visible Kingdom of which the Government is layd upon His shoulders against the heaven-daring Usurpations encroachments made thereupon both as He is Mediator King Head of the Church and as He is God Universal King of the world As He is Mediator it is His Peculiar Prerogative to have a Supremacy Sole Soveraignty over His oun Kingdom to institute His oun Government to constitute His oun Lawes to ordain His oun Officers to appoint His oun Ordinances which He will have observed without alteration addition or diminution untill His Second Coming This His Prerogative hath been is invaded by Erastian Prelacy Sacrilegious Supremacy and now by Antichristian Poperie which have overturned His Government inverted His Lawes subverted His Officiers Perverted His Ordinances As He is God Universal King it is His in communicable Property Glory not only to have Absolute Illimited Power but to invest his Deputed Ministers of Justice with His Authority Ordinance of Magistracy to be administred in subordination to Him to be regulated by His Lawes and to be improved for His Glory the good of Mankind This Glory of His hath been invaded by Tyrants Usurpers arrogating to themselves an Absolute Power intruding themselves without His investment into Authority in a Rebellion against Him in opposition to His Lawes and abusing it to His dishonour and the destruction of Mankind Against both which Encroachments the Present Testimony is stated in a Witness for Religion Liberty to both which these are destructive This will appear to be the Result Tendency of the Testimony in all its parts opposed by the Enemies of Religion Liberty and the end of all their oppositions to bring it to this Crinomenon who shall he King Iesus or Cesar Let any seriously search into all their Proclamations Edicts against Religion Liberty this will be found to be the soul sense of them practically Really speaking to this purpose especially since this man came to the Throne J. R. JAmes the 7 2 by the V. of G. King of Scotland England France Ireland Defender of the Antichristian faith To'all sundry our good subjects whom these presents do or many concern Greeting We having taken into our Royal Consideratiâ—n the many great inconveniences which have happened in that our Ancient Kingdom of Scotland especially of late years through the persuasions of the Christian Religion the great heats animosities betuixt the Professors therof and our good faithful subjects whose faith Religion is subject subservient to our Royal will the Supreme Law Reason publick Conscience to the disappointment of our Projects restraint of our pleasures and Contempt of the Royal power Convertingâ— true Loyaltie absolute subjection into words names which we care not for of Religion Liberty Conscience the Word of God thereby withdrawing some to the Christian faction from an absolute implicite subjection to us our will as if there were a Superiour Law to which they might appeal And considering that these Rebellious Christians do never cease to assert maintain strange Paradoxes such Principles as are inconsistent with the glory interest of our Government as that the Authority of Kings should be hem'd in with Limits and that their Acts Actions are to be examined by another rule than their oun Authority to make them Lawful that somethings in the Kingdom are not subject to the Kings Authority That there is a Kingdom within a Kingdom not subordinate to the King And that there is another King Superior to the Supreme whom they will rather obey than us And that we must either take Laws from Him or otherwise we are not Magistrats And Considering also their Practices are Conforme to their Principles They will not obey our Lawes but the Lawes of Another inconsistent with ours and will calculate their Religion according to His Lawes and not according to ours And continually make their Addresses to and receive Ambassadours from a Prince whom we know not whom our Predicessors of truely worthy memory did crucify One Iesus who was dead whom they affirm to be alive whose Government they alledge is Supreme over all Kings Whom they acknowledge but as His Vassals Being now by favourable fortune not only brought to the Imperial Croun of these Kingdoms through the greatest difficulties but preserved upon the throne of our Royal Ancestors which from our Great founder Nimrod of Glorious Memory and our Illustrious Predecessors Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Herod the Great Nero Caligula c. of blessed pious Memory hath been ever opposite to and projecting the Destruction of that Kingdom of Christ Do after their Laudable example resolve to suppress that Kingdom by all the means might we can use because His Government is hateful to us His yoke heavy His sayings are hard His Lawes are contrary to our lusts Therefore we will not let this man reign over us we will break His bonds and cast away His Cords from us And advance exerce our Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal Absolute Power which all our subjects are to obey without reserve And as by virtue of our Supremacy whereby we are above all but such as we are pleased to subject our selves to settled by Law and Lineally Derived to us as an Inherent right to the Croun we have Power to order all matters of Church as well as State as we in our Royal wisdom shall think fit All Laws Acts of Christ to the contrary notwithstanding And accordingly in our Royal wisdom have overturned the plat-form of that Government which Christ hath instituted razed all Courts fenced in His Name and severely interdicted all Meetings of His subjects and intertainment of His Ambassadours many of whom in contempt of Him that sent them we have punished according to Law for negotiating His Affairs in our Kingdoms without our pleasure requiring Allegiance obedience to Him after we had exauctorated Him we have also established our Right Trusty Entirely beloved Clerks in Ecclesiastick affairs and their underlings by our Authority to have the Administration of the business of Religion and impowered our Right Trusty well beloved Cousins Counsellers to Compell all to submitt to them by Finings Confinings Imprisonment Banishment Oaths Bonds and all Legal means So now having prosecuted this war against Christ to this length that we have no fears of a Rally of His forces again so often beaten we are now engaged with other Antichristian Princes to give our Power to our holy Father Antichrist so far as may serve his purpose to oppse Christ in his way but we reserve so much to our seeves as may encroach upon Him in our Capacity And therefore we have thought fit to restore to Antichrist our Ecclesiastical Supremacy from whom we borrowed it and for which we have no use at present But we resolve to maintain prosecute our Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal and
that way therefore must keep our selves free of their Communion But next if we consider their practise we shall find these Worthies vvere not such Conformists as our Complyers vvould make them What if vve find among them Meetings that vvere Called Counted as Seditious Schismatick as Ours are novv vve find a field Meeting yea a General Assembly at Dumfermling vvithout against the Kings vvarrant vvhen the â—ports vvere shut against them anno 1585. But that is not so pat to the purpose as that vve find Private-Meetings at Edinburgh and that in the very time of publick Service in the Churches discharged by open Proclamation anno 1624. vvherein it is charged that they had no respect to the ordinary Pastors contemned impugned their Doctrine disobeyed controlled their Discipline abstained to hear the Word preached and to Participate of the Sacraments And long before that vve find the sincerer sort scrupled to hear Bishop Adamson not withstanding that he vvas absolved in the Assembly And that aftervvards the doubt being proponed to the Assembly if it be a slander to a Christian to absent himself from the Sermons of them that are suspended from all function in the Ministry The Assembly Ansvvered there is no slander in the Case but rather it is slanderous to resort And why is not this ground to think it slanderous or scandalous to resort to them who deserve to be suspended all of them by a Spiritual cognizance and some of them to be suspended Corporally for their villanie when there can be no access orderly to do it And the rather because we find in this Period that sometimes Ministers were so faithful zealous against the Corruptions of the Ministry that they decerned Ministers to be suspended for far smaller faults than many now could exempt themselves from viz. if they were not powerful Spiritual if they did not apply their Doctrine to Corruptions if they were obscure too Scholastick before the people cold wanting zeal flatterers dissembling at publick sins for flattery or fear c. As we may read in the Advice of the Brethren deputed for penning the Corruptions in the Ministery anno 1596. I wish our silent prudent Ministers now would consider the justness of this Censure and what ground people have to be offended at such censurableness But not only this may answer the false imputation of Conformity on these witnesses of Christ at that time but I shall set down a part of a Letter of one of the banished Ministers at that time discovering his mind about hearing these men that were then serving the times Mr Iohn Welsh writing to Mr Robert Bruce what my mind is concerning the root of these branches the bearer will shew yow more fully They are no more to be counted Orthodox but Apostates They have fallen from their Callings by receiving an Antichristian and bringing in of Idolatrie to make the Kingdom culpable and to expose it to fearful Judgments for such an high perfidie against an Oath so solâ—mnly enacted given And are no more to be counted Christians but strangers Apostates Persecutors And therefore not to be heard any more either in publick or in Consistories Colledges or Synods for what fellowship hath light with darkness We see then as to that part of the Testimony they were not dissonant to the vvitness of the present reproached sufferers II. As the matter manner of their Testimony against all the invaders of the Churches priviledges did speak forth a great deal of sincere pure zeal so their practice was conform shewing forth a great deal of strictness and aversness from all sinfull Complyances even with things that would be now accounted of very minute inconsiderable consequence and for which honest sufferers now are flouted at as fools When that Oath was formed for acknowledging the Supremacy there was a Clause added which might have been thought to salve the matter according to the Word of God. I fear many now would not stand to subscribe with such a qualification Yet the faithful then perceived the Sophistrie that it made it rather worse affirming that that brat of Hell was according to the word of God And therefore though there were several eminent men to perswade them to it both by advice example yet they could not in conscience Comply And pleaded also from the illegality of that imposition that they should be charged with the subscription of Laws a thing never required before of any subject if they offended against the Laws why might they not be punished according to the Laws When many honest faithful Patriots for their attempt at Ruthven to deliver the Countrey from a vermine of Villains that abused the King to the destruction of the Church Kingdom were charged to crave Pardon take remission they would do neither judging it a base condemning of duty which puts a brand upon our sneaking Supplicators Petitioners Pardon-mongers as unworthy to be called the race of such Worthies who scorned such baseness and choosed rather to endure the extremity of their unjust Sentences of Intercommuning Banishment c. And when the Earle of Gowrie accepted of a Remission he afterwards condemned himself for it and desired that his old friends would accept of his friendship to whom he had made himself justly suspected Mr Black when he had the same favour offered to him refused altogether left so doing he should condemn himself and approve the Courts Proceedings And the Brethren confering with the Councellors craving that some penalty should be condiscended unto for satisfying his Majestie in his honour would not condiscend to any how light soever lest thereby they should seem to approve the Judicatorie their Proceeding The Imprisoned Ministers for declining the Council had it in their offer that if they would without any confession of offence only submit themselves to his Majestie pro scandalo accepto non dato they should be restored to their places But it pleased God so to strengthen them that they stopped their Mouths and convinced them in their Consciences that they could not do it without betraying of the Cause of Christ. Again in another case we have Instances of such strictness as is much scorned now a dayes The Ministers of Edinburgh were committed to ward for refusing to pray for the Queen before her execution in Forthringam Castle 1586. they refused not simply to pray for her but for the preservation of her life as if she had been innocent of the crimes laid to her charge which had imported a condemnation of the proceedings against her Afterwards in the year 1600. the Ministers of Edinburgh would not praise God for the deliverie of the King from a pretended Conspiracy of the Earle of Gowrie at that time of which they had no credit nor assurance and would not crave Pardon for it neither For this Mr Robert Bruce was deprived of the exercise of his Ministry and never obtained it again in Edinburgh But
imposed upon consulted again vvhat to do and in end being oversvvayed more vvith respect to their oun credite vvhich they thought should be impeached if they should retract their oun Plenipotentiary Instructions to conclude the Treaty upon the Kings assent to their Conditions than to their reclamant consciences they resolved to bring home that pest and thereby Precipitated themselves us into ineluctable miserie Yet they thought to mend the Matter by binding him vvith all Cords and puting him to all most explicite Engagments before he should receive the Imperial Croun Well upon these termes home he comes and before he set his foot on British ground he takes the Covenant And thereafter because the Commission of the General Assembly by the Act oâ— the West Kirk August 13. 1650. Precluded his Admittance unto the Croun if he should refuse the then required satifaction before his Coronation he emits that Declaration at Dumferling wherein Professing appearing in the full perswasion love of the Truth he repenteth as having to do with in the sight of God his Fathers opposition to the Covenant work of God his oun reluctances against the same hoping for Mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ and obtesting the prayers of the faithful to God for his stedfastness and than protesteth his Truth sincerity in entering into the Oath of God resolving to prosecute the ends of the Covenant to his utmost and to have with it the same Common friends Enemies exhorting all to lay doun their enmity against the cause of God and not to prefer mans Interest to Gods which will prove an Idol of Jealousie to provoke the Lord and he himself accounteth to be but selfish flatterie A declaration so full of heart Professions high Attestations of God that none considering what followed can reflect thereon without horror trembling from the holy Jealousie of the Lord either for the then deep dissimulation or the after unparalelled Apostacy I know it is objected by Court parasites that the King was then compelled to do these things To which I shall only say It would have cost any of them their head at that time to have asserted that he did upon deliberation choise mock God man and entered into these Engagments only with a purpose to be thereby in better Capacity to destroy what he swore to maintain only because he could not have the Croun without this way which in the Confession of the objectors themselves was only deliberate premeditate Perjurie Next if it should be granted he was Compelled let it be also considered who Compelled him and these will be found to be the deceitful Courtiers For let it be adverted what Mr Gilespie declares of the Case who put the pen in his hand when he subscribed that Declaration He perceiving there was sufficient ground to Jealouse his reality and seeing evidently that the Courtiers prevailed with the King on a sudden to offer to subscribe the Declaration when they observed that the Commissioners of Churh State were resolute ready to go away in a fixedness to leave out the puting of his Interest in the state of the quarrel and being afrayed of the sad Consequences of it spoke his mind plainly to the King That if he was not satisfied in his Soul Conscience beyond all hesitation of the righteousness of the subscription he was so far from overdriving him to run upon that for which he had no light as he obtested him yea he charged him in his Masters name and in the name of these who sent him not to subscribe this Declaration no not for the three Kingdoms Whereupon the King answered Mr Gillespie Mr Gillespie I am satisfied I am satisfied with the Declaration and therefore will subscribe it Upon which some of the Courtiers swore that Mr Gillespie intended simply to disswade the King from subscribing it that so Church and State might professedly lay aside his Inetrest which would have defeat their hopes to make up themselves as now they have done upon the then designed ruine of the Interest of Truth Then at his Coronation we have his again reiterated confirmations of that Covenant first he is desired in name of the people to accept the Crown and maintain Religion according to the National Solemn League Covenant whereunto he gave his apparently Cordial consent the words are in the forme order of the Coronation with the whole Action Then next a Sermon being Preached upon 2 King. 11. 12 17. the action commenceth with his most solemn renewing of the National and solemn League Covenant by Oath Then he is presented to the people and their willingness demanded to have him for their King on these termes At the same time in the next place he took the Coronation Oath Then on these termes he accepted the Sword. And after the Crown is set upon his head the peoples obligatory Oath is proclaimed on the termes foresaid otherwise he is not that King to whom they swore subjection Then being set upon the Throne he was by the Minister put in mind of his Engagments from 1 Chron. 29. 33. And then the Nobles of the Land came one by one kneeling and lifting up their hands between his hands swore the same Oath These things done the whole Action was closed with a most solid severe exhortation from several instances Neh. 5. 13. Ier. 34. 18 19 20 c. There after in the year 1651. followed the Ratification of all these preceeding Treaties Transactions Engagments concluded enacted by the King and the Parliament then fully freely conveened whereby the same did pass into a Perpetual Law. And this Covenant which from the begining was is the most sure indispensible Oath of God became at length the very fundamental Law of the Kingdom whereon all the rights or priviledges either of King or people are principally bottomed secured This might seem security sufficient but considering the former discoveries experiences they had of his Treachery and the visible appearances in the mean time of his Refusalls visible Reluctances manifest Resilings open Counter actings and continued prejudices against the Covenant and his following unprecedented avowed perjurie every thing doth indelebly fasten upon them the weakness at least of an overweening Credulity and upon him the wickedness of a perfidious Policy in all these Condiscensions After this it came to pass that zeal for the Cause rightly stated was suddenly contracted to a few and the flame thereof extinguished in many and Court wild fire substitute in its place whereby a plain defection was violently carried on by the Publick Resolutioners who relapsing into that most sinful Conjunction with the People of these abominations so solemnly repented for resolved against did notwithstanding bring in Notorious Malignants into places of power Trust in Judicatories Armies in a more Politick than Pious way of requiring of them a constrained dissembled Repentance to the mocking
upon thee from the Lord. Whereunto is subjoined his dying Testimony to the same purpose wherein are these words But if there shall be a falling back to the sin of complyance with Malignant ungodly men then I look for the breaking out of the wrath of the Lord till there be no remedy This was the warning of a worthy dying Man. Notwithstanding of which many other warnings witnessings a course of complyance was commenced by the pulick Resolutioners and continued in to this day wherein that faithful warning of a dying servant of Christ is verified But before I leave this purpose I must obviate an objection that some make use of for strengthening themselves in their incorporations joinings at least in Worship with the corruptions of the time and for condemning conscientious withdrawers That the Godly in those dayes did not separate from the men of these complyances defections as many do now to wit the protesting party did not withdraw from the publick Resolutioners Associators with Malignants I answer first many these the most Godly tender did withdraw even from their oun Ministers and would have gone 40. or 50 myles to hear a faithful Minister at that time yea Ministers themselves in the case of intrusion of the unfaithful would have supplyed the Paroch as if the Church had been vacant and when they could not get access to the pulpit they preached in the fields on purpose to witness against and professedly to withdraw the people from such an unfaithful Intruder as might be instanced particularly for time place if need were But next The Church then though broken by division and under the subjection of strangers deprived of her General Assemblies yet was in a constitut Case enjoying the priviledge power order of Synods Presbyteries to whom the people offended with their Ministers might address themselves for an orderly redress and removal of these Scandals in an ordinary way and so they needed not assume to themselves that power to regulate their communion that in a broken State as now is must be allowed to them And besides both the Ministers at that time who were faithful though they might have proceeded to censure silence the corrupt party as they were obliged yet not only found it difficult by reason of the injury of the times but also thought it best to spare them And the people to bear them as burdens untill as they were still in hopes they should obtain a General Assembly to take order with them but now it is not so And then the defection was but begining and people did not know and could not expect it would go such a length and therefore could not fall upon the rigor of that duty which such disorders call for at first but if they had seen where these beginings would Land them at length I doubt not but they would have resisted those beginings in such a way as would have precluded this imputation of novelty upon our necessitated with drawings III. We have in this Period not only an Illustrious Testimony for the Principle but a continued and unintermitted putting into practice the duty of defensive Armes in resisting the Soverain power malversing abusing Authority to the destruction of the ends of it which resistence was avowed encouraged furthered by the General Assembly both for the defence of themselves and for the help of their Brethren in England Take one expression in their Solemn seasonable Warning to all ranks Feb. 12. 1645. Sess 18. Unless men will blot out of their hearts the love of Religion cause of God and cast off all care of their Country Lawes Liberties c. all being in visible danger of present ruine destruction they must now or never appear actively each one stretching himself to yea beyond his power It is no time to dally or to go about the business by halfs nor be almost but altogether zealous Cursed is he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently If we have been forward to assist our Neighbour Kingdoms shall we neglect to defend our oun Or shall the Enemies of God be more active against His cause than His people for it God forbid In another seasonable necessary warning Iuly 27. 1649. Sess. 27. They say But if his Maj. or any having or pretending power commission from him shall invade this Kingdom upon pretext of establishing him in the exercise of his royal power as it will be an high provocation against God to be accessory or assisting there to so it will be a necessary duty to resist oppose the same These Fathers could well distinguish between Authority and the person abusing it And were not so Loyal as now their degenerate Children are ambitious to shew themselves stupidly stouping to the shaddow thereof and yet will be called the only Asserters of Presbyterian principles But we find they put it among the Characters of Malignants to confound the Kings honour Authority with the abuse pretence thereof and with Commissions warrants Letters procured from the King by the Enemies of the cause Covenant as if we could not oppose the Latter without increaching upon the former But here an Objection or two must be removed out of the way before we go forward One is from the Third Atticle of the Covinant where there seems to be a great deal of Loyaltie obliging to defend the Kings Maj. his person Authority in the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witness with our consciences of our Loyaltie And that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power greatness I Ans. There is indeed a deal of Loyaltie there and true Loyaltie because Lawfully limited being qualified with subordinate unto the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdom as the makers of the Covenant do expound it in the Assembles declaration against the unlawful Eugagment Iuly ult 1648. Sess. 21. not that Reverse Loyaltie which makes duties to God conditional limited and duties to thee King absolute unlimited as our Loyalists do now And I wish others were free of it who have sworn Oaths of unlimited Alledgiances to maintain the King in any power unto which his force aspires and to justify this their Loyaltie will bring in this Article of the Covenant with a distorted sense reading it backward that we in the preservation defence of Religion must preserve defend the King As if Religion obliged to defend him do what he will. It were better such pretended Covenanters denyed the Covenant than to be such a reproach to it in wresting its genuine sense But I have adduced the sense of the best Interpreters of it the General Assembly Next when they entered under the bond of this Covenant they did it with a purpose to oppose all his invasions upon Religion the Liberty of the people and to
vindicate these precious Interests from his usurpings into a state of Liberty And shall we imagine that that very Oath of God did lay upon them or us an obligation to defend the person who is a destroyer of all these contrary to the very nature of the Oath contrare to the scope of the Covenanters and contrary to their subsequent practise But then it will be urged why then was that clause cast into the Covenant I answer we have not the same cause to keep it as they had some cause to put it in with accommodation to the present possessor of the Soveraignity The ouning of it in our circumstances would be as great a reproach to us as the want of it was to them in theirs They put in the words to prevent the worlds mistake and to remove that odium industriously heaped upon the heads of those whose hearts were associate in the defence of Religion Liberty therefore they would profess they would not be disloyal while he was for God. And a defiance may be given to clamour calumnie it self to give one instance of the defect of performance hereof while he went not about to ruine those things incomparably more precious then his person or Authority and in ruining whereof no person can retain Authority IV. But now two things will chiefly be desiderated which now we oune in our Testimony for which many have dyed that seem not to be confirmed by or consistent with the Testimony of this Period One is that we not only maintain defensive resistance but in some cases vindictive punitive force to be executed upon men that are bloody beasts of prey and burdens to the earth in cases of necessity when there is no living for them This principle of Reason natural Justice was not much inquired into in this time when the sun was up whose warmth light made these beasts creep into their dens and when they being brought under subjection could not force people into such extraordinary violent courses when the ordinary orderly course of Law was running in its right Channel Yet from the ground of their ordinary Procedure Military Civil against such Monsters we may gather the lawfullness of an ordinary Procedure in a pinch of necessity conforme to their grounds I hope to make this evident when I come ex proposito to vincicate this head But there is another thing that we onne which seems not to have been known in these dayes viz. That when we are required to oune the Authority of the present Dominator we hold sinful to oune it Yet we find these Reverend renouned Fathers ouned King Charles I. and did not refuse the succession of Charles II. I shall answer in order First as to King Charles the first there was a great difference betuixt him and his sons that succeeded he never declared Parliamentarely that neither Promises Contracts nor Oaths should bind him as the first of his perfidious sons did It might have been then presumed if he had engaged so far for promoving the Work of God he would have been a man of his word for to say a King of his word is antiquitate in a good sense except that it means he is as absolute in his word as in his sword and scorns to be a slave to it Neither professed he himself a Papist as the second Son hath done Again it must be granted that more might have been comported with in the begining when there were some hopes of redress than after such process of time whereby now we see feel beyond all debate that the Throne stands and is stated not only in opposition to but upon the ruines of the Rights Priviledges both of Religion Liberty But was not the equivalent done by the Church anno 1648. when they refused to concur with that unlawful Engagment for restoring of the King till security be had by Solem Oath under his hand Seal that he shall for himself Successors give his assent to all Acts Bills for enjoining Presbyterial Government and never make opposition to it nor endeavour any change thereof Iulij ult 1648. Sess 21. But it will be said that in their renewing the Covenant that year they did not leave out that Article True thereby they stopped the mouths of their Adversaries And then they were not without hopes but that in his straits he might have proved a Manasseh taken among the thornes And the Covenanters at that time not being clear that he had done that which ipso jure made him no Magistrate chused rather while matters stood so to ingage to maintain him than simply to disoune him which yet our forefathers did upon smaller grounds many times in the hopes of being prevailed with at last But when they saw that this proved ineffectual therefore at the Coronation of the new King they made the Covenanted Interest the sole Basis upon which alone Authority was conferred upon him For the second though they did not refuse the succession of Charles the Second which vvas their blame and our bane of vvhich vve may blush this day yet vve find many things in that Transaction vvhich justifie our disouning of him and condemn the ouning of the present Possessor 1. In that seasonable necessary warning Iulij 27. Sess. 27. vvhereas many vvould have admitted his Maj. to the exercise of his Royal povver upon any termes vvhatsoever The Assembly declares first That a boundless illimited povver is to be acknovvledged in no King nor Magistrate neither is our King to be admitted to the exercise of his povver as long as he refuses to vvalk in the administration of the same according to this rule Secondly that there is a mutual stipulation obligation betvveen the King the people as both of them are tyed to God so each of them are tyed to one another for the performance of mutual reciprocal duties accordingly Kings are to take the Oath of Coronation to abolish Popery maintain the Protestant Religion As long therefore as the King refuses to engage oblige himself for security of Religion safety of his people it is consonant to Scripture Reason and Lavves of the Kingdom that he should be refused Thirdly in the League Covenant the duty of defending preserving the King is subordinate to the duty of preserving Religion Liberty And therefore he standing in opposition to the publick desires of the people for their security it vvere a manifest breach of Covenant and a preferring the Kings Interest to the Interest of Jesus Christ to bring him to the exercise of his povver Fourthly That it vvas for restraint of Arbitrary Government and for their Just defence against Tyranny that the Lords people did join in Covenant and have been at the expence of so much blood these years past And if he should be admitted to the Government before satisfaction it vvere to put in his hand that Arbitrary Povver and so to abandon their
supposing also they might be pardoned for that which is done from whose guiltiness the Land cannot be cleansed but by executing Gods righteous Judgements upon them yet they cannot now be believed after they have violated all that humane wisdom could devise to bind them Upon these accounts they reject that King and those associate with him in the Government and declare them henceforth no lawful Rulers as they had declared them to be no lawful Subjects they having destroyed the established Religion overturned the fundamental Lawes of the Kingdom taken away Christs Church-Government and changed the Civil into Tyrannie where none are associate in partaking of the Government but only these who will be found by Justice guilty of Criminals And declare they shall God giving power set up Government Governours according to the Word of God and the qualifications required Exod. 18. vers 20. And shall not commit the Government to any single person or lineal succession being not tyed as the Jewes were to one single family and that kind being lyable to most inconveniences aptest to degenerate into Tyrannie And moreover that these men set over them shall be engaged to Govern Principally by that Civil Judicial Law not that which is any way Typical given by God to His people of Israel as the best so far as it goes being given by God especially in matters of life death and other things so far as they reach and are consistent with Christian Liberty exempting Divorces Polygamie 6. Seeing the greatest part of Ministers not only were defective in Preaching against the Acts of the Rulers for overthrowing Religion but hindered others also who were willing and censured some that did it and have voted for acceptation of that Liberty founded upon given by virtue of that blaspemously arrogate Usurped power and appeared before their Courts to accept of it and to be enacted authorized their Ministers whereby they have become the Ministers of men and bound to be answerable to them as they will And have preached for the lawfulness of paying that Tribute declared to be imposed for the bearing doun of the true Worship of God And advised poor Prisoners to subscribe that Bond which if it were universally subscribed they should close that door which the Lord hath made use of in all the Churches of Europe for casting off the yoke of the whore and stop all regress of men when once brought under Tyrannie to recover their Libertie again They declare they neither can nor will hear them c. nor any who encouraged strengthened their hands and pleaded for them and trafficqued for union with them 7. That they are for a standing Gospel Ministrie rightly chosen rightly ordained that none shall take upon them the Preaching of the Word c. unless called ordained thereunto And whereas Separation might be imputed to them they refell both the malice and the ignorance of that Calumnie for if there be a Separation it must be where the change is and that was not to be found in them who were not separating from the Communion of the true Church nor setting up a New Ministrie but cleaving to the same Ministers Ordinances that formerly they followed when others have fled to new wayes and a new Authority which is like the old piece in the new Garment 8. That they shall defend themselves in their Civil Natural Divine Rights Liberties And if any assault them they shall look on it as a declaring a war and take all advantages that one enemie does of another but trouble and injure none but those that injure them This is the Compend of that Paper which the Enemies seised and published while it was only in a rude draught and not polished digested nor consulted by the rest of the Community yet whether or not it was for their advantage so to blaze their oun baseness in that Paper truly represented I leave it to the Reader to judge or if they did not thereby Proclaim their oun Tyrannie and the Innocency honesty of that people whom thereby they were seeking to make odious but in effect inviting all Lovers of Religion Liberty to Sympathise with them in their difficulties distresses there discovered However that poor Partie continued together in a posture of defence without the Concurrence or Countenance of their Covenanted Brethren who staid at home and left both them to be murdered and their Testimony to be trampled upon untill the 22. of Iulij 1680. Upon the which day they were attacqued at Airsmoss by a strong party of about 120 horse well armed while they were but 23 horse and 40 foot at most and so fighting valiantly were at length routed not without their Adversaries Testimony of their being resolute men Several of Zions precious Mourners and faithful Witnesses of Christ were killed and among the rest that faithful Minister of Christ Mr Richard Cameron sealed fulfilled his Testimony with his blood And with others the valiant and much honoured Gentleman David Hackstoun of Rathillet was after many received wounds apprehended brought in to Edinburgh and there resolutely adhering to the Testimony and disouning the Authority of King Council and all their Tyrannical Judicatories was cruelly murdered but countenanced eminently of the Lord. Now remained Mr Donald Cargil deprived of his faithful Collegue destitute of his Brethrens concurrence but not of the Lords Counsel Conduct by which he was prompted helped to prosecute the Testimony against the Universal Apostasie of the Church Nation Tyranny of Enemies Backsliding of Friends and all the wrongs done to his Master on all hands And considering in the zeal of God and sense of His holy Jealousie provoked and threatening wrath against the Land for the sins especially of Rulers who had arrived to the hight of Heaven-daring Insolence in all wickedness in which they were still growing going on without control That notwithstanding of all the Testimonies given against them by publick Preachings Protestations and Declarations remonstrating their Tyranny and disouning their Authority yet not only did they still persist in their sins scandals to make the Lords fierce Anger break forth into a flame but were ouned also by Professors not only as Magistrats but as members of the Christian Protestant Church And that however both the defensive armes of men had been used against them and the Christian armes of Prayers and the Ministerial weapon of Preaching yet that of Ecclesiastical Censure had not been Authoritatively exerted against them Therefore that no Weapon which Christ allowes His Servants under His Standart to manage against His Enemies might be wanting thô he could not obtain the Concurrence of his Brethren to strengthen the solemnity formality of the Action yet he did not judge that defect in this broken Case of the Church could disable his Authority nor deâ—ur the duty but that he might and ought to proceed to Excommunication And accordingly in September
he is not nor can not be our Crouned King and therefore we must not be his Liege subjects ouning fealty obedience to him For according to the National Covenant as all Lieges are to maintain the Kings Authority consistent with the subjects Liberties which if they be innovated or prejudged such Confusion would ensue as this realme could be no more a free Monarchy So for the Preservation of true Religion Lawes Liberties of this Kingdom it is statute by the 8 Act. Parl. 1 repeated in the 99 Act. Parl. 7. ratified in the 23. Act. Parl. 11. and 114 Act. Parl. 12. of King Iames 6. and 4 Act of K. Charles 1. that all Kings Princes â— at their coronation reception of their Princely Authority shall make their faithful Promise by their solemn Oath in the presence of the Eternal God That enduring the whole time of their lives they shall serve the same Eternal God to the utter-most of their power according as He hath required in His most holy Word contained in the Old new Testaments and according to the same Word shall maintain the true Religion of Christ Jesus the preaching of His holy Word the due right Ministration of the Sacraments now received Preached within this realme according to the Confession of faith immediatly preceding and shall abolish gainstand all false religion contrary to the same And shall rule the people committed to their charge according to the will Command of God revealed in His fore-said Word and according to the Laudable Lawes Constitutions received in this realme no wayes repugnant to the said Will of the Eternal God And shal procure to the uttermost of their power to the Kirk of God whole Christian people true perfect peace in all time coming And that they shall be careful to root out of their Empire all Hereticks Enemies to the true Worship of God who shall be convicted by the true Kirk of God of the foresaid Crimes Now this Coronation Oath he hath not taken he will not he cannot take and therefore cannot be our Crouned King according to Law. As there be also many other Lawes incapacitating his admission to the Croun being a Professed Papist and no Law for it at all but one of his oun making by a Pacqued Cabal of his oun Complices a Parliament wherein himself presided as Commissioner enacting matterially his succession and rescinding all these Ancient Lawes which Act of Succession which is all the legal right he can pretend to in Scotland because it cannot be justified therefore his right cannot be ouned which is founded upon the subversion of our Ancient Lawes But as he cannot be our Legally Crouned King so he is not so much as formally Crouned And therfore before his Inauguration whatever right to be King whom the Representatives may admit to the Government he may pretend to by hereditary Succession yet he cannot formally bemade King till the people make a Compact with him upon termes for the safety of their dearest nearst Liberties even though he were not disabled by Law. He might as they say pretend to some jus ad rem but he could have no jus in re The Kings of Scotland while uncrouned can exerce no Royal Government for the Coronation in Concret according to the substance of the Act is no Ceremonie as they who make Conscience it self but a Ceremony call it nor an accidental ingredient in the Constitution of a King but as it is distinctive so it is Constitutive it distinguished Saul from all Israel and made him from no King to be a King it is dative not only Declarative it puts some honour upon him that he had not before 3. Though the Lawes should not strike against his Coronation And though the Representatives Legally should take the same measures with him that they took with his brother and admit him upon the termes of the Covenant yet after such doleful experiences of such transactions with these Sons of Belial who must not be taken with hands nor by the hand it were hard to trust or entrust them with the Government even though they should make the fairest Professions Since they whose Principle is to keep no faith to Hereticks as they call us and who will be as absolute in their promises as they are in their power have deservedly forefeited all Credit Trust with honest men so that none could rationally refer the determination of a half Croun reckoning to any of them far less oune them their Government in the Managment of the weightiest affairs of State since their Male-versations are written in such bloody Characters as he that runs may read them At least it were wisdom is our duty to take our Measures from the General Assemblies Procedure with the other Brother before his admission to the Government to suspend our Allegiance to him until Authority be Legally devolved upon him and founded upon bounded by termes giving all security for Religion Liberty 12. As I said before wary Prudence in waving such an impertinent Ticklish Question cannot be condemned since what ever he may be in conscience no man in Law can be obliged so far to surrender the common Priviledge of all Mankind to give an account of all his inward thoughts which are alwise said to be free And as in nothing they are more various so in nothing they can be more violented than to have our opinion sentiments of the current Government extorted from us a declining of which Declaration of thoughts where no overt Act in project or practice can be proven against it cannot be Treason in any Law in the world So a Cautelous Answer in such a ticklish entrapping imposition cannot be censured in point of Lawfullnesse of expediency even though much be concedded to stop the Mouths of these bloody Butchers gaping greedily after the blood of the Answerer if he do not really oune but give them to understand he cannot approve of this Tyranny But as these poor faithful Witnesses who were helped to be most free have alwise been honoured with the most signal Countenance of the Lord in a happy issue of their Testimony So those that used their Prudentials most in seeking shifts to shâ—n severity and studying to satisfie these Inquisitors with their stretched Concessions were ordinarly more exposed to snares and found less satisfaction in their Sufferings even though they could say much to justify or at least extenuate their Shiftings I knew one who had proof of this who afterwards was ashamed of this kind of Prudence A short account of whose managing of Answers to this Question because it may conduce somewhat to the explication of it may here be hinted The question moved after the usual forme was Do ye onne the Authority of King Iames the 7 In answer to which he pleaded first for the immunity of his thoughts which he said were not subject to theirs or any Tribunal When this could
