to speakevil of dignities and that they are filthy dreamers who despise Dominion speakevil of dignities and of those things which they know not We allow the Magistrate in whatsoever form of Government all the power the Scripture Lawes of Nature or Nations or Municipal do allow him Asserting that he is the keeper avenger of both the Tables of the Law having a power over the Church as well as the state suited to his Capacity that is not formally Ecclesiastical but objectively for the Churches good an external power of Providing for the Church Protecting her from outward violence or in ward disorder an imperate power of commanding all to do their respective duties a Civil power of Punishing all even Church officers for Crimes a Secundary power of Judicial approbation or condemnation or discretive in order to give his Sanction to Synodical results a Cumulative power assisting strengthening the Church in all her Priviledges subservient though not servill Coordinate with Church power not Subordinate though as a Christian he is subject in his oun affairs to wit Civil not to be declined as Judge but to be obeyed in all things Lawful and honoured strengthened with all his dwes We would give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and to God the things that are Gods But to Tyrants that usurpe pervert both the things of God of Cesar and of the peoples Liberties we can render none of them neither Gods nor Cesars nor our oun Nor can we from conscience give him any other deference but as an enemy to all even to God to Cesar the people And in this though it doth not sound now with Court parasites nor with others that are infected with Royal Indulgences Indemnities we bring forth but the transumpt of old Principles according to which our fathers walked when they still contended for Religion Liberty against the attemptings aggressions of Tyranny against both 5. It must be conceded it is not an easie thing to make a man in the place of Magistracy a Tyrant For as every escape error or act of unfaithfulness even known continued in whether in a Ministers entry to the Ministry or in his Doctrine doth not unminister him nor give sufficient ground to withdraw from him or reject him as a Minister of Christ So neither does every enormity misdemeanure or act of Tyranny Injustice perfidie or profanity in the Civil Magistrate whether as to his way of entry to that office or in the execution of it or in his private or personal behaviour denominate him a Tyrant or usurper or give sufficient ground to divest him of Magistratical power and reject him as the Lawful Magistrate It is not any one or tuo Acts contrary to the Royal Covenant or office that doth denude a man of the Royal dignity that God the people gave him David committed tuo acts of Tyranny Murder Adultery yet the people were to acknowledge him as their King and so it may be said of some others ouned still as Kings in Scripture the reason is because though he sinned against a man or some particular persons yet he did not sin against the State and the Catholick good of the Kingdom subverting Law for then he would have turned Tyrant and ceased to have been Lawful King. There is a great difference between a Tyrant in act and a Tyrant in habit the first does not cease to be a King. But on the other hand as every thing will not make a Magistrate to be a Tyrant So nothing will make a Tyrant habitu a Magistrate And as every fault will not unminister a Minister So some will oblige the people to reject his Ministry as if he turn Heretical Preach Atheisme Mahumetanisme or the like the people though they could not formally depose him or through the corruption of the times could not get him deposed yet they might reject disoune his Ministry So it will be granted that a people have more power in creating a Magistrate than in making a Minister and Consequently they have more right and may have more light in disouning a King as being unkinged than in disouning a Minister as being un-ministerd It will be necessary therefore for clearing our way to fix upon some ordinary Characters of a Tyrant which may discriminate him from a Magistrate and be ground of disouning him as such I shall rehearse some from very much approved Authors the application of which will be as apposite to the tuo Brothers that we have been burthened with as if they had intended a particular exact description of them Buchanan de jure regni apud Scotos Shewes that the word Tyranâ— was at first honourable being attributed to them that had the full power in their hands which power was not astricted by any bonds of Lawes nor obnoxious to the Cognition of Judges and that it was the usual denomination of Heroes and thought at first so honourable that it was attribute to the Gods But as Nero Iudas were sometimes among the Romans Iewes names of greatest account but afterwards by the faults of tuo men of these names it came to pass that the most flagitious would not have these names given to their Children So in process of time Rulers made this name so infamous by their wicked deeds that all men abhorred it as contagious Pestilentious and thought it a more light reproach to be called a hangman then a Tyrant Thereafter he Condiscends upon several Characters of a Tyrant 1. He that doth not receive a Government by the will of the people but by force invadeth it or intercepteth it by fraud is a Tyrant and who domineers even over the unwilling for Rex volentibus Tyrannus invitis imperat and procures the Supreme rule without the peoples Consent even though for several years they may so govern that the people shall not think it irksome Which very well aggrees with the present Gentleman that rules over us who after he was by publick vote in Parliament secluded from the Government of which the standing Lawes of both Kingdoms made him incapable for his Murthers Adulteries Idolatries by force fraud did intercept first an Act for His Succession in Scotland and then the actual Succession in England by blood treacherie usurping intruding himself into the Government without any Compact with or Consent of the people though now he studies to make himself like another Syracusan Hiero or the Florentine Cosinodo Medices in a mild Moderation of his usurped power but the West of England and the West of Scotland both have felt the force of it 2. Tyrannus non civibus sed sibi gerit imperium neque publicae utilitatis sed suae voluptatis rationem habet c. He does not govern for the subjects well-fare or publick ultility but for himself having no regard to that but to his oun lust Acting in this like robbers who cunningly disposing of what wickedly they
under the bond of a Covenant with his people So thô he make never so many fair promises with the greatest Solemnities maintains a principle that he will keep no promises but when with whom he pleases and can get a Dispensation to break all when he likes This is Iames his Ingenuity Sure in this case Such as are so Characterized Declare themselves so far from being Princes that they profess befor the world they are no more men to be conversed with for if neither their words Writs vowes promises Oaths Declarations nor Protestations can bind them what Society can be had with them Are they not to be looked upon carried towards as Common Enemies of Morality Religion Righteousness Liberty Humanity yea even of Mankind it self Now then let the world be Judge if the people of Scotland can be judged in Conscience Reason Prudence Policie or any imaginable way bound to oune their Authority being so Stated and by the Act Rescissory all humane ground rescinded that ever it shall be otherwise let them go seek other slaves where they can find them for we will not sell our selves posteritie to Tyrants as slaves nor give up our Religion and the exercise of it to the Mouldings of the Court. II. In the Second place It being clear from these forementioned Instances that Tyrants Uusurpers have been disouned And it being also as clear as light can make any thing from the foregoing Account of their Government and all the Characters of Truculency Treachery Tyranny conspicuously relucent therein that these two Gentlemen whose Authority we are pressed to oune were Tyrants Usurpers It remains therefore to prove from all dictates of Reason about Government that their pretended Authority could not nor cannot be ouned For the Argument runs thus The Authority of Tyrants Uusurpers cannot be ouned But the Authority of Charles Iames was is the Authority of Tyrants Usurpers Ergo their Authority cannot be ouned Now it s the Major of this Syllogisim that I under take to prove The Minor being so clear from their History that to prove it by witnesses were actum agere 1. All Authority to be ouned of men must be of God and ordained of God for so the Apostle teacheth Expressly Rom. 13. 1. c. Which is the alone formal reason of our Subjection to them and that which makes it a damnable sin to resist them because it is a resisting the Ordinâ—nce of God. The Lord ounes Himself to be the Author of Magistrats Prov. 8. 15. By me Kings reign and Princes decree Iustice. As He is the Author of man and hath made him a sociable Creature so He is the Author of the Order of humane Society which is necessare for the Preservation of Mankind He being the God of Order not of Confusion And this must hold not only of the Supreme Authority but of subordinate Magistrates also for they must be included in the higher Powers to whom we must be subject Rom. 13. And they that resist them resist Gods Ordinance too Their judgment is Gods as well as the judgment of the Supreme Magistrate Deut. 1. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 6 8. They are called Gods among whom the Lord judgeth Psal. 82. 1. He speaketh not there of a Congregation of Kings We are to be subject to them for the Lords sake as well as to the Supreme Magistrat 1. Pet. 2. 13. Therefore all Magistrats superior Inferior are ordained of God in the respective Places It s true Peter calls every degree of Magistracy an Ordinance of man not that he denies it to be an Ordinance of God for so he would cantradict Paul Rom. 13. but termes it so Emphatically to commend the worth of obedience to Magistrats though but men when we do it for the Lords sake Not effectively as an invention of men but subjectively because exercised by men created invested by humane suffrages considered as men in Societie and objectively for the good of man and for the external Peace safety of man thereby differenced from the Ministry an Ordinance of Christ for the spiritual good of mens souls Hence Those Rulers that are not of God nor ordained of God cannot be ouned without sin But Tyrants Usurpers are the Rulers that are not of God nor ordained of God but are set up and not by Him c. Hos. 8. 1-4 Therefore they cannot be ouned without sin I refer it to any man of conscience Reason to judge if these Scriptures proving Magistracy to be the Ordinance of God for which alone it is to be ouned can be applyed to Tyrants Usurpers How will that Rom 13. read of Tyrants let every soul be subject to Tyrants for they are ordained of God as His Ministers of Iustice c. and are a terror to evil works and a praise to the good would not every man nauseate that as not the Doctrine of God Again how would that sound Prov. 8. By me Tyrants reign Usurpers decree injustice harsh to Christian ears Can they be said to be Gods among whom the Lord judgeth If they be they must be such as the witch of Endor saw Gods coming out of the earth when she raised the Devil in a very Catichrestical meaning as the Devil is called the God of this world And indeed they have no more power nor otherwise to be ouned than he hath for this is a Truth Tyranny is a work of Satan not from God because sin either habitual or actual is not from God Tyranny is sin in habit act Ergo The Magistrate as Magistrate is good in nature end being the Minister of God for good A Tyrant as a Tyrant is quite contrary Lex Rex saith well A power Ethical Politick or Moral to oppress is not from God and is not a power but a Licentious deviation of a power and no more from God but from sinful Nature the old Serpent than a licence to sin Quest. 9. Pag. 59. Hence sin a Licence to sin a Licencious sinning cannot be from God But Tyranny Usurpation absolute power encroaching upon all Liberties Laws Divine humane is sin a Licence to sin a Licencious sinning Ergo But to make this clear and to obviate what may be said against this let it be Considered how the powers that be are of God ordained of God. Things are said to be of God and ordained of God two wayes by His purpose providence and by His Word Warrant Things may be of God either of His Hand working or bringing them about ordaining ordering them to be to His Glory either by a holy overruling Providence as Samsons desire of a wife was of God Iudg. 14. 4. and Amaziahs insolent foolish rejection of Ioash his Peaceable overture 2 Chron. 25. 20. Or by a powerful effective providence So Rom. 11. 36. Of Him through Him are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. One God of whom are all things Or things be of
that we can put upon their snares for they reckon that a yeelding in part and are glead to find us so far justifying their acts impositions as by our offer practically to declare they bear a good sense and they will come many wayes to our hand to get us kooked so Secondly These things being premitted I shall offer Reasons why it was necessary in point of Conscience to Refuse all the Oaths hitherto tendered and Consequently Consciencious Sufferers upon this Account will be vindicated And first some General Reasons against all of them together and Then a Word to each sort of them 1. There is one General Argument that will Condemn coming in any terms of Oaths or Bonds with that party that have broken the Covenant overturned the Reformation and destroyed the people of the Lord Because such Transactions with them as is hinted above are a sort of Confederacy with the known Enemies of Truth Godliness importing a voluntary subjection to them Complyance Incorporation with them as members of the same Community whereof they are acknowledged to be head Now all such sort of Confederacy with such malignant Enemies of God and of the Church is unlawful as Mr. Gillespie demonstrates in his Useful Case of Conscience concerning Associations Confederacies with Idolaters or any known Enemies of Truth Godliness Though Civil Compacts for common Commerce may be allowed as Abram was confederate with Aner Eshcol Mamre Gen. 14. 13. Iacob Covenanted with Laban by way of Lawborrowes Gen. 31. 44. But Sacred Confederations of this sort are unlawful from these Arguments 1. The Law of God condemns them Exod. 23. 32. Thow shalt make no Covenant with them nor with their gods they shall not dwell in thy Land lest they make thee sin against me Where not only Religious Covenants are discharged in a tolleration of their Idolatry but familiar Conversation also they shall not dwell in thy Land. If then we must not suffer them if in Capacity sure we must far less be imposed upon by them if we are not to be familiar with heathens far less with Apostates that calls themselves Christians for the Apostle layes much more restraint from communion with them than with Pagans 1 Cor. 5. 10 11. The reason of the Law lest they make thee sin as long therefore as there is that hazard of sinning the Law obliges to that caution So Exod. 34. 12-16 Take heed to thy self lest thow make a Covenant with the inhabitants of the Land lest it be a snare but ye shall destroy their Altars lest thow make a Covenant with them and they go a whoring after their gods and thow take of their daughters unto thy sons Here again all Sacred Transactions are discharged upon a Moral perpetually binding ground and all Toleration is prohibited and Conjugal Affinity Such complyance brought on the first desolating Judgment the flood on the old world Gen. 6. 1 2 3. when the Godly conformed incorporated themselves and joined in affinity with that ungodly crew from whom they should have separated themselves Likewise Deut. 7. 2 3 4 5. Thow shalt make no Covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them neither shalt thow make marriages with them for they will turn away thy son from following Me so shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against yow but thus shall ye deal with them ye shall destroy their Altars Where all Transactions with a people devoted to destruction are discharged even that of tolleration of Malignant enemies according to which precept David resolveth to destroy early all the wicked of the Land and cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord Psal. 101. 8. Mark this All of what degree or quality so ever without respect of persons And lest it should be thought this is meant only of these seven Nations there enumerate the Law is interpreted by the Spirit of God of many other Nations where Solomon is condemned for joining in affinity with other wicked people besides these 1 King. 11. 1 2. So that it is to be understood generally against Confederacies with all to whom the Moral ground is applicable the danger of insnaring the people of God. It is clear likewise we must have nothing to do with the wicked but to treat them with them as enemies Psal. 139. 21 22. with whom as such there can be no Confederation for that supposes alwayes the enmity is laid aside but that can never be between the Professors of Religion and the professed Enemies thereof but that must alwayes be the language of their Practice Depart from me ye workers of iniquity for the Lord hath heard me Psal. 6. 8. The command is peremptory perpetual for sake the foolish Prov. 9. 6. make no friendship with them Prov. 22. 24. Say not a Confederacy to them Isai. 8. 12. Where it is clear from the opposition in that Text betwixt Confederating with the wicked and the fear of God that the one is not consistent with the other There is an express discharge to yoke or have any fellowship with them 2 Cor. 6. 14. to the end for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness what Concord hath Christ with Belial wherefore come out from among them and be separate 2. Many fad sharp reproofs for such Transactions Confederations do conclude the same thing Iud. 2. 1 2 3. Isaid ye shall make no league with the Inhabitants of this Land yow shall throw doun their Altars but yow have not obeyed my voice why have yow done this Wherefore I will not drive them out from before yow It cannot be expected the Lord will drive out these enemies if we swear subjection Allegiance come under Confederations with them for thereby we contribute actively to their settlement establishment and bring our selves not only under the miserie but the guilt of strengthening the hands of evil doers So Ier. 2. the people of God are reproved for making themselves home born slaves how by out-Landish Confederacies vers 18. Now what hast thow to do in the way of Egypt to drink the waters of Sihor or what hast thow to do in the way of Assyria The Chaldee Paraphrase hath it Nunc ergo quid vobis contrahendo Societatem cum Pharaone rege Egyptiorum quid vobis percutiendo faedus cum Assyria What have yow to do Associate with Pharaoh King of Egypt and what have yow to do to make a Covenant with the Assyrian So may we say what have we to do to take their Oaths Bonds that are as great enemies as they were Ephraim is reproved for mixing himself among the people Hos. 7. 8. by making Confederacies with them what followes he is a Cake not turned hot in the neither side zealous for earthly things but cold raw in the upperside remiss in the things of Christ. And this we have seen in our experience to be the fruit of such bargains or bonds or Oaths that they that were
