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 〈◊〉 â—â—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 Officâ—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 laâ—â— 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 exerâ—â—â—â—â— 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 obeâ—â—â—â—â—â— be first and primarily Maters of faith must 〈◊〉 they be perfect in these also How our Oppoâ—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
and the persons qualified for and called thereto in his own way without dependance on the Powers of the earth being thereby constitute his Ambassadors and messengers and in special delegation sent from him as such to preach the Gospel to treat with sinners for reconciliation and obedience they by vertue of this institution and their special delegation or mission from him are bound to exercise the Ministery c office they are invested with till it be taken from them in the way by which he coveyed and conferred the same upon them If this be a truth as no Christian that doth acknowledge the divine authority of the holy Scriptures and subjecte themselves to its light and direction will get refused will it not follow that Ministers in their ministerial capacity are first and immediatly subject to Christ and not to men in their ministrations of the Gospel for they as his Ambassadours having and deriveing all their power from him are oblidged on highest paines be reason of their special relation to him and their comission from him which containes all their instructions to do the work of the Ministery cannot be superseded therein by any far less by them that acknowledge Christs authority in and over the Church to be superior to and above all other authorities whatsoever If they had their power and mission from men well might they submit to these in taking it from them but it not being so they cannot think themselves discharged of their office but in the way by which He conferred the same upon them Beleeve us in this lyeth a great part of our difficulty we are sure Ministers are Christs messengers sent by him whom they are bound to serve in preaching of the Gospel and dispensing of ordinances for the salvation of sinners from which obligation none can loose them but Christ Jesus their only master and head in this work 2. It does also natively flow from the former truth that all especially those in and of the Church are by vertue of Christs supereminent supream and absolute authority and their professed subjection to him indispensibly bound to subject to the ministerial authority and its exercise in the persons of those whom he sends and that on the account of their ministerial power office which is truely Christs and not theirs they acting according to the instructions contained iâ— their commission for they are Christs servants serving him by special delegation in the Gospel to which they are impowered commissionated and instructed by him they bear his name stand in his stead and represent him to his people as his Ambassâ—douâ—s being sent by him to all finners for attaining and carrying on the great ends of the Gospel thâ—â—r conversion edification and eternal salvation And seing it is so we must first renunce Christs authority and dominon over his Church before we can refuse and reject that power and authority of the Ministers of the Gospel who are thus sent by him to us the tâ—uth is thâ— not receiving of them is a rejecting of him a matter that should be tenderly seriously laid to heart by all for it draws exceeding deep upon all sorts of sinners high and low so that they not depending on any other infeâ—â—our authority and power except that by which they were sent their obligation to the work of the Gospel cannot be annulled by men Let us say it in this we contend not meerly for the ministerial authority that for the fountaine and ends thereof should be dear to us but for the prerogative of Jesus Christ whose right it is as King of his Church to constitute send Ambassadours in his own name if there be any thing that is the proper right of Soveraignity this is one which is the native consequent of it without which it cannot be shall we allow this in point of right to earthly Soveraigns and deny it to Christ the only Head and High priest of our holy profession Secondly Moreover Ministers in this relation they stand under to Christ Jesus have the Gospel its ordinances committed intrusted to them to be dispensed in his name for the conversion and edification of sinners for which they are called the stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4 1. this is a talent they have received from their great Lord and master of which they must shortly give an account and which while they have it they are commanded in all highest paines to use for the gaining of sinners to him in the ways he directs them to in his word Now let all judge what a strait Ministers are cast into in these times If they forbear on the inhibitions of men to dispense the Gospel and its ordinances to sinners thus committed to them they prove unfaithful to their master betray their trust and incurre his heavy displeasure and wrath If they answer their trust and aime at faithfulness therein in preaching of the Gospel and labouring in the work thereof to gaine sinners they provock men and expose themselves to all sorts of suffering But they knowing the love and terror of the Lord have on mature consideration of this mater chosen and purposed in their master's strength to venture on the wrath of men seing they cannot in this juncture both please their Master them resolveing to prefer the necessity of suffering to that of sinne the much commended and cryed-up choise of Moses in the like â—ase proposed to all in the word for their imitation Thirdly Besides this trust of the Gospel there is likewise the heavy trust of immortal souls to whom they are sent committed to them of whom they are to give an account and for whose blood they must answer when they resigne and give up their stewardship and lay down their office and trust aâ— his feet from whom they received it Do any think the threats and inhibitions of men will discharge them of this trust at their master's hand If they think so they shall do well to produce something from him that will signify so much to them without which they cannot judge themselves exeemed from the care and oversight of souls whose blood will cry aloud in the ears of their master if they do not their part in what he hath commanded them for saveing of such We have heard of nothing yet from our Rulers to satisfy our consciences in this mater but peremptory lawes and acts commanding them to obey the same under great penalties If we were assured upon clear rational grounds that their voice and commands were the voice and commands of Christ Jesus releeving us of this pressing burden of immortal souls once laid on us how quickly and cheerfully should we obey their present laws but nothing can we learne from them or any other to ascertane us of this Let any that hath any true feeling of the natural state of souls judge what a cruelty it must be in us to behold souls perishing throw ignorance wickednesse hypocrisy a Spirit of delusion
in all parts of the Land while we have the dispensation of the Gospel committed to us the mean that Christ hath appointed in his house and useth to bless with power to the salvation of sinners Will not our neglect in slighting of this make us guilty of their blood and accessory to their eternal perdition We are assured of this from the word of God While we reflect and think on this we dar not for fear of men and the sufferings that threaten us from â—â—â—m stand by and look on but labour as we can in our ministerial capacity to prevent the ruine we see coming on immortal soules come of us what will If it be granted to us that our obligation to obey God in all he hath commanded us in hâ—s word is antecedent and superiour to the tyes on us for obedience to men and that the commands of men should and ought to give place to the commands of God as we expect will not be demed by any that intertaine the true notion of a God head much lesse by them that professe subjection to the holy Scriptures as the only rule of faith and obedience then our practice cannot be condemned but must be justified which is but a necessare consequence of this truth so universally received and closed with by all men except those who have debauched their consciences throw the predominant love of temporal things to a slavish subjection to the lusts and sinful commands of others for are not Ministers commanded to preach the Gospel and the people to hear it to assemble and gather themselves together for that end How many are the commands and precepts of God to us in his word about this mater In a thing so clear and evident through the Scriptures it is astonishing to us to think that men professing themselves Christians dare issue out commands so directly opposite to the commands of God and the obligation on Ministers and Christians to obey Him before all others We grant when there is another duty on foot and called to hic nunc the Magistrat may yea ought to super cede the practice of that that would hinder the duty necessare and called to for the time to which in the circumstantiat case there is an obligation and call antecedent to the Magistrats commandâ— bu◠〈◊〉 lay on and fix a stated cessation from the practice of commanded duties on those that are under an obligation of serving God in the maters forbidden by men is beyond the power of any to do so is to frame and state a war with God and to fix ourselves in opposition to him Are not Ministers and Professors then in a pussing strait who must either disobey God or men To them that ask us why do we preach and hear to the offending of our Rulers and the causeing of so much trouble to the Countrey Our answer is God in his word hath commanded us so to do they that susâ—ean the relevancy of this reason but yet deny the consequence are oblidged to give us something that takes off our obligation of obedience to God in these things in our case sure we are they are commanded but nothing can we meet with from the Scriptures of truth to answer our arguments and satisfy our consciences but the cry of hazard from some and sharpe severity from others Fiftly We hold according to the Scripture that as the Magistrat cannot jure Magistraâ—ico exautorat the Ministers of the Gospel or take their power and office from them so he hath no power to untye the obligation on Ministers and Professors for obedience to God in the least of his commands It is a principle in politicks held by all that no inferiour power can disannul a power or hinder its exercise that is immediatly derived from and dependant on a power superiour except they show a warrant from the same but in this matter it is so we know all will grant that Gods supream authority and dominion is superiour to and above all authorities and â—owers seing they derive the same from and hold them of him who is truly Lord of Lords and King of Kings And seing the Ministerial power as to 〈◊〉 â—â—ing and exercise in the Church is immedâ—atly â—â—om God throw his Son Christ Jesus by positive institution and appointment in his word no other power can exautorat these that are cloathed with it but they must shew a warrant for it from God in the Scriptures there being no other way by which God makes known his will to the sons of men if there be let it be shown and this will end the debait and bring us to a quiet and cheirful subjection to the present laws about the maters controverted We meet with confident assertions but no proofs without which we cannot look on our selves as loosed from the obligations lying on us to use and exercise the Ministerial power by vertue of the institutions and commands of God given anent it in the word We know the Ministery was institute without a dependance on the Magistrat and exercised in the Church not only without but against his will and command and God was obeyed while the Magistrat did countermand oppose himself thereto to his outmost which sayes that Ministers and professors did not then dreame of a dependance on and subjection to the Magistrat in the Maters of God The truth is to give the Magistrat a power to dissolve powers institute by God and to supercede our obedience to him in the things he hath commanded is to make him equal with if not to exalt him above the Almighty God the only Absolute and Universal Soveraigne of all Creatures in heaven and in earth Is not this to substitute the Magistrat and to put him in the place of the Pope that Anti-christ the man of sin who in nothing so much as in this now under debat exalted himself above all that is called God or is worshiped as is prophecied of him 2 Thess 2.4 The consequence of this usurped power now given to and assumed by the Magistrat in over the house of God is such that we tremble to think on that which will if things continue in this present course be the issue of it As we finde in the accomplishment that Luther did prophecy in saying that there should arise a Civil pope in the Church who should extend his power over the same as far as ever the Ecclesiastical Pope had done So we fear that the troubles tryals and persecutions of the Church shall come near to that hieght they were at under the Pope of Rome This strange inhansing of things divine and humane speaks some thing to fall out that will make the present and succeeding generations to tremble for God will not alwayes be mocked nor suffer his Glory to be taken from Him Sixtly When we consider the sinful and evil consequences that would of themselves follow upon our obedience to the Magistrat in the mater now controverted we dar not
