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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	king_n	law_n	people_n	9,348	5	5.3251	4	true

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

the Godly of the Presbyterian perswasion were exceedingly more numerous then the other 2 The difference betwixt them is very small which may be incident to persones truly Godly and consistent with their grouth and exercise of godliness and if there were a healing condescending temper might be healed and removed their difference lying mainly in the authoritative subordination of Church judicatories ●●d con●stitution of Churches as to the qualities and engadgments of their constituent members which when their one ness in all other things about government and their concessions to one another in the little they differ about is considered might be quickly accomodated and taken up But it is other wayes with prelacy in its constitution and exercise with us which in its effects attendants and the basis it is setled upon is found to be such a corruption in the government of the Church and inlett to others in Doctrine and Worship that it becomes truely hateful to all the Godly that give themselves up to the conduct and light of the Scripture and make them their rule in the exercises of religion and godliness far be it from us to think or say that there is none of the prelatical gang truely godly or pious We know there hath been and do beleeve there are some such among them but O how few and how much have these few been looked upon and persecuted by the rest with an evil or jealous eye so as they have been judged more ours then theirs we have not forgot the distinction that on this head was made in former times among the Bishops themselves and how they were distinguished into Puritan and Court Bishops Will not one of these two follow either that the generality of the Godly whom Christians walking according to the rule of the word must esteeme to be such are under a strong delusion in their opinions about and opposition to Prelacy Or●els which is most likely for the reason formerly given that Prelacy savours not of godliness but in its native tendency is an enemy to it which sayes it cannot be of God but for trial and correction 5. As the maine and chief qualification the prelats require in their intrants into the ministery and in the people they admit to ordinances is submission to and owning of the● conforme to the present law how ins●fficient and scandalous soever they be which is overlooked and dispensed with in them so their bitter opposition to and uncessant persecution of pious able and faithful ministers that comply not with prelacy declares to all that it is not the good of the Church that consists in true knowledge and godlines they seek but the extending and establishing of their tyrranous dominion over all by ministers and professors submiting thereto without gainsaying of their impositions and commands How contrare in this is their way to the rules given in the word for calling ordaining of ministers 1 Tim. 3 1 2 c. Tit. 1 5 6 c. and the practise of the Apostle Paul Phil. 1 15. who rejoyced Vers 18. that Christ was preached altho out of envy and opposition to him Can that course be of God which must be supported by such wayes and means that crosse the directions and rules of the word anent Ministers and disappoints the ends of the Gospel and Ministery Beleeve this who will we cannot SECT II. What moved Ministers to submit to the act of Glasgow some remarks upon the acts against conventicles and such as refuse to depone against delinquents IT Hath been often Objected to us both by friends and enemies why did Ministers and Congregatitions obey so quickly that act of the Councel at Glasgow in leaving and deserting of one another seing by vertue of their divine mutual relation to one another as pastors and flocks they were bound to cleave together in performing and doing of all mutual duties which by divine precepts and engadgments they were bound to observe Ans As we will not altogether justify our cariage in that and several other particulars in our way thorow these sad times being willing to take with and humble our souls for all our imperfections and failings that shall be discovered to us by any so there were some things in the circumstan●●at case that may plead for us and alleviat the offence taken at our too general practice in that matter As. 1. The suddenness of that act which allowed very little or no time for deliberation and coming to any solide resolution in a matter of such weight and un usuall practice anent which we had so few precedents in former times All know how puzling surprisals use to be and if there be not a present divine hand to guide and support under the power of temptation with which surprisals are ordinarly attended all are in hazard thorow the byasse of corruption to miscary and in their resolutions to turne to the wrong side Ministers and Professors are men of the same corruptions and passions with others and whatever obligations be on them for truth and righteousness and the leading of others in the same Yet throw dark●ness the influence of corrupt affections and temp●tations concurring therewith to which they are obnoxious as much if not more then others they are ready to slip in which for the gospels sake they should be pitied and prayed for 2. It had no little influence upon us in determining our resolution to this that our party in our nighbouring Churches in England and Ireland upon the emission of an act of Parliament disenabling all Ministers that did not conforme to Prelacy for the exercise of their Ministry had quit their charges and removed themselves to other parts not thinking it safe to themselves their people the interests of religion as it then stood to justle with Authority in continuing their Ministery with and among the people contrare to the new lawes made against them while we confidered this leading example with the reasons moveing them to it we thought our selves as much pressed therewith as they And no doubt if we had followed the contrare course our Loyalty had been sadly reproached and their practise made use of to aggravat our disloyal disposition with which we had been often branded although faisly to a great hight of contempt which had we grant too much weight with us 3. The maine designe we had under consideration at that time that did most exercise our thoughts and take them up was how we might be preserved from the grand corruption Prelacy that did then enter into the Church many questions in order to i● were debated among us for our mutual strengthening against the assaults of our common adversaries which we in rational fore sight did apprehend would come upon us never dreaming of this course that was followed with us which with one stroke cut the Gordian knots of many difficulties with which we had often grapled in our exercises and debars In this unexpected course of providence clearing our way under many

