an absolute and Autocratorick but a limited and Hyperetick-power and that Church Decrees and Sentences are all of them regulae regulatae rules that are subordinated and do not binde but in the Lord and so far as they are conform to that first inflexible and unerring-rule prescribed by Himself Luke 22. 24 25 26 27. Gal. 6. 16. 1 Peter 5. 2 3. â—… Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 1 Thes. 5. 12. Ephes. 6. 1. Calvin treating of Church-power saith well Non est igitur Ecclesiae potestas inâ—…inita sed subjecta Verbo Domini in eo quasi inclusa Inst. lib. 4. cap. 8. 4 That all Church-judicatories whether Congregational-Ederships or Presbyteries or Synods whether Provinciall or Nationall or oecumenick being constituted of men that are weak frail and ignorant in part are in their detâ—…rminations fallible and subject to Error Isai. 40 6 7 8. Rom. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 13. 9 12. 5. That in so far as any of these do actually erre and decline from the Truth they do in so far act without power and authority from Jesus Christ They can do nothing of themselves they may do but not by His Commission and Warrant against the Truth but for the Truth 2 Cor. 13. 8. The Power which He hath given them being to Edification and not to Destruction 2 Cor. 13. 12. 6. Sad experience almost in every generation doth teach us that Church-guides and Church-judicatories do oftentimes decline from the streigâ—…t-wayes of the Lord and decree unrighteous decrees and write grievous things which they have prescribed Isa. 9. 15 16. Ier. 8. 8 9. Mal. 2. 8 9. Ier. 2. 8. And that whilest they are boasting of the Authority given to them of God and of their skill in the Law and professing to walk according therto they are perverting the precious Truths of God and persecuâ—…ing these who cleave thereunto Ier 18. 18. Isa. 66. 5. Ioh. 7. 48 49. 7. That the same Lord who hath commanded us not to despise Prophesying 1 Thes. 5. 19. hath also commanded us to prove all things and to hold fast that which is good ver. 20. And no to believe every spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God because many false prophets are gone forth into the world 1 Ioh. 4. 1. And that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14. 15. And that we ought not to be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. That is to do things especially in the matters of God for which we have no other warrant but the mear pleasure wil of men which the apostle Peter calls living to the lusts of men and not to the wil of God 1 Pet. 4. 2. And that it is therfore both the duty and priviledge of every Church-member and of every inferior Church-judicatory to examine by the judgement of discretion every thing which the Church-authority joyneth whether it be agreeable or repugnant to the rules of the Word and if after a diligent and impartiall search it be found repugnant they are not to bring their consciences in bondage therto neither is the allowing and exercising of the judgement of descretion by inferiours the setting them as judges over their superiours or making them transgress the line or limits of that due subordination and submission appointed unto them of God Protestant Divines in their writings de judice Controverstarum have fully answered this and shewed us That it doth not make a private man or an inferiour Judge of the Sentences and Decrees of his superiours but only of his own actions Having premised these things we offer these Reasons against the Submission so much pleaded for by our Brethren First This submission we mean an absolute submission or such a submission as is comprehensive of subjection to such Decrees and Sentences of Church-Judicatories as are upon the matter and for the ground of them unjust and repugnant to the Word of God hath neither precept nor precedent for it in the Book of God if any man say it hath we desire him to bring it forth we know that the Lord did enjoyn His People under the Old Testament under very severe punishments to do according to the sentence which they should be taught by the Priests the Levits in the place which the Lord should choose Deut. 17. 9 10 11 12. But Calvin telleth us well Ubi de ijs audiendis agitur ibi nominatim ponitur ut secundum Legem Dei respondeant That in the same Scripture where it is commanded to hear them that it is also commanded that they should answer according to the Law of the Lord We also know that under the New Testament we are commanded to obey them that have the rule over us and to submit our selves but it is in the Lord 1 Thess. 5. 12. that which we call for is some precept or binding precedent in Scripture that holdeth forth submission to aâ—… Ecclesiastick Determination or Sentence that is unjust and contrary to the Word of God 2. It is contrary to clear Scripture precepts and Scripture precedents to Scripture precepts such as these Be not servants of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage Gal. 5. 1. It is better to obey God then men Act. 5. 29. Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. Do this in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11. 24. To refrain from duty upon the meer will and commandment of men is to be a servant unto men and to betray Christian liberty and to be intangled with the yoke of bondage and to obey man rather then God and to say that we will not preach the Gospel nor receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper though God hath commanded us so to do Let us suppose that a man duely qualified is suspended from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper or from the exercise of the Ministrie or excommunicated and cast out of the Church because of his pressing and holding forth some precious Truth of God which a Kirk-Judicatory condemneth for a lie and passeth such Sentences and Censures upon him because he doth adhere thereunto Shall we say that this man is bound not to communicate not to preach the Gospel to absent himself from the fellowship and Prayers of the Saints Our Brethren will haply tell us that he is bound for Peaces sake so to do till his appeal be discussed But what shall the innocent man do when it is discussed against him and the unjust sentence of the inferiour Judicatorie confirmed by the superiour shall he go to a higher and when he is gone to the highest and is condemned there too as Christ was crucified at Ierusalem what will they now allow him will they have him still to be a servant of men and still to be in bondage and though the Lord Jesus hath commanded him to preach the Gospel and said unto him Wo unto thee if thou preach not the Gospel and hath commanded him to eat of His body and drink of His bloud and
