their masters and are become of the ministers of Christ the ministers of men These are meer forgeries that have no foundation but in their own fancy nor any consonancy with common Law but are against common sense and reason Although these ministers had bound themselves to answer when the magistrate would it had been no more than men who compear before the magistrate use to do when required that till they be called they may in the mean time have their freedom Now the peaceable exercise of the ministry is in many respects preferable to Civil liberty But it was the people and not the minister who gave bond to the Council to present the minister when called under such a penalty It 's another groundless slander that they have given up and utterly quit the Government and a succession of a Presbyterian Ministry for they have not by their making use of this liberty bound up themselves from doing any thing in their places and stations which they might have done before for the Government of the Church and succession of a Presbyterian Ministry and it 's but a melancholly dream to imagine that the setled fixed peaceable exercise of the Ministry of the Gospel under the protection of lawful authority does swallow up the Government of the Church extinguish the Ministry and bury the work of Reformation Is not the Preaching of the Gospel a part of the exercise of Christs visible Kingdom Does the exercise of the Ministry destroy the Ministry Or does the Preaching of the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches bury the work of Reformation Next they charge these Ministers with Preaching the lawfulness of paying that tribute declared to be imposed for the bearing down of the true Worship of God which they falsely termed seditious Conventicles Pr. Sir before ye speak any thing as to the paying of that tribute I desire that ye would consider that there were several Ministers who Preached against the paying of it and I hope ye will not be rash in giving your opinion in that matter Min. I wish those who Preached against the paying of it had made less haste and had conferred with their Brethren and heard what they had to say from Scripture and Reason e're they had adventured to preach such a new Doctrine That subjects should not pay a tribute which was concluded by a meeting of the Estates of the Nation and for an end which is unquestionably good the resisting of foreign Invasion It 's I suppose a new Doctrine That subjects should not pay tribute and the preaching of new Doctrines is dangerous it hath been the rashness of some that they were too hasty to preach their own private and very singular opinions it were good Ministers of the Gospel would forbear to say any thing to the people in preaching but that of which they might say Thus saith the Lord. They should have considered what danger they exposed the people to by this Doctrine for either those who believed this Doctrine would persist in refusing to pay and this would expose them to be eaten up by Soldiers or they being distressed would at length pay it though they thought it unlawful and this would debosh and waste their Consciences and prepare them to do other things which they thought unlawful and this would encourage those who differed from them in other things to take the same method in pressing them to conform to them and some of the poor people who have stood out long and at length yielded to pay have exposed themselves to the scorn and derision of those who uplifted that Sess Pr. Seeing they declared that this Sess was imposed to bear down the true Worship of God how could any with a good Conscience pay it Min. Any who reads this part of the Band and had not seen the Act of the Convention of Estates would think that they had declared that it was for bearing down the true Worship of God now there are no such words in the Act of Convention Again any who had not seen the Act might think that if their words were true that then the Convention of States were for bearing down whatsoever was the true Worship of God or that there was no true worship of God but in these meetings which the Magistrate calls seditious Conventicles We should not make either words or things worse than they really are and we should at least deal as fairly with the Magistrate as with other men It hath been reported by persons of Honour and of great candor that the motion of setting up Prelacy which hath been the cause of the sad suffering of Presbyterians in Scotland did not come of the Kings Majesty but was repelled by the King when first moved by some Scots men and if they who moved it had not vehemently insisted and strongly alledged that it would be easily effectuate and would be acceptable to the people of Scoland the King would never have set up Prelacy in Scotland And any favour that hath been shewed to Non-conformists hath principally flowed from the King himself as Dr. Owen in his Answer to Dr. Stillingfleets Sermon declareth And in some places of his Majesties Dominions Presbyterians have the publick worship of God without any disturbance which shews that the King doth not look upon all the Meetings of Presbyterians for the worship of God as seditious Conventicles so that suppose that were said which yet no judicious person will alledge that there were no true worship of God except in these Meetings which are called Conventicles it would not be alledged that it were the Magistrates design to bear down the true worship of God seeing these Meetings in several places of these Kingdoms are not suppressed and if some Preachers had not vented Doctrines which were really seditious at some of those Conventicles Presbyterian Ministers and people who designed nothing but the preaching and hearing of the Gospel of peace would not have been molested as they were but the seditious turbulent Doctrine of some did breed much trouble to others who were innocent It cannot be denied that there were some Meetings where such Doctrine was taught by the Preachers and applauded and practised by hearers that it was no wonder that the Magistrate called them seditious And if the Contrivers of this Bond had set themselves to devise a way to confirm the Magistrate in calling Conventicles seditious they could not have fallen upon a more effectual way than this Contrivance which is indeed seditious and will readily be imputed to many who abhor the seditious designs and principles which are in this Bond. As for the reason why this Sess should not be paid viz. because it 's declared to be imposed for an ill end they who are free to pay it will retort It 's imposed for a good end viz. to put the Kingdom in a posture of defence against Invasion and therefore it should be payed I know a judicious Gentleman who said he would pay his Sess for that end which was
claim as much Power over Kings to whom he is not Subject as their own private Subjects claim Again it 's one of the Popes pranks to interdict Countries or Cities that he hath a quarrel at in discharging all publick Worship of God in them these Banders have done the same upon the matter in going about to hinder as far as their Power reaches all publick Worship of God except in these parts where their Preachers come We are by Covenant obliged to extirpate Schism this Bond engages these who take it in one of the vilest Schisms that hath been heard of in the Church as appears Article 6. The Covenant is for the extirpation of Prelacy but these Banders though in words they engage to do so yet they really make these Ministers of theirs who are far from the number of fourteen in effect Prelates and will have all the Ministers of the Church to stand in Judgment before these Judges and to be no Ministers except these Ministers of theirs will And thus they really overturn Presbyterial Government which the Covenant obliges to preserve The Covenant obliges to preserve the Priviledges of Parliament Liberties of the Kingdoms and the Kings Majesties Person and Authority This Bond engageth to destroy the King and his Authority and to alter the very form of Government so that if it should take effect there would be no King nor Parliament nor Kingdom in the Nation And contrary to the 4th Article of the Covenant they make Factions among the People and go about to divide the King from the People by a most destructive Division in destroying the King The Covenant keeps every man in his own place and Calling but all who take this Band bind themselves in this 3d. Article to execute Righteous Judgment impartially according to the Word of God and degree of wickedness upon the committers of Blasphemy c. So that all who take this Band Ministers and People Man and Woman engage themselves to Act the part of Judges in executing Righteous Judgment But who made them Judges They should have staid till they had gotten a call to Judge and had been in a capacity of Judging before they had sworn to execute Righteous Judgment Again if all of them had been Judges executing Righteous Judgment then all would have been Rulers and so there would have been none of them to be Ruled and Judged and thus not onely their Ministers but also all their Men old and young and their Women are engaged to pass the bounds of their Calling and to perform that which would have been impractical and impossible Preacher But Sir are not the Saints to have a sharp Sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the People to bind their Kings with Chains and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron To execute upon them the Judgment written Psal 149.6 7 8 9. And is it not promised to him that overcometh and keepeth the words of Christ unto the end that Christ will give him Power over the Nations and that he shall Rule them with a Rod of Iron Rev. 2.26 27. Minist You might have learned from the Orthodox Interpreters of the Scripture that the word there is not a Carnal Sword but the sharp two-edged Sword of the Word of God which binds and looses Persons of all Ranks according as they Repent or are obstinate and contains in it the Sentence of God which will be in due time executed it 's by the Word by Spiritual Weapons that the Saints overcome the World the Flesh and the Devil And for that place in the 2d of Rev. Mr. Durham sheweth that it is no Earthly Dominion which is there meant for 1. It 's to be performed after the full Victory 2. All overcomers are not capable of Temporal Power over the Nations It imports then these two 1. An excellent Dominion that the Believer may expect 2. A joynt sharing in Christs Conquest over the Nation 1 Cor. 6. They shall judge Angels and all the Wicked in the day of Judgment Though often Believers are now oppressed by the Wicked of the World yet the day is coming when it shall be otherways Believers shall not onely be free from their oppressions but shall be as absolute Kings having Dominion over them in the morning as it is in the 49 Psalm 14. When the condition of the Wicked in Gods Justice shall be most