Rectius Instruendum Or A REVIEW and EXAMINATION Of the doctrine presented by one assuming the Name of ane Informer in three dialogues with a certain Doubter upon the controverted points of Episcopacy the Covenants against Episcopacy and Separation Wherein The unsoundnes and in many thinges the inconsistency of the Informers principles arguments and answers upon these points the violence which he hath offred unto the holy scripture and to diverse authors ancient and modern is demonstrat and made appear And that truth which is after godlines owned by the true protestant Presbyterian Church of Scotland asserted and vindicated Prov 19. 27 Cease myson to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge Printed in the Year 1684. THE PREFACE to the reader Christian reader THat which the wiseman long since offered to their consideration who observe the revolving course of providence is ther any thing wherof it may be said this is new hath its signal accomplishment in the renewed collisions of opinions and debeats The conflicts betwixt truth and error or not of yesterday but as early as the morning of time when he who is a liar from the beginning assaulted with a horrid calumny the truth and faithfulnes of God and having by a lie mad a breach in our first parents integrity by inducing them to believe it instilld his poison into our nature a love of darknes rather then light The eye of the understanding like natures bodily organ when its cristalin humor is vitiat cannot see and receive the impression of its object truth and duty in its lively colours and natâ—… simplicity and if sometimes the clear beames of truth force a passage for it self make some impression upon the perverse dark mind of man O how quickly is that litle Victory lost this begun signature obliterat by the rebellious will affections The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God nor can be hence truth is detaind in unrightiousness convictions stiffled and the convincing spirit of God counteracted and grieved Hence all the renewed pleadings for discoveries of truth begets in most men by a wofull antiperistasis nothing but renewed contradiction spurnings against it While as the suns vigorus influence upon the vapors of this dull earth by its irradiations it attracts and condenses thick foggs dark clouds of peruerse disputings the more to obscure it self Yet a holy seed there is and hath been in all generations children of light and of the day whose work and honourable badge it is to contend and be valiant for the truth who under the conduct of Michael that great prince who stands up for his people truths sincere lovers and asserters have from the beginning warred this good warfare against that old apostat and his followers So that the warr which John saw in heaven betwixt Michael and the Dragon was not then only begun but a new battel and encounter of that old warr proclaimd in paradise betwixt the seed of the woman and the serpent All men are inrolled in one of these two armies imbarques in one of these interests according as they are regenerat or unregenerat as they have the seed of God in them or not discovries of truth have various effects accordingly either of more intense love or violent hatred as the sun shining upon the flowers dunghil draws equally forth a sweet stinking savour The erecting of this royal stand art of Zions King and lawgiver ingadges his faithfull witnesses to flow unto it and come under it and excits such who have but the spirit of that world in them to a counter-muster against it Who would not have thought that the longed for appearances of that Immanuel and desire of all nations that eternal word and wisdom of God in the flesh should have put an end to all rebellion of wretched sinners agaâ—… him but it never grew more then by his convincing discovries of himself Eternal truth and holines suffred contradiction of sinners against himself he oft silenced enemies reasonings not their malice and the most admirable actings of his effectionat condescending love to men the giving of himself to death for them was intertained with the most virulent and hellish eruptions of their wrath against him in murthring him The rulers opposed this great ruler of Israel the learned scribes and rabbies with all their literal knowledge of Moses and the Prophets could not yea would not see and acknowledge this great Prophet the covenanted people would not receive this great messenger of the Covenant and they who boasted to be Abrahams seed rejected this promised seed could not see him when among them but hated him whom Abraham saw a far off and rejoyced in the discovery Yet this wisdom of God was then and still is justified of all children of God and such as are of the truth will see its beauty throw all the mists of mens calumnies and contendings against it The angry cloud wherwith God hath now of a considerable time covered the daughter of Zion in our land challenges in this as much as in any thing else our mournfull observation simpathizing compassion that men have taken the boldnes with perverse disputings to infest her true sons and children to assault