them and done by the other take the matter simply and without respect to their numbers and we believe the protesting Brethren will be content to stand or fall by it and if it be the plurality of the number only we cannot accompt that â—…specially in a time of corruption a sufficient plea either for condemning the one or justifying the other The third thing wherewith they labour to make out the designs and endeavours of the protesting Brethren to subvert the Government is as they are pleased to expresse it in the fourth page of their Declaration That they have cast many and foul reproaches upon them at home and abroad both by word and writ that so they might make them hatefull and purchase credit and power to their own party whereby also they have endeavoured to render this National Church odious in the view of the world and exposed her to be a laughing-stock to all her enemies and furnished them with weapons if say they their foul slanders deserve to have credit whereby to fight against her and justifie their opposition to her when her own children bear such witnesse against her And as they expresse it in the fifth page of that Paper their branding Church-Officers and inferiour Iudicatories as generally corrupt that so all of them might be cast loose or at least moulded to their mind If our Lord and Master Jesus Christ had not forewarned us herein we should have wondred that the Brethren for the publick Resolutions should see a mote in their neighbours eye and not consider the beam in their own eye Hath it not been their work at home and abroad in private and publick in print and writ to cast foul reproaches and slanders upon the protesting Brethren That one scurril pamphlet published under the name of Uldericus Veridicus which had been better stiled Falsidicus may testifie of what spirit some of our Brethren are who knowing that the tongue of the poor man the Author thereof would be no slander at home so small was his credit in this Church when he lived that now after his death they have sent his crazie discourses abroad in a Latin dresse to gain credit to their cause amongst strangers in the Reformed Churches and make the world believe the Protesters are men fanatick and abominable like Thomas Munster or Iohn of Leyden But would any be at the pains to turn it into the Scotish tongue it should not only prove a sufficient resutation of the manifold lyes and calumnies therein contained but open the eyes of many that they might perceive by what pillars that cause is supported But it doth most grieve us that the Name of the Lord is so often taken in vain by our Brethren's filling their preachings and prayers in the pulpit with such stuffe as goeth abroad in others of their pamphlets whether it be for scarscity of other purpose or from the abundance of that humour predomining in their breasts we shall not determine but sure we are that thereby not only many hungry souls are disappointed of their food but those Ordinances are rendred irksome even to many hearers of their own judgment and the 〈◊〉 sort are furnished with a common theam for the tavern But to leave this and answer that which is charged upon the Protesters Our Brethren as we conceive do by these reproaches and slanders and brandings mean a Paper of the protesting Brethren which holdeth forth the evidences of the growing defection in the Land with another Paper that holdeth forth a corrupt party amongst the Ministery since the dayes of the Prelates who by the late publick Resolutions for bringing-in of the Malignant party have got up the head and carry the vote and sway in many the Judicatories of the Kirk with some 〈◊〉 Papers and Conferences of that kind 〈◊〉 these Brethren have been necessarily drawn in 〈◊〉 own defence Concerning which we say 〈◊〉 That if these things be indeed slanders and false 〈◊〉 themselves and have been coined and vented 〈◊〉 the protesting Brethren for the ends alleaged 〈◊〉 ly they are great transgressors and wretched 〈◊〉 whom the resolution Brethren have at a 〈◊〉 advantage and if they can but a little wait 〈◊〉 possesse their souls with patience God will 〈◊〉 their innocency and discover the others malice against them and their treachery against His Cause But secondly if these things be no inventions 〈◊〉 theirs but have real and sad truth in the bottom and have been vented by them not out of malice against the persons nor for rendring the Church odious or subverting the Government or any such sinistrous ends as these but that according to the Commandment of God they may plead with their Mother Hos. 2. 