others that touch the Majestie of God doth not appertain to Kings chief Rulers only but also to the whole body of the people and to every member of the same according to the vocation of every man and according to that possibility occasion which God doth minister to revenge the injury done against His Glory And that doth Moses more plainly speak in these words of the same Chapter If in any Citie which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt hear this bruite there are some men sons of Belial Plain it is that Moses speaks not nor giveth charge to Kings Rulers Judges only but he commands the whole body of the people yea and every member of the same according to their possibility And who dare be so impudent as to deny â—his to be most reasonable just For seeing God had delivered the whole body from bondage and to the whole multitude had given His Law and to the twelve tribes had distributed the Land of Canaan was not the whole every member addebted to confess the benefits of God and to study to keep the possession received which they could not do except they kept the Religion established put out iniquity from amongst them To the carnal man this may seem to be a rigorous severe judgement that even the Infants there should be appointed to the cruel death and as concerning the City and spoill of the same mans reason cannot think but that it might have been better bestowed than to be consumed But in such cases let all creatures stoup and desist from reasoning when Commandment is given to execute His Judgment I will search no other reasons than the Holy Ghost hath assigned first that all Israel should fear to commit the like abomination And secondly that the Lord might turn from the fury of His anger Which plainly doth signifie that by the defection Idolatry of a few Gods wrath is kindled against the whole which is never quenched till such punishment be taken upon the offenders that whatsoever served them in their Idolatry be brought to destruction c. I have inlarged so far upon this Period that it may appear there is nothing now in Controversy between the suffering reproached party now in Scotland and either their Friends or Enemies which could fall under our Reformers inquiry but they have declared themselves of the same sentiments that are now so much opposed And therefore none can condemn the present heads of suffering except also they condemn the Reformers judgment and consequently the imputation of novelty must fall PERIOD IV. Containing the Testimony of the first Contenders against Prelacy and Supremacy from the year 1570. to 1638. HItherto the Conflict was for the Concerns of Christs Prophetical Priestly Office against Paganisine Popery But from the year 1570. And dounward the Testimony is stated and gradually Prosecuted for the Rights Priviledges Prerogatives of Christs Kingly Office which hath been the peculiar Glory of the Church of Scotland above all the Churches in the Earth that this hath been given to her as the word of her Testimony and not only Consequentially Reductively as all other Churches may challenge a part of this dignity but Formally Explicitely to contend for this very head The Headship Kingship of Iesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and His Mediatory Supremacy over His oun Kingdom of Grace both visible Invisible This is Christs supremacy a special radiant Jewel of His Imperial Croun which as it hath been as explicitely incroached upon in Scotland by His Insolent Enemies as ever by any that entered in opposition to Him so it hath been more expressly witnessed and wrestled for by His suffering Servants in that Land than in any place of the world This was in a particular manner the Testimony of that Period during the reign of King Iames the Sixth as it hath been in a great measure in our day since the year 1660. Which as it is the most important Cause of the greatest Consequence that Mortals can contend for So it hath this peculiar Glory in it that it is not only for a Truth of Christ of greater value then the standing of Heaven Earth but also it is the very Truth for which Christ Himself died considered as a Martyr And which concerns Him to vindicate maintain as a Monarch The Witnesses of that day made such an high account of it that they encouraged one another to suffer for it as the greatest Concern being a witness for Christs Glorious free Monarchie which as it is the end of the other two Offices so the Testimony is more Glorious to God more honourable to His Son and more Comfortable to them then the Testimony either for His Prophetical office or for His Priesthood because His Kingdom was specially impugned at the time As Mr Forbes Mr Welsh write in a Letter to the Ministers at Court. The Corruptions Usurpations wronging this Truth that they contended against were Prelacy and the Kings Supremacy in Ecclesiastical matters which will be usefull to hint a litle how they Prosecuted the Conflict When Sathan whose Kingdom was then declining by several instruments means both by force fraud did endeavour to put a stop to the Reformation by reintroducing the Antichristian Hierarchy of Prelacy when he could not reestablish the Antichristian Doctrine of Popery he left no means unessayed to effectuate it And first he began to bring the name Bishop in request that was now growing obsolete odious by reason of the abuse of it as it ought to be still for though the name be found in the Scriptures yet neither is that Catechrestical application of it to Prelats to be sound nor was there any other reason for the translation of it after that manner except it were to please Princes seeing the native signification of it is an Overseer proper and common to all faithfull Pastors And indeed his first essay reached litle further then the bare name for they were to be subject to tryed by Assemblies and hardly had so much power as Superintendents before But it was a fine Court-juggle for Noblemen to get the Church revenues into their hands by restoring the Ecclesiastical titles and obtaining from the titulars either Temporal Lands or Pensions to their dependers so they were only Tulchan Bishops a Calfeskin to cause the Cow give milk Yet though this in our day would have been thought tollerable The faithful Servants of Christ did zealously oppose it Mr Knox denunced Anathema to the Giver and Anathema to the Receiver And the following Assembly condemned the office it self as having no sure warrant authority nor ground in the Book of God but brought in by the folly corruption of mens invention to the overthrow of the Church and ordained all that brooked the office to dimit simpliciter and to desist cease from preaching while they received de novo admission from the
like lightning or like the Sun in its Meridian beauty discovering so the Wonders of Gods Law the Mysteries of His Gospel and the Secrets of His Covenant and the Sins Duties of that day that a numerous issue was begotten to Christ and His Conquest was Glorious Captivating poor slaves of Satan and bringing them from his power unto God and from darkness to Light. O! who can remember the Glory of that Day without a melting heart in reflecting upon what we have lost and let go and sinned away by our Misimprovements O that in that our day we had hearkened to His voice and had known the things that belonged to our peace A day of such power that it made the People even the bulk body of the People willing to come out and venture upon the greatest of hardships and the greatest of hazards in pursuing after the Gospel through Mosses Moors inaccessible Mountains Summer Winter through excess of heat extremity of cold many dayes night-journeyes even when they could not have a probable expectation of escaping the Sword of the wilderness and the barbarous fury of bloody Burrio's raging for their prey sent out with orders to take kill them it being now made Criminal by Law especially to the preachers Convocaters of those Meetings But this was a day of such power that nothing could daunt them from their duty that had tasted once the sweetness of the Lords presence at these persecuted Meetings Then had we such Humiliation-dayes for personal publick Defections such Communion-dayes even in the open fields and such Sabbath-Solemnities that the places where they were kept might have been called Bethel or Peniel or Bochim and all of them Iehovah-Shammah wherein many were truly Converted more Convinced and generally all Reformed from their former immoralities That even Robbers Thieves and Profane Men were some of them brought to a saving subjection to Christ and generally under such restraint that all the severities of heading hanging c. in a great many years could not make such a Civil Reformation as a few dayes of the Gospel in these formerly the Devils Teritories now Christs Quarters where His Kingly Standart was displayed I have not Language to lay out the inexpressible Glory of that day But I will make bold to say two things of it first I doubt if ever there was Greater dayes of the Son of Man upon the Earth since the Apostolick times than we enjoyed for the space of Seven years at that time And next I doubt if upon the back of such a lightsome day there was ever a blacker night of darkness defection division confusion and a more universal impudent Apostasie than we have seen since The world is at a great loss that a more exact complete account demonstrating both these is not published which I am sure would be a fertile Theme to any faithful pen. But this not being my scope at present but only to deduce the steps of the Contendings of Christs Friends His Enemies I must follow the threed of my Narration Now when Christ is gaining Ground by the preached Gospel in plenty in purity power the Usurpers Supremacy was like to stagger and Prelacy came under universal Contempt in so much that several Country Curats would have had but scarce half a dozen of hearers and some none at all And this was a General Observe that never failed that no sooner did any poor Soul come to get a serious sense of Religion and was brought under any real Exercise of Spirit about their Souls Concerns but as soon they did fall out with Prelacy and left the Curats Hence to secure what he had possessed himself of by Law and to prevent a dangerous Paraxisme which he thought would ensue upon these Commotions the King returned to exerce his innate Tyranny and to emit terrible Orders and more terrible Executioners bloody Emissaries against all Field Meetings which after long patience the people at length could not endure but being first chased to the Fields where they would have been content to have the Gospel with all the inconveniences of it and also expelled from the Fields being resolute to maintain the Gospel they resolved to defend it themselves by Armes To which unavoidable necessity in unsupportable extremity did constrain them as the only remaining remedy It is known for several years they met without any Armes where frequently they were disturbed dispersed with Souldiers some killed others wounded which they patiently endured without Resistence At length the Ministers that were most in hazard having a Price set upon their heads to be brought in dead or alive with some attending them in their wanderings understanding they were thus appointed for death judged it their duty to provide for the necessary defence of their lives from the violence of their Armed Assaulters And as Meetings increased diverse others came under the same hazard which enforced them to endeavour the same remedy without the least intention of prejudice to any Thus the number of Sufferers increasing as they joyned in the Ordinances at these persecuted Meetings found themselves in some probable Capacity to defend themselves and these much endeared precious Gospel Priviledges to preserve the Memory of the Lords great Work in the Land which to transmit to posterity was their great design And they had no small encouragment to endeavour it by the satisfying sweetness comfort they found in these Ordinances being perswaded of the justness of their Cause and of the groundlessness of their Adversaries quarrel against them And hereunto also they were incited prompted by the palpableness of the Enemies purposes to destroy the Remainder of the Gospel by extirpating the Remnant that professed it Wherefore in these circumstances being redacted to that strait either to be deprived of the Gospel or to defend themselves in their Meetings for it And thinking their turning their backs upon it for hazard was a cowardly deserting duty and palpable breach of Covenant-Engagments abandoning their greatest Interest They thought it expedient yea necessary to carry defensive Armes with them And as for that discouragment from the difficulty danger of it because of their fewness meanness it did not deter or daunt them from the endeavour of their duty when they considered the Lord in former times was wont to oune a very small party of their Ancestors who in extremity jeoparded their lives in defence of Reformation against very potent powerful Enemies These now ouning the same Cause judged themselves obliged to run the same hazard in the same circumstances and to follow the same method durst not leave it unessayed leaving the event to God considering also that not only the Law of Nature Nations doth allow self defence from unjust violence but also the indissoluble obligation of their Covenants to maintain defend the true Religion one another in promoving the same made it indispensible to use
it on in His Providence Math. 16. 24. See at length this cleared Lex rex Q. 30. Pag. 317-320 otherwise in no case subjection even Passive can be a duty for it is allwise to be considered under the notion of a plague Judgment Curse to be complained of as a burden never to be ouned as a duty to Magistrats As we find the Lords people resenting it as a servitude under which they were servants even in their oun Land which did yeeld increase unto the Kings whom the Lord had set over them because of their sins Neh. 9. 36. 37. 2. In diverse cases there may be some Complyance with a meer occupant that hath no right to reign as upon this account the Noble Marquis of Argyle and Lord waristoun suffered for their Complyance with the Usurper Cromuel Such may be the warrantableness or goodness or necessity or profitableness of a Complyance when people are by Providence brought under a yoke which they cannot shake off that they may part with some of their Priviledges for the avoidance of the loss of the rest and for the conveniency profit peace safety of themselves and their Countrey which would be in hazard if they did not comply they may do whatsoever is due from them to the Publick weal what soever is an office of their station or place or which they have any other way a call unto whatsoever may make for their oun honest interest without wronging others or the Countries Liberties in their transactions with these Powers even though such a Complyance may be occasionally to the advantage of the Usurpers Seeing good necessary actions are not to be declined for the ill effects that are accidental to them and arise from the use which others make of them But though this may be yeelded in some cases to such Usurpers especially Conquerers that have no right of occupying the empire but are Capable of it by derivation from the peoples consent yet it must not be extended to such Usurpers as are also Tyrants that have no right of their oun nor are capable of any and that overturn all rights of subjects To such we can yeeld no Complyance as may infer either transacting with them or ouning them as Magistrates We find indeed the Saints enjoyed Places under these who were not their Magistrates as Nehemiah Mordecai and Esther was Queen to Ahaswerus But here was no Complyance with Tyrants for these Heathens were not such only some of them were extraordinary Persons raised up by an extraordinary spirit for extraordinary ends in extraordinary times that cannot be brought to an ordinary rule as Esthers Mariage and all of them in their places kept the Law of their God served the work of their generation defiled not themselves with their Customes acted against no good and engaged to no evil but by their Complyance promoted the wellfare of their Countrey as Argyle waristoun did under Cromuel Again we find they payed Custom to them as Neh. 9. 36. 37. and we read of Augustus his taxation universally complyed with Luk. 2. 1-5 and Christ payd it This shall be more fully answered afterwards Here I shall only say 1 It can never be proven that these were Tyrants 2 Christ Paid it with such a Caution as Leaves the title unstated not for conscience as tribute must be paid to Magistrats Rom. 13. 