Government none of the Community having any legal Claim to Soveraignity more than the rest When therfore they were forced to conclude upon Association for their Mutual Preservation they must be thought to act rationally and not to make their condition worse but rather better by that conclusion and if they found it worse to resume their radical Right which they had conferred upon men subject to Law not to Tyrannize over them And in this case certainly they had the power of choosing what Kind of Government suited most to their advantage and would best preserve their Liberties and how far this should be extended and who should be assumed into this Combination still with a reservation of the Priviledge to their oun safety if their Associates should not do their duty And so they might also reserve to themselves a Liberty to alter the forme when they found it productive of more prejudice than advantage and never to leave their condition remedieless And to pitch upon this way of succession and not another the way of free election of every successor or of definite election limited to one line or to the nearest in line And e contra with a reserve still of their primeve Priviledges to secure themselves from the inconveniences of that determination or to change it And to make choise of such a family line and not another and whether the eldest alwise of that family or the fittest is to be chosen And however it be yet still by the peoples consent And in all this to have respect to some good great Necessary Ends which if they should be disappointed of and find these means useless or destructive to they were to be loosed from their obligation to use or to oune them See Ius populi vindicat ch 5. pag. 80. c. 2. If we consider how Nature determines the peoples Interest in the constitution of Governours whence comes it that this man and not that man this race family and not that is invested with that Title It will be found there is no Title on earth now to the Crowns to families to persons but the peoples suffrage for the Institution of Magistracy in general does not make Iames Stewart a King no more than Iohn Chamberlain Neither do qualifications make one otherwise there might be many better than is this day extant for there are many men better qualified And there is no Prophetical or immediate Callings to Kingdoms now And as for Conquest without consent and having no more for a Title it is no better than Royal Latrocinie It is certain God would not Command us to obey Kings and leave us in the Dark that we should not know him that hath a reall call to 〈◊〉 And if he have not the peoples Call where shall we find another It remains therefore they must have it from the people who have it to give Radically virtually having a power to preserve themselves and to put it in the hands of one or more Rulers that they may preserve themselves by them All men are born alike as to Civil power no man being born with a Croun on his head and yet men united in Society may give it to this man not to that man therefore they must have it virtually for they can not give what they have not And as Cities have power to choose their Magistrats so many Cities have power to creat an Universal Ruler over them all The people also have power to Limit the Magistrats power with conditions so that the present Ruler shall not have so much prerogative as his predecessor as Royalists cannot deny therefore they must have given that power which they can Limit See Lex Rex Quest. 4. pag. 10. c. Secondly the Scripture also gives Light in this particular 1. In giving directions Rules about their Orderly calling their Governours Impowering them to take wise men understanding known among their tribes to be made Rulers Dâ—ut 1. 13. To make Judges Officers in all their gates Deut. 16. 18. To set one among their brethren King over them and not a stranger Deut. 17. 15. To what purpose are these Rules given them if they had no interest to choose their Magistrats Would God command them to set a King over them if they had not power to do it And to set such a man over them and not such an one if they had no influence in making one at all And accordingly that wise Statist sayes very well 2 Sam. 16. 18. Hushai to Aâ—salem Nay but whom the Lard this people and all the men of Israel choose his will I be and with him will I abide Which will also hold in the Negative whom the Lord the people and all the men of the Kingdom do not choose his we will not be nor with him will we abide 2. The Scripture expressly attributeth the making of Kings to the people All the people of Iuda took Azariah and made him King instead of his Father Amaziah whom they had executed 2 King. 14. 21. They came with a perfect heart to make David King in Hebron 1 Chron. 12. 38. So they made Ioash King 2 Chron. 23. 11. 3. Even these that were particularly designed of God chosen to be Rulers yet were not formally invested with power before the people conferred it upon them Gideon was called of God to it but was not Judge till the people said Rule thow over us both thow thy Son giving him an hereditary right for his Children Iudg. 8. 12. Saal was appointed to be King and therefore Samuel honoured him because he was marked out of God to be King 1 Sam. 9. 24. and anointed him with oyl 1 Sam. 10. 1. after which he was gifted qualified for Government God gave him another heart vers 9. yet all this did not make him King till the people met for his inauguration vers 17. c. and Crowned him made him King in Gilgal 1 Sam. 11. ult David was anointed by Samuel and yet was a persecuted fugitive for several years and never acknowledged formally King till the men of Iudah came anointed him 2 Sam. 2. 4. for if he had been King before then there were two Kings in Israel at one time and David failed of his Royal duty in not punishing the Murderer Saul whereas himself sayes he would not touch the Lords 〈◊〉 Therefore the people made all these Kings and that by choise consent without which they were no Kings Hence I argue If the consent choise of the people be so essentially necessary to the making of Kings then they who set up themselves against the consent of the body of the Land and without the choise of any must be Usurpers not to be acknowledged for Lawful Kings But the former is true as is proven above Ergo Now Plain it is that this Duke set up himself against the consent of the body being excluded from the Government by the Representatives of
was invocated as a Witness Iudg. 11. 6 8 9 10 11. So all the Elders of Israel came to make David King and King David made a League with them in Hebron before the Lord and then they anointed him over Israel 2 Sam. 5. 3. he made there a Covenant with them before the Lord 1 Chron. 11 3. He was no King before this Covenant and so it was a Pactional Oath between him the Kingdom upon termes according to the Law Deut. 17. he was only a King in fieri one who was to be King but now actually inaugurate a Covenanted King upon termes that satisfied them It s true they came to recognosce his Right from the Lord But so did they recognosce Rehoboams Right and came to Shechem to make him King 1 King. 12. 1. and yet when he would not enter in Covenant terms with them to satisfie their just demands the people answered the King saying what portion have we in David neither have we inheritance in the Son of Iesse to your tents O Israel vers 16. They refused to acknowledge such an Usurper and we find no Prophets ever condemning them for it So when Iehoash or Ioash was Crowned Iehojada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King the people that they should be the Lords people between the King also and the people 2 King. 11. 17. 2 Chron. 23. 11 16. From all these Reasons Scriptures It is clear there must be a Mutual Compact between the Subjects and every Soveraign they oune subjection to which if he refuse and usurp the Sword they are under an Anterior obligation to substract their Allegiance and to make use of their Sword if they be in capacity to pull it out of his hands and use it against him And of this we are put in mind by the Motto of our old Coronation pieces which have these Words about the Sword. pro me si mereor in me that is for me but if I deserve against me And surely to him that hath it now in his hands it may be said tu meruisti adhuc meres We see then the Allegiance that this Usurper alledges is his due wants a bottom to wit a compact with the people Whence I argue If there must of necessity be a compact between the King the people when he is advanced to the Government then he that advances himself without against this compact is an Usurper not to be ouned But the former is true Ergo he that advances himself without against this compact is an Usurper not to be ouned And who more Notoriously deserving such a signature than Iames the 7 2 who hath made horns of his oun strength or the Popes Biills to push his Brother out and himself in to the Throne upon no termes at all or any security for Religion Liberty One Objection is to be removed here Can the Customs of the Iewes be binding to all Nations The Kings of Iudah made such Covenants shall therefore all Kings do so Ans. why not this Custom as well as Crowing which they used likewise These Rules are not Typical or Cermonial nor only so Iudicial as to be peculiarly Iudaical but are matters of moral equity bearing a standing reason founded upon that Law Deut. 17. 15. c. Limiting the Prince to stand to conditions If we cast at Divine Laws for Rules of Government where wil we find better Laws It is recorded of the first of the British Kings who was Christian that writing to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome before Antichrist took that seat for the Roman Laws he received this Answer By Divine Clemency ye have received the Law faith of Christ yow have the Old New Testaments out of them in Gods Name by Counsel of your State take Laws Govern your Kingdom And of another that he began his Laws thus God speake all these words c. And so repeated the Laws of God. The Second thing I undertook to prove is that Assertion of Buchanan ubi supra de Iure Regni Qui prior a Conventis recidit c. There being a paction between the King Subjects he who first recedes from what is Covenanted and doth Counteract what he hath Covenanted he looses the contract and the bond being loosed which did hold fast the King with the people whatever right did belong to him by virtue of that compact he looses it and the people are as free as before the stipulation Which is also asserted by the Author of Ius populi ch 6. pag. 112. It is no less clear that when the Soveraign doth not performe the principal main most necessary conditions condescended aggreed upon de jure he falleth from his Soveraignity and pag. 117. when the Prince doth violate his compact as to all its conditions or as to its chief main most necessary condition the subjects are de jure free from subjection to him and at Liberty to make choise of another This is so clear that it needs no labour to prove it that upon this head we were loosed from all Allegiance ro the former Tyrant who was admitted upon terms of an explicite Covenant the conditions whereof he did as explicitely break There are two cases wherein Subjects are loosed from Covenanted Allegiance to their Princes 1. When the Prince remitts the obligation of the Subjects and refuses Allegiance upon that basis then he can no more demand it by virtue of that compact He that remitts will not have that Allegiance that the Subjects Covenanted upon such such conditions to him these Subjects should not give it that they so Covenanted for they should not prostitute it to a Refuser Remitter But Charles the Second remitted and would not have that Allegiance which we Covenanted upon such such conditions viz. upon the terms of the Covenant which he cassed annulled and made Criminal to oune Ergo to him we should not have given it which we so Covenanted 2. When the Prince did enter into a Mutual Covenant with the people upon Mutual conditions and does not only cease to performe the conditions but simply denies all obligation to do it and makes it a quarrel to insinuate so much yea persecutes all who dare assert the obligation of that Covenant and yet demands Allegiance not upon the obligation of that Covenant which he hath remitted but absolutely upon the grounds of his prerogative In this case it will be evident also the subjects are not bound either to oune their formerly Covenanted Allegiance to him Or that which he demands on other grounds Grotius de Iure belli is clear as to this Lib. 1. Cap. 4. Num. 12. Si ex Clausula posita in ipsa delatione Imperii ut si Rex hoc aut hoc faciet subditi omni obedientiae vinculo solvuntur tunc quoque Rex in privatam personam recidit If there be such a Clause or condition in the very devolution of the Government upon a Prince as
must be ouned to be a Father Tutor Protector Shepherd Patron of the people But a mere conquerour without consent cannot be ouned as such Can he be a Father Patron to us against our will by the sole power of the sword a Father to these that are unwilling to be Sons an head over such as will not be members and a defender through violence 4. A King as such is a special gift of God and blessing not a judgement But a conquerour as such is not a blessing but a judgement his native end being not Peace but fire sword 5. That which hath nothing of a King in it can not be ouned to make a King But conquest hath nothing of a King in it for it hath nothing but violence force nothing out what the bloodyest villain that was never a King may have nothing of Gods approving regulating Will nothing of Institution or constitution and a plain repugnancy to the Ordination of God for God hath said thow shalt not kill conquest sayes I will kill and Prosper reign 6. A Lawful Call to a Lawful Office may not be resisted But a Call to conquest which is nothing but ambition or revenge ought to be resisted because not of Gods preceptive will otherwise He should be the Author of sin 7. That power which we must oune to be the Ordinance oâ— God must not be resisted Rom. 13. 2. But conquest may be resisted in defence of our King Country Therefore it must no be ouned to be the Ordinance of God. 8. That which God condemns in His Word cannot be ouned But Dominion by the sword God condemns in His Word Ezek. 33. 26. ye stand upon your sword and shall possess the Land Amos 6. 13. ye rejoice in a thing of naught which say have we not taken horns to us by our oun strength Habhak 2. 5 6 Wo to him that encreaseth that which is not his how long c. 9. We have many examples of invading Conquerours as Abraham for the rescue of Lot pursued the Conquering Kings unto Dan. Gen. 14. 14. Ionathan smote a Garison of the Conqueering Philistims 1 Sam. 13. 3. The Lord ouning authorizing them so to do The people did often shake off the yoke of their Conquerours in the history of the Judges But this they might not do to their Lawful Rulers What is objected from the Lords people Conquering Canaan c. is no Argument for conquest for He to whom belongs the earth and its fullness disponed to Israel the Land of Canaan for their Inheritance and ordained that they should get the possession thereof by conquest It followeth not therefore that Kings now wanting any word of promise or divine Grant to any Lands may ascend to the Thrones of other Kingdoms than their oun by no better title than the bloody sword See Lex Rex Quest 12. The Third pretence of Hereditary Succession remaines to be removed which may be thus disproven 1. This clashes with the former though commonly asserted by Royalists For either Conquest gives a right or it does not If it does then it looses all allegiance to the heirs of the Crown dispossessed thereby If it does not give a right then no Hereditary Succession founded upon conquest can have any right being founded upon that which hath no right And this will shake the most part of Hereditary Successions that are now in the world 2. If Hereditary Succession have no right but the peoples consent then of it self it can give none to a man that hath not that consent But the former is true For it is demanded how doth the Son or Brother succeed by what right It must either be by divine promise Or by the Fathers will Or it must come by propogation from the first Ruler by a right of the Primogeniture But none of these can be For the first we have no immediate Divine Constitution tying the Crown to such a race as in Davids Covenant It will be easily granted they fetched not their Charter from Heaven immediatly as David had it a man of many peculiar prerogatives to whose line the promise was astricted of the Coming of Messias and Iacobs Prophesie that the Scepter should not depart from Iudah until His coming Gen. 49. 10. was restricted to his family afterwards Wherefore he could say The Lord God of Israel chose me befor all the house of my father to be King over Israel for ever for He hath chosen Iudah to be the Ruler and of the house of Iudah the house of my father and among the sons of my father He liked me to make me King over Israel and of all my Sons He hath chosen Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 4. 5. All Kings cannot say this neither could Saul say it though immediatly called of God as well as David yet this same Promise to David was Conditional if His Children should keep the Lords wayes 2 Chron. 6. 16. Next it cannot be said this comes from the will of the father for according to the Scripture no King can make a King though a King may appoint design his son for succession as David did Solomon but the people make him The father is some way a Cause why his son succeedeth but he is not the Cause of the Royaltie conferred upon him by line for the question will recur who made him a King and his father grand father till we come up to the first father Then who made him a King not himself therefore it must be refounded upon the peoples choise constitution And who appointed the lineal succession and tyed the Crown to the line but they It is then at the best the Patrimony of the people by the fundamental Law of the Kingdom conferred upon the successor by consent And generally it is granted even where the succession is lineal he that comes to inherit Doth it not jure hereditario but vi legis he does not succeed by heritage but by the force of Law the Son then hath not his Kingdom from his father but by Law which the people made stand to as long as it may consist with the reasons of publick advantage upon which they condiscended to establish such a family over them Neither can it be said It is by a right of Primogeniture propogated from the first Ruler for this must either be Adam the first of the world or Fergus v. G. the first of this Kingdom It could not come from Adam as a Monarch father of all For that behoved to be either by order of Nature or his volunâ—ary assignment It could not be transferred by order of Nature for besides the difficulty to find out Adams successor in the universal Monarchy and the absurdity of fixing it on Cain who was a Cursed vagabond afraied of every man and could not be an universal Monarch yet Adams first born It will be asked how this passed from him unto others whether it went by father-hood to all the Sons fathers to
their Posterity which would multiply as many Common wealths as there have been fathers since Or if it went by Primogeniture only to the first born that he alone could claim the power which would infer the necessity of an universal Monarchy without multiplication of Common-wealths If it was by his voluntary assignment to whom in what proportion he pleased then the universal Monarchy died with himself and so could not be conveyed at all for either he behoved to give each son a share to be conveyed dounwards to their children in that proportion or whole solide to one So also the former dilemma recurs for if the first be said it will make as many litle Kingdoms as there have been sons of Adam if the second the world should be but still one Kingdom But however it be this could never be the way that God appointed either for raising a Magistratical power where it is wanting or deriving a right to any in being Considering the multiplication division confusion Extinction of families that have been If it be from Fergus the first of this line then either it comes from him as a King or as a Father not the first for the reason above hinted nor as a father for a father may defraud his son of the heritage a King cannot deprive his son of the Crown a father may divide his heritage a King cannot divide the Kingdom among his sons It must then be at length refounded on the peoples Consent 3. If even where lineal succession is Constituted by Law for eviting the inconveniences of frequent elections people are not tied to admit every first born of that line then that birth righr where there is no more cannot make a King But the former is true for they are tied only conditionally so he be qualified and have a head to sit at the helme and not a fool or monster neither are they free to admit Murderers or Idolaters by the Laws of God and of the Land It is not birth then but their admission being so qualified that makes Kings Hence 4. That which takes away the peoples birth-right given them of God to provide for their liberties in the fitest Government that is not to be ouned But to make birth alone a tile to the Crown takes away the peoples birth-right given them of God of providing for their liberties in the fitest Government and fetters their choise to one destructive to these Certainly where God hath not bound the conscience men may not bind themselves nor their posterity But God hath never fettered men to a choise of a Government or Governing line which contrary to the intention of the Oath may prove destructive to the ends thereof Nor can the fathers leave in legacy by Oath any chains to fetter the after wits of posterity to a choise destructive to Religion liberty Israel was bound by Covenant not to destroy the Gibeonites but if they had risen to cut off Isael who can doubt but they were loosed from that obligation for to preserve Cut-throats was contrary to the intention of the Oath so when either Monarchy or the succeeding Monarch proves destructive to the ends of Government the Choice Law or Oath of our fathers cannot bind us 5. If we are tied to the hereditary succession not for the right the successor hath by birth but for our Covenanted allegiance to them whose successor he is then cannot his birth-right be the ground of our Allegiance And consequently hereditary succession cannot make a King But the former is true for in hereditary Crowns the first family being chosen by the suffrages of the people for that Cause the hereditary Prince comes to the Throne becanse his first father and in him the whole line was chosen The hereditary successor hath no priviledge or prerogative but from him who was chosen King. Therefore the obligation to the son being no greater than the obligation to the father which is the ground of that if the father then was ouned only because he was chosen qualified for Government the Son cannot be ouned for any other Cause but as chosen in him and also qualified and admitted with Consent We cannot choose the father as qualified and tye our selves to the Successors be what they will. 6. If a King be not born heir of a Kingdom then is he not King by birth But he is not born heir of a Kindom for a mean cannot be born to inherit the end the King is but a mean for the Kingdoms preservation If the Kingdom be his by birth as an inheritance why may he not upon necessary occasions sell his inheritance but if he sell it then all confess he is no more King. 7. If that which makes a King cannot be transmitted from father to son then succession by birth cannot make a King But the former is true The Royal faculty of Governing cannot be transmitted Solomon asked it from God he had it not from his father nor can he be born to the honour of a King because not born with either the gift or honour to be a Iudge God maketh high low not birth Nor can the Call Constitution of a King according to the will of God be transferred from father to son for that cannot be in Gods way without the intervening Consent of the people that cannot make him a born King. 8. If no Dominion can come by Nature as is proven before then can no man be a born King Nature birth cannot give them a Scepter in their hand nor Kingly Majestie they must have that alone from God the people and may only expect honour from their oun good Government Kings as Plutarch sayes must be like dogs that are best hunters not these who are born of best dogs 9. The peculiar Prerogative of Iesus Christ must not be ascribed to any other But this is His peculiar Prerogative to be a born King of whom it might be truely faid Where is He that is born King of the Iewes And for this end was He born who came out of the womb with a Crown on His Head which no Creature can bear 10. In Scripture we find that a King was to be so so qualified not a stranger but a reader of Gods Word c. Deut. 17. 15. c. he was not qualified by naked birth Hence if all the qualifications requisite in an heir cannot make a King qualified according to the Institution of God then his being heir cannot make him King But the first is true an heir may be an heir without these qualifications 11. We find in the Scripture the people were to make the Kings by that Law Deut. 17. thow shalt choose him whom the Lord chooseth yea neither Saul nor David were Kings till the people met to make them Therefore birth never made them Kings even though the Kingdom was tied to Davids line That was only a Typical designment by special Promise because Christ was to come of that line it was
therefore established in Davids family for Typical reasons that cannot be now alledged 12. We find in the disposal of Government among brethren this birth-order was not seldom inverted as when Iacoh was preferred before Esaw Iudah before all the elder sons of Iacob Ephraim before Manasseh Solomon before Adonijah Hence if this Gentleman now regnant have no better pretences than these now confuted we cannot recognosce his right to reign yea though this last were valid yet he cannot plead it it being expressly provided in our Laws against the succession of a Papist But there is one Grand Objection against all this The Jewes and other Nations are commanded to bring their necks under the yoke of the King of Babilon and to serve him and yet he had no other right to these Kingdom then the Lords Providential disposal because the Lord had given all these Lands into his hand Ier. 27. 6 7 12. Ans. 1. He was indeed an unjust Usurper and had no right but the Lord providential gifâ— which sometimes makes the tabernacles of Robbers prosper into whose hand God bringeth abundantly Iob. 12. 6. and gives Iacoh sometimes for a spoil and Israel to the Robbers Isai. 42. 24. and giveth power to the Beast to continue forty two Moneths and to have power over all kindreds tongues Nations Revel 13. 5 7. His Tyranny also was very great extensively in respect of his oppressions usurpations by Conquest but it was not so great intensively as our Robbers Spoilers may be charged with he was never such a Perverter of all the ends of Government nor a treachrous overturner of all Conditions he was never a Persecuter of the Iewish Religion he never oppressed them upon that account nor endeavoured its extirpation he never enacted such mischiefs by Law. The Lord only made use of him to bring about the holy ends of the Glory of His Justice Wisdom in which respect alone he is called His Servant as else where His â—od hammer having given him a charge against an Hypocritical Nation to trample them doun in His holy Providence and accordingly there was no resistence could prevail they must be trampled upon no help for it but no subjection was required acknowledging his Magistratical right by divine Ordinance but only a submissive stooping to the holy disposal of divine Providence no ouning was exacted either of the equity of that power or of fealtie to the administrator 2. This behoved to be a particular Command by Positive Revelation given at that time not binding to others in the like Condition which I refer to the judgment of the objectors put the case and make it run paralel If the King of England were in league with the King of France and breaking that league should provoke that aspiring Prince growing potent by many Conquests to discover his designs make preparations and give out threatenings for the Conquest of England all Brittain were the people of England bound to surrender themselves as Servants tributaries to him for 70 years or for ever under pain of destruction if they should not This were one of the most ridiculous inferences that ever was pleaded nay it would make all refusal of subjection to invaders unlawful 3. I will draw an Argument from this to confirm my Plea for these Commands of subjection to Babilon were not delivered until after the King of Iudah had surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and entered into Covenant with him to be subject to him 2. King. 24. chap. in keeping which Covenant the Kingdom might have stood and after he had Rebelled against him and broken that Covenant when lo he had given his hand after which he could not prosper or escape or be delivered Ezek. 17. 14 15 18 2 Chron. 36. 13. Then the Commandment came that they should disoune their oune King Zedekiah now forefeiting his right by breach of Covenant and be subject to Nebuchadnezzar Whence I argue If people are commanded to disoune their Covenant-breaking Rulers and subject themselves to Conquerours then I have all I plead for But the former is true by the truth of this objection Ergo also the Latter There is a 2 Obj. from Rom. 13. 1. let every soul be subject to the higher powers the powers that be are ordained of God yet the Roman Emperour to which they were to be subject was an usurper Ans. 1. It cannot be proven that the Apostle intendeth here the Roman Emperour as the higher power There were at this time several Competitions for the Empire about which Christians might have their oun scruples whom to oune the Apostle does not determine their litigations nor interest himself in parties but gives the General Standart of Gods Ordinance they had to go by And the best Expositors of the place do alleâ—ge the question doubt of Christians then was not so much in whom the Supremacy was as whether Christians were at all bound to obey Civil power especially Pagan which the Apostle resolves in giving general directions to Christians to obey the ordinance of Magistracy conforme to its original and as it respects the end for which he had would set it up but no respect is there had to Tyrants 2. It cannot be proven that the Supreme power then in being was usurpative there being then a Supreme Senate which was a Lawful power nor that Nero was then an usurper who came in by choise consent and with the good liking of the people 3. The Text means of Lawful powers not unlawful force that are ordained of God by His Preceptive will not meerly by His Providential disposal and of consciencious subjection to Magistracy not to Tyranny describing characterizing the powers there by such qualifications as Tyrants Usurpers are not capable of But I mind to improve this Text more fully hereafter to prove the quite contrary to what is here objected 8. From the Right of Magistracy flowes the Magistratical Relation which is necessary to have a bottom before we can build the relative duties thereof This brings it under the fifth Commandment which is the Rule of all relative duties between Inferiours Superiours requiring honour to be given to Fathers Masters Husbands c. and to rightful Magistrates who are under such political relations as do infer the same duties and prohibiting not only the omission of these duties but also the committing of contrary sins which may be done not only by contrary acts as dishonouring rebelling against Fathers Magistrats c. but also by performing them to contrary objects as by giving the Fathers due to the Fathers opposite and the Magistrats due to Tyrants who are their opposites Certainly this Command prescribing honour doth regulate to whom it should be given And must be understood in a consistency with that duty and Character of one that hath a mind to be an inhabitant of the Lords holy Hill Psal. 15. 4. in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear
yet in the case of Tyranny and violating his Trust there is a Tribunal virtual eminently above him in them that made him reposed that Trust upon him as is said 3. The fountain power is superior to the power derived The people though they constitute a King above them yet retain the fountain power he only hath the derived power Certainly the people must retain more power eminently than they could give to the King for they gave it and he receives it with limitations if he turn mad or uncapable they may put Curators Tutors over him if he be taken captive they may appoint another to exercise the power if he die then they may constitute another with more or less power So then if they give a way all their power as a slave selleth his Liberty and retain no fountain power or radical right they could not make use of it to produce any of these acts They set a King above them only with an executive power for their good but the radical power remains in the people as in an immortal spring which they communicate by succession to this or that Mortal man in the manner measure they think expedient for otherwise if they gave all their power away what shall they reserve to make a new King if this man die What if the Royal line surcease there be no Prophets now sent to make Kings And if they have power in these cases why not in the case of Tyranny 4. If the King be accountable by Law for any act of Tyranny done against one man then much more is he accountable for many against the whole state But the former is true a private man may go to Law before the ordinary Judges for wronging his inheritance and the King is made accountable for the wrong done by him Now shall the Laws be like Spiders webs which hold flies but let bigger beasts pass through Shall Sentence be past for petty wrongs against a man and none for Tyrannizing over Religion Laws Liberties of the Kingdom Shall none be past against parricide or fratricide for killing his Brother Murdering the Nobles and burning Cities Shall pettie Thieves be hanged for stealing a Sheep and does the Laws of God or man give impunity for robbing a whole Country of the nearest dearest Interests they have to Crowned heads for the fancied Character of Royalty which thereby is forfeited 5. If there be Judges appointed of God independently to give out execute the Judgment of the Lord on all offenders without exception of the highest then the King also must be subject to that Judgment But there are Judges appointed of God independently to give out execute the Judgment of the Lord on all offenders without exception of the highest Two things must be here proved first that in giving Judgment they do not depend on the King but are the immediate vicars of God Secondly that the King is not excepted from but subject to their Judgment in case he be Criminal First they cannot depend upon the King because they are more necessary then the King and it is not left to the Kings pleasure whether there be Judges or not There may be Judges without a King but there can be no King without Judges nor no Justice but Confusion no man can bear the peoples burden alone Numb 11. 14 17 If they depended on the King their Power would die with the King the streams must dry up with the fountain but that cannot be for they are not Ministri regis but regni they are not Ministers of the King but of the Kingdom whose honour promotion though by the Kings external call yet comes from God as all honour promotion does Psal. 75. 7 The King cannot make Judges whom he will by his absolute Power he must be tied to that Law Deut. 1. 13. To take wise men understanding known Neither can he make them dura ite beneplacito for if these qualifications remain there is no allowance given for their removal They are Gods the Children of the Mosâ— High appointed to defend the poor fatherless as well as he Psal. 82. 3 6. They are ordained of God for the punishment of evil doers in which they must not be resisted as well as he Rom. 13. 1 2. by me saith the Lord rule ... all the Iudges of the earth Prov. 8. 16. To them we must be subject for Conscience sake as being the Ministers of God for good they must be obeyed for the Lords sake as well as the King though they are sent of him yet they Judge not for man but for the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 6. hence they sit in his room and are to act as if he were on the bench the King cannot say the Judgment is mine because it is the Lords neither can he limit their sentance as he might if they were nothing but his deputies because the Judgment is not his nor are their Consciences subordinate to him but to the Lord immediatly otherwise if they were his deputies depending on him then they could neither be admonished nor condemned for unjust Judgment because their sentence should neither be righteous nor unrighteous but as the King makes it And all directions to them were capable of this exception do not so or so except the King command yow crush not the poor oppress not the fatherless except the King command yow yea then they could not execute any Judgment but with the Kings Licence and so could not be rebuked for their not executing Judgment Now all this is contrary to Scripture which makes the sentence of the Judges undeclinable when just Deut. 17. 11. the Lords indignation is kindled when He looks for Iudgment behold oppression for righteousness behold a Cry Isai. 5. 7. neither will it excuse the Judges to say the king would have it so for even they that are subservient to write grievousness to turn aside the needy from Iudgment c. are under the wo as well as they that prescribe it Isai. 10. 1 2. The Lord is displeased when Iudgment is turned away back ward and Justice stands a far of and when there is no Iudgment what ever be the Cause of it Isai. 59. 14 15. The Lord threatens He will be avenged on the Nation when a man is not found to execute Iudgment Ier. 5. 1 9. And promises if they will execute Judgment righteousness and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor He will give them righteous Magistrats Ier. 22. 3 4. but if they do not He will send desolation ibid. He rebukes those that turn Judgment to wormwood and leave of righteousness in the earth Amos. 5. 7. He resents it when the Law is slacked and Judgment doth not go forth freely without overawing or overruling restraint Habb 1. 4. Can these Scriptures consist with the Judges dependence on the kings pleasure in the exercise execution of their Power Therefore if they would avoid the
be said then it cannot be an universal Grant or otherwise all Kings must be ordained for plagnes And if so it were better we wanted such nursing fathers 2. Though Mishphat signifies right or Law yet it signifies also and perhaps no less frequently Manner Course or Custome And here it cannot signify the Law of God for all these Acts of Tyranny are contrary to the Law of God for to make Servants of subjects is contrary to the Law of God Deut. 17. 20. forbidding to lift up himself so far above his brethren but this was to deal with them as a proud Pharaoh to take so many for Chariots horsemen is also contrary to the Law Deut. 17. 15. he shall not multiply horses to take their fields vineyards is meer Robbery contrary to the Moral Judicial Law whereof he was to have alwise a Copy vers 18. And contrary to Ezek. 46. 18. The Prince shall not take of the peoples inheritance c. This would justify Ahabs taking Naboths vineyard which yet the Lord accounted Robberie and for which Tyrants are called Companions of Thieves Isai. 1. 23. Robbers Isai. 42. 24. into whose hands the Lord somtimes may give His people for a spoyl in Judicial providence but never with His Approbation grant of right to make them cry out â—s oppression which the Lord abhors Isai. 5. 7 8. And if this be all the remedy it is none for it is such a Cry as the Lord threatens He will not hear 3. It is false that this manner of the King was registered in that Book mentioned 1 Sam. 10. 25. for that was the Law of the Kingdom accordingly the Copy of which the King was to have for his instruction containing the fundamental Laws point blank contrary to this which was the manner of the King There is a great difference between the Manner of the Kingdom what ought to be observed as Law and the Manner of the King what he would have as lust Would Samuel write in a Book the rules of Tyranny to teach to oppress contrary to the Law of God He sayes himself he would only teach both King people the good the right way Sam. 12. 23 25. 4. Nothing can be more plain than that this was a meer disswasive against seeking a King for he protests against this Course and then layes before them what sort of King he should be in a description of many acts of Tyranny and yet in end its said vers 19. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel and said Nay but we will have a King. Now what else was the voice of Samuel than a disswasion I am not here levelling this Argument against Monarchy in the abstract that does not lie in my road But I infer from hence 1. If God was displeased with this people for asking ouning a King who was only Tyrannus in fieri and disswades from the choise by a description of his future Tyranny Then Certainly He was displeased with them when they continued ouning him when a Tyrant in facto esse according to that description But the former is true Therefore also the latter The Consequence is clear for Continuing in sin is sin but continuing in ouning that Tyrant which was their sin at first was a continuing in sin Ergo The Minor is confirmed thus Continuing in counteracting the Motives of Gods disswasion especially when they are sensibly visible is a Continuing in sin But their Continuing in ouning Saul after he became a Tyrant was a Continuing in counteracting the Motives of Gods disswasion when they were sensibly visible I do not say because it was their sin to ask Soul therefore it was not Lawful to oune him while he ruled as a Magistrate And so if Charles the second had ruled righteously it would not have been sin to oune him but after the Lord uses disswasives from a choise of such a one and these are signally verified if it was sin to make the choise then it must be sin to keep it 2. If it was their sin to seek set up such a one before he was Tyrant who yet was admitted upon Covenant terms and the manner of it registered Then much more is it a sin to seek set up one after he declared himself a Tyrant and to admit him without any terms at all or for any to consent or give their suffrage to such a deed But the former is true Therefore the latter and Consequently to give our consent to the erection of the D. of Y. by ouning his Authority were our sin 3. If it be a sin to oune the manner of the King there described then it is a sin to oune the present pretended Authority which is the exact transumpt of it But it is a sin to oune the manner of the King there described or else it would never have been used as a disswasive from seeking such a King. 4. To bring our selves under such a burden which the Lord will not remove and involve our selves under such a miserie wherein the Lord will not hear us is certainly a sin vers 18. But to oune or chuse such a King whose manner is there described would bring our selves under such a burden miserie wherein the Lord would not hear us Ergo it were our sin 4. We may adde the necessary Qualifications of Magistrates which the Lord requires to be in all both Superior Inferior And thence it may be inserred that such pretended Rulers who neither have nor can have these Qualifications are not to be ouned as Magistrates no more than such are to be ouned as Ministers who have no qualifications for such a function We find their essentially necessary qualifications particularly described Iethros Counsel was Gods Counsel Command That Rulers must be able men such as fear God men of Truth hating Covetousness Exod. 18. 21. Tyrants Usurpers have none nor can have any of these qualifications except that they may have ability of force which is not here meant but that they be Morally able for the discharge of their duty Surely they cannot fear God nor be men of Truth for then they would not be Tyrants It is Gods direction that the man to be advanced assumed to Rule must be a man in whom is the Spirit Numb 27. 18. as is said of Ioshua what Spirit this was Deut. 34. 9. explains He was full of the Spirit of Wisdom that is the Spirit of Government not the Spirit of infernal or Iesuitical Policy which Tyrants may have but they cannot have the true Regal Spirit but such a Spirit as Saul had when he turned Tyrant an evil Spirit from the Lord. Moses saith they must be wise men understanding and known among the tribes Deut. 1. 13. for if they be Children or fools they are plagues punishments Isai. 3. 2 3 4. c. not Magistrates who are alwise blessings And they must be known men of intergrity not known to be
punishment inflicted be in a Judicial way and of what measures it pleases the Judge to determine I shall not controvert here Only I plead that Idolatrous Tyrants are not excepted from this Law and infer that if they ought to be punished they ought to be deposed And if they ought to be deposed they cannot be ouned when undenyably guilty of this Capital Crime as was urged above To this I may adde that part of that Prophetical Kings Testament who being about to leave the world under some Challenges of Mal-administration in his oun Government for which he took himself to the well ordered everlasting Covenant for pardon encouragment after he had shown what Rulers should be he threatens by Antithesis Tyrannicalâ—pretenders in these severe words which do also imply a precept and a direction how to deal with them 2 Sam 23. 6 7. But they of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron the staff of a spear and they shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place Let these words be understood as a threatening against all the wicked in general who ars to bequenched as the fire of thorns or particularly of the Promoters of Antichrists Kingdom in opposition to Christs as some Interpreters judge it will not weaken but confirm my Argument if Kings who are ringleaders of that gang be not excepted I know some do understand this of Rebells against righteous Rulers which though indeed it be a truth that they that are such should be so served and roughly handled with iron and the staff of a spear yet it is not so consonant to the scope connexion of this place shewing the Characters of righteous Rulers and of usurping Tyrants making an opposition between Rulers that are just ruling in the fear of God and those that are Rulers of Belial promising blessings upon the Government of the one contempt Rejection to the other and shewing how both should be carried towards Neither does it aggree with the words themselves where the supplement in our translation is redundant for it is not in the Hebrw the sons of Belial only They of Belial clearly relative to the Rulers of whom he was speaking before And indeed the word Belial in its Etymology is not more applicable to any than to Tyrants for it comes from beli non and Hhall supra because they will have none above them or from beli non and Hhol jugum because they cannot suffer a yoke but cast away the yoke of Laws and the yoke of Christ saying let us burst His bands c. Nor is it alwayes aggreeable to truth to understand it only of Rebells against righteous Rulers that they can never be taken with hands For as very rarely righteous Rulers have any Rebells to be the objects of their rigour rage So when there are any discreet wise Rulers will find many wayes to take touch them and quash or quiet them But it is alwise true of Tyrants for they can never be taken with hands neither in a friendly manner taken by the hand and transacted with in any bargain as other men for they that would do so will find them like pricking jagging bryers which a man cannot handle without hurt to himself Nor can they be any other way repressed or restrained or touched but by hands fenced with iron that is with the sword of necessity or ax of Justice And this is insinuated as duty so to endeavour to exstirpate eradicate such thorns as pester the Common-wealth but if it cannot be done it must be duty wisdom both not to medle with them nor oune them no more than Iotham who would not subject himself nor come under the shaddow of the bastard bramble I confess it is commonly taken as a threatening of the Lords Judgement against these Sons of Belial And so it is But it teacheth also what men are called to when they have to do with such to wit to take the same course with them as they would to clear the ground of thorns bryars And that it is restricted to the Lords immediate way of taking them off is not credible For it can have no tollerable sense to say they shall be thrust away because they cannot be taken with the Lords hands Neither is there need that He should be fenced with iron c. And let iron c. be taken tropically for the Lords sword of vengeance yet how can it be understood that He must be fenced there with or that He will trust them away as a man must be fenced against thorns What defence needs the Lord against Tyrants It is only then intelligible that the Lord in His righteous Judgement will make use of men legal means and of those who cannot take them with hands in His Judicial procedure against them Hence I argue If Tyrants are to be dealt with as thorns that cannot be taken with hands but to be thrust away by violence Then when we are not in case to thrust them away we must let them alone and not medle nor make with them and so must not oune them for we cannot oune them withount medling and without being pricked to our hurt But the former is true Ergo Of this same nature another threatening confuting the pretence of Princes impunity may be subjoined out of Psal. 82. 6 7. I have said ye are Gods and all of yow are Children of the most High but ye shall die like men fall as one of the Princes From which words the learned Author of the History of the Douglasses Mr David Hume of Gods craft in his discourse upon Mr Craigs Sermon upon the words doth strongly prove that the Scope is to beat off all Kings Princes Rulers from the conceit of impunity for their Tyrannical Dominations that they must not think to Domineer and do what they list and overturn the foundations or fundamental Laws of Kingdoms because they are gods as if they were thereby incontrolable and above all Law punishment no they must know that if they be guilty of the same transgressions of the Law as other Capital offenders they shall die like other men fall as Princes who have been formerly punished It is not to be restricted to a threatening of Mortality for that is unavoidable whether they Judge justly or unjustly and the fear thereof usually hath litle efficacy to deter men from Crimes punishable by Law Neither can it be understood only of the Lords immediate hand taking them away exclusive of mens legal punishment for expresly they are threatened to die like Common men and to be lyable to the like punishment with them Now common men are not only lyabl to the Lords immediate Judgement but also to mens punishment Hence if Tyrants and overturners of the foundations of the earth must be punished as other men then when