2. that free and faithfull warning being given of her backsliding revolting condition the sin might be repented of and reformed by those who are guilty and the danger avoided by those who desire to keep their garments pure And that it might appear that they do not without just reason call and cry for purging of the House of God that insufficient and scandalous and corrupt men being removed from the exercise of Government and the administration of holy things the Government may be preserved and improved to edification and the sons of Levi being purified and purged they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousnesse and â—…hat the offerings of His people may be pleasing â—…o Him as in the dayes of old and as in former years If we say there be truth at the bottom of these things and if in speaking and writing thereof they have these good ends before them which they have professed then may the Lord through grace therein accept and hear and have compassion upon them and His people by finding out the means to purge His House though men will not hear nor pitie but accompt them foul slanderers and subtil subverters for discovering and complaining of these things Thâ—…rdly To the thing it self they have frequently acknowledged and testified that there is a precious Gospel-godly Ministery in Scotland which they do not confine to these of their own judgment only but extend also to not a few of the Brethren of the other judgment also though they dare not approve of their way as to these late revolutions and are much grieved in spirit and judge it a matter to be lamented before the Lord that they should so far mistake their old friends who strive though in much weaknesse to keep the good old way wherein both were wont to walk for carrying-on of the woâ—…k of Reformation as to accompt them the wasters and destroyers of the Lords Vine and become so kindly companions and patrons to men of another stamp that they judge themselves wounded if their sore be touched But fourthly Are the protesting Brethren in fault if they have often bemoaned it before God and complained of it unto men both to our Brethren and others when called thereunto that there be a great many ignorant insufficient and
from bearing charge in the House of God and how many such have been brought-in We do believe that it may be truely asserted that the resolution Brethren in one Synod since that time have brought in moe who were formerly publickly censured for their scandalous and malignant carriage then all the Synods in Scotland of that judgement have purged out There be in one Synod nine or ten such brought into the Ministery besides four or five others whose mouths are opened to preach publickly and likewise some others who are connived at to preach and administer the Ordinances notwithstanding of their being twice deposed formerly because of grosse offences Let them name us if they can so many purged-out by the Resolution-party in all the Synods of their way these seven years past Why then do they speak such big words of their willingnesse to and activity in purging Yea who knoweth not that many of their party oppose Union upon this very accompt and that even good men amongst them who were wont to be of another spirit are too slow and backward in this duty by which it hath come to passe that a few processes that have by importunity been set on foot against some naughty men in some Synods have by the Resolution Brethren their exercising their wits and inventions to find out and cast in legal shews of defence such as variety of exceptions against witnesses and glosses upon their depositions and such like been rendred more tedious and involved in moe notional debates than readily are to be found at the most litigious Civil Bar and after all these things have come but to a poor issue in the end very few if any of these men being deposed from the Ministery notwithstanding of many and gross scandals which they do lye under It is the sad complaint of the Godly that the simplicity of the Gospel and the good old way that was wont to be used in the Church in the trying of insufficient and scandalouâ—… Ministers is forsaken and such a way taken as rather giveth them ground and encouragement to cover and hold fast their iniquity than doth contribute to the convincing of their consciences and making them acknowledge their sin by which it comes to passe that poor souls who groan under the burden are discouraged to offer the grounds of their grievance as much dispairing to find any remedy thereof But say the Resolution Brethren they are so far from foreslowing or obstructing purging that to delare their readinesse and sincerity in that matter they are content if their Brethren be not satisfied with the Rules of procedure hitherto agreed upon that they condescend upon the strictest Rules can be desired in justice for trial and censure and that they shall be willing to observe them providing they be Rules binding for all and to which all will submit both we and they To which we answer first That they do not adhere unto nor put in practice the Rules already agreed upon to what purpose then should new Rules be agreed upon It was formerly agreed upon That Synods ought in the case of the negligence of Presbyteries to appoint Visitations for trial and censure in their several bounds but in very few of the Synods of the Resolution judgment have there been any such Visitations appointed or kept since these Resolutions had a being albeit Presbyteries be negligent of their duty yea sundry Brethren in sundry of these Synods shew themselves dissatisfied with and speak against such Visitations And as long as the Synods themselves do not practise them there being so much need of them how can we otherwayes judge but that they do dislike them Secondly It was formerly agreed upon That the Kirk-judicatories might in the trial of Ministers proceed by way of Inquisition but now this is dissented from and casten at by many of the Resolution Brethren who will have no trial some of them without a Libel and others of them without a Libel and an Accuser too engaging to prove his Alleageance under pain of being censured as a Slanderer Thirdly Sundry things such as drunkennesse swearing c. which were formerly proceeded against with the censures of Suspension and Deposition are now so extâ—…nuated by many of these Brethren that they do refuse to censure them with these Censures unlesse the habits or many continued re-iterated acts of these things can be proven And yet the Authors of this Declaration do so talk as if all the Brethren of that judgment did strictly adhere unto and were unanimous about the former way of procedure