laxe in this point homolating both Doctrinally Practically their heathenish notions say to the contrary I hope it be in some measure made out that Tyrants are no more the Ordinance of God nor to be ouned as His Ministers Vicegerents than the Devil the Prince of this World for the Lords Anointed or Baals Priests for true Ministers If we pray for them as Kings we must pray for their peace prosperity preservation that their Government may be blessed with success their designs not frustrated nor their desires disappointed This we cannot pray for Tyrants 6. Albeit we may pray for the Peace of the Nation and for the Government thereof so far as it may conduce to our oun the Churches Tranquility that we may live a peaceable Godly life under it yet this cannot be extended to the peace of Tyrants for whom the best Prayer that we can bestow is that the Lord would bridle restrain them that they may not mâ—r the Churches peace That Command Ier. 29. 7. Seek the Peace of the City whither soever I have caused yow to be carried Captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall yow have peace is apparent to have been but of a temporary nature upon occasion of their Captivity there until the 70 years should be expired having it also declared by God that their oun peace was bound up in that of Babylons For after that time they are taught the contrary carriage towards that City to depart and pray against it and exult rejoice in its ruine O Daughter of Babylon happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thow hast served us that dasheth thy litle ones against the Stones Psal. 137. 8 9. The voice of them that flee out of the Land of Babylon to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord the vengeance of His Temple Ier. 50. 28. And Ier. 51. 35. The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon shall the inhabitant of Zion say and my blood be upon Chaldea shall Ierusalem say Certainly this is not the season to seek the Peace of Misticall Babylon but to pray for the destruction thereof and all its supporters Which we cannot do if we pray for them that improve imploy apply all their power to support it lest we pray contradictions as many do who pray against Babels brats and yet pray for the King but the Comfort is this that Nonsensical Prayers will do litle good litle hurt but to themselves that pray them Secondly To vindicate the Scruplers Refusers of such Compelled extorted Devotion in praying for Tyrants I shall offer these Considerations 1. The imposed form of it which as it is found in the Original from whence it is taken is only Paraphrastically expounded God save the King and most Catechrestically applied to Tyrants being in the native sense of the words of this signification Let the King Live which is a very improper Wish for men of death of whom God sayes they shall die and the Law sayes they should die for their Murders Capital Crimes must be taken either as an Adulatory Complement or a Congratulatory honour or a precatory benediction The first as it is extorted most illegally so it can be rendered neither Civilly nor Sincerly nor Christianly but all ingenuus men would think it a base imposition to be forced not only to subject themselves to their Tyrannical Oppressors but to flatter them as if they were not such Whatever they may force the mouth to speak dissemblingly they can never compell the heart to think such wishes are due to them and so they can never be Cordial nor consistent with Candor and to interpose the Holy Dreadful Name of God in a dissembling Complement to flatter base men is a horrid mocking of God and a heinous taking His Name in vain contrary to the Third Command If it be a Congratulation as alwayes it is used in Scripture and in all cases formerly being never imposed on men by way of Compulsion before this sett of Tyrants started up that know they can get no deference of honest men but by extortion It is the more abominable not only for the Hypocrisie that is in it but the Blasphemie in giving thanks for the Promoter of the Devils Interest and the Destroyer of Christs and the Liberties of Mankind What have we to Congratulate him for but for overturning our Laws Liberties and oppressing us in most grievous Tyranny Besides to give the vilest of men when exalted any Congratulatory honour is contrary to the fifth Command as is shewed above And it were a forsaking of the Law thus to praise the wicked since they that keep the Law will contend with them Prov. 28. 4. If it be a Benediction we cannot bestow it upon one whom our Father Curses our Mother Curses and all our Brethren It is no less preposterous to bless whom the Lord declaredly Curses than to Curse whom he blesses The Curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked Prov. 3. 33. we cannot then bless that house Nor can we bless them that our Mother curses and cries for vengeance against as she did against Nebuchadnezzar Ier. 51. 34 35. Nor them against whom the blood of our dead Brethren hath a Moral Cry How long O Lord holy true doest thow not Iudge avenge our blood Revel 6. 10. And the vexed Spirits of our Brethren yet houling under the same yoke are puting up before the Throne of Grace the same continued Cry with incessant importunity How long how long shall the wicked triumph how long shall they break in pieces thy people O God to whom vengeance belongeth Psal. 94. 1-4 Yea God hath said it and we must not contradict it in our practice against all Tyrants that wrest Judgement and say unto the wicked thow art righteous him shall the people curse Nations shall abhor him Prov. 2. 24. And this must stand registred as the everlasting Claise of all Zions haters to which all her Lovers must say Amen that they shall be as the grass upon the house tops and never have the benefit of the Churches benediction Psal. 129. 8. Neither do they which go by say the blessing of Lord be upon yow we bless yow in the Name of the Lord. This one word may be a sufficient Supercedeas from blessing any of the enemies of God or of the Church while acting in a declared opposition to God for the destruction of His people interest 2. Either this Save the King as they mouth it and demand the repetition of it is a Prayer or it is not If not it must be a dreadful profanation of the name of God to be commanded to speak to Him and yet not to pray If it be a Prayer we would expect another way of dealing with us if rhey really desired the benefit of our Prayers than a threatening us with death if we did it not And if they did