5 6. but only that he might not offend them 3 Any other instances of the Saints taxations are to be judged forced acts badges of their bondage which if they had been exacted as tests of their allegiance they would not have yeelded Strangers also that are not subjects use to pay Custom in their trafficquing but not as tests of their allegiance 3. There may be also in some cases obedience allowed to their Lawful Commands because of the Lawfulness of the thing commanded or the coincidency of another Just obliging Authority commanding the same We may do many things Tyranno Iubente which he commands and Tyranno premente which he enforces and many things also ipso sou volente seu nolente whether he will or not But we must do nothing Tyranni jussu upon the consideration of his Command in the acknowledgment of obedience due by virtue of Allegiance which we oune of Conscience to a Lawful Magistrate We must do nothing which may seem to have an accessoriness to the Tyrants unlawful occupancy or which depends only on the warrant of his Authority to do it or may entrench on the Divine Institution of Magistracy or bring us into a Participation of the Usurpers sin In these cases we can neither yeeld obedience in Lawful things nor in unlawful Nor can we oune absolute subjection no more then we can oune absolute obedience for all subjection is enjoined in order to obedience And to plead for a Priviledge in point of obedience and to disclaim it in point of subjection is only the flattery of such as having renounced with conscience all distinction of obedience would divest others of all priviledges that they may exercise their Tyranny without Controll Napthali pag. 28. prior edit 4. There may be Addresses made to such as are not rightful Possessors of the Government for justice or mercy or redress of some intollerable grievances without scruple of accepting that which is materially justice or mercy or seeking them at the hand of any who may reach them out to us though he that conveyes them to us be not interested in the umpirage of them Thus we find Ieremiah supplicated Zedekiah for mercy not to return to prison and Paul appealed to Cesar for justice But in these Addresses we may not acknowledge the wicked Lawes that brought on these grivances nor conceal the wickedness no more than the miserie of them which we have endured nor may we oune the Legal power of them that we address to take them off nor signify any thing in the matter or manner of our Representations that may either import a declining our Testimony for which we have suffered these grievances or a contradiction to our declinature of their pretended Authority Only we may remonstrate what cruelties we have endured and how terrible it will be to them to be guilty of or accessory to our blood in not pitying us which was all that Ieremiah did And as for Pauls appeal we find he was threatened to be murdered by his Countrey-men Act. 23. 14. from whose hands he was rescued brought before the judicatory of Festus the Roman deputy not voluntarely thence also they sought to remand him to Ierusalem that they might kill him Act. 25. 3. whereupon he demands in justice that he might not be delivered to his accusers Murderers but claims the benefite of the Heathens oun Law by that appeal to Cesar. which was the only constrained expedient of saving his oun life Act. 28. 19. by which also he got an opportunity to witness for Christ at Rome But as shall be cleared further afterwards Cesar
imposing the Service-book and book of Canons c. the Lord in Mercy remembered His people and surprised them with a sudden unexpected Deliverance by very despicable means even the opposition of a few weak women at the beginning of that Contest which ere it was quashed made the Tyrant tumble headless off his throne The zeal against the English popish Ceremonies obtruded on Edinburgh did first inflame some feminine hearts to witness their detestation of them but afterwards was followed out with more Masculine fervor accosting King Council with Petitions Remonstrances Protestations Testimonies against the Innovations and resolving upon a mutual Conjunction to defend Religion Lives Liberties against all that would innovate or invade them To fortifie which and conciliate the favour both of God man in the Resolution All the Lovers of God and friends to the Liberty of the Nation did solemnly Renew the National Covenant wherein they were signally countenanced of the Lord vvhich though in it self obliging to the Condemnation of Prelatical Hierarchie and clearly enough confirming Presbyterial Government yet they ingaged into it vvith an inlargment to suspend the practice of Novations already introduced and the approbation of the Corruptions of the present Government vvith the late places povver of Church men till they be tried in a free General Assembly Which vvas obtaineâ— that same year and indicted at Glasgow and there not vvith standing all the opposition that the Kings Commissioner could make by Protestations Proclamations to dissolve it the six preceeding Assemblies establishing Prelacy vvere annulled The Service-Book and high Commission vvere condemned All the Bishops vvere deposed and their Government declared to be abjured in that National Covenant though many had through the Commissioners persvvasions subscribed it in another sense vvithout that application As also the five Articles of Perth vvere there discovered to have been inconsistent vvith that Covenant Confession and the Civil places povver of Church men vvere disproved rejected on the other hand Presbyterial Government vvas Justified Approved and an Act vvas passed for their keeping yearly General Assemblies This was a bold begining into which they were animated with more than humane resolution against more than humane opposition Hell as well as the powers of the earth being set against them But when the Lord gave the Call they considered not their oun deadness nor were daunted with Discouragments nor staggered at the promise through unbelief but gave Glory to God out braving all difficulties Which in the following year were much increased by the Prelats and their Popish Partakers rendevouzing their forces under the Kings Personal Standart and menacing nothing but misery to the zealous Covenanters yet when they found them prepared to resist were forced to yeeld to a Pacification concluding that an Assembly Parliament should be held for healing all grievances of Church and State. In which Assembly at Edinburgh the Covenant is ratified subscribed by the Earle of Traquair Commissioner and enjoined to be subscribed by the body of the whole Land with an explication expressly condemning the five Articles of Perth the Government of Bishops the Civil places power of Church men But the sons of Belial cannot be taken with hands nor bound with bonds of faith humanity or honour For in the year following King Prelats with their Popish Abettors go to arms again but were fain to accommodate the matter by a new Pacification whereby all Civil Religious Liberties were ratified And in the folowing year 1641 by Lawes Oaths Promises subscriptions of King Parliament fully confirmed The King Charles the I. being present and consenting to all though in the mean time he was treacherously encouraging the Irish murderers who by his Authority made a Massacre of many thousand Innocent Protestants in Ireland But in Scotland things vvent vvell the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus vvas greatly advanced the Gospel flourished and the Glory of the Lord did shine upon us vvith such a splendor that it avvaked England and animated the Lords People there then groaning under those Grievances from vvhich Scotland vvas delivered to aspire to the like Reformation For advice in vvhich because though all aggreed to cast off the yoke of Prelacy yet sundry forms of Church Government vvere projected to be set up in the room thereof chiefly the Independent order determining all Acts of Church Government as Election ordination and deposition of officers vvith Admission Excommunication Absolution of members to be done decided by the voices of every Particular Congregation vvithout any Authoritative Concurrence or interposition of any other condemning all imperative decisive povver of Classes c. as a meer usurpation Therefore the Brethren in England vvrote to the Assembly then fitting at Edinburgh vvho gave them ansvver That they vvere grieved that any of the Godly should be found not aggreeing vvith other Reformed Churches in point of Government as well as Doctrine and that it was to be feared where the edge of Discipline Government is different the Doctrine Worship shall not long continue the same without change That the Government of the Church by Compound Presbytries Synods is a help strength and not a hinderance to particular Congregations Elderships in all the parts of Government and are not an extrinsecal Power set over Particular Churches but the intrinsecal power where with Christ hath invested His Officers who may not exercise it Independently but with subordination unto Presbytries c. Which as they are Representative of particular Churches conjoined together in one under their Government so their determination when they proceed orderly whether in Causes common to all or brought before them by reference in case of aberration is to the several Congregations Authoritative not Consultatory only And this subordination is not only warranted by the light of nature but grounded upon the Word of God and conforme to the Pattern of the Primitive Apostolick Church for the Preservation of verity unity against Schisme Heresie Tyrannie which is the fruit of this Government where soever it hath place So from henceforth the Assembly did incessantly urge uniformity in Reformation with their Brethren in England as the chiefest of their Desires Prayers Cares And in the year 1643. prevailed so far that the English Parliament did first desire that the two Nations might be strictly united for their mutual defence against the Papists Prelatical faction and their Adherents in both Kingdoms and not to lay down Armes till these implacable Enemies should be brought in subjection and did instantly urge for the help assistance from Scotland Which being sent did return with an Olive branch of Peace and not without some beginings of a Reformation in England And afterwards a bloody War begining between the King Parliament with great success on the Kings side whence the Papists at the time got great advantage witness the cessation of Armes concluded in Ireland
Commissioners were sent from both Houses to Scotland earnestly inviting to a nearer union of the Kingdoms and desiring Assistance from this Nation to their Brethren in that their great distress And this by the good hand of God produced the solemn League Covenant of the three Kingdoms first drawen up in Scotland and approven in the Assembly at Edinburgh and afterward embraced in England to the terror of the Popish and Prelatical party and to the great comfort of such as were wishing and waiting for the Reformation of Religion and the recoveries of Just Liberties The tenor whereof did import their sincere constant endeavours in their several places Callings for preservation of the Uniformity in Reformation in Doctrine Worship Discipline Government The extirpation of Popery Prelacy Error Profâ—nity the preservation of the Rights Liberties of the people and of the Magistrats Authority in defence of the true Religion and Liberty the discovery punishment of Incendaries the retaining of the Peace Union of the Kingdoms the mutual assistance defence of all under the bond of this Covenant and the performing all duties we owe to God in the amendment of our Lives and walking exemplarly one before another This is that Covenant comprehending the purpose of all Prior and the Pattern of all posterior Covenants to which Christs witnesses did always adhere for which the present witnesses do suffer contend That Covenant which the Representative of Church State in the three Nations did solemnly Subscribe Swear for themselves posterity of which the obligation either to the duty or the punishment continues indispensibly on the Generation which for the moral equity oâ— its matter the formality of its manner the importance of its purpose the holyness of its solemn Engagment and the Glory of its Ends no power on Earth can Disannul Disable or Dispense That Covenant which the Lord did Ratifie from Heaven by the conversion of many thousands at their entering under the bond of it securing establishing unto them and all the faithful the blessings priviledges therein expressed and avouching Himself to be their God as they had avouched themselves to be His people That Covenant which in all the Controversies it hath occasioned did never receive a greater confirmation than from the malice opposition of its Adversaries That Covenant which malignants do malign deny and Sectaries scorn lay aside as an Almanack out of date which hath been many ways traduced reproached by enemies and yet could never be reflected on by any Serious in this Land without a honourable fragrant remembrance Especially that Retortion of Adversaries of the rigor of its imposition upon Recusants to justifie their cruelty upon its Asserters now is to be refelled not with confutation of its importance but with disdain of its impudence For who were the Recusants but wicked enemies to God and Church Nation who for their malignancy were then to be prosecuted not for their scrupling at a Covenant but for their contumacious Contempt of a Law This was no violence done to their conscience for as they had none and could not pretend to any so they were never troubled for that but for their opposition conspiracy against the common cause However it went through at that time And that the Covenanted Reformation in a nearer conjunction betwixt the united Churches might be promoted the Parliament of England called an Assembly of Divines at Westminster and desired the Assembly of Scotland to send thither their Commissioners which accordingly nominated elected Mr Alexander Henderson Mr Robert Dowglas Mr Samuel Rutherford Mr Robert Balzie Mr George Gillespie Ministers And Iohn Earle of Cassils Iohn Lord Maitland and Sir Archbald Iohnstoun of Waristoun Ruling Elders to Propone Consult Treat conclude in all such things as might conduce to the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Heresie Schism Superstition Idolatry and for the settling of the so much desired union of the whole Island in one forme of Church Government one Confession of Faith one common Catechisme one Directory for the Worship of God. Forces were also sent to assist the Parliament of England which were favoured with great success in their Entreprizes till that War was ended by the total overthrow of Tyranny at that time and all its upholders But that Popish Prelatical Malignant faction being brought much under in England attempted not unlike the Syrians who thought the God of Israel was not God of the Hills Valleyes both to try the fortune of War in Scotland under the conduct of that Treacherous truculent Traitor Montrose gathering an Army of wicked Apostates Irish Murderers who prevailing for a time did punish in the Justice of God the Hypocrisie self-seeking of such in this Land whose hearts were not upright in His Covenant at length was defeat at Philiphaugh in the year 1645. yet certain it is that they had Commission warrant from the King as the Assembly that year Feb. 13. remonstrates it to himself Warning him in the name of their Master the Lord Jesus Christ that the guilt which cleaved to his throne was such as whatsoever flattering Preachers or unfaithful Counsellors might say to the contrary if not timely repented could not but involve himself his Posterity under the wrath of the Everliving God for his being guilty of the shedding of the blood of many thousands of his best Subjects for his permitting the Masse other Idolatry in his family Dominions c. At the same time also the Assembly did zealously incite the Parliament to a speedy course of Justice against these Incendaries Murderers as the only mean of cleansing the Land from that deluge of blood then current and of appeasing the wrath of God and solemnly seasonably warned all ranks to applaud the Glory Righteousness of that Judgment of the sword in the hands of these Apostates Murderers and to search to understand the Language of that Dispensation wherein many Publick sins breaches of Covenant are pointed at as the Causes of that desolation And the Covenant it self is there very Encomiastically vindicated We are so far from repenting of it say they that we can not mention it without great joy thankfullness to God as that which hath drawn many blessings after it and unto which God hath given manifold evident Testimonies for no sooner was the Covenant begun to be taken in England but sensibly the condition of affairs there was changed to the better and our forces sent into that Kingdom in pursuance of that Covenant have been so mercifully manifestly assisted blessed from Heaven that we have what to answer the enemy that reproacheth us concerning that business that which may make iniquity it self to stop her mouth but which is more unto us than all victories the Reformation of Religion in England Uniformity therein between both Kingdoms a principal end of that Covenant is so far