in the trial and censure of Ministers but besides this departure from former Rules they do but trifle when they say that they are content that the Protesting Brethren condescend upon the strictest Rules can be desired in justice for trial and censure because it is alwayes with the supposal of this foundation which they have already laid to wit That these Rules shall be applied or executed by men of their own judgment who are the plurality in Presbyteries and Synods And what purging we may expect from them these seven years practice do now sufficiently manifest Thirdly The insufficiency of these Proposals doth appear from this That they do offer and hold forth no remedy for the grievance of the Protesting Brethren and of the Godly throughout the Land in the matter of planting Congregations upon the Call of the plurality in Paroches many of which are ignorant and disaffected and malignant by which it comes to passe that men get into the Ministery that cannot speak a word in season to a weary soul and who discountenance piety and godlinesse which if there be not some effectual remedy provided against it cannot but prove an evil very destructive to the Church and afflicting to all who do unfeignedly desire and seek the advancement of the Gospel and of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ Fourthly These Proposals do not mention any remedy against such Ministers Expectants and Schoolmasters who were deposed or silenced or removed from their Charges by General Assemblies or Synods or their Commissioners or by Presbyteries before these differences did arise and have again intruded themselves or are reponed into publick stations in the Ministery or Schools or have their mouthes opened by Presbyteries or Synods without confession and acknowledgement of and repentance for all the particulars contained in their sentence and otherwise then is provided in the Acts of uncontroverted General Assemblies Nor do they hold forth any thing as to the way of calling of a General Assembly and the electing of Commissioners thereunto and handling of matters therein all which as also the giving of mutual evidence and assurance in matters concerning the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of this Church and the enemies of Truth and Godlinesse and the work of Reformation for adhering unto these Articles of our Covenants and the solemn publick Confession of Sins and Engagement unto Duties and all the Acts of uncontroverted Assemblies relating
not to forsake the assembling himself with the Saints of God yet because men pro arbitratu imperio yea because of his adhering to the Truth of God which they have rejected and condemned hath forbidden him so to do That be shall not obey God this is a hard saying who can receive it It is also contary to clear Scripture precedents Ieremiah was often commanded by the Authority both Ecclesiastick and Civil to forbear speaking of the Word of the Lord yet did he give no subjection to the sentence either of the one or of the other but went on in his Ministrie notwithstanding of all the Inhibitions and Censures past against him Chap. 26. ch. 32. ch. 37. and ch. 38. Amos was commanded by Amaziah the Priest to prophesie no more at Bethel because it was the Kings Chappell and the Kings Court yet he did not submit but did counteract that commandment and did continue to prophesie in the Name of the Lord Amos 5. 13 14 15 16. Daniel was commanded to make no petition to any God or Man for thirtie dayes save to King Darius yet did he not submit but counteract by going into his house and opening his Chamber-window towards Ierusalem and kneeling on his knees three times a day and praying and giving thanks before His God as he did aforetime Dan. 6 6 7 8 9 10. The Iews did agree that if any man did confesse that Jesus was the Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue yet did the poor man whose eyes He had opened confesse Him openly and though he was actually cast out for doing of it yet did he not submit but went on to confesse Him still Joh. 9. 22 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38. The Apostles were commanded once and again by the Council at Ierusalem not to speak nor teach any more in the Name of JESUS but they told them that they could not but speak the things which they had seen and heard and that they ought to obey God rather then men and notwithstanding they were first threatened and afterwards imprisoned and thirdly beaten by them for so doing yet did they not submit nor forbear but daily in the Temple and from house to house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ Act. 4. 19 20 21. Act. 5. 17 18 29 40 42. Paul being accused first before Festus and afterwards before Felix the Roman Deputies That he was a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition amongst the Iews throughout the world and a ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens who also had gone about to profane the Temple Did not only appeal to Cesar but went on in his course and preached the Gospel and preached that the Iews killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and persecuted the Apostles and pleased not God and were contrary to all men Act. 24. 5 6. Act. 25. 7 8 9 10. 1 Thess. 2. 15. 