Party of the Enemies in which they slew the Captain and about 12 or some moe of his men and afterwards they dispersed themselves also The Enemies searching the Country gleaned up the E. of Argyle himself Col. Rumbol an Englishman Mr Thomas Archer Minister Gawin Russel an David Law who were all condemned execute at Edinburgh and many others who were banished to America and about some 20 in the Highlands who were hanged at Inerarie In England the D. of Monmouths expedition though it had more action yet terminated in the same success the loss of many hundred lives many killed in Battel And afterwas by the mercy of the Duke of York several hunderds in the West of England were carried about and hanged before the door of their oun habitations and to make his Captains sport by the way according to the number of the hours of the day when the murdering humour came in their head so many of the poor Captives were hanged as a prodigious monument of monstrous Crueltie This was the Comencement of the present Tyrants Government In the mean time the Wanderers in Scotland thô they did not associate with this Expedition upon the account of the too promiscuous admittence of persons to trust in that Partie who were then and since have discovered themselves to be Enemies to the Cause and because they could not espouse their Declaration as the State of their Quarrel being not concerted according to the constant Plea of the Scots Covenanters and for other reasons given in their late Vindication yet against this Usurpation of a bloody Papist advancing himself to the Throne in such a manner they published another Declaration at Sanquhair May 28. 1685. Wherein Approving adhering unto all their former Declarations And considering that Iames Duke of York a Profest Excommunicate Papist was proclaimed To testify their resentment of that deed And to make it appear unto the world that they were free thereof by concurrence or connivance They Protest against the foresaid Proclamation of Iames Duke of York as King In regard that it is the choosing of a Murtherer to be a Governour who hath shed the blood of the Saints that it is the hight of Confederacy with an Idolater for bidden by the Law of God contrarie to the Declaration of the Gen. Ass. of the Church Iulij 27. 1649. And contrary to many wholesome laudable Acts of Parliament and inconsistent with the safety faith Conscience Christian Libertie of a Christian People to chuse a subject of Antichrist to be their Supreme Magistrate and to entrust an Enemy to the Work People of God with the Interests of both And upon many important grounds reasons which there they express they Protest against the validity Constitution of that Parliament approving ratifying the foresaid Proclamation And against all kind of Poperie in General Particular heads as abjured by the National Covenant and abrogated by Acts of Parliament and against its entrie again into this Land And every thing that doth or may directly or indirectly make way for the same Disclaiming likewise all Sectarianisme Malignancy and any Confederacy therewith This was their Testimony against Poperie in the season thereof which thô it was not so much condemned as any former Declarations yet neither in this had they the Concurrence of any Ministers or Professors who as they had been silent and omitted a seasonable Testimony against Prelacy and the Supremacy when these were introduced so now also even when this wicked Mysterie Conspiracie of Poperie Tyrannie twisted together in the present designe of Antichrist had made so great a progress and was evidently brought above board they were left to let â—lip this opportunity of a Testimony also to the reproach of the declining far degenerate Church of Scotland Yea to their shame the very rabble of ignorant People may be brought as a witness against the body of Presbyterian Ministers in Scotland in that they testified their detestation of the first Erection of the Idolatrous Mass and some of the souldierie and such as had no Profession of Religion suffered unto death for speaking against Poperie and the designs of the King while the Ministers were silent And some of the Curats and members of the late Parliament 1686. made some stickling against the taking away of the penal Statutes against Papists while Presbyterians from whom might have been expected greater opposition were sleeping in a profound submission I cannot without Confusion of Spirit touch these obvious dolorous reflections and yet in candor cannot forbear them However the Persecution against the Wanderers went on and more cruel Edicts were given forth against them while a relenting abatement of severity was pretended against other Dissenters At length what could not be obtained by Law at the late Parliament for taking off the Statutes against Papists was effectuated by Prerogative and to make it pass with the greater approbation it was convoyed in a channel of pretended Clemency offering a sort of Liberty but really introducing a licencious Latitude for bringing in all future snares by taking off some former as arbitrarly as before they were imposed in a Proclamation dated Feb. 12. 1687. Granting by the Kings Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal and absolute power which all Subjects are to obey without reserve a Royal Toleration to the several Professors of the Christian Religion afternamed with under the several Conditions restrictions limitations aftermentioned In the first place tolerating the Moderate Presbyterians to meet in their private houses and there to hear all such Ministers as either have or are willing to accept of the Indulgence allanerly and none other And that there be nothing said or done contrare to the wel peace of his reign seditious or treasonable under the highest pains these Crimes will import nor are they to presume to build Meeting houses or to use out-houses or barns In the mean time it s his Royal will pleasure that Field Conventicles and such as Preach at them or who shall any way assist or connive at them shall be prosecute according to the utmost severity of Lawes made against them In like manner tolerating the Quakers to meet exercise in their forme in any place or places appointed for their Worship And by the same absolute power foresaid suspending stoping disabling all Lawes or Acts of Parliament Customs or Constitutions against any Roman Catholick subjects So that they shall in all things be as free in all respects as any Protestant subjects whatsoever not only to exercise their Religion but to enjoy all Offices benefices c. which he shall think fit to bestow upon them in all time coming And cassing annulling discharging all Oaths whatsoever and Tests and Lawes enjoyning them And in place of them this Oath only is to be taken I A. B. do ackowledge testifie declare that Iames the Seventh c. is rightful King Supreme Governour of these Realms and
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
upon thee from the Lord. Whereunto is subjoined his dying Testimony to the same purpose wherein are these words But if there shall be a falling back to the sin of complyance with Malignant ungodly men then I look for the breaking out of the wrath of the Lord till there be no remedy This was the warning of a worthy dying Man. Notwithstanding of which many other warnings witnessings a course of complyance was commenced by the pulick Resolutioners and continued in to this day wherein that faithful warning of a dying servant of Christ is verified But before I leave this purpose I must obviate an objection that some make use of for strengthening themselves in their incorporations joinings at least in Worship with the corruptions of the time and for condemning conscientious withdrawers That the Godly in those dayes did not separate from the men of these complyances defections as many do now to wit the protesting party did not withdraw from the publick Resolutioners Associators with Malignants I answer first many these the most Godly tender did withdraw even from their oun Ministers and would have gone 40. or 50 myles to hear a faithful Minister at that time yea Ministers themselves in the case of intrusion of the unfaithful would have supplyed the Paroch as if the Church had been vacant and when they could not get access to the pulpit they preached in the fields on purpose to witness against and professedly to withdraw the people from such an unfaithful Intruder as might be instanced particularly for time place if need were But next The Church then though broken by division and under the subjection of strangers deprived of her General Assemblies yet was in a constitut Case enjoying the priviledge power order of Synods Presbyteries to whom the people offended with their Ministers might address themselves for an orderly redress and removal of these Scandals in an ordinary way and so they needed not assume to themselves that power to regulate their communion that in a broken State as now is must be allowed to them And besides both the Ministers at that time who were faithful though they might have proceeded to censure silence the corrupt party as they were obliged yet not only found it difficult by reason of the injury of the times but also thought it best to spare them And the people to bear them as burdens untill as they were still in hopes they should obtain a General Assembly to take order with them but now it is not so And then the defection was but begining and people did not know and could not expect it would go such a length and therefore could not fall upon the rigor of that duty which such disorders call for at first but if they had seen where these beginings would Land them at length I doubt not but they would have resisted those beginings in such a way as would have precluded this imputation of novelty upon our necessitated with drawings III. We have in this Period not only an Illustrious Testimony for the Principle but a continued and unintermitted putting into practice the duty of defensive Armes in resisting the Soverain power malversing abusing Authority to the destruction of the ends of it which resistence was avowed encouraged furthered by the General Assembly both for the defence of themselves and for the help of their Brethren in England Take one expression in their Solemn seasonable Warning to all ranks Feb. 12. 1645. Sess 18. Unless men will blot out of their hearts the love of Religion cause of God and cast off all care of their Country Lawes Liberties c. all being in visible danger of present ruine destruction they must now or never appear actively each one stretching himself to yea beyond his power It is no time to dally or to go about the business by halfs nor be almost but altogether zealous Cursed is he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently If we have been forward to assist our Neighbour Kingdoms shall we neglect to defend our oun Or shall the Enemies of God be more active against His cause than His people for it God forbid In another seasonable necessary warning Iuly 27. 1649. Sess. 27. They say But if his Maj. or any having or pretending power commission from him shall invade this Kingdom upon pretext of establishing him in the exercise of his royal power as it will be an high provocation against God to be accessory or assisting there to so it will be a necessary duty to resist oppose the same These Fathers could well distinguish between Authority and the person abusing it And were not so Loyal as now their degenerate Children are ambitious to shew themselves stupidly stouping to the shaddow thereof and yet will be called the only Asserters of Presbyterian principles But we find they put it among the Characters of Malignants to confound the Kings honour Authority with the abuse pretence thereof and with Commissions warrants Letters procured from the King by the Enemies of the cause Covenant as if we could not oppose the Latter without increaching upon the former But here an Objection or two must be removed out of the way before we go forward One is from the Third Atticle of the Covinant where there seems to be a great deal of Loyaltie obliging to defend the Kings Maj. his person Authority in the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witness with our consciences of our Loyaltie And that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power greatness I Ans. There is indeed a deal of Loyaltie there and true Loyaltie because Lawfully limited being qualified with subordinate unto the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdom as the makers of the Covenant do expound it in the Assembles declaration against the unlawful Eugagment Iuly ult 1648. Sess. 21. not that Reverse Loyaltie which makes duties to God conditional limited and duties to thee King absolute unlimited as our Loyalists do now And I wish others were free of it who have sworn Oaths of unlimited Alledgiances to maintain the King in any power unto which his force aspires and to justify this their Loyaltie will bring in this Article of the Covenant with a distorted sense reading it backward that we in the preservation defence of Religion must preserve defend the King As if Religion obliged to defend him do what he will. It were better such pretended Covenanters denyed the Covenant than to be such a reproach to it in wresting its genuine sense But I have adduced the sense of the best Interpreters of it the General Assembly Next when they entered under the bond of this Covenant they did it with a purpose to oppose all his invasions upon Religion the Liberty of the people and to
they were or to some other Paroches where they may be ordinary hearers and to declare condiscend upon the Paroches where they intend to have their Residence After this they assumed a Power to Dispose of these their Curats as they pleased and transport them from place to place whereof the only ground was a simple Act of Council the Instructions alwayes going along with them as the constant Companion of the Indulgence By all which it is apparent what ever these Ministers alledge in vindication of it to cover its deformity in their Balmes to take away its Stink and in their Surveyes to gather Plaisters to scurf over its Scurveyness viz. that it was but the removal of the Civil restraint And that they entered into their places by the Call of the People a meer mock pretence for a Prelimited imposition whereby that Ordinance of Christ was basely prostituted abused And that their Testimony Protestation was a Salvo for their conscience a meer Outopian fancy that the Indulgers with whom they bargained never heard of otherwise as they did with some who were faithful in testifying against their Encroachments they would soon have given them a Bill of Ease It cannot be denyed that that doleful Indulgeâ—â—e both in its Rise Contrivance Conveyance Grant Acceptance End Effects was a Grievous Encroachment upon the Princely Prerogative of Jesus Christ the only Head of the Church whereby the usurpers Supremacy was Homologated bowed to complyed with strengthened established the Cause Kingdom of Christ betrayed His Churches Priviledges surrendered His Enemies hardened His Friends stumbled and the Remnant rent ruined in that it was granted deduced from the Kings Supremacy and conveyed by the Council in that according to his pleasure he gave and they received a Licence warrant to such as he nominated Elected and judged fit qualified for it and fixed them in what particular Paroch he pleased to assign under the notion of a Confinment in that he imposed and they submitted to restrictions in the exercise of their Ministry in these particular Paroches inhibiting to Preach elswhere in the Church And with these restrictions he gave and they received instructions to regulate direct them in their functions All which was done without Advice or Consent of the Church And thereupon they have frequentlie been called coveened before the Counciâ— to give acâ—ount of their Ministerial exercise and some of them sentenced silenced deposed for alledged disobedience This was a manifest Treason against Christ which involved many in the actual guilt of it that day and many others who gaped after it could not obtain it and for more at that time since in the guilt of Misprision of Treason in passing this also without a witness Thus in holy judgement because of our Indulging Conniving at the usurper of Christs Throne He left a great part of the Ministers to take that wretched Indulgence and another part instead of remonstrating the wickedness of that deed have been left to palliate plaister Patronize it in keeping up the Credit of the King Councils Curats wherein they have shewed more zeal than ever against that wicked Indulgence Yet the Lord had some Witnesses who prettie early did give significations of their resentment of this dishonour done to Christ as Mr William Weer who having got the Legal Call of the People and discharging his duty honestly was turned out And Mr Iohn Burnet who wrote a Testimony directed to the Council shewing why he could not submit to that Indulgence inserted at large in the History of the Indulgence Where also we have the Testimony of other ten Ministers who drew up their Reasons of Non-Complyance with such a snare And Mr Alexander Blair who upon occasion of a Citation before the Council for not observing the 29 of Maij having with others made his appearance and got new Copies of Instructions presented to them being moved with zeal and remembering whose Ambassadour he was told the Council plainly that he could receive no Instructions from them in the exercise of his Ministry otherwise he should not be Christs Ambassadour but theirs and herewith lets their Instructions drop out of his hand knowing of no other Salvâ— or manner of Testifying for the Truth in the CaseØ› for which he was imprisoned died under Confinement But afterwards the Lord raised up some more explicite Witnesses against that defection All this Trouble was before the year 1673. About which time finding this device of Indulgences proved so steadable for his Service in Scotland he was induced to try it also in England which he did almost with the same or like success producing the same effects of defection security unfaithfulness The Occasion was upon his wars with the Dutch Which gave another demonstrative discovery of his Treacherie Popish perfidie in breaking League with them and entering into one with the French to destroy Religion Liberty in Britain Wherein the King of France assures him an Absolute Authority over his Parliaments and to reestablish the Catholick Religion in his Kingdoms of England Scotland Ireland to Compass which it was necessary first to abate the pride power of the Dutch and to reduce them to the sole Province of Holland by which means the King of England should have Zeland for a retreat in case of need and that the rest of the Low Countries should remain to the King of France if he could render himself Master of it But to return to Scotland While by the forementioned Device he thought he had utterly suppressed the Gospel in house field Meetings he was so far disappointed that these very means Machins by which he thought to bury it did chiefly contribute to its revival For when by Persecution many Ministers had been chased away by illegal Law-Sentences many had been banished away and by their ensnaring Indulgences many had been drawen away from their duty and others were now sentenced with Confinements Restraints if they should not choose fix their residence where they could not keep their Quiet Conscience both they were forced to wander and disperse through the Country and the People being tired of the cold dead Curats and wanting long the Ministrie of their old Pastors so longed hungered after the Word that they behoved to have it at any rate cost what it would which made them entertain the dispersed Ministers more earnestly and encouraged them more to their duty By whose Endeavours through the mighty power presence of God and the Light of His Countenance now shining through the Cloud after so fatal fearful a darkness that had over-clouded the Land for a while with such a resplendent brightness that it darkened the Prelatick Locusts and made them hisse and gnash their tongues for pain and dazeled the eyes of all Onlookers the Word of God grew exceedingly and went through at least the Southern borders of the Kingdom
