purpose What is it displeaseth you at your Brethrens deed I. Is it the Name of Indulgence Answ We hope ye will not contend about Names and Words 1 Tim. 6.4 Were not such Litigations a bogling at Shadows and would savour of Levity or Captiousness What is such an Indulgence but a dispensing with the severity of the Law letting them have access to the publick peaceable exercise of their Ministry from which the Law did debar them And may not the Magistrate dispense with his own Law in whole or in part and call this very properly an Indulgence But away with striving about words Call it a Permission Toleration or License or what ye will so ye but agree about the thing II. Does it offend you that the Magistrate intermedleth with Church-affairs Answ We expect also this not to be your scruple judging ye still adhere to the Doctrine of your Church and of all the Reformed expressed in their Confessions of Faith and the Writings of their Worthies against the Papists Anabaptists and Erastians who tho' against Erastians they deny the Magistrate any power in Sacris or formally and intrinsecally Ecclesiastical called in Scripture the Power of the Keys yet against the Papists and Anabaptists they attribute unto him an Imperative Power circa sacra about the matters of God formally civil and only objectively Ecclesiastical and to be put forth modo civili in a civil way and by civil means so that there is nothing so sacred in the visible matters of Religion but it is the object of his care and Procuratorship and his power to be conversant about it in manner competent as Amesius tells Cas consc lib. 5. cap. 25. thes 8. He being custos vindex utriusque tabulae keeper of both Tables of the Law of the first as well as of the second as the fourth Command appointeth whence it is called by some eminent Divines the Magistrates Charter for taking care of Religion which is also confirmed from Deut. 31.9 Deut. 17.18 19. with Josh 1.7 8 9. This power and by virtue of it his just intermedling for the good of Religion is uncontroverted by Orthodox Divines and confirmed by that applauded practice of Artaxerxes Decreeing Ezra 7.23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven let it be diligently done for the House of the God of Heaven c. Which power if through error or wickedness the Magistrate imploy for the hurt rather than for the good of the Church though that be a fault yet we judg ye will not call it Erastianism or an usurpation of an unlawful power but an abuse or misapplication of a lawful and will count him peccant in the matter not in the Authority or power Now this power of his is extended by Divines to no less if not to more than your Indulgence in so far as it is accepted by the Brethren amounts unto And that conform to the word of God in the commended practices of several Kings mentioned in Scripture who warrantably took upon them by vertue of their calling to do as much and more without the least imputation of invading the Priestly or Spiritual power Aarons Rod and Judahs Scepters remaining still distinct notwithstanding Particularly did not Hezekiah in 2 Chron. 29.3 Open the doors of the house of the Lord which had been shut for a long time as v. 7. and v. 4. it is said He brought in the Priests and Levites And v. 5. he puts them to their work to sanctifie and cleanse the house And v. 21. To offer sacrifices is commanded by him And v. 25. he set or restored to their place the Levites in the house of the Lord with Cymbals c. And v. 30. Commanded them to sing praise c. Now in all these things the Priests and Levites did give obedience not only out of duty to God as obliged to do these things by virtue of their office but also out of respect to the Kings Commandment as ye find v. 15 24. The like is said 2 Chron. 35.2 that Josias set the Priests in their Charges From these Citations Note three things 1 That as it is proper to the Spiritual Officers of the House of God Operari in Sacris or elicitively to act in the exercises of Religion so it is not incompetent to the Civil Ruler to command and put forth his authority about the same imperatively but jure he may yea ex Officio he ought to do so even to put the Church-Officers to their duty and work when need requireth and that not only by removing Restraints and Impediments nor by naked permission only but even by way of Authoritative order and command As there the Prince appointeth and the Priest acteth 2 That this is especially competent yea incumbent to him In statu Ecclesiae Turbato vel corrupto in a perturbed or corrupted state of the Church such as then was and as yours was and is 3 That it is no crime for the Ministers of the Lord to obey the Magistrate in such a case As the Magistrate acteth no Erastianism nor Papal Supremacy in this kind of doing so neither does the Minister homologate or involve himself in any such crime nor is to be loaded with such Imputations in and for going along in his place with such appointments of the Magistrate However Uzziah was faulty in the one sort as 2 Chron. 