3. This submission dethroneth Jesus Christ who only hath power over the consciences of men to bind them by His Authority by attributing such a Power and Authority to Church-Judicatorics as doth bind mens consciences upon their meer arbitrement and pleasure for we must be subject because they will have it so though the reason why they command this subjection to wit our supposed delinquencie be a meer non ens and such as hath no foundation in truth and equity If it be told us that the conscience is not bound because the judgement is still left free and the outward acts only restrained We would have our Brethren to remember that some of themselves and others who did oppose conformity to the Ceremonies did tell the Prelats and their party when they used this defence against the argument taken from binding the conscience to wit That if the bare Authority of an Ecclesiasticall Law without any other reason then the will and pleasure of men be made to restrain us in the use of things which are in themselves indifferent then is Christian liberty taken away and if so in things indifferent how much more is it so in things necessary such as keeping fellowship with the Assembly of the Saints in publick Prayers and Praises and eating and drinking at the Table of the Lord and preaching the Gospel c the practice whereof are things commanded of God unto persons duely qualified and instructed thereunto If it be said That these things cease to be obliging duties to such a person hic nunc and that the sentence of the Church commanding him to abstain looseth him from the obedience that he doth otherwise owe unto the Commandment of God we desire a warrant from the Scripture of Truth for such Doctrine as that which preferreth the Commandments of men unto the Commandments of God and say That it is better to obey men than God Shall the sole will and meer pleasures of men loose a man from the obligation he oweth unto the Commandments of God If so let us no more blame the Pope for dispensing with divine Laws I cannot abstain from taking Christ's body and bloud or from preaching the Gospel saith the innocent man unjustly sentenced because I am thereunto called and commanded of God But saith the Synod or Kirk-judicatory We have commanded you to abstain and therefore you should abstain and may be satisfied in your conscience so to do because our Command looseth you from the Commandment of God Hence a fourth Argument 4. This submission concludeth a man under a necessity of sinning against God by omitting those necessary duties that are commanded him of God upon a non-relevant reason to wit the meer will and pleasure of men to whom God hath given no power against the Truth but for the Truth no power to destruction but to edification 5. If such a submission be due to the Judicatories of the Kirk in matters of Discipline and Government We do not see how it is not also due unto them in matters of Doctrine and Worship The authoritative and juridical power belonging to Classes and Synods is threefold Dogmatick Diatactick and Critick Dogmatick in reference to matters of Faith and Rules of Worship which God hath laid down and prescribed to us in His Word and the inconsistency of heresies errors and corruptions therewith Diatactick in reference to external order and policy in matters circumstantial relating to time place and persons the conveniency whereof is determinable by the light of Nature and Christian prudence and the general Rules of the Word such as these That we should do all to the glory of God to the edification of the Church and in order and decency c. Critick in reference to the repressing of Scandal Error Heresie Schism Obstinacie and Contempt and preserving of the Purity of the Truth and Holinesse of Conversation and Unity of Judgment and Affection in the Church of God by exercising the spiritual
censures of Admonition Suspension from the Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper Excommunication and Suspension and Deposition from the Ministery Now all these Powers being authoritative and in their determinations and exercise confined unto and circumscribed within the bounds of the Word of God for their rule and being given to the Church for edification and not for destruction We would desire from our Brethren a Reason why the Critick-power should be more binding than the other or why submission is due to an unjust sentence proceeding from the Critick-power whilest it is not due to any erroneous or corrupt Decree proceeding from the Dogmatick or Diatactick power Hath God put more honour and respect upon the last than upon the two first Or hath He given greater latitude in the exercise of the last nor of the two first or is the last binding by thâ—… meer will and arbitrement of men whilâ—…st the two fiâ—…st bind only when agreeable to the Word of God If our Brethren do so judge We desire to know where these foundations of difference betwixt these powers are written or what they do bring for them from the Book of God or how in reason they can consist when the last shall be contrary to the two first And if this submission be equally due to the judicatories of the Kirk in all the three then if they shall determine that Justification by Faith alone is an error That Communion under both kinds is not necessary That kneeling is a necessary gesture at the Sacrament That it is necessary to forbear working on Yuleday and to keep it holy and such like We are bound not to professe nor preach nor act conâ—…rary to these their determinations which were to be ashamed of and to deny the Lord Jesus and His Word before men and to bring upon our souls the dreadfull Gospel-curse of His denying and being ashamed of us before His Father and the Angels which are in Heaven Matth. 10. 33. Mark 8. 38. Luke 26. 6. But upon supposal that this submission were not due to the Decrees of the Church in matters of Doctrine Worship and external Order by vertue of the Dogmatick and Diatactick power in themselves yet the asserting of it in matters of Discipline shall also necessarily infer the asserting of it in matters of Doctrine and Worship and external Order The Commissioners of the Gen. Assembly 1650. did declare That a great company and faction of wicked men sons of Belial being subjects may and ought in the case of necessity be imployed in a Christian Army and Covenanted Nation for the defence of Religion and the Country And the Assembly at St. Andrews and Dundee in anno 1651. do by vertue of their Dogmatick-power approve of and ratifie this Doctrine and Declaration and do withall by their Critick-power appoint and ordain That whosoever will not submit to this Determination but shall oppose by professing or preaching otherwise