advanced that the Government of the Church by Congregational Elderships Classical Presbyteries Provincial National Assemblies is aggreed upon by the Assembly of Divines at Westmnster and voted concâ—uded in both houses of Parliament After this the Malignants in England being crushed in all their Projects the King renders himself to the Scots in New castle by whom because by Covenant they were not obliged to defend him but only in defence of Religion Liberty which he had been destroying and they defending because in this war he did directly oppose oppugne these conditions under which they were only to defend him and therefore they had all alongst carried towards him as an enemy as he to them And because by the same Covenant they were obliged to discover render to condign punishment all Malignants Incendaries of whom he was the chief and to reâ—ain the Peace Union of the Kingdoms which could not be retained in maintaining their destroyer And to assist mutually all entered into that Covenant which he was fighting against he was delivered up into the English and kept under restraint in the Isle of Wight untill he received his just demerit for all his oppressions Murders Treachery Tyranny being condemned execute Ianuar. 30. anno 1648 9 Which fact though it was protested against both before after by the Assembly of the Church of Scotland out of zeal against the Sectarians the executioners of that extraordinary Act of Justice yet it was more sor the manner than for the matter and more for the motives ends of it than for the grounds of it that they opposed themselves to it and resented it For they acknowledged remonstrated to himself the Truth of all these things upon which that sentence execution of Justice was founded And when a wicked Association Unlawful Engagment was on foot to rescue him they opposed it with all their might Shewing in their Answers to the Estates that year 1648. and Declarations Remonstrances the sinfullness destructiveness of that Engagment that it was a breach of the Commandments of God of all the Articles of the Covenant Declaring withal they would never consent to the Kings Restitution to the exercise of his Power without previous assurance by solemn Oath under his hand seal for settling of Religion according to the Covenant By which it appears they were not so stupidly Loyal as some would make them Yet indeed it cannot be past without regrate that there was too much of this plague of the Kings-evil even among good men which from that time forth hath so infected the heads hearts of this Generation that it hath almost quite extinct all Loyaltie to Christ and all zeal for Religion Liberty Then it began to infuse diffuse its Contagion when after the death of Charles the first in the year 1649. they began after all that they had smarted for their trusting these treacherous Tyrants and after that Grace had been shewed them from the Lord their God by breaking these mens yokes from from off their necks and puting them again into a Capacity to act for the good of Religion their oun safety and the peace safety of the Kingdom to think of joining once more with the people of these abominations and taking into their bosoms these Serpents which had formerly stung them almost to death Hinc ilâ—â— lachrimae en origo Scaturigo nostrae defectionis There was indeed at that time a Party faithful for God who considering the many breaches of the Solemn League Covenant and Particularly by the late Engagment against England did so travel that they procured the Covenant to be renewed with the Solemn Acknowledgment of sins Engagment to duties which was Universally subscribed sworn through all the Land wherein also they regrete this tampering with Malignants And therefore the Lord did mightily save defend them from all their Adversaries subdued them at Stirling and in the North. They did also give warning concerning the young King that notwithstanding of the Lords hand against his Father yet he hearkens unto the Counsells of these who were Authors of these Miseries to his Father by which it hath come to pass that he hath hitherto refused to grant the just necessary desires of the Church Kingdom for securing of Religion Liberty And it is much to be feared that these wicked Counsellers may so far prevail upon him as to ingage him in a war for overturning the Work of God and bearing doun all those in the three Kingdoms that adhere therto Which if he shall do cannot but bring great wrath from the Lord upon himself throne and must be the cause of many new great Miseries Calamities to these Lands And in the same warning by many weighty reasons they prove that he is not to be admitted to the exercise of his power without security for Religion Liberty And when the bringing home of the King came to be voted in the Assembly there was one faithful witness Mr Adam Kae Minister in Galaway protested against it fore shewing fore telling what mischeef misery he would bring with him when he should come These things might have had some weight to demur the Nation from medling with that perfidious Traitor But all this serves only to aggravate the sin shame of that distraction which hath procured all this destruction under which the Land mourns to this day That notwithstanding of all these Convictions warnings yea and discoveries of his Malignancy Treachery inclinations to Tyranny They sent Commissioners and concluded at Treaty with him at Breda During which Treaty the Commissions which he had sent to that bloody villain Montrose his Cut throat Complices to raise an Armie wast invade the Countrey with fire sword the second time were brought to the Committee of Estates discovering what sort of King they were treating with Whereupon after serious Consulting not only together but with the Lord And after many debates what to do in such a doubtfull case wherein all was in danger the Estates concluded to break off the Treaty and recall their Commissioners To which intent they sent an Express with Letters to Breda which by providence falling into the hands of Libberton a true Libertine false betrayer of his trust Country was by him without the knowledge of the other Commissioners delivered unto the King who consulting the Contents of the Packet with his Jesuitical Hypocritical Cabal found it his interest to play the fox being disappointed at that time to play the Tyger and dissemble with God man. And so sending for the Commissioners he made a flattering speech to them shewing that novv after serious deliberation he vvas resolved to comply vvith all their Proposals Where upon the poor cheated Commissioners dispatch the post back with Letters full of praise joy for the satisfaction they had received The Estates perceiving themselves
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
supposing also they might be pardoned for that which is done from whose guiltiness the Land cannot be cleansed but by executing Gods righteous Judgements upon them yet they cannot now be believed after they have violated all that humane wisdom could devise to bind them Upon these accounts they reject that King and those associate with him in the Government and declare them henceforth no lawful Rulers as they had declared them to be no lawful Subjects they having destroyed the established Religion overturned the fundamental Lawes of the Kingdom taken away Christs Church-Government and changed the Civil into Tyrannie where none are associate in partaking of the Government but only these who will be found by Justice guilty of Criminals And declare they shall God giving power set up Government Governours according to the Word of God and the qualifications required Exod. 18. vers 20. And shall not commit the Government to any single person or lineal succession being not tyed as the Jewes were to one single family and that kind being lyable to most inconveniences aptest to degenerate into Tyrannie And moreover that these men set over them shall be engaged to Govern Principally by that Civil Judicial Law not that which is any way Typical given by God to His people of Israel as the best so far as it goes being given by God especially in matters of life death and other things so far as they reach and are consistent with Christian Liberty exempting Divorces Polygamie 6. Seeing the greatest part of Ministers not only were defective in Preaching against the Acts of the Rulers for overthrowing Religion but hindered others also who were willing and censured some that did it and have voted for acceptation of that Liberty founded upon given by virtue of that blaspemously arrogate Usurped power and appeared before their Courts to accept of it and to be enacted authorized their Ministers whereby they have become the Ministers of men and bound to be answerable to them as they will And have preached for the lawfulness of paying that Tribute declared to be imposed for the bearing doun of the true Worship of God And advised poor Prisoners to subscribe that Bond which if it were universally subscribed they should close that door which the Lord hath made use of in all the Churches of Europe for casting off the yoke of the whore and stop all regress of men when once brought under Tyrannie to recover their Libertie again They declare they neither can nor will hear them c. nor any who encouraged strengthened their hands and pleaded for them and trafficqued for union with them 7. That they are for a standing Gospel Ministrie rightly chosen rightly ordained that none shall take upon them the Preaching of the Word c. unless called ordained thereunto And whereas Separation might be imputed to them they refell both the malice and the ignorance of that Calumnie for if there be a Separation it must be where the change is and that was not to be found in them who were not separating from the Communion of the true Church nor setting up a New Ministrie but cleaving to the same Ministers Ordinances that formerly they followed when others have fled to new wayes and a new Authority which is like the old piece in the new Garment 8. That they shall defend themselves in their Civil Natural Divine Rights Liberties And if any assault them they shall look on it as a declaring a war and take all advantages that one enemie does of another but trouble and injure none but those that injure them This is the Compend of that Paper which the Enemies seised and published while it was only in a rude draught and not polished digested nor consulted by the rest of the Community yet whether or not it was for their advantage so to blaze their oun baseness in that Paper truly represented I leave it to the Reader to judge or if they did not thereby Proclaim their oun Tyrannie and the Innocency honesty of that people whom thereby they were seeking to make odious but in effect inviting all Lovers of Religion Liberty to Sympathise with them in their difficulties distresses there discovered However that poor Partie continued together in a posture of defence without the Concurrence or Countenance of their Covenanted Brethren who staid at home and left both them to be murdered and their Testimony to be trampled upon untill the 22. of Iulij 1680. Upon the which day they were attacqued at Airsmoss by a strong party of about 120 horse well armed while they were but 23 horse and 40 foot at most and so fighting valiantly were at length routed not without their Adversaries Testimony of their being resolute men Several of Zions precious Mourners and faithful Witnesses of Christ were killed and among the rest that faithful Minister of Christ Mr Richard Cameron sealed fulfilled his Testimony with his blood And with others the valiant and much honoured Gentleman David Hackstoun of Rathillet was after many received wounds apprehended brought in to Edinburgh and there resolutely adhering to the Testimony and disouning the Authority of King Council and all their Tyrannical Judicatories was cruelly murdered but countenanced eminently of the Lord. Now remained Mr Donald Cargil deprived of his faithful Collegue destitute of his Brethrens concurrence but not of the Lords Counsel Conduct by which he was prompted helped to prosecute the Testimony against the Universal Apostasie of the Church Nation Tyranny of Enemies Backsliding of Friends and all the wrongs done to his Master on all hands And considering in the zeal of God and sense of His holy Jealousie provoked and threatening wrath against the Land for the sins especially of Rulers who had arrived to the hight of Heaven-daring Insolence in all wickedness in which they were still growing going on without control That notwithstanding of all the Testimonies given against them by publick Preachings Protestations and Declarations remonstrating their Tyranny and disouning their Authority yet not only did they still persist in their sins scandals to make the Lords fierce Anger break forth into a flame but were ouned also by Professors not only as Magistrats but as members of the Christian Protestant Church And that however both the defensive armes of men had been used against them and the Christian armes of Prayers and the Ministerial weapon of Preaching yet that of Ecclesiastical Censure had not been Authoritatively exerted against them Therefore that no Weapon which Christ allowes His Servants under His Standart to manage against His Enemies might be wanting thô he could not obtain the Concurrence of his Brethren to strengthen the solemnity formality of the Action yet he did not judge that defect in this broken Case of the Church could disable his Authority nor deâ—ur the duty but that he might and ought to proceed to Excommunication And accordingly in September
them it being no way supposible that his enlarging his favours can consist with their faithfulness but if they discover any measure of zeal against Antichrist he will quickly diminish them Thus far I have compendiously deduced the Account of the Progress Prosecution of the Testimony of this Church to the present State thereof as it is Concerted Contended for by the Reproached Remnant now only Persecuted which I hope this pretended Liberty shall be so far from obscuring interrupting that it shall contribute further to clear it and engage them more to Constancy in it and induce others also to Countenance it when they shall see the sad effects of this Destructive Snare which I leave to time to produce And hope that as the former Representation of their Cause will conciliate the Charity of the unbyassed so an Account of their Sufferings thereupon will provoke them to Sympathie To which I now proceed PART II. CONTAINING A BRIEF ACCOUNT Of the Persecution of the last Period And of the great Sufferings whereby all the Parts of its Testimony were sealed THe foregoing Deduction being the first thing I proposed to be discussed in the Method of this Essay hath now swelled to such a Bulk that the Last Period of it doth in a manner swallow up what I intended to have said on the Second Because it gives grounds to gather the Methods Measures that our Adversaries have managed for the ruin of this Witnessing Remnant and also discovers some special steps of their Sufferings within these 27. years past under the Tyranny of both the Brothers It will now be the more easie to glean the Gradations of the Means Machins used by this Popish Prelatical Malignant faction to raze the Work of Reformation and to build their Babel of Poperie Slaverie on the ruines thereof And to aggregate an Account in brief of the Great Sufferings of the Faithful Which though it be beyond my power and besides my purposes at present to offer a Narrative of it with any proportion to the greatness of the subject A more particular Relation thereof being now projected if Providence permit to be Published to the world which will discover strange unheard of Cruelties yet in this little heap of some hints only of the kinds of their Sufferings I do not question but it will appear that the Persecution of Scotland hath been very remarkable and scarcely out-done by the most Cruel in any Place or Age in respect of injustice illegality inhumanity though perhaps inferiour in some other Circumstances But that none could be more unjust illegal or inhumane I need not further I cannot better demonstrate than only to Declare the matter of fact as it fell out in the several Steps of the Last Period 1. In the Entry of this fatal Catastrophe the first of their Mischievous Machinations was to remove out of the way all who were eminent Instruments in carrying on the former Work of God or might be of influence for obstructing their Antichristian Tyrannical designs both in the State and in the Church And accordingly when the Marqueâ—s of Argyle who had a main hand in bringing home the King and closing the Second Treaty at Breda went up to London to Congratulate his return from exile he was made Prisoner in the Tower thereafter sent doun to Scotland indyted of high Treason at length beheaded and his head placed upon the Tolbooth of Edinburgh A watch word of warning to our Addressers who may ere all be done meet with the same sawce for no other alledged Cause but for his Complyance with the English when they had our Land in subjection a thing wherein the Judges that condemned him were Socii Criminis but really for another provocation that incensed the King against him which made him a Tyrant as infamous for villanie as for violence to wit for his reproving the King when others declined it for an Adulterous Rape which he held for so piacular a Crime that he resolved nothing should expiate it but the blood of this Nobleman For the same Pretended Cause was the Lord Waristoun afterwards executed to death at Edinburgh after they had missed of their design of taking him off by Clandestine ways abroad Then they fall upon the Ministers And because Mr Iames Guthrie was a man who had been honoured of God to be zealous singularly faithful in carrying on the Work of Reformation and had asserted the Kingly Authority of Christ in opposition to the Erastian Supremacy encroaching thereupon therefore he must Live no longer but is condemned to die and most basely handled as if he had been a most Notorious Thief or Malefactor he is hanged afterward his head placed upon one of the Ports of Edinburgh where it abideth to this day Preaching not only against the Enemies Rebellion against God but against the defection of many Ministers since who have Practically denied that Great Truth for which he Suffered viz his Testimony against the Supremacy and for declining the Usurped Authority of him who Arrogated it At the same time there was a Proclamation which they caused to be read at all the Church-doors discharging Ministers to speak against them or their Proceedings whereby Profane Malicious persons were encouraged to witness against their Ministers By which means though many were in no hazard thinking it commendable Prudence commended indeed by the world but hateful unfaithfulness before God to be silent at such a time some faithful Ministers giving faithful free warning Protesting against the present Defection were condemned of Treason and banished out of the three Dominions Others Indicta Causa without access to give in their defences were sentenced with banishment and could never get an Extract of their sentence And furder were compelled to subscribe a bond under pain of death to remove out of all the Dominions betuixt such a day This was the lot and also the blot of these famous faithful Ministers Mr Iohn Livingstoun Mr Ro Mâ— Ward Mr Io. Broun c. who spent the rest of their dayes in Holland serving their Generation by their excellent Writings Then after they had disposed of many other Ministers whom they thrust out for not keeping the 29th of May having now laid by the most Eminent whom they feared most of the Ministrie they shortly thereafter outed violented the rest from the exercise of their Ministrie and straitened them with strange severe Confinements yea because they would not be out done 〈◊〉 suppressing Religion by any no not by Iulian the Apostate they proceeded to poyson all the springs fountains of Learning ordaining that none be Masters in Universities except they take the Oath of Supremacy oune the Government of Prelacy and none be admitted to teach in a School without the Prelats Licence These Courses brought many Ministers Expectants to great Sufferings 2. Hitherto they reached only Noblemen Gentlemen Ministers and others whom they thought might