miserable I have heard of late that some of the People are so far deluded as to imagine that the place of Scripture which ye first mentioned warrants every private Saint to take the Sword and execute Judgment upon all evil doers But ye may easily perceive that this is contrary to the Analogy of Faith and the Confessions of Faith of all the Reformed Churches and is the dregs of that Dream that the Saints shall have a Temporal Earthly Monarchy and we who profess our selves to be Teachers of the People should be so far from pleasing People in such Delusions that we should faithfully discover their Errors unto them and reprove them sharply and not suffer sin to be upon their Souls and especially Errors of this nature that tends to the Ruine of all Humane Societies and to utter Confusion and Desolation And you will have little Peace if you see them by their practising these Erroneous Principles brought unto bonds and under the lash of the Civil Sword Preach Proceed in your Observations Min. 8. The formers of this Bond seem to have been unacquainted with the judgment of Presbyterians concerning the National Covenant for in this Band they speak as if Prelacy were not excluded by the National Covenant but onely by the League and Covenant They who engrossed to themselves the Title of the true Presbyterian Party should not have been so ignorant of the sentiments of Presbyterians 9. They who take this Band and adhere to it cannot subscribe the Covenants And I heard of one of this way who said if the subscribing of the Covenant were to do again his hand should rather be cut off than subscribe it This shews that this Band is inconsistent with these Covenants 10. In the 4th Article there are many horrid things vented of the Magistrates as for Example That their Government cannot be called a Government but a lustful rage and that they can be no more called Governours but Publick Grassators that is High-way Robbers and publick Judgments as Sword Famine Pestilence raging among us and for a Conclusion they say that none can judge us bound in Allegiance to them unless they say also we are bound in Allegiance to the Devil they being his Vicegerents and not Gods If this be not an instance of speaking evil of Dignities and of railing accusation against them it will be hard to find an instance of such railing elsewhere 11. It 's very strange that they say that it cannot be thought that there is hope of the Magistrates Repentance Was it not enough to them to exaggerate the Magistrates
Honour which Inferiours owe to Superiours is all due Reverence in Heart Word and Behaviour Prayer and Thanksgiving for them imitating their Virtues and Graces willing Obedience to their Lawful Commands and Counsels due Submission to their Corrections Fidelity to defence and maintenance of their Persons and Authority according to their several Ranks and Nature of their places bearing with their Infirmities and covering them in love that so they may be an Honour to them and to their Government And for confirming this Answer beside places cited in the Confession they cite Ephes 6.5 6 7. 1 Pet. 2.18 19 20. Servants be Subject to your Masters with all fear not only to the good but to the froward for this is thank-worthy if a Man for Conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully for what glory is it if when ye be buffetted for your faults ye shall take it patiently But if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God Titus 2.9 10. 1 Sam. 26.15 16. Wherefore hast thou not kept thy Lord the King This thing is not good which thou hast done as the Lord liveth ye are worthy to die because ye have not kept your Master the Lords anointed 2 Sam. 18.3 But now thou art worth ten thousand of us Esther 6.2 Matth. 22.21 Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are Gods Rom. 13.6 7. Gen. 9.23 And Shem and Japhet took a Garment and laid it upon their shoulders and went backward and covered the nakedness of their Father and their faces were backward and they saw not their Fathers nakedness If we compare this Band with the Confession of Faith and Catechisms and the Covenants and the Scriptures which are cited in the Confession of Faith and larger Catechism we may see if we will not shut our eyes that this Band cannot be reconciled with these but manifestly clasheth with them and therefore they who adhere to this Band are a party who by their tenets and practices distinguish themselves from these who do adhere to the Confession of Faith Catechisms and Covenants I had forgot that they also design themselves Persons whom the Magistrate hath declared no Lawful Subjects which shews that their number is not great and yet there are many who fall under the lash of these Declarations who think themselves bound by the Covenants to maintain the Kings Person and Authority and who disclaimed Ruglen Declaration and would undergo a thousand Deaths ere they subscribed this Band And it 's hoped that the Magistrates will think it true Policy to put a difference betwixt these who own their Authority and these who disown it This shews how inconsiderable the number of these who own this Band are and how unfit they are to make a Representative of the true Presbyterian Church and Covenanted Nation of Scotland Very ordinarily they who are for destroying Magistrates are no great friends to Ministers Having rejected the Magistrates in the preceding Articles they fall upon the Ministers in the sixth Article at least the greater part of them as being defective in preaching and testifying against the Acts of the Rulers c. and then for hindring others who were willing to have testified c. It was a long time a mystery to many what some people meant by a testimony which they were always calling for because although Ministers plainly preached as their Text led them against Prelacy and Erastianism and did shew the people from the Scripture that God hath given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to Ministers and not to Magistrates and that the things of the House of God Ecclesiastical matters must be done according to the will of the God of Heaven and not according to the will of the Magistrate And though they with grief regrated the breaches made in the Order and Government of the Church yet these people would still exclaim against them as not bearing testimony against the ills of the time but at length it appeared what was the testimony which they meant for if one instead of preaching the Gospel had made an invective discourse against the Rulers and treated them at the rate that they are treated in this band and so rendred them and their Authority despicable and hateful O! that was a preaching of the whole counsel of God though they brought neither Scripture nor Reason for what they said and they made nothing of what was brought from Scripture and Reason against Prelacy and Erastianism by other Ministers because they also did preach the duty which subjects owed to the Magistrate and maintained their lawful Authority as Gods Ordinance and prayed for the King and subordinate Magistrates The Testimony which some of these people who were upon the secret which hath now broken out were seeking was something which might render the Magistrate hateful and cast him out of the affections of the subjects and so make way for driving on the design which is now discovered in this band and declaration viz. the rejection of the King and Kingly Government and all subordinate Magistrates deriving their Authority from the King They are highly injurious to Presbyterian Ministers in alledging that they have not born testimony to that truth which Christ witnessed before Pontius Pilate viz. That Christ is a King for they declare it privately and publickly in their places and stations That Christ is a King and that he hath a spiritual Kingdom distinct from the Kingdoms of this world but no ways prejudicial to earthly Kingdoms but where it comes into any Kingdom of this world it is if it be received the establishment of that Kingdom Not to repeat what is said in several Papers which do shew the several sorts of testimonies both verbal and real given by Presbyterian Ministers I shall only say That their testimony concerning the Church and the Government thereof and the power of the Magistrate in reference to Church-matters is in the Confession of their Faith and Catechisms Directory for Worship and Government and as it could hardly be expected that these Ministers being so scattered could meet to agree upon new Confessions so though they had met they could not readily have fallen upon a better confession than what is already extant and to which they add here In chap. 25. of the Confession of Faith Art 2. it is asserted That the visible Church is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ the House and Family of God Art 3. Unto this Catholick visible Church Christ hath given the Ministry Oracles and Ordinances of God for gathering and perfecting of the Saints Art 6. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ Chap 30. The Lord Jesus as King and Head of his Church hath therein appointed a government in the hand of Church-Officers distinct from the Civil Magistrate Art 2. To these Officers the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are committed Chap. 31. Art 3. It belongs to Synods and