shall be proceeded against with the censures of the Kirk We ask whether these censures being put in execution by suspension from the Sacrament against these who professe otherwise or by Suspension or Deposition from the Ministery against those who preach otherwise if this submission which is required being given to these censures will not necessarily infer that they must not continue to profess or preach any more so And if this by necessary consequence be not an absolute submission to the Dogmatick-power aswell as to the Critick Or let us take it in the case of Athanasius who was deposed and excommunicated for professing and preaching and pleading Jesus Christ to be the consubstantial Son of God or in the case of a person suspended from the Sacrament or deposed from the Ministery because of their professing and preaching against kneeling at the Communion Will not such submission to these sentences as excludes all counteracting unlesse it be to appeal necessarily infer submission to the Decrees themselves so as the person censured must be silenced and not professe nor preach nor plead any more for the one Truth nor against the other Error 7. To wave a little that which concerneth private and particular persons We offer it to consideration whether inferiour Kirk-judicatories are subordinate to the greater and superiour simply and absolutely because they are greater and superiour or because the inferiour have no intrinsical power given them by Jesus Christ but in and wiâ—…h subordination to the greater because greater If so it would seem that all the inferiour Judicatories of the Kirk Congregational-Elderships Presbyteries and Provincial Synods must befenced and act in the name and by vertue of the authority derived from the General Assembly as all those Civil Courts that have no intrinsick power in themselves but in and with subordination to the supream Civil Magistrate are fenced in his Name and act by vertue of his Authority Inferiour Kirk-judicatories being Ordinances of Jesus Christ have the promise made to them when they meet in His Name and do adhere to His Truth Mat. 18 18 19. And if so shall the sentence of the superiour Judicatory when wrong upon the matter oblige them to submission If a Presbyterie or a Synod with the consent of the Presbyterie do in an orderly way of procedure cast-out an heterodox and scandalous Minister Must they because the Synod or General Assembly doth sustain his unjust appeal be obliged in conscience again to receive him as a member of the Presbyterie or Synod and acknowledge him for a lawfull Minister of the Gospel or if they have in an orderly way of procedure admitted an able orthodoxe godly man to the Ministrie Must they because the superiour Judicatory commands them so to do cease to acknowledge him or own him for one of their number or as a Minister of the Gospel if so it seemeth to be an ill-grounded Truth that is commonly delivered by some Divines writing of Synods That the power of Synods is not corruptive privative or destructive to the power of Classical Presbyteries or single Congregations but perfective acumulative and conservative thereunto 8. What is denyed jure to oecomenick Councels and so lawfully called Prophets and Ministers of the Gospel to Nathan to David to Paul to an Angel from heaven Gal. 1. 8. cannot warrantably be given to General Assemblies If oecomenick Counsels lawfully called Ministers if Nathan if Samuel if Paul if an Angel teach or decree but according to the Word of the Lord we are to counteract and to contradict Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from heaven preach to you {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} beside what we have preached let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8. Therefore c. 9. What is proprium quarto modo to the Scripture of Truth it cannot warrantably be given to the Judicatories of the Kirk but not to be counteracted nor contradicted is proprium quarto modo to the Scriptures of Truth these being the only infallible rule in matters of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government Isa. 8.
20. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Therefore it cannot be given to the Judicatories of the Kirk and to give it inferreth their infallibility and exposeth our Government to the calumnie of Sectaries who say we make Synods as infallible as the Word of God 10. This argueth the Scriptures of imperfection and setteth up the necessity of humane traditions because every warrantable subordination and submission due to the Judicatories of the Kirk must be given of Christ but no where is it written in the Book of God that a Generall Assembly hath power given of Christ to teach and enact such Points and Doctrines and inflict such Censures as no man may or ought lawfully to counteract or contradict Therefore c. 11. This submission doth infer That if a Generall Assembly lawfully conveened should enact the Masse and all the heresies of the Councel of Trent we may not preach nor write the contrary for that is to counteract and contradict But this is absurd Therefore c. 12. Sentences of Kirk Judicatories that are for the ground of them unjust and repugnant to the Word of God are in themselves null because all Church-power and Authority is included in the Word of the Lord and to be regulated according thereto Isa. 8. 20. 2 Corinth 13. 