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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/37137-8.txt b/37137-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cb313d3 --- /dev/null +++ b/37137-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,25029 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Hind Let Loose, by Alexander Shields + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: A Hind Let Loose + Or, An Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland for the Interest of Christ. With the True State Thereof in All Its Periods + + +Author: Alexander Shields + + + +Release Date: August 20, 2011 [eBook #37137] +[Last updated: October 13, 2011] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A HIND LET LOOSE*** + + +E-text prepared by Jordan, Julia Neufeld, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) + + + + A + HIND LET LOOSE; + + OR, + + AN HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION + + OF THE + + TESTIMONIES + + OF THE + + CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, + + FOR THE + + INTEREST OF CHRIST. + +WITH THE TRUE STATE THEREOF IN ALL ITS PERIODS. + + TOGETHER WITH +A Vindication of the present TESTIMONY against the Popish, Prelatical, +and malignant Enemies of that Church, as it is now stated, +for the Prerogatives of CHRIST, Privileges of the Church, +and Liberties of Mankind; and sealed by the sufferings of a reproached +Remnant of Presbyterians there, witnessing against the Corruptions of +the Time: + + WHEREIN +Several Controversies of greatest Consequence are enquired into, and +in some measure cleared; concerning hearing of the Curates, owning +of the present Tyranny, taking of ensnaring Oaths and Bonds, +frequenting of Field-meetings, defensive Resistance of tyrannical +Violence, with several other subordinate Questions useful for these +Times. + + * * * * * + + BY MR. ALEXANDER SHIELS, + LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL IN ST. ANDREW'S. + + +Psal. xciv. 20. _Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, +which frameth mischief by a law?_ + +Rev. xii. 11. _And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the +word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death._ + + Glasgow + + _PRINTED BY WILLIAM PATON_, + FOR JOHN KIRK, CALTON, THE PUBLISHER. + 1797. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +CHRISTIAN READER, + +Presuming it is thy desire to answer the holy and honourable designation +I accost thee with, I shall take the confidence to assure thee, it is my +design to answer, in some measure, the expectation which the title of +this treatise would offer, in the hope that, wherein I come short (as I +indeed confess not only my jealous fears, but my sensible conviction of +my insufficiency for such a great undertaking) thy Christian tenderness +will impute it to my weakness, and not to any want of worth in the cause +I manage, which is truly worthy, weighty, noble and honourable, in the +esteem of all the lovers of Christ, that have zeal for his honour in +exercise; and therefore as it gives me all the encouragement I have, in +dependence on his furniture whose cause it is, to make such an essay, so +it animates my ambition, albeit I cannot manage it with any proportion +to its merit, yet to move the Christian reader to make enquiry about it, +and then sure I am he will find it is truth I plead for, though my plea +be weak. All I shall further say by way of preface, is to declare the +reason of the title, and the design of the work. + +Though books use not to be required to render a reason of their names, +which often are arbitrarily imposed more for the author's fancy and the +time's fashion, than for the reader's instruction: yet, seeing the +time's injuries do oblige the author to conceal his name, the title will +not obscurely notify it to some for whose satisfaction this is mainly +intended, and signify also the scope of the subject; which aims at +giving goodly words, not sugared with parasitic sweetness, nor painted +with affected pedantry, but fairly brought forth in an unhampered +freedom, for the beauty of the blessing of human and Christian liberty, +in its due and true boundaries. This was the subject of a discourse, as +some may remember, on that text whence this title is taken, Gen. xlix. +21. "Naphtali is a Hind let loose." In prosecuting of which, the +speaker, with several others, falling at the same time into the hands of +the hunters, (to learn the worth of that interrupted subject from the +experience of the want of it) an occasion was given, and interpreted by +the author to be a call to study more the preciousness of that privilege +predicated of Naphtali, which is the right and property of the wrestling +tribe of Israel, the persecuted witnesses of Christ now every where +preyed upon. And now, providence having opened a door for "delivering +himself as a roe from the hand of the hunter," he thought it his duty, +and as necessary a piece of service as he could do to the generation, to +bring to light his lucubrations thereupon; with an endeavour to discover +to all that are free born, and are not contented slaves, mancipated to a +stupid subjection to tyrants absoluteness, that this character of +Naphtali, "satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the +Lord," that he is a "hind let loose" from the yoke of tyrannical +slavery, is far preferable, in the account of all that understand to be +Christians or men, to that infamous stigma of Issachar (the sin, shame, +and misery of this age) to be "a strong ass, couching under two burdens; +and he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant, and +bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute." But to +all that are not altogether strangers in our Israel, it will appear, +that this title is not inaptly applied to the subject and design of this +treatise. The party whose case and cause, and contendings are here +treated of, being known to have the same situation of residence in +Scotland that Naphtali had in Israel, viz. the west and the south (Deut. +xxxiii. 23.) will be found, among all our tribes, most appositely to +bear the signature of Naphtali, who, in their wrestlings for the +interest of Christ and the liberties of his Israel, have mostly +jeoparded their lives in the high places of the fields; and chiefly to +deserve his elogy, being a "hind", (called wild by nickname in the scorn +of them that are at ease, but) truly weak in their present wilderness +condition, to wrestle against the force and fraud of their cruel and +cunning hunters, who cease not (when they have now got the rest of the +roes and hinds of the field made fast asleep, under the bondage of the +lions dens and mountains of leopards, by a pretence of a falsely so +called liberty of conscience) to seek and pursue the chace of them for a +prey; yet really they are "let loose," and not only suffered to run +loose, as a prey to the hunters, by the unwatchfulness of their keepers, +but made to escape loose, by the mercy of the Mighty One of Jacob, from +the nets of the hunters and snares of the fowlers, and from the yoke of +the bondage of these beasts of prey, to whose authority they will not +own a willing subjection; and being such "hinds," so "let loose," they +make it their work to give goodly words, for the worth and honour, and +royalties of their princely master, and for the precious liberties +wherewith he hath endoted and entrusted his spouse and children, and to +keep the goodly words of his patience, until he return "as a roe or a +young hart upon the mountains of Bether." This being the party who are +represented as the wild folk of Scotland, the design of this treatise is +to hold forth the history of their manifold chaces, the craft, keeness, +and cruelty of their hunters, and the goodliness of the words of their +testimony, which, by reason of the likeness of the testimony of former +periods with the present, and that the latter may be vindicated by the +former, is resumed from the beginning of the Church of Scotland's +wrestlings against the enemies of Christ, and deduced through all the +most signal steps of this long propagated and hereditary war. And, lest +my words should not be goodly enough, nor my notions grateful to the +critics of this age, who cast every thing as new and nice, which is +someway singular, and not suited to their sentiments; that it may appear +the cause here cleared and vindicated is not of yesterday, but older +than their grandfathers who oppose it, I dare avouch, without vanity, +there is nothing here but what is confirmed by authors of greatest note +and repute in our church, both ancient and modern, namely, Buchanan, +Knox, Calderwood, Acts of General Assemblies, Causes of Wrath, Lex Rex, +Apologetical Relation, Naphtali, Jus Populi, History of the Indulgence, +Banders Disbanded, Rectius Instruendum, and some other authors much +respected, whose authority, more always repelled by rage than ever yet +refitted by reason; though I value more than all the vain oblatrations +of the opposers of this testimony, and think it sufficient to confute +all imputations of its novelty, and to counterbalance the weight that +may be laid on the contradictions of the greatest that treat on this +subject, yet I do not lay so much stress on the reason of their +authority as on the authority of their reason, which is here represented +with that candour and care, that, lest any should cavil that they are +wrested or wronged when made to speak so patly to the present +controversies, I have chosen rather to transcribe their words, than to +borrow their matter dressed up in my own, except where the prolixity and +multiplicity of their arguments, as clearly demonstrating that which I +adduce them for, as that for which they were primarily intended, did +impose the necessity of abridging them, which yet is mostly in their own +words, though reduced into a sollogistical form. But this obloquy of +novelty being anticipated, when I reflect on the helps I have collected +from so many hands, I am rather afraid the truths here delivered be +contemned as obsolete and antiquate, than cast at for new speculations. +However, I am content; yea it is my ambition, that nothing here be +looked upon as mine, but that it may appear this is an old plea, and +that the party here pleaded for, who are stigmatized with many +singularities, are a people who ask the old paths, and the good way, +that they may walk therein; and though their paths be not now much +paved, by the frequency of passengers, and multitude of professors +walking therein, and albeit it must indeed be confessed the word of +their testimony is someway singular, that the same things were never the +word of Christ's patience, stated as heads of suffering before, yet they +are not untrodden paths, but the same way of truth which hath been +maintained by the witnesses of Christ in all the periods of our church, +and asserted by the greatest confessors, though never before sealed by +martyrs. As for the arguments I bring to clear and confirm them, whether +they be accounted mine, or borrowed from others, I am very indifferent, +if they prove the point they are brought for, which I hope they will be +found to do; but of this I am confident, there is nothing here can be +condemned until some one or more of these grave authors be confuted; +and, when that is done, (which will be never, or against the _thirtieth +of February_), there is something besides here, which will challenge +consideration. + +The design then of this work is of great importance, even no less than +to essay the discussing the difficulties of all our conflicts with open +enemies, about the present state of the testimony; the vindicating of +all the heads of sufferings sustained thereupon these twenty-seven years +past; the proposing of the right state of the testimony for the interest +of Christ, not only of this, but of all former periods, with an account +of the propagation and prosecution of the witnesses, wrestlings, and +sufferings of it from time to time, to the end it may appear, not only +how great the sufferings have been, since this fatal catastrophe and +overturning of the covenanted reformation, and unhappy restoration of +tyranny and prelacy; but that the grounds upon which they have been +stated, are not niceties and novelties, (as they are reproached and +reprobated by many), but worthy and weighty truths of great value and +validity, and of near affinity unto, and conformity with the continued +series and succession of the testimonies in all former periods. So that +in this little treatise must be contained a compendious history of the +Church of Scotland, her testimony in all ages, a vindication of the +present state of it; yea, in effect, a short epitome of the substance of +those famous forecited authors, as far as we need to consult them, +concerning the controversies of the present time with adversaries; which +is much, and perhaps too much, to be undertaken in so small a volume. +But considering that many who are concerned in this cause, yea the most +part who concern themselves about, are such who have neither access, nor +time, nor capacity to revolve the voluminous labours of these learned +men for light in this case, I have done best to bring them into one body +of portable bulk with as great brevity as could consist well with any my +measure of perspicuity, not meddling with any thing but what I thought +might some way conduce to clear some part of the present testimony. + +Every undertaking of this nature cannot but be liable to several +disadvantages that are unavoidable: this hath many discouraging and +difficult. One is, that it shall be exposed to the common fate of such +representations, to be stigmatized as a seditious libel, and so may be +sent to the flames to be confuted; and, to inflame the fury of these +fire brands, already hell-hot, into the utmost extremity of rage against +the author, that ever cruelty itself at its fullest freedom did exert +against truth and reason arraigned, and cast for sedition and treason: +the only sanctuary in such a case, is, in prospect of this, to have the +greater care that nothing be spoken, but what the speaker may dare to +affirm in the face of cruelty itself. A second common disadvantage is +obvious from the consideration of the humour of the age; wherein fancy +hath greater force than faith, and nothing is pleasing but what is +parasitical, or attempered to the palate of the greatest, not of the +best; and naked truth, without the fairdings of flattery, or paintings +of that pakiness which is commonly applauded as prudence now a days, is +either boggled at, or exposed to scorn and contempt; and reason, if +roundly written, except it meet with an honest heart, is commonly read +with a stammering mouth, which puts a T before it, and then it is +stumbled at as Treason. This essay does expect no entertainment from +any, but such who resolve to harbour truth, be the hazard what will, +even when the world raises the _Hue_ and _Cry_ after it, and from such +who are really groaning, either by suffering or sympathy, under the same +grievances here represented. There is a third, which makes it not a +little difficult, the quality, quantity, and intricacy of the matter, +here to be confined to such a compend. All which, together considered, +do infer a fourth difficulty, that hardly can it get a pass through the +press; which is blocked up against all such books that may offer a +manifestation of the innocency of that people, and the injustice and +inhumanity of their enemies; which is their only hope of preventing the +world's knowledge and condemnation of their actings. Yea, there is a +fifth, that wants not its own difficulty; that though the Press were +patent, yet an empty purse, from a poor impoverished people, will as +readily preclude all access to it, as if it were locked up by law; but +both together make it hard. But there is a sixth disadvantage yet more +discouraging, that the man as well as the money, is wanting to manage +the business: and this needs no other proof; than the necessity of my +poor pen to undertake it, instead of a better. It must needs be very low +with that people, that stand in need of such a pitiful patrociny as mine +is. Our persecuted brethren, elsewhere, have this advantage of us, that +they have champions to espouse their quarrel, which we have not; but +only such, who as they are reputed in the world, so, in their own +sense, own themselves to be very unaccomplished for such work; and under +this invincible disadvantage also, that, being forced to a wandering and +unsettled life, they have no conveniency, nor can be accommodated with +time, nor helps to perform it; and so circumstantiated, that either it +must be done at this time, and in this manner, or not at all. In the +seventh place, we are at a greater loss than any suffering people; in +that, among all other bitter ingredients, we have this gall also in our +cup, that they that suffer most among us, have not the comfort and +benefit of the sympathy of others, that sufferers use to have from good +people. The reason of this makes an eighth discouragement, besides what +is said above; that not only is the case and cause of that poor +persecuted and wasted witnessing remnant, obscure in itself, and not +known in the world, nay, not so much as in the very neighbouring +churches of England and Ireland, but also more obscured by the malice of +enemies, traducing, calumniating, and reproaching that righteous remnant +whom they intend to ruin; not indeed as hereticks (which is the case of +other suffering churches, wherein they have the advantage of us also; +that though the name be more odious, yet it makes the notion of their +cause, and the nature of their enemies, notour, and is more effectual to +conciliate sympathy from all that know that Protestants are persecuted +by Papists under the notion of hereticks: but we are at a loss in this, +that our persecutors, at least the most part of the executioners of the +persecution, will not as yet avouch that Protestantism is heresy though +we want not this nick name likewise from the chief of them that are +professed Papists) but as Scismaticks, Seditious, Rebels, Traitors, +Murderers, Holding principles inconsistent with Government, (to wit, +their tyranny), and the peace of human society, (to wit, their +association against religion and liberty), and therefore to be +exterminated out of the world. And this imposture, covering all their +mischiefs, hath prevailed so far with the blinded world, that under this +brand the consideration of their case and cause is buried, without +farther inquiry. This were yet more tolerable from open enemies, if +there were not another more pressing discouragement, in the ninth place, +peculiar to them in Scotland; that having to do with treacherous as well +as truculent enemies, as they have been much destroyed by open force, so +much more by fraud; while, by ensnaring favours, some have been +flattered from the testimony, others disdaining and suspecting, as well +as deprived of, and secluded from, these favours, have stuck to it; +hence defection brought on division, and division confusion, which hath +reduced the reformation to a ruinous heap. In the next place, as the +consequent of the former, while the purer remnant have been resolutely +prosecuting the testimony, and not only keeping themselves free of, and +standing at the farthest distance from, all degrees of compliance, but +also witnessing against their brethren involved in them and thinking it +their duty to discountenance them in these corruptions and backslidings; +they have been therefore reproached and misrepresented very +industriously, as "Ignorant, Imprudent, Transported with blind zeal, +Extravagant, wild Separatists, Espousing new and nice notions, rejecters +of the ministry, imposers on the ministry, deniers of all government, +usurpers of an imaginary government of their own, that died as fools, +and as guilty of their own blood." By which odious and and invidious +obloquies, they have easily prevailed with many, both at home and +abroad, that are more credulous than considerate, to believe these +things of them: hence, with prejudicate people, a contrary +representation will find difficult acceptance. However, this moreover is +another great disadvantage, and renders an essay to vindicate their +sufferings very uneasy; that they are thrust at, and tossed on both +hands, by enemies and professed friends: and by enemies that are not +Papists, but professed Protestants, owning the same fundamentals in +opinion, though in practice not holding the same head: and by friends, +that not only are Protestants, but Presbyterians, under the bonds of the +same solemn and sacred covenants, the obligation whereof they still own; +and not only so, but such, whose piety and godliness cannot be doubted. +This is a gravamen grievous to bear, and greatly aggravates the +difficulty. Finally, the greatest of all is, that not only their cause +is rendered odious, but must be confessed truly stated as heads of +suffering. For now it is the dragon's chief stratagem with us, like to +be the most subtile, ensnaring, and successful of any, that ever he set +on work since ever he began this war with the Lamb, (which yet I hope +will prove as fatal to his interest as the former), to bring the +sufferings of Christ's witnesses to such a state, that may seem to +spectators little or nothing relative to religion, that so he may +destroy both them and their testimony unlamented, and by that trick +divert others from concerting that same necessary witness in the season +thereof. And, for this end, he will change both matter and manner, in +managing the war. He will not now persecute for the old controverted +heads of Popery, with fire and faggot, as formerly, for refusing to +worship our Lady, or the "blessed Sacrament of the Altar." These weapons +and engines are so worn out of use, that they will not work now as they +did before. And that old bawd of Babylon is become so ugly, and out of +date; that he does not believe her beauty can be so bewitching, except +that she put on a new busk: but her eldest daughter, the prelatical +church, of the same complexion with herself, except that she is coloured +with Protestant paint, is fitter for his service to allure our land into +fornication; and who will not be enticed, must be forced to communion +with her, by finings, confinings, exactions, extortions, and impositions +of oaths, &c. Religion must be little concerned here; for there is +preaching enough, and of protestant doctrine too, and without the +monkey-tricks, and montebank shows, and foperies of English popish +ceremonies and liturgical services: What would they be at! Is it not +better to yield to this, than to fall into the hand of the +Scottish-Spanish inquisition, that will rack the purse, the body, and +conscience and all? This is one complex head of suffering, and thought a +very small one by many. But now, finding this would not do his business +yet, it looked too like religion still: he hath therefore invented a new +machine; he will not now persecute, nor force the conscience at all (so +good-natured is the devil and his lieutenant grown in their old age) for +matters of mere religion. Nay, (if we may believe him, who, when he +speaketh a lie, speaketh it of his own) he hath not done it this long +time, but only, in all the violent courses exercised against these +sufferers, he hath been magistratically chastising the disobedence and +rebellion of a few turbulent traitors, who would not own the government. +And thus, under the notion of rebellion and disowning authority, he hath +had access and success to destroy almost an innumerable number of honest +and innocent, faithful and fruitful lovers of Christ, who, though indeed +they have had their sufferings stated upon those points, yet I doubt not +shall be found among the followers of the Lamb, and confessors and +martyrs of Christ, who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the +word of their testimony, not loving their lives unto the death, whose +blood is crying for vengeance against the shedders thereof: and he will +make inquisition for it, when he comes to overturn, overturn, and take +his own right, for which they have been contending. Nevertheless this is +a prejudice too prevalent with many, to misregard the case and cause of +these contenders, or any thing that can be said to represent them +favourably. And all these disadvantages, difficulties, and +discouragements, together considered, would soon cool my courage, and, +at first blush, make me leave off before I begin, were I not persuaded, +that it is the cause of Christ these reproached people are still +suffering for: and that their great sufferings and reproaches are both +alike unjust: from both which the Lord will vindicate them, and bring +forth their righteousness as the light, and their judgment as the +noon-day, in his own time. In confidence of which, depending on his +conduct, I shall undertake, as briefly as possible for me, to represent +their case, and clear the cause, so far at least as concerns their +contest with their persecuting enemies, with whom I only deal at +present: it not being my purpose to descend particularly in their +necessitated contendings with complying brethren: partly because they +would make the volume to excresce unto too great a bulk, and because +they are to be seen elsewhere: yet, in effect: these also are not only +here narratively deduced, but whatever is odious in them is vindicated, +and what is difficult in some measure enodated. + +But it may be expected and desiderated, that I should give a distinct +deduction of all the steps of this woful defection, against which a +great part of the testimony hath been stated; but I would have the +reader advertised, I touch only that part of the testimony which hath +been sealed by severe sufferings from enemies. It were a task +transcending my capacity, and a theme wherein I have no pleasure, +besides that it is inconsistent with my leisure, to enlarge upon such a +sad and shameful subject: though the world indeed is at a loss, that +they that would do it, cannot, and they that would and should do it, +will not; and it is a greater loss, not only to Scotland, but also to +the whole Christian world, that what hath been done in this kind already +cannot see the light, or rather that the church of Christ is deprived of +its light, which through the injury of the times, and the disingenuous +prudence of some, who suffer themselves to be imposed upon by the +patrons of defection, is embezzled and suppressed. I mean that excellent +and faithful history of defection, the posthumous work of the famous +Mr. M'Ward, whose praise is in the churches; which if they that have it +in keeping would do themselves the honour, and the world the happiness, +of publishing it, there would be no more need to discover from whence, +to what, and how, that church hath fallen and degenerate; nor so great +difficulty in that indisputable and indispensible duty that such a day +calls for, in searching and trying our ways, to the end we may turn +again to the Lord; nor any necessity for my poor essay to invite and +incite the people of the Lord to take cognizance and compassion on poor +perishing Scotland. I wish that they who have it, may consult more their +own duty and credit, and what they owe to the memory of the dead, the +church's edification, the day's testimony, and the honour of Christ, +than to continue robbing the world of such a treasure; which I doubt not +to call treason against Christ, and sacrilege against the church, and +stick not to tell them, if they will not publish it, the world must know +there was such a thing done. But it not being my design now, to detect +or reflect upon all the defections of that declining, and by declensions +divided, and by divisions almost (only not) destroyed church; I shall +meddle with them no further, than what is necessary to clear the cause, +referring the knowledge and account of them, either to the notoriety of +the grossest of them, or to the more particular ennaration of them, to +be found in papers emitted and published by the contenders against them: +of which one is of this same year's edition, entitled, 'The Informatory +Vindication of a 'poor, wasted, misrepresented Remnant,' &c. In which +may be evident, that notwithstanding of all this darkness and distress, +defection and division, under which the church of Scotland hath been so +long, and is still labouring, there is yet a poor wasted, wounded, rent, +and almost ruined, but still wrestling and witnessing remnant of +professors and confessors of Christ there, who though they have not only +had their souls exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are +at ease, and with the contempt of the proud; but their bodies also +killed all day long, and counted as sheep for the slaughter, have yet +through grace endeavoured to overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the +word of their testimony, and have not loved their lives dear unto the +death, and have continued to this day contending both against professed +enemies, and also declining friends, sustaining from both the utmost of +rage and reproach. And since that little book gives an account, what +their contendings have been against their backdrawing brethren on the +right and left hand, I shall spare labour to offer a discussion of them, +only endeavour to make it not difficult to decide and determine, on +whose side truth lies, by what is here hinted. + +I shall conclude with advertising the reader of one thing further, that, +as this reproached people, for testimony I am pleading, is now the only +party that is persecuted in Scotland, (some few excepted, who are +exempted from the pretended favour of the current indemnities) and their +persecution still continues, notwithstanding of the impudent, as well as +insnaring declarations of universal liberty to all dissenters, which +they look upon as their honour and happiness, to be thought incapable of +tyrannical and antichristian favours; so their past and present +oppressions and sufferings are only here in general aggregated, +described as to their kinds, and vindicated as to their causes: the +particular deduction of their number, weight, and measure, of their +names that have been martyred and murdered, both by formality of law, +and without all formality of law, by sea and land, city and country, on +scaffolds, and in the fields; of the manner of their sufferings; and of +the form of their trials and testimonies, being intended shortly (if the +Lord will) to be emitted and published in a book by itself; which will +discover to the world as rare instances of the injustice, illegality, +and inhumanity of the Scottish inquisition, and of the innocency, zeal, +ingenuity, and patience of the witnesses of Christ, as readily can be +instanced in these latter ages. Only here is a taste till more come; +which if the Lord bless for its designed end, the glory of God, the +vindication of truth, the information and satisfaction of all serious +sympathisers with Zion's sorrows, and the conviction or confutation of +reproachers, so far, at least, as to make them surcease from their +invidious charge of things whereof the innocency is here vindicated, I +have obtained all my design, and shall desire to give the Lord the +praise. + + + + +_It will not be unprofitable for the Reader to cast his eye upon these +sentences of great Authors, which relate to some heads of the following +discourse._ + +(Translated from their Originals.) + + _Erasmus._ As a woodcock, otherwise loud, being taken, becomes + dumb; so slavery renders some men speechless, who, if they were + free, would tell their minds freely. + + _Nazianzen._ Discord is better for the advantage of piety, than + dissembled concord. + + _Bernard._ But if scandal arise for the truth, it is better to + suffer scandal than relinquish the truth. + + _Bracton._ He is a king who rightly governs, a tyrant who oppresses + his people. + + _Cicero._ He loses all right to government, who, by that + government, overturns the common-weal. + + _Aristotle._ He who obeys the law, obeys both God and the law; who + obeys the king, a man and a beast. + + _Sueton._ They are not bound to be loyal to a wicked king, under + the pains of perjury. + + _Ambrose._ He that does not keep off injury from his neighbour, if + he can do it, is as much in the fault as he who does it. + + _Chamier._ But all subjects have right of resisting tyrants, who by + open force acquire dominion. + + _Barclay. Against contenders for Monarchy._ All antiquity agrees, + that tyrants can, most justly, be attacked and slain as public + enemies, not only by the public, but also by individual persons. + + + + + A + + HIND LET LOOSE; + + OR, + + AN HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION + + OF THE + + TESTIMONIES + + OF THE + + CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, + + FOR THE + + INTEREST OF CHRIST. + +WITH THE TRUE STATE THEREOF IN ALL ITS PERIODS. + + WITH + + _A VINDICATION OF THE PRESENT TESTIMONY_. + + +The church of Christ, in the impression of all that have the least spark +of the day's spirit is now brought to such a doleful and dreadful case +and crisis, that if it be not reckoned the killing of the witnesses, yet +all that have or desire the knowledge of the times, will judge it no +impeachment to the prophecy to say, it is either very like, or near unto +it. When now the devil is come down in great wrath, and knowing his time +is but short, and therefore exerting all the energy of the venom and +violence, craft and cruelty of the dragon, and antichrist, alias pope, +his captain-general, is now universally prevailing, and plying all his +hellish engines to batter down, and bury under the rubbish of +everlasting darkness, what is left to be destroyed of the work of +reformation; and the crowned heads, or horns of the beast, the tyrants, +alias kings of Europe, his council of war, are advancing their +prerogatives upon the ruins of the nations and churches privileges, to +such a pitch of absoluteness, and improving and employing their power +for promoting their masters (the devil and antichrists) interests, to +whom they have gifted the churches, mancipated their own, and sacrificed +the nations interest; and that with such combination of counsels, and +countenance of providential success, that all the powers of hell, the +principalities of earth, and the providence of heaven, over-ruling all +things for the accomplishment of the divine purpose, and purchase, and +prediction, seem to conspire to produce that prodigious period, and last +attempt of the church's enemy. And the commencement is so far advanced, +that now in all the churches of Europe either the witnesses of Christ +are a killing, or the witness for Christ is in a great measure killed; +either the followers of the Lamb, who are called, and chosen, and +faithful, are killed for their testimony, or fainting in their zeal, and +falling from their first love, they are cooled or cajoled from their +testimony. Some are indulging themselves in their ease, settling on +their lees, and sleeping in a stupid security; and, while the Lord is +roaring from above, and his, and their enemies raging about them, and +designing to raze them after they have ruined their neighbours, they are +rotting away under the destructive distempers of detestable neutrality, +loathsome lukewarmness, declining, and decaying in corruptions, +defections, divisions, distractions, confusions; and so judicially +infatuated with darkness and delusions, that they forget and forego the +necessary testimony of the day. Others again, outwearied with the length +and weight of the trial, under the temptation of antichrist's formidable +strength on the one hand, and a deceitful prospect of an insnaring +liberty on the other, are overcome either to be hectored or flattered +from their testimony. And so, in these churches, comprehending all that +are free from persecution at this time, the witness for Christ is in a +great measure killed. Other churches, which are keeping and contending +for the word of Christ's patience, are so wasted, and almost worn out, +with persecutions, afflictions, and calamities, that, after they have +been, and are (so much) daily killed for the word of God, and the +testimony of Jesus, it may well be said, there hath been, and is, a +great slaughter of the witnesses. And it were hard to determine, which +of them can give the largest and most lamentable account of their +sufferings, or which of them have had the greatest and most grievous +experiences of the treachery and truculency, violence and villany of +atheistical and papistical enemies: whether the reformed church of +France, howling under the paw of that devouring lion, the French tyrant; +or the protestants of Hungary under the tearing claws of that ravenous +eagle, the tyrant of Austria; or those of Piedmont, under the grassant +tyranny of that little tyger of Savoy. The accounts they give in print, +the reports they bring with them in their flight from their respective +countries, and the little hints we have in gazettes and news-letters, +must needs enforce a conviction, if not extort a compassion of the +greatness of their pressures; and that with such a parity, that it is +doubtful which preponderates. I shall not make comparisons, nor +aggravate nor extenuate the sufferings of any of the churches of Christ, +beyond or below their due measures; but will presume to plead, that +Scotland, another ancient, and sometimes famous reformed church, be +inrolled in the catalogue of suffering churches, besides these +mentioned; and crave, that she may have a share of that charity and +sympathy which is the demand and desire of afflicted churches of Christ, +from all the fellow members of that same body: and so much the rather is +this her due, that, whereas, among all the rest of the churches, +Christ's witnesses are killed in some particular respect, and each of +them have their own proper complaint of it; some upon the account of +persecution, some of defection, division, &c. of this it may be said, in +all respects, both the witnesses of Christ, and a witness for Christ, +are killed with a witness. This is the case of the sometimes renowned, +famous, faithful, and fruitful, reformed, covenanted church of Scotland, +famous for unity, faithful for verity, fruitful in the purity of +doctrine, worship, discipline, and government; which now, for these +twenty-seven years past, under the domination of the late tyrant, and +present usurper of Britain, hath been so wasted with oppression, wounded +with persecution, rent with division, ruined with defection, that now +she is as much despised, as she was before admired; and her witness and +testimony for reformation, is now as far depressed and suppressed in +obscurity, as it was formerly declared and depredicated in glory and +honour. And yet, which should move the greater commiseration, her +witnessings and wrestlings, trials and temptations, have not been +inferior, in manner or measure, quality or continuance, to any of the +fore-mentioned churches, though in extent not so great, because her +precinct is not so large, whereby the number of her oppressed and +murdered children could not be so multiplied, though her martyrs be +more, and the manner of their murder more illegal, than can be instanced +in any of them during that time. A particular enumeration or ennaration +whereof, cannot be here exhibited, but is referred and reserved to a +peculiar treatise of that subject, which ere long the world may see. +Only I shall give a compendious account of the kinds and causes, grounds +and heads of their sufferings, who have been most slighted, and least +sympatized with, though they have sustained the greatest severities of +any; and, in end, endeavour to vindicate the merit of their cause, in +the most principal heads upon which their sufferings have been stated: +whereby it will appear to impartial men, that will not be imposed upon, +there hath been, and yet is, a great and grievous, and some way +unparalleled, persecution in Scotland, at least inferior to none: which +hath not hitherto been duly considered, with any proportion to the +importance thereof. + +But though this be the scope, it is not the sum of what is intended in +this discourse. The method I have proposed to prosecute it withal, will +discover it; which is, 1. To give a brief and summary account of the +series and succession, success and result of the several contendings of +the witnesses of Christ, against his enemies in Scotland from time to +time; that it may appear, whether or not the present sufferings, as now +stated, can be condemned, if the former be approven. 2. To rehearse some +of the chief means, methods and measures, that the popish, prelatical +and malignant faction have managed, for the ruin of this witnessing +remnant, and some of the most signal steps of sufferings sustained by +and from these within these twenty-seven years; by which it will appear, +that the persecution in Scotland hath been very remarkable (though +little regarded) both in respect of the injustice, illegality, and +inhumanity of the persecutors, and in respect of the innocency, zeal and +ingenuity of the persecuted. 3. To clear the state, and vindicate the +merit of the cause of their sufferings, as to the most material heads of +it, that are most controverted at this time. In the first of these, I +must study all compendious brevity, as may consist with the clearing of +my scope; which is not to enlarge an historical deduction of the rise +and result, progress and prosecution, occasion and continuation of every +controversy the church hath had with her several adversaries in several +periods; but only to hint at the chief heads of their contendings, with +a design to make it appear, that the most material heads of sufferings +that are now condemned as new and nice notions, have been transmitted +from age to age, from the beginning even to this present time, through +all the periods of this church. + + +PERIOD I. + +_Comprehending the_ TESTIMONY _of the_ CULDEES. + +It is not without reason reckoned among the peculiar prerogatives of the +renowned church of Scotland, that Christ's conquest in the conversion of +that nation, is one of the most eminent accomplishments of +scripture-prophecies, of the propagation of his kingdom in the new +testament dispensation; not only because it was, when called out of +Gentile paganism, among the rudest of heathen nations, and in the +acknowledgement of all, among "the uttermost parts of the earth," which +were given to Christ for his inheritance and possession; whereunto he +had, and hath still undoubted right, by his Father's grant, and by his +own purchase; and took infeftment of it by a glorious conquest of that +land, which the Roman arms could never subdue; and erected his +victorious trophies there, whither their triumphs could never penetrate; +obtaining and thereby accomplishing that predicted song of praise, "From +the uttermost parts of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the +righteous." Which gives us ground to expect, that however Christ's +interest there be now very low, and like to be lost as a prey in the +dragon's mouth, yet Christ, having such undoubted and manifold right to +it, will not so easily quit or forego his possession; but also, because +he hath so constantly continued his possession, and maintained his +title, by a long course of contendings, by the testimonies of his +witnesses against the invaders thereof, through all the periods of the +church, from the very infancy of this new dispensation; and because +Scotland's conversion unto the Christian faith was among the first +fruits of the Gentiles, of the oldest date, that any standing church +holding the head Christ this day can deduct its original from. For it is +clear from ancient records, the Christian faith was embraced here a few +years after the ascension of our Saviour, being taught by the disciples +of John the apostle; and received afterwards great increase from the +Britons flying to Scotland to escape the persecution of the Emperor +Domitian, and was long promoted by the ancient Culdees, (or worshippers +of God,) men whose memory is still fragrant for piety and purity of +faith and life, who continued some hundreds of years under various +vicissitudes of providence, before either prelacy or popery was known in +Scotland. They were first universally encouraged by King Cratilinth, in +the time of the last persecution under Dioclesian, which brought many of +Christ's witnesses hither for shelter, who were very helpful for the +settling of truth, and the total extirpation of the idolatry of the +Druids, the heathen priests, whereby the pure doctrine, worship, and +government also, of Christ's institution, was established and continued +many years, while these witnesses of Christ had no other emulation but +of well-doing, and to advance piety. In this period, these ancient, and +first confessors and witnesses of Christ, did wrestle strenuously, +according to their strength and light, for the truths and words of +Christ's patience, controverted in their day, both against professed +enemies, Pagan persecutors and priests, and pretended friends, +corrupters of the faith. Their testimony was stated in a peculiar +manner, for the verity, value and virtue of Christ's natures and +offices, in asserting his truths relative to either, against the +malignants and sectaries of their time; particularly for the concerns of +his prophetical office. And though we be at a loss, that for the most +part their witness is buried in oblivion, through the darkness of the +times succeeding; yet the scrapes and fragments that are left, do +furnish us with these few remarks. + +I. They maintained the verity of the Christian doctrine, against both +Pagan Persecutors and heretical perverters; and the purity of his +instituted worship, without the vanity of human inventions, or +conformity with, either the Druids on the one hand, or the heretics on +the other, with which, sometime before the end of that period, they were +infested; chiefly the Pelagians, with whom the faithful would have no +communion; but abstracted themselves in a monastical life, living and +exercising their religion in cells, from whence many places in the +country yet retain the name, as Kilmarnock, Kilpatrick, &c. that is the +cells of these eminent men among the Culdees. And their government also +was that of the primitive order, without bishops, with little vanity, +but great simplicity and holiness. Many authors do testify, that near +about 400 years, the church of Scotland knew nothing of the episcopal +Hierarchy, until Palladius brought it in, and not without great +opposition. + +II. In these recesses, they had the advantage, both of outward peace, +when others were in trouble, and of inward peace of conscience, when +others were debauched with many conjurations and abjurations, +combinations and confederacies, imposed and exacted by them that +prevailed for the time, whereby they might both keep themselves free of +ensnaring oaths, perfidious compliances, and associations with the +wicked, and also entertain and encourage the oppressed for equity, who +fled unto their sanctuary for safety. We find they refused to enter into +league with malignant enemies. One memorable passage I shall insert +(though strictly it belong not to this period, as I distinguish it, yet +falling out, within eighty years thereafter, in the time of the Culdees, +it will not obscurely evidence the truth of this) Goranus the +forty-fifth king of Scots, earnestly dissuaded Lothus king of Picts to +entertain the league with the Saxons, not only because they were +treacherous and cruel, but because they were enemies to the country and +to the religion they professed, concluding thus: _Homini vero Christiano +id longe omnium videri_, &c. "But to a Christian nothing must seem more +grievous, than to consent to such a covenant, as will extinguish the +Christian religion, and reduce the prophane customs of the heathen, and +arm wicked tyrants, the enemies of all humanity and piety, against God +and his laws." Whereupon Lothus was persuaded to relinquish the Saxons, +Buchan. Hist. Rer. Scotic. + +III. Though they were not for partaking in wicked unnecessary wars, +without authority, or against it; yet we have ground to conclude, they +were for war, and did maintain the principle of resisting tyranny; since +there was never more of the practice of it, nor more happy resistances +in any age, than in that; where we find, that, as their ancestors had +frequently done before, so they also followed their footsteps, in +resisting, reducing to order, repressing, and bringing to condign +punishment tyrants and usurpers; and thought those actions, which their +fathers did by the light of nature and dictates of reason, worthy of +imitation, when they had the advantage of the light of revelation and +dictates of faith; the one being indeed moderate and directed, but no +ways contradicted by the other. Therefore we read, that, as their +predecessors had done with Thereus the 8th king of Scotland, whom they +banished in the year before Christ's incarnation 173; with Dustus the +11th king, whom they slew in battle in the year before Christ 107; +Evenus the 3d, who was imprisoned, and died there, in the year before +Christ 12; Dardanus the 20th king, who was taken in battle, beheaded by +his own subjects, his head exposed to mockage, and his body cast into a +sink, in the year of Christ 72; Luctatus the 22d king, who was slain for +his leachery and tyranny in the year 110, Mogaldus the 23d king, slain +in the year 113; Conarus the 24th king, a leacherous tyrant, died in +prison in the year 149; Satrael the 26th king hanged in the year 159. +So, after the Christian faith was publicly professed, they pursued +Athirco the 29th king, when degenerate into tyranny, who was forced to +kill himself in the year 231. They slew Nathalocus the 30th king, and +cast him into a privy, in the year 241. They beheaded Romachus the 36th +king, and carried about his head for a show in the year 348. As they did +with many others afterwards, as witnesseth Buchanan, Book IV. Scottish +History. + +IV. Whence it is evident, that as they attained, even in these primitive +times, and maintained the purity and freedom of their ministry, +independent on Pope, Prelate, or any human supremacy (that Antichristian +hierarchy and Erastian blasphemy not being known in those days) so they +contended for the order and boundaries of the magistracy, according to +God's appointment and the fundamental constitutions of their government; +and thought it their duty to shake off the yoke, and disown the +authority of these tyrants that destroyed the same. Yea, we find, that +even for incapacity, stupidity and folly, they disowned the relation of +a magistrate, and disposed of the government another way, as they did +with Ethodius II. whose authority they did own, but only to the title. +See Buchanan in the before cited place. + + +PERIOD II. + +_Comprehending the_ TESTIMONY _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 antichristianism: for that mystery of +iniquity that had been long working, till he who letted was taken out of +the way, found Scotland ripe for it when he came; which, while the +dragon did persecute the woman in the wilderness, did valiantly repel +his assaults; but when the beast did arise, to whom he gave his power, +he prevailed more by his subtilty, 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, and by that +conveyance the contagion of popery, which hath always been, as every +where, so especially in Scotland, both the mother and daughter, cause +and effect, occasion and consequence of popery. These rose, stood and +lived together, and sometimes did also fall together; and we have ground +to hope that they shall fall again; and their final and fatal fall is +not far off. Whatever difficulty authors do make, in calculating the +epocha of the forty-two months of antichrist's 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 +discouragement from the fancied permanency of that kingdom of +wickedness. For if it be certain, as it will not be much disputed, that +popery and prelacy came in by Palladius, sent legate by Pope Celestine, +about the year 450; then if we add forty-two months, or 1260 prophetical +days, that is, years, we may have a comfortable prospect of their +tragical conclusion. And though both clashings and combinations, +oppositions and conjunctions, this day may seem to have a terrible +aspect, portending a darker hour before the dawning; yet all these +reelings and 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 and prognostics of mercy impendent for his name's +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 nigh about 1100 years, in which, though +Christ's witnesses were very few, yet he had some witnessing and +prophesying in sackcloth all the while. Their testimony was the same +with that of the Waldenses and Albigenses, stated upon the grounds of +their secession, or rather abstraction from that mystery Babylon, mother +of harlots, popery and prelacy, for their corruption in doctrine, +worship, discipline and government. And did more particularly relate to +the concerns of Christ's priestly office, which was transmitted from the +Culdees to the Lollards, and by them handed down to the instruments of +reformation in the following period. Their testimony indeed was not +active, by way of forcible resistance against the sovereign powers; but +passive, by way of confession and martyrdom, and sufferings and verbal +contendings, and witnessings against the prevailing corruptions of the +time. And no wonder it should be so, and in this someway different from +ours, because that was a dispensation of suffering, when antichrist was +on the ascendant, and they had no call or capacity to oppose him any +other way, and were new 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 resistance, which +they never contradicted, and had never occasion to confirm by their +practice. But, as in their managing their testimony, their manner was +someway different from ours on this respect; so they had by far the +advantage of us, that their cause was so clearly stated upon the +greatest 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 and contend for the word of Christ's +patience under that dispensation, in asserting and maintaining both the +verity of Christ's doctrine, and the purity of his worship, by +testifying against the corruptions, errors, idolatries and superstitions +of popery; so they did constantly bear witness against the usurpation +and tyrannical domination of the antichristian prelates. And as the +Culdees did vigorously oppose their first introduction, and after +aspiring domination, as well as the corruptions of their doctrines, as +we have the contendings of eminent witnesses recorded from age to age; +in the fourth and fifth age, Columbe, Libthac, Ethernan, Kintegern or +Mungo; in the sixth and seventh age, Colmanus, Clemens, and Samson, with +others; in the eighth and ninth age, Alcuin, Rabanus, Maurus, Joannes +Scotus Ærigena, are noted in history. And the Lollards, by their +examinations and testimonies, are found to have witnessed against the +exercise of their power, and sometimes against the very nature of their +power itself: so in their practice they condemned prelacy as well as +popery, in that their ministers did in much painfulness, poverty, +simplicity, humility, and equality, observe the institution of our Lord. +And so far as their light served, and had occasion to enquire into this +point, they acknowledged no officer in the house of God superior to a +preaching minister, and according to this standard, they rejected and +craved reformation of exorbitant prelacy. And it is plain, that they +were frequently discovered by discountenancing and withdrawing from +their superstitious and idolatrous worship; for all which, when they +could not escape nor repel their violence, they cheerfully embraced and +endured the flames. + +II. That their adversaries did manage their cruel craft, and 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 beginnings +of apprentices. But, on the other hand, the sufferers in our day, that +would follow the example of those worthies 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 and that +generation, are more like than his confessors and witnesses are. The +adversaries then, when constrained by diversions of the time's troubles, +or when their designs were not ripe, pretended more moderation and +aversation from severity; but no sooner got they opportunity, (which +always they sought), but so soon they renewed the battle against Jesus +Christ; so now: when they had seven abominations in their hearts, and +many cursed designs in their heads, they always spoke fairest; so now: +when they had a mind to execute their cruelty, they would resolve before +hand whom to pitch upon before conviction; so now: and when so resolved, +the least pretence of a fault, obnoxious to their wicked law, would +serve their design; so now: they used then to forge articles, and +falsely misrepresent their answers, and declarations of their +principles; so now. Yet, on the other hand, if now poor sufferers should +glory in that they are counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of +Christ, as they did then; if now they should suffer with as great +chearfulness, for the smallest points as for the greatest heads, as they +did then, who endured the flames as gallantly, for eating a goose upon +Friday, as others did for the doctrine of justification, or purgatory, +or indulgences, or worshipping of images and saints; if now they should +speak for every truth in question, with all simplicity and plainness, +without reserves or shifts declining a testimony, as they did; if they +should supersede from all application to their enemies for favour, and +not meddle with either petitioning or bonding with them, as they did; +nay, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better +resurrection: then they might expect the severe censure of ignorant and +precise fools, as the most part who suffer now are counted. + +III. That they stood aloof from every appearance of a base compliance +with them; not so much as to give them an interpretative sign of it; +which, in their meaning, might be thought a recantation, though, +abstractly considered, it might be capable of a more favourable +construction; as the required burning of their bill was; which might +have been thought a condemning of their accusations; but because that +was not their adversaries sense of it, they durst not do it. Not like +many now a-days, who will not be solicitous to consult that. Neither +would they take any of their oaths, nor pay any of their ecclesiastical +exactions, as we find in the articles brought in against the Lollards of +Kyle, Knox's History of Reformation. These things are easily complied +with now: and such as will suffer upon such things are condemned. + +IV. That while the love of God and his blessed truth, and the precepts, +promise, and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, did enable them unto all +patience with joy, in a passive testimony, being by the call of a clear +and necessary providence sent and set forth to be his witnesses; they +did not indeed endeavour any resistance: yet we find they never resigned +nor abandoned that first and most just privilege of resistance; nay, nor +bringing public beasts of prey to condign punishment, in an +extraordinary way of vindictive justice, for the murder of the saints. +As, upon the murder of Mr. George Wishart, was done with Cardinal +Beaton, who was slain in the tower of St. Andrew's by James Melvin: who, +perceiving his consorts in the enterprize moved with passion, withdrew +them, and said, 'This work and judgment of God, although it be secret, +ought to be done with greater gravity.' And, presenting the point of the +sword to the Cardinal, said, 'Repent thee of thy former wicked life, but +especially of the shedding of the blood of that notable instrument of +God, Mr. George Wishart, which albeit the flame of fire consumed before +men, yet it cries for vengeance upon thee, and we from God are sent to +revenge it; for here, before my God, I protest, that neither the hatred +of thy person, the love of thy riches, nor the fear of any trouble thou +couldst have done me in particular, moved or moveth me to strike thee, +but only because thou hast been and remainest an obstinate enemy against +Christ Jesus, and his holy gospel.' Of which fact, the famous and +faithful historian Mr. Knox speaks very honourably, and was so far from +condemning it, that while, after the slaughter, they kept out the +castle, he, with other godly men, went to them, and stayed with them, +till they were together carried captives to France. Yet now such a fact, +committed upon such another bloody and treacherous beast, the Cardinal +Prelate of Scotland, eight years ago, is generally condemned as horrid +murder. + +V. However, though in this dark period there be no noted instances of +these witnesses resisting the superior powers, for reasons above hinted: +yet, in this period, we find many instances of noble and virtuous +patriots, their not only resisting, but also revenging to the utmost of +severity, rigorous and raging tyrants, as may be seen in histories. For, +before the corruption of antichrist came to its height, we find +Ferchardus 1st, the 52d King, was drawn to judgment against his will, +great crimes were laid to his charge, and among others the Pelagian +heresy, and contempt of baptism, for which he was cast into prison, +where he killed himself in the year 636; Eugenius 8th, the 62d King, +degenerating into wickedness, and rejecting the admonitions of his +friends, and especially of the ministers, was killed in a convention of +his nobles, with the consent of all, in the year 765; Donaldus 7th was +imprisoned, where he killed himself, in the year 859; Ethus, surnamed +Alipes, the 72d King, was apprehended, and his wicked life laid out +before the people, and then compelled to resign the government, and died +in prison, in the year 875. Afterwards when the government was +transmitted to the Stewarts, James the 2d, the 103d King, who killed +William Earl of Douglas in the castle of Stirling, most treacherously, +after he had pretended a civil treatment, was publicly defied by the +Earl's friends, who took the King's public writ and subscription made to +the said Earl, and tied it to a horse tail, dragging it through the +streets; and, when they came to the market-place, they proclaimed both +King and Nobles perjured covenant breakers; and thereafter, when Earl +James his brother was desired to submit, he answered, 'He would never +put himself in their reverence who had no regard to shame; nor to the +laws of God or man, and who had so perfidiously killed his brother and +his cousins.' James 3d, the 104th King, for his treachery and tyranny, +was opposed and pursued by arms by his own subjects; who, finding +himself under disadvantages, sent to the rebels (as he thought them, and +called them) an offer of peace, and received this answer--'That seeing +the King did nothing honestly, a certain war seemed better to them than +a peace not to be trusted, that there was no other hope of agreement but +one, that he should quit the government, otherwise it was to no purpose +to trouble themselves with treaties.' Thereafter, in a battle, he was +slain at Bannockburn by Gray, Ker, and Borthwick. The same King was also +constrained, by the valour of Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus, called +Bell the Cat, to reform the court, and put away some wicked sycophants +from his council, and give way, though against his will, to the +execution of judgment upon others: which was the occasion of that +foresaid agnomen to the Earl: for he, with other nobles, in a meeting at +Lauder, consulting how to reform and repress the insolency of the Court, +had the apologue of the mice laid out before them; that the mice fell +upon deliberating how to be rid of the cat, and concluded that 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 Earl quickly made +application, saying, I will bell the cat; and forthwith went out, and +meeting Cochran, one of these wicked counsellors, took hold of him, and +hanged him with a horse halter over the bridge of Lauder; and, rushing +into the King's presence, proceeded to snatch Ramsay, another of the +country's enemies, out of the King's arms; but that he yielded at length +to the King's earnest entreaties to spare him. However we see how +generously zealous these noble patriots were for the country's good, +against tyranny, though they were ignorant of religion: yet this all +along was still the character of the Scots in these days, none more +terrible to tyrants, none more loyal to Kings than they. + + +PERIOD III. + +_Containing the_ TESTIMONY _of the_ REFORMATION _from_ POPERY. + +As in the former, the testimony was mostly passive; so, in the following +period, when they were encreased in number and strength that embraced +the gospel, the Lord called, and spirited to an active testimony, for +these two twins, religion and liberty, that were then sought to be +stifled in the birth, and are now designed more declaredly to be +destroyed, after they have grown up to some maturity: which, as it +renders the cruelty of the present destroyers the more grassant and +grievous, so it rubs the more indelible infamy on the shameful security +and ass-like stupidity of this generation, that have received such an +excellent testimony deposited to their trust, transmitted to them +through a continued tract of the witnessings and wrestlings of their +worthy ancestors, and now let it slip and 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 re-act these +mighty works, in defending religion and liberty, do chuse rather to die +than to resign the testimony, or quit the least privilege that their +progenitors possessed them of: and though they be superciliously +despised, as little 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 commencing and carrying on the work of +reformation, were now to see the dull dotages of this dreaming +generation, (not only suffering and consenting to, but congratulating +and applauding, the introduction and re-establishment of idolatry and +tyranny, popery and slavery, upon the ruins of the work they built with +so great expence); and were to read the pitiful petitions, and airy and +empty, flattering and fawning addresses, to this antichristian tyrant, +for the toleration of that religion and 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 and disown such dishonourable and dastardly yieldings, and +are therefore most despised with disdain and 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 and 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 and +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 mass, or offer their +children to the papistical baptism? Whether these that were in any +public trust, could with safe conscience serve the higher powers in +maintaining of idolatry, persecuting their brethren, and suppressing +Christ's truth? Or whether they might suffer their brethren to be +murdered in their presence, without any declaration that such tyranny +displeased them?' And, from the scriptures, they were resolved, That a +lively faith requires a plain confession, when Christ's 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 +Jesus his glorious gospel should be preached, his holy sacraments truly +ministred, superstition, idolatry, and tyranny should be suppressed in +this realm; and that both as to the worship, discipline, and government, +the reverend face of the first primitive and apostolic church should be +reduced again to the eyes and knowledge of men. And in this they never +fainted till the work was finished. To accomplish this, famous and +faithful 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 and bold men repaired to her, and plainly in the +hearing of the Prelates, did charge them with the cruel device intended, +and told her with a vow, 'They should make a day of it, because they +oppressed them and their tenants for feeding 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 and advance that work of reformation, and to stand to the +defence 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 brethren, upon the account of the common cause, as +done to all. Of which covenants they entered into many very solemnly; +one was at Edinburgh in the year 1557; another at Perth 1559; another at +Stirling 1559, binding, that none should have any correspondence with +the Queen, without notifying it to one another; and that nothing should +proceed therein, without common consent of them all. Another at Leith, +in the year 1560; another at Ayr, in the year 1562, of the same tenor. +By which covenants, as their conjunction was the more firm among +themselves, so was it the more fearful to their adversaries: when, +according to the tenor of them, they kept their conventions, and held +counsels with such gravity and closeness, 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 +would aim at imitating their example, in renewing and reiterating such +covenants of the same nature and tenor, and binding to the same very +duties, and prosecute in the same methods of keeping general meetings +for correspondence, and 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 and tranquillity they reaped, by these +Christian assemblies and godly conferences, as oft as any danger +appeared to any member or members of their body. These beginnings, the +zealous covenanted reformers left no means unessayed to promote, by +protestations to the parliament, and petitions, and 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 burden their princes with promises further than 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 strickly bound to keep their promises; and that herself would make +little conscience to take from all that sort their lives and +inheritance, if she might do it with an honest excuse.' Wherein she +spoke not only the venom of her own heart, but the very soul and sense, +principle and project of all popish princes: whereby we may see what +security we have for religion and 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 Queen's treachery, at length they would no more be +bribed by promises, blinded by pretences, nor boasted by her +proclamations, (slandering their enterprise, 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 pursue them for the matter of religon, they first signified unto +her; 'that they would notify to the king of France, and all Christian +princes, that her cruel, unjust, and most tyrannical murder intended +against towns and multitudes, was and is the only cause of their revolt +from their accustomed obedience, which they owned and promised to their +Sovereign; provided they might live in peace and liberty, and enjoy +Christ's 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 +pursued for the cause of religion, and having no sufficient means to +comfort and assist them, do nevertheless withdraw from them their +dutiful support.' And thereafter, they published a declaration to the +generation of antichrist, the pestilent prelates, and 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 withal, wheresoever they should be +apprehended, as murderers, and open enemies to God and to mankind. And +that with the same measure they had measured, and intended to measure to +others, it should be measured to them;--that is, they should, with all +force and power they had, execute just vengeance and 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 and cruel persecution of God's +children.' I rehearse this declaration the more expressly, because in +our day declarations of this style and strain, and aiming at the same +scope, are hideously hissed and houted at as unheard of novelties. +Finally, when by all their letters, warnings, admonitions and +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 common +wealth, 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 magistrates against all order of election; because of +her bringing in strangers to suppress the liberty of the country, and +placing them in greatest offices of credit; because of her altering and +subverting the old laws of the realm,' &c. Which I mention, because +hence we may see what things our fathers judged did dissolve the +relation between the people and their rulers; and, when applied to our +case, will justify their reasons that have renounced the present +tyranny. This was done at Edinburgh in the year 1559. And thereafter, +while they vindicated themselves, and went on with the work of +reformation, throwing down all monuments of idolatry, and propagating +the reformed religion, God so blessed their endeavours, that their +confession of faith, and all articles of the protestant religion, was +read and ratified by the three estates of parliament, at Edinburgh, July +1560. And the same year the book of discipline, containing the form and +order of presbyterial government, was subscribed by a great part of the +nobility. Thus, through the wisdom and power of God alone, even by the +weakness of very mean instruments, against the rage and fury of the +devil, and of all the powers of hell, was this work of reformation +advanced and effectuated; and came to the establishment of a law, which +did not only ratify and confirm the protestant religion, but abolish +antichristian popery, and appoint punishment for the professors and +promoters thereof. Which law, often confirmed and ratified afterwards, +though it be now cested and rescinded by the prerogative of the present +tyrant; because it annuls and invalidates his pretence to succession in +the government, (it being expressly enacted afterwards, by a parliament +at Edinburgh, 1567, confirming this, that all princes and kings +hereafter, before their coronation, shall take oath to maintain the true +religion then professed, and suppress all things contrary to it), yet is +still in force in the hearts of all honest men, that will not prostitute +religion, law and 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 taking away the penal statutes, the legal +bulwark against popery: all which yet, to the reproach of all +protestants, some are applauding and congratulating in this time by +their addresses and petitions, to this destroyer of law and 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 rate; and compare the present +addresses, courting and caressing the papists, with the addresses of +these worthy builders of what they are destroying. There is one dated +Edinburgh, May 27, 1561, presented to the Council, shewing, that honesty +craved them, to make the secrets of their heart patent, which +was--'That, before ever these tyrants and dumb dogs empire over them +professing Christ Jesus within this realm, they were fully determined to +hazard life, and whatsoever they had received of God in temporal +things.--And let these enemies of God assure themselves, that if their +council put not order unto them, that they should shortly take such +order, that they shall neither be able to do what they list, neither yet +to live upon the sweet of the brows of such as are no debtors to them.' +And when the mischievous Mary, the daughter of the degraded Queen, +returning from France, set up the mass but in her own family, the godly +at that time gave plain signification, that they could not abide that +'the land which God had purged from idolatry, should in their eyes be +polluted again. Shall that idol (say they) be suffered again to take +place within this realm? It shall not.' The idolatrous priests should +die the death according to God's law. And a proclamation being issued to +protect the Queen's domestic servants that were papists, there was a +protestation given forth presently, 'That if any of her servants should +commit idolatry, say mass, participate therewith, or take the defence +thereof, in that case this proclamation was not extended to them in that +behalf, no more than if they commit murder; seeing the one is much more +abominable in the sight of God than the other; but that it may be lawful +to inflict upon them, the pains contained in God's word against +idolaters, wherever they may be apprehended, without favour.' The words +of John Knox upon the following Sabbath may be added, 'That one mass +was more fearful unto him, than if ten thousand armed enemies were +landed in any part of the realm, of purpose to suppress the whole +religion: for (said he) in our God there is strength to resist and +confound multitudes, if we unfeignedly depend upon him; but when we join +hands with idolatry, it is no doubt but both God's amiable presence and +comfortable defence will leave us, and what shall then become of us?' +Yea, when it was voted in the General Assembly, whether they might take +the Queen's mass from her? many frankly affirmed, 'That as the mass is +abominable, so it is just and right that it should be suppressed; and +that in so doing, men did no more hurt to the Queen's Majesty, than they +that should by force take from her a poisoned cup, when she was going to +drink it.' Thus we have some specimen of the zeal of our fathers against +idolatry. But in a little time court favours blunted it in many; and +then had the servants of God a double battle, fighting on the one hand +against idolatry, and the rest of the abominations maintained by the +court. And upon the other hand, against the unfaithfulness of false +brethren, and treachery of sycophants, who informed the court against +the ministers, for their free and faithful preaching and warnings on all +occasions; yet they sustained the brunt of all these assaults, and came +off with honour. At length, to be short, in process of time, this Mary, +a woman of a proud and crafty wit, and an obdured heart against God and +his truth, infilled in the same steps of tyranny and treachery (but with +greater aggravations) that her mother walked in, and was served +according to her desert. For after that her darling David Rizzo, the +Italian fidler, (whom most men then supposed, and do still suspect to be +the father of King James, this man's grandfather; and some do think it +not unlikely, that his successors have derived from this stock the +Italian complexion and constitution both of body and mind, spare and +swarthy, cruel and crafty) received his due rewards in her presence, by +the King's consent and counsel; she conceived such contempt of, and +indignation against the poor uxorious young King, Henry of Darnley, that +she never rested till she and Bothwel contrived and executed his murder, +and then she married that murdering adulterer, the said Earl of Bothwel: +whereupon the Protestant Noblemen pursuing the murder, took her, and +sent her prisoner to Lochleven, where they made her resign the +government to her son James, then an infant, and afterwards she was +beheaded by Elizabeth Queen of England. We see now by this deduction, +what was the testimony of this period, and how in many things it +confirms the heads of the present sufferings, which we may particularly +remark. + +I. The reformation of Scotland had this common with all other protestant +churches, that it was carried on by resisting the opposing powers; but +it had this peculiar advantage above all, that at once, and from the +beginning, both doctrine and worship, discipline and government were +reformed: as Mr. Knox witnesseth, that there was no realm upon the face +of the earth at that time that had religion in greater purity. 'Yea,' +says he, 'we must speak the truth, whomsoever we offend, there is no +realm that hath the like purity; for all others, how sincere soever the +doctrine be, retain in their churches and ministry thereof, some +footsteps of antichrist, and dregs of popery; but we (praise to God +alone) have nothing in our churches that ever flowed from that Man of +Sin.' The doctrine was purely reformed, according to the rule of Christ, +both as to matter and manner of delivery. As to the matter of it, what +it was, the Confession of Faith, ratified in parliament in the year +1560, doth witness. In the manner of it, they studied not the smooth and +pawky prudence that is now so much applauded, for not observing which, +such as would fain be honest in this duty, are so much condemned; but +they cried aloud against, and did not spare the sins of the time, with +application to every degree of men; as we have it published and +vindicated in Mr. Knox's History. They cried, 'that the same God who +plagued Pharaoh, repulsed Sennacherib, struck Herod with worms, and made +the bellies of dogs the grave and sepulchre of the spiteful Jezebel, +will not spare misled princes, who authorize the murderers of Christ's +members in this our time. Many now a days will have no other religion +than the Queen; the Queen no other than the Cardinal; the Cardinal no +other than the Pope; the Pope no other than the devil: let men therefore +consider what danger they stand in, if their salvation shall depend upon +the Queen's faith.' And they used to defend such manner of free dealing, +from the examples of the prophets reproving Kings personally. 'Now, if +the like and greater corruptions be in the world this day, who dare +enterprize, to put to silence the Spirit of God, which will not be +subject to the appetites of misled princes.' Mr. Knox's defence before +the Queen, when rebuked for speaking of her marriage in the pulpit, was: +'The Evangel, saith he, hath two points, repentance and faith; in +preaching repentance, of necessity it is, that the sins of men may be +noted, that they may know wherein they offend.' And in his dispute with +Lethington, requiring where any of the prophets did so use Kings and +rulers; he gave the example of Elias 'reproving Ahab and Jezebel, that +dogs shall lick the blood of Ahab, and eat the flesh of Jezebel; which +was not whispered in their ears, but so as the people understood well +enough, for so witnessed Jehu after the accomplishment.' Elisha reproved +Jehoram, saying, 'What have I to do with thee; if it were not for +Jehosaphat, I would not have looked toward thee. Though a subject, yet +he gave little reverence to the King.' These were their arguments for +faithfulness then, which are now exploded with contempt. Their worship +was also reformed from all dregs of popery, and fopperies of human +ceremonies, retained in many other churches, especially in England; to +whose bishops, in Queen Elizabeth's time, the Assembly wrote, 'That if +surplice, corner cap, tippet, &c. have been the badges of idolaters in +the very act of idolatry, what have preachers to do with the dregs of +that Romish beast? Yea, what is he that ought not to fear to take, +either in his hand or forehead, the mark of that odious beast?--We think +you should boldly oppose yourselves to all power, that will dare extol +itself against God, and against all such as do burden the conscience of +the faithful, further than God hath burdened them by his own word.' The +discipline and government was from the beginning presbyterial, even +before the establishment: both in practice, among the persecuted +ministers, who kept their private meetings; and in their doctrine. This +was one of Mr. Knox's articles he sustained at St. Andrew's, upon his +first entry unto the ministry. _Art. 8._ There is no bishop, except he +preach even by himself, without any substitute. But so soon as they +attained any settlement, they assembled in their first national synod in +the year 1560, by virtue of that intrinsic power granted by the Lord to +his church; nor did they so much as petition for the indulgence of the +then authority; but upon Christ's warrant, they kept and held their +courts in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ only; and in his sole +authority, by direction of his word and Spirit, concluded all their +counsels, votes and acts. And as they knew nothing of an exotic +supremacy, so they put out and held out prelacy, and kept a perfect +parity; which was nothing infringed by the extraordinary employments and +commissions delegated to some superintendants, upon the account of the +particular exigence of these times. + +II. Next we find in the practice of these renowned reformers, many +demonstrations of pure zeal, worthy of all imitation; which I remark the +rather, because poor sufferers that would now imitate it, are condemned +as blind and ignorant zealots. But why are not the reformers condemned +for the same things? We find in the first place, that they were so far +from complying with, or conniving at, or countenancing public sins, that +they could not contain themselves from declaring their detestation of +the sight of them; yea the very boys did abominate them, as at the +reformation, at St. Johnstoun, a boy cried with a bold voice, This is +intolerable, that when God by his word hath plainly condemned idolatry, +we shall stand and see it used in despight. Whereupon he and others +threw down all the monuments of idolatry in that place. But if now any +should enterprise such a thing, when the idol of the mass is set up in +every city, they might expect Jerubaal's censure of the Abiezrites; +though it is true they might have the same encouragement, because they +have the same command as he had, to wit, the perpetual precept of +throwing down idolatrous altars. Next, they were so far from complying +with the enemies, in keeping the peace with them, that they thought it a +great sin not to oppose them, when their brethren were forced to take +the sword of self-defence, being persuaded by these arguments: 'That by +their fainting and abstracting their support, the enemies would be +encouraged; and thereby they should declare themselves both traitors to +the truth once professed, and murderers of their brethren, whom their +presence and concurrence might preserve; and that if they should deny +their brethren suffering for his name's sake, they should also deny +Christ, and be denied of him; and that God hath punished subjects with +their princes, for winking at, and not resisting their manifest +iniquity; and therefore, as he is immutable in nature, so would he not +pardon them in that which he hath punished in others,' &c. Which +arguments prevailed with the noble Earl of Glencairn, in zeal to burst +forth in these words:--'Albeit never man should accompany me, yet I will +go to my brethren, and if it were but a pike upon my shoulder, I had +rather die with that company, than live after them.' But now professors +cannot only sit at home, in their shops and cieled houses, when the +Lord's people are pursued and murdered in the fields, but also can hire +their murderers, and strengthen their hands, by paying them cesses and +localities, and what they require for help to do their work, and +maintaining them in their iniquity. Which famous Mr. Knox disproveth +very much in his day, arguing, 'That if people thought they were +innocent, because they were not the actors of such iniquity, they were +utterly deceived; for God doth not only punish the chief offenders, but +the consenters to such iniquity; and all are judged to consent, who give +not testimony against it; as the rulers and bishops are criminal of all +the innocent blood that is shed for the testimony of Christ's truth; so +are all who assist and maintain them in their blind rage, and give no +declaration, that their tyranny displeaseth them. This doctrine is +strange to the blind world, but the verity of it hath been declared in +all notable punishments from the beginning. When the old world was +destroyed by water, Sodom and Jerusalem were destroyed, were all alike +wicked? Yet all perished: why? All kept silence, or did not resist; by +which all approved iniquity, and joined hands with the tyrants, as it +had been in one battle against the Omnipotent.' Which words, if +impartially applied, will condemn and confute the dull daubings of the +present compliances, in maintaining tyrants and their emissaries, by +emoluments which they require and exact, and that professedly, for +promoting their accursed projects; and will justify conscientious +sufferers, for refusing to pay these impositions. And this will the +more appear, if we add some more of his pithy expressions in the same +place, clearing the subject he is upon, and answering an objection, what +poor people might do, when compelled to give obedience to all their +rulers demanded? 'Ye may,' saith that author, without sedition, +'withhold the fruits and profits, which your false bishops and clergy +most unjustly received of you: upon which he subjoins the preceeding +arguments.' Yet now a-days these have no weight, but such as refuse +either to pay oppressors exactions, or curates stipends, are condemned +for giddy fools. Again we find, that when they were challenged for duty, +they would never decline a declaration of its righteousness, nor do any +thing directly or indirectly, which might seem a condemning of it. And +therefore they would receive no pardons for these things which they +could not confess to be offences. John Knox, challenged for offending +the Queen, had her promise, that if he would confess an offence his +greatest punishment should be, but to go within the castle of Edinburgh, +and immediately to return to his own house; he refused absolutely. But +now, if our pardon-mongers, and prudent men had been so circumstantiate, +surely they could have helped themselves with their distinctions, they +might confess and be pardoned for offending the Queen, though not +confess it to be a fault in their conscience: but Mr. Knox had not +learned that then. When they were pursuing the murderer of King Henry of +Darnly, the queen finding herself not strong enough, offers to forgive +and pardon that insurrection: the Earl of Morton, in name of all the +rest, did not only refuse a cessation, but told her they would not ask a +pardon. But now sufferers, for refusing of these base and unmanly, as +well as unchristian compliances, are much condemned. Finally, because +this strictness, especially in their severity against their enemies, may +be accused of Jewish rigidity, inconsistent with a gospel spirit of +lenity, which also is imputed to the much condemned sufferers of +Scotland at this time, for their testimonies against toleration and +liberty of conscience: let us hear what Knox says, 'whatsoever God +required of the civil magistrate in Israel or Judah, concerning the +observation of true religion during the time of the law, the same doth +he require of lawful magistrates, professing Christ Jesus, in the time +of the gospel: and cites a large testimony out of Augustine to this +purpose.' And afterward objecting to himself the practice of the +apostles, who did not punish the idolatrous Gentiles; he answers, 'That +the Gentiles, being never avowed to be God's people before, had never +received his law, and therefore were not to be punished according to the +rigour of it, to which they were never subject, being strangers from the +common-wealth of Israel; but if any think, after the Gentiles were +received in the number of Abraham's children, and so made one people +with the Jews believing; then they were not bound to the same obedience +of Israel's covenant, the same seems to make Christ inferior to Moses, +and contrary to the law of his heavenly Father; for if the contempt and +transgression of Moses' law was worthy of death, what judge we the +contempt of Christ's ordinance to be? And if Christ be not come to +dissolve, but to fulfil the law of his heavenly Father, shall the +liberty of his gospel be an occasion that the special glory of his +Father be trodden under foot, and regarded of no man? God forbid: and +therefore I fear not to affirm, that the Gentiles be bound by the same +covenant that God made with his people Israel, in these words--"Beware +that thou make not any covenant with the inhabitants of the land, but +thou shalt destroy their altars," &c. When, therefore, the Lord putteth +the sword in the hand of a people, they are no less bound to purge their +cities and countries from idolatry, than were the Israelites, what time +they received the possession of the land of Canaan.' + +III. For the head of resistance of superior powers, we have no clearer +instances in any period than in this, whereof the above-mentioned hints +give some account, to which their sentiments and arguments may be here +subjoined. They prized and improved this principle so much, that they +put it in their Confession of Faith, Art. 14. To save the lives of +innocents, to repress tyranny, to defend the oppressed, are among the +good works of the second table, which are most pleasing and acceptable +to God, as these works are commanded by himself; and to suffer innocent +blood to be shed, if we may withstand it, is affirmed to be sin, by +which God's hot displeasure is kindled against the proud and unthankful +world. And if there were no more to render the late test of Scotland +detestable, that condemns all resistance of kings upon any pretence +whatsoever, this may make all Christians, and all men, abhor the +contrivance of it; that that same test that confirms this thesis, doth +also impose the antithesis upon conscience. It obliges to this +confession in the first part of it, and to deny it in the latter. But no +wonder, that men of feared consciences can receive any thing, though +never so contradictory to itself, and that men who deny sense, and that +principle radicated in human nature, may also deny conscience, and make +a tool of it in soldering contradictories. But not only did our +reformers assert this truth, for which now their children adhering to +their testimony, suffer both rage and reproach; but also gave their +reasons for it. As (1.) Mr. Knox, in his first conference with the +Queen, argues thus, 'There is neither greater honour nor obedience to be +given to princes than parents; but so it is, that the father may be +stricken with a phrensy, in the which he would slay his own children; +now if the children arise, take his weapon from him, bind his hands, do +the children any wrong? It is even so with princes, that would murder +the children of God subject to them, their blind zeal is nothing but a +very mad phrensy; and therefore to take the sword from them, and cast +them into prison till they be brought to a more sober mind, is no +disobedience against princes.' (2.) In his conference with Lethingtoun, +he proves the same point, from the consideration of the justice of God, +punishing the people for not resisting the prince. The scripture of God +teacheth me (saith he) 'Jerusalem and Judah were punished for the sins +of Manasseh; if you alledge they were punished, because they were +wicked, and not because the king was wicked; the scripture says +expressly, for the sins of Manasseh; yet will I not absolve the people, +I will grant the whole people offended with their king, but how? To +affirm that all Judah committed the acts of his impiety, hath no +certainty; who can think, that all Jerusalem should turn idolaters +immediately after Hezekiah's notable reformation? One part therefore +willingly followed him in his idolatry, the other suffered him, and so +were criminal of his sin; even as Scotland is guilty of the Queen's +idolatry this day.' In the same discourse he makes it plain, that all +are guilty of innocents murder who do not oppose it, from Jeremiah's +words in his defence before the princes.----"Know ye for certain, if ye +put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, +and upon the city, and upon the inhabitants thereof:" Now, if the +princes, and the whole people should have been guilty of the prophet's +blood; how shall others be judged innocent before God, if they suffer +the blood of innocents to be shed, when they may save it? (3.) _Ibid._ +He argues from the distinction between the person placed in authority, +and the ordinance of God, the one may be resisted, the other cannot. The +plain words of the apostle makes the difference, 'The ordinance is of +God, for preservation of mankind, punishment of vice, which is holy and +constant: persons commonly are profane and unjust: he that resisteth the +power there, is only meant of the just power wherewith God hath armed +his magistrates, which whoso resists, resists God's ordinance; but if +men, in the fear of God, oppose themselves to the fury of princes, they +then resist not God, but the devil, who abuses the sword and authority +of God: it is evident the people resisted Saul, when he had sworn +Jonathan should die, whom they delivered: the Spirit of God accuses them +not of any crime, but praises them, and condemns the king: this same +Saul again commanded the priests of the Lord to be slain, his guard +would not obey, but Doeg put the king's cruelty in execution; I will not +ask, whether the king's servants, not obeying, resisted the ordinance of +God; or whether Doeg's murdering gave obedience to just authority? The +Spirit of God condemns that fact, Psal. lii. that God would not only +punish the commander, but also the merciless executor; therefore they +who gainstood his command, resisted not the ordinance of God. (4.) +_Ibid._ He argues from examples, not only of resisting, but of punishing +tyrants; chiefly the example of Uzziah is pertinent to this purpose, 2 +Chron. xxvi. who after his usurping the priest's office, was put out of +the temple.' When it was replied, that they were the priests that +withstood the king, not simple people: he answered, 'The priests were +subjects, as Abiathar was deposed by Solomon, &c. yet they made him go +out of the temple for his leprosy, and the people put him from the +kingdom.' It is noted also, that Mr. Knox, in that discourse, adduces +examples of those, who use to be brought in as objections against +defensive arms, even the primitive Christians, before that passage last +cited: 'what precepts,' says he, 'the apostle gave, I will not affirm; +but I find two things the faithful did; the one was, they assisted their +preachers even against the rulers; the other was, they suppressed +idolatry wheresoever God gave unto them force, asking no leave of the +emperor, nor of his deputies: read the Ecclesiastical histories, and ye +shall find examples sufficient.' + +IV. In the next place, we may enquire into the judgment of these +reformers, concerning that question that is now so puzzling to many; +which indeed was never started before this time, as a head of suffering; +but now, when it is started, we may gather from our ancestors actings +and determinations about it, how it ought to be answered. They were +indeed in capacity, and accordingly did improve it, for disowning the +authority of both the Queens; for their capacity was not the thing that +made it duty, if it had not been so before. Capacity makes a thing +possible, but not lawful: it does indeed make a duty seasonable, and +clears the call to it, and regulates the timing of affirmative duties, +but the want of it can never dispense with negative precepts: and a +duty, negative especially, may become necessary, when it hath not the +advantage of seasonableness or capacity; certainly it were duty to +depose the Pope from his usurped authority, and to disown it even in +Rome itself, but there it would not be thought very feasible or +seasonable, for twenty or thirty people to avouch such a thing there; +yet, at all times, it is a duty never to own it. It is thought +unseasonable and unfeasible to disown the tyrants authority; but it is +made necessary, when urged, never to own it. And for this we have the +grounds of our ancestors, shewing who may be disowned, and must not be +owned. I shall first insert here John Knox's propositions, prosecuted in +his second blast, extant at the end of Anton. Gilbie's admonition to +England and Scotland, 1. 'It is not birth only, nor propinquity of +blood, that maketh a king lawfully to reign over a people professing +Christ Jesus and his eternal verity; but, in his election, the ordinance +which God hath established in the election of inferior judges, must be +observed. 2. No manifest idolater, nor notorious transgressor of God's +holy precepts, ought to be promoted to any public regimen, honour, or +dignity, in any realm, province, or city, that hath subjected themselves +to Christ Jesus, and his blessed evangel. 3. Neither can oath, or +promise, bind any such people to obey and maintain tyrants, against God +and his truth known. 4. But if rashly they have promoted any manifest +wicked person, or yet ignorantly have chosen such an one, as after +declareth himself unworthy of regimen above the people of God, (and such +be all idolaters and cruel persecutors) most justly may the same men +depose and punish him, that unadvisedly before they did nominate, +appoint and elect.' Accordingly this was done in deposing both the +Queens; which is fully vindicated by the Earl of Morton, in his +discourse to the Queen of England, as Buchanan relates it, book xx. page +746. 'The deed itself, neither the custom of our ancestors of taking a +course with their governors, will suffer it to be accounted new, nor the +moderation of the punishment to be odious; for it were not needful to +recount so many kings punished by death, bonds, and exile by our +progenitors. For the Scottish nation, being from the beginning always +free, hath created kings upon these conditions, that the government +entrusted to them by the people's suffrages, might be also (if the +matter required) removed by the same suffrages: of which law there are +many footsteps remaining even to our day; for both in the isles about, +and in many places of the continent, in which the old language and +institutions have any abode, this custom is kept, in creating their +governors of clanns: and the ceremonies, used at the entering into +government, do yet retain the express representation of this law. Whence +it is evident, that the government is nothing else but a mutual +stipulation between kings and people: which further appears, from the +inviolated tenor of the ancient law, since the beginning of the Scottish +government, reserved even unto our memory, without the least essay +either to abrogate it, or disable, or diminish it. Yea, even when our +fathers have deposed, banished, and more severely punished so many +kings, yet never was any mention or motion made of relaxing the rigour +of that law, and not without reason, seeing it was not of that kind of +constitutions, that change with the times, but of those which are +engraven in the minds of men from the first original, and approved by +the mutual consent of all nations, and by nature's sanction continued +inviolable and perpetual, which, being subject to no other laws, do +command and rule all. This, which in every action doth offer itself to +our eyes and minds, and whether we will or not, abides in our breasts, +our predecessors followed; being always armed against violence, and +ready to suppress tyrants.--And now for the present, what have we done, +but insisting in the footsteps of so many kingdoms and free nations, +suppressed tyrannical licentiousness, extolling itself above all order +of laws, not indeed so severely as our predecessors in like cases; if we +had imitated them, not only would we have been far from all fear of +danger, but also have escaped the trouble of calumnies.--What would our +adversaries be at? Is it that we should arm with authority tyrants +convicted of grievous crimes, maintained by the spoils of the subjects, +having hands embrued in loyal blood, and hearts gaping for the +oppression of all good men? And shall we put them upon our head, who are +infamously suspected of parricide, both projected and perpetrated?' To +which we may add, a foreign conclusion indeed, but adduced and +maintained by Mr. Craig, in the assembly, in the 1564, which had been +determined by learned men in Bononia, 'All rulers, be they supreme or +subordinate, may and ought to be reformed, or bridled (to speak +moderately) by them, by whom they are chosen, confirmed, or admitted to +their office; so oft as they break that promise made by oath to their +subjects, because princes are no less bound by oath to their subjects, +than are the subjects to their princes: and therefore ought it to be +kept and performed equally, according to law and condition of the oath +that is made of either party.' By comparing which two testimonies +together, we may see the reasons, why neither of the two royal brothers, +that have ruled in our day, could be conscientiously owned as +magistrates, in the case they have been in for several years past: the +first testimony is for the second brother, the latter is for the first +that's gone. But, as for Mr. Knox's opinion, it is evident he had +written a book against the government of women; which though he did not +intend it particularly against Mary of Scotland, yet it did invalidate +her authority as well as other women's. This book he owns and maintains, +in his first conference with her, and consequently could not own her +authority as of the Lord, tho' he gave her common respect, as the title +of majesty, &c. yet when he was particularly urged by the Queen's +question, you think, said she, 'That I have no just authority;' he would +not answer in the affirmative, but shifted it, by telling her, 'That +learned men, in all ages, have had their judgment free, and most +commonly disagreeing from the common judgment of the world. And though, +he says, he could live under her government (so may, and would the +greatest disowners of tyranny, if they be not troubled with questions +about owning it) yet he affirms that with the testimony of a good +conscience, he had communicated his judgment to the world, and that if +the realm found no inconveniences in her government, he would no further +disallow than within his own breast.' Certainly then, in his conscience, +he did not, and could not own her, as the magistrate of God; and that +though many things which before were holden stable, had been called in +doubt, yet neither protestant nor papist could prove, that any such +question was, at any time, moved in public or private. Neither could +ever such a question be moved, if the conscience were not posed; and +then, when it must speak, it must of necessity be unpleasant to tyrants. +Thus we have heard both the positions and scruples of this witness; let +us also hear his arguings, that people may punish princes for their +idolatry and murder, &c. and therefore much more may disown them: and +therefore again much more may they forbear to own them, when called; for +can a dead man, by law, be owned to be a magistrate, and keeper of the +law. 'Idolatry' (saith he in his conference with Lethington) 'ought not +only to be suppressed, but the idolater ought to die the death; but by +whom? By the people of God, for the commandment was given to Israel; +yea, a command, that if it be heard that idolatry is committed in any +one city, that then the whole body of the people arise and destroy that +city, sparing neither man, woman, nor child. But shall the king also be +punished? If he be an idolater, I find no privilege granted unto kings +more than unto people, to offend God's majesty. But the people may not +be judges to their king.----God is the universal judge; so that what his +word commands to be punished in the one, is not to be absolved in the +other; and that the people, yea, or a part of the people, may not +execute God's judgments against their king, being an offender; I am sure +you have no other warrant, except your own imaginations, and the opinion +of such as more fear to offend their princes than God.' In the same +conference we have the instance of Jehu adduced to prove that subjects +may execute God's judgments upon their princes. It was objected, Jehu +was a king before he executed judgment upon Ahab's house, and the fact +was extraordinary, and not to be imitated. He answered, He was a mere +subject; 'No doubt Jezabel both thought and said he was a traitor, and +so did many others in Israel and Samaria. And whereas it was said, that +the fact was extraordinary; I say, it had the ground of God's ordinary +judgment, which commandeth the idolater to die the death; and therefore +I yet again affirm, it is to be imitated of all those that prefer the +true honour of the true worship and glory of God, to the affection of +flesh and wicked princes. We are not bound, said Lethington, to follow +extraordinary examples, unless we have the like commandment and +assurance. I grant, said the other, if the example repugn to the law, +but where the example agrees with the law, and is, as it were, the +execution of God's judgment expressed within the same; I say, that the +example approved of God, stands to us in place of a commandment; for as +God, in his nature, is constant and immutable, so cannot he condemn, in +the ages subsequent, that which he hath approved in his servants before +us.' Then he brings another argument from Amaziah who fled to Lachish, +but the people sent thither and slew him there. Lethington doubted +whether they did well or not: he answered, 'Where I find execution +according to God's law, and God himself not accuse the doers, I dare not +doubt of the equity of their cause: And it appears, God gave them +sufficient evidence of his approving the fact, for he blessed them with +peace and prosperity. But prosperity does not always prove that God +approves the fact: yes, when the acts of men agree with the law, and are +rewarded according to the promise in that law, then the prosperity +succeeding the fact is a most infallible assurance that God hath +approved it; but so it is, that there is a promise of lengthening out +prosperity to them that destroy idolatry. And again, concluding Uzziah's +example, he says there, the people ought to execute God's law, even +against their princes, when that their open crimes, by God's law, +deserve punishment; especially when they are such as may infect the +rest of the multitude.' + +V. There is another thing for which people have suffered much in our day +of blasphemy, rebuke and trouble, which yet we find was not so odious in +our reformers eyes as this dull and degenerate age would represent it. +That in some cases it is lawful and laudable for private persons, +touched with the zeal of God, and love to their country, and respect to +justice trampled upon by tyrants; to put forth their hand to execute +righteous judgment upon the enemies of God and mankind, intolerable +traitors, murderers, idolaters; when the ruin of the country, +destruction of religion and liberty, and the wrath of God is threatened, +in and for the impunity of that vermin of villains, and may be averted +by their destruction, always supposed, that these, whose office it is to +do it, decline their duty. The mind of our reformers as to this is +manifest, both in their practice and opinion. We heard before of the +slaughter of Cardinal Beaton, and of the fiddler Rizzio: we shall find +both commended by Mr. Knox, giving account how these that were carried +captives to France for this cause from St. Andrew's were delivered. +'This (saith he), we write, to let the posterity to come to understand, +how potently God wrought in preserving and delivering of those that had +but a small knowledge of his truth, and for the love of the same +hazarded all; that if we, in our days, or our posterity that shall +follow, shall see a dispersion of such as oppose themselves to impiety, +or take upon them to punish the same otherwise than laws of men will +permit, if such shall be left of men, yea as it were despised and +punished of God: yet let us not damn the persons that punish vice, (and +that for just cause,) nor yet despair, but that the same God that +dejects will raise up again the persons dejected, to his glory and their +comfort; and to let the world understand in plain terms what we mean; +that great abuser of this commonwealth, that poultron and vile knave +Davie was justly punished, March 9, 1565, by the counsel and hands of +James Douglas, Earl of Morton, Patrick Lord Lindsay, &c. who, for their +just act, and most worthy of all praise, are now unworthily left of all +their brethren.' This is not only commended by the author alone, but we +find it concluded by all the brethren at that time, when the Queen +brought in the idol of the mass again, and the proud papists began to +avow it: Then let it be marked that, 'The brethren universally offended, +and espying that the Queen by proclamation did but delude them, +determined to put to their own hands, and to punish for example of +others; and so some priests in the West land were apprehended, +intimation was made to others, as to the abbot of Cosragnel, the parson +of Sanquhar, and such, that they should neither complain to the Queen +nor council, but should execute the punishment that God has appointed to +idolaters in his law, by such means as they might, wherever they should +be apprehended.' Upon this the Queen sent for Mr. Knox, and dealt with +him earnestly, that he would be the instrument to persuade the people +not to put hand to punish. He perceiving her craft, willed her Majesty +to punish malefactors according to law, and he durst promise quietness, +upon the part of all them that professed Christ within Scotland: but if +her Majesty thought to delude the laws, he feared some would let the +papists understand, that without punishment they should not be suffered +so manifestly to offend God's majesty. Will ye (quoth she) allow they +shall take my sword in their hand? 'The sword of justice (said he) +Madam, is God's, and is given to princes and rulers for one end; which, +if they transgress, sparing the wicked, and oppressing the innocents, +they that in the fear of God execute judgment, where God hath commanded, +offend not God, although kings do it not: the examples are evident, for +Samuel spared not to slay Agag the fat and delicate king of Amalek, whom +king Saul had saved; neither spared Elias Jezabel's false prophets, and +Baal's priests, albeit that king Ahab was present; Phineas was no +magistrate, and yet feared he not to strike Zimri and Cozbi in the very +act of filthy fornication; and so, Madam, your Majesty may see that +others than magistrates may lawfully punish, and have punished the vice +and crimes that God commands to be punished.' He proved it also at more +length in his appellation, from Deut. xiii. "If thy brother solicit thee +secretly, saying, Let us go serve other gods, consent not to him, let +not thine eye spare him, but kill him; let thy hand be first upon him, +and afterward the hand of the whole people." Of these words of Moses, +two things appertaining to our purpose are to be noted: 'The first is, +that such as solicitate only to idolatry ought to be punished to death, +without favour or respect of person; for he that will not suffer man to +spare his son, wife, &c. will not wink at the idolatry of others, of +what state or condition soever they be: it is not unknown that the +prophets had revelations of God, which were not common to the people; +now, if any man might have claimed any privilege from the rigour of the +law, or might have justified his fact, it should have been the prophet, +but God commands, that the prophet that shall so solicitate the people +to serve strange gods, shall die the death, notwithstanding that he +alledge for himself, dream, vision, or revelation, because he teacheth +apostacy from God: hereby it may be seen, that none, provoking the +people to idolatry, ought to be exempted from the punishment of death. +Evident it is, that no state, condition, nor honour can exempt the +idolater from the hands of God, when he shall call him to an account: +how shall it then excuse the people, that they according to God's +command, punish not to death such as shall solicitate or violently draw +the people to idolatry? The second is, that the punishment of such +crimes, as idolatry, blasphemy, and others that touch the majesty of +God, doth not appertain to kings and chief rulers only, but also to the +whole body of the people, and to every member of the same, according to +the vocation of every man, and according that possibility and occasion +which God doth minister, to revenge the injury done against his glory: +and that doth Moses more plainly speak in these words of the same +chapter, "If in any city which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt +hear this brute, there are some men sons of Belial."--Plain it is, that +Moses speaks not nor giveth charge to kings, rulers, and judges only; +but he commands the whole body of the people, yea and every member of +the same, according to their possibility. And who dare be so impudent as +to deny this to be most reasonable and just? For seeing God had +delivered the whole body from bondage, and to the whole multitude had +given his law, and to the twelve tribes had distributed the land of +Canaan: was not the whole and every member addebted to confess the +benefits of God, and to study to keep the possession received? which +they could not do, except they kept the religion established, and put +out iniquity from amongst them. To the carnal man this may seem to be a +rigorous and severe judgment, that even the infants there should be +appointed to the cruel death; and as concerning the city and spoil of +the same, man's reason cannot think but that it might have been better +bestowed, than to be consumed. But in such cases, let all creatures +stoop, and desist from reasoning, when commandment is given to execute +his judgment. I will search no other reasons than the Holy Ghost hath +assigned; first, That all Israel should fear to commit the like +abomination; and, secondly, That the Lord might turn from the fury of +his anger: which plainly doth signify, that, by the defection and +idolatry of a few, God's wrath is kindled against the whole, which is +never quenched, till such punishment be taken upon the offenders, that +whatsoever served them in their idolatry be brought to destruction,' &c. +I have enlarged so far upon this period, that it may appear, there is +nothing now in controversy, between the suffering and reproached party +now in Scotland, and either their friends or enemies, which could fall +under our reformers inquiry; but they have declared themselves of the +same sentiments that are now so much opposed; and therefore none can +condemn the present heads of suffering, except also they condemn the +reformers judgment; and consequently the imputation of novelty must +fall. + + +PERIOD IV. + +_Containing the Testimony of the first Contenders against Prelacy and +Supremacy, from the Year 1570, to 1638._ + +Hitherto the conflict was for the concerns of Christ's prophetical and +priestly office, against paganism and popery. But from the year 1570, +and downward, the testimony is stated, and gradually prosecuted for the +rights, privileges and prerogatives of Christ's kingly office; which +hath been the peculiar glory of the church of Scotland, above all the +churches in the earth, that this hath been given to her as the word of +her testimony; and not only consequentially and reductively, as all +other churches may challenge a part of this dignity, but formally and +explicitly to contend for this very head, the headship and kingship of +Jesus Christ, the prince of the kings of the earth, and his mediatory +supremacy over his own kingdom of grace, both visible and invisible. +This is Christ's supremacy, a special radiant jewel of his imperial +crown, which as it hath been as explicitly encroached upon in Scotland, +by his insolent enemies, as ever by any that entered in opposition to +him, so it hath been more expressly witnessed and wrestled for by his +suffering servants in that land than in any place of the world. This was +in a particular manner the testimony of that period, during the reign of +King James the 6th; as it hath been in a great measure in our day, since +the year 1660. Which, as it is the most important cause, of the greatest +consequence that mortals can contend for; so it hath this peculiar glory +in it, that it is not only for the truth of Christ, of greater value +than the standing of heaven and earth, but also it is the very truth for +which Christ himself died, considered as a martyr; and which concerns +him to vindicate and maintain as a monarch. The witnesses of that day +made such an high account of it, that they encouraged one another to +suffer for it, as the greatest concern; 'being a witness for Christ's +glorious and free monarchy, which, as it is the end of the other two +offices, so the testimony is more glorious to God, more honourable to +his Son, and more comfortable to them, than the testimony either for his +prophetical office, or for his priesthood, because his kingdom was +especially impugned at the time;' as Mr. Forbes and Mr. Welch wrote in a +letter to the Ministers at court. The corruptions and usurpations +wronging this truth, that they contended against, were prelacy and the +King's supremacy in ecclesiastical matters; which will be useful to hint +a little, how they prosecuted the conflict. When Satan (whose kingdom +was then declining) by several instruments and means, both by force and +fraud, did endeavour to put a stop to the reformation, by reintroducing +the antichristian hierarchy of prelacy, when he could not re-establish +the antichristian doctrine of popery; he left no means unessayed to +effectuate it. And first he began to bring the name Bishop in request, +that was now growing obsolete and odious, by reason of the abuse of it +(as it ought to be still, for though the name be found in the +scriptures, yet neither is that catechestical application of it to +prelates to be found, nor was there any other reason for the translation +of it after that manner, except it were to please princes; seeing the +native signification of it is an overseer, proper and common to all +faithful pastors.) And indeed his first essay reached little further +than the bare name, for they were to be rejected to, and tried by +assemblies, and hardly had so much power as superintendants before. But +it was a fine court juggle for noblemen to get the church-revenues into +their hands, by restoring the ecclesiastical titles, and obtaining from +the titulars either temporal lands, or pensions to their dependers; so +they were only Tulchan bishops, _a calf-skin to cause the cow give +milk_. Yet, though this in our day would have been thought tolerable, +the faithful servants of Christ did zealously oppose it. Mr. Knox +denounced Anathema to the giver, and Anathema to the receiver. And the +following Assembly condemned the office itself, 'as having no sure +warrant, authority, nor ground in the book of God, but brought in by the +folly and corruption of men's invention, to the overthrow of the church; +and ordained all that brooked the office, to demit simpliciter, and to +desist and cease from preaching, while they received _de novo_ admission +from the General Assembly, under the pain of excommunication.' Hereby +they were awakened and animated to a more vigorous prosecution of the +establishment of the house of God in its due government. In pursuance +whereof, the Assemblies from that time, until the year 1581, did with +much painfulness and faithfulness attend the work: until, by perfecting +of the second book of discipline, they completed their work, in the +exact model of Presbyterial Government, in all its courts and officers; +which was confirmed and covenanted to be kept inviolate, in the +National Covenant, subscribed that year by the King, his Court and +Council; and afterwards by all ranks of people in the land. Whence it +may be doubted, whether the impudence of the succeeding prelates, that +denied this, or their perjury in breaking of it, be greater. This was +but the first brush. A brisker assault follows; wherein, for the better +establishment of prelacy, that what it wants of divine right, might be +supplied by the accession of human prerogative, and not only Diocesan, +but also Erastian prelacy might be set up, to destroy Christ's kingdom, +and advance Satan's; the Earl of Arran, and his wicked accomplices move +the King, contrary both to the word and oath of God, to usurp the +prerogative of Jesus Christ, and assume to himself a blasphemous monster +of supremacy, over all persons, and in all causes, as well +ecclesiastical as civil. But this also the faithful servants of God did +worthily and valiantly resist; and at the very appearance of it, gave in +a grievance to the King in the year 1582, 'That he had taken upon him a +spiritual power, which properly belongs to Christ, as only king and head +of the church; the ministry and execution whereof is only given to such +as bear office in the ecclesiastical government in the same: so that in +the King's person, some men press to erect a new popedom, as though he +could not be full king of this commonwealth, unless as well the +spiritual as temporal sword be put in his hand, unless Christ be reft of +his authority, and the two jurisdictions confounded, which God hath +divided, which directly tendeth to the wreck of all true religion.' +Which being presented by the Commissioners of the General Assembly, the +Earl of Arran asked with a frowning countenance, who dare subscribe +these treasonable articles? Mr. Andrew Melvin answered, we dare, and +will subscribe, and render our lives in the cause. And afterward, that +same Assembly presented articles, shewing, 'That seeing the spiritual +jurisdiction of the church is granted by Christ, and given only to +them, that by preaching, teaching, and overseeing, bear office within +the same, to be exercised, not by the injunctions of men, but by the +only rule of God's word.--Hereafter, no other, of whatsoever degree, or +under whatsoever pretence, have any colour to ascribe, or to take upon +them any part thereof either in placing or displacing of ministers, +without the church's admission, or in stopping the mouths of preachers, +or putting them to silence, or take upon them the judgment of trial of +doctrine,' &c. But in contempt and contradiction to this, and to +prosecute and exert this new usurped power, Mr. Andrew Melvin was +summoned before the Secret Council, for a sermon of his, applying his +doctrine to the time's corruptions; whereupon he gave in his declinature +against them, as incompetent judges, and told them, 'They were too bold, +in a constitute Christian church, to pass by the pastors, prophets, and +doctors, and to take upon them to judge the doctrine, and to controul +the ambassadors of a greater than was there, which they neither ought +nor can do. There are (saith he, loosing a little Hebrew bible from his +girdle) my instructions and warrant: see if any of you can controul me, +that I have past my injunctions.' For this he was decerned to be warded +in the castle of Edinburgh; but he being informed that if he entered in +ward, he would not be released, unless it were for the scaffold, he +conveyed himself secretly out of the country. Hereafter when the +parliament 1584 had enacted this supremacy, and submission to prelacy, +to be subscribed by all ministers; the faithful first directed Mr. David +Lindsay to the King, desiring, that nothing be done in parliament +prejudicial to the church's liberty, who got the prison of Blackness for +his pains. And then when they could not get access for shut doors to +protest before the parliament; yet when the acts were proclaimed at the +cross of Edinburgh, they took public documents in name of the church of +Scotland (though they were but two) that they protested against the said +acts, and fled to England, leaving behind them reasons that moved them +to do so. And Mr. James Melvin wrote against the subscribers at that +time very pertinently; proving first, 'That they had not only set up a +new pope, and so become traitors to Christ; and condescended to that +chief error of papistry, whereupon all the rest depend; but further, in +so doing, they had granted more to the King, than ever the popes of Rome +peaceably obtained,' &c. And in the end, as for those that lamented +their own weakness and feebleness, he adviseth them, to remove the +public slander, 'by going boldly to the King and Lords, and shew them +how they had fallen through weakness, but by God's power are risen +again; and there by public note and witness taken, free themselves from +that subscription, and to will the same to be delete, renouncing and +detesting it plainly, and thereafter publicly in their sermons; and by +their declaration and retractation in writ, presented to the faithful, +manifest the same, let them do with stipend, benefice, and life itself, +what they list.' This I inferr, because this counsel is now condemned; +and when poor people, offended with ministers subscriptions of bonds and +other compliances, desire acknowledgments of the offence, they reject it +as an impertinent imposition, and plead they are not obliged to manifest +any retractation but to an ecclesiastical judicatory. To which I shall +say nothing here, but this is no novelty. After this, it is known what +bickerings the faithful witnesses of Christ had, in their conflicts with +this supremacy upon the account of Mr. David Black's declinature, which +they both advised him to, and approved when he gave it in, against the +King and Council, as judges of his doctrine. And the Commissioners of +the General Assembly ordained all, to deal mightily with the power of +the word, against the Council's encroachments; for which they were +charged to depart forth of Edinburgh. After which he added a second +declinature: 'Declaring, there are two jurisdictions in this realm; the +one spiritual, the other civil; the one respecting the conscience, the +other externals, &c.--Therefore, in so far as he was one of the +spiritual office-bearers, and had discharged his spiritual calling in +some measure of grace and sincerity, should not, nor could not be +lawfully judged for preaching and applying the word, by any civil power; +he being an ambassador and messenger of the Lord Jesus, having his +commission from the King of kings, and all his instructions set down and +limited in the book of God, that cannot be extended, abridged, or +altered by any mortal wight, king or emperor; and seeing he was sent to +all sorts, his commission and discharge of it should not, nor cannot be +lawfully judged by them to whom he was sent; they being sheep, and not +pastors, to be judged by the word, and not to be judges thereof in a +judicial way.' The interlocutor being past against him for this, the +brethren thought it duty, that the droctrine of the preacher should be +directed against the said interlocutor, as against a strong and mighty +hold set up against the Lord Jesus, and the freedom of the gospel; and +praised God for the force and unity of the spirit that was among +themselves. And being charged to depart out of the town, they leave a +faithful declaration at large, shewing how the liberties of the church +were invaded and robbed. But all this was nothing, in comparison of +their wrestlings for the royalties of their princely Master, and +privileges of his kingdom, against the tyrant's insolences, after he +obtained the crown of England; for then he would not suffer the church +to indict her own Assemblies. And when the faithful thought themselves +obliged to counteract his encroachments, and therefore convened in an +Assembly at Aberdeen in the year 1605, they were forced to dissolve, +and thereafter, the most eminent of the ministers there assembled were +transported prisoners to Blackness; whence being cited before the +Council, they decline their judicatory. And one of their brethren, Mr. +Robert Youngson, who had formerly succumbed, being moved in conscience, +returned; and when the rest were standing before the Council, desired to +be heard, and acknowledged his fault; and therefore, howbeit not +summoned by the Lords, was charged by the living God, and compelled to +compear that day, to justify that Assembly, to the great astonishment of +the Lords, and comfort of his brethren; he subscribed the declinature +with the rest; and for this they were arraigned, and condemned, as +guilty of treason, and banished. Before the execution of which sentence, +Mr. Welch wrote to the Lady Fleming, to this effect: 'What am I, that he +should first have called me, and then constituted me a minister of glad +tidings of the gospel of salvation, these fifteen years already, and now +last of all to be a sufferer of his cause and kingdom? To witness that +good confession, that Jesus Christ is the King of saints, and that his +church is a most free kingdom; yea, as free as any kingdom under heaven, +not only to convocate, hold and keep her meetings, conventions and +assemblies; but also to judge of all her affairs in all her meetings and +conventions among his subjects. These two points, (1.) That Christ is +the head of his church. (2.) That she is free in her government from all +other jurisdiction except Christ's, are the special cause of our +imprisonment, being now convict as traitors, for maintaining thereof. We +have now been waiting with joyfulness to give the last testimony of our +blood in confirmation thereof, if it would please our God to be so +favourable, as to honour us with that dignity.' After this, the King +resolving by parliament to advance the state of bishops again, as in the +time of popery, without cautions as before; and further, to establish +not only that Antichristian Hierarchy, but an Erastian supremacy: the +faithful ministers of Christ thought themselves bound in conscience to +protest; and accordingly they offered protestation to the parliament +July----1606, obtesting, 'That they would reserve into the Lord's own +hands, that glory which he will communicate neither to man nor angel, to +wit, to prescribe from his holy mountain a lively pattern, according to +which his own tabernacle should be formed: remembring always, that there +is no absolute and undoubted authority in this world, except the +sovereign authority of Christ the King; to whom it belongeth as properly +to rule the church, according to the good pleasure of his own will, as +it belongeth to him to save his church by the merit of his own +sufferings: all other authority is so entrenched within the marches of +divine command, that the least overpassing of the bounds, set by God +himself, brings men under the fearful expectation of temporal and +eternal judgment.--If ye should authorize bishops, ye should bring into +the church the ordinance of man, which experience hath found to have +been the ground of that Antichristian Hierarchy, which mounted up on +steps of bishops pre-eminence, until that man of sin came forth, as the +ripe fruit of man's wisdom, whom God shall consume with the breath of +his own mouth. Let the sword of God pierce that belly, which brought +forth such a monster; and let the staff of God crush that egg, which +hath hatched such a cockatrice: and let not only that Roman Antichrist +be thrown down from the high bench of his usurped authority, but also +let all the steps, whereby he mounted up to that unlawful pre-eminence, +be cut down and utterly abolished in this land: and beware to strive +against God with an open displayed banner, by building up again the +walls of Jericho, which the Lord hath not only cast down, but also hath +laid them under an horrible interdiction and execration; so that the +building of them again must needs stand to greater charges to the +builders, than the re-edifying of Jericho, to Hiel the Bethelite in the +days of Ahab.' Yet notwithstanding of all opposition, prelacy was again +restored in parliament. And to bring all to a compliance with the same, +presbyteries and synods universally charged, under highest pains, to +admit a constant moderator without change; which many refused +resolutely, as being the first step of prelacy. Upon this followed a +great persecution of the faithful, for their non-conformity, managed by +that mongrel and monstrous kind of court, made up of clergymen and +statesmen, called the high commission court, erected in the year 1610, +whereby many honest men were put violently from their charges and +habitations; the generality were involved in a great and fearful +defection. But the cope-stone of the wickedness of that period, was the +ratification of the five articles of Perth, 'kneeling at the communion; +private communion to be given to the sick, private baptism: and +confirmation of children by the bishop; and observation of festival +days:' which were much opposed and testified against by the faithful, +from their first hatching in the year 1618, to the year 1621, when they +were ratified in parliament; at what time they were also witnessed +against from heaven; by extraordinary lightnings and tempests. And +against this the testimony of the faithful continued, till the +revolution in the year 1638. Here we see how the cause was stated in +this period; and may gather also wherein it agrees; and how far it +differs from the present testimony, now suffered for under all rage and +reproach. + +I. The matter of the testimony was one with that we are suffering for, +against popery, prelacy and supremacy; except that it was not so far +extended against tyranny, because that tyrant was not such an usurper, +nor such a violator of the fundamental constitutions of the civil +government, as these that we have had to do withal. But as to the +managing the testimony; they far outstripped their successors in this +generation, in conduct and courage, prudence and zeal, as is above +hinted in many instances; to which we may add some more. When several +plots of papist lords had been discovered, conspiring with the king of +Spain, and they were by the king's indulgence favoured, and some were +also persuaded to treat with them, famous Mr. Davidson opposed with +great resolution; declaring before the synod of Lothian, 'That it +savoured much of defection in these days, that such notorious rebels to +God, his church, and the country, should be so treated with; we should +not rashly open a door to God's enemies, without better proof of their +manners nor were yet seen.' And when a convention in Falkland was +consulting to call home these conspiring traitors, Mr. Andrew Melvin +went thither uncalled; and when found fault with by the king for his +boldness, he answered, 'Sir, I have a call to come here from Christ and +his church, who have special interest in this turn, and against whom +this convention is assembled directly; I charge you, and your estates, +in the name of Christ and his church, that ye favour not his enemies +whom he hateth, nor go about to call home, nor make citizens of these, +who have traiterously fought to betray their city and native country, +with the overthrow of Christ's kingdom.' And further challenged them of +treason against Christ, his church and the country, in that purpose they +were about. About the same time, in a private conference with the king, +he calls the king God's silly vassal; and taking him by the sleeve, told +him, 'Sir, you, and church and country is like to be wrecked for not +telling the truth, and giving you faithful counsel; we must discharge +our duty, or else be enemies to Christ and you: therefore I must tell +you, there are two kings and two kingdoms; there is Christ and his +kingdom, whose subject king James VI. is, and of whole kindom he is not +a king, nor a head, nor a lord, but a member; and they whom Christ hath +called to watch over and govern his church, have sufficient authority +and power from him, which no Christian king should controul, but assist, +otherwise they are not faithful subjects to Christ. Sir, when you were +in your swaddling clouts, Christ reigned freely in this land, in spight +of all his enemies; but now the wisdom of your council, which is +devilish and pernicious, is this, that you may be served of all sorts of +men to your purpose and grandeur, Jew and Gentile, Papist and +Protestant, because the ministers and Protestants in Scotland are too +strong, and controul the king, they must be weakened and brought low, by +stirring up a party against them; and the king being equal and +indifferent, both shall be fain to flee to him, so shall he be well +settled: but, Sir, let God's wisdom be the only wisdom, this will prove +mere and mad folly; for his curse cannot but light upon it; so that in +seeking both, you shall lose both.' To the like effect Mr. Robert Bruce, +in a sermon upon Psal. li. gives faithful warning of the danger of the +times. 'It is not we (says he) that are party in this cause; no, the +quarrel is betwixt a greater prince and them. What are we but silly men: +Yet it has pleased him to let us in this office, that we should oppone +to the manifest usurpation that is made upon his spiritual kingdom. Is +there a more forcible mean to draw down the wrath of God, than to let +Barabbas that nobilitate malefactor pass free, and to begin the war +against Christ and his ministry. It putteth on the cope-stone, that so +many of our brethren should not be so faithful, as their calling and +this cause craveth. Fy upon false brethren, to see them dumb, so +faint-hearted, when it comes to the shock; not only are they ashamed to +speak the thing they think, which is a shame in a pastor, but speak +directly against their former doctrine. They will speak the truth a +while, till they be put at, but incontinent they will turn, and make +their gifts weapons to fight against Christ; for there is none so +malicious as an apostate, when he begins to slide back,' &c. The same +faithful witness, because he would not preach as the king would have +him, against his own conscience, to justify and proclaim the king's +innocency, in a forged conspiracy against him, was put from his church +in Edinburgh; and being requested in an insinuating manner to desist +from preaching but for nine or ten days; he condescended at first, +thinking the matter of no great importance; yet that night his body was +cast in a fever, with the terror of his conscience, and he promised he +should never obey their commandments any more. These were faithful men, +yet we find they challenge themselves, in deep humiliation, for their +short-comings and defections. At the renovation of the national covenant +March 30th, 1596, was the greatest solemnity ever had been seen in +Scotland before that time; so that the place might worthily have been +called Bochim. O when shall we see such a day, when even the most +faithful among us, shall mourn over our far more aggravated defections! +but if they mourned then for these first degrees of declensions; we may +say, 'How heavily would these valiant men groan, who formerly contended +so stoutly for the liberty of the church of Scotland, if they beheld +this our laziness (that I may call it by no worse name!') I know +notwithstanding of all this, that some encourage themselves in a base +compliance with the present corruptions of our church, from the practice +of these worthies; alledging, they did not scruple to hear and join with +prelatical men, dispensing the ordinances. But this objection will be +easily refelled, if we consider, first, the period wherein they were but +growing up to a more perfect reformation, and therefore might bear with +many things which we cannot, after we have been reformed from them: +they were then advancing, and still gaining ground, we are now +declining, and therefore should be more shy to lose what we have gained. +They had then of a long time enjoyed their judicatories, unto which they +might recur for an orderly redress of such grievances that offended +them; and when they were deprived of them, yet they were still in hopes +of recovering them; and so suspended their total secession from that +corrupt church, until they should recover them; in the mean time still +holding their right, and maintaining their cause against these invaders. +But we were, at the very first beginning of this unhappy revolution, +totally deprived of our judicatories, and denuded of all expectation of +them in an ordinary way, and of all place, but what they are masters of +to contend with them that way; therefore must keep ourselves free of +their communion. But next, if we consider their practice, we shall find +these worthies were not such conformists, as our compliers would make +them. What if we find among them meetings, that were called and counted +as seditious and schismatic as ours are now? We find a field meeting, +yea, a General Assembly at Dumfermline, without and against the king's +warrant, when the ports were shut against them, in the year 1585. But +that is not so pat to the purpose, as that we find private meetings at +Edinburgh, and that in the very time of public service in the churches, +discharged by open proclamation in 1624, wherein it is charged, that +they had no respect to the ordinary pastors, contemned and impugned +their doctrine, disobeyed and controuled their discipline, abstained to +hear the word preached, and to participate of the sacraments. And long +before that, we find the sincerer sort scrupled to hear Bishop Adamson, +notwithstanding that he was absolved in the Assembly. And that +afterwards, the doubt being proponed to the Assembly, if it be a slander +to a Christian to absent himself from the sermons of them that are +suspended from all function in the ministry? The Assembly answered, +there is no slander in the case, but rather it is slanderous to resort. +And why is not this ground to think it slanderous, or scandalous to +resort to them, who deserve to be suspended (all of them by a spiritual +cognizance, and some of them to be suspended corporally for their +villany) when there can be no access orderly to do it. And the rather, +because we find in this period, that sometimes ministers were so +faithful and zealous against the corruptions of the ministry, that they +decerned ministers to be suspended for far smaller faults, than many now +could exempt themselves from, viz. if they were not powerful and +spiritual; if they did not apply their doctrine to corruptions; if they +were obscure and too scholastic before the people; cold and wanting +zeal, flatterers, dissembling at public sins for flattery or fear, &c. +As we may read in the advice of the brethren, deputed for penning the +corruptions in the ministry, in 1596. I wish our silent prudent +ministers now would consider the justness of this censure, and what +ground people have to be offended at such censurableness. But not only +this may answer the false imputation of conformity on these witnesses of +Christ at that time; but I shall set down a part of a letter of one of +the banished ministers at that time, discovering his mind about hearing +these men, that were then serving the times. Mr. John Welch, writing to +Mr. Robert Bruce,----'What my mind is concerning the root of these +branches, the bearer will shew you more fully. They are no more to be +counted orthodox, but apostates; they have fallen from their callings, +by receiving an antichristian, and bringing in of idolatry, to make the +kingdom culpable, and to expose it to fearful judgments, for such an +high perfidy against an oath so solemnly enacted and given; and are no +more to be counted Christians, but strangers, apostates, and +persecutors; and therefore, not to be heard any more, either in public, +or in consistories, colleges, or synods; for what fellowship hath light +with darkness?' We see then as to that part of the testimony, they were +not dissonant to the witness of the present reproached sufferers. + +II. As the matter and manner of their testimony against all the invaders +of the church's privileges, did speak forth a great deal of sincere and +pure zeal; so their practice was conform, shewing forth a great deal of +strictness and averseness from all sinful compliances, even with things +that would be now accounted of very minute and inconsiderable +consequence, and for which honest sufferers now are flouted at as fools. +When that oath was formed for acknowledging the supremacy, there was a +clause added which might have been thought to salve the matter, +"according to the word of God." I fear many now would not stand to +subscribe with such a qualification. Yet the faithful then perceived the +sophistry, that it made it rather worse, affirming that that brat of +hell was according to the word of God: and therefore, though there were +several eminent men to persuade them to it, both by advice and example, +yet they could not, in conscience, comply; and pleaded also from the +illegality of that imposition, that they should be charged with the +subscription of laws, a thing never required before of any subject; if +they offended against the laws, why might they not be punished according +to the laws? When many honest faithful patriots, for the attempt at +Ruthven to deliver the country from a vermin of villains that abused the +King, to the destruction of the church and kingdom, were charged to +crave pardon, and take remission; they would do neither, judging it a +base condemning duty, which puts a brand upon our sneaking supplicators +and petitioners, and pardon mongers, as unworthy to be called the race +of such worthies, who scorned such baseness; and choosed rather to +endure the extremity of their unjust sentences of intercommuning and +banishment, &c. And when the Earl of Gowrie accepted of a remission, he +afterwards condemned himself for it, and desired that his old friends +would accept of his friendship, to whom he had the same favour offered +to him, refused altogether, lest so doing he should condemn himself, and +approve the courts proceedings: and the brethren, conferring with the +counsellors, craving that some penalty should be condescended unto for +satisfying his majesty in his honour, would not condescend to any, how +light soever; lest thereby they should seem to approve the judicatory +and their proceeding. The imprisoned ministers, for declining the +counsel, had it in their offer, that if they would, without any +confession of offence, only submit themselves to his majesty, "for +scandal received, not given," they should be restored to their places: +but it pleased God so to strengthen them, that they stopped their +mouths, and convinced them in their consciences, that they could not do +it without betraying of the cause of Christ. Again, in another case, we +have instances of such strictness, as is much scorned now a-days. The +ministers of Edinburgh were committed to ward, for refusing to pray for +the queen, before her execution in Fothringham castle 1586. They refused +not simply to pray for her, but for the preservation of her life, as if +she had been innocent of the crimes laid to her charge, which had +imported a condemnation of the proceedings against her. Afterwards, in +the year 1600. The ministers of Edinburgh would not praise God for the +delivery of the king from a pretended conspiracy of the Earl of Gowrie +at that time, of which they had no credit nor assurance; and would not +crave pardon for it neither. For this Mr. Robert Bruce was deprived of +the exercise of his ministry, and never obtained it again in Edinburgh: +but now, for refusing such compelled and imposed devotion, to pray or +praise for the king, poor people are much condemned. I know it is +alledged, that these faithful sufferers in those days, were not so +strict as they are now, in submitting to unjust sentences, and obeying +and keeping their confinements. I shall grant, there was much of this, +and much might be tolerate in their circumstances, when the court's +procedure against them was not so illegal, their authority was not so +tyrannical, nor so necessary to be disowned, and they were so stated, +that they were afraid to take guilt upon them, in making their escapes; +whereas it is not so with us. Yet we find very faithful men broke their +confinements; as Mr. John Murray, confined at Dumfries, perceiving there +was no end of the bishop's malice, and that he would be in no worse case +than he was, he resolved without licence, either of king or council, to +transport himself: so did also Mr. Robert Bruce. + +III. For resistance of superior powers, we have in this period, first +the practice of some noblemen at Ruthven, in the [year] 1582. who took +the King, and seized on that arrant traitor, enemy to the church and +country the Earl of Arran; declaring to the world the causes of it, the +King's correspondence with papists, his usurping the supremacy over the +church, and oppressing the ministers, all by means of his wicked +counsellers, whom therefore they removed from him. The King himself +emitted a declaration allowing this deed. The General Assembly approved +of it, and persuaded to a concurrence with it, and nothing was wanting +to ratify it, as a most lawful and laudable action. At length the fox +escapes, and changes all, and retracts his former declaration. The lords +again rally, and interprise the taking of the castle of Stirling, and +gain it; but afterward surrender it: after which the Earl of Gowrie was +executed, and ministers are commanded to retract the approbation of +Ruthven business, but they refused; and many were forced to flee to +England, and the lords were banished. But, in the year 1585, they return +with more success, and take the castle of Stirling. The cowardly king +does again acknowledge and justify their enterprise, 'that they needed +no apology of words, weapons had spoken well enough, and gotten them +audience to clear their own cause:' but his after carriage declared him +as crafty and false, as he was cowardly and fearful. Again, we have the +advice of the General Assembly, for resisting, when the ministers were +troubled upon Mr. Black's business, and there was an intention to pull +them out of their pulpits; they advised them to stand to the discharge +of their calling, if their flocks would save them from violence, and yet +this violence was expected from the King and his emissaries. As to that +point then there can be no dispute. + +IV. There was little occasion for the question about the King's +authority in this period, but generally all acknowledged it; because +they were not sensible of his usurpation, and his cowardice made him +incapable of attempting any thing that might raise commotions in civil +things. Yet we remark, that whatsoever authority he usurped beyond his +sphere, that was disowned and declined by all the faithful, as the +supremacy. Next that they resented, and represented very harshly, any +aspiring to absoluteness; as Mr. Andrew Melvin could give it no better +name, nor entertain no better notion of it, than to term it, the bloody +gully, as he inveighs against it in the Assembly 1582. And next, in this +same period, we have a very good description of that authority, which +the King himself allows not to be owned, which out of a King's mouth +abundantly justifies the disowning of the present tyranny: this same +King James, in a speech to the parliament, in the year 1609, saith, 'A +king degenerateth into a tyrant, when he leaveth to rule by law, much +more when he beginneth to invade his subjects persons, rights and +liberties, to set up an arbitrary power, impose unlawful taxes, raise +forces, make war upon his subjects, to pillage, plunder, waste, and +spoil his kingdoms.' + + +PERIOD V. + +_Containing the Testimony for the last Reformation from Prelacy, in all +its steps, from the year 1638. to 1660._ + +The following period, from the year 1638, to 1660, continues and +advances the testimony, to the greatest height of purity and power, that +either this church, or any other did ever arrive unto, with a gradation, +succession, and complication of wonders, of divine wisdom, power, +justice and mercy, signally and singularly owning and sealing it, to the +confusion of his enemies, comfort of his people, conviction of +indifferent neutrals, and consternation of all. Now after a long winter, +and night of deadness and darkness, the sun returns with an amiable +approach of light and life; now the winter was past, the rain was over +and gone, the flowers appear on earth, and the time of singing of birds +is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. Now the +second time, the testimony comes to be managed in an active manner, as +before it was passive: as the one hath been always observed to follow +interchangeably upon the other, especially in Scotland, and the last +always the greatest; which gives ground to hope, though it be now our +turn to suffer, that when the summer comes again after this winter, and +the day after this night, the next active testimony shall be more +notable than any that went before. The matter of the testimony was the +same as before, for the concerns of Christ's kingly prerogative, but +with some more increase as to its opposites: for these grew successively +in every period, the last always including all that went before. The +first period had Gentilism principally to deal with; the second Popery; +the third Popery and Tyranny; the fourth Prelacy and Supremacy; this +fifth hath all together, and Sectarianism also, to contend against. The +former had always the opposites on one hand, but this hath them in +extremes on both hands; both fighting against one another, and both +fighting together against the church of Scotland, and she against both, +till at length one of her opposites prevailed, viz. the Sectarian party, +and that prevailing brought in the other, to wit, the Malignant, which +now domineers over all together. Wherefore, because this period is in +itself of so great importance, the revolutions therein emergent so +eminent, the reformation therein prosecuted wanting little of its +perfect complement, the deformation succeeding in its deviation from the +pattern being so destructive; to the end it may be seen from whence we +have fallen, and whether or not the present reproached sufferers have +lost or left their ground, we must give a short deduction of the rise, +progress, and end of the contendings of that period. + +In the midst of the forementioned miseries and mischiefs, that the pride +of prelacy and tyrannical supremacy had multiplied beyond measure upon +this church and nation, and at the height of all their haughtiness, when +they were setting up their Dagon and erecting altars for him, imposing +the service-book, and book of Canons, &c. the Lord in mercy remembred +his people, and surprised them with a sudden unexpected deliverance, by +very despicable means; even the opposition of a few weak women, at the +beginning of that contest, which, ere it was quashed, made the tyrant +tumble headless off his throne. The zeal against the English popish +ceremonies, obtruded on Edinburgh, did first inflame some feminine +hearts to witness their detestation of them; but afterwards was followed +out with more masculine fervor, accosting King and Council with +petitions, remonstrances, protestations and testimonies against the +innovations, and resolving upon a mutual conjunction, to defend +religion, lives and liberties, against all that would innovate or invade +them. To fortify which, and conciliate the favour both of God and man in +the resolution, all the lovers of God, and friends to the liberty of +the nation, did solemnly renew the national covenant, (wherein they were +signally countenanced of the Lord,) which, though in itself obliging to +the condemnation of prelatical Hierarchy, and clearly enough confirming +presbyterial government, yet they engaged into it with an enlargement, +to suspend the practice of novations already introduced, and the +approbation of the corruptions of the present government, with the late +places and power of church men, till they be tried in a free General +Assembly. Which was obtained that same year, and indicted at Glasgow: +and there, notwithstanding all the opposition that the King's +commissioner could make, by protestations and proclamations to dissolve +it, the six preceeding Assemblies establishing Prelacy were annulled, +the service-book, and high commission were condemned; all the bishops +were deposed, and their government declared to be abjured in that +national covenant; though many had, through the commissioners +persuasions, subscribed it in another sense without that application: as +also the five articles of Perth were there discovered to have been +inconsistent with that covenant and confession, and the civil places and +power of church men were disproved and rejected: on the other hand +presbyterial government was justified and approved, and an act was +passed for their keeping yearly General Assemblies. This was a bold +beginning, into which they were animated with more than human +resolution, against more than human opposition, hell as well as the +powers of the earth being set against them. But when the Lord gave the +call, they considered not their own deadness, nor were daunted with +discouragements, nor staggered at the promise through unbelief, but gave +glory to God, outbraving all difficulties. Which in the following year +were much increased, by the prelates and their popish partakers +rendezvousing their forces under the King's personal standard, and +menacing nothing but misery to the zealous covenanters; yet when they +found them prepared to resist, were forced to yield to a pacification, +concluding that an Assembly and Parliament should be held, for healing +all grievances of church and state. + +In which Assembly at Edinburgh, the covenant is ratified and subscribed +by the Earl of Traquair commissioner, and enjoined to be subscribed by +the body of the whole land, with an explication, expressly condemning +the five articles of Perth, the government of bishops, the civil places +and power of churchmen: but the sons of Belial cannot be taken with +hands, nor bound with bonds of faith, humanity, or honour, for in the +year following, king and prelates, with their popish abettors, go to +arms again; but were fain to accommodate the matter by a new +pacification, whereby all civil and religious liberties were ratified. +And in the following year 1641, by laws, oaths, promises, subscriptions +of king and parliament, fully confirmed, the king, Charles I. being +present, and consenting to all; though in the mean time he was +treacherously encouraging the Irish murderers, who by his authority made +a massacre of many thousand innocent protestants in Ireland. But in +Scotland things went well, the kingdom of our Lord Jesus was greatly +advanced, the gospel flourished, and the glory of the Lord did shine +upon us with such a splendour, that it awaked England, and animated the +Lord's people there, then groaning under those grievances from which +Scotland was delivered, to aspire to the like reformation. For advice in +which, because though all agreed to cast off the yoke of prelacy, yet +sundry forms of church government were projected to be set up in the +room thereof, chiefly the Independent order, determining all acts of +church government, as election, ordination, and deposition of officers, +with admission, excommunication, and absolution of members, to be done +and decided by the voices of every particular congregation, without any +authoritative concurrence or interposition of any other, condemning all +imperative and decisive power of classes, &c. as a mere usurpation. +Therefore, the brethren in England wrote to the Assembly then sitting at +Edinburgh, who gave them answer,----'That they were grieved, that any of +the godly should be found not agreeing with other reformed churches, in +point of government as well as doctrine; and that it was to be feared, +where the hedge of discipline and government is different, the doctrine +and worship shall not long continue the same without change; that the +government of the church, by compound presbyteries and synods, is a help +and strength, and not a hindrance to particular congregations and +elderships, in all the parts of government; and are not an extrinsical +power set over particular churches, but the intrinsical power wherewith +Christ hath invested his officers, who may not exercise it +independently, but with subordination, unto presbyteries, &c. which as +they are representative of particular churches, conjoined together in +one under their government; so their determination, when they proceed +orderly, whether in causes common to all, or brought before them by +reference in case of aberration, is to the several congregations +authoritative, and not consultatory only. And this subordination is not +only warranted by the light of nature, but grounded upon the word of +God, and conform to the pattern of the primitive and apostolic church, +for the preservation of verity and unity, against schism, heresy and +tyranny, which is the fruit of this government wheresoever it hath +place.' So from henceforth the Assembly did incessantly urge uniformity +in reformation with their brethren in England, as the chiefest of their +desires, prayers and cares. And in the year 1643, prevailed so far, that +the English parliament did first desire, that the two nations might be +strictly united for their mutual defence, against the papists and +prelatical faction, and their adherents in both kingdoms; and not to +lay down arms, till these implacable enemies should be brought in +subjection; and instantly urge for help and assistance from Scotland. +Which, being sent, did return with an olive branch of peace, and not +without some beginnings of a reformation in England. And afterwards, a +bloody war beginning between the King and Parliament, with great success +on the King's side, whence the papists at the time got great advantage, +(witness the cessation of arms concluded in Ireland,) commissioners were +sent from both houses to Scotland, earnestly inviting to a nearer union +of the kingdoms, and desiring assistance from this nation to their +brethren in that their great distress. And this, by the good hand of +God, produced the solemn league and covenant of the three kingdoms, +first drawn 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 and constant endeavours, in +their several places and callings, for preservation of the uniformity in +reformation, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government: the +extirpation of popery, prelacy, error and profanity; the preservation of +the rights and liberties of the people; and of the magistrates +authority, in defence of the true religion and liberty; the discovery +and punishment of incendiaries; the retaining of the peace and union of +the kingdoms; the mutual assistance and 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 exemplarily one before another. This +is that covenant comprehending the purpose of all prior, and the pattern +of all posterior covenants, to which Christ's witnesses did always +adhere, for which the present witnesses do suffer and contend; that +covenant, which the representatives of church and state in the three +nations did solemnly subscribe and swear, for themselves and posterity, +of which the obligation, either to the duty or the punishment, continues +indispensibly on the generation; which for the moral equity of its +matter, the formality of its manner, the importance of its purpose, the +holiness of its solemn engagement, and the glory of its ends, no power +on earth can disannul, disable, or dispense; that covenant, which the +Lord did ratify from heaven, by the conversion of many thousands at +their entering under the bond of it, securing and establishing unto +them, and all the faithful, the blessings and privileges therein +express, 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 and opposition of its adversaries; +that covenant, which malignants do malign and deny, and sectaries scorn +and lay aside, as an almanack out of date; which hath been many ways +traduced and reproached by enemies, and yet could never be reflected on +by any serious in this land, without an honourable and fragrant +remembrance: especially that retortion of adversaries of the rigour of +its imposition upon recusants, to justify 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, and 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 and 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 and elected Mr. Alexander Henderson, Mr. +Robert Douglas, Mr. Samuel Rutherford, Mr. Robert Balzie, Mr. George +Gillespie, ministers; John Earl of Cassils, John Lord Maitland, and Sir +Archibald Johnston of Waristoun, ruling elders; to propone, consult, +treat, and conclude in all such things as might conduce to the +extirpation of popery, prelacy, heresy, schism, superstition, and +idolatry; and for the settling of the so much desired union of the whole +island, in one form of church-government, one confession of faith, one +common catechism, and 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 enterprizes, till that war was ended by the total +overthrow of tyranny at that time, and all its upholders. But that +popish, prelatical, and 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 and valleys both) to try the fortune of +war in Scotland, under the conduct of that treacherous and truculent +traitor Montrose, gathering an army of wicked apostates and Irish +murderers: who prevailing for a time, did punish in the justice of God, +the hypocrisy and 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 and warrant from +the King; as the Assembly that year, February 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 and +his posterity, under the wrath of the ever-living God, for his being +guilty of the shedding of the blood of many thousand of his best +subjects, for his permitting the mass and other idolatry in his family +and dominion,' &c. At the same time also, the Assembly did zealously +incite the Parliament to a speedy course of justice, against these +incendiaries and 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 and seasonably warned all ranks to applaud the glory and +righteousness of that judgment of the sword, in the hands of these +apostates, and murderers, and to search to understand the language of +that dispensation; wherein many public sins and breaches of covenant are +pointed at, as the causes of that desolation; and the covenant itself is +there very encomiastically vindicated. 'We are so far from repenting of +it (say they) that we cannot mention it without great joy and +thankfulness 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 and manifestly assisted and blessed from heaven, that we have +what to answer the enemy that reproacheth us concerning that business, +and that which may make iniquity itself to stop her mouth; but which is +more unto us than all victories, the reformation of religion in England, +and uniformity therein between both kingdoms (a principal end of that +covenant) is so far advanced, that the government of the church by +congregational elderships, classical presbyteries, provincial and +national assemblies, is agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines at +Westminster, and voted and concluded 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 Newcastle: by whom +(because by covenant they were not obliged to defend him, but only in +defence of religion and liberty, which he had been destroying, and they +defending, because in this war he did directly oppose and oppugn these +conditions, under which they were only to defend him; and therefore they +had all along carried towards him as an enemy, as he to them; and +because, by the same covenant, they were obliged to discover, and render +to condign punishment all malignants and incendiaries, of whom he was +the chief, and to retain the peace and union of the kingdoms, which +could not be retained in maintaining their destroyer, and to assist +mutually all entred into that covenant, which he was fighting against) +he was delivered up unto the English, and kept under restraint in the +isle of Wight, until he received his just demerit, for all his +oppressions, murders, treachery, and tyranny; being condemned and +execute January 30th, in the 1648-9. Which fact, though it was protested +against, both before and 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 for the manner than for +the matter, and more for motives and ends of it, than for the grounds of +it, that they opposed themselves to it, and resented it. For they +acknowledged and remonstrated to himself, the truth of all these things +upon which that sentence and execution of justice was founded. And when +a wicked association, and unlawful engagement 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 and remonstrances, the +sinfulness and destructiveness of that engagement; that it was a breach +of the commandments of God, and of all the articles of the covenant; +declaring withal, they would never consent to the King's restitution to +the exercise of his power, without previous assurance, by solemn oath, +under his hand and 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 regret, that +there was too much of this plague of the king's-evil even among good +men: which from that time forth hath so infected the heads and hearts of +this generation, that it hath almost quite extinct all loyalty to +Christ, and all zeal for religion and liberty. + +Then it began to infuse and diffuse its contagion, when after the death +of Charles 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 +men's yokes from off their necks, and putting them again into a capacity +to act for the good of religion, their own safety, and the peace and +safety of the kingdom, to think of joining once more with the people of +these abominations, and taking into their bosom these serpents which had +formerly stung them almost to death. Hence these tears, lo the origin +and spring of our defection! There was indeed at that time a party +faithful for God, who considering the many breaches of the solemn league +and covenant, and particularly by the late engagement against England, +did so travel, that they procured the covenant to be renewed, with the +solemn acknowledgment of sins and engagement to duties, which was +universally subscribed and sworn through all the land; wherein also they +regret this tampering with malignants. And therefore the Lord did +mightily save and 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 Lord's hand against his father, +yet he hearkens unto the counsels 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 and necessary desires of the church +and kingdom, for securing of religion and liberty: And it is much to be +feared, that these wicked counsellors, may so far prevail upon him, as +to engage him in a war, for overturning the work of God, and bearing +down all those in the three kingdoms that adhere thereto. Which if he +shall do, cannot but bring great wrath from the Lord upon himself and +throne, and must be the cause of many new and great miseries and +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 and 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 Galloway, protested +against it: foreshewing, and foretelling, what mischief and misery he +would bring with him when he should come. These things might have had +some weight, to demur the nation from meddling with that perfidious +traitor. But all this serves only to aggravate the sin and 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, and +inclination to tyranny; they sent commissioners, and concluded a treaty +with him at Breda. During which treaty, the commissions which he had +sent to that bloody villain Montrose, and his cut-throat complices, to +raise an army, and waste, and invade the country with fire and sword the +second time; were brought to the Committee of Estates, discovering what +sort of a 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 doubtful case, wherein all was in danger, the +Estates concluded to break off the treaty, and recal 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, and false betrayer of his trust and 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 and +hypocritical cabal, found it his interest to play the fox (being +disappointed at that time to play the tyger) and dissemble with God and +man. And so sending for the Commissioners, he made a flattering speech +to them, shewing, that now after serious deliberation, he was resolved +to comply with all their proposals. Whereupon the poor cheated +Commissioners dispatch the post back with letters full of praise and joy +for the satisfaction they had received. The Estates, perceiving +themselves imposed upon, consulted again what to do; and in end, being +overswayed more with respect to their own credit, (which they thought +should be impeached, if they should retract their own plenipotentiary +instructions, to conclude the treaty, upon the King's assent to their +conditions) than to their reclamant consciences, they resolved to bring +home that pest, and thereby precipitated themselves and us into +eluctable misery. Yet they thought to mend the matter, by binding him +with all cords, and putting him to all most explicit engagements, before +he should receive the imperial crown. Well, upon these terms, home he +comes, and, before he sets his foot on British ground, he takes the +covenant: and thereafter, because the commission of the General +Assembly, by the act of the West-kirk, August 13th, 1650, precluded his +admittance unto the crown, if he should refuse the then required +satisfaction, before his coronation, he emits that declaration at +Dunfermline; wherein, 'Professing and appearing in the full persuasion +and love of the truth, he repenteth (as having to do with and in the +fight of God) his father's opposition to the covenant and work of God, +and his own reluctances against the same, hoping for mercy through the +blood of Jesus Christ, and obtesting the prayers of the faithful to God +for his stedfastness. And then protesteth his truth and sincerity in +entring into the oath of God, resolving to prosecute the ends of the +covenant to his utmost, and to have with it the same common friends and +enemies, exhorting all to lay down their enmity against the cause of +God, and not to prefer man's interest to God's, which will prove an idol +of jealousy to provoke the Lord: and he himself accounteth to be but +selfish flattery.' A declaration so full of heart-professions, and high +attestations of God, that none, considering what followed, can reflect +thereon, without horror and trembling from the holy jealousy of the +Lord, either for the then deep dissimulation, or the after unparalleled +apostasy. I know it is objected by court-parasites, that the king was +then compelled to do these things. To which I shall only say, it would +have cost any of them their head at that time, to have asserted, that he +did upon deliberation and choice mock God and man, and entered into +these engagements, only with a purpose to be thereby in better capacity +to destroy what he swore to maintain, only because he could not have the +crown without this way, which, in the confession of the objectors +themselves, was only deliberate and premeditate perjury. Next, if it +should be granted he was compelled; let it be also considered, who +compelled him; and these will be found to be the deceitful courtiers. +For, let it be adverted, what Mr. Gillespie declares of the case, who +put the pen in his hand when he subscribed that declaration: he, +perceiving there was sufficient ground to jealouse his reality, and +seeing evidently that the courtiers prevailed with the king on a sudden +to offer to subscribe the declaration (when they observed that the +commissioners of church and state were resolute, and ready to go away in +a fixedness, to leave out the putting of his interest in the state of +the quarrel) and being afraid of the said consequences of it, spoke his +mind plainly to the king: 'That if he was not satisfied in his soul and +conscience, beyond all hesitation of the righteousness of the +subscription, he was so far from over-driving him to run upon that, for +which he had no light, as he obtested him, yea, he charged him in his +master's name, and in the name of these who sent him, not to subscribe +this declararation, no not for the three kingdoms.' Whereupon the king +answered,--Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Gillespie, I am satisfied, I am satisfied +with the declaration, and therefore will subscribe it. Upon which some +of the courtiers swore that Mr. Gillespie intended simply to dissuade +the king from subscribing it, that so church and state might professedly +lay aside his interest; which would have defeat their hopes to make up +themselves, as now they have done, upon the then designed ruin of the +interest of truth. Then at his coronation, we have his again reiterated +confirmations of that covenant; first, he is desired in name of the +people to accept the crown, and maintain religion according to the +national and solemn league and covenant; whereunto he gave his +apparently cordial consent (the words are in the form and order of the +coronation with the whole action.) Then next, a sermon being preached +upon 2 Kings xi. 12 and 17. the action commenceth, with his most solemn +renewing of the national and solemn league and covenant, by oath. Then, +he is presented to the people, and their willingness demanded to have +him for their king on these terms. At the same time, in the next place, +he took the coronation oath. Then on these terms he accepted the sword. +And after the crown is set upon his head, the people's obligatory oath +is proclaimed on the terms foresaid, otherwise he is not that king to +whom they swore subjection. Then being set upon the throne, he was by +the minister put in mind of his engagements, from 1 Chron. xxix. 33. And +then the nobles of the land came one by one kneeling, and lifting up +their hands between his hands, swore the same oath. These things done, +the whole action was closed with a most solid and severe exhortation +from several instances, Neh. v. 13. Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19, 20. &c. +Thereafter in the year 1651, followed the ratification of all these +preceeding treaties, transactions, and engagements, concluded and +enacted by the king, and the parliament then fully and freely conveened; +whereby the same did pass into a perpetual law. And this covenant, which +from the beginning was and is the most sure and indispensible oath of +God, became at length the very fundamental law of the kingdom, whereon +all the rights or privileges, either of king or people, are principally +bottomed and secured. This might seem security sufficient, but +considering the former discoveries and experiences they had of his +treachery, and the visible appearances (in the mean time) of his +refusals, visible reluctances, manifest refilings, open counter actings, +and continued prejudices against the covenant, and his following +unprecedented avowed perjury, every thing doth indelibly fasten upon +them the weakness at least of an overweening credulity, and upon him the +wickedness of a perfidious policy, in all these condescensions. After +this it came to pass, that zeal for the cause rightly stated was +suddenly contracted to a few, and the flame thereof extinguished in +many, and court wild-fire substitute in its place: whereby a plain +defection was violently carried on by the public resolutioners, who +relapsing into that most sinful conjunction with the people of these +abominations, so solemnly repented for and resolved against, did +notwithstanding bring in notorious malignants, into places of power and +trust, in judicatories and armies, in a more politic than pious way of +requiring of them a constrained and dissembled repentance, to the +mocking of the God of truth, and scorn of all our holy engagements. +Which defection did not only cause for a long time an incurable +division; the first of that kind, and most permanent of any that ever +was in the church of Scotland, by reason of the surcease of general +assemblies, stopped and hindered by the yoke of the sectarian +usurpation; but also was the spring and source of all our defections +since, all flowing from and fomented by that same spirit that fostered +that: and for that, since that time, the Lord hath been contending with +this church and nation, bringing us under the bondage of these malignant +enemies, whom we suffered them then to encourage and introduce. And both +at that time, and since that time, the Lord never countenanced an +expedition where that malignant interest was taken in unto the state of +that quarrel. Upon this our land was invaded by Oliver Cromwel, who +defeated our army at Dunbar, where the anger of the Lord was evidently +seen to smoke against us, for espousing that interest. And remarkable it +is, how in that very day wherein the public resolutions were concluded +in the assembly at St. Andrew's, the Lord then shed the blood of his +people at Inverkeithing; so as that the assembly, having in great haste +hurried through this approbation, were all made to run for it, and +adjourn themselves to Dundee, where they met and completed that step of +defection. And afterwards it is known, what a peculiar vengeance fell +upon that city, where this deed was done, beyond all other cities of the +nation. Next, an army being raised, according to these unhallowed +resolutions, and the Lord putting remarkable discountenance upon them in +their attemptings at home, as was manifest in their attemptings at +Torwood, &c. They march into England, and there did the Lord continue, +by his leaving our army to the sword, to preach that doctrine to the +world, Josh. vii. 10, 11, 12. ('Israel hath sinned and transgressed the +covenant--have taken the accursed thing--and dissembled also, and have +put it even amongst their own stuff, therefore the children of Israel +could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before +their enemies, because they were accursed: Neither will I be with you +any more, except ye destroy the accursed thing from among you.') An army +of near 30,000 was totally routed at Worcester, and the Achan, the cause +of the overthrow, was forced to hide himself in the oak, and thence to +transport himself beyond sea, where he continued a wandering fugitive +in exile, till the year 1660. In the mean time the sectarian army here +prevailed, till, after the usurper Cromwel's death, the false Monk then +general, with a combination of malignants and public resolutioners, did +machinate our misery, and effectuated it by bringing home the king to +England from his banishment: Wherein he was habituate into an implacable +hatred against the work of God. Yet, though since the king's first +reception into Scotland, our declensions were still growing, until they +produced this dreadful revolt from God, wherein the nation is now +involved; there was still a faithful remnant of ministers and +professors, zealous for the cause, keeping their integrity; who in their +remonstrances and testimonies witnessed against both their malignant +enemies, and their backsliding brethren the revolutioners, and also +against the sectarians their invaders; whose vast toleration and liberty +of conscience, which they brought in to invade our religion as they had +invaded our land, and infected it with their multifarious errors, was +particularly by the synod of Fife, and other brethren in the ministry +that joined themselves to them, testified against, and demonstrated to +be wicked and intolerable. Now to see how far the present testimony is +confirmed by the witnesses of this period, we may resume some +reflections on it. + +I. They impartially carried on the testimony against prelacy, and the +popish, prelatical and malignant factions on the one hand, and the +sectarians on the other, without ever waving the testimony against +either, or at the least, winking at the one to weaken the other: both +which testimonies they thought of so great importance, that they could +not dispense with but faithfully maintain both, in their witnessings and +warnings. In that seasonable and necessary warning and declaration, +concerning present and imminent dangers, given at Edinburgh July 27. +sess. 27. they first say of the sectaries, 'That prevailing party of +sectaries in England, who have broken the covenant, and despised the +oath of God, corrupted the truth, subverted the fundamental government, +look upon us with an evil eye, as upon these who stand in the way of +their monstrous and new fangled devices in religion and government; and +though there were no cause to fear any thing from that party, but the +gangrene and infection of those many damnable and abominable errors +which have taken hold on them; yet our vicinity unto and daily commerce +with that nation, may justly make us afraid, that the Lord may give up +many in this land into a spirit of delusion to believe lies, because +they have not received the love of the truth. In that same warning they +say, We are not so to have the one of our eyes upon the sectarians, as +not to have the other upon malignants, they being an enemy more numerous +and more dangerous than the other; not only because experience hath +proven, that there is a greater aptitude and inclination in these of our +land to comply with malignants, than sectaries, in that they carry on +their wicked design, under a pretext of being for the king, but also +because there be many of them in our own bowels.' By which we may see +how impartially they opposed both; and that this cannot be condemned in +the testimonies of the present sufferers, except the assembly be +condemned. And because many now a-days have extenuating notions of those +debates, against prelacy and sectarianism, about the government of the +church, &c. and condemn these that would adhere to and suffer for the +punctilios of it, as rigid nicety: I shall, for seeing what account the +assembly had of them, cite their words in a letter to the assembly of +divines at Westiminster, dated Edinburgh, June 18, 1646. The 'smallest +(say they) of Christ's truths (if it be lawful to call any of them +small) is of greater moment than all the other businesses, that ever +have been debated since the beginning of the world to this day: but the +highest of honours and heaviest of burdens is put upon you; to declare +out of the sacred records of divine truth, what is the prerogative of +the crown and extent of the sceptre of Jesus Christ; what bounds are to +be set between him ruling in his house, and powers established by God on +earth; how and by whom his house is to be governed; and by what ways a +restraint is to be put on these who would pervert his truth and subvert +the faith of many.' + +II. In the manner of maintaining this testimony, these famous fathers, +while faithful for God, gave us a perfect pattern of purity and +strictness, in opposition to all degrees of conformity and compliance +with the corruptions of the time; and laid down such rules and +constitutions, as might regulate us in our contendings about present +defections, and teach us what account to make of them, and how to carry +towards them: which if adverted unto, would evince how manifest and +manifold the declinings of many have been from the late reformation, +that yet pretend to adhere unto it, and how justifiable the aversation +and abstraction of the present reproaching suffering party is, from all +these defections and the daubings of them, because so much deviating and +declining from the attained reformation. I need not repeat how prelacy, +and all the parts and pendicles of that antichristian hierarchy, were +abjured in the national covenant, and condemned in the acts of +assemblies, and re-abjured in the solemn league and covenant, and in the +solemn acknowledgement of sins and engagement to duties, where also we +came under sacred and inviolable engagements, to endeavour the +extirpation thereof: Which doth clearly file the present countenancing +and submitting to the prelatic curates, in receiving ordinances from +them, among the grossest of defections; being altogether inconsistent +with these acts and constitutions, and covenant obligations to extirpate +them, as much as the countenancing of popish priests were inconsistent +therewith, being both equally covenanted to be extirpated. Next, though +in this period, tyranny being in its retrograde motion, erastian +supremacy was not so much contended for, and therefore not so much +questioned as formerly, being held exploded with execration out of doors +and out of doubt; yet the testimony was still continued against it, in +the uninterrupted maintaining of the church's privileges and freedom of +assemblies, against all encroachings of adversaries. And therefore the +embracing of the late detestable indulgences, were as contrary to the +actings of this as to the testimonies of the former period, against the +supremacy from which they flow. Yea many particulars, might be +instanced, wherein the accepters had declined from the covenanted +reformation then prosecuted; not only in their confederating with +malignant usurpers, for the pretended benefit of them (by which, if +there had been no more, they are obnoxious to the censure of the church, +standing registered in an act of assembly, ordaining all persons in +ecclesiastic office, for the like or lesser degrees of compliance, yea +even for procuring protections from malignant enemies, to be suspended +from their office and all exercise thereof at Edin. 1646. sess. 14.) Nor +only in their taking sinful instructions from them, restricting them in +the exercise of their ministry; but in admitting themselves, by their +patronage, to be by them presented to their prelimited and pre-imposed +congregations: which involves them in the iniquity of the abolished +patronages, condemned by the assembly; for that ministry of such so +presented, is made too much to depend upon the will and pleasure of man, +and such an imposition is destructive of the church and people's +liberties, obstructive of the gospel's freedom and faithful plainness, +and occasion of much base flattery and partiality; and in subjecting to, +homologating, and fortifying a sacrilegious supremacy, overturning the +intrinsic power of the church, contrary to the covenant obliging to the +preservation of the government, as well as to the doctrine of the +church, in the first article thereof; and in their suffering themselves, +either directly or indirectly, either by combination, persuasion, or +terror, to be divided and withdrawn from that blessed union and +conjunction, which they were obliged to maintain and promove, according +to the sixth article of the solemn league and covenant; and in their +strengthening the erastian usurpations of enemies encroaching upon the +church's liberties and Christ's prerogatives, against which we are +engaged expressly in the solemn acknowledgment of sins and engagement to +duties, where also we have these words article 2. Because many have of +late laboured to supplant the liberties of the church, we shall maintain +and defend the church of Scotland, in all her liberties and privileges, +against all who shall oppose or undermine the same, or encroach +thereupon under any pretext whatsomever. Next, we have many +demonstrations of the zeal and strictness of these servants of Christ, +in their synodical determinations of censures, to be past upon many +ministerial corruptions; which will condemn the present course of +covering and countenancing them, and commend the contendings of a poor +reproached party against them, in their conscientious abstracting from +them. Of which determinations, I shall rehearse some. Among the +enormities and corruptions of the ministry, in their callings, this is +one, sect. 4, 5. Silence in the public cause--some accounting it a point +of wisdom to speak, ambiguously--whereof the remedy is sect. 15. 'That +beside all other scandals, silence or ambiguous speaking in the public +cause--be seasonably censured, general assembly, at Edinburgh, June 13. +1646.' There is indeed an act against withdrawers from ministers: but in +the self same act they are charged to be diligent in fulfilling their +ministry, 'to be faithful in preaching, declaring the whole counsel of +God, and as they have occasion from the text of scripture to reprove the +sins and errors, and press the duties of the time, and in all these to +observe the rules prescribed by the acts of assembly, wherein if they +be negligent, they are to be censured, general assembly Edinburgh, Aug. +24. 1647. sess. 19.' Then there is that act, Aug. 3. 1648. sess. 26. for +censuring ministers for their silence, and not speaking to the +corruptions of the time; 'calling it, a great scandal, through some +ministers their reserving and not declaring themselves against the +prevalent sins of the times; appointing, that all that do not apply +their doctrine to these corruptions, which is the pastoral gift, and +that are cold or wanting of spiritual zeal, dissembling of public sins, +that all such be censured even to deprivation; for forbearing or passing +in silence the errors and exorbitancies of sectaries in England, or the +defections current at home, the plots and practices of malignants, the +principles and tenets of erastianism; and if they be found too sparing, +general, or ambiguous in their applications and reproofs, and continuing +so, they are to be deposed, for being pleasers of men rather than +servers of Christ, for giving themselves to a detestable indifferency or +neutrality in the cause of God for defrauding the souls of people, yea +for being highly guilty of the blood of souls, in not giving them +warning.' And in that seasonable and necessary warning of the general +assembly, Edinbugh July 27. 1649. sess. 27. we are taught how they +resented the unfaithfulness of ministers continuing in defections, and +how we are to look upon them and carry to them: where they say, it is +undeniably true, that many of the evils, 'wherewith this church and +kingdom hath been afflicted in our age, have come to pass because of the +negligence of some and corruptions of others of the ministry; and the +course of backsliding was carried on, until it pleased God to stir up +the spirits of these few, who stood in the gap, to oppose and resist the +fame, and to begin the work of reformation in the land; since which +time, the silence of some ministers, and the compliance of others, hath +had great influence upon the backslidings of many amongst the people, +who, upon the discovery of the evil of their way, complain that they got +no warning, or that if they were warned by some, others held their +peace, or did justify them in the course of their backsliding: we can +look upon such ministers no otherwise, than upon these that are guilty +of the blood of the Lord's people, and with whom the Lord will reckon, +for all the breach of covenant and defection that hath been in the land; +the priest's lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the +law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, but such +as are departed out of the way, and have caused many to stumble at the +law, therefore hath the Lord made them contemptible before all the +people, according as they have not kept his ways, but have been partial +in his law, because they have lost their favour, he hath cast out many +of them as unsavoury salt.' Furthermore, to evidence the purity and +power of zeal burning and blazing in these days in their contendings +against public enemies on all hands, I shall instance some of their acts +and testimonies, clearly condemning the manifold compliances of this +generation and which may contribute somewhat to justify the reproached +preciseness of a remnant, standing at the furthest distance from them. +There is an act for censuring the compliars with the public enemies of +this church and kingdom, general assembly, June 17. 1646, sess. 14. +'where, they judge it a great and scandalous provocation, and grievous +defection from the public cause, to comply with those malignants (such +as James Graham then was) in any degree, even to procure protections +from them, or to have invited them to their houses, or to have drunk +James Graham's health, or to be guilty of any other such gross degrees +of compliance; censured to be suspended from the communions, ay and +while they acknowledge their offence.' And yet now, for refusing these +degrees of compliance, for not having the protection of a pass from the +wicked courts of malignant enemies, by taking a wicked oath, and for +refusing to drink the king's health, a greater enemy then ever James +Graham was, some poor conscientious people have not only been murdered +by enemies, but mocked and condemned by professors. There is an act +likewise, and declaration against all new oaths or bonds in the common +cause imposed without consent of the church general assembly, Edinburgh +July 28. 1648. sess. 18. 'Enjoining all the members of the church to +fearbear the swearing or subscribing any new oaths, or bonds, in this +cause without advice and concurrence of the church, especially any +negative oaths or bonds, which may any way limit or restrain them in the +duties whereunto they are obliged, by national or solemn league or +covenant.' Yet now, for refusing oaths, not only limiting in covenanted +duties, but contradicting and condemning many material principles of the +covenanted reformation, many have not only lost their lives, but also +have been condemned, by them that are at ease, having a wider conscience +to swallow such baits. It is known how pertinacious the most faithful in +those days were, in their contendings against associations, in any +undertaking for the cause, with persons disaffected to the true state +thereof. I need not give any account of this, were it not that now that +principle is quite inverted; and poor adherers to it, for their +abstracting and substracting their concurrence with such promiscuous +associations, are much hated and flouted; therefore I shall give some +hints of their sentiments of them. In their answer to the committee of +estates, July 25, 1648, sess. 14. the general assembly says, 'It was +represented to the parliament, that for securing of religion it was +necessary, that the popish, prelatical, and malignant party, be declared +enemies to the cause upon the one hand, as well as sectaries upon the +other, and that all associations either in forces or counsels, with the +former as well as with the latter, be avoided.' And in their declaration +concerning the present dangers of religion, especially the unlawful +engagement in war, July ult. 1648. sess. 21. they say, 'Suppose the ends +of that engagement be good (as they are not) yet the means and ways of +prosecution are unlawful; because there is not an equal avoiding of +rocks on both hands, but a joining with malignants to suppress +sectaries, a joining hands with a black devil to beat a white devil; +they are bad physicians who would so cure one disease, as to breed +another as evil or worse--we find in the scriptures condemned, all +confederacies and associations with the enemies of true religion, +whether Canaanites, Exod. xxiii. 32 and 24. xii. 15. Deut. vii. 2. or +other heathens, 1 Kings xi. 1, 2.' More arguments against associations +may be seen in that excellent discussion of this useful case, concerning +associations and confederacies with idolaters, infidels, hereticks, or +any other known enemy of truth or godliness, by famous Mr. G. Gillespie, +published at that same time: whereunto is appended his letter to the +commission of the general assembly, having these golden words in it, +words fitly spoken in that season, when he was a-dying, at the beginning +of the public resolutions: 'Having heard of some motions and beginnings +of compliance, with these who have been so deeply engaged in a war +destructive to religion and the kingdom's liberties, I cannot but +discharge my conscience, in giving a testimony against all such +compliance. I know and am persuaded, that all the faithful witnesses +that gave testimony to the thesis, that the late engagement was contrary +and destructive to the covenant, will also give testimony to the +appendix, that compliance with any who have been active in that +engagement is most sinful and unlawful. I am not able to express all the +evils of that compliance, they are so many--But above all, that which +would heighten this sin even to the heavens is, that it were not only a +horrid backsliding, but a backsliding into that very sin, which was +specially pointed at and punished by the prevalency of the malignant +party, God justly making them thorns and scourges who were taken in as +friends. Alas! shall we split twice upon the same rock? yea run upon it, +when God hath set a beacon on it? yea I may say, shall we thus outface +and outdare the Almighty, by protecting his and our enemies, by making +peace and friendship with them, when the anger of the Lord is burning +against them. I must here apply to our present condition, the words of +Ezrah, ix. 14.--O happy Scotland, if thou canst now improve and not +abuse this golden opportunity! but if thou help the ungodly, and love +them that hate the Lord, wrath upon wrath, and wo upon wo, shall be upon +thee from the Lord.' Whereunto is subjoined his dying testimony to the +same purpose; wherein are these words: 'But if there shall be falling +back, to the sin of compliance 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 and +many other warnings and witnessings, a course of compliance was +commenced by the public 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 and +joining at least in worship, with the corruptions of the time, and for +condemning conscientious withdrawers; that the godly in those days did +not separate from the men of these compliances and defections, as many +do now, viz. the protesting party did not withdraw from the public +resolutioners and associators with malignants. I answer, first, many and +these the most godly and tender did withdraw, even from their own +ministers, and would have gone forty or fifty miles to hear a faithful +minister at that time: yea ministers themselves, in the case of +intrusion of the unfaithful, would have supplied 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 and 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 +constitute case, enjoying the privilege, power and order of synods and +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 and +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; until, 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 +beginning, and people did not know and could not expect it would go such +a length, and therefore could not fall upon the rigour of that duty, +which such disorders call for at first: but if they had seen where these +beginnings would land them at length, I doubt not but they would have +resisted those beginnings, in such a way as would have precluded this +imputation of novelty upon our necessitated withdrawings. + +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 arms, in resisting the sovereign power, maleversing +and abusing authority to the destruction of the ends of it; which +resistance was avowed, encouraged, and 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 and seasonable +warning to all ranks, Feb. 12, 1645, sess. 18.--'Unless men will blot +out of their hearts the love of religion and cause of God, and cast off +all care of their country, laws, liberties, &c. (all being in visible +danger of present ruin and destruction) they must now or never appear +actively, each one stretching himself to, yea beyond his power. It is +not time to dally, or go about the business by halves, 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 own? Or shall the enemies of God be more +active against his cause than his people for it? God forbid.' In another +seasonable and necessary warning, July 27, 1649, sess. 27. they say, +'But if his majesty, or any having or pretending power and 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 thereto, so it will be a +necessary duty to resist and 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 stooping to the shadow 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 king's honour +and authority with the abuse and pretence thereof, and with commissions, +warrants, and letters, procured from the king by the enemies of the +cause and covenant, as if we could not oppose the latter, without +incroaching 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 +article of the covenant; where there seems to be a great deal of +loyalty, obliging to defend the king's majesty, his person and +authority, in the preservation and defence of the true religion and +liberties of the kingdoms, 'that the world may bear witness with our +consciences of our loyalty, and that we have no thoughts or intentions +to diminish his majesty's just power and greatness.' I answer, there is +indeed a deal of loyalty there, and true loyalty, because lawfully +limited, being qualified with, and subordinate unto the preservation and +defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdom (as the makers +of the covenant do expound it, in the assembly's declaration against the +unlawful engagement, July _ult._ 1648, sess. 21.) not that reverse +loyalty, which makes duties to God conditional and limited, and duties +to the king absolute and unlimited, as our loyalists do now. And I wish +others were free of it, who have sworn oaths of unlimited allegiances to +maintain the king in any power unto which his force aspires; and to +justify this their loyalty, will bring in this article of the covenant +with a distorted sense, reading it backward, 'that we in the +preservation and defence of religion must preserve and defend the king:' +As if religion obliged to defend him, do what he will. It were better +such pretended covenanters denied 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 and the liberties of the +people, and to vindicate these precious interests from his usurpings, +into a state of liberty: And shall we imagine, that that very oath of +God did lay upon them or us an obligation to defend the person who is a +destroyer of all these, contrary to the very nature of the oath, +contrary to the hope of the covenanters, and contrary to their +subsequent practice? 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 sovereignty. The owning 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 world's mistake, and to +remove that odium industriously heaped upon the heads of whose hearts +were associate in the defence of religion and liberty, therefore they +would profess they would not be disloyal while he was for God. And a +defiance may be given to clamour, and calumny itself, to give one +instance of the defect of performance hereof, while he went not about to +ruin those things, incomparably more precious than 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 own in +our testimony, for which many have died, 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 and +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 +among them. This principle of reason and natural justice, was not much +inquired into in this time; when the sun was up, whose warmth and 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 and orderly course of law was running in its +right channel. Yet from the ground of their ordinary procedure, military +and civil, against such monsters, we may gather the lawfulness of an +ordinary procedure in a pinch of necessity, conform to their grounds: I +hope to make this evident, when I come _ex proposito_ to vindicate this +head. But there is another thing that we own, which seems not to have +been known in these days, viz. That when we are required to own the +authority of the present dominator, we hold sinful to own it. Yet we +find these reverend and renowned fathers owned King Charles I. and did +not refuse the succession of Charles II. I shall answer in order. First, +As to King Charles I. there was a great difference betwixt him and his +sons that succeeded; he never declared parliamentarily 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 beginning, when there were some hopes of +redress, than after such process of time; whereby now we see and feel +beyond all debate, that the throne stands and is stated, not only in +opposition to, but upon the ruins of the rights and privileges both of +religion and liberty. But was not the equivalent done by the church, +anno 1648, when they refused to concur with that unlawful engagement, +for restoring of the king, 'till security be had, by solemn oath under +his hand and seal, that he shall for himself and successors, give his +assent to all acts and bills for enjoining presbyterial government, and +never make opposition to it, nor endeavour any change thereof? July +_ult._ 1648. sess. 21.' But it will be laid, 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 thorns. 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 engage to maintain him, than +simply to disown 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 was their blame and +our bane, of which we may blush this day) yet we find many things in +that transaction which justify our disowning of him, and condemn the +owning of the present possessor. (1.) In that seasonable and necessary +warning, July 27, sess. 27. 'whereas many would have admitted his +majesty to the exercise of his royal power, upon any terms whatsoever: +the assembly declares first; that a boundless and unlimited power is to +be acknowledged in no king nor magistrate; neither is our king to be +admitted to the exercise of his power, as long as he refuses to walk in +the administration of the same, according to this rule. Secondly, that +there is a mutual stipulation and obligation between the king and the +people, as both of them are tied to God, so each of them are tied to one +another, for the performance of mutual and reciprocal duties; +accordingly kings are to take the oath of coronation, to abolish popery +and maintain the protestant religion: As long therefore as the king +refuses to engage and oblige himself for security of religion and safety +of his people, it is consonant to scripture and reason and laws of the +kingdom, that he should be refused. Thirdly, in the league and covenant +the duty of defending and preserving the king, is subordinate to the +duty of preserving religion and liberty: And therefore, he standing in +opposition to the public desires of the people for their security, it +were a manifest breach of covenant, and a preferring the king's +interest to the interest of Jesus Christ, to bring him to the exercise +of his power. Fourthly, That it was for restraint of arbitrary +government, and for their just defence against tyranny, that the Lord's +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 were to put in his hand that arbitrary power, +and so to abandon their former principles, and betray the cause. +Fifthly, That he, being admitted before satisfaction, would soon +endeavour an overturning of the things which God hath wrought, and +labour to draw public administrations, concerning religion and liberty, +into that course and channel in which they did run under prelacy, and +before the work of reformation. Whence they warn that every one take +heed of such a snare, that they be not accessory to any such design, as +they would not bring upon themselves and their families, the guilt of +all the detriment that will undoubtedly follow thereupon, of all the +miseries it will bring upon the kingdoms--And therefore whosoever +attempt the same, oppose themselves to the cause of God, and will at +last dash against the rock of the Lord's power, which hath broken in +pieces many high and lofty ones, since the beginning of the work in the +kingdoms.' 