Christs declared Enemies and do partake of Unitive Confederacies with them which are demonstrated to be sinful Head 3. Arg. 1. in gen Pag. Certainly such bargains cannot be discretive exacted and complied with by Persons no wayes incorporate together being only overcome by meer force since they are not only demanded and granted Acknowledgements of that Power that imposes them as legally Lording over them but obediential submissions to these wicked Laws that enacts them which is a formal justifying of these Laws For Laws cannot be obeyed except they be justified seeing Laws unjust and unjustifyable cannot be obeyed Therefore seeing the Payment of the Cess Locality Fynes stipends fees c. is an obediential Complyance with the Laws that enjoyn them that obedience can no more be justified than the Laws enacting such Payments which none can justify but he that is an enemy to those things for opposing which they are exacted If then Complyances with the wicked Impositions exactions of Arbitrary Dominators enemies to the Work People of God be in Scripture condemned then such Payments cannot be justified But such Complyances are condemned and cannot be approven This was Issachars brand that being a strong Ass he couched between burdens and bowed his shoulder to bear and became a servant to Tribute Gen. 49. 14. This was Asa's folly that he so far Complyed with Benhadad as to give money to take his help 1 King. 15. 18. Condemned by the Prophet Hanani 2 Chron. 16. 7. c. much more if he had given it to help him It s one of the instances of the Evil that Menahem did in the sight of the Lord 2 King. 15. 18 2c that when Pul the King of Assyria came against the Land he gave him a thousand talents of silver that his hand might be with him which he exacted of Israel This was certainly evil in the sight of the Lord for if the Confederacy was evil then this price to procure it was evil also And if Menahems exaction was evil then Israels Complyance was evil also for thus Ephraim was oppressed broken in judgement because he willingly walked after the Commandment Hos. 5. 11. It was also a part proof of Ahaz's Confederacy with Tiglith-Pileser King of Assyria that he sent money to him 2 King. 16. 8. Which to all the fearers of the Lord is condemned discharged Isai. 8. 12 13. Which if it was evil then also Hezekiahs Complyance with Sennacherib giving him money and offering to bear that which was put on him 2 King. 18. 14 15. was evil And also Iehojakims taxing the Land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharoh 2 King. 23. 35. was sinful to the Exacter and likewise to the Complyers These were all sinful Complyances and Confederacies with the wicked making their peace with them to whom they payed them Therefore all Peace-making payments by way of Unitive aggreement with the wicked must be sinful And accordingly in the time of Montrose the Gen. Ass. made an Act for Censuring the Complyers with the Publick Enemies of this Church Kingdom Iun. 17. 1646. Sess. 14. See Part. 1. Per. 5. Pag. 82. 5. Where these Exactions are extorted only as badges of bondage without Consent unto the Law imposing them it s a Case more suitable for lamentation then Censure that she that was Princess among the Provinces should become tributary Lam. 1. 1. But when they are Acknowledgemens of the Lawgivers and an exact obedience to the Law and voluntary agreement bargain with them strengthening them to the prosecution of their Mischiefs they cannot be free of the Imposers sin It was the sin of the men of Shechem and a proof of their hearts inclination to follow Abimelech that they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver enabling him to kill threescore ten persons and to hire vain light persons to follow him which they payed as an acknowledgement of his usurped Power Iudg. 9. 3 5. for which afterwards fire came out of the house of Abimelech devoured them Certainly a voluntary consent into a Mischief is a partaking with the sin of it a consent unto Theft is a partaking with it Psal. 50. 18. But if there be any consent unto a Mischief it must be when the person agrees it be done against himself and voluntarily subjects himself to the force of the Law imposing it and not only does not oppose or witness against the doing of it against others but yeelds to its reaching himself and gives what is demanded to strengthen the Robbers to exercise their Robberie over all As the Payer of the Cess Fynes Fees c. gives all the consent required of him to these Mischiefs framed into Law not only to rob himself but the Church Nation of its dearest Treasure the Gospel for the punishment of ouning which and as means to remove it these Payments are exacted But the Plea of the payers is that they are constrained to it and they do it against their will. Ans. 1 He who sayes he understands this that the Payer of these Exactions can purge himself of the guilt of them is like to buy an after wit at a dear rate Can it be thought by any man of knowledge conscience that so remote a force makes the deed unvoluntary whereby the payer is purged from the guilt of accession to the Imposers deed whom hereby in this very Imposition he ounes as his Representatives 2. The payment cannot be involuntary for the Law enjoyning it being the publick declared will of the Nation requires no other voluntareness but obedience and judgeth no other thing involuntareness but disobedience So that the Law being fatisfied it absolves the Satisfier from all transgression and looks npon all who yeeld obedience as equally willing and equally out of the reach of its appended penaltie in case of disobedience Neither are we to please our selves with other fancies fictitious unwillingness when real obedience is yeelded whereby the Law is satisfied and the Law-maker capacitated thereby to act all his intended Mischiefs For to be unwilling to part with money in the Case as it is no vertue in it self so I suppose there are few who will be sollicitous to purge themselves of this And to be unwilling from some struglings of light conscience is such an unwillingness as aggravates the guilt of the Giver and makes it more heinous in the sight of God and hateful in the eyes of all tender men The Law enjoyning such payments takes no notice of such reluctancies only requireth obedience and when that is yeelded the Law is satisfied as to the voluntareness of the Action and must construe the Agent a willing walker after the Command and a voluntary Complyer with the publick will of the Nation 3. It must be simply really truly a voluntary deed when there is Deliberation and Election The Law requiring these payments being promulgate every man must be supposed to put the question
without sedition withhold the fruits profits which your false Bishops Clergy most unjustly received of yow Upon which he subjoins the preceeding Arguments Yet now a dayes these have no weight but such as refuse either to pay Oppressors exactions or Curats stipends are condemned for giddy fools Again we find that when they were challenged for duty they would never decline a declaration of its righteousness nor do any thing directly or indirectly which might seem a condemning of it And therefore they wold receive no pardons for these things which they could not confess to be offences Iohn Knox challenged for offending the Queen had her promise that if he would confess an offence his greatest punishment should be but to go within the Castle of Edinburgh and immediatly to return to his own house he refused absolutely But now if our Pardon-mongers prudent men had been so circumstantiate surely they could have helped themselves with their distinctions they might confess be pardoned for offending the Queen thô not confess it to be a fault in their Conscience But Mr Knox had not learned that then When they were pursuing the Murder of King Henry of Darnely the Queen finding her self not strong enough offers to forgive pardon that insurection The Earle of Morton in name of all the rest did not only refuse a Cessation but told her they would not ask a pardon But now sufferers for refusing of these base unmanly aswell as unchristian Complyances are much condemned Finally because this strictness especially in their severity against their Enemies may be accused of Iewish rigidity inconsistent with a Gospel Spirit of Lenity which also is imputed to the much condemned sufferers of Scotland at this time for their Testimonies against Toleration Liberty of Conscience Let us hear what Knox sayes whatsoever God required of the Civil Magistrate in Israel or Juda concerning the observation of true Religion during the time of the Law the same doth He require of Lawful Magistrates professing Christ Jesus in the time of the Gospel And Cites a large Testimony out of Augustine to this purpose And afterward objecting to himself the practice of the Apostles who did not punish the Idolatrous Gentiles he answers That the Gentiles being never avowed to be Gods people before had never received his Law and therefore were not to be punished according to the rigor of it to which they were never subject being strangers from the Commonwealth of Israel But if any think after the Gentiles were received in the number of Abrahams children and so made one people with the Jewes beleeving then â—hey were not bound to the same obedience of Israels Covenant the same seems to make Christ inferior to Moses and contrare to the Law of His heavenly Father for if the Contempt and transgression of Moses's Law was worthy of death what judge we the contempt of Christs ordinance to be And if Christ be not come to dissolve but to fulfill the Law of His Heavenly Father shall the Liberty of His Gospel be an occasion that the special glory of His Father be troden under foot and regarded of no man God forbid And therefore I fear not to affirme that the Gentiles be bound by the same Covenant that God made with His people Israel in these words Beware that thou make not any Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land but thou shalt destroy their Altars c. When therefore the Lord puteth the Sword in the hand of a people they are no less bound to purge their Cities Countreyes from Idolatrie then were the Israelites what time they received the Possession of the Land of Canaan III. For the head of Resistence of Superior powers we have no clearer instances in any Period then in this where of the above mentioned hints give some account to which in their sentiments arguments may be here subjoined They prised and improved this principle so much that they put it in their Confession of faith Art. 14. To save the Life of Innocents to repress Tyranny to defend the oppressed are among the good works of the Second Table which are most pleasing acceptable to God as these works are commanded by Himself And to suffer innocent blood to be â—hed if we may withstand it is affirmed to be sin by which Gods hot Displeasure is kindled against the proud unthankful world And if there were no more to render the late Test of Scotland detestable that condemns all resistence of Kings upon any pretence whatsoever this may make all Christians all men abhor the contrivance of it that that same Test that confirms this Thesis doth also impose the Antithesis upon Conscience It obliges to this Confession in the first part of it and to deny it in the Latter But no wonder that men of feared Consciences can receive any thing thô never so contradictory to it self And that men who deny sense and that principle irradicated in humane nature may also deny Conscience make a fool of it in sowdering Contradictories But not only did our Reformers assert this Truth for which now their children adhering to their Testimony suffer both rage and reproach but also gave their reasons for it As 1 Mr Knox in his first Conference with the Queen argues thus There is neither greater honour nor obedience to be given to Princes than Parents but so it is that the father may be stricken with a phrensie in the which he would slay his oun children now if the children arise take his weapon from him bind his hands do the children any wrong It is even so with Princes that would murder the Children of God subject to them their blind zeal is nothing but a very mad phrensie and therefore to take the sword from them and cast them into prison till they be brought to a more sober mind is no disobedience against Princes 2 In his Conference with Lithingtoun he proves the same point from the consideration of the justice of God punishing the people for not resisting the Prince The Scripture of God teacheth me saith he Ierusalem Iuda were punished for the sins of Manassoh If you alledge they were punished because they were wicked and not because the King was wicked the Scripture sayes expressly for the sins of Manasseh yet will I not absolve the people I will grant the whole people offended with their King but how to affirme that all Iuda committee the acts of his impiety hath no certainty who can think that all Ierusalem should turn Idolaters immediatly after Hezekias notable Reformation One part therefore willingly followed him in his Idolatry the other suffered him so were criminal of his sin even as Scotland is guilty of the Queens Idolatry this day In the same Discourse he makes it plain that all are guilty of Innocents murder who do not oppose it from Ieremies words in his defence before the Princes Know ye for certain if ye put me to death ye
that endeavour the defect of which through their former supineness gave no small encouragment to the Enemies They considered also what would be the consequence of that War declared against all the Faithful of tâ—e Land with a displayed banner prosecuted with fire â—word and all acts of horrid hostility published in printed Proclamations written in Characters of blood by barbarous souldiers so that none could enjoy Gospel Ordinances dispensed in Purity but upon the hazard of their lives And therefore to prevent frustrate these effects they endeavoured to put themselves in a posture And hereunto they were encouraged by the constant experience of the Lords countenancing their endeavours in that posture which alwayes proved successful for several years their enemies either turning their backs without disturbance when they observed them resolve defence or in their assaultings repulsed So that there was never a Meeting which stood to their defence got any considerable harme thereby Thus the Lord was with us while we were with Him but when we forsook Him then He forsook us and left us in the hands of our enemies However while Meetings for Gospel Ordinances did continue the wicked Rulers did not cease from time to time to encrease their numerous â—ands of Barbarous Souldiers for suppressing the Gospel in these field-Meetings And for their Maintinance they imposed new wicked arbitrary Cesses Taxations professedly required for suppressing Religion Liberty banishing the Gospel out of the Land and preserving promoting his Absoluteness over all Matters Persons Sacred Civil Which under that tentation of great suffering threatened to Refusers and under the disadvantage of the silence unfaithfulness of many Ministers who either did not condemn it or pleaded for the peaceable payment of it many did comply with it then and far more since Yet at that time there were far more Recusants in some places especially in the Western Shires than Complyers And there were many of the Ministers that did faithfully declare to the people the sin of it Not only from the illegality of its imposition by a convention of overawed and prelimited States but from the nature of that imposed Complyance that it was a sinful transaction with Christs declared Enemies a strengthening the hands of the wicked an Obedience to a wicked Law a Consenting to Christs Expulsion out of the Land and not only that but far worse than the sin of the Gadarens a formal Concurrence to assist His Expellers by maintaining their force a hiring our Oppressours to destroy Religion Liberty And from the fountain of it an Arbitrary power domineering over us and oppressing overpressing the Kingdoms with intollerable exactions That to pay it it was to entail slaverie on the posterity And from the declared end of it expressed in the very Narrative of the Act viz to levy maintain forces for suppressing dispersing Meetings of the Lords people and to shew unanimous affection for maintaining the Kings Supremacy as now established by Law which designs he resolved and would be capacitate by the Granters to effectuate by such a Grant which in effect to all tender Consciences had an evident tendency to the exauctorating the Lord Christ to maintain Souldiers to suppress His Work murder His Followers yet all this time Ministers Professors were unite and with one soul shoulder followed the Work of the Lord till the Indulged being dissatisfied with the Meetings in the fields whose Glory was like to overcloud obscure their beds of ease and especially being offended at the freedom faithfulness of some who set the Trumpet to their mouth and shewed Iacob his sins Israel his transgressions impartially without a clock or cover they began to make a faction among the Ministers and to devise how to quench the fervour of their zeal who were faithful for God. But the more they sought to extinguish it the more it brake out and blazed into a flame For Several of Christs Ambassadours touched affected with the affronts done to their Princely Master by the Supremacy and the Indulgence its Bastard brood brat began after long silence to discover its iniquity and to acquaint the people how the Usurper had invaded the Mediators Chair in taking upon him to depose suspend silence plant transplant His Ministers where when how he pleased and to give forth warrants Licences for admitting them with Canons Instructions for regulating them in the exercise of their Ministrie and to arraign censure them at his Courts for delinquencies in their Ministry pursuing all to the death who are faithful to Christ and maintain their Loyaltie to His Lawes and will not prostitute their Consciences to his lusts and bow doun to the Idol of his Supremacy but will oune the Kingly Authority of Christ. Yet others and the greater number of dissenting Ministers were not only deficient herein but defended them joyned with them and pretending prudence prevention of Schisme in effect homologated that deed and the practice of these Priests Ezek. 22. 26. teaching advising the people to hear them both by precept and going along with them in that Erastian Course And not only so but condemned censured such who preached against the sinfulness thereof especially in the first place Worthy Mr Walwood who was among the first Witnesses against that defection and Mr Kid Mr King Mr Cameron Mr Donald Cargil c. who sealed their Testimony afterwards with their blood yet then even by their Brethren were loaden with the reproachful Nicknames of Schismaticks blind Zeaâ—ots Iâ—suits c. But it was alwayes observed as long as Ministers were faithful in following the Lord in the way of their duty Professors were fervent And un-under all their Conflicts with Persecuters the courage zeal of the lovers of Christ was blazing and never out-braved by all the enemies boastings to undertake brisk Exploits which from time to time they were now and then essaying till defection destroyed and division diverted their zeal against the Enemis of God who before were alwayes the object against which they whetted the edge of their just Indignation Especially the insulting insolency insolent villanie of that publick Incendiarie the Arch-Prelate Sharp was judged intollerable by ingenuous Spirits because he had treacherously betrayed the Church Nation and being imployed as their delegate to oppose the threatened introduction of Prelacy he had like a perjured Apostate and perfidious Traitor advanced himself into the place of Primate of Scotland and being a member of Council he became a chief Instrument of all the Persecution and main Instigator to all the bloody violence cruelty that was exerced against the people of God by whose means the letter sent doun to stop the shedding of more blood after Pentland was keptâ— up until several of these Martyrs were Murdered Therefore in Iulij 1668. Mr Iames Mitchel thought in his duty to save himself deliver his Brethren and free the