8 10. and what is null in it â—…elf cannot bind unto submission and subjection Therefore When Kirk-Judicatories act not in subordination to Jesus Christ from and under whom they have all their power they may lawfully be contradicted and counteracted 13 This submission is prelaticall and introduceth a lordly and absolute power and dominion in the Church of God over the Flock and Ministers of Jesus Christ It is indeed the very image and likenesse of that subjection and submission that was required by prelates of Intrants to the Ministery Bishop Spotswood in his Sâ—…rmon at Perth Assembly telleth his hearers That the sentence of superiours as long as it hath the force of a constitution though haply otherwise established then it can set forward Godliness and Piety and that we be perswaded that such things are not right nor well appointed yet ought to diâ—…ect us and is a sufficient ground to our consciences for obeying Narrat of the proceedings of Perth Assembly by Doctor Lindsay page 29. And in the same place he gives this as the reason of his judgement Except this be saith he there can be no order and all must be filled with strife and contention The same thing that our Brethren now tell us that they do not see how without this submission Unity and and Order can be continued in the Kirk Doctor Lindsay also himself afterwards Bishop of Edinb in his Epistle to the Pastors and Ministers of the Church of Scotland prefixed to his book of the proceedings of the Assembly at Perth telleth us That where a man hath not a law his judgement is the rule of his conscience but where there is a law the law must be the rule And in the Oath which was ministred to the Intrants to the Ministerie in this Church by the Prelates they make the Intrants to swear That they shall live peaceable Ministers in thiâ—… Church subjecting themselves to the Orders that therein are or shall be established that by all meanes that they can use they shall procure others to the due reverence of the same which things saith the intrant in that oath if we shall contraveen as God forbid we are content upon triall and cognition taken by our ordinary without all reclamation or gainsaying to be deprived of our Ministery and be reputed Infamous and Perjured Persons for ever And to the same purpose there is in the Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall for the Government of the Kirk of Scotland ratified and published by Authority 1636. A Canon appointing That if any person in holy Orders lawfully Suspended or Deposed that is in their sense Suspended or Deposed by his ordinary for transgressing any of these prelaticall Cannons Shall presume to exercise any Ecclesiasticall Function during the time of his suspension or after he is degraded let him be Excommunicated and delivered to the â—…y-power as incorrigible Just so our Brethren will have the Protesting Brethren to engage and promise absolute submission to the Sentences of the Judicatories of the Kirk whether just or unjust and because they do refuse it charge them with breach of their Engagements at their entrance to â—…he Ministery and as subverters of the very being â—…f the Government And what they would do if â—…hey had the Civil-power to concur is but too apparent from these hard representations they gave of them to the Civil-power in the year 1651. and â—…rewd hints and insinuations which they made â—…ereupon 14. This submission is so far from being any part of Catholick truth much less of the essence and being of Presbyterial Government that it seems to be a tenet purely Popish and Antichristian and plâ—…ades for a Government that is not Presbyterian but Popish and Anâ—…ichristian Who knoweth not that the favorites and Emmisaries of the Sea of Rome do with might and main plead for this absolute and unlimited subjection and submission to the Decrees and Sentences of the Pope wherein they are opposed by Protestant Divines Debeâ—… excommunicatus si innocens saith a Popish Author aliorum consortia fugere a sacris abstinere igitur vnproprte Christi instrumentum dicitur Papa cum aliquae illius actiones a Christo non impellantur nec acceptantur Andr. Dâ—…valius in 22. part quest 8. He that is excommunicate saith hâ—… albeit innocent yet ought to shâ—…n the fellowship of others and to abstain from holy things therefore the Pope is saith he improperly called Christs instrument because some of his aâ—…tions are neither impelled by him nor accepted of him So our Bâ—…ethren will have a man that is suspended froâ—…â—…he Sacrament or deposed from the Ministery or excommunicated though unjustly to abstain from the Sacraâ—…ent and from preaching and from the fellowship of others and from holy things And whether this be in the dispencing of Church-discipline and Government to be the Instruments and Ministers of Christ or if it bâ—… not indeed to play the Pope and to set up Ministers and Servants above the Master of the house we leave it to sober and unbyassed men to judge 15. This unlimited submission leaves the Church destitute of all Ecclesiasticall remedies in the case of a general defection and doth open a wide door for making the Government of the House of God degenerate into Tyranny and in stead of being a mean of purging and preserving of Religion to be a mean of polluting and destroying the same and persecuting and bearing down such as desire to keep their garments pure whether Ministers or Professors What is Tyranny but when these that are in power will have inferiours without gainsaying or counâ—…eracting to yeeld subjection to their dictates and commands though there be nothing but sic volo sic jubeo
no reason of â—…quity in them but their own meer arbitrament and pleasure or though there be iniquity and injustice in them Dan. 11. 