2. I shall here insert the act of the West-kirk, declaring +their mind very manifestly. + + '_West Kirk, August 13, 1650._ The commission of the general + assembly, considering that there may be just ground of stumbling, + from the king's majesty refusing to subscribe and emit the + declaration, offered to him by the committee of estates and the + commission of the general assembly, concerning his former carriage + and resolutions for the future, in reference to the cause of God + and the enemies and friends thereof; doth therefore declare, That + this kirk and kingdom doth not own or espouse any malignant party, + or quarrel, or interest, but that they fight merely upon their + former grounds and principles, and in the defence of the cause of + God and of the kingdom, as they have done these twelve years past: + And therefore, as they disclaim all the sin and guilt of the king + and of his house, so they will not own him nor his interest, + otherwise than with a subordination to God, and so far as he owns + and prosecutes the cause of God, and disclaims his and his father's + opposition to the work of God, and to the covenant, and likewise + all the enemies thereof; and that they will with convenient speed + take unto consideration the papers, lately sent unto them by + Oliliver Cromwel, and vindicate themselves from all the falshoods + contained therein; especially in these things wherein the quarrel + betwixt us and that party is mistated, as we owned the late king's + proceedings, and were resolved to prosecute and maintain his + present majesty's interest, before and without acknowledgement of + the sin of his house and former ways, and satisfaction to God's + people in both kingdoms.' + +'A. KER.' + + '_August 13, 1650._ The committee of estates, having seen and + considered a declaration of the commission of the general assembly, + anent the stating of the quarrel wherein the army is to fight, do + approve the same, and heartily concur therein.' + +'THO. HENDERSON.' + +In the third place: It is specified in the Causes of Wrath, as one of +the steps of defection, Art. 9. Step. 5. 'That a treaty should have been +closed with him, upon his subscribing demands, after he had given many +clear evidences of his disaffection and enmity to the work and people of +God: That these demands, which he was required to subscribe, did not +contain a real security, a real abandoning of former malignant courses +and principles, and cleaving to the work of God; it was not a paper or +verbal security which we were bound to demand of him, but a real one; +and to entrust him without this, was but to mock God, and to deceive the +world, and to betray and destroy ourselves, by giving up all the +precious interests of religion and liberty unto the hands of one, who +was in a course of enmity to them: That both before, and in the mean +time of the treaty, he had given evidences of his enmity in many +instances there condescended upon particularly; that he authorized James +Graham to invade this kingdom, and encouraged him by letters to go on in +that invasion, even whilst he was in terms of a treaty with us, as +appeared by bringing into our hands the authentic commission itself, and +sundry letters under his own hand.' Next, in the same Causes of Wrath, +among the sins of the ministry, in relation to the public, sect. 10, 11, +12, 13. 'That they agreed to receive the king to the covenant, barely +upon writing, without any apparent evidences of a real change of +principle: That they did not use freedom, in showing what was sinful in +reference to that treaty, but went on therein when they were not +satisfied in their consciences, for fear of reproach, and of being +mistaken: That they were silent in public, and did not give testimony, +after a discovery of the king's commission to James Graham for invading +the kingdom: That they pressed the king to make a declaration to the +world, whilst they knew by clear evidences that he had no real +conviction of the things contained therein.' + + +PERIOD VI. + +_Containing the Testimony through the continued tract of the present +deformation from the year 1660 to this day._ + +Now comes the last catastrophe of the deformation of the church of +Scotland, which now renders her to all nations as infamously despicable, +as her reformation formerly made her admired and envied; which in a +retrograde motion hath gradually been growing these 27 years, going back +through all the steps by which the reformation ascended, till now she is +returned to the very border of that Babylon, from whence she took her +departure, and reduced through defection, and division, and persecutious +to a confused chaos of almost irreparable dissolution, and unavoidable +desolation. Through all which steps notwithstanding, to this day, +Scotland hath never wanted a witness for Christ, against all the various +steps of the enemy's advancings, and of professed friends declinings: +though the testimony hath had some singularities, some way +discriminating it from that of former periods; in that it hath been more +difficult by reason of more desperate and dreadful assaults of more +enraged enemies, more expert and experienced in the accursed art of +overturning than any formerly; in that it hath been attended with more +disadvantages, by reason of the enemies greater prevalency, and friends +deficency, and greater want of significant asserters, than any formerly; +in that it hath been intangled in more multifarious intricacies of +questions, and debates, and divisions among the assertors themselves, +making it more dark, and yet in the end contributing to clear it more +than any formerly; in that it hath been intended and extended to a +greater measure, both as to matter and manner of contendings against the +adversaries, and stated upon nicer points; more enixly prosecuted and +tenaciously maintained, and sealed with more sufferings, than any +formerly; in that it hath had more opposition and contradiction, and +less countenance from professed friends to the reformation, either at +home or abroad, than any formerly. And yet it hath had all these several +speciallties together, which were peculiar to the former testimonies, in +their respective periods: being both active and passive, both against +enemies and friends; and _in cumulis_ stated against atheism, popery, +prelacy, and erastian supremacy, which were the successive heads of the +former testimonies, and also now extended in a particular manner against +tyranny. And not only against the substance and circumstance, abstract +and concret root and branch, head and tail of them, and all complying +with them, conforming to them, or deduced from them, any manner of way, +directly or indirectly, formally or interpretatively. This is that +extensive and very comprehensive testimony of the present period, as it +is now stated and sealed with the blood of many: which in all its parts, +points and pendicles is most directly relative, and dilucidly reducible, +to a complex witness for the declarative glory of Christ's kingship and +headship over all, as he is Mediator, which is the greatest concern that +creatures have to contend for, either as men or as Christians. The +matter of this testimony, I shall give a short manuduction to the +progress and result of its management. + +During the exile of the royal brothers, it is undeniably known that they +were, by their mothers caresses and the jesuits allurements, seduced to +abjure the reformed religion (which was easy to induce persons to, that +never had the sense of any religion) and to be reconciled to the church +of Rome: and that, not only they wrote to the pope many promises of +promoting his projects, if ever they should recover the power into their +hands again, and often frequented the mass themselves; but also, by +their example and the influence of their future hopes, prevailed with +many of their dependents and attendants abroad, to do the like. Yet it +is unquestionably known, that in the mean time of his exile, he renewed +and confirmed, by private letters to presbyterians, his many reiterated +engagements to adhere to the covenant, and declared that he was and +would continue the same man, that he had declared himself to be in +Scotland, (wherein doubtless, as he was an expert artist, he +equivocated, and meant in his heart he would continue as treacherous as +ever) which helped to keep a loyal impression of his interest in the +hearts of too many, and an expectation of some good of him, of which +they were ashamed afterwards. And immediately before his return, it is +known what promises are contained in that declaration from Breda (from +whence he came also the second time, with greater treachery than at the +first) to all protestants that would live peaceably under his +government; beginning now to weigh out his perfidy, and perjury, and +breach of covenant, in offering to tolerate that in an indulgence, which +he swore to maintain as a duty. But in all this he purposed nothing, but +to ingere and ingratiate himself into the peoples over credulous +affections, that they might not obstruct his return, which a jealousy of +his intended tyranny would have awakened them to withstand. And so +having seated himself, and strengthened his power against the +attemptings of any, whom his conscience might suggest an apprehension +that they ought to resist him, he thought himself discharged from all +obligations of covenants, oaths, or promises, for which his faith had +been pledged. And from the first hour of his arrival, he did in a manner +set himself to affront and defy the authority of God, and to be revenged +upon his kingdoms for inviting him so unanimously to sway their sceptre; +in polluting and infecting the people with all debaucheries and +monstrous villanies; and commencing his incestous whoredoms that very +first night he came to his palace, wherein he continued to his dying day +outvying all for vileness. Yet he went on deluding our church with his +dissimulations, and would not discover all his wickedness hatched in his +heart at first, till his designs should be riper; but directed a letter +to the presbytery of Edinburgh, declaring he was resolved to protect and +preserve the government of the church of Scotland, as it is settled by +law without violation: wherein it was observed he altered the stile, and +spake never a word of the covenant, our _Magna Charta_ of religion and +righteousness, our greatest security for all interests intrusted to him, +but only of law; by which, as his practice expounded it afterwards, he +meant the prelatical church, as it was settled by the law of his father, +since which time he reckoned there was no law but rebellion. This was a +piece and prelude of our base defection, and degeneration into blind +blockish, and brutish stupidity; that after he had discovered so much +perfidy, we not only at first tempted him to perjury, in admitting him +to the crown, upon his mock-engagement in the covenant, whereby God was +mocked, his Spirit was grieved, his covenant prostituted, the church +cheated, and the state betrayed; but after the Lord had broken his yoke +from off our necks, by sending him to exile ten years, where he was +discovered to be imbibing all that venom and tyrannical violence, which +he afterward vented in revenge upon the nation; and after we had long +smarted for our first transaction with him; yet notwithstanding of all +this, we believed him again, and Issachar-like couched under his burdens +and were so far from withstanding, that we did not so much as witness +against the re-admission and restoration of the head and tail of +malignants, but let them come in peaceably to the throne, without any +security to the covenanted cause, or for our civil or religious +interests, and by meal, at their own ease, leisure and pleasure, to +overturn all the work of God, and reintroduce the old antichristian +yoke of absurd prelacy, and blasphemous sacreligious, supremacy, and +absolute arbitrary tyranny with all their abominations: which he, and +with him the generality of our nobility, gentry, clergy, and commonality +by him corrupted, without regard to faith, or fear of God or man, did +promote and propogate, the nation was involved in the greatest revolt +from, and rebellion against God, that ever could be recorded in any age +or generation; nay attended with greater and grosser aggravations, than +ever any could be capable of before us, who have had the greatest +privileges that ever any church had, since the national church of the +Jews, the greatest light, the greatest effects of matchless magnified +love, the greatest convictions of sin, the greatest resolutions and +solemn engagements against it, and the greatest reformation from it, +that ever any had to abuse and affront. O heavens be astonished at this, +and horribly afraid! for Scotland hath changed her glory, and the crown +hath fallen from off her head, by an unparalelled apostasy, a free and +voluntary, wilful and deliberate apostasy, an avowed and declared and +authorized apostasy, tyrannically carried on by military violence and +cruelty, a most universal and every way unprecedented apostasy! I must a +little change my method, in deducing the narration of this catastrophe, +and subdistinguish this unhappy period into several steps; shewing how +the enemies opposition to Christ advanced, and the testimony of his +witnesses did gradually ascend, to the pitch it is now arrived at. + +I. These enemies of God, having once got footing again, with the favour +and the fawnings of the foolish nation, went on fervently to further and +promote their wicked design: and meeting with no opposition at first, +did encourage themselves to begin boldly. Wherefore, hearing of some +ministers peaceably assembled, to draw up a monitory letter to the king, +minding him of his covenant engagements and promises (which was though +weak, yet the first witness and warning against that heaven-daring +wickedness then begun) they cruelly incarcerate them. Having hereby much +daunted the ministry from their duty in that day, for fear of the like +unusual and outrageous usage. The parliament convenes January 1, 1661, +without so much as a protestation for religion and liberty given in to +them. And there, in the first place, they frame and take the oath of +supremacy, exauctorating Christ, and investing his usurping enemy with +the spoils of his robbed prerogative, acknowledging the king 'only +supreme governor over all persons and in all causes, and that his power +and jurisdiction must not be declined.' Whereby under all persons and +all causes, all church officers, in their most properly ecclesiastic +affairs and concerns of Christ, are comprehended: And if the king shall +take upon him to judge their doctrine, worship, discipline, or +government, he must not be declined as an incompetent judge. Which did +at once enervate all the testimony of the 4th period above declared, and +laid the foundation for all this Babel they have built since, and of all +this war that hath been waged against the Son of God, and did introduce +all this tyranny and absolute power, which hath been since carried to +its complement, and made the king's throne the foundation of all the +succeeding perjury and apostacy. Yet, though then our synods and +presbyteries were not discharged, but might have had access in some +concurrence to witness against this horrid invasion upon Christ's +prerogative and the church's privilege, no joint testimony was given +against it, except that some were found witnessing against it in their +singular capacity by themselves. As faithful Mr. James Guthrie, for +declining this usurped authority in prejudice of the kingdom of our Lord +Jesus, suffered death, and got the martyr's crown upon his head: And +some others, for refuting that oath arbitrarily imposed, were banished +or confined, when they had gained this bulwark of Christ's kingdom; then +they waxed more insolent, and set up their ensigns for signs, and broke +down the carved work of reformation with axes and hammers. In this +parliament, 1661, they past an _act rescissory_ whereby they annulled and +declared void the national covenant, the solemn league and covenant, +presbyterial government, and all laws made in favour of the work of +reformation since the year 1643. O horrid wickedness! both in its nature +so atrocious, to condemn and rescind what God did so signally seal as +his own work, to the conviction of the world, and for which he will +rescind the rescinders, and overturn these overturners of his work, and +make the curse of that broken covenant bind them to the punishment, whom +its bond could not oblige to the duty covenanted; and in its design and +end so base and detestable, for nothing but to flatter the king in +making way for prelacy, tyranny, and popery, and to indulge the +licentiousness of some debauched nobles, who could not endure the yoke +of Christ's government, and to suppress religion and righteousness under +the ruins of that reformation. But O holy and astonishing justice, thus +to recompence our way upon our own head! to suffer this work and cause +to be ruined under our unhappy hands, who suffered this destroyer to +come in before it was so effectually secured, as it should not have been +in the power of his hand (whatever had been in his heart, swelled with +enmity against Christ) to have razed and ruined that work as now most +wickedly he did, and drew in so many into the guilt of the same deed, +that almost the whole land not only consented unto it but applauded it; +by approving and countenancing another wicked act framed at the same +time, by that same perfidious parliament for an anniversary +thanksgiving, commemorating every 29th of May, that blasphemy against +the Spirit and work of God, and celebrating that unhappy restoration of +the rescinder of the reformation; which had not only the concurrence of +the universality of the nation, but (alas for shame that it should be +told in Gath, &c!) even of some ministers who afterwards accepted of +the indulgence (one of which, a pillar among them, was seen scandalously +dancing about the bonefires.) And others, who should have alarmed the +whole nation _quasi pro aris & focis_, to rise for religion and liberty, +to resist such wickedness, did wink at it. O how righteous is the Lord +now in turning our harps into mourning! Though alas! we will not suffer +ourselves to this day, to see the shining righteousness of this +retribution: And though we be scourged with scorpions, and brayed in a +mortar, our madness, our folly in these irreligious frolics, is not yet +acknowledged, let be lamented. Yet albeit, neither in this day when then +the covenant was not only broken, but cassed and declared of no +obligation, nor afterward when it was burnt (for which Turks and Pagans +would have been ashamed and afraid at such a terrible sight, and for +which the Lord's anger is burning against these bold burners, and +against them who suffered it, and did not witness against it) was there +any public testimony by protestation or remonstrance, or any public +witness? though the Lord had some then, and some who came out afterward +with the trumpet at their mouth, whole heart then sorrowed at the sight; +and some suffered for the sense they shewed of that anniversary +abomination, for not keeping which they lost both church and liberty. It +is true the ordinary meetings of presbyteries and synods were about that +time discharged, to make way for the exercise of the new power conferred +on the four prelates who were at court, re-ordained and consecrated +thereby renouncing their former title to the ministry. But this could +not give a discharge from a necessary testimony, then called for from +faithful watchmen. However the reformation being thus rescinded and +razed, and the house of the Lord pulled down, then they begin to build +their Babel. In the parliament 1662, by their first act they restore and +re-establish prelacy, upon such a foundation as they might by the same +law bring in popery, which was then designed; and so settled its +harbinger diocesan and erastian prelacy, by fuller enlargement of the +supremacy. The very act begins thus: 'For as much as the ordering and +disposal of the external government of the church, doth properly belong +to his majesty as an inherent right of the crown, by virtue of his royal +prerogative, and supremacy in causes ecclesiastic--whatever shall be +determined by his majesty, with advice of the archbishops, and such of +the clergy as he shall nominate, in the external government of the +church (the same consisting with the standing laws of the kingdom) shall +be valid and effectual. And in the same act all laws are rescinded, by +which the sole power and jurisdiction within the church doth stand in +the church assemblies, and all which may be interpreted, to have given +any church power, jurisdiction, or government to the office-bearers of +the church, other than that which acknowledgeth a dependence upon, and +subordination to the sovereign power of the king as supreme.' By which, +prelates are redintegrated to all their privileges and pre-eminencies, +that they possessed 1637. And all their church power (robbed from the +officers of Christ) is made to be derived from, to depend upon, and to +be subordinate to the crown prerogative of the king: whereby the king is +made the only fountain of church power, and that exclusive even of +Christ, of whom there is no mentioned exception: And his vassals the +bishops, as his clerks in ecclesiastics, are accountable to him for all +their administrations; a greater usurpation upon the kingdom of Christ, +than ever the papacy itself aspired unto. Yet, albeit here was another +display of a banner of defiance against Christ, in altering the church +government of Christ's institution into the human invention of lordly +prelacy, in assuming a power by prerogative to dispose then of the +external government of the church, and in giving his creatures patents +for this effect, to be his administrators for that usurped government; +there was no public, ministerial, at least united testimony against this +neither. Therefore the Lord punished this sinful and shameful silence of +ministers, in his holy justice, though by men's horrid wickedness; when +by another wicked act of the council at Glasgow, above 300 ministers +were put from their charges; and afterwards, for their non-conformity in +not countenancing their diocesan meeting, and not keeping the +anniversary day, May 29, the rest were violently thrust from their +labours in the Lord's vineyard, and banished from their parishes, and +adjudged unto a nice and strange confinement, twenty miles from their +own parishes, six miles from a cathedral church, as they called it, and +three miles from a burgh; whereby they were reduced into many +inconveniencies. Yet in this fatal convulsion of the church, generally +all were struck with blindness and baseness, that a paper proclamation +made them all run from their posts, and obey the king's orders for their +ejection. Thus were they given up, because of their forbearing to sound +an alarm, charging the people of God, in point of loyalty to Christ, and +under the pain of the curse of the covenant, to awake and aquit +themselves like men, and not to suffer the enemy to rob them of that +treasure of reformation, which they were put in possession of, by the +tears, prayers, and blood of such as went before them; instead of those +prudential fumblings and firstlings then and since so much followed. +Wherefore the Lord in his holy righteousness, left that enemy (against +whom they should have cried and contended, and to whose eye they should +have held the curse of the covenant, as having held it first to their +own, in case of unfaithful silence in not holding it to his) to call +them out of the house of the Lord, and dissolve their assemblies, and +deprive them of their privileges, because of their not being so valiant +for the truth, as that a full and faithful testimony against that +encroachment might be found upon record. Nevertheless some were found +faithful in that hour and power of darkness, who kept the word of the +Lord's patience, and who were therefore kept in and from that temptation +(which carried many away into sad and shameful defections) though not +from suffering hard things from the hands of men; and only these who +felt most of their violence, found grace helping them to acquit +themselves suitably to that day's testimony, being thereby prevented +from an active yielding to their impositions, when they were made +passively to suffer force. However that season of a public testimony was +lost, and as to the most part never recovered to this day. The prelates +being settled, and re-admitted to voice in parliament, they procure an +act, dogmatically condemning several material parts and points of our +covenanted reformation, to wit, these positions, 'That it was lawful for +subjects, for reformation or necessary self-defence, to enter into +leagues, or take up arms against the king: And particularly declaring, +that the national covenant, as explained in the year 1638, and the +solemn league and covenant, were and are in themselves unlawful oaths, +and were taken by and imposed upon the subjects of this kingdom against +the fundamental laws and liberties thereof, that all such gatherings and +petitions that were used in the beginning of the late troubles, were +unlawful and seditious: And whereas then people were led unto these +things, by having disseminated among them such principles as these, That +it was lawful to come with petitions and representations of grievances +to the king, that it was lawful for people to restrict their allegiance +under such and such limitations, and suspend it until he should give +security for religion, &c. It was therefore enacted, that all such +positions and practices founded thereupon, were treasonable.--And +further did enact, that no person, by writing, praying, preaching, or +malicious or advised speaking, express or publish any words or +sentences, to stir up the people to the dislike of the king's +prerogative and supremacy, or of the government of the church by +bishops, or justify any of the deeds, actings, or things declared +against by that act.' Yet notwithstanding of all this subversion of +religion and liberty, and restraint of asserting these truths here +trampled upon either before men by testimony, or before God in mourning +over these indignities done unto him, in everting these and all the +parts of reformation, even when it came to Daniel's case of confession, +preaching and praying truths interdicted by law; few had their eyes open +(let be their windows in an open avouching them) to see the duty of the +day calling for a testimony. Though afterwards, the Lord spirited some +to assert and demonstrate the glory of these truths and duties to the +world. As that judicious author of the Apologetical Relation, whose +labours need no eulogium to commend them. But this is not all: for these +men, having now as they thought subverted the work of God, they provided +also against the fears of its revival: making acts, declaring, 'that if +the outed ministers dare to continue to preach, and presume to exercise +their ministry, they should be punished as seditious persons; requiring +of all a due acknowledgement of, and hearty compliance with, the king's +government, ecclesiastical and civil; and that whosoever shall +ordinarily and wilfully withdraw and absent from the ordinary meetings +for divine worship in their own churches on the Lord's day, shall incur +the penalties there insert.' Thus the sometimes chaste virgin, whose +name was Beulah to the Lord, the reformed church of Scotland, did now +suffer a violent and villainous rape, from a vermin of vile schismatical +apostates, obtruded and imposed upon her, instead of her able, painful, +faithful, and successful pastors, that the Lord had set over her, and +now by their faintness and the enemy's force, robbed from her, and none +now allowed by law to administer the ordinances, but either apostate +curates, who by their perjury and apostacy forfaulted their ministry, or +other hirelings and prelates journeymen, who run without a mission, +except from them who had none to give according to Christ's institution, +the seal of whose ministry could never yet be shewn in the conversion of +any sinner to Christ: but if the tree may be known by its fruits, we may +know whose ministers they are; _ut ex ungue leonem_, by their +conversions of reformation into deformation, of the work and cause of +God into the similitude of the Roman beast, of ministers into hirelings, +of their proselytes into ten times worse children of the devil than they +were before, of the power of godliness into formality, of preaching +Christ into orations of morality, of the purity of Christ's ordinances +into the vanity of men's inventions, of the beautiful government of the +house of God for edification, to a lordly pre-eminence and domination +over consciences; in a word, of church and state constitutions for +religion and liberty, all upside dwon into wickedness and slavery: These +are the conversions of prelacy. But now this astonishing blow to the +gospel of the kingdom, introducing such a swarm of locusts into the +church, and in forcing a compliance of the people with this defection, +and that so violently and rigorously, as even simple withdrawing was so +severely punished by severe edicts of fining, and other arbitrary +punishments at first; what did it produce? did it awaken all Christ's +ambassadors, now to appear for Christ, in this clear and claimant case +of confessing him, and the freedom and purity of his ordinances? Alas! +the backwardness and bentness to backsliding, in a superseding from the +duties of that day, did make it evident, that now the Lord had in a +great measure forsaken them, because they had forsaken him. The standard +of the gospel was then fallen, and few to take it up. The generality of +ministers and professors both went and conformed so far as to hear the +curates, contrary to many points of the reformation formerly attained, +contrary to their covenant engagements, and contrary to their own +principles and practice at that same time; scrupling and refusing to +keep the bishops visitations, and to countenance their discipline and +power of jurisdiction, because it was required as a testification of +their acknowledgment of, and compliance with the present government, and +yet not scrupling to countenance their doctrine and usurped power of +order required also by the same law, as the same test of the same +compliance and submission. Its strange that some yet do plead for +persisting in that same compliance, after all the bitter consequents of +it. Other ministers lay altogether by in their retired recesses, waiting +to see what things would turn to: others were hopeless, turned farmers +and doctors: others more wily, staid at home, and preached quietly in in +ladies chambers. But the faithful thought that this tyrannical ejection +did not nor could not unminister them, so as they might not preach the +gospel wherever they were, as ambassadors of Christ; but rather found +themselves under an indispensible necessity to preach the gospel and +witness for the freedom of their ministry, and make full proof of it, in +preaching in season and out of season: and thereupon as occasion offered +preached to all such as were willing to hear; but at first only in +private houses, and that for the most part at such times, when sermons +in public surceased (a superplus of caution.) But afterwards, finding so +great difficulties and persecutions for their house meetings, where they +were so easily entrapped, were constrained at last to keep their +meetings in the fields, without shelter from cold, wind, snow, or rain. +Where testifying both practically and particularly against these +usurpations on their Master's prerogatives, and witnessing for their +ministerial freedom, contrary to all law-interdictions, without any +licences or indulgences from the usurper, but holding their ministry +from Jesus Christ alone, both as to the office and exercise thereof; +they had so much of their Master's countenance, and success in their +labours, that they valued neither hazards nor hardships, neither the +contempt of pretended friends, not the laws nor threatnings of enemies, +adjudging the penalty of death itself to preachers at field conventicles +as they called them. Now having thus overturned the church-government, +by introducing prelacy, to advance an absolute supremacy; the effects +whereof were either the corruption, or persecution of all the ministry, +encouragement of profanity and wickedness, the encrease and advancement +of popery, superstition, and error, cruel impositions on the conscience, +and oppressions for conscience sake, by the practices of cruel +supra-Spanish inquisitions, and all manner of outcries of outragious +violence and villany: the king proceeds in his design, to pervert and +evert the well modelled and moderated constitution of the state +government also, by introducing and advancing an arbitrary tyranny; the +effects whereof were, an absolute mancipation of lives and liberties and +estates unto his lust and pleasure, the utter subversion of laws, and +absolute impoverishing of the people. For effectuating which, he first +procures a lasting imposition of intollerable subsidies and taxations, +to impoverish that he might the more easily enslave the nation; next a +further recognizance of his prerogative, in a subjection of persons, +fortunes, and whole strength of the kingdom to his absolute arbitrement, +'in a levy of militia of 20,000 footmen, and 2000 horsemen sufficiently +armed with 40 days provision, to be ready upon the king's call to march +to any part of his dominions, for opposing whatsoever invasion, or +insurrection, or for any other service.' The first sproutings of tyranny +were cherished, by the cheerful and stupid submission generally yielded +to these exorbitancies; under which they who suffered most were inwardly +malecontents, but there was no opposition to them by word or action, but +on the contrary, generally people did not so much as scruple sending +out, or going out as militiamen: never adverting unto what this +concurrence was designed, and demanded, and given for; nor what an +accession it was, in the nature and influence of the mean itself, and +in the sense and intention of the requirers, unto a confederacy for a +compliance with, and a confirmation and strengthening of arbitrary +tyranny. After the fundamental constitutions of both church and state +are thus razed and rooted up, to confirm this absolute power, he +contrived to frame all inferior magistrates according to his mould: And +for this end appointed, that all persons in any public trust or office +whatsoever should subscribe a declaration, renouncing and abjuring the +covenants; whereby perjury was made the chief and indispensible +qualification, and _conditio sine qua non_, of all that were capable of +exercising any power or place in church or state. But finding this not +yet sufficient security for this unsettled settlement; because he well +understood, the people stood no ways obliged to acknowledge him but only +according to the solemn covenants, being the fundamental conditions +whereupon their allegiance was founded (as amongst all people, the +articles mutually consented betwixt them and these whom they set over +them, are the constituent fundamentals of government) and well knowing, +that he and his associates, by violating these conditions, had loosed +the people from all subjection to him, or any deriving power from him, +whereby the people might justly plead, that since he had kept no +condition they were not now obliged to him, he therefore contrived a new +oath of allegiance to be imposed upon all in public trust both in church +and state; wherein they are made to oblige themselves to that boundless +breaker of all bonds sacred and civil, and his successors also, without +any reciprocal obligation from him to them, or any reserved restriction, +limitation, or qualification, as all human authority by God's ordinance +must be bounded. Whereby the swearers have by oath homologated the +overturning of the very basis of the government, making free people +slaves to the subverters thereof, betraying their native brethren and +posterity to the lust of tyranny, and have in effect as really as if in +plain terms affirmed, that whatsoever tyranny shall command or do, +either as to the overturning of the work of God, subverting of religion, +destroying of liberty, or persecuting all the godly to the utmost +extremity, they shall not only stupidly endure it, but actively concur +with it, and assist in all this tyranny. Alas there was no public +testimony against this trick, to bring people under the yoke of tyranny; +except by some who suffered for conscientious refusing it, while many +others did take it, thinking to salve the matter by their pitiful +quibbling senses, of giving Cesar his due. Whereas this Cesar, for whom +these loyal alledgers plead, is not an ordinary Cesar, but such a Cesar, +as Nero, or Caligula, that if he got his due, it would be in another +kind. Strange! can presbyterians swear that allegiance, which is +substituted in the place of the broken and burnt covenant? Or could they +swear it to such a person, who having broken and buried the covenant, +that he who had sworn it might have another right and allegiance than +that of the covenant, had then remitted to us all allegiance founded +upon the covenant? However, having now prepared and furnished himself +with tools so qualified for his purpose, in church and state, he +prosecutes his persecution with such fervour and fury, rage and revenge, +impositions and oppressions, and with armed formed force, against the +faithful following their duty in a peaceable manner, without the least +shadow of contempt even of his abused authority, that at length in the +year 1666, a small party were compelled to go to defensive arms. Which, +whatever was the desire of the court (as it is known how desirous they +have been of an insurrection, when they thought themselves sure to +suppress it, that they might have a vent for their cruelty; and how one +of the brothers hath been heard say, that if he might have his wish, he +would have them all turn rebels and go to arms.) Yet it was no +predetermined design of that poor handful. For Sir James Turner, +pursuing his cruel orders in Galloway, sent some soldiers to apprehend a +poor old man; whom his neighbours compassionating, intreated the +soldiers to loose him as he lay bound, but were answered with drawn +swords and necessitated to their own defence: In which they relieve the +man, and disarm the soldiers, and further attacked some others +oppressing that country, disarming ten or twelve more, and killing one +that made resistance. Whereupon, the country being alarmed, and fearing +from sad experience Sir James would certainly avenge this affront upon +the whole country, without distinction of free and unfree, they gather +about 54 horsemen, march to Dumfries, take Sir James Turner prisoner, +and disarm the soldiers, without any more violence. Being thus by +providence engaged without any hope of retreat, and getting some +concurrence of their brethren in the same condition, they came to +Lanark, where they renew the covenant, and thence to Pentland hills; +where, by the holy disposal of God, they were routed, many killed, and +130 taken prisoners, who were treated so treacherously and truculently, +as Turks would have blushed to have seen the like. Hence now on the one +hand, we may see the righteousness of God in leaving that enemy to him, +whom we embraced, to make such avowed discoveries of himself, without a +blush to the world, and to scourge us with scorpions that we nourished +and put in his hands: And also, how justly at that time he left us into +such a damp, that like asses we couched under all burdens, and few came +out to the help of the Lord against the mighty, drawing on them Meroz's +curse, and the blood of their butchered brethren; after we had sat, and +seen, and suffered all things civil and sacred to be destroyed in our +fight, without resentment. And though the Lord, who called out these +worthy patriots who fell at Pentland to such an appearance for his +interests, did take a testimony of their hands with acceptance by +sufferings, and singularly countenanced them in sealing it with their +blood; yet he would not give success nor his presence to the enterprise, +but left them in a sort of infatuation, without counsel and conduct, to +be a prey to devourers, that by a sad inadvertency they took in the +tyrant's interest into the state of the quarrel. Which should have +warned his people for the future to have stated the quarrel otherwise. + +II. By this time, and much more after, the king gave as many proofs and +demonstrations of his being true to antichrist, in minding all the +promises and treaties with him, as he had of his being false to Christ, +in all his covenanted engagements with his people. For in this same year +1666, he, with his dear and royal brother the duke of York, contrived, +countenanced, and abetted, the burning of London, evident by their +employing their guards to hinder the people from saving their own, and +to dismiss the incendiaries, the papists, that were taken in the fact. +The committee, appointed to cognosce upon that business, traced it so +far, that they durst go no further, unless they would arraign the duke, +and charge the king, and yet before this, it was enacted as criminal for +any to say the king was a papist. But having gained so much of his +design in Scotland, where he had established prelacy, advanced tyranny +to the height of absoluteness, and his supremacy almost beyond the reach +of any additional supply, yea above the pope's own claim, and had now +brought his only opposites, the few faithful witnesses of Christ, to a +low pass; he went on by craft as well as cruelty, to advance his own in +promoting antichrist's interest. And therefore, having gotten the +supremacy devolved upon him by law (for which also he had the pope's +dispensation, to take it to himself for the time, under promise to +restore and surrender it to him, as soon as he could obtain his end by +it, as the other brother succeeding hath now done) he would now exert +that usurped power, and work by insnaring policy to effectuate the end +which he could not do by other means. Therefore, seeing he was not able +to suppress the meetings of the Lord's people for gospel ordinances, in +house and fields, but that the more he laboured by violent courses, the +greater and more frequent they grew; he fell upon a more crafty device, +not only to overthrow the gospel and suppress the meetings, but to break +the faithful, and to divide, between the mad-cap and the moderate +fanatics (as they phrased it) that he might the more easily destroy +both, to confirm the usurpation, and to settle people in a sinful +silence, and stupid submission to all the incroachments made on Christ's +prerogatives, and more effectually to overturn what remained of the work +of God. And, knowing that nothing could more fortify the supremacy than +minister's homologating and acknowledging it; therefore he offered the +first indulgence in the year 1669, signifying in a letter, dated that +year June 7, his gracious pleasure was, 'to appoint so many of the outed +ministers, as have lived peaceably and orderly, to return to preach and +exercise other functions of the ministry, in the parish churches where +they formerly served (provided they were vacant) and to allow patrons to +present to other vacant churches, such others of them as the council +should approve: That all who are so indulged, be enjoined to keep +presbyteries, and the refusers to be confined within the bounds of their +parishes: And that they be enjoined not to admit any of their neighbour +parishes unto their communions, nor baptize their children, nor marry +any of them, without the allowance of the minister of the parish, and if +they countenance the people deserting their own parishes, they are to be +silenced for shorter or longer time, or altogether turned out, as the +council shall see cause; and upon complaint made and verified, of any +seditious discourse or expressions in the pulpit, uttered by any of the +ministers, they are immediately to be turned out, and further punished +according to law: And seeing by these orders, all pretences for +conventicles were taken away, if any should be found hereafter to preach +without authority, or keep conventicles, his pleasure is, to proceed +with all severity against them, as seditious persons and contemners of +authority.' To salve this in point of law, (because it was against +former laws of their own) and to make the king's letter the supreme law +afterwards, and a valid ground in law, whereupon the council might +proceed, and enact, and execute what the king pleased in matters +ecclesiastic; he therefore caused frame a formal statutory act of +supremacy, of this tenor, 'That his majesty hath the supreme authority +and supremacy over all persons and in all causes ecclesiastic, within +his dominions, and that by virtue thereof, the ordering and disposal of +the external government of the church, doth properly belong to him and +his successors, as an inherent right to the crown: And that he may +settle, enact, and emit such constitutions, acts, and orders, concerning +the administrating thereof, and persons employed in the same, and +concerning all ecclesiastical meetings and matters, to be proposed and +determined therein, as he in his royal wisdom, shall think fit: which +acts, orders, and constitutions, are to be observed and obeyed by all +his majesty's subjects, any law, act, or custom to the contrary +notwithstanding.' Whereupon, accordingly the council, in their act July +27, 1669, do nominate several ministers, and 'appoint them to preach, +and exercise the other functions of the ministry, at their respective +churches there specified, with consent of the patrons.' The same day +also they conclude and enact the forementioned restrictions, conform to +the king's letter above rehearsed, and ordain them to be intimate to +every person, who is by authority foresaid allowed the exercise of the +ministry. These indulged ministers, having that indulgence given only +upon these terms, that they should accept these injunctions, and having +received it upon these terms also (as an essential part of the bargain +and condition, on which the indulgence was granted and accepted, as many +following proclamations did expressly declare) do appoint Mr. Hutcheson, +one of the number, 'to declare so much; in acknowledging his majesty's +favour and clemency, in granting that liberty, after so long a +restraint; and however they had received their ministry from Jesus +Christ, with full prescriptions from him for regulating them therein, +yet nothing could be more refreshing on earth to them, than to have free +liberty for the exercise of their ministry, under the protection of +lawful authority; and so they purposed to behave themselves in the +discharge of their ministry, with that wisdom that became faithful +ministers, and to demean themselves towards lawful authority, +notwithstanding of their known judgment in church affairs, as well +becometh loyal subjects; and their prayer to God should be, that the +Lord should bless his majesty in his person and government, and the +council in the public administration, and especially in the pursuance of +his majesty's mind in his letter, wherein his singular moderation +eminently appears.'--Afterwards they issued out proclamations, +reinforcing the punctual observation of the forementioned injunctions, +and delivered them into the indulged. In the mean time, though cruel +acts and edicts were made against the meetings of the Lord's people, in +houses and the fields, after all these Midianitish wiles to suppress +them, such was the presence of the Lord in these meetings, and so +powerful was his countenance and concurrence with the labours of a few, +who laid up themselves to hold up the standard of Christ; that the +number of converts multiplied daily, to the praise of free grace, and to +the great encouragement of the few hands that wrestled in that work, +through all human discouragement. Therefore, the king and council was +put to a new shift, which they supposed would prove more effectual: To +wit, because there was a great number of nonconformed ministers not yet +indulged, who either did or might hereafter hold conventicles, therefore +to remeed or prevent this in time coming, they appoint and ordain them +to such places where indulged ministers were settled, there to be +confined with allowance to preach as the indulged should employ them; +thinking by this means to incapacitate many to hold meetings there or +elsewhere: And to these also they give injunctions and restrictions to +regulate them in the exercise of their ministry. And to the end that all +the outed ministers might be brought under restraint, and the word of +God be kept under bonds, by another act of council they command, that +all other ministers (not disposed of as is said) were either to repair +to the parish churches where they were, or to some other parishes where +they may be ordinary hearers, and to declare and condescend upon the +parishes where they intend to have their residence. After this they +assumed a power, to dispose of these their curates as they pleased, and +transport them from place to place; whereof the only ground was a simple +act of council, the instructions always going along with them, as the +constant companion of the indulgence. By all which it is apparent; +whatever these ministers alledge, in vindication of it to cover its +deformity, in their balms to take away its stink, and in their surveys +to gather plaisters to scurf over its scurviness, 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 mere mock pretence for a prelimited +imposition, whereby that ordinance of Christ was basely prostituted and +abused) and that their testimony and protestation was a salvo for their +conscience (a mere Utopian 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 denied, that that doleful +indulgence, both in its rise, contrivance, conveyance, grant, and +acceptance, end and effects, was a grievous encroachment upon the +princely prerogative of Jesus Christ the only head of the church; +whereby the usurper's supremacy was homologated, bowed to, complied +with, strengthened and established, the cause and kingdom of Christ +betrayed, his church's privileges surrendered, his enemies hardened, his +friends stumbled, and the remnant rent and ruined; in that it was +granted and deduced from the king's supremacy, and conveyed by the +council; in that, according to his pleasure, he gave and they received a +licence and warrant, to such as he nominated and elected, and judged fit +and qualified for it, and fixed them in what particular parish he +pleased to assign, under the notion of a confinement, in that he imposed +and they submitted to restrictions in the exercise of their ministry, in +these particular parishes, inhibiting to preach elsewhere in the church; +and with these restrictions, he gave and they received instructions to +regulate and direct them in their functions: all which was done without +advice or consent of the church: and thereupon they have frequently been +called and conveened before the council, to give account of their +ministerial exercise, and some of them sentenced, silenced, and 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, and could not obtain it, and far more at that time +and since in the guilt of misprision of treason, in passing this also +without a witness. Thus, in holy judgment, because of our indulging and +conniving at the usurper of Christ's 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, +and plaister, and patronize it, in keeping up the credit of the king and +council's curates, wherein they have shewed more zeal, than ever +against that wicked indulgence. Yet the Lord had some witnesses, who +pretty early did give significations of their resentment of this +dishonour done to Christ, as Mr. William Weir, who having got the legal +call of the people, and discharging his duty honestly, was turned out; +and Mr. John 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-compliance with such a +snare; and Mr. Alexander Blair, who, upon occasion of a citation before +the council for not observing the 29th of May, having with others made +his appearance, and got new copies of instructions presented to them, +being moved with zeal and remembering whose ambassador 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 Christ's ambassador +but theirs, and herewith lets their instructions drop out of his hand, +knowing of no other salvo or manner of testifying for the truth in the +case; for which he was imprisoned, and died under confinement. But +afterwards, the Lord raised up some more explicit 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, and producing the same effects of +defection, security, and unfaithfulness. The occasion was upon his wars +with the Dutch; which gave another demonstrative discovery of his +treachery and popish perfidy, in breaking league with them, and entering +into one with the French, to destroy religion and liberty in Britain: +'Wherein the king of France assures him an absolute authority over his +parliaments, and to re-establish the catholic religion in his kingdoms +of England, Scotland and Ireland; to compass which it was necessary +first to abate the pride and power of the Dutch, and to reduce them to +the sole province of Holland, by which means the king of England should +have Zealand 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 and field meetings, he was so far disappointed, that these very +means and machines 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 drawn away from +their duty, and others were now sentenced with confinements and +restraints, if they should not chuse and fix their residence where they +could not keep their quiet and conscience both; they were forced to +wander and disperse through the country, and the people being tired of +the cold and dead curates, and wanting long the ministry of their old +pastors, so longed and 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 and presence of God, +and the light of his countenance now shining through the cloud, after so +fatal and fearful a darkness that had overclouded the land for a while, +with such a resplendent brightness, that it darkened the prelatic +locusts, and made them hiss and gnash their tongues for pain, and +dazzled the eyes of all onlookers; the word of God grew exceedingly, and +went through at least the southern borders of the kingdom like +lightning, or like the sun in its meridian beauty; discovering so the +wonders of God's law, the mysteries of his gospel, and the secrets of +his covenant, and the sins and duties of that day, that a numerous issue +was begotten to Christ, and his conquest was glorious, captivating poor +slaves of satan, and bringing them from his power unto God, and from +darkness to light. O! who can remember the glory of that day, without a +melting heart, in reflecting upon what we have lost, and let go, and +sinned away, by our misimprovements. O that in that our day we had +heartened to his voice, and had known the things that belonged to our +peace! A day of such power, that it made the people, even the bulk and +body of the people, willing to come out and venture, upon the greatest +of hardships and the greatest of hazards, in pursuing after the gospel, +through mosses and muirs, and inaccessible mountains, summer and winter, +through excess of heat and extremity of cold, many days and +night-journeys; even when they could not have a probable expectation of +escaping the sword of the wilderness, and the barbarous fury of bloody +Burrio's raging for their prey, sent out with orders to take and kill +them, it being now made criminal by law, especially to the preachers and +convocaters of those meetings. But this was a day of such power, that +nothing could daunt them from their duty, that had tasted once the +sweetness of the Lord's presence at these persecuted meetings. Then had +we such humiliation-days for personal and public defections, such +communion-days even in the open fields, and such sabbath-solemnities, +that the places where they were kept might have been called Bethel, or +Peniel, or Bochim, and all of them Jehovah-Shammah; wherein many were +truly converted, more convinced, and generally all reformed from their +former immoralities: that even robbers, thieves, and profane men, were +some of them brought to a saving subjection to Christ, and generally +under such a restraint, that all the severities of heading and hanging, +&c. in a great many years, could not make such a civil reformation, as a +few days of the gospel, in these formerly the devils territories, now +Christ's quarters, where his kingly standard was displayed. I have not +language to lay out in the inexpressible glory of that day: but I will +make bold to say two things of it, first, I doubt if ever there was +greater days of the Son of man upon the earth since the apostolic times, +than we enjoyed for the space of seven years at that time: and next, I +doubt, if upon the back of such a lightsome day there was ever a blacker +night of darkness, defection, division, and confusion, and a more +universal impudent apostasy, than we have seen since. The world is at a +great loss, that a more exact and complete account demonstrating both +these, is not published, which I am sure would be a fertile theme to any +faithful pen. But this not being my scope at present, but only to deduce +the steps of the contendings of Christ's friends and his enemies, I must +follow the thread of my narration. Now when Christ is gaining ground by +the preached gospel in plenty, in purity, and power, the usurper's +supremacy was like to stagger, and prelacy came under universal +contempt, in so much that several country curates would have had but +scarce half a dozen of hearers, and some none at all. And this was a +general observe that never failed, that no sooner did any poor soul come +to get a serious sense of religion, and was brought under any real +exercise of spirit about their souls concerns, but as soon they did fall +out with prelacy and left the curates. Hence to secure what he had +possessed himself of by law, and to prevent a dangerous paroxism which +he thought would ensue upon these commotions, the king returned to +exerce his innate tyranny, and to emit terrible orders, and more +terrible executioners, and bloody emissaries, against all field +meetings: which, after long patience, the people at length could not +endure; but being first chased to the fields, where they would have been +content to have the gospel with all the inconveniences of it, and also +expelled from the fields, being resolute to maintain the gospel, they +resolved to defend it and themselves by arms. To which, unavoidable +necessity in unsupportable extremity did constrain them, as the only +remaining remedy. It is known, for several years they met without any +arms, where frequently they were disturbed and dispersed with soldiers, +some killed, others wounded, which they patiently endured without +resistance: At length the ministers that were most in hazard, having a +price set upon their heads to be brought in dead or alive, with some +attending them in their wanderings, understanding they were thus +appointed for death, judged it their duty to provide for the necessary +defence of their lives from the violence of their armed assaulters. And +as meetings increased, diverse others came under the same hazards, which +enforced them to endeavour the same remedy, without the least intention +of prejudice to any. Thus the number of sufferers increasing, as they +joined in the ordinances at these persecuted meetings, found themselves +in some probable capacity to defend themselves, and these much endeared +and precious gospel privileges, and to preserve the memory of the Lord's +great work in the land, which to transmit to posterity was their great +design. And they had no small encouragement to endeavour it, by the +satisfying sweetness and comfort they found in these ordinances, being +persuaded of the justness of their cause, and of the groundlessness of +their adversaries quarrel against them: And hereunto also they were +incited and prompted, by the palpableness of the enemy's purposes to +destroy the remainder of the gospel, by extirpating the remnant that +professed it. Wherefore in these circumstances, being redacted to that +strait, either to be deprived of the gospel, or to defend themselves in +their meetings for it; and thinking their turning their backs upon it +for hazard was a cowardly deserting duty, and palpable breach of +covenant-engagements, abandoning their greatest interest, they thought +it expedient, yea necessary, to carry defensive arms with them. And as +for that discouragement, from the difficulty and danger of it, because +of their fewness and meanness, it did not deter or daunt them from the +endeavour of their duty; when they considered the Lord in former times +was wont to own a very small party of their ancestors, who in extremity +jeoparded their lives in defence of reformation against very potent and +powerful enemies: These now owning the same cause, judged themselves +obliged to run the same hazard, in the same circumstances, and to follow +the same method, and durst not leave it unessayed, leaving the event to +God: considering also, that not only the law of nature and nations doth +allow self defence from unjust violence, but also the indissoluble +obligation of their covenants, to maintain and defend the true religion, +and one another in promoving the same, made it indispensible to use that +endeavour, the defect of which, through their former supineness gave no +small encouragement to the enemies: They considered also what would be +the consequence of that war, declared against all the faithful of the +land with a displayed banner, prosecuted with fire and sword, and all +acts of horrid hostility published in printed proclamations, and written +in characters of blood by barbarous soldiers, so that none could enjoy +gospel ordinances dispensed in purity, but upon the hazard of their +lives: and therefore, to prevent and frustrate these effects, they +endeavoured to put themselves in a posture. And hereunto they were +encouraged, by the constant experience of the Lord's countenancing their +endeavours in that posture, which always proved successful for several +years, their enemies either turning their backs without disturbance, +when they observed them resolve defence, or in their assaultings +repulsed: So that there was never a meeting which stood to their +defence, got any considerable harm thereby. Thus the Lord was with us +while we were with him, but when we forsook him, then he forsook us, and +left us in the hands of our enemies. However, while meetings for gospel +ordinances did continue, the wicked rulers did not cease from time to +time to encrease their numerous bands of barbarous soldiers for +suppressing the gospel in these field meetings. And for their +maintenance, they imposed new wicked and arbitrary cesses and taxations, +professedly required for suppressing religion and liberty, banishing the +gospel out of the land, and preserving and promoting his absoluteness +over all matters and persons sacred and civil: Which, under that +temptation of great suffering threatened to refusers, and under the +disadvantage of the silence and unfaithfulness of many ministers, who +either did not condemn it, or pleaded for the peaceable payment of it, +many did comply with it then, and far more since. Yet at that time there +were far more recusants, in some places, (especially in the western +shires) than compliers; and there were many of the ministers that did +faithfully declare to the people the sin of it; not only from the +illegality of its imposition, by a convention of overawed and +prelimitated states; but from the nature of that imposed compliance, +that it was a sinful transaction with Christ's declared enemies, a +strengthening the hands of the wicked, an obedience to a wicked law, a +consenting to Christ's expulsion out of the land, and not only that, but +(far worse than the sin of the Gadarenes) a formal concurrence to assist +his expellers, by maintaining their force, a hiring our oppressors to +destroy religion and liberty; and from the fountain of it, an arbitrary +power domineering over us, and oppressing and overpressing the kingdoms +with intolerable exactions, that to pay it, it was to entail slavery on +their posterity; and from the declared end of it, expressed in the very +narrative of the act, viz. to levy and maintain forces for suppressing +and dispersing meetings of the Lord's people, and to show unanimous +affection for maintaining the king's supremacy as now established by +law; which designs he resolved, and would be capacitate by the granters +to effectuate by such a grant, which in effect, to all tender +consciences had an evident tendency to the exauctorating the Lord +Christ, to maintain soldiers to suppress his work, and murder his +followers, yet all this time ministers and professors were unite, and +with one soul and shoulder followed the work of the Lord, till the +indulged, being dissatisfied with the meetings in the fields, whose +glory was like to overcloud and obscure their beds of ease, and +especially being offended at the freedom and faithfulness of some, who +set the trumpet to their mouth, and shewed Jacob his sins, and Israel +his transgressions, impartially without a cloak or cover, they began to +make a faction among the ministers, and to devise how to quench the +fervour of their zeal who were faithful for God. But the more they +sought to extinguish it, the more it broke out and blazed into a flame. +For several of Christ's ambassadors, touched and affected with the +affronts done to their princely master by the supremacy and the +indulgence its bastard brood and brat, began after long silence to +discover its iniquity, and to acquaint the people how the usurper had +invaded the Mediator's chair, in taking upon him to depose, suspend, +silence, plant, and transplant his ministers, where and when and how he +pleased, and to give forth warrants and licences for admitting them, +with canons and instructions for regulating them in the exercise of +their ministry, and to arraign and censure them at his courts for +delinquencies in their ministry; pursuing all to the death who are +faithful to Christ, and maintain their loyalty to his laws, and will not +prostitute their consciences to his lusts, and bow down to the idol of +his supremacy, but will own the kingly authority of Christ. Yet others, +and the greater number of dissenting ministers, were not only deficient +herein, but defended them, joined with them, and (pretending prudence +and prevention of schism) in effect homologated that deed and the +practice of these priests. Ezek. xxii. 16. teaching and advising the +people to hear them, both by precept and going along with them in that +erastian course: and not only so, but condemned and censured such who +preached against the sinfulness thereof, especially in the first place, +worthy Mr. Welwood, who was among the first witnesses against that +defection, and Mr. Kid, Mr. King, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Donald Gargil, &c. +who sealed their testimony afterwards with their blood; yet then even by +their brethren were loaden with the reproachful nicknames of +schismatics, blind zealots, Jesuits, &c. But it was always observed, as +long as ministers were faithful in following the Lord in the way of +their duty, professors were fervent, and under all their conflicts with +persecutors, the courage and zeal of the lovers of Christ was blazing, +and never out-braved by all the enemies boastings to undertake brisk +exploits: which from time to time they were now and then essaying, till +defection destroyed, and division diverted their zeal against the +enemies of God, who before were always the object against which they +whetted the edge of their just indignation. Especially the insulting +insolency and insolent villany of that public incendiary, the +arch-prelate Sharp, was judged intolerable by ingenuous spirits; because +he had treacherously betrayed the church and nation, and being employed +as their delegate to oppose the threatened introduction of prelacy, he +had like a perjured apostate and perfidious traitor advanced himself +into the place of primate of Scotland, and being a member of council he +became a chief instrument of all the persecution, and main instigator to +all the bloody violence and cruelty that was exerced against the people +of God; by whose means, the letter sent down to stop the shedding of +more blood after Pentland was kept up, until several of these martyrs +were murdered. Therefore in July 1668, Mr. James Mitchel thought it his +duty to save himself, deliver his brethren, and free the land of the +violence of that beast of prey, and attempted to cut him off: which +failing, he then escaped, but afterwards was apprehended; and being +moved by the council's oath, and act of assurance promising his life, he +made confession of the fact: yet afterwards for the same he was +arraigned before the justiciary, and the confession he made was brought +in against him, and witnessed by the perjured chancellor Rothes, and +other lords, contrary to their oath and act produced in open court, to +their indelible infamy: whereupon he was tortured, condemned, and +executed. But justice would not suffer this murder to pass long +unrevenged, nor that truculent traitor, James Sharp the arch-prelate, +who was the occasion and cause of it, and of many more both before and +after, to escape remarkable punishment; the severity whereof did +sufficiently compense its delay, after ten years respite, wherein he +ceased not more and more to pursue, persecute, and make havock of the +righteous for their duty, until at length he received the just demerit +of his perfidy, perjury, apostacy, sorceries, villanies, and murders, +sharp arrows of the mighty and coals of juniper. For upon the 3d of May +1679, several worthy gentlemen, with some other men of courage and zeal +for the cause of God and the good of the country, executed righteous +judgment upon him in Magus Moor near St. Andrews. And that same month, +on the anniversary day, May 29, the testimony at Rutherglen was +published against that abomination of celebrating an anniversary day, +kept every year for giving thanks for the setting up an usurped power, +destroying the interest of Christ in the land.--And against all sinful +and unlawful acts, emitted and executed, published and prosecuted +against our covenanted reformation. Where also they burnt the act of +supremacy, the declaration, the act recissory, &c. in way of retaliation +for the burning of the covenants. On the Sabbath following June 1. a +field meeting for the worship of God near to Loudoun-hill was assaulted +by Graham of Claverhouse, and with him three troops of horse and +dragoons, who had that morning taken an honest minister and about +fourteen country men out of their beds, and carried them along with them +as prisoners to the meeting in a barbarous manner. But by the good hand +of God upon the defendents, they were repulsed at Drumclog and put to +flight, the prisoners relieved, about thirty of the soldiers killed on +the place, and three of the meeting, and several wounded on both sides. +Thereafter the people retreating from the pursuit, consulted what was +expedient in that juncture, whether to disperse themselves as formerly, +or to keep together for their necessary defence. The result was, that +considering the craft and cruelty of those they had to deal with, the +sad consequence of falling into their hands now more incensed than ever, +the evil effects that likely would ensue upon their separation, which +would give them access to make havock of all; they judged it most safe +in that extremity for some time not to separate. Which resolution, +coming abroad to the ears of others of their brethren, determined them +incontinently to come to their assistance, considering the necessity, +and their own liableness to the same common danger, upon the account of +their endeavours of that nature elsewhere to defend themselves, being of +the same judgment for maintaining of the same cause, to which they were +bound by the same covenants, and groaning under the same burdens; they +judged therefore that if they now with-held their assistance in such a +strait, they could not be innocent of their brethren's blood, nor found +faithful in their covenant: to which they were encouraged with the +countenance and success the Lord had given to that meeting, in that +defensive resistance. This was the rise and occasion of that appearance +at Bothwel-bridge, which the Lord did in his holy sovereignty confound, +for former defections by the means of division, which broke that little +army among themselves, before they were broken by the enemy. They +continued together in amiable and amicable peace for the space of eight +or nine days, while they endeavoured to put out and keep out every +wicked thing from amongst them, and adhered to the Rutherglen testimony, +and that short declaration at Glasgow confirming it; representing their +'present purposes and endeavours, where, only in vindication and defence +of the reformed religion--as they stood obliged thereto by the national +and solemn league and covenant, and the solemn acknowledgment of sins +and engagement to duties; declaring against popery, prelacy, +erastianism, and all things depending thereupon.' Intending hereby to +comprehend the defection of the indulgence, to witness against which all +unanimously agreed: until the army increasing, the defenders and daubers +of that defection, some ministers and others, came in who broke all, and +upon whom the blood of that appearance may be charged. The occasion of +the breach was, first, when in the sense of the obligation of that +command, when the host goeth forth against thine enemies, keep thee from +every wicked thing, an overture was offered to set times apart for +humiliation for the public sins of the land, according to the practice +of the godly in all ages, before engaging their enemies, and the +laudable precedents of our ancestors; that so the causes of God's wrath +against the nation might be enquired into and confessed, and the Lord's +blessing, counsel, and conduct to and upon present endeavours, might be +implored. And accordingly the complying with abjured erastianism, by the +acceptance of the ensnared indulgence, offered by and received from the +usurping rulers, was condescended upon among the rest of the grounds of +fasting and humiliation, so seasonably and necessarily called for at +that time. The sticklers for the indulgence refused the overture, upon +politic considerations, for fear of offending the indulged ministers and +gentlemen, and provoking them to withdraw their assistance. This was the +great cause of the division, that produced such unhappy and destructive +effects. And next, whereas the cause was stated before according to the +covenants, in the Rutherglen-testimony and Glasgow-declaration, wherein +the king's interest was waved; these dividers drew up another large +paper (called the Hamilton-declaration) wherein they assert the king's +interest, according to the third article of the solemn league and +covenant. Against which the best affected contended, and protested they +could not in conscience put in his interest in the state of the quarrel, +being now in stated opposition to Christ's interests, and inconsistent +with the meaning of the covenant, and the practices of the covenanters, +and their own testimonies; while now he could not be declared for as +being in the defence of religion and liberty, when he had so palpably +overturned and ruined the work of reformation, and oppressed such as +adhered thereunto, and had burnt the covenant, &c. Whereby he had loosed +the people from all obligation to him from it. Yet that contrary faction +prevailed, so far as to get it published in the name of all: whereby the +cause was perverted and betrayed, and the former testimonies rendered +irrite, and the interest of the public enemy espoused. Finally, the same +day that the enemy approached in sight, and a considerable advantage was +offered to do execution against them, these loyal gentlemen hindered and +retarded all action, till a parly was beat, and an address dispatched to +the duke of Monmouth, who then commanded his father's army. By which +nothing was gained, but free liberty given to the enemies to plant their +cannon, and advance without interruption. After which, in the holy all +over-ruling providence of God, that poor handful was signally +discountenanced of God, deprived of all conduct, divested of all +protection, and laid open to the raging sword, the just punishment of +all such tamperings with the enemies of God, and espousing their +interest, and omitting humiliation for their own and the land's sins. +About 300 were killed in the fields, and 1000, and upwards were taken +prisoners, stripped, and carried to Edinburgh, where they were kept for +a long time in the Greyfriar's church-yard, without shelter from cold +and rain. And at length had the temptation of an insnaring bond of +peace: Wherein they were to acknowledge that insurrection to be +rebellion, and oblige themselves never to rise in arms against the king, +nor any commissionate by him, and to live peaceably, &c. Which, through +fear of threatened death, and the unfaithfulness of some, and the +impudence of other ministers that persuaded them to take it, prevailed +with many: Yet others resolutely resisted, judging it to imply a +condemning of their duty, an abandoning of their covenant engagements, +wherein they were obliged to duties inconsistent with such bonds, and a +voluntary binding up their hands from all oppositions to the declared +war against Christ, which is the native sense of the peace they require, +which can never be entertained long with men so treacherous. And +therefore, upon reasons of principle and conscience they refused that +pretended indemnity, offered in these terms. Nevertheless the most part +took it: and yet were sentenced with banishment, and sent away for +America as well as they who refused it; and by the way, (a few +excepted,) perished in shipwreck: whose blood yet cries both against the +imposers, and the persuaders to that bond. + +III. This fearful and fatal stroke at Bothwel, not only was in its +immediate effects so deadly, but in its consequents so destructive, that +the decaying church of Scotland, which before was beginning to revive, +was then cast into such a swoon that she is never like to recover to +this day. And the universality of her children, which before espoused +her testimony, was after that partly drawn by craft, and partly drawn by +cruelty, from a conjunction with their brethren in prosecuting the same, +either into an open defection to the contrary side, or into a detestable +indifferency and neutrality in the cause of God. For first of all the +duke of Monmouth, whose nature, more averse from cruelty than the rest +of that progeny, made him pliable to all suggestions of wicked policy +that seemed to have a shew of smoothness and lenity, procured the +emission of a pretended indemnity, attended with the foresaid bond of +peace for its companion. Which were dreadful snares, catching many with +flatteries, and fair pretences of favours, fairded over with curious +words, and cozening names, of living peaceably, &c. while in the mean +time a most deadly and destructive thrust (as it were under the fifth +rib) because most secret, was intended against all that was left +remaining of the work of God undestroyed, and a bar put upon all essays +to revive or recover it by their own consent who should endeavour it. +This course of defection carried away many at that time: And from that +time, since the taking of the bond of peaceable living, there hath been +an universal preferring of peace to truth, and of ease to duty. And the +generality have been left to swallow all baits, though the hook was +never so discernible, all those ensnaring oaths and bonds imposed since, +which both then and since people were left to their own determination to +chuse or refuse; many ministers refusing to give their advice when +required and requested thereunto, and some not being ashamed or afraid +to persuade the people to take them. The ministry then also were +generally insnared with that bonded indulgence, the pretended benefit of +that indemnity, which as it was designed, so it produced the woful +effect of propagating the defection, and promoting the division, and +laying them by from their duty and testimony of that day, which to this +day they have not yet taken upon their former ground. For when a +proclamation was emitted, inveighing bitterly against field meetings, +and absolutely interdicting all such for the future under highest pain, +but granting liberty to preach in houses upon the terms of a cautionary +bond given for their living peaceably: yet excluding all these +ministers who were suspected to have been at the late rebellion, and all +these who shall afterward be admitted by non-conform ministers: and +certifying, that if ever they shall be at any field conventicle, the +said indemnity shall not be useful to such transgressors any manner of +way: and requiring security, that none under the colour of this favour +continue to preach rebellion. Though there seems to be enough in the +proclamation itself to have scared them from this scandalous snare, yet +a meeting of ministers at Edinburgh made up of indulged, avowed +applauders of the indulgence, or underhand approvers and favourers of +the same, and some of them old public resolutioners, assuming to +themselves the name of a general assembly, yea of the representatives of +the church of Scotland, voted for the acceptance of it. And so formally +transacted and bargained upon base, dishonest, and dishonourable terms +with the usurper, by consenting and compacting with the people to give +that bond, wherein the people upon an humble petition to the council, +'obtaining their indulged minister to bind and oblige--that the +said--shall live peaceably. And in order thereto to present him, before +his majesty's privy council, when they shall be called so to do; and in +case of failzie in not presenting him, to be liable to the sum of 6000 +merks.' Whereby they condemned themselves of former unpeaceableness, and +engaged to a sinful peace with the enemies of God, and became bound and +fettered under these bonds to a forbearance of a testimony, and made +answerable to their courts, and the people were bound to present them +for their duty. The sinfulness, scandalousness, and inconveniences of +which transactions, are abundantly demonstrated by a treatise thereupon, +intitled, the banders disbanded. Nevertheless many embraced this new +bastard indulgence, that had not the benefit of the former brat, of the +same mother the supremacy, and far more consented to it without a +witness, and most of all did some way homologate it, in preaching under +the sconce of it: declining the many reiterated and urged calls of the +zealous lovers of Christ, to come out and maintain the testimony of the +gospel in the open fields, for the honour of their Master and the +freedom of their ministry. Whereupon, as many poor people were stumbled +and jumbled into many confusions, so that they were so bewildered and +bemisted in doubts and debates, that they knew not what to do, and were +tempted to question the cause formerly so fervently contended for +against all opposition, then so simply abandoned, by these that seemed +sometimes valiant for it, when they saw them consulting more their own +ease than the concerns of their Master's 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 and faithful, after several addresses, +calls, and 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 and 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 and boldness becoming Christ's ambassadors, +maintained and 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 Lord's inheritance +was again revived with the showers of the gospel's blessings, wherewith +they had been before refreshed; and enlightened with a glance and +glimpse of resplendent brightness, immediately before the obscurity of +this fearful night of darkness that hath succeeded. But as Christ was +then displaying his beauty, to his poor despised and persecuted people; +so antichrist began to blaze his bravery, in the solemn and 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 bigotry, through a trick of his brother, constrained +by the papists importunity, and the necessity of their favour, and +recruit of their coin, 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 York's contrivance and 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 promote popery and arbitrary government. However, though the +parliament of England, for his popery and villany, and his plotting and +pursuing the destruction of the nation, did vote his exclusion; yet +degenerate Scotland did receive him in great pomp and 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 crown, in their declaration published at +Sanquhar, June 22d, 1680. 'Wherein also they disown Charles Stewart, as +having any right, title, or interest in the crown of Scotland or +government thereof, as being forefaulted several years since, by his +perjury and breach of covenant, usurpation on Christ's prerogatives, and +by his tyranny and 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 Hamilton.' 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 and important reasons to disclaim that tyrant's +authority, hinted in the declaration itself, and hereafter more fully +vindicated: so the necessity of a testimony against all the tyrannical +encroachments on religion and liberty, then current and increasing; and +the sin and shame of shifting and delaying it so long, when the +blasphemous supremacy was now advanced to its summit; the church's +privileges all overturned; religion and the work of reformation trampled +under foot; the people's rights and liberties destroyed, and laws all +subverted; and no shadow of government left but arbitrary absoluteness, +obtruding the tyrant's 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 king's letter for it?) and all the +ends of magistracy wholly inverted; while innocent and honest people +were grievously oppressed in their persons, consciences, and estates; +and perjuries, adulteries, idolatries, and all impieties were not only +connived at, but countenanced as badges of loyalty, and manifest and +monstrous robberies and murders authorized, judgement turned into gall, +and the fruit of righteousness into hemloc; do justify its +seasonableness: and the ends of the declaration, to keep up the standard +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 and maintain their +revolt, in opposition to all who would pursue them for it, and reinforce +them to a subjection to that yoke of slavery again; and the extremity of +danger and distress that party was in, while declared and pursued as +rebels, and intercommuned and interdicted of all supply and solace, +being put out of their own, and by law precluded of the harbour of all +other habitations, and so both for safety and subsistence compelled by +necessity to concur and keep together, may alleviate the censure and +stop the clamour of its unfeasibleness. But though it is not the +prudence of the management, but the justness of the action, that I would +have vindicated from obloquies; yet it wanted nothing but success to +justify both, in the conviction of many that made much outcry against +it. In these dangerous circumstances their difficulties and +discouragements daily increased, by their enemies vigilance, their +enviers treachery, and their own inadvertency, some of their number +falling into the hands of them that sought their lives. For two of the +most eminent and faithful witnesses of Christ, Mr. Donald Cargil and +Henry Hall, were surprized at Queensferry; Mr. Cargil escaped at that +time, but the other fervent contender for the interest of Christ, fixed +in the cause, and courageous to his death, endeavouring to save him and +resist the enemies, was cruelly murdered by them. And with him they got +a draught of a covenant, declaring their present purposes and future +resolutions. The tenor whereof was an engagement. '1. To avouch the only +true and living God to be their God, and to close with his way of +redemption by his Son Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is only to be +relied upon for justification; and to take the scriptures of the old and +new testament, to be the only object of faith, and rule of conversation +in all things. 2. To establish in the land righteousness and religion, +in the truth of its doctrine, purity and power of its worship, +discipline, and government; and to free the church of God of the +corruption of prelacy on the one hand; and the thraldom of erastianism +on the other. 3. To persevere in the doctrine of the reformed churches, +especially that of Scotland, and in the worship prescribed in the +scriptures, without the inventions, adornings, and corruptions of men; +and in the presbyterian government, exercised in sessions, presbyteries, +synods, and general assemblies, as a distinct government from the civil, +and distinctly to be exercised, not after a carnal manner, by plurality +of votes, or authority of a single person, but according to the word of +God, making and carrying the sentence. 4. To endeavour the overthrow of +the kingdom of darkness, and whatsoever is contrary to the kingdom of +Christ, especially idolatry, and popery in all its articles, and the +overthrow of that power that hath established and upheld it--and to +execute righteous judgments impartially, according to the word of God, +and degree of offences, upon the committers of these things especially, +to wit, blasphemy, idolatry, atheism, bougery, sorcery, perjury, +uncleanness, profanation of the Lord's day, oppression and +malignancy.----5. Seriously considering--there is no more speedy way of +relaxation from the wrath of God, that hath ever lien on the land since +it engaged with these rulers, but of rejecting them who hath so +manifestly rejected God--disclaiming his covenant----governing contrary +to all right laws, divine and human----and contrary to all the ends of +government, by enacting and commanding impieties, injuries, and +robberies, to the denying of God his due, and the subjects theirs; so +that instead of government, godliness, and peace, there is nothing but +rapine, tumult, and blood, which cannot be called a government, but a +lustful rage----and they cannot be called governors, but public +grassators and land-judgments, which all ought to set themselves +against, as they would do against pestilence, sword, and famine raging +amongst them----Seeing they have stopped the course of law and justice +against blasphemers, idolaters, atheists, bougerers, sorcerers, +murderers, incestuous and adulterous persons--And have made butcheries +on the Lord's people, sold them as slaves, imprisoned, forefaulted &c. +and that upon no other account, but their maintaining Christ's right of +ruling over their consciences against the usurpations of men. Therefore, +easily solving the objections, (1.) Of our ancestors obliging the nation +to this race and line: That they did not buy their liberty with our +thraldom, nor could they bind their children to any thing so much to +their prejudice, and against natural liberty (being a benefit next to +life, if not in some regard above it) which is not as an engagement to +moral things: they could only bind to that government, which they +esteemed the best for common good, which reason ceasing, we are free to +choose another, if we find it more conducible for that end. (2.) Of the +covenant binding to defend the king: That this obligation is only in his +maintenance of the true covenanted religion--which homage they cannot +now require upon the account of the covenant, which they have renounced +and disclaimed; and upon no other ground we are bound to them--the crown +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 in them, 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 God's righteous judgments upon them--yet they cannot now be +believed, after they have violated all that human 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 +laws of the kingdom, taken away Christ's church-government, and changed +the civil into tyranny, where none are associate in partaking of the +government, but only these who will be found by justice guilty +criminals--and declare they shall, God giving power, set up government +and governors according to the word of God, and the qualifications +required Exod. xviii. verse 20.--And shall not commit the government to +any single person, or lineal succession, being not tied as the Jews were +to one single family--and that kind being liable to most inconveniences, +and aptest to degenerate into tyranny--and moreover, that these men set +over them shall be engaged to govern principally, by that civil and +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 and death--and other things, so far +as they reach, and are consistent with Christian liberty--exempting +divorces and polygamy--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 and given by virtue of that blasphemously arrogate +and usurped power--and appeared before their courts to accept of it, and +to be enacted and 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 down 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 regrets of men, when once brought under tyranny, +to recover their liberty again.--They declare they neither can nor will +hear them &c. nor any who encouraged and strengthened their hands, and +pleaded for them, and trafficked for union with them. 7. That they are +for a standing gospel ministry, rightly chosen and rightly ordained--and +that none shall take upon them the preaching of the word &c. unless +called and ordained thereunto--and whereas separation might be imputed +to them, they resell both the malice, and the ignorance of that +calumny--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 ministry, but +cleaving to the same ministers and ordinances, that formerly they +followed, when others have fled to new ways, and a new authority, which +is like the old piece in the new garment. 8. That they shall defend +themselves in their civil, natural, and divine rights and +liberties----and if any assault them, they shall look on it as a +declaring a war, and take all advantages that one enemy does of +another--but trouble and injure none but those that injure them.' This +is the compend of that paper which the enemies seized 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 own baseness in that paper truly +represented, I leave it to the reader to judge: or, if they did not +thereby proclaim their own tyranny, and the innocency and honesty of +that people, whom thereby they were seeking to make odious; but in +effect inviting all lovers of religion and liberty to sympathise with +them, in their difficulties and distresses there discovered. However +that poor party continued together in a posture of defence, without the +concurrence or countenance of their convenanted brethren, who staid at +home, and left both them to be murdered and their testimony to be +trampled upon, until the 22d of July 1680. Upon the which day they were +attacked 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 Zion's precious mourners, and +faithful witnesses of Christ were killed; and among the rest, that +faithful minister of Christ, Mr. Richard Cameron, sealed and 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 disowning the authority of +king and council, and all their tyrannical judicatories, was cruelly +murdered, but countenanced eminently of the Lord. Now remained Mr. +Donald Cargill, deprived of his faithful colleague, destitute of his +brethren's concurrence, but not of the Lord's counsel and conduct; by +which he was prompted and helped to prosecute the testimony against the +universal apostacy of the church and 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 +jealousy, provoked and threatening wrath against the land, for the sins +especially of rulers, who had arrived to the height of heaven-daring +insolence in all wickedness, in which they were still growing and going +on without controul; that notwithstanding of all the testimonies given +against them, by public preachings, protestations, and declarations, +remonstrating their tyranny, and disowning their authority; yet not only +did they still persist in their sins and scandals, to make the Lord's +fierce anger break forth into a flame, but were owned also by +professors, not only as magistrates, but as members of the christian and +protestant church; and that, however both the defensive arms of men had +been used against them, and the christian arms of prayer, and the +ministerial weapon of preaching, yet that of ecclesiastical censure had +not been authoritatively exerted against them: Therefore, that no weapon +which Christ allows his servants under his standard to manage against +his enemies, might be wanting, though he could not obtain the +concurrence of his brethren to strengthen the solemnity and formality of +the action, yet he did not judge that defect, in this broken case of the +church, could disable his authority, nor demur the duty, but that he +might and ought to proceed to excommunication. And accordingly in +September 1680, at the Torwood, he excommunicated some of the most +scandalous and principal promoters and abettors of this conspiracy +against Christ, as formally as the present case could admit: After +sermon upon Ezek. xxi. 25, 26, 27. 'And thou profane wicked prince of +Israel, whose day is come,' &c. He had a short and pertinent discourse +on the nature, the subject, the causes, and the ends of excommunication +in general: And then declared, that he was not led out of any private +spirit or passion to this action, but constrained by conscience of duty, +and zeal to God to stigmatize with this brand, and wound with the sword +of the Lord, these enemies of God that had so apostatized, rebelled +against, mocked, despised, and defied our Lord, and to declare them as +they are none of his, to be none of ours. 'The persons excommunicated; +and the sentence against them was given forth as follows: 'I being a +minister of Jesus Christ, and having authority and power from him, do, +in his name, and by his Spirit, excommunicate, cast out of the true +church, and deliver up to Satan, Charles the Second, king,' &c. The +sentence was founded upon these grounds, declared in the pronunciation +thereof, (1.) 'For his high mocking of God, in that after he had +acknowledged his own sins, his father's sins, his mother's idolatry, yet +he had gone on more avowedly in the same than all before him. (2.) For +his great perjury in breaking and burning the covenant. (3.) For his +rescinding all laws for establishing the reformation, and enacting laws +contrary thereunto. (4.) For commanding of armies to destroy the Lord's +people. (5.) For his being an enemy to true protestants, and helper of +the papists, and hindering the execution of just laws against them. (6.) +For his granting remissions and pardons for murderers, which is in the +power of no king to do, being expressly contrary to the law of God. (7.) +For his adulteries, and dissembling with God and man.' Next, by the same +authority, and in the same name, he excommunicated James duke of York, +'for his idolatry, and setting it up in Scotland to dedefile the land, +and enticing and encouraging others to do so:' Not mentioning any other +sins but what he scandalously persisted in in Scotland, &c. With several +other rotten malignant enemies, on whom the Lord hath ratified that +sentence since very remarkably, whole sins and punishments both may be +read more visible in the providences of the time, than I can record +them. But about this time, when amidst all the abounding defections and +divisions of that dark and dismal hour of temptation, some in zeal for +the cause were endeavouring to keep up the testimony of the day, in an +abstraction from complying ministers; others were left (in holy +judgment, to be a stumbling-block to the generation hardening them in +their defections, and to be a beacon to the most zealous to keep off +from all unwarrantable excesses) to fall into fearful extravagancies, +and delirious and damnable delusions, being overdriven with ignorant and +blind zeal into untrodden paths, which led them into a labyrinth of +darkness; when as they were stumbled at many ministers unfaithfulness, +so through the deceit of Satan, and the hypocrisy of his instruments, +they came to be offended at Mr. Cargil's faithfulness, who spared +neither left hand declensions, nor right hand extremes, and left him and +all the ministers; not only disowning all communion with those that were +not of their way, but execrating and cursing them; and kept themselves +in desert places from all company; where they persisted prodigiously in +fastings and singing psalms, pretending to wonderful raptures and +enthusiasms: and in fine, J. Gib, with four more of them came to that +height of blasphemy, that they burnt the Bible and Confession of Faith. +These were the 'sweet singers,' as they were called, led away into these +delusions by that impostor and sorcerer, John Gib, who never encreased +to such a number, as was then feared and reported, being within thirty, +and most part women: all which for the most part have been through mercy +reclaimed from that destructive way, which through grace the reproached +remnant, adhering to the foresaid testimony, had always an abhorrence +of. Wherefore that ignorant and impudent calumny, of their consortship +with Gib's followers, is only the vent of viperous envy. For they were +the first that discovered them, and whose pains the Lord blessed in +reclaiming them, and were always so far from partaking with them, that +to this day these that have come off from that way, and have offered the +confession of their scandal, do still complain of their over rigid +severity, in not admitting them to their select fellowships. To which +may be added this undeniable demonstration, that whereas the persecuting +courts of inquisition did always extend the utmost severity against the +owners of this testimony, yet they spared them: And the duke of York, +then in Scotland, was so well pleased with Gib's blasphemies, that he +favoured him extraordinarily, and freely dismissed him. This was a +cloudy and dark day, but not without a burning and shining light as long +as that faithful minister of Christ, Mr. Donald Cargil, was following +the work of the Lord; who shortly after this finished his testimony, +being apprehended with other two faithful and zealous witnesses of +Christ, Mr. Walter Smith, and Mr. James Boog, who with two more were +altogether, at Edinburgh, 27 July, 1681, crowned with the glory of +martyrdom. Then came the day of the remnant's vexation, trouble, +darkness and dimness of anguish, wherein whoso looked unto the land +could see nothing but darkness and sorrow, and the light darkened in the +heavens thereof, wherein neither star nor sun appeared for many days, +and poor people were made to grope for the wall like the blind, and to +stumble in noon-day as in the night. While the persecution advanced on +the one hand, a violent spait of defection carried down the most part of +ministers and professors before it, driving them to courses of sinful +and scandalous conformings with the time's corruptions, compearings +before their courts, complyings with their commands, paying of their +cesses and other exactions, taking of their oaths and bonds, and +countenancing their prelatical church-services, which they were ashamed +to do before: and thereupon on the other hand the divisions and +confusions were augmented, and poor people that desired to cleave to the +testimony were more and more offended and stumbled at the ministers, +who, either left the land in that clamant call of the people's +necessity, or lurked in their own retirements, and declined the duty of +that day, leaving people to determine themselves in all their +perplexities, as a prey to all temptations. But the tender Pastor and +Shepherd of Israel, who leads the blind in the way they know not, did +not forsake a remnant in that hour of temptation who kept the word of +his patience; and as He helped those that fell into the hands of enemies +to witness a good confession, so He strengthened the zeal of the +remaining contenders, against all the machinations of adversaries to +crush it, and all the methods of backsliding professors to quench it. +And the mean which most effectually preserved it in life and vigour, was +the expedient they fell upon of corresponding in general meetings, to +consult, inform, and confirm, one another about common duties in common +dangers, for preservation of the remnant from the destruction and +contagion of the times, and propagation of the testimony: laying down +this general conclusion for a foundation of order, to be observed among +them in incident doubtful cases, and emergent controversies, that +nothing relative to the public, and which concerns the whole of their +community, be done by any of them, without harmonious consent sought +after and rationally waited for, and sufficient deliberation about the +means and manner. In the mean time, the duke of York, as commissioner +from his brother, held a parliament wherein he presided, not only +against all righteous laws that make a bloody and avowed papist +incapable of such a trust, but against the letter of their own wicked +laws, whereby none ought to be admitted but such as swear the oaths; yet +not only was he constitute in this place, but in the whole +administration of the government of Scotland without the taking any +oath, which then he was courting to be entailed successor and heir of +the crown thereof; and for this end made many pretences of flatteries, +and feigned expressions of love, and of doing many acts of kindness to +that ancient kingdom, as he hath made many dissembling protestations of +it since, for carrying on his own popish and tyrannical designs: but +what good-will he hath borne to it, not only his acts and actings +written in characters of the blood of innocents declare, but his words +do witness, which is known when and to whom he spake, when he said, It +would never be well till all on the southside of Forth were made a +hunting field. However in that parliament, anno 1681, he is chiefly +intended, and upon the matter by a wicked act declared legal and lineal +successor, and a detestable blasphemous and self-contradictory test is +framed for a pest to consciences, which turned out of all places of +trust any that had any remaining measure of common honesty; and when +some was speaking of a bill for securing religion in case of a popish +prince, the duke's answer was notable, that whatsoever they intended or +prepared against papists should light upon others: whereby we may +understand what measures we may expect, when his designs are ripe. And +to all the cruel acts then and before made against the people of God, +there was one superadded regulating the execution of all the rest, +whereby at one dash all civil and criminal justice was overthrown, and a +foundation laid for popish tyranny, that the right of jurisdiction both +in civil and criminal matters is so inherent in the crown, that his +majesty may judge all causes by himself, or any other he thinks fit to +commissionate. Here was law for commissionating soldiers to take away +the lives of innocents, as was frequently exemplified afterwards, and +may serve hereafter for erecting the Spanish inquisition to murder +protestants when he thinks fit to commissionate them. Against which +wicked encroachments on religion and liberty, the faithful thought +themselves obliged to emit a testimony: and therefore published a +declaration at Lanark, January 12. 1682. Confirming the preceeding at +Sanquhar, and adding reasons of their revolt from the government of +Charles the second. 1. 'For cutting off the neck at one blow of the +noble constitution of church and state, and involving all officers in +the kingdom in the same perjury with himself. 2. For exalting himself +into a sphere exceeding all measures divine and human, tyrannically +obtruding his will for a law in his arbitrary letters, so that we are +made the reproach of nations, who say, we have only the law of letters +instead of the letter of the law. 3. For his constant adjourning and +dissolving parliaments at his pleasure. 4. For his arrogantly arrogated +supremacy in all causes civil and ecclesiastic, and oppressing the godly +for conscience and duty. 5. For his exorbitant taxings, cessings, and +grinding the faces of the poor, dilapidating the rights and revenues of +the crown, for no other end but to employ them for keeping up a brothel +rather than a court. 6. For installing a successor, such an one (if not +worse) as himself, contrary to all law, reason, and religion, and +framing the test, &c. And in end offer to prove, they have done nothing +in this against our ancient laws, civil or ecclesiastic--but only +endeavoured to extricate themselves from under a tyrannous yoke, and to +reduce church and state to what they were in the year 1648 and 1649.' +After which declaration, they were more condemned by them that were at +ease than ever, and very untenderly dealt with; being without any +previous admonition reproached, accused, and informed against, both at +home and abroad, as if they had turned to some wild and unhappy course. +For which cause, in the next general meeting, they resolved to delegate +some of their number to foreign churches, on purpose to vindicate +themselves from these calumnies, and to represent the justness of their +cause, and the sadness of their case, and provoke them to some sympathy +abroad, which was then denied at home: and withal to provide for a +succession of witnesses, who might maintain the testimony, which was +then in appearance interrupted, except by martyrdom and sufferings. +Therefore by that means having obtained access for the instruction of +some young men, at an university in the united provinces, in process of +time, Mr. James Renwick received ordination there, and came home to take +up the standard of his master, upon the ground where it last was left, +and to carry on the testimony against all the oppositions of that day, +from open enemies and backsliding professors: an undertaking more +desperate-like than that _Unus Athanasius contra totam orbem_, and like +that of a child threshing down a mountain. Which yet against all the +outrageous rage of ravening enemies, ranging, ravaging, hunting, +chasing, pursuing after him, through all the towns, villages, cottages, +woods, moors, mosses, and mountains of the country; and against all the +scourge of tongues, contradictions, condemnations, obliquies, +reproaches, and cruel mockings of incensed professors, and generally of +all the inhabitants of the land; he was helped to prosecute, by many +weary wanderings, travels, and traversings thro' the deserts, night and +day, preaching, conferring, and catechising, mostly in the cold +winter-nights in the open fields: until, by the blessing of God upon his +labours, not only was the faithful witnessing remnant that joined in the +testimony, further cleared, confirmed, and encouraged, and their number +much increased by the coming in and joining of many others to the +fellowship of their settled societies; but also many others, in other +places of the country were induced to the contracting themselves in the +like, to the settling such fellowships in most of the southern shires. +But then the fury of persecutors began to flame more flagrantly than +ever; not only in sending out cruel soldiers, foot, horse and dragoons, +habitually fleshed in, and filled with the blood of the saints, to hunt, +hound, chase, and pursue after them, and seek them out of all their dens +and hiding-holes, in the wildest glens, fens, and remotest recesses in +the wilderness; but emitting edicts allowing them to kill, slay, hang, +drown, and destroy such as they could apprehend of them _pro libitu_; +and commanding the country to assist them, in raising the hue and cry +after them, and not to refer, harbour, supply, or correspond any manner +of way with them, under the hazard and pain of being liable to the same +punishment. Whereby the country was harassed and spoiled in searching +after them, and many villains were stirred up to give informations and +intelligence of these wanderers wherever they saw them, or learned +where they were. Hence followed such a slaughter and seizure of them, +that common people usually date their common occurrences since, from +that beginning of killing time, as they call it. For which cause, to +preserve themselves from, and put a stop to that deluge of blood, and +demur and deter the insolency of intelligencers and informers, they were +necessitate to publish the Apologetical Relation, and affix it upon +several market-crosses and parish-doors, November 8, 1684. Wherein they +'declare their firm resolution, of constant adherence to their covenants +and engagements, and to the declarations disowning the authority of +Charles Stewart. And to testify to the world, that they purpose not to +injure or offend any whomsoever, but to pursue the ends of their +covenants, in standing to the defence of the work of reformation, and of +their own lives; yet, if any shall stretch forth their hand against +them, by shedding their blood actually, either by authoritative +commanding or obeying such commands, to search for them, and deliver +them up to the spilling of their blood, to inform against them, to raise +the hue and cry after them, and delate them before their courts. All +these shall be reputed by them enemies to God and the covenanted +reformation, and punished as such, according to their power and the +degree of their offence, if they shall continue so maliciously to +proceed against them; and declare, they abhor and condemn any personal +attempt, upon any pretext whatsomever, without previous deliberation, +common or competent consent, without certain probation by sufficient +witnesses, the guilty person's confession, or the notourness of the +deeds themselves; and in the end warn the bloody Doegs, and flattering +Ziphites informing against them, to expect to be dealt with as they deal +with them.' This declaration, though it occasioned greater trials to +them and trouble to the country, by the courts of inquisition, pressing +an oath abjuring the same universally upon all, as well women as men, +and suffering none to travel without a pass, declaring they had taken +that oath: yet it was so far effectual, as to scare many from their +former diligence in informing against them, and to draw out some to join +with the wanderers more publicly, even when the danger was greatest of +owning any respect to them. But at length in the top and height of their +insulting insolency, and heat of their brutish immanity and barbarous +cruelty, designing to cut off the very name of that remnant, the king of +terrors (a terror to kings) cut off that supreme author and authorizer +of these mischiefs, Charles the Second, by the suspicious intervention +of an unnatural hand as the instrument thereof. Wherein much of the +justice of God was to be observed, and of his faithfulness verified, +that 'bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days.' His +bloody violence was recompensed with the unnatural villany of his +brother, and his unparalleled perfidy was justly rewarded with the most +ungrate and monstrous treachery of a parricide: for all the numerous +brood of his adulterous and incestuous brats, begotten of other men's +wives, and of his numerous multitude of whores at home and abroad, yea +of his own sister too, he died a childless pultron, and had the +unlamented burial of an ass, without a successor save him that murdered +him: and for all his hypocritical pretensions to a protestant +profession, he not only received absolution and extreme unction from a +popish priest at his death, but drunk his death in a popish potion, +contrived by his own dear brother that succeeded him; impatiently +longing to accomplish that conspiracy of reintraducing popery, wherein +the other moved too slowly, and passionately resenting Charles's vow, to +suffer the murder of the earl of Essex to come to a trial (which was +retorted by the reiterated solicitations of some, who offered to +discover by whom it was contrived and acted) which made the duke's +guilty conscience to dread a detection of his deep accession to it: +whereupon the potion quickly after prepared, put a stop to that, and an +end to his life, Feb. 6, 1685. Of which horrid villany time will +disclose the mystery, and give the history when it shall be seasonable. + +IV. The former persecution and tyranny, mainly promoted by the duke of +York's instigation, did not only oppress the poorer sort, but reached +also the greatest of the nobility and gentry in both kingdoms. In +Scotland, the earl of Argyle was arraigned and condemned for his +explanation of the test, but escaped out of the castle of Edinburgh, +_anno_ 1681. And after him several gentlemen were arbitrarily oppressed +and troubled, upon the act of intercommuning with rebels, and for a +pretended plot against the government (as they called it) but really +because they knew these gentlemen had a desire, and would design to +preserve the nation, which they were seeking to destroy, and would +counteract their wicked projects to advance popery and tyranny upon the +ruins of the nation's interest. For which cause they left their native +country, to seek safety and quiet abroad. And in England, upon the same +pretences, the lord Russel was murdered by law, and the earl of Essex by +a razor in the Tower, in a morning when the king and duke of York came +to pay it a visit. And many other gentlemen lost either their lives or +fortunes, upon the same grounds of opposing the duke's designs: which +made many resort to the United Provinces. Where they, with the Scots +gentlemen, as soon as they heard of the death of Charles II. and of the +ascending of James duke of York, a notorious and bigot papist, to the +throne, associating themselves in counsel, to essay some diversion and +opposition to the present current of tyranny and popery, threatening the +ruin of both nations; resolved and agreed upon the declaring a war +against that usurper and all his complices. And in order thereunto, +having provided themselves with arms, concluded that a certain number +should, under the conduct of James duke of Monmouth, direct their course +for England, for managing the war there: And others to go for the same +ends to Scotland, under the conduct of Archibald earl of Argyle, their +chosen captain. Whereupon in a short time they arrived at Orkney, where +two gentlemen of their company going ashore, were taken prisoners, and +carried to Edinburgh; whereby the country was alarmed, and a huge host +gathered to oppose them. From thence they went to the West Highlands, +where encreasing to the number of about 2000 men, they traversed to and +again about Kintyre and Bute, and other places in the Highlands, for six +or seven weeks, until many of their men ran away, and the rest were much +straitened for want of victuals, their passage by sea was blocked up by +ships of war, and by land with their numerous enemies, who got time to +gather and strengthen themselves, whereby their friends were frustrate +and more oppressed, and themselves kept little better than prisoners, +till their spirits were wearied and worn out, and all hope lost. At +length the earl determined, when out of time, to leave the Highlands, +and the ships, cannons, arms, and ammunition at Island Craig, and +marched towards Dumbarton, crossing the water of Leven about three miles +above it. Next morning near Duntreith, they discovered a party of the +enemy, and faced towards them, but they retired. And then directed their +course towards Glasgow, were intercepted by a body of the enemy's army: +where they drew up in battalia one against another, and stood in arms +till the evening, a water being betwixt them. But Argyle's party, +perceiving that their enemies were above ten times their number, and +that themselves were wearied out with a long and tedious march, want of +victuals and sleep, resolved to withdraw: but as soon as it grew dark, +all hope lost, they dispersed, every man shifting for himself; only a +few keeping together all the next day, had a skirmish with a party of +the enemies, in which they slew the captain, and about 12 or some more +of his men, and afterwards they dispersed themselves also. The enemies, +searching the country, gleaned up the earl of Argyle himself, colonel +Rumbol an Englishman, Mr. Thomas Archer minister, Gavin Russel, and +David Law, who were all condemned and executed at Edinburgh, and many +others who were banished to America: and about some 20 in the Highlands, +who were hanged at Inveraray. In England, the duke of Monmouth's +expedition, though it had more action, yet terminated in the same +success, the loss of many hundred lives, many killed in battle: and +afterwards, by the mercy of the duke of York, several hundreds in the +west of England were carried about, and hanged before the doors of their +own 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 cruelty. This was the commencement of the present +tyrant's government. In the mean time, the wanderers in Scotland, though +they did not associate with this expedition upon the account of the too +promiscuous admittance of persons to trust in that party, 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 Sanquhar, +May 28, 1685. 'Wherein approving and adhering unto all their former +declarations, and considering that James Duke of York, a profest and +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 James duke of York as king: in regard that it is the +chusing of a murderer to be a governor, who hath shed the blood of the +saints--that it is the height of confederacy with an idolater, forbidden +by the law of God--contrary to the declaration of the general assembly +of the church, July 27, 1649. And contrary to many wholesome and +laudable acts of parliament----and inconsistent with the safety, faith, +conscience, and christian liberty of a Christian people, to chuse a +subject of antichrist to be their supreme magistrate----and to instruct +an enemy to the work and people of God with the interests of both: and +upon many important grounds and reasons (which there they express) they +protest against the validity and constitution of that parliament, +approving and ratifying the foresaid proclamation.----And against all +kind of popery in general and particular heads----as abjured by the +national covenant, and abrogated by acts of parliament----and against +its entry again into this land, and every thing that doth or may +directly or indirectly make way for the same: disclaiming likewise all +sectarianism, malignancy, and any confederacy therewith.'----This was +their testimony against popery in the season thereof: which though 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 mystery and conspiracy of popery and tyranny, +twisted together in the present design of antichrist, had made so great +a progress, and was evidently brought above board, they were left to let +slip this opportunity of a testimony also, to the reproach of the +declining and 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 soldiery, and such as had no profession of religion, suffered +unto death for speaking against popery and the designs of the king, +while the ministers were silent. And some of the curates, 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 and +dolorous reflections, and yet in candour 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 conveyed in a channel of pretended +clemency, offering a sort of liberty, but really introducing a +licentious latitude, for bringing in all future snares by taking off +some former, as arbitrarily as before they were imposed, in a +proclamation, dated Feb. 12, 1687. 'Granting by the king's sovereign +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 and under the several +conditions, restrictions, and 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 allenerly, and none other: and that +there be nothing said or done contrary to the well and 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 is his royal will and +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 laws made against them----in like manner +tolerating the quakers to meet and exercise in their form, in any place +or places appointed for their worship----and by the same absolute power, +foresaid, suspending, stopping, and disabling all laws or acts of +parliament, customs or constitutions against any Roman catholic +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, +and discharging all oaths whatsoever, and tests, and laws enjoining +them. And in place of them this oath only is to be taken----I A.B. do +acknowledge, testify, and declare that James the VII. &c. is rightful +king and supreme governor of these realms, and over all persons therein; +and that it is unlawful for subjects, on any pretence or for any cause +whatsoever, to rise in arms against him, or any commissionated by him; +and that I shall never so rise in arms nor assist any who shall so do; +and that I shall never resist his power or authority, nor ever oppose +his authority to his person--but shall to the utmost of my power assist, +defend, and maintain him, his heirs and lawful successors, in the +exercise of their absolute power and authority against all deadly--and +by the same absolute power giving his full and ample indemnity, to all +the foresaid sorts of people, under the foresaid restrictions.' Here is +a proclamation for a prince: that proclaims him in whose name it is +emitted, to be the greatest tyrant that ever lived in the world, and +their revolt who have disowned him to be the justest that ever was. For +herein that monster of prerogative is not only advanced, paramount to +all laws divine and human, but far surmounting all the lust, impudence, +and insolence of all the Roman, Sicilian, Turkish, Tartarian, or Indian +tyrants that ever trampled upon the liberties of mankind: who have +indeed demanded absolute subjection, and surrender of their lives, +lands, and liberties at their pleasure, but never arrived at such a +height of arrogance as this does, to claim absolute obedience, without +reserve of conscience, religion, honour, or reason; not only that which +ignorantly is called passive, never to resist him, not only on any +pretence, but for cause, even though he should command his popish +janissaries to murder and massacre all protestants, which is the tender +mercy and burning fervent charity of papists; but also of absolute +active obedience without reserve, to assist, defend, and maintain him in +every thing, whereby he shall be pleased to exercise his absolute power, +though he should command to burn the Bible as well as the covenant (as +already he applauded John Gib in doing of it) and to burn and butcher +all that will not go to mass, which we have all grounds to expect will +be the end of his clemency at last. Herein he claims a power to command +what he will, and obliging subjects to obey whatsoever he will command: +a power to rescind, stop, and disable all laws; which unhinges all +stability and unsettles all the security of human society, yea +extinguishes all that remains of natural liberty: wherein, as is well +observed by the author of the representation of the threatening dangers +impending over protestants page 53. 'It is very natural to observe, that +he allows the government, under which we were born, and to which we were +sworn, to be hereby subverted and changed, and that thereupon we are not +only absolved and acquitted from all allegiance to him, but +indispensibly obliged, by the ties and engagements that are upon us, to +apply ourselves to the use of all means and endeavours against him, as +an enemy of the people and subverter of the legal government.' But this +was so gross, and grievously gripping in its restrictions, as to +persons, as to the place, as to the matter allowed the presbyterians in +preaching, that it was disdained of all; and therefore he behoved to +busk it better, and mend the matter, in a letter to the council (the +supreme law of Scotland) bearing date March 31. 1687. of this +tenor--'Whereas we did recommend to you to take care, that any of the +presbyterians should not be allowed to preach, but such only as should +have your allowance for the same, and that they at the receiving the +indulgence should take the oath contained in the proclamation----these +are therefore to let you know, that thereby we meant such of them as did +not solemnly take the test; but if nevertheless the presbyterian +preachers do scruple to take the said oath, or any other oath +whatsoever, and that you shall find it reasonable or fit to grant them +or any of them our said indulgence, so as they desire it upon these +terms, it is now our will and pleasure----to grant them our said +indulgence, without being obliged to take the oath, with power unto them +to enjoy the benefit of the said indulgence (during our pleasure only) +or so long as you shall find they behave themselves regularly and +peaceably, without giving any cause of offence to us, or any in +authority or trust under us in our government.'----Thus finding the +former proposal not adequately apportioned to his design, because of its +palpable odiousness, he would pretend his meaning was mistaken (though +it was manifest enough) and mitigate the matter by taking away of the +oaths altogether, if any should scruple it; whereas he could not but +know, that all that had sense would abhor it: yet it is clogged with the +same restrictions, limited to the same persons, characterized more +plainly and peremptorily, with an addition of cautions, not only that +they shall not say or do any thing contrary to the well and peace of his +reign seditious or treasonable, but also that they behave themselves +regularly and peaceably without giving any cause of offence to him or +any under him; which comprehends lesser offences than sedition or +treason, even every thing that will displease a tyrant and a papist, +that is, all faithfulness in seasonable duties or testimonies. But at +length lest the deformity and disparity of the proclamation for the +toleration in Scotland, and the declaration for liberty of conscience in +England, should make his pretences to conscience suspect of +disingenuity, and lest it should be said he had one conscience for +England and another for Scotland; therefore he added a third eik to the +liberty, but such as made it still an ill favoured patched project to +destroy religion and true liberty, in another proclamation dated at +Windsor, June 28, 1687, wherein he says--'Taking into our royal +consideration, the sinistrous interpretations, which either have or may +be made of some restrictions (mentioned in the last) we have thought fit +by this further to declare, that we will protect our arch bishops, &c. +And we do likewise, by our sovereign authority, prerogative-royal, and +absolute power, suspend, stop, and disable, all penal and sanguinary +laws; made against any for non-conformity to the religion established by +law in that our ancient kingdom----to the end, that by the liberty +thereby granted the peace and security of our government in the practice +thereof may not be endangered, we hereby strictly charge all our loving +subjects, that as we do give them leave to meet and serve God after +their own way, in private houses, chapels, or places purposely hired or +built for that use, so that they take care that nothing be preached or +taught, which may any way tend to alienate the hearts of our people from +us and our government, and that their meetings be peaceably and publicly +held, and all persons freely admitted to them, and that they do signify +and make known to some one or more of the next privy counsellors, +sheriffs, stewards, bailiffs, justices of the peace, or magistrates of +burghs royal, what place or places they set apart for these uses, with +the names of the preachers----provided always that the meetings be in +houses, and not in the open fields for which now after this our royal +grace and favour (which surpasses the hopes, and equals the very wishes +of the most zealously concerned) there is not the least shadow of excuse +left: which meeting in the fields we do hereby strictly prohibit and +forbid, against all which we do leave our laws and acts of parliament in +full force and vigour, notwithstanding the premises; and do further +command all our judges, magistrates, and 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 +and freedoms, given to all without reserve to serve God in their own +way, presume to meet in these assemblies, except such as make a pretence +of religion to cover their treasonable designs against our royal person +and 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 laws, constitutional oaths, and covenants wherewith it +was formerly confirmed. This is the only patent which the royal dawties, +the moderate presbyterians, have now received to ensure their enjoyment +of it _durante bene placito_, during his pleasure whole faith is as +absolute over all ties of promises, as his power from whence it flows is +over all laws; 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 and wishes and zeal are terminate +upon peace rather than truth, case 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 corresponds with their +jealousies, who put the same interpretation upon it as on all the former +indulgences, indemnities and tolerations, proceeding from the same +fountain, and designed for the same sinistrous ends with this, which +they look upon as more openly and obviously antichristian: and +therefore, while others are rejoicing under the bramble-shadow of it, +they think it a cause of weeping and 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, though 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 though 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 laws and liberties of +the country, all overturned and 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 and +treasonable designs against the government on pretence of religion, I +trust it shall be made evident to the conviction of all that know +religion, that their designs are to preserve it, in opposition to the +tyranny that goes about all these ways 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 own place: here I shall only say, +none that are 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 and 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, and 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 and practice professedly treacherous, yea, obliged to be +both perfidious and 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 +and 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, and treacheries +imaginable; and that lateran canon, that enjoins kings 'to destroy and +extirpate 'hereticks, under pain of excommunication,' does oblige them +to be cruel; besides what deep engagements he is known to be under by +oaths and promises to the pope, both in his exile, and while a subject, +and since he came to the crown; 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 believed, +for there are seven abominations in his heart. Of which open and +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, and to +their neighbours in christian love, and that it never was his principle +to offer violence to any man's 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 crown; +and that it hath been his constant sense and opinion, that 'conscience +ought not to be constrained, nor people forced to matters of mere +religion.' To which his uninterrupted endeavours to divide us from God, +and from one another, that he might the more easily destroy us, and his +constant encroachments upon laws, liberties, and properties, and all +interests of men and 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 mere religion; by which he may elude all these flattering promises of +tenderness, by excepting at the most necessary and indispensible duties, +if either they be such wherein any other interest is concerned, beside +mere religion, or if their troubles sustained thereupon be not +altogether invincible necessities. Hence the plain falsehood and +doubleness of his assertions as to what is past, may give ground to +conclude his intended perfidy in the promises of what is future. Next, +it is known what his practice and plots have been for the destruction of +all honest and precious interests; what a deep hand he had in the +burning of London, in the popish plot discovered in 1678, in the murder +of the earl of Essex, yea in the parricide committed upon his own +brother. By all which it appears, nothing is so abominable and barbarous +which he hath not a conscience that will swallow and digest without a +scruple; and what he hath done of this kind must be but preparatory to +what he intends, as meritorious to atone for these villanies. And in his +esteem and persuasion of papists, nothing is thought more meritorious +than to extirpate 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 and exercise of +their religion under the shadow of such a bramble. If it was the +Shechemites sin and 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 well as peace, from such a +monster of cruelty and treachery. 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 +Montrose's case. See page 107 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 votary and vassal of antichrist: who, as the letter from +the Jesuits in Liege lately published in print, tells us, is resolved +'either to convert England to popery, or die a martyr,' and again that +he stiles himself 'a son of the society of Jesuits, and will account +every injury done to them to be a wrong done against himself;' being +known to be under the conduct and 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 yields absolute obedience as well as implicit faith +without reserve, to the Jesuits. Such a bigot was Mary of England (as +also his great grand dame of Scotland if she had got her will;) and his +bigotry will make him emulous of her cruelty, as counting it a +diminution of his glory, for such a champion as he under antichrist's +banner to come short of a woman's 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 Mediator's malediction; yea in this respect is heir to +his grandfather's imprecations, 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's 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 and confederacies with such enemies. See +Gillespie's useful Case of Conscience concerning associations, hinted +page 109, and more head 3. argument 1. But to accept of this liberty as +now offered were a bargaining; for where there is a giving and receiving +upon certain conditions, where there are demands and compliance; +commands and obedience, promises and reliance, offers upon terms, and +acquiescence in these terms, what is there wanting to a bargain, but the +mere 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 and improven from enemies of +religion: and so do the wanderers now take it and improve it to the +best advantage, without receiving it by acquiescing in any terms. 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 filthy +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 i. But who sees not the disparity in +every respect? Cyrus at his very first entry into the government did lay +out himself for the church's 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 and corroborate his prerogative, and then by virtue of that to +dispense with all penal laws: 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 church's 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 +popery by this gate and 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 God's authority but man's, +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 and ratified, and confirmed with so +many reasons, and sealed by so much blood, bonds, banishment, and other +sufferings, to own or acknowledge his authority which is mere usurpation +and tyranny; in that by the laws of the land he is incapable of +government, and that he had neither given nor can give, without an +hypocritical and damning cheat, the oath and security indispensibly +required of him before and at his entry to the government. Yet this +liberty cannot be complied with, without recognizing his authority that +he arrogates in giving it: seeing he tenders it to all his good +subjects, and gives it by his sovereign authority, and to the end that +by the liberty thereby granted, the peace and 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 +such 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 owning of the +government out of duty, but an union and joining with it and him by +inclination, which is a cordial confederacy with God's enemy, and a +co-operating to the establishment of his tyranny; that the peace and +security thereof may not be endangered. And in his former proclamation, +he gives them the same security for their rights and properties, which +he gives for religion; and in the English declaration, addeth that to +the perfect enjoyment of their property, 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 and law +which is hereby infringed, and to acknowledge not only the liberty of +religion, the right of property to be his grant: which when ever it is +removed, there must remain no more character for it, but stupid slavery +entailed upon posterity, and pure and perfect tyranny transmitted to +them. The sin and absurdity whereof may be seen demonstrated, head 2. + +4. Considering the fountain whence it flows, they cannot defile +themselves with it. In the English declaration, it flows from the royal +will and pleasure which speaks a domination despotical and arbitrary +enough, but more gently expressed than in the Scots proclamation; when +it is refounded on sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and absolute +power: proclaiming by sound of trumpet a power paramount to all law, +reason, and religion, and outvying the height of Ottoman tyranny: a +power which all are to obey without reserve: a power to tolerate or +restrain the protestant religion, according to his royal will or +pleasure: an absolute power which cannot be limited by laws, 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 popery, which then must be complied with without +controul. 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 dissolves all government, and all security for religion and +liberty, and all the precious interests of men and Christians: Which to +acknowledge, were contrary to scripture, contrary to reason, and +contrary to the principles of the church of Scotland, particularly the +declaration of the general assembly, July 27, 1649. See page 117, &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, +and disables all penal laws against papists, and thereby averts all the +securities and legal bulwarks that protestants can have for the +establishment of their religion; yea in effect leaves no laws in force +against any that shall attempt the utter subversion of it, but ratifies +and leaves in full vigour all wicked laws and acts of parliament, +against such as would most avowedly assert it; and stops and disables +none of the most cruel and bloody laws against protestants: for the most +cruel are such as have been made against field-meetings, which are +hereby left in full force and vigour. Hence as he hath formally by +absolute power suspended all laws made for the protection of our +religion, so he may when he will dispense with all the laws 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 laws, rights, and liberties, which is contrary to reason as +well as religion, and a clear breach of the national and solemn league +and 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 loyalty and to their +neighbours in love, as in the former proclamation; and that by the +liberty granted the peace and 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 and worker, to wit, to incline and induce us by flattery to a +lawless loyalty, and a stupid contented slavery when he cannot compel us +by force, and make us actively co-operate in setting and settling his +tyranny, in the peaceable possession of all his usurpations, robberies, +and encroachments upon our religion, laws, and liberties, and to +incorporate us with Babylon; for who 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 believed of any in +it, viz. that he heartily wishes that all the people of these dominions +were members of the catholic church: which clearly insinuates, that +hereby he would entice them to commit fornication with that mother of +harlots; which enticing to idolatry (if we consult the scripture) should +meet with another sort of entertainment than such a kind and thankful +acceptance, which is not an opposing of such a wicked wish, but an +encouraging and corroborating of it. And further he says, that all the +former tract of persecutions never obtained the end for which it was +employed; for after all the frequent and pressing endeavours that were +used, to reduce this kingdom to an exact conformity in religion, it is +visible the success has not answered the design, and that the difficulty +is invincible. Wherein we may note his extorted acknowledgment, that all +former endeavours to destroy the work of God have been successless, +which induces him to try another method, to which this acceptance is +very subservient, to wit, to destroy us and our religion by flatteries, +and by peace to overturn truth, and by the subversion of laws to open a +door to let in popery and all abominations. But what is more obscurely +expressed in his words, is more visibly obvious in his works, to all +that will not willingly wink at them; discovering clearly the end of +this liberty is not for the glory of God, nor the advantage of truth, or +the church's edification, nor intended as a benefit to protestants; but +for a pernicious design, by gratifying a few of them in a pretended +favour to rob all of them of their chiefest interests, religion, laws, +rights, and liberties, which he could not otherwise effectuate but by +this arbitrary way; for if he could have obtained his designs by law: he +would never have talked of lenity or liberty, but having no legal ends, +he behoved to compass them by illegal means. They must then be very +blind who do not see, his drift is, first to get in all popish officers +in places of public trust, by taking off the penal laws disabling them +for the same; then to advance his absoluteness over all laws, in a way +which will be best acknowledged and acquiesced in by people, till he be +so strengthened in it that he fears no control; and then to undermine +and overturn the protestant religion, and establish popery and idolatry: +which he is concerned the more violently to pursue, because he is now +growing old, and therefore must make haste, lest he leave the papists in +a worse condition than he found them: which, to be sure, the papists are +aware of, and their conscious fears of the nation's resentments of their +villanies will prompt them, as long as they have such a patron, to all +vigilance and violence in playing their game; and withal, hereby he may +intend to capacitate himself for subduing the Dutch, against whom he +hath given many indications of a hostile mind of old and of late; not +only in hiring two rascals to burn the Amsterdam-fleet heretofore, but +in stirring up and protecting the Algerine pirates against them; so +universal a protector is he become of late, that Papists and +Protestants, Turks and Jews are shrouded under the shadow of his +patrociny, but with a design to destroy the best, when his time comes. +Which cursed designs cannot be counteracted, but very much strengthened +by this acceptance. + +7. Considering the effects already produced thereby, they cannot but +abhor it. Seeing the eyes of all that are tender may afflict their +hearts, observing how the papists are hereby encouraged and encreased in +numbers, the whole nation overflowed with their hellish locusts, and all +places filled with priests and Jesuits, yea the executive power of the +government put into the hands of the Romanists, and on the other hand +how the people are endangered with their abounding and prevailing errors +(to which the Lord may and will give up those that have not received +the love of the truth) truth is fallen in the streets and equity cannot +enter, a testimony against antichrist is abandoned and laid aside as +unseasonable, the edge of zeal for the interest of Christ is blunted and +its fervour extinguished, they that should stand in the gap and upon the +watch tower are laid aside form all opposition to the invasions of the +enemy, and lulled asleep by this bewitching charm and intoxicating +opium, ministers and, professors are generally settling on their lees +and languishing in a fatal security, defection is carried on, division +promoted, and destruction is imminent. Is it not then both a part of the +witness of the faithful, and of their wisdom to stand aloof from such a +plague, that hath such destructive effects? + +8. Considering the nature and name of this pretended liberty, they +cannot but disdain it as most dishonourable to the cause of Christ. It +is indeed the honour of kings and happiness of people, to have true +human and Christian liberty established in the common wealth, that is, +liberty of persons from slavery; liberty of privileges from tyranny, and +liberty of conscience from all impositions of men; consisting in a +freedom from the doctrines, traditions, and commandments of men against +or beside the word of God in the free enjoyment of gospel ordinances in +purity and power, and in the free observance and establishment of all +his institutions of doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, in +subordination to the only rule of conscience, the revealed will of its +only lawgiver Jesus Christ. When this is ratified as a right by the +sanction of approven authority, and countenanced and encouraged as +religion, by the confirmation of laws, approving whatsoever is commanded +by the God of heaven to be done for the house of the God of heaven +(which is the full amount of all magistrates authority) then we are +obliged to accept of it with all thankful acceptation. But such a +liberty, as overturns our rights, our privileges, our laws, our +religion, and tolerates it only under the notion of a crime, and +indemnifies it under the notion of a fault to be pardoned, and allows +the exercise thereof only in part so and so modified, cannot be accepted +by any to whom the reproach thereof is a burden, and to whom the +reproaches of Christ are in esteem, in such a day, when even the hoofs +of Christ's interest buried in bondage are to be contended for. Whatever +liberty this may be to some consciences, it is none to the tender +according to the rule of conscience, it is only a toleration which is +always of evil: for that which is good cannot be tolerated under the +notion of good, but countenanced and encouraged as such. Therefore this +reflects upon our religion, when a toleration is accepted which implies +such a reproach: and the annexed indemnity and pardon tacitely condemns +the profession thereof as a fault or crime, which no Christian can bear +with or by his acceptance homologate these reproaches, if he consider +the nature of it: and much more will he be averse from it, if he +consider how dishonourable it is to God (whatever some addresses, +particularly the presbyterians at London, have blasphemously alledged, +that God is hereby restored to his empire over the conscience) since the +granter, after he hath robbed the Mediator of his supremacy and given it +away to antichrist, and God of his supremacy imperial as universal king +by a claim of absolute power peculiar to him, he hath also robbed him of +his empire over the conscience, in giving every man the empire over his +own conscience, which he reserves a power to retract whom he pleases. + +9. Considering the extent of it, they cannot class themselves among the +number of them that are indulged thereby. It takes in not only the +archbishops and bishops, and the prelatical and malignant crew, but all +quakers, and papists, reaching all idolatry, blasphemy, and heresy, and +truth also (which could never yet dwell together under one sconce.) +Whereby the professors of Christ come in as partners in the same bargain +with antichrist's vassals; and the Lord's ark hath a place with Dagon, +and its priests and followers consent to it; and the builders of Babel +and of Jerusalem are made to build together, under the same protection; +and a sluice is opened to let the enemy come in like a flood, which to +oppose the accepters cannot stand in the gap, nor lift up a standard +against them. Liberty indeed should be universally extended to all the +Lord's people, as Cyrus's proclamation was general, who is there among +you of all his people? his God be with him. But a toleration of +idolaters, blasphemers, and hereticks, as papists, &c. is odious to God, +because it is contrary to scripture, expresly commanding idolaters to +die the death, and all seducers and enticers to apostacy from God to be +put to death without pity; and commending all righteous magistrates that +executed judgment accordingly, as Asa, Hezekiah, &c. yea even heathen +magistrates that added their faction to the laws of God, as Artaxerxes +is approven for that statute, that whosoever will not do the law of God +and of the king, judgment should be executed speedily upon him. And in +the new testament this was never repealed but confirmed, in that the +sword is given to magistrates, not in vain, but to be a terror to, and +revengers to execute wrath upon all that do evil, among whom seducers +that are evil workers and idolaters are chiefly to be ranked, being such +as do the worst of evil to mankind. Ephesus is commended because they +could not bear them which are evil: and Thyatira reproved for suffering +Jezebel: by which it appeareth, that our Lord Jesus is no friend to +toleration. It is true this is spoken against churchmen; but will any +think that will be approven in civil powers, which is so hateful in +church officers? Surely it will be the duty and honour of these horns +spoken of Rev. xvii. to eat the whore's flesh and burn her with fire: +and shall that be restricted only to be done against the great +antichrist, and not be duty against the lesser antichrists, the limbs of +the great one? it is recorded of Julian the apostate, that among other +devices he used, to root out Christianity this was one, that he gave +toleration openly to all the different professions that were among +Christians, whereof there were many heretical in those days: which was +exactly aped by James the apostate now for the same end. It is also +contrary to the confession of faith, chap. 20, sect. 4. asserting that +'for their publishing such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, +as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of +Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation, or to +the power of godliness, or such erroneous opinions or practices, as +either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or +maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order, which +Christ hath established in the church; they may lawfully be called to +account, and proceeded against by the censures of the church, and by the +power of the civil magistrate.' And therefore to accept of this +toleration is inconsistent with the principles of the church of +Scotland, with the national and solemn league and covenants, and solemn +acknowledgment of sins and engagement to duties, in all which we are +bound to extirpate popery, prelacy, &c. With the whole tract of +contendings in the fifth period above related, and particularly by the +testimony of the synod of Fife, and other brethren in the ministry, +against Cromwell's vast toleration and liberty of conscience, mentioned +above page ----, for it is plain, if it be not to be suffered, then it +is not to be accepted. + +10. Considering the terms wherein it is offered, they cannot make such a +shameful bargain. In the former proclamation it is granted expresly +under several conditions, restrictions, and limitations: whereof indeed +some are retracted in the latter, as the restriction of it to moderate +presbyterians, which would seem to be taken off by extending to all +without reserve to serve God in their own way; but being evidently +exclusive of all that would serve God in Christ's way, and not after the +mode prescribed, it is so modified and restricted that all that will +accept of it must be moderate presbyterians indeed, which as it is taken +in the court sense, must be an ignominy to all that have zeal against +antichrist. The limitation also to private houses and not to out-houses, +is further enlarged to chapels, or places purposely hired, but still it +is stinted to these, which they must bargain for with counsellors, +sheriffs, &c. So that none of these restrictions and limitations are +altogether removed, but the condition of taking the oath only: yet it is +very near to an equivalency homologated, by the accepters acknowledging +in the granter a prerogative and absolute power over all laws, which is +confirmed and maintained by their acceptance. As for the rest that are +not so much as said to be removed, they must be interpreted to remain, +as the terms, conditions, restrictions, and limitations, upon which they +are to enjoy the benefit of this toleration. And what he says, that he +thought fit by this proclamation further to declare, does confirm it, +that there are further explications, but no taking off of former +restrictions. Hence it is yet clogged with such provisions and +restrictions, as must make it very nauseous to all truly tender. (1.) +The restriction as to the persons still remains, that only moderate +presbyterians, and such as are willing to accept of this indulgence +allenarly, and none other, and such only whose names must be signified +to these sheriffs, stewards, bailiffs, &c. are to have the benefit of +this indulgence: whereby all the zealous and faithful presbyterians are +excluded, (for these they will not call them moderate) and all that +would improve it without a formal acceptance, and all who for their +former diligence in duty are under the lash of their wicked law, and +dare not give up their names to those who are seeking their lives, must +be deprived of it. (2.) It is restricted to certain places still, which +must be made known to some one or more of the next privy counsellors, +and whereby they are tied to a dependence on their warrant, and must +have their lease and licence for preaching the word in any place, and +field-meetings are severely interdicted, though signally countenanced of +the Lord, whereby the word of the Lord is bound and bounded; and by this +acceptance their bloody laws against preaching in the open fields, where +people can have freest access with conveniency and safety, are +justified. (3.) The manner of meeting is restricted, which must be in +such a way as the peace and security of the government in the practice +thereof may not be endangered, and again that their meetings be +peaceably held, which is all one upon the matter with the bond of peace, +and binding to the good behaviour so much formerly contended against by +professors, and is really the same with the condition of the cautionary +bond in the indulgence after Bothwel, of which see page ----. And +further they must be openly and publicly held, and all persons freely +admitted to them; which is for the informing trade, exposing to all the +inconveniencies of Jesuits, and other spies and flies their delations, +in case any thing be spoken reflecting on the government, a great +temptation to ministers. (4.) The worst of all is upon their matter of +preaching, which is so restricted and limited, that nothing must be said +or done contrary to the well and peace of his reign, seditious or +treasonable; and in case any treasonable speeches be uttered, the law is +to take place against the guilty, and none other present, providing they +reveal to any of the council the guilt so committed, as in the former +proclamation: and in the last it is further declared, that nothing must +be preached or taught, which may any way tend to alienate the hearts of +the people from him or his government. Here is the price at which they +are to purchase their freedom (a sad bargain to buy liberty and sell +truth) which yet hardly can be so exactly paid, but he may find a +pretence for retrenching it when he pleases; for if a minister shall +pray for the overturning of a throne of iniquity, or for confounding all +that serve graven images, and for destruction to the pope, and all that +give their power to that beast, there will be something said against the +well of his government; or if any shall hear this and not delate it, +then the same pretence is relevant; or if he shall preach against the +king's religion as idolatry, and the church of Rome as Babylon, and +discharge his conscience and duty in speaking against the tyranny of the +times; or let him preach against any public sin faithfully, a popish +critic or Romish bigot shall interpret it to be an alienation of the +people's hearts from the king and his government. But who can be +faithful, and preach in season and out of season now, but he must think +it his duty to endeavour to alienate the hearts of the people from such +an enemy to Christ, and his absolute tyranny, so declaredly stated +against God? What watchman must not see it his indispensible duty, to +warn all people of his devilish designs to destroy the church and +nation, and preach so that people may hate the whore, and this pimp of +her's? sure if he preach the whole counsel of God, he must preach +against popery and tyranny. And if he think this indulgence from +absolute prerogative, granted and accepted on these terms, can supersede +him from this faithfulness, then he is no more the servant of Christ but +a pleaser of men. Therefore since it is so clogged with so many +restrictions, so inconsistent with duty, so contrary to scripture, so +clearly violatory of covenant-engagements, so cross to the constant +contendings and constitutions of this church, and acts of assembly (see +page ----, &c.) it were a great defection to accept of it. + +11. Considering the scandal of it, they dare not so offend the +generation of the righteous by the acceptance, and dishonour God, +disgrace the protestant profession, wrong the interest thereof, and +betray their native country, as thus to comply with the design of +antichrist, and partake of this cruel tender mercy of the beast; who +hath always mischief in his heart, and intends this as a preparative for +inducing or inforcing all that are hereby lulled asleep either to take +on his mark, or bear the marks of his fiery fury afterwards. For hereby +foreign churches may think, we are in a fair way of reconciliation with +antichrist, when we so kindly accept his harbinger's favours. And it +cannot but be very stumbling to see the ministers of Scotland, whose +testimony used to be terrible to the popish, and renowned through all +the protestant churches, purchasing a liberty to themselves at the rate +of burying and betraying the cause into bondage and restraint, and thus +to be laid by from all active and open opposition to antichrist's +designs, in such a season. The world will be tempted to think, they are +not governed by principles but their own interest in this juncture, +seeking their own things more than the things of Christ; and that it was +not the late usurpation upon, and overturning of religion and liberty +that offended them, so much as the persecution they sustained thereby; +but if that arbitrary power had been exerted in their favours, though +with the same prejudice of the cause of Christ, they would have complied +with it as they do now. Alas, sad and dolorous have been the scandals +given, and taken by and from the declining ministers of Scotland +heretofore, which have rent and racked the poor remnant, and offended +many both at home and abroad, but none so stumbling as this. And +therefore the tender will be shy to meddle with it. + +12. Considering the addresses made thereupon, with such a stain of +fulsome and blasphemous flatteries, to the dishonour of God, the +reproach of the cause, the betraying of the church, and detriment of the +nation, and exposing themselves to the contempt of all, the poor +persecuted party dare not so much as seem to incorporate with them. I +shall set down the first of their addresses, given forth in the name of +all the presbyterian ministers, and let the reader judge whether there +be not cause of standing aloof from every appearance of being of their +number. It is dated at Edinburgh, July 21, 1687, of this tenor. + + _To the king's most excellent majesty. The humble address of the + presbyterian ministers of his majesty's kingdom of Scotland._ + + 'We your majesty's most loyal subjects, the ministers of the + presbyterian persuasion in your ancient kingdom of Scotland, from + the due sense we have of your majesty's gracious and surprising + favour, in not only putting a stop to our long sad sufferings for + non-conformity, but granting us the liberty of the public and + peaceable exercise of our ministerial function without any hazard: + as we bless the great God who hath put this in your royal heart, do + withal find ourselves bound in duty to offer our most humble and + hearty thanks to your sacred majesty, the favour bestowed being to + us and all the people of our persuasion valuable above all our + earthly comforts, especially since we have ground from your majesty + to believe that our loyalty is not to be questioned upon the + account of our being presbyterians, who as we have amidst all + former temptations endeavoured, so we are firmly resolved still to + preserve an entire loyalty in our doctrine and practice (consonant + to our known principles, which according to the holy scriptures are + contained in the confession of faith, generally owned by + presbyterians in all your majesty's dominions) and by the help of + God so to demean ourselves, as your majesty may find cause rather + to enlarge than to diminish your favours towards us; throughly + persuading ourselves from your majesty's justice and goodness, that + if we shall at any time be otherwise represented, your majesty + will not give credit to such information, until you have due + cognition thereof: and humbly beseeching, that those who promote + any disloyal principles and practices (as we disown them) may be + looked upon as none of ours, whatsoever name they may assume to + themselves. May it please your most excellent majesty graciously to + accept of this our most humble address, as proceeding from the + plainness and sincerity of loyal and thankful hearts, much engaged + by your royal favour, to continue our fervent prayers to the King + of kings, for divine illumination and conduct, with all other + blessings spiritual and temporal, ever to attend your royal person + and government, which is the greatest duty can be rendered to your + majesty, by + + _Your majesty's most humble, most faithful, + and most obedient subjects_. + + Subscribed in our names, and in the name of the rest of our + brethren of our persuasion, at their desire.' + + +Which received this gracious return. + + _The king's letter to the presbyterians in his ancient + kingdom of Scotland_. + + 'We love you well: and we heartily thank you for your address: we + resolve to protect you in your liberty, religion, and properties, + all our life: and we shall lay down such methods, as shall not be + in the power of any to alter hereafter. And in the mean time, we + desire you to pray for our person and government.' To which may be + added that kind compliment of the chancellor's: 'Gentlemen, My + master hath commanded me to tell you, that I am to serve you in all + things within the compass of my power.' + +These gentlemen needed not to have been solicitous that those who avouch +an adherance to the covenanted reformation, and avow an opposition to +antichristian usurpers (which they call promoting disloyal principles +and practices) might not be looked upon as of their confederacy: for all +that abide in the principles and practices of the church of Scotland +(which they have deserted) and that desire to be found loyal to Christ, +in opposition to his and the church's, and the country's declared enemy, +would count it a sin and scandal, laying them obnoxious to the +displeasure of the holy and jealous God, who will resent this heinous +indignity they have done unto his majesty (if they do not address +themselves unto him for pardon of the iniquity of this address, which is +the desire of those whom they disown that they may find grace to do so) +and a shameful reproach, exposing them to the contempt of all of whom +they expect sympathy, to be reckoned of their association who have thus +betrayed the cause and the country. These mutual compliments (so like +the caresses of the Romish whore, whereby she entices the nations to her +fornication) between the professed servants of Christ and the vassals of +antichrist, if they be cordial, would seem to import that they are in a +fair way of compounding their differences, and to accommodate their +oppositions at length; which yet I hope will be irreconcileably +maintained and kept up by all true presbyterians, in whose name they +have impudence to give out their address: but it they be only adulatory +and flattering compliments, importing only a conjunction of tails (like +Samson's foxes) with a disjunction of heads and hearts, tending towards +distinct and opposite interests; then, as they would suit far better the +dissimulations of politicians, than the simplicity of gospel-ministers, +and do put upon them the brand of being men-pleasers rather than +servants of Christ, so for their dissemblings with dissemblers, who know +their compliments to be and take them for such, they may look to be +paid home in good measure, heaped up and running over, when such methods +shall be laid down as shall not be in the power of any to alter, when +such designs shall be obtained by this liberty and these addresses, that +the after-bought wit of the addressers shall not be able to disappoint. +However the address itself is of such a dress, as makes the thing +addressed for to be odious, and the addressers to forefault the respect, +and merit the indignation of all that are friends to the protestant and +presbyterian cause, as may appear from these obvious reflections. 1. It +was needful indeed they should have assumed the name of presbyterians +(though it might have been more tolerable to let them pass under that +name, if they had not presumed to give forth their flatteries in the +name of all of that persuasion, and to alledge it was at their desire; +which is either an illuding equivocation, or a great untruth, for though +it might be the desire of the men of their own persuasion, which is a +newly start up opinion that interest hath led them to espouse, yet +nothing could be more cross to the real desires of true presbyterians, +that prefer the truth of the cause to the external peace of the +professors thereof) and call it the humble address of presbyterian +ministers: for otherwise it could never have been known to come from men +of the presbyterian persuasion; seeing the contents of this address are +so clearly contrary to their known principles. It is contrary to +presbyterian principles, to congratulate an antichristian usurper for +undermining religion, and overturning laws and liberties. It is contrary +to presbyterian principles, to justify the abrogation of the national +covenant, in giving thanks for a liberty whereby all the laws are cassed +and disabled therein confirmed. It is contrary to presbyterian +principles, to thank the king for opening a door to bring in popery, +which they are engaged to extirpate in the solemn league and covenant. +It is contrary to presbyterian principles, to allow or accept of such a +vast toleration for idolaters and hereticks, as is evident above from +all their contendings against it, which is also contrary to the +confession of faith, generally owned by presbyterians, as may be seen in +the place forecited, chap. 20. par. 4. It is contrary to presbyterian +principles, to consent to any restrictions, limitations, and conditions, +binding them up in the exercise of the ministerial function, wherewith +this liberty is loaded and clogged; whereby indeed they have the liberty +of the public and peaceable exercise of it, without any hazard of +present persecution, but not without great hazard of sin; and incurring +the guilt of the blood of souls, for not declaring the whole counsel of +God, which addressers cannot declare, if they preserve an entire loyalty +in their doctrine, as here they promise. 2. There is nothing here sounds +like the old presbyterian strain; neither was there ever an address of +this stile seen before from presbyterian hands. It would have looked far +more presbyterian like, instead of this address, to have sent a +protestation against the now openly designed introduction of popery, and +subversion of all laws and liberties which they are covenanted to +maintain, or at least to have given an address in the usual language of +presbyterians, who used always to speak of the covenants, and work of +reformation; but here never a word of these, but of loyalty to his +excellent, to his gracious, and to his sacred majesty, of loyalty not to +be questioned, an entire loyalty in doctrine, a resolved loyalty in +practice, and a fervent loyalty in prayers: and all that they are +solicitous about is not lest the prerogatives of their master be +encroached upon, and the liberties of the church be supplanted, and +religion wronged; but lest their loyalty be questioned, and they be +otherwise represented: and all that they beseech for is, not that the +cause of Christ be not wronged, nor antichristian idolatry introduced by +this liberty; but that these who promove any disloyal principles and +practices may be looked upon as none of theirs, wherein all their +encouragement is, that they persuade themselves from his majesty's +justice and goodness, that he will not give credit to any other +information, until he take due cognition thereof. Here is a lawless +unrestricted loyalty to a tyrant, claiming an absolute power to be +obeyed without reserve, not only professed, but solicitously sought to +be the principle of presbyterians; whereas it is rather the principle of +atheistical hobbes exploded with indignation by all rational men. This +is not a Christian loyalty, or profession of conscientious subjection, +to a minister of God for good, who is a terror to evil doers, but a +stupid subjection and absolute allegiance to a minister of antichrist, +who gives liberty to all evil men and seducers. This is not the +presbyterian loyalty to the king, in the defence of Christ's evangel, +liberties of the country, ministration of justice, and punishment of +iniquity, according to the national covenant; and in the preservation +and defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms, +according to the solemn league and covenant; but an erastian loyalty to +a tyrant, in his overturning religion, laws and liberties, and +protecting and encouraging all iniquity. This loyalty in doctrine will +be sound disloyalty to Christ, in a sinful and shameful silence at the +wrongs done to him, and not declaring against the invasions of his open +enemies. This loyalty in practice is a plain betraying of religion and +liberty, in lying by from all opposition to the open destroyer of both. +And this loyalty in prayers, for all blessings ever to attend his person +and government, will be found neither consonant to presbyterian prayers +in reference to popish tyrants, nor consistent with the zeal of +Christians, and the cries of all the elect unto God to whom vengeance +belongs, against antichrist and all his supporters, nor any way conform +to the saints prayers in scripture, nor founded upon any scripture +promises, to pray for a blessing to a papist's tyranny, which cannot be +of faith and therefore must be sin. It were much more suitable to pray, +that the God which hath caused his name to dwell in his church, may +destroy all kings that shall put to their hand to alter and destroy the +house of God, Ezrah vi. 12. 3. This address is so stuffed with sneaking +flatteries, that it would become more sycophants and court-parasites +than ministers of the gospel; and were more suitable to the popish, +prelatical, and malignant faction, to congratulate and rejoice in their +professed patron and head, and fill the gazettes with their adulatory +addresses, which heretofore used to be deservedly inveighed against by +all dissenters; than for presbyterians to take a copy from them, and +espouse the practice which they had condemned before, and which was +never commended in any good government, nor never known in these British +nations, before Oliver's usurpation and Charles' tyranny; flattery being +always counted base among ingenuous men. But here is a rhapsody of +flatteries, from the deep sense they have of his majesty's gracious and +surprising favour----finding themselves bound in duty to offer their +most humble and hearty thanks, to his sacred majesty, the favour +bestowed being to them----valuable above all earthly comforts. One would +think this behoved to be a very great favour, from a very great friend, +for very gracious ends: but what is it? in not only putting a stop to +their long sad sufferings; which were some ground indeed if the way were +honest: but this not only supposes an also; what is that? but also +granting us the liberty----which is either a needless tautology (for if +all sufferings were stopped, then liberty must needs follow) or it must +respect the qualifications of the liberty; flowing from such a fountain, +absolute power; through such a conveyance, the stopping all penal laws +against papists; in such a form as a toleration; for such ends, as +overturning the reformation, and introducing popery. This is the favour +for which they offer most humble and hearty thanks, more valuable to +them than all earthly comforts; though it be manifestly intended to +deprive the Lord's people, at the long run, of the heavenly comforts of +the preached gospel. Sure, if they thank him for the liberty, they must +thank him for the proclamation whereby he grants it, and justify all his +claim there to absoluteness, being that upon which it is superstructed, +and from which it emergeth, and so become a listed faction to abett and +own him in all his attemptings, engaged now to demean themselves as that +he may find cause rather to enlarge than to diminish his favours, which +can be no other way but assisting him to destroy religion and liberty, +at least in suffering him to do what he will without controul. O what an +indelible reproach is this for ministers, who pretend to be set for the +defence of the gospel, thus to be found betraying religion, through +justifying and magnifying a tyrant, for his suspension of so many laws +whereby it was established and supported. 4. It were more tolerable if +they went no further than flatteries: but I fear they come near the +border of blasphemy, when they say, that the great God hath put this in +his royal heart: which can bear no other construction but this, that the +holy Lord hath put it in his heart to assume to himself a blasphemous +and absolute power, whereby he stops and suspends all penal laws against +idolaters, and gives a toleration for all errors: or if it be capable of +any other sense, it must be like that as the Lord is said to have moved +David to number the people, or that Rev. xvii. 17. + +"God hath put it in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree and +give their kingdom unto the beast." But to bless God and thank the +tyrant for this wicked project, as deliberate and purposed by men, I say +is near unto blasphemy. And again where they say, they are firmly +resolved by the help of God so to demean themselves as his majesty may +find cause rather to enlarge than to diminish his favours; this in +effect is as great blasphemy as if they had said, they resolved by the +help of God to be as unfaithful, time-serving and silent ministers as +ever plagued the church of God; for no otherwise can they demean +themselves so as he may find cause to enlarge his favours towards them, +it being in no way supposeable that his enlarging his favours can +consist with their faithfulness, but if they discover any measure of +zeal against antichrist, he will quickly diminish them. + +Thus far I have compendiously deduced the account of the progress, and +prosecution of the testimony of this church to the present state +thereof, as it is concerted and contended for, by the reproached remnant +now only persecuted: which I hope this pretended liberty shall be so far +from obscuring and interrupting, that it shall contribute further to +clear it, and engage them more to constancy in it, and induce others +also to countenance it, when they shall see the sad effects of this +destructive snare, which I leave to time to produce; and hope, that as +the former representation of their cause will conciliate the charity of +the unbiassed, so an account of their sufferings thereupon will provoke +them to sympathy. To which I now proceed. + + + + +PART II. + +_Containing a brief account of the persecution of the last period, and +of the great suffering whereby all the parts of its testimony were +sealed._ + + +The foregoing deduction, being the first thing I proposed to be +discussed in the method of this essay, hath now swelled to such a bulk, +that the last period of it doth, in a manner, swallow up what I intended +to have said on the second: because it gives grounds to gather the +methods and measures that our adversaries have managed, for the ruin of +this witnessing remnant, and also discover some special steps of their +sufferings within these 27 years past, under the tyranny of both the +brothers. It will now be the more easy to glean the gradations of the +means and machines, used by this popish, prelatical, and malignant +faction, to raze the work of reformation, and to build their Babel of +popery and slavery on the ruins thereof; and to aggregate an account in +brief of the great sufferings of the faithful. Which though it be beyond +my power, and besides my purposes at present, to offer a narrative of +it, with any proportion to the greatness of the subject; a more +particular relation thereof, being now projected, if providence permit, +to be published to the world, which will discover strange and unheard of +cruelties: yet, in this little heap of some hints only of the kinds of +their sufferings, I do not question but it will appear, that the +persecution of Scotland hath been very remarkable, and scarcely out-done +by the most cruel in any place or age, in respect of injustice, +illegality, and inhumanity, though perhaps inferior in some other +circumstances. But that none could be more unjust, illegal, or inhuman, +I need not further, I cannot better, demonstrate than only to declare +the matter of fact, as it fell out in the several steps of the last +period. + +I. In the entry of this fatal catastrophe, the first of their +mischievous machinations was to remove out of the way all who were +eminent instruments in carrying on the former work of God, or might be +of influence for obstructing their antichristian and tyrannical designs, +both in the state and in the church. And accordingly, when the marquis +of Argyle, who had a main hand in bringing home the king, and closing +the second treaty at Breda, went up to London, to congratulate his +return from exile, he was made prisoner in the tower, thereafter sent +down to Scotland, indicted of high treason, at length beheaded, and his +head placed upon the tolbooth of Edinburgh (a watch-word of warning to +our addressers, who may, ere all be done, meet with the same sauce) for +no other alledged cause, but for his compliance with the English, when +they had our land in subjection; a thing wherein the judges who +condemned him were equally criminal; but really for another provocation +that incensed the king against him, which made him a tyrant as infamous +for villany as for violence, to wit, for his reproving the king (when +others declined it) for an adulterous rape, which he held for so +piacular a crime, that he resolved nothing should expiate it but the +blood of this nobleman. For the same pretended cause was the lord +Wariston afterwards executed to death at Edinburgh, after they had +missed of their design of taking him off by clandestine ways abroad. +Then they fall upon the ministers: and because Mr. James Guthrie was a +man, who had been honoured of God to be zealous and singularly faithful, +in carrying on the work of reformation, and had asserted the kingly +authority of Christ, in opposition to the erastian supremacy encroaching +thereupon, therefore he must live no longer, but is condemned to die, +and most basely handled, as if he had been a most notorious thief or +malefactor; he is hanged, and afterward his head placed upon one of the +ports of Edinburgh, where it abideth to this day, preaching not only +against the enemies rebellion against God, but against the defection of +many ministers since, who have practically denied that great truth for +which he suffered, to wit, his testimony against the supremacy, and for +declining the usurped authority of him who arrogated it. At the same +time there was a proclamation, which they caused to be read at all the +church-doors, discharging ministers to speak against them or their +proceedings, whereby profane and malicious persons were encouraged to +witness against their ministers. By which means (though many were in no +hazard, thinking it commendable prudence, commended indeed by the world, +but hateful unfaithfulness before God, to be silent at such a time) some +faithful ministers giving faithful and free warning, and protesting +against the present defection, were condemned of treason, and banished +out of the three dominions. Others, without a legal citation, or without +access to give in their defences, were sentenced with banishment, and +could never get an extract of their sentence: and further, were +compelled to subscribe a bond, under pain of death, to remove out of all +the dominions betwixt and such a day. This was the lot, and also the +blot of these famous and faithful ministers, Mr. John Livingston, Mr. +Robert Macward, Mr. John Brown, &c. who spent the rest of their days in +Holland, serving their generation by their excellent writings. Then, +after they had disposed of many other ministers, whom they thrust out, +for not keeping the 29th of May, having now laid by the most eminent, +and whom they feared most of the ministry, they shortly thereafter +outed, and violented the rest from the exercise of their ministry, and +straitned them with strange and severe confinements; yea, because they +would not be outdone in suppressing religion by any, no, not by Julian +the apostate, they proceeded to poison all the springs and fountains of +learning; ordaining that none be masters in universities, except they +take the oath of supremacy, and own the government of prelacy; and none +be admitted to teach in a school, without the prelate's licence. These +courses brought many ministers and expectants to great sufferings. + +II. Hitherto they reached only noblemen, gentlemen and ministers, and +others whom they thought might stand in their way of advancing their +cursed designs. The next drift is, when they had emptied the churches of +ministers, and filled them with the vermin of ignorant and scandalous +curates, to force the people to conformity, and to disown and +discountenance their own ministers; first, by severe edicts of +exorbitant fining not only the persons themselves contraveening, but +those that had the superiority over them, and rigorous exaction of these +fines, to the depopulation of a poor country, by military force; +whereby, where there was but one church in the bounds, still enjoying a +minister whom the people could hear, the profane soldiers would beset +that church in time of worship, and cause all within to pay their fines, +or take the garments from them that could not, and beat them to the +effusion of their blood: and where the church was planted with a curate, +the soldiers would come, and call the names of the parishioners, and +amerciate the absents in such fines as they pleased. In other places +they went to private houses, and by force drove them to church, even +though sick and unable. But where the dissenters were numerous, great +bands of legal robbers were sent to exact and extort these exorbitant +fines, by plundering, quartering, beating, wounding, binding men like +beasts, chasing away from houses, and harassing whole country-sides in a +hideous manner. And yet after all these insolencies, some of the common +sort were compelled to subscribe an acknowledgment, that the captain had +used them civilly and discreetly; though the account of others of that +place manifests the violence to have been so monstrous, that it +justified the great barbarity; shewing their exactions to have been +intolerable, both for the quantity, without all proportion or pity, and +for the manner of it, consuming and wasting poor people's provision by +their very dogs, and sparing no more these who conformed, than others +who did not conform at all, and punishing husbands for their wives, yea, +doubling and tripling the same exactions after payment. Next, though at +first they did not imprison any for simple absenting themselves from the +curates, yet they began to fill prisons with such as at any time shewed +more than ordinary zeal against the curates intrusion, and testified +their dissatisfaction to his face; for which, some were imprisoned, +scourged, stigmatized, and thereafter carried to Barbadoes. Others, +because they would not give the prelates their title of lords, when +conveened before them, were also scourged: and one minister seized for +preaching, and offending the prelates by the same fault, was carried +first to the thieves hole, laid in irons in company with a madman, and +then banished to Shetland, the coldest and wildest of all the Scots +islands. + +III. But when fining would not do, and still the people were more averse +from the curates, by getting sometimes occasions of hearing their own +ministers in private; hence were houses forced and searched, many hawled +to prisons, and several necessitate to escape at windows with the hazard +of their lives, spies sent unto and set in suspected places, to seize +and fall upon such as they found at such meetings, or but suspected to +have been there. Whence it came to pass, that many, both men and women, +young and old, have been dragged to prisons, and there close kept as +malefactors, besides several other outrageous and illegal acts of +violence and oppression committed against them, contrary to all law, +equity and conscience. + +IV. After Pentland defeat, they ruled by rage more than either law or +reason. There 40 prisoners, who were taken upon quarter, and solemn +parole to have their life spared, yet treacherously and bloodily were +all hanged (except five that were reprieved) who had much of the Lord's +presence at their deaths, and assurance of his love, strengthening them +to seal a noble testimony. One of them, a much honoured young minister, +only for having a sword about him, though not present at the fight, did +first most patiently endure the cruel torture of the boots (a cruel +engine of iron, whereby with wedges the leg is tortured, until the +marrow come out of the bone) and afterwards death, with great courage +and constancy. Upon the scaffold, at their execution, they then began +that barbarity never practised in Scotland before, but frequently, and +almost always at all the executions since, to beat drums, that they +might not be heard. After this conflict, many were forefaulted of their +estates, and intercommuned, with inhibition to all to reset, conceal, or +correspond with any that had escaped, under the pain of being accounted +guilty of the same rebellion, as they called it. Soldiers are permitted +to take free quarter in the country, and licensed to all the abuses, +that either rapine or cruelty may suggest; to examine men by tortures, +threatning to kill or roast alive, all that would not delate all they +knew were accessory to that rising; to strip them who did so much as +reset the fugitives, and thrust them into prisons, in cold, hunger and +nakedness, and crowd them so with numbers, that they could scarce stand +together, having the miseries of their own excrements superadded; yea, +to murder without process, such as would not, nay could not, discover +those persecuted people. But not only time, but heart and tongue would +fail, to relate all the violences and insolencies, the stobbings, +woundings, stripping and imprisonings of mens persons, violent breaking +of their houses both by day and night, beating of wives and children, +ravishing of women, forcing of them by fire-matches and other tortures, +to discover their husbands and nearest relations, although not within +the compass of their knowledge, and driving away all their goods that +could be carried away without respect to guilt or innocency, and all the +cruelties that were exercised without a check by these ruffians at that +time. + +V. After all these tender mercies and clemencies, or cruelties, which +his gracious majesty was pleased to confer or commit upon these poor +contenders for religion and liberty, he and his cabal the council +thought it not enough to suppress them with oppressions and force, +distrusting the authority of his law (that he knew the people would no +more observe, than he would observe a promise or oath) and diffiding +also the authority of his sword, which he had above their heads, he +proposes terms of bargaining with them, whereupon he would suffer them +to live, and to which he would have them bound to live according to his +prescript; therefore, besides the old oaths of allegiance and supremacy, +that were still going among hands, he caused coin new ones to keep the +peace, and to live orderly, meaning to conform themselves to the +disorders of the times! whereby, after he had wrought such destruction +to their bodies and estates, and almost nothing was left them but a bit +of a conscience, he would rob them of that too, verifying the constant +character of the wicked, they only consult to cast a man down from his +excellency. What is a man's excellency but a good conscience? But these +men, having feared consciences of their own, not capable of any +impression, they presume to impose upon all others, and cannot endure so +much as to hear of the name of conscience in the country, except it be +when it is baffled in the belchings of beastly mouths; as one, that was +well acquaint with the council's humour in this point, told a gentleman +that was going before them, to have one of these oaths imposed upon him, +who was beforehand signifying his scruples, that he could not do such +things in conscience. Conscience (said he) I beseech you whatever you +do, speak nothing of conscience before the lords, for they cannot abide +to hear that word. Therefore it is, that since this last revolution, +there have been more conscience-debauching and ensnaring oaths invented +and imposed, and some repugnant and contradictory to others, than ever +was in any nation in the world in so short a time: and hereby they have +had woful success in their designs, involving the generality of the land +in the sin of perjury and false swearing with themselves. And it hath +been observed, that scarcely have they let one year pass, without +imposing some oaths or bonds upon presbyterians; such always as are +unlawful to take, yea and impossible to keep, sometimes more obviously +gross, sometimes more seemingly smooth, sometimes tendered more +generally through the kingdom, sometimes imposed upon particular shires; +and these carried on by craft and cunning, sometimes by force and +cruelty. Doubtless it is not the least part of their design, hereby to +make oaths and bonds become a trivial and common thing, and by making +all men of as capacious consciences as themselves. + +VI. Further, they never ceased to express their fear of another rising, +(their guilty consciences dictating that they deserved greater +opposition.) Hence, to secure themselves, and incapacitate the people +from further attempts of that nature, they order all withdrawers from +churches, all who did not join to suppress the Lord's people, to deliver +up their arms betwixt and such a day, and not keep a horse above such a +very mean price, unfit for service. + +VII. When force could not do the business, then they try flatteries; and +hence contrive that wicked indulgence to divide and destroy the +ministers that remained, and to suppress meetings. But when this bait, +so well busked, could not catch all, but still there were meetings for +administring the ordinances; their flattery turns to fury, and the +acceptance of that indulgence by some, and despising of it by others, +did both animate and instigate them unto a following forth of their +design, by all the cruel acts and bloody executions. And hereby the +residue of the faithful of the land were exposed unto their rage, while +the indulged became interpretatively guilty of, and accessory to all the +cruelties used and executed upon ministers and professors, for adhering +unto that way. Hence it was common at private and peaceable meetings, +when, without arms of defence, they were disturbed by soldiers, and +exposed to all manner of villanous violence, some being dragged to +prisons, some banished and sold to French captains to be transported +with rascals, many intercommuned and driven from their dwellings and +relations, great sums of money were proffered to any that would bring in +several of the most eminent ministers, either dead or alive; yea several +at several times were killed, and others cruelly handled: all which, for +several years, they patiently endured without resistance. But +especially, when not only they were driven to the fields to keep their +meetings in all weathers, summer and winter, but necessitate to meet +with arms, then they raised more troops of horse and dragoons to pursue +them with all rage, as traitors and rebels. Hence what pursuings, +hornings, huntings, hidings, wanderings through mountains and muirs, and +all kinds of afflictions, the people of God then met with, because of +their following that necessary and signally blessed duty; all the lands +inhabitants know, the jailors can witness to this day, and the barbarous +soldiers, bloody executioners of the commands of their enraged masters, +having orders to wound and kill, and apprehend all they could take at +these meetings, or on the way suspected to be going to or coming from +them, having encouragement to apprehend some ministers, and bring them +dead or alive, by the promise of 2000 merks, others valued at 1000, and +several professors also with prices put upon their heads. Hence others +that were taken of them were sent into the Bass, a dry and cold rock in +the sea, where they had no fresh water, nor any provision but what they +had brought many miles from the country; and when they got it, it would +not keep unspoiled. And others, both ministers and many hundreds of +professors, were outlawed; whereby all the subjects were prohibited to +reset, supply, intercommune with any of them, or to correspond with them +by word, writ, or message, or furnish them with meat, drink, house, +harbour, victual, or any other thing useful, under the highest pains. +Hence also prisons were filled, and the wives and children of the outed +ministers, that were come to Edinburgh for shelter, were commanded to +dislodge, within a short day prefixed, under the pain of being forcibly +shut up or dragged out. For which and other such uses, to apprehend and +seize, on meetings, a major was appointed in Edinburgh, with command +over the town guards, and a good salary for that end. Then prisons being +filled, they were emptied to make room for others in ships, to be taken +away to be sold for slaves, in one of which were sent to Virginia above +60 men, some ministers; who, through the kindness and sympathy of some +English godly people, were relieved at London. A greater barbarity not +to be found in the reigns of Caligula or Nero. + +VIII. But all this is nothing to what followed; when, thinking these +blood-hounds were too favourable, they brought down from the wild +Highlands an host of savages upon the western shires, more terrible than +Turks or Tartars, men who feared not God nor regarded man; and being +also poor pitiful Skybalds, they thought they had come to a brave world, +to waste and destroy a plentiful country, which they resolved, before +they left it, to make as bare as their own. This hellish crew was +adduced to work a reformation, like the French conversions, to press a +band of conformity, wherein every subscriber was bound for himself and +all under him, wife, children, servants, tenants, to frequent their +parish churches, and never to go to these meetings, nor reset, nor +entertain any that went, but to inform against, pursue, and deliver up +all vagrant preachers, as they called them, to trial and judgment. Which +they prosecuted with that rigour and restless, boundless rage, that the +children then unborn, and their pitiful mothers do lament the memory of +that day, for the loss of their fathers and husbands. Many houses and +families then were left desolate in a winter flight, many lost their +cattle and horses, and some, in seeking to recover them, lost their +lives, by the sword of these Burrios. So that it was too evident, both +by what orders was given, the severity of prosecuting, and the +expressions of some great ones since, that nothing less than the utter +ruin and desolation of these shires was consulted and concluded, and +that expedition, at that time, calculated for that end; for what else +can be imagined could induce to the raising 10 or 11,000 barbarous +savages, the joining them to the standing forces, and with such cruel +orders the directing them all to the west, where there was not one +person moving the finger against them: neither could they pretend any +quarrel, if it was not the faithfulness of the people there in their +covenanted religion, and their hopelessness of complying to their popish +and tyrannical designs, and therefore no course so feasible as to +destroy them; so for dispatching thereof, order is given forth, that +whosoever refuseth to subscribe that hell-hatched bond, must instantly +have 10, 20, 30, 40, more or fewer according to his condition as he is +poorer or richer, of these new reformers sent to him, to ly not only +upon free quarters to eat up and destroy what they pleased, but also +(for the more speedy expedition) ordered to take a sixpence for each +common soldier a-day, and the officers more, according to their degrees, +and so to remain till either the bond was subscribed, or all destroyed; +nor was these trustees deficient to further their purposes in +prosecuting their orders, who, coming to their quarters, used ordinarily +to produce a billgate for near to as many more as came, and for these +absents they must have double money, because their landlord was not +burdened with their maintenance, and, where that was refused, would take +the readiest goods, and if any thing remained not destroyed and +plundered at their removing, which was not transportable, rather than +the owner should get any good of it, they would in some places set fire +to it, as they did with the cornstacks. It would require several great +volumes to record the many instances of horrid barbarities, bloods and +villanies of that wicked expedition; so that what by free quarterings, +exactions, robberies, thefts, plunderings, and other acts of violence +and cruelty, many places were ruined almost to desolation, all which the +faithful choosed rather to suffer, than to sin in complying: and albeit +their oppression was exceeding lamentable, and their loss great, yet +that of the compliers was greater and sadder, who losed a good +conscience in yielding to them, and compounding with them. + +IX. Then the country behoved to pay the soldiers for all this service, +and hire them to do more, by paying the imposed cess; whereby they were +sharpened into a greater keenness in cruel executions of their orders, +returning to those places of the country whither they had chased the +persecuted people, who still kept their meetings wherever they were, +though they could not attend them, but upon the hazard of being killed, +either in the place (where some had their blood mingled with their +sacrifice) or fleeing, or be exposed to their dreadful cruelties, more +bitter than death. For then it was counted a greater crime, and punished +with greater severity, for persons to hear a faithful minister preach, +than to commit murder, incest, adultery, or to be guilty of witchcraft, +or idolatry, or the grossest abominations: for these have passed +unpunished, when some, for their simple presence at a meeting, have been +executed unto the death. Then also, when some were forced to flee into +the English border for shelter, there also were parties ordered to +pursue these poor hunted partridges, who could not find a hole to hide +their head in. There we lost a valiant champion for truth, and truly +zealous contender for the interest of Christ, that universally +accomplished gentleman and Christian, Thomas Ker of Heyhope, who was +cruelly murdered in a rencounter with a party of the English side. + +Thereafter followed that lamentable stroke at Bothwel, where about 300 +were killed on the field, and about 10 or 1100 taken prisoners, and +stript, and brought into Edinburgh in a merciless manner. After which, +first two faithful and painful ministers and witnesses of Christ, Mr. +John Kid and Mr. John King, received the crown of martyrdom, sealing +that testimony with their blood, and many others after them for the same +cause. Then the enemy, after the manner used before, first to wound our +head, and then put on a hood upon it, (as they have done always after a +mischief, and intending a greater), offered their bond of peace, on +terms that clearly condemned the cause, never to rise in arms against +the king, &c. by which bond, many of the prisoners, after they had lien +several weeks in a church-yard, without the shadow of a house to cover +them night and day, were liberate: and many of the rest, by the +persuasion of some ministers, at whose door their blood lies as well as +at the enemy's, took that bond; and yet were sent away with others that +did not take it, in a ship bound for America between 2 and 300 in all, +who were all murdered in the ship, being shut up under the hatches, when +it split upon a rock in the north of Scotland, except about 50 persons; +whereof many to this are living witnesses of such a cruelty. + +X. Hitherto only the common rules and rudiments of the art of +persecution were put in practice, exactly quadrating with the rules of +Adam Contzen the Jesuit for introducing of popery, in his polit. lib. 2. +cap. 18. which are, (1.) To proceed as musicians do, in tuning their +instruments gradually. (2.) To press the examples of some eminent men to +draw on the rest. (3.) To banish all arch-heretics at once (that is the +most zealous witnesses of Christ) or at least with all expedition by +degrees. (4.) To put them out of all power and trust, and put in friends +to the catholic interest. (5.) To load the protestant opinions, as are +most obnoxious, with all odious contions. (6.) To discharge all private +conventicles. (7.) To make and execute rigorous laws against the most +dangerous. (8.) To foment all quarrels among protestants, and strengthen +the party that is ready to comply. But these, and many other of a deeper +projection, and greater perfection, were fallen upon afterwards, +equalling the most mischievous machines of Spanish inquisition, or the +methods that effectuated the desolation of the church of Bohemia; that +were exactly followed, as they are related in Clark's Martyrology. +Especially the last of Contzen's rules were industriously observed, in +the device of the indulgence both before and after Bothwel, which +contributed more to the rending and ruining the remnant, and to expose +the faithful to rage and cruelty, than any thing; for when, by these +ensnaring favours, many were drawn away from their duty, the rest that +maintained it, and kept up the testimony, were both the more easily +preyed upon, and more cruelly insulted over. Hence the field-meetings +that were kept, were more fiercely pursued after Bothwel than the many +before, and more cruel laws were made against them, and more bloody +executions, than I can find words to express in short. But, in a word, +no party of Tartars invading the land, or crew of cut-throats destroying +the inhabitants, or the most capital malefactors, could have been more +violently opposed, or more vigorously fought to be suppressed, than +these poor meeters were. But I must make some more special hints. + +1. They not only raised more forces to exhaust the strength and +substance of the already wasted country, and laid on and continued from +one term to another that wicked exaction and cruel oppression of the +cess, for the same declared ends of suppressing and banishing what +remained of the gospel, and imposed localities for maintaining the +soldiers employed in those designs; for refusing which many families +were pillaged, plundered, and quite impoverished, besides the beating +and abusing them: but also they went on unweariedly with their courts +of inquisition, pressing the bonds of peace, and dragging them like dogs +to prisons that would not subscribe them, and for taking up in their +Porteous' rolls the names of all that were suspected to have been at +Bothwel insurrection: which they gathered by the information of +sycophants, and reputed them convict, if being summoned they did not +appear, and forced others to swear concerning things that are to be +enquired after, and delate upon oath whom they did either see or heard +that they were in arms, or went to meetings; and such as refused, +suffered bonds or banishment. Yea, having made it criminal to reset, +harbour, correspond, or converse with these whom they declared rebels, +they thereupon imprisoned, fined, and ruined vast numbers, for having +seen or spoken with some of them, or because they did not discover or +apprehend them when they fancied they might, and even when they were not +obliged, and could not know whether they were obnoxious persons or not: +for which many gentlemen and others were indicted and imprisoned, and +some arraigned and condemned to death. For these causes, the country was +harrassed and destroyed by four extraordinary circuit courts, +successively going about with their numerous train, whereby many were +grievously oppressed, and with their oppressions tempted with many +impositions of conscience-debauching oaths, and bonds to compear when +called, and to keep the church, and to refrain from going to meetings, +&c. and by these temptations involved in compliances and defections. + +2. To enrich themselves, by these means, with the spoil of the country, +did not satisfy these destroyers; but they must glut themselves with the +blood of the saints, upon every pretext that they could catch, under any +colour of law. As upon the account of Bothwel insurrection, many were +cruelly executed to the death, some gentlemen, and some common country +men, without any legal conviction, by packing bloody juries and assizes +most partially for their murdering ends, besides more than can be +reckoned that were kept to perish in their imprisonments. And not only +for being actually in arms, or any ouvert act of transgressing their +wicked laws, but even for their extorted opinion of things, or because +they could not condemn these necessitated risings in arms to be +rebellion, and a sin against God, which they were forced to declare by +terrible menacings of death and torture, they have been condemned to +death; making their arbitrary laws to reach the heart, thoughts, and +inward sentiments of the mind, as well as outward actions. Whereupon +this became a criminal question robbing many of their lives, Was the +rising at Bothwel-bridge rebellion, and a sin against God? And this +another, Was the killing of the bishop of St. Andrew's horrid murder? +Which if any answered negatively, or did not answer affirmatively, they +were cruelly condemned to death; for which, first, five innocent +Christians were execute upon the spot, where that murderer fell. Though +they declared, and it was known, they were as free as the child unborn, +and that some of them had never seen a bishop that they knew from +another man, and were never in that place of the country where he was +killed. And afterwards this was the constant question that all brought +before them were troubled with, which some avouching to be duty, were +dismembered alive, their hands struck off, and then hanged, and their +heads cut off when dead. + +3. After Sanquhar declaration, they observed the jesuits rules more +exactly, especially that mentioned above, to load the opinions that are +most obnoxious with all odious constructions, and to make it both +criminal to declare them, and also criminal to conceal and wave their +intrapping questions thereupon. For after Mr. Hall was killed at the +Queensferry, and Mr. Cameron with several worthies were slain at +Airsmoss, and after Mr. Hackston for declining the authority of his +murderers, head and tail, and for being accessory to executing judgment +upon the arch traitor, or arch bishop of St. Andrew's (though he laid +not his hands on him himself, nor was present at the action, but at a +distance when it was done) was tortured alive, with the cutting off of +his hands, and then hanged, and before he was dead, ripped up, his heart +taken out, and carried about on the point of a knife, and thrown into a +fire, and afterwards his body quartered. Then, not only such as were +with that little handful at Airsmoss were cruelly murdered, but others +against whom they could charge no matter of fact, were questioned if +they owned the king's authority? which if any did not answer +affirmatively and positively, he was to look for nothing but exquisite +torments by terrible kinds of tortures, and death besides. And if any +declared their judgment, that they could not, in conscience, own such +authority as was then exercised; or if they declined to give their +thoughts of it, as judging thoughts to be under no human jurisdiction; +or if they answered with such innocent specifications as these, that +they owned all authority in the Lord, or for the Lord: or according to +the word of God, or all just and lawful authority, these underwent and +suffered the capital punishment of treason. And yet both for declining +and declaring their extorted answers about this, they were condemned as +unsufferable maintainers of principles inconsistent with government. + +4. But here, as in Egypt, the more they were afflicted, the more they +grew, the more that the enemies rage was increased, the more were the +people inflamed to inquire about the grounds of their suffering, seeing +rational men and religious christians die so resolutely upon them; and +the more they insisted in this inquisition, the more did the number of +witnesses multiply, with a growing increase of undauntedness, so that +the then shed blood of the martyrs became the seed of the church, and as +by hearing and seeing them so signally countenanced of the Lord, many +were reclaimed from their courses of compliance, so others were daily +more and more confirmed in the ways of the Lord, and so strengthened by +his grace, that they chose rather to endure all torture, and embrace +death in its most terrible aspect, than to give the tyrant and his +complices any acknowledgment: yea, not so much as to say, God save the +king, which was offered as the price of their life, and test of their +acknowledgment, but they would not accept deliverance on these terms, +that they might obtain a better resurrection. Which so enraged the +tygrish truculency of these persecutors, that they spared neither age, +sex, nor profession: the tenderness of youth did not move them to any +relenting, in murdering very boys upon this head, nor the grey hairs of +the aged; neither were women spared, but some were hanged, some drowned, +tied to stakes within the sea-mark, to be devoured gradually with the +growing waves, and some of them of a very young, some of an old age. +Especially after the murder of the never to be forgotten martyr, Mr. +Cargil, the multitude of merciless sufferings upon this account cannot +be enumerated; which increased far beyond all the former steps, after +the Lanark declaration, which was burnt with great solemnity by the +magistrates of Edinburgh in their robes, together with the solemn league +and covenant, which had been burnt before, but then they would more +declaredly give new demonstrations of their rage against it, because +they confessed, and were convinced of its being conform unto and founded +upon that covenant. And because the incorporation of Lanark did not, +because they could not, hinder the publishing of it; therefore they were +threatened with the loss of their privileges, and forced to pay 6000 +merks. Upon the back of which, the sufferings of poor people that owned +the testimony were sadder and sharper, and further extended than ever: +some being banished for soldiers to Flanders, &c. some to be sold as +slaves in Carolina, and other places in America, to empty the filled +prisons, and make room for more, which were daily brought in from all +quarters, and either kept languishing in their nasty prisons, or thieves +holes, in bolts and irons to make them weary of their life, or +dispatched as sacrifices, and led as dumb sheep to the slaughter, +without suffering them to speak their dying words, for beating of drums, +or disposed of to masters of ships to be transported to slavery. + +5. Had they satisfied themselves with murdering them out of hand, it +would have been more tolerable, and reckoned some degree of mercy, in +comparison of their malice; which, after all their endeavours to murder +their souls, by ensnaring offers, enslaving bonds, blasphemous and +contradictory oaths, and multiplying captious questions to catch the +conscience, or at least vex the spirits of the righteous, whom they +could not prevail with to put forth their hands into iniquity, did +proceed to invent all exquisite torments more terrible than death. Some +at their first apprehending were tortured with fire-matches, burning and +for ever thereafter disabling their hands: then laid fast, and locked up +in great irons upon their legs, where they lay many months in the cold +of winter, without any relaxation. Some were tortured with the boots, +squeezing out the marrow of their legs: others with thumbkins, piercing +and bruising the bones of their thumbs: and some tormented with both one +after another, and besides, kept waking nine nights together by watchful +soldiers, who were sworn not to let the afflicted person sleep all that +time. + +6. All this tyranny had been the more tolerable, if they had kept within +any bounds of colourable or pretended shadow of legality, or in any +consonancy to their own wicked laws, or exemplars of any former +persecutions. But in an ambition to outdo all the Neros, Domitians, +Dioclesians, duke d'Alvas, or Lewis le Grands, they scorned all forms, +as well as justice of law, and set up monstrous monuments of +unprecedented illegality and inhumanity. For when, after all their +hornings, harassings, huntings, searchings, chafings, catchings, +imprisonments, torturings, banishments, and effusions of blood, yet they +could not get the meetings crushed, either in public or private, or the +zeal of the poor wanderers quenched, with whom they had interdicted all +harbour, supply, comfort, refreshment, converse or correspondence, and +whom they had driven out of their own and all other habitations, in +towns, villages, or cottages, to the deserts, mountains, muirs, and +mosses, in whose hags and holes they were forced to make dens and caves +to hide themselves, but that they would still meet for the worship of +God, either in public (though mostly in the cold winter nights) or in +their private fellowships for prayer and conference; and to rescue their +brethren, and prevent their murder in these extremities, would surprize +and take advantages of the soldiers now and then: they then raged beyond +all bounds, and not only apprehending many innocent persons (against +whom they had nothing to accuse them of, but because they could not +satisfy them in their answers) sentenced, and executed them, all in one +day, and made an act to do so with all; but allowed the bloody soldiers +to murder them, without either trial or sentence. Especially after the +apologetical declaration, affixed on the church doors, they acted with +an unheard of arbitrariness. For not only did they frame an oath of +abjuration, renouncing the same, but pressed it universally upon pain of +death, upon all men and women in city and country, and went from house +to house, forcing young and old to give their judgment of that +declaration, and of the king's authority, &c. to ridicule and reproach, +and make a mocking stock of all government: yea impowered soldiers, and +common varlets, to impannel juries, condemn, and cause to be put to +death, innocent recusants, and having stopt all travel and commerce +without a pass, signifying they had taken that oath, they gave power to +all hostlers and inn-keepers to impose oaths upon all passengers, +travellers, gentlemen and countrymen, who were to swear, that their pass +was not forged. And prisoners that would not take the oath were, +according to the foresaid act, condemned, sentenced and execute, all in +one day, and early in the morning, that the people might not be affected +with the spectacles of their bloody severities. Yea spectators also, +that gathered to see the execution, were imposed upon, and commanded to +give their judgment, whether these men were justly put to death or not. +And not only so, but after that, they gave orders and commands to the +soldiers to pursue the chase after these wanderers more violently, and +shoot, or otherwise put them to death wherever they could apprehend +them; whereby many were taken and instantly most inhumanly murdered. + +XI. In the beginning of this killing time, as the country calls it; the +first author or authorizer of all these mischiefs, Charles II. was +removed by death. Then one would have thought the severity would have +stopped: and the duke of York succeeding, in his late proclamation would +make the world believe, that it never was his principle, nor will he +ever suffer violence to be offered to any man's conscience, nor use +force or invincible necessity against any man on the account of his +persuasion: smooth words, to cover the mischiefs of his former +destructions, and the wickedness of his future designs. To which his +former celebrated saying, that it would never be well till all the south +side of Forth were made a hunting field; and his acts and actings +designed to verify it, since his unhappy succession, do give the lie. +For immediately, 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 and slaughtered in the fields, without all +shadow of law, or trial, or sentence, than all the former tyrant's +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 own laws, but slain and 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 +refusing to take the oath of abjuration, and to own the authority, and +surprized with their execution, not knowing certainly the time when it +should be, yea left in suspense whether it should be or not, as if it +had been on design to destroy both their souls and bodies. Yea +Queensberry had the impudence to express his desire of it, when some +went to solicit 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 foreign plantations in this man's +time, than in the other's. Within these two years, several shipfuls of +honest and conscientious sufferers have been sent to Jamaica, (to which +before they were sent, some had their ears cut) New Jersey, and +Barbadoes, in such crouds and numbers, that many have died in +transportation; as many also died before in their pinching prisons, so +thronged that they had neither room to ly nor sit. Particularly the +barbarous usage of a great multitude of them that were sent to Dunotter +castle, when there was no room for them in Edinburgh, is never to be +forgotten; which the wildest and rudest of savages would have thought +shame of. They were all that long way made to travel on foot, men and +women, and some of both sexes, very infirm and decrepit through age; and +several sick, guarded by bands of soldiers, and then put into an old +ruinous and rusty house, and shut up under vaults above 80 in a room, +men and women, without air, without ease, without place, either to ly or +walk, and without any comfort save what they had from heaven, and so +straitned 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 own excrements, +that as several of them died; so it was a wonder of mercy that any of +them could outlive that misery, yet there they remained some months, at +a distance from all their friends, being sent thither to that northern +corner out of the south and 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 and ridiculous passage to strangers, +discovering the ridiculous folly as well as the outrageous fury of their +persecutors. For at a private meeting in London, among others, some +Scotsmen, of very mean figure, some taylors, a shoemaker, a chapman, &c. +were taken, and being found to be Scotsmen, were not only examined at +the common courts there, but by Sir Andrew Foster, by express commission +from the late king a little 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 days, retarded it a little: yet not long +thereafter they were sent in a yacht, with a guard of soldiers, and a +charge of high treason. But, when brought before the council of +Scotland, the amount of all that bustle was, a question posed to them +under pain of death, whether the king should be king or no? that is, +whether they owned his authority or not. Yet though some of the poor men +did own it, they were sent to Dunotter castle: and thence among the rest +banished and transported to New Jersey; in which passage, by reason of +their crude and bad provision, the most part in the ship were cast into +a fever, and upwards of sixty died, yea even since the former +proclamation for this pretended liberty, there are twenty-one men and +five women sent to Barbadoes, against whom nothing could be alledged but +matters of mere religion and conscience: which, as it proclaims the +notoriousness of these impudent lies, wherewith the proclamations for +this liberty are stuffed; so it puts an indelible brand of infamy upon +some London 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 Lord's captives. + +3. There have been more cruel acts of parliament enacted in this +tyrant's time, than the former made all his reign. For in his first +parliament held by Queensberry, 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 own 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 +owning both these, that are so much the more publicly to be avouched, +that they are so openly interdicted by wicked and blasphemous tyranny, +though for the same they expect from the Scottish inquisition all the +murdering violence, that hell and Rome and malignant rage can exert. + +But to conclude this tragical deduction: as these hints we have heaped +together of the kinds and 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 howled these twenty-seven +years, to be a complete and habitual tyranny, to discover the inhumanity +and 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 Scottish inquisition, and the +practices of the council of Scotland, and judiciary court; so I shall +shut up all in a summary relation of the common practices and forms of +procedure in these courts: which will be useful to understand a little +more distinctly, to the end the innocency of sufferers may more clearly +appear. 