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
Government none of the Community having any legal Claim to Soveraignity more than the rest When therfore they were forced to conclude upon Association for their Mutual Preservation they must be thought to act rationally and not to make their condition worse but rather better by that conclusion and if they found it worse to resume their radical Right which they had conferred upon men subject to Law not to Tyrannize over them And in this case certainly they had the power of choosing what Kind of Government suited most to their advantage and would best preserve their Liberties and how far this should be extended and who should be assumed into this Combination still with a reservation of the Priviledge to their oun safety if their Associates should not do their duty And so they might also reserve to themselves a Liberty to alter the forme when they found it productive of more prejudice than advantage and never to leave their condition remedieless And to pitch upon this way of succession and not another the way of free election of every successor or of definite election limited to one line or to the nearest in line And e contra with a reserve still of their primeve Priviledges to secure themselves from the inconveniences of that determination or to change it And to make choise of such a family line and not another and whether the eldest alwise of that family or the fittest is to be chosen And however it be yet still by the peoples consent And in all this to have respect to some good great Necessary Ends which if they should be disappointed of and find these means useless or destructive to they were to be loosed from their obligation to use or to oune them See Ius populi vindicat ch 5. pag. 80. c. 2. If we consider how Nature determines the peoples Interest in the constitution of Governours whence comes it that this man and not that man this race family and not that is invested with that Title It will be found there is no Title on earth now to the Crowns to families to persons but the peoples suffrage for the Institution of Magistracy in general does not make Iames Stewart a King no more than Iohn Chamberlain Neither do qualifications make one otherwise there might be many better than is this day extant for there are many men better qualified And there is no Prophetical or immediate Callings to Kingdoms now And as for Conquest without consent and having no more for a Title it is no better than Royal Latrocinie It is certain God would not Command us to obey Kings and leave us in the Dark that we should not know him that hath a reall call to 〈◊〉 And if he have not the peoples Call where shall we find another It remains therefore they must have it from the people who have it to give Radically virtually having a power to preserve themselves and to put it in the hands of one or more Rulers that they may preserve themselves by them All men are born alike as to Civil power no man being born with a Croun on his head and yet men united in Society may give it to this man not to that man therefore they must have it virtually for they can not give what they have not And as Cities have power to choose their Magistrats so many Cities have power to creat an Universal Ruler over them all The people also have power to Limit the Magistrats power with conditions so that the present Ruler shall not have so much prerogative as his predecessor as Royalists cannot deny therefore they must have given that power which they can Limit See Lex Rex Quest. 4. pag. 10. c. Secondly the Scripture also gives Light in this particular 1. In giving directions Rules about their Orderly calling their Governours Impowering them to take wise men understanding known among their tribes to be made Rulers Dâ—ut 1. 13. To make Judges Officers in all their gates Deut. 16. 18. To set one among their brethren King over them and not a stranger Deut. 17. 15. To what purpose are these Rules given them if they had no interest to choose their Magistrats Would God command them to set a King over them if they had not power to do it And to set such a man over them and not such an one if they had no influence in making one at all And accordingly that wise Statist sayes very well 2 Sam. 16. 18. Hushai to Aâ—salem Nay but whom the Lard this people and all the men of Israel choose his will I be and with him will I abide Which will also hold in the Negative whom the Lord the people and all the men of the Kingdom do not choose his we will not be nor with him will we abide 2. The Scripture expressly attributeth the making of Kings to the people All the people of Iuda took Azariah and made him King instead of his Father Amaziah whom they had executed 2 King. 14. 21. They came with a perfect heart to make David King in Hebron 1 Chron. 12. 38. So they made Ioash King 2 Chron. 23. 11. 3. Even these that were particularly designed of God chosen to be Rulers yet were not formally invested with power before the people conferred it upon them Gideon was called of God to it but was not Judge till the people said Rule thow over us both thow thy Son giving him an hereditary right for his Children Iudg. 8. 12. Saal was appointed to be King and therefore Samuel honoured him because he was marked out of God to be King 1 Sam. 9. 24. and anointed him with oyl 1 Sam. 10. 1. after which he was gifted qualified for Government God gave him another heart vers 9. yet all this did not make him King till the people met for his inauguration vers 17. c. and Crowned him made him King in Gilgal 1 Sam. 11. ult David was anointed by Samuel and yet was a persecuted fugitive for several years and never acknowledged formally King till the men of Iudah came anointed him 2 Sam. 2. 4. for if he had been King before then there were two Kings in Israel at one time and David failed of his Royal duty in not punishing the Murderer Saul whereas himself sayes he would not touch the Lords 〈◊〉 Therefore the people made all these Kings and that by choise consent without which they were no Kings Hence I argue If the consent choise of the people be so essentially necessary to the making of Kings then they who set up themselves against the consent of the body of the Land and without the choise of any must be Usurpers not to be acknowledged for Lawful Kings But the former is true as is proven above Ergo Now Plain it is that this Duke set up himself against the consent of the body being excluded from the Government by the Representatives of
must be ouned to be a Father Tutor Protector Shepherd Patron of the people But a mere conquerour without consent cannot be ouned as such Can he be a Father Patron to us against our will by the sole power of the sword a Father to these that are unwilling to be Sons an head over such as will not be members and a defender through violence 4. A King as such is a special gift of God and blessing not a judgement But a conquerour as such is not a blessing but a judgement his native end being not Peace but fire sword 5. That which hath nothing of a King in it can not be ouned to make a King But conquest hath nothing of a King in it for it hath nothing but violence force nothing out what the bloodyest villain that was never a King may have nothing of Gods approving regulating Will nothing of Institution or constitution and a plain repugnancy to the Ordination of God for God hath said thow shalt not kill conquest sayes I will kill and Prosper reign 6. A Lawful Call to a Lawful Office may not be resisted But a Call to conquest which is nothing but ambition or revenge ought to be resisted because not of Gods preceptive will otherwise He should be the Author of sin 7. That power which we must oune to be the Ordinance oâ— God must not be resisted Rom. 13. 2. But conquest may be resisted in defence of our King Country Therefore it must no be ouned to be the Ordinance of God. 8. That which God condemns in His Word cannot be ouned But Dominion by the sword God condemns in His Word Ezek. 33. 26. ye stand upon your sword and shall possess the Land Amos 6. 13. ye rejoice in a thing of naught which say have we not taken horns to us by our oun strength Habhak 2. 5 6 Wo to him that encreaseth that which is not his how long c. 9. We have many examples of invading Conquerours as Abraham for the rescue of Lot pursued the Conquering Kings unto Dan. Gen. 14. 14. Ionathan smote a Garison of the Conqueering Philistims 1 Sam. 13. 3. The Lord ouning authorizing them so to do The people did often shake off the yoke of their Conquerours in the history of the Judges But this they might not do to their Lawful Rulers What is objected from the Lords people Conquering Canaan c. is no Argument for conquest for He to whom belongs the earth and its fullness disponed to Israel the Land of Canaan for their Inheritance and ordained that they should get the possession thereof by conquest It followeth not therefore that Kings now wanting any word of promise or divine Grant to any Lands may ascend to the Thrones of other Kingdoms than their oun by no better title than the bloody sword See Lex Rex Quest 12. The Third pretence of Hereditary Succession remaines to be removed which may be thus disproven 1. This clashes with the former though commonly asserted by Royalists For either Conquest gives a right or it does not If it does then it looses all allegiance to the heirs of the Crown dispossessed thereby If it does not give a right then no Hereditary Succession founded upon conquest can have any right being founded upon that which hath no right And this will shake the most part of Hereditary Successions that are now in the world 2. If Hereditary Succession have no right but the peoples consent then of it self it can give none to a man that hath not that consent But the former is true For it is demanded how doth the Son or Brother succeed by what right It must either be by divine promise Or by the Fathers will Or it must come by propogation from the first Ruler by a right of the Primogeniture But none of these can be For the first we have no immediate Divine Constitution tying the Crown to such a race as in Davids Covenant It will be easily granted they fetched not their Charter from Heaven immediatly as David had it a man of many peculiar prerogatives to whose line the promise was astricted of the Coming of Messias and Iacobs Prophesie that the Scepter should not depart from Iudah until His coming Gen. 49. 10. was restricted to his family afterwards Wherefore he could say The Lord God of Israel chose me befor all the house of my father to be King over Israel for ever for He hath chosen Iudah to be the Ruler and of the house of Iudah the house of my father and among the sons of my father He liked me to make me King over Israel and of all my Sons He hath chosen Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 4. 5. All Kings cannot say this neither could Saul say it though immediatly called of God as well as David yet this same Promise to David was Conditional if His Children should keep the Lords wayes 2 Chron. 6. 16. Next it cannot be said this comes from the will of the father for according to the Scripture no King can make a King though a King may appoint design his son for succession as David did Solomon but the people make him The father is some way a Cause why his son succeedeth but he is not the Cause of the Royaltie conferred upon him by line for the question will recur who made him a King and his father grand father till we come up to the first father Then who made him a King not himself therefore it must be refounded upon the peoples choise constitution And who appointed the lineal succession and tyed the Crown to the line but they It is then at the best the Patrimony of the people by the fundamental Law of the Kingdom conferred upon the successor by consent And generally it is granted even where the succession is lineal he that comes to inherit Doth it not jure hereditario but vi legis he does not succeed by heritage but by the force of Law the Son then hath not his Kingdom from his father but by Law which the people made stand to as long as it may consist with the reasons of publick advantage upon which they condiscended to establish such a family over them Neither can it be said It is by a right of Primogeniture propogated from the first Ruler for this must either be Adam the first of the world or Fergus v. G. the first of this Kingdom It could not come from Adam as a Monarch father of all For that behoved to be either by order of Nature or his volunâ—ary assignment It could not be transferred by order of Nature for besides the difficulty to find out Adams successor in the universal Monarchy and the absurdity of fixing it on Cain who was a Cursed vagabond afraied of every man and could not be an universal Monarch yet Adams first born It will be asked how this passed from him unto others whether it went by father-hood to all the Sons fathers to
their Posterity which would multiply as many Common wealths as there have been fathers since Or if it went by Primogeniture only to the first born that he alone could claim the power which would infer the necessity of an universal Monarchy without multiplication of Common-wealths If it was by his voluntary assignment to whom in what proportion he pleased then the universal Monarchy died with himself and so could not be conveyed at all for either he behoved to give each son a share to be conveyed dounwards to their children in that proportion or whole solide to one So also the former dilemma recurs for if the first be said it will make as many litle Kingdoms as there have been sons of Adam if the second the world should be but still one Kingdom But however it be this could never be the way that God appointed either for raising a Magistratical power where it is wanting or deriving a right to any in being Considering the multiplication division confusion Extinction of families that have been If it be from Fergus the first of this line then either it comes from him as a King or as a Father not the first for the reason above hinted nor as a father for a father may defraud his son of the heritage a King cannot deprive his son of the Crown a father may divide his heritage a King cannot divide the Kingdom among his sons It must then be at length refounded on the peoples Consent 3. If even where lineal succession is Constituted by Law for eviting the inconveniences of frequent elections people are not tied to admit every first born of that line then that birth righr where there is no more cannot make a King But the former is true for they are tied only conditionally so he be qualified and have a head to sit at the helme and not a fool or monster neither are they free to admit Murderers or Idolaters by the Laws of God and of the Land It is not birth then but their admission being so qualified that makes Kings Hence 4. That which takes away the peoples birth-right given them of God to provide for their liberties in the fitest Government that is not to be ouned But to make birth alone a tile to the Crown takes away the peoples birth-right given them of God of providing for their liberties in the fitest Government and fetters their choise to one destructive to these Certainly where God hath not bound the conscience men may not bind themselves nor their posterity But God hath never fettered men to a choise of a Government or Governing line which contrary to the intention of the Oath may prove destructive to the ends thereof Nor can the fathers leave in legacy by Oath any chains to fetter the after wits of posterity to a choise