him as King which was one great cause of his persecuting them It s true he persecuted them also for other things as for their not denying Christ So are we persecuted for many other things than for our simple disouning of the King yet this is reckoned as a distinct cause of their suffering by Mr Mede on the Revel Part. 1. Pag. 43. Gees Magist. Origin ch 10. Sect. 7. Pag. 361. The same last cited Author shewes that when Albinus Niger Cassius successively usurped the Empire having none of them any Legal investure the Christians declined the recognition of their Claim and would not oune them and that upon this Tertulian sayes Nunquam Albiniani nec Nigriani vel Cassiani inveniri potuerunt Christiani that is the Christians could never be found to be Albinians or Nigrians or Cassians meaning they were never ouners of these men for Magistrats And so may we say Pudet inveniri inter Carolinianos Iacobinianos hujus temporis Not unlike is the passage of Ambrose who in favors of Valentiniaâ— the rightful Governour contested against Maximus the Tyrant and not only disouned him but excommunicated him for which he was threatened with death And yet it is observable that when Maximus offered to interpose his power in defence of Ambrose that he might not be banished by Iustina the Empress he would not accept of the help of Maximus whose power he disallowed disouned Whence I observe that it is not without a Precedent for a Minister to disoune a Tyrant to refuse favour from him yea and to excommunicate him yea even without the concurrence of his fainting brethren for all which some of our faithful Ministers have been much condemned in our day especially Mr Donald Cargil for excommunicating Charles the Second Iames Duke of York as if such a thing had never been done before Whereas we see what Ambrose did to Maximus And this same faithful Minister Ambrosius Minister at Millain in Italy did also hold out of the Assembly of the Christians Theodosius the Emperour though a most vertuous Prince for that grievous Scandal committed by him against the innocent people at Thessalonica in killing so many of them in a Passionate transport But 3. since this objection of the Primitive Christians is much insisted on both against this and the head of defensive Armes I shall further take notice of several distinctions that do make the difference between their case Ours very vast 1 There is a great difference betuixt a Prince of the common Religion of his Subjects but distinct from some of them whom yet he does not seek to entice to his Religion but gives them liberty the benefite of the Law as other Subjects which was the case of many in these primitive times sometimes And a Prince by all means both foul fair pressing to a revolt from the true and to embrace a false Religion In this case which is ours with a witness it must be granted we should be wary that we neither engage with him nor oune Allegiance to him when he would withdraw us from our Allegiance to God. 2 There is a great difference betuixt a Prince persecuting the true Religion which only a few of his subjects here there did profess who in regard of their Paucity were never in capacity to be looked upon as the body of the people impowering him as their publick Servant which was their case And a Prince persecuting that Religionâ— which was professed by the body of the Nation when they sett him up In this Latter case men of great sense have denyed he should be ouned for a Prince because then he is stated against the Common good This was our case under the former King and yet under this though all Professors be not now persecuted the publick Religion Ancient Reformation is persecuted in a few whom he intends to destroy and in their destruction to bury it 3 There is a difference betwixt a Prince Persecuting Religion publickly ouned received of his subjects yet never approved nor confirmed by Law as it was not in the primitive times And a Prince persecuting Religion ratified established by the Laws of the Land which is our case It will seem clear to every soul not benighted with Court darkness that he then deâ—acto and ipso jure falleth from his right in this case because now he is not only stated against the common good but against the very Laws by which the Subjects must be ruled Then he ruleth not as a Prince to whom the Law giveth his Measures Bounds but rageth as a Tiger Tyrant and ought to be carried towards as such 4 There is a difference betwixt a Prince suppressing that Religion established by Law which he never professed nor never gave his consent to these Laws as might be the case of some of the Arian Emperours though it be unlawful for any people to set up any Mortal over them who is not in this case bound to the good behaviour And a Prince opposing oppressing that Religion which himself hath professed and is ratified by Laws with his oun consent which was our case under the former King who did give the most solemn Ratification of them that ever was given but afterwards most perfidiously retracted it As also this Apostate Papist did somtime profess himself Protestant and consented to the Laws establishing it and the Penal Statutes against Papists though now he is going about to raze all and ruine that alone valuable Treasure of our Nation Religion 5 There is a difference betwixt a Prince consenting to Laws establishing Religion which he now persecuteth which might have been the case of Iulian the Apostate And a Prince who not only consented to these Laws but who did upon these very terms no other get receive his Croun Scepter that he should preserve the Religion as Reformed and protect as a Father the Professors thereof and maintain the Laws establishing it which yet he perfidiously perniciously being once settled in the Government Breaks Casts Cassats Overturns which was done by Charles Or And a Prince who will neither be bounded by the Laws he consented to nor be bound to the Observation of any Laws whatsoever but challenges it as his prerogative Royal to be absolute above all Laws and denying all Security upon terms is free to destroy Religion Liberty and all the valuable Interests of the Nation when he pleases This is Iames his Character 6 There is a difference betwixt a Prince breaking the main only Article of his Covenant in a fit of fury rage being transported upon some Mistakes which was the case of Theodosius the Emperour And a Prince not only violating this upon deliberation but plainly Declaring that neither Oath nor Declaration can or will bind him but these being made void he will destroy without restraint all these Covenanted priviledges This was the case of Charles Or And a Prince who as he never will come
grand Interests of the Community must be seen to by Legal Securities for Religion Liberty which is the end use of fundamental Laws Now how these have been unhinged infringed by the introduction present establishment by Law of that Monster of the prerogative enacted in Parliament Anno 1661. the Apologetick Relation doth abundantly demonstrate Sect. 10. Concerning the Kings Civil Supremacy enhancing all the Absoluteness that ever the Great Turk could arrogate and yet far short of what hath been Usurped since and impudently proclaimed to the world especially by him who now domineers in his Challenges of Soveraign Authority prerogative Royal Absolute Power which all are to obey without reserve whereby the whole basis of our Constitution and Bulwark of our Religion Laws Liberties is enervated and we have security of no Law but the Kings lust Hence I argue Those Princes that contrary to their virtual compact at least at their coming to the Crown have overturned all fundamental Laws cannot be ouned But our Princes have contrary to their virtual compact at least at their coming to the Crown overturned all fundamental Laws Ergo they cannot be ouned The Major is plain for they that overturn fundamental Laws are no Magistrats thereby all the ends of Government being subverted and the subverter cannot be ouned as a Father or friend but an open enemy to the Common-wealth nor looked upon as Magistrats doing their duty but as Tyrants seeking themselves with the destruction of the Common-wealth And in this case the compact the ground of the Constitution being violated they fall from their right and the people are Liberated from their obligation and they being no Magistrats the people are no subjects for the relation is mutual and so is the obligation Ius populi chap. 9. pag. 183. The Minor is manifest both from the matter of fact and the Mischiefs framed into Laws by the Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal Absolute Power foresaid whereby what remains of our fundamental Constitutions either in Religious or Civil Settlements unsubverted as yet may be subverted when this Absolute Monarch pleases Which Absolute Authority we cannot in conscience oune for these Reasons taken both from Reason Scripture First it s against Reason 1. A power contrare to Nature cannot be ouned Absolute power is such for that which takes away and makes the people to give away their Natural power of preserving their lives Liberties and sets a man above all rule Law is contrare to Nature such is Absolute power making people resign that which is not in their power to resign an absolute power to destroy Tyrannize 2. A power contrare to the first rise of its Constitution cannot be ouned Absolute power is such for The first rise of the Constitution is a peoples seting a Soveraign over them giving him Authority to administer justice over them But it were against this to set one over them with a power to rage at randome and rule as he lists It s proven before a King hath no power but what the people gave him but they never gave never could give an absolute power to destroy themselves 3. That power which is against the ends of Government cannot be ouned Absolute power is such for that which will make a peoples condition worse then before the Constitution and that mean which they intended for a blessing to turn a plague scourage to them and all the subjects to be formal slaves at the Princes devotion must needs be contrare to the ends of Government But Absolute power is such for against the exorbitance thereof no means would be left to prevent its obstructing all the fountains of Justice and commanding Laws Lawyers to speak not justice righteousness reason but the lust pleasure of one man and turning all into Anarchy confusion Certainly it could never be the intention either of the work or workers at the Constitution of Government to set up a power to enslave the people to be a Curse to them but their ends was to get comfort safety Liberty under the shadow of Government 4. That power which invalidates and is inconsistent with the Kings compact with the people cannot be ouned Absolute Power is such for the tenor of that is alwise to secure Laws Liberties to rule according to Law but to be Absolute invalidates is inconsistent with that That which were an engagment into Contradictories cannot consist with that compact but to engage to be absolute and yet to rule by Law is an engagment into Contradictories which no people could admit for a security It s inconsistent with this compact to give the King Absolute Power to overturn Religion Liberty and to assume it which was never given were to invalidate this compact and to make himself no King but to restore unto the people the power they conferred upon him for the defence of Religion Liberty 5 That power which is not from God nor of God cannot be ouned But Absolute Power is not of God because it is a power to Tyrannize Sin which if it were of God He should be the Author of Sin for if the Moral Power be of God so must the acts be but the acts of Absolute Power being Lawless cannot be from God Ergo neither the Moral Power to commit these acts 6. That Ruler who cannot be Gods Minister for the peoples good cannot be ouned for that is the formal reason of our consfiencious subjection to Rulers Rom. 13. 4 5. But Absolute Soveraigns are such as cannot be Gods Ministers for the peoples good for if they be Gods Ministers for good they must administer justice preserve peace rule by Law take directions from their Master and if so they cannot be absolute 7. A Tyrant in actu signato exercito cannot be ouned But an Absolute Prince is such being a power that may play the Tyrant if he pleases and jure as King And so if Kings be actu primo Tyrants then people are actu primo Slaves and so Royal Power cannot be a blessing to them yea a Lawless breaker of all bonds promises Oaths cannot be ouned as Lawful Power But Absolute Power is such for it cannot be limited by these Obligations at least people cannot have any seurity by them 8. A Lawless Power is not to be ouned An Absolute Power is a Lawless power Ergo not to be ouned The Major is plain Cicero sayes Lib. 2. de officio Eadem constituendarum Legum causa fuit quae Regum The reason of making Lawes was the same as of the creation of Kings And Buchanan de jure Regni very excellently when the lust of Kings was in stead of Laws and being vested with an infinite immoderate power they did not contain themselves within bounds the insolency of Kings made Laws to be desired for this cause Laws were made by the people and Kings constrained to make use not of their Licencious wills in judgment but of
Peers and had it before they erected and constituted Peers or Primores There is no distinction of quality in interests of Nature though ther be in Civil order but self defence is not an act of Civil order In such Interests people must not depend upon the priority of their superiours nor suspend the duties they owe to themselves and their neighbours upon the manuduction of other mens greatness The Law of Nature allowing self defence or the defence of our Brethren against unjust violence addeth no such restriction that it must only be done by the conduct or concurrence of the Primores or Parliaments 2. The people have as great Interest to defend their Religion as the Peers and more because they have more souls to care for than they who are far fewer And to be violented in their Consciences which are as free to them as to the Peers is as unsupportable to them yea both are equally concerned to maintain Truth and rescue their Brethren suffering for it which are the chief grounds of war and if the ground of the defensive war be the same with them and without them what reason can be given making their Resistence in the one case Lawful and not in the other Both are alike obliged to concur and both are equally obnoxious to Gods threatened Judgments for suffering Religion to be ruined and not relieving rescuing Innocents It will be but a poor excuse for people to plead they had no Peers to head them What if both King Nobles turn enemies to Religion as they are at this day shall people do nothing for the defence of it then Many times the Lord hath begun a Work of Reformation by foolish things and hath made the least of the flock to draw them out Ier. 49. 2. and 50. 45. and did not think fit to begin with Nobles but began it when powers Peers were in opposition to it and when He blessed it so at length as to engage the publick Representatives to oune it what was done by private persons before they never condenmed 3. The people are injured without the Nobles therefore they may resist without them if they be able for there can be no Argument adduced to make it unlawful to resist without them which will not equally make it unlawful to do it with them 4. It s true the Primores are obliged beyond others and have Authority more than others to concur but Separately they cannot act as Representatives judicially They have a Magistratical power but limited to their particular Precincts where they have Interest and cannot extend it beyond these bounds And so if they should concur they are still in the capacity of subjects for out of a Parliamentary Capacity they are not Representatives 5. All the power they can have is Cumulative not Privative for deterior conditio Domini per Procurationem fieri non debet Why then shall the Representatives betraying their Trust wrong the Cause of the people whose Trustees they are Nay if it were not Lawful for people to defend their Religion Lives Liberties without the concurrence of Parliaments then their case should be worse with them than without them for they have done it before they had them and so they had better be without them still 6. People may defend themselves against the Tyranny of a Parliament or Primores or Nobles Ergo they may do it without them for if it be Lawful to resist them its Lawful to wave them when they are in a Conspiracy with the King against them 5. We disallow all war without real indeclinable Necessity and great grievous wrongs sustained and do not maintain it is to be declared or undertaken upon supposed Grounds or pretended Causes And so the Question is impertinently stated by our Adversaries Whether or not it be Lawful for Subjects or a party of them when they think themselves injured or to be in a capacity to Resist or Oppose the Supreme power of a Nation For the Question is not if when they think themselves injured they may Resist but when the injuries are real Neither is it every realitie of injuries will justify their Resistence but when their dearest nearest Liberties are invaded especially when such an invasion is made as threatens inâ—luctable subversion of them Next we do not say that a parties esteeming themselves in a Capacity or their being really in a Capacity doth make Resistence a duty except caeteris Paribus they have a Call as well as a Capacity which requires real Necessity and a right to the action and the things contended for to be real legal Rights really illegally encroached upon their Capacity gives them only a Conveniency to go about the duty that is previously Lawful upon a Moral ground No man needs to say who shall be Judge the Magistrate or people For. 1. All who have eyes in their head may judge whether the sun shine or not and all who have common sense may judge in this case For when it comes to a Necessity of Resistence it is to be supposed that the Grievances complained of and sought to be redressed by armes are not hid but manifest it cannot be so with any party only pretending their suffering wrong 2. There is no need of the formality of a Judge in things evident to Natures eye as Grassant Tyranny undermining overturning Religion Liberty must be Nature in the acts of necessitated Resistence in such a case is Judge party Accuser Witness all Neither is it an act of Judgement for people to defend their oun Defence is no act of jurisdiction but a priviledge of Nature Hence these common sayings vim vi repellere omnia jura permittunt And defendere se est juris Naturae Defensio vitae necessaria est a jure Naturali profluit 3. Be Judge who will the Tyrant cannot be Judge in the case for in these Tyrannical Acts that force the people to that Resistence he cannot be acknowledged as King and therefore no Judge for it s supposed the Judge is absent when he is the party that does the wrong And he that does the wrong as such is inferior to the innocent 4. Let God be Judge and all the World taking cognizance of the evidence of their respective Manifesto's of the State of their Cause 6. We condemn Resing to revenge private injuries whereby the Land may be involved in blood for some petty wrongs done to some persons great or small And abhor revengful Usurping of the Magistrats sword to avenge our selves for personal injuries As Davids killing of Saul would have been 1 Sam. 24. 10 12 13. 1 Sam. 26. 9 10. To Object which in this case were very impertinent for it would have been an act of offence in a remote defence if Saul had been immediatly asaulting him it could not be denied to be Lawful and it would have been an act of private revenge for a personal injurie and a sinful preventing of Gods promise of Davids
boundaries of the Magistracy according to Gods appointment the fundamental constitutions of their Government thought it their duty to shake off the yoke disoune the Authority of these Tyrants that destroyed the same Yea we find that even for incapacity stupidity folly they disouned the Relation of a Magistrate disposed of the Government another way as they did with Ethodius 2. whose authority they did oune but Titulo tenus See Buchan loco Citato PERIOD II. Comprehending the Testimonie of the same Culdees with that of the Lollards THe following Period was that fatal one that brought in universal Darkness on the face of the whole Church of Christ and on Scotland with the first of them which as it received very early Christianity so it was with the first corrupted with Antichristianisme For that Mystorie of iniquity that had been long working till he who letted was taken out of the way found Scotland ripe for it when it came which while the Dragon did persecute the woman in the wilderness did vallantly repell his Assaults but when the Beast did arise to whom he gave his power he prevailed more by his subtiltie than his rampant Predecessor could do by his rage Scotland could Resist the Roman Legions while heathenish but not the Roman Locusts when Antichristian At his very first appearance in the world under the Character of Antichrist his harbinger Palladius brought in Prelacy to Scotland by that conveyance the contagion of Popery which hath always been as every where so especially in Scotland both the Mother Daughter cause effect occasion consequence of Popery These rose stood lived together sometimes did also fall together we have ground to hope that they shall fall again their final fatal fall is not faâ— off Whatever difficulty Authors do make in calculating the Epocha of the 42 moneths of Antichrists duration in the world because of the obscurity of his first rise yet there needs not be much perplexity in finding out that Epocha in Scotland nor so much discouragment from the fancyed permanency of that Kingdom of wickedness For if it be certain as it will not be much disputed that Popery Prelacy came in by Palladius sent Legate by Pope Celestine about the year 450. then if we adde 42 Moneths or 1260 Prophetical dâ—yes that is years we may have a comfortable prospect of their Tragical conclusion And though both clashings combinations oppositions conjunctions this day may seem to have a terrible aspect portending a darker hour befor the Dawning yet all these â—eelings revolutions though they be Symptoms of wrath incumbent upon us for our sins they may be looked upon through a prospect of faith as presages prognosticks of Mercy impendent for His Names Sake encouraging us when we see these dreadful things come to pass in our day to lift up our heads for the day of our Redemption draweth nigh This dark Period continued â—igh about 1100 years in which though Christs witnesses were very few yet He had some witnessing Prophecieing in sackcloth all the while Their Testimony was the same with that of the Waldenses Albingenses slated upon the grounds of their secession or rather abstraction from that Mystery Babylon Motâ—â—â—r of harlots Popery Prelacy for their corruption in Doctrine worship Discipline Government And did more particularly relate to the concerns of Christs Priestly Office which was transmitted from the Culdees to the Lollards And by them handed doun to the Instruments of Reformation in the following Period Their Testimony indeed was not Active by way of forcible resistance against the Soveraign Powers but passive by way of Confession Martyrdom sufferings verbal contendings witnessings against the prevailing corruptions of the time And no wonder it should be so in this some way different from ours because that was a dispensation of suffering when Antichrist was on the Ascendant they had no call nor capacity to oppose him any other way and were novv spirited for this passive Testimony in which circumstances they are an excellent pattern for imitation but not an example for confutation of that principle of defensive resistence which they never contradicted had never occasion to confirm by their practice But as in their manageing their Testimony their manner was somevvay different from ours on this respect so they had far the advantage of us that their cause was so clearly stated upon the greatest of heads of sufferings having the clearest connexion with the fundamentals of Religion Yet we shall find in this Period our Heads of suffering someway homologated if we consider I. That as they did faithfully keep contend for the word of Christs patience under that dispensation in asserting maintaniâ—g both the verity of Christs Doctrin the purity of His Worship by testifieing against the corruptions errors Idolatries Superstitions of Popery so they did constantly bear witness against the usurpation Tyrannical domination of the Antichristian Prelats And as the Culdees did vigorously oppose their first introduction and after aspiring domination as well as the corruptions of their Doctrine As we have the contendings of Eminent witnesses recorded from age to age in the fourth fifth Age Columbe Libthac Ethernan Kintogerne or Mungo in the Sexth seventh Age Colmanus Câ—emens Samson with others in the Eight ninth Age Alcuin Rabanus Maurus Ioannes Scotus Acrigena are noted in Historie And the Lollards by their Examinations Testimonies are found to have witnessed against the exercise of their power sometimes against the very Nature of their power it selfe so in their practise they condemned Prelacy as well as Popery in that their Ministers did in much painfullness poverty simplicity Humility Equality observe the Institution of our Lord. And so far as their light served had occasion to inquire into this point they acknowledged no officer in the House of God superior to a preaching Minister according to this standart they rejected craved Reformation of exorbitant Prelacy And it is plain that they were frequently discovered by discountinanceing withdrawing from their superstitions Idolatrous worship for all which when they could not escape nor repell their violence they cheerfuly embraced endured the flames II. That their Adversaries did manage their cruel craft crafty cruelty in murdering those Servants of God much after the same methods that ours do except that they are many stages outdone by their successors as much as perfect Artists do outstrip the rude beginings of Apprentices But on the other hand the Suffeâ—ers in our day that would follow the example of those Worthyes under Popery would be much condemned by this generation even by them that commend the matter of their Testimony though they will not allow the manner of it to be imitated in this day The Adversaries of Christ in this that generation are more like then his Confeâ—sors witnesses