which indisposes him to answer his trust and to do the work of his office to which upon the revelation of the Gospel he is bound and seing it is so either the Church in exercising of her Government independantly on heathenish Magistrats usurped on his office power which the adversary dare no say Or els the Christian Magistrat hath no more power in over rhe Church then the other had and therefore the Church in exercising her power under the Christian Magistrat does not usurp upon him more then on the other 2 The Ministers of the Gospel are by vertue of their office Keepers of both tables of the law of the table of Righteousness as well as of the table of Religion will it from thence follow that they may medle with the Magistrats office and assume its exercise or that the same does depend on them No wayes and yet the consequence is as good in the one as in the other by the same medium we shall prove Ministers have as good right and power to manage the affairs of the State as the Magistrat hath in our adversaries sense to manage the affairs of the Church We know they will reject the consequence with disdaine as to Ministers and ask for our proofe for which we grant they have just cause so we deny the consequence as to the Magistrat for which they have not given us yet any colourable proofe but dictator-like assert it The truth is every man in his capacity is a Keeper of both tables of the law but in doing of it is to hold within the compasse of his station the nature and limites of the power granted him and is not to invade the office and power of others nor the work proper thereto as is evident from multitude of precepts in the Word of God So if Ministers notwithstanding their being Keepers of the tables of the law may not invade the Magistrats office and power So neither may Magistrats invade the Ministerial office and power 3 The acts and wayes of the Magistrats keeping of the tables of the law should answer and be agreable to the nature extent and limits of his office power within the verge of which he is to walk as all others are to do in theirs As Ministers are to keep both the tables of the law by preaching the word dispensing of Ordinances and exercising of discipline according to the rules of the word to which they are impowered by the institutions and commands of Christ without dependance on the Magistrat so the Magistrat is to keep them likwise by commanding all to their several duties protecting them therein by the sword which is given him for that end executing of justice in punishing of evil doers and rewarding the good c. but is not to medle with the Government of the Church in whole or in part but to see that it be done by these whom Christ hath called to and intrusted with it It is objected by others that it is not the intrinsick visible and internal Government of the Church that the Magistrat assumes in the acts of Parliament it is only the external Government that is expressely so called in the act of restitution Ans This is materially Answered above but that we may be distinct there are two things belonging to the Church 1. The outward and external adjuncts or accidents As the Biotica or Mundana Stipends Manse Glybs outward liberty and peace c. 2. The proper and true objects of Church Government or power that are intrinsick to it although visible as the Word Ordinances Ministery and necessary circumstances c. It is not the first of these but the second that the act of restitution with other acts do truely mean as is undoubtedly made out by the former arguments as particularly the first three that it is the Church judicatories the maters handled in and by them proper thereto that constituts the King Supream these being essential and intrinsick to the Government of the Church in its several parts he that is made supream to these is made supream to the Church and all that appertaine to her Obj. 2. But it is only the ordering and disposeing of the Government that is declared to belong to the King Ans It is so said in that act but it is evident from the mater and frame of it that it is the Government in whole that is truely meant and intended as is formerly proven But 2. Ordering and disposing of things proper and specifick to any Government is a part of the Government it self and to whom the Government belongs the ordering of it belongs likwise by the same reasons that any shall undertake to prove that the ordering and disposeing of the civil Government belongs to the Magistrat we shall prove the ordering and disposing of the Churches Government does belong to Church Officers â—no Government can be perfect without it or able to attaine its ends and therefore must necessarily be implyed in and intrinsick to it Obj. 3. But there are some acts of Church power the Magistrat may do as convocating of Synods determining of circumstances indicting of publict fasts and thanksgivings Ans As we deny all formal Church power to the Magistrat and all acts formally proceding therefrom so we grant there are acts First some common as prayer rebuking instructing of others and others of the like nature which when they come from a Church Officer are authoritative and acts of Church power that are yet performable by others in their stations and so to speak are charitative 2. Some are proper and only belongs to Church Officers as preaching of the Gospel dispensing of the Sacraments exercise of Church discipline c. We doe not deny but chierfully grant wishing with all our hearts there were many such Magistrats in the Church that the Magistrat ought to rebuke to exhort admonish instruct pray c. As all others in their stations and offices should do but from thence it will not follow that he may exercise formal acts of Church power more then others or that the Church power is dependant on him the Consequence is wide But to the particular instances as that of convocating of Synods or any Church judicatory we say it is within the verge of his power as a Magistrat who may and ought to command all within his dominions to their several duties and Ministers among others as they ought to doe to him so the Magistrats convocating of Ministers is but a putting of them to their duty which in the Magistrat is no act of Church power but an act of his office he owes to all 2. This act or deed of the Magistrat is not privative of the same in the Officers of the Church who may ought come together of themselves as the necessities of the Church requires On the by it is an evil consequence the Magistrat may gather Synods therefore Ministers may not doe it It is like to this others may rebuke admonish
out of envy and malice for 1. the Church is the executer of her own acts and sentences and not the Magistrat who only puts to execution his owne lawes that he is pleased to enact on her behalf 2. It is known to all that we grant to the Magistrat and to all in the Church a discretive judgment to cognosce on the Churches acts and sentences and if he finde them not to be just he hath a definitive judgment anent the execution of his own Lawes made about them for the obligation that arises from Churches acts and sentences on all in the Church to the obeying and furthering of them is only conditional and not absolute that is none is bound to obey and advance the Churches sentences except their mater be just and righteous which must be first known before they finde themselves obliged to this But here the immediat object of the Magistrats power and its exercise about Church acts and sentences is properly civil and not Ecclesiastical to wit whether he will execute his owne law or not These things are easy and plaine and if ambition and worldly interests had not determined many to the contrare there would be little controversie about them Obj 8. The Magistrats power and its exercise about Church maters and meetings being independant on the Church what he does in relation to Church concerns determinations and sentences he may doe it antecedent to these without the Church Ans We deny the consequence to be universally true for some of the Magistrats sentences about Church maters and meetings doe necessarly suppone the Churches sentences and acts for their object as these of ordination excommunication acts of regulation c. must necessarly pass before the Magistrat can reach the persons and things to which they are applyed for instance before the Magistrat can doe justice to a Minister in his maintenance he must first be ordained by it have right thereto on the Churches act of ordination which must first be known to the Magistrat and by him given as the ground or reason of his sentence for the Ministers legal right to enjoy and use the provided and allowed maintenance and so of many others We grant in some cases and things a power to the Magistrat about Church maters and meetings which he may exercise antecedent to the exercise of Church power he may yea no doubt he ought to command Ministers when negligent to their work or duty without a Church sentence yea contrare to it but to say that the exercise of his power in many things and cases is not necessarly subsequent to the acts and exercise of Church power is most absurd abhorrent to all right reason seing there are many things that the Magistrat ought to doe to and for the Church that necessarly suppone not only the being but the exercise of Church power without which the Magistrat cannot doe how shall he punish contumacious heretical and excommunicat persones till they be first dealt with by the Church conforme to the rules of the word and declared to be such c. The reason of the consequence is weak for all created power suppones its object and in its exercise must be subsequent and posteriour to it which is not inconsistent with the independency of any power on another as is to be seen in the instance of the marital power and others the power of the Magistrat about it presupponeth the conjugal relation its acts before it can put the laws in execution anent it in application to the persones under that relation The designe of this objection is obvious which is to evert all Church Government the necessity and use of it but before it have its full intended force it must first be proven that Church power and its acts are competent to the Magistrat and may be done by him as that he may ordaine depose receive into and cast out of the Church preach the word dispense all ordinances c. which no Erastian hath yet done for if these be incompetent to the Magistrat and are to be done by others the former conclusion will hold Conclus Haveing thus with all Christian ingenuity and plainness in the words of truth sobernes discovered our hearts anent the foregoeing particulars we expect that much charity and justice from all even our Antagonists that before they give out their censors they will seriously consider what is said and in the ballances of Scripture and true reason impartially ponderat the reasons and grounds of our judgment and practice least in stead of fighting against us they happily be found to fight against God for seing the grounds on which we build are of common obligation on all Christians and on which our Christian profession leans none can refuse our conclusions but they must either contradict and shake the foundations of the said profession or els shew their inconsequence and inconsistancy with these we have not insisted on nor much made use of particular places of Scripture nor wrangled as many