for the honour of their Master and the freedom of their Ministrie Whereupon as many poor People were stumbled and jumbled into many confusions so that they were so bewildered bemisted in doubts debates that they knew not what to do and were tempted to question the Cause formerly so servently contended for against all opposition then so simply abandoned by these that seemed sometimes valiant for it when they saw them consulting more their oun ease than the Concerns of their Masters Glory or the necessity of the poor people hungering for the Gospel and standing in need of Counsel in time of such abounding snares whereby many became a prey to all tentations So the more zealous faithful after several Addresses Calls Invitations to Ministers finding themselves deserted by them judged themselves under a necessity to discountenance many of them whom formerly they followed with pleasure and to resolve upon a pursuit prosecution of the duty of the day without them and to provide themselves with faithful Ministers who would not shun for all hazards to declare the whole Counsel of God. And accordingly through the tender Mercy of God compassionating the exigence of the People the Lord sent them first Mr Richard Cameron with whom after his serious solicitation his Brethren denied their concurrence and then Mr Donald Cargil who with a zeal boldness becoming Christs Ambassadours maintained prosecuted the Testimony against all the Indignities done to their Master and wrongs to the Cause both by the encroachments of Adversaries and defections of their declining Brethren Wherein they were signally countenanced of their Master And the Lords Inheritance was again revived with the showres of the Gospels blessings wherewith they had been before refreshed and enlightened with a Glance Glimpse of resplendent brightness immediatly before the obscurity of this fearful night of darkness that hath succeeded But as Christ was then displaying His beauty to His poor despised persecuted People so Antichrist began to blaze his bravery in the solemn shameful reception of his harbinger that Pimp of the Romish whore the Duke of York Who had now pulled off the Mask under which he had long covered his Antichristian Bigotrie through a trick of his brother constrained by the Papists importunity and the necessity of their favour recruit of their Coyn either to declare himself Papist or to make his brother do it whereby all the locusts were engaged to his Interest with whom he entered into a Conspiracy and Popish Plot as was discovered by many infallible evidences and confessed by Coleman his Secretary to Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey for which lest he should witness against him when Coleman was apprehended that Gentleman was cruelly murdered by the Duke of Yorks contrivance command Yet for all the demonstrations of his being a Bigot Papist that he had long given unto the world it is known what some suffered for saying that the Duke of York was a Papist and being forced to leave England he was come to Scotland to promots Poperie Arbitrary Government However thô the Parliament of England for his Poperie Villanie and his ploting pursuing the destruction of the Nation did vote his Exclusion yet degenerate Scotland did receive him in great pompe pride Against which the forementioned faithful witnesses of Christ did find themselves obliged to testify their just resentment and to protest against his succeeding to the Croun in their Declaration published at Sanquhair Iune 22. 1680. Wherein also they Disoune Charles Stewart as having any Right Title or Interest in the Croun of Scotland or Government thereof as being foreâ—aulted several years since by his perjurie breach of Covenant Usurpation on Christs Prerogatives and by his Tyranny breaches in the very Leges regnandi in matters Civil And declare a war with him and all the men of these practices homologating the Testimony at Rutherglen and disclaiming that declaration at Hamiltoun This Action was generally condemned by the body of lurking Ministers both for the matter of it and the unseasonableness of it and its apparent unfeasibleness being done by a handful so inconsiderable for number strength or significancy But as they had very great important reasons to disclaim that Tyrants Authority hinted in the Declaration it self and hereafter more fully vindicated so the necessity of a Testimony against all the Tyrannical Encroachments on Religion Liberty then current encreasing and the sin shame of shifting delaying it so long when the Blasphemous Supremacy was now advanced to its summity the Churches Priviledges all overturned Religion and the Work of Reformation trampled under foot the Peoples Rights Liberties destroyed and Lawes all subverted and no shadow of Government left but arbitrary Absoluteness obtruding the Tyrants will for Reason and his Letter for the Supreme Law witness the Answer which one of the Council gave to another objecting against their Proceedings as not according to Law what devil do ye talk of Law have not we the Kings Letter for it And all the ends of Magistracy wholly inverted while innocent honest People were grievously oppressed in their persons Consciences Estates And Perjuries Adulteries Idolatries and all impieties were not only connived at but countenanced as badges of Loyaltie and manifest monstrous Robbries Murders Authorized Judgement turned into gall and the fruit of Righteousness into hemlock do justify its Seasonableness And the ends of the Declaration to keep up the Standart of the Gospel and maintain the Work of Reformation and preserve a Remnant of faithful Adherers to it the nature of the Resolution declared being only to endeavour to make good maintain their Revolt in opposition to all who would pursue them for it and reinforce them to a subjection to that yoke of slaverie again and the extremity of danger distress that party was in while declared pursued as Rebells and intercommuned interdicted of all supplie solace being put out of their oun and by Law precluded of the harbour of all other habitations and so both for safety subsistence compelled by necessity to concur keep together may alleviate the Censure and stop the Clamour of its unfeasibleness But thô it is not the prudence of the managment but the justness of the Action that I would have vindicated from obliquies yet it wanted nothing but success to justify both in the conviction of many that made much outcry against it In these dangerous in his maintainance of the true Covenanted Religion which homage they cannot now require upon the account of the Covenant which they have renounced disclaimed and upon no other ground we are bound to them the Croun not being an inheritance that passeth from Father to son without the Consent of Tenants 3 Of the hope of their returning from these Courses Whereof there is none seeing they have so often declared their purposes of persevering ill thein And suppose they should dissemble a repentance
1680. at the Torwood he excommunicated some of the most scandalous and Principal Promoters Abettors of this Conspiracy against Christ as formally as the present Case could admit After Sermon upon Ezek. 21. 25 26 27. And thou profane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come c. He had a short and pertinent discourse on the nature the subject the causes and the ends of Excommunication in general And then declared that he was not led out of any private Spirit or passion to this Action but constrained by Conscience of duty and zeal to God to stigmatize with this brand and wound with the Sword of the Lord these Enemies of God that had so Apostatized rebelled against mocked despised defied Our Lord and to declare them as they are none of His to be none of ours The persons excommunicated and the Sentence against them was given forth as followes I being a Minister of Iesus Christ and having Authority and Power from Him do in His Name by His Spirit excommunicatâ— cast out of the true Church and deliver up to Satan Charles the Second King c. The Sentence was founded upon these grounds declared in the pronunciation thereof 1 for his high mocking of God in that after he had acknowledged his own sins his fathers sins his mothers Idolatrie yet had gone on more avowedly in the same than all before him 2 for his great Perjurie in breaking burning the Covenant 3 for his rescinding all Lawes for establishing the Reformation and enacting Lawes contrarie thereunto 4 for commanding of Armies to destroy the Lords people 5 for his being an Enemy to true Protestants helper of the Papists and hindering the execution of just Lawes against them 6 for his granting Remissions Pardons for Murderers which is in the power of no King to do being expressly contrare to the Law of God. 7 for his Adulteries and dissembling with God man Next by the same Authority and in the same name he excommunicated Iames Duke of York for his Idolatrie and setting it up in Scotland to defile the Land and entycing encouraging others to do so Not mentioning any other sins but what he scandalously persisted in in Scotland c. With several other rotten Malignant Enemies on whom the Lord hath ratiâ—â—ed that Sentence since very remarkably whose sins punishments both may be read more visiblie in the Providences of the time than I can record them But about this time when amidst all the abounding defections divisions of that dark dismal hour of tentation some in zeal for the Cause were endeavouring to keep up the Testimony of the day in an abstraction from Complying Ministers Others were left in holy judgment to be a stumbling block to the Generation hardening them in their defections and to be a beacon to the most zealous to keep off from all unwarrantable excesses to fall into fearâ—ul extravagances and delirious damnable delusions being overdriven with ignorant blind zeal into untroden paths which led them into a labyrinth of darkness when as they were stumbled at many Ministers their unfaithfulness so through the deceit of Sathan and the hypocrisie of his Instruments they came to be offended at Mr Cargil his faithfulness who spared neither left hand declensions nor right hand extremes and left him and all the Ministers not only disouning all Communion with those that were not of their way but execrating Cursing them and kept themselves in desert places from all Company where they persisted prodigiously in fastings and singing Psalms pretending to wonderful raptures Enthusiasmes and in fine I. Gib with 4 more of them came to that hight of Blasphemy that they burnt the Bible Confession of Faith. These were the sweet singers as they were called led away into these delusions by that Impostor Sorcerer Iohn Gib who never encreased to such a number as was then feared reported being within thirty most part women all which for the most part have been through Mercy reclaimed from that destructive way which through Grace the Reproached Remnant adhering to the foresaid Testimony had alwayes an abhorrence of Wherefore that ignorant impudent Calumnie of their Consortship with Gibs followers is only the vent of viperous Envy For they were the first that discovered them and whose pains the Lord blessed in reclaiming them and were alwayes so far from partaking with them that to this day these that have come off from that way and have offered the Confession of their scandal do still complain of their over-rigid severity in not admitting them to their select fellowships To which may be added this undenyable Demonstration that whereas the persecuâ—ing Courts of Inquisition did alwayes extend the utmost severity against the Ouners of this Testimony yet they spared them And the Duke of York then in Scotland was so weâ— pleased with Gib's Blasphemies that he favoured him extraordinarly and freely dismissed him This was a cloudy dark day but not without a burning shining light as long as that faithful Minister of Christ Mr Donald Cargil was following the Work of the Lord who shortly after this finished his Testimony being apprehended with other two faithful zealous Witnesses of Christ Mr Walter Smith and Mr Iames Boog who with 2 more were altogether at Edinburgh 27. Iulij 1681. Crouned with the Glory of Martyrdom Then came the day of the Remnants vexation trouble darkness dimness of anguish wherein who so looked unto the Land could see nothing but darkness sorrow the light darkened in the Heavens thereof wherein neither Star nor Sun appeared for many dayes and poor People were made to grope for the wall like the blind and to stumble in noon day as in the night While the Persecution advanced on the one hand a violent spait of defection carried doun the most part of Ministers Professors before it driving them to Courses of sinful scandalous Conformings with the times Corruptions Compearings before their Courts Complyings with their Commands paying of theis Cesses and other Exactions Taking of their Oaths Bonds and countenancing their Prelatical Church-Services which they were ashamed to do before And thereupon on the other hand the Divisions and Confusions were augmented and poor people that desired to cleave to the Testimony were more more offended and stumbled at the Ministers who either left the Land in that clamant Call of the peoples necessity or lurked in their own retirements and declined the duty of that day leaving people to determine themselves in all their perplexities as a prey to all tentations But the tender Pastor and Shepherd of Israel who leads the blind in the way they know not did not forsake a Remnant in that hour of tentation who kept the Word of His Patience and as He helped those that fell into the hands of Enemies to Witness a good Confession so He strengthened the zeal of the remaining Contenders against all the
words to express in short But in a word no Party of Tâ—rtars invading the Land or Crue of Cutthroats destroying the Inhabitants or the most Capital Malefactors could have been more violently opposed or more vigorously sought to be suppressed than these poor Meeters were But I must make some more special hints 1. They not only raised more forces to exhaust the strength substance of the already wasted Country and laid on continued from one terme to another that wicked exaction cruel oppression of the Cess for the same declared ends of suppressing banishing what remained of the Gospel and imposed Localities for maintaining the Souldiers imployed in those designs for refusing which many families were pillaged plundered quite impoverished besides the heating abusing them But also they went on unweariedly with their Courts of Inquisition pressing the Bonds of peace and dragging them like dogs to Prisons that would not subscribe them And for taking up in their Porteous Rolls the names of all that were suspect to have been at 〈◊〉 Inâ—urection which they gathered by the Informations of â—â—â—cophants and reputed them convict if being 〈◊〉 they did not appear and forced others to swear 〈◊〉 and delate upon Oath whom they did either â—ee or heard that they were in armes or went to Meetings And such as refused suffered bonds or banishment Yea having made it Criminal to reset harbour corrospond or converse with these whom they declared Rebels they thereupon imprisoned fined ruined vast numbers 〈◊〉 having seen or spoken with some of them or because they did not discover or apprehend them when they 〈◊〉 they might and even when they were not obliged and could not know whether they were obâ—oâ—ious persons or not for which many Gentlemen others were Indyâ—ed imprisoned and soâ—e arraigned condemned to death For these Causes the Country 〈◊〉 harrassed destroyed by four extraordinary Circuit 〈◊〉 successively going about with their numerous trainâ—â— whereby many were grievously oppressed and with their oppressions tempted with many Impositions of Conscience debauching Oaths Bonds to compear when called and to keep the Church and to refrain from going to Meetings c. and by these tentations involved in Complyances and Defections 2. To enrich themselves by these means with the spoyl of the Country did not satisfie these Destroyers but they must glut themselves with the blood of the Saints upon every pretext that they could catch under any colour of Law. As upon the account of Bothwel Insurrection many were cruelly executed to the death some Gentlemen and some Common Country men without any Legal Conviction by packing bloody Juries Assises most partially for their Murdering ends besides more than can be reckoned that were kept to perish in their imprisonments And not only for being actually in armes or any overt act of transgressing their wicked Lawes but even for their extorted opinion of things or because they could not condemn these necessitated Risings in armes to be Rebellion and a sin against God which they were forced to declare by terrible menacings of death torture they have been condemned to death making their arbitrary Lawes to reach the heart thoughts inward sentiments of the mind as well as outward actions Whereupon this became a Criminal question robbing many of their Lives Was the rising at Bothwel-bridge Rebellion and a sin against God And this another Was the killing of the Bishop of St Andrewes horrid Murther which if any answered negatively or did not answer affirmatively they were cruelly condemned to death for which first five innocent Christians were execute upon the spot where that Murtherer fell Tho they declared and it was known they were as free as the Child unborn and that some of them had never seen a Bishop that they knew from another man and were never in that place of the Country where he was killed And afterwards this was the constant question that all brought before them were troubled with which some avouching to be duty were dismembered alive their hands struck off and then hanged and their heads cut off when dead 3. After Sanquhair Declaration they observed the Jesuites rules more exactly especially that mentioned above to load the Opinions as are most obnoxious with all odious Constructions and to make it both Criminal to declare them and also Criminal to conceal wave their intrapping questions thereupon For after Mr Halâ— was killed at the Queensferrie and Mr Cameron with several worthies were slain at Airsmoss and after Mr Hackstoun for declining the Authority of his Murderers head and tail and for being accessory to executing Judgement upon the Arch-traitor or Arch-Bishop of St Andrewes thô he laid not his hands on him himself nor was present at the action but at a distance when it was done was tortured alive with the cuting off of his hands and then hanged and before he was dead ripped up his heart taken out carried about on the point of a knife and throun into a fire and afterwards his body quartered Then not only such as were with that litle handful at Airsmoss were cruelly murdered but others against whom they could charge no matter of fact were questioned if they ouned the Kings Authority which if any did not Answer affirmatively positively he was to look for nothing but exquisite torments by terrible kinds of tortures death besides And if any declared their judgement that they could not in Conscience oune such Authority as was then exercised or if they declined to give their thoughts of it as judging thoughts to be under no humane jurisdiction or if they answered with such innocent specifications as these that they ouned all Authority in the Lord or for the Lord or according to the Word of God or all just Lawful Authority these under-went suffered the Capital punishment of Treason And yet both for declining declaring their extorted Answers about this they were condemned as unsufferable Maintainers of Principles inconsistent with Government 4. But here as in Egypt the more they were afflicted the more they grew the more that the Enemâ—es rage was increased the more were the People inflamed to inquire about the Grounds of their Suffering seeing rational men and Religious Christians die so resolutely upon them And the more they insisted in this Inquisition the more did the number of Witnesses multiply with a growing increase undauntedness so that the then shed blood of the Martyrs became the seed of the Church and as by hearing seeing them so signally countenanced of the Lord many were reclaimed from their Courses of Complyance so others were daylie more more confirmed in the wayes of the Lord and so strengthened by His Grace that they choose rather to endure all Torture and embrace death in its most terrible aspect than to give the Tyrant his Complices any acknowledgment yea not so much as to say God save the King which was offered as the price of their life and
