sayes is rightly understood and not wiredrawne and miserably throvvne vvith prejudice nor such doctrines or practices there asserted or maintained Hovv ever this railer call them scandalous and shameful as they need to be ashamed of and that it vvill neither be for the glory of God the honour of his Churches the good of souls nor their ovvne credite to dance to this man's pipe to follovv divisive motions contrare to our Covenants to joyne-in vvith malignant Apostates constant and svvorne enemies to the vvork of reformation to make the heart of the people of God sad whom the Lord would not have made sad to fortify strengthen the hands of the wicked Verbum sapienti fas est we know the proverb it is not good for the lambs when the fox preacheth 3. This meek man tells us next That it is not his designe to offend the generation of the humble meek self denyed seekers of God's face partakers with him of the same precious faith and runing to obtaine the same prize of the inheritance O! who can decyphere unto us these persons who are these humble meek self-denyed seekers of God's face whom this man will not grieve Are these the latitudinarian Atheists the Gallioes the coldrife Laôdiceans who care not what Religion be professed It is like men of that principle will not be much grieved by any thing which he hath said O! but he meaneth some of those who differ from him in judgment in some particulars but what are these particulars Meum and tuum I feare he take not such for meeke humble or self denyed persons and they will have as little reason to take him for such an one Are these particulars Church Government And who are these who differ from him in that poynt whom he accounts humble meek and self denyed Possibly the few honest publick resolutioners But I suppose these faithful Men desire none of his commendations Neither will they look upon themselves as partakers of the same precious faith with him and his fraternity who have made shipewrak of their faith Nor do they minde to run to obtaine the same prize with him and his perjured fraternity which will be the broad roll the long broad curse which will enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly and the heavy wrath and vengeance of God due to apostates as they like not to turne Prelates and swallow downe bishopriks which is all the prize and all the inheritance which some run over light and conscience and all to obtaine Doth this wicked Man still intende to sowe sedition and to widen that difference Is he ignorant of the original of that sad contest Is he yet to be informed that the rational feares and foresight of not a few of these Ministers and Professors who obtained mercy to be jealous for the Lord did impose a necessity upon them in order to the preventing of a re-establishing and re-introduceing of these abjured abhominations to Dissent from and protest against the course which was at that time taken in public judicatories And upon the other hand these godly men whom with much sorrow of heart and the greatest of reluctancies they did oppose as knoweing how really deare the precious interests of Christ were to them being Conscious of their ovvne integrity and streightnesse in the matters of God and measureing others by themselves or thinking it hardly possible yea rather morally impossible that the very same men who had joyned with them in so solemne an ingagement to God and by vvhom the souls of his People thorovv the Land had been brought under the bond of the Covenant could vvhile pretending to their former streightnesse be such miscreants and monsters that neither any Conscience toward God nor shame before the world could bind them to the good behaviour and tye them up from returneing to their former vomit did mistake their brethren in that opposition and became jealous of them and did likewise by a sad overplus of ill grounded Charity mistake the enemies of the work of God for friends and because they had once with them ingaged to pluk up that unhallowed plant of prelacy as none of Gods planteing under an Anathema Maranatha they vvere not suspicious that this accursed thing vvas still vvith them or that after they had joyned vvith them in commending the good wayes of God and crying Grace Grace upon the building they should vvith the same breath cry out Crucify Crucify all the friends of the vvork of God and by an unparalleled dissimulation onely be vvatching for an opportunity of bursting his bonds asunder and casting avvay his cords from them He cannot be ignorant I say that this gave the rise to all these sad debats and therefore I am hopeful and confident that vvhen that mystery of iniquity vvhich vvas then vvorking is novv manifest and vvhen that Conspiracy against God vvhich did then lurk and lay hide under the vaile of friendship to the vvork of God is novv broke forth to the hight of rebellion against him vvho is King in Zion that all the Controversies vvhich henceforth shall be betvveen these brethren shall be buryed in this one blessed contest vvho shall love God most and one another best vvho shall most earnestly and eagerly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints who shall be most forward in following the Lord fully and peremptory in adhereing to the least hove of the precious truths of Christ now trampled upon by these overturners and supplanters Yea I am confident that these godly men who have been most deceived and cheated into a credulity of the honesty and integrity of them who are now gone out from them because they were never of them will judge that they are more particularly and especially concerned to set themselves in opposition to these dissembling Apostats and use all lavvful means to overturne these treacherous overturners and put the Church of Sotland in Statu quo prius since by the intrusting of the cause to these men of perfidy the cause hath been lost and themselves are Lorded over together vvith the rest of the inheritance of the Lord Let me once more say that I hope this shall be the effect vvhich his second attempt to a further division amongst the remnant vvho stand in opposition to the vvay of these vvicked men shall have amongst his Servants and that the divider shall live to see his disigne mis give and hear a sweet harmony after all former jarring discords amongst the servants of the Lord in singing a Higgajon selah because this vvicked man vvith his complices are insnared in this and other vvorks of their ovvne hands 4. He goeth on in his fascination but in vaine is the net spread in the sight of any bird and would persuade us that he can not take these humble meek self denyed seekers of God as partakers with Naphtaly and his adherents For why who can imagine sayes he that a meek people who hath the promise of God's
no judgment and he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessour Truth and the cause of God was so at under that a man could not get leave to live if he depairted from evil he was a prey unto the persecuters so general and universal was this defection and at this time he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessour to interpose none that would stand up and lay out themselves to the utmost to set things in order none that would bestirre himself for truth and the right which was then oppressed see the English Annot. on the place the word is used 2 Sam. 22. 17. where it is said the servants of Saul would not fall upon the Priests of the Lord. So Exod. 5. 3. lest he fall upon us c. So that we see there was some positive thing required of them some effectual mediating and interposeing and hindering of these iniquities some publick owneing and avowing of the truth and by publick testimonies or other wayes of interposeing falling-into impede and stand in the way of that course of wickednesse 4. So Ier. 8 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not a right no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done It is not probable that there was none penitent among them where then was Baruch and Ebedmelech Cap. 38. 7 9. and others that stood for the Prophet Cap. 26 8 16 17 24. But there must be some other thing imported viz. That there was few or none repenting of national evils and labouring to remove these no man was standing up and opposeing these publick land defections labouring by this meanes to raise up the virgin of Israel who was fallen Amos 5. 2. 5. Ierm 9 3. And they bend their tongues like their bowes for lies but they are not valient for the truth upon the earth that is they were ready enough all of them to imploy their power to the utmost for the evil cause to establish errour and a false way but they used no valour for the oppressed cause and truth of God they did not their utmost to have Truth established and the true Religion They did not put out themselves or make use of their strength for the maintainance of truth and equity in the land say the English Annot. and they make it parallel with Esa 59 4. This was their guilt and hereby we see what was the duty even of privat persons for of such this is to be meaned as the context cleareth in such a general day of defection viz. to be valient owners and maintainers of Truth against all opposers 6. Ier. 5 v. 1. Run yee to and fro throw the streets of Ierusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can finde a man if there be any that executeth judgment that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it We can hardly think that there were no mourners in secret in all Ierusalem though it is like they were very few but there was none to owne the good cause that was now troden under foot none bestirring themselves to oppose and hinder the carryed on course of defection If that had been the Lord sayes he would have spared the place which shewes how desirable a thing this was and how acceptable it would have been in the Lords eyes that for that cause he would have forborne to have destroyed them or to have cut them off 7. Ezech. 22 30. And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me that I should not destroy it but I found none There were some even at this time sighing and mourning in secret for these abhominations who were marked Cap. 9. but there were none to make up the hedge which their provocations had made none to redresse the publick defection and Apostasy and stand for the truth and the suppressing of errour and iniquity So is it laid to the charge of their Prophets Cap. 13 5. that they did not goe up into the gaps neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battel in the day of the Lord Whereby we see that by this standing in the gape and making up the hedge more is meaned then a secret mourning even a faithful and publick owneing of the truth and opposeing of defection and putting a stope unto it as Moses did when he stood in the breach Exod. 32. though with authority as a Magistrate which private persones have not he not only prayed and wrestled with the Lord v. 11 12 13. but in great zeal took the calfe which they had made and brunt it in the fire and ground it to powder and strawed it upon the watter and made them to drink of it v. 20. If there had been any who thus effectually would have stood in the breach the Lord sayes he would have spared them so acceptable would such a work have been to him 8. So that word Ier. 13 18. Say unto the King and to the Queen humble your selves sit downe for your principalities shall come downe even the crowne of your glory Will import something more it being spoken to all indefinitely giveth a warrand to all to deal with King and Queen to prevent the sad dayes which were coming by reason of the defection and abounding sinnes 9. So that word Hos 2 2. Plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife which is spoken to private persones and so is a warrand to them to contend in judgment as the word doth import against the Church which was corrupted and had forsaken the Lord and his wayes and so to stand to the defence of truth and to plead for the cause of God against their very Mother the Church The body of the Nation that not only they might exoner their owne consciences but also get things reformed so far as lay in their power and keep the memory of the cause of God afresh that it should not be buryed These places and the like though we bring them not to prove immediatly our maine Question as it may be the Surveyer who useth to take but half a look of matters will suppose yet when duely considered in their just latitude and extent they will clearely evince That more is required of private persons in a general day of defection then to keep themselves free of the same or to mourne in secret or the like And if we lay them together they will clearly prove it the duty of privat persones in such a day of defection to be publickly declareing their abhorrence of the wicked courses which are carryed on to be actually and effectually interposeing with King and Great ones that a stope may be put unto the course of wickednesse and God's wrath averted that they would plead Zions cause against all opposers and thus stand up in the gape and make up the hedge by publick and avowed owneing of
the fines were moderate But more immoderate fines and exorbitant penaltyes vvere never imposed by Rulers except such whose designe was to Tyrannize over the soules and consciences of poor people and to the payment of these transcendently exorbitant penaltyes they were constrained not in a legal manner as it ought to be in a civil and free republick but in a military compulsive constraineing way whereby their persones and goods were tyrannically and inhumanely invaded plundered destroyed and ruined 7. It is true providence so ordered it that the first that was vvounded was one of the souldiers But Naphtali tels him that the countrey men were necessitated thereto in their ovvne defence for vvhen they but desired the souldiers to loose the poor man vvhom they had bound hand and foot like a beast they vvere assaulted vvith drawne swords and so first and last they vvere invaded and provocked were not the first aggressours beside that was but a meer accidental emergent though they had formally without that occurrent provocation joyned together to have repelled unjust violence none in reason could have called them the first aggressours being so long before that time at two inrodes beside this last so barbarously and inhumanely used by Sr Iames Turner that bloody executioner of illegal tyranny and brutish beastly Doeëg who having renunced all humanity compassion raged like a wilde beare to the laying waste of that countrey side So that here was no violent re-offending used without a previous actual invasion made by companyes of armed men sent to eat up root out and destroy a worthy and precious countrey-side An imminent danger sayes the law is a sufficient ground to take up armes and that is not previous strokes but the terrour of armour or threatning L. sed si ff ad Leg. Aquil. l. 3. quod qui armati ff de vi vi armâta Sure here was enough to warrand a Community to stand to their defence and to prevente their utter ruine and destruction which was certanely expected and this was to them the last and most inexorable case of necessity And so the places which he citeth out of Lex Rex do partly confirme this and partly are not to the purpose being spoken of a single person buffeting his master after he hath been buffeted or having received deaths wounds seeketh to revenge himself on his aggressor 8. He tels us they should have first supplicated these in power But they had supplicated already Sr Iames Turner and their case was made worse and not the better thereby and all joynt petitioning was condemned as treasonable and what could they then have done The most peacable manner of supplicating if it had been in a joynt manner that could have been devised had been