in their debaits doe about the sense and application of these nor laid the stress of our arguments from antiquity on citations from particular fathers and historians but on the series and threed of these ancient records to which we appeal anent the maters debated in the preceeding discourse as any that deals candidly and impartially will on trial find The issue of our adversaries arguments in the defence of the Antitheses resolving in these three the imperfection of the Scriptures the manifest and violent perverting and wresting of them the professed and open contradicting of their authority by Hobs Leviathan and others more gross if grosser can be do sufficiently declare what the tendency of the contrare opinion is and what we may expect will be the result of the same if things continue for sometime in their present channel All Protestants before these debats entered on the field esteemed the perfection of the Scriptures the chief and principal foundation of the reformed protestant Religion and builded thereon their doctrins in opposition to popery which the patrones of prelacy doe now strick at and labour to shake in denying their sufficiency or perfection in maters of obedience or practice whereby they break the force of all the arguments that the Protestants used against the Papists for the fulness and perfection of the holy Scriptures and the truth is prelacy cannot be maintained without this assertion as is to be seen in the most eminent assertors of it for if we hold the Scriptures to be a perfect and full rule of faith and manners and not to be receded from in maters of doctrine worship and Government the prelacy controverted having so little evidence from them it cannot stand and if this sufficient regulation of the Scripturs be refused what a wide door is opened to humane inventions and what may not men bring in at it to the corrupting and polluting of all the Churches concerns We grant the admitting of the
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 desection therefrom PROV XXIII Vers 23. Buy the truth sell it not also wisdom instruction understanding I. PET. III. Vers 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknes fear JUD Vers 3. It was needful for me to write unto you to exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints Prestat sero quà m nunquam sapere Printed in the Year 1677. To the most Noble and Honourable LORDS The Lords temporal of his Majesties Secret Council in the Kingdom of Scotland Most noble and honouralbe Lords CAsting our eyes about us to see under the wings of whose patrociny protection we should shelter the ensuing Apology or vindication we could not in our apprehensions fix upon any so fited for this as your Lo. who by the station office you bear under his Maj. in this Kingdom are constitute the protectors of the poor the Releevers of the oppressed the breakers of every unjust yoke the serious thoughts of which does aflord us this confidence that as our unjust oppressions make us objects fitted for your Lo. compassion and justice so your Lo. office and what it binds unto in the behalf of the oppressed before God and men will on the ingenuous plaine production of our reasons for the justice of our cause at length prevail for breaking of these yokes of oppression now on us and removing of their real causes We therefore cannot but in charity and reason expect that much humanity justice from your Lo. that was granted by heathen Rulers to Ministers Christians in the primitive times of the Christian Church of which we have in Scripture History memorable instances Was not Paul Act. 26 1 permited by King Agrippa to speak for himself who in vindication of his righteous cause deduced the grounds thereof and cleared the so to the conviction of his hearers that they judged him neither worthy of death nor of bonds Did not some of the Roman Emperours upon the reading of the Apologies of the Christians as of Justin Martyr Apollinaris Mileto Origen Tertullian and others declare their innocency and mitigat the rage of persecution that then prevailed against them May not we then who professe the same Protestant Religion with your Lo. entertaine ourselves with the hope of the same favour justice that was shewed by Rulers to the Lords people before us As our adversaries calumnies bitter reproaches with which they labour to render us odious to all especially to your Lo. are unjust and malitious being partly their evil and uncharitable deductions from our principles and actions and partly grosse notorious lies such as the heathens charged on the primitive Christians who finding no just mater for their accusations from their Profession and behaviour gave it out to the world that they worshiped the Sun an asses head and used promiscuous copulation at their assemblies So it is the Testimony of our consciences that as a brazen wal does sheild uphold our Spirits from sinking under those burdens with which they have aimed to keep us at under with your Lo. We know there is no new or strange thing happened unto us but what hath been the common lot of eminent saints yea of Christ Jesus our blessed Lord and Master the servant is not greater then the Master if they dealt so with him no mervail they deal so with us So great is the Testimony witness of our consciences as to all the greivous things they have and do charge upon us that we have hitherto possessed our souls in patience and not opened our just and true greivances as we might and should have done for fear of offending your Lo. But perceiving the truth of the Gospel the righteousness of our cause and the welfair of immortal souls are like to suffer thorow our too long silence we have adventured to disclose our thoughts and to give so far as we can a satisfieing account of the grounds of that faith and hope for which we suffer The God of Gods knowes Israel shall know we use this fredom and plainness of speech towards your Lo. and all others not from any contentious and ill affected humour but from the sense of the obligations laying on us for the conservation of the true interest of Religion and the hope of relief for these from your Lo. which we most humbly beg and exspect for the sake of truth and righteousness that are now fallen in the streets and fled into Corners if on an impartial examination of what we have said in the defence of our cause and of ourselves for its sake against the reproachs of our enemies it shall be found that it is not just but iniquous we ask no benefite from your Lo. clemency and justice let all severity be used But if the cause of our former and present sufferings be righteous in the confidence of which we have been bold to give to your Lo. and the Christian world this sober ensueing account we humbly entreat that protection and relief in its defence which your power and station in this Kingdome do enable and oblige your Lo. to Wherefore casting ourselves at your Lo. feet We doe in the behalfe of pure Religion undefiled the souls of all concerned therein beseech your Lo. First That our just well grounded exceptions against Prelacy Erastianisme may be taken into consideration laid to heart for if they hold good will not the future consequences of these evils to this land your Lo. families posterity be dreadful who thereby are laid pento the judgments denunced in the the Word of God against perjury and Covenant breaking We doe not lay the stresse of our cause on the Covenants Oaths taken by this nation against the foresaid evils or corruptions as the primary and chief Argument as will appear to all on the perusal of our subsequent Apology but on their opposition to the Word of the holy and true God for we grant Covenants and Oathes that are obligatory and binde to an observance suppone their matter to be antecedently just and do bring their primary obligation from it hence the things contained in engaged to by Covenants and Oaths must be proven and made out to be
and their respective flockes of which they use to boast much But reason and experience do fully convince and leave us beyond all Doubt that this good is as easily and better wine at by Presbyters in their associated and presbyterated meetings lesser and greater then by prelats what can prelats do in this that may not and hath not been done by Presbyters to the great benefite of the Church as is manifest from the experience of this Church in preceeding times and now not alittle confirmed by the contrare Mworeover in the act of restitution Parl. 1. S. 2. Act 1. it is given for one Reason induceing to the bringing in and establishing of prelacy among us that it is most suitable to Monarchy What good this does or can bring to the Church we cannot divine we wish it had been instanced in the foresaid act we know the government of the Church considered in its due latitude and extent according to the presbyterian principles is truely and properly Monarchical for is not Christ Jesus the Supream and immediat head of the Church and do not her officers act in her government in an immediat dependance upon and subordination to Him as her King So that if the Churches government being Monarchical be the good intended and meant in this expression it is as much attainable without prelacy as by it but we suppose that this is not the good understood Next if by suteablenesse to Monarchy be meant that kinde of Authority and Dominion in Church officers in and over the Church that is exercised by kings and Monarchs and hath been assumed by prelats fince ever they appeared in the Church this is expressy discharged and forbidden to Church officers in her government Matth. 20 25. Luk. 22 25. How much Emperours Princes Kings and States have smarted by this dominion is known in history Some say it is the superiority and subordination of Church officers and judicatories that is understood in this act This may be had and hath been attained in the Church under presbyterian government both as to officers and judicatories the Pastour is superior both to Elders and Deacons c. the classicall presbytery 〈◊〉 above the congregational eldership the provincial synod above the presbytery c. Obj. there is not the superiority of one above the rest Ans but what good doth this either to Church or State we know it hath brought much evil to both but never any good that might not have been wine at yea and was not actually attained without it they that judge otherwise are bound to give instances which we earnestly beg they will doe we know this brought forth the Pope and did mid wife Antichrist into the Christian world But the thing we suppose that is truly intended is the bringing of the Church into a slavish dependence upon and subjection to the Magistrat for which we confesse prelacy is every way fitted how excellently did it serve the Pope in establishing of his Dominion and in bringing and keeping of all in subjection to him and albeit since the reformation the prelats changed their head in taking on the Magistrat in the roome of the Pope yet they retaine their use which exceedingly endears them to worldly Princes that affect domination in the house of God but is shall be proven afterwards this is contrare to the fredome of Christs kingdome his absolute supremacy and dominion over the same and is inconsistent with Christain princes their professed subjection thereto so that this is no good but and evill destructive of the true concerns of the Church 2. It is no small discovery to us of the evil and corruption of prelacy that it is much approven allowed and cryed up by all persones of profane dissolute and debauched lives except where it crosses their wordly interests and the reason of this is obvious to all for as corrupt and wicked nature does dislike all that is from God as opposite to its wicked inclinations and wayes so it loves and is in much liking with all that is friendly to and does encourage it in these Is it not visible that the encouragement which flagitious and wicked persones find for their impieties under the wings of prelacy is the true reason and cause for which it is so liked and cryed up by such In this it is contrare to Presbytery in its due and faithfull exercise which hath been and yet to this day is hated for its impartialitie strickness and severitie against all sorts of scandal in all ranks of persons high and low for this we appeal to the general sense and observation of all in these landes can we think that course to be of God which for this reason is approven by the generality of the wicked 3. Besides this does not the prelates opposition to the godly whom in rationall charity all are bound