Councils ministerially to determine controversies of Faith and cases of Conscience to set down Rules and Directions for the better ordering of the publick Worship of God and government of his Church Art 5. Synods and Councils are to conclude nothing but that which is Ecclesiastical and are not to meddle with Civil affairs which concern the Commonwealth unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary or by way of advice for satisfaction of conscience if they be thereto required by the Civil Magistrate Chap. 23. Art 3. The Civil Magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of word and Sacraments as the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven yet he hath authority and it is his duty to take order that unity and peace be preserved in the Church that the truth of God be kept pure and intire that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed all corruptions and abuses in worship or discipline prevented or reformed and all Ordinances of God duly setled administred and observed for the better effecting whereof he hath power to call Synods to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the word of God These Articles and the Scripture-proofs do clearly hold out and confirm That Christ not the Magistrate is the Head King Lord of the Church which is the Body House and Kingdom of Christ that Church and not the Magistrate is the Fountain of the Spiritual Power of the keys of the kingdom of Heaven that the Offices in the Church are of divine institution given by Christ and that these Offices which Christ hath given are sufficient for gathering and perfecting the Church seeing he hath given them for that end and that they are Ministerial and not Lordly and hence it follows that the Office of a Prelate who claims a majority of Directive and Coercive power over Ministers who not only takes upon him without election to moderate Synods but also is above the censure of the Synod and who can hinder the Synod from concluding any thing how necessary soever they find it and without whose Authority the Synod is no Synod who imposes Moderators upon the meetings for exercise and to whom these meetings are countable for their actings without whom there can be no ordination deposition excommunication relaxation from it who exacteth an Oath of Canonical obedience from Ministers not being in the Rolls of the Offices and Officers given by Christ and being a Lordly and so more than a Ministerial Office Presbyterians cannot own it nor judg it useful for gathering or perfecting of the Church They shew also that the Magistrate to whom God hath given the Lordly power of the sword is so far from having a spiritual Supreme power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven that he hath not the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven given to him at all for the power of the keys which Christ hath given is Ministerial and makes those who are invested with it Ministers of the Church but the power of the Sword is Magistratical and a Lordly Dominion and that it belongs to Synods and Councils and not to Magistrates to make Ecclesiastical Rules c. and that none neither Magistrates nor Ministers may order Ecclesiastical matters according to their mind and pleasure but those things must be ordered according to the mind and will of God revealed in his word And all true Presbyterians believe That seeing both the Lordly Power of the Magistrate in general and in special the Kingly Power and the Ministerial Power of Church-Officers are of God and his Ordinances that they are not contrary to one another for the Ordinances of God do not justle one against another but sweetly agree and any justling or clashing which hath proceeded from the corruptions of Magistrates or Ministers are not to be imputed to the Lords Ordinances and it 's the earnest desire of all truly godly and loyal subjects who seek the glory of God and the Magistrates true honour and interest That whatsoever in the actings of their rightful Magistrates hath exceeded the bounds which the Lord hath set to them may be in mercy discovered to them and in time reformed That all occasions of grief and stumbling may be taken out of the way of truly loyal subjects and all occasion of doing mischief may be cut off from those who take advantage from those excesses to render the Magistrate contemptible and to overthrow that Power which they have from God As for what they say of Ministers hindering those who would have given a testimony and censuring others who did give it the truth is Presbyterian Ministers endeavoured to restrain some young men who instead of preaching the Gospel made it their work to revile the Magistrate and Ministers who made use of the liberty granted by the Magistrate but these youths discovered themselves not to be of Presbyterian Principles by their refusing to be subordinate to the Ministers and by reproaching them who would have reclaimed them from their disorderly and Schismatick practices By this the Magistrate may perceive if the Presbyterian Ministers who are Presbyterians indeed had by allowance of the Magistrate the peaceable exercise of their Ministry and liberty of meeting for regulating their own actings and the actings of those who profess themselves to be Presbyterians such unruly persons who stir up the people to Schism and Sedition would not be admitted to the Ministry or if they after their admission discovered themselves to be of pernicious principles they would be put from the Ministry and so the people who are true to Presbyterian Principles would not own them and so they would not have access to pervert the people with Seditious and Schismatick doctrine this would be found the most proper Remedy for these distempers But what wonder is it if young men who are ordinarily rash being but Novices who have not studied the Body of Divinity and who have no experience and know not the Principles and Practices of Presbyterial Government who are not put ro Presbyterial Exercises for their trial and instruction and who it may be have never seen any thing of the Exercise of Presbyterial Government in Presbyteries or Synods and who are not under the iâ—spection of meetings of Presbyterians but wander to and fro at random not thinking themselves accountable to any meeting of Ministers nor censurable by any What wonder is it if such persons when they are blown up with the vain applause of some ignorant and humorous people who under their sad sufferings have taken up such prejudice against the Magistrate and all to whom the Magistrate shews any favour that they think what is most cross to the Magistrate is most right and any thing which the Magistrate allows they think it wrong and so they cry up those Preachers most who speak most invectively against the Magistrate and against those Ministers to whom the Magistrate shews any favour I say what wonder is
you take up doubtings whether ye should do what God hath commanded and that upon meer alledgances that these duties are sin you lay your self open to the tentations of Satan who by this method will drive you from all duty and by your doubtings make void the law of God for he will strongly alledg that it 's a sin to pray to God and if ye upon this doubt if ye should pray and then upon your doubting forbear praying what comes of the command That men must always pray and not faint There is a great difference betwixt praying hearing the word of God and the eating of meats which the Apostle speaks of in that fourteenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans for it was once unlawful to eat of those meats which was discharged in the Ceremonial Law and it was not necessary by any precept to eat of those meats so that the weak Christian who did not yet understand that the Ceremonial Law was abrogate was under no obligation to eat of those meats it was lawful to those who knew their Christian liberty to eat providing they did not use their liberty unseasonably before weak ones and so induce them to do what they judged unlawful and it was lawful to them to forbear the use of these things being at that time as Mr. Rutherfurd shews in his Treatise of Scandal every way indifferent The doubting of these weak ones did arise from the Ceremonial Law which was unquestionably the Law of God and there was no Law obliging them to eat of these meats at that time and so their doubting in such a case at that time was a doubt very incident to those who did know the Law and were tender of it and their knowledg that that Ceremonial Law was the Law of God and their fear to break the Law of God occasioned their doubting and there was no hazard of sin in forbearing to eat but there was sin in eating so long as their doubt remained and therefore the Lord would not have the strong eating before these weak ones to wound their weak Consciences Hence it appears that they who would from this place plead for their forbearing to pray or to hear the word of God because forsooth they doubt if they should pray or hear Gods word they fearfully misapply and wrest that Scripture for this doubt is no ways like the Jews doubt a-about eating of such or such meats for the Lord had once forbidden to eat of these meats but he never forbad the hearing of his own Word he never forbad prayer 2. There was no command obliging these weak Jews to eat of these forbidden meats at that time but there is a command obliging us to hear the Word of God and not to forsake the assembling of our selves together not to despise prophecying and obliging us to pray without ceasing 3. These doubtings of the weak Jews was not damnable for they did not incur the hazard of damnation by their doubting but by their eating with a doubting Conscience But the doubting of these who doubt if they should hear the Word of God and if they should joyn with the Church of God in hearing the Word of God in praying and praising their doubting is damnable and they should repel it with detestation and abhorrency and not so much as listen to such a suggestion of the Devil who goes about to make void the Law of God by raising such prophane and godless doubtings in mens minds that he may drive them from all Religious exercises to gross profanity And if people would observe what absurdities this doubting to hear Indulged Ministers has produced it might through the blessing of God be a means to clear them of these doubtings I doubt not but ye have heard of some who from doubting to hear Indulged Ministers have proceeded to doubt if they should hear any Ministers who were for hearing Indulged Ministers and some have gone that length that they would hear none but those who were not only against hearing Indulged Ministers but also Preached against the hearing of them and some have doubted themselves out of all hearing and some are come to that that they will not joyn in private prayer with those who hear Indulged Ministers It 's true wisdom and tenderness to repel doubts and scruples which hinder us from the worship of God or move us in it that they may not get any entrance into our minds and consciences and if they have entered we should cast them out with detestation Farm But though that was granted that there were no sin in hearing them yet seeing they are not the Ministers of those Congregations where they are setled there is no obligation upon these people to hear them seeing they are not their Ministers Min. Some of them are in the Parishes where they were ordained Ministers by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Others of them who had no access to the Congregations where they were ordained were cordially invited by vacant destitute Congregations and the Ministers concerned approved of the peoples invitation and of the Ministers going to these Parishes upon the peoples invitation And what more could be expected in a broken time when Presbyterial Government was broken and General Assembles Synods Presbyteries dissolved and Presbyterian Ministers turned out of their Churches and dispersed and scattered through the Nation If these Congregations cast at these Indulged Ministers and disown them as not their Ministers and so think themselves loosed of all obligation to hear them they shake themselves loose of any obligation to hear any Ministers for no other Ministers can pretend such interest in these Congregations as they really have upon the grounds which I mentioned If you be not obliged to hear the Indulged Minister who is in your Parish because he is not your Minister then upon the same ground ye are not obliged to hear any outed Ministers who occasionally come alongs to Preach for they are not Ministers of this Congregation And if ye be obliged to hear them though they be not Ministers of this Congregation why are ye not also obliged to hear the Indulged Ministers though they were not Ministers of these Congregations They who shake themselves loose of any relation to the Indulged Ministers will very easily shake themselves loose of any obligation to hear others And this is the thing which the Devil designs to cast the people loose of all relation to Ministers and of all obligation to hear any whether Indulged or no Indulged And he hath gained this design as to some who are come to that that they think not themselves obliged to hear any except it be one or two whom they think the only witnesses and others think themselves obliged not to hear these and think it much better to hear none than to hear these who teach such strange and wild conceits which tend to the confusion both of the Church and Kingdom and many finding that all obligation to hear any Ministers is