Covenants neither could they ever pretend any thing that might loose the obligation 8. That party in a Reformed Church which having overturned her Reformation hath shut out laid aside persecute away sound adherers thereunto both Ministers Professors will not admit Ministers to officiate but upon the sinful termes of complyance with their way are Schismaticks But the Prelats and their Curats are that party in this Reformed Church which having overturned her Reformation hath shut out laid aside and Persecute away sound adherers thereunto c. Therefore they are the Schismaticks to be withdrawn from and their way is the Schisme which we are bound to extirpate in the Covenant HEAD II. The Sufferings of many for Refusing to oune the Tyrants Authority vindicated THe other Grand Ordinance of God Magistracy which He hath in His Soveraign Wisdom Justice Goodness appointed ordained consecrated for the demonstration illustration vindication of His oun Glory and the Communication Conservation and Reparation of the Peace safety order Liberty and universal good of mankind is next to that of the Ministry of Greatest Concern wherein not only the Prudence Policie Propertie Libertie of men but also the conscience Duty Religion of Christians have a special Interest And therefore it is no less important pertinent profitable necessary for every one that hath any of these to care contend for keep or recover to inquire into and understand somthing of the institution constitution nature boundaries of the Sacred ordinance of Magistracy than into the holy ordinance of the Ministry So far at least as may consist with the sphere of every ones Capacity Station and may conduce to the satisfaction of every ones conscience in the discharge of the duties of their relations Every private man indeed hath neither capacity concern nor necessity to study the Politicks or search into the secrets or Intrigues of Government no more then he is to be versed in all the Administrations of Ecclesiastical Policy and Interests of the Ministry yet every mans Conscience is no less concerned in distinguishing the Character of Gods Ministers of Justice the Magistrats to whom he owes ounes allegiance that they be not usurping Tyrants everting the Ordinance of the Magistracy than in acknowledging the Character of Christs Ministers of the Gospel to whom he owes ounes obedience that they be not usurping Prelats or Impostors perverting the Ordinance of the Ministry The Glory of God is much concerned in our ouning keeping pure intire according to His will word both these Ordinances And our Conscience as well as Interest is concerned in the advantage or hurt profit or prejudice of the right or wrong observation or prevarication of both these ordinances being interested in the advantage of Magistracy and hurt of Tyrannie in the State as well as in the advantage of the Ministry and hurt of Diocesan or Erastian Supremacy in the Church in the advantage of Ltberty and hurt of slavery in the State as well as in the advantage of Religion and hurt of Profaneness in the Church in the profit of Lawes and prejudice of Prerogative in the State as well as in the profit of Truth and prejudice of Error in the Church in the profit of Peace and true Loyalty and prejudice of oppression and Rebellion in the State as well as in the profit of Purity Unity and prejudice of Defection Division or Schisme in the Church So that in Conscience we are no more free to Prostitute our Loyalty Liberty absolutely in ouning every Possessor of the Magistracy than we are free to Prostitute our Religion faith implicitely in ouning every Pretender to the Ministry This may seem very Paradoxical to some because so dissonant dissentient from the vulgar yea almost Universal and invetrate opinion Practice of the world that hitherto hath not been so precise in the matter of Magistracy And it may seem yet more strange that not only some should be found to assert this but that any should be found so strict and strait-laced as to adventure upon suffering and even to Death for that which hath hitherto been seldom scrupled by any that were forced to subjection under a yoke which they had no force to shake off and wherein Religion seems litle or nothing concerned for not ouning the authority of the present Possessors of the place of Government which seems to be a Question not only excentrick extrinsick to Religion but such a State question as for its thorny Intricacies difficulties is more proper for Politicians Lawyers to dispute about as indeed their debates about this head of Authority have been as manifold multiplied as about any one thing than for Private Christians to search into and suffer for as a Part of their Testimony But if we will cast off Prejudices and the Tyrannie of Custom and the bondage of being bound to the worlds Mind in our inquiries about Tyrannie and suffer our selves to Ponder impartially the importance of this matter And then to state the question right We shall find Religion Conscience hath no small interest in this business They must have no snall Interest in it if we consider the importance of this matter either extensively or objectively or Subjectively Extensively considered it is the Interest of all mankind to know and be resolved in Conscience whether the Government they are under be of Gods Ordination or of the Devils administration whether it be Magistracy or Tyrannie whether it gives security for Religion Liberty to themselves and their posterity or whether it induces upon themselves and entails upon the posterity slavery as to both these invaluable Interests whether they have matter of praise to God for the blessings mercies of Magistracy or matter of Mourning for the plagues miseries of Tyrannie to the end they may know both the sins snares Duties dangers Case Crisis of the times they â—ive in All men that ever enjoyed the mercy of a right Constitute Magistracy have experienced and were bound to bless God for the blessed fruits of it And on the other hand the world is full of the Tragical Monuments of Tyrannie for which men were bound bath to search into the Causes and see the effects of such plagues from the Lord to the end they might mourn over both And from the begining it hath been observed that as Peoples sins have alwayes procured the Scourge of Tyrannie So all their miseries might be refounded upon Tyrants encroachments Usurping upon or betraying their Trust and overturning Religion Lawes Liberties Certainly Mankind is concerned in point of Interest Conscience to inquire into the cause Cure of this Epidemick distemper that hath so long held the world in miserie and so habitually that now it is become as it were Natural to lye stupidly under it that is that old Ingrained Gangrene of the Kings Evil or Complyance with Tyrannie that hath long
Covenant that made him King doth oblige to unmake him Whatever power he hath it is only a borrowed fiduciary power as the Nations Publick servant and that which was lent him in Pledge or paun may be reclaimed when abused by him Especially if he turn parricide Kill his brother murder his nobles burn Cities then he may ought to be punished by Law. Otherwise God should have provided better for the safety of the part than of the whole though that part be but a mean for the safety of the whole for if he turn Tyrant in his absoluteness the people must be destroyed if they may not repress him thus he is secured and the whole exposed to ruine Yea if he be a man as well as a King he must be under rule of Law and when he transgresses either his transgressions are punishable by men or they are not transgressions with men See many Arguments to this purpose in Lex Rex Quest. 14. 19. 22. 23. 24. 26. 27. But Secondly I prove it by Scripture 1. Even as King he is regulated by Law not to multiply horses nor wives nor money but to keep the words of the Law and not lift up himself above his brethren Deut. 17. 16 17 19 20. he must observe to do according to the Law and not turn from it to the right hand or to the left Iosh. 1. 7. Ergo he must not be absolute 2. He is certainly under that Law Math. 7. 12. what so ever ye would that men should do to yow do ye even so to them which is the universal fundamental Law. If then he would have us keeping in our line of subordination to him he must keep his line and so cannot be absolute 3. What is Gods dwe peculiar Prerogative can be ouned in no Mortal But Absolute power is Gods due peculiar Prerogative He alone does whatsoever pleaseth Him Psal. 115. 3. He alone worketh alle things after the Counsel of His oun will Eph. 1. 11. Acts or Commands founded upon the sole pleasure of the Agent are proper to God. Its Gods will and not the Creatures that can make things good or just It s Blasphemy therefore to ascribe absolute power to any Creature 4. That which the spirit of God condemned as a point of Tyranny in Nebuchadnezzar that is no prerogative to be ouned but the Spirit of God condemned this in him proceeding from absolute power that whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive whom he would he set up and whom he would he put doun And his heart was lifted up Dan. 5. 19. 20. 5. That which God condemns threatens in Tyrants in the Word in General cannot be ouned but Absolute power God condemns thereatens in the word in general that they turned Iudgement into Gall and said have we not taken to us horns by our oun strength Amos. 6. 12. 13. 6. The Word of God speaks nothing of the Kings Absolute prerogative to make Laws as he will. It is plain the Kings of Iudah had it not but the Sanhedrin had a great part of the Nomothetick power and of the punitive power in a special manner the Princes people had it by Ieremahs acknowledgment Ier. 26. 14. And Zedekiah confesses to them the King is not he that can do any thing against yow Ier. 38. 5. 7. we find the King in Scripture had not an absolute power to expone or execute the Law as he would Saul made a Law 1 Sam. 14. 2â— Cursed be the man that eats any food until evening But expening it thinking to execute it after a Tyrannical manner he was justly resisted by the people who would not let him kill innocent Ionathan 8. Nor had he the sole power of Interpreting it for inferior Judges were Interpreters who are no less essential Judges than the King who are set to Judge for the Lord and not for the King 2 Cron. 19. 6. and therefore they were to expone it according to their oun conscience and not the Kings They were to speak righteousness Iudge uprightly Psal. 58. 1. hence called Gods as well as Kings Psal. 82. 1. There was no essential Difference between a King of Gods approving and a Judge there being but one Law to both Deut. 17. 9. he was subject to judgment as well as others for being but a brother even while on the throne who was not to lift up his heart above his brethren Deut. 17. ult When his Cause was to be judged his person though never so great was not to be respected nor were they to be afrayed of the face of man for the judgment was Gods Deut. 1. 17. therefore the Judges were to give out sentence in judgment as if the Lord were to give it out There was no exception of Kings there Yea we find according to common Law they judged punished offending Kings as shall be made appear 10. If they were under Church Censures then they were not absolute but we find Kings were under Church Censures not only rebuked sharply to their face of which we have many instances but also subjected to Church discipline as Uzziah shut up for his Leprosie And certainly at all times this must be extended to all for the King is either a brother or not If not then he should not be King according to the Scripture Deut. 17. 15. then also he is not a Christian nor can he say the Lords Prayer If he be then if a brother offend he is subject to the Church Math. 18. there is no exceptions of Kings there The Objection from Eccles 8. 3. 4. he doth whatsoever pleaseth him where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what doest thow is of no significancy here For. 1. This Argument will enforce absolute obedience if the power be to be taken absolutely for it is obedience that is there commanded and so we must not only oune the absolute Authority but obey it without reserve which never any yet had the impudence to plead for until Iames the unjust claimed it in a Scots Proclaimation but we answer It is better to obey God than man 2. If he may do whatsoever pleases him then he may turn Priest then he may kill whom he pleases take possession and yet for Saules Usurpation Samuel could say more than what doest thow even to tell him he had done foolishly and his Kingdom should not continue 1 Sam. 13. 13. 14. And for Ahabs Tyranny Elâ—ah could tell him the dogs shall lick thy blood even thine 1 King. 21. 19. And Ezekiel thow profane wicked-Prince of Israel Ezek. 21. 25. 3. The meaning is then only this that a righteous King his just power may not be controlled he is armed with power that may not be resisted for he beareth not the Sword in vain and therefore we must not stand in an evil matter against them I conlude then this Argument with the words of an Ingenious Author upon this
same subject both in Thesi Hypothesi whosoever shall offer to rule Arbitrarly does immediatly cease to be King de jure seeing by the fundamental Common Statute-Laws of the Realme we know none for Supreme Magistrate Governour but a limited Prince and one who stands circumscribed bounded in his power Prerogative Ill effects of animosities Pag. 17. 7. From what is said this is the result that it is essentially necessary to a Moral power Authority to have a right title without which we can oune none but as a Tyrant sine Titulo For what is Authority but a right to rule if then it have not a right it is not Authority This will be undeniable if we consider that as Private dominon or Property consists in a right to enjoy So Publick dominion in a right to rule Some things indeed are exposed to the common arbitrary use of every man and also at the begining by reason of the fewness of mankind Dominion was not reduced to distinct Property yet now upon the Multiplication of Occupants of necessity it must be stated by peculiar appropriation from the Law of Nature and by the Grant of the Supreme King who hath given the earth to the Children of men Psal. 115. 16 not to be catched up as the food of beasts which the stronger seise and the weaker get only what the other leave them but divided by right as an Inheritance by Him who separated the Sons of Adam and set the bounds of the People Deut. 32. 8. Especially Publick Dominion cannot be without a foundation for its relation to the subjected and must be so tied up that it may be said this man is to command and these are to obey I shew that Authority is from God both by Institution Constitution so that the Subjects are given to understand such an one is singled out by God to sustain this Authority by prescribing a rule for mens entry into the Authoritative relation whereby He communicates that power to them which is not in others and which otherwise would not be in them Hence it is that Orderly admittance that must give the right and upon mens having or not having such an entrance to it depends the reality or nullity of the power they challenge Where therefore there is no Lawful Investure there is no Moral power to be ouned otherwise Iohn of Leyden his Authority might have been ouned the unlawfulness of such a power consists in the very tenore it self and if we take away the use or holding of it we take away the very being of it it is not then the abuse of a power Lawfully to be used but the very use of it is unlawful But in the Usurpation of this Man or Monster rather that is now mounted the Throne there is no Lawful investure in the way God hath appointed as is shewed above Ergo there is no Moral power to be ouned To clear this alitle further it will be necessary to remove the ordinary Prentences pleaded for a Title to warrant the ouning of such as are in power Which are three chiefly viz. Possession Conquest and Hereditary Succession The first must be touched more particularly because it hath been the originate error spring of all the stupid mistakes about Government and is the pitiful plea of many even Malecontents why this Mans Authority is to be ouned asserting that a person attaining occupying the place of power by whatsoever means is to be ouned as the Magistrate But this can give no right for 1. If Providence cannot signify Gods approbative ordination it can give no right for without that there can be no right But Providence cannot signify His approbative Ordination because that without the warrant of His Word cannot signify either allowance or dissallowance it is so various being often the same to Courses directly contrary and oftentimes contrary to the same Course sometimes favouring it sometimes crossing it whether it be good or bad And the same Common Providence may proceed from far different Purposes to one in Mercy to another in Judgment And most frequently very disproportionable to mens wayes Providence places sometimes wickedness in the place of Iudgment and iniquity in the place of righteousness Eccless 3. 16. that is not by allowance By Providence it happens to the just according to the work of the wicked and to the wicked according to the work of the righteous Eccless 8. 14. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked Eccel 9. 1. It were a great debasing of the Lords anointed to give him no other warrant then sin hath in the world or the falling of a Sparrow 2. Either every Providential Possession in every ease gives a title Or God hath Declared it as a Law that it shall be so in this particular matter of Authority only The first cannot be said for that would justify all robbery Nor the second for where is that Law found Nay it were impious to alledge it for it would say there is no unjust Possessor or Disorderly occupant but if he were once in the Possession he were right enough And then Usurpation would be no sin 3. If none of the Causes of Magistracy be required to the producing of this Possessory power then it cannot give or have any right for without the true Causes it cannot be the true effect and so can have no true right to be ouned But none of the Causes of Magistracy are required to the production of this neither the Institution of God for this might have been if Magistracy had never been instituted Nor the Constitution of men for this may usurp without that 4. That which must follow upon the right and be Legitimated by it cannot be ouned as the right nor can it give the title But the Possession of the power or the Possessory exercise thereof must follow upon its right and be legitimated by it Ergo A man must first be in the relation of a Ruler before he can rule and men must first be in the relation of subjects before they obey The Commands of Publick Justice to whom are they given but to Magistrats They must then be Magistrats before they can be ouned as the Ministers of Justice he must be a Magistrate before he can have the power of the Sword he cannot by the power of the Sword make himself Magistrate 5. That which would make every one in the Possession of the Magistracy a Tyrant can not be ouned But a Possessory occupation giving right would make every one in Possession of the Magistracy a Tyrant can not be ouned But a Possessory occupation giving right would make every one in Possession a Tyrant for that which enervats takes away that necessary Distinction between the Kings personal Capacity his Legal Capacity his natural his moral power will make every King a Tyrant seeing