destructive to Religion liberty Israel was bound by Covenant not to destroy the Gibeonites but if they had risen to cut off Isael who can doubt but they were loosed from that obligation for to preserve Cut-throats was contrary to the intention of the Oath so when either Monarchy or the succeeding Monarch proves destructive to the ends of Government the Choice Law or Oath of our fathers cannot bind us 5. If we are tied to the hereditary succession not for the right the successor hath by birth but for our Covenanted allegiance to them whose successor he is then cannot his birth-right be the ground of our Allegiance And consequently hereditary succession cannot make a King But the former is true for in hereditary Crowns the first family being chosen by the suffrages of the people for that Cause the hereditary Prince comes to the Throne becanse his first father and in him the whole line was chosen The hereditary successor hath no priviledge or prerogative but from him who was chosen King. Therefore the obligation to the son being no greater than the obligation to the father which is the ground of that if the father then was ouned only because he was chosen qualified for Government the Son cannot be ouned for any other Cause but as chosen in him and also qualified and admitted with Consent We cannot choose the father as qualified and tye our selves to the Successors be what they will. 6. If a King be not born heir of a Kingdom then is he not King by birth But he is not born heir of a Kindom for a mean cannot be born to inherit the end the King is but a mean for the Kingdoms preservation If the Kingdom be his by birth as an inheritance why may he not upon necessary occasions sell his inheritance but if he sell it then all confess he is no more King. 7. If that which makes a King cannot be transmitted from father to son then succession by birth cannot make a King But the former is true The Royal faculty of Governing cannot be transmitted Solomon asked it from God he had it not from his father nor can he be born to the honour of a King because not born with either the gift or honour to be a Iudge God maketh high low not birth Nor can the Call Constitution of a King according to the will of God be transferred from father to son for that cannot be in Gods way without the intervening Consent of the people that cannot make him a born King. 8. If no Dominion can come by Nature as is proven before then can no man be a born King Nature birth cannot give them a Scepter in their hand nor Kingly Majestie they must have that alone from God the people and may only expect honour from their oun good Government Kings as Plutarch sayes must be like dogs that are best hunters not these who are born of best dogs 9. The peculiar Prerogative of Iesus Christ must not be ascribed to any other But this is His peculiar Prerogative to be a born King of whom it might be truely faid Where is He that is born King of the Iewes And for this end was He born who came out of the womb with a Crown on His Head which no Creature can bear 10. In Scripture we find that a King was to be so so qualified not a stranger but a reader of Gods Word c. Deut. 17. 15. c. he was not qualified by naked birth Hence if all the qualifications requisite in an heir cannot make a King qualified according to the Institution of God then his being heir cannot make him King But the first is true an heir may be an heir without these qualifications 11. We find in the Scripture the people were to make the Kings by that Law Deut. 17. thow shalt choose him whom the Lord chooseth yea neither Saul nor David were Kings till the people met to make them Therefore birth never made them Kings even though the Kingdom was tied to Davids line That was only a Typical designment by special Promise because Christ was to come of that line it was
Magistrate Hence a person that is incapable incompetent for Government cannot be ouned for a Governour But the D. of Y. is such a person not only not qualified as the Word of God requires a Magistrate to be but by the Laws of the Land declared incapable of Rule because he is a Papist a Murderer an Adulterer c. 3. There must be in Moral Power a Lawful Title Investure as is shewed above which if it be wanting the Power is null and the person but a Scenical King like Iohn of Leyden This is essentially necessary to the being of a Magistrate which only properly distinguishes him from a private man for when a person becomes a Magistrate what is the change that is wrought in him what new habit or endewment is produced in him he hath no more natural power than he had before only now he hath the Moral Power right Authority to Rule Legally impowering him to Govern. Let it be Considered what makes a subordinate Magistrate whom we may oune as such It must be only his Commission from a Superior Power otherwise we reject him If one come to us of his oun head taking upon him the style office of a Bailif Sheriff or Judge and command our Persons demand our purses or exact our Oaths we think we may deny him not taking our selves to owe him any subjection not ouning any bond of conscience to him why because he hath no lawful Commission Now if we require this qualification in the subordinate why not in the Supreme Hence that Magistrate that cannot produce his Legal Investure cannot be ouned But the D. of Y. cannot produce his Legal Investure his admission to the Crown upon Oath Compact and with the consent of the subjects according to the Laws of the Land as is shewed above Ergo 4. There must also be the Lawful Use of the Power which must be not only legal for its composure but right for its practice its Course Process in Government must be just Governing according to Law otherwise it is meer Tyranny for what is Government but the subjecting of the Community to the rule of Governours for Peace Orders sake and the security of all their precious Interests and for what end was it ordained and continued among men but that the stronger may not domineer over the weaker And what is Anarchy but the playing the Rex of the Natural power over the Moral Hence that Power which is contrary to Law evil Tyrannical can tye none to subjection But the power of the King abused to the destruction of Laws Religion Liberties giving his power strength unto the beast making war with the Lamb Revel 17. 13 14. is a power contrary to Law evil Tyrannical Ergo it can tye none to subjection wickedness by no imaginable reason can oblige any man. It is Objected by some from Rom. 13. 1. There is no power but of God The Usurping power is a power Therefore it is of God and consequently we owe subjection to it Ans. 1. The Original reading is not Universal but thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there is no power if not from God which confirms what I plead for that we are not to oune any Authority if it be not Authorized by God. The words are only relative to higher powers in a restricted sense and at most are but indefinite to be determined according to the matter not all power simply but all Lawful power 2. It is a fallacia a dicto secundum quid There is no power but of God that is no Moral Power as Universal negatives use to be understood Heb. 5. 4. no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God which is clear must not be understood for the negation of the fact as if no man at all doth or ever did take unto himself that honour for Korah did it c. but no man taketh it warrantably with a Moral right and Gods allowance without Gods call So also the universal imperative in that same Text must not be taken absolutely without restriction for if every soul without exception were to be subject there could be none left to be the higher powers but it is understood with restriction to the relation of a subject So here no Power but of God to be understood with restriction to the relation of a Lawful Magistrate It it also to be understood indiscriminately in reference to the diverse species sorts degrees of Lawful Power Supreme subordinate whether to the King as Supreme or to Governours c. as Peter expresses it Or whether they be Christian or Pagan It cannot be meant of all universally that may pretend to power and may attain to prevailing Potency for then by this Text we must subject our selves to the Papacy now intended to be introduced and indeed if we subject our selves to this Papist the next thing he will require will be that 3. To the Minor proposition I Answer The usurping power is a power It is Potentia I grant that it is Potestas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Authority I deny Therefore it is of God by His Providence I concede by His Ordinance I deny Consequently we owe subjection to it I deny We may be subject passively I grant Actively out of conscience I deny But some will Object 2. Though the Power be Usurped and so not Morally Lawful in all these respects yet it may do good its Laws administrations may be good Ans. I grant all is good that ends well and hath a good begining That cannot be good which hath a bad principle bonum ex integra causa Some Government for constitution good may in some acts be bad but a Government for constitution bad cannot for the acts it puts forth be good These good acts may be good for matter but formally they are not good as done by the Usurper They may be comparatively good that is better so then worse but they cannot be absolutely and in a Moral sense good for to make a Politick action good not only the matter must be warrantable but the Call also It may indeed induce subjects to bear improve to the best what cannot be remedied but cannot oblige to oune a Magistratical Relation II. The Nature of the power thus discovered lets us see the Nature of that relative duty which we owe must oune as due to Magistrates and what sort of ouning we must give them which to inquire a litle into will give light to the question All the duty deference the Lord requires of us towards them whom we must oune as Magistrates is comprehended in these two expressions honour required in the fifth Command and subjection required in Rom. 13. 1. c. 1 Pet. 2. 13. c. Whomsoever then we oune as Magistrates we must oune honour subjection as due to them And if so be we cannot upon a consciencious ground give them honour subjection we cannot
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
Maximus who was come against them with an Army because of their Religion 3. How about the year 342. the Citizens of Alexandria defended Athanasius their Minister against Gregorius the intruded Curate and Syrianus the Emperours Captain who came with great force to put him in 4. How about the year 356. the people of Constantinople did in like manner stand to the defence of Paulus against Constantius the Emperour and killed his Captain Hermogenes And afterwards in great Multitudes they opposed the intrusion of the Heretick Macedonius 5. How when a wicked Edict was sent forth to pull doun the Churches of such as were for the Clause of one Substance the Christians that maintained that Testimony resisted the bands of Souldiers that were procured at the Emperours Command by Macedonius to force the Mantinians to embrace the Arrian Heresie But the Christians at Mantinium kindled with an earnest zeal towards Christian Religion went against the Souldiers with Cheerful minds valiant Courage and made a great slaughter of them 6. How about the year 387. the people of Cesarea did defend Basil their Minister 7. How for fear of the people the Lievtenant of the Emperour Valens durst not execute those 80 Priests who had came to supplicate the Emperour and were commanded to be killed by him 8. How the Inhabitants of Mount Nitria espoused Cyrilâ—s quarrel and assaulted the Lievtenant and forced his Guards to flee 9. How about the year 404. when the Emperour had banished Chrysostome the people flocked together so that the Emperour was necessitated to call him back again from his Exile 10. How the people resisted also the transportation of Ambrose by the command of Valentinian the Emperour And chused rather to lose their lives than to suffer their pastor to be taken away by the Souldiers 11. How the Christians oppressed by Baratanes King of Persia did flee to the Romans to seek their help And Theodosius the Emperour is much praised for the war which he commenced against Chosroes King of Persia upon this inducement that that King sought to ruine exstirpate those Christians in his Dominions that would not renounce the Gospel 3. But when Religion was once imbraced in imbodyed Corporations and established by Law and became a peoples common Interest Liberty in a Capacity to defend it with their lives other Liberties and when it was propagated through the Nations Then the Lord did call for other more Active Testimonies in the preservation defence of it Of which we have many Instances in Histories About the year 894. The Bohemian Christians Resisted Drahomica their Queen who thought to have destroyed them reintroduced Paganisme About the year 1420. they maintained a long defensive war against the Government and the Popes Legats under the managment of their brave Captain Zizca which was further prosecuted after him by the remaining Thaborites And again in this Century anno 1618. They maintained a Defensive war against the Emperour Ferdinand the Second electing and erecting a new King in opposition to him Frederick Palatine of the Rhine in which Cause many received the Crown of Martyrdom and this was also espoused by King Iames the 6. who sent to aid his Son in Law against the Emperour 4. If we look to the Histories of the Waldenses these constant Opposers of Antichrist we will find many Instances of their Resistence About the year 1194. very early while Waldo from whom they had their name was alive they began to defend themselves by Armes after the bloody Edict of Aldephonsus King of Arragon an Edict so like to many of ours emitted this day that as it would seem our Enemies have taken the Copy of it so it were very seemly for the people grieved with such Edicts to imitate the Copy of the Waldenses their practice in opposition to them Anno 1488. they resist by Armes Albert de Capitaneis sent by Pope Innocent the 8. in Pragola Frassaniere and through out Piedmont where for the most part the off-spring of the old Waldenses had their residence where very evidently through many successions of ages they shewed themselves to be the true Successors of their Worthy Progenitors valiant for the Truth That 's a famous Instance of their Resistence in opposing vigorously the Lord of Trinity in that same Piedmont at which time they so solemnly asked their Ministers Whether it were not Lawful to defend themselves against his violence Who answered affirmatively And accordingly they did it with wonderful success at that time and many times thereafter Especially it is notour in the memory of this present age how anno 1655. a vigorous defensive war was prosecuted against the D. Savoy by their Captains Gianavel Iahier c. which was espoused by many Protestant Princes And no further gone than the very last year it is known how they resisted the Armes of the Tyger and the French that helped him and that their Simplicity in trusting Popish promises was their ruine 5. If we look over the Histories of the Albigenses we find many Instances of their Defensive Resisting their Oppressing Superiours About anno 1200. They defended themselves at Beziers and Carcasson against the Popes Legat and his Crossed Souldiers under the Conduct first of the Earle of Beziers and then of the Earle of Foix and Earle Remand of Thoulouse and were helped by the English who then possessed Guienne bordering upon Thoulouse which resistence continued several years Afterwards anno 1226. they maintained a Resistence against the King of France 6. In Spain we find the people of Arragon contesting with Alphonso 3 d. and associating themselves together against him And they tell Pedro 3 d. their King that if he would not contain himself within the limits of the Laws they would pursue him by Armes about anno 1283. As also other Spaniards who rose in Armes several times against Pedro the 1 King of Castile 7. It was this which brought the Cantons of Helvetia into this State of freedom wherein they have continued many years For about the year 1260. they levied war against their oppressing nobles And anno 1308. they joined in Covenant to defend themselves against the house of Austria and anno 1315. they renewed it at Brunna in which at length the rest of the Cantons joined and formed themselves into a Common-wealth 8. If we take a glance of the Germans we will find at the very Commencement of the Reformation as soon as they got the name of Protestants they Resisted the Emperour Charles the fifth The Duke of Saxon the Land Grave of Hesse and the City of Magdâ—burgh with Advice of Lawyers concluded That the Laws of the Empire permitted Resistence of the Emperour in some cases that the times were then so dangerous that the very force of Conscience did lead them to Armes and to make a League to defend themselves though Caesar or any in his name should make war against them for since he attempteth to root out Religion and subvert our
