drawn up by Mr. Cargill in the Year 1680 where we do declare that we shall set up over our selves and over what God shall give us power of Government and Governours according to the Word of God and especially to that word Exod. 18 21 viz. That we shall no more commit the Government of our selvs to one single Person or lineal Succession That is Monarchy Government But the Government we incline to is a Common Wealth but whether ARISTOCRATICAL or DEMOCRATICAL or a mixture of both we will not at present determine We seing that Monarchie is very lyable to incoveniences and apt to degenâ—rat into Tyranny as long and sad experience has taught us this flowing from the natures humours and inclinations of the People and especially the Nobility who hitherto has driven Kings to Tyarnnie insinuating themselves in their favours by their makeing a Sacraâ—ice of the Lands rights and Liberties to them that thereby they may partake of the spoill of the Poor subjects of which we can give innumerable and sure inflances But that we may see that if their be any thing that stands in our way of changeing rhis Goverment There are but two things that seemeth to have weight 1 First if the deed and obligation of our Ancestors can bind us to Monarchie Government by lineall or hereditary Succession 2 Secondly if it be in the power of people to choise any form or kind of Government that they please Now as to the first I say the contract and Obligation of the fathers simply considered as an Obligation of the fathers can never bind the posterity and that because a Contract or Covenant is called by POLITITIANS Vinculum peâ—sonarum that 's to say a bond of persons Now the Children not yet existing cannot be said to be Agents in this bond neither can it bind them seeing all men are born free that is to say with the free exercise of reason to choise that which is good and to refuse what is evil I say all our Oâ—ligation flows ex natura rei that 's to say from the nature of the thing in so far as that Obligation tends to the glory of God and saftie of the Kingdom in preserving maintaing and carrying on of Religion and vertue in the Land in this we are bound this being the chief and principle end of all our Actions But on the other hand when this end cannot be obtained Then are we free from the Contract and Obligation of the Fathers this Contract being conditional so that now it is loosed and that ex natura rei Secondly If it be in the power of the People to choise any form or kind of Government that they please That 's most for the good of the Land and safety of the Kingdom It is affirmed First The reason is because we are not bound to Monarchy Government and lineal Succession by a Divine Precept as the Hebrews were for this was Typical of Christ and promised to them from Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Juda nor a Lawgiver from between his Feet until Shiloh come Now from their Example it cannot be proven that we are tyed to that particular kind of Government Otherwise if by their example this had been then should it have â—yed every individual Kingdom to this kind of Government But the contrair is seen and also taught by all found jurists For People are to choise any kind of Government that they see most convenient for the nature of the People and saftie of the Kingdom in which Religion and vertue may most flourish and grow Secondly All sound Polititians acknowledges that under the Yoak of Tytanny the People may either change the Government or the Family Now the Family is only to be changed where Monarchy suits well with the Kingdom But alas by sad experience the contrair has been seen in Scotland yeâ— unto this day how that Kings has been encouraged and driven on to absolute power and Tyranny by corrupt Noblemen I mean such as Pensioners who partake with them in the spoil of the poor Subjects So that from this experienced Misery it is most convenient to change the Government according to the Judgment of all sound Polititians 2. Moreover in the next place we declare That these Governours that we contend for Shall be able Men such as fear God Men of Truth hating covetousness as in Exod 18 21 Ilay their Qualifications principally are contained in these three things 1 That they be Men of sound principles 2. That they be such as exercise themselves in Gâ—dliness viz. In praying and Meditating on Gods Word seeking counsel and direction from him otherwise they will never be fit for Government 3. That they be free of scandal that 's to say that they be lying under no known sin without Repentance And that these Men whom we shall set over us shall be engaged to govern us principally by that civil and judicial Law we mean not that Law which is Ceremonial and Typical given by God to his People Israel and that we shall be governed by that Law in matters of Life and Death and in all other things alâ—o so far as they reach and are consisting with our Christian liberty established in all Christindom c. Moreover as to the