1. They can accuse whom they will, of what they please; and if +by summar citation, he will not, may be, because he cannot, compear; if +once his name be in their Porteons' rolls, that is sufficient to render +him convict. 2. They used also to seize some, and shut them up in prison +year and day, without any signification of the cause of their +imprisonment. 3. They can pick any man off the street; and if he do not +answer their captious questions, proceed against him to the utmost of +severity; as they have taken some among the croud at executions, and +imposed upon them the questions. 4. They can also go through all the +houses of the city, as well as the prisons, and examine all families +upon the questions of the council's catechism, upon the hazard of their +life, if they do not answer to their satisfaction, as has been done in +Edinburgh. 5. When any are brought in by seizures, sometimes (as is said +before) they let them lie along without any hearing, if they expect they +cannot reach them; but if they think they can win at them any way, then +they hurry them in such haste, that they can have no time to deliberate +upon, and oftentimes have no knowledge or conjecture of the matter of +their prosecution: yea, if they be never so insignificant, they will +take diversion from their weightiest affairs, to examine and take +cognizance of poor things, if they understand they dare vent or avow any +respect to the cause of Christ: and the silliest body will not escape +their catechization about affairs of state, what they think of the +authority, &c. 6. If they be kept in prison any space, they take all +ways to pump and discover what can be brought in against them: yea, +sometimes they have exactly observed that device of the Spanish +inquisition, in suborning and sending spies among them, under the +disguise and shew of prisoners, to search and find out their minds, who +will outstrip all in an hypocritical zeal, thereby to extort and draw +forth words from the most wary, which may be brought in judgment against +them the next day. 7. When prisoners are brought in before them, they +have neither libel nor accuser, but must answer concerning things that +are to be enquired after, to all questions they are pleased to ask. 8. +If at any time they form a sort of libel, they will not restrict +themselves to the charges thereof, but examine the person about other +things altogether extraneous to the libel. 9. They have frequently +suborned witnesses, and have sustained them as witnesses, who either +were sent out by themselves as spies and intelligencers, or who palpably +were known to delate those against whom they witnessed, out of a pick +and prejudice, and yet would not suffer them to be cast for partial +counsel. 10. If they suppose a man to be wary and circumspect, and more +prudent than forward in the testimony; then they multiply questions, and +at first many impertinent interrogations, having no connexion with the +cause, to try his humour and freedom, that they may know how to deal +with him: and renew and reiterate several criminal examinations, that +they may know whereof, and find matter wherein, to indict him, by +endeavouring to confound, or intrap, or involve him in confessions or +contradictions, by wresting his words. 11. They will admit no time for +advice, nor any lawful defence for a delay, but will have them to answer +presently, except they have some hopes of their compliance, and find +them beginning to stagger and succumb in the testimony; in that case, +when a man seeks time to advise, they are animated to a keenness to +impose, and encouraged to an expectation of catching by their snares, +which then they contrive and prepare with greater cunning. 12. If a man +should answer all their questions, and clear himself of all things they +can alledge against him, yet they used to impose some of the oaths, that +they concluded he would not take; and according to the measure of the +tenderness they discovered in any man, so they apportioned the oaths to +trap them, to the stricter the smoother oaths, to the laxer, the more +odious, that all natural consciences did fear at. 13. They will not only +have their laws obeyed, but subscribed, and they reckon not their +subjects obedience secured by the lawmaker's sanction, but the people's +hand-writing; and think it not sufficient that people transgress no +laws, but they must also own the justness of them, and the authority +that enacts them, and swear to maintain it: and yet when some have done +all this, and cleared themselves by all compliances, they will not +discharge them, but under a bond to answer again when called. 14. They +will have their laws to reach not only actions, but thoughts; and +therefore they require what people think of the bishop's death, and of +Bothwel insurrection; and whether they own the authority, when they can +neither prpve their disowning of it, nor any way offending it. 15. They +will have them to declare their thoughts, and hold them convict, if they +do not answer positively all their captious questions; and if they will +not tell what they think of this or that, then they must go as guilty. +16. If they insist in waving, and will not give categorical answers, +then they can extort all, and prove what they please by torture: and +when they have extorted their thoughts of things, though they be +innocent as to all actions their law can charge them with, then they +used to hang them when they had done. 17. They have wheedled men +sometimes into confession either of practices or principles, by +promising to favour their ingenuity, and upbraiding them for dissemblers +if they would not, and by mock expostulations, why were they ashamed to +give a testimony? and then make them sign their confessions at the +council, to bring them in as a witness against them at the criminal +court. 18. Yea, not only extrajudicial confession will sustain in their +law: but when they have given the public faith, the king's security the +act and oath of council, that their confession shall not militate +against them, they have brought it in as witness against them, and given +it upon oath, when their former oath and act was produced in open court, +in demonstration of their perjury. 19. When the matter comes to an +assize or cognizance of a jury, they use to pack them for their purpose, +and pick out such as they listed, who they think will not be bloody +enough. 20. Sometimes when the jury hath brought their verdict in +favours of the pannel, they have made them sit down, and resume the +cognition of the case again, and threatened them with an assize of +error, if they did not bring him in guilty. 21. Yea, most frequently the +king's advocate used to command them to condemn, and bring in the pannel +guilty, under most peremptory certifications of punishment if they +should not; so that they needed no juries, but only for the fashion. 22. +Sometimes they have sentenced innocent persons twice, once to have their +ears cut and be banished, and after the lopping of their ears, some have +been re-examined, and sentenced to death, and execute. 23. They have +sentenced some and hanged them both in one day; others early in the +morning, both to surprize the persons that were to die, and to prevent +spectators of the sight of their cruelty; others have been kept in +suspence, till the very day and hour of their execution. 24. Not only +have they murdered, serious and zealous followers of Christ in taking +away their lives, but endeavoured to murder their names, and to murder +the cause for which they suffered; loading it with all reproaches, as +sedition, rebellion, &c. which was their peculiar policy, to bring the +heads of sufferings to points that are most obnoxious to men's censure, +and accounted most extrinsic to religion, whereby they levelled their +designs against religion, not directly under that notion, but obliquely +in the destruction of its professors, under the odium and reproach of +enemies to government. 25. But chiefly they labour to murder the soul, +defile the conscience, and only consult to cast a man down from his +excellency, which is his integrity; that is a christian's crown, and +that they would rather rob him of as any thing, either by hectoring or +flattering him from the testimony: which they endeavour, by proposing +many offers, with many threatnings in subtile terms; and pretend a great +deal of tenderness, protesting they will be as tender of their blood as +of their own soul (which in some sense is true, for they have none at +all of their own souls) and purging themselves as Pilate did, and +charging it upon their own heads. 26. They will be very easy in their +accommodations, where they find the poor man beginning to faint, and +hearken to their overtures, wherein they will grant him his life, +yielding to him as cunning anglers do with fishes: and to persuade him +to complying, they will offer conference sometimes or reasoning upon the +point, to satisfy and inform his conscience, as they pretend, but really +to catch him with their busked hook. 27. Sometimes they used to stage +several together, whereof they knew some would comply, to tantalize the +rest with the sight of the others liberty, and make them bite the more +eagerly at their bait, to catch the conscience. But when they had done +all they could, Christ had many witnesses, who did retain the crown of +their testimony in the smallest points, till they obtained the crown of +martyrdom, and attained boldly to them without fear or shame, and +disdaining their flattering proposals, but looking on them under a right +notion, as stated there in opposition to Christ; whereby they found +this advantage, that hence they were restrained from all sinful +tampering with them, or entertaining any discourse with them, but what +was suitable to speak to Christ's enemies, or doing any thing to save +their life, but what became Christ's witnesses, who loved not their +lives unto the death. Of whom universally this was observed, that to the +admiration of all, the conviction of many enemies, the confirmation of +many friends, the establishment of the cause, and the glory of their +Redeemer, they went off the stage with so much of the Lord's +countenance, so much assurance of pardon and eternal peace, so much hope +of the Lord's returning to revive his work, and plead his cause again in +these lands, that never any suffered with more meekness humility and +composure of spirit, and with more faithfulness, stedfastness and +resolution, than these worthies did for these despised and reproached +truths; for which their surviving brethren are now contending and +suffering, while others are at ease. + + + + +PART III. + +_The Present testimony stated and vindicated in its principal heads._ + + +By what is above premitted, the reader may see the series and succession +of the testimony of Christ's witnesses in Scotland from time to time, in +all the periods of that church; how it hath been transmitted from one +generation to another down to our hands; how far it hath been extended, +and what increasements it hath received in every period; how it hath +been opposed by a continued prosecution of an hereditary war against +Christ, by an atheistical, papistical, prelatical, and tyrannical +faction; and how it hath been concerted, contended for, maintained, and +sealed actively and passively, by an anti-pagan, anti-popish, +anti-prelatical, anti-erastian, anti-sectarian, and anti-tyrannical +remnant of the followers, professors, confessors, and martyrs of Christ +in all ages. Now it remains in the third and last place, to consider the +merit of the cause as it is now stated, to see whether it will bear the +weight of those great sufferings wherewith it hath been sealed. I hope +all the lovers of Christ, who have an esteem even of his reproaches +above all the treasures of Egypt, will grant, that if these sufferings +be stated on the least or lowest of the truths of Christ, then they are +not mistated, nor built upon a bottom that will not bear them, or is not +of that worth to sustain them. For certainly every truth, the least of +truths, is of greater value than any thing that we can suffer the loss +of for it; yea, of infinitely greater value, than the whole world. So +that if I prove these heads of suffering to be truths wherein conscience +is concerned, the cause will be sufficiently vindicated from the +loadings and lashings of such as prefer peace to truth, and ease to +duty, who to justify their own backwardness and detestable lukewarmness, +call some of them only state questions about things civil, and not +gospel truths and heads to state suffering upon: and if they be truths +and duties, the cause will some way be rendered more illustrious, that +it is stated upon the smallest hoofs and hair-breadths of the concerns +of Christ's declarative glory; as being a greater witness of its owners +love and loyalty to Christ, and of their pure and tender zeal for his +honour, than if for more substantial and fundamental truths, which a +natural conscience may reclaim to decline, when for the meanest +circumstantials of Christ's truths they dare and are ambitious to bestow +their dearest blood. But if the complex of them be impartially +considered, no unprejudiced arbiter will suffer himself to have such +extenuating impressions of the present word of patience, and testimony +of the suffering remnant in Scotland this day: but it will appear to be +a very weighty and worthy concern, as any that either men or Christians +can be called to witness for; being the privilege of all mankind, the +duty of all Christians, and the dignity of all churches, to assert; it +is for the glory and crown prerogatives and imperial regalia of the King +of kings, with reference to his visible kingdom, of which the government +is laid upon his shoulders, against the heaven daring usurpations and +encroachments made thereupon, both as he is Mediator, and King, and Head +of the church, and as he is God and universal King of the world. As he +is Mediator, it is his peculiar prerogative to have a supremacy and sole +sovereignty over his own kingdom, to institute his own government, to +constitute his own laws, to ordain his own officers, to appoint his own +ordinances, which he will have observed without alteration, addition, or +diminution, until his second coming: this his prerogative hath been, and +is invaded by erastian prelacy, sacrilegious supremacy, and now by +antichristian popery, which have overturned his government, inverted his +laws, subverted his officers, and perverted his ordinances. As he is God +and universal King, it is his incommunicable property and glory, not +only to have absolute and illimited power, but to invest his deputed +ministers of justice with his authority and ordinance of magistracy, to +be administred in subordination to him, to be regulated by his laws, and +to be improved for his glory, and the good of mankind; this glory of +his, hath been invaded by tyrants and usurpers arrogating to themselves +an absolute power, intruding themselves without his investment into +authority, in a rebellion against him, in opposition to his laws, 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 and liberty, to both which these are destructive. This will +appear to be the result and tendency of the testimony in all its parts, +opposed by the enemies of religion and liberty, and the end of all their +opposition, to bring it to this crinomenon, who shall be king? Jesus or +Cæsar? Let any seriously search into all their proclamations and edicts +against religion and liberty, this will be found to be the soul and +sense of them, practically and really speaking to this purpose, +especially since this man came to the throne. + + '_J. R._ + + 'James the VII. II. by the V. of G. king of Scotland, England, + France, and Ireland, defender of the antichristian faith: To all + and sundry our good subjects, whom these presents do, or may + concern: greeting. We having taken into our royal consideration, + the many and great inconveniencies which have happened in that our + ancient kingdom of Scotland, especially of late years, through the + persuasions of the christian religion, and the great heats and + animosities, betwixt the professors thereof, and our good and + faithful subjects, whose faith and religion is subject and + subservient to our royal will (the supreme law, and reason, and + public conscience) to the disappointment of our projects, restraint + of our pleasures, and contempt of the royal power, converting true + loyalty and absolute subjection, into words and names (which we + care not for) of religion and liberty, conscience and the word of + God, thereby withdrawing some to the christian faction, from an + absolute and implicit subjection to us and our will, as if there + were a superior law to which they might appeal; and considering + that these rebellious christians do never cease to assert and + maintain strange paradoxes, such principles as are inconsistent + with the glory and interest of our government, as that the + authority of kings should be hemmed in with limits, and that their + acts and actions are to be examined by another rule than their own + authority to make them lawful, that some things in the kingdom are + not subject to the king's 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 no + magistrates; and considering also their practices are conform to + their principles, they will not obey our laws, but the laws of + another inconsistent with ours, and will calculate their religion + according to his laws, and not according to ours, and continually + make their addresses to, and receive ambassadors from a prince whom + we know not, whom our predecessors, of truly worthy memory, did + crucify, one Jesus 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 crown 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 and 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 and might we can use, + because his government is hateful to us, his yoke heavy, his + sayings are hard, his laws 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 and exercise our sovereign + authority, prerogative royal, and 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 ourselves to, settled by law, and lineally derived to us as + an inherent right to the crown, we have power to order all matters + of church as well as state, as we in our royal wisdom shall think + fit, all laws and acts of Christ to the contrary notwithstanding; + and accordingly in our royal wisdom have overturned the platform of + that government which Christ hath instituted, razed all courts + fenced in his name, and severely interdicted all meetings of his + subjects, and entertainment of his ambassadors: 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, + and requiring allegiance and obedience to him, after we had + exauctorated him; we have also established our right trusty, and + well beloved clerks in ecclestiastic affairs, and their underlings, + by our authority to have the administration of the business of + religion and impowered our right trusty and well beloved cousins + and counsellors, to compel all to submit to them, by finings, + confinings, imprisonment, banishment, oaths, and 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 oppose Christ in his way; but we reserve + so much to ourselves, 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 and prosecute + our sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and absolute power + foresaid, against Christ, and without subordination to him, from + whom, as we sought none, so we received no power by his warrant and + grant, and against whom we mind to manage it to the uttermost of + our power. Yet reflecting upon the conduct of the four last + reigns, how, after all the frequent and pressing endeavours that + were used in each of them, to reduce our kingdoms to antichrist, + the subjects of Christ were so stubborn, that the success hath not + answered the design: we must now change our methods a little, and + tolerate that profession of Christ which we cannot yet get + overturned, his subjects being so numerous, but always upon these + terms, that they take a special care that nothing be preached or + taught among them, which may be a testimony for Christ's + prerogatives, in opposition to our usurpation, or may any way tend + to alienate the hearts of our people from us, or our government, or + preach his truths which we have condemned as seditious and + treasonable, under the highest pains these crimes will import. + Hereby we shall establish our government on such a foundation, on + the ruin of Christ's, as may make our subjects happy, and unite + them to us by inclination as well as duty, in a belief that we will + not restrain conscience in matters of mere religion: for which we + have a dispensation from our holy father, and also from our own + absoluteness, to be slaves to this promise no longer than consists + with our own interest; and which we have power to interpret as we + please: and would have all to understand, that no testimony for + Christ's supremacy against our encroachments thereupon, shall be + comprehended under these matters of mere religion, for which the + conscience shall not be constrained: but we will have the + consciences of such subjects of his, that dare assert it, brought + to a test and probation how they stand affected in this competition + betwixt us and this King Jesus, and see whether they will own or + decline our authority, because not of him, nor for him, nor to him, + but against him and all his interests. Our will is therefore, that + all who will countenance any other meetings of his subjects than we + have allowed, or connive at them, shall be prosecuted according to + the utmost severity of our laws made against them, which we leave + in full force and vigour, notwithstanding of all the premises. And + for this effect, we further command all our judges, magistrates, + and officers of our forces, to prosecute all these subjects and + followers of Christ, who shall be guilty of treating with, or + paying homage to that exauctorated king of theirs, in their + assemblies with his ambassadors in the fields with the utmost + rigour, as they would avoid our highest displeasure: for we are + confident none will, after these liberties and freedom we have + given to all without reserve, to serve God publicly, in such a way, + as we, by our sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and absolute + power aforesaid, have prescribed and allowed, presume to meet in + these assemblies, except such whose loyalty to Christ doth alienate + them from us and our government. As also, under the same + certifications, by the same sovereign authority, and prerogative + royal, and absolute power foresaid, we charge, impower, warrant, + and authorize, against all hazards (hell excepted) all our foresaid + judges and officers, in their respective places, to prosecute and + execute our laws, against all that may be suspected or convicted of + their adherence to Christ, or be found guilty of owning their + allegiance to him as their liege Lord, by solemn covenant, which we + have caused burn by the hand of the hangman, and declared criminal + to own it, or shall be found guilty of declining allegiance to us + and our absolute authority, stated in opposition to him and his, or + of maintaining that pernicious principle, inconsistent with our + government, that their lives are their own, which they will + preserve without surrender to our mercy: all which we command to be + executed to death, or banished as slaves, as shall be found most + conducible to our interest. And to the end, the few that remain of + that way may be totally exterminated, we straitly command all our + soldiers, horse and foot, to be ready upon order, to march and + make search, pursue and follow, seize and apprehend, kill and slay, + and cause to perish, all such, whether they shall be found at + meetings, or in their wanderings, wherever they may be apprehended: + and ordain all our good subjects to be assistant to these our + forces, in prosecuting this war against Christ and his followers, + and contribute their best help and encouragement, in giving them + their required maintenance, and duly paying cess and locality + imposed for that end; and that they shall not dare to countenance, + converse with, refer, harbour, supply, or keep any manner of + correspondence with any of these traitors that adhere to Christ, + under the pain of being found art and part with them, and obnoxious + to the same punishments to which they are liable; but on the + contrary, to assist our forces to apprehend, and raise the hue and + cry after them wherever they shall be seen, that they may be + forthwith pursued, seized, cut off, and destroyed, which we order + to be instantly done upon the place, where they or any of them are + apprehended, and that without any delay or mercy to age or sex,' + &c. + +On the other hand, if any will take a look of the declarations and +testimonies of the other party without prejudice or stumbling at some +expressions, which may be offensive to critics, he will find the scope +and strain of them to have this importance. + + 'We, a poor company of persecuted, reproached, and despised + Christians; who indeed have not many wise men among us after the + flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, but are a few foolish, + weak, base, and despised nothings in the world; yet having this + ambition to be his called chosen; and faithful soldiers, who is + King of glory, King of heaven, King of saints, King of nations, + King of kings, whose kingdom is everlasting and universal; + considering the many insolent indignities, affronts, and + reproaches cast upon his name and glory, and the many usurpations, + encroachments, and invasions made upon his crown and dignity, by a + pestilent generation of his atheistical, papistical, prelatical, + and tyrannical enemies, who have rebelled against him, and have + renounced, corrupted, and subverted his royal government, both in + the church and in the world, both in his kingdom of grace and of + power: do bear witness and testimony against these rebels, from the + highest to the lowest: and assert the interest and title of our + princely Master, and own allegiance and absolute obedience to him + and his government, to which he hath undoubted right; an essential + right by his eternal Godhead, being the everlasting Father, whose + goings forth have been of old from everlasting; a covenant-right by + compact with the Father, to bear the glory and rule upon his + throne, by virtue of the council of peace between them both; a + donative right by the Father's right of delegation, by which he + hath all power given to him in heaven and in earth, and all + authority, even because he is the Son of man; an institute right by + the Father's inauguration, which hath set him as King in Zion; an + acquisite right by his own purchase, by which he hath merited and + obtained not only subjects to govern, but the glory of the sole + sovereignty over them in that relation, a name above every name; a + bellical right by conquest, making the people fall under him, and + be willing in the day of his power, and overcoming those that make + war with him; an hereditary right by proximity of blood and + primogeniture, being the first born, higher than the kings of the + earth, and the first born from the dead, that in all things he + might have the pre-eminence; an electing right by his people's + choice and surrender, a crown wherewith his mother crowned him in + the day of his espousals. In a humble recognizance of all which + rights, we own and avouch, that he hath that incommunicable + prerogative of sole sovereignty over his visible kingdom, as well + as invisible, without a co-partner or competitor, either + co-ordinate or subordinate; in prescribing laws, by no human + authority to be reversed; in appointing ordinances immutable, + without addition or diminution, for matter or manner; instituting a + government, which no man or angel can, without blasphemy, arrogate + a power either to invert or evert, change or overturn; and + constituting officers, which must depend only on his authority, and + his alone; and must be cloathed only with his commission, and his + alone; guided by his instructions, and his alone; acting according + to his laws and prescribed platform, and his alone; without any + dependence on, subordination to, licence, warrant or indulgence + from any mortal. And therefore we disown and detest every thing + that hath not the stamp of his authority, either in doctrine, + worship, discipline or government: and will discountenance prelacy, + supremacy, popery, and all corruption contrary to his institution, + who is sole and supreme lawgiver to the conscience, and will submit + to, or comply with nothing that may directly or indirectly signify + our respect unto them. Hence we will take none of their oaths, + subscribe none of their bonds, yield to none of their impositions, + pay none of their exactions; neither will we hear or receive + ordinances from any minister, but the faithful authorized + ambassadors of Christ our king, whatever either rage or reproach we + suffer for it. We assert and affirm also, that our exalted Prince + is King of the whole world, by whom kings reign, and princes decree + justice, as his ministers of justice, in subordination to him; whom + he hath hath appointed to rule over us, with just boundaries, that + they may not exceed, and true characters, by which we should know + them and pay them deference. And therefore, whosoever shall + arrogate to themselves, and extend their power beyond and above + his prescripts, being neither called to, nor qualified for, nor + improving the office for the ends he hath appointed; we will + acknowledge them no otherwise than usurping tyrants, and not + magistrates nor ministers of justice, to whom he hath given the + sword by his perceptive will; only as lions, bears, wolves, to whom + he hath given a rod by his providential will; in that case we may + be passively subject, when we cannot do better; but will never own + conscientious allegiance to them, nor own them as our lawful + magistrates; and therefore we will not bow down to their idols they + have set up, nor prostitute either conscience or liberty to their + lust, but will endeavour, under our Master's banner and conduct, to + preserve whatever he hath intrusted to us religion, life, liberty, + estate, and whatsoever the Lord our God hath given us to possess, + as they unjustly possess what their god gives them; and will + maintain a war of constant opposition to them (against whom our + Lord hath declared a war for ever) without parley, treaty of peace, + capitulation, composition, truce, or any transaction; we will + neither meddle nor make with them, less or more, nor seek their + favour, nor embrace it when it is offered, on any terms that may + imply any obligation to surcease from our duty to our King, and + irreconcileable opposition to them,' &c. + +Now I shall come more distinctly to the purpose, in offering a short +vindication of the heads and grounds of our great sufferings, dividing +them into their principal parts, which I reduce to two, to wit, +negatives and positives. The negative grounds I reckon three +principally. 1. For refusing to acknowledge a corrupt ministry. 2. For +refusing to own a tyrannical magistracy. 3. For refusing to swear and +subscribe their unlawful imposed oaths, chiefly that of abjuration, +which was the occasion of suffering unto death. The positive grounds are +also three. 1. For frequenting field-meetings, to receive gospel +ordinances from faithful ministers. 2. For maintaining the principle +and practice of defensive resistance of superior powers. 3. For +maintaining the privilege and duty of offensive revenge, in executing +justice upon murdering enemies of mankind, in cases of extreme +necessity, in prosecuting which, I shall intertex some subordinate +questions relating to their respective heads, and endeavour to discuss +them briefly. + + +HEAD I. + +_Where the sufferings of many, for refusing to acknowledge a corrupt +ministry, are vindicated; and the question of hearing curates is +cleared._ + +This question, though it may seem nice, and of no great moment, to +persons of Gallio's or Laodicea's temper, indifferent and lukewarm +dispositions, consulting their own more than the things of Christ, which +make it pass without any enquiry with the most part of the world; yet, +to all who are truly tender in keeping a good conscience, free of the +times contagion, to all who have the true impression of the fear of God, +who is jealous, especially in the matters of his worship; to all who +have the true zeal of God eating them up, in a just indignation at the +indignities done to him, in usurping the office and corrupting the +administration of the ministry; to all who truly love the gospel, and +put a due value on the ordinances of Christ, the corruptions whereof +this question touches, it will be accounted of great importance. + +There are three questions about the duty of hearing the word, concerning +which the Lord Jesus gives us very weighty cautions, to wit, what we +should hear, Mark iv. 24. how we should hear, Luke viii. 28. and whom we +should hear. The last of which, though it be not so expressly stated as +the other two, yet the searcher of the scriptures will find it as +clearly determined, and as many cautions to guard from erring in it, as +in any other case, and that the concern of conscience in it is very +weighty. And certain it is, if there had been more advertency in this +point, there would not have been such inconsideration and licentiousness +in the matter and manner of hearing. Nor would that itching humour and +luxuriancy of lust, in heaping up teachers to please the fancy, have +been so much encouraged, to the great detriment of the church, disgrace +of the gospel, and destruction of many poor souls. But through the +ignorance and neglect of this duty of trying whom we should hear, by +seeking some satisfying evidence of their being cloathed with authority +from Christ, the world hath been left loose in a licence to hear what +they pleased, and so have received the poison of error from the +mountebanks, instead of the true and wholesome potions of Christ's +prescripts from them that had power and skill to administer them. Hence +the many sects, and schisms, and errors that have pestered the church in +all ages, have in a great measure proceeded from this latitude and +laxness of promiscuous hearing of all whom they pleased, whom either the +world's authority impowered, or by other means were possessed of the +place of preaching, without taking any cognizance whether they had the +characters of Christ's ambassadors or not. If this had been observed, +and people had scrupled and refused to hear these whom they might know +should not have preached; neither the great antichrist, nor the many +lesser antichrists, would have had such footing in the world as they +have this day. It is then of no small consequence to have this question +cleared. Neither is it of small difficulty to solve the intricacies of +it, what characters to fix for a discovery of Christ's true ministers; +whom we should submit to and obey in the Lord, and love and esteem them +for their work's sake, and for their qualities sake, as standing in +Christ's stead, having the dispensation of the word of reconciliation +committed to them; and how we may discern those characters; what +judgment is incumbent to private Christians, for the satisfaction of +their own consciences in the case; and how they ought to demean +themselves in their practice, without scandal on either hand, or sin +against their own conscience; how to avoid the rocks and extremes that +inadvertency or precipitancy in this matter may rush upon; so as to +escape and sail by the Scylla of sinful separation on the one hand, and +the Charybdis of sinful union and communion on the other, which are +equally dangerous; especially how these cautions are to be managed in a +broken, and disturbed, and divided case of the church. The question also +is the more difficult, that as it was never so much questioned before +this time, and never so much sought to be obscured, by the perverse +disputings of men of corrupt minds, to find out evasions to cover sin +and escape sufferings upon this account; so it hath never been discussed +by divines either at home or abroad, with relation to our case, except +what hath been of late by some faithful men, who have suffered upon this +head, from whom I shall gather the most of my arguments, in as +compendious a way as I can without wronging them. The reason, I fancy, +that we are at such a loss in our helps from the learned on this head, +is partly, that they have written with relation to their own times, in a +constitute case of the church, when corruptions and disorders might be +orderly rectified, and people might have access to get their scruples +removed in a legal way by church-order, in which case the learned and +judicious Mr. Durham hath written excellently in his book on scandal; +but therein neither he nor others did consult, nor could have a prospect +of such a case as ours is; and partly, that foreign divines, not having +this for their exercise, could not be acquainted with our +circumstantiate case, and so are not fit nor competent arbiters to +decide this controversy; hence many of them do wonder at our sufferings +upon this head. Every church is best acquainted with her own testimony. +Yet we want not the suffrage of some of the most learned of them, as the +great Gisb. Voetius in his polit. eccles. in several places comes near +to favour us: where he allows people to leave some, and hear such +ministers as they profit most by, from these grounds, 'That people +should choose the best and most edifying gifts, and from that scripture, +1 Thess. v. 21. Prove all things, &c. and answers objections to the +contrary, and granteth, that, upon several occasions, one may abstain +from explicit communion with a corrupt church, for these reasons, that +such communion is not absolutely necessary, by necessity either of the +mean or precept, where the Christian shall have more peace of +conscience, and free exercise of Christian duties elsewhere, and that he +may keep communion with more purity in other places, polit. eccles. +quest. 17. pag. 68. And he approves of the people refusing to bring +their children to be baptized by such corrupt ministers, because they +may wait until they have occasion of a minister; for if the best gifts +be to be coveted, why should not the best ministers be preferred? and +why should not Christians shew by their deeds, that they honour such as +fear the Lord, and contemn a vile person? They ought not to partake of +other men's sins, 1 Cor. v. 9, 11. Eph. v. 11. They should not +strengthen the hands of the wicked, and make sad the godly; the +authority of such ministers should not be strengthened,' Voet. polit. +eccles. pag. 637 to 640. But though it labour under all these +disadvantages; yet it is not the less, but so much the rather necessary, +to say somewhat to clear it, with dependence upon light from the +fountain, and with the help of faithful men who have sufficiently +cleared it up, to all that have a conscience not blinded nor bribed with +some prejudices, by which more light hath accrued to the church in this +point of withdrawing from corrupt ministers than ever was attained in +former times; which is all the good we have got of prelacy. Insomuch +that I might spare labour in adding any thing, were it not that I would +make the arguments, vindicating this cause of suffering, a little more +public, and take occasion to shew, that the grounds espoused by the +present and reproached party for their withdrawings, so far as they are +stretched, are no other than have been owned by our writers on this +head; to the intent that it may appear, there is no discrepancy, but +great likeness and harmony between the arguments and grounds of +withdrawing, in the late informatory vindication, &c. and those that are +found in other writings. And so much the rather I think it needful to +touch this subject now, that not only this hath been the first ground of +our sufferings, but many that suffered a while for it, now have fainted, +and condemned all their former contendings for this part of the +testimony, calling in question all these reasons that formerly satisfied +them. But to proceed with some distinctness in this thorny point: some +concessory assertions must first be permitted, and then our grounds +propounded. + +First, I willingly yield to, and cordially close with the truth of these +assertions. + +I. The unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace, ought to be the +endeavour of all that are members of the one body of Christ, partakers +of his one Spirit, called in one hope, professing one Lord, confessing +one faith, sealed with one baptism, Eph. iv. 3. &c. and for brethren to +dwell together in unity, is good and pleasant, and like the precious +ointment upon the head, that ran down upon Aaron's beard, Psal. cxxxiii. +1, 2. A fragrant ointment indeed, if it be composed aright of gospel +simples, according to divine art, and the wisdom that is from above, +which is pure, and then peaceable: and not made up of adulterate +politics: that union that hath the Spirit for its author, the scripture +for its rule, peace for its bond and beauty, love for its cement, faith +for its foment, Christ for its foundation, and truth and holiness for +its constant companions, cannot but be intensely desired, enixly +endeavoured, and fervently followed by all the professors of the gospel +of peace, and subjects of the Prince of peace: which makes division and +schism, not only a great misery, but a grand sin. But it must be in the +way of truth and duty, and consistent with holiness and the honour of +Christ, otherwise if it be in the way of apostasy and defection, it is +but a confederacy and conspiracy against the Lord. And true union can +neither be attained, nor retained, nor recovered, except the sinful +cause of division, defection, and the holy over-ruling cause, the anger +of the Lord be removed, in turning to and following him. + +II. Though there be not perfect union, but diversity both of judgments +and practices, in several cases there may be communion with a church in +its ordinances and ministry. As, 1. We may have a catholic communion +with all christian ministers and members of the catholic church, +considered as such; holding the head Christ, and the fountain sure. And +so we may meet for worship with all devout men in every nation under +heaven, whether they be Parthians, or Medes, or Elamites, or French or +Dutch, &c. though differing in controversies of lesser moment, not +overturning that; if they hold the universal testimony of the gospel, +against the common enemies thereof, Jews, Turks, or Pagans: for there is +neither Greek nor Jew, if he be a christian, Christ is all and in all, +Col. iii. 11. But if they be heretics, we can have no communion with +them. 2. We may have a more special communion with all protestant +ministers and members of the reformed church, considered as such, more +strictly, and upon stricter conditions: providing they hold, not only +the universal of christians, but the general testimony of protestants, +against the greater and lesser antichrists; though differing from us in +some circumstantial points, not reformed, and not contradictory unto the +protestant testimony against popery, and all heresy; nor declining from +their own reformation, by defection or schism. And consequently, it is +lawful to own communion with the churches of the united provinces, and +take ordination from them, though they have some forms not allowable, +from which they were never reformed, because they are sound in the +protestant testimony. But with the sectarians, or schismatics, or +apostates among them, we cannot own that special communion. 3. We may +have a more particular communion upon yet stricter conditions with all +our covenanted brethren, ministers and members of the churches of +Britain and Ireland, considered as such: providing they hold, not only +the universal, not only the more special, protestant testimony against +the greater and lesser antichrists, but the covenanted testimony for the +reformation in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, against +popery, prelacy, superstition, heresy, schism, and profaneness, +according to the covenant; though differing from us in those +controversial points, never reformed, and which were never the word of +Christ's patience, and do not overturn the covenanted testimony. But +with those that contradict and counteract that, we own that particular +communion. 4. We may have yet a nearer organical communion, upon +stricter conditions still with all the ministers and members of the +national church of Scotland constitute and confederate under one +reformed government, according to the rule of Christ: providing they +hold, not only all the former testimonies under the foresaid +considerations, but the presbyterian testimony as stated in the +ecclesiastical constitution, and sworn to in the national covenants and +engagements of that church, founded upon the word of God, against +popery, prelacy, erastianism, sectarianism, toleration, schism and +defection; though differing in some things from us, never reformed, +never considered in ecclesiastical judicatories, never engaged against +in our covenants, never stated as the word of patience and matter of +testimony. But with those that oppose, suppress, reproach, and abandon +this testimony, we cannot own this organical communion, in this broken +state of the church. We may have yet a stricter congregational +communion, upon stricter conditions, in and with the ordinary or +extraordinary meetings or societies of the Lord's people for gospel +ordinances, with any minister or ministers, duly and truly admitted to +that function, according to Christ's appointment, and the call of the +people, whether in a fixed or unfixed relation; providing he holds the +testimony of Christ, under all the considerations, and owns and adheres +unto the true received principles of the church of Scotland, in +doctrine, worship, discipline and government, founded upon the written +word of God, and whatsoever declarations or testimonies, former or +latter, particular or more general, are agreeable thereunto; though +differing from us in some of the integral and not essential parts of our +testimony against the enemies of our covenanted reformation. But with +such as deny or decline from it, by schism or defection, or compliance +with the enemies thereof, we cannot own this congregational communion, +in this broken state of the church. + +III. Though there be many things in a church, to brangle and lessen the +comfort of our communion with it, and the ministry thereof; yet we may +keep fellowship with a true church, though in many things faulty and +corrupt, as all churches are, in some measure, in this militant state. +As the church of Corinth had many corruptions in their practice, yet no +separation is enjoined from it. And the Lord did not require separation +from the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira; though they had many +corruptions and deficiences in discipline, in a toleration of heretics; +and would lay no other burden upon them, but to hold fast what they had: +as Mr. Durham shews in his Commentary on the Revelation, chap. 2. lect. +6. page 148, 149. as also chap. 18. lect. 1. page 585. in 4to. This must +be granted especially in these cases, 1. In the infant state of the +church, when the reformation is only begun: then many things may be +tolerated, before they be gradually reformed, which, in an adult state, +are not to be suffered. 2. In a growing case of the church, advancing +out of corruptions, then many things may be borne with, while they are +ascending and wrestling up the hill, which in a declining state, when +the church is going backward, must not be yielded unto. See that +objection of hearing prelatical men in the time of former prelacy, +answered above, Period 4. In a constitute and settled case of the +church, enjoying her privileges and judicatories, corruptions may be +forborn, and the offended are not to withdraw, before recourse to the +judicatories for an orderly redress; but in a broken and disturbed +state, when there is no access to these courts of Christ; then people, +though they must not usurp a power of judicial censuring these +corruptions, yet they may claim and exercise a discretive power over +their own practice; and by their withdrawing from such ministers as are +guilty of them, signify their sense of the moral equity of these +censures that have been legally enacted against these and the equivalent +corruptions, and when they should be legally inflicted. As we do upon +this ground withdraw from the prelatic curates, and likewise from some +of our covenanted brethren, upon the account of their being chargeable +with such corruptions and defections from our reformation, as we cannot +but shew our dislike of. This the reverend author of Rectius Instruendum +justifies, Confut. 3. Dial. chap. 10. p. 8. where he is shewing what +separation is not sinful; and gives this for one, If we separate in +that, which a national church hath commanded us as her members to +disown, by her standing acts and authority, while those from whom we +separate own that corruption. Which holds true of the curates, and +indulged and addressers, and all that we withdraw from. However it be, +certainly those are to be withdrawn from, with whom we cannot +communicate without submitting to the laws establishing them, and taking +on that test and badge of our incorporation with them, and partaking of +their sin, and in hazard of their judgment. + +IV. Though in some cases, as we are warranted, so are necessitated to +withdraw: yet neither do we allow it upon slight or slender grounds, nor +can any tender soul be forced to discountenance the ministers of Christ, +(I do not here speak of the prelatical curates), without great +reluctancy and grief of heart, even when the grounds of it are solid and +valid, and the necessity unavoidable; therefore we reject these as +insufficient grounds. Besides what are given already, 1. We cannot +withdraw from a minister, for his infirmities or weakness, natural, +spiritual, or moral. 2. Neither for personal faults and escapes: we +expect a faithful, but not a sinless ministry. 3. Nor for every defect +in faithfulness, through ignorance, want of courage, misinformation, or +being biassed with affection for particular persons. We do not hold, +that faults in members or defects in ministers, do pollute the +ordinances, and so necessitate a separation; but agree with what Mr. +Durham says on Revelations, chap. 2. lect. 6. p. 147. in quarto. +Sincerity discovered will cover many faults. 4. Nor for every discovery +of hypocrisy; though we may have ground to suspect a man's principle and +motive be not right, yet if he be following duty unblameably, and have a +lawful call, what then! "notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence +or in truth, Christ is preached, therein we may rejoice," Phil. i. 18. +5. Nor yet for real scandals, not attended with obstinacy, if ministers +will take reproof and admonition, and at least by doctrinal confessing, +and practical forsaking them, satisfy the offended. 6. Yea, though his +scandals be so gross, that we must discountenance him, when he persists +in them: yet that is not a disowning of his ministry, or a rejecting +his commission, but a discountenancing for his disorders, until they be +removed. But the Apologet. Relat. sect. 14. p. 290, 291. says, (1.) +'There may be ministerial corruptions, that cut the very throat of the +office, and make one no officer,----and it is past questioning, such may +be shunned, without all hazard of separation. (2.) When personal faults +are very gross and palpable, open and avowed, such may be shunned +without any hazard of separation; because the man's being an officer, +before God, is much to be questioned; and there is great probability, +that by the very deed itself, he had forefaulted the same, though such +should be the corruption in a church, that notwithstanding of all this +he may be maintained. (3.) Separation is one thing, and not hearing such +or such a man is a far other thing: there may be many just grounds of +exception against a particular person, why people may refuse to +countenance him, without any hazard of separation, or joining with +separatists in their principles: separation is one thing, and refusing +to attend the ministry of such a man is another thing; for a man may +join with ordinances in another congregation, and so testify that he +hath no prejudice at the ministry, but only against such a man in +particular.' Whence it is an ignorant as well as malicious calumny, to +say, that our withdrawing from the curates, and also from some +ministers, whom otherwise we respect and reverence as godly ministers, +for their offensive defections, is a disowning all the ministry of +Scotland. Whereas, we do profess indeed a disowning of the curate's +ministry, but for our reverend presbyterian ministers, though we do +discountenance many of them with sad hearts, for not keeping the word of +the Lord's patience in this hour of tentation, nor adhering to the +principles and constitutions of the church of Scotland: yet this is not +a disowning of their ministry, but a refusing to countenance them in +their present administrations, in this disturbed state, till these +offences be removed. + +V. As to disown the ministry were hateful sectarianism; so to dissolve +or break off communion with a true church, whereof we are members, were +an unnatural schism, which is horrid sin. But because among all the +various sufferings, wherewith the poor tossed and racked remnant now +persecuted, have been exercised, this hath not been the lightest; that +they have been on all hands stigmatized as schismatics and separatists, +not only because they have maintained a resolved withdrawing from the +curates, but also have discountenanced many presbyterian ministers, with +whom they have been offended for their declining courses, and +compliances with the times corruptions, and forsaking in a great measure +the duty of this day: I shall distinguish some cases of separation, out +of the writings of our approven authors, which will justify all their +withdrawings. 1. Mr. Durham distinguishes these three, schism separating +from the unity and communion of a true church, consisting not always in +diversity of doctrine, but in divided practices, according to that of +Augustine, it is not a different faith makes schismatics, but a broken +society of communion: then separation, either in whole from a church as +no church, or in part in some things wherein they cannot communicate +with that corrupt church, which is lawful if it exceed not its ground; +then, lastly, secession, a local removing to a better church. The first +of these cannot be imputed to the persecuted wanderers: for they +separate from no true church, whereof they were members, but these from +whom they separate, will be found to be the schismatics. 2. The second +of these, to wit separation, is either positive and active, or negative +and passive. The first is, when a party not only leaves communion with a +church whereunto they were formerly joined, but also gathers up new +distinct churches, different from the former, under another government +and ministry, and ordinances, disowning those they left. The latter is, +when the faithful remnant of a declining church, standing still and +refusing to concur with the backsliding part of the same church, after +they have become obstinate in their defections, hold closely by, and +adheres unto the reformation attained. This famous Mr. Rutherford, in +his due right of presbyteries, p. 253, 254. sheweth to be lawful, and +calleth it a non-union, as that in Augustine's time, when the faithful +did separate from the Donatists; which is lawful and laudable. 3. 'Mr. +Rutherford there proceeds to distinguish between a separation from the +church in her worst and most part, and a separation from the best and +least part: and these who separate from the worst and greatest part, do +notwithstanding retain a part of, and a part in the visible church, +because they do not separate from the church, according to the least and +best part thereof; as the godly in England, who refused the popish +ceremonies and antichristian bishops. Hence it will follow, that though +people should now withdraw from communion with the greatest part of the +church, which is now corrupted, they cannot be counted separatists, +because they hold full communion with the better, though lesser part. +Moreover he saith, p. 254, 255. That there may be causes of non-union +with a church which are not sufficient causes of separation. Lastly, he +tells us in the same place, p. 258. when the greatest part of a church +makes defection from the truth, the lesser part remaining sound, the +greatest part is the church of separatists; though the manyest and +greatest part in the actual exercise of discipline be the church, yet in +the case of right discipline the best, though fewest, is the church. For +truth is like life, that retireth from the manyest members unto the +heart, and there remaineth in its fountain in case of dangers. So that +it is the major part which hath made defection, that are to be accounted +separatists, and not such who stand to their principles, though they +cannot comply or join with the corrupt majority.' + +Thus the Apol. Relat. rehearsed his words, sect. 14. pag. 292. 293. 4. +There may be a lawful withdrawing, where the ordinances and ministry are +not cast at, as the Apol. Rel. saith ibid. 291. 'So then, so long as +people do not cast at the ordinances, but are willing to run many miles +to enjoy them: nor cast at the church as no church (thought they sadly +fear, that God shall be provoked by this dreadful defection, which is +carried on by these men and their favourers, to give her a bill of +divorce) nor at the ministry, for they love those that stand to their +principles dearly, and are most willing to hear them either in public or +private. 5. It is granted by all that write against separatists, that +separation from a church is lawful, when the case so falleth out, that +union cannot be kept up with her without sin,' Voet. Polit. Eccles. p. +68. quest. 17. 6. The grave author of Rectius Instruendum Confut. 3 +dial. chap. pag. 7. &c. 'Allows, every separation is not schism, even +from the church which hath essentials; yea, and more than essentials: if +it be from those (though never so many) who are drawing back from +whatever piece of duty and integrity is attained; for this is still to +be held fast, according to many scripture commands. So Elias, when God's +covenant was forsaken, was as another Athanasius (I and I only am left) +in point of tenacious integrity. 7. Next he says, If we separate in that +which a national church hath commanded us as her members to disown, by +her standing acts and authority, while those from whom we separate own +that corruption. 8. Likewise he there asserts, there is a lawful +forbearance of union and compliance with notorious backsliders, in that +which is of itself sinful, or inductive to it: which is far from +separation strictly taken. The commands of abstaining from all +appearance of evil, and hating the garment spotted with the flesh, do +clearly include this. 9. He adds, many things will warrant separation +from such a particular minister or congregation; which will not warrant +separation from the church national; nor infer it, by Mr. Durham's +acknowledgment (on Scandal, pag. 129.) for if scandals become excessive, +he allows to depart to another congregation. 10. Lastly, He says, There +is a commanded withdrawing from persons and societies even in worship, +the precepts, Rom. xvi. 17. 2 Cor. vi. 17. Prov. xix. 27. Acts ii. 40. +will clearly import this by consequence.--Surely the ministers and +professors, adhering to the reformation, must be the true church of +Scotland, though the lesser number: these soldiers who keep the generals +orders, are the true army, not the deserters of the same.' + +But, Secondly, it being in part cleared by these assertions, what is our +mind in this controversy, I shall lay down from scripture oracles, all +the causes and cases justifying and warranting withdrawing from any +ministers; with application of all of them to the curates, and +accommodation of some of them to all that the wanderers withdraw from: +with arguments endeavouring to evince the validity of them, and +evidencing they are not new notions, but the same grounds which approven +authors have improved in this controversy. I shall omit the ordinary +criticisms in stating the question, in distinguishing betwixt hearing +and joining in worship, and owning them as our ministers, and submitting +to them, &c. And only essay to prove this thesis: we cannot, without +sin, own church communion in gospel ordinances with the prelates or +their curates, as our ministers, but must withdraw from them, and any +other guilty of the like corruptions, which we can make out against +them. I shall not resume what confirmations this thesis is strengthned +with, from the testimonies, or church constitutions of former periods, +which are permitted in the foregoing discourse; nor make any repetition +of the circumstances of our present condition, represented above, which +contributes to clear it: but shortly come to the arguments. + +I. It is necessary that we must acknowledge them ministers of Christ, +and his ambassadors clothed with his commission, from whom we receive +the ordinances of the gospel. For otherwise they must be looked upon as +thieves, robbers, usurpers, and strangers, whom Christ's sheep will not, +nay must not hear, John x. 1, 5. And "how shall they preach," or be +heard, "except they be sent," Rom. x. 15. For such whom we know may not +lawfully preach, we cannot lawfully hear. These from whom we may receive +the mysteries of God, we must account ministers of Christ, 1 Cor. iv. 1. +and ambassadors for Christ, standing in his stead, beseeching us to be +reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 20. Hence such as we doubt to acknowledge +ministers of Christ, clothed with his commission, them we cannot hear +without sin; but the prelatical curates are such as we doubt to +acknowledge ministers of Christ, clothed with his commission: therefore +we cannot hear them. The minor only needs probation. These who neither +have nor can have the qualifications of a minister of Christ, cannot be +acknowledged with confidence to be ministers of Christ clothed with his +commission: but the prelatical curates are such: Ergo----First, they +neither have, nor can have the qualifications of Christ's ministers; +since few of them have the personal, as christians, far less the +ministerial as officers, mentioned 1 Tim. iii. 2, 3. Tit. i. 6, 9. +except it be to be "husbands of one wife," and if that do not make them +ministers, they having nothing else, especially four are wanting in all +of them. (1.) Blamelessness, and freedom from scandal, even such as +affects the office (besides other gross disorders in their life and +conversation, obvious to the view of onlookers, being men who have +denied the faith; and therefore unfit to have the privilege of church +members in any well governed church) being, in the experience of all +that know them signalized under the characters of those that run unsent, +and from whom we are commanded to withdraw: causing the people to err by +their lies, and by their lightness, not sent of God, Jer. xxiii. making +the heart of the righteous sad, and strengthening the hands of the +wicked, Ezek. xiii. 22. See also Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3. Such as we are +commanded to beware of, Matth. vii. 15, 16. Such as we must mark and +avoid, Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Phil. iii. 2. Disorderly walkers from whom we +must withdraw, 2 Thess. iii. 6. Covenant breakers, from whom we are +commanded to turn away, 2 Tim. iii. 3, 5. They are not then blameless: +and in shewing how fitly these agree unto the persons now spoken of, +time needs not be spent, such as know them can best judge. Hence, such +as either are not fit to be church members, or have all the characters +of such officers from whom we are to withdraw, cannot be acknowledged +capable of the qualifications of the ministers of Christ; but such are +the curates: Ergo----(2.) The qualification of vigilancy cannot be found +with them for all that know them will acknowledge that they neither do, +nor can in preaching the word be "instant in season and out of season," +so as to make "full proof of their ministry," 2 Tim. vi. 1,--5. Nay, +they can give no proof of their ministry at all, further than may be +competent to dumb dogs that cannot bark, Isa. lvi. 10, 11. For they nor +no man can say, That the diseased they have strengthened, or healed that +which was sick, &c. Ezek. xxxiv. 4. And it is known to all that know +them, that if ever there were any that assumed to themselves the name of +Levites, who departed out of the way, and caused many to stumble at the +law, and corrupted the covenant of Levi, and therefore were deservedly +contemptible and base before all the people, (Mat. ii. 8, 9.) they are +the men. Let any man judge then, whether they have the qualifications of +the messengers of the Lord of hosts. Hence, they that can give no proof +of their ministry, but that which proves them to be such whom the Lord +condemns, and such who deserve to be contemned of all, cannot be +acknowledged to be qualified as the Lord's ministers; but the prelatic +curates can give no proof of their ministry, &c. Ergo----(3.) The +qualification of aptness to teach is wanting; yea, incompatible with +them, not only such of them as are noted for ignorance, of whom clearly +that is verified, they are blind watchmen, they are all ignorant (Isa. +lvi. 10.) but even their greatest clerks and rabbies may fitly be called +after the name of their forefathers, whom Christ calls blind leaders of +the blind, concerning whom he gives a command to let them alone, Mat. +xv. 14. Either generally they are discovered to be such masters of +Israel, as know not these things, John iii. 10. being men not exercised +in religion, and have not learned the truth as it is in Jesus; or they +are such, as if they have had gifts or grace, yet now they are palpably +blasted of God, and so cannot profit the people at all, being such as do +not stand in God's counsel, for then they should have turned the people +from their evil way, and so they are not apt to teach others when they +are not taught of God, but steal his words every one from their +neighbour, clearly discovering they are not sent of him, Jer. xxiii. 21, +22, 30, 32. And because they do not stand in God's counsel, they cannot +declare all the counsel of God, Acts xx. 27. For they can neither be apt +to teach repentance towards God, since they cannot be supposed to be +sensible of these sins to be repented of, for which the land perisheth, +and is burnt up like a wilderness, Jer. ix. 12. For then they would +first repent themselves of their own conformity with prelacy, of their +breach of covenant, &c. All that they can do in such a subject is, to +see vain and foolish things, and not to discover the land's iniquity, +but to see false burdens, and causes of banishment, Lam. ii. 14. Nor can +they be apt to teach faith, seeing in many things they teach otherwise +than Christ hath taught us in his word, and consent not to wholesome +words, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, from such +the command is to withdraw, 1 Tim. vi. 3,--5. whose mouths must be +stopped when they teach things which they ought not, Tit. i. 9,--11. +which is undeniable to all that know what sort of stuff they preach, +contrary to the word of God, and the principles of our covenanted +reformation. Hence if none of them be apt to teach, then none of them is +fit to be heard; but none of them is apt to teach: Ergo----'It is true +private christians may not judge of the endowments and qualifications of +ministers; yet every private christian hath the judgment of discretion, +and that way may judge such an one if he appear qualified according to +the rule of the word; and may doubt if he be a qualified minister before +God, wanting these qualifications which the word requireth,' Apol. +Relat. sect. 15. p. 285. Secondly, They have not the lawful call of a +minister of Christ, so much as an external call of his institution: +which I prove thus. They that have presentations from patrons, and +collations from prelates, and no more for a call, have no lawful call at +all; but the curates have presentations from patrons, and collations +from prelates, and no more for a call: Ergo they have no lawful call at +all. The minor cannot be doubted: 'For, in this government, the +minister's mission, call, ordination, and relation to such a people over +whom he is to officiate, flows all from the prelate; the congregational +eldership hath not the least interest in it: hence the presbyterian way +of calling pastors was ranversed by the parliament, when prelacy was set +up, and the old custom of patronages was restored,' Rectius Instru. +Confut. of 1 Dial. chap. 4. p. 3. The major proposition may be proven by +parts. First, Presentations from patrons cannot give a lawful call; for +besides what other reasons might be given against this old relict of +popish bondage of patronages, it destroys that privilege and liberty of +the church in calling their own pastors, and makes all intruders, +without the church's choice; whereas the flock are allowed a judgment of +discretion, knowledge of, and consent to the admission of their pastors, +to whom they intrust their soul's directions, before they be subject to, +and obey him in the Lord, for otherwise he is a stranger that hath not +come in at the door, and they must not, nor will not be imposed upon, +John x. 1-5. They had an interest in choosing and nominating even the +apostles, though there were other apostles of infallible knowledge, as +to qualifications, present to ordain them; and they appointed two to be +chosen by lot, Acts vi. 23. and even the deacons were looked out and +chosen by the people, and appointed over the business, Acts vi. 3. 'Much +less ought ministers to be thrust upon such a weighty employment, to +pleasure great men who are patrons, since in their faithfulness the +people are infinitely more concerned,' Rectius Instruen. ubi Supra. +Hence, if the curates have no call but what destroys the people's +privilege, they have no lawful call at all, neither ought they to be +owned, or countenanced as called ministers; but by the presentation of +patrons they have no call, but what destroys the people's privilege: +Ergo--Next, collations from prelates cannot give a lawful call: for (1.) +they cannot give that to others which they have not themselves; but they +have not a lawful call themselves, because they are not lawful officers, +as is clear, and may be proven afterwards. (2.) the only way of +conveyance of an ordinary call to this office, is by the act of a +presbytery, Tim. iv. 4. And, by ministers, their ordaining elders in +every church, with the consent of that church; but a prelate's collation +is not this act of a presbytery. (3.) That which only makes a man a +prelate's depute, cannot give him a call to the ministry of Christ; but +this collation only makes a man a prelate's depute. Or thus, a prelate's +depute is no minister; but a curate is a prelate's depute: Ergo----That +a prelate's depute is no minister, I prove; not only from that, that a +prelate, as such, is not a servant of Christ, but an enemy; and +therefore cannot confer upon another, that dignity to be Christ's +servant; but from this, that the scripture allows no derivation of +deputed officers. If no officers of Christ can have deputes of Christ's +institution; then the deputes that they make cannot be Christ's officers +of his institution; but no officers of Christ can have deputes by +Christ's institution: every man that hath any piece of stewardship in +God's family must ever see and execute it immediately by himself, and +wait upon it, Rom. xii. 7, 8. That curates are prelates deputes is +clear: for they are subject to them in order and jurisdiction, and +derive all their power from them, and are accountable to them: therefore +they cannot be acknowledged with confidence of conscience to be Christ's +ministers. 'Because they have not such a visible evidence of the call of +Christ, as, in reason and charity, doth oblige all men to receive the +person so called, as truly sent: which things are so evident in +themselves, that whoever denieth them, is obliged by the same +consequence to affirm, that if Simon Magus had in his horrid wickedness, +purchased the apostleship by money, the Christian world had been bound +to receive him as an apostle,' Naphtali, p. 105, 106, first edition. +That their ministry is the Lord's ordinance is plainly denied, Naphtali, +p. 109. 'They have nothing like a solemn ordination, having no +imposition of hands of the presbytry with fasting and prayer, according +to the order of the gospel, but the sole warrant and mission of the +prelate, and therefore it cannot be lawful to countenance such, and to +look upon them as lawful ministers,' Apol. Relat. sect. 15. pag. 183. It +will be objected here, 1. 'That then their baptism is no baptism, if +they be no ministers.' Ans. '(1.) what sad consequences may follow upon +the nulling of their office, let them see to it who either send such +forth, or employ them.' Apol. Relat. ib. p. 294. the best way to avoid +these inconveniences is not to countenance them. But (2.) the same +answers may serve which are adduced for popish baptisms and ordinations: +and the deed sometimes signifies, That it ought not to be done. Next it +will be, Object. 2. That many of the curates were in the ministry +before, therefore the argument is not stringent against them. Ans. The +one half of it about the qualifications does still urge them, through +the want of which, and their base treachery and betraying their trust, +and perjuries in breaking covenant, they have really forefaulted their +ministry, and loosed all from an obligation to hear them, or any other +to whom these scripture-characters may be applied, and brings all under +the guilt of partaking with them that hear them. + +II. It is necessary also, that all whom we may lawfully hear as +ministers and ambassadors of Christ, should not only have had a +commission from Christ, sometimes conveyed to them in his orderly +appointed way, by and from approven church officers; but they must have +it then when we hear them, at this time when we own communion with them. +For if they have sometimes had it, and forefaulted or changed it, by +taking a new right another way, it is all one in point of owning them, +as if they had none at all: and we must not meddle with such +changelings, in things that they and we must not come and go upon, Prov. +xxiv. 21. Now plain it is, that some curates sometimes had a commission +from Christ, when they were presbyters; but now they have changed their +holding, and taken a new right from them who are no officers of Christ, +invested with power to confirm or convey a ministerial mission; and so +they have forefaulted what they had. Mr. Durham, in a digression on this +subject of hearing, shews, that ministers may forefeit, on Revel. chap. +i. p. 55. in 4to. 'In matter of hearing (says he) it is not so hard to +discern, who are to be counted to speak without God's commission; +because ordinarily such have no warrantable call at all (no not in the +outward form, and so cannot be counted but to run unsent) or by palpable +defection from the truth, and commission given them in that call, they +have forefeited their commission: and so no more are to be counted +ambassadors of Christ, or watchmen of his flock, than a watchman of the +city is to be accounted an observer thereof, when he hath publicly made +defection to the enemy, and taken on with him.' Let the indulged and +addressing ministers advert to this: and consider, whether or not the +truly tender have reason to discountenance them, while they continue in +their palpable defection. But undeniably this resells that objection of +the curates ordination before they were curates; for they that change +their holding of a right, and take a new right which is null, they +forego and forefeit their old right, and all right; but the prelatic +curates have changed their holding of their right, and taken a new one, +which is null: therefore they have foregone and forefeited their old +one. The minor I prove thus. They who had a right from Christ by +conveyance of his officers, and take a new grant for the exercise of it, +not from Christ, but by conveyance of such as are none of his officers, +they change their holding, and take a new one, which is null. But the +prelatic curates, who had a right by conveyance of his officers, have +taken a new grant for the exercise of it, not from Christ, but by +conveyance of the prelate, which is none of his officers; +Therefore----The stress of all will ly in the probation of this, that +the prelate is none of Christ's officers, and therefore the conveyance +of a power from him is not from Christ. Which I prove, 1. Because his +office is cross to the very nature of gospel church government, and +therefore he cannot be a gospel church ruler. Christ discharged his +officers to exercise dominion (or lordship, Luke xxii. 25.) or +authority, as the Gentiles did, but that the chiefest should be only a +minister, Matth. xxii. 25, 26. The apostle Paul disclaims dominion over +the church, 2 Cor. i. ult. Peter exhorts the elders not to be lords over +God's heritage, 1 Pet. v. 3. The authority of church-officers then is +not a despotic power, but a ministerial stewardship. But the diocesan +bishop is both a lordly title and power, having all authority in the +diocese derived from him, as being as it were the universal pastor, and +so taking upon him a power, which is neither commanded, nor can be +discharged. Hence, he that subjects his ministry to the domination of a +strange lord, inverting the nature of gospel church-government, cannot +be owned in his ministry; but all curates subject their ministry, &c. +Therefore----2. Because he is an officer distinct from, and superior to +a presbyter or pastor; whereas the scripture makes a bishop and +presbyter all one. The elders of the church of Ephesus are called +episcopi or overseers, Acts xx. 17, 28. An ordained elder must be a +blameless bishop, as the steward of God, Tit. i. 5, 7. Again, it cannot +be shown, where the scripture mentions either name, qualification, work, +duty, or ordination of an ordinary church-officer superior to +presbyters, and which are not likewise appropriate to them who are +called rulers, governors, bishops. In all the holy Ghost's purposed +recitals of ordinary church-officers, there is not the least hint of a +diocesan bishop; and yet a deacon is described the meanest officer in +his work and qualifications. Hence then, if this diocesan prelate be +such an uncouth beast, that neither in name nor nature is found in the +word of God, all the power derived from him is null; but the first is +true: therefore----3. Because every officer in the scripture relates to +the flock (except the extraordinary officers, who were further extended, +now ceased) bishops of Ephesus, were overseers over the flock, Acts xx. +the elders that Peter writes to were over the flock. But this diocesan +antiscriptural monster pretends to be over the shepherds, and invents +new degrees and orders of superiority and inferiority of officers of the +same kind, beside and against the scripture, which makes all apostles +alike, and all evangelists, so all teachers; though there be a +distinction and superiority in diverse kinds, yet not in same. God hath +set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly +teachers, 1 Cor. xii. 28. but not among teachers, some above others, in +a power of order and jurisdiction. Hence, an officer over officers of +the same kind, is not an officer of Christ's institution, and +consequently any power conveyed from him is null; but a prelate pretends +to be an officer, over officers of the same kind: therefore, 4. Because +every officer in the church hath equally, and in perfect parity, equal +power and authority allowed them of God in the exercise of both order +and jurisdiction; all ruling elders may rule alike, and deserve equal +honour; and all preaching elders have the like authority, and the like +honour conferred upon them, 1 Tim. vi. 17. The scripture attributes both +power of order and jurisdiction; to all preaching presbyters equally. +They must oversee the flock (or as the word is, do the part of a bishop +over them) Acts xx. 28. and they must also feed the flock, 1 Pet. v. 2. +Subjection and obedience is due to them all alike: all that are over us +and admonish us, we must esteem highly for their work's sake, 1 Thes. v. +12. and obey and submit ourselves to them that watch for our souls, Heb. +xiii. 17. We find also excommunication belongs to all alike, 2 Cor. ii. +6. and ordination, 1 Tim. iv. 14. But the diocesan prelate takes from +presbyters to himself power of ordination, assuming only his curates for +fashion's sake, and the sole decisive power in church judicatories, +wherein he hath a negative voice; like a Diotrephes, the first prelate +who loved to have the pre-eminence, 3 John 9. the only precedent for +prelacy in the scripture. Hence, he that would take all power to +himself, which is undivided and equal to all officers by Christ's +appointment, hath none by Christ's allowance, but is to be reckoned an +usurping Diotrephes; but the Diocesan prelate would take all the power +to himself, which is undivided and equal to all. By all which it +appears, the prelate being no authorized church-officer of Christ's, no +authority can be derived from him; and so that such as betake themselves +to this pretended power, for warranting them in the function, can +warrantably claim no deference thereupon, nor can be owned as ministers, +whatever they were before. 'For this were an acknowledging of the power +and authority of prelates (especially when the law commands our hearing +as a submitting to them.) The reason is, because these men came forth +from the prelate, having no other call or warrant but what the prelate +giveth: and so a receiving of them will be a receiving of the prelate, +as a refusing of them will be accounted a slighting of the prelate and +his power,' Apol. Relat. 15. p. 272. + +III. It is necessary also, that all with whom we own communion as +ministers, should be Christ's ambassadors, having then, when we hear +them, and holding still their commission from Christ as king, and only +head of his church: conveyed not only from church-officers, in a way +that he hath revealed as the prophet of his church, but in a way of +dependence upon, and subordination to Christ as king, who ascending far +above principalities and powers, appointed and gave the gifts of the +ministry, Eph. iv. 8, 11. and set them in the church, 1 Cor. xii. 28. +and gave them commission to go and teach the nations, by virtue of that +all power that was given to him in heaven and earth, Matth. xxviii. 18, +19. If then they take a new holding, and close with a new conveyance of +the ministry, and of the power to exercise the same, from a new +architectonic usurped power in the church, encroaching on Christ's royal +prerogative, we dare not homologate such an affront to Christ, as to +give them the respect of his ambassadors, when they became the servants +of men, and subject even in ministerial functions to another head than +Christ, for then they are the ministers of men, and by men, and not by +Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, because +they do not hold the head, Col. ii. 19. Hence those that receive and +derive their church power from, and are subordinate in its exercise to, +another head than Christ Jesus, should not be received and subjected to +as the ministers of Christ in his church; but the prelates and their +curates do receive and derive their church power from, and are +subordinate in its exercise to, another head than Christ: therefore they +should not be received, &c. The first proportion cannot be denied, the +second is proved thus: Those officers in the church, professing +themselves such, that derive their church power from, and are +subordinate in its exercise to, a power truly architectonic and supreme +in the church (to wit the magistrate) beside Christ, do derive their +power from, and are subordinate in its exercise to another head than +Christ Jesus; but so it is that prelates and their curates do derive, +&c. Therefore----The major is evident; for whosoever hath a supreme +architectonic power in and over the church, must be a head to the same, +and the fountain of all church-power. The minor is also clear, from the +foregoing historical deduction, manifesting the present prelacy to be +gross erastianism; for the disposal of the government of the church is +declared by law to be the crown-right, and and an inherent perpetual +prerogative, and thereupon the bishops are restored to the episcopal +function; it is expressly declared, that there is no church power in the +church office-bearers, but what depends upon, and is subordinate unto +the supremacy, and authorized by the bishops, who are declared +accountable to the king for the administration; by virtue of which +ecclesiastic supremacy, he put excommunication, and spiritual censures, +and consequently the power of the keys, into the hands of persons merely +civil, in the act for the high commission. Hence it is clear, that as +the fountain of all church government, he imparts his authority to such +as he pleases, and the bishops are nothing else but his commissioners in +the exercise of that ecclesiastic power, which is originally in himself, +and that the curates are only his under clerks. All the stress will ly +in proving, that this monster of a supremacy, from which the prelates +and their curates have all their authority, is a great encroachment on +the glory of Christ as king; which will appear, if we will briefly +consider these particulars. 1. It usurps upon Christ's prerogative, who +only hath all undoubted right to this architectonic and magisterial +dominion over the church, his own mediatory kingdom; not only an +essential right by his eternal Godhead, being the everlasting Father, +whose goings forth hath been of old, from everlasting, Isa. ix. 6. Mic. +v. 2. in recognizance of which, we own but one God the Father, and one +Lord, by whom are all things, and we by him, 1 Cor. viii. 6. but also a +covenant-right, by compact with the Father, to bear the glory and rule +upon his throne, by virtue of the counsel of peace between them both, +Zech. vi. 13. A donative right by the Father's delegation, by which he +hath all power given in heaven and in earth, Mat. xxviii. 18. and all +things given into his hand, John iii. 35. and all judgment and authority +to execute it, even because he is the Son of man, John v. 22, 27. and to +be head over all things to the church, Eph. 1. 22. An institute right, +by the Father's inauguration, who hath set him as King in Sion, Psal. +ii. 6. and appointed him governor, that shall rule over his people +Israel, Matth. ii. 6. An acquisite right, by his own purchase, by which +he hath merited and obtained, not only subjects to govern, but the glory +of the sole sovereignty over them in that relation. A name above every +name, Phil. ii. 9. which is, that he is the head of the church, which +is as much his peculiar prerogative, as to be Saviour of the body, Eph. +v. 23. A bellical right by conquest, making the people fall under him, +Psal. xlv. 4. and be willing in the day of his power, Psal. cx. 3. and +overcoming those that make war with him, Rev. xvii. 14. An hereditary +right by proximity of blood and promogeniture, being the first born, +higher than the kings of the earth, Psal. lxxxix. 27. and the first born +from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence, Col. +i. 18. An elective right, by his people's choice and surrender, having a +crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, +Cant. iii. last verse. By all which undoubted titles, it is his sole +incommunicable prerogative, without a co-partner or competitor, +co-ordinate or subordinate, to be judge, and only lawgiver, and king in +spirituals, Isa. xxxiii. 22. to be that one lawgiver, Jam. iv. 12. who +only can give the power of the keys to his officers, (which comprehends +all the power they have) Matth. xvi. 9. to be that one Master over all +church officers, who are but brethren, Matth. xxiii. 8, 10. in whose +name only they must perform all church acts, and all parts of their +ministry, and not in the name of any mortal, Matth. xxviii. 18, 19. +Matth. xviii. 20. from whom only they receive whatever they have to +deliver to the church, 1 Cor. xi. 23. to be the only instituter of his +officers, who hath set them in the church, 1 Cor. xii. 28. and gave them +to the church, Eph. iv. 11. whose ambassadors only they are, 2 Cor. v. +20. from whom they have authority for edification of the church, 2 Cor. +x. 8. 2 Cor. xiii. 10. in whose name only they are to assemble, and keep +and fence their courts, both the least, Matth. xviii. 20. and the +greatest, Acts xv. But now also this is usurped by one who is not so +much as a church-member, let be a church-officer, as such: for the +magistrate is neither, as he is a magistrate, otherwise all magistrates +would be church-members. Hence they that have all their power from a +mere usurper on Christ's prerogative, who is neither member nor officer +of the church, have none at all to be owned or received as his lawful +ambassadors; but the prelates and their curates have all their power +from a mere usurper on Christ's prerogative, who is neither member nor +officer of the church: Ergo----2. It confounds the mediatory kingdom of +Christ with, and subjects it to, the kingly government of the world, +removes the scripture land-marks and limits between civil and +ecclesiastic powers in making the governors of the state to be governors +of the church, and denying all church-government in the hands of +church-officers, distinct from and independent upon the civil +magistrate: which clearly derogates from the glory of Christ's mediatory +kingdom, which is altogether distinct from, and not subordinate to the +government of the world, both in the old testament and in the new. For, +they have distinct fountains whence they flow; civil government flows +from God Creator, church government from Christ the Lord Redeemer, Head +and King of his church, whose kingdom is not of this world, John xviii. +36. though for this end he came into the world, that he should have a +kingdom there, verse 37. They have distinct objects: civil government +hath a civil object, the outward man; church government a spiritual +object, men considered as Christians; in the old testament, the matters +of the Lord are clearly distinguished from the matters of the king, 2 +Chron. xix. last verse. In the new testament, there are matters of +church cognizance which do not at all belong to the civil magistrate; +as, in the case of offence, they must tell the church, not the civil +magistrate, Matth. xviii. 15, 20. In the case of excommunication, the +church is to act by virtue of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. +v. 4, 5. not by the magistrate's power; in the case of absolution, the +church is to judge what punishment is sufficient, and what evidence of +repentance is sufficient to remove it, 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7. So in the case +of trial and ordination of ministers, &c. None of those belong to the +magistrate. They have distinct natures: the civil is a magisterial, the +ecclesiastic is a ministerial government; the one is the power of the +sword, the other of the keys; the one put forth in political +punishments, the other in ecclesiastic censures: In the old testament, +the magistrate's power was coactive, by death, banishment, confiscation, +&c. Ezra vii. 26. the church, but putting out of the synagogue, +interdiction from sacred things, &c. In the new testament, the +magistrate's power is described, Rom. xiii. to be that of the sword by +punishment; the power of the church only in binding and loosing, Matth. +xvi, 19. They have distinct ends, the end of the one being the good of +the commonwealth, the other the church's edification: In the old +testament, the end of the civil government was one thing, and of the +church another, to wit, to warn not to trespass against the Lord, in +that forecited, 2 Chron. xix. 10. In the new testament, the end of +magistratical power is to be a terror to evil works, and a praise to the +good, Rom. xiii. 3. but the end of church power is edification, 1 Cor. +v. 5. 2 Cor. x. 8. 2 Cor. xiii. 10. They have distinct courts of +officers: in the old testament, the distinction of the civil and +ecclesiastic Sanhedrim is known, where there were distinct causes, and +persons set over them to judge them respectively, 2 Chron. xix. last +verse. In the new testament, we find officers given unto the church, 1 +Cor. xii. 28. with no mention of the civil magistrate at all, and church +assemblies distinct from parliaments or senates (yea, when the +magistrate was an enemy) determining questions that did not belong to +the magistrate at all, Acts xv. we have rulers distinct from the rulers +of the commonwealth, 1 Thess. v. 12. whom we are to obey and submit +ourselves to as those who are accountable to Christ only, for to whom +else can they give account of souls? Heb. xiii. 17. we have rulers +inferior to labourers in word and doctrine, not to be honoured so much +as they: sure these cannot be civil rulers, 1 Tim. v. 17. we have rulers +commended for trying impostors, which were not magistrates, Rev. ii. 2. +And others who are rebuked for suffering hereticks, ibid. ver. 14, 15, +20. which supposes they had authority to do it; yet distinct from and +not depending on the magistrate. Besides it is from the confusion of the +two governments together, and making the supreme magistrate to be +supreme governor of the church, would follow many absurdities; as that +they who are not church-members should be church-officers, even heathen +magistrates; yea women should be church-officers; and none should be +chosen for magistrates, but such as have the qualifications of +church-officers. See Apol. Relat. Sect. 12. pag. 190. Rectius Instruen. +Confut. 1. Dial. chap. 6. pag. 50. Hence, they that in deriving their +authority do confound the two governments, civil and ecclesiastic, and +take it all from a mere civil power, cannot be owned as having any +authority of Christ's institution: but the prelates and their curates, +in deriving their authority, do confound the two governments civil and +ecclesiastic, and take it all from a mere civil power. This same +argument equally militates against hearing the indulged ministers, who +have taken a licence and warrant from the usurper of this supremacy: +because it is highly injurious to Christ's headship; very contrary to +presbyterian principles; clearly homologatory of the supremacy; plainly +prejudicial to the power of the people; very much establishing +erastianism; sadly obstructive and destructive to the good of the +church; wronging our cause and ground of suffering; strengthening the +prelates hands; contradictory to our covenants; prejudging the meetings +of God's people; and heinously scandalous and offensive: as is clear by, +and unanswerably proven in the history of the indulgence. + +IV. There is a necessity that any man whom we may join with as a +minister, must not only be a minister, and a minister clothed with +Christ's commission then, when we join with him, but he must also have a +right to administer there where we join with him. Else we can look upon +him no otherwise than a thief and a robber, whom Christ's sheep should +not hear, John x. 1-5. Now the prelates and curates, though they should +be accounted and acknowledged ministers, yet they have not a right to +officiate where they have intruded themselves. Hence we have several +arguments, as 1. They who have no just authority, nor right to officiate +fixedly in this church as the proper pastors of it, ought not to be +received but withdrawn from: but the prelates and their curates have no +just authority, or right to officiate in this church as her proper +pastors: therefore they ought not to be received, but withdrawn from. +All the debate is about the minor, which may thus be made good. They who +have entered into and do officiate fixedly in this church, without her +authority and consent, have no right so to do: but the prelates and +their curates have entered into and officiate fixedly in this church, +without her authority and consent: Ergo--The major is manifest: for if +this church have a just right and power of electing and calling of +ministers, then they who enter into and officiate fixedly in this +church, without her authority and consent, have no just authority or +right so to do: But this church hath a just right and power of electing +and calling of ministers, as all true churches have. And, if it were not +evident from what is said above, might be easily demonstrated from +scripture. The minor, to wit, that the prelates and their curates have +entered into and officiate fixedly in this church, without her authority +and consent, is evident, from matter of fact: for there was no +church-judicatory called or convocated, for bringing of prelates into +this church; but on the contrary her judicatories were all cashiered and +discharged, and all her officers turned out to let them in; and all was +done immediately by the king and acts of parliament without the church; +a practice wanting a precedent in this, and (for any thing we know) in +all other churches: All that the curates can say is, that they came in +by the bishop and patron, who are not the church, nor have any power +from her for what they do; all their right and power is founded upon and +derived from the supremacy, whereby the diocesan erastian prelate is +made the king's delegate and substitute, only impowered thereto by his +law. This is Mr. Smith's, 1st and 6th argum. If 'we suppose a particular +congregation acknowledging their own lawful pastor, and a few violent +persons arise and bring in a minister by plain force, and cast out their +lawful pastor; are not the faithful in that church obliged to relinquish +the intruder, and not only discountenance him, but endeavour his +ejection?' This is our case, Naphtali, pag. 106. Sect. 5. first edition. +2. If we cannot submit to these curates, without consenting to the great +encroachments made upon the privileges of this church, then we cannot +submit to them without sin; but we cannot submit to them without +consenting to the great encroachments made upon the privileges of this +church: therefore we cannot submit to them without sin. The minor is all +the question: but instances will make it out. As first, The robbing of +the privilege of election of her pastors, and substituting the bondage +of patrons presentations, is a great encroachment upon the privilege of +this church: but accepting of curates as ministers lawfully called, +notwithstanding that they want the election of the people, and have +nothing for their warrant but a presentation from the patron, were a +consenting to that robbery and wicked substitution. It will be of no +force to say, Our forefathers did submit to this, and to a ministry who +had no other call. This is answered above in the narrative; 'tis a poor +consequence to say, The posterity may return backward, because their +forefathers could not advance further forward. Secondly, The thrusting +out of lawful ministers without any cause but their adhering to the +covenanted work of reformation, and thrusting in others in their rooms +who denied the same, is a great encroachment on the churches privileges; +but embracing and encouraging curates by countenancing their pretended +ministry, were a consenting to this violent extrusion and intrusion. The +minor is proven thus. They who leave the extruded, and countenance the +intruded, they consent to the extrusion and intrusion, and declare they +confess the intruded's right is better than his who is extruded: but +they who embrace and encourage curates by countenancing their pretended +ministry, do leave the extruded, to wit, their old ministers, and +countenance the intruded: Ergo----To say, that people, in this case, +should protest against these encroachments is frivolous; for withdrawing +is the best protestation: and if after their protestation they still +countenance the encroachment, they should undo their own protestation. +The same argument will militate against countenancing the indulged, or +any that obtained authority to preach in any place by a power +encroaching on the churches liberties. There is an objection to be +removed here, from Matth. xxiii. 2, 3. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in +Moses chair; therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and +do; therefore they who, without a title, usurp the office, may be heard. +Ans. 1. The case is no-ways alike; for then the Lord had no other church +in the world but that, which was confined in its solemnities of worship +to that place, where they intruded themselves: he had not yet instituted +the New Testament form of administration in its ordinances and officers. +Therefore the head of the church being present might give a toleration, +during pleasure: but it is not so now. But, 2. Our Lord's words bear no +command for the people to hear them at all, but only not to reject sound +doctrine, because it came from them: surely he would not bid them hear +such, as he calls plants that his Father had never planted, whom he +bids let alone, Matth. xv. 13, 14. and who were thieves and robbers whom +his sheep should not hear. + +V. They must not only be ministers, and acknowledged as such then and +there, when and where we join with them; but they must be such as we can +own church communion with in the ordinances administrated by them, as to +the matter of them. Otherwise if they pervert and corrupt their +ministry, by preaching and maintaining errors, either in doctrine, +worship, discipline, or government, contrary to the scriptures, our +confessions, and principles of our covenanted reformation, and +contradictory to our testimony founded thereupon, and agreeable +thereunto, maintaining errors condemned thereby, or condemning truths +maintained thereby, we must withdraw from them. For if any seek to turn +us away from the Lord our God, we must put away that evil, and not +consent nor hearken to them, Deut. xiii. 5, 8. We must cease to hear the +instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge, Prov. xix. +27. We must have a care of these leaders that will cause us to err lest +we be destroyed with them, Isa. ix. 16. we must mark these who +contradict the doctrine that we have learned, and avoid them, Rom. xvi. +17. If any man teach otherwise we must withdraw ourselves from such, 1 +Tim. vi. 3, 5. If there come any, and bring not this doctrine, we must +not receive him, nor bid him God speed, in that work of his preaching or +practising against any of the truths, we have received from the word, 1 +John x. 11. Hence we must not hear false teachers, who, in preaching and +prayer, bring forth false doctrine contrary to the principles of our +reformation; but the curates are false teachers, who, in preaching and +prayer, bring forth false doctrine, &c. Therefore we must not hear them. +The minor is certain, in that not only many of them are tainted with +points of Popery and Arminianism; but all of them do teach false +doctrine tending to seduce the hearers: when in their preaching they +cry up the lawfulness of prelacy, and vent bitter invectives against +presbyterian government, condemn the work of reformation, and inveigh +against the covenant, and so teach and encourage people to follow them +in open perjury, and condemning all our testimony, as nothing but +treason and sedition; which we are persuaded is truth, and that +therefore they are blasphemers: and in their prayers, stuffed with +error, and larded with blasphemy, they reproach the work of reformation, +and the power of godliness, and pray for a blessing on the prelates, and +on their courses which are cursed; besides their parasitick prayers for +the king, to be blessed in his government when stated in opposition to +Christ, and several other things that tender consciences cannot go along +with them therein. And yet if they hear them, they must go along and +actively concur with them, as their mouth to God. If it be objected +here, that this doth not strike against all, nor against any at all +times, because some preach always sound doctrine, and all preach +sometime sound doctrine, and the like may be said of their prayers: +therefore sometimes at least they may be heard. I answer 1. This may be +alledged for all hereticks, who do all at sometimes preach sound +doctrine, and yet these scriptures are stringent against them at all +times, which I have adduced; for by these fruits which they bring forth +at sometimes, they shew themselves to be such as we must beware of at +all times. 2. We cannot know when they will preach sound doctrine, +seeing by their subjection to that government, they are obliged to +maintain prelacy, and impugn our covenanted constitution. + +VI. They must not only be such as we can join with in the ordinances as +to the matter of them, but in the manner also they must be such +administrators, as we are obliged in charity to think the Lord will +approve of them, and their administrations, and of us in our communion +with them; or at least, that, in their manner of dispensing ordinances, +they be not such as we find are under a recorded sentence of dreadful +punishment, both against them and their partakers: for if it be so, it +is as sufficient a ground to withdraw from them, as for men to withdraw +from a company staying in a house, that they see will fall and smother +them in its ruin; yea it is as warrantable to separate from them, as for +Israel to separate themselves from the congregation of the rebels who +were to be consumed in a moment, Numb. xvi. 21. or for the Lord's people +to come out of Babylon, that they receive not of her plagues, Rev. +xviii. 4. Now we find that not only the prophets of Baal, and enticers +to idolatry, and leaders to error upon the matter are threatened, and +the people for adhering to them, but we find also (as is observed by +Rectius Instruendum confut. dial chap. 1. pag. 21.) many terrible +charges and adjurations laid upon ministers, in reference to a faithful +diligence in their ministerial function, and a suitable testimony +concerning the sin and duty of the time, that they are commanded to cry +aloud and shew the people their sin, Isa. lviii. 1. and as they would +not have the blood of souls upon them, to give faithful warning touching +the peoples case and hazard, sin and duty, especially in times of great +sin and judgment, when God is terribly pleading his controversy with +them, Ezek. iii. 17. therefore they must be instant in season and out of +season, 2 Tim. iv. 2. And for their negligence and unfaithfulness +herein, we find many scripture woes and threatenings thundered against +them. When in the deceit of their own heart they promise assured peace, +when the Lord is pleading against a generation, they are threatened to +be consumed with sword and famine, and the people to whom they prophesy +shall be cast out in the streets, Jer. xiv. 13, 15, 16. therefore we +dare not admit them to prophesy to us. When they strengthen the hands, +and harden the hearts of evil doers, that none doth return from his +wickedness, the Lord threatens to feed them with wormwood, and commands +not to hearken to them, Jer. xxiii. 14.-16. their blood shall be +required at their hands, Ezek. iii. 18. one builds a wall, and another +daubs it with untempered morter, then ye, O great hailstones shall fall, +and they shall be consumed in the midst thereof, Ezek. xiii. 10, 11, 14, +18, 22. we dare not join with either builders or daubers of such a work, +as is carried on to the dishonour of Christ and ruining of reformation, +nor by our countenance and concurrence strengthen either builders or +daubers; lest we also be consumed in the midst thereof. When there is a +conspiracy of the prophets, and the priests violate the law, and profane +holy things, and shew no difference between the unclean and the clean, +then the Lord will pour out his indignation upon all, Ezek. xxii. +25,--to the end. We would endeavour to keep ourselves free of having any +hand in that conspiracy. These scriptures do give the perfect +pourtracture of our curates, in the conviction of all that know them. +Hence we draw a complex argument: such ministers as can do no good by +their ministry, but a great deal of hurt to their hearers, and expose +themselves and them both to the indignation of a jealous God, are not to +be heard; but the curates are such as can do no good by their ministry, +but a great deal of hurt to their hearers, and expose themselves and +them both to the indignation of the jealous Lord: therefore they are not +to be heard. The connexion of the major is clear from what is said +above. The minor is also evident from the application of these +scriptures, thus: they that in the deceit of their own heart promise +peace to, and strengthen the hands of evil doers, and give them not +warning, but seduce them by daubing their wickedness, and shew no +difference between the unclean and the clean, &c. are such as can do no +good by their ministry, but a great deal of hurt to hearers, and expose +themselves and them both to the indignation of God; but the curates are +such, and all others, who are so unfaithful as to give no warning +against, but justify the sins of the times. To be short, the minor of +both these foregoing arguments is evident from the experience of all +that go to the curates, who wrong thereby their own souls, mar their +edification; and run to cisterns without water. What blessing can be +expected upon the labours of such, who having perjured themselves in +taking on with the prelates, are prosecuting that course of defection, +and making themselves captains to lead the people back to Egypt, +encouraging profanity and wickedness, being themselves patterns and +patrons of the times corruptions? And seeing a blessing cannot be +expected upon their labours, but rather a curse, as daily experience +maketh good, when instead of any work of conversion or conviction among +people, there is nothing seen but a fearful hardening in profanity, +ignorance and atheism: so that many that seemed to have somewhat like +religion before, through hearing of them, are turned loose and lax in +all duties: yea never can it be instanced these twenty-seven years, that +they have brought one soul to Christ, from darkness to light, and from +the power of Satan unto God: but many instances might be given of their +murdering souls, as indeed they cannot be free of it, who cannot warn +nor declare the whole counsel of God. Hence these who cannot but be +soul-murderers, may not be heard nor entertained as soul-physicians; but +the curates cannot but be soul-murderers. Again, we can expect no good +from them, but a great deal of hurt; seeing their ministry is not the +Lord's ordinance, which he will approve, and no performances can be +acceptable unto the Lord which are not, in manner as well as in matter, +agreeable to his will: hence the wickedness even of the Lord's lawful +priests, not only caused the people to abhor the offerings of the Lord, +but even the Lord himself to abhor his sanctuary, and to account their +incense an abomination, so that he could not away with the calling of +their assemblies, which yet upon the matter were duties. Should not we +then hate that which the Lord hates, and withdraw from that which he +hath forsaken? But the meetings of the curates for administration of +ordinances in their way, the Lord hates, and hath signally forsaken: +therefore we should hate and forsake them. This is confirmed by what Mr. +Durham says in that digression about hearing, Rev. 1. page 55. in +quarto, 'Seeing edification is God's gift, can it be expected but in his +way, or can that be accounted his way which he hath not warranted.' + +VII. As we would not partake of their judgment in countenancing of their +administration of ordinances, so we would keep ourselves free from all +participation of their sin; for we must not be partakers with any in +sin, nor have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, that we +must reprove, and that we find the Lord reproves and condemns, Eph. v. +7, 11. and not only ministers in ordaining, but people in hearing, may +be in hazard of partaking of some mens sins, who enter into the +ministry, 1 Tim. v. 22. we must keep at the greatest distance from sin: +hence if we hear the curates without partaking of their sin, then we +must not hear them; but we cannot hear the curates without partaking of +their sin: therefore we must not hear them. The minor I prove. If +hearing of them be a tessera of our incorporation with them, a test of +our submission to them, a badge of our compliance with them, and sign of +our approbation of them, then we cannot hear them without partaking of +their sin; but hearing of them is such: the major cannot be denied, if +prelacy and conformity therewith be sin, as is in part proven above: for +if these be sins, then we must not incorporate with, nor submit to them, +nor comply with them, nor approve them. The minor I prove by parts. 1. +Hearing of curates is a tessera of our incorporation with them; for +communion in sacred things doth infer an incorporation of the +communicants or joiners in all cases, both in lawful and unlawful +communions, 1 Cor. x. 17.-20. All partakers of the bread are one body, +and they which eat of the sacrifices are partakers of the altar; and +also they that partake of the sacrifice offered to devils, though they +do not offer it so themselves, yet they are incorporate, and have +fellowship with devils. And 2 Cor. vi. 14.-17. where they that do not +come out, and are separate from unlawful communions, are expostulated +with, as making an unequally yoked fellowship between righteousness and +unrighteousness, light and darkness, Christ and Belial, the temple of +God and idols: hence then, if we cannot partake of their sacred things, +without partaking of their altar, and becoming one body with them, and +making such an unequally yoked mixture with them, then we must be +separate; but the first is true from these places. This argument +concludes with equal force, against joining with any deeply engaged in +the gross defections of the time. 2. Hearing of curates is a test of our +submission to them, and compliance with them: for so it is required by +law, as the acts themselves say, 'That a chearful concurrence, +countenance, and assistance given to such ministers, and attending all +the ordinary meetings for divine worship, is an evidence of a due +acknowledgment of, and hearty compliance with his majesty's government +ecclesiastical and civil, as now established by law within this +kingdom,' Act of Parl. July 10, 1663. And themselves look on all such as +obey this act as their friends. Hence, if this be sinful to submit to +them, and comply with their establishment, in obedience to a sinful act +of parliament, then it is sinful to hear them; but the former is true, +as hath been shown: Therefore----3. Hence it follows, by native +consequence, that hearing of curates is a sign of our approbation of +them: for he that gives that which is required, and accepted, and +interpreted as an evidence of a due acknowledgment, and of compliance +with the government ecclesiastical, gives the sign of his approbation +of it; but the hearer of curates does that in obedience to the act +requiring accepting, and expresly interpreting it so: therefore, &c. + +VIII. As we would be free of their sin, in approving of, and complying +with their course; so we must endeavour to stand at the greatest +distance from all appearance of sin in ourselves, either by commission +or omission, in which our joining with them in these circumstances would +involve us. For we must abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thess. v. +22. and from every thing that circumstances may make sinful: for +otherwise, suppose a thing might be materially lawful and not sinfully +sinful, yet circumstances may make it sinful, and a countenancing it so +circumstantiated, doth infer a communion in these circumstances that +makes it sinful. They that eat of the sacrifice are partakers of the +altar, and if the altar be not of God's approbation, the thing offered, +though otherwise lawful to be eaten, cannot justify the eaters, so +circumstantiated. An idol is nothing, and that which is offered in +sacrifice to idols is nothing, yet they who eat of it, when they know it +is so circumstantiated, have fellowship with devils, 1 Cor. x. 18, 19, +20, 21. And it is called idolatry, comp. verse 14. which provokes the +Lord to jealousy, verse 22. Especially when an action is so +circumstantiated, that it would infer an omission of our duty, and a +declining from or denying of our testimony, then it is clearly sinful. +For whosoever shall deny the Lord before men, him will he deny before +his Father, Matth. x. 33. And we must 'hold fast the profession of our +faith without wavering,' Heb. x. 23. and 'keep the word of his +patience,' if we would be kept in the hour of temptation, and hold it +fast that no man take our crown, Rev. iii. 10, 11. 'All truth must be +avowed, and practically avowed, on the greatest hazard: and as this +testimony must be full so must it be also constant. It was Demas's +shame, that the afflictions of the gospel made him forsake the apostle, +after great appearances for Christ: and therefore whatever truth or duty +is opposed, that becomes the special object of this testimony.' Rectius +instruend. confut. 3. Dial. Chap. 1. Pag. 18, 19. Hence, if hearing of +the curates would infer and involve us under the guilt both of +commission of sin, and omission of duty, then we cannot hear them +without sin; but the former is true; therefore also the latter. I prove +the minor by parts. First, That it would infer and involve us under the +guilt of commission of sin, all that is said above doth evince it; and +besides, palpable breach of covenant, hereafter to be charged and +cleared: and idolatry is a great sin of that nature; but the hearing of +the curates doth infer this. Which may be made out thus; the breach of +the second commandment is idolatry, (for to make the sins against that +command odious, they are all comprehended under that odious name of +worshipping images, as the sins against the seventh are called adultery, +comprehending all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions); hearing of +curates is a breach of the second command: Ergo----The minor I prove +thus: Every worship, not according to Christ's appointment, is a breach +of the second commandment; but hearing of curates is a worship not +according to Christ's appointment. Which I prove thus: a worship +enjoined by, and performed in obedience to a law, establishing a human +ordinance in the church, besides and against the institution of Christ, +is a worship not according to Christ's appointment; but the hearing of +curates is a worship enjoined by, and performed in obedience to a law +establishing a human ordinance, to wit Diocesan Erastian prelacy, with +the curates their substitutes. Hence also the second doth follow by +necessary consequence, that it would infer and involve us under the +guilt of omission of duty. For, first, If reductively it may involve us +under the guilt of idolatry and breach of the second commandment, then +it will infer the guilt of omission of these necessary duties incumbent +to the Lord's people with a reference to idolatry; to make no covenant +with them nor with their gods, nor let them dwell in the land, lest they +make us sin, Exod. xxiii. 32. 33. Exod. xxxiv. 14, 15. to overthrow +their altars, and break their pillars, and destroy the names of them out +of the place, Deut. xii. 3. Judg. ii. 2. I do not adduce these precepts, +to stretch them to the full measure of the demerit of the grossest of +idolaters: for as there are degrees of breaches of the commandment, some +grosser, some smaller, so there are also degrees of punishment, and as +to the manner of destroying and extirpating all pieces of idolatry; but +that the commands being founded upon a moral ground, lest they be sins +and snares unto us, do oblige us to some endeavour of expelling, +extirpating and overthrowing all pieces of idolatry, according to the +word and our covenants; 'and that the true and right zeal of God should +and would not only inspire all with an unanimous aversion against the +profane intruding curates, but animate us as one man to drive away these +wolves and thieves, and to eradicate these plants which our heavenly +Father never planted,' Naph. Prior edit. pag. 108. The least duty that +can be inferred is that of the apostles, flee from idolatry, 1 Cor. x. +14. which idolatry, there mentioned to be avoided, is to eat of the +sacrifices offered to idols: whence we infer, that if to eat of things +consecrated to idols be idolatry, then also to partake of sacred things +consecrated by idols must be idolatry; as the curates dispensing of +ordinances is consecrated by, and hath all its sanction from an idol of +Diocesan Erastian prelacy; but we see the apostle expresses the former: +therefore we may infer the latter. Further, It will also infer a +declining from, and denying a necessary testimony, in the case +circumstantiated. Even the smallest matter is great, when a testimony +is concerned in it, were it but the circumstance of an open window; +Daniel durst not omit it upon the greatest hazard. And now this is +clearly come to a case of confession, when there is no other way to +exoner our 'consciences before God and the world, and declare our +non-conformity to this course of backsliding, no getting of wrongs +redressed, or corruptions in the ministry removed, but by this practice; +and certainly some way we must give public testimony against these +courses, and there is no other way so harmless and innocent as this, +though suffering follow upon it,' Apol. Relat. Sect. 14. 272, 273. And +now there is no other way apparent, whereby the difference shall be kept +up betwixt such as honestly mind the covenanted work of reformation, and +the corrupt prelatical and malignant enemies; but this argument also +will infer the expediency of withdrawing from all ministers, with whom +our circumstantiate joining would involve us in a participation with +their defections. + +IX. As we would endeavour to avoid sin in ourselves; so we must have a +care to give no occasion of others sinning, by our taking liberty in a +promiscuous joining in church communion, whereby we may offend and +stumble the conscience of others: for to that, in this as well as in +other things, we must have a special respect, and forbear things, not +only for our own unclearness, but for the sake of others also. If +therefore the hearing of curates be a scandal, we must refuse it, be the +hazard what will: for 'whoso shall offend one of Christ's little ones, +it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck,' +Matth. xviii. 6. 'No man must put a stumbling block, or an occasion to +fall in his brother's way,' Rom. xiv. 13. They that 'sin so against the +brethren, and wound their weak conscience, they sin against Christ,' 1 +Cor. viii. 12. we must forbear some things for conscience sake. +Conscience, I say, not our own, but of others, giving none offence, +neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God,' 1 +Cor. x. 28, 29, 32. and so 'cut off all occasion from them that desire +occasion,' 2 Cor. xi. 12. 'These commands discharge whatever practice +gives occasion of our brother's sinning, of calling truth in question, +of acting with a doubting conscience, or which weakens his plerophory or +assurance; and neither the lawfulness nor indifferency of the thing +itself, nor mens authority commanding it, nor the weakness, yea, or +wickedness of those in hazard to be stumbled, will warrant the doing of +that out of which offence arises,' Rectius Instruend. Confut. 3. Dial. +chap. 1. p. 19. Mr. Durham in that forecited place saith, 'It carries +offence along with it; in reference to the party who runs unsent, it +proves a strengthening and confirming of him, and so a partaking of his +sin; in reference to others, either strengthens them by that example, to +cast themselves in that snare, which possibly may be their ruin; or it +grieves them, and makes them sad, who are tender of such things, or +gives occasion to make all difference of that kind to be thought light +of.' Hence, if hearing of the curates be an offence or scandal, both in +reference to malignants, and in reference to the godly, and in reference +to the posterity, then it must be avoided; but the former is true: which +is evidenced by parts. First, in reference to malignants, it hardens and +encourages them in their opposition to the work of God, and all +backsliders and compliers with them in their apostacy; this strengthens +their hands in their wicked courses, when they see how they are +countenanced by all, and that there is no disrespect put upon them, nor +dissatisfaction evinced against their courses, then they conclude that +they are approven of all: and this hardeneth them, so that they never +once think of the evil of their ways. Next, in reference to the godly, +stumbles the truly tender, by encouraging them to do contrary to their +light and conscience, even when they are not clear to hear them, then +they are emboldened thereunto when they see others doing so; and so it +tends to the wounding of their peace, and makes them halt in the ways of +the Lord. Lastly, With reference to posterity, it would prejudge them +very much: though now the honest party be not in a capacity to transmit +the work of reformation unto their posterity, in such a manner as were +to be wished: yet they should do something for keeping fresh the memory +of the good old cause, by keeping up some footsteps of a standing +controversy for Zion's interest against the common enemy: but now let +all join with, and own the curates, what appearance of this shall the +posterity see? shall not they conclude that the day is lost, and the +cause is gone, when they see that this generation hath fled the fields, +or rather sold and betrayed the cause, by owning, countenancing, and +complying with the enemy, and no standing testimony against these +corruptions? whereas if there were but this much of a standing +difference, betwixt the people of God and the common enemies of God, to +be seen, posterity shall in some measure be kept from being deceived, +and shall see the interest of Christ not killed nor buried quick, but +living, though in a bleeding condition, and this will occasion their +engaging for Christ, and interesting themselves in the quarrel; and it +is far better to see the cause of Christ owned, though by suffering and +blood, than sold and betrayed by base flenching and complying with +persecutors. This argument may also sound and infer a withdrawing from +the addressing ministers, who, to the great scandal of presbyterians, +give forth their addresses in the name of all of that persuasion. + +X. Our duty to themselves, yea our greatest office of love we owe to +them, in order to their conviction, does oblige us to withdraw from +them. This may seem a paradox, yet it will be apparent, if we search +the scriptures, to see what we owe to scandalous brethren. There we find +it is a duty, to endeavour by all lawful means to shame them out of +their sin; and it is an argument of hatred, when we do not rebuke our +neighbour, or when we suffer sin upon him, Lev. xix. 17. If we consider +them then as neighbours and friends, we must use endeavours to take away +their sin from them; if we consider them not as such, but as enemies, +then we must avoid them, and not be mingled with them, as I could adduce +many scriptures for that. But I suppose all that will oppose my thesis, +would have them considered as friends. Well then, if they be scandalous +brethren, this is the way prescribed by the apostle to deal with them, +in order not to suffer sin upon them, that we should withdraw from them +our company; and if we must withdraw our company, then also a fortiori, +we must deny them our religious communion: for that must either be +included there, or necessarily inferred. He writes, not to keep company: +If any man that is called a brother (mark that especially) be a +fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or an extortioner, +with such an one no not to eat, 1 Cor. v. 11. And I presume they that +know them best will grant, that it would not be hard to prove, that all +the curates in Scotland were chargeable with some of these, or at least +partakers with them; and that if they were all impartially impannelled, +they would be rare ones, whom an honest jury would not bring in guilty +of this libel. Then we are expresly commanded 'in the name of our Lord +Jesus Christ, to withdraw ourselves from every brother that walketh +disorderly, and not after the received tradition. And if any man obey +not the word, to note him, and have no company with him, that he may be +ashamed,' 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14. Sure neither their office nor their +innocency can exempt them from these rules. For either they must be +considered as our brethren; or not; if not, then we own no church +communion with them; for that is only among brethren that are so in +sympathy and affection, and affinity, having one father and one mother, +if they be brethren, then all scandalous brethren are to be withdrawn +from; but they are scandalous brethren: therefore they are to be +withdrawn from. The minor will not be doubted by any, but such as are +strangers to them, who both in their ministerial and personal capacity +are so scandalous to the conviction of all, that profaneness hath gone +forth from them into all the land, and they as much as ever the profane +sons of Eli, have made men to abhor the offering of the Lord, 1 Sam. ii. +17. But even strangers, that are unacquaint with their personal +profligateness and ignorance, &c. cannot be altogether ignorant of the +scandal of prelacy and erastianism, in which they are involved, of the +scandal of apostasy, perjury, and breach of covenant, which is their +brand, and the nation's bane, that hath countenanced them. And none can +doubt, but if our church were duly constitute, and invested with the +orderly power of Christ, and in capacity to exercise and improve it, +they would soon be censured every soul of them as scandalous, as they +have been also previously sentenced as such, by the acts of our general +assemblies. This argument levels also against all complying, indulged, +addressing ministers, who by these courses have incurred the character +of disorderly brethren. + +XI. Our faithfulness to God, and to one another, engaged in our +covenants, doth oblige us to turn away from them who have broken it, and +so classed themselves among these truce breaking traitors, who make our +times perilous, from whom we must turn away, 2 Tim. iii. 1,--5. It +appears from the foregoing deduction, how solemnly these nations were +engaged, both to keep out and put out this generation of prelatists, now +prevailing; the obligation of which yet lies upon all the inhabitants of +the land, with a binding force, both in regard of their form, and +object and end. Hence, if the curates be covenant-breakers, and we also +in owning them, then we cannot own them without sin; but the curates are +covenant-breakers, and we also in owning them: Ergo----The minor may be +manifest by an induction of all the articles of the solemn league and +covenant, broken by them, and all that own them. 1. That doctrine, +worship, discipline and government in the 1st article, sworn to be +preserved and propagated, was the presbyterian then established, which +our church was in possession of, which they have opposed, and their +owners refiled from, and have not maintained. 2. We are engaged in the +2d article, to endeavour the extirpation of prelacy, and its dependents; +which is diametrically opposite to owning of curates: can we own 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 popery, heresy and schism, this +article obliges us to disown, and not to hear papists and schismatics, +why not also in relation to prelatists, who are greatest schismatics? 3. +They have established and homologated an erastian supremacy, to the +prejudice of true religion, and the liberties of the church and kingdom; +and their owners have abetted and countenanced the same, and not +preserved either the liberties of church or kingdom, contrary to the 3d +article. 4. They have not only concealed and countenanced malignant +enemies to this church and kingdom, but have themselves been real +incendiaries, hindering the reformation of religion, making factions and +parties among them contrary to this league and 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 4th article. 5. They have broken our +conjunction in firm peace and union, and yet their hearers have not +marked and avoided these causers of divisions, contrary to scripture, +and the 5th article. 6. Instead of assisting and defending all these +that entered into this league and covenant, &c. they have been the +greatest persecutors of all them that adhered to it; and their owners +have suffered themselves, by combination, or persuasion, or terror, to +be divided and 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 6th article. 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 and patterns of all +deformations; and their owners and hearers have not repented of that +neither, when they countenance such covenant-breakers and profane +persons, nor of their not labouring for the purity and 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 guilty of the same, or equivalent breaches of covenant. + +XII. Finally, for union's sake, and to avoid schism 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 schism in the body, but that +the members should have the same care one for another,' 1 Cor. xii. 25. +And that for to prevent and remeid this, the apostle 'beseeches us to +mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine +which we have learned, and avoid them,' Rom. xvi. 17. Now then, if the +prelates and their curates be schismatics and separatists, and dividers, +then we must avoid and withdraw from them, but so it is, that the +prelates and their curates are schismatics and separatists, and +dividers: therefore we must avoid and withdraw from them. The minor I +prove from all the constituents of a formed schism, separation and +sinful division. 1. They that start out from under due relations to a +church, and from her ministry, are schismatics, separatists and +dividers; but the prelates and their curates have started out from under +due relations to the covenanted church of Scotland, and from her +ministry, in being so unnatural rebellious children, as have broken +their mother's beauty and bands, order and union, and razed her +covenanted reformation in doctrine, worship, discipline and government. +2. These who withdraw from the communion of a true church, and therefore +are censurable by all her standing acts, are schismatical separatists; +but the prelates and their curates 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 and combination +repugnant to the communion of this church, and all her established +order. 3. Those who separate from a church, whose principles and +practices are subservient to that church's true union and communion, and +right establishment, are properly schismatics; but the prelates and +their curates have separated from this church, whose principles and +practices are subservient to its true union and 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 and order, but their principles and practices are stated +in opposition to her purity and reformation. Those who innovate the +worship and government, owned and established in a true church, are +schismatics; but the prelates and their curates have innovated the +worship and government of the true church of Scotland, in bringing a +doctrine new and odd, and not the voice of this church; and their +worship, over and above the corruption adhering to it, is the +worshipping of an innovating party, contrary to our church's established +order. 5. They that make a rent in the bowels of the true and genuine +church, are the schismatics; but the prelates and their curates 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 and +ordinances, are the schismatics; but the prelates and their curates have +divided themselves from the fellowship of this pure church, in her +ministry, lawful courts and 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 prelates and their curates 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, and persecute away sound +adherers thereunto, both ministers and professors, and will not admit +ministers to officiate, but upon the sinful terms of compliance with +their way, are schismatics; but the prelates and their curates 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 schismatics to be withdrawn from, and their +way is the schism, which we are bound to extirpate in the covenant. + + +HEAD II. + +_The sufferings of many for refusing to own the tyrant's authority +vindicated._ + +The other grand ordinance of God, magistracy, which he hath in his +sovereign wisdom, justice, and goodness, appointed, ordained, and +consecrated, for the demonstration, illustration, and vindication of his +own 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 great concern: wherein not only the prudence, +policy, property, and liberty of men, but also the conscience, duty, and +religion of Christians, have a special interest. And therefore it is no +less important, pertinent, profitable, and necessary for every one that +hath any of these to care and contend for, keep and recover, to inquire +into and understand something of the institution, constitution, nature, +and boundaries of the sacred ordinances of magistracy, than into the +holy ordinance of the ministry; so far at least as may consist with the +sphere of every one's capacity and station, and may conduce to the +satisfaction of every one's conscience, in the discharge of the duties +of their relations. Every private man indeed hath neither capacity, +concern, nor necessity, to study the politics, or search into the +secrets, or intrigues of government, no more than he is to be versed in +all the administrations of ecclesiastical policy, and interests of the +ministry; yet every man's conscience is no less concerned, in +distinguishing the character of God's ministers of justice, the +magistrates, to whom he owes and owns allegiance, that they be not +usurping tyrants, everting the ordinances of the magistracy, than in +acknowledging the character of Christ's ministers of the gospel, to +whom he owes and owns obedience, that they be not usurping prelates or +impostors, perverting the ordinance of the ministry. The glory of God is +much concerned, in our owning and keeping pure and entire, according to +his will and 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 +tyranny 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 liberty, 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 laws, 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 and unity, and prejudice +of defection, and division or schism in the church. So that in +confidence, we are no more free to prostitute our loyalty and liberty +absolutely, in owning every possessor of the magistracy; than we are +free to prostitute our religion and faith implicitly, in owning every +pretender to the ministry. This may seem very paradoxical to some, +because so dissonant and dissentient from the vulgar, yea almost +universal and inveterate opinion and 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 little or nothing concerned; for not owning the authority of the +present possessors of the place of government: which seems to be a +question not only excentric and extrinsic to religion, but such a +state-question, as for its thorny intricacies and difficulties, is more +proper for politicians and lawyers to dispute about, (as indeed their +debates about this head of authority, have been as manifold and +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 tyranny of custom, and the bondage of being +bound to the world's mind in our inquiries about tyranny, and suffer +ourselves to ponder impartially the importance of this matter; and then +to state the question right; we shall find religion and conscience hath +no small interest in this business. They must have no small interest in +it, if we consider the importance of this matter, either extensively, +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 God's ordination, or of the devil's +administration? Whether it be magistracy or tyranny? Whether it gives +security for religion and 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 and mercies of magistracy, or matter +of mourning for the plagues and miseries of tyranny, to the end they may +know both the sins and snares, duties and dangers, cases and crisis, of +the times they live 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 tyranny, for which men were bound both 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 beginning it +hath been observed, that as people's sins have always procured the +scourge of tyranny; so all their miseries might be refounded upon +tyrants encroachments, usurping upon or betraying their trust, and +overturning religion, laws and liberties. Certainly mankind is concerned +in point of interest and conscience, to inquire into the cause and cure +of this epidemic distemper, that hath so long held the world in misery, +and so habitually, that now it is become, as it were, natural to ly +stupidly under it; that is, that old ingrained gangrene of the king's +evil, or compliance with tyranny, that hath long afflicted the kingdoms +of the world, and affected not only their backs in bearing the burden +thereof; but their hearts into a lethargic stupor of insensibleness; and +their heads in infatuating and intoxicating them with notions of the +sacredness and uncontroulableness of tyranny; 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 and original of the civil magistrate, (to +which Mr. Durham is not absonant) expounds to be the effect of the +fourth vial, Rev. xvi. 8, 9. when in these dog days of the world, power +is given to the sun of imperial, especially popish, tyranny, by their +exorbitant stretches 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 male-content complaints, grumblings, +grudgings, and murmurings under the misery, but they do not repent, nor +give him glory, in mourning over the causes promeriting such a plague, +and their own 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 rays. But will the +world never be awakened out of this dream and dotage, of dull and stupid +subjection to every monster that can mount a throne? Sure at length it +may be expected, either conscience from within as God's deputy, +challenging for the palpable perversion of this his excellent ordinance, +or judgments from without, making sensible of the effects of it, will +convince and 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, foreboding and +presaging the downfal of tyranny, may be in its aspirings to this height +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 and illustrious character of the +glorious majesty 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 and 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 +in-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 and 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 commandment, the first commandment with promise; +that hath the priority of place before 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 blasphemy to assert they were of the Lord's +authorization, conscience cannot bind to a subjection to this. Again, +the dignity of magistracy, ordained for the maintenance of truth and +righteousness, the only foundations of people's felicity, whether +temporal or eternal, including the bonds and boundaries of all obedience +and subjection, for which they are intended, and 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 and sublime in glory, whose +highest prerogative is, That, being God's 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 iniquity, +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, and +safety, and all choicest external blessings; but the ends and 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 tyranny not only be shrouded under a privilege of +impunity, but by our subjection and acknowledgement of it, as a lawful +power, encouraged into all enormities, and licensed to usurp, not only +our liberties, but God's throne by an uncontroulable sovereignty? But if +we consider the subjective concern of conscience, it must be very graat, +when it is the only thing that prompts to subjection, that regulates +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 licentiousness, +that they would never come under the order of this ordinance, except +constrained for wrath's 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 magistrates, we would either obey +none, or else would observe all their commands promiscuously, 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 than man, and that we must render to all their dues, fear to whom +fear, honour to whom honour, conscience regulates us what and whom to +obey. And without conscience there is little hope for government to +prove either beneficial or permanent; little likelihood of either a +real, regular, or durable subjection to it. The discernible standing of +government upon conscientious grounds, is the only thing that can bring +in conscience, and a conscientious submission to it; it being the +highest and most kindly principle of, and the strongest and most lasting +obligation to any relative duty. It will not be liberty of conscience, +(as saith the late declaration for it) but reality of conscience, and +government founded upon a bottom of conscience, that will unite the +governed to the governors, by inclination as well as duty. And if that +be, then there is needful a rule of God's revealed preceptive will, (the +only cynosure and empress of conscience), touching the founding and +erecting of government, that it have the stamp of God's authority. It +must needs then follow, that conscience hath a very great concernment in +this question in the general, and that before it be forced to an +abandoning of its light in a matter of such moment, it will rather +oblige people that are conscientious to suffer the worst that tyrants +can do; especially when it is imposed and obtruded upon conscience, to +give its sufferage and express acknowledgment that the present tyranny +is the authority of God, which is so visible in the view of all that +have their eyes open, that the meanest capacity that was never +conversant in laws and politics can give this verdict that the +constitution and administration of the government of the two royal +brothers, under whose burden the earth and we have been groaning these +twenty-seven years past, hath been a complete and habitual tyranny, and +can no more be owned to be magistracy, than robbery can be acknowledged +to be a rightful possession. It is so plain, that I need not the help of +lawyers and politicians to demonstrate it, nor launch into the ocean of +their endless debates in handling the head of magistracy and tyranny: +yet I shall improve what help I find in our most approved authors who +have enlarged upon this question, (though not as I must state it) to +dilucidate the matter in Thesi, and refer to the foregoing deduction of +the succession of testimonies against tyranny, to clear it in Hypothesi. +Whence we may see the occasion, and clearly gather the solution of the +question, which is this: + +Whether a people, long oppressed with the encroachments of tyrants and +usurpers, may disown their pretended authority; and, when imposed upon, +to acknowledge it, may rather choose to suffer than to own it? + +To clear this question: I shall premit some concessions, and then come +more formally to resolve it. + +1. It must be granted the question is extraordinary, and never so stated +by any writer on this head; which makes it the more difficult and +odious, because odd and singular, in the esteem of those who take up +opinions rather from the number of votes than from the weight of the +reasons of the asserters of them. It will also be yielded, that this was +never a case of confession for Christians to suffer upon. And the reason +of both is, because, before these seven years past, this was never +imposed upon private and common subjects to give an account of their +thoughts and conscience about the lawfulness of the government they +lived under. Conquerors and usurpers sometimes have demanded an +acknowledgment of their authority, from men of greatest note and stroke +in the countries they have seized; but they never since the creation +urged it upon common people, as a test of loyalty; but thought always +their laws and power to execute them on offenders, did secure their +subjection. Or otherwise to what purpose are laws made, and the +execution of them committed to men in power, if they be not thought a +sufficient fence for the authority that makes them; except it also have +the actual acknowledgment of the subjects to ratify it? Men that are +really invested with authority, would think it both a disparagement to +their authority, and would disdain such a suspicion of the +questionableness of it, as to put it as a question to the subjects, +whether they owned it or not. But the gentlemen that rules us, have +fallen upon a piece of unprecedented policy; wherein they think both to +involve the nation in the guilt of their unparalelled rebellion against +the Lord, by owning that authority that promotes it; and so secure their +usurpations, either by the suffrage of all that own them, or by the +extirpation of the conscientious that dare not, with the odium and +obloquy of being enemies to authority; by which trick they think to bury +the honour of their testimony. Yet in sobriety without prophesying it +may be presumed, at the long run, this project will prove very +prejudicial to their interest: and herein they may verify that Scots +proverb, 'o'er fast o'er loose,' and accomplish these divine sayings, +'He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, he taketh the wise in their +own craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.' For +as they have put people upon this question, who would not otherwise have +made such inquiries into it, and now finding they must be resolved in +conscience to answer it, whenever they shall be brought before them; +upon a very overly search, they see terrible tyranny written in legible +bloody characters almost on all administrations of the government, and +so come to be fixed in the verdict that their conscience and the word of +God gives of it; so it may be thought, this question now started, for as +despicable beginnings it hath, yet ere it come to a full and final +decision, will be more enquired into through the world, and at length +prove as fatal to tyranny, as ever any thing could be, and then they may +know whom to thank. But however, though the question be extraordinary, +and the sufferings thereupon be unprecedented, and therefore, among +other contradictions that may be objected, that neither in history nor +scripture we can find instances of private people's refusing to own the +authority they were under, nor of their suffering for that refusal; yet +nevertheless it may be duty without example. Many things may be done, +though not against the law of God, yet without a precedent of the +practice of the people of God. Though we could not adduce an example for +it, yet we can gather it from the law of God, that tyranny must not be +owned, this will be equivalent to a thousand examples. Every age in some +things must be a precedent to the following, and I think never did any +age produce a more honourable precedent, than this beginning to decline +a yoke under which all ages have groaned. + +2. It will be also granted, it is not always indispensibly necessary, at +all times, for a people to declare their disclaim of the tyranny they +are under, when they cannot shake it off; nor, when they are staged for +their duty before wicked and tyrannical judges, is it always necessary +to disown their pretended authority positively; when either they are not +urged with questions about it, then they may be silent in reference to +that; or when they are imposed upon to give their judgment of it, they +are not always obligated, as in a case of confession, to declare all +their mind, especially when such questions are put to them with a +manifest design to entrap their lives, or intangle their conscience. All +truth is not to be told at all times; neither are all questions to be +answered when impertinently interrogate, but may be both cautiously and +conscientiously waved. We have Christ's own practice, and his faithful +servant Paul's example, for a pattern of such prudence and Christian +caution. But yet it were cruel and unchristian rigour, to censure such +as, out of a pious principle of zeal to God and conscience of duty, do +freely and positively declare their judgment, in an absolute disowning +of their pretended authority, when posed with such questions, though to +the manifest detriment of their lives, they conscientiously looking upon +it as a case of confession. For where the Lord hath not peremptorily +astricted his confessors to such rules of prudence, but hath both +promised, and usually gives his Spirit's conduct, encouraging and +animating them to boldness, so as before hand they should not take +thought how or what they shall speak, and in that same hour they find it +given them, it were presumption for us to stint them to our rules of +prudence. We may indeed find rules to know, what is a case of +confession; but hardly can it be determined, what truth or duty we are +questioned about is not, or may not be, a case of confession. And who +can deny, but this may be in some circumstance, a case of confession, +even positively to disown the pretended authority of a bloody court or +council? when either they go out of their sphere, taking upon them +Christ's supremacy, and the cognizance of the concerns of his crown, +whereof they are judges noways competent; then they must freely and +faithfully be declined. Or when, to the dishonour of Christ, they +blaspheme his authority, and the sacred boundaries he hath prescribed to +all human authority, and will assert an illimited absolute authority, +refusing and discharging all offered legal and scriptural restrictions +to be put thereupon, (as hath been the case of the most part of these +worthy though poor martyrs, who have died upon this head) then they must +think themselves bound to disown it. Or when they have done some cruel +indignity and despite to the Spirit of God, and to Christ's prerogative +and glory, and work of reformation, and people, in murdering them +without mercy, and imposing this owning of their king, by whose +authority all is acted, as a condemnation of these witnesses of Christ +their testimony, and a justification of their bloody cruelties against +them, which hath frequently been the case of these poor people that hath +been staged upon this account: in this case, and several others of this +sort that might be mentioned, then they may be free and positive in +disowning this test of wicked loyalty, as the mark of the dragon of the +secular beast of tyranny. And in many such cases, when the Lord gives +the spirit, I see no reason but that Christ's witnesses must follow his +pattern of zeal in the case of confession, which he witnessed before +Pontius Pilate in asserting his own kingship, as they may in other cases +follow his pattern of prudence. And why may we not imitate the zeal of +Stephen who called the council before whom he was staged stiff-necked +resisters of the Holy Ghost, persecutors of the prophets, and betrayers +and murderers of Christ the just one, as well as the prudence of Paul? +But, however it be, the present testimony against this pretended +authority lies in the negative, which obliges always, for ever and for +ever; that is to say, we plead, that it must never be owned. There is a +great difference between a positive disowning and a not owning; though +the first be not always necessary, the latter is the testimony of the +day, and a negative case of confession, which is always clearer than the +positive. Though we must not always confess every truth, yet we must +never deny any. + +3. It is confessed, we are under this sad disadvantage besides others, +that not only all our brethren, groaning under the same yoke with us, +will not take the same way of declining this pretended authority, nor +adventure, when called, to declare their judgment about it, (which we do +not condemn, as is said, and would expect from the rules of equity and +charity, they will not condemn us when we find ourselves in conscience +bound to use greater freedom) but also some when they do declare their +judgment, give it in terms condemnatory of, and contradictory unto our +testimony, in that they have freedom positively to own this tyranny as +authority, and the tyrant as their lawful sovereign: and many of our +ministers also are of the same mind. And further, as we have few +expressly asserting our part of the debate, as it is now stated; so we +have many famous divines expresly against us in this point, as +especially we find in their comments upon, Rom. xiii. among whom I +cannot dissemble my sorrow to find the great Calvin, saying, Sæpe solent +inquirere, &c. 'Men often enquire, by what right they have obtained +their power who have the rule! it should be enough to us that they do +govern; for they have not ascended to this eminency by their own power, +but are imposed by the hand of the Lord.' As also Pareus saying too much +against us. For answer to this, I refer to Mr. Knox's reply to +Lethington, producing several testimonies of divines against him upon +this very head; wherein he shews, that the occasions of their discourses +and circumstances wherein they were stated, were very far different from +those that have to do with tyrants and usurpers, as indeed they are the +most concerned, and smart most under their scourge, are in best case to +speak to the purpose. I shall only say, mens averment, in a case of +conscience, is not an oracle, when we look upon it with an impartial +eye, in the case wherein we are not prepossessed: it will bear no other +value, than what is allayed with the imperfections of fallibility, and +moreover is contradicted by some others, whose testimony will help us +as much to confirm our persuasion, as others will hurt us to infirm it. + +4. But now when tyrants go for magistrates, lest my plea against owning +tyranny, should be mistaken, as if it were a pleading for anarchy, I +must assert, that I and all those I am vindicating, are for magistracy, +as being of divine original, institute for the common good of human and +Christian societies, whereunto every soul must be subject, of whatsoever +quality or character, and not only for wrath but also for conscience +sake (though as to our soul and conscience, we are not subject) which +whosoever resisteth, resisteth the ordinance of God, and against which +rebellion is a damnable sin, whereunto (according to the fifth +commandment, and the many reiterated exhortations of the apostles) we +must be subject, and obey magistrates, and submit ourselves to every +ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the king as +supreme, &c. And we account it a hateful brand of them that walk after +the flesh, to despise government, to be presumptuous, self-willed, and +not afraid to speak evil of dignities: and that they are filthy +dreamers, who despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities: and of +those things which they know not. We allow the magistrate, in whatsoever +form of government, all the power the scripture, laws of nature and +nations, or municipal do allow him; asserting, that he is the keeper and +avenger of both the tables of the law, having a power over the church, +as well as the state, suited to his capacity, that is, not formally +ecclesiastical, but objectively, for the church's good; an external +power, of providing for the church, and protecting her from outward +violence, or inward disorder, an imperate power, of commanding all to do +their respective duties; a civil power of punishing all, even +church-officers, for crimes; a secondary power of judicial approbation +or condemnation; or discretive, in order to give his sanction to +synodical results; a cumulative power, assisting and strengthening the +church in all her privileges, subservient, though not servile, +co-ordinate with church-power, not subordinate (though as a christian he +is subject) in his own affairs, viz. civil; not to be declined as judge, +but to be obeyed in all things lawful, and honoured and strengthened +with all his dues. We would give unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, +and to God the things that are God's; but to tyrants, that usurp and +pervert both the things of God and of Cæsar, and of the peoples +liberties, we can render none of them, neither God's, nor Cæsar's, nor +our own: nor can we from conscience give him any other deference, but as +an enemy to all, even to God, to Cæsar, and the people. And in this, +though it doth not sound now with court-parasites, nor with others, that +are infected with royal indulgencies and indemnities, we bring forth but +the transumpt of old principles, according to which our fathers walked +when they still contended for religion and liberty, against the +attemptings and aggressions of tyranny, against both. + +5. It must be conceded, it is not an easy thing to make a man in the +place of magistracy a tyrant: for as every escape, error, or act of +unfaithfulness, even known and continued in, whether in a minister's +entry to the ministry, or in his doctrine, doth not unminister him, nor +give sufficient ground to withdraw from him, or reject him as a minister +of Christ: so neither does every enormity, misdemeanor, or act of +tyranny, injustice, perfidy, or profanity in the civil magistrate, +whether as to his way of entry to that office, or in the execution of +it, or in his private or personal behaviour, denominate him a tyrant or +an usurper, or give sufficient ground to divest him of magistratical +power, and reject him as the lawful magistrate. It is not any one or two +acts contrary to the royal covenant or office, that doth denude a man of +the royal dignity, that God and the people gave him. David committed +two acts of tyranny, murder and adultery; yet the people were to +acknowledge him as their king (and so it may be said of some others, +owned still as kings in scripture) the reason is, because though he +sinned against a man or some particular persons, yet he did not sin +against the state, and the catholic good of the kingdom, subverting law; +for then he would have turned tyrant, and ceased to have been lawful +king. There is a great difference between a tyrant in act, and a tyrant +in habit; the first does not cease to be a king. But on the other hand, +as every thing will not make a magistrate to be a tyrant; so nothing +will make a tyrant by habit a magistrate. And as every fault will not +unminister a minister; so some will oblige the people to reject his +ministry, as if he turn heretical, and preach atheism, Mahometanism, or +the like, the people, though they could not formally depose him, or +through the corruption of the times could not get him deposed; yet they +might reject and disown his ministry: so it will be granted, that a +people have more power in creating a magistrate, than in making a +minister; and consequently they have more right, and may have more light +in disowning a king, as being unkinged; than in disowning a minister, as +being unministred. It will be necessary therefore, for clearing our way, +to fix upon some ordinary characters of a tyrant, which may discrimate +him from a magistrate, and be ground of disowning him as such. I shall +rehearse some, from very much approved authors; the application of which +will be as apposite to the two brothers, that we have been burdened +with, as if they had intended a particular and exact description of +them. Buchanan de jure regni apud Scotos, shews, 'That the word tyrant +was at first honourable, being attributed to them that had the full +power in their hands, which power was not astricted by any bonds of +laws, nor obnoxious to the cognition of judges; and that it was the +usual denomination of heroes, and thought at first so honourable, that +it was attributed to the gods: but as Nero and Judas were sometimes +among the Romans and Jews names of greatest account, but afterwards by +the faults of two men of these names, it came to pass, that the most +flagitious would not have these names given to their children, so in +process of time, rulers made this name so infamous by their wicked +deeds, that all men abhorred it, as contagious and pestilentious, and +thought it a more light reproach to be called hangman than a tyrant.' +Thereafter he condescends upon several characters of a tyrant. 1. 'He +that doth not receive a government by the will of the people, but by +force invadeth it, or intercepteth it by fraud, is a tyrant; and who +domineers even over the unwilling (for a king rules by consent, but a +tyrant by constraint) and procures the supreme rule without the peoples +consent, even tho' for several years they may so govern, that the people +shall not think it irksome.' Which very well agrees with the present +gentleman that rules over us, who, after he was by public vote in +parliament secluded from the government, of which the standing laws of +both kingdoms made him incapable for his murders, adulteries and +idolatries, by force and fraud did intercept first an act for his +succession in Scotland, and then the actual succession in England, by +blood and treachery, usurping and intruding himself into the government, +without any compact with, or consent of the people; though now he +studies to make himself another Syracusan Hiero, or the Florentine Cosmo +de medices, in a mild moderation of his usurped power; but the west of +England, and the west of Scotland both, have felt the force of it. 2. He +does not govern for the subjects welfare, or public utility, but for +himself, having no regard to that, but to his own lust, 'acting in this +like robbers, who cunningly disposing of what wickedly they have +acquired, do seek the praise of justice by injury, and of liberality by +robbery; so he can make some shew of a civil mind; but so much the less +assurance gives he of it, that it is manifest, he intends not hereby the +subjects good, but the greater security of his own lusts, and stability +of empire over posterity, having somewhat mitigated the peoples hatred, +which when he had done, he will turn back again to his old manners; for +the fruit which is to follow, may easily be known, both by the seed and +by the sower thereof.' An exact copy of this we have seen within these +two years, oft before in the rule of the other brother. + +After God hath been robbed of his prerogatives, the church of her +privileges, the state of its laws, the subjects of their liberty and +property, he is now affecting the praise, and captating the applause of +tenderness to conscience, and love of peace, by offering now liberty +after all his cruelties; wherein all the thinking part of men do discern +he is prosecuting that hellish project, introducing popery and slavery, +and overturning religion, law, and liberty. 3. The kingly government is +according to nature, the tyrannical against it; principality is the +kingly government of a freeman amongst freemen; the tyrannical a +government of a master over slaves. Tyranny is against nature, and a +masterly principality over slaves. Can he be called a father, who +accounts his subjects slaves; or a shepherd, who does not feed, but +devours his flock? or a pilot, who doth always study to make shipwreck +of the goods, and strikes a leak in the very ship where he fails? 'What +is he then that bears command, not for the people's advantage, but +studies only himself, who leadeth his subjects into manifest snares? He +shall not verily be accounted by me either commander, emperor, or +governor.' King James VI. also, in a speech to the parliament in the +year 1609, makes this one character of a tyrant, when he begins to +invade his subjects rights and liberties. And if this be true, then we +have not had a king these many years: the foregoing deduction will +demonstrate, what a slavery we have been under. 4. What is he then, who +doth not contend for virtue with the good but to exceed the most +flagitious in vices? 'If you see then any usurping the royal name, and +not excelling in any virtue, but striving to exceed all in baseness, not +tendering his subjects good with native affection, but pressing them +with proud domination, esteeming the people committed to his trust, not +for their safeguard, but for his own gain, will you imagine this man is +truly a king, albeit he vapours with a numerous levee guard, and makes +an ostentation of gorgeous pomp?' The learned Althusius likewise in his +politics, chap. 38. Num. 15. (as he is cited by Jus Populi, chap. 16. p. +347.) makes this one character of a tyrant, that 'living in luxury, +whoredom, greed and idleness, he neglecteth, or is unfit for his +office.' How these suit our times we need not express; what effrontery +of impudence is it, for such monsters to pretend to rule by virtue of +any authority derived from God, who pollute the world with their +adulteries and incests, and live in open defiance of all the laws of the +universal king; with whom to exceed in all villanies is the way to +purchase the countenance of the court, and to aspire to preferment? No +Heligobaldus, &c. could ever come up the length in wickedness, that our +rulers have professed. 5. He can transfer unto himself the strength of +all laws, and abrogate them when he pleases. King James VI. in that +forecited speech saith, a king degenerateth into a tyrant, when he +leaveth to rule by law. Althusius also, in the forecited place, saith, +'There is one kind of tyranny, which consisteth in violating, changing, +or removing of fundamental laws, specially such as concern religion; +such, saith he, Philip the king of Spain, who, contrary to the +fundamental Belgic laws, did erect an administration of justice by force +of arms; and such was Charles IX. of France, that thought to overturn +the Salic law.' All that knoweth what hath been done in Britain these +twenty-seven years, can attest our laws have been subverted, the +reformation of religion overturned, and all our best laws rescinded; and +now the penal statutes against papists disabled and stopped, without and +against law. 6. He can revoke all things to his nod, at his pleasure. +This is also one part of King James VI.'s character of a tyrant, when he +sets up an arbitrary power; and of Althusius, in the forecited place, +'when he makes use of an absolute power, and so breaks all bonds for the +good of human society.' We allow a king an absolute power taken in a +good sense, that is, he is not subaltern, nor subordinate to any other +prince, but supreme in his own dominions: or if by absolute he meant +perfect he is most absolute that governs best, according to the word of +God; but if it be to be loosed from all laws, we think it blasphemy to +ascribe it to any creature. Where was there ever such an arbitrary and +absolute power arrogated by any mortal, as hath been claimed by our +rulers these years past? especially by the present usurper, who, in this +liberty of conscience now granted to Scotland, assumes to himself an +absolute power, which all are to obey without reserve, which carries the +subjects slavery many stages beyond whatever the grand Signior did +attempt. 7. For by a tyrant strangers are employed to oppress the +subjects: 'they place the establishment of their authority in the +people's weakness, and think that a kingdom is not a procuration +concredited to them by God, but rather a prey fallen into their hands; +such are not joined to us by any civil bond, or any bond of humanity, +but should be accounted the most capital enemies of God, and of all +men.' King James, as above says, he is a tyrant that imposes unlawful +taxes, raises forces, makes war upon his subjects, to pillage, plunder, +waste, and spoil his kingdoms. Althusius as above, makes a tyrant, who +by immoderate exactions, and the like, exhausts the subjects, and cites +scripture, Jer. xxii. 13, 14. Ezek. xxxiv. 1. Kings xii. 19. Psal. xiv. +4.' It is a famous saying of Bracton, he is no longer king, than while +he rules well, but a tyrant whensoever he oppresseth the people that are +trusted to his care and government. And Cicero says, he loseth all legal +power in and over an army or empire, who by that government and army +does obstruct the welfare of that republic. What oppressions and +exactions by armed force our nation hath been wasted with, in part is +discovered above. 8. Althusius in the place above quoted, makes this +another mark, 'When he keepeth not his faith and promise, but despiseth +his very oath made unto the people.' What shall we say of him then, who +not only brake, but burnt, and made it criminal to assert the obligation +of the most solemnly transacted covenant with God and with the people, +that ever was entered into, who yet upon these terms of keeping that +covenant only was admitted to the government? And what shall we say of +his brother succeeding, who disdains all bonds, whose professed +principle is, as a papist, to keep no faith to heretics? 9. In the same +place he makes this one character: 'A tyrant is he, who takes away from +one or more members of the commonwealth the free exercise of the +orthodox religion.' And the grave author of the impartial enquiry into +the administration of affairs in England, doth assert, p. 3. 4. +'Whensoever a prince becomes depraved to that degree of wickedness, as +to apply and employ his power and interest, to debauch and withdraw his +subjects from their fealty and obedience to God, or sets himself to +extirpate that religion which the Lord hath revealed and appointed to be +the rule of our living, and the means of our happiness, he doth by that +very deed depose himself; and instead of being owned any longer for a +king, ought to be treated as a rebel and traitor against the supreme and +universal sovereign.' This is the perfect portracture of our princes; +the former of which declared an open war against religion, and all that +professed it: and the latter did begin to prosecute it with the same +cruelty of persecution, and yet continues without relenting against us; +though to others he tolerates it under the notion of a crime, to be for +the present dispensed with, until he accomplish his design. 10. Ibid. he +tells us, 'That whoso for corrupting of youth erecteth stage plays, +whore-houses, and other play-houses, and suffers the colleges and other +seminaries of learning to be corrupted.' There were never more of this +in any age, than in the conduct of our court, which, like another Sodom, +profess it to be their design to debauch mankind into all villanies, and +to poison the fountains of all learning and virtue, by intruding the +basest of men into the place of teachers, both in church and university, +and precluding all access to honest men. 11. Further he says. 'He is a +tyrant who doth not defend his subjects from injuries when he may, but +suffereth them to be oppressed, (and what if he oppress them himself?)' +It was one of the laws of Edward the confessor, if the king fail in the +discharge of his trust and office, he no longer deserves nor ought to +enjoy that name. What name do they deserve then, who not only fail in +the duty of defending their subjects, but send out their lictors and +bloody executioners to oppress them, neither will suffer them to defend +themselves! But Althusius makes a distinct character of this. 12. Then, +in fine he must certainly be a tyrant, who will not suffer the people, +by themselves nor by their representatives, to maintain their own +rights, neither by law nor force; for, saith my author forecited, 'He is +a tyrant who hindereth the free suffrages of members of parliament, so +that they dare not speak what they would; and chiefly he who takes away +from the people all power to resist his tyranny, as arms, strengths, and +chief men, whom therefore, though innocent, he hateth, afflicteth, and +persecuteth, exhausts their goods and livelihoods, without right or +reason.' All know that our blades have been all along enemies to +parliaments; and when their interest forced to call them, what means +were used always to paque and prelimit them, and overawe them, and how +men, who have faithfully discharged their trust in them, have been +prosecuted with the height of envy and fury, and many murdered +thereupon; and how all the armed force of the kingdoms have been +inhanced into their hand, and the people kept so under foot, that they +have been rendered incapable either to defend their own from inrestine +usurpers, or foreign invaders. All that is said amounts to this, that +when ever men in power to evert and subvert all the ends of government, +and intrude themselves upon it, and abuse it, to the hurt of the +commonwealth, and the destruction of that for which government was +appointed; they are then tyrants, and cease to be magistrates. To this +purpose I shall here append the words of that forecited ingenious author +of the Impartial Inquiry, pag. 13, 14. 'There can be nothing more +evident from the light of reason as well as scripture, than that all +magistracy is appointed for the benefit of mankind, and the common good +of societies; God never gave any one power to reign over others for +their destruction, (unless by his providence when he had devoted a +people for their sins to ruin,) but on whomsoever he confers authority +over cities or nations, it is with this conditional proviso and +limitation, that they are to promote their prosperity and good, and to +study their defence and protection; all princes are thus far +pactional----And whosoever refuseth to perform this fundamental +condition, he degrades and deposes himself; nor is it rebellion in any +to resist him; whensoever princes cease to be for the common good, they +answer not the end they were instituted unto, and cease to be what they +were chosen for.' + +6. It will not be denied, but when the case is so circumstantiate, that +it would require the arbitration of judgment to determine, whether the +king be a tyrant or not, that then people are not to disown him: for if +it be a question, whether the people be really robbed of their rights +and liberties, and that the king might pretend as much reason to +complain of the people's doing indignity to his sovereignty, as they +might of his tyranny; then it were hard for them to assume so far the +umpirage of their own cause, as to make themselves absolute judges of +it, and forthwith to reject his authority upon these debatable grounds. +But the case is not so with us; no place being left for doubt or debate, +but that our fundamental rights and liberties civil and religious, are +overturned, and an absolute tyranny, exactly characterized as above, is +established on the ruins thereof. Hence we have not disowned the +pretended authority, because we judged it was tyrannical, but because it +was really so. Our discretive judgment in the case was not our rule, but +it was our understanding of the rule, by which only we could be +regulated, and not by the understanding of another, which cannot be +better, nor so good, of our grievances, which certainly we may be +supposed to understand best ourselves, and yet they are such as are +understood every where. To the question then, who shall be judge between +these usurping and tyrannizing rulers and us? We answer briefly and +plainly. We do not usurp a judgment in the case pretending no more +authority over them in our private capacity, than we allow them to have +over us, that is none at all? Nor can we admit that they should be both +judges and party; for then they might challenge that prerogative in +every case, and strengthen themselves in an uncontrollable immunity and +impunity to do what they pleased. But we appeal to the fundamental laws +of the kingdom, agreeable to the word of God, to judge, and to the whole +world of impartial spectators to read and pronounce the judgment. Lex +Rex, Quest. 24. pag. 213. saith in answer to this, 'There is a court of +necessity no less than a court of justice; and the fundamental laws must +then speak, and it is with the people in this extremity as if they had +no ruler. And as to the doubtsomeness of these laws, he saith, (1.) As +the scriptures in all fundamentals are clear, and expound themselves, +and _in the first instance_ condemn heresies; so all laws of men in +their fundamentals, which are the law of nature and nations, are clear. +(2.) Tyranny is more visible and intelligible than heresy, and it is +soon discerned----The people have a natural throne of policy in their +conscience, to give warning, and materially sentence against the king as +a tyrant;--where tyranny is more obscure, and the thread small, that it +escape the eye of man, the king keepeth possession, but I deny that +tyranny can be obscure long.' + +7. I shall grant that many things are yieldable even to a grassonant +dominator, and tyrannical occupant of the place of magistracy; as 1. +There may be some cases, wherein it is lawful for a people to yield +_subjection_ to a lawless tyrant, when groaning under his overpowering +yoke, under which they must patiently _bear the indignation of the Lord, +because_ they _have sinned against him, until he_ arise and _plead_ his +own _cause, and execute judgment_ in the earth, (Mic. vii. 9.) until +which time they must kiss the rod as in the hand of God, and own and +adore the holiness and sovereignty of that providence that hath +subjected them under such a slavery; and are not to attempt a violent +ejection or excussion, when either the thing attempted is altogether +impracticable, or the means and manner of effectuating it dubious and +unwarrantable, or the necessary concomitants and consequents of the cure +more hurtful or dangerous than the disease, or the like. As in many +cases also a man may be subject to a robber prevailing against him; so +we find the people of Israel in Egypt and Babylon, &c. yielded +subjection to tyrants. But in this case we deny two things to them, (1.) +Allegiance or active and voluntary subjection, so as to own them for +magistrates. (2.) Stupid _passive obedience_, or suffering without +resistance. For the first, we owe it only to magistrates, by virtue of +the law, either ordinative of God, or constitutive of man. And it is no +argument to infer; as a man's subjecting himself to a robber assaulting +him, is no solid proof of his approving or acknowledging the injury and +violence committed by the robbery, therefore a person's yielding +subjection to a tyrant a public robber does not argue his acknowledging +or approving his tyranny and oppression. For, the subjection that a +tyrant requires, and which a robber requires, is not of the same nature; +the one is legal of subjects, which we cannot own to a tyrant; the other +is forced of the subdued, which we must acknowledge to a robber. But to +make the parallel; if the robber should demand, in our subjecting +ourselves to him, an owning of him to be no robber but an honest man, as +the tyrant demands in our subjecting ourselves to him in owning him to +be no tyrant, but a magistrate, then we ought not to yield it to the one +no more than to the other. For the second, to allow them passive +obedience is unintelligible nonsense and a mere contradiction; for +nothing that is merely passive can be obedience as relative to a law; +nor can any obedience be merely passive; for obedience is always active. +But not only is the inaccuracy of the phrase excepted against, but also +that position maintained by many, that, in reference to a yoke of +tyranny, there is a time which may be called the proper season of +suffering, that is, when suffering (in opposition to acting or +resisting) is a necessary and indispensible duty, and resisting is a +sin: for if the one be an indispensible duty, the other must be a sin at +the same time, but this cannot be admitted. For, though certainly there +is such a season of suffering, wherein suffering is lawful, laudable and +necessary, and all must lay their account with suffering, and little +else can be attempted, but which will increase sufferings; yet even then +we may resist as well as we can: and these two, resistance and +suffering, at the same time, are not incompatible: David did bear most +patiently the injury of his son's usurpation, when he said, 'Let the +Lord do to me as seemeth him good,' 2 Sam. xv. 26. chap. x. 12. and +betaketh himself to fervent prayers, Psal. iii. and yet these were not +all the weapons he used against him; neither did he ever own him as a +magistrate. We are to suffer all things patiently as the servants of the +Lord, and look to him for mercy and relief, (Psal. cxxiii. 2.); but we +are not obliged to suffer even in that season, as the slaves of men. +Again, suffering in opposition to resistance, does never fall under any +moral law of God, except in the absolutely extraordinary case of +Christ's passive obedience, which cannot fall under our deliberation or +imitation; or in the case of a positive law, as was given to the Jews to +submit to Nebuchadnezzar, which was express and peculiar to them, as +shall be cleared. That can never be commanded as indispensible duty, +which does not fall under our free will or deliberation, but the enemies +will, as the Lord permits them, as the case of suffering is. That can +never be indispensible duty, which we may decline without sin, as we may +do suffering, if we have not a call to it; yea, in that case, it were +sin to suffer; therefore, in no case it can be formally and +indispensibly commanded, so as we may not shift it, if we can without +sin. Suffering simply the evil of punishment, just or unjust, can never +be a conformity to God's preceptive will, but only to his providential +disposal; it hath not the will of the sign for its rule, but only the +will of well-pleasing. All the commands that we have for suffering, are +either to direct the manner of it, that it be patiently and cheerfully, +when forced to it wrongfully, 1 Pet. ii. 19, 20, or comparatively, to +determine our choice in an unavoidable alternative, either to suffer or +sin; and so we are commanded, rather to suffer, than to deny Christ, +Matth. xiii. 33. and we are commanded upon these terms to follow Christ, +to take up his cross, when he lays it on his providence, Matth. xvi. 24. +See at length this cleared, Lex Rex, Q. 30. page 317-320 otherwise in +no case subjection, even passive, can be a duty; for it is always to be +considered under the notion of a plague, judgment and curse, to be +complained of as a burden, never to be owned as a duty to magistrates. + +As we find the Lord's people resenting it as a servitude, under which +they were servants even in their own land, which did yield increase unto +the kings whom the Lord had set over them, because of their sins, Neh. +ix. 36, 37. 2. In divers cases there may be some compliance with a mere +occupant, that hath no right to reign; as upon this account the noble +marquis of Argyle and lord Warriston suffered for their compliance with +the usurper Cromwell. Such may be the warrantableness, or goodness, or +necessity, or profitableness of a compliance, when people are by +providence brought under a yoke which they cannot shake off, that they +may part with some of their privileges, for the avoidance of the loss of +the rest, and for the conveniency and profit, peace and safety of +themselves and their country, which would be in hazard, if they did not +comply; they may do whatsoever is due from them to the public weal, +whatsoever is an office of their station or place, or which they have +any other way a call unto, whatsoever may make for their own honest +interest, without wronging others, or the country's liberties in their +transactions with these powers, even though such a compliance may be +occasionally to the advantage of the usurpers, seeing good and necessary +actions are not to be declined for the ill effects that are accidental +to them, and arise from the use which others make of them. But though +this may be yielded in some cases to such usurpers, especially +conquerors, that have no right of occupying the empire, but are capable +of it by derivation from the people's consent: yet it must not be +extended to such usurpers as are also tyrants, that have no right of +their own, nor are capable of any, and that overturn all rights of +subjects. To such we can yield no compliance, as may infer either +transacting with them, or owning them as magistrates. We find indeed the +saints enjoyed places under these, who were not their magistrates; as +Nehemiah and Mordecai and Esther was queen to Ahasuerus. But here was no +compliance with tyrants (for these heathens were not such) only some of +them were extraordinary persons, raised up by an extraordinary spirit, +for extraordinary ends in extraordinary times, that cannot be brought to +an ordinary rule, as Esther's marriage; and all of them in their places +kept the law of their God, served the work of their generation, defiled +not themselves with their customs, acted against no good, and engaged to +no evil, but by their compliance promoted the welfare of their country, +as Argyle and Warrriston did under Cromwel. Again, we find they paid +custom to them, as Neh. ix. 36, 37. and we read of Augustus' taxation +universally complied with, Luke ii. 1-5. and Christ paid it. This shall +be more fully answered afterwards. Here I shall only say (1.) It can +never be proven that these were tyrants. (2.) Christ paid it with such a +caution, as leaves the title inflated; not for conscience (as tribute +must be paid to magistrates, Rom. xiii. 5, 6.) but only that he might +not offend them. (3.) Any other instances of the saints taxations are to +be judged forced acts, badges of their bondage, which, if they had been +exacted as tests of their allegiance, they would not have yielded. +Strangers also, that are not subjects, use to pay custom in their +trafficking, but not as tests of their allegiance. 3. There may be also, +in some cases, obedience allowed to their lawful commands because of the +lawfulness of the thing commanded, or the coincidency of another just +and obligging authority commanding the same. We may do many things which +a tyrant commands, and which he enforces; and many things also whether +he will or not; but we must do nothing upon the consideration of his +command, in the acknowledgement of obedience, due by virtue of +allegiance, which we own of conscience to a lawful magistrate. We must +do nothing, which may seem to have an accessoriness to the tyrant's +unlawful occupancy, or which depends only on the warrant of his +authority to do it, or may entrench on the divine institution of +magistracy, or bring us into a participation of the usurper's sin. In +these cases we can neither yield obedience in lawful things, nor in +unlawful: 'nor can we own absolute subjection, no more than we can +absolute obedience; for all subjection is enjoined, in order to +obedience: and to plead for a privilege in point of obedience, and to +disclaim it in point of subjection, is only the flattery of such, as +having renounced with conscience all distinction of obedience, would +divest others of all privileges, that they may exercise their tyranny +without controul, Naphtali, p. 28. prior edit.'] 4. There may be +addresses made to such as are not rightful possessors of the government, +for justice, or mercy, or redress of some intolerable grievances, +without scruple of accepting that which is materially justice or mercy, +or seeking them at the hand of any who may reach them out to us, though +he that conveys them to us be not interested in the umpirage of them. +Thus we find Jeremiah supplicated Zedekiah for mercy, not to return to +prison; and Paul appealed to Cæsar for justice. But in these addresses +we may not acknowledge the wicked laws that brought on these grievances, +nor conceal the wickedness, no more than the misery of them which we +have endured; nor may we own the legal power of them that we address, to +take them off, nor signify any thing, in the matter and manner of our +representations, that may either import a declining our testimony, for +which we have suffered these grievances, or a contradiction to our +declinature of their pretended authority: only we may remonstrate, what +cruelties we have endured, and how terrible it will be to them to be +guilty of, or accessory to our blood, in not pitying us; which was all +that Jeremiah did. And as for Paul's appeal, we find he was threatened +to be murdered by his countrymen, Acts xxiii. 14. from whose hands he +was rescued, and brought before the judicatory of Festus the Roman +deputy, not voluntarily; thence also they sought to remand him to +Jerusalem, that they might kill him, Acts xxv. 3. whereupon he demands +in justice that he might not be delivered to his accusers and murderers, +but claims the benefit of the heathens own law, by that appeal to Cæsar, +which was the only constrained expedient of saving his own life, Acts +xxviii. 19, by which also he got an opportunity to witness for Christ at +Rome. But, as shall be cleared further afterwards, Cæsar was not an +usurper over Judea; which not obscurely is insinuated by Paul himself, +who asserts, that both his person, and his cause criminal, of which he +was accused (it was not an ecclesiastical cause, and so no advantage +hence for the supremacy) appertained to Cæsar's tribunal, and that not +only in fact, but of right, Acts xxv. 10. 'I stand at Cæsar's +judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged.' We cannot say this of any +tribunal; fenced in the name of them that tyrannize over us. 5. I will +not stand neither upon the names and titles of kings, &c. to be given to +tyrants and usurpers, in speaking to them or of them, by way of +appellation or compellation: for we find even tyrants are called by +these names in scripture, being kings in fact, though not by right and +indeed not impertinently, kings and tyrants for the most part are +reciprocal terms. But in no case can we give them any names or titles, +which may signify our love to them whom the Lord hates, or who hate the +Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 2. or which may flatter them, whom Elihu durst not +give, for fear his Maker should take him away, Job xxxii. 22. or which +may be taken for honouring of them, for that is not due to the vilest of +men, when exalted never so high, Psal. xii. ult. a vile person must be +contemned in our eyes, Psal. xv. 4. nor which may any way import or +infer an owning of a magistratical relation between them and us, or any +covenant-transaction or confederacy with them, which is no terms with +them, as such, we will say or own. Isa. viii. 12. Hence many sufferers +upon this head forbear to give them their titles. + +8. It will be yielded very readily by us, that a magistrate is not to be +disowned, merely for his differing in religion from us: yea, though he +were a heathen. We do not disown our pretended rulers merely upon that +account, but cheerfully do grant and subscribe to that truth in our +Confession of Faith, chap. xxiii. sect. 4. That infidelity, or +difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate's just and +legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to him: on +which our adversaries have insulted, as if our principle and practice +were thereby disproved. But it is easy to answer, 1. Let the words be +considered, and we are confident, 'That no sober man will think, the +acknowledgement of just and legal authority, and due obedience a +rational ground to infer, that tyranny is thereby either allowed or +privileged,' Napht. p. 60 prior edition. 2. Though infidelity or +difference of religion, does not make void authority, where it is +lawfully invested; yet it may incapacitate a person, and lawfully +seclude him from authority, both by the word of God, which expressly +forbids to set a stranger over, who is not our brother, Deut. xvii. 15. +which includes as well a stranger of a strange religion, as one of a +strange country, and by the laws of the land, which do incapacitate a +papist of all authority, supreme or subordinate. And so, if this James +VII. II. had been king before he was a Roman Catholic, if we had no more +to object, we should not have quarrelled his succession. 3. We both give +and grant all that is the confession, to wit, that dominion is not +founded in grace: yet this remains evident, that a prince, who not only +is of another religion, but an avowed enemy to, and overturner of the +religion established by law, and intending and endeavouring to introduce +a false, heretical, blasphemous and idolatrous religion, can claim no +just and legal authority, but in this case the people may very lawfully +decline his pretended authority; nay, they are betrayers of their +country and posterity, if they give not a timeous and effectual check to +his usurpings, and make him sensible that he hath no such authority. Can +we imagine, that men in the whole of that blessed work so remarkably led +of God, being convocate by a parliament of the wisest and worthiest men +that ever were in England, whom they did encourage, by writing and +preaching, and every way to stand fast in their opposition to the then +king displaying a banner for his prerogative (a court dream) against +religion and liberty, should be so far left, as to drop that as a +principle and part of our religion, which would sacrifice religion +itself to the lust of a raging tyrant? Must we believe, that a religion +destroying tyrant is a righteous ruler? And must we own him to be a +nursing father to the church? Shall we conclude, that the common bounds +and limits, whereby the Almighty hath bounded and limited mankind, are +removed by an article of our Confession of Faith, which hereby is turned +into a court creed: Then welcome Hobs de cive, with all the rest of +Pluto's train, who would babble us into a belief, that the world is to +be governed according to the pleasure of wicked tyrants. I would fain +hope at length the world would be awakened out of such ridiculous +dreams, and be ashamed any more to own such fooleries. And it may be, +our two royal brothers have contributed more to cure men of this moral +madness than any who went before them. And this is the only advantage, I +know, that the nations have reaped by their reign. + +9. Though we deny that conquest can give a just title to a crown; yet we +grant, in some cases, that by the peoples after-consent it may be turned +into a just title. It is undeniable, when there is just ground of the +war, if a prince subdue a whole land, who have justly forfeited their +liberties, when by his grace he preserves them, he may make use of their +right now forfeited, and they may resign their liberty to the conqueror, +and consent that he be their king, upon fair and legal, and not +tyrannical conditions. And even when the war is not just, but successful +on the invading conquerors side, this may be an inducement to the +conquered, if they be indeed free and unengaged to any other, to a +submission, dedition, and delivery up of themselves to be the subjects +of the victor, and to take him for their sovereign: as it is like the +case was with the Jews in Cæsar's time, whose government was translated +by dedition to the Roman power; in the translation, when a-doing, there +was a fault, but after it was done, it ceased; though the beginning was +wrong, there was a post-fact, which made it right, and could not be +dissolved, without an unjust disturbance of public order. Whence, +besides what is said above, in answer to that much insisted instance of +Christ's paying tribute, and commanding it to be paid to Cæsar, the +difficulty of that instance may be clearly solved. That tribute which he +paid, Matth. xvii. 14. &c. and that about the payment whereof he was +questioned, Matth. xxii. 21. seem to be two different tributes. Many +think, very probably, they were not one and the same tribute. It is a +question, for whom, and by whom that of Matth. xvii. was gathered; it is +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 itself unobliging) that their claim is left as much in the +dark, as if the question had never been moved. The other, Matth. xxii. +was exacted for Cæsar: but to that captious question our Lord returns +such an answer, as might both solve it, and evade the snare of the +propounder, giving a general rule of giving to God and to Cæsar each +their own, without defining which of them had the right to the payment +in question; whether Cæsar should have it, or whether it should be paid +only for the temple's use: upon which they marvelled, which they needed +not do, if they had understood in his words an express and positive +declaration of an obligation to make that payment to Cæsar; 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 Emperors, as their governors, to whom they were obliged (I do +not say Christ was) to pay tribute. For they had yielded themselves +unto, and owned the Roman dominion in Pompey, Cæsar Augustus and +Tiberius, ere this question about tribute paying was proposed to our +Saviour; and therefore they who stuck at the payment of it, were a +seditious party, dissenting from the body of the nation; else it is not +supposeable readily, that their dominion in Judea 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 Jews themselves, disavowing the power of capital +punishment. It is not lawful for us to put any man to death, and owning +Cæsar as their king, with an exclusive abrenunciation of all other, we +have no king but Cæsar; as Paul also acknowledges, he ought to be judged +at Cæsar's bar, in his appeal to Cæsar. It is also acknowledged by very +good authors, that this was the tribute which Judas the Galilean stood +up to free the people from; and that the sedition of those Jews that +followed him, mentioned Acts v. 37. who mutinied upon this occasion, +was, according to Gamaliel's speech, disallowed by that Sanhedrim, or +council of the Jews. And it may be gathered out of Josephus, that the +Jews of Hircanus' party came under the Roman power by consent and +dedition, while they of Aristobulus' party looked upon the Romans as +usurpers. Which difference continued till our Saviour's time, when some +part of them acknowledged the Cæsarean authority, some part looked upon +it as an usurpation; and of this generally were the Pharisees. To +confirm this, Calvin's testimony may be adduced, upon Matth. xxii. who +saith, 'The authority of the Roman emperors was by common use approved +and received among the Jews, whence it was manifest, that the Jews had +now of their own 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. p. 635. 