it But here it is given before the Institution of Magistracy when now there was no Government in the world but family-Government as Grotius on the place saith Cum enim lex haec â—ata est non dum constituta sunt judicia itaque naturale justaliatus hic indicatur quod aucto humano genere in gentes distributo merito solis judicibus permissum fuit extra casus quosdam exceptos in quibus mansit jus illud 〈◊〉 When this Law was given publick Judgement was not yet constitute Therefore the natural right Law of Taliation is here held forth which when mankind was increased and divided into several Nations was justly permitted only to Judges some cases excepted in which that primaeve right did remain And if in any then in this case in question Hence Lex Rex answereth the P. Prelate essaying to prove that a Magiâ—â—racy is established in the Text denyes that Ba Adam by man must signify a Magistrate for than there was but family Government and cites 〈◊〉 of the same mind that the Magistrate is not spoken of here Though this Command afterwards was given to the Magistrate Numb 35. 30. yet in a ease of necessity we must recur to the Original Command 2. This same Command of punishing Murdering Enemies is even after the Institution of Magistrates in several cases not astricted to them but permitted to the people yea enjoyned to them As 1 Not only Magistrates but the people are Commanded to avenge themselves on their publick Enemies as the Israelites after their being insnared in the matter of Peor are Commanded to vexe the Midianites smite them because they beguiled them and brought a Plague upon them Numb 25. 17 18 and Numb 31. 2. to avenge themselves on them and for this end to arme themselves and go against them and avenge the Lord of Midian Which they executed with the slaughter of all the males So likewise are they Commanded to destroy Amalek It is true these Commands are given primarly principally to Magistrates as there to Moses and afterwards to Saul yet afterwards we find other than Magistrates upon this Moral Ground having the Call of God did execute Judgement upon them as Gidion David before they were Magistrates did avenge themselves and the Lord upon them as is before cleared It is also true that there was some holy severity then to be extended against particular Nations as such peculiar to that Dispensation which is not pleaded as imitable but the ground was Moral and the right of a peoples saving themselves by the destruction of their enemies when there is no other way for it is Natural And this is all we plead for here If people may vexe their enemies and avenge themselves against them even without publick Authority when ensnared by their Craftiness Much more may they put a stop to their insolency by cutting off their principal most pernicious Instruments in case of necessity when invaded by their Cruelty But here a people is Commanded to vexe their enemies and avenge themselves on them and accordingly Gideon David did so without publick Authority and that upon a ground which is Moral Natural Ergo 2 The execution of the punishment of Murderers is committed to the people The revenger of blood himself shall slay the Murderer what he meeteth him he shall slay him Numb 35. 19 21. So that if he met him before he got into any Refuge he might Lawfully slay him and if he did flee to any he was to be rendered up to the Avengers hands Deut. 19. 12. that the guilt of innocent blood may be put away from Israâ—l vers 23. This revenger of blood was not the Magistrate for he was the party pursuing Numb 35. 24. between whom and the Murderer the Congregation was to judge He was only the next in blood or kindred In the Original he is called Goel the redeemer or he to whom the right of redemption belongs and very properly so called both because he seeks redemption and compensation for the blood of his Brother and because he redeems the Land from blood guiltiness in which other-wise it would be involved I do not plead that this is alwayes to be imitated as neither it was alwayes practiced in Israel but If a private man in a hot pursuit of his Brothers Murderer might be his avenger before he could be brought to Judgement then much more may this power be assumed in a case of necessity when there is no Judgement to be expected by Law and when not only our Brethren have been murdered by them that profess a trade of it but others also and our selves are dayly in hazard of it which may be prevented in cutting them off I do not see what is here meerly Iudicial so as to be rejected as Iudaical for sure Murderers must be slain now as well as then and there is the same hazard of their escaping now as then Murder involves the Land in guilt now as well as then and in this case of necessity especially that Law that gives a man right to preserve himself gives him also right to be his oun avenger if he cannot otherwise defend himself 3 Not only the execution the decision of matters of life death is committed to them as in the case of Blasphemie Cursing all that heard were to lay their hands upon his head and all the Congregation was to stone him Levit. 24. 14 16. The man-slayer was to stand before the Congregation in Judgement Then the Congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood Numb 35. 12 24. The people claimed the power of life death in seeking to execute Judgement upon those that had spoken Treason against Saul bring the men say they that we may put them to death 1 Sam. 11. 12. Especially in the case of punishing Tyrants as they did with Amaziah Certainly this is not so Judicial or Judaical as that in no case it may be imitated for That can never be abrogated altogether which in many cases is absolutely necessary but that the people without publick Authority should take the power of life death of puting a stop to the insolency of Destroyers by puting them to death is in many cases absolutely necessary for without this they cannot preserye themselves against Grassant Tyrants nor the fury of publick enemies or fire-brands within themselves in case they have no publick Authority or none but such as are on their Destroyers side 4 Not only the power of purging the Land by Divine precept is incumbent on the people that it may not lye under blood guiltiness but also the power of Reforming the Courts of Kings by taking Course with their wicked Abetters and evil Instruments is committed to them with a promise that if this be done it shall tend to the establishment of their Throne which is not only a supposition in case it be done but a supposed Precept to do it with an
all Action against them Yet all are not asleep and I hope there are some who will never enter in any terms of peace with them against whom the Mediator hath declared and will prosecute a war for ever but will still oune aim at this as the highest pitch of their ambition to be found among His chosen called faithful ones who maintain a constant opposition against them However thô the Lord seems in His providence to put a bar upon all publick Appearances under a display of open war against them and it is not the design of what is said here on this and the foregoing Head to incite or invite to any Yet Certainly even at this present all that have the zeal of God and love to His righteous Cause rightly stated in their hearts will find themselves called not to supercede altogether from all Actions of avowed and even violent opposition against them whom we are all bound both by the Morality of the duty and the Formality of Solemn Sacred Covenants to hold out from a violent intrusion into and peaceable possession of this Land devoted to God and to put them out when they are got in either by their fraud or force And this plea now brought to an end will oblige all the Loyal Lovers of Christ to an Endeavour of these 1. To take Alarms and to be fore-warned and fore-armed resolute ready to withstand the invasion of Poperie that it be neither established by Law through the supineness of such who should stand in the Gap and resolve rather to be sacrificed in the spot by a valiant resisting than see such an Abomination set up again Nor introduced by this Liberty through the wyles of such whose chiefest principle of policy is perfidie who design by this wide Gate and in the womb of the wooden horse of this Toleration to bring it in peaceably Nor intruded by force fury fire sword if they shall fall upon their old game of Murders Massacres It concerns all to be upon their Guard and not only to come out of Babylon but to be making ready to go against it when the Lord shall give the Call. 2. To resist the beginings of their Invasions before they be past remeady And for this effect to oppose their gradual erections of their Idolatrous Monuments and not suffer them to set up the Idol of the Mass in City or Country without attempting if they have any force to overthrow the same 3. In the mean time to defend themselves and the Gospel against all their Assaults and to Rescue any out of their hands upon all occasions that for the Cause of Christ they have caught as a prey to oppose prevent their oun the Nations ruine slaverie But to Conclude As it will be now expected in Justice Charity that all the Vassals Votaries Subjects and Servants of the One Common Lord King Christ Jesus every where through out His Dominions who may see this Representation of the case and Vindication of the cause of a poor wasted wounded persecuted reproached Remnant of the now declining sometimes Renouned Church of Scotland will be so far from standing Esaw-like on the other side either as Enemies rejoicing to look on their Affliction in the day of their Calamity or as Neutral unconcerned with their distressed Condition or as Strangers without the knowledge or sense of their Sorrowes Difficulties Or as Gallio's caring for none of these things or thinking their case not worthy of Compassion or their cause of Consideration or possibly condemning their Sufferings as at best but Stated upon slender subtile nice Points that are odd odious and invidiously represented It is now expected I say that Christians not possessed with Prejudice which is very improper for any that bear that Holy honourable Signature and not willing to be imposed upon by Misinformations will be so far from that Unchristian temper towards them as to be easily byassed with all Reports Reproaches to their disadvantage that if they weigh what is in this Treatise offered and truly I may say candidely Represented without any design of prevarication or painting or daubing to make the Matter either better or worse than it will seem to any impartial Observer they will admit intertain a more charitable Construction of them and not deny them Brotherly Sympathie and Christian Compassion nor be wanting in the duty of Prayer Suppltcation for them that at length the Lord would turn His hand upon the litle Ones and bring at least a thrid Part a Remnant of Mourners through the fire So to that litle Flock the poor of the Flock that wait upon the Lord and desire to keep His way I shall only say Though I judged Necessity was laid upon me in stead of a better to essay this Vindication of your cause as stated betwixt yow and your and your Lords Enemies the men that now ride over your heads that say to your Soul bow doun that we may go over yow I desire not that yow should yea I obtest that yow may not lay any Stress on the strength of what I have said but let its weight lie where it must be laid on that firm Foundation that will bear yow and it both that Stone that tried Stone that Precious Corner Stone that sure Foundation Christ Jesus And search the Scriptures of Truth to see whether these things be so or not And I doubt not but by that Touchstone if these Precious Truths be tried they will be found neither hay nor stubble that cannot abide the fire but as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times Do not offend that they are contemned as small and contradicted as odious but look to the importance of His Glory whose Truths Concerns they are and from Whom they are seeking to draw or drive yow who oppose and oppugu these Truths Stand fast therefore in the Liberty where with Christ hath made yow free and hold fast every Word of His patience that yow may be kept in this hour of tentation Let no man take your Crown or pull yow doun from your excellency which is alwayes the design of your wicked Enemies in all their several shapes shewes both of force fraud craft cruelty Beware of their snares and of their tender Mercies for they are cruel and when they speak fair beleeve them not for there are seven abominations in their hearts Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their fear nor be afraied Sanctify the Lord of Hosts Himself and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread And He shall be for a Sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel for a gin for a snare to the Inhabitants of Ierusalem Wait upon the Lord who hideth His face from the House of Iacob and look
by what orders was given the severitie of prosecuting and the expressions of some great ones since that nothing less than the utter ruin and desolation of these Shires was consulted and concluded and that expedition at that time calculated for that end for what else can be imagined could induce to the raising 10 or 11000 barbarous Savages the joyning them to the standing forces and with such cruel orders the directing them all to the West where there was not one person moving the finger against them neither could they pretend any quarrel If it was not the faithfulness of the People there in their Covenanted Religion and their hoplessness of complying to their Popish and Tyrannical designs and therefore no course so feasible as to destroy them So for dispatching thereof order is given forth that whosoever refuseth to subscribe that Hell-hatched bond must instantly have 10 20 30 40 moe or fewer according to his condition as he is poorer or richer of these new Reformers sent to him to ly not only upon free Quarters to eat up and destroy what they pleased but also for the more speedy expedition ordered to take a six pence for each common Souldier a day and the Officers more according to their degrees and so to remain till either the bond was subscribed or all destroyed Nor was these Trusties deficient to further their purposes in prosecuting their orders Who coming to their Quarters used ordinarly to produce a Billgate for near to as many more as came and for these absents they must have double money because their Landlord was not burthened with their maintenance and where that was refused would take the readiest goods and if any thing remained not destroyed and plundered at their removeing which was not transportible rather then the owner should get any good of it they would in some places set fire to it as they did with the Corn-stacks It would require several great volumes to record the many instances of horrid Barbarities Bloods and Villanies of that wicked expedition so that what by free Quarterings Exactions Robberies Thifts Plunderings and other acts of Violence Crueltie many places was ruined almost to desolation all which the faithful choosed rather to suffer than to sin in complying and albeit their oppression was exceeding lamentable and their loss great yet that of the complyers was greater and sader who lossed a good Conscience in yielding to them and compounding with them 5 Then the Country behoved to pay the Souldiers for all this Service and hire them to do more by paying the imposed Cess whereby they were sharpened into a greater keenness in Cruel executions of their Orders returning to those places of the Country whether they had chased the Persecuted People who still kept their Meetings where-ever they were though they could not attend them but upon the hazard of being killed either in the place where some had their blood mingled with their sacrifice or fleeing or be exposed to their dreadful Cruelties more bitter than death For then it was counted a greater Crime and punished with greater severity for Persons to hear a faithful Minister Preach than to commit Murder Incest Adulterie or to be guiltie of Witchcraft or Idolatrie or the grossest abominations for these have past unpunished when some for their simple presence at a Meeting have been executed unto the death Then also when some were forced to flee into the English border for shelter there also were Parties ordered to pursue those poor hunted Partridges who could not find a hole to hide their head in There we lost a valiant Champion for Truth and truly zealous Contender for the Interest of Christ that universally accomplished Gentleman Christian Tho. Ker of Heyhope who was cruelly murthered in a rancounter with a Party of the English side Thereafter followed that Lamentable stroke at Bothuel where about 300 were killed on the field and about 10. or 1100 taken Prisoners and stript brought into Edinburgh in a merciless manner After which first two faithful painful Ministers Witnesses of Christ Mr Iohn Kid Mr Iohn King received the Croun of Martyrdom sealling that Testimony with their blood and many others after them for the same Cause Then the Enemy after the manner used before first to wound our head and then put on a hood upon it as they have done alwayes after a Mischief and intending a greater offered their Bond of peace on termes that clearly condemned the Cause never to rise in armes against the King c. by which bond many of the Prisoners after they had lyen several weeks in a Church-yard without the shadow of a house to cover them night day were Liberate And many of the rest by the persuasion of some Ministers at whose door their blood lied as well as at the Enemies took that bond and yet were sent away with others that did not take it in a Ship bound for America between 2. and 300. in all who were all murdered in the Ship being shut up under the hatches when it split upon a rock in the North of Scotland except about 50 persons whereof many to this day are Living Witnesses of such a Cruelty III. Hitherto only the Common Rules Rudiments of the Art of Persecution were put in practice exactly quadrating with the Rules of Adam 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 for introducing of Poperie in his Polit. Lib. 2. Cap. â—8 which are 1 To proceed as Musicians do in tuning theâ—â— Instruments gradually 2 To press the examples of some eminent men to draw on the rest 3 To banish all Arch Hereticks at once that is the most zealous Witnesses of Christ or at least with all expedition by degrees 4 To put them out of all power trust and put in friends to the Catholick Interest 5 To load the Protestant Opinions as are most obnoxious with all odious Constructions 6 To discharge all Private Conventieles 7 To 〈◊〉 execute rigorous Lawes against the most dangerous 8 To foment all quarrels among Proteâ—â—â—â—ts and strengthen the Party that is ready to comply 〈…〉 and many other of a deeper Projection greater â—erfection were fallen upon afterwards equallingâ— the most mischievous Machins of Spanish Inquisition 〈◊〉 the Methods that effectuated the desolation of the Church of 〈◊〉 that were exactly followed as they are related in Clarks Martyrology Especially the last of Cantzens Rules was industriously observed in the Device of the Indulgences both before after Bothwel which contributed more to the rending ruining the Remnant 〈◊〉 expose the Faithful to rage cruelty than any thing for when by these ensnaring favours many were drawn away from their duty the rest that maintained it and kept 〈◊〉 the Testimony were both the more easily preyed upon and more cruelly insulted over Hence the few Field-Meetings that were kept were more fiercely pursued after Bothwel than the many before and more cruel Lawes were made against them and more bloody executions than I can find