desire it as Darius did that we might offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the King and of his sons Ezra 6. 10. we could not refuse to pray for him so far as might consist with that Prayer of the same Darius in that same decree vers 12. that God may destroy all Kings people that shall put to their hand to alter and destroy the House of God. We can pray no Prayer inconsistent with this And to pray that God would save this King and yet destroy all Kings that put to their hand against His House were to pray Contradictions But they know they deserve no Prayers and must force them if they get them And all the world knows that Compelled Prayers are no devotion and if they be no devotion they must be sin Imposed Prayers are not the Prayers that God will hear accept And if we have not the faith of acceptance in them they must be sin for whatever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. ult All Prayers which God will hear must proceed from the heart voluntarely and fervently in Spirit in Truth with the whole heart But imposed compelled Prayers cannot be such especially when they are not only by them imposed but prescribed as to the form of them Which sets and formes prescribed by men and such men as usurp a Supremacy over the Church cannot be subjected to according to the Word of God and the Principles of our Reformation 3. That infallible Proposition of the Apostle Whatsoever is not of faith is sin must be urged yet a litle further And that with a reference both to the Person required to be prayed for and to the matter of the duty more generally First if we cannot pray for this man neither as a Christian nor as a King then we cannot satisfie this imposed demand for it will not satisfie to pray for him as a Heathen But we cannot in faith pray for him either as a Christian or as a King Not as a Christian for besides that he is an excommunicate Apostate by a sentance which we beleeve stands yet rate in Heaven Pronounced by a faithful Servant of Christ and a Papist which as such can no more be prayed for than the Pope as Pope for whom and all the limbs of Antichrist the only prayer that Protestants can pray is that the Lord would consume him with the Spirit of His Mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming 2 Thess. 2. 8. we cannot reconcile the prayers of some that pray against the Pope and his supporters and upholders of his tottering Kingdom and yet for this his Antichristian vassal His rage resolution in prosecuting a war against Christ and His followers is such that if we may make Comparisons our faith will have litle more ground to pray for Iames than Christians of old could find for Iulian the the Apostate Nor as a King for that we cannot do because he is none with Gods approbation and may not do for a very heathen could teach us to pray that God would destroy all Kings that put to their hand to alter destroy the House of God Ezra 6. 12. And besides in the Second place with respect to the matter of the duty in general That cannot be in faith which wants a warrant in the Word either by precept promise or practice But to pray for wicked Tyrants Enemies of God wants a Warrant in the Word either by precept promise or practice There is no precept for it either General on particular neither express nor any to which this is reducible And who dare adde without a precept in the Worship of God either for matter or manner or end what He hath not commanded for such presumption Nadab Abihu were destroyed Levit. 10. 1 2. because they did that which the Lord had not commanded What Command can there be for praying for that which is against the preceptive Will of God But it is against the preceptive Will of God that there should be Tyrants Therefore to pray that these may be preserved in the World cannot fall under a Command of God. There is no promise for it which is the foment foundation of Prayer We can pray for nothing that we have not a promise for either General or Particular But we have none nor can have any for the preservation of a plague to us as Tyrants are There is no Practice for it in Scripture to pray for Kings that put to their hand to destroy the House of God. Samuel did indeed mourn for Saul but the Lord reproved him for it How long wilt thow mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him from being King over Isrrel 1 Sam. 16. 1. belike this reproof was for his praying for Sauls preservation as King for otherwise we may mourn for wicked wretches for their sin Miserie both But hence if the Lord reprove His Servant for mourning for a King whom He disounâ—d then we may not pray for such a King whom the Lord disounes as He disounes all Tyrants for they are set up not by Him But the Antecedent is true in that example of Samuel Therefore also the Consequent that we may not pray for them as Kings whom the Lord disounes 4. Moreover to confirm this yet further That Prayer is not of Faith and so sin which is contrary to the Precepts of God and his promises and the practices of the Saints But praying for wicked Kings their preservation is contrary to these precepts promises practices c. Ergo It is contrary to some Divine precepts both Affirmative Negative There is an Affirmative precept prescribing what Prayer should be used under the Domination of Tyrants that they should weep and say Spare thy people O Lord give not they Heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is their God Ioel. 3. 