interpreted tumultuous And Since it was so what could they do but after the example of our progenitors advance with armes in the one hand and a petition in the other 9. The Prophane man talks of their mocking God by their prayers and of their spoyling loyal persons but as they have the testimony of all among whom they were that they were not to be charged with plundering taking nothing unlesse it were a few horses and such things as were necessary for the defence of their lives and for the welfare of the Countrey wherein many do suppose they were but too too spareing seing the benefite was common to all and they were to venture their lives not for themselves alone but for the whole Countrey So the Lord gave proof that he hath accepted their endeavours though it was not his appoynted time to restore our Kingdome in that he did so signally ovvne and countenance such as vvere honoured vvith martyrdome for the Testimony of Iesus and for his interest and cause But this man speakes like himself vvhen he addeth that both they and others have cause to blesse God that they had no successe which might have been a snare and stumbling block to them and others also For vve knovv indeed that it is no small mercy not to thrive in an evil vvay and therefore vve think that He and his vvicked fraternity on whom the Lord is raineing snares by suffereing them to thrive have great cause to lament the blak day that is coming and to tremble both for the imminent judgments and for the dreadful plague and judgement of hardnesse of heart vvith vvhich they are already visited of the righteous God Yet vve knovv That a vvay may be his vvay vvhich he vvill not prosper for a time till the cup of the Amorites be full and he hath attained his other holy ends vvhich he designeth in casting his Church into a furnance And if he judge of causes alvvayes by the event he shevveth himself a stranger to the Soveraigne vvay of the Lord in all ages As to other thing he speaketh Pag. 10. and sayeth doth not the true protestant Religion as it is held forth inscripture and was publickly confessed by our first reformers which confession is Registred Parl. 1. K. James 6. through God's mercy continue with us without variation from it in the least Doth not the Kings majesty protect and advance this blessed Truth of the Saving Gospel and encourage and invite all according to his power to imbrace it Is he not willing and desirous that the lawes be vigorously executed against papists and all perverters of this sound doctrine are any spoiled of their lawful civil libertyes What one thing hath he done without consent of the Peoples Representatives in Parliament at which any may except as a grievance what burden hath he laid upon their Estates but by law or by their owne consent in a necessary exigence Answ 1. If the protestant Religion continue without variation in the least vvhat meaneth then the bleating of the sheep and lowing of the oxen in every ones eares what meaneth the many Jesuites and Seminary Priests that goe up and downe the land what meaneth the many masses that are used in several parts of that land and in the very heart thereof in and about Edinbrough What church discipline is used against these belike the Prelates have no will to trouble their old brethren the native and faithful children of their catholick Mother the whore of Rome because they minde yet once againe to take a drink of the cup of her fornications and to returne as prodigal Children unto their former dear Mother the bloody harlote the mother of fornications And hovv cometh it that one Mr. Tyry formerly a knovvn papist is admitted to a prefessorshipe in St. Andrewes vvho not only cannot be reconciled to that minister who motioned the giving to him that Head to handle de anticbristo Romano but even in his theses did assert that the Pope was not Antichrist But what is become of the Religion of the Church of Scotland as it was reformed in doctorine worshipe discipline and government What is become of these Covenants vvhich were our strong bulvvarks against propery and vvhat is
JUS POPULI VINDICATUM OR The Peoples Right to 〈…〉 and their Covenanted R 〈…〉 Wherein the Act of 〈…〉 and Vindication which was interprised Anno 1666. is particularly justified The lawfulnesse of private Persons defending their Lives Libertyes and Religion against manifest Oppression Tyranny and violence exerced by Magistrats Supream and Inferiour contrare to Solemne Vowes Covenants Promises Declarations Professions Subscriptions and Solemne Engadgments is deâ—â—â—strate by â—any Argumâ—â—ts Being a 〈◊〉 Reply to the first paâ—â— of the Survey of Naph 〈…〉 c By a Friend to true Christian Liberty PSAL. LXXIV Ver. 20 21 22 23 〈…〉 e unto the Covenant For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty O let not the oppressed returne ashamed Let the poor and needy praise thy name Arise ô God plead thine own cause Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee dayly Forget not the voice of thine Enemies the tumult of these that rise up against increaseth continually HOS I. ver 7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judaâ— and will save them by the Lord their God and will not save them by bow nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horsmen Printed in the Year MDCLXIX CHRISTIAN READER IT will not I suppose be very necessary to make any full Relation or large Deduction of the occasion and first rise of this debate The same being not only fresh and recent to all both Friends and foes who have been Spectators of the great and wonderful workings of God in our Land but the memory thereof if it could be so soon obliterate is revived a fresh by the constantly renewed acts of Tyranny and oppression which from yeer to yeer The Powers acted by the same Spirit of Enimity to the Cause and Interest of Christ are exerceing upon the account thereof So that the Continual rage and Constant opposition which the ingrained adversaries of the Glory and Kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ are dayly acting and making against all who desire to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and Man and to remember with some sense and feare their solemne vowes and Sacred engadgments unto the Most High will not suffer us to forget how that After our Land was solemnely deâ—â—uted unto God by Solemne Covenants and indissoluble 〈◊〉 and the defence of the Reformed Religion in Do 〈…〉 Worshipe Discipline and Government become 〈◊〉 condition yea the basis of our political constituâ—ion The King not only by his solemne and sacred oath swearing and by his hand writeing subscribing and so fully owneing and approving the same but upon these tearmes and conditions accepting the Royal Crowne and Scepter in the day of his solemne inauguration The People also upon the same tearmes promiseing all subjection and obedience in the Lord And afterward in full Parliament confirming ratifying and approving the same and thereby giving all the security which either Reason Law or Religion could expect or require That all the Ends of these holy Covenants should have been in all time comeing really sincerely and constantly prosecuted by King and Nobles and all ranks of persons within the Land with one heart and minde and consequently That the evils particularly That accursed Hierarchy fully and for ever abjured in these Everlasting Bonds should never be countenanced owned or favoured far lesse re-intro-duced and established and after for our owneing of these necessary things and of the Kings interest in subordination thereunto we were invaded by the English and the Lord who for his his owne holy Ends saw it necessary and doth whatsoever he will in Heaven and in Earth so disposeing overcome and brought into bondage full Ten Years and at length The King who was forced to flee out of all his Dominions returning in such a remarkable and signal way without blood as might have engaged his heart more firmely then ever unto that God who had done such rare and unexpected things for him and made him more then ever fixedly resolve to owne Him and his holy Interests according to his former Vowes Oathes Subscriptions Covenants and Declarations and rationally ascertaned his Subjects that these necessary and good things should not only never be overturned and ranversed but also with greater Zeal and resolution established confirmed and prosecuted then ever formerly how instead of this No sooner did the report of his Majesty's returne come abroad but all the generation of malignants who had ever been heart enemies to the work of God which was carryed on in the Land did lift up theiâ— head insult over the People of God with all their might according to their ordinary insolency spew out their Venome against the work of God and at length obteaning power did raze the same unto the very foundations anull and rescinde all Acts all Covenants all Resolutions and Conclusions which had been made and taken for setling and secureing the Reformed Religion in Doctrine Worshipe Discipline and Government condemne all which had been done in carrying on the Work of Reformation as pure and manifest Rebellion and having re-intro-duced and established abjured Prelacy with all it 's concomitant abhominations did enact and enjoyne most tyrannically a full conformity unto all these abhominations and presse in a most horrid and arbitrary manner the faithful Servants and seekers of God to a complyance with these accursed and ever to be abhorred courses and upon their simple refusal did violently and barbarously eject the faithful Servants of Christ banishing some out of all the three Dominions incarcerating others after thev had imbrewed their hands in the blood of the best of our Nobility and Ministry and chaseing by their irrational and brutish acts multitudes of them from their flocks and familiars and then having in an antichristian manner thrust in upon the People a crew of the basest and naughtiest wreatches the Earth did bear by their cruel and tyrannical acts compelled constrained the couscientious seekers of God to accept of countenance owne and constantly hear such as lawful Ministers lawfully called and sent of God and when honest People considering both the way of their entry to be Antichristian their doctrine false and erroneous their conversation scandalous and abhominable their qualifications rather such as sute the publick Ministers of Satan then the called Servants of God their whole deportment a manifest demonstration to all onlookers that they were never called of God unto that work and considering how iniquously their owne faithful Pastors and Fathers had been thrust from them and how by their solemne Oath they stood obliged to the constant keeping of a perfect antipathy unto every part and pendicle of that abjured Hierarchy and unto what was contrary to sound doctrine and to the power of godlinesse and to the work of Reformation and Reformed Religion in Doctrine Worshipe Discipline and Government did forbear to yield obedience unto these antichristian and iniquous Lawes did by their arbitrary and barbarous executions what by
their High commission or inquisition-court arbitrarily and illegally erected what by cruel bloody Souldiers commissionated without Law or order for that effect oppresse pillage plunder harasse imprisone fine and confine impoverish beat binde like beasts the faithful and loyal Subjects of Christ and make their life more bitter unto them then if they had been under the feet of Turks or Pagans Under which intolerable incredible and unexpressible bondage the godly of the Land especially in and about Galloway did for a long time groane cryed unto him who heareth the cry of the oppressed that he would judge and plead their cause and open some door of outgate that they might be delivered from under the feet of those cruel taske Masters and have an opportunity put into their hands of vindicateing the Liberty of their Reformed and Covenanted Religion and of useing their lawful and vowed endeavours to free the Land of this horrible defection and Apostasy that the fierce anger and wrath of God might be turned away there from and Church and State setled upon their former solide and Christian foundations At length the wonderfully wise God thought good to put them once to the tryal to see what they would hazard and venture for the recovering of the interests of Christ together with their owne Liberty and unexpectedly in his holy and divine Providence seemed to them to impose a necessity upon them both to run together in their owne necessary defence and to endeavour with the extirpation of the abjured abhominations the bringing back of the captivated ark of God For about the middest of November 1666. When two or three Countrey Men providentially passing by did see a poor old Man bound hand foot like a beast by the Souldiers sent out for that Effect by Sr. James Turner that bloody Atheist being commovâ— with passion did calmely and friendly desire the Souldiers to loose him but they accounting this such a High indignity in their rage fury assault them with drawne swords whereupon the Countrey Men were necessitate to their defence in their defence did wound one of the Souldiers at which the rest cast downe their armes And being certanely perswaded that for this necessary defence they would be persecuted to the death the next day with 6. or 7. more they seise upon other 10. or 12. of the Souldiers whereof one was killed the rest rendering their armes Hereby the Countrey about being alarmed knowing that their tyrannous oppressours would be enraged more then ever account this a crime scarce expiable by the blood and ruine of the whole Countrey free unfree gather together to the number of 54 Horsemen some few footmen advance to Dumfries where they quyetly seise upon Sr Iames Turner and the rest of the Souldiers who were there without any harme except the wounding of one who obstinatly did resist Thereafter by divine providence they were led towards Air while within the Sheriâ—dome of Aire where they stayed the space of seven dayes several of the Countrey groaning under the same oppression longing for an opportunity of publick appearing for the cause interest of Christ against the Popish Prelatical malignant faction laid hold on this occasion to joyne with their Brethren to help the Lord against the mighty so that their number was increased though not to such a quantity as would have been expected partly through the vvant of sufficient previous advertishment not vvithstanding of vvhat diligence had been used from the day of their appearance at Dumfries to give notice to all vvho cordially loved the vvelfare of Zion of their present distresse partly throvv the dissuasion of one vvho had been a chief instrument in apprehending Turner thereafter had deserted them partly through other discouragements seeing fevv yea very fevv landed Gentlemen or Ministers appearing vvith them or for them vvhich had no little influence also on the discourageing of several who came together vvith the impetuous raines vvhich lasted night day vvhich made many vvonder that they did not vvholly break dissolve Yet the mighty power of God on their Spirits and the lively sense of their duty made the most part to hold on and others to come unto them beside some who were upon their way and invincibly hindered from comeing at them as they marched thorow Clidsdale where at Lanreck they solemnely renewed the Covenant and thereafter marched Eastward to Bathgate Colingtoun the enemy in the meane time pursueing them at the heels While they were there there came two Gentlemen unto them pretending a verbal commission from the Enemy the one of which Gentlemen they thought should have come alongs with the rest of that Countrey joyned himself with them as a favourer of the godly to presse their disbanding upon promise of indempnity this they urged but they saw no call of God to deserte the work so At length that Gentleman conveyeth the other Early in the morning before break of day thorow their guairds towards the Enemy who as many think advertised the Enemy of the way they were to march to morrow yet not withstanding before they marched they sent with that Gentlem. a letter to the General of the King's forces showing the occasion of their being together in that place and in that postour to wit to presente their grievances unto the Council seing there was no other accesse for petitioning and therefore desiring a blank passe to such of their number as they would send with their supplication unto the Council When the Gentleman who had told the Honest party that he had taken upon him in their name though without their warrand to promise unto the General that He engageing not to move further towards them until he returned the next morning They should do the like returneth to the General with this letter he found him marching contrare to his promise The honest party having not engadged to stay marched as they saw opportunity Westward toward Pentland The enemy being advertised very probably as is said cast themselves in their way so that they came shortly in the view of other The honest party at this time were hardly 700 horse and foot among the Horsemen scarce one hundereth were fixed in arms The Footmen beside some swords had only some broken picks ill appointed fire locks or muskets many corne forks and some had syths And at this time all of them were much wearyed with long toyl some marches hunger for these parts of the Countrey thorow which they came can bear witness to their sobriety and moderation refuseing even to take what was offered because they had not money to pay for it and cold by reason of the continual and exceeding great raine while they are thus in the view of other The Enemy sendeth forth a party of choise men who were met with by a troup of the honest party and after some disput mostly by swords were put to the flight and fled alongs
the edge of the hill by sheep-rodes so that there was no accesse to pursue by horses but a party of foot was commanded to follow the pursute whereupon the Enemies horses were forced to quite their ground and betake themselves to other ground no lesse inaccessable by the honest party After near two houres the Enemy perceiveing that neither party could approach to other as they stood because of a precipice betwixt them came towards a plaine at the foot of the hill and drew up in battalye The honest party now seing that the Enemy was willing to offer battel and that if they should withdraw the Enemy would be encouraged and many of themselves unavoidably discouraged if they should delay till tomorrow the sun being now near setting feared that many should fainte flee away in the night time and others should be lesse able to fight thorow hunger cold seeing no way how to relieve themselves with necessaries at that exigent resolved to imbrace that occasion see what the Lord of Hosts would be pleased to do and therefore resolved after prayer to draw off the hill towards the Enemy keeping still what advantage of ground they could when thus they have approached the Enemy send forth a troup which was rancountered with another of the honest party and beate into their body somewhat as some think inconsideratly upon the part of the pursuers Thereafter the Enemies send off another party to relieve the former which was met with by another of the Honest party But with some disadvanvaâ—tage to the Honest party because they were to approach neare unto the very body of the Enemy ere they could prove a reliefe unto their â—ormer party Yet through the help of the Lord they made their made their adversare-party flee shamefully The enemy perceiving how they had been beaten three times in end in fighting by partyes and seeing how the strength of the Honest party stood in those troups which had not as yet rallied nor returned to their ground in order advanced with their whole body of horse in a full breast with a pretty gallop upon the two troupâ— as they were scattered and drave them back upon the body and thus the only wise God who doth all things after the councel of his owne will ordering it in a short time broke them all And yet it is observable that moe were killed by the countrey men in their escapeing then on the fields The Enemy stayed on the fields all night and buryed their dead who were not a few The prisoners which were taken were carryed into Edinbrough and though by these in power in humanely enough used yet by some whose labour of love both towards the dead on the fields to the prisoners the Lord will not forget tenderly provided and cared for though in a clandestine way Of these prisoners who were taken on the fields others afterward apprehended by Countery men there were Six and Thirty or thereby publickly hanged at Edinbrough Glasgow Aire and other places and their heads and other members of their members of their body are upon poles unto this day to keep the memory of this Noble exploite fresh upon the Hearts of the Godly I shall not further recapitulat what is said concerning this by Naphtali Only I would say this That though many might have been tempted to think possibly the Enemy might have imagined That now their cause was confirmed with a witnesse the honest patriots condemned by God the righteous judge yet after experience made it appeare that the honest cause was never more confirmed then by the death and sufferings of these whom they cruelly murthered as traitours and rebels The Lord so visibly owneing them to the conviction of on lookers that they were no more afrayed of death then of a quiet rest in their beds being ascertaned of the Lord 's accepting of them and their weak endeavours to restore the Kingdome however He who is wise in counsel thought it not for his glory to prospere them in their undertaking at that time And this very consideration did much help to restraine the remainder of the wrath of the adversary who were so enraiged that few thought they should ever have sisted till they had executed all who were their captives Yet the generation of the prelaticall and Malignant faction judicially hardened by this dispensation because as so many carnal sensualists if they beleeve at all that there is a God they measure him and his wayes by their owne yaird and judge of his approving or disproveing of actions by outward dispensations to whom I shall say no more but Careat successibus opto quisquis ab eventu facta not and a puter did not cease to â—ant after the determinations of the cruel bloody Council and cry out upon those Noble and worthy patriots whose memory shall be in everlasting remembrance as Traitours and Rebels justely condemned and executed Whereupon the author of Naphtaly thought himself called of God to write in justification of these innocents And because he saw it was the same Spirit of madnesse and malignnancy which had raged against the work of Reformation from the very beginning that did act those in power against these worthies and that there was no material or substantial difference betwixt the way which these late worthies took and the way which our fore-fathers in the valient maintaineing the interests of Christ and promoveing the work of Reformation in our land had followed in their generation therefore he thought it necessary and useful to make a cleare deduction of the opposition which that poor Church met with at the hands of a Popish Prelatical and Malignant faction And of the constancy valour and Zeal of the Lovers of God and of his interest in adhereing thereto and maintaineing the same against all the rage and fury of the adversary of the Lord's blessing their Noble endeavours with special and remarkable successe And all alongs did clear their innocency and vindicate them from the aspersions that wicked Enemies could lay against them and their actions from such objections as wickednesse it self did or could make against them And at length after a clear representation of the furious genius of the Malignant Apostat generation of this age by their publick and avowed acts and actings and of the sad calamities which the honest adherers to the cause and Covenant of God hath suffered did shew the rise and progresse of that loyal interprise and did fully vindicate the actors therein from the crime of Sedition or Rebellion with which they were most unjustly charged and for which cruely and tyrannically executed But the Mensworne generation of prelatical Apostats finding themselves nearly concearned in that affaire thought it of their concernment to try what could be said in defence of this tyranny exerced mostly for them and at their instigation set some on work to write against that book And therefore they published to the world The I. Part of a
who sate with him see yee how this Sone of a murderer hath sent to take away my head look where the Messenger cometh shut the door and hold him fast at the door is not the sound of his Masters feet behinde him Here was unjust violence offered to the innocent Prophet an Emissary sent to kill him without cause and the Prophet resisteth his violence causeth hold him at the door and violently presse him or presse him betvvixt the door and the wall vvich speaketh violent resistence keep him say the Dutch Annot. by force at the door yea Iosephus thinketh that the King follovved quickly after left the Prophet should have killed his servant This clearly sayes that it is lawful for privat persones for the Prophet vvas no other but a private subject to resist unjust violence offered them by the King or his Emissaries and with violente resistence to defend themselves 7. Much more will they condemne other instances of greater opposition made to the rage and tyranny of Princes which we finde recorded in scripture and not condemned As. 1. That opposition made by the Ten tribes to Rehoboam when they revolted from him after they had a rough and tyrannical answere unto their just and lawful demands 1 King 12 1. c. 2 Cbron. 10 11. They desired nothing upon the matter but that He would engadge to Rule over them according to the law of God and He gave a most harsh and tyrannical answere and avowed that he would tyrannize over them and oppresse them more then any of his predecessours and that his little finger should be heavier then their loyns whereupon they fell away from him and erected themselves into a new Commonwealth and choosed a nevv King And vve finde nothing in all the text condemning this for it vvas done of the Lord the cause vvas from the Lord that he might performe his saying vvhich he spoke by Ahijah and vvhen Rehoboam raised an army to reduce them againe under his power and command the vvord of God came unto Shemaiah saying speak unto Rehoboam c. and say thus sayeth the Lord yee shall not goe up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel returne every man to his house for this thing is from me It vvas done by the vvill of God sayeth Iosephus Antiq. Lib. 8. c. 11. And there is not one word in the text importing that this vvas condemned by the Spirit of the Lord for as for that vvord 1 King 12. 19. So Israel rebelled against the house of David It may be as vvel rendered as it is in the margine they fell away and so doth the dutch render it and lunius defecerunt they fell avvay or made defection and the original vvord is of a larger signification then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich properly signifieth to rebel yea though the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been here used it vvould not have imported a sinfull rebellion and defection more then 2 King 18. 7. vvhere Hezekiah is said to have rebelled against the King of Assyria and this was a frute and effect of the Lords being with him and prospering him whithersoever he vvent forth The Surveyer Pag. 66. can say nothing but That no sound man will think the suddaine and furious rebellion of the ten Tribes from Davids house upon the furious and rash answer of a young King was justifiable But vvhatever he say or think it doth not weigh much with us had he shewed us out of the Text that this was condemned by the Spirit of the Lord as sinful upon the matter we should heartily have acquiesced but since we see more hinting at an approbation thereof we must rest there till we see stronger reasons then his naked assertions But sayes he It would be considered that these who made the secession were the major part of the body of the people but what is all this to justifie the insurrections of any lesser party of private people against the Magistrate and all Magistrates supreme subordinate Ans By what right this Major part of the Body did make secession by that same right might the equal half or the lesser part have made secession for the ground of the lawfulnesse of this secession is not founded upon their being the major part but upon the reasonablenesse of their demand and the tyrannicalnesse of the King's reply 2. This sayes much for us for if it be lawful for a part of the people to shake off the King refuse subjection unto him and set up a new King of their owne when he resolveth to play the Tyrant and not to rule them according to the law of the Lord but after his owne tyrannical will then it cannot be unlawful for a part of the people to resist his unjust violence and defend themselves against his illegal tyranny and oppression The consequence cannot be denyed seing they who may lawfully do the more may do the lesse also So that seing this people might lawfully refuse subjection and homage unto Rehoboam and all his subordinat Magistrates They might also lawfully have defended themselves against his tyranny and the tyranny of all under him and if They might lawfully have done so so may we 2. They should far more condemne the revolt of the city of Libnah 2 Chron. 21. 10. This wicked King Iehoram when he was risen up to the Kingdom of his father strengthened himself and slew all his brethren with the sword and diverse also of the Princes of Israel v. 4. and walked in the wayes of the Kings of Israel like as did the house of Ahab for he had the Daughter of Ahab to wife he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord v. 6. and he made him high places in the mountaines of Iudah and caused the inhabitants of Ierusalem to commit fornication and compelled Iudah there to v. 11. 13. and because he had thus forsaken the Lord God of his fathers did the city Libnah revolt from under his hand Commentators cleare this to have been the reason as Cornel. a. lap in loc propter impietatem Regis defecit ab eo Libna Sancitus on 2 King 8. 22. Lobnah recessit ne esset sub manus illius dereliquer at enim dominum patruum suorum Pet. Martyr on 2 King 8. v. 22. Causa in Paralip describitur ob Regis impietatem qui suos nitebatur cogere ad idololatriam quod ipsi Libnen ses pati noluerunt merito principibus enim parendum est verum usque ad aras cum illam terram inhabitandam a deo eo foedere habuissent ubi illum juxta ejus verbum colerent jure ejus idololatriam admittere non debuerunt Thus he approveth of their revolt in this case What sayes our Surveyer to this This sayes he imports not the impulsive cause of the revolt or motive which they had before their eyes for in that same verse period it is said the Edomites also revolted from him
because he had forsaken the Lord God of his Fathers and the Edomites loved not the true Religion but the meritorious cause on Jehorams part is poynted at Answ The text it self and Commentators to vvhom vve may add Iackson on 2 King 8. the Dutch Annot Ibid. give this as the impulsive cause and only motive vvhich they had before their eyes 2. Any who read the text vvill see his reason very unsound for v. 8. it is said that in his dayes the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Iudah and made themselves a King and no word of this as the impulsive cause there of v. 10. mention again is made of their revolt upon occasion of Iehorams seeking by force to reduce them under his dominion and then in a new period mention is made of Libnah's revolt with the cause and only motive thereof Because he had forsaken the Lord God of his Fathers Then he asks if his adversary thinks that the laying aside of the presbyterian frame is the forsaken of the Lord God of our Fathers and a sufficient cause for any one Towne in the Kingdom to revolt from the King though he do not persecute them nor force them to his way as there is no evidence that Libnah was so used shall a Kings swerving in that one point or if there be greater infidelity be sufficient ground of defection from him Ans I nothing doubt but all such as have imbraced this present course of apostasie are guilty of a grievous revolt having impudently and avowedly departed form a sworne Covenant from a covenanted sworne Religion reformed in Doctrine Worshipe Discipline Government and have in a great part forsaken the God of our Fathers that covenanted God whom our Fathers and we both owned and imbraced as our God and is sufficient cause for any City or Company of men so far to revolt from the King as to refuse to concurre with him in this horrible defection and course of perjury and resist his unjust violence pressing and compelling them to a sinful compliance 2. As it is more then probable that Libnah was no better used then were the people of Iudah by this Tyrannous King and is asserted by the Dutch Annot. on 2 Chron. 21 10. So whatever this lyer suggesteth it is notour that the King hath persecuted and doth persecute and force honest people to follow his way and apostatize with him contrare to their consciences and sworne allegiance unto God and if he add this clause as an exception then seing the truth of the thing is notour he fully accords that there is sufficient cause given for any Town in the Kingdome to revolt which is more then we desire At length he tells us That their revolt was sinfull But when not only thiâ— revolt is recorded as done but such and impulsive cause and motive is added by the Spirit of the Lord without the least hint of any expression condemning the same we dar not be so bold as is this Surveyer Nor are we so foolish as to receive his word contraire to the testimony of so many expositors Hence we have a strong argument For if it be lawful for a part of the people to revolt from a tyrannous Prince making defection from the true and received Religion and forceing his subjects to a sinful defection and complyance with him in his apostasy It must also be lawful for a part of the people to defend themselves by force against the Emissaries of a King departing from his faith and foresaking the Religion which He hath sworne to owne and maintaine sent forth by him or any under him to force by cruel oppression and violence them to a compliance with his sinful way And the antecedent is cleare in this place 3. They must much more condemne Azariah and the fourescore Priests who being commended as me of courage valour resisted Vziah the King 2 Chron. 26 17. c. they expelled him with force stood against him the lxx say they resisted him deturbarunt eum ex eo loco sayeth Vatablus they forced him forth and compelled him to goe out they caused him make haste sayeth Ar. Mont. festinate expulerunt eum sayeth Hieron When he went in the temple to burne incense upon the altaar of incense on some solemne day as Iosephus thinketh So that there is more then a resistance of him by words as some Royalists say even resistence by force and violence Hence we argue if private subjects may by force resist withstand and with violence hinder the King from transgressing the Law of God Then may they much more lawfully resist him and his bloody Emissaryes when He seeketh to oppresse unjustly and to draw people off from the wayes of the Lord. If any say with doct Ferne that because of an expresse Law of God being a leper he was put out of the congregation Then we see that the Prince is subject to Church-censure and so Subjects may judge him and punish him we see also that Princes were subject to ceremonial lawes as well as any of the subjects and why not also to the moral Lawes and if because of a ceremonial Law the King was to be ceremonially punished why also for the breach of moral Law may he not be punished morally Hence will it undoubtedly follow That a Prince rageing and tyrannizeing contrare to all equity and reason may be resisted and his violence repelled with violence even by private subjects Worthy Mr Knox in his debate with Lithengtoun doth form this instance gather That subjects not only may but also ought to withstand and resist their Princes whensoever they do any thing that expresly repugnes to God his Law or holy Ordinance Lithingtoun objected That they were not private subjects but the priests of the Lord and figures of Christ and such have we none this day to withstand Kings if they do any thing wrong He answered that though the High Priest was a figure of Christ yet he was a subject For said he I am assured that he in his Priesthood had no prerogative above these that passed before him now so it is that Aaron was subject to Moses and called him Lord Samuel being both prophet and Priest subjected himself unto Saul after he was inaugurated of the people Sadoc bowed before David c. And whereas you say we have no such Priests this day I might answere that neither have we such Kings this day as then were anoynted by Gods commandement and sate upon the seate of David and were no lesse the figures of Christ Iesus in their just administration then were the Priests in their appointed office and such Kings I am assured we have not now no more then we have such Priests for Christ Iesus being anoynted in our nature of God his Father both King Priest and Prophet hath put an end to all external unction and yet I think you will not say that God hath now diminished his graces from these whom he appoynts
did they assume to themselves any such power and authority It is true there were then a great number of Noble Patriots and renowned Nobles who laid the work of reformation to heart and laid out themselves to the utmost of their power for the same and because of their concurrence the vvork vvas the more feazible and easy to be carryed on but I think the stresse of the lawfulnesse of that defensive warre did not lye wholly upon their shoulders so that if they had with drawne all the rest of the body of the land had been bound in conscience to have deserted the same also It is true it was of great advantage unto the cause that God stirred up the spirit of the Nobles to owne the same and is so alwayes upon many accounts and their concurrence had its owne auxiliary force to justify the interprise for abundans cautela non nocet But I remember not that the lavvfulnesse of that defensive war was stated only or mainely on that particular It is true They are Primores Regni be vertue of their particular places and stations and be vertue of their eminency over others and power by reason of their eminency and so are engaged beyond others to see to the good of the Land and of Religion for the good of the souls of such as are under them and on whom they have or may have influence And be reason of this may authoritatively even as such do many things when there is no other constitution of a Supreme Representative But when a constitution of a Supreme Publick Representative is condescended upon and setled it is certane they cannot separatly yea nor joyntly act in the power and capacity of a formal Supreme Representative but when they are with others constituent members of that Representative and out of that Representative unlesse by power and commission from it they cannot act judicially or authoritatively nor in any other capacity formally then as private persones though as persons of greater interest and share in the Commonwealth and so under greater obligations both by the Lavv of God and of nature to bestirre themselves more effectually for the good of the same and as persons of greater influence and conduct yet still under the notion of private persons private persons I meane as opposite to persons cloathed vvith publick authority and Parliamentary povver I grant they are borne-Heads and Magistrats of the Countrey as being in eminency above others and as being by birth conforme to our constitution borne-Members of Parliament and so in potentiâ proximâ and in a nearer capacity then others are to vote and acte in Parliament but still I say considered out of Parliament or vvhen there is no Parliament they cannot exerce any Parliamentary povver conclude or determine any thing of that nature more then others It is a truth also that they have by reason of our law and constitution a Magistratical power limited to such and such causes over such and such particular places but that is only and inferiour and subordinat civil power and cannot extend beyond that limited bounds more then the power of Magistrates in Broughs or Sheriffs in Shires or Baylies in Baylieryes or the like and is no part of that Magistratical power which is commonly called the power of warre I grant that they and all other inferiour Magistrates are to seek to promove the good of the vvhole land and to concurre according to their povver for the same even because of their interest and share of that subordinat povver But they cannot act under that notion nor do any thing be vertue of that particular povver nor exerce any acts thereof out of the bounds of their several jurisdictions But all they do is by vertue of that fundamental power belonging to all the members of the Commonvvealth according to their several places and relations Hence therefore it it cleare that our vvorthyes then acted not as a publick judicatory or as publick persons cloathed with publick authority So that vvhosoever shall condemne this late act of defence upon the account that it vvas managed by meer private presons must also in reason condemne that which these worthies did and so conspire with the Malitious Malignants ingrained in wickednesse and enmity to the way and work of God A fourth and last instance is that of our first reformers in the dayes of Mr. Knox for at the beginning of the reformation there were but very few Nobles who concured as Mr. Knox testifyed in his sermon Nov. 7. 1559. in these words when we were a few in number in comparison of our Enemies when we had neither Earle nor Lord a few excepted to comfort us we called upon God and took him for our protector defence and only refuge And in the following words he sheweth that it fared rather better with them then worse when they wanted the concurrence of Nobles For sayeth he amongst us was heard no bragging of Multitude nor of our strength and policy we did only sob to God to have respect to the equity of our cause and to the cruel pursute of the tyrannical enemy but since that our number hath been thus multiplyed and chiefly since the Duke with his friends hath been joyned with us there was nothing heard but this Lord will bring these many hundered spears This man can perswade this countrey if this Earle be ours no man in such bounds will trouble us And thus the best of us all that before felt God's potent hand to our defence hath of late dayes put flesh to be our arme And as Mr. Knox said so it was much of their businesse was carryed on without the concurrence of many Nobles We hear of no nobles with the gentlemen of the west when they came from the border to the Queen and when Iames Chalmers of Gaitgirth said to her when they had heard that she had caused summon the protestant preachers Madam we know that this is the Malice of the jewells and of that bastard meaning the Bishop of S. Andrews that standeth by yow but we shall make a day of it They oppresse â—s and our tennants for feeding of their idle bellyes they trouble our preachers and would murther them and us Shall we suffer this any longer No Madam it shall not be Nor was there any of the Nobles present when that abhomination of carrying an idol on S. Giles day was opposed There were buy foure Nobles that subscribed the first bond at Edinburgh Decemb 3. 1557 Where the whole congregation resolved by the grace of God to apply themselves their whole power substance and lives to maintaine set forward and establish the most blessed word of God and his congregation c. So foure of five only subscribed the second bond at Perth may last 1559. We finde not many Nobles with them when they petitioned the parliament And there protested that they would worshipe God according to the right manner That none of them therefore should incurre any danger That if
consequence was not necessary no more then when the King of Judah and the King of Israel make a covenant to performe mutual dutyes one to another it is necessary there should be a King and superiour Ruler above both who should compell each one to do a duty to his fellow King and People are each of them above and below others in diverse respects But in cometh this Surveyer Pag. 100. and tells us there is a great difference God having allowed lawful wars allows seeking of reparation or repelling of wrongs done by one Nation to another by force of the sword when no rational meanes can bring the doers of the wrong to do right and there being no other remedy he himself the Lord of hostes and God of armies sits judge and moderator in that great businesse and in the use of war is appealed to as judge there being no common judge on earth to sit on the causes of these independent Nations But God having set and established in one Particular Nation and Political society his owne ordinance of Magistracy to which every soul must be subject and all subject to the Supreme c. Ans This sayes wel when the difference or disput is between two subjects both under one Magistrate but is sayes nothing to our case where the difference is betwixt the Magistrate and the Subjects for in the other case there is a judge over both established unto whom both are subjects but in our case there is no judge on earth Common to both or who can sit and judge in such causes for the King must here be no more both judge and party then the People and so the case is irremediable unlesse there be an allowance of repelling force with force for in our case there are no rational meanes which can be used to bring the Prince to do right unto the injured Subjects and therefore it God allow war in the use of which he is appealed to as judge betwixt two Nations he wil allow also a necessary defensive warre in Subjects against their Soveraigne when there is no other remedy or rationall meanes of redresse This Man dictats but what proveth he The Magistrates are by their official power above the whole Nation and as absurd it is to say they are above the powers which God hath set over them as L. R. pag. 460. sayeth thrasonically he hath proved unanswereably as to say that every parish is above the Minister in an ecclesiaslical way though he hath official power over them all or that every Lord in Scotland hath their Tennants and vassals above them a thing which the nobles of Scotland had need to look to for certainely the principles which lead to subject Kings to People lead clearly and by undoubted consequence to Subject them to their vassalls and to all under them yea and all Masters to servants and parents to children and to confound and invert the order of all humane societies Ans 1. The law will tell us That in mutual compacts the party observer is Eatenus in so far superiour unto the party who faileth 2. The author of Lex Rex sayeth truly and not Thrasonically as this Thraso and windy man allaigeth who would make the world beleeve that his one word is enough to confute all which that learned author hath solidly proved with such reasons that he thought with the little wit he hath it was more wisdome to forbeare once to name then to offer to answere that he hath proved unanswereably if not let this windy Thraso try his hand in confuteing his reasons the Peoples power above the King 3. This man's reasons are as weak as water For 1. the Paroche is so above the Minister that in case he teach haeresy there be no ecclesiastick or civil power to put him away they may save their owne soulls thrust him out and choose another more Orthodox 2. All know that the Lord is bound to the Vassalls as well as they are to him and that the Lord may not oppresse them or if he transgresse the bounds and limites prescribed him they will get action of law yea in some cases be free to renunce him as their Supream and choose another Let the nobles take heed they drink not in this Man's doctrine for if they arrogate to themselves a power to oppresse pillage plunder murther Massacre their vassals as this man pleads for such power to the King without control I fear their vassals let them know they are not slaves 3. What a poor Politician is this He speaks this to move them so much the more to owne the King's cause but who seeth not that he is either a false or a foolish advocate for the King in this matter for if the King get no moe on his side but the Superior Lords if all the Vassalls and Tennants be against him he will have the weaker party by farre on his side 4. I would desire Nobles all to take notice of this that he would here seem to give to the king as much power over them and all the lands as Masters have over their Tennants who have their lands only from them upon certaine conditions and may be removed when these conditions are broken 5. What a fool is he to put Tennants and Vassals together doth he not know that Lords have more power over their Proper Tennants then over their Vassals 6. Doth he think that Servants may not in some cases be above their Masters a noble man's son may be an apprentice to a very meane man But thinks he that Servants will get no action of law against their Masters or if there be no law or judge over him and his Master he may not defend himself against his Master's unjust violence 7. As for the subjection of parents to Children it is impertinent in this case as shall be shewed in due time and yet we know that the father hath been a subject and the son a King over him and we know also that in case of necessity the children may defend themselves against their father taken with a mad phrenzy Then he adds This truth we must cleave to that in one and the same civil society where God hath appoynted Rulers and Ruled Subjects cannot without sacrilegious intrusion and contempt of God snatch the sword out of the Magistrates hands to punish him with it though in some partilars he abuse it neither can a war intended for this end by meer private persones be lawfull against their head or heads Answ We may let him cleave to this truth and this truth cleave to him and be no losers for we speak not of Subjects taking the sword of justice to punish the King we speak of no warre raised by the subjects for this end we plead only for a power in private Subjects to defend themselves in cases of necessity against their head or heads and he nor none of his party have the forehead to deny this to be lawful in some cases especially if
15. Iam. 6. c. 2. Parl. 23. Iam. 6. Act. 1. Parl. 1. Char. 1. and act 14. 15. of the same parl act 13. parl Anno 1661. Charl. 2. and this is reckoned by the forementioned politicians among the prerogatives Volgm pag. 57. Hoen pag. 129. Bodin pag. 244. Timpl. ubi supra 4. Nor doth it belong to him alone to appoynt the value of money as is cleare by our acts act 67. parl 8. Iam. 3. act 93. 97. parl 13. Iam. 3. act 23. parl 1. Iam. 1. act 33. parl 8. Iam. 2. act 59. parl 13. Iam. 2. act 2. parl 1. Iam. 4. act 17. parl 2. Iam. 4. act 40. parl 4. Iam. 4. act 17. parl 1. Iam. 6. act 20. of the same parl act 249. parl 15. Iam. 6. c. 9. parl 16. Iam. 6. yet the forecited authors reckon this also among jura Majestatis 5. He must not rule us by his meer will but by the lawes of the land act 79. parl 6. Iam. 4. act 130. 131. parl 8. Iam. 6. and not by any special grant or privat privileges act 48. parl 3. Iam. 1. 6. He is not the proper judge of all causes in the first instance act 45. parl 2. Iam. 1. act 62. parl 8. Iam. 3. 7. Some causes are fully exempted from his judgment and determination act 105. parl 14. Iam. 3. 8. The Lords of the Session may finally decide causes according to the act 65. parl 3. Iam. 1. without any liberty granted to the party to appeal to the King act 63. parl 14. Iam. 2. and this privilege of the Session in ratified act 93. parl 7. Iam. 5. act 1. parl 2. Mar. act 170. parl 13. Iam. 6. act 183. of the same parl act 211. parl 14. Iam. 6. act 23. parl 1. Carol. 1. act 23. parl Anno 1661. Charl. 2. Yea the judges are allowed to discerne according to equity notwithstanding of any write of the King 's to the contrary act 92. parl 6. Iam. 6. act 47. parl 11. Iam. 6. act 79. of the same parl 9. He is limited in granting remissons sic act 46. parl 2. Iam. 1. act 51. parl 3. Iam. 1 act 75. parl 14. Iam. 2. act 42. parl 6. Iam. 3. act 94. parl 13. Iam. 3. act 62. 63. parl 6. Iam. 4. act 174. parl 13. Iam. 6. 10. He is limited in alienating of lands possessions or moveable goods act 2. parl 1. Iam. 2. act 41. parl 11. Iam. 2. act 70. and 71. parl 9. Iam. 3. act 112. parl 14. Iam. 3. act 5. parl 1. Iam. 4. act 10. parl 2. Iam. 4. act 22. ejusd parl act 50. parl 4. Iam. 4. act 90. parl 6. Iam. 4. act 84. parl 6. Iam. 5. act 115. and. 116. parl 7. Iam. 5. act 6. parl 9. Iam. 6. act 176. parl 13. Iam. 6. act 159. ejusdem parl act 203. and 204. parl 14. Iam. 6 act 236. parl 15. Iam. 6. act 242. and 243. ejusdem parl act 1. parl 16. Iam. 6. cap. 4. parl 23. Iam. 6. act 10. parl 1. Carol. 1. 11 So is he limited in erecting Royal brughs act 43. parl 11. Iam. 2. 12. He is limited in appoynting publick offices for admininistration of justice act 44. parl 11. Iam. 2. 12. He may not passe gifts signatures or remissions but with the consent of the privy Council act 12. parl 2. Iam. 4. 14. He hath been aftentimes admonished of his duty by the Parliament see act 23. parl 1. Iam. 1. act 5. and. 6. parl 3. Iam. 2. act 14. parl 6. Iam. 2. act 92. parl 13. Iam. 3. act 8. parl 2. Iam. 4. act 29. parl 3. Iam. 4. act 17. parl 1. Iam. 6. If this Surveyer hath a minde to defend the King 's civil prerogative royal or his absolute power Let him take all these particulars to his consideration but we goe on to our purpose From what hath been said concerning this limited power of the Kings we draw these particulars for our purpose 1. If the King be a limited Prince Then he may in some cases be lawfully resisted Gerhard himself de Magistrat Pol. § 484. pag. 1303. in answering of that quaestion what shall Subjects do if a Magistrate who is an infidel or an haeretick doth force them unto a false religion sayeth That such a Magistrate who hath absolute and unlimited power and is under no compacts may not be resisted by such as are meer Subjects So that he would grant in this case That it is lawful for meer private Subjects to resist a limited Prince who is bound by compacts and contracts It is true when he cometh afterward to speak of resisting a Tyrant and proponeth the quaestion § 486. whether such who have absolute power and turne Tyrants may be resisted after he hath cited some sayings of Papists he tells us § 487. That all the arguments of iunius Brutus Rossaeus Buckerius are solidly answered by Barclaius Albericus Gentilis Cunerus and Arnisaeus and this passage our Surveyer bringeth in Pag. 89. But who seeth not that it cometh not at all home to our purpose seing our King is not a King of absolute power though he hath his Kingdom by succession but is limited by conditions and stipulations And further every one may see the weaknesse of Gerhard's reasons and how inconsistent he is with himself For. 1. Sayeth he such is only under Gods jurisdicton But alas 1. May not I resist a person vvho is not under my jurisdiction 2. Royalists will say the same of all Princes even Barclaus and Arnisaeus Againe he sayes The People have translated their whole power unto such a Prince cannot recall it But 1. They have never translated over unto him a power to inslave themselves for that was not in their power to do Nor 2. Could they ever give away the power of self defence which is their birth right 3. Sayes he Subjects in this case want God's command and a Superiour power But 1. They have God's command in nature no lesse then these who are under limited Princes 2. They have a superior virtual power in cases of necessity 4. Sayes he He is a Father of the Republict and not a Tutor only and therefore as Children have no power over their Parents no more have Subjects over their Princes But 1. Are not even limited Princes as well Fathers to the Commonwealth So that by this argument it shall be as unlawfull to resist these which he will not say 2. Yea such absolute Princes Look rather to be Tygers and stated enemies unto the Common-wealth then Fathers 3. They have no proper Parental power as we shewed but Metaphorical 4. Even natural parents may be resisted Ergo much more they 5. We are not speaking of giving judgment against Tyrants but of resisting of them and if he grant this vve have our desire And his question vvas touching resistence § 485. Quest. 4. 2. A Limited and pactional Prince may be legally resisted Ergo also with force when a legal resistence cannot be had The antecedent is true
consonant to the word of God and publickly received with all solemnities imaginable notwithstanding of acts and lawes made to the contrary and no true Christian will say That subjects should imbrace any Religion which Magistrates will countenance and prescribe be what it will or upon that account 2. As they were thereby declareing their soul abhorrence of these corruptions which were countenanced and authorized by sinful acts and statutes so they were defending to the utmost of their power the reformed Religion according to their Covenant and vow to God And that such a defence as this is lawful we have shewed 3. They were defending themselves against intolerable and manifestly unjust violence offered because of their adhereing to the cause of God and to the reformed Religion which King Parliament and all rankes of People in the land were solemnely sworne to owne and avow all the dayes of their lives really sincerely and constantly as they should answere to God in the great day no lesse then they 4. They were mindeing their Oath and Covenant made with God with hands lifted up with solemne attestations and protestations the Covenants which they did make and renew in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to performe the same 5. They were endeavouring in their places and stations according to the latitude allowed in times of such necessitie and in matters of such weight and moment to have the Church and Kingdome purged of these abhominable and crying corruptions and grievous abhominations which provoke the Lord to wrath against the whole Church and Kingdome 6. They were defending the maine fundamental law and constitution of the Kingdome and that maine article of Agreement and Compact betwixt Soveraigne and Subject which all the members of the Nation were no Lesse bound unto then they 7. They were joyning together as detasteing that detestable indifferency and neutrality abjured to defend and assist one another in the same cause of maintaining their reformed Religion with their best counsel bodyes meanes and whole power against the old inveterate and Common enemie that malignant spirit and rage according to their Covenants 8. They were repenting of their National sin in complying by their sinful silence not giving open faithful and faire testimony when the Truth of God was openly and violently trode under foot with that dreadful course of backslideing which was violently carryed on They were calling for justice and valiently pleading for truth sinfully and tyrannically borne downe and oppressed They were with zeal and courage valiently interposeing labouring to put a stop to the begun and far-carryed-on defection when truth was failing and he who depairted from evil made himself a prey that God might pardon and look in mercy on the land They were endeavouring to stand in the gape and make up the hedge and pleading with their Mother Church or a malignant faction in her shamefully departing from God when there was no other way or meane to be followed or essaved When all these things are duely considered and laid together It will appeare to impartial and unbyassed persones That the late act which is so much condemned and cryed our against is not so hainous and unpardonable a crime as this Surveyer and his wicked party vvould give it out to be but vvas a noble and laudable interprize for the glory of God the good of Religion Church and Kingdome beside that it vvas a most necessary and unavoydable act of self defence Since the Scriptures formerly cited vvill allovv more unto private persons then vvhat this Surveyer restricketh them unto as vve have shevved in a time of defection Then vvhen there vvas no other vvay left to do these dutyes there required and vvhen vvith all several other things did call aloud to a mutual conjunction in armes for defence of one another and repelling of unjust violence and prosecuteing the holy and necessary ends of the Covenants vvhich they svvore no man in reason can suppose that such a vvork is repugnant to Scripture or right reason but rather most consonant to both And though many do and will condemne the same even as to this interprize of Reformation upon what grounds and motives themselves best know yet Our worthy and Noble Reformer famous Mr Knox if he were living this day would be far from speaking after the language of such For he in his appellation Pag. 22. c. hath these words The second is that the punishing of such crimes as are idolatry blasphemy others that touch the Majesty of God doth not Appertaine to the Kings and chief rulers only but also to the whole body of the People and to every member of the same according to the vocation of every man and according to that possibility and occasion which God doth minister to revenge the injury done against his glory when that impiety is manifestly knowne And that doth Moses plainly speak Deut. 13 v. 12 13 14 15 16. in these words if in any of the cities c. plaine it is that Moses speaketh not nor giveth charge to Kings Rulers and judges only but he commandeth the whole body of the People yea and every member of the same according to their possibility And who dar be so impudent as to deny this to be most reasonable and just for seing that God had delivered the whole body from bondage and to the whole multitude had given his law and to the twelve Tribes had he so distributed the inheritance of the land of Canaan that no family could complaine that it was neglected was not the People and every member addebted to acknowledge and confesse the benefites of God Yea had it not been the part of every man to have studyed to have keeped the possession which he had received Which thing God did plainly pronounce they should not do except that in their hearts they did sanctify the Lord God that they embraced and inviolably keeped his Religion established and finally except they did put away iniquity from amongst them declareing themselves earnest Enemies to these abhominations which God declared himself so vehemently to hate that first he commanded the whole inhabitants of that Countrey to be destroyed and all monuments of their idolatry to be broken downe But in such cases Gods will is that all creatures stoup cover their faces and desist from reasoning when commandement is given to execute his judgement Albeit I could adduce diverse causes of such severity yet will I search none other then the holy ghost hath assigned first that all Israel hearing of the judgement should feare to commit the like abhomination and secondly That the Lord might turne from the fury of his anger might be moved towards the People with inward affection be mercyful unto them multiply them according to his oath made unto their Fathers Which reasons as they are sufficient in God's children to correct the murmuring of grudging flesh so ought they to provoke every man as before