electing of these Governours or Judges that are invested with the Qualifications abovementioned who are to be put in principal places of great and weighty business in the Land such we say are to be chosen by lots And to be gone about by prayer and fasting as our manner was in the year 80 for no other way can better remove envy ambition and contention among a People then this way can do Now I think from the Grounds and Reasons abovementioned it will appear That the Government we have chosen is the only â—itest Government And likewise that the Qualifications of the governours are agreeable to Gods word and consequently to his will and therefore to be embraced by all these who desires the safetie and wellbeing of the Kingdom Therefore I shall lay down three considerations as motives flowing from the miseries of choising any other kind of Government or Governours than what we have espoused First I say to these who contends to have one King with England let such consider the Miseries that will follow upon this choise and let these be grounds and motives to diswade any wellwisher to the Kingdom from embracing of them 1. As to matters of Religion consider the corruptions of that Kingdom by reason of the prevailing power of Prelacie rooted in that Land and the small inclination that the Presbyterian Partie hath to a Lands Reformation by Covenant Vows and Engagments in order to cast out Prelacie So that by this neglect the prelatick Partie are strong in power which makes their Kings Jeroboam like comply with them thinking they cannot possess the Crown and Kingdom if they do not so Now Scotland having cast off Prelacie and sworn against it can never embrace
ought in such a great work to qualifie themselves by entring â—n Covenant with God according to â—he Example of the Lords People in former times as in 2 Kings 11. 17. And Jehojada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King and the People that they should be the Lords People So that from this you see That a Covenanted Land ought to renew their Covenant with God in such a work as this I say both King and People if they expect the Lords presence and blesâ—ing But if otherwayes they do not this then may they expect that chalenge in Hoseâ— 8. 4. They have set up Kings but not by me they have mude Princes and I knew it not That is not by my direction and approbation As if the Lord had said Ye never sought my council in this neither did come before me with confession of sin and Humiliation for your defection In order to leave your sin and cleave to a Covenanted work of Râ—formation And therefore saith the Lord I know it not that 's to say I have no affection to it so as to approve it and when the Lord disproves why should Man approve for certainly where there is no just right or title to a Crown then it may be expected that That Government and these Governours are full of Misery and of short continuance according to that triplicat threatning Ezek 21 27 I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is and I will give it him So I say we cannot acknowledge these Rulers to be lawful or yet lawfully chosen so long as the Covenant is laid aside And therefore from the consideration of this the Oath of Allegiance must be unlawful and that both according to Scripture and our Fundamental Laws The Fourth reason is because he cannot take the Coronation Oath as he is now stated being invested with Prelacy according to our Fundamental Laws Kings are to Swear to maintain the true Religion of Christ Jesus the which Religion is Presbyterian Government in it's power and purity And also shall gainstand and abolish all false Religion contrair to the same under which false Religion Antichristian Prelacy is comprehended which I think the great Assembly will not deny True it is in the Year â—6 the Coronation Oath was proposed to the Person on the Throne being sent by the hand of a privat Person to take but whether or no taken it may be doubted seing he walks contrair thereto by denying all practical obedience But however the sin is greater in breach thereof both by the Taker and Proposers of this Oath than it had never been and that I prove from Scripture Eccles 5. 5. Better is it that thou shouldest not Vow than that thou shouldest Vow and not Pay Now in the breach of this Oath there is a silent contended resting thereon by both Parties without Exhortation or Admonition from the one or endeavour after obedience in the other Is not an lawful Oath seriously to be performed seing that the the taker finds it to be a duty And therefore to be gone about as in Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with thy might Now if he shall with full power and might maintain Presbyterian Government then Prelacy shall get no aid nor assistance And I hope the Assembly will acknowledge that Prelacie is no where to be Entertained and that the maintainers thereof are Enemies to the Crown and Kingdom of Christ So that it is not enough to countinance Presbytrie now in its shadow or yet I say in its substance in Scotland unless that it be countinanced both in England and Ireland according to the Tenor of the Coronation Oath which is to abolish and gainstand all false Religion and therefore Popery is no where to be Tolerated But in this Revolution there is a Toleration of false Religion and therefore the present Person on the Throne can neither be owned as a lawful King nor yet be looked upon as a faithful Instrument of Reformation Seing he sends out contrair streams from the same Fountain to thir Kingdoms Now according to the Judgment of the Assembly if it shall be yealded that this is a deliverance and libertie yet it is contradictorie to Scripture as in James 3. 