36. and when subjection without gainsaying is not only required of private and particular men but also oâ—… all inferiour Judicatories and even of these that are clothed with lawfull power and authority Was not this the State-tyranny that was formerly exercised and 〈◊〉 for by the Malignant-party to which there was publick opposition made by defensive Armes that are generally acknowledged by all sober men both Polititians and Divines to be a lawfull mean of a peoples preservation from the mine that is threatened by Tyranny And shall we now set up a Church-tyranny the meer will and abitrement yea the unjust Sentences of Church-judicatories for Laws and require absolute submission thereunto not only of private and single persons but of all inâ—…iour Judicatories not allowing the Congrâ—…gational-eldership once to whisper against what is resolved by the Presbyterie or the Presbyterie against what is resolved by the Synod or the Synod against what is resolved by the General Assembly If then the superiour Judicatories will tyrannize what remedy is there or if they become corrupt how shall the ruine of Religion or the persecution and oppression of these who desire to keep Faith and a good Conscience be avoided Have the Ministers and Saints and Courts of Jesus Christ received Religion and His Ordinances upon these tearms that if a superiour Court will have it so they shall all crouch down as Asses under the burden and let them without gainsaying they being now cudgel'd into silence by a sentence of suspension from the Sacrament or Deposition or Excommunication ruin Church and Ministers and Ordinances and Professors and all the precious interests of Jesus Christ And shall we say that such a submission is required in this case as though they ought to do nothing but weep and pray in secret How great tyranny is this and how remedilesse a way to ruin And yet this is the consequent of our Brethren's opinion If they tell us that there is no hazard of these things because the Church of Scotland is sound in Doctrine and Worship and Discipline and Government and that it is upon the account of the soundnesse of the Church-judicatories only that they challenge this submission as due unto them We desire 1. to know whether they will grant that such a submission as they do now plead for may be denied to Church-judicatories that are unsound and what degrees of unsoundnesse they will have them to fall into before this submission can be warrantably denied unto them It seems to us by our Brethrens judgement as long as they keep any thing of the being and authority of Kirk-judicatories though they be corrupt not only in the particular Determinations to which submission is required but in many things besides both in Doctrine and Discipline and Government this submission must be granted them because to deny it is to deny the very being and essence of the Government How this shall be avoided we do not see unlesse they say That a Church-judicatory that is unsound in any point of Truth doth lose its being and authority which we hope they will not say having in some of their Papers charged it as heterodoxie upon the Protesting Brethren 2. As we shall be glad that they will confine this submission to sound Judicatories upon the accompt of their soundnesse only so in the case of their so doing we do not see what this importeth more in the matter of submission than the Protesting Brethren are willing to yeeld to wit A submission to all sound Determinations and just Sentences of the respective Judicatories of the Kirk without any counteracting because if it be given to them upon that accompt only that they are sound then is it only to be given to them when they are sound and right in their resolutions and actings which the Protesting Brethren willingly yeeld and be like in some particular cases somewhat more We finde them in their last Paper in the Conference at Edinburgh November 25. 1655. professing that if the case were only of particular persons in things of more private interest and personal concernment and of Judicatories imploying their power to ediâ—…ication in the current of their actings they would not much contend about it But 3. the Protesting Brethren do deny thaâ—… the Church of Scotland is now sound It is their sad complaint that there is in the Church the pluâ—…ality of her Judicaâ—…ories very much practicalâ—… unsoundnesse not only because of their not improving the precious Ordinances of God for bearing down of the kingdom of sin and Satan and advancing the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ but also because of their abusing of them in many things for a carrying on of a course of defection from former integrity and purity and a course of persecution against godly Ministers and Elders and Professors in the Land who cannot be consenting to their backsliding courses therefore do these Brethren conceive that they have the more reason to refuse to engage themselves to an absolute submission to the Sentences of the Church Judicatories whilst the power is in such hands because it were to betray themselves and the Work and People of God to the lusts and will of men We conclude this debate of the nature of that submission that is due to Church-Judicatories with two testimonies of men who are deservedly acknowledged to be great and worthy asserters of Presbyteriall Government The first is of the Authors of the Divine-right of Church-Government who in the 15. Chap. of that book treating of the subordination of particular Churches to greater Assemblies for their authoritative judging and determining of causes Ecclesiasticall and the Divine right thereof do write thus It is granted say they that the highest Ecclesiasticall Assembly in the world cannot require from the lowest a subordination absolute and pro arbitrio i. e. at their own meer will and pleasure but only in some respect subordination absolute being only to the Law of God laid down in the Scripture We detest Popish tyrannie which claimeth a power of giving their will for a Law It is subjection in the Lord that is pleaded-for the streightest rule in the world unlesse the holy Scricpture we affirm to be regulam regulatam i. e. a rule to be regulated peace being only in walking according to Scripture Canon Gal. 6. ver. 16. The other is of our Country-man Mr. George Gillespie in his Assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland the sec. part ch. 2. page 127. We must distinguish saith he betwixt a dependance absolute and in some respect a Congregation doth absolutely depend upon the holy Scriptures alone as the perfect rule of Faith and manners of Worship and of Church-Government for we accurse the tyrannie of Prelates who claimed to themselves autocratorick power over Congregations to whom they gave their Naked-will for a Law one of