also constrained by the valour of Archibald Douglas E. of Angus called Bell the Cat to reforme the Court and put away some wicked Sycophants from his Counsel and give way tho against his will to the execution of judgement upon others which was the occasion of that foresaid Agnomen to the Earle For he with other Nobles in a meeting at Lawder consulting how to reform repress the insolency of the Court had the Apologue of the Mice laid out before them that the Mice â—ell upon deliberating how to be rid of the Cat concluded the best way was to put a bell about her neck but when it came to be put in execution never a Mouse durst undertake it The Earle quickly made application saying I will bell the Cat forthwith went out meeting Cochran one of these wicked Consellours took hold of him hanged him with a horse halter over the bridge of Lawder rushing in to the Kings presence proceeded to snatch Ramsey another of the countreyes Enemies out of the Kings Armes but that he yeelded at length to the Kings earnest entreaties to spare him However we see how generously zealous these noble Patriots were for the countries good against Tyrannie thô they were ignorant of Religion Yet this all alongs was still the character of the Scots in these dayes none more terrible to Tyrants none more Loyal to Kings then they PERIOD III. Containing the Testimonie of the Reformation from Poperie AS in the former the Testimony was mostly Passive so in the following Period when they were increased in number strength that embraced the Gospel the Lord called spirited to an Active Testimony for these two Twins Religion Liberty that were then sought to be stifled in the birth are now designed more declaredly to be destroyed after they have growen up to some maturity Which as it renders the cruelty of the present destroyers the more grassant grievous so it rubs the more indeleble Infamie on the shamfull security Ass-like stupidity of this generation that have received such an excellent Testimony deposited to their trust transmitted to them through a continued traÌ„ct of the witnessings wrestlings of their worthy Ancestors and now let it slip slide through their feeble fingers And does the more justify yea magnify the poor endeavours of the present Sufferers who at least when they cannot react these mighty works in defending Religion Liberty do choose rather to die than to resign the Testimony or quite the least Priviledge that their Progenitors possessed them of And though they be superciliously despised as litle insignificant nothings in the eyes of the bulk of the big boasters of this blind age yet if these valiant Heroes who did such exploits for their God in commenceing carying on the work of Reformation were now to see the dull Dotages of this dreaming generation not only suffering consenting to but congratulating applauding the introduction reestablishment of Idolatry Tyranny Popery Slavery upon the ruines of the work they built with so great expence And were to read the pitiful Petitions and airy empty flattering fauning Addresses to this Antichristian Tyrant for the Toleration of that Religion Liberty under the odious notion of a Crime which they had conveyed to them under the security of a fundamental Law They if any would be acknowledged as their Children who disdain disoune such dishonorable dastardly yeeldings and are therefore most despised with disdain despight A brief Rehearsal of their Contendings will clear the Case While the Queen Dowager Regent reigned by the curse of God and employed all her power policy to suppress the Gospel in Scotland God so Counteracted her that the blood of the Martyrs she caused to be murdered proved the seed of the Church and the endeavours of His Servants had such success that no small part of the Barons Gentlemen as well as commons began to abhor the Tyranny of the Bishops yea men almost universally began to doubt whether they could without sin give their bodily presence to the Masse or offer their Children to the Papistical Baptisme Whether these that were in any publick trust could with safe conscience serve the higher Powers in maintainiâ—g of Idolatry persecuting their Brethren suppressing Christs Truth or whether they might suffer their Brethren to be murdered in their presence without any declaration that such Tyrannie displeased them And from the Scriptures they were resolved that a lively Faith required a plain Confession when Christs Truth is impugned And that not only they be guilty that do evil but also they that consent to evil and this they should do if seeing such things openly committed they should be silent and so allow whatsoever was done From doubts they came to determinations to endeavour that Christ Iesus His glorious Gospel should be Preached His holy Sacraments truely ministred Superstition Idolatry Tyranny should be suppressed in this Realme And that both as to the Worship Discipline Government the Reverend face of the first primitive Apostolick Church should be reduced again to the eyes knowledge of men And in this they never faâ—nted till the work was finished To accomplisâ— this famous and faithfull Mr Knox and other Servants of the Lord did Preach diligently in Private Meetings And for that when they were summoned before the Queen several zealous bold men repaired to her plainly in the hearing of the Prelats did charge them with the cruel device intended told her with a vow they should make a day of it because they oppressed them their tennents for feeding of their idle bellies they troubled the Preachers and would murder all should they suffer this any longer No it should not be Thereafter the more effectually to prosecute the Reformation begun they entered into Covenants to maintain advance that work of Reformation And to stand to the Desence thereof and of one another against all wicked Power that might intend Tyranny or trouble against them and to resent any injury done to any of their Brerhren upon the account of the Common Cause as done to all Of which Covenants they entered into many very solemnly one was at Edinburgh anno 1557. Another at Perth 1559. Another at Sterling 1559. binding that none should have any correspondence with the Queen without notifieing it to one another And that nothing should proceed therein without common Consent of them all Another at Leith anno 1560. Another at Air anno 1562. of the same tenor By which Covenants as their Conjunction was the more firme among themselves so was it the more fearful to their Adversaries when according to the tenor of them they kept their Conventions held Counsells with such gravity clossness that the enemies trembled I mention these things more particularly because these same very things commended in our Fathers are now condemned in a poor handful that woâ—ld aim at imitating
their example in renewing reiterating such Covenants of the same Nature Tenor binding to the same very duties and prosecute in the same methods of keeping General Meetings for Correspondence consultation about common mutual Duties in common danger whereunto they have not only present necessity to urge them but also preterite examples of these Worthies to encourage them and their experience of comfort tranquillity they reaped by these Christian Assemblies Godly Conferences as ost as any danger appeared to any member or members of their body These beginings the zealous Covenanted Reformers left no means unessayed to promote by Protestations to the Parliament Petitions many reiterated Addresses to the Queen Dowager From whom they received many renewed fair promises which she had never mind to keep and wanted not the impudence when challenged for breaking them to declare It becomes not Subjects to burthen their Princes with promises further then it pleased them to keep the same And at another time that she was bound to keep no Faith to Hereticks And again that Princes must not be strictly bound to keep their promises And that her self would make litle Conscience to take from all that sort their Lives Inheritance if she might do it with an honest excuse Wherein she spoke not only the venome of her oun heart but the very soul sense principle project of all Popish Princes Whereby we may see what security we have for Religion Liberty this day though the most part make such a pretence a pillow to sleep on But after many Discoveries in this kind of the Queens Treachery at length they would no more be bribed by promises blinded by pretences nor boasted by her Proclamations slandering their interprise as if it pertained nothing to Religion from their endeavours to prosecute the same but finding themselves compelled to take the Sword of Just defence against all that should persue them for the matter of Religion they first signified unto her That they would notifie to the King of France all Christian Princes that her cruel unjust most Tyrannieal murther intended against Touns Mnltitudes was is the only Cause of their revolt from their accustomed obedience which they ouned promised to their Soveraign provided they might live in Peace Liberty and enjoy Christs Gospel without which they firmly purpose never to be subject to mortal man And that better it were to expose their bodies to a thousand deaths than to deny Christ which thing not only do they who commit open Idolatry but also all such as seeing their Brethren purswed for the Cause of Religion and haveing sufficient means to comfort assist them do nevertheless withdraw from them their dutiful support And thereafter they published a Declaration to the generation of Antichrist the pestilent Prelats their shavelings within Scotland That they should not be abused thinking to escape just punishment after that they in their blind fury had caused the blood of many to be shed but if they proceeded in this their malicious Cruelty they should be dealt with all wheresoever they should be apprehended as Murderers open Enemies to God to Mankind And that with the same measure they had measured intended to measure to others it should be measured to them that is they should with all force power they had execute just vengeance punishment upon them yea begin that same War which God commandeth Israel to execute against the Canaanites that is Contract of Peace should never be made till they desist from their open Idolatry cruel Persecution of Gods Children I rehearse this Declaration the more expresly because in our day Declarations of this stile strain and aiming at the same Scope is hideously hissed houted at as unheard of novelties Finally when by all their Letters Warnings Admonitions Protestations they could obtain no redress but rather an increase of insupportable violence they proponed the Question in a General Meeting Whether she whose pretences threatened the bondage of the whole Commonwealth ought to be suffered so Tyrannically to domineer over them Unto which the Ministers being required to give their judgment answered that she ought not And accordingly they declared her deposed from all Government over them because of her persecuting the Professors of the true Religion and oppressing the Liberties of the true Lieges never being called nor convinced of any Crime because of her intrusion of Magistrats against all order of Election because of her bringing in strangers to suppress the Liberty of the Countrey and placing them in greatest Offices of Credite because of her altering and subverting the old Laws of the Realme c. Which I mention because hence we may see what things our Fathers judged did dissolve the relation between the people their Rulers And when applyed to our Case will justify their reasons that have renounced the present Tyranny This was done at Edinburgh anno 1559. And thereafter while they vindicated themselves went on with the work of Reformation throwing doun all monuments of Idolatry propogateing the Reformed Religion God so blessed their endeavours that their Confession of faith and all Articles of the Protestant Religion was Read Ratified by the three Estates of Parliament at Edinburgh Iulij 1560. And the same year the Book of Discipline containing the forme order of Presbyterial Government was subscribed by a great part of the Nobility Thus through the wisdom power of God alone even by the weaknesse of very mean Instrâ—ments against the rage fury of the devil and of all the powers of Hell was this work of Reformation advanced effectuated And came to the establishment of a Law which did not only ratifie confirme the Pâ—oteâ—â—ant Religion but abolish Antichristian Popery and appoint punishment for the Professors promoters thereof Which Law often confirmed ratified afterwards though it be now cassed rescinded by the Prerogative of the present Tyrant because it anulls invalidates his pretence to succession in the Government it being expressly enacted afterwards by a Parliament at Edinburgh 156. Confirming this that all Princes Kings hereafter before their Coronation shall take Oath to maintain the true Religion then professed suppress all things contrary to it yet is still in force in the hearts of all honest men that will not prostitute Religion Law Liberty to the lusts of Tyrants and will be accounted a better bottom to build the hope of enjoying Religion upon than the perfidious promises of a Popish Usurper pretending a Liberty to dissenting Protestants by takeing away the Penal Statuts the Legal Bulwark against Popery All which yet to the reproach of all Protestants some are applauding Congratulating in this time by their Addresses Petitions to this destroyer of Law Religion I wish they would look back to see what the building of this Bulwark cost our Fathers before they sell it at such a
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
vindicate these precious Interests from his usurpings into a state of Liberty And shall we imagine that that very Oath of God did lay upon them or us an obligation to defend the person who is a destroyer of all these contrary to the very nature of the Oath contrare to the scope of the Covenanters and contrary to their subsequent practise But then it will be urged why then was that clause cast into the Covenant I answer we have not the same cause to keep it as they had some cause to put it in with accommodation to the present possessor of the Soveraignity The ouning of it in our circumstances would be as great a reproach to us as the want of it was to them in theirs They put in the words to prevent the worlds mistake and to remove that odium industriously heaped upon the heads of those whose hearts were associate in the defence of Religion Liberty therefore they would profess they would not be disloyal while he was for God. And a defiance may be given to clamour calumnie it self to give one instance of the defect of performance hereof while he went not about to ruine those things incomparably more precious then his person or Authority and in ruining whereof no person can retain Authority IV. But now two things will chiefly be desiderated which now we oune in our Testimony for which many have dyed that seem not to be confirmed by or consistent with the Testimony of this Period One is that we not only maintain defensive resistance but in some cases vindictive punitive force to be executed upon men that are bloody beasts of prey and burdens to the earth in cases of necessity when there is no living for them This principle of Reason natural Justice was not much inquired into in this time when the sun was up whose warmth light made these beasts creep into their dens and when they being brought under subjection could not force people into such extraordinary violent courses when the ordinary orderly course of Law was running in its right Channel Yet from the ground of their ordinary Procedure Military Civil against such Monsters we may gather the lawfullness of an ordinary Procedure in a pinch of necessity conforme to their grounds I hope to make this evident when I come ex proposito to vincicate this head But there is another thing that we onne which seems not to have been known in these dayes viz. That when we are required to oune the Authority of the present Dominator we hold sinful to oune it Yet we find these Reverend renouned Fathers ouned King Charles I. and did not refuse the succession of Charles II. I shall answer in order First as to King Charles the first there was a great difference betuixt him and his sons that succeeded he never declared Parliamentarely that neither Promises Contracts nor Oaths should bind him as the first of his perfidious sons did It might have been then presumed if he had engaged so far for promoving the Work of God he would have been a man of his word for to say a King of his word is antiquitate in a good sense except that it means he is as absolute in his word as in his sword and scorns to be a slave to it Neither professed he himself a Papist as the second Son hath done Again it must be granted that more might have been comported with in the begining when there were some hopes of redress than after such process of time whereby now we see feel beyond all debate that the Throne stands and is stated not only in opposition to but upon the ruines of the Rights Priviledges both of Religion Liberty But was not the equivalent done by the Church anno 1648. when they refused to concur with that unlawful Engagment for restoring of the King till security be had by Solem Oath under his hand Seal that he shall for himself Successors give his assent to all Acts Bills for enjoining Presbyterial Government and never make opposition to it nor endeavour any change thereof Iulij ult 1648. Sess 21. But it will be said that in their renewing the Covenant that year they did not leave out that Article True thereby they stopped the mouths of their Adversaries And then they were not without hopes but that in his straits he might have proved a Manasseh taken among the thornes And the Covenanters at that time not being clear that he had done that which ipso jure made him no Magistrate chused rather while matters stood so to ingage to maintain him than simply to disoune him which yet our forefathers did upon smaller grounds many times in the hopes of being prevailed with at last But when they saw that this proved ineffectual therefore at the Coronation of the new King they made the Covenanted Interest the sole Basis upon which alone Authority was conferred upon him For the second though they did not refuse the succession of Charles the Second which vvas their blame and our bane of vvhich vve may blush this day yet vve find many things in that Transaction vvhich justifie our disouning of him and condemn the ouning of the present Possessor 1. In that seasonable necessary warning Iulij 27. Sess. 27. vvhereas many vvould have admitted his Maj. to the exercise of his Royal povver upon any termes vvhatsoever The Assembly declares first That a boundless illimited povver is to be acknovvledged in no King nor Magistrate neither is our King to be admitted to the exercise of his povver as long as he refuses to vvalk in the administration of the same according to this rule Secondly that there is a mutual stipulation obligation betvveen the King the people as both of them are tyed to God so each of them are tyed to one another for the performance of mutual reciprocal duties accordingly Kings are to take the Oath of Coronation to abolish Popery maintain the Protestant Religion As long therefore as the King refuses to engage oblige himself for security of Religion safety of his people it is consonant to Scripture Reason and Lavves of the Kingdom that he should be refused Thirdly in the League Covenant the duty of defending preserving the King is subordinate to the duty of preserving Religion Liberty And therefore he standing in opposition to the publick desires of the people for their security it vvere a manifest breach of Covenant and a preferring the Kings Interest to the Interest of Jesus Christ to bring him to the exercise of his povver Fourthly That it vvas for restraint of Arbitrary Government and for their Just defence against Tyranny that the Lords people did join in Covenant and have been at the expence of so much blood these years past And if he should be admitted to the Government before satisfaction it vvere to put in his hand that Arbitrary Povver and so to abandon their