not only have brought wrath upon themselves but also upon all the People So the wickednesse of Hophny and Phinehas was part of the cause of that sad discomfiture that the People of Israel did meet with 1 Sam. 2 ver 12. comp with Cap. 3 ver 11. and with Cap. 4 ver 10 11. So Esai 43 ver 27 28. because the Teachers had transgressed against the Lord. Therefore was Iacob given to the curse and Israel to reproaches So Lam. 4 v. 13. among other provocations the sinnes of her Prophets are mentioned and the iniquities of her Priests So Micah 3 v. 11 12. Because the Heads did judge for reward and the Priests did teach for hire and the Prophets did divine for money Therefore Zion was to be plowed as a field and Ierusalem to become heaps and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forest 2. That the sinnes of a few have procured judgments unto the whole multitude or put them in hazard thereof So Deut. 13 v. 12 17. the Apostate city would kindle the fiercenesse of God's anger against the whole People For it is said The Lord would not turne from the fiercenesse of his anger and shew them mercy and compassion and multiply them until it were destroyed and all that was within it So Num. 25. for the sinne of these who joyned with Baal peor the anger of the Lord was kindled against the whole congregation So when Moses was speaking unto the two Tribes and halfe Num. 32 14 15. he sayeth And behold yee are risen up in your Fathers stead to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel for if yee turne away from after him he will yet againe leave them in the wildernesse and yee shall destroy all this People So Ios 7 ver 5. for one Ahan's sin all Israel was troubled and Ios. 22 v. 17. 18. say the commissioners of the whole congregation unto the two Tribes and half And it will be seing ye-rebel to day against the Lord that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel And it was this which moved all the Tribes to goe against Benjamin Iudg. 20 3. That the Subjects have suffered sad and dreadful judgments for the sinnes of their Rulers As Micah 3 9 10 11 12. formerly cited Abimelech's sin Gen. 20. was like to hazard himself and all his Kingdome ver 7 9. For Pharaoh's refusing to let Israel goe not only he and his Princes but his Subjects through all his coasts did smarte Exod. 6 and 7 8 and 9. and 10 Cap. Neh. 9 v. 10. So Saul's sin in seeking to destroy the Gibeonites brought on three yeers famine on the land in the dayes of David 2 Sam. 21 v. 1. So David's sin of numbering the people cost the lives of three score and Ten thousand 2 Sam. 24 v. 1 2 15. 1 Chron. 21 1 2 14. So the Lord threatned by the Prophet 1 King 14 ver 16. that for the sins of Ieroboam who did sin and who made Israel to sin he would give up Israel And for Ahab's sin of letting Benhadad goe the Man of God told Ahab 1 King 20 ver 42. Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appoynted to utter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life and thy People for his People So for Manasseh's sin Ier. 15 ver 4. The Lord sayes I will cause them to be removed into all King domes of the Earth because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah King of Iudah for that which he did in Ierusaelem So it is also spoken 2 King 21 ver 11 12 13. Because Manasseh King of Iudah hath done these abhominations therefore thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel behold I am bringing such evil upon Ierusalem and Iudah that whosoever heareth of it both his eares shall tingle c. And notwithstanding of the reformation that was in the dayes of Iosiah Yet this judgement came to be accomplished and the Lord sent the bands of the Caldees and of the Syrians surely so it is said 2 King 24 v. 3 4. at the commandement of the Lord came this upon Iudah to remove them out of his sight for the sinnes of Manasseh according to all that he did and also for the innocent blood that he shed which the Lord would not pardon And 2 King 23 26. Though there was a great work of reformation done in the dayes of that non-such King v. 25 Iosiah yet it is sayd notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Iudah because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him with all Yea so did this sin of Manasseh provoke the Lord against the land that how beit Manasseh himself repented and found mercy 2 Chron. 33 v. 12. and questionlesse many of the People turned with him yet these same sinnes of Manasseh are mainly taken notice of as the procureing cause of that final stroke Out of these particulars these few things are very obvious to any 1. That People combined into a society have great cause not only to look to their owne carriage but also unto the carriage of others Since the carriage of others will bring them in hazard of God's judgments and hasten downe vengeance wrath from God on all sure they have need to look about them 2. Especially they have reason to take notice of the publick carriage and deportment of Princes and Pastors seing in a special manner those highten the wrath hasten the judgments of God as hath been shewed 3. If these sinnes in Princes Pastors and others were not committed those plagues and judgments which are threatned and at length executed upon that account would have been prevented 4. If People considering their hazard by reason of these publick transgressions had actively bestirred themselves interposed as that these iniquities had not been committed they had not smarted so for as they did not had they felt the weight of the hand of Gods anger as they were made to do 5. It was not enough for them to have keeped themselves free of these actual transgressions whereof others were really guilty for we finde some punished for that iniquity of others which could not be laid to their charge as actors 6. How ever such as were so punished were not free of inherent transgressions and other sinnes which deserved judgment at the hands of the Lord yet when the Spirit of the Lord is pleased to make no mention of these as the Procureing cause of these plagues but seemeth to lay the whole or maine stresse of the businesse upon that sin committed by others we must thinke that that hath had no small influence but rather a mine causality in the procureing of these plagues and it becometh us to be sober in inquireing after other causes hid from us and rest satisfied with what the Spirit of the Lord is pleased particularly and evidently to poynt
their tongue or pen. And rather blush when they read or remember this we are hopeful that such and the like perfidious practices well pondered will not only contribute much to re-unite them in hearty affection unto their faithful Brethren now in the same furnace with themselves for the same cause and interest but also cause them reflect upon their former proceedings consider what a native tendency that which gave the rise to all that debate had unto this which is to day our sin our shame and our Sorrow that they may joyne with the Rest of the faithful of the land in mourning for such national sinnes Whereby the wrath of God may be turned away from us and the Church restored to her former beauty and integrity in the Lord 's good time 3. It is Manifest that this Surveyer who ever he be some others with him had some other thoughts in their heads at that time then they durst expresse finding the far greater part of the Ministerie corrupted would have had the rest resolving upon an absolute submission to all their determinations though they had been openly avowedly to introduce prelacy yea popery to have submitted to their summar censures of deposition what else they thought good to inflict without the least resistence or counteracting thus to have patiently submitted to see Christ his royall truthes banished out of the land by ecclesiastical acts Popery Prelacy re-established by horrible iniquity Though we were ever confident such as now through grace abide stedfast had no such thoughts or intentions 4. This Surveyer dealeth with all alike as he misrepresented Lex Rex in the civil debate so doth he now misrepresent the protesters in the Church-debate for when or where did they say That persones were not bound to submit but to counter-act the judicatories of the presbyteriall government whensoever they thought the sentence wrong unlawfull Did they ever assert that a mans owne conscience was the only vvarrand and ground of his submission or non-submission or of his obedience or disobedience 5. So doth he abuse misrepresent Naphtaly as any vvill see who considereth his words in the place cited which are these Now how a discretive judgment in these cases both of unrighteous commands wicked violence specially in the later which is by far the more sensible doth necessarily remaine with the people in what manner the same is to be determined cautioned so as neither to license disobedience against authority nor create seditions in the Commonwealth is already fully cleared This is some other thing then to say that al is to be referred to every man's privat discretive judgement vvithout any caution or limitation added or supponed 6. Because it is not our purpose to revive that debate vvhich vvas betvvixt the Protesters the Publick Resolutioners but as vve vvish it had never been heard of so vve desire it may buryed in perpetual oblivion that hence forth there may be hearty joyning in the cause covenant of God for prosecution of all the ends thereof according to our severall capacities That so we may become one stick in the hand of the Lord renunce this apostacy all courses tending thereunto so goe on as before that un happy difference broke out with zeal unanimity Therefore we shall forbeare to examine what that Reviewer of presbytery no papacy said And though we finde that much of what the Surveyer sayeth here is borrowed from that Reviewer is answered already as to our purpose yet we finde the Reviewer grant severall things which will quite destroy the parallel as to our case shew the Surveyer to have been but a fool in mentioning that pamphlet now For 1. He Pag. 104. sayeth We do not urge submission in this matter betwixt us in matters of doctrine or articles of faith in morshipe government nay nor rules of discipline And so insinuats as much as that if the Dogmatick and Diatactick power of Christ's courts be abused and corrupt doctrine and practices pressed he would not be for submission And therefore upon this ground waves the arguments of the protesters taken from the instance of Athanasius not submitting to the Arians deposeing him for asserting the divinity of the Sone of God and the 11. Arg. making a supposition of enacting the Masse and all the heresies of Rome saying For when Church judicatories deny homage to the Sone of God and returne to Rome We shall not debate the poynt of non-submission only with them but shall run from them as from synagogues of Satan Upon this same ground he waves the argument 13. which did shew that this submission was prelatical And the passage of our confession of faith ratified An. 1567. which is thus art 12. So far as the Council proveth the determination and commandement that it giveth by the plaine word of God so soon do we reverence and imbrace the same but if men under the name of a Council pretend to forge unto us new articles of our faith or to make constitutions repugning to the word of God then utterly we must refuse the same as the doctrine of devils which draweth our souls from the voyce of our only God to follow the doctrines constitutions of Men. So doth he upon this ground lay by what they said Pag. 49. That by this submission there was no remedy but that at one stroke the precious interests of Christ and truthes of God must be borne downe and buryed in oblivion and the Saints and Ministers of the gospel be buryed under the rubbish thereof As also their Arg. 15. which did shew that this unlimited submission did Leave the Church destitute of all Ecclesiastical remedies in the case of a general defection and open a wide door for making the government of the house of God degenerate into Tyranny c. And their 2 Argum shewing how contrary it was to Scripture and how hard it was to say that a man duely qualified being suspended from the Sacrament or from the exercise of his Ministery or excommunicated because of his pressing and holding forth some precious Truth of God which a Church judicatory condemneth for a lie should submit And also their 8. Arg. Pag. 108. which was this What is denyed jure to Oecumenick Councils and so lawfully called Prophets and Ministers of the gospel to Nathan to David to Paul to an Angel from heaven Gal. 1 ver 18. cannot warrantably be given to General Assemblies If they teach or decree not according to the word of the Lord we are to counteract and to contradict Gal. 1 ver 8. Therefore c. Now in all these cases the Reviewer would not plead for submission to Church judicatories Why then doth this Surveyer plead for absolute submission and unlimited to civil powers since he is pleased to draw a parallel betwixt them But we see that evil men and seducers waxe worse and worse So that by