'What +then? if Cæsar's authority was from bad beginnings, 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 kingdoms +would be just.' + +10. As tyranny is a destructive plague to all the interests of men and +Christians; to anarchy, the usual product of it, is no less pernicious, +bringing a community into a paroxysm as deadly and dangerous. We must +own government to be absolutely necessary, for the constitution and +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 believe, except we +betake ourselves to the divine allowance and permission; we shall be as +puzzled 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 and branch, spring and streams, +in its original, nature, ends and effects, is diametrically opposite to +religion and liberty; and because its contagion, universally converting +and corrupting all the ends and orders of magistracy, doth affect and +infect all the subordinate officers, deriving their power from such a +filthy fountain; we must also subtract and deny their demanded +acknowledgments as any way due, so long as they serve the pride and +projects of such a wicked power: and do not reckon ourselves obliged by +covenant, or any otherwise (though, in the third article of the solemn +league, we are bound to preserve the rights and privileges of our +parliaments, and consequently the honour and 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 engaged in a conspiracy with +the tyrant) to own or defend a soulless 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 own as our representatives, but +must look upon them as perjured and perfidious traitors to God and their +country, which they have betrayed into the hands of a tyrant; and +therefore divested of that power and 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 ourselves, religion and liberty, without them. +We would think nobles, ennobled with virtue, a great mercy and +encouragement; and if they would concur in the testimony for religion +and liberty, we would be glad that they should lead the van, and prove +themselves to be powers appointed by God, in acting for him in 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 and nature: but, on +the contrary, must judge that their relinquishing or opposing their +duty, which before God they are obliged to maintain, preserve, and +promove, is so far from loosing our obligation, or exeeming us from our +duty that it should rather press us to prosecute it with the more +vigour, without suspending it upon their precedency. For now they can +pretend to no precedency, when they do not answer the end of their own +private advantage, they cease to be the ministers of God and of the +people, and become private persons. And reason will conclude, 'That when +the Ephori or trustees betray their trust, and sell, or basely give away +the liberties and privileges of the people, which they were entrusted +with, the people cannot be brought into a remediless condition; if a +tutor waste and destroy the pupils estate, the law provides a remedy for +the pupil, Jus popu. vind. cap. 15. page 335, 336.' 'The remedy, in this +case, can only be, as every one must move in his own sphere, while all +concur in the same duty; so if any, in higher place, become not only +remiss, but according to the influence of their power would seduce +others into their apostasy, it is their duty to resist and endeavour +their reformation or removal: and if these more eminently entrusted +shall turn directly apostates, and obstructive and destructive to common +interests, the people of an inferior degree may step forward to occupy +the places, and assert the interests, which they forefault and desert. +Neither is this a breach of good order; for order is only a mean +subordinate to, and intended for the glory of God, and the peoples good, +and the regulation thereof must only be admitted as it is conducible, +and not repugnant to these ends. A general's command to his soldiers in +battle, does not impede the necessity of succession, in case of vacancy +of any charge, either through death or desertion, even of such as in +quality may be far inferior to those whose places they step into, +Naphtali, page 151. first edition.' I do not assert this for private +peoples aspiring into the capacity of primores of peers; but that they +may do that which the peers desert, and dare not, or will not do, if the +Lord put them in a capacity to do it. And more plainly I assert, that if +the peers of the land whose duty it is principally to restrain and +repress tyranny, either connive at it, or concur with it, and so abandon +or betray their trust, then the common people may do it; at least are +obliged to renounce, reject, and disown allegiance to the tyrant, +without the peers. For which I offer these reasons. 1. Because all men +have as much freedom and liberty by nature as peers have, being no more +slaves than they; because slavery is a penal evil contrary to nature, +and a misery consequent of sin, and every man created according to God's +image, is a sacred thing; and also no more subjects to kings, &c. than +they; freedom being natural to all (except freedom from subjection to +parents, which is a moral duty, and most kindly and natural, and +subjection of the wife to the husband, &c.) but otherwise as to civil +and politic subjection, man, by nature, is born as free as beasts; no +lion is born king of lions, nor no man born king of men; nor lord of +men, nor representative of men, nor rulers of men, either supreme or +subordinate; because none, by nature, can have those things that +essentially constitute rulers, the calling of God, nor gifts and +qualifications for it, nor the election of the people. 2. The original +of all that power, that the primores or representatives can claim, is +from the people, not from themselves; from whence derived they their +being representatives, but from the people's commission or compact? when +at the first constitution of parliaments, or public conventions for +affairs of state, necessity put the people, who could not so +conveniently meet all, to confer that honour and burden upon the best +qualified, and who had chief interest by delegation. Hence, if the +people give such a power, they may wave it when perverted, and act +without their own impowered servants. 3. The people's power is greater +than the power of any delegated or constituted by them; the cause is +more than the effect; parliament-men do represent the people, the people +do not represent the parliament: they are as tutors and curators unto +the people, and in effect their servants deputed to oversee their public +affairs, therefore if their power be less the people can act without +them. 4. It were irrational to imagine, the people committing the +administration of their weighty affairs unto them, did denude themselves +of all their radical power; or that they can devolve upon them, or they +obtain any other power but what is for the good and advantage of the +people; therefore they have power to act without them, in things which +they never resigned to them; for they cannot be deprived of that natural +aptitude, and nature's birth-right, given to them by God and nature, to +provide the most efficacious and prevalent means for the preservation of +their rights and liberties. 5. As the people have had power before they +made peers, and have done much without them; so these primores could +never do without them, therefore in acts of common interest, the peers +depend more upon the people than the people do upon them. 6. All these +primeve rights, that gave rise to societies, are equal to both people +and peers, whereof the liberty to repress and reject tyranny is a chief +one. The people as well as peers have a hand in making the king, and +other judges also, as is clear from Deut. xvii. 14. Judg. ix. 6. 1 Sam. +xi. 15. 2 Kings xiv. 21. therefore they may unmake them as well as they. +To seek to preserve the ends of government, when they are overturned, is +essentially requisite to all societies, and therefore common and +competent to all constituents of these societies, superiors or +inferiors. The glory of God and security of religion, the end of all +Christian government, doth concern all equally. As every one equally is +bound to obey God rather than man, so violence in this case destroys +both the commonwealth, and maketh the end and means of government, and +the injured persons obligation thereto to cease; and this equally to +every man of private or public capacity. In the concern of religion at +least, we must not think because we are not nobles, or in authority, +that the care of it, or reformation thereof does nothing pertain to us; +nay in that, and carrying on the work thereof, there is an equality: as +in the erection of the Old Testament tabernacle, all the people were to +contribute alike half a shekel, Exod. xxx. that it might be for a +remembrance before the Lord. Hence it follows, if we disown the supreme +ruler, and the inferior confederate with him, and cannot have the +concurrence of others: 'now through the manifest and notorious +perversion of the great ends of society and government, the bond thereof +being dissolved, we liberated therefrom, do relapse into our primeve +liberty and privilege: and accordingly, as the similitude of our case, +and exigence of our cause doth require, may, upon the very same +principles, again join and associate, for our better defence and +preservation, as we did at first enter into societies,' Nap. p. 150. +yet, whatever we may do in this case, we are not for presumptuous +assumptions of authority which maleversers have forefaulted: neither are +we for new erections of government, but are for keeping the society, of +which we are members, entire, in an endeavour to have all our fellow +members united unto God, and to one another, in religion and liberty, +according to the bond of the solemn league and covenant. Certain it is, +that greater societies, under one government, may in some cases make a +secession, and divide into lesser, without sedition: or else, how would +there be so many distinct commonwealths in the world? seeing at first +all was under one head: and how comes it to pass, that there are so +many kingdoms in Europe, when it can be instanced, when all, or the most +part, were under one Roman emperor? But this, in our circumstance, is +noway expedient, neither was it ever in projection. But our aim is to +abstract ourselves inoffensively, and maintain our rights that remain +unrobbed, and to adhere closely to the fundamental constitutions, laws, +and laudable practices of our native kingdom. + +II. We own the obligation of our sacred covenants, unrepealably and +indispensibly binding to all the duties of christian subjection to +magistrates. But we deny, that hereby we are bound either to maintain +monarchy, especially thus perverted; nor to own the authority of either +of the two monarchs that have monarchized or tyrannized over us these +twenty-seven years past. For as to the first, we assert, That that which +is in its own nature mutable, cannot be simply sworn unto to be +maintained and preserved, but hypothetically at most, else it were +simply sinful; since it were to make things in their own nature, and in +the providence of God changeable, unchangeable; yea it were a downright +swearing not to comply with, but to spurn against, the various +vicissitudes of divine providence, the great rector of the universe. And +it is unquestionable, that when things alterable and unalterable are put +in the same oath, to make the engagement lawful the things must be +understood, as they are in their own nature, and no otherwise: else both +the imposer and the taker grievously transgress; the former, in taking +upon him what is in the power of no mortal, and a contradiction to the +prerogative of the immortal God; and the other, in owning that power as +just. Hence when these two fall to be in the same oath, they must be so +understood as it may not be made a snare to the conscience of the +swearer. For it may fall so out in the providence of God, that the +preservation of both is in all respects made impossible: and an adhesion +to the one, may so far interfere with the preservation of the other, as +if the mutable and that which hath no objective obligation to be stuck +to the other, which with the loss of all interests we are to maintain, +must be abandoned; yea, that which was sworn to be maintained as a mean +only, and a mutable one too, may not only cease to be a mean, but may +actually destroy the main end, and then it is to be laid aside, because +then it inverts the order of things. Hence also it may be questioned, if +it were not more convenient, to leave out those things that are +alterable in themselves, out of the same oath with things unalterable, +and put them in a distinct oath or covenant by themselves; as we see +Jehojadah did 2 Kings xi. 17. 'He made a covenant between the Lord, and +the king, and the people, that they should be the Lord's people; between +the king also and the people.' Here are two distinct covenants; the one +made with God, about things eternally obligatory, wherein the king and +people engage themselves upon level ground to serve the Lord, and Joash +the king, his treacherous dealing with God in that matter, brought the +curse of that covenant upon him: the other covenant was civil, about +things alterable relating to points of government and subjection. And as +he, by virtue of that prior covenant, had obliged himself, under the +pain of the curse thereof, to carry as one covenanted to God with the +people, and so not to tyrannize over his brethren: so, the people, by +virtue of that same covenant, were to yield obedience, but in nothing to +acknowledge him, as having power or authority to countermand God's +command; neither had it been an act of disloyalty, to have broken down +his groves, which he had, with the addition of the guilt of perjury, set +up, and to have bound his ungrateful hands from the blood of the +gracious Zechariah: a perfect parallel to our case under the former +dominator, save that it was outdone as to all dimensions of wickedness +by him. To speak more plainly, the religious part of our covenant is of +an eternal obligation; but as to the civil part, it is impossible it +can ever be so, unless it be well and cautiously understood; that is, +unless instead of any species of government, as monarchy, &c. we put in +magistracy itself. For this is that power which is of God; but monarchy, +&c. is only a human creature, about the creation whereof men take a +liberty, according to what suits them best in their present +circumstances. And as to this species of monarchy; men are never left at +liberty to clothe therewith any inept or impious person. And they are +perfectly loosed from it. 1. When that species of government becomes +opposite to the ends of government, and is turned tyranny, especially +when a legal establishment is pretended, then it affects with its +contagion the very species itself: the house is to be pulled down, when +the leprosy is got into the walls and foundation. 2. When it is +exercised, it is turned inept for answering the ends of its erection, +and prejudicial to the main thing for which government is given, to wit, +the gospel and the coming of Christ's kingdom: hence it is promised to +the church, Isa. xlix. 23. 'Kings shall be nursing fathers to the +church:'----And Isa. lii. 15. It is promised to the Mediator that 'Kings +shall shut their mouths,'----_i.e._ never a word in their head, but out +of reverence and respect to his absolute sovereignty, they shall take +the law from him, without daring to contract, far less to take upon them +to prescribe in the house of God, as they in their wisdom think fit. 3. +When providence, without any sinful hand, makes that species impossible +to be kept up, without the ruin of that for which it was erected: when +things comes to this push, whosoever are clothed with the power, are +then under an obligation to comply with that alteration of providence, +for the safety of the people; else they declare themselves unworthy of +rule, and such who would sacrifice the interest of their people to their +particular interest; in which case the people may make their public +servant sensible, he is at his highest elevation but a servant. Hence +now, when this species named in the covenant, viz. monarchy, is by law +so vitiate, as it becomes the mean and instrument of the destruction of +all the ends of that covenant, and now by law transmitted to all +successors as a hereditary, pure, perfect and perpetual opposition to +the coming of Christ's kingdom, so that as long as there is one to wear +that crown, (but Jehovah will in righteousness execute Coniah's doom +upon the race, Jer. xxii. _ult._ 'Write this man childless'----) and +enter heir to the government as now establishment, he must be an enemy +to Christ; there is no other way left, but to think on a new model +moulded according to the true pattern. As to the second, we are far less +obliged to own and acknowledge the interest of any of the two monarchs, +that we have been mourning under these many years, from these sacred +covenants. For, as to the first of them, Charles II. Those +considerations did cassate his interest, as to any covenant obligation +to own him. 1. In these covenants we are not sworn absolutely to +maintain the king's person and authority, but only conditionally, in the +preservation and defence of religion and liberties. Now, when this +condition was not performed, but, on the contrary, professedly resolved +never to be fulfilled; and when he laid out himself to the full of his +power and authority, for the destruction of that reformed religion and +liberties of the kingdom, which he solemnly swore to defend when he +received the crown, only in the terms that he should be a loyal subject +to Christ, and a true and faithful servant to the people, in order to +which a magistrate is chosen, and all his worth, excellency, and +valuableness, consists in his answering that purpose; for the excellency +of a mean, as such, is to be measured from the end, and its +answerableness thereunto: we were not then obliged, to maintain such an +enemy to these precious interests. 2. Because, as the people were bound +to him, so he was bound to them by the same covenant, being only on +these terms entrusted with the government, all which conditions he +perfidiously broke, whereupon only his authority and our allegiance were +founded; and thereby we were loosed from all reciprocal obligation to +him by virtue of that covenant. 3. Though he and we stood equally +engaged to the duties of that covenant, only with this difference, that +the king's capacity being greater, he was the more obliged to have laid +out that power, in causing all to stand to their covenant engagements, +as Josiah did, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 31, 32, 33. (but alas! there was never a +Josiah in the race,) yet he rose up to the height of rebellion against +God and the people, in heaven daring insolency, and not only brake, but +burnt that covenant, and made laws to cass and rescind it, and made a +not-concurring in this conspiracy, a note of incapacity for any trust in +church or state. + +Therefore to plead for an owning of him in this case, were only +concludent of this, that the generation had dreamed themselves into such +a distraction, as may be feared will be pursued with destruction, and +make such dreamers the detestation of posterity, and cause all men +proclaim the righteousness of God, in bringing ruin upon them by that +very power and authority they owned in such circumstances. 4. It is a +known maxim, 'He that does not fulfil the conditions, falls from the +benefit of it, and whoso remits the obligation of the party obliged upon +condition, cannot exact it afterwards.' So then it is evident, that the +subjects of Scotland were by king Charles II. his consent, yea express +command, disengaged from so much of that covenant as could be alledged +in favours of himself: so that all that he did, by burning and +rescinding these covenants, and pursuing all who endeavoured to adhere +to them, was a most explicit liberating his subjects from, and remission +of their allegiance to him, (and in this we had been fools if we had not +taken him at his word;) yea he rescinded his very coronation, by an act +of his first parliament after his return, which did declare null and +void all acts, constitutions and establishments, from the year 1633 to +that present session, not excepting those for his own coronation, after +which he was never recrowned, and therefore we could not own that right, +which himself did annul. But as for his royal brother, James the VII. +and II. we cannot indeed make use of the same reasons and arguments to +disown him, as we have now adduced; yet, as we shall prove afterwards, +this covenant does oblige to renounce him. So it is so clear, that it +needs no illustration, that there lies no obligation from this covenant +to own him. 1. Because, as he is an enemy to the whole of our covenant, +and especially to these terms upon which authority it is to be owned +therein: so he will not come under the bond of this covenant, nor any +other compact with the people, but intrude himself upon the throne, in +such a way as overturns the basis of our government, and destroys all +the liberties of a free people, which by covenant we are bound to +preserve, and consequently, as inconsistent therewith, to renounce his +usurpation. For, a prince that will set himself up without any +transactions with the people, or conditions giving security for religion +and liberty, is an usurping tyrant, not bounded by any law but his own +lusts. And to say to such an one, reign thou over us, is all one as to +say, come thou and play the tyrant over us, and let thy lust and will be +a law to us: which is both against scripture and natural sense. If he be +not a king upon covenant terms, either expresly or tacitely, or general +stipulations according to the word of God, and laws of the land, he +cannot be owned as a father, protector, or tutor, having any fiduciary +power entrusted to him over the common wealth, but as a lawless and +absolute dominator, assuming to himself a power to rule or rage as he +lists: whom to own were against our covenants: for there we are sworn to +maintain his majesty's just and lawful authority, and by consequence +not to own usurpation and tyranny, stated in opposition to religion and +liberty, which there also we are engaged to maintain. Sure, this cannot +be lawful authority which is of God, for God giveth no power against +himself; nor can it be of the people, who had never power granted them +of God to create one over them, with a liberty to destroy them, their +religion and liberty, at his pleasure. 2. As he is not, nor will not be +our covenanted and sworn king (and therefore we cannot be his covenanted +and sworn subjects;) so he is not nor cannot be our crowned king, and +therefore we must not be his liege subjects, owning fealty and obedience +to him. For, 'according to the national covenant, as all lieges are to +maintain the king's authority, consistent with the subjects liberties; +which, if they be innovated or prejudged, such confusion would ensue, as +this realm could be no more a free monarchy;--so for the preservation of +true religion, laws and liberties of this kingdom, it is statute by the +8th act, parl. 1. repeated in the 99th act, parl. 7th, ratified in the +23d act, parl. 11th, and 14th act, parl. 12th of king James VI, and 4th +act. of king Charles I. that all kings and princes, at their coronation +and reception of their princely authortity, shall make their faithful +promise by their solemn oath, in the presence of the eternal God, that +enduring the whole time of their lives, they shall serve the same +eternal God, to the uttermost of their power, according as he hath +required in his most holy word, contained in the Old and New Testaments; +and according to the same word, shall maintain the true religion of +Christ Jesus, the preaching of his holy word, the due and right +ministration of the sacraments, now received and preached within this +realm (according to the confession of faith immediately preceding) and +shall abolish and gainst and all false religion, contrary to the same; +and shall rule the people committed to their charge, according to the +will and command of God, revealed in his foresaid word, and according to +the laudable law and constitutions received in this realm, no ways +repugnant to the said will of the eternal God; and shall procure, to the +uttermost of their power, to the kirk of God, and whole Christian +people, true and perfect peace in all time coming, and that they shall +be careful to root out of their empire all hereticks, and enemies to the +true worship of God, who shall be convicted by the true kirk of God of +the foresaid crimes.' Now, this coronation oath he hath not taken, he +will not, he cannot take; and therefore cannot be our crowned king +according to law. As there be also many other laws, incapacitating his +admission to the crown, being a professed papist, and no law for it at +all, but one of his own making, by a packed cabal of his own complices, +a parliament, wherein himself presided as commissioner, enacting +materially his succession, and rescinding all these ancient laws: which +act of succession (which is all the legal right he can pretend to in +Scotland) because it cannot be justified, therefore his right cannot be +owned, which is founded upon the subversion of our ancient laws. But as +he cannot be our legally crowned king, so he is not so much as formally +crowned. And therefore before his inauguration, whatever right to be +king (whom the representatives may admit to the government) he may +pretend to, by hereditary succession, yet he cannot formally be made +king, till the people make a compact with him, upon terms for the safety +of their dearest and nearest liberties, even though he were not disabled +by law. He might, as they say, pretend to some right to the thing, but +he could have no right in the thing. The kings of Scotland, while +uncrowned, can exercise no royal government; for the coronation in +concrete, according to the substance of the act, is no ceremony (as +they, who make conscience itself but a ceremony, call it) nor an +accidental ingredient in the constitution of a king, but as it is +distinctive, so it is constitutive: it distinguished Saul from all +Israel, and made him from no king to be a king; it is dative, and not +only declarative; it puts some honour upon him that he had not before. +3. Though the laws should not strike against his coronation, and though +the representatives legally should take the same measures with him that +they took with his brother, and admit him upon the terms of the +covenant; yet after such doleful experiences of such transactions with +these sons of Belial, who must not be taken with hands, nor by the hand, +it were hard to trust, or entrust them with the government, even though +they should make the fairest professions; since they, whose principles +is to keep no faith to heretics (as they call us) and who will be as +absolute in their promises as they are in their power, have deservedly +forfeited all credit and trust with honest men; so that none could +rationally refer the determination of a half crown reckoning to any of +them, far less own them and their government in the management of the +weightiest affairs of state, since their malversations are written in +such bloody characters, as he that runs may read them. At least it were +wisdom, and is our duty, to take our measures from the general +assembly's procedure with the other brother, before his admission to the +government, to suspend our allegiance to him, until authority be legally +devolved upon him, and founded upon, and bounded by terms, giving all +security for religion and liberty. + +12. As I said, before wary prudence, in waving such an impertinent and +ticklish question, cannot be condemned; since whatever he may be in +conscience, no man in law can be obliged, so far to surrender the common +privilege of all mankind, to give an account of all his inward thoughts, +which are always said to be free. And as in nothing they are more +various, so in nothing they can be more violented, than to have our +opinion and sentiments of the current government extorted from us, a +declining of which declaration of thoughts, where no ouvert act in +project or practice can be proven against it, cannot be treason in any +law in the world: so a cautelous answer, in such a ticklish, and +intrapping imposition, cannot be censured in point of lawfulness or +expediency, even though much be conceded, to stop the mouths of these +bloody butchers, gaping greedily after the blood of the answerer; if he +do not really own, but give them to understand, he cannot approve of +this tyranny. But as these poor faithful witnesses, who were helped to +be most free, have always been honoured with the most signal countenance +of the Lord in a happy issue of their testimony: so those that used +their prudentials most, in seeking shifts to shun severity, and studying +to satisfy these inquisitors with their stretched concessions, were +ordinarily more exposed to snares, and found less satisfaction in their +sufferings even though they could say much to justify, or at least +extenuate their shiftings. I knew one, who had proof of this, who +afterwards was ashamed of this kind of prudence. A short account of +whose managing of answers to this question, because it may conduce +somewhat to the explication of it, may here be hinted. The question +moved after the usual form, was, do ye own the authority of king James +VII. In answer to which, he pleaded first, for the immunity of his +thoughts, which he said were not subject to theirs or any tribunal. When +this could not be an evasion from their extortions, he objected the +ambiguity of the terms in which the question was conceived, being +capable of divers senses: and enquired, what they meant by authority? +What, by owning authority? By authority, whether did they mean the +administration of it as now improved? If so, then he was not satisfied +with it: or the right, as now established? If so, then he was not clear +to give his opinion of it, as being neither significant nor necessary; +and that it was fitter for lawyers and those that were better acquaint +with the secrets of government, than for him to dispute it. + +Again he asked, what they meant by owning? Either it is passive +subjection, that he did not decline; or active acknowledgment of it and +that he said he looked upon as all the suffrage he could give to its +establishment in his station, which he must demur upon some scruple. The +replies he received were very various, and some of them very rare, +either for ignorance or imposture. Sometimes, it was answered: to own +the king's authority, is to take the oath of allegiance; this he +refused. Some answered, it is to engage never to rise in arms against +the king, upon any pretence whatsoever; this he refused likewise. Others +explained it to be, to acknowledge his right to be king: to his he +answered, when the authority is legally devolved upon him by the +representatives of both kingdoms, it was time enough for him to give +account of his sentiments. Others defined it, to own him to be a lawful +king by succession. To this he answered, he did not understand +succession could make a man formally king, if there were not some other +way of conveyance of it; it might put him in the nearest capacity to be +king, but could not make him king. + +Some did thus paraphrase upon it, that he must own him to be his +sovereign Lord under God, and God's vicegerent, to be obeyed in all +things lawful. To this he answered, whom God appoints, and the people +choose according to law, he would own. When those shifts would not do, +but from time to time being urged to a categorical answer; he told them, +he was content to live in subjection to any government providence set +up; but for owning the present constitution as of God, and according to +law, he durst not acknowledge it, nor own any mortal as his lawful +sovereign, but in terms consistent with the covenant securing religion +and liberty. This not satisfying, when he came to a more pinching trial; +he declared, he owned all lawful authority according to the word of God, +and all authority that was the ordinance of God by his preceptive will, +and he could be subject to any; but further to acknowledge it, he +behoved to have more clearness; for sometimes a nation might be charged +with that, 'Ye have set up kings, and not by me,' &c. Further he +conceded, he owned his providential advancement to the throne; he owned +as much as he thought did oblige him to subject himself with patience; +he owned him to be as lawful, as providence possessing him of the throne +of his ancestors, and lineal succession, as presumed next in blood and +line, could make him: but still he declined to own him as lawful king, +and alledged that was all one, whether he was lawful or not, he refused +not subjection, distinguishing it always from allegiance. + +But all these concessions did not satisfy them, and alledged he might +say all this of a tyrant; and therefore commanded him to give it under +hand, to own not only the lineal, but the legal succession of king James +VII. to the crown of Scotland; which he did, upon a fancy, that legal +did not import lawful, but only the formality of their law; withal +protesting, he might not be interpreted to approve of his succession. +But this was a vain protestation against fact. However, by this we see, +what is owning this authority, in the sense of the inquisitors. + +The result of all is, to acknowledge allegiance to the present +possessor, and to approve his pretended authority as lawful, rightful +and righteous; which indeed is the true sense of the words, and any +other, that men can forge or find out, is strained. For, to speak +properly, if we own his authority in any respect, we own it to be +lawful: for every authority, that is owned to be authority indeed, is +lawful; authority always importing authorization, and consisting in a +right or call to rule, and is formally and essentially contradistinct to +usurpation: where ever the place of power is merely usurped, there is no +authority but according to his word; a stile without truth, a barely +pretended nominal equivocal authority, no real denomination: if we then +own this man's authority, we own it to be lawful authority: and if we +cannot own it so, we cannot own it all. For it is most suitable, either +to manly ingenuity, or Christian simplicity, to speak properly, and to +take words always in the sense, that they to whom they are speaking will +understand them, without equivocating. + +These preliminaries being thus put by, which do contribute to clear +somewhat in this controversy, and both furnish us with some arguments +for, and solutions in most of the objections against my thesis, in +answer to the questions above stated. I set it down thus: A people long +oppressed with the encroachments of tyrants and usurpers, may disown all +allegiance to their pretended authority, and when imposed upon to +acknowledge it, may and must rather chuse to suffer, than to own it. And +consequently we cannot, as matters now stand, own, acknowledge, or +approve the pretended authority of king James VII. as lawful king of +Scotland; as we could not, as matters then stood, own the authority of +Charles II. This consequence is abundantly clear from the foregoing +deduction, demonstrating their tyranny and usurpation. In prosecuting of +this general thesis, which will evince the particular hypothesis, I +shall, 1. Adduce some historical instances, whence it may be gathered, +that this is not altogether without a precedent, but that people have +disowned allegiance to tyrants and usurpers before now. 2. Deduce it +from the dictates of reason. 3. Confirm it by scripture arguments. + +I. Albeit, as was shewed before, this question, as now stated, is in +many respects unprecedented; yet the practice, which in our day hath +been the result of it, to disown, or not to own prevailing dominators +usurping the government, or abusing it, is not so alien from the +examples of history, but that by equivalency or consequence it may be +collected from and confirmed by instances. + +1. To begin at home, besides many passages related already for +confirmation, we may add, (1.) That for about 1025 years, the people had +in their choice whom to own, or admit to succeed in the government, +'Even though the kingdom was hereditary; and used to elect, not such who +were nearest in blood and line, but these that were judged most fit in +government, being of the same progeny of Fergus,' Buchanan's History of +Scotland, book vi. pag. 195. in the life of Kenneth III. This continued +until the days of Kenneth III. who to cover his villainous murder of his +brother's son Malcolm, and prevent his, and secure his own son's +succession, procured this charter for tyranny, the settlement of the +succession of the next in line from the parliament: which, as it +pretended the prevention of many inconveniencies, arising from +contentions and competitions about the succession; so it was limited by +laws, precluding the succession of fools or monsters, and preserving the +people's liberty to shake off the yoke when tyranny should thereby be +introduced: otherwise it would have been not only an irrational +surrender of all their own rights, and enslaving the posterity, but an +irreligious contempt of providence, refuting and anticipating its +determination in such a case. However it is clear, before this time, +that as none but the fittest were admitted to the government; so if any +did usurp upon it, or afterwards did degenerate into tyranny, they took +such order with him, as if he had not been admitted at all; as is clear +in the instances of the first period, and would never own every +pretender to hereditary succession. (2.) As before Kenneth's days, it is +hard to reckon the numerous instances of kings that were dethroned, or +imprisoned, or slain, upon no other account than that of their +oppression and tyranny; so afterwards they maintained the same power and +privilege of repressing them, when ever they began to encroach. And +although no nation hath been more patient towards bad kings, as well as +loyal towards good ones; yet, in all former times, they understood so +well the right they had, and the duty they owed to their own +preservation, as that they seldom failed of calling the exorbitantly +flagitious to an account. And albeit, instead of condoling or avenging +the death of the tyrannous, they have often both excused and justified +it, yet no kingdom hath inflicted severer punishments upon the murders +of just and righteous princes: and therefore, though they did neither +enquire after, nor animadvert upon those that slew James III. a +flagitious tyrant, yet they did, by most exquisite torments, put them to +death who slew James the I. a virtuous monarch. Hence, because these and +other instances I mind to adduce of deposing tyrants, may be excepted +against, as not pertinent to my purpose, who am not pleading for +exauctoration and deposition of tyrants, being impracticable in our +case: I shall once for all remove that, and desire it may be considered, +(1.) That though we cannot formally exauctorate a tyrant; yet he may, by +law itself, fall from his right, and may exauctorate himself, by his +laws by whom kings reign; and this is all we plead for as a foundation +of not owning him. (2.) Though we have not the same power, yet we have +the same grounds, and as great and good, if not greater and better +reasons to reject and disown our tyrant, as they, whose example is here +adduced, had to depose of their tyrannizing princes. (3.) If they had +power and ground to depose them, then a fortiori, they had power and +ground to disown them; for that is less, and included in the other, and +this we have. (4.) Though it should be granted, that they did not disown +them before they were deposed; yet it cannot be said that they did +disown them only because they were deposed: for it is not deposition +that makes a tyrant; it only declares him to be justly punished for what +he was before. As the sentence of a judge does not make a man a murderer +or thief, only declares him convict of these crimes, and punishable for +them; it is their own committing them that makes him criminal: and, as +before the sentence, having certain knowledge of the fact, we might +disown the man's innocency or honesty; so a ruler's acts of tyranny and +usurpation make him a tyrant and usurper, and give ground to disown his +just and legal authority; which he can have no more than a murderer or +thief can have innocency or honesty. (3.) We find also examples of their +disowning kings undeposed; as king Baliol was disowned with his whole +race, for attempting to enslave the kingdom's liberties to foreign +power. And if this may be done for such an attempt, as the greatest +court parasites, and sycophants consent; what then shall be done for +such as attempt to subject the people to domestic or intestine slavery? +shall we refuse to be slaves to one without, and be, and own ourselves +contented slaves to one within the kingdom? It is known also that king +James the I. his authority was refused by his subjects in France, so +long as he was a prisoner to the English there, though he charged them +upon their allegiance, not to fight against the party who had his person +prisoner: they answered, They owned no prisoner for their king, nor +owned no allegiance to a prisoner. Hence princes may learn, though +people submit to their government; yet their resignation of themselves +to their obedience is not so full, as that they are obliged to own +allegiance to them, when either morally or physically they are +incapacitate to exercise authority over them. They that cannot rule +themselves cannot be owned as rulers over a people. + +2. Neither hath there been any nation, but what at one time or other +hath furnished examples of this nature. The English history gives +account, how some of their kings have been dealt with by their subjects, +for impieties against the law and light of nature, and encroachments +upon the laws of the land. Vortigern was dethroned for incestuously +marrying his own sister. Neither did ever blasphemies, adulteries, +murders, plotting against the lives of innocents, and taking them away +by poison or razor, use to escape the animadversion of men, before they +were priest-ridden unto a belief that princes persons were sacred. And +if men had that generosity now this man that now reigns might expect +some such animadversion. And we find also king Edward, and Richard the +II. were deposed, for usurpation upon laws and liberties, in doing +whereof the people avowed, They would not suffer the laws of England to +be changed. + +Surely the people of England must now be far degenerate, who having such +laws transmitted to them from their worthy ancestors, and they +themselves being born to the possession of them without a change, do now +suffer them to be so encroached upon, and mancipate themselves, and +leave their children vassals to popery, and slaves to tyranny. + +3. The Dutch also, who have the best way of guiding of kings of any that +ever had to do with them (witness their having so many of them in +chains, now in Batavia in the East Indies) are not wanting for their +part to furnish us with examples. When the king of Spain would not +condescend to govern them according to their ancient laws, and rule for +the good of the people, they declared him to be fallen from the +seigniory of the Netherlands, and so erected themselves into a +flourishing common-wealth. It will not be amiss to transcribe some of +the words of the edict of the states general to this purpose. It is well +known, (say they) 'That a prince and lord of a country is ordained, by +God, to be sovereign and head over his subjects, to preserve and defend +them from all injuries, force, and violence; and that if the prince +therefore faileth therein, and instead of preserving his subjects, doth +outrage and oppress them, depriveth them of their privileges and ancient +customs, commandeth them, and will be served of them as slaves; they are +no longer bound to respect him as their sovereign lord, but to esteem of +him as a tyrant, neither are they bound to acknowledge him as their +prince, but may abandon him, &c.' And with this agrees the answer +William, prince of Orange, to the edict of proscription, published +against him by Philip the II. There is, says he, 'A reciprocal bond +betwixt the lord and his vassal; so that if the lord break the oath, +which he hath made unto his vassal, the vassal is discharged of the oath +made unto his lord.' This was the very argument of the poor suffering +people of Scotland, whereupon they disowned the authority of Charles the +II. + +4. The monarchy of France is very absolute; yet there also the state +hath taken order with their tyrants; not only have we many instances of +resistances made against them, but also of disowning, disabling, and +invalidating their pretended authority, and repressing their tyranny. So +was the two Childerici served: so also Sigebertus, Dagabertus, and +Lodowick the II. kings of France. + +5. The great body of Germany moves very slowly, and is inured to bear +great burdens: yet there also we find Joanna of Austria, mother of +Charles V. was put to perpetual imprisonment: which example is adduced +by the earl of Morton, in his discourse to the queen of England (whereof +I rehearsed a part before) vindicating the deposing and disowning queen +Mary of Scotland. 'If, saith he, we compare her with Joanna of +Austria--what did that poor wretch commit, but that she could not want a +little lustful pleasure as a remedy necessary for her age? and yet, poor +creature, she suffered that punishment, of which our dame, convicted of +most grievous crimes, now complains.'--Buchanan's History of Scotland, +book xx. p. 748. The duke of Saxon, the landgrave of Hesse, and the +magistrates of Magdeburgh, joined in a war against her son Charles V. +and drew up a conclusion by resolution of lawyers, wherein are these +words----'Neither are we bound to him by any other reason, than if he +keep the conditions on which he was created emperor. By the laws +themselves it is provided, That the superior magistrate shall not +infringe the right of the inferior, and if the superior magistrate +exceed the limits of his power, and command that which is wicked, not +only we need not obey him, but if he offer force we may resist him.' +Which opinion is confirmed by some of the greatest lawyers, and even +some who are patrons of tyranny, Grotius none of the greatest enemies of +tyrants, de jure belli. lib. 1. chap. 4. p. 11. saith out of Barclaius, +and with him, That the king doth lose his power when he seeketh the +destruction of his subjects. It was upon the account of the tyranny of +that bloody house of Austria over the Helvetians, that they shook off +the rule and government of that family, and established themselves into +a republic. And at this present time, upon the same accounts, the +tyranny and treachery of this imperial majesty, the Hungarians have +essayed to maintain and justify a revolt in disowning the emperor, now +for several years. + +6. Poland is an elective kingdom, and so cannot but be fertile of many +instances of casting off tyrants. Henricus Valesius, disowned for +fleeing, and Sigismundus for violating his faith to the states, may +suffice. Lex Rex, q. 24. p. 217. + +7. In Denmark, we find Christiernus their king, was, for his intolerable +cruelty, put from the kingdom, he and all his posterity, and after +twenty years did end his life in prison. + +8. In Swedland, within the compass of one century, the people deposed +and banished the two Christierns, and dethroned and imprisoned Ericus, +for their oppressions and tyranny, and for pursuing the destruction of +their subjects. + +9. The Portuguese, not many years ago, laid aside and confined Alphonsus +their king, for his rapines and murders. + +10. Some dukes of Venice have been so disowned by these commonwealths +men, that laying aside their royal honours as private men, they have +spent their days in monasteries. Buchan. de jure regni apud Scotos. + +11. If we will resolve the old Roman histories, we shall find no small +store of such examples, both in the time of their kings, consuls, and +emperors. Their seventh king Tarquinius Superbus was removed by the +people, for his evident usurpation: saith Livius, 'That is, for he had +nothing for a right to the government, but mere force, and got the rule +neither by the people's consent and choice, nor by the authority of the +senators.' So afterwards the empire was taken from Vitellius, +Heliogabulus, Maximinus, Didius, Julianus, Lex Rex, ubi supra. + +12. But it will be said, Can there be any instances of the primitive +christians adduced? Did ever they, while groaning under the most +insupportable tyranny of their persecuting emperors, disown their +authority, or suffer for not owning it? To this I answer, 1. What they +did, or did not of this kind, is not of moment to enquire.: seeing their +practice and example, under such disadvantages, can neither be known +exactly, nor what is known of it be accommodated to our case: for (1.) +They were never forced to give their judgment, neither was the question +ever put to them, whether they owned their authority or not? If they +transgressed the laws, they were liable to the punishment, they craved +no more of them. (2.) They confess themselves to be strangers, that had +no establishments by law; and therefore they behoved to be passively +subject, when in no capacity to resist; there was no more required of +them. Yet Lex Rex Quest. 35. page 371. cites Theodoret affirming, 'Then +evil men reigned through the unmanliness of the subjects.' (3.) Their +examples are not imitable in all things; they were against resistance, +which we doubt not to prove is lawful against tyrannical violence: many +of them refused to flee from the fury of persecutors: they ran to +martyrdom, when neither cited nor accused; and to obtain the crown +thereof they willingly yielded up their lives and liberties also to the +rage of tyrants. We cannot be obliged to all these. 2. Yet we find some +examples not altogether unapplicable to this purpose. When Barochbach, +the pretended king of the Jews, after the destruction of Jerusalem, set +himself as king in Bitter, a city in Arabia; the Christians that were in +his precincts, refused to own him as king; which was one great cause of +his persecuting them. It is 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 disowning of the king: yet this is +reckoned as a distinct cause of their suffering, by Mr. Mede, on the +Revel. Part. 1. Page 43. Gees Magist. Origin. Chap. 10. Sect. 7. Page +361. The same last cited author shews, that when Albinus, Niger, and +Cassius, successively usurped the empire, having none of them any legal +investiture, the Christians declined the recognition of their claim, and +would not own them; and that upon this Tertullian says, That is, the +Christians could never be found to be Albinians, or Nigrians, or +Cassians, meaning they were never owners of these men for magistrates. +And so may we say, We may be ashamed to be found amongst the Charlites +and Jacobites of these times. Not unlike is the passage of Ambrose, who, +in favours of Valentinian the rightful governor, contested against +Maximus the tyrant, and not only disowned 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 Justina the empress, he would not accept of +the help of Maximus, whose power he disallowed and disowned. Whence I +observe, that it is not without a precedent for a minister to disown 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 II, and +James, 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 Milan, in Italy, did also hold out of +the assembly of the Christians Theodosius the emperor, though a most +virtuous 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 primitive +Christians is much insisted on, both against this and the head of +defensive arms: I shall further take notice of several distinctions, +that do make the difference between their case and ours very vast. (1.) +There is a great difference betwixt 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, and the benefit 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 and 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 own allegiance to him, when +he would withdraw us from our allegiance to God. (2.) There is a great +difference betwixt a prince persecuting the true religion, which only a +few of his subjects here and 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 public servant; (which was their case) +and a prince persecuting that religion, which was professed by the body +of the nation, when they set him up. In this latter case, men of great +sense have denied he should be owned 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 +public religion and 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, publicly owned and +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 and 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 of course, and by law, 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 and bounds, but rageth as +a tiger and 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 emperors) 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 and +oppressing that religion, which himself hath professed, and is ratified +by laws with his own 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 sometime 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 ruin 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 Julian the +apostate) and a prince, who not only consented to these laws, but who +did upon these very terms, and no other, get and receive his crown and +sceptre, 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, being once settled in the government, +breaks, casts, cassates and overturns (which was done by Charles) or, +and a prince who will be bounded by the laws 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 and liberty, and all +the valuable interests of the nation, when he pleases. This is James's +character. (6.) There is a difference betwixt a prince breaking the main +and only article of his covenant, in a fit of fury and rage being +transported upon some mistakes (which was the case of Theodosius the +emperor) 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 privileges (this was the case of Charles) or, and a +prince who, as he never will come under the bond of a covenant with his +people: so tho' he makes never so many fair promises with the greatest +solemnities, maintains a principle, that he will keep no promises, but +when, and with whom he pleases, and can get a dispensation to break all +when he likes. (This is James's ingenuity.) Sure in this case, such as +are characterized, declare themselves so far from being princes, that +they profess before the world, they are no more men to be conversed +with: for if neither their words, writs, vows, promises, oaths, +declarations, nor protections can bind them, what society can be had +with them? Are they not to be looked upon, and carried towards as common +enemies of morality, religion, righteousness, liberty, humanity, yea +even of mankind itself? Now then, let the world be judge, if the people +of Scotland can be judged in conscience, reason, prudence, policy, or +any imaginable way, bound to own their authority, being so stated, and +by the act rescissory all human ground rescinded, that ever it shall be +otherwise; let them go seek other slaves where they can find them, for +we will not sell ourselves and posterity to tyrants as slaves, nor give +up our religion and the exercise of it to the mouldings of the court. + +II. In the second place, it being clear from these forementioned +instances, that tyrants and usurpers have been disowned; and it being +also as clear as light can make any thing, from the foregoing account of +their government, and all the characters of truculency, treachery and +tyranny, conspicuously relucent therein, that these two gentlemen, whose +authority we are pressed to own, were tyrants and usurpers: it remains +therefore to prove from all dictates of reason about government, that +their pretended authority could not nor cannot be owned. + +For the argument runs thus; the authority of tyrants and usurpers cannot +be owned; but the authority of Charles and James was and is the +authority of tyrants and usurpers, therefore their authority cannot be +owned. Now it is the major of this syllogism that I undertake to prove, +the minor being so clear from their history, that to prove it by +witnesses were to do what is already done. + +1. All authority to be owned of men must be of God, and ordained of God: +for so the apostle teacheth expresly, Rom. xiii. 1. &c. which is the +alone formal reason of our subjection to them, and that which makes it a +damnable sin to resist them; because it is a resisting the ordinance of +God. The Lord owns himself to be the author of magistrates, Prov. viii. +15. By me kings reign and princes decree justice. + +As he is the author of man, and hath made him a sociable creature, so he +is the author of the order of human society, which is necessary for the +preservation of mankind, he being the God of order and not of confusion. + +And this must hold not only of the supreme authority, but of +subordinate magistrates also; for they must be included in the higher +powers, to whom we must be subject, Rom. xiii. and they that resist +them, resist God's ordinance too. Their judgment is God's, as well as +the judgment of the supreme magistrate, Deut. i. 17. 2 Chron. xix. 6, 8. +They are called gods among whom the Lord judgeth, Psal. lxxxii. 1. He +speaketh not there of a congregation of kings. + +We are to be subject to them for the Lord's sake, as well as to the +supreme magistrate, 1 Pet. ii. 13. therefore all magistrates, superior +and inferior, are ordained of God in the respective places. It is true, +Peter calls every degree of magistracy an ordinance of man, not that he +denies it to be an ordinance of God for so he would contradict Paul, +Rom. xiii. but terms it so emphatically, to commend the worth of +obedience to magistrates, though but men, when we do it for the Lord's +sake: not effectively, as an invention of men, but subjectively, because +exercised by men, and created and invested by human suffrages, +considered as men in society, and objectively, for the good of man, and +for the external peace and safety of man, thereby differenced from the +ministry, an ordinance of Christ, for the Spiritual good of mens souls. +Hence, those rulers that are not of God, nor ordained of God, cannot be +owned without sin; but tyrants and usurpers are the rulers, that are not +of God, nor ordained of God, but are set up, and not by him, &c. Hos. +viii. 1.-4. therefore they cannot be owned without sin. + +I refer it to any man of conscience and reason to judge, if these +scriptures, proving magistracy to be the ordinance of God, for which +alone is to be owned, can be applied to tyrants and usurpers. How will +that, Rom. xiii. read of tyrants? Let every soul be subject to tyrants, +for they are ordained of God as his ministers of justice, &c. and are a +terror to good works, and a praise to the evil. Would not every man +nauseate that as not the doctrine of God? Again, how would that sound, +Prov. viii. By me tyrants reign, and usurpers decree injustice? Harsh to +Christian ears. Can they be said to be gods among whom the Lord judgeth? +If they be, they must be such as the witch of Endor saw, gods coming out +of the earth, when she raised the devil; in a very catechrestical +meaning, as the devil is called the god of this world. And indeed they +have no more power, nor otherwise to be owned, than he hath: for this is +a truth, tyranny is a work of satan, and not from God; because sin, +either habitual or actual, is not from God; tyranny is sin in habit and +act: therefore----The magistrate, as magistrate, is good in nature and +end, being the minister of God for good, a tyrant as a tyrant, is quite +contrary. Lex Rex saith well, 'A power ethical, politic or moral, to +oppress, is not from God, and is not a power, but a licentious deviation +of a power, and no more from God, but from sinful nature, and the old +serpent, than a licence to sin,' quest. 9. p. 59. Hence sin, a licence +to sin, a licentious sinning, cannot be from God; but tyranny, +usurpation, absolute power enaroaching upon all liberties, laws, divine +and human, is sin, a licence to sin, a licentious sinning: +therefore----But, to make this clear, and to obviate what may be said +against this, let it be considered, how the powers that be are of God, +and ordained of God. Things are said to be of God and ordained of God, +two ways; by his purpose and providence, and by his word and warrant. + +Things may be of God, either of his hand working, or bringing them +about, ordaining and ordering them to be to his glory, either by a holy +over-ruling providence, as Samson's desire of a wife was of God, Judg. +xiv. 4. and Amaziah's insolent and foolish rejection of Joash's +peaceable overture, 2 Chron. xxv. 20. or by a powerful effective +providence; so Rom. xi. 36. Of him and through him are all things, 1 +Cor. viii. 6. One God, of whom are all things. Or things be of God, of +his word warranting and authorizing. So we are commanded to try the +spirits; whether they be of God (1 John iv. i.) So in this sense, sin, +tentation, lust, corruptions of the world are not of God, Jam. i. 13, 1 +John ii. 16. + +Again, things are ordained of God, ether by the order of his counsel or +providential will; either effectively, by way of production, or +direction; or permissively, by way of non-impedition: or they are +ordained by the order of his word and preceptive will. The former is +God's rule, the latter is ours: the former is always accomplished, the +latter is often contradicted: the former orders all actions, even +sinful; the latter only that which is good and acceptable in the sight +of God: by the former Israel rejected Samuel, by the latter they should +have continued Samuel's government, and not sought a king: by the former +Athaliah usurped the government, by the latter she should have yielded +obedience, and resigned the government to the posterity of Ahaziah: by +the former, all have a physical subordination to God at creatures, +subject to his all disposing will; by the latter, those whom he approves +have a moral subordination to God, as obedient subjects to his +commanding will. Now magistrates are of God, and ordained by him both +these ways, tyrants but one of them. I say, magistrates, the higher +powers, to whom we owe and must own subjection, are of God both these +ways; both by his purpose and providence; and that not merely eventual, +but effective and executive of his word, disposing both of the title and +right, and possession of the power, to them whom he approves, and +bringing the people under a conscientious subjection, and by his word +and warrant. So Adonijah the usurper (though he had the pretence of +hereditary right, and also possession by providence) was forced to own +king Solomon in these terms, upon which only a magistrate may be owned: +'the kingdom' says he, 'was mine, and all Israel set their faces on me +that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and become my +brother's, for it was his from the Lord,' 1 Kings ii. 15. He had both +providence turning about the kingdom to him, and also the warrant of the +Lord's approbative and preceptive will. But tyrants and usurpers are +only of God, and ordained of God, by his over-ruling purpose and +permissive providence, either for performing his holy purpose towards +themselves, as Rehoboam's professing he would be a tyrant, and refusing +the lawful desires of the people was of God, 2 Chron. x. 15. or for a +judgement and vengeance upon them that are subject to them, Zech. xi. 6. +whereby they get a power in their hand, which is the rod of the Lord's +indignation, and a charge and commission against a hypocritical nation, +Isa. x. 5, 6. This is all the power they have from God, who 'gives Jacob +to the spoil, and Israel to the robbers, when they sin against him,' +Isa. xlii. 24. This doth not give these robbers any right, no more than +they whose 'tabernacle prosper, into whose hand God bringeth +abundantly,' Job xii. 6. Thus all robbers, and the great legal robbers, +tyrants and their authorized murderers, may be of God, viz. by his +providence. Hence those that are not ordained of God's preceptive will, +but merely by his providential will; their authority is not to be owned; +but tyrants and usurpers are not ordained of God's preceptive, but +merely by his providential will. The minor needs no proof, yet will be +cleared by many following arguments, the major will be afterwards more +demonstrated. Here I shall only say, they that have no other ordination +of God impowering them to be rulers, than the devil hath, must not be +owned; but they that have no other than the ordination of providence, +have no other ordination of God impowering them to be rulers, than the +devil hath: therefore they that have no other than the ordination of +providence, must not be owned. + +2. But let us next consider what is comprehended in the ordination of +that authority which is to be owned as of God: and it may be +demonstrated, there are two things in it, without which no authority can +be owned as of God, viz. institution and constitution so as to give him, +whom we must own as God's minister, authority both in the abstract and +concrete, that is, that he should have magistracy by God's ordination, +and be a magistrate by and according to the will of God. All acknowledge +that magistracy hath God's institution, for the powers that be are +ordained of God: which contains not only the appointment of it, but the +qualification and form of it. That government is appointed by divine +precept all agree, but whether the precept be moral natural, or moral +positive, whether it was appointed in the state of innocency, or since +disorder came into the world, whether it be primario or secundario, from +the law of nature, is not agreed upon. It may possibly be all these +ways; government in the general may be from the law and light of nature +appointed in innocency, because all its relative duties are enjoined in +the fifth command, and all nations naturally have an esteem of it, +without which there could be no order, distinction, or communion in +human societies but the specification or individuation may be by a +postnate, positive and secondary law, yet natural too, for though there +be no reason in nature why any man should be king and lord over another, +being in some sense all naturally free, but as they yield themselves +under jurisdiction the exalting of David over Israel is not ascribed to +nature, but to an act of divine bounty, which took him from following +the ewes, and made him feeder of the people of Israel, Psal. lxxviii. +70, 71. yet nature teacheth, that Israel and other people should have a +government, and that this should be subjected to. Next, not only is it +appointed to be, but qualified by institution, and the office is +defined, the end prescribed, and the measures and boundaries thereof are +limited, as we shall hear. 'Again, the forms of it though politically, +they are not stinted, that people should have such a form and not +another; yet morally, at least negatively, whatever be the form it is +limited to the rules of equity and justice, and must be none other than +what hath the Lord's mould and sanction. But there is no institution any +of these ways for tyranny. Hence, that power hath no institution from +God, cannot be owned as his ordinance; but the power of tyrants is that +power, being contrary in every respect to God's institution, and a mere +deviation from it, and eversion of it: Ergo--To the minor it may be +replied; though the power which tyrants may exercise, and usurpers +assume, may be in concrete contrary to God's institution, and so not to +be owned; yet, in the abstract, it may be acknowledged of God. It is but +the abuse of the power, and that does not take away the use. We may own +the power, though we do not own the abuse of it. I answer, 1. I +acknowledge the distinction as to magistrates is very pertinent; for it +is well said by the congregation in a letter to the nobility, Knox's +History of Scotland, Book 2. 'That there is a great difference betwixt +the authority, which is God's ordinance, and the persons of these who +are placed in authority; the authority and ordinance of God can never do +wrong, for it commandeth that vice be punished, and virtue maintained; +but the corrupted person placed in this authority may offend.' + +It is certain, higher powers are not to be resisted; but some persons in +power may be resisted. The powers are ordained of God; but kings +commanding unjust things are not ordained of God to do such things; but +to apply this to tyrants, I do not understand. Magistrates in some acts +may be guilty of tyranny, and yet retain the power of magistracy; but +tyrants cannot be capable of magistracy, nor any one of the +scripture-characters of righteous rulers. They cannot retain that which +they have forfeited, and which they have overturned; and usurpers cannot +retain that which they never had. They may act and enact some things +materially just, but they are not formally such as can make them +magistrates, no more than some unjust actions can make a magistrate a +tyrant. A murderer, saving the life of one and killing another, does not +make him no murderer: once a murderer ay a murderer, once a robber ay a +robber, till he restore what he hath robbed: so once a tyrant ay a +tyrant, till he makes amends for his tyranny, and that will be hard to +do. 2. The concrete does specificate the abstract in actuating it, as a +magistrate in his exercising government, makes his power to be magistry; +a robber, in his robbing, makes his power to be robbery; an usurper in +his usurping makes his power to be usurpation; so a tyrant in his +tyrannizing, can have no power but tyranny. As the abstract of a +magistrate is nothing but magistracy, so the abstract of a tyrant is +nothing but tyranny. It is frivolous then to distinguish between a +tyrannical power in the concrete, and tyranny in the abstract; the power +and the abuse of the power: for he hath no power as a tyrant, but what +is abused. 3. They that object thus, must either mean, that power in it +general notion is ordained of God, but this particular power abused by +tyrants, and assumed by usurpers, is not ordained: or they must mean, +that the very power of tyrants and usurpers is ordained of God, but the +way of holding it and using it, is not of God. If the first be said, +they grant all I plead for; for though the power in general be ordained, +yet what is this to tyrants and usurpers? would not this claim be +ridiculous for any man to soy, God hath ordained governments to be, +therefore I will challenge it? God hath ordained marriage, therefore any +may cohabit together as man and wife, without formal matrimony. If the +second be alledged, that the power of these prevailing dominators is +ordained, but not their holding and using of it: this is nonsense, for +how can a power be ordained, and the use of it be unlawful? For the +abuse and use of tyrannical power is all one and reciprocal: an usurper +cannot use his power but by usurpation. + +Again, is it not plain, that the abstract and the concrete, the act or +habit, and the subject wherein it is, cannot have a contrary +denomination? if drunkenness and theft, lying or murder, be of the +devil; then the drunkard, the thief, the liar, and the murderer, are of +the devil too: so if tyranny and usurpation, or the use or abuse of +tyrants and usurpers be of the devil, then most the tyrants and usurpers +also be of him: none can say, the one is of the devil, and the other of +God. Wherefore it is altogether impertinent to use such a distinction, +with application to tyrants or usurpers, as many do in their pleading +for the owning of our oppressors; for they have no power, but what is +the abuse of power. + +3. As that authority which is God's ordinance must have his institution; +so it must have his divine constitution from himself and by the people. +Wherever then there is authority to be owned of men, there must be these +two, constitution from God and constitution from the people. For the +first, God hath a special interest in the constitution of authority, +both immediately and mediately. Immediately, he declares such and such +forms of government to be lawful and eligible, and does order whom, and +who, and how people shall direct governors. And so, he confers royal +graces, and endowments, and gifts for government on them, as on Joshua +and Saul: so they become the Lord's anointed, placed and set on the +throne of the Lord, 1 Chron. xxix. 23. and honoured with majesty, as his +deputes and vicegerants, having their crown let on by God, Psal. xxi. 3. +But in regard now he doth not by any special revelation determine, who +shall be the governors in this or that place; therefore he makes this +constitution by meditation of men, giving them rules how they shall +proceed in setting them up. And seeing, by the law of nature, he hath +enjoined government to be, but hath ordered no particular in it with +application to singulars he hath committed it to the positive +transaction of men, to be disposed according to certain general rules of +justice. And it must needs be so; for first, without this constitution, +either all or none would be magistrates: if he hath ordained civil power +to be, and taken no order in whom it shall be, or how it shall be +conveyed, any might pretend to it; and yet none would have it, more than +another. If then he hath affixed it to a peculiar having and holding, by +virtue whereof this man is enstated and entitled to the office, and not +that man, there must be a law for constituting him in authority, which +will discover in whom it is. 2. If it were not so, then resisting of a +particular magistrate would not be a resisting of the ordinance of God, +if a particular magistrate were not constitute of God, as well as +magistracy is institute of God: for still it would be undetermined, who +were the owner; and so it would be left as free and lawful for the +resister to take the place, as for the resisted to hold it; the +institution would be satisfied if any possessed it: therefore there must +be constitution to determine it. 3. No common law of nature can put in +practice, without particular constitution regulating it. That wives and +children own their superior relations, is the law of nature; but there +must be such a relation first fixed by human transaction, before they +can own them; there must be marriage authorized of God, there must be +children begotten, and then the divine ordination of these relative +duties take place. So the judges of Israel for four hundred and fifty +years were given of God, Acts xiii. 20. not all by an immediate express +designation, but a mediate call from God by men, as Jephthah; Judg. xi. +6, 11. Inferior judges also are magistrates appointed by God, yet they +have their deputation from men. Our Saviour speaks of all magistrates, +when he applies that of the 82 psalm to them, I said ye are gods; and +shews how they were gods, because unto them the word of God came, John +x. 35. that is, by his word and warrant he authorized them, not by +immediate designation in reference to the most of them, but the word of +God comes to them, or his constitution is past upon them, who are +advanced by men according to his word. When men therefore do act +according to the divine rule, in the moulding and erecting of government +and governors, there the constitution is of God, though it be not +immediate. And where this is not observed, whatever power (so named or +pretended) there may be, or whatsoever persons there be that take upon +them to be the power, and are not thereto appointed or therein instated, +and do exercise such a power as God hath not legitimated, they are not a +power ordained of God. Hence, whatsoever power hath no constitution from +God, either immediate or mediate, cannot be owned: but the authority of +tyrants and usurpers, is a power that hath no constitution from God, +either immediate or mediate; therefore it cannot be owned. The major is +cleared above. The minor is also undeniable: for, either they must +pretend to an immediate constitution by revelation, that James duke of +York a vassal of antichrist, had, by all his plots and pranks, merited +the crown of Britain, and therefore must be constitute king; and this I +hope they will not pretend to, except the Pope hath gotten such a +revelation from Pluto's oracle; or they must have recourse to the +mediate constitution by men: and if so, then either this mediate +constitution of God is left undetermined, indefinitely and absolutely +giving way to any that will assume what power they please and can: and +then, I confess tyrants may have a constitution; but this constitution +cannot be of God; or else it is fixed by a rule, regulating the +succession or constitution of the governors, and obliging the people to +own the government so constituted, with exclusion and disallowance of +any other. And so, if in that constitution there be a substantial +deviation from the rule, as when incompetent or unallowed persons be +the advancers of themselves, or others, into that place by illegal and +sinistrous means, in as much as in that case there is the divine +disapprobation, it may be said there is no ordinance of God, but a +contradiction and contra-ordination to God's order. Gee's magist. +origin. chap. 5. sect. 4. subject 3 page 135. This will shake off this +of ours, and all other tyrants and usurpers, that come into the +government, and hold it not according to God's rule. + +4. It is clear also in the second place, that the authority which we can +own out of conscience, must have constitution by the people. The special +way by which men should be called into the place of sovereign power, may +perhaps not be found so expresly defined in scripture, as mens call to +the other ordinance of the ministry is; yet in this two things are +essentially necessary to the constitution of a magistrate, the peoples +consent and compact either formal and virtual. And without these we can +own conscientious subjection and allegiance to no man living. That the +first is necessary will be evident, from the law of nature and nations, +and from scripture. First, The light and law of nature dictates, that +the right and interest of constituting magistrates is in the elective +vote or suffrage of the people. This will appear, 1. If we consider the +original of government among men, especially after they were so +multiplied, that there was a necessity of a reduction into diverse +communities; which, whatever was before the flood, yet after it, behoved +to be by a coalition with consent under an elective government. The +scripture makes it more than probable, that the partition of +commonwealths was in Peleg's days, in whole time the earth was divided, +Gen. x. 2. occasioned by the confusion of "languages at Babel, which did +dissolve their union, and scatter them abroad upon the face of all the +earth," Gen. xi. 9. + +Then was it that we may conceive, as Buchanan says, de jure regni apud +Scot. 'The time was when men dwelt in cottages and caves, and as +strangers did wander to and fro without laws, and such as could converse +together of the same language, assembled together as their humours did +lead them or as some common utility did allure them, a certain instinct +of nature did oblige them to desire converse and society.' But this +confusion of languages, and communion of language, in several divided +parcels, could not incorporate these several parties into communities; +that behoved to be the effect of some other cause: and what should that +be, but the joint will, consent and agreement of the severally +languaged? It could not be by consanguinity; for there is no direction +from nature for a confinement of that into such and such degrees, to +make out the bonds of a common-wealth, or possibility of knowing all +within such degrees; besides all within these degrees might not be of +the same language. Now, the scripture says, they "were divided every one +after his tongue, after their families, in their nations," Gen. x. 5. +Next, it could not be by cohabitation: for how that must go to be the +boundaries of a common-wealth, inclusively, or exclusively, is not +defined by nature, nor can it be otherwise determined, than by human +choice. Then, it could not be by mens belonging to such a sovereign: +for, after that division and confusion, they could not all be under one +sovereign, nor under the same that they were subject to before; and a +sovereign cannot be before the aggregation of the subjects whereof he is +head, they must first be a commonwealth before they can belong to it. +Again, it cannot be founded upon the right of fatherhood: for, in that +scattering, such a right could not be uninterruptedly preserved: and +then Noah should also have been the universal magistrate, which he could +not be in these multiplied secessions. And further, if it be refounded +on the right of fatherhood, either every company had one common father +over all, or every father made a commonwealth of his own children: the +latter cannot be said, for that would multiply commonwealths in +infinitum: neither can the first be said; for, if they had one common +father, either this behoved to be the natural father of all the company, +which none can think was so happily ordered by Babel's confusion: or +else the eldest in age, and so he might be incapable for government, and +the law of nature does not direct that the government should alway be +astricted to the eldest of the community: or else, finally, he behoved +to be their political father, by consent. For, before this consent, they +were unengaged as to common order of government; none of the community +having any legal claim to sovereignty more than the rest. When therefore +they were forced to conclude upon association, for their mutual +preservation, they must be thought to act rationally, and not to make +their condition worse, but rather better by that conclusion; and if they +found it worse, to resume their radical right which they had conferred +upon men subject to law, not to tyrannize over them: and in this case, +certainly they had the power of choosing what kind of government suited +most to their advantage, and would best preserve their liberties, and +how far this should be extended, and who should be affirmed into this +combination; still with a reservation of the privilege to their own +safety, if their associates should not do their duty: and so they might +also reserve to themselves a liberty to alter the form, when they found +it productive of more prejudice than advantage, and never to leave their +condition remediless; and to pitch upon this way of succession, and not +another, the way of free election of every successor, or of definite +election limited to one line, or to the nearest in line; and _e contra_, +with a reserve still of their primeve privileges, to secure themselves +from the inconveniences of that determination, or to change it; and to +make choices of such a family and line, and not another, and whether +the eldest always of that family, or the fittest is to be chosen; and +however it be, yet still by the peoples consent: and in all this to have +respect to some good, great and necessary ends, which, if they should be +disappointed of, and find these means useless or destructive to, they +were to be loosed from their obligation to use or to own them. See Jus +populi vindicat. chap. 5. p. 80, &c. 2. If we consider how nature +determines the peoples interest in the constitution of governors: whence +comes it that this man, and not that man, this race and family, and not +that, is invested with that title? It will be found there is no title on +earth now to the crowns, to families, to persons, but the peoples +suffrage: for the institution of magistracy in general does not make +James Stewart a king, no more than John Chamberlain: neither do +qualifications make one, otherwise there might be many better than is +this day extant; for there are many men better qualified: and there is +no prophetical or immediate callings to kingdoms now: and as for +conquest without consent, and having no more for a title, it is no +better than royal Latrociny. + +It is certain, God would not command us to obey kings, and leave us in +the dark, that we should not know him that hath a real call to it. And +if he have not the peoples call, where shall we find another? It remains +therefore they must have it from the people, who have it to give +radically and virtually, having a power to preserve themselves, and to +put it in the hands of one or more rulers, that they may preserve +themselves by them. All men are born alike as to civil power (no man +being born with a crown on his head) and yet men united in society may +give it to this man, and not to that man; therefore they must have it +virtually, for they cannot give what they have not. And as cities have +power to choose their magistrates, so many cities have power to create +an universal ruler over them all. The people also have power to limit +the magistrates power with conditions; so that the present ruler shall +not have so much prerogative as his predecessor, as royalists cannot +deny, therefore they must have given that power which they can limit. +See Lex Rex, quest. 4. p. 10. &c. 2dly, The scripture also gives light +in this particular. 1. In giving directions and rules about their +orderly calling their governors, impowering them to "take wise men, and +understanding, and known among their tribes, to be made rulers," Deut. +i. 13. "To make judges and officers in all their gates," Deut. xvi. 18. +"To set one among their brethren king over them, and not a stranger," +Deut. xvii. 15. To what purpose are these rules given them, if they had +no interest to choose their magistrates? Would God command them to set a +king over them, if they had not power to do it? And to set such a man +over them, and not such an one, if they had no influence in making one +at all? And accordingly that wise statist says very well, 2 Sam. xvi. +18. Hushai to Absalom, nay, but whom the Lord and this people, and all +the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. +Which will also hold in the negative, whom the Lord and the people, and +all the men of the kingdom do not choose, his we will not be, nor with +him will we abide. 2. The scripture expressly attributeth the making of +kings to the people. All the people of Judah took Azariah, and made him +king, instead of his father Amaziah, whom they had executed, 2 Kings +xiv. 21. They came with a perfect heart to make David king in Hebron, 1 +Chron. xii. 38. So they made Joash king, 2 Chron. xxiii. 11. 3. Even +these that were particularly designed of God, and chosen to be rulers, +yet were not formally invested with power, before the people conferred +it upon them. Gideon was called of God to it, but was not judge, till +the people said, Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son, giving him an +hereditary right for his children, Judg. viii. 12. Saul was appointed +to be king, and therefore Samuel honoured him, because he was marked out +of God to be king, 1 Sam. ix. 24. and anointed him with oil, 1 Sam. x. +1. after which he was gifted and qualified for government. God gave him +another heart, vers. 9. yet all this did not make him king, till the +people met for his inauguration, vers. 17. &c. and crowned him, and made +him king in Gilgal, 1 Sam. xi. last verse. David was anointed by Samuel, +and yet was a persecuted fugitive for several years, and never +acknowledged formally king, till the men of Judah came and anointed him, +2 Sam. ii. 4. for if he had been king before, then there were two kings +in Israel at one time, and David failed of his royal duty, in not +punishing the murderer Saul; whereas himself says, he would not touch +the Lord's anointed. Therefore the people made all kings, and that by +choice and consent, without which they were no kings. Hence I argue, if +the consent and choice of the people be so essentially necessary to the +making of kings, then they who set up themselves against the consent of +the body of the land, and without the choice of any, must be usurpers, +not to be acknowledged for lawful kings; but the former is true, as is +proven above: therefore.----Now plain it is, that this duke set up +himself against the consent of the body, being excluded from the +government by the representatives of England, and generally hated of +all; who disdaining to wait upon the formal choice of any, but after he +had paved his passage to the throne upon his brother's blood, did usurp +the title without all law. + +5. The second thing necessary for the legal constitution of a king by +the people, is their compact with him: which must either be express or +tacit, explicit or implicit. Two things are here to be proven, that will +furnish an argument for disowning both the brothers. First, that there +must be a conditional reciprocally obliging covenant between the +sovereign and the subjects, without which there is no relation to be +owned. Secondly, that when this compact is broken in all or its chiefest +conditions by the sovereign, the peoples obligation ceases. The first I +shall set down, in the words of a famous author, our renowned countryman +Buchanan, in his dialogue 'de jure regni apud scotos. There is then (or +there ought to be) a mutual compact between the king and his subjects', +&c. That this is indispensibly necessary and essential to make up the +relation of sovereign and subjects, may be proved both from the light of +nature and revelation. + +First, It may appear from the light of natural reason. 1. From the rise +of government, and the interest people have in erecting it by consent +and choice (as is shewed above) if a king cannot be without the peoples +making, then, all the power he hath must either be by compact or gift: +if by compact, then we have what we proposed: and if by gift: then if +abused, they may recal it; or if they cannot recover it, yet they may +and ought to hold their hand, and give him no more that they may retain, +that is, no more honour or respect, which is in the honourer before the +honoured get it. Can it be imagined, that a people acting rationally, +would give a power absolutely, without restrictions, to destroy all +their own rights? Could they suppose this boundless and lawless +creature, left at liberty to tyrannize, would be a fit mean to procure +the ends of government? for this were to set up a rampant tyrant to rule +as he listeth, which would make their condition a great deal worse than +if they had no ruler at all, for then they might have more liberty to +see to their safety. See jus populi, chap. 9. pag. 96, 97. 2. This will +be clear from the nature of that authority, which only a sovereign can +have over his subjects; which, whatever be the nature of it, it cannot +be absolute, that is against scripture, nature, and common sense, as +shall be proven at more length. + +That is to set up a tyrant, one who is free from all conditions, a +roaring lion and a ranging bear to destroy all if he pleases. It must be +granted by all, that the sovereign authority is only fiduciary, +entrusted by God and the people with a great charge: a great pledge is +impawned and committed to the care and custody of the magistrate, which +he must take special care of, and not abuse, or waste, or alienate, or +sell: (for in that case, royalists themselves grant he may be deposed.) +He is by office a patron of the subjects liberties, and keeper of the +law both of God and man, the keeper of both tables. Sure, he hath no +power over the laws of God, but a ministerial power, he may not stop and +disable them as he pleases; of the same nature is it, over all other +parts of his charge. He is rather a tutor, than an inheritor and +proprietor of the commonwealth, and may not do what his pupil's +interest, what he pleases. In a word, the nature and whole significancy +of his power lies in this, that he is the nation's public servant, both +objectively in that he is only for the good of the people, and +representatively in that the people hath impawned in his hand all their +power to do royal service. The scripture teaches this, in giving him the +titles of service, as watchmen, &c. allowing him royal wages for his +royal work, Rom. xiii. he is God's minister attending continually on +this thing. + +There is his work, for this cause pay you tribute also. There is his +wages and maintainance. He is called so in that transaction with +Rehoboam; the old men advised him to be a servant unto the people, then +they should be his servants, 1 Kings xii. 7. There was a conditional +bargain proposed: as to be a servant, or tutor, or guardian upon trust, +always implies conditions and accountableness to them that entrust them. +3. It must needs be so, otherwise great absurdities would follow. Here +would be a voluntary contracted relation, obliging us to relative +duties, to a man that owed none correlative to us, and yet one whom we +set over us. It were strange, if there were no condition here; and no +other voluntarily suscepted relations can be without this, as between +man and wife, master and servant, &c. This would give him the disposal +of us and ours, as if both we and what we have were his own, as a man's +goods are, against which he does not sin whatever he doth with them. So +this would make a king that could not sin against us; being no ways +obliged to us, for he can no otherwise be obliged to us, but upon +covenant conditions; he may be obliged and bound in duty to God +otherwise, but he cannot be bound to us otherwise: and if he be not +bound, then he may do what he will, he can do no wrong to us to whom he +is noways bound. This also is point blank against the law of God, which +is the second way to prove it, by the light of revelation or scripture. +1. In the very directions about making and setting up of kings, the Lord +shews what conditions shall be required of them, Deut. xvii. 15. &c. and +in all directions for obeying them, the qualifications they should have +are rehearsed, as Rom. xii. 3, 4. Therefore none are to be set up but on +these conditions, and none are to be obeyed but such as have these +qualifications. 2. In his promises of the succession of kings, he +secures their continuation only conditionally, to establish the kingdom, +if they be constant to do his commandments and judgments, 1 Chron. +xxviii. 7. There shall not fail a man to sit upon the throne, yet so +that they take heed to their way to walk in God's law, as David did, 2 +Chron. vi. 16. + +Now he was not otherwise to perform these promises, but by the action +and suffrage of the people setting him up, (which he had appointed to be +the way of calling kings to thrones,) if therefore the Lord's promise be +conditional, the people's actions also behoved to be suspended upon the +same conditions. 3. We have many express covenants between rulers and +subjects in scripture. Jephthah was fetched from the land of Tob, and +made the head of the Gileadites by an explicit mutual stipulation, +wherein the Lord was invocated as a witness, Judg. xi. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11. +So all the elders of Israel came to make David king; and king David made +a league with them in Hebron before the Lord, and then they anointed him +over Israel, 2 Sam. v. 3. he made there a covenant with them before the +Lord, 1 Chron. xi. 3. + +He was no king before this covenant, and so it was a pactional oath +between him and the kingdom, upon terms according to the law, Deut. +xvii. He was only a king in fieri; one who was to be king, but now +actually inaugurate a covenanted king upon terms that sanctified them. +It is true, they came to recognosce Rehoboam's rights, and came to +Shechem to make him king, 1 Kings xii. 1. and yet when he would not +enter in covenant-terms with them, to satisfy their just demands, the +people answered the king, saying, what portion have we in David, neither +have we inheritance in the son of Jesse, to your tents, O Israel, vers. +16. They refused to acknowledge such an usurper, and we find no prophets +ever condemning them for it. So when Jehoash or Joash was crowned, +Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, +between the king also and the people, 2 Kings xi. 17. 2 Chron. xxiii. +11, 16. From all these reasons and scriptures, it is clear, there must +be a mutual compact between the subjects and every sovereign they own +subjection to, which if he refuse, and usurp the sword, they are under +an anterior obligation to subtract their allegiance, and to make use of +their sword, if they be in capacity to pull it out of his hands, and use +it against him. And of this we are put in mind by the motto of our old +coronation pieces, which have these words about the sword, 'for me, but, +if I deserve, against me:' and surely to him that hath it now in his +hands, it may be said, thou hast deserved, and as yet deserves. We see +then, the allegiance that this usurper alledges is his due, wants a +bottom, to wit, a compact with the people. Whence I argue, if there must +of necessity be a compact between the king and the people, when he is +advanced to the government: then he that advances himself, without and +against this compact, is an usurper not to be owned; but the former is +true: therefore he that advances himself without and against this +compact, is an usurper not to be owned. And who more notoriously +deserving such a signature, than James VII. and II. who hath made horns +of his own strength, or the Pope's bulls, to push his brother out and +himself into the throne, upon no terms at all, or any security for +religion and liberty. One objection is to be removed here: can the +customs of the Jews be binding to all nations? The kings of Judah made +such covenants, shall therefore all kings do so? _Answ._ Why not this +custom, as well as crowning, which they used likewise? These rules are +not typical or ceremonial, nor only so judicial as to be peculiarly +judicial, but are matters of moral equity, bearing a standing reason +founded upon that law, Deut. xvii. 15. &c. limiting the prince to stand +to conditions. If we cast at divine laws for rules of government where +will we find better laws? It is recorded of the first of the British +kings who was Christian, that writing to Eleutherius bishop of Rome, +(before Antichrist took that seat) for the Roman laws, he received this +answer: 'By divine clemency ye have received the law and faith of +Christ, you have the Old and New Testaments, out of them in God's name +by counsel of your states take laws, and govern your kingdom.' And of +another, that he began his laws thus. God spake all these words, &c. And +so repeated the laws of God. The second thing I undertook to prove, is +that assertion of Buchanan ubi supra, de Jure Regni. 'There being a +paction between the king and subjects, he who first recedes from what +is covenanted, and doth counteract what he hath covenanted, he looses +the contract; and the bond being loosed which did hold fast the king +with the people, whatever right did belong to him by virtue of that +compact, he looses it, and the people are as free as before the +stipulation.' Which is also asserted by the author of Jus populi, chap. +6. pag. 112. 'It is no less clear, that when the sovereign doth not +perform the principal, main, and most necessary conditions, condescended +and agreed upon, by right he falleth from his sovereignty: and pag. 117. +when the prince doth violate his compact, as to all its conditions, or +as to its chief, main, and most necessary condition, the subjects are by +right free from subjection to him, and at liberty to make choice of +another.' This is so clear that it needs no labour to prove it, that, +upon this head, we were loosed from all allegiance to the former tyrant, +who was admitted upon terms of an explicit covenant, the conditions +whereof he did as explicitly break. + +There are two cases wherein subjects are loosed from covenanted +allegiance to their princes. 1. When the prince remits the obligation of +the subjects, and refuses allegiance upon that basis; then he can no +more demand it by virtue of that compact. He that remits, and will not +have that allegiance, that the subjects covenanted upon such and such +conditions to him, these subjects should not give it that they so +covenanted, for they should not prostitute it to a refuser and remitter: +but Charles the II. remitted and would not have that allegiance, which +we covenanted upon such and such conditions, viz. upon the terms of the +covenant, which he cassed and annulled and made criminal to own: +therefore to him we should not have given it, which we so covenanted. 2. +When the prince doth enter into a mutual covenant with the people upon +mutual conditions, and does not only cease to perform the conditions, +but simply denies all obligation to do it, and makes it a quarrel to +insinuate so much, yea persecutes all who dare assert the obligation of +that covenant; and yet demands allegiance, not upon the obligation of +that covenant which he hath remitted, but absolutely upon the grounds of +his prerogative: in this case it will be evident also, the subjects are +not bound either to own their formerly covenanted allegiance to him, or +that which he demands on other grounds. Grotius de Jure belli, is clear +as to this, lib. 1. cap. 4. num. 12. 'If there be such a clause or +condition in the very devolution of the government upon a prince, as if +he do so and so, the subjects shall be loosed from all bonds of +obedience, then, when he does so, he becomes a mere private person.' +Grotius there supposes the power is transferred upon a resolutive +condition; that is, if he transgress the condition, the power shall be +resolved into its first fountain: much more if it be transferred +expresly also upon a suspensive condition, that he shall continue to +maintain the ends of the covenant, defend religion and the liberties of +the subjects, in the defence whereof we shall own allegiance to him, +otherwise not. In that case, if he do not maintain these ends, plain it +is, our obligation ceases; for how can it stand upon a conditional +obligation, when his performance of the condition sists? But whatever be +the conditions mutual, it flows natively from the nature of a mutual +compact, 'That he who doth not perform the conditions agreed upon, hath +no right to the benefit granted upon condition of performance of these +conditions; especially if he perform not, or violate these conditions +upon supposition whereof he would not have gotten the benefit: it were +very absurd to say in a mutual conditional compact, one party shall +still be found to perform his conditions, though the other perform none, +but break all. Were it the act of rational creatures to set up a +sovereign, upon conditions he shall not play the tyrant, and yet be +bound to him though he tyrannize never so much? We have the name of +mutual compacts in the spies covenant with Rahab, Josh. ii. 20. "If thou +utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath, which thou +hast made us to swear:" if she should break, condition, then the +obligation on their part should cease. But next, all the stress will ly +in proving that the covenant, on such and such conditions between a +prince and subjects, doth equally and mutually oblige both to each +other: for if it equally oblige both, then both are equally disengaged +from other by the breach on either side, and either of them may have a +just claim in law against the other for breach of the conditions. But +royalists and court slaves alledge, that such a covenant obliges the +king to God, but not to the people at all: so that he is no more +accountable to them, than if he had none at all. But the contrary is +evident: for, (1.) If the compact be mutual, and if it be infringed on +one side, it must be so in the other also; for in contracts, the parties +are considered as equals, whatever inequality there may be betwixt them +otherwise: I speak of contracts among men. (2.) If it be not so, there +is no covenant made with the people at all: and so David did no more +covenant with Israel, than with the Chaldeans: for to all with whom the +covenant is made it obliges them to it. Otherwise it must be said, he +only made the covenant with God, contrary to the text: for he made it +only before the Lord as a witness, not with him as a party. Joash's +covenant with the Lord is expresly distinguished from that with the +people. (3.) If it be not so, it were altogether nonsense to say, there +were any covenant made with the king on the other hand: for he is +supposed to be made king on such and such terms: and yet, by this, after +he is made king he is no more obliged unto them, than if there had been +no compact with him at all. (4.) If he be bound as king, and not only as +a man or Christian, then he is bound with respect to the people; for +with respect to them he is only king: but he is bound as king, and not +only as a man or Christian, because it is only with him as king that the +people covenant, and he must transact with them under the same +consideration. Next, that which he is obliged to, is the specifical act +of a king, to defend religion and liberty, and rule in righteousness; +and therefore his covenant binds him as a king. Again, if he be not +bound as king, then as a king he is under no obligation of law or oath, +which is to make him a lawless tyrant; yea, none of God's subjects. It +would also suppose that the king as king could not sin against the +people at all, but only against God: for as king he could be under no +obligation of duty to the people, and where there is no obligation, +there is no sin; by this he would be set above all obligations to love +his neighbour as himself, for he is above all his neighbours, and all +mankind, and only less than God; and so by this doctrine, he is loosed +from all duties of the second table, or at least he is not so much +obliged to them as others. But against this it is objected: both prince +and people are obliged to perform their part to each other, and both are +obliged to God, but both are not accountable to each other; there is not +mutual power in the parties to compel one another to perform the +promised duty; the king hath it indeed over the people, but not the +people over the king, and there is no indifferent judge superior to +both, to compel both, but God. Ans. 1. What if all this should be +granted? Yet it doth not infringe the proposition: what if the people +have not power to compel him? Yet, if by law, he may fall from his +sovereignty, though, indeed, he is not deposed: he loses his right to +our part, when he breaks his part. 2. There is no need of a superior +arbiter: for as in contracting they are considered as equal, so the +party keeping the contract is superior to the other breaking it. 3. +There may be mutual co-active power, where there is no mutual relation +of superiority and inferiority: yea, in some cases, inferiors may have +a co-active power by law, to compel their superiors failing in their +duty to them; as a son wronged by his father, may compel him to +reparation by law; and independent kingdoms, nothing inferior to each +other, being in covenant together, the wronged may have a co-active +power to force the other to duty, without any superior arbiter. 4. The +bond of suretiship brings a man under the obligation to be accountable +to the creditor, though the surety were never so high, and the creditor +never so low: Solomon says, in general, without exception of kings; yea, +including them because he was a king that spake it, Prov. vi. 1, 2. "My +son, if thou be surety for thy friend,----thou art snared with the words +of thy mouth." Now a king's power is but fiduciary; and therefore he +cannot be unaccountable for the power concredited to him. And if this +generation had minded this, our stewards should have been called to an +account for their stewardship ere now. Hence I argue, if a covenanted +prince, breaking all the conditions of his compact, doth forfeit his +right to the subjects allegiance, then they are no more to own him as +their sovereign; but the former is proved, that a covenanted prince, +breaking all the conditions of his compact, doth forfeit his right to +the subjects allegiance: Therefore----And consequently when Charles II. +expresly bound by covenant to defend and promote the covenanted +reformation and liberties of the kingdom, to whom only we were bound in +the terms of his defending and promoting the same, did violently and +villainously violate and vilify these conditions, we were no more bound +to them. Somewhat possibly may be objected here, 1. If this be the sense +of the covenant, then it would seem that we were not bound to own the +king, but only when and while he were actually promoting and carrying on +the ends of the covenant. _Ans._ It does not follow, but that we are +obliged to preserve his person and authority in these necessary +intervals, when he is called to see to himself as a man; for we must +preserve him as a mean, because of his aptitude and designation for such +an end, albeit not always formally prosecuting it: we do not say, that +we are never to own him, but when actually exercised in prosecuting +these ends: but we say, we are never to own him, when he is tyrannically +and treacherously abusing his authority for destroying and overturning +these ends, and violating all the conditions of his compact. It may be. +Object. 2. Saul was a tyrant, and a breaker of his royal covenant, and +persecutor of the godly, and murderer of the priests of the Lord, +usurper upon the priest's office, and many other ways guilty of breaking +all conditions: and yet David and all Israel owned him as the anointed +of the Lord. _Ans._ 1. Saul was indeed a tyrant, rejected of God, and to +be ejected out of his kingdom in his own time and way, which David, a +prophet knowing, would not anticipate. But he was far short, and a mere +bungler in acts of tyranny in comparison of our grassators: he broke his +royal covenant in very gross particular acts, but did not cass and +rescind the whole of it, did not burn it, did not make it criminal to +own its obligation, nor did he so much as profess a breach of it, nor +arrogate an absolute prerogative, nor attempt arbitrary government, nor +to evert the fundamental laws, and overturn the religion of Israel, and +bring in idolatry as ours have done: he was a persecutor of David upon +some private quarrels, not of all the godly upon the account of their +covenanted religion: he murdered 85 priests of the Lord, in a transport +of fury, because of their kindness to David; but he did not make laws +adjudging all the ministers of the Lord to death, who should be found +most faithful in their duty to God and his church, as ours have done +against all field preachers: he usurped upon the priest's office, in one +elicit act of sacrificing: but he did not usurp a supremacy over them, +and annex it as an inherent right of his crown. 2. He was indeed such a +tyrant, as deserved to have been dethroned and brought to condign +punishment, upon the same accounts that Amaziah and Uzziah were deposed +for afterwards: and in this the people failed in their duty, and for it +they were plagued remarkably. Shall their omission be an argument to us? +3. As the question was never put to the people, whether they owned his +authority as lawful, or not? So we do not read, either of their +universal owning him, or their positive disowning him: however, that is +no good argument, which is drawn from a not doing to a doing; because +they did it not, therefore it must not be done. 4. They owned him; but +how? As the minister of God, not to be resisted or revolted from under +pain of damnation? (as all lawful magistrates ought to be owned, Rom. +xiii. 2, 4.) This I deny: for David and his six hundred men resisted him +resolutely; and though the body of the nation did long lazily ly and +couch as asses under his burden, yet, at length, weary of his tyranny, +many revolted from under him, and adjoined themselves to David at +Ziklag, "while he kept himself close, because of Saul the son of Kish," +1 Chron. xii. 1. who are commended by the Spirit of God for their +valour, verse. 2. &c. "and many out of Manasseh fell to him, when he +came with the Philistines against Saul, to battle," verse 19. This was a +practical disowning of the tyrant, before the Lord deposed him. 5. David +did indeed pay him and his character some deference, as having been the +anointed of the Lord; yet perhaps his honouring him with that title, the +Lord's anointed, 1 Sam. xxiv. 1 Sam. xxvi. and calling him so often his +Lord the King, cannot be altogether justified, no more than his using +that same language to Achish king of Gath, 1 Sam. xxix. 8. I shewed +before how titles might be allowed; but this so circumstantiate, does +not seem so consistent with his imprecatory prayer, for the Lord's +avenging him on him, 1 Sam. xxiv 12. and many other imprecations +against him in his Psalms. In some of which he calls the same man, whom +here he called, Psal. lix. 63, 14. and the evil, violent and wicked man, +Psal. cxl. 1, 4. and the vilest of men, Psal. xii. ult. However it be, +there can be no argument from hence, to own the authority of tyrants and +usurpers. + +6. Though this necessary conditional compact, which must always be in +the constitution of lawful rulers, be not always express and explicit, +so that a written authentic copy of it cannot be always produced; yet it +is always to be understood, implicitly at least, transacted in the +ruler's admission to the government, wherein the law of God must +regulate both parties; and when he is made ruler, it must be understood +that it is upon terms to be a father, feeder, and protector, and not a +tyrant, murderer and destroyer. All princes are so far pactional, that +they are obliged by the high and absolute Sovereign from whom they +derive their authority, to reign for the peace and profit of the people. +This is fixed unalterably by the laws of the supreme legislator, and +solemnly engaged unto at the coronation: and whosoever declines or +destroys this fundamental condition, he degrades and deposes himself. It +is also not only the universal practice, but necessary for the +constitution and conservation of all commonwealths, to have fundamental +laws and provisions about government, both for the upholding, and +transmitting and transferring it, as occasion calls, and preventing and +punishing violations thereof, that there be no invasion or intrusion +upon the government; and if there be any entrance upon it not according +to the constitution, that it be illegitimated, and the nation's +liberties always secured. This doth infer and regulate a conditional +compact with all that are advanced to the government, albeit it should +not be expressed. For it is undeniable that in the erection of all +governors, the grand interests of the community must be seen to, by +legal securities for religion and liberty, which is the end and use of +fundamental laws. Now, how these have been unhinged and infringed, by +the introduction and present establishment by law of that monster of the +prerogative, enacted in Parliament _anno_ 1661, the apologetic relation +doth abundantly demonstrate, lect. 10. Concerning the King's 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 sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and +absolute power, which all are to obey without reserve; whereby the whole +basis of our constitution, and bulwark of our religion, laws and +liberty, is enervated, and we have security of no law but the king's +lust. Hence I argue, those princes that, contrary to their virtual +compact (at least) at their coming to the crown, overturned all +fundamental laws: Ergo they cannot be owned. The major is plain; for +they that overturn fundamental laws are no magistrates; thereby all the +ends of government being subverted, and the subverter cannot be owned as +a father or friend, but an open enemy to the commonwealth, nor looked +upon as magistrates doing their duty, but as tyrants, seeking themselves +with the destruction of the commonwealth. 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 magistrates, the people are no subjects; for the relation is +mutual, and so is the obligation, Jus populi, chap. 9. page 183. The +minor is manifest, both from the matter of fact, and the mischiefs +framed into laws, by the sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and +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 own, for these reasons, taken +both from reason and scripture. First, It is against reason, 1. A power +contrary in nature cannot be owned; absolute power is such: for that +which takes away, and makes the people to give away their natural power +of preserving their lives and liberties, and sets a man above all rule +and law, is contrary to nature: such is absolute power, making people +resign that which is not in their power to resign, an absolute power to +destroy and tyrannize. 2. A power contrary to the first rise of its +constitution cannot be owned; absolute power is such: for the first rise +of the constitution is a people's setting a sovereign 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 random, and rule as he +lists. It is 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 owned; absolute power is such: for that which will +make a people's condition worse than before the constitution, and that +mean which they intended for a blessing to turn a plague and scourge to +them, and all the subjects to be formal slaves at the prince's devotion, +must needs be contrary to the ends of government; but absolute power is +such: for against the exorbitance thereof, no means would be left to +prevent it obstructing all the fountains of justice, and commanding laws +and lawyers to speak; not justice, righteousness, and reason; but the +lust and pleasure of one man, turning all into anarchy and 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 were to get comfort, +safety and liberty, under the shadow of government. 4. That power which +invalidates, and is inconsistent with the king's compact with the +people, cannot be owned; absolute power is such: for the tenor of that +is always to secure laws and liberties, to rule according to law; but to +be absolute invalidates, and is inconsistent with that: that which were +an engagement into contradictories cannot consist with that compact; but +to engage to be absolute, and yet to rule by law, is an engagement into +contradictories, which no people could admit for a security. It is +inconsistent with this compact, to give the king absolute power to +overturn religion and liberty; and to assume that 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 and liberty. 5. That power which is not from God, +nor of God, cannot be owned; but absolute power is not of God; because +it is a power to tyrannize and 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 God's minister for the people's good, cannot be owned; (for +that is the formal reason of our conscientious subjection to rulers, +Rom. xiii. 4, 5.) But absolute sovereigns are such as cannot be God's +ministers for the people's good; for if they be God's 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 the signal act and exercise cannot be owned; but an absolute +prince is such; being a power that may play the tyrant if he pleases, +and by law as king; and so if kings be by action tyrants, then people +are by action slaves; and so royal power cannot be a blessing to them; +yea, a lawless breaker of all bonds, promises, and oaths, cannot be +owned as lawful power; but absolute power is such: for, it cannot be +limited by these obligations, at least people cannot have any security +by them. 8. A lawless power is not to be owned; an absolute power is a +lawless power: ergo, not to be owned. The major is plain. Cicero says, +lib. 2. 'The reason of making laws was the same, as of the creation of +kings.' And Buchanan, de Jure Regni, very excellently, when 'the lust of +kings was instead of laws, and being vested with an infinite and +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 +licentious wills in judgment, but of that right and privilege which the +people had conferred upon them, being taught by many experiences, that +it was better that their liberty should be concredited to laws, than to +kings; better to have the law, which is a dumb king, than a king, who is +not a speaking law.' If then laws be necessary for the making of kings, +and more necessary than kings, and the same cause requires both, then a +king without laws is not to be owned. A king must be a speaking and +living law, reducing the law to practice. So much then as a king hath of +law, so much he hath of a king; and he who hath nothing of the law, hath +nothing of a king. Magna charta of England saith, 'The king can do +nothing but by law, and no obedience is due to him but by law.' Buchanan +rehearses the words of the most famous emperors, Theodosius and +Valentinianus, to this effect, 'It is,' say they, 'a word worthy of the +majesty of a king, to confess he is a tied prince to the laws; and +indeed it is more to submit a principality to the laws, than to enjoy an +empire.' But now that an absolute power must be a lawless power, is also +evident; for that is a lawless power that makes all laws void, needless +and useless; but such is absolute power: for it cannot be confined to +the observance of laws. 9. That power which is destructive to the +people's liberties cannot be owned; absolute power is such: for such a +licentious freedom as is absolute cannot consist with the people's +liberties; for these may infringe when he pleases. Now these, in their +own nature, and in all respects, being preferable to the king's +prerogative, and it being no prerogative which is not consistent with, +yea in its own nature adapted to, the precious interests of religion and +liberty: when the king's absolute authority is stated in contradictory +terms to these, we cannot own that authority; for now he hath another +authority than could be given him for the preservation of these +interests; in the preservation whereof he can only have an authority to +be owned, seeing he claims a power to destroy them, if he please. 10. If +we should own absolute authority, then we should own a royal prerogative +in the king to make and dispense with laws: now that cannot be owned; +for, it would infer that the king had a masterly dominion over his +subjects, to make laws, and inflict penalties without their consent. + +And plain it is, they that make kings must have a co-ordinate power to +make laws also; but the people, in their representatives, make kings, as +is proven. Next, a prerogative to dispense with laws, except such laws +as are in their own nature dispensable, without prejudice to any law of +God or liberties of men, cannot be owned: for any power to dispense with +reason and law, not grounded on any other reason but mere will and +absolute pleasure, is a brutish power. It cannot be a right annexed to +the crown, to do so; for a king, as a king, can do nothing but what he +may do by law. Nay, this is not only a brutish power, but a blasphemous +power, making him a kind of god on earth, illimited, that can do what he +pleases: and to dispute it further, were to dispute whether God hath +made all under him slaves by their own consent? or, whether he may +encroach on the prerogative of God or not? By this prerogative, he +arrogates a power to dispense with the laws of God also, in pardoning +murderers, &c. which no man hath power to do; the law of God being so +peremptorily indispensible. Gen. ix. 6. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by +man shall his blood be shed." Numb. xxxv. 30, 31. "Whoso killeth any +person, the murderer shall be put to death----Moreover, ye shall take no +satisfaction for the life of a murderer, but he shall be surely put to +death." These pardons are acts of blood to the community. If the +judgment be God's, as it is, Deut. i. 17. and not for man, but for the +Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 6. then no king can arrogate a power to dispense +with it, no more than an inferior judge can dispense with the king's +laws; for the king is but a minister, bearing the sword, not in vain, +but as a revenger, to execute wrath upon them that do evil, Rom. xiii. +4. They are but bastard kings who give out sentences out of their own +mouth, contrary to God's mind. + +And if he may do acts of grace by prerogative above law, then may he +also do acts of justice (so pretended) by the same prerogative; and so +may murder innocents, as well as pardon murderers; he may condemn the +just, as well as justify the wicked; both which are alike abomination to +the Lord, Prov. xvii. 15. This power cannot be owned in any man. 11. To +own absolute power, were to recognosce the king as the proper and sole +interpreter of the law. This Buchanan shews to be very absurd, 'When you +grant the interpretation of laws to a king, you give him such a license, +that the law should not speak what the lawgiver meaneth, but what is for +the interpreter's interest; so that he may turn it to all actions, as a +Lesbian rule, for his own advantage; and so what he pleases the law +shall speak, and what he will not, it shall not speak.' Now the king's +absolute pleasure can no more be the sense of the law, than it can be +the law itself: he is king by law, but he is not king of law; no mortal +can make a sense to a law, contrary to the law; for it involves a +contradiction: the true meaning is only the law. This also would take +away the use of all laws; for they could not declare what were just and +unjust, but as the king pleased: their genuine sense could not be the +rule. 12. If we own the law to be above the king, then we cannot own the +king to be absolute; but the former is true; for he must be under it +several ways: (1.) Under its directive power; that will not be denied. +(2.) Under its constitutive power; he is not a king by nature, but by +constitution and law: therefore the law is above the king; because it is +only from the law that there is a king, and that such a man and not +another is king, and that the king must be so and so qualified, and they +that made him a king, may also unmake him by the same law. (3.) Under +its limiting and restrictive power, as a man he cannot be absolute, nor +as a king by law. (4.) Under its co-active power. A lawmaker, said king +James the VI. should not be a law-breaker: but if he turn an overturner +of the fundamental laws, that law or covenant that made him king, doth +oblige to unmake him. Whatever power he hath, it is only borrowed +fiduciary power, as the nation's public servant: and that which was lent +him in pledge or pawn may be reclaimed, when abused by him. + +Especially if he turn parricide, kill his brother, murder his nobles, +burn cities, then he may and ought to be punished by law. Otherwise God +should have provided better for the safety of the part than of the +whole, though that part be but a mean for the safety of the whole: for +if he turn a tyrant in his absoluteness, the people must be destroyed, +if they may not repress him: thus he is secured, and the whole exposed +to ruin. Yea, if he be a man, as well as a king, he must be under rule +of law; and when he transgresses, either his transgressions are +punishable by men, or they are not transgessions with men. See many +arguments to this purpose in Lex Rex, quest. 14, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, +27. But secondly, I prove it by scripture, 1. Even as a king he is +regulated by law, not to multiply horses, nor wives, nor money, but to +keep the words of the law, and not lift up himself above his brethren, +Deut. xvii. 16, 17, 19, 20. he must observe to do according to the law, +and not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, Josh. i. 7. +therefore he must not be absolute. 2. He is certainly under that law, +Matth. vii. 12. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do you +even so to them: which is the universal fundamental law. If then he +would have us keeping in our line of subordination to him, he must keep +his line, and so cannot be absolute. 3. What is God's due and peculiar +prerogative, can be owned in no mortal; but absolute power is God's due +and peculiar prerogative. He alone does whatsoever pleases him, Psal. +cxv. 3. He alone worketh all, things after the counsel of his own will, +Eph. i. 11. Acts or commands founded upon the sole pleasure of the +agent, are proper to God. It is God's will and not the creature's that +can make things good or just. It is blasphemy therefore to ascribe +absolute power to any creature. 4. That which the Spirit of God +condemned as a point of tyranny in Nebuchadnezzar, that is no +prerogative to be owned; but the Spirit of God condemned this in him, +proceeding from absolute power, that whom he would he slew, and whom he +would he kept alive, whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put +down. And his heart was lifted up, Dan. v. 19, 20. 5. That which God +condemns and threatens in tyrants in the word in general, cannot be +owned; but absolute power God condemns and threatens in the word in +general; that they "turned judgment into gall," and said, "Have we not +taken to us horns by our own strength?" Amos vi. 12, 13. 6. The word of +God speaks nothing of the king's absolute prerogative, to make laws as +he will. It is plain the king of Judah had it not: but the Sanhedrim +had a great part of the legislative power, and of the punitive power in +a special manner: the princes and people had it by Jeremiah's +acknowledgement, Jer. xxvi. 14. And Zedekiah confesses to them, The king +is not he that can do any thing against you, Jer. xxxviii. 5. 7. We find +the king in scripture had not an absolute power, to expone or execute +the law as he would; Saul made a law, 1 Sam. xiv. 24. Cursed be the man +that eats any food until the evening. But exponing it, and thinking to +execute it after a tyrannical manner, he was justly resisted by the +people, who would not let him kill innocent Jonathan. 8. Nor had he the +sole power of interpreting it; for inferior judges were interpreters, +who are no less essential judges than the king who are set to judge for +the Lord, and not for the king, 2 Chron xix. 6. and therefore they were +to expone it according to their own conscience, and not the king's. They +were to speak righteousness and judge uprightly, Psal. lviii. 1. hence +called gods as well as kings, Psal. lxxxii. 1. + +There was no essential difference between a king of God's approving, and +a judge; there being but one law to both, Deut. xvii. 9. He was subject +to judgment as well as others: for being but a brother, even while on +the throne, who was not to lift up his heart above his brethren, Deut. +xvii. ult. When this cause was to be judged, his person, though never so +great, was not to be respected: nor were they to be afraid of the face +of man, for the judgment was God's, Deut. i. 17. therefore the judges +were to give out sentence in judgment, as if the Lord were to give it +out: there was no exception of kings there. Yea we find, according to +common law, they judged and punished offending kings, as shall be made +appear: 10. If they were under church censures, then they were not +absolute; but we find kings were under church censures; not only rebuked +sharply to their face, of which we have many instances; but also +subjected to church discipline, as Uzziah shut up for his leprosy. + +And certainly at all times this must be extended to all: for the king is +either a brother, or not: if not, then he should not be king, according +to the scripture, Deut. xvii. 15. then also he is not a Christian, nor +can he say the Lord's prayer: if he be, then if a brother offend, he is +subject to the church, Matth. xviii. there is no exceptions of kings +there. The objection from Eccles. viii. 3, 4.--he doth whatsoever +pleaseth him, where the word of a king is, there is power, and who may +say unto him, What dost thou? is of no significancy here. For, 1. This +argument will enforce absolute obedience, if the power be to be taken +absolutely; for it is obedience that is there commanded: and so we must +not only own the absolute authority, but obey it without reserve, which +never any yet had the impudence to plead for, until James the unjust +claimed it in a Scots proclamation: but we answer, It is better to obey +God than man. 2. If he may do whatsoever pleases him, then he may turn +priest, then he may kill whom he pleases, and take possession; and yet +for Saul's usurpation Samuel could say more than what dost thou? even to +tell him, he had done foolishly, and his kingdom should not continue, 1 +Sam. xiii. 13, 14. And for Ahab's tyranny, Elijah could tell him, the +dogs shall lick thy blood, even thine, 1 Kings xxi. 19, And Ezekiel, +thou profane wicked prince of Israel, Ezek. xxi. 25. 3. The meaning is +then only this; that a righteous king's just power may not only be +controlled: he is armed with power that may not be resisted, for he +beareth not the sword in vain, and therefore we must not stand in an +evil matter against them. I conclude then this argument, with the word +of an ingenious author, upon this same subject, both in thesi and +hypothesi: 'Whosoever shall offer to rule arbitrarily, does immediately +cease to be king by right, seeing by the fundamental, common and +statute laws of the realm, we know none for supreme magistrate and +governor but a limited prince, and one who stands circumscribed and +bounded in his power and prerogative. Ill effects of animosities,' page +17. + +7. From what is said, this is the result, that it is essentially +necessary to a moral power and authority, to have a right and title, +without which we can own none, but as a tyrant without a title. For what +is authority, but a right to rule? if then it have not a right, it is +not authority. This will be undeniable, if we consider, that as private +dominion, or property, consists in a right to enjoy; so public dominion, +in a right to rule. Some things indeed are exposed to the common and +arbitrary use of every man, and also at the beginning, by reason of the +fewness of mankind, dominion was not reduced to distinct property; yet +now, upon the multiplication of occupants, of necessity it must be +stated by peculiar appropriation, from the law of nature, and by the +grant of the supreme king, who hath given the earth to the children of +men, Psal. cxv. 16. not to be catched up as the food of beasts, which +the stronger seize, and the weaker get only what the other leave them, +but divided by right as an inheritance, by him who separated the sons of +Adam, and set the bounds of the people, Deut. xxxii. 8. Especially +public dominion cannot be without a foundation, for its relation to the +subjected, and must be so tied up, that it may be said, this man is to +command, and these are to obey. I shew, that authority is from God, both +by institution and constitution; so that the subjects are given to +understand, such an one is singled out by God to sustain this authority, +by prescribing a rule for men's entry into the authoritative relation, +whereby he communicates that power to them which is not in others, and +which otherwise would not be in them. Hence it is, that orderly +admittance that must give the right, and upon men's having or not having +such an entrance to it, depends the reality or nullity of the power +they challenge. + +Where therefore there is no lawful investiture, there is no moral power +to be owned; otherwise John of Leyden's authority might have been owned: +the unlawfulness of such a power consists in the very tenor itself; and +if we take away the use or holding of it, we take away the very being of +it: it is not then the abuse of a power lawfully to be used, but the +very use of it is unlawful. But in the usurpation of this man, or +monster rather, that is now mounted the throne, there is no lawful +investiture in the way God hath appointed as is shewed above; therefore +there is no moral power to be owned. To clear this a little further, it +will be necessary to remove the ordinary pretences, pleaded for a title +to warrant the owning of such as are in power, which are three chiefly, +to wit, possession, conquest, and hereditary succession. The first must +be touched more particularly, because it hath been the originate error, +and spring of all the stupid mistakes about government, and is the +pitiful plea of many, even mal contents, why this man's authority is to +be owned, asserting, that a person attaining and occupying the place of +power (by whatsoever means) is to be owned as the magistrate. But this +can give no right: for, 1. If providence cannot signify God's +approbative ordination, it can give no right; for without that there can +be no right; but providence cannot signify his approbative ordination, +because that, without the warrant of his word, cannot signify either +allowance or disallowance, it is so various, being often the same to +courses directly contrary, and oftentimes contrary to the same course; +sometimes savouring it, sometimes crossing it, whether it be good or +bad, and the same common providence may proceed from far different +purposes, to one in mercy, to another in judgment; and most frequently +very disproportionable to men's ways. Providence places sometimes +"wickedness in the place of judgment, and iniquity in the place of +righteousness," Eccl. iii. 16. that is, not by allowance. By providence +it happens to the just according to the work of the wicked, and to the +wicked according to the work of the righteous, Eccl. viii. 14. No man +knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things +come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the +wicked, Eccl. ix. 1, 2. It were a great debasing of the Lord's anointed, +to give him no other warrant than sin hath in the world, or the falling +of a sparrow. 2. Either every providential possession, in every case, +gives a title; or, God hath declared it as a law, that it shall be so in +this particular matter of authority only. + +The first cannot be said: for that would justify all robbery: nor the +second, for where is that law found? Nay, it were impious to alledge it; +for it would say, there is no unjust possessor or disorderly occupant, +but if he were once in the possession, he were right enough, and then +usurpation would be no sin. 3. If none of the causes of magistracy be +required to the producing of this possessory power, then it cannot give +or have any right; for without the true causes it cannot be the true +effect, and so can have no true right to be owned: but none of the +causes of magistracy are required to the production of this; neither the +institution of God, for this might have been, if magistracy had never +been instituted; nor the constitution of men, for this may usurp without +that. 4. That which must follow upon the right, and be legitimated by +it, cannot be owned as the right, nor can it give the title: but the +possession of the power, or the exercise thereof, must follow upon its +right, and be legitimated by it: therefore.----A man must first be in +the relation of a ruler, before he can rule; and men must first be in +the relation of subjects, before they obey. + +The commands of public justice, to whom are they given but to +magistrates? They must then be magistrates, before they can be owned as +the ministers of justice: he must be a magistrate, before he can have +the power of the sword: he cannot, by the power of the sword, make +himself magistrate. 5. That which would make every one in the possession +of the magistracy a tyrant, cannot be owned: but a possessory occupation +giving right, would make every one in possession a tyrant; for, that +which enervates, and takes away that necessary distinction between the +king's personal capacity and his legal capacity, his natural and his +moral power, will make every king a tyrant (seeing it makes every thing +that he can do as a man, to be legally done as a king) but a possessory +occupation giving right, would enervate and take away that distinction: +for how can these be distinguished in a mere possessory power? The man's +possession is all his legal power; and if possession give a right, his +power will give legality. 6. What sort or size of possession can be +owned to give a right? Either it must be partial or plenary possession: +not partial, for then others may be equally entitled to the government, +in competition with that partial possessor, having also a part of it: +not plenary, for then every interruption or usurpation on a part, would +make a dissolution of the government. 7. Hence would follow infinite +absurdities; this would give equal warrant, in case of vacancy, to all +men to step to, and stickle for the throne, and expose the commonwealth +as a booty to all aspiring spirits: for they needed no more to make them +sovereigns, and lay a tie of subjection upon the consciences of people, +but to get into possession: and in case of competition, it would leave +people still in suspense and uncertainties whom to own; for they behoved +to be subject only to the uppermost, which could not be known until the +controversy be decided: it would cassate and make void all +pre-obligations, cautions, and restrictions from God about the +government: it would cancel and make vain all other titles of any, or +constitutions, or provisions, or oaths of allegiance: yea, to what +purpose were laws or pactions made about ordering the government, if +possession gave right, and laid an obligation on all to own it? Yea, +then it were sinful to make any such provisions, to fence in and limit +the determination of providence, if providential possession may +authorize every intrusive acquisition to be owned: then also in case of +competition of two equal pretenders to the government, there would be no +place left for arbitrations. + +If this were true, that he has the power that is in possession, the +difference were at an end; no man could plead for his own right then; in +this also it is inconsistent with itself, condemning all resistance +against the present occupant, yet justifying every resistance that is +but successful to give possession. 8. That which would oblige us to own +the devil and the pope, cannot be a ground to own any man; but if this +were true, that possession gave right, it would oblige us to own the +devil and the pope. Satan we find claiming to himself the possession of +the world's kingdoms, Luke iv. 6. which as to many of them is in some +respect true, for he is called the god of this world, and the prince of +this world, John xiv. 30. 2 Cor. iv. 4. Are men therefore obliged to own +his authority? or shall they deny his, and acknowledge his lieutenant, +who bears his name, and by whom all his orders are execute, I mean the +man that tyrannizes over the people of God? For he is the devil that +casts some into prison, Rev. ii. 10. Again, the pope, his +captain-general, lays claim to a temporal power and ecclesiastic both, +over all the nations, and possesses it over many; and again, under the +conduct of his vassal the duke of York, is attempting to recover the +possession of Britain: shall he therefore be owned. This cursed +principle disposes men for popery, and contributes to strengthen popery +and tyranny both on the stage, to the vacating of all the promises of +their dispossession. 9. That which would justify a damnable sin, and +make it a ground of a duty, cannot be owned; but this fancy of owning a +very power in possession would justify a damnable sin and make it the +ground of a duty; for, resistance to the powers ordained of God is a +damnable sin, Rom. xiii. 2. But the resisters having success in +providence, may come to the possession of the power, by expelling the +just occupant; and, by this opinion, that possession would be ground for +the duty of subjection for conscience sake. 10. If a self-created +dignity be null and not to be owned, than a mere possessory is not to be +owned; but the former is true: as Christ saith, John viii. 54. If I +honour myself my honour is nothing. 11. That which God hath disallowed +possession without right, Ezek. xxi. 27. I will overturn, overturn, +overturn it, until he come whose right it is, Hos. viii. 4. They have +set up kings and not by me, Matth. xxvi. 52. All they that take the +sword shall perish with the sword; by this the usurper of the sword is +differenced from the true owner. 12. Many scripture examples confute +this; shewing that the possession may be in one, and the power with +right in another. + +David was the magistrate, and yet Absalom possessed the place, 2 Sam. +xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. chap. Sheba also made a revolt and usurped +the possession in a great part, and yet David was king, 2 Sam. xx. 2. +Adonijah got the start in respect of possession, exalting himself +saying, I will be king: yet the kingdom was Solomon's from the Lord, 1 +Kings 1. The house of Ahaziah had not power to keep still the kingdom, 2 +Chron. xxii. 9. and Athaliah took the possession of it, yet the people +set up Joash, xxiii. 3. Next we have many examples of such who have +invaded the possessor, witness Jehoram and Jehoshaphat's expedition +against Mesha, king of Moab, Elisha being in the expedition, 2 Kings, +iii. 4, 5. Hence we see the first pretence removed. + +The second is no better; which Augustine calls Magnum Latrocinium, a +great robbery; I mean conquest, or a power of the sword gotten by the +sword; which, that it can give no right to be owned, I prove That which +can give no signification of God's approving will, cannot give a title +to be owned: but mere conquest can give no signification of God's +approving will, as is just now proven about possession: for then the +Lord should have approven all the unjust conquests that have been in the +world. 2. Either conquest as conquest must be owned, as a just title to +the crown, and so the Ammonites, Moabites, Philistines, &c. prevailing +over God's people for a time, must have reigned by right, or as a just +conquest. In this case, conquest is only a mean to the conquerors +seizing and holding that power, which the state of the war entitled him +unto; and this ingress into authority over the conquered, is not +grounded on conquest but on justice, and not at all privative, but +inclusive of the consent of the people; and then it may be owned; but +without a compact, upon conditions of securing religion and liberty, and +posterity, cannot be subjected without their content; for whatever just +quarrel the conqueror had with the present generation, he could have +none with the posterity, the father can have no power to resign the +liberty of the children. 3. A king as king, and by virtue of his royal +office, must be owned to be a father, tutor, protector, shepherd, and +patron of the people; but a mere conqueror, without consent cannot be +owned as such. + +Can he be a father and a patron to us against our will, by the sole +power of the sword? A father to these that are unwilling to be sons? An +head over such as will not be members? And a defender thro' violence? 4. +A king, as such, is a special gift of God, and blessing, not a judgment: +but a conqueror, as such, is not a blessing, but a judgment, his native +end being not peace, but fire and sword. 5. That which hath nothing of +a king in it, cannot be owned to make a king; but conquest hath nothing +of a king in it: for it hath nothing but violence and force, nothing but +what the bloodiest villain that was never a king may have, nothing of +God's approving and regulating will, nothing of institution or +constition; and a plain repugnancy to the ordination of God, for God +hath said, Thou shalt not kill; conquest says, I will kill, and prosper, +and reign. 6. A lawful call to a lawful office may not be resisted; but +a call to conquest, which is nothing but ambition or revenge, ought to +be resisted; because not of God's preceptive will, otherwise he should +be the author of sin. 7. That power which we must own to be the +ordinance of God, must not be resisted, Rom. xiii. 2. + +But conquest may be resisted in defence of our king and country: +therefore it must not be owned to be the ordinance of God. 8. That which +God condemns in his word, cannot be owned; but dominion by the sword God +condemns in his word, Ezek. xxxii. 26. "Ye stand upon the sword,----and +shall possess the land," Amos vi. 13. "Ye rejoice in a thing of naught, +which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?" Habbak. +ii. 5, 6.----"Wo to him that encreaseth that which is not his, how +long," &c. 9. We have many examples of invading conquerors; as Abraham, +for the rescue of Lot, pursued the conquering kings unto Dan, Gen. iv. +4. "Jonathan smote a garrison of the conquering Philistines," 1 Sam. +xiii. 3. The Lord owning and authorising them so to do. The people did +often shake off the yoke of their conquerors in the history of the +judges: but this they might not do to their lawful rulers. What is +objected from the Lord's people conquering Canaan, &c. is no argument +for conquest: for he, to whom belongs the earth and its fulness, +disponed to Israel the land of Canaan for their inheritance, and +ordained that they should get the possession thereof by conquest; it +followeth not therefore, that kings now, wanting any word of promise, or +divine grant to any lands, may ascend to the thrones of other kingdoms +than their own, by no better title than the bloody sword. See Lex Rex, +quest. 12. The third pretence of hereditary succession remains to be +removed; which may be thus disproven, 1. This classes with the former, +though commonly asserted by royalists. + +For either conquest gives a right, or it does not; if it does, then it +looses all allegiance to the heirs of the crown dispossessed thereby: if +it does not give a right, then no hereditary succession founded upon +conquest can have any right, being founded upon that which hath no +right: and this will shake the most part of hereditary successions that +are now in the world. 2. If hereditary succession have no right but the +people's consent; then of itself it can give none to a man that hath not +that consent; but the former is true. For, it is demanded, how doth the +son or brother succeed? By what right? It must either be by divine +promise; or by the father's will, or it must come by propagation from +the first ruler, by a right of the primogeniture; but none of these can +be. For the first, we have no immediate divine constitution tying the +crown to such a race, as in David's covenant: it will easily be granted, +they fetched not their charter from heaven immediately, as David had it, +a man of many peculiar prerogatives, to whose line the promise was +astricted of the coming of the Messias, and Jacob's prophecy that the +sceptre should not depart from Judah until his coming, Gen. xlix. 10. +was restricted to his family afterwards: wherefore he could say, The +Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father, to be +king over Israel for ever; for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and +of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my +father, he liked me to make me king over Israel; and of all my sons he +hath chosen Solomon, 1 Chron. xxviii. 4, 5. All kings cannot say this; +neither could Saul say it, tho' immediately called of God as well as +David: yet this same promise to David was conditional, if his children +should keep the Lord's ways, 2 Chron. vi. 16. Next, it cannot be said +this comes from the will of the father; for according to the scripture, +no king can make a king, though a king may appoint and design his son +for his successor, as David did Solomon, but the people make him. The +father is some way a cause why his son succeedeth, but he is not the +cause of the royalty conferred upon him by line: for the question will +recur, who made him a king, and his father, and grandfather, till we +come up to the first father? Then, who made him a king? Not himself; +therefore it must be resounded upon the people's choice and +constitution: and who appointed the lineal succession, and tied the +crown to the line, but they? It is then, at the best, the patrimony of +the people, by the fundamental law of the kingdom, conferred upon the +successor by consent. + +And generally it is granted, even where the succession is lineal, he +that comes to inherit, he does not succeed by heritage, but by the force +of law; the son then hath not his kingdom from his father, but by law, +which the people made and stand to, as long as it may consist with the +reasons of public advantage, upon which they condescended to establish +such a family over them. Neither can it be said, it is by a right of +primogeniture, propagated from the first ruler; for this must either be +Adam the first of the world or Fergus for example, the first of this +kingdom. It could not come from Adam as a monarch and father of all: for +that behoved to be, either by order of nature, or his voluntary +assignment: it could not be transferred by order of nature; for besides +the difficulty to find out Adam's successor in the universal monarchy, +and the absurdity of fixing it on Cain, (who was a cursed vagabond, +afraid of every man and could not be an universal monarch, yet Adam's +first born.) It will be asked, how this passed from him unto others? +Whether it went by fatherhood to all the sons, fathers to their +posterity? Which would multiply as many commonwealths, as there have +been fathers since: or if it went, by primogeniture, only to the +first-born, that he alone could claim the power which would infer the +necessity of an universal monarchy, without multiplication of +commonwealths. + +If it was by his voluntary assignment, to whom, and in what proportion, +he pleased; then the universal monarchy died with himself, and so could +not be conveyed at all: for, either he behoved to give each son a share, +to be conveyed downwards to their children in that proportion; or whole +and solid to one: so also the former dilemma recurs, for if the first be +said, it will make as many little kingdoms as there have been sons of +Adam; if the second, the world should be but still one kingdom. But +however it be, this could never be the way that God appointed, either +for raising a magistratical power where it is wanting, or deriving a +right to any in being; considering the multiplication, division, +confusion, and extinction of families that have been. If it be from +Fergus the first of his line; then either it comes from him as a king, +or as a father: not the first, for the reason above hinted: nor as a +father; for a father may defraud his son of the heritage, a king cannot +divide the kingdom among his sons; it must then be length refounded on +the peoples consent. 3. If even where lineal succession is constituted +by law, for eviting the inconveniencies of frequent elections, people +are not tied to admit every first born of that line; then that +birth-right, where there is no more, cannot make a king; but the former +is true; for they are tied only conditionally, so he be qualified, and +have a head to sit at the helm, and not a fool or monster; neither are +they free to admit murderers or idolaters by the laws of God, and of +the land: it is not birth then, but their admission being so qualified, +that makes kings. Hence, 4. That which takes away the peoples +birth-right, given them of God to provide for their liberties in the +fittest government, and that is not to be owned; but to make birth alone +a title to the crown, takes away the peoples birth-right given them of +God of providing for their liberties in the fittest government, fetters +their choice to one destructive to these. Certainly where God hath not +bound the conscience, men may not bind themselves nor their posterity; +but God hath never fettered men to a choice of a government or governing +line; which, contrary to the intention of the oath, may prove +destructive to the ends thereof. Nor can the fathers leave in legacy, by +oath, any chains to fetter the after wits of posterity to a choice +destructive to religion and liberty. Israel was bound, by covenant, not +to destroy the Gibeonites; but if they had risen to cut off Israel, Who +can doubt but they were loosed from that obligation? For to preserve +cut-throats was contrary to the intention of the oath: so when either +monarchy, or the succeeding monarch, proves destructive to the ends of +government, the choice, law, or oath of our fathers, cannot bind us. 5. +If we are tied to the hereditary succession, not for the right the +successor hath by birth, but for our covenanted allegiance to them whose +successor he is; then cannot his birth-right be the ground of our +allegiance, and consequently hereditary succession cannot make a king; +but the former is true; for in hereditary crowns, the first family being +chosen by the suffrages of the people, for that cause the hereditary +successor hath no privilege or prerogative, but from him who was chosen +king: therefore the obligation to the son, being no greater than the +obligation to the father, which is the ground of that, if the father +then was owned only because he was chosen, and qualified for government, +the son cannot be owned for any other cause, but as chosen in him, and +also qualified and admitted with consent. We cannot choose the father as +qualified, and tie ourselves to the successors, be what they will. 6. If +a king be not born heir of a kingdom, then is he not king by birth; but +he is not born heir of a kingdom; for, a mean cannot be born to inherit +the end, the king is but a mean for the kingdom's preservation. If the +kingdom be his, by birth, as an inheritance, why may he not upon +necessary occasions sell his inheritance? But if he sell it, then all +confess he is no more king. 7. If that which makes a king cannot be +transmitted from father to son; then succession, by birth, cannot make a +king; but the former is true. The royal faculty of governing cannot be +transmitted: Solomon asked it from God, he had it not from his father: +nor can he be born to the honour of a king, because not born with either +the gift or honour to be a judge. God maketh high and low, not birth. +Nor can the call and constitution of a king, according to the will of +God, be transferred from father to son, for that cannot be in God's way +without the intervening consent of the people, that cannot make him a +born king. 8. If no dominion can come by nature, as is proven before, +then can no man be a born king: nature and birth cannot give them a +sceptre in their hand, nor kingly majesty, they must have that alone +from God and the people, and may only expect honour from their own good +government: kings (as Plutarch says) must be like dogs that are best +hunters, not these who are born of best dogs. 9. The peculiar +prerogative of Jesus Christ must not be ascribed to any other; but this +is his peculiar prerogative, to be born a king, of whom it might be +truly said, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? And for this end +was he born, who came out of the womb with a crown on his head, which no +creature can bear. 10. In scripture we find that a king was to be so and +so qualified, not a stranger, but a reader of God's word, &c. Deut. +xvii. 15, &c. he was not qualified by naked birth. Hence, if all the +qualifications requisite in an heir cannot make a king qualified +according to the institution of God, then his being heir cannot make him +king: but the first is true, an heir may be an heir without these +qualifications. 11. We find in the scripture, the people were to make +the kings by that law, Deut. xvii. 15. Thou shalt choose him whom the +Lord chooseth: yea, neither Saul nor David were kings, till the people +met to make them: therefore birth never made them kings, even though the +kingdom was tied to David's line. That was only a typical designment by +special promise, because Christ was to come of that line; it was +therefore established in David's 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 Jacob was +preferred before Esau, Judah before all the elder sons of Jacob, Ephraim +before Manasseh, Solomon before Adonijah. Hence if this gentleman, now +regnant, have no better pretences than these now confuted, we cannot +recognize his right to reign; yea, though this last were valid, yet he +cannot plead it, it being expresly provided in our laws against the +succession of a papist. But there is one grand objection against all +this. The Jews and other nations are commanded to bring their necks +under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and to serve him, and yet he had +no other right to these kingdoms; than the Lord's providential disposal, +because the Lord had "given all these lands into his hand," Jer. xxvii. +6, 7, 12. Ans. 1. He was indeed an unjust usurper, and had no right but +the Lord's providential gift; which sometimes makes "the tabernacles of +robbers prosper, into whose hand God bringeth abundantly, Job xii. 6. +And gives Jacob sometimes for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers, Isa. +xlii. 24. And giveth power to the beast to continue forty and two +months, and to have power over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations," +Rev. xiii. 5, 7. His tyranny also was very great extensively, in respect +of his oppressions and usurpations by conquest; but it was not so great +intensively, as our robbers and spoilers may be charged with; he was +never such a perverter of all the ends of government, nor a treacherous +overturner of all conditions, he was never a persecutor of the Jewish +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 and +wisdom, in which respect alone he is called his servant, as elsewhere +his rod and hammer, having given him a charge against an hypocritical +nation, to trample them down in his holy providence; and accordingly +there was no resistance 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 owning was exacted either +of the equity of that power, or of fealty 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 parallel, 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 +threatnings for the conquest of England and all Britain; were the people +of England bound to surrender themselves as servants and 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 Babylon, were not delivered, until after +the king of Judah had surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar, and entred into +covenant with him to be subject to him, 2 Kings xxiv. 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. +xviii. 14, 15, 18, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13. Then the commandment came, that +they should disown their own king Zedekiah, now forfeiting his right by +breach of covenant, and be subject to Nebuchadnezzar, whence I argue, if +people are commanded to disown their covenant-breaking rulers, and +subject themselves to conquerors, then I have all I plead for; but the +former is true, by the truth of this objection: therefore also the +latter. There is a 2d Objection from Rom xiii. 1. "Let every soul be +subject to the higher powers, the powers that be are ordained of God;" +yet the Roman emperor, to which they were to be subject, was an usurper. +Ans. It cannot be proven, that the apostle intendeth here the Roman +emperor as the higher power: there were at this time several +competitions for the empire, about which Christians might have their own +scruples whom to own; the apostle does not determine their litigations, +nor interest himself in parties but gives the general standard of God's +ordinance they had to go by. And the best expositors of the place do +alledge, the question and 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 obey the ordinance of magistracy, conform to its +original, and as it respects the end for which he had and 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 usurped, there being then a supreme +Senate, which was a lawful power; nor that Nero was then an usurper, who +came in by choice and 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 merely by his providential +disposal, and of conscientious subjection to magistracy, not to tyranny, +describing and characterizing the powers there, by such qualifications +as tyrants and 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, flows the magistratical relation, which +is necessary to have a bottom, before we can build the relative duties +thereon. This brings it under the fifth commandment, which is the rule +of all relative duties between inferiors and superiors, 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 and rebelling against fathers, +magistrates, &c. but also by performing them to contrary objects, as by +giving the father's due to the father's opposite, and the magistrates +due to tyrants who are their opposites. Certainly this command, +prescribing honour, does 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 Lord's "holy hill," Psal. xv. 4. +"In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that +fear the Lord." So that we sin against the fifth command, when we honour +them that we are obliged to contemn by another command. Hence I argue, +if owning or honouring of tyrants be a breach of the fifth command, then +we cannot own their authority: but the former is true: therefore the +latter. I prove the assumption: a honouring the vile, to whom no honour +is due, and who stand under no relation of fathers as fathers, is a +breach of the fifth command; but the owning of tyrants authority is a +honouring the vile, to whom no honour is due, and who stand under no +relation of fathers, and is yet a honouring them as fathers: therefore +the owning of tyrants authority is a breach of the fifth command. The +major is clear: for if the honouring of these to whom no honour is due, +were not a breach of the fifth command, that precept could neither be +kept at all or broken at all. It could not be kept at all; for, either +it must oblige us to honour all indefinitely, as fathers, and other +relations, which cannot be; or else it must leave us still in suspense +and ignorance, who shall be the object of our honour; and then it can +never be kept: or finally, it must astrict our honouring to such +definite relations, to whom it is due; and then our transgression of +that restriction shall be a breach of it. Next, if it were not so, it +could not be broken at all: for if prostituting and abusing honour be +not a sin, we cannot sin in the matter of honour at all; for if the +abuse of honour be not a sin, then dishonour also is not a sin: for that +is but an abuse of the duty, which is a sin as well as the omission of +it. And what should make the taking away of honour from the proper +object to be sin, and the giving it to a wrong object to be no sin? +Moreover, if this command do not restrict honour to the proper object, +we shall never know who is the object. How shall we know who is our +father, or what we owe to him, if we may give another his due? The minor +also is manifest: for if tyrants be vile, then no honour is due to them, +according to that, Psal. xv. 4. and yet it is a honouring them as +fathers; if they be owned as magistrates; for magistrates are in a +politic sense fathers; but certain it is, that tyrants are vile, as the +epithets and characters they get in scripture prove. But because, in +contradiction to this, it may be said, though fathers be never so +wicked, yet they are to be honoured, because they are still fathers; and +though matters be never so vile and froward, yet they are to be +subjected unto, 1 Pet. ii. 18-20. and so of other relations, to whom +honour is due by this command; therefore though tyrants be never so +vile, they are to be owned under these relations, because they are the +higher powers in place of eminency, to whom the apostle Paul commands to +yield subjection, Rom. xiii. and Peter to give submission and honour, 1 +Pet. ii. 13, 17. Therefore it must be considered, that as the relative +duty of honouring the relations to whom it is due, must not interfere +with the moral duty of contemning the vile, who are not under these +relations; so this general moral of contemning the vile, must not +cassate the obligation of relative duties, but must be understood with a +consistency therewith, without any prejudice to the duty itself. We must +contemn all the vile, that are not under a relation to be honoured, and +these also that are in that relation, in so far as they are vile. But +now tyrants do not come under these relations at all, that are to be +honoured by this command. As for the higher powers that Paul speaks of, +Rom. xiii. they are not those which are higher in force, but higher in +power, not in authority, but in power, not in a celsitude of prevalency, +but in a pre-excellency of dignity; not in the pomp and pride of their +posterity, and possession of the place, but by the virtue and value of +their office, being ordained of God not to be resisted, the ministers of +God for good, terrors to evil doers, to whom honour is due; those are +not tyrants but magistrates. Hence it is a word of the same root which +is rendered authority, or an authorized power, 1 Tim. ii. 2. and from +the same word also comes that supreme, to whom Peter commands subjection +and honour, 1 Pet. ii. 13. Now these he speaks of have the legal +constitution of the people, being the ordinance of man, to be subjected +to for the Lord's sake, and who sends other inferior magistrates for +the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well, +who are to be honoured as kings or lawful magistrates; this cannot be +said of tyrants. But more particularly, to evince that tyrants and +usurpers are not to be honoured according to this command, and that it +is a breach of it so to do; let us go through all these relations of +superiority, that come under the obligation of this command, and we +shall find tyrants and usurpers excluded out of all. First, They cannot +come under the parental relation: we are indeed to esteem kings as +fathers, though not properly, but by way of some analogy, because it is +their office to care for the people, and to be their counsellors, and to +defend them, as fathers do for children: but roaring lions and ranging +bears, as wicked rulers are, Prov. xxviii. 15. cannot be fathers. But +kings cannot properly be owned under this relation, far less tyrants +(with whom the analogy of fathers cannot consist) there being so many +notable disparities betwixt kings and fathers. 1. A father may be a +father to one child; but a king cannot be a king or politic father to +one only, but his correlate must be a community; a tyrant can be a +father to none at all in a politic sense. 2. A father is a father by +generation to all coming out of his loins; a king not so, he doth not +beget them, nor doth their relation flow from that; a tyrant is a +destroyer, not a pro-creator of people. 3. A father is the cause of the +natural being of his children, a king only of the politic well being of +his subjects; but tyrants are the cause of the ill being of both. 4. A +father, once a father, as long as his children live, retains still the +relation, though he turn mad and never so wicked; a king turning mad may +be served as Nebuchadnezzar was, at least all will grant in some cases +the subjects may shake off the king; and if in any case, it is when he +turns tyrant. 5. A father's relation never ceases, whithersoever his +children go; but subjects may change their relation to a king, by coming +under another king in another kingdom; a tyrant will force all lovers +of freedom to leave the kingdom where he domineers. 6. A father's +relation never changes, he can neither change his children, nor they +change their father; but a king may naturalize new subjects, and +subjects may also change their sovereign. Royalists will grant a state +or commonwealth may make a king, and there is great reason sometimes +that a monarchy be turned into a commonwealth; but a tyrant changes +those that are under him, expels the natives, brings in foreigners, and +all good patriots do pant for a change of him every day. 7. A father +hath no power of life and death over his children; a king hath it over +his subjects according to law; a tyrant usurps it over the innocent +against law. 8. A father is not a father by consent of his children; as +a king is by consent of his subjects; a tyrant is neither a father with +it nor without it. 9. A father is not made by the children, as a king is +by his subjects, as was shewed: a tyrant is neither a natural, nor by +compact, but a self created power. 10. A father is not chosen +conditionally upon compact, as a king is by the free suffrages of the +community; a tyrant in this differs from a king that he is not chosen, +and in tyranny from a father. 11. Children wanting a father cannot +choose whom they will to be their father; as subjects wanting a king may +choose whom they will, and what form they please; but though they can, +yet if they be rational, they will never choose a tyrant, nor a +tyrannical form of government. 12. Children cannot restrict their +father's power to what degrees they please; as subjects may limit their +kings, at their first erection; but a tyrant, though he ought, yet he +will not be limited, and if he might, he should be restrained. 13. +Children cannot set bounds how long they will have their fathers to +continue; subjects may condescend upon the time, in making laws how long +such an one shall be their sovereign, during life, or while faultless, +according as the fundamental law is made at first; tyrants ought every +day to be repressed that they should not continue at all. Yet giving and +not granting, that a king were to be owned under the relation of a +father; though every man be bound to own and maintain his father's +parental authority, yet let the case be put, that the father turns a +robber, murderer, an avowed enemy to God and the country, is his person +and authority in that case to be owned, to the dishonour of God, and +hurt and hazard of the country? or ought he not rather to be delivered +up even by the son to justice? Much more then will it follow, that a +king who turns the more dangerous, because the more powerful robber, and +legal murderer, and enemy to God and the country, cannot be owned seeing +the relation between father and son is stronger and stricter as having +another original, than can be betwixt king and subjects, and stands +unremoved as long as he is father, though turning such, they ought to +contribute, (in moral duty, to which their relative duty must cede) that +he should no more be a father, nor no more a living man, when dead by +law. Secondly, They cannot come under the herile or masterly relation, +though analogically also sometimes they are stiled so, and subjects are +called servants, by reason of their subjection, and because it is the +office of kings to command, and subjects to obey, in this there is some +analogy. But kings cannot properly be owned under this relation, as +masters over either persons or goods of subjects, far less tyrants, yea +kings assuming a masterly power turn tyrants. Now that the magistratical +relation is not that of a master, is clear from many disparities and +absurdities, whether we consider the state of hired servants or slaves. +For hired servants, the difference is vast betwixt them and subjects. 1. +The hired servant gets reward for his service, by compact; the subjects +none, but rather gives the royal reward of tribute to the king for his +service; the tyrant exacts it to maintain his tyranny. 2. The hired +servant is maintained by his master; the subjects maintain the king; +the tyrant robs it from them by force. 3. The hired servant bargains +only for a time, and then may leave him; the subject cannot give up his +covenanted allegiance, at that rate and for these reasons as the servant +may his service; a tyrant will make nor keep no such bargain. 4. The +hired servant must have his master's profit mainly before his eyes, and +his own secondarily; but the magistrates power is primarily ordinated to +the public good of the community and only consequentially to the good of +himself. 5. The master hath a greater power over the hired servant, to +make and give out laws to him, which if they be lawful he must obey; +than the king hath over the nation, to which he is the sole lawgiver, as +is shewed. 6. The hired servant's subjection is mercenary and servile; +but the subject's subjection is civil, free, voluntary, liberal, and +loving to a lawful king. Again for slaves, the difference between them +and subjects is great. 1. Slavery, being against nature, rational people +would never choose that life, if they could help it; but they gladly +choose government and governors. 2. Slavery would make their condition +worse than when they had no government, for liberty is always +preferable; neither could people have acted rationally in setting up +government, if to be free of oppression of others they had given +themselves up to slavery, under a master who may do what he pleases with +them. 3. All slaves are either taken in war, or bought with money, or +born in the house where their parents were slaves, as Abraham and +Solomon had of that sort; but subjects are neither captives, nor bought, +nor born slaves.--4. Slavery is not natural, but a penal fruit of sin, +and would never have been if sin had not been; but government is not so, +but natural and necessary. 5. Slaves are not their master's brethren, +subjects are the king's brethren, "over whom he must not lift up +himself," Deut. xvii. 20. 6. Masters might purchase and sell their +slaves, Abimelech took sheep and men servants and gave them unto +Abraham, Gen. xx. 14. Jacob had maid-servants, and men-servants, and +asses, Gen. xxx. 43. no otherwise than other goods, Solomon got to +himself servants and maidens, and servants born in his house, Eccles. +ii. 7. a king cannot do so with his subjects. 7. Princes have not this +power to make the people slaves, neither from God, nor from the people: +from God they have none, but to feed and to lead them, 2 Sam. v. 2. to +rule them so as to feed them, 1 Chron. xi. 2. Psal. lxxviii, 71, 72. +From the people they have no power to make slaves, they can give none +such. 8. Slavery is a curse: it was Canaan's curse to be a servant of +servants, Gen. ix. 25. but to have magistrates is a promised blessing, +Jer. xvii. 25. 9. To be free of slavery is a blessing, as the redemption +from Egypt's bondage is every where called, and the year of redemption +was a jubilee of joy, so the freedom of release every seven years a +great privilege, Jer. xxxiv. 9. but to be free of government is a +judgment, Isa. iii. 4, 5. 'tis threatened, "Israel shall abide without a +king and without a prince;" Hos. iii. 4. In the next place, they cannot +be owned as masters or proprietors over the goods of the subjects; +though in the case of necessity, the king may make use of all goods in +common, for the good of the kingdom; for, 1. The introduction of kings +cannot overturn nature's foundation; by the law of nature property was +given to man, kings cannot rescind that. 2. A man had goods ere ever +there was a king; a king was made only to preserve property, therefore +he cannot take it away. 3. It cannot be supposed that rational people +would choose a king at all, if he had power to turn a great robber to +preserve them from lesser robberies and oppressions; would rational men +give up themselves for a prey to one, that they might be safe from +becoming a prey to others? 4. Then their case should be worse, by +erecting of government, if the prince were proprietor of their goods, +for they had the property themselves before. 5. Then government should +not be a blessing, but a curse, and the magistrate could not be a +minister for good. 6. Kingdoms then should be among the goods of +fortune, which the king might sell and dispone as he pleased. 7. His +place then should not be a function, but a possession. 8. People could +not then, by their removes, or otherwise, change their sovereigns. 9. +Then no man might dispose of his own goods without the king's consent, +by buying or selling, or giving alms; nay, nor pay tribute, for they +cannot do these things except they have of their own. 10. This is the +very character of a tyrant, as described, 1 Sam. viii. 11. "He will take +your sons," Zeph. iii. 3. "Her princes are roaring lions, her judges are +evening wolves." 11. All the threatnings and rebukes of oppression +condemn this, Isa. iii. 14, 15, Ezek. xlv. 9. Mic. iii. 2, 3. Ahab +condemned for taking Naboth's vineyard. 12. Pharaoh had not all the land +of Egypt, till he bought it, Gen. xlii. 20. So the land became Pharaoh's +not otherwise. Yet giving, and not granting that he were really a master +in all these respects; notwithstanding if he turn to pursue me for my +life, because of my fidelity to my master and his both, and will +withdraw me from the service of the supreme universal master, I may +lawfully withdraw myself from his, and disown him for one, when I cannot +serve two masters. Sure he cannot be master of the conscience. Thirdly, +they cannot come under the conjugal relation, though there may be some +proportion between that and subjection to a lawful ruler, because of the +mutual covenant transacted betwixt them; but the tyrant and usurper +cannot pretend to this, who refuse all covenants. + +Yet hence it cannot be inferred, that because the wife may not put away +her husband, or renounce him, as he may do her in the case of adultery; +therefore the people cannot disown the king in the case of the +violation of the royal covenant. For the king's power is not at all +properly a husband's power, 1. The wife, by nature, is the weaker +vessel, but the kingdom is not weaker than the king. 2. The wife is +given as an help to the man; but here the man is given as an help to the +common-wealth. 3. The wife cannot limit the husband's power; as subjects +may limit their sovereigns. 4. The wife cannot prescribe the time of her +continuing under him; as subjects may do with their sovereigns. 5. The +wife cannot change her husband; as a kingdom can do their government. 6. +The husband hath not power of life and death; but the sovereign hath it +over malefactors. Yet giving, and not granting, his power were properly +marital: if the case be put, that the man do habitually break the +marriage-covenant, or take another wife, and turn also cruel and +intolerable in compelling his own wife to wickedness; and put the case +also, that she should not get a legal divorce procured, who can doubt +but she can disown him, and leave him? For this case is excepted out of +that command, 1 Cor. vii. 10. Let not the wife depart from her husband, +meaning for mere difference in religion, or other lesser causes; but +adultery doth annul the marriage relation. See Pool's Synopsis critic, +in locum. So when a prince breaks the royal covenant and turns tyrant, +or without any covenant commits a rape upon the common-wealth, that +pretended relation may and must be disowned. Hence, we see, there is no +relation can bring a king or ruler under the object of the duty of the +fifth command, except it be that of a fiduciary patron, or trustee, and +public servant: for we cannot own him properly either to be a father, or +a master, or a husband. Therefore what can remain, but that he must be a +fiduciary servant? Wherefore if he shall either treacherously break his +trust, or presumptuously refuse to be entrusted, upon terms and +conditions to secure and be accountable for, (before God and man) +religion and liberty, we cannot own his usurped authority. That +metaphor which the learned Buchanan uses, de jure regni, of a public and +politic physician, is not a relation different from this of a fiduciary +servant; when he elegantly represents him as entrusted with the +preservation and restoration of the health of the politic body, and +endowed with skill and experience of the laws of his craft. If then he +be orderly called unto this charge, and qualified for it, and discharges +his duty faithfully, he deserves, and we are obliged to give him the +deference of an honoured physician; but if he abuse his calling, and not +observe the rules thereof, and instead of curing, go about wilfully to +kill the body he is entrusted with, he is no more to be owned for a +physician: but for a murderer. + +9. If we enquire further into the nature of this relation between a +king, (whose authority is to be owned) and his subjects; we can own it +only as it is reciprocal in respect of superiority and inferiority; that +is, whereby in some respects the king is superior to the people, and in +some respects the people is inferior to him. The king is superior and +supreme as he is called, 1 Pet. ii. 13. In respect of formal +sovereignty, and executive authority, and majestic royal dignity, +resulting from the peoples devolving upon him that power, and +constituting him in that relation over themselves, whereby he is higher +in place and power than they, and in respect of his charge and conduct +is worth ten thousands of the people, 2 Sam. xviii. 3. and there is no +formally regal tribunal higher than his; and though he be lesser than +the whole community, yet he is greater than any one, or all the people +distributively taken; and though he be a royal vassal of the kingdom, +and princely servant of the people; yet he is not their deputy, because +he is really their sovereign, to whom they have made over their power of +governing and protecting themselves irrevocably, except in the case of +tyranny; and in acts of justice, he is not accountable to any, and does +not depend on the people as a deputy. + +But, on the other hand, the people is superior to the king, in respect +of their fountain power of sovereignty, that remains radically and +virtually in them, in that they make him their royal servant, and him +rather than another, and limit him to the laws for their own good and +advantage, and though they give to him a politic power for their own +safety; yet they keep a natural power which they cannot retract, the +power of justice to govern righteously, yet it is not so irrevocably +given away to him, but that when he abuseth his power to the destruction +of his subjects, they may wrest a sword out of a mad man's hand, though +it be his own sword, and he hath a just power to use it for good, but +all fiduciary power abused may be repealed. They have not indeed +sovereignty, or power of life and death formally; yet, in respect, they +may constitute a magistrate with laws, which if they violate they must +be in hazard of their lives, they have this power eminently and +virtually. Hence, in respect, that the king's power is, and can be only +fiducial, by way of trust reposed upon him, he is not so superior to the +people, but he may and ought to be accountable to them in case of +tyranny; which is evident from what is said, and now I intend to make it +further appear. But, first, I form the argument thus; we can own no king +that is not accountable to the people: ergo, we cannot own this king. To +clear the connexion of the antecedent and consequent, I add; either he +is accountable to the people, or he is not: if he be accountable to all, +then he is renouncible by a part, when the community is defective as to +their part, it is the interest of a part, that would, but cannot, do +their duty, to give no account to such as they can get no account from +for his maleversations. This is all we crave: if he be not accountable, +then we cannot own him, because all kings are accountable: for these +reasons, 1. The inferior is accountable to the superior; the king is +inferior, the people superior: ergo, the king is accountable to the +people. The proposition is plain; if the king's superiority make the +people accountable to him in case of transgressing the laws; then, why +should not the peoples superiority make the king accountable to them, in +case of transgressing the laws? Especially, seeing the king is inferior +to the laws: because the law restrains him, and from the law he hath +that whereby he is king; the law is inferior to the people, because they +are as it were its parent, and may make or unmake it upon occasion: and +seeing the law is more powerful than the king, and the people more +powerful than the law, we may see before which we may call the king to +answer in judgment, Buchan. jure regni apud Scot. That the king is +inferior to the people is clear on many accounts: for these things which +are institute for others sake, are inferior to those for whose sake they +are required or sought; a horse is inferior to them that use him for +victory; a king is only a mean for the peoples good; a captain is less +than the army, a king is put a captain over the Lord's inheritance, 1 +Sam. x. 1. He is but the minister of God for their good, Rom. xiii. 4. +Those who are before the king, and may be a people without him: let the +king be considered either materially as a mortal man, he is then but a +part inferior to the whole; or formally under the reduplication as a +king, he is no more but a royal servant, obliged to spend his life for +the people, to save them out of the hand of their enemies, 2 Sam. xix. +9: A part is inferior to the whole, the king is but a part of the +kingdom: a gift is inferior to them to whom it is given, a king is but a +gift given of God for the peoples good: that which is mortal, and but +accidental, is inferior to that which is eternal, and cannot perish +politically; a king is but mortal, and it is accidental to government +that there be a succession of kings; but the people is eternal, one +generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, Eccl. i. 4. +especially the people of God, the portion of the Lord's inheritance, is +superior to any king, and their ruin of greater moment than all the +kings of the world; for, if the Lord for their sake smite great kings, +and slay famous kings, as Sihon and Og, Psal. cxxxvi. 17,--20. if he +give kings and famous kingdoms for their ransom, Isa. xliii. 3, 4. then +his people must be so much superior than kings, by how much his justice +is active to destroy the one, and his mercy to save the other. All this +proves the people to be superior in dignity; and therefore, even in that +respect, it is frivolous to say, the king cannot be accountable to them, +because so much superior in glory and pomp; for they are superior every +way in excellency; and though it were not so, yet judges may be inferior +in rank considered as men, but they are superior in law over the +greatest as they are judges, to whom far greater than they are +accountable. + +The low and mean condition of them to whom belongs the power of +judgment, does not diminish its dignity; when the king then is judged by +the people, the judgment is of as great dignity as if it were done by a +superior king; for the judgment is the sentence of the law. 2. They are +superior in power: because every constituent cause is superior to the +effect, the people is the constituent cause, the king is the effect, and +hath all its royalty from them, by the conveyance God hath appointed; so +that they need not fetch it from heaven, God gives it by the people, by +whom also his power is limited, and, if need be, diminished from what +they gave his ancestors: hence, if the people constitute and limit the +power they give the king, then they may call him to an account, and +judge him for the abuse of it; but the first is true, as is proven +above: ergo.----The major is undeniable, for sure they may judge their +own creature, and call him to an account for the power they gave him, +when he abuses it, though there be no tribunal formally regal above +him, yet, in the case of tyranny, and violating his trust, there is a +tribunal virtual eminently above him, in them that made him, and reposed +that trust upon him, as is said. 3. The fountain power is superior to +the power derived: the people, though they constitute a king above them, +yet retain the fountain power, he only hath the derived power: certainly +the people must retain more power eminently, than they could give to the +king, for they gave it, and he receives it with limitations; if he turn +mad or incapable, they may put curators or tutors over him; if he be +taken captive, they may appoint another to exercise the power; if he +die, then they may constitute another, with more or less power; so then +if they give away all their power, as a slave selleth his liberty, and +retain no fountain power or radical right, they could not make use of it +to produce any of these acts: they set a king above them only with an +executive power for their good, but the radical power remains in the +people, as in an immortal spring, which they communicate by succession +to this or that mortal man, in the manner and measure they think +expedient; for otherwise, if they gave all their power away, what shall +they reserve to make a new king, if this man die? What if the royal line +surcease, there be no prophets now sent to make kings; and if they have +power in these cases, why not in the case of tyranny? 4. If the king be +accountable by law, for any act of tyranny done against one man, then +much more is he accountable for many against the whole state: but the +former is true; a private man may go to law before the ordinary judges, +for wronging his inheritance, and the king is made accountable for the +wrong done by him. Now, shall the laws be like spiders webs, which hold +flies, but let bigger beasts pass through? Shall sentence be past for +petty wrongs against a man, and none for tyrannizing over religion, +laws, and liberties of the kingdom? Shall none be past against +parricide or fratricide, for killing his brother, murdering the nobles, +and burning cities? Shall petty thieves be hanged for stealing a sheep; +and does the laws of God or man give impunity for robbing a whole +country of the nearest and dearest interests they have, to crowned +heads, for the fancied character of royalty, which thereby is forfeited? +5. If there be judges appointed of God independently, to give out and +execute the judgment of the Lord on all offenders, without exception of +the highest; then the king also must be subject to that judgment; but +there are judges appointed of God independently, to give out and execute +the judgment of the Lord on all offenders, without exception of the +highest. Two things must be here proved; first, that in giving judgment +they do not depend on the king, but are the immediate vicars of God. +Secondly, that the king is not excepted from, but subject to their +judgment, in case he be criminal. + +First, They cannot depend upon the king, because they are more necessary +than the king; and it is not left to the king's pleasure whether there +be judges or not. There may be judges without a king, but there can be +no king without judges, nor no justice, but confusion; no man can bear +the people's burden alone, Numb. xi. 14, 17. If they depended on the +king, their power would die with the king; the streams must dry up the +fountain; but that cannot be, for they are not the ministers of the +king, but of the kingdom, whose honour and promotion, though by the +king's external call, yet comes from God, as all honour and promotion +does, Psal. lxxv. 7. The king cannot make judges whom he will, by his +absolute power, he must be tied to that law, Deut. i. 13. To take wise +men and understanding, and known: neither can he make them during +pleasure; for if these qualifications remain, there is no allowance +given for their removal. They are gods, and the children of the most +high, appointed to defend the poor and fatherless, as well as he, Psal. +lxxxii. 3, 6. They are ordained of God for the punishment of evil doers, +in which they must not be resisted, as well as he, Rom. xiii. 1, 2. By +me (saith the Lord) rule--all the judges of the earth, Prov. viii. 16. +To them we must be subject for conscience sake, as being the ministers +of God for good; they must be obeyed for the Lord's sake, as well as the +king; though they are sent of him, yet they judge not for man, but for +the Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 6. hence they sit in his room, and are to act as +if he were on the bench; the king cannot say, the judgment is mine, +because it is the Lord's; neither can he limit their sentence (as he +might, if they were nothing but his deputies) because the judgment is +not his: nor are their consciences subordinate to him, but to the Lord +immediately; otherwise if they were his deputies, depending on him, then +they could neither be admonished, nor condemned for unjust judgment, +because their sentence should neither be righteous nor unrighteous, but +as the king makes it; and all directions to them were capable of this +exception, do not so or so, except the king command you; crush not the +poor, oppress not the fatherless, except the king command you; yea, then +they could not execute any judgment, but with the king's licence, and so +could not be rebuked for their not executing judgment. + +Now all this is contrary to scripture, which makes the sentence of the +judges undeclinable, when just, Deut. xvii. 11. The Lord's indignation +is kindled, when he "looks for judgment, and behold oppression, for +righteousness, and behold a cry," Isa. v. 7. Neither will it excuse the +judges to say, the king would have it so; for even they that are +subservient to "write grievousness, to turn aside the needy from +judgment," &c. are under the wo, as well as they that prescribe it, Isa. +x. 1, 2. The Lord is displeased when "judgment is turned away backward, +and judgment stands afar off,"----and when there is no judgment, +whatever be the cause of it, Isa. lix. 14, 15. The Lord threatens he +will be "avenged on the nation," when a man is "not found to execute +judgment," Jer. v. 1, 9. And promises, if they "will execute judgment and +righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the +oppressor," he will give them righteous magistrates, Jer. xxii. 3, 4. +but if they do not, he will send desolation, ibid. He rebukes those that +"turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth," +Amos v. 7. He resents it, when "the law is slacked, and judgment doth +not go forth" freely, without overawing or over-ruling restraint, Hab. +i. 4. + +Can these scriptures consist with the judges dependence on the king's +pleasure, in the exercise and execution of their power? therefore, if +they would avoid the Lord's displeasure, they are to give judgment, +though the king should countermand it. Secondly, That the king is not +excepted from their judgment, is also evident from the general commands, +Gen. ix. 6. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be +shed:" there is no exception of kings or dukes here: and we must not +distinguish where the law distinguisheth not, Numb. xxxv. 30, 31. Whoso +killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of +witnesses,--ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer +which is guilty of death, but he shall be surely put to death. What +should hinder then justice to be awarded upon a murdering king? Shall it +be for want of witnesses? It will be easy to adduce thousands. Or, shall +this be satisfaction for his life, that he is a crowned king? The law +saith, there shall be no satisfaction taken. The Lord speaketh to under +judges, Levit. xix. 5. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, thou +shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the +mighty. If kings be not among the mighty, how shall they be classed? +Deut. i. 17. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but you shall +hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid of the face +of man, for the judgment is God's. If then no man's face can outdare the +law and judgment of God, then the king's majestic face must not do it; +but as to the demerit of blood, he must be subject as well as another. +It is no argument to say, the Sanhedrim did not punish David for his +murder and adultery; therefore it is not lawful to punish a king for the +same; a reason from not doing is not relevant. David did not punish Joab +for his murder, but authorized it, as also he did Bathsheba's adultery; +will that prove, that murders connived at, or commanded by the king, +shall not be punished? Or that whores of state are not to be called to +an account? Neither will it prove, that a murdering king should not be +punished; that David was not punished, because he got both the sin +pardoned, and his life granted from the Lord, saying to him by the mouth +of the prophet Nathan, Thou shalt not die. But as for the demerit of +that fact, he himself pronounced the sentence out of his own mouth, 2 +Sam. xii. 15. "As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing +shall surely die." 'So every king condemned by the law, is condemned by +his own mouth: for the law is the voice of the king. Why then do we so +much weary ourselves concerning a judge, seeing we have the king's own +confession, that is, the law?' Buchanan de jure regni. + +And there needs be no other difficulty to find a tribunal for a +murdering king, than to find one for a murderer; for a judgment must +acknowledge but one name, viz. of the crime. If a king then be guilty of +murder, he hath no more the name of a king, but of a murderer, when +brought to judgment; for he is not judged for kingship, but for his +murder; as when a gentleman is judged for robbery, he is not hanged, +neither is he spared, because he is a gentleman, but because he is a +robber. See Buchanan above. 6. If the people's representatives be +superior to the king in judgment, and may execute judgment without him, +and against his will, then they may also seek account of him; for if he +hath no power but from them, and no power without them to act as king, +(no more than the eye or hand hath power to act without the body) then +his power must be inferior, fiduciary, and accountable to them; but the +former is true, the peoples representatives are superior to the king in +judgment, and may execute judgment without him, and against his will. In +scripture we find the power of the elders and heads of the people was +very great, and in many cases superior to the king; which the learned +Dr. Owen demonstrates in his preliminary exercitations on the epistle to +the Hebrews, and proves out of the Rabbins, that the kings of the Jews +might have been called to an account, and punished for transgressing of +the law. But in the scripture we find, (1.) They had a power of judgment +with the supreme magistrate in matters of religion, justice and +government. Hamor and Shechem would not make a covenant with Jacob's +sons, without the consent of the men of the city, Gen. xxxiv. 20. David +behoved to consult with the captains of thousands, and every leader, if +it seemeth good to bring again the ark of God, 1 Chron. xiii. 1, 2, 3. +So also Solomon could not do it without them, 1 Kings viii. 1. Ahab +could not make peace with Benhadad against the consent of the people, 1 +Kings xx. 8. The men of Ephraim complain that Jephthah, the supreme +magistrate, had gone to war against the children of Ammon without them, +and threatned to burn his house with fire, which he only excuses by the +law of necessity, Judges xii. 1, 2, 3. The seventy elders are appointed +of God, not to be the advisers only and helpers of Moses, but to bear a +part of the burden of ruling and governing the people, that Moses might +be eased, Numb. xi. 14, 17. Moses upon his sole pleasure, had not power +to restrain them in the exercise of judgment given of God. + +They were not the magistrate's depending deputies, but in the act of +judging, they were independent, and their consciences as immediately +subjected to God as the superior magistrate, who was to add his +approbative suffrage to their actings, but not his directive nor +imperative suffrage of absolute pleasure, but only according to the law; +he might command them to do their duty, but he could do nothing without +them. (2.) They had power, not derived from the prince at all, even a +power of life and death. The rebellious son was to be brought to the +elders of the city, who had power to stone him, Deut. xxi. 18, 24. They +had power to punish adultery with death, Deut. xxii. 21. They had power +to cognosce whom to admit into, and whom to seclude from the cities of +refuge: so that if the king had commanded to take the life of an +innocent man, they were not to deliver him, Josh. xx. throughout. But +besides the elders of cities, there were the elders and heads of the +people, who had judicial power to cognosce on all criminal matters, even +when Joshua was judge in Israel we find they assumed this power, to +judge of that matter of the two tribes and the half, Josh. xxii. 30. And +they had power to make kings, as Saul and David, as was shewed: and it +must needs follow, they had power to unmake them in case of tyranny. +(3.) They had power to conveen, even without the indiction of the ruler, +as in that, Josh. xxii. They conveen without him; and without advice or +knowledge of Samuel, the ruler, they conveen to ask a king, 1 Sam. viii. +And without any head or superior, they conveen and make David king, +notwithstanding of Ishbosheth's hereditary right. Without and against +tyrannous Athaliah's consent, they conveen and make Joash king, and +cared not for her Treason, treason, 2 Kings xi. But now the king alone +challenges the prerogative power of calling and dissolving parliaments +as he pleases, and condemns all meetings of estates without his warrant, +which is purely tyrannical; for, in cases of necessity, by the very law +of nature, they may and must conveen. The power is given to the king +only by a positive law, for order's sake; but otherwise, they have an +intrinsical power to assemble themselves. All the forecited commands, +admonitions, and certifications, to execute judgment, must necessarily +involve and imply a power to conveen, without which they could not be in +a capacity for it: not only unjust judgment, but no judgment, in a time +when truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter, is charged +as the sin of the state; therefore they must conveen to prevent this +sin, and the wrath of God for it: God hath committed the keeping of the +commonwealth, not to the king's only, but also to the people's +representatives and heads. And if the king have power to break up all +conventions of this nature, then he hath power to hinder judgement to +proceed, which the Lord commands: and this would be an excuse, when God +threatens vengeance for it. We would not execute judgment, because the +king forbade us. Yet many of these forementioned reproofs, threatnings, +and certifications were given, in the time of tyrannous and idolatrous +kings, who, no doubt, would inhibit and discharge the doing of their +duty; yet we see that was no excuse, but the Lord denounces wrath for +the omission. (4.) They had power to execute judgment against the will +of the prince. Samuel killed Agag against Saul's will, but according to +the command of God, 1 Sam. xv. 32. Against Ahab's will and mind Elijah +caused kill the priests of Baal, according to God's express law, 1 Kings +xviii. 40. It is true it was extraordinary, but no otherwise than it is +this day; when there is no magistrate that will execute the judgment of +the Lord, then they who have power to make the magistrate, may and ought +to execute it, when wicked men make the law of God of none effect. So +the princes of Judah had power, against the king's will, to put Jeremiah +to death, which the king supposes, when he directs him what to say to +them, Jer. xxxviii. 25. They had really such a power, though in +Jeremiah's case it would have been wickedly perverted. See Lex Rex, q. +19, 20. (5.) They had a power to execute judgment upon the king himself, +as in the case of Amaziah and Uzziah, as shall be cleared afterwards. I +conclude with repeating the argument: if the king be accountable, +whensover this account shall be taken, we are confident our disowning +him for the present will be justified, and all will be obliged to +imitate it: if he be not, then we cannot own his authority, that so +presumptuously exalts himself above the people. + +10. If we will further consider the nature of magistracy, it will appear +what authority can conscientiously be owned, to wit, that which is +power, not authorised power, not might or force; moral power, not merely +natural. There is a great difference betwixt these two: natural power is +common to brutes, moral power is peculiar to men; natural power is more +in the subjects, because they have more strength and force; moral power +is in the magistrate, they can never meet adequately in the same +subject; natural power can, moral only may warrantably exercise rule; +natural power is opposed to impotency and weakness, moral to illicitness +or unlawfulness; natural power consists in strength, moral in +righteousness; natural power may be in a rout of rogues making an +uproar, moral only in the rulers; they cannot be distinguished by their +acts, but by the principle from which the acts proceed; in the one from +mere force, in the other from authority. The principle of natural power +is its own might and will, and the end only self; moral hath its rise +from positive constitution, and its end is public safety. The strength +of natural power lies in the sword, whereby its might gives law; the +strength of moral power is in its word, whereby reason gives law, unto +which the sword is added for punishment of contraveeners: natural power +takes the sword, Matth. xxvi. 52. Moral bears the sword, Rom. xiii. 4. +In natural power the sword is the cause; in moral it is only the +consequent of authority; in natural power the sword legitimates the +sceptre; in moral the sceptre legitimates the sword: the sword of the +natural is only backed with metal, the sword of the moral power is +backed with God's warrant: natural power involves men in passive +subjection, as a traveller is made to yield to a robber; moral power +reduces to conscientious subordination. Hence the power that is only +natural, not moral authority, not power, cannot be owned; but the power +of a tyrant's and usurper's is only natural, not moral, authority, not +power: Ergo it cannot be owned. The major cannot be denied; for it is +only the moral power that is ordained of God, unto which we must be +subject for conscience sake. The minor also; for the power of tyrants is +not moral, because not authorized, nor warranted, or ordained of God by +his preceptive ordinance, and therefore no lawful magistratical power. +For the clearer understanding of this, let it be observed, there are +four things required to the making of a moral or lawful power; the +matter of it must be lawful, the person lawful, the title lawful, and +the use lawful. 1. The matter of it, about which it is exerted, or the +work to be done by it, must be lawful and warranted by God: and if it be +unlawful it destroys its moral being. As the pope's power, in dispensing +with divine laws, is null and no moral power; and so also the king's +power, in dispensing with both divine and human laws is null. Hence that +power, which is, in regard of matter unlawful, and never warranted by +God, cannot be owned; but absolute power, which is the power of tyrants +and usurpers, (and particularly of this of ours) is in regard of matter +unlawful, and never warranted by God: Ergo--2. The person holding the +power must be such as not only is capable of, but competent to the +tenure of it, and to whom the holding of it is allowed; and if it be +prohibited, it evacuates the morality of the power. Korah and his +company arrogated to themselves the office of the priesthood, this power +was prohibited to them, their power then was a nullity. As therefore a +person that should not be a minister, when he usurps that office is no +minister; so a person that should not be a magistrate, when he usurps +that office, is no magistrate. Hence, a person that is incapable and +incompetent for government cannot be owned for a governor; but the duke +of York is such a person, not only not qualified as the word of God +requires a magistrate to be, but by the laws of the land declared +incapable of rule, because he is a papist, a murderer, an adulterer, &c. +5. There must be a moral power, a lawful title and investiture, as is +shewed above; which, if it be wanting, the power is null, and the person +but a scenical king, like John of Leyden. This is essentially necessary +to the being of a magistrate; which only properly distinguishes him from +a private man; for when a person becomes a magistrate, what is the +change that is wrought in him? what new habit or endowment is produced +in him? he hath no more natural power than he had before, only now he +hath the moral power, right and authority to rule, legally impowering +him to govern. Let it be considered, what makes a subordinate +magistrate, whom we own as such; it must be only his commission from a +superior power, otherwise we reject him; if one come to us of his own +head, taking upon him the stile and office of a bailiff, sheriff or +judge, and command our persons, demand our purses, or exact our oaths; +we think we may deny him, not taking ourselves to owe him any +subjection, not owning any bond of conscience to him; why? because he +hath no lawful commission. Now, if we require this qualification in the +subordinate, why not in the supreme? Hence, that magistrate, that cannot +produce his legal investiture, cannot be owned; but the duke of York +cannot produce his legal investiture, his admission to the crown upon +oath and compact, and with the consent of the subjects, according to the +laws of the land, as is shewed above: therefore----4. There must also be +the lawful use of the power; which must be not only legal for its +composure, but right for its practice; its course and process in +government must be just, governing according to law, otherwise it is +mere tyranny: for what is government, but the subjecting of the +community to the rule of governors, for peace and order's sake, and the +security of all their precious interests? and for what end was it +ordained, and continued among men, but that the stronger may not +domineer over the weaker? and what is anarchy, but the playing the rex +of the natural power over the moral? Hence, that power which is contrary +to law, evil and tyrannical, can tie none to subjection; but the power +of the king, abused to the destruction of laws, religion and liberties, +giving his power and strength unto the beast, and making war with the +Lamb, Rev. xvii. 13, 14. is a power contrary to law, evil and +tyrannical: therefore it can tie none to subjection: wickedness by no +imaginable reason can oblige any man. It is objected by some, from Rom. +xiii. 1. There is no power but of God; the usurping power is a power: +therefore it is of God, and consequently we owe subjection to it. Ans. +1. The original reading is not universal, but this: for there is no +power if not from God: which confirms what I plead for, that we are not +to own any authority, if it be not authorized by God. + +The words are only relative to higher powers, in a restricted sense and +at most are but indefinite, to be determined according to the matter; +not all power simply, but all lawful power. 