further threatens that they should be removed into all Kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh for that which he did in Ierusalem Ier. 15. 4. Certainly these passages were recorded for our Learning Rom. 15. 4. and for our examples to the intent we should not do as they did 1 Cor. 10. 6. and for our admonition vers 11. Whence we may be admonished that it is not enough to keep our selves free of publick sins of Rulers Many of those then punished were free of all actual accession to them but they became accessory to and involved in the guilt of them when they did not endeavour to hinder them and bring them to condign punishment for them according to the Law of God which respecteth not persons or at least because they did not revolt from them as Libnah did There might be other provocations on the peoples part no doubt which the Lord did also punish by these Judgments â—ut when the Lord specifies the sin of Rulers as the particular procuring Cause of the Judgment it were presumption to make it the Occasion only of the Lords punishing them for plain it is if these sins of Rulers had not been committed which was the ground of the threatening execution the Judgment would have been prevented And if people had bestirred themselves as became them in repressing restraining such wickedness they had not so smarted And when that sin so threatened punished was removed then the Judgment it self was removed or deferred It is just necessary that the subjects being Jointly included with their Rulers in the same bond of fidelity to God be lyable to be punished for their Rebellion Apostasie when they continue under the bond of subjection to them But how deplorable were our Condition if we shold stand obnoxions to divine Judgments for the Atheisme Idolatry Murders Adulteries of our Rulers and yet be neither Authorized nor Capacitated to hinder it nor permitted to withdraw our selves from subjection to them But it is not so for the Lords making us responsable for their debt is an impowering us either to repress their wickedness when He gives us Capacity or at least to save our selves harmless from their Crimes by disouning them that being the only way of standing no longer accountable for their faults 12. It remains to Consider the Ends for which Government was institute by God and constitute by men from whence I Argue That Government that destroyes the Ends of Government is not to be ouned But Tyranny and especially this under which we houl destroyes all the Ends of Government Ergo it is not to be ouned The Minor I prove thus That Government that destroyes Religion Safety destroyes all the Ends of Government But this Popish arbitrary Absolute power destroyes Religion Safety Ergo It is evident both from the Laws of Nature Revelation that the Ends of Government are the Glory of God the good of Mankind The first is the Glory of God the ultimate end of all Ordinances to which whatever is opposite is not to be ouned by them that fear Him whatever power then is destructive to Religion and is applyed imployed against the Glory of the Uuniversal King and for withdrawing us from our fealtie obedience to Him is nothing but Rebellion against the Supreme Lord Lawgiver and a Traiterous Conspiracy against the Almighty and therefore not to be ouned And they are enemies to Religion or strangers to it who are not sensible this hath been the design of the present Government at least these 27 years to overturn the Reformed Covenanted Religion and to introduce Popery Hence seeing a King at his best highest elevation is only a mean for preserving Religion and for this end only chosen of the people to be Custos utriusque tabulae keeper of both Tables of the Law he is not to be regarded but wholly laid aside when he not only moves without his sphere but his motion infers the ruine of the ends of his erection and when he imployes all his power for the destruction of the Cause of Christ and advancement of Antichrists giving his power to the beast he is so far from deserving the deference of the power ordained of God that he is to be looked upon treated as a Traitor to God and Stated enemy to Religion all Righteousness The Second End of Government is the good of the people which is the Supreme Cardinal Law Salus Populi est Suprema Lex Which cannot be denied if it be considered 1. For this only the Magistrate is appointed of God to be His Minister for the peoples good Rom. 13. 4. and they have no goodness but as they conduce to this end for all the power they have of God is with this Proviso to promote His peoples prosperity It were blasphemy to say they are His Authorized Ministers for their destruction to which if their Conduct degenerate they degrade themselves and so must be disouned He is therefore in his institution no more than a mean for this end and himself cannot be either the whole or half of the end for then he should be both the end the mean of Government and it is contrary to Gods mould to have this for his end to multiply to himself silver gold or lift up himself above his brethren Deut. 17. 17 20. if therefore he hath any other end than the good of the people he cannot be ouned as one of Gods moulding 2. This only is the highest pitch of good Princes ambition to postpone their oun safety to the peoples safety Moses desired rather than the people should be destroyed that his name should be razed out of the Book of life And David would rather the Lords hand be on him his fathers house than on the people that they should be plagued 1 Chron. 21. 17. but he that would seek his oun ambitious ends with the destruction of the people hath the spirit of the Devil and is to be carried towards as one possessed with that malignant spirit 3. Originally their power is from the people from whom all their dignity is derived with reserve of their safety which is not the donative of Kings nor held by concession from them nor can it be resigned or surrendered to the disposal of Kings since God hath provided in His universal Laws that no Authority make any disposal but for the good of the people This cannot be forfeited by the usurpation of Monarchs but being alwise fixed in the essential Laws of Government they may reclaim recover it when they please Since then we cannot alienate our safety we cannot oune that Authority which is inconsistent with it 4. The attaining this end was the main ground motive of peoples deliberating to constitute a Goverment and to choose such a forme because they thought it most conducible for their good and to admit such persons as fittest Instruments for compassing this end and to establish such
punishment inflicted be in a Judicial way and of what measures it pleases the Judge to determine I shall not controvert here Only I plead that Idolatrous Tyrants are not excepted from this Law and infer that if they ought to be punished they ought to be deposed And if they ought to be deposed they cannot be ouned when undenyably guilty of this Capital Crime as was urged above To this I may adde that part of that Prophetical Kings Testament who being about to leave the world under some Challenges of Mal-administration in his oun Government for which he took himself to the well ordered everlasting Covenant for pardon encouragment after he had shown what Rulers should be he threatens by Antithesis Tyrannicalâ—pretenders in these severe words which do also imply a precept and a direction how to deal with them 2 Sam 23. 6 7. But they of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron the staff of a spear and they shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place Let these words be understood as a threatening against all the wicked in general who ars to bequenched as the fire of thorns or particularly of the Promoters of Antichrists Kingdom in opposition to Christs as some Interpreters judge it will not weaken but confirm my Argument if Kings who are ringleaders of that gang be not excepted I know some do understand this of Rebells against righteous Rulers which though indeed it be a truth that they that are such should be so served and roughly handled with iron and the staff of a spear yet it is not so consonant to the scope connexion of this place shewing the Characters of righteous Rulers and of usurping Tyrants making an opposition between Rulers that are just ruling in the fear of God and those that are Rulers of Belial promising blessings upon the Government of the one contempt Rejection to the other and shewing how both should be carried towards Neither does it aggree with the words themselves where the supplement in our translation is redundant for it is not in the Hebrw the sons of Belial only They of Belial clearly relative to the Rulers of whom he was speaking before And indeed the word Belial in its Etymology is not more applicable to any than to Tyrants for it comes from beli non and Hhall supra because they will have none above them or from beli non and Hhol jugum because they cannot suffer a yoke but cast away the yoke of Laws and the yoke of Christ saying let us burst His bands c. Nor is it alwayes aggreeable to truth to understand it only of Rebells against righteous Rulers that they can never be taken with hands For as very rarely righteous Rulers have any Rebells to be the objects of their rigour rage So when there are any discreet wise Rulers will find many wayes to take touch them and quash or quiet them But it is alwise true of Tyrants for they can never be taken with hands neither in a friendly manner taken by the hand and transacted with in any bargain as other men for they that would do so will find them like pricking jagging bryers which a man cannot handle without hurt to himself Nor can they be any other way repressed or restrained or touched but by hands fenced with iron that is with the sword of necessity or ax of Justice And this is insinuated as duty so to endeavour to exstirpate eradicate such thorns as pester the Common-wealth but if it cannot be done it must be duty wisdom both not to medle with them nor oune them no more than Iotham who would not subject himself nor come under the shaddow of the bastard bramble I confess it is commonly taken as a threatening of the Lords Judgement against these Sons of Belial And so it is But it teacheth also what men are called to when they have to do with such to wit to take the same course with them as they would to clear the ground of thorns bryars And that it is restricted to the Lords immediate way of taking them off is not credible For it can have no tollerable sense to say they shall be thrust away because they cannot be taken with the Lords hands Neither is there need that He should be fenced with iron c. And let iron c. be taken tropically for the Lords sword of vengeance yet how can it be understood that He must be fenced there with or that He will trust them away as a man must be fenced against thorns What defence needs the Lord against Tyrants It is only then intelligible that the Lord in His righteous Judgement will make use of men legal means and of those who cannot take them with hands in His Judicial procedure against them Hence I argue If Tyrants are to be dealt with as thorns that cannot be taken with hands but to be thrust away by violence Then when we are not in case to thrust them away we must let them alone and not medle nor make with them and so must not oune them for we cannot oune them withount medling and without being pricked to our hurt But the former is true Ergo Of this same nature another threatening confuting the pretence of Princes impunity may be subjoined out of Psal. 82. 6 7. I have said ye are Gods and all of yow are Children of the most High but ye shall die like men fall as one of the Princes From which words the learned Author of the History of the Douglasses Mr David Hume of Gods craft in his discourse upon Mr Craigs Sermon upon the words doth strongly prove that the Scope is to beat off all Kings Princes Rulers from the conceit of impunity for their Tyrannical Dominations that they must not think to Domineer and do what they list and overturn the foundations or fundamental Laws of Kingdoms because they are gods as if they were thereby incontrolable and above all Law punishment no they must know that if they be guilty of the same transgressions of the Law as other Capital offenders they shall die like other men fall as Princes who have been formerly punished It is not to be restricted to a threatening of Mortality for that is unavoidable whether they Judge justly or unjustly and the fear thereof usually hath litle efficacy to deter men from Crimes punishable by Law Neither can it be understood only of the Lords immediate hand taking them away exclusive of mens legal punishment for expresly they are threatened to die like Common men and to be lyable to the like punishment with them Now common men are not only lyabl to the Lords immediate Judgement but also to mens punishment Hence if Tyrants and overturners of the foundations of the earth must be punished as other men then when
a Papist except upon supposition of his repentance relinquishing Poperie We must pray nothing but according to the Wil of God and it is not the Wil of God that they that have keep will not part with the Mark of the beast should be saved for he is adjudged of God to drink of the wine of His wrath Revel 14. 9 10. So we cannot pray for him as a Christian which he is not Nor as a Papist except that he may get repentance Nor can we pray for him as a King which he is not nor as a Tyrant except that he may repent of relinquish his Tyranny Usurpation for Tyrants as such cannot be saved no more than Papists as such for Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared Isai. 30. 33. We cannot then pray for his salvation except we pray for his repentance and relinquishing all his sins and so we must pray for his relinquishing his Kingship and that he may cease to be King for that is his sin that he hath made himself King without God and against the Laws of the Land. And now whilâ— he continues such we must complain in prayer not for his Misgovernment only but for that he Governs and desire to be delivered from him See Gees Magistrates Original pag. 258. But now considering what a Man and what a King he hath been guilty of Murder Adulterie Idolatrie under sentence of the Law both of God Man We can pray no otherwise for him than for a Murderer Adulterer or an Idolater We cannot pray for him as Cloathed with Authority or that the Lord may bless his Government for that is his sin our Miserie that he is a Governour And his Throne is a Throne of iniquity which we dare not pray may have fellowship with God. Can we pray that God would bless him on a Throne of iniquity Could we pray that the Lord would bless a Drunkard in his drunkenness abusing his enjoyments Or a Thief in Stealing his though he used his purchase never so soberly What if prevailing Robbers by Land or pyrats by sea preying upon all passengers should require this as the sign of subjection to them and only condition whereupon such as they apprehended overcame should be suffered to live that they should pray for preservation prosperity to them Would not this be wickedness thus to pray for Thieves Robbers And are not Tyrants the greatest of Thieves that rob destroy twenty for one of private Robbers And do they not require this as such a sign on such a Condition 6. Lastly then the plea will be reduced to this that it is exacted as a Badge of Loyaltie and Sign Tessera Sbibboleth of ouning the Authority Which I have at this length endeavoured to prove cannot be conscienciously Ouned by us in these circumstances And even by this Argument That Authority which we cannot pray for we cannot oune But we cannot pray for this Tyrannical Authority Ergo The Minor I trust is in some measure made manifest by what is said above And so I conclude this Head with that forme of prayer that I use for the King. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self lift up thy self thow Iudge of the Earth render a reward to the proud Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked Triumph Shall the Throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee that Frameth Mischief by a Law The Mighty Terrible God destroy all Kings people that put to their hand to alter destroy the House of God. Overturn Overturn Overturn this Throne of Tyraâ—ny and let it be no more until he come whose right it is HEAD III. The Refusing to Swear Subscribe the many unlawful imposed Oaths for which many have suffered great Cruelties Chiefly that of Abjuration which was the Cause of Several their Suffering to Death Vindicated ANother Great Head of Grievous Sufferings in this fatal Period hath been that during this Stated War between Christ and His Enemies in Scotland He hath no wanted Witnesses who in their Wrestlings for the Word of God and the Testimony which they held thought it their duty to refuse all illegally imposed wickedly required Transactions with His Declared Enemies and tampering any manner of way with them in taking or subscribing any of their conscience-conzening Impositions of deceitful destructive Bonds Oaths obtruded by men who have cast off all sense of a Deity or regard to Humanity upon the Consciences of poor people to debauch them and cast them doun from the only excellency or integrity that was left them Whereby though they have missed of their design as to some who through grace have escaped the snares of these fowlers and in resisting have overcome through the blood of the Lamb they have prevailed to inveigle the Generality even of the Professors of this Generation into such a degree of defection wretched Complyance with all their snares that as it Prognosticates universal desolation ineluctable if it be not prevented by Repentance as universal as the Complyance hath been So it proclaims the infamy of the Complyers perjurie as indeleble as their perfidie with whom they have complyed The Consideration of which woful Apostacie in its various steps by which it hath been propogated promoted ought to deter demur all the fearers of God that would not partake of its threatened punishment from venturing any more to come near the brink or border of such precipices and paths of the destroyer when so many have stumbled fallen been hooked snared taken yea not so much as to look near them lest they be left to follow their look but to stand aloof from every appearance of Transacting with these Man-Catchers yea Conscience-Catchers who are so cunning to ensnare destroy as their predicessors to whose sins Judgments also they serve themselves heirs are described by the Holy Ghost Ier. 5. 26. 29. They lay wait as he that setteth snares they sct a trap they catch men their houses are full of deceit therefore they are become great waxen rich shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord Many and manifold have been the snares traps gins laid in the way of Professors of this Generation Nation by these Mischief-hatchers these keen cunning persecuters the party now regnant or rather raging in madness malice against Christ and all that are Loyal zealous for His Interest against their Encroachings thereon Where by they have caught cozened many out of their Conscience have broken the neck of some the Peace of others the heart of not a few Yea no Nation can be instanced wherein so many Oaths Bonds have been imposed on peoples Consciences so nawseating for naughtyness number as well as noxious in their nature in an Age as have been in Scotland within these 27 years past on design to wast all remainder of Conscience or
ingaged in them have alwise in some measure fallen from their former fervor for Christ. Nay we shall find that such Transactions are seldom or never recorded in the Book of God without a reproof or some greater Mark of Gods displeasure put upon them which doubtless â—s set purposely as beacons that we may beware of them And therefore 3. We may take notice of many disallowed condemned examples on which the Lord sets marks of wrath as Ahabs Covenant with Benhadad 1 King. 20. 32. to the end Asa's Covenant with Benhadad which the Prophet calls a foolish deed 2 Chron. 16. from begin to vers 10. proceeding from an evil heart of unbelief as all such Transactions are over-awed Complyances Iehosaphats with Abab hath the same Censure though he kept himself free of Ahabs Idolatrie and Ahab seemed to have been penitent before he joined with him and his relation to him was very near the enemy of both was an Infidel the cause was good to recover a city of refuge the manner of his proceeding was Pious consulting the Prophets and his end good yet all this did not justify that wickedness related 2 Chron. 18. and reproved 2 Chron. 19. 2. Iehu the Prophet is sent to him Should thow love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. After this when he joined himself with Ahaziah who did very wickedly the Lord brake his works 2 Chron. 20. 35. to the end which made him afterwards mend his fault for he would not again joine with him when he sought the like Association 1 King. 22. 49. So Amaziah's bargain with the Israelites when the Lord was not with them is condemned by the Prophet admonishing him to disjoyne himself from them 2 Chron. 25. 7-10 And Ahaz his bargain with Tiglath-Pilnasser the Assyrian 2 Chron. 28. 16. c. is plainly disallowed 4. The complaints Confessions Lamentations of the Lords people mourning over this sin demonstrate the evil of it Ezra 9. 14. Should we again break thy Commandments join in affinity with the people of these abominations wouldst not thow be angry with us till thow hadst consumed us so that there should be no remnant nor escaping Psal. 106. 35. They were mingled among the heathen and learned their works All these commands Reproofs Examples complaints are written for our learning and being seriously laid to heart will sufficiently scare all the fearers of God to Join but stand aloof from all complyances conjurations or confederacies with the enemies of God directly or indirectly formally or interpretatively for fear of partaking of their sins and receiving of their plagues I insist the more largely on this Argument both because it will conclude that for which these proofs are adduced to condemn all bonding or bargaining with Malignant Enemies And because it will vindicate the aversion of this poor persecuted Remnant from associating in expeditions of war with promiscuous subverters perverters of the cause on which it were not so proper to my purpose to dilate any discourse in a distinct head while I must confine my self only to the heads of Sufferings Only because it may be Objected and it will be profitable to consider it that these Scriptures disprove only voluntary elective confederations with the wicked but cannot condemn necessitated subscriptions of Lawful Obligations when the matter is not sinful Nor come they home to the case of Prisoners who are constrained to transact treat and have to do with the men in power Otherwise if all bonds were unlawful then Prisoners might not procure Liberty for longer or shorter time upon bond bail to answer again when called Which yet is generally approven and practised without scruple and seems not to want a precedent in Scripture in that Iason gave such security Act. 17. 9. I shall therefore subjoin here some considerations by way of Answer to this 1. These Scriptures disprove all Covenants Exod. 23. 32. All confederacies Isai. 8. 12. all concord or aggreement with the men of Belial 2 Cor 6. 15. and without distinction of voluntary or over-awed Transactions all Unitive aggreements of whatsoever sort are discharged and can no more be restricted to the particulars there specified as if any other Covenant confederacy or concord might be Lawful that were not a joining in Marriage an assotiating in war or communion in Worship with them than the Moral grounds of these Prohibitions can be so restricted for the hazard of sin snares the hurt of faithless fears from whence they flow and the hatefulness of such unequal Conjunctions which are the grounds reasons of these Laws as may be seen in these forecited places cannot be restricted to the particulars specified But now all the tendered Oaths Bonds of our Adversaries when subscribed as they require yea even those Transactions of Prisoners for procuring their Liberty on terms of engaging to re-enter themselves according to aggreement with their persecuters are Unitive Covenants or Conditional aggreements giving solemn securities for their respective obligations upon terms wherein both parties accord for these bonds are given to them and not only before them as was said They are confederacies of the Subjected seeking the peace favours of their superiours which when over-awed are sinful to be made with wicked Enemies of Religion as well as when unconstrained for Ahaz his transaction with the Assyrian was forced out of fear and yet it is called a sinful confederacy not to be homologated by any of the fearers of the Lord Isai. 8. 12. They are concords and aggreements with the unrighteous sons of Belial and not about common matters but matters wherein Religion Righteousness are nearly concerned Can any think that these Commands are given with exception of Prisoners And that if any Isralite was Prisoner to these Nations he might make a Covenant with them for his Liberty upon an engagment to render himself Prisoner to them again Then he might give bond to Gods devoted enemies to bind up his hands from prosecuting the war with them which all Israel was obliged to do for if they might Covenant subjection to them then it would have been their sin to rebel as it was Zedekiahs sin to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar because it was breach of Covenant And so there might be a case wherein the Israelites notwithstanding of all these Prohibitions would bee obliged not to destroy nor break doun their Altars to wit if they made such a bargain with them for their Liberty to surrender themselves as their subjects Now we read many times they were brought under subjection and that as a punishment of their leaguing with them and yet they broke the yoke when they cried unto the Lord and never submitted any longer than they were able to deliver themselves Whence it is plain that they never bound themselves to such subjection by Oath bond or promise for that would have been no mercy which was purchased by Treachery 2. It is a voluntary