according to the sworn Covenant yow say nothing to the point in hand that sure is not your meaning 3 whoever promises so much of peaceable living under his Maj. Authority leaveing out the exposition of the 5. Command may upon the very same ground subscribe the bond refused by the Godly and so yow pass from the Covenant and make all these bypast Actings of this Kirk State these years by-past to be horrid Rebellion and how deep this guilt drawes consider 5. This would infer though the King should send and kill us we must not resist nor defend our oun lives yet being an Oath against the Sixth Command which enjoineth Natural self preservation it should be intrinsecally sinful and it s all one to swear to non-preservation of self as to swear to self Murder 6. I hope to make it appear in the 5. Head that this is against the practice of Nations the Law of Nature and the Word of God. Yet all this Complex iniquity is clearly comprehended in the Oath of Abjuration in terminis abâ—uring all war against the King. VI. There were some other Oaths frequently obtruded upon people for refusing which they have suffered great cruelties that can hardly be described by any name Nor can their imposition have a paralel in any age or place for illegaltty inhumanity arbitrariness odiousness These were the Oaths of Inquisition or Super inquirendis Whereby people were pressed to answer the Inquisitors according to all their knowledge of things they were interrogate upon and delate discover Intercommuned persons in their Wanderings or such whose names were in their Porteous Rolls c. And power was given to single Souldiers to press these Oaths upon whom they pleased The iniquity of which is monstrous for 1. This was the worst Kind of Combination with these blood-hound to abett assist them in their pursuing after the Lords people Which is worse than to be bare consenters to such wickedness or to be onlookers to their affliction in the day of their Calamity but like that sin charged upon Edom that they delivered up those of His that did remain in the day of distress Obad. vers 13. 14. for these that took Oaths obliged themselves to do all they could to deliver up the Remnant that escaped and if they did not no thanks to them if they could not their sin was in their willingness if they would not and yet swore would contribute their help towards it by telling of all they knew that was horrid perjury false swearing 2. This could be no wayes capable of the qualifications of an Oath not only because the matter is wicked unnatural to discover may be the husband or Children or nearest relations to please men or save their oun life which was a great tentation and therefore in it there could be no delibaration in swearing but also for the doubtful perplexity confounding the mind that they either could not or durst not tell of all they knew and yet sware to do it 3. It is against the Covenant which obliges to discover Malignant enemies and assist our Covenanting Brethren and not to discover them and assist Malignant enemies which is a perfect inverting the fourth sixth Articles of the Covenant 4. It is contrary to clear precepts in Scripture to assist defend our Brethren to make our shaddow as the night in the midst of the noon day and hide the Outcast and bewray not him that wandereth Isai. 16. 3. 5. The illegality of this imposition makes it very absurd that every pitiful Officer or Souldier should be impowered to impose exact Oaths and impannel examine Witnesses about alledged Criminals Yet the monstrousness of this Oath serves to aggravate the Oath of Abjuration in that the Abjurers do renounce their part of disoune the Declarers of that abjured Declaration and so do as much as from them is required to give them up for a prey to their hunters yea they declare them Murderers in that they abjure their Declaration as asserting Murder And consequently they must be obliged to discover them to their acknowledged Judges VII The Abominable Test comes next which needs no other refutation than to rehearse it the substance whereof was a Solemn Swearing that they Ouned sincerely professed the true Protestant Religion contained in the confession of faith recorded in the first Parl. of K. Iaemes the 6 and that they would adhere thereunto all the dayes of their life and never consent to any change or alteration contrary thereto but renounce all Doctrines principles practices whether Popish or Fanatical contrary thereto And they swear that the King is the only Supreme Governour of this Realme over all persons in all causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil and promise to bear faith true allegiance to the Kings Maj. his heirs Lawful successors and to their power shall assist defend all rights jurisdictions prerogatives belonging to them And affirme it unlawful for subjects upon pretence of Reformation or any other pretence whatsoever to enter into Covenants or to convocate conveen or assemble to treat consult or determine in any matter of State Civil or Ecclesiastick without his Maj. special command or to take up Armes against the King or these Commissionate by him And that there lies no obligation on them from the National Covenant or Solemn League Covenant to endeavour any change or alteration in the Government either in Church or State as it is now established by the Laws of the Kingdom and they shall never decline his Maj. power jurisdiction And finally they swear that this Oath is given in the plain genuine sense meaning of the words without any equivocation mental reservation or any manner of evasion whatsoever This is the Complement of a wicked Conspiracy couching in its Capicious bosome the Complication of all their Mischiefs comprehending all explaining all the former which indeed cannot be taken with any equivocating evasion that can escape either the Stigma of nonsense self contradiction or the censure of Atheisme irreligion or the sentence of Divine vengeance against such baffling the Name of God. The best sense that can be put upon it is that which a poor Sot expressed when it was tendered to him prefacing thus before he took it Lord have mercy upon my Soul. For. 1. It is not consistent with itself there being such contradictions between that confession of faith and the following part that no man can reconcile Some whereof may be instanced as followes 1 In the 11. Art. of that confession entituled of Christs Ascension it is said that Christ is the only Head of the Church Just Lawgiver in which Honours Offices if man or Angels presume to intrude themselves we utterly detest abhore them as blasphemous to our Soveraign Supreme Governour Christ Jesus and a litle before in that same Article it is said this Glory Honour prerogative He alone among the Brethren
is not illegitimate and unto which resistence is forbidden for the fear of God and for conscience sake and therefore he is no further to be looked at than as an enemy This is so pat pertinent to the present possessor of the Government that no words can more particularly apply it 6. Grotius de jure belli Lib. 1. c. 4. granteth the Law of not resisting does not bind when the danger is most weighty certain And we do not plead for it in any other case And further he sayes The Law of non-resistence seemeth to have flowed from them who first combined together into societie and from whom such as did command did derive their power Now if it had been asked of such whether they would chuse to die rather than in any case to resist the Superior with Armes I know not if they would have yeelded thereto unless with this addition if they could not be resisted but with the greatest perturbation of the Common-wealth destruction of many Innocents And afterwards he hath these words Attamen indiscriminatim damâ—are aut singulos aut partem minorem quae ultimo necessitatis praesidio sic utatur ut interim communis boni respectum non deseruit vix ausim From which we need make no inference the Concession is so large that it answers our case 7. The Surveyer of Naphtali in the place above cited grants Legal self defence against the Soveraign by way of plea in Court for safety of a mans person or estate as also in the case of most habited notour Complete Tyranny against Law to the destruction of the body of a people and of all known Legal Liberties and the being of Religion according to Law And in case of his not being in his natural right wits Hence 1 If it be Lawful to resist the King by a Plea in Law for an Estate yea the Law will allow by actual force if he come to take possession of it illegally Then it must be Lawful for their lives estates Liberties Religion to resist him by force when the Legal resistence is not admitted But the former is yeelded here Ergo The reason of the Connexion is The Municipal Law permits the one and the Law of Nature Nations which no Municipal Law can infringe will warrand the other He hath no more right to be both Judge Party in this case more than in the other And he can no more act as Soveraign in this case than in the other 2 If it be Lawful to resist habited notour Complete Tyranny against Law to the destruction of the body of a people and of all known legal Liberties and the being of Religion according to Law Then we desire no more to conclude the duty of resisting this Tyranny exerced this 27 years habitually which the desolation of many hindered families the banishment of many hundreds to slavery the rivers of blood c. have made Notour to all Scotland at least and the perversion of all the fundamental Laws and all Civil Religious Liberties yea the subversion of every remaining Model of Our Religion as Reformed Covenanted to be preserved in Doctrine Worship Discipline Government and designs to introduce Popery establish Arbitrary Government have made Complete But the former is here granted Ergo 3 If in the case of his being out of his wits he should run upon an innocent man to kill him or attempt to cut his oun throat it were then Lawful to resist him yea a sin not to do it Then when in a rage oâ— deliberately he is seeking to destroy many hundreds of the people of God he may be resisted But the former is clear Ergo 8. King Iames the Sixth in his Remonstrance for the right of Kings against the Oration of Cardinal Perron hath these words The publick Laws makes it Lawful and free for any private person to enterprize against an Usurper of the Kingdom Then shall it not be duty to enterprize against a man who by the Laws of the Land is not capable of a right to reign who hath got into the Throne by the means of Murder and can pretend no right but that of Succession which I proved to be none Head. 2. However we see by these Concessions of Adversaries that the Absolute subjection they talk of will not hold nor the prerogative be so incontrollable in every case as they would pretend and that in many cases Salus populi hath the Supremacy above it And that also in these cases the people must be Judges whether they may resist or not 2. From the Law of Nature I may argue 1. If God the fountain of all power and Author of all Right hath given unto man both the power and the right of and reason to manage self defence and hath no wayes interdicted it in His Word to be put forth against Tyrants Then it is duty to use it against them upon occasion But the former is true Ergo 2. If this power right were restrained in man against the unjust violence of any it would either be by Policy or Grace or some express prohibition in the Word of God But none of these can be said Ergo Policy cannot destroy nature but is rather cumulative to it A man entering into a Politick Incorporation does not lose the priviledge of nature If one particular nature may defend it self against destroying violence out of Societie then must many of these Natures combined in Societie have the same right and so much the more that their relative duties superadde an obligation of mutual assistence Grace does not restrain the right of sinless nature though it restrains corruption but self defence is no corruption Grace makes a man more a man than he was And nothing can be more dishonourable to the Gospel than that by the Law of Nature it is Lawful to resist Tyrants but we are bound by Religion from withstanding their Cruelty The Laws of God do not interfâ—â—e â—ne with another 3. That Law which alloweth comparative re-offending so as to kill rather than be killed teacheth Resistence But so the Law of Nature alloweth except we be guilty or Murder in the culpable omission of self defence The reason is because the love of self is nearer and greater as to temporal life than the love of our Neighbour that being the measure of this Therefore it obliges rather to kill than be killed the exigence of necessity so requiring 4. If nature put no difference between the violence of a Tyrant than of another man then it teaches to Resist both alike But it putteth no difference but rather aggravates that of a Tyrant being the violence of a man the injustice of a member of the Common-wealth the cruelty of a Tyrant And it were absurd to say we might defend our selves from the lesser violence not from the greater 5. If particular Nature must yeeld to the good of Universal nature then must one man though in
shall surely bring innocent blood upon your selves and upon the City and upon the Inhabitants thereof Now if the Princes the whole people should have been guilty of the Prophets blood how shall others be judged innocent before God if they suffer the blood of Innocents to be shed when they may save it 3 Ibid. he argues from the distinction between the person placed in Authority and the ordinance of God the one may be resisted the other cannot The plain words of the Apostle makes the difference The ordinance is of God for preservation of mankind punishment oâ—vice which is holy constant Persons commonly are profane unjust He that resisteth the power there is only meant of the just power wherewith God hath armed His Magistrats which who so resists resists Gods orâ—inance But if men in the fear of God oppose themselves to the fury of Princes they then resist not God but the Devil who abuses the sword Authority of God It is evident the people resisted Saul when he had sworn Ionathan should dye whom they delivered The Spirit of God accuses them not of any crime but praises them condemns the King This same Saul again commanded the Priests of the Lord to be slain his guard would not obey but Doeg put the Kings cruelty in execution I will not ask whether the Kings servants not obeying resisted the ordinance of God or whether Doeg murthering gave obedience to just Authority The Spirit of God condemns that fact Psal. 52. that God would not only punish the Commander but also the merciless executer Therefore they who gainstood his command resisted not the ordinance of God. 4 Ibid. He argues from examples not only of resisting but of punishing Tyrants chiefly the example of Uzziah is pertinent to this purpose 2 Chon 26. who after his usurping the Priests Office was put out of the Temple When it was replyed that they were the Priests that with stood the King not simple people He answered The Priests were subjects as Abâ—athar was deposed by Solomon c. yet they made him go out of the Temple for his Leprosie and the people put him from the Kingdom It is noted also that Mr Knox in that discourse adduces examples of those who use to be brought in as objections against defensive Armes even the Primitive Christians before that Passage last cited what precepts sayes he the Apostles gave I will not affirme But I find two things the faithful did the one was they assisted their Preachers even against the rulers the other was they suppressed Idolatrie wheresoever God gave unto them force asking no leave of the Emperour nor of his deputies Read the Ecclesiastical Histories and ye shall find examples sufficient IV. In the next place we may inquire into the judgment of these Reformers concerning that Question that is now so pusling to many which indeed was never started before this time as a head of suffering but now when it is started we may gather from our Ancestors Actings Determinations about it how it ought to be answered They were indeed in capacity and accordingly did improve it for disouning the Authority of both the Queens but their capacity was not the thing that made it duty if it had not been so before Capacity makes a thing possible but not lawful It does indeed make a duty seasonable and clears the Call to it and regulates the timing of Affirmative duties but the want of it can never dispense with negative Precepts And a duty negative especially may become necessary when it hath not the advantage of seasonableness or capacity certainly it were duty to depose â—he Pope from his usurped authority and to disoune it even in Rome it self but there it would not be thought very feasible or seasonable for twenty or thirty people to avouch such a thing there yet at all times it is a duty never to oune it It is thought unseasonable unfeasable to disoune the Tyrants authority but it is made necessary when uâ—ged never to oune it And for this we have the grounds of our Ancestors shewing who may be disouned and must not be ouned I shall first insert here John Knox his propositions prosecuted in his second blast extant at the end of Anton. Gilbies Admonition to England Scotland 1. It is not birth only nor propinquity of bloodh that maketh a King lawfully to Reign over a people professing Christ Iesus and His Eternal verity but in his Election the ordinance which God hath established in the election of inferior judges must be observed 2. No manifest Idolater nor notorious transgressor of Gods holy precepts ought to be promoâ—ed to any publick regiment honour or dignity in any realme Province or Citie that hath subjected themselves to Christ Iesus and His blessed Evangel 3. Neither can Oath or promise bind any such people to obey maintain Tyrants against God and His Truth known 4. Bâ—t if rashly they have promoted any manifest wicked person or yet ignorantly have chosen such an one as after Declareth himself unworthy of regiment above the people of God and such be all Idolaters Cruel Presecuters most justly may the same men depose punish him that unadvisedly before they did nominate appoint elect Accordingly this was done in deposing both the Queens wich is fully vindicated by the Earle of Morton in his discourse to the Queen of England as Buchanan Relates it Lib. 20. Pag. 746. The deed it self neither the Custom of our Ancestors of taking a Course with their Governour will suffer it to be accounted new nor the moderation of the punishment to be odious for it were not needful to recount so many Kings punished by death bonds exile by our Progenitors For the Scotish nation being from the begining alwise free hath created Kings upon these conditions that the Government entrusted to them by the peoples suffrages might be also if the matter required removed by the same suffrages Of which Law there are many footsteps remaining even to our day for both in the Isles about and in many places of the continent in which the old Language institutions have any abode this Custom is kept in creating their Governours of Clanns And the Ceremonies used at the entering into Government do yet retain the express representation of this Law. Whence it is evident that the Government is nothing else but a mutual stipulation between Kings people which further appears from the inviolated tenor of the Ancient Law since the begining of the Scotish Government reserved even unto our memory without the least essay either to abrogate it or disable or diminish it Yea even when our fathers have deposed banished more severely punished so many Kings yet never was any mention or motion made of relaxing the rigor of that Law And not without reason seeing it was not of that kind of Constitutions that change with the times but of those which are engraven in the minds of men from the
others that touch the Majestie of God doth not appertain to Kings 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 occasion which God doth minister to revenge the injury done against His Glory And that doth Moses more plainly speak in these words of the same Chapter If in any Citie which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt hear this bruite there are some men sons of Belial Plain it is that Moses speaks not nor giveth charge to Kings Rulers Judges only but he commands the whole body of the people yea and every member of the same according to their possibility And who dare be so impudent as to deny â—his to be most reasonable just For seeing God had delivered the whole body from bondage and to the whole multitude had given His Law and to the twelve tribes had distributed the Land of Canaan was not the whole every member addebted to confess the benefits of God and to study to keep the possession received which they could not do except they kept the Religion established put out iniquity from amongst them To the carnal man this may seem to be a rigorous severe judgement that even the Infants there should be appointed to the cruel death and as concerning the City and spoill of the same mans reason cannot think but that it might have been better bestowed than to be consumed But in such cases let all creatures stoup and desist from reasoning when Commandment is given to execute His Judgment I will search no other reasons than the Holy Ghost hath assigned first that all Israel should fear to commit the like abomination And secondly that the Lord might turn from the fury of His anger Which plainly doth signifie that by the defection Idolatry of a few Gods wrath is kindled against the whole which is never quenched till such punishment be taken upon the offenders that whatsoever served them in their Idolatry be brought to destruction c. I have inlarged so far upon this Period that it may appear there is nothing now in Controversy between the suffering reproached party now in Scotland and either their Friends or Enemies which could fall under our Reformers inquiry but they have declared themselves of the same sentiments that are now so much opposed And therefore none can condemn the present heads of suffering except also they condemn the Reformers judgment and consequently the imputation of novelty must fall PERIOD IV. Containing the Testimony of the first Contenders against Prelacy and Supremacy from the year 1570. to 1638. HItherto the Conflict was for the Concerns of Christs Prophetical Priestly Office against Paganisine Popery But from the year 1570. And dounward the Testimony is stated and gradually Prosecuted for the Rights Priviledges Prerogatives of Christs Kingly Office which hath been the peculiar Glory of the Church of Scotland above all the Churches in the Earth that this hath been given to her as the word of her Testimony and not only Consequentially Reductively as all other Churches may challenge a part of this dignity but Formally Explicitely to contend for this very head The Headship Kingship of Iesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and His Mediatory Supremacy over His oun Kingdom of Grace both visible Invisible This is Christs supremacy a special radiant Jewel of His Imperial Croun which as it hath been as explicitely incroached upon in Scotland by His Insolent Enemies as ever by any that entered in opposition to Him so it hath been more expressly witnessed and wrestled for by His suffering Servants in that Land than in any place of the world This was in a particular manner the Testimony of that Period during the reign of King Iames the Sixth as it hath been in a great measure in our day since the year 1660. Which as it is the most important Cause of the greatest Consequence that Mortals can contend for So it hath this peculiar Glory in it that it is not only for a Truth of Christ of greater value then the standing of Heaven Earth but also it is the very Truth for which Christ Himself died considered as a Martyr And which concerns Him to vindicate maintain as a Monarch The Witnesses of that day made such an high account of it that they encouraged one another to suffer for it as the greatest Concern being a witness for Christs Glorious free Monarchie which as it is the end of the other two Offices so the Testimony is more Glorious to God more honourable to His Son and more Comfortable to them then the Testimony either for His Prophetical office or for His Priesthood because His Kingdom was specially impugned at the time As Mr Forbes Mr Welsh write in a Letter to the Ministers at Court. The Corruptions Usurpations wronging this Truth that they contended against were Prelacy and the Kings Supremacy in Ecclesiastical matters which will be usefull to hint a litle how they Prosecuted the Conflict When Sathan whose Kingdom was then declining by several instruments means both by force fraud did endeavour to put a stop to the Reformation by reintroducing the Antichristian Hierarchy of Prelacy when he could not reestablish the Antichristian Doctrine of Popery he left no means unessayed to effectuate it And first he began to bring the name Bishop in request that was now growing obsolete odious by reason of the abuse of it as it ought to be still for though the name be found in the Scriptures yet neither is that Catechrestical application of it to Prelats to be sound nor was there any other reason for the translation of it after that manner except it were to please Princes seeing the native signification of it is an Overseer proper and common to all faithfull Pastors And indeed his first essay reached litle further then the bare name for they were to be subject to tryed by Assemblies and hardly had so much power as Superintendents before But it was a fine Court-juggle for Noblemen to get the Church revenues into their hands by restoring the Ecclesiastical titles and obtaining from the titulars either Temporal Lands or Pensions to their dependers so they were only Tulchan Bishops a Calfeskin to cause the Cow give milk Yet though this in our day would have been thought tollerable The faithful Servants of Christ did zealously oppose it Mr Knox denunced Anathema to the Giver and Anathema to the Receiver And the following Assembly condemned the office it self as having no sure warrant authority nor ground in the Book of God but brought in by the folly corruption of mens invention to the overthrow of the Church and ordained all that brooked the office to dimit simpliciter and to desist cease from preaching while they received de novo admission from the
the King of Kings and all his instructions set doun limited in the book of God that cannot be extended abridged or altered by any mortal wight King or Emperour And seeing he was sent to all sorts his Commission discharge of it should not nor cannot be Lawfuly judged by them to whom he was sent they being sheep not Pastors to be judged by the Word and â—â—t to be judges thereof in a judicial way The Interloquutor being past against him for this the Brethren thought it duty that the Doctrine of the Preachers should be directed against the said Interloquutor as against a strong mighty hold set up against the Lord Jesus and the freedom of the Gospel and praised God for the force unity of the Spirit that was among themselves And being charged to depart out of Toun they leave a faithful Declaration at Large shewing how the Liberties of the Church were invaded robbed But all this was nothing in comparison of their wrestlings for the Royalties of their Princely Master and Priviledges of His Kingdom against that Tyrants Insolencies after he obtained he Croun of England For then he would not suffer the Church to indict her oun Assemblies And when the faithful thought themselves obliged to counteract his Encroachments and therefore conveened in an Assembly at Aberdeen anno 1605. they were forced to dissolve and thereafter the most eminent of the Ministers there assembled were transported Prisoners to Black-ness Whence being cited befor the Council they decline their Judicatory And one of their Brethren Mr Robert Youngson who had formerly succumbed being moved in Conscience returned and when the rest were standing before the Council desired to be heard and acknowledged his fault and therefore howbeit not summoned by the Lords was charged by the Living God and compelled to compear that day to justifie that Assembly to the great astonishment of the Lords and comfort of His brethren He subscribed the Declinature with the rest And for this they were arraigned and condemned as guilty of Treason and banished Before the execution of which sentence Mr Welsh wrote to the Lady Fleming to this effect What am I that He should first have called me and then constituted me a Minister of glad things of the Gospel of Salvation these fifteen years already and now last of all to be a sufferer for His Cause Kingdom To witness that good Confession that Jesus Christ is the King of Saints and that His Church is a most free Kingdom yea as free as any Kingdom under Heaven not only to convocate hold keep her Meetings Conventions Assemblies But also to judge of all her affairs in all her Meetings Conventions among His members and Subjects These two points 1 That Christ is the Head of His Church 2 That she is free in her Government from all other jurisdiction except Christs are the special Cause of our imprisonment being now convict as Traitors for maintaining thereof We have now been waiting with joyfulness to give the last Testimonie of our blood in confirmation thereof If it would please our God to be so favourable as to honour us with that dignity After this the King resolving by Parliament to advance the estate of Bishops again as in the time of Popery without Cautions as before and further to establish not only that Antichristian Hierarchie but an Erastian Supremacy The faithful Ministers of Christ thought themselves bound in Conscience to protest And accordingly they offered a faithful Protestation to the Parliament Iulij 1606. obtesting that they would reserve into the Lords own hands that Glory which He will communicate neither with man nor Angel to wit to prescribe from His holy Mountain a Lively pattern according to which His oun Tabernacle should be formed Remembring alwise that there is no absolute undoubted Anthority in this world except the soveraigne Authority of Christ the King to vvhom it belongeth as properly to rule the Church according to the good pleasure of His oun vvill as it belongeth to Him to save His Church by the Merit of His oun Sufferings All other anthority is so intrenched vvithin the marches of Divine Command that the least overpassing of the bounds set by God Himself bring men under the fearful expectation of Temporal Eternal judgements If ye should authorize Bishops ye should bring into the Church the ordinance of man vvhich experience hath found to have been the ground of that Antichristian Hierarchie vvhich mounted up on the steps of Bishops preeminence until that man of sin came forth as the ripe fruit of mans vvisedome vvhom God shall consume vvith the breath of His oun mouth Let the svvord of God pierce that belly vvhich brought forth such a monster And let the staff of God crush that egg vvhich hath hatched such a Cockatrice And let not only that Roman Antichrist be thrown down from the high bench of his usurped authority but also let all the steps whereby he mounted up to that unlawful preeminence be cut down utterly abolished in this Land And beware to strive against God with an open displayed banner by building up again the walls of Iericho which the Lord hath not only cast down but also hath laid them under an horrible Interdiction execration so that the building of them again must needs stand to greater charges to the builders then the reedifying of Iericho to Hiel the Bethelite in the days of Ahab Yet notwithstanding of all opposition Prelacy was again restored in Parliament And to bring all to a Complyance with the same Presbytries Synods universally charged under highest pains to admit a constant Moderator without change which many refused resolutely as being the first step of Prelacy Upon this followed a great Persecution of the faithful for their Nonconformity managed by that Mongrel Monstrous kind of Court made up of Clergy-men Statesmen called the High Commission Court erected anno 1610. whereby many honest men were put violently from their charges habitations the Generality were involved in a great fearful Defection But the Copestone of the wickedness of that Period was the Ratification of the five Articles of Perth kneeling at the Communion private Communion to be given to the sick private Baptisme and Confirmation of Children by the Bishop and observation of festival dayes Which were much opposed testified against by the faithful from their first hatching anno 1618. to the year 1621. when they were ratified in Parliament at what time they were also witnessed against from Heaven by extraordinary Lightenings Tempest And against this the Testimony of the faithful continued till the Revolution anno 1638. Here we see how the Cause was stated in this Period and may gather also wherein it aggress and how far it differs from the present Testimony now suffered for under all rage reproach I. The matter of the Testimony was one with that that we are suffering for against Popery Prelacy Supremacy
except that it was not so far extended against Tyranny because that Tyrant was not such an usurper nor such a violater of the fundamental constitutions of the Civil Government as these that we have had to do with all But as to the managing the Testimony they far out stripped their successors in this generation in conduct courage Prudence zeal as is above hintend in many instances to which we may adde some more When several plots of Papist Lords had been discovered conspiring with the King of Spain And they were by the Kings Indulgence favoured and some were also perswaded to treat with them famous Mr Davidson opposed with great resolution Declaring before the Synod of Lothian that it favoured much of defection in these dayes that such notorious rebells to God His Church the Country should be so treated with we should not rashly open a door to Gods Enemies without better proof of their manners nor were yet seen And when a convention in Falkland was consulting to call home these conspiring Traitors Mr Andrew Melvin went thither uncalled and when found fault with by the King for his boldness he answered Sir I have a call to come here from Christ His Church who have special Interest in this Turn and against whom this Convention is assembled directly I charge yow and your Estates in the Name of Christ His Church that ye favour not His Enemies whom He hateth nor go about to call home nor make Citizens of these who have traiterously sought to betray their City native Countrey with the overthroiw of Chists Kingdom And further challenged them of treason against Christ His Church the Countrey in that purpose they were about About the same time in a private Conference with the King he called the King Gods sillie vassal and taking him by the sleeve told him Sir yow and Church Countrey is like to be wracked for not telling the Truth and giving yow faithful Counsel we must discharge our duty or else be enemies to Christ yow Therefore I must tell yow there are two Kings and two Kingdoms There is Christ and His Kingdom whose subject King Iames the 6th is and of whose Kingdom he is not a King nor a Head nor a Lord but a member and they vvhom Christ hath called to vvatch over govern his Church have sufficient Authority and Power from Him which no Christian King should control but assist othervvise they are not faithfull subjects to Christ. Sir vvhen yovv vvere in your svvedling clouts Christ reigned freely in this Land in spight of all His enemies but novv the vvisdom of your Council vvhich is Devilish pernicious is this that yovv may be served of all sorts of men to your purpose grandour Iew Gentile Papist Protestant because the Ministers Protestants in Scotland are too strong control the King they must be vveakened brought lovv by stirring up a party against them and the King being equal indifferent both shall be fain to flee to him so shall he be well setled But Sir let Gods wisedom be the only wisdom this will prove meer mad folly for His curse cannot but light upon it so that in seeking both yow shall lose both To the like effect Mr Robert Bruce in a Sermon upon Psal 51. gives faithful warning of the danger of the times It is not we sayes he that are Partie in this cause no the quarrel is betwixt a greater Prince and them What are we but sillie men Yet it has pleased Him to set us in this Office that we should oppone to the manifest usurpation that is made upon His Spiritual Kingdom Is there a more forcible mean to draw down the wrath of God than to let Barrabas that nobilitate Malefactor pass free and to begin the war against Christ and His Ministry It puteth on the Copestone that so many of our brethren should not be so faithful as their Calling this Cause craveth Fy upon false brethren to see them dumb so faint hearted when it comes to the Chock Not only are they ashamed to speak the thing they think which is a shame in a Pastor but speak directly against their former Doctrin They will speak the Truth a while till they be put at but incontinent they will turn and make their gifts weapons to fight against Christ for there is none so malicious as an Apostate when he begins to slide back c. The same faithful witness because he would not preach as the King would have him against his oun conscience to justifie Proclaim the Kings Innocency in a forged conspiracy against him was put from his Church in Edinburgh and being requested in an insinuating manner to desist from preaching but for nine or ten dayes he condiscended at first thinking the matter of no great importance yet that night his body was cast in a fever with the terror of his conscience and he promised he should never obey their Commandment any more These were faithful men yet we find they challenge themselves in deep humiliation for their short comings defections at the renovation of the National Covenant March 30. 1596. the greatst solemnity ever had been seen in Scotland before that time so that the place might worthily have been called Bochim O when shall we see such a day when even the most faithful among us shall mourn over our far more aggravated defections but if they mourned then for these first degrees of declensions we may say quam gravius ingemiscerent illi fortes viri qui propter Ecclesiae Scoticanae Libertatem olim in acie decertarunt si nostram hanc ignaviam ne quid gravius dicam conspicerent I know notwithstanding of all this that some encourage themselves in a base Complyance with the present corruptions of our Church from the practise of these Worthies Alledging they did not scruple to hear join with Prelatical men dispensing the ordinances But this Objection will be easily refelled if we consider first the Period wherein they were but growing up to a more perfect Reformation and therefore might bear with many things which we cannot after we have been reformed from them They were then advancing and still gaining ground we are now declining and therefore should be more shie to lose what we have gained They had then of a long time enjoyed their Judicatories unto which they might recur for an orderly redress of such grievances that offended them and when they were deprived of them yet they were still in hopes of recovering them and so suspended their total secession from that corrupt Church untill they should recover them in the mean time still holding their right and maintaining their cause against these Invaders But we were at thevery first begining of this unhappy Revolution totally deprived of our Judicatories and denuded of all expectation of them in an ordinary way and of all place but what they are Masters of to contend with them
now for refusing such compelled imposed Devotion to pray or praise for the King poor people are much condemned I know it is alleadged that these faithful sufferers in those days were not so strict as they are now in submitting to unjust Sentences and obeying keeping their Confinements I shall grant there was much of this and much might be tollerate in their circumstances when the Court procedure against them was not so illegal their Authority was not so Tyrannical nor so necessary to be disouned and they were so stated that they were afrayed to take guilt upon them in making their escapes whereas it is not so with us Yet we find very faithful men broke their Confinements As Mr Iohn Murray confined about Dumfreis perceiving there was no end of the Bishops malice and that he would be in no worse case than he was he resolved without Licence either of King or Council to transport himself So did also Mr Robert Bruce III. For resistence of Superior Powers we have in this Period first the practice of some Noblemen an Ruthven anno 1582. who took the King and seised on that Arrant Traitor Enemy to the Church Countrey the Earle of Arran declaring to the world the Causes of it the Kings Correspondence with Papists his usurping the Supremacy over the Church and oppressing the Ministers all by means of his wicked Councellors whom therefore they removed from him The King himself emitted a Declaration allowing this deed The General Assembly approved of it and perswaded to a Concurrence with it and nothing was wanting to ratifie it as a most Lawfull laudable action At length the Fox escapes changes all and retracts his former Declaration The Lords again rallie and interprise the taking of the Castle of Stirling and gain it but afterward surrender it after which the Earle of Gowrie is executed and Ministers are commanded to retract the Approbation of Ruthven business but they refused and many were forced to flee to England and the Lords were banished But in the year 1585. they return with more success and take the Castle of Stirling The cowardly King does again acknowledge justify their Enterprise that they needed no Apology of words Weapons had spoken well enough and gotten them audience to clear their own Cause but his after carriage declared him as crafty false as he was cowardly fearful Again we have the advice of the General Assembly for resisting when the Ministers were troubled upon Mr Blacks bussiness and there was an intention to pull them out of their Pulpits They advised them to stand to the discharge of their Calling if their flocks would save them from violence and yet this violence was expected from the King and his Emissaries As to that point then there can be no dispute IV. There was litle occasion for the Question about the Kings Authority in this Period but generally all acknowledged it because they were not sensible of his usurpation and his cowardice made him incapable of attempting any thing that might raise commotions in civil things Yet we remark that whatsoever Authority he usurped beyond his sphere that was disouned declined by all the Faithful as the Supremacy Next that they resented represented very harshly any aspiring to Absoluteness as Mr Andrew Melvin could give it no better name nor intertain no better notion of it then to terme it The bloodie Guillie as he inveighs against it in the Assembly 1582. And next in this same Period we have a very good description of that Authority which the King himself allowes not to be ouned which out of a Kings mouth abundantly justifies the disouning of the present Tyrannie This same King Iames in a speech to the Parliament in the year 1609. sayth A King degenerateth into a Tyrant when he leaveth to rule by 〈◊〉 much more when he beginneth to invade his Subjects Persons Rights Liberties to set up an Arbitrary Power impose unlawful taxes raise forces make War upon his Subjects to pillage plunder wast and spoil his Kingdoms PERIOD V. Containing the Testimony for the last Reformation from Prelacy in all its steps from the year 1638 to 1660. THe following Period from the year 1638. to 1660 continues advances the Testimony to the greatest hight of Purity Power that either this Church or any other did ever arrive unto with a Gradation Succession Complication of wonders of Divine Wisdom Power Justice Mercy signally singularly ouning sealing it to the Confusion of His Enemies Comfort of His People Conviction of Indifferent Neutrals and Consternation of All. Now after a long winter and night of Deadness Darkness the sun returns with an amiable approach of Light Life now the winter was past the rain was over gone the flowers appear on the earth and the time of singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtle is heard in our Land. Now the second time the Testimony comes to be managed in an Active manner as before it was Passive As the one hath been alwayes observed to follow interchangably upon the other especially in Scotland and the Last alwayes the Greatest which gives ground to hope though it be now our turn to suffer that when the summer comes again after this winter and the day after this night the next Active Testimony shall be more notable than any that went before The matter of the Testimony was the same as before for the Concerns of Christs Kingly Prerogative but with some more increase as to its opposites for these grew successively in every Period the Last alwayes including all that went before The first Period had Gentilisme principally to deal with the second Poperie The third Poperie Tyrannie the fourth Prelacy Supremacy this fifth hath all together and Sectarianisme also to contend against The former had alwayes the opposites on one hand but this hath them in extremes on both hands both fighting against one another and both fighting together against the Church of Scotland and she against both till at length one of her opposites prevailed viz. the Secterian Party and that prevailing brought in the other to wit the Malignant which now domineers over all together Wherefore because this Period is in it self of so great importance the Revolutions therein emergent so eminent the Reformation therein prosecuted wanting litle of its perfect Complement the Deformation succeeding in its Deviation from the Pattern being so destructive to the end it may be seen from whence we have fallen and whether or not the present reproached Sufferers have lost or left their ground we must give a short deduction of the Rise Progress End of the Contendings of that Period In the midst of the forementioned Miseries Mischiefs that the pride of Prelacy and Tyrannical Supremacy had multiplied beyond measure upon this Church Nation and at the hight of all their haughtiness when they were setting up their Dagon and erecting Altars for him