2. It is a fallacy from what +is said according to a certain thing, there is no power but of God, that +is no moral power, as universal negatives use to be understood, Heb. v. +4. No man taketh his honour unto himself, but he that is called of God; +which is clear, must not be understood for the negation of the fact, as +if no man at all doth or ever did take unto himself that honour, for +Korah did it, &c. but, no man taketh it warrantably, with a moral right +and God's allowance without God's call: so also the universal +imperative, in that same text, must not be taken absolutely without +restriction; for if every soul without exception were to be subject, +there could be none left to be the higher powers; but it is understood +with restriction to the relation of a subject. So here, no power but of +God, to be understood with restriction to the relation of a lawful +magistrate. It is also to be understood indiscriminately, in reference +to the divers species, sorts and degrees of lawful power, supreme and +subordinate, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, &c. as +Peter expresses it: or whether they be Christian or pagan; it cannot be +meant of all universally, that may pretend to power, and may attain to +prevailing potency; for then by this text, we must subject ourselves to +the papacy now intended to be introduced; and indeed if we subject +ourselves to this papist, the next thing he will require will be that. +3. To the minor proposition, I answer, the usurping power is a power; it +is power, I grant, that it is power, or authority, I deny. + +Therefore it is of God by his providence, I concede; by his ordinance, I +deny. Consequently we owe subjection to it, I deny. We may be subject +passively, I grant. Actively, out of conscience, I deny. But some will +object, 2. Though the power be usurped, and so not morally lawful in all +these respects; yet it may do good, its laws and administrations may be +good. Answ. I grant all is good that ends well, and hath a good +beginning. This cannot be good which hath a bad principle, good from the +entire cause. Some government for constitution good, may, in some acts, +be bad; but a government for constitution bad cannot, for the acts it +puts forth, be good. These good acts may be good for matters but +formally they are not good, as done by the usurper: they may be +comparatively good, that is better so than worse; but they cannot be +absolutely, and in a moral sense good: for to make a politic action +good, not only the matter must be warrantable, but the call also. It may +indeed induce subjects to bear and improve to the best, what cannot be +remedied; but cannot oblige to own a magistratical relation. + +II. The nature of the power thus discovered, let us see the nature of +that relative duty, which we owe and must own as due to magistrates, and +what sort of owning we must give them; which, to inquire a little into, +will give light to the question. All the duty and deference the Lord +requires of us, towards them whom we must own as magistrates, is +comprehended in these two expressions, honour required in the fifth +command, and subjection required in Rom. xiii. 1. &c. 1 Pet. ii. 13. &c. +Whomsoever then we own as magistrates, we must own honour and subjection +as due to them: and if so be, we cannot, upon a conscientious ground, +give them honour and subjection, we cannot own them as magistrates. The +least deference we can pay to magistrates is subjection, as it is +required in these words; Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, +and, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. +But this cannot be given to tyrants and usurpers; therefore no deference +can be paid to them at all: and consequently they cannot be owned. That +this subjection, which is required to the higher powers, cannot be owned +to tyrants, will be apparent, if we consider, 1. The subjection required +is orderly subjection to an orderly power, that we be regularly under +him that is regularly above; but usurpation and tyranny is not an +orderly power, orderly placed above us; therefore we cannot be orderly +under it. This is gathered from the original language, where the powers +to be subjected to, are ordained of God and the ordinance of God, and +he that resisteth the power is counter-ordered, or contrary to his +orderly duty; so the duty is to be subject. They are all words coming +from one root, which signifies to order; so that subjection is to be +placed in order under another relative to an orderly superiority; but, +to occupy the seat of dignity unauthorized, is an ataxy, a breaking of +order, and bringing the commonwealth quite out of order. Whereby it may +appear, that, in relation to an arbitrary government, there can be +properly no orderly subjection. 2. The thing itself must import that +relative duty which the fifth command requires; not only a passive +stooping endurance, or a feigned counterfeit submission, but a real +active duty including obedience to lawful commands; and not only so, but +support and maintenance; and that both to the acts of his +administration, and to his standing and keeping his station, assisting +him with all our abilities, both human and Christian; and not only as to +the external acts of duties, but the inward motions of the heart, as +consent, love, reverence, and honour, and all sincere fealty and +allegiance. + +But can a subjection of this extent be paid to a tyrant or usurper? Can +we support those we are bound to suppress? Shall we love the ungodly, +and help those that hate the Lord? Can we consent, that we and our +posterity should be slaves? Can we honour them who are vile, and the +vilest of men; how high soever they be exalted? 3. The ground of this +subjection is for conscience sake, not for wrath, that is, so far and so +long as one is constrained by fear, and, to avoid a greater evil, to +stoop to him, but out of conscience of duty, both that of piety to God +who ordained magistracy, and that of equity to him who is his minister +for good, and under pain of damnation if we break this orderly +subjection, Rom. xiii. 2, 5. But can it be imagined, that all this is +due to a tyrant and usurper? Can it be out of conscience, because he is +the Lord's minister for good? The contrary is clear, that he is the +devil's drudge serving his interest: Is resistance to tyrants a damnable +sin? I hope to prove it to be a duty. 4. If subjection to tyrants and +usurpers will inveigle us in their snares, and involve us in their sin +and judgment, then it is not to be owned to them; but the former is +true; therefore the latter. In the foregoing head I drew an argument, +for withdrawing from and disowning the prelatic ministers, from the +hazard of partaking in their sin, and of being obnoxious to their +judgment, because people are often punished for their pastor's sins; +Aaron and his sons polluting themselves, would have brought wrath upon +all the people, Lev. x. 6. because the teachers had transgressed against +the Lord, therefore was Jacob given to the curse, and Israel to +reproaches, Isa. xliii. 27, 28. and all these miseries lamented by the +church, were inflicted for the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities +of her priests, Lam. iv. 13. the reason was, because they owned then, +followed them, countenanced them, complied with them, or connived at +them, or did not hinder, or else disown them. The same argument will +evince the necessity of withdrawing our subjection from, and disowning, +usurping, and tyrannical rulers, when we cannot hinder their wickedness, +nor give any other testimony against them, to avert the wrath of the +Lord. If the defections of ministers will bring on the whole nation +desolacing judgments; then much more have we reason to fear it, when +both magistrates and ministers are involved in, and jointly carrying on, +and caressing and encouraging each other in promoting a woful apostasy +from God: when the heads of the house of Jacob and princes of the house +of Israel, abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. The heads judge for +reward, and the priests teach for hire, and the prophets divine for +money, and yet lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us: +none evil can come upon us. Then we can expect nothing, but that Zion +for their sake shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem become heaps, +and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest, Mic. +iii. 9, 11, 12. Certain it is, that subjects have smarted sore for the +sins of their rulers: for Saul's sin, in breaking covenant with the +Gibeonites, the land suffered three years famine, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. and the +wrath of the Lord could not be appeased, till seven of his sons were +hanged up unto the Lord. What then shall appease the wrath of God, for +the unparalleled breach of covenant with God in our days? For David's +sin of numbering the people, 70,000 men died by the pestilence, 2 Sam. +xxiv. 5. For Jeroboam's sin of idolatry, who made Israel to sin, the +Lord threatens to give Israel up, because of the sins of Jeroboam, I +Kings xiv. 16. only they escaped this judgment, who withdrew themselves +and fell into Judah. For Ahab's sin of letting go a man whom the Lord +had appointed to utter destruction, the Lord threatens him, thy life +shall go for his life, and thy people for his people, 1 Kings xx. 42. +Because Manasseh, king of Judah, did many abominations, therefore the +Lord threatened to bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that +whosoever heard it, his ears should tingle, &c. 2 Kings xxi. 11, 12. and +notwithstanding of his repentance and the reformation in the days of +Josiah, notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his +great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of +all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal, 2 Kings +xxiii. 26. which was accomplished by the hands of the Chaldeans, in +Jehoiakim's time. Surely, at the commandment of the Lord, came this upon +Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh +according to all that he did, and also for the innocent blood which he +shed,----which the Lord would not pardon, 2 Kings xxiv. 3, 4. And +Jeremiah further threatens, that they should be removed into all +kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh for that which he did in +Jerusalem, Jer. xv. 4. Certainly passages were recorded for our +learning, Rom. xv. 4. and for our examples, to the intent we should not +do as they did, 1 Cor. x. 6. and for our admonition, ver. 11. Whence we +may be admonished, that it is not enough to keep ourselves free of +public sins of rulers; many of those then punished, were free of all +actual accession to them; but they became accessory to, and involved in +the guilt of them, when they did not endeavour to hinder them, and bring +them to condign punishment for them, according to the law of God, which +respecteth not persons; or, at least, because they did not revolt from +them, as Libnah did: there might be other provocations on the peoples +part, no doubt, which the Lord did also punish by these judgments; but +when the Lord specifies the sin of rulers as the particular procuring +cause of the judgment; it were presumption to make it the occasion only +of the Lord's punishing them: for plain it is, if these sins of rulers +had not been committed, which was the ground of the threatening and +execution, the judgment would have been prevented; and if the people had +bestirred themselves as became them, in repressing and restraining such +wickedness, they had not so smarted; and when that sin, so threatened +and punished, was removed, then the judgment itself was removed or +deterred. It is just and necessary, that the subjects, being jointly +included with their rulers in the same bond of fidelity to God, be +liable to be punished for their rebellion and apostacy, when they +continue under the bond of subjection to them. But how deplorable were +our condition, if we should stand obnoxious to divine judgments, for the +atheism, idolatry, murders, and adulteries of our rulers, and yet be +neither authorized nor capacitated to hinder it, nor permitted to +withdraw ourselves from subjection to them? But it is not so; for, the +Lord's making us responsible for their debt, is an impowering us either +to repress their wickedness when he gives us capacity, or at least to +save ourselves harmless from their crimes, by disowning them; that being +the only way of standing no longer accountable for their souls. + +12. It remains to consider the ends for which government was institute +by God, and constitute by men; from whence I argue, that government, +that destroys the ends of government, is not to be owned; but tyranny, +and especially this under which we howl, destroys all the ends of +government; therefore it is not to be owned. The minor I prove thus, +That government, that destroys all religion and safety, destroys all the +ends of government; but this popish and arbitrary absolute power, +destroys religion and safety; therefore--it is evident, both from the +laws of nature and revelation, that the ends of government are the glory +of God, and the good of mankind. The first is the glory of God, the +ultimate end of all ordinances; to which whatever is opposite, is not to +be owned by them that fear him: whatever power then is destructive to +religion, and is applied and employed against the glory of the universal +King, and for withdrawing us from our fealty and obedience to him, is +nothing but rebellion against the supreme Lord and Lawgiver, and a +traiterous conspiracy against the Almighty, and therefore not to be +owned: and they are enemies to religion, or strangers to it, who are not +sensible this hath been the design of the present government, at least +these twenty-seven years, to overturn the reformed covenanted religion, +and to introduce popery. Hence, seeing a king at his best and highest +elevation, is only a mean for preserving religion, and for this end only +chosen of the people to be keeper of both tables of the law, he is not +to be regarded, but wholly laid aside, when he not only moves without +his sphere, but his motion infers the ruin of the ends of his erection, +and when he employs all his power for the destruction of the cause of +Christ, and advancement of antichrist, giving his power to the beast; he +is so far from deserving the deference of the power ordained of God, +that he is to be looked upon, and treated as a traitor to God, and +stated enemy to religion and all righteousness. The second end of +government is the good of the people, which is the supreme and cardinal +law; the safety of the people is the supreme law. Which cannot be +denied, if it be considered, 1. For this only the magistrate is +appointed of God to be his minister for the people's good, Rom. xiii. 4. +and they have no goodness but as they conduce to this end: for all the +power they have of God is with this proviso, to promote his people's +prosperity. (It were blasphemy to say, they are his authorised ministers +for their destruction) to which if their conduct degenerate, they +degrade themselves, and so must be disowned. He is therefore, in his +institution, no more than a mean for this end; and himself cannot be +either the whole or half of the end; for then he should be both the end +and the mean of government; and it is contrary to God's mould to have +this for his end, to multiply to himself silver and gold, or lift up +himself above his brethren, Deut. xvii. 17, 20. If therefore he hath any +other end than the good of the people, he cannot be owned as one of +God's moulding, 2. This only is the highest pitch of good princes +ambition, to postpone their own safety to the peoples safety. Moses +desired, rather than the people should be destroyed, that his name +should be razed out of the book of life. And David would rather the +Lord's hand be on him and his father's house, than on the people, that +they should be plagued, 1 Chron. xxi. 17. But he that would seek his own +ambitious ends, with the destruction of the people, hath the spirit of +the devil, and is to be carried towards as one possessed with that +malignant spirit. 3. Originally their power is from the people, from +whom all their dignity is derived, with reserve of their safety, which +is not the donative of kings, nor held by concession from them, nor can +it be resigned or surrendered to the disposal of kings; since God hath +provided, in his universal laws, that no authority make any disposal, +but for the good of the people. This cannot be forfeited by the +usurpation of monarchs, but being always fixed in the essential laws of +government, they may reclaim and recover it when they please. Since then +we cannot alienate our safety, we cannot own that authority which is +inconsistent with it. 4. The attaining this end was the main ground and +motive of peoples deliberating to constitute a government, and to choose +such a form, because they thought it most conducible for their good; and +to admit such persons as fittest instuments for compassing this end; and +to establish such 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 owned; 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 and safety. + +Whosoever then breaking through all legal limitations, shall become +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 and 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 realm, 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 public safety, and make laws for their own +interests, they are no more trustees but traitors. 9. If it were not +for this end, it were more eligible to live in desarts, than to enter +into societies. When therefore a ruler, in direct opposition to the ends +of government, seeks the ruin, 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, and destroyed by +this and the deceased tyrant, all Scotland can tell, and all Europe hath +heard. If ever the ends of government were perverted and subverted in +any place. Britain is the stage where this tragedy has been acted. + +13. I may argue from the covenant, that to own this authority is +contrary to all the articles thereof. 1. That authority which overturns +the reformation of religion in doctrine, worship, discipline and +government, which we are sworn to preserve against the common enemies +thereof, in the first article, cannot be owned; but the present +pretended authority overturned (and continues more to overturn) the +reformation of religion, &c. therefore it cannot be owned. For against +what common enemy must we preserve it, if not against him that is the +chief enemy thereof? And how can we own that authority, that is wholly +employed and applied for the destruction of religion? 2. If we are +obliged to extirpate popery, without respect of persons, lest we partake +in other mens sins; then we are obliged to extirpate papists without +respect of persons; and consequently the head of them. (For how +otherwise can popery be extirpated? Or how otherwise can we cleanse the +land of their sins?) But in the 2d article we are obliged to extirpate +popery without respect of persons, lest we partake in others mens sins: +therefore we are obliged to extirpate papists without respect of +persons, and consequently the crowned Jesuit, and therefore cannot own +him: for how can we own him, whom we are bound to exstirpate? 3. If we +be engaged to preserve the rights and liberties of parliaments, and the +liberties of the kingdoms, and the king's authority only in the +preservation and defence of the true religion and liberties of the +kingdoms, then we cannot own his authority, when it is inconsistent +with, opposite to, and destructive of all these precious interests, as +now it is with a witness. But in the 3d article we are engaged to +preserve the rights and privileges of parliaments, and the liberties of +the kingdoms, and the king's authority only in the preservation and +defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms: therefore +all allegiance that we can own to any man, must stand perpetually thus +qualified, in defence of religion and liberty; that is, so far as it is +not contrary to religion and liberty, and no further; for if it be +destructive of these, it is null. If we should then own this man, with +this restricted allegiance, and apply into his own authority (as we must +apply it to all authority that we can own) it were to mock God and the +world, and own contradictions: for can we maintain the destroyer of +religion, in defence of religion, and the destroyer of all our rights +and liberties, and all our legal securities for them, in the +preservation of these rights and liberties? That were pure nonsense. 4. +If we be obliged to endeavour, that all incendiaries and malignants, &c. +be brought to condign punishment, then we cannot own the authority of +the head of these incendiaries and malignant enemies; but in the fourth +article, we are obliged to endeavour, that all incendiaries and +malignants, &c. be brought to condign punishment: therefore----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, and gives life unto all these abominations shall be +exempted from punishment, or owned for a sacred majesty? shall we be +obliged to discover, and bring to justice the little 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 and 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. xxv. 4. For hath not he and his accomplices made the +kingdom a curse? and we, with our own consent, have made ourselves +obnoxious to it, if we do not procure, each in our capacities, and +pursue these traitors and rebels, that the judgment of the Lord be +executed upon the accursed. 5. No wilful opposer of peace and union +between the kingdoms is to be owned; but, according to the 5th article, +we are obliged to endeavour, that justice be done upon him: but this man +and his brother have been wilful opposers of peace and union between the +kingdoms, all true peace and union, except an union in confederacy +against the Lord; for they have taken peace from both the kingdoms, and +destroyed and annulled that which was the bond of their union, to wit, +the solemn league and covenant. 6. If we are obliged to assist and +defend all those that enter into this league and covenant, in the +maintaining and pursuing thereof, and never to suffer ourselves to be +divided, to make defection to the contrary part, &c. According to the +6th article then, we must not owt the butcher of our covenanted +brethren, who hath imbrued his hands in their blood, in maintaining and +pursuing thereof, and would have us withdrawn into so detestable a +defection; for we cannot both own him as he requires to be owned, and as +God requires every magistrate to be owned (so as not to resist him under +pain of damnation, Rom. xiii. 2.) and assist our brethren too in +refilling his murders: and our owning of him were a dividing of +ourselves from our brethren that oppose him, into a defection to the +contrary part, whereof he is head and patron. Lastly, In the conclusion, +we are obliged to be humbled for the sins of these kingdoms, and to +amend in a real reformation; whereof this is one to be mourned for, that +after the Lord had delivered us from the yoke of this tyrannical family, +we again joined in amity with the people of these abominations, and took +these serpents into our bosom again, which hath bit us so sore, and +wherewith the Lord hath scourged us severely. And if it was our sin to +engage with them at first, then it is our sin to continue under their +subjection; and is not consistent with that repentance, that the Lord's +contendings call for, to continue owning that power which was our sin to +own at first. + +III. In the third place, I promised to confirm my thesis from more +express scripture arguments. Therefore I shall endeavour to gather them +as briefly as may be. 1. From scripture inferences, nearly and natively +consequential. 2. From scripture assertions. 3. From scripture precepts. +4. From scripture practices. 5. From scripture promises. 6. From +scripture threatnings. 7. From scripture prayers. + +First, I shall offer some arguments deduced by way of immediate +inference, from the grounds laid before us in scripture about +government: wherein I shall confine my self to these particulars. + +1. Let us consider the characters of a magistrate, laid down in +scripture; and we may infer, if tyrants and usurpers are not capable of +these characters, then they cannot be owned for magistrates. For if they +be not magistrates, they cannot be owned as magistrates; but if they be +not capable of the characters of magistrates, they are not magistrates: +Ergo, if they be not capable of the characters of magistrates, they +cannot be owned as magistrates. To find out the characters of +magistrates, we need seek no further than that full place, Rom. xiii. +Which usually is made a magazine of objections against this truth; but I +trust to find store of arguments for it from thence, not repeating many +that have been already deduced therefrom. We find, in this place, many +characters of a magistrate, that are all incompatible with a tyrant or +usurper. 1. He is the higher power, verse 1. Authorities supereminent, +signifying such a pre-excellency as draweth towards it a recognition of +honour; but this is not competent to tyrants and usurpers; for they are +the vilest of men, let them be never so high exalted, Psal. xii. last +verse, and if they be vile then they are to be contemned, Psal. xv. 4. +and no more to be regarded than Herod was by Christ, when he called him +a fox, Luke xiii. 32. But more particularly, let us consider what is the +highness, or dignity of magistrates, set forth in scripture. They are +stiled gods, not to be reviled, Exod. xxii. 28. among whom God judgeth, +Psal. lxxxii. 1. so called, because the word of God came unto them, John +x. 35. But tyrants are rather devils, as one of them is called Lucifer, +Isa. xiv. 12. and they that persecute and imprison the people of God, +because actuated by the devil, and acting for him, do bear his name, +Rev. ii. 10. They are devils that cast the Lord's witnesses into prison. +The magistrate's judgment is God's judgment, Deut. i. 17. because it is +not for man, but for the Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 6. and therefore Solomon is +said to have sat on the throne of the Lord, 1 Chron. xxix. 23. But it +were blasphemy to say, That tyrants judgment, usurping the place without +his warrant, and giving forth judgment against his laws, and cause, and +people, is the Lord's judgment, or for him, or that they sit on the +throne of the Lord. A throne of iniquity is not the throne of the Lord, +for he hath no fellowship with it; the tyrant's throne is a throne of +iniquity, Psal. xciv. 20. Magistrates are truly to be subjected to and +obeyed, as principalities and powers, Tit. iii. 1. it is a sin to speak +evil of them, verse 2. for it is presumption to despise dominion, and +speak evil of dignities, 2 Pet. ii. 10. Jude 8. But tyrants are very +catechrestically and abusively principalities and powers, no otherwise +then the devils are so termed, Eph. vi. 12. and there is no argument to +own or obey the one more than the other: for if all principalities and +powers are to be subjected to and owned, then also the devil must, who +gets the same title. To speak truth of tyrants indignities, cannot be a +speaking evil of dignities; for truth is no evil, nor is tyranny a +dignity. Hence they that are not capable of the dignity of rulers, as +these places prove: Ergo----Against this it is objected. That Paul did +apply this character to the tyrannical high priest Ananias, whom, after +he had objurated for manifest injustice, he honours with that apology, +that he wist not that he was the high priest, for it is written, thou +shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people, Acts xxiii. 5. Ans. +Though all should be granted that is in this objection, yet our argument +would not be enervated: for grant we should not speak evil of tyrants, +that does not evince that we should hold them us rulers; for we should +bless our persecutors, Rom. x. 14. and speak evil of no man, Tit. iii. +2. that does not say, We should hold every man, or our persecutors, to +be rulers. The meaning must be, he knew not that he was the high-priest; +that is, he did not acknowledge him to be either high priest or ruler, +he could acknowledge or observe nothing like one of that character in +him: for as the high-priest's office was now null and ceased, so this +Ananias was only an usurper of the office, in place of Ismael and +Joseph, who had purchased it by money: and Paul had learned from his +master Gamaliel, Tit. Talmud. of the Sanhedrim. That a judge who hath +given money for purchasing this honour, is neither a judge, nor to be +honoured as such, but to be held in place of an ass. And it was common +among the Jews to say, If such be gods, they are silver gods, not to be +honoured, as is quoted by Pool's synopsis criticorum, &c. on the same +place. And that this must be the sense of it is plain; for he could not +be ignorant that he was there in place of a judge, being called before +him, and smitten by him authoritatively, whom therefore he did threaten +with the judgment of God; it were wicked to think, that he would retract +that threatning which he pronounced by the Spirit of God. And therefore +this place confirms my thesis: if a tyrannical judge, acting contrary to +law, is not to be known or acknowledged to be a ruler, but upbraided as +a whited wall; then a tyrant is not to be known or acknowledged as such; +but the former is true, from this place: therefore also the latter. Paul +knew well enough he was a judge, and knew well enough what was his duty +to a judge, that he should not be reviled; but he would not acknowledge +this priest to be a judge, or retract his threatning against him. + +2. He is of God, and ordained of God; I proved before, tyrants are not +capable of this; yea, it were blasphemy to say, They are authorized, or +ordained of God, by his preceptive will. Hence, take only this argument. +All rulers that we must own are ordained of God, do reign, and are set +up by God, Prov. viii, 15. (for that and this place are parallel) but +tyrants do not reign, nor are set up by God, Hos. viii. 4. They are set +up (saith the Lord) but not by me: Ergo, we cannot own them to be +ordained of God. 3. Whosoever resisteth this power ordained of God, +resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist, shall receive to +themselves damnation, verse 2. This cannot be owned of a tyrant, that it +is a damnable sin to resist him, for it is duty to resist, and also +repress him, as is proven already, and shall be afterwards. Hence, +whatsoever authority we own subjection to, we must not resist it; but we +cannot own that we must not resist this authority: therefore we cannot +own it at all. Again, That cannot be the power not to be resisted, +which is acquired and improved by resisting the ordinance or God; but +the power of usurpers and tyrants is acquired and improved by resisting +the ordinance of God: Ergo, their power cannot be the power not to be +resisted. The major is manifest; for when the apostle says, The +resisting of the power brings damnation to the resister, certainly that +resistance cannot purchase dominion instead of damnation: and if he that +resists in a lesser degree, be under the doom of damnation; then +certainly he that does it in a greater degree, so as to complete it, in +putting himself in place of that power which he resisted, cannot be +free. The minor is also undeniable; for, if usurpers acquire their power +without resistance forcible and sensible, it is because they that defend +the power invaded, are wanting in their duty; but however morally the +tyrant or usurper is always, or in contrary order to a lawful power. 4. +Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil, and they that do +that which is good, shall have praise of the same, verse 3. This is the +character and duty of righteous magistrates, though it be not always +their administration; but an usurper and tyrant is not capable or +susceptible of this character; but, on the contrary, is, and must be a +terror to good works, and a praise to the evil: for he must be a terror +to them that would secure their rights and liberties in opposition to +his encroachments, which is a good work; and he must be a tutor, patron, +and protector of such, as encourage and maintain him in his usurpation +and tyranny, which is an evil work: and if he were a terror to the evil, +then he would be a terror to himself and all his accomplices, which he +cannot be. Therefore, that power which is not capable of the duties of +magistrates, cannot be owned; but the power of tyrants and usurpers is +such: Ergo--We find in scripture the best commentary on this character, +where the duties of a magistrate are described; they must justify the +righteous, and condemn the wicked, Deut. xxvii. 1. They must, as Job +did, deliver the poor that cry, and put on righteousness as a +clothing,----and be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, and a +father to the poor----and break the jaws of the wicked, Job xxix. 12, +17. Their throne must be established by righteousness, Prov. xvi. 12. A +king sitting on the throne of judgment must scatter away all evil with +his eyes----then mercy and truth will preserve him, and his throne is +upholden by mercy, Prov. xx. 8, 28. But tyrants have a quite contrary +character; the throne of iniquity frames mischief by a law, and condemns +the innocent blood, Psal. xciv. 20, 21. They judge not the fatherless, +neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them, Isa. i. 23. They +build their house by unrighteousness, and their chambers by wrong, and +use their neighbours service without wages, Jer. xxii. 13. They oppress +the poor, and crush the needy, Amos iv. 1. They turn judgment to gall, +and the fruit of righteousness to hemlock, and say, have we not taken +horns to us by our own strength, Amos vi. 12, 13. These contrary +characters cannot consist together. 5. He is the minister of God for +good, verse 4. not by providential commission, as Nebuchadnezzar was, +and tyrants may be eventually, by the Lord making all things turn about +for the good of the church; but he hath a moral commission from God, and +is entrusted by the people, to procure their public and political good +at least. + +Now, then tyranny and usurpation, are together inconsistible; for if +tyrants and usurpers were ministers for good, then they would restore +the public and personal rights, and rectify all wrongs done by them; but +then they must surrender their authority, and resign it, or else all +rights cannot be restored, nor wrongs rectified. Hence, these that +cannot be owned as magistrates of God for good, cannot be owned as +magistrates; but tyrants and usurpers, (and in particular this man) are +such as cannot be owned as ministers of God for good: Ergo----Again, if +magistracy be always a blessing, and tyranny and usurpation always a +curse, then they cannot be owned to be the same thing, and the one +cannot be owned to be the other; but magistracy, or the rightful +magistrate, is always a blessing; tyranny and usurpation, or the tyrant +and usurper, always a curse: Ergo----That the former is true, these +scriptures prove it. God provides him for the benefit of his people, 1 +Sam. xvi. 1. A just ruler is compared to the light of the morning, when +the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds, 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. So the +Lord exalted David's kingdom, for his people Israel's sake, 2 Sam. v. +12. Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he Solomon +king, to do judgment and justice, 1 Kings x. 9. When the righteous are +in authority the people rejoice----The king by judgment stablished the +land,----Prov. xxix. 2, 4. The Lord promises magistrates as a special +blessing, Isa. i. 26. Jer. xvii. 25. And therefore their continuance is +to be prayed for, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all +godliness and honesty, 1 Tim. ii. 2. And they must needs be a blessing, +because to have no ruler is a misery: for when Israel had no king, every +man did that which was right in his own eyes, Judges xvii. 6. And the +Lord threatens it as a curse to take away the stay and the staff----the +mighty man, and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, &c. Isa. iii. +1, 2. &c. And that the children of Israel shall abide many days without +a king, and without a prince, Hos. ii. 4. But on the other hand, tyrants +and usurpers are always a curse, and given as such: it is threatened +among the curses of the covenant, that the stranger shall get up above +Israel very high----and that they shall serve their enemies, which the +Lord shall send against them----and he shall put a yoke of iron upon +their neck, until he hath destroyed them, Deut. xxviii. 43, 48. As a +roaring lion and a ranging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor +people, Prov. xxviii. 15. and therefore, when the wicked beareth rule +the people mourn, Prov. xxix. 2. The Lord threatens it as a curse, that +he will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over +them, Isa. iii. 4. And if unqualified rulers be a curse, much more +tyrants. They are the rod of his anger, and the staff in their hand is +his indignation, his axe, and sawe, and rod, Isa. x. 5, 15. It is one +thing to call a man God's instrument, his rod, axe, sword, or hammer; +another thing to call him God's minister; there is a wide difference +betwixt the instruments of God's providence, and the ministers of his +ordinance; those fulfil his promises only, these do his precepts. Such +kings are given in the Lord's anger, Hos. xiii. 11. therefore they +cannot be owned to be ministers of God for good. 6. He beareth not the +sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute +wrath upon him that doth evil, verse 4. The apostle doth not say, He +that beareth the sword is the ruler, but he is the ruler that beareth +the sword. This is not every sword, for there is the sword of an enemy, +the sword of a robber, the sword of a common traveller; but this as a +faculty of political rule, and authoritative judgment. It is not said, +He takes the sword (as the Lord expresses the usurpation of that power, +Matth. xxvi. 52.) but he beareth the sword, hath it delivered him into +his hand by God, by God's warrant and allowance, not in vain; to no end +or without reason, or without a commission, as Paræus upon the place +expounds it. He is a revenger to execute wrath, not by private revenge, +for that is condemned by Paul before, Rom. xi. 19. not by providential +recompense, for when a private person so revengeth, it is the +providential repayment of God; but as God's minister, by him authorized, +commissionated, and warranted to this work. Now this cannot agree with a +tyrant or usurper, whose sword only legitimates his sceptre, and not his +sceptre his sword, who takes the sword rather than bears, and uses it +without reason or warrant from God, in the execution of his lustful rage +upon him that doth well, and hath no right to it from God. Hence, he +that beareth the sword no other way but as it may be said of a murderer, +cannot be a magistrate bearing the sword; but a tyrant and usurper +beareth the sword no other way but as it may be said of a murderer: +Ergo.----So much for the characters of a magistrate, which are every way +inapplicable to tyrants and usurpers, and as inapplicable to this of +ours as to any in the world. + +2. If we consider the scripture resemblances, importing the duty of +magistrates, and the contrary comparisons, holding forth the sin, +vileness, and villainy of tyrants and usurpers; we may infer, that we +cannot own the last to be the first. First, From the benefit they bring +to the commonwealth, magistrates are stiled, 1. Saviours, as Othniel the +son of Kenaz is called, Judges iii. 9. and Jehoahaz in his younger +years, 2 Kings xiii. 5. and all good judges and magistrates, Neh. ix. +27. But tyrants and usurpers cannot be such, for they are destroyers, +whom the Lord promises to make go forth from his people, Isa. xlix. 17. +The Chaldean tyrant is called the destroyer of the Gentiles, Jer. iv. 7. +and the destroyer of the Lord's heritage, Jer. l. 11. where they can no +more be owned to be magistrates, than Abaddon or Apollyon can be owned +to be a saviour. 2. From their paternal love to the people, they are +stiled fathers, and therefore to be honoured according to the fifth +command. So Deborah was raised up a mother in Israel, Judges v. 7. Kings +are nursing fathers by office, Isa. xlix. 23. But that tyrants cannot be +such, I have proved already; for they can no more be accounted fathers, +than he that abuseth or forceth our mother. 3. From the protection and +shelter that people find under their conduct, they are called shields, +Psal. xlvii. ult. The princes of the people, the shields of the earth, +belong unto God. But tyrants cannot be such, because they are the +subverters of the earth. 4. From the comfort that attends them, they are +resembled to the morning light, and fruitful showers of rain, 2 Sam. +xxiii. 4. They waited for me, as for the rain, saith Job xxix. 23. But +tyrants cannot be resembled to these, but rather to darkness, and to the +blast of the terrible ones, Isa. xxv. 4. as a storm against the wall. If +darkness cannot be owned to be light, then cannot tyrants be owned to be +magistrates. 5. From their pastoral care and conduct and duty, they are +feeders. The judges of Israel are commanded to feed the Lord's people, 1 +Chron. xvii. 6. David was brought to feed Jacob his people, and Israel +his inheritance, Psal. lxxvii. 71. But tyrants are wolves, not +shepherds. 6. By office they are physicians, or healers, Isa. iii. 7. +That tyrants cannot be such, is proven above. Secondly, On the other +hand, the vileness, villainy, and violence of tyrants and usurpers, are +held forth by fit resemblances, being compared to these unclean +creatures. 1. Tyrants are wicked dogs, as they who compass about Christ, +Psal. xxii. 16, 20. Saul is called Dog there, and in that golden psalm, +Psal. lix. 6. Saul and his accomplices watching the house to kill David, +make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 2. They are +pushing bulls, Psal. xxii. 12. and crushing kine of Bashan, that oppress +the poor, Amos iv. 1. They have need then to have their horns cut short. +3. They are roaring lions, that are wicked rulers over the poor people, +Prov. xxviii. 15. Zeph. iii. 3. So Paul calls Nero the lion, out of +whose mouth he was delivered, 2 Tim. iv. 17. 4. They are ranging bears, +Prov. xxvii. 15. So the Persian monarch is emblemized Dan. vii. 5. 5. +They are leviathan, the piercing serpent and dragon, Isa. xxvii. 1. and +have great affinity in name and nature with the apocalyptick dragon. So +also, Isaiah li. 9. the Egyptian tyrant is called dragon and +Nebuchadnezzar swallowed up the church like a dragon, Jer. li. 34. See +also Ezek. xxix. 3. 6. They are wolves, ravening for the prey, Ezek. +xxii. 27. Evening wolves, that gnaw not the bones till the morrow, Zeph. +iii. 3. 7. They are leopards; so the Grecian tyrants are called, Dan. +vii. 6. and antichrist, Rev. xiii. 2. 8. They are foxes; so Christ calls +Herod, Luke xiii. 32. 9. They are devils, who cast the Lord's people +into prison, Rev. ii. 10, 13. Now, can we own all these abominable +creatures to be magistrates? Can these be the fathers we are bound to +honour in the fifth commandment? They must be esteemed sons of dogs and +devils that believe so, and own themselves sons of such fathers. + +If we further take notice, how the Spirit of God describes tyranny, as +altogether contradistinct and opposite unto the magistracy he will have +owned; we may infer hence, tyrants and usurpers are not to be owned. +What the government instituted by God among his people was, the +scripture doth both relate in matter of fact, and describes what it +ought to be by right, viz. That according to the institution of God, +magistrates should be established by the constitution of the people, who +were to make them judges and officers in all their gates, that they +might judge the people with just judgment, Deut. xvi. 18. But foreseeing +that people would affect a change of that first form of government, and, +in imitation of their neighbouring nations, would desire a king, and +say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are about me, +Deut. xvii. 14. The Lord, intending high and holy ends by it, chiefly +the procreation of the Messias from a kingly race, did permit the +change, and gave directions how he should be moulded and bounded, that +was to be owned as the magistrate under a monarchical form; to wit, that +he should be chosen of God, and set up by their suffrages, that he +should be a brother, and not a stranger; that he should not multiply +horses, nor wives, nor money, (which are cautions all calculated for +the people's good, and the security of their religion and liberty, and +for precluding and preventing his degeneration into tyranny) and that he +should write a copy of the law in a book, according to that which he +should govern, verse 15. to the end of the chapter, yet the Lord did not +approve the change of the form, which that luxuriant people was long +affecting, and at length obtained: for, long before Saul was made king, +they proffered an hereditary monarchy to Gideon, without the boundaries +God's law required: which that brave captain knowing how derogatory it +was to the authority of God's institution, not to be altered in form or +frame without his order, generally refused, saying, I will not rule over +you, neither shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you, +Judges viii. 23. But his bastard, the first monarch and tyrant in +Israel, Abimelech, by sinistrous means being advanced to be king by the +traiterous Sechemites, Jotham, and other of the godly, disowned him; +which, by the Spirit of God, Jotham describes parabolically +significantly holding out the nature of that tyrannical usurpation, +under the apologue of the trees itching after a king, and the offer +being repudiate by the more generous sort, embraced by the bramble: +signifying, that men of worth and virtue would never have taken upon +them such an arrogant domination, and that such a tyrannical government, +in its nature and tendency, was nothing but an useless, worthless, +sapless, aspiring, scratching, and vexing shadow of a government, under +subjection to which there could be no peace nor safety. But this was +rather a tumultuary interruption than a change of the government; not +being universally either desired or owned; therefore, after that the +Lord restored the pristine form, which continued until, being much +perverted by Samuel's sons, the people unanimously and peremptorily +desired the change thereof, and, whether it were reason or not, would +have a king; as we were fondly set upon one, after we had been delivered +from his father's yoke: and the Lord gave them a king with a curse, and +took him away with a vengeance, Hos. xiii. 11. as he did our Charles II. +Yet he permitted it, but with a protestation against and conviction of +the sin, that thereby they had "rejected the Lord," 1 Sam. viii. 7. and +with a demonstration from heaven, which extorted their own confession, +that they "had added unto all their sins this evil to ask a king," 1 +Sam. xii. 17, 18, 19. And to deter and dissuade from such a conclusion, +he appoints the prophet to shew them the "manner of the king" that +should reign over them, 1 Sam. viii. 9. to declare before hand, what +sort of a ruler he would prove, when they got him; to wit, a mere +tyrant, who would take their sons and appoint them for himself, for his +chariots, and for horsemen, and to run before his chariots, and make +them his soldiers, and labourers of the ground, and instrument makers, +and household servants, and he would take their fields and +vineyards--the best of them, and give unto his servants. In a word, to +make all slaves; and that in the end, when this should come to pass, +they should cry out because of their king, but the Lord would not hear +them, ver. 11-18. All which, as it is palpable in itself, so we have +sensibly felt in our experience to be the natural description of +tyranny, but more tolerable than any account of ours would amount to. It +is both foolishly and falsely alledged by royalists or tyrannists, that +here is a grant of uncontroulable absoluteness to kings to tyrannize +over the people without resistance, and that this manner of the king is +in the original Mishphat, which signifies right or law; so that here was +a permissive law given to kings to tyrannize, and to oblige people to +passive obedience, without any remedy but tears; and therefore it was +registered, and laid up before the Lord in a book, 1 Sam. x. 25. But I +answer, 1. If any thing be here granted to kings, it is either by God's +approbation, directing and instructing how they should govern; or it is +only by permission and providential commission to them, to be a plague +to the people for their sin of choosing them, to make them drink as they +have brewed, as sometimes he gave a charge to the Assyrian rod to +trample them down as the mire of the streets: if the first be said, then +a king that does not govern after that manner, and so does not make +people cry out for their oppression, would come short of his duty, and +also behoved to tyrannize and make the people cry out; then a king may +take what he will from his subjects, and be approved of God: this were +blasphemy absurd, for God cannot approve of the sin of oppression. If +the second be said, then it cannot be an universal grant, or otherwise +all kings must be ordained for plagues; and if so, it were better we +wanted such nursing fathers. 2. Though Mishphat signifies right or law, +yet it signifies also, and perhaps no less frequently, manner, course, +or custom: and here it cannot signify the law of God, for all these acts +of tyranny are contrary to the law of God; for to make servants of +subjects is contrary to the law of God, Deut. xvii. 20. Forbidding to +lift up himself so far above his brethren; but this was to deal with +them as a proud Pharaoh; to take so many for chariots and horsemen, is +also contrary to the law, Deut. xvii. 15. "He shall not multiply +horses;" to take their fields and vineyards is mere robbery, contrary to +the moral and judicial law, whereof he was to have always a copy, ver. +18. And contrary to Ezek. xlvi. 18. "The prince shall not take of the +peoples inheritance," &c. This would justify Ahab's taking Naboth's +vineyard, which yet the Lord accounted robbery, and for which tyrants +are called "companions of thieves," Isa. i. 23. and "robbers," Isa. +xlii. 24. into whose hands the Lord sometimes may give his people for a +spoil in judicial providence; but never with his approbation and grant +of right: to make them cry out, is oppression, which the Lord abhors, +Isa. v. 7, 8. And if this be all the remedy, it is none; for it is such +a cry, as the Lord threatens he will not hear. 3. It is false, that this +manner of the Lord was registred in that book mentioned, 1 Sam. x. 25. +for that was the law of the kingdom, accordingly the copy of which the +king was to have for his instruction containing the fundamental laws, +point blank contrary to this which was the manner of the king; there is +a great difference between the manner of the kingdom, which ought to be +observed as law, and the manner of the king, what he would have as lust. +Would Samuel write in a book the rules of tyranny, to teach to oppress, +contrary to the law of God? He says himself, he would only teach both +king and people "the good and the right way," 1 Sam. xii. 23, 25. 4. +Nothing can be more plain, than that this was a mere dissuasive against +seeking; for he protests against this course, and then lays before them +what sort of a king he should be, in a description of many acts of +tyranny; and yet in the end it is said, 1 Sam. vii. 19. "Nevertheless +the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel, and said, Nay, but we +will have a king." + +Now, what else was the voice of Samuel, than a dissuasion? I am not here +levelling this argument against monarchy in the abstract, that does not +ly in my road; but I infer from thence, 1. If God was displeased with +this people for asking and owning a king, who was only to become a +tyrant and dissuades from the choice, by a description of his future +tyranny; then certainly he was displeased with them, when they continued +owning, when he was a tyrant indeed, according to that description; but +the former is true, therefore also the latter. The consequence is clear: +for continuing in sin is sin; but continuing in owning that tyrant, +which was their sin at first, was a continuing in sin; therefore----The +minor is confirmed thus: continuing is counteracting the motives of +God's dissuasion, especially when they are sensibly visible, is a +continuing in sin; but their continuing in owning Saul after he became a +tyrant, was a continuing in counteracting the motives of God's +dissuasion, when they were sensibly visible. I do not say, because it +was their sin to ask Saul, therefore it was not lawful to own him, while +he ruled as a magistrate: and so if Charles II. had ruled righteously, +it would not have been sin to own him; but after the Lord uses +dissuasives from a choice of such an one, and these are signally +verified, if it was to make the choice, then it must be sin to keep it. +2. If it was their sin to seek and set up such an one before he was +tyrant, who yet was admitted upon covenant terms, and the manner of it +registred; then much more is it a sin to seek and set up one, after he +declared himself a tyrant, and to admit him without any terms at all, or +for any to consent or give their suffrage to such a deed; but the former +is true, therefore the latter: and consequently, to give our consent to +the erection of the duke of York, by owning his authority, was our sin. +3. If it be a sin to own the manner of the king there described, then it +is a sin to own the pretended authority, which is the exact transumpt of +it; but it is a sin to own the manner of the king there described, or +else it would never have been used as a dissuasive from seeking such a +king. 4. To bring ourselves under such a burden, which the Lord will not +remove, and involve ourselves under such a misery, wherein the Lord will +not hear us, is certainly a sin, ver. 18. But to own or choose such a +king, whose manner is there described, would bring ourselves under such +a burden and misery, wherein the Lord would not hear us: therefore it +were our sin. + +4. We may add the necessary qualifications of magistrates, which the +Lord requires to be in all, both superior and inferior: and thence it +may be inferred, that such pretended rulers, who neither have nor can +have these qualifications, and are not to be owned as ministers, who +have no qualifications for such a function. We find their essentially +necessary qualifications particularly described. Jethro's counsel was +God's counsel and command; that rulers must be able men such as fear +God, men of truth, hating covetousness, Exod. xviii. 21. Tyrants and +usurpers have none, nor can have any of these qualifications, except +that they may have ability of force, which is not here meant: but that +they be morally able for the discharge of their duty: surely they cannot +fear God, nor be men of truth; for then they would not be tyrants. It is +God's direction, that the man to be advanced and assumed to rule, must +be a man in whom is the spirit, Numb. xxvii. 18. as is said of Joshua; +what spirit this was, Deut. xxxiv. 9. explains, he was full of the +spirit of wisdom, that is, the spirit of government; not the spirit of +infernal Jesuitical policy, which tyrants may have, but they cannot have +the true regal spirit, but such a spirit as Saul had when he turned +tyrant, an evil spirit from the Lord. Moses saith, They must be wise +men, and understanding, and known among the tribes, Deut. i. 13. for if +they be children or fools, they are plagues and punishments, Isa. iii. +2, 3, 4. &c. not magistrates, who are always blessings. And they must be +known men of integrity, not known to be knaves or fools, as all tyrants +are always. The law of the king is, Deut. xvii. 15. he must be one of +the Lord's chusing. Can tyrants and usurpers be such? No, they are set +up, but not by him, Hos. viii. 4. He must be a brother, and not a +stranger, that is, of the same nation, and of the same religion: for +though infidelity does not make void a magistrate's authority; yet both +by the law of God and man, he ought not to be chosen, who is an enemy to +religion and liberty. Now it were almost treason, to call the tyrant a +brother; and I am sure it is no reason, for he disdains it, being +absolute above all. That good king's testament confirms this, the God of +Israel said, the rock of Israel spake, he that ruleth over men must be +just, ruling in the fear of God, 2 Sam. xxiii. 3. But tyrants and +usurpers cannot be just: for if they should render every one their +right, they would keep none to themselves, but behoved to resign their +robberies in the first place, and then also they must give the law its +course, and that against themselves. These scriptures indeed do not +prove, that all magistrates are in all their administrations so +qualified, nor that none ought to be owned, but such as are so qualified +in all respects. But as they demonstrate what they ought to be, so they +prove, that they cannot be magistrates of God's ordaining, who have none +of these qualifications: but tyrants and usurpers have none of these +qualifications. Much more do they prove, that they cannot be owned to be +magistrates who are not capable of any of these qualifications: but +usurpers are not capable of any or these qualifications. At least they +conclude, in so far as they are not so qualified, they ought not to be +owned, but disowned; but tyrants and usurpers are not so qualified in +any thing: therefore in any thing they are not be owned, but disowned. +For in nothing are they so qualified as the Lord prescribes. + +Secondly, I shall offer some reasons from scripture assertions. + +1. It is strongly asserted in Elihu's speech to Job, that he that hateth +right should not govern, where he is charging Job with blasphemy, in +accusing God of injustice; of which he vindicates the almighty, in +asserting his sovereignty and absolute dominion, which is inconsistent +with injustice, and shews both that if he be sovereign, he cannot be +unjust: and if he be unjust, he could not be sovereign: which were +horrid blasphemy to deny. And in the demonstration of this, he gives one +maxim in a question, which is equivalent to an universal negative, Job +xxxiv. 17, 18. Shall even he that hateth right govern? And wilt thou +condemn him that is most just? Is it fit to say to a king, thou art +wicked; and to princes ye are ungodly? In which words, the scope makes +it clear, that if Job made God a hater of right, he should then deny his +government; and if he took upon him to condemn him of injustice, he +should blasphemously deny him to be king of the world. For it is not fit +to say to any king, that he is wicked, or so ungodly, as to be a hater +of right; for that were treason, lese majesty, and in effect a denying +him to be king; much less is it fit to say to him that is King of kings. +Here then it is affirmed, and supposed to hold good of all governors, +that he that hateth right should not govern, or bind, as it is in the +margin; for Habash signifies both to bind and to govern, but all to one +sense; for governors only can bind subjects authoratively, with the +bonds of laws and punishments. I know the following words are alledged +to favour the uncontroulableness and absoluteness of princes, that it is +not fit to say to them, they are wicked. But plain it is, the words do +import treason against lawful kings, whom to call haters of right were +to call their kingship in question; as the scope shews, in that these +words are adduced to justify the sovereignty of God by his justice, and +to confute any indirect charging him with injustice, because that would +derogate from his kingly glory, it being impossible he could be king, +and unjust too. So in some analogy, though every and of injustice do not +unking a prince; yet to call him wicked, that is habitually unjust, and +a hater of justice, were as much as to say, he is no king, which were +intolerable treason against lawful kings. But this is no treason against +tyrants; for truth and law can be no treason: now this is the language +of truth and law, that wicked kings are wicked; and they that are wicked +and ungodly ought to be called so, as Samuel called Saul, and Elijah, +Ahab, &c. However it will hold to be a true maxim, whether we express it +by way of negation or interrogation. + +Shall even he that hateth right govern? But are not tyrants and usurpers +haters of right? Shall therefore they govern? I think it must be +answered, they should not govern. If then they should not govern, I +infer, they should not be owned as governors. For if it be their sin to +govern (right or wrong, it is all one case, for they should not govern +at all) then it is our sin to own them in their government: for it is +always a sin to own a man in his sinning. + +The royal prophet, or whoever was the penman of that appeal for justice +against tyranny, Psal. xciv. 20. does tacitly assert the same truth, in +that expostulation, shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with +thee, that frameth mischief by a law? Which is as much as if he had +said, the throne of iniquity shall not, no, cannot have fellowship with +God; that is, it cannot be the throne of God that he hath any interest +in, or concern with, by way of approbation: he hath nothing to do with +it, except it be to suffer it a while, till he take vengeance on it in +the end. And shall we have fellowship with that throne, that God hath no +fellowship with, and that is not his throne, but the devil's, as it must +be, if God doth not own it? Much may be argued from hence; but in a +word, a throne which is not of God, nor ordained of God, but rather of +the devil, cannot be owned (for that is the reason of our subjection to +any power, because it is of God, and ordained of God, Rom. xiii. 1. And +that is the great dignity of magistracy, that its throne, is the throne +of God, 1 Chron. xxix. 23.) But a throne of tyranny and usurpation, is a +throne which is not of God, nor ordained of God, but rather of the +devil: Ergo----. The minor is proved: a throne of iniquity, &c. is a +throne which is not of God, nor ordained of God, but rather of the +devil; but a throne of tyranny and usurpation is a throne of iniquity: +Ergo, it is not of God, and so not to be owned. + +3. The Lord charges it upon Israel as a transgression of his covenant, +and trespass against his law, that they had set up kings, and not by +him, and had made princes and he knew it not, Hos. viii. 4. and then +taxes them with idolatry, which ordinarily is the consequent of it, as +we have reason to fear will be in our case. He shews there the apostasy +of that people, in changing both the ordinances of the magistracy and of +the ministry, both of the kingdom and of the priesthood, in which two +the safety of that people was founded: so they overturned all the order +of God, and openly declared they would not be governed by the hand of +God, as Calvin upon the place expounds it. Whereas, the Lord had +commanded, if they would set up kings, they should set none up but whom +he choosed, Deut. xvii. 15. yet they had no regard to this, nor +consulted him in their admission of kings, but set them up, and never +let him to wit of it, without his knowledge; that is, without consulting +him, and without his approbation, for it can have no other sense. I +know, it is alledged by several interpreters, that here is meant the +tribes secession from the house of David, and their setting up Jeroboam. +I shall confess that the ten tribes did sin in that erection of +Jeroboam, without respect to the counsel or command of God, without +waiting on the vocation of God, as to the times and manner, and without +covenanting with him for security for their religion and liberty; but +that their secession from David's line, which by no precept or promise +of God they were astricted to, but only conditionally, if his children +should walk in the ways of God, or that their erecting of Jeroboam was +materially their sin, I must deny; and assert, that if Jeroboam had not +turned tyrant and apostate from God (for which they should have rejected +him afterwards, and returned to the good kings of David's line) he would +have been as lawful a king as any in Judah, for he got the kingdom from +the Lord the same way, and upon the same terms that David did, as may be +seen expressly in 1 Kings xi. 38. It must be therefore meant, either +generally of all tyrants whom they would set up without the Lord's mind, +as at first they would have kings on any terms though they should prove +tyrants, as we have seen in Saul's case. Or particularly Omri whom they +set up, but not by the Lord; 1 Kings xvi. 16. And Ahab his son, and +Shallum, Menaham, Pekah, &c. who were all set up by blood and treachery, +the same way that our popish duke is now set up, but not by the Lord, +that is by his approbation. Hence I argue, those kings that are not +owned of God, nor set up by him, must not be owned by us (for we can own +none for kings but those that reign by him, Prov. viii. 15. and are +ordained of him, Rom. xiii. 1.) But tyrants and usurpers are not owned +of God as kings, nor are set up by him: Ergo----Again, if it be a sin to +set up kings, and not by God, then it is a sin to own them when set up: +for, that is a partaking of, and continuing in the sin of that erection, +and hath as much affinity with it, as resetting hath with theft; for if +they be the thieves, they are the resetters who receive them and own +them. + +4. The prophet Habakkuk, in his complaint to God of the Chaldean +tyranny, asserts that God hath made righteous, as the fishes of the sea, +as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them, Habak. i. 14. Now +how were they said to be without a ruler, when the Chaldean actually +commanded, and absolutely ruled over them? yea, how can the fishes and +reptiles have no ruler over them? If domineering be ruling, they want +not that; when the weaker are over-mastered by the stronger, and by them +made either to be subject, or to become their prey. But the meaning is, +these creatures have no ruler over them by order of nature: and the Jews +had then no ruler over them by order of law, or ordination from God, or +any that was properly their magistrate by divine institution, or human +orderly constitution. + +We see then it is one thing for a people to have an arbitrary or +enthralling tyranny; another to have true magistracy or authority to be +owned over them; without which kingdoms are but as mountains of prey, +and seas of confusion. Hence I argue, if the Jews having the Chaldean +monarch tyrannizing over them, had really no ruler over them, then is a +tyrant and usurper not to be owned for a ruler: but the former is true: +therefore also the latter. + +5. Our Saviour Christ delivers this as a commonly received, and a true +maxim, John viii. 54. "He that honoureth himself, his honour is +nothing." The Jews had objected that he had only made himself Messias, +ver. 53. To whom he answers, by way of concession, if it were so indeed, +then his claims were void, if I honour my self, my honour is nothing: +and then claims an undubitable title to his dignity, It is my father +that honoureth me. Here is a twofold honour distinguished, the one real, +the other suppositious and null, the one renounced, the other owned by +Christ, self-honour, and honour which is from God. Hence I argue, a +selfcreated dignity is not to be owned; the authority of tyrants and +usurpers is a self created dignity: Ergo----. This was confirmed above. + +Thirdly, I shall offer some other considerations confirming this truth, +from those scriptures which I class among precepts. And these I find of +divers sorts touching this subject. + +1. I shew before that the greatest of men, even kings, are not exempted +from punishment, if guilty of capital crimes; for where the law +distinguisheth not, we ought not to distinguish. There is one special +and very peremptory law, given before the law for regulating kings, +which, by that posterior law, was neither abrogated nor limited even as +to kings, Deut. xiii. 6-9. If thy brother (and a king must be a brother, +Deut. xvii. 15.)--entice thee secretly, saying, let us go and serve +other gods--Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him, +neither shall thine eye pity him. How famous Mr. Knox improved this +argument, is shewed in the third period. That which I take notice of +here is only, that kings are not excepted from this law; but if they be +open enticers to idolatry, by force or fraud, persecution or toleration, +as this idolater now reigning is palpably doing, they are obnoxious to a +legal animadversion. As it cannot be supposed, that secret enticers +should be liable to punishment, and not open avouchers of a desire and +design to pervert all the nation to idolatry: that a private perverter +of one man, though never so nearly and dearly related, should be pursued +and brought to condign punishment, and a public subverter of whole +nations, and introducer of a false and blasphemous idolatrous religion, +should escape scot free. Let the punishment inflicted be in a judicial +way, and of what measures it pleases the judge to determine, I shall not +controvert here; only I plead, that idolatrous tyrants are not excepted +from this law: and infer, that if they ought to be punished, they ought +to be deposed; and if they ought to be deposed, they cannot be owned, +when undeniably guilty of this capital crime, as was urged above. + +To this I may add that part of that prophetical king's testament; who, +being about to leave the world, under some challenges of +maladministration in his own government, (for which he took himself to +the well ordered everlasting covenant, for pardon and encouragement,) +after he had shewn what rulers should be, he threatens, by antithesis, +tyrannical pretenders, in these severe words, which do also imply a +precept, and a direction how to deal with them, 2 Sam. xxiii. 6, 7. "But +they of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they +cannot be taken with hands, but the man that shall touch them must be +fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly +burnt with fire in the same place." Let these words be understood as a +threatning against all the wicked in general, who are to be quenched as +the fire of thorns; or particularly of the promoters of antichrist's +kingdom, in opposition to Christ's, as some interpreters judge; it will +not weaken, but confirm my argument, if kings who are ringleaders of +that gang be not excepted. + +I know some do understand this of rebels against righteous rulers: which +though indeed it be a truth, that they that are such should be so +served, and roughly handled with iron, and the staff of a spear; yet it +is not so consonant to the scope and connexion of this place, shewing +the characters of righteous rulers, and of usurping tyrants, making an +opposition between rulers that are just, ruling in the fear of God, and +those that are rulers of Belial, promising blessing upon the government +of the one, and contempt and rejection to the other, and shewing how +both should be carried towards: neither does it agree with the words +themselves, where the supplement in our translation is redundant; for it +is not in the Hebrew. The sons of Belial, only they of Belial, clearly +relative to the rulers of whom he was speaking before. And indeed the +word Belial, in its etymology is not more applicable to any than to +tyrants; for it comes from beli not, and Hhall above, because they will +have none above them, or from beli not, and Hhol a yoke, because they +cannot suffer a yoke, but cast away the yoke of laws and the yoke of +Christ, saying, Let us burst his bands, &c. Nor is it always agreeable +to truth, to understand it only of rebels against righteous rulers, that +they can never be taken with hands: For as very rarely righteous rulers +have any rebels to be the objects of their rigour and rage; so when +there are any, discreet and wise rulers will find many ways to take and +touch them, and quath or quiet them. But it is always true of tyrants, +for they can never be taken with hands, neither in a friendly manner, +taken by the hand and transacted within any bargain as other men, for +they that would do so, will find them like pricking and jagging briers, +which a man cannot handle without hurt to himself: nor can they be any +other way repressed or restrained, or touched, but by hands fenced with +iron, that is, with the sword of necessity, or axe of justice. And this +is insinuated as duty, so to endeavour to extirpate and eradicate such +thorns, as pester the commonwealth; but if it cannot be done, it must be +duty and wisdom both not to meddle with them, nor own them, no more than +Jotham, who would not subject himself, nor come under the shadow of the +bastard bramble. I confess it is commonly taken as a threatning of the +Lord's judgment against these sons of Belial: And so it is. But it +teacheth also what men are called to, when they have to do with such, to +wit, to take the same course with them as they would to clear the ground +of thorns and briers. And that it is restricted to the Lord's immediate +way of taking them off, is not credible: for, it can have no tolerable +sense to say, they shall be thrust away, because they cannot be taken +with the Lord's hands: neither is there need, that he should be fenced +with iron, &c. And let iron, &c. be taken tropically for the Lord's +sword of vengeance; yet how can it be understood, that he must be fenced +therewith? or that he will thrust them away, as a man must be fenced +against thorns? What defence needs the Lord against tyrants! It is only +then intelligible, that the Lord, in his righteous judgment, will make +use of men and legal means, and of those who cannot take them with +hands, in his judicial procedure against them. Hence I argue, if tyrants +are to be dealt with as thorns, that cannot be taken with hands, but to +be thrust away by violence, then, when we are not in case to thrust them +away, we must let them alone, and not meddle nor make with them, and so +must not own them, for we cannot own them without meddling, and without +being pricked to our hurt; but the former is true: therefore,--Of this +same nature, another threatning confuting the pretence of the prince's +impunity, may be subjoined out of Psal. lxxxii. 6, 7. "I have said, ye +are gods, and all of you are children of the most high, but ye shall die +like men, and fall as one of the princes." From which words the learned +author of the history of the Douglasses, Mr. David Hume of Godscraft, in +his discourse upon Mr. Craig's sermon, upon the words, doth strongly +prove, that the scope is to beat off all kings, princes and rulers, from +the conceit of impunity for their tyrannical dominations; that they must +not think to domineer and do what they list, and overturn the +foundations or fundamental laws of kingdoms, because they are gods; as +if they were thereby uncontroulable, and above all law and punishment: +no, they must know, that if they be guilty of the same transgressions of +the law, as other capital offenders, they shall die like other men, and +fall as princes, who have been formerly punished. It is not to be +restricted to a threatning of mortality; for that is unavoidable, +whether they judge justly or unjustly, and the fear thereof usually hath +little efficacy to deter men from crimes punishable by law: neither can +it be understood only of the Lord's immediate hand taking them away, +exclusive of men's legal punishment; for expressly they are threatned to +die like common men, and to be liable to the like punishment with them: +now, common men are not only liable to the Lord's immediate judgment, +but also to men's punishment. Hence, if tyrants and overturners of the +foundations of the earth must be punished as other men, then when they +are such, they cannot be looked upon as righteous rulers, for +righteous rulers must not be punished; but the former is true: +therefore,--According to these scriptures, which either express or imply +a precept to have no respect to princes in judgment, when turning +criminals, we find examples of the people's punishing Amaziah, &c. +which is recorded without a challenge, and likewise Athaliah. + +2. There is a precept given to a humbled people, that have groaned long +under the yoke of tyranny and oppression, enjoining them, as a proof of +their sincerity in humiliation, to bestir themselves in shaking off +those evils they had procured by their sin, Isa. lviii. 6. "Is not this +the fast that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo +the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break +every yoke?" which are all good works of justice and mercy, and more +acceptable to God, than high flown pretences of humiliation, under a +stupid submission, and hanging down the head as a bulrush. We see it +then a duty to relieve the oppressed, and to repress tyranny, and break +its yoke. If it be objected, (1.) That these are spiritual bonds and +yokes, that are here commanded to be loosed and broken; or if any +external be meant, they are only the yokes, of their exactions and +usuries. For Answ. I grant, that it is the great duty of a people +humbling themselves before the Lord, "to break off their sins by +righteousness, and their iniquity, by shewing mercy to the poor," Dan. +iv. 27. but that this is the genuine and only sense of this place, +cannot be proved, or approved by the scope; which is, to press them to +those duties they omitted, whereby the poor oppressed people of God +might be freed from the yokes of them that made them to howl, and to +bring them to the conviction of those sins for which the Lord was +contending with them, whereof this was one, that they exacted all their +labours, or things wherewith others were grieved (as the margin reads) +or suffered the poor to be oppressed. (2.) If it be alledged, that this +is the duty proper to rulers to relieve the oppressed, &c. I answer, it +is so; but not peculiar to them: yet most commonly they are the +oppressors themselves, and cast out the poor, which others must take +into their houses. But the duty here is pressed upon all the people, +whose sins are here cried out against (ver. 1.) upon all who professed +the service of God, and asked the ordinances of justice (ver. 2.) upon +all who were fasting and humbling themselves, and complained they had no +success (ver 3.) the reasons whereof the Lord discovers (ver. 4, 5.) +whereof this was one, that they did not loose those bands, nor break +these yokes, nor relieved the oppressed; and those works of justice +(ver. 6) are pressed upon the same grounds, that the works of mercy are +pressed upon (ver. 7.) sure these are not all, nor only rulers. Hence I +argue, if it be a duty to break every yoke of oppression and tyranny, +then it is a duty to come out from under their subjection; but the +former is true: therefore also the latter. + +3. In answer to that grand objection of the Jews subjection to +Nebuchadnezzar, I shewed what little weight or force there is in it. And +here I shall take an argument from that same passage. The Lord commands +his people there, to desert and disown Zedekiah, who was the possessor +of the government at present, and says, it was the way of life to fall +to the Chaldeans, Jer. xxi. 8, 9. which was a falling away from the +present king. Either this commanded subjection to the Chaldeans is an +universal precept; or it is only particular at that time. If it be +universal, obliging people to subject themselves to every conqueror, +then it is also universal, obliging people to renounce and disown every +covenant-breaking tyrant, as here they were to fall away from Zedekiah: +if it be only particular, then the owners of tyranny have no advantage +from this passage. And I have advantage, so far as the ground of the +precept is as moral, as the reason of that punishment of Zedekiah, which +was his perfidy and perjury. Hence, if the Lord hath commanded to disown +a king breaking covenant, then at least it is not insolent or +unprecedented to do so; but here the Lord hath commanded to disown a +king: therefore,-- + +Fourthly, We may have many confirmations of this truth from scripture +practices approven. + +1. I was but hinting before, how that after the death of that brave +captain and judge Gideon, when Abimelech, the son of his whore, did +first aspire into a monarchy, which he persuaded the silly Shechemites +to consent to, by the same argument, which royalists make so much of, +for asserting the necessity of an hereditary monarchy, (whether it is +better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal----reign over you, +or that one reign over you?) and by bloody cruelty did usurp a +monarchical or rather tyrannical throne of domination, founded upon the +blood of his seventy brethren, (as we know, whose throne is founded upon +the blood of all the brethren he had,) Jotham, who escaped, scorned to +put his trust under the shadow of such a bramble, and they that did +submit, found his parable verified, a mutual fire reciprocally consuming +both the usurping king and his traiterous subjects; neither did all the +godly in Israel submit to him. See Pool's Synopsis Critic. on the place, +Jud. ix. Here is one express example of disowning a tyrant and usurper. + +2. I shewed before, how, after the period of that theocracy, which the +Lord had maintained and managed for some time in great mercy and majesty +in and over his people, they itching after novelties, and affecting to +be neighbour-like, rejected the Lord in desiring a king; and the Lord +permitting it, gave them a king in wrath, (the true original and only +sanction of tyrannical monarchy,) when the characters of his tyranny, +presaged by Samuel, were verified in his aspiring into a great deal of +absoluteness especially in his cruel persecuting of David, not only the +600 men that were David's followers stood out in opposition to him, but, +in the end, being weary of his government, many brave and valiant men, +whom the Spirit of God commends and describes very honourably, fell off +from Saul, even when he was actually tyrannizing, before he was dead, 1 +Chron. xii. 1. &c. They came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept +himself close, because of Saul the son of Kish, (N.B. now he is not +honoured with the name of king,) they were armed with bows, and could +use both the right hand and the left. And of the Gadites, there +separated themselves unto David men of might, fit for the battle, that +could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were as the faces of lions, +ver. 8. And the Spirit came upon Amasai chief of the captains, saying, +thine are we David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse. Here was a +formed revolt from Saul unto David before he was king; for after this he +was made king in Hebron, and there could not be two kings at once. Hence +I argue, if people may separate themselves from, and take part with the +resister, against a tyrant; then they may disown him, (for if they own +him still to be the minister of God, they must not resist him, Rom. +xiii. 2.) But here is an example that many people did separate +themselves from Saul, and took part with the resister David: +therefore----Here two of the first monarchs of Israel were disowned, +Abimelech and Saul. + +3. The first hereditary successor was likewise disowned, as was hinted +above likewise. The ten tribes offer to covenant with Rehoboam, in terms +securing their rights and liberties. They desired nothing on the matter, +but that he would engage to rule over them according to the law of God; +to which, when he answered most tyrannically, and avowed he would +tyrannize over them, and oppress them more than any of his predecessors, +they fell away from, and erected themselves into a new commonwealth, 1. +Kings xii. 16. So when Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, +they answered, what portion have we in David? Neither have we +inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel; now see to +thine own house David, 2 Chron. x. 16. Now, however the event of this +declared revolt proved sorrowful, when they and their new king made +defection unto idolatry, yet if they had stated and managed it right, +the cause was good, justifiable, and commendable. For, (1.) We find +nothing in all the text condemning this. (2.) On the contrary, it is +expressly said, the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his +saying, which he spake by Ahijah, 1 Kings xii. 15. 2 Chron. x. 15. And +(3.) When Rehoboam was preparing to pursue his pretended right, he was +reproved and discharged by Shemaiah, ye shall not go up, nor fight +against your brethren, for this thing is from me, 1 Kings xii. 24. 2 +Chron. xi. 4. (4.) Whereas it is alledged by some, that this was of God +only by his providence, and not by his ordinance; the contrary will +appear, if we consider how formally and covenant-wise the Lord gave ten +tribes to Jeroboam, 1. Kings xi. 35, 37, 38. "I will take the kingdom +out of his son's hand, and I will give it unto thee, even ten tribes; +and I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy +soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel; and it shall be, if thou +wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and +do that which is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and +commandments, as David my servant did, that I will be with thee, and +build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto +thee." + +Where we see the kingdom was given unto him on the same terms and +conditions, that it was given to David. He may indeed give kingdoms to +whom he will, by providential grant, as unto Nebuchadnezzar, and others; +but he never gave them a kingdom upon these conditions, and, by way of +covenant, that does always imply and import his word, warrant, and +ordinance. (5.) If we consider the cause of the revolt, we will find it +very just: for after the decease of the former king, they enter upon +terms of a compact with the successor, upon a suspensive condition, to +engage into fealty and allegiance to him as subjects, if he would give +them security for their liberties and privileges. A very lawful, +laudable and necessary transaction, founded upon moral equity, and upon +the fundamental constitutions of that government, and suitable to the +constant practice of their predecessors, in their covenanting with Saul +and David. As for that word, 1 Kings xii. 19. So Israel rebelled against +the house of David: it is no more than in the margin, they fell away or +revolted; and no more to be condemned than Hezekiah's rebellion, 2 Kings +xviii. 7. The Lord was with him, and he rebelled against the king of +Assyria. That was a good rebellion. Hence if it be lawful for a part of +the people to shake off the king, refuse subjection to him, and set up a +new king of their own, when he resolveth to play the tyrant, and rule +them after his own absolute power; then it is a duty, when he actually +plays the tyrant, and by his absolute power overturns laws and religion, +and claims by law such a prerogative; but the former is true: +Ergo----See Jus populi vindic. chap. 3. page 52. + +4. This same Jeroboam, when he turned tyrant and idolater, was revolted +from and deserted by the priests and the levites, and after them out of +all the tribes of Israel, by all such as set their heart to seek the +Lord God of Israel; because that king, degenerating into tyranny and +idolatry, had put them from the exercise of their office and religion +(as our Charles did,) and ordained him priests for the devils, and for +the calves: so they returned to Rehoboam, being induced by his +administration of the government, which for a time was better than he +promised, for three years he walked in the ways of David and Solomon, 2 +Chron. xi. 13,--17. Hence I argue, if idolatrous tyrants may be +deserted, then they may be disowned abroad, it is the same duty at home, +though may be not the same policy or prudence. + +5. Another example of the like nature we have in the reign of Baasha, +who succeeded to Nadab, Jeroboam's son, whom he slew, and reigned in his +stead, (the same way that the duke came to the throne) for he could not +keep his subjects within his kingdom, but behoved to build Ramah, that +he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah, a +good prince, 1 Kings xv. 17. yet that could not hinder them, but many +strangers out of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and Simeon, fell to him in +abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him, 2 Chron. +xv. 9. Hence, if people may choose another king, when they see the Lord +is with him, then they may disown their country king, when they see the +devil is with him. + +9. When Jeroboam, the son of Ahab, reigned over Israel, we have an +express example of Elisha's disowning him, 2 Kings iii. 14, 15. And +Elisha said unto the king of Israel, what have I to do with thee?----As +the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I +regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look +towards thee, nor see thee. Here he declares so much contempt of him, +and so little regard, that he disdains him a look. + +And if he would not regard him, nor give him honour, then he did not own +him as king; for all kings are to be honoured, that are owned to be +kings really. It may be alledged by some, that Elisha was an +extraordinary man, and this was an extraordinary action, and therefore +not imitable. I shall grant it so far extraordinary, that it is not +usual to carry so to persons of that figure, and that indeed there are +few Elishas now, not only for his prophetic spirit which now is ceased, +but even in respect of his gracious spirit of zeal, which in a great +measure is now extinguished: he was indeed an extraordinary man, and +this action did demonstrate much of the spirit of Elias to have been +abiding with him. But that this was was inimitable, these reasons +induce me to deny, (1.) Prophets were subjects to kings, as well as +others, as Nathan was to David (1 Kings i 32, 33.) every soul must be +subject to the higher powers that are of God. (2.) All the actions of +prophets were not extraordinary, nor did they every thing by +extraordinary inspiration; that was peculiar to Christ, that he could +prophesy, and do extraordinary acts when he pleased, because he received +the spirit not by measure, and it rested upon him. (3.) This particular +action and carriage was before he called for the minstrel, and before +the hand of the Lord came upon him, ver. 15. Ergo, this was not by +inspiration. (4.) The ground of this was moral and ordinary, for hereby +he only shewed himself to be a person fit to abide in the Lord's +tabernacle, and an upright walker, in whose eyes a vile person is +contemned, Psal. xv. 4. And a just man, to whom the unjust is an +abomination, Prov. xxix. 29. What further can be alledged against this +instance, I see not. And I need draw no argument by consequence, it is +so plain. + +7. This same Jehoram, after many signal demonstrations of the power of +God exerted in the ministry of his servant Elisha, which sometimes did +extort his acknowledgement, and made him call the prophet his father, 2 +Kings vi. 21. yet, when in the strait siege of Samaria, he was plagued +with famine for his idolatry, insomuch that the pitiful mothers were +made to eat their own tender children; became so insolent a tyrant, that +being incensed into a madness of outragious malice against the prophet +Elisha, that he sware, God do so to him, and more also, if the head of +Elisha, the son of Shaphat, should stand on him that day, accordingly he +sent a messenger to execute it. But the prophet, from a principle of +nature, and reason, and law, as well as grace, and by the spirit of a +man as well as of a prophet, stood upon his defence and encouraged those +that were with him to keep out the house against him, saying, see ye how +this son of a murderer (a proper stile for such a monster of a king) +hath sent to take away mine head--2 Kings vi. 32. This is a strong +argument for self defence; but I improve it thus; if tyrants may be +opposed as sons of murderers, and murderers themselves, and no otherwise +to be accounted than under such a vile character, then can they not be +owned as kings; but here is an example for the first: Ergo.-- + +8. This man's brother in law, of the same name, Jehoram the son of +Jehoshaphat, who had the daughter of Ahab to wife, and therefore walked +in the way of the house of Ahab, gives us another instance. He turned +apostate and tyrant, and Abimelech-like (or if you will, York-like) slew +his brethren, and divers also of the princes of Israel; moreover he made +high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of +Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto: for which +cause of his intolerable insolency in wickedness, Libnah one of the +cities of priests in Judah, revolted from him, 2 Kings viii. 22. because +he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers, 2 Chron. xxi. 10. which was +the motive and impulsive cause of their disowning him, and is not to be +detorted to that restricted cavil of royalists, understanding it only as +the meritorious or procuring cause of his punishment, and loss sustained +thereby; for it is not said of the Edomites, who revolted at the same +time, as it is mentioned in another paragraph; neither of the +Philistines and Arabians, and Ethiopians, whose spirit the Lord stirred +up against him; these were also a punishment to him: nor would it sound +very suitably to be said, that they opposed him, because he had forsaken +the Lord God of his fathers: for that would insinuate some influence +that his apostasy had on them, as certainly it could not but have on the +Lord's priests that dwelt in Libnah, who understood by the law of God, +what was their duty to do with enticers, or drawers or drivers to +idolatry: and when they were not in capacity to execute the judgment of +the Lord, this was the least they could, to revolt. Here then is an +example of a peoples revolt from a prince, and disowning allegiance to +him, because of apostasy and tyranny. + +9. In this kingdom of Judah, after long experience of a succession of +hereditary tyranny in many wicked kings, the people, after they had long +smarted for their lazy loyalty, in their stupid abandoning, forgetting +and foregoing this privilege of disowning tyrants, and keeping them in +order, began at length to bestir themselves in their endeavours to +recover their lost liberties, and repress tyrants insolencies on several +occasions; wherein, though sometimes were extravagancies, when +circumstances did mar the justice of the action, and some did go beyond +their sphere in tumultuary precipitations; yet, upon the matter, it was +justice, and in conformity to a moral command. One impregnable witness +of this we have, in the pious plot of Jehoiada the priest, who being but +a subject, as all priests were (as the deposition of Abiathar by king +Solomon, 1 Kings ii. 27. proveth) entered into an association with the +inferior rulers, to choose and make a new king: and notwithstanding that +the idolatress and the tyrant Athaliah, who had the possession of the +government, cried treason, treason at the fact, they had her forth +without the ranges, and slew her, 2 Kings xi. 14, 16. This was according +to the law, Deut. xiii. and approven by all interpreters, even Mr. Pool +in his Synopsis Critic. though otherwise superlatively loyal, yet +approves of this, and says, she was an incurable idolatress, and +therefore deserved to be deposed by the nobles of the kingdom, and +quotes Grotius in loc. saying (she reigned by mere force; for the +Hebrews were to have brethren for their kings, but not sisters, Deut. +xvii. 15.) Hence if tyrants may be forcibly repressed, then may they +peaceably be disowned; but this example confirms that: therefore---- + +10. The sacred history proceeds in the relation, how this same Joash the +son of Ahaziah, after he degenerated into murdering tyranny, was slain +by Jozachar and Jehozabad, 2 Kings xii. 20, 21. but that was by his own +servants in private assassination: therefore they are called murderers +by Amaziah his son, 2 Kings xiv. 5, 6. but upon the matter it was the +justice of God, which he deserved (if it had been duly execute) for the +blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, 2 Chron. xxiv. 25. So Amon the +son of Manesseh, for his walking in the way of his father in idolatry +and tyranny, and forsaking the Lord God of his fathers, was slain in his +own house by his servants, who conspired against him; but though this +was justice also upon the matter and consonant to the command for +punishing idolaters and murderers, yet because defective in the manner, +and done by them that took too much upon them in a perfidious way of +private assassination and conspiracy, therefore the people of the land +punished them for it, 2 Kings xxi. 23, 24. But the repressing and +punishing of Amaziah is a more unexceptionable instance. + +The people made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to +Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there, 2 Kings +xiv. 19. after the time that he turned away from following the Lord, 2 +Chron. xxv. 27. which was according to the command, Deut. xiii. which +hath no exception of kings in it. This action was not questioned either +by the people or his successor, as the forementioned conspiracies were. +His son Uzziah succeeding, who did right, and consulted the Lord (2. +Chron. xxvi. 4, 5.) did not resent nor revenge his father's death; which +certainly he would have done, by advice of Zechariah, who had +understanding in the visions of God, if it had been a transgression. The +famous and faithful Mr. Knox doth clear this passage beyond +contradiction in his conference with Lethington. Hence I take an +argument a fortiori, if people may conspire and concur in executing +judgment upon their king turning idolater and tyrant, then much more may +they revolt from him; but this example clears the antecedent: therefore. + +11. The fame power and privilege of people's punishing their princes, +was exemplified in the successor of him last mentioned, to wit, in +Uzziah the son of Amaziah, called Azariah, 2 Kings xv. when he +degenerated into the ambition of arrogating a supremacy in causes +ecclesiastic and sacred, as well as civil, his heart was lifted up to +his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went +into the temple of the Lord to burn incense. In which usurpation he was +resisted by Azariah the priest, and with him fourscore priests of the +Lord, that were valiant men, who withstood him, and told him, it did not +appertain to him to take upon him so much, and bade him go out of the +sanctuary, or else it should not be for his honour. Which indeed he +stomached at as an affront, to be controuled and resisted; but in +thinking to resent it, he was plagued of the Lord with leprosy; which +the priests looking upon, they thrust him out from thence: and +thereafter sequestred him from all supremacy, both that which he had +before in things civil, and that which he was affecting in matters +sacred; for he was made to dwell in a several house, being a leper, (the +law including, and here execute upon, the king as well as the beggar) +and to resign the government into his son Jotham's hands, 2 Chron. xxvi. +16,--21. where it appears, he was not only excommunicated by a +ceremonial punishment, but also deposed judicially. Whether he +voluntarily demitted or not, it is to no purpose to contend; 'tis +evident, that by the law of God, the actual exercise of his power was +removed, whether with his will or against it, it is all one; and that he +was punished both by God and by men is undeniable. Yea, in this, his +punishment was very gentle, and far short of the severity of the law: +for by the law he should have been put to death, for intermeddling with +these holy things, interdicted to all but to the priests, under pain of +death, Numb. iii. 10. Numb. xviii. 7. The stranger that cometh nigh +shall be put to death. All were strangers that were not priests. Whence +I argue, if a prince, for his usurpation beyond his line in things +sacred, may by the priests be excommunicated, and by the people deposed; +then may a prince, not only usurping a supremacy (as Charles did) but an +absolute power of overturning all things, sacred and civil (as James +doth) and oppressing his subjects in all their liberties, be disowned, a +fortiori, for that is less than deposing or dethroning; but this example +clears the antecedent; therefore----. See Knox's discourse to +Lethington. Lex Rex, quest. 44. sect. 15, p. 461. Jus popul. chap. 3. p. +56. + +12. What if I should adduce the example of a king's rebellion against, +and revolt from a superior king, to whom he and his fathers both +acknowledged themselves subject? Surely our royalists and loyalists +would not condemn this; and yet in justifying it, they should condemn +their beloved principle of uncontrouled subjection to uncontroulable +sovereigns possessing the government. Ahaz became servant to the +Assyrian monarch, 2 Kings xvi. 7. yet Hezekiah his son, when the Lord +was with him, and he prospered--rebelled against the king of Assyria, +and he served him not, 2 Kings xviii. 7. Hezekiah was indeed a king; but +he was not Sennacherib's king; he acknowledges himself his vassal, and +that he offended in disowning him, ver. 14. which certainly was his sin +against the Lord, to make such an acknowledgment: for if his father's +transaction with the Assyrian was sin, then it was duty to break the +yoke; if the Lord was with him in that rebellion, then it was sin to +acknowledge it to be his offence: and to make good this acknowledgment, +it was certainly his sin to commit sacrilege, in robbing the house of +God, to satisfy that tyrant. By way supplement, I shall add that +instance of repressing a mad and furious tyrant, which all will +acknowledge to be lawful. Nebuchadnezzar was both stricken of God with +madness, and for that was depelled from the kingdom, according to the +heavenly oracle, The kingdom is departed from thee, and they shall drive +thee from men, Dan. iv. 31, 33. Calvin says upon the place, he was +ejected, as usually is done to tyrants, by the combination of the nobles +and people, Pool's synopsis critic. in locum. Thus he was unkinged for a +time, both by the just judgment of God, and by the intermediation of the +just judgment of men; and could not be owned to be king at that time, +when his nails were as birds claws, and he could not tell his own +fingers: they could not own him to be the governor then of so many +kingdoms, when he could not govern himself. Hence, though this is an +instance of heathens, yet, because they acted upon a rational ground, it +may be argued, If kings, because natural madness, when they cannot +govern themselves, may not be owned; then also, because of moral +madness, when they will not govern but to the destruction of kingdoms, +may not be owned, but the former is true: therefore also the latter. The +same reason against the government of asses, will also militate against +the government of tygers, the first is more eligible than the last. + +Fifthly, This may be confirmed from several promises in scripture. + +1. There are many gracious and precious promises of reformation of the +magistracy, and restitution of good rulers, as a great blessing from God +to mankind, and to the church, Isa. i. 26. 'I will restore thy judges as +at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning, afterward thou +shalt be called the city of righteousness.' If judges must first be +restored before the city can be a city of righteousness, then they must +be restored before we can own the government thereof: for that +government, under which it cannot be a city of righteousness, cannot be +owned, since it is no government, but a rebellion and combination of +thieves, see ver. 33. I do not here restrict the promise, as it is a +prophecy, to its exact fulfilment, as if no government were to be owned +but what answers this promise, of the restitution of the primitive order +of magistrates; but I plead, that when the princes are rebellious, and +companions of thieves, the government is not to be owned, till judges be +so far restored, as to reduce righteousness in some measure, which +cannot be under tyranny. + +And in the general I may plead, that none is to be owned as a +magistrate, but who some way is found in a promise; for there is no +ordinance of God, no duty, no blessing, no good thing, either to be done +or enjoyed, but what is in a promise; but tyranny, or owning of tyrants, +or subjection to usurpers, is not, nor cannot be in a promise. We have +many other promises about magistrates, as, that the Lord will be for a +spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, Isa. xxviii. 6. A +tyrant cannot be capable of this happiness, nor we under tyranny, nor +any while they own them. Kings shall be the church's nursing fathers, +and their queens her nursing mothers, Isa. xlix. 23. Kings are not +always so, but all kings to be owned are such as can be so, at least +they are never to be owned when they turn destroyers of what they should +nourish; but tyrants can never be nourishers. It is promised to the +Lord's people, if they will hearken diligently unto the Lord, and keep +the sabbath, then shall there enter into their gates kings and princes, +Jer. xxiii. 3, 4. But it is never promised, neither doth it come to pass +in providence, that these duties procured tyrants. + +There are many other promises to the same purpose: from whence may be +concluded, the Lord will not always leave his people to howl under +uneluctable tyranny, but will accomplish their deliverance in his own +time and way, though we are not to look to miracles. Whence I argue, 1. +Since all the ordinances of God, and rulers in a special manner, are +appointed and promised as blessings, these cannot be owned for his +ordinance, which are not blessings, but curses. 2. That which would +vacate and evacuate all the promises of magistracy, cannot be a doctrine +of God; but this that obliges to own tyrants and usurpers, as long as +they are up, would vacate and evacuate all the promises of magistracy: +for except the Lord work miracles, (which are not in the promise) and do +all without means, they cannot be accomplished. For if any means be +used, they must be such as will infer disowning of tyrants; for +magistrates cannot be restored, except tyrants be removed; and whatever +way they be removed without miracles, by others or their own subjects, +they must still be disowned, and that before they be removed: for if +they be to be owned before their removal, if they exist, cannot make +them to be disowned: dispossession cannot take away their right, if they +have it before. + +2. There are many promises of breaking the yoke of tyrants, Isa. x. 27. +"His burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from +off thy neck." And in that promise of the church's deliverance and +enlargement, wherein they are prophetically urged and stirred up to some +activity in co-operating with the providence, Isa. lii. 1, 2. "They are +called to awake, and put on strength and their beautiful garments--and +to shake themselves from the dust--and to rise and to loose themselves +from the bands of their neck," that were captives. Here is not only a +promise of deliverance or a ground of encouragement what the church may +expect, but a promise of, and direction for their being active in +delivering themselves, as men, from the encroachments that were made on +their human liberties, that they should loose themselves from these +bands. Whose bands? from their bands that ruled over them, and made them +to howl, and the Lord's name to be blasphemed, (ver. 5) Here is a +promise of breaking the bands of rulers, by them who howled under their +subjection. And it also includes a precept, that people should not stay +any longer under these yokes, than they can shake them off, or slip from +under them. Hence we see we are not to ly stupidly sleeping, or sinking +in the ditch, expecting the accomplishment of the promise of +deliverance; but are to endeavour actively, in dependence upon the +Lord's assistance, to deliver ourselves. Hence we may argue, 1. A +promise by way of command, that a people under bands of oppressing +rulers shall rouse themselves up to loose themselves from them, implies +and infers a promise and a duty of disowning those rulers (for otherwise +they cannot be loosed from their subjection.) But here is a promise by +way of command, that a people under bands of oppressing rulers shall +rouse themselves up to loose themselves from them: Ergo----2. If the +removal of tyranny and usurpation be promised as a blessing, then those +can never be owned to be the ordinance of God; for the removal of that +can never be a blessing; but in these promises we see the removal of +those is promised as a blessing: therefore they can never be owned. + +Sixthly, To the same purpose we may cite some threatnings, that will +confirm the same truth. + +1. There are many threatnings against tyrants themselves. There are two +mentioned, Jer. xxii. that seem partly to quadrate, and near of a piece +with our misrulers; both because of the demerit of the threatning, and +the likeness of the judgment threatned. The ground of it was "building +their house by unrighteousness, and their chambers by wrong," ver. 13. +And severally threatned: "Jehoiakim with the burial of an ass +unlamented," ver. 18, 19. Coniah with a life without prosperity, and a +death without issue to succeed, ver. 30. The first of these is verified +in the elder of our royal brothers, the last is like to be of both. But +that which I take notice of is, first, the demerit, building their +house by unrighteousness, on which Whitehall is built with a witness: +and particularly it is noted of Jehoiakim, as his crimson sin (to which +his son Jehoiachin or Coniah served himself heir) that he burnt +Jeremiah's roll, or causes of wrath; so did our dominators burn the +causes of wrath (a book written by the commission of the general +assembly) and the covenants. Then I note these words, ver. 15. "Shalt +thou reign because thou closest thyself in cedar, &c." It is certainly +not fit for us to say, He shall reign, of whom the Lord says, He shall +not reign; but when we own the authority of those whom the Lord +threatens they shall not reign, we say, they shall reign; for we say, +they have a right to reign, and own ourselves obliged to do all that is +required in our capacity to perpetuate their reign. There is a terrible +threatning against Zedekiah, Ezek xx. 25,--27. "Thou profane," or as +some translate it, "thou worthy to be killed," (Pool. synops. crit. in +locum.) "wicked prince of Israel--Thus saith the Lord God, remove the +diadem, take off the crown, this shall not be the same, exalt him that +is low, and abase him that is high; I will overturn, overturn, overturn +it, and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is, and I will +give it him." Than which nothing can be more applicable to our princes, +who are profane, and the patterns and patrons of it, whose diadem the +Lord will remove; and if he threaten it, wo to them that contribute to +hold it on. We see here a profane and wicked prince threatned to be +overturned must not be owned, because he hath no right; but our +excommunicate tyrant is a profane and wicked prince, threatned to be +overturned: Ergo--There is another dreadful threatning against tyrants, +Amos iv. 1, 2. "Hear this word ye kine of Bashan, which oppress the +poor, which crush the needy--The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, +that lo the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with +hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks." Shall we own these, against +whom the Lord hath engaged his holiness by oath so solemnly, that he +will fish them with hooks? we may fear if there be such a tie as +allegiance between them and us, that that same hook which fishes them +may also catch us; as it is said of Pharaoh and his subjects, when he is +hooked, then his fish stick unto his scales, and he and they are left in +the wilderness, Ezek. xxix. 4, 5. that is, as Grotius expounds it, +whoever are of his community shall be consorts in his calamity, Pool. +Critic. in locum. If we then own them, we must be of their community, +and so partake of their judgments. + +2. There are many threatnings against illimited loyalty, and those who +had more of that than religion: for this Ephraim was broken in judgment, +because he walked willingly after the commandment, Hos. v. 11. And +because the statutes of Omri were kept, and the works of the house of +Ahab, therefore the Lord threatens to make them a desolation, Mic. vi. +ult. And among other threatnings against the men of such universal +loyalty, that is notable, Hos. x. 3. "Now ye shall say, we have no king, +because we feared not the Lord, what then should a king do to us?" It is +the just punishment of wicked loyalty, that prefers the fear and favour +of kings to the fear and favour of God, that at length they are brought +to that pass, that either they have no kings at all to look to, or else +they have such of whom it may be said, they are no kings in effect; for +they cannot act the part of kings to them that trust in them. Hence, 1. +If to have really no kings be a punishment. 2. If those that have the +name of kings, that can do no good, be no kings; then tyrants that can +do no good, but a great deal of hurt, must be reckoned no kings also; +but here it is threatned, people that had kings, that had the name, but +could do no good, should reckon they had no kings: therefore much more +may tyrants be reckoned to be no kings, who can do no good, but a great +deal of hurt. + +Seventhly, This truth is confirmed from scripture-prayers; whereof there +are many against tyrants, none for them. Hence we argue, If we are not +to pray for tyrants, then we are not to own them; for we are to pray for +all that are in authority, 1 Tim. ii. 2. But we are not to pray for +tyrants; Ergo, we are not to own them. The minor now must be proved. And +this leads me to another subordinate question, which hath also been a +head of suffering to some serious seekers of God in our land of late. + +The profane emissaries of this and the late tyrant, sent out with bloody +commissions to hunt after the Lord's hidden ones, in order to murder all +whom they might meet with, that made conscience of adhering to every +part of the present testimony; among other trapping questions to +discover their prey, they used to put this to them as a discriminating +Shibboleth, and tessera of owning the present tyranny, will you say, God +save the king? and for refusing this, many have been cruelly murdered in +the fields; and many before their bloody judicatories, have for this +been arraigned and condemned, and executed to the death. Wherefore to +this somewhat must be said, 1. By way of concession. 2. By way of +vindication, of scrupling it, and suffering upon it. + +First, In the general, it will be necessary to premit by way of +concession, 1. It is duty to pray, supplicate and interceed for all +men, 1 Tim. ii. 1. not collectively considered nor distributively +for every one universally without exception, but indefinitely and +indiscriminately, for the kinds of every individual, for all sorts and +sexes, of whatsoever nation or religion, Jew or Gentile, Christian or +infidel, not excluding any for these distinctions: and not only so, but +for every individual of the kinds, also conditionally, if they be among +those all whom the Lord will have to be saved, verse 4. If they be +among those all for whom the mediator gave himself a ransom to be +testified in due time, verse 5, 9. If they have not sinned the sin unto +death, for which we are not bidden pray, 1 John v. 19. Which, because we +know not particularly who are guilty of it, charity will oblige us to +take into our prayers many that may never be the better of them; yet it +is necessary that we pray in faith, for what, or whomsoever we pray, at +least, if I may so call it, we must have a negative faith, a belief that +they have not sinned that sin unto death; which we cannot have at all, +there being some whose demonstrations of desperate displays of affronted +wickedness, and hatred of holiness may give ground to doubt of it, as +Christians had of Julian the apostate. 2. We are obliged to love our +enemies, to bless them that curse us, to do good to them that hate us, +to pray for them that despitefully use and persecute us, Mat. v. 44. +Accordingly our master, who commanded this, did give us a pattern to +imitate, when he prayed, Father forgive them for they know not what they +do, Luke xxiii. 34. And his faithful martyr Stephen, prayed for his +murderers, Lord lay not this sin to their charge, Acts vii. the last +verse. We are to pity them, and not to seek vengeance against them, for +any injuries they can do to us. Yet, as this doth not interfere with a +holy and zealous appeal to God for righting, and resenting, and +requiting, the wrongs done to us, that he may vindicate us and our +cause, and make them repent of their injuries done to us, to the glory +of God, and conviction of onlookers, and confusion of themselves, which +may well consist with mercy to their souls; so all we can pray for them +in their opposition to us, is in order to their repentance, but never +for their prosperity in that course. + +And we may well imitate, even against our enemies, that prayer of +Zechariah's, "The Lord look upon it, and require it," 2 Chron. xxiv. 22. +But we are never to pray for Christ's stated enemies, as to the bulk of +them; and under that formality as his enemies: for we must not "love +them that hate the Lord," 2 Chron. xix. 2. but hate them, and hate them +with a perfect hatred, Psal. cxxxix. 21, 22. We are to pray for the +elect among them, but only to the end they may escape the vengeance, +which we are obliged to pray for against them. 3. We are not to execrate +our enemies, or use imprecations against any, out of blind zeal, or the +passionate or revengeful motions of our own hearts: our Lord rebuked his +disciples for such preposterous zeal, Luke ix. 55. "Ye know not what +manner of spirit ye are of;" but against the stated and declared enemies +of Christ, as such and while such, we may well take a pattern from the +imprecatory prayers of saints recorded in scripture; such as do not +peremptorily determine about the eternal state of particular persons: +which determinations, except we be extraordinarily acted by the same +spirit, whose dictates these are, are not to be imitated by us. We find +several sorts of imprecations in the Psalms and other scriptures: some +are imitable, some not; some are prophetical, having the force of a +prophecy, as David's Psal. xxxv. 4. "Let them be confounded--that seek +after my soul.--Let destruction come upon him," Psal. lv. 15. "Let them +go down quick to hell." And Jeremiah, chap. xvii. 18. "Let them be +confounded that persecute me,--destroy them with double destruction." +Without this prophetical spirit, determining the application of these +threatnings to particular persons, we may not imitate this +peremptoriness. Some are typical of Christ's mediatory devoting his +enemies to destruction; who as he interceeds for his friends, so, by +virtue of the same merits (by them trampled upon) he pleads for +vengeance against his enemies; which mediatory vengeance is the most +dreadful of all vengeances, (Heb. x. 29.) So also, Psal. xl. He whose +ears were opened, and who said, "lo I come,"--verse 6, 7. (that is +Christ) does imprecate shame, and confusion, and desolation, ver. 14, +15. As also Psal. cix. the Psalmist personates Christ, complaining of, +and imprecating against his enemies; particularly Judas the traitor, +verse 8. It must be dreadful to be under the dint of the Mediator's +imprecations; and also dreadful to clash with him in his intercessions, +that is, to apprecate for them against whom he intercedes. But some +imprecations against the enemies of God are imitable; such as proceed +from pure zeal for God, and the spirit of prayer, as that, Psal. cix. +last verse, "Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations, may know +themselves to be but men." Psal. lxxxiii. 16.----"fill their faces with +shame that they may seek thy name." This is to be imitated in general +against all the enemies of God, Psal. cxxix. 5. "Let them all be +confounded that hate Zion;" without condescending on particular persons, +except obviously and notoriously desperate and presumptively Christ's +implacable enemies. 4. Touching magistrates it is a great duty to pray, +that God would give us magistrates, as he hath promised for the comfort +of his church, Isa. i. 26. Isa. xlix. 2. Jer. xxx. 21. Promises should +be motives and foments of prayer. We ought to pray against anarchy as a +plague, and with all earnestness beg of God, that the mercy of +magistracy may again be known in Britain, of which it hath been long +deprived. 5. And when we have them, it is a necessary duty to pray for +them; "For kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a +quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty," 1 Tim. ii. 2. +Where it is specified, what sort we should pray for, and to what end. As +we are not to pray for all men absolutely; for some, as they are +declared to be out of the precincts of Christ's mediation, so they must +be out of our prayers: so there may be some in actual rule, that may be +excepted out of the verge of the Christian prayers, as was said of +Julian the apostate. But he that is a magistrate indeed, and in +authority, the subjects are to pray and to give thanks for him, not as +a man merely, but as a magistrate. Yea, though they be heathen +magistrates, Ezra vi. 10. We may pray for all in authority, two ways; as +men, and as kings. As men, we may pray for their salvation, or +conversion, or taking them out of the way, if they be enemies to +Christ's kingdom, according as they are stated; and upon condition, if +it be possible, and if they belong to the election of grace. Though for +such as are opposites to the coming of Christ's kingdom, as it is a +contradiction to the second petition of the Lord's prayer, (thy kingdom +come.) So, in the experience of the most eminent wrestlers, they have +found less faith, and less encouragement, in praying for them, than for +any other sort of men. It is rare that ever any could find their hands +in praying for the conversion of the rulers. And though we pray that the +Lord would convince them; yea, and confound them, in mercy to their +souls; yet this must never be wanting in our prayers for tyrants, as +men, that God would bring them down, and cause justice overtake them, +that God may be glorified, and the nation eased of such a burden. But if +we pray for them as kings, then they must be such by God's approbation, +and not mere possessory occupants, to whom we owe no such respect nor +duty. For whatever the Hobbists, and the time serving Casuists of our +day, and even many good men (though wofully lax in this point) +homologating both doctrinally and practically their heathenish notions, +say to the contrary; I hope it be in some measure made out, that tyrants +are no more the ordinance of God, nor to be owned as his ministers and +vicegerents, than the devil the prince of this world for the Lord's +anointed, or Baal's priests for true ministers. If we pray for them as +kings, we must pray for their peace, prosperity, and preservation, that +their government may be blessed with success, their designs not +frustrated, nor their desires disappointed. This we cannot pray for +tyrants. 6. Albeit, we may pray for the peace of the nation, and for +the government thereof, so far as it may conduce to our own and the +church's tranquillity, that we may live a peaceable and godly life under +it; yet this cannot be extended to the peace of tyrants, for whom the +best prayer that we can bestow is, that the Lord would bridle and +restrain them, that they may not mar the church's peace. That command, +Jer. xxix. 7. "Seek the peace of the city, whithersoever I have caused +you to be carried captives, and pray unto the Lord for it, for in the +peace thereof shall you have peace," is apparent to have been but of a +temporary nature, upon occasion of their captivity there, until the 70 +years should be expired, having it also declared by God, that their own +peace was bound up in that of Babylon's: for after that time they are +taught the contrary carriage towards that city, to depart, and pray +against it, and exult and rejoice in its ruin: "O daughter of Babylon, +happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us, that +dasheth thy little ones against the stones," Psal. cxxxvii. 8, 9. "The +voice of them that flee out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion +the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple," Jer. l. 28. And +Jer. li. 35. "The violence done to me, and to my flesh, be upon Babylon, +shall the inhabitant of Zion say, and my blood be upon Chaldea, shall +Jerusalem say." Certainly this is not the season to seek the peace of +mystical Babylon, but to pray for the destruction thereof, and all its +supporters: which we cannot do, if we pray for them that improve, +employ, and apply all their power to support it, lest we pray +contradictions; as many do, who pray against Babel's brats, and yet pray +for the king; but the comfort is this, that nonsensical prayers will do +little good, little hurt, but to themselves that pray them. + +Secondly, To vindicate the scruplers and refusers of such compelled and +extorted devotions in praying for tyrants, I shall offer these +considerations, + +1. The imposed form of it (which as it is found in the original from +whence it is taken, is only paraphrastically expounded, God save the +king; and catechrestically applied to tyrants, being in the native sense +of the words of this signification. Let the king live; which is a very +improper wish for men of death, of whom God says they shall die, and the +law says, they should die for their murders and capital crimes) must be +taken either as an adulatory compliment; or a congratulatory honour; or +a precatory benediction. The first as it is extorted most illegally, so +it can be tendered neither civilly, nor sincerely, nor christianly; but +all ingenious men would think it a base imposition, to be forced not +only to subject themselves to their tyrannical oppressors, but to +flatter them as if they were not such. Whatever they may force the mouth +to speak dissemblingly, they can never compel the heart to think such +wishes are due to them; and so they can never be cordial, nor confident +with candor: and to interpose the holy and dreadful name of God, in a +dissembling compliment, to flatter base men, is a horrid mocking of God, +and a heinous taking his name in vain, contrary to the third command. If +it be a congratulation (as always it is used in scripture, and in cases +formerly; being never imposed on men, by way of compulsion, before this +set of tyrants started up, that know they can get no deference of honest +men, but by extortion) it is the more abominable; not only for the +hypocrisy that is in it, but the blasphemy, in giving thanks for the +promoter of the devil's interest, and the destroyer of Christ's, and the +liberties of mankind. What have we to congratulate him for, but for +overturning our laws and liberties, and oppressing us in most grievous +tyranny? Besides, to give the vilest of men, when exalted, any +congratulatory honour, is contrary to the fifth command, as is shewed +above. "And it were a forsaking of the law, thus to praise the wicked, +since they that keep the law, will contend with them," Prov. xxviii. 4. +If it be a benediction, we cannot bestow it upon one whom our father +curses, our mother curses, and all our brethren. It is no less +preposterous to bless whom the Lord declaredly curses, than to curse +whom he blesses. "The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked," +Prov. iii. 33. we cannot then bless that house. Nor can we bless them +that our mother curses, and cries for vengeance against, as she did +against Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. li. 34, 35. Nor them against whom the blood +of our dead brethren hath a moral cry, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, +dost thou not judge and avenge our blood," Rev. vi. 10. And the vexed +spirits of our brethren, yet howling under the same yoke, are putting up +before the throne of grace, the same continued cry, with incessant +importunity; "How long, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long +shall they break in pieces thy people? O God, to whom vengeance +belongeth," Psal. xciv. 1-4. Yea God hath said it, and we must not +contradict it in our practice, against all tyrants that wrest judgment, +and say unto the wicked, "Thou art righteous, him shall the people +curse, nations shall abhor him," Prov. xxiv. 24. And this must stand +registred, as the everlasting clause of all Zion's haters, to which all +her lovers must say, Amen, that they shall be as the grass upon the +house tops, and never have the benefit of the church's benediction, +Psal. cxxix. 8. "Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the +Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord." This one word +may be a sufficient supersede as from blessing any of the enemies of +God; or of the church, while acting in a declared opposition to God for +the destruction of his people and interest. + +2. Either this----Save the king, as they mouth it, and demand the +repetition of it, is a prayer, or it is not. If not, it must be a +dreadful profanation of the name of God, to be commanded to speak to +him, and yet not to pray. If it be a prayer, we would expect another way +of dealing with us, if they really desired the benefit of our prayers, +than a threatning us with death, if we did it not. And if they did +desire it, as Darius did, "that we might offer sacrifices of sweet +savour unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of +his sons," Ezra vi. 10. we could not refuse to pray for him, so far as +might consist with that prayer of the same Darius, in that same decree, +ver. 12. "That God may destroy all kings and people, that shall put to +their hand to alter and destroy the house of God." We can pray no prayer +inconsistent with this; and to pray that God would save this king, and +yet destroy all kings that put to their hand against his house, were to +pray contradictions. But they know they deserve no prayers, and must +force them, if they get them. And all the world knows, that compelled +prayers are no devotion; and if they be no devotion, they must be sin; +imposed prayers are not the prayers that God will hear and accept: and +if we have not the faith of acceptance in them, they must be sin; for +whatever is not of faith is sin, Rom. xiv. last ver. All prayers which +God will hear, must proceed from the heart voluntarily and fervently, in +spirit and in truth, with the whole heart; but imposed and compelled +prayers cannot be such, especially when they are not only by them +imposed, but prescribed as to the form of them: which sets and forms +prescribed by men, and such men as usurp a supremacy over the church, +cannot be subjected to, according to the word of God, and principles of +our reformation. + +3. That infallible proposition of the apostle, whatsoever is not of +faith is sin, must be urged yet a little further: and that with a +reference, both to the person required to be prayed for, and to the +matter of the duty more generally. First, if we cannot pray for this +man, neither as a Christian, nor as a king, then we cannot satisfy this +imposed demand; for it will not satisfy for him as a heathen: but we +cannot in faith pray for him, either as a Christian, or as a king. Not +as a Christian, for besides that he is an excommunicate apostate (by a +sentence, which we believe stands yet ratified in heaven, pronounced by +a faithful servant of Christ) and a papist, which, as such, can no more +be prayed for, than the pope as pope; for whom, and all the limbs of +antichrist, the only prayer that protestants can pray, is, that the Lord +would consume him with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the +brightness of his coming, 2 Thess. ii. 8. (we cannot reconcile the +prayers of some, that pray against the pope and his supporters, and +upholders of his tottering kingdom, and yet for this his antichristian +vassal) his rage and resolution in prosecuting a war against Christ and +his followers, is such, that if we may make comparisons, our faith will +have little more ground to pray for James, than Christians of old could +find for Julian the apostate. Nor as a king, for that we cannot do, +because he is none with God's approbation, and may not do, for a very +heathen could teach us to pray, that God would destroy all kings that +put to their hand to alter and destroy the house of God, Ezra vi. 12. +And besides, in the second place, with respect to the matter of the duty +in general; that cannot be, in faith, which wants a warrant in the word, +either by precept, promise, or practice; but to pray for wicked tyrants +and enemies of God, wants a warrant in the word, either by precept, +promise, or practice: there is no precept for it, either general or +particular, neither express, nor any to which this is reducible: and who +dare add without a precept in the worship of God, either for matter, +manner, or end, what he hath not commanded? For such presumption Nadab +and Abihu were destroyed, Levit. x. 1, 2. because they did that which +the Lord had not commanded. What command can there be for praying for +that, which is against the preceptive will of God? But it is against the +preceptive will of God that there should be tyrants: therefore to pray +that these may be preserved in the world, cannot fall under a command of +God. There is no promise for it, which is the foment and foundation of +prayer: we can pray for nothing that we have not a promise for, either +general or particular; but we have none, nor can have any, for the +preservation of a plague to us, as tyrants are. + +There is no practice for it in scripture, to pray for kings that put to +their hand to destroy the house of God. Samuel did indeed mourn for +Saul, but the Lord reproved him for it, how long wilt thou mourn for +Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? 1 Sam. +xvi. i. belike this reproof was for his praying for Saul's preservation +as king, for otherwise we may mourn for wicked wretches, for their sin +and misery both. But hence, if the Lord reprove his servant, for +mourning for a king whom he disowned, then we may not pray for such a +king whom the Lord disowns, as he disowns all tyrants, for they are set +up and not by him; but the antecedent is true in that example of Samuel; +therefore also the consequent, that we may not pray for them as kings, +whom the Lord disowns. + +4. Moreover, to confirm this yet further; that prayer is not of faith, +and so sin, which is contrary to the precepts of God, and his promises, +and the practices of the saints; but praying for wicked kings, their +preservation, is contrary to these precepts, promises, and practices, +&c. Ergo----. It is contrary to some divine precepts, both affirmative +and negative. There is an affirmative precept, prescribing what prayer +should be used under the domination of tyrants, that they should weep +and say, Spare thy people, O Lord, give not thine heritage to reproach, +that the heathen should rule over them, wherefore should they say among +the people, where is their God? Joel ii. 17. If it be a reproach to be +under heathen rulers, and if we should pray that they may not rule, but +that our God may shew himself where he is, and who he is, in delivering +his people from their domination; then it is contrary to this, to pray +for the preservation of tyrants, that do rule over them to their +destruction and reproach; for it is contradictory to pray, that they may +not rule, and that they may be preserved in ruling. There is a negative +precept, prohibiting the salutation of heretics and enemies of the +gospel, which will condemn this salutation of heretical kings: for, in +the original, God save the king, is no more than a solemn salutation, or +apprecatory wish that he may prosper. 2 Epist. John ver. 10, 11. "If +there come any----, and bring not this doctrine,----neither bid him God +speed, for he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil +deeds." God speed, in the Greek, is the same with God save, in the +Hebrew. If then we must not say, God save a heretic; neither must we +say, God save an heretical king, or a popish tyrant, a sworn enemy to +the gospel of Christ, and the coming of his kingdom. This is also +inconsistent with that rule and directory of our prayers, commonly +called the Lord's prayer, not only because it cannot be reduced to any +of its petitions, (which are comprehensive of all that we are warranted +to pray for,) but because it is contradictory to the second, which is, +thy kingdom come. The coming of Christ's kingdom in our land cannot +consist with the preservation of the tyrant's reign, which is Satan's +rule, for antichrist's and satan's kingdom, and Christ's, cannot be +promoted both at once. It may be also demonstrated, that it is +inconsistent with all the petitions of that perfect form of prayer. With +the first, hallowed be thy name; for when they who rule over his people +make them to howl, then his name continually is blasphemed, Isa. lii. 5. +Yea much profaned in the frequent repeating that imposition. With the +second, thy kingdom come; for when he takes unto him his great power and +reins, then is the time he will destroy them that destroy the earth, +Rev. xi. 17, 18. It is against the third, thy will be done--for it is +against his preceptive will that there should be a throne of iniquity, +it shall not have fellowship with him; as it would have, if according to +his will. And therefore Habbakkuk pleads from the Lord's holiness and +righteousness against tyrants, Habbak. i. 13, 14. It is against the +fourth, give us this day our daily bread, to pray for them that rob us +of it, whom the Lord hath set over us for a plague, to domineer over our +bodies, and all the means of life, Neh. ix. 37. The saints there make a +complaint of kings, and pray to remove them, not to save them: the +church also prays against base rulers on this account, because under +them they get their bread with the peril of their lives, Lam. v. 8, 9. +It is against the fifth, forgive us our debts or sins; for if we pray +for taking away the guilt of sin, we must also pray for removing the +punishment; whereof this is one, to be under tyrants: and if it be sin +which brings on judgment, then it is sin to pray for the keeping of it +on, and continuing thereof; and though we should forgive their sin +against us, yet we ought to complain against their sins against God, and +the church, in defiling it, and shedding the blood of the saints, Psal. +lxxix. 1-7. It is against the sixth, Lead us not into temptation, and +deliver us from evil: for their government is a continued tract of +temptation, they being a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor, +Hos. v. 1. And if we pray to be delivered from all evil, then we must +pray to be delivered from tyranny, which is a great evil. It is against +the conclusion also, For thine is the kingdom,----and glory: tyrants +being stated in opposition to the glory of God. Again, in the next +place, it is against many promises of giving good rulers, and of +breaking the yoke of tyrants, (as I cited several above;) neither of +which can consist with the preservation of tyrants, if such a prayer +should be answered according to the idol of the heart of the +supplicants: for if God should save this man as long as we may pray for +him as a king, then all the promises of a change and revolution are +precluded. Lastly, It is contrary to the constant tenor of the saints +prayers against the enemies of God. Deborah prayed upon the destruction +of a tyrant, so let all thine enemies perish, O Lord, Judg. v. ult. +Jotham prayed against the bastard king, Let fire come out from Abimelech +and devour the men of Shechem, and--let fire come out from the men of +Shechem and devour Abimelech, Judg. ix. 20. David prays against Saul, +whom he calls Cush the Benjamite in the title of Psal. vii. alluding to +Kish his father, or because he was no better than an Ethiopian, a +Cushite, Amos ix. 7. and could no more change his manners than an +Ethiopian can change his skin, Jer. xiii. 23. See Pool's synops. critic. +in locum. Where it is proven, that this was Saul; against him he prays, +that the Lord would awake to judgment, Psal. vii. 6. and that he would +break the arm of the wicked and the evil man, Psal. x. 15. that he would +not slay them, (to wit, suddenly, or in a common way) lest the people +forget, but scatter, and bring them down, and consume them in wrath, +that they may not be, that it may be known God ruleth in Jacob to the +ends of the earth, Psal. lix. 11, 13. This is a psalm against dogs, ver. +9. what dogs?--Saul and his men watching David. See the title. As also +it is against Saul that he prays, that the Lord would not grant his +desires, nor further his devices, and as for the head of them that +compassed him about, (which was Saul.) Let the mischief of their own +lips cover them, Psal. cxl. 8, 9. There is also a prayer, that the +saints may execute vengeance, and the judgment written upon tyrants, and +bind them with chains, Psal. cxlix. 6, 8, 9. The church is brought in +praying for vengeance against the Babylonian tyrant, Nebuchadnezzar the +king of Babylon hath devoured me,--the violence done to me and my flesh +be upon Babylon shall the inhabitants of Zion say, Jer. li. 34, 35. Paul +imprecates any man that does not love the Lord Jesus, let him be +Anathema Maranatha, 1 Cor. xvi. 22. and sure no tyrant, persecutor, +subverter of Christ's kingdom, can be a lover of Christ. The martyrs, +under the fifth seal slain for the word of God, and the testimony which +they held, are brought in crying against the tyrants that murdered them, +How long! O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our +blood, Revel. vi. 9, 10. Which though it be to be understood of a moral +cry of blood, as Abel's blood cried against Cain: yet ought to be a +pattern of our prayers against such bloody enemies, imbruing their hands +in the blood of our brethren, for which we ought to pray that the Lord +would haste to make inquisition. Durham observes from this place, that +God's people, in a holy way, may pray for vengeance upon persecutors. + +5. Let us consider the person and matter, for whom and for what this +prayer is extorted. Either it is for the personal salvation of James the +papist, or the royal preservation of James the tyrant. It will not +satisfy to pray, that if it be possible, and if it were the Lord's will, +he might be taken to heaven, that so we might be quit of him. Neither +were it lawful to pray, that, except we prayed first, that he might +repent of this his wickedness, if perhaps it might be forgiven him, as +Peter directed Simon Magus to pray for himself, Acts viii. 22. for it is +unlawful to pray for the salvation of a papist, except upon supposition +of his repentance and relinquishing popery. We must pray nothing but +according to the will of God; and it is not the will of God, that they +that have and keep, and will not part with the mark of the beast, should +be saved, for he is adjudged of God to drink of the wine of his wrath, +Revel. xiv. 9, 10. So we cannot pray for him as a Christian, which he is +not; nor as a papist, except that he may get repentance. Nor can we +pray for him as a king, which he is not; nor as a tyrant, except that he +may repent of and relinquish his tyranny and usurpation: for tyrants as +such cannot be saved, no more than papists as such; for Tophet is +ordained of old, yea for the king it is prepared,----Isa. xxx. 33. We +cannot then pray for his salvation, except we pray for his repentance, +and relinquishing all his sins, and so we must pray for him +relinquishing his kingship, and that he may cease to be king; for that +is his sin, that he hath made himself king without God, and against the +laws of the land. + +And now, while he continues such, we must complain in prayer, not for +his misgovernment only, but for that he governs, and desire to be +delivered from him. See Gee's magistrates original, pag. 258. But now +considering what a man, and what a king he hath been, guilty of murder, +adultery, idolatry, under sentence of the law both of God and man; we +can pray no otherwise for him, than for a murderer, adulterer, or an +idolater. We cannot pray for him as cloathed with authority, or that the +Lord may bless his government, for that is his sin and our misery, that +he is a governor: and his throne is a throne of iniquity, which we dare +not pray may have fellowship with God. Can we pray that God would bless +him on a throne of iniquity? Could we pray, that the Lord would bless a +drunkard in his drunkenness, abusing his enjoyments? Or a thief in his +stealing, though he used his purchase never so soberly? What if +prevailing robbers by land, or pirates by sea, preying upon all +passengers, should require this as the sign of subjection to them, and +only condition whereupon such, as they apprehend and overcame, should be +suffered to live, that they should pray for preservation and prosperity +to them? Would not this be wickedness thus to pray for thieves and +robbers? And are not tyrants the greatest of thieves, that rob and +destroy twenty for one of private robberies? And do they not require +this as such a sign on such a condition? + +6. Lastly, Then the plea will be reduced to this, that it is exacted as +a badge of loyalty, and sign, Tessera, Shibboleth of owning the +authority. Which I have at this length endeavoured to prove, cannot be +conscientiously owned by us, in these circumstances. And even by this +argument: that authority which we cannot pray for we cannot own; but we +cannot pray for this tyrannical authority: therefore.--The minor I trust +is in some measure made manifest, by what is said above. And so I +conclude this head, with that form of prayer, that I use for the king. O +Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thy self; lift up thyself, +thou judge of the earth, render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long +shall the wicked? how long shall the wicked triumph? Shall the throne of +iniquity have fellowship with thee, that frameth mischief by a law? The +mighty and terrible God destroy all kings and people, that put to their +hand to alter and destroy the house of God. Overturn, overturn, overturn +this throne of tyranny, and let it be no more, until he come whose right +it is. + + +HEAD III. + +_The refusing to swear and subscribe the many unlawful imposed oaths, +for which many have suffered great cruelties; chiefly that of_ +Abjuration _which was the cause of several their suffering to death_, +vindicated. + +Another great head of grievous sufferings, in this fatal period, hath +been, this stated war between Christ and his enemies in Scotland, he +hath not wanted witnesses, who in their wrestlings for the word of God +and the testimony which they held, thought it their duty to refuse all +illegally imposed and wickedly required transactions with his declared +enemies, and tampering any manner of way with them, in taking or +subscribing any of their conscience couzening impositions of deceitful +and destructive bonds and oaths, obtruded by men who have cast off all +sense of a Deity, or regard to humanity, upon the consciences of poor +people, to debauch them and cast them down from the only excellency or +integrity that was left them: whereby (though they have missed of their +design as to some, who through grace have escaped the snares of these +fowlers, and in resisting have overcome through the blood of the Lamb) +they have prevailed to inveigle the generality, even of the professors +of this generation, into such a degree of defection and wretched +compliance with all their snares, that as it prognosticates universal +desolation ineluctable, (if it be not prevented as universal as the +compliance hath been,) so it proclaims the infamy of the compliers +perjury as indelible as their perfidy with whom they have complied. The +consideration of which woful apostasy, in its various steps by which it +hath been propagated and promoted, ought to deter and demur all the +fearers of God, that would not partake of its threatned punishment, from +venturing any more to come near the brink, or border of such precipices, +and paths of the destroyer, when so many have stumbled, and fallen, and +been hooked, and taken; yea not so much as to look near them, lest they +be left to follow their look, but to stand aloof from every appearance +of transacting with these man catchers, yea conscience-catchers, who are +so cunning to ensnare and destroy; as their predecessors, to whose sins +and judgments also they serve themselves heirs, are described by the +Holy Ghost, Jer. v. 26-29. They lay wait as he that setteth snares, they +set a trap, they catch men,----their houses are full of deceit, +therefore they are become great and waxen rich.----Shall I not visit for +these things saith the Lord? Many and manifold have been the snares, +traps and gins, laid in the way of the professors of this generation and +nation, by these mischief hatchers, these keen and cunning persecutors, +the party now regnant or rather raging, in madness and malice against +Christ and all that are loyal and zealous for his interest against their +encroachings thereon, whereby they have caught and cozened many out of +their consciences, and have broken the neck of some, the peace of +others, and the hearts of not a few. Yea no nation can be instanced, +wherein so many oaths and bonds have been imposed on peoples +consciences, so nauseating for naughtiness and number, as well as +noxious in their nature, in an age, as have been in Scotland within +these 27 years past; on design to waste all remainder of conscience, or +sense of religion among people, that so having worn out the awful +impression of it, they may introduce what they would, upon a people +involved in the same apostasy with themselves and either to incorporate +all with themselves in the same combination against the Lord, or to +extirpate all dissenters, who should discover any tenderness of +conscience, in not going along with them in the same excess of riot. And +to the end they might have the greater concurrence and countenance, with +the help of hell's policy, they contrived them in such terms as might +engage many to take them, and load the recusants with odious obloquies, +either as silly scruplers, or seditious schismaticks, or rebels. For +this hath been all along their grand project, to level their designs +against religion, not directly and formally under that notion, but +obliquely to the destruction of the lovers and professors of it under +the nickname of fanatical enemies to government. Of these ensnaring +engines levelled to these ends, some have been more patent and open, +others more latent and hidden; both have made a pray of people, the +last chiefly. For a snare the more latent and hidden it be and the more +varnished over with the vermillion of pretended honesty and innocence, +it is the more dangerous; and will be so accounted by all the +circumspect and cautious, as in its design more destructive, and in its +effects, when discovered, more dolorous, than that which is more open +and manifest. A hook, the braver that it is busked, and the better that +it is baited, the surer and more successful it is to catch the simple +fish; if it want its busking, they will not so readily bite at it. + +In vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird; yet though this is a +truth, such silly birds have the bulk of us been, such silly doves +without a heart, and so senselessly stupefied, as to suffer ourselves to +be blindfolded and hood-winked into snares, of such a manifest baseness, +as none could be readily supposed might fall into, who did not brutishly +abandon all common sense of reason, besides religion; as a test, and +oaths of arbitrary allegiance, bonds of conformity, and irregular +regulation, &c. Some again, and these, alas! too many, have been +ensnared with snares of a more smooth, and subtile complexion, and +poisoned with gilded arrows, coloured over with the specious pretexts of +the enemies relenting condescendency and tenderness, stooping now to +universal and general terms, obviously thought capable of a very good +construction, and daubed over with the untempered mortar of the +frequency of the most universally unscrupled supscription of very good +and conscientious men and the rarity of recusants lying under the +reproach of some few, wild, fantastical fools. These well busked hooks +have caught many; of which sort have been many banded indemnities, and +easily swallowed oaths thereunto appended. Though the present indeed is +contrived without gins of this sort, and now all these snares of oaths +and bands are as illegally taken away as they were before imposed; upon +the same design, to catch silly fish by other methods; not with hooks, +as before, but with a large spread net, to hale the whole school to +antichrist's shore; and to put to proof and practice the vastness of +that leviathan prerogative of absolute power, to dispense with all +oaths; especially because, in all of them, even the most monstrous, +people might think there was some tye obliging them to maintain the +protestant religion, therefore to obliterate that, and bury it in +oblivion, all now are taken away; but the guilt of them still remains +upon the land, and the grievous cry of suffering for refusing them still +continues; and therefore the iniquity of them must be looked unto and +lamented, and that with an eye to the account and reckoning must be +rendered for them, to a greater judgment than that of creatures. But +among all these destructive and diabolical devices, there have been none +more charming and cheating, than that cunningly contrived oath of +abjuration, as it is called, enjoined to be taken by all within the +kingdom, by a proclamation about it, representing a late declaration +emmitted by that party, whose sufferings I am vindicating (as a +manifesto of their enemies) under the most odious character, that the +malice of men helped with hell's hatred could devise; and requiring all +to abjure it in the most peremptory manner, and under the severest +penalty that ever was heard. This oath, I say, was contrived with such +cunning, and followed with such keenness, that it hath involved more +under its obligation, and engaged more to subscribe it, than any other +that went before it: because it hath been painted over with such +pretexts, as never any before was capable of. The pressing of it hath +been so impartial, upon travelling to the country, &c. And their +acceptance of the pass annexed to it thought so necessary, as without it +no business could be gone about. Its subscription so universally +unscrupled, even by the generality of great professors and ministers +too; the thing abjured represented so odious, as no honest man could +refuse to renounce; and the matter renounced, under its best aspect and +construction, esteemed only a paper declaration of a party very +despicable, wherein the principles, profession, or confession of the +church seems no way concerned; and if any way concerned, yet the concern +appearing so finall, as few or none durst state their sufferings upon +that head. Yet I believe, if either such as have taken it, or others +that may have the tentation of the like hereafter, will impartially +ponder it; so much iniquity may be discovered in it, as may oblige the +one to mourn in the sense of its fulness, and the other to beware of its +danger. And so much rather would I offer this to consideration, that I +know one who was wofully wheedled into it, that found the bitter effects +of this poisoned pill in his wounded conscience, after reflections on +the deed, in such a measure that he despaired of ever recovering peace. +And this man had as much, and more to say, to justify his deed, than any +that ever took it; having it with all the advantages that ever it could +be tendered with: for, being urged thereunto before the justiciary, he +expresly refused to disown that declaration, and the principles +whereupon it was founded, and told them that it was misrepresented in +the proclamation: and when they yielded to an abstract disowning of it +in so far as the proclamation represents it, or, if so be, it might be +so represented, he gave in a sense in writ, wherein he would take it; +shewing that, upon supposition, the declaration did assert such things +as was represented, he would disown it: and after the sense was accepted +as satisfactory, he refused to swear after the ordinary manner, +following the clerks, blind manuduction, but behoved to have it written +down: and when it was written, with express specification of that +apologetical declaration, he refused to swear it, till it was altered +and corrected, and the word pretended put in the stead of it: which +done, before he subscribed it, he protested it might be constructed in +no other sense, than the genuine meaning of the words he delivered in, +and that it might not be reckoned a compliance for fear of his life: +yet, notwithstanding of all this, he lost the jewel of inward peace, and +knew the terror of the Lord for many days. Therefore I shall chiefly +insist on discovering the iniquities of this last oath, called the +abjuration oath, both because it is the smoothest, and more generally +taken than any other, and approven by many that condemn the rest, and +refusing it hath been punished by death, and most illegally pressed upon +all, under the penalty thereof, as none of the rest was; and because as +all other oaths successively imposed, were so contrived that the last +did always imply and involve the substance of the former, so it will +appear that the iniquity of none of the preceeding oaths was altogether +wanting in this. But to the end, both the complication of the iniquities +of this oath may be evinced, and the continued strain of all the oaths +(which have also been heads of suffering, though not to this degree) may +be discovered; I shall touch somewhat of all the sorts of them, and shew +that their iniquity cleaves to this last oath: and then come to canvass +this oath itself, after I have premitted some general concessions. + +First, In a few words some general concessory propositions may be +premitted, + +1. That oaths both assertory and promissory are lawful, will not be +denied but by Quakers, &c. It is clear, swearing is a moral duty, and so +material, that oftentimes it is used for the whole worship of God, Deut. +vi. 13. "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and shalt serve him, and +swear by his name," Deut. x. 20.----"To him shalt thou cleave and swear +by his name." The reason is, because by whomsoever we swear, him we +profess to be our God, and invocate him as witness of our heart's +uprightness, and honest meaning in the thing sworn, according as it is +understood by both parties, and as avenger if we prove false. Hence, +every oath, which doth not bind us faster to serve and cleave to him, +is but a breach of the third command. Again, it is not only commanded as +a duty, but qualified how it should be performed, Jer. iv. 1, 2. Where +it is required of a people returning to the Lord, to swear in truth, in +judgment, and in righteousness. Hence, every oath which is not so +qualified, and does not consist with a penitent frame, is sin. It is +likewise promised in the covenant, that believers shall speak the +language of Canaan, and swear to the Lord, Isa. xix. 18. every oath then +that is not in the language of Canaan, is unsuitable to believers, that +is to say, consentaneous to the word of God, and confession of our +faith. Again, he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of +truth, Isa. lxv. 16. and therefore that oath which is not according to +truth, is dishonourable to the God of truth. If all the oaths imposed +upon Scotland these many years, were examined by these touch-stones, +they would be found all naught. So giving bands for security, which for +obligation are equivalent to promissory oaths, are also lawful +materially; but with the same qualifications, otherwise they are sinful. + +2. This duty when suitably discharged, truly, judiciously, righteously, +in the fear of God, according to his will, is in many cases very +necessary. Not only in vows, in which God is the party, in matters +morally necessary, to keep the righteous judgments of God, Psal. cxix. +106. Nor only in national covenants for reformation, and promoting the +interest of Christ, whereof we find many instances in scripture, in +Moses, Joshua, Asa, Hezekiah, Josiah, Ezrah, Nehemiah, their making and +renewing such covenants by oath, coming under the dreadful curse of it +if they should break it. And this may make our hearts meditate terror, +for the universal unparalelled breach of solemn covenants with God, that +exposes the nation to the curse of it; but also in human transactions, +whereunto God is invocated as a witness, as in national transactions, at +choosing and inaugurating their magistrates, for security of religion +and liberties, as we have many examples in scripture. Seldom indeed do +such bonds hold tyrants, but it is this generation's indelible brand and +bane, that without this they have come under the yoke of ineluctable +slavery, and have entailed it upon posterity. As likewise in contracts +and mutual compacts of friendship, or stricter association, when +edification, or other satisfaction, or security calls for it, as Jacob +sware to Laban, David to Jonathan, &c. In which the matter must be +clear, and mutually understood, and honestly meant, without equivocation +and mental reservation, and all ambiguity, as also possible, and likely +to continue so: for otherwise, it were but a mocking of God and man, to +swear a thing we either cannot, or will not perform, according to the +meaning of him in whose favours the oath is given. But withal we ought +to be sparing in such things except where the matter of the oath or bond +is weighty and necessary, and not multiply them needlesly upon formality +or custom; for if there were suitable confidence in one another, there +would not be need for so many of these securities. And specially in +relative stipulations betwixt man and wife, &c. Where an indissolvable +relation is entered into. And, in a particular manner, even in things +civil, when we are called thereunto by a lawful magistrate, for deciding +of controversies, or our own vindication, or to confirm our obligation +to some duty, an oath for confirmation is an end of all strife, Heb. vi. +16. But always in this the matter must be lawful, according to the will +of God, and true, and certainly known, and also necessary, weighty, +useful, worthy of such confirmation, for the glory of God, and the good +of our neighbour, that his holy name be not taken in vain; for otherwise +if the matter be false, God is made witness of a lie; if uncertain, +conscience condemns us that we know not, nor care not, what we call God +witness to; if unlawful, then God is called to approve what he hath +condemned, and so to contradict himself, which is horrid blasphemy. +With all which cases, and hell devised impositions on consciences in +these days, obtruded to debauch and ensnare them, not one of them, +levelling all at one design, how smoothly soever conceived, can be taken +without a wound and wramp to the conscience. + +3. Of all these cases, only two are applicable to our imposed +transactions with our wicked rulers, viz. in the matter of friendly +contracts, or in the matter of judicial appearances before them, and +swearing and banding before, and to them. In both which, there must be a +sort of confederation, with them. In contracts with them it will not be +doubted; and in judicial submitting to their authoritative impositions +of such securities, it is evident, there must be also a confederation +with them, not only in acknowledging their authority, but in coming +under mutual exacted stipulations; wherein, by taking these oaths and +bands, we give them security of orderly subjection, as members of the +community whereof they are judges, and get their security of +acquittance, and that we shall not be molested nor prosecuted among the +recusants. Now concerning this confederation, I shall concede in two +cases, it may be owned, and consequentially oaths and bonds may be given +to men of their stamp, 1. A confederation which is more discretive, or +discriminative may be allowed to them; that is, such bargains wherein +they and we are kept still divided as two parties, and not under one +incorporation, as in contracts of co-habitation, living under them as +tenants, buying and selling, and the like. But we cannot enter into a +confederation unitive with them, which may make us one body or party. 2. +A confederation which is necessary and unavoidable; when either an +unavoidable strife or contention doth arise between them and us, +whereupon we are compelled to answer in law, and can no otherwise be +decided but by our oath of confirmation, which is an end of all strife; +or when we are falsely accused of some odious and heinous crime, as of +murder or adultery: it is then lawful and necessary to vindicate +ourselves, by giving all these legal confirmations that we are free of +these things; for otherwise to ly under the imputation of such +enormities, were shamefully scandalous to religion. But we cannot allow +any transactions of this sort, which are elective and voluntary, to make +or pursue either peace or pleas with them, when our own interest or +benefit draweth us thereunto; but ere we go to law, or give oaths and +bonds to, and before the unjust and perfidious, and such also as we +cannot own as magistrates, we would rather take wrong, and suffer +ourselves to be defrauded as the apostle adviseth, 1 Cor. vi. 1, 7. It +was not unlawful, as expositors shew from that place, for the +Corinthians to answer in law for their own vindication, being pursued by +a heathen; but it was utterly a fault to go voluntarily one with +another. And if to pursue a brother was a fault, then much more to go to +law with an apostate, with whom there should be less meddling. And if to +go before the unjust magistrates, as these heathen judges were at +Corinth, who yet were magistrates, was utterly a fault, then much more +to go before such as have neither rightful nor righteous authority at +all: which yet must be acknowledged, if we take oaths and bands before +them: for none can exact these but acknowledged magistrates. Hence it is +apparent, it would be an elective confederation with these wicked +usurping judges, when brought before them to take their tendered oaths +and bonds, not as parties pursued before them, but as transacting with +them, with whom, as well as before whom, we must give these confirming +securities: and so not only must we acknowledge them to be gods, among +whom the Lord sitteth, whose holy name is interposed in such solemn +transactions; but also we must swear and enter in bonds to them as they +require. This indeed is necessary when called before them against our +will, and accused of horrid crimes, as was always in the imposition of +the oath of abjuration audaciously imputed to the refusers, that they +asserted murdering principles, and owned it lawful to kill all that +served the king; in such a case, to declare with the most solemn +asseverations, for vindication of truth, that we disown not only all +such assertions, but all such thoughts as that it is lawful to kill all +that serve the king, or any that serve him because they serve him, or +because they have injured us any manner of way, and to declare our +abhorrence of all murder and assassinations. But to swear such things to +them, when we are altogether innocent, would be a granting that we were +legally suspected, by offering a legal purgation. And so all the +subjects of Scotland should take upon them to purge themselves from a +suspicion of murder, which were odious. And to abjure a declaration, as +asserting such things, when it asserts no such thing, is a swearing to a +lie. + +4. All solemn securities of oaths or bonds, that are sacred promises, +are by strictness of law, of most strict and indispensible obligation, +as Mr. Durham on the third command, shews in many cases: No man's loss, +or private prejudice, can make it void, (though we swear to our own +hurt, we must not change, Psal. xv. 4) nor indifferency in the matter, +if once engaged in, for then our souls are bound, Numb. xxx. 2. nor +deceit of others, if the deceit be circumstantial only, as in the +Gibeonites case; nor the extortion of it by fear or violence, if the +matter be lawful; nor rashness and sin in the manner, if lawful in the +matter, as with the Gibeonites; nor another meaning afterwards devised, +not according to the imposer's mind, nor our own at first who took it, +(that is but a swearing deceitfully, Psal. xxiv. 4.) nor any good +meaning or design in reversing the oath (Saul was punished for breaking +his oath with the Gibeonites, out of zeal, 2 Sam. xxi. 2.) nor though +the oath be conceived by creatures, (as by the altar or temple, &c. Mat. +xxxiii. 20,--22.) nor when the thing becomes impossible, if that +possibility could have been foreseen or prevented; nor any other sacred +meaning, by equivocation or mental reservation, which are abominable; +nor any dispensation from pope or king; nor any other posterior oath. +None of these things can make an oath void; but if we have bound +ourselves, God will require it: "For whoso despises an oath, by breaking +the covenant, when lo he hath given his hand, he shall not escape, God +shall recompense it," Ezek. xvii. 18, 19. They are null indeed and of no +force, when they become bonds of iniquity, tying to things unlawful or +impossible; or when the thing sworn is not in our own power, Numb. xxx. +5. Or when there is deceit in it, not in circumstantials only, but in +essentials; or when it hinders a greater good, when the case materially +altereth; or when the party sworn to relaxeth us. All these do condemn +the horrid breach of the sacred and solemn league and covenant, and +confutes the perverting and wresting the words of it in the third +article, as if it did oblige to allegiance of tyrants; for, in that +case, the obligation is unlawful, and there is a case in essentials, and +the case materially altereth, (for in the covenant we are bound to the +king, not to a tyrant) and the party sworn to have relaxed us long ago, +by annulling the covenant; yet all these things prove, that the covenant +is still in force, and that all the oaths and bonds contradictory to it, +are sinful: and yet though it be sinful to take them, and sinful to keep +them, it is nevertheless perjury to break them, especially to them whose +erroneous conscience is bound by them, under a notion of their +lawfulness. + +And in a special manner it is here conspicuous, how deceitful a juggle +that sinful shift of many hath been, that they could subscribe an +unlawful bond under a penalty: as for example, to answer to their +courts, or to go to church, or separate from the persecuted meetings of +the Lord's people, under such a penalty, which they thought to pay the +penalty would clear them off, as if it were only an alternative bond. +The iniquity of this juggle will appear, if we consider, such bonds +cannot be alternative: for alternatives are always disjunctive, binding +equally either to this or that; and the one alternative is no more +determinately enjoined by the imposer, than the other. And so, if these +bonds were alternative, it should be in the binder's choice, whether to +answer the court, go to church, to separate meetings, or pay so much +money. But it is not so, for the stipulation and promise is determinate +to the obligation, for which the bond is required, and the penalty is +annexed, as a punishment of the breach of that obligation. And that +fancy of eluding the bond by paying the penalty, would quite enervate +all security among men, in their mutual compacts of that nature; and +under that pretence, they might give a satisfactory compliance to the +most wicked imposed obligation imaginable, to subscribe the Turk's +Alcoran, with a reserved attention only to pay the imposed penalty. +Which reservation is so far from being suitable to that christian +simplicity the gospel requires, that it does not answer that moral +honesty that our concern, in the good of human society, calls for. It is +incumbent on all that expect to dwell on God's holy hill, to have this +requisite qualification for one, though they swear to their own hurt +they will not change it, and they must be far from swearing deceitfully; +and consequently, if they bind themselves by a promise, which a +Christian should be no less tender of than his oath, they must keep it. +And besides, to condescend that that penalty or fine should be paid, by +ourselves, or friends in our behalf, were to condescend that these +enemies should be enriched by our own or the spoil of our friends, upon +the account of the forfeiture of our promise; which seems such a +dishonest and dishonourable thing, that an honest heart would disdain +it. And though this should be flouted as foolish preciseness, to chuse +rather to ly still and suffer in such a case; yet it may be considered +that Christ's cross, even with reproaches, is always a better choice +than the world's ease, purchased at any price which is a hire for +Christ's enemies. + +5. All divines and casuists do grant, that an oath must be taken in his +sense and meaning who tenders it, and in whose favours it is conceived: +because oaths and bonds are for security, and therefore whosoever would +deal honestly and christianly in taking an oath, must take it in the +sense that it is understood by such as impose it; otherwise the holy +name of God should be taken in vain, and the swearers and promisers +shall deal deceitfully, in frustrating the end of the oath or bond, and +the design of the tenderers thereof. And therefore, as reason and +religion requires, that all oaths or bonds be so conceived and +enunciated, that all concerned may understand them, and if there be any +doubt how far they bind, the imposers should explain the same, as +Abraham did to his servant: So conscience requires, that they be always +taken in the imposer's sense, and as they discover their sense and +sentiments of them, and not according to the meaning that we may think +the words capable of; nor yet according to the wheedling explications, +that they may give or allow, which are as deceitful and ensnaring as the +things themselves. Nor is it to be looked upon as a favour to get a +liberty to put a sense upon them, contrary to their known meaning; for +that is but a liberty to mock God, to mock others, and ourselves too, +and nothing but a snare to the conscience. And to put a gloss upon +printed oaths or bonds, which in strict construction they will not bear, +and then to subscribe them in the terms as offered, is not only an +intangling ourselves into the bond of sinful oaths and bands, but to +stumble the godly, and harden the wicked in the present, and to mock +posterity in future ages; who shall see the oaths in the terms +subscribed, but not the sense they were taken in. See Apolog. Relat. +Sect. 14. It is known by manifold experiences that it is dangerous to +hearken to their overtures who study to ensnare us, but far more +hurtful and hateful to propound overtures to them. For they interpret it +a ceding and giving ground, and when they see a man beginning to yield, +then they will seem to be very condescending, even to accept of little +at first, that they may draw him on to more: like cunning anglers +sometimes recoiling and drawing back the well baited and busked hook, to +invite the poor unwary fish to pursue, and sometimes letting it run away +with the hook when it bites kindly: So when they find a man offering and +ready to accept of accommodations, they will be very yielding and easy, +but with a design to hook him. But conscience can find no safety at +present, nor satisfaction afterwards in accommodations with them. For it +is plain to all that are not blinded with ignorance, or partiality, or a +judicial stroke, that our imposers are such sons of Belial as cannot be +taken with hands, or by the hand; and if we reflect upon the matters +upon which these accommodations are to be offered or accepted, they are +not things upon which we may come and go, upon our discretion, as we do +with our own particulars, or with problems to be disputed, or ambiguous +propositions capable of different senses; but matters so and so +circumstantiate, as do require the positive determinate judgment of the +conscience, concerns of truth and falsehood, duty and sin, which cannot +admit of accommodation, or dispensation, or reservation, or any other +sense than the imposers and they that state their inquisition about such +things do own, and are observedly known to have and maintain about them. +Otherwise, all other forged accommodations are but tampering tricks, +juggling with jugglers, deceiving the deceivers, in such a way as does +not well consist with the simplicity of the gospel, or the doves +innocency; for what is that but a swearing or promising deceitfully! +Psal. xxiv. 4. "a conceiving and uttering from the heart words of +falsehood," Isa. lix. 13. "a false oath," Zech. viii. 17. "which are +hateful to God who will be a swift witness against false swearers," Mal. +iii. 5. Neither will they be so easily deceived, for they will readily +yield to accommodations, or any tolerable sense that we can put upon +their snares; for they reckon that a yielding in part, and are glad to +find us so far justifying their acts and impositions, as by our offer +practically to declare they bear a good sense, and they will come many +ways to our hand to get us hooked so. + +Secondly, These things being premitted, I shall offer reasons why it was +necessary, in point of conscience, to refuse all the oaths hitherto +tendered; and consequently conscientious sufferers upon this account +will be vindicated. And first, some general reasons against all of them +together, and then a word to each sort of them. + +1. There is one general argument, that will condemn coming in any terms +of oaths or bonds with that party, that have broken the covenant, +overturned the reformation, and destroyed the people of the Lord: +because such transactions with them (as hinted above) are a sort of +confederacy with the known enemies of truth and godliness, importing a +voluntary subjection to them, compliance and incorporation with them, as +members of the same community, whereof they are acknowledged to be the +head. Now all such sort of confederacy with such malignant enemies of +God and of the church, is unlawful, as Mr. Gillespie demonstrates in his +useful case of conscience, concerning associations and confederacies +with idolaters, or any known enemies of truth and godliness. Though +civil compacts for common commerce may be allowed, as Abraham was +confederate with Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, Gen. xiv. 13. Jacob covenanted +with Laban by way of lawborrows, Gen xxxi. 14. But sacred confederations +of this sort are unlawful from these arguments, 1. The law of God +condemns them, Exod. xxiii. 32. "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, +nor with their gods, they shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make +thee sin against me,"----Where not only religious covenants are +discharged in a toleration of the idolatry, but familiar conversation +also, they shall not dwell in thy land. If then we must not suffer them, +if in capacity, sure we must far less be imposed upon by them; if we are +not to be familiar with heathens, far less with apostates, that call +themselves Christians; for the apostle lays much more restraint from +communion with them, than with Pagans, 1 Cor. v. 10, 11. The reason of +the law, lest they make thee sin: as long therefore as there is that +hazard of sinning, the law obliges to that caution. So Exod. xxxiv. +12,--16. "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the +inhabitants of the land--lest it be a snare--but ye shall destroy their +altars--lest thou make a covenant with them--and they go a whoring after +their gods, and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons"--Here again +all sacred transactions are discharged, upon a moral and perpetually +binding ground, and all toleration is prohibited, and conjugal affinity. +Such compliance brought on the first desolating judgment, the flood on +the old world (Gen. vi. 1, 2, 3.) when the godly conformed and +incorporated themselves, and joined in affinity with that ungodly crew, +from whom they should have separated themselves. Likewise Deut. vii. 2, +3, 4, 5.--"Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto +them, neither shalt thou make marriages with them--for they will turn +away thy son from following me--so shall the anger of the Lord be +kindled against you--but thus shall ye deal with them, ye shall destroy +their altars." Where all transactions with a people devoted to +destruction are discharged, even that of toleration of malignant +enemies, according to which precept, "David resolved to destroy early all +the wicked of the land, and cut off all wicked doers, from the city of +the Lord," Psal. ci. 8. Mark this, all, of what degree or quality +soever, without respect of persons. And lest it should be thought this +is meant only of these seven nations there enumerate, the law is +interpreted by the spirit of God or many other nations; where Solomon is +condemned for joining in affinity with other wicked people, besides +these, 1 Kings, xi. 1, 2. So that it is to be understood generally, +against confederacies with all, to whom the moral ground is applicable, +and the danger of insnaring the people of God. It is clear likewise, we +must have nothing to do with the wicked, but to treat them and with them +as enemies, Psal. cxxxix. 21, 22. with whom, as such, there can be no +confederation; for that supposes always the enmity is laid aside, but +that can never be between the professors of religion and the professed +enemies thereof: but that must always be the language of their practice, +"Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard me," +Psal. vi. 8. The command is peremptory and perpetual, "Forsake the +foolish," Prov ix. 6. "Make no friendship with them," Prov. xxii. 24. +"Say not a confederacy to them." Isa. viii. 12. where it is clear from +the opposition in that text, betwixt confederating with the wicked and +the fear of God, that the one is not consistent with the other. There is +an express discharge to yoke or have any fellowship with them, 2 Cor. +vi. 14. to the end--"for what fellowship hath righteousness with +unrighteousness?--what concord hath Christ with Belial?--wherefore come +out from among them, and be separate."--2. Many sad and sharp reproofs +for such transactions and confederations do conclude the same thing, +Judg. ii. 1, 2, 3--"I said,--ye shall make no league with the +inhabitants of this land, you shall throw down their altars: but you +have not obeyed my voice, Why have you done this? Wherefore--I will not +drive them out from before you--." It cannot be expected, the Lord will +drive out these enemies, if we swear subjection and allegiance, and +come under confederations with them; for thereby we contribute actively +to their settlement and establishment, and bring ourselves not only +under the misery, but the guilt of strengthening the hands of evil +doers. So Jer. ii. the people of God are reproved, for making themselves +home-born slaves. How? by outlandish confederacies, verse 18. "Now what +hast thou to do in the way of Assyria?--The Chaldee paraphrase hath it, +What have you to do to associate with Pharaoh king of Egypt? and what +have you to do to make a covenant with the Assyrian?" So may we say, +what have we to do to take their oaths and bonds, that are as great +enemies as they were? Ephraim is reproved for mixing himself among the +people, Hos. vii. 8. by making confederacies with them. What follows? He +is a cake not turned, hot in the nether side, zealous for earthly +things, but cold and raw in the upper side, remiss in the things of +Christ. And this we have seen in our experience to be the fruit of such +bargains, or bonds, or oaths, that they that were engaged in them, have +always in some measure fallen from their former fervour for Christ. Nay +we shall find, that such transactions are seldom or never recorded in +the book of God without a reproof, or some greater marks of God's +displeasure put upon them? which doubtless is set purposely as beacons, +that we may beware of them. And therefore, 3. We may take notice of many +disallowed and condemned examples, on which the Lord set marks of wrath, +as Ahab's covenant with Benhadad, 1 Kings xx. 32. to the end. Asa's +covenant with Benhadad, which the prophet calls a foolish deed, 2 Chron. +xvi. from beginning to verse 10. proceeding from an evil heart of +unbelief, as all such transactions are overawed compliances. +Jehoshaphat's with Ahab hath the same censure, though he kept himself +free of Ahab's idolatry, and Ahab seemed to have been penitent before +he joined with him, and his relation to him was very near, the enemy of +both was an infidel, the cause was good, to recover a city of refuge, +the manner of his proceeding was pious, consulting the prophets, and his +end good; yet all this did not justify that wickedness, related 2 Chron. +xviii. and reproved 2 Chron. xix. 2. Jehu the prophet is sent to him, +"Shouldst thou love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon +thee from before the Lord." After this, when he joined himself with +Ahaziah, who did very wickedly, the Lord brake his works, 2 Chron. xx. +35. to the end: which made him afterwards mend his fault, for he would +not again join with him, when he sought the like association, 1 Kings +xxii. 49. So Amaziah's bargain with the Israelites, when the Lord was +not with them, is condemned by the prophet, admonishing him to disjoin +himself from them, 2 Chron. xxv. 7,--20. and Ahaz's bargain with Tilgath +Pilneser the Assyrian, 2 Chron. xviii. 16 &c. is plainly disallowed. 4. +The complaints, confessions, and lamentations of the Lord's people, +mourning over this sin, demonstrate the evil of it, Ezra ix. 14. "Should +we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of +these abominations? Wouldst not thou be angry with us, till thou hadst +consumed us, so that there shouldst be no remnant nor escaping?" Psal. +cvi. 35. "They were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works." + +All these commands, reproofs, examples and complaints, are written for +our learning; and being seriously laid to heart, will sufficiently sear +all the fearers of God to join, but stand aloof from all compliances, +conjurations, or confederacies with the enemies of God, directly or +indirectly, formally or interpretatively, for fear of partaking of their +sins, and receiving of their plagues. I insist the more largely on this +argument, both because it will conclude that for which those proofs are +adduced, to condemn all bonding or bargaining with malignant enemies; +and because it will vindicate the aversion of this poor persecuted +remnant, from associating in expeditions of war, with promiscuous +subverters and perverters of the cause, on which it were not proper to +my purpose to dilate any discourse in a distinct head, while I must +confine myself only to the heads of sufferings; only because it may be +objected, and it will be profitable to consider it, that these +scriptures disprove only voluntary and elective confederations with the +wicked, but cannot condemn necessitated subscriptions of lawful +obligations, when the matter is not sinful; nor come they home to the +case of prisoners, who are constrained to transact and treat, and have +do with the men in power, otherwise, if all bonds were unlawful, then +prisoners might not procure liberty for longer or shorter time, upon +bond and bail, to answer again when called; which yet is generally +approven, and practised without scruple, and see us not want a precedent +in scripture, in that Jason gave such security, Acts xvii. 9. I shall +therefore subjoin here some considerations, by way of answer to this. 1. +These scriptures disprove all covenants, Exod. xxiii. 32. All +confederacies, Isa. viii. 12. All concord or agreement with the men of +Belial, 1 Cor. vi. 15. and, without distinction of voluntary or overawed +transactions, all unitive agreements of whatsoever sort are discharged, +and can no more be restricted to the particulars there specified, as if +any other covenant, confederacy, or concord might be lawful, that there +was not a joining in marriage, an associating in war, or communion in +communion in worship with them, than the moral grounds of these +prohibitions can be so restricted: for the hazard of sins and snares, +the hurt of faithless fears from whence they flow, and the hatefulness +of such unequal conjunctions, which are the grounds and reasons of these +laws, as may be seen in these forecited places, cannot be restricted to +the particulars specified. But now all the tendered oaths and bonds of +our adversaries, when subscribed as they require; yea, even those +transactions of prisoners for procuring their liberty, on terms of +engaging to re-enter themselves according to agreement with their +persecutors, are unitive covenants, or conditional agreements, giving +solemn securities for their respective obligations, upon terms wherein +both parties accord; for these bonds are given to them, and not only +before them, as was said. They are confederacies of the subjected, +seeking the peace and favours of their superiors, which when overawed +are sinful to be made with wicked enemies of religion, as well as when +unconstrained, for Ahaz's transaction with the Assyrian, was forced out +of fear, and yet it is called a sinful confederacy, not to be +homologated by any of the fearers of the Lord, Isa. viii. 12. They are +concords and agreements with the unrighteous sons of Belial, and not +about common matters, but matters wherein religion and righteousness are +nearly concerned: can any think that these commands are given with +exception of prisoners? and that if any Israelite was prisoner to these +nations, he might make a covenant with them for his liberty, upon an +engagement to render himself prisoner to them again? Then he might give +bond to God's devoted enemies, to bind up his hands from prosecuting the +war with them, which all Israel was obliged to do: for if they might +covenant subjection to them, then it would have been their sin to rebel, +as it was Zedekiah's sin to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, because it was +breach of covenant: and so there might be a case, wherein the +Israelites, notwithstanding of all these prohibitions, would be obliged +not to destroy, nor break down their altars, to wit, if they made such a +bargain with them for their liberty, to surrender themselves as their +subjects. Now we read, many times they were brought under subjection, +and that as a punishment of their leaguing with them: and yet they broke +the yoke, when they cried unto the Lord, and never submitted any longer +than they were able to deliver themselves. Whence it is plain, that they +never bound themselves to such subjection by oath, bond, or promise, for +that would have been no mercy which was purchased by treachery. 2. It is +a voluntary compact with the men in power to procure liberty upon bond +to answer again, and cannot be called necessitated; or if it be, it is +but a necessitated sin. It must be voluntary, because it is an act of +the will, and the will cannot be forced; it is the consent of the will, +and the consent cannot but be voluntary, in so far as it is a consent; +and by this, whereas, before their so procured liberty, they were +prisoners by constraint, now when they must return to prison, they are +prisoners by consent: It is the prisoner's choice, whether he will come +out upon these terms, or not; and every choice, in so far as it is a +choice, is elective and voluntary: it is put to the man's choice, +whether he will continue under the cross, and continue his testimony for +the cause, or surcease from it for a time, the latter in the case is +chosen. It is the prisoner's desire and petition, to transact with them +in these terms for liberty, without which no benefit of any such bond +can be procured, and every desire is voluntary. Yea, it is a formal +compact and capitulation with them, binding and obliging these bonders +by their own word and writ, at least to be at their call and command, +not by compulsion and force now, but by the moral obligation of their +own compact: now, every such compact is voluntary. And therefore, if all +voluntary covenants, confederacies, and agreements, be discharged in +scripture, then this bond of compearance also must be discharged. The +judgment of the famous Mr. Rutherford, or a draught of a petition to +have been presented to the committee of estates, by those ministers who +were prisoners in the castle of Edinburgh, will confirm what is said: we +find it in the third part of his letters, Numb. 93. where are these +words, 'I am straitned as another suffering man, but dare not petition +this committee, 1. Because it draws us to capitulate with such as have +the advantage of the mount, the Lord so disposing for the present, and +to bring the matters of Christ to yea and no (you being prisoners, and +they the powers) is a hazard.' 3. This agreement with the enemies for +liberty upon these terms, is sinful. For it is not only an +acknowledgement of a wicked power, in owning and transacting with them +as judges, who can free them and bind them as prisoners by law, which is +disproved above; but it is a binding themselves over to a packed, +perverse, and law-perverting judicatory, not as prisoners by forcible +constraint, but a willing consent, acknowledging the legality of their +imprisonment, and obliging themselves to observe it when demanded: yea, +it is a covenanted and bonded obedience to a wicked law; for it is a +wicked law, to exact from a sufferer for truth his re-entry to prison, +for no crime but his duty. As also it is a justifying of a wicked +sentence; for it is a wicked sentence, that an innocent man shall return +to prison when they please; which is justified when they bind themselves +to obey it. This is no ways like a man's going to the gibbet on his own +feet; for the man does not bind himself to do that, neither is it +exacted of him as an obedience to a law, nor is it given forth as a part +of his sentence, only he chooseth it for his own ease: but if all these +did concur, it were unlawful for a martyr for righteousness to obey such +a law, or voluntarily to submit to such a wicked sentence. Neither is it +of any pertinency to urge, that it is lawful for a man to submit so far +to a robber, as to bind himself to return to him against such a day with +another purse to him: for this is a necessitated bargain, to give what a +man hath, and promise more to save his life, and is like a man's casting +his goods out at sea to save the ship; the other is not so, but +elective: this is only a choice of the least of two evils of suffering, +but the other is a choice of one of two evils, which is sin, which +cannot come under a Christian's election at all; this is a compact with +the robber, which is still discretive, and no ways unitive of the robber +and him, in any bargain of concord, or confederacy, or acknowledged +subjection, only a passive surrender to his greater force as an enemy; +but the other is unitive, as between rulers and ruled: this is not any +obedience to a law, nor is the man's purse required to be given, or +promised under that notion, as the other is. I shall here also subjoin +some more of that foresaid letter of Mr. Rutherford's, in the second +place, says he, 'A speaking to them in writ, and passing in silence the +sworn covenant, and the cause of God, which is the very present +controversy, is contrary to the practice of Christ and the apostles, who +being accused, or not accused, avouched Christ to be the Son of God, and +the Messias, and that the dead must rise again, even when the adversary +initiated the question.' Now plain it is, that neither in the bonds nor +petitions, is there any word of the cause or testimony suffered for. 4. +As it is sinful, so it is very scandalous in several respects; in that +at least it hath the appearance of evil, which Christians should abstain +from, 1 Thes. v. 22. and seems to be a voluntary subjecting themselves +to their impositions (at least of that to return to prison again) a +willing acknowledgment of their unjust usurpations; a spontaneous +consenting to their mischiefs framed into a law, and exacted under the +notion of a law; a gratifying of the enemies of religion, and pleasing +them more than any thing a prisoner can do, except he should wholly deny +the cause: and therefore chiefly always this overture is most acceptable +from those that durst give any testimony, because they look upon it as +some indication of their fainting or falling from it, or of their +wearying of the cross of Christ, of which they are very glad; and an +offending and making sad the hearts, and condemning the practice, of +some truly tender and zealous confessors of Christ, who have had strong +tentations to make such transactions, and durst not yield so far for a +world; yea it is certainly an argument of faithless fear, and impatient +wearying of the cross, because of the fury of the oppressor, which the +Lord taxeth, when the captive hastneth that he may be loosed, and that +he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail; which is a +dishonour to him who hath promised to bear their charges, and hath given +them many encouragements to trust, that he will open a door in his own +time and way. See Isa. li. 13, 14. Of this Rutherford addeth in that +forecited letter: 'Silence of the cause of God which adversaries +persecute, seems a tacit deserting of the cause, when the state of the +question is known to beholders, and I know the brethren intend not to +leave the cause. And a little after, says he, the draught of that +petition which you sent me, speaks not one word of the covenant of God, +for the adhering to which you now suffer, and which is the object of +men's hatred, and the destruction whereof is the great work of the +times; and your silence, in this nick of time, appears to be a not +confessing of Christ before men, and you want nothing to beget an +uncleanly deliverance, but the profession of silence:' which is +professed by all that petition for such a bond, when their address and +transaction speaks no more in favours of the cause, than if they denied +it. It is plainly a coming out of prison without a testimony, which +cannot consist with faithful and zealous suffering for Christ, and is +far from the choice of Christ's witnesses, who overcame by the blood of +the Lamb, and the word of their testimony, recorded, Heb. xi. 35.----Who +were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a +better resurrection. 5. As it is a scandalous, so it is very +inconvenient and unsuitable for the confessors of Christ. In that not +only they may be ignorant, and much troubled to know what underhand +dealings their friends may use sometimes to procure that liberty, +without acquainting them, and how odiously their act of deliverance may +be worded and registred to the prejudice of the cause, which they dare +not testify against afterwards when they do know it, for fear of many +inconveniences. But also it cannot be vindicated from being a +dishonourable shifting, and putting off, or casting off the call of a +testimony; and confessing either an inconstancy, or impatience, or +unreadiness, or want of resolution, to confess or profess the testimony +for Christ, without some respite to gather new defences for it: whereas +Christ's witnesses should be ready always to give an answer to every man +that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them, 1 Pet. iii. 15. +And besides, they involve themselves into the incumbrances of a doubtful +suspence about the event, whereas if they keep their first resolution +and condition with cheerfulness, aloof from such bargains, they know the +utmost they have to fear or hope from men. But now, as it is hard for +them to come off without some sinful engagement, and to continue any +measure of faithfulness when they are out, for fear of being soon called +again; so they bring themselves into many sad difficulties how to +behave, and cast themselves into many tentations unavoidably. However, +except of late, a precedent of this practice can hardly be instanced +among the sufferers of Christ in former times, but, on the contrary, +many have refused such offers. I shall only name one; in the persecution +of queen Mary of England, Dr. Sands, prisoner at London, had the offer +of liberty, upon the term of such a bond, finding bail to appear when he +should be called, but refused it absolutely; and when a gentleman, +without his knowledge, having procured it by giving 1000 l. bond for +him, brought him forth and required his consent and observance of the +obligation, he would not consent to give any security, and denied his +resolution to observe it in the least; whereupon the gentleman very +courteously told him, he would stand to his hazard. This was far more +like the innocency of the dove, but this new prudence resembles more +wisdom of the serpent. Finally, as for Jason's business, which is so +much harped upon by these bonders. (1.) These were rulers that he had to +deal withal, and not raging tyrants. (2.) They were indifferent arbiters +between Jason and the lewd fellows that troubled him, and not both judge +and party; he gave no security to his persecutors, as these bonders do, +but to the true judges of the cause, who impartially took cognizance of +it, from whom Jason might and did expect right. (3.) This was before he +was prisoner, being as free as his accusers, and having the law as free +for him as it was for them; whereby he could vindicate himself and abide +the law, and be absolved by it: which does not answer the case of +prisoners actually engaged in and called to a testimony for Christ, when +there is no law but what is established in opposition to Christ. (4.) In +the original it is, when they got satisfaction from him; that is, when +he so cleared himself, that they could not fasten any transgression upon +him, then they absolved him. + +2. All these oaths and solemn securities that have been imposed in these +times, are dreadful and heinous breaches of the third command, by taking +his name in vain in the worst sort, whereby the takers cannot be holden +guiltless. For it is impossible such oaths and bonds, however they be +constructed, can ever be taken with these requisite qualifications +necessary to be observed in all oaths (and consequently in all solemn +promises or bonds) that are mentioned once for all, Jer. iv. 2. where +one that sweareth, must do it in truth, in judgment, and in +righteousness. 1. They cannot be taken in truth, which is a necessary +qualification in all oaths, according to the definition of a true oath, +which is a solemn invocation of God, for confirmation of some true, +lawful, grave, and weighty, useful and worthy business, wherein he is +attested and appealed unto, that he, as the only searcher of hearts, +may give his testimony to the truth of the thing, and punish the +swearers, if he swear not in truth. And this swearing in truth does +import and require both sincerity of the heart, filled with reverence +and the awful apprehension of a present God; and simplicity of the mind, +well informed of the genuine meaning of the oath, that we have clear +uptaking of it, and take it not implicitly, but with our own +understanding; and also singleness and honesty of the intention, that it +be not to deceive, by putting any other sense than the imposer hath, or +will allow when he understands it: so the meaning must be clear, and +such as may be obviously gathered from the words, and according as they +are supposed to be understood by others, especially them that exact the +oath; for if they mean one thing and we another, God's name is profaned, +and the end of the oath frustrated, and so all equivocations and mental +reservations are condemned; as all divines treating on oaths teach, and +worthy Mr. Durham particularly on the third command, who asserts, 'that +though we could devise some other meaning, that might seem to make for +us; yet if that was not meant at first tendering, but otherwise +understood by him that did take it, it will not absolve from the guilt +of perjury; for an oath of strict law, and will not admit, on any +respect or account, of interpretations prejudicial to the native truth +of it, lest it should be found to be' (according to Psal. xxiv. 4.) 'a +swearing deceitfully.' And he afterwards says, 'much less will it exempt +a man from guilt, that in swearing he had a meaning of the words, +contrary to what in common sense they bear, and in the construction of +all indifferent persons, without oath, or beyond it; but it should be +plain, single, and clear.' And Paræus saith, in Catech. Urs. part 2. +quest. 102. An oath hath the divine sanction, that it might be a bond of +verity among men, and a testimony that God is the author and defender +of truth. Now, none of these oaths and bonds can be taken in truth; for +if they may be safely taken in any sense, it must be such as the oath in +the design of the imposers cannot bear, and which the imposers never +intended, nor would they ever have allowed, if they had understood it; +which industriously the takers have a care they should not understand, +and so they must take it in that sense with a mind to deceive, which +cannot be in truth, but most derogatory both to the truth and simplicity +of the gospel. And they are all unclear and ambiguous which cannot be +taken in truth, because they have no truth in them, as Dr. Sanderson +saith, de jure. promiss. oblig. præl. 6. Sect. 10. 'A proposition of an +ambiguous and indefinite sense, before the matter be distinguished, is +not a true proposition; yea, nor a proposition at all: for a +proposition, as its definition cleareth, should signify either a truth +or a falsehood, without any ambiguity; and therefore, says he; such +oaths should be suspected that there is some deceit lurking, and every +pious and prudent man should refuse them offered under such terms,' +cited by apol. relat. sect. 10. pag. 118. and sect. 15. pag. 267. In +fine, none of them can be taken in truth, since they are all a denying +the truth, as will be evident by the induction of all of them: which, +how it can consist with the fear of God, or sincerity of the heart, +cannot be imagined; and if conscience be called into judgment, it will +condemn the taking them. 2. They cannot be taken in judgment, is that, +with knowledge and deliberation, minding and understanding what it is we +swear or subscribe, as Mr. Durham explains it in the place above cited. +For, first, they cannot be taken in judgment, because they are all +ambiguous, the terms of them being capable of divers senses, not +explained by the imposers. And if they were explained in their sense, +then they could not be taken in righteousness; and so at best they are +uncertain: and that is dreadful to invoke the majesty of God to be a +witness to uncertainties; for that is to swear with an evil conscience +and contempt of God to dare to call him in as a witness of that which is +in suspense, whether it be truth or a lie; and such a swearer must make +it a matter indifferent, whether he make God a witness of a truth or of +a lie in the case. Vide Paræum. loc. sup. cit. pag. 754. sect. 4. Dr. +Sanderson as before, gives these reasons further against all ambiguous +oaths. 'Because of him who tendereth the oath. For the proper end of an +oath is, that he in whose favours it is taken should have some certainty +of that whereof he doubted before; but there can be no certainty out of +the words which have no certain sense. Next, because of him who +sweareth, who, if he take such an oath in these terms, either stumbleth +his neighbour, or spreadeth a net for his own feet; for to what else +should such collusion tend, but either that by our example others may be +induced to take it, whereby they are stumbled; or, that afterwards, by +virtue of that oath, something may be required of us, which is either +unlawful or hurtful, and this is to lay a snare for ourselves! Therefore +let every prudent man beware of suffering himself to be deceived by +these wiles, and of thinking so much either of the favour of the ill +will of any other, as to swallow the bait under which he is sure there +is a hook: it is expedient, that, in the matter of oaths, all things be +done aright, and that the sense be clear to all, and that is, to swear +with a clear conscience,' apol. relat. pag. 267. But next, they cannot +be taken in judgment; because they are all imposed and extorted under a +severe penalty, and some of them of death, and so must be taken out of +fear. Such oaths are by many famous divines judged unlawful, especially +public oaths imposed by authority, and under colour of law; these are +worse than a man's private oath given to a robber, for fear of death, if +the matter be unlawful: for, without the matter be lawful or unlawful, +such oaths coacted, exacted, and imposed by law, cannot be taken in +judgment; for if they be taken out of respect to the law; then it is the +person's suffrage to the equity of that law, and an approbation of the +imposition; which, in the present case, cannot be done, by any man of +conscience; for, whether the oaths be lawful or not, the authority +imposing them is nought, and the law wicked, and can never be approven; +and if they be extorted out of fear, then they cannot be taken with +deliberation, or voluntary and unviolented choice, unconstrained light +or liberty, which are all the ingredients of judgment. 3. They cannot be +taken in righteousness, that is, according to the law of equity as well +as piety, neither wronging God nor others by our oaths. Lawful oaths +should be in themselves ties of equity, as well as truth. And Paræus +faith, in the place before cited, lawful oaths are only these which are +engaged into about things true, certainly known, lawful, possible, +weighty, necessary, useful and worthy. And if that be true, then are all +the oaths and bonds taken these many years but fetterings into bonds of +iniquity; which, when the consciences of the takers will reflect on +them, will become galls of bitterness, and found to have none of these +qualifications; but on the contrary, to be about matters false, +uncertain, unlawful, impossible, frivolous, fruitless, useless, and +unworthy, to the worst degree of baseness; and, which is worst of all, +dreadfully sinful, and horrid to be thought on to interpose the name of +God upon, making him the approver of what his soul hates, and a witness +of that which he will be an avenger of, as will appear by the particular +consideration of all of them. + +2. Let it be considered, that though (as the pleaders for these +transactions do impertinently) alledge the same words in other cases +might be subscribed in a more abstract sense, as being capable of a good +construction; yet complexly considered in the form and frame of all the +oaths and bonds we have been troubled with, they cannot be subscribed +in any sense; and if in any, that must be the imposer's sense, which in +them all is always pernicious. 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 and trivial, or dubious and +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 says it is necessary, that no +ruler hath right to enjoin an oath which is not first enacted into a +law; and it was always 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 enacted and 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 packed +parliaments that made them, no conscientious man could ever own 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, whenever 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 +always either restraining to a clear sin, to renounce some part of the +covenanted reformation, in profession or practice; or constraining 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 imposer's mind and +meaning, the sense will be found always pernicious, though the words may +be plausible. As when they require an obligation to allegiance, or +loyalty, or peaceableness, or orderliness, and other smooth words, +signifying excellent things in an abstract notion, these will be found +to carry quite another sense, if we enquire into the imposer's meaning, +in which only oaths and bonds must be taken. The only way to find out +their meaning, is to consider either their acts or actings, or their +designs and intentions, as they are discoverable by any man of prudence +or consideration. If we consult their acts or actings practically, and +not only legally explaining them for a commentary, then by allegiance, +we can understand nothing else but an owning of their absolute tyranny: +by loyalty, nothing but an absolute and implicit obedience of their +absolute commands, without reserve (as the late proclamation for the +toleration expounds it) by peaceableness, nothing but a stupid +subjection to them, letting them do what they please without resistance +or controul; and by orderliness nothing but a disorderly compliance and +conformity with them, in going along with the corruptions and defections +of the time; for their acts and actings expound them so. If we consider +their designs and 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 +and bonds have been adapted and 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 popery +and slavery: so that by allegiance and loyalty can be meant nothing else +but an obligation to own and obey, and never to oppose the design of +advancing tyranny; and by peaceableness and orderliness, nothing else +can be intended, than an obligation never to oppose either the present +settlement, or future establishment of popery and arbitrary power, upon +the ruins of the reformation, and our civil and religious rights and +liberties. Whence, they that can take these oaths and 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 worldly +interest, than to the dictates of conscience, please themselves with +such notions and quibbling evasions, do but mock God, deceive the world, +elude the enemies, and delude themselves. And all these debatings for +accommodations and expositions in another sense, are but foul fairdings +of conscience-beguiling compoundings in, and pitiful priggings for, a +base compliance. But it is usual for a guilty son of Adam to sew +fig-leaves. + +4. Let it be considered, that all these oaths and 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 +assemblies requiring no oaths in the common cause to be taken, without +the church's consent, as was cleared in the historical part, upon the +fifth period, page 97. And that especially they are condemned as being +contradictory to, and violatory of prior oaths, of continuing +indispensible obligation; being designed, pressed, and imposed, on +purpose to delete the same out of the minds and memories of the present +generation; I mean the national and solemn league and covenants, and +other former nationally binding public engagements. Which, because they +are not only broken and burnt, but declared criminal to be owned, and +because the owning of their obligation is ordinarily inserted in the +indictments of our martyrs, I must touch upon them more particularly. It +was cleared above, Head I. 