concerning all the land no lesse then these who jeoparded their lives for the same no man in reason can condemne these few that undertooke the interprise the profitable effects of which would have redounded to the whole When a city is on fire no man will think the few that hazard their lives to quench the same are to be blamed though the rest doe lye by and will not concurre The men of Ephraim Benjamin and Issacher who followed Deborah and jeoparded their lives upon the high places of the field that they might deliver the whole land from under the Tyrranny of Iabes King of Canaan though Reuben God and Zebulon did not concurre according to their duty were not the more to be blamed but are the more praised and commended and such as came not put to the help of the Lord against the mighty were under a bitter curse The common tye of Christianity and brotherhood and other supervenient obligations did oblige all the Land as was shewed above to concurre as one man to endeavour the deliverance of he Land from dreadful oppression and tyranny and because the greatest part like Issacher in an other case loved to couch under the burden and refused to contribut their help for their owne delivery and proved enemies shall these few who ventured their lives and Estates and all which they had for the liberation of the land be the more upon that account condemned What hight of absurdity were this Had the Men of Ephraim good reason to challenge Iephthah Iudg. 12 ver 1 2. c. because he fought with the Midianites without them when he sayes that he had called them and they would not come out If an Enemy invade the land and such provinces as are furthest from danger shall neglect or refuse to concure with the rest to expell them yea shall strengthen the invadeing enemy shall these be blamed who are next to the danger to take the alarme at the first and do what in them lyeth for their owne saifty and the saifty of the whole land Therefore seing the cause which these few owned was of common concernment and equally respecting the whole land since the rest would not concurre as they were bound to do they are more praise-worthy then blame-worthy that ventured all for the good of the whole land and did what in them lay to redeem the whole land from that oppression and bondage under which it was lying If it had been some small petty particulare of their owne it had been more lyable to the censures of men but the cause being Common which they did owne a Covenant sworne by all ranks of People and a Covenanted work of reformation and liberty from tyranny both in Church and State was a cause not peculiar unto them but common to all the land it is the hight of absurdity illegality yea and inhumanity to accuse them of Treason of sedition or to condemne their interprise upon that account So that though the major part of the land turne so corrupt as to imbrace a corrupt abjured course see their privileges taken from them the vvork of God overthrovvne lavves ratifying and approving Religion reformed in doctrine vvorshipe discipline and government and secureing people in their peacable and Christian possession of these novv abolished rescinded and annulled their libertyes as civil scotish men and as Christians sold avvay their fundamental compact and the cardinall clause of that contract betvvixt King and Subject cancelled and shamefully brocken Tyranny and oppression of consciences bodyes and Estates established and no legal remedy or redresse apparent or probable and shall notwithstanding of all this love to sit still not to be stirr themselves according to their places power for secureing Religion lawes libertyes For extirpating abjured prelacy and malignancy and restoreing the Ordinances of Christ to their wonted purity delivering the land from slavery bondage from stupenduous apostasy defection at which the Heavens may stand astonished and all men and angels may wonder Shall their negligence and deficiency in duty binde up the hands of the wel affected and render them utterly incapable in law to minde themselves and the good of the whole land the good whereof they are obliged by many bonds and obligations to seek by all farie meanes possible Neither doth the lawes of Nature the lawes of God nor particularly the bond of Christian love to their Native land to their Mother Church and to their Christian oppressed brethren nor the bond of their Covenants solemne vowes and engadgments so limite this duty and loose them from all endeavour after a performance But by the contrare if God give any probable capacity upon all these considerations they are the more obliged to lay out themselves to the utmost and to account themselves the more indispnesably obliged thereunto that as the hazard is greater the losse is the more certane and irrecoverable Wherefore seing the ground and ends of the riseing of these few was not particular but general and national the good and benefite of the interprise redounding unto all no lesse then to themselves and being that whereunto all no lesse then they were obliged by solemne vowes and moral bonds their case must be otherwise considered then the case of a few malcontented persons who because of some particular injuries done to themselves and for some particular ends proper and peculiar to themselves alone arise in rebellion against the lawful Magistrate The Royalists themselves allow it lawful for any privat person to kill an usurper or a Tyrant sine titulo and why But because the good of this action doth redound not to himself alone But to the whole Land So in some places a reward is promised to all such as shall kill a Bear or any such noysome beast because the good and frute of this action concerneth moe then themselves and therefore though all were bound to do what they did yet they are not blamed but rewarded for what they have done So should these rather have been revvarded then blamed or condemned for vvhat they did interprise for the universal and national good of the vvhole Land As for the third Objection so much hath been spoken of that already whether we mean the particular sufferings and oppressions of the People of Galloway The Naphtaly is full to this purpose or the general calamity by reason of apostasy defection perjury oppression in Religion and libertyes which is so noture that none who hath not renunced common sense together with Religion honesty can deny it or pretend ignorance thereof that we need do no more here but give a short reply to what the Surv. hath said to this matter only we would adde this That if That learned lawyer Althusius in his politikes Cap. 38. n. 5. c. give the right characters of a Tyrant and of Tyranny we may have good ground to say that our land beareth many blae marks of that tyranny for sayeth he there is
no conviction Did not this text flee in his face If not sure his conscience must be extreamly debauched and I fear feaâ—ed with a hote iron And therefore let us take notice of this and meddle not with such as are given to change knowing that the following word shall be made good 〈◊〉 calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth their ruine Our King liveth and he shall come Even so come Lord Jesus and let all thine Enemies perish But now let us come to his preface that master piece of verulency 1. He tells us it hath been and is the lot of the â—ilitant Church to be as it were grinded betwixt the two milstones of a 〈◊〉 and Atheisticall world and of a party pretending highly for truth and piety And amongst the last by whom he meaneth the Sect of the Anabaptists he would reckon the faithful of the land who adhere to their Covenants and are constantly set against that abjured hierarchy But when we marke his scope we see what he would say in plaine tearmes if he durst for shame viz. That they are now the only militant Church of the Lord in Scotland This is a great change I confesse when Christ shall have no other Church in Scotland but the perjured apostatical popish prelatical and malignant faction that hath been from the beginning an heart and avowed enemy to the Church and People of God and never more wicked and debauched then it is this day And yet so holy is it that it must arrogate to itself alone the name of the Church But what Church Be-like the Synagoge of Satan which call themselves jewes but are not or that coetus malignantium as the vulgar hath it Psal 26 v. 4. The congregation of evil deors which should be hated and not joynd with They the Church who have banished Christ out of the Church abjured his interests persecuted to the death his brethren and followers Must they be the Church who are a company of perjured Apostats prophane ranters Men of debauched consciences wicked lives corrupt principles prodigiously licentious and running to all excesse of riot iniquity They the only Church whose chief Fathers are Apostate Prelats sensual brutish latitudinarian Epicures void of the faith Enemies to piety carnal worldings whose God is their belly who minde earthly things whose end shall be destruction dogs evill workers and the concision of which we should bâ—â—are Phil. 2 ver 2. Are these Prelate Bite-sheeps rather then Bishops blamelesse the husbands of one wife Are they Vigilant unlesse when they have much wine to devoure or a feast to hold to Bacchus Are they sober who glutt themselves in sensuality Are they of good beheaviour whose carriage is abhominable to all sober persons Are they given to hospitality who if they could effectuat it would not suffer a godly person to have the benefite of one nights Lodging in all the land Are they apt to teach who have rejected Christ and his truth and cry up and commend Socinian brats and impoisoned books Are not they given to wine Witnesse all who converse with some of them Are they no strickers who are ringleaders in persecution and stirre up the powers to spew out their venome against the small remnant of the honest covenanters in the land are not they greedy of filthy Lucre who oppresse all under them for a Bishop's benefice have made shipewrack of their faith soul and conscience Are they patient who are so soon sadled are not they Brawlers Witnesse this pamphleting prelate Are not they Covetous Witnesse all who have to do with them Do they rule wel their owne house having their Children in Subjection with all gravity when all see that their families are nurseries of pride vanity pompe prodigality idlenesse profanity and sensuality And as for their Underling-curats the scumme of Mankinde who seeth not their nakednesse Is this the Church when they who say they sit in Moses seat are such patrons of profanity and patronizers of wickednesse and unworthy to be accounted Members in any tolerably reformed Church Are they the militant Church who triumph in their silks and velvets rideing with foot mantels in Parliaments sitting in Councils and Sessions I fear many of them shall never see another triumphant Church If they be the corne grinded betwixt two milstones where is the professedly profane and atheistical world which trouble them Sure seing these are the only members of their Church they must be nothing else but the Nether milstone Nay the poor afflicted people of God finde them the upper milstone too for by them and at their instigation are they brocken in pieces persecuted to the death scattered into corners and banished to other nations And as he cannot give us the professedly prophane and atheistical world distinct from themselves So he shall never be able to rank the truely godly who are persecuted this day for righteousnesse sake among the wilde seck of Anabaptists As shall be shewed afterward Ay but Pag. 5. he sayes As Whitgift and Hooker these godly sage and sagacious persons forsooth considering the tendency and consequence of some of their principles who were vehement for Discipline feared the breaking out of that evil so now they see it is come to passe for that Mystery of iniquity which worketh to the confusion of humane societies to the bringing of divine ordinances into contempte and to the introduceing of Libertinisme Quakerisme Rantisme and Atheisme can shrowd itself under diverse external formes of Church government But sure if vve may judge of the cause by the effect there being more Libertinisme Quakerisme Rantisme and Atheisme this day in Scotland then vvas all the vvhile that presbyterian government vvas in vigour vve must say that Prelates and Prelatical principles usher in these evils vvhich shroud more under their lap then under presbyterians Anabaptists he tells us out of Ames Fresh Sute Pag. 93. had their owne Bishops but vvhere findes he that they had Presbyterian government It seemeth then that prelacy can comply better vvith Anabaptisme then presbytery and so it will indeed For they being tvvo of Satan's devices must not discorde It vvould appear that neither Whitgift nor Hooker have been so sage or sagacious nor himself so sharpsighted as to see such furious Spirits lurking under our lap we and all see them rather svvarming under his ovvn lap 2. This instrument of Satan cometh next to sowe some tares Pag. 5 6. and pretending much tendernesse to some moderat men as he calleth them of our way he adviseth them for God's glory the honour of his reformed Churches compassion to seduced souls and true interest of their ovvne reputation to disclaime by some publick deed what Naphtaly sayes left they be accounted partakers of the guilt But wise and sagacious persons will easily see this snare and will not lay much weight upon all this perjured wretches faire pretensions and will readily be convinced that there is no such vile things issueing from Naphtaly when what he
to write thus is because his quondaÌ„â—brethren baffled him down among the weak and did not so intrust him as they did that Arch-deceiver his late companion in fear and perplexity And so it would seem he is only grieved that he had not an equal hand with that Arch-traitour sharpe in cutting his Mothers throat O strange But to his sorrow let him know God will take the desire for the dead Then he closeth that paragraph with a quirck saying Imparity was then without tittle now it is with it and there is our change and great defection and surely that which hath been will be there is no new thing under the Sun And so may the Pope say There was an imparity among the Apostles for Peter and some others were pillars without a title but now it is with a title Is not this well pleaded O Prelatical Advocat But whence is your title Mr Prelate Or who gave you than name The King your God Father Well then by that right you must enjoy it but whence cometh the blessing and ratification Not from above but from He hath forgotten one great change but that possibly he will account no great defection viz. that by which he from Mr Presbyter wherein he was in no great account yet noddyfied by some is turned my Lord Prelate And now laboureth to noddiâ—y all into a consent congratulatory acquiescence in his advancement and dignity But Caâ—aphas cometh to tell us that surely that which hath been will be and so as formerly perjured and abjured Prelates have been cast out of Church and Commonwealth with abhomination they shall be yet againe cast out with more abhorrence then ever Esto The Lord hasten it in his time 8. Then he tels us Pag. 9. That this furious Napht. coming â—n upon the back of the Apology another invenomed egg hatched be like by one and the same cockatrice the second justifying the rebellion to which the first did instigate and inflaming to more may let them who will not shut their owne eyes see the mystery of Anabaptistical confusion working and spreading This man measureth others by his owne foot thinking that the laboures of others for the justifying of the people of God in defending themselves against not only invenomed principles but also invenomed practices of such as look rather like cockatrices then any other thing being good for nothing but to destroy to be invenomed eggs hatched by cockatrices because his pamphlet hatched by a cock-prelate hath undisputably the veâ—ome of such an egge in it The Apology did instigate to no rebellion Nor doth Napht. justify any action truely so chargeable As hath been shewed But his egg novv sufficiently crushed and put beyond the hazzard of endangering any who are wise rational if brought to perfection had brocken forth into a cockatrice and had endangered King and Kingdomes and all Commonwealths And because it was full of this venome should be condemned to the fire by all who love their owne welfare and the welfare of Societies and of the Church of God But how can any see here the mysterie of Anabaptistical confusion working for addeth he although the author pretendeth highly for presbytery which he and his complices hauks of the right nest have long agoe hewed downe in this Church as to the practice of it We knovv what this lying calumniator meaneth and these with whom unworthily he was sometimes reckoned being as is novv apparent a bird of another nest who have found grace to be faithful hithertil will now acknowledge I suppose that such as were opposite to them in that debate did strengthen and fortify the pillars of presbyterian government Yet sayes he evidenâ— it is that his pretences for presbytery are but prefaces to some further great designe of michief to Church and State To whom is this evident Sure I think to none but to himself his complices whose plague is and as yet but in part to be in fear where no fear is How can he make this out For sayes he having sold himself to work confusion rebellion he goes about to overthrow all powers ordained of God in a most cyclopick boldnesse displaying a banner against all invested lawfully with any degree of civil or Church-power This author is like the Tinkers dog which according to