbyters in Churches that wanted Prelats as is to be seen in the present case of the reformed Churches and will be evident to any that is acquainted with and seen in the records of the Church what unity peace hath the Churches of Britan and Ireland beyond other reformed Churches Yea is there not more of these among them then is with us at this day But what sayes unity and peace in the Church if they have not truth and righteousness for their cement and foundation which are seldome the attendents of Prelacy But some place the good of Prelacy in the oversight and inspection it takes of Ministers

none wonder we take this ticklish subject into consideration and dar adventure to give an accompt of our thoughts of the same to the world for we solemnly professe that on the exactest enquiry and search that we have been able to make about this mater we finde it as diametrically opposite to our true Covenanted principles as Prelacy and in its effects we fear shall prove as destructive to the Church and work of Reformation as any thing that appeared on the field against it Times past and present speak much to this but the future will say more the storme that this Supremacy threatens to this Church and nation is such that it is the part of all that wish well to Zion to pray inflantly day and night that it may be graciously averted The truth is as we look upon it as an high corruption in it self tending to the subversion of the Churches concerns in doctrine worship and Government so it lies at the bottome of our non-conformity to the law in Church maters and is not only one but a maine reason why we cannot joyne in Church assemblies especially for Government which thereby in our apprehensions are made nullities That our procedour in speaking to this may be distinct and clear to all we shall observe this method 1. We shall consider speak to the Government of the Church and shew what it truly is 2 We shall prove its distinction from independency on the civil Government And3 Shew how far this Government of the Church is by law lodged in and exercised by our Rulers contrare to Scripture and the practice of the Church till these hundered years past For more light to the whole we shall premise these preliminary considerations or propositions which we think will not readily be denied by any 1. Propos it is out of our rode and inconsistent with our intended brevity to insist on the tearms GOVERNMENT CHURCH what is usually signified by them these we leave to the Criticks and all that write on this subject but all are agreed in this that GOVERNMENT is a tearme importing power and authority which is nothing els but a right to rule others and an obligation on these invested therewith to use the same for attaining the ends of Government So that Government makes its acts due bindes them to all these acts means wayes by which Government is enabled to reach its ends 2. Propos All created power authority is originall in God as the first cheif cause thereof derived from him as the universal Supreme Monarch and Governour of all in heaven or earth hence it necessarly followes that as the power that cannot prove its descent from God is not to be admited so all just powers are directly subordinat to him as the universal head of all 3. Propos that the Church of Christ not being founded in nature but on supernatural revelations her Government must wholly depend upon flow from it in these things where it differs from other Governments so that the All of this Government is by positive institution and warrant from God supernaturally revealed 4. Propos That Christ Jesus as Mediator being made the head of the Church under God and thereby her Government fountained in him all powers in the Church must be derived from and subordinat to him as the Supream 5. Propos Beside the invisible and internal Government that Christ Jesus exerciseth by his Spirit on the souls and consciences of his people that consists in the inward light and power of his Spirit guiding and enabling them to that obedience he requires of them in his word there is likwise a true visible Government of the Church institute by him and visibly exercised in her in his name as her Supream 6. Propos The Government of the Church as shall be proved afterwards is not properly and in linea directa subordinat to the Magistrat for 1. It hath its derivation from another fountaine Christ Jesus who being the Churches Supream head and governour all power in her must come from and depend on him 2 The Magistrat cannot take away nor change the Government of the Church which he may do in Governments and powers subordinat to him yea he cannot impede its exercise in these intrusted with it seing they are under obligations for it antecedent superiour to these of the Magistrat 7. Propos That the holy Scriptures being the word and law of Christ as King of his Church must be the instrument and rule of the Churches Government according to which she ought to be ruled not only in these acts of faith and obedience in the inner man but also in the outward 8. Propos Although powers specifically distinct be not subordinat to one another yet there may be and is a mutual subordination of persons invested with these powers so as the persons are in different respects superiour and inferiour to one another as Jesse was to David supposing him to live in his son Davids reigne which subordination of persons does not take away the destinction of these powers nor the mutual subjection the persons owe to one another hence we assert that as Magistracy does not destroy the Ministry nor loose the persons cloathed therewith from the subjection they owe as Christians to Ministers in the right exercise of their Ministery so neither does the Ministery destroy Magistracy nor untye Ministers as subjects from that subjection and obedience due to Magistrats from their subjects Ministers are bound to this as much as any 9. Propos As in all Governments there are somethings that is intrinsick although visible wherein its nature and specifick essence does consist and somethings accidental and separable from it that belongs not to its esse but BENE ESSE so there are in the visible Government of the Church somethings essential intrinsick of which afterward and somethings accidental and extrinsick without which it can subsist even in its exercise 10. Propos These things in and about which the Government of the Church is conversant are of diverse sorts some are purely spiritual as the Word Ministery Sacraments and all Ordinances of divine appointment Others are of a mixt nature partly spiritual partly civil as the necessary circumstances and mods of worship and Government which although civil in their own nature and common to other actions yet partly by reason of the general divine appointments impowering the Church to dispose and order these partly by reason of their necessary connection with things purely spiritual are truely Ecclesiastick and become a part of the object of the proper power of Church Government called by all Divines DIATACTICK Some are properly purely civil in their owne nature and immediat ends as Churches Stipends Manses Glybs c. which although they be by general precepts secured to the Church and belonging to her yet they are formally civil and come directly under the Magistrates power as other civil rights and proprieties do about which

