personal injuries they had done against themselves but being touched with the zeal of God love to their Country respect to Justice trampled upon by Tyrants and for saving themselves rescuing their Brethren and preventing their Murthering them because there were none that would or could execute Justice upon them legally therefore they were forced to put forth their hands against them as enemies with whose preservation their oun could not consist Their Circumstances were such that they were redacted to the greatest of Extremities precluding all other humane possibility of preserving themselves and their Brethren from the destruction intended and declaredly resolved and restlessly sought prosecuted by these Murderers being persecuted to the death by them daylie chased hunted way-laid turned out of their oun habitations intercommuned discharged denyed all harbour in any house under the hazard of the same pains that themselves were lyable to which was death by the present Law and so forced to hide in Caves Dens out of which they durst not come forth if it were but to seek bread for themselves without eminent danger of their lives the Country raising the hue cry after them whensoever they were seen whereby many were killed as soon as they were apprehended Hence they could neither escape in the Land nor by flight out of the Land all passages by sea Land being stopt and none suffered to go any where without strict examination what they were which was impossible for them to elude And many other specialities of miserie danger were ingredients in their Circumstances that no words can represent to them that are altogether strangers to them Wherefore in such a strait pinch of Perplexity when they could not otherwise escape the fury of these firebrands nor demur deter the rest of them from an uncontrolled pursuit after the lives of Innocents nor otherwise avert the wrath of God against the Land for the impunity of such vermine And seeing there was no access to address themselves to Magistrats who by Office are obliged to bring such villains to condign punishment And none were found in publick Authority but such as patronized Authorized them whom in Conscience they could not acknowledge and in prudence durst not make application to them for fear of their lives What could they do what was left them to deliberate but to fall upon this Extraordinary Course wherein if they have stumbled into some extravagancies as to the manner who can think it strange considering the Case But as that is not the debate so as for such Acts of vengeance as are peccant in the matter and were not circumstantiate as above rehearsed being disouned in their publick Declarations and the Actors excluded from their Communion for whom I plead it were iniquous to impute the scandal of them to that Suffering people It is only the so Circumstantiate necessitated extraordinary execution of Judgement upon notoriously gross grassant Incendiaries Tyrants and terrible Murdering Enemies when there is no living for them that I vindicate And thô the handling of this tender quick-sented subject may seem odious to some and my Discourse upon it as pregnant with an oblique design to obivate such unmerited surmises I must say it is only the wiping off of such Reproaches as reflect on Religion the vindication of preterite extraordinary practices of this nature the investigation of present duty with respect to future Emergencies and the restraining all Extravagancies incident in this Head that I intend However this may be exploded by this generation as odious un-couth Doctrine yet in former Periods of this Church it hath been maintained with Courage asserted with Confidence How the Ancient Scots even after they received the Christian faith served their Tyrants and Oppressours how in the begining of the Reformation the killing of the Cardinal and of David Rizio were and are generally to this day justifed and what was the Judgement pleading of our Reformers for practising this principle against Idolaters c. needs not be here repeated Mr Knox's Judgement in particular is before declared and will be further discovered if we consider how he resented his slackness in puting people to execute Judgement in these words insert in Second Part of the Cloud of Witnesses Pag. 60. For God said he had not only given me knowledge and a tougne to make known the impiety of the Idol but had given me Credit with many who would have put in execution Gods Judgements if I would only have consented thereto but so careful was I of the common Tranquility and loath was I to offend some that in secret conference with zealous men I travelled rather to slacken that fervency God had kindled in them than to animate encourage them to put their hands to Gods Work wherein I acknowledge my self to have done most wickedly and from the bottom of my heart I do ask God pardon that I did not what in me lay to have suppressed that Idol in the begining But the preceeding Historical Representation doth abundantly demonstrate this is no Noveltie to assert That when the ruine of the Countrie suppression of Religion destruction of the Remnant professing suffering for it and the Wrath of God is threatened in for the impunity of Idolaters Murderers that by the Law of God Man should die the death and supposing alwayes such as are in publick Office not only decline their duty but encourage those destroyers yea Authorize them themselves we may not only maintain defensive Resistence according to our Capacity but endeavour also vindictive Punitive force in executing Judgment upon them in cases of necessity as before Circumstantiate And ◠am the more confident to assert it that what I say cannot be condemned till first what our Reformers have proven be confuted However to endeavour to make it some what clear I shall first premit some Assertions to clear the State of the Question And then give some Reasons for it when clearly Stated First It will be needful for clearing our way to shew what length we may warrantably go in this matter of executing Judgment in our private Capacity in extraordinary Cases of necessity by setting doun some propositions negative positive Signifying what we disoune and what we oune in this point I. What we disoune may appear in these Assertions 1. No necessity not Circumstance supposible whatsoever can justify the Murder of the Righteous or Innocent or vindicate the unlawful taking away of their life directly or indirectly immediately or mediately which in thought as well as deed we must abhor as a horrid breach of the Sixth Command The Guilt whereof may be incurred several ways As by killing them Immediately as Cain did his brother Abel or Commanding them to be killed as Saul commanded Doeg to kill the Lords Priests or Contriving their Murder as David did Uriahs and Iezebel Naboths or Counselling thereunto as the people advised the Princes to the murder of Ieremiah and all
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
when they demand such rewards and the demands are complyed with But some may pretend and under that pretence think to shut the shour of suffering and command the serenity sun-shine of a good Conseience too and to shelter their soul under that shadow That these Exactions may be necessary for other ends Can any State be without Exactions Is it not necessary that forces be maintained and such as are in publick office in the Kingdom Wherewithall shall the Nation be guarded against forreign invasion Alas the pretence is so false frivolous as he could not escape the Censure of foolish who in answering it appeared serious save in a just indignation at its empty vanitie What are these forces and publick Officiers for What are they employed about but to promote the Dragons designs and serve his drudgerie Shall these guard the Nation who together with Religion tread upon the poor remaining shadow of Liberty Do they indeed fear a forreign invasion No it doth not hold us here These called Rulers hide not their designs but hold them to our eye that we may not pretend ignorance They will do the greatest hast first Christ and His Interest is their great eyesore This one Iesus who calls Himself a King yea and He will be so to their cost and His Subjects as the most dangerous partie are to be discussed in the first place And thereafter when they are liberate from that fear of His returning to His Throne whom they have exauctorate for if ever He do they are ruined make hast O Lord◠and have eaten the flesh and drunk the blood of His people then they will be in a better case to defend the Land by shewing the Enemy those Teeth Tusks wherewith they have torn the people of the Lord. But will men put out their oun eyes that they may be taken with the more tameness to grind in their Mill and make them merry at our madness Have we lost our senses that we may with confidence jeopard our Souls Have they not invaded the Mediators Kingdom and taken to themselves His House in possession And because Reavers may not be Rewers they will destroy all in the Land who seem faithful to Christ and resolute to follow the Captain of the host of Israel But is it not enough that they menace Heaven Will they mock us into the same Rebellion with themselves He will not be mocked but turn their jest into earnest I cannot here shift the transcribing some of the very words of that Author whose Reasonings I am but gleaning on this subject Oh Brittain O Scotland bent into bold in backsliding the wrath of God and thy wo seems to be upon the wing And alas I am afraid that by this Crowning Crimson wickedness the Lord God Almighty is making a way to His Anger and preparing the Nation for a Sacrifice to expiate in the sight of the world our Perjurie defection Heaven-daring Provocations Alas I am afraid that the sword of the Lord which shall avenge the quarrel of His Covenant is near to be drawn that the Contributers as well as the stated partie of contrivers decreers and cruel Executioners of these decrees may fall under the blow of the forbished sword of the Lord God And that the Land of such abominations may be swept of its Inhabitants with the besome of destruction and soaked with the blood of those who instead of contending for Christ have by this payment associate with His stated His declared and implacable Enemies whose rage is come up before Him and will bring Him doun to take revenge Alas My fears My fears are multiplied upon me that the war shall not only at last Land in Britain But that He hath been all this while training up a Militia abroad breeding them in blood and teaching them how to be skillful to destroy against the time He give them order to march and put the flaming sword in their hand to be bathed in the blood of backsliding Brittain Oh if our turning unto Him that He might turn away from the fierceness of His Anger might prevent this woful day But since instead of any turning unto Him we surpass the deeds of the heathen and out do in wickedness all that went before us and proceed with a petulancy reaching Heaven from evil to worse I am afraid that all the bloodshed since the sword was drawn in the Nations about all the sacked Cities all the burnt dorps villages all the wasted Countries all the slain of the Lord by sea or Land all the pillagings rapes Murders outrages which rage it self could hardly outdo all the horrid inhumane Cruelties that have been committed during this bloody war wherein the sea hath been dyed and the Land as it were drouned with the blood of the slain all the truculent treacherous Murthers of that Monster Alva in the Low Countries all the incredible Cruelties of the Guises and the bloodshed in the Massacres of France all the Tortures that the people of the Lord have been put to in the valleys of Piedmont by that Litle fierce Tyger the Duke of Savoy all the savage and barbarous butcheries of the Irish Massacre shall be forgotten or seem things not to be mentioned in one day when what shall be done in Brittain comes to be reinembered O Brittain ô Brittain of all Nations under the Cope of Heaven most ripe for the sickle of vengeance shall this Throne of iniquity which hath framed so many mischiefs into Laws and all that are Complices in this wicked Conspiracie who now are gathering themselves against the soul of the Righteous condemning the innocent blood be able to save its subjects when He comes to make inquisition for that blood or shall the subjects calling in all from 60 to 16 be able to support the Throne Alas in vain shall they offer to draw up and draw the sword defend when the Lord God of hosts drawes His sword to accomplish upon them the vengeance written wrapt up in these words He shall bring upon them their oun iniquity and shall cut them off in their oun wickedness yea the Lord our God shall cut them off And if it come to this then in that day escape who will Professing Gentlemen and others who in this have complyed with the Rulers shall not escape Then shall they be payed for this Payment The storme of His displeasure even thô they get their souls for a prey yea so much the more as He will not suffer them to perish eternally shall be observed to fall particularly upon their houses Interests Estates Who can think upon the wickedness of Brittain with its just aggravations and imagine the righteous Lord will proportion His Judgments to the heinousness of our guilt and His revenges to the rage whereby He and His Christ hath been and is opposed and take other measures 4. From the Nature of these Payments it is not our they are sinful Complyances Transactions with