26.16 18. and Jeroboam in the other sort of solecisms in the exercise of Magistratical power about Religion as 1 King 12.28 29 31 32 33. Uzziah invading the Priests Office like an Erastian indeed and Jeroboam usurping that unlawful Supremacy like Lord and Head of the Church yet good Hezekiah did neither of them Nor does any other Prince who contains himself within his line as Hezekiah did And the Licensing of your Ministers to return to their publick stations is no other as afterward shall be cleared but most like unto Hezekiahs practice in several points above rehearsed And consequently no fault in your Ministers acceptance thereof in so far as it is accepted by them Add to this Jehoshaphats approved practice in 2 Chron. 17.7 where we find he sent the Levites to teach the Lords word in divers places of the land who went accordingly Whence it is evident 1 That it is not repugnant to the Word of God that in some cases specially in a lapsed case of the Church the Magistrate may dispose upon Ministers as to place and parts of a Land where they may exercise their Ministry at least for a time may send them here and there the Churches need calling for it And that this is no proper Ecclesiastical planting or transplanting of Ministers as some invidiously term it but only a Civil Authorization as to exercising their function in such a place for longer or shorter time as need may be 2 It is evident also here that in such a case the Pastors Ministerial Mission or Commission to Teach and Preach is not from the Magistrate but from the Lord nor
of you be found weak raw unstudied Divines will it not reflect upon all and blemish the party Be not satisfied then with the applause of those that follow you who may in their charity commend you while others impartial or inimical may observe censurable weaknesses O study hard read and pray much that you may be found Champions for God and accomplished Divines 1 Tim. 4.15 16. O that some of your Novices Itinerants especially would take more pains in study that they might be well furnished Scribes c. and not be rash to bring forth crude undigested Preachings or Resolutions of Cases of Conscience It grieveth souls to get at any time empty unedifying Harrangues of Railing or Reflections instead of soul-feeding Sermons or Discourses Beware of a Ga'd of venting your passions rancour bitterness under pretext of Preaching against the sins of the time Subtle are the tentations of Sin and Satan Eleventhly Exercise your selves unto stedfâ—stness and repentance Be men of Principles and understand your Principles and stand to them Rev. 3.3 Quit not easily good old Principles for any plausible new ones Hold fast by the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of the Church of Scotland to which ye are so solemnly and strictly tyed And let not new interests start new Principles nor put you out of the good old way Take the Law and the Testimony for your only supreme Judg of Controversies Rule of Faith and Directory of Duty Cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart and be not soon shaken in your minds with any blast of tentation nor bewitched with any Novelty Gal. 3.1 c. Keep your Garments clean in all Revolutions and change not Articles of your Creed and Duty with change of times as most of Conformists do Ecebolius's or Weather-cocks are hateful to the Lord Jer. 2.11 It becometh honest men to be no time-servers or fickle Changelings 1 Cor. 16.13 15.58 Col. 1.22 23. 2.5 6 7. Add to this fixedness the exercise of Repentance Be sharp upon your own even severer against your own faults than against any others Witness against the publick ills of the time as ye have access in your station but neglect not your own iniquities for which God is contending so hotly For what cause is his Controversie pleaded so long against you but for the provocations of Sons and Daughters and the iniquities of your holy things Is there no accursed thing among you which makes you fall before the Adversary Blame noâ— one another but rather each suspect himself saying Is it I Is it I Every one of you no doubt hath laid to your coal to make up this great indignation Therefore let every one be mourning as the Doves of the Valleys each one for his own iniquity persons and families apart as well as keeping publick Fasts for the Abominations of the Land What a Token for good would this be and would put you in case to sigh and cry and wrestle with God for the Nations sins And were ye thus lying in the dust before the Lord for your selves and Zion and running with your Censer in your hand between the living and the dead for Atonement crying Spare O Lord c. we doubt not but your heats and animosities among your selves would soon cool and calm Twelfthly Guide wisely and tenderly honest people yet so as still to keep your own place to be their Guides and not let them guide you Cherish their good bear with their infirmities