17. If it be a reproach to be under Heathen Rulers and if we should pray that they may not Rule but that Our God may shew Himself where He is and who He is in delivering His people from their Domination Then it is contrary to this to pray for the preservation of Tyrants that do rule over them to their destruction reproach For it is contradictory to pray that they may not Rule and that they may be preserved in Ruling There is a negative precept prohibiting the salutation of Hereticks and Enemies of the Gospel which will condemn this salutation of Heretical Kings for in the Original God save the King is no more than a solemn salutation or apprecatory Wish that he may prosper 2 Epist. Iohn vers 10 11. If there come any and bring not this Doctrine neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds God speed in the Greek is the same with God save in the Hebrew If then we must not say
imposing the Service-book and book of Canons c. the Lord in Mercy remembered His people and surprised them with a sudden unexpected Deliverance by very despicable means even the opposition of a few weak women at the beginning of that Contest which ere it was quashed made the Tyrant tumble headless off his throne The zeal against the English popish Ceremonies obtruded on Edinburgh did first inflame some feminine hearts to witness their detestation of them but afterwards was followed out with more Masculine fervor accosting King Council with Petitions Remonstrances Protestations Testimonies against the Innovations and resolving upon a mutual Conjunction to defend Religion Lives Liberties against all that would innovate or invade them To fortifie which and conciliate the favour both of God man in the Resolution All the Lovers of God and friends to the Liberty of the Nation did solemnly Renew the National Covenant wherein they were signally countenanced of the Lord vvhich though in it self obliging to the Condemnation of Prelatical Hierarchie and clearly enough confirming Presbyterial Government yet they ingaged into it vvith an inlargment to suspend the practice of Novations already introduced and the approbation of the Corruptions of the present Government vvith the late places povver of Church men till they be tried in a free General Assembly Which vvas obtaineâ— that same year and indicted at Glasgow and there not vvith standing all the opposition that the Kings Commissioner could make by Protestations Proclamations to dissolve it the six preceeding Assemblies establishing Prelacy vvere annulled The Service-Book and high Commission vvere condemned All the Bishops vvere deposed and their Government declared to be abjured in that National Covenant though many had through the Commissioners persvvasions subscribed it in another sense vvithout that application As also the five Articles of Perth vvere there discovered to have been inconsistent vvith that Covenant Confession and the Civil places povver of Church men vvere disproved rejected on the other hand Presbyterial Government vvas Justified Approved and an Act vvas passed for their keeping yearly General Assemblies This was a bold begining into which they were animated with more than humane resolution against more than humane opposition Hell as well as the powers of the earth being set against them But when the Lord gave the Call they considered not their oun deadness nor were daunted with Discouragments nor staggered at the promise through unbelief but gave Glory to God out braving all difficulties Which in the following year were much increased by the Prelats and their Popish Partakers rendevouzing their forces under the Kings Personal Standart and menacing nothing but misery to the zealous Covenanters yet when they found them prepared to resist were forced to yeeld to a Pacification concluding that an Assembly Parliament should be held for healing all grievances of Church and State. In which Assembly at Edinburgh the Covenant is ratified subscribed by the Earle of Traquair Commissioner and enjoined to be subscribed by the body of the whole Land with an explication expressly condemning the five Articles of Perth the Government of Bishops the Civil places power of Church men But the sons of Belial cannot be taken with hands nor bound with bonds of faith humanity or honour For in the year following King Prelats with their Popish Abettors go to arms again but were fain to accommodate the matter by a new Pacification whereby all Civil Religious Liberties were ratified And in the folowing year 1641 by Lawes Oaths Promises subscriptions of King Parliament fully confirmed The King Charles the I. being present and consenting to all though in the mean time he was treacherously encouraging the Irish murderers who by his Authority made a Massacre of many thousand Innocent Protestants in Ireland But in Scotland things vvent vvell the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus vvas greatly advanced the Gospel flourished and the Glory of the Lord did shine upon us vvith such a splendor that it avvaked England and animated the Lords People there then groaning under those Grievances from vvhich Scotland vvas delivered to aspire to the like Reformation For advice in vvhich because though all aggreed to cast off the yoke of Prelacy yet sundry forms of Church Government vvere projected to be set up in the room thereof chiefly the Independent order determining all Acts of Church Government as Election ordination and deposition of officers vvith Admission Excommunication Absolution of members to be done decided by the voices of every Particular Congregation vvithout any Authoritative Concurrence or