imposing the Service-book and book of Canons c. the Lord in Mercy remembered His people and surprised them with a sudden unexpected Deliverance by very despicable means even the opposition of a few weak women at the beginning of that Contest which ere it was quashed made the Tyrant tumble headless off his throne The zeal against the English popish Ceremonies obtruded on Edinburgh did first inflame some feminine hearts to witness their detestation of them but afterwards was followed out with more Masculine fervor accosting King Council with Petitions Remonstrances Protestations Testimonies against the Innovations and resolving upon a mutual Conjunction to defend Religion Lives Liberties against all that would innovate or invade them To fortifie which and conciliate the favour both of God man in the Resolution All the Lovers of God and friends to the Liberty of the Nation did solemnly Renew the National Covenant wherein they were signally countenanced of the Lord vvhich though in it self obliging to the Condemnation of Prelatical Hierarchie and clearly enough confirming Presbyterial Government yet they ingaged into it vvith an inlargment to suspend the practice of Novations already introduced and the approbation of the Corruptions of the present Government vvith the late places povver of Church men till they be tried in a free General Assembly Which vvas obtaineâ— that same year and indicted at Glasgow and there not vvith standing all the opposition that the Kings Commissioner could make by Protestations Proclamations to dissolve it the six preceeding Assemblies establishing Prelacy vvere annulled The Service-Book and high Commission vvere condemned All the Bishops vvere deposed and their Government declared to be abjured in that National Covenant though many had through the Commissioners persvvasions subscribed it in another sense vvithout that application As also the five Articles of Perth vvere there discovered to have been inconsistent vvith that Covenant Confession and the Civil places povver of Church men vvere disproved rejected on the other hand Presbyterial Government vvas Justified Approved and an Act vvas passed for their keeping yearly General Assemblies This was a bold begining into which they were animated with more than humane resolution against more than humane opposition Hell as well as the powers of the earth being set against them But when the Lord gave the Call they considered not their oun deadness nor were daunted with Discouragments nor staggered at the promise through unbelief but gave Glory to God out braving all difficulties Which in the following year were much increased by the Prelats and their Popish Partakers rendevouzing their forces under the Kings Personal Standart and menacing nothing but misery to the zealous Covenanters yet when they found them prepared to resist were forced to yeeld to a Pacification concluding that an Assembly Parliament should be held for healing all grievances of Church and State. In which Assembly at Edinburgh the Covenant is ratified subscribed by the Earle of Traquair Commissioner and enjoined to be subscribed by the body of the whole Land with an explication expressly condemning the five Articles of Perth the Government of Bishops the Civil places power of Church men But the sons of Belial cannot be taken with hands nor bound with bonds of faith humanity or honour For in the year following King Prelats with their Popish Abettors go to arms again but were fain to accommodate the matter by a new Pacification whereby all Civil Religious Liberties were ratified And in the folowing year 1641 by Lawes Oaths Promises subscriptions of King Parliament fully confirmed The King Charles the I. being present and consenting to all though in the mean time he was treacherously encouraging the Irish murderers who by his Authority made a Massacre of many thousand Innocent Protestants in Ireland But in Scotland things vvent vvell the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus vvas greatly advanced the Gospel flourished and the Glory of the Lord did shine upon us vvith such a splendor that it avvaked England and animated the Lords People there then groaning under those Grievances from vvhich Scotland vvas delivered to aspire to the like Reformation For advice in vvhich because though all aggreed to cast off the yoke of Prelacy yet sundry forms of Church Government vvere projected to be set up in the room thereof chiefly the Independent order determining all Acts of Church Government as Election ordination and deposition of officers vvith Admission Excommunication Absolution of members to be done decided by the voices of every Particular Congregation vvithout any Authoritative Concurrence or interposition of any other condemning all imperative decisive povver of Classes c. as a meer usurpation Therefore the Brethren in England vvrote to the Assembly then fitting at Edinburgh vvho gave them ansvver That they vvere grieved that any of the Godly should be found not aggreeing vvith other Reformed Churches in point of Government as well as Doctrine and that it was to be feared where the edge of Discipline Government is different the Doctrine Worship shall not long continue the same without change That the Government of the Church by Compound Presbytries Synods is a help strength and not a hinderance to particular Congregations Elderships in all the parts of Government and are not an extrinsecal Power set over Particular Churches but the intrinsecal power where with Christ hath invested His Officers who may not exercise it Independently but with subordination unto Presbytries c. Which as they are Representative of particular Churches conjoined together in one under their Government so their determination when they proceed orderly whether in Causes common to all or brought before them by reference in case of aberration is to the several Congregations Authoritative not Consultatory only And this subordination is not only warranted by the light of nature but grounded upon the Word of God and conforme to the Pattern of the Primitive Apostolick Church for the Preservation of verity unity against Schisme Heresie Tyrannie which is the fruit of this Government where soever it hath place So from henceforth the Assembly did incessantly urge uniformity in Reformation with their Brethren in England as the chiefest of their Desires Prayers Cares And in the year 1643. prevailed so far that the English Parliament did first desire that the two Nations might be strictly united for their mutual defence against the Papists Prelatical faction and their Adherents in both Kingdoms and not to lay down Armes till these implacable Enemies should be brought in subjection and did instantly urge for the help assistance from Scotland Which being sent did return with an Olive branch of Peace and not without some beginings of a Reformation in England And afterwards a bloody War begining between the King Parliament with great success on the Kings side whence the Papists at the time got great advantage witness the cessation of Armes concluded in Ireland
advanced that the Government of the Church by Congregational Elderships Classical Presbyteries Provincial National Assemblies is aggreed upon by the Assembly of Divines at Westmnster and voted concâ—uded in both houses of Parliament After this the Malignants in England being crushed in all their Projects the King renders himself to the Scots in New castle by whom because by Covenant they were not obliged to defend him but only in defence of Religion Liberty which he had been destroying and they defending because in this war he did directly oppose oppugne these conditions under which they were only to defend him and therefore they had all alongst carried towards him as an enemy as he to them And because by the same Covenant they were obliged to discover render to condign punishment all Malignants Incendaries of whom he was the chief and to reâ—ain the Peace Union of the Kingdoms which could not be retained in maintaining their destroyer And to assist mutually all entered into that Covenant which he was fighting against he was delivered up into the English and kept under restraint in the Isle of Wight untill he received his just demerit for all his oppressions Murders Treachery Tyranny being condemned execute Ianuar. 30. anno 1648 9 Which fact though it was protested against both before after by the Assembly of the Church of Scotland out of zeal against the Sectarians the executioners of that extraordinary Act of Justice yet it was more sor the manner than for the matter and more for the motives ends of it than for the grounds of it that they opposed themselves to it and resented it For they acknowledged remonstrated to himself the Truth of all these things upon which that sentence execution of Justice was founded And when a wicked Association Unlawful Engagment was on foot to rescue him they opposed it with all their might Shewing in their Answers to the Estates that year 1648. and Declarations Remonstrances the sinfullness destructiveness of that Engagment that it was a breach of the Commandments of God of all the Articles of the Covenant Declaring withal they would never consent to the Kings Restitution to the exercise of his Power without previous assurance by solemn Oath under his hand seal for settling of Religion according to the Covenant By which it appears they were not so stupidly Loyal as some would make them Yet indeed it cannot be past without regrate that there was too much of this plague of the Kings-evil even among good men which from that time forth hath so infected the heads hearts of this Generation that it hath almost quite extinct all Loyaltie to Christ and all zeal for Religion Liberty Then it began to infuse diffuse its Contagion when after the death of Charles the first in the year 1649. they began after all that they had smarted for their trusting these treacherous Tyrants and after that Grace had been shewed them from the Lord their God by breaking these mens yokes from from off their necks and puting them again into a Capacity to act for the good of Religion their oun safety and the peace safety of the Kingdom to think of joining once more with the people of these abominations and taking into their bosoms these Serpents which had formerly stung them almost to death Hinc ilâ—â— lachrimae en origo Scaturigo nostrae defectionis There was indeed at that time a Party faithful for God who considering the many breaches of the Solemn League Covenant and Particularly by the late Engagment against England did so travel that they procured the Covenant to be renewed with the Solemn Acknowledgment of sins Engagment to duties which was Universally subscribed sworn through all the Land wherein also they regrete this tampering with Malignants And therefore the Lord did mightily save defend them from all their Adversaries subdued them at Stirling and in the North. They did also give warning concerning the young King that notwithstanding of the Lords hand against his Father yet he hearkens unto the Counsells of these who were Authors of these Miseries to his Father by which it hath come to pass that he hath hitherto refused to grant the just necessary desires of the Church Kingdom for securing of Religion Liberty And it is much to be feared that these wicked Counsellers may so far prevail upon him as to ingage him in a war for overturning the Work of God and bearing doun all those in the three Kingdoms that adhere therto Which if he shall do cannot but bring great wrath from the Lord upon himself throne and must be the cause of many new great Miseries Calamities to these Lands And in the same warning by many weighty reasons they prove that he is not to be admitted to the exercise of his power without security for Religion Liberty And when the bringing home of the King came to be voted in the Assembly there was one faithful witness Mr Adam Kae Minister in Galaway protested against it fore shewing fore telling what mischeef misery he would bring with him when he should come These things might have had some weight to demur the Nation from medling with that perfidious Traitor But all this serves only to aggravate the sin shame of that distraction which hath procured all this destruction under which the Land mourns to this day That notwithstanding of all these Convictions warnings yea and discoveries of his Malignancy Treachery inclinations to Tyranny They sent Commissioners and concluded at Treaty with him at Breda During which Treaty the Commissions which he had sent to that bloody villain Montrose his Cut throat Complices to raise an Armie wast invade the Countrey with fire sword the second time were brought to the Committee of Estates discovering what sort of King they were treating with Whereupon after serious Consulting not only together but with the Lord And after many debates what to do in such a doubtfull case wherein all was in danger the Estates concluded to break off the Treaty and recall their Commissioners To which intent they sent an Express with Letters to Breda which by providence falling into the hands of Libberton a true Libertine false betrayer of his trust Country was by him without the knowledge of the other Commissioners delivered unto the King who consulting the Contents of the Packet with his Jesuitical Hypocritical Cabal found it his interest to play the fox being disappointed at that time to play the Tyger and dissemble with God man. And so sending for the Commissioners he made a flattering speech to them shewing that novv after serious deliberation he vvas resolved to comply vvith all their Proposals Where upon the poor cheated Commissioners dispatch the post back with Letters full of praise joy for the satisfaction they had received The Estates perceiving themselves
former Principles and betray the Cause Fifthly That he being admitted before satisfaction vvould soon endeavour an overturning of the things vvhich God hath wrought and labour to dravv publick administrations concerning Religion Liberty into that course Channel in vvhich they did run under Prelacy and before the work of Reformation Whence they warn that every one take heed of such a snare that they be not accessery to any such design as they would not bring upon themselves their families the guilt of all the detriment that will undoubtedly follow thereupon of all the miseries it will bring upon the Kingdoms And therefore who soever attempt the same oppose themselves to the cause of God and will at last dash against the Rock of the Lords power which hath broken in pieces many high lofty ones since the begining of the work in the Kingdoms 2 I shall here insert the Act of the West-Kirk declaring their mind very manifestly West Kirk August 13. 1650. The Commission of the General Assembly considering that there may be just ground of stumbling from the K. Maj. refusing to subscribe emitt the Declaration offered to him by the Committee of Estates and the Commission of the General Assembly concerning his former carriage resolutions for the future in reference to the Cause of God and the enemies friends thereof Doth therefore declare That this Kirk Kingdom doth not oune or espouse any Malignant Party or Quarrel or Interest but that they fight meerly upon their former Grounds Principles and in the defence of the Cause of God and of the Kingdom as they have done these twelve years past And therefore as they disclaim all the sin guilt of the King and of his house so they will not oune him nor his interest otherwise than with a subordination to God and so far as he ounes prosecutes the Cause of God and disclaims his his fathers opposition to the Work of God and to the Covenant and likewise all the enemies thereof And that they will with convenient speed take unto Consideration the Papers lately sent unto them by Oliver Cromwel and vindicate themselves from all the falshoods contained therein especially in these things wherein the quarrel betwixt us that party is Mistated as if we ouned the late Kings proceedings and were resolved to prosecute maintain his present Maj. Interest before without acknowledgment of the sin of his house and former wayes satisfaction to Gods people in both Kingdoms A. KER Aug. 13. 1650. The Committe of Estates having seen considered a Declaration of the Commission of the General Assembly anent the stating of the quarrel wherein the Army is to fight do approve the same and heartily concur therein Tho Henderson In the 3 place It is specified in the Causes of wrath as one of the steps of defection Art. 9. Step. 5. That a Treaty should have been closed with him upon his subscribing demands after he had given many clear evidences of his disaffection enmity to the work people of God That these demands which he was required to subscribe did not contain a real security a real abandoning of former Malignant courses principles and cleaving to the Work of God It was not a paper or verbal security which we were bound to demand of him but a real one and to intrust him without this was but to mock God and deceive the world and to betray destroy our selves by giving up all precious Interests of Religion Liberty unto the hands of one who was in a course of enmity to them That both before and in the mean time of the treaty he had given evidence of his enmity in many instances there condiscended upon particularly that he authorized Iames Graham to invade this Kingdom and incouraged him by Letters to go on in that Invasion even whilest he was in termes of a Treaty with us as appeared by bringing into our hands the Authentick Commission it self and sundry Letters under his own hand Next in the same Causes of wrath among the sins of the Ministrie in relation to the publick § 10 11 12 13. That they agreed to receive the King to the Covenant barely upon writing without any apparent evidences of a real change of principle That they did not use freedom in showing what was sinful in reference to that Treaty but went on therein when they were not satisfied in their consciences for fear of reproach of being mistaken That they were silent in publick and did not give Testimony after a discovery of the Kings Commission to Iames Graham for invading the Kingdom That they pressed the King to make a Declaration to the world whilst they knew by clear evidences that he had no real conviction of the things contained therein PERIOD VI. Containing the Testimony through the continued Tract of the present Deformation from the year 1660. to this day NOw comes the last Catastrophe of the Deformation of the Church of Scotland which now renders her to all Nations as infamously despicable as her Reformation formerly made her admired envied which in a Retrograde motion hath gradually been growing these 27 years going back through all the steps by which the Reformation ascended till now she is returned to the very border of that Babylon from whence she took her departure and reduced through defection division and persecutions to a confused Chaos of almost irreparable dissolution and unavoidable desolation Through all which steps notwithstang to this day Scotland hath never wanted a witness for Christ against all the various steps of the Enemies advancings and of professed friends declinings Though the Testimony hath had some singularities some way discriminating it from that of former Periods in that it hath been more difficult by reason of more desperate dreadful assaults of more enraged enemies more expert experienced in the accursed art of overturning than any formerly In that it hath been attended with more disadvantages by reason of the Enemies greater prevalency and Friends deficiency and greater want of significant Assertors than any formerly In that it hath been intangled in more multifarious intricacies of questions and debates and divisions among the Assertors themselves making it more dark and yet in the end contributing to clear it more than any formerly In that it hath been intended extended to a greater measure both as to matter manner of contendings against the Adversaries and stated upon nicer points more enixely prosecuted tenaciously maintained sealed with more sufferings than any formeriy In that it hath had more opposition contradiction and less countenance from professed friends to the Reformation either at home or abroad than any formerly And yet it hath had all these several specialities together which were peculiar to the former Testimonies in their respective Periods being both Active Passive both against Enemies Friends And in cumulo stated against Atheisme Popery Prelacy Errastian
Clergy as he shall nominate in the external Government of the Church the same consisting with the standing Lawes of the Kingdom shall be valide effectual And in the same Act all Lawes are rescinded by which the sole power Jurisdiction within the Church doth stand in the Church Assemblies And all which may be interpreted to have given any Church power Jurisdiction or Government to the Office bearers of the Church other than that which acknowledgeth a dependence upon subordination to the Soveraign power of the King as Supreme By which Prelats are redintegrated to all their priviledges preheminencies that they possessed anno 1637. And all their Church power robbed from the Officers of Christ is made to be derived from to depend upon and to be subordinate to the Croun prerogative of the King whereby the King is made the only fountain of Church power and that exclusive even of Christ of whom there is no mentioned exception And his vassals the Bishops as his Clerks in Ecclesiastiks are accountable to him for all their administrations A greater usurpation upon the Kingdom of Christ than ever the Papacy it self aspired unto Yet albeit here was another display of a banner of defyance against Christ in altering the Church Government of Christs Institution into the humane Invention of Lordly Prelacy in assuming a power by prerogative to dispose of the external Government of the Church and in giving his Creatures patents for this effect to be his Administrators in that usurped Government There was no publick Ministerial at least united Testimony against this neither Therefore the Lord punished this sinful shamful silence of Ministers in His holy Justice though by mens horrid wickedness when by another wicked Act of the Council at Glasgow above 300 Ministers were put from their Charges and afterwards for their Non-conformity in not Countenancing their Diocesan Meeting and not keeping the Anniversary day May 29. The rest were violently thrust from their labours in the Lords vineyard and banished from their Parishes and adjudged unto a nice strange Confinement twenty miles from their oun parishes six miles from a Cathedral Church as they called it and three miles from a Burgh whereby they were reduced in to many inconveniencies Yet in this fatal Convulsion of the Church generally all were struck with blindness baseness that a Paper-Proclamation made them all run from their posts and obey the Kings Orders for their ejection Thus were they given up because of their forbearing to sound an alarm charging the people of God in point of Loyaltie to Christ and under the pain of the Curse of the Covenant to a wake and acquit themselves like men and not to suffer the enemie to rob them of that Treasure of Reformation which they were put in possession of by the tears prayers blood of such as went before them instead of those prudential fumblings fisflings then since so much followed Wherefore the Lord in His holy righteousness left that enemie against whom they should have cried contended and to whose eye they should have held the Curse of the Covenant as having held it first to their oun in case of unfaithful silence in not holding it to his to cast them out of the House of the Lord and dissolve their Assemblies and deprive them of their priviledges because of their not being so valiant for the Truth as that a ful faithful Testimony against that Encroachment might be found upon record Nevertheless somewere found faithful in that hour pour of darkness who kept the Word of the Lords patience and who were therefore kept in from that tentation which carried many away into sad shamful defections though not from suffering hard things from the hands of men only these who felt most of their violence found grace helping them to acquit themselves suitably to that dayes Testimony being thereby prevented from an Active yeelding to their impositions when they were made passively to suffer force However that season of a publick Testimony was lost and as to the most part never recovered to this day The Prelats being settled readmitted to voice in Parliament they procure an Act Dogmatically condemning several Material parts points of our Covenanted Reformation to wit these positions That it was lawful for Subjects for Reformation or necessary self defence to enter into leagues or take up Armes against the King And particularly declaring that the national Covenant as explained in the year 1638. and the Solemn league Covenant were are iâ— themselves unlawful Oaths and were taken by imposed upon the subjects of this Kingdom against the fundamental Lawes Liberties thereof That all such gatherings petitions that were used in the begining of the late troubles were unlawful seditious And whereas then People were led unto these things by having disseminated among them such principles as these That it was lawful to come with petitions Representations of grievances to the King That it was lawful for people to restrict their Allegiance under such such limitations and suspend it untill he should give security for Religion c. It was therefore enacted that all such positions practices founded thereupon were treasonable And furder did enact that no person by writing praying preaching or malicious or advised speaking express or publish any words or sentences to stir up the people to the dislike of the Kings prerogative Supremacy or of the Government of the Church by Bishops or justifie any of the deeds actings or things declared against by that Act. Yet not withstanding of all this subversion of Religion Liberty and restraint of asserting these Truths here trampled upon either before men by Testimony or before God in mourning over these Indignities done unto Him in everting these all the parts of Reformation even when it came to Daniels case of confession preaching praying Truths interdicted by Lavv fevv had their eyes open let be their vvindovvs in an open avouching them to see the duty of the day calling for a Testimony Though aftervvards the Lord Spirited some to assert demonstrate the Glory of these Truths duties to the vvorld As that Judicious Author of the Apologetical Relation vvhose Labours need no Elagium to commend them But this is not all for these men having novv as they thought subverted the Work of God they provided also against the fears of its revival making Acts declaring that if the outed Ministers dare to continue to preach and presume to exercise their Ministrie they should be punished as seditious persons requiring of all a due acknowledgment of hearty complyance with the Kings Government Ecclesiastical Civil And that who soever shall ordinarly wilfully withdraw absent from the ordinary Meetings for Divine Worship in their ouâ— Churches on the Lords day shall incur the Penalties there insert Thus the sometimes Chast Virgin whose name was Beulah to the Lord the Reformed Church
they were or to some other Paroches where they may be ordinary hearers and to declare condiscend upon the Paroches where they intend to have their Residence After this they assumed a Power to Dispose of these their Curats as they pleased and transport them from place to place whereof the only ground was a simple Act of Council the Instructions alwayes going along with them as the constant Companion of the Indulgence By all which it is apparent what ever these Ministers alledge in vindication of it to cover its deformity in their Balmes to take away its Stink and in their Surveyes to gather Plaisters to scurf over its Scurveyness viz. that it was but the removal of the Civil restraint And that they entered into their places by the Call of the People a meer mock pretence for a Prelimited imposition whereby that Ordinance of Christ was basely prostituted abused And that their Testimony Protestation was a Salvo for their conscience a meer Outopian fancy that the Indulgers with whom they bargained never heard of otherwise as they did with some who were faithful in testifying against their Encroachments they would soon have given them a Bill of Ease It cannot be denyed that that doleful Indulgeâ—â—e both in its Rise Contrivance Conveyance Grant Acceptance End Effects was a Grievous Encroachment upon the Princely Prerogative of Jesus Christ the only Head of the Church whereby the usurpers Supremacy was Homologated bowed to complyed with strengthened established the Cause Kingdom of Christ betrayed His Churches Priviledges surrendered His Enemies hardened His Friends stumbled and the Remnant rent ruined in that it was granted deduced from the Kings Supremacy and conveyed by the Council in that according to his pleasure he gave and they received a Licence warrant to such as he nominated Elected and judged fit qualified for it and fixed them in what particular Paroch he pleased to assign under the notion of a Confinment in that he imposed and they submitted to restrictions in the exercise of their Ministry in these particular Paroches inhibiting to Preach elswhere in the Church And with these restrictions he gave and they received instructions to regulate direct them in their functions All which was done without Advice or Consent of the Church And thereupon they have frequentlie been called coveened before the Counciâ— to give acâ—ount of their Ministerial exercise and some of them sentenced silenced deposed for alledged disobedience This was a manifest Treason against Christ which involved many in the actual guilt of it that day and many others who gaped after it could not obtain it and for more at that time since in the guilt of Misprision of Treason in passing this also without a witness Thus in holy judgement because of our Indulging Conniving at the usurper of Christs Throne He left a great part of the Ministers to take that wretched Indulgence and another part instead of remonstrating the wickedness of that deed have been left to palliate plaister Patronize it in keeping up the Credit of the King Councils Curats wherein they have shewed more zeal than ever against that wicked Indulgence Yet the Lord had some Witnesses who prettie early did give significations of their resentment of this dishonour done to Christ as Mr William Weer who having got the Legal Call of the People and discharging his duty honestly was turned out And Mr Iohn Burnet who wrote a Testimony directed to the Council shewing why he could not submit to that Indulgence inserted at large in the History of the Indulgence Where also we have the Testimony of other ten Ministers who drew up their Reasons of Non-Complyance with such a snare And Mr Alexander Blair who upon occasion of a Citation before the Council for not observing the 29 of Maij having with others made his appearance and got new Copies of Instructions presented to them being moved with zeal and remembering whose Ambassadour he was told the Council plainly that he could receive no Instructions from them in the exercise of his Ministry otherwise he should not be Christs Ambassadour but theirs and herewith lets their Instructions drop out of his hand knowing of no other Salvâ— or manner of Testifying for the Truth in the CaseØ› for which he was imprisoned died under Confinement But afterwards the Lord raised up some more explicite Witnesses against that defection All this Trouble was before the year 1673. About which time finding this device of Indulgences proved so steadable for his Service in Scotland he was induced to try it also in England which he did almost with the same or like success producing the same effects of defection security unfaithfulness The Occasion was upon his wars with the Dutch Which gave another demonstrative discovery of his Treacherie Popish perfidie in breaking League with them and entering into one with the French to destroy Religion Liberty in Britain Wherein the King of France assures him an Absolute Authority over his Parliaments and to reestablish the Catholick Religion in his Kingdoms of England Scotland Ireland to Compass which it was necessary first to abate the pride power of the Dutch and to reduce them to the sole Province of Holland by which means the King of England should have Zeland for a retreat in case of need and that the rest of the Low Countries should remain to the King of France if he could render himself Master of it But to return to Scotland While by the forementioned Device he thought he had utterly suppressed the Gospel in house field Meetings he was so far disappointed that these very means Machins by which he thought to bury it did chiefly contribute to its revival For when by Persecution many Ministers had been chased away by illegal Law-Sentences many had been banished away and by their ensnaring Indulgences many had been drawen away from their duty and others were now sentenced with Confinements Restraints if they should not choose fix their residence where they could not keep their Quiet Conscience both they were forced to wander and disperse through the Country and the People being tired of the cold dead Curats and wanting long the Ministrie of their old Pastors so longed hungered after the Word that they behoved to have it at any rate cost what it would which made them entertain the dispersed Ministers more earnestly and encouraged them more to their duty By whose Endeavours through the mighty power presence of God and the Light of His Countenance now shining through the Cloud after so fatal fearful a darkness that had over-clouded the Land for a while with such a resplendent brightness that it darkened the Prelatick Locusts and made them hisse and gnash their tongues for pain and dazeled the eyes of all Onlookers the Word of God grew exceedingly and went through at least the Southern borders of the Kingdom
contended against by Professors and is really the same with the Condition of the Cautionary Bond in the Indulgence after Bothuel of which see Pag. 129. And further they must be openly publickly held and all persons freely admitted to them which is for the informing trade exposing to all the inconveniences of Iesuites and other Spies Flies their delations in case any thing be spoken reflecting on the Government a great tentation to Ministers 4 The worst of all is upon ther matter of Preaching which is so restricted limited that nothing must be said or done contrare to the well peace of his reign seditious or treasonable And in case any treasonable speeches be uttered the Law is to take place against the guilty and none other present providing they reveal to any of the Council the guilt so committed as in the former Proclamation And in the last it is further declared that nothing must be Preached or taught which may any way tend to alienate the hearts of the People from him or his Government Here is the price at which they are to purchase their freedom a sad bargain to buy Liberty sell Truth which yet hardly can be so exactly paid but he may find a pretence for retrenching it when he pleases for if a Minister shall Pray for the overturning of a throne of iniquity or for confounding all that serve graven Images and for destruction to the Pope and all that give their power to that beast there will be something said against the well of his Government Or if any shall hear this and not delate it then the same pretence is relevant Or if he shall Preach against the Kings Religion as Idolatry and the Church of Rome as Babylon and discharge his Conscience Duty in speaking against the Tyrannie of the times Or let him Preach against any publick sin faithfully a Popish Critick or Romish Bigot shall interpret it to be an alienation of the Peoples hearts from the King his Government But who can be faithful and Preach in season out of season now but he must think it his duty to endeavour to alienate the hearts of the People from such an Enemy to Christ and his absolute Tyranny so declaredly stated against God What Watchman must not see it his indispensable Duty to warn all People of his Devilish designs to destroy the Church Nation and Preach so that People may hate the whore and this Pimp of hers Sure if he Preach the whole Counsel of God he must Preach against Poperie Tyrannie And if he think this Indulgence from Absolute Prerogative granted accepted on these termes can supercede him from this faithfulness then he is no more the Servant of Christ but a pleaser of men Therefore since it is so clogged with so many restrictions so inconsistent with duty so contrary to Scripture so clearly violatory of Covenant-Engagements so cross to the constant Contendings Constitutions of this Church and Acts of Ass. See Pag. 80. c. it were a great defection to Accept of it 11. Considering the Scandal of it they dare not so offend the generation of the Righteous by the Acceptance and dishonour God disgrace the Protestant Profession wrong the Interest thereof and betray their native Country as thus to comply with the Design of Antichrist and partake of this cruel tender mercy of the beast who hath alwayes mischief in his heart and intends this as a Preparative for inducing or inforcing all that are hereby lulled asleep either to take on his Mark or bear the Marks of his fiery fury afterwards For hereby forreign Churches may think we are in a fair way of reconciliation with Antichrist when we so kindly accept his Harbingers favours And it cannot but be very stumbling to see the Ministers of Scotland whose Testimony used to be terrible to the Popish and renouned through all the Protestant Churches purchasing a Liberty to themselves at the rate of burying betraying the Cause into bondage restraint and thus to be laid by from all active open opposition to Antichrists Designs in such a season The world will be tempted to think they are not governed by Principles but their oun Interest in this juncture seeking their oun things more than the things of Christ And that it was not the late Usurpation upon overturning of Religion Liberty that offended them so much as the Persecution they sustained thereby but if that Arbitrary Power had been exerted in their favours tho with the same prejudice of the Cause of Christ they would have complyed with it as they do now Alas sad dolorous have been the Scandals given taken by from the Declining Ministers of Scotland heretofore which have rent racked the poor Remnant and offended many both at home abroad but none so stumbling as this And therefore the tender will be shie to medle with it 12. Considering the Addresses made thereupon with such a stain of foulsome blasphemous flatteries to the dishonour of God the reproach of the Cause the betraying of the Church and detriment of the Nation and exposing themselves to the contempt of all the poor Persecuted Partie dare not so much as seem to incorporate with them I shall set doun the first of their Addresses given forth in the name of all the Presbyterian Ministers And let the Reader judge whether there be not Cause of standing aloof from every appearance of being of their number It is dated at Edinburgh Iulj 21. 1687. of this tenor To the Kings most excellent Majestie The humble Address of the Presbyterian Ministers of his Majesties Kingdom of Scotland We your Maj. most loyal subjects the Ministers of the Presbyterian persuasion in your Ancient Kingdom of Scotland from the due sense we have of your Maj. gracious surprising favour in not only puting a stop to our long sad sufferings for Non-conformity but granting us the Liberty of the Publick Peaceable exercise of our Ministerial function without any hazard As we bless the Great God who hath put this in your Royal heart do with all find our selves bound in duty to offer our most humble hearty thanks to your Sacred Majestie the favour bestowed being to us and all the People of our Persuasion valuable above all our earthly comforts especially since we have ground from your Maj. to beleeve that our Loyaltie is not to be questioned upon the account of our being Presbyterians who as we have amidst all former tentations endeavoured so we are firmly resolved still to preserve an intire Loyaltie in our Doctrine Practice consonant to our known Principles which according to the Holy Scriptures are contained in the Confession of faith generally ouned by Presbyterians in all your Maj. Dominions and by the help of God so to demean our selves as your Maj. may find cause rather to enlarge than to diminish your favours towards us throughly perswading our selves from your Maj. justice
goodness that if we shall at any time be otherwise represented your Maj. will not give credit to such information until yow have due cognition thereof and humbly beseeching that those who promote any dsloyal Principles practices as we disoune them may be looked upon as none of ours whatsover name they may assume to themselves May it please your most excellent Maj. graciously to accept of this our most hmble Address as proceeding from the plainness sincerity of Loyal thankful hearts much engaged by your Royal favour to continue our fervent Prayers to the King of Kings for Divine illumination conduct with all other blessings Spiritual Temporal ever to attend your Royal Person Government which is the greatest duty can be rendered to your Maj. by Your Maj. most humble mast faithful most obedient Subjects Subscribed in our Names and in the name of the rest of our Brethren of our Persuasion at their desire Which received this Gracious return The Kings Letter to the Presbyterians in his ancient Kingdom of Scotland We love yow well and we heartily thank yow for your Address we resolve to Protect yow in your Liberty Religion properties all our life And we shall lay doun such methods as shall not be in the power of any to alter hereafter And in the mean tune we desire yow to Pray for our Person Government To which may be added that kind Complement of the Chancellors Gentlemen My Master hath commanded me to tell yow that I am to serve yow in all things within the compass of my power These Gentlemen needed not to have been sollicitous that those who avouch an Adherance to the Covenanted Reformation and avow an opposition to Antichristian Usurpers which they call promoting Dislayal principles practices might not be looked upon as of their Confederacy for all that abide in the principles Practices of the Church of Scotland which they have deserted and that desire to be found Loyal to Christ in opposition to His and the Churches and the Countries Declared Enemy would count it a sin scandal laying them obnoxious to the Displeasure of the Holy Jealous God who will resent this heinous Indignity they have done unto His Majestie if they do not Address themselves unto Him for pardon of the iniquity of this Address which is the desire of those whom they disoune that they may find Grace to do so and a shameful Reproach exposing them to the Contempt of all of whom they expect Sympathie to be reckoned of their Association who have thus betrayed the Cause the Country These mutual Complements so like the Caresses of the Romish whore whereby she entyces the Nations to her fornication between the Professed Servants of Christ and the Vassals of Antichrist if they be cordial would seem to import that they are in a fair way of compounding their differences and to accommodate their oppositions at length which yet I hope will be irreconcileably maintained kept up by all true Presbyterians in whose name they have the impudence to give out their Address But if they be only Adulatory flattering Complements importing only a Conjunction of tails like Samsons foxes with a Disjunction of heads and hearts tending towards distinct opposite Interests then as they would suite far better the Dissmulations of Politicians than the Simplicity of Gospel-Ministers and do put upon them the brand of being men-pleasers rather than Servants of Christ so for their dissemblings with Dissemblers who know their Complements to be and take them for such they may look to be paid home in good measure heaped up running over when such methods shall be laid doun as shall not be in the power of any to alter when such designs shall be obtained by this Liberty and these Addresses that the after bought wit of the Addressers shall not be able to disappoint However the Address it self is of such a dress as makes the thing addressed for to be odious and the Addressers to forefault the respect merit the indignation of all that are friends to the Protestant Presbyterian Cause as may appear from these obvious Reflections 1. It was needful indeed they should have assumed the name of Presbyterians though it might have been more tolerable to let them pass under that name if they had not presumed to give forth their flatteries in the name of all of that Persuasion and to alledge it was at their desire which is either an illuding equivocation or a great untruth for though it might be the desire of the men of their oun persuasion which is a newly start up opinion that Interest hath led them to espouse yet nothing could be more cross to the real desires of true Presbyterians that prefer the Truth of the Cause to the external peace of the Professors thereof and call it the humble Address of Presbyterian Ministers for otherwise it could never have been known to come from men of the Presbyterian persuasion seeing the Contents of this Address are so clearly contrary to their known Principles It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to Congratulate an Antichristian Usurper for undermining Religion and overturning Lawes Liberties It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to justify the abrogation of the National Covenant in giving thanks for a Liberty whereby all the Lawes are called disabled therein confirmed It is contray to Presbyterian Principles to thank the King for opening a door to bring in Poperie which they are engaged to exstirpate in the Solemn League Covenant It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to allow or accept of such a vast Toleration for Idolaters Hereticks as is evident above from all their Contendings against it which is also contrary to the Confession of faith generally ouned by Presbyterians as may be seen in the place forecited Chap. 20. Par. 4. It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to consent to any Restrictions Limitations Conditions binding them up in the exercise of the Ministerial function wherewith this Liberty is loaded clogged whereby indeed they have the Liberty of the Publick peaceable exercise of it without any hazard of present Persecution but not without great hazard of sin and incurring the guilt of the blood of Souls for not declaring the whole Counsel of God which Addressers cannot declare if they Preserve an intire Loyaltie in their Doctrine as here they promise 2. There is nothing here sounds like the old Presbyterian strain neither was there ever an Address of this stile seen before from Presbyterian hands It would have looked far more Presbyterian like instead of this Address to have sent a Protestation against the now openly designed introduction of Poperie and subversion of all Lawes Liberties which they are Covenanted to maintain or at least to have given an Address in the usual Language of Presbyterians who used alwayes to speak of the Covenants and Work of Reformation But here never a word of these but of