her precius ordinances and priviledges and with a barefac'd impudence to indeavour the removal of the ancient land marks which our fathers have set nay which the great God hath established Yea to cajoll us with poor sophistry into a carless disregard and abandoning of the magnalia Dei the great things of gods Law important truths and dueties as if they were meer trifles and indifferencies to cast the aspersions of supercilius scrupulositie upon true zeal for God of rebellion upon true loyalti and faithfulness to the King of saints of devisive humor upon sincer indeavours after the union and true order of the house of God is it not to put light for darknes and darknes for light bitter for weeâ—…t and sweet for bitter yea cruâ—… percilius mockrie Yet at this rate are we treated by our prelatick pamphleters The authority of the second great moral precept anent the receiving and maintaining of all gods ordinances the doct worsh. disc and governm of his house the weight and importance of the third anent the observation of most sacred solemn oathes and vowes to him for this great end weighes but light in these mens ballances but he whose hand holds the plummet and line judgeth otherwise their ballances are false not the ballances of the sanctuary Their new plagiary divinity depending in a great measure upon the camelion-rule of worldly wisdom and steering its course by the versatil rule of human lawes is calculat for any meridian but that of canaan immanuels land where all must go to his Law and testimony and is pronounced base mettal which is reprobat by that touchston where every pin of the tabernacle must have its samplar from the holy mount ere it get
and fire going out of it self to devour its own fruit This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation Fiftly Thou mayest in the perusal of this reply discover somthing also of light arising in darknesse the strength and solidity of our principles demonstrate in the plain and easy repulse of these assalliants The indigested chattered congeries of their new notions do appear but meer vanity a deceitfull nothing when levelled against these great truths which wee contend for notwithstanding of all their clamorous boasting as the threatning billowes having made a waterish battery upon the rock fall off again in empty froath so that we may see it accompliâ—… of our cause and principles which 〈◊〉 Jobs hope as to the issue of his troubles â—…en they are tryed they come forth as â—…ld And our adversaries light empty â—…akets cannot by thousands of degrees counterpoise them when both are laid together in the even Scripture Ballances Truth under all stroakes Virescit Vulnere the bruising of it by dispures diffuses it scent and makes it as the breaking of that Alabaster box did the oyntment the more fragrant Thus our holy wise God brings meat out of the eater it s the Priviledge of Truth in relation to perverse disputes against it which was promised to Zion when enemies were gathered together that it doth arise thresh them The Horns of this honourable cause are found horns of Iron and its hooves brasse it can thresh as it hath done before even the mountains For what are they before Zerubbabel and sift and fann themas dust This is a signal token for good in the dark and cloudy day that these great truths which are now become the Shibboleth the speciall object of our Testimony and adherence thereunto the charaâ—… stick of the Lambs followers are coâ—… firmed and shining in a heart engadâ—… ing beauty if we hold fast this Testimoâ—… wee are sure to come off victorious to gâ—… the white stone the new name If wee quit and cast off this fortifying girdle of Truth we will succumb and be written in the dust not among the living in Jerusalem For the manner and Method of this reply it will I suppose be found very suitable to the scope The language is plain and accommodat to polemicks which do reject all extravagant ornaments of speech The Informers Arguments are proposed vivida vegeta ad amissim oft times verbatim and nothing of seeming strength or nerves in his reasoning declined but fully weighed and examined The Presbyterian Arguments which he hath disguised are presented and offered in their genuine strength and fully improven against him Wherin this trifler is called to the orders and his tergiversation check't and made appear The state of every one of these questions is likewayes proposed and Arguments drawen â—…th thereupon which do abundantly â—…tify the Presbyterian cause and Princiâ—…s and in a great measure obviat all his Exceptions and this in the beginning of every Dialogue before any formall encounter with him So that if any shall endeavour again to underprop this tottering wall and to draw this saw back again they must be tyed to the same Methode weighing all that is offered in the sound ballances of Scripture and reason and not in such a faint superficiall dispute-deserting Methode as the Answer to the Dialogues betwixt the Conformist and Non-conformists hath been plyed with whose replyer doth but like the dogs at Nilus leape here there superficially thus measuring out the dimensions of the whole book with litle or nothing of a formall encounter with the Answerer his Arguments and reasons Some things there are that do require a litle touch of Apology if any quarrel the prolixity 't is easily granted that a sufficient answer might have been contracted into far lesse bounds yet as every writers head or hand is not so skilful as to put ane Iliad into a nut so every reaâ—… hath not the tooth to crack that nut maâ—… row is nauseating rather then nourishing to many stomaks And as the stronger coâ—… densed light of the Sun whither in its direct or refracted beams hurts weaker eyes so all eyes are not for the small print of the Laconick stile nor can every judgement readily digest too much epitomized arguings especially in such subjects wherein the spissitude and variety of the matter requires a more dilated stile and method The fair stating of these great points now the axletree about which our religious differences are turn'd the giving of light unto them by solid Arguments may well bear the charge of some little paines in reading in order to satisfaction therein and the man is a wretched miser who would bâ—… scant as to the affording of time and diligence in this endeavour If any desiderat a more particular Examen of the Testimonies of the Fathers and some other Authors cited by the Informer there are several grounds which may take off this exception First since upon both sides it is professedly agreed at the scripture is the only judge in this â—…bate and since both parties now conâ—…nding as also the fathers themselves and all sound Christians have professed to subscribe ane absolute appeal to this judge in matters of religion whatever deviations from this rule and profession this man and his fellowes are guilty of in their arguings and pleadings especially in this point matters I say standing thus in this debate among professed Protestants who are disputing from scripture certainly a critical scanning of or litigiouscon test about the sense ofevery humanewriter they must in their principles acknowledge to be but a digladiation de lana capâ—…ina a spending of money for that which is not bread When any disputant hath with much critical travel among the fathers brought home their suffrage to his cause or by the same diligence taken it out of an adversaryes hand as it were with his sword and this bow what is all the victory a humane testimony brought to fortify a divine truth which was before strong and impregnable in its own light and authority and a testimony apt to a wiredâ—… by a subtiler Critick to a different or contrary sense Next the scriptures decision in this debat being as it is hoped convincingly made appear and the chief testimonies of fathers for our cause vindicated against this adversary no rational or ingenuous reader will judge it expedient after the scripture decision is made appear and the testimonies of eminent fathers also and the adversaryes contrary humane testimonyes as to the main dispelled to pursue every stragling citation Thirdly 't is evinced that as upon the one hand all his testimonyes upon the point of Prelacy though admitted do but amount to demonstrat the factum which is not the question and not all the Ius which only is so upon the other hand they are as far short of reaching any patrociny to the present Diocesian Erastian Prelat as the Pigmees arme is to fetch down Ulysses helmet Now what superfluous wast of time
God all duties we are tyed to in his holy law 4. They are universall engadgements all were given up to God in them representatives and members of Church and state 5. perpetuall and reall as that betwixt David and Ionathan 2. Sam 9 7 21 7. That betwixt Ioshua and the Gibeonites Ioshua 9 18 19. And that Covenant Dent 29 14 15. Secondly the binding force of theseengadgements appears in the subject they affect as first our Church in her representatives and in their most publick capacity the solemne assemblies in both nations 2. State representatives Parliaments thus all assurances are given that either civil or Ecclesiastick lawes can affoord and the publick faith of Church state is plighted with inviolable tyes So that they must stand while we have a Church or state in Scotland both as men and as Christians as mmbers of Church State under either a rereligious or civill consideration we stand hereby inviolably engadged and not only representatives but the incorporation of Church and State are under the same Thirdly their binding force appears in the matter and Object 1. The immediatformall object is the Word of God the Truths and duties therein contained and whatever is contrary to sound doctrine and the power of Godlinesse under that formalis ratio is here abjured the eternall Truth of the Gospell as holden out in the Word and received in this and reformed Kirks being the grand rule in this engadgement whatsoever is approved by it is embraced and what is condemned by it is rejected under that notion 2. The more remote or materiall Object are the publick necessary great and important Truths and duties therein enumerat both of the 1 and 2 Table and the errours and sins therein abjured To the observation faith and obedience of the one and abhorrencie of the other under the formentioned consideration as either consonant unto or dissonant from Gods eternall Word and truth we stand perpetually and inviolably oblidged So that this Oath hath ane objective as well as subjective necessity contained therein a necessity of the matter in its own nature prior to the engadgement as well as a necessity of performance flowing from the engadgement it self which may take place in things indifferent Finaly the constantly obliging ends and scope of these engadgments joyned with the importance of the Matter subservient to these ends further discover their inviolable obligaions There is here both necessitas precepti necessitas medij finis The matter sworne to be performed falls under divine precepts the sins and evills abjured falls under divine prohibitions and these engadgements are both in respect of the matter it self and as to the professed scope of the swearers and engadgers levelled at continually obliging ends such as Gods glory the advancing of Christs Kingdom the publick good of Church and State the preservation and propagation of publick and personall reformation truth unity c. Now both these Oaths and Covenants are professedly entered into as perpetual engadgements and in order to these great ends for ever to be promoted as their tenor clearly holds out If any say what is all to the speciall obligation for Presbyterian Government and in opposition to Prelacieâ—… the Oath may be temporary or cassat and made void as to that point though there be never so great duties otherwayes engadged unto therin Ans This particular engadgement in relation to the maintenance of Presbyterian Government and in opposition to Prelacie runs along in the forementioned particulars 1. It falls under the obligation of the Oath vow promise and Covenant and under the forementioned qualifications of solemnity universality and importance Again 2. the publick faith of Church and State reaches this most evidently and is engadged for it And 3. as Gods great ordinance holden out in his Word Presbyterian Government falls within the compass of the object of these Oaths and under that consideration is sworne to be maintained and Prelacie as contrary therunto is abjured which contrariety hath been already cleaed Again Presbyterian Government is here engadged unto as subservient to these great ends mentioned and Prelacie is abjured as hindering the same as both the Word of God and experience hath convincingly discovered CHAP. II. The Informers arguments against the abjuration of Prelacy in the nationall Covenant fully examined Some reasons of his against an Oath in generall or this Oaths obligation upon the posterity weighed The Apologeticall narration and the Assembly 1638 vindicated WE come now to examine what this new absolver or pretended doubt-resolver hath presented to us against the oblidging force of these great engadgments The defence which he hath patcht up out of the survey of Naphtali and that pamphlet called the seasonable case consists of 2. parts 1. He denys that the bond of either the national or solemne league and Covenant doth strike against the present Prelacie 2. Upon supposall that the solemne league and Covenant doth strike against it he denys its obligation In both points we shall examine his grounds and trace his Method I the doubter alledges that Prelates are abjured in the Covenant so that none may warrantably owne the Ministry of such as preach under them as being perjured To this consequence he repones nothing but seems to admitt it and therefore we need not speak unto it Only he quarrells with the antecedent tells us that we would act more Christian Like if we were sparing in judging another mans servants who stand or fall to their own Master But the judging there forbidden being a rash felfish judging of others in things indifferent as meats or drinks and as Calvin paraphraseth the words de hominium factis pronunciare extra verbum Dei de factis aliorum non licet statuere secundum nostram ipsius estimationem sed ex verbo Dei That we are not to judge of mens practises by our own opinion but according to the rule of the Word and not without its limits Telling us further that Iudicium quod a verbo sumitur neque humanum est neque alienum that it is no human privat judgement which is drawn from the Scriptures the impertinent application of this passage premised Scripture to our case which is a practicall disowning of palpable perjury and turning away from such whose instruction causeth to erre from the words of knowledge is obviously evident This is no judging without Gods word but according to it to say that perjury is perjury sin is sin Our Informer by this new knack would take away all christian judgement of discretion yea by this his wide glosse all judiciall decisions whither civill or ecclesiastik Besides is not his pamphlet a judging of another mans servants Ministers and people as schismaticks and what not for disowning Curats upon the forementioned grounds Doth he not and all his party judge despise and persecute the people God for that which he calls indifferent and a disputable point at the foot of the page But to
us do under such like restrictions and limitations upon which people are enjoyned to observe what the Pharisees prescribed we may observe what civil Rulers bid us do but not own them as teachers 2. There are many things in the context which seem utterly to repugn to this inference that our Lord enjoyned the owning or attending of their instructions as ecclesiastick teachers 1. He bids beware of their leaven or doctrine Math. 16. 12. joyning them with Sadducees who denyed the resurrection and erred fundamentally sure not to hear them was the best way to evite their leaven 2. It will be hard to prove that they were Priest Pharisees since all the Pharisees were not such as Nieodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea who were civil Rulers and consequently any command to obey them will no more infer hearing them preach then such a command as to council or parliament The thing commanded is not hearing them as teachers but only obebiencâ—… which may be very properly enjoyned as to civil Rulers 3. The qualities ascribed unto them such as their sitting in Moses chair who was King in Jesurun not Aarons who was the Piest their loving the chief seats in synagogues whereas if teachers their chief seat was knowen and appropriat to them their paying tithes whereas if priests tithes were payable to them these qualities I say seem to import that they were not priests and teachers by office that hearing of them or attending their ministry as such is enjoyned hearing of and atteding their Ministry as such 15. 4. Christ bids let them alone which sounds like owne them not as teachers He calls them blind leaders of the blind nay he calls them the stranger whose voice the true sheep hear not but rather the true shepherd Math. 15. 13 14 Joh. 10. 4 5. and such as shut up heaven against men and hindred such as were entring all which seem very inconsistent with a command of hearing them 5 Christ spoke to the disciples as well as the people in this precept Now its certain that neither the disciples did eyer hear them nor could they leave his Ministry nor is it found that Christ who came to fulfill all righteousness taught them to do so by his example Finally the words of this precept have for their scope to engadge to beware of the Pharisees infectious evills so that this command to do observe what they delivered as sitting in Moses seat which they did then possess is but by way of concession which supposes only that which he intended shortly to abolish and now would have improven for the best advantadge 2. Granting that they were to be heard I deny his consequence that therfore Curats in this our case are to be heard also the cases are very different and the disparity when cleared will discover his consequence to be naught from the hearing of the Pharisees to the hearing of Conformists I offer it then in these particulars 1. These Pharisees Ministry was not of it self actually exclusive of and a direct intrusion upon the Ministry of faithfull teachers Suppose they had chased away all Israels Lawfull teachers and by perjurious violence thrust themselves into their rooms would our Lord have bidden own or hear them If our Informer say so he will contradict himself and overturn the scope of his reasoning in this dialogue for he thniks that the ministry of Presbyterian ministers is intrusion and therupon pleads for disowning and not hearing them 2. He pleads for owning Curats as Christs ambassadours cloathed with his authority to deliver his message but Christ doth here at least for any thing he hath said from this text only enjoyn to hear the Pharisees interpretation and decision of that nations Municipal or civil Law anent the rules of external righteousness and civil policy which two are very different 3. Christ having guarded the Law from their corrupt glosses and the disciples from their snares shewes in this precept how to make the best advantage of that dispensation now ready to vanish away since he was shortly to erect a gospel ministry and remove all that legal dispensation and then none of them were to be heard But this man pleads for disowning our faithfull sent gospel ministers under a standing relation to this Church and the obligation of Christs standing command and commission to officiat and this in favours of intruding hirelings usurping their places and opposing these faithfull Ambassadours in their masters work and message Now who sees not the difference betwixt these 4. They were not in a stated opposition to a faithfull body of teachers acknowledged and owned by the sound Church of Israel and testifying against them seeking to root them out and together with them a reformation to which all had recently vowed adherence 5. There was no badge or Test of complyance wâ—…b all their abominations particularly appointed and enjoyned by the Rulers in this act of hearing them as there is in our case in relation to the hearing of Curats rendring as I said the not hearing them and adherence rather to a faithfull Ministry testifying against them a case of confession especially this difference will be apparent if our National vows and Covenant expresly obliging to adhere to these faithfull ministers in opposition to them and their course of backsliding be duely pondered Next as for what he sayes of Simeon and Anna Joseph and Mary their attending the temple Worship at that time as his argument there from is removed by what is said so to clear this further I add 1. That its wide reasoning from the godly their lawful concurrence with that Church now under the rust of old corruptions in what was good and sound to our deserting a sound Church and ministry to comply with abjured corruptions and Schismatick innovators reintroduced after they have been cast out 2. It s as wide reasoning from their not separating from Gods ancient Church upon the ground of corruptions to conclude against non-complyance with a party who are not our Church tho they usurp her name but are opposed and testifyed against by our true Church and ministry We in this case as I have said do not separat from the Church of Scotland her Doctrine Worship or ministry but only from Schismatick backsliders from the union reformation of this Church But in the case of these old saints worthies separation from the temple would have imported an absolute separation from the ministry Church of Israel In a word the utter impertinency of all his pleading in this argument and from these instances appears in this that he supposes that its meerly for Conformists personal faults we disowne ordinances administred by them as if they were therâ—… by polluted which has no more truth in it then that its meerly for Presbyterian ministers personal faults as pulluting the worship that he pleads for disowning them but upon the grounds of the present case and circumstances wherein they stand he pleads for disowning Presbyterian ministers and they
may merite for this from the Pope yet Royalists will allow him none If in a matter so plain and evident it were needfull to adduc testimonies of writers and commentators as this informer doth to no purpose how harmonious would their consent appear unto this truth The English Annot in their preface upon the book of judges will tell him that the judges were not ordinary Magistrats but extraordinarly called of God in times of great extremity c. And in their preface on the first book of Samuel they shew that it containes rhe History of the two last judges Eli and Samuel and of Saul the first King of Israel And upon that place Chap. 7 15 16. Anent Samuels judging of Israel notwithstanding of his being lent to the Lord from his birth 1 Chap. 28. They will Inform this informer thatas thiswas the jurisdictionof a judge whichGod called him unto all the time of saul so he was quo bound by his Mothers vow Chap. 1. Whereby he was devoted to the service of the sanctuary to continue his residence there both because God had forsaken it for the sins of the Priests and also because the Lord himselfhad taken him off from that levitical service and called him to another imployment namely to be a holy Prophet and a judge over his people which places he could not discharge if he had been confined to a settled place The du ch Annot in the argument of the book of judges describe them to be such persons not who administred the ordinary function of judges among the people as the Word is other where taken but whom God now and then as the state of Israel required sometimes out of on tribe sometimes out of another extraordinarly raised called and with his Spirit of wisdome and couradge endewed c. In the argument of the first book of Samuel they shew that therin is described the Government of Samuel as judge over Israel c So that until our Informer shall instruct the Prelats extraordinary call from God and also their extraordinary enduements for civil Government these instances of Eli and Samuel will not in the Judgment of these divines afford them the least shaddow of warrand for there civil offices So this man may be ashamed that he ever mentioned such an argument Finally That Hee is in the breers of a contradiction here is as is hinted evident in that to prove that Church men should not ofChoice medle inCivil affaires he gives this reason for no man that warreth intangleth himself with the affaires of this life 2. Tim. 2. 4. Now if this for or illative here signifie any thing and be not nonsense this He must be supposed to hold that this text forbids Church men all deliberat medling in Civil affaires But will He dare to say that Samuel and Eli their judging of Israel was not deliberat and of Choice Ergo It was sinfull by this rule Yet he pleads for its imitablenes as lawfull though a deliberat involving themselves in Civil government yea a Supreme rule and thus holds it not cross to this gospell precept So that to escape this Scylla or Charybdis He hath no imaginable refuge but one viz. To assert with us their extraordinarie Calling for what they did and that singular old Testament-dispensation under which they stood But then He must quit his plea for prelats civil Imployments from this Instance and confesse it to be inconcludent But for the new Testament times he tells us How much Bishops were employed in Civill affairs when Emperours became Christian as Smectymnuus confesses But 1. Since he pretends Scripture Instances under the old Testament his new Testament Instance is very apochryphal and heterogeneus therunto being of Bishops medling three or four hundered years after the Canon of the Scripture was closed Humano Capiti cervicem pingere equinam But his new Testament precept 2. Tim. 2. 4. Chased away the Instance of Bishops medling in civill affaires Three or four Hundred years forward Nixt I would know whither our Informer holds these Bishops medling in Secular affairs to be lawfull or unlawfull Iflawfull and consisting with their Calling which He would seem to insinuat in telling us that Saravia defends at large even simply and absolutly Church mens medling in state affaires Why then doth he tell us in the nixt page That the fathers compleaned of this as aburden Sure they were very froward to fret under a peece of lawfull imployment If it was unlawfull or a deliberat sinfull intanglement why obtruds he it upon us as a regular precedent And what will Smectymnuus acknowledgment of the factum import to infert His or Our acknowledgment of the jus He tells us likwayes That ancient Councells upon the ground mentioned 2. Tim. 2. 4. of a Ministers sinfull intanglement discharged them to follow Militarie imployments or to take ferms c. Hence I inferr then these Councels held that deliberat medling in state affaires â—…or worldly incumberances is inconsistent with a Ministers calling and a sinfull intanglement discharged in that text for since they discharged Militarie employments and ferms upon this ground they doe consequently discharge all such Intanglement For a quatenus ad omne c. This he cannot but grant And from hence I infer two things against him 1. He setts these Councils by the eares with his Scriptur instances For since they condemne these formentioned civil employments upon that ground 2 Tim. 2 4. As a sinful intanglement in a Church officer 3 he must either say that they condemned these old-Testament Instances of the Priests of Samuel and Eli as sinful Or else acknowledge that they held them with us to be extraordinary and no regular precedents 2. It will hence follow that these Councils doe condemne Saravia who he tells us doth at some length defind Church mens acting in State assaires And Saravia condemnes and disputs against these Councils and then it will be a pussing problem to him to which of them he will adhere in this contest since he holds with these councels upon that ground 2 Tim. 2 v. 4. the unlawfulness of Ministers deliberat involving themselves in civil affaires it seems be quites there great Advocat Saravia and all his pleading upon this point For he tells us of no limitation in Saravia his pleading for Ministers meddling in State affaires As for what followes in this page he obscures and shifts the point here inquestion in saying That it is hard to call it simply unlawful and in every case to medle in these things We know there is a lawful Concional medling also in way of Ministerial advice unto the Magistrat in order to the satisfaction of his conscience the Ministerial direction whereof is the Pastours work at whose mouth Gods mynd must be sought and likewayes by way of ministerial testimonie against what is sinful in state Rulers which is all that our principles do own as to Ministers interposing in state affaires in our late times but
and their party to prelimit the Presbyterian Ministers of this Church Especially which is our advantage in this comparison the children being supposed under no previous contrary obligations to that which in this case the fathers put upon them in relation to prelacie as the non-conformists are under counter obligations to that which is now demanded of them by their persequutors Mr Crofton in his analepsis pag. 145. tells us that considering the Covenant as made by the people of England as a Kingdom and a Politicall body professing the reformed religion it looks like a nationall obligation that the confluence of publick assent and authority by the people collectively and distributively considered the accession of Royall assent makes it a Publick and nationall Covenant binding all persons of the nation that sware or sware not personally and our posterity after us in their particular places and all that shall succeed unto the publick places and Politick capacities of this kingdom to preserve and pursue the things therein promised so long as it remaines a kingdom under one king and in the profession of one reformed religion He enforces this with the lord chief Barons speech to the condemned traytors at the old baylie you were bound to beare allegance to your king yea though you may not have taken the oath of alleadgance your selves yet yow were bound by the Recogintion of king James and his posterity made at his first coming to the crown of this Realme by the whole parliament being the whole collective body of the kindom hence he inferrs that they and their posterity must needs be bound who