for the honour of their Master and the freedom of their Ministrie Whereupon as many poor People were stumbled and jumbled into many confusions so that they were so bewildered bemisted in doubts debates that they knew not what to do and were tempted to question the Cause formerly so servently contended for against all opposition then so simply abandoned by these that seemed sometimes valiant for it when they saw them consulting more their oun ease than the Concerns of their Masters Glory or the necessity of the poor people hungering for the Gospel and standing in need of Counsel in time of such abounding snares whereby many became a prey to all tentations So the more zealous faithful after several Addresses Calls Invitations to Ministers finding themselves deserted by them judged themselves under a necessity to discountenance many of them whom formerly they followed with pleasure and to resolve upon a pursuit prosecution of the duty of the day without them and to provide themselves with faithful Ministers who would not shun for all hazards to declare the whole Counsel of God. And accordingly through the tender Mercy of God compassionating the exigence of the People the Lord sent them first Mr Richard Cameron with whom after his serious solicitation his Brethren denied their concurrence and then Mr Donald Cargil who with a zeal boldness becoming Christs Ambassadours maintained prosecuted the Testimony against all the Indignities done to their Master and wrongs to the Cause both by the encroachments of Adversaries and defections of their declining Brethren Wherein they were signally countenanced of their Master And the Lords Inheritance was again revived with the showres of the Gospels blessings wherewith they had been before refreshed and enlightened with a Glance Glimpse of resplendent brightness immediatly before the obscurity of this fearful night of darkness that hath succeeded But as Christ was then displaying His beauty to His poor despised persecuted People so Antichrist began to blaze his bravery in the solemn shameful reception of his harbinger that Pimp of the Romish whore the Duke of York Who had now pulled off the Mask under which he had long covered his Antichristian Bigotrie through a trick of his brother constrained by the Papists importunity and the necessity of their favour recruit of their Coyn either to declare himself Papist or to make his brother do it whereby all the locusts were engaged to his Interest with whom he entered into a Conspiracy and Popish Plot as was discovered by many infallible evidences and confessed by Coleman his Secretary to Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey for which lest he should witness against him when Coleman was apprehended that Gentleman was cruelly murdered by the Duke of Yorks contrivance command Yet for all the demonstrations of his being a Bigot Papist that he had long given unto the world it is known what some suffered for saying that the Duke of York was a Papist and being forced to leave England he was come to Scotland to promots Poperie Arbitrary Government However thô the Parliament of England for his Poperie Villanie and his ploting pursuing the destruction of the Nation did vote his Exclusion yet degenerate Scotland did receive him in great pompe pride Against which the forementioned faithful witnesses of Christ did find themselves obliged to testify their just resentment and to protest against his succeeding to the Croun in their Declaration published at Sanquhair Iune 22. 1680. Wherein also they Disoune Charles Stewart as having any Right Title or Interest in the Croun of Scotland or Government thereof as being foreâ—aulted several years since by his perjurie breach of Covenant Usurpation on Christs Prerogatives and by his Tyranny breaches in the very Leges regnandi in matters Civil And declare a war with him and all the men of these practices homologating the Testimony at Rutherglen and disclaiming that declaration at Hamiltoun This Action was generally condemned by the body of lurking Ministers both for the matter of it and the unseasonableness of it and its apparent unfeasibleness being done by a handful so inconsiderable for number strength or significancy But as they had very great important reasons to disclaim that Tyrants Authority hinted in the Declaration it self and hereafter more fully vindicated so the necessity of a Testimony against all the Tyrannical Encroachments on Religion Liberty then current encreasing and the sin shame of shifting delaying it so long when the Blasphemous Supremacy was now advanced to its summity the Churches Priviledges all overturned Religion and the Work of Reformation trampled under foot the Peoples Rights Liberties destroyed and Lawes all subverted and no shadow of Government left but arbitrary Absoluteness obtruding the Tyrants will for Reason and his Letter for the Supreme Law witness the Answer which one of the Council gave to another objecting against their Proceedings as not according to Law what devil do ye talk of Law have not we the Kings Letter for it And all the ends of Magistracy wholly inverted while innocent honest People were grievously oppressed in their persons Consciences Estates And Perjuries Adulteries Idolatries and all impieties were not only connived at but countenanced as badges of Loyaltie and manifest monstrous Robbries Murders Authorized Judgement turned into gall and the fruit of Righteousness into hemlock do justify its Seasonableness And the ends of the Declaration to keep up the Standart of the Gospel and maintain the Work of Reformation and preserve a Remnant of faithful Adherers to it the nature of the Resolution declared being only to endeavour to make good maintain their Revolt in opposition to all who would pursue them for it and reinforce them to a subjection to that yoke of slaverie again and the extremity of danger distress that party was in while declared pursued as Rebells and intercommuned interdicted of all supplie solace being put out of their oun and by Law precluded of the harbour of all other habitations and so both for safety subsistence compelled by necessity to concur keep together may alleviate the Censure and stop the Clamour of its unfeasibleness But thô it is not the prudence of the managment but the justness of the Action that I would have vindicated from obliquies yet it wanted nothing but success to justify both in the conviction of many that made much outcry against it In these dangerous in his maintainance of the true Covenanted Religion which homage they cannot now require upon the account of the Covenant which they have renounced disclaimed and upon no other ground we are bound to them the Croun not being an inheritance that passeth from Father to son without the Consent of Tenants 3 Of the hope of their returning from these Courses Whereof there is none seeing they have so often declared their purposes of persevering ill thein And suppose they should dissemble a repentance
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
of Burgh Royal what place or places they set a part for these uses with the names of the Preachers provided alwayes that the Meetings be in houses and not in the open fields for which now after this our Royal grace favour which surpasses the hopes equalls the very wishes of the most zealously concerned there is not the least shadow of execuse left Which Meetings in the fields we do hereby strictly prohibite forbid against all which we do leave our Lawes Acts of Parliament in full force vigour notwithstanding the premises and do further command all our Judges Magistrats Officers of forces to prosecute such as shall be guilty of the said field Conventicles with the utmost rigour for we are confident none will after these Liberties freedoms given to all without reserve to serve God in their oun way presume to meet in these Assemblies except such as make a pretence of Religion to cover their treasonable designs against our Royal person the peace of our Government This is the Royal Charter for security of the Protestant Religion intended to secure it so that it shall not go much abroad again in Lieu of all the Lawes Constitutions Oaths Covenants wherewith it was formerly confirmed This is the only patent which the Royal Dâties the Moderate Presbyterians have now received to ensure their enjoyment of it durante beneplacito during his pleasure whose Faith is as absolute over all ties of promises as his power from whence it flowes is over all Lawes whose chiefest principle of Conscience is that no Faith is to be kept to Hereticks Here is the Liberty which is said to surpass the hopes and equal the wishes of the most zealously concerned holding true indeed of too many whose hopes wishes zeal are terminate upon peace rather than Truth ease rather than duty and their own things rather than the things of Christ But as for the poor wild Wanderers it some way answers their fears and corrosponds with their jealousies who put the same interpretation upon it as on all the former Indulgences Indemnities Tolerations proceeding from the same fountain designed for the same sinistrous ends with this which they look upon as more openly obviously Anti-christian and therefore while others are rejoicing under the bramble-shadow of it they think it a cause of weeping matter of mourning not because they do not share of the benefit of it but because they are afraid to share of the Curse of it For which cause thô a freedom be pretended to be given to all without reserve to serve God in their own way they think it necessary to reserve to themselves the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and to serve Him in His Way thô interdicted by men and to take none from Antichrist restricted with his reserves And do look upon it as a Seasonable Testimony for the Cause of Christ and the Interest of the Protestant Religion and the Lawes Liberties of the Country all overturned subverted by this Toleration to keep their Meetings as in former times in the open fields whither their Tyranny hath driven them And let them call these Meetings covered treasonable designs against the Government on pretence of Religion I trust it shall be made evident in the Conviction of all that know Religion that their designs are to preserve it in opposition to the Tyranny that goes about all these wayes to suppress it Though I must suspend the Reasons of their keeping their Meetings in the fields till I come to discuss that Case in its oun place Here I shall only say none that is acquainted with their Circumstances which are as dangerously stated as ever by reason of the Constant Persecution of Cruel enraged Enemies incessantly pursuing them without relenting notwithstanding of all this pretence of Clemency tenderness to Conscience but may know they can neither have safety secrecy nor conveniency in houses for fear of their entrapping enemies and none will blame them that after so many discoveries of their truculent treachery they dare not trust them And besides they think it sinful scandalous inconvenient to seem to homologate this Toleration the wickedness whereof they are convinced of from these Reasons I. Considering the Granter in his personal Capacity as to his Morals they look upon him as a person with whom they cannot in Prudence communicate in any transaction of that nature First because being in his Principles practice professedly treacherous yea obliged to be both perfidious cruel by that Religion whereunto he is addicted he cannot be trusted in the least concerns let be those of such momentous consequence as this without a stupid abandoning of Conscience Reason Experience Since both that known principle that no Faith is to be kept to Hereticks which is espoused by all Papists does to them justify all their lying dissimulations equivocations treacheries imaginable and that Lateran Canon that enjoyns Kings to destroy exstirpate Hereticks under pain of excommunication does oblige him to be cruel besides what deep engagments he is known to be under by Oaths Promises to the Pope both in his exile and while a subject and since he came to the Croun which make him to all Considering persons to be a person of that Character whose deceitful dainties are not to be desired and that when he speaketh fair is not to be beleeved for there are seven abominations in his heart Of which open affronted Lies we have a sufficient swatch both in his Proclamation for Scotland and Declaration for England where he speaks of his constant resolves of uniting the hearts of Subjects to God in Religion to their Neighbours in Christian Love and that it never was his principle to offer violence to any mans Conscience or use invincible necessity against any man on the account of his persuasion and that their Property was never in any case invaded since his coming to the Croun and that it hath been his constant sense opinion that Conscience ought not to to be constrained nor People forced in matters of meer Religion To which his uninterrupted endeavours to divide us from God and from on another that he might the more easily destroy us and his constant encroachments upon Lawes Liberties Properties and all Interests of men Christians for Conscience sake do give the lie manifestly And it must be great blindness not to see and great baseness willingly to wink at that double faced equivocation in matters of meer Religion by which he may elude all these flattering promises of tenderness by excepting at the most necessary indispensable duties if either they be such wherein any other Interest is concerned beside meer Religion or if their troubles sustained thereupon be not altogether invincible necessities Hence the plain falsehood doubleness of his Assertions as to what is past may give ground to conclude his intended perfidie in the promises of
what is future Next it is known what his Practices Plots have been for the destruction of all honest precious Interests what a deep hand he had in the burning of London in the Popish plot discovered anno 1678. in the Murder of the Earle of Essex yea in the Parricide committed upon his oun brother By all which it appears nothing is so abominable barbarous which he hath not a Conscience that will swallow digest without a scruple and what he hath done of this kind must be but preparatory to what he intends as meritorious to attone for these villanies And in his esteem and persuasion of Papists nothing is thought more meritorious than to exstirpate the Protestant Religion and destroy the Professors thereof Therefore being such a person with whom in Reason no honest man could transact for a tenure of the least piece of Land or house or any holding whatsoever they dare not accept of his security or protection for so great an Interest as the freedom exercise of their Religion under the shadow of such a bramble If it was the Shechemites sin shame to strengthen a naughty Abimelech and strengthen themselves under the shadow of his protection much more must it be to take protection for Religion as wel as peace from such a Monster of crueltie treacherie This were against their Testimony and contrary to the Laudable Constitutions of the Church of Scotland to take no Protections from Malignant Enemies as was shewed above in Montroses case See Pag. 82. above II. Considering his Religion more particularly they judge it unlawful so to bargain with him as this Acceptance would import It is known he is not only a Papist an Apostate Papist and an Excommunicate Papist as is related above but a fiery Bigot in the Romish Religion and zealous sworn votarie vassal of Antichrist who as the Letter of the Iesuite from Liege lately published in print tells us is resolved either to convert England to Poperie or die a Martyr and again that he stiles himself a son of the Societie of Iesuites and will account every injury done to them to be a wrong done against himself being known to be under the conduct guidance of that furious Order yea and enrolled as a member of that Society Which makes it the less to be wondered that he should require absolute obedience without reserve seeing he himself yeelds absolute obedience as wel as implicite faith without reserve to the Jesuites Such a Bigot was Mary of England as also his great Grandame of Scotland if she had got her will And his Bigotrie will make him emulous of her Crueltie as counting it a diminution of his glory for such a Champion as he under Antichrists banner to come short of a womans enterprizes Nor would the late King have been so posted off the stage if his successor were not to act more vigorously than he in this Tragical design to which this Toleration is subservient He is then a Servant of Antichrist and as such under the Mediators Malediction yea in this respect is heir to his Grandfathers imprecation who wished the Curse of God to fall upon such of his Posterity as should at any time turn Papists How then can the Followers of the Lamb strike hands be at peace associate confederate or bargain with such a declared Enemy to Christ Certainly the Scripture-Commands of making no Covenant or League interdicting entering into any affinity with the People of these abominations and forbidding saying a Confederacy with them do lay awful bonds on the Faithful to stand aloof from such The People might have had Liberty of Conscience under the Assyrian Protection when they were saying a Confederacy with him but in so doing they forefaulted the benefit of the Lord being a Sanctuary to them To bargain therefore with such an one for a Toleration of Religion were contrary to the Scriptures contrary to the Covenants and Principles of the Church of Scotland against Associations Confederacies with such Enemies See Gillesp. Useful Case of Conscience concerning Assoc. hinted Pag. 83. and more Head. 3. Arg. 1. But to accept of this Liberty as now offered were a bargaining for where there is a Giving Receiving upon certain Conditions where there are Demands Complyance Commands Obedience Promises Relyance Offers upon termes Acquiescence in these termes what is there wanting to a bargain but the meer formality of Subscriptions At least it cannot be denied but the Addressers have bargained for it and in the name of all the Accepters which must stand as their deed also if they do not evidence their resentment of such Presumption which I do not see how they can if they abide under the shadow thereof the same way as they do I grant Liberty is very desirable and may be taken improven from Enemies of Religion And so do the Wanderers now take it improve it to the best advantage without receiving it by acquiescing in any termes But such a Liberty as this was never offered without a destructive design nor ever received without a destructive effect It is one of the filthie flatteries found in the English Addresses particularly that from Totness that the present Indulger is like another Cyrus who proclaimed Liberty to the People of God Ezra 1. But who sees not the disparity in every respect Cyrus at his very first entry into the Government did lay out himself for the Churches good This man who speaks now so fair his first work was to break our head and next to put on our hood first to assert corroberate his prerogative and then by virtue of that to dispense with all Penal Lawes It was foretold that Cyrus should deliver the Church at that time But was it ever promised that the Church should get Liberty to advance Antichrist or that Antichrist or one of his Limbs should be employed in the Churches deliverance while such The Lord stirred up the Spirit of Cyrus Can it be said without blasphemy that the Lord stirred up this man to contrive the introduction of Poperie by this Gate Gap except in a penal sense for judgment Cyrus had a Charge to build the Lord a House but this is not a Charge but a Grant or Licence not from nor according to Gods Authority but mans not to build Christ a House but a Babel for Antichrist and all this Liberty is but contrived as scaffolding for that Edifice which when it is advanced then the scaffolding must be removed 3. Considering him in his Relation as a Magistrate it were contrary to their Testimony so often renewed ratified confirmed with so many reasons and sealed by so much blood bonds banishment other sufferings to oune or acknowledge his Authority which is meer Usurpation Tyrannie in that by the Lawes of the Land he is incapable of Government and that he hath neither given nor can give without an hypocritical damning cheat the Oath