interposition of any other condemning all imperative decisive povver of Classes c. as a meer usurpation Therefore the Brethren in England vvrote to the Assembly then fitting at Edinburgh vvho gave them ansvver That they vvere grieved that any of the Godly should be found not aggreeing vvith other Reformed Churches in point of Government as well as Doctrine and that it was to be feared where the edge of Discipline Government is different the Doctrine Worship shall not long continue the same without change That the Government of the Church by Compound Presbytries Synods is a help strength and not a hinderance to particular Congregations Elderships in all the parts of Government and are not an extrinsecal Power set over Particular Churches but the intrinsecal power where with Christ hath invested His Officers who may not exercise it Independently but with subordination unto Presbytries c. Which as they are Representative of particular Churches conjoined together in one under their Government so their determination when they proceed orderly whether in Causes common to all or brought before them by reference in case of aberration is to the several Congregations Authoritative not Consultatory only And this subordination is not only warranted by the light of nature but grounded upon the Word of God and conforme to the Pattern of the Primitive Apostolick Church for the Preservation of verity unity against Schisme Heresie Tyrannie which is the fruit of this Government where soever it hath place So from henceforth the Assembly did incessantly urge uniformity in Reformation with their Brethren in England as the chiefest of their Desires Prayers Cares And in the year 1643. prevailed so far that the English Parliament did first desire that the two Nations might be strictly united for their mutual defence against the Papists Prelatical faction and their Adherents in both Kingdoms and not to lay down Armes till these implacable Enemies should be brought in subjection and did instantly urge for the help assistance from Scotland Which being sent did return with an Olive branch of Peace and not without some beginings of a Reformation in England And afterwards a bloody War begining between the King Parliament with great success on the Kings side whence the Papists at the time got great advantage witness the cessation of Armes concluded in Ireland
Antichrists Interest And therefore having gotten the Supremacy devolved upon him by Law for which also he had the Popes dispensation to take it to himself for the time under promise to restore surrender it to him as soon as he could attain his end by it as the other Brother succeeding hath now done he would now exert that usurped power and work by infnaring policy to effectuate the end which he could not do by other means Therefore seeing he was not able to suppress the Meetings of the Lords people for Gospel Ordinances in house fields but that the more he laboured by violent courses the greater more frequent they grew he fell upon a more Craftie device not only to overthrow the Gospel and suppress the Meetings but to break the faithful and to divide between the Mad-cap the Moderate Fanaticks as they phrased it that he might the more easily destroy both to confirm the usurpation and to settle people in a sinful silence stupid submission to all the Incroachments made on Christs Prerogatives and more effectually to overturn what remained of the Work of God. And knowing that nothing could more fortifie the Supremacy than Ministers their homologating acknowledging it Therefore he offerd the first Indulgence Anno 1669. Signifying in a Letter dated that year Iune 7. His gracious pleasure was to appoint so many of the outed Ministers as have lived peaceably orderly to return to preach exercise other functions of the Ministrie in the Paroch Churches where they formerly served provided they be vacant and to allow Patrons to present to other vacant Churches such others of them as the Council should approve That all who are so Indulged be enjoyned to keep Presbytries and the Refusers to be confined within the bounds of their paroches And that they be enjoined not to admitt any of their neighbour Paroches unto their Communions nor Baptize their Children nor marry any of them without the allowance of the Minister of the Paroch and if they Countenance the people deserting their oun Paroches they are to be silenced for shorter or longer time or altogether turned out as the Council shall see cause And upon Complaint made verified of any Seditious discourse or expressions in the Pulpit uttered by any of the Ministers they are immediatly to be turned out and further punished according to Law And seeing by these orders all Pretences for Conventickles were taken away if any should be found hereafter to Preach without Authority or keep Conventickles his Pleasure is to proceed with all severity against them as Seditious persons Contemners of Authority To salve this in point of Law because it was against former Lawes of their oun and to make the Kings Letter the supreme Law afterwards and a valid ground in Law where upon the Council might proceed enact and execute what the King pleased in Matters Ecclesiastick he therefore caused frame a formal Statutory Act of Supremacy of this Tenor. That his Maj. hath the supreme Authority Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes Ecclesiastick within his dominions and that by virtue thereof the ordering disposal of the external Government of the Church doth properly belong to him his successors as an Inherent right to the Croun And that he may settle enact emitt such Constitutions Acts Orders concerning the Administrating therof and Persons employed in the same and concerning all Ecclesiastical Meetings Matters to be proposed determined therein as he in his Royal wisdom shall think fit which Acts Orders Constitutions are to be observed obeyed by all his Maj. Subjects any Law act or custom to the contrary notwithstanding Where upon accordingly the Council in their Act Iuliâ— 27. 