our countrey proverb would gladly be among good company He foists in his Antichristian usurped tyrannical power and dominion over the Church among the lawful powers ordained of God But when he sayes that Naphtali displayeth a banner against the powers ordained of God he but sheweth his cyclopick boldnesse in averring untruths or his astrangement to cyclopedeja in drawing such inferences but both suteable to that execrated order of abjured Prelacy in which there useth to be but few either civil or learned as this day putteth beyond debate Then he would make us beleeve that The Author doth not behave himself like Naphtaly the hinde let loose which giveth goodly Words c. Genes 49 ver 21. Deut. 33 ver 23. But as in his heart there are evil treasures of wickednesse so in his lips and pen there is a burning fire he strives to enflame all with the rage of his tongue and runs upon all sorts of authorities fâ—om the highest to the lowest like a savage Beast or wilde Beare let loose to waste and confound miserably both the visible Kingdome of Christ in the Land and the civil Kingdome thereof setled upon the best foundations The Book answered its name for it was a hinde let loose and gave goodly words for God his Cause and people and it is not to give goodly words to flatter Princes or Prelates howbeit he who judgeth like a sensualist would account such words of goodlinesse fairnesse and pleasantnesse Naphtaly was satisfied with favour and full of the blessing of the Lord And so was this book though condemned to a fire by such as would care little to cast the Bible into a fire too But their favour or blessing in never expected And when he sayes that in the Author's heart there were evil treasures c. He still measureth others by himself Naphtaly runeth not upon all sorts of authorities or any sort of authorities truely so called He was so farr from wasting and confounding the visible Kingdome of Christ in the Land that he was pleading for the same against all adversaries and defending it especially from these savage Beasts and Bears who have already laid it waste and desolate and if the Lord prevent it not shall make it the visible Kingdome of Antichrist He was so far from troubling the civil Kingdome setled upon the best foundations that it vvas that at vvhich he was driving to have the Kingdome setled upon its old sure and best basis the Covenants and Religion reformed in worshipe doctrine discipline and government Then he must tell us that the book vvants nothing of the compleatnesse of an infamous lybel and why Because it fals upon particular persons by name
to asperse then credit the constant integrity of whose conversation will easily stop his foule lying mouth in the Consciences of God's people who know them If these persons get no other Orator to set forth their praises then this man who is a black raven of the same nest I feare their conversation shall never stop all mens mouthes For my part I shall and I suppose that author will be content to referre the determination of this to the consciences of all God's people who know them And let such judge whether they be men of integrity or men of constant integrity we could tell storyes of some but we shall for beare it may be a volum will be made of their prophane practices when such as know them best and observe their wayes shall help us to a legend of their wayes courses And when the world seeth this It will judge of the integrity of their conversation but enough of this trash here 9. In the follovving paragraph beginning Pag. 10. he is at some demurre not knovving vvell vvhat course to take vvith that book which this true Cretian calleth a bundle of impudent lyes and falshoods grosse slanders and revileings not one of which hath he as yet discovered But where lay the difficulty Upon the one hand sayes he it was thought best to neglect the rage of this man if one that hath so much renunced humanity as he is here seen to do may be so tearmed lest by being noticed he might think himself some what A very hard censure to make a supposition if one who speaketh with so much weight of reason as transcendeth the reach of this animal may be tearmed a man If the supposer were not known to be no acute judge being animal amphibion bipes a double face'd gentle man vvho hath turned his coat his tongue too But why would he grudge poor Naphtali this Or doth he think that his taking notice of him will make him esteem the more highly of himself Not one white a stout man will never think himfelf the more valiant 〈◊〉 a foolish childe set upon him with a straw Was there no other reason Especially sayes he lest People who as they affect are ordinarily opinionated might have too much matter 〈◊〉 â—eed their humour to fournish their light discourses 〈◊〉 to ensnare their souls by representing to them the matters of this libel worthy to be buried in oblivion they being too apt whatever Salvo might be added to receive the poison without the antidote according to their prejudices This was a good consideration and if the Man had been as tender as he pretendeth to be hes hould not have digged up what deserved to be buried especially since he might have known he was not able to prepare a sufficient antidote But thought he that his silence would have hindered any to have pondered that book I beleeve indeed his silence had done more good to the King and his cause then all his hote work is like to do and he hath done more to insnare souls if it be to insnare them then Naphtaly did I do not meane by representing some other things to the consideration of people but by his adding so weak and inconsiderable a Salvo that he fixed what Naphtaly said more deeply in their hearts if judicious Readers did not account it unanswerable before they did see his weak non-answereing Reply What further It seemed also Sayes he a matter full of tediousnesse to a well composed heart to enter into a fire of endlesse strife and continual reciprocation of altercations wherein a Man is not likely to finde more truth then he hath already truth in the most important matters in the book having been of old fully vindicated by learned hands and nothing now opposed but old songs chanted over and over againe although like enough to lose much of that charity and calme and composed temper of heart which he had before Then it seemeth his heart was not a well composed heart for it did not seem tedious unto him to enter into this fire of endlesse strife and continual reciprocation of altercation and to spend so much time and paper and paines in vaine And we must pity his case now who hath lost much of that charity and calme and composed temper of heart which he had formetly Sed qui nihil habet nihil amittit a little stok is soon wasted By whom to this day was Lex Rex answered And doth not himself say that Naphtaly out stripes his Masters even as to the most important matters of the book Hovv is it then that he sayes there is nothing but old songs chanted over and over againe This Man is sui similis As yet as inconsistent with himself in his words as in his walk But seing he had the help of so many old Vindicators hovv comes it that he hath acted his part so childishly and vindicated the King's cause worse then any Man that ever put pen to paper as is shewed Why did not this pigmay set himself upon their shoulders that he might have seemed something What was there more on this hand What Man is he sayes he that knowing how much more important work he hath upon his hand for his owne salvation and honouring God in his station in the World would willingly engadge in endlesse contests with persons whose idlenesse gives them too great opportunity of evil doing and who having cast by the Lord's work in building his Church are too much set to do Satan's vvork in dissipating the same Then this Man thinketh it is inconsistent vvith one to minde the vvork of his vvne salvation and to defend the King's cause vvhich is very true Let the King and his party notice this But it is strange that seing he thought the vvork of his opposers Satan's he should not think it incumbent to a tender soul to do vvhat he can to destroy the vvorks of the Devil vve see also that the love of money is the root of all evil and hath caused him run greedily after the error of Balaam for revvard for to purchase the hire he hath cast by the important vvork of his salvation and laid aside the honouring of God in his station This is the Man 's constant integrity As for those Men whose idlenesse he talkes of if he meane Ministers he knoweth who hindereth them from doing the work of the Lord in building his Church and they will ansvvere for it and he also for his share in that and for this vvork of Satan vvhich a little money hath prompted him to and vvhen they are vvrestling and pleading for Zion and the cause of her King God vvill not account them idle nor evil doers nor setters up of Satans work What further It seemed honourable enough sayes he to decline this contention and strife which is like the letting out of watters in expectation that either Mansconscience if it be not infinitly corrupted may the confute him in most of his assertions and
standers or that his manifest unchristian dealing may help to open the eyes of such as he labours to delude and bring them to abhorre his way or that the really Religious and righteous dealings of Church and State may more forcibly put him to silence then words or writings can It had been indeed more advantagious to the King's cause and lesse dishonourable to himself to have been silent then thus to have letten out waters to the King 's great prejudice and his owne discredit If he had any expectation that the Man's conscience would have confuted him in most of his assertions why did he hinder that work by confirming him in the truth of his assertions by his weak and foolish replyes Praestat otiari quam nihil agere and why did he not more manfully discover these unchristian dealings the better to undeceive such as he supposeth were deluded What are these manifest unchristian dealings of his Sure the event hath and shall furder we hope declare that his owne dealing hath been much more manifestly unchristian by labouring to blinde the eyes of such as savv before But I suppose he may talke at leasure of his proselyts When the really religious and righteous dealings of Church and State shall forcibly confute what is there said we know not Sure when ever their actions become really Religious and righteous they will condemne his pamphlet to the fire and himself to the correction-house and approve of all which is said in Naphtaly Sometimes sayes he keeping silence is seasonable the Man according to God's owne heart would not suffer Shimei's revileings to be repayed upon the head of that dead dog Hezekiah discharged to answere a word to railing Rabshakeh Ieremiah the Prophet contradicted by the false Prophet Hananiah went his way and said nothing The wise Solomon forbids to take heed to all words that are spoken and to answer a fool according to to his folly The Lord of Kings and Prophets sometimes answered not his accusers a word True sometimes silence is not only seasonable but 〈◊〉 and so would the Kings cause have found it now and by his answering not withstanding of what he here sayes it would seem that Naphtaly is no Shimes Rabshakeh Hananiah nor fool nor an enemy to Christ Or that the King is not like the Man according to God's heart nor like good Hezekiah Nor is this Pamphleter like Ieremiah nor hath follovved either Solomon's advice or Christ's example But I see not why both may not be true Yet furder So it seemed fit to let alone an insolent and forward railer and mocker and not to lavish out precious time which might be better bestowed upon one that gives such visible evidences both of a reasonlesse and unchristian Spirit whose libel may be reckoned amongst the things quae spreta exolescunt and worthy to be answered with nothing but silence contempt Then it seemeth he expecteth a reward also from the Author of Naphtaly for lavishing out so much of his precious time to keep in memory such a book which if he had miskend would have dyed out of minde and which he hath honoured with another answere then silence but all the reward he can expect will be but par pari referre payment without putting any thing in his purse and yet a payment in his owne coine Then to him it is a lavishing of precious time to maintaine the King's cause it seemeth also that he hath lavished out much time upon it and what will not money do The gredy gapeing after which will make a Man not only lavish out precious time needlesly But also put honour and respect on what he accounteth worthy of contempt 10. Let us see what did preponderat and bring this tossed Man to a firme resolution and determine him to bring this brate to light this product of his ill composed heart and not well tempered braine Upon the other hand sayes he it seemed something hard especially in such a distempered time to suffer an insolent person in whose mouth is a rode of pride to cast the truth downe to the ground without control and to tread upon and triumph over a holy and righteous cause and upon honourable persons of all ranks engaged in the maintainance thereof in so abusive despiteful and intolerable a way and not give him any check Not to put some stop to this furious driver who againe and againe assaults this Church with vile lyes and reproaches looked like the betraying and deserting of an honest and honoruable cause or like the hirelings seeing the Wolfe and flying and leaving the flock to be destroyed with delusion fugisti quia tacuisti There is an evil silence that leaves Men in sin as well as an evil speaking that leads Men to sin and we are not only to give an account pro atio so verbo but pro otioso silentio for idle silence when God and the publick necessity of the Church or Society whereof we are members Calleth for a valiant not brutishly violent and forcible way such as this mans pleads for and rational contending for the truth It is sinful pusillanimity and not warrantable prudence to see truth fall in the streets and not lift it up And verily this man seems to be amongst these of Whom Solomon sayes Prov. 26 v. 5. who must be answered lest he seem wise in his owne conceite and to be amongst these Tit. 1 v. 10 11. unruly and vaine talkers and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped that the gangrene of his words may not creep further to the consumption subversion of Church State Faire words ad faciendum populum qui si decipi vult decipiatur But he hath this disadvantage that few that know him will beleeve that these or any of these are the true cause of this undertaking But that rather vvhich he thought good to conceale viz. The Three hundereth pound sterling brought to him by the greater rogue the better rewarded Ia Sharpe deceiver of that ilke for if these things here mentioned had been his end and motive why was he feared that this should have wronged a well composed heart and Should not have been a honouring of God in his station but a needlesse lavishing out of precious time which might be better bestowed Nay there was reason for all this for whether he saw it or not he who together with his complices distempered the times and all things in whose mouth there being a rode of pride did insolently cast the truth downe to the ground as they could and endeavoured to tread upon and triumph over a holy righteous cause and all the maintainers thereof in an abusive despiteful and intolerable way and laboured to lift up an exploded depised and cursed falshood once dethroned with shoutings and great exclamations of joy but we have seen his horns have been but short He is truely as the sober vvill judge the furious driver who againe and againe doth assault the true Church and cause of God with lyes