without sedition withhold the fruits profits which your false Bishops Clergy most unjustly received of yow Upon which he subjoins the preceeding Arguments Yet now a dayes these have no weight but such as refuse either to pay Oppressors exactions or Curats stipends are condemned for giddy fools Again we find that when they were challenged for duty they would never decline a declaration of its righteousness nor do any thing directly or indirectly which might seem a condemning of it And therefore they wold receive no pardons for these things which they could not confess to be offences Iohn Knox challenged for offending the Queen had her promise that if he would confess an offence his greatest punishment should be but to go within the Castle of Edinburgh and immediatly to return to his own house he refused absolutely But now if our Pardon-mongers prudent men had been so circumstantiate surely they could have helped themselves with their distinctions they might confess be pardoned for offending the Queen thô not confess it to be a fault in their Conscience But Mr Knox had not learned that then When they were pursuing the Murder of King Henry of Darnely the Queen finding her self not strong enough offers to forgive pardon that insurection The Earle of Morton in name of all the rest did not only refuse a Cessation but told her they would not ask a pardon But now sufferers for refusing of these base unmanly aswell as unchristian Complyances are much condemned Finally because this strictness especially in their severity against their Enemies may be accused of Iewish rigidity inconsistent with a Gospel Spirit of Lenity which also is imputed to the much condemned sufferers of Scotland at this time for their Testimonies against Toleration Liberty of Conscience Let us hear what Knox sayes whatsoever God required of the Civil Magistrate in Israel or Juda concerning the observation of true Religion during the time of the Law the same doth He require of Lawful Magistrates professing Christ Jesus in the time of the Gospel And Cites a large Testimony out of Augustine to this purpose And afterward objecting to himself the practice of the Apostles who did not punish the Idolatrous Gentiles he answers That the Gentiles being never avowed to be Gods people before had never received his Law and therefore were not to be punished according to the rigor of it to which they were never subject being strangers from the Commonwealth of Israel But if any think after the Gentiles were received in the number of Abrahams children and so made one people with the Jewes beleeving then â—hey were not bound to the same obedience of Israels Covenant the same seems to make Christ inferior to Moses and contrare to the Law of His heavenly Father for if the Contempt and transgression of Moses's Law was worthy of death what judge we the contempt of Christs ordinance to be And if Christ be not come to dissolve but to fulfill the Law of His Heavenly Father shall the Liberty of His Gospel be an occasion that the special glory of His Father be troden under foot and regarded of no man God forbid And therefore I fear not to affirme that the Gentiles be bound by the same Covenant that God made with His people Israel in these words Beware that thou make not any Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land but thou shalt destroy their Altars c. When therefore the Lord puteth the Sword in the hand of a people they are no less bound to purge their Cities Countreyes from Idolatrie then were the Israelites what time they received the Possession of the Land of Canaan III. For the head of Resistence of Superior powers we have no clearer instances in any Period then in this where of the above mentioned hints give some account to which in their sentiments arguments may be here subjoined They prised and improved this principle so much that they put it in their Confession of faith Art. 14. To save the Life of Innocents to repress Tyranny to defend the oppressed are among the good works of the Second Table which are most pleasing acceptable to God as these works are commanded by Himself And to suffer innocent blood to be â—hed if we may withstand it is affirmed to be sin by which Gods hot Displeasure is kindled against the proud unthankful world And if there were no more to render the late Test of Scotland detestable that condemns all resistence of Kings upon any pretence whatsoever this may make all Christians all men abhor the contrivance of it that that same Test that confirms this Thesis doth also impose the Antithesis upon Conscience It obliges to this Confession in the first part of it and to deny it in the Latter But no wonder that men of feared Consciences can receive any thing thô never so contradictory to it self And that men who deny sense and that principle irradicated in humane nature may also deny Conscience make a fool of it in sowdering Contradictories But not only did our Reformers assert this Truth for which now their children adhering to their Testimony suffer both rage and reproach but also gave their reasons for it As 1 Mr Knox in his first Conference with the Queen argues thus There is neither greater honour nor obedience to be given to Princes than Parents but so it is that the father may be stricken with a phrensie in the which he would slay his oun children now if the children arise take his weapon from him bind his hands do the children any wrong It is even so with Princes that would murder the Children of God subject to them their blind zeal is nothing but a very mad phrensie and therefore to take the sword from them and cast them into prison till they be brought to a more sober mind is no disobedience against Princes 2 In his Conference with Lithingtoun he proves the same point from the consideration of the justice of God punishing the people for not resisting the Prince The Scripture of God teacheth me saith he Ierusalem Iuda were punished for the sins of Manassoh If you alledge they were punished because they were wicked and not because the King was wicked the Scripture sayes expressly for the sins of Manasseh yet will I not absolve the people I will grant the whole people offended with their King but how to affirme that all Iuda committee the acts of his impiety hath no certainty who can think that all Ierusalem should turn Idolaters immediatly after Hezekias notable Reformation One part therefore willingly followed him in his Idolatry the other suffered him so were criminal of his sin even as Scotland is guilty of the Queens Idolatry this day In the same Discourse he makes it plain that all are guilty of Innocents murder who do not oppose it from Ieremies words in his defence before the Princes Know ye for certain if ye put me to death ye
of the God of Truth and Scorn of all our holy Engagments Which defection did not only cause for a long time an incurable Division the first of that kind and most permanent of any that ever was in the Church of Scotland by reason of the surcease of General Assemblâ—es stoped hindered by the yoke of the Sectarian Usurpation but also was the spring source of all our defections since all flowing from fomented by that same spirit that fostered that And for that since that time the Lord hath been contending with this Church Nation bringing us under the bondage of these Malignant Enemies whom we suffered them then to encourage introduce And both at that time since that time the Lord never countenanced an Expedition where that Malignant Interest was taken in unto the state of the quarrel Upon this our Land was invaded by Oliver Cromwel who defeat our Army at Dumbar where the Anger of the Lord was evidently seen to smoke against us for espousing that Interest And remarkable it is how in that very day where in the Publick Resolutions were concluded in the Assembly at St Andrews the Lord then shed the blood of His people at Ennerkeithing so as that the Assembly having in great hast hurried through this Approbation were all made to run for it and Adjourn themselves to Dundie where they met and compleated that step of defection And afterwards it s known what a peculiar vengeance fell upon that City where this deed was done beyond all the Cities of the Nation Next an Army being raised according to these unhallowed Resolutions and the Lord puting remarkable Discountinance upon them in their attemptings at home as was manifest in their attemptings at Torewood c. They march into England and there did the Lord continue by His leaving our Army to the Sword to preach that Doctrine to the world Iosh. 7. 10 11 12. Israel hath sinned and transgressed the Covenant have taken the accursed thing and dissembled also and have put it even amongst their oun stuff therefore the Children of Israel could not stand before their enemies but turned their backs before their Enemies because they were accursed Neither will I be with yow any more except ye destroy the accersed thing from among yow An army of near 30000 was totally routed at Worcester and the Achan the Cause of the overthrow was forced to hide himself in the Oak and thence to transport himself beyond sea where he continued a wandering fugitive in Exile till the year 1660. In the mean time the Sectarian Army here prevailed till after the usurper Cromwel his death the false Monk then General with a Combination of Malignants and Publick Resolutioners did machinate our misery and effectuated it by bringing home the King to England from his banishment Wherein he was habituate into an implacable hatred against the Work of God. Yet though since the Kings first reception into Scotland our declensions were still growing untill they produced this fearful Revolt from God wherein the Nation is now involved there was still a faithful Remnant of Ministers Professors zealous for the Cause keeping their Integrity who in their Remonstrances Testimonies witnessed against both their Malignant Enemies and their backsliding Brethren the Resolutioners and also against the Sectarians their Invaders whose vast Toleration Liberty of Conscience which they brought in to invade our Religion as they had invaded our Land and infect it with their multifarious Errors was particularly by the Synod of Fife and other Brethren in the Ministery that joined themselves to them Testified against and demonstrated to be wicked intollerable Now to see how far the present Testimony is Conâ—irmed by the witnesses of this Period we may resume some Reflections on it I. They impartially carried on the Testimony against Prelacy and the Popish Prelatical Malignant faction on the one hand and the Sectarians on the other without ever waving the Testimony against either or at the least winking at the one to weaken the other both which Testimonies they though of so great importance that they could not dispense with but faithfully maintain both in their witnessings warnings In that seasonable necessary Warning Declaration concerning present imminent dangers given at Edinb Iuly 27. sess 27. They say first of the Sâ—ctaries That prevailing Party of Sectaries in England who have broken the Covenant and despised the Oath of God corrupted the Truth subverted the fundamental Government Look upon us with an evil eye as upon these who stand in the way of their Monstrous new fangled devices in Religion Government and though there were no Cause to fear any thing from that party but the Gangren infection of those many damnable abominable errors which have taken hold on them yet our vicinity unto and dayly Commerce with that Nation may justly make us afrayed that the Lord may give up many in this Land into a spirit of delusion to beleeve Lies because they have not received the Love of the Truth In that same warning they say we are not so to have the one of our eyes upon the Sectaries as not to have the other upon Malignants they being an Enemie more numerous more dangerous than the other not only because experience hath proven that there is a greater aptitude inclination in these of our Land to comply with Malignants than Sectaries in that they carry on their wicked designe under a pretext of being for the King but also because there be many of them in our oun bovvells By vvhich vve may see hovv impartially they opposed both and that this cannot be condemned in the Testimonies of the present Sufferers except the Assembly be condemned And because many novv a dayes have extenuating notions of those debates against Prelacy Sectarianisme about the Government of the Church c. and condemn these that vvould adhere to suffer for the Punctilio's of it as rigid nicetie I shall for seeing vvhat account the Assembly had of them cite their vvords in a Letter to the Assembly of divines at Westminster Dated Edin Iune 18. 1646. The smallest say they of Christs Truths if it be Lavvfull to call any of them small is of greater moment than all the other businesses that ever have been debated since the begining of the vvorld to this day but the highest of honours and heaviest of burdens is put upon yovv to declare out of the Sacred Records of Divine Truth vvhat is the Prerogative of the Croun extent of the Scepter of Jesus Christ vvhat bounds are to be set betvveen Him Ruling in His House and povvers established by God on Earth hovv by vvhom His House is to be Governed and by vvhat vvayes a restraint is to be put on these vvho vvould pervert His Truth and subvert the faith of many II. In the manner of maintaining this Testimony these famous Fathers while faithful for God gave us a perfect