themselves have universaly by the authority of such who were intrusted for them engadged the faith of the nation for I see not saith he how they can give away our estates or take pardons in the name and to the security of the nation if they may not in our name make oaths promises and Covenants to bind us and our Succeeding generations and posterities in sense whereof I cannot but desire all that wish well to England to consider the Covenant the Solemne League and Covenant So that with Mr Crofton it is an uncontrovertible point that the obligation of this Sacred oath reaches the posterity which he makes good from the sense and pleading of the Lord chief Baron in the point of alledgance and fealty to his Majesty which is the sentiment of all Lawers and of the law itself So that what our Informer calls ane odd fancy appears to be a most solid truth consonant both to Scripture reason and the law of nations As for the next objection of his doubter anent the fathers oblidging for the child in Baptism it is not our argument nor is sutable to the state of this question which is concerning a Covenant taken for our seed al 's well as for our selves and if he acknowledge that the father binds not in the name and room of the childe then it toucheth not our point for our question is about fathers taking on engadgements for themselves and their posterity As for what the Informer adds here its good that he acknowledges that ane oblidging force flows from the binding mater in that baptismall Covenant and that the childs obligation is strengthened by his vow which is enough in our case against him since the matter of our Covenants and vows fall under divine precepts to which the obligation of the oaths and vows is accessory So that having sworne to keep these holy engadgements unto God we must performe and here he contradicts his forleader the author of the seasonable case who will have us either acknowledge the matter of the Covenant indifferent or not plead the force of an oath or vow as superadded to that which was duty before The doubter next objects That having sworne against prelacie we must not any more dispute or question the obligation citing Prov 20. 25. This objection he advantagiously for himself but foolishly propones that he may make way for some discourse forsooth upon this Scripture We acknowledge as well as he that we are not forbidden to enquire into an oath and vow in what cases and how farre it is binding Nay this is commanded since we must both sweare and performe in Iudgement which requires a knowledge and inquiry as we saide before and when an oath of vow is found materialy unlawfull and vinculum Iniquitatis it is no transgression of this precept to quite it Such an inquiry as is in order to the understanding and performance of this vow in faith we will allow whither to young or old Only for what he sayes of many who were put to sweare at schools and colledges and engadge in this Covenant who could not do it in judgement it is a calumnie which he cannot justifie all being exhorted and instructed therein who were come to Years of discretion so as to be in capacity to enter into this Covenant with judgement and if lesser young ones present in congregations where it was sworne did signifie a spontaneous consent it was no more then what Israels litle ones did by their presence before the Lord Deut 29. Well but what is forbidden ehre to make inquiry saith he how the vow may be eluded This is ingenuouslie saide and hereby his own lips condemne him and all his party who have been now for many years racking their wits to finde out evasions how to elude this Sacred vow Witnesse the many pamphlets on this Subject since his Majestie 's returne and this mans among the rest But the Doubter alleading that upon enquiry we will finde our selves bound against prelacy both by the nationall solemme League He falls upon his impugnation first of the nationall Covenant telling us as touching it that the terme of the Popes wicked hiearchy will not include prelacie as the survey of Naphtali fully proves well let us hear these proofs The first is because king Iames and his counsel the imposers of that Covenant and the takers of it Anno 1580 did in anno 1581 ratifie the agreement at Leith made betwixt the Commissioners of the state and Church anno 1581. which was in favours of episcopacy And would the king and counsell the next year have acted so contrary to it if they had thought all episcopacy to be abjured therin Ans. Is this the great demonstration which the Survever and he have drawen out to prove this point this being nothing but the old musty store of the Seasonable case better propounded therein then it s here To this I say first it is a very weak or rather wilde proof to conclude that such a corruption as prelacie could not be imported in that expression Because the takers and imposers did some time after counteract and contradict their engadgement must the sense of a promissory oath and Covenant be measured by the after practice of engadgers Sure he will not darre to admit this rule and yet it s the very topick of his argument I would but ask