to judge such in reproaching oppressing persecuting of them to a strange hight of severity who in profession differ only from them in a point that depends on the meer will and pleasure of the Magistrat we say does not this declare godlines to be their quarrel and it to be inconsistent with and contrare to their interests which we are sure cannot be th◠effect of these means and wayes institute by God in his word whose end and tendency is to promove godlines and not to persecute and destroy it as is now done And whoever consider the constitution of prelacy the rules for its exercise to wit the doctrines and opinions of prelats about Church-power and government and the hight of Dominion they lay clame to over the Church will see that of its self it must be an enemy to true god-lines while it crys up its forme and layes it self out for advanceing of it in opposition to its power 4. It is received for a sure truth among all protestants that as the renewed nature of the Godly does hate and is an enemy to all that is contrare to and destructive of true godliness so it is the evidence and signe of the evil and sinfulness of a cause when it is disliked opposed by the generality of the truly sober judicious and humble Godly If we shall apply this to prelacy as it is established and exercised amongst us at this day have we not cause to suspect its corruption and to judge its descent not to be of God seing it is universally disliked and hated by the truely Godly which eminently appears in persons converted from wickedness and sin in which they lived before conversion what ever likeing they had to prelacy or hatred to presbytery immediatly upon their conversion they drink in an aversation from and hatred of prelacy and love to the contrare We know this was objected by Independents against presbyterians when the controversy about Church government was hot betwixt them But. 1. This objection was without any true cause as Independents were forced afterwards and at this day to confesse they finding upon trial that
we grant there is but who are the Causers of it and guilty thereof before God they or we let our following answers and reason determine to which that they may be more clearly apprehended we premise 1. That it is not every sort of separation that is sinful and evil some kinds of it are duty and commanded as our Protestant divines make good against the Papists as Joseph Hall 〈◊〉 all that writ on that subject for it is our part to separat from sin and Professors joyning together in it with which the worship of God comes too often to be vitiated and polluted for this we have many precepts and commands in the word Ephes 5 11. with other Scriptures 2 To make non-presence or absence from the meetings of Christians for worship and goverment sinful separation there must be first a stated habitual absence secondly Such reasons and grounds for it as will not justify it for if the absence be not ordinare it is not esteemed separation altho the reasons of it be not justifiable pro hic nunc and albeit the absence be ordinare and habitual yet if its causes whether moral or physical be right and warrantable it is not sinful separation for absence from the meetings of Christians in worship or government is either sinful or not according to the causes or reasons of it 3 The grounds that will justify and warrant a withdrawing in ordinare from such meetings must be 1. The want of a just authority or right in those that dispense the ordinances of worship and government The Pharisees question proposed to Christ Matth. 21 23. did suppone a commonly granted and received truth which Christ does not deny but tacitly yeelds that they who act publickly in the Church must have a just authority right so to do we ought to have some rational convincing evidence of this if it be wanting it will warrant this withdrawing much more if its want be positively clear 2. Corruptions in the worship of God so knit to them in their use that they cannot be used without the use of these corruptions will also allow a withdrawing from such roeetings as all in these grant 3. Sinfol â—â—â—cumstances as such places times causes persons c. That in their connexion with and respects to things that are truely sinful and evil becomes so prohic nunc as fasts thanksgivings c. when observed at such times and for such Causes as are evil 4. Unsound and heretical doctrine taught in ordinare in such meetings Matth. 24. We grant it is not every error and erronious doctrine that will justifie a peoples withdrawing from ordinances dispensed in the assemblies of the Church there being nothing besides that may justly cause it but only such as is truely heretical and subversive of the foundations of Religion Righteousness peace When poison is administred in stead of wholesome food a people are bound to see to their own safety that they be not destroyed by that which was intended for their health 5 There are some things in the stated case of some times and other circumstances that will give sufficient ground for this withdrawing that will not do it at other times as in the beginnings of defection under the contests betwixt the orthodox and unsound party usually some things fall in that will call for a secession from Church assemblies which have often fallen out in the Church and is evident from history particularly in the time of the Arminians predomining in the Church of Holland and many others that are to be seen in the records of the Church 4 Although in some cases a negative separation be lawful and right where a positive is not yet in some cases a positive separation is lawful and duty it is hard to determine of cases in this matter except where the ease hath been or els is existent there are two cases in which this is allowed intrusion and an universall infection of the worship and government of the Church with superstition idolatry and tyranny to the polluting of all its ordinances we hope there will be no controversy anent the second seing it is the doctrine and hath been the practice of the reformed Churches in their secession and departur from the Church of Rome on that very head who not only withdrew from the communion of that idolatrous Church but erected themselvs into distinct Churches with officers and ordinances conforme to the commands and institution of Christ and when the mater is seriously and impartially weighted there will be found as little ground of controversy about the first anent which we take these two to be evident truths 1. That Churches are not bound to subject to but to withdraw from these intruded upon them partly because the just rights of the Church are wronged and taken from her which all ought to maintaine and not to quite partly because she is enslaved thereby and subjected to the lusts tyranny of men and a preparative laid downe to othâ—rs for doing of the like in times coming 2. That this intrusion is either on Churches that have bin and are setled in Christs way with able and faithful Ministers or else on these that want are vacant for the time If it be on Churches that are under the setled inspection of faithful Ministers they are bound to adhere to these and not to give place to the intruders from whom to withdraw can be no sinful separation the intruders and these that fall off to them are the separatists if the Church or Churches be without faithful Ministers they also are obleidged to refuse the intruding Ministers and if this unjust and violent intrusion on them continue they are oblidged to provide themselves of Ministers that under their oversight they may have and enjoy the benefite of the Gospel and its ordinances to which by the commands of Christ and the necessity of the means of eternal life they are straitly bound for as unjust intrusion brings nothing with it to make a people yeeld to the intruders so it untys no obligation formerly on them for endeavouring of their setlment with a faithful Ministery If we thought these in thesi were questioned by any we could with great ease make them out to the conviction of all but taking them for granted we surcease any further probation Therefore5 We desire it may be also considered that there is a vast difference betwixt hearing of and submiting to Ministers in the exercise of their Ministery in the general and doing of these to such and such Ministers the question betwixt us and our adversaries is not whether we should hear and submit to Ministers in their Ministery for this we do not deny but whether we should hear and submit to these that were our Ministers set over us by the holy Ghost before this change in the Church or these sent from and thrust in upon us by the Magistrat and Prelates It is no little wrong done us by our enemies
it be one with the same why may not Presbyters consecrat and if they may ordaine as we undertake to make out from Scripture and Antiquitie what necessitie was there for going to England for it seing it might have been done by the Presbyters of this Church If consecration differ from ordination sure it is a humane custome and invention for which we have nothing in the Scriptures and pure Antiquity that only speaks of ordination the only way in which all Pastors entered into the pastoral office 3. The truth is as a Church Ministerial and politick constitute according to the Word of God with all officers of divine appointment hath the full power of the keys of the kingdome of God so there is no sort of officer necessare by divine institution to her edification but she is enabled to furnish her self with such without a necessitie of seeking to other Churches for them and if it be so the Presbyters of this Chruch being her representatives their consent should have been had Although we had no just exception against the office of the Prolates as it is constitute and declared by law as we have but their violent intrusion in this Church it puts a sufficient bar on our subjection to them so that we may not yea cannot owne them as the lawful pastors of this Church Obj. 3. The Magistrat consented to and procured their consecration Ans If any will make it appear that the Magistrat is the Church as Erastus does insolently assert without all probation yea a member of it as such or hath the power of mission we shall yeeld the cause and quietly submit but when we search into the Scripture we find the Magistrat as a Professor of Christianity a member of the Church without all Church power â—et be to be the fountaine of it and subjected as such to the care and oversight of Church Officers in the exercise of their ministerial authority and power We grant it is his part to put the Ministers of the Church when negligent in furnishing of her with officers to their duty anent it but not to thrust in officers upon her of himself without her consent Obj. 4. But the Curats have entered by the Church Ans 1. This we deny the contrare is clear from constant practice for the Curats come in upon congregations only by the Bishop and Patron who are not the Church nor have any power from her for what they do in this all their right and power is founded upon and derived from the supremacy and acts of Parliament and not from the Church in which the Bishop acts as the Kings delegat and substitute only impowered thereto by his law so that the Curats having and deriving all their power from the Prelates cannot have the same from the Church none gives what he hath not But. 2. The prelates not being the lawful governing Church any that enter congregations by them cannot be said to enter by the Church no more then if a Minister should enter into a congregation of this Church by a Minister or Ministers of the Church of France or Holland without the Ministers of this Church can be said to enter by the Church here for the Ministers of other Churches are not the governing Church of this Church The antecedent is to us clear for as the Prelates have entered without the Church so the lawful Ministerial ruling Church although scattered and persecuted is yet existent and in being who by the unjust and violent intrusion of others have not lost their right of ruleing this Church but in point of right and obligation do continue to be her lawful pastours for violence persecution and intrusion do not dissolve the relation betwixt the Church and her Pastours either general or particular there being nothing in our case that can justly do it other wayes it should be in the power of the Magistrat to undo and destroy the political Ministerial Church both formally and effectively which is abâ—ord We ask at any who think persecution and intrusion do in our case annul the pastoral relation betwixt Ministers and Churches whether the Magistrats violent ejecting of Ministers and puting of Mahumâ—tan or Popish Priests in their roomes will discharge Ministers and Congregations of their obligations to one another if they think not then how can these untye their obligations in our case We ask a reason If they judge persecution and intrusion by the Magistrat in â—his case to have this effect then it will inevitably follow that the Magistrat can destroy divine commands flowing there from contrare to the practice of divine relations obligations to the obedience of the Church in the primitive times who notwithstanding of the Magistrats Edicts threatnings much actual violence performed the mutual duties of pastours and flocks Arg. 2. All power of the Prelates and their creaturs in the Church is by law fountained in and derived from the Magistrat and in its exercise subordinated to him as is evident from the act of restitution Parl. Carol. 