Security indispensibly required of him before at his entry to the Government Yet this Liberty cannot be Complyed with without recognoscing his Authority that he arrogates in giving it Seeing he tenders it to all his good Subjects and gives it by his Soveraign Authority and to the end that by the Liberty thereby granted the peace security of the Government in the practice thereof may not be indangered And in the Declaration to England it is offered as an expedient to establish his Government on sach a foundation as may make his Subjects happy and unite them to him by inclination as well as duty to which indeed the Acceptance thereof hath a very apt subserviency seeing it implies not only ouning of the Government out of Duty but an union joyning with it and him by inclination which is a cordial Confederacy with Gods enemie and a cooperating to the establishment of his Tyrannie that the peace security thereof may not be endangered And in his former Proclamation he gives them the same security for their Rights Properties which he gives for Religion And in the English Declaration addeth that to the perfect enjoyment of their Propertie which was never invaded c. Which to accept were not only to take the security of a manifest lie but to prefer the word of a man that cannot must not will not keep it without going cross to his principles to the Security of Right Law which is hereby infringed and to acknowledge not only the Liberty of Religion but the Right of Property to his grant which when ever it is removed there must remain no more Charter for it but stupid slavery entailed upon Posterity and pure perfect Tyranny transmitted to them The sin absurdity where of may be seen demonstrated Head. 2. 4 Considering the Fountain whence it flowes they cannot defile themselves with it In the English Declaration it flowes from the Royal will pleasurâ— which speaks a Domination Despotical Arbitrary enough but more gently expressed than in the Scots Proclamation where it is refounded on Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal and Absolute Power Proclaiming by sound of Trumpet à Power Paramount to all Law Reason Religion and outvying the hight of Ottoman Tyranny A Power which all are to obey without resâ—rve A power to Tolerate or Restrain the Protestant Religion according to his Royal will or pleasure An Absolute power which can not be limited by Lawes nor most Sacred Obligations but only regulated by the Royal lust whereby indeed he may suffer the Protestant Religion but only precariously so long as he pleases and until his Royal pleasure shall be to command the establishment of Poperie which then must be complyed with without control Whereby all the tenure that Protestants have for their Religion is only the Arbitrary word of an absolute Monarch whose principles oblige him to break it and his ambition to disdain to be a slave to it Now the Acceptance of this Grant would imply the recognizance of this power that the Granter claims in granting it which utterly disolves all Government and all security for Religion Liberty and all the precious Interests of men Christians Which to acknowledge were contrare to Scripture contrary to Reason and contrary to the Principles of the Church of Scotland particularly the Declaration of the Gen. Ass. Iulij 27. 1649. See pag. 89. c. and contrary to the Covenant 5. Considering the Channel in which it is conveyed they cannot Comply with it Because it comes through such a Conveyance as suspends stops disables all penal Lawes against Papists and thereby everts all the Securities legal Bulwarks that Protestants can have for the establishment of their Religion yea in effect leaves no Lawes in force against any that shall attempt the utter subversion of it but ratiâ—ies leaves in ful vigour all wicked Lawes Acts of Parliament against such as would most avowedly assert it and stops disables none of the most cruel bloody Lawes against Protestants for the most cruel are such as have been made against Field-Meetings which are hereby left in ful force vigour Hence as he hath formally by absolute power suspended all Lawes made for the Protection of our Religion so he may when he will dispense with all the Lawes made for its establishment and those who approve the one by such an Acceptance cannot disallow the other but must recognosce a power in the King to subvert all Lawes Rights Liberties which is contrare to Reason as wel as Religion and a clear breach of the National Solemn League Covenants 6. Considering the Ends of its Contrivance they dare not have any accession to accomplish such wicked Projects to which this Acceptance would be so natively subservient The expressed ends of this Grant are to unite the hearts of his Subjects to him in Loyaltie and to their Neighbours in love as in the former Proclamation And that by the Liberty granted the peace security of his Government in the practice thereof may not be endangered as in the latter Proclamation And to unite the Subjects to him by inclination as well as duty which he thinks can be done by no means so effectually as by granting the free exercise of Religion as in the English Declaration Whence we may gather not obscurely what is the proper tendency of it both as to the work worker to wit to incline induce us by flatterie to a lawless Loyaltie and a stupid contented slavery when he cannot compel us by force and make us actively cooperate in setting settling his Tyranny in the peaceable possession of all his Usurpations Robberies Encroachments upon our Religion Lawes Liberties and to incorporate us with Babylon for wbo are the Neighbours he would have us unite with in love but the Papists against whom all the Lovers of Christ must profess themselves irreconcileable Enemies The English Declaration does further discover the design of this device in one expression which will most easily be obtained to be beleeved of any in it viz. that he heartily wishes that all the People of these Dominions were members of the Catholick Church which clearly insinuates that hereby he would entyce them to commit fornication with that Mother of harlots which entycing to Idolatrie if we consult the Scripture should meet with another sort of entertainment than such a kind thankful Acceptance which is not an opposing of such a wicked wish but an encouraging corroberating of it And further he sayes that all the former tract of Persecutions never obtained the end for which it was employed For after all the frequent pressing endeavours that were used to reduce this Kingdom to an exact conâ—ormity in Religion it is visible the success has not answered the design and that the difficultie is invincible Wherein we may note his extorted acknowledgment that all former endeavours to destroy the Work of God have been
made a hunting-field and his acts actings designed to veâ—ify it since his unhappy succession do give the lie For immediatly upon his mounting the Throne the executions and Acts prosecuting the Persecution of the poor Wanderers were more Cruel than ever 1. There were more butchered slaughtered in the fields without all shadow of Law or Trial or Sentence than in all the former Tyrants reign who were murdered without time given to deliberate upon death or space to conclude their Prayers but either in the instant when they were Praying shooting them to death or surprizing them in their Caves and murdering them there without any grant of Prayer at all Yea many of them murdered without taking notice of any thing to be laid against them according to the worst of their oun Lawes but slain cut off without any pity when they were found at their labour in the field or travelling upon the road And such as were Prisoners were condemned for â—eâ—using to take the Oath of Abjuration and to oune the Authority and surprized with their execution not knowing certainly the time when it should be yea leff in suspense whether it should be or not as if it had been on design to destroy both their Souls Bodies Yea Queensâ—errie had the impudence to express his desire of it when some went to sollicite him being then Commissioner for a Reprieval in favours of some of them he told them they should not have time to prepare for Heaven hell was too good for them 2. There have been more banished to forreign Plantations in this mans time than in the others Within these two years several shipfulls of honest Consciencious Sufferers have been sent to Iamacia to which before they were sent some had their ears cutt New Ieresey Barbadoes in such Crouds Numbers that many have died in transportation as many also died before in their pinching Prisons so thronged that they had neither room to lye nor sit Particularly the Barbarous usage of a great multitude of them that were sent to Denotter Castle when there was no room for them in Edinburgh is never to be forgotten which the wildest rudest of Savages would have thought shame of They were all that long way made to travel on foot men women and some of both sexes very infirme decrepite through age and several sick guarded by bonds of Souldiers And then put in to an old ruinous rusty house and shut up under vauts above 80 in a room men women without air without ease without place either to lie or walk without any Comfort save what they had from Heaven so straitened for want of refreshment which they could not have but at exorbitant prices inconsistent with their poor empty purses and so suffocated with the smell of the place and of their oun excrements that as several of them died so it was a wonder of Mercy that any of them could outlive that Miserie Yet there they remained some moneths at a distance from all their friends being sent thither to that Northern Corner out of the South West borders of the Country and some out of London Whose transportation hither if it were not a part of this Tragical Story would seem a merry ridiculous passage to Strangers discovering the ridiculous folly as well as the outragious fury of their Persecuters For at a Private Meeting in London among others some Scotchmen of very mean figure some Taylors a Shoemaker a Chap man c. were taken being found to be Scotchmen were not only examined at the Common Courts there but by Sir Andrew Foster by express Commission from the late King a litle before his death who threatened them under a strange sort of Certification considering what fell out immediately thereafter that assuredly they should be sent to Scotland very shortly if there were not a Revolution of the Government But this Revolution following within a few dayes retarded it a litle yet not long thereafter they were sent in a Yacht with a Guard of Souldiers and a Charge of high Treason But when brought before the Council of Scotland the amount of all that â—ussle with them was a Question posed to them under pain of death whether the King should be King or no that is wheither they ouned his Authority or not Yet thô some of the poor men did oune it they were sent to Denotter Castle And thence among the rest banished transported to New Iersey in which passage by reason of their Croud bad provision the most part in the ship were cast into a fever and upwards of 60 died yea even since the former Proclamation for this pretended Liberty there are 21. men and 5. women sent to Barbadoes against whom nothing could be aâ—ledged but matters of meer Religion Conscience which as it Proclaims the Notoriousness of these impudent lies wherewith the Proclamations for this Liberty are stuffed So it puts an indeleble brand of infamy upon some Lâ—ndon Merchants that are said to pretend to some profession of Religion who sent the ship to transport them thereby to make gain of the merchandise of the Lords Captives 3. There have been more Cruel Acts of Parliament enacted in this Tyrants time than the former made all his reign For in his first Parliament held by Queensberrie Commissioner not only was there an Act for making it Treason to refuse the Oath of Abjuration confirming all the illegalities of their Procedure hereupon before but an Act making it Criminal to oune the Covenant and another Act making it Criminal for any to be present at a Field Meeting which was only so to Preachers before Yet neither these Acts and all the executions following upon them have daunted nor I hope shall drive them nor the Indemnity and Toleration so generally now applauded draw them from the Duty of ouning both these that are so much the more Publickly to be avouched that they are so openly interdicted by wicked blasphemous Tranny though for the same they expect from the Scotish Inquisition all the murdering violence that hell Rome and Malignant rage can exert But to conclude this Tragical Deduction As these hints we have heaped together of the Kinds several sorts the Particulars being impossible to be reckoned of barbarities and arbitrary Methods used in carrying on this Persecution demonstrating the reign or rather rage of these two Dominators under which we have houled these 27 years to be a Complete habitual Tyranny do discover the inhumanity illegality of their Proceedings having no other Precedent save that of the French Conversions or Spanish Inquisition out done by many stages in respect of Illegality by the Scotish Inquisition and the Practices of the Council of Scotland and Iusticiary Court So I shall shut up all in a summarie Relation of the Common Practicks formes of Procedure in these Courts which will be useful to understand a litle more distinctly to the end
visible Kingdom of which the Government is layd upon His shoulders against the heaven-daring Usurpations encroachments made thereupon both as He is Mediator King Head of the Church and as He is God Universal King of the world As He is Mediator it is His Peculiar Prerogative to have a Supremacy Sole Soveraignty over His oun Kingdom to institute His oun Government to constitute His oun Lawes to ordain His oun Officers to appoint His oun Ordinances which He will have observed without alteration addition or diminution untill His Second Coming This His Prerogative hath been is invaded by Erastian Prelacy Sacrilegious Supremacy and now by Antichristian Poperie which have overturned His Government inverted His Lawes subverted His Officiers Perverted His Ordinances As He is God Universal King it is His in communicable Property Glory not only to have Absolute Illimited Power but to invest his Deputed Ministers of Justice with His Authority Ordinance of Magistracy to be administred in subordination to Him to be regulated by His Lawes and to be improved for His Glory the good of Mankind This Glory of His hath been invaded by Tyrants Usurpers arrogating to themselves an Absolute Power intruding themselves without His investment into Authority in a Rebellion against Him in opposition to His Lawes and abusing it to His dishonour and the destruction of Mankind Against both which Encroachments the Present Testimony is stated in a Witness for Religion Liberty to both which these are destructive This will appear to be the Result Tendency of the Testimony in all its parts opposed by the Enemies of Religion Liberty and the end of all their oppositions to bring it to this Crinomenon who shall he King Iesus or Cesar Let any seriously search into all their Proclamations Edicts against Religion Liberty this will be found to be the soul sense of them practically Really speaking to this purpose especially since this man came to the Throne J. R. JAmes the 7 2 by the V. of G. King of Scotland England France Ireland Defender of the Antichristian faith To'all sundry our good subjects whom these presents do or many concern Greeting We having taken into our Royal Consideratiâ—n the many great inconveniences which have happened in that our Ancient Kingdom of Scotland especially of late years through the persuasions of the Christian Religion the great heats animosities betuixt the Professors therof and our good faithful subjects whose faith Religion is subject subservient to our Royal will the Supreme Law Reason publick Conscience to the disappointment of our Projects restraint of our pleasures and Contempt of the Royal power Convertingâ— true Loyaltie absolute subjection into words names which we care not for of Religion Liberty Conscience the Word of God thereby withdrawing some to the Christian faction from an absolute implicite subjection to us our will as if there were a Superiour Law to which they might appeal And considering that these Rebellious Christians do never cease to assert maintain strange Paradoxes such Principles as are inconsistent with the glory interest of our Government as that the Authority of Kings should be hem'd in with Limits and that their Acts Actions are to be examined by another rule than their oun Authority to make them Lawful that somethings in the Kingdom are not subject to the Kings Authority That there is a Kingdom within a Kingdom not subordinate to the King And that there is another King Superior to the Supreme whom they will rather obey than us And that we must either take Laws from Him or otherwise we are not Magistrats And Considering also their Practices are Conforme to their Principles They will not obey our Lawes but the Lawes of Another inconsistent with ours and will calculate their Religion according to His Lawes and not according to ours And continually make their Addresses to and receive Ambassadours from a Prince whom we know not whom our Predicessors of truely worthy memory did crucify One Iesus who was dead whom they affirm to be alive whose Government they alledge is Supreme over all Kings Whom they acknowledge but as His Vassals Being now by favourable fortune not only brought to the Imperial Croun of these Kingdoms through the greatest difficulties but preserved upon the throne of our Royal Ancestors which from our Great founder Nimrod of Glorious Memory and our Illustrious Predecessors Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Herod the Great Nero Caligula c. of blessed pious Memory hath been ever opposite to and projecting the Destruction of that Kingdom of Christ Do after their Laudable example resolve to suppress that Kingdom by all the means might we can use because His Government is hateful to us His yoke heavy His sayings are hard His Lawes are contrary to our lusts Therefore we will not let this man reign over us we will break His bonds and cast away His Cords from us And advance exerce our Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal Absolute Power which all our subjects are to obey without reserve And as by virtue of our Supremacy whereby we are above all but such as we are pleased to subject our selves to settled by Law and Lineally Derived to us as an Inherent right to the Croun we have Power to order all matters of Church as well as State as we in our Royal wisdom shall think fit All Laws Acts of Christ to the contrary notwithstanding And accordingly in our Royal wisdom have overturned the plat-form of that Government which Christ hath instituted razed all Courts fenced in His Name and severely interdicted all Meetings of His subjects and intertainment of His Ambassadours many of whom in contempt of Him that sent them we have punished according to Law for negotiating His Affairs in our Kingdoms without our pleasure requiring Allegiance obedience to Him after we had exauctorated Him we have also established our Right Trusty Entirely beloved Clerks in Ecclesiastick affairs and their underlings by our Authority to have the Administration of the business of Religion and impowered our Right Trusty well beloved Cousins Counsellers to Compell all to submitt to them by Finings Confinings Imprisonment Banishment Oaths Bonds and all Legal means So now having prosecuted this war against Christ to this length that we have no fears of a Rally of His forces again so often beaten we are now engaged with other Antichristian Princes to give our Power to our holy Father Antichrist so far as may serve his purpose to oppse Christ in his way but we reserve so much to our seeves as may encroach upon Him in our Capacity And therefore we have thought fit to restore to Antichrist our Ecclesiastical Supremacy from whom we borrowed it and for which we have no use at present But we resolve to maintain prosecute our Soveraign Authority Prerogative Royal and
solemnly these Nations were engaged both to keep out put out this Generation of Prelatists now prevailing The obligation of which yet lyes upon all the Inhabitants of the Land with a binding force both in regard of their forme and object and end Hence if the Curats be Covenant breakers and we also in ouning them then we cannot oune them without sin But the Curats are Covenant breakers and we also in ouning them Ergo The Minor may be manifest by an indiction of all the Articles of the Solomn League Covenant broken by them and all that oune them 1. That Doctrine worship discipline Government in the 1. Ar sworn to be preserved propagated was the Presbyterian then established which our Church was in possession of which they have opposed their ouners resiled from and have not maintained 2. We are engaged in 2. Art. to endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy and its dependents which is diametrically opposite to ouning of Curats can we oune them whom we are bound to abhor and submit to them whom we are bound to extirpate Surely this were to rebuild what we have destroyed see Napht. p. 104. And since in relation to Poperie Heresie Schisme this Article obliges us to disoune not to hear Papists Schismaticks why not also in relation to Prelatists who are the greatest Schismaticks 3. They have established homologated an Erastian Supremacy to the Prejudice of true Religion and the Liberties of the Church Kingdom and their ouners have abetted contenanced the same and not preserved either the Liberties of Church or Kingdom contrary to the 3. Art. 4. They have not only concealed Countenanced Malignant Enemies to this Church Kingdom but have themselves been reall Incendiaries hindering the Reformation of Religion making factions Parties amongst the People contrary to this League Covenant And their hearers are so far from bringing them to Condign Punishment that they have strengthened their hands in their avowed opposition to the Covenants contrary to the 4 Art. 5. They have broken our Conjunction in firme peace union and yet their hearers have not marked avoided these Causers of Divisions contrary to Scripture and the 5 Art. 6. Instead of assisting defending all these that entered into this League Covenant c. they have been the greatest Persecuters of all them that adhered to it And their ouners have suffered themselves by combination or perswasion or terror to be divided withdrawn from their suffering Brethren and have made defection to the contrary part and given themselves to a detestable indifferency in this cause contrary to the 6. Art. 7. Instead of humbling themselves for their sins and going before others in the example of a real Reformation they have obstinately defended their breach of Covenant and have been Patrons Patterns of all deformations And their ouners hearers have not repented of that neither when they countenance such Covenant-breakers profane persons nor of their not labouring for the purity power of the Gospel when they seek it from such impure hands Neither do they go before others in Reformation when they are such bad examples of defection contrary to the conclusion of the Covenant This Argument will also strike against hearing of such Ministers that have made themselves guiltie of the same or equivalent breaches of Covenant XII Finally for Unions sake and to avoid Schisme in the body we must withdraw from them This may seem another Paradox but it is apparent if we consider that there should be no Schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another 1 Cor. 12. 25. And that for to prevent remede this the Apostle beseeches us to mark them which Cause Divisions offences contrary to the Doctrine which we have learned avoid them Rom. 16. 17. Now then if the Prelats and their Curats be Schismaticks Separatists and dividers then we must avoid withdraw from them But so it is that the Prelats their Curats are Schismaticks Separatists and dividers Therefore we must avoid withdraw from them The Minor I prove from all the Constituents of a formed Schisme Separation sinful division 1. They that start out from under due relations to a Church and from her Ministry are Schismaticks Separatists dividers But the Prelats and their Curats have started out from under due relations to the Covenanted Church of Scotland from her Ministry in being so unnatural rebellious Children as have broken their Mothers beauty bands order Union razed her Covenanted Reformation in doctrine worship Discipline Government 2. These who withdraw from the Communion of a true Church and therefore are Censureable by all her standing acts are Schismatical Separatists But the Prelats and their Curats have withdrawn from the Communion of the true Church of Scotland and therefore are censureable by all her standing acts in that they have made a faction Combination repugnant to the Communion of this Church and all her established order 3. Those who Separate from a Church whose Principles Practices are subservient to that Churches true Union Communion and right establishment are properly Schismaticks But the Prelats and their Curats have Separated from this Church whose Principles practices are subservient to its true Union Communion and right establishment for they could never yet impeach or challenge any Principle or practice contrary to the word of God or not subservient to true Union order but their Principles practices are stated in opposition to her purity Reformation 4 Those who innovate the worship Government ouned established in a true Church are Schismaticks But the Prelats and their Curats have innovated the worship Government of the true Church of Scotland in bringing a Doctrine new odd and not the voice of this Church and their worship over and above the corruption adhering to it is the worshiping of an innovating party contrary to our Churches established order 5. They that make a rent in the bowels of the true genuine Church are the Schismaticks But the Prelats and their Curats have made a rent in the bowels of this Church and have caused all the divisions in this Church 6. Those that divide themselves from the fellowship of a pure Church either in her Ministry Lawful Courts Ordinances are the Schismaticks But the Prelats and their Curats have divided themselves from the fellowship of this pure Church in her Ministry Lawful Courts Ordinances in that they have caused the ejection of her Ministry dissipation of her Assemblies and subversion of her pure Ordinances 7. Those that break union with such to whom they were under obligations to adhere are Schismatical dividers But the Prelats and their Curats have broken Union with such to whom they were under obligations to adhere both from the antecedent morally obliging duty and from the superadded obligation of the