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 add +more particularly these many considertions. 1. The national engagements +are national promises, plighting and pledging the nation's public faith, +for the preservation and propagation of religion and liberty, to +succeeding 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 jewish nobles and rulers, not to exact usury of their brethren, but +to restore, and 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. v. 12, 13. 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 vows, avowing and avouching, and +devoting themselves and their posterity to be the Lord's people, and to +keep his statutes, and promote his interests, which do bind the +posterity. Jacob's vow at Bethel, that the Lord should be his God, Gen. +xxviii. 21. did oblige all that his posterity, virtually comprehended in +him; he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us, saith the +prophet many hundred years after, Hos. xii. 4. The Israelites vow to +destroy the Canaanites, did oblige all their posterity, Numb. xxi. 2. +Not only by virtue of the Lord's command, but by virtue of their vow; as +we are obliged to preserve the reformation, not only by virtue of the +Lord's command, but by virtue of our covenants. Vows are bonds to the +soul, which must stand, Numb. xx. 2, 4. And whereas it is said, that as +a woman's father or husband might disannul her vow, and so the +magistrate might abrogate the covenant: besides the impertinency of this +comparison, as might be easy to demonstrate, it may be, by giving and +not granting that he might do so; yet if the father and husband shall +hold their peace, then all her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith +she bound her soul shall stand, ver. iv. 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 and covenant, and received the +crown on the terms thereof, to preserve and promote religion and +liberty; and therefore his vows must stand, they cannot be made void +afterwards; for, it is a snare to devour that which is holy, and after +vows to make enquiry, Prov. xx. 25. So we find the Rechabites were +obliged to observe the vow of their forefathers Jonadab, Jer. xxxv. 6. +14. And if the father's vow obliges the children, shall not the nation's +vow oblige the posterity? 3. They are national oaths which do oblige +posterity: Esau's oath to Jacob, resigning his birth-right, did oblige +his posterity never to recover it, Gen. xxv. 33. Joseph took an oath of +the children of Israel to carry up his bones into Canaan, Gen. 1. xxv. +which the posterity, going forth of Egypt in after ages, found +themselves straitly sworn to observe, Exod. xii. 19. and accordingly +buried them in Shechem, Josh. xxiv. 32. The spies swore to preserve +Rahab alive and her house, Josh. ii. 12, &c. which was without the +consent of the magistrate, and yet Joshua found himself obliged to +observe it, Josh. vi. 22. Moses swore unto Caleb to ensure him an +inheritance, Josh. xiv. 9. and upon this ground he demands it as his +right, ver. 12. which he could not do, if successors might reverse their +predecessors lawful oaths. + +The Lord will in a special manner, resent and revenge the posterities +breach of the oath of their father's covenant, Ezek. xvi. 59. "Thus +saith the Lord God, I will even deal with thee, as thou 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, and 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 and privileges: so that they are national covenants made by men +with men; and these we find do oblige the posterity. Israel's covenant +with the Gibeonites did oblige the posterity, Josh. ix. 15, 19. and for +the breach of it many ages after, the posterity was plagued, 2 Sam. xxi. +1. Zedekiah was bound by his predecessor's covenant, though it was such +as made the kingdom base, yet in keeping it, it was only to stand. +"Shall he break the covenant, and 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 own head," Ezek. xvii. +12, 14, 15, 19. The apostle says even of human covenants, "Though it be +but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or +addeth thereunto," Gal. iii. 15. that is, cannot do so lawfully much +less can one man disannul a nation's covenant. 5. They are national +attestations of God as a witness, for the perpetuity, as well as +fidelity of these sacred engagements. All such covenants, wherein the +holy name of God is invocated as witness, are owned of God as his (hence +the covenant betwixt David and Jonathan, is called the covenant of the +Lord, 1 Sam. xx. 8.) and Zedekiah's fault was the breach of the Lord's +covenant, Ezek. xvii. forecited. So likewise that covenant mentioned +Jer. xxxiv. 8, 9, 10. wherein the princes and people did swear to let +their Hebrew servants go free, is called God's covenant, verse 18. and +upon this account sorer judgments are threatened, verse 19, 20. "And I +will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not +performed the words of the covenant which they had made before +me----into the hands of their enemies." Certainly this did oblige the +posterity, at least not to recal these servants, and, it was always +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 sword upon them to avenge the quarrel of his covenant, +Levit. xxvi. 15, 17, 25. Such were all the national covenants of the +Lord's people, renewed by Joshua, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah, +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 Kings xvii. 15, &c. We have +already experienced the threatned judgments for covenant breaking, and +may look for more. 7. They are for their matter national covenants, +about things moral objectively, obliging to join ourselves to the Lord +in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten, Jer. l. 5. I might +easily demonstrate all the articles of the covenant to be morally +binding, but they are demonstrated sufficiently above, Head 1. Arg. 11. +therefore they are perpetually binding. 8. They are for their ends +national covenants, inviolably obliging. Which cannot be made void, +though they should be broken, because the ends of them are always to be +pursued, as is proved above, Head 1. therefore they are perpetual. 9. +They are for their formality national covenants, most solemnly sworn, +and subscribed by all ranks, with uplifted hands, with bended knees, +with solemn invocating the name of God, with solemn preaching, prayer +and praise, rendering themselves and the posterity obnoxious to the +curse, if they should break it. Now the solemnities of the oath do +aggravate the heinousness of the breach of it, as is clear from Jer. +xxxiv. 19. Ezek. xvii. 18. quoted above: the reason is, because of their +greater deliberation in the action, and because of the greater scandal +accompanying the violation thereof. Hence as they are national oaths and +covenants so solemnized, they are national adjurations, under the pain +of a national curse, not to break them nationally, which do make the +posterity obnoxious to it; as Joshua adjured Israel, saying, "Cursed be +the man that raiseth up, and buildeth this city Jericho," Josh. vi. 26. +which was fulfilled many generations after, in the days of Ahab, upon +Hiel the Bethelite, 1 Kings xvi. last verse. So the curse of introducing +abjured prelacy and popery, if it be let in, will be impendent on the +nation. All national covenants have a curse annexed, in case of a +breach, whenever it shall be: so in Nehemiah's covenant, 'They clave to +their brethren, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in +God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe +and to do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments +and statutes;' particularly not to enter into affinity with their +malignant enemies, Neh. x. 29, 30. which certainly did oblige the +posterity, because the thing was moral; so in our covenants we are bound +to the same things, and nothing but these: and therefore the posterity +is liable to the curse of perjury, for the breach thereof. 10. They are +for their legality national laws, being solemnly ratified by the +parliament and by the king, and made the foundation of their compact +with him at his inauguration, whereby they became the fundamental laws +of the government, and among the very laws and rules of governing, +which, though they be rescinded by a wicked law, yet make the rescinders +chargeable not only of perjury, in breaking a covenant, but of treason +and tyranny, in breaking and altering the constitution of the +government, and render them liable to the curse thereof: for they cannot +rescind that, nor escape its vengeance: whereof we have a speaking +pledge already, in that the rescinder of these covenants was so terribly +rescinded, and cut off by the hands of unnatural violence; God thereby +fulfilling that threatned judgment of covenant breakers, that he hath +broken his covenant shall be brought to destruction, and bloody and +deceitful men shall not live out half their days; Psal. lv. 20. last +verse. So Charles II. got not leave to live out half the days that he +projected to himself. 11. They are national engagements of an hereditary +nature, like that of Israel, Deut. xxix. 14, 15. which did oblige not +only the present, but the absent, 'not only them that stood there that +day before the Lord their God, but them that were not there that day.' +Grotius de jur. bel. lib. 2. cap. 6. gives these marks of hereditary +covenants, (1.) When the subject is of a permanent nature, and as long +as the same body remains: therefore as long as Scotland is Scotland, +whose people in their personal capacity, whose parliaments in their +parliamentary capacity, whose king in his princely capacity, did all +solemnly and sacredly engage in the covenant, it must be real and +perpetually obliging. (2.) When there is such a clause in the covenant, +as that it should be perpetual, there are many clauses in the solemn +league to this purpose. In Art. 1. are these words, 'That we, and our +posterity after us, may, as brethren, live in faith and love, and the +Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us.' In the 5th Art. 'We shall +each one of us, according to our place and interest, endeavour that the +kingdoms may remain conjoined in a firm peace and union to all +posterity.' (3.) When it is such as is made for the good of the kingdom, +the covenant expresses its end, for the perpetual good of the kingdom, +'having before our eyes the glory of God, the advancement of the kingdom +of----Christ, the honour and happiness of the king and his posterity, +and the true public liberty, safety, and peace of the kingdoms; wherein +every one's private condition is included.' And again it is added, 'for +preservation of ourselves and our religion from utter ruin and +destruction.' All this is a public national good. (4.) The matter is +moral, about materially binding duties, and therefore it must be +hereditary, and of perpetual obligation. 12. Lastly, They are national +obligations, taking on public duties, by way of virtual representation +of the posterity. And they that think it irrational, that the father +should represent and involve the family, must resolve us how the +religious and civil covenants of Israel and Judah, made in Moses', +Joshua's, David's, Asa's, Joash's, Hezekiah's, Josiah's and Nehemiah's +days, did comprehend and bind as well the absent as the present, and +their posterity, yet unborn; as also, how the laws and contracts +continually passed by some do take in others, not personally consenting; +yea, how comes it to pass, that every succeeding generation is bound to +the laws, and must be obedient to the kings, that they did not make +themselves, no reason can be given, but because they are virtually +represented by, and included in their fathers. Now, if these arguments +prove our national covenants to be perpetually binding, and cannot be +dispensed with, then must these posterior oaths that are made in a +diametrical opposition to the covenants, and are condemned by the +covenants, be false and unlawful oaths; but the first is proved: +therefore these oaths so opposite to, and condemned by the covenants, +are false and unlawful. That they are opposite to the covenant, will +appear in the induction of all of them. And that, whatever they be +imposed by this party, they are condemned by the covenants, wherein we +are obliged to make no such transactions with them, will appear if we +consider these and the like expressions, 'That we shall neither +directly, nor indirectly, suffer ourselves to be divided by whatsoever +suggestion, allurement, or terror, from this blessed conjunction, nor +shall cast in any let or impediment that may stop or hinder any such +resolution, as shall be found to conduce for so good ends.' Which are +the words of the national covenant, clearly condemning oaths and bonds +given to malignants, which are divisive of them that adhere to, and +unitive with them that oppose the covenant, and impeditive of +resolutions to prosecute the ends thereof. So, in the solemn league and +covenant, Art. 4. 'We are obliged to oppose all such as make any faction +or parties amongst the people contrary to this league and covenant; but +by these oaths and bonds, such factions are made,' &c. And by Art. 6. +'We are obliged to assist and defend all those that enter into this +covenant (contradicted by all the latter oaths and bonds) and not to +suffer ourselves directly, or indirectly, by whatsoever +combination,----to be divided----from this blessed union,----whether to +make defection to the contrary part, or to give ourselves to a +detestable indifferency,' &c. Which we do, when we divide ourselves +from these that refuse these oaths, and make defection unto the party +that impose them. And in the solemn acknowledgment of sins, and +engagement to duties, 'We are sworn, sect. 6. to be so far from +conniving at, complying with, or countenancing of malignancy, injustice, +&c. that we shall not only avoid and discountenance these things, &c. +but take an effectual course to punish and suppress these evils.' All +which we counteract and contradict, when we take any of these oaths or +bonds. + +In the second place, by a particular induction of the several kinds of +these oaths and bonds, the iniquity of each of them will appear; and the +complex iniquity of the smoothest of them, the oath of abjuration +compared with every one of them, will be manifest. And consequently the +honesty and innocency of sufferers for refusing them will be discovered. + +1. The first in order, which was a copy to all the rest, was the +declaration, ordained to be subscribed by all in public charge, office, +or trust, within the kingdom: 'Wherein they do affirm and declare, they +judge it unlawful to subjects, upon pretence of reformation, or any +other pretence whatsoever, to enter into leagues and covenants, or take +up arms against the king,----and that all these gatherings,----petitions, +protestations----that were used----for carrying on of the late +troubles, were unlawful and seditious; and particularly that these +oaths,----the national covenant,----and the solemn league and +covenant, were and are in themselves unlawful oaths.' Here is +a confederacy required against the Lord, at which the heavens +might stand astonished; an unparalelled breach of the third command. +Which could no more be taken in truth and righteousness, than an oath +renouncing the bible; but it hath this advantage of the rest; that it is +somewhat plain, and the iniquity legible on its front. 1. That it is a +renouncing of solemn and sacred covenants, perpetually binding to moral +and indispensible duties, the wickedness whereof is evident from what is +said above. 2. It makes perjury of the deepest dye, the absolute +necessary qualification of all in public office, who cannot be presumed +capable of administrating justice, when they have avowed themselves +perjured and perfidious, and not to be admitted among heathens, let be +Christians, nor trusted in a matter of ten shillings money, according to +the laws of Scotland. 3. It renounces the whole work of reformation, and +the way of carrying it on, as a pretence and trouble unlawful and +seditious, which if it be a trouble, then the peace they have taken in +renouncing it, must be such a peace as is the plague of God upon the +heart, filling it with senselesness and stupidity in his last judgment, +because of the palpable breach of covenant; or such a peace, as is very +confident with the curse and vengeance of God, pursuing the quarrel of a +broken covenant. 4. It condemns the taking up arms against the king, +which shall be proven to be duty. Head 5. Besides, that hereby the most +innocent means of seeking the redress of grievances, that religion, +risings, law, and practice of all nations allows, is condemned. Yet, in +effect, for as monstrous as this oath is, the complex of its iniquity is +touched in the oath of abjuration; in which many of these methods of +combinations, risings and declarations of war against the king, and +protestations against his tyranny, which were used in the late troubles +for carrying on the reformation, are abjured; in that a declaration is +renounced, in so far as it declares war against the king, and asserts it +lawful to kill them that serve him: which yet, in many cases in the +covenanted reformation here renounced, were acknowledged and practised +as lawful, besides that it hath many other breaches of covenant in it, +as will be shewed. + +II. The next net they contrived to catch consciences, was the oath of +allegiance and supremacy: 'Wherein they that took it for testification +of their faithful obedience to their most gracious and redoubted +sovereign, Charles king of Great Britain,----do affirm, testify, and +declare,----That they acknowledge their said sovereign, only supreme +governor of this kingdom, over all persons and in all causes; and that +no foreign prince----hath any jurisdiction, power, or superiority over +the same; and therefore do utterly renounce all foreign power,----and +shall, at their utmost power, defend, assist, and maintain his majesty's +jurisdiction foresaid,----and never decline his power----.' The iniquity +of this oath is very vast and various, 1. It is a covenant of allegiance +with a king, turned tyrant and enemy to religion, subverter of the +reformation, and overturner of our laws and liberties: and therefore +demonstrate to be sinful both from the first general argument against +oaths, and from head 2d. 2. It cannot be taken in truth, righteousness, +or judgment: because the words are general and very comprehensive, and +ambiguous, capable of diverse senses; when he is affirmed to be supreme +over all persons, and in all causes, and to be assisted, and maintained, +in that jurisdiction. Who can be sure in swearing such an oath, but that +he may thereby wrong others, wrong parliaments in their privileges, +wrong the church in her liberties, and which is worse, wrong the Lord +Jesus Christ, who is supreme alone in some causes? Can an oath be taken +in truth and righteousness, to assist him in all encroachments, upon +causes that are not subordinate to him? And in invading all those +privileges of subjects, which are natural, civil, moral, and religious? +For if he be supreme in all causes, then all these depend upon him, and +be subordinate to him. And can it be taken in judgment, and with a clear +mind, when it may be debated and doubted (as it may by some) whether the +obligation of it is to be considered, as circumstantiate and +specificate to the present object of it, supposing him a tyrant? Or in +a more abstract notion, as it might be rendered in the sense of its +first authors as it was taken in king James the VI's days, and as they +plead for taking the English oath of allegiance, as it was excepted by +the Puritans in queen Elizabeth's days? Whether it obliges to a king in +idea, and in a more general consideration, as one who is said never to +die? Or with reference to such an one as we have, a mortal man, and an +immortal enemy to all those precious interests, for preservation of +which he only received his kingship? Whether it must be taken in that of +the imposers, practically explained by their administrations? Or in any +other sense, alledged more legal? These would be clear, before it can be +taken with the due qualifications of an oath. 3. As for the civil part +of it, or ecclesiastical, no other examination needeth to be enquired +after, than what they give forth on their acts on record: the act of +supremacy (to be seen in the historical representation of the sixth and +last period,) senses the ecclesiastical part of it: and the act for +acknowledgment of his Majesty's prerogative does sufficiently sense, +explain and expound the civil part; declaring, 'That it is inherent in +the crown, and an undoubted part of his royal prerogative,----to have +the sole choice and appointment of all officers of state,----the power +of calling, holding, and dissolving parliaments and all conventions and +meetings of estates,----the power of armies, making of peace and war, +treaties and leagues with foreign princes or states, or at home by the +subjects among themselves:----and that it is high treason in the +subjects,----upon whatsoever ground to rise----in arms,----or make any +treaties or leagues----among themselves: without his majesty's authority +first interponed thereto; that it is unlawful to the subjects, of +whatsoever quality or function to convocate----themselves, for holding +of councils to treat, consult, or determine in any matters civil or +ecclesiastic, (except in the ordinary judgments) or make leagues or +bonds upon whatsoever colour or pretence, without his majesty's special +consent,----that the league and covenant, and all treaties following +thereupon, and acts or deeds that do or may relate thereunto, are not +obligatory,----and that none----should presume, upon any pretext of any +authority whatsoever, to require the renewing or swearing of the said +league and covenant,' &c. Whereby it appears, that all this screwing up +the prerogative to such a pitch is by the oath of allegiance to defend +all this jurisdiction justified: and so, these palpable encroachments on +the privileges of the Scots parliaments, that, by the fundamental +constitutions of the government always had a share in making laws, and +peace and war: these robberies of our natural privileges of defending +ourselves by arms, in case of the king's tyranny and oppression, and of +convocating for consultations about the best means thereof; and these +invasions upon our ecclesiastical privileges, in keeping general +assemblies for the affairs of religion for an affair newly happening, +always strenuously contended for as a part of the testimony; yea, all +these rescindings, repealings, and condemnings of the way and manner, +methods and measures, of promoting the covenanted reformation, are by +this oath explained, and by this act acknowledged to be parts of that +supremacy and jurisdiction to be defended and maintained: as likewise, +by many wicked acts since promulgated, which promote the supremacy to a +vast degree of absoluteness, which all do interpret what that supremacy +is which is sworn to be maintained, to wit, pure tyranny established by +law. See the many grievous consequences of this laid out at large, in +Apol. Relat. Sect. 10. 4. Here is absolute allegiance sworn to an +absolute power, paramount to all law, engaging to faithful obedience to +their sovereign, as supreme over all persons, and in all causes----and +to defend, assist, and maintain his said jurisdiction, and never to +decline his power: there is no restriction here on obedience, nor +limitation on the power, nor definition of the causes, nor +circumscription of the cases, in which that assistance, &c. is to be +given, whether they be lawful or not. Now, absolute allegiance to an +absolute power cannot be sworn by any man of conscience, nor owned by +any man of reason, as is proven, Head 2. Arg. 6. It cannot be lawful in +any sense, to swear such an oath to any mortal, nay, not to a David nor +Hezekiah: because to swear unrestricted and unlimited allegiance to any +man, were a manifest mancipating of mankind, not only to an ass-like +subjection, but to a servile obligation to maintain and uphold the +persons and government of mutual men, be what they will, turn to what +they will; it is known the best of men may degenerate: and by this no +remedy is left to redress ourselves, but our heads, hearts, and hands +all tied up under an engagement to defend, assist, and maintain +whosoever doth hold the government, manage it as he pleases. This reason +will also conclude against the English oath of allegiance, though it be +a great deal more smoothly worded, and seems only to require a rejection +of the Pope, and legal subjection to the king; yet, that comprehensive +clause makes it border upon absoluteness, I will bear faith and true +allegiance to his majesty's heirs and successors, and him and them will +defend to the uttermost of my power, against all conspiracies and +attempts whatsoever. There are no conditions here at all, limiting the +allegiance, or qualifying the object; but an arbitrary imposition of +true allegiance and defence, in all cases, against all attempts, (even +that of repressing their tyranny not excepted), not only of their +persons, but of their dignities, if this be not an illimited allegiance +to an absolute power, I know not what is. 5. Here is an acknowledgment +of the ecclesiastical supremacy resident in the king: which is the most +blasphemous usurpation on the prerogatives of Christ, and privileges of +his church that ever the greatest monster among men durst arrogate: yea, +the Roman beast never claimed more; and, in effect, it is nothing else +but one of his name of blasphemy twisted out of the Pope's hands by king +Henry the VIII. and handed down to queen Elizabeth, and wafted over to +James the VI. for that was the original and conveyance of it. The +iniquity whereof is discovered above, Head 1. Arg. 3. But further, may +be aggravated in these particulars, (1.) It is only a change of the +Pope, but not of the popedom; and nothing else but a shaking off the +ecclesiastical pope, and submitting to a civil pope, by whom Christ's +hardship is as much wronged as by the other: and hereby a door is opened +for bringing in popery (as indeed by this stratagem it is brought now to +our very doors) for by the act of supremacy he hath power to settle all +things concerning doctrine, worship, discipline or government, by his +clerks the bishops, having all the architectonic power of disposing, +ordering, and ordaining these, as he in his royal wisdom thinks fit. +(2.) By this church and state are confounded (whereof the distinction is +demonstrate above) making the magistrate a proper and competent judge in +church matters, not to be declined; whereby also he hath power to erect +new courts, mongrel judicatories; half civil, half ecclesiastic, which +have no warrant in the word. (3.) By this, many palpable and intolerable +encroachments made upon the liberties and privileges of the church of +Christ are yielded unto; as that there must be no church-judicatories or +assemblies, without the magistrate's consent, but that the power of +convocating and indicting assemblies do belong only to him, and the +power of delegating and constituting the members thereof, that he may +dissolve them when he pleases; that his presence, or his commissioners, +is necessary unto each national assembly; that ministers have no proper +decisive suffrage in synods, but only of advice; that the church +judicatories be prelimited, and nothing must be treated there, which may +be interpreted grating upon the prerogative, nor any thing whatsoever, +but what he shall allow and approve, without which it can have no force +nor validity; yea, by this a door should be opened unto the utter +destruction and overthrow of all church-judicatories, seeing he is made +the fountain of all church power. (4.) By this, the magistrate is made a +church-member as he is a magistrate, and so all magistrates as such are +church-members, even heathens. And yet, (5.) By this he is exempted from +subjection to the ministry, because they are made accountable to him in +their administrations, and in the discharge of their function are under +him as supreme. Yea, (6.) By this the magistrate is made a church +officer, having the disposal of the church's government. And not only +so, but (7.) By this he is made a church officer of the highest degree, +being supreme in all causes, to whom ministers in the discharge of their +ministry are subordinate. And so, (8.) By this the church of the New +Testament is made imperfect, so long as she wanted a Christian +magistrate, wanting hereby a chief officer; yea, and the apostles did +amiss in robbing the magistrate of his power. (9.) By this the +magistrate might exercise all acts of jurisdiction, immediately by +himself; seeing he can do it as supreme by his commissioners in +ecclesiastic affairs. (10.) Finally, by this oath the king is made the +head of the church, being supreme over all persons, and in all causes, +unto whom all appeals and references must ultimately be reduced, even +from church judicatories. Those things are only here touched they are +more apodictically confirmed above, and may be seen made out at large in +Apol. Relat. Sect. 12. But I proceed. 6. It is contrary unto the solemn +League and Covenant; into whose place, after it was broken, burnt, +buried, and rescinded, since they have remitted the subjects allegiance +by annulling the bond of it, they substitute and surrogate this in its +place: and therefore none can comply with the surrogation of the second, +except he consent to the abrogation of the first oath. All the +allegiance we can own according to the covenants, stands perpetually and +expresly thus qualified, viz. in defence of religion and liberty, +according to our first and second covenants, and in its own nature must +be indispensibly thus restricted: therefore to renew the same, or take +an oath of allegiance simply, purposely omitting the former restriction, +when the powers are in manifest rebellion against the Lord, is, in +effect, a disowning of that limitation, and of the sovereign prerogative +of the great God, which is thereby reserved and as much as to say, +'Whatever authority command us to do, we shall not only stupidly endure +it, but actively concur with, and assist in all this tyranny.' See Naph. +first edition, Pag. 177, 178. Vindicated at length by Jus Populi. chap. +11. By all this the iniquity of the Scots oath of allegiance and +supremacy may appear, and also that of the English oath of allegiance, +even abstract from the supremacy, is in some measure discovered; though +it is not my purpose particularly to speak to that: yet this I will say, +That they that plead for its precision from the supremacy annexed seem +not to consider the full import of its terms; for under the dignities, +superiorities and authorities, there engaged to be upheld, the +ecclesiastical supremacy must be included; for that is declared to be +one of the dignities of the crown there, as well as here; and hither it +was brought from thence. And therefore those Scots men that took that +oath there, and pled, that though the oath of allegiance in Scotland be +a sin, yet it is duty to take the oath in England, seem to me to be in a +great deceit: for the object is the same, the subject is the same, the +duty expected, required, and engaged into, is the same, and every thing +equal in both. Yet all this iniquity, here couched, is some way +comprehended in, and implied by the oath of abjuration: for the civil +part is imported in abjuring a declaration, for its declaring war +against the king, where it is clear, he is owned as king, and all part +with them that declare war against him being renounced, it is evident +the abjurers must take part with him in that war, and so assist and +defend him; for being subjects, they must not be neutral, therefore if +they be not against him, they must be for him, and so under the bond of +allegiance to him: the ecclesiastical supremacy is inferred from that +expression of it, where some are said to serve him in church, as well as +in state, which implies an ecclesiastical subordination to him as +supreme over the church. + +III. The tenor of some other bonds was more smooth and subtile, as that +of the bond of peace; several times renewed and imposed, and under +several forms; but always after one strain; engaging to live peaceably, +whereby many were caught and cheated with the seeming fairness of these +general terms; but others discerning their fallaciousness, refused and +suffered for it. This in the general is capable of a good sense: for no +Christian will refuse to live peaceably, but will endeavour, if it be +possible, as much as lieth in them, to live peaceably with all men, Rom. +xii. 18. that is, so far to follow peace with all men, as may consist +with the pursuit of holiness, Heb. xii. 14. But if we more narrowly +consider such bonds, we shall find them bonds of iniquity. For, 1. They +are covenants of peace, or confederacies with God's enemies, whom we +should count our enemies, and hate them because they hate him, Psal. +cxxxix 21. It is more suitable to answer, as Jehu did to Joram, 2 Kings +ix. 22.----What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, +and her witchcrafts are so many? than to engage to be at peace with +those, who are carrying on Babylon's interest, the mother of harlots and +witchcrafts. 2. This cannot be taken in truth, judgment, and +righteousness, because of the fallacy and ambiguity of the terms: for +there are diverse sorts of peace and peaceableness; some kind is duty, +some never. It must then be rightly qualified, for we can profess and +pursue no peace of confederacy with the enemies of God, not consistent +with the fear of the Lord, otherwise we cannot expect to have the Lord +for a sanctuary, but for a stone of stumbling, Isa. viii. 8, +12,----14.----No peace obstructing the gospel or testimony, or +abstracting from the duty of the day: no peace tending to sinful +security, Jer. viii. 11. No peace leading to slavish stupidity; no peace +prompting to preposterous prudence, in palliating sin, or daubing +defections with untempered morter; no peace inconsistent with truth; +they must go together, Zech. i. 19. No peace that may not be followed +with holiness, Heb. xii. 14. But it must be so qualified, that it be in +the Lord, in truth, in duty, contributing for the good of the church, +Psal. cxxii. 8, 9. and the fruit of that wisdom, which is first pure, +and then peaceable, James iii. 17. Now, all that know the imposers of +these bonds, will acknowledge that is not the peace they are seeking. 3. +If we further enquire into their meaning of living peaceably, and seek a +determinate sense of it from their acts and actings, it is plain they +mean such a peaceable living, as gives obedience to their wicked laws, +and is a compliance to their established courses: and it must be such a +peaceable living, as is opposite to their sense of sedition, rebellion, +schism, &c. Which they interpret every seasonable duty to be: and it +must be such a peaceable living, as they were presumed not to have been +observant of before; and whatever it be, must be opposite to that with +which they were charged as turbulent, and so contrary to all the duties +of our covenanted profession, as going to meetings, withdrawing from the +curates, &c. Which they interpret not to be peaceable living. 4. This is +contrary to our covenants, which oblige us to a constant contending +with, and opposition to them. Yet all this is engaged into in the oath +of abjuration, which abjures all war against the king, and all doing +injury to them that serve him, and consequently to peace, and living +peaceably with them. + +IV. Of affinity to this were many other bonds of regularity, frequently +renewed and generally imposed, and that with unparalleled illegality and +rigour; sometimes by hosts of savage Highlanders; sometimes by circuit +courts, and by heritors upon their tenants, and with such unheard of +involvments, that the master or heritor was obliged for himself, his +wife, children, servants, tenants, and all under him, to live orderly; +which in some was more bluntly expressed, in others more flatly +explained, that they should keep the public ordinances, that is, hear +the curates, and not go to any seditious conventicles, (so they called +the persecuted meetings of the Lord's people for the worship of God) and +in others yet more impudently exacted, that they should not harbour, +entertain, or correspond with any that went to these meetings, but +discover and assist to the apprehending of them. There were several +forms of them from time to time, some longer, some shorter; but all of +them, first and last, were to the same sense and scope. And the most +favourably worded had much wickedness in them: for, 1. They are +covenants of order, and coming under the same rule with themselves, +which is nothing but their lusts and mischiefs framed into law, not +according to the rule of the word of God, but the iniquitous laws of +men. 2. They could not be taken in truth, judgment, and righteousness: +for either they were ambiguous, or their plain sense obliged to manifest +iniquities, to conform with all their enacted corruptions. 3. They are +clear breaches of covenant, which obliges to another kind of +orderliness, and to follow other rulers, and take none from them in the +matters of God. 4. They are impossible, and absurd; obliging masters to +bind for all under them, that could neither lie in their power, nor in +their duty, to restrain their liberty in these lawful things, and to +constrain and compel their consciences to sin. 5. They are unnatural and +cruel, obliging the takers to partake with them in their persecution of +the godly. 6. They were engagements to hear curates, which is proved to +be sin, head 1. throughout. 7. They were engagements to withdraw from +the meetings of the Lord's people, proved to be duty, head 4. Yet the +oath of abjuration is some way equivalent to this, in that it obliges +the abjurers to renounce disorderliness in their sense, and to do no +harm to the time-serving orderly clergy or laity, serving and +prosecuting their wicked orders. + +V. Some other bonds of that nature, and oaths frequently put to +suffering people when taken prisoners, did require peaceableness and +orderliness, in this stile, that they should either tacitly or expresly +condemn some risings in arms, as at Pentland, Bothwel, &c. to be +rebellion against the king, and a sin against God, and engage never to +rise in arms against the king, or any commissionate by him, upon any +pretence whatsoever. The iniquity whereof is manifest: For, 1. This is a +covenant equivalent to a league offensive and defensive with them, +obliging never to offend or oppose them, nor to defend nor rescue our +brethren against and from their murdering violence. 2. This could not be +taken in truth, judgment, and righteousness: for who can tell how far +that may extend, upon any pretence whatsoever? This may oblige us to +make a stupid surrender of our lives, when the king turns so tyrannical, +as to send his cut-throats to demand them, or authorizes his bloody +papists to massacre us, them we must not resist upon any pretence. 3. It +is contrary to our covenants, that allow resistance in some cases, and +oblige to assist and defend all that enter under the bond thereof. 4. +This infers an owning of the present authority, as the irresistible +ordinance of God, and an obligation of living peaceably in subjection +under it; disproved above. To which I shall add a part of that forecited +letter of Mr. Rutherford's, the 63d in number of the third part of his +printed letters, which are a clear vindication of the principles and +practice of our conscientious sufferers on this point: 'There is a +promise and real purpose, (saith he) to live peaceably, under the king's +authority; but (1.) You do not so answer candidly and ingeniously the +mind of the rulers, who to your knowledge, mean a far other thing by +authority than you do: for you mean his just authority, his authority in +the Lord----in the maintainance of true religion, as in the covenant, +and confession of faith----is expressed from the word of God; they mean +his supreme authority, and absolute prerogative about laws, as their +acts clear, and as their practice is; for they refused to such as were +unwilling to subscribe their bond to add, authority in the Lord, or just +and lawful authority, or authority as it is expressed in the covenant; +but this draught of a petition yields the sense and meaning to them +which they crave. (2.) That authority for which they contend, is +exclusive of the sworn covenant; so that except ye had said, Ye shall be +subject to the king's authority in the Lord, or according to the sworn +covenant, you say nothing to the point in hand, and that sure is not +your meaning. (3.) Whoever promises so much of peaceable living under +his majesty's authority, leaving out the exposition of the fifth +command,--may, upon the very same ground subscribe the bond refused by +the godly, and so you pass from the covenant, and make all these bypast +actings of this kirk and state these years bypast to be horrid +rebellion, and how deep this guilt draws, consider.' 5. This would +infer, though the king should send and kill us, we must not resist, nor +defend our own lives: yet, being an oath against the sixth command, +which enjoineth natural self-preservation, it should be intrinsically +sinful; and 'tis all one to swear to non-preservation of self, as to +swear to self-murder. 6. I hope to make it appear in the fifth head, +that this is against the practice of nations, the law of nature, and the +word of God. Yet all this complex iniquity is clearly comprehended in +the oath of abjuration, in terms abjuring all war against the king. + +VI. There were some other oaths, frequently obtruded upon people, for +refusing which they have suffered great cruelties, that can hardly be +described by any name; nor can their imposition have a parallel in any +age or place, for illegality, inhumanity, arbitrariness, and odiousness. +These were the oaths of inquisition, or things beyond all enquiry: +whereby people were pressed to answer the inquisitors, according to all +their knowledge of things they were interrogate upon, and delate and +discover intercommuned persons in their wanderings, or such whole names +were in their Porteous rolls, &c. And power was given to single +soldiers, to press these oaths upon whom they pleased. The iniquity of +which is monstrous: For, 1. This was the worst kind of combination with +these blood hounds, to abet and assist them in their pursuing after the +Lord's people: which is worse than to be bare consenters to such +wickedness, or to be onlookers to their affliction in the day of their +calamity; but like that sin charged upon Edom, that they delivered up +those of his that did remain in the day of distress, Obad. ver. 13, 14. +for these that took oaths, obliged themselves to do all they could to +deliver up the remnant that escaped; and if they did not, no thanks to +them; if they could not, their sin was in their willingness: it they +would not, and yet swore would contribute their help towards it, by +telling of all they knew, that was horrid perjury and false swearing. 2. +This could be no ways capable of the qualification of an oath; not only +because the matter is wicked and unnatural, to discover, may be, the +husband, or children, or nearest relations, to please men, or save their +own life, which was a great tentation; and therefore in it there could +be no deliberation in swearing: but also for the doubtful perplexity +confounding the mind, that they either could not, nor durst not tell of +all they knew, and yet swore to do it. 3. It is against the covenant, +which obliges to discover malignant enemies, and assist our covenanting +brethren, and not to discover them, and assist malignant enemies; which +is a perfect inverting the fourth and sixth articles of the covenant. 4. +It is contrary to clear precepts in scripture, to assist and defend our +brethren, to make our shadow as the night in the midst of the noon-day, +and hide the outcast, and bewray not him that wandereth, Isa. xvi. 3, 5. +The illegality of this imposition makes it very absurd, that every +pitiful officer or soldier should be empowered to impose and exact +oaths, and impanel and examine witnesses, about alledged criminals. Yet +the monstrousness of this oath serves to aggravate the oath of +abjuration; in that the abjurers do renounce their part of, and disown +the declarers of that abjured declaration, and so do as much as from +them is required, to give them up for a prey to their hunters; yea they +declare them murderers, in that they abjure their declaration as +asserting murder; and consequently they must be obliged to discover them +to their acknowledged judges. + +VII. The abominable test comes next: which needs no other refutation +than to rehearse it; the substance whereof was a solemn swearing, 'That +they owned and sincerely professed the true protestant religion, +contained in the confession of faith, recorded in the first parliament +of king James VI.----and that they would adhere thereunto all the days +of their life,----and never consent to any change or alteration contrary +thereto,----but renounce all doctrines, principles, practices, whether +popish or fanatical, contrary thereto.----And they swear, that the king +is the only supreme governor of this realm, over all persons, in all +causes, as well ecclesiastical as civil,----and promises to bear faith +and true allegiance to the king's majesty, his heirs and lawful +successors, and to their power shall assist and defend all rights, +jurisdictions, prerogatives,----belonging to them----and +affirm----it----unlawful for subjects, upon pretence of reformation, or +any other pretence whatsoever, to enter into covenants----or to +convocate, conveen, or assemble----to treat, consult, or determine in +any matter of state, civil or ecclesiastic, without his majesty's +special command or to take up arms against the king, or these +commissionate by him----and that there lies no obligation on them, from +the national covenant, or solemn league and covenant----to endeavour any +change or alteration in the government, either in church or state, as it +is now established by the laws of the kingdom----and they shall never +decline his majesty's power and jurisdiction----and finally, they swear, +that this oath is given in the plain genuine sense and meaning of the +words, without any equivocation, mental reservation, or any manner of +evasion whatsoever.' This is the complement of a wicked conspiracy, +couching in its capricious bosom the complication of all their +mischiefs, comprehending all, and explaining all the former: which +indeed cannot be taken with any equivocating evasion, that can escape +either the stigma of nonsense and self contradiction, or the censure of +atheism and irreligion, or the sentence of divine vengeance against such +baffling the name of God. The best sense that can be put upon it, is +that which a poor sot expressed, when it was tendered to him, prefacing +thus before he took it, Lord have mercy upon my soul. For, 1. It is not +consistent with itself, there being such contradictions between that +confession of faith and the following part, that no man can reconcile, +some whereof may be instanced as follows; (1.) In the 11th art. of that +confession, intituled, of Christ's ascension, it is said, 'That Christ +is the only head of the church, and just lawgiver, in which honours and +offices, if men or angels presume to intrude themselves, we utterly +detest and abhor them, as blasphemous to our sovereign and supreme +governor Christ Jesus.' And a little before in that same article, it is +said, 'This glory, honour and prerogative he alone among the brethren +shall possess.' And in the 16th Art. of the kirk, 'Christ is the only +head of the same kirk.' And yet in the test, the king is affirmed to be +the only supreme in all causes ecclesiastical. (2.) In the 14th Art. +among good works are reckoned these: 'To obey superior powers and their +charges (not repugning to the commandment of God) to save the lives of +innocents, to repress tyranny, to defend the oppressed.' And among evil +works these are qualified, 'To resist any that God hath placed in +authority (while they pass not over the bounds of their office.') And +Art. 24th, it is confessed, 'That such as resist the supreme power, +doing that which pertains to his charge, do resist God's +ordinance,----while the princes and rulers vigilantly travel in the +execution of their office.' And yet in the test, true allegiance is +engaged into without any such limitations; and it is affirmed to be +unlawful, upon any pretence whatsoever, to convocate, &c. or to take up +arms against the king. (3.) In the 14th Art. 'Evil works are affirmed to +be, not only those that expresly are done against God's commandment, but +those also that, in matters of religion, and worshipping of God, have no +other assurance but the invention and opinion of men.' And Art. 18th, +among the notes of the true church, 'ecclesiastical discipline, +uprightly ministred, as God's word prescribes, whereby vice is +repressed, and virtue nourished, is one.' In Art. 20th. 'The voice of +God and constitution of men are opposed.' And yet in the test, they +swear never to endeavour any change or alteration in the government of +the church----as it is now established; whereof many things must be +altered, yea, the whole form and frame of it, if these propositions be +true, as they are. (4.) In the test, they swear never to consent to any +change or alteration, contrary to that confession, and that all +principles and practices contrary thereto are popish and fanatical (for +so they divide them into one of these disjunctively) then must all the +following principles in their test be renounced as such, seeing they are +contrary to that confession in some propositions or articles; and that +the government established by that confession was presbyterian, and this +established by the test is episcopal. 2. It comprehends all the former +oaths and bonds, which are cleared above to be sinful. Yet for as wicked +as it is, it must be some way homologated by the oath of abjuration, +excepting the contradiction that is in it; seeing all these oppositions +against the king, sworn against in the test, are abjured and renounced +in that oath of abjuration, in renouncing all declarations of war +against the king; for if any war can be undertaken against him, all +these kinds of opposition must be allowed, that are in the test sworn +against. + +VIII. In the last place, I shall come to consider more particularly the +oath of abjuration itself; for refusing of which, the sufferings were +more severe (being extended even to death or banishment) though the +words be more smooth than in any of the former, which are these: +'I----do abjure, renounce, and disown a late pretended declaration, +affixed on several market crosses, &c. in so far as it declares war +against the king, and asserts it lawful to kill any that serve his +majesty in church, state, army or country.' That the taking of this oath +is a step of compliance, dishonourable to God, derogatory to the day's +testimony, contradictory to the many reiterated confessions of Christ's +worthy (though poor despised) witnesses, sealed by their blood, bonds +and banishments, encouraging and gratifying to the enemies of God, +hardening to backsliding brethren, offensive to the generation of the +righteous; stumbling to all, leaving a stain and sting upon the +conscience of the subscriber, I shall endeavour to make out by these +considerations. + +1. Considering the party who imposed it; it must be looked upon as a +confederacy with them, being tendered upon all the subjects, as a test +of their incorporating themselves with, and declaring themselves for +their head, and siding with them and him, in this their contest and +contention with a poor remnant of the Lord's people, persecuted and +murdered by them for truth and conscience sake, who issued forth that +declaration against them, here abjured. Therefore let the party be +considered, imposing the oath with such rigour, and prosecuting the +refusers with ravenous rage, murdering and torturing all who did not +comply with them, declaring a war more formally and explicitely against +Christ as king, and all that will dare to assert their allegiance to +him; under an open displayed banner of defiance of him and his, than +even mortals durst espouse and avouch: the head of that treacherous and +truculent faction, both he who was first declared against in that +declaration, and he who hath by bloody and treacherous usurpation +succeeded to him, being such a monster for murder and mischief, tyranny, +oppression and perfidy, that among all the Nimrods and Nero's that past +ages can recount, we cannot find a parallel, by all law divine and +human, incapable of government, or any trust, or so much as protection, +or any privilege, but to be pursued by all, as a common enemy to +mankind: and his underlings, agents and complices, devoted to his lust, +and serving his wicked designs, in their respective offices and places +of trust under him, which by his nomination and sole appointment they +have been erected to, and established in, with the stain and indelible +character of perjury, the only qualification of their being capable of +any advancement, occupying by usurpation, intrusion and violence, the +public places of judicatories, and carrying all so insolently and +arbitrarily, and with an effrontery of wickedness and despight of all +reason, religion or justice, that they cannot but be looked upon as the +most pestilent and pestiferous plague that ever pestered a people: the +taking then of this oath, by them projected as a pest to infect +consciences, with, and pervert them to wicked, truth deserting and law +perverting loyalty, and imposed as a test of compliance with them and +coming off from that little flock whom they design to devour and +destinate to destruction; must be in their own esteem, as well as of the +generation of the righteous, to their satisfaction, and the others +sorrow, a real incorporating with them, an owning of their usurped power +as judges to administer oaths, giving them all obedience they required +for the time to their authority, and all the security they demanded for +the subscribers loyalty, an approving of all their proceedings in that +matter, and transacting, tampering, and bargaining with these sons of +Belial, out of fear, whereby a right is purchased to that common badge +of their owned and professed friends, who (upon taking that oath) had +from them a privilege and allowance to travel and traffic (where and how +they will) through the country, denied to all other that wanted that +badge; I mean the pass or testificate they got from them thereupon, +which was the mark of that secular beast of tyranny, no less pernicious +to the world than popery hath been to the church, and which was given to +all the takers of the oath, as a mark or tessera, that they were no +enemies to the government, as they call it. O base and unworthy livery! +for the suffering sons of Zion to put on the signature of the society of +her devourers. Hence, if covenants and confederacies, declaring we are +on their side, cannot be made with the enemies of religion, then this +oath could not be taken lawfully; but the former is proved above: +therefore the latter follows. This will yet more appear, + +2. If we consider the party that set forth that declaration, whom the +proclamation against it represents so odiously and invidiously, whom the +oath imposed obliges us to condemn; being so represented, as if they +were maintainers of murdering principles, and perpetrators of +assassinating villanies, inconsistent with peace or any good government, +and therefore to be exterminated and destroyed out of the land, whom +therefore they prosecute and persecute so cruelly to the effusion of +their blood, under colour of law. 1. The takers of this oath must have +formally, under their unhappy hand, disowned and renounced them, and all +part or interest in them, or society or sympathy with them; who yet are +known to be the suffering people of God, more earnestly contending, +witnessing, wrestling for the faith and word of Christ's patience, and +have suffered more for their adherence to the covenanted reformation of +the church of Scotland, and for their opposition to all its deformations +and defections, than any party within the land: yet them have they +rejected as their companions, though with some of them sometimes they +have had sweet company and communion to the house of God, by abjuring +and condemning their deed which duty and necessity have drove them to. +2. Hereby they have presumptuously taken upon them, to pass a judgment +upon the deed of their brethren, before their murdering enemies? and +that not a private discretive judgment, but a public definitive sentence +(in their capacity) by the most solemn way of declaring it, that can be, +by oath and subscription under their hand; whereby they have condemned +all the sufferings of their brethren, who sealed their testimony in +opposition to this compliance with their blood, and finished it with +honoured joy, as foolish and frivolous profusion of their own blood, +nay, as just and legally inflicted and executed upon them, as being +rebels, of murdering principles and practices: for this cannot be +vindicated from a more than indirect justifying of all the murdering +severity executed upon them. 3. And hereby they have unkindly and +unchristianly lifted themselves on the other side against them, and take +part rather with their enemies than with them; for thus they used to +plead for it, when they pressed this oath upon them that scrupled it; +when any war is declared against the king, 'any of his majesty's +soldiers may question any man whom he is for, and if he be not for the +king, he may act against him as an enemy, and if they will not declare +for the king and disown the rebels, they are to be reputed by all as +enemies.' Which, whatever weakness be in the arguing, plainly discovers, +that they take the abjuring of that declaration, in that juncture, to be +a man's declaring of what side he is for, and that he is not for the +emmitters of that declaration, but for the king and his party: which, in +the present state of affairs, is a most dreadful owning of Christ's +enemy, and disowning of his friends. Hence, a disowning of the Lord's +persecuted people, and condemning their practice, and an owning of their +persecutors, and espousing their side of it, is a sinful confederacy; +but the taking of this oath is such, as is evident by what is said; +therefore it is a sinful confederacy. + +3. Considering the nature, conditions, and qualifications of so solemn +and serious a piece of God's worship, and way of invocating his holy +name, as an oath is; it will appear, that the taking of this imposed +oath of abjuration, was a dreadful and heinous breach of the third +command, by taking his name in vain, in the worst sort, and so cannot be +holden guilty. I prove it thus: An oath which cannot be taken in truth, +judgment and righteousness, is a breach of the third command; but this +is an oath which cannot be in truth, judgment and righteousness: which +is evident; for, 1. It cannot be taken by any conscientious man in +truth, in sincerity of the heart, simplicity of the mind, singleness and +honesty in the intention, not putting any other sense than the imposer +hath, and which is the clear sense of it without oath and beyond it. For +if he take it according to the meaning, then he should swear it unlawful +ever to declare war against the king, and consequently never to rise in +arms against him upon any pretence whatsoever: for, if we may rise in +arms for our own defence, we make and must declare a defensive war. And +indeed, in themselves, as well as in their sense and meaning who imposed +them, these two oaths never to rise in arms against the king, and this +of abjuration, are one and the same. Then also should we swear it +unlawful, at any time, upon any occasion, or for any cause, to kill any +such as serve the king in church, state, army or country, either in +peace or war: for that is their thought, and the sense of the oath +itself, or what is beyond it: and in part, for their exemption and +immunity from all condign punishment, this oath was contrived. But in +fine, how can this oath be taken in truth; when it is not apparent, +either that the declaring of a war against the king, or killing some for +some causes (which shall afterwards be made appear to be lawful) that +serve him, are to be abjured and disowned? or that the declaration does +assert any such thing? And indeed it will be found to be a denying the +truth, and a subscribing to a manifest falsehood, invoking God to be +witness thereto. 2. This oath cannot be taken in judgment; that is, with +knowledge and deliberation, &c. All the terms of it have much of obscure +ambiguity, declaring a war, and killing any who serve the king, may be +constructed in several senses, good and bad, but here they are +indefinitely expressed, and universally condemned. Particularly that (in +so far as) hath several faces, and can never be sworn in judgment; for +if it denote a casuality, and signify as much as because or wherefore, +then all declarations of war against any that have the name of king +whatsoever, upon whatsoever grounds, and all killing of any serving him, +though in our own defence, must be universally condemned, for the +consequence is good as to every thing, if it import a restriction, +excluding other things in the declaration, but obliging to abjure only +that; then it implies also an affirmation, that these two things are +contained in it, which will not appear to the judgment of them that will +seriously ponder the declaration itself; if again it be a supposition or +condition, and to be interpreted, for if so be, then all that the +judgment can make of it is, that it is uncertain, and so the conscience +dare not invoke God as a witness of that which is uncertain whether it +be a truth or a lie. 3. This oath could not be taken in righteousness: +for the matter is not true, certainly known, lawful, possible, weighty, +necessary, useful, and worthy: it is not true, that the declaration +imports so far as it is represented in the oath of abjuration; neither +is it certainly known, but by collating these two together the contrary +will appear; neither is it lawful (if it were true that such assertions +were in it) to abjure all declarations of war against the king, and to +swear it unlawful ever to kill any, if he be once in the king's service, +in church, state, army, or country; nor is it possible to reduce this +assertory oath into a promissory one lawfully, as most part of such +oaths may and do necessarily imply; for when I swear such a thing +unlawful, it implies my promise, by virtue of the same oath, never to +practice it: But it is not possible (as the case stands) for a man to +bind up himself in every case from all declared war against the king, or +from killing some employed in his service; what if there be a necessary +call to join in arms with the Lord's people, for the defence of their +religion, lives and liberties, against him? what if he commands +massacre? Shall not a man defend himself? nor endeavour to kill none of +that murdering crew, because they are in his service? was ever a fool +so fettered? nor is it of such weight, to be the occasion of involving +the whole country in perjury or persecution, as by that oath was done; +nor was it necessary, in this man's time, to make all abjure a +declaration out of date, when the object of it Charles II. was dead, and +no visible party actually in arms to prosecute it; nor was it ever of +any use or worth, except it were implicitely to gratify their greedy +lusting after the blood of innocents, or the blood of silly souls +cheated by their snares, by involving them in the same sin of perjury +and conscience debauching false swearing, whereof they themselves are so +heinously guilty. But let them, and such as have taken that oath, and +not fled to Christ for a sanctuary, lay to heart the doom of false +swearers, 'the flying roll of the curse of God shall enter into their +house,' Zech. v. 4. 'Love no false oath, for all these are things that I +hate, saith the Lord,' Zech. viii. 17. 'The Lord will be a swift witness +against false swearers,' Mal. iii. 5. And let them sift their conscience +before the word, and set the word to the conscience, and these +considerations will have some weight. + +4. If we consider this particular oath itself, and the words of it more +narrowly, we shall find a complication of iniquities in it, by examining +the sense of them as the imposers expound them. 1. Not only that +declaration, but all such in so far as they declare and assert such +things, are here renounced; and hereby many and faithful declarations +are disowned, that declare the same things. It is indeed pleaded by +some, that profess to be presbyterians, as it was also pretended by some +of the pressers of the oath themselves but in order to pervert and cheat +the conscience; that here is not required a disowning of the +apologetical declaration simpliciter, but only according to which, or +rather of a pretended one of their supposing, in so far as it imports +such things: but this is frivolous for that pretended one is intended by +the imposers to be the real apologetical declaration, which they will +have to be disowned, and cannot be distinguished from it: and though all +these assertions cannot be fastened upon that apologetical declaration, +but it is evident, that it is invidiously misrepresented: yet that same +is the pretended one which they require to be abjured in so far as it +asserts such things, which it does not: and if it be according to which +to be disowned, then that must either be according to that assertion of +killing any, &c. which is not to be found in it, and so it is not to be +disowned at all; or it must be according to the declaration of war +against the king, and so that which, or formal reason of disowning it, +will oblige to disown all declarations of war against the king, which +cannot be disowned. Others again object, that it is not required to be +disowned formally but only conditionally, taking and confounding in so +far, for if so be: but to any thinking man it is plain, this cannot be a +supposition nor yet a simple restriction (as they would give it out) but +an assertion, that such things are indeed imported in it; for so the +imposers think and say: and if it might pass current under that notion, +as a supposition, being equivalent to if so be, then under that +sophistical pretext, I might renounce the covenant, or the most +indisputed confession or declaration that ever was, in so far as it +contained such things; and so this equivocation might elude all +testimonies whatsoever, and justify all prevarications. 2. This must +condemn all defensive war of subjects against their oppressing rulers, +in that a declaration is abjured, in so far as it declares war against +the king: to press and persuade people to which, it was usually urged by +the imposers, that when a war is declared by rebels against the king, +then all the subjects are obliged to disown the rebels, or else be +repute for such themselves; and, when it was alledged the war was +ceased, because the object declared against was ceased, Charles II. +being dead, otherwise if a man be obliged to give his opinion about a +war declared against a king deceased and gone, then by the same parity +of reason, he must be obliged to give his opinion of that war of the +lords of the congregation (as they were called) against queen Mary, in +the beginning of the reformation, It was still replied by them, that the +rebellion continued, and all were guilty of it, that did not abjure that +declaration; whence it is evident, they mean, that every thing which +they call rebellion, must be disowned, and consequently all resistance +of superior, upon any pretence whatsoever, as many of their acts explain +it; yea, and it was plainly told by some of them, to some that scrupled +to take the oath, because they said they did not understand it, that the +meaning was to swear, never to rise in arms against the king. Against +this it hath been objected by several, that this was always denied by +presbyterians, that ever they declared war against the king expresly, +purposedly and designedly, but only against him by accident, when he +happened to be the adverse party; but this distinction will not be a +salvo to the conscience; for the object declared against, is either a +king or not; if he be not, then a declaration of war against him is not +to be abjured; if he be king, then he is either declared against as +king, and by himself, or as an oppressor, or an abuser of his power: the +first indeed is to be disowned; for a king, as king or lawful +magistrate, must not be resisted, Rom. xiii. 2. But the second, to +declare war against a king, as an oppressor and abuser of his power, and +subverter of the laws, hath been owned by our church and state many a +time, and they have opposed and declared war as purposedly against him, +as he did against them, and as really and formally as he was an +oppressor: sure he cannot be an oppressor only by accident: however this +hath been owned always by presbyterians, that war may be declared +against him who is called king. And therefore to abjure a declaration, +in so far as it declares war against the king, will condemn not only +that declaration, upon the heads wherein its honesty and faithfulness +chiefly consists, but all other most honest and honourable declarations, +that have been made and emitted by our worthy and renowned ancestors, +and by our worthies in our own time, who have formally, avowedly and +explicitely, or expresly, purposedly and designedly, declared their +opposition to tyranny and tyrants, and their lawful and laudable designs +to repress, depress and suppress them, by all the ways and means that +God and nature, and the laws of nations allow, when they did by law +itself depose and exauctorate themselves from all rule, or privilege, or +prerogative of rulers, and became no more God's ministers, but +Beelzebub's vicegerents, and monsters to be exterminated out of the +society of mankind. The honestest of all our declarations of defensive +war, have always run in this strain; and others, insinuating more +preposterous loyalty, have been justly taxed for asserting the interest +of the tyrant, the greatest enemy of the declarers, and principal object +of the declared war; which disingenious juggling and foisting in such +flattering and falsifying distinctions in the state of the quarrel, hath +rationally been thought one of the procuring causes or occasions of the +discomfiture of our former appearances for the work of God and liberties +of our country. 3. This must infer an owning of his authority as lawful +king, when the declaration disowning him is abjured, in so far as it +declares war against his majesty; for in this oath he is stiled, and +asserted to be king, and to have the majesty of a lawful king, and +therefore must be owned as such by all that take it; which yet I have +proved to be sinful above, Head 2. Against this it hath been quibbled by +some, that that declaration does not declare war against the king +expresly as king, who set forth the declaration. But this will not salve +the matter; for then (1.) It a subscribing to a lie, in abjuring a +declaration, in so far as it did declare a thing, which it did not, if +that hold. (2.) The enemies impose the abjuring and disowning of it, in +so far as it declares war against their king, who had none other but +Charles Stewart at that time, who was the king in their sense; and an +oath cannot be taken in any other sense, contradictory to the imposers, +even though by them allowed, without an unjustifiable equivocation. (3.) +Though he had been king, and had not committed such acts of tyranny, as +might actually denominate him a tyrant, and forfeit his kingship; yet to +repress his illegal arbitrariness and intolerable enormities, and to +repel his unjust violence, and reduce him to good order, subjects, at +least for their own defence, may declare a war expresly, purposedly and +designedly against their own acknowledged king; this ought not in so far +to be disowned; for then all our declarations emitted, during the whole +time of prosecuting the reformation, in opposition to our king would be +disowned; and so with one dash, unhappily the whole work of reformation, +and the way of carrying it on, is hereby tacitely and consequentially +reflected upon and reproached, if not disowned. (4.) It must infer an +owning of the ecclesiastical supremacy, when it asserts, that some do +serve the king in church, as well as in state; there is no distinction +here, but they are said to serve him the same way in both. And it is +certain they mean so, and have expressed so much in their acts, that +churchmen are as subordinate, and the same way subject to the king's +supremacy, as statesmen are; the absurdity and blasphemy of which is +discovered above. 5. This condemns all killing of any that serve the +king in church, state, army or country; for a declaration is abjured, in +so far as it asserts it lawful to kill any such; and so by this oath, +there is an impunity secured for his idolatrous priests and murdering +varlets, that serve him in the church; for his bloody counsellors, and +gowned murderers, that serve his tyrannical designs in the state; for +his bloody lictors and executioners, the swordmen, that serve him in +the army, whom he may send when he pleades to murder us; and for his +bloody just-asses, informers, and intelligencing sycophants, the +Zyphites, that serve him in the country: all these must escape bringing +to condign punishment, contrary to the 4th Art. of the solemn league and +covenant, and shall be confuted, Head 6. Against this it is excepted by +pleaders for this oath, that it is only a declared abhoring of murdering +principles, which no Christian dare refuse; and it may be taken in this +sense safely, that it is to be abjured, in so far as it asserts it +lawful to kill all that are to be employed by his majesty, or any, +because so employed in church, state, army or country, which never any +did assert was lawful: but though murdering principles are indeed always +to be declaredly abhorred, and all refusers of that oath did both +declare so much, and abhorred the thoughts of them; yet this invasion is +naught: for (1.) The declaration asserts no such thing, neither for that +cause nor for any other, but expressly makes a distinction between +persons under the epithet of bloody cruel murderers, and these only whom +it threateneth to animadvert upon. (2.) The only reason of their +declared intent of prosecuting these, whom they threaten to bring to +condign punishment, was, because they were so employed by the tyrant in +such service, as shedding the blood of innocents, murdering people where +they met them; and so that's the very reason for which they deserve to +be killed, and therefore foolish, impertinent, and very absurd to be +alledged as a qualification of the sense of that impious oath. + +5. If we consider the proclamation enjoining this oath and narrating and +explaining the occasions and causes of it, all these reasons against it +will be confirmed; and it will further appear, that the proclamation +itself is indirectly approved. For though it might be sustained in the +abstract, that we may and must renounce such declarations founded on +principles inconsistent with government, and bearing such inferences as +are specified in that proclamation; yet complexly considered what they +mean by government, what sort of society that is, the security whereof +is said to be infringed by that declaration, and what is the scope of +that narrative; a renouncing of a paper contradictory thereto, must be +in so far a tacite approbation of that proclamation. For that oath, +which renounceth what is contrary to such a proclamation, does justify +the proclamation; but this oath renounces what is contrary to the +proclamation, and that only: therefore it justifies the proclamation. It +is intituled, as it was really designed, for discovering such as own or +will not disown the foresaid declaration, by them falsely nicknamed, a +late treasonable declaration of war against his majesty, and the horrid +principle of assassination. And the body of it discovers such hell-bred +hatred of, and malice against, that poor party, destinated, in their +design, to final and total destruction, and lays down such contrivances +for their discovery and ruin, that the heads and hearts of the inventers +and authors may seem to be possessed and inspired with the devil's +immediately assisting counsel, and the clerk's pen that drew it up to +have been dipt in the Stygian lake, and the gall and venom of hell: +representing the emitters, and abetters, and spreaders of that +declaration, and all who have been joined in any of their societies, and +all who either will own or scruple to disown the said declaration, in +the manner by them tendered and imposed, (which are the generality of +the most tender and conscientious christians in the land) under all the +vilest and most abominable and odious terms, their malice could invent; +as if they were 'insolent and desperate rebels, associated under a +pretended form of government, who had formerly endeavoured to disguise +their bloody and execrable principles, but now had pulled off the mask, +and who think it a duty to kill and murder all who do any manner of way +serve the present rulers, or bear charge under them, who maintain +principles inconsistent with all government and society, and tending to +the destruction of the lives of their loyal and honest subjects; +treacherous and assassinating principles, &c. Who now have declared +their hellish intentions, and for the better performance of their +mischievous designs, do lurk in secret, and are never discerned but in +the acts of their horrid assassinations, and passing up and down among +the king's loyal subjects, take opportunity to murder and assassinate, +like execrable rebels; and calling that declaration, an execrable and +damnable paper,' &c. All which are execrable and damnable lies, and +forgeries of the fathers of them, and a charge which all their sophistry +can never make out in any particular: yet by them amplified to a +swelling height of heinousness; and, among other circumstances, +aggravated, from their frequent refusing the reiterated offers of their +clemency, by which they understand their contempt of their presumptuous, +Christ-defying, and church-destroying indulgences, and their not +submitting to their insnaring and base indemnities, or their conscience +cheating bonds and oaths by them so finely bulked. From these impudently +pretended premisses, in their falsely forged viperous narrative, they +lay down their bloody methods and measures for prosecuting that poor +people, with all vigour of savage severity; ordaining, 'That whosoever +shall own that declaration, and the principles therein specified,' +(which is a larger dilatation of their meaning, than their pretended, +restriction, (in so far as, &c.) and gives a further discovery of the +intent of the oath, that gives a covert stroke to all the principles of +our reformation, which are reductively specified in that declaration) +'or whosoever shall refuse to disown the same----shall be execute to the +death; and commanding all subjects to concur, and do their utmost +endeavour to seek, search, delate, and apprehend all such, under the +severest penalties of the laws; and to difference the good from the +bad, (meaning their own associates and friends, from Christ's followers) +by discriminating signs, declaring it their pleasure, and requiring all +past the age of 16 years not to presume to travel without testificates +of their loyalty and good principles, by taking the oath of abjuration; +whereupon they are to have a testificate, which is to serve for a free +pass, with certification to all that shall adventure to travel without +such a testificate, shall be holden and used as concurrers with the said +rebels; commanding all heritors, &c. to give up the lists, of the names +of all under them, before the curate; declaring, if any shall refuse to +concur in such service, they shall be holden as guilty of the foresaid +crimes, and punished accordingly; and strictly prohibiting all to +harbour, lodge, or entertain any, unless they have such certificates, +under the same pain: and for encouragement to any that shall discover or +apprehend any to be found guilty as above said, ensuring to them the sum +of 500 merks Scots for each of them.' This is that hell hatched +proclamation, so grievous for its effects, so dreadful for its designs, +so monstrous for its absurdities, that the like hath not been seen: +whereby not only the country's interest and trade hath been prejudged, +by compelling all to have a pass in time of peace, and these to be +procured at exorbitant rates, oppressing poor people; not only common +hostlers and innkeepers are made judges, impowered to impose oaths upon +passengers for their passes, that they be not forged; but many +consciences couzened, cheated, wounded and insnared, and the whole land +involved in sin. But they that took this oath have approved and +justified this detestable, execrable, bloody proclamation, the spurious +spawn of the devil's venom against Christ's followers: for they gave all +the obedience to it that was required of them in their capacity, and +obedience justifies the law enjoining it; they have done all was +required, or could be done by them, to answer the design of it in their +circumstances; and consequently, by doing the thing prescribed, they +have justified the grounds upon which the rescript was founded, and the +methods by which it was prosecuted, which hath a dreadful medly of +iniquity in it. Hence, (1.) They have subscribed to all these odious +characters wherewith they branded that poor persecuted party, and +condemned them as insolent, desperate rebels, murderers, bloody +assassins, &c. (2.) In disowning that declaration, they have disowned +the principles therein specified, and consequently all the testimony +against this usurping faction of overturners of the work of reformation, +active and passive, that have been given and sealed by the eminent +servants of God, since this catastrophe, the principle of defensive +arms, and our covenants, and several others which are therein specified. +(3.) They have given their consent to all the concurrence therein +required, for seeking, searching, delating, and apprehending of these +people, and to all the cruel villainies committed against them. (4.) +They have taken on their prescribed discriminating sign of loyalty, and +of being repute by them men of good principles, that is, their friends, +men for the times: which is so sinful and scandalous, that it is +shameful to hint at them, and yet shameful to hide them. + +6. If we consider the apologetical declaration itself, which is so +bespattered, and so odiously represented, and so rigorously enjoined to +be abjured; who will more narrowly look into it, and ponder and perpend +the purpose and scope of it, will see nothing that can be abjured +conscientiously in it, but the whole of it, laying aside prejudice and +invidious critical censoriousness, capable of a fair and acceptable +construction. The motives leading them to let it forth, being only their +desires and just endeavours to prosecute, and secure themselves in the +prosecution of holy commanded duties, and to keep a standing testimony +against the insolency of those that are given up of God, to lay out +themselves in promoving a course of profanity and persecution, +notwithstanding of all their viperous threatnings. Their measures being +none other, than the commendable precedents and examples of zealous and +tender hearted Christians, who have done the like, and our national and +solemn covenants, lying with their binding force indispensible upon all +of us, and obliging us to endeavour all that is there declared, as being +bound for ever to have common friends and foes with our covenanted +reformation, to all which they declare and avouch their resolved +adherence, and their own former declarations, disowning their allegiance +to, and authority of a man who had, by law itself, forfeited all +authority, by his intolerable tyranny, perjury, and perfidious breach of +trust, reposed and devolved upon him by covenant; by his overturning all +the fundamental constitutions of the government, perverting, inverting, +and everting all laws, all liberties, all privileges of church and +state, all establishments of our covenanted work of reformation, all +securities of our life and enjoyments whatsoever, usurping to himself an +absolute tyrannical civil supremacy, inconsistent with the safety or +freedom of the people; and a monstrous, blasphemous, ecclesiastical +supremacy; upon which considerations, to endeavour to make good their +freedom and emancipation from that yoke which they had cast off, they +behoved to resolve upon defensive resistance, against him and his bloody +emissaries; which war being declared before, they only in this +declaration testifyed their unanimous approbation of, adherence to, and +resolutions for prosecuting the same against him and his accomplices, +such as lay out themselves to promove his wicked and hellish designs: by +which war they do not mean a formed stated and declared insurrection +with hostile force, to break the peace of the nation, and involve all in +blood, but a resolved, avowed, constant, opposition to the murdering +violence, injustice, oppression, and persecution of this wicked faction, +now raging, rather than reigning, who have declared, and still +prosecute a declared war against Christ, bearing down his work and +interest in the land; 'And a constant endeavour, in opposition to them, +to pursue the ends of our covenants, in standing to the defence of the +glorious work of reformation, and their own lives; and, in the defence +thereof, to maintain the cause and interest of Christ against his +enemies, and to hold up the standard of our Lord Jesus Christ (meaning +the gospel and the word of our testimony,) whereunto they looked upon +themselves as bound and obliged by their holy covenants, being therein +dedicated to the Lord in their persons, lives, liberties, and fortunes, +for defending and promoving this glorious work of reformation, +notwithstanding of all opposition, that is or may be made thereunto, and +sworn against all neutrality and indifferency in the Lord's matters; +whereunto they beseech, invite and obtest, all them who wish well to +Zion, to a concurrence and concerting the same cause and quarrel.' In +maintaining of which opposition against such wicked enemies, because by +them they were restlessly pursued and hunted, and murdered wherever they +were found, neither could find any harbour or hiding place in any corner +of the country, for searchers, informers, and instigators, who still +stirred up the country to raise the hue and cry after them, and caused +them to be delivered up, and delated them to the courts of their +murdering enemies, whereby much innocent blood was shed; therefore, to +stop their career of violence and deter them from such courses, they +found it necessary to threaten them with more active and vigorous +opposition, and that they might expect to be treated as they deserved. +Wherein they are far from owning assassinating principles, or practising +assassinations; for they give only open and plain warning, and +advertisement to the world, of their necessitated endeavours to defend +themselves, and prevent the murder of their brethren, and can no way be +charged with asserting it lawful, to kill all employed in the king's +service in church, state, army, or country, as the proclamation in +viperous, invective calumny, misrepresents the declaration; but, on the +contrary, do jointly and unanimously declare, 'They detest and abhor +that hellish principle of killing such as differ in judgment from them, +and they are firmly and really purposed, not to injure or offend any +whomsoever, but such as are directly guilty of, or accessory to the +murder of their brethren.' Whom yet they mind not to assassinate or kill +tumultuarily, but to prosecute them with all the legal formalities, that +justice in their capacity, and the times disorder and distracted +condition will allow; expressly declaring, 'That they abhor, condemn, +and discharge all personal attempts upon any pretexts whatsomever, +without previous deliberations, common consent, certain probation of +sufficient witnesses, or the guilty persons confession.' Neither could +it ever be supposed, that they threaten all employed in the king's +service with this sort of handling, but some select and expressly +distinguished kind of notorious villains, men of death and blood, openly +avowing and vaunting of their murders: and these they distinguished into +several classes, according to the respective aggravations of their +wickedness: in the first, 'They place those that murder by command, +under pretext of an usurped authority, as counsellors, justiciary, and +officers of their forces, or bands of robbers, and not all, nor any of +these neither, but the cruel and bloody.' In the second class, they +threaten such as are actually in arms against them of an inferior rank, +and such gentlemen, and bishops, and curates, as do professedly and +willingly serve them to accomplish and effectuate their murders, by +obeying their commands, making search for these poor men, delivering +them up, instigating, informing, and witnessing against, and hunting +after them: and not all these neither, but such as cruelly prosecute +that service, to the effussion of their blood. Neither do they threaten +all equally, nor any of them peremptorily, 'But that continuing after +the publication of this their declaration, obstinately and habitually in +these courses (plainly declaring they intended no hurt to them if they +would hold up their hands) they would repute them as enemies to God and +the reformation, and punish them as such, according to their power, and +the degree of their offence; withal leaving room for civil and +ecclesiastical satisfaction, before lawful and settled judicatories, for +the offences of such persons, as their power may nor reach,' &c. And as +unwilling to be necessitated to such severe courses, and earnestly +desirous they be prevented, they admonish them with sorrow and +seriousness, of the sin and hazard of their wicked courses; and protest, +that only necessity of self preservation, and zeal to religion, lest it +should be totally rooted out by their insolency, did drive them to this +threatening declaration, and not because they were acted by any sinful +spirit of revenge. This is all that is contained in that declaration. +And if there be any thing here so odious and execrable, to be so +solemnly abjured, renounced, and abhorred in the presence of God, for +the pleasure of, and in obedience to the will of his and our enemies, +let all unbiassed considerers impartially weigh, or any awakened +conscience speak, and I doubt not but the sweating and subscribing this +oath will be cast and condemned. + +I shall say nothing of the necessity, or conveniency, or expediency, or +formality of this declaration: but the lawfulness of the matter, +complexly taken, is so undeniable, that it cannot be renounced, without +condemning many very material principles of our reformation: only +success and incapacity is wanting to justify the manner, whole +procedure, formality, and all the circumstances of the business; if +either the declarers themselves, or any other impowered with strength, +and countenanced with success to make good the undertaking, had issued +out such a declaration in the same terms, and had prevailed and +prospered in the project, many, that have now abjured it, would approve +and applaud it. But passing these things that are extrinsic to the +consideration in hand it is the matter that they required to be abjured +and condemned, it is that the enemies quarrelled at, and not the +inexpediency or informalities of it: and it must be taken as they +propound it, and abjured and renounced by oath as they represent it; and +therefore the iniquity of this subscription will appear to be great, in +two respects; 1st, In denying the truth. 2dly, In subscribing to, and +swearing a lie. 1. They that have taken that oath have denied and +renounced the matter of that declaration, which is truth and duty, and a +testimony to the cause of Christ, as it is this day stated and +circumstantiate in the nation, founded upon former (among us +uncontroverted) precedents and principles of defensive wars, disowning +tyranny, and repressing the insolency of tyrants and their accomplices; +the whole matter being reducible to these two points, declaring a +resolved endeavour of breaking the tyrant's yoke from off our neck, +thereby asserting our own and the posterities liberty and freedom, from +his insupportable and entailed slavery; and a just threatening to curb +and restrain the insolency of murderers, or to bring them to condign +punishment: whereof, as the first is noways repugnant, but very +consonant to the third article; so the second is the very duty obliged +unto in the fourth article of our solemn league and covenant. But all +this they have denied by taking that oath. 2. By taking that oath, they +have sworn and subscribed to a lie, making it as they represent it, +abjuring it in so far as it declares, &c. and asserts it is lawful to +kill all employed in the service of the king, in church, state, army, or +country; which is a manifest lie, for it asserts no such thing. Neither +will any other sense put upon the words, in so far as salve the matter; +for as thereby the takers of the oath shall deal deceitfully, In +frustrating the end of the oath, and the design of the tenderers +thereof; and to take an oath in so far, will not satisfy, as Voetius +judgeth, de Pol. Eccl. p. 213. So let them be taken which way they can, +either for so much, or even as, or providing, it is either a denying the +truth, or subscribing a lie: and consequently these poor people suffered +for righteousness that refused it. + + +HEAD IV. + +_The Sufferings of People for frequenting_ Field Meetings +_Vindicated._ + +Hitherto the negative heads of sufferings have been vindicated: now +follow the positive, sounded upon positive duties, for doing, and not +denying, and not promising and engaging to relinquish which, many have +suffered severely. The first, both in order of nature and of time, that +which was first and last, and frequently, most constantly, most +universally, and most signally sealed by sufferings, was that which is +the clearest of all, being in some respect the testimony of all ages, +and which clears all the rest, being the rise and the root, cause and +occasion of all the rest; to wit, the necessary duty of hearing the +gospel, and following the pure and powerful faithfully dispensed +ordinances of Christ, banished out of the churches to private houses, +and persecuted out of the houses to the open fields, and there pursued +and opposed, and sought to be suppressed, by all the fury and force, +rigour and rage, cruelty and craft, policy and power, that ever wicked +men, maddened into a monstrous malice against the mediator Christ, and +the coming of his kingdom, could contrive or exert; yet still followed +and frequented, owned and adhered to by the lovers of Christ, and +serious seekers of God, even when for the same they were killed all day +long, and counted as sheep for the slaughter, and continually oppressed, +harrassed, hunted, and cruelly handled, dragged to prisons, banished and +sold for slaves, tortured, and murdered. And after, by their fraudulent +favours of ensnaring indulgencies and indemnities, and a continued tract +of impositions and exactions, and many oaths and bonds, they had +prevailed with many, and even the most part both of ministers and +professors, to abandon that necessary duty; and even when it was +declared criminal by act of parliament, and interdicted under pain of +death, to be found at any field meetings: they nevertheless persisted in +an undaunted endeavour, to keep up the standard of Christ, in following +the word of the Lord wherever they could have it faithfully preached, +though at the greatest of hazards: And so much the more that it was +prosecuted by the rage of enemies, and the reproach and obloquies of +pretended friends, that had turned their back on the testimony, and +preferred their own ease and interests to the cause of Christ; and with +the greater fervour, that the labourers in that work were few, and like +to faint under so many difficulties. What the first occasion was that +constrained them to go to the fields, is declared at length in the +historical deduction of the testimony of the sixth Period: to wit, +Finding themselves bound in duty, to testify their adherence to, and +continuance in their covenanted profession, their abhorrence of abjured +prelacy, and their love and zeal to keep Christ and his gospel in the +land, after they had undergone and endured many hazards and hardships, +oppressions and persecutions, for meeting in the houses where they were +so easily attrapped, and with such difficulty could escape the hands of +these cruel men; they were forced to take the fields, though with the +unavoidable inconveniences of all weathers, without a shelter: yet +proposing the advantages, both of conveniency for meeting in great +numbers, and of secrecy in the remote recesses of wild muirs and +mountains, and of safety, in betaking themselves to inaccessible natural +strengths, safest either for flight or resistance; and withal, having +occasion there to give a testimony for the reformation with greater +freedom. And to this very day, though many have a pretended liberty to +meet in houses, under the security of a man's promise, whose principle +is to keep no faith to heretics, and under the shelter and shadow of an +Antichristian toleration; yet there is a poor people that are out of the +compass of this favour, whom all these forementioned reasons do yet +oblige to keep the fields, that is both for conveniency, secrecy, and +safety; they dare not trust those who are still thirsting insatiably +after their blood, nor give them such advantages as they are seeking, to +prey upon them, by shutting themselves within houses; and moreover, they +take themselves to be called indispensibly, in the present +circumstances, to be as public, or more than ever, in their testimony +for the preached gospel, even in the open fields. Now this would be a +little cleared; and to essay the same, I would offer, 1st, Some +concessions, 2dly, Some postulata, or supposed grounds. 3dly, Some more +special considerations, which will conduce to clear the case. + +First, That we may more distinctly understand what is the duty here +pleaded for, and what is that which these people suffer for here +vindicated; let these concessions be premised, + +1. Now under the evangelical dispensation, there is no place more sacred +than another, to which the worship of God is astricted, and which he +hath chosen for his house and habitation, whither he will have his +people to resort and attend, as under the legal and typical dispensation +was ordered; there was a place where the Lord caused his name to dwell, +Deut. xii. 5, 11. But now, "neither in the mountain, nor at Jerusalem, +the Father will be worshipped; but every where, and any where, in spirit +and in truth," John iv. 21, 23, 24. And the apostle wills, "that men +pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting," 1 +Tim. ii. 8. We abhor therefore the English and popish superstition of +consecrated places, and assert that all are alike in this respect, +houses or fields. + +2. In the constitute state of the church, or wherever it can be +obtained, order, decency, and conveniency doth require that there be +appointed places, sequestrate and appropriate for the meetings of the +Lord's people, according to that general rule, "Let all things be done +decently and in order," 1 Cor. xiv. last verse. And, in that case +private conventicles, set up in a schismatical competition with public +churches, are not to be allowed. But even then private meetings for +prayer and conference, are necessary, lawful, and laudable. But now the +church is broken by a crew of schismatical intruders, who have occupied +the places of public assemblies: and thrust out the Lord's ministers: It +is these we scar at, and not the place. + +3. Suppose a magistrate should interdict and discharge the public place +of worship, and restrain from the churches, but leave all other places +free to meet in: or if he should prohibit the houses, but leave freedom +for the fields, or discharge the fields, and give liberty in houses; in +that case we would not contend for the place out of contempt: though it +were duty then to witness against such a sacrilegious injury done to the +church, in taking away their meeting places; yet it were inexpedient to +stickle and strive for one spot, if we might have another; then when +only excluded out of a place, and not included or concluded and +restricted to other places, nor otherwise robbed of the church's +privileges, we might go to houses when shut out of churches, and go to +fields when shut out of houses, and back again to houses when +discharged thence. But this is not our case, for we are either +interdicted of all places: or if allowed any, it is under such +confinements as are inconsistent with the freedom of the gospel: and +besides, we have to do with one from whom we can take no orders, to +determine our meetings; nor can we acknowledge our liberty to depend on +his authority, or favour which we cannot own nor trust, nor accept of +any protection from him. Neither is it the place of fields or houses +that we contend for; nor is it that which he mainly opposes: but it is +the freedom of the gospel faithfully preached, that we are seeking to +suppress. The contest betwixt him and us, is the service of God in the +gospel of his Son; that we profess, without owning him for the liberty +of its exercise: and therefore as an enemy to the matter and object of +these religious exercises, which are the eye-sore of antichrist, he +prosecutes with such rage the manner and circumstances thereof. + +4. Even in this case, when we are persecuted in one place, we flee unto +another, as the Lord allows and directs, Matth. x. 23, And if +occasionally we find a house, either public, or a church or a private +dwelling house that may be safe or convenient, or capacious of the +numbers gathered, we think it indifferent to meet there, or in the +field; but, in the present circumstances, it is more for the conveniency +of the people, and more congruous for the day's testimony, to keep the +fields in their meetings, even though it irritate the incensed enemies. +Which that it may appear. + +Secondly, I shall offer some postulata or hypothesis to be considered, +or endeavour to make them good, and infer from them the necessity and +expediency of field meetings at this time in these circumstances: which +consequently vindicate the sufferings that have been thereupon stated +formerly, and are still continued. + +1. It is necessary at all times that Christians should meet together, +whether they have ministers or not, and whether the magistrate allow it +or not. The authority of God, their necessity, duty, and interest, makes +it indispensible in all cases. It is necessary for the mutual help, "two +are better than one, for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow," +Eccl. iv. 9, 10. It is necessary for cherishing mutual love, which is +the new commandment, and badge of all Christ's disciples, John xiii. 34, +35. a principle which they are all taught of God, 1 Thess. iv. 9. It is +necessary for nourishing union to communicate together, in order to +their being of one mind, and one mouth, and that they receive one +another, Rom. xv. 5, 6, 7. 1 Cor. i. 10. Standing fast in one spirit, +striving together for the faith of the gospel, Phil. 1. 27. It is +necessary for serving one another in love, Gal. v. 13. bearing one +another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ, Gal. vi. 2. +submitting to one another, Eph. v. 21. 1 Pet. v. 5. teaching and +admonishing one another, Col. iii. 16. comforting one another, 1 Thess. +iv. last verse, edifying one another, 1 Thess. v. 11. exhorting one +another, Heb. iii. 13. It is necessary for considering one another, and +provoking unto love, and to good works; and for this end, they must not +forsake the assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some is, +for that were to sin wilfully, Heb. x. 24, 25, 26. Must these things +depend on the magistrate's allowance? Or can they be done without +meeting together in private or public? The same reasons do alike +conclude for the necessity of both. If then there must be meetings for +these ends necessary at all times, then when they cannot do it within +doors, they must do it without. 2. There is a necessity for meeting for +preaching and hearing the gospel; the enjoyment whereof hath always been +the greatest design and desire of saints, who could not live without it; +therefore they loved the place where the Lord's honour dwelt, Psal. +xxvii. 8. This was the one thing they desired of the Lord, and that +they would seek after, to behold the beauty of the Lord, Psal. xxvii. 4. +For this they panted, and their soul thirsted, Psal. xlii. 1, 2. without +which every land is but a thirsty land, where there is no water, where +they cannot see the power and glory of God, as they have seen it in the +sanctuary, Psal. lxiii. 1, 2. O how amiable are his tabernacles? "One +day in his courts is better than a thousand elsewhere," Psal. lxxxi. 1, +10. No gladness to them like that of going to the house of the Lord, +Psal. cxxii. 1. A christian cannot possibly live without gospel +ordinances, no more than children can want the breasts, or the poor and +needy want water when their tongue faileth for thirst; they are promised +it in high places, and in the wilderness, when they can get it in no +where else, Isa. lxi. 17, 18. There is an innate desire in the saints +after it, as new born babes they desire the sincere milk of the word, 1 +Pet. ii. 2. So that any that is offended with them for this, must be +offended with them for being christians, for as such they must have the +gospel, cost what it will. It is the greatest desire of the spouse of +Christ, to know where he feeds and where to find the Shepherd's tents, +where they may rest at noon, Cant. i. 7, 8. And not only in their esteem +is it necessary: but in itself, the church cannot bear the want of it, +for where there is no vision, the word of the Lord is then very +precious, 1 Sam. iii. 1. No wonder then that the Lord's people make such +ado of it, in a famine of it, that they go from sea to sea to seek it, +Amos viii. 11, 12. and that they are content to have it at any rate; +though with the peril of their lives, because of the sword of the +wilderness, Lam. v. 9. Seeing they cannot live without it. Would men be +hindered, by law, from seeking their natural food? Nay, they would fight +for it before they wanted it, against any that opposed them. If then +they cannot get it with peace, they must have it with trouble: and if +they cannot get it in houses, they must have it wherever it is to be +found, with freedom, and the favour of God. + +3. It is necessary that the meetings be as public, as they can be with +conveniency and prudence; yea, simple hazard should no more hinder their +publicness and solemnity, than their being at all. Especially, in an +evil time, when wickedness is encouraged and established, and conformity +thereto pressed, truth banished, and a witness for Christ suppressed, +corruption in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government connived at, +countenanced, and advanced, the word of God is become a reproach, and +men have no delight in it, apostasy is become universal, and both +magistrates and ministers generally turned promoters of it, which is the +true description of our times: then the meetings of the Lord's people, +that endeavour to keep clean garments, should be more frequent, public, +and avowed. The reasons are, 1. Then the call of God, by his word and +works, is more clamant, for public and solemn humiliation, in order to +avert public imminent judgments, and impendent strokes from God. It is +not enough to reform ourselves privately and personally, and to keep +ourselves pure from such courses, by an abstraction and withdrawing from +them, as is proved, Head 1. (where this is improved as an argument +against hearing the curates) Nor is it enough to admonish, exhort, +reprove, and testify against such as are involved in these courses, but +it is necessary, for them that would be approven, to adhere to the +truth, and serve God after the right manner, and to mourn, sigh, and cry +for all the abominations of the time, so as to get the 'mark of mourners +on their foreheads,' Ezek. ix. 4. and they that do so, will be found 'on +the mountains like doves in the valleys, all of them mourning, every one +for his iniquity,' Ezek. vii. 16. and not only to be humbled every +family apart, but there must be a great mourning, as the mourning of +Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon,' Zech. xii. 11. to the end. That +is a solemn public mourning there promised. There must be a 'gathering +themselves together, though a nation not desired, before the decree +bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, and the fierce anger of +the Lord come upon them, if they would have any possibility of their +hiding,' Zep. ii. 1, 2, 3. 'The trumpet then must be blown in Zion, to +sanctify a fast, to call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify +the congregation assemble the elders, gather the children,'----Joel ii. +15, 16. As was exemplified in Ezra's time, when there were great +congregations of people assembled publicly, weeping very sore, then +there was hope in Israel, Ezra x. 1, 2. and when that messenger of the +Lord came up from Gilgal to the people of Israel, and reproved them for +their defections and compliance with the Canaanites, they had such a +solemn day of humiliation, that the place of their meeting got a name +from it, they called the name of that place Bochim, that is, weepers, +Judg. ii. 4, 5. 'And when the ark was at Kirjathjearim all the house of +Israel lamented after the Lord----and they gathered together at Mizpeth, +and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord,' 2 Sam. vii. 2. 6. I +shewed before, that there is reason to fear that the sins of a few, +especially of magistrates and ministers, will bring wrath upon the whole +body of the people, as is plain from these scriptures, Lev. x. 6. Isa. +xliii. 27, 28. Lam. iv. 13. Micah iii. 11, 21. shewing the sins of +ministers may procure universal destruction. And 2 Sam. xxiv. 25. 2. +Kings xxi. 11. Jer. xv. 4. proving the sins of magistrates may procure +it: and Numb. iii. 14, 15. Josh. xxii. 17, 18. Demonstrating that the +sins of a party of the people may draw wrath upon the whole. Now, the +only way the scripture points out to evite and avert such public +judgments is to make our resentment of these indignities done to our +God, our mourning over them, and our witness against them, as public as +the sins are, at least as public as we can get them, by a public +pleading for truth, Isa. lix. 4. For the defect whereof he hides his +face, and wonders that there is no man, no intercessor, ver. 16. that +is, none to plead with God, in behalf of his borne down truths; there +must be in order to this, a public seeking of truth, which if there be +any found making conscience of, the Lord makes a gracious overture to +pardon the city, Jer. v. 1. We cannot think there were no mourners in +secret there, but there was no public meetings for it, and public owning +the duty of that day: There must be valour for the truth upon the earth, +Jer. ix. 3, a public and resolute owning of truth: there must be a +making up the hedge, and standing in the gap for the land, that the Lord +should not destroy it, Ezek. xxii. 30. a public testimony in opposition +to defection: there must be a pleading with our mother, Hos. ii. 2. +which is spoken to private persons in the plural number, commanding all +that would consult their own safety, publicly to condemn the sins of the +whole nation, that they may escape the public punishment thereof, as it +is expounded in Pool's Synop. Critic. in locum. By this means we must +endeavour to avert the wrath and anger of God, which must certainly be +expected to go out against the land, which hath all the procuring +causes, all the symptoms, prognostics, and evidences of a land devoted +to destruction, that ever a land had. If then there must be such public +mourning, and such solemn gathering for it, such public pleading for +truth, seeking for truth, valour for truth, making up the hedge, and +pleading with our mother, there must of necessity be public meetings for +it: for these things cannot be done in private, but must be done by way +of testimony. Which I make a second reason, The nature and end of +meeting for gospel ordinances is for a public testimony for Christ and +his truths and interest, against sin and all dishonours done to the Son +of God. So that the only end, is not only to bring to Christ, and build +up souls in Christ, but it is to testify also for the glory of Christ, +whether souls be brought in and built up or not. The preached gospel is +not only the testimony of Christ, 1 Cor. i. 6. but a testimony for +Christ; in which sense, the testimony of Jesus is said to be the spirit +of prophecy, Rev. xix. 10. so called, Durham expounds it, for its +bearing witness to Christ; in which respect ministers are often called +witnesses. It is also the testimony of Israel (not only given to Israel, +but given by Israel) unto which the tribes go up, the tribes of the +Lord, Psal. cxxii. 4. Whensoever therefore, or howsoever the testimony +of the church is contradicted, that is not a lawful meeting of the +tribes of the Lord. It is also the testimony of the preachers for +Christ, against them that will not receive them, Mark vi. 11. And a +witness unto all nations to whom they preach, Matth. xxiv. 14. And of +all the witnesses that hold it, and suffer for it, Rev. vi. 9. And the +same which is the word of Christ's testimony, is the word of theirs, +Rev. xii. 11. by which they overcome, and for which they love not their +lives. Wherever then the gospel is preached, it must be a testimony +except it be public, at least as public as can be, as we find all +Christ's witnesses were in the Old and New Testaments. 3. The motive or +principle prompting the Lord's people to a frequenting of gospel +ordinances, is a public spirit, stirring up to a public generation work, +whereof this is the scope, to promote the kingdom or Christ, and not +only to obey the Lord's command enjoining the duty, to enjoy the Lord, +the end thereof, to edify their own souls; but to partake in, and +promote this great work of the day, for the glory of God, and the +church's good. For the gospel is not only a banner of love over his +friends, but Christ's standard of war against his enemies, Isa. lix. 19. +under which all that countenance it, are called to lift themselves as +his soldiers, called, and chosen, and faithful: and it is required of +his soldiers that they be valiant for the truth upon the earth, +discovering a gallant greatness and generosity of a public spirit, +having their designs and desires not limited to their own interests, +even spiritual, but aiming at no less than Christ's public glory, the +church's public good, the saints public comfort, having a public concern +for all Christ's interests, public sympathy for all Christ's friends, +and a public declared opposition to all Christ's enemies: this is a +public spirit, the true spirit of all Christ's zealous lovers and +votaries; which, when he is a missing, will prompt them to go about the +city, in the streets, and in the broad ways, to seek him whom their soul +loveth, Cant. iii. 2. and not only in their beds, or secret corners, but +they must go to the streets, and to the fields, and avow their seeking +of Christ, even though the watchmen should smite them, and the keepers +of the walls take their vails from them, Cant. v- Which obliges them to +take him into their own cottages, and entertain him in their hearts, and +give him a throne there, but also to endeavour to enlarge his dwelling, +and propagate his courtly residence through the world, that the kingdoms +of the earth may become the kingdoms of the Lord; and if they cannot get +that done, yet that he may have the throne in their mother's house, and +take up his abode in the church, or nation they belong to, that there +his ordinances be established in purity, peace, plenty, and power, +according to his own order; and if that cannot be, but that their mother +play the harlot, and he be provoked to give up house with her, and, by +her children's treachery, the usurping enemy be invited into his place +and habitation, and take violent possession of it, and enact his +extrusion and expulsion by law; yet they will endeavour to secure a +place for him among the remnant, that he may get a lodging among the +afflicted and poor 'people that trust in the name of the Lord----that +they may feed and ly down, and none make them afraid, Zeph. iii. 12, +13. that the poor of the flock that wait on him, may know that it is the +word of the Lord,' Zech. xi. 11. they will lay out themselves to +strengthen their hands. This is the work of the public spirited lovers +of the gospel, which hath been, and yet is the great work of this our +day, to carry the gospel, and follow it, and keep it up, through the +land, as the standard of Christ, against all opposition, from mountain +to hill, when now Zion hath been labouring to bring forth as a woman in +travail, and made to go forth out of the city, and to dwell in the +field, Mic. iv. 10. Therefore, seeing it is the public work of the day, +and all its followers must have such a public spirit, it follows that +the meetings to promote it must be as public as is possible. 4. The +interest and privilege of the gospel, to have it in freedom, purity, +power, and plenty, is the public concern of all the Lord's people, +preferable to all other interests; and therefore more publicly, +peremptorily, and zealously to be contended for, than any other interest +whatsoever. It is the glory of the land. 1 Sam. iv. 21. without which, +Ichabod may be the name of every thing; and every land, though never so +pleasant, will be but a dry and parched land, where no water is, in the +esteem of them that have seen the Lord's glory and power in the +sanctuary, Psal. lxiii. 1. Whereas its name is Hephzibah and Beulah, +Isa. lxii. 4. and Jehovah-Shammah, Ezek. xlviii. ult. where God is +enjoyed in his gospel-ordinances; and the want and reproach of the +solemn assemblies, is a matter of the saddest mourning of the Lord's +people, Zeph. iii. 18. Therefore, while the ark abode in Kirjath jearim, +the time was thought very long, and all the house of Israel lamented +after the Lord, 1 Sam. vii. 2. then they heard of it at Ephratah, and +found it in the fields of the wood, Psal. cxxxii. 6. But it hath been +longer than twenty years in our fields of the woods, and therefore we +should be lamenting after it with a greater concernedness; especially +remembering, how we were privileged with the gospel, which was +sometimes times publicly embraced and countenanced by authority, and +ensured to us by laws, statutes, declarations, proclamations, oaths, +vows, and covenant-engagements, whereby the land was dedicated and +devoted unto the Son of God, whose conquest it was. And now are not all +the people of God obliged to do what they can, to hinder the recalling +of this dedication, and the giving up of the land as an offering unto +satan and antichrist? And how shall this be, but by a public contending, +for this privilege, and a resolving they shall sooner bereave us of our +hearts blood, than of the gospel in its freedom and purity? But this we +cannot contend for publicly, if our meetings be not public. 5. The +nature and business of the gospel ministry is such, that it obliges them +that exercise it to endeavour all publicness, without which they cannot +discharge the extent of their instructions: their very names and titles +do insinuate so much. They are witnesses for Christ, and therefore their +testimonies should be public, though their lot oftentimes be to witness +in sackcloth. They are heralds, and therefore they should proclaim their +master's will, though their lot be often to be a voice crying in the +wilderness, as John the Baptist was in his field preachings. They are +ambassadors, and therefore they should maintain their master's majesty +in the public port of his ambassadors, and be wholly taken up about +their sovereign's business. They are watchmen, and therefore they should +keep and maintain their post their master has placed them at. Nay, they +are lights and candles, and therefore cannot be hid, Matth. v. 14, 15. +The commands and instructions given them, infer the necessity of this. +They must cry aloud, and spare not, and lift up their voice like a +trumpet and shew the Lord's people their transgressions and sins, Isa. +lviii. 1. They are watchmen upon Jerusalem's walls which must not hold +their peace day nor night, nor keep silence, nor give the Lord rest, +till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth, +Isa. lxii. 6, 7. They are watchmen, that must command all to hearken to +the sound of the trumpet, Jer. vi. 17. They must be valiant for the +truth upon the earth, Jer. ix. 3. They must say, Thus saith the Lord +even to a rebellious nation, whether they will hear or forbear, and not +be afraid of them, Ezek. ii. 5, 6. They must cause the people to know +their abominations, Ezek. 16. 2. and the abominations of their fathers, +Ezek. xx. 4. And what their master tells them in darkness, that they +must speak in the light, and what they hear in the ear, that they must +preach upon the house tops, Matth. x. 27. These things cannot be done in +a clandestine way; and therefore now, when there is no much necessity, +it is the duty of all faithful ministers, to be laying out themselves to +the utmost in their pastoral function, for the suppressing of all the +evils of the time, notwithstanding of any prohibition to the contrary, +in the most public manner, according to the examples of all the faithful +servants of the Lord, both in the Old and New Testaments; though it be +most impiously and tyrannically interdicted, yet the laws of God stand +unrepealed; and therefore all who have a trumpet and a mouth, should set +the trumpet to their mouth, and sound a certain sound; not in secret, +for that will not alarm the people, but in the most public manner they +can have access to; and it is the duty of all to come and hear, and obey +their warnings and witnessings, command who will the contrary. It was +for mocking, despising his words, and misusing his prophets, that the +wrath of the Lord arose against his people, the Jews, until there was no +remedy, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. Therefore from all that is said, it must be +concluded, that meetings for gospel ordinances must be as public as can +be: and if so, then that they should be in houses, safety will not +permit to us; to go to the streets or market places, neither safety nor +prudence will admit; therefore we must go to the fields with it, cost +what it will. + +4. Seeing then there must be meetings, and public meetings; and seeing +we cannot, and dare not in conscience countenance the curates meetings, +we must hear, own, embrace and follow such faithful ministers, as are +clothed with Christ's commission, righteousness and salvation, and do +keep the words of the Lord's patience, and the testimony of the church +of Scotland in particular. This I think will not, or dare not be denied, +by any that own the authority of Christ (which none can deny or instruct +the contrary, but our ministers that ventured their lives in preaching +in the fields, have had a certain seal to their ministry, and is sealed +sensibly in the conviction of many, and confession of more) that +Christ's ministers and witnesses, employed about the great +gospel-message, clothed with his authority and under the obligation of +his commands lying upon them, must preach, and the people must hear +them, notwithstanding of all laws to the contrary. Divines grant that +the magistrate can no more suspend from the exercise, than he can depose +from the office of the ministry; for the one is a degree unto the other. +See Apollon. de jure Magist. circa Sacra, Part 1. p. 334, &c. +Rutherford's Due right of Presbyterians, p. 430, &c. For whether it be +right in the sight of God, to hearken unto men more than unto God, the +consciences of the greatest enemies may be appealed unto, Acts iv. 19. +They must not cease, wherever they have a call and occasion, to teach +and preach Jesus Christ, Acts v. last verse. Necessity is laid upon +them; yea, wo unto them, if they preach not the gospel, 1 Cor. xi. 16. +In all things they must approve themselves, as the ministers of God, in +much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, &c. by honour and +dishonour, by evil report and good report, as deceivers, and yet true, +as unknown, and yet well known,----2 Cor. vi. 4. 8. 9. They must preach +the word, be instant in season, and out of season; reprove, rebuke, +exhort with all long suffering and doctrine, 2 Tim. iv. 2. Dare any say +then, that a magistrate's or tyrant's laws can exauctorate a minister? +or silence him by his own proper elicite acts, as king or tyrant, or +formally and immediately? Will mischiefs framed into a law warrant such +iniquity? or an act of a king of clay rescind the mandates of the King +of kings? or exempt people from obedience due thereunto? or will the +bishops canons, who have no power from Christ, or the censures of them, +that stand condemned themselves by the constitutions of the church, and +acts of the general assemblies, have any weight in the case? And yet +these are all that can be alledged, except odious and invidious +calumnies, the ordinary lot of the most faithful, against the present +preachers in the fields, which are sufficiently confuted in their late +informatory vindication, and need not here be touched. Seeing therefore +they have given up themselves unto Christ as his servants they must +resolve to be employed for him to the uttermost of their power, and must +not think of laying up their talent in a napkin; especially now when +there is so great necessity, when defection is yet growing, covered, +countenanced more and more, division nothing abated, but new oil cast +daily into the flames of devouring contentions; the people generally +drowned in the deluge of the times, snares and sins, and like to be +overwhelmed in the inundation of black popery, now coming in at the +opened sluice of this wicked toleration, with the congratulations of +addressing ministers, when now the harvest is great, and the labourers +are few; great then is the necessity, and double must the woe be that +abideth such ministers, as are silent at such a time: and great and +inexcusable is the sin of the people, if they do not come out, and +countenance faithful ministers, the messengers of the Lord of hosts, +from whom they should seek the law, Mal. ii. 7. especially when there +are so many, that have so palpably betrayed their trust, and so few that +are faithful in the necessary testimony of the day. Seeing then faithful +ministers must preach, and people must hear, where can they meet with +conveniency, and safety and freedom, except either under the shelter of +this wicked toleration, which they dare not do, or else go to the +fields? + +5. It must be obtained also, that the ministers have a right to preach +in this unfixed manner, wherever they have a call; their relation now, +in this disturbed state of the church, being to be considered more +extensively, than in its unsettled condition. For understanding which, +we must distinguish a three or fourfold relation, that a minister of the +gospel stands into. First, He is a minister of Christ, and steward of +the mysteries of God, 1 Cor. iv. 1. having his commission from Christ as +his master: and this relation he hath universally, wherever he is. +Secondly, He is a minister of the catholic church, though not a catholic +minister of it, which is his primary relation; for that is the church, +in which ministers are set, 1 Cor. xii. 28. and to which they are given, +Eph. iv. 11, 22. Thirdly, He is a minister of the particular church +whereof he is a member; and so in Scotland, a minister is a minister of +the church of Scotland, and is obliged to lay out himself for the good +of that church. Fourthly, He is a minister of the particular +congregation, whereunto he hath a fixed relation in a constitute case of +the church: this last is not essential to a minister of Christ, but is +subservient to the former relation; but when separated from such a +relation, or when it is impossible to be held, he is still a minister of +Christ, and his call to preach the gospel stands and binds. See Mr. +Durham's digression on this particular, on Rev. chap. 2. pag. 89. &c. in +quarto. For though he be not a catholic-officer, having an equal +relation to all churches, as the Apostles were; nevertheless he may +exercise ministerial acts authoritatively, upon occasions warrantably +calling for the same, in other churches, as heralds of one king, having +authority to charge in his name where-ever it be: especially in a broken +state of the church, when all the restriction his ministerial relation +is capable of, is only a tie and call to officiate in the service of +that church whereof he is a member; and so he hath right to preach every +where, as he is called for the edification of that church. The reasons +are, 1. He hath power from Christ the master of the whole church; and +therefore, wherever the master's authority is acknowledged, the +servant's ministerial authority cannot be denied; at least in relation +to that church, whereof he is a member as well as a minister. 2. He hath +commission from Christ principally for the edification of Christ's body, +as far as his ministry can reach, according to the second relation. 3. +His relation to the whole church is principal, that which is fixed to a +part is only subordinate, because it is a part of whole 4. His +commission is indefinite to preach the gospel, which will suit as well +in one place as in another. 5. The same great ends of the church's great +good and edification, which warrants fixing of a minister to a +particular charge in the church's peaceable state. 6. Else it would +follow, that a faithful minister, standing in that relation to a +disturbed and destroyed church, and all his gifts and graces were +useless in that case, which notwithstanding are given for the good of +the church. 7. Yea, by this, when his fixed relation cannot be kept, it +would follow, that he ceased to be a minister, and his commission +expired; so that he should stand in no other relation to Christ, than +any private person so qualified, which were absurd: for by commission he +is absolutely set apart for the work of the ministry, so long as Christ +hath work for him, if he continue faithful. 8. This hath been the +practice of all the propagators of the gospel from the beginning, and of +our reformers in particular; without which they could never have +propagated it so far: and it was never accounted the characteristic of +apostles, to preach unfixedly; because in times of persecutions, pastors +and doctors also might have preached wherever they came, as the officers +of the church of Jerusalem did, when scattered upon the persecution of +Stephen, Acts viii. 1. did go every where preaching the word, ver. 4. +Since therefore they may and must preach, in this unfixed manner, they +must in this broken state look upon all the godly in the nation, that +will own and hear them, to be their congregation, and embrace them all, +and consult their conveniency and universal advantage, in such a way as +all equally may be admitted, and none excluded from the benefit of their +ministry. And therefore they must go to the fields with it. + +6. The Lord hath so signally owned, successfully countenanced, and +singularly sealed field preaching in these unfixed exercises, that both +ministers and people have been much encouraged against all opposition to +prosecute them, as having experienced much of the Lord's power and +presence in them, and of the breathings of the enlivening, enlarging, +enlightening and strengthening influences of the Spirit of God upon +them. The people are hereby called, in this case of defection, to seek +after these waters that they have been so often refreshed by: for in +this case of defection, God being pleased to seal with a palpable +blessing on their souls, the word from ministers adhering to their +principles, they may safely look on this as a call from God to hear +them, and follow after them so owned of the Lord. And it being beyond +all doubt, that the assemblies of the Lord's people to partake of pure +ordinances, with full freedom of conscience in the fields, hath been +signally owned and blessed of the Lord, and hath proven a mean to spread +the knowledge of God beyond any thing that appeared in our best times; +and in despite of this signal appearance of God, and envy at the good +done in these meetings, all endeavours being used by wicked men to +suppress utterly all these rendezvouzes of the Lord's militia, both by +open force and cunning Midianitish wiles; ministers cannot but look upon +it as their duty, and that the Lord hath been preaching from heaven, to +all who would hear and understand it, that this way of preaching, even +this way, was that wherein his soul took pleasure, and to which he hath +been, and is calling all who would be co-workers with him this day, to +help forward the interest of his crown and kingdom. Many hundreds of +persecuted people can witness this, and all the martyrs have sealed it +with their blood, and remembered it particularly on the scaffolds, that +they found the Lord there, and that he did lead them thither, where he +had made them to ride upon the high places of the earth, and to eat the +increase of the fields, and to suck honey out of the rock, and that in +their experience, under the Spirit's pouring out from on high, they +found the wilderness to be a fruitful field, and, in their esteem, their +feet were beautiful upon the mountains that brought good tidings, that +published peace, that brought good tidings of good, that published +salvation, that said unto Zion, Thy God reigneth. And all the ministers +that followed this way, while they were faithful, and had but little +strength, and kept his word, and did not deny his name, found that +verified in their experience, which was said of Philadelphia, Rev. iii. +8. that they had an open door which no man could shut. The characters +whereof, as they are expounded by Mr. Durham, were all verified in these +meetings: where 1. The ministers had a door of utterance upon the one +side opened to them; and the people's ears were opened to welcome the +same, in love to edification, simplicity, and diligence on the other. 2. +This had real changes following, many being made humble, serious, +tender, fruitful, &c. 3. The devil raged and let himself to oppose, +traduce, and some way to blast the ministry of the most faithful more +than any others: just as when Paul had a greater door and effectual +opened to him, there were many adversaries, 1 Cor. xvi. 9. 4. Yet the +Lord hath been observedly defeating the devil and profanity in every +place, where the gospel came, and made him fall like lightning from +heaven, by the preaching of the word. 5. And the most experimental proof +of all was, that hereby ground was gained upon the kingdom of the devil, +and many prisoners brought off to Jesus Christ. And therefore seeing it +is so, this must certainly be a call to them who are yet labouring in +that work, which others have left off, to endeavour to keep this door +open with all diligence, and reap the corn while it is ripe, and when +the sun shines make hay, and with all watchfulness, lest the wicked one +sow his tares, if they should fall remiss. + +7. As for the circumstance of the place, of this unfixed manner of +celebrating the solemn ordinances of the worship of God, in a time of +persecution: this cannot be quarrelled at by any, but such as will +quarrel at any thing. But even that is better warranted, than to be +weakened with their quarrels. For before the law, mountain-worship was +the first worship of the world, as Abram's Jehovah-jireh, Gen. xxii. 14. +Jacob's Bethel, (or house of God in the open fields) Gen. xxviii. 17, +19. his Peniel, Gen. xxxii. 30. his El-Elohe Israel, Gen. xxxiii. ult. +do witness: under the law, they heard of it at Ephratah, they found it +in the fields of the wood, Psal. cxxxii. 6. After the law, field +preaching was the first that we read of in the New Testament, both in +John's preaching in the wilderness of Judea, being the voice of one +crying in the wilderness, and the master-usher of Christ, Matth. iii. 1. +3. and in his ambassadors afterwards, who, on the Sabbath, went out to a +river-side where prayer was wont to be made, as Lydia was converted at +Paul's field preaching, Acts xvi. 13, 14. And chiefly the prince of +preachers, Christ himself preached many a time by the sides of the +mountains, and the sea-side: that preaching, Matth. v. was on a +mountain, ver. 1. And this is the more to be considered, that our Lord +had liberty of the synagogues to preach in, yet he frequently left them, +and preached either in private houses, or in the fields; because of the +opposition of his doctrine by the Jewish teachers, who had appointed +that any who owned him should be excommunicate: and therefore, in the +like case, as it is now, his servants may imitate their master: for +though all Christ's actions are not imitable: such as these of his +divine power, and the actions of his divine prerogative (as his taking +of the ass without the owner's liberty) and the actings of his mediatory +prerogative, which he did as Mediator; but all his gracious actions, and +moral upon moral grounds, and relative upon the grounds of relative +duties, are not only imitable, but the perfect pattern for imitation. +Therefore that superstitious and ridiculous cavil, that such meetings in +fields or houses are conventicles, gathering separate congregations, is +not worth the taking notice of: for this would reflect upon Christ's and +his apostles way of preaching, and the constant method of propagating +the gospel in times of persecution, in all ages since, which hath always +been by that way which they call keeping of conventicles. It is absurd +to say, It is a gathering of separate congregations, it is only a +searching or seeking after the Lord's sheep, that are made to wander +through all the mountains, and upon every high hill, and his flock which +is scattered by corrupt shepherds, and the cruelty of the beasts of the +field, Ezek. xxxiv. 5, 6. and preaching to all who will come and hear +the word of truth, in such places where they may get it done most +safely, and may be most free from distraction and trouble of their +enemies, who are waiting to find them out, that they may haul them to +prisons, or kill them. + +8. As for the circumstance of the time, that is specially alledged to be +unseasonable, especially when there is a little breathing, and some +relaxation from the heat of persecution, to break the peace, and awaken +sleeping dogs by such irritating courses, is thought not consistent with +christian prudence. This is the old pretence of them that were at ease, +and preferred that to duty. But as we know no peace at this time, but a +peace of confederacy with the enemies of God, which we desire not to +partake of, and know of no relaxation of persecution against such as +continue to witness against them; so let what hath been said above in +the third hypothesis, of the necessity of publicness in our meetings at +such a time as this is, be considered; and let the scripture be +consulted, and it will appear, not only that in preaching the gospel +there must be a witness and testimony kept up, (as is proved above) and +not only that ministers preach the word, and be instant in season and +out of season, 2 Tim. iv. 2. But that such a time, as this, is the very +season of a testimony. For, in the scripture, we find, that testimonies +are to be given in these seasons especially, 1. When the enemies of God, +beginning to relent from their stiffness and severity, would compound +with his witnesses, and give them some liberty, but not total; as +Pharaoh would let the children of Israel go, but stay their flocks; and +now our Pharaoh will give some liberty to serve God, but with a +reservation of that part of the matter of it, that nothing be said to +alienate the hearts of the subjects from his arbitrary government. But +Moses thought it then a season to testify (though the bondage of the +people should be thereby continued) that there should not a hoof be left +behind; for, says he, we know not with what we must serve the Lord, +until we come thither, Exod. x. 24, 25, 26. So must we testify for every +hoof of the interest of Christ this day. 2. When these is a toleration +of idolatry, and confederacy with idolaters, and suspending the +execution of penal laws against them, or pardoning of those that should +be punished: in such a season as this, that messenger, that came from +Gilgal, gave his testimony as Bochim against their toleration of +idolatrous altars, and confederacy with the Canaanites, Judg. ii. 1, 2. +He is called an angel indeed, but he was only such an one as ministers +are, who are called so, Rev. ii. 1. for heavenly spirits have brought a +heavenly message to particular persons, but never to the whole people; +the Lord hath committed such a treasure to earthern vessels, 2 Cor. iv. +7. and this came from Gilgal, not from heaven: so the man of God +testified against Eli, for his toleration of wicked priests, though they +were his own sons, 1 Sam ii. 27, &c. So Samuel witnessed against Saul, +for his toleration and indemnity granted to Agag, 1 Sam. xv. 23. So the +prophet against Ahab, for sparing Benhadad, 1 Kings xx. 42. The angel of +Ephesus is commended for this, and he of Pergamos, and he of Thyatira is +condemned, for omitting this testimony, and allowing a toleration of the +Nicolaitans and Jezebel, Rev. ii. 2, 14, 20. In such a case of universal +compliance with these things, and the peoples indulging themselves under +the shadow of the protection of such a confederacy, the servants of the +Lord that fear him must not say a confederacy, though they should be +accounted for signs and wonders in Israel, Isa. viii. 12, 13, 18. But +now idolatrous mass-altars are set up, none thrown down, penal statutes +against papists are stopt and disabled, and the generality of ministers +are congratulating, and saying a confederacy in their addresses for the +same. 3. When the universal apostasy is come to such a height, that +error is prevailing, and few siding themselves in an avowed opposition +against it; as Elijah chose that time, when the people were halting +between two opinions, 1 Kings xviii. 21. And generally all the prophets +and servants of Christ, consulted alway the peoples necessity for the +timing of their testimonies: and was there ever greater necessity than +now, when popery is coming in like a flood? 4. When wicked men are chief +in power; as when Haman was promoted. Mordecai would not give him one +bow, though all the people of God should be endangered by such a +provocation, Esther iii. 2. And when tyrants and usurpers are set up +without the Lord's approbation, then they that have the Lord's trumpet +should set it to their mouth, Hos. viii. 1, 4. Is not this the case now? +5. When, upon the account of this their testimony, the Lord's people are +in greater danger, and enemies design to massacre them, then, if they +altogether hold their peace at such a time, there shall enlargement and +deliverance, arise another way, but they and their father's house shall +be destroyed, who are silent then as Mordecai said to Esther, Esth. iv. +11. And who knows not the cruel designs of the papists now? 6. When +iniquity is universally abounding, and hypocrisy among professors, then +the servants of the Lord must cry aloud and not spare, Isa. lviii. 1. as +the case is this day. 7. When the concern of truth, and the glory of +God, is not so illustriously vindicated as he gives us to expect it +shall be; then the watchmen must not hold their peace, and they that +make mention of the name of the Lord must not keep silence, Isa. lxii. +6, 7. especially when his name and glory is blasphemed, baffled, and +affronted, as at this day with a witness. 8. When ministers generally +are involved in a course of defection, and do not give faithful warning, +but daub over the peoples and their own defections; then the prophets +must prophesy against the prophets, Ezek. xiii. 2, 10. &c. As, alas! +this day there is a necessity for it. 9. When public worship is +interdicted by law, as it was by that edict prohibiting public prayer +for 30 days in Daniel's time: they could not interdict all prayer to +God; for they could forbid nothing by that law, but that which they +might hinder and punish for contraveening; but mental prayer at least +could not be so restrained. And certain it is, they intended only such +prayer should be discharged as might discover Daniel: but might not the +wisdom of Daniel have eluded this interdiction, by praying only secretly +or mentally? No, whatever carnal wisdom might dictate, his honesty did +oblige him in that case of confession, when he knew the writing was +signed, to go into his house, and to open his windows, and to kneel upon +his knees three times a day,----as he did aforetime, Dan. vi. 10. Now, +what reason can be given for his opening his windows? Was it only to let +in the air? or was it to see Jerusalem out at these windows? The temple +he could look toward, as well when they were shut. No other reason can +be assigned, but that it was necessary then to avouch the testimony for +that indispensible duty then interdicted. And is not public preaching +indispensible duty too? which is declared criminal, except it be +confined to the mode their wicked law tolerates; which we can no more +homologate, than omit the duty. 10. When it is an evil time, the evil of +sin is incumbent, and the evil of wrath is impendent over a land; then +the lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who +can but prophesy? Amos iii. 8. There is no contradiction here to that +word, which hath been miserably perverted in our day, to palliate sinful +silence of time-servers, Amos v. 13. The prudent shall keep silence in +that time, for it is an evil time: whereby we cannot understand a wylie +withdrawing our witness against the time's evils: for there they are +commanded to bestir themselves actively, in seeking good, hating the +evil, loving the good, and establishing judgment in the gate, ver. 14, +15. but we understand by it a submissive silence to God, without +fretting (according to that word, Jer. viii. 14. For the Lord our God +hath put us to silence,----and Mic. vii. 9.) Calvin upon the place +expounds it, 'The prudent shall be affrighted at the terrible vengeance +of God; or they shall be compelled to silence, not willingly (for that +were unworthy of men of courage to be silent at such wickedness) but, +by the force of tyrants, giving them no leave to speak.' Sure then this +is such a time, wherein it is prudence to be silent to God, but not to +be silent for God, but to give public witness against the evils of sin +abounding, and public warning of the evils of punishment imminent. 11. +Then is the season of it, when worldly wisdom thinks it unseasonable, +when men cannot endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts they +heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and turn away their +ears from the truth; then to preach the word, and be instant is indeed +in itself seasonable, because profitable and necessary; but it is out of +season as to the preachers or hearers external interest, and in the +esteem of worldly wiselings, 2 Tim. iv. 2, 3, 4. See Pool's Synops. +Critic. in Locum. So in our day, men cannot endure free and faithful +dealing against the sins of the times, but would have smooth things and +deceits spoken unto them; like those, Isa. xxx. 10. And nothing can be +more offensive, than to speak plainly (so as to give every thing its own +name) either of the sins of the times, or of the snares of the times, or +of the miseries and evils of the times, or of the duties of the times, +or of the dangers, and the present crisis of the times: which no +faithful minister can forbear. Therefore so much the more is it +seasonable, that it is generally thought unseasonable. 12. In a word, +whenever the testimony of the church, or any part of it, is opposed and +suppressed; then is the season to keep it, and contend for it, and to +hold it fast, as our crown, Rev. iii. 10, 11. It must be then a word +spoken in due season, and good and necessary (Prov. xv. 23.) at this +time, to give a public testimony against all wrongs done to our blessed +Lord Jesus, all the encroachments upon his prerogatives, all the +invasions of the church's privileges, all the overturnings of our +covenanted reformation, and this openly designed introduction of popery +and slavery. But now how shall this testimony be given by us +conveniently? Or how can it be given at all, at this time, in our +circumstances, so as both the matter and manner of it may be a most +significant witness bearing to the merit of it, except we go to the +fields? Who can witness significantly against popery and tyranny, and +all the evils to be spoken against this day, under the protection of a +papist and tyrant, as house-meetings under the covert of this toleration +are stated? For if these meetings be private and secret, then the +testimony is not known; if they be public, then they are exposed to a +prey. Now, by all these general hypotheses, it is already in some +measure evident, that field meetings are very expedient. But I shall add +some particular considerations, to inculcate the same more closely. + +In the third place, besides what is said, To clear the lawfulness and +necessity of a public testimony against the evils of the present time, +some considerations may be added to prove the expediency of this way and +manner of giving a testimony, by maintaining held meetings in our +present circumstances, + +1. The keeping of field meetings now, is not only most convenient for +testifying, but a very significant testimony in itself, against this +popish toleration; the wickedness of whole spring and original, and of +its nature and terms, channel and conveyance, end and design, is shewed +in the historical narrative thereof, and cannot be denied by any +presbyterian, whose constant principle is that there should be no +toleration of popery, idolatry, or heresy, in this reformed and +covenanted church. Reason and religion both will conclude, that this is +to be witnessed against, by all that will adhere to the cause of +reformation overturned hereby, and resolve to stand in the gap against +popery, to be introduced hereby, and that will approve themselves as +honest patriots in defending the laws and liberties of the country +subverted hereby. And besides, if it be considered with respect to the +granter; it is palpable his design is to introduce popery, and advance +tyranny, which can be hid from none that accept it, the effectuating +whereof hath a necessary and inseparable connexion with the acceptance +of the liberty; and is so far from being avertible by the accepters, +that it is chiefly promoted by their acceptance, and the design of it is +to lay them by from all opposition thereto. If it be considered with +relation to the accepters, it is plain it must be taken as it is given, +and received as it is conveyed, from its fountain of absolute power, +through a channel of an arbitrary law disabling and religion +dishonouring toleration, which is always evil; and with consent to the +sinful impositions, with which it is tendered; concerning and affecting +the doctrine of ministers, that they shall preach nothing which may +alienate the subjects from the government: against all which there is no +access for a protestation, confident with the improvement of the +liberty, for it is granted and accepted on these very terms; that there +shall be no protestation; for if there be, that will be found an +alienating of the hearts of the subjects from the government, which, by +that protestation, will be reflected upon. If it be considered with +respect to the addressers for it, who formally say a confederacy with, +and congratulate the tolerator for his toleration, and all the mischiefs +he is machinating and effectuating thereby: then seeing they have +presumptuously taking upon them to send it in the name of all +presbyterians, it concerns all honest men, zealous Christians, and +faithful ministers of that persuasion and denomination, in honour and +conscience, to declare to the world by some public testimony, that they +are not consenters to that sinful, shameful, and scandalous conspiracy, +nor of the corporation of these flattering addresses who have betrayed +the cause; with which all will be interpreted consenters, that are not +contradicters. Further this toleration is sinful as is cleared above, +Period 6. And to accept of it is contrary to our solemn covenants and +engagements, where we are bound to extirpate popery, preserve the +reformation, defend our liberties, and never to accept of a toleration +eversive of all these precious interests we are sworn to maintain. And +it is heinously scandalous, being, in effect, a succumbing at length, +and yielding up the cause, which hath been so long controverted, and so +long contended for; at least an appearance of ceding and lying by from +contending for the interests of Christ, of condemning our former +wrestlings for the same, of purchasing a liberty to ourselves at the +rate of burying the testimony in bondage and oblivion; of hardening and +confirming open adversaries in their wicked invasions on our religion, +laws, and liberties; of being weary of the cross of Christ, that we +would fain have ease upon any terms, and of weakening the hands, yea, +condemning the practice and peremptoriness of these that are exempted +from the benefit, or rather the snare of it, and suffer when others are +at ease. It is also attended with many inconveniences; for either such +as preach under the covert of it, must forbear declaring some part of +the counsel of God, and give no testimony seasonable this day: or else +if they do, they will soon be discovered, and made a prey. Hence, seeing +there must be a testimony against this toleration, it is certainly most +expedient to give it there, where the meeting is without the reach and +bounds of it, and interdicted by the same proclamation that tenders it, +and where the very gathering in such places is a testimony against it: +for to preach in houses constantly and leave the fields, would now be +interpreted and homologating the toleration that commands preaching to +be restricted; especially when an address is made in name of all that +accept the benefit of it, from which odium we could not vindicate +ourselves, if we should so make use of it. + +2. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony against that wicked +law that discharges them, and interdicts them as criminal; yea, in some +respect a case of confession; for if Daniel's case, when public prayer +was discharged under pain of death, was a case of confession, as all +grant; then must also our case be, when public preaching is discharged +under the same penalty; for it is equivalent to an universal discharge +of all public preaching, when the manner of it is discharged, which we +can only have with freedom and safety in way of public testimony, which +can be none other in our circumstances but in the fields. Again, if the +law be wicked that discharges them, as certainly it is, and is +demonstrated from what is said already, then it must be sin to obey it; +but it were an obeying of it to quit the fields. + +3. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony against tyranny and +usurpation, encroaching upon our religion, laws, and liberties, and +presuming to restrict and bound the exercise of the ministerial +function, and discharge it altogether, except it be modified according +to the circumstances prescribed by a wicked law, which cannot be allowed +as competent to any man whose authority is not acknowledged, for reasons +given in Head 2. Therefore, though there were no more, this is +sufficient to call all ministers to give testimony against such an +usurpation, by refusing to obey any such act, and preaching where God +giveth a call. For otherwise, to submit to it, would be an acknowledging +of his magistratical power to discharge these meetings, and to give +forth sentences against faithful ministers. + +4. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony for the honour, +headship, and princely prerogative of Jesus Christ, which hath been the +great word of his patience in Scotland, and by an unparalleled insolence +encroached upon by usurpers in our day, and in effect, denied by such as +took a new holding for the exercise of their ministry from their usurped +power. Now in these meetings, there is a practical declaration of their +holding their ministry, and the exercise thereof from Christ alone, +without any dependence upon, subordination to, or licence and warrant +from his usurping enemies; and that they may and will preach in public, +without authority from them. If then it be lawful and expedient to +maintain the interests of a king of clay against an usurper; then much +more must it be lawful and expedient, to maintain the quarrel of the +King of kings, when wicked men would banish him and his interests out of +the kingdom by their tyrannical cruelty, and cruel mercy of a +destructive toleration. + +5. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony for the gospel and +the ministry thereof; which is always the dearest and nearest privilege +of Christians, and in the present circumstances, when our lives and our +all are embarked in the same bottom with it, and sought to be destroyed +together with it, by a party conspiring against Christ, it is necessary +duty to defend both by resisting their unjust violence; especially when +religion and the gospel is one and the chief of our fundamental land +rights, and the cardinal condition of the established policy, upon which +we can only own men for magistrates by the law of the land: and this +testimony, by defence of the gospel and of our own lives, cannot be +given expediently any where but in the fields. It is also a testimony +for the freedom and authority of the gospel ministry, and for their +holding their unremoveable relation to the church of Scotland, which is +infringed by these tyrannical acts, and maintained by these exercises; +which is a privilege to be contended for, above and beyond all other +that can be contended for or defended, especially to be maintained again +those that have no power or authority to take it away. There will no man +quit any of his goods upon a sentence coming from an incompetent judge: +and shall ministers or people be hectored or fooled from such a +privilege by them that have no such power. + +6. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony for our covenants, +the owning 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, and government, and to +defend all the church's liberties, and to oppose all their opposites, +and endeavour their extirpation: And in the solemn acknowledgment of +sins and engagements to duties, we are sworn, Because many have of late +laboured to supplant the liberties of the kirk, to maintain and defend +the kirk of Scotland, in all her liberties and privileges, against all +who shall oppose and undermine the same, or encroach thereupon, under +any pretext whatsoever. Since then, the owning of these meetings and the +covenants are both discharged together, and the owning of the covenant +does oblige to a public opposition against the dischargers, and an +avowed maintenance of the church's privileges, whereof this is, in a +manner, the only and 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 and +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 of that sort, but further is +intended to extirpate 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 complied 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, and succumbing at last in the matter of the +testimony, as being quite overcome; and that indeed all have embraced +and 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, and sacrilegious supremacy was +erected, without a testimony in its season; so black popery itself, and +tyranny, was introduced by a toleration, which laid them all by from a +testimony against these; who formerly had valiantly, resolutely, and +faithfully contended against all lesser corruptions; but at last, when +that came, and stricter prohibitions of all public meetings, but under +the covert thereof, were emitted, then all were persuaded 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, and Testimony for, Defensive Arms 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 own, 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 owning this +principle, as well as using the practice of defensive resistance for +self-preservation against tyrannical violence, have set up such +monuments of rage and 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 sufferers in Scotland, to +give their judgment, whether or not such appearances for defence (as the +tyranny of rulers had forced people to) were rebellion, and a sin +against God, which they could not in conscience assert; and therefore, +though many that have suffered upon this head, have been as free of the +practice of such resistance as any; yet because they would not condemn +the principle, they have been criminally processed, arraigned, and +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 hid, hath some heat with it to scorch them; or because +they fear the impression of this in the hearts of people more than +others, knowing that they deserve the practical expression of it by the +hands of all. But the reason they give why they are so offended at it, +is, that they look upon it as the spring of all the errors of +presbyterians, and a notion that destroys them; which indeed will be +found to have a necessary connexion with many of the truths that they +contend for this day, as it hath been the necessary method of defending +them. What practices of this kind hath been, and what were the occasions +inducing, or rather enforcing to these defensive resistances, here to be +vindicated as to the principle of them, is manifested in the historical +representation, shewing, that after the whole body of the land was +engaged under the bond of a solemn covenant, several times renewed, to +defend religion and liberty; and in special manner the magistrates of +all ranks, the supreme whereof was formally admitted to the government +upon these terms; he, with his associates, conspiring with the nobles, +to involve the whole land in perjury and apostasy, overturned the whole +covenanted work of reformation; and thereby not only encroached upon the +interest of Christ and the church's privileges, but subverted the +fundamental constitution of the kingdom's government, and pressed all to +a submission unto, and compliance with that tyranny and apostasy, +erected upon the ruins thereof; yet the godly and faithful in the land, +sensible of the indispensible obligation of these covenants, resolved to +adhere thereunto, and suffered long patiently for adherence unto the +same, until being quite wearied by a continued tract of tyrannical +oppressions, arbitrarily enacted by wicked laws, and illegally executed +against their own laws, and cruelly prosecuted even without all colour +of law, in many unheard of barbarities, when there could be no access +for, or success in complaining, or getting redress by law, all petitions +and remonstrances of grievances being declared seditious and +treasonable, and interdicted as such: they were forced to betake +themselves to this last remedy of defensive resistance, intending only +the preservation of their lives, religion and liberties; which many +times hath been blessed with success, and therefore zealously contended +for, as an inadmissible privilege, by all well affected to the cause of +Christ, and interest of their country, because they found it always +countenanced of the Lord; until the cause was betrayed by the treachery, +and abandoned by the cowardice of such, as were more loyal for the +king's interests, than zealous for Christ's and the country's; for which +the Lord in his holy jealousy discountenanced many repeated endeavours +of this nature, cutting us off, and putting us to shame, and would not +go forth with our armies. But because the duty is not to be measured by, +and hath a more fixed rule to be founded upon than providence; therefore +the godly did not only maintain the principle in their confessions and +testimonies, but prosecute the practice in carrying arms, and making use +of them in the defence of the gospel and of themselves, at field +meetings; which were always successfully prosperous, by the power and +presence of God. This question is sufficiently discussed, by our famous +and learned invincible patrons and champions for this excellent +privilege of mankind, the unanswerable authors of Lex Rex, the +Apologetical Relation, Naphtali, and Jus populi vindicatum. But because +it is easy to add to what is found, I shall subjoin my mite; and their +arguments being various and voluminously prosecute, and scattered at +large through their books, I shall endeavour to collect a compend of +them in some order. The two first speak of a defensive war, managed in a +parliamentary way: and the two last, of resistance against the abuse of +a lawful power, when there is no access to maintain religion and liberty +any other way; which does not come up so close to our case, nor is an +antithesis to the assertions of our adversaries, who say, that it is no +ways lawful, in any case, or upon any pretence whatsoever, to resist the +sovereign power of a nation, in whomsoever it be resident, or which way +soever it be erected. I shall consider it more complexly and +extensively, and plead both for resistance against the abuse of a lawful +power, and against the use and usurpation of a tyrannical power, and +infer not only the lawfulness of resisting kings, when they abuse their +power (as is demonstrate unanswerably by these authors) but the +expediency and necessity of the duty of resisting this tyrannical power, +whensoever we are in a capacity, if we would not be found treacherous +covenant-breakers, and betrayers of the interest of God, and the +liberties of the nation, and of our brethren, together with the +posterity, into the hands of this popish and implacable enemy, and so +bring on us the curse of Meroz, and the curse of our brethren's blood, +crying for vengeance on the heads of the shedders thereof, and upon all, +who being in case, came not to their rescue; and the curse of posterity, +for not transmitting that reformation and liberty, whereof we were by +the valour of our forefathers put and left in possession. I shall not +therefore restrict myself to the state of the question, as propounded +ordinarily, to wit, Whether or not, when a covenanted king doth really +injure, oppress and invade his subjects civil and religious rights, or +unavoidably threatens to deprive their dearest and nearest liberties, +and sends out his emissaries with armed violence against them; and when +all redress to be had, or hope by any address or petition, is rendered +void or inaccessible, yea addressing interdicted under severe penalties, +as treasonable; then, and in that case, may a community of these +subjects defend themselves, and their religion and liberties, by arms, +in resisting his bloody emissaries? But, to bring it home to our present +case, and answer the laxness of the adversaries position of the +uncontroulableness of every one that wears a crown, I shall state it +thus: Whether or not is it a necessary duty for a community (whether +they have the concurrence of the primores or nobles, or not) to +endeavour, in the defence of their lives, religion, laws and liberties, +to resist and repress the usurpation and tyranny of prevailing +dominators, using or abusing their power for subverting religion, +invading the liberties, and overturning the fundamental laws of their +country? I hold the affirmative, and shall essay to prove it, by the +same arguments that conclude this question, as usually stated; which +will more than evince the justifiableness of the sufferings upon this +head. In prosecuting of this subject, I shall first premit some +concessory considerations to clear it. And secondly, bring reasons to +prove it. + +First, For clearing of this truth, and taking off mistakes, these +concessions may be considered. + +1. The ordinance of magistracy, which is of God, is not to be resisted, +no, not so much as by disobedience or non obedience, nay, not so much as +mentally, by cursing in the heart, Eccles. x. 20. but a person clothed +therewith, abusing his power, may be in so far resisted. But tyrants, or +magistrates turning tyrants, are not God's ordinance; and there is no +hazard of damnation, for refusing to obey their unjust commands, but +rather the hazard of that is in walking willingly after the commandment, +when the statutes of Omri are kept. So that what is objected from Eccl. +viii. 2-4. "I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment," &c. is +answered on Head II. and is to be understood only of the lawful commands +of lawful kings. + +2. Rebellion is a damnable sin, except where the word is taken in a lax +sense, as Israel is said to have rebelled against Rehoboam, and Hezekiah +against Sennacherib, which was a good rebellion, and clear duty, being +taken there for resistance and revolt. In that sense indeed some of our +risings in arms might be called rebellion; for it is lawful to rebel +against tyrants. But because the word is usually taken in an evil sense, +therefore it would have been offensive to acknowledge that before the +inquisitors, except it had been explained. But rebellion against lawful +magistrates, is a damnable sin, exemplarily punished in Korah and his +company, who rebelled against Moses; and in Sheba and Absalom, who +rebelled against David. For to punish the just is not good, nor to +strike princes for equity, Prov. xvii. 26. and they that resist shall +receive to themselves damnation, Rom. xiii. 2. So that this objection +brought from this place, as if the apostle were commanding their +subjection without resistance to Nero, and such tyrants; as it is very +impertinent, it is fully answered above, Head II. Here it will be +sufficient to reply, 1. He is hereby vindicating Christianity from that +reproach, of casting off or refusing subjection to magistrates for +conscience sake in general. And it is very considerable, what Buchanan +says in his book de juri regni, that Paul did not write to the kings +themselves, because they were not Christians, and therefore the more +might be born with from them, though they should not understand the duty +of magistrates; but imagine, that there had been some Christian king who +had turned tyrant and apostate, 'to the scandal of religion: what would +he have written then? Sure if he had been like himself, he would have +denied that he should be owned for a king, and would have interdicted +all Christians communion with him, and that they should account him no +king, but such as they were to have no fellowship with, according to the +law of the gospel.' 2. He speaks of lawful rulers here, not tyrants, but +of all such as are defined and qualified here, being powers ordained of +God, terrors to evil works, ministers of God for good. Yea, but say +prelates, and their malignant adherents, these are only motives of +subjection to all powers, not qualifications of the powers. I answer, +they are indeed motives, but such as can be extended to none but to +these powers that are so qualified. 3. He speaks of lawful powers +indefinitely in the plural number, not specifying any kind or degree of +them, as if only kings and emperors were here meant. It cannot be +proven, that the power of the sword is only in them. Neither was there a +plurality of kings or emperors at Rome to be subject to: if he meant the +Roman emperor, he would have designed him in the singular number. All +the reasons of the text agree to inferior judges also, for they are +ordained of God, they are called rulers in scripture, and God's +ministers, revengers by office, who judge not for man, but for the Lord: +and inferior magistrates also are not to be resisted, when doing their +duty, 1 Pet. ii. 13. yet all will grant, when they go beyond their +bounds, and turn little tyrants, they may be withstood. 4. He does not +speak of Nero, concerning whom it cannot be proven, that at this time he +had the soverereign power as the learned Mr. Prin shews: or if he had, +that he was a tyrant at this time; and if he meant him at all, it was +only as he was obliged to be by right, nor as he was in deed. All men +know, and none condemns the fact of the senate, that resisted Nero at +length, without transgressing this precept. Yea I should rather think, +the senate is the power that the apostle applies this text to, if he +applied it to any in particular. 5. The subjection here required, is the +same with the honour in the fifth command, whereof this is an +exposition, and is opposite to the contraordinateness here condemned. +Now, subjection takes in all the duties we owe to magistrates, and +resistance all the contraries forbidden; but unlimited obedience is not +here required: so neither unlimited subjection. + +3. We may allow passive subjection in some cases, even to tyrants, when +the Lord lays on that yoke, and in effect says, he will have us to lie +under it a while, as he commanded the Jews to be subject to +Nebuchadnezzar: of which passage, adduced to prove subjection to tyrants +universally, Buchanan, as above, infers, that if all tyrants be to be +subjected to, because God by his prophet commanded his people to be +subject to one tyrant; then it must be likewise concluded, that all +tyrants ought, to be killed, because Ahab's house was commanded to be +destroyed by Jehu. But passive subjection, when people are not in +capacity to resist, is necessary. I do not say passive obedience, which +is a mere chimera, invented in the brains of such sycophants, as would +make the world slaves to tyrants. Whosoever suffereth, if he can shun +it, is an enemy to his own being: for every natural thing must strive to +preserve itself against what annoyeth it; and also he sins against the +order of God, who in vain hath ordained so many lawful means for +preservation of our being, if we must suffer it to be destroyed, having +power to help it. + +4. We abhor all war of subjects, professedly declared against a lawful +king, as such; all war against lawful authority, founded upon, or +designed for maintaining principles inconsistent with government, or +against policy and piety; yea, all war without authority. Yet, when all +authority of magistrates, supreme and subordinate, is perverted and +abused, contrary to the ends thereof, to the oppressing of the people, +and overturning of their laws and liberties, people must not suspend +their resistance upon the concurrence of men of authority, and forbear +the duty in case of necessity, because they have not the peers or nobles +to lead them: for if the ground be lawful, the call clear, the necessity +cogent, the capacity probable, they that have the law of nature, the law +of God, and the fundamental laws of the land on their side, cannot want +authority though they may want parliaments to espouse their quarrel. +This is cleared above, Head 2. yet here I shall add, 1. The people have +this privilege of nature, to defend themselves and their rights and +liberties, as well as peers; and had it, before they erected and +constituted peers or nobles. There is no distinction of quality in +interests of nature, though there 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 superiors, 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 conduit or concurrence of the nobles 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 fewer. And to be violented in their consciences, +which are as free to them as to the peers, is as insupportable 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 resistance in one case lawful, +and not in the other? Both are alike obliged to concur, and both are +equally, obnoxious to God's threatened judgments, for suffering religion +to be ruined, and not relieving and rescuing innocents. It will be but +a poor excuse for people to plead, they had no peers to head them. What +if both king and 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, Jer. xlix. 2. and l. 45. and +did not think fit to begin with nobles, but began it, when powers and +peers were in opposition to it; and when he blessed it so at length, as +to engage the public representatives to own it, what was done by private +persons before, they never condemned. 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 do it with +them. 4. It is true the nobles 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 the worse condition of a ruler ought not +to be by procuring. 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, and +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: therefore, they may do it without them; for if it be lawful to +resist them, it is lawful to wave them, when they are in a conspiracy +with the king against them. + +5. We disallow all war without real undeclinable necessity, and great +and 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 reality of injuries will justify their resistance, but when their +dearest and nearest liberties are invaded, especially when such an +invasion is made, as threatens ineluctable subversion of them. Next, we +do not say, That a party's esteeming themselves in a capacity, or their +being really in a capacity, doth make resistance a duty; except, all +alike, 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 and legal rights, really and 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 resistance, +it is to be supposed, that the grievances complained of, and sought to +be redressed by arms, 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 nature's eye, as grassant +tyranny undermining and overturning religion and liberty must be. +Nature, in the acts of necessitated ressistance, in such a case, is +judge, party, accuser, witness, and all. Neither is it an act of +judgment, for people to defend their own: defence is no act of +jurisdiction, but a privilege of nature. Hence, these common sayings, +all laws permit force to be repelled by force; and the law of nature +allows self defence: the defence of life is necessary, and flows from +the law of nature. 3. Be judge who will, the tyrant cannot be judge in +the case: for, in these tyrannical acts, that force the people to that +resistance, he cannot be acknowledged as king, and therefore no judge: +for it is 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 manifestos of the state of their cause. + +6. We condemn rising 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 revengeful usurping of the magistrate's sword, to +avenge ourselves for personal injuries. As David's killing of Saul would +have been, 1 Sam. xxiv. 10. 12. 13, 1 Sam. xxvi. 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 immediately assaulting +him, it could not be denied to be lawful: and it would have been an act +of private revenge for a personal injury, and a sinful preventing of +God's promise of David's succession, by a scandalous assassination. But +it is clear, then David was resisting him, and that is enough for us; +and he supposes he might descend into battle, and perish, 1 Sam. xxvi. +10. not excluding, but that he might perish in battle against himself +resisting him. We are commanded indeed not to resist evil, but whosoever +shall smite us on the one cheek, to turn to him the other also, Matth. +v. 39. and to recompence to no man evil for evil, Rom. xii. 17. But this +doth not condemn self defence, or resisting tyrants violently, +endangering our lives, laws, religion, and liberties, but only +resistance by way of private revenge and retaliation, and enjoin +patience, when the clear call and dispensation do inevitably call unto +suffering; but not to give way to all violence and sacrilege, to the +subverting of religion and righteousness. These texts do no more condemn +private persons retaliating the magistrate, than magistrates retaliating +private persons, unless magistrates be exempted from this precept, and +consequently be not among Christ's followers: yea, they do no more +forbid private persons, to resist the unjust violence of magistrates, +than to resist the unjust violence of private persons. That objection +from our Lord's reproving Peter, Matth. xxvi. 52. Put up thy sword, for +all they that take the sword, shall perish by the sword, hath no weight +here: for this condemns only making use of the sword, either by way of +private revenge, or usurping the use of it without authority, (and so +condemns all tyrants) which private subjects do not want to defend +themselves, their religion and liberty; or using it without necessity, +which was not in Peter's case, both because Christ was able to defend +himself, and because he was willing to deliver up himself. Pool's +Synops. Critic. in Locum. Christ could easily have defended himself, but +he would not; and therefore there was no necessity for Peter's rashness; +it condemns also a rash precipitating and preventing the call of God to +acts of resistance; but otherwise it is plain, it was not Peter's fault +to defend his master, but a necessary duty. The reason, our Lord gives +for that inhibition at that time, was twofold; one expressed Matth. +xixvi. 52. For they that take the sword, &c. Which do not belong to +Peter, as if Peter were hereby threatened; but to those that were coming +to take Christ, they usurped the sword of tyranical violence, and +therefore are threatened with destruction, by the sword of the Romans: +so is that commination to be understood of antichrist, and the tyrants +that serve him, Rev. xiii. 13. He that killeth with the sword must be +killed with the sword, which is a terrible word against persecutors. The +reason is, John xviii. 11.----The cup which my Father hath given me, +shall I not drink? Which clearly refels that objection of Christ's +non-resistance. To which it is answered, That suffering was the end of +his voluntary suscepted humiliation, and his errand to the world, +appointed by the Father, and undertaken by himself, which is not our +practice: though it be true, that even in his sufferings he left us an +ensample that we should follow his steps, 1 Pet. ii. 21. In many things, +as he was a martyr, his sufferings were the purest rule and example for +us to follow, both for the matter, and frame of spirit, submission, +patience, constancy, meekness, &c. but not as he was our sponsor, and +after the same manner, for then it were unlawful for us to flee, as well +as to resist, because he would not flee at that time. + +7. As we are not for rising in arms for trifles of our own things, or +small injuries done to ourselves, but in a case of necessity for the +preservation of our lives, religion, laws, and liberties, when all that +are dear to us, as men and as Christians, are in hazard: so we are not +for rising up in arms, to force the magistrates to be of our religion, +but to defend our religion against his force. We do not think it the way +that Christ hath appointed, to propagate religion by arms: let +persecutors and limbs of antichrist take that to them; but we think it a +privilege which Christ hath allowed us to defend and preserve our +religion by arms: especially, when it hath been established by the laws +of the land, and become a land right, and the dearest and most precious +right and interest we have to contend for. It is true faith Christ, John +xviii. 36. 'My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this +world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to +the Jews.' But this objection will not conclude, that Christ's kingdom +is not to be defended and preserved by resistance, of all that would +impiously and sacrilegiously spoil us of it in this world, because it is +not of this world: for then all were obliged to suffer it to be run +down, by slaves of hell and satan, and antichrist's vassals, papists and +malignants: yea, magistrates were not to fight for it, for they are +among his servants, if they be Christians. But the good confession he +witnesses here before Pilate, is, that he hath a kingdom, which, as it +is not in opposition to any cesarean majesty; so it must not be usurped +upon by any king of clay, but is specially distinct from all the +kingdoms of the world, and subordinate to no earthly power, being of a +spiritual nature; whereof this is a demonstration, and sufficient +security for earthly kingdoms, that his servants, as such, that is, as +Christians, and as ministers, were not appointed by him to propagate it +by arms, nor to deliver him their king at that time, because he would +not suffer his glorious design of redemption to be any longer retarded: +but this doth not say, but though they are not to propagate it as +Christians, and as ministers, by carnal weapons, yet they may preserve +it with such weapons as men. Hence that old saying may be vindicated, +prayers and tears are the arms of the church. I grant they are so, the +only best prevailing arms, and without which all others would be +ineffectual, and that they (together with preaching and church +discipline, &c.) are the only ecclesiastical or spiritual arms of a +church as a church; but the members thereof are also men, and as men +they may use the same weapons that others do, and ye my flock, the flock +of my pasture, are men, saith the Lord, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. Yea, from this +I shall take an argument; if it be lawful for private subjects, without +the concurrence of parliaments, to resist a tyrant by prayers and tears; +then it is lawful also to resist him by violence, but the former is +true, as our adversaries grant by this objection, and I have proved it +to be duty to pray against tyrants, Head 2. Ergo--. The connection is +founded upon these reasons, 1. This personal resistance by violence, is +as consistent with that command, Rom. xiii. 1. 2. 'Let every soul be +subject unto the higher powers--whosoever therefore resisteth the power, +resisteth the ordinance of God;' as resistance by prayer is with that, 1 +Tim. ii. 1, 2. I exhort--that--supplications--be made--for kings, and +for all that are in authority. If the prince be good, the one is as +unlawful as the other; and a sinful resistance of the ordinance of God +(to pray against him) no less than the other (to fight against him.) +Therefore when he becomes a tyrant, and destroyer of the Lord's +inheritance, and an apostate, as I may not pray for him except +conditionally, but against him as an enemy of Christ; so I may also +fight against him as such. 2. As adversaries themselves will grant, that +resistance by prayers and tears is more powerful and effectual than the +other; so the laws of the land make the one treasonable as well as the +other; and that deservedly, when the prince is doing his duty; but when +he turneth tyrant, neither can justly be condemned. + +These things being permitted, I shall come shortly to the purpose, and +endeavour to prove this truth, That it is a necessary duty for a +community (whether they have the concurrence of the primores, nobles, +and representatives or not) to endeavour, in the defence of their +religion, lives, laws, and liberties, to resist and repress the +usurpation and tyranny of prevailing dominators, using or abusing their +power, for subverting religion, invading the liberties, and overturning +the fundamental laws of the country. Wherein I shall be but short, +because this truth is sufficiently confirmed by all the arguments of the +second head; yet I may only hint at many others, and prosecute them in +this order. First, I shall produce some arguments from the law of nature +and nations. 2dly, From the common practice of all Christian people. +3dly, From express scriptures. + +I. The arguments of the first class are very multifarious: I shall +reduce them to a few, as compendiously as may be, and only give the +strength of them in a syllogistical form, without expatiating, save +where the matter requires. + +1. The great antagonists of this truth, through the clearness thereof, +are forced to assert and grant such particulars, as will by consequence +justify this plea. 1. Barclay contra Monarchum, is cited by the Apol. +Relat. and Jus Populi asserting 'That if a king will alienate and +subject his kingdom, without his subjects consent, or be carried with a +hostile mind to the destruction of his people, his kingdom is actually +lost, and the people may not only lawfully resist, but also depose him.' +Grotius de jure belli, lib. 1. cap. 4. asserts the same, and adds, 'If +he but attempt to do so he may be resisted.' The surveyor of Naphtali +grants the same, pag. 23, 24. Yea, this hath been granted in open court, +by the council of Scotland, That in case of the king's alienating his +kingdoms he may be resisted. Hence, 1. If vendition or alienation of +kingdoms, or attempts of it, do annul a king's authority, then an +alienation of them from Christ, to whom they are devoted by covenant, +and selling to antichrist, as is attempted by this king, gives the +people a right to resist him; but the former is here conceded: +Ergo--(2.) We need say no more to apply the other, that carrying a +hostile mind to the destruction of the people does forfeit his kingdom, +and gives the people right to resist, than that a papist is always known +to carry a hostile mind to the destruction of protestants, and all the +designs declared these 27 years have been demonstrative efforts of it. +2. Dr. Ferne acknowledgeth, 'That personal defence is lawful against the +sudden, illegal, and inevitable assaults of the king's messengers, or +of himself, in so far as to ward off his blows, or hold his hands. As +also, he alloweth private persons liberty to deny subsidies and tribute +to the prince, when he employeth it to the destruction of the +commonwealth.' Hence, (1.) If one may defend himself against the sudden, +illegal, and inevitable assaults of the king or his messengers; then may +many men, in defence of their lives and liberties, defend themselves +against the surprising massacres, the sudden assaults, and much more the +devised and deliberate assaults of a tyrant's bloody emissaries, which +are illegal and inevitable, as all their furious and bloody onsets have +been; but the former is here allowed: therefore,--3. Bodin de Repub. +lib. 2. cap. 5. granteth, 'If a king turn tyrant, he may lawfully, at +his subjects request, be invaded, resisted, condemned, or slain by a +foreign prince.' Hence, if foreign princes may lawfully help a people +oppressed by their own sovereign; then people may resist themselves, if +they be able and hold in their pains; but the former is here granted: +therefore----The consequence cannot be denied, for foreigners have no +more power or authority over another sovereign, than the people have +themselves. 4. Arnisæus de Author. Princip. c. 2. n. 10. granteth, 'That +if the prince proceed extrajudicially, without order of law, by +violence, every private man hath power to resist.' So the surveyor of +Naphtali, as above, 'Grants so much of a woman's violent resisting +attempts against the honour of her chastity, and tending to ensnare her +in sin, whereof, her non-resistance makes her guilty.' Hence, (1.) If +every extrajudicial violence of a prince may be resisted; then also all +contrajudicial violence against law or reason must be opposed, for that +is more grievous, and all their violences, wherein they do not act as +judges, must be resisted, and that is all together, for in none of them +they can act as judges; but the former is here granted: therefore--2. +If a woman may defend her chastity against the king, lest her +non-resistance make her guilty, (oh, if all women had been of this mind, +the country would not have been pestered so with the king's bastards); +then may a nation, or any part of it, resist a tyrant's attempt upon the +honour of their religion, enticing them to fornication with the mother +of harlots, lest their non-resistance make them guilty; but the former +is here yielded: therefore,--5. That same Arnisæus, cap. 4. saith, 'Of +the former (to wit, he who is called a tyrant in title) it is determined +by all without any difficulty, that he may be lawfully repulsed, or if +by force he be gotten into the throne, he may warrantably be thence +removed, because he hath not any jot of power which is not illegitimate, +and unto which resistance is forbidden for the fear of God and for +conscience sake, and therefore he is no further to be looked at than as +an enemy.' This is so pat and pertinent to the present possessor of the +government, that no words can more particularly apply it. 6. Grotius de +jure belli, lib. 1. cap. 4. granteth, the law of not resisting does not +bind when the danger is most weighty and certain, 'And we do not plead +for it in any other case.' And further he says, 'The law of +non-resistance seemeth to have flowed from them, who first combined +together into society, and from whom such as did command did derive +their power: now, if it had been asked of such, whether they would +choose to die, rather than in any case to resist the superior by arms? I +know not if they would have yielded thereto, unless with this addition, +if they could not be resisted but with the greatest perturbation of the +commonwealth, and destruction of many innocents. And afterwards he hath +these words, nevertheless I scarce dare condemn every one or the lesser +part, which may only be done at utmost extremity, notwithstanding +respect is to be had to the common good.' From which we need make no +inference, the concession is so large, that it answers our case. 7. The +surveyor of Naphtali, in the place above cited, 'Grants legal +self-defence against the sovereign, by way of plea in court, for safety +of a man's person or estate,--as also is the case of most habited, +notour and complete tyranny against law, to the destruction of the body +of a people, and of all known legal liberties, and the being of religion +according to law.--And in case of his not being in his natural and right +wits.'--Hence, (1.) If it be lawful to resist the king by a plea in law, +for an estate, (yea the law will allow), by actual force, if he come to +take possession of it illegally: then it must be lawful for their lives +and estates, liberties and religion, to resist him by force, when the +legal resistance is not admitted; but the former is yielded here: +therefore.--The reason of the connexion is, the municipal law permits +the one, and the law of nature and nations (which no municipal law can +infringe) will warrant the other: he hath no more right to be both judge +and party in this case, more than in the other: and he can no more act +as a sovereign in this case, than in the other. (2.) If it be lawful to +resist habited, notour, and complete tyranny against law, to the +destruction of the body of a people, and of all known legal liberties, +and the being of religion, according to law: then we desire no more to +conclude the duty of resisting this tyranny exercised this 27 years +habitually, which the desolation of many hundred families, the +banishment of many hundreds to slavery, the rivers of blood, &c. have +made notour to all Scotland at least, and the perversion of all the +fundamental laws, and all civil and religious liberties, yea the +subversion of every remaining model of our religion, as reformed and +covenanted to be preserved, in doctrine, worship, discipline and +government, and designs to introduce popery and establish arbitrary +government, have made complete; but the former is here granted: +therefore--3. If in case of his being out of his wits, he should run +upon an innocent man to kill him, or attempt to cut his own throat, it +were then lawful to resist him, yea, a sin not to do it; then when in a +rage, or deliberately, he is seeking to destroy many hundreds of the +people of God, he may be resisted; but the former is clear: therefore--. +4. King James the VI. in his remonstance for the right of kings, against +the oration of Cardinal Perron, hath these words, The public laws make +it lawful, and free for any private person, to enterprize against an +usurper of the kingdom. Then shall it not be duty, to enterprize against +a man, who by the laws of the land is not capable of a right to reign, +who hath got into the throne by the means of murder, and can pretend no +right but that of succession, which I proved to be, none, Head 2. +However, we see by these concessions of adversaries, that the absolute +subjection they talk of will not hold, nor the prerogative be so +uncontroulable in every case, as they would pretend, and that in many +cases, the safety of the people hath the supremacy above it; and that +also in these cases the people must be judges, whether they may resist +or not. + +2. From the law of nature I may argue, 1. If God, the fountain of all +power, and author of all right, hath given unto man both the power and +the right, of, and reason to manage self-defence, and hath noways +interdicted it in his word to be put forth against tyrants; then it is +duty to use it against them upon occasion; but the former is true: +therefore,--2. If this power and right were restrained in man against +the unjust violence of any, it would either be by policy, or grace, or +some express prohibition in the word of God; but none of these can be +said: therefore.--Policy cannot destroy nature, but is rather cumulative +to it; a man entering into a politic incorporation, does not lose the +privilege of nature: if one particular nature may defend itself against +destroying violence out of society, then must many of these natures +combined in society have the same right, and so much the more that their +relative duties super-add an obligation of mutual assistance. Grace does +not restrain the right of sinless nature, though it restrains +corruption: but self-defence is no corruption: Grace makes a man more a +man than he was. And nothing can be more dishonourable to the gospel, +than that by the law of nature it is lawful to resist tyrants, but we +are bound by religion from withstanding their cruelty: the laws of God +do not interfere one with another. 3. That law which alloweth +comparative re-offending, so as to kill rather than be killed, teacheth +resistance: but so the law of nature alloweth, except we be guilty of +murder in the culpable omission of self defence. The reason is, because +the love of self is nearer and greater, as to temporal life, than the +love of our neighbour: that being the measure of this: therefore it +obliges rather to kill than be killed, the exigence of necessity so +requiring. 4. If nature put no difference between the violence of a +tyrant than of another man: then it teaches to resist both alike: but it +putteth no difference, but rather aggravates that of a tyrant; being the +violence of a man, the injustice of a member of the commonwealth, and +the cruelty of a tyrant. And it were absurd to say, we might defend +ourselves from the lesser violence, and not from the greater. 5. If +particular nature must yield to the good of universal nature; then must +one man, though in greatest power, be resisted, rather than the +universal commonwealth suffer hurt: but the former is true; for that +dictates the necessity of the distracted father to be bound by his own +sons, lest all the family be hurt: Ergo the greatest of men or kings, +when destructive to the commonwealth, must be resisted; for he is but +one man, and so but particular nature. 6. That which is irrational, and +reflects upon Providence, as putting men in a worse condition than +brutes, is absurd and contrary to the law of nature: but to say, that +the brutes have power to defend themselves by resisting what annoys +them, and deny this power to men, is irrational and reflects upon +Providence, as putting men in a worse condition than brutes: therefore +it is absurd, and contrary to the law of nature. + +3. From the institution of government I may argue thus: that power and +government which is not of God may be resisted: the tyrants power and +government, in overturning laws, subverting religion, bringing in +idolatry, oppressing subjects, is not of God: Ergo it may be resisted: +the major is clear, because that is only the reason why he is not to be +resisted, because the ordinance of God is not to be resisted, Rom. xiii. +2. But they that resist a man destroying all the interests of mankind, +overturning laws, subverting religion, &c. do not resist the ordinance +of God. And if it were not so, this would tend irremedilessly to +overthrow all policies, and open a gap to all disorder, injustice, and +cruelty, and would give as great encouragement to tyrants to do what +they list, as thieves would be encouraged, if they knew nobody would +resist them or bring them to punishment. + +4. From the original constitution of government by men, it may be argued +thus: if people at the first erection of government acted rationally, +and did not put themselves in a worse case than before, wherein it was +lawful to defend themselves against all injuries, but devolved their +rights upon the fiduciary tutory of such, as should remain still in the +rank of men, that can do wrong, who had no power but by their gift, +consent, and choice, with whom they associated not to their detriment +but for their advantage, and determined the form of their government, +and time of its continuance, and in what cases they might recur to their +primeve liberty, and settled a succession to have course not _jure +hereditario_ but _jure et vi legis_, for good ends; then they did not +give away their birth-right of self-defence, and power of resistance, +which they had before to withstand the violence, injuries, and +oppressions of the men they set over them, when they pervert the form +and convert it to tyranny, but did retain a power and privilege to +resist and revolt from them, and repel their violence when they should +do violence to the constitution, and pervert the ends thereof: but the +former is true. Ergo--the minor is cleared, Head. 2. And the connexion +is confirmed from this; if the estates of a kingdom give the power to a +king, it is their own power in the fountain, and if they give it for +their own good, they have power to judge when it is used against +themselves, and for their evil; and so power to limit and resist the +power that they gave. + +5. From the way and manner of erecting governors by compact, the +necessity whereof is proven Head 2. Many arguments might be deduced; I +shall reduce them to this form: If people must propose conditions unto +princes, to be by them acquiesced in and submitted unto at their +admission to the government, which thereupon becomes the fundamental +laws of the government, and securities for the people's rights and +liberties, giving a law claim to the people to pursue the prince, in +case of failing in the main and principal thing covenanted, as their own +covenanted mandatarius who hath no jus or authority of his own, but what +he hath from them, and no more power but what is contained in the +conditions, upon which he undertaketh the government; Then when either +an usurper will come under no such conditions, or a tyrant doth break +all these conditions, which he once accepted, and so become stricto jure +no prince, and the people be stricto jure liberated from subjection to +him, they may and must defend themselves and their fundamental rights +and privileges, religion and laws, and resist the tyranny overturning +them: but the former is true, Ergo--The connexion is clear: and the +minor is proved Head 2. And at length demonstrated and applied to the +government of Charles the Second by Jus Populi. cap. 6. See Arg. 4, 5. +Head 2. + +6. From the nature of magistracy it may be argued thus, That power which +is properly neither parental, nor marital, nor masterly and despotic, +over the subjects, persons, and goods, but only fiduciary, and by way of +trust, is more to be resisted than that which is properly so; but that +power which is properly so, that is parental power, and marital, and +masterly, may be resisted in many cases; Therefore, that power which is +not so properly, but only fiduciary is more to be resisted. That a +king's power over his subjects, is neither parental, nor marital, &c. is +proven Head 2. And the major needs no probation. The minor is clear by +instances, 1. If children may, in case of necessity, resist the fury of +their father, seeking to destroy them; then must private subjects resist +the rage and tyranny of princes, seeking to destroy them, and what is +dearest to them; for there is no stricter obligation moral between king +and people, than between parents and children, nor so strict; and +between tyrants and people there is none at all; but the former cannot +be denied: Therefore,--2. If wives may lawfully defend themselves +against the unjust violence of enraged husbands; then must private +subjects have power to resist the furious assaults of enraged tyrants, +for there is not so great a tye betwixt them and people, as between man +and wife; yea there is none at all; but the former is true: Ergo,--3. If +servants may defend themselves against their masters; then must private +subjects defend themselves against a tyrant or his emissaries; but the +former is true: Ergo,--4. If the king's power be only fiduciary, and by +way of pawn, which he hath got to keep; then when that power is +manifestly abused, to the hurt of them that intrusted him with it, he +ought to be resisted by all whom he undertook to protect; but the +former is true: Therefore the latter. + +7. From the limited power of princes it may be thus argued: If princes +be limited by laws and contracts, and may be resisted by pleas in law, +and have no absolute power to do and command what they will, but must be +limited both by the laws of God and man, and cannot make what laws they +will in prejudice of the people's rights, nor execute the laws made +according to their pleasure, nor confer on others a lawless licence to +oppress whom they please; then when they turn tyrants, and arrogate a +lawless absoluteness, and cross the rules, and transgress the bounds +prescribed by God's laws, and man's laws, and make their own lusts a +law, and execute the same arbitrarily, they must be resisted by force, +when a legal resistance cannot be had, in defence of religion and +liberty; but all princes are limited, &c. Therefore,--The minor is +proved, Head 2. And the connexion may be thus confirmed in short: That +power which is not the ordinance of God may be resisted; but an absolute +illimited power, crossing the rules, and transgressing the bounds +prescribed by God's law and man's, is not the ordinance of God; +Therefore it may be resisted. + +8. Further from the rule of government, it may be argued several ways, +1. That power which is contrary to law, evil and tyrannical, can ty none +to subjection, but if it oblige to any thing, it ties to resistance; but +the power of a king against law, religion, and the interests of the +subjects, is a power contrary to law, evil and tyrannical: +Therefore,--The major is plain, for wickedness can ty no man, but to +resist it; that power which is contrary to law, evil and tyrannical is +wickedness. 2. That power, and those acts, which neither king can +exercise; nor command, nor others execute, nor any obey, must certainly +be resisted: but such is the power and acts that oppress the subjects, +and overturn religion and liberty; Therefore--The minor is evident from +scriptures condemning oppression and violence, both in them that +command, and in them that execute the same, and also them that obey such +wicked commands. The major is clear from reason; both because such power +and such acts as cannot be commanded, cannot be executed, cannot be +obeyed lawfully, are sinful and wicked: and because it cannot be a +magistratical power, for that may always be exercised and executed +lawfully. And what a man cannot command, the resisting of that he cannot +punish; but acts of oppression against law, religion, and liberty, a man +cannot command; Ergo, the resisting of these he cannot punish. 3. That +government of administration, which is not subordinate to the law and +will of God, who hath appointed it, must be resisted; but that +government or administration, which undermines or overturns religion and +liberty, is not subordinate to the law and will of God; Therefore--The +major is clear; for nothing but what is the ordinance of God, +subordinate to his law and will, is irresistible, Rom. xiii. 2. The +assumption is undeniable. + +9. From the ends of government, which must be acknowledged by all to be +the glory of God, and the good of mankind; yea, all that have been +either wise or honest, have always held that the safety of the people is +the supreme law. The argument may run thus, in short, 1. That doctrine +which makes the Holy One to cross his own ends in giving governors, must +be absurd and unchristian as well as irrational; but such is the +doctrine that makes all kings and tyrants irresistible upon any pretence +whatsoever: Ergo--The minor I prove: That doctrine which makes God +intending his own glory and the people's good, to give governors both as +fathers to preserve, and as murderers to destroy them, must make the +Holy One to cross his own ends; for these are contradictory; but the +doctrine that makes all kings and tyrants irresistible, &c. is such: +for, by office, they are fathers to preserve, and, by office also, they +must be murderers, vested with such a power from God, by the first act, +if they be irresistible when they do so; seeing every power that is +irresistible is the ordinance of God. Hence also when a blessing turns a +curse, it is no more the ordinance of God, but to be resisted; but when +a king turns a tyrant, overturning religion and liberty, then a blessing +turns a curse: Therefore--2. Means are to be resisted, when they are not +useful for, but destructive to the ends they were appointed for; but +governors overturning religion and liberty, are means not useful for, +but destructive to the ends for which they were appointed; seeing then +they are neither for the glory of God, nor the good of mankind: +Therefore--3. If all powers and prerogatives of men are only means +appointed for, and should vail unto the supreme law of the people's +safety, and all laws be subordinate to, and corroborative of this law, +and when cross to it are in so far null, and no laws, and all law +formalities in competition with it are to be laid aside, and all +parliamentary privileges must yield to this, and king and parliament +both conspiring have no power against it; and no sovereign power, by +virtue of any resignation from the people can comprize any authority to +act against it; then it is duty to obey this supreme law, in resisting +all powers and prerogatives, all laws, and law formalities, and all +conspiracies whatsoever against this supreme law, the safety of the +people; but the former is true, as was proven Head 2. Therefore--4. That +power which is obliged, and appointed to command and rule justly and +religiously, for the good of the people, and is only set over them on +these conditions, and for that end, cannot ty them to subjection without +resistance, when the power is abused to the destruction of laws, +religion and people; but all power is so obliged and appointed: +therefore, whensoever it is so abused, it cannot ty people to +subjection, but rather oblige them to rejection of it. + +10. From the obedience required to government, it may be argued thus. 1. +If we may flee from tyrants, then we may resist them; but we may flee +from tyrants: therefore we may resist them. The connexion I prove, (1.) +If all grounds of justice will warrant the one as well as the other, +then if the one be duty, so is the other; but the former is true; for +the same justice and equity that warrants declining a tyrant's unjust +violence by flight, will warrant resistance when flight will not do it; +the same principle of self-defence, that makes flight duty, when +resistance is not possible, will also make resistance duty, when flight +is not possible; the same principle of charity to wives and children, +that makes flight lawful, when by resistance they cannot avoid tyranny, +will make resistance duty, when by flight they cannot evite it; the same +principle of conscience to keep religion free, that prompts to flight, +when resistance will not save it, will also prompt to resist it, when +flight is not practicable. (2.) If to flee from a just power, when in +justice we are obnoxious to its sword, be to resist the ordinance of +God, and so sin: then to flee from an unjust power, must be also a +resisting of the abusing of it, and so duty, for the one is resistance +as well as the other; but the difference of the power resisted makes the +one lawful; the other not. Again, if royal power may be resisted by +interposing seas and miles, why not also by interposing walls and arms? +Both is resistance, for against a lawful magistrate that would be +resistance. (3.) If a tyrant hath irresistible power to kill and destroy +the people, he hath also irresistible power to cite and summon them +before him; and if it be unlawful to resist his murders, it must be as +unlawful to resist his summons. (4.) For a church or community of +Christians, persecuted for religion, to flee with wives and children, +strong and weak, old and young, to escape tyrannical violence, and +leave the land, were more unlawful than to resist; for what is not +possible as a natural means of preservation is not a lawful mean; but +this were not a possible mean: neither is it warranted in nature's law, +or God's word, for a community or society of Christians, that have God's +right and man's law to the land, and the covenanted privileges thereof, +to leave the country and cause of Christ, and all in the hands of a +tyrant and papist, to set up idolatry upon the ruins of reformation +there. A private man may flee, but flight is not warranted of them as of +a private single man. 2. If it be duty to disobey, it is duty to resist +tyrants, in defence of religion and liberty; but it is duty to disobey +them: Therefore--The connection only will be struck at, which is thus +strengthened: If subjection be no more pressed in scripture than +obedience, then if non-obedience be duty, non-subjection must be so +also, and consequently resistance; but subjection is no more pressed in +scripture than obedience; for all commands of subjection to the higher +powers, as God's ministers, under pain of damnation, do only respect +lawful magistrates, and in lawful things, and do include obedience: and +non-obedience to the power so qualified is a resisting of the ordinance +of God, as well as non-subjection. If then obedience to magistrates be +duty, and non-obedience sin, and obedience to tyrants sin, and +non-obedience duty; then by parity of reason, subjection to magistrates +is duty, and non-subjection is sin, and also subjection to tyrants is +sin, and non-subjection duty. + +11. From the resistance allowed in all governments, it may be argued +thus; if it be duty to defend our religion, lives and liberties, against +an invading army of cut-throat papists, Turks or Tartars, without or +against the magistrates warrant; then it must be duty to defend the same +against invading home-bred tyrants, except we would subscribe ourselves +home-born slaves: but the former is true; therefore--The minor cannot +be doubted, because the magistrates power cannot be privative and +destructive to defence of our religion, lives and liberties; nor can it +take away nature's birth-right to defend these, or make it fare the +worse, than if we had no magistrates at all. Now, if we had no +magistrates at all, we might defend these against invaders; and whether +we have magistrates or not, we are under moral obligations of the law of +God to endeavour the defence of these: but this needs not be insisted +on. The connexion of the proposition is clear; if princes be more +tyrannical in invading religion and liberties themselves, than in +suffering others to do it, or hindering them to be opposed: and if their +invasion be more tyrannical, hurtful and dangerous, than the invasion of +strangers, then if it be duty to resist strangers invading their +interests, it is more duty to resist home-bred tyrants invading the +same; but the former is true: therefore the latter. Resisting in the one +case is no more resisting the ordinance of God than in the other. + +12. From the motives of resistance we may draw this argument, which +might be branched out into several, but I shall reduce it to this +complex one: if when we are in a capacity, we cannot acquit ourselves in +the duties that we owe to our covenanted religion, and our covenanted +brethren, and posterity, and ourselves, nor absolve exoner ourselves +from the sin and judgment of tyrants, who overturn religion, oppress our +brethren, impose slavery on ourselves, and entail it upon posterity, by +a passive subjection, submission to and not opposing these mischiefs; +then resistance is necessary: but the former is true: therefore--. The +connexion is clear, for there cannot be a medium; if we cannot discharge +these duties by subjection, submission, and not opposing, then we must +do them by non-subjection, non-submission, and opposing, since they must +be done some way. The assumption is thus confirmed. 