but humour them not in their conceits and follies Let never Popularity be your snare Spare not to admonish and rebuke with discretion and authority when need is Take pains as well to inform their Consciences rightly as to raise their affections keenly Study prudently to cross and cure what may be healed and patiently to endure what cannot be cured But clap no persons heads in their mistakes or irregularities for fear ye lose them if ye cross them else ye may be made to lose them upon a worse account with an ill conscience to boot Despise not the counsel or admonition of any Job 31.13 Yet if you permit them to turn Dictators and Leaders to you your well-days and peace are gone Prov. 29.21 Luther said there is a Pope in every mans belly ye may find a Bishop in every man and womans breast each inclineth to think themselves infallible and would be a Lawgiver unto others and cannot endure others not to conform to their mind in every thing Which usurping disposition in people would be checked Be sure if once ye give up your selves to serve humours as it will put you out of Service to God Gal. 1.10 so will your servitude be a sort of Egyptian bondage and if ye sing not to every tune of theirs the upshot will be as bad as if ye had never gratified them at all O be tender of their Consciences and wisely regulate their humours not by servile compliance but by happy conviction or canny diversion Austerity and fondness are almost equally dangerous And that ye may manage them rightly not only seek Gods good guiding but also be denied to their applause and dead to their censure The sober and wise will approve you when perhaps the peevish or proud kick at you But it is enough if wisdom be justified of her children Thirteenthly Live daily in the prospect of further sufferings and therefore unite so far as ye can lest the enemy finding you in a divided distracted condition prey easily upon you Doubtless your trial is not at an end The furnace is heating sevenfold more Think not at every respite the bitterness of death is over and the worst is past and so begin to pluck up your Crist and wax wanton and secure if ye do it says a new storm is near 1 Thes 5.3 Psal 30.6 7. The Prelatick violence is indeed sad enough but what in comparison of the Papistick which is at your door And is dividing biting and devouring one another fit providing for such a storm Were it not more your wisdom and happiness to be hearkening to the Apostles Rule Phil. 3.15 16. to be composing rather than heightening differences and wherein ye agree uniting and forbearing one another in points of difference till the Lord decide the Controversie otherwise the enemy may perhaps decide it with the broad sword Will ye be like Archimedes who while he was busie at his Mathematical Lines the Enemy entered the Town and killed him at his Skeams Or like the Zealots in Jerusalem who while they wasted one another within the Walls Vespasian and his Army are ready without to invade and destroy both Shall it be that Dum aguntur partes perit Saguntum How weak are ye and a ready prey to every beast of the field that pleaseth to devour while thus disjointed and separate Vis unita fortior If ever ye mind to stand effectually to the maintenance of the Gospel unite in time it will be too late when the Papist is got upon your
an encouragement and strengthning of their hands Be neither too facil nor yet like the untamed Heifer be neither coldrife like Laodicea nor drive furiously like Jehu Stupid dulnes◠and unconcernedness upon the one hand and frothy light farraudness and fraziness upon the other are both to be shun'd and destroy not the true interest of the Gospel by either while ye pretend to b◠the great pillars of its support VI. Take the Law and the Testimony for your alon◠Oracle in all things Isa 8.20 Set not up your own imaginations nor yet take any mans bare assertion◠for the Supreme Judg of Controversies or rule o◠right and directory of your way Listen to Ministers and be not lightly suspicious of their Judgment but take nothing upon trust but see with your own eyes as they Acts 17.11 well said Ambrose de fid◠ad Gratian. lib. 1. cap. 4. Noli argumento credas Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus interrogemus Apostolos interrogemus ipsum Christum Prove all things by the Word and if any were he an Angel from heaven speak not according thereunto think there is no light in them Let nothing that wants a Scripture-warrant pass currant with you nor condemn nothing which the Oracles of God condemneth not Take never the visions of your own heart nor the dictates of them for your Bible Gods word alone and not Mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the unerring Rule of Faith and Duty Rom. 3.4 Stick therefore close by it in all things without declining to the right hand or the left Deut. 5. ult If any thing be brought unto and pressed upon you without a real Thus saith the Lord receive it not 2 Thess 1 2. Tremble to