1669. do nominate several Ministers and appoint them to Preach and exercise the other functions of the Ministrie at their respective Churches there specified with Consent of the Patrons The same day also they conclude enact the forementioned Restrictions conform to the Kings Letter above rehearsed And ordain them to be intimat to every person who is by Authority foresaid allowed the exercise of the Ministrie These Indulged Ministers having that Indulgence given only upon these termes that they should accept these Injunctions and having received it upon these termes also as an essential part of the bargain Condition on which the Indulgence was granted accepted as many following Proclamations did expressly declare do Appoint Mr Hutcheson one of the number to declare so much In Acknowledging his Maj. favour Clemency in granting that Liberty after so long a restraint And however they had received their Ministrie from Jesus Christ with full Prescriptions from Him for regulating them therein yet nothing could be more refreshing on earth to them than to have free Liberty for the exercise of their Ministrie under the Protection of Lawful Authority And so they purposed to be have themselves in the discharge of the Ministrie with that wisdom that became faithful Ministers and to demean themselves towards Lawful Authority notwithstanding of their known judgment in Church affairs as wel becometh Loyal subjects And their prayer to God should be that the Lord should bless his Maj. in his person Government and the Council in the publick administration and especially in the Pursuance of his Maj. mind in his Letter wherein his singular moderation eminently appears Afterwards they issued out Proclamations reinforcing the punctual observation of the forementioned Injunctions and delivered them into the Indulged In the mean time though Cruel Acts Edicts were made against the Meetings of the Lords people in houses the fields after all these Midianitish wyles to suppress them such was the presence of the Lord in these Meetings and so powerful was His Countenance Concurrence with the Labours of a few who laid out themselves to hold up the Standart of Christ that the number of Converts multiplyed dayly to the praise of free Grace and to the great encouragment of the few hands that wrestled in that Work through all humane discouragment Therefore King Council was put to a new shift which they supposed would prove more effectual To wit because there was a great number of Non-conformed Ministers not yet Indulged who either did or might hereafter hold Conventickles therefore to remeed or prevent this in time coming they appoint ordain them to such places where Indulged Ministers were settled there to be confined with allowance to Preach as the Indulged should employ them thinking by this means to incapacitate many to hold Meetings there or elswere And to these also they give injunctions restrictions to regulate them in the exercise of their Ministrie And to the end that all the outed Ministers might be brought under restraint and the Word of God be kept under bonds by another Act of Council they Command that all other Ministers not Disposed of as is said were either to repair to the Paroch Churches where
supposing also they might be pardoned for that which is done from whose guiltiness the Land cannot be cleansed but by executing Gods righteous Judgements upon them yet they cannot now be believed after they have violated all that humane wisdom could devise to bind them Upon these accounts they reject that King and those associate with him in the Government and declare them henceforth no lawful Rulers as they had declared them to be no lawful Subjects they having destroyed the established Religion overturned the fundamental Lawes of the Kingdom taken away Christs Church-Government and changed the Civil into Tyrannie where none are associate in partaking of the Government but only these who will be found by Justice guilty of Criminals And declare they shall God giving power set up Government Governours according to the Word of God and the qualifications required Exod. 18. vers 20. And shall not commit the Government to any single person or lineal succession being not tyed as the Jewes were to one single family and that kind being lyable to most inconveniences aptest to degenerate into Tyrannie And moreover that these men set over them shall be engaged to Govern Principally by that Civil Judicial Law not that which is any way Typical given by God to His people of Israel as the best so far as it goes being given by God especially in matters of life death and other things so far as they reach and are consistent with Christian Liberty exempting Divorces Polygamie 6. Seeing the greatest part of Ministers not only were defective in Preaching against the Acts of the Rulers for overthrowing Religion but hindered others also who were willing and censured some that did it and have voted for acceptation of that Liberty founded upon given by virtue of that blaspemously arrogate Usurped power and appeared before their Courts to accept of it and to be enacted authorized their Ministers whereby they have become the Ministers of men and bound to be answerable to them as they will And have preached for the lawfulness of paying that Tribute declared to be imposed for the bearing doun of the true Worship of God And advised poor Prisoners to subscribe that Bond which if it were universally subscribed they should close that door which the Lord hath made use of in all the Churches of Europe for casting off the yoke of the whore and stop all regress of men when once brought under Tyrannie to recover their Libertie again They declare they