of our ministry in the places to which we were to be confined was a piece of policy invented to cover the too visible encroachment on Church power in the first act of Indulgence which was known afterwards to stumble many that the mater might be more smoothed and goe the better down while the designe was the same which was as is said to bring our ministry in subjection to the Magistrat in the maters of God and without noise to obstruct the spreading of the Gospel and to ruine our cause for attaining of which we have not yet seen a more succesful like piece of policy then this of the indulgence Resolveing as bath been said to unfold our hearts and to keep nothing up anent what is truly greivous to and bu●dens our consciences in the commands and impositions of these times we shall adde other reasons to these which with the former are the grounds of our dissatisfaction with and non-approbation of this indulgence as 1. In the Narrative of the 2. act of indulgence it is declared that this pretended favour is provided for a remedy against the evil of Conventicles by which we understand the assemblies of the Lords people for hearing of the word and partaking of other ordinances from faithful Ministers of the Gospel which the execution of laws made against the same hath not suppressed As this narrative speaks to all the designe of the indulgence so it shews what we are to expect as its consequence if approven by us to which we dar have no accession directly nor indirectly for by our allowance and submission we shall not only prove active in hindering the propagation of the word for the future but also shall consequentially cond●mne the former practice of the Lords servants and people in preaching and hearing of the word that hath been blessed and made not a little succesful to the advantage of the truth and the benefite of many souls 2. Many by this indulgence were assigned and sent to other congregations then these they had formerly served their Master in before this revolution in the Church As we judge the former relations to particular flocks over which the Holy Ghost and not the State had made them overseers to be yet in force and not dissolved by all the violence used against us so we think our approbation of this indulgence would not only justify the unjust usurpation and violence in casting them out but likwise would have made void the former and yet standing relation to these respective congregations in which we darre have no hand but in the way Christ hath appointed and was formerly used in this Church seing it will no question both strengthen the Magistrat in his unjust encroachments on the Government of the Church and be a practical acknowledgement of him in all he hath done in this mater 3. By one clause in the 2. act of indulgence appeals are allowed and authorized from the indulged to the Prelats Courts which does subject and directly subordinat them to these in the exercise of government and discipline which is known to be contrare to our Covenanted and well grounded principles The truth is we look on this with other particulars in that indulgence as a device framed of purpose for gaining all these ends and intents upon us which by violence hath been formerly designed against us for establishing of Prelacy and Erastianisme 4. As some of the Rules are impracticable so others of them do not a little reflect upon the practises of Christ and his Apostles recorded by the Evangelists who preached in houses and fields If we understand our Christian profession aright we must take ourselves bound by many commands and precepts in the word of God to imitat Christ and his Apostles in their performances of the duties of Religion and righteousness which are of purpose related in the Scripturs for this effect Do we not find from these sacred records Christ and his Apostles preaching in houses and fields as occasions offered never declining to teach and instruct the people in these as the present exigence required although they had the opportunity of and accesse to the Synagogues which is denyed us as to the places allowed for publict worship Do not these practices of Christ and his Apostles say that as preaching in houses and fields is in it self no● sinne but lawful except we resolve to make Christ ● transgressour so in the like cases and under the like c●lls we are bound to do in this as Christ did before us who can get this shuned Amongst the many designes aimed at in this indulgence and in part obtained by it we know the deviding and breaking of our party was a principal one which at first actuated and set on foot this device amongst us but we hope without the fruit our adversaries exspected to have reaped thereby to the advantage of their cause for whatever difference there hath been or yet is amongst us in our practice in relation to the indulgence we are all agreed in the preceeding exceptions against it and if there had been accesse for representing the same to our Rulers our unanimity and concord in these had been more discovered and made known to the world then it is There is no charge with us of our known and professed judgment about the Government of the Church in its true distinction from and independence on the Magistrat as is afterward expressed What ever was our perswasion in this represented to the world in our publick confess on of faith we yet throw the grace of God resolve to cleave to having never seen or heard of any thing in all the times that have gone over our heads to cause us alter our apprehensions of this mater in the least Some who take hold of all occasions to reproach us are pleased to represent some their acceptance of this indulgence as contradictory to and inconsistant with our former professed principles anent Church Government yet any that considers what was shortly hinted at to the Councel at the receiving of this indulgence and what was more largely declared by them to the congregations at their first entry will be sufficiently convinced of our constant adherence to our former principles which by this acceptance is not at all changed It is expected from the lovers of our righteous cause that nothing shall be done by them to ward the furtherance of the evil intents of this indulgence but rather an endeavour to counteract and ineffectuat them that our opposites may have no benefite therefrom to the prejudice of the interests of Christ for which we contend SECT VI. The nature of Church Government as distinct from and independent upon Magistracy explained HAving proceeded thus far and dispatched the first three things we proposed to speak to in the beginning we shall now enter on the last the Supremacy Ecclesiastical that is now by law annexed to the crown established in his majesties person and successours and sensed by law and practice Let