11 Doth a Fountain at the same place send forth sweet Water and bitter This the Apostle denys so I say can streams of Liberty and Blessedness proceed from your King to Scotland and bondage and Thraldom to England and Ireland Certainly no our Liberty can never be purchassed with our Brethrens and Neighbours Thraldom And now let this liberty be never so large in this Land yet if it be not universall throughout the whole Kingdoms in its sincere endeavour to the maintaing of Presbytrie to the abolishing of all false Religion contrair to the same then it cannot be said that the Coronation Oath is in the least observed to one more than to another for all comes under his Toleration And so by consequence this Oath is made null and therefore no Subject neither Minister nor People can Swear Allegiance to him without involving themselves in Perjurie and Breach of the Fundamental Laws But some will object and say That the Covenants and Coronation Oath doth not engage us to reform without the Kingdom Answer Yeild it be so yet it binds us to reform our selves and King 1. Our selves in that we are not to suffer any Prelatick Person or favourer thereof oâ— Conniver at any false Religion to be set upon the Throne without being guilty either of direct or indirect complyance therewith I say direct complyance when there is a consenting and an aiding him in his upsetting without evident signs and qualifications for the Authority 2. Indirectly when there is a neglect of a Faithful Testimony against the sin which sin will if not prevented destroy the Soul because it is Rebellion and Enmity against Jesus Christ to entertain Antichristian Prelacy and Popery For what can one be said to be who owns Presbytrie if so it may be said in the one Kingdom and Antichristianism in the other but half Loyal to the Crown and Kingdom of Christ and a Person half Loyal is but at best an Enemy and so consequently becomes lyable to the Wrath and Justice of God And therefore it is the duty of a Faithful Assembly to forwarn the forementioned guilty person of his sin in order to make out of the way of Wrath Otherwise they will be guilty as in Ezek. 33. 9. When I say unto the Wicked Man thou shall surely die if thou doest not speak to warn the Wicked from his way that Wicked Man shall die in his iniquity but his Blood will I require at thine Hand So I say unless that there be Faithful warning given and that in Doctrine both as to Admonition and Exhortation and likewise to the highest degree of censure and Discipline in case of obstinacie Otherwayes we cannot be free of
no Testimonie given against the sin proportionable to the offence for at best your Testimonie hath been but like to that of Eli to his Sons 1 Sam. 2 24 25. Which Testimonie will never be approven of God for Faithfulness as in Chap. 3. 13. Because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not So that now you see we charge you with Erastianism upon sufficient grounds although the Indulgence and present Toleration had never committed but when all is considered then how great is the ground of Accusation against your Erastian practise But furder you say what are the instances brought to prove so grievous an Accusation Ans For proof of your Erastian Constitution I shall first lay out to your your consideration the being of your Church as it is founded on the Oath of Allegiance to an unlawful King who walketh contrair to our Covenants Coronation Oath and Fundamental Laws And therefore doth distinguish from a Lawful King and Faithful Subject to the Crown and Kingdom of Christ who should be a nourishing Father to the Church and Terror to Evil doers But according to the forementioned Ground and Objections there is a contrair walking So that obedience and subjection to him is not Subordination to the Lord as to a Magistrat that exerciseth his power Circa Sacrat And therefore no Minister nor Subject can swear to him without being guilty of changing their head Christ Jesus And also of making a Sacrafice of the Rights and Liberties of the Church by Burieing our Covenanted Engagments and giving up the Fundamental Laws unto the Will and Lust of Man So that your present state and Liberty is not any thing else but a sinful Toleration purchassed by price of Conscience founded on a mutual