2. 1. Ses 2. Act. 1. which derivation and subordination they owne and homologat by their compliance with what the law does require in order to it therefore such we cannot we may noâ— owne receive and subject to as our ministers under seing they acknowledge subject themselves in their ministery to another head then Christ Jesus which by law is set in and over this Church That the force of this Argument may be more perspicuous and clear we shall put it into forme thus Those that receive and derive their Church power from and are subordinat in its exercise to another head then Christ Jesus should not be received and subjected to as the ministers of Christ in his Church But the Prelats and their Curats do receive and derive their Church power from and are subordinat in its exercise to another head then Christ Jesus therefore they ought not to be received and subjected to as the ministers of Christ in his Church We suppose the first proposition will not be denyed all the debate will be in the Second Which we prove thus These officers in the Church professing themselves such that derive their Church power from and are subordinat in its exercise to a power truely Architectonick and supream in the Church beside Christ doe derive their power from and are subornat in its exercise to another head then Christ Jesus But so it is that the Prelates and their creaturs do derive their Church power from and are subordinat in its exercise to a power truely Architectonick and supream in the Church beside Christ therefore the Prelates and their Curates do derive their power from and are subordinat in its exercise to another head then Christ The major proposition is evident for whoever hath a supream Architectonick power in and over the Church must be an head to the same and the fountaine of all Church power it is a repugnancy to be supream have an Architectonick power
the sense and judgment of our Worthy Reformers who alwayes esteemed them pure Churches The truth is the consequence is so necessare that the most of the Prelatical party of the Church of England admit no Minister of the reformed Churches to officiat among them without reordination by which they fix a desperat Schisme between them and these Churches while they desire and endeavour reconciliation with Rome which speaks out the tendency of their principles If they think Prelacy not essential to the Political Ministerial Church as some of them do grant then our Church constitution as to all essentials was right our Pastores bound to feed and people to submit hear and receive ordinances from them Obj. Although Prelacy be not essential to the esse yet it is usful and necessare to the well being of the Ministerial Church Ans 1. As hath been said above we know of no good to which Prelacy is said to be necessate that is not easily attainable without it yea and is not win at in the reformed Churches 2 Then the former obligation on our Pastores and this Church must continue for if Prelacy be not essential nor necessare to the being of the Ministerial Churches the obligation which flowes from and is dependant on it cannot be discontinued by the introduction of Prelacy upon us it should rather confirme and strengthen this obligation in the opinion of such then dissolve it It is no question the foresight of this and other consequences of the like nature that forces the most of the now Prelats to maintaine the absolute and essential necessity of Prelacy in the Church against the evidence of Scriptâ—â—â— and Antiquity Obj 2. But what was done in the Year 1662. for the introduction of Prelacy in this Church was but a repossessing her of it that had been ejected An. 1638 Ans 1. The ejection of Prelacy Anno 16â—8 was but the puâ—geing of Presbytery from Prelacy that had been brought in upon it after Prelacy had been cast off by this Church in her first Reformation of Religion from Popâ—ry It is evident from Histories the books of discipline first and second acts of Parlt Particularly that of the Year 1592. the National Covenant and the records of the general Assemblies that with the Reformation of Religion in doctrine and worship Prelacy was also removed and cast out of this Church as an high corruption in her government So that from the Reformation of Religion from Popery Presbytery had the first possession It is true the Bâ—shops that then were did continue in their bishopricks and keeped their places in Parlt but without all Church power or jurisdiction that they had formerly exercised in the times of Popery predomming in this Church And when their Bishopricks came to vaâ—k â—horow death their places were not filled wâ—â—h others as formerly had been done till Morions Regency who for the legal right of their revenues which he laboured to enhance for his owne use and could not legalâ—y come at without some shadow of them endeavoured to bring them in of which he repented at his death as is to be seen in the history of the Duglasses which occasioned a hot contest betwixt him the Church at that time in her assemblies who stootly opposed prelacie and never gave it over till by law and praâ—â—ice it was wholly cast out of this Church Anno 1592. But King James afterwards falling too much in love with wordly designs and interests for facilitating the much courted and desired succession to the crowne of England to which Prelacy was then judged necessare laboured by sinister and subtile wayes the introduction of Prelacy upon the Church which then was most averse therefrom that he gave not over his designe in this till he had setled it by law Anno 1612. and brought it in upon Presbytery but Prelacy not being content with this establishment and exaltation it attained to in the foresaid Year never ceased working by its impositions till it came to that hight of usurpation on Church State that procured its ruine Anno 1638. All this is so clear from the preceeding records particularly Spotswoods history that he must be either an utter stranger to these or els impudently malicious that denyeth it Do men think we are such ignorants of and strangers to these things that we are not able to discover the vanities and lies of some of that party who have put pen to paper and contradicted all this as the Author of the seasonable case and others who contrare to all evidence will maintaine the possession of Prelacy in this Church since the reformation 2. Supponeing Prelacies possession in this Church since the reformation which is notourly sals till its last ejection Anno 1638. as it was in England yet till its divine right be proven it can claime no jus or right in the Church of God whose concerns cannot be antiquated and proscribed by length of time Otherwise most of the popish heresies idolatries and superstitions should have night as good clame for their being in this Church as Prelacy and it is liâ—◠〈◊〉 if ever Popery aime at its restauration and come any length towards it in this Church it will build it self on this foundation among others as Prelacy does this day in the laws establishing it Obj. But the Magistrat bringing in Prelacy and commanding all to receive and submit to it Prelacy being as some say a thing indifferent all should obey Ans leaving the debat about the Magistrats power to the last head of our discourse where it shall be considered alittle we say 1. Whatever power the Magistrat hath about the Church and her concerns as such it is astricted and subordinated to the Word of God which the greatest Patrons of Erastianisme do yeeld as Vedelius yea Erastus himself and all of that Sect hence the Magistrat may not command any thing in the Church that is contrare to or without it and if he do none are bound to obey such commands as all Protestants grant therefore till it be made to appear that Prelacy is allowed and appointed in the word our non-obedience or non submission to it altho commanded by the Magistrat cannot be justly condemned It is true Stillingfleet is at much paines to prove it to be indifferent but on such grounds as shake the foundation of our faith the perfection of the holy Scriptures and with so little successe as we remaine the more confirmed in the contrare wo were to us if we had no better grounds for Presbytery then the strongest pleaders for Prelacy have yet shewed for it 2 The Magistrat with the subject being under the divine obligations of Covenants and oaths against Prelacy have no power to command its reception neither â—â—n the subject give the obedience required without horrid sin against God If in such a case a power in the Magistrat to do and command contrare to such divine obligations and engagements and an obligation on the subject
neither it nor the practices occasioned thereby can be any regulating precedent for us besides in all these contests about investiturs betwixt the Pope and Princes the mission of Ministers was never questioned but alwayes acknowledged as proper to the Church and not to the Magistrat which will be clear to any that will be at paines to read Church History 3. The sending of Ministers to particular congregations is an act of government purly and formally Ecclesiastical and not Civil and therefore incompetent to the Magistrat Let any consider it in its causes mater object and ends and they shall finde it so for the persons sent are Ministers the work they are sent on is to preach the Gospel and dispense its ordinances these they are sent to are the Churches of Christ the end for which they are sent to such is to gather in and perfect the body of Christ this is finis operis We know of nothing that can besaid against this But that it is not purely Ecclesiastick in the efficient cause Ans To this we reply First That all use in morals to sustaine the validity of the Arguments taken from the nature of the act to the undueness of it to such and such causes for it is by the respect of such acts in morals to their mater objects and ends that the bounds are determined and set to them in their efficient causes for instance if the mater object ends of an act be properly civil it is granted by all to be undue or incompetent to a Minister of the Gospel so of other acts in their moral specifical distinction by which in the law of God they are assigned made due to such and such efficients But Next Upon this reason it shall be as lawful for the Magistrat to ordaine and send persons without ordination to preach the Gospel which is every way absurd 4. The sending of Ministers to preach the Gospel and to oversee Churches is an act of the potestative mission one part of the keyes of the kingdom of God granted by Christ to his Church and never to the Magistrat from no part of the word can it be made appear that Christ hath given this power to the Magistrat we finde it given to the Ministers of the Gospel Matth. 