sayes he The draught of that petition which yow sent me speaks not one word of the Covenant of God for the adhering to which yow now suffer and which is the Object of mens hatred and the destruction whereof is the great work of the times and your silence in this nick of time appears to be a not confessing of Christ before men and yow want nothing to begen an uncleanly deliverance but the profession of silence which is professed by all that petition for such a bond when their address transaction speaks no more in favours of the cause than if they denied it It is plainly a coming out of prison without a Testimony which cannot consist with faithful zealous suffering for Christ and is far from the choise of Christs Witnesses who overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony recorded Heb. 11. 35. who were tortured not accepting deâ—iverance that they might obtain a better resurection 5. As it is Scandalous so it is very inconvenient unsuitable for the Confessors of Christ. In that not only they may be ignorant and much troubled to know what underhand â—ealings their friends may use sometimes to procure that Liberty without acquainting them and how odiously their Act of deliverance may be worded registred to the prejudice of the cause which they dare not testify against afterwards when they do know it for fear of many inconveniencies But also it cannot be vindicated from being a dishonourable shifting and puting off or casting off the Call of a Testimony and confessing either an inconstancy or impatience or unreadiness or want of resolution to confess or profess the Testimony for Christ without some respyte to gather new defences for it Whereas Christs Witnesses should be ready always to give an Answer to every man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them 1 Pet. 3. 15. And besides they involve themselves into the incumbrances of a doubtful suspence about the event whereas if they keep their first resolution condition with cheerfullness aloof from such bargains they know the utmost they have to fear or hope from men But now as it is Hard for them to come off without some sinful engagment and to continue any measure of faithfulness when they are out for fear of being soon called again so they bring themselves into many sad difficulties how to behave and cast themselves into many tentations unadvoidably However except of late a precedent of this practice can hardly be instanced among the Sufferers of Christ in former times but on the contrary many have refused such offers I shall only name one In the persecution of Qeen Mary of England Dr Sands Prisoner at London had the offer of Liberty upon the terms of such a bond finding bail to appear when he should be called but refused it absolutely and when a Gentleman without his knowledge having procured it by giving a thowsand pound Bond for him brought him forth and required his consent and observance of the obligation he would not consent to give any security and denied his resolution to observe it in the least whereupon the Gentleman very courteously told him he would stand to his hazard This was far more like the innocency of the dove but this new prudence resembles more the wisdom of the serpent Finally as for Iasons business which is so much harped upon by these Bonders 1 These were Rulers that he had to deal with all and not raging Tyrants 2 They were indifferent Arbiters between Iason and the Lewd fellowes that troubled him and not both Judge party he gave no security to his persecuters as these Bonders do but to the true Judges of the cause who impartially took cognizance of it from whom Iason might did expect right 3 This was before he was Prisoner being as free as his accusers and having the Law as free for him as it was for them whereby he could vindicate himself and abide the Law and be absolved by it which does not answer the case of Prisoners actually ingaged in called to a Testimony for Christ when there is no Law but what is established in opposition to Christ. 4 In the Original it is when they got satisfaction from him that is when he so cleared himself that they could not fasten any transgression upon him then they absolved him 2. All these Oaths solemn Securities that have been imposed in these times are dreadful heinous breaches of the Third Command by taking His Name in vain in the worst sort whereby the takers cannot be holden guiltless For it is impossible such Oaths Bonds however they be constructed can ever be taken with these requisite qualifications necessary to be observed in all Oaths and consequently in all Solemn promises or Bonds that are mentioned once for all Ier. 4. 2. where one that sweareth must do it in Truth in Iudgement in Righteousness 1. They cannot be taken in Truth which is a necessary qualification in all Oaths according to the definition of a true Oath Which is a Solemn Invocation of God for Confirmation of some true Lawful grave and weighty Useful worthy business wherein He is attested appealed unto that He as the only Searcher of hearts may give His Testimony to the Truth of the thing and punish the Swearer if he swear not in Truth And this Swearing in Truth does import require both Sincerity of the heart filled with Reverence and the awful apprehension of a present God And Simplicity of the mind well informed of the genuine meaning of the Oath that we have clear uptaking of it and take it not implicitely but with our oun understanding And also singleness honesty of the intention that it be not to deceive by puting any other sense than the imposer hath or will allow when he understands it So the meaning must be clear and such as may be obviously gathered from the Words and according as they are supposed to be understood by others especially them that exact the Oath for if they mean one thing and we another Gods Name is profaned and the end of the Oath frustrate and so all equivocations mental reservations are condemned As all Divine treating on Oaths teach and worthy Mr Durham particularly on the Third Command who Asserts that though we could devise some other meaning that might seem to make for us yet if that was not meant at first tendering but otherwise understood by him that did take it it will not absolve from the guilt of perjurie for an Oath is stricti juris and will not admit on any respct or account of interpretations prejudicial to the Native Truth of it lest it should be found to be according to Psal. 24. 4. a swearing deceitfully And afterwards he sayes Much less will it exempt a man from guilt that in swearing he had a meaning of the words contrary to what in common sense they bear and in the
causes of it all these reasons against it will be confirmed and it will further appear that the Proclamation it self is indirectly approved For though it might be sustained in the abstract that we may must renounce such Declarations founded on Principles inconsistent with Government and bearing such inferences as are specified in that Proclamation yet complexly considering what they mean by Government and what sort of Societie that is the Security whereof is said to be infringed by that Declaration And what is the Scope of that Narrative A renouncing of a paper contradictory thereto must be in so far a tacite approbation of that Proclamation For that Oath which renounceth what is contrary to such a Proclamation does justify the Proclamation But this Oath renounces what is contrary to the Proclamation and that only Ergo it justifies the Proclamation It is entituled as it was really designed for discovering such as oune or will not disoune the foresaid Declaration by them falsely nicknamed a late treasonable Declaration of war against his Majestie and the horrid principle of Assassination And the body of it discovers such hell-bred hatred of malice against that poor party destinated in their design to final total destruction and layes doun such Contrivances for their discovery and ruin that the heads hearts of the Inventors Authors may seem to be possessed inspired with the Devils immediatly assisting Counsell and the Clerks pen that drew it up to have been dipt in the Stygian lake and the Gall venome of hell Representing the Emitters Abetters Spreaders of that Declaration and all who have been joined in any of their Societies and all who either will oune or scruple to disoune the said Declaration in the manner by them tendered imposed which are the Generality of the most tender consciencious Christians in the Land under all the vilest most abominable odious terms their malice could invent as if they were Insolent desperate Rebells associated under a pretended forme of Government who had formerly endeavoured to disguise their bloody execrable principles but now had pulled off the mask and who think it a duty to kill Murder all who do any manner of way serve the present Rulers or bear charge under them who maintain principles inconsistent with all Government Society and tending to the destruction of the lives of their Loyal honest subjects Treacherous assassinating principles c. who now have declared their hellish intentions and for the better performance of their mischievons designs do lurk in secret and are never discerned but in the acts of their horrid assassinations and passing up doun among the Kings Loyal subjects take opportunity to murder assassinate like execrable Rebells And Calling that Declaration an execrable damnable Paper c. All which are execrable damnable lies and forgeries of the father of them and a Charge which all their Sophistrie can never make out in any particular Yet by them amplified to a swelling hight of heinousness And among other circumstances aggravated from their frequent refusing the reiterated Offers of their Clemency by which they understand their contempt of their presumptuous Christ-defying and Church-destroying Indulgences and their not submitting to their insnaring base Indemnities or their conscience-cheating Bonds Oaths by them so finely busked From these impudently pretended premises in their falsly forged viperous Narative they lay doun their bloody Methods Measurs for prosecuting that poor people with all rigour of Savage Severity Ordaining that whosoever shall oune that Declaration and the principles therein specified which is a lager Dilatation of their meaning than their pretended restriction in so far as c. and gives a further discovery of the intent of the Oath that gives a Covert stroke to all the principles of our Reformation which are reductively specified in that Declaration or whosoever shall refuse to disoune the same shall be execute to the death And commanding all subjects to concur and do their utmost endeavour to seek search delate apprehend all such under the severest penalties of the Laws And to difference the good from the bad meaning their oun Associates friends from Christs followers by discriminating signs Declaring it their pleasure and requiring all past the age of sixteen years not to presume to travel without Testificates of their Loyaltie good principles by taking the Oath of Abjuration whereupon they are to have a Testificate which is to serve for a free Pass with certification to all that shall adventure to travel without such a Testificate shall be holden used as Concurrers with the said Rebells Commanding all Heretors c. to give up the lists of the names of all under them before the Curate Declaring if any shall refuse to concur in such service shall be holden as guilty of the foresaid crimes punished accordingly And strictly prohibiting all to harbour lodge or intertain any unless they have such certificates under the same pain And for encouragment to any that shall discover or apprehend any to be found guilty as above said ensuring to them the sum of 500 Merks Scots for each of them This is that hell-hatcht Proclamation so grievous for its effects so dreadful for its designs so monstrous for its absurdities that the like hath not been seen Whereby not only the countries Interest Trade hath been prejudged by compelling all to have a pass in time of peace and these to be procured at exorbitant rates oppressing poor people Not only common Hostlers Inn-keepers are made Judges impowered to impose Oaths upon Passengers for their passes that they be not forged but many consciences coozened cheated wounded insnared and the whole Land involved in sin But they that took this Oath have approved justified this detestable execrable bloody Proclamation the supurious spawn of the Devills venome against Christ followers For they gave all the Obedience to it that was required of them in their Capacity And obedience justifies the Law enjoining it They have done all was required or could be done by them to answer the design of it in their circumstances And consequently by doing the thing prescribed they have justified the grounds upon which the prescript was founded and the methods by which it was prosecuted which hath a dreadful Medley of iniquitie in it Hence 1 They have subscribed to all these Odious Characters wherewith they branded that poor persecuted party and have condemned them as Insolent desperate Rebells Murderers bloody Assassins c. 2 In disouning that Declaration they have disouned the principles therein specified and consequently all the Testimonie against this Usurping faction of Overturners of the Work of Reformation Active passive that have been given sealed by the eminent Servants of God since this Catastrophe the principle of Defensive Armes and our Covenants and several others which are therein specified 3 They have given their consent to
but our Ministers that ventured their lives in preaching in the fields have had a certain seal to their Ministry is sealed sensibly in the conviction of many confession of moe That Christs Ministers Witnesses employed about the Great Gospel Message cloathed with His Authority under the obligation of His Commands lying upon them must preach the people must hear them not withstanding of all Laws to the contrary Divines grant that the Magistrate can no more suspend from the exercise than he can depose from the Office of the Ministry for the one is a degree unto the other See Apollon de jure Majest circa Sacra Part. 1. Pag. 334. c. Rutherf Due right of Presb. Pag. 430. c. For whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto men more than unto God the Consciences of the greatest enemies may be appealed unto Act. 4. 19. They must not cease wherever they have a Call Occasion to Teach Preach Iesus Christ Act. 5. ult Necessity is laid upon them yea wo unto them if they Preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 16. In all things they must approve themselves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities c. by honour dishonour by evil report good report as deceivers and yet true as unknown yet well known 2 Cor. 6. 4 8 9. They must preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 2. Dare any say then that a Magistrats or Tyrants Laws can exauctorate a Minister or silence him by his oun proper elicite acts as King or Tyrant or formally immediately Will Mischiefs framed into a Law warrant such iniquity or an act of a King of Clay rescind the Mandats of the King of Kings or exempt people from obedience due thereunto Or will the Bishops Canons who have no power from Christ or the Censures of them that stand condemned themselves by the Constitutions of the Church Acts of the General Assemblies have any weight in the case And yet these are all that can be alledged except odious invidious Calumnies the ordinary Lot of the most faithful against the present preachers in the fields which are sufficiently confuted in their late Informatory Vindication and need not here be touched Seeing therefore they have given up themselves unto Christ as His servants they must resolve to be employed for Him to the outmost of their power and must not think of laying up their Talent in a Napkin especially now when there is so great necessity when Defection is yet growing covered countenanced more more Division nothing abated but new oyl cast daylie into the flames of devouring Contentions the people generally drouned in the deluge of the times snares sins and like to be over whelmed in the inundation of black Poperie now coming in at the opened sluce of this wicked Toleration with the Congratulations of Addressing Ministers when now the Harvest is great and the Labourers are few Great then is the necessity and double must the woe be that abideth such Ministers as are silent at such a time And great inexcusable is the sin of the people if they do not come out and countenance faithful Ministers the Messengers of the Lord of hosts from whom they should seek the Law Mal. 2. 7. especially when there are so many that have palpably betrayed their Trust and so few that are faithful in the necessary Testimony of the day Seeing then faithful Ministers must preach people must hear where can they meet with conveniency safety freedom except either under the shelter of this wicked Toleration which they dare not do or else go to the fields 5. It must be obtained also that the Ministers have a right to Preach in this unfixed manner whereever they have a Call their relation now in this disturbed state of the Church being to be considered more extensively than in its settled condition For understanding which we must distinguish a three or four-fold relation that a Minister of the Gospel stands into First He is a Minister of Christ and Steward of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. having his Commission from Christ as his Master And this relation he hath universally wherever he is Secondly he is a Minister of the Catholick Church though not a Catholick Minister of it which is his primary relation for that is the Church in which Ministers are set 1 Cor. 12. 28. and to which they are given Eph. 4. 11 12. Thirdly He is a Minister of the particular Church whereof he is a Member and so in Scotland a Minister is a Minister of the Church of Scotland and is obliged to lay out himself for the good of that Church Fourthly he is a Minister of the particular Congregation whereunto he hath a fixed relation in a constitute case of the Church This last is not essential to a Minister of Christ but is subservient to the former relations but when separated from such a relation or when it is impossible to be held he is still a Minister of Christ and His Call to preach the Gospel stands binds See M r Durhams Degression on this particular on Revel chap. 2. pag. 89. c. in quarto For thô he be not a Catholick Officer having an equal relation to all Churches as the Apostles were Nevertheless he may exerce Ministerial Acts Authoritatively upon occasions warrantably calling for the same in other Churches as Heraulds of one King having Authority to charge in His Name wherever it be especially in a broken state of the Church when all the restriction his Ministerial relation is capable of is only a tye call to officiate in the service of that Church whereof he is a Member and so he hath right to preach every where as he is called for the edification of that Church The reasons are 1. He hath power from Christ the Master of the whole Church and therefore wherever the Masters Authority is acknowledged the Servants Ministerial Authority cannot be denied at least in relation to that Church whereof he is a Member as well as a Minister 2. He hath Commission from Christ principally for the edification of Christs body as far as his Ministrie can reach according to the Second relation 3. His relation to the whole Church is principal that which is fixed to a part is only subordinate because it is a part of the whole 4. His Commission is indefinite to preach the Gospel which will sâ—it as well in one place as in another 5. The same great ends of the Churches greater good edification which warrands fixing of a Minister to a particular charge in the Churches peaceable state will warrand his officiating more largely in her disturbed state 6. Else it would follow that a faithful Minister standing in that relation to a disturbed destroyed Church and all his