Tolerating of one another which makes a joint Conspiracie against Christ and his cause by making I say a Sacrafice of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church by your partiality and silence at the sins of the Throne 1 I say in Government the Intrinsical power of the Tolerating Magistrat doth appear in that the Will Awe and fear of the Magistrat Rings Rules and Principalie is followed in your Assembly by that Negative Voice of your King in that you dare not Act or do any thing though lawful and necessar until the Tolerating Magistrat think fit to Tolerat I mean in things external and easie which doth not strick against the sins of the Throne Yea how oft hath the Assembly meet together and goten little or nothing done and all for want of the will of the Magistrat to preceed and draw them But Secondly The intrinsical power of the present Magistrat appears in Doctrine in your Infidelity in Burieing the sins of the Throne As 1. In Tolerating Prelacy and Popery throughout the Kingdoms 2. The black Articles contained in the late War by joining with the Popish party contrair to the Writing of Mr. Gilhespie which was owned and approven by the Church in the dayes of our Ancestors 3. The wasting and Impoverishing of the Land in time of Peace by Cesses and Impositions spending these Exactions in pride and Lust bestowing a great part of them on corrupt Members of Parliament in order to make them â—ervicable Instruments for carrieing on those sinful actings 4. The change that 's in Doctrine Prayer and Practise by the command of the Magistrat as to the desisting and leaving of the Warr with the King of Fâ—ance in the Year 98 and 99. Now let it be yealded that the War was lawful on the matter Which cannot be denyed he being an oppressing Tyrant and stated Enemy to God and Godliness And therefore the necessar causes and circumstances of War being found in him which is Aggression on the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects which was compleated on them though â—ot perfected on us From which Aggression the absolute necessity and Indispensability of Militating did flow Now this being then the causes of War was good and valide on the matter the end being the Glory of God and saftie of the Subjects and Kingdom Then why should it not have been proceeded in a right manner by seeking the Lords power and Presence and by refusing sinful Association Either with Protestants who were not willing to come up to the height of our Reformation Or yet with Papists or Malignants who were Enemies to it Also in a good Action there should be perseverance therein Seing there is more diligence required in the end of an Action than in its beginning There being no change in the Enemy he being the same now if not worse than in the time of War For still he Persecuteth the Protestants therefore peace should not have been made with the Enemy although there might be sad loss according to the Example of Israel in the matter of Benjamin who after they had fallen twice enquired of the Lord the causes thereof by Weeping and Fasting and searching out their fin So ought you to have done But both matter and maner are abussed and layed aside by the Command Fear and Awe of the Magistrat So that he whose overthrow in prayer you sought and Tyrrannie you confessed must now be passed over with silence and connivance allthough he be the same now that he was then And all this is done by the command of the Tolerating Magistrat whose Servants ye are tossed with the wind of their powre like to these spoken of in Psal 1. 4 much of this obedience is to be seen in your fast days and thanks giving days which manifasts the Intrinscicall power that the Magistrat hath in makeing you obey contrair to the word But thirdly the Intrinscicall power of the Tolerating Magistrat appears in the neglect of Discipline in that you dare not do any thing in the Assembly in order to the censuring Confessing and setting of days of Humiliation a part for the sins of the Throne Such as manifest Perjurie in the Breach of the Coronation Oath the joining in War with the Popish party the sad Oppressions in the Land by Cesses and Impositions the Tolerating of Poperie and Prelacie throughout the Kingdoms Now in a well constitute Church all these Sins ought to be confessed and in case of obstinacy to be Censured and Punished with the Sword of Ecclesiastical Discipline to â—he height even to Excommunication Seing that the Assembly acknowledgeth that there should not be partialitie in Ministers and therefore without respect of Persons they are to reprove Kings as well as other Men they being Subjects to Christ and receaved into the Church by the Vows of Baptism But all this is laid aside through fear and awe of the Magistrat by your obedience to the Supremacy they ruling intrinsically in you as to matter of practise as is to be seen in your Assemblies how that your King has the Negative Voice which declares that the Supremacie is yet infit in this Land although not screwed up to that height in all its formalities that it was in the Year 61. 62.