1680. at the Torwood he excommunicated some of the most scandalous and Principal Promoters Abettors of this Conspiracy against Christ as formally as the present Case could admit After Sermon upon Ezek. 21. 25 26 27. And thou profane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come c. He had a short and pertinent discourse on the nature the subject the causes and the ends of Excommunication in general And then declared that he was not led out of any private Spirit or passion to this Action but constrained by Conscience of duty and zeal to God to stigmatize with this brand and wound with the Sword of the Lord these Enemies of God that had so Apostatized rebelled against mocked despised defied Our Lord and to declare them as they are none of His to be none of ours The persons excommunicated and the Sentence against them was given forth as followes I being a Minister of Iesus Christ and having Authority and Power from Him do in His Name by His Spirit excommunicatâ— cast out of the true Church and deliver up to Satan Charles the Second King c. The Sentence was founded upon these grounds declared in the pronunciation thereof 1 for his high mocking of God in that after he had acknowledged his own sins his fathers sins his mothers Idolatrie yet had gone on more avowedly in the same than all before him 2 for his great Perjurie in breaking burning the Covenant 3 for his rescinding all Lawes for establishing the Reformation and enacting Lawes contrarie thereunto 4 for commanding of Armies to destroy the Lords people 5 for his being an Enemy to true Protestants helper of the Papists and hindering the execution of just Lawes against them 6 for his granting Remissions Pardons for Murderers which is in the power of no King to do being expressly contrare to the Law of God. 7 for his Adulteries and dissembling with God man Next by the same Authority and in the same name he excommunicated Iames Duke of York for his Idolatrie and setting it up in Scotland to defile the Land and entycing encouraging others to do so Not mentioning any other sins but what he scandalously persisted in in Scotland c. With several other rotten Malignant Enemies on whom the Lord hath ratiâ—â—ed that Sentence since very remarkably whose sins punishments both may be read more visiblie in the Providences of the time than I can record them But about this time when amidst all the abounding defections divisions of that dark dismal hour of tentation some in zeal for the Cause were endeavouring to keep up the Testimony of the day in an abstraction from Complying Ministers Others were left in holy judgment to be a stumbling block to the Generation hardening them in their defections and to be a beacon to the most zealous to keep off from all unwarrantable excesses to fall into fearâ—ul extravagances and delirious damnable delusions being overdriven with ignorant blind zeal into untroden paths which led them into a labyrinth of darkness when as they were stumbled at many Ministers their unfaithfulness so through the deceit of Sathan and the hypocrisie of his Instruments they came to be offended at Mr Cargil his faithfulness who spared neither left hand declensions nor right hand extremes and left him and all the Ministers not only disouning all Communion with those that were not of their way but execrating Cursing them and kept themselves in desert places from all Company where they persisted prodigiously in fastings and singing Psalms pretending to wonderful raptures Enthusiasmes and in fine I. Gib with 4 more of them came to that hight of Blasphemy that they burnt the Bible Confession of Faith. These were the sweet singers as they were called led away into these delusions by that Impostor Sorcerer Iohn Gib who never encreased to such a number as was then feared reported being within thirty most part women all which for the most part have been through Mercy reclaimed from that destructive way which through Grace the Reproached Remnant adhering to the foresaid Testimony had alwayes an abhorrence of Wherefore that ignorant impudent Calumnie of their Consortship with Gibs followers is only the vent of viperous Envy For they were the first that discovered them and whose pains the Lord blessed in reclaiming them and were alwayes so far from partaking with them that to this day these that have come off from that way and have offered the Confession of their scandal do still complain of their over-rigid severity in not admitting them to their select fellowships To which may be added this undenyable Demonstration that whereas the persecuâ—ing Courts of Inquisition did alwayes extend the utmost severity against the Ouners of this Testimony yet they spared them And the Duke of York then in Scotland was so weâ— pleased with Gib's Blasphemies that he favoured him extraordinarly and freely dismissed him This was a cloudy dark day but not without a burning shining light as long as that faithful Minister of Christ Mr Donald Cargil was following the Work of the Lord who shortly after this finished his Testimony being apprehended with other two faithful zealous Witnesses of Christ Mr Walter Smith and Mr Iames Boog who with 2 more were altogether at Edinburgh 27. Iulij 1681. Crouned with the Glory of Martyrdom Then came the day of the Remnants vexation trouble darkness dimness of anguish wherein who so looked unto the Land could see nothing but darkness sorrow the light darkened in the Heavens thereof wherein neither Star nor Sun appeared for many dayes and poor People were made to grope for the wall like the blind and to stumble in noon day as in the night While the Persecution advanced on the one hand a violent spait of defection carried doun the most part of Ministers Professors before it driving them to Courses of sinful scandalous Conformings with the times Corruptions Compearings before their Courts Complyings with their Commands paying of theis Cesses and other Exactions Taking of their Oaths Bonds and countenancing their Prelatical Church-Services which they were ashamed to do before And thereupon on the other hand the Divisions and Confusions were augmented and poor people that desired to cleave to the Testimony were more more offended and stumbled at the Ministers who either left the Land in that clamant Call of the peoples necessity or lurked in their own retirements and declined the duty of that day leaving people to determine themselves in all their perplexities as a prey to all tentations But the tender Pastor and Shepherd of Israel who leads the blind in the way they know not did not forsake a Remnant in that hour of tentation who kept the Word of His Patience and as He helped those that fell into the hands of Enemies to Witness a good Confession so He strengthened the zeal of the remaining Contenders against all the
Machinations of Adversaries to crush it and all the Methods of Backsliding Professors to quench it And the mean which most effectually preserved it in life vigour was the expedient they fell upon of Corresponding in General Meetings to consult informe confirme one another about common duties in common dangers for preservation of the Remnant from the destruction contagion of the times and propagation of the Testimony Laying doun this General Conclusion for a foundation of Order to be observed among them in incident doubtful cases emergent Controversies that nothing relative to the publick and which concerns the whoâ—e of their Community be done by any of them without harmonious consent sought after rationally waited for and sufficient deliberation about the best means manner In the mean time the Duke of York as Commissioner from his brother held a Parliament wherein he presided not only against all righteous Lawes that make a bloody avowed Papist incapable or such a Trust but against the Letter of their oun wicked Lawes whereby none ought to be admitted but such as swear the Oaths yet not only was he constitute in this place but in the whole Administration of the Government of Scotland without the taking any Oath which then he was Courting to be entailed Successor and heir of the Croun thereof And for this â—nâ— made many pretences of flatteries and feigned expressions of love of doing many acts oâ— kindness to that ancient Kingdom as he hath made many dissembling protestations of it since for carrying on his oun Popish Tyrannical designs But what good-will he hath born to it not only his acts actings written in Characters of the blood of Innocents declare but his words do witness which is known when and to whom he spake when he said It would never â—e wel til all on the southside of Forth were made a hunting field However in that Parliament anno 1681. he is chiefly intended and upon the matter by a wicked Act declared legal lineal Successor and a detestable Blasphemous and Self-contradictory Test is framed for a Pest to Consciences which turned out of all places of Trust any that had any remaining measure of common honesty And when some was speaking of a bill for securing Religion in case of a Popish Prince the Dukes answer was notable that whatsoever they intended or prepared against Papists should light upon others whereby we may understand what measures we may expect when his designs are ripe And to all the Cruel Acts then before made against the People of God there was one superadded regulating the execution of all the rest whereby at one dash all Civil Criminal Justice was overthroun and a foundation laid for Popish-Tyranny that the Right of Iurisdiction both in Civil Criminal Matters is so inherent in the Croun that his Maj. may judge all Causes by himself on any other he thinks fit to commissionate Here was Law for Commissionating Souldiers to take away the lives of Innocents as was frequently exemplified afterwards and may serve hereafter for erecting the Spanish Inquisition to murder Protestants when he thinks fit to commissonate them Against which wicked Encroachments on Religion Liberty the Faithful thought themselves obliged to emit a Testimony And therefore published a Declaration at Lanerk Iannary 12. 1682. Confirming the preceeding at Sanquhair and adding reasons of their Revolt from the Government of Charles the Second 1. For cutting off the neck at one blow of the noble Constitution of Church State and involving all Officers in the Kingdom in the same perjurie with himself 2. For exalting himself into a sphere exceeding all measures Divine humane Tyrannically obtruding his will for a Law in his arbitrary Letters so that we are made the reproach of Nations who say we have only the Law of Letters instead of the Letter of the Law. 3. For his constant adjourning dissolving Parliaments at his pleasure 4. For his arrogantly arrogated Supremacy in all Causes Civil Ecclesiastick and oppressing the Godly for Conscience duty 5. For his exorbitanâ— Taxings Cessings grinding the faces of the poor dilapidating the rights revenues of the Croun for no other end but to imploy them for keeping up a Borthel rather than a Court. 6. For installing a successor such an one if not worse as himself contrare to all Law Reason Religion and framing the Test c. And in end offer to prove they have done nothing in this against our Ancient Lawes Civil or Ecclesiastick but only endeavoured to extricate themselves from under a Tyrannous yoke and to reduce Church State to what they were in the year 1648 and 1649. After which Declaration they were more condemned by them that were at ease than ever and very untenderly dealt with being without any previous admonition reproached accused and informed against both at home abroad as if they had turned to some wild unhappy Course For which Cause in the next General Meeting they resolved to delegate some of their number to forreign Churches on purpose to vindicate themselves from these Calumnies and to represent the justness of their Cause and the sadness of their Case and provoke them to some Sympathie abroad which was denied at home And withall to provide for a Succession of Witnesses who might maintain the Testimony which was then in appearance interrupted except by Martyrdom Sufferings Therefore by that means having obtained access for the instruction of some young men at an University in the United Provinces in process of time Mr Iames Renwick received Ordination there and came home to take up the Standart of his Master upon the ground where it last was left and to carry on the Testimony against all the oppositions of that day from open Enemies backsliding Professors an undertaking more desperate-like than that of Unus Athanasius contra totam orbem and like that of a Child threshing doun a Mountain Which yet against all the outragious rage of ravening Enemies ranging ravaging hunting chasing pursuing after him through all the touns villages cottages woods moors mosses mountains of the Country and against all the scourge of tongues contradictions condemnations obliquies reproaches cruel mockings of incensed Professors and generally of all the Inhabitants of the Land he was helped to prosecute by many weary wanderings travells and traversings through the deserts night day Preaching Confering Catechising mostly in the cold winter nighrs in the open fields until by the Blessing of God upon his labours not only was the faithfull Witnessing Remnant that joyned in the Testimony further cleared confirmed and encouraged and their number much encreased by the coming in and joyning of many others to the fellowship of their settled Societies but also many others in but as soon as it grew dark all hope lost they dispersed every man shifting for himself only a few keeping together all the nixt day had a skirmage with a