Loyaltie to his excellent to his Gracious and to his Sacred Majestie of Loyaltie not to be questioned an Entire Loyaltie in Doctrine a resolved Loyaltie in Practice and a servent Loyaltie in Prayers And all that they are solicitous about is not lest the Prerogatives of their Master be encroached upon and the Liberties of the Church be supplanted and Religion wronged but lest their Loyaltie be questioned and they be otherwise represented And all that they beseech for is not that the Cause of Christ be not wronged nor Antichristian Idolatrie introduced by this Liberty but that these who promove any disloyal Principles Practices may be looked upon as none of theirs wherein all their encouragment is that they persuade themselves from his Maj. justice goodness that he will not give credite to any other information until he take due cognition thereof Here is a Lawless unrestricted Loyaltie to a Tyrant claiming an absolute power to be obeyed without reserve not only professed but solicitously sought to be the Principle of Presbyterians whereas it is rather the Principle of Athiestical Hobbes exploded with indignation by all rational men This is not a Christian Loyaltie o◠profession of Consciencious Subjection to a Minister of God for good who is a terror to evil doers but a stupid subjection absolute Allegiance to a Minister of Antichrist who gives Liberty to all evil men seducers This is not the Presbyterian Loyaltie to the King in the defence of Christ His Evangel Liberties of the Country Ministration of Iustice punishment of iniquity according to the National Covenant And in the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdoms according to the Solemn League Covenant but an Erastian Loyaltie to a Tyrant in his overturning Religion Lawes Liberties protecting encouraging all iniquity This Loyaltie in Doctrine will be found Disloyaltie to Christ in a sinful shameful silence at the wrongs done to Him and not declaring against the Invasions of His open Enemies This Loyaltie in Practice is a plain betraying of Religion Liberty in lying by from all opposition to the open Destroyer of both And this Loyaltie in Prayers for all blessings ever to attend his person Government will be found neither consonant to Presbyterian Prayers in reference to Popish Tyrants nor consistent with the Zeal of Christians and the Cries of all the Elect unto God to whom vengeance belongs against Antichrist and all his Supporters nor any way conforme to the Saints Prayers in Scripture nor founded upon any Scripture promises to pray for a blessing to a Papists Tyrannie which cannot be of Faith and therefore must be sin It were much more suitable to pray that the God which hath caused His Name to dwell in His Church may destroy all Kings that shall put to their hand to alter destroy the House of God Ezrah 6. 12. 3. This Address is so stuffed with sneaking flatteries that it would become more Sycophants Court-Parasites than Ministers of the Gospel and were more suitable to the Popish Prelatical Malignant faction to congratulate rejoice in their professed Patroh Head and fill the Gazetts with their Adulatory Addresses which heretofore used to be deservedly inveighed against by all Dissenters than for Presbyterians to take a Copy from them and espouse the practice which they had condemned before and which was never commended in any good Government nor never known in these British Nations before Oliver's Usurpation Charles his Tyranny flatterie being alwayes counted base among ingenuous men But here is a Rhapsodie of flatteries from the deep sense they have of his Maj. gracious surprising favour finding themselves bound in duty to offer their most humble hearty thanks to his Sacred Maj. the favour bestowed being to them valuable above all earthly comforts One would think this behoved to be a very great favour from a very great friend for very gracious ends But what is it In not only puting a stop to their long sad sufferings which were some ground indeed if the way were honest but this not only supposes an also what is that but also granting us the Liberty which is either a needless Tautology for if all Sufferings were stopped then Liberty must needs follow or it must respect the qualifications of the Liberty flowing from such a Fountain absolute power through such a Conveyance the stoping all penal Lawes against Papists in such a Forme as a Toleration for such Ends as overturning the Reformation introducing Poperie This is the favour for which they offer most humble hearty thanks more valuable to them than all earthly comforts thô it be manifestly intended to deprive the Lords People at the long run of the Heavenly Comforts of the Preached Gospel Sure if they thank him for the Liberty they must thank him for the Proclamation whereby he grants it and justify all his Claim there to Absoluteness being that upon which it is superstructed and from which it emergeth And so become a listed faction to abett oune him in all his attemptings engaged now to demean themselves as that he may find cause rather to enlarge than to diminish his favours which can be no other way but in assisting him to destroy Religion Liberty at least in suffering him to do what he will without control O what an indeleble reproach is this for Ministers who pretend to be set for the defence of the Gospel thus to be found betraying Religion through justifying magnifying a Tyrant for his suspension of so many Lawes whereby is was established supported 4. It were more tolerable if they went no further than flatteries but I fear they come near the border of Blasphemie when they say that the Great God hath put this in his Royal heart which can bear no other Construction but this that the holy Lord hath put it in his heart to assume to himself a blasphemous absolute power whereby he stops suspends all Penal Lawes against Idolaters and gives a Toleration for all Errors Or if it be capable of any other sense it must be like that as the Lord is said to have moved David to number the People or that Rev. 17. 17. God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill His Will and to aggree aud give their Kingdom unto the Beast But to bless God and thank the Tyrant for this wicked Project as deliberate purposed by men I say is near unto Blasphemy And again where they say they are firmly resolved by the help of God so to demean themselves as his Maj. may find cause rather to enlarge than to diminish his favours this in effect is as great Blasphemy as if they had said they resolved by the help of God to be as unfaithful Time-serving Silent Ministers as ever plagued the Church of God for no otherwise can they demean themselves so as he may find cause to enlarge his favours towards
Absolute Power foresaid against Christ and without subordation to Him from whom as we sought none so we received no Power by His Warrant Grant and against whom we mind to manage it to the utter most of out power Yet reflecting upon the Conduct of the four last Reigns how after all the frequent pressing endeavours that were used in each of them to reduce our Kingdoms to Antichrist the Subjects of Christ were so stubborn that the success hath not answered the designe We must now change our Methods alitle and tollerate that Profession of Christ which we cannot yet get overturned His Subjects being so numerous but alwayes upon these termes that they take aspecial care that nothing be Preached or taught among them which may be a Testimony for Christs Prerogatives in opposition to our Usurpation or may any way tend to alienate the hearts of our People from us or our Government or Preach his Truths which we have condemned as Seditious Treasonable under the highest pains these Crimes will import Hereby we shall establish our Government on such a foundation on the ruine of Christs as may make our subjects happy and unite them to us by Inclination as well as Duty in a belief that we will not constrain Conscience in matters of meer Religion for which we have a Dispensation from our holy-Father and also from our oun Absoluteness to be slaves to this Promise no longer then consists with our Interest And which we have power to Interpret as we please And would have all to understand that no Testimony for Christs Supremacy against our Encroachments thereupon shall be Comprehended under these Matters of meer Religion â—or which the Conscience shall not be constrained But we will have the Consciences of such Subjects of his that dare assert it brought to a Test probation how they stand affected in this Competition betuixt us this King Iesus and see whether they will oune or decline our Authority because not of him nor for him nor to him but against him all his Interests Our will is therefore that all who will Countenance any other Meetings of His Subjects than we have allowed or connive at them shall be prosecuted according to the utmost severity of our Lawes made against them which we leave in full force vigour notwithstanding of the Premises And for this effect we further Command all our Iudges Magistrats Officers of our Forces to prosecute all these Subjects Followers of Christ who shall be guilty of treating with or paying homage to that exauctorated King of theirs in their Assemblies with His Ambassadours in the Fields with the utmost rigor as they would avoid our highest Displeasure for we are confident none will after these Liberties freedoms we have given to all without reserve to serve God Publickly in such a way as we by our Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal Absolute Power foresaid have prescribed allowed presume to meet in these Assemblies except such whose Loyaltie to Christ doth alienate them from us our Government As also under the same Certifications by the same Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal Absolute Power foresaid We charge impower warrand Authorize against all hazards Hell excepted all our foresaid Judges Officers in their respective places to Prosecute execute our Lawes against all that may be suspected or convicted of their Adherence to Christ or be found guilty of ouning their Allegiance to Him as their Liege Lord by Solemn Covenant which we have caused burn by the hand of the hangman and declared Criminal to oune it or shall be found guilty of declining Allegiance to us our Absolute Authority stated in opposition to Him His or of maintaining that pernicious Principle inconsistent with our Government that their lives are their oun which they will preserve without surrender to our Mercy All which we Command to be executed to death or banished as Slaves as shall be found most conducible to our Interest And to the end the few that remain of that way may be totally exterminated we straitly Command all our Souldiers Horse Foot to be ready upon order to march make search pursue follow seise apprehend kill slay cause to perish all such whether they shall be found at Meetings or in their wanderings wherever they may be apprehended And ordain all our good Subjects to be assistent to these our Forces in prosecuting this War against Christ and his Followers and Contribute their best help encouragement in giving them their required Maintinance duely paying the Cess Locality imposed for that end And that they shall not dare to Countenance Converse with resett harbour supply or keep any manner of Correspondence with any of these Traitors that adhere to Christ under the pain of being found airt part with them and obnoxious to the same Punishments to which they are lyable But on the contrary to Assist our Forces to apprehend and raise the Hue Cry after them wherever they shall be seen that they may be forthwith purswed seised cut off destroyed which we order to be instantly done upon the place where â—â—ey or any of them are apprehended that without any delay or mercy to age or sexe c. On the other hand if any will take a look of the Declarations Testimonies of the other Party without prejudice or stumbling at some Expressions which may be offensive to Criticks he will find the Scope Strain of them to have this Importance WE a Poor Company of Persecuted reproached despised Christians who indeed have not many wise men among us after the flesh not many mighty not many noble but are a few foolish weak base despised nothings in the world Yet having this Ambition to be His called chosen faithful Souldiers who is King of Glory King of Heaven King of Saints King of Nations King of Kings whose Kingdom is Everlasting Universal Considering the many insolent indignities affronts reproaches cast upon His Name Glory and the many Usurpations Encroachments Invasions made upon His Croun dignity by a Pestilent Generation of His Atheistical Papistical Prelatical Tyrannical Enemies who have rebelled against Him and have renounced corrupted subverted His Royal Government both in the Church in the world both in His Kingdom of Grace and of Power Do bear Witness Testimony against these Rebels from the Highest to the Lowest And assert the Interest Title of our Princely Master and oune Allegiance absolute obedience to Him and His Government to which He hath all undoubted right An Essential right by His Eternal God head being the Everlasting Father whose goings forth have been of old from Everlasting A Covenant right by Compact with the Father to bear the Glory and rule upon His Throne by virtue of the Council of Peace between them both A Donative right by the Fathers right of Delegation by which He hath
Church but in a way of Dependence upon subordination to Christ as King who ascending far above Principalities Powers appointed gave the Gifts of the Ministry Eph. 4. 8. 11. and set them in the Church 1. Cor. 12. 28. and gave them commission to go teach the Nations by virtue of that all Power that was given to Him in Heaven Earth Math. 28. 18 19. If then they take a new holding close with a new Conveyance of the Ministrie and of the Power to exercise the same from a new Architectonick usurped Power in the Church encroaching on Christs Royal prerogative we dare not Homologat such an affront to Christ as to give them the respect of His Ambassadours when they become the servants of men and subject even in Ministerial functions to another Head then Christ for then they are the Ministers of men by men and not by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead because they do not hold the Head Col. 2. 19. Hence those that receive derive their Church-Power from and are subordinate in its exercise to another Head then Christ Jesus should not be received and subjected to as the Ministers of Christ in His Church But the Prelats their curats do receive derive their Church Power from are subordinate in its exercise to another Head then Christ Therefore they should not be received c. The first Proposition cannot be denyed The Second is proved thus Those officers in the Church Professing themselves such that derive their Church-Power from are subordinate in its exercise to a Power truly Architectonick Supreme in the Church to wit the Magistrate beside Christ Do derive their Power from are subordinate in its exercise to another Head than Christ Jesus But so it is that Prelats their Curats do derive c. Ergo The Major is evident for whosoever hath a Supreme Architectonick Power in over the Church must be a Head to the same and the fountain of all Church Power The Minor is also clear from the foregoing Historical Deduction manifesting the Present Prelacy to be Gross Erastianisme for the disposal of the Government of the Church is declared by Law to be the Croun right and an inherent perpetual Prerogative and thereupon the Bishops are restored to the Episcopal function And it is expressly Declared that there is no Church Power in the Church-office bearers but what depends upon is subordinate unto the Supremacy and authorized by the Bishops who are declared accountable to the King for the Administration By virtue of which Ecclesiastick Supremacy He put excomunication spiritual Censures consequently the Power of the Keyes into the hands of Persons meerly Civil in the Act for the High Commission Hence it is clear that as the fountain of all Church Government he imparts his Authority to such as he pleases and the Bishops are nothing else but his Commissioners in the exercise of that Ecclesiastick power which is originally in Himself and that the Curats are only His under Clerks All the stress will lie in proving that this Monster of a Supremacy from which the Prelats their Curats have all their Authority is a Great Encroachment on the Glory of Christ as King which will appear if we briefly consider these Particulars 1. It usurps upon Christs Prerogative who only hath all undoubted right to this Architectonick Magisterial Dominion over the Church His oun Mediatory Kingdom not only an Essential right by His Eternal Godhead being the Everlasting Father whose goings forth hath been of old from Everlasting Isa. 9. 6. Mic. 5. 2. in recognizance of which we oune but one God the Father and one Lord by whom are all things we by Him 1. Cor. 8. 6. But also a Covenant-right by Compact with the Father to bear the Glory rule upon His Throne by virtue of the Counsel of Peace between them both Zech. 6. 13. A Donative right by the Fathers Delegation by which He hath all power given in Heaven in Earth Math. 28. 18. and all things given unto His hand Iohn 3. 35. and all judgment Authority to execute it even because He is the Son of man Iohn 5. 22 27. and to be Head over all things to the Church Eph. 1. 22. An Institute right by the Fathers inaugaration who hath set Him as King in Zion Psal. 2. 6. and appointed Him Governour that shall rule His people Israel Math. 2. 6. An Acquisite right by His oun purchase by which He hath merited obtained not only subjects to Govern but the Glory of the Sole Soveraignty over them in that relation A name above every name Phil. 2. 9. which is that He is the Head of the Church which is as much His Peculiar Prerogative as to be Saviour of the body Eph. 5. 23. A Bellical right by Conquest making the people fall under Him Psal. 45. 4. and be willing in the Day of His power Psal. 110. 3. and overcoming those that make war with Him Rev. 17. 14. An Hereditary right by Proximity of blood Primogeniture being the first born higher then the Kings of the Earth Psal. 89. 27. and the first born from the dead that in all things He might have the preeminence Col. 1. 18. An Elective right by His peoples choise surrender having a Croun wherewith His Mother Crouned Him in the day of His Espousals Cant 3. ult By all which undoubted Titles It is His Sole incommunicable Prerogative without a Copartner or Competitor Coordinate or subordinate to be Iudge only Lawgiver King in Spirituals Isa. 33. 22. to be that one Lawgiver Iam. 4. 12. who only can give the power of the keyes to His officers which Comprehends all the power they have Math. 16. 19. to be that one Master over all Church officers who are but brethren Math. 23. 8 10. in whose Name only they must perform all Church Acts and all Parts of their Ministry and not in the Name of any Mortal Math. 28. 18. 19. Math. 18. 20. from whom only they receive what ever they have to deliver to the Church 1. Cor. 11. 23. To be the only Instituter of His Officers who hath set them in the Church 1. Cor. 12. 28. and gave them to the Church Eph. 4. 11. whose Ambassadours only they are 2. Cor. 5. 20. from whom they have authority for edification of the Church 2 Cor. 10. 8. 2 Cor. 13. 10. in whose Name only they are to assemble and keep fence their Courts both the least Math. 18. 20. and the Greatest Act. 15. But now all this is usurped by one who is not so much as a Church member let be a Church Officer as such for the Magistrate is neither as he is a Magistrate otherwise all Magistrats would be Church members Hence they that have all their power from a meer usurper on Christs Prerogative who is neither member nor officer of the Church have none
at all to be ouned or received as His Lawful Ambassadours But the Prelats their Curats have all their power from a meer usurper on Christs Prerogative who is neither Member nor officer of the Church Ergo 2. It confounds the Mediatory Kingdom of Christ with subjects it to the Kingly Government of the world removes the Seripture Land Marks Limits between civil Ecclesiastick Powers in making the Governours of the State to be Governours of the Church and denying all Church Government in the hands of Church officers Distinct from independent upon the civil Magistrat which clearly derogats from the Glory of Christs Mediatory Kingdom which is altogether distinct from not subordinate to the Government of the world both in the Old Testament in the New. For they have distinct fountains whence they flow civil Government flowes from God Creator Church Government from Christ the Lord Redeemer Head King of His Church whose Kingdom is not of this world Iohn 18. 36. though for this end He came into the world that He should have a Kingdom there vers 37. They have distinct Objects civil Government hath a civil object the out ward man Church Government a Spiritual object men considered as Christians In the Old Testament the matters of the Lord are clearly distinguished from the matters of the King 2 Chron. 19. ult In the new Testament there are matters of Church Cognizance which do not at all belong to the civil Magistrate as in the case of offence they must tell the Church not the civil Magistrate Math. 18. 15. 20. In the case of Excommunication the Church is to act by virtue of the power of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. not by the Magistrats power In the case of Absolution the Church is to Iudge what Punishment is sufficient and what evidence of repentance is sufficient to remove it 2 Cor. 2. 6. 7. So in the case of Tryal ordination of Ministers c. None of these belong to the Magistrate They have distinct Natures The civil is a Magisterial the Ecclesiastick is a Minsterial Government the one is the power of the sword the other of the Keyes The one put forth in Political Punishments the other in Ecclesiastick Censures In the Old Testament the Magistrats power was Coactive by death banishment Confiscation c. Ezra 7. 26. The Church by puting out of the Synagogue interdiction from Sacred things c. In the New Testament The Magistrats power is described Rom. 13. to be that of the sword by punishment the power of the Church only in binding Loosing Math. 16. 19. They have distinct Ends the end of the one being the good of the Common wealth the other the Churches Edification In the Old Testament the end of the civil Government was one thing and of the Church another to wit to warn not to trespass against the Lord in that forecited 2. Chron. 19. 10. In the New Testament the end of Magistratical power is to be a terror to evil works a praise te the good Rom. 13. 3. but the end of Church power is Edification 1 Cor. 5. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 2. Cor. 13. 10. They have distinct Courts of officers In the Old Testament the distinction of the civil Ecclesiastick Sanhedrin is known where there were distinct causes Persons set over them to judge them respectively 2. Chron. 19. ult In the New Testament we find officers given unto the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. with no mention of the civil Magistrate at all And Church-Assemblies distinct from Parliaments or senats yea when the Magistrate was an Enemy determining questions that did not belong to the Magistrate at all Act. 15. we have Rulers distinct from the Rulers of the Common wealth 1 Thess. 5. 12. whom we are to obey and submit our selves as those who are accountable to Christ only for to whom else can they give account of souls Heb. 13. 17. we have Rulers inferiour to Labourers in word doctrine not to be honoured so much as they Sure these cannot be civil Rulers 1 Tim. 5. 17. we have Rulers commended for trying Impostors which were not Magistrats Rev. 2. 2. And others who are rebuked for suffering Hereticks ibid. vers 14 15 20. which supposes they had Authority to do it yet distinct from not depending on the Magistrate Besides from this confusion of the two Governments together and making the Supreme Magistrate to be Supreme Governour of the Church would follow many absurdities as that They who are not Church members should be Church officers even Heathen Magistrats yea women should be Church officers and none should be chosen for Magistrats but such as have the qualifications of Church officers Sic Apol. Relat. Sect. 12. pag. 190. Rectius Instruen Confut. 1 Dial. chap. 6. pag. 50. Hence they that in deriving their Authority do confound the tuo Governments civil Ecclesiastick and take it all from a meer civil power cannot be ouned as having any Authority of Christs Institution But the Prelats their Curats in deriving their Authority do confound the tuo Governments civil Ecclesiastick and take it all from a meer civil power This same Argument equally militates against hearing the Indulged Ministers who have taken a Licence warrand from the Usurper of this Supremacy because it is highly injurious to Christs Headship very contrary to to Presbyterian Principles clearly Homologatorie of the Supremacy plainly Prejudicial to the power of the people very much establishing Erastianisme Sadly obstructive destructive to the good of the Church wronging our cause ground of suffering Strengthening the Prelats hands contradictory to our Covenants Prejudging the Meetings of Gods people and heinously Scandalous offensive As is clear by unanswerably poven in the History of the Indulgence IV. There is a necessity that any man whom we may Joine with as a Minister must not only be a minister and a Minister cloathed with Christs commission then when we Joins with Him but He must also have a right to administer there where we Ioin with Him. Else we can look upon him no otherwise than a thief a robber whom Christs sheep should not hear Io. 10. 1-5 Now the Prelats Curats though they should he accounted acknowledged Ministers yet they have not a right to officiate where they have intruded themselves Hence we have several Arguments as 1. They who have no just Authority nor right to officiate fixedly in this Church as the proper Pastors of it ought not to be Received but withdrawen from But the Prelats their Curats have no just Authority or right to officiate in this Church as her proper Pastors Therefore they ought not to be received but withdrawen from All the debate is about the Minor which may thus be made good They who have entered into do officiate fixedly in this Church without her Authority Consent have no right so to do But the Prelats
to speakevil of dignities and that they are filthy dreamers who despise Dominion speakevil of dignities and of those things which they know not We allow the Magistrate in whatsoever form of Government all the power the Scripture Lawes of Nature or Nations or Municipal do allow him Asserting that he is the keeper avenger of both the Tables of the Law having a power over the Church as well as the state suited to his Capacity that is not formally Ecclesiastical but objectively for the Churches good an external power of Providing for the Church Protecting her from outward violence or in ward disorder an imperate power of commanding all to do their respective duties a Civil power of Punishing all even Church officers for Crimes a Secundary power of Judicial approbation or condemnation or discretive in order to give his Sanction to Synodical results a Cumulative power assisting strengthening the Church in all her Priviledges subservient though not servill Coordinate with Church power not Subordinate though as a Christian he is subject in his oun affairs to wit Civil not to be declined as Judge but to be obeyed in all things Lawful and honoured strengthened with all his dwes We would give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and to God the things that are Gods But to Tyrants that usurpe pervert both the things of God of Cesar and of the peoples Liberties we can render none of them neither Gods nor Cesars nor our oun Nor can we from conscience give him any other deference but as an enemy to all even to God to Cesar the people And in this though it doth not sound now with Court parasites nor with others that are infected with Royal Indulgences Indemnities we bring forth but the transumpt of old Principles according to which our fathers walked when they still contended for Religion Liberty against the attemptings aggressions of Tyranny against both 5. It must be conceded it is not an easie thing to make a man in the place of Magistracy a Tyrant For as every escape error or act of unfaithfulness even known continued in whether in a Ministers entry to the Ministry or in his Doctrine doth not unminister him nor give sufficient ground to withdraw from him or reject him as a Minister of Christ So neither does every enormity misdemeanure or act of Tyranny Injustice perfidie or profanity in the Civil Magistrate whether as to his way of entry to that office or in the execution of it or in his private or personal behaviour denominate him a Tyrant or usurper or give sufficient ground to divest him of Magistratical power and reject him as the Lawful Magistrate It is not any one or tuo Acts contrary to the Royal Covenant or office that doth denude a man of the Royal dignity that God the people gave him David committed tuo acts of Tyranny Murder Adultery yet the people were to acknowledge him as their King and so it may be said of some others ouned still as Kings in Scripture the reason is because though he sinned against a man or some particular persons yet he did not sin against the State and the Catholick good of the Kingdom subverting Law for then he would have turned Tyrant and ceased to have been Lawful King. There is a great difference between a Tyrant in act and a Tyrant in habit the first does not cease to be a King. But on the other hand as every thing will not make a Magistrate to be a Tyrant So nothing will make a Tyrant habitu a Magistrate And as every fault will not unminister a Minister So some will oblige the people to reject his Ministry as if he turn Heretical Preach Atheisme Mahumetanisme or the like the people though they could not formally depose him or through the corruption of the times could not get him deposed yet they might reject disoune his Ministry So it will be granted that a people have more power in creating a Magistrate than in making a Minister and Consequently they have more right and may have more light in disouning a King as being unkinged than in disouning a Minister as being un-ministerd It will be necessary therefore for clearing our way to fix upon some ordinary Characters of a Tyrant which may discriminate him from a Magistrate and be ground of disouning him as such I shall rehearse some from very much approved Authors the application of which will be as apposite to the tuo Brothers that we have been burthened with as if they had intended a particular exact description of them Buchanan de jure regni apud Scotos Shewes that the word Tyranâ— was at first honourable being attributed to them that had the full power in their hands which power was not astricted by any bonds of Lawes nor obnoxious to the Cognition of Judges and that it was the usual denomination of Heroes and thought at first so honourable that it was attribute to the Gods But as Nero Iudas were sometimes among the Romans Iewes names of greatest account but afterwards by the faults of tuo men of these names it came to pass that the most flagitious would not have these names given to their Children So in process of time Rulers made this name so infamous by their wicked deeds that all men abhorred it as contagious Pestilentious and thought it a more light reproach to be called a hangman then a Tyrant Thereafter he Condiscends upon several Characters of a Tyrant 1. He that doth not receive a Government by the will of the people but by force invadeth it or intercepteth it by fraud is a Tyrant and who domineers even over the unwilling for Rex volentibus Tyrannus invitis imperat and procures the Supreme rule without the peoples Consent even though for several years they may so govern that the people shall not think it irksome Which very well aggrees with the present Gentleman that rules over us who after he was by publick vote in Parliament secluded from the Government of which the standing Lawes of both Kingdoms made him incapable for his Murthers Adulteries Idolatries by force fraud did intercept first an Act for His Succession in Scotland and then the actual Succession in England by blood treacherie usurping intruding himself into the Government without any Compact with or Consent of the people though now he studies to make himself like another Syracusan Hiero or the Florentine Cosinodo Medices in a mild Moderation of his usurped power but the West of England and the West of Scotland both have felt the force of it 2. Tyrannus non civibus sed sibi gerit imperium neque publicae utilitatis sed suae voluptatis rationem habet c. He does not govern for the subjects well-fare or publick ultility but for himself having no regard to that but to his oun lust Acting in this like robbers who cunningly disposing of what wickedly they
have acquired do seek the praise of Justice by injury of Liberality by robbery So he can make some shew of a Civil mind but so much the less assurance gives he of it that it is manifest he intends not thereby the subjects good but the greater security of his oun lusts and stability of empire over posterity having some what Mitigated the peoples hatred which when he hath done he will turn back again to his old manners for the fruit which is to follow may easily be known both by the seed and by the sower thereof An exact Copy of this we have seen within these tuo years as oft before in the rule of the other Brother After God hath been robbed of His prerogatives the Church of her Priviledges the State of its Lawes the Subjects of their Libertie property he is now affecting the praise captating the Applause of tenderness to conscience and Love of Peace by offering now Liberty after all his Cruelties wherein all the thinking part of men do discern he is prosecuting that hellish Project introducing Popery slaverie and overturning Religion Law Liberty 3. Regium imperium secundum Naturam est Tyrannicum contra Regium Liberi inter Liberos est Principatus Tyrannus domini in servas c. Tyranny is against Nature and a Masterly Principality over slaves Can he be called a father who accounts his subjects slaves or a Shepherd who does not feed but devours his flock or a Pilot who doth allwise study to make shipwrack of the goods and strikes a leak in the very ship where he sails what is he then that bears Command not for the peoples advantage but studies only himself who leadeth his subjects into manifest snares he shall not verily be accounted by me either Commander Emperour or Governour King Iames the 6 th also in a speech to the Parliament anno 1609. makes this one Character of a Tyrant when he begins to invade his subjects rights Liberties And if this be true then we have not had a King these many years the foregoing deduction will demonstrate what a slavery we have been under 4. Quid qui non de virtute certet câ—m bonis c. What is he then who doth not contend for vertue with the good but to exceed the most flagitious in vices If yow see then any usurping the Royal name and not excelling in any virtue but striving to exceed all in baseness not tendering his subjects good with native affection but pressing them with proud domination esteeming the people committed to his trust not for their safegaurd but for his oun gain will yow imagine this man is truly a King albeit he vapours with a numerous Lieveguard and makes an ostentation of gorgeous Pomp The learned Althusius likewise in his Politicks cap. 38. Num. 15. as He is cited by Ius Populi chap. 16. Pag. 347. makes this one Character of a Tyrant that liveing in Luxury whoredome greed idleness he neglecteth or is unfit for his office How these suite our times we need not express what effrontry of impudence is it for such monsters to pretend to rule by virtue of any Authority derived from God who pollute the world with their Adulteries Incests and Live in open defyance of all the Lawes of the universal King with whom to exceed in all villanies is the way to purchase the Countenance of the Court and to aspire to preferment No Heliogabulus c. could ever come up the length in wickedness that our Rulers have professed 5. Omnium vim Legum in se transferre c. He can transfer unto himself the strength of all Lawes and abrogate them when he pleases King Iames the 6. in that fore-cited speech saith a King degenerateth into a Tyrant when he leaveth to rule by Law. Althusius also loc cit saith there is one kind of Tyranny which consisteth in violating changing or removing of fundamental Lawes specially such as concern Religion such saith he Philip the King of Spain who contrare to the fundamental Belgick Lawes did erect an administration of Justice by force of armes and such was Charles the 9 th of France that thought to overturn the Salicque Law. All that knoweth what hath been done in Britain these 27 years can attest our Lawes have been subverted the Reformation of Religion overturned and all our best Lawes rescinded and now the Penal Statuts against Papists disabled stopped without against Law. 6. Ad suum eum unius nutum omnia c. He can revoke all things to his nod at his pleasure This is also one part of King Iames the 6 his Character of a Tyrant when he sets upon arbitrary power And of Althusius loc cit when he makes use of an absolute Power and so breaks all bonds for the good of humane Society We allow a King an absolute power taken in a good sense that is he is not subaltern nor subordinate to any other Prince but supreme in his oun dominions or if by absolute be meant Perfect he is most absolute that governs best according to the word of God. But if it be to be Legibus solutus loosed from all Lawes we thinke it blasphemy to ascribe it to any Creature Where was there ever such an arbitrary absolute power arrogated by any Mortal as hath been claimed by our Rulers these years past especially by the present Usurper who in this Liberty of conscience now granted to Scotland assumes to himself an absolute power which all are to obey without reserve which carries the subjects slavery many stages beyond what ever the Grand Seigneur did attempt 7. Tyranno ad cives opprumendos c. For by a Tyrant strangers are imployed to oppress the subjects They place the establishment of ther Authority in the peoples weakness and think that a Kingdom is not a Procuration concredited to them by God but rather a prey fallen into their hands Such are not joined to us by any Civil bond or any bond of humanity but should be accounted the most Capital enemies of God and of all men King Iames ub supra sayes he is a Tyrant that imposes un Lawful Taxes raises forces makes war upon his subjects to Pillage Plnnder wast spoil his Kingdoms Althusins ubi supra makes a Tyrant who by immoderate exactions and the like exhausts the subjects and cites Scripture Ier. 22. 13. 14. Ezek. 34. 1 King. 12. 19. Psal. 14. 4. It is a famous saying of Bracton He is no longer King then dum bene regit while he rules well but a Tyrant when-soever he oppresseth the people that are trusted to his Care Government And Cicero sayes amittitis omne exceritus imperit jiu qui eo imperio exercitâ— Rempublicans oppugnat He loseth all legal power in over an Army or Empire who by that Government army does obstruct the wel-fare of that republick What oppressions exactions by armed force our Nation hath been wasted with in part is
not be an evasion from their extortions he objected the ambiguity of the termes in which the Question was conceived being capable of diverse senses And inquired what they meant by Authority what by ouning Authority By Authority whether did they mean the Administration of it as now improved if so then he was not satisfied with it or the right as now established if so then he was not clear to give his opinion of it as being neither significant nor necessary and that it was fitter for Lawyers and those that were better acquaint with the Arcana Imperii than for him to dispute it Again he asked what they meant by ouning either it is Passive subjection that he did not decline or Active acknowledgment of it and that he said he looked upon as all the suffrage he could give to its establishment in his station which he must demur upon some scruple The replies he received were very various and some of them very rare either for ignorance or imposture Sometimes it was answered To oune the Kings Authority is to take the Oath of Allegiance this he refused Some answered it is to engage never to rise in Armes against the King upon any pretence whatsoever this he refused likewise Others explained it to be to acknowledge his right to be King To this he answered when the Authority is Legally devolved upon him by the Representatives of both Kingdoms it was time enough for him to give account of his sentiments Others defined it to oune him to be Lawful King by succession To this he Answered he did not understand succession could make a man formally King if there were not some other way of Conveyance of it it might put him in the nearest Capacity to be King but could not make him King. Some did thus Paraphrase upon it that he must oune him to be his Soveraign Lord under God and Gods vicegerent to be obeyed in all things Lawful To this he answered whom God appoints and the People choose according to Law he would oune When those shifts would not do but from time to time being urged to a Categorical Answer he told them he was content to live in subjection to any Government Providence set up but for ouning the present Constitution as of God and according to Law he durst not acknowledge it nor oune any Mortal as his Lawful Soveraign but in termes consistent with the Covenant securing Religion and Liberty This not satisfying when he came to a more pinching Trial he declared he ouned all Lawful Authority according to the Word of God and all Authority that was the Ordinance of God by His Preceptive Will and he could be subject to any but further to acknowledge it he behooved to have more clearness for sometimes a Nation might be charged with that ye have set up Kings and not by me c Further he conceded he ouned his providential Advancement to the Throne he ouned as much as he thought did oblige him to subject himself with patience he ouned him to be as Lawful as providence possessing him of the Throne of his Ancestors and Lineal succession as presumed next in blood line could make him But still he declined to oune him as Lawful King and alledged that was all one whether he was Lawful or not he refused not subjection distinguishing it always from Allegiance But all these concessions did not satisfie them they alledged he might say all this of a Tyrant therefore commanded him to give it under his hand to oune not only the Lineal but the Legal succession of King Iames the 7. to the Croun of Scotland which he did upon a fancy that Legal did not import Lawful but only the formality of their Law withal protesting he might not be interpreted to approve of his succession But this was a vain Protestatio contra factum However by this we see what is ouning this Authority in the sense of the Inquisitors The result of all is to acknowledge Allegiance to the present possessor and to approve his pretended Authority as Lawful Rightful Righteous which indeed is the true sense of the Words and any other that men can forge or find out is strained For to speak properly if we oune his Authority in any respect we oune it to be Lawful for eyery Authority that is ouned to be Authority indeed is Lawful Authority alwayes importing Authorization and consisting in a Right or Call to rule and is formally essentially contradistinct to Usurpation wherever the place of power is meerly usurped there is no Authority but verbo tenuâ— A Style without truth a barely pretended nominal equivocal Authority no real denomination if we then oune this Mans Authority we oune it to be Lawful Authority And if we cannot oune it so we cannot oune it at all For it is most suitable either to manly ingenuity or Christian simplicity to speak properly and to take words always in the sense that they to whom they are speaking will understand them without equivacating These Preliminaries being thus put by which do contribute to clear somewhat in this Controversie and both furnish us with some Arguments for and solutions in most of the objections against my Thesis in answer to the Question above stated I set it doun thus A people long oppressed with the Encroachments of Tyrants Usurpers may disoune all Allegiance to their pretended Authority and when imposed upon to acknowledge it may must ratber chuse to suffer than to oune it And consequently we cannot as matters now stand oune acknowledge or approve the pretended Authority of King Iames the 7. as Lawful King of Scotland as we could not as matters then stood oune the Authority of Charles the 2. This consequence is abundantly clear from the foregoing deduction demonstrating their Tyranny usurpation In prosecuting of this General Thesis which will evince the particular Hypothesis I shall 1. Adduce some Historical Instances whence it may be gathered that this is not altogether without a precedent but that people have disouned Allegiance to Tyrants Usurpers before now 2. Deduce it from the Dictates of reason 3. Confirme it by Scripture Arguments I. Albeit as was shewed before this Question as now stated is in many respects unprecedented yet the practice which in our day hath been the result of it to wit to disoune or not to oune Prevailing Dominators Usurping the Government or abusing it is not so alien from the examples of History but that by Equivalency or consequence it may be collected from confirmed by instances 1. To begin at home besides many Passages related already for confirmation we may adde 1 That for about 1025. years the people had in their choise whom to oune ar admit to succeed in the Government even though the Kingdom was hereditary and used to elect not such who were nearest in blood line but these that were judged most fit for Government being of the same progeny of Fergus Buchan Rer. Scot. lib.