16 19. with several other places of Scripture But as to the Magistrat there is altum silentium But that this sending of Ministers is an act of potestative mission we hope will not readily be denied of any do we ask whether Ministers go to such congregations on a special delegation from Christ more then to others If they do then it must flow from this power of mist on in the Church If they go not on this special delegation then they run unsent and are not the Pastours of these flocks more then of others and consequently they have no obligations upon them to feed these more then any other congregation which is absurd For beside the power of preaching and dispensing of ordinances there is alwayes a special delegation of the person to such and such a people by which he becometh the Ambassadour messenger of Christ Jesus whom they are bound to hear and submit to as such 5. This act of sending Ministers to congregations suppons several things that are beyond the line and cognition of the Magistrat as such as the trial of Ministers gifts the knowledge of the spiritual State of the congregation the sutablness or unsurablness of Ministers gifts to such and such a people ability to judge and cognosce in these as the mater and ends of this work require with many other things which not being granted to the Magistrat as such the work to which these are necessarily requisite cannot belong to him for every work to which God calls any hath its proper furniture of gifts and abilities without which none is to look upon themselves as called thereto 6. Some of the great Patrons and zealous Promoters of the Magistrats power in this and other things belonging to the Church yeeld that this power is in and returns to the Church when the Magistrat is either heathenish or heretical as Vedelius yea all are constrained to grant it How rational this is and how consistent with their arguments the force of which is thereby utterly broken let any judge we ask when this power is granted to be in the Church whether it comes from Christ Iesus or the Magistrat For a derive power it must be It cannot be from the Magistrat who does not willingly part with any of his power neither does religion robe the Magistrat of his power nor depose him from his regality and the prerogative thereof as Protestants maintaine against the Papists if it be derived and come from Christ as it does we desire to know what way it is conveyed to her in this case and not in the other when the Magistrat is Christian As we finde no difference of cases anent this mater given in the word so we finde the same institutions precepts and examples therein by which the Church is impowered and oblidged to exercise this government without the Magistrat to continue not only without any restrictions to times cases but without any repail We hear nothing from our adversaries to answer this but ineptia foolish rovings The truth is their Arguments conclude with as great force against all power of government in the Church under persecuting Magistrats as Christian for is there not in this case the erecting of an Empire in an Empire which our enemies accoundt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anddo not Ministers and Christians owe as much subjection to the Magistrat in the one case as in the other Assertion 2. That the right and power of Election and calling of Ministers to particular congregations is in the congregations themselves to whom they are sent by divine right and not in the Magistrat and therefore should not have been assumed by the Magistrat and taken thus from them That this power of election of Ministers is not in the Magistrat either by divine humane or Ecclesiastical laws needs not to be much insisted on seing Scripture and antiquity for a thousand years after Christ gives not the least ground for it We desire to know from our Antagonists Prelats and Erastians from whence came this power or who were the givers of it to the Magistrat When they have condescended on the orginal derivation of this power and made it out to be just then we shall consider it which by none of these parties hath been yet done except by Vedelius but on such grounds as give every particular member of the Church as good clame thereto as he as will be evident to any that considers his Arguments for Scripture and antiquity they have none The first part of the proposition is that which is most stuck at The peoples right and power of election which is denyed by our adversaries but we thus make it out as our Divines have done
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 gâ—â—ven to be used against evil doers yet in the complex case which we had before us we durst not approve of the indâ—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
none wonder we take this ticklish subject into consideration and dar adventure to give an accompt of our thoughts of the same to the world for we solemnly professe that on the exactest enquiry and search that we have been able to make about this mater we finde it as diametrically opposite to our true Covenanted principles as Prelacy and in its effects we fear shall prove as destructive to the Church and work of Reformation as any thing that appeared on the field against it Times past and present speak much to this but the future will say more the storme that this Supremacy threatens to this Church and nation is such that it is the part of all that wish well to Zion to pray inflantly day and night that it may be graciously averted The truth is as we look upon it as an high corruption in it self tending to the subversion of the Churches concerns in doctrine worship and Government so it lies at the bottome of our non-conformity to the law in Church maters and is not only one but a maine reason why we cannot joyne in Church assemblies especially for Government which thereby in our apprehensions are made nullities That our procedour in speaking to this may be distinct and clear to all we shall observe this method 1. We shall consider speak to the Government of the Church and shew what it truly is 2 We shall prove its distinction from independency on the civil Government And3 Shew how far this Government of the Church is by law lodged in and exercised by our Rulers contrare to Scripture and the practice of the Church till these hundered years past For more light to the whole we shall premise these preliminary considerations or propositions which we think will not readily be denied by any 1. Propos it is out of our rode and inconsistent with our intended brevity to insist on the tearms GOVERNMENT CHURCH what is usually signified by them these we leave to the Criticks and all that write on this subject but all are agreed in this that GOVERNMENT is a tearme importing power and authority which is nothing els but a right to rule others and an obligation on these invested therewith to use the same for attaining the ends of Government So that Government makes its acts due bindes them to all these acts means wayes by which Government is enabled to reach its ends 2. Propos All created power authority is originall in God as the first cheif cause thereof derived from him as the universal Supreme Monarch and Governour of all in heaven or earth hence it necessarly followes that as the power that cannot prove its descent from God is not to be admited so all just powers are directly subordinat to him as the universal head of all 3. Propos that the Church of Christ not being founded in nature but on supernatural revelations her Government must wholly depend upon flow from it in these things where it differs from other Governments so that the All of this Government is by positive institution and warrant from God supernaturally revealed 4. Propos That Christ Jesus as Mediator being made the head of the Church under God and thereby her Government fountained in him all powers in the Church must be derived from and subordinat to him as the Supream 5. Propos Beside the invisible and internal Government that Christ Jesus exerciseth by his Spirit on the souls and consciences of his people that consists in the inward light and power of his Spirit guiding and enabling them to that obedience he requires of them in his word there is likwise a true visible Government of the Church institute by him and visibly exercised in her in his name as her Supream 6. Propos The Government of the Church as shall be proved afterwards is not properly and in linea directa subordinat to the Magistrat for 1. It hath its derivation from another fountaine Christ Jesus who being the Churches Supream head and governour all power in her must come from and depend on him 2 The Magistrat cannot take away nor change the Government of the Church which he may do in Governments and powers subordinat to him yea he cannot impede its exercise in these intrusted with it seing they are under obligations for it antecedent superiour to these of the Magistrat 7. Propos That the holy Scriptures being the word and law of Christ as King of his Church must be the instrument and rule of the Churches Government according to which she ought to be ruled not only in these acts of faith and obedience in the inner man but also in the outward 8. Propos Although powers specifically distinct be not subordinat to one another yet there may be and is a mutual subordination of persons invested with these powers so as the persons are in different respects superiour and inferiour to one another as Jesse was to David supposing him to live in his son Davids reigne which subordination of persons does not take away the destinction of these powers nor the mutual subjection the persons owe to one another hence we assert that as Magistracy does not destroy the Ministry nor loose the persons cloathed therewith from the subjection they owe as Christians to Ministers in the right exercise of their Ministery so neither does the Ministery destroy Magistracy nor untye Ministers as subjects from that subjection and obedience due to Magistrats from their subjects Ministers are bound to this as much as any 9. Propos As in all Governments there are somethings that is intrinsick although visible wherein its nature and specifick essence does consist and somethings accidental and separable from it that belongs not to its esse but BENE ESSE so there are in the visible Government of the Church somethings essential intrinsick of which afterward and somethings accidental and extrinsick without which it can subsist even in its exercise 10. Propos These things in and about which the Government of the Church is conversant are of diverse sorts some are purely spiritual as the Word Ministery Sacraments and all Ordinances of divine appointment Others are of a mixt nature partly spiritual partly civil as the necessary circumstances and mods of worship and Government which although civil in their own nature and common to other actions yet partly by reason of the general divine appointments impowering the Church to dispose and order these partly by reason of their necessary connection with things purely spiritual are truely Ecclesiastick and become a part of the object of the proper power of Church Government called by all Divines DIATACTICK Some are properly purely civil in their owne nature and immediat ends as Churches Stipends Manses Glybs c. which although they be by general precepts secured to the Church and belonging to her yet they are formally civil and come directly under the Magistrates power as other civil rights and proprieties do about which
Magistrat cannot yea may not exercise the Government of the Church being disenabled thereto by the commands and institutions of Christ who hath laid the burden thereof on others and not on him The most grant the Magistrat himself may not exercise some parts of this Government as ordaining of persons for the Ministery excommunicating c. and why he may do other parts and acts belonging to it and not these We desire proofe all our antagonists arguments in this conclude for the whole Obj. But some Magistrats have exercised both powers as Moses Samuel David Solomon c. Ans These were both Magistrats and Prophets and it is evident from the Scripture that what they did either in constituting or in exercising of the Government of the Church they did it as Prophets and not as Magistrats we find Magistrats that were not Prophets attempting it reprehended for so doing as Saul Uzziah which says that it did not belong to their Magistratical Office Arg. 4. That Goverment that is founded upon and regulated by another rule and instrument then the law of the civil Magistrat is distinct from his Government But the Government of the Church is founded upon and ruled by another law or rule then the Magistrats the law and word of Christ therefore c. the first proposition is clear for the Government of the Magistrat does flow from and is regulated by his owne lawes of which he is the sole fountaine The second we suppose is undenyable among Christians who acknowledge the Scriptures for a rule of Doctrine Worship and Government to the Church of Christ Obj But there are somethings necessare to the Government of the Church not contained in the Scriptures Ans This we deny For 1. What the Scriptures containe anent the Government of the Church if reduced to practice is able to attaine its ends and more is not necessary Let the Church have these and the work will be done we make feigne necessitles but no