prescriptions and that they could receive no other prescriptions besides Christs prescriptions to regulate them in the exercise of their Ministry 4. They declare how desirable and refreshing the exercise of this their Ministry was to them 5. They declare what power they acknowledged in the Magistrate it 's not a lawless but lawfuâ— Authority which they acknowledge they acknowledge no other power in the Magistrate but what is the Ordinance of God for so they describe lawful Authority the excellent Ordinance of God They declare it 's the work of Magistrates to protect the Ministers of Christ in the exercise of their Ministry 6. That they purposed and resolved to behave themselves in the discharge of their Ministry with that wisdom and prudence which became faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ 7. They declare that they continued in their known judgment in Church-affairs they did let the Magistrates know that they had not altered their Judgement in Church-affairs that they were still Presbyterians Their judgment is known from the Confession of faith chap. 23. Art 3. ch 25. Art 6. ch 30. Art 1. ch 31. Art 3. and all who have any knowledge of the Judgment of Presbyterians know that they own Christ for the alone head of the Church and fountain of Church-authority and that they are as opposite to Erastianism as they are to Prelacy That they are so far from ascribing a Supremacy of spiritual power to the Magistrate that they profess that the Magistrate hath not any power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to him and that it doth not belong to the Magistrate to ordain or depose suspend excommunicate or to exercise any Church-censures and that it doth not belong to him to form Church-Canons or to prescribe Instructions for regulating Ministers in the exercise of their Ministry and that they are of that Judgment that no Magistrate nay nor all the powers on earth though they were united can dispose of Ecclesiastical matters according to their Wisdom or pleasure seeing the things of the house of the God of Heaven must be done according to the wisdom and pleasure of the Lord and not according to the wisdom and pleasure of Creatures These and many other Tenets are known by all who know what Presbyterians are to be their known and professed Judgement Now seeing they declared their continuance in their known Judgement and adherence to their former principles and that to the Magistrate and had declared before their resolutions to behave as faithful Ministers of Christ and that they believed the account they were to give of their Ministry to Jesus Christ They did shew to the Magistrate that they did not nor could not approve of power or acts of the Magistrate which were contrary to their Judgements for that had been so far from becoming the faithfulness of the Ministers of Jesus Christ that it could not consist with common Ingenuity 8. And they clearly enough insinuate that there was an opposition betwixt their known Judgements and the actings of the Magistrate in subverting Presbyterial Government and setting up of Prelacy and other actings contrary to Presbyterial Principles some whereof I mentioned before This opposition is clearly insinuated and imported while they say And to demain our selves towards lawful Authority notwithstanding of our known Judgment in Church-affairs as well becometh Loyal Subjects for if the Affairs of the Church had been then according to their known Judgment that notwithstanding had been impertinent and could have had no sufferable sence But Church-affairs being setled by the Magistrate contrary to the known Judgment of Presbyterians some might have alledged that Presbyterian Ministers would not be Loyal towards lawful Authority to obviate this they say That notwithstanding their known Judgements they would behave as Loyal Subjects 9. And hence they declare to the Magistrate that there was no disloyalty in their Principles or practice of their Principles that their known judgement in Church-affairs and the faithful discharge of their Ministry according to their known Judgement did well consist with loyalty and with that respect which from a principle of Conscience they did owe to lawful Authority though it did not consist with some of the actings of those who were in Authority 10. They modestly declare the low esteem they they had of themselves in saying they were the unworthiest of many of their Brethren and they so far from selfishness in desiring to partake of this liberty alone that they express their desire that others of their Brethren may be sharers of the liberty which they enjoyed It appears from what is said that these Brethren witnessed a good Confession before the Council and the Author of the History of the-Indulgence hath in this respect done right to these Brethren and good service to the Church in Printing the Speech which Mr. Hutcheson spoke in their name before the Council If any object that their Testimony is not good because they do not expresly and in terminis testifie against the Invasions made upon the Church I would desire these to consider that in saying so they condemn the Testimonies of many Martyrs who in their Confessions only expressed the truths which they did believe and some of them only in the general asserted that they were Christians They condemn also our Confession of Faith which doth not so expresly and in so many words refute and reject many dangerous and damnable errors but doth only assert the truths opposite to these errors yea they condemn the Testimony of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures which is good and perfect and yet doth not in terminis and expresly mention every error which is contrary to the truth but leaves the refutation of many of these errors to be gathered by good consequence from what is said in the Holy Scriptures and they condemn also that good Confession which Christ witnessed before Pontius Pilate in asserting himself to be a King for he doth not expresly mention and reject all the errors which are contrary to his Spiritual Kingdom And seeing I am speaking of Testimonies I shall mention what the Indulged Ministers who were called before the Council for not keeping the 29. of May declared in the face of the Council As they had agreed that Mr. Hutcheson should declare that the Magistrate had not a power formally Ecclesiastical and that they could not receive Rules intrinsecally Ecclesiastical from the Magistrate So Mr. Hutcheson to prevent the Councils giving them any such instructions desired that their Lordships would be pleased not to burden them with impositions in the matter of their Ministry wherein they were the Servants of Christ And after Mr. Alexander Blare who was called before Mr. Hutcheson had shewed that he could not receive such instructions to regulate him in his Ministry Mr. Hutcheson before he was called spoke against their L. L. imposing Rules intrinsecally Ecclesiastical for regulating Ministers in the exercise of their Ministry who were the Servants of Christ in these matters
And after when he was called he shewed that a formal Ecclesiastick power could not be allowed to the Magistrate and several others of them spoke to the same purpose As these Ministers have not received these Instructions so they have declared to the Council that they could not receive them beside what we observed from M. Hutchesons Speech at the first Indulgence there are here other things observable 1. That he designs them Impositions and so he shews that they looked upon them as incroaching and intrenching upon their Ministerial calling 2. In asserting that the Magistrate had not a power formally Ecclesiastical he testified against Erastianism and did further shew That the Magistrates work is not to form Rules or Instructions which are formally Ecclesiastical for all Acts which are intrinsecally and formally Ecclesiastical must be elicite by a power which is formally Ecclesiastical the giving instructions formally Ecclesiastical is the formal effect of an Ecclesiastical Instructor as it is not proper for the Magistrate but for Physitians to give medicinal Receits which must be drawn from the art or faculty of Medicine Nor is it proper for the Magistrate to make a Physical Directory to regulate Physitians in their giving of Physical Receits for this were an intrenching and breaking in upon the Physitians Calling So it is not proper for the Magistrate to make Rules intrinsecally Ecclesiastical for these must be drawn from the Word of God seeing they are for the ordering of the Matters of God and when there is need of forming any such Rules or Instructions it 's the proper Work of those to whom the publick Explication and Application of the Word of God belongs The forming of such Canons hath in all Ages been the work of Ecclesiastical Synods who had not the power of the Sword and consequently the forming of such Rules is not an Act of the power of the Sword 3. In asserting That in their Ministry and these matters which were the exercise of it they were the Servants of Christ they did shew that they could not admit of any Impositions which would prejudice their Masters service and that in these matters they were not at their own disposal and must not act ex proprio arbitrio nor pro hominum imperio but ex Christi obsequio that is That they were neither to be ruled by their own will nor the will of men but by the will of Christ in these Matters They did put in the words formally and intrinsecally Ecclesiastical because the Magistrate may make civil laws about Church-matters as is acknowledged in the second Book of Discipline Chap. 10. where it is said That he may make Civil Laws and Constitutions agreeable to Gods word for the advancement of the Kirk and policy thereof though he may not make Canons intrinsecally Ecclesiastical These were good Confessions made before the Magistrate by the Indulged Ministers and the fullest