2. The duties we owe +to religion, when it is corrupted, declined from, and overturned, are +not only to reform our own hearts and ways, and keep ourselves pure from +the corruptions established, and to rebuke and witness against the +compliers with the same, and so by work, doing and suffering, keep and +contend for the word of our testimony; but further, when, by the +constitution of the kingdom, religion is become a fundamental law, and +consequently the magistrate, overturning it, is violating and everting +the main grounds and ends of the government, and turning grassant and +ingrained tyrant, especially when it is not only so authorised and +confirmed by law, but corroborated by solemn vows and covenants made and +sworn unto God by all ranks of people, to maintain and defend this +religion with their lives and fortunes,--and resist all contrary errors +and corruptions according to their vocation: and the utmost of that +power that God puts in their hands all the days of their lives; as also +mutually to defend and assist one another, (as in the national +covenant.) And sincerely, really, and constantly endeavour--the +preservation of the reformed religion in doctrine, worship, discipline +and government, the extirpation of popery, prelacy, &c.--and to assist +and defend all those that enter into the same bond in the maintaining +thereof,--(as in the solemn league;) then to defend and maintain that +religion, and themselves professing it; when it is sought to be razed; +this must be an interest as necessary to be defended, as that of our +bodies which is far inferior, and as necessary a duty, as to defend our +nation and civil liberties from perpetual slavery, and as preferable +thereunto, as Christ's interest is to man's, and as the end of all +self-preservation is to the means of it, the preservation of religion +being the end of all self-preservation; but this duty cannot be +discharged without resistance, in a mere passive subjection and +submission: otherwise the same might be discharged in our universal +submission to Turks coming to destroy our religion. Certainly this +passive way cannot answer the duty of pleading for truth, Isa. lix. 4. +seeking the truth, Jer v. 1. being valiant for it, Jer. ix. 3. making up +the hedge, standing in the gap, &c. Ezek. xxii. 30. which yet are +necessary incumbent duties according to our capacity; therefore we +cannot answer the duties we owe to religion in a mere passive way. 2. +The duty we owe to our covenanted brethren, is to assist and defend +them, and relieve them when oppressed, as we are bound by our covenants, +and antecedently by the royal law of Christ, the foundation of all +righteousness among men toward each other, Matth. vii. 12. 'All things +whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to +them.'--We would have them helping us when we are oppressed, so should +we do to them when it is in the power of our hands to do it, and not +forbear to deliver them for fear the Lord require their blood at our +hand, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. But this cannot be done by mere subjection +without resistance. 3. There is no way to free ourselves of the sin and +judgment of tyrants, by mere passive subjection: we find in the +scriptures, people have been so involved and punished for the sins of +tyrants; as the people of Judah for Manasseh, 2 Kings xxi. 11. &c. Jer. +xv. 4. whose sins if they had not been committed, the judgment for them +had been prevented, and if the people had hindered them they had not +smarted; but being jointly included with their rulers in the same bond +of fidelity to God, and made accountable as joint principals with their +kings for that debt, by their mutual as well as several engagements to +walk in his ways, they were liable to be punished for their rebellion +and apostacy, because they did not hinder it. Hence somewhat must be +done to free ourselves of their sin, and to escape their judgments: but +this can be nothing else but opposition to them by resistance; or else +if we make any other opposition, it will make us more a prey to their +jury. + +II. Secondly, This truth is confirmed from the common practice of the +people of God, even under persecution. Whence I shall draw an argument +from examples, which, to condemn, were impious, and, to deny, were most +impudent. And, for form's sake, it may run thus: What the people of God, +under both testaments, have frequently done, in time of persecution, for +defending, vindicating, or recovering their religion and liberties, may +and ought to be done again in the like circumstances, when these are in +the like hazard; but, under both testaments, the people of God +frequently in times of persecution have defended, vindicated, or +recovered their religion and liberties by defensive arms, resisting the +sovereign powers that sought to destroy them: therefore this may and +ought to be done again, when these religious, civil and natural +privileges, are in the like hazard to be destroyed by the violent +encroachments of the sovereign powers. The proposition cannot be denied, +except by them that do profess themselves enemies to the people of God, +and condemn their most frequently reiterated practices most solemnly and +signally owned of God, to the confusion of their enemies, to the +convicton of the world that the cause for which they contended was of +God, and to the encouragement of all the patrons of such a cause, to +hope, that when it is at the lowest it shall have a revival and glorious +issue. It is true, sometimes they did not resist, when either they were +not in a capacity, or did not see a call to such an action, but were not +extraordinarily spirited of the Lord for passive testimonies under a +suffering dispensation: but it is as true, that many times they did +resist, when the Lord capacitated, called, and spirited them for active +testimonies. And therefore, if their suffering under these circumstances +may be imitated, by a people so stated; then also their actions under +these other circumstances may be imitated, by a people in the like case. +And by an impartial scrutiny it will be found, that the examples of +their endeavoured resistance will be little inferior, if not superior in +number or importance, to the examples of their submissive sufferings in +all ages; which will appear in the probation of the assumption, by +adduction of many instances, which I shall only cursorily glean out of +that plentiful harvest that histories afford. + +1. I need only to glance at that known and famous history of the +Maccabees, of undoubted verity, though not of cannonical authority. In +which according to scripture predictions, we have a notable account of +heroic enterprises, atchievements, and exploits performed by them that +knew their God, and tendered his glory, and their religion and country's +liberties, above the common catechrestic notions of uncontroulable +irresistible royalty, and absolute implicit loyalty, that have abused +the world in all ages. We have there an account of the noble and +successful resistance of a party of a few godly and zealous patriots, +without the concurrence of civil authority, or countenance of the ephori +or nobles of the kingdom, against a king universally acknowledged and +subjected unto, that came in peaceably, and obtained the kingdom by +flatteries, with whom the greatest part and those of the greatest note +took part, and did wickedly against the covenant and nation's interest, +and were corrupted by flatteries: yet a few priests, with the +concurrence of some common countrymen, did go to arms against him and +them; and the Lord did wonderfully assist them for a considerable time; +as was foretold by Daniel xi. This fell out under the persecution of +Antiochus Epiphanes, and was happily begun by Matthias a godly priest, +and his five sons, who, being commanded under severe certifications to +worship according to the then law, and the king's wicked lust, did +valiantly resist that abomination, and went to defensive arms: which, +while living, he patronized, and, when a dying, did encourage his sons +to it by a notable oration, shewing what case his country was in, and +what a duty and dignity it was to redeem and deliver it. This was +vigorously prosecuted by Judas Maccabeus, expressly for the quarrel of +religion and liberty, against that mighty tyrant and all his emissaries. + +2. To come to the history of the gospel dispensation: It is true in that +time of the primitive persecutions under heathen emperors, this +privilege of self-defence was not so much improved or contended for by +Christians, who studied more to play the martyrs, than to play the men, +because in these circumstances the Lord was pleased to spirit for and +call them unto, and accept of their hands passive testimonies; while +they were incorporate under a civil relation with the heathens, in +subjection to governors who did not by open tyranny, overturn their +civil liberties, only did endeavour to eradicate religion, which, at +that time, had never become their right by law; while they were +scattered and out of capacity, and never could come to a separate formed +community by joint concurrence and correspondence, to undertake a +declared resistance; while religion was only a propagating through the +nations, and the Lord providentially did preclude the least appearance +that might be of propagating it by any formed force, being the gospel of +peace, designed to save, and not to destroy: yet even then, instances +are not wanting of Christians resisting their enemies, and of rescuing +their ministers, &c. As they are found on record. 1. How some inhabiting +Mareota, with force rescued Dionysius, of Alexandria, out of the hands +of such as were carrying him away, about the year 255. 2. How about the +year 310, the Arminians waged war against Maximus, who was come against +them with an army because of their religion. 3. How about the year 342, +the citizens of Athanasius their minister, against Gregorius the +intruded curate and Syrianus the emperor's captain, who came with great +force to put him in. 4. How about the year 356, the people of +Constantinople did in like manner stand to the defence of Paulus, +against Constantius the emperor, and killed his captain Hermogenes; and +afterwards, in great multitudes, they opposed the intrusion of the +heretic Macedonius. 5. How, when a wicked edict was sent forth to pull +down the churches of such as were for the clause of one substance, the +christians that maintained that testimony resisted the bands of +soldiers, that were procured at the emperor's command by Macedonius, to +force the Mantinians to embrace the Arian heresy; but the Christians at +Mantinium, kindled with an earnest zeal towards Christian religion, went +against the soldiers with chearful minds and valiant courage, and made a +great slaughter of them. 6. How, about the year 387, the people of +Cesarea did defend Basil their minister. 7. How, for fear of the people, +the lieutenant of the emperor Valens durst not execute those 80 priests +who had come to supplicate the emperor, and were commanded to be killed +by him. 8. How the inhabitant's of mount Nitria espoused Cyril's +quarrel, and assaulted the lieutenant, and forced his guards to flee. 9. +How, about the year 404, when the emperor had banished Chrysostom, the +people flocked together, so that the emperor was necessitated to call +him back again from his exile. 10. How the people resisted also the +transportation of Ambrose, by the command of Valentinian the emperor; +and chused rather to lose their lives, than to suffer their pastor to be +taken away by the soldiers. 11. How the Christians, oppressed by +Baratanes king of Persia, did flee to the Romans to seek their help. And +Theodosius, the emperor, is much praised for the war which he commenced +against Chosroes king of Persia, upon this inducement, that the king +sought to ruin and extirpate those Christians in his dominions, that +would not renounce the gospel. + +3. But when religion was once embraced in embodied corporations, and +established by law, and became a people's common interest and liberty, +in a capacity to defend it with their lives and other liberties, and +when it was propagated through the nations; then the Lord did call for +other more active testimonies, in the preservation and defence of it: of +which we have many instances in histories. About the year 894, the +Bohemian Christians resisted Drahomica their queen, who thought to have +destroyed them, and reintroduced paganism. About the year 1420, they +maintained a long defensive war against the government, and the pope's +legates, under the management of their brave captain Zizca; which was +further prosecuted after him by the remaining Thaborites. And again in +this century, in the year 1618, they maintained a defensive war against +the emperor Ferdinand II. electing and erecting a new king in opposition +to him, Frederick Palatine of the Rhine, in which cause many received a +crown of martyrdom: and this was also espoused by king James VI, who +sent to aid his son in law against the emperor. + +4. It we look to the histories of the Waldenses, these constant opposers +of antichrist, we will find many instances of their resistance. About +the year 1194, very early, while Waldo (from whom they had their name) +was alive, they began to defend themselves by arms, after the bloody +edict of Alphonsus king of Arragon; an edict so like to many of ours +emitted this day, as it would seem our enemies have taken the copy of +it: so it were very seemly for the people grieved with such edicts to +imitate the copy of the Waldenses their practice, in opposition to them. +In the year 1488, they resist by arms Albert de Capitaneis, sent by pope +Innocent VIII. in Pragola and Frassaniere, and throughout Piedmont; +where, for the most part, the offspring of the old Waldenses had their +residence, where, very evidently, through many successions of ages, they +shewed themselves to be the true successors of their worthy +progenitors, valiant for the truth. That's a famous instance of their +resistance, in opposing vigorously the Lord of trinity, in that same +Piedmont, at which time they so solemnly asked their ministers, Whether +it were not lawful to defend themselves against his violence? Who +answered affirmatively. And accordingly they did it with wonderful +success at that time, and many times thereafter. Especially it is notour +in the memory of this present age, how in the year 1655, a vigorous +defensive war was prosecuted against the duke of Savoy, by their +captains Ginavel, Jahier, &c. which was espoused by many protestant +princes. And no further gone than the very last year, it is known how +they resisted the arms of that tyger, and the French that helped him, +and that their simplicity in trusting popish promises was their ruin. + +5. If we look over the histories of the Albigenses, we find many +instances of their defensive resisting their oppressing superiors. About +the year 1200, they defended themselves at Beziers and Carcasson, +against the pope's legate and his crossed soldiers, under the conduct +first of the earl of Beziers, and then of the earl of Foix, and earl of +Remand of Thoulouse, and were helped by the English, who then possessed +Guienne bordering upon Thoulouse; which resistance continued several +years. Afterwards in the year 1226, they maintained a resistance against +the king of France. + +6. In Spain, we find the people of Arragon contesting with Alphonsus +III. and associating themselves together against him. And they tell +Pedro III. their king, that if he would not contain himself within the +limits of the laws, they would pursue him by arms, about the year 1283. +As also other Spaniards, who rose in arms several times against Pedro +the first king of Castile. + +7. It was this which brought the Cantons of Helvetia into this state of +freedom, wherein they have continued many years: for, about the year +1260, they levied war against their oppressing nobles. And in the year +1308, they joined in covenant to defend themselves against the house of +Austria; and in the year 1315, they renewed it at Brunna, in which, at +length, the rest of the Cantons joined, and formed themselves into a +commonwealth. + +8. If we take a glance of the Germans, we will find at the very +commencement of the reformation, as soon as they got the name of +protestants, they resisted the emperor Charles V. The duke of Saxon, the +land grave of Hesse, and the city of Magedburgh, with advice of lawyers, +concluded. 'That the laws of the empire permitted resistance of the +emperor in some cases, that the times were then so dangerous, that the +very force of conscience did leave them to arms, and to make a league to +defend themselves though Cesar or any in his name should make war +against them--for since he attempteth to root out religion, and subvert +our 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 and profane histories.--And so +they undertook and stated the war upon the account of religion and +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 arms; having thereby +recovered both religion and liberty, and established themselves into a +flourishing state. We find even in the time of D. de Alva's persecution, +they began to defend Haerlem and Valenciennes in Hainault, and went on +till under the conduct of William of Nassau 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 tyranny. + +10. If we go to the French Hugonets, we will find many instances among +them, and many brave heroes raised up, to maintain the principle, and +prosecute the practice thereof, of older and later date. The history of +the civil wars of France is stored with their trophies; and the memories +of Conde and Coligni will ever be fragrant. There were many resistances +there, both before and 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 Matthias denied the free +exercise of religion unto the protestants of Austria, they took up arms +in their own defence, and sent a protestation unto the states of +Hungary, requiring their assistance, conform to their league. And now +this present war there founded upon this plea. + +12. The Polonians have oftentimes levied war against their kings: and we +are furnished by Clark in his Martyrol. with a late instance of their +resistance against the sovereign powers, at Lesna in Poland, in the year +1655. + +13. The Danes and Swedes have not been wanting, for their parts, in +taking course with their Christierns, kings of that name, whom they +resisted and 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 and celebrated monarchs in the world have +espoused the quarrel of oppressed subjects. Not only such as Tamerlane, +whose observable saying is noted, when he advanced against Bajazet, I go +(says he) to chastise his tyranny and to deliver the afflicted people. +And Philip and Lewis of France, who assisted the barons of England +against king John. And Charles the great, who upon this ground undertook +a war against the Lombards in Italy. But even Constantine the great, +hath it recorded for his honour, that he employed his power and force +against Licinius, upon no other motive but because he banished, +tortured, and destroyed those Christians in his dominions, that would +not abandon their religion. And queen Elisabeth is commended for +assisting the Dutch to maintain their religion by force, when they could +not enjoy it by favour. And king James the VI. gave public aid to the +protestants in Germany and Bohemia against the emperor. 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 I. this man's 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 kingdoms, yet he was forced to declare, in +his acts of oblivion and pacification, The Scots late taking up arms +against him, in defence of their religion, laws and privileges, to be no +treason nor rebellion.--See Apol. Relat. Sect. 11. pag. 149. And though +the late Charles II. condemned all the risings of the people of Scotland +for defence of religion and liberty, and their lives and privileges +which his own tyranny forced them into; yet he justified the present +revolt of heathens and Mahometan subjects from the young king of Bantam +in Java Major in the East Indies, who, when he got the government in his +hands by his father's resignation, killed his subjects, and caused them +to be killed without any cause, which was the reason of their revolt +from him, and defending the father against the son: this defensive war +of these subjects was justified by the said Charles, in his sending +ammunition, &c. for relief. These, and many more instances that might be +adduced, are sufficient evidences of the righteousness and reason of +such resistances, when the greatest of princes have undertaken the +patrociny 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 adduce some +practices of the Lord's people, frequently reiterated, never condemned, +always 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 atchievements. 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 history. + +1. I shall begin at the first war that is recorded in the world: wherein +some lots fell to the godly at first, but afterwards by the virtue and +valour of their brethren they were vindicated, and the victory recovered +with honour. Lot, and his family living in Sodom, was taken prisoner, by +Chedarlaomer and his confederates, Gen. xiv. 12. but Abraham hearing of +it, armed his trained his servants, and pursued them to Dan, and rescued +him, ver. 14,--19. thereby justifying that rebellion of the cities of +the plain, by taking part and vindicating the rebels. Hence, he that may +rescue subjects from the violence of any tyrannizing domination by arms, +may also rise with these subjects to oppose that violence; but here is +an example of that in Abraham:--therefore, + +2. After the Lord's 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, Judg. iii. 1, 2. And when they did +evil in the sight of the Lord, he sold them into the hand of Cushan +Rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, whom they served and were subject to +eight years, vers. 8. but when they cried unto the Lord, their +rebellion, shaking off that yoke, was successful under the conduct of +Othniel, vers. 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 arms, under the conduct of +Ehud, they recovered their liberty. And after his death, falling into +that sin again, which procured the like misery, they became subject to +Jabin king of Canaan, who twenty years mightily oppressed them, Judg. +iv. 1-3. but by the Lord's commandment, under the conduct of Deborah and +Barak, they rebelled and prevailed. Whence, if the Lord's people serving +a sovereign domineering power, may shake off the yoke of their +subjection: then it is duty to defend themselves and resist them, for +there is no other way of shaking it off; but these examples prove the +former: therefore,--Obj. If any cavil that these were not their own +kings, to whom they owed allegiance, but only invading conquerors, whom +they might resist. I answer, (1.) Yet they were the sovereign powers for +the time; and therefore, if royalists and loyalists grounds hold good, +they ought upon no pretence whatsoever to have been resisted: and though +possibly they might not be by compact their own kings, yet by conquest +they were, as much as that would make them, and by their own consent, +when they paid them king's due, viz. tribute, (2.) No more are they our +kings, who either intrude themselves into an arbitrary domination over +us, (without any terms of a compact upon a pretence of hereditary +succession) or being our covenanted kings overturn all the conditions of +their compact, and degenerate into tyrants: to such we owe no +allegiance, more than Israel did to these dominators. (3.) I retort that +old Colewort twice boiled, who should be judge, whether they were their +own lawful kings or not? For they acted as kings, and thought themselves +their absolute lords, and gave themselves out to be such; and yet we +find an approved rebellion against them. Mr. Gee, in his Magistrate's +Original, chap. 8. Sect. 4. Pag. 268. improves these instances to the +same purpose; and adds, 'Neither (as far as my observation goes) can any +immediate or extraordinary command or word for what they so did be +pretended to, or pleaded from the text, for many of them, or for any, +save Barak or Gideon.' + +3. Yet Gideon's example, though he had an extraordinary call, cannot be +pretended as unimitable on the matter; for that was ordinary, though the +call and manner was extraordinary. He, with the concurrence of a very +few men, did break the yoke of subjection to Midian, Judg. vi. and vii. +chap. and having called his brethren out of all mount Ephraim, into a +conjunction with him in the pursuit of his victory; when he demanded +supply of the princes of Succoth, and of the men of Penuel, and they +denied it, he served them as enemies. Whence, if a small party may with +God's approbation deliver themselves, and the whole of their community, +from the bondage of their oppressing dominators whom they had served +several years, and may punish their princes that do not come out to +their help, in a concurrence with them, and encouragement of them in +that attempt; then must it be duty to defend themselves against their +oppressors that rule over them, and all ought to concur in it; or else +there would not be justice in punishing them that were defective in this +work; but we see the former from this example: therefore,--Obj. If it be +said, Gideon, and the rest of the extraordinary raised judges, were +magistrates, therefore they might defend and deliver their country, +which a private people that are only subjects may not do. I answer. (1.) +They were subject to these tyrants that oppressed them who were then the +sovereign powers of that time, and yet they shook off their yoke by +defensive arms. (2.) They were not then magistrates when they first +appeared for their country's defence and deliverance, neither in that +did they act as such, but only as captains of rebels, in the esteem of +them that had power over them. It is clear, Gideon was not ruler, till +that authority was conferred upon him after the deliverance. See Judg. +viii. 22, &c. yet he did all this before. + +When his bastard Abimelech usurped the government, and was made king by +the men of Shechem, at length God sending an evil spirit between him and +his accomplices that set him up, not only was he resisted by the +treacherous Schechemites, (which was their brand and bane in the +righteous judgment of God), for their aiding him at first and killing +his brethren, Judg. ix. 23, 24, &c. but also he was opposed by others of +the men of Israel, as at Thebez, where he was slain by a woman, vers. +50. at the end. Whence, if an usurping tyrant, acknowledged as king by +the generality, may be disowned by the godly, and threatened with God's +vengeance to consume both him and his accomplices that comply with him; +and if he may be opposed and resisted, not only by those that set him +up, but also by others that were in subjection to him, and at length be +killed by them, without resentment of the rest of the nation; then must +it be duty for a people, who had no hand in the erection of such a +dominator, to defend themselves against his force; but the former is +true by this example: therefore----. + +5. When Israel fell under the tyranny of Ammon, oppressing them eighteen +years, they did, by resisting these supreme powers, shake off their +yoke, under the conduct of Jephthah. And being challenged sharply by the +men of Ephraim, who it seems claimed the prerogative of making war, and +therefore came to revenge and reduce Jephthah and his company to order, +casting herein belike a copy to our regular loyalists, who are very +tenacious of this plea of the Ephraimites, that, at least, without the +nobles of the kingdom, no war is to be made; yet we find Jephthah did +not much regard it, but stoutly defended himself, and slew of them +42,000 men, by their Shibboleth, Judg. xii. If people then, when +questioned for defending themselves, by them that claim a superiority +over them, and should deliver them, may defend themselves both without +them and against them; then it is a people's duty and privilege: but the +former is true by this example. + +6. They were then made subject to the Philistines 46 years, whom the men +of Judah acknowledged for their rulers: yet Samson, that rackle-handed +saint, never ceased from pelting them upon all occasions: and when +challenged for it by the men of Judah, saying, 'Knowest thou not that +the Philistines are rulers over us? What is that, that thou hast done?' +Samson objects nothing against their being rulers; but notwithstanding +prosecutes his purpose of vindicating himself in defence of his country, +as they did unto me, says he, so have I done unto them, Judg. xv. 11. +Hence, If saints may avenge themselves upon them whom the country calls +rulers, and when enabled by God, may do to them as they did to them; +then must it be a duty for them to defend themselves against them; but +the antecedent is true by this example. + +7. When Saul, in the pursuit of the Philistines, had charged the people +with a foolish oath (like unto many of the ensnaring oaths that monarchs +use to impose upon people) not to eat any food until the evening, +Jonathan his son tasted but a little honey, and lo he must die; which +Saul confirmed with another peremptory oath, God do so to him, and more +also, if he should not die. Whereupon the people, as resolute on the +other hand to save him, resisted the rage of that ruler, and swore as +peremptorily, that not one hair of his head should fall to the ground. +So the people rescued Jonathan that he died not, 1 Sam. xiv. 44, 45. +Hence, If people may covenant by oath to resist the commands, and rescue +a man from a tyrant's cruelty, then it is duty to defend themselves +against him: the antecedent is true here. + +8. Afterwards, when the manner of the king, presaged by Samuel, was +verified in Saul's degeneration into many abuses of government, this +privilege of resistance was not wholly mancipated, but maintained by +David's defensive appearance with his little army, he took Goliah's +sword, not for ornament, or only to fright Saul, but to defend himself +with it, and was captain first to four hundred men, 1 Sam. xxii. 2. had +a mind to keep out Keilah against him with six hundred men, 1 Sam. +xxiii. 13. and afterwards a great host came to him to Ziklag, while he +kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish, 1 Chron. xii. 1. +throughout, where they left Saul, and came and helped David against him. +This is proved at length by Lex Rex. quest. 32. p. 340. + +9. The city Abel, whether Sheba the traitor had fled, did well to resist +Joab the king's general, coming to destroy a whole city for a traitor's +sake, and not offering peace to it (according to the law, Deut. xx. 10.) +and defended themselves by gates and walls, notwithstanding he had a +commission from the king, 2 Sam. xx. and after the capitulating, they +are never challenged for rebellion. + +10. The ten tribes revolted from the house of David, when Rehoboam +claimed an absolute power, and would not acquiesce to the people's just +conditions, 1 Kings xii. 2 Chron. x. which is before justified, Head 2. +Hence, if it be lawful for a part of the people to shake off the king, +refuse subjection to him, and set up a new one, when he but resolves to +play the tyrant; then it must be duty to resist his violence, when he is +tyrannizing; but the antecedent is clear from this example. This is +vindicated at more length by Jus pop. ch. 3. p. 52. + +11. The example of Elisha the prophet is considerable, 2 Kings vi. 32. +"Elisha sat in his house, (and the elders sat with him) and the king +sent a man before him; but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the +elders, See how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine +head; look when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast +at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?" Here was +violent resistance resolved both against the man and the master, though +the king of the land for the time. And this calling him the son of a +murderer, and resisting him, is no more extraordinary (though it was an +extraordinary man's act) than it is for a plaintiff to libel a true +crime against a wicked person, and for an oppressed man to close the +door upon a murderer, Lex Rex, quest. 32. p. 346. Hence, if a king or +his messenger coming to use unjust violence, against an innocent +subject, be no more to be regarded than a murderer's emissary, but may +be resisted by that innocent subject; then must a community of such +innocent subjects defend themselves against a tyrant or his emissaries, +coming against them on such a wicked errand; the antecedent is here +clear. + +12. The city Libnah revolted from under Jehoram's tyranny, 2 Chron. xxi. +10. p. Martyr on the place saith, They revolted, because he endeavoured +to compel them to idolatry. This is justified above, Head 2. Hence, if +it be lawful for a part of the people to revolt from a tyrannical +prince, making defection from the true religion; then it is duty to +defend themselves against his force: the antecedent is here plain. + +13. When Athaliah usurped the monarchy, Jehoiada the priest strengthened +himself, and made a covenant with the captains, &c. to put her down, and +set up Joash, 2 Kings xi. 2 Chron. xxiii. and when she came and cried, +treason, treason, they regarded it not, but commanded to kill her and +all that help her. Whence, if those that are not kings may lawfully kill +an usurpress, and all her helpers, then may a people resist them; but +Jehoiada, though no magistrate, did it. + +14. The repressing and punishing Amaziah the son of Joash is an +undeniable instance, vindicated by Mr. Knox. See above, per. 3. p. 54. +After the time that he turned away from the following the Lord, the +people made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to +Lachish, but they sent and slew him there, 1 Kings xiv. 19. 2 Chron. +xxv. 27. Hence, a fortiori, if people may conspire and concur in +executing judgment upon their king turning idolater and tyrant, then +much more must they defend themselves against his violence. + +15. The same power, of people's resisting princes, was exemplified in +Uzziah or Azariah, when he would needs be supreme in things sacred as +well as civil, 2 Kings xv. 2 Chron. xxvi. Fourscore priests, that were +valiant men, withstood him, and thrust him out of the temple, they +troubled him, saith Vatablus, they expelled him, saith Ar. Mont. vid. +Pool's Synopsis. in Loc. See this vindicated by Mr. Knox. Per. 3. pag. +48, 49. above. Hence, if private subjects may, by force, resist and +hinder the king from transgressing the law, then must they resist him +when forcing them to transgress the law of God. + +16. After the return from the Babylonish captivity, when the Jews were +setting about the work of building the temple, which they would do by +themselves, and not admit of any association with malignants (upon their +sinister misinformation, and sycophantic accusation, that they were +building the rebellious and bad city, and would refuse to pay the king +toll, tribute, and custom) they were straitly discharged by Artaxerxes +to proceed in their work, and the inhibition was execute by force and +power, Ezra iv. But by the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and +Zechariah, countermanding the king's decree, they would not be hindered, +the eye of their God being upon them, though Tatnai the governor of +those parts, Shetharboznai, and their companions, would have boasted +them from it, with the usual arguments of malignants, who hath commanded +you to do so and so? Ezra v. 3.--5. And yet this was before the decree +of Darius was obtained in their favours, Ezra vi. Hence, if people may +prosecute a duty without and against a king's command, and before an +allowance by law can be obtained; then may a people resist their +commands and force used to execute them: but here the antecedent is +manifest. + +17. When Nehemiah came to Jerusalem, and invited the Jews to build up +the walls of the city, they strengthened their hands for that good work +against very much opposition: and when challenged by Sanballat the +Horonite, Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Gesham the Arabian. +Great king's-men all of them, who despised and boasted them, What is +this that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king? Say they. He would not +plead authority, though, in the general, he had the king's warrant for +it; yet he would not give them any other satisfaction, than to intimate, +whether they had that or not, having the call of God to the work, they +would go on in the duty, and God would prosper them against their +opposition, Neh. ii. 19, 20. and accordingly, notwithstanding of all +scoffs, and plots, and conspiracies, to hinder the building, yet they +went on, and were encouraged to remember the Lord, and fight for their +brethren, &c. and to build with weapons in their hands, Neh. iv. and +brought it to an end, notwithstanding of all their practices to fright +them from it, chap, vi. Hence, If neither challenges of rebellion, nor +practices of malignant enemies who pretend authority, nor any +discouragements whatsoever, should deter people from a duty which they +have a call and capacity from God to prosecute, and if they may promove +it against all opposition by defensive arms; then, when a people are +oppressed and treated as rebels, for a necessary duty, they may and must +defend themselves, and maintain their duty, notwithstanding of all +pretences of authority against them. + +18. I shall add one instance more, which is vindicated by Jus Populi, +from the history of Esther. Because Mordecai refused to do homage to a +hangman, (Haman I should say) a cruel edict was procured from Ahasuerus +to destroy all the Jews, written and sealed with the king's ring, +according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, becoming a law +irrevocable and irreversible, Esther iii. 12, 13. Yet the Lord's +providence, always propitious to his people, brought it about so, that +Haman being hanged, and Mordecai advanced, the Jews were called and +capacitated, as well as necessitated, to resist that armed authority +that decreed to massacre them, and that by the king's own allowance, +Esther ix. When his former decree drew near to be put in execution, in +the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, it +was turned to the contrary, that no man could withstand them. Here they +had the allowance of authority to resist authority: and this was not a +gift of a new right by that grant, which they had not before; only it +was corroborative of the irradical right to defend themselves, which is +not the donative of princes, and which they had power to exercise and +use without this, though may be not the same capacity; for the king's +warrant could not make it lawful in point of conscience; if it had not +been so before. Hence, if people may have the allowance of well advised +authority, to resist the decree and force of unlawful authority; then +may a people maintain right authority, in defending themselves against +the injuries of pretended authority; but by this instance we see, the +Jews had Ahasuerus's allowance to resist the decree and force of his own +ill advised authority, though irreversible. And hence, we see, that +distinction, in this point, is not groundless, between resisting the +authority of supreme powers, and the abuses of the same. + +2dly, We have in the scripture both tacit and express reproofs, for +lying by from this duty in the season thereof, + +1. In Jacob's swan song or prophetical testament, wherein he foretels +what should be the fate and future condition of each of the tribes, and +what should be remarked in their carriage influencing their after lot in +their generations, for which they should be commended or discommended, +approved or reproved; coming to Issachar, he prophetically exprobates +his future ass like stupidity, that indulging himself in his lazy ease, +and lukewarm security, he should be mancipate himself and his interests +into a servile subjection unto his oppressors impositions, even when he +should be in a capacity to shake them off, and free himself, by +resistance, Gen. xlix. 14, 15. "Issachar is a strong ass couching down +between two burdens." This is set down by the Holy Ghost, as the brand +and bane, not of the person of Issachar, Jacob's son, but of the tribe, +to be inured upon them, when they should be in such a condition by their +own silliness: Hence I argue, If the Holy Ghost exprobrate a people for +their stupid subjection to prevailing tyranny, when they do not improve +their ability, capacity, and right to maintain and defend their +liberties and privileges, from all unjust invasion; but the former is +true here: therefore also the later. + +2. In Deborah's song after their victorious resistance, the people are +severely upbraided for not concurring in that expedition, Jud. v. 16, +17, 23. and Meroz is particularly cursed for not coming to the help of +the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. This is recorded +as a resting reproof, against all that will with draw their helping hand +from the Lord's people, when necessitate to appear in defensive arms for +the preservation of their lives and liberties. On the other hand, +Zebulon and Naphthali are commended for jeoparding their lives in the +high places of the fields, and are approved in that practice of fighting +against the king of Canaan, that then ruled over them, ver. 18, 19. +Hence, if people be reproved and cursed for staying at home to look to +their own interests, when others jeopard their lives for their +countries defence and freedom from tyranny and oppression; then this +implies it is a duty to concur in so venturing; but here, Reuben, Dan, +Asher, and Meroz, are reproved and cursed for staying at home, when +Zebulon and Naphthali jeoparded their lives, &c. Ergo. + +3dly, We have in the scriptures many promises of the Lord's approving +and countenancing the duty of defensive arms, even against their +oppressing rulers. + +1. In that forecited testament of the patriarch Jacob, in that part of +it which concerns God, he prophesies that tribe shall have a lot in the +world answering his name, and be engaged in many conflicts with +oppressing dominators, who at first should prevail over him, but at +length God should so bless his endeavours, to free himself from their +oppressions, that he should overcome. There is an excellent elegancy in +the original, answering to the etymology of the name of Gad, which +signifies a troop, reading thus in the Hebrew, Gad, a troop shall +overtroop him, but he shall overtroop them at the last, Gen. xlix. 19. +And Moses homologating the same testimony, in his blessing the tribes +before his death, shows, that he should make a very forcible and +successful resistance, and should execute the justice of the Lord over +his oppressors, Deut. xxxiii. 20, 21, Wherein is implied a promise of +resistance to be made against oppressing conquerors, who should acquire +the supreme rule over them for a time: and the success of that +resistance for overcoming, necessarily supposes resistance. Hence, where +there is a promise of success at last to a people's conflicts against +prevailing tyranny, there is implied an approbation of the duty, and +also a promise of its performance wrapped up in that promise; but here +is a promise, &c. Ergo-- + +2. In that threatning against tyrants, shewing how they shall be thrust +away and burnt up with fire, there is couched a promise, and also an +implied precept of resisting them, 2 Sam. xxiii. 6, "The sons of Belial +shall be all of them as thorns thrust away--with hands fenced with +iron," &c. which clearly implies resistance, and more than that, +rejection and repression. Hence, If it be threatned as a curse against +rulers of Belial, and promised as a blessing, that they shall be so +roughly handled; then this implies a duty to resist them, who cannot be +otherways taken; but here this is threatned, &c. + +3. When the Lord shall have mercy on Jacob, and chuse Israel, it is +promised, Isa. xiv. 2, 3. "That they shall take them captives, whose +captives they were. And they shall rule over their oppressors." This +necessarily implies and infers a promise of resistance against these +oppressing rulers, in the time of their domineering, as well as revenge +after their yoke should be broken; and something of men's actions, as +well as God's judgment in breaking that yoke; for they could not take +them captives, nor rule over them, except first they had resisted them +whose captives they were: there is resisting of the supreme power, +subjection whereunto was the bondage wherein they were made to serve. +Hence, If it be promised, that a captivated and subjugated people shall +break the yoke, and free themselves of the bondage of them that had them +in subjection; then it is promised in that case, they must resist the +supreme powers; for such were they whose captives they were: the +antecedent is here expressed. + +4. There are promises that the Lord's people, when those that rule over +them are incensed against the holy covenant, and when many of their +brethren that should concur with them shall be frighted from their duty +by fear, or corrupted with flattery, shall be made strong to exploits, +though in such enterprizes they may want success for some time, "and +fall by the sword and flame, and by captivity, and spoil many days," +Dan. xi. 30,--34. Which is very near parallel to the case of the +covenanted people of Scotland, their appearing in defensive exploits +against their covenant-breaking rulers these many years bygone. This was +very eminently fulfilled in the history of the Maccabees, before +rehearsed. Hence, If it be promised, that a people shall be strong to do +exploits, in resisting the arms of their rulers, opposing their +covenant, and overturning their religion and liberties; then it must be +approven that such resistance is lawful, even though it want success; +but this is here promised. To the same purpose it is promised, that +after the Lord's people have been long kept as prisoners under the +bondage of oppressing rulers, they shall by a vigorous resistance, be +saved from their tyranny, Zech. ix. 13,--17. "When the Lord shall bend +Judah for him, and raise up Zion's sons against the sons of Greece."--So +it was in their resistances and victories against the successors of +Alexander, who had the rule over them for a time. And so it may be +again, when the Lord shall so bend his people for him. Hence, If the +Lord promises to fit and spirit his people for action against their +oppressing rulers, and to crown their atchievements, when so fitted and +spirited, with glorious success; then it is their duty, and also their +honour to resist them; but here that is plainly promised. + +5. There are promises of the Lord's making use of his people, and +strengthening them to break in pieces the power of his and their +enemies, and his defending, and maintaining them against all their power +and projects, when they think most to prevail over them. As is promised +in the threatned catastrophe of the Babylonian usurpation, Jer. li. +20,--24.--"Thou art (says he to Israel, of whom he speaks as the rod of +his inheritance in the preceding verse) my battle ax and weapons of war, +and with thee will I break in pieces," &c. Whensoever this hath been, or +shall be accompshlied, (as it may relate to the vengeance to be execute +upon the New Testament Babylon) it clearly implies their breaking in +pieces powers that were supreme over them. Hence, If the Lord will make +use of his people's vindictive arms against Babylon ruling over them, +then he will justify their defensive arms against Babylon oppressing +them. Here it is promised, &c. So Micah iv. 11. to the end. Many nations +shall be gathered to defile and look upon Zion, and then the Lord shall +give an allowance and commission to his people to arise and thresh, &c. +What time the accomplishment of this is referred to, is not my concern +to enquire: it seems to look to the New Testament times, wherein the +Lord's people shall be first in great straits, and then enlarged; but to +restrict it to the spiritual conquest over the nations by the ministry +of the word, (though I will not deny but that may be included) seems too +great a straitning of the scope, and not so apposite to the expressions, +which certainly seem to import some forcible action of men, and more +than the peaceable propagation of the gospel. It is usually referred to +the latter days of that dispensation, when both the Jewish and Gentile +Zion shall be totally and finally delivered from Babylon, or +antichristian tyranny; before, or about which period, the enemies of +Christ and of his people shall attempt their utmost power to destroy the +church, groaning under their bondage; but when they are all well +mustered in a general rendezvous, the Lord's people shall have a gallant +game at the chace. But whensoever the time be of fulfilling the promise, +it ensures to the people of God the success of their defensive arms +against them that pretended a domination over them. And it looks to a +time, when they should have no rulers of their own, but them under whose +subjection they had been long groaning, and now brought to a very low +pass; yet here they should not only resist, but thresh them. Hence, If +in the latter days the people of God are to be honoured, and acted forth +with such a spirit and capacity to thresh and beat down these powers +under which they have been long groaning; then, when the Lord puts them +in such capacity to attempt it, they should be ambitious of such an +honour; but here it is promised, &c. + +The same may be inferred from the prophet's vision, Zech. i. 19, 20. He +sees four carpenters resisting the four horns; the horns scattered +Judah, so that no man did lift up his head; but the carpenters came to +fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their +horn over the land of Judah. These horns had the supreme power over +Judah for a time, while they were in no capacity to resist them; but as +soon as the Lord furnishes them with capacity and instruments impowered +to resist them, they do it effectually. The carpenters are certainly the +Lord's people themselves; for here they are opposite to the Gentiles, +which all were except the Lord's people. Hence, if the Lord promises, +when reconciled to his people, to furnish them with instruments to fray +and scatter the power of tyrants, who have long borne down their head; +then when they are so furnished, they may resist them: but the Lord here +promises that, &c. This is more plainly promised also, Zech. x. 5. &c. +"Then they shall be as mighty men which shall tread down their +enemies,--And the pride of Assyria shall be brought down"--Hence, if the +Lord, when he shall have mercy on his people, will bless their +resistance so, as to bring down the pride and sceptre of them that had +the power over them; then, in hope of such a blessing, they may attempt +such a duty, when the call is clear. + +Fourthly, We have also precepts, from whence we may consequentially +conclude the approven duty of defensive arms against oppressing rulers. + +1. The children of Israel are commanded to vex the Midianites, and smite +them, for saith the Lord, they vex you with their wiles, Numb. xxv. 17, +18. And to avenge themselves, Numb. xxx. 2. Which did not only oblige +the people, when they had Moses for their magistrate to lead them forth; +but in the days of Gideon, when they were under their rule whom they +were to avenge themselves upon. Hence, if people must vex their enemies, +and avenge themselves of them, by war offensive, when ensnared by their +craftiness; much more may they resist them by a war defensive, when +invaded by their cruelty. + +2. There is a command to punish every city or party making apostacy unto +idolatry, Deut. xiii. 12, 15. Upon this moral ground was Israel's war +against Benjamin, Judg. xx. And their bringing Amaziah unto condign +punishment; which is vindicated by Mr. Knox, See above Per. 3. pag. 52, +53. Hence, if people are to bring to condign punishment idolatrous +apostates seeking to entice them; then much more ought they to resist +such tyrants seeking to enforce them to such apostacy. + +3. There is a precept, not only to defend, but also to rescue and +deliver our brethren when in hazard, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. We must not +forbear to deliver them, when drawn to death: which will at least infer +the duty of assisting them when forced to defend themselves; for, if it +be a duty to rescue them from any prevailing power that would take their +lives unjustly, much more is it duty to defend them and ourselves both +against their murdering violence; but it is duty to rescue them, &c. + +4. All that would learn to do well, are commanded, Isa. i. 17. to +relieve the oppressed; which is not spoken to magistrates only, many of +whom were the oppressors, the princes were rebellious, and companions of +thieves, ver. 23, So also, Isa. lviii. 6. It is required of a people +that would be accepted of God in their humiliations; to let the +oppressed go free, and to break every yoke. Hence, if it be duty to +relieve the oppressed by breaking the yoke of them that oppress them; +then it is duty to defend them and ourselves, both against them that +would oppress us more; but the former is here commanded: Therefore, &c. + +5. There is a command for a spoiled oppressed people, when the Lord is +reconciled to them, and sympathizes with them, to deliver themselves +from their rulers servitude, Zech. ii. 7. 'Deliver thyself O Zion, which +dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.' Which comprehends all the +ordinary active means of people's delivering themselves, from oppressing +powers that rule over them: and consequently defensive resistance; for +it cannot only be restricted to flight included (ver. 6.) the promise +annexed (ver. 9.) imports more, when they that spoiled them shall be a +spoil to their servants: whereby it insinuated, they were so to deliver +themselves, as not only to free themselves from their servitude, but to +bring their masters under subjection. Hence, if the Lord's people, being +subject to tyrants ruling over them for the time, may deliver themselves +from their oppressing masters, then may they resist them, and defend +themselves: The antecedent is express here in the command. + +6. There is a command given by Christ to his disciples, to provide +themselves with defensive weapons, necessary for their defence against +them that would pursue after their lives; as well as with other things +necessary for their sustenance, Luke xxii. 36.--'Now he that hath a +purse let him take it, and likewise his scrip, and he that hath no +sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.' Before, when he had sent +them out upon an extraordinary commission, as it were to serve their +apprenticeship in the work of the gospel, he did not allow them such +solicitous care to provide themselves, because he would give them a +proof of his sufficiency to sustain and protect them, without the +ordinary means of their own diligence. But now when he was about to +withdraw his bodily presence from them, and would warn them of the +discouragements they were to expect in the prosecutions of their more +continued work, which they had a commission for not to be retracted, he +would not have them to expect provision and protection by a course of +miracles, but to provide themselves with means for their sustenance, and +also for their defence against the violence of men: which chiefly was to +be expected from their rulers, who would persecute them under the notion +of transgressors of the laws of their kingdoms and countries. He was not +indeed to make much use of them, at that time, for himself; who was then +to finish the work of redemption by suffering: only, that what was +written might be accomplished in him, he would make so much use of them, +as voluntarily to be involved under the censure and reproach of +rebellion, being taken among men in arms, that he might be reckoned +among transgressors, ver. 37. Therefore, when they told him, they had +two swords, he said, 'It is enough,' ver. 38. I need not stand upon that +impertinency of a conceit, that these were spiritual swords; which +deserve no confutation, being fitter to be put among quakers delirious +distractions, than to be numbered among the notions of men of +understanding: for then the purse and the scrip must be spiritual too; +and these spiritual things must be bought by selling of garments; and +yet they would be such spiritual tools, as would a sharp edge for +cutting off of carnal ears, and such as would be both visible and +sensible; and two of them would be enough. They were then ordinary +material swords, which the Lord commands his followers to provide +themselves with for their defence as men, in cases of necessity, and, +when they should be in a capacity to improve them against their +murdering persecutors, against whom he gives his royal grant of +resistance; that the world may know his subjects, though they have more +privileges spiritual, yet they have no less human privileges than other +men: albeit, at that period of his determined suffering, he would not +allow the present use of them. Hence, if the Lord's people should +provide themselves with arms of defence, though they should be reputed +transgressors for so doing; then may they use these arms of defence +against them that persecute them under that notion; but the antecedent +is clear: Therefore, &c. + +Fifthly, We may infer the same truth from some of the prayers of the +saints, wherein they glory in the confident expectation of the Lord's +strengthening them, and favouring and approving their helpers, and in +the experience of the Lord assisting them, while in the mean time +constitute in a formed appearance of resistance. I shall only hint +these, + +1. In that prayer, Psal. xliv. 5. They glory, in hope, that through the +Lord they will push down their enemies, &c. yet now they were under the +power of tyrannizing dominators which they were resisting: for, ver. 9. +they complain they were put to shame, because the Lord went not forth +with their armies, and they which hated them spoiled them,--And for his +sake were killed all day long: hence, they plead, That the Lord would +awake,--and not forget their affliction and oppression. Whereby it is +evident they were under the yoke of tyrannizing powers, and resisting +according to their might. Which, by whomsoever, or upon what occasion +soever the Psalm was compiled, shews, that no want of success in +resisting tyrants, can mar the saints faith in pleading for the Lord's +assistance and approbation of the duty. Hence, they that, in faith, may +pray for, and boast of their treading down their tyrannizing powers that +rise up against them, may also, in faith, attempt the resisting of them +in their own defence; but here the Lord's people did the former. + +2. We find David under Saul's persecution, while he had a party of 600 +men to defend himself against his rage, in the psalms which he composed +upon that occasion, not only complaining of oppressors, but encouraging +himself in the faith that God would be with them that assisted him, in +his essay of defending himself, and imprecating destruction to Saul and +his accomplices; that the Lord would cut them off in his truth, and let +him see his desire upon them, Psal. liv. 4, 5. last verse. And Psal. +lvii. 4. And Psal. lvii. throughout. And Psal. cxl. 7, 9. He imprecates +against the head of them that compassed him about, and consequently +against Saul. Whence I argue, 1. If the Lord's people, conflicting with, +and encompassed with oppressing rulers as so many lions and dogs, may +pray and praise for the help of those that assist them, in their +endeavours of self preservation from them; then may they make use of +their help for their defence, for which they pray and praise; but here +we see the Lord's people did the former: Therefore they may do the +latter. 2. If we may pray against kings, and for preservation from them; +then may we defend ourselves against them, and endeavour the means of +that preservation for which we pray. The connexion is before cleared; +yet here I add: That which will give a dispensation from our duty of +praying for them, will also dispense from the duty of being passively +subject to their will; and consequently will allow defending ourselves +from their violence; but here we see tyranny and treachery, and designed +mischief will give a dispensation from our duty of praying for them, +though that be duty as indispensible as subjection. Again, if any thing +demur us from resisting of princes, it must be respect to their majesty, +and the character of the Lord's anointing upon them; but we see, no +respect to that will demur a believer from praying in faith against +them: therefore no such respect will hinder, but that he may defend +himself against his violence. And indeed, if we consider it right, if +the impression of any majesty God hath put upon princes, should bind up +our hands from any resistance, it will restrain from prayer resistance: +for, if that impression have any force at any time, it must be when a +man is most solemnly stated before God, and speaking to God as a +Christian, rather than when he is acting as a man with a man like +himself: and as prayer resistance is the more formidable and forcible +resistance than any other (as this Saul and many other kings, have found +by their woful experience) so it is more restricted than other +resistance; for we may defend ourselves against many whom we must not +pray against, to wit, our private enemies, for whom we are commanded to +pray: yet nobody will deny but we may resist their violence: and +likewise, we are commanded to pray for kings, when invested with God's +authority; but when their degeneration looses us from that obligation to +pray for them, and allows us to pray against them when they turn enemies +to God (as we see in the prayers of the psalmist) then also we may more +warrantably resist them by defensive arms. + +3. Among the hallelujahs, in the end of psalms, there is one calculated +for the prevailing time of the church, when the Lord shall take pleasure +in his people. In that time of the saints being joyful in glory, when +they may glory in the rest and security the Lord will vouchsafe upon +them, they are prophetically and very pathetically excited to praise +prayer-ways, Psal. cxlix. 6. to the end. "Let the high praises of God be +in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand,--to bind their +kings with chains,--to execute upon them the judgment written; this +honour have all the saints, hallelujah," This was their praise and +honour, when they were brought in to execute vengeance upon the kings +and nobles of Canaan. This also, in David's time, was the ambition, and +also the attainment of the saints, in their triumphant victories over +many of their oppressors round about them. But it looks to a further and +more famous execution of vengeance upon the tyrants of the earth, when +they shall have long kept under the church of God, and at length the +Lord shall give his people a capacity to break their yoke: which, +whenever it shall be, shall be their honour. Hence, if it is the honour +of the saints, when the Lord puts them in capacity, to execute +vengeance upon their enemies, though they be kings that oppress them; +then it may be their ambition to seek it, at least they may resist them. +Thus from several scripture practices, reproofs, promises, precepts, and +prayers, this truth may be proven. From which scriptures, though other +precious truths are more natively deduced, yet this truth by unstrained +and unconstrained consequence may be also clearly inferred. + + +HEAD VI. + +_The Sufferings of some, upon the account of extraordinary executing of +Judgment upon notorious Incendiaries, and murdering public Enemies by +private Persons in the circumstances wherein they were stated +vindicated._ + +Surely (saith Solomon) oppression maketh a wise man mad, as on the other +hand, a gift destroyeth the heart. Which, whensoever there is a +concurrence and verification of both together, makes it very incident, +and noways to be admired, that either some actions of the oppressed be +censurable; or, that there be found many to censure them, either out of +ignorance or prejudice, at a far off glance, which a nearer or narrower +inspection of circumstances, through a prospect of charity, would not so +readily condemn. When the oppression of tyrants comes to such a height +and pinch of extremity, that it not only threatens a community with +desolation, but induces a necessity of unavoidable dissolution, and +reduces a people to such a paroxism of desperation and consternation (in +respect of human deliberation bringing them to their wits end) that +either they must succumb as slaves, and mancipate consciences, persons, +liberties, properties, and all they are or have, to the lust of raging +tyrants, and their revenging emissaries,; or surrender themselves, and +their posterity, and, which is dearer, the interest of religion, to be +destroyed: then it is no wonder, that they be sometimes necessitated in +such an extremity, to apply extreme remedies to extremity of evils, and +forced to fall upon such expedients to prevent their utter +extermination, as at other times common order, and ordinary justice +would make extravagant. Yea it is no marvel, though they fall into +several real extravagancies, which are not to be justified nor +extenuated; but rather it is to be acknowledged, as a miracle of the +Lord's mercy, that in such a case they are restrained from more +scandalous excesses of that nature. Yet even then, such as live at ease, +free of oppression who are blinded with prejudice at the oppressed, and +bribed with the indulgence and lenity of the oppressors towards +themselves, will look upon these actions as transports of madness, and +effects of extravagant zeal, while they weigh them only in the scales of +ordinary justice, and do not ponderate them in the ballance of +necessitated virtue; nor perpend the circumstances which made those +extraordinary acts of judgment, which materially are lawful at all times +to be executed by some, to be then necessary acts of justice to be +inflicted by them in such a case. But if either the oppressors +themselves, or such who are blinded and bribed with their gifts, and +killed with their kindness, not only into an omission of concurring, but +into a condemning of such extraordinary attempts of taking off those +destroyers; or, if onlookers at a distance, would seriously consider, +and ingeniously declare their opinion, in a particular application of +the case to themselves, what they would do in such circumstances: I +doubt not, but as charity should oblige them to be sparing of their +censure, in a case whereof they have no experience; so justice, in +resolving this point for themselves, would constrain them to justify +such extraordinary necessitated practices for self-preservation, in +preventing punishing, by destroying their destroyers, and move them +rather to admire their patience, who have suffered so much and so long +those beasts of prey to devour them, than to censure their +precipitancies, in being constrained to endeavour to deliver themselves +at last from, and put an end to their cruelty who did most annoy them. +'Yea, (as Naphtali says very well) it were impossible that rational men, +after the feeling of so sore grievances, and the teaching of so many and +sad experiences, should still couch under the burden, and submit +themselves to the yoke of such vile apostate upstarts and bloody +villains, and not rather acquit themselves like men, by pulling off +these vizards, under which they mask their villanies and clack their +violence; and plucking them out of that sanctuary of loyalty, and refuge +of authority, which they do not more pretend than profane by all their +horrid rebellions against God, and cruel murders executed upon the +Lord's people, to the effect that in the righteous and deserved +punishment of these wicked men, both the sin of the land might be +sisted, and the fierce anger of the Lord averted,' Naph. first edit. +pag. 134. Nevertheless such lawful, and, (as one would think) laudable +attempts, for cutting off such monsters of nature, beasts of prey, +burdens to the earth, as well as enemies to the commonwealth, are not +only condemned as murders and horrid assassinations, but criminally and +capitally punished as such. And upon this account, the sufferings of +such, as have left a conviction upon the consciences of all that knew +them, of their honesty, integrity, soundness in the principles, and +seriousness of the practice of religion, have been several singular, and +signally severe, and owned of the Lord, to the admiration of all +spectators; some being cruelly tortured and executed to the death, for +essaying such execution of judgment, as Mr. Mitchel; others for +accumplishing it, as Mr. Hackston of Rathillet, and others, who avowed +their accession to the cutting off that arch traitor Sharp, prelate of +St. Andrews; and others, for not condemning that and the like acts of +justice, though they were as innocent of the facts as the child unborn. + +The foregoing historical representation of the matters of fact, doth +clear the circumstances of the actions: which if ever any of that nature +performed by private men without public authority, could be justified, +will at least demur the condemning of them. For, the men, or rather +monsters, thus removed, had not only been perjured apostates from, and +conjured enemies against God, in a conspiracy with the devil, to destroy +the reformation, and the remnant that professed it, affronted +blasphemers, perfidious betrayers of the country, and enemies to the +commonwealth, malignant incendiaries, and habitual murderers of many of +the Lord's people, who, for many notorious crimes, had forfeited their +lives to justice; but were insolently prosecuting their murdering +designs, informing the council, and instigating them against innocent +people to destroy them utterly, procuring from them bloody orders to +spare none, but cut off all who might fall into their hands, and +vigorously and vigilantly with all violence pursuing their murdering +mandates, both in their own persons, and by villains, whom they hounded +out as intelligencers to get, and to give notice where any of those +people might be detected, whom they avowed, and avowed a design to +destroy, when in the heat and height of their rage they were cut off. +The actors were noways subject to them, nor any other way related, than +declared and independent enemies are to one another, having renounced +all relation to them and their masters, as magistrates and their +superiors; and were in no terms of peace with them, but maintaining an +hostile opposition and carrying, without cessation, arms to resist them; +and when they got that advantage over them, that these enemies were +seeking against them, they declared solemnly to them, and died, +declaring it to the world, that they were not moved out of private +revenge for personal injuries they had done against themselves; but +being touched with the zeal of God, love to their country, respect to +justice trampled upon by tyrants, and for saving themselves, rescuing +their brethren, and preventing their murdering them, because there were +none that would or could execute justice upon them legally: therefore +they were forced to put forth their hands against them as enemies, with +whose preservation their own could not consist. Their circumstances were +such, that they were redacted to the greatest of extremities, precluding +all other human possibility of preserving themselves and their brethren +from the destruction intended, and declaredly resolved, and restlessly +sought and prosecuted, by these murderers, being persecuted to the death +by them, daily chased, hunted, way-laid, turned out of their own +habitations, intercommuned, discharged and denied all harbour in any +house, under the hazard of the same pains that themselves were liable +to, which was death by the present law and so forced to hide in caves +and dens; out of which they durst not come forth, if it were but to seek +bread for themselves, without iminent danger of their lives; the country +raising the hue and cry after them, whensover they were seen, whereby +many were killed as soon as they were apprehended: hence they could +neither escape in the land, nor by flight out of the land, passages by +sea and land being stopt, and none suffered to go any where, without +strict examination what they were, which was impossible for them to +elude: and many other specialties of misery and danger were ingredients +in their circumstances, that no words can represent to them that are +altogether strangers to them. Wherefore, in such a strait and pinch of +perplexity, when they could not other wise escape the fury of these +firebrands, nor demur and deter the rest of them from an uncontrouled +pursuit after the lives of innocents, nor otherwise avert the wrath of +God against the land for the impunity of such vermine; and seeing there +was no access to address themselves to magistrates, who by office are +obliged to bring such villains to condign punishment; and none were +found in public authority, but such as patronized and authorized them; +whom in conscience they could not acknowledge, and in prudence durst not +make application to them for fear of their lives; what could they do? +what was left them to deliberate, but to fall upon this extraordinary +course, wherein if they have stumbled into some extravagancies, as to +the manner, who can think it strange, considering the case? But as that +is not the debate; so as for such acts of vengeance as are peccant in +the matter, and were not circumstantiate, as above rehearsed, being +disowned in their public declarations, and the actors excluded from +their communion, for whom I plead; it were iniquous to impute the +scandal of them to that suffering people. It is only the so +circumstantiate, necessitated, extraordinary execution of judgment, upon +notoriously gross and grassant incendiaries, tyrants, and terrible +murdering enemies, where there is no living for them, that I vindicate. +And though the handling of this tender and quick-scented subject may +seem odious to some, and my discourse upon it is pregnant with an +oblique design to obviate such unmerited surmises, I must say, it is +only the wiping off of such reproaches as reflect on religion; the +vindication of preterite extraordinary practices of this nature; the +investigation of present duty with respect to future emergencies; and +the restraining all extravagancies incident on this Head, that I intend. +However this may be exploded by this generation, as odious and uncouth +doctrine; yet, in former periods of this church, it hath been maintained +with courage, and asserted with confidence. How the ancient Scots, even +after they received the Christian faith, served their tyrants and +oppressors, how in the beginning of the reformation, the killing of the +cardinal, and of David Rizio, were and are generally to this day +justified, and what was the judgment and pleading of our reformers for +practicing this principle against idolaters, &c. needs not be here +repeated? Mr. Knox's judgment in particular is before declared, and will +be further discovered, if we consider how he resented his slackness, in +putting people to execute judgment in these words, insert in second part +of the cloud of witnesses, p. 60. 'For God (said he) had not only given +me knowledge, and a tongue to make known the impiety of the idol, but +had given me credit with many, who would have put in execution God's +judgments, if I would only have consented thereto: but so careful was I +of the common tranquility, and loath was I to offend some, that in +secret conference with zealous men, I travelled rather to slacken that +fervency God had kindled in them, than to animate and encourage them to +put their hands to God's work; wherein I acknowledge myself to have done +most wickedly, and from the bottom of my heart I do ask God pardon, that +I did not what in me lay to have suppressed that idol from the +beginning.' But the preceeding historical representation doth abundantly +demonstrate this is no novelty, to assert, that when the ruin of the +country, suppression of religion, destruction of the remnant professing +and suffering for it, and the wrath of God is threatened in, and for the +impunity of idolaters and murderers, that by the law of God and man +should die the death; and supposing always such as are in public office +not only decline their duty, but encourage those destroyers, yea +authorize them themselves, we may not only maintain defensive resistance +according to our capacity, but endeavour also vindictive and, punitive +force in executing judgment upon them in cases of necessity, as before +circumstantiate. And I am the more confident to assert it, that what I +say cannot be condemned, till first what our reformers have proven be +confuted. However, to endeavour to make it somewhat clear, I shall +premit some assertions, to clear the state of the question; and then +give some reasons for it, when clearly stated. + +First. It will be needful for clearing our way, to shew what length we +may warrantably go in this matter of executing judgment, in our private +capacity, in extraordinary cases of necessity, by setting down some +propositions negative and positive, signifying what we disown, and what +we own in this point. + +I. What we disown, may appear in these assertions, + +1. No necessity nor circumstance supposible whatsoever, can justify the +murder of the righteous or innocent, or vindicate the unlawful taking +away of their lives directly, or indirectly, immediately, or mediately, +which in thought as well as deed we must abhor, as a horrid breach of +the sixth command. The guilt whereof may be incurred several ways; as by +killing them immediately, as Cain did his brother Abel; or commanded +them to be killed, as Saul commanded Doeg to kill the Lord's priests; or +contriving their murder, as David did Uriah's, and Jezabel Naboth's; or +counselling thereunto, as the people advised the princes to the murder +of Jeremiah, and all that cried crucify Jesus were murderers of Christ; +or by procuring it, as Haman was guilty of the intended murder of the +Jews; or concurring therein, as Joab was guilty of Uriah's death as well +as David, and Judas of Christ's by betraying him; or by the patrociny +thereof, defending and sparing the murderers when called, by office, to +punish them, as David was guilty in not punishing Joab, Ahab in +patronizing the murder of Naboth; or by consenting thereunto, as Saul +consented to the death of Stephen; or by knowing and permitting, and +conniving at it, as is condemned, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. Whether this be +done under colour of law, as Pilate murdered our Lord, Herod killed +James; or without all colour, by absolute power, Herod the Ascalonite +murdered the infants; or whether it be done by purpose, as Joab murdered +Abner and Amasa; or without previous purpose yet with knowledge of the +action in the perpetrating of it, as men may do in passion, when +provoked beside their purpose, or in a tumult, without intending it +beforehand; yet that is murder; Barrabas committed murder in the +insurrection. For, as for casual killing, contrary to intention, without +knowledge, that's no breach of the command. And, whatever may be said of +necessitated delivering up the innocent, pursued by a potent enemy, to +deliver the city from his fury; or of preferring our own life to our +innocent neighbour, in a case when both cannot be preserved, and by +preserving the one lawfully, the other happens to lose his life; I do +not meddle with these cases. But since this is taken for granted by +casuists, I infer, If it be lawful that an innocent man die in case of +necessity, that others may be preserved; then much more is it lawful, +that the nocent, who are guilty of murdering the righteous all these +ways above specified, and actually prosecuting their murdering designs +by these methods, should rather be made to die, than the righteous be +destroyed. But of this sort of murder, taking away the life of the +righteous, none hath the impudence to accuse that reproached people. + +2. though a man kill an innocent unwittingly and willingly, besides his +knowledge and against his will; yet he may be guilty of sinful homicide, +if he was obliged to know that he was in hazard of it, and neglected to +consider, lest a man might be killed by what he was doing: as if a man +should shoot at random, when he doth not know but some may be killed +thereby: or if one were hewing with an ax, which he either knew or might +have known to be loose, and the head not well fastened to the helve, did +not advertise those about him of it; if by flying off it happened to +kill any person, he were not innocent, but if he knew not without any +inadvertency, then he were guiltless, Deut. xix. 5. See Durham on 6. +Com. So if a man built a house without battlements, he should bring +blood upon his house, if any man fell from thence, Deut. xxii. 8. But of +this the question is not. + +3. Though a person be not altogether innocent, nor to be reckoned among +the righteous; but suppose him wicked and profane, and engaged in an +evil course, dishonourable to God, prejudicial to the church and +kingdom, and very injurious to us; yet it may be murder to kill him, if +he be not guilty of crimes that deserve death by the law of God: for the +life of man is not subjected to the arbitrement of any, but his who is +the author of life and death; it is necessary to all to obey the law, +Thou shalt not kill, without exception, but such killing as is approven +by the author of the law, as saith Ames. De Conscientia, cap. 31. quest. +2. Hence, this people so much reproached with extravagant actions, do +abundantly clear themselves of that imputation of being of the mind to +kill all that differ from them, which was the impudent forgery of the +father of lies, in their informatory vindication, Head 3. 'We positively +disown (say they) as horrid murder, the killing of any because of a +different persuasion or opinion from us, albeit some have invidiously +cast this odious calumny upon us.' And it is as clear, they that took +the oath of abjuration swore a lie, when they abjured the apologetical +declaration, in so far as it is asserted it was lawful to kill all +employed in the king's service, when it asserted no such thing, as is +shewed above Head 3. To think so much, let be to declare it, far more to +practise such a thing against all that served the king, or any merely, +because they served him, or because they are in a wicked course, or +because they have oppressed us, were abominable: for these things simply +do not make men guilty of death, to be punished capitally by men +according to the law of God. But when they are stated in such opposition +to us, and serve the tyrant's murdering mandates by all those ways +above specified; then we may by the law of God and nature and nations, +destroy, slay, and cause to perish, and avenge ourselves on them that +would assault us, and are seeking our destruction: as it was lawful for +the Jews to do with Haman's emissaries, Esth. viii. 11. 13. and ix. 1, +2. 5. This charge then cannot reach the case. + +4. Though murderers, and such as are guilty of death by the law of God, +must be punished by death; for, "he that sheddeth man's blood," &c. yet +it may be murder for a man to kill another, because he thought him so +criminal, and because he thought it his duty, being moved by a pretended +enthusiastical impulse, in imitation of the extraordinary actions of +such as were really moved by the Spirit of God. As when James and John +would have commanded fire to come down to consume the Samaritans, the +Lord rebuked them, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of, +for the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save +them," Luke ix. 54,--56. Such impulses had need to be well examined, for +ordinarily they will be found not consistent with a gospel spirit, which +is always averse from acts of cruelty. Blind zeal sometimes may incite +men to fearful work: yea the persecutors have often most of that spirit, +as our Lord foretels, "The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall +think that he doth God service," John xvi. 2. Paul, in his pharisaical +zeal, breathed out slaughter against the disciples. And Satan can drive +men under several colours, to act such things, as he did the Boors in +Germany, and John of Leyden and his followers, whose practices are +deservedly detested by all that have any spark of Christianity or +humanity: for if this were espoused as a principle, there would be no +security for men's lives. But hence it cannot be concluded, that God may +not animate some to some rare enterprizes, for the cutting off of +tyrants and their bloody emissaries, incendiaries, destroyers of +innocent people, and putting an end to, and stopping the career of +their murders, in a time of real extreme necessity, the matter of the +action being unquestionably lawful, their ends and intentions really +good and commendable, there being also a deficiency of others to do the +work, and themselves in some probable capacity for it. See Jus Popul. +cap. 20. pag. 410. Neither can it be denied, but true zeal may sometimes +incite people to such exploits for the preservation of religion and +liberty, their own lives and brethren, all like to be destroyed by the +impunity of beasts of prey. This will be found very consistent with a +gospel spirit: and though this principle be asserted, and also put in +practice; all persons, notwithstanding thereof would have sufficient +security for their lives, except such as have really forfeited their +lives by all law of God and man. Those that are led by impulses, may +pretend the imitation of extraordinary examples, and abuse them; yet +hence it will not follow, that in no case these extraordinary examples +may be imitated. Shall the examples of good magistrates, executing +justice on idolaters and murderers, be altogether unimitable, because +tyrants abuse them; in persecuting the innocent? If this arguing were +good, it would make all virtuous actions in the world unimitable; for +these may be abused by pretenders. See Jus Popul. ubi supra, pag. 412. +But it cannot be charged upon the sufferers upon this head, that they +had nothing to give as the reasons of their actions, but pretexts of +enthusiasms. + +5. Though a man be really so criminal, as that he deserves death by the +law of God and man; yet it may be murder to kill him, if we do not +certainly know it, and can prove it, and convict him of it upon trial: +for no man must be killed not indicted, or the cause unknown. Thus even +magistrates may murder murderers, when they proceed against them without +probation or cognition according to law, far more private persons. Thus +the Abiezrites would have murdered Gideon, not only unjustly, for his +duty of throwing down the altar of Baal, but illegally; because they +would have had him brought out that he might die without any further +trial, Judg. vi. 29, 30. So likewise the Jews that banded and bound +themselves under a curse to kill Paul before he was tried, would have +murdered him, not only unjustly for his duty, but illegally before he +was tried, Acts xxiii. 12. But this doth not condemn the actions of +those sufferers, in maintaining the necessary execution of judgment, +upon persons who are notorious murderers, yea, professing a trade and +prosecuting habitually a tract of continued murdering the people of the +Lord. + +6. Though it should be certainly known, and sufficiently proven that a +man is a murderer, &c. yet it were murder for an inferior, under a +relation of subjection to him, to kill him, as long as that subjection +were acknowledged; for, whensoever the common and mutual right or +relation, either natural, moral, civil, or religious, to the prejudice +or scandal of the church, or state, or particular persons, is broken by +killing any person, that is murder, though the person killed deserve to +die. As if a subject should kill an acknowledged king, a son by nature +or in law should kill his natural or legal father, a servant should kill +his master, breaking these relations, while their right and tie were +acknowledged, (as some of them must still be acknowledged as long as the +correlates continue in being, to wit, that of a father is not broken by +his becoming a murderer) and to the danger, detriment, and scandal of +the church and state; that were properly assassination: for assassins +are they, who being subject to others, either out of their own head, for +their own ends, or by command of their superiors, kill their superiors, +or such as they command them to kill, as Alstedius describes them, +Theol. Caf. cap. 18. de homicid. reg. 55. Therefore David would not kill +Saul, because he acknowledged him to be the Lord's anointed, to whom he +was under a relation of subjection, and because he was his master and +father in law, and because it would have tended to the hurt of the +kingdom, and involved it in combustions and contentions about the +succession, and prejudged his own right, as well as to the scandal of +the people of God, though Saul deserved otherwise to be capitally +punished. So Ishbosheth was killed by Baanah and Rechab, 2 Sam. iv. 7. +so Jozachar and Jehozabad, who killed Joash, 2 Kings xii. 21. were +punished as murderers, chap. xiv. 6. because they were his servants, and +did assassinate him to whom they were subject: so the servants of Amon +were punished by the people, as conspirators against their king and +master, 2 Kings xxi. 23, 24. though Amon deserved to have been punished +as well as Amaziah was. Hence generally it is observed by some; that +though right be given to equals or superiors, to bring their nearest +relations to condign punishment, when they turn enticers to idolatry, +Deut. xiii. 6. Yet no right or law, upon any cause or occasion +whatsoever, is given to inferiors, as children, &c. to punish their +fathers. See Pool. Synop. Critic. in locum. However it be, this cannot +condemn the taking off of notorious murderers, by the hand of such as +were no way subject nor related to them; but as enemies, who, in extreme +necessity, executed righteous judgment upon them, without prejudice of +the true, necessary, and chief good of the church and commonwealth, or +of any particular person's just right and security, as Naphtali +qualifies it, pag. 12, 23. first edition. + +7. Though the matter of the action were just, and the murderer such a +person as we might punish without any breach of relative obligations, or +duties; yet the manner may aggravate it to some degree of murder; if it +be done secretly, when it may be execute publicly, or suddenly and +precipitantly, when it may be done deliberately, without rushing upon +such an action, or hurrying the murderer to eternity; as this also might +have had some weight with David not to murder Saul secretly and +suddenly in the cave, or when he was sleeping; so Ishbosheth, and Joash, +and Amon were murdered; or if it be done subtilly, when it may be +performed in more plain and fair dealing; or treacherously, under colour +of friendship; or cruelly without regard to humanity; and especially +when the actors are at peace with the person, whose blood they shed, as +Joab shed the blood of war in peace, 1 Kings ii. 5. in killing Abner and +Amasa so craftily and cruelly; and Absalom made his servants assassinate +Amnon, 2 Sam. xiii. 28, 29. But this cannot be changed upon them who +executed righteous judgment, as publicly, deliberately, and calmly, as +the extraordinary exigence of pressing necessity, in extremity of +danger, could allow, upon notorious murderers, with whom they were in +open and avowed terms of hostility. + +8. Though the manner also be inculpable; yet if the principle and motive +of killing, even those that deserve to die, be out of malice, hatred, +rage, or revenge, for private or personal injuries, it is murder. For +the affection and intention doth make one and the same action of taking +away the life, homicide or no homicide: Lex Rex faith, Quest. 31. Pag. +338. If a man out of hatred deliberately take away another man's life, +he is in so far a murderer, but if that same man had taken away the +other's life, by the flying off of his ax head, he neither hating him +before, nor intending to hurt him, he is no murderer by God's express +law, allowing cities of refuge for the one, and not for the other, Deut. +iv. 42. Deut. xix. 4, &c. private revenge is indignity to God, whose it +is to take vengeance, Deut. xxxii. 35. Rom. xii. 19. "Dearly beloved +avenge not yourselves, for vengeance is the Lord's." For which cause +Jacob curses Simeon and Levi their murder of the Shechemites: for in +their anger they slew a man, Gen. xlix. 6, 7. So David would not put +forth his hand against Saul, for his own private and personal quarrel. +So Joab killed Abner, and Absalom Amnon. But this doth not make the +execution of judgment, out of zeal for God, respect to righteousness, +love to the nations interest, and care to preserve the persecuted people +of God from imminent destruction, upon public enemies, incendiaries, +that are trampling upon all these precious interests, and threatening +the utter ruin of them, and in a particular manner their destruction who +thus prevent them. + +9. Though the motive or cause were upon a public account, yet it may be +murder to have a wrong end in it; as either to intend simply the +destruction of the person on whom they execute judgment, as the end to +which all their action is directed, or to make their own advantage or +honour the end of the action. Thus David would not kill Saul, because it +might have been thought he did it to obtain the kingdom, of which he was +rightful successor: and deservedly he punished the Amalekite, that +brought news of his killing Saul; and Baanah and Rechab, for their +killing Ishbosheth, thinking thereby to advance themselves at David's +court. So also Joab murdered Amasa to secure himself in the general's +place. And Jehu, though upon the matter he executed righteous judgment, +his end was only himself, it is condemned as murder. But when the +execution of righteous judgment is both formally intended by the actors, +and natively and really doth conduce to the glory of God, the +preservation of the remnant threatened to be destroyed by these +murderers, the suppressing of impiety, doing of justice, turning away +wrath and removing of present, and preventing of future judgments, then +it may be duty, Napthtali, pag. 23. first edition. + +10. Though the end also were not culpable; yet it may be murder to kill +criminals by transgressing the sphere of our vocation, and usurping upon +the magistrate's sword: for he, by office, is a revenger, to execute +wrath upon him that doth evil, Rom. xiii. 4. none must make use of the +sword of vindictive justice, but he to whom the Lord giveth it; +therefore they that came to take Christ are condemned and threatened for +this, Matth. xxvi. 52. "All they that take the sword, shall perish with +the sword." The God of order hath assigned to every man his station and +calling, within the bounds whereof he should keep, without transgressing +by defect or excess, let every man abide in the same calling wherein he +was called, 1 Cor. vii. 20. and study to be quiet, and do his own +business, 1 Thess. iv. 11. Therefore David would not kill Saul, because +he would have done it beside his calling. And therefore the killing of +Joash and Amon was murder, because the assassins did transgress their +vocation. But when notorious incendiaries do not only transgress their +vocation, but the limits of human society, and turn open enemies to God +and man, destroying the innocent, making havoc of the Lord's heritage, +and vaunting of their villanies, and boasting of their wickedness, and +thereby bringing wrath upon the land if such effrontries of insolence +should pass unpunished, and when there is no magistrate to do that work +of justice, but all in that place are art and part with them, patrons +and defenders of them; yea, no magistrate that can be acknowledged as a +minister of God to be applied unto; in that case, it is not a +transgression of our vocation, nor an usurpation upon the magistrates, +where there is none, to endeavour to avert wrath, by executing righteous +judgment. Otherwise, if for fear, or suspicion of the accidental hazard +of private men's usurping the office, or doing of the duty of public +persons, every virtuous action which may be abused, shall be utterly +neglected, impiety shall quickly gain universal empire, to the +extermination or all goodness, Naphtali, pag. 24. first edition. To +clear this, it must be considered, that a man's calling is twofold; his +particular calling, whereunto in the ordinary course of things he is +regularly confined: and his general calling, not circumscribed by +particular rules, which from the common obligation of the end for which +all callings are institute, in the clear exigence of an extraordinary +emergent, according to the general rules of righteousness, bind to an +agreeable practice; therefore circumstances may sometimes so diversify +actions, that what in the ordinary and undisturbed state of things would +be accounted an excess of our particular calling, and an usurpation, in +an extraordinary occurrence may become a necessary duty of our general +calling. + +11. Though it were no usurpation beyond our calling; yet it may be +murder, to kill any without the call of God in a case of necessity, +either in the immediate defence of life, or though it be in the remote +when the hazard is unavoidable. Every thing must have God's call in its +season to make it duty, so also the time of killing, Eccles. iii. 3. For +want of this David would not kill Saul. Lex Rex saith excellently to +this, quest. 31. pag. 329, 330. 'David might have killed Saul when he +was sleeping, and when he cut off the lap of his garment, but it was +unlawful for him to kill the Lord's anointed, as it is unlawful for him +to kill a man because he is the image of God, Gen. ix. 6. except in case +of necessity,----David having Saul in his hand, was in a remote posture +of defence, the unjust invasion then was not actual, nor unavoidable, +nor a necessary mean in human prudence for self preservation; for king +Saul was not in an actual pursuit of the whole princes, elders, +community of Israel: Saul did but seek the life of one man David, and +that not for religion, or a national pretended offence, and therefore he +could not, in conscience, put hands on the Lord's anointed: but if Saul +had actually invaded David for his life, David might, in that case, make +use of Goliah's sword, (for he took not that weapon as a cypher to boast +Saul) and rather kill than be killed.' Thus he. By a call here, we do +not mean an express or immediate call from God, such as the prophets +might have to their extraordinary executions of judgments, as Samuel +and Elijah had to kill Agag and Baal's prophets; but either the +allowance of man, then there is no question about it; or if that cannot +be had, as in the case circumstantiate it cannot, then the providential +and moral call of extreme necessity, for preservation of our lives, and +preventing the murder of our brethren, may warrant an extraordinary +executing of righteous judgment upon the murderers. Men may have a call +to a necessary duty, neither every way mediate nor immediate, as the +call of running together to quench a fire in a city, when magistrates +through wickedness or negligence, will not, or do not, call people forth +unto that work; they have not man's call, nor an immediate call from +heaven, yet they have a lawful call from God; so they do not intrude +upon the magistrates office, nor want they a call to this execution of +judgment, who did materially that work for that exigent which +magistrates, by office, were bound to do, being called thereto by God, +by nature, and the call of inevitable necessity, which knoweth no human +law, and to which some divine positive laws will cede. Jus populi. chap. +20. pag. 423. + +12. Though this be a principle of reason and natural justice, when all +the fore mentioned circumstances are clear, that it is lawful for +private persons to execute righteous judgment, upon notorious +incendiaries, and murdering public enemies, in cases of necessity; yet +it might be a sinful breach of the sixth command, to draw extraordinary +examples of it to an ordinary practice in killing all who might be found +criminal, and would deserve death by the law, as all that have served +under a banner of tyranny and violence, displayed against God and his +people, to the ruin of the reformation, wasting of the country, +oppression of many honest families, and destruction of many innocent +people, are and would be found guilty of murder; as the chief captain +would have truly alledged Paul to have been a murderer, if he had been +the Egyptian which made an uproar, and led out four thousand men that +were murderers, Acts xxi. 58. As for the vulgar and ordinary sort of +those vermine of varlets, it is of no advantage for oppressed people to +foul their fingers upon them, when their slaughter would not put a stop +to, but rather increase the destruction of the people of God; and were +unlawful to prevent and anticipate the due and legal execution of +justice, where there is any prospect or expectation of its running in +its right channel. But for the chief and principal ring leaders, and +common public and habitual incendiaries, and masters of the trade of +murdering the Lord's people, when there is no other way of being rid of +their rage, and preserving ourselves, and preventing the destruction of +our brethren, we may in that case of necessity make public examples of +them, in an extraordinary procedure against them, that may be most +answerable to the rules of the ordinary procedure of justice, and in +imitation of the heroic actions recorded and justified in the word of +God, in the like extraordinary cases; which are imitable, when the +matter of their actions is ordinary, that is, neither preternatural nor +supernatural though the occasion was singular, just and necessary, both +by divine precept, and as a mean to good and necessary ends, and when +there is no other to do the work, nor any prospect of access to justice +in its ordinary and orderly course, nor possibility of suspending it +till that can be obtained. We need not then any other call than a spirit +of holy zeal for God, and for our own and our brethrens preservation, in +that pinch of extremity. We do not hold these extraordinary actions for +regular and ordinary precedents, for all times and persons universally: +which if people should fancy, and heed more the glory and fame of the +action, than the sound and solid rule of the scriptures, they may be +tempted and carried to fearful extravagancies. But they may be warrants +for private persons in their doing of these things, in an extreme +necessity, to which at other times they are not called. And when the +Lord, with whom is the residue of the spirit, doth breathe upon his +people, more or fewer, to the exciting of more than ordinary zeal, for +the execution of justice upon such adversaries, we should rather ascribe +glory and praise to him, whose hand is not shortened, but many times +chooseth the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the mighty +and the wise, than condemn his instruments for doing such things, Naph. +pag. 24, 25. prior edit. + +All these cases, which are all I can think on at present, comprehending +all that may any way infer the guilt of murder, I have collected; to the +end I may conclude this one argument, and leave it to be considered: If +this extraordinary executing of judgment, upon notorious incendiaries +and murdering public enemies, by private persons, in the circumstances +above declared, cannot be reduced to any case that can infer the guilt +of murder; then it cannot be condemned, but justified; but this +extraordinary executing of judgment, &c. cannot be reduced to any case +that can infer the guilt of murder, (as will appear by the induction of +all of them:) therefore, this extraordinary executing of judgment, &c. +cannot be condemned, but justified. + +II. In the next place, What we own may be done warrantably, in taking +away the life of men without breach of the sixth command, will appear by +these propositions and assertions, which will bring the matter to the +present circumstantiate case. + +1. It is certain, though the command be indefinitely expressed, it doth +not prohibit all killing, but only that which is condemned in other +explicatory commands. Our Lord Jesus, repeating this command, explains +it by expressing it thus, Matth. xix. 18.--"Thou shalt not murder." And +if any be lawful, it is granted by all, that is, which is unavoidable by +the invincible necessity of providence, when a man following his duty +doth that which beside and contrary his intention, and without any +previous neglect or oversight in him, proveth the hurt and death of +another, in which case he was allowed to flee to the city of refuge by +the law of God. Whence if that physical necessity did justify that kind +of killing, shall not a moral necessity every way inivincibly +unavoidable (except we suffer ourselves and our brethren to be destroyed +by beasts of prey) vindicate this kind, in an extraordinary extremity, +when the murderers are protected under the sconce of pretended +authority? In which case the law of God would allow deliberate murderers +should be pursued by the avenger of blood, and not to have liberty to +flee to these subterfuges and pretexts of authority, (mere tyranny,) but +to be taken from the horns of such altars, and be put to death, as Mr. +Mitchel says in vindicating his own action, in a letter dated Feb. 1674. + +2. It is lawful to take the life of known and convicted murderers by +public justice; yea, it is indispensibly necessary by the law of God, +and no mercy nor pardon of the magistrate may interpose to spare them; +for, 'Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by +the mouth of witnesses. '--Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of +a murderer:--but he shall surely be put to death,' he was not to be +admitted to the benefit of any refuge: and the reason is, 'Blood defiles +the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed +therein, but by the blood of him that shed it,' Numb. xxxv. 30, 31, 32, +33. Hence, if it be so necessary to cleanse the land, then when the +magistrate is not only negligent in his duty, but turns a patron and +protector of such murderers, and employs them as his emissaries to +murder and destroy, it cannot be expected he should cleanse the land, +for then he should free it of the burden of himself, and begin with +himself: therefore then, there must be more incumbent upon private +persons, touched with the zeal of God, than at another time. And as Mr. +Knox, in his conference with queen Mary, says, 'They that in the fear +of God execute judgment, where God hath commanded, offend not God, +though kings do it not;' and adduces the examples of Samuel killing +Agag, Elias killing the prophets of Baal, and of Phineas killing Zimri +and Cozbi. + +3. It is lawful for private persons to kill their unjust assaulters, in +defending themselves against their violence, and that both in the +immediate defence of our life against an immediate assault, in the +instant of the assault, and also in a remote defence of ourselves, when +that is as necessary as the first; and there is no other way of escaping +the destruction intended by murderers, either by flight or resistance; +then it is lawful to preserve ourselves by taking advantages to cut them +off. + +4. It is lawful in a just war to kill the enemy; yea in the defensive +war of private subjects, or a part of the commonwealth, against their +oppressing tyrants, as is proven, head 5. Where several of the arguments +used to evince that truth will confirm this; as namely, those arguments +taken from the people's power in reformation, and those taken from the +hazard of partaking of others sin and judgment: for, if all the +magistrates, supreme and subordinate, turn principal patrons and +patterns of all abominations, and persecutors and destroyers of the +people for not complying with them, then the people are not only under +an obligation to resist them; but seeing otherwise they would be liable +to their sin, in suffering them thus to trample on religion, and the +interests of God as well as their own, in order to turn away the wrath +of God, it is incumbent upon them to vindicate religion, and reform the +land from these corruptions, in an endeavour to bring those malignant +enemies of God, and destroyers of the people, to condign punishment, +"that the heads of the people be hanged up before the Lord against the +sun, the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from the land," +Numb. xxv. 4. In this case, as Buchanan says of a tyrant, De jure +regni, 'A lawful war being once undertaken with such an enemy as a +tyrant is, every one out of the whole multitude of mankind may assault, +with all the calamities of war, a tyrant, who is a public enemy, with +whom all good men have a perpetual warfare.' And though the war be not +always actually prosecute in a hostile manner, yet, as long as peace is +not concluded and the war ceased, they that have the just side of the +quarrel may take advantages, in removing and taking off, (not every +single soldier of the contrary side, for that would contribute nothing +to their prevailing in the end) but the principal instruments and +promoters of the war, by whose fall the offending side would suffer +great loss, and the defending would be great gainers. So Jael killing +Sisera, Jabin's captain-general, is greatly commended. Now this was the +case of the sufferers upon this head, as Mr. Mitchel, one of them +represents it in his forecited letter, 'I being (says he) a soldier, not +having laid down my arms, but still upon my own defence, having no other +end or quarrel at any man--besides the prosecution of the ends of the +covenant, particularly the overthrow of prelates and prelacy; and I +being a declared enemy to him (that is Sharp) on that account, and he to +me in like manner, I never found myself obliged--to set a centinel at +his door for his safety; but as he was always to take his advantage, as +it appeareth, so I of him to take any opportunity offered: moreover, we +being in no terms of capitulation, but on the contrary, I, by his +instigation, being excluded from all grace and favour, thought it my +duty to pursue him at all occasions.' + +5. It is lawful to kill enemies in the rescue of our brethren, when they +are keeping them in bondage, and reserving them for a sacrifice to the +fury of tyrants, or leading them forth to the slaughter, or in the time +of acting their murdering violence upon them: then, to break prisons, +beat up garrisons, surprise the murderers, and kill them in the rescue +of our innocent brethren, is very lawful, according to that command, +Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. and the practice of Moses, who seeing one of his +brethren suffering wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was +oppressed, and slew the Egyptian, Acts vii. 24. For that is a certain +truth, which Grotius faith in locum, 'the law of nature gives a right to +an innocent, and to the defender of an innocent person, against the +guilty offender.' Hence, It cannot but be lawful also, in a case of +necessity, when both ourselves and our brethren are pursued incessantly +by destroying murderers, to avenge ourselves on them, and slay them, +when there is no other way to be rid of their violence. + +6. It is lawful to prevent the murder of ourselves or our brethren, when +no other way is left, by killing the murderers before they accomplish +their wicked design, if they be habitually prosecuting it, and have many +times accomplished it before. This followeth upon the other; and upon +this account it had been duty for Gedaliah to have suffered Johanan to +slay Ishmael, and so prevent the governor's murder, if it had been +certainly known that Ishmael was sent by the king of Ammon to +assassinate him, Jer. xl. 14, 15. for nothing is there objected against +the lawfulness of the thing, but only it was alledged that he spoke +falsely. Alftedius asserts this, Caf. de homicid. reg. 6. p. 331. It is +lawful to prevent him that would assault us, and by preventing to kill +him before his invasion, if it be so necessary, to prevent him, that our +life cannot be otherwise defended but by preventing. And hence he +justifies that saying, 'It is lawful to kill him that lieth in wait to +murder,' ibid. This is all the length that the reproached sufferers, +whom I am vindicating, go, in asserting this principle, as may be seen +in their Informatory Vindication, Head 3. pag. 544. where they say, 'We +maintain it as both righteous and rational, in defence of our lives, +liberties, and religion, after an orderly and Christian manner, to +endeavour, by all means lawful and possible, to defend ourselves, rescue +our brethren, and prevent their murder, in a martial opposition against +wicked persecutors, who are seeking to destroy them and us, and imbrue +their hands in our blood, according to the true import of the +Apologetical Declaration.' Which is very rational; especially +considering. + +7. These murderers, who are thus to be prevented, are such whom the law +of God commands to be put to death, and no where allows to be spared, +being public enemies to God and good men, open blasphemers, avowed +idolaters, affronted adulterers, notorious murderers, habitual tyrants, +suppressing religion, oppressing the innocent, and professing a trade of +destroying the Lord's people. Surely, if God hath expressly in his laws +provided, that blasphemers, idolaters, murderers, &c. should not be +suffered to live, he never intended men daily guilty, yea, making +profession of these crimes, should be allowed impunity, either by virtue +of their office, or because there is none in office to execute judgment +upon them; but in a case of extreme necessity, these laws will not only +allow, but oblige people, daily murdered by them, for their own +preservation, for vindication of religion, for purging the land of such +wickedness, for turning away the wrath of God, to prevent their +prosecuting their murdering designs any further, and put a stop to their +persecution, by putting an end to their wicked lives: seeing, as +Buchanan says, De Jure Regni, it is expresly commanded, 'to cut off +wickedness and wicked men, without any exception of rank or degree; and +yet in no place of sacred scripture are tyrants more spared than private +persons.' Much less their bloody emissaries. + +Now, seeing all these cases of killing I have collected, are justifiable +in scripture, and none of the sufferers upon this head, whom I am +vindicating, have exceeded in principle or practice the amount of these +assertions, what is said already may have some weight to demur a +censorious condemnation of them. But as the true nonconformist well +observes, in answer to Dial. 7. p. 391. Seeing the consideration +resulting from the concurrence of all circumstances, whereupon the right +dignoscing of such deeds, when actually existent, doth mostly depend, +doth more contribute to the clearing and passing a judgment on a case of +this nature, when the whole contexture is exposed to certain +examination, than to set down general rules directive of such practices +(which yet will all justify this in question) therefore to clear the +case further, all may be resolved into this state of the question. + +'Whether or not private persons, incessantly pursued unto death, and +threatened with ineluctable destruction by tyrants and their emissaries, +may, to save themselves from their violence, in case of extreme +necessity, put forth their hand to execute judgment upon the chief and +principal ringleaders, instruments and promoters of all these +destructive mischiefs and miseries, who are open and avowed enemies to +God, apostates, blasphemers, idolaters, tyrants, traitors, notorious +incendiaries, atrocious murderers, and known and convict to be public +enemies, prosecuting their murdering designs notourly and habitually, +and therefore guilty of death by all laws of God and man; and in such an +extraordinary case, put them to death, who have by law forfeited their +lives to justice, when there is no access to public justice, no prospect +of obtaining it in an orderly way, nor any probability of escaping their +intended destruction, either by flight or resistance, if they be past +longer unpunished; and so deliver themselves from their murdering +tyranny, while they are under no acknowledged subjection to them, nor at +peace with them, but maintaining a defensive resistance against them; +and in this extraordinary execution of justice, being not chargeable +with ignorance of matters of fact so manifest, nor mistakes of +circumstances so palpable, nor with malice, rage or revenge against +their persons for private and particular injuries, nor with enthusiastic +impulses pretended as their rule, nor with deceit or treachery in the +manner, nor with any breach of relation or obligation, nor usurpation +upon or prejudice to any lawful right whatsoever in the matter, nor with +any selfish or sinistrous ends in the design; but forced to perform this +work of judgment, when there is none other to do it, out of zeal for the +glory of God, care of the country's good, love to their brethren, sense +of their own danger, and respect to justice; to the end, that by the +removal of these wicked destroyers, their war against the prevailing +faction of their malignant enemies may be more successfully maintained, +their religion, lives, laws, and liberties more securely defended, their +brethren rescued, their murder prevented, impiety suppressed, the land +cleansed from blood, and the wrath of God averted.' That this is the +true state of the question, the preceeding assertions, all comprehended +here, do make it evident. To which I answer in the affirmative, and +shall come to give my reasons. + +Secondly, Then I shall offer some reasons for this, first for some +grounds and hypotheses of reason: then more expresly from +scripture-proofs. + +1. There may be some arguments offered from the dictates of natural +reason, which I shall but only glance at. + +1. I premit the consideration of the practice of all nations, even such +from whom patterns have been taken for government, and who have had the +most polite and purest policy, and have been the severest animadverters +upon all extravagants and transgressors of their vocation: yet even +among them, for private persons to destroy and rid the commonwealth of +such burdens, and vile vermin so pernicious to it, was thought a virtue +meriting rather commendation, than a thing to be condemned. I shall not +here instance the laudable practices recorded in scripture; these may +be seen in their own place. Neither do I speak of ruder nations, among +whom this is a relict of reason, not of rudeness, as the Oriental +Indians have a custom, whenever any person runs a muck, that is, in a +revengeful fury, takes such a quantity of opium, as distracts them into +such a rage of mad animosity, that they fear not to assault (which is +the common operation of that portion there) and go through destroying +whom they can find in their way: then every man arms against him: and is +ambitious of the honour of first killing him, which is very rational; +for otherwise no man could be safe; and it seems to be as rational, to +take the same course with our mad malignant mucks who are drunk with +hellish fury, and are running in a rage to destroy the people of God +whom they can meet with. But all the nations, where the best policy was +established, have been of his mind. In Greece public rewards were +enacted to be given, and honours appointed for several cities, to those +that should kill tyrants, from the mightiest of them to the meanest; +with whom they thought there was no bond of humanity to be kept. Hence, +Thebe is usually commended for killing her husband, Timoleon for killing +his brother, because they were pernicious and destructive to the +commonwealth: which, though it seem not justifiable, because of the +breach of relation of natural subjection, yet it shews what sentiments +the most politic nations have had of this practice. As also among the +Romans, Cassius is commended for killing his son, and Fulvius for +killing his own son going to Cataline, and Brutus for killing his +kinsmen, having understood they had conspired to introduce tyranny +again. Servilius Ahala is commended for killing even in the court Sep. +Melius, turning his back and refusing to compear in judgment, and for +this was never judged guilty of bloodshed, but thought nobilitate by the +slaughter of a tyrant, and all posterity did affirm the same. Cicero, +speaking of the slaughter of Cesar, stiles it a famous and divine fact, +and put to imitation. Sulpitius Asper, being asked, why he had combined +with others against Nero, and thought to have killed him? made this bold +reply, 'that he knew not any other way to put a stop to his villanies, +and redeem the world from the infection of his example, and the evils +which they groaned under by reason of his crimes.' On the contrary, +Domitius Corbulo is reprehended by all, for neglecting the safety of +mankind, in not putting an end to Nero's cruelty, when he might very +easily have done it: and not only was he by the Romans reprehended, but +by Tyridates the Persian king, being not all afraid lest it should +afterward befal an example unto himself. + +When the ministers of Caius Caligula, a most cruel tyrant, were, with +the like cruelty, tumultuating for the slaughter of their master, +requiring them that killed him to be punished, Valerius Asiaticus the +senator cried out aloud, 'I wish I had killed him,' and thereby both +composed their clamour, and stopt their rage. 'For there is so great +force in an honest deed, (saith Buchanan de jure Regni, relating this +passage) that the very lightest shew thereof, being presented to the +minds of men, the most furious assaults are allayed, and fury will +languish, and madness itself must acknowledge the sovereignty of +reason.' The senate of Rome did often approve the fact, tho' done +without their order oftentimes by private hands: as upon the slaughter +of Commodus, instead of revenging it, they decreed that his carcase +should be exposed and torn in pieces. Sometimes they ordered before hand +to have it done; as when they condemned Didimus Julianus, they sent a +tribune to slay him in the palace: nay, they have gone so far, as in +some cases to appoint reward for such as should kill those tyrants that +trampled upon their laws, and murdered virtuous and innocent people; as +that sentence of the senate against the two Maximini doth witness, +Whosoever killeth them deserves a reward. Buchanan as above, rehearsing +many instances of this nature, gives reasons of their approveableness; +and these I find here and there scattered, in his book, de jure Regni, +1. They that make a prey of the commonwealth, are not joined to us by +any civil bond or tie of humanity, but should be accounted the most +capital enemies of God and of all men. 2. They are not to be counted as +within human society, but transgressors of the limits thereof; which +whoso will not enter into, and contain himself within, should be taken +and treated as wolves, or other kinds of noisome beasts, which whosoever +spares, he preserves them to his own destruction, and of others; and +whosoever killeth, doth not only good to himself, but to all others; and +therefore doth merit rather reward than to be condemned for it. For if +any man, divested of humanity, should degenerate into such cruelty, as +he would not meet with other men but for their destruction (as the +monsters I am speaking of, could meet with none of the party here +treated on, but to this effect) he is not to be called a man, no more +than satyrs, apes or bears. 3. It is expressly commanded to cut off +wickedness and wicked men, without any exception of rank or degree; and, +if kings would abandon the counsels of wicked men, and measure their +greatness rather by duties of virtue, than by the impunity of evil +deeds, they would not be grieved for the punishment of tyrants, nor +think that royal majesty is lessened by their destruction, but rather be +glad that it is purged from such a stain of wickedness. 4. What is here +to be reprehended? is it the cause of their punishment? That is +palpable. Is it the law which adjudges them to punishment? All laws were +desired as necessary for repressing tyrants; whosoever doth condemn +this, must likewise condemn all the laws of nations. Is it the person +executing the laws? Where will any other be found to do it in such +circumstances? 5. A lawful war being once undertaken with an enemy for a +just cause, it is lawful not only for the whole people to kill that +enemy, but for every one of them: every one therefore may kill a tyrant, +who is a public enemy, with whom all good men have a perpetual warfare; +meaning, if he be habitually tyrannical, and destructive to the people, +so that there is no living for good people for him; otherwise, though a +man by force or fraud acquire sovereignty, no such violence is to be +done to him, providing he use a moderate way in his government, such as +Vespasian among the Romans, Hiero in Syracuse. 6. Treason cannot be +committed against one who destroys all laws and liberties of the people, +and is a pernicious plague to the commonwealth. + +2. Such is the force of this truth in the case of circumstantiate, that +it extorts the acknowledgment of the greatest authors ancient and +modern, domestic and foreign, and even of all rational royalists (as Mr. +Mitchel lays in his postscript to the forecited letter.) That it is +lawful for any private person to kill a tyrant without a title, and to +kill tories or open murderers, as devouring beasts, because the good of +his action doth not only redound to the person himself, but to the whole +commonwealth, and the person acting incurs the danger himself alone. + +Tertullian, though a man loyal to excels, says, every man is a soldier +inrolled to bear arms against all traitors and public enemies. The +ancient ecclesiastical historian, Sozomen, relating the death of Julian, +and intimating that he was supposed to have been slain by a Christian +soldier, adds, Let none be so rash as to condemn the person that did it, +considering he was thus courageous in behalf of God and religion, Sozom. +Hist. lib. 6. cap. 2. Barclaius, a great royalist, faith, all antiquity +agrees, that tyrants, as public enemies, may, most justly, be attacked +and slain, not only by the community but also by every individual person +thereof. Grotius de jure belli, lib. i. cap. 4. saith, If any person +grasp at dominion by unjust war, or hath no title thereto by consent of +the community, and no paction is made with him, nor allegiance granted, +but retains possession by violence only, the right of war remains; and +therefore it is lawful to attack him as an enemy, who may be killed by +any man, and that lawfully. Yea, king James VI. in his remonstrance for +the right of kings, says, the public laws make it lawful and free for +any private persons to enterprise against an usurper. Divines say the +same. Chamier, Tom. 2. lib. 15. cap 12. Sect. 19. All subjects have +right to attack tyrants. Alsted. Theolog. Gaf. cap. 17. reg. 9. p. 321. +Any private man may and ought to cut off a tyrant, who is an invader, +without a title; because in a hostile manner he invades his native +country. And, cap. 1. 18. reg. 14. p. 332. 'It is lawful for every +private man to kill a tyrant, who unjustly invades the government. But +Dr. Ames concerning conscience, Book 3. Chap 31. concerning +manslaughter, asserts all that is here pleaded for in express terms, +Quest. 4. Whether or no is it lawful for a man to kill another by his +own private authority? Ans. Sometimes it is lawful to kill, no public +precognition preceeding; but then only, when the cause evidently +requires that it should be done, and public authority cannot be got: For +in that case, a private man is publicly constitute the minister of +justice, as well by the permission of God, as the consent of all men. +These propositions carry such evidence in them, that the authors thought +it superfluous to confirm them, and sufficient to affirm them. And from +any reason that can be adduced to prove any of these assertions, it will +be as evident that this truth I plead for, is thereby confirmed, as that +itself is thereby strengthened: for it will follow natively, if tyrants, +and tyrants without a title, be to be thus dealt with,; then the +monsters, of whom the question is, those notorious incendiaries and +murdering public enemies, are also to be so served: for either these +authors assert the lawfulness of so treating tyrants without a title, +because they are tyrants, or because they want a title. If the first be +said, then all tyrants are to be so served; and reason would say, and +royalists will subscribe, if tyrants that call themselves kings may be +so animadverted upon, because of their perniciousness to the +commonwealth by their usurped authority, then the subordinate firebrands +that are the immediate instruments of that destruction, the inferior +emissaries that act it, and actually accomplish it, in murdering +innocent people, may be so treated; for their persons are not more +sacred than the other, nor more unpunishable. If the second be said, it +is lawful to kill them, because they want a title; then it is either +because they want a pretended title, or because they want a real and +lawful one. The latter is as good as none, and it is proven, Head 2. +Arg. 7. that no tyrants can have any. The former cannot be said, for all +tyrants will pretend some, at least before they be killed. + +3. But though some of these great authors neither give their reasons for +what they assert, nor do they extend it to all tyrants that tyrannize by +virtue of their pretended authority, yet it will not be difficult to +prove, that all, great and small, that murder, destroy, and tyrannize +over poor people, are to be punished, though they pretend authority for +what they do. And hence, if all tyrants, murderers and destroyers of +mankind ought to be punished; then when it cannot be done by public +authority, it may be done by private; but all tyrants, murderers and +destroyers of mankind ought to be punished: Therefore--. The minor is +manifest from the general commands of shedding the blood of every man +that sheds it, Gen. ix. 6. of putting to death whosoever killeth any +person, Numb. xxxv. 30, 31. of respecting no man's person in judgment, +Deut. i. 17. And universally all penal laws are general without +exception of any; for under that reduplication of criminal transgressing +those laws, under that general sanction, they are to be judged; which +admits of no partial respect: for if the greatest of men be murderers, +they are not to be considered as great, but as murderers; just as the +meanest are to be considered as mean or poor, but as murderers. But I +need not insist on this, being sufficiently proved, Head 2. Arg. 9. and +throughout that Head, proving that tyrants can have no authority: and, +if they have no authority, then authority (which they have not) cannot +exempt them from punishment. The connexion of the major proposition may +be thus urged: when this judgment cannot be executed by public +authority, either it must be done by private authority, in case of +extreme necessity, or not at all: for there is no medium, but either to +do it by public authority, or private: if not at all, then the land must +remain still defiled with blood, and cannot be cleansed, Numb. xxxv. 33. +Then the fierce anger of the Lord cannot be averted, Numb. xxxv. 4. for +without this executing of judgment, he will not turn it away, Jer. v. 1. +Then must murderers be encouraged, by their impunity, to make havoc of +all according to their lust, besides that poor handful who cannot escape +their prey, as their case is circumstantiate. Besides, this is point +black contrary to these general commands, which say peremptorily, the +murderer shall be put to death; but this supposed case, when public +authority will not or cannot put them to death, says, they shall not be +put to death. In this case then I demand, whether their impunity is +necessary, because they must not be put to death? or because they cannot +be put to death? To say the latter, were an untruth; for private persons +can do it, when they get access, which is possible: if the former, then +it is clearly contradictory to the commands, which say, they must be put +to death, excepting no case, but when they cannot be put to death. If it +be said, they must not be put to death, because the law obliges only +public authority to execute judgment: to this I reply, 1. I trust to +make the contrary appear from scripture by and by. 2. If the law +obliges none but those in public authority to execute judgment, then +when there is no judgment execute, it must be the sin of none but those +in public authority; and if it be only their sin, how comes others to be +threatened and punished for this, that judgment is not executed? If they +must only stand by, and be spectators of their omissions unconcerned, +what shall they do to evite this wrath? shall they exhort them, or +witness against them? But that more than all this is required, is proved +before several times, where this argument of people's being punished for +the sin of their rulers hath been touched. 3. Then when there is no +authority, it must be no sin at all that judgment is not executed, +because it is the sin of none; it cannot be sin, except it be the sin of +some. 4. What if those in public authority be the murderers? Who shall +put them to death? By what authority shall judgment be execute upon +them? Whether public or private? public it cannot be; for there is no +formal public authority above the supreme, who are supposed the party to +be punished; if it be the radical authority of the people, which is the +thing we plead for, then it is but private, as that of one party against +the other: the people are the party grieved, and so cannot be judges: at +best then, this will be extrajudicial executing of judgment. And if the +people may do it upon the greatest of tyrants, then a part of them who +are in greatest hazard may save themselves from those of lesser note, by +putting them to death: for if all the people have right to punish +universal tyrants, because they are destroyers of all; then a part hath +right to punish particular tyrants, because they are destroyers of them, +when they cannot have access to public authority, nor the concurrence of +the whole body. + +4. Let these murderers and incendiaries be considered, either as a part +of the community with them whom they murder and destroy, or not; if they +be a part, and do belong to the same community (which is not granted in +this case, yet let it be given) then when the safety of the whole, or +better part, cannot consist with the sparing or preserving of a single +man, especially such an one as prejudges all, and destroys that better +part; he is rather to be cut off, than the whole or the better part be +endangered: for the cutting off of a contagious member that destroys the +rest of the body, is well warranted by nature, because the safety of the +whole is to be preferred to the safety of a part, especially a +destructive part: but now, who shall cut it off? since it must be cut +off, otherwise a greater part of the body will be presently consumed, +and the whole endangered. It is sure the physician's duty; but what if +he will not, or cannot, or there be no physician? then any that can may +and must; yea, one member may, in that case, cut off another. So, when +either the magistrate will not, or dare not, or does not, or there is +none to do this necessary work of justice, for the preservation of the +community; any member of it may rather prevent the destruction of the +whole, or a greater part, by destroying the murdering and destructive +member, than suffer himself and others to be unavoidably destroyed by +his being spared. If they be not within, or belonging to that society, +then they may be dealt with, and carried towards as public enemies and +strangers, and all advantages may be taken of them in cases of +necessity, as men would do, if invaded by Turks or Tartars. + +5. Let it be considered, what men might have done in such a case before +government was erected, if there had been some public and notour +murderers still preying upon some sort of men. Certainly then private +persons (as all are in that case) might kill them to prevent future +destruction. Hence, if this was lawful before government was +established, it cannot be unlawful when people cannot have the benefit +of the government, when the government that is, instead of giving +redress to the grieved and oppressed, does allow and impower them to +destroy them: otherwise people might be better without government than +with it; for then they might prevent their murderers by cutting them +off. But so it is that this was lawful before government was +established: for let it be adverted, that the scripture seems to +insinuate such a case before the flood. Cain, after he murdered his +brother, feared that every man that found him should slay him. Gen. iv. +14. If he had reason to fear this, as certainly he had, if the Lord had +not removed that, by prorogueing the execution of vengeance upon him, +for his greater punishment, and the world's more lasting instruction, +and by setting a mark upon him, and inhibiting, under a severe +threatning, any to touch him; then every man that should have killed him +was the magistrate, (which were ridiculous) or every man was every, and +any private person universally, which might have killed him, if this +inhibition had not past upon it. Ainsworth upon the place saith, 'That +among the ancient Romans, every one might kill without a challenge, any +man that was cursed for some public crime.' And cites Dionys. +Halicarnas. l. 2. And so Cain spoke this from a dictate of nature and a +guilty conscience. + +6. At the erection of government, though the people resign the formal +power of life and death, and punishing criminals, over to the governor +constitute by them; yet, as they retain the radical power and right +virtually, so when either the magistrates neglect their duty of +vindicating the innocent, and punishing their destroyers, or impower +murderers to prey upon them; in that case, they may resume the exercise +of it, to destroy their destroyers, when there is no other way of +preventing or escaping their destructions; because extreme remedies +ought to be applied to extreme diseases. In an extraordinary exigent, +when Ahab and Jezebel did undo the church of God, Elias, with the +people's help, killed all Baal's priests, against and without the king's +will; in this case, it is evident the people resumed their power, as Lex +Rex saith, quest. 9. p. 63. There must be a court of necessity, no less +than a court of justice, when it is in this extremity, as if they had no +ruler, as that same learned author saith, quest. 24. pag. 213. If then +the people may resume that power in cases of necessity, which they +resigned to the magistrate; then a part may resume it, when a part only +is in that necessity, and all may claim an interest in the resumption, +that had an interest in the resignation. + +7. Especially upon the dissolution of a government when people are under +a necessity to revolt from it, and so are reduced to their primitive +liberty, they may then resume all that power they had before the +resignation, and exert it in extraordinary exigents of necessity. If +then a people that have no magistrates at all may take order with their +destroyers then must they have the same power under a lawful revolt. As +the ten tribes, if they had not exceeded in severity against Adoram, +Rehoboam's collector, had just cause to take order with that usurper's +emissary, if he came to oppress them; but if he had come to murder them, +then certainly it was duty to put him to death, and could not be +censured at all, as it is not in the history, 1 Kings xii. 18. But so it +is that the people pursued by these murderers, some of which in their +extreme exigencies they put to death; have for these several years +maintained a declared revolt from the present government, and have +denied all subjection to it upon the grounds vindicated, Head 2. And +there they must be considered as reduced to their primeve liberty, and +their pursuers as their public enemies, to whom they are no otherwise +related than if they were Turks, whom none will deny it lawful to kill, +if they invade the land to destroy the inhabitants. + +8. Hence, seeing they are no other than public enemies, unjustly +invading, pursuing, and seeking them to destroy them: what arguments +will prove the lawfulness of resistance, and the necessity of +self-defence, in the immediate defence of life, as well as remote, will +also prove the lawfulness of taking all advantages upon them: for if it +be lawful to kill an enemy in his immediate assault, to prevent his +killing of them, when there is no other way of preserving themselves +from his fury; then it must be lawful also in his remote but still +incessant pursuit, to prevent his murdering them by killing him, when +there is no other way to escape in a case of extreme necessity. But that +this was the case of that poor people, witnesses can best prove it; and +I dare appeal to two sorts of them that know it best, that is, all the +pursuers, and all the pursued. + +9. This is founded, and follows upon the 4th article of the Solemn +League and covenant: where we are bound with all faithfulness to +endeavour the discovery, of all such as have been, or shall be +incendiaries, malignants or evil instruments,----that they may be +brought to public trial, and receive condign punishment. Now, as this +obliges to the orderly and ordinary way of prosecuting them when there +is access to public judicatories: so when there is none either this +article obliges to no endeavour at all; (which cannot be, for it is +moral duty to endeavour the punishment of such) or else it must oblige +to this extraordinary action and execution of judgment, if to any at +all. Especially considering, how, in the sense of the short comings of +this duty, it is renewed in the solemn acknowledgement of sins, and +engagement to duties, that we shall be so far from conniving at +malignity, injustice, &c., that we shall----take a more effectual +course, than heretofore, in our respective places and callings, for +punishing and suppressing these evils.----Certainly we were called to +one way of prosecuting this obligation then, when it was first engaged +into, and to another now, when our capacity and circumstances are so +materially and formally altered: if the effectual course then was by +public authority; then now when that is wanting, there must be some +obligation to take some effectual course still, that may suit our +places and callings, which will certainly comprehend this extraordinary +way of suppressing those evils, by preventing their growth in curbing +the instruments, and executing judgment upon them, in a case of extreme +necessity, which will suit with all places, and all callings. + +II. From the scriptures, these arguments are offered, + +First, Some approven examples, and imitable in the like circumstances, +will clear and confirm the lawfulness of this extraordinary work of +judgment executed by private persons, upon notorious incendiaries, +firebrands, and murderers, guilty of death by the law of God, + +1. Moses spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren; and +he looked this way, and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, +he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand, Exod. ii. 11, 12. Here is +an uncondemned example: whereof the actor who was the relater did not +condemn himself, though he condemns himself for faults that seem less +odious; yea, in effect, he is rather condemned by Stephen the Martyr, +Acts vii. And though it be extraordinary, in that it was done by private +authority, not by a judge, as it was objected to him the second day: yet +it was not unimitable; because that action, though heroical, whereof the +ground was ordinary, the rule moral, the circumstances commonly +incident, the management directed by human prudence, cannot be +unimitable; but such was this action, though heroical. The ground was +ordinary, spying his brother in hazard, whose murder he would have +prevented. The rule was moral, being according to that moral precept in +rescuing our brother in hazard, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. The circumstances +were incident in a case of extreme necessity, which he managed very +prudently, looking this way, and that way, and hiding him in the sand. +Therefore it may be imitated in the like case. It signifies nothing to +say that he was moved by the Spirit of God thereto: for unto every +righteous performance the motion of the Spirit of God is requisite. This +impulse that Moses had and others after-mentioned, was nothing but a +greater measure of that assisting grace, which the extraordinariness of +the case, and the difficulties therein occurring did call for; but the +interveening of such motions, do not alter the rule, so as to make the +action unimitable. Impulses are not the rule of duty, either under an +ordinary or extraordinary exigence; but when they are subsequent and +subservient both to the rule of duty, and to a man's call in his present +circumstances, they clearly determine to the species of an heroic +enterprise; in so much that it is not only the particular deed that we +are to heed for our imitation, but we are to emulate the grace and +principle of zeal which produced it, and is thereby so conspicuously +relucent for our upstirring to acts in like manner, as God may give +opportunity, as is observed by the true non-conformist, Dial. 7. pag. +392, &c. + +2. When Israel joined himself unto Baal-Peor, the Lord said unto Moses, +'Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord +against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away +from Israel.' And Moses said unto the judges, 'Slay every one his men +that were joined unto Ball-Peor.' And when Zimri brought the Midianitish +Cozbi in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation, +who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle; and when Phineas saw +it, he rose up,----and took the javelin in his hand, and he went after +the men of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through,----So +the plague was stayed,----And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, +'Phineas hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel, while he +was zealous for my sake among them,----I give unto him my covenant of +peace,----because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for +the children of Israel.' Numb. xxv. 3.-13. This action is here much +commended, and recorded to his commendation, Psal. cvi. 30, 31. Then +stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment, and so the plague was stayed; +and that was counted to him for righteousness, unto all generations; +that is,----Into justice of the deed before men, who otherwise might +have put a bad construction upon it, as rash, out of season, committed +against a magistrate by a private person, too cruel by cutting them off +from repentance; but God esteemed it as extraordinary just. Pool's +Synops. Critic. in Locum. It is certain, this action was some way +extraordinary; because Phinehas was not a magistrate, nor one of the +judges whom Moses commanded to slay every one his men, ver. 5. +Otherwise, if this had been only an ordinary execution of the judgment +by the authority of Moses, Phinehas' action would not have been taken so +much notice of, nor so signally rewarded; but here it is noted as a +singular act of zeal, which it could not have been, if it was only an +ordinary execution of the magistrate's command: yet, though this action +was signally heroical, proceeding from a principle of pure zeal for God, +and prompted by a powerful motion of the Spirit of God to that +extraordinary execution of judgment: it is notwithstanding imitable in +the like circumstances. For, the matter is ordinary, being neither +preternatural, nor supernatural, but just and necessary. The end was +ordinary, to turn away the wrath of God, which all were obliged to +endeavour. The principle was ordinary, (though at the time he had an +extraordinary measure of it) being zealous for the Lord, as all were +obliged to be. The rule was ordinary, to wit, the command of slaying +every man that was joined to Baal Peor, ver. 5. only this was +extraordinary, that the zeal of God called him to his heroical action, +though he was not a magistrate, in this extraordinary exigent, to avert +the wrath of God; which was neither by Moses's command, nor by the +judges obedience, turned away only by Phinehas' act of another nature, +and his zeal appearing therein, and prompting him thereto, the Lord was +appeased, and the plague slayed. In which fervour of zeal, transporting +him to the omission of the ordinary solemnities of judgment, the Spirit +of the Lord places the righteousness and praise of the action. Yet the +same call and motion of zeal might have impowered others to do the like: +the text speaks of no other call he had, but that of zeal, ver. 11, 12, +13. yea, another was obliged to do the same, upon the ground of that +moral command, Deut. xiii. 6.-9. having the ground of God's ordinary +judgment, which commandeth the idolater to die the death; and therefore +to be imitate of all that prefer the true honour and glory of God to the +affection of flesh and wicked princes, as Mr. Knox affirmeth in his +conference with Lethingtoun, rehearsed before, per. 3. Further, let it +be enquired, What makes it unimitable? Certainly it was not so, because +he had the motion and direction of God's Spirit; for men have that to +all duties. It was not, because he was raised and stirred up of God to +do it; for God may raise up spirits to imitable actions. It was not, +because he had an extraordinary call, for men have an extraordinary +call, to imitable actions, as the apostles had to preach. We grant these +actions are extraordinary and unimitable; which, first, do deviate from +the rule of common virtue, and transcend all rules of common reason and +divine word; but this was not such, but an heroic act of zeal and +fortitude: Next these actions, which are contrary to a moral ordinary +command are unimitable, as the Israelites robbing the Egyptians, +borrowing, and not paying again, Abraham's offering his son Isaac; but +this was not such: next those actions, which are done upon some special +mandate of God, and are not within the compass of ordinary obedience to +the ordinary rule, are unimitable; but is not such: as also miraculous +actions, and such as are done by the extraordinary inspiration of the +Spirit of God, as Elias's killing the captains with their fifties by +fire from heaven; but none can reckon this among these. See Jus Populi +at length discussing this point, and pleading for the suitableness of +this action, cap. 20. If therefore the Lord did not only raise up this +Phinehas to that particular act of justice, but also so warrant and +accept him therein, and reward him therefore, upon the account of his +zeal, when there was a godly and zealous magistrate, able, and whom we +cannot without breach of charity presume, but also willing to execute +justice; how much more may it be pleaded, that the Lord, who is the same +yesterday, to day and forever, will not only pour out of that same +spirit upon others; but also when he gives it, both allow them, though +they be but private persons, and also call them, being otherwise in a +physical and probable capacity to do these things in an extremely +necessitous, and otherwise irrecoverable state of the church, to which +in a more intire condition he doth not call them? And particularly, when +there is not only the like or worse provocations, the like necessity of +execution of justice and of reformation, for the turning away of wrath, +and removing of judgments, that was in Phinehas's case, but also, when +the supreme civil magistrate, the nobles of the kingdom, and other +inferior rulers, are not only unwilling to do their duty, but so far +corrupted and perverted, that they are become the authors and +patronizers of these abominations, Naph. prior Edit. p. 23. + +3. When the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab, and they +cried unto the Lord, he raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of +Gera, who made a dagger, and brought a present unto Eglon, and put forth +his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it +into his belly, Judg. iii. 21. That this action was approven will not be +doubted, since the Lord raised him up as a deliverer who by this +heroical action commenced it; ond since it was a message from God, and +that it was extraordinary, were ridiculous to deny: for sure this was +not the judicial action of a magistrate, neither was Ehud a magistrate +at this time, but only the messenger of the people sent with a present. +Yet it is imitable in the like case, as from hence many grave authors +concluded the lawfulness of killing a tyrant without a title. + +4. When the Lord discomfitted the host of Jabin, and Sifera his captain +fled into the house of Heber the Kenite, Jael Heber's wife took a nail +of the tent, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his +temples, Judg, iv. 21. of which the prophetess Deborah says, chap. v. +24. "Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be +above women in the tent." Yet not only was Jael no magistrate, but in +subjection to and at peace with Jabin, though she killed his captain. +But there was no injustice here, when he was declared a public enemy, +the war was just, he was an oppressor of the people of God, it became +Jael, as a member of the commonwealth, to betray and cut off the common +enemy. Therefore Jael had sinned, if she had not killed him. Martyr and +others cited in Pool. Synops. Critic. upon the place, albeit that author +himself, in his English annotations, does cut the knot, instead of +loosing it, in denying Deborah's song to be divinely inspired in its +first composure, but only recorded as a history by divine inspiration, +as other historical passages not approven, only because this heroic fact +of Jael is there recommended, which is too bold an attempt upon this +part of the holy canon of the scripture: whence we see what +inconveniences they are driven to, that deny this principle of natural +justice, the lawfulness of cutting off public enemies, to procure the +deliverance of the Lord's people. Hence, If it be lawful for private +persons, under subjection to, and at peace with the public enemies of +the Lord's people to take all advantages to break their yoke, and +deliver the oppressed from their bondage, by killing their oppressors; +it must be much more lawful for such as acknowledge no such subjection +or agreement, to attempt the same in extreme necessity; but the former +is true: therefore the latter. + +5. When Samson married the Timnite, and obliged himself by compact, to +give them thirty sheets and thirty change of garments, upon their +solving his riddle, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went +down to Askelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, +Judg. xiv. 19. And afterwards, when he lost his wife by the cruelty and +treachery of those Philistines, he said unto them, 'Though you have done +this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. And he +smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter,' chap. xv. 7, 8. And +when the Jews, who acknowledged the Philistines for rulers, came to Etam +to expostulate with him, all the satisfaction he gave them was to +avouch, that as they had done unto him, so he had done unto them, and to +kill a thousand more of them, ver. 11. &c. These were extraordinary +heroic facts, not only because they flowed from an extraordinary power +wherewith he was endued, and from an extraordinary motion and call; but +because of his avenging his own private injuries for the public good, in +a way both of fortitude and prudence, without a declared war, provoking +the enemies against himself, and diverting from the people, and +converting against himself, all their fury, in which also he acted as a +type of Christ; and also because he acted not as a magistrate at this +time, for by whom was he called or counted a magistrate? not by the +Philistines, nor by the men of Judah, for they tell him that the +Philistines were their lords, and they bound him and delivered him up to +them: yet in his private capacity, in that extraordinary exigence, he +avenged himself and his country against his public enemies, by a +clandestine war, which is imitable in the like case, when a prevailing +faction of murdering enemies domineer over and destroy the people of +God, and there is no other way to be delivered from them; for his +ground was moral, because they were public enemies, to whom he might do +as they did to him. Hence, if saints sometimes, in cases of necessity, +may do unto their public enemies, as they have done unto them, in +prosecuting a war not declared against them; then much more may they do +so in cases of necessity, to deliver themselves from their murdering +violence, when a war is declared; but here is an example of the former: +ergo + +6. When these same Philistines again invaded and over-ran the land in +the time of Saul, Jonathan his son, and his armour bearer, fell upon the +garrison of these uncircumcised, and killed them, 1 Sam. xiv. 6. 13. +This was an heroic action, without public authority; for he told not his +father, ver. 1. And singular indeed, in respect of the effect, and were +a tempting of the Lord, for so few to assault such a multitude, as it +were to imitate Samson in his exploits; but in this respect, these +actions are unimitable in consideration of prudence, not of conscience, +or as to the lawfulness of the thing: their ground was moral, to cut off +public enemies. Hence, If it be lawful to fall upon a garrison of public +enemies, oppressing the country, then it must be lawful to fall upon one +or two, that are the ring leaders of public enemies, and main promoters +of their destruction, that are as pernicious, and have no more right or +power, than the Philistines; but such is the case of those about whom +the question is. + +7. When David dwelt in the country of the Philistines, he and his men +went up and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the +Amalekites; and David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman +alive, 1 Sam. xxvii. 8, 9. This was without public authority, having +none from Saul, none from Achish, in whose country he dwelt, and none of +his own, being no magistrate. We deny not the divine motion, but plead, +that it is imitable from its moral ground, which was that command to +cut off the Amalekites, Exod. xvii. and the Amorites, whose relicts +these nations were; the same ground that Saul the magistrate had to +destroy them. Whence it is lawful sometimes for others than magistrates +to do that which is incumbent to magistrates, when they neglect their +duty. All I plead for from it is, If it be lawful for private persons, +upon the call of God, to cut off their public enemies, when they are +obliged by the command of God to destroy them, though they be living +quietly and peaceably in the country; then may it be lawful, in cases of +necessity, for private persons to cut off their public enemies, whom +they are obliged, by the covenant of God, to bring to condign +punishment, and to extirpate them, (as the covenant obliges in reference +to malignant incendiaries) when they are ravening like lions for their +prey. + +8. In the days of Ahab and Jezebel's tyranny, whereby the idolatrous +prophets of Baal were not punished according to the law, Elijah said +unto the people, 'Take the prophets of Baal, let none of them escape; +and they took them to the brook Kishon, and slew them there,' 1 Kings +xviii. 40. How Mr. Knox improved this passage we heard before, in the +historical representation, Per, 3. and Jus pop. vindicates it, that in +some cases private persons may execute judgment on malefactors, after +the example of Elias here. Which fact, Peter Martyr, in locum, defendeth +thus: 'I say it was done by the law of God; for, Deut. xviii. 20. God +decerned that the false prophet should die; and chap. xvii. the same is +said of private men and women, who would worship idols; but, chap. xiii. +not only is death threatened against a seducing prophet, but a command +is added, That no man should spare his brethren.--3dly, It is commanded, +that the whole city, when it becometh idolatrous, should be cut off by +fire and sword:' And, Lev. xxiv. 14. 16. it is statute, that the +blasphemer should not live: 'to which we may add the law or equity of +taliation: for these prophets of Baal caused Jezebel and Ahab kill the +servants of the Lord.' See Jus pop. cap. 20. pag. 425. Upon this also +Mr. Mitchel defends his fact, as above,--'Also Elijah, by virtue of that +precept, Deut. xiii. gave commandment to the people to destroy Baal's +priests, contrary to the command of the seducing magistrate, who was not +only remiss and negligent in executing justice, but became a protector +and defender of the seducers; then and in that case, I suppose the +Christians duty not to be very dark.' + +9. This idolatrous and tyrannical house was afterwards condignly +punished by Jehu, 2 Kings ix. x. chap. who destroyed all the idolaters, +who were before encouraged and protected by that court, chap. x. 25. +This extraordinary fact was not justified by his magistratical +authority; for that was as extraordinary as the fact itself, and +conferred as a mean to accomplish the fact. He had no authority by the +people's suffrages, nor was he acknowledged as such by the court or body +of the people, only the Lord gave it extraordinarily. But it is not the +imitation of his assumption of authority that is here pleaded for, but +the imitation of his fact in extraordinary cases, when not only tyrants +and idolaters pass unpunished, but their insolency in murdering the +innocent is intolerable. Mr. Knox vindicates this at length, as before, +and shews, that it had the ground of God's ordinary judgment, which +commands the idolater to die the death; and that though we must not +indeed follow extraordinary examples, if the example repugn to the law, +but where it agrees with and is the execution of the law, an example +uncondemned stands for a command; for God is constant, and will not +condemn in ages subsequent what he hath approved in his servants before. +See the Testimony of Period 3. above, and Jus pop. cap. 20. pag. 418. + +10. When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, had tyrannized six years, at +length Jehoiada, with others, made a conspiracy against her, to depose +her, and make Joash king; which when it was discovered, she cried +treason, treason, as indeed it would have been so, if she had been the +lawful magistrate; for it was an attempt of subjects against her that +had the possession of the sovereign power. But Jehoiada commanded the +captains to heave her forth without the ranges, and him that followeth +her kill with the sword; and they laid hands on her, and she was slain, +2 Kings xii. 14,--16. That this is imitable in the punishment of +tyrants, is cleared above. If therefore it be lawful for subjects to +kill usurping tyrants, and such as follow them to help them, under whom +nevertheless people might have a life; then it must be lawful for +private persons to put forth their hand against their cut-throat +emissaries, in a case of necessity, when there is no living for them. + +11. When Amaziah turned idolater and tyrant, after the time that he +turned away from the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in +Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent to Lachish after him +and slew him there, Chron. xxv. 37. This fact is before vindicated by +Mr. Knox, Period 3. afterward Head 2. and Head 5. + +12. When Esther made suit to reverse Haman's letters, the king granted +the Jews in every city, not only to gather themselves together, and to +stand for their lives, but also to destroy, to slay, and to cause to +perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault +them, both little ones and women,--and to avenge themselves on their +enemies. And accordingly in the day that their enemies hoped to have +power over them, the Jews gathered themselves to lay hand on such as +sought their hurt, and smote all their enemies with the stroke of the +sword, Esth. viii. 11, 13, chap. ix, 1-5, &c. They had indeed that law +of nature fortified by the king's accessary authority, as Valentinian, +by his edict, granted the like liberty, to resist any unjust invader to +depopulate the lands of his subjects, that he might be forthwith liable +to a deserved punishment, and suffer that death which he threatned.--And +the like of Arcadius is extant, in the Justinian Cod. Tit. How it may be +lawful for every man to vindicate himself and the public, without the +concurrence of a judge. But that doth not exclude the lawfulness of such +resistances in case of necessity, without public authority; so here, it +was not the king's commandment that made the Jews avenging themselves +lawful, if it had not been lawful before and without it; it gave them +only liberty to improve that privilege, which they had from God and +nature. Surely their power of resisting did not depend on the king's +commandment, as is proven, Head 5. Ergo, neither their power of avenging +themselves, to prevent their murder by their enemies, which they could +and were obliged to do, if there had been no such authority: Ergo, it +was not only suspended upon the king's authority. And as for Haman's +sons and adherents, being Agagites, they were obliged, by a prior +command, to avenge themselves on them, on all occasions, by that command +to destroy Amalek: therefore it must be lawful, even without public +authority, in some cases of necessity, to prevent the murder of public +enemies, by laying hands on them that seek the hurt of all the people of +God. + +Secondly, There are some precepts from which the same may be concluded. + +1. There is a command, and the first penal statute against murderers, we +read, Gen. ix. 6. 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be +shed.' Here the command is given in general to punish capitally all +murderers; but there may be some that no magistrate can punish, who are +not here exempted, to wit, they that are in supreme authority, and turn +murderers, as was said above. Again, the command is given in general to +man involving all the community (where the murderer is) in guilt, if +his blood be not shed; as we find in the scripture, all the people were +threatned and punished because judgment was not executed; and when it +was executed even by these who were no magistrates, the wrath of God was +turned away, whereof there are many examples above. Further, if the +command to shed the blood of murderers be given before the institution +of magistracy, then, in case of necessity, to stop the course of +murderers, it may be obeyed, when there is no magistrate to execute it: +but here it is given before the first institution of magistracy, when +now there was no government in the world, but family government, as +Grotius on the place saith, 'When this law was given, public judgment +was not yet constitute, therefore the natural right and law of taliation +is here held forth, which when mankind was increased and divided into +several nations, was justly permitted only to judges, some cases +excepted, in which that primeve right did remain.' And if in any, then +in this case in question. Hence, Lex Rex answereth the p. prelate, +essaying to prove, that a magistracy is established in the text denies +that Ba Adam, by man, must signify a magistrate, for then there was but +family government, and cites Calvin, of the same mind, that the +magistrate is not spoken of here. Though this command afterwards was +given to the magistrate, Numb. xxxv. 30. yet in a case of necessity, we +must recur to the original command. + +2. This same command of punishing murdering enemies, is even, after the +institution of magistrates, in several cases not astricted to them, but +permitted to the people, yea enjoined to them. As, (1.) Not only +magistrates, but the people, are commanded to avenge themselves on their +public enemies, as the Israelites, after their being ensnared in the +matter of Peor, are commanded to vex the Midianites, and smite them, +because they beguiled them, and brought a plague upon them, Numb. xxv. +17, 18. and Numb. xxxi. 2. to avenge themselves on them, and for this +end to arm themselves, and go against them, and avenge the Lord of +Midian: which they executed with the slaughter of all the males. So +likewise are they commanded to destroy Amalek. It is true these commands +are given primarily and principally to magistrates, as there to Moses, +and afterwards to Saul: yet afterwards we find others than magistrates, +upon this moral ground, having the call of God, did execute judgment +upon them, as Gideon and David, before they were magistrates, did avenge +themselves and the Lord upon them, as is before cleared. It is also +true, that there was some holy severity then to be extended against +particular nations as such, peculiar to that dispensation, which is not +pleaded as imitable; but the ground was moral, and the right of a +people's saving themselves by the destruction of their enemies; when +there is no other way for it, is natural. And this is all we plead for +here. If people may vex their enemies, and avenge themselves against +them, even without public authority, when ensnared by their craftiness; +much more may they put a stop to their insolency, by cutting off their +principle and most pernicious instruments, in case of necessity, when +invaded by their cruelty; but here a people is commanded to vex their +enemies, and avenge themselves on them, and accordingly Gideon and David +did so, without public authority, and that upon a ground which is moral +and natural: Ergo--(2.) The execution of the punishment of murderers is +committed to the people: 'The revenger of blood, himself shall slay the +murderer, when he meeteth him, he shall slay him,' Numb. xxxv. 19, 21. +So that if he met him before he got into any city of refuge, he might +lawfully slay him, and if he did flee to any, he was to be rendered up +to the avengers hands, Deut. xix. 12. that the guilt of innocent blood +may be put away from Israel, ver. 23. This revenger of blood was not the +magistrate: for he was the party pursuing, Numb. xxxv. 24. Between whom +and the murderer the congregation was to judge: he was only the next in +blood or kindred. In the original he is called Goel, the redeemer, or he +to whom the right of redemption belongs, and very properly so called, +both because he seeks redemption and compensation for the blood of his +brother, and because he redeems the land from blood guiltiness, in which +otherwise it would be involved. I do not plead that this is always to be +imitated, as neither it was always practised in Israel; but if a private +man, in a hot pursuit of his brother's murderer, might be his avenger, +before he could be brought to judgment, then much more may this power be +assumed, in a case of necessity, when there is no judgment to be +expected by law, and when not only our brethren have been murdered by +them that profess a trade of it, but others also and ourselves are daily +in hazard of it, which may be prevented in cutting them off. I do not +see what is here merely judicial, so as to be rejected as Judaical: for +sure murderers must be slain now as well as then, and there is the same +hazard of their escaping now as then: murder involves the land in guilt, +now as well as then, and in this case of necessity especially, that law +that gives a man right to preserve himself, gives him also right to be +his own avenger, if he cannot otherwise defend himself. (3.) Not only +the execution, the decision of matters of life and death, is committed +to them; as in the case of blasphemy and cursing, 'All that heard were +to lay their hands upon his head, and all the congregation was to stone +him,' Lev. xxiv. 14, 16. 'The man-slayer was to stand before the +congregation in judgment. Then the congregation shall judge between the +slayer and avenger of blood,' Numb. xxxv. 12, 24. The people claimed the +power of life and death, in seeking to execute judgment upon those that +had spoken treason against Saul, Bring the men (say they) that we may +put them to death, 1. Sam. xi. 12. Especially in the case of punishing +tyrants, as they did with Amaziah. Certainly this is not so judicial or +judaical, as that in no case it may be imitated; for that can never be +abrogated altogether, which in many cases is absolutely necessary; but +that the people, without public authority, should take the power of life +and death, and of putting a stop to the insolency of destroyers, by +putting them to death, is in many cases absolutely necessary; for +without this they cannot preserve themselves against grassant tyrants, +nor the fury of public enemies or firebrands within themselves, in case +they have no public authority, or none but such as are on their +destroyers side. (4.) Not only the power of purging the land, by divine +precept, is incumbent on the people, that it may not ly under blood +guiltiness; but also the power of reforming the courts of kings, by +taking course with their wicked abetters and evil instruments, is +committed to him, with a promise that if this be done, it shall tend to +the establishment of their throne; which is not only a supposition in +case it be done, but a supposed precept to do it, with an insinuation of +the necessity and expediency of it, that it is as suitable as the taking +away of the dross from silver, in order to the production of a vessel, +Prov. xxv. 4, 5. 'Take away the wicked from before the king, and his +throne shall be established in righteousness;' which is not only there +given to kings, for then it would be in the second person spoken to +them, but to the people to do it before them, as the people did with +Baal's prophets from before Ahab. And our progenitors many times have +done with wicked counsellors, as may be seen in the foregoing +representation, and more fully in the history of the Douglasses, and in +Knox's and Calderwood's histories. Hence, if it be duty to reform the +court, and to take away a king's wicked sycophants, counsellors, agents, +and instigators to tyranny; then it must be lawful, in some cases of +necessity, to restrain their insolency, and repress their tyranny, in +executing judgment upon such of them as are most insupportable, who are +made drunk with the blood of innocents; but the former is true: +therefore----(5.) For the omission of the executing of this judgment on +oppressors and murderers, involving the whole land in blood guiltiness, +which cannot be expiated but by the blood of them that are so criminal; +not only magistrates, but the whole people have been plagued. As for +Saul's murdering the Gibeonites, the whole land was plagued, until the +man that consumed them, and devised against them to destroy them, seven +of his sons were delivered unto them, to be hanged up before the Lord, 2 +Sam. xxi. 5, 6. So also for the sins of Manasseh. The reason was, +because if the magistrate would not excute judgment, the people should +have done it: for not only to the king, but also to his servants, and to +the people that entered in by the gates, the command is, excute ye +judgment, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, Jer. +xxii. 2, 3. though it be true, this is to be done by every one in their +station, justice and order being preserved, and according to the measure +of their office, and it chiefly belongs to judges and magistrates: yet +this is no wrong to justice, nor breach of order, nor sinful +transgression of people's vocation, not only to hinder the shedding of +innocent blood, to prevent God's executing of what he there threatens, +but also to execute judgment on the shedders, to prevent their progress +in murdering villany, when inferior as well as superior magistrates are +oppressing and tyrannizing: therefore this seeking, and doing, and +executing judgment, is so often required of the people, in such a case, +when princes are rebellious and companions of thieves, and in the city +where judgment used to be, now murderers bear sway, Isa. i. 17. 21. the +Lord is displeased where there is none, Isa. lix. 15, 16. Jer. v. 1. See +this vindicated in Lex Rex, quest. 34. p. 367. and in Jus popul. cap. +10. p. 237. + +3. That command concludes the same against idolaters, apostates, and +enticers thereunto, Deut. xiii. 6. &c. 'If thy brother----or thy +friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, let us +go and serve other gods----thou shalt not spare nor conceal him, but +thou shalt surely kill him----because he sought to thrust thee away from +the Lord thy God----And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and do no more +any such wickedness.' And ver. 13. &c. 'If thou shall hear say in one of +thy cities----saying, Certain men the children of Belial, are gone +out----and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, let us +go to serve other gods----Then shalt thou enquire----and behold if it be +truth, and the thing certain----thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants +of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly.'----This +cause of the open enticers to idolatry was not brought to the judges, as +common idolaters, and such who were enticed to serve other gods, and +worship them, were to be brought to the gates, and to be stoned first by +the hands of witnesses, and afterwards by all the people, Deut. xvii. 3, +5, 7. But this is another law; of which the Jewish antiquaries, and +particularly Grotius out of Philo and the Rabb. upon the place, saith, +'Whereas in other crimes the guilty used to be kept after the sentence a +night and a day, that if he could say any more for himself he might, +these were excepted from this benefit; and not only so, but it was +permitted to any to execute judgment upon them (viz. Enticers to +idolatry) without waiting for a judge. The like was used against +sacrilegious robbers of the temple, and priests who sacrificed when they +were polluted, and those who cursed God by the name of an idol, and +those who lay with an idolatress: chiefly those who denied the divine +authority of the law: and this behoved to be before the people, at least +ten, which in Hebrew they called Hheda.----Neither is this to be +admitted in so grievous a crime, when even the man-slayer without the +place of refuge might have been killed by the kinsman of the defunct.' +And upon Numb. xv. 30. the punishment of presumptuous blasphemers, he +says, 'But here these are to be understood thus, that the guilty shall +not be brought to the judges, but be killed by them that deprehended +them in the crime, as Phinehas did to Zimri;' and proves it out of +Maimonides, Pool. Synop. Critic. on the place. And it must be so; for in +this case no mention is made either of judges, or witnesses, or further +judgment about it, than that he that was tempted by the enticer should +fall upon him, and let the people know it, that they might lay hands on +him also; otherwise evil men might pretend such a thing when it was not +true. + +But in case of a city's apostacy, and hearkning to enticers, the thing +was only to be solicitously enquired into, and then though it was +chiefly incumbent upon the magistrate to punish it, yet it was not all +astricted to him, but that the people might do it without him. As upon +this moral ground, was Israel's war stated against Benjamin, Judg. xx. +13. When there was no king nor judge, and also when there were kings +that turned idolaters and tyrants, they served them so, as here is +commanded: witness Amaziah, as is shewed above. Hence not only Moses, +upon the people's defection into idolatry in the wilderness, commanded +all on the Lord's side, every man to put his sword by his side,--and +slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man +his neighbour, whereby three thousand fell at that time by the sword of +the Levites, Exod. xxxii. 27, 28. But also Joash, Gideon's father, upon +the same moral ground, though he was no magistrate, could say to the +Abiezrites, will ye plead for Baal--he that will plead for him, let him +be put to death while it is yet morning.--Judg. vi. 31. Moreover, (as +Mr. Mitchel adduces the example very pertinently), we see that the +people of Israel destroyed idolatry, not only in Judah wherein the king +concurred, but in Ephraim, and in Manasseh, where the king himself was +an idolater; and albeit, they were but private persons, without public +authority: for what all the people was bound to do by the law of God, +every one was bound to do it to the uttermost of his power and capacity. +Mr. Mitchel offers this place to vindicate his fact of shooting at the +prelate, Deut. xiii. 9. 'Wherein, (says he) it is manifest, That the +idolater or enticer to worship a false god, is to be put to death by the +hand of those whom he seeks to turn away from the Lord: which precept I +humbly take to be moral, and not merely judicial, and that it is not at +all ceremonial or levitical. And as every moral precept is universal, as +to the extent of place, so also as to the extent of time, and persons.' +The chief thing objected here is, that this is judicial precept, +peculiarly suited to the old dispensation; which to plead for as a rule +under the New Testament, would favour of Jewish rigidity inconsistent +with a gospel Spirit. Ans. How Mr. Knox refels this, and clears that the +command here is given to all the people, needs not be here repeated; but +it were sufficient to read it in the foregoing representation, Period 3. +Pag. 24. As it is also cited by Jus Pop. pag. 212. &c. But these general +truths may be added, concerning the judicial laws, 1. None can say, that +none of the judicial laws, concerning political constitutions, is to be +observed in the New Testament: for then many special rules of natural +and necessary equity would be rejected, which are contained in the +judicial laws of God: yea, all the laws of equity in the world would be +so cast: for none can be instanced, which may not be reduced to some of +the judicial laws: and if any of them are to be observed, certainly +these penal statutes, so necessary for the preservation of policies, +must be binding. 2. If we take not our measures from the judicial laws +of God, we shall have no laws for punishment of any malefactors by +death, of divine right, in the New Testament. And so all capital +punishments must be only human constitutions; and consequently they must +be all murders: for to take away the life of man, except for such causes +as the Lord of our life (to whose arbitriment it is only subject) hath +not approven, is murder, as Dr. Ames saith, De homicidio Conscienc. Lib. +5. Cap. 31. Quest. 2. For in the New Testament, though in the general, +the power of punishing is given to the magistrate, yet it is no where +determined, neither what, nor how crimes are to be punished. If +therefore penal laws must be taken from the Old Testament; the subject +of executing them, as well as the object, must be thence deduced; that +is, what is there astricted to the magistrate must be so still, and what +is permitted to the people must remain in like manner their privilege; +since it is certain, the New-Testament liberty is not more restricted as +to penal laws than the old. 3. Those judicial laws, which had either +somewhat typical, or pedagogical, or peculiar to the then judaical +state, are indeed not binding to us under that formality; though even +these doctrinally are very useful, in so far as in their general nature, +or equity of proportion, they exhibit to us some documents of duty; but +those penal judgments, which in the matter of them are appended to the +moral law, and are, in effect, but accurate determinations and +accommodations of the law of nature, which may suit our circumstances as +well as the Jews, do oblige us as well as them. And such are these penal +statutes I adduce; for, that blasphemy, murder, and idolatry, are +heinous crimes, and that they are to be punished, the law of nature +dictates: and how, and by whom, in several cases, they are to be +punished, the law judicial determines. Concerning the moral equity even +of the strictest of them, Amesius de Conscien. Lib. 5. Mosaical appendix +of precepts, doth very learnedly assert their binding force: 4. Those +judicial laws, which are but positive in their form, yet if their +special, internal, and proper reason and ground be moral, which +pertains to all nations, which is necessary and useful to mankind, which +is rooted in, and may be fortified by human reason, and as to the +substance of them approven by the more intelligent heathens; those are +moral, and oblige all Christians as well as Jews: and such are these +laws of punishing idolaters, &c. founded upon moral grounds, pertaining +to all nations, necessary and useful to mankind, rooted in, and +fortified by human reason; to wit, that the wrath of God may be averted, +and that all may hear and fear, and do no more so wickedly; especially +if this reason be superadded, when the case is such, that innocent and +honest people cannot be preserved, if such wicked persons be not taken +order with. 5. Those judicial laws, which being given by the Lord's +immediate authority, though not so solemnly as the moral decalogue, are +neither as to their end, dead, nor as to their use, deadly, nor as to +their nature, indifferent, nor in any peculiar respect restringible only +to the Jews, but the transgressions whereof both by omission and +commission are still sins, and were never abolished neither formally nor +consequentially in the New Testament, must be moral; but such, as these +penal laws I am speaking of, they cannot be reputed among the ceremonial +laws, dead as to their end, and deadly as to their use, or indifferent +in their nature: for sure, to punish the innocent upon the account of +these crimes, were still sin, now as well as under the Old Testament; +and not punish the guilty, were likewise sin now as well as then. If +then the matter be moral and not abolished, the execution of it by +private persons, in some cases when there is no access to public +authority, must be lawful also. Or if it be indifferent, that which is +in its own nature indifferent, cannot be in a case of extreme necessity +unlawful, when otherwise the destruction of ourselves and brethren is in +all human consideration inevitable. That which God hath once commanded, +and never expresly forbidden, cannot be unlawful, in extraordinary +cases, but such are these precepts we speak of: therefore they cannot be +in every case unlawful. Concerning this case of the obligation of +judicial laws, Ames. de Conscienc. Lib. 5. Cap. 1. Quest. 9. 6. Those +laws which are predicted to be observed and executed in the New +Testament, cannot be judicial or judaical, restricted to the old: but +such is this. In the day, that a fountain shall be opened for the house +of David for sin, and for uncleanness; which clearly points at gospel +times; it is said, "The Lord will cause the prophets and the unclean +spirits to pass out of the land: and it shall come to pass, that when +any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him +shall say unto him, thou shalt not live----and shall thrust him through +when he prophesieth," Zech. xiii. 3. Which cannot be meant of a +spiritual penetration of the heart: for it is said, he shall not live; +and the wounds of such as might escape, by resistance or flight, are +visible in his hands, ver. 6. It is therefore to be understood of +corporal killing inticers to idolatry, according to the law, Deut. xii. +9. either by delivering them up to the judges, as Piscator on the place +says, or as Grotius saith, they shall run through, as Phinehas did +Zimri, Numb. xxv. Understand this of a false prophet, desiring to intice +the people to the worship of false gods; for the law impowered every Jew +to proceed against such----which law expressly adds, that they should +not spare their son, if guilty of such a crime. From all which I +conclude, if people are to bring to condign punishment idolatrous +apostates, seeking to intice them; then may oppressed people, daily in +hazard of the death of their souls by compliance; or of their bodies, by +their constancy in duty, put forth their hand to execute judgment, in +case of necessity, upon idolatrous apostates and incendiaries, and the +principal murdering emissaries of tyrants, that seek to destroy people, +or enforce them to the same apostacy; but the former is true: therefore, +&c. + +4. The same may be inferred from that command of rescuing and delivering +our brother, when in hazard of his life; for omitting which duty, no +pretence, even of ignorance, will excuse us, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. If thou +forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are +ready to be slain; if thou sayest, behold we knew it not: doth not he +that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul doth +not he know it, and shall not he render to every man according to his +works? That is, 'Rescue out out of the hand of the invader, robber, +unjust magistrate, &c. and that either by defending him with your hand, +or tongue, or any other lawful way: men use to make a great many +excuses, either that they know not his danger nor his innocence, nor +that they were possessed of so great authority that they might relieve +him, that they have enough to do to mind their own affairs, and not +concern themselves with others, &c. He proposes and redargues here, for +examples sake, one excuse, comprehending all the rest.' As commentators +say, Pool. Syn. Crit. in loc. This precept is indefinitely given to all: +principally indeed belonging to righteous magistrates; but in case of +their omission, and if, instead of defending them, they be the persons +that draw or send out their destroying emissaries to draw them to death, +then the precept is no more to be restricted to them, than that verse. +1. not to be envious against evil men, or vers. 10. If thou faint in the +day of adversity, thy strength is small, can be said to be spoken only +to magistrates. Hence, if it be a duty to rescue our brethren from any +prevailing power that would take their lives unjustly, and no pretence +even of ignorance will excuse the forbearance of it, then it must be +lawful, in some extraordinary cases, to prevent the murdering violence +of public incendiaries, by killing them, rather than to suffer +ourselves or our brethren to be killed, when there is no other way, in +probability, either of saving ourselves, or rescuing them; but here the +former is commanded as a duty: therefore the latter also must be +justified, when the duty cannot otherwise be discharged. + +Now, having thus at some length endeavoured to discuss this some way odd +and esteemed odious head, to which task I have been as unwillingly +drawn, as the actors here pleaded for were driven to the occasion +thereof, whom only the necessity of danger did force to such +atchievements, to preserve their own and brethren's lives, in +prosecuting the cause; and nothing but the necessity of duty did force +me to this undertaking, to defend their name from reproach, and the +cause from calumnies. I shall conclude with a humble protestation, that +what I have said be not stretched further than my obvious and declared +design doth aim at; which is not to press a practice from these +precedents, but to vindicate a scripture truth from invidious or +ignorant obloquies, and not to specify what may or must be done in such +cases hereafter, but to justify what hath been done in such +circumstances before. Wherein I acknowledge, that though the truth be +certain, such things may be done, yet the duty is most difficult to be +done with approbation. Such is the fury of corrupt passion, far more +fierce in all than the pure zeal of God is to be found fervent in any, +that too much caution, tenderness, and fear, can scarce be adhibit in a +subject, wherein even the most warrantable provocation of holy zeal is +ordinarily attended with such a concurrence of self-interest, and other +carnal temptations, as it is impossible, without the signal assistance +of special grace, to have its exercise in any notable measure or manner, +without the mixture of sinful allay; as the true nonconformist doth +truly observe as above. Yet this doctrine, though in its defined and +uncautioned latitude be obnoxious to accidental abuses (as all +doctrines may be abused by men's corruption or ignorance, misapplying +the same) is nevertheless built upon such foundations, that religion +will own to be firm, and reason will ratify their force. And I hope it +is here so circumscribed with scripture boundaries, and restricted in +the narrow circumstantiation of the case, that as the ungodly cannot +captate advantage from it, to encourage themselves in their murdering +villanies, seeing they never were, never can be so circumstantiate, as +the exigence here defined requires; so as for the godly, I may presume +upon their tenderness, and the conduct of that Spirit that is promised +to lead them, and the zeal they have for the honour of holiness, with +which all real cruelty is inconsistent, to promise in their name, that +if their enemies will repent of their wickedness, and so far at least +reform themselves, as to surcease from their cruel murdering violence, +in persecuting them to the death, and devouring them as a prey, then +they shall not need to fear from the danger of this doctrine, but as +saith the proverb of the ancients, wickedness proceedeth from the +wicked, but their hand shall not be upon them. But if they shall still +proceed to murder the innocent, they must understand, they that hold +this truth in theory, will also reduce it to practice. And bloody +papists must know, that Christians now are more men, than either +stupidly to surrender their throats to their murdering swords, or +supinely to suffer their villany to pass unpunished; and though their +favours have flattered many, and their fury hath forced others, into a +faint succumbing and superseding from all action against them; yet all +are not asleep; and I hope there are some, who will never enter into any +terms of peace with them, against whom the Mediator hath declared, and +will prosecute a war for ever, but will still own and aim at this, as +the highest pitch of their ambition, to be found among his chosen, +called, and faithful ones, who maintain a constant opposition against +them. However, though the Lord seems, in his providence, to put a bar +upon all public appearances under a display of open war against them; +and it is not the design of what is said here on this and the foregoing +head, to incite or invite to any: yet certainly, even at this present +time, all that have the zeal of God, and love to his righteous cause +rightly stated in their hearts, will find themselves called not to +supersede altogether from all actions, of avowed and even violent +opposition against them, whom we are all bound both by the morality of +the duty, and the formality of solemn and sacred covenants, to hold out +from a violent intrusion into, and peaceable possession of this land +devoted to God, and to put them out when they are got in either by fraud +or force; and this plea, now brought to an end, will oblige all the +loyal lovers of Christ to an endeavour of these, 1. To take alarms, and +to be fore-warned and fore-armed, resolute and ready to withstand the +invasion of popery; that it be neither established by law, through the +supineness of such, who should stand in the gap, and resolve rather to +be sacrificed in the spot by a valiant resisting, than see such an +abomination set up again; nor introduced by this liberty, through the +wiles of such, whose chiefest principle of policy is perfidy, who design +by this wide gate, and in the womb of the wooden horse of this +toleration, to bring it in peaceably; nor intruded by force and fury, +fire and sword, if they shall fall upon their old game of murders and +massacres. It concerns all to be upon their guard, and not only to come +out of Babylon, but to be making ready to go against it, when the Lord +shall give the call. 2. To resist the beginnings of their invasions, +before they be past remedy; and for this effect, to oppose their gradual +erections of their idolatrous monuments, and not suffer them to set up +the idol of the mass in city or country, without attempting, if they +have any force, to overthrow the same. 3. In the mean time, to defend +themselves and the gospel, against all their assaults, and to rescue +any out of their hands, upon all occasions, that for the cause of Christ +they have caught as a prey, and to oppose and prevent their own and the +nation's ruin and slavery. + +But to conclude: as it will be now expected, in justice and charity, +that all the vassals and votaries, subjects and servants, of the one +common Lord and King, Christ Jesus, every where throughout his +dominions, who may see this representation of the case, and vindication +of the cause of a poor wasted and wounded, persecuted and reproached, +remnant of the now declining, sometimes renowned church of Scotland, +will be so far from standing Esau like on the other side, either as +enemies, rejoicing to look on their affliction in the day of their +calamity; or as neutral, unconcerned with their distressed conditions; +or as strangers, without the knowledge or sense of their sorrows and +difficulties; or as Gallio's caring for none of these things, or +thinking their case not worthy of compassion, or their cause of +consideration; or possibly condemning their sufferings, as at best but +started upon slender, subtile, and nice points, that are odd and odious, +and invidiously represented: it is now expected, I say, that Christians, +not possessed with prejudice, (which is very improper for any that bear +that holy and honourable signature) and not willing to be imposed on by +misinformations, will be so far from that unchristian temper towards +them, as to be easily biassed with all reports and reproaches to their +disadvantage, that if they weigh what is in this treatise offered, and +truly I may say candidly represented, without any design of +prevarication, or painting or daubing, to make the matter either better +or worse than it will seem to any impartial observer; they will admit +and entertain a more charitable construction of them, and not deny them +brotherly sympathy and Christian compassion, nor be wanting in the duty +of prayer and supplication for them; at length the Lord would turn his +hand upon the little ones, and bring at least a third part, a remnant +of mourners, through the fire. So, to that little flock, the poor of the +flock, that wait upon the Lord, and desire to keep his way, I shall only +say, though I judged necessity was laid upon me, instead of a better, to +essay this vindication of your cause, as stated betwixt you and your +Lord's enemies, the men that now ride over your heads, that say to your +soul, Bow down that we may go over you, I desire not that you should, +yea I obtest that you may not lay any stress on the strength of what I +have said; but let its weight ly where it must be laid, on that firm +foundation that will bear you and it both, that stone, that tried stone, +that precious corner-stone, that sure foundation Christ Jesus; and +search the scriptures of truth to see whether these things be so or not: +and I doubt not, but by that touchstone if these precious truths be +tried, they will be found neither hay nor stubble, that cannot abide the +fire, but as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times. Be +not offended, that they are contemned as small, and contradicted as +odious, but look to the importance of his glory, whose truths and +concerns they are, and from whom they are seeking to draw or drive you, +who oppose and oppugn these truths. Stand fast therefore in the liberty +wherewith Christ hath made you free, and hold fast every word of his +patience, that you may be kept in this hour of tentation. Let no man +take your crown, or pull you down from your excellency, which is always +the design of your wicked enemies, in all their several shapes nd shews, +both of force and fraud, craft and cruelty. Beware of their snares, and +of their tender mercies, for they are cruel; and when they speak fair, +believe them not, for there are seven abominations in their hearts. "Say +ye not a confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say a +confederacy, neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid; sanctify the +Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your +dread, and he shall be for a sanctuary, but for a stone of stumbling +and a rock of offence, to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a +snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Wait upon the Lord who hideth his +face from the house of Jacob, and look for him among his children," +though now you be reputed for signs and wonders in Israel, from the Lord +of hosts which dwelleth in mount Zion. "Who knows, but therefore will +the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he +be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you, for the Lord is a God of +judgment, blessed are all they that wait for him." To whom be all the +glory, Amen. + + * * * * * + +Having come to a conclusion of the six heads proposed to be treated of, +I judged it conducing, by way of a postscript, to subjoin a seventh, in +vindication of these conscientious and truly tender sufferers, who, in +the dread and awe of the holy, sovereign, and supreme law-giver, who +commandeth his subjects and followers, to abstain from all appearance of +evil, did in obedience to him and his royal law, choose rather to suffer +the rage, robberies, and violence of cruel and bloody enemies, together +with censures, reproaches, obloquies, and contempt of apostatising +professors, than to give any aid or encouragement to the avowed and +declared enemies of Christ, that might contribute to the promoving their +sacrilegious, tyrannical, and hellish projects and practices, calculate +and prosecute against the gospel and kingdom of Christ, the covenanted +reformed religion of the church, the rights, laws, and liberties of the +people, and to the introducing of antichristian idolatry, tyranny and +slavery, by paying any of their wicked and wickedly imposed exactions, +raised for furthering their hellish designs, of which none that pays +them can be innocent. + + +HEAD VII. + +_The Sufferings of many, for refusing to pay the wicked Exactions of the +Cess, Locality, Fines, &c. vindicated._ + +It will possibly seem impertinent, or at least preposterous at such a +time, when the pressure of these burdens is not more pinching to the +generality of professing people, and in such a retrograde order, as +after the discussion of the foregoing heads to subjoin any disquisition +of these questions, which are now out of date and doors with many. But +considering that the impositions of these burdens are still pressing to +some, and the difficulties of doubts and disputes about them still +puzling, the sin and scandal of complying with them still lying upon the +land, not confessed nor forsaken, the leaven of such doctrine as daubs +and defends the like compliance still entertained, the sufferings of the +faithful, for refusing them, still contemned and condemned, and the +fears and expectations of more snares of that nature, after this fair +weather is over, still increasing; if I may be so happy as to escape +impertinencies in the manner of managing this disquisition, I fear not +the censure of the impertinency or needlessness of this essay. As to the +order of it, it was intended to have been put in its proper place among +the negative heads of sufferings; but knowing of how little worth or +weight any thing that I can say is with the prejudged, and having a +paper writ by two famous witnesses of Christ against the defections of +their day, Mr. M'Ward and Mr. Brown, more fully and largely detecting +the iniquity of the cess (from which the wickedness of other exactions +also may be clearly deduced) though at such distance at the writing of +the foregoing heads, that it could not be had in readiness to take its +due place, and time would not allow the suspending other things until +this should come to hand; I thought it needful, rather than to omit it +altogether, to insert it here. However, tho' neither the form of it, +being by way of letter, nor the method adapted to the design of a moving +disswasion, nor the length and prolixity thereof, will suffer it to be +here transcribed as it is; yet to discover what were their sentiments of +these things, and what was the doctrine preached and homologated by the +most faithful both ministers and professors of Scotland, eight or nine +years since, how closely continued in by the contendings of this +reproached remnant still persecuted for these things, and how clearly +abandoned and refiled from, by their complying brethren now at ease, I +shall give a short transumpt and compend of their reasonings, in a +method subservient to my scope, and with additions necessary for +applying their arguments against the other exactions here adduced in +this head, and bringing them also under the dint of them, though not +touched by them expressly. I must put altogether, because it would +dilate the treatise, already excresced, into a bigness, far beyond the +boundaries I designed for it, to handle them distinctly; and their +affinity, both as to their fountain, nature, and ends, is such, that +what will condemn one of them will condemn all. What and how many and +manifold have been the exorbitant exactions, as the fruits and foments +of this cruel tyranny, that the godly in our land have been groaning +under these twenty seven years, and upon what occasions they have been, +at diverse times, and in diverse manners and measures imposed, I need +not here relate, the first part of the treatise doth represent it. The +first of these tyrannical exactions, were the fines for not hearing the +curates, and other parts of non-conformity; which, together with paying +the curates stipends, were too universally at first complied with; but +afterwards upon more mature consideration, and after clearer discoveries +of the imposers projects and practices, they were scrupled and refused +by the more tender. And their sufferings, upon the account of that +recusancy, have been very great and grievous, to the utter +impoverishment and depopulation of many families, besides the personal +sufferings of many in long imprisonments, which some choose 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 jaylor's +fees, their keepers demanded of them. Many other wicked impositions have +been pressed and prosecuted with great rigour and rage, as militia +money, and locality, for furnishing soldiers, listed under a banner +displayed against religion and liberty, with necessary provision, in and +for their wicked service; which of late years have been contended +against by the sufferings of many, and daily growing a trial to more. +But the most impudently insolent of all these impositions, and that +which plainly paraphrases, openly expresses and explains all the rest, +calculate for the same ends, was by that wicked act of convention, +enacted in the 1678, declaring very plainly its ends, to levy and +maintain forces for suppressing meetings, and to shew unanimous +affection for maintaining the king's supremacy established by law. Or as +they represent it in their act, for continuation of it, Act 3. Parl. 3. +Char. II. August 20, 1681. 'Seeing the convention of estates held at +Edinburgh in the month of July, 1678, upon weighty considerations +therein specified, and particularly the great danger the kingdom was +under, by seditious and rebellious conventicles, and the necessity which +then appeared, to increase the forces, for securing the government, and +suppressing these rebellious commotions, which were fomented by +seditious principles and practices, did therefore humbly and dutifully +offer a chearful and unanimous supply of 800,000 pound Scots,--in the +space of five years,--And the estates of parliament now conveened, +having taken to consideration, how the dangers from the foresaid causes +do much encrease, in so far as such as are seditiously and rebelliously +inclined, do still propagate their pernicious principles, and go on from +one degree of rebellion to another, till now at last the horrid +villanies of murder, assassination, and avowed rebellion, are owned, not +only as things lawful, but as obligations from their religion,--do +therefore, in a due sense of their duty to God, to their sacred +sovereign, and the preservation of themselves, and their posterity, of +new make an humble, unanimous, chearful, and hearty offer, for +themselves, and in name of, and as representing this his majesty's +ancient kingdom, of a continuation of the foresaid supply, granted by +the convention or estates; and that for the space of five years, or ten +terms successive, beginning the first terms payment at Martinmass, 1684, +which yet is to be continued until Martinmass, 1688.' Here is a sample +of their wicked demands, shewing the nature, quality, and 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, and +yet remain to be, the danger of the meetings of the Lord's 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 of Christ, liberties of his church and privileges +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 reformation, (which they call propagating pernicions +principles) and some weak attempts to oppose and resist their rebellion +against God, and vindicate the work, and defend the people of God, from +the destruction they intended against them, and their lawful and obliged +endeavours to bring these destroyers and murderers to condign punishment +(which they, call horrid villanies of murder, assassinations, and avowed +rebellion.) + +Here all the active appearances of the Lord's people, vindicated in the +foregoing Heads, are industriously represented, under these odious and +invidious names, as motives to contribute this supply of means to +suppress them, and to involve all the contributers in the guilt of +condemning them. 5. That as a tell their allegiance unto, and +confederacy with that execrable tyrant (which they call their duty to +their sacred sovereign) they enact this as representatives of the +kingdom, and must be owned as such by all the payers 5. That it is the +same cess that was granted by the convention of estates, and the term of +its continuation is not yet expired. And hence it is manifest, that that +act of convention, though 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 and corroborated, and +the exaction continued upon no other basis or bottom but the first state +constitution; which was, and remains to be a consummating and crimson +wickedness, the cry whereof reaches heaven, since upon the matter, it +was the setting of a day betwixt and which (exceeding the Gadarenes +wickedness, and short of their civility) they did not beseech Christ, +and 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 Lord's 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, and +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 own Christ and his interest. All which they could not, +nor cannot accomplish, without the subsidiary contribution of the +people's help. This is the plain sense of the act for the cess; and, +though not expressed, the tacit and uniform 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, though they durst not for a world do it themselves, to be +silent, and by their silence to encourage and embolden many to such a +compliance; presuming with themselves, and without further enquiry, 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 and pleadings of such +of late, who formerly witnessed against it. O that it might be given to +us to remember Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt, to season us, +lest the stink of our destruction, and what may follow upon it, be all +that the posterity get for a warning not to tread our paths. As for the +few that have suffered upon this head, they have been so discruciated +with perplexities, in their conflicts with the rage of enemies, and +reproach of friends, and fear of these snares attending every lot of +occupation they could put themselves in, that they have been made to +desire death, as their best refuge, and only retreat wherein they may +find rest from all these rackings; for, in no place could they escape +the reach of some of these impositions, nor the noise of their +clamorous contendings of arguments that pleaded for it. But some have +had more love to Christ and his interests, than language to plead for +him, and more resolution to suffer, than learning to dispute for his +cause; and where pure zeal for Christ, and love to his bleeding +interests; in a time when he is crucified afresh, and put to open shame, +and the concurrence of all is required to help forward the war against +him, is in integrity and vigour, it will burn with its flame those knots +that it cannot in haste loose; and chuse rather to ly under the +imputation of being zealous without knowledge, than life of let go such +an opportunity of witnessing a good confession; yea, when it could do +more, expire with an Ichabod in its mouth. + +But shortly to come to the point, I shall, 1. Permit some concessions. +2. Propose some parallel questions. 