declares the contrair in that they cotporat themselves with these who are not under Christs Bands I mean Discipline And â—or all this continue the Church of Christ altho clearly condemned in this Psal But how rightly this is applyed Let any tender Conscience Judge 3. We differ from you as to the extent because your Preaching doth not reach to all Sins and Deffections I mean not sins unknown and never Preached against by our Church in former times But only these Sins I say that were inanimously condemned by all the Ministrie I instance the late unlawful confederacie in joining with Idolatars contrair to the Writings of faithful Mr Gilhespie Also these black Articles contained in that confederacie drawn up by your King and his Confederats where liberty of Conscience was proposed as the end thereof and then falsly calling it the work of God c. With many other steps of of Backslidings formerly mentioned So that in this your Worship is impure being limited And therefore noways agreeable or consonant to the Gospel in the dayes of our Ancestors And therefore we cannot in Faith and Conscience join with it 4. Fourthly the impurety of your Doctrine appears in that your Religious Fasts as you call them Petitions and Prayers are both Sinful on the matter and also contradictory to Scripture Oh! how contradictorie is this to the command of God And the Example of the Godly to pray for a Blessing on that Work which the Lord hath pronounced a curse viz. Associating and joining in War with Idolaters such as Papists who are the Enemâ—es of God and subjects of Antichrist and was not this your case in this late War How manie Fasts had yeâ— in order for Humiliation as ye said for a Blessing upon the War altho clearly condemned in the Example of Jehosaphats joining with Ahab in War who was an Idolator And if the Lord powred out his Judgment on him for his Sinful Association as in the 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chro. 19 2 Then how could the great Assembly pray for a Blessing on this late Association Doth not such Prayers draw to a Blasphemous consequence which would have the Lord to declare himself changeable in his Nature to bless that which he hath declared in his word that he will curse He being in his Nature Holy and of Purer Eyes than to behold Iniquitie Hab. 1 13 Oh! How Monstrous is this practise and abhored of by Malignants who can spie such Sins with the Eye of Malice and Envie that the great praying Assemblie cannot do nor will not do Alas That Men professing Conscience should walk so contrair to hight Or that they should be permitted of God to do that which the wicked Sorcerer Balaam would not do Num. 23 20. Behold I have received a Commandment to bless and he hath Blessed and I cannot reverse it But you are walking contrair unto God by seeking a Blessing on the cursed thing Now let anie unbyassed unprejudged Persons Judge how dear bought your deliverance is with no less price than price oâ— Conscience For without this wickedness you could not have your present temporal prosperitie Now when all this is considered may it not be said That none of Tender Conscience dare join with you in your Worship Obj. But some will object and say If there were two Robbers Fighting and the one were Strong and Cruel and the other weak were it not a Dutie to help the weak against the cruel one And the reason is if the strong Robber prevail he will next fall upon us Ans we must not help a Robber in an Act of Robberie for this is contrair to Scripture As in 1 Tim 5 22. be not partakers of other mens Sins and 1 Peter 1 15 be not abussie bodie in other mens matters that is in mens privat intrests in an action wherein the glory of God and the good of the Kingdom is not seen which is the case this day betwixt the King of France and the Emperour They are fighting for the Cown of Spain in order to set up a popish King to murder the Souls of the poor subjects by their damnable doctrine Now I think no Christian this day in Scotland considering our fundamental Laws and engagements which are that no Popish King shall reign over us and if not over us then why should we consent that they should be over others contrair to Axiom or Carmen Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris that 's to say that which you would not have done to your selves do not so to others Now as to the second branch of your objection viz. that you join with the Emperour in order to bring down the King of France Answer you should not do evil that good may come of it Rom 3 8. for in so doing you make God your enimie when you take unlawfull means so that in this you rather make that cruell Tyrrant strong than weak for sure I am unlawfull means will always bring furth Judgements as I have already held out in Israels case 5 But Fiftly the impurity of your Doctrine appears in the misapplying of it and that falsly both as to mercies and