I know hath been made by any before the Magistrate Although persons while they are under perjudices against these Ministers make nothing of any thing these say or do yet when these humours and perjudices are removed and the carriage of these Ministers is impartially considered ingenuous and unbyassed persons will not only clear them of the unjust aspersions cast upon them but commend them and wonder that that they have been so unjustly abused and that they have so long born so many injuries with so great patience The attempts of the Author of the History of the Indulgence to make nothing of these Testimonies as they discover the strength of humour and prejudice so the vanity of his attemps will appear when we come to examine them I come to the second Question in the Epistle to the Reader Secondly saith he let me ask Are they so very clear and confident in the case that they cannot only in dealing with men hold up their face and affirm without hink or hesitation that this is their rejoycing even the Testimony of their Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God they have had their Conversation before all men and more abundantly towards these backsliding Rulers before whom they appeared now declared enemies to the work of God and Invaders of his Throne and Prerogative But are they also content to be carried before the Tribunal of Christ with this acceptance from those which have exauctorate their Lord and Master in their hand and to have the quality of their love to the coming of his Kingdom and their Loyalty unto Christ Jesus now opposed and put from the exercise of his Royal Government by the party indulging in this very Indulgence tried by such a test It were fit sure to think on this and lay it to heart for each Receiver may lay his account with it that soon or syne he shall be put to it Ans Before I come to answer this Question I cannot but advertise him that in saying without any limitation or restriction that not only the Magistrate hath exauctorate Christ but also that Christ is put from the exercise of his Royal Government he hath laid a stumbling-block before weak and ignorant people which may occasion them to imagine that Christ is quite vanquished and denied of all Authority and put from all exercise of his Kingly Office There are such loose Rhetorications in the Cup of cold Water which may occasion simple people to think that Christ is quite dispossest of his Crown and Throne If any will read the Answer to that Question in the larger Catechism How doth Christ execute the Office of a King they will see that he exercises his Kingly Office not only by Governing his Church visibly in calling it out of the World in giving Officers Laws and Censures but also in bestowing saving Grace upon the Elect rewarding them for their obedience correcting them for their sins preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings restraining and overcoming all their enemies and powerfully ordering all things for his own Glory and their own good and also in taking vengeance on the rest who know not God and obey not the Gospel Now I suppose the Author of the Letter will not imagine that the Magistrate intended to put Christ from the exercise of his Royal Government as to many of these Acts of his Kingly Office It 's a sad truth that the Magistrate hath subverted Presbyterial Government which is a part of the visible Kingdom of Christ but it is not the all of Christs Kingdom wherever there is a visible Church called out of the World where the Word of God is preached where the truth is born witness to and the Sacraments Administred there Christ executeth his Kingly Office and there is something of his visible Kingdom I do not think that the Author of the Epistle will say that the Magistrate intended that there should be no Church nor any Preaching of the Word of God in Scotland 2. What ever may be said
Gospel of their Salvation establish Religion and Justice in all the Cities of your Kingdom cause the waters of Life to run from the heart of your Kingdom unto the Borders thereof establish Pastors in all your Kingdom strengthen them in their Offices and speak to their hearts And afterward in the next page he saith to the King I have heard your Majestâ— gravely protest before God in two General Assemblies That it was one of your Majesties greatest desires and ye were even as it were ambitious of thâ— work to plant every Parish within your Kingdomâ— with a Pastor that the Posterity to come mighâ— say That King James the sixth had done such notable Work in his days Confirm your self Sir in that purpose for ye know who hath said I will honour them that honour me Thus we see Mr. Welsh makes use of the words sending and establishing Pastors and does not find fault with the Kings using the word of planting Parishes Mr. Welsh by the Kings sending doth not mean a potestative Mission he understood himself better than so He knew the King could not ordain Ministers but the Kings sending is his commanding his appointing Ministers to go and preach throughout the Kingdom but if the Council in the Acts of Indulgence had made use of the word of sending and other words in the Books of Discipline O what out-crying would some folk have made seeing they make the simple words of appointing and permitting to be no less than a potestative Mission which is a manifest abuse and perverting of Words It is well known that the Papists give Magistrates much less than they should in Church-matters yea they make them meer Executioners of Kirkmens Decrees yea some of their Writers have not been ashamed to compare Kings and Emperours to beasts in respect of their Kirkmen Let any read Prin's Preface to his Book called a Quenchcoal and he will see in that Preface which was directed to the late King Pag. 44 45 46. he will find that Becanâ—s calls the Pope a Shepherd and Kings and Emperours Dogs of this Shepherd and Gasper Sâ—iâ—â—pius calls the Bishops the men who are the Mulietiers and Ass-drivers and the Catholicks Asses and the Catholick Kings Asses with Bells and Charles the Great he says was a far greater and wiser Ass than these Kings who cast off the Popes yoak And yet though they make Kings and Emperours meer Servants to the Pope and Bishops implicitely and blindly to execute their Decrees yet they grant that the Magistrate may apply the Church-men to the use and exercise of their Office yea even the Jesuits who are most addicted to the Pope grant this as Becanus the Jesuit in his Manual of Controversies of the Time Book 5. Chap. 19. pag. 746. and withal shews that this is the common use among them hoc passim apud Catholicos in usu est From what hath been cited from the Books of Discipline we may see that the Church of Scotland did not look upon the Magistrates appointing and much less on their permitting Ministers to preach as a potestative mission or as any part of the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven The Author of the History of the Indulgence mentions not that I remember what I have cited out of the first Book of Discipline he only pag. 116. objects in the 3d. objection what is cited out of the the second Book of Discipline Chap. 10. concerning Magistrates placing of Ministers when the Kirk is corrupted and all things are out of order and he answers That in such times Magistrates may do much more than at other times yet saith he I suppose none for shame can make use of such a Concession now I suspect the Author hath been gravelled and picked with this Objection and therefore he would shuffe it off with scorn and disdain but this is a piece of Art in some to seem to make nothing of these objections to which they see they can give no satisfactory answer but when any will without passion consider this passage in the second Book of Discipline they will see that the placing of Ministers implies more than permitting them or appointing them to preach for though the Magistrate appoint a Minister to preach in such a Parish if the Parish do not invite him or if the Invitation be not satisfactory to the Minister he may forbear to go to that Parish to preach but when a Minister is placed he is actually setled in a Parish and therefore the Book of Discipline allows of the Magistrates doing more than permitting and appointing Ministers to preach Again it appears from this That the Magistrates permitting or appointing Ministers to preach in a Parish is not in the Judgment of the Kirk of Scotland contrary to Presbyterian Principles for the Authors of the second Book of Discipline and the General Assembly of Scotland who examined that Book so carefully and appointed all the Ministers of the Church of Scotland to subscribe it understood what were the Principles of Presbyterian Government better than this Author did And these great Seers did see no abomination of desolation in Magistrates placing Ministers and much less did they or could they see it in their permitting them or appointing them to preach when the Church is corrupted and all things out of order but why thinks he that none can for shame make use of that Concession now He gives this Reason Seeing says he our Church was constituted and well ordered and had all her Rights and Privlledges But I wonder that he for shame could make use of this answer If he could have said Seeing our Church is constituted and well ordered and hath all her Rights it had been a pertinent answer if it had been true but when he says only our Church was constituted and well ordered and had all her Rights he grants that the Church now is not constituted nor ordered nor hath not her Rights he clearly yields the cause and acknowledges that our Church is in such a case as that is of which the second Book of Discipline speaks He might have considered that the Readers of his Book would be very sensless if they could not see a difference betwixt what once was and what now is but this was good enough to put off simple people who cannot distinguish betwixt wat is past and what is present But he adds When the Magistrates with their own hands have overturned all shall this Objection be made use of to countenance their after-practises that were indeed to teach Magistrates a way how to usurp and take to themselves all Church-power viz. let them once by Iniquity and Tyranny break the glorious Order of the Church and bring all into Confusion and then forsooth they may warrantably assume to themselves an exercise all Church-power according to their mind Ans He seems to insinuate that the second Book of Discipline yields that the Magistrate may assume all Church-power which is an insinuation very injurious to