Covenants neither could they ever pretend any thing that might loose the obligation 8. That party in a Reformed Church which having overturned her Reformation hath shut out laid aside persecute away sound adherers thereunto both Ministers Professors will not admit Ministers to officiate but upon the sinful termes of complyance with their way are Schismaticks But the Prelats and their Curats are that party in this Reformed Church which having overturned her Reformation hath shut out laid aside and Persecute away sound adherers thereunto c. Therefore they are the Schismaticks to be withdrawn from and their way is the Schisme which we are bound to extirpate in the Covenant HEAD II. The Sufferings of many for Refusing to oune the Tyrants Authority vindicated THe other Grand Ordinance of God Magistracy which He hath in His Soveraign Wisdom Justice Goodness appointed ordained consecrated for the demonstration illustration vindication of His oun Glory and the Communication Conservation and Reparation of the Peace safety order Liberty and universal good of mankind is next to that of the Ministry of Greatest Concern wherein not only the Prudence Policie Propertie Libertie of men but also the conscience Duty Religion of Christians have a special Interest And therefore it is no less important pertinent profitable necessary for every one that hath any of these to care contend for keep or recover to inquire into and understand somthing of the institution constitution nature boundaries of the Sacred ordinance of Magistracy than into the holy ordinance of the Ministry So far at least as may consist with the sphere of every ones Capacity Station and may conduce to the satisfaction of every ones conscience in the discharge of the duties of their relations Every private man indeed hath neither capacity concern nor necessity to study the Politicks or search into the secrets or Intrigues of Government no more then he is to be versed in all the Administrations of Ecclesiastical Policy and Interests of the Ministry yet every mans Conscience is no less concerned in distinguishing the Character of Gods Ministers of Justice the Magistrats to whom he owes ounes allegiance that they be not usurping Tyrants everting the Ordinance of the Magistracy than in acknowledging the Character of Christs Ministers of the Gospel to whom he owes ounes obedience that they be not usurping Prelats or Impostors perverting the Ordinance of the Ministry The Glory of God is much concerned in our ouning keeping pure intire according to His will word both these Ordinances And our Conscience as well as Interest is concerned in the advantage or hurt profit or prejudice of the right or wrong observation or prevarication of both these ordinances being interested in the advantage of Magistracy and hurt of Tyrannie in the State as well as in the advantage of the Ministry and hurt of Diocesan or Erastian Supremacy in the Church in the advantage of Ltberty and hurt of slavery in the State as well as in the advantage of Religion and hurt of Profaneness in the Church in the profit of Lawes and prejudice of Prerogative in the State as well as in the profit of Truth and prejudice of Error in the Church in the profit of Peace and true Loyalty and prejudice of oppression and Rebellion in the State as well as in the profit of Purity Unity and prejudice of Defection Division or Schisme in the Church So that in Conscience we are no more free to Prostitute our Loyalty Liberty absolutely in ouning every Possessor of the Magistracy than we are free to Prostitute our Religion faith implicitely in ouning every Pretender to the Ministry This may seem very Paradoxical to some because so dissonant dissentient from the vulgar yea almost Universal and invetrate opinion Practice of the world that hitherto hath not been so precise in the matter of Magistracy And it may seem yet more strange that not only some should be found to assert this but that any should be found so strict and strait-laced as to adventure upon suffering and even to Death for that which hath hitherto been seldom scrupled by any that were forced to subjection under a yoke which they had no force to shake off and wherein Religion seems litle or nothing concerned for not ouning the authority of the present Possessors of the place of Government which seems to be a Question not only excentrick extrinsick to Religion but such a State question as for its thorny Intricacies difficulties is more proper for Politicians Lawyers to dispute about as indeed their debates about this head of Authority have been as manifold multiplied as about any one thing than for Private Christians to search into and suffer for as a Part of their Testimony But if we will cast off Prejudices and the Tyrannie of Custom and the bondage of being bound to the worlds Mind in our inquiries about Tyrannie and suffer our selves to Ponder impartially the importance of this matter And then to state the question right We shall find Religion Conscience hath no small interest in this business They must have no snall Interest in it if we consider the importance of this matter either extensively or objectively or Subjectively Extensively considered it is the Interest of all mankind to know and be resolved in Conscience whether the Government they are under be of Gods Ordination or of the Devils administration whether it be Magistracy or Tyrannie whether it gives security for Religion Liberty to themselves and their posterity or whether it induces upon themselves and entails upon the posterity slavery as to both these invaluable Interests whether they have matter of praise to God for the blessings mercies of Magistracy or matter of Mourning for the plagues miseries of Tyrannie to the end they may know both the sins snares Duties dangers Case Crisis of the times they â—ive in All men that ever enjoyed the mercy of a right Constitute Magistracy have experienced and were bound to bless God for the blessed fruits of it And on the other hand the world is full of the Tragical Monuments of Tyrannie for which men were bound bath to search into the Causes and see the effects of such plagues from the Lord to the end they might mourn over both And from the begining it hath been observed that as Peoples sins have alwayes procured the Scourge of Tyrannie So all their miseries might be refounded upon Tyrants encroachments Usurping upon or betraying their Trust and overturning Religion Lawes Liberties Certainly Mankind is concerned in point of Interest Conscience to inquire into the cause Cure of this Epidemick distemper that hath so long held the world in miserie and so habitually that now it is become as it were Natural to lye stupidly under it that is that old Ingrained Gangrene of the Kings Evil or Complyance with Tyrannie that hath long
afflicted the Kingdoms of the world and affected not only their backs in bearing the burden thereof but thir hearts into a Lethargick stupor of insensibleness and their heads in infatuating intoxicating them with Notions of the Sacredness incontroulablness of Tyrannie and their hands in infeebling and fettering them from all attempts to work a Cure Or else it hath had another effect on many that have been sensible of a touch of it even equivalent to that which an ingenious Author Mr Gee in his Preface to the Divine right Original of the Civil Magistrate to which Mr Durham is not absonant expounds to be the effect of the fourth vial Rev. 16. 8 9. when in these Dog-dayes of the world power is given to the Sun of Imperial especially Popish Tyannie by their exorbitant streaches of absolute Prerogative to scorch men with fire of furious oppressions they then blaspheme the Name of God which hath power over these Plagues in their Mal-content Complaints grumblings grudgings and Murmurings under the miserie but they do not repent nor give Him Glory in mourning over the causes promeriting such a Plague and their oun accession in exposing themselves to such a scorching sun nakedly without a Sconce Certainly this would be the remedy that Conscience would suggest and Interest would incite to an endeavour either of allaying the heat or of subtracting from it under a shelter by declining the oblique Malignity of its Scorching rayes But will the world never be a wakened out of this Dream dotage of Dull stupid subjection to every Monster that can Mount a Throne Sure at length it may be expected either Conscience from within as Gods deputy challenging for the palpable perversion of this His excellent Ordinance Or Iudgments from without making sensible of the effects of it will convince confute these old inveterate Prejudices And then these Martyrs for that universal Interest of mankind who got the fore-start and the first sight of this will not be so flouted as fools as now they are And who knoweth what Prelude or Preparative fore-boding presaging the doun fal of Tyranny may be in its aspirings to this hight of arbitrary absoluteness and in the many questions raised about it and by them imposed upon Consciences to be resolved If we consider the object of this question as Conscience can only clear it so in nothing can it be more concerned It is that Great Ordinance of God most signally impressed by a very Sacred illustrious Character of the Glorious Majestie of the Most High who hath appointed Magistracy in which considering either its fountain or Dignity ends or effects Conscience must have a very great Concern The fountain or efficient cause of Magistracy is high sublime The powers that are be of God not only by the all disposing hand of God in His Providence as Tyranny is nor only by way of naked approbation but by Divine institution And that not only in the general by at least a Secondary Law of Nature but also the special investiture of it in Institution Constitution is from God and therefore they are said to be ordained of God to which Ordinance we must be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake which is the Great Duty required in the fifth Command the first Commandment with Promise that hath the Priority of Place befor all the Second table because the other Commandments respect each some one Interest this hath a supereminent influence upon all But Tyrannical powers are not of God in this sense And it were Blasphemie to assert they were of the Lords Authorization Conscience cannot bind to a subjection to this Again the Dignity of Magistracy ordained for the maintenance of Truth righteousness the only foundations of peoples felicity whether temporal or eternal including the bonds boundaries of all obedience subjection for which they are intended to which they refer is supereminent as that Epithet of higher added to the powers that are of God may be rendered making them high sublime in Glory whose highest prerogative is that being Gods Ministers they sit in the Throne of God anointed of the Lord judging not for man but for the Lord as the Scripture speaks To this Conscience is concerned in duty to render honour as due by the Prescript of the fifth Commandment but for Tyranny Conscience is bound to deny it because not due no more than obedience which Conscience dare not pay to a Throne of Iniqulty and a Throne of the Devil as Tyranny may be called as really as Magistracy is called the Throne of God. Next Conscience is much concerned in the ends of Magistracy which are the Greatest the Glory of God and the good of Mankind And in the effects of it the maintenance of Truth Righteousness Religion Liberty Peace Safety and all choicest external blessings But the ends effects of Tyranny are quite Contrary Domineering for pleasure and destroying for profit Can we think that Conscience is nothing Concerned here that these great ends shall be subverted and the effects precluded and to that effect that Tyrannie not only be shrouded under a Priviledge of impunity but by our subjection acknowledment of it as a Lawful power encouraged into all enormities and Licensed to usurpe not only our Liberties but Gods Throne by an uncontroulable Soveraignty But if we Consider the subjective Concern of Conscience it must be very great when it is the only thing that prompts to subjection that regulats subjection and is a bottom for subjection to lawful powers If it were not out of Conscience men that are free born are naturally such Lovers of Liberty and under Corruption such lusters after Licenciousness that they would never come under the Order of this Ordinance except constrained for wraths sake but now understanding that they that resist the power resist the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation they must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake If Conscience were not exercised in regulating our duty to Magistrats we would either obey none or else would observe all their Commands promiscously Lawful or unlawful and would make no difference either of the matter commanded or the power commanding but now understanding that we must obey God rather then man and that we must render to all their dues fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Conscience regulats us what whom to obey And without conscience there is litle hope for Government to prove either beneficial or permanent litle likelyhood of either a reall regular or durable subjection to it The discernible standing of Government upon conscientious grounds is the only thing that can bring in conscience a conscientious submission to it it being the highest most kindly principle of and the strongest most lasting obligation to any relative duty It will not be Liberty of Conscience as sayeth the late Declaration
not one the same Tribute It s a question for whom by whom that of Math. 17. was gathered it s most likely it was gathered by the officers of the Temple for its service however the payment was made with such caution tacitely declining the strict right to exact it from him but to avoid offence in an act in it self unobliging that their claim is left as much in the dark as if the question had never been moved The other Math. 22. was exacted for Cesar but to that captious question our Lord returns such an Answer as might both solve it and evade the snare of the proponders giving a general Rule of giving to God to Cesar each their oun without defining which of them had the right to the payment in question whether Cesar should have it or whether it should be payed only for the Temples use Upon which they marvelled which they needed not do if they had understood in His words an express positive declaration of an obligation to make that payment to Cesar for then they would have obtained one of their ends in making Him odious to the people who were not satisfied with the payment of it But however the knot is loosed by considering that they were now Lawfully subject to the Roman Emperours as their Governours to whom they were obliged I do not say Christ was to pay tribute For they had yeelded themselves unto ouned the Roman Dominion in Pompey Cesar Augustus Tiberius ere this question about Tribute paying was proposed to our Saviour and therfore they who stuck at the payment of it were a seditious party dissenting from the body of the Nation Else it is not supposable readily that their Dominion in Iudea could have been exercised long without some consent sufficient to legitimate it to the present Rulers And this is the more likely if we consider the confession of the Iewes themselves disavowing the power of Capital punishment It is not Lawful for us to put any man to death And ouning Cesar as their King with an exclusive a brenounciation of all other we have no King but Cesar As Paul also acknowleeges he ought to be judged at Cesars bar in his appeal to Cesar. It is also acknowledged by very good Authors that this was the tribute which Iudas the Galilean stood up to free the people from and that the sedition of those Iewes that folowed him mentioned Act. 5. 37. who mutinied upon this occasion was according to Gamaliels speech disallowed by that Sanhedrin or Council of the Iewes And it may be gathered out of Iosephus that the Iewes of Hircanus his party came under the Roman power by consent dedition while they of Aristobalus his party looked upon the Romans as Usurpers Which difference continued till our Saviours time when some part of them acknowledged the Cesarean Authority some part looked upon it as an Usurpation and of this generally were the Pharisees To confirm this Calvins Testimony may be adduced upon Math. 22. who sayeth the Authority of the Roman Emperours was by common use approved and received among the Iewes whence it was manifest that the Iewes had now of their oun accord imposed on themselves a Law of paying the tribute because they had passed over to the Romans the power of the sword And Chamiers Panstrat Tom. 2. lib. 15. cap. 16. pag. 635. what then if Cesars Authority were from bad beginings did therefore Christ untruly say it was from above Can no power at first unjust afterward become just if that were so then either none or very few Kingâ—oms would be just 10. As Tyranny is a destructive plague to all the Interests of men Christians So Anarchy the usual product of it is no less pernicious bringing a Community into a Paroxysme as deadly dangerous We must oune Government to be absolutely necessary for the constitution conservation of all Societies I shall not enter into a disquisition let be determination of the Species or Kind of Magistracy whether Monarchy Aristocracy or Democracy be preferable My dispute at present is not levelled against Monarchy but the present Monarch Not against the Institution of the Species though I beleeve except we betake our selves to the Divine allowance permission we shal be as pusled to find out the Divine Original of it as Cosmographers are in their search of the Spring of Nilus or Theologues of the Father of Melchizedeck but the constitution of this Individual Monarchy established among us which in its root branch Spring streams in its Original Nature ends effects is Diametrically opposite to Religion Liberty And because its Contagion universally perverting corrupting all the ends Orders of Magistracy doth affect infect all the subordinate officers deriving their power from such a filthy fountain we must also substract deny their demanded ackowledgments as any way due so long as they serve the pride projects of such a wicked power And do not reckon our selves obliged by Covenant or any otherways though in the third Article of the Solemn League we are bound to preserve the rights priviledges of our Parliaments consequently the honour deference that 's due to our Peers or other Parliament men acting according to the trust committed to them but not when they turn Traitors ingaged in a Conspiracy with the Tyrant to oune or defend a Soul-less shadow of a Court Cabal made up of persons who have sold themselves to work wickedness in conspiring with this throne of iniquity against the Lord which is all we have for a Parliament whom we can in no ways oune as our Representatives but must look upon them as perjured perfidious Traitors to God their Countrey which they have betrayed into the hands of a Tyrant And therefore divested of that power Authority which they had of the people as their Representatives which now is returned to the fountain And therefore we must act as we can against them and also what is necessary for securing of our selves Religion Liberty without them We would think Nobles ennobled with virtue a great Mercy encouragment And if they would concur in the Testimony for Religion Liberty we would be glad that they should lead the van and prove themselves to be powers appointed by God in acting for Him His Interest But for the want of their Conduct we must not surcease from that duty that they abandon nor think that the Concurrence of Peers is so necessary to legitimate our actions as that without that formality our resolutions to maintain the Truth of God on all hazards in a private Capacity were unlawful in the Court of God Nature But on the contrare must judge that their relinquishing or opposing their duty which before God they are obliged to maintain preserve promove is so far from loosing our obligation or eximing us from our duty that is should rather press us to prosecute it with