6. pag. 195. in vita Kennethi 3. This continued until the dayes of Kenneth the 3. who to cover his villanous Murder of his Brothers Son Malcolm and prevent his and secure his oun sons succession procured this Charter for Tyranny the settlement of the succession of the next in line from the Parliament which as it pretended the prevention of many inconveniences arising from Contentions Competions about the succession So it was limited by Lawes Precluding the succession of Fools or Monsters and preserving the peoples liberty to shake off the yoke when Tyranny should thereby be introduced Otherwise it would have been not only an irrational surrender of all their oune Rights enslaving the posterity but an irreligious contempt of Providence refusing anticipating its Determination in such a case However it is clear before this time that as none but the fittest were admitted to the Government So if any did usurpe upon it or afterwards did degenerate into Tyranny they took such order with him as if he had not been admitted at all as is clear in the instances of the first Period and would never oune every pretender to hereditary succession 2 As before Kenneths dayes it is hard to reckon the numerous Instances of Kings that were dethroned or imprisoned or slain upon no other account than that of their oppression Tyranny So afterwards they maintained the same power priviledge of repressing them when ever they began to encroach And although no Nation hath been more patient towards bad Kings as well as Loyal towards good ones yet in all former times they understood so well their Right they had and the duty they owed to their oun preservation as that they seldom failed of calling the exorbitantly flagitious to an account And albeit in stead of condoling or avenging the death of the Tyrannous they have often both excused justified it yet no Kingdom hath inflicted severer Punishments upon the Murderers of just righteous Princes And therefore though they did neither enquire after nor animadvert upon those that slew Iames the 3. a flagitious Tyrant yet they did by most exquisite Torments put them to death who slew Iames the 1. a vertuous Monarch Hence because these other instances I mind to adduce of deposing Tyrants may be excepted against as not pertinent to my purpose who am not pleading for exauctoration deposition of Tyrants being impracticable in our case I shall once for all remove that and desire it may be considered 1 That though we cannot formally exauctorate a Tyrant yet he may ipso jure fall from his right and may exauctorate himself by His Law by whom Kings reign and this is all we plead for as a foundation of not ouning him 2 Though we have not the same power yet we have the same grounds and as great good if not greater better reasons to reject disoune our Tyrant as they whose example is here adduced had to depose some of their Tyrannizing Princes 3 If they had power ground to depose them then a fortiori they had power ground to disoune them for that is less inculded in the other and this we have 4 Though it should be granted that they did not disoune them before they were deposed yet it cannot be said that they did disoune them only because they were deposed for it is not deposition that makes a Tyrant it only declares him to be justly punished for what he was before As the sentance of a Judge does not make a man a murderer or Thief only declares him convict of these Crimes punishable for them it s his oun committing them that makes him Criminal And as before the sentance having certain knowledge of the fact we might disoune the Mans innocency or honesty So a Rulers Acts of Tyranny Usurpation make him a Tyrant Usurper and give ground to disoune his just legal Authority which he can have no more than a Murtherer or Thief can have innocency or honesty 3 We find also examples of their disouning Kings undeposed as King Baliol was disouned with his whole race for attempting to enslave the Kingdoms Liberties to forreign power And if this may be done for such an attempt as the greatest Court parasites Sycophants consent what then shall be done for such as attempt to subject the people to Domestick or Intestine Slaverie Shall we refuse to be slaves to one without and be oune our selves contented Slaves to one with in the Kingdom It is known also that King Iames the 1. his Authority was refused by his subjects in France so long as he was a Prisoner to the English there though he charged them upon their Allegiance not to fight against the party who had his person Prisoner They answered they ouned no Prisoner for their King nor owed no Allegiance to a Prisoner Hence Princes may learn though people submit to their Government yet their resignation of themselves to their obedience is not so full as that they are obliged to oune Allegiance to them when either Morally or Physically they are incapacitate to exerce Authority over them They that cannot rule themselves cannot be ouned as Rulers over a people 2. Neither hath there been any Nation but what at one time or other hath furnished examples of this Nature The English History gives account how some of their Kings have been dealt with by their Subjects for impieties against the Law Light of Nature and encroachments upon the Lawes of the Land. Vortigernuâ— was dethroned for incestously marying his oun Sister Neither did ever Blasphemies Adulteries Murders Plotting against the lives of Innocents and taking them away by Poison or Razor use to escape the animadversion of men before they were Priest-ridden unto a belief that Princes persons were sacred And if men had that generosity now this man that now reigns might expect some such animadversion And we find also King Edward Richard the 2. were deposed for Usurpation upon Lawes Liberties in doing whereof the people avowed They would not suffer the Lawes of England to be changed Surely the people of England must now be far degenerate who having such Lawes transmitted to them from their worthy Ancestors and they themselves being born to the possession of them without a Change do now suffer them to be so encroached upon and mancipate themselves leave their Children vassals to Poperie slaves to Tyranny 3. The Dutch also who have the best way of guiding of Kings of any that ever had to do with them witness their having so many of them in Chains now in Batavia in the East Indies are not wanting for their part to furnish us with examples When the King of Spain would not condescend to govern them according to their Ancient Lawes and rule for the good of the people they declared him to be fallen from the Seigniorie of the Netherlands and so erected themselves into a flourishing Common-wealth It will not
be amiss to transcribe some of the words of the Edict of the Estates General to this purpose It is well known say they that a Prince Lord of a Countrey is Ordained by God to be Soveraign Head over his subjects to preserve defend them from all injuries force violence and that if the Prince therefore faileth therein and in stead of preserving his subjects doth outrage oppress them depriveth them of their Priviledges Ancient Customs commandeth them and will be served of them as slaves they are no longer bound to respect him as their Soveraign Lord but to esteem of him as a Tyrant neither are they bound to acknowledge him as their Prince but may abandon him c. And with this aggrees the answer of William Prince of Orange to the Edict of Proscription published against him by Philip. the II. There is sayes he a Reciprocal Bond betwixt the Lord his vassal so that if the Lord break the Oath which he hath made unto his vassal the vassal is discharged of the Oath made unto his Lord. This was the very Argument of the poor suffering people of Scotland whereupon they disouned the Authority of Charles the Second 4. The Monarchy of France is very absolute yet there also the State hath taken order with their Tyrants not only have we many instances of resistances made against them but also of disouning disabling invalidating their pretended Authority repressing their Tyranny So was the two Childerici served So also Sigebertus Dagabertus and Lodowick the II. Kings of France 5. The great body of Germany moves very slowly and is inured to bear great burdens yet there also we find Ioanâ—a of Austria Mother of Charles the 5. was put to perpetual sonment which example is adduced by the Earle of Mortoun in his discourse to the Queen of England whereof I rehearsed a part before vindicating the deposing disouning Queen Mary of Scotland If saith he we compare her with Ioanna of Austria what did that poor wretch commit but that she could not want a litle lustful pleasure as a remedy necessary for her age And yet poor Creature she suffered that punishment of which our Dame convicted of most grievous Crimes now complains Buchan Rer. Scotic l. b. 20. pag. 748. The Duke of Saxon the Landgrave of Hesse and the Magistrats of Magdeburgh joined in a war against her Son Charles the 5. and drew up a conclusion by resolution of Lawyers wherein are these words Neither are we bound to him by any other reason than if he keep the conditions on which he was created Emperour By the Laws themselves it is provided that the Superior Magistrate shall not infringe the right of the inferior if the Superior Magistrate exceed the Limits of his power and command that which is wicked not only we need not obey him but if he offer force we may resist him Which Opinion is confirmed by some of the greatest Lawyers and even some who are Patrons of Tyranny Grotius none of the greatest enemies of Tyrants de jure belli lib. 1. cap. 4. n 11. sayth out of Barclaius with him that the King doth loss his power when he seeketh the destruction of his subjects It was upon the account of the Tyranny of that bloody house of Austria over the Helvetians that they shook off the rule Government of that family and established themselves into a Republick And at this present time upon the same accounts the Tyranny Treachery of this Imperial Majestie the Hungarians have essayed to maintain justify a revolt in disouning the Emperour now for several years 6. Polland is an Elective Kingdom and so cannot but be fertile of many instances of casting off Tyrants Henricus Valesius disouned for fleeing and Sigismuadus for violating his faith to the States may suffice Lex Rex Q. 24. Pag. 217. 7. In Denmark we find Christiernus their King was for his intollerable Cruelty put from the Kingdom he and all his Posterity and after twenty years did end his life in Prison 8. In Swedland within the Compass of one Century the people deposed banished the two Christierns and dethroned imprisoned Ericus for their oppressions Tyranny and for pursuing the destruction of their Subjects 9. The Portugieses not many years ago laid aside and confined Alphonsus their King for his rapines Murders 10. Some Dukes of Venice have been so disouned by these Common-wealths men that laying aside their Royal honours as private men they have spent their dayes in Monasteries Buchan de jure regni apud Scotos 11. If we will revolve the old Roman Histories we shall find no small store of such examples both in the time of their Kings Consuls Emperours Their seventh King Tarquinius Superbus was removed by the people for his evident Usurpation Neque enim ad jus regni quicquam praeter vim habebat ut qui neque populi jussu neque Patribus Authoribus regnavit sayth Livius i.e. for he had nothing for a right to the Government but meer force and got the rule neither by the peoples consent choise nor by the Authority of the Senators So afterwards the Empire was taken from Vitellius Heliogabulus Maximinus Didius Iulianus Lex Rex ub supra 12. But it will be said Can there be any Instances of the Primitive Christians adduced Did ever they while groaning under the most insupportable Tyranny of their Persecuting Emperours disoune their Authority or suffer for not ouning it To this I answer 1. What they did or did not of this Kind is not of moment to inquire seeing their practice Example under such disavantages can neither be known exactly nor what is known of it be accommodated to our case for 1 they were never forced to give their judgement neither was the question ever put to them whether they ouned their Authority or not if they transgressed the Lawes they were lyable to the punishment they craved no more of them 2 They confess themselves to be strangers that had no establishments by Law and therefore they behoved to be passively subject when in no capacity to resist there was no more required of them Yet Lex Rex Quest. 35. pag. 371. cites Theodoret affirming Thâ—n evil men reigned through the unmanlyness of the subâ—ects 3 Their examples are not imitable in all things They were against resistence which we doubt not to prove is Lawful against Tyrannical vioâ—ence Many of them refused to flee from the fury of Persecuters They ran to Martyrdom when neither cited nor accused And to obtain the Croun thereof they willingly yeelded up their lives Liberties also to the rage or Tyrants We cannot be obliged to all these 2 Yet we find some examples not altogether unapplicable to this purpose When Barochbach the pretended King of the Iewes after the destruction of Ierusalem set himself up as King in Bitter a City in Arabia the Christians that were in his precincts refused to oune
God of His Word warranting Authorizing So we are commanded to try the spirits whether they be of God 1 Iohn 4. 1. So in this sense sin tentation lust Corruptions of the world are not of God Iam. 1. 13. 1 Iohn 2. 16. Again things are ordained of God either by the order of His Counsel or Providential will either effectively by way of Production or Direction or Permissively by way of non-impedition Or they are ordained by the order of His Word Preceptive will The former is Gods Rule the latter is ours The former is alwise accomplished the latter is often contradicted The former orders all actions even sinful the latter only that which is good acceptable in the sight of God By the former Israel rejected Samuel by the latter they should have continued Samuels Government and not sought a King By the former Athaliah usurped the Government by the latter she should have yeelded obedience resigned the Government to the posterity of Ahaziah By the former all have a physical subordination to God as Creatures subject to His All-disposing will by the latter Those whom He approves have a moral subordination to God as obedient subjects to His Commanding will. Now Magistrats are of God and ordained by Him both these wayes Tyrants but one of them I say Magistrats the higher Powers to whom we owe must oune subjection are of God both these wayes both by His purpose Providence and that not meerly eventual but effective executive of His Word disposing both of the Title Right Possession of the power to them whom He approves and bringing the People under a consciencious subjection And by His Word warrant So Adonijah the Usurper though he had the pretence of Hereditary right and also possession by Providence was forced to oune King Solomon in these termes upon which only a Magistrate may be ouned The Kingdome sayes he was mine and all Israel set their faces on me that I should reign howbeit the Kingdom is turned about and become my brothers for it was his from the Lord 1 King. 2. 15. He had both Providence turning about the Kingdom to him and also the Warrant of the Lords Approbative preceptive will. But Tyrants Usurpers are only of God and ordained of God by His overruling purpose permissive Providence either for performing His holy purpose towards themselves as Rehoboams professing he would be a Tyrant and refusing the Lawful desires of the people was of God 2 Chron. 10. 15. Or for a judgment vengeance upon them that are subject to them Zech. 11 6 whereby they get a power in their hand which is the Rod of the Lords Indignation and a Charge Commission against a Hypocritical Nation Isa. 10. 5. 6. This is all the power they have from God who gives Iacob to the spoil Israel to the Robbers when they sin against Him Isa. 42. 24. This doth not give these Robbers any right no more than they whose Tabernacle prosper into whose hand God bringeth abundantly Iob. 12. 6. Thus all Robbers and the great Legal Robbers Tyrants and their Authorized Murderers may be of God to wit by His Providence Hence those that are not ordained of Gods preceptive will but meerly by His Providential will their Authority is not to be ouned But Tyrants Usurpers are not ordained of Gods Preceptive but meerly by His Providential will. The Minor needs no proof yet will be cleared by many folowing Arguments The Major will be afterwards more demonstrated Here I shall only say They that have no other ordination of God impowering them to be Rulers than the devil hath must not be ouned But they that have no other than the ordination of Providence have no other ordination of God impowering them to be Rulers than the devil hath Ergo they that have no other than the ordination of Providence must not be ouned 2. But let us next consider what is comprehended in the Ordination of that Authority which is to be ouned as of God And it may be demonstrated there are two things in it without which no Authority can be ouned as of God viz. Institution Constitution So as to give him whom we must oune as Gods Minister Authority both in the Abstract Concrete that is that he should have Magistracy by Gods Ordination and be a Magistrate by according to the will of God. All acknowledge that Magistracy hath Gods Institution for the Powers that be are ordained of God which contains not only the Appointment of it but the qualification forme of it That Government is appointed by Divine Precept all agree but whether the Precept be Moral Natural or Moral Positive Whether it was appointed in the State of Innocency or since disorder came in the world Whether it be Primario or Secundario from the Law of nature is not agreed upon It may possibly be all these wayes Government in the General may be from the Law and light of Nature appointed in Innocency because all its relative duties are enjoined in the fifth Command and all Nations Naturally have an esteem of it Without which ther could be no order distinction or Communion in humane Societies But the Specification or Individuation may be by a Postnate Positive Secundary Law yet Natural too for though ther be no reason in Nature why any man should be King Lord over another being in some sense all Naturally free but as they yeeld themselves under Jurisdiction The exalting of David over Israel is not ascribed to Nature but to an act of divine bounty which took him from following the Ewes and made him feeder of the People of Israel Psal. 78. 70 71 yet Nature teacheth that Israel and other People should have a Government and that this should be subjected to Next not only is it appointed to be but qualified by Institution and the Office is defined the End prescribed and the measures Boundaries thereof are limited as we shall hear Again the formes of it though Politically they are not stinted that People should have such a forme not another yet Morally at least Negatively whatever be the forme it is limited to the Rules of equity justice and must be none other than what hath the Lords Mould Sanction But there is no Institution any of these wayes for Tyranny Hence that Power that hath no Institution from God cannot be ouned as His ordinance But the Power of Tyrants is that Power being contrary in every respect to Gods Institution and a meer deviation from it eversion of it Ergo To the Minor it may be replyed Though the Power which Tyrants may exerce Usurpers assume may be in Concretâ— contrary to Gods Institution and so not to be ouned yet in abstracto it may be acknowledged of God. It s but the abuse of the Power and that does not take away the use We may oune the Power though we do not oune the abuse of it
England and generally hated of all who disdaining to wait upon the formall choise of any but after he had paved his passage to the Throne upon his Brothers blood did usurpe the Title without all Law. 5. The second thing necessary for the Legal Constitution of a King by the people is their Compact with him which must either be Express or Tacite Explicite or Implicite Two things are here to be proven that will furnish an Argument for disouning both the Brothers First That there must be a Conditionall reciprocally obliging Covenant between the Soveraign and the Subjects without which there is no such relation to be ouned Secondly That when this compact is broken in all or its chiefest conditions by the Soveraign the peoples obligation ceases The first I shall set doun in the words of a famous Author our Renouned Country man Buchanan in his Dialogue de Iure Regni apud Scotos Mutua igitur Regi cum Civibus est pactio c. There is then or there ought to be a Mutual compact between the King and his subjects c. That this is indispensibly necessary essential to make up the Relation of Soveraign Subjects may be proved both from the Light of Nature Revelation First it may appear from the Light of Natural reason 1. From the Rise of Government and the Interest people have in erecting it by consent choise at is shewed above If a King cannot be with out the peoples making then all the power he hath must either be by compact or gift If by compact then we have what we proposed And if by gift then if abused they may recall it or if they cannot recover it yet they may ought to hold their hand and give him no more that they may retain that is no more honour or respect which is in the honourer before the honoured get it Can it be imagined that a people acting rationally would give a power absolutely without restrictions to destroy all their oun rights Could they suppose this boundless Lawless Creature left at Liberty to Tyrannize would be a fit mean to procure the the ends of Government for this were to set up a rampant Tyrant to rule as he listeth which would make their condition a great deal worse then if they had no Ruler at all for then they might have more Liberty to see to their safety See Ius populi ch 6. pag. 96. 97. 2. This will be clear from the nature of that Authority which only a Soveraign can have over his Subjects which whatever be the Nature of it it cannot be absolute that is against Scripture Nature Common sense as shall be proven at more length That is to set up a Tyrant one who is free from all conditions a roaring Lyon a ranging Bear to destroy all if he pleases It must be granted by all that the Soveraign Authority is only fiduciarie entrusted by God the people with a great Charge A great Pledge is impauned committed to the Care Custody of the Magistrate which he must take special care of and not abuse or waste or alienate or sell for in that case Royalists themselves grant he may be deposed He is by Office a Patron of the Subjects Liberties and Keeper of the Law both of God Man the Keeper of both Tables Sure he hath no power over the Lawes of God but a Ministerial power he may not stop disable them as he pleases Of the same nature is it over all other Parts of his Charge He is rather a Tutor than an Inheritor proprietor of the Common-wealth and may not do with his pupils interest what he pleases In a word the Nature whole significancy of his power lyes in this that he is the Nations publick Servant both Objectively in that he is only for the good of the people and Representatively in that the people hath impauned in his hand all their power to do Royal Service The Scripture eaches this in giving him the Titles of Service as Watchman c. allowing him Royal wages for his Royal work Rom. 13. he is Gods Minister attending continually on this thing There is his work for this cause pay yow tribute also There is his wages maintinance He is called so in that transaction with Rehoboam The old men advised him to be a Servant unto the People then they should be his Servants 1 King. 12. 7. There was a conditional bargain proposed As to be a Servant or Tutor or Guardian upon Trust always implies Conditions Acconntableness to them that entrust them 3. It must needs be so otherwise great absurdities would follow Here would be a voluntary contracted Relation obliging as to relative duties to a man that ouwed none correlative to us and yet one whom we set over us It were strange if there were no Condition here and no other voluntarly suscepted Relations can be without this as between Man Wife Master Servant c. This would give him the disposal of us Ours as if both we and what we have were his oun as a mans goods are against which he does not sin whatever he do with them So this would make a King that could not sin against us being no ways obliged to us for he can no otherwise be obliged to us but upon Covenant conditions he may be obliged bound in duty to God otherwise but he cannot be bound to us otherwise And if he be not bound then he may do what he will he can do no wrong to us to whom he is no wayes bound This also is point blank against the Law of God which is the Second way to prove it by the Light of Revelation or Scripture 1. In thevery directions about making seting up of Kings the Lord shewes what conditions shall be required of them Deut. 17. 15. c. and in all directions for obeying them the qualifications they should have are rehearsed as Rom. 13. 3 4. Therefore none are to be set up but on these conditions and none are to be obeyed but such as have these qualifications 2. In His promises of the succession of Kings He secures their continuation only Conditionally to establish the Kingdom if they be constant to do His Commandments Judgements 1 Chron. 28. 7. There shall not fail a man to sit upon the Trone yet so that they take heed to their way to walk in Gods Law as David did 2 Chron. 6. 16. Now He was not otherwise to perform these promises but by the action suffrage of the people seting him up which He had appointed to be the way of calling Kings to Thrones if therefore the Lords promise be conditional the peoples actions also behoved to be suspended upon the same conditions 3. We have many express Covenants between Rulers Subjects in Scripture Iephthah was fetcht from the Land of Tob and made the head of the Gileadites by an explicite mutual stipulation wherein the Lord
then they are no more to oune him as their Soveraign But the former is proved that a Covenanted Prince breaking all the conditions of his compact doth forfeit his right to the Subjects Allegiance Ergo And Consequently when Charles the Second expressly bound by Covenant to defend promote the Convenanted Reformation Liberties of the Kingdom to whom only we were bound in the terms of his defending promoting the same did violently villainously violate vilify these conditions we were no more bound to them Somewhat possibly may be Objected here 1. If this be the sense of the Covenant then it would seem that we were not bound to oune the King but only when while he were actually promoving carrying on the ends of the Covenant Ans. It does not follow but that we are obliged to preserve his Person Authority in these necessary intervalls when he is called to see to himself as a man for we must preserve him as a mean because of his aptitude designation for such an End albeit not alwayes formally prosecuting it we do not say that we are never to oune him but when actually exercised in prosecuting these ends but we say we are never to oune him when he is Tyrannically Treacherously abusing his Authority for destroying overturning these ends and violating all the conditions of his compact It may be Obj. 2. Saul was a Tyrant and a breaker of his Royal Covenant and persecuter of the Godly and Murderer of the Priests of the Lord usurper upon the Priests Office and many other wayes guilty of breaking all conditions And yet David and all Israel ouned him as the Anointed of the Lord. Ans. 1. Saul was indeed a Tyrant rejected of God and to be ejected out of his Kingdom in His oun time way which David a Prophet knowing would not anticipate But he was far short and a meer Bungler in acts of Tyranny in comparison of our Grassators he broke his Royal Covenant in very gross particular acts but did not cass rescind the whole of it did not burn it did not make it Criminal to oune its obligation nor did he so much as profess a breach of it nor arrogate an Absolute prerogative nor attempt arbitrary Government nor to evert the fundamental Laws and overturn the Religion of Israel bring in Idolatry as Ours have done He was a Persecuter of David upon some private quarrels not of all the Godly upon the account of their Covenanted Religion He Murdered 85 Priests of the Lord in a transport of fury because of their kindness to David but he did not make Laws adjudging all the Ministers of the Lord to death who should be found most faithful in their duty to God His Church as Ours have done against all Field Preachers He Usurped upon the Priests Office in one elicit act of Sacrificing but he did not usurp a Supremacy over them and annex it as an inherent right of his Crown 2. He was indeed such a Tyrant as deserved to have been dethroned brought to condign punishment upon the same accounts that Amaziah Uzziah were deposed for afterwards And in this the people failed in their duty and for it they were plagued remarkably shall their Omission be an Argument to us 3. As the question was never put to the people whether they ouned his Authority as Lawful or not So we do not read either of their Universal ouning him or their positive disouning him However That 's no good Argument which is drawen a non facto ad faciendum because they did it not therefore it must not be done 4. They ouned him but how as the Minister of God not to be resisted or revolted from under pain of damnation as all Lawful Magistrats ought to be ouned Rom. 13. 2 4. This I deny for David his six hundred men resisted him resolutely And though the body of the Nation did long Lazily lye couch as Asses under his burden yet at length weary of his Tyranny many revolted from under him and adjoined themselves to David at Ziklag while he kept himself close because of Saul the Son of Kish 1 Chron. 12. 1. who are commended by the Spirit of God for their valour vers 2. c. and many out of Manasseh fell to him when he came with the Philistims against Saul to battel vers 19. This was a practical disouning of the Tyrant before the Lord deposed him 5. David did indeed pay him his Character some deference as having been the Anointed of the Lord yet perhaps his honouring him with that title the Lords anointed 1 Sam. 24. 1 Sam. 26. and calling him so often his Lord the King cannot be altogether Justified no more than his using that same language to Achish King of Gath. 1 Sam. 29. 8. I shew before how titles might be allowed but this so circumstantiate does not seem so consistent with his imprecatory prayer for the Lords avenging him on him 1 Sam. 24. 12. and many other imprecations against him in his Psalms in some of which he calls the same man whom here he stiles the Lords anointed a Dog as Saul his Complices are called Psal. 95. 6 14. and the evil violent wicked man Psal 140. 1 4. and the vilest of men Psal. 12. ult However it be there can be no Argument from hence to oune the Authority of Tyrants Usurpers 6. Though this Necessary conditional compact which must alwayes be in the constitution of Lawfuâ— Rulers be not alwayes express explicite so that a written Authentick Copy of it cannot be always produced yet it is alwise to be understood implicitely at least transacted in the Rulers admission to the Government wherein the Law of God must regulate both parties and when he is made Ruler it must natively be understood that it is upon terms to be a Father feeder Protector and not a Tyrant Murderer Destroyer All Princes are so far pactional that they are obliged by the high absolute Soveraign from whom they derive their Authority to reign for the Peace profit of the people this is fixed unalterably by the Laws of the Supreme Legislator and solemnly engaged unto at the Coronation and whosoever declines or destroyes this fundamental condition he degrades deposes himself It is also not only the Universal practice but necessary for the Constitution Conservation of all Common-wealths to have fundamental Laws Provisions about Government both for the upholding transmitting transfering it as occasion calls and preventing punishing violations thereof that there be no invasion or intrusion upon the Government and if there be any entrance upon it not according to the Constitution that it be illegitimated and the Nations Liberties always secured This doeth infer regulate a conditional compact with all that are advanced to the Government albeit it should not be expressed For it is undenyable that in the erection of all Governours the
it makes every thing that he can do as a man to be Legally done as a King But a Possessory occupation giving right would enervate take away that distinction for how can these be distinguished in a meer Possessory power the mans Possession is all his legal power and if Possession give a right his power will give legality 6. What sort or size of Possession can be ouned to give a right Either it must be partial or plenary possession Not partial for then others may be equally entitled to the Government in competition with that partial possessor having also a part of it Not plenary for them every interruption or Usurpation on a part would make a dissolution of the Government 7. Hence would follow infinite absurdities this would give equal warrant in case of vacancy to all men to step to stickle for the throne and expose the Common wealth as a booty to all aspiring spirits for they needed no more to make them Soveraigns and lay a tye of subjection upon the consciences of people but to get into possession And in case of Competition it would leave people still in suspense uncertainties whom to oune for they behoved to be subject only to the Uppermost which could not be known until the Controversy be decided It would cassate make void all preobligations Cautions restrictions from God about the Government it would Cancel and make vain all other titles of any or Constitutions or provisions or Oaths of Allegiance yea to what purpose were Laws or pactions made about ordering the Government if possession gave right laid an obligation on all to oune it yea then it were sinful to make any such provisions to fence in limit the determination of providence if providential possession may authorize every intruesive acquisition to be ouned Then also in case of competition of two equal pretenders to the Government there would be no place left for arbitrations If this were true that he is the power that is in possession the difference were at an end no man could plead for his oun right then In this also it is inconsistent with it self condemning all resistence against the present occupant yet justifying every resistence that is but successful to give possession 8. That which would oblige us to oune the Devil the Pope cannot be a ground to oune any man But if this were true that possession gave right it would oblige us to oune the Devil the pope Satan we find claiming to himself the possession of the worlds Kingdoms Luk. 4. 6. which as to many of them is in some respect true for he is called the God of this world and the Prince of this world Iohn 14. 30. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Are men therefore obliged to oune his authority or shall they deny his and acknowledge his lievtenant who bears his name and by whom all his orders are execute I mean the man that Tyranizes over the people of God for he is the Devil that casts some into prison Revel 2. 10. Again the Pope his Captain-General layes claim to a Temporal power Ecclesiastick both over all the Nations and possesses it over many and again under the Conduct of his vassal the Duke of York is attempting to recover the possession of Britain Shall he therefore be ouned This Cursed Principle disposes men for Poperie and contributes to strengthen Poperie Tyrannie both on the stage to the vacating of all the promises of their dispossession 9. That which would justify a Damnable sin and make it a ground of a duty cannot be ouned But this fancy of ouning every power in possession would justify a damnable sin and make it the ground of a duty for Resistence to the powers ordained of God is a damnable sin Rom 13. 2. but the Resisters having success in providence may come to the possession of the power by expelling the just occupant and by this opinion that possession would be ground for the duty of subjection for Conscience sake 10. If a self-created dignity be null and not to be ouned then a meer possessory is not to be ouned But the former is ttue as Christ saith Iohn S. 54. If I honour myself my honor is nothing 11. That which God hath disallowed cannot be ouned But God hath expresly disallowed possession without right Ezek. 21. 27. I will overturn overturn overturn it until He come whose right it is Hos. 8. 4. They have set up Kings not by me Math. 26. 52. All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword by this the Usurper of the Sword is differenced from the true ouner 12. Many Scripture examples confut this shewing that the possession may be in one and the power with right in another David was the Magistrate and yet Absalom possessed the place 2 Sam. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. chap. Shebah also made a revolt and Usurped the possession in a great part and yet David was King 2 Sam. 20. 2. Adonijah got the start in respect of possession exalting himself saying I will be King yet the Kingdom was Solomons from the Lord. 1 King. 1. ch The house of Ahaziah had not power to keep still the Kingdom 2 Chron. 22. 9. and Athaliah took the possession of it yet the people set up Ioash 23. 3. Next we have many examples of such who have invaded the possessor Witness Iehoram Iehoshaphat their expedition against Mesba King of Moah Elisha being in the expedition 2 King. 3. 4 5. Hence we see the first pretence removed The Second is no better which Augustine calls Magnum Latrocinium a Great Robberie I mean conquest or a power of the Sword gotten by the Sword which that it can give no right to be ouned I prove 1. That which can give no signification of Gods approving will cannot give a Title to be ouned But meer conquest can give no signification of Gods approving will as is just now proven about possession for then the Lord should have approven all the unjust conquests that have been in the world 2. Either conquest as conquest must be ouned as a just Title to the Crown and so the Ammonites Moabites Philistims c. prevailing over Gods people for a time must have reigned by right or as a just conquest in this case conquest is only a mean to the conquerours seising holding that power which the State of the war entitled him unto And this ingress into Authority over the conquered is not grounded on conquest but on justice and not at all privative but Inclusive of the consent of the people and then it may be ouned but without a compact upon conditions of securing Religion Liberty the posterity cannot be subjected without their consent for what ever just quarrel the conquerour had with the present Generation he could haue none with the Posterity the Father can have no power to resign the Liberty of the Children 3. A King as King and by virtue of his Royal Office
the Lord. So that we sin against the fifth Command when we honour them that we are obliged to contemn by another Command Hence I argue If ouning or honouring of Tyrants be a breach of the fifth Command then we cannot oune their Authority But the former is true Ergo the latter I prove the Assumption A honouring the vile to whom no honour is due and who stand under no relation of Fathers as Fathers is a breach of the fifth Command But the ouning of Tyrants Authority is a honouring the vile to whom no honour is due and who stand under no relation of Fathers and is yet a honouring them as Fathers Ergo the ouning of Tyrants Authority is a breach of the fifth Command The Major is clear for if the honouring of these to whom no honour is due were not a breach of the fifth Command that precept conld neither be kept at all nor broken at all It could not be kept at all for either it must oblige us to honour all indefinitely as Fathers and other relations which cannot be or else it must leave us still in suspence ignorance who shall be the object of our honour and then it can never be kept or finally it must astrict our honouring to such definite relations to whom it is due then our transgression of that restriction shall be a breach of it Next if it were not so it could not be broken at all for if prostituting abusing honour be not a sin we cannot sin in the matter of honour at all for if the abuse of honour be not a sin then dishonour also is not a sin for that is but an abuse of the duty which is a sin as well as the omission of it And what should make the taking away of honour from the proper object to be sin and the giving it to a wrong object to be no sin Moreover if this Command do not restrict honour to the proper object we shall never know who is the object how shall we know who is our Father or what we owe to him if we may give another his due The Minor also is manifest for if Tyrants be vile then no honour is due to them according to that Psal. 15. 4. And yet it is a honouring them as Fathers if they be ouned as Magistrats for Magistrats are in a politick sense Fathers But certain it is that Tyrants are vile as the Epithets Characters they get in Scripture prove But because in contradiction to this it may be said though Fathers be never so wicked yet they are to be honoured because they are still Fathers And though Masters be never so vile and froward yet they are to be subjected unto 1 Pet. 2. 18-20 and so of other relations to whom honour is due by this Command therefore though Tyrants be never so vile they are to be ouned under these relations because they are the higher Powers in place of Eminency to whom the Apostle Paul commands to yeeld subjection Rom. 13. and Peter to give submission honour 1 Pet. 2. 13 17. Therefore it must be considered that as the relative duty of honouring the relations to whom it is due must not interfere with the moral duty of contemning the vile who are not under these relations So this general Moral of contemning the vile must not caâ—sate the obligation of relative duties but must be understood with a Consistency therewith without any prejudice to the duty it self We must contemn all the vile that are not under a relation to be honoured and these also that are in that relation in so far as they are vile But now Tyrants do not come under these Relations at all that are to be honoured by this Command As for the higher Powers that Paul speaks of Rom. 13. they are not those which are higher in foâ—ce but higher in Power not in potentia but in potestate not in a Celsitude of prevalency but in a precellency of dignity not in the pomp pride of their prosperity possession of the place but by the virtue value of their office being ordained of God not to be resisted the Ministers of God for good terrors to evil doers to whom honour is due those are not Tyrants but Magistrats Hence it is a word of the same root which is rendered Authority or an Authorized Power 1 Tim. 2. 2. And from the same word also comes that supreme to whom Peter commands subjection honour 1 Pet. 2. 13. Now these he speaks of have the Legal Constitution of the people being the ordinance of man to be subjected to for the Lords sake and who sends other inferior Magistrats for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well who are to be honoured as Kings or Lawful Magistrats this cannot be said of Tyrants But more particularly to evince that Tyrants Usurpers are not to be honoured according to this Command and that it is a breach of it so to do let us go through all these Relations of Superiority that come under the obligation of this Command and we shall find Tyrants Usurpers excluded out of all First they cannot come under the Parental relation We are indeed to esteem Kings as Fathers though not properly but by way of some Analogy because it is their office to care for the people and to be their Counsellers and to defend them as Fathers do for Children but Roaring Lyons Ranging Bears as wicked Rulers are Prov. 28. 15. cannot be Fathers But Kings cannot properly be ouned under this Relation far less Tyrants with whom the Analogy of Fathers cannot consist there being so many notable disparities betwixt Kings Fathers 1. A Father may be a Father to one Child but a King cannot be a King or Politick Father to one only but his Correlate must be a Community a Tyrant can be a Father to none at all in a Politick sense 2. A Father is a Father by Generation to all coming out of his loyns a King not so he doth not beget them nor doth their relation flow from that a Tyrant is a destroyer not a Procreator of people 3. A Father is the cause of the Natural being of his Children A King only of the Politick well being of his subjects but Tyrants are he cause of the ill being of both 4. A Father once a Father as long as his Children live retains still the relation thô he turn mad and never so wicked A King turning mad may be served as Nebuchadnezzar was at least all will grant in some cases the subjects may shake off thâ— King and if in any case it is when he turns Tyrant 5. A Fathers relation never ceases whither soeuer his Children go but subjects may change their relation to a King by coming under another King in another Kingdom a Tyrant will force all lovers of freedom to leave the Kingdom where he Domineers 6. A Fathers relation never changes he can neither
where called and the year of redemption was a Iubile of joy so the freedom of release every seven years a great priviledge Ier 34. 9. but to be free of Government is a judgment Isai. 3. 4 5. it s threatened Israel shall abide without a King without a Prince Hos. 3. 4. In the Next place they cannot be ouned as Masters or Proprietors over the goods of the subjects thâ— in the case of necessity the King may make use of all goods in common for the good of the Kingdom For 1. The introduction of Kings cannot overturn natures foundation by the Law of Nature property was given to man Kings cannot rescind that 2. A man had goods ere ever there was a King a King was made only to preserve property therefore he cannot take it away 3. It cannot be supposed that rational people would choose a King at all if he had power to turn a greater Robber to preserve them from lesser Robberies oppressions would rational men give up themselves for a prey to one that they might be safe from becoming a prey to others 4. Then their case should be worse by erecting of Government if the Prince were proprietor of their goods for they had the property themselves before 5. Then Government should not be a blessing but a curse and the Magistrate could not be a Minister for good 6. Kingdoms then should be among bona fortunae the goods of fortune which the King might sell dispone as he pleased 7. His place then should not be a function but a possession 8. People could not then by their removes or otherwise change their Soveraigns 9. Then no man might dispose of his oun goods without the Kings consent by buying or selling or giving almes nay nor pay tribute for they cannot do these things except they have of their oun 10. This is the very Character of a Tyrant as described 1 Sam. 8. 11. he will take your sons c. Zeph. 3. 3. her Princes are roaring Lyons her Iudges are evening Wolves 11. All the threatenings rebukes of oppression condemn this Isai. 3. 14. 15. Ezek. 45. 9. Mic. 3. 2 3. Ahab condemned for taking Naboths vineyard 12. Pharaoh had not all the Land of Egypt till he bought it Gen. 42. 20. So the Land became Pharaohs not otherwise Yet giving and not granting that he were really a Master in all these respects Notwithstanding if he turn to pursue me for my life because of my fidelity to my Master his both will withdraw me from the service of the Supreme Universal Master I may Lawfully withdraw my self from his and disoune him for one when I cannot serve two Masters Sure he cannot be Master of the conscience Thirdly They cannot come under the conjugal relation though there may be some proportion between that and subjection to a Lawful Ruler because of the Mutual Covenant transacted betwixt them but the Tyrant Usurper cannot pretend to this who refuse all Covenants Yet hence it cannot be inferred that because the wife may not put away her husband Or renounce him as he may do her in the case of Adultery therefore the people cannot disoune the King in the case of the violation of the Royal Covenant For the Kings power is not at all properly a husbands power 1. The wife by nature is the weaker vessel but the Kingdom is not weaker than the King. 2. The wife is given as an help to the man but here the man is given as an help to the Common-wealth 3. The wife cannot limit the husbands power as subjects may limit their Soveraigns 4. The wife cannot prescribe the time of her continuing under him as subjects may do with their Soveraigns 5. The wife cannot change her husband as a Kingdom can do their Government 6. The husband hath not power of life death but the Soveraign hath it over Malefactors Yet giving and not granting his power were properly Marital if the case be put that the man do habitually break the Marriage Covenant or take another wife and turn also Cruel intollerable in compelling his oun wife to wickedness and put the case also that she should not get a Legal divorce procured who can doubt but she might disoune him and leave him for this case is excepted out of that Command 1 Cor. 7. 10. let not the wife depart from her husband meaning for mere difference in Religion or other lesser causes but Adulterie doth annual the Marriage relation See Pool Synopsis Critic in Locum So when a Prince breaks the Royal Covenant and turns Tyrant or without any Covenant committs a rape upon the Common-wealth that pretended relation may must be disouned Hence we see there is no relation can bring a King or Ruler under the object of the duty of the fifth Command except it be that of a fiduciary Patron or Trustee and Publick Servant for we cannot oune him properly either to be a Father or a Master or a husband Therefore what can remain but that he must be a fiduciary Servant Wherefore if he shall either treacherously break his trust or presumptously refuse to be entrusted upon terms conditions to secure be accountable for before God man Religion Liberty we cannot oune his usurped Authority That Metaphore which the learned Buchanan uses de Iure Regni of a Publick Politick Phisician is not a relation different from this of a fiduciary Servant when he elegantly represents him as entrusted with the preservation restauration of the health of the politick body and endued with shill experience of the Laws of his Craft If then he be orderly called unto this charge and qualified for it and discharges his duty faithfully he deserves and we are obliged to give him the deference of an honoured Physician But if he abuse his Calling and not observe the rules thereof and in stead of curing go about wilfully to kill the body he is entrusted with he is no more to be ouned for a Physician but for a Murderer 9. If we inquire further into the nature of this Relation between a King whose Authority is to be ouned and his subjects we can oune it only as it is Reciprocal in respect of Superiority Inferiority that is whereby in some respects the King is Superior to the people and in some respects the people is Superior to him The King is Superior Supreme as he is called 1 Pet. 2. 13. in respect of formal Soveraignty and executive Authority and Majestick Royal dignity resulting from the peoples devolving upon him that Power and constituting him in that relation over themselves whereby he is higher in place power than they and in respect of his Charge conduct is worth ten thousands of the people 2 Sam. 18. 3. and there is no formally regal Tribunal higher than his And though he be Minor universis yet he is Major singulis greater than any one or all the people distributively taken And