and good report which a Christian ought to study The Author hath not made it manifest That this acceptance was any kind of evil or such an appearance of evil It 's superfluous to run through the rest of this head because he doth not prove that the acceptance gave offence to any persons only he reckons up several persons to whom he alledges it gave offence and if accusations make guilty the Author hath made the indulged Ministers very guilty but it 's but a guilt of his making I shall only clear That the eating of not eating of the meats the Apostle speaks of in the place cited by the Author was every way indifferent at that time and so cannot be a parallel of the acceptance of the peaceable exercise of the Ministry and the Protection of lawful Authority which are not things meerly indifferent The indifferency of eating or not eating of such or such meats at that time is excellently cleared by Mr. Rutherford in his forecited Treatise of Scandal because the Book is not common I shall transcribe one Objection and Answer in which as in many other parts of that Treatise there are several things apposite to the present debate of Scandal Pag. 67. And before I come to the second Conclusion an House for the worship of God are among the things which are necessary by way of disjunction in specie not in individuo that is a house is necessary in its Physical use to fence off our bodies the injuries of Sun Air and heat but not this house for another house may serve the turn as conveniently But some object Then this or that house dedicated superstitiously to the religious Honour of a Saint ought to be removed out of the worship of God 1. Because by your own Confession this individual house so abused is not necessary God may well be worshipped without this house though it had never been in rerum natura 2. From the worshipping of God in so superstitious a place many truly godly are so scandalized that for worshipping God in such superstitious and idolatrous places they have separated from your Church conceiving that in so doing you heal the wounds of the Beast It 's true it may be their weakness yea but be it so that it were their wickedness that they are scandalized yet by your Doctrine in things not necessary you are not to do any thing by which either the weak or the wicked may be scandalized as is clear in the eating of Meats Rom. 14. Ans This Argument may 1. be retorted against those who hold with us in the same Doctrine of Scandal for without eating of Swines-flesh my life may be preserved and a malicious Jew may be and is necessarily highly scandalized that I who possibly am a Jew converted to the Christian Faith do eat Swines-flesh before him for he conceiveth me to be an Apostate from Moses's Law therefore I should abstain from eating Swines-flesh before a Jew who out of malice is scandalized by my doing a thing not necessary hic nunc but the Conclusion is absurd nor do I think That many truly godly of the strictest Separation do stumble at our Churches out of wickedness many truly godly and sincere refuse to come to our Churches whereas many scandalous well-lustered Hypocrites who know nothing of the power of Godliness but are sitten down in the Scorners chair are admitted to the Lords Supper and as the former cannot be excused so I pray God that the latter draw not down the wrath of God upon both Kingdoms 2. Things not necessary which actively produce Scandal must not only be indifferent Physically in their natural use as this or that House but they must be indifferent both Physically and Morally for the meats spoken of Rom. 14. at that time were both ways indifferent 1. They were not necessary but indifferent Physically in an ordinary Providence both then and now for ordinarily my life may be preserved and suffer little loss by not eating Swines-flesh or such meats in case of extream necessity of starving if any could have no other meat they might eat then as the Case was Rom. 14. because mercy is better than Sacrifice at all times 2. These things Rom. 14. were indifferent Theologically or Morally in their own nature 1. Ver. 3. Let not him that eateth dâ—spiâ— him that eateth not and let not him that eaâ—â— not despise him that eateth for God hath receivâ—d him 2. Because ver 17. the Kingdom of God 〈◊〉 not meat and drink Surely in Mâ—ses's time to abstain from such meats and eat such as the Lamb of the Passover the Manna to drink of the water of the Rock was Worship and iâ— some part of the Kingdom of Heaven but 〈◊〉 not so now saith Paul 3. Paul clearly makeâ—â— them morally indifferent 1 Cor. 8.8 For mâ— commendeth us not to God for neither if we eaâ— are we better morally before God neithâ—â— if we eat not are we morally the worse Now this Temple or House Physically is indifferenâ— and not necessary for the Worship of God for men may be defended from the injuries of Sun and Air though this House had never been in rerum natura But this Temple or House though dedicated to a Saint is not morally indifferent but morally necessary so as if you remove it from the Worship because abused to Idolatry and give it no use in the defending of our Bodies from the injuries of the Wind Rain and Sun you Judaize and do actively scandalize the Jews and harden them in their Apostacy and so this House though abused to Idolatry is not indifferent morally as the meats Rom. 14. But the using of it is necessary and an asserting of our Christian liberty as to eat blood and things strangled even before a Jew So to use all houses for a Physical end to defend our bodies from Heat and Cold is a part of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free but Ceremonies have no natural nor Physical use the crossing of the Air with the Thumb the keeping of a day religiously without warrant of the word are not taught in the School of Nature and so are naturally not necessary as this or that House though abused to Superstition is and the Adversaries that say they are morally indifferent as good and as spiritual Ceremonies in kind and nature may be devised in their place But in all this dispute of Scandal we give but we never grant that the Ceremonies are indifferent we dispute here That they are scandalous and so unlawful in their use upon the Principles of Formalists whereas we judge them in their Nature because they have not God but the will of men to be their Father and Author to be unlawful and repugnant to Scripture because not warranted by either command practise or promise in Scripture So far Mr. Rutherford from which we may see that the using of a House though it hath been idolatrously abused for this end to defend our bodies from
eating was morally indifferent there was no sin at that time in forbearing to eat those meats before a weak Brother But now when we are fully possest of our Christian liberty it were a sin to forbear eating such meats before a Jew because of his taking of offence at eating for that were an hardning of him in his Judaism Pag. 113. Sect. 2. he says They gave offence to others who had not this Indulgence in their offer yet judged the accepting thereof unlawful upon the ground last mentioned Ans What ground means he if he means that ground which he lays down in the last Section near the beginning because they judged it sinful and unlawful for themselves to have done it We have shewed the groundlesness and falshood and dangerous consequence of this ground or if he mean That the acceptance was as indifferent and every way as unnecessary as the eating in the case that the Apostles words late to he is much mistaken as appears from what is said before He says in the end of this second Section That they should have refused the Indulgence seeing there wanted not who told them of the evil they conceived to lye therein But 1. as I shewed before this reason is not relevant for it makes the judgment of one man to be an obliging Rule to another 2. The Indulged Ministers did see and acknowledge the evils which were in the complex Acts of the Magistrate which related to the Indulgence 3. The Reverend Brethren who had not clearness to make use of the Indulgence did not tell the indulged Ministers That there was evil in accepting of the relaxation of the restraint or that there was evil in acceping of the peaceabl exercise of their Ministry or of the Protection of lawful Authority in the exercise of their Ministry so that these Reverend Brethren did not say That there was evil in what the Indulged accepted for these were the things which the indulged Ministers accepted as we cleared from Mr. H's speech before the Council but on the contrary they declare That there is good in this as appears from Mr. Burnets Paper set down in this History pag. 46. Sect. 5. As for the permission and allowance I have to preach when confined this permission seemeth very far when I look on it abstractly without relation to the rest of the particular Circumstances of the Act for this would look like the opening of the door in part which the Magistrate himself had shut and afterward he says For permission to preach in any vacant Church within the Kingdom is so very great a favour as for which I would desire to bless God and thank his Majesty most heartily And in his Letter to my L. Chancellor pag. 48. he shews himself clear for Ministers going not only to their former Charges but to other Congregations as they shall have opportunity of a cordial Invitation from the people And in the other Paper drawn up by the ten Ministers set down pag. 48 49 50 51. of this History in the 51. page their third desire to the Council is That your L. L. would be pleased to deal with his Majesty to take off the legal restraints on our Ministry and Persons that we may peaceably give our selves to the work of the Ministry for the edification of the body of Christ And we heard from pag. 111. of the late Apology That the peaceable exercise of the Ministry is from the Magistrate so that these Reverend Ministers were so far from accounting that evil which the indulged Ministers accepted that they accounted it desirable and did desire it and by this it may appear how far these Reverend Ministers were from the Sentiments of this Author of the History and the Author of the Cup of cold Water and of the Letter prefixed to the History of the Indulgence The difference betwixt those Reverend Brethren who did not accept and these who did accept was not in their Principles anent the Government of the Church nor did they differ anent the ills which are in the complex Acts of the Indulgence which both by word and writings drawn up by the consent of Indulged and not Indulged Ministers is manifest but the difference was in this That the indulged Ministers conceived that it was their duty to take what was good in the Indulgence and refuse what was evil The Reverend Brethren who had no clearness to aceept conceived that in taking the good they would be some way involved in an interpretative approbation of the evil and this difference of apprehension as it was no ground of division so it made no division betwixt the indulged Ministers and their Brethren who were not indulged only about the time of the second Indulgence one or two at most of Ministers that were ordained before the Revolution began to drop first more privately and then more publickly some seeds of