words to express in short But in a word no Party of Tâ—rtars invading the Land or Crue of Cutthroats destroying the Inhabitants or the most Capital Malefactors could have been more violently opposed or more vigorously sought to be suppressed than these poor Meeters were But I must make some more special hints 1. They not only raised more forces to exhaust the strength substance of the already wasted Country and laid on continued from one terme to another that wicked exaction cruel oppression of the Cess for the same declared ends of suppressing banishing what remained of the Gospel and imposed Localities for maintaining the Souldiers imployed in those designs for refusing which many families were pillaged plundered quite impoverished besides the heating abusing them But also they went on unweariedly with their Courts of Inquisition pressing the Bonds of peace and dragging them like dogs to Prisons that would not subscribe them And for taking up in their Porteous Rolls the names of all that were suspect to have been at 〈◊〉 Inâ—urection which they gathered by the Informations of â—â—â—cophants and reputed them convict if being 〈◊〉 they did not appear and forced others to swear 〈◊〉 and delate upon Oath whom they did either â—ee or heard that they were in armes or went to Meetings And such as refused suffered bonds or banishment Yea having made it Criminal to reset harbour corrospond or converse with these whom they declared Rebels they thereupon imprisoned fined ruined vast numbers 〈◊〉 having seen or spoken with some of them or because they did not discover or apprehend them when they 〈◊〉 they might and even when they were not obliged and could not know whether they were obâ—oâ—ious persons or not for which many Gentlemen others were Indyâ—ed imprisoned and soâ—e arraigned condemned to death For these Causes the Country 〈◊〉 harrassed destroyed by four extraordinary Circuit 〈◊〉 successively going about with their numerous trainâ—â— whereby many were grievously oppressed and with their oppressions tempted with many Impositions of Conscience debauching Oaths Bonds to compear when called and to keep the Church and to refrain from going to Meetings c. and by these tentations involved in Complyances and Defections 2. To enrich themselves by these means with the spoyl of the Country did not satisfie these Destroyers but they must glut themselves with the blood of the Saints upon every pretext that they could catch under any colour of Law. As upon the account of Bothwel Insurrection many were cruelly executed to the death some Gentlemen and some Common Country men without any Legal Conviction by packing bloody Juries Assises most partially for their Murdering ends besides more than can be reckoned that were kept to perish in their imprisonments And not only for being actually in armes or any overt act of transgressing their wicked Lawes but even for their extorted opinion of things or because they could not condemn these necessitated Risings in armes to be Rebellion and a sin against God which they were forced to declare by terrible menacings of death torture they have been condemned to death making their arbitrary Lawes to reach the heart thoughts inward sentiments of the mind as well as outward actions Whereupon this became a Criminal question robbing many of their Lives Was the rising at Bothwel-bridge Rebellion and a sin against God And this another Was the killing of the Bishop of St Andrewes horrid Murther which if any answered negatively or did not answer affirmatively they were cruelly condemned to death for which first five innocent Christians were execute upon the spot where that Murtherer fell Tho they declared and it was known they were as free as the Child unborn and that some of them had never seen a Bishop that they knew from another man and were never in that place of the Country where he was killed And afterwards this was the constant question that all brought before them were troubled with which some avouching to be duty were dismembered alive their hands struck off and then hanged and their heads cut off when dead 3. After Sanquhair Declaration they observed the Jesuites rules more exactly especially that mentioned above to load the Opinions as are most obnoxious with all odious Constructions and to make it both Criminal to declare them and also Criminal to conceal wave their intrapping questions thereupon For after Mr Halâ— was killed at the Queensferrie and Mr Cameron with several worthies were slain at Airsmoss and after Mr Hackstoun for declining the Authority of his Murderers head and tail and for being accessory to executing Judgement upon the Arch-traitor or Arch-Bishop of St Andrewes thô he laid not his hands on him himself nor was present at the action but at a distance when it was done was tortured alive with the cuting off of his hands and then hanged and before he was dead ripped up his heart taken out carried about on the point of a knife and throun into a fire and afterwards his body quartered Then not only such as were with that litle handful at Airsmoss were cruelly murdered but others against whom they could charge no matter of fact were questioned if they ouned the Kings Authority which if any did not Answer affirmatively positively he was to look for nothing but exquisite torments by terrible kinds of tortures death besides And if any declared their judgement that they could not in Conscience oune such Authority as was then exercised or if they declined to give their thoughts of it as judging thoughts to be under no humane jurisdiction or if they answered with such innocent specifications as these that they ouned all Authority in the Lord or for the Lord or according to the Word of God or all just Lawful Authority these under-went suffered the Capital punishment of Treason And yet both for declining declaring their extorted Answers about this they were condemned as unsufferable Maintainers of Principles inconsistent with Government 4. But here as in Egypt the more they were afflicted the more they grew the more that the Enemâ—es rage was increased the more were the People inflamed to inquire about the Grounds of their Suffering seeing rational men and Religious Christians die so resolutely upon them And the more they insisted in this Inquisition the more did the number of Witnesses multiply with a growing increase undauntedness so that the then shed blood of the Martyrs became the seed of the Church and as by hearing seeing them so signally countenanced of the Lord many were reclaimed from their Courses of Complyance so others were daylie more more confirmed in the wayes of the Lord and so strengthened by His Grace that they choose rather to endure all Torture and embrace death in its most terrible aspect than to give the Tyrant his Complices any acknowledgment yea not so much as to say God save the King which was offered as the price of their life and
England and generally hated of all who disdaining to wait upon the formall choise of any but after he had paved his passage to the Throne upon his Brothers blood did usurpe the Title without all Law. 5. The second thing necessary for the Legal Constitution of a King by the people is their Compact with him which must either be Express or Tacite Explicite or Implicite Two things are here to be proven that will furnish an Argument for disouning both the Brothers First That there must be a Conditionall reciprocally obliging Covenant between the Soveraign and the Subjects without which there is no such relation to be ouned Secondly That when this compact is broken in all or its chiefest conditions by the Soveraign the peoples obligation ceases The first I shall set doun in the words of a famous Author our Renouned Country man Buchanan in his Dialogue de Iure Regni apud Scotos Mutua igitur Regi cum Civibus est pactio c. There is then or there ought to be a Mutual compact between the King and his subjects c. That this is indispensibly necessary essential to make up the Relation of Soveraign Subjects may be proved both from the Light of Nature Revelation First it may appear from the Light of Natural reason 1. From the Rise of Government and the Interest people have in erecting it by consent choise at is shewed above If a King cannot be with out the peoples making then all the power he hath must either be by compact or gift If by compact then we have what we proposed And if by gift then if abused they may recall it or if they cannot recover it yet they may ought to hold their hand and give him no more that they may retain that is no more honour or respect which is in the honourer before the honoured get it Can it be imagined that a people acting rationally would give a power absolutely without restrictions to destroy all their oun rights Could they suppose this boundless Lawless Creature left at Liberty to Tyrannize would be a fit mean to procure the the ends of Government for this were to set up a rampant Tyrant to rule as he listeth which would make their condition a great deal worse then if they had no Ruler at all for then they might have more Liberty to see to their safety See Ius populi ch 6. pag. 96. 97. 2. This will be clear from the nature of that Authority which only a Soveraign can have over his Subjects which whatever be the Nature of it it cannot be absolute that is against Scripture Nature Common sense as shall be proven at more length That is to set up a Tyrant one who is free from all conditions a roaring Lyon a ranging Bear to destroy all if he pleases It must be granted by all that the Soveraign Authority is only fiduciarie entrusted by God the people with a great Charge A great Pledge is impauned committed to the Care Custody of the Magistrate which he must take special care of and not abuse or waste or alienate or sell for in that case Royalists themselves grant he may be deposed He is by Office a Patron of the Subjects Liberties and Keeper of the Law both of God Man the Keeper of both Tables Sure he hath no power over the Lawes of God but a Ministerial power he may not stop disable them as he pleases Of the same nature is it over all other Parts of his Charge He is rather a Tutor than an Inheritor proprietor of the Common-wealth and may not do with his pupils interest what he pleases In a word the Nature whole significancy of his power lyes in this that he is the Nations publick Servant both Objectively in that he is only for the good of the people and Representatively in that the people hath impauned in his hand all their power to do Royal Service The Scripture eaches this in giving him the Titles of Service as Watchman c. allowing him Royal wages for his Royal work Rom. 13. he is Gods Minister attending continually on this thing There is his work for this cause pay yow tribute also There is his wages maintinance He is called so in that transaction with Rehoboam The old men advised him to be a Servant unto the People then they should be his Servants 1 King. 12. 7. There was a conditional bargain proposed As to be a Servant or Tutor or Guardian upon Trust always implies Conditions Acconntableness to them that entrust them 3. It must needs be so otherwise great absurdities would follow Here would be a voluntary contracted Relation obliging as to relative duties to a man that ouwed none correlative to us and yet one whom we set over us It were strange if there were no Condition here and no other voluntarly suscepted Relations can be without this as between Man Wife Master Servant c. This would give him the disposal of us Ours as if both we and what we have were his oun as a mans goods are against which he does not sin whatever he do with them So this would make a King that could not sin against us being no ways obliged to us for he can no otherwise be obliged to us but upon Covenant conditions he may be obliged bound in duty to God otherwise but he cannot be bound to us otherwise And if he be not bound then he may do what he will he can do no wrong to us to whom he is no wayes bound This also is point blank against the Law of God which is the Second way to prove it by the Light of Revelation or Scripture 1. In thevery directions about making seting up of Kings the Lord shewes what conditions shall be required of them Deut. 17. 15. c. and in all directions for obeying them the qualifications they should have are rehearsed as Rom. 13. 3 4. Therefore none are to be set up but on these conditions and none are to be obeyed but such as have these qualifications 2. In His promises of the succession of Kings He secures their continuation only Conditionally to establish the Kingdom if they be constant to do His Commandments Judgements 1 Chron. 28. 7. There shall not fail a man to sit upon the Trone yet so that they take heed to their way to walk in Gods Law as David did 2 Chron. 6. 16. Now He was not otherwise to perform these promises but by the action suffrage of the people seting him up which He had appointed to be the way of calling Kings to Thrones if therefore the Lords promise be conditional the peoples actions also behoved to be suspended upon the same conditions 3. We have many express Covenants between Rulers Subjects in Scripture Iephthah was fetcht from the Land of Tob and made the head of the Gileadites by an explicite mutual stipulation wherein the Lord