the Church in particular the case was wholly altered from that of our worthie Predecessors in the former Prelats time fo● as prelacy was then subtilly brought in upon them by degrees and not all at once so they continued in the possession of the Government of the Church that had been se●led by law and never legally or actually disinabled to meet and exercise the same in their fixed and ordinare judicatories but continuing as formerly in Presbyterated meetings had the Prelats thrust in upon them as is evident from history even of Spotiswood But in our case Prelacy is at the first raised by law to its greatest height Presbytery discharged cashiered and ejected out of this Church all lawes for it either in late or former times being disanuled and abrogated the meetings of Ministers in their fixed Presbyterial and Synodical assemblies inhibited under severe penalties by acts of Councel which became so universally obeyed that Presbytery had neither a legal nor actual being in the time that Prelacy was erected brought in upon this Church So that at its actual introduction we were conforme to Lawes required to come in submit to and concur with the government setled by them which was purely Prelatical and Erdstiuml an They that deny this must contradict the law and make the law makers liars if the laws and actings conforme thereto have any sense that may be rationallie deduced therefrom Hence what was required was directly contrare to our principles known judgment which to this day we never saw any convincing reasons to make us relinquish Here we cannot but complean of the palpable injustice done us by the Author of the seasonable case falsly so called who contrare to all evidence makes the case now and then alike But notorious lies and untruths must be made use of to fill up the roome of truth so shamefully deserted by that party 4 The government of the Church that then was was by law totally subverted and Prelacy brought in its place at and by the meer authority of the King the government thereof by a preceeding law or act being wholly put into his hands the authority of Parliament interposed afterwards for the establishing of prelacy being by this only corrobovative and precarious as if it were only of his frameing and making and had no higher derivation but that of humane authority which we look upon as an high derogation of the Regal and Supream authority of Christ Jesus the alone Head and King of his Church and a dreadfull presumption in changing the laws and ordinances enacted and instituted by Him in his house which all Christians especially Protestants esteem sacred and inviolable Can we according to the principles we have received and drunk in from the word of the liveing God allow of this forme of Government this way introduced into the Church Those that love ease and things of this world may think light of all but it is not so to us who are through grace resolved to owne no other Head of that body then Christ Jesus of whom we professe ourselves members The recent and fresh memory of the National and Solemne League and Covenants under the tye of which this Nation and Church came oftener then once all rankes and degrees of persons Noble and Ignoble from the Kings Majesty to the lowest Subject being solemnly engadged thereby against the evils and corruptions ejected by them The obligation of which had been enforced and legally secured by a continued series of lawes and practises for a long time that seemed to promise all imaginable securitie to the work of Reformation against the out most assaults of its adversaries nothing was left undone that could be attempted by rational men in this case While all these things were in being and recent in the memory of all at home and abroad at one dash in so little a time to raze to the foundations all the former superstructure and build up the contrare and that by persons who for their generality had been so active for and so deeply engadged in former proceedings is strange to think on especially considering the verbal securities and engagments made unto us immediatly before this change We say in this case to give the concurrence and complyance required in joyning with and receiving the Prelats and their Creat●rs is beyond all question an approving of all that was done contrare to our fixed judgments these obligations we with th●●est of this Church came under Let any man of conscience put himself in our case suppone our judgment principles to be his owne and then 〈◊〉 him judge if he would not finde himself necessitated to carry in this matter as we have done Obj. Some assert that they never having taken on the personal obligation of the Covenants are not bound by them for which they offer irrefragable arguments but yet see it fit to hold them in Ans However there are two things we are sure of First All Ministers that entered into the Church in the time of Presbytery were taken engadged for the government of the Church that then was in opposition to Prelacy and in or near the time that Prelacy was a bringing in into this Church Ministers in many Presbyteries Synods declared their resolutions for adhereing to Presbytery that then was in being had been exercised in this Church for many years preceeding that time but it is like as their after carriage did make out that these are knots they can easily loose seing they are able to master overcome far greater Next That Church Goyenants in the maters of God which by vertue of divine commands institutions do antecedently bind do obleige all in the Church both in the time or afterwards and that with this adventitious and supervenient obligation of a Covenant beside the former He hath a stout conscience that will get this denyed it is so evidently manifest from Deut. 29 10. c. they must be arguments of iron steell that will break this Scripture in pieces These who assert the contrary shall do well to try their strength on what the answerer of Mr. Gilbert Burnets first dialogues hath on this Subject that have not yet received a reply But it seems it is a piece of new policy to make up the weakness of arguments with big swelling words We might here consider a little if our purposed brevity could permit it what one in a certaine manuscript hath undertaken to prove in several propositions but his mistaking of the question in the second proposit●on makes us easy work it being a truth we do not deny and in which we close with our predecessours so that all his citations of ours are to no effect for we grant that the sin of fellow worshipers is no just ground for withdrawing from publict ordinances where there is no just exceptions beside will it from thence follow that we should submit to and hear the Curates in our present case we must hav● other arguments