Judgements 1 as to mercies let it be considered what you were a people laying in sin enjoying the benefit of your sinfull Toleration under your late King and acknowledging him to be your lawfull King in prayer before God altho' afterwards in a printed declaration in the year 1689 the Crown was acknowledged to be Vaccant by reason that he was a Papist and had had not taken the Coronation Oath But formerly you did acknowledge that he was an Instrument to open the do ot of libertie to your Gospel as you called it So that in this you acknowledge your deliverance to be begun and him to be Instrumental in it And if this was then how you could cast him off be so unthankful for your Mercies But if you own that Declaration of the States in the Year 1689 Then you must acknowledge your Sin in owning of him anie manner of way And that either by Addressing of him for your Libertie or yet confessing him to be an Instrument of Deliverance otherwayes you cannot date your Deliverance nor yet point out the Instrument of it seing it cannot be ascribed to two opposit instruments viz. the present and late King So that in this you Mercies are contradictorie both as to the instruments and also the time of deliverance and by consequence one way or other according to your own confession and practise must be misapplied So that in this no tender Conscience dare join with you But furder let it be considered who are the object of Mercie then it will appear to whom the deliverance belongeth I say doth not Mercie belong to these that are in Miserie I mean these who seeth and confeffessess themselves so to be as in 2 Chro. 7 11. If my People which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and Pray and seek my Face
Scaffolds â—mprisoned keeped in Irons and with exquisite Torters Tormented Exilled Badished and sold as Slaves amongst Savages All which they endured most patiently a long time or ever they offered to appear in publict Arms against them And all this they have met with as a reward First upon the Lords part tho unjust and ungreat as to his part for their too great and inordinat love wherewith they prevented him in the day of his distress being the first and only beginning of his unhappy Restauration Fifthly Time would faill us to narrate what exorbitant impossings taxings cessings and every way impoverizing of the Subjects Grinding of the Faces of the Poor Delapidating the Rights and Revenues of the Crown for no other end but to imploy them for keeping of a Bordel rather than a Court Since there is no Court in the World has attained to sucâ— a height in Debauchry and Deprivedness as that Court by his Example has done For the whole Nation follows the Kings example Râ—gis ad exemplum totus componitut orbis Sixthly As it had not been enough to exercise such a Tyrranical Arbitary power himself He by a laâ—e Parliament such as the former intends that his Cruelty and Tyrrany shall not dye with himself but that he shall in his own time instal such an one if not worse than himself contrair to all Law Reason Religion And in that parliament to unhing very Protestanism it self by framing a Test such as no Protestant how corrupt so ever can take and so ridiculous as that it is made the Laughing stock even of Enemies themselves is it then any wonder considering such dealings and many Thousandâ— moe That true Scots Men tho we have been alwayes even to the extremity sometimes loyal to our Kings should after Twentie years Tyrranny break out at last as we have done and put in practise that power that God and Nature has given us and we having reserved to our selves all our Engagments with our Princes having been alwise conditional as all other Kingdoms are implicitly but ours explicitly Let none therefore object against the legality either of what we have done or are doing for observe how inconsiderable so ever we are said to be to prove our selves to have done nothing against our Ancient Laws Civil or Ecclesiastick against any Laws or Divineâ— whatsoever our Ancient Laws beinp Judges and we having safety to pass and repass if the publick Faith after so many Breaches can be trusted for that effect So then let no Foraign Kingdom or Churches throw misinformation or false copies as they are many of what we Act or do because we have not access to the Press as they we say let them not take up a wrong opinion of us or our Proceedings For we are only endeavouring to extricat our selves from under a Tyrrannical Yoak and to reduce our Church and state to what they were in the Year 1648. 