the Granter it is palpable his design is to introduce Poperie and advance Tyrannie which can be hid from none that accept it the effectuating whereof hath a nâ—cessary inseparable connexion with the acceptance of the Liberty and is so far from being avertible by the Accepters that it is chiefly promoted by their acceptance and the design of it is to lay them by from all opposition thereto If it be considered with relation to the Accepters it is plain it must be taken as it is given and received as it is conveyed from its fountain of Absolute power through a channel of an Arbitrary Law-disabling Religion-dishonouring Toleration which is semper mali and with consent to the sinful â—mpositions with which it is tendered concerning affecting the Doctrine of Ministers that they shall Preach nothing which may alienate the subjects from the Government Against all which there is no access for a Protestation consistent with the improvement of the Liberty for it is granted accepted on these very terms that there shall be no Protestation for if there be that will be found an alienating of the hearts of the subjects from the Government which by that Protestation will be reflected upon If it be considered with respect to the Addressers for it who formally say a Confederacy with and Congratulate the Tolerator for his Toleration and all the Mischiefs he is machinatinating effectuating thereby then seeing they have Presumptuously taken upon them to send it in the name of all Presbyterians it concerns all honest men zealous Christians and faithful Ministers of that perswasion denomination in honour Conscience to declare to the world by some publick Testimony that they are not Consenters to that sinful shameful scandalous Conspiracy nor of the Corporation of these flattering Addressers who have betrayed the Cause with which all will be interpreted Consenters that are not Contradicters Further this Tolleration is sinful as is cleared above Periâ— 6. And to accept of it is contrary to our Solemn Covenants Engagments where we are bound to exstirpate Poperie preserve the Reformation defend our Liberties and never to accept of a Toleration eversive of all these precious Interests we are sworn to maintain And it is heinously scandalous being in effect a succumbing at length and yeelding up the Cause which hath been so long controverted so long contended for at least an appearance of ceding lying by from contending for the Interests of Christ of condemning our former Wrestlings for the same of purchasing a Liberty to our selves at the rate of burying the Testimony in bondage oblivion of hardening confirming open Adversaries in their wicked invasions on our Religion Laws Liberties of being weary of the Cross of Christ that we would fain have ease upon any terms and of weakening the hands yea condemning the Practice peremptoriness of these that are exampted from the benefit or rather the snare of it and suffer when others are at ease It is also attended with many Inconveniences for either such as Preach under the Covert of it must forbear declaring some part of the Counsel of God and give no Testimony seasonable this day or else if they do they will soon be discovered and made a prey Hence seeing there must be a Testimony against this Toleration it is certainly most expedient to give it there where the Meeting is without the reach bounds of it and interdicted by the same Proclamation that tenders it and where the very gathering in such places is a Testimony against it for to Preach in houses constantly leave the fields would now be interpreted an Homologating the Toleration that commands Preaching to be so restricted especially when an Address is made in name of all that accept the benefit of it from which Odium we could not vindicate our selves if we should so make use of it 2. The keeping of Field Meetings now is a Testimony against that wicked Law that discharges them and interdicts them as Criminal yea in some respect a Case of Confession for if Daniels case when publick prayer was discharged under pain of death was a Case of Confession as all grant then must also our case be when publick Preaching is discharged under the some penalty for it is equivalent to an Universal discharge of all publick Preaching when the manner of it is discharged which we can only have with freedom safety in way of publick Testimony which can be none other in our Circumstances but in the fields Again if the Law be wicked that discharges them as certainly it is and is demonstrated from what is said already then it must be sin to obey it but it were an obeying of it to quite the fields 3. The â—eeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony against Tyranny Usurpation encroaching upon our Religion Laws Liberties and presuming to restrict bound the exercise of the Ministerial function and discharge it altogether except it be modified according to the Circumstances prescibed by a wicked Law which cannot be allowed aâ— competent to any man whose Authority is not acknowledged for reasons given in Head. 2. Therefore though there were no more this is sufficient to call all Ministers to give Testimony against such an Usurpation by resfusing to obey any such Act. and Preaching where God giveth a Call. For otherwise to submit to it would be an acknowledging of his Magistâ—atical power to discharge these Meetings and to give forth sentences against faithful Ministers 4. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for the Honour Headship Princely Prerogative of Jesus Christ which hath been the Great Word of His Patience in Scotland and by an Unparalelled insolence encroached upon by Usurpers in our day and in effect â—enied by such as took a new holding for the exercise of their Ministrie from their Usurped power Now in these Meetings there is a Practical Declaration of their holding their Ministrie and the exercise thereof from Christ alone without any dependence upon 〈◊〉 to or licence warrand from His Usurping Enemies and that they may will Preach in publick without Authority from them If then it be Lawful expedient to maintain the Interests of a King of Clay against an Usurper then much more must it be Lawful expedient to maintain the quarrel of the King of Kings when wicked men would banish Him and His Interests out of the Kingdom by their Tyrannical cruelty and cruel mercy of a destructive Toleration 5. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for the Gospel and the Ministrie thereof which is alwayes the dearest nearest priviledge of Christians and in the present Circumstances when our Lives and our all are embarked in the same bottom with it and sought to be destroyed together with it by a party conspiring against Christ it is necessary duty to defend both by resisting their unjust violence especially when Religion and the Gospel is one and
every soul be subject unto the higher Powers whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God as Resistence by Prayer is with that 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. I exhort that Supplications be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority If the Prince be good the one as is unlawful as the other and a sinful resistence of the Ordinance of God to pray against him no less than the other to fight against him Therefore when he becomes a Tyrant destroyer of the Lords Inheritance and an Apostate as I may not pray for him except conditionally but against him as an Enemy of Christ so I may also fight against him as such 2. As Adversaries themselves will grant that Resistence by Prayers tears is more powerful effectual than the other So the Laws of the Land make the one treasonable as well as the other and that deservedly when the Prince is doing his duty but when he turneth Tyrant neither can justly be condemned These things being premitted I shall come shortly to the purpose and endeavour to prove this Truth That it is a necessary duty for a Community whether they have the Concurrence of the Primores Nobles Representatives or not to endeavour in the defence of their Religion Lives Laws Liberties to Resist Repress the Usurpation Tyranny of prevailing Dominators using or abusing their Power for subverting Religion invading the Liberties and overturning the foundamental Laws of their Country Wherein I shall be but short because this Truth is sufficiently confirmed by all the Arguments of the Second Head. Yet I may only hint at many other And prosecute them in this Order First I shall produce some Arguments from the Law of Nature Nations Secondly from the Common practice of all Christian people Thirdly from express Scriptures I. The Arguments of the first Class are very multifarious I shall reduce them to a few as Compendiously as may be and only give the strength of them in a Syllogistical forme without expatiating save where the matters requires 1. The greatest Antagonists of this Truth through the clearness thereof are forced to assert grant such particulars as will by Consequence justify this plea. 1. Barclay contra Monarchum is cited by the Apol. Relat. and Ius Populi asserting that if a King will alienate subject his Kingdom without his Subjects consent or be carried with a hostile mind to the destruction of his people his Kingdom is actually lost and the people may not only Lawfully resist but also depose him Grotius de jure belli lib. 1. cap. 4. asserts the same and adds if he but attempt to do so he may be resisted The Surveyer of Napâ—tali grants the same pag. 23 24. Yea this hath been granted in open Court by the Council of Scotland that in case of the Kings alienating his Kingdoms he may be Resisted Hence 1 If vendition or alienation of Kingdoms or attempts of it do annull a Kings Authority Then an alienation of them from Christ to whom they are devoted by Covenant and selling them to Antichrist as is attempted by this King gives the people a right to Resist him But the former is here conceded Ergo 2 We need say no more to apply the other that carrying a hostile mind to the destruction of the people does forfeit his Kingdom and gives the people right to Resist than that a Papist is alwise known to carry a hostile mind to the destruction of Protestants and all the designs declared these 27 years have been demonstrative efforts of it 2. Dr Ferne acknowledgeth that personal defence is Lawful against the sudden illegal inevitable assaults of the Kings Messengers or of himself in so far as to ward off his blowes or hold his hands As also he alloweth private persons Libertie to deny subsidies tribute to the Prince when he imployeth it to the destruction of the Commonwealth Hence 1 If one man may defend himself against the sudden illegal inevitable assaults of the King or his Messengers Then may many men in defence of their Lives Liberties defend themselves against the surprising Massacres the sudden assaults and much more the devised deliberate assaults of a Tyrants bloody Emissaries which are illegal inevitable as all their furious bloody on-sets have been But the former is here acknowledged Ergo 2 If people may deny subsidies to a King when he employeth it to the destruction of the Commonwealth Then as this justifies the denyal of the Cess imposed for destruction of the Church banishing of the Gospel So this gives them right to Resist him for if he be the power ordained of God not to be resisted then for this Cause tribute must be paid for they are Gods Ministers Rom. 13. 6. and if tribute must not be paid then he is not the power ordained of God and so may be resisted But the former is here allowed Ergo 3. Bodin de Repub. lib. 2. cap. 5. granteth if a King turn Tyrant he may Lawfully at his subjects request be invaded resisted condemned or slain by a foraign Prince Hence if foraign Princes may Lawfully help a people oppressed by their oun Soveraign then people may Resist themselves if they be able and hold in their pains But the former is here granted Ergo The Consequence cannot be denyed for foraigners have no more Power or Authority over another Soveraign then the people have themselves 4. Arnisaeus de Author Princip c. 2. n. 10 granteth that if the Prince proceed extrajudicially without order of Law by violence every private man hath power to resist So the Surveyer of Naphtali ubi supra grants so much of a womans violent resisting attempts against the honour of her chastitie and tending to ensnare her in sin whereof her non-resistence makes her guilty Hence 1 If every extrajudicial violence of a Prince may be Resisted Then also all Contrajudicial violence against Law or reason must be opposed for that is more grievous and all their violences wherein they do not act as Judges must be resisted and that is all together for in none of them they can act as Judges But the former is here granted Ergo 2 If a woman may defend her Chastity against the K. lest her non-resistence make her guilty Oh if all women had been of this mind the Country would not have been pestered so with the Kings bastards Then may a Nation or any part of it Resist a Tyrants attempts upon the honour of their Religion entycing them to fornication with the Mother of harlots lest their non-resistence make them guilty But the former is here yeelded Ergo 5. That same Arnisaeus cap. 4. saith Of the former to wit he who is called a Tyrant in title it is determined by all without any difficultie that he may be Lawfully repulsed or if by force he be gotten into the Throne he may warrantably be thence removed because he hath not any Jot of power which
to death while it is yet morning Judg. 6. 31. Moreover as Mr Mitchel adduces the example very pertinently we see that the people of Israel destroyed Idolatry not only in Judah wherein the King concurred but in Ephraim and in Manassâ—h where the King himself was an Idolater and albeit they were but private persons without publick Authority for what all the people was bound to do by the Law of God every one was bound to do it to the uttermost of his power Capacity Mr Mitchel offers this place to vindicate his fact of shooting at the prelate Deut. 13. 9. Wherein sayes he it is manifest that the Idolater or intycer to Worship a false god is to be put to death by the hand of those whom he seeks to turn away from the Lord Which precept I humbly take to be Moral and not meerly Iudicial and that it is not at all Ceremonial or Levitical And as every Moral precept is Universal as to the extent of place so also as to the extent of Time persons The chief thing Objected here is that this is a Judicial precept peculiarly suited to the Old Dispensation which to plead for as a Rule under the New Testament would favour of Jewish rigidity inconsistent with a Gospel Spirit Ans. How Mr Knox refells this and clears that the Command here is given to all the people needs not be here repeated but it were sufficient to read it in the foregoing Representation Period 3. Pag. 30. as it is also cited by Ius Pop. Pag. 212. c. But these General Truths may be added concerning the Iudicial Laws 1. None can say that none of the Judicial Laws concerning political Constitutions is to be observed in the New Testament for then many special Rules of Natural Necessary equity would be rejected which are contained in the Judicial Laws of God Yea all the Laws of equity in the World would be so cast for none can be instanced which may not be reduced to some of the Judicial Laws And if any of them are to be observed certainly these Penal Statutes so necessary for the preservation of Policies must be binding 2. If we take not our measures from the Judicial Laws of God we shall have no Laws for punishment of any Malefactors by death juris Divini in the New Testament And so all Capital punishments must be only humane Constitutions and consequently they must be all Murders for to take away the life of man except for such Causes as the Lord of our life to whose Arbitriment it is only subject hath not approven is Murder as Dr Ames saith de homocidio Conscience Lib. 5. cap. 31. quest 2. For in the New Testament thô in the general the power of punishing is given to the Magistrate yet it is no where determined neither what nor how Crimes are to be punished If therefore Penal Laws must be taken from the Old Testament the Subject of executing them as well as the Object must be thence deduced that is what is there astricted to the Magistrate must be so still and what is permitted to the people must remain in like manner their Priviledge since it is certain the New Testament-Liberty is not more restricted as to Penal Laws than the Old. 3. Those Judicial Laws which had either somewhat Typical or Paedagogical or peculiar to the then Iudacial State are indeed not binding to us under that formality thô even these Doctrinally are very useful in so far as in their general nature of equity of proportion they exhibite to us some Documents of Duty But those Penal Judgements which in the matter of them are appended to the Moral Law and are in effect but accurate determinations accommodations of the Law of Nature which may suit our Circumstances as well as the Jewes do oblige us as well as them And such are these Penal Statutes I adduce for that Blasphemy Murder Idolatry are heinous Crimes and that they are to be punished the Law of Nature dictates and how and by whom in several cases they are to be punished the Law judicial determines Concerning the Moral equity even of the strictest of them Amesius de Conscienc lib. 5. de Mosaicis appendicibus praeceptorum doth very learnedly assert their binding force 4. Those Judicial Laws which are but Positive in their forme yet if their special internal proper Reason Ground be Moral which pertains to all Nations which is necessary useful to Mankind which is rooted in and may be fortified by humane reason and as to the substance of them approven by the more intelligent Heathens those are Moral and oblige all Christians as well as Jewes And such are these Laws of punishing Idolaters c. founded upon Moral grounds pertaining to all Nations necessary useful to Mankind rooted in fortified by humane Reason to wit that the Wrath of God may be averted and that all may hear fear and do no more so wickedly especially if this Reason be superadded when the case is such that innocent honest people cannot be preserved if such wicked persons be not taken order with 5. Those Judicial Laws which being given by the Lords immediate Authority thô not so solemnly as the Moral Decalogue are neither as to their end Mortuae dead nor as to their use Mortiferae deadly nor as to their nature Indifferent nor in any peculiar respect restringible only to the Jewes but the transgressions whereof both by omission commission are still sins and were never abolished neither Formally nor Consequentially in the New Testament must be Moral But such as these Penal Laws I am speaking of They cannot be reputed among the Ceremonial Laws dead as to their end and deadly as to their use or indifferent in their nature for sure to punish the Innocent upon the account of these Crimes were still sin now as well as under the Old Testament and not to punish the Guilty were likewise sin now as well as then If then the matter be Moral and not abolished the execution of it by private persons in some cases when there is no access to publick Authority must be Lawful also Or if it be Indifferent that which is in its oun nature Indifferent cannot be in a case of extreame necessity unlawful when otherwise the destruction of our selves Brethren is in all humane consideration inevitable That which God hath once Commanded and never expressly Forbidden cannot be unlawful in extraordinary cases but such are these precepts we speak of Therefore they cannot be in every case unlawful Concerning this case of the obligation of Judicial Laws Ames de Conscienc lib. 5. cap. 1. quest 9. 6. Those Laws which are predicted to be observed executed in the New Testament times cannot be Judicial or Judaical restricted to the Old But such is this In the day that a fountain shall be opened for thâ— house of David for sin for uncleaness which clearly points at Gospel-times It is said the