Commission them we cannot hear without sin But the Prelatical Curats are such as we doubt to acknowledge Ministers of Christ cloathed with His commission Therefore we cannot hear them The Minor only needs probation These who neither have nor can have the Qualifications of a Minister of Christ nor the Lawful call of a Minister of Christ cannot be acknowledged with confidence to be Ministers of Christ cloathed with His commission But the Prelatical Curats are such Ergo. First they neither have nor can have the qualifications of Christs Ministers Since few of them have the personal as Christians far less the Ministerial as Officers mentioned 1. Tim. 3. 2-4 Tit. 1. 6-9 except it be to be husbands of one wife and if that do not make them Ministers they have nothing else especially four are wanting in all of them 1 Blamelessness and freedom from Scandal even such as affects the office besides other gross disorders in their life conversation obvious to the view of onlookers being men who have denyed the Faith and therefore unfit to have the priviledge of Church members in any well Goâ—erned Church being in the experience of all that know them signalized under the Characters of those that run unsent and from whom we are commanded to withdraw Causing the people to erre by their lies and by their lightness not sent of God Ier. 23. making the heart of the righteous sad and strengthening the hands of the wicked Ezek. 13. 22. See also Ezek. 34 2 3. Such as we are commanded to beware of Math. 7. 15 16. Such as we must mark avoid Rom. 16. 17 18. Phil. 3. 2. Disorderly walkers from whom we must withdraw 2 Thess. 3. 6. Covenant-breakers from whom we are commanded to turn away 2 Tim. 3. 3 5. They are not then Blameless and in shewing how fitly these aggree unto the persons now spoken of time needs not be spent such as know them can best Judge Hence such as either are not fit to be Church members or have all the Characters of such Officers from whom we are to withdraw cannot be acknowledged capable of the qualifications of the Ministers of Christ But such are the Curats Ergo 2 The qualification of Vigilancy cannot be found with them for all that know them will acknowledge that they neither do nor can in Preaching the word be instant in season out of season so as to make full proof of their Ministrie 2 Tim. 4. 1-5 Nay they can give no proof of their Ministrie at all further than may be competent to dumb Dogs that cannot bark Isa. 56. 10 11. for they nor no man can say that the diseased they have strenghtened or healed that which was sick c. Ezek. 34. 4. And it is known to all that know them that if ever there were any that assumed to themselves the name of Levites who departed out of the way and caused many to stumble at the Law and corrupted the Covenant of Levi and therefore were deservedly contemptible base before all the people Mal. 2. 8 9. they are the men Let any man judge then whether they have the qualifications of the Messengers of the Lord of hosts Hence they that can give no proof of their Ministry but that which proves them to be such whom the Lord condemns such who deserve to be contemned of all cannot be acknowledged to be qualified as the Lords Ministers But the Prelatick Curats can give no proof of their Ministry c. Ergo 3 The qualification of Aptness to teach is wanting yea incompatible with them not only such of them as are noted for ignorance of whom clearly that is verified they are blind watchmen they are all ignorant Isa. 56. 10. but even their Greatest Clerks Rabbies may fitly be called after the name of their forefathers whom Christ calls blind Leaders of the blind concerning whom he gives a Command to let them alone Math. 15. 14. Either generally they are discovered to be such Masters of Israel as know not these things Iohn 3. 10. being men not exercised in Religion and have not Learned the Truth as it is in Jesus or they are such as if they have had gifts or Grace yet now they are palpably blasted of God and so cannot profit the people at all being such as do not stand in Gods Counsel for then they should have turned the people from their evil way and so they are not apt to teach others when they are not taught of God but steal his words every one from their Neighbour clearly discovering they are not sent of Him Ier. 23. 21 22 30 32. And because they do not stand in Gods Counsel they cannot declare all the Counsel of God Act. 20. 27. For they can neither be apt to teach repentance towards God since they cannot be supposed to be sensible of these sins to be repented of for which the Land perisheth is burnt up like a wilderness Ier. 9. 12. for then they would first repent themselves of their oun Conformity with Prelacy of their breach of Covenant c. All that they can do in such a subject is to see vain foolish things and not to discover the Lands intiquity but to see false burdens causes of banishment Lam. 2. 14. Nor can they be apt to teach faith seing in many things they teach otherwise than Christ hath taught us in his word and consenâ— not to wholesome words and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlyness from such the Command is to withdraw 1. Tim. 6. 3-5 whose Mouths must be stopped when they teach things which they ought not Tit. 1. 9-11 which is undenyable to all that know what sort of stuff they Preach contrary to the word of God and the principles of our Covenanted Reformation Hence if none of them be apt to teach then none of them is fit to be heard But none of them is apt to teach Ergo It is true private Christians may not judge of the enduements qualifications of Ministers yet every private Christian hâ—th the judgment of discretion and that way may judge such an one if he appear qualified according to the rule of the word And may doubt if he be a qualified Minister Coram Deo wanting these qualifications which the word requireth Apol. Relation Sect 15. p. 283. Secondly They have not the Lawful Call of a Minister of Christ So much as an External Call of his Institution which I prove thus They that have Presentations from Patrons Collations from Prelats and no more for a Call have no Lawfull Call at all But the Curats have presentations from Patrons collations from Prelats and no more for a Call Ergo they have no Lawful Call at all The Minor cannot be doubted for in this Government the Ministers Mission Call Ordination and Relation to such a people over whom he is to officiate flowes all from the Prelate the Congregational Eldership hath not the least interest in it hence the
was not an Usurper over Iudea which not obscurely is insinuated by Paul himself who asserts that both his person his Cause Criminal of which he was accused it was not an Ecclesiastical Cause so no advantage hence for the Supremacy appertained to Cesars Tribunal and that not only in fact but of right Act. 25. 10. I stand at Cesars judgment seat where I ought to be judged We cannot say this of any tribunal senced in the name of them that Tyrannize over us 5. I will not stand neither upon the Names Titles of Kings c. to be given to Tyrants Usurpers in speaking to them or of them by way of appellation or compellation for we find even Tyrants are called by these names in Scripture being Kings de fact◠though not dejure and indeed not impertinently Kings Tyrants for the most part are reciprocal termes But in no case can we give them any Names or Titles which may signify our love to them whom the Lord hates or 〈◊〉 hate the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. or which may flatter them which Elihu durst not give for fear his Maker should take him away Iob. 32. 22. or which may be taken for honouring of them for that is not due to the vile◠of men when exalted never so high Psal. 12. ult a vile person must be contemned in our eyes Psal. 15. 4. Nor which may any way import or infer an ouning of a Magistratical relation between them us or any Covenant transaction or Confederacy with them which in no termes with them as such we will say or oune Isa. 8. 12. Hence many sufferers upon this head so bear to give them their Titles 8. It will be yeelded very readily by us that a Magistrate is not to be disouned meerly for his differing in Religion from us yea though he were a Heathen We do not disoune our pretended Rulers meerly upon that account but chearfully do grant subscribe to that Truth in our Confession of faith chap. 23. § 4. That Infidelity or difference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrates just Legal Authority nor free the people from their due obedience to him On which our Adversaries have insulted as if our Principles Practices were therby disproved But it is easy to answer 1. let the words be considered and we are confident that no sober man will think the acknowledgment of just legal Authority due obedience a rational ground to infer that Tyranny is thereby either allowed or priviledged Napth Pag. 60. Prior Edition 2. Though Infidelity or difference of Religion does not make void Authority where it is Lawfully invested yet it may incapacitate a person and Lawfully seclude him from Authority both by the word of God which expressly forbids to set a Stranger over us who is not our brother Deut. 17. 15. Which includes as well a stranger of a strange Religion as one of a strange Countrey and by the Lawes of the Land which do incapitate a Papist of all Authority Supreme or subordinate And so if this Iames the 7 2 had been King before he was a Roman Catholick if we had no more to object we should not have quarrelled his succession 3. We both give grant all that is in the Confession viz. Dominium non fundari in gratia that Dominion is not founded on Grace Yet this remains evident that a Prince who not only is of another religion but an avowed enemy to overturner of the Religion established by Law and intending endeavouring to introduce a false heretical blasphemous Idolatrous religion can claim no just legal Authority but in this case the people may very Lawfully decline his pretended Authority Nay they are betrayers of their Countrey Posterity if they give not a timeous effectual Check to his Usurpings and make him sensible that he hath no such Authority Can we imagine that men in the whole of that blessed work so remarkably led of God being convocate by a Parliament of the wisest worthyest men that ever was in England whom they did encourage by writing preaching every way to stand fast in their opposition to the then King displaying a banner for his prerogative a court dream against Religion Liberty should be so far left as to drop that as a principle part of our Religion which would sacrifice Religion it self to the lust of a raging Tyrant Must we beleeve that a Religion-destroying Tyrant is a righteous Ruler And must we onne him to be a Nursing father to the Church Shall we conclude that the common bounds Limits whereby the Almighty hath bounded Limited Mankind are removed by an Article of our confession of faith which hereby is turned into a Court creed Then welcome Hobs de Cive with all the rest of Pluto's train who would bable us into a belief that the world is to be governed according to the pleasure of wicked Tyrants I would fain hope at length the world would be awakened out of such ridiculous dreams be ashamed any more to oune such fooleries And it may be our two Royal Brothers have contributed more to cure men of this Moral madness than any who went before them And this is the only advantage I know that the Nations hath reaped by their reign 9. Though we deny that Conquest can give a just Title to a Croun yet we grant in some cases though in the begining it was unjust yet by the peoples after consent it may be turned into a just Title It is undenyable when there is just ground of the war if a Prince subdue a whole Land who have justly forfeited their Liberties when by his grace he preserves them he may make use of their right now forefeited and they may resign their Liberty to the Conqueror and consent that he be their King upon fair Legal not Tyrannical conditions And even when the war is not just but successful on the invading Conquerours side this may be an inducement to the Conquered if they be indeed free and uningaged to any other to a submission dedition delivery up of themselves to be the subjects of the victor and to take him for their Soveraign as it is like the case was with the Jewes in Cesars time whose Government was translated by dedition to the Roman power in the translation when a doing there was a fault but after it was done it ceased though the begining was wrong there was a post-fact which made it right and could not be dissolved without an unjust disturbance of publick order Whence besides what is said above in answer to that much insisted Instance of Christs paying tribute and Commanding it to be paid to Cesar the difficulty of that instance may be clearly solved That Tribute which he paid Math. 17. 24. c. and that about the payment whereof He was questioned Math. 22. 21. seem to be two different Tributes Many think very probably they were
a Papist except upon supposition of his repentance relinquishing Poperie We must pray nothing but according to the Wil of God and it is not the Wil of God that they that have keep will not part with the Mark of the beast should be saved for he is adjudged of God to drink of the wine of His wrath Revel 14. 9 10. So we cannot pray for him as a Christian which he is not Nor as a Papist except that he may get repentance Nor can we pray for him as a King which he is not nor as a Tyrant except that he may repent of relinquish his Tyranny Usurpation for Tyrants as such cannot be saved no more than Papists as such for Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared Isai. 30. 33. We cannot then pray for his salvation except we pray for his repentance and relinquishing all his sins and so we must pray for his relinquishing his Kingship and that he may cease to be King for that is his sin that he hath made himself King without God and against the Laws of the Land. And now whilâ— he continues such we must complain in prayer not for his Misgovernment only but for that he Governs and desire to be delivered from him See Gees Magistrates Original pag. 258. But now considering what a Man and what a King he hath been guilty of Murder Adulterie Idolatrie under sentence of the Law both of God Man We can pray no otherwise for him than for a Murderer Adulterer or an Idolater We cannot pray for him as Cloathed with Authority or that the Lord may bless his Government for that is his sin our Miserie that he is a Governour And his Throne is a Throne of iniquity which we dare not pray may have fellowship with God. Can we pray that God would bless him on a Throne of iniquity Could we pray that the Lord would bless a Drunkard in his drunkenness abusing his enjoyments Or a Thief in Stealing his though he used his purchase never so soberly What if prevailing Robbers by Land or pyrats by sea preying upon all passengers should require this as the sign of subjection to them and only condition whereupon such as they apprehended overcame should be suffered to live that they should pray for preservation prosperity to them Would not this be wickedness thus to pray for Thieves Robbers And are not Tyrants the greatest of Thieves that rob destroy twenty for one of private Robbers And do they not require this as such a sign on such a Condition 6. Lastly then the plea will be reduced to this that it is exacted as a Badge of Loyaltie and Sign Tessera Sbibboleth of ouning the Authority Which I have at this length endeavoured to prove cannot be conscienciously Ouned by us in these circumstances And even by this Argument That Authority which we cannot pray for we cannot oune But we cannot pray for this Tyrannical Authority Ergo The Minor I trust is in some measure made manifest by what is said above And so I conclude this Head with that forme of prayer that I use for the King. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self lift up thy self thow Iudge of the Earth render a reward to the proud Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked Triumph Shall the Throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee that Frameth Mischief by a Law The Mighty Terrible God destroy all Kings people that put to their hand to alter destroy the House of God. Overturn Overturn Overturn this Throne of Tyraâ—ny and let it be no more until he come whose right it is HEAD III. The Refusing to Swear Subscribe the many unlawful imposed Oaths for which many have suffered great Cruelties Chiefly that of Abjuration which was the Cause of Several their Suffering to Death Vindicated ANother Great Head of Grievous Sufferings in this fatal Period hath been that during this Stated War between Christ and His Enemies in Scotland He hath no wanted Witnesses who in their Wrestlings for the Word of God and the Testimony which they held thought it their duty to refuse all illegally imposed wickedly required Transactions with His Declared Enemies and tampering any manner of way with them in taking or subscribing any of their conscience-conzening Impositions of deceitful destructive Bonds Oaths obtruded by men who have cast off all sense of a Deity or regard to Humanity upon the Consciences of poor people to debauch them and cast them doun from the only excellency or integrity that was left them Whereby though they have missed of their design as to some who through grace have escaped the snares of these fowlers and in resisting have overcome through the blood of the Lamb they have prevailed to inveigle the Generality even of the Professors of this Generation into such a degree of defection wretched Complyance with all their snares that as it Prognosticates universal desolation ineluctable if it be not prevented by Repentance as universal as the Complyance hath been So it proclaims the infamy of the Complyers perjurie as indeleble as their perfidie with whom they have complyed The Consideration of which woful Apostacie in its various steps by which it hath been propogated promoted ought to deter demur all the fearers of God that would not partake of its threatened punishment from venturing any more to come near the brink or border of such precipices and paths of the destroyer when so many have stumbled fallen been hooked snared taken yea not so much as to look near them lest they be left to follow their look but to stand aloof from every appearance of Transacting with these Man-Catchers yea Conscience-Catchers who are so cunning to ensnare destroy as their predicessors to whose sins Judgments also they serve themselves heirs are described by the Holy Ghost Ier. 5. 26. 29. They lay wait as he that setteth snares they sct a trap they catch men their houses are full of deceit therefore they are become great waxen rich shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord Many and manifold have been the snares traps gins laid in the way of Professors of this Generation Nation by these Mischief-hatchers these keen cunning persecuters the party now regnant or rather raging in madness malice against Christ and all that are Loyal zealous for His Interest against their Encroachings thereon Where by they have caught cozened many out of their Conscience have broken the neck of some the Peace of others the heart of not a few Yea no Nation can be instanced wherein so many Oaths Bonds have been imposed on peoples Consciences so nawseating for naughtyness number as well as noxious in their nature in an Age as have been in Scotland within these 27 years past on design to wast all remainder of Conscience or
It is necessary for nurissing Union to communicate together in order to their being of one mind of one mouth and that they receive one another Rom. 15. 5 6 7. 1 Cor. 1. 10. standing fast in one Spirit striving together for the faith of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. It is necessary for serving one another in Love Gal. 5. 13. bearing one anothers burdens so fulfilling the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. submitting to one another Ehphs. 5. 21. 1 Pet 5. 5. teaching admonishing one another Col. 3. 16. comforting one another 1 Thess. 4. ult edifying one another 1 Thess. 5. 11. exhorting one another Heb. 3. 13. It is necessary for considering one another provoking unto love to good works And for this end they must not forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is for that were to sin wilfully Heb. 10. 24 25 26. Must these things depend on the Magistrats Allowance or can they be done without meeting together in private or publick The same reasons do alike conclude for the necessity of both If then there must be Meetings for these ends necessary at all times then when they cannot do it within door they must do it without 2. There is a necessity for Meeting for preaching hâ—aring the Gospel the enjoyment whereof hath alwayes been the greatest design desire of Saints who could not live without it therefore they loved the place where the Lords Honour dwelt Psal. 26. 8. This was the one thing they desired of the Lord and that they would seek after to behold the beauty of the Lord Psal. 27. 4. for this they panted and their Soul thirsted Psal. 42. 1 2. without which every Land is but a thirsty Land where there is no water where they cannot see the power the Glory of God as they have seen it in the Sanctuary Psal. 63. 1 2. O how amiable are His Tabernacles one day in His Courts is better than a thousand else where Psal. 84. 1 10. No gladness to them like that of going to the House of the Lord Psal. 122. 1. A Christian can not possibly live without Gospel Ordinances no more than Children can want the breasts or the poor needy want water when their tongue faileth for thirst they are promised it in high places and in the wilderness when they can get it no where else Isai. 41. 17 18. There is an innate desire in the Saints after it as new born habes they desire the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. So that any that is offended with them for this must be offended with them for being Christians for as such they must have the Gospel cost what is will. It is the greatest desire of the Spouse of Christ to know where He feeds and where to find the Shepherds tents where they may rest at noon Cant. 1. 7 8. And not only in their esteem is it necessary but in it self the Church cannot bear the want of it for where there is no vision the people perish Prov. 29. 18. and when there is no open vision the Word of the Lord is then very precious 1 Sam. 3. 1. No wonder then that the Lords people make such adoe for it in a famine of it that they go from sea to sea to seek it Amos 8. 11 12. and that they are content to have it at any rate though with the peril of their lives because of the sword of the Wilderness Lam. 5. 9. Seeing they cannot live without it Would men be hindered by Law from seeking their natural food nay they would fight for it before they wanted it against any that opposed them If then they cannot get it with peace they must have it with trouble And if they cannot get it in houses they must have it wherever it is to be found with freedom the favour of God. 3. It is necessary that the Meetings be as publik as they can be with Conveniencie Prudence yea simple hazard should no more hinder their Publickness Solemnity than their being at all Especially in an evil time when wickedness is encouraged established and conformity thereto pressed Truth banished and a Witness for Christ suppressed Corruption in Doctrine Worship Discipline Government connived at countenanced and advanced the Word of God is become a reproach and men have no delight in it Apostacy is become universal and both Magistrats Ministers generally turned promoters of it which is the true Discription of our times Then the Meetings of the Lords people that endeavour to keep clean Garments should be more frequent publick avowed The reasons are 1. Then the Call of God by His Word Works is more clamant for publick solemn humiliation in order to avert publick imminent judgments and impendent stroks from God. It is not enough to reforme our selvs privately personally and to keep our selves pure from such Courses by an abstraction withdrawing from them as is proved Head. 1. where this is improved as an argument against hearing the Curats Nor is it enough to admonish exhort reprove testify against such as are involved in these Courses But it is necessary for them that would be approven to adhere to the Truth and serve God after the right manner and to mourn sigh and cry for all the abominations of the time so as to get the Mark of Mourners on their foreheads Ezek. 9. 4. and they that do so wil be found on the Mountains like doves in the valleyes all of them mourning every one for his iniquity Ezek. 7. 16. and not only to by humbled every family apart but there must be a great Mourning as the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon Zech. 12. 11. to the end That is a Solemn publick Mourning there promised There must be a gathering themselves together though a Nation not desired before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff and the fierce anger of the Lord come upon them if they would have any possibility of their hiding Zeph. 2. 1 2 3. The Trumpet then must be blown in Zion to sanctify a fast to call a solemn Assembly Gather the people Sanctify the Congregation Assemble the Elders Gather the Children Ioel. 2. 15 16. As was exemplified in Ezra's time when there were great Congregations of people assembled publickly weeping very sore then there was hope in Israel Ezra 10. 1 2. and when that Messenger of the Lord came up from Gilgal to the people of Israel and reproved them for their Defections Compliance with the Canaanites they had such a solemn day of humilation that the place of their Meeting got a name from it they called the name of that place Bochim that is Weepers Iudg. 2. 4 5. And when the Ark was at Kirjath-jearim all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord and they gathered together to Mizpeh and drew water poured it out before the Lord 2 Sam.