Schism among the people who before were profiting under the Ministry of the indulged Ministers and then some young men whose Judgments had not been formed at Colledges of Divinity under Orthodox Doctors of Divinity which is an unspeakable loss to many well inclined youths and who were not studied â—n Divinity were not acquainted with the writings of Noncofnormists against Schism through a rashness very incident to young men who want experience did further distemper the poor people and perceiving that some people were very fond upon those Preachers who spoke most against the Indulgence and cryed them most up this was a great snare to these youths and a great grief to the grave judicious Ministers who were not indulged It was not the Councils design as some alledge but this stickling in preaching things which tended to division which divided the people It is not designs of Magistrates to divide which doth really divide nay any that have sense if they perceive that Magistrates have a mind to divide them they will so much the more study unity but if the Contrivers of the Indulgence had a design of dividing it was those who vented divisive Doctrines in publick and private who did effectuate that design which would never have been effectual without this I shall subjoyn the words of the reverend Author of the Apology published An. 1677. who is commended by the Author of this History I wish the Author of the History had learned of him to seek for peace and to render designs of division ineffectual the Author of the History widens the wound which the Author of the Apology endeavoured to heal as appears by what he writes pag. 128 and 129. of that Apology I shall transcribe his words because they confirm what hath been said That there is no difference in the professed Principles about the Government of the Church or about the ills which are in the complex of the Indulgence betwixt the Indulged and not Indulged Ministers his words pag. 128. are these For whatever difference there hath been or yet is amongst us in our practice in relation to the
Presbytery in Scotland Chap. 10. pag. 124. Consideration 8. Says We Separate not from men but Errors we Separate from Papism kindly properly and totally from Christian Articles in no sort And pag. 123. We have not Separate from Rome's Baptism and Ordination of Pastours according to the Substance of the Act nor from the letter of the twelve Articles of the Creed and Contents of the Old and New Testament as they stand with relation to the mind and intent of the Holy Ghost Howbeit we have left the false Interpretations of the Lords of poor Peoples Faith and Conscience The Historian himself in some cases grants that we should joyn in the Worship of God with these who comply with Prelacy notwithstanding of all they have done as we saw from his concessions in the stating of the Question and yet here he speaks as if all Uniting with them were sinful If the hearing of these who have complyed with Prelacy be at any time a Duty then the hearing of them is no complyance with Prelacy and if the hearing of them who have really complyed with Prelacy be not a complyance with Prelacy then suppose the Indulged Ministers had really complyed with an Erastian Power in the Magistrate yet the hearing of the Indulged Ministers would not have been any complyance with Erastianism How much then is this Historian in the wrong to the poor People who would fright them from hearing the Indulged Ministers who have never complyed with any Erastian Power or sinful Supremacy in the Magistrate as if the hearing of the Word of God Preached by them were sinful a homologating of a sinful Supremacy He adds Alas this our strength will prove our weakness let us remember that of Esay 8.11 12 13 14. He means that Uniting in the Worship of God in these paroches where Indulged Ministers are settled is our weakness and so that it's Peoples strength to withdraw from the Worship of God in these Paroches This must be his meaning or he says nothing to the purpose in hand This is one of the Historians Paradoxes that Union in the true Worship of God is the Churches weakness and that the breaking off that Union is the Churches strength That is to say a Church divided shall stand It seems a Church is not like other Societies for our Saviour says A House and Kingdom divided cannot stand This is a pitiful Paradox for it 's contrary to Scripture Reason Common Sense Experience and the Author brings no shadow of Reason to give it any colour of probability but as he began his last Reason with praying so he Ushers in this pitiful Paradox with lamentation that seeing it had nothing in it nor upon it to plead for it's admission it might be received of meer pity He should have considered that a Printed Book would readily come to the hands of Rational men who regard not Passions that are void of Reason and who will not be prayed or lamented out of their wits Yet this will pass currant among weak People who will be more moved with an Oh or an Alas than with ten solid Reasons or Scripture-Testimonies The Scripture which he exhorts us to remember makes nothing for withdrawing from hearing the Word of God Preached by the Lords Ministers When the Lord Instructed the Prophet That he should not walk in the way of that People nor say a Confederacy to all them to whom that People said a Confederacy He did not discharge the Prophet to hear the Word of God or to joyn with the Lords People in the Worship of God The way of Gods Ordinances is the way of God in which the Lords goings are and in which his People walk with him and in which he hath commanded them to walk but the way of that People was their sinful ways ways of their own which were not Gods ways the Confederacy discharged was not joyning together in the Lords Ordinances for the Lord had commanded his People to Assemble together for his Solemn Worship Deut. 12.11 12 13. Deut. 15.19 20. Deut. 16.7 8.16.17 But the Confederacy discharged is a Confederacy with the King of Assyria He cites Amos 4.12 13. Where the Lord directs his People to prepare to meet their God This Scripture is as little to the Historians purpose as the former for the way to meet with God is not to withdraw from the Worship of God but upon the contrary they who would meet with God must come to his Ordinances for there he meets with them Exod. 25.22 Exod. 29 42 43. He hath said That they who hear his Servants hear himself and hath blessed these who hear him and watch daily at his gates and wait at the Posts of his Doors That 's the way to find him to find Life c. Prov. 8.32 33. He hath promised that where he Records his Name he will come to his People and bless them Separation from the Lords Ordinances is no preparation to meet with God but it is a departing from God And if this Separation from the Lords People and from his Worship be comprehended under the Separating of our selves from every sinful course the Christian complyance which he speaks of is an unchristian mis-application of that word in the 4th of Amos And if he thought that they who have heard the Indulged Ministers must utterly forsake that way as a way provoking the Lord to wrath he was quite out and utterly mistaken about this utter forsaking The Scripture with which he closeth Zeph. 2.1 2 3. is not for his scattering of the Lords People but for the gathering of them together to the Solemn Worship of God If the Author had pondered this Scripture and observed the directions of the Spirit of the Lord which are given in it he would not have endeavoured to scatter the Lords People and if he had made more Conscience of seeking Righteousness he would not have done so many and great wrongs and injuries to his innocent Brethren who had done him no wrong and who were doing right things and if he had made more Conscience of seeking Meekness he would have been more quiet and either altogether been silent or spoken and written of these things with more calmness and composure of Spirit If meekness as they say were lost it would be a hard work to find it in this History in which there is much of the wrath of man which perfects not the Righteousness of God He concludes well with two Petitions of the Lords Prayer Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done If he had looked to the Exposition of the Second Petition of the Lords Prayer in the larger Catechism he would have found that this is a part of the meaning of that Petition that the Church may be countenanced and maintained by the Civil Magistrate and to confirm this the 1 Tim. 2.1 2. is cited I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgivings be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in
Authority That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty Which shews that the Assembly of Divines at Westminster did not think that the Kingdom of Christ is to be set up by ruining earthly Kings and Kingdoms and that they take not the right way to advance Christs Kingdom who reject the Magistrates countenance and maintenance of the Church Or who by despising and provoking Magistrates to wrath tempts them to discountenance the Church And seeing they look on the Church as Christs Kingdom the Historian hath not taken the right way to advance this Kingdom but hath taken the way to ruine it by dividing it For a Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand And if he had pondered the explication of the third Petition it might have been a mean to have prevented his giving so much place to his own Humour and Will in this History and helped him to more submission unto the Holy Providence of God than doth appear in this History I wish he had ere he began to write this History put up that Petition And lead us not into temptation Or at the close of it put up that Petition And forgive us our sins We have great need ere we begin Debates and Controversies even when they are necessary to pray that we be not led into temptation And great need to close such Debates even when the cause maintained is right with praying Lord forgive us our sins I have examined all that had any appearance of Reason in this History and refuted many things which needed no refutation if it had not been for the sake of simple People who are often deceived by big words where there is no shew or colour of Reason I have often by Reason refuted the unreasonable clamours both of the Author of the Epistle and of the History whereas I might have opposed clamour to clamour for what is founded upon meer clamour may be as easily cried down as it 's cried up Let none because of the Authors errors in this History cast at other useful Books which he hath published nor reject any thing that is true and right in this History Good men have their failings and we may not take our measures of them from their miscarriages under a fit of temptation Job's Friends had a just hatred against Hypocrisie and they mistake Job and falls foul upon him as a Hypocrite and speaks many things that