him to give him the one half or more to save the rest and his life commonly made use of to justify the paying of these Impositions while under the power and at the reverence of such publick Robbers cannot satisfie in this Case It is thus far satisfying that there is a manifest Concession in it that instead of righteous Rulers we are under the power and fallen into the hand of Robbers from whom we are not able to rise up But there is no paritie For to bring it home without halting and make it speak sense we must suppose that the Robber not only requires a part for himself and a part for his underling Shavers horse-rubbers c. but a part upon this declared Account that he may by that supplie be enabled furnished with all things necessary for murdering my Father Mother Wife Children Kinsmen Friends all whom he hath now in his power yea and for doing that besides which is worse than all these put together Whether then shall I by giving the Robber that part which he seeks enable him to do all these mischiefs Or by refusing expose my self to the hazard of being robbed or slain Let the Conscience of any man answer this for nothing can be here alledged against the paritie as now propounded and then I fear not but the Objection shall be found a blaze of empty words blown away by any breath But Alas will this Tattle of a Robber be found relevant in that day when the publick Robbers shall be proceeded against by the just Judge Let them who think so think also they see the Court fenced and the Judge set and hear these words sounding in their ears ye are cursed with a Curse for ye have robbed Me. even this whole Nation And then they are like to lay as litle weight on the Objection for fear of falling under the weight of the Curse as I do 5. It is Lawful Passively by forcible constraint to submit to the execution of such wicked Sentences as impose these burdens if it be not by way of Obedience to them This is suffering and not sinning Hence it is easie to refell that Objection If it be Lawful which hitherto was never questioned for a man who is sentenced to die to go to the place of execution then a man being under the Moral force of a Law which is equivalent may pay Cesses Localities Fines c. Ans. 1. Might it not be doubted whether a mans going upon his oun feet to be execute had as manifest and ex natura rei a tendency yea proper Causuality to advance the design of the enemy and his refusing to go had as clear a Testimony against the Clamant wickedness of their Course as his refusing to pay their Impositions Whether I say in this case a man might noâ— yea ought not to refuse to go to the place of execution But 2. Whosoever would conclude any thing from it to give it either life or legs must make it run thus Let the order run in this forme else there is no paralel and so no inference we appoint all the Opposers of our Course that is all the lovers of our Lord Jesus whom we have for their Rebellious Randevouzing at Conventicles sentenced as Enemies Traitors to die to come and be hanged by virtue of our sentence Otherwâ—se besides the Moral force of the Law adjudging them to die we shall use force and drag them like Dogs to the place of execution And in puting us to this Trouble they shall fall under the reproach that being sentenced to die they scrupled forsooth yea refused to go on their oun legs to the Gibbet Let this I say be made the Case which to me is the exact paralel and their every Child will know what to Answer or to hiss the Objection as pure ridicule 3. I suppose the Objection speaks of a righteous innocent person who for Righteousness is brought as a Sheep to the slaughter for a Malefactor who hath lost all right to his life is not to be understood Then to make the Case paralel it must be taken for granted 1 There is a publick Law with the penaltie of death statute for the violation thereof 2 That the person to be executed hath not only transgressed that Law but his disobedience to the Law is notour 3 That he is processed and convict of the transgression thereof Whereupon followes 4 The Sentence and then the Execution Now the Law being wicked and the man from the fear of God being constrained to disobey the Law he can in nothing be justly construed Active but in that disobedience or renitence But in the whole of what befalls him for this he being a captive Prisoner is to be looked upon as passive Yea the very Act of going to the place of execution in the present Case howbeit as to its Physical entitie it is of the same kind with the Executioners Motion that goes along with him yet in its Moral Religious being whence it hath its specification it s wholly the Suffering of a Captive Well then ere any thing can be pleaded from the pretended paritie seeing there are Laws made for paying such Exactions Cesses Salaries Fynes for the declared ends of ruining the people Interests of Christ. It s necessary in order to a just paralel that the Law must be â—irst disobeyed 2 The disobedience must be notour 3 The delinquent must be processed pursued as guilty of the transgression and convicted thereof whereupon Sentence passeth against him for the breach of the Law. Here I grant all with advantage to the Cause As in the first Case so in this he who is judged guilty of the breach of this wicked Law and who is sentenced for that violation ought to suffer patiently the spoiling of his goods and not to decline suffering if it were unto blood striving against this sin 6. It s Lawful of two evils of Sufferings to chuse the least where both come in the election as in the Cases forementioned and in a mans throwing of his goods over board in a storm These and the like are deeds in the present exigent voluntary rational being upon deliberation choise where the least evil is chosen under the notion of good yea of the best that can be in the present case and accordingly the will is determined and meets closes with its proper object Or one of them only be proposed to be submitted to but another lesser evil of suffering is in a mans power to chuse propose for purchasing his immunity from a greater which is not imposed nor exacted of him either by a wicked Law or for wicked ends declared but voluntarely offered As in the Case of parting with some money to a Robber or Murderer to save the life when he is seeking only the life As the ten men that were going to the House of the Lord said unto Ishmael slay us not for we have treasures in the
Serpent Dragon Isai. 27. 1. and have great affinity in name Nature with the Apocalyptick Dragon So also Isai. 51. 9. the Egyptian Tyrant is called Dragon And Nebuchadnezzar swallowed up the Church like a Dragon Ier. 51 34. See also Ezek. 29. 3. 6. They are wolves ravening the prey Ezek. 22. 27. evening wolves that gnaw not the bones till the morrow Zeph. 3. 3. 7. They are Leopards So the Grecian Tyrants is called Dan. 7. 6. and Antichrist Revel 13. 2. 8. They are foxes So Christ calls Herod Luk. 13. 32. 9. They are Devils who cast the Lords people into Prison Revel 2. 10 13. Now can we oune all these abommable Creatures to be Magistrates Can these be the fathers we are bound to honour in the fifth Commandment They must be esteemed sons of dogs Devils that belive so and oune themselves sones of such fathers If we further take notice how the Spirit of God describes Tyranny as altogether Contradistinct opposite unto the Magistracy He will have ouned we may infer hence Tyrants Usurpers are not to be ouned What the Government instituted by God among His people was the Scripture doth both relate in matter of â—act and describes what it ought to be de jure viz. That according to the Institution of God magistrates should be established by the Constitution of the people who were to make them Iudges Officers in all their gates that they might Iudge the people with just Iudgment Deut. 16. 18. But foreseeing that people would affect a change of that first forme of Government and in imitation of their neighbouring Nations would desire a King and say I will set a King over me like all the Nations that are about me Deut. 17. 14. The Lord intending high holy ends by it chiefly the procreation of the Messias from a Kingly race did permit the change and gave directions how he should be moulded bounded that was to be ouned as the Magistrate under a Monarchial forme To wit that he should be chosen of God and set up by their suffrages that he should be a brother and not a stranger that he should not multiply horses nor wives nor money which are Cautions all calculated for the peoples good and the security of their Religion Liberty and for precluding preventing his degeneration into Tyranny and that he should write a Copy of the Law in a book according to which he should Govern vers 15. ad â—in cap. yet the Lord did not approve the change of the form which that luxuriant people was long affecting and at length obtained For long before Saul was made King they profered an Hereditary Monarchy to Gideon without the boundaries Gods Law required Which that brave Captain knowing how derogatory it was to the Authority of Gods Institution not to be altered in form or frame without His order generously refused faying I will not rule over yow neither shall my son rule over yow the Lord shall rule over yow Iud. 8. 23. But his bastard the first Monarch Tyrant of Israel Abimelech by sinstrous means being advanced to be King by the traiterous Schechemites Iotham and other of the Godly disouned him which by the Spirit of God Iotham describes Parabolically significantly hoâ—ding out the Nature of that Tyrannical usurpation under the Apologue of the trees itching after a King and the offer being repudiate by the more generous sort embraced by the bramble Signifying that men of worth virtue would never have taken upon them such an arrogant Domination and that such a Tyrannicall Government in its Nature tendency was nothing but an useless worthless sapless aspiring scratching vexing shadow of a Government under subjection to which there could be no peace nor safety But this was rather a Tumultuary interruption than a Change of the Government not being universally either desired or ouned therefore after that the Lord restored the pristine form Which continued until being much perverted by Samuels sons the people unanimously peremptorly desired the change thereof and whether it were reason or not would have a King as we were fondly set upon one after we had been delivered from his fathers yoke And the Lord gave them a King with a Curse and tooke him away with a vengeance Hos. 13. 11. as He did our Charles the Second Yet He permited it but with a Protestation against and conviction of the sin that thereby they had rejected the Lord 1 Sam. 8. 7. and with a demonstration from Heaven which extorted their oun confession that they bad added unto all their sins this evil to ask a King 1 Sam. 12. 17 18 19. And to deter disswad from such a Conclusion He appoints the Prophet to shew them the manner of the King that should reign over them 1 Sam. 8. 9. to declare before hand what sort of a Ruler he woud prove when they got him to wit a meer Tyrant who would take their sons and appoint them for himself for his Chariots and for horsemen and to run before his Chariots and make them his sowldiers and labourers of the ground and Instrument-makers and houshold servants and he would take their fields vineyards the best of them and give unto his servants in a word to make all slaves and that in the end when this should come to pass they should cry out because of their King but the Lord would not hear them vers 11-18 All which as it is palpable in it self so we have sensibly felt in our experience to be the Natural description of Tyranny but more tollerable than an account of ours would amount to It is both foolishly falsely alledged by Royalists or Tyrannists that here is a grant of incontroulable absoluteness to Kings to Tyrannise over the people without resistence And that this manner of the King is in the Original Mishphat which signifies right or Law So that here was a permissive Law given to Kings to Tyrannise and to oblige people to passive obedience without any remedy but tears And therefore it was registered laid up before the Lord in a book 1 Sam 10. 25. But I answer 1. If any thing be here granted to Kings it is either by Gods Approbation directing instructing how they should govern or it is only by permission providential Commission to them to be a plague to the people for their sin of choosing them to make them drink as they have brewed as sometimes He gave a Charge to the Assyrian rod to trample them doun as the mire of the streets If the first be said Then a King that does not govern after that manner and so does not make people cry out for their oppression would came short of his duty and all behoved to Tyrannize and make the people cry out then a King may take what He will from his subjects and be approved of God this were blasphemously absurd for God cannot approve of the sin of oppression If the Second
be said then it cannot be an universal Grant or otherwise all Kings must be ordained for plagnes And if so it were better we wanted such nursing fathers 2. Though Mishphat signifies right or Law yet it signifies also and perhaps no less frequently Manner Course or Custome And here it cannot signify the Law of God for all these Acts of Tyranny are contrary to the Law of God for to make Servants of subjects is contrary to the Law of God Deut. 17. 20. forbidding to lift up himself so far above his brethren but this was to deal with them as a proud Pharaoh to take so many for Chariots horsemen is also contrary to the Law Deut. 17. 15. he shall not multiply horses to take their fields vineyards is meer Robbery contrary to the Moral Judicial Law whereof he was to have alwise a Copy vers 18. And contrary to Ezek. 46. 18. The Prince shall not take of the peoples inheritance c. This would justify Ahabs taking Naboths vineyard which yet the Lord accounted Robberie and for which Tyrants are called Companions of Thieves Isai. 1. 23. Robbers Isai. 42. 24. into whose hands the Lord somtimes may give His people for a spoyl in Judicial providence but never with His Approbation grant of right to make them cry out â—s oppression which the Lord abhors Isai. 5. 7 8. And if this be all the remedy it is none for it is such a Cry as the Lord threatens He will not hear 3. It is false that this manner of the King was registered in that Book mentioned 1 Sam. 10. 25. for that was the Law of the Kingdom accordingly the Copy of which the King was to have for his instruction containing the fundamental Laws point blank contrary to this which was the manner of the King There is a great difference between the Manner of the Kingdom what ought to be observed as Law and the Manner of the King what he would have as lust Would Samuel write in a Book the rules of Tyranny to teach to oppress contrary to the Law of God He sayes himself he would only teach both King people the good the right way Sam. 12. 23 25. 4. Nothing can be more plain than that this was a meer disswasive against seeking a King for he protests against this Course and then layes before them what sort of King he should be in a description of many acts of Tyranny and yet in end its said vers 19. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel and said Nay but we will have a King. Now what else was the voice of Samuel than a disswasion I am not here levelling this Argument against Monarchy in the abstract that does not lie in my road But I infer from hence 1. If God was displeased with this people for asking ouning a King who was only Tyrannus in fieri and disswades from the choise by a description of his future Tyranny Then Certainly He was displeased with them when they continued ouning him when a Tyrant in facto esse according to that description But the former is true Therefore also the latter The Consequence is clear for Continuing in sin is sin but continuing in ouning that Tyrant which was their sin at first was a continuing in sin Ergo The Minor is confirmed thus Continuing in counteracting the Motives of Gods disswasion especially when they are sensibly visible is a Continuing in sin But their Continuing in ouning Saul after he became a Tyrant was a Continuing in counteracting the Motives of Gods disswasion when they were sensibly visible I do not say because it was their sin to ask Soul therefore it was not Lawful to oune him while he ruled as a Magistrate And so if Charles the second had ruled righteously it would not have been sin to oune him but after the Lord uses disswasives from a choise of such a one and these are signally verified if it was sin to make the choise then it must be sin to keep it 2. If it was their sin to seek set up such a one before he was Tyrant who yet was admitted upon Covenant terms and the manner of it registered Then much more is it a sin to seek set up one after he declared himself a Tyrant and to admit him without any terms at all or for any to consent or give their suffrage to such a deed But the former is true Therefore the latter and Consequently to give our consent to the erection of the D. of Y. by ouning his Authority were our sin 3. If it be a sin to oune the manner of the King there described then it is a sin to oune the present pretended Authority which is the exact transumpt of it But it is a sin to oune the manner of the King there described or else it would never have been used as a disswasive from seeking such a King. 4. To bring our selves under such a burden which the Lord will not remove and involve our selves under such a miserie wherein the Lord will not hear us is certainly a sin vers 18. But to oune or chuse such a King whose manner is there described would bring our selves under such a burden miserie wherein the Lord would not hear us Ergo it were our sin 4. We may adde the necessary Qualifications of Magistrates which the Lord requires to be in all both Superior Inferior And thence it may be inserred that such pretended Rulers who neither have nor can have these Qualifications are not to be ouned as Magistrates no more than such are to be ouned as Ministers who have no qualifications for such a function We find their essentially necessary qualifications particularly described Iethros Counsel was Gods Counsel Command That Rulers must be able men such as fear God men of Truth hating Covetousness Exod. 18. 21. Tyrants Usurpers have none nor can have any of these qualifications except that they may have ability of force which is not here meant but that they be Morally able for the discharge of their duty Surely they cannot fear God nor be men of Truth for then they would not be Tyrants It is Gods direction that the man to be advanced assumed to Rule must be a man in whom is the Spirit Numb 27. 18. as is said of Ioshua what Spirit this was Deut. 34. 9. explains He was full of the Spirit of Wisdom that is the Spirit of Government not the Spirit of infernal or Iesuitical Policy which Tyrants may have but they cannot have the true Regal Spirit but such a Spirit as Saul had when he turned Tyrant an evil Spirit from the Lord. Moses saith they must be wise men understanding and known among the tribes Deut. 1. 13. for if they be Children or fools they are plagues punishments Isai. 3. 2 3 4. c. not Magistrates who are alwise blessings And they must be known men of intergrity not known to be