therefore established in Davids family for Typical reasons that cannot be now alledged 12. We find in the disposal of Government among brethren this birth-order was not seldom inverted as when Iacoh was preferred before Esaw Iudah before all the elder sons of Iacob Ephraim before Manasseh Solomon before Adonijah Hence if this Gentleman now regnant have no better pretences than these now confuted we cannot recognosce his right to reign yea though this last were valid yet he cannot plead it it being expressly provided in our Laws against the succession of a Papist But there is one Grand Objection against all this The Jewes and other Nations are commanded to bring their necks under the yoke of the King of Babilon and to serve him and yet he had no other right to these Kingdom then the Lords Providential disposal because the Lord had given all these Lands into his hand Ier. 27. 6 7 12. Ans. 1. He was indeed an unjust Usurper and had no right but the Lord providential gifâ— which sometimes makes the tabernacles of Robbers prosper into whose hand God bringeth abundantly Iob. 12. 6. and gives Iacoh sometimes for a spoil and Israel to the Robbers Isai. 42. 24. and giveth power to the Beast to continue forty two Moneths and to have power over all kindreds tongues Nations Revel 13. 5 7. His Tyranny also was very great extensively in respect of his oppressions usurpations by Conquest but it was not so great intensively as our Robbers Spoilers may be charged with he was never such a Perverter of all the ends of Government nor a treachrous overturner of all Conditions he was never a Persecuter of the Iewish Religion he never oppressed them upon that account nor endeavoured its extirpation he never enacted such mischiefs by Law. The Lord only made use of him to bring about the holy ends of the Glory of His Justice Wisdom in which respect alone he is called His Servant as else where His â—od hammer having given him a charge against an Hypocritical Nation to trample them doun in His holy Providence and accordingly there was no resistence could prevail they must be trampled upon no help for it but no subjection was required acknowledging his Magistratical right by divine Ordinance but only a submissive stooping to the holy disposal of divine Providence no ouning was exacted either of the equity of that power or of fealtie to the administrator 2. This behoved to be a particular Command by Positive Revelation given at that time not binding to others in the like Condition which I refer to the judgment of the objectors put the case and make it run paralel If the King of England were in league with the King of France and breaking that league should provoke that aspiring Prince growing potent by many Conquests to discover his designs make preparations and give out threatenings for the Conquest of England all Brittain were the people of England bound to surrender themselves as Servants tributaries to him for 70 years or for ever under pain of destruction if they should not This were one of the most ridiculous inferences that ever was pleaded nay it would make all refusal of subjection to invaders unlawful 3. I will draw an Argument from this to confirm my Plea for these Commands of subjection to Babilon were not delivered until after the King of Iudah had surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and entered into Covenant with him to be subject to him 2. King. 24. chap. in keeping which Covenant the Kingdom might have stood and after he had Rebelled against him and broken that Covenant when lo he had given his hand after which he could not prosper or escape or be delivered Ezek. 17. 14 15 18 2 Chron. 36. 13. Then the Commandment came that they should disoune their oune King Zedekiah now forefeiting his right by breach of Covenant and be subject to Nebuchadnezzar Whence I argue If people are commanded to disoune their Covenant-breaking Rulers and subject themselves to Conquerours then I have all I plead for But the former is true by the truth of this objection Ergo also the Latter There is a 2 Obj. from Rom. 13. 1. let every soul be subject to the higher powers the powers that be are ordained of God yet the Roman Emperour to which they were to be subject was an usurper Ans. 1. It cannot be proven that the Apostle intendeth here the Roman Emperour as the higher power There were at this time several Competitions for the Empire about which Christians might have their oun scruples whom to oune the Apostle does not determine their litigations nor interest himself in parties but gives the General Standart of Gods Ordinance they had to go by And the best Expositors of the place do alleâ—ge the question doubt of Christians then was not so much in whom the Supremacy was as whether Christians were at all bound to obey Civil power especially Pagan which the Apostle resolves in giving general directions to Christians to obey the ordinance of Magistracy conforme to its original and as it respects the end for which he had would set it up but no respect is there had to Tyrants 2. It cannot be proven that the Supreme power then in being was usurpative there being then a Supreme Senate which was a Lawful power nor that Nero was then an usurper who came in by choise consent and with the good liking of the people 3. The Text means of Lawful powers not unlawful force that are ordained of God by His Preceptive will not meerly by His Providential disposal and of consciencious subjection to Magistracy not to Tyranny describing characterizing the powers there by such qualifications as Tyrants Usurpers are not capable of But I mind to improve this Text more fully hereafter to prove the quite contrary to what is here objected 8. From the Right of Magistracy flowes the Magistratical Relation which is necessary to have a bottom before we can build the relative duties thereof This brings it under the fifth Commandment which is the Rule of all relative duties between Inferiours Superiours requiring honour to be given to Fathers Masters Husbands c. and to rightful Magistrates who are under such political relations as do infer the same duties and prohibiting not only the omission of these duties but also the committing of contrary sins which may be done not only by contrary acts as dishonouring rebelling against Fathers Magistrats c. but also by performing them to contrary objects as by giving the Fathers due to the Fathers opposite and the Magistrats due to Tyrants who are their opposites Certainly this Command prescribing honour doth regulate to whom it should be given And must be understood in a consistency with that duty and Character of one that hath a mind to be an inhabitant of the Lords holy Hill Psal. 15. 4. in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear
a Conveyance as they thought most contributive for this end When therefore Princes cease to be what they could be constitute for they cease to have an Authority to be ouned but ceasing to answer these ends of Government they cease to be what they could be constitute for 5. For no other end were Magistrates limited with Conditions but to bound them that they might do nothing against the peoples good safety Whosoever then breaking through all legal limitations shall became injurious to the Community lists himself in the number of enemies and is only to be looked upon as such 6. For this end all Laws are ratified or rescinded as they conduce to this end which is the soul reason of the Law then it is but reason that the Law establishing such a King which proves an enemy to this should be rescinded also 7. Contrary to this end no Law can be of force if then either Law or King be prejudicial to the Realme they are to be abolished 8. For this end in cases of necessity Kings are allowed sometimes to neglect the Letter of the Laws or private Interests for the safety of the Community but if they neglect the publick safety and make Laws for their oun Interests they are no more Trustees but Traitors 9. If it were not for this end it were more eligible to live in deserts than to enter into Societies When therefore a Ruler in direct opposition to the ends of Government seeks the ruine not only of Religion but also of the peoples safety he must certainly forfeit his right to reign And what a vast as well as innocent number have for Religion and their adherence to their fundamental rights been ruined rooted out of their families Possessions oppressed persecuted Murdered destroyed by this and the deceased Tyrant all Scotland can tell and all Europe hath heard If ever the ends of Government were perverted subverted in any place Britain is the stage where this Tragedy hath been acted 13. I may argue from the Covenant that to oune this Authority is contrary to all the Articles thereof 1. That Authority which overturns the Reformation of Religion in Doctrine Worship Discipline Government which we are sworn to preserve against the Common Enemies thereof in the first Art. cannot be ouned But the present pretended Authority overturned and continues more to overturn the Reformation of Religion c. Ergo it cannot be ouned for against what common enemy must we preserve it if not against him that is the chief Enemy thereof and how can we oune that Authority that is wholly employed applied for the destruction of Religion 2. If we are obliged to exstirpate Poperie without respect of persons lest we partake in other mens sins then we are obliged to exstirpate Papists without respect of persons and consequently the head of them For how otherwise can Poperie be exstirpated or how otherwise can we cleanse the Land of their sins But in the 2d Art. we are obliged to exstirpate Poperie without respect of persons lest we partake in other mens sins Ergo we are obliged to exstirpate Papists without respect of Persons and consequently the Crowned Iesuite and therefore cannot oune him for how can we oune him whom we are bound to exstirpate 3. If we be engaged to preserve the Rights Liberties of Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and the Kings Authority only in the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdoms then we cannot oune his Authority when it is inconsistent with opposite to destructive of all these precious Interests as now it is with a witness But in the 3. Art. we are engaged to preserve the Rights Priviledges of Parliaments the Liberties of the Kingdoms and the Kings Authority only in the preservation defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdoms Ergo. All allegiance that we can oune to any man must stand perpetually thus qualified in defence of Religion Liberty that is so far as it is not contrary to Religion Liberty and no further for if it be destructive of these it is null If we should then oune this man with this restricted allegiance and apply it to his Authority as we must apply it to all Authority that we can oune it were to mock God the world and oune Contradictions for can we maintain the Destroyer of Religion in defence of Religion And the Destroyer of all our rights Liberties and all our legal securities for them in the preservation of these rights Liberties that were pure Non-sense 4. If we be obliged to endeavour that all Incendiaries Malignants c. be brought to condign punishment then we cannot oune the Authority of the head of these Incendiaries malignant Enemies But in the 4. Art we are obliged to endeavour that all Incendiaries Malignants c. be brought to Condign Punishment Ergo The Connexion of the Major cannot well be doubted for is it imaginable that the head of that unhallowed Party the Great malignant Enemy who is the spring gives life unto all these Abominations shall be exempted from punishment or ouned for a Sacred Majestie shall we be obliged to discover and bring to Justice the litle petty Malignants and this implacably stated Enemy to Christ escape with a Crown on his head Nay we are by this obliged if ever we be in case to bring these stated Enemies to God the Country to condign punishment from the highest to the Lowest And this we are to do as we would have the anger of the Lord turned away from us which cannot be without hanging up their heads before the Lord against the sun as was done in the matter of Peor Numb 25. 4. For hath not he his Complices made the Kingdom a Curse and we with our oun consent have made our selves obnoxious to it if we do not procure each in our Capacities and pursue these Traitors Rebells that the Judgment of the Lord be executed upon the accursed 5. No wilful oâ—poser of Peace union between the Kingdoms is to be ouned but according to the 5. Art. we are obliged to endeâ—vour that Justice be done upon him But this man his brother have been wilful opposers of Peace union between the Kingdoms all true Peace union except an union in Confederacy against the Lord for they have taken Peace from both the Kingdoms and destroyed annulled that which was the bond of their union viz. the Solemn League Covenant 6. If we are obliged to assist defend all those that enter into this League Covenant in the maintaining pursuing thereof and never to suffer our selves to be divided to make defection to the contrary part c. According to the 6 Art. Then we must not oun the Butcher of our Covenanted Brethren who hath imbrued â—is hands in their blood in the maintaining pursuing thereof and would have us
the chief of our fundamental Land-rights and the Cardinal Condition of the established Policy upon which we can only oune men for Magistrats by the Law of the Land And this Testimony by defence of the Gospel and of our oun lives cannot be given expediently any where but in the Fields It is also a Testimony for the freedom Authority of the Gospel-Ministrie and for their holding their unremovable Relation to the Church of Scotland which is infringed by these Tyrannical Acts and maintained by these exercises which is a priviledge to be contended for above beyond all other that can be contended for or defended especially to be maintained against those that have no power or Authority to take it away There will no man quite any of his goods upon a sentence coming from an incompetent Judge And shall Ministers or people be hectored or fooled from such a priviledge by them that have no such power 6. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for our Covenants the ouning whereof is declared Criminal by that same Law that discharges these Meetings in which we are sworn to preserve the Reformation in Doctrine Worship Discipline Government and to defend all the Churches Liberties and to oppose all their Opposites and endeavour their exstirpation And in the Solemn Acknowledgment of sins Engagment to duties we are sworn because many have of late laboured to supplant the Liberties of the Kirk to maintain defend the Kirk of Scotland in all her Liberties Priviledges against all who shall oppose undermine the same or encroach thereupon under any pretext whatsoever Since then the ouning of these Meetings and the Covenants are both discharged together and the ouning of the Covenant does oblige to a publick opposition against the dischargers and an avowed Maintinance of the Churches priviledges whereof this is in a manner the only chief Liberty now left to be maintained to keep Meetings where we may testify against them without dependence on their Toleration it must follow that these Meetings are to be maintained which only can be in the fields with conveniency 7. To give over these Field-Meetings now would be an hardening encouraging of these Enemies in their wicked design of banishing all these Meetings out of the Land which manifestly would be defeat by a resolute refusal of all to submit to their discharging of them and they that do submit and give them over do evidently contribute to the effectuating that wicked design which is certain does not nor will not terminate upon a simple suppression of that sort but further is intended to exstirpate all Meetings for Gospel Ordinances in which there is any Testimony against them To Comply therefore with such a forbearance of them at this time would lay a stone of stumbling before them to encourage them in these their designs when they should see their Contrivance so universally complyed with wherein they might boast that at length they had prevailed to put quite away that eye-sore of theirs Field-Meetings 8. To give over these Field-Meetings now were a stumbling to the poor ignorant people who might think that now it appears that Work was but of men and so hath come to naught and would look upon it as an evidence of fainting succumbing at last in the matter of the Testimony as being quite overcome and that indeed all have embraced accepted this present Toleration and were all alike sleeping under the shade and eating the fruits of such a bramble 9. Finally To give over these Field-Meetings now would be very scandalous to the posterity and to Strangers who shall read the History of our Church to find that as Prelacy came in without a joint Witness and the monstrous Blasphemous Sacrilegious Supremacy was erected without a Testimony in its season So black Poperie it self and Tyranny was introduced by a Toleration which laid them all by from a Testimony against these who formerly had valiantly resolutely faithfully contended against all lesser Corruptions but at last when that came and stricter prohibitions of all publick Meetings but under the Covert thereof were emitted then all were perswaded to comply with that Course How astonishing would it be to read that all these Contendings sealed with so much precious blood should come to such a pitiful Period But I hasten to the Next which is the Second Positive Ground of Suffering HEAD V. The Principle of Testimony for Defensive Armes Vindicated THis Truth is of that sort that can hardly be illustrated by demonstration not for the darkness thereof but for its self evidencing clearness being scarcely capable of any further elucidation than what is offered to the rational understanding by its simple proposition As first Principles can hardly be proven because they need no probation and cannot be made clearer than they are and such as cannot consent to them are incapable of conceiving any probation of them So this Truth of Self-preservation being Lawful because it is congenite with and irradicated in every nature that hath a Self which it can preserve can scarcely be more illustrated that it may do so than that it can do so And therefore to all who have a true respect to their oun as well as a due concern in the Interest of Mankind and zeal for the Interest of Christ it might seem superfluous to make a doubt or debate of this Were it not that a Generation of men is now prevailing that are as great Monsters in Nature as they are Malignant in Religion and as great perverters of the Law of Nature as they are Subverters of Municipal Laws and Everters of the Laws of God Who for ouning this principle as well as using the practice of Defensive Resistence for self preservation against Tyrannical violence have set up such Monuments of rage cruelty in the Murder of many innocent people as was never read nor heard of before It hath been indeed the practice of all Nations in the World and the greatest of men have maintained this principle in all ages But the bare Asserting the principle when extorted by severe Inquisitions was never a Cause of taking the lives of any before this was imposed on the poor Sufâ—erers in Scotland to give their judgement Whether or not such Appearances for Defence as the Tyranny of Rulers had forced people to were Rebâ—llion and a Sin against God Which they could not in Conscience assert and therefore thô many that have suffered upon this head have been as free of the practice of such Resâ—stence as any yet because they would not condemn the principle they have been Criminally processed Arraigned Condemned to the death And against this Truth they have been observed to have a special kind of indignation either because the light of it which cannot be â—id hath some heat with it to seâ—rch them or because they fear the impression of this in the hearts of people more than others knowing that they deserve the
Liberties he giveth us cause enough to resist him with a good conscience The matter standing as it doth we may say they Resist as may be shewed both by Sacred Profane Histories And so they undertooke and stated the war upon the account of Religion Liberty 9. If we but cast an eye over to the Hollanders we will find how much they stand obliged to this practice of Defensive Armes having thereby recovered both Religion Liberty and established themselves into a fiourishing State. We find even in the time of D. de Alva's Persecution they began to defend Haerlem and Valenciennes in Henault and went on till under the conduct of William of Nassaw Prince of Orange they declared the King of Spain to have fallen from the Government of those Countries and so effectually shook off the yoke of Spanish Tyrannie 10. If we go to the French Hugenots we will find many Instances among them and many brave Heroes raised up to maintain the principle and prosecute the practice thereof of older later date The History of the Civil wars of France is stored with their Trophees and the Memories of Condie Coligni will ever be fragrant There were many Resistences there both before since the Parisian Massacre It is sad that the present Protestants there are so far degenerate from the Spirit of their Ancestors 11. The many practices of the Hungarians Resisting the encroachments of the house of Austria prove the same And when Mathias denyed the free exercise of Religion unto the Protestants of Austria they took up Armes in their oun defence and sent a Protestation unto the Estates of Hungarie requiring their Assistence conforme to their League And now this present war there founded upon this plea. 12. The Polonians have often times levied war against their Kings and we are furnished by Clark in his Martyrol with a late Instance of their Resistence against the Soveraign Powers at Lesita in Poland anno 1655. 13. The Danes Swedes have not been wanting for their parts in taking course with their Christierns Kings of that name whom they resisted punished And generally wherever the Reformation was received we find this principle espoused and the practice of it prosecuted Nay there hath been no Nation in the world but it will be found they have either resisted or killed Tyrants 14. The most Deserving Celebrated Monarchs in the world have espoused the quarrel of oppressed Subjects Not only such as Tamerlanc whose observable Saying is noted when he advanced against Bajazet I go sayes he to chastise his Tyrannie and to deliver the afflicted people And Philip Lewis of France who assisted the Barons of England against King Iohn And Charles the Great who upon this ground undertook a war against the Lombards in Italie But even Constantine the Great hath it recorded for his honour that he employed his power force against Lâ—cinius upon no other Motive but because he banished tortur'd destroyed those Christians in his Dominions that would not abandon their Religion And Q. Elizabeth is commended for assisting the Dutch to maintain their Religion by force when they could not enjoy it by favour And King Iames the 6. gave publick aid to the Protestants in Germany Bohemia against the Emperour Against whom also Gustavus Adolphus marched that he might deliver the oppressed Cities from the bondage that Ferdinand had brought them into Yea King Charles the first this mans Father pretended at least to help the Protestants in France at Ree and Rochel And though he himself was avowedly Resisted by the Parliaments of both Ringdoms yet he was forced to Declare in his Acts of Oblivion Pacification The Scots late taking up Armes against him in defence of their Religion Laws Priviledges to be no Treason nor Rebellion See Apol. Relat. Sect. 11. pag. 149. And thô the late Charles the Second condemned all the Risings of the people of Scotland for defence of Religion Liberty and their lives priviledges which his oun Tyrannie forced them into yet he justified the present Revolt of Heathens Mahumetan Subjects from the young King of Bantam in Iava Major in the East Indies who when he got the Government in his hands by his Fathers Resignation killed his subjects and caused them to be killed without any cause which was the reason of their revolt ftom him and defending the Father against the son This defensive war of these Subjects was justied by the said Charles in his sending Amunition c. for their relief These and many moe Instances that might be adduced are sufficient evidences of the Righteousness and Reason of such Resistences when the Greatest of Princes have undertakent he Patrocinie of them III. From Scripture-Proofs I shall but briefly gather some of the many that might be pressed which being put together to me seem impregnable I shall reduce them to these heads 1. I shall aduce some practices of the Lords people frequently reiterated never condemned alwayes approven confirming this Point 2. Some severe Reprehensions for their omission of this duty in the season thereof 3. Some promises both of Spiriting for the duty and of Countenancing it when undertaken 4. Some precepts commanding such Atchievments 5. Some prayers supplicating for them All which put together will make a strong Argument First For practices of this kind there is nothing more common in Scripture Historie 1. I shall begin at the first war that is recorded in the World wherein some loss fell to the Godly at first but afterwards by the virtue valour of their Brethren they were vindicated and the victory recovered with honour Lot his family living in Sodom was taken Prisoner by Chedarlaomer and his Confederates Gen. 14. 12. but Abraham hearing of it armed his trained servants and pursued them to Dan and rescued him vers 14-16 thereby justifying that Rebellion of the Cities of the plain by taking part vindicating the Rebells Hence he that may rescue subjects from the violence of any Tyrannizing Domination by armes may also rise with these subjects to oppose that violence But here is an example of that in Abraham Ergo 2. After the Lords people were possessed of Canaan and forgetting the Lord did enter into affinity with these interdicted Nations some of them were left to prove Israel that the Generations of the Children of Israel might know to teach them war. Iudg. 3. 1 2. And when they did evil in the sight of the Lord He sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia whom they served and were subject to eight years ver 8. but when they cried unto the Lord their Rebellion shaking off that yoke was successful under the Conduct of Othniel ver 10. And after a relapse unto the like defection they became subject to Eglon King of Moab whom they served eighteen years vers 14. but attempting the same remedy by armes under the Conduct of Ehud they recovered their Liberty And after his