more is necessar to the ends of the Church Government then what is determined by the Scriptures anent it 2. The ability of the Churches Government for reaching its ends lyes not in the innate sufficiency of its instituted means but in the Spirit of Christ working with in and by them by which low weak and despicable wayes Christ carries on the salvation of his people that the excellency of the power may be of him and not of us 3. The Scriptures being a full and perfect rule for all maters of faith and obedience what it containes of and anent the Government of the Church must be perfect and sufficient sure we are the Churches Government is a good work and its exercise acts of obedience to Christ Jesus anent which it is said I. Tim. 3. The Scripturs are able to make the Man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good work 4. We enquire when the Church is without a Christian Magistrat and under the feet of a heathenish persecuting one in which case our opposits grant her a Government distinct from and independent on the Magistrat whether the Government exercised in her be able to attaine its ends If it be as the experience of the Church in this case puts beyond doubt why may it not do the same under a Christian Magistrat Arg. 5. That Goverement that is exercised in the name of another distinct Supream Head besides the Magistrat is distinct from the Government of the civil Magistrat But the Government of the Church is exerced in the name and authority of another Supream head not subordinat to the Magistrat Therefore c. What can be said to the first proposition we understand not for all Governments one with and subordinat to the Magistrat are exercised in his name and authority But this Government of the Church is exercised in her in the name of Christ Jesus by his Officers as is clear from the word Arg. 6. The designations denominations and relations in and with which the Church is represented in the Scriptures do also confirme this truth she is called the Body of Christ the Kingdome of Heaven the City of God the House of the living God the new Jerusalem As all these do necessarily import a Government in the Church so they insinuat the same to be different from all other Governments Which we may mould into this Argument That society which is the body of Christ c. must have a Government distinct from the Government of the civil Magistrat But the Church is that society that is only the body of Christ c. Therefore c. Obj. But all these are said only of the invisible Church Ans But the contrare is clear from those Scriptures where these Epithets are given to the Church 1. Cor. 12.1 Tim. 3.15 Arg. 7. That Government whose immediat and essential ends are specifically different from the immediat and essential ends of the Magistrats Government is distinct from the Government of the Magistrat But here it is so the essential immediat ends of Church Government are different from the essential immediat end of Magistracy as will be clear to any that compares them together The ends of Church Government are the saveing of the foule the conversion and edification of sinners c. The endâ— of Magistracy are the outward publict peace and prosperity of the common wealth the execution of justice in the maintaining and preserving of propriety c. with these the Churches government does not medle nor intend them of it self Obj. The Magistrat ought to intend and endeavour the spiritual happinesse and wellfare of his subjects Ans We grant this but as all others ought to do it for every one in their station are bound to designe and labour the eternal salvation of these under their charge this being a common end that all Christians in their several capacities should seek after in their love to one another the first proposition is evident because the specificall distinction betwixt powers habits and acts is taken from their Objects and immediat proper ends Where these differ they are by all Philosophers constitute into different species's In the next place we assert That as the government of the Church does specifically differ from the government of the Magistrat so it is independant thereon and not directly subordinat thereto A truth how much soever it be decryed we are not shamed of nor affrayed to profess maintaine and whosoever will lay aside prejudice and earthly interests and consider these reasons with us will be forced to acknowledge it Arg. 1. The Magistrat is not the fountaine of Church power it hath not its derivation from him and therefore is not directly subordinat to him The consequence is founded on this truth granted by all Lawyers and Divines that all power directly subordinat to and dependant on the Magistrat is derived from him as the fountaine thereof the antecedent we prove thus 1. The Magistrat as a Magistrat is not a member of the
Church but as a Professor of Christianity which intitles others to this priviledge as much as him Therefore he cannot be the fountaine of Church power as such for whoever is the fountaine of power to any society is a member yea the noblest member of it Obj. But as a christian Magistrat he is a member of the Church Ans 1. What then will this prove him to be the fountaine of Church power so might Christian Husbands Parents c. argue as justly for this clame the truth is he being only a member of the Church as a Christian and not as a Magistrat Magistracy gives him no more priviledge then any other power civil or natural when the person tuines Christian for the benefite of membership goes on grounds and reasons common to all Christians and containes no speciality to one more then to another If any think Magistracy does they shall do well to prove it which none hath yet offered to do 2. If men understood well what it is to be a Christian a disciple and member of Christ's Church they would quickly see its inconsistency with the said profession does not persons turning Christians profese subjection to Christ his Lawes Ordinances and Servants which is repugnant to the fountaine of the Church power 2. He may not exercise Church power Therefore is not the fountaine of it all yeeld that these who are the fountaine of power to others may exercise it themselves it being in them and others acting as their delegates in its exercise that the Magistrat may not exercise Church power is clear for Church power being by positive institution from Christ they that exercise it must have a commission from him which none hath prodduced for the Magistrat Erastus asserteth it but without all proofe of which it is so destitute that the most of his followers have left him in this assertion Arg. 2. All Church power is lodged in and immediatly descended from Christ Jesus as the Supream Head and Ruler of the Church and Superiour to the Magistrat Therefore it is not subordinat to the Magistrat The reason of the consequence is clear for it is a repugnancy in a power to be immediatly subordinat to two Supream powers in one and the same respects especially where the one is superiour to the other The antecedent is manifest for Christ is only head of the Church all power in her is institute by him exerced in his name astricted to and regulated by his word and accomptable to him All notes of power immediatly descended from him Obj. But the Christian Magistrat as Christs substitute and vicegerent is under him the nearest and immediat fountaine of Church power for subordinata non pugnant Ans Long hath the Pope of Rome conrended for this and on grounds more plausible then these on which the Magistrat goes But Protestant Divines answer to the Papists on this head furnish us with irrefragable answers to the Magistrats clame which we desire our adversaries would consider answer at their own leasure we finde not the Magistrat inrolled among the officers of the Church far lesse substitute for Christs vicegerent if there be any Scripture for this bring it forth We know of none as yet alledged by our adversaries but what will plead as strongly for the heathenish Magistrat as for the Christian And if they do what traitours were the Apostles Ministers and Christians of the primitive times that did not acknowledge the heathenish Magistrates for their head in the Church but resisted and disobeyed their lawes and edicts against them for crying up of another Kâ—ng in the maters of their Christian Profession Arg. 3. All Church power was institute by Christ in an immediat subordination to himself without any acknowledgment of or dependance on the Magistrat Therefore it is not dependant upon nor subordinat to him The antecedent is clear from the History of the New Testament where we find that Christ moulded and constituted the Church by his Apostles and furnished her with a Government and officers to be exercised in his name and all this he did without consulring or advising with the Magistrat or suspending of her upon him the Magistrat all this time resisting letting himself for crushing of this Church Kingdome of Christ which he erected in the midst of their Kingdomes making use of their rage and violence to establish and propagat it for some Hundreds of years All this is so evident that our adversaries are not able to refuse it what is there then to hinder the consequence that we draw from this deed of Christ If our opposites in this mater could shew us that the Church had no government institute by Christ nor exercised any all the time that the Magistrat thus opposed himself to her or that Christ had declared his will that she should be subjected to the Magistrat in her Government when he should become Christian they would soon end this strife but nothing can we learne from them to this purpose Arg. 4. As this Government was institute by Christ and his Apostles so it was exerced in his name in the Church without dependance on the Magistrat till Constantine the great 's time and from thence downe ward till the Reformation of Religion brack up in Germanie till which time it was never questioned by any until Erastus the Physician arose who laboured not only to subject the Church to the Magistrat in all her concearnes as such but denied all Government to her by divine institution that is distinct from the Government of the Magistrat contrare to full and clear Scripture which he most insolently and wickedly endeavours to wrest pervert So then if the Government of the Church was in Scripture times and downwards till within these hundered years exercised without dependance on the Magistrat both heathenish and Christian then it must yet be independant on and not directly subordinat to him Here our Antagonists are put to strange shifts The first three hundred years they must grant and may we not take this for a yeelding of the cause Scripture and antiquity hath been held for a sufficient plea for maters of doctrine and practise debates in Polemical divinity hath run on these two heads and whoever made out their assertions from these have been esteemed to carry the cause all that our adversaries have to say to this are these two 1. That the Government exercised in the Church was not by divine institution and precepts but by confederation of Churches and officers To this we reply 1. If the Epistles to Timothy to the seven Churches in Asia Revel 2 and 3. Chapters with other places of Scripture used by our Divines in this mater prove not the contrary they have no sense We beg of our adversaries they will for saving us a labour answer Mr. Gillespies Arguments from Scripture in the second part of his Aarons Rod blossoming 2 Besids they are not able to make out what they assert to wit that the Church did