neither can nor will hear them c. nor any who encouraged strengthened their hands and pleaded for them and trafficqued for union with them 7. That they are for a standing Gospel Ministrie rightly chosen rightly ordained that none shall take upon them the Preaching of the Word c. unless called ordained thereunto And whereas Separation might be imputed to them they refell both the malice and the ignorance of that Calumnie for if there be a Separation it must be where the change is and that was not to be found in them who were not separating from the Communion of the true Church nor setting up a New Ministrie but cleaving to the same Ministers Ordinances that formerly they followed when others have fled to new wayes and a new Authority which is like the old piece in the new Garment 8. That they shall defend themselves in their Civil Natural Divine Rights Liberties And if any assault them they shall look on it as a declaring a war and take all advantages that one enemie does of another but trouble and injure none but those that injure them This is the Compend of that Paper which the Enemies seised and published while it was only in a rude draught and not polished digested nor consulted by the rest of the Community yet whether or not it was for their advantage so to blaze their oun baseness in that Paper truly represented I leave it to the Reader to judge or if they did not thereby Proclaim their oun Tyrannie and the Innocency honesty of that people whom thereby they were seeking to make odious but in effect inviting all Lovers of Religion Liberty to Sympathise with them in their difficulties distresses there discovered However that poor Partie continued together in a posture of defence without the Concurrence or Countenance of their Covenanted Brethren who staid at home and left both them to be murdered and their Testimony to be trampled upon untill the 22. of Iulij 1680. Upon the which day they were attacqued at Airsmoss by a strong party of about 120 horse well armed while they were but 23 horse and 40 foot at most and so fighting valiantly were at length routed not without their Adversaries Testimony of their being resolute men Several of Zions precious Mourners and faithful Witnesses of Christ were killed and among the rest that faithful Minister of Christ Mr Richard Cameron sealed fulfilled his Testimony with his blood And with others the valiant and much honoured Gentleman David Hackstoun of Rathillet was after many received wounds apprehended brought in to Edinburgh and there resolutely adhering to the Testimony and disouning the Authority of King Council and all their Tyrannical Judicatories was cruelly murdered but countenanced eminently of the Lord. Now remained Mr Donald Cargil deprived of his faithful Collegue destitute of his Brethrens concurrence but not of the Lords Counsel Conduct by which he was prompted helped to prosecute the Testimony against the Universal Apostasie of the Church Nation Tyranny of Enemies Backsliding of Friends and all the wrongs done to his Master on all hands And considering in the zeal of God and sense of His holy Jealousie provoked and threatening wrath against the Land for the sins especially of Rulers who had arrived to the hight of Heaven-daring Insolence in all wickedness in which they were still growing going on without control That notwithstanding of all the Testimonies given against them by publick Preachings Protestations and Declarations remonstrating their Tyranny and disouning their Authority yet not only did they still persist in their sins scandals to make the Lords fierce Anger break forth into a flame but were ouned also by Professors not only as Magistrats but as members of the Christian Protestant Church And that however both the defensive armes of men had been used against them and the Christian armes of Prayers and the Ministerial weapon of Preaching yet that of Ecclesiastical Censure had not been Authoritatively exerted against them Therefore that no Weapon which Christ allowes His Servants under His Standart to manage against His Enemies might be wanting thô he could not obtain the Concurrence of his Brethren to strengthen the solemnity formality of the Action yet he did not judge that defect in this broken Case of the Church could disable his Authority nor deâ—ur the duty but that he might and ought to proceed to Excommunication And accordingly in September
affronted wickedness and hatred of Godliness may give ground to doubt of it as Christians had of Iulian the Apostate 2. We are obliged to love our Enemies to Bless them that Curse us to do good to them that hate us to pray for them that despitefully use persecute us Math. 5. 44. Accordingly Our Master who commanded this did give us a Pattern to imitate when He prayed Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. And His faithful Martyr Stephen prayed for his Murderers Lord lay not this sin to their charge Act. 7. ult We are to pity them and not to seek vengeance against them for any injuries they can do to us Yet as this doth not interfere with a holy zealous Appeal to God for righting resenting requiting the wrongs done to us that He may vindicate us our Cause and make them repent of their injuries done to us to the Glory of God and Conviction of Onlookers and Confusion of themselves which may well consist with Mercy to their Souls So all we can pray for them in their opposition to us is in order to their repentance but never for their prosperity in that Course And we may well imitate even against our enemies that prayer of Zecharia's The Lord look upon it and require it 2 Chron. 24. 22. But we are never to pray for Christs stated Enemies as to the bulk of them and under that formality as His Enemies for we must not love them that hate the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. but hate them and hate them with a perfect hatred Psâl. 139. 21 22. We are to pray for the Elect among them but only to the end they may escape the vengeance which we are obliged to pray for against them 3. We are not to exsecrate our enemies or use imprecations against any out of blind zeal or the passionate or revengefull motions of our oun hearts Our Lord rebuked His Disciples for such preposterous zeal Luk. 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of But against the Stated Declared Enemies of Christ as such while such we may well take a pattern from the imprecatory Prayers of the Saints recorded in Scripture such as do not peremptorly determine about the eternal State of particular persons which determinations except we be extraordinarly acted by the same Spirit whose Dictates these are are not to be imitated by us We find several sorts of Imprecations in the Psalms other Scriptures Some are imitable some not Some are Propheticall having the force of a Prophecy as Davids Psal. 35. 4. Let them be confounded that seek after my Soul Let Destruction come upon him Psal. 55. 15. Let them go doun quick to hell And Ieremiah chap. 17. 18. Let them be confounded that persecute me destroy them with double destruction Without this Prophetical Spirit determining the application of these threatenings to particular persons we may not imitate this peremptoriness Some are Typical of Christs Mediatory devoting His Enemies to destruction who as He interceeds for His friends so by virtue of the same Merits by them trampled upon He pleads for vengeance against His enemies Which Mediatory vengeance is the most dreadful of all vengeances Heb. 10. 29. So also Psal. 40. He whose ears were opened and who said lo I come vers 6. 7. that is Christ does imprecate shame Confusion desolation vers 14. 15. As also Psal. 109. the Psalmist personates Christ complaining of imprecating against His enemies particularly Iudas the Traitor vers 8. It must be dreadful to be under the dint of the Mediators Imprecations And also dreadful to clash with Him in His Intercessions that is to apprecate for them against whom He imprecates or pray for them against whom He intercedes But some Imprecatioâ—s against the enemies of God are imitable such as proceed from pure zeal for God and the Spirit of Prayer as that Psal. 109. ult Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to be but men Psal. 83. 16. fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy Name This is to be imitated in general against all the enemies of God Psal 129. 5. Let them all be confounded that hate Zion without condescending on particular persons except obviously not odiously desperate presumptively Christs implacable Enemies 4. Touching Magistrates it is a great duty to pray that God would give us Magistrates as He hath promised for the Comfort of His Church Isai. 1. 26. Isai. 49. 2. Ier. 30. 21. Promises should be motives foments of Prayer We ought to pray against Anarchy as a Plague and with all earnestness beg of God that the mercy of Magistracy may agaâ—n be known in Brittain of which it hath been long deprived 5. And when we have them it is a necessary Duty to pray for them for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet peaceable life in all Godliness honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. Where it is specified what sort we should pray for and to what end As we are not to pray for all men absolutely for some as they are declared to be out of the precincts of of Christs Mediation so they must be out of our Prayers So there may be some in actual Rule that may be excepted out of the verge of the Christians Prayers as was said of Iulian the Apostate But he that is a Magistrate indeed and in Authority the subjects are to pray and to give thanks for him not as a man meerly but as a Magistrate Yea though they be Heathen Magistrates Ezra 6. 10. We may pray for all in Authority two wayes As Men as Kings As Men we may pray for their Salvation or Conversion or taking them out of the way if they be enemies to Christs Kingdom according as they are stated and upon Condition if it be possible and if they belong to the Election of Grace Though for such as are opposites to the coming of Christs Kingdom as it is a contradiction to the second petition of the Lords Prayer Thy Kingdom come So in the experience of the most eminent wrestlers they have found less faith less encouragement in praying for them than for any other sort of men It is rare that ever any could find their hands in praying for the Conversion of our Rulers And though we pray that the Lord would convince them yea confound them in mercy to their souls yet this must never be wanting in our Prayers for Tyrants as men that God would bring them doun and cause Justice overtake them that so God may be Glorified and the Nation eased of such a burden But if we pray for them as Kings then they must be such by Gods approbation and not meer possessory Occupants to whom we owe no such respect nor duty For whatever the Hobbists and the time-serving Casuists of our day and even many good men though wofully
their Love Zeal to keep Christ His Gospel in the Land after they had undergone endured many hazards hardships oppressions persecutions for Meeting in the houses where they were so easily attrapped and with such difficulty could escape the hands of these Cruel Men they were forced to take the Fields though with the unavoidable inconveniences of all Weathers without a shelter yet proposing the advantages both of Conveniency for Meeting in greater Numbers and of Secrecie in the remote recesses of Wild Moors Mountains and of Safety in betaking themselves to inaccessible Natural Strengths safest either for flight or resistence And withal having occasion there to give a Testimony for the Reformation with greater freedom And to this very day though many have a pretended Liberty to meet in houses under the security of a Mans promise whose principle is to keep no faith to Hereeicks and under the shelter shadow of an Antichristian Toleration yet there is a poor people that are out of the Compass of this favour whom all these forementioned reasons do yet oblige to keep the fields that is both for Conveniency Secrecy and Safety they dare not trust those who are still thirsting insatiably after their blood nor give them such advantages as they are seeking to prey upon them by shuting themselves within houses And morover they take themselves to be called indispensably in the present Circumstances to be as publick or more than ever in their Testimony for the Preached Gospel even in the open Fields Now this would be a litle cleared And to essay the same I would offer first Some Concessions Secondly some Postulata or Supposed Grounds Thirdly some more Special Considerations which will conduce to clear the case First That we may more distinctly understand what is the duty here pleaded for and what is that which these people Suffer for here Vindicated let these Concessions be premised 1. Now under the Evangelical Dispensation there is no place more Sacred than another to which the Worship of God is astricted and which He hath chosen for His House Habitation whither He will have His people to resort and attend as under the Legal Typical Dispensation was ordered there was a place where the Lord caused His Name to dwel Deut. 12. 5 11. But now neither in the Mountain nor at Ierusalem the Father will be Worshipped but every where and any where in Spirit in Truth Iohn 4. 21 23 24. And the Apostle wills that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. We abhor therefore the English Popish Superstition of Consecrated places and assert that all are alike in this respect houses or fields 2. In the Constitute case of the Church or when ever it can be obtained Order Decency Conveniency doth require that there be appointed places sequestrate appropriate for the Meetings of the Lords people according to that General Rule Let all things be done decently in order 1 Cot. 14. ult And in that case private Conventicles set up in a Schismatical Competition with Publick Churches are not to be allowed But even then Private Meetings for prayer conference are necessary Lawful Laudable But now the Church is broken by a Crew of Schismatical Intruders who have occupied the places of Publick Assemblies and thrust out the Lods Ministers It is these we scare at and not the place 3. Suppose a Magistrate should interdict Discharge the publik place of Worship and restrain from the Churches but leave all other places free to meet in or if he should prohibite the houses but leave freedom for the fields or discharge the fields and give Liberty in houses in that case we would not contend for the place out of contempt though it were duty then to witness against such a Sacrilegious Injury done to the Church in taking away their Meeting places yet it were inexpedient to stickle strive for one Spot if we might have another then when only excluded out of a place and not included or concluded and restricted to other places nor otherwise robbed of the Churches priviledges we might go to houses when shut out of Churches and go to fields when shut out of houses and back again to houses when discharged thence But this is not our case for we are either interdicted of all places or if allowed any it is under such confinements as are inconsistent with the freedom of the Gospel and besides we have to do with one from whom we can take no orders to determine our Meetings nor can we acknowledge our Liberty to depend on his Authority or favour which we cannot oune nor trust nor accept of any Protection from him Neither is it the place of fields or houses that we contend for Nor is it that which he mainly opposes but it is the freedom of the Gospel faithfully preached that we are seeking to promove improve and he is seeking to suppress The contest betwixt him us is the Service of God in the Gospel of His Son that we profess without ouning him for the Liberty of its exercise And therefore as an Enemy to the Matter Object of these Religious Exercises which are the eye-sore of Antichrist he prosecutes with such rage the manner Circumstances thereof 4. Even in this case when we are persecuted in one place we flee unto another as the Lord allowes directs Math. 10. 23. And if occasionally we find a house either publick or a Church or a private dwelling house that may be safe or convenient or capacious of the numbers gathered we think it indifferent to meet there or in the Fields But in the present circumstances it is more for the conveniency of the people and more Congruous for the dayes Testimony to keep the Fields in their Meetings even though it irritate the incensed Enemies Which that it may appear Secondly I shall offer some Postulata or Hypotheses to be considered or endeavour to make them good and infer from them the necessity expediency of Field Meetings at this time in these circumstances which consequently vindicate the Sufferings that have been thereupon Stated formerly and are still continued 1. It is necessary at all times that Christians should meet together whether they have Ministers or not and whether the Magistrate allow it or not The Authority of God their necessity duty Interest makes it indispensable in all cases It is necessary for their Mutual help two are better than one for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow Eccles. 4. 9 10. It is necessary for their Mutual encouragment in an evil day to speak often one to another which the Lord hath promised to take special notice of Mal. 3. 16 It is necessary for cherishing Mutual Love which is the New Commandment and the badge of all Christs Disciples Iohn 13. 34 35. a principle which they are all thaught of God. 1 Thess. 4. 9.