are not right things in the heat of Debate This Author had a just indignation against Erastianism and a Spiritual Supremacy in Magistrates and he apprehended that his brethren had interpretatively homologate this Erastian and Spiritual Supream power in the Magistrate and having mistaken them he hath fallen foully upon them and spoken much evil of them without cause These things which in the Epistle and History are wrong are things for the most part which several people had drunk in and the printing of these errours hath given occasion to rectifie the mistakes of erring people if they will not shut their eyes against the light The Lord who is excellent in working draws good out of evil and maketh all things work together for good to them who love him and are the called according to his purpose he can over-rule the darkness of error so as it shall be subservient to clear the truth In the worst times the Elect hath obtained and shall obtain The Lord reigneth and ruleth in the midst of Enemies he can when men are scattering the dust of Zion be making way for laying a solid foundation in the deep humiliation of his people for building his house The Church hath been before as dry and scattered bones as bones scattered at the graves mouth and yet he who raiseth the dead hath made these bones to come together and live It 's our best to leave the answering of that Question Can these Bones live To the Lord himself to Jehovah who makes things that are not to be who doeth great things and unsearchable marvellous things and without number If we would take shame and confusion of face to our selves and would humble our selves in the sight and sense of our sins our darkness and stumblings and justlings in the dark and justifie the Lord in his judgments that are come upon us and yet ascribe to him the glory of his Mercy and out of our depths and darkness cry to him that he would cause his face to shine and enlighten our darkness and send out his Light and Truth and pour out the Spirit of a sound mind and that he would quicken us by the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus that we might call on his Name and look on him whom we have pierced and mourn that when mens endeavours to gather the scattered sheep are not effectual that he the great Shepherd would seek out his sheep and deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day And if we would wait on him in the way of his Judgments and hope in his Word his Covenant which he uses to remember for his People and to repent according to the multitude of his Mercies and though we have no ground of hope in our selves yet hope against hope on the Lord who is the hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble and that because with him there is Mercy and plenteous Redemption And so continue humbly praying hoping waiting for him He could soon redeem us from all our Iniquities and all our Troubles and cure all our distractions and distempers and give Light and Life and Unity and Peace Let us take shame to our selves and give him the glory due to his Name that his Name may endure for ever and be continued as long as the Sun that men may be Blessed in him and all Nations call him Blessed Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who onely doeth wondrous things And Blessed be his Glorious Name for ever and ever and let the whole Earth be filled with his Glory Amen and Amen The Conference continued Farmer SIR there are many things considerable in this Answer to the History of the Indulgence which I purpose to consider but there is one thing which not a little troubles me That the withdrawing from hearing the Indulged Ministers is called Schism Now I remember we are by Covenant bound to extirpate Schism and if I have been practising Schism in withdrawing from hearing the Indulged Ministers I have been Acting contrary to the Covenant Minister They who deal truly in the matter of the Covenant will study to fulfill their Vows not onely in some things but in all things Schism is a dissolution of that Union which ought to be among Christians and especially it appears in refusing that Church-fellowship or Ecclesiastical Communion which ought to be observed or in an unwillingness to communicate or to have communion with the true Church in Holy Actions Casuists shew that it is a most grievous
by the Holy Ghost 4. They engage in the 2d Art That they shall to the utmost of their Power c. and so have altered a very necessary clause in the League and Covenant viz. We shall endeavour in our several Places and Callings Art 1. And in our several Vocations Art 3. They saw that if they had kept within the bounds of their Callings they could never have had access to make that terrible Confusion in Kirk and Kingdom which they designed Their Places and Vocations did not allow or warrant them to overturn King and Kingdom and bring all Ministers that were not of their way to stand at their Bar. And therefore being resolved to pass the bounds of their Vocation they left out these words of the Covenant which manifestly crossed their Designs 4. They say in that 2d Art We shall to our Power relieve the Church and Subjects of this Kingdom we being called thereto by his giving of us Power Power being Gods call to do good of that oppression c. 1. This is I suppose a new Principle in Christendom that Power or Strength is Gods call The Turk thinks he hath a Call and Right to take all that he hath might to Conquer but this is a part of Turcism which Christians detest It 's good that Malefactors who deserve Death be Executed but every man who hath strength or pith to kill them is not called of God to put them to death It 's good that there be Magistrates to govern a City it 's good that the Gospel be Preached but every man who hath ability to Govern a City or to Preach is not called of God to Govern or to Preach If this Principle were reduced to practice it would turn the World up-side down It 's good that a Master who hath injured his Servant should be punished May therefore a Servant if he be stronger than his Master punish him Is he called of God to do it If ability to do good were Gods call the man who desired Christ to speak to his Brother to divide the Inheritance with him might have answered to our Saviours Question Man who made me a Judge or a Divider over you That seeing Christ had ability to judge and divide that therefore he was called of God to judge and divide 2. Seeing they had not power or strength to effectuate these great things which they undertake in this and the following Articles and seeing there was no probability that a few private Persons could ever be in a capacity to do these things And so seeing according to their own description of Gods câ—ll they neither had nor ever were like to have Gods call to do these great things how could they swear to do these things which they were not yet called to do nor were ever like to be called to do them To swear to do what we are not called to do and which is not in our power and is neveâ— like to be in our power is a rash taking of the Name of God in vain it 's not a swearing in Judgment 5. The Method they take to overturn Pâ—â—â—â—â— and Erâ—stianism by overturning and ruining â—he Civil Government and Governours is meer â—onfusion and tends to havock and desolation Pâ—â—â—byterians think themselves bound in their placâ— and stations to seek the removal of Prelacy anâ— Erastianism but they do not think it their Dâ— overturn Civil Government to erect Presbytâ—â—â— Governmenâ— to destroy Civil Order in the Kingdom to erect Ecclesiastical Order in the Kirk 〈◊〉 do not think it their Duty to break the third Aâ—â—â—cle of the Covenant to keep the preceding â—â—â—â—cles As God hath appointed Order in the Church so he hath appointed Order in the State and the one of these should not be overturned to establish the other It 's the earnest desire of Presbyterians that the removal of all disorders in the Church and the reparation of the Ruines of the Church may be by the hand of their rightful Rulers 6. What confidence can the Subjects have that they who have so easily shaken themselves loose of subjection to Lawful Rulers to whom God hath commanded them to be subject for Conscience-sake will be very tender of the Consciences of others and will not exercise oppression upon the Consciences of these who would be under them No great tenderness can rationally be expected from these who have so lightly loosed themselves from the Obligation of the 3d. Article of the Covenant Or what confidence can they have that their Banders will not dispossess them of their Civil Rights if they find any fault in them seeing they engage themselves to dispossess the King and Subordinate Magistrates of their places to which they have undoubted right Or that they who make not Conscience to attempt the greatest desturbance that can be imagined in the whole Kingdom will regard the quiet or disturbance of private Persons Again the Subjects do not desire to be relieved in the way laid down in this Bond which is indeed the way of Disorder Confusion and Desolation they think the Remedy would prove worse than the Disease And what Right can be expected from these who makes Power and might to be a Call and Warrant for their Actings 7. It may seem strange that they could in the 3d. Article mention the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant without terrour and shame Seeing they have so manifestly in many things departed from these Covenants and gone cross to them in this very Bond for although in words they engage to extirpate Popery in all the Articles of it yet they really and effectually plant and establish several Popish Articles It 's a Popish Article that the Ministers of the Reformed Churches should not be owned as Ministers that Communion should not be kept with them nor with these who joyn with them in the publick Worship of God The Authors of this Bond say the same of all the Ministers of the Church of Scotland who are not of their own Opinion and way and for any thing known when this Bond came forth these whom they own for Ministers were but two or three at most and they renounce Communion in the Worship of God with all who joyn not with them in their wild and furious conceits And thus they yield this to Papists that there are no Ministers nor Churches in Scotland with which Christians should joyn in Christian or Church-fellowship It 's a Popish Article that the Pope may depose Kings and Magistrates and free Subjects of their Allegiance to Kings and Rulers and that any private Person may kill these Rulers whom the Pope hath Excommunicated and Deposed The Authors of this Bond in their Deposing the King and Subordinate Rulers and in declaring them no Rulers and in engaging to execute Judgment upon them I shall forbear to speak of their late Excommunication of them because I have not seen it they have confirmed the Papists in these Errors for they will think that the Pope may