1649. Therefore we here conveened in our Name and Authority ratifies and approves what has been done by the Rutherglen and Sanquhar Declarations And by their presents rescinds and annnles and makes void whatsoever has been done by Charles Stuart and his Accomplices in prejudice to our Ancient Laws and Liberties in all the prelimited Parliaments and Conventions since the Year 1660 and particularly the late Parliament holden at Elinburgh the 28 day of July 1681 by a Comâ—issioner professedly Popish and for Villany exilled his native Land with all the Acts and Laws there Statued and Enacted as that Abominable Riduculous and Unparalelâ—ed Soul Perjuring Test and the rest We therefore Command and Charges you to pass to the Mercat Cross of Lanerk and in Our Name and Authority to Publish this Our Act and Declaration as ye will be answerable Dated the 23 of December 1681. Let King JESUS Reign and all his Enemies be scattered NOW considering the Miseries the Land was in at that time by reason of that cruel and intolerable Bondage which was exercised over the subjects by their Laws which was That none should have their Lives or Lioerties But these who would sell Soul and Conscience and either comply or connive at their Abominations or else suffer Death Now in such a case I think no Man of reason but will acknowledge that we have done nothing but what we are bound to do from the Word of God and our Covenants which is to preserve and defend King and Rulers in the Defence and Preservation of the true Religion But no furder as is abundantly proven in our Declarations Now if any shall raise Objection against the manner of our Proceedings As. First that the Representative powr of rejecting Tyrannie belongeth not to privat Persons but only to the OPTIMATES REGNI that is to say to the Peers of the Land such as Nobles Barons Burgesies And therefore they are Custodes legis the keepers of the law who are to see to the Laws and saftie of the Kingdom in defending the Rights and Liberties of the Subjects Answer Indeed it would become them best but they failing in this by their defection and complyance silence and connivance at the Tyrannie commited in this case it becomes the subjects altho' privat persons to assume to themselves that power of defending the Laws and Kingdom which they have Forefaulted As for Example if a City were Besieged by an Enemie and the Magistrats and these who had the power would conspire in one with the Enemy to destroy the Citizens were it not their duty to take the power which they have abused and defend themselves their Lives and Liberties Now this being our case then no reasonable man I think will condemn what we have done considering the grounds and reasons abovementioned Now this Representative power was firmly owned and avowed by all the Nonconformists in the Year 1680. 1681 and 1682. But in the Year 1633 they began to faint the eminent godly in whom the Life and substance of this dutâ—e was were in a great part taken away by suffering in Fields and Scaffolds and the remaing partie who were Faithful protested against these failings but were not heard So that at length they denyed that they acted Authoritatively in these Declarations above mentioned where the judicious Reader may discern the contrair by such congruous expressions as is used for expressing the nature of the Action But now this hopeless party of Nonconformists has turned their Testimonies to Protestations That when Kings and Queens comes to the Throne they enter a Protestation against them But what is that to the purpose What if all the Shires in Scotland would send a Thousand Arm'd Men to the chief City of every Shire to declare against them And there rest on their Protestations would thus effectuat any thing Certainly no the only duty is to call a Representative and put on Authority and take to them that power which they have Forfaulted and by vertue of that power they may proceed against them with the Sword of Justice
Enemy as for example If the King of France would proclaim a Liberty to all the Banished Protestants were it not duty to them to imbrace the offer Ans This I deny and the reason is That this he must do either as an Enemy or absolute Master over the Church or else as a Friend and Subject to the Crown and Kingdom of Christ Now as an Enemy retaining and adhearing to his Popish Idolatrie without repenting of his cruel Bloody Tyrranny formerly committed in this he cannot give a liberty to the Gospel Because it involveth a contradiction by reason that he cannot serue two opposites viz. The Gospel of Christ Jesus and his Popish Idolatry For this were to build and destroy simul semel that 's to say once and together which is a compleat contradiction according to our Saviours Words Matth. 6. 