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

disobedience and the reason is becaus no power can justly crave obedience when it acts either beyond or against its true adequat formal object but of this above 3. When Magistrats commands are opposite to Gods which hath often fallen out obedience to God can be no disobedience to the Magistrat But in our case we undertake to prove that altho the thing commanded to wit appearance be within the compasse of the Magistrats power that it was contrare to mercy and justice yea and things commanded and allowed us of God which will exeem our non-appearance from disobedience consequently from contempt of Authority Knowing and being morally certaine that the unjust violence designed against us would have inevitably followed on our appearance we chused rather to forbear it and to use the flight Christ allowes to his servants and people in the like cases It is a Maxime in Morals or practical divinty accorded to by all Divines that of two penal evils when the election of them is in our arbitriment the lesser is to be preferred to the greater And to any that consider the case we then had before us it will be manifest that flight was much preferable to the severity we were to expect on appearance of which we were assured not only from the standing lawes of the Kingdome but likwise from the preceeding carriage of our Rulers who altho slow and negligent enough in the execution of the lawes against Papists Quakers and other heterodox opinious and wicked practises yet punctual and strick in puting the law to more then its full execution against us to which they have been and are instigated by our enemies the Prelats to such a hight of keenness that if the mater contamed in our summonds cannot be made to appear we are put to answer such interrogatories and required to give and subscribe such oaths engadgments and bonds to which they know we cannot without destroying of our principles yeeld for refuseing of which many of our party have been cast into prisons fined banished c. Thirdly It had no little influence on us in determining our non-appearance that the usual legal forme of procedour in judgment allowed to and used vvith others is not observed towards us from which we could not expect justice but all severity On our appearance we have no accuser often no lybel condescending on or containing our crimes with the circumstances no witnesses produced but an oath administred to the empannelled for expiscating of accusations against ourselves and others and that in crimes made by law capital and the oaths of these whom the law calls socij criminis sustained for valid probation wayes of procedour condemned by the law of God and nations except where the Papists cruelty takes place And if all these sail the subscribing of engagments and bonds is p●oposed required as is said above on the refusal of which a prison is the best we meet with Let any man of ordinare reason and justice judge whether appearance before Rulers who by following of such methods and wayes in judgment declare themselves resolved to have at the persons arraigned whether ●ure or not we say let any judge whether appearance before such when it is in their choise to appear or not be rational and safe except where the supposed guilty intends by their appearance to prevent greater severity Fourthly Among other things that came under consideration with us against this appearance was the oath de super inquirendis lately framed into a law and now pressed on us which for the reasons formerly given we dar not take for besids the severe punishments as imprisonment arbitrary fines exile to forraigne plantations c. we were to look for for refuseing of this oath if we take it we are contrare to all natural equity mercy and justice made the accusers of ourselves and others contrare to the provision made in the act establishing and imposeing of this oath which declares that the oath taken by any shall not militat in judgment against the takers of it to su●h such penalties therein specified and yet the mater of their lybel useth to be diawne from it and if they deny their deposition an oath is adduced for probation against them And it is not intelligible by us how such an oath can be sustained 〈◊〉 valide probation against others and not against the deponent seing a person 's own confession of his crimes is judged sufficient against him much more should this oath which necessarly suppons and infers confession even judicial But Fiftly In the next place the evil consequences that by our appearance we were certane would have redounded to many made us forbear it for if we had appeared we were sure perpetual imprisonment or exile from our native countrey had ensued thereon whereby we should have been put out of a capacity for labouring the preservation and advancement of the Gospel in this Church of which we are members and to which we as Ministers and Christians are so straitly tyed and bound the people should have been robbed of a faithfull Ministery an● he benefite of the word purely dispensed by them the rod of persecution now on the back of this Church should have been more sharpened against the remnant of our party the people exposed to more shakeing and winnowing temptations to the endangering of their stedfastnes our adversaries of all sortes more emboldened to vent spew out their venemous doctrines and to carry on their designed defection to a greater hight all which being more then probable yea to us morally certane we durst not do that which would have opened the door to all these evils These arguments do suppone and lean on the unjust oppression intended and prosecuted against us which is made out both as to mater designe in the precedent and subsequent discourse Sixtly It was never a piece of disloyalty and disobedience to Magistracy even for persons confessedly guilty to keep themselves from the stroke of the law to run away from it and to escape out of prisons if they could effect it and consequently not to enter into prisons when cited thereto must be as free of disloyalty especially when the cause for which any is in hazard thereof is righteousness as ours is at this day SECT IV. Our practice cleared from separation where it is also proved unlawful to submit to the Ministry of the Curats Exception 5. The ejected Ministers preaching dispensing of ordinances and peoples runing to and hearing of them in this manner and withdrawing from communion with the Church in the allowed publick ordinances is separation which is against the principles and practises of the Presbyterians in foregoing times Ans because this in acts of Parliament publict Sermons and in Pamphlets is with great confidence asserted we shall take it a little into consideration and see whether the Prelats and their Creatures or our Ministers and the people adhering to them be the separatists a sinful separation