though he be a Royal Vassal of the Kingdom Princely Servant of the people yet he is not their deputy because he is really their Soveraign to whom they have made over their Power of governing protecting themselves irrevocably except in the case of Tyranny and in acts of Justice he is not countable to any and does not depend on the people as a deputy But on the other hand the people is superior to the King in respect of their fountain power of Soveraignty that remains radically virtually in them in that they make him their Royal Servant and him rather than another and limit him to the Laws for their oun good advantage and though they give to him a Politick Power for their oun safety yet they keep a Natural Power which they cannot give away but must resume it in case of Tyranny And though they cannot retract the power of Justice to govern righteously yet it is not so irrevocably given away to him but that when he abuseth his power to the destruction of his subjects they may wrest a sword out of a mad mans hand though it be his oun sword and he hath a just power to use it for good but all fiduciary power abused may be repealed They have not indeed Soveraignity or power of life death formally yet in respect they may constitute a Magistrate with Laws which if they violate they must be in hazard of their lives they have this power eminently virtually Hence in respect that the Kings Power is and can be only fiducial by way of trust reposed upon him he is not so superior to the people but he may ought to be accountable to them in case of Tyranny which is evident from what is said and now I intend to make it further appear But first I form the Argument thus We can oune no King that is not accountable to the people Ergo we cannot oune this King. To clear the Connexion of the antecedent consequent I adde Either he is accountable to the people or he is not If he be accountible to all then he is renouncible by a part when the Collective body either wil not or cannot exact an account from him when the Community is defective as to their part it is the interest of a part that would but cannot do their duty to give no account to such as they can get no account from for his Maleversations This is all we crave If he be not accountable then we cannot oune him because all Kings are accountable for these reasons 1. The Inferior is accountable to the Superior the King is inferior the people superior Ergo the King is accountable to the people The proposition is plain if the Kings superiority make the people accountable to him in case of transgressing the Laws then why should not the peoples superiority make the King accountable to them in case of transgressing the Laws especially seeing the King is inferior to the Laws because the Law restrains him and from the Law he hath that whereby he is King the Law is inferior to the people because they are as it were its parent and way make or unmake it upon occasion and seeing the Law is more powerful than the King and the people more powerful than the Law we may see before which we may call the King to answer in Judgment Buchan Iure Regni apud Scot. That the King is inferior to the people is clear on many accounts for these things which are institute for others sake are inferior to those for whose sake they are required or sought a horse is inferior to them that use him for victory A King is only a mean for the peoples good A Captain is less then the Army a King is but a Captain over the Lords Inheritance 1 Sam. 10. 1. He is but the Minister of God for their good Rom. 13. 4. Those who are before the King and may be a people without him must be superior to him who is a posteriour and cannot be a King without them let the King be considered either Materially as a Mortal man he is then but a part inferior to the whole or formally under the reduplication as a King he is no more but a Royal Servant obliged to spend his life for the people to save them out of the hand of their enemies 2 Sam. 19 9. A part is inferior to the whole the King is but a part of the Kingdom A Gift is inferior to them to whom it is given a King is but a gift given of God for the peoples good That which is Mortal but accidental is inferior to that which is eternal cannot perish Politically a King is but mortal and it is but accidental to Government that there be a succession of Kings but the people is eternal one generation passeth away another generation cometh Eccles. 1. 4. especially the people of God the portion of the Lords inheritance is superior to any King and their ruine of greater moment than all the Kings of the world for if the Lord for their sake smite great Kings slay famous Kings as Sihon Og Psal. 137. 17-20 if he give kings famous kingdoms for their ransome Isai. 43. 3 4. then His people must be so much superior than kings by how much His Justice is active to destroy the one and His Mercy to save the other All this proves the people to be superior in dignity And therefore even in that respect its frivolous to say the king cannot be accountable to them because so much superior in Glory Pomp for they are superior every way in excellency And though it were not so yet Judges may be inferior in rank considered as men but they are superior in Law over the greatest as they are Judges to whom far greater than they are accountable The low mean condition of them to whom belongs the power of Judgment does not diminish its dignity when the king then is Judged by the people the Judgment is of as great dignity as if it were done by a superior king for the Judgment is the sentence of the Law 2. They are superior in power because every constituent cause is superior to the effect the people is the constituent cause the king is the effect and hath all his Royaltie from them by the Conveyance God hath appointed so that they need not feâ—ch it from Heaven God gives it by the people by whom also his power is limited and it need be diminished from what they gave his Ancestors Hence if the people constitute limit the power they give the King then they may call him to an account and judge him for the abuse of it But the first is true as is proven above Ergo The Major is undenyable for sure they may judge their oun Creature and call him to an account for the power they gave him when he abuses it though there be no Tribunal formally Regal above him
a Conveyance as they thought most contributive for this end When therefore Princes cease to be what they could be constitute for they cease to have an Authority to be ouned but ceasing to answer these ends of Government they cease to be what they could be constitute for 5. For no other end were Magistrates limited with Conditions but to bound them that they might do nothing against the peoples good safety Whosoever then breaking through all legal limitations shall became injurious to the Community lists himself in the number of enemies and is only to be looked upon as such 6. For this end all Laws are ratified or rescinded as they conduce to this end which is the soul reason of the Law then it is but reason that the Law establishing such a King which proves an enemy to this should be rescinded also 7. Contrary to this end no Law can be of force if then either Law or King be prejudicial to the Realme they are to be abolished 8. For this end in cases of necessity Kings are allowed sometimes to neglect the Letter of the Laws or private Interests for the safety of the Community but if they neglect the publick safety and make Laws for their oun Interests they are no more Trustees but Traitors 9. If it were not for this end it were more eligible to live in deserts than to enter into Societies When therefore a Ruler in direct opposition to the ends of Government seeks the ruine not only of Religion but also of the peoples safety he must certainly forfeit his right to reign And what a vast as well as innocent number have for Religion and their adherence to their fundamental rights been ruined rooted out of their families Possessions oppressed persecuted Murdered destroyed by this and the deceased Tyrant all Scotland can tell and all Europe hath heard If ever the ends of Government were perverted subverted in any place Britain is the stage where this Tragedy hath been acted 13. I may argue from the Covenant that to oune this Authority is contrary to all the Articles thereof 1. That Authority which overturns the Reformation of Religion in Doctrine Worship Discipline Government which we are sworn to preserve against the Common Enemies thereof in the first Art. cannot be ouned But the present pretended Authority overturned and continues more to overturn the Reformation of Religion c. Ergo it cannot be ouned for against what common enemy must we preserve it if not against him that is the chief Enemy thereof and how can we oune that Authority that is wholly employed applied for the destruction of Religion 2. If we are obliged to exstirpate Poperie without respect of persons lest we partake in other mens sins then we are obliged to exstirpate Papists without respect of persons and consequently the head of them For how otherwise can Poperie be exstirpated or how otherwise can we cleanse the Land of their sins But in the 2d Art. we are obliged to exstirpate Poperie without respect of persons lest we partake in other mens sins Ergo we are obliged to exstirpate Papists without respect of Persons and consequently the Crowned Iesuite and therefore cannot oune him for how can we oune him whom we are bound to exstirpate 3. If we be engaged to preserve the Rights Liberties of Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and the Kings Authority only in the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdoms then we cannot oune his Authority when it is inconsistent with opposite to destructive of all these precious Interests as now it is with a witness But in the 3. Art. we are engaged to preserve the Rights Priviledges of Parliaments the Liberties of the Kingdoms and the Kings Authority only in the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdoms Ergo. All allegiance that we can oune to any man must stand perpetually thus qualified in defence of Religion Liberty that is so far as it is not contrary to Religion Liberty and no further for if it be destructive of these it is null If we should then oune this man with this restricted allegiance and apply it to his Authority as we must apply it to all Authority that we can oune it were to mock God the world and oune Contradictions for can we maintain the Destroyer of Religion in defence of Religion And the Destroyer of all our rights Liberties and all our legal securities for them in the preservation of these rights Liberties that were pure Non-sense 4. If we be obliged to endeavour that all Incendiaries Malignants c. be brought to condign punishment then we cannot oune the Authority of the head of these Incendiaries malignant Enemies But in the 4. Art we are obliged to endeavour that all Incendiaries Malignants c. be brought to Condign Punishment Ergo The Connexion of the Major cannot well be doubted for is it imaginable that the head of that unhallowed Party the Great malignant Enemy who is the spring gives life unto all these Abominations shall be exempted from punishment or ouned for a Sacred Majestie shall we be obliged to discover and bring to Justice the litle petty Malignants and this implacably stated Enemy to Christ escape with a Crown on his head Nay we are by this obliged if ever we be in case to bring these stated Enemies to God the Country to condign punishment from the highest to the Lowest And this we are to do as we would have the anger of the Lord turned away from us which cannot be without hanging up their heads before the Lord against the sun as was done in the matter of Peor Numb 25. 4. For hath not he his Complices made the Kingdom a Curse and we with our oun consent have made our selves obnoxious to it if we do not procure each in our Capacities and pursue these Traitors Rebells that the Judgment of the Lord be executed upon the accursed 5. No wilful oâ—poser of Peace union between the Kingdoms is to be ouned but according to the 5. Art. we are obliged to endeâ—vour that Justice be done upon him But this man his brother have been wilful opposers of Peace union between the Kingdoms all true Peace union except an union in Confederacy against the Lord for they have taken Peace from both the Kingdoms and destroyed annulled that which was the bond of their union viz. the Solemn League Covenant 6. If we are obliged to assist defend all those that enter into this League Covenant in the maintaining pursuing thereof and never to suffer our selves to be divided to make defection to the contrary part c. According to the 6 Art. Then we must not oun the Butcher of our Covenanted Brethren who hath imbrued â—is hands in their blood in the maintaining pursuing thereof and would have us
a transgression of His Covenant trespass against His Law that they had set up Kings not by Him and had made Princes and He knew it not Hos. 8. 4. and then taxes them with Idolatry which ordinarly is the Consequent of it as we have reason to fear will be in our case He shewes there the Apostasie of that people in changing both the Ordinances of the Magistracy and of the Ministry both of the Kingdom of the priest-hood in which two the safety of that people was founded So they overturned all the order of God and openly declared they would not be governed by the hand of God as Calvin upon the place expounds it Whereas the Lord had commanded if they would set up Kings they should set none up but whom He choosed Deut. 17. 15. yet they had no regard to this nor consulted Him in their admission of Kings but set them up and never let Him to wit of it without His knowledge that is without consulting Him and without His approbation for it can have no other sense I know it is alledged by several Interpreters that here is meant the tribes secession from the house of David and their setting up Ieroboam I shall confess that the ten tribes did sin in that erection of Ieroboam without respect to the Counsel or Command of God without waiting on the vocation of God as to the time manner and without Covenanting with him for security for their Religion Liberty But that their secession from Davids line which by no precept or promise of God they were astricted to but only conditionally if his Children should walk in the wayes of God Or that their erecting of Ieroboam was materially their sin I must deny and assert that if Ieroboam had not turned Tyrant Apostate from God for which they should have rejected him afterwards and returned to the good Kings of Davids line he would have been as Lawful a King as any in Iudah for he got the Kingdom from the Lord the same way and upon the same terms that David did as may be seen expressly in 1 King. 11. 38. It must be therefore meant either generally of all Tyrants whom they would set up without the Lords mind as at first they would have Kings on any terms though they should prove Tyrants as we have seen in Sauls case Or particularly Omri whom they set up but not by the Lord 1 King. 16. 16. And Abab his Son And Shallum Menahem Pekah c. who were all set up by blood treacherie the same way that our Popish Duke is now set up but not by the Lord that is by His approbation Hence I argue those Kings that are not ouned of God nor set up by Him must not be ouned by us for we can oune none for Kings but those that reign by Him Prov. 8. 15. and are ordained of Him Rom. 13. 1. But Tyrants Usurpers are not ouned of God as Kings nor are set up by Him Ergo Again if it be a sin to set up Kings and not by God then it is a sin to oune them when set up for that is a partaking of continuing in the sin of that erection and hath as much affinity with it as resetting hath with thieft for if they be the thieves they are the ressetters who receive them oune them 4. The Prophet Habakkuk in his Complaint to God of the Chaldean Tyranny Asserts that God hath made the righteous as the Fishes of the Sea as the Creeping things that have no Ruler over them Habak 1. 14. Now how were they said to be without a Ruler when the Chaldean actually commanded absolutely ruled over them yea how can the Fishes Reptiles have no Ruler over them If Domineering be ruling they want not that when the weaker are over-mastered by the stronger and by them made either to be subject ar to become their prey But the meaning is these Creatures have no Ruler over them by order of nature And the Iewes had then no Ruler over them by order of Law or ordination from God or any that was properly their Magistrate by Divine Institution or humane orderly constitution We see then it is one thing for a people to have an arbitrary or enthraâ—ing Tyranny another to have true Magistracy or Authority to be ouned over them without which Kingdoms are but as Mountains of prey and Seas of Confusion Hence I argue If the Iewes having the Chaldean Monarch tyrannising over them had really no Ruler over them then is a Tyrant Usurper not to be ouned for a Ruler But the former is true therefore also the Latter 5 Our Saviour Christ delivers this as a Commonly received a true Maxime Iohn 8. 54. He that honoureth himself his honour is nothing The Iewes had objected that He had only made himself Messias vers 53. To whom He answers by way of concession if it were so indeed then His Claims were void If I honour my self my honour is nothing And then claims an indubitable title to His dignity It is my Father that honoureth me Here is a two fold honour distinguished the one real the other suppositious null the one renounced the other ouned by Christ Self-honour honour which is from God. Hence I argue A self created dignity is not to be ouned the Authority of Tyrants Usurpers is a self created dignity Ergo this was confirmed above Thirdly I shall offer some other considerations confirming this truth from those Scriptures which I class among precepts And these I find of diverse sorts touching this subject 1. I shew before that the greatest of men even Kings are not exempted from punishment and Capital punishment if guilty of Capital Crimes for where the Law distinguisheth not we ought not to distinguish There is one special very peremptory Law given before the Law for regulating Kings which by that posterior Law was neither abrogated nor limited even as to Kings Deut. 13. 6-9 If thy Brother and a King must be a Brother Deut. 17. 15. entice the secretly saying let us go serve other Gods Thow shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pity him How famous Mr Knox improved this Argument is shewed in the third Period That which I take notice of here is only that Kings are not excepted from this Law but if they be open Intycers to Idolatry by force or fraud Persecution or Tolleration as this Idolater now reigning is palpably doing they are obnoxious to a legal animadversion As it cannot be supposed that Secret Intycers should be lyable to punishment and not open Avouchers of a desire design to pervert all the Nation to Idolatry that a private perverter of one man though never so nearly dearly related should be pursued brought to condign punishment and a publick Subverter of whole Nations and Introducer of a false blasphemous Idolatrous Religion should escape Scot-free Let the
private Assassination therefore they are called Murderers by Amaziah his Son 2 King. 14. 5 6. but upon the matter it was the Justice of God which he deserved if it had been duely execute for the blood of the Sone of Jehojada the Priest 2 Chron. 24. 25. So Amon the Son of Manasseh for his walking in the way of his Father in Idolatry Tyranny and forsaking the Lord God of his Fathers was slain in his oun house by his Servants who conspired against him But though this was Justice also upon the matter and consonant to the Command for punishing Idolaters Murderers yet because defective in the manner and done by them that tooke too much upon them in a perfidious way of private Assassination Conspiracy therefore the People of the Land punished them for it 2 King. 21. 23. 24. But the repressing punishing of Amaziah is a more unexceptionable instance The people made a Conspiracy against him in Ierusalem and he fled to Lachish but they sent after him to Lachish and slew him there 2 King. 14. 19. after the time that he turned away from following the Lord 2 Chron. 25. 27. Which was according to the Command Deut. 13. which hath no exception of Kings in it This Action was not questioned either by the people or his Successor as the formentioned Conspiracies were His son Uzziah succeeding who did right consulted the Lord 2 Chron. 26. 4 5. did not resent nor revenge his Fathers death which certainly he would have done by advice of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God if it had been a transgression The famous faithful Mr Knox doth clear this passage beyond Contradiction in his conference with Lithingtoun Hence I take an Argument a fortiori If people may conspire concur in executing Judgement upon their King turning Idolater Tyrant Then much more may they Revolt from him But this example clears the Antecedent Ergo. 11. The same power priviledge of peoples punishing their Princes was exemplified in the Successor of him last mentioned to wit in Uzziah the son of Amaziah called Azariah 2 King. 15. when he degenerated into the ambition of arrogating a Supremacy in causes Ecclesiastick Sacred as well as Civil his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense In which Usurpation he was resisted by Azariah the Priest and with him fourscore Priests of the Lord that were valiant men who withstood him and told him it did not appertain to him to take upon him so much and bade him go out of the Sanctuary or else it should not be for his honour Which indeed he stomacked at as an affront to be controled resisted but in thinking to resent it he was plagued of the Lord with leprosie which the Priests looking upon they thrust him out from thence And thereafter sequestred him from all Supremacy both that which he had before in things Civil and that which he was affecting in matters Sacred for he was made to dwell in a Several house being a leper the Law including here execute upon the King as well as the beggar and to resign the Government into his son Jothams hands 2 Chron. 26. 16-21 Where it appears he was not only excommunicated by a Ceremonial punishment but also deposed Judicially Whether he voluntarly dimited or not it is to no purpose to contend its evident that by the Law of God the actual exercise of his power was removed whether with his will or against it it is all one And that he was punished both by God and by men is undeniable Yea in this his punishment was very gentle and far short of the Severity of the Law for by the Law he should have been put to death for intermedling with these holy things interdicted to all but to the Priests under pain of death Numb 3. 10. Numb 18. 7. The stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death All were strangers that were not Priests Whence I argue If a Prince for his Usurpation beyond his line in things Sacred may by the Priests be excommunicated and by the people deposed then may a Prince not only Usurping a Supremacy as Charles did but an absolute power of overturning all things Sacred Civil as James doeth oppressing his subjects in all their Liberties be disouned a fortiori for that is less than deposing or dethroning But this Example clears the Antecedent Ergo See Knox discourse to Lethingtoun Lex Rex Quest. 44. § 15. pag. 461. Ius popul chap. 3. pag. 56. 12. What if I should adduce the Example of a Kings Rebellion against and Revolt from a Superior King to whom he his Fathers both acknowledged themselves subject Surely our Royalists and Loyalists would not condemn this and yet in justifying it they should condemn their beloved principle of uncontroled subjection to uncontrolable Soveraigns possessing the Government Ahaz became Servant to the Assyrian Monarch 2 King. 16. 7. yet Hezekiah his son when the Lord was with him and he prospered Rebelled against the King of Assyria and he served him not 2 King. 18. 7. Hezekiah was indeed a King but he was not Sennacheribs King he acknowledges himself his vassal and that he offended in disouning him vers 14. which certainly was his sin against the Lord to make such an acknowledgment for if his Fathers transaction with the Assyrian was sin then it was duty to break the yoke if the Lord was with him in that rebellion then it was his sin to acknowledge it to be his offence And to make good this ackowledgment it was certainly his sin to commit Sacriledge in robbing the House of God to satisfie that Tyrant By way of Supplement I shall adde that instance of repressing a mad furious Tyrant which all will acknowledge to be Lawful Nebuchadnezzar was both stricken of God with madness and for that was depelled from the Kingdom according to the heavenly Oracle The Kingdom is departed from thee and they shall drive thee from men Dan. 4. 31-33 Calvin sayes upon the place he was ejected as usually is done to Tyrants by the Combination of the nobles people Pool Synopsis Critic in Locum Thus he was unkinged for a time both by the just Judgement of God and by the intermediation of the just Judgement of men and could not be ouned to be King at that time when his nails were like birds Clawes and he could not tell his oun fingers They could not oune him to be the Governour then of so many Kingdoms when he could not Govern himself Hence though this is an instance of Heathens yet because they acted upon a rational ground it may be argued If Kings because of Natural madness when they cannot govern themselves may not be ouned Then also because of Moral madness when they will not govern but to the destruction of Kingdoms may not be ouned But
affronted wickedness and hatred of Godliness may give ground to doubt of it as Christians had of Iulian the Apostate 2. We are obliged to love our Enemies to Bless them that Curse us to do good to them that hate us to pray for them that despitefully use persecute us Math. 5. 44. Accordingly Our Master who commanded this did give us a Pattern to imitate when He prayed Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. And His faithful Martyr Stephen prayed for his Murderers Lord lay not this sin to their charge Act. 7. ult We are to pity them and not to seek vengeance against them for any injuries they can do to us Yet as this doth not interfere with a holy zealous Appeal to God for righting resenting requiting the wrongs done to us that He may vindicate us our Cause and make them repent of their injuries done to us to the Glory of God and Conviction of Onlookers and Confusion of themselves which may well consist with Mercy to their Souls So all we can pray for them in their opposition to us is in order to their repentance but never for their prosperity in that Course And we may well imitate even against our enemies that prayer of Zecharia's The Lord look upon it and require it 2 Chron. 24. 22. But we are never to pray for Christs stated Enemies as to the bulk of them and under that formality as His Enemies for we must not love them that hate the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. but hate them and hate them with a perfect hatred Psâl. 139. 21 22. We are to pray for the Elect among them but only to the end they may escape the vengeance which we are obliged to pray for against them 3. We are not to exsecrate our enemies or use imprecations against any out of blind zeal or the passionate or revengefull motions of our oun hearts Our Lord rebuked His Disciples for such preposterous zeal Luk. 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of But against the Stated Declared Enemies of Christ as such while such we may well take a pattern from the imprecatory Prayers of the Saints recorded in Scripture such as do not peremptorly determine about the eternal State of particular persons which determinations except we be extraordinarly acted by the same Spirit whose Dictates these are are not to be imitated by us We find several sorts of Imprecations in the Psalms other Scriptures Some are imitable some not Some are Propheticall having the force of a Prophecy as Davids Psal. 35. 4. Let them be confounded that seek after my Soul Let Destruction come upon him Psal. 55. 15. Let them go doun quick to hell And Ieremiah chap. 17. 18. Let them be confounded that persecute me destroy them with double destruction Without this Prophetical Spirit determining the application of these threatenings to particular persons we may not imitate this peremptoriness Some are Typical of Christs Mediatory devoting His Enemies to destruction who as He interceeds for His friends so by virtue of the same Merits by them trampled upon He pleads for vengeance against His enemies Which Mediatory vengeance is the most dreadful of all vengeances Heb. 10. 29. So also Psal. 40. He whose ears were opened and who said lo I come vers 6. 7. that is Christ does imprecate shame Confusion desolation vers 14. 15. As also Psal. 109. the Psalmist personates Christ complaining of imprecating against His enemies particularly Iudas the Traitor vers 8. It must be dreadful to be under the dint of the Mediators Imprecations And also dreadful to clash with Him in His Intercessions that is to apprecate for them against whom He imprecates or pray for them against whom He intercedes But some Imprecatioâ—s against the enemies of God are imitable such as proceed from pure zeal for God and the Spirit of Prayer as that Psal. 109. ult Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to be but men Psal. 83. 16. fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy Name This is to be imitated in general against all the enemies of God Psal 129. 5. Let them all be confounded that hate Zion without condescending on particular persons except obviously not odiously desperate presumptively Christs implacable Enemies 4. Touching Magistrates it is a great duty to pray that God would give us Magistrates as He hath promised for the Comfort of His Church Isai. 1. 26. Isai. 49. 2. Ier. 30. 21. Promises should be motives foments of Prayer We ought to pray against Anarchy as a Plague and with all earnestness beg of God that the mercy of Magistracy may agaâ—n be known in Brittain of which it hath been long deprived 5. And when we have them it is a necessary Duty to pray for them for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet peaceable life in all Godliness honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. Where it is specified what sort we should pray for and to what end As we are not to pray for all men absolutely for some as they are declared to be out of the precincts of of Christs Mediation so they must be out of our Prayers So there may be some in actual Rule that may be excepted out of the verge of the Christians Prayers as was said of Iulian the Apostate But he that is a Magistrate indeed and in Authority the subjects are to pray and to give thanks for him not as a man meerly but as a Magistrate Yea though they be Heathen Magistrates Ezra 6. 10. We may pray for all in Authority two wayes As Men as Kings As Men we may pray for their Salvation or Conversion or taking them out of the way if they be enemies to Christs Kingdom according as they are stated and upon Condition if it be possible and if they belong to the Election of Grace Though for such as are opposites to the coming of Christs Kingdom as it is a contradiction to the second petition of the Lords Prayer Thy Kingdom come So in the experience of the most eminent wrestlers they have found less faith less encouragement in praying for them than for any other sort of men It is rare that ever any could find their hands in praying for the Conversion of our Rulers And though we pray that the Lord would convince them yea confound them in mercy to their souls yet this must never be wanting in our Prayers for Tyrants as men that God would bring them doun and cause Justice overtake them that so God may be Glorified and the Nation eased of such a burden But if we pray for them as Kings then they must be such by Gods approbation and not meer possessory Occupants to whom we owe no such respect nor duty For whatever the Hobbists and the time-serving Casuists of our day and even many good men though wofully
God save a Heretick neither must we say God save an Hertical King or a Popish Tyrant a sworn enemy to the Gospel of Christ and the coming of His Kingdom This is also inconsistent with that Rule Directory of our prayers commonly called The Lords prayer not only because it cannot be reduced to any of its petitions which are comprehensive of all that we are warranted to pray for but because it is contradictory to the Second which is Thy Kingdom come The Coming of Christs Kingdom in our Land cannot consist with the preservation of the Tyrants reign which is Satans rule for Antichrists â— Satans Kingdom and Christs cannot be promoted both at once It may be also demonstrated that it is inconsistent with all the petitions of that perfect form of prayer With the first Hallowed be thy Name for when they who rule over His people make them to houl then His Name continually every day is Blasphemed Isai 52. 5. yea much profaned in the frequent repeating that imposition With the Second Thy Kingdom come for when He takes unto Him His great power Reigns then is the time He will destroy them that destroy the earth Revel 11. 17 18. It is against the third Thy will be done for it is against His preceptive will that there should be a Throne of iniquity it shall not have fellowship with Him as it would have if according to His will. And therefore Habbakkuk pleads from the Lords Holiness Righteousness against Tyrants Habbak 1. 13 14. It is against the fourth Give us this day our daily bread to pray for them that rob us of it whom the Lord hath set over us for a plague to domineer over our bodies and all the means of life Neh. 9. 37. The Saints there make a Complaint of Kings and pray to remove them not to save them The Church also prayes againsâ— base Rulers on this account because under them they get their bread with the peril of their lives Lam. â— 8 9. It is against the fifth Forgive us our debts or sins for if we pray for taking away the guilt of sin we must also pray for removing the punishment whereof this is one to be under Tyrants And if it be sin which brings on such a judgment then it is sin to pray for the keeping of it on continuing thereof And though we should forgive their sin against us yet we ought to complain against their sins against God and the Church in defiling it shedding the blood of the Saints Psal. 79. 1-7 It is against the sixth Lead us not into Temptation and deliver us from evil for their Government is a continued tract of Temptation they being a snare on Mizpah a net spread upon Tabor Hos. 5. 1. And if we pray to be delivered from all evil then we must pray to be delivered from Tyranny which is a great evil It is against the Conclusion also for thine is the Kingdom Glory Tyrants being stated in opposition to the Glory of God. Again in the next place it is against many promises of giving good Rulers and of breaking the yoke of Tyrants as I cited several above Neiether of which can consist with the preservation of Tyrants if such a Prayer should be answered according to the idol of the heart of the supplicants for if God should save this man as long as we may pray for him as a King then all the promises of a Change Revolution are precluded Lastly it is contrary to the constant tenor of the Saints prayers against theé Enemies of God. Deborah prayed upon the destruction of a Tyrant So let all thine enemies perish O Lord Iudg. 5. ult Iotham prayed against that bastard King let fire come out from Abimelech devour the men of Shechem and let fire come out from the men of Shechem devour Abimelech Iudg. 9. 20. David prayes against Saul whom he calls Cush the Benjamite in the title of Psal. 7. alluding to Kish his Father or because he was no better than an Ethiopian a Cushite Amos 9. 7. and could no more change his manners than an Ethiopian can change his skin Ier. 13. 23. See Pool Synops. Critic in Locum Where it is proven that this was Saul against him he prayes that the Lord would awake to Iudgement Psal. 7. 6. and that He would break the arm of the wicked and the evil man Psal. 10. 15. that He would not slay them to wit suddenly or in a common way lest the people forget but scatter and bring them doun and consume them in wrath that they may not be that it may be known God ruleth in Iacob to the ends of the earth Psal. 59. 11 13. This is a Psalm against Dogs vers 6. what Dogs Saul and his men watching David See the Title As also it is against Saul that he prayes that the Lord would not grant his desires nor further his devices and as for the head of them that compassed him about which was Saul let the mischief of their oun lips cover them Psal. 140. 8 9. There is also a prayer that the Saints may execute vengeance the judgement written upon Tyrants and bind them with chains Psal. 149. 7 8 9. The Church is brought in praying for vengeance against the Babylonian Tyrant Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon hath devoured me the violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitant of Zion say Ier. 51. 34 35. Paul imprecates any man that does not love the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. and sure no Tyrant persecuter subverter of Christs Kingdom can be a Lover of Christ. The Martyrs under the fifth seal slain for the Word of God and the Testimony which they held are brought in crying against the Tyrants that murdered them How long O Lord Holy True dost thow not judge aveange our blood Revel 6. 9 10. Which though it be to be understood of a Moral Cry of blood as Abels blood cried against Cain yet ought to be a pattern of our prayers against such Bloody Enemies imbrewing their hands in the blood of our Brethren for which we ought to pray that the Lord would haste to make inquisition Durham Observes from this place that Gods people in a holy way may pray for vengeance upon persecuters 5. Let us consider the person matter for whom and for what this prayer is extorted Either it is for the personal salvation of Iames the Papist or the Royal preservation of Iames the Tyrant It will not satisfie to pray that if it be possible and if it were the Lords will he might be taken to Heaven that so we might be quit of him Neither were it Lawful to pray that except we prayed first that he might repent of this his wickedness if perhaps it might be forgiven him as Peter directed Simon Mâ—gus to pray for himself Act. 8. 22. for it is unlawful to pray for the salvation of
for their matter National Covenants about things Moral objectively obliging to joine our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Ier. 50. 5. I might easily demonstrate all the Articles of the Covenant to be Morally obliging but they are demonstrate sufficiently above Head. 1. Arg. 11. Therefore they are perpetually binding 8. They are for their Ends National Covenants inviolably obliging which cannot be made void though they should be broken because the ends of them are alwayes to be pursued as is proved above Head. 1. Therefore they are perpetual 9. They are for their formality National Covenants most Solemnly Sworn subscribed by all ranks with uplifted hands with bended knees with solemn invocating the Name of God with solemn preaching prayer praise rendering themselves and the posterity obnoxious to the Curse if they should break it Now the Solemnities of the Oath do aggravate the heinousness of the breach of it as is clear from Ier. 34. 19. Ezek. 17. 18. quoted above the reason is because of their greater deliberation in the action and because of the greater scandal accompanying the violation thereof Hence as they are National Oaths Covenants so solemnized they are National Adiurations under the pain of a National Curse not to break them Nationally Which do make the posterity obnoxious to it as Ioshua adjuring Israel saying Cursed be the man that riseth up and buildeth this City Iericho Iosh. 6. 26. Which was fulfilled many generations after in the dayes of Ahab upon Hiel the Bethelite 1 King. 16. Ult. So the Curse of introducing abjured Prelacy and Popery if it be let in will be impendent on the Nation All National Covenants have a Curse annexed in case of a breach when ever it shall be So in Nehemiahs Covenant they clave to their Brethren entered into a Curse and into an Oath to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses the Servant of God and to observe do all the Commandments of thâ— Lord our Lord and His Judgements Statutes particularly not to enter into affinity with their Malignant enemies Neh. 10. 29 30. Which certainly did oblige the posterity because the thing was Moral So in our Covenants we are bound to the same things and nothing but these And therefore the posterity is lyable to the Curse of perjurie for the breach thereof 10. They are for their Legality National Laws being Solemnly Ratified by the Parliament and by the King and made the foundation of their Compact with him at his Inauguration whereby they became the fundamental Laws of the Government and among the very Leges regulae regnandi which though they be rescinded by a wicked Law yet make the Rescinders chargable not only of Perjurie in breaking a Covenant but of Treason Tyranny in breaking and altering the Constitution of the Government and render them lyable to the Curse thereof for they cannot rescind that nor escape its vengeance whereof we have a speaking pledge already in that the Rescinder of these Covenants was so terribly rescinded and cut off by the hands of unnatural violence God thereby fulfilling that threatend Judgment of Covenant breakers that he that hath broken His Covenant shall be brought to destruction and bloody deceitful men shall not live out half their dayes Psal. 55. 20. ult So Charles the Second got not leave to live out half the dayes that he projected to himself 11. They are National Engagments of an Hereditary Nature like that of Israel Deut. 29. 14 15. which did oblige not only the present but the absent not only them that stood there that day before the Lord their God but theâ— that were not there that day Grotius de jur â—el Lib. 2. cap. 6. gives these Marks of Hereditary Covenants 1 When the subject is of a permanent Nature and as long as manet idem Corpus therefore as long as Scotland is Scotland whose people in their personal Capacity whose Parliaments in their Parliamentary Capacity whose King in his princely Capacity did all solemnly Sacredly engage in the Covenant it must be real perpetually obliging 2 when there is such a Clause in the Covenant as that it should be perpetual There are many Clauses in the Solemn league to this purpose in Art. 1. are these words that we our posterity after us may as brethren live in faith lâ—ve aâ—d the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us in the 5. Art we shall each one of us according to our place interest endeavour that the Kingdoms may remain conjoined in a firme peace union to all posterity 3 when it is such as is made for the good of thâ— Kingdom The Covenant expresses its end for the perpetual good of the Kingdom having before our eyes the Glory of God the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ the honour happiness of the King his posterity and the true publick Liberty Safety Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included and again it is added for preservation of our selves our Religion from utter ruine destruction All this is a publick National good 4 The matter is Moral about materially binding duties and therefore it must be hereditary and of perpetual obligation 12. Lastly They are National obligations taking on publick duties by way of virtual Representation of the posterity And they that think it irrational that the father should represent involve the family must resolve us how the Religious Civil Covenants of Israel Iudâ—h made in Moses Ioshua's Davids Asa's Ioash's Hezekiahs Iosiahs 〈◊〉 dayes did comprehend bird as well the absent as the preâ—ent their posterity yet unborn as also how the Laws Contracts continually passed by some do take in others not personally consenting yea how comes it to pass that every succeeding generation is â—ound to the Laws and must be obedient to the Kings that they did not make themselves no reason can be given but because they are virtually represented by included in their fathers Now if these Arguments prove our National Covenants to be perpetually binding and cannot be dispensed with theâ— must these posterior Oaths that are made in a diametrical opposition to the Covenants and are condemned by the Covenants be false unlawful Oaths But the first is proved Therefore these Oaths so opposite to condemned by the Covenants are false unlawful That they are opposite to the Covenant will appear in the induction of all of them And that what ever they be imposed by this party they are condemned by the Covenants wherein we are obliged to make no such Transactions with them will appear if we consider these and the like expressions that we shall neither directly nor indirectly suffer our selves to be divided by whatsoever suggestion allurement or terror from this blessed Conjunction nor shall cast in any let or impediment that may stop or hinder any such resolution as
shall be found to conduce for so good ends Which are the Words of the National Covenant clearly condemning Oaths Bonds given to Malignants which are divisive of them that adhere to and Unitive with them that oppose the Covenant and impeditive of resolutions to prosecute the ends thereof So in the Solemn League Covenant Art. 4. We are obliged to oppose all such as make any faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League Covenant but by these Oaths Bonds such factions are made c. And by Art. 6. we are obliged to assist defend all those that enter into this Covenant contradicted by all the later Oaths Bonds and not to suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination to be divided from this blessed union whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency c. Which we do when we divide our selves from these that refuse these Oaths and makes defection unto the party that impose them And in the Solemn Acknowledgment of sins Engagment to duties We are sworn § 6. to be so far from conniving at complying with or countenancing of Malignancy Injustice c. that we shall not only avoid discountenance these things c. but take an effectual course to punish suppress these evils All which we counteract contradict when we take any of these Oaths or Bonds In the Second place by a Particular induction of the several kinds of these Oaths Bonds the iniquity of each of them will appear and the Complex iniquity of the smoothest of them the Oath of Abjuration compared with every one of them will be manifest And consequently the honesty innocency of Sufferers for Refusing them will be discovered I. The first in order which was a Copy to all the rest was the Declaration ordained to be subscribed by all in publick Charge office or Trust within the Kingdom Wherein they do affirme declare they judge it unlawful to Subjects upon pretence of Reformation or any other pretence whatsoever to enter into Leagues Covenants or take up armes against the King and that all these Gatherings petitions protestations that were used for carrying on of the late troubles were unlawful seditious And particularly that these Oaths the National Covenant and the Salemn League Covenant were and are in themselves unlawful Oaths Here is a Confederacy required against the Lord at which the Heavens might stand astonished an unparalelled breach of the Third Command Which could no more be taken in Truth Righteousness than an Oath renouncing the Bible but it hath this advantage of the rest that it is some what plain And the iniquity legible on its front 1. That it is a renouncing of Solemn Sacred Covenants perpetually binding to Moral indispensable duties the wickedness whereof is evident from what is said above 2. It makes perjurie of the deepest dye the necessary sine qua non qualification of all in publick Office who cannot be presumed capable of administrating Justice when they have avowed themselves perjured perfidious and not to be admitted among heathens let be Christians nor trusted in a matter of ten shillings money according to the Laws of Scotland 3. It renounces the whole Work of Reformation and the way of Carrying it on as a Pretence and trouble unlawful seditious Which if it be a Trouble then the Peace they have taken in renouncing it must be such a Peace as is the plague of God upon the heart filling it with senslessness stupidity in His just Judgement because of the palpable breach of Covenant or such a Peace as is very consistent with the Curse vengeance of God pursuing the quarrel of a broken Covenant 4. It condemns the taking up armes against the King which shall be proven to be duty Head 5. Besides that hereby the most innocent means of seeking the redress of Grievances that Religion Risings Law practice of all Nations allowes is condemned Yet in effect for as monstrous as this Oath is the Complexe of its iniquity is couched in the Oath of Abjuration in which many of these Methods of Combinations Risings Declarations of war against the King and Protestations against his Tyranny which were used in the late Troubles for carrying on the Reformation are abjured in that a Declaration is renounced in so far as it Declares war against the King and asserts it Lawful to kill them that serve him Which yet in many cases in the Covenanted Reformation here renounced were acknowledged practised as Lawful besides that it hath many other breaches of Covenant in it as will be shewed II. The next Net they contrived to catch Consciences was the Oath of Allegiance Supremacy Wherein they that took it for testification of their faithful obedience to their most gracious redoubted Soveraign Charles King of Great Britain do affirme testifie Declare that they acknowledg their said Soveraign only supreme Governour of this Kingdom over all persons in all Causes And that no forreign Prince hath any jurisdiction power or superiority over the same and therefore do utterly renounce all forreign power and shall at their utmost power defend assist maintain his Majs jurisdiction foresaid and never decline his power The iniquity of this Oath is very vast and various 1. It is a Covenant of Allegiance with a King turned Tyrant and enemy to Religion Subverter of the Reformation and overturner of our Laws Liberties and therefore demonstrate to be sinful both from the first General Argument against Oaths and from Head. 2. 2. It cannot be taken in Truth Righteousness or Iudgement beause the words are general very comprehensive and ambiguous capable of diverse senses when he is affirmed to be supreme over all Persons and in all Causes and to be assistest maintained in that jurisdiction Who can be sure in swearing such an Oath but that he may thereby wrong others wrong Parliaments in their Priviledges wrong the Church in her Liberties and which is worse wrong the Lord Jesus Christ who is Supreme alone in some Causes Can an Oath be taken in Truth Righteousness to assist him in all encroachments upon Causes that are not subordinate to him and in invading all those Priviledges of Subjects which are Natural Civil Moral Religious for if he be supreme in all Causes then all these depend upon him be subordinate to him And can it be taken in Iudgement and with a clear mind when it may be debated doubted as it is by some whether the obligation of it is to be considered as circumstantiate specificate to the present Object of it supposing him a Tyrant or in a more abstract notion as it might be tendered in the sense of its first Authors as it was taken in King Iames the 6. his dayes And as they plead for taking the English Oath of Allegiance as it was accepted by the