really exclude Magistrats from the Communion of the Church and the benefite of the ordinance of Church Government which in its designe and effects is for saving of the soul as well as all other ordinances Other Arguments might be adduced as the want of power in the Magistrat to alter and change the Government of the Church or to nullify its just sentences passed c. SECT VII The sinfulness of the Ecclesiastick Supreamacy manifested BUt judging these sufficient to the conviction oâ— the unprejudged we come to the other part of ouâ— task which is to shew that this visible intrinsick government of the Church is assumed by and given to our Rulers in the present standing laws of the Kingdom which we shall make out from the acts of Parliament particularly act of restitution Parl. 1. Sess 2. Act. 1. act anent the National Synod Parl. 1. Sess 3. Act. 4. act against Conventicles Parl. 2. Sess 5. act against Keepers of Conventicles and withdrawers c. Parl. 2. Sess 3. Act. 17. act against unlawful ordinations Parl. 2. Sess 3. with others of the like nature But before we enter on the probation of this it will be necessare for clearing our way to it to consider alittle two things in the beginning of the narrative of the act of restitution repeated in several acts where first the Government of the Church is called the external Government of the same the tearm EXTERNAL being Notourly ambiguous should have been explained all not left to guess at its meaning EXTERNAL is by some opposed to the internal invisible Government of Christ on the souls of his people and so by it they understand the visible intrinsick Government of the visible Church that this is meant by the tearm EXTERNAL GOVERNMENT in this and other acts the following Arguments undertake to make out but some others oppose the terme EXTERNAL GOVERNMENT to this intrinsick visible Government of the Church formerly described and asserted to be distinct from and independant on the Mastrat and by it they do understand these humane adjuncts and accidents that are civil in themselves and not made sacred by divine institution some plead this to be the sense of these terms in the acts of Parlt but how groundlesly let our subsequent reasons determine Secondly It is there said that the ordering and disposing of the external government of the Church belongs to the Crowne c. it is hard to sense this for ordering and disposing when done by persons in authority is a part of government in it self and if it be so the Phrase is equivalent to this the governing of the external government of the Church which is a strange sort of speach as if a government needed a government to governe it What if this were said of the government of the government of the State Would it not be reputed non sense But the truth is all governments do necessarily imply a power to dispose and order all things relating to it as a part of the same without which it were imperfect and it is without disput evident from the experience of the Church under heathenish Magistrats that the government of the Church had this which by this act is taken from her Next we ask whether this ordering and diposing be an act of the Ecclesiastick or civil government If it be of the Ecclesiastick it is againe non-sense at the best and is as much as if it had been said the Ecclesiastical governing of the Ecclesiastical government of the Church a perfect tautology But if it be an act of the civil government how comes it that in this and other acts of Parliament it is called the Kings Ecclesiastical Government in opposition to the civil Obj. It is only objectively so called Ans Then it is properly and formally civil the phrase objectively Ecclesiastical being CATACHRESTICAL and ABUSIVE a very improper speach yea as improper as if we should call Church power or Government in the hands of Church officers objectively civil or civil Thirdly In the last place we desire to know whether this ordering or disposing of the Government of the Church be necessary or not If it be not necessary why is the Church troubled with it If it be we ask againe when it was exercised by the Church whether it was an act of civil or Church Government It could not be of the civil for the Church had none under persecuting Magistrats if it was an act of the Ecclesiastical or Church Government then it was purely and formally such and not truely civil although exercised about things civil in their owne nature and seing it was so how comes it to be the Magistrats now To any considerat and unbyaffed reader it will be manifest that these words or expressions come from mindes designing the enhansing of the intrinsick visâ—â—le Government of the Church and withall labouring to cover it but all in vaine Now that the Ecclesiastical Government of the Church formally and intrinsically such is assumed by and given to the Magistrat in the present standing lawes will be apparent to any that consider these things in the forecited acts of Parliament 1. That Church officers in the exercise of Church government in their Church assemblies or judicatories are put in dependance upon and subordinated to the King as Supream to them therein this makes the King the fountaine of Church power the Church officers to derive and hold their power of him which makes our King the proper Head of the Church substituts him in Christs roome to her 2. The government of the Church thus subjected to dependant on the King as Supream is in the act of restitution extended to and made to take in ordination acts of discipline inflicting of Church censures yea to all causes and matters formally Ecclesiastical to all about which Church power is exerced he is made the supream 3. All Church power and jurisdiction as it was exercised in this Church before the late introduction of prelacy without this derivation from and subordination to the Magistrat is rescinded and annulled certainly in these times the Magistrat had and did exercise a power about Church matters as is to be seen in the laws then made in their behalf but this does not now content without this supremacy which imports another power acclamed by the Magistrat now that was not then 4. This supremacy and as it is called the Royal prerogative of the Crown is given for the maine reason of the change made in the Government of the Church in overturning and casting out of the true government that then was and bringing in another in its stead without the authority and concurrence of the Church a fair opened doore for bringing in the like alteration and change in doctrine and worship when there is access to it 5. Prelacy by this act is restored not only to the former height it was at and had attained by law and practice before its last ejection out of this Church
he does execute the judgment of truth peace 11. Propos It is to be adverted that there is a twofold subordination of powers in Government one in LINE A DIRECT A and another in LINE A OBLIQU A in the first subordination the power subordinated is derived from and comprehended in the Supream and may be impeded suspended or reguated in its exercise yea totally dissolved by it and when exercised it is in the name and authority of the Supream and wholly dependant in its regulation on it so that both the power as such the person intrusted therewith and its exercise is subjected to the Supream In the second kind of subordination the subordinated power or rather the person in its exercise is only the object of some acts of another power but the power is not derived from it nor JURE impedible or regulable by it It is in this last sort of subordination that Magistrats and Ministers are subordinated to one another without all subordination of the powers in their exercise for as Magistrats may yea should command Ministers when negligent to the duties of their function so Ministers ought in Christs name to command Christian Magistrats to do the duties belonging to their office and to rebuke them authoritatively when found acting contrare thereto 12. Propos These subjected to created powers whether Magistratical or Ministerial being under the supream absolure and universal Soveraignity of God have a power of judgment and discretion granted to them for cognoscing on the commands of their superiours as to their justice or injustice or their consistency with or repugnancy to the commands of God by which they are to walk in giving or not giving obedience to their superiours The way being thus paved our next work is to shew what we judge to be the Government of the visible Church which we shall do in these Conclusions Conclus 1. The Government of the visible Church largely considered is either Supream or Subordinat to the Supream belongs the legistative power as the making and enacting of lawes instituting of ordinances appointing and impowering of officers and to be the fountaine of all power in the Church This we assert to be only in Christ Jesus and visible in his word ordinances officers and the conveyance of all Church power in this none share with him either Magistrats oâ— Ministers Conclus 2 The subordinat power of Government in the Church is in her officers that Christ hath appointed and called thereto which power is only and immediatly from Christ and exercised in his name over all in the Church which distinction of Church Government makes not different Governments in the head and members it being one and the same Government truly Monarchical not Aristocratical nor Democratical Concl. 3 This derived and subordinat power in Church officers when considered with respect to its mater in and about which it is exerced is diverse Schoolmen and Divines distinguish it into the power of Order Jurisdiction but for explications sake and avoiding of all ambiguity we shall consider it in the variety of its objects or mater and its divers acts about the same As 1. To it belongs the dispensing of the ordinances of worship in the publict assemblies of the Church in preaching of the word praying to as the mouth of the assembly and praising of God in these they act as the Authorized servants of Christ in performing and directing of the worship of God in the Church 2. The convocating of the Assemblies of the Church for these divine and holy exercises on which all in the Church are bound by divine precepts to attend as the institute means of worship conversion and edification 3. The receiving ordering and distributing of the Charitable contributions of the Church for maintaining of the poor and doing of other pious works 4. Trying receiving and admiting of members into the Church confirming and sealing of the same by Baptisme 5. Administring the great ordinance of the Lords supper to the worthy and obedient conforme to the institution of it in the word 6. Ejecting and excluding the impenitent and obstinatly scandalous after due trial and conviction whether in doctrine or manners from the Sacraments and Comunion with the Church in these 7. Trying calling and ordaning of persons fitted for and willing to engadge in the Ministery according to the rules of the word 8. Deposing and exauâ—orating of Ministers from the Ministery who by heresy or scandals declare themselves unworthy of and unfit for the same 9. Trying and censuring of scandals in persons found guilty of them after due conviction for their recovery and keeping of the Church pure 10. Associating into stated fixed meetings for carrying on and doing of the former and subsequent work whether more general or particular in their due and allowed subordination 11. Trying and judging of doctrines whether sound or heretical according to the rule of the word of Christ and censuring of persons found unsound in the faith 12. Disposing ordering the necessary circumstances of worship and Government for decency and order and the avoiding of confusion 13. Resolving of doubts and cases of conscience incident to the Church on any occasion or emergent 14. Indicting of dayes of publict solemne fasts and humiliation or of thanksgiving as the dispensations of judgment and mercy call to the same c. Conclus 4. This Government of the Church as it is in the hands of Church officers and exercised by them is purely Ministerial without all dominion in them and only executive in applying the will of Christ to the members of the Church as they are found conform or disconform to the same Concl. 5. This subordinat power in Church officers is only declarative and nuncupative and not properly decisive they have not power to determine what shall be true or false doctrine sin or duty and what censure shall be inflicted on persons heretical or scandalous but only to declare and apply the will of Christ and what he hath determined anent these in his word This power suppons its object and does not make it Conel 6. It is wholly limited regulated by and restricted to the word and law of Christ as its basis and rule beyond which it cannot go and if it do its acts are nullities and not obligatory on any Concl. 7. It is purely spiritual in its mater manner and ends and not at all civil it essentially respects the inner man and wholly labours in the wayes appointed the saving edifying and perfecting of it Concl. 8. This power is not properly coercive coactive and compulsive but only exclusive that is if it be not obeyed by them about whom it is exerced it does debarre them from and deny them the benefits that are offered to all and promised to the obedient Concl. 9. This power in the hands of the Church officers is truly Christs and when acted in his name conforme to his lawes is the exercise of his Supream dominion in and over the Church By which