24. No Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other That 's to say He cannot with full Dâ—ligence single love and fidelitie serve them both they being opposites for Love and Fidelity terminates only in one single object So that from this you see that as an Enemy he can never give libertie to the Gospel Secondly As a Friend and Subject to the Crown and Kingdom of Christ he cannot retain an Authoritie over the Church that is Supra Sacra by prescribing Bounds and Limites to the Doctrine Discipâ—ine and Kingly Government of Christ Jesus But on the other hand as a Subject he is to exercise his power Circa Sacra that is that the power of Doctrine and Discipline be Faithfully exercised in the Land by these to whom the power is committed and that according to Gods Word without partiality and respect of Persons And when this or shall be then he declares himself to be guilty of Death by reason of his former sins in sheding the Blood of Innocent Persons by reason that the Law of God requires that such shall die as in Num. 35 31. Ye shall take no satisfaction for the Life of a Murderer which is Guilty of Death But he shall he surely put to Death And Verse 33. The Land cannot be cleansed of the Blood that is shed therein but by the Blood of him that shed it Now if the King of France Act as a Friend and Subject then he will acknowledge his Subjection to the Kingdom of Christ And then by consequence will deny any Authoritative Superioritie over the Gospel Moreover in the next place Protestants can never imbrace that Liberty as they call it and the reason is 1. it sets limits to the extent of the â—ospel in its Doctrine which is to go throw all Nations and consequâ—ntly all places of the Kingdom and teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28. 20. Now if they shall declare this Command Faithfully viz. That Popish Idolatry is to be rooted out of the Land and not to be permitted and Tyrrannie to be cast out and that the Throne and State are to be Reformed and that Men of Truth Fearing God and hating covetousness are to be invested with the present power that Justice may be Execute on the Guilty without respect of Persons Now I think this will overturn their Liberty and make it null And no otherwayes can they Faithfully do if they observe all that is given them in Commission as Faithâ—ul Ambassadors in the Name of God and Christ who are to declare the whole Will of God unto the People So that from this you see that a sinful Indulgence is inconsistent with a Gospel Liberty And therefore nowayes to be imbraced by any that professes Jesus Christ to be King and Head of his Church and that by reason that it cuts off the Doctrine Discipline and Kingly Government of Christ Jesus by their Suâ—jecting to â—hat Government which distinguishes from the Government of Christ so that in this they are the Servants of Men. Obj. But some will object and say If a Heathen King would proclaim a Liberty to the Gospel were it not a duty to imbrace it Ans A â—â—athen hath no Law And therefore we are not to proceed in Law against him either for his past or present Practise For the Scripture says where is no Lw there is no Transgression Rom 4. 15. That 's to say â—hey cannot be accused of Defection from that Law which they never receaved and consequently cannot be punished whatever judgements the Lord may inflect upon them for their ignorance and miserie Now Papests or Malignants professes the name of Christ and pretends to be under Law therefore we are to see to the right maner and exercise of that Law that it be according to the will and word of the Lawgiver Moreover as to a heathens proclaming of liberty in this we are not to give eare For belivers hes this in commission allready to go throw all Nations also it is Christs right and prerogative Psal 2 8 I shall give thee the heathen for thin inherietance Now all that Belivers are to do in this is that the occasion and encouragement is the stronger but but not their commission Moreover in the next place you say there are three Doctrinal Mistaks that occasion our divisions 1 because we think a thing to be duty therefore it is to be done at all Seasons and we consider not that a thing may be good on the matter which is not to be done at all times I Ans we acknowledge prudence is to be exercised in going about Duty but however it hath a time which time we fear you would deny if put to it or if ye should go about this duty I fear according to your former practise it would be unseasonable as for exemple in the matter of your late King ye did never cry out against his sin so long as he was in power commiting them but when his back was at the wall and the Lords judgements powering down upon him then ye did give witness which witness was unseasonable by reason of your unfaithfulness The other is â—hat we cannot maintaine union with any that differs from us and cometh not up to our minde in all things Ans we denay to have any proper or peculiar judgement or mind but what hath been received owned and avowed by our Ancestors in the Confession of faith and Covenants and if there be any new step of Reformation started by you or us for the time here after we desire it may be prudently and tenderly carried on and not by Division The third is that where we apprehend persons guilty of sins we cannot have communion with them unless they explicitly and publickly confesse the same Answer we denaie likewaies to have anie peculiar apprehension of guilt but onlie what the Scripture condemns and the Acts and Constitutions of our Church And is not agreeable to Scripture that Sins publickly committed are to be publickly confessed as in 2 Cor.