the Granter it is palpable his design is to introduce Poperie and advance Tyrannie which can be hid from none that accept it the effectuating whereof hath a nâ—cessary inseparable connexion with the acceptance of the Liberty and is so far from being avertible by the Accepters that it is chiefly promoted by their acceptance and the design of it is to lay them by from all opposition thereto If it be considered with relation to the Accepters it is plain it must be taken as it is given and received as it is conveyed from its fountain of Absolute power through a channel of an Arbitrary Law-disabling Religion-dishonouring Toleration which is semper mali and with consent to the sinful â—mpositions with which it is tendered concerning affecting the Doctrine of Ministers that they shall Preach nothing which may alienate the subjects from the Government Against all which there is no access for a Protestation consistent with the improvement of the Liberty for it is granted accepted on these very terms that there shall be no Protestation for if there be that will be found an alienating of the hearts of the subjects from the Government which by that Protestation will be reflected upon If it be considered with respect to the Addressers for it who formally say a Confederacy with and Congratulate the Tolerator for his Toleration and all the Mischiefs he is machinatinating effectuating thereby then seeing they have Presumptuously taken upon them to send it in the name of all Presbyterians it concerns all honest men zealous Christians and faithful Ministers of that perswasion denomination in honour Conscience to declare to the world by some publick Testimony that they are not Consenters to that sinful shameful scandalous Conspiracy nor of the Corporation of these flattering Addressers who have betrayed the Cause with which all will be interpreted Consenters that are not Contradicters Further this Tolleration is sinful as is cleared above Periâ— 6. And to accept of it is contrary to our Solemn Covenants Engagments where we are bound to exstirpate Poperie preserve the Reformation defend our Liberties and never to accept of a Toleration eversive of all these precious Interests we are sworn to maintain And it is heinously scandalous being in effect a succumbing at length and yeelding up the Cause which hath been so long controverted so long contended for at least an appearance of ceding lying by from contending for the Interests of Christ of condemning our former Wrestlings for the same of purchasing a Liberty to our selves at the rate of burying the Testimony in bondage oblivion of hardening confirming open Adversaries in their wicked invasions on our Religion Laws Liberties of being weary of the Cross of Christ that we would fain have ease upon any terms and of weakening the hands yea condemning the Practice peremptoriness of these that are exampted from the benefit or rather the snare of it and suffer when others are at ease It is also attended with many Inconveniences for either such as Preach under the Covert of it must forbear declaring some part of the Counsel of God and give no Testimony seasonable this day or else if they do they will soon be discovered and made a prey Hence seeing there must be a Testimony against this Toleration it is certainly most expedient to give it there where the Meeting is without the reach bounds of it and interdicted by the same Proclamation that tenders it and where the very gathering in such places is a Testimony against it for to Preach in houses constantly leave the fields would now be interpreted an Homologating the Toleration that commands Preaching to be so restricted especially when an Address is made in name of all that accept the benefit of it from which Odium we could not vindicate our selves if we should so make use of it 2. The keeping of Field Meetings now is a Testimony against that wicked Law that discharges them and interdicts them as Criminal yea in some respect a Case of Confession for if Daniels case when publick prayer was discharged under pain of death was a Case of Confession as all grant then must also our case be when publick Preaching is discharged under the some penalty for it is equivalent to an Universal discharge of all publick Preaching when the manner of it is discharged which we can only have with freedom safety in way of publick Testimony which can be none other in our Circumstances but in the fields Again if the Law be wicked that discharges them as certainly it is and is demonstrated from what is said already then it must be sin to obey it but it were an obeying of it to quite the fields 3. The â—eeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony against Tyranny Usurpation encroaching upon our Religion Laws Liberties and presuming to restrict bound the exercise of the Ministerial function and discharge it altogether except it be modified according to the Circumstances prescibed by a wicked Law which cannot be allowed aâ— competent to any man whose Authority is not acknowledged for reasons given in Head. 2. Therefore though there were no more this is sufficient to call all Ministers to give Testimony against such an Usurpation by resfusing to obey any such Act. and Preaching where God giveth a Call. For otherwise to submit to it would be an acknowledging of his Magistâ—atical power to discharge these Meetings and to give forth sentences against faithful Ministers 4. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for the Honour Headship Princely Prerogative of Jesus Christ which hath been the Great Word of His Patience in Scotland and by an Unparalelled insolence encroached upon by Usurpers in our day and in effect â—enied by such as took a new holding for the exercise of their Ministrie from their Usurped power Now in these Meetings there is a Practical Declaration of their holding their Ministrie and the exercise thereof from Christ alone without any dependence upon 〈◊〉 to or licence warrand from His Usurping Enemies and that they may will Preach in publick without Authority from them If then it be Lawful expedient to maintain the Interests of a King of Clay against an Usurper then much more must it be Lawful expedient to maintain the quarrel of the King of Kings when wicked men would banish Him and His Interests out of the Kingdom by their Tyrannical cruelty and cruel mercy of a destructive Toleration 5. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for the Gospel and the Ministrie thereof which is alwayes the dearest nearest priviledge of Christians and in the present Circumstances when our Lives and our all are embarked in the same bottom with it and sought to be destroyed together with it by a party conspiring against Christ it is necessary duty to defend both by resisting their unjust violence especially when Religion and the Gospel is one and
succession by a scandalous Assassination But it is clear then David was Resisting him and that is enough for us and he supposes he might descend into battel perish 1 Sam. 26. 10. not excluding but that he might perish in battel against himself resisting him We are commanded indeed not to resist evil but whosoever shall smite us on the one check to turn to him the other also Math. 5. 39. and to recompense to no man evil for evil Rom. 12. 17. But this doth not condemn self defence or Resisting Tyrants violently endangering our Lives Laws Religion Liberties but only resistence by way of private revenge retaliation and enjoins patience when the clear call dispensation do inevitably call into suffering but not to give way to all violence Sacriledge to the subverting of Religion Righteousness These Texts do no more condemn private persons retaliating the Magistrate than Magistrats retaliating private persons unless Magistrats be exempted from this precept and consequently be not among Christs followers Yea they do no more forbid private persons to resist the unjust violence of Magistrats than to resist the unjust violence of private persons That Objection from our Lords reproving Peter Math. 26. 52. Put up thy sword for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword hath no weight here for this condemns only making use of the sword either by way of private revenge or usurping the use of it without Authority and so condemns all Tyrants which private subjects do not want to defend themselves their Religion Liberty or using it without necessity which was not in Peters case tum quia valebat Christus se ipsum defendere tum quia volebat se ipsum tradere Pool Synops. Critic in Locum Christ could easily have defended himself but he would not and therefore there was no necessity for Peters rashness it condemns also a rash precipitating and preventing the Call of God to acts of Resistence But otherwise it is plain it was not Peters fault to defend his Master but a necessary duty The reason our Lord gives for that inhibition at that time was two fold one expressed Math. 26. 52. for they that take the sword c. Which do not belong to Peter as if Peter were hereby threatened but to those that were coming to take Christ they usurped the sword of Tyrannical violence and therefore are threatened with destruction by the sword of the Romans so is that commination to be understood of Antichrist and the Tyrants that serve him Rev. 13. 10. he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword which is a terrible word against persecuters The other reason is Iohn 18. 11. The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink Which clearly resells that Objection of Christs non-resistence To which it is answered that suffering was the end of His voluntary suscepted humiliation and His errand to the World appointed by the Father and undertaken by Himself which is not the Rule of our practice Thô it be true that even in His Sufferings He left us an ensample that we should follow His steps 1 Pet. 2. 21. In many things as He was a Martyr His Sufferings were the purest Rule Example for us to follow both for the matter and frame of Spirit submission patience constancy meekness c. but not as He was our Sponsor and after the same manner for then it were unlawful for us to flee as well as to resist because He would not flee at that time 7. As we are not for Rising in Armes for triffles of our oun things or small injuries done to our selves but in a case of necessity for the preservation of our Lives Religion Laws Liberties when all that are dear to us as men and as Christians are in hazard So we are not for Rising up in Armes to force the Magistrate to be of our Religion but to defend our Religion against his force We do not think it the way that Christ hath appointed to propogate Religion by Armes Let Persecuters Limbs of Antichrist take that to them but we think it a Priviledge which Christ hath allowed us to defend preserve our Religion by Armes especially when it hath been established by the Laws of the Land and become a Land-right and the dearest and most precious Right Interest we have to contend for It is true Christ saith Iohn 18. 36. My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Iewes But this Objection will not conclude that Christs Kingdom is not to be defended preserved even by Resistence of all that would impiously sacrilegiously spoil us of it in this world because it is not of this world for then all were obliged to suffer it to be run doun by slaves of Hell and Satan and Antichrists vassals Papists Malignants Yea Magistrats were not to fight for it for they are among His Servants if they be Christians But the good Confession He Witnesses here before Pilat is that He hath a Kingdom which as it is not in opposition to any Cesarean Majestie So it must not be usurped upon by any King of Clay but is specifically distinct from all the Kingdoms of the world and subordinate to no earthly power being of a Spiritual Nature whereof this is a demonstration and sufficient security for earthly Kingdoms that His Servants as such that is as Christians and as Ministers were not appointed by Him to propogate it by Armes nor to deliver Him their King at that time because He would not suffer His Glorious design of Redemption to be any longer retarded but this doth not say but thô they are not to propogate it as Christians and as Ministers by carnal weapons yet they may preserve it with such weapons as men Hence that old saying may be vindicated preces lachrimae sunt arma Ecclesiae Prayers and tears are the Armes of the Church I grant they are so the only best prevailing Armes and without which all others would be ineffectual and that they together with Preaching Church Discipline c. are the only Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Armes of a Church as a Church but the Members thereof are also Men and as men they may use the same weapons that others do And ye my flock the flock of my Pasture are men saith the Lord Ezek. 33. 31. Yea from this I shall take an Argument It it be Lawful for private Subjects without the concurrence of Parliaments to resist a Tyrant by Prayers and tears Then it is Lawful also to resist him by violence But the former is true as our Adversaries grant by this Objection and I have proved it to be duty to pray against Tyrants Head 2. Ergo The Connexion is founded upon these reasons 1. This personal Resistence by violence is as consistent with that Command Rom. 13. 1 2. Let
every soul be subject unto the higher Powers whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God as Resistence by Prayer is with that 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. I exhort that Supplications be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority If the Prince be good the one as is unlawful as the other and a sinful resistence of the Ordinance of God to pray against him no less than the other to fight against him Therefore when he becomes a Tyrant destroyer of the Lords Inheritance and an Apostate as I may not pray for him except conditionally but against him as an Enemy of Christ so I may also fight against him as such 2. As Adversaries themselves will grant that Resistence by Prayers tears is more powerful effectual than the other So the Laws of the Land make the one treasonable as well as the other and that deservedly when the Prince is doing his duty but when he turneth Tyrant neither can justly be condemned These things being premitted I shall come shortly to the purpose and endeavour to prove this Truth That it is a necessary duty for a Community whether they have the Concurrence of the Primores Nobles Representatives or not to endeavour in the defence of their Religion Lives Laws Liberties to Resist Repress the Usurpation Tyranny of prevailing Dominators using or abusing their Power for subverting Religion invading the Liberties and overturning the foundamental Laws of their Country Wherein I shall be but short because this Truth is sufficiently confirmed by all the Arguments of the Second Head. Yet I may only hint at many other And prosecute them in this Order First I shall produce some Arguments from the Law of Nature Nations Secondly from the Common practice of all Christian people Thirdly from express Scriptures I. The Arguments of the first Class are very multifarious I shall reduce them to a few as Compendiously as may be and only give the strength of them in a Syllogistical forme without expatiating save where the matters requires 1. The greatest Antagonists of this Truth through the clearness thereof are forced to assert grant such particulars as will by Consequence justify this plea. 1. Barclay contra Monarchum is cited by the Apol. Relat. and Ius Populi asserting that if a King will alienate subject his Kingdom without his Subjects consent or be carried with a hostile mind to the destruction of his people his Kingdom is actually lost and the people may not only Lawfully resist but also depose him Grotius de jure belli lib. 1. cap. 4. asserts the same and adds if he but attempt to do so he may be resisted The Surveyer of Napâ—tali grants the same pag. 23 24. Yea this hath been granted in open Court by the Council of Scotland that in case of the Kings alienating his Kingdoms he may be Resisted Hence 1 If vendition or alienation of Kingdoms or attempts of it do annull a Kings Authority Then an alienation of them from Christ to whom they are devoted by Covenant and selling them to Antichrist as is attempted by this King gives the people a right to Resist him But the former is here conceded Ergo 2 We need say no more to apply the other that carrying a hostile mind to the destruction of the people does forfeit his Kingdom and gives the people right to Resist than that a Papist is alwise known to carry a hostile mind to the destruction of Protestants and all the designs declared these 27 years have been demonstrative efforts of it 2. Dr Ferne acknowledgeth that personal defence is Lawful against the sudden illegal inevitable assaults of the Kings Messengers or of himself in so far as to ward off his blowes or hold his hands As also he alloweth private persons Libertie to deny subsidies tribute to the Prince when he imployeth it to the destruction of the Commonwealth Hence 1 If one man may defend himself against the sudden illegal inevitable assaults of the King or his Messengers Then may many men in defence of their Lives Liberties defend themselves against the surprising Massacres the sudden assaults and much more the devised deliberate assaults of a Tyrants bloody Emissaries which are illegal inevitable as all their furious bloody on-sets have been But the former is here acknowledged Ergo 2 If people may deny subsidies to a King when he employeth it to the destruction of the Commonwealth Then as this justifies the denyal of the Cess imposed for destruction of the Church banishing of the Gospel So this gives them right to Resist him for if he be the power ordained of God not to be resisted then for this Cause tribute must be paid for they are Gods Ministers Rom. 13. 6. and if tribute must not be paid then he is not the power ordained of God and so may be resisted But the former is here allowed Ergo 3. Bodin de Repub. lib. 2. cap. 5. granteth if a King turn Tyrant he may Lawfully at his subjects request be invaded resisted condemned or slain by a foraign Prince Hence if foraign Princes may Lawfully help a people oppressed by their oun Soveraign then people may Resist themselves if they be able and hold in their pains But the former is here granted Ergo The Consequence cannot be denyed for foraigners have no more Power or Authority over another Soveraign then the people have themselves 4. Arnisaeus de Author Princip c. 2. n. 10 granteth that if the Prince proceed extrajudicially without order of Law by violence every private man hath power to resist So the Surveyer of Naphtali ubi supra grants so much of a womans violent resisting attempts against the honour of her chastitie and tending to ensnare her in sin whereof her non-resistence makes her guilty Hence 1 If every extrajudicial violence of a Prince may be Resisted Then also all Contrajudicial violence against Law or reason must be opposed for that is more grievous and all their violences wherein they do not act as Judges must be resisted and that is all together for in none of them they can act as Judges But the former is here granted Ergo 2 If a woman may defend her Chastity against the K. lest her non-resistence make her guilty Oh if all women had been of this mind the Country would not have been pestered so with the Kings bastards Then may a Nation or any part of it Resist a Tyrants attempts upon the honour of their Religion entycing them to fornication with the Mother of harlots lest their non-resistence make them guilty But the former is here yeelded Ergo 5. That same Arnisaeus cap. 4. saith Of the former to wit he who is called a Tyrant in title it is determined by all without any difficultie that he may be Lawfully repulsed or if by force he be gotten into the Throne he may warrantably be thence removed because he hath not any Jot of power which
each other Math. 7. 12. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to yow do ye even so to them We would have them helping us when we are oppressed so should we do to them when it is in the power of our hands to do it and not forbear to deliver them for fear the Lord require their blood at our hand Prov. 24. 11 12. But this cannot be done by meer subjection with out Resistence 3. There is no way to free our selves of the sin judgment of Tyrants by meer Passive subjection We find in the Scriptures people have been so involved and punished for the sins of Tyrants As the people of Iudah for Manasseh 2 King. 21. 11. c. Ier. 15. 4. whose sins if they had not been committed the judgments for them had been prevented and if the people had hindered them they had not smarted But being joyntly included with their Rulers in the same bond of fidelity to God and made accountable as joynt Principals with their Kings for that debt by their Mutual as well as Several engagments to walk in His Wayes they were lyable to be punished for their Rebellion Apostasie because they did not hinder it Hence some-what must be done to free our selves of their sin and to escape their Judgments But this can be nothing else but opposition to them by Resistence or else if we make any other opposition it will make us more a prey to their fury II. Secondly this Truth is Confirmed from the Common Practice of the people of God even under Persecution Whence I shall draw an Argument ab Exemplis which to condemn were impious and to deny were most impudent And for formes sake it may run thus What the people of God under both Testaments have frequently done in time of Persecution for defending vindicating or recovering their Religion Liberties may ought to be done again in the like Circumstances when these are in the like hazard But under both Testaments the people of God frequently in times of Persecution have defended vindicated or Recovered their Religion Liberties by defensive Armes Resisting the Soveraign powers that sought to dostroy them Ergo this may ought to be done again when these Religious Civil natural priviledges are in the like hazard to be destroyed by the violent encroachments of the Soveraign powers The Proposition cannot be denyed except by them that do profess themselves enemies to the people of God and condemn their most frequently reiterated practices most solemnly signally ouned of God to the confusion of their enemies to the conviction of the World that the Cause for which they contended was of God and to the encouragment of all the Patrons of such a Cause to hope that when it is at the lowest it shall have a Revival Glorious Issue It is true somtimes they did not Resist when either they were not in a Capacity or did not see a Call to such an Action but were extraordinarly Spirited of the Lord for Passive Testimonies under a suffering dispensation But 't is as true that many times they did Resist when the Lord capacitated called Spirited them for Active Testimonies And therefore if their Suffering under these Circumstances may be imitated by a people so stated Then also their Actions under these other Circumstances may be imitated by a people in the like case And by an impartial Scrutiny it will be found that the examples of their endeavoured Resistence will be litle inferiour if not superiour in number or importance to the examples of their submissive Sufferings in all ages Which will appear in the Probation of the Assumption by adduction of many Instances which I shall only cursorly glean out of that plentiful harvest that Histories afford 1. I need only to glance at that known famous History of the Maccabees of undoubted verity though not of Cannonical Authority In which according to Scripture Predictions we have a notable account of Heroick Interprizes Atchievments Exploits performed by them that knew their God and tendered His Glory and their Religion Countries Liberties above the Common Catechrestick notions of incontrollable irresistible Royaltie and absolute implicite Loyaltie that have abused the world in all ages We have there an account of the noble successful Resistence of a party of a few Godly zealous Patriots without the concurrence of Civil Authority or countenance of the Ephori or Primores regni against a King universally acknowledged subjected unto that came in Peaceably and obtained the Kingdom by flâ—ttâ—ries with whom the greatest part and those of the greatest note took part and did wickedly against the Covenant and Nations Interest and were corrupt by flatteries Yet a few Priests with the concurrence of some common Country-men did go to armes against him and them And the Lord did wonderfully assist them for a considerable time as was foretold by Daniel 11. This fell out under the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes and was happily begun by Mathias a Godly Priest and his five Sons who being commanded under severe Certifications to Worship according to the then Law and the Kings wicked lust did valiantly resist that abomination and went to defensive armes which while living he Patronized and when adying did encourage his sons to it by a notable Oration shewing what case his Country was in and what a duty dignity it was to redeem deliver it This was vigorously prosecuted by Iudas Maccabeus expressly for the quarrel of Religion Liberty against that mighty Tyrant all his Emissaries 2. To come to the History of the Gospel Dispensation It is true in that time of the Primitive Persecutions under Heathen Emperours this Priviledge of Self Defence was not much improved or contended for by Christians who studied more to play the Martyrs than to play the Men because in these Circumstances the Lord was pleased to Spirit for and call them unto and accept off their hands passive Testimonies while they were incorporate under a Civil relation with the Heathens in subjection to Governours who did not by open Tyrannie overturn their Civil Liberties only did endeavour to eradicate Religion which at that time had never become their Right by Law while they were scattered and out of Capacity and never could come to a separate formed Community by joynt Concurrence Correspondence to undertake a Declared Resistence while Religion was only a propagating through the Nations and the Lord Providentially did preclude the least appearance that might be of propagating it by any formed force being the Gospel of Peace designed to save and not to destroy Yet even then Instances are not wanting of Christians Resisting their Enemies and of Rescuing their Ministers c. As these are found on record 1. How some inhabiting Mareots with force rescued Dyonisiâ—â— of Alexandria out of the hands of such as were carrying him away about the year 235. 2. How about the year 310. the Armenians waged war against
Commissioners were sent from both Houses to Scotland earnestly inviting to a nearer union of the Kingdoms and desiring Assistance from this Nation to their Brethren in that their great distress And this by the good hand of God produced the solemn League Covenant of the three Kingdoms first drawen up in Scotland and approven in the Assembly at Edinburgh and afterward embraced in England to the terror of the Popish and Prelatical party and to the great comfort of such as were wishing and waiting for the Reformation of Religion and the recoveries of Just Liberties The tenor whereof did import their sincere constant endeavours in their several places Callings for preservation of the Uniformity in Reformation in Doctrine Worship Discipline Government The extirpation of Popery Prelacy Error Profâ—nity the preservation of the Rights Liberties of the people and of the Magistrats Authority in defence of the true Religion and Liberty the discovery punishment of Incendaries the retaining of the Peace Union of the Kingdoms the mutual assistance defence of all under the bond of this Covenant and the performing all duties we owe to God in the amendment of our Lives and walking exemplarly one before another This is that Covenant comprehending the purpose of all Prior and the Pattern of all posterior Covenants to which Christs witnesses did always adhere for which the present witnesses do suffer contend That Covenant which the Representative of Church State in the three Nations did solemnly Subscribe Swear for themselves posterity of which the obligation either to the duty or the punishment continues indispensibly on the Generation which for the moral equity oâ— its matter the formality of its manner the importance of its purpose the holyness of its solemn Engagment and the Glory of its Ends no power on Earth can Disannul Disable or Dispense That Covenant which the Lord did Ratifie from Heaven by the conversion of many thousands at their entering under the bond of it securing establishing unto them and all the faithful the blessings priviledges therein expressed and avouching Himself to be their God as they had avouched themselves to be His people That Covenant which in all the Controversies it hath occasioned did never receive a greater confirmation than from the malice opposition of its Adversaries That Covenant which malignants do malign deny and Sectaries scorn lay aside as an Almanack out of date which hath been many ways traduced reproached by enemies and yet could never be reflected on by any Serious in this Land without a honourable fragrant remembrance Especially that Retortion of Adversaries of the rigor of its imposition upon Recusants to justifie their cruelty upon its Asserters now is to be refelled not with confutation of its importance but with disdain of its impudence For who were the Recusants but wicked enemies to God and Church Nation who for their malignancy were then to be prosecuted not for their scrupling at a Covenant but for their contumacious Contempt of a Law This was no violence done to their conscience for as they had none and could not pretend to any so they were never troubled for that but for their opposition conspiracy against the common cause However it went through at that time And that the Covenanted Reformation in a nearer conjunction betwixt the united Churches might be promoted the Parliament of England called an Assembly of Divines at Westminster and desired the Assembly of Scotland to send thither their Commissioners which accordingly nominated elected Mr Alexander Henderson Mr Robert Dowglas Mr Samuel Rutherford Mr Robert Balzie Mr George Gillespie Ministers And Iohn Earle of Cassils Iohn Lord Maitland and Sir Archbald Iohnstoun of Waristoun Ruling Elders to Propone Consult Treat conclude in all such things as might conduce to the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Heresie Schism Superstition Idolatry and for the settling of the so much desired union of the whole Island in one forme of Church Government one Confession of Faith one common Catechisme one Directory for the Worship of God. Forces were also sent to assist the Parliament of England which were favoured with great success in their Entreprizes till that War was ended by the total overthrow of Tyranny at that time and all its upholders But that Popish Prelatical Malignant faction being brought much under in England attempted not unlike the Syrians who thought the God of Israel was not God of the Hills Valleyes both to try the fortune of War in Scotland under the conduct of that Treacherous truculent Traitor Montrose gathering an Army of wicked Apostates Irish Murderers who prevailing for a time did punish in the Justice of God the Hypocrisie self-seeking of such in this Land whose hearts were not upright in His Covenant at length was defeat at Philiphaugh in the year 1645. yet certain it is that they had Commission warrant from the King as the Assembly that year Feb. 13. remonstrates it to himself Warning him in the name of their Master the Lord Jesus Christ that the guilt which cleaved to his throne was such as whatsoever flattering Preachers or unfaithful Counsellors might say to the contrary if not timely repented could not but involve himself his Posterity under the wrath of the Everliving God for his being guilty of the shedding of the blood of many thousands of his best Subjects for his permitting the Masse other Idolatry in his family Dominions c. At the same time also the Assembly did zealously incite the Parliament to a speedy course of Justice against these Incendaries Murderers as the only mean of cleansing the Land from that deluge of blood then current and of appeasing the wrath of God and solemnly seasonably warned all ranks to applaud the Glory Righteousness of that Judgment of the sword in the hands of these Apostates Murderers and to search to understand the Language of that Dispensation wherein many Publick sins breaches of Covenant are pointed at as the Causes of that desolation And the Covenant it self is there very Encomiastically vindicated We are so far from repenting of it say they that we can not mention it without great joy thankfullness to God as that which hath drawn many blessings after it and unto which God hath given manifold evident Testimonies for no sooner was the Covenant begun to be taken in England but sensibly the condition of affairs there was changed to the better and our forces sent into that Kingdom in pursuance of that Covenant have been so mercifully manifestly assisted blessed from Heaven that we have what to answer the enemy that reproacheth us concerning that business that which may make iniquity it self to stop her mouth but which is more unto us than all victories the Reformation of Religion in England Uniformity therein between both Kingdoms a principal end of that Covenant is so far
persons twice once to have their ears cut and be banished and after the lopping of their ears some have been re-examined and Sentenced to death and execute 23. They have Sentenced some and hanged them both in one day Others early in the morning both to surprize the persons that were to die and to prevent Spectators of the sight of their Cruelty Others have been kept in suspense till the very day hour of their execution 24. Not only have they murdered serious zealous Followers of Christ in taking away their Lives but endeavoured to murder their Names and to murder the Cause for which they suffered loading it with all Reproaches as Sedition Rebellion c. which was their peculiar Policy to bring the Heads of Sufferings to Points that are most obnoxious to mens Censure and accounted most extrinsick to Religion whereby they levelled their-designs against Religion not directly under that notion but obliquely in the destruction of its Professors under the odium reproach of enemies to Government 25. But chiefly they labour to murder the Soul defile the Conscience and only consult to cast a man doun from his excellency which is his integrity that is a Christians Croun and that they would rather rob him of as any thing either by hectoring or flattering him from the Testimony which they endeavour by proposing many offers with many threatenings in subtile termes And pretend a great deal of tenderness protesting they will be as tender of their blood as of their oun Soul which in some sense is true for they have none at all of their oun Souls and purging themselves as Pilate did and charging it upon their oun head 26. They will be very easie in their Accommodations where they find the poor man begining to faint and hearken to their overtures wherein they will grant him his life yeelding to him as cunning Anglers do with Fishes And to persuade him to some length in complying they will offer Conference sometimes or reasoning upon the Point to satisfie informe his Conscience as they pretend but really to catch him with their busked hook 27. If they have any hope of prevailing they will change a mans Prison and take him out from among the more strict fervent in the Cause that might sharpen strenghen his zeal and put him in among the more cool remiss 28. Sometimes they used to stage several together whereof they knew some would Comply to Tantalize the rest with the sight of the others Liberty and make them byte the more eagerly at their bait to catch the Conscience But when they had done all they could Christ had many Witnesses who did retain the Croun of their Testimony in the smallest Points till they obtained the Croun of Martyrdom and attained to the Croun of Glory Speaking boldly to them without fear or shame and disdaining their flattering Proposals but looking on them under a right notion as stated there in opposition to Christ whereby they found this Advantage that hence they were restrained from all sinful tampering with them or intertaining any discourse with them but what was suitable to speak to Christs enemies or doing any thing to save their life but what became Christs Witnesses who loved not their lives unto the death Of whom universally this was observed that to the Admiration of all the Conviction of many enemies the Confirmation of many friends the Establishment of the Cause and the Glory of their Redeemeâ— they went off the stage with so much of the Lords Counâ—enance so much Assurance of Pardon Eternal Peace so much hope of the Lords returning to Revive His Work and Plead His Cause again in these Lands that never any suffered with more meekness humility composure of Spirit and with more faithfulness stedfastness resolution than these Worthies did for these despised reproached Truths for which their surviving Brethren are now Contending Suffering while others are at ease PART III. THE PRESENT TESTIMONY Stated and Vindicated in its Principal Heads BY what is above premitted the Reader may see the Series Succession of the Testimony of Christs Witnesses in Scotland from time to time in all the Periods of that Church how it hath been transmitted from one generation to another Doun to our hands how far it hath been extended and what Increments it hath received in every Period how it hath been opposed by a Continued Prosecution of an hereditary War against Christ by an Atheistical Papistical Prelatical and Tyrannical faction and how it hath been concerted contended for maintained sealed actively passively by an Anti-pagan Anti-Popish Anti-Prelatical Anti-Erastian Anti-Sectarian and Anti-Tyrannical Remnant of the Followers Professors Confessors Martyrs of Christ in all Ages Now it remains in the third last Place to consider the Merit of the Cause as it is now Stated to see whether it will bear the weight of those great Sufferings wherewith it hath been sealed I hope all the Lovers of Christ who have an esteeâ— â—ven of His reproaches above all the Treasures of Egypt will grant that if these sufferings be Stated on the least or lowest of the Truths of Christs then they are not Misstated noâ— built upon a bottom that will not bear them or is not of that worth to sustain them For Certainly every Truth the least of Truths is of greater value than any thing that we can suffer the loss of for it yea of infinitely greater value than the whole world So that if I prove these Heads of Suffering to be Truths wherein Conscience is concerned the Cause will be sufficiently vindicated from the loadings lashings of such as prefer Peace to Truth ease to dutie who to Justify their oun backwardness detastable lukwarmness call some of them only State questions about things Civil and not Gospel-Truths and Heads to State suffering upon And if they be Truths Duties the Cause will some way be rendered more Illustrious that it is Stated upon the smallest hoofs hair-breadths of the Concerns of Christs Declarative Glory as being a greater witness of its Ouners Love Loyalty to Christ and of their pure tender zeal for His honour than if for more substantial fundamental Truths which a Natural Conscience may reclaim to Decline when for the meanest Circumstantials of Christs Truths they dare are ambitious to bestow their dearest blood But if the Complexe of them be impartially Considered no unprejudiced Arbiter will suffer himself to have such extenuating Impressions of the present Word of Patience Testimony of the suffering Remant in Scotland this day But it will appear to be a very weighty worthy Concern as any that either Men or Christians can be called to Witness for being the Priviledge of all mankind the Duty of all Christians and the Dignity of all Churches to assert It is for the Glory Croun Prerogatives and Imperial Regalia of the King of Kings with reference to His
Covenants neither could they ever pretend any thing that might loose the obligation 8. That party in a Reformed Church which having overturned her Reformation hath shut out laid aside persecute away sound adherers thereunto both Ministers Professors will not admit Ministers to officiate but upon the sinful termes of complyance with their way are Schismaticks But the Prelats and their Curats are that party in this Reformed Church which having overturned her Reformation hath shut out laid aside and Persecute away sound adherers thereunto c. Therefore they are the Schismaticks to be withdrawn from and their way is the Schisme which we are bound to extirpate in the Covenant HEAD II. The Sufferings of many for Refusing to oune the Tyrants Authority vindicated THe other Grand Ordinance of God Magistracy which He hath in His Soveraign Wisdom Justice Goodness appointed ordained consecrated for the demonstration illustration vindication of His oun Glory and the Communication Conservation and Reparation of the Peace safety order Liberty and universal good of mankind is next to that of the Ministry of Greatest Concern wherein not only the Prudence Policie Propertie Libertie of men but also the conscience Duty Religion of Christians have a special Interest And therefore it is no less important pertinent profitable necessary for every one that hath any of these to care contend for keep or recover to inquire into and understand somthing of the institution constitution nature boundaries of the Sacred ordinance of Magistracy than into the holy ordinance of the Ministry So far at least as may consist with the sphere of every ones Capacity Station and may conduce to the satisfaction of every ones conscience in the discharge of the duties of their relations Every private man indeed hath neither capacity concern nor necessity to study the Politicks or search into the secrets or Intrigues of Government no more then he is to be versed in all the Administrations of Ecclesiastical Policy and Interests of the Ministry yet every mans Conscience is no less concerned in distinguishing the Character of Gods Ministers of Justice the Magistrats to whom he owes ounes allegiance that they be not usurping Tyrants everting the Ordinance of the Magistracy than in acknowledging the Character of Christs Ministers of the Gospel to whom he owes ounes obedience that they be not usurping Prelats or Impostors perverting the Ordinance of the Ministry The Glory of God is much concerned in our ouning keeping pure intire according to His will word both these Ordinances And our Conscience as well as Interest is concerned in the advantage or hurt profit or prejudice of the right or wrong observation or prevarication of both these ordinances being interested in the advantage of Magistracy and hurt of Tyrannie in the State as well as in the advantage of the Ministry and hurt of Diocesan or Erastian Supremacy in the Church in the advantage of Ltberty and hurt of slavery in the State as well as in the advantage of Religion and hurt of Profaneness in the Church in the profit of Lawes and prejudice of Prerogative in the State as well as in the profit of Truth and prejudice of Error in the Church in the profit of Peace and true Loyalty and prejudice of oppression and Rebellion in the State as well as in the profit of Purity Unity and prejudice of Defection Division or Schisme in the Church So that in Conscience we are no more free to Prostitute our Loyalty Liberty absolutely in ouning every Possessor of the Magistracy than we are free to Prostitute our Religion faith implicitely in ouning every Pretender to the Ministry This may seem very Paradoxical to some because so dissonant dissentient from the vulgar yea almost Universal and invetrate opinion Practice of the world that hitherto hath not been so precise in the matter of Magistracy And it may seem yet more strange that not only some should be found to assert this but that any should be found so strict and strait-laced as to adventure upon suffering and even to Death for that which hath hitherto been seldom scrupled by any that were forced to subjection under a yoke which they had no force to shake off and wherein Religion seems litle or nothing concerned for not ouning the authority of the present Possessors of the place of Government which seems to be a Question not only excentrick extrinsick to Religion but such a State question as for its thorny Intricacies difficulties is more proper for Politicians Lawyers to dispute about as indeed their debates about this head of Authority have been as manifold multiplied as about any one thing than for Private Christians to search into and suffer for as a Part of their Testimony But if we will cast off Prejudices and the Tyrannie of Custom and the bondage of being bound to the worlds Mind in our inquiries about Tyrannie and suffer our selves to Ponder impartially the importance of this matter And then to state the question right We shall find Religion Conscience hath no small interest in this business They must have no snall Interest in it if we consider the importance of this matter either extensively or objectively or Subjectively Extensively considered it is the Interest of all mankind to know and be resolved in Conscience whether the Government they are under be of Gods Ordination or of the Devils administration whether it be Magistracy or Tyrannie whether it gives security for Religion Liberty to themselves and their posterity or whether it induces upon themselves and entails upon the posterity slavery as to both these invaluable Interests whether they have matter of praise to God for the blessings mercies of Magistracy or matter of Mourning for the plagues miseries of Tyrannie to the end they may know both the sins snares Duties dangers Case Crisis of the times they â—ive in All men that ever enjoyed the mercy of a right Constitute Magistracy have experienced and were bound to bless God for the blessed fruits of it And on the other hand the world is full of the Tragical Monuments of Tyrannie for which men were bound bath to search into the Causes and see the effects of such plagues from the Lord to the end they might mourn over both And from the begining it hath been observed that as Peoples sins have alwayes procured the Scourge of Tyrannie So all their miseries might be refounded upon Tyrants encroachments Usurping upon or betraying their Trust and overturning Religion Lawes Liberties Certainly Mankind is concerned in point of Interest Conscience to inquire into the cause Cure of this Epidemick distemper that hath so long held the world in miserie and so habitually that now it is become as it were Natural to lye stupidly under it that is that old Ingrained Gangrene of the Kings Evil or Complyance with Tyrannie that hath long
afflicted the Kingdoms of the world and affected not only their backs in bearing the burden thereof but thir hearts into a Lethargick stupor of insensibleness and their heads in infatuating intoxicating them with Notions of the Sacredness incontroulablness of Tyrannie and their hands in infeebling and fettering them from all attempts to work a Cure Or else it hath had another effect on many that have been sensible of a touch of it even equivalent to that which an ingenious Author Mr Gee in his Preface to the Divine right Original of the Civil Magistrate to which Mr Durham is not absonant expounds to be the effect of the fourth vial Rev. 16. 8 9. when in these Dog-dayes of the world power is given to the Sun of Imperial especially Popish Tyannie by their exorbitant streaches of absolute Prerogative to scorch men with fire of furious oppressions they then blaspheme the Name of God which hath power over these Plagues in their Mal-content Complaints grumblings grudgings and Murmurings under the miserie but they do not repent nor give Him Glory in mourning over the causes promeriting such a Plague and their oun accession in exposing themselves to such a scorching sun nakedly without a Sconce Certainly this would be the remedy that Conscience would suggest and Interest would incite to an endeavour either of allaying the heat or of subtracting from it under a shelter by declining the oblique Malignity of its Scorching rayes But will the world never be a wakened out of this Dream dotage of Dull stupid subjection to every Monster that can Mount a Throne Sure at length it may be expected either Conscience from within as Gods deputy challenging for the palpable perversion of this His excellent Ordinance Or Iudgments from without making sensible of the effects of it will convince confute these old inveterate Prejudices And then these Martyrs for that universal Interest of mankind who got the fore-start and the first sight of this will not be so flouted as fools as now they are And who knoweth what Prelude or Preparative fore-boding presaging the doun fal of Tyranny may be in its aspirings to this hight of arbitrary absoluteness and in the many questions raised about it and by them imposed upon Consciences to be resolved If we consider the object of this question as Conscience can only clear it so in nothing can it be more concerned It is that Great Ordinance of God most signally impressed by a very Sacred illustrious Character of the Glorious Majestie of the Most High who hath appointed Magistracy in which considering either its fountain or Dignity ends or effects Conscience must have a very great Concern The fountain or efficient cause of Magistracy is high sublime The powers that are be of God not only by the all disposing hand of God in His Providence as Tyranny is nor only by way of naked approbation but by Divine institution And that not only in the general by at least a Secondary Law of Nature but also the special investiture of it in Institution Constitution is from God and therefore they are said to be ordained of God to which Ordinance we must be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake which is the Great Duty required in the fifth Command the first Commandment with Promise that hath the Priority of Place befor all the Second table because the other Commandments respect each some one Interest this hath a supereminent influence upon all But Tyrannical powers are not of God in this sense And it were Blasphemie to assert they were of the Lords Authorization Conscience cannot bind to a subjection to this Again the Dignity of Magistracy ordained for the maintenance of Truth righteousness the only foundations of peoples felicity whether temporal or eternal including the bonds boundaries of all obedience subjection for which they are intended to which they refer is supereminent as that Epithet of higher added to the powers that are of God may be rendered making them high sublime in Glory whose highest prerogative is that being Gods Ministers they sit in the Throne of God anointed of the Lord judging not for man but for the Lord as the Scripture speaks To this Conscience is concerned in duty to render honour as due by the Prescript of the fifth Commandment but for Tyranny Conscience is bound to deny it because not due no more than obedience which Conscience dare not pay to a Throne of Iniqulty and a Throne of the Devil as Tyranny may be called as really as Magistracy is called the Throne of God. Next Conscience is much concerned in the ends of Magistracy which are the Greatest the Glory of God and the good of Mankind And in the effects of it the maintenance of Truth Righteousness Religion Liberty Peace Safety and all choicest external blessings But the ends effects of Tyranny are quite Contrary Domineering for pleasure and destroying for profit Can we think that Conscience is nothing Concerned here that these great ends shall be subverted and the effects precluded and to that effect that Tyrannie not only be shrouded under a Priviledge of impunity but by our subjection acknowledment of it as a Lawful power encouraged into all enormities and Licensed to usurpe not only our Liberties but Gods Throne by an uncontroulable Soveraignty But if we Consider the subjective Concern of Conscience it must be very great when it is the only thing that prompts to subjection that regulats subjection and is a bottom for subjection to lawful powers If it were not out of Conscience men that are free born are naturally such Lovers of Liberty and under Corruption such lusters after Licenciousness that they would never come under the Order of this Ordinance except constrained for wraths sake but now understanding that they that resist the power resist the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation they must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake If Conscience were not exercised in regulating our duty to Magistrats we would either obey none or else would observe all their Commands promiscously Lawful or unlawful and would make no difference either of the matter commanded or the power commanding but now understanding that we must obey God rather then man and that we must render to all their dues fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Conscience regulats us what whom to obey And without conscience there is litle hope for Government to prove either beneficial or permanent litle likelyhood of either a reall regular or durable subjection to it The discernible standing of Government upon conscientious grounds is the only thing that can bring in conscience a conscientious submission to it it being the highest most kindly principle of and the strongest most lasting obligation to any relative duty It will not be Liberty of Conscience as sayeth the late Declaration