their Sufferings upon the account of that Recusancy have been very great grievous to the utter impoverishment depopulation of many Families besides the personal Sufferings of many in long Imprisonments which some chose rather to sustain with patience than pay the least of those Exactions Yea some when ordered to be legally liberate and set forth out of Prison choosed rather to be detained still in bondage than to pay the Iaylour-fees their Keepers demanded of them Many other wicked Impositions have been pressed prosecuted with great rigor rage as Malitia-money and Locality for furnishing Souldiers listed under a banner displayed against Religion Liberty with necessary provision in and for their wicked service which of late years have been contended against by the Sufferings of many and daylie growing a Tryal to moe But the most impudently insolent of all these Impositions and that which plainly paraphrases openly expresses explains all the rest calculate for the same ends was by that wicked Act of Covention enacted Anno 1678. Declaring very plainly its ends to levy maintain forces for suppressing Meetings and to shew unanimous affection for maintaining the Kings Supremacy established by Law. Or as they represent it in their Act for continuation of it Act. 3. Parl. 3. Char. 2. August 20. 1681. Seeing the Convention of Estates holden at Edinburgh in the moneth of Iuly 1678 upon weighty Considerations therein specified and particularly the great danger the Kingdom was under by seditious rebellious Conventicles and the necessity which then appeared to encrease the forces for securing the Government and suppressing these rebellious Commotions which were fomented by seditious principles practices did therefore humbly dutifully offer a chearful unanimous Supplie of 800000 pound Scots in the space of five years And the Estates of Parliament now conveened having taken to consideration how the dangers from the forsaids Causes do much encrease in so far as such as are seditiously rebelliously enclined do still propogate their pernicious principles and go on from one degree of rebellion to another till now at last the horrid villanies of murther assassination avowed rebellion are ouned not only as things Lawful but as obligations from their Religion Do therefore in a due sense of their duty of God to their Sacred Soveraign and the preservation of themselves and their posterity of new make an humble unanimous chearful heartly offer for themselves and in name of and as representing this his Maj. ancient Kingdom of a continuation of the foresaid Supply granted by the Convention of Estates And that for the space of five years or ten terms successive begining the first Terms payment at Martin-mas 1683. which yet is to be continued until Martin-mas 1688. Here is a Sample of their wicked Demands shewing the nature quality tendency of all of them Wherein we may note 1. That they continue it upon the same Considerations upon which it was first granted 2. That these were yet remain to be the danger of the Meetings of the Lords people for Gospel Ordinances by them forced into the Fields which they call Rebellious Conventicles and the necessity of securing their Usurpation upon the Prerogatives os Christ Liberties of His Church and Priviledges of Mankind which they call their Government and suppressing the Testimonies for the Interest of Christ called by them Rebellious Commotions 3. That their motive of continuing it was their Considerations of some weak Remainders of former zeal for God in prosecuting the Testimony for the Interests of Christ and Principles of the Covenanted Reformatton which they call propogating pernicious Principles and some weak attempts to oppose resist their Rebellion against God and vindicate the Work defend the people of God from the destruction they intended against them and their Lawful obliged endeavours to bring the Destroyers Murderers to condign punishment which they call horrid vilâ—anies of Murder Assassination avâ—wed Rebellion Here all the Active Appearances of the Lords people vindicated in the foregoing Heads are industriously Represented under these odious invidious Names as motives to contribute this Supplie of means to suppress them and to involve all the Contributers in the guilt of condemning them 4. That as a Test of their Allegiance unto Conâ—edeâ—acy with that Execrable Tyrant which they call their duty to their Sacred Soveraign they enact this as Representatives of the Kingdom and must be ouned as such by all the payers 5. That it is the same Cess that was granted by the Convention of Estates and the Terme of its continuation is not yet expired And hence it is manifest that that Act of Convention thô its first date be expired and thereupon many plead for the Lawfulness of paying it now that formerly scrupled at and witnessed against it yet is only renewed revived corroberated and the Exaction continued upon no other basis or bottom but the first State Constitution Which was remains to be a Consumating Crimson wickedness the cry whereof reaches Heaven Since upon the matter it was the setting of a day betwixt which exceeding the Gadarens wickedness short of their Civility they did not beseech Christ His Gospel to be gone out of Scotland but with armed violence declared they would with the strong hand drive Him out of His possession in order to which their Legions are levied with a professed Declaration that having exauctorate the Lords Anointed by Law and cloathed the Usurper with the spoils of His Honour they will by force maintain what they have done and having taken to themselves the House of God in possession they will sacrifice the Lives Liberties fortunes of all in the Nation to secure themselves in the peaceable possession of what they have robbed God And that there shall not be a Soul left in the Nation who shall not be slain shut up or sold as slaves who will oune Christ and His Interest All which they could not nor cannot accomplish without the subsidiary Contribution of the peoples help This is the plain sense of the Act for the Cess and thô not expressed the tacite uniforme intention of all the rest Yet for as monstrous and manifest the wickedness of these designs are so judicially were the bulk of our Seers plagued with blindness that many of them were left to plead for the payment of these Impositions others thô they durst not for a world do it themselves to be silent and by their silence to encourage embolden many to such a Complyance presuming with themselves and without furrher enquirie that the zeal of God and love to His Glory and the Souls of their Brethren would constrain them to speak in so clamant a case if they did observe any sin in it Whereby the Universality was involved in the guilt of these things especially deceived by the patrociny pleadings of such of late who formerly witnessed against it O that it might be
1. They cannot be taken in any sense though never so good if we consider the absolute illegality of their arbitrary imposition It will be confessed that Oaths should be very tenderly imposed upon consciences not only lest the Name of God be prostitute to profanation in matters light trivial or dubious uncertain but lest a Tyrannical Jurisdiction be exercised over the Souls of men which are not subject to any power that Mortals can claim So it cannot be denied but that the Constitution of our Government requires and Reason as well as Religion sayes it is necessary that no Ruler hath right to enjoin an Oath which is not first enacted into a Law And it was alwayes accounted a good plea for refusing Oaths when there was no Law for them And some have been charged with Treason for exacting Oaths without a Statute ordaining them Which might be brought in as a Charge against all the Imposers of Our Oaths the most part of which have been exacted extorted without any colour of Law some of them being never ordained by any Act of Parliament and others of them before they could obtain such a Mischief framed into an Act for them and all of them neither ever legally administred nor righteously enacted by such who had power to make Acts for as for the pacqued Parliaments that made them no consciencious Man could ever oune such a Company of perjured Traitors to be their Parliamentary Representatives Yet abstracting from that I say the Oaths that have been imposed without and against Law could never be taken in any sense without consenting to their treasonable breach of Law for which they have forfeited their lives to Justice when ever there shall be a Judicatory to revise their administrations And these that have been imposed by a pretended Law could never be taken without justifying of that Law that ordained them which hath been nothing but a mischief framed into a Law by a Throne of iniquity 2. They cannot be taken in a good sense with a safe conscience considering either what is plain in them or what is more ambiguous What is plain and capable but of one sense that is alwayes either constraining to a clear Sin to renounce some part of the Covenanted Reformation in profession or practice Or Restraining from a clear duty that we should not do that which we may or ought to do There is nothing in all of them plain but what obliges to one of these two Again what is ambiguous in them as it ought to be refused for its ambiguity so when it is explained according to the Imposers mind meaning the sense will be found alwayes pernicious though the words may be plausible As when they require an obligation to Allegiance or Loyaltie or peaceableness or Orderlyness and other smooth words signifying excellent things in an abstract Notion these will be found to carry quite another sense if we inquire into the Imposers meaning in which only Oaths Bonds must be taken The only way to find out their meaning is to consider either their Acts or Actings or their designs intentions as they are discoverable by any man of Prudence or consideration If we consult their Acts or Actings practically only legally explaining them for a commentary then by Allegiance we can understand nothing else but an ouning of their Absolute Tyranny by Loyaltie nothing but an absolute implicite Obedience of their absolute Commands without reserve as the late Proclamation for the Tolleration expounds it by peaceableness nothing but a stupid subjection to them leting them do what they please without resistence or control and by Orderlyness nothing but a disorderly Complyance Conformity with them in going along with the Corruptions Defections of the time for their Acts Actings expound them so If we consider their designs intentions according to which they are all uniformly calculate and equally levelled He is blind who hath not seen they have been driving all this time at these designs to which all these Oaths Bonds have been adapted successfully subservient and by which they have been promoted to the present pass to overturn gradually all the degrees of our Covenanted Reformation to establish Tyranny and advance it unto greater degrees of Absoluteness and to introduce Poperie slavery So that by Allegiance Loyaltie can be meant nothing else but an obligation to oune obey and never to oppose the design of advancing Tyranny And by Peaceableness Orderlyness nothing else can be intended than an obligation never to oppose either the present Settlement or future establishment of Poperie arbitrary power upon the ruines of the Reformation and our Civil Religious Rights Liberties Whence they that can take these Oaths Bonds in any other sense and plead for the inoffensiveness of the terms in a more abstract notion and sense alledged more legal without regard to that of the Imposers practically explained by their administrations and so looking more to the briberies of their blinded reason and wordly Interest than to the Dictates of conscience please themselves with such notions quibling evasions do but Mock God deceive the world illude the enemies and delude themselves And all these debatings for Accommodations Expositions in another sense are but foull fairdings of conscience-beguiling Compoundings in and pitiful priggings for a base Complyance But it is usual for a guilty Son of Adam to sow fig-leaves 4. Let it be considered that all these Oaths Bonds that the Land hath been debauched with these 27 years are all condemned by and contradictory to anterior binding Orders the Acts of the General Assembles requiring no Oaths in the common cause to be taken without the Churches consent as was cleared in the Historical part upon the fifth Period pag. 82. And that especially they are condemned as being contradictory to violatory of prior Oaths of continuing indispensible Obligation being designed pressed imposed on purpose to delete the same out of the minds memories of the present Generation I mean the National and Solemn League Covenants and other former Nationally binding Publick Engagments Which because they are not only broken burnt but declared Criminal to be ouned and because the ouning of their obligation is ordinarly inserted in the Indytments of our Martyrs I must touch upon them more particularly It was cleared above Head. 1. Arg. 11. from the Form the Object and from the Ends of the Covenant which are all Moral and of indispensible obligation that it is of perpetual and unalterably binding force obliging the present and all future Generations as well as that which did first come under the bond of it And to confirm this I shall adde more particularly these many consideration 1. The National Engagments are National promises plighting pledging the Nations publick faith for the preservation propagation of Religion Liberty to succeding posterity which if succeeding Generations may reverse then the
faith of men and the faith of Nations can be of no force above a century of years nay nor after the decease of them that personally made the promise And so every new Ruler every new Parliament yea every person coming up to succeed the Father in any Capacity might be free not to stand to it which were very absurd Certainly that promise of the Iewish Nobles Rulers not to exact Usury of their Brethren but to restore not require it of them did not only oblige themselves but would bring their posterity under the curse if they should exact the same debt there remitted Neh. 5. 12 31. And does not a National promise of preserving the Reformation bind as much to the curse of the breach of it 2. They are National vowes avowing avouching and devoting themselves their posterity to be the Lords people and to keep His Statutes promove His Interests which do bind the posterity Iacobs vow at Bethel that the Lord should be his God Gen. 28. 21. did oblige all his posterity virtually comprehended in him He found Him in Bethel and there He speake with Us saith the Prophet many hundered years after Hâ—s 12. 4. The Israelites vow to destroy the Canaanites did oblige all their posterity Numb 21. 2. Not only by virtue of the Lords Command but by virtue of their vow as we are obliged to preserve the Reformation not only by virtue of the Lords Command but by virtue of our Covenants Vowes are bonds to the Soul which must stand Numb 20. 2 4. And whereas it is said that as a womans father or husband might disanull her vow and so the Magistrate might abrogate the Covenant Besides the impertinency of this Comparison as might be easie to demonstrate it may be refelled by giving not granting that he might do so yet if the father husband shall hold their peace then all her vowes shall stand and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand vers 4 7. but so it was that the Supreme Magistrate did give his Consent to the National Covenant and the Successor did swear the Solemn League Covenant and received the Crown on the terms thereof to preserve promote Religion Liberty and therefore her vowes must stand they cannot be made void afterwards for it is a snare to devour that which is holy and after vowes to make enquiry Prov. 20. 25. So we find the Rechabites were obliged to observe the vow of their forefather Ionadab Ier. 35. 6 14. And if the fathers vow obliges the Children shall not the Nations vow oblige the posterity 3. They are National Oaths which do oblige posterity Esaws Oath to Iacob resigning his birth-right did oblige his posterity never to recover it Gen. 25. 33. Ioseph took an Oath of the Children of Israel to carry up his bones into Canaan Gen. 50. 25. which the posterity going forth of Egypt in after ages found themselves straitly sworn to observe Exod. 13. 19. and accordingly buryed them in Shechem Ioshua 24. 32. The Spies swore to preserve Rahab alive and her house Ioshua 2. 12 c. which was without the Consent of the Magistrate and yet Ioshua found himself obliged to observe it Ioshua 6. 22. Moses swore unto Caleb to ensure him an inheritance Ioshua 14. 9. and upon this ground he demanâ—s it as his right vers 12. which he could not do if Successors might reverse their Predicessors Lawful Oaths The Lord will in a special manner resent revenge the posterities breach of the Oath of their fathers Covenant Ezek. 16. 59. Thus saith the Lord God I will even deal with thee as thow hast done which hast despised the Oath in breaking the Covenant which was the Covenant of their fathers 4. They are National Covenants wherein King Parliament people do Covenant with each other for the performance of the respective Duties of their several stations either as to the work of Reformation or as to the preservation of each others mutual Rights Priviledges So that they are National Covenants made by men with men and these we find do oblige the posterity Israels Covenant with the Gibeonites did oblige the posterity Iosh. 9. 15 19. and for the breach of it many ages after the posterity was plagued 2 Sam. 21. 1. Zedekiah was bound by his Predecessors Covenant though it was such as made the Kingdom base yet in keeping it it was only to stand Shall he break the Covenant be delivered Thus saith the Lord as I live surely mine Oath that he hath despised and my Covenant that he hath broken even it will I recompense upon his oun hâ—ad Ezek. 17. 12 14 15 19. The Apostle sayes even of humane Covenants Though it be but a Mans Covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereunto Gal. 3. 15. that is cannot do so Lawfully much less can one man disanull a Nations Covenant 5. They are National Attestations of God as a Witness for the perpetuity as well as fidelity of these Sacred Engagments All such Covenants wherein the Holy Name of God is invocated as Witness are ouned of God as His hence the Covenant betwixt David Ionathan is called the Covenant of the Lord 1 Sam. 20. 8. and Zedekiahs fault was the breach of the Lords Covenant Ezek. 17. forecited So likewise that Covenant mentioned Ier. 34. 8 9 10. wherein the Princes People did swear to let their Hebrew Servants go free is called Gods Covenant 〈◊〉 18. and upon this account sorer Judgements are threatened vers 19 20. And I will give the men that have transgressed my Covenant which have not performed the Words of the Covenant which thâ—y had made before me into the hands of their enemies Certainly this did oblige the posterity at least not to recall these Servants and it was alwayes Morally obliging So our National Covenant sworn with hands lifted up to the Most high God being materially also binding cannot be abrogated by the posterity except the Lord renounce His Interest in them as long as the Witness liveth then who claims them as His they cannot be made void Especially considering 6. They are National Covenants made with God as the other party Contracting in the matters of God which none can dispense with or grant Remissions in and therefore they must perpetually bind until He loose them And if even the posterity break them the Lord will make them that hate them to reign over them and He will bring a Swosd upon them to aveange the quarrel of His Covenant Levit. 26. 15 17 25. Such were all the National Covenants of the Lords people renewed by Ioshua Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah Ezra Nehemiah for the breaches of which the Lord plagued the posterity It was for breach of their fathers Covenant with God that the ten tribes were carried away Captive 2 King. 17. 15. c. We have already experienced the threatened Judgments for Covenant-breaking and may look for more 7. They are