was invocated as a Witness Iudg. 11. 6 8 9 10 11. So all the Elders of Israel came to make David King and King David made a League with them in Hebron before the Lord and then they anointed him over Israel 2 Sam. 5. 3. he made there a Covenant with them before the Lord 1 Chron. 11 3. He was no King before this Covenant and so it was a Pactional Oath between him the Kingdom upon termes according to the Law Deut. 17. he was only a King in fieri one who was to be King but now actually inaugurate a Covenanted King upon termes that satisfied them It s true they came to recognosce his Right from the Lord But so did they recognosce Rehoboams Right and came to Shechem to make him King 1 King. 12. 1. and yet when he would not enter in Covenant terms with them to satisfie their just demands the people answered the King saying what portion have we in David neither have we inheritance in the Son of Iesse to your tents O Israel vers 16. They refused to acknowledge such an Usurper and we find no Prophets ever condemning them for it So when Iehoash or Ioash was Crowned Iehojada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King the people that they should be the Lords people between the King also and the people 2 King. 11. 17. 2 Chron. 23. 11 16. From all these Reasons Scriptures It is clear there must be a Mutual Compact between the Subjects and every Soveraign they oune subjection to which if he refuse and usurp the Sword they are under an Anterior obligation to substract their Allegiance and to make use of their Sword if they be in capacity to pull it out of his hands and use it against him And of this we are put in mind by the Motto of our old Coronation pieces which have these Words about the Sword. pro me si mereor in me that is for me but if I deserve against me And surely to him that hath it now in his hands it may be said tu meruisti adhuc meres We see then the Allegiance that this Usurper alledges is his due wants a bottom to wit a compact with the people Whence I argue If there must of necessity be a compact between the King the people when he is advanced to the Government then he that advances himself without against this compact is an Usurper not to be ouned But the former is true Ergo he that advances himself without against this compact is an Usurper not to be ouned And who more Notoriously deserving such a signature than Iames the 7 2 who hath made horns of his oun strength or the Popes Biills to push his Brother out and himself in to the Throne upon no termes at all or any security for Religion Liberty One Objection is to be removed here Can the Customs of the Iewes be binding to all Nations The Kings of Iudah made such Covenants shall therefore all Kings do so Ans. why not this Custom as well as Crowing which they used likewise These Rules are not Typical or Cermonial nor only so Iudicial as to be peculiarly Iudaical but are matters of moral equity bearing a standing reason founded upon that Law Deut. 17. 15. c. Limiting the Prince to stand to conditions If we cast at Divine Laws for Rules of Government where wil we find better Laws It is recorded of the first of the British Kings who was Christian that writing to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome before Antichrist took that seat for the Roman Laws he received this Answer By Divine Clemency ye have received the Law faith of Christ yow have the Old New Testaments out of them in Gods Name by Counsel of your State take Laws Govern your Kingdom And of another that he began his Laws thus God speake all these words c. And so repeated the Laws of God. The Second thing I undertook to prove is that Assertion of Buchanan ubi supra de Iure Regni Qui prior a Conventis recidit c. There being a paction between the King Subjects he who first recedes from what is Covenanted and doth Counteract what he hath Covenanted he looses the contract and the bond being loosed which did hold fast the King with the people whatever right did belong to him by virtue of that compact he looses it and the people are as free as before the stipulation Which is also asserted by the Author of Ius populi ch 6. pag. 112. It is no less clear that when the Soveraign doth not performe the principal main most necessary conditions condescended aggreed upon de jure he falleth from his Soveraignity and pag. 117. when the Prince doth violate his compact as to all its conditions or as to its chief main most necessary condition the subjects are de jure free from subjection to him and at Liberty to make choise of another This is so clear that it needs no labour to prove it that upon this head we were loosed from all Allegiance ro the former Tyrant who was admitted upon terms of an explicite Covenant the conditions whereof he did as explicitely break There are two cases wherein Subjects are loosed from Covenanted Allegiance to their Princes 1. When the Prince remitts the obligation of the Subjects and refuses Allegiance upon that basis then he can no more demand it by virtue of that compact He that remitts will not have that Allegiance that the Subjects Covenanted upon such such conditions to him these Subjects should not give it that they so Covenanted for they should not prostitute it to a Refuser Remitter But Charles the Second remitted and would not have that Allegiance which we Covenanted upon such such conditions viz. upon the terms of the Covenant which he cassed annulled and made Criminal to oune Ergo to him we should not have given it which we so Covenanted 2. When the Prince did enter into a Mutual Covenant with the people upon Mutual conditions and does not only cease to performe the conditions but simply denies all obligation to do it and makes it a quarrel to insinuate so much yea persecutes all who dare assert the obligation of that Covenant and yet demands Allegiance not upon the obligation of that Covenant which he hath remitted but absolutely upon the grounds of his prerogative In this case it will be evident also the subjects are not bound either to oune their formerly Covenanted Allegiance to him Or that which he demands on other grounds Grotius de Iure belli is clear as to this Lib. 1. Cap. 4. Num. 12. Si ex Clausula posita in ipsa delatione Imperii ut si Rex hoc aut hoc faciet subditi omni obedientiae vinculo solvuntur tunc quoque Rex in privatam personam recidit If there be such a Clause or condition in the very devolution of the Government upon a Prince as
Plainly declaring they intended no hurt to them if they would hold up their hands they would repute them as enemies to God the Reformation and punish them as such according to their power and the degree of their offence Withall leaving room for Civil Ecclesiastical satisfaction before Lawful settled Judicatories for the offences of such persons as their power may not reach c. And as unwilling to be necessitated to such severe Courses and earnestly desirous they be prevented they admonish them with sorrow seriousness of the sin hazard of their wicked Courses and protest that only Necessity of self preservation and zeal to Religion lest it should be totally rooted out by their insolency did drive them to this threatening Declaration and not because they were acted by any sinful spirit of revange This is all that is contained in that Declaration And if here be any thing there so odious execrable to be so solemnly abjured renounced abhorred in the persence of God for the pleasure of and in obedience to the will of His our enemies let all unbyassed Considerers impartially weigh or any awakened Conscience speak and I doubt not but the swearing subscribing this Oath will be cast condemned I shall say nothing of the necessity or conveniency or expediency or formality of this Declaration but the Lawfulness of the matter complexely taken is so undeniable that it cannot be renounced without condemning many very Material Principles of our Reformation Only Success Incapacity is wanting to justify the manner whole proceedure formality and all the Circumstances of the business If either the Declarers themselves or any other iâ— powered with strength and countenanced with success to make good the undertaking had issued out such a Declaration in the same terms and had prevailed prospered in the Project many that have now abjured it would approve applaud it But passing these things that are extrinsick to the consideration in hand it is the matter that they required to be abjured condemned it is that the enemies quarrelled at and not the inexpediency or informalities of it And it must be taken as they propound it and abjured renounced by Oath as they represent it And therefore the iniquity of this subscription will appear to be great in two respects First in denying the Truth Secondly in subscribing to swearing a Lie. 1. They that have taken that Oath have denied renounced the matter of that Declaration which is Truth duty and a Testimony to the Cause of Christ as it is this day Stated Circumstantiate in the Nation founded upon former among us uncontroverted precedents Principles of Defensive Wars disouning Tyranny repressing the insolency of Tyrants their Accomplices the whole matter being reducible to these two Points Declaring a resolved endeavour of breaking the Tyrants yoke from off our neck thereby asserting our oun the posterities Liberty freedom from his insupportable entailed slavery And a just Threatening to curb restrain the insolency of Murderers or to bring them to condign punishment Whereof as the first is no wayes repugnant but very consonant to the Third Article So the Second is the very duty obliged unto in the Fourth Article of our Solemn League Covenant But all this they have denied by taking that Oath 2. By taking that Oath they have sworn subscribed to a Lie taking it as they represent it abjuring it in so far as it declares c. asserts it is Lawful to kill all imployed in the service of the King in Church State Army or Country which is a manifest Lie for it asserts no such thing Neither will any other sense put upon the words in so far as salve the matter for as thereby the Takers of the Oath shall deal deceitfully in frustrating the end of the Oath and the design of the Tenderers thereof And to take an Oath quatenus eatenus in so far will not satisfie as Voetius Judgeth de Pol. Eccl. P. 213. So let them be taken which way they can either for in quantum or quatenus or si modo it is either a denying the Truth or subscribing a Lie And Consequently these poor people suffered for Righteousness that Refused it HEAD IV. The Sufferings of people for frequenting Field Meetings Vindicated HItherto the Negative Heads of Sufferings have been vindicated now follow the Positive founded upon Positive duties for doing and not denying and not promising engaging to relinquish which many have suffered severely The first both in order of nature and of time that which was first and last and most frequently most constantly most universally and most signally sealed by Sufferings was that which is the clearest of all being in some respect the Testimony of all Ages and which clears all the rest being the Rise Root Cause Occasion of all the rest to wit the Necessary duty of hearing the Gospel following the pure powerful faithfully dispensed Ordinances of Christ banished out of the Churches to private houses and persecuted out of houses to the Open Fields and there pursued opposed and sought to be suppressed by all the fury force rigour rage Cruelty Craft policy power that ever wicked men madded into a Monstrous Malice against the Mediator Christ and the Coming of His Kingdom could contrive or exert yet still followed frequented ouned adhered to by the Lovers of Christ serious seekers of God even when for the same they were killed all day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter and continually oppressed harrassed hunted and cruelly handled dragged to Prisons banished sold for slaves tortured Murdered And after by their fraudulent favours of ensnaring Indulgences Indemnities and a Continued tract of Impositions Exactions and many Oaths Bonds they had prevailed with many and even the most part both of Ministers Professors to abandon that necessary duty And even when it was declared Criminal by Act of Parliament and interdicted under pain of death to be found at any Field Meetings they nevertheless persisted in an undaunted endeavour to keep up the Standart of Christ in following the Word of the Lord wherever they could have it faithfully preached though at the greatest of hazards And so much the more that it was prosecuted by the rage of enemies and the reproach oblequies of pretended friends that had turned their back on the Testimony and preferred their oun ease Interests to the cause of Christ and with the greater fervor that the Labourers in that Work were few and like to faint under so many difficulties What the first Occasion was that constrained them to go to the fields is declared at length in the Historical Deduction of the Testimony of the Sixt Period to wit finding themselves bound in duty to Testifie their Adherence to Continuance in their Covenanted profession their Abhorrence of Abjured Prelacy and
their Love Zeal to keep Christ His Gospel in the Land after they had undergone endured many hazards hardships oppressions persecutions for Meeting in the houses where they were so easily attrapped and with such difficulty could escape the hands of these Cruel Men they were forced to take the Fields though with the unavoidable inconveniences of all Weathers without a shelter yet proposing the advantages both of Conveniency for Meeting in greater Numbers and of Secrecie in the remote recesses of Wild Moors Mountains and of Safety in betaking themselves to inaccessible Natural Strengths safest either for flight or resistence And withal having occasion there to give a Testimony for the Reformation with greater freedom And to this very day though many have a pretended Liberty to meet in houses under the security of a Mans promise whose principle is to keep no faith to Hereeicks and under the shelter shadow of an Antichristian Toleration yet there is a poor people that are out of the Compass of this favour whom all these forementioned reasons do yet oblige to keep the fields that is both for Conveniency Secrecy and Safety they dare not trust those who are still thirsting insatiably after their blood nor give them such advantages as they are seeking to prey upon them by shuting themselves within houses And morover they take themselves to be called indispensably in the present Circumstances to be as publick or more than ever in their Testimony for the Preached Gospel even in the open Fields Now this would be a litle cleared And to essay the same I would offer first Some Concessions Secondly some Postulata or Supposed Grounds Thirdly some more Special Considerations which will conduce to clear the case First That we may more distinctly understand what is the duty here pleaded for and what is that which these people Suffer for here Vindicated let these Concessions be premised 1. Now under the Evangelical Dispensation there is no place more Sacred than another to which the Worship of God is astricted and which He hath chosen for His House Habitation whither He will have His people to resort and attend as under the Legal Typical Dispensation was ordered there was a place where the Lord caused His Name to dwel Deut. 12. 5 11. But now neither in the Mountain nor at Ierusalem the Father will be Worshipped but every where and any where in Spirit in Truth Iohn 4. 21 23 24. And the Apostle wills that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. We abhor therefore the English Popish Superstition of Consecrated places and assert that all are alike in this respect houses or fields 2. In the Constitute case of the Church or when ever it can be obtained Order Decency Conveniency doth require that there be appointed places sequestrate appropriate for the Meetings of the Lords people according to that General Rule Let all things be done decently in order 1 Cot. 14. ult And in that case private Conventicles set up in a Schismatical Competition with Publick Churches are not to be allowed But even then Private Meetings for prayer conference are necessary Lawful Laudable But now the Church is broken by a Crew of Schismatical Intruders who have occupied the places of Publick Assemblies and thrust out the Lods Ministers It is these we scare at and not the place 3. Suppose a Magistrate should interdict Discharge the publik place of Worship and restrain from the Churches but leave all other places free to meet in or if he should prohibite the houses but leave freedom for the fields or discharge the fields and give Liberty in houses in that case we would not contend for the place out of contempt though it were duty then to witness against such a Sacrilegious Injury done to the Church in taking away their Meeting places yet it were inexpedient to stickle strive for one Spot if we might have another then when only excluded out of a place and not included or concluded and restricted to other places nor otherwise robbed of the Churches priviledges we might go to houses when shut out of Churches and go to fields when shut out of houses and back again to houses when discharged thence But this is not our case for we are either interdicted of all places or if allowed any it is under such confinements as are inconsistent with the freedom of the Gospel and besides we have to do with one from whom we can take no orders to determine our Meetings nor can we acknowledge our Liberty to depend on his Authority or favour which we cannot oune nor trust nor accept of any Protection from him Neither is it the place of fields or houses that we contend for Nor is it that which he mainly opposes but it is the freedom of the Gospel faithfully preached that we are seeking to promove improve and he is seeking to suppress The contest betwixt him us is the Service of God in the Gospel of His Son that we profess without ouning him for the Liberty of its exercise And therefore as an Enemy to the Matter Object of these Religious Exercises which are the eye-sore of Antichrist he prosecutes with such rage the manner Circumstances thereof 4. Even in this case when we are persecuted in one place we flee unto another as the Lord allowes directs Math. 10. 23. And if occasionally we find a house either publick or a Church or a private dwelling house that may be safe or convenient or capacious of the numbers gathered we think it indifferent to meet there or in the Fields But in the present circumstances it is more for the conveniency of the people and more Congruous for the dayes Testimony to keep the Fields in their Meetings even though it irritate the incensed Enemies Which that it may appear Secondly I shall offer some Postulata or Hypotheses to be considered or endeavour to make them good and infer from them the necessity expediency of Field Meetings at this time in these circumstances which consequently vindicate the Sufferings that have been thereupon Stated formerly and are still continued 1. It is necessary at all times that Christians should meet together whether they have Ministers or not and whether the Magistrate allow it or not The Authority of God their necessity duty Interest makes it indispensable in all cases It is necessary for their Mutual help two are better than one for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow Eccles. 4. 9 10. It is necessary for their Mutual encouragment in an evil day to speak often one to another which the Lord hath promised to take special notice of Mal. 3. 16 It is necessary for cherishing Mutual Love which is the New Commandment and the badge of all Christs Disciples Iohn 13. 34 35. a principle which they are all thaught of God. 1 Thess. 4. 9.