give an ear unto or to be swayed by sophistical and unscriptural Reasonings about any matter hold fast by the sure word of Prophecy and be safe 2 Pet. 19. If ye state your selves into parties as the Corinthians did how will ye avoid being puffed up for one against another And what one says be taken as an Oracle and what another says cryed down according to Interest and Affection Cum res transit in affectum perit judicium Beware of a wrong Byass upon your affection for that will byass and bribe your judgment and forbear rash judgings and spurning at Ministers 1 Cor. 4.5 Censure only what the Scripture censureth and approve only what it approves else ye may soon take Light for Darkness c. VII Cleave close to your Reformed Religion and covenanted Duties against defections on all hands Consent never by word write or deed to any thing contrary thereunto specially what is expresly and plainly renounced thereby Yet take heed of captious glosses and sinistrous applications of your Covenant It may be wrested as some do the Scriptures always stick to its true intent and native meaning faithfully and resolve to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes through thick and thin and be rather arming your selves for suffering than contending in the very fire A common Prison or burning at one Stake together may perhaps be made to agree you as it did Ridley and Hooper who would not in your liberty accord and serve the Lord with one consent without a jar as was your duty to have done VIII Next to Fidelity towards God study to adorn your Cause with Loyalty to your King in the Lord Rom. 13.1 5. Prov. 24.21 1 Pet. 2.13 Give unto God the things which are Gods and unto Cesar the things which are Cesars that hereby ye may stop the mouths of them that falsly speak evil of the Presbyterian Interest and Party as inimical to Kings Crowns 1 Pet. 2.15 Did he not in the Usurpers time find you the most faithful party to him of any And albeit ye be but ill Requat yet discourage not to follow your duty for the Lords sake We are apt to believe if any other party in the Nation had been so crushed and harassed by his Power as ye none would have born it better Let him still find that no discouragement will fret or tempt you from your duty and that for conscience-sake without by-ends yea bear due Allegiance to him so far as may stand with your Allegiance to the King of kings and Lord of lords And who knows what a conviction this may produce in end 1 Sam. 24.17 18. testifying to him and all men your Cause is of God which leads you to be so conscientious toward man and that you are the only fast and faithful friends to Authority who will cleave to it in a stormy day out of the fear of God when all its self-seeking friends will desert it when their Interest parts with it and that it is not humour but conscience which keeps you off from complying with his will in the matters of your God wherein ye differ from him IX Spend more time in praying together about what is amiss in the Publick than in empty talking about it Jer. 50.4 Remember you have somewhat else ado than to be idle News-mongers Go spread ay your sad matters before the Lord as good Nehemiah and Hezekiah did Table all your complaints in Heaven This would be both a present ease to your mind and the compendious way to a blessed Remedy How much sooner might ye get a good account of matters if ye did put them more in Gods hand who has the Balm of Gilead for such sores And it would sweeten your spirits and carriage thereunder Bleed with Zion in all her bleedings Do not laugh while she sighs nor yet look idly on and only talk but be her careful Remembrancers before the Throne especially let the divisions of Reuben breed great thoughts of heart Let your Pastors differences which are your great judgment and skaith be your sorrow and lye heavy heavy upon your spirits They who bear them lightly or rejoice in them what a deserted and distempered frame must they be in But would ye oftner meet and pray about these lamentable matters who knows but ye might pray away your Ministers differences and cement your own hearts in greater Christian union by uniting and concentring in God And might pray home the Ark out of Captivity and get the Lord to arise and build Zion as in the days of old X. Be not easily tempted to cast at your Ministers of whose heart-honesty you have had sufficient demonstration If once Satan get you to begin a little to spurn at them he will not cease tempting and Providence may justly let snares be rained on you occasions of stumbling be afforded you till ye turn quite off and become wild Notorious it is that peoples idolizing inamouredness with some and rooted prejudice at others upon partialities and by-respects are both a cause foment and consequent of woful divisions 1 Cor. 1.11 12. and 3.3 4. O esteem your Pastors highly in love for their works sake and let not every petty difference cast you and them out Keep not distance with them but go