3. Offer some reasons to clear it. + +1. I shall willingly grant in the general, concerning paying of +exactions, impositions, or emoluments. + +1. They are to be paid to these to whom they are due; as tribute and +custom is to be paid to the powers ordained of God, and for this cause +they that are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very +thing, Rom. xiii. 6, 7. So stipends and all outward encouragements are +due to ministers of the gospel, who sow spiritual things, and should +reap these carnal things, 1 Cor. ix. 11, 12. Fines also, and all legal +amercements for delinquencies against such laws must be paid, Deut. +xxii. 19. And whatsoever is due by law to officers, appointed by law, +for keeping delinquents in custody, as all debts whatsoever. But tyrants +exactions, enacted and exacted for promoving their wicked designs +against religion and liberty, hirelings salaries, for encouraging them +in their intrusions upon the church of God; arbitrary impositions of +pecuniary punishments for clear duties; and extorted hirings, of the +subordinate instruments of persecution, oppressions, are no ways due, +and cannot be debt, and therefore no equity to pay them. + +2. It is lawful to pay them, when due and debt, either by law or +contract, even though they should be afterward abused and misimproven to +pernicious ends. But these payments for such wicked ends, either +particularly specified and expressed in the very act appointing them, or +openly avouched by the exactors, are of another nature than impositions +fundamentally appointed for the public good; and the after +misapplication thereof, made by such as are entrusted therewith, is no +more imputable unto the land or payers, than is the theft of a collector +stealing or running away with the same, without making count or +reckoning to superiors. It is then a foolish thing to say, that former +impositions were peaceably paid, though we saw and were convinced that +their use was perverted, and they were used against the good of the land +and God's people: for no such thing was laid down as the ground, or +declared as the end of these exactions; but what fell out was by the +personal abuse and perversion of those in power: which was their own +personal fault, and posterior to the legal engagement and submission to +the payment thereof by the land in their representatives. + +3. It is lawful to pay them sometimes, even when fundamentally and +originally from the first constitution of them they were not due, but +illegally or usurpatively challenged and exacted, if afterwards they +were by sedition or voluntary engagement, legally submitted unto by the +true representatives. But not so, when they were never either lawfully +enacted, or legally exacted, or voluntarily engaged by the +representatives, except such as represented the enslavement of the +nation, and betrayed the country, religion, liberty, property, and all +precious interests, and declaredly imposed to further the destruction of +all. Nor can any with reason say, that this case is but like the case of +the people of Israel under the feet of enemies, paying to them of the +fruits of their ground, as was regretted and lamented by Nehemia, chap. +ix. 36, 37. for so they must say, the exactions now in debate are their +redemption-money, and by these they purchase their liberty of life and +lands, and own themselves to be a people under conquest. And yet they +cannot deny, but they are both exacted and paid as tests of their +allegiance as subjects, and badges of their loyalty and obedience. But +this is answered before, Head 2. Conces. 7. Sect. 2. If any should +object the practice of Christ, though otherwise free, yet paying custom, +lest he should offend: it is fully solved ibid. Head 2. Conces. 9. Here +it is sufficient to hint (1.) That which made them to marvel at his wise +answer was, that he left the title unstated, and the claim unresolved, +whether it belonged to Cesar or not, and taught them in the general to +give nothing to Cesar with prejudice to what was God's; which condemns +all the payments we speak of, which are all for carrying on the war +against God. (2.) Cesar was no tyrant nor usurper at this time; because +they had legally submitted themselves unto several Cesars successively +before. (3.) It was, lest he should offend: but here it will be evident, +that the offence and scandal lieth on the other hand, of paying the +exaction: and it is against all religion to say, that both the doing and +refusing to do the same act, can give offence. But (4.) make the case +like our's, and I doubt not to call it blasphemy to say, that Christ +would have paid, or permitted to pay a taxation professedly imposed for +levying a war against him, or banishing him and his disciples out of the +land; or to fill the mouth of the greedy Pharisees, devouring widows +houses, for their pretence of long prayers; or that he would have paid, +or suffered to pay their extortions, if any had been exacted of him, or +his disciples, for his preaching, or working miracles; or if help or +hire had been demanded, for encouraging those that rose to stone him +for his good deeds. + +4. It is lawful to pay a part to preserve the whole, when it is extorted +by force and threatenings, and not exacted by law; when it is a yielding +only to a lesser suffering, and not a consenting to a sin to shift +suffering. The objection of a man being seized by a robber, transacting +with him to give him the one half or more to save the rest and his life, +commonly made use of to justify the paying of these impositions, while +under the power and at the reverence of such public robbers, cannot +satisfy in this case. It is thus far satisfying, that there is a +manifest concession in it, that instead of righteous rulers, we are +under the power, and fallen into the hand of robbers, from whom we are +not able to rise up. But there is no paritie. For to bring it home +without halting, and make it speak sense, we must suppose that the +robber not only requires a part for himself, and a part for his +underling shavers, horse-rubbers, &c. but a part upon this declared +account, that he may by that supply be enabled and furnished with all +things necessary, for murdering my father, mother, wife, children, +kinsmen, and friends, (all whom he hath now in his power) yea, and for +doing that besides, which is worse than all these put together: Whether +then shall I, by giving the robber that part which he seeks, enable him +to do all these mischiefs? Or by refusing, expose myself to the hazard +of being robbed or slain? Let the conscience of any man answer this (for +nothing can be here alledged against the paritie as now propounded) and +then I fear not but the objection shall be found a blaze of empty words, +blown away by any breath. But alas! will this tattle of a robber be +found relevant in that day, when the public robbers shall be proceeded +against by the just Judge? Let them who think so, think also, they see +the court fenced, and the judge set, and hear these words sounding in +their ears, "ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even +this whole nation;" and then they are like to lay as little weight on +the objection, for fear of falling under the weight of the curse, as I +do. + +5. It is lawful passively by forcible constraint to submit to the +execution of such wicked sentences, as impose these burdens, if it be +not by way of obedience to them: this is suffering and not sinning. +Hence it is easy to refel that objection; if it be lawful (which +hitherto was never questioned) for a man, who is sentenced to die, to go +to the place of execution, then a man, being under the moral force of a +law, which is equivalent, may pay cesses, localities, fines, &c. Ans. 1. +Might it not be doubted, whether a man's going upon his feet to be +execute, had as manifest, and from the nature of the thing, a tendency, +yea and proper casuality to advance the design of the enemy, and his +refusing to go, had as clear a testimony against the clamant wickedness +of their course, as his refusing to pay their impositions. Whether, I +say, in this case, a man might not, yea, ought not to refuse to go to +the place of execution. But 2. Whosoever would conclude any thing from +it, to give it either life or legs, must make it run thus: let the order +run in this form (else there is no parallel, and so no inference) we +appoint all the opposers of our course (that is all the lovers of our +Lord Jesus) whom we have for their rebellious rendezvouzing at +conventicles sentenced as enemies and traitors to die, to come and be +hanged by virtue of our sentence: otherwise besides the moral force of +the law, adjudging them to die, we shall use force, and drag them like +dogs to the place of execution; and in putting us to this trouble, they +shall fall under the reproach, that being sentenced to die, they +scrupled forsooth, yea refused to go on their own legs to the gibbet. +Let this, I say, be made the case, which to me is the exact parallel, +and there every child will know what to answer, or to hiss the objection +as pure ridicule. 3. I suppose the objection speaks of a righteous and +innocent person, who for righteousness it brought, as a sheep to the +slaughter (for a malefactor, who hath lost all right to his life, is not +to be understood) then to make the case parallel, it must be taken for +granted, (1.) There is a public law with the penalty of death, statute +for the violation thereof. (2.) That the person to be executed, hath not +only transgressed that law, but his disobedience to the law is notour. +(3.) That he is processed and convict of the transgression thereof: +Whereupon follows. (4.) The sentence, and then the execution. Now the +law being wicked, and the man from the fear of God, being constrained to +disobey the law, he can in nothing be justly construed active, but in +that disobedience or renitence: but in the whole of what befals him for +this, he being a captive prisoner, is to be looked upon as passive. Yea +the very act of going to the place of execution in the present case, +howbeit, as to its physical entity, it is of the same kind, with the +executioner's motion that goes along with him, yet in its moral and +religious being, whence it hath its specification, it is wholly the +suffering of a captive. Well then, ere any thing can be pleaded from the +pretended parity; seeing there are laws, made for paying such exactions, +cesses, salaries, and fines, for the declared ends of ruining the people +and interests of Christ; it is necessary, in order to a just parallel, +that the law must be first disobeyed. (2.) The disobedience must be +notour. (3.) The delinquent must be processed and pursued, as guilty of +the transgression, and convicted thereof, whereupon sentence passeth +against him for the breach of the law. Here I grant all with advantage +to the cause: as in the first case, so in this, he who is judged guilty +of the breach of this wicked law, and who is sentenced for that +violation, ought to suffer patiently the spoiling of his goods, and not +to decline suffering, if it were unto blood, striving against this sin. + +6. It is lawful of two evils of sufferings to chuse the least; where +both come in the election, as in the cases forementioned, and in a man +throwing of his goods overboard in a storm; these and the like are deeds +in the present exigent voluntary and rational, being upon deliberation +and choice, where the least evil is chosen under the notion of good, yea +of the best that can be in the present case, and accordingly the will is +determined, and meets and closes with its proper object; or one of them +only be proposed to be submitted to, but another lesser evil of +suffering is in a man's power to chuse and propose, for purchasing his +immunity from a greater; which is not imposed nor exacted of him, either +by a wicked law, or for wicked ends declared, but voluntarily offered; +as in the case of parting with some money to a robber or murderer to +save the life, when he is seeking only the life; as the ten men that +were going to the house of the Lord said unto Ishmael, "Slay us not for +we have treasures in the field," for which he "forbare and slew them +not," Jer. xli. 8. In this a man does nothing, which under such +circumstances is not only lawful (one of the main ends for which goods +are given to him, to wit the preservation of his life, being thereby +attained) but it were a grievous sin, and would conclude him guilty of +self murder, not to make use of such a mean for preservation of his +life, which God hath put in his power, and is in the case called for by +his precept. But however force may warrant one to do that, which may be +done for shunning a greater evil of loss; yet it is never sufficient to +make one to do that which is a greater evil, than all the evil that can +be said to be shunned: For the evil shunned is suffering, but the evil +done to shun this, is real and active concurrence, in manner, measure, +and method, enjoined by law, in strengthening the hands of those who +have displayed a banner against all the lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ; +a manifest chusing of sin to shun suffering, and a saving of life with +the prejudice of that in the preservation whereof he should be ready to +lay down all, and be at a point to endure the worst this wicked world +can make him suffer, ere he be found guilty in the matter of a +compliance of that nature. And though the rod of the wicked should seem +to rest on his lot, for his refusal, and he be the object of their rage +and revenge, for holding his integrity; yet he shall be honoured as a +faithful witness, helped to endure as seeing him who is invisible, and +amidst all his sufferings and sorrows, made to rejoice in the hope, that +when God shall lead forth these workers of iniquity, he shall not be +found amongst the company of these who have turned aside with them into +their crooked courses, and for that shall be overturned and crushed with +them, under the curse that is hovering over their heads. It is true a +man should not cast himself and his family (which if he provide not for, +he is worse than an infidel) upon sufferings, either needlessly or +doubtfully, when he is not persuaded it is truth and duty he suffers +for, and of value sufficient to countervail the loss he may sustain for +it. But on the other hand, in the present and all like cases it is +highly of the concernment of all men to be careful and circumspectly +cautious, when the case comes to be stated upon suffering or not +suffering, in examining well whether the course whereby a man shuns +suffering be of God, and not to take plausibilities for demonstrations: +seeing the flesh is not only ready to inculcate that doctrine, 'spare +thy self,' but is both witty of invention to plead for what will afford +ease, and as unwilling to listen to what would, if attended unto, expose +us to the malice and rage of rigorous enemies: It being always more +becoming the professors of the gospel, and the followers of our Lord +Jesus, who must walk to heaven bearing his cross; to abstain at all +hazards when the case is doubtful, than to rush forward upon an +uncertainty, when it is not evident they have God's approbation for what +they do. Yea suppose a person erred to his own hurt in the first case, +through weakness, yet it will argue much more sincerity and uprightness +towards God, and is done with less danger than in the other. And as many +as walk according to this rule, are like to have the peace of the Israel +of God, to compense whatever of trouble or loss they may meet with in +the world, when others shall not have this bird of Paradise to sing in +their bosom. + +II. But shunning prolixity; to come nearer the point, because perhaps +some may alledge such cases are not determined in the scriptures, nor +can any case be found parallel to these under consideration, from which +we may gather the determination thereof; which I think hard indeed to +find, because in the wickedness of former ages such monstrous exactions +had never a precedent, for such declared ends, so declaredly impudent. I +shall make some suppositions, and propose some questions, all of a +piece, and some way parallel to this under debate, and leave any +conscience touched with the fear of God to answer. + +1. Suppose, when our Lord Jesus and his disciples were tossed upon the +waves by the storm at sea, and he was sleeping, that then Herod or +Pilate, or the chief rulers, had sent peremptory orders to all men, to +supply and furnish with such things as he had, the men they employed, to +capacitate them once for all and forever to sink that floating bottom +out of sight; and that somewhat should be given to the soldiers engaged +in that enterprize, somewhat to the Pharisees for persuading them to it, +and fines to be exacted from the recusants, and rewards to be given to +such as should keep them in custody that should fall in their hands, +either of them that refused to pay the moiety prescribed, or of such of +them as should escape drowning. In this case would, or durst any of the +lovers of Jesus comply with any of these demands? and not rather chuse +to perish with him, or in opposition to such wicked attempts? Now, hath +not the Lord Jesus, and all the interest he hath in the nation, been +embarked as it were in one bottom, and floating like a wreck in the +sea? And have not these called rulers in this land, in their rage +against the Lord's anointed, and the handful who adhere to him, sent +their peremptory orders to pay a cess for sinking his floating +interests; and to pay the curates for persuading to it; and fines for +not concurring in it; and rewards to jailors and others appointed to +repress the recusants? Who durst concur then in this compliance, who had +love to Christ in exercise, and who had his friends in the same bottom +embarked? And besides, seeing the great God had the man of whom this is +required, bound with his own consent, under a sacred and solemn oath, +and under the penalty of never seeing his face, if he do not venture +life and fortune to preserve that precious interest, and all who are +embarked with it from perishing. Shall he, notwithstanding of this, give +what these enemies to Christ, call for as his concurrence, to enable +them to execute their wicked contrivance? Does any man think or dream, +that the pitiful plea, of what they call a moral force, will clear and +acquit him before God from the guilt of a concurrence in this +conspiracy, while in the mean time he furnished whatsoever these enemies +demanded of him, with this express declaration, that it was for this +cause exacted, and for this end imposed? Or can he think to be saved, +when they shall be sentenced, who with so much deliberation and despite +have done this thing? O let us consider the after reckoning! And let us +not with pretences distinguish ourselves into a defection, or distract +ourselves into the oblivion of this, that God is righteous to whom the +reckoning must be made. + +2. Let it be supposed, under Saul's tyranny, when the Ziphims informed +him of David's hiding himself with them, or when Doeg informed him of +Ahimelech's resetting him, that an order had been given forth to all +Israel, with this narrative: Whereas that rebel David had now openly +despised authority, had been entertained by the priest, received +Goliath's sword from him, and gathered a company of armed men together, +therefore to the end he and his accomplices may be brought to justice, +We ordain all from Dan to Beersheba, to concur either personally in this +expedition against him, or to pay cess to our standing forces to +maintain them in this expedition, or so much to gratify the Ziphims for +their kindness, or to furnish Doeg with a sword to murder the priests of +the Lord. Would any that favoured David's righteous cause, have dared to +do any of these? Would these that durst not concur themselves, +contribute any encouragement to the concurrers? Would Saul's servants +that would not fall upon the priests of the Lord themselves, have given +Doeg one of their swords to do it, or money to buy one, if it had been +demanded? To the same purpose, suppose a party comes to a dissenter, +with an express order, and this narrative, Whereas there is such a +minister met with some people, at an execrable conventicle, as they call +it, (but in itself the pure worship of God) therefore to the end the +minister may be taken and murdered, and the servants of the Lord for the +countenance they gave him may be brought to the same punishment, they +ordain him, for the accomplishing of their design, to furnish that party +with all necessities, or to pay such a sum of money for not concurring +with them: now, should he in this case not only forbear to lay down his +life for his brethren, and forbear to deliver them, that are thus drawn +unto death on such an account, (into which forbearance the great God +will make so accurate an inquiry, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. as may make us +tremble, whether we look backward or forward) but also furnish according +to the tenor of this order, that party of the dragon's legions, in their +war against the prince Michael and his angels, with supplies, and think +to put off the matter and plead innocent with this, that he was under +the moral force of the law, accompanied with such military force, as if +he had refused, they would have taken away all he had, &c. For this +plea, in its full strength, is to do evil, that some good may come of +it, (no true good) which brings damnation, Rom. iii. 8. or to choose sin +rather than affliction. + +3. What if Manasseh, or other idolatrous princes, that sacrificed to +devils, and made children pass through the fire to Molech, had enacted a +cess, or under severe impositions of fines had commanded all to concur +to a solemn sacrifice of that nature, charging every man against a +certain day, to bring in his proportion, in order to celebrate the +sacrifice with all its statute solemnities; or should have taken a child +from every father, and then made a law, that each of these should +contribute such a sum, for furnishing with all necessaries, and +maintaining these murderers, whom they had conduced to shed the blood of +their innocent children, or sacrifice them to Molech: could it be +expected that any of the godly would have paid such exactions, and then +have wiped his mouth with the notion of a moral force? This comes home +enough to our case; for no sacrifice they can offer to the devil, can be +more real or so acceptable, as what they declare they intend to do; +being so direct, not only in opposition to the coming of the kingdom of +Christ, but the deletion of his precious interests, and extirpation of +his faithful remnant, and the giving Satan such an absolute dominion in +the nation, as that they who have made the decree, and all who put it in +execution, practically declare thereby they have emancipate themselves +to his slavery, and sold themselves to work wickedness in the sight of +the Lord: so likewise, that all the rest of the nation, may with +themselves become his vassals, and in evidence of their opposition to +Christ, and in recognition of Satan's sovereignty, and their subjection, +they are appointed to pay these back-meals. + +4. Let it be supposed, that after Nebuchadnezzar had made the decree, +for all to fall down and worship his image, and the three children were +apprehended for refusing it, he had made another, that all the Jews +especially should contribute, every one a faggot, or money to buy it, to +heat the furnace, or a rope to lead them to it; can any man suppose, +that Daniel, or the rest of the faithful, would have paid it? Even so, +let it be supposed, that any one of these faithful ambassadors of +Christ, or all these zealous workers together with God, who have +laboured among the people in the preached gospel, should fall into the +hands of these hunters, and then they should make a law, and appoint +every man in the nation to send but one thread, to make a tow, to hang +that minister, or to hang the whole company of Christ's ambassadors, and +a farthing to pay the executioner: can any man, without horror, think of +complying so far as to contribute what is commanded? Or would not a +gracious man, frighted into an abhorrence at the atrociousness of the +wickedness, or fired into a flame of zeal for God, say without demur, as +not daunted with fear of what flesh could do unto him, I will rather +venture my all to keep them alive, or be hanged with them, than by doing +what is demanded, be brought forth and classed in the cursed and cruel +company of those who shall be dragged before the tribunal of Christ, +with their fingers dyed and dropping with the blood of those who are +peculiarly dear to him? I know it will be said, that in all these cases +it would be a clear case of confession. Well, that's all I would have +granted: for that which doth overbalance to a testimony, in all the +cases mentioned, is so far from being wanting in the cases now under +consideration, that they have all to enforce the duty, that all of them +put together do include; as will be clear to any who consider, 1. The +preciousness of the things and interests to be destroyed. 2. The +concurrence called for from every one, that this desperate design may be +accomplished. 3. The great, manifold and indispensable obligations all +are under, not only to abstain from the required concurrence, but to +preserve also and maintain these things in opposition to all whom Satan +sets on work to serve him in this expedition against the Son of God, and +to do it, or endeavour it with the loss of life, and all things dearest +to men, to the end, that these things which are Satan's eye sore, as +only obstructive of his kingdom, may be preserved among the poor +remnant, and propagate in their power and purity to the posterity. Happy +he, who shall be found so doing now, when the dragon and his angels are +drawn into the fields, and have proclaimed the war, and published to the +world the causes thereof; so that now this general having laid aside all +his old disguises, doth in his true shape march upon the head of his +black legions, who wear his badge and colours, and fight under his +banner and standard. + +III. In the last place, with all possible brevity, I shall offer some +reasons against compliance with these exactions _in cumulo_. + +1. To pay these impositions, upon such declared accounts, for such +declared causes, and for such declared ends, would condemn the +contendings and sufferings of many eminently godly, especially in our +day, who have refused them. Of these questions and sufferings thereupon, +among the godly in former times, we cannot instruct much for such +insolent impositions, as to all the dimensions of their heinousness, +were never heard before. But we want not examples of the saints refusing +to give their money and other such things to wicked men, either to +comply with their wicked demands, obey their wicked laws, encourage +their wicked courses, or further their wicked designs. In scrpture we +find Paul would not give Felix money that he might be loosed, though he +sent for him often for that end, Acts xxiv. 26. + +Mr. Durham in his exposition of the revelation, chap. vi. ver. 9. Lect. +6. gives an account, 'That when in the persecution of Dioclesian, the +persecutors sought but the bibles, poor coats, money, or cups (wherewith +they served) to be given them, as some evidence of their ceding: but +they refused to accept deliverance upon these terms; yea, when the +soldiers, partly wearying to be so bloody, partly desirous of seeming +victory over Christians, did profess themselves content to take any old +paper or clout in place of the bible, they refused to give any Ecvola, +or cast-away clout; yea, when soldiers would violently pluck such things +from them against their wills, they would follow them, professing their +adherence unto the truth, and that they had not any way willingly +delivered these things, as is to be seen in Baronius, An. 302, p. 748. +it is reported of one Marcus Arethusius, who was put to torment under +Julian, because he would not build the idol temple which he had formerly +demolished, when they were content to accept some part of the expences +from him, and to spare his life, he refused to give obolum, or one half +penny, Sozom. lib. 5. 9. Cent. Mag. Cent. 4. p. 797 and 833. By which +and many other instances we may see, how resolutely the primitive saints +held fast their testimonies: from which especially they were called +martyrs or witnesses; and by which often, not only many weak ones were +strengthened, but also many persecutors convinced, and made to cry out, +Certainly great is the God of the Christians; while as they saw, that no +allurements on the one side, nor terrors on the other, could make them +loose their grips, but still truth and Christ were borne witness unto, +and well spoken of by them. It will not be unnecessary here to consider +some of Mr. Durham's observations on the fourth lecture; for clearing +whereof he adduced these matters of fact, such as Obs. 7. That the +giving of a testimony by outward confession of the truth, when called +for, is necessary and commendable, as well as soundness of faith; yea, +it is oftentimes the outward testifying of the truth before men, more +than the faith of it before God, that bringeth on suffering: and there +was nothing more abhorred in the primitive Christians than dissembling +of a testimony, to evite suffering, as appeareth in Augustine's writings +concerning a lie, and against a lie, and the writings of others to that +purpose. Obs. 8. That every truth of the word may be a ground of +suffering warrantably: for the least thing that hath a truth in it, as +well as the more concerning fundamental truths, is the word of God, and +so cannot be dispensed with by his people. Obs. 9. Every truth in the +word hath an outward testimony joined to it, and sometimes may be called +for upon very great hazards. Obs. 10. When it is called for, this +testimony or confession to any truth before men, is no less necessary, +and ought as peremptorily to be held and stuck to as the former; +therefore it is called (Rom. x.) Confession unto salvation, and called +for by a peremptory certification, Matth. x. 32, 33. Obs. 11. That these +who are found in the faith of the word, will be also exceeding tenacious +of their testimony; in scripture, and in primitive times, we will find +the saints sticking at, and hazarding themselves on things which appear +of very small moment, yet were to them of great concernment, because of +the testimony, which was involved in them, which they would not let go. +Such was Mordecai, Esther iii. Daniel vi. his not shutting of his +windows. Yea further, in his lately printed sermons on Matth. xvi. 24. +Serm. 7. p. 155. the same author saith; there is not in some respect a +more and a less in the matter of duty, and in the matter of truth, or in +respect of suffering. And a little after, Sect. 5. he says, we would not +limit sufferings for Christ to things simply lawful or unlawful; for it +may be sometimes for things indifferent in their own nature, which yet +being so and so circumstantiated to us, may draw on suffering; a thing +may be indifferent and lawful to some, which to others, stated under +such and such circumstances may be counted a receding from some part of +a just testimony; even though the matter be not such in itself, and in +its own nature, yet it may be so circumstantiate to some persons, as it +may be liable to that construction, if they shall recede from or forbear +it; as in the example of Daniel, who suffered for opening his windows, +which was a thing indifferent in itself, and not essential to his +worshipping of God; but--he finds himself bound in conscience, and that +on very just ground, to do as he was wont to do before, and that on the +manifest hazard of his life, lest his malicious enemies should have it +to say, that he receded from his duty, and that he thought more shame +now, or was more afraid now, than before, to worship the true God.' + +How worthy Mr. Knox argueth for withholding emoluments from the false +bishops and clergy, may be seen before, Part 1. Per. 3. + +The general assembly, in their declaration, dated July ult. 1648. +concerning the then unlawful engagement in a war against England, +plainly and positively dehorteth all members of the kirk of Scotland +from contributing any assistance thereunto, expressed as followeth, +'That they do not concur in, nor any way assist this present engagement, +as they would not partake in other men's sins, and so receive of their +plagues; but that by the grace and assistance of Christ, they stedfastly +resolve to suffer the rod of the wicked, and the utmost which wicked +men's malice can afflict them with, rather than to put forth their hands +to iniquity.' In which declaration may be seen at large that candour, +faithfulness and freedom which becometh the ministers of the gospel, and +dignity of watchmen, in their seasonable warning and dissuading all from +assisting any way to that unlawful engagement, perceiving the sin and +snare thereof, so obviously tending to the involving the land in guilt, +and exposing to wrath; yea, and that notwithstanding of the fair and +plausible pretexts of the engagers and joiners therein, who pretended +and professed their undertaking to be for the furthering reformation, +establishing and securing the covenanted religion from the plottings and +endeavours of the popish, prelatic, and malignant enemies thereof, and +prosecuting the ends of the covenants; pretences which no doubt our +silent and time-serving ministers (if they had any such now to plead) +would strenuously improve, in vindication of their prudent silence, +sinful and shameful compliances. Alas, how sad and lamentable is the +condition of the church and nation now! that even when the case is so +far altered, that not only all such pretences are laid aside, +reformation deserted and disdained, the established religion razed and +ruined, the covenant broken and burned, and the owning the obligation +thereof declared treason, but also an absolute power pleaded and +exercised, to the suspending, stopping and disabling all penal laws +against popery and prelacy, a gap opened by an antichristian toleration +to the letting in all the heresies, idolatries and blasphemies of the +mother of harlots, and the land openly defiled therewith, unjust and +wicked taxations arbitrarily imposed and levied, for the most dreadful, +sacrilegious and hellish ends that ever was published to the world, far +exceeding in wickedness these testified against by the assembly 1648, or +any formerly. While the watchmen have so far abandoned their duty of +setting the trumpet to their mouth, and giving due warning of the sin +and danger of those dreadful and judgment procuring courses, that they +are caught in the snare, and found complimenting and encouraging the +principal instruments of all these evils, by their scandalous flattering +addresses. + +How faithful and tender some have been even in our day, their sufferings +and losses in a measure above others makes manifest, amongst whom the +worthy laird of Kersland is not to be forgotten, whose estate, heritable +and moveable, was declared forfeited and seized, for his appearing in +arms to join with that faithful party, who by horrid oppression, were +forced to betake themselves to defensive resistance in the year 1666; +who, considering the equity of the cause he appeared for, the +indispensibleness of the obligations binding him to that duty, and how +much a good conscience is to be preferred to an estate, durst not part +with the sweet comforts of the one for the uncertain profits of the +other: and as he was earnest with God by frequent and fervent prayer, +for light and stedfastness in the matters of his suffering and +testimony, so it pleased the Lord so to determine his heart therein, as +that all the endeavours and persuasions used both by friends and foes, +to move him to a composition with the enemies for his estate, proved +unsuccessful; yea, it is well known how that severals, both of his near +relations and others, who used the most forcible and persuasive +arguments, as the consideration of the ancient and honourable family he +was descended from; the miserable case that he, his lady and children +should be in, without his estate; the counsel and judgment of grave and +godly ministers; the freedom and practice of other learned and knowing +men; together also with the imputation of vain scrupulosity, simple and +unwarrantable nicety and preciseness, &c. that yet even some of those +who dealt most with him, were, by his defences and reasonings, convinced +of the equity of his cause, and brought to commend his upright +resolution, and to applaud his tenderness and faithfulness; and in +particular his own father, who pleaded much that he would only consent, +that he, with others of his friends, might compone in favours of his +family, and that he himself should be no ways concerned in it further +than to assent that the thing be done; but could not prevail, who +afterwards blessed God that he did not; declaring, that he had much more +satisfaction and comfort in his son's honesty and stedfastness, than +many such estates could ever have afforded him. + +I shall here mention some considerations which prevailed with him to +decline all composition directly or indirectly with the enemies in that +matter. (1.) That he could never attain to freedom to use any such +manifest dissimulation, as deliberately to assent to any thing that +might import his acknowledging that to be a sin and fault, (yea such a +sin and fault as rebellion) which he was convinced in his conscience to +be unquestionable duty both before God and man, nor thereby dissembling +to insinuate his undoubted right to his estate, to be in the person, or +at the disposing of any other. (2.) Considering that there can be no new +right procured upon a composition, and granted to any, but such as shall +carry in the narrative thereof that he had forfeited that estate by +rebellion, with a long preamble, condemning the cause of God, and +dutiful endeavours of his people for reformation, and in defence of +religion and liberty, all as sedition, rebellion and treason; whereupon +he resolved rather to part with his estate, than be any way instrumental +and occasional to the indignifying that holy and honourable cause, with +such disdainful, reproachful and blaspemous epithets. And albeit such +tenderness in principle and practice of this worthy gentleman, and of +many others of the faithful sufferers in our day, be censured and +condemned by the lukewarm and worldly-wise professors in this age, as an +unprecedented novelty, or precise and unwarrantable notion; yet we find +it the same with the faithful sufferers in former ages, and exactly +agreeing with the doctrine and principles of the most orthodox and +famous divines; for the reverend and learned Calvin having the same case +of conscience proposed to him by the godly, persecuted in his age, to +which his solid and faithful answer is extant in his 375 epistle, +Article 3. thus proposed and answered: 'Whether the confiscation of +goods can be fought back again from a prince, in the name and behalf of +these who are forfeited for religion?' To which he answers, 'That it is +certain it cannot be done without sin; for the new right, or the De +Novodamus (as we call it) granted by the prince, doth really contain +open blasphemies against the glory of God; because therein mention is +made of errors, crimes, and divine lese majesty, whereof the condemned +are found guilty; which new right must, in law, be exhibited by him who +intendeth to use the same; and that as a certain kind of approbation, no +ways to be tolerated. Wherefore, I see not that it is lawful for a godly +man, rightly instructed in the gospel, to involve himself into such +fictions.' + +2. From the fountain and conveyance whence they proceed, the iniquity of +these payments might be concluded; which is nothing else than the +arbitrary power domineering over us, and oppressing and overpressing the +kingdoms with intolerable exactions which to pay is all the consent and +concurrence required of us to entail slavery on the posterity. I mean, +to pay it out of submission only to the moral force of its imposition, +which is all the justification required of that absolute tyranny +imposing it. For we have the testimony of a king for it, (King James' +speech to the parliament, in 1609.) That a king degenerateth into a +tyrant, when he leaveth to rule by law, much more when he begins--to set +up an arbitrary power, impose unlawful taxes, &c. It can be denied by +none, that know either religion or liberty, and are not enemies to both, +that these impositions under consideration, upon such accounts, for such +ends, are as unlawful taxes, and as illegally and arbitrarily imposed, +as ever could demonstrate the most despotical absoluteness, paramount to +all law, or precedent, but that of Benhadad, of a very tyrannical +strain. Thus saith Benhadad, "thy silver and thy gold is mine--yet I +will send my servants, and they shall search thine house, and it shall +be that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put in their +hand, and take it away," 1 Kings, xx. 3. 6. which even as Ahab and his +elders would not hearken to nor consent. But from an extoic dominator +this were not so intolerable, as from such as pretend an hereditary +right to govern, who should remove violence and spoil, and take away +their exactions from the Lord's people, as the Lord saith, Ezek. xlv. 9. +But instead of that, That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, +the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward: and the great man +uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up, Mic. vii 3, the +easy compliance with which, makes Zion as the grape gleanings of the +vintage. If those exactions be wicked, then compliance with them must be +iniquity: for it justifies the court that enacts and exacts them, a +packed juncto of a prevalent faction, made up of perjured traitors, in a +course of enmity against God and the country, who, to prosecute the war +against the Almighty, and root out all his people out of the land, +condescend upon these cesses, fines, &c. as a fit and adapted medium +thereunto. Wherefore, of necessity, all that would not own that +conclusion, as their own deed, in these representatives, and own them as +their representatives in that deed, must bear witness against the same, +by a refusal to own the debt, or pay the same. But I shall conclude +this, with observing. (1.) The holy and remarkable righteousness of the +Lord, that we, who would not contend earnestly for the liberty of the +gospel, who would not acquit ourselves like men, in witnessing our +loyalty to Christ, were not fixed in our engagements, nor steadfast in +holding the liberties wherewith Christ hath made us free, did not +reclaim nor reluctate, when we saw our royal master's prerogative +invaded; should be trod upon in all civils, and treated as slaves, even +by these, whom we had gratified with a base and sinful forbearance to +plead for God, and preserve from their violence these things, these +precious and valuable things, which we should have kept more tenderly +than the apple of our eye. O the relucency of this righteousness, in +making the gods whom we have served smite us, and in making them whose +interest we minded, with a misregard and perjury involving neglect of +the interest of Christ, thus to destroy our pitiful interests! And thus +having taught them to be captains over us, we must now sit in the house +of bondage in our land. (2.) Who will not adore and admire the +righteousness of the Lord, particularly in leaving some of these to be +designedly trod upon, who not only were involved in the common guilt of +not withstanding these encroachments, but first went a great way in +concurring to the making of these wicked laws; and now have been made to +ly under the load, laid upon their loins by the hand of such, to whom +they gave the hand in overturning the work of God? Why should not they +be spoiled? Why should not the young lions roar upon them, and make +their land waste? Why should not men of the same metal and soul with the +children of Noph and Tahapenes, break the crown off their head (or feed +upon their crown) who have sold, and set the crown of Christ upon +another's head, and concurred to crush his faithful remnant? O let us +learn to read and revere! Let us not be wheedled with we know not what, +out of our good old principles, into the espousing the interest, or +embarking into the same bottom with men of such principles and +practices. And whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they +shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Great loving kindness, +that he hath shewed to his poor remnant, in delivering us from +deliverances by such deliverers, whereby the work had been more really +and more shamefully ruined and the hope of the posterity more certainly +razed. + +3. From the declared ends of all of them, declared either verbally or +virtually, and indisputable and universally known; to wit, that by such +exaction, they might be enabled to maintain and prosecute the national +rebellion against Christ, and root out his gospel and all the faithful +preachers and professors thereof. These designs being notour, and the +impositions demanded being the best expedients, and most adapted means +to attain them, it cannot but be manifest, that whosoever complies with +the means, do co-operate with the ends: which, if any thing, will +involve the compliers in the contriver's sin, and make the payers +obnoxious to the enacters judgment. If they that take rewards to slay +innocents, be liable to a curse, Deut. xxvii. 25. they cannot say Amen +to it, who so co-operate to the effectuating the slaughter. If any thing +make Zion liable to be plowed as a field, when the heads thereof judge +for reward, Mic. iii. 11, 12. it must be, when they demand such rewards, +and the demands are complied with. But some may pretend, and under that +pretence think to shut the shower of suffering, and command the serenity +and sun shine of a good conscience too, and to shelter their soul under +that shadow; that these exactions may be necessary for other ends: Can +any state be without exactions? Is it not necessary that forces be +maintained, and such as are in public office in the kingdom? Wherewithal +shall the nation be guarded against foreign invasion? Alas! the pretence +is so false and frivolous as he could not escape the censure of foolish, +who in answering it appeared serious, save in a just indignation at its +empty vanity. What are these forces and public officers for? What are +they employed about, but to promote the dragon's designs, and serve his +drudgery? Shall these guard the nation, who, together with religion, +tread upon the poor remaining shadow of liberty? Do they indeed fear a +foreign invasion? No; it doth not hold us here: these called rulers hide +not their designs, but hold them to our eye that we may not pretend +ignorance. They will do the greatest haste first: Christ and his +interest is their great eye-sore. This one Jesus, who calls himself a +king, (yea, and he will be so to their cost,) and his subjects as the +most dangerous party, are to be discussed in the first place: and +thereafter, when they are liberate from that fear of returning to his +throne, whom they have exauctorate, (for, if ever he do, they are +ruined, make haste, O Lord!) and have eaten the flesh and drunk the +blood of his people, then they will be in a better case to defend the +land, by shewing the enemy those teeth and tusks wherewith they have +killed the people of the Lord. But will men put out their own eyes, that +they may be taken with the more tameness to grind in their mill, and +make them merry at our madness? Have we lost our senses, that we may +with confidence jeopard our souls? Have they not invaded the Mediator's +kingdom, and taken to themselves his house in possession? And because +reavers may not be ruers, they will destroy all in the land, who seem +faithful to Christ, and resolute to follow the captain of the host of +Israel. But it is not enough that they menace heaven? Will they mock us +into the same rebellion with themselves? He will not be mocked, but turn +their jest into earnest. I cannot here shift the transcribing some of +the very words of that author, whose reasonings I am but gleaning on +this subject. 'Oh Britain! O Scotland! bent into, and bold in +backsliding, the wrath of God and thy wo seems to be upon the wing. And +alas! I am afraid, that by this crowning and crimson wickedness, the +Lord God Almighty is making a way to his anger, and preparing the nation +for a sacrifice, to expiate in the sight of the world our perjury, +defection and heaven daring provocations. Alas! I am afraid, that the +sword of the Lord, which shall avenge the quarrel of his covenant, is +near to be drawn,--that the contributers, as well as the stated party of +contrivers, decreers and cruel executioners of these decrees, may fall +under the blow of the furbished sword of the Lord God: and that the land +of such abominations may be swept of its inhabitants with the besom of +destruction, and soaked with the blood of those, who instead of +contending for Christ, have by this payment associate with his stated, +his declared, and implacable enemies, whose rage is come up before him, +and will bring him down to take revenge. Alas! my fears, my fears are +multiplied upon me, that the war shall not only at last land in Britain: +but that he hath been all this while training up a militia abroad, +breeding them in blood, and teaching them how to destroy, against the +time he gave them order to march, and put the flaming sword in their +hand, to be bathed in the blood of backsliding Britain! Oh, if our +turning unto him, that he might turn away from the fierceness of his +anger, might prevent this woful day! But since, instead of any turning +unto him, we surpass the deeds of the heathen, and outdo in wickedness +all that went before us, and proceed, with a petulancy reaching heaven, +from evil to worse; I am afraid, that all the blood shed since the sword +was drawn in the nations about, all the sacked cities, all the burnt +crops and villages, all the wasted countries, all the slain of the Lord +by sea or land, all the pillagings, rapes, murders, outrages, (which +rage itself could hardly outdo,) all the horrid and inhuman cruelties, +that hath been committed during this bloody war (wherein the sea hath +been dyed, and the land as it were drowned with the blood of the slain) +all the truculent and treacherous murders of that monster Alva in the +low countries, all the incredible cruelties of the Guises, and the +bloodshed in the massacres of France, all the tortures that the people +of the Lord have been put to in the vallies of Piedmont, by that little +fierce tyger the Duke of Savoy, all the savage and barbarous butcheries +of the Irish massacre: shall be forgotten, or seem things not to be +mentioned in one day, when what shall be done in Britain comes to be +remembered. O Britain, O Britain: of all nations under the cope of +heaven, most ripe for the sickle of vengeance! shall this throne of +iniquity, which hath framed so many mischiefs into laws, and all that +are accomplices in this wicked conspiracy, who now are gathering +themselves against the souls of the righteous, and condemning the +innocent blood, be able to save its subjects, when he comes to make +inquisition for that blood? Or shall the subjects, calling in all from +60 to 16, be able to support the throne? Alas! in vain shall they offer +to draw up, and draw the sword and defend, when the Lord God of Hosts +draws his sword, to accomplish upon them the vengeance written, and +wrapt up in these words. He shall bring upon them their own iniquity, +and shall cut them off in their own wickedness, yea the Lord our God +shall cut them off. And, if it come to this, then in that day, escape +who will, professing gentlemen and others, who, in this, have complied +with the rulers, shall not escape: then shall they be paid for this +payment. The storm of his displeasure, (even though they get their souls +for a prey, yea so much the more as he will not suffer them to perish +eternally) shalt be observed to fall particularly upon their houses, +interests and estates. Who can think upon the wickedness of Britain, +with its just aggravations, and imagine the righteous Lord will not +proportion his judgments to the heinousness of our guilt, and his +revenge to the rage, whereby he and his Christ hath been, and is +opposed, and take other measures?' + +4. From the nature of this payment, it is notour they are sinful +compliances and transactions with Christ's declared enemies, and do +partake of unitive confederacies with them; which are demonstrated to be +sinful, Head 3. Arg. 1. in gen. pag. Certainly such bargains cannot be +discretive, exacted and complied with by persons no ways incorporate +together, being only overcome by mere force: since they are not only +demanded and granted acknowledgments of that power that imposes them, as +legally lording over them, but obediential submissions to these wicked +laws that enact them; which is a formal justifying of these laws: for +laws cannot be obeyed, except they be justified, seeing laws unjust and +unjustifiable cannot be obeyed. Therefore, seeing the payment of the +cess, locality, fines, stipends, fees, &c. is an obediential compliance +with the laws that enjoin them, that obedience can no more be justified, +than the laws enacting such payments; which none can justify but he that +is an enemy to those things for opposing which they are enacted. If then +compliances with the wicked impositions and exactions of arbitrary +dominators, enemies to the work and people of God, be in scripture +condemned, then such payments cannot be justified: but such compliances +are condemned, and cannot be approven. This was Issachar's brand, that +being a strong ass, he couched between burdens, and bowed his shoulders +to bear and become a servant to tribute, Gen. xlix. 14. This was Afa's +folly, that he so far complied with Benhadad, as to give money to take +his help, 1 Kings xv. 18. Condemned by the prophet Hanani, 2 Chron. xvi. +7, &c. much more if he had given it to help him. It is one of the +instances of the evil that Menahem did in the sight of the Lord, 2 Kings +xv. 18,--20, that when Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, he +gave him a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him, +which he enacted of Israel; this was certainly evil in the sight of the +Lord; for if the confederacy was evil, then this price to procure it was +evil also: and if Menahem's exaction was evil, then Israel's compliance +was evil also; for thus Ephraim was oppressed and broken in judgment, +because he willingly walked after the commandment, Hos. v. 11. It was +also a part and proof of Ahaz's confederacy with Tiglath Pileser King of +Assyria, that he sent money to him, 2 Kings xvi. 8. Which to all the +fearers of the Lord is condemned and discharged, Isa. viii. 13, 14. +Which, if it was evil, then also Hezekiah's compliance with Sennacherib, +giving him money, and offering to bear that which was put upon him, 2 +Kings xviii. 14, 15. was evil: and also Jehoiakim's taxing the land, to +give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh, 2 Kings xxiii. +35. was sinful to the exacter, and likewise to the compliers. These were +all sinful compliances and confederacies with the wicked, making their +peace with them to whom they paid them; therefore all peace-making +payments, by way of unitive agreement with the wicked must be sinful. +And accordingly in the time of Montrose, the general assembly made an +act for censuring the compliers with the public enemies of this church +and kingdom, June 17. 1646, Sess. 14. See part 1. Per. 5. + +5. Where these exactions are extorted only as badges of bondage, without +consent unto the law imposing them, it is a case more suitable for +lamentation than censure, that she that was princess among the provinces +should become tributary, Lam. i. 1. But when they are acknowledgments of +the lawgivers, and an exact obedience to the law, and voluntary +agreement and bargain with them, strengthening them to the prosecution +of their mischiefs, they cannot be free of the imposer's sin. It was the +sin of the men of Shechem, and a proof of their heart's inclination to +follow Abimelech, that they gave him threescore and ten pieces of +silver, enabling him to kill threescore and ten persons, and to hire +vain and light persons to follow him, which they paid as an +acknowledgment of his usurped power, Judg. ix. 3,----5. for which +afterwards fire came out of the house of Abimelech and devoured them. +Certainly a voluntary consent unto a mischief is a partaking with the +sin of it, a consent unto theft is a partaking with it, Psal. 1. 18. But +if there be any consent unto a mischief, it must be when the person +agrees it be done against himself, and voluntarily subjects himself to +the force of the law imposing it, and not only does not oppose or +witness against the doing of it against others, but yields to its +reaching himself, and gives what is demanded to strengthen the robbers +to exercise robbery over all. + +As the payer of the cess, fines and fees, &c. gives all the consent +required of him to these mischiefs framed into law, not only to rob +himself, but the church and nation of its dearest treasure, the gospel, +for the punishment of owning which, and as means to remove it, these +payments are exacted. But the plea of the payers is, That they are +constrained to it, and they do it against their will. Ans. 1. He who +says he understands this, that the payer of these exactions can purge +himself of the guilt of them, is like to buy an after-wit at a dear +rate. Can it be thought by any man of knowledge and conscience, that so +remote a force makes the deed involuntary, whereby the payer is purged +from the guilt of accession to the imposers deeds, whom hereby, in this +very imposition, he owns as his representatives! 2. The payment cannot +be involuntary; for the law enjoining it, being the public and declared +will of the nation, requires no other voluntariness but obedience, and +judgeth no other thing involuntariness but disobedience. So that the law +being satisfied, it absolves the satisfier from all transgression, and +looks upon all who yield obedience as equally willing, and equally out +of the reach of its appended penalty, in case of disobedience. Neither +are we to please ourselves with other fancies and fictitious +unwillingness, when real obedience is yielded, whereby the law is +satisfied, and the lawmaker capacitated thereby to act all his intended +mischiefs. For to be unwilling to part with money in the case, as it is +no virtue in itself, so I suppose there are few who will be solicitous +to purge themselves of this. And to be unwilling from some strugglings +of light and conscience, is such unwillingness as aggravates the guilt +of the giver, and makes it more heinous in the sight of God, and hateful +in the eyes of all tender men; the law enjoining such payments, takes no +notice of such reluctances, only requireth obedience; and when that is +yielded, the law is satisfied, as to the voluntariness of the action, +and must construe the agent a willing walker after the command, and a +voluntary complier with the public will of the nation. 3. It must be +simply, really, and truly a voluntary deed, when there is deliberation +and election. The law requiring these payments being promulgate, every +man must be supposed to put the question to himself, What shall I do in +the case? Shall I obey and be free? or disobey and suffer? Here is +election and choice upon mature deliberation; and so the deed becomes +voluntary. This will be confirmed, if we consider the law of God, Deut. +xxii. 25. concerning rapes. Where, to make the unvoluntariness of the +betrothed virgin, she must not only be supposed to struggle and resist +the attempt made upon her chastity and honour by the villain; but she +must cry for assistance in that resistance, without which she was held +in law willingly to consent to the committing of that wickedness. And +moreover, if we consider the law, ver. 13. it will be manifest, in order +to her escaping of death, that when violated, and the villain hath +committed this villany, she is to carry as Tamar (when defiled of that +beast, though of the blood royal) did, 2 Sam. xiii. 19. that is, to +complain and cry, and crave justice against him, and be wanting in +nothing, that may bring him to condign punishment. This doth aptly +correspond to our case. Scotland is the betrothed virgin: we were +espoused to Jesus Christ, and joined to him, by a marriage covenant, +never to be forgotten; but, the rulers, and with them the body of the +land have treacherously broken it; yet there is a remnant that adhere to +him as head and husband, because of which, these called rulers incensed +against him, will violently commit a rape upon them, and have them +prostitute their bodies, their fortunes, yea their souls and consciences +to their lusts, and thus they will needs ravish the queen in the king's +presence. And so, while with displayed banner they will drive our +covenanted husband out of the nation, and destroy all who will own him +as such, they call for our assistance and compliance, to enable them to +accomplish this wickedness. Now either must we make all the resistance +that is in our power; or the law judgeth us willingly to consent, and +because of that we fall into the hands of the righteous Judge, and have +neither the evidence of our resisting, nor crying, nor pursuing the +wicked for this violent rape, to produce and plead upon, why sentence +should not pass, and the law's just severity be executed upon us. What? +alas! do they declare they will stone our husband? (Ah! for which of his +good deeds is this done) and shall they make a law, whereby we shall be +obliged to furnish them with stones to do it? And shall they be obeyed? +Is this our struggling? Is this our crying? Is this our endeavour that +the wicked may be brought to condign punishment? Oh! let us meditate +terror, lest we be brought forth as willing consenters; for whatever +vengeance the jealous and just God shall execute upon them, who have +committed the rape, shall equally, in its crushing and everlastingly +confounding weight, fall upon them who do not by their refusing, and +their resisting make their unwillingness manifest; which in the present +case is their struggling, their crying, and calling God and man to +witness, they are not consenters, but continue constant and loyal in +their love to their betrothed husband. + +6. A formal consent to the wickedness of these impositions were the less +matter, if the payment of them were not also a concurrence to assist +them, and a strengthening their hands in it. But this is so manifest, +that the paying of the cess, locality, fines, fees, &c. is a concurrence +with, and contributing towards the promoving the wicked designs for +which they are imposed, that he must have a conscience of brass, and in +a great measure feared who will run upon such a formal engagement +against the Lord and his anointed King in Zion. If it was Aaron's sin +which made the people naked, and which brought so great a sin upon them, +to take, and the people's sin and shame to give, that contribution of +golden ear-rings for making a calf, Exod. xxii. 3. &c. And if it was +Gideon's sin to take and Israel's to give, that contribution of the +ear-rings of their prey, to make an ephod, Judg. viii. 25. Then, as it +is our oppressors sin to take, so it must be our sin and shame to give, +their demanded exaction to help them in erecting such idols of jealousy, +as they have set up, and are commanding all to bow to, to provoke the +Lord to jealousy, especially when they affrontedly require such +contributions to be paid, both as punishments for not assisting, and as +means to assist in their establishment. Should we thus help the ungodly, +and love them that hate the Lord? 2 Chron. xix. 2. Alas! instead of +arguing, it were more fit to fall a weeping, when it is come to be a +question amongst us, whether, instead of coming to the help of the Lord +against the mighty, we shall really help the mighty against the Lord, +and that while they call for our assistance formally upon this declared +account. As the very inscription of their acts, does carry it in their +front, requiring a supply to his majesty, &c. If this be not a casting +in a lot among them, who can tell what it is? Sure it is a preparing a +table for that troop, and a furnishing a drink offering unto that +number, Isa. lxv. 31. Seeing it is a supplying them with necessaries, to +solemnize their idolatrous festivities, who forsake the Lord, and not +only forget but lay waste his holy mountain, for which all that have any +occasion to it, are threatened to be numbered to the sword. If any thing +be a strengthening the hands of evil doers, Jer. xxiii. 14. certainly +this is. For as they cannot accomplish their cursed ends without these +exactions, so the payment of them is all the present, personal and +public concurrence in waging this war with heaven, that is required of +the nation, to wit, such a sum to furnish them with all necessaries, +and maintain the executioners of their hell-hatched and heaven-daring +decrees and orders: and the law requiring no more but contributing what +is appointed, looks equally upon the givers, as followers of the +command, and active concurrers in complying with its end, and carrying +on and promoving its design, and so affoils them from all the statute +severities, in case of deficiency. + +7. If it were only a concurrence in their wickedness to pay those their +exacted supplies, it were more easily comported with: but I fear it +shall be found a hire and reward for their wicked service. At first they +were only enacted and exacted, as helps to capacitate this popish, +prelatical and malignant faction, to prosecute the war they had +undertaken and declared against Christ: but now, having thereby been +enabled to carry it through this length, that they have almost got all +visible appearances for Christ, in owning his gospel, and propagating +his testimony, quite suppressed by means of these impositions, and +having got the fields cleared or those that formerly opposed their +course and career, and all obstacles removed that might stand in the way +of the reception they have prepared for their mistress the Babylonish +lady, the mother of harlots; they now demand these payments, as their +wages and hire for their labour; which to pay now, is more than a +justifying, seeing it is a rewarding them for their work. And to pay +these pimps, and to purchase their peace thereby, is worse than to bring +the hire of a whore into the house of the Lord, (Deut. xxiii. 18.) since +it is a hiring them to bring the whore into the house of the Lord. O how +hath Scotland played the harlot with many lovers! is this the zeal we +should have had to our covenanted husband, and the honour of his house, +that we have not only suffered his enemies to come in and take +possession of it, but consented to their invasion; and not only +consented, but invited them to come in; and not only invited them, but +prostitute our estates and consciences also to their arbitrary lusts; +and not only played the harlot with them, but hired them also when they +had done! and for this the Lord may say to Scotland, as he said to his +people of old, 'They give gifts to all whores, but thou givest thy gifts +to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on +every side, for thy whoredom. And the contrary is in thee from other +women in thy whoredoms--in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is +given unto thee; therefore thou art contrary,' Ezek xvi. 33, 34. There +Israel is taxed for hiring the Assyrians: but let it be considered and +enquired into in the history, how this was. What evidence can be given +of this in their transactions with them? Was it only that they were +enticed, or did entice them into a communion with their idolatry, It is +true, Ahaz may be an instance of that, in his sending the pattern of the +altar he saw at Damascus, 2 Kings xvi. 10. And it cannot be denied, but +in several respects they did partake with the Assyrians in their +idolatry, which was their adultery. But what could be their hire they +gave them for it, if it was not their taxations they paid, and money +they sent unto them? as Ahaz did, verse 8. and Hezekiah also, though a +good man, 2 Kings xviii. 14, 15. which can no more be justified, than +Asa's paying to Benhadad. It was then their confederacies, and the hire +of them the Lord calls the hire they gave unto their lovers. With this +also Ephraim is charged, that he hired lovers, Hos. viii. 9, 10. of this +we have instances, in Menahem's giving to Pul a thousand talents of +silver, and exacting it of the people, 2 Kings xv. 19, 20. And in +Hoshea's becoming servant to Shalmanesar king of Assyria, and giving him +presents, 2 Kings xvii. 3. If then hiring wicked men in confederacies to +help the Lord's people, be a hiring of lovers so much condemned in +scripture, what must a hiring of them to hurt them, and rewarding them +after they have done, and when they formally seek it for such work, be? +but a giving the reward, they seek to slay the innocent (Deut. xxvii. +25.) and a voluntary yielding that which they take, (Ezek. xxii. 12.) +which if it be sin in the takers, cannot be justified in the givers, but +will render both obnoxious to the indignation of a provoked God, in the +day when he shall begin to contend for the wrongs he hath got, both by +the work and the wages. Now let all the acts for the cess and +continuation thereof, and other acts and edicts for fines and +forfeitures, be considered in their just import, according to the true +meaning of the enacters, and the causes for which they exact them, and +will have them complied with; it will be found they were both declared, +intended and improved, and accordingly approved by the compliers, not +only as helps, but as hires for our oppressors and destroyers, and for +such as have been, and are more destructive and explicitly declared +enemies to Christ's interests and people in Scotland, than ever the +Assyrians were to the church in the old testament. The cess was not only +a help, but a hire to the tyrant and his accomplices, for suppressing +meetings for gospel ordinances; especially the continuation of it, from +time to time, was humbly, unanimously, chearfully and heartily offered, +for themselves, and in name of, and as representing this kingdom, as a +hire for the doing of it, and an encouragement to suppress what remained +of these conventicles. The locality was intended as a help to the +soldiers in their quarterings upon this account; but afterwards, being +expressly discharged to be furnished, without payment according to the +current rates of the country, Act 3. par. 3. X. Charles II. Aug. 20, +1681. The contribution of it for nought must be interpreted for a reward +of their service, fines are appointed, not only for a punishment of +contraveeners of their wicked laws, but for a hire to their most violent +executors. Stipends for a hire to their hireling curates. And fees, as a +hire to jailors, to keep the Lord's people in bondage. By which hires +these destroyers have been rewarded, by them whom they have destroyed, +and for which the righteous Lord will reward both. + +8. Let it be considered, how far these submissions are short of, and how +clearly these compliances are inconsistent with, that duty which lies +upon us with reference to them. Our obligation to God and our brethren +doth indispensibly bind us to a contrary carriage. If it bind us in our +station and capacity to an active renitency, it doth much more bind us +up from such compliances. Neither is it imaginable, how moral force can +ever justify our doing that deed, we are obliged, by all imaginable +bonds, yea, if in any probable capacity, by the utmost of real force, to +counteract. Can we give them that which they require, and by which they +are enabled to murder our brethren, when we are so indispensibly obliged +to rescue our brethren, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. to relieve the oppressed, +Isa. i. 27, to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, +to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke, Isa. lviii. 6. +What do we owe to these enemies, but seeing they have constitute +themselves by these acts implacable enemies to Christ, his people and +interest _in babite_, not only plainly and importunely to pray that he +would overturn them, but to oppose their course, to the uttermost of our +power, and to concur to wrath that power out of their hands? And since +they will needs make the whole nation a curse, they are so far from +being to be complied with, that for these exactings and exactions they +are to be looked upon, and carried unto, not only as these who have sold +themselves to work wickedness, but endeavour also to engage with +themselves all in the same guilt, and expose them to the same curse. And +therefore, that the anger of the Lord may be turned away from his +people, every one in his station is obliged to endeavour to bring these +Achans to condign punishment. + +9. As it must be taken for granted, that these wicked oppressions by +law are perjury avouched in the sight of God; yea in a peculiar manner, +our covenanted subjection unto him is turned into an open war against +him; so we cannot but believe, that for this height of wickedness, the +curse of God (to which in the covenant the nation in case of breach, is +liable by their own consent) and the Mediator's malediction shall +follow, pursue, overtake, and fall upon the head of these, who have made +the decrees, and upon all who concur in the execution, and carry on this +course: Oh! it is impossible to keep them company, and not fall with +them into the hands of the living God. Well then, seeing every one for +whom these exactions are required, is under an anterior obligation to +God and the brethren, to preserve these precious interests, which the +imposers have been long essaying to root out and ruin, and his people +whom they have been destroying, with the loss of all he hath, life not +accepted. (For I suppose none, who acknowledged his soul is still under +the bond of the covenant and it is likely to cost him his soul who +denies it) but he will own this to be duty; nay, none who hath any sense +of religion; but abstracting from the subjective obligation of a sworn +covenant, he will own an objective obligation from the law of the great +superior, that doth immediately bind the conscience to witness against +this course, and to lay down, if it should come to that, his life for +his brethren. Then for a man to give his goods to destroy these things +and persons, which he is obliged to defend and preserve with the loss of +all, is so clear a making himself a transgressor, in paying his +proportion, and being at the expense of destroying what he built, and +building what he destroyed, that it seems inexplicable how he can dream +to be innocent; especially when more lies upon it than the souls of the +compliers are worth even the interest of Christ in the land. And to +close this, I would put home the question, and pose the confidence of +any that took that covenant, if in that day the question had been asked +at him, whether he would have judged the paying of a cess for the ends +narrated, to suppress a testimony for that covenanted reformation, the +paying of fines and fees, (for owning it) to the overturners, breakers +and burners of it, to be a plain perjury and palpable counteracting of +the ends thereof? And let him speak his soul, and it is beyond debate +with me, he will not dare to say he took it in a sense which can subsist +with these compliances. Nay, I doubt not, if to any morally serious it +had been then said, You will pay money, &c. for destroying this covenant +and its ends, and deleting the remnant that shall be found to adhere to +it he would have given Hazael's answer. It concerns every man, that +would be free of the curse of it, to consider how he is brought to make +enquiry after vows; or to dream of consistencies betwixt the performing +those engagements, and the plainest concurring in a counteracting +thereof. + +10. If then these impositions be so wicked, and for such wicked ends and +causes; then, in order to my being free of this heinous guilt, there is +a necessity of my giving a testimony, and such an one, which when +brought to the touchstone, will get God's approbation, and be my +acquittance from a concurrence. Now, it is not imaginable that my +testimony can be the exact obedience to the law, against the wickedness +whereof it is witnessed; but on the contrary, it must be at least a +plain and positive refusing to yield obedience to that law, when I am in +no other case to counteract these commands; for I must either obey and +be guilty, or refuse and be innocent. I shall not here plunge into the +labyrinth of these debates and difficulties, wherewith this matter of +testimonies hath been perplexed, and mostly by those who have had no +great mind to the thing. I shall only propound these few queries. (1.) +Whether any thing less than a testimony can free me of this guilt, +whereby the nation involved in it is made a curse? (2.) Whether, we +believe that the testimony of every one shall be called for, in the day +when God shall seek out this wickedness? (3.) Whether, if ever it be +necessary, it be not then when Christ is openly opposed, and every one +is called either to concur or to testify? (4.) Whether a testimony +against a wicked law must not be notour for my testimony must make it +evident that the law is not obeyed by me, else it is no testimony. (5.) +Whether it be not necessary also, that it be with that plainness and +boldness, as it may keep some proportion with the prodigiousness of that +wickedness testified against? (6.) Whether to the making it a testimony +indeed, it is not only required, that an opposition be made at first, +but that this be so persisted in, as by no subsequent deed it be +weakened? (7.) Whether we do not take it for granted, that according as +a man hath testified, the sentence of the righteous Judge shall pass! +For he who hath not purged himself thereby from the guilt of this +conspiracy, shall be led forth and punished with these workers of +iniquity. It is a saying which would sink in the soul of every one who +would be saved, especially in such a day. Whosoever therefore shall +confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is +in heaven; but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny, +&c. Oh that men would now judge of things and courses, as in that hour +they desire to be judged! and then there would be little difficulty what +to determine in that case. + +11. From what is said it appears, that there is no other way of +testifying against it, or shunning the sin of this wickedness, imposing +and enjoining these compliances, but by refusing them; which as it is +clear duty, so it hath many advantages to countervail all the supposed +loss that can be sustained thereby. It is a shameful subterfuge to say, +I strengthen them more by doing thus, which will make them take all, and +so put themselves in better case to do the mischief decreed. For as it +is then my suffering, not my sin, so it is simply false that I do +hereby strengthen their hands: for hereby I do more certainly weaken +their hands, and wound their cause, by my counteracting, testifying and +suffering. For, 1. I do really, to the uttermost of the sphere of my +activity, counteract their design; and hence, besides my own upmaking +peace of conscience, (which is my hundredfold in this life) I glorify +God in the day of visitation, behaving as the subject and soldier of the +prince Michael; and though I lose my life in the conflict, yet the +victory over the dragon, and his lieutenant and trustees, and their +lictors, is thereby gained, and they are foiled, while I fight and +overcome, by my not loving my life in the present case unto the death. +2. I do by my example encourage my brethren to stand fast, and withstand +in this evil day. 3. I hereby transmit to posterity a pattern for +imitation, and so propagate an opposition to this course to succeeding +generations. 4. I hereby (so to speak) engage God to arise and appear to +plead his own cause and his people's: for when we, out of love to him +and zeal for his interests, take our lives in our hands, or expose our +substance as a prey in witnessing for him, then he is engaged to own us, +and to plead his cause, taking the quarrel then to be against himself. +Hence it is that when he puts on the garments of vengeance for +cloathing, and goes forth to meet them, who, in their risings up against +his people, run upon the bosses of his buckler, his arm is said to bring +salvation to himself, Isa. lix. 16, 17. and Isa. lxiii. 5. This keeps a +man in case to pray against such a party; whereas a compliance with +them, in the least degree, will wound a man's faith and weaken his +confidence, so that he cannot wrestle with God to prevail: For that +wherein his strength lay, a good conscience, being sinned away, in vain +doth he essay, when he hath cut his own hair, to shake himself as at +other times. Alas! if by keeping a due distance from his enemies, we +were in case to play the Samsons or Jacobs on our knees, this enemy, +who think it their stability to stand upon the ruins of Christ's +interest, should not stand long upon their feet. He who would have his +prayer heard, Thy kingdom come, should make his practice, in a +conformity thereto, speak this plain language, If I perish, I perish, +but comply I will not: for it is not necessary that I live, or have an +estate, but it is necessary I should witness a good confession against +the wrongs done to Christ. 6. This keeps a man in ease, either to act +for God with advantage, if an opportunity be put in his hand, or to +suffer, as under his supportings, and the shinings of his face, whereby, +even while dying, he becomes an ornament to his profession, gives a dash +to the enemy, and so becomes more than a conqueror. + +12. Let us consider the matter of scandal in the present case, and +remember whose words these are, "Wo to the world because of offences, +and wo to him by whom offences come:" and it will appear, the payer of +these exactions becomes highly guilty before God. 1. In stumbling and +hardening this party of enemies: for though there was never a party +before them in the nation (and I much doubt if ever a party can come +after them to outdo them) who had so many evidences of plagues poured +upon their hearts, that he may pour forth his wrath, and cause his fury +to rest upon them; and that in his spotless justice, he will rain snares +upon them, that thereafter he may rain fire and brimstone, and horrible +tempest, as the portion of their cup, when he shall come to plead his +own cause: yet we would beware lest we do any thing that may embolden +them, or make them bless themselves in this their stated opposition to +Christ's. And because we know not but some of the elect may, for a time, +be carried down with the current of this impetuous opposition to him, +and may concur actively for a season in promoving this course, we ought, +even upon this supposition, so to witness, and so to keep a distance +from all apparent or interpretative compliance with what they contrive +and carry on, as they may, by beholding our stedfastnes, be provoked to +consider their own course; that considering at last how their feet go +down to death, and their steps take hold on hell, they may hasten their +escape from the company of his enemies, lest they be consumed with the +fire of his indignation, if found congregate with the men of these God +provoking practices. 2. By paying what is required, I stumble also and +offend my weak brethren, while by my example they are encouraged to rush +into the same compliance. O! let every man, whose practice may be +pleaded as a pattern, remember that word, and who spoke it, "It were +better that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the +midst of the sea, than offend any of these little ones." 3. Sufferers +for refusing this payment are offended, when the payer doth not only +encourage the persecutors to proceed with rigour and rage against him, +as a peevish and froward malecontent, but does what in him lies to wound +the heart and weaken the hands of such a faithful witness: whereas, if +the poor sufferer saw himself, by a joint testimony owned by his +brethren, he would be comforted, strengthened, and become more confident +in the conflict. 4. In paying these things the compliers, either by +their example, lay a snare for the posterity, to whose knowledge their +carriage may come; and so instead of the leaving them a pattern of +contending earnestly for the faith, they spread a net for their feet, +yea pave them a way to defection and apostasy; or else they engage the +great God, out of zeal to his own glory, and tenderness to his people +who shall succeed, for preventing of their following of such +progenitors, wherein they have not been followers of him fully, to give +such a testimony against their untenderness, and set such marks of +displeasure upon their course, that the thoughts of turning aside with +them, and following their steps shall be terrible to all that hear of +it, lest, for such a compliance, they fall as they did, for falling +from their own stedfastness into the hands of the living God. But alas! +for the posterity, under whose curse we are like to go off the stage, +because of our not having done what we ought, yea what we might; both +for transmitting pure ordinances unto them, and for not transcribing in +our practice the noble example of our zealous and heroic ancestors, who +valiantly resisted when violently attacked, and by their valour wrestled +us into a state of liberty. Well, if we leave those that shall succeed +us such an example as this, he is like to make us such an example as +will fright the following generations, and force them to serve +themselves heirs to them who have gone before us, who did acquit +themselves as the good soldiers of Jesus Christ, and not to us, the debt +of whose declensions and defections cannot be paid, without the +destruction of those who shall serve themselves heirs to us. But alas! +who does think on what he owes to the poor posterity; or who doth make +confidence to preserve for them that precious treasure put in our +custody, and judges it more necessary than to live, to leave the tract +of a way contending zealously for God, and the preservation of his +interests, and the propagation of his own pure ordinances to the +posterity, shining so clearly by suffering and blood, as the way-faring +man, and they who shall come after, though fools, need not err therein? +Our only comfort is, that the Lord, who shall see his seed, and must +prolong his days, will make his pleasure prosper, and preserve some to +be witnesses of it to his praise. + +FINIS. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Numbering of headings and subheadings were left as they were in the +original. Spelling of many words vary in the text; for example, +expressly/expresly, abbreviation for Matthew as Mat. and Matt., +Dumfermline/Dunfermline. + +Page 82--supplied the word "year" "For resistance of superior powers, we +have in this period, first the practice of some noblemen at Ruthven, in +the 1582. who took the King, ..." + +Long "f" characters were replaced with the standard English "s"; the +"ct" ligature was replaced with "ct". + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A HIND LET LOOSE*** + + +******* This file should be named 37137-8.txt or 37137-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/7/1/3/37137 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/37137-8.zip b/37137-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fbc163b --- /dev/null +++ b/37137-8.zip diff --git a/37137.txt b/37137.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9028d22 --- /dev/null +++ b/37137.txt @@ -0,0 +1,25029 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Hind Let Loose, by Alexander Shields + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: A Hind Let Loose + Or, An Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland for the Interest of Christ. With the True State Thereof in All Its Periods + + +Author: Alexander Shields + + + +Release Date: August 20, 2011 [eBook #37137] +[Last updated: October 13, 2011] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A HIND LET LOOSE*** + + +E-text prepared by Jordan, Julia Neufeld, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) + + + + A + HIND LET LOOSE; + + OR, + + AN HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION + + OF THE + + TESTIMONIES + + OF THE + + CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, + + FOR THE + + INTEREST OF CHRIST. + +WITH THE TRUE STATE THEREOF IN ALL ITS PERIODS. + + TOGETHER WITH +A Vindication of the present TESTIMONY against the Popish, Prelatical, +and malignant Enemies of that Church, as it is now stated, +for the Prerogatives of CHRIST, Privileges of the Church, +and Liberties of Mankind; and sealed by the sufferings of a reproached +Remnant of Presbyterians there, witnessing against the Corruptions of +the Time: + + WHEREIN +Several Controversies of greatest Consequence are enquired into, and +in some measure cleared; concerning hearing of the Curates, owning +of the present Tyranny, taking of ensnaring Oaths and Bonds, +frequenting of Field-meetings, defensive Resistance of tyrannical +Violence, with several other subordinate Questions useful for these +Times. + + * * * * * + + BY MR. ALEXANDER SHIELS, + LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL IN ST. ANDREW'S. + + +Psal. xciv. 20. _Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, +which frameth mischief by a law?_ + +Rev. xii. 11. _And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the +word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death._ + + Glasgow + + _PRINTED BY WILLIAM PATON_, + FOR JOHN KIRK, CALTON, THE PUBLISHER. + 1797. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +CHRISTIAN READER, + +Presuming it is thy desire to answer the holy and honourable designation +I accost thee with, I shall take the confidence to assure thee, it is my +design to answer, in some measure, the expectation which the title of +this treatise would offer, in the hope that, wherein I come short (as I +indeed confess not only my jealous fears, but my sensible conviction of +my insufficiency for such a great undertaking) thy Christian tenderness +will impute it to my weakness, and not to any want of worth in the cause +I manage, which is truly worthy, weighty, noble and honourable, in the +esteem of all the lovers of Christ, that have zeal for his honour in +exercise; and therefore as it gives me all the encouragement I have, in +dependence on his furniture whose cause it is, to make such an essay, so +it animates my ambition, albeit I cannot manage it with any proportion +to its merit, yet to move the Christian reader to make enquiry about it, +and then sure I am he will find it is truth I plead for, though my plea +be weak. All I shall further say by way of preface, is to declare the +reason of the title, and the design of the work. + +Though books use not to be required to render a reason of their names, +which often are arbitrarily imposed more for the author's fancy and the +time's fashion, than for the reader's instruction: yet, seeing the +time's injuries do oblige the author to conceal his name, the title will +not obscurely notify it to some for whose satisfaction this is mainly +intended, and signify also the scope of the subject; which aims at +giving goodly words, not sugared with parasitic sweetness, nor painted +with affected pedantry, but fairly brought forth in an unhampered +freedom, for the beauty of the blessing of human and Christian liberty, +in its due and true boundaries. This was the subject of a discourse, as +some may remember, on that text whence this title is taken, Gen. xlix. +21. "Naphtali is a Hind let loose." In prosecuting of which, the +speaker, with several others, falling at the same time into the hands of +the hunters, (to learn the worth of that interrupted subject from the +experience of the want of it) an occasion was given, and interpreted by +the author to be a call to study more the preciousness of that privilege +predicated of Naphtali, which is the right and property of the wrestling +tribe of Israel, the persecuted witnesses of Christ now every where +preyed upon. And now, providence having opened a door for "delivering +himself as a roe from the hand of the hunter," he thought it his duty, +and as necessary a piece of service as he could do to the generation, to +bring to light his lucubrations thereupon; with an endeavour to discover +to all that are free born, and are not contented slaves, mancipated to a +stupid subjection to tyrants absoluteness, that this character of +Naphtali, "satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the +Lord," that he is a "hind let loose" from the yoke of tyrannical +slavery, is far preferable, in the account of all that understand to be +Christians or men, to that infamous stigma of Issachar (the sin, shame, +and misery of this age) to be "a strong ass, couching under two burdens; +and he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant, and +bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute." But to +all that are not altogether strangers in our Israel, it will appear, +that this title is not inaptly applied to the subject and design of this +treatise. The party whose case and cause, and contendings are here +treated of, being known to have the same situation of residence in +Scotland that Naphtali had in Israel, viz. the west and the south (Deut. +xxxiii. 23.) will be found, among all our tribes, most appositely to +bear the signature of Naphtali, who, in their wrestlings for the +interest of Christ and the liberties of his Israel, have mostly +jeoparded their lives in the high places of the fields; and chiefly to +deserve his elogy, being a "hind", (called wild by nickname in the scorn +of them that are at ease, but) truly weak in their present wilderness +condition, to wrestle against the force and fraud of their cruel and +cunning hunters, who cease not (when they have now got the rest of the +roes and hinds of the field made fast asleep, under the bondage of the +lions dens and mountains of leopards, by a pretence of a falsely so +called liberty of conscience) to seek and pursue the chace of them for a +prey; yet really they are "let loose," and not only suffered to run +loose, as a prey to the hunters, by the unwatchfulness of their keepers, +but made to escape loose, by the mercy of the Mighty One of Jacob, from +the nets of the hunters and snares of the fowlers, and from the yoke of +the bondage of these beasts of prey, to whose authority they will not +own a willing subjection; and being such "hinds," so "let loose," they +make it their work to give goodly words, for the worth and honour, and +royalties of their princely master, and for the precious liberties +wherewith he hath endoted and entrusted his spouse and children, and to +keep the goodly words of his patience, until he return "as a roe or a +young hart upon the mountains of Bether." This being the party who are +represented as the wild folk of Scotland, the design of this treatise is +to hold forth the history of their manifold chaces, the craft, keeness, +and cruelty of their hunters, and the goodliness of the words of their +testimony, which, by reason of the likeness of the testimony of former +periods with the present, and that the latter may be vindicated by the +former, is resumed from the beginning of the Church of Scotland's +wrestlings against the enemies of Christ, and deduced through all the +most signal steps of this long propagated and hereditary war. And, lest +my words should not be goodly enough, nor my notions grateful to the +critics of this age, who cast every thing as new and nice, which is +someway singular, and not suited to their sentiments; that it may appear +the cause here cleared and vindicated is not of yesterday, but older +than their grandfathers who oppose it, I dare avouch, without vanity, +there is nothing here but what is confirmed by authors of greatest note +and repute in our church, both ancient and modern, namely, Buchanan, +Knox, Calderwood, Acts of General Assemblies, Causes of Wrath, Lex Rex, +Apologetical Relation, Naphtali, Jus Populi, History of the Indulgence, +Banders Disbanded, Rectius Instruendum, and some other authors much +respected, whose authority, more always repelled by rage than ever yet +refitted by reason; though I value more than all the vain oblatrations +of the opposers of this testimony, and think it sufficient to confute +all imputations of its novelty, and to counterbalance the weight that +may be laid on the contradictions of the greatest that treat on this +subject, yet I do not lay so much stress on the reason of their +authority as on the authority of their reason, which is here represented +with that candour and care, that, lest any should cavil that they are +wrested or wronged when made to speak so patly to the present +controversies, I have chosen rather to transcribe their words, than to +borrow their matter dressed up in my own, except where the prolixity and +multiplicity of their arguments, as clearly demonstrating that which I +adduce them for, as that for which they were primarily intended, did +impose the necessity of abridging them, which yet is mostly in their own +words, though reduced into a sollogistical form. But this obloquy of +novelty being anticipated, when I reflect on the helps I have collected +from so many hands, I am rather afraid the truths here delivered be +contemned as obsolete and antiquate, than cast at for new speculations. +However, I am content; yea it is my ambition, that nothing here be +looked upon as mine, but that it may appear this is an old plea, and +that the party here pleaded for, who are stigmatized with many +singularities, are a people who ask the old paths, and the good way, +that they may walk therein; and though their paths be not now much +paved, by the frequency of passengers, and multitude of professors +walking therein, and albeit it must indeed be confessed the word of +their testimony is someway singular, that the same things were never the +word of Christ's patience, stated as heads of suffering before, yet they +are not untrodden paths, but the same way of truth which hath been +maintained by the witnesses of Christ in all the periods of our church, +and asserted by the greatest confessors, though never before sealed by +martyrs. As for the arguments I bring to clear and confirm them, whether +they be accounted mine, or borrowed from others, I am very indifferent, +if they prove the point they are brought for, which I hope they will be +found to do; but of this I am confident, there is nothing here can be +condemned until some one or more of these grave authors be confuted; +and, when that is done, (which will be never, or against the _thirtieth +of February_), there is something besides here, which will challenge +consideration. + +The design then of this work is of great importance, even no less than +to essay the discussing the difficulties of all our conflicts with open +enemies, about the present state of the testimony; the vindicating of +all the heads of sufferings sustained thereupon these twenty-seven years +past; the proposing of the right state of the testimony for the interest +of Christ, not only of this, but of all former periods, with an account +of the propagation and prosecution of the witnesses, wrestlings, and +sufferings of it from time to time, to the end it may appear, not only +how great the sufferings have been, since this fatal catastrophe and +overturning of the covenanted reformation, and unhappy restoration of +tyranny and prelacy; but that the grounds upon which they have been +stated, are not niceties and novelties, (as they are reproached and +reprobated by many), but worthy and weighty truths of great value and +validity, and of near affinity unto, and conformity with the continued +series and succession of the testimonies in all former periods. So that +in this little treatise must be contained a compendious history of the +Church of Scotland, her testimony in all ages, a vindication of the +present state of it; yea, in effect, a short epitome of the substance of +those famous forecited authors, as far as we need to consult them, +concerning the controversies of the present time with adversaries; which +is much, and perhaps too much, to be undertaken in so small a volume. +But considering that many who are concerned in this cause, yea the most +part who concern themselves about, are such who have neither access, nor +time, nor capacity to revolve the voluminous labours of these learned +men for light in this case, I have done best to bring them into one body +of portable bulk with as great brevity as could consist well with any my +measure of perspicuity, not meddling with any thing but what I thought +might some way conduce to clear some part of the present testimony. + +Every undertaking of this nature cannot but be liable to several +disadvantages that are unavoidable: this hath many discouraging and +difficult. One is, that it shall be exposed to the common fate of such +representations, to be stigmatized as a seditious libel, and so may be +sent to the flames to be confuted; and, to inflame the fury of these +fire brands, already hell-hot, into the utmost extremity of rage against +the author, that ever cruelty itself at its fullest freedom did exert +against truth and reason arraigned, and cast for sedition and treason: +the only sanctuary in such a case, is, in prospect of this, to have the +greater care that nothing be spoken, but what the speaker may dare to +affirm in the face of cruelty itself. A second common disadvantage is +obvious from the consideration of the humour of the age; wherein fancy +hath greater force than faith, and nothing is pleasing but what is +parasitical, or attempered to the palate of the greatest, not of the +best; and naked truth, without the fairdings of flattery, or paintings +of that pakiness which is commonly applauded as prudence now a days, is +either boggled at, or exposed to scorn and contempt; and reason, if +roundly written, except it meet with an honest heart, is commonly read +with a stammering mouth, which puts a T before it, and then it is +stumbled at as Treason. This essay does expect no entertainment from +any, but such who resolve to harbour truth, be the hazard what will, +even when the world raises the _Hue_ and _Cry_ after it, and from such +who are really groaning, either by suffering or sympathy, under the same +grievances here represented. There is a third, which makes it not a +little difficult, the quality, quantity, and intricacy of the matter, +here to be confined to such a compend. All which, together considered, +do infer a fourth difficulty, that hardly can it get a pass through the +press; which is blocked up against all such books that may offer a +manifestation of the innocency of that people, and the injustice and +inhumanity of their enemies; which is their only hope of preventing the +world's knowledge and condemnation of their actings. Yea, there is a +fifth, that wants not its own difficulty; that though the Press were +patent, yet an empty purse, from a poor impoverished people, will as +readily preclude all access to it, as if it were locked up by law; but +both together make it hard. But there is a sixth disadvantage yet more +discouraging, that the man as well as the money, is wanting to manage +the business: and this needs no other proof; than the necessity of my +poor pen to undertake it, instead of a better. It must needs be very low +with that people, that stand in need of such a pitiful patrociny as mine +is. Our persecuted brethren, elsewhere, have this advantage of us, that +they have champions to espouse their quarrel, which we have not; but +only such, who as they are reputed in the world, so, in their own +sense, own themselves to be very unaccomplished for such work; and under +this invincible disadvantage also, that, being forced to a wandering and +unsettled life, they have no conveniency, nor can be accommodated with +time, nor helps to perform it; and so circumstantiated, that either it +must be done at this time, and in this manner, or not at all. In the +seventh place, we are at a greater loss than any suffering people; in +that, among all other bitter ingredients, we have this gall also in our +cup, that they that suffer most among us, have not the comfort and +benefit of the sympathy of others, that sufferers use to have from good +people. The reason of this makes an eighth discouragement, besides what +is said above; that not only is the case and cause of that poor +persecuted and wasted witnessing remnant, obscure in itself, and not +known in the world, nay, not so much as in the very neighbouring +churches of England and Ireland, but also more obscured by the malice of +enemies, traducing, calumniating, and reproaching that righteous remnant +whom they intend to ruin; not indeed as hereticks (which is the case of +other suffering churches, wherein they have the advantage of us also; +that though the name be more odious, yet it makes the notion of their +cause, and the nature of their enemies, notour, and is more effectual to +conciliate sympathy from all that know that Protestants are persecuted +by Papists under the notion of hereticks: but we are at a loss in this, +that our persecutors, at least the most part of the executioners of the +persecution, will not as yet avouch that Protestantism is heresy though +we want not this nick name likewise from the chief of them that are +professed Papists) but as Scismaticks, Seditious, Rebels, Traitors, +Murderers, Holding principles inconsistent with Government, (to wit, +their tyranny), and the peace of human society, (to wit, their +association against religion and liberty), and therefore to be +exterminated out of the world. And this imposture, covering all their +mischiefs, hath prevailed so far with the blinded world, that under this +brand the consideration of their case and cause is buried, without +farther inquiry. This were yet more tolerable from open enemies, if +there were not another more pressing discouragement, in the ninth place, +peculiar to them in Scotland; that having to do with treacherous as well +as truculent enemies, as they have been much destroyed by open force, so +much more by fraud; while, by ensnaring favours, some have been +flattered from the testimony, others disdaining and suspecting, as well +as deprived of, and secluded from, these favours, have stuck to it; +hence defection brought on division, and division confusion, which hath +reduced the reformation to a ruinous heap. In the next place, as the +consequent of the former, while the purer remnant have been resolutely +prosecuting the testimony, and not only keeping themselves free of, and +standing at the farthest distance from, all degrees of compliance, but +also witnessing against their brethren involved in them and thinking it +their duty to discountenance them in these corruptions and backslidings; +they have been therefore reproached and misrepresented very +industriously, as "Ignorant, Imprudent, Transported with blind zeal, +Extravagant, wild Separatists, Espousing new and nice notions, rejecters +of the ministry, imposers on the ministry, deniers of all government, +usurpers of an imaginary government of their own, that died as fools, +and as guilty of their own blood." By which odious and and invidious +obloquies, they have easily prevailed with many, both at home and +abroad, that are more credulous than considerate, to believe these +things of them: hence, with prejudicate people, a contrary +representation will find difficult acceptance. However, this moreover is +another great disadvantage, and renders an essay to vindicate their +sufferings very uneasy; that they are thrust at, and tossed on both +hands, by enemies and professed friends: and by enemies that are not +Papists, but professed Protestants, owning the same fundamentals in +opinion, though in practice not holding the same head: and by friends, +that not only are Protestants, but Presbyterians, under the bonds of the +same solemn and sacred covenants, the obligation whereof they still own; +and not only so, but such, whose piety and godliness cannot be doubted. +This is a gravamen grievous to bear, and greatly aggravates the +difficulty. Finally, the greatest of all is, that not only their cause +is rendered odious, but must be confessed truly stated as heads of +suffering. For now it is the dragon's chief stratagem with us, like to +be the most subtile, ensnaring, and successful of any, that ever he set +on work since ever he began this war with the Lamb, (which yet I hope +will prove as fatal to his interest as the former), to bring the +sufferings of Christ's witnesses to such a state, that may seem to +spectators little or nothing relative to religion, that so he may +destroy both them and their testimony unlamented, and by that trick +divert others from concerting that same necessary witness in the season +thereof. And, for this end, he will change both matter and manner, in +managing the war. He will not now persecute for the old controverted +heads of Popery, with fire and faggot, as formerly, for refusing to +worship our Lady, or the "blessed Sacrament of the Altar." These weapons +and engines are so worn out of use, that they will not work now as they +did before. And that old bawd of Babylon is become so ugly, and out of +date; that he does not believe her beauty can be so bewitching, except +that she put on a new busk: but her eldest daughter, the prelatical +church, of the same complexion with herself, except that she is coloured +with Protestant paint, is fitter for his service to allure our land into +fornication; and who will not be enticed, must be forced to communion +with her, by finings, confinings, exactions, extortions, and impositions +of oaths, &c. Religion must be little concerned here; for there is +preaching enough, and of protestant doctrine too, and without the +monkey-tricks, and montebank shows, and foperies of English popish +ceremonies and liturgical services: What would they be at! Is it not +better to yield to this, than to fall into the hand of the +Scottish-Spanish inquisition, that will rack the purse, the body, and +conscience and all? This is one complex head of suffering, and thought a +very small one by many. But now, finding this would not do his business +yet, it looked too like religion still: he hath therefore invented a new +machine; he will not now persecute, nor force the conscience at all (so +good-natured is the devil and his lieutenant grown in their old age) for +matters of mere religion. Nay, (if we may believe him, who, when he +speaketh a lie, speaketh it of his own) he hath not done it this long +time, but only, in all the violent courses exercised against these +sufferers, he hath been magistratically chastising the disobedence and +rebellion of a few turbulent traitors, who would not own the government. +And thus, under the notion of rebellion and disowning authority, he hath +had access and success to destroy almost an innumerable number of honest +and innocent, faithful and fruitful lovers of Christ, who, though indeed +they have had their sufferings stated upon those points, yet I doubt not +shall be found among the followers of the Lamb, and confessors and +martyrs of Christ, who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the +word of their testimony, not loving their lives unto the death, whose +blood is crying for vengeance against the shedders thereof: and he will +make inquisition for it, when he comes to overturn, overturn, and take +his own right, for which they have been contending. Nevertheless this is +a prejudice too prevalent with many, to misregard the case and cause of +these contenders, or any thing that can be said to represent them +favourably. And all these disadvantages, difficulties, and +discouragements, together considered, would soon cool my courage, and, +at first blush, make me leave off before I begin, were I not persuaded, +that it is the cause of Christ these reproached people are still +suffering for: and that their great sufferings and reproaches are both +alike unjust: from both which the Lord will vindicate them, and bring +forth their righteousness as the light, and their judgment as the +noon-day, in his own time. In confidence of which, depending on his +conduct, I shall undertake, as briefly as possible for me, to represent +their case, and clear the cause, so far at least as concerns their +contest with their persecuting enemies, with whom I only deal at +present: it not being my purpose to descend particularly in their +necessitated contendings with complying brethren: partly because they +would make the volume to excresce unto too great a bulk, and because +they are to be seen elsewhere: yet, in effect: these also are not only +here narratively deduced, but whatever is odious in them is vindicated, +and what is difficult in some measure enodated. + +But it may be expected and desiderated, that I should give a distinct +deduction of all the steps of this woful defection, against which a +great part of the testimony hath been stated; but I would have the +reader advertised, I touch only that part of the testimony which hath +been sealed by severe sufferings from enemies. It were a task +transcending my capacity, and a theme wherein I have no pleasure, +besides that it is inconsistent with my leisure, to enlarge upon such a +sad and shameful subject: though the world indeed is at a loss, that +they that would do it, cannot, and they that would and should do it, +will not; and it is a greater loss, not only to Scotland, but also to +the whole Christian world, that what hath been done in this kind already +cannot see the light, or rather that the church of Christ is deprived of +its light, which through the injury of the times, and the disingenuous +prudence of some, who suffer themselves to be imposed upon by the +patrons of defection, is embezzled and suppressed. I mean that excellent +and faithful history of defection, the posthumous work of the famous +Mr. M'Ward, whose praise is in the churches; which if they that have it +in keeping would do themselves the honour, and the world the happiness, +of publishing it, there would be no more need to discover from whence, +to what, and how, that church hath fallen and degenerate; nor so great +difficulty in that indisputable and indispensible duty that such a day +calls for, in searching and trying our ways, to the end we may turn +again to the Lord; nor any necessity for my poor essay to invite and +incite the people of the Lord to take cognizance and compassion on poor +perishing Scotland. I wish that they who have it, may consult more their +own duty and credit, and what they owe to the memory of the dead, the +church's edification, the day's testimony, and the honour of Christ, +than to continue robbing the world of such a treasure; which I doubt not +to call treason against Christ, and sacrilege against the church, and +stick not to tell them, if they will not publish it, the world must know +there was such a thing done. But it not being my design now, to detect +or reflect upon all the defections of that declining, and by declensions +divided, and by divisions almost (only not) destroyed church; I shall +meddle with them no further, than what is necessary to clear the cause, +referring the knowledge and account of them, either to the notoriety of +the grossest of them, or to the more particular ennaration of them, to +be found in papers emitted and published by the contenders against them: +of which one is of this same year's edition, entitled, 'The Informatory +Vindication of a 'poor, wasted, misrepresented Remnant,' &c. In which +may be evident, that notwithstanding of all this darkness and distress, +defection and division, under which the church of Scotland hath been so +long, and is still labouring, there is yet a poor wasted, wounded, rent, +and almost ruined, but still wrestling and witnessing remnant of +professors and confessors of Christ there, who though they have not only +had their souls exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are +at ease, and with the contempt of the proud; but their bodies also +killed all day long, and counted as sheep for the slaughter, have yet +through grace endeavoured to overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the +word of their testimony, and have not loved their lives dear unto the +death, and have continued to this day contending both against professed +enemies, and also declining friends, sustaining from both the utmost of +rage and reproach. And since that little book gives an account, what +their contendings have been against their backdrawing brethren on the +right and left hand, I shall spare labour to offer a discussion of them, +only endeavour to make it not difficult to decide and determine, on +whose side truth lies, by what is here hinted. + +I shall conclude with advertising the reader of one thing further, that, +as this reproached people, for testimony I am pleading, is now the only +party that is persecuted in Scotland, (some few excepted, who are +exempted from the pretended favour of the current indemnities) and their +persecution still continues, notwithstanding of the impudent, as well as +insnaring declarations of universal liberty to all dissenters, which +they look upon as their honour and happiness, to be thought incapable of +tyrannical and antichristian favours; so their past and present +oppressions and sufferings are only here in general aggregated, +described as to their kinds, and vindicated as to their causes: the +particular deduction of their number, weight, and measure, of their +names that have been martyred and murdered, both by formality of law, +and without all formality of law, by sea and land, city and country, on +scaffolds, and in the fields; of the manner of their sufferings; and of +the form of their trials and testimonies, being intended shortly (if the +Lord will) to be emitted and published in a book by itself; which will +discover to the world as rare instances of the injustice, illegality, +and inhumanity of the Scottish inquisition, and of the innocency, zeal, +ingenuity, and patience of the witnesses of Christ, as readily can be +instanced in these latter ages. Only here is a taste till more come; +which if the Lord bless for its designed end, the glory of God, the +vindication of truth, the information and satisfaction of all serious +sympathisers with Zion's sorrows, and the conviction or confutation of +reproachers, so far, at least, as to make them surcease from their +invidious charge of things whereof the innocency is here vindicated, I +have obtained all my design, and shall desire to give the Lord the +praise. + + + + +_It will not be unprofitable for the Reader to cast his eye upon these +sentences of great Authors, which relate to some heads of the following +discourse._ + +(Translated from their Originals.) + + _Erasmus._ As a woodcock, otherwise loud, being taken, becomes + dumb; so slavery renders some men speechless, who, if they were + free, would tell their minds freely. + + _Nazianzen._ Discord is better for the advantage of piety, than + dissembled concord. + + _Bernard._ But if scandal arise for the truth, it is better to + suffer scandal than relinquish the truth. + + _Bracton._ He is a king who rightly governs, a tyrant who oppresses + his people. + + _Cicero._ He loses all right to government, who, by that + government, overturns the common-weal. + + _Aristotle._ He who obeys the law, obeys both God and the law; who + obeys the king, a man and a beast. + + _Sueton._ They are not bound to be loyal to a wicked king, under + the pains of perjury. + + _Ambrose._ He that does not keep off injury from his neighbour, if + he can do it, is as much in the fault as he who does it. + + _Chamier._ But all subjects have right of resisting tyrants, who by + open force acquire dominion. + + _Barclay. Against contenders for Monarchy._ All antiquity agrees, + that tyrants can, most justly, be attacked and slain as public + enemies, not only by the public, but also by individual persons. + + + + + A + + HIND LET LOOSE; + + OR, + + AN HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION + + OF THE + + TESTIMONIES + + OF THE + + CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, + + FOR THE + + INTEREST OF CHRIST. + +WITH THE TRUE STATE THEREOF IN ALL ITS PERIODS. + + WITH + + _A VINDICATION OF THE PRESENT TESTIMONY_. + + +The church of Christ, in the impression of all that have the least spark +of the day's spirit is now brought to such a doleful and dreadful case +and crisis, that if it be not reckoned the killing of the witnesses, yet +all that have or desire the knowledge of the times, will judge it no +impeachment to the prophecy to say, it is either very like, or near unto +it. When now the devil is come down in great wrath, and knowing his time +is but short, and therefore exerting all the energy of the venom and +violence, craft and cruelty of the dragon, and antichrist, alias pope, +his captain-general, is now universally prevailing, and plying all his +hellish engines to batter down, and bury under the rubbish of +everlasting darkness, what is left to be destroyed of the work of +reformation; and the crowned heads, or horns of the beast, the tyrants, +alias kings of Europe, his council of war, are advancing their +prerogatives upon the ruins of the nations and churches privileges, to +such a pitch of absoluteness, and improving and employing their power +for promoting their masters (the devil and antichrists) interests, to +whom they have gifted the churches, mancipated their own, and sacrificed +the nations interest; and that with such combination of counsels, and +countenance of providential success, that all the powers of hell, the +principalities of earth, and the providence of heaven, over-ruling all +things for the accomplishment of the divine purpose, and purchase, and +prediction, seem to conspire to produce that prodigious period, and last +attempt of the church's enemy. And the commencement is so far advanced, +that now in all the churches of Europe either the witnesses of Christ +are a killing, or the witness for Christ is in a great measure killed; +either the followers of the Lamb, who are called, and chosen, and +faithful, are killed for their testimony, or fainting in their zeal, and +falling from their first love, they are cooled or cajoled from their +testimony. Some are indulging themselves in their ease, settling on +their lees, and sleeping in a stupid security; and, while the Lord is +roaring from above, and his, and their enemies raging about them, and +designing to raze them after they have ruined their neighbours, they are +rotting away under the destructive distempers of detestable neutrality, +loathsome lukewarmness, declining, and decaying in corruptions, +defections, divisions, distractions, confusions; and so judicially +infatuated with darkness and delusions, that they forget and forego the +necessary testimony of the day. Others again, outwearied with the length +and weight of the trial, under the temptation of antichrist's formidable +strength on the one hand, and a deceitful prospect of an insnaring +liberty on the other, are overcome either to be hectored or flattered +from their testimony. And so, in these churches, comprehending all that +are free from persecution at this time, the witness for Christ is in a +great measure killed. Other churches, which are keeping and contending +for the word of Christ's patience, are so wasted, and almost worn out, +with persecutions, afflictions, and calamities, that, after they have +been, and are (so much) daily killed for the word of God, and the +testimony of Jesus, it may well be said, there hath been, and is, a +great slaughter of the witnesses. And it were hard to determine, which +of them can give the largest and most lamentable account of their +sufferings, or which of them have had the greatest and most grievous +experiences of the treachery and truculency, violence and villany of +atheistical and papistical enemies: whether the reformed church of +France, howling under the paw of that devouring lion, the French tyrant; +or the protestants of Hungary under the tearing claws of that ravenous +eagle, the tyrant of Austria; or those of Piedmont, under the grassant +tyranny of that little tyger of Savoy. The accounts they give in print, +the reports they bring with them in their flight from their respective +countries, and the little hints we have in gazettes and news-letters, +must needs enforce a conviction, if not extort a compassion of the +greatness of their pressures; and that with such a parity, that it is +doubtful which preponderates. I shall not make comparisons, nor +aggravate nor extenuate the sufferings of any of the churches of Christ, +beyond or below their due measures; but will presume to plead, that +Scotland, another ancient, and sometimes famous reformed church, be +inrolled in the catalogue of suffering churches, besides these +mentioned; and crave, that she may have a share of that charity and +sympathy which is the demand and desire of afflicted churches of Christ, +from all the fellow members of that same body: and so much the rather is +this her due, that, whereas, among all the rest of the churches, +Christ's witnesses are killed in some particular respect, and each of +them have their own proper complaint of it; some upon the account of +persecution, some of defection, division, &c. of this it may be said, in +all respects, both the witnesses of Christ, and a witness for Christ, +are killed with a witness. This is the case of the sometimes renowned, +famous, faithful, and fruitful, reformed, covenanted church of Scotland, +famous for unity, faithful for verity, fruitful in the purity of +doctrine, worship, discipline, and government; which now, for these +twenty-seven years past, under the domination of the late tyrant, and +present usurper of Britain, hath been so wasted with oppression, wounded +with persecution, rent with division, ruined with defection, that now +she is as much despised, as she was before admired; and her witness and +testimony for reformation, is now as far depressed and suppressed in +obscurity, as it was formerly declared and depredicated in glory and +honour. And yet, which should move the greater commiseration, her +witnessings and wrestlings, trials and temptations, have not been +inferior, in manner or measure, quality or continuance, to any of the +fore-mentioned churches, though in extent not so great, because her +precinct is not so large, whereby the number of her oppressed and +murdered children could not be so multiplied, though her martyrs be +more, and the manner of their murder more illegal, than can be instanced +in any of them during that time. A particular enumeration or ennaration +whereof, cannot be here exhibited, but is referred and reserved to a +peculiar treatise of that subject, which ere long the world may see. +Only I shall give a compendious account of the kinds and causes, grounds +and heads of their sufferings, who have been most slighted, and least +sympatized with, though they have sustained the greatest severities of +any; and, in end, endeavour to vindicate the merit of their cause, in +the most principal heads upon which their sufferings have been stated: +whereby it will appear to impartial men, that will not be imposed upon, +there hath been, and yet is, a great and grievous, and some way +unparalleled, persecution in Scotland, at least inferior to none: which +hath not hitherto been duly considered, with any proportion to the +importance thereof. + +But though this be the scope, it is not the sum of what is intended in +this discourse. The method I have proposed to prosecute it withal, will +discover it; which is, 1. To give a brief and summary account of the +series and succession, success and result of the several contendings of +the witnesses of Christ, against his enemies in Scotland from time to +time; that it may appear, whether or not the present sufferings, as now +stated, can be condemned, if the former be approven. 2. To rehearse some +of the chief means, methods and measures, that the popish, prelatical +and malignant faction have managed, for the ruin of this witnessing +remnant, and some of the most signal steps of sufferings sustained by +and from these within these twenty-seven years; by which it will appear, +that the persecution in Scotland hath been very remarkable (though +little regarded) both in respect of the injustice, illegality, and +inhumanity of the persecutors, and in respect of the innocency, zeal and +ingenuity of the persecuted. 3. To clear the state, and vindicate the +merit of the cause of their sufferings, as to the most material heads of +it, that are most controverted at this time. In the first of these, I +must study all compendious brevity, as may consist with the clearing of +my scope; which is not to enlarge an historical deduction of the rise +and result, progress and prosecution, occasion and continuation of every +controversy the church hath had with her several adversaries in several +periods; but only to hint at the chief heads of their contendings, with +a design to make it appear, that the most material heads of sufferings +that are now condemned as new and nice notions, have been transmitted +from age to age, from the beginning even to this present time, through +all the periods of this church. + + +PERIOD I. + +_Comprehending the_ TESTIMONY _of the_ CULDEES. + +It is not without reason reckoned among the peculiar prerogatives of the +renowned church of Scotland, that Christ's conquest in the conversion of +that nation, is one of the most eminent accomplishments of +scripture-prophecies, of the propagation of his kingdom in the new +testament dispensation; not only because it was, when called out of +Gentile paganism, among the rudest of heathen nations, and in the +acknowledgement of all, among "the uttermost parts of the earth," which +were given to Christ for his inheritance and possession; whereunto he +had, and hath still undoubted right, by his Father's grant, and by his +own purchase; and took infeftment of it by a glorious conquest of that +land, which the Roman arms could never subdue; and erected his +victorious trophies there, whither their triumphs could never penetrate; +obtaining and thereby accomplishing that predicted song of praise, "From +the uttermost parts of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the +righteous." Which gives us ground to expect, that however Christ's +interest there be now very low, and like to be lost as a prey in the +dragon's mouth, yet Christ, having such undoubted and manifold right to +it, will not so easily quit or forego his possession; but also, because +he hath so constantly continued his possession, and maintained his +title, by a long course of contendings, by the testimonies of his +witnesses against the invaders thereof, through all the periods of the +church, from the very infancy of this new dispensation; and because +Scotland's conversion unto the Christian faith was among the first +fruits of the Gentiles, of the oldest date, that any standing church +holding the head Christ this day can deduct its original from. For it is +clear from ancient records, the Christian faith was embraced here a few +years after the ascension of our Saviour, being taught by the disciples +of John the apostle; and received afterwards great increase from the +Britons flying to Scotland to escape the persecution of the Emperor +Domitian, and was long promoted by the ancient Culdees, (or worshippers +of God,) men whose memory is still fragrant for piety and purity of +faith and life, who continued some hundreds of years under various +vicissitudes of providence, before either prelacy or popery was known in +Scotland. They were first universally encouraged by King Cratilinth, in +the time of the last persecution under Dioclesian, which brought many of +Christ's witnesses hither for shelter, who were very helpful for the +settling of truth, and the total extirpation of the idolatry of the +Druids, the heathen priests, whereby the pure doctrine, worship, and +government also, of Christ's institution, was established and continued +many years, while these witnesses of Christ had no other emulation but +of well-doing, and to advance piety. In this period, these ancient, and +first confessors and witnesses of Christ, did wrestle strenuously, +according to their strength and light, for the truths and words of +Christ's patience, controverted in their day, both against professed +enemies, Pagan persecutors and priests, and pretended friends, +corrupters of the faith. Their testimony was stated in a peculiar +manner, for the verity, value and virtue of Christ's natures and +offices, in asserting his truths relative to either, against the +malignants and sectaries of their time; particularly for the concerns of +his prophetical office. And though we be at a loss, that for the most +part their witness is buried in oblivion, through the darkness of the +times succeeding; yet the scrapes and fragments that are left, do +furnish us with these few remarks. + +I. They maintained the verity of the Christian doctrine, against both +Pagan Persecutors and heretical perverters; and the purity of his +instituted worship, without the vanity of human inventions, or +conformity with, either the Druids on the one hand, or the heretics on +the other, with which, sometime before the end of that period, they were +infested; chiefly the Pelagians, with whom the faithful would have no +communion; but abstracted themselves in a monastical life, living and +exercising their religion in cells, from whence many places in the +country yet retain the name, as Kilmarnock, Kilpatrick, &c. that is the +cells of these eminent men among the Culdees. And their government also +was that of the primitive order, without bishops, with little vanity, +but great simplicity and holiness. Many authors do testify, that near +about 400 years, the church of Scotland knew nothing of the episcopal +Hierarchy, until Palladius brought it in, and not without great +opposition. + +II. In these recesses, they had the advantage, both of outward peace, +when others were in trouble, and of inward peace of conscience, when +others were debauched with many conjurations and abjurations, +combinations and confederacies, imposed and exacted by them that +prevailed for the time, whereby they might both keep themselves free of +ensnaring oaths, perfidious compliances, and associations with the +wicked, and also entertain and encourage the oppressed for equity, who +fled unto their sanctuary for safety. We find they refused to enter into +league with malignant enemies. One memorable passage I shall insert +(though strictly it belong not to this period, as I distinguish it, yet +falling out, within eighty years thereafter, in the time of the Culdees, +it will not obscurely evidence the truth of this) Goranus the +forty-fifth king of Scots, earnestly dissuaded Lothus king of Picts to +entertain the league with the Saxons, not only because they were +treacherous and cruel, but because they were enemies to the country and +to the religion they professed, concluding thus: _Homini vero Christiano +id longe omnium videri_, &c. "But to a Christian nothing must seem more +grievous, than to consent to such a covenant, as will extinguish the +Christian religion, and reduce the prophane customs of the heathen, and +arm wicked tyrants, the enemies of all humanity and piety, against God +and his laws." Whereupon Lothus was persuaded to relinquish the Saxons, +Buchan. Hist. Rer. Scotic. + +III. Though they were not for partaking in wicked unnecessary wars, +without authority, or against it; yet we have ground to conclude, they +were for war, and did maintain the principle of resisting tyranny; since +there was never more of the practice of it, nor more happy resistances +in any age, than in that; where we find, that, as their ancestors had +frequently done before, so they also followed their footsteps, in +resisting, reducing to order, repressing, and bringing to condign +punishment tyrants and usurpers; and thought those actions, which their +fathers did by the light of nature and dictates of reason, worthy of +imitation, when they had the advantage of the light of revelation and +dictates of faith; the one being indeed moderate and directed, but no +ways contradicted by the other. Therefore we read, that, as their +predecessors had done with Thereus the 8th king of Scotland, whom they +banished in the year before Christ's incarnation 173; with Dustus the +11th king, whom they slew in battle in the year before Christ 107; +Evenus the 3d, who was imprisoned, and died there, in the year before +Christ 12; Dardanus the 20th king, who was taken in battle, beheaded by +his own subjects, his head exposed to mockage, and his body cast into a +sink, in the year of Christ 72; Luctatus the 22d king, who was slain for +his leachery and tyranny in the year 110, Mogaldus the 23d king, slain +in the year 113; Conarus the 24th king, a leacherous tyrant, died in +prison in the year 149; Satrael the 26th king hanged in the year 159. +So, after the Christian faith was publicly professed, they pursued +Athirco the 29th king, when degenerate into tyranny, who was forced to +kill himself in the year 231. They slew Nathalocus the 30th king, and +cast him into a privy, in the year 241. They beheaded Romachus the 36th +king, and carried about his head for a show in the year 348. As they did +with many others afterwards, as witnesseth Buchanan, Book IV. Scottish +History. + +IV. Whence it is evident, that as they attained, even in these primitive +times, and maintained the purity and freedom of their ministry, +independent on Pope, Prelate, or any human supremacy (that Antichristian +hierarchy and Erastian blasphemy not being known in those days) so they +contended for the order and boundaries of the magistracy, according to +God's appointment and the fundamental constitutions of their government; +and thought it their duty to shake off the yoke, and disown the +authority of these tyrants that destroyed the same. Yea, we find, that +even for incapacity, stupidity and folly, they disowned the relation of +a magistrate, and disposed of the government another way, as they did +with Ethodius II. whose authority they did own, but only to the title. +See Buchanan in the before cited place. + + +PERIOD II. + +_Comprehending the_ TESTIMONY _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 antichristianism: for that mystery of +iniquity that had been long working, till he who letted was taken out of +the way, found Scotland ripe for it when he came; which, while the +dragon did persecute the woman in the wilderness, did valiantly repel +his assaults; but when the beast did arise, to whom he gave his power, +he prevailed more by his subtilty, 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, and by that +conveyance the contagion of popery, which hath always been, as every +where, so especially in Scotland, both the mother and daughter, cause +and effect, occasion and consequence of popery. These rose, stood and +lived together, and sometimes did also fall together; and we have ground +to hope that they shall fall again; and their final and fatal fall is +not far off. Whatever difficulty authors do make, in calculating the +epocha of the forty-two months of antichrist's 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 +discouragement from the fancied permanency of that kingdom of +wickedness. For if it be certain, as it will not be much disputed, that +popery and prelacy came in by Palladius, sent legate by Pope Celestine, +about the year 450; then if we add forty-two months, or 1260 prophetical +days, that is, years, we may have a comfortable prospect of their +tragical conclusion. And though both clashings and combinations, +oppositions and conjunctions, this day may seem to have a terrible +aspect, portending a darker hour before the dawning; yet all these +reelings and 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 and prognostics of mercy impendent for his name's +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 nigh about 1100 years, in which, though +Christ's witnesses were very few, yet he had some witnessing and +prophesying in sackcloth all the while. Their testimony was the same +with that of the Waldenses and Albigenses, stated upon the grounds of +their secession, or rather abstraction from that mystery Babylon, mother +of harlots, popery and prelacy, for their corruption in doctrine, +worship, discipline and government. And did more particularly relate to +the concerns of Christ's priestly office, which was transmitted from the +Culdees to the Lollards, and by them handed down to the instruments of +reformation in the following period. Their testimony indeed was not +active, by way of forcible resistance against the sovereign powers; but +passive, by way of confession and martyrdom, and sufferings and verbal +contendings, and witnessings against the prevailing corruptions of the +time. And no wonder it should be so, and in this someway different from +ours, because that was a dispensation of suffering, when antichrist was +on the ascendant, and they had no call or capacity to oppose him any +other way, and were new 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 resistance, which +they never contradicted, and had never occasion to confirm by their +practice. But, as in their managing their testimony, their manner was +someway different from ours on this respect; so they had by far the +advantage of us, that their cause was so clearly stated upon the +greatest 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 and contend for the word of Christ's +patience under that dispensation, in asserting and maintaining both the +verity of Christ's doctrine, and the purity of his worship, by +testifying against the corruptions, errors, idolatries and superstitions +of popery; so they did constantly bear witness against the usurpation +and tyrannical domination of the antichristian prelates. And as the +Culdees did vigorously oppose their first introduction, and after +aspiring domination, as well as the corruptions of their doctrines, as +we have the contendings of eminent witnesses recorded from age to age; +in the fourth and fifth age, Columbe, Libthac, Ethernan, Kintegern or +Mungo; in the sixth and seventh age, Colmanus, Clemens, and Samson, with +others; in the eighth and ninth age, Alcuin, Rabanus, Maurus, Joannes +Scotus AErigena, are noted in history. And the Lollards, by their +examinations and testimonies, are found to have witnessed against the +exercise of their power, and sometimes against the very nature of their +power itself: so in their practice they condemned prelacy as well as +popery, in that their ministers did in much painfulness, poverty, +simplicity, humility, and equality, observe the institution of our Lord. +And so far as their light served, and had occasion to enquire into this +point, they acknowledged no officer in the house of God superior to a +preaching minister, and according to this standard, they rejected and +craved reformation of exorbitant prelacy. And it is plain, that they +were frequently discovered by discountenancing and withdrawing from +their superstitious and idolatrous worship; for all which, when they +could not escape nor repel their violence, they cheerfully embraced and +endured the flames. + +II. That their adversaries did manage their cruel craft, and 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 beginnings +of apprentices. But, on the other hand, the sufferers in our day, that +would follow the example of those worthies 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 and that +generation, are more like than his confessors and witnesses are. The +adversaries then, when constrained by diversions of the time's troubles, +or when their designs were not ripe, pretended more moderation and +aversation from severity; but no sooner got they opportunity, (which +always they sought), but so soon they renewed the battle against Jesus +Christ; so now: when they had seven abominations in their hearts, and +many cursed designs in their heads, they always spoke fairest; so now: +when they had a mind to execute their cruelty, they would resolve before +hand whom to pitch upon before conviction; so now: and when so resolved, +the least pretence of a fault, obnoxious to their wicked law, would +serve their design; so now: they used then to forge articles, and +falsely misrepresent their answers, and declarations of their +principles; so now. Yet, on the other hand, if now poor sufferers should +glory in that they are counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of +Christ, as they did then; if now they should suffer with as great +chearfulness, for the smallest points as for the greatest heads, as they +did then, who endured the flames as gallantly, for eating a goose upon +Friday, as others did for the doctrine of justification, or purgatory, +or indulgences, or worshipping of images and saints; if now they should +speak for every truth in question, with all simplicity and plainness, +without reserves or shifts declining a testimony, as they did; if they +should supersede from all application to their enemies for favour, and +not meddle with either petitioning or bonding with them, as they did; +nay, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better +resurrection: then they might expect the severe censure of ignorant and +precise fools, as the most part who suffer now are counted. + +III. That they stood aloof from every appearance of a base compliance +with them; not so much as to give them an interpretative sign of it; +which, in their meaning, might be thought a recantation, though, +abstractly considered, it might be capable of a more favourable +construction; as the required burning of their bill was; which might +have been thought a condemning of their accusations; but because that +was not their adversaries sense of it, they durst not do it. Not like +many now a-days, who will not be solicitous to consult that. Neither +would they take any of their oaths, nor pay any of their ecclesiastical +exactions, as we find in the articles brought in against the Lollards of +Kyle, Knox's History of Reformation. These things are easily complied +with now: and such as will suffer upon such things are condemned. + +IV. That while the love of God and his blessed truth, and the precepts, +promise, and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, did enable them unto all +patience with joy, in a passive testimony, being by the call of a clear +and necessary providence sent and set forth to be his witnesses; they +did not indeed endeavour any resistance: yet we find they never resigned +nor abandoned that first and most just privilege of resistance; nay, nor +bringing public beasts of prey to condign punishment, in an +extraordinary way of vindictive justice, for the murder of the saints. +As, upon the murder of Mr. George Wishart, was done with Cardinal +Beaton, who was slain in the tower of St. Andrew's by James Melvin: who, +perceiving his consorts in the enterprize moved with passion, withdrew +them, and said, 'This work and judgment of God, although it be secret, +ought to be done with greater gravity.' And, presenting the point of the +sword to the Cardinal, said, 'Repent thee of thy former wicked life, but +especially of the shedding of the blood of that notable instrument of +God, Mr. George Wishart, which albeit the flame of fire consumed before +men, yet it cries for vengeance upon thee, and we from God are sent to +revenge it; for here, before my God, I protest, that neither the hatred +of thy person, the love of thy riches, nor the fear of any trouble thou +couldst have done me in particular, moved or moveth me to strike thee, +but only because thou hast been and remainest an obstinate enemy against +Christ Jesus, and his holy gospel.' Of which fact, the famous and +faithful historian Mr. Knox speaks very honourably, and was so far from +condemning it, that while, after the slaughter, they kept out the +castle, he, with other godly men, went to them, and stayed with them, +till they were together carried captives to France. Yet now such a fact, +committed upon such another bloody and treacherous beast, the Cardinal +Prelate of Scotland, eight years ago, is generally condemned as horrid +murder. + +V. However, though in this dark period there be no noted instances of +these witnesses resisting the superior powers, for reasons above hinted: +yet, in this period, we find many instances of noble and virtuous +patriots, their not only resisting, but also revenging to the utmost of +severity, rigorous and raging tyrants, as may be seen in histories. For, +before the corruption of antichrist came to its height, we find +Ferchardus 1st, the 52d King, was drawn to judgment against his will, +great crimes were laid to his charge, and among others the Pelagian +heresy, and contempt of baptism, for which he was cast into prison, +where he killed himself in the year 636; Eugenius 8th, the 62d King, +degenerating into wickedness, and rejecting the admonitions of his +friends, and especially of the ministers, was killed in a convention of +his nobles, with the consent of all, in the year 765; Donaldus 7th was +imprisoned, where he killed himself, in the year 859; Ethus, surnamed +Alipes, the 72d King, was apprehended, and his wicked life laid out +before the people, and then compelled to resign the government, and died +in prison, in the year 875. Afterwards when the government was +transmitted to the Stewarts, James the 2d, the 103d King, who killed +William Earl of Douglas in the castle of Stirling, most treacherously, +after he had pretended a civil treatment, was publicly defied by the +Earl's friends, who took the King's public writ and subscription made to +the said Earl, and tied it to a horse tail, dragging it through the +streets; and, when they came to the market-place, they proclaimed both +King and Nobles perjured covenant breakers; and thereafter, when Earl +James his brother was desired to submit, he answered, 'He would never +put himself in their reverence who had no regard to shame; nor to the +laws of God or man, and who had so perfidiously killed his brother and +his cousins.' James 3d, the 104th King, for his treachery and tyranny, +was opposed and pursued by arms by his own subjects; who, finding +himself under disadvantages, sent to the rebels (as he thought them, and +called them) an offer of peace, and received this answer--'That seeing +the King did nothing honestly, a certain war seemed better to them than +a peace not to be trusted, that there was no other hope of agreement but +one, that he should quit the government, otherwise it was to no purpose +to trouble themselves with treaties.' Thereafter, in a battle, he was +slain at Bannockburn by Gray, Ker, and Borthwick. The same King was also +constrained, by the valour of Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus, called +Bell the Cat, to reform the court, and put away some wicked sycophants +from his council, and give way, though against his will, to the +execution of judgment upon others: which was the occasion of that +foresaid agnomen to the Earl: for he, with other nobles, in a meeting at +Lauder, consulting how to reform and repress the insolency of the Court, +had the apologue of the mice laid out before them; that the mice fell +upon deliberating how to be rid of the cat, and concluded that 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 Earl quickly made +application, saying, I will bell the cat; and forthwith went out, and +meeting Cochran, one of these wicked counsellors, took hold of him, and +hanged him with a horse halter over the bridge of Lauder; and, rushing +into the King's presence, proceeded to snatch Ramsay, another of the +country's enemies, out of the King's arms; but that he yielded at length +to the King's earnest entreaties to spare him. However we see how +generously zealous these noble patriots were for the country's good, +against tyranny, though they were ignorant of religion: yet this all +along was still the character of the Scots in these days, none more +terrible to tyrants, none more loyal to Kings than they. + + +PERIOD III. + +_Containing the_ TESTIMONY _of the_ REFORMATION _from_ POPERY. + +As in the former, the testimony was mostly passive; so, in the following +period, when they were encreased in number and strength that embraced +the gospel, the Lord called, and spirited to an active testimony, for +these two twins, religion and liberty, that were then sought to be +stifled in the birth, and are now designed more declaredly to be +destroyed, after they have grown up to some maturity: which, as it +renders the cruelty of the present destroyers the more grassant and +grievous, so it rubs the more indelible infamy on the shameful security +and ass-like stupidity of this generation, that have received such an +excellent testimony deposited to their trust, transmitted to them +through a continued tract of the witnessings and wrestlings of their +worthy ancestors, and now let it slip and 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 re-act these +mighty works, in defending religion and liberty, do chuse rather to die +than to resign the testimony, or quit the least privilege that their +progenitors possessed them of: and though they be superciliously +despised, as little 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 commencing and carrying on the work of +reformation, were now to see the dull dotages of this dreaming +generation, (not only suffering and consenting to, but congratulating +and applauding, the introduction and re-establishment of idolatry and +tyranny, popery and slavery, upon the ruins of the work they built with +so great expence); and were to read the pitiful petitions, and airy and +empty, flattering and fawning addresses, to this antichristian tyrant, +for the toleration of that religion and 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 and disown such dishonourable and dastardly yieldings, and +are therefore most despised with disdain and 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 and 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 and +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 mass, or offer their +children to the papistical baptism? Whether these that were in any +public trust, could with safe conscience serve the higher powers in +maintaining of idolatry, persecuting their brethren, and suppressing +Christ's truth? Or whether they might suffer their brethren to be +murdered in their presence, without any declaration that such tyranny +displeased them?' And, from the scriptures, they were resolved, That a +lively faith requires a plain confession, when Christ's 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 +Jesus his glorious gospel should be preached, his holy sacraments truly +ministred, superstition, idolatry, and tyranny should be suppressed in +this realm; and that both as to the worship, discipline, and government, +the reverend face of the first primitive and apostolic church should be +reduced again to the eyes and knowledge of men. And in this they never +fainted till the work was finished. To accomplish this, famous and +faithful 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 and bold men repaired to her, and plainly in the +hearing of the Prelates, did charge them with the cruel device intended, +and told her with a vow, 'They should make a day of it, because they +oppressed them and their tenants for feeding 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 and advance that work of reformation, and to stand to the +defence 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 brethren, upon the account of the common cause, as +done to all. Of which covenants they entered into many very solemnly; +one was at Edinburgh in the year 1557; another at Perth 1559; another at +Stirling 1559, binding, that none should have any correspondence with +the Queen, without notifying it to one another; and that nothing should +proceed therein, without common consent of them all. Another at Leith, +in the year 1560; another at Ayr, in the year 1562, of the same tenor. +By which covenants, as their conjunction was the more firm among +themselves, so was it the more fearful to their adversaries: when, +according to the tenor of them, they kept their conventions, and held +counsels with such gravity and closeness, 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 +would aim at imitating their example, in renewing and reiterating such +covenants of the same nature and tenor, and binding to the same very +duties, and prosecute in the same methods of keeping general meetings +for correspondence, and 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 and tranquillity they reaped, by these +Christian assemblies and godly conferences, as oft as any danger +appeared to any member or members of their body. These beginnings, the +zealous covenanted reformers left no means unessayed to promote, by +protestations to the parliament, and petitions, and 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 burden their princes with promises further than 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 strickly bound to keep their promises; and that herself would make +little conscience to take from all that sort their lives and +inheritance, if she might do it with an honest excuse.' Wherein she +spoke not only the venom of her own heart, but the very soul and sense, +principle and project of all popish princes: whereby we may see what +security we have for religion and 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 Queen's treachery, at length they would no more be +bribed by promises, blinded by pretences, nor boasted by her +proclamations, (slandering their enterprise, 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 pursue them for the matter of religon, they first signified unto +her; 'that they would notify to the king of France, and all Christian +princes, that her cruel, unjust, and most tyrannical murder intended +against towns and multitudes, was and is the only cause of their revolt +from their accustomed obedience, which they owned and promised to their +Sovereign; provided they might live in peace and liberty, and enjoy +Christ's 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 +pursued for the cause of religion, and having no sufficient means to +comfort and assist them, do nevertheless withdraw from them their +dutiful support.' And thereafter, they published a declaration to the +generation of antichrist, the pestilent prelates, and 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 withal, wheresoever they should be +apprehended, as murderers, and open enemies to God and to mankind. And +that with the same measure they had measured, and intended to measure to +others, it should be measured to them;--that is, they should, with all +force and power they had, execute just vengeance and 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 and cruel persecution of God's +children.' I rehearse this declaration the more expressly, because in +our day declarations of this style and strain, and aiming at the same +scope, are hideously hissed and houted at as unheard of novelties. +Finally, when by all their letters, warnings, admonitions and +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 common +wealth, 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 magistrates against all order of election; because of +her bringing in strangers to suppress the liberty of the country, and +placing them in greatest offices of credit; because of her altering and +subverting the old laws of the realm,' &c. Which I mention, because +hence we may see what things our fathers judged did dissolve the +relation between the people and their rulers; and, when applied to our +case, will justify their reasons that have renounced the present +tyranny. This was done at Edinburgh in the year 1559. And thereafter, +while they vindicated themselves, and went on with the work of +reformation, throwing down all monuments of idolatry, and propagating +the reformed religion, God so blessed their endeavours, that their +confession of faith, and all articles of the protestant religion, was +read and ratified by the three estates of parliament, at Edinburgh, July +1560. And the same year the book of discipline, containing the form and +order of presbyterial government, was subscribed by a great part of the +nobility. Thus, through the wisdom and power of God alone, even by the +weakness of very mean instruments, against the rage and fury of the +devil, and of all the powers of hell, was this work of reformation +advanced and effectuated; and came to the establishment of a law, which +did not only ratify and confirm the protestant religion, but abolish +antichristian popery, and appoint punishment for the professors and +promoters thereof. Which law, often confirmed and ratified afterwards, +though it be now cested and rescinded by the prerogative of the present +tyrant; because it annuls and invalidates his pretence to succession in +the government, (it being expressly enacted afterwards, by a parliament +at Edinburgh, 1567, confirming this, that all princes and kings +hereafter, before their coronation, shall take oath to maintain the true +religion then professed, and suppress all things contrary to it), yet is +still in force in the hearts of all honest men, that will not prostitute +religion, law and 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 taking away the penal statutes, the legal +bulwark against popery: all which yet, to the reproach of all +protestants, some are applauding and congratulating in this time by +their addresses and petitions, to this destroyer of law and 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 rate; and compare the present +addresses, courting and caressing the papists, with the addresses of +these worthy builders of what they are destroying. There is one dated +Edinburgh, May 27, 1561, presented to the Council, shewing, that honesty +craved them, to make the secrets of their heart patent, which +was--'That, before ever these tyrants and dumb dogs empire over them +professing Christ Jesus within this realm, they were fully determined to +hazard life, and whatsoever they had received of God in temporal +things.--And let these enemies of God assure themselves, that if their +council put not order unto them, that they should shortly take such +order, that they shall neither be able to do what they list, neither yet +to live upon the sweet of the brows of such as are no debtors to them.' +And when the mischievous Mary, the daughter of the degraded Queen, +returning from France, set up the mass but in her own family, the godly +at that time gave plain signification, that they could not abide that +'the land which God had purged from idolatry, should in their eyes be +polluted again. Shall that idol (say they) be suffered again to take +place within this realm? It shall not.' The idolatrous priests should +die the death according to God's law. And a proclamation being issued to +protect the Queen's domestic servants that were papists, there was a +protestation given forth presently, 'That if any of her servants should +commit idolatry, say mass, participate therewith, or take the defence +thereof, in that case this proclamation was not extended to them in that +behalf, no more than if they commit murder; seeing the one is much more +abominable in the sight of God than the other; but that it may be lawful +to inflict upon them, the pains contained in God's word against +idolaters, wherever they may be apprehended, without favour.' The words +of John Knox upon the following Sabbath may be added, 'That one mass +was more fearful unto him, than if ten thousand armed enemies were +landed in any part of the realm, of purpose to suppress the whole +religion: for (said he) in our God there is strength to resist and +confound multitudes, if we unfeignedly depend upon him; but when we join +hands with idolatry, it is no doubt but both God's amiable presence and +comfortable defence will leave us, and what shall then become of us?' +Yea, when it was voted in the General Assembly, whether they might take +the Queen's mass from her? many frankly affirmed, 'That as the mass is +abominable, so it is just and right that it should be suppressed; and +that in so doing, men did no more hurt to the Queen's Majesty, than they +that should by force take from her a poisoned cup, when she was going to +drink it.' Thus we have some specimen of the zeal of our fathers against +idolatry. But in a little time court favours blunted it in many; and +then had the servants of God a double battle, fighting on the one hand +against idolatry, and the rest of the abominations maintained by the +court. And upon the other hand, against the unfaithfulness of false +brethren, and treachery of sycophants, who informed the court against +the ministers, for their free and faithful preaching and warnings on all +occasions; yet they sustained the brunt of all these assaults, and came +off with honour. At length, to be short, in process of time, this Mary, +a woman of a proud and crafty wit, and an obdured heart against God and +his truth, infilled in the same steps of tyranny and treachery (but with +greater aggravations) that her mother walked in, and was served +according to her desert. For after that her darling David Rizzo, the +Italian fidler, (whom most men then supposed, and do still suspect to be +the father of King James, this man's grandfather; and some do think it +not unlikely, that his successors have derived from this stock the +Italian complexion and constitution both of body and mind, spare and +swarthy, cruel and crafty) received his due rewards in her presence, by +the King's consent and counsel; she conceived such contempt of, and +indignation against the poor uxorious young King, Henry of Darnley, that +she never rested till she and Bothwel contrived and executed his murder, +and then she married that murdering adulterer, the said Earl of Bothwel: +whereupon the Protestant Noblemen pursuing the murder, took her, and +sent her prisoner to Lochleven, where they made her resign the +government to her son James, then an infant, and afterwards she was +beheaded by Elizabeth Queen of England. We see now by this deduction, +what was the testimony of this period, and how in many things it +confirms the heads of the present sufferings, which we may particularly +remark. + +I. The reformation of Scotland had this common with all other protestant +churches, that it was carried on by resisting the opposing powers; but +it had this peculiar advantage above all, that at once, and from the +beginning, both doctrine and worship, discipline and government were +reformed: as Mr. Knox witnesseth, that there was no realm upon the face +of the earth at that time that had religion in greater purity. 'Yea,' +says he, 'we must speak the truth, whomsoever we offend, there is no +realm that hath the like purity; for all others, how sincere soever the +doctrine be, retain in their churches and ministry thereof, some +footsteps of antichrist, and dregs of popery; but we (praise to God +alone) have nothing in our churches that ever flowed from that Man of +Sin.' The doctrine was purely reformed, according to the rule of Christ, +both as to matter and manner of delivery. As to the matter of it, what +it was, the Confession of Faith, ratified in parliament in the year +1560, doth witness. In the manner of it, they studied not the smooth and +pawky prudence that is now so much applauded, for not observing which, +such as would fain be honest in this duty, are so much condemned; but +they cried aloud against, and did not spare the sins of the time, with +application to every degree of men; as we have it published and +vindicated in Mr. Knox's History. They cried, 'that the same God who +plagued Pharaoh, repulsed Sennacherib, struck Herod with worms, and made +the bellies of dogs the grave and sepulchre of the spiteful Jezebel, +will not spare misled princes, who authorize the murderers of Christ's +members in this our time. Many now a days will have no other religion +than the Queen; the Queen no other than the Cardinal; the Cardinal no +other than the Pope; the Pope no other than the devil: let men therefore +consider what danger they stand in, if their salvation shall depend upon +the Queen's faith.' And they used to defend such manner of free dealing, +from the examples of the prophets reproving Kings personally. 'Now, if +the like and greater corruptions be in the world this day, who dare +enterprize, to put to silence the Spirit of God, which will not be +subject to the appetites of misled princes.' Mr. Knox's defence before +the Queen, when rebuked for speaking of her marriage in the pulpit, was: +'The Evangel, saith he, hath two points, repentance and faith; in +preaching repentance, of necessity it is, that the sins of men may be +noted, that they may know wherein they offend.' And in his dispute with +Lethington, requiring where any of the prophets did so use Kings and +rulers; he gave the example of Elias 'reproving Ahab and Jezebel, that +dogs shall lick the blood of Ahab, and eat the flesh of Jezebel; which +was not whispered in their ears, but so as the people understood well +enough, for so witnessed Jehu after the accomplishment.' Elisha reproved +Jehoram, saying, 'What have I to do with thee; if it were not for +Jehosaphat, I would not have looked toward thee. Though a subject, yet +he gave little reverence to the King.' These were their arguments for +faithfulness then, which are now exploded with contempt. Their worship +was also reformed from all dregs of popery, and fopperies of human +ceremonies, retained in many other churches, especially in England; to +whose bishops, in Queen Elizabeth's time, the Assembly wrote, 'That if +surplice, corner cap, tippet, &c. have been the badges of idolaters in +the very act of idolatry, what have preachers to do with the dregs of +that Romish beast? Yea, what is he that ought not to fear to take, +either in his hand or forehead, the mark of that odious beast?--We think +you should boldly oppose yourselves to all power, that will dare extol +itself against God, and against all such as do burden the conscience of +the faithful, further than God hath burdened them by his own word.' The +discipline and government was from the beginning presbyterial, even +before the establishment: both in practice, among the persecuted +ministers, who kept their private meetings; and in their doctrine. This +was one of Mr. Knox's articles he sustained at St. Andrew's, upon his +first entry unto the ministry. _Art. 8._ There is no bishop, except he +preach even by himself, without any substitute. But so soon as they +attained any settlement, they assembled in their first national synod in +the year 1560, by virtue of that intrinsic power granted by the Lord to +his church; nor did they so much as petition for the indulgence of the +then authority; but upon Christ's warrant, they kept and held their +courts in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ only; and in his sole +authority, by direction of his word and Spirit, concluded all their +counsels, votes and acts. And as they knew nothing of an exotic +supremacy, so they put out and held out prelacy, and kept a perfect +parity; which was nothing infringed by the extraordinary employments and +commissions delegated to some superintendants, upon the account of the +particular exigence of these times. + +II. Next we find in the practice of these renowned reformers, many +demonstrations of pure zeal, worthy of all imitation; which I remark the +rather, because poor sufferers that would now imitate it, are condemned +as blind and ignorant zealots. But why are not the reformers condemned +for the same things? We find in the first place, that they were so far +from complying with, or conniving at, or countenancing public sins, that +they could not contain themselves from declaring their detestation of +the sight of them; yea the very boys did abominate them, as at the +reformation, at St. Johnstoun, a boy cried with a bold voice, This is +intolerable, that when God by his word hath plainly condemned idolatry, +we shall stand and see it used in despight. Whereupon he and others +threw down all the monuments of idolatry in that place. But if now any +should enterprise such a thing, when the idol of the mass is set up in +every city, they might expect Jerubaal's censure of the Abiezrites; +though it is true they might have the same encouragement, because they +have the same command as he had, to wit, the perpetual precept of +throwing down idolatrous altars. Next, they were so far from complying +with the enemies, in keeping the peace with them, that they thought it a +great sin not to oppose them, when their brethren were forced to take +the sword of self-defence, being persuaded by these arguments: 'That by +their fainting and abstracting their support, the enemies would be +encouraged; and thereby they should declare themselves both traitors to +the truth once professed, and murderers of their brethren, whom their +presence and concurrence might preserve; and that if they should deny +their brethren suffering for his name's sake, they should also deny +Christ, and be denied of him; and that God hath punished subjects with +their princes, for winking at, and not resisting their manifest +iniquity; and therefore, as he is immutable in nature, so would he not +pardon them in that which he hath punished in others,' &c. Which +arguments prevailed with the noble Earl of Glencairn, in zeal to burst +forth in these words:--'Albeit never man should accompany me, yet I will +go to my brethren, and if it were but a pike upon my shoulder, I had +rather die with that company, than live after them.' But now professors +cannot only sit at home, in their shops and cieled houses, when the +Lord's people are pursued and murdered in the fields, but also can hire +their murderers, and strengthen their hands, by paying them cesses and +localities, and what they require for help to do their work, and +maintaining them in their iniquity. Which famous Mr. Knox disproveth +very much in his day, arguing, 'That if people thought they were +innocent, because they were not the actors of such iniquity, they were +utterly deceived; for God doth not only punish the chief offenders, but +the consenters to such iniquity; and all are judged to consent, who give +not testimony against it; as the rulers and bishops are criminal of all +the innocent blood that is shed for the testimony of Christ's truth; so +are all who assist and maintain them in their blind rage, and give no +declaration, that their tyranny displeaseth them. This doctrine is +strange to the blind world, but the verity of it hath been declared in +all notable punishments from the beginning. When the old world was +destroyed by water, Sodom and Jerusalem were destroyed, were all alike +wicked? Yet all perished: why? All kept silence, or did not resist; by +which all approved iniquity, and joined hands with the tyrants, as it +had been in one battle against the Omnipotent.' Which words, if +impartially applied, will condemn and confute the dull daubings of the +present compliances, in maintaining tyrants and their emissaries, by +emoluments which they require and exact, and that professedly, for +promoting their accursed projects; and will justify conscientious +sufferers, for refusing to pay these impositions. And this will the +more appear, if we add some more of his pithy expressions in the same +place, clearing the subject he is upon, and answering an objection, what +poor people might do, when compelled to give obedience to all their +rulers demanded? 'Ye may,' saith that author, without sedition, +'withhold the fruits and profits, which your false bishops and clergy +most unjustly received of you: upon which he subjoins the preceeding +arguments.' Yet now a-days these have no weight, but such as refuse +either to pay oppressors exactions, or curates stipends, are condemned +for giddy fools. Again we find, that when they were challenged for duty, +they would never decline a declaration of its righteousness, nor do any +thing directly or indirectly, which might seem a condemning of it. And +therefore they would receive no pardons for these things which they +could not confess to be offences. John Knox, challenged for offending +the Queen, had her promise, that if he would confess an offence his +greatest punishment should be, but to go within the castle of Edinburgh, +and immediately to return to his own house; he refused absolutely. But +now, if our pardon-mongers, and prudent men had been so circumstantiate, +surely they could have helped themselves with their distinctions, they +might confess and be pardoned for offending the Queen, though not +confess it to be a fault in their conscience: but Mr. Knox had not +learned that then. When they were pursuing the murderer of King Henry of +Darnly, the queen finding herself not strong enough, offers to forgive +and pardon that insurrection: the Earl of Morton, in name of all the +rest, did not only refuse a cessation, but told her they would not ask a +pardon. But now sufferers, for refusing of these base and unmanly, as +well as unchristian compliances, are much condemned. Finally, because +this strictness, especially in their severity against their enemies, may +be accused of Jewish rigidity, inconsistent with a gospel spirit of +lenity, which also is imputed to the much condemned sufferers of +Scotland at this time, for their testimonies against toleration and +liberty of conscience: let us hear what Knox says, 'whatsoever God +required of the civil magistrate in Israel or Judah, concerning the +observation of true religion during the time of the law, the same doth +he require of lawful magistrates, professing Christ Jesus, in the time +of the gospel: and cites a large testimony out of Augustine to this +purpose.' And afterward objecting to himself the practice of the +apostles, who did not punish the idolatrous Gentiles; he answers, 'That +the Gentiles, being never avowed to be God's people before, had never +received his law, and therefore were not to be punished according to the +rigour of it, to which they were never subject, being strangers from the +common-wealth of Israel; but if any think, after the Gentiles were +received in the number of Abraham's children, and so made one people +with the Jews believing; then they were not bound to the same obedience +of Israel's covenant, the same seems to make Christ inferior to Moses, +and contrary to the law of his heavenly Father; for if the contempt and +transgression of Moses' law was worthy of death, what judge we the +contempt of Christ's ordinance to be? And if Christ be not come to +dissolve, but to fulfil the law of his heavenly Father, shall the +liberty of his gospel be an occasion that the special glory of his +Father be trodden under foot, and regarded of no man? God forbid: and +therefore I fear not to affirm, that the Gentiles be bound by the same +covenant that God made with his people Israel, in these words--"Beware +that thou make not any covenant with the inhabitants of the land, but +thou shalt destroy their altars," &c. When, therefore, the Lord putteth +the sword in the hand of a people, they are no less bound to purge their +cities and countries from idolatry, than were the Israelites, what time +they received the possession of the land of Canaan.' + +III. For the head of resistance of superior powers, we have no clearer +instances in any period than in this, whereof the above-mentioned hints +give some account, to which their sentiments and arguments may be here +subjoined. They prized and improved this principle so much, that they +put it in their Confession of Faith, Art. 14. To save the lives of +innocents, to repress tyranny, to defend the oppressed, are among the +good works of the second table, which are most pleasing and acceptable +to God, as these works are commanded by himself; and to suffer innocent +blood to be shed, if we may withstand it, is affirmed to be sin, by +which God's hot displeasure is kindled against the proud and unthankful +world. And if there were no more to render the late test of Scotland +detestable, that condemns all resistance of kings upon any pretence +whatsoever, this may make all Christians, and all men, abhor the +contrivance of it; that that same test that confirms this thesis, doth +also impose the antithesis upon conscience. It obliges to this +confession in the first part of it, and to deny it in the latter. But no +wonder, that men of feared consciences can receive any thing, though +never so contradictory to itself, and that men who deny sense, and that +principle radicated in human nature, may also deny conscience, and make +a tool of it in soldering contradictories. But not only did our +reformers assert this truth, for which now their children adhering to +their testimony, suffer both rage and reproach; but also gave their +reasons for it. As (1.) Mr. Knox, in his first conference with the +Queen, argues thus, 'There is neither greater honour nor obedience to be +given to princes than parents; but so it is, that the father may be +stricken with a phrensy, in the which he would slay his own children; +now if the children arise, take his weapon from him, bind his hands, do +the children any wrong? It is even so with princes, that would murder +the children of God subject to them, their blind zeal is nothing but a +very mad phrensy; and therefore to take the sword from them, and cast +them into prison till they be brought to a more sober mind, is no +disobedience against princes.' (2.) In his conference with Lethingtoun, +he proves the same point, from the consideration of the justice of God, +punishing the people for not resisting the prince. The scripture of God +teacheth me (saith he) 'Jerusalem and Judah were punished for the sins +of Manasseh; if you alledge they were punished, because they were +wicked, and not because the king was wicked; the scripture says +expressly, for the sins of Manasseh; yet will I not absolve the people, +I will grant the whole people offended with their king, but how? To +affirm that all Judah committed the acts of his impiety, hath no +certainty; who can think, that all Jerusalem should turn idolaters +immediately after Hezekiah's notable reformation? One part therefore +willingly followed him in his idolatry, the other suffered him, and so +were criminal of his sin; even as Scotland is guilty of the Queen's +idolatry this day.' In the same discourse he makes it plain, that all +are guilty of innocents murder who do not oppose it, from Jeremiah's +words in his defence before the princes.----"Know ye for certain, if ye +put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, +and upon the city, and upon the inhabitants thereof:" Now, if the +princes, and the whole people should have been guilty of the prophet's +blood; how shall others be judged innocent before God, if they suffer +the blood of innocents to be shed, when they may save it? (3.) _Ibid._ +He argues from the distinction between the person placed in authority, +and the ordinance of God, the one may be resisted, the other cannot. The +plain words of the apostle makes the difference, 'The ordinance is of +God, for preservation of mankind, punishment of vice, which is holy and +constant: persons commonly are profane and unjust: he that resisteth the +power there, is only meant of the just power wherewith God hath armed +his magistrates, which whoso resists, resists God's ordinance; but if +men, in the fear of God, oppose themselves to the fury of princes, they +then resist not God, but the devil, who abuses the sword and authority +of God: it is evident the people resisted Saul, when he had sworn +Jonathan should die, whom they delivered: the Spirit of God accuses them +not of any crime, but praises them, and condemns the king: this same +Saul again commanded the priests of the Lord to be slain, his guard +would not obey, but Doeg put the king's cruelty in execution; I will not +ask, whether the king's servants, not obeying, resisted the ordinance of +God; or whether Doeg's murdering gave obedience to just authority? The +Spirit of God condemns that fact, Psal. lii. that God would not only +punish the commander, but also the merciless executor; therefore they +who gainstood his command, resisted not the ordinance of God. (4.) +_Ibid._ He argues from examples, not only of resisting, but of punishing +tyrants; chiefly the example of Uzziah is pertinent to this purpose, 2 +Chron. xxvi. who after his usurping the priest's office, was put out of +the temple.' When it was replied, that they were the priests that +withstood the king, not simple people: he answered, 'The priests were +subjects, as Abiathar was deposed by Solomon, &c. yet they made him go +out of the temple for his leprosy, and the people put him from the +kingdom.' It is noted also, that Mr. Knox, in that discourse, adduces +examples of those, who use to be brought in as objections against +defensive arms, even the primitive Christians, before that passage last +cited: 'what precepts,' says he, 'the apostle gave, I will not affirm; +but I find two things the faithful did; the one was, they assisted their +preachers even against the rulers; the other was, they suppressed +idolatry wheresoever God gave unto them force, asking no leave of the +emperor, nor of his deputies: read the Ecclesiastical histories, and ye +shall find examples sufficient.' + +IV. In the next place, we may enquire into the judgment of these +reformers, concerning that question that is now so puzzling to many; +which indeed was never started before this time, as a head of suffering; +but now, when it is started, we may gather from our ancestors actings +and determinations about it, how it ought to be answered. They were +indeed in capacity, and accordingly did improve it, for disowning the +authority of both the Queens; for their capacity was not the thing that +made it duty, if it had not been so before. Capacity makes a thing +possible, but not lawful: it does indeed make a duty seasonable, and +clears the call to it, and regulates the timing of affirmative duties, +but the want of it can never dispense with negative precepts: and a +duty, negative especially, may become necessary, when it hath not the +advantage of seasonableness or capacity; certainly it were duty to +depose the Pope from his usurped authority, and to disown it even in +Rome itself, but there it would not be thought very feasible or +seasonable, for twenty or thirty people to avouch such a thing there; +yet, at all times, it is a duty never to own it. It is thought +unseasonable and unfeasible to disown the tyrants authority; but it is +made necessary, when urged, never to own it. And for this we have the +grounds of our ancestors, shewing who may be disowned, and must not be +owned. I shall first insert here John Knox's propositions, prosecuted in +his second blast, extant at the end of Anton. Gilbie's admonition to +England and Scotland, 1. 'It is not birth only, nor propinquity of +blood, that maketh a king lawfully to reign over a people professing +Christ Jesus and his eternal verity; but, in his election, the ordinance +which God hath established in the election of inferior judges, must be +observed. 2. No manifest idolater, nor notorious transgressor of God's +holy precepts, ought to be promoted to any public regimen, honour, or +dignity, in any realm, province, or city, that hath subjected themselves +to Christ Jesus, and his blessed evangel. 3. Neither can oath, or +promise, bind any such people to obey and maintain tyrants, against God +and his truth known. 4. But if rashly they have promoted any manifest +wicked person, or yet ignorantly have chosen such an one, as after +declareth himself unworthy of regimen above the people of God, (and such +be all idolaters and cruel persecutors) most justly may the same men +depose and punish him, that unadvisedly before they did nominate, +appoint and elect.' Accordingly this was done in deposing both the +Queens; which is fully vindicated by the Earl of Morton, in his +discourse to the Queen of England, as Buchanan relates it, book xx. page +746. 'The deed itself, neither the custom of our ancestors of taking a +course with their governors, will suffer it to be accounted new, nor the +moderation of the punishment to be odious; for it were not needful to +recount so many kings punished by death, bonds, and exile by our +progenitors. For the Scottish nation, being from the beginning always +free, hath created kings upon these conditions, that the government +entrusted to them by the people's suffrages, might be also (if the +matter required) removed by the same suffrages: of which law there are +many footsteps remaining even to our day; for both in the isles about, +and in many places of the continent, in which the old language and +institutions have any abode, this custom is kept, in creating their +governors of clanns: and the ceremonies, used at the entering into +government, do yet retain the express representation of this law. Whence +it is evident, that the government is nothing else but a mutual +stipulation between kings and people: which further appears, from the +inviolated tenor of the ancient law, since the beginning of the Scottish +government, reserved even unto our memory, without the least essay +either to abrogate it, or disable, or diminish it. Yea, even when our +fathers have deposed, banished, and more severely punished so many +kings, yet never was any mention or motion made of relaxing the rigour +of that law, and not without reason, seeing it was not of that kind of +constitutions, that change with the times, but of those which are +engraven in the minds of men from the first original, and approved by +the mutual consent of all nations, and by nature's sanction continued +inviolable and perpetual, which, being subject to no other laws, do +command and rule all. This, which in every action doth offer itself to +our eyes and minds, and whether we will or not, abides in our breasts, +our predecessors followed; being always armed against violence, and +ready to suppress tyrants.--And now for the present, what have we done, +but insisting in the footsteps of so many kingdoms and free nations, +suppressed tyrannical licentiousness, extolling itself above all order +of laws, not indeed so severely as our predecessors in like cases; if we +had imitated them, not only would we have been far from all fear of +danger, but also have escaped the trouble of calumnies.--What would our +adversaries be at? Is it that we should arm with authority tyrants +convicted of grievous crimes, maintained by the spoils of the subjects, +having hands embrued in loyal blood, and hearts gaping for the +oppression of all good men? And shall we put them upon our head, who are +infamously suspected of parricide, both projected and perpetrated?' To +which we may add, a foreign conclusion indeed, but adduced and +maintained by Mr. Craig, in the assembly, in the 1564, which had been +determined by learned men in Bononia, 'All rulers, be they supreme or +subordinate, may and ought to be reformed, or bridled (to speak +moderately) by them, by whom they are chosen, confirmed, or admitted to +their office; so oft as they break that promise made by oath to their +subjects, because princes are no less bound by oath to their subjects, +than are the subjects to their princes: and therefore ought it to be +kept and performed equally, according to law and condition of the oath +that is made of either party.' By comparing which two testimonies +together, we may see the reasons, why neither of the two royal brothers, +that have ruled in our day, could be conscientiously owned as +magistrates, in the case they have been in for several years past: the +first testimony is for the second brother, the latter is for the first +that's gone. But, as for Mr. Knox's opinion, it is evident he had +written a book against the government of women; which though he did not +intend it particularly against Mary of Scotland, yet it did invalidate +her authority as well as other women's. This book he owns and maintains, +in his first conference with her, and consequently could not own her +authority as of the Lord, tho' he gave her common respect, as the title +of majesty, &c. yet when he was particularly urged by the Queen's +question, you think, said she, 'That I have no just authority;' he would +not answer in the affirmative, but shifted it, by telling her, 'That +learned men, in all ages, have had their judgment free, and most +commonly disagreeing from the common judgment of the world. And though, +he says, he could live under her government (so may, and would the +greatest disowners of tyranny, if they be not troubled with questions +about owning it) yet he affirms that with the testimony of a good +conscience, he had communicated his judgment to the world, and that if +the realm found no inconveniences in her government, he would no further +disallow than within his own breast.' Certainly then, in his conscience, +he did not, and could not own her, as the magistrate of God; and that +though many things which before were holden stable, had been called in +doubt, yet neither protestant nor papist could prove, that any such +question was, at any time, moved in public or private. Neither could +ever such a question be moved, if the conscience were not posed; and +then, when it must speak, it must of necessity be unpleasant to tyrants. +Thus we have heard both the positions and scruples of this witness; let +us also hear his arguings, that people may punish princes for their +idolatry and murder, &c. and therefore much more may disown them: and +therefore again much more may they forbear to own them, when called; for +can a dead man, by law, be owned to be a magistrate, and keeper of the +law. 'Idolatry' (saith he in his conference with Lethington) 'ought not +only to be suppressed, but the idolater ought to die the death; but by +whom? By the people of God, for the commandment was given to Israel; +yea, a command, that if it be heard that idolatry is committed in any +one city, that then the whole body of the people arise and destroy that +city, sparing neither man, woman, nor child. But shall the king also be +punished? If he be an idolater, I find no privilege granted unto kings +more than unto people, to offend God's majesty. But the people may not +be judges to their king.----God is the universal judge; so that what his +word commands to be punished in the one, is not to be absolved in the +other; and that the people, yea, or a part of the people, may not +execute God's judgments against their king, being an offender; I am sure +you have no other warrant, except your own imaginations, and the opinion +of such as more fear to offend their princes than God.' In the same +conference we have the instance of Jehu adduced to prove that subjects +may execute God's judgments upon their princes. It was objected, Jehu +was a king before he executed judgment upon Ahab's house, and the fact +was extraordinary, and not to be imitated. He answered, He was a mere +subject; 'No doubt Jezabel both thought and said he was a traitor, and +so did many others in Israel and Samaria. And whereas it was said, that +the fact was extraordinary; I say, it had the ground of God's ordinary +judgment, which commandeth the idolater to die the death; and therefore +I yet again affirm, it is to be imitated of all those that prefer the +true honour of the true worship and glory of God, to the affection of +flesh and wicked princes. We are not bound, said Lethington, to follow +extraordinary examples, unless we have the like commandment and +assurance. I grant, said the other, if the example repugn to the law, +but where the example agrees with the law, and is, as it were, the +execution of God's judgment expressed within the same; I say, that the +example approved of God, stands to us in place of a commandment; for as +God, in his nature, is constant and immutable, so cannot he condemn, in +the ages subsequent, that which he hath approved in his servants before +us.' Then he brings another argument from Amaziah who fled to Lachish, +but the people sent thither and slew him there. Lethington doubted +whether they did well or not: he answered, 'Where I find execution +according to God's law, and God himself not accuse the doers, I dare not +doubt of the equity of their cause: And it appears, God gave them +sufficient evidence of his approving the fact, for he blessed them with +peace and prosperity. But prosperity does not always prove that God +approves the fact: yes, when the acts of men agree with the law, and are +rewarded according to the promise in that law, then the prosperity +succeeding the fact is a most infallible assurance that God hath +approved it; but so it is, that there is a promise of lengthening out +prosperity to them that destroy idolatry. And again, concluding Uzziah's +example, he says there, the people ought to execute God's law, even +against their princes, when that their open crimes, by God's law, +deserve punishment; especially when they are such as may infect the +rest of the multitude.' + +V. There is another thing for which people have suffered much in our day +of blasphemy, rebuke and trouble, which yet we find was not so odious in +our reformers eyes as this dull and degenerate age would represent it. +That in some cases it is lawful and laudable for private persons, +touched with the zeal of God, and love to their country, and respect to +justice trampled upon by tyrants; to put forth their hand to execute +righteous judgment upon the enemies of God and mankind, intolerable +traitors, murderers, idolaters; when the ruin of the country, +destruction of religion and liberty, and the wrath of God is threatened, +in and for the impunity of that vermin of villains, and may be averted +by their destruction, always supposed, that these, whose office it is to +do it, decline their duty. The mind of our reformers as to this is +manifest, both in their practice and opinion. We heard before of the +slaughter of Cardinal Beaton, and of the fiddler Rizzio: we shall find +both commended by Mr. Knox, giving account how these that were carried +captives to France for this cause from St. Andrew's were delivered. +'This (saith he), we write, to let the posterity to come to understand, +how potently God wrought in preserving and delivering of those that had +but a small knowledge of his truth, and for the love of the same +hazarded all; that if we, in our days, or our posterity that shall +follow, shall see a dispersion of such as oppose themselves to impiety, +or take upon them to punish the same otherwise than laws of men will +permit, if such shall be left of men, yea as it were despised and +punished of God: yet let us not damn the persons that punish vice, (and +that for just cause,) nor yet despair, but that the same God that +dejects will raise up again the persons dejected, to his glory and their +comfort; and to let the world understand in plain terms what we mean; +that great abuser of this commonwealth, that poultron and vile knave +Davie was justly punished, March 9, 1565, by the counsel and hands of +James Douglas, Earl of Morton, Patrick Lord Lindsay, &c. who, for their +just act, and most worthy of all praise, are now unworthily left of all +their brethren.' This is not only commended by the author alone, but we +find it concluded by all the brethren at that time, when the Queen +brought in the idol of the mass again, and the proud papists began to +avow it: Then let it be marked that, 'The brethren universally offended, +and espying that the Queen by proclamation did but delude them, +determined to put to their own hands, and to punish for example of +others; and so some priests in the West land were apprehended, +intimation was made to others, as to the abbot of Cosragnel, the parson +of Sanquhar, and such, that they should neither complain to the Queen +nor council, but should execute the punishment that God has appointed to +idolaters in his law, by such means as they might, wherever they should +be apprehended.' Upon this the Queen sent for Mr. Knox, and dealt with +him earnestly, that he would be the instrument to persuade the people +not to put hand to punish. He perceiving her craft, willed her Majesty +to punish malefactors according to law, and he durst promise quietness, +upon the part of all them that professed Christ within Scotland: but if +her Majesty thought to delude the laws, he feared some would let the +papists understand, that without punishment they should not be suffered +so manifestly to offend God's majesty. Will ye (quoth she) allow they +shall take my sword in their hand? 'The sword of justice (said he) +Madam, is God's, and is given to princes and rulers for one end; which, +if they transgress, sparing the wicked, and oppressing the innocents, +they that in the fear of God execute judgment, where God hath commanded, +offend not God, although kings do it not: the examples are evident, for +Samuel spared not to slay Agag the fat and delicate king of Amalek, whom +king Saul had saved; neither spared Elias Jezabel's false prophets, and +Baal's priests, albeit that king Ahab was present; Phineas was no +magistrate, and yet feared he not to strike Zimri and Cozbi in the very +act of filthy fornication; and so, Madam, your Majesty may see that +others than magistrates may lawfully punish, and have punished the vice +and crimes that God commands to be punished.' He proved it also at more +length in his appellation, from Deut. xiii. "If thy brother solicit thee +secretly, saying, Let us go serve other gods, consent not to him, let +not thine eye spare him, but kill him; let thy hand be first upon him, +and afterward the hand of the whole people." Of these words of Moses, +two things appertaining to our purpose are to be noted: 'The first is, +that such as solicitate only to idolatry ought to be punished to death, +without favour or respect of person; for he that will not suffer man to +spare his son, wife, &c. will not wink at the idolatry of others, of +what state or condition soever they be: it is not unknown that the +prophets had revelations of God, which were not common to the people; +now, if any man might have claimed any privilege from the rigour of the +law, or might have justified his fact, it should have been the prophet, +but God commands, that the prophet that shall so solicitate the people +to serve strange gods, shall die the death, notwithstanding that he +alledge for himself, dream, vision, or revelation, because he teacheth +apostacy from God: hereby it may be seen, that none, provoking the +people to idolatry, ought to be exempted from the punishment of death. +Evident it is, that no state, condition, nor honour can exempt the +idolater from the hands of God, when he shall call him to an account: +how shall it then excuse the people, that they according to God's +command, punish not to death such as shall solicitate or violently draw +the people to idolatry? The second is, that the punishment of such +crimes, as idolatry, blasphemy, and others that touch the majesty of +God, doth not appertain to kings and chief rulers only, but also to the +whole body of the people, and to every member of the same, according to +the vocation of every man, and according that possibility and occasion +which God doth minister, to revenge the injury done against his glory: +and that doth Moses more plainly speak in these words of the same +chapter, "If in any city which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt +hear this brute, there are some men sons of Belial."--Plain it is, that +Moses speaks not nor giveth charge to kings, rulers, and judges only; +but he commands the whole body of the people, yea and every member of +the same, according to their possibility. And who dare be so impudent as +to deny this to be most reasonable and just? For seeing God had +delivered the whole body from bondage, and to the whole multitude had +given his law, and to the twelve tribes had distributed the land of +Canaan: was not the whole and every member addebted to confess the +benefits of God, and to study to keep the possession received? which +they could not do, except they kept the religion established, and put +out iniquity from amongst them. To the carnal man this may seem to be a +rigorous and severe judgment, that even the infants there should be +appointed to the cruel death; and as concerning the city and spoil of +the same, man's reason cannot think but that it might have been better +bestowed, than to be consumed. But in such cases, let all creatures +stoop, and desist from reasoning, when commandment is given to execute +his judgment. I will search no other reasons than the Holy Ghost hath +assigned; first, That all Israel should fear to commit the like +abomination; and, secondly, That the Lord might turn from the fury of +his anger: which plainly doth signify, that, by the defection and +idolatry of a few, God's wrath is kindled against the whole, which is +never quenched, till such punishment be taken upon the offenders, that +whatsoever served them in their idolatry be brought to destruction,' &c. +I have enlarged so far upon this period, that it may appear, there is +nothing now in controversy, between the suffering and reproached party +now in Scotland, and either their friends or enemies, which could fall +under our reformers inquiry; but they have declared themselves of the +same sentiments that are now so much opposed; and therefore none can +condemn the present heads of suffering, except also they condemn the +reformers judgment; and consequently the imputation of novelty must +fall. + + +PERIOD IV. + +_Containing the Testimony of the first Contenders against Prelacy and +Supremacy, from the Year 1570, to 1638._ + +Hitherto the conflict was for the concerns of Christ's prophetical and +priestly office, against paganism and popery. But from the year 1570, +and downward, the testimony is stated, and gradually prosecuted for the +rights, privileges and prerogatives of Christ's kingly office; which +hath been the peculiar glory of the church of Scotland, above all the +churches in the earth, that this hath been given to her as the word of +her testimony; and not only consequentially and reductively, as all +other churches may challenge a part of this dignity, but formally and +explicitly to contend for this very head, the headship and kingship of +Jesus Christ, the prince of the kings of the earth, and his mediatory +supremacy over his own kingdom of grace, both visible and invisible. +This is Christ's supremacy, a special radiant jewel of his imperial +crown, which as it hath been as explicitly encroached upon in Scotland, +by his insolent enemies, as ever by any that entered in opposition to +him, so it hath been more expressly witnessed and wrestled for by his +suffering servants in that land than in any place of the world. This was +in a particular manner the testimony of that period, during the reign of +King James the 6th; as it hath been in a great measure in our day, since +the year 1660. Which, as it is the most important cause, of the greatest +consequence that mortals can contend for; so it hath this peculiar glory +in it, that it is not only for the truth of Christ, of greater value +than the standing of heaven and earth, but also it is the very truth for +which Christ himself died, considered as a martyr; and which concerns +him to vindicate and maintain as a monarch. The witnesses of that day +made such an high account of it, that they encouraged one another to +suffer for it, as the greatest concern; 'being a witness for Christ's +glorious and free monarchy, which, as it is the end of the other two +offices, so the testimony is more glorious to God, more honourable to +his Son, and more comfortable to them, than the testimony either for his +prophetical office, or for his priesthood, because his kingdom was +especially impugned at the time;' as Mr. Forbes and Mr. Welch wrote in a +letter to the Ministers at court. The corruptions and usurpations +wronging this truth, that they contended against, were prelacy and the +King's supremacy in ecclesiastical matters; which will be useful to hint +a little, how they prosecuted the conflict. When Satan (whose kingdom +was then declining) by several instruments and means, both by force and +fraud, did endeavour to put a stop to the reformation, by reintroducing +the antichristian hierarchy of prelacy, when he could not re-establish +the antichristian doctrine of popery; he left no means unessayed to +effectuate it. And first he began to bring the name Bishop in request, +that was now growing obsolete and odious, by reason of the abuse of it +(as it ought to be still, for though the name be found in the +scriptures, yet neither is that catechestical application of it to +prelates to be found, nor was there any other reason for the translation +of it after that manner, except it were to please princes; seeing the +native signification of it is an overseer, proper and common to all +faithful pastors.) And indeed his first essay reached little further +than the bare name, for they were to be rejected to, and tried by +assemblies, and hardly had so much power as superintendants before. But +it was a fine court juggle for noblemen to get the church-revenues into +their hands, by restoring the ecclesiastical titles, and obtaining from +the titulars either temporal lands, or pensions to their dependers; so +they were only Tulchan bishops, _a calf-skin to cause the cow give +milk_. Yet, though this in our day would have been thought tolerable, +the faithful servants of Christ did zealously oppose it. Mr. Knox +denounced Anathema to the giver, and Anathema to the receiver. And the +following Assembly condemned the office itself, 'as having no sure +warrant, authority, nor ground in the book of God, but brought in by the +folly and corruption of men's invention, to the overthrow of the church; +and ordained all that brooked the office, to demit simpliciter, and to +desist and cease from preaching, while they received _de novo_ admission +from the General Assembly, under the pain of excommunication.' Hereby +they were awakened and animated to a more vigorous prosecution of the +establishment of the house of God in its due government. In pursuance +whereof, the Assemblies from that time, until the year 1581, did with +much painfulness and faithfulness attend the work: until, by perfecting +of the second book of discipline, they completed their work, in the +exact model of Presbyterial Government, in all its courts and officers; +which was confirmed and covenanted to be kept inviolate, in the +National Covenant, subscribed that year by the King, his Court and +Council; and afterwards by all ranks of people in the land. Whence it +may be doubted, whether the impudence of the succeeding prelates, that +denied this, or their perjury in breaking of it, be greater. This was +but the first brush. A brisker assault follows; wherein, for the better +establishment of prelacy, that what it wants of divine right, might be +supplied by the accession of human prerogative, and not only Diocesan, +but also Erastian prelacy might be set up, to destroy Christ's kingdom, +and advance Satan's; the Earl of Arran, and his wicked accomplices move +the King, contrary both to the word and oath of God, to usurp the +prerogative of Jesus Christ, and assume to himself a blasphemous monster +of supremacy, over all persons, and in all causes, as well +ecclesiastical as civil. But this also the faithful servants of God did +worthily and valiantly resist; and at the very appearance of it, gave in +a grievance to the King in the year 1582, 'That he had taken upon him a +spiritual power, which properly belongs to Christ, as only king and head +of the church; the ministry and execution whereof is only given to such +as bear office in the ecclesiastical government in the same: so that in +the King's person, some men press to erect a new popedom, as though he +could not be full king of this commonwealth, unless as well the +spiritual as temporal sword be put in his hand, unless Christ be reft of +his authority, and the two jurisdictions confounded, which God hath +divided, which directly tendeth to the wreck of all true religion.' +Which being presented by the Commissioners of the General Assembly, the +Earl of Arran asked with a frowning countenance, who dare subscribe +these treasonable articles? Mr. Andrew Melvin answered, we dare, and +will subscribe, and render our lives in the cause. And afterward, that +same Assembly presented articles, shewing, