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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46641	An apology for, or vindication of the oppressed persecuted ministers & professors of the Presbyterian Reformed Religion, in the Church of Scotland emitted in the defence of them, and the cause for which they suffer: & that for the information of ignorant, the satisfaction and establishment of the doubtful, the conviction (if possible) of the malicious, the warning of our rulers, the strengthening & comforting of the said sufferers under their present pressurs & trials. Being their testimony to the covenanted work of reformation in this church, and against the present prevailing corruptions and course of defection therefrom. Prestat sero, quàm nunquam sapere.	Smith, Hugh.; Jamieson, Alexander.	1677 (1677)	Wing J446; ESTC R31541	114,594	210

of the times in which they live as for instance when heresies are abounding and Professors taken with the infection of that leaven he may put them on the preaching of doctrines not apposite to the present case and discharge them from medling with doctrines contrare to the present errours as our Magistrats have done anent some doctrines in these times he may likewise forbid them preaching against or censuring of these sinnes that are reigning in the place and time in obeying of which Ministers shall cross the commands of Christ to them in his word and bring themselves under the guilt of the blood of soules If Churches and Ministers be not in the commands precepts and institutions of God exeemed from the power and impositions of men what a sad case will they be in 4. The Church had and exercised this power from Scripture times in all ages till within these hundereth years We grant the Magistrat exercised a power about or anent the Church but never came this length when they did reforme gave any redress of corruptions creept into the administrations of holy things they did it by the Church whom in her officers they did convocat and require to consider the mater and to make constitutions about it but never essayed to do it immediatly and by themselves as Church Histories make evident beyond all contradiction 5. It is the natural right of all moral power to order and dispose its owne exercise in and about the Maters that are proper to it as might be made to appear by instances of these of the Parental Marital Powers c and the reason is partly because the objects and other circumstances are so many and various that it is not possible to prescribe rules comprehensive of all particular emergents relating to their excercise but must be lest to the prudence of those invested with them to do therein as they see fit and expedient in the cases that are before them and partly such are fitest as having more knowledge and experience about such things that belongs to their power then any others We see this yeelded to others and why then not to Ministers who may in rational judgment be presumed to have more solide knowledge and experience in and about the maters of God as any 6. All divines except those called Erastian who are but of a late edition in the Church yea the Prelatical ones doe grant a diatactik power to the Ministery of the Gospel about the worship and government of the Church and the exercise of their Ministry relating thereto and till ERASTUS the phistrian arose it was beyond controversie among all Church writers whether Historical or Polemick even those who contended for the Magistrats power against the usurpations of the Popes as is to be seen in their Tractats from which we might adduce citations not a few but fearing they wold prove too tedions if insetted here We forbeare Assertion 4. Albeit we grant the power of confinement be proper to the Magistrat and not at all to the Church for to him only is the sword g●●ven to be used against evil doers yet in the complex case which we had before us we durst not approve of the ind●lgence with such a clause seing we had not as may be clear to any from what is said above any other thing in this mater to ingadge us to an acceptance thereof For the act of indulgence confines the Ministers of the whole party if it had been but some few that this confinment reach'd we would not have said much to it although the sentence had been unjust But while we considered the present universal necessity of the Church and the obligations on us to use our Ministery for answering the same we could not with quietness to our consciences justifie nor allow of it as a favour with such a restraint on our Ministry If the confinment had only touched our persons and personal concerns we had with all patience and submission yeelded thereto but a restraint being put on the exercise of our Ministery in this necessitous condition of the Church when Papists Quakers and other subverters of truth and godliness do multiply and abound without all crub we could not close with this indulgence which by vertue of the confinment puts us out of capacitie for affording that relief to the Church and immortal souls which our office binds us to 2. As there are many duties and parts of our Ministerial function which we cannot performe and exercise but in a conjunction with others so this indulgence cuts off from all accesse to the same and leaves us in much worse case then we were in before Have we not the Gospel of Christ to maintaine against its present adversaries Are we not bound to propagat the same in the present and succeeding ages Do not scandals of all forts abound to the overthrow of truth and piety and does not the care and burdine of seeing to and providing against the evil that in these times threaten the ruine of the Church lye upon us in our ministerial capacity And we cannot singly and apart doe what is necessare in this case but in a conjunction with one another no doubt our subjecting to this confinment would render us accessory to and bring us under the guilt of all these evil and their consequences to this and the following generations Posterity no question should have all cause to curse and charge their blood upon us which is trembling to think upon 3. If we may guesse at and be ascertained of the ends and designes of mens actions by the native effects and consequences of them it is to us apparent and beyond denyal that the project and intention of this contrivance was quietly to ruine and bury our cause seing by this confinment and other things in this indulgence all endeavours towards the succession of a faithful ministery are cut off and we brought unto an immediat dependance on the Magistrat in the maters of God and hindered to propagat the truth in opposition to its adversaries in other parts of the land being thus shut up into a litle corner of the same cast by two's three's and fours into congregations where for the most part there is little or no use for us If the Apostles and other Ministers of Christ in Scripture times had been thus dealt with and in policy confined as we are do any think they would have submitted to and obeyed such a confinment which would have frustrated the ends of their office and work and made them guilty of disobedience to their Master from whom they received commands inconsistent with such a sentence And shall we subject and be consentient to a deed that in the designe and effects thereof will infallibly destroy the cause which by all sorts of obligations we are engadged to maintaine and advance to the utmost of our power God forbid We are not ignorant that the confinment with a permission to preach and exercise other parts

the Romane Church of Idolatry and superstition their asserting the difference betwixt Papists and us in doctrine worship and government not to be fundamental nor on their part damnable c. All which discover to the world the native tendency of prelacy and what it will if 〈◊〉 ●●nue ultimatly resolve into 11. Do not the opinions of prelatists their practises the ways taken for bringing in and establishing of Prelacy among us reflect upon and condemne all the reformed Churches and their divines except Scultetus who in their confessions treatises reformations conforme thereto disclame prelacy as no office of divine appointment As will be evident to any that peruse them We know there was a Pamphlet emitted in the beginning of prelacyes last introduction that undertakes to prove the contrare but it is so destitute of all evidence of truth that we wonder exceedingly at the impudence affrontedness of the author in alleadging of Calvine Beza Bucer c. for prelacy who in their practise and writings have argued and debated against it Did not this Author know that their writings are extant and others as much versed therein as himself But the unjust know no shame 12. As prelacy or prelatical government in its constitution and exercise is a compound of additions to the Word of God which for want of its authority we reject so presbytery or presbyterian government in the confession of our Opposites is in all its parts of divine institution or right which we offer to make out from scripture and the concessions of our Antagonists who first yeeld all our Church Offic●rs except Ruling elders to be of divine appointment Doctor Hammond only excepted granting that presbyters or ordinare Pastores and Deacons to be institute by the Apostles and alwayes used in the Church to this day they likewise grant the power of ordination and jurisdiction in Presbyters till of la●● As also the meetings of Pastores lesser and greater for government and discipline and all the particularities of power anent these asserted by and formerly exer●●●●● among us We think strange of Stillingfleet in denying of Presbytery to be of Divine institution who yeelds all we seek for if all the former be of Scriptural institution and practise must it not be of divine right even as to its forme We cannot for bear to declare our resentments to the world of the high indignities done to our Royal and great Master Christ Jesus and his blessed word the holy Scripture in that 1. The forme of the government of his house is asserted to be mutable at the pleasure of men and made capable of any forme they please to assigne to the same Was it ever heard in the world that the forme of any government was taken from the Officers thereof and not from the Supream head in whom the Legislative power is lodged All that ever treated of governments and spoke to their different forms did always found their forms on the head and not on the Officers of it Is not Christ Jesus the Supream and only Head of the Church by divine appointment Are not ordinare Pastores or Presbyters found institute in the word with all the parts of their power that we afterwards grant to them c Will it not then necessarily follow that the forme is of divine right both in the head and officers which is truely Monarchicall and not alterable at the will of any 2. For making way to this the sufficiency and perfection of the holy Scripturs as to matters of obedience and practice in the Church is denied and thereby the fundation of the Protestant Religion is shaken How inconsistent is this with their granting the perfection of the Scripturs in maters of faith For if all maters of obe●●●●●● be first and primarily Maters of faith must 〈◊〉 they be perfect in these also How our Oppo●its will defend our arguments for the perfection of the Scripturs in matters of faith and manners against the Papists who in this speak more consequentially then the Prelatists and maintaine the former affertion is unintelligible to us For our arguments plead as much and as strongly for their perfection in the one as in the other But must it not be a desperat cause that needs such a prop to support it 13. In the last place We humbly offer the following particulars to be considered by all nothing doubting that when they are duely and seriously weighted it will soone appear that our exceptions against Prelacy are not light and groundless As 1. There is no good to the Church and immortal souls attainable by Prelacy that may not be win at without it It is a sure truth that every ordinance of Divine institution hath it's proper good to the Church in order to which as it's end it was appointed by Christ which is not easily reachable by other ordinances As will appear to any on a particular condescension for as there is nothing defective in divine institutions so there is nothing redundant and superfluous Now we desire to know what is that good to the Church and immortal souls that cannot be obtained without Prelacy let our Antagonists give instances If they think that ordination and jurisdiction is the good that the Church hath by prelacy we offer to prove from Scripture and antiquity as hath been done before us without a reply yea and granted by many of them that Presbyters have the power of ordination and jurisdiction and the truth is it was never questioned by any but yeelded by all till of late for we have not only instances in Scripture and antiquity for Presbyters exercising ordination and jurisdiction but the reason that all gave for it was that the ministery conferred by ordination consisting of the power of order and jurisdiction as it 's integral constituent parts persons ordained receive the power of both If this be a truth why may not the Church have these by Presbyters as much to her advantage and benefite as by Prelats But son e say there can be no unity or peace in the Church without Prelacy The contrare is evident from the Churches experience in former later times for as the Church was never more rent and filled with contentions and schisms then under by Prelates of which there are innumerable instances in history so there hath been much flourishing unity and peace under Presbyters in Churches that wanted Prelats as is to be seen in the present case of the reformed Churches and will be evident to any that is acquainted with and seen in the records of the Church what unity peace hath the Churches of Britan and Ireland beyond other reformed Churches Yea is there not more of these among them then is with us at this day But what sayes unity and peace in the Church if they have not truth and righteousness for their cement and foundation which are seldome the attendents of Prelacy But some place the good of Prelacy in the oversight and inspection it takes of Ministers

power of naturs enmity in Professours over the life of true godliness and their being given up to the lusts sinful inclinations of their owne hearts that thus sets them in opposition to the meanes appointed for their delivery from the dominion power of damning sins whither are we gone and what may we expect will be the hight of our defection and the judgment of it if Professours put themselves in such a plaine open professed contradiction to their Christian Profession 2. Let not your Lo. think we say this with an intention to justify any failing in this mater commited by any of our perswasion that shall be made appear to be such from the Word of God our Professed principles And although we cannot condemne all the instances that are now disapproved by our antagonists yet we grant there were considerable escapes in preaching exercise of discipline which were the effects of imprudence passion in some and of wordly inclinations designes in others of corrupt minds who to raise themselves in this world and for that end to gaine the favour of persons of leading influence power keept no measure but rune to strang hights of zeal against some sins while they connived at others but seing by their compliances with the cryed-up cause of these times they do now declare to all the world that they vvere never of us how unjustly are their wicked follies imputed to our Government and vvay But for all the instances given in against us and the hideous cry raised after them yet vve must say the greatest and most common failing among Ministers vvas in the defect in that the most vvere not so diligent faithful impartial in the application of the vvord to the sins of the times personal rebukes censures as they should have been as alas vvas too visible observed by many for vvhich novv they bear their rebuke in that many of those are now become their cruel persecutors to whom they were sinfully sparing indulgent Moreover let it be granted that many of these instances were in the excesse unjustifiable yet if the constitution and principles of Presbyterian Government were not for but against them it cannot be charged with these they must be the faults of the persons and not of the Government otherwise all Governments must be condemned as guilty of all the mal-administrations commited by Governours which all acknowledg to be absurd But when any of the contrare minded shall demonstrat these to be the native product of our principles for doctrine and Government they shall be considered according to the conviction they give of the same they shall be acknowledged But will your Lo. be pleased to consider the sad deplorable extreme our antagonists are run into who medle not with any sort of scandals except a few and these in the meanner lower degree of persons over looking all in the more opulent and great which hath encouraged wickedness to lift up its head and to diffuse its self thorow all ranks without control to the infecting of this Church with all kindes of scandals which no doubt will resolve either into the total ruine of the Protestant Religion or els in sad desolating judgments on this land and if it come this length which we earnestly beg of the Lord he would prevent by pouring out of a Spirit of repentance and reformation on us where will be our advantage by Prelacy that is now so much extolled Therefore not loving to trouble your Lo. any further we shall adde but this humble and earnest request that your Lo. would be pleased to make some due and just representation of the true State and low condition of this Church unto his Maj. who we hope through your Lo. intercession will in his wisdome and clemency finde out some just expedient for relieving of this Church of her oppressing evils under which she groans and undoing of these heavy burdens that lye on us for which we are your Lo. humble petitioners and had been so alittle sooner if we had not been discouraged by lawes anent Church maters that seems to us to close all door of accesse to his Maj. and your Lo. for representing our just greivances this way If we may not obtaine this reasonable and just request as we suppose there is not another refuge left us but to referre our cause to the righteous tribunal of the just and almighty God where your Lo. and we will stand on ev●n ground and have judgment passed without respect of persons An Apology for or vindication of the oppressed persecuted Ministers and Professors of the Presbyterian Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland emitted in the defence of them and the cause for which they suffer The Introduction IT is not unknown as we suppose to the Churches of Christ in the Ilands of Britans and Ireland and other parts of the Christian World what persecutions upon the introduction of Prelacy in the Year 1662 the partie called Presbyterian hath suffered especially in the Church of Scotland and yet lytth under throw the implacable and violent rage of their adversaries the Prelates and their adherents who having 〈◊〉 the Civil powers on their side have prevailed to the enac●●● of such lawes that these who from the conscience of duty 〈◊〉 wards God and sense of the obligations of their Covena●●● and Oaths lying on them and these Churches cannot co●ply with nor give obedience unto are not only expose● to bitter and hard sufferings for a considerable time 〈…〉 loaded with all sort of reproach and represented as 〈…〉 ous and disloyal to Authority contrary to their 〈…〉 ciples and actings It is not the designe of 〈…〉 to descend into the consideration of the 〈…〉 ferings nor yet to lay any Odium on 〈…〉 pr●judice of their just authority as the righteous judge of the wor●●● knowes and we hope will make manifest in due 〈…〉 ●o clear some Necessary truths and duties and to vindica● some of our practises from the unjust aspersions of adversaries who by lies and unjust representations of our principles and carriage do publikly and privatly defame and misrepresent to Authority and others our behaviour under the present course of affairs an artifice they have used of old and late for ingratiating of themselves and their interests into the favour of our Rulers and sharpening of the ●dge of persecution against us in which they have had no smal successe If it were not for the Interests of truth and Religion which through the hot contests and debates of thir times actuated by ambition and covetousness on the one ●and and the love of truth on the other are in hazard to suffer shipwrack we incline rather to keep silence and to poss●sse our souls in patience under the present violence used against us as our too much silence hitherto does suffici●●●ly witness but finding that the interests of the Gospel ●nd the concerns of immortal souls are struck at and are 〈◊〉 to

before us 1. From Scripture practice and example Acts. x 15. to the end Chap. 6 vers 1. to 9. and 14 vers 13. where we have Arguments both from the more to the lesse and from the lesse to the more which are acknowledged by all to be concluding Topicks and much used in the Scripturs When our adversaries have the like from Scripture and antiquity how use they to insult but poor we must not be allowed this liberty 2. It is evident from the constant practice use and custome of the Church from the Apostles times till the Popes of Rome inhansed and swallowed up all power and priviledges either in taking them a way or bringing them into an absolute dependance upon them For this we appeal to the records and histories of the Church yea to the histories of the Pops PLATINA and others in many of which we shall not only finde the uncontrolled use of the peoples election mentioned but its right just fled and defended and many canons of Councels made for its regulation and against the encroachments that were by some made upon it in a mater so clear and gra●ted by the adversary ●●e need nor spend time If any ask us why we plead antiquity here and reject it anent Prelacy Our Answer is because we finde in this question as it is stated betwixt us and the adversaries antiquity full and clear which it is not in the other Let the State of the question about Prelacy as it is now agitated betwixt us be in every part of it brought to the pure times of antiquity and if it can be evidenced made out even as to the sole power of ordination jurisdiction and superiority of some Ministers over other Ministers of the Gospel and we shall yeeld the cause and quietly submit but in the business of the peoples right of election it is beyond all contradiction clear even in the confession of our Antagonists 3 All relations amongst rational creatures that are not founded on nature are free there is alwayes requisite mutual consent from which as its proper cause and foundation it does result as is to be seen in all sorts of such relations It is not denyed but yeelded by all that there is a particular special relation betwixt a Minister and the Congregation he in ordinare serves we desire to know what is the cause or foundation of it if it be not this All other relations of this kinde are founded upon consent and why not this 4. The good effects that have come to the Church by the free and voluntar election of the people where it hath been admited and in use confirmes us not alittle in this perswasion we have obseved in universal experience that not only a more universal and chearful subjection hath been given to the Ministry of those that entered this way into congregations but a faithful and able Ministry hath been more generally propagated to the great advantage of immortal souls if we may gather the nature of the tree by the fruit we cannot say this is evil but truly good Assertion 3. It belongs not to the Magistrat to prescribe Rules and give Directions to the Ministers of the Gospel for regulating the exercise of their Ministry as is done in this indulgence Our reasons for this are 1. We see no precept institution and example in all the Scriptures impowering the Magistrat to this we hope none will expect we should receive and subject to a power that hath no warrant nor foundation in the word seing all church power owes its descent and derivation from it our Antagonists themselves grant that not only the power they ascribe to the Magistrat is in and from the Scriptures but the regulation of its exercise should be conforme thereto so that there will be no debat about the consequence The great Patrons of Erastianisme plead the instances of David and Solomons ordering the courses of the Levits and the priests and of other things relating to the worship of God in the time of the old Testament but to little purpose seing they acted therein as Prophets and at the directions and instructions given from God by the Prophets and not as Magistrats as is clear from the very letter of the Scriptures in many places 2 Chron. 29 vers 25. and 35 vers 15. with others If the Magistrats of our time did produce such warrant for what they assume to themselves and do in this mater how readily should they be obeyed But the Objection of greatest seeming strength is that of Hezekias practise keeping of the passeover in the second moneth 2. Chron. 30 2. which conforme to the institution Exod. 1● should have been observed in the first moneth Our Ans to this is first if this practise be pleaded for a leading example to Magistrats it will warrant Magistrats to change things institute by God which we hope all will say is absurd Obj. It was but the circumstance of time that he changed Ans a command or institution makes circumstances determined by it as unalterable by men as the substantials of the ordinance it self does not this if it be concludent impower the Magistrat to change our Sabboth from the first to the second or any other day in the week as he pleaseth What may not come in at this dore Next Our satisfying Answer to this is that what Hezekiah the Princes Congregation did they did it at or by the word of the Lord concerning this alteration and not of themselves as is express vers 12. 2. As it is usual for commissions given to Ambassadors by those that send them to containe all necessary instructions for regulating their carriage in the discharge of their ambassage so we finde in the Word of God rules precepts and directions given to the Ministers of the Gospel about the ordering of the worship of God and the exercise of their Ministery in all its parts which not only impowers them for this work but brings them under as strait Obligations to observe the same as the work and maine substantials of the ambassage on which they are sent for this let 1 Cor 14. two Epistles to Timothy with other Scripturs be consulted and we doubt not but this will be beyond disput with the unprejudged If the Erastians could give us such commands and precepts in the word for the Magistrat power in this how would they triumph and so they justly might for they should have no such willing and cheirful assenters to them then we if any such thing could be shewed 3. This power in the Magistrat would subject Ministers to and bring them in the exercise of their ministerie in a dependance on him the contrare of which we have proved before and shall do more after wards The truth is we tremble to think on the consequences of this dependance for thereby the Magistrat may suspend the ministry in these parts and exercises of it that Christ Jesus cals them to in the stated cases