the Remnant that He may get a lodging among the afflicted poor people that trust in the Name of the Lord that they may feed Lie doun none make them afraid Zeph. 3. 12 13. that the poor of the flock that wait on Him may know that it is the Word of the Lord Zech. 11. 11. they will lay out themselves to strengthen their hands This is the Work of the publick spirited Lovers of the Gospel which hath been and yet is the great work of this our day to carry the Gospel and follow it and keep it up through the Land as the Standart of Christ against all opposition from mountain to hill when now Zion hath been Labouring to bring forth as a woman in travel and made to go forth out of the City and to dwell in the field Mic. 4. 10. Therefore seeing it is the publick Work of the day and all its followers must have such a publick spirit it followes that the Meetings to promote it must be as publick as is possible 4. The Interest priviledge of the Gospel to have it in freedom purty power plenty is the publick Concern of all the Lords people preferable to all other Interests and therefore more publickly peremptorly and zealously to be contended for than any other Interest whatsoever It is the Glory of the Land 1 Sam. 4. 21. without which Ichabod may be the name of every thing and every Land though never so pleasant will be but a dry parched Land where no water is in the esteem of them that have seen the Lords Glory power in the Sanctuary Psal. 63. 1. Where as its name is Hephzibah Beulah Isai. 62. 4. and Iehovah-Shammah Ezek. 48. ult where God is enjoyed in His Gospel Ordinances And the want reproach of the Solemn Assemblies is a matter of the saddest mourning to the Lords people Zeph. 3. 18. Therefore while the Ark abode in Kerjath-jearim the time was thought very Long and all the house of Israel Lamented after the Lord 1 Sam. 7. 2. then they heard of it at Ephratah and found it in the fields of the Wood Psal. 132. 6. But it hath been longer than twenty years in our fields of the Woods and therefore we should be Lamenting after it with greater concernedness especially remembering how we were priviledged with the Gospel which was somtimes publickly embraced countenanced by Authority and ensured to us by Laws Statutes Declarations Proclamations Oaths Vowes Covenant-engagments whereby the Land was dedicated devoted unto the Son of God whose Conquest it was And now are not all the people of God obliged to do what they can to hinder the recalling of this dedication and the giving up of the Land as an offering unto Satan Antichrist And how shall this be but by a publick Contending for this priviledge and a resolving they shall sooner bereave us of our hearts blood than of the Gospel in its freedom purity But this we cannot contend for publickly if our Meetings be not publick 5. The nature business of the Gospel Ministrie is such that it obliges them that exercise it to endeavour all publickness without which they cannot discharge the extent of their Instructions their very names titles do insinuate so much They are Witnesses for Christ and therefore their Testimony should be publick though their Lot oftentimes be to Witness in Sackcloth They are Heraulds and therefore they should Proclaim their Masters Will though their Lot be often to be a voice crying in the Wilderness as Iohn the Baptist was in his field Preachings They are Ambassadours and therefore they should maintain their Masters Majestie in the Publick port of His Ambassadours and be wholly taken up about their Soveraigns business They are Watchmen and therefore they should keep maintain their post their Masters hath placed them at Nay they are Lights Candles and therefore cannot be hid Math. 5. 14 15. The Commands Instructions given them infer the necâ—ssity of this They must cry aloud and not spare and left up their voice like a Trumpet and shew the Lords People their transgressions sins Isai. 58. 1. They are Watchmen upon Ierusalems walls which must not hold their peace day nor night nor keep silence nor give the Lord rest till He establish and till He make Ierusalem a praise in the earth Isai. 62. 6 7. They are Watchmen that must command all to hearken to the sound of the Trumpet Ier. 6. 17. They must be valiant for the Truth upon the earth Ier. 9. 3. They must say thus saith the Lord even to a rebellious Nation whether they will hear or forbear and not be afraid of them Ezek. 2. 5 6. They must cause the people to know their abominations Ezek. 16. 2. and the abominations of their Fathers Ezek. 20. 4. And what their Master tells them in darkness that they must speak in the Light and what they hear in the ear that they must Preach upon the house tops Math 10. 27. These things cannot be done in a Clandestine way And therefore now when there is so much necessity it is the duty of all faithful Ministers to be laying out themselves to the utmost in their Pastoral function for the suppreffing of all the evils of the time not withstanding of any prohibition to the contrary in the most publick manner according to the examples of all the faithful servants of the Lord both in the Old New Testaments Though it be most impiously Tyrannically interdicted yet the Laws of God stand unrepealed and therefore all who have a Trumpet a Mouth should set the Trumpet to their Mouth and sound a certain sound not in secret for that will not alarme the people but in in the most publick manner they can have access to And it is the duty of all to come hear obey their Warnings Witnessings command who will the contrary It was for mocking despising His Words misusing His Prophets that the wrath of the Lord arose against His people the Iewes until there was no remedy 2 Chron. 36 16. Therefore from all that is said it must be Concluded that Meetings for Gospel Ordinances must be as publick as can be And if so then that they should be in houses safety will not permit to us to go to the streets or Mercat places neither safety nor prudence will admit Therefore we must go to the fields with it cost what it will. 4. Seeing then there must be Meettngs publick Meetings And seeing we cannot and dare not in Conscience countenance the Curats Meetings we must hear oune embrace follow such faithful Ministers as are cloathed with Christ Commission Righteousness salvation and do keep the Words of the Lords patience and the Testimony of the Church of Scotland in particular This I think will not or dare not be denyed by any that oune the Authority of Christ which none can deny or instruct the contrary
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
so necessary to prevent him that our life cannot be otherwise defended but by preventing And hence he justifies that saying licitum est occidere insidiantem It is Lawful to kill him that lyeth in wait to murder ibid. This is all the length that the reproached Sufferers whom I am vindicating go in asserting this principle as may be seen in their Informatory Vindication Head 2. pag. 55. where they say We maintain it as both righteous rational in defence of our lives Liberties Religion after an orderly Christian manner to endeavour by all means Lawful possible to defend our selves rescue our Brethren and prevent their murder in a martial opposition against wicked Persecuters who are seeking to destroy them us and imbrue their hands in our blood according to the true import of the Apologetical Declaration Which is very rational Especially considering 7. These Murderers who are thus to be prevented are such whom the Law of God commands to be put to death and no where allowes to be spared being publick Enemies to God and good men Open Blasphemers avowed Idolaters affronted Adulterers Notorious Murderers habitual Tyrants suppressing Religion oppressing the Innocent and professing a trade of destroying the Lords people Surely if God hath expressly in His Laws provided that Blasphemers Idolaters Murderers c. should not be suffered to live He never intended men dayly guilty yea making profession of these Crimes should be allowed impunity either by virtue of their Office or because there is none in Office to execute Judgement upon them but in a case of extreame necessity these Laws will not only allow but oblige people dayly Murthered by them for their oun preservation for vindication of Religion for purging the Land of such wickedness for turning away the wrath of God to prevent their prosecuting their Murdering designs any further and put a stop to their persecution by puting an end to their wicked lives Seeing as Buchannan sayes de jure Regni It is expressly commanded to cut off wickedness wicked men without any exception of rank or degree and yet in no place of Sacred Scripture are Tyrants more spared than private persons Much less their bloody Emissaries Now seeing all these Cases of Killing I have collected are justifyable in Scripture and none of the Sufferers upon this Head whom I am vindicating have exceeded in principle or practice the amount of these Assertions What is said already may have some weight to demur a censorious condemnation of them But as the True Non-Conformist well observes in answer to Dial. 7. pag. 391. Seeing the consideration resulting from the Concurrence of all circumstances whereupon the right dignoscing of such deeds when actually existent doth mostly depend doth more contribute to the clearing passing a judgement on a case of this nature when the whole contexture is exposed to certain examination than to set doun general rules directive of such practices which yet will all justify this in question Therefore to clear the case further all may be resolved into this State of the Question Whether or not private persons incessantly pursued unto death and threatened with ineluctable destruction by Tyrants and their Emissaries May to save themselves from their violence in case of extreame Necessity put forth their hand to execute righteous Judgement upon the Chief principal Ringleaders Instruments Promoters of all these destructive Mischiefs Miseries Who are open avowed Enemies to God Apostates Blasphemers Idolaters Tyrants Traitors Notorious Incendiaries Atrocious Murderers and known and convict to be publick Enemies prosecuting their Murdering Designs notourly habitually and therefore guilty of death by all Laws of God man And in such an extraordinary case put them to death who have de jure forefeited their lives to Justice when there is no access to publick Justice nor prospect of obtaining it in an orderly way nor any probability of escaping their intended destruction either by flight or resistence if they be past longer unpunished And so deliver themselves from their Murdering Tyranny while they are under no acknowledged subjection to them nor at peace with them but maintaining a defensive resistence against them And in this extraordinary execution of Justice being not chargable with ignorance of matters of fact so manifest nor mistake of circumstances so palpable nor with malice rage or revenge against their persons for private particular injuries nor with Enthusiastick Impulses pretended as their Rule nor with deceit or Treacherie in the manner nor with any breach of relation or obligation nor Usurpation upon or prejudice to any Lawful Right whatsoever in the matter nor with any selfish or sinistrous ends in the design But forced to performe this Work of Judgement when there is none other to do it out of zeal for the Glory of God Care of the Countries good love to their Brethren sense of their oun Danger Respect to Justice to the end that by the removal of these wicked Destroyers their war against the prevailing faction of their Malignant Enemies may be more successfully maintained their Religion Lives Laws Liberties more securely defended their Brethren rescued their Murder prevented Impietie suppressed the Land cleansed from blood and the wrath of God averted That this is the true State of the Question the preceeding Assertions all comprehended here do make it evident To which I answer in the Affirmative And shall come to give my Reasons Secondly Then I shall offer some Reasons for this first from some grounds Hypotheses of Reason Then more expressly from Scripture proofs I. There may be some Arguments offered from the Dictates of natural reason Which I shall but only glance at 1. I premit the Consideration of the Practice of all Nations even such from whom Patterns have been taken for Government and who have had the most polite purest Policy and have been the severest Animadverters upon all Extravagants Transgressers of their vocation Yet even among them for private persons to destroy and rid the Common-wealth of such burdens and vile vermine so pernicious to it was thought a virtue meriting rather Commendation than a thing to be Condemned I shall not here instance the laudable practices recorded in Scripture These may be seen in their oun place Neither do I speak of ruder Nations among whom this is a relâ—ct of reason not of ruderness as the Oriental Indians have a Custome whenever any person runs a muck that is in a revengeful fury takes such a quantity of Opium as distracts them into such a rage of mad animosity that they fear not to assault which is the common operation of that potion there and go through destroying whom they can find in their way Then every man Armes against him and is ambitious of the honour of first killing him which is very rational for otherwise no man could be safe and it seems to be as rational to take the same Course with our mad Malignant mucks who are
the resignation and exert it in extraordinary exigents of necessity If then a people that have no Magistrats at all may take order with their destroyers then must they have the same power under a Lawful revolt As the ten tribes if they had not exceeded in severity against Adoram Râ—hâ—boams Collector had just cause to take order with that Usurpers Emissarie if he came to oppress them But if he had come to Murder them then certainly it was duty to put him to death and could not be censured at all as it is not in the Historie 1 King. 12. 18. But so it is that the people pursued by these Murderers some of which in their extreame exigences they put to death have for these several years maintained a declared Revolt from the present Government and have denyed all subjection to it upon the grounds vindicated Head. 2. And therefore they must be considered as reduced to their primeve Liberty and their pursuers as their publick Enemies to whom they are no otherwise related than if they were Turks whom none will deny it Lawful to kill if they invade the Land to destroy the inhabitants 8. Hence seeing they are no other than publick Enemies unjustly invading pursuing and seeking them to destroy them what Arguments will prove the Lawfulness of Resistance and the necessity of self Defence in tutelâ vitae proximà will also prove the Lawfulness of taking all advantages upon them in tutelâ remotà for if it be Lawful to kill an enemy in his immediat assault to prevent his killing of them when there is no other way of preserving themselves from his fury Then it must be Lawful also in his remote but still incessant pursuit to prevent his Murdering them by killing him when theâ—e is no other way to escape in a case of extreame necessity But that this was the Case of that poor people Witnesses can best prove it And I dare appeal to two sorts of them that know it best that is all the pursuers and all the pursued 9. This is founded and followes upon the 4 Art. of the Solemn League Covenant Where we are bound with all faithfulness to endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments that they may be brought to publick trial receive condign punishment Now as this obliges to the orderly ordinary way of prosecuting them when there is access to publick Judicatories so when there is none Either this Article obliges to no endeavour at all which cannot be for it is Moral duty to endeavour the punishment of such or else it must oblige to this extraordinary Action execution of Judgement if to any at all Especially considering how in the sense of the short comings of this duty it is renewed in the Solemn Acknowledgment of sins Engagement to duties That we shall be so far from conniving at Malignity injustice c. that we shall take a more effectual Course than heretofore in our respective Places Callings for punishing suppressing these evils Certainly we were called to one way of prosecuting this obligation then when it was first engaged into and to another now when our Capacity Circumstances are so materially formally altered if the effectual Course then was by publick Authority then now when that is wanting there must be some obligation to take some effectual Course still that may suit our Places Callings which will certainly comprehend this extraordinary way of suppressing those-evils by preventing their growth in curbing the Instruments executing Judgement upon them in a case of extreame Necessity which will suit with all Places all Callings II. From the Scriptures these Arguments are offered First Some approven Examples and imitable in the like Circumstances will clear confirm the Lawfulness of this extraordinary Work of Judgement executed by private persons upon notorious Incendiaries firebrands Murderers guilty of death by the Law of God. 1. Moses spyed an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew one of his Brethren and he looked this way and that way and when he saw that there was no man he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand Exod. 2. 11 12. Here 's an uncondemned Example whereof the Actor who was the Relator did not condemn himself thô he condems himself for faults that seem less odious yea in effect he is rather commended by Stephen the Martyr Act. 7. And thô it be extraordinary in that it was done by private Authority not by a Judge as it was objected to him the second day yet it was not unimitable Because that Action thô Heroical whereof the ground was ordinary the Rule Moral the Circumstances commonly incident the managment directed by humane prudence cannot be unimitable But such was this Action thô Heroical The ground was ordinary spying his Brother in hazard whose Murder he would have prevented The Rule was Moral being according to that Moral precept of rescuing our Brother in hazard Prov. 24. 11 12. The Circumstances were incident in a case of extreame necessity which he managed very prudently looking this way that way and hiding him in the sand Therefore it may be imitated in the like Case It signifies nothing to say that he was moved by the Spirit of God thereto for unto every righteous performance the motion of the Spirit of God is requisite This Impulse that Moses had and others aftermentioned was nothing but a greater measure of that assisting Grace which the extraordinariness of the case and the difficulties therein occurring did call for but the intervening of such motions do not alter the Rule so as to make the action unimitable Impulses are not the Rule of duty either under an ordinary or extraordinary exigence but when they are subsequent subservient both to the Rule of duty and to a mans call in his present circumstances they clearly determine to the species of an Heroick Enterprise in so much that it is not only the particular deed that we are to heed for our imitation but we are to emulate the Grace Principle of zeal which produced it and is thereby so conspicuously relucent for our upstirring to acts in like manner as God may give opportunity As is observed by the True Non-conformist Dial. 7. Pag. 392. c. 2. When Israel Joyned himself unto Baal-Peor the Lord said unto Moses take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sun that the fierce Anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel And Moses said unto the Judges slay every one his men that were joyned unto Baal-Peor And when Zimri brought the Medianitish Cozbi in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the Congregatâ—on who were weeping before the door of the Tabernacle And when Phinehas saw it he rose up and took a javelin in his hand and he went after the man of Israel into the Tent and thrust both of them through So the
the nail into his temples Iudg. 4. 21. Of which the Prophetess Deborah sayes chap. 5. 24. blessed above wemen shall Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite be blessed shall she be above women in the tent Yet not only was Iael no Magistrate but in subjection to at peace with Iabin thô she killed his Captain But nulla hic erat inâ—ustitia cum declaratus esset hostis publicuâ— justum erat Bellum Oppressor erat Populi Dei debebat Iael quasi membrum reipublicae communem hostem prodere perdere Itaque peccasset Iahel si eum non occidisset Martyr alâ—i cirati in Pool Synops. Critic in Locum Albeit that Author himself in his English Annotations does cut the knot in stead of loosing it in denying Deborahs Song to be Divinely inspired in its first composure but only recorded as a History by Divine inspiration as other Historical Passages not approven only because this Heroick fact of Iael is there commended which is too bold an attempt upon this part of the holy Canon of the Scripture Whence we see what inconveniences they are driven to that deny this principle of natural Justice the Lawfulness of cutting off publick Enemies to procure the Deliverance of the Lords people Hence if it be Lawful for private persons under subjection to and at peace with the publick Enemies of the Lords people to take all advantages to break their yoke and deliver the oppressed from their bondage by killing their Oppressors it must be much more Lawful for such as acknowledge no such subjection nor aggreement to attempt the same in extreame necessity But the former is true Therefor the later 5. When Samson married the Timnite and obliged himself by compact to give them thirty sheets and thirty change of garmentts upon their solving his riddle The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he went doun to Aâ—hkelon and slew thirty men of them and took their Spoyl Iud. 14. 19. And afterwards when he lost his wife by the crueltie treacherie of those Philistines he said unto them Though yow have done this yet will I be avenged of yow and after that I will cease and he smote them hip thigh with a great slaughter chap. 15. 7 8. And wen the Iewes who acknowledged the Philistims for Rulers 〈◊〉 to Etâ—m to expostulate with him all the satisfaction he gave them was to avouch that as they did unto him so he had done unto themâ— and to kill a thousand more of them vers 11. c. These were extraordinary Heroick facts not only because they flowed from an extraordinary power wherewith he was endued and from an extraordinary Motion Call but because of his avenging his oun private injuries for the publick good in a way both of fortitude prudence without a declared war provoking the enemies against himself and diverting from the people and converting against himself all their fury in which also he acted as a Type of Christ and also because he acted not as a Magistrate at this time for by whom was he called or counted a Magistrate not by the Philistines nor by the men of Iudah for they tell him that the Philistines were their Lords and they bound him and delivered him up to them Yet in his private Capacity in that extraordinary exigence he avenged himself and his Country against his publick enemies by a Clandestine war which is imitable in the like case when a prevailing faction of Murdering enemies domineer over destroy the people of God and there is no other way to be delivered from them for his ground was Moral because they were publick enemis to whom he might do as they did to him Hence If Saints sometimes in cases of necessity may do unto their publick enemies as they have done unto them in prosecuting a war not declared against them then much more may they do so in cases of necessity to deliver themselves from their Murdering violence when a war is declared But here is an example of the former Ergo 6. When these same Philistims again invaded and overran the Land in the time of Saul Ionathan his son and his Armour-bearer fell upon the Garrison of these uncircumcised and killed them 1 Sam. 14. 6 13. This was an Heroick Action without publick Authority for he told not his father vers 1. And singular indeed in respect of the effect and were a tempting of the Lord for so few to assault such a multitude as it were to imitate Samsâ—n in his Exploits but in this respect these Actions are only unimitable in consideration of prudence not of Conscience or as to the Lawfulness of the thing their ground was Moral to cut off publick enemies Hence If it be Lawful to fall upon a Garrison of publick enemies oppressing the Country then it must be Lawful to fall upon one or two that are the Ring-leaders of publick Enemies and main promoters of their destruction that are as pernicious and have no more right or power than the Philistims But such is the Case of those about whom the question is 7. When David dwelt in the Country of the Philistims he and his men went up invaded the Gesharites and the Gezrites and the Amalekites And David smote the Land and left neither man nor woman alive 1 Sam. 27. 8 9. This was without publick Authority having none from Saul none from Achish in whose Country he dwelt and none of his oun being no Magistrate We deny not the Divine motion but plead that it is imitable from its Moral ground which was that Command to cut off the Amalekites Exod. 17. and the Amorites whose relicts these Nations were the same Ground that Saul the Magistrate had to destroy them Whence it is Lawful sometimes for others than Magistrates to do that which is incumbent to Magistrates when they neglect their duty All I plead for from it is If it be Lawful for private persons upon the Call of God to cut off their publick enemies when they are obliged by the Command of God to destroy them thô they be living quietly peacably in the Country then may it be Lawful in cases of necessity for private persons to cut off their publick enemies whom they are obliged by the Covenant of God to bring to condign punishment and to exstirpate them as the Covenant obliges in reference to Malignant Incendiaries when they are ravening like Lyons for their prey 8. In the dayes of Ahab Iezebels Tyranny whereby the Idolatrous Prophets of Baal were not punished according to the Law Elijah said unto the people take the Prophets of Baal let none of them escape and they took them to the brook Kishon slew them there 1 King. 18. 40. How Mr Knox improved this passage we heard before in the Historical Representation Per. 3. And Ius Pop vindicates it that in some cases private persons may execute Judgement on Malefactors after the example of Elias here Which fact Peter Martyr in
given to us to remember Lots wife turned into a Pillar of Salt to season us lest the stink of our Destruction and what may follow upon it be all that the posterity get for a warning not to tread our paths As for the few that have suffered upon this Head they have been so discruciated with perplexities in their Conflicts with the rage of Enemies and reproach of Friends and fear of these snares attending every lot or occupation they could put themselves in that they have been made to desire death as their best refuge and only retreat wherein they may find rest from all these rackings For in no place could they escape the reach of some of these Impositions nor the noise of their clamarous Contendings of Arguments that pleaded for it But some have had more Love to Christ and His Interests than language to plead for Him and more resolution to suffer than learning to dispute for His Cause And where pure zeal for Christ and love to His bleeding Interests in a time when He is crucified afresh and put to open shame and the Concurrence of all is required to help forward the War against Him is in integrity vigor it will burn with its flame those knots that it cannot in hast loose And chuse rather to lie under the imputation of being zealous without knowledge than lose or let go such an opportunity of witnessing a good Confession yea when it could do no more expire with an Ichabod in its mouth But shortly to come to the point I shall 1. Permit some Concessions 2. Propose some paralel Questions 3. Offer some Reasons to clear it 1. I shall willingly grant in the General concerning paying of Exactions Impositions or Emoluments 1. They are to be paid to these to whom they are due As Tribute Custom is to be paid to the Powers ordained of God and for this Cause that they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Rom. 13. 6 7. So Stipends and all outward Encouragments are due to Ministers of the Gospel who sow Spiritual things and should reap these carnal things 1 Cor. 9. 11 12. Fynes also and all legal Amercements for Delinquencies against just Laws must be payed Deut. 22. 19. And whatsoever is due by Law to Officers appointed by Law for keeping Delinquents in Custody As all Debts whatsoever But Tyrants Exactions enacted exacted for promoving their wicked designs against Religion Liberty Hirelings Salaries for encouraging them in their intrusions upon the Church of God Arbitrary Impositions of pecuniary punishments for clear Duties And extorted hirings of the subordinate instruments of Persecuters oppressions are no wise due and cannot be debt and therefore no equity to pay them 2. It s Lawful to pay them when due and debt either by Law or Contract even thô they should be afterward abused and misimproven to pernicious ends But these payments for such wicked ends either particularly specified expressed in the very Act appointing them or openly avouched by the Exactors are of another nature than Impositions fundamentally appointed for the publick good and the after misapplication thereof made by such as are entrusted therewith is no more imputable unto the Land or Payers than is the theft of a Collector stealing or running away with the same without making Count or reckoning to Superiours It is then a foolish thing to say that former Impositions were peacably payed thô we saw and were convinced that their use was perverted and they were used against the good of the Land and Gods people For no such thing was laid doun as the ground or declared as the end of these exactions but what fell out was by the personal abuse and perversion of those in power which was rheir oun personal fault and posteriour to the legal engagment and submission to the payment thereof by the Land in their Representatives 3. It s Lawful to pay them sometimes even when fundamentally and Originally from the first Constitution of them they were not due but Illegally or Usurpatively challenged exacted if afterwards they were by dedition or voluntary engagment legally submitted unto by the true Representatives But not so when they were never either Lawfully enacted or legally exacted or voluntarly engaged by the Representatives except such as represented the enslavement of the Nation and betrayed the Country Religion Liberty Property and all precious Interests and declaredly imposed to further the destruction of all Nor can any with reason say that this Case is but like the Case of the people of Israel under the feet of Enemies paying to them of the fruits of their Ground as was regrated lamented by Nehemiah Chap. 9. 36 37. For so they must say the Exactions now in debate are their Redemption-money and by these they purchase their Liberty of Life Lands and oune themselues to be a people under Conquest And yet they cannot deny but they are both exacted payed as Tests of their Allegiance as Subjects and Badges of their Loyaltie Obedience But this is answered before Head 2. Conces 7. § 2. Pag. If any should object the practice of Christ thô otherwise free yet paying Custom lest He should offend It is fully solved ibid. Head 2. Conces 9. Pag. Here it s sufficient to hint 1 That which made â—hem marvel at His wise Answer was that He left the Title unstated and the Claim unresolved whether it belonged to Cesar or not and taught them in the general to give nothing to Cesar with prejudice to what was Gods which condemns all the Payments we speak of which are all for carrying on the War against God. 2 Cesar was no Tyrant nor Usurper at this time because they had legally submitted themselves unto several Cesars successively before 3 It was lest He should offend But here it will be evident that the offence scandal lyeth upon the other hand of paying the Exaction And it is against all Religion to say that both the doing and refusing to do the same Act can give offence But 4 make the Case like ours and I doubt not to call it Blasphemy to say that Christ would have payed or permitted to pay a Taxation professedly imposed for levying a War against Him or banishing Him and His Disciples out of the Land Or to fill the mouths of the greedy Pharisees devouring widowes houses for their pretence of long Prayers Or that He would have payed or suffered to pay their Extortions if any had been exacted of Him or His Disciples for His Preaching or working Miracles Or if help or hire had been demanded for encouraging those that rose to stone Him for His good deeds 4. It is Lawful to pay a part to preserve the whole when it is extorted only by force threatenings and not exacted by Law when it is a yeelding only to a lesser suffering and not a consenting to a Sin to shift suffering The Objection of a man being seised by a Robber transacting with
fictionibus sese liceat involvere i. e. Whither the confiscation of goods can be sought back again from a Prince in the name and behalf of these who are forfaulted for Religion to which he Answers that it is certain it cannot be done without sin for the new right or the de novo damus as we call it granted by the Prince doeth really contain open blasphemies against the glory of God because therein mention is made of errors crims divine lese-Majestie whereof the condemned are found guilty which new right most in Law be exhibited by him who intendeth to use the same and that is a certain kind of approbation no ways to be tolerat Wherfore I see not that it is Lawfull for a Godly man rightly instructed in the Gospel to involve himself into such fictions 2. From the Fountain Conveyance whence they proceed the iniquity of these payments might be concluded which is nothing else than that Arbitrary Power domineering over us and oppressing overpressing the Kingdoms with intolerable Exactions which to pay is all the consent Concurrence required of us to entail slaverie on the posterity I mean to pay it out of submission only to the Moral force of its Imposition which is all the justification required of that absolute Tyranny imposing it For we have the Testimony of a King for it K. Iames Speech to the Parliament anno 1609. that a King degenerateth into a Tyrant when he leaveth to rule by Law much more when he begins to set up an Arbitrary Power impose unlawful Taxes c. It can be denyed by none that know either Religion or Liberty and are not enemies to both that these Impositions under consideration upon such accounts for such ends are as unlawful Taxes and as illegally and arbitrarily imposed as ever could demonstrate the most Despotical Absoluteness Paramount to all Law or precedent but that of Benhadad of a very Tyrannical strain Thus saith Benhadad thy silver thy gold is mine yet I will send my Servants and they shall search thine house and it shall be that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes they shall put in their hand take it away 1 King. 20. 3 6. which even an Ahab and his Elders would not hearken to nor consent But from an Exotick Dominator this were not so intollerable as from such as pretend an hereditary right to Govern who should remove violence spoyl and take away their Exactions from the Lords people as the Lord saith Ezek. 45. 9. but instead of that that they may do evil with both hands earnestly the Prince asketh and the Iudge asketh for a reward and the great man uttereth his mischievous desire so they wrap it up Mic. 7. 3. The easie Complyance with which makes Zion as the grape gleanings of the vintage If those Exactions be wicked then Complyance with them must be iniquity For it justifies the Court that enacts exacts them a paâ—qued Iunctâ— of a prevalent faction made up of perjured Traitors in a Course of enmity against God and the Country who to prosecute the War against the Almighty and root out all His people out of the Land condescend upon these Cesses Fynes c. as a fit adapted Medium thereunto Wherefore of necessity all that would not oune that Conclusion as their oun deed in these Representatives and oune them as their Representatives in that deed must bear witness against the same by a Refusal to oune the debt or pay the same But I shall conclude this with observing 1 The holy remarkable righteousness of the Lord that we who would not contend earnestly for the Liberty of the Gospel who would not acquit our selves like men in witnessing our Loyaltie to Christ were not fixed in our Engagements nor stedfast in holding the Liberties wherewith Christ hath made us free did not reclaim nor reluctate when we saw our Royal Masters Prerogative invaded should be trode upon in all Civills and treated as Slaves even by these whom we had gratified with a base sinful forbearance to plead for God and preserve from their violence these things these precious invaluable things which we should have kept more tenderly than the apple of our eye O the relucency of this Righteousness in making the Gods whom we have served smite us and in making them whose interest we minded with a misregard Perjury-involving neglect of the Interest of Christ thus to destroy our poor pitiful Interests And thus having taught them to be Captains over us we must now sit in the house of bondage in our Land. 2 Who will not adore admire the Righteousness of the Lord particularly in leaving some of these to be designedly trode upon who not only were involved in the common guilt of not with-standing these Encroachments but first went a great way in concuring to the making of these wicked Laws And now have been made to lye under the load laid upon their loyns by the hands of such to whom they gave the hand in overturning the Work of God Why should not they be spoyled Why should not the young Lyons roar upon them and make their Land wast Why should not men of the same mettal soul with the Children of Noph Tahapanes break the Crown of their head or feed upon their Crown who have sold set the Crown of Christ upon anothers head and concured to crush His faithful Remnant O let us learn to read revere Let us not be wheedled with we know not what out of our good old Principles into the espousing the Interest or embarquing into the same bottom with men of such Principles Practices And whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord Great loving kindness that He hath shewed to his poor Remnant in delivering us from deliverances by such Deliverers whereby the work had been more really and more shamefully ruined and the hope of the posterity more certainly razed 3. From the declared Ends of all of them declared either verbally or virtually and indisputably universally known To wit that by such Exactions they might be enabled to maintain prosecute the National Rebellion against Christ and root out His Gospel and all the faithful Preachers Professors thereof These designs being notour and the Impositions demanded being the best expedients and most adapted means to attain them it cannot but be manifest that whosoever complyes with the means do cooperate with the ends Which if any thing will involve the Complyers in the Contrivers sin and make the Payers obnoxious to the Enacters judgments If they that take rewards to slay Innocents be lyable to a Curse Deut. 27. 25. they cannot be free who give them They cannot say Amen to it who so cooperate to the effectuating the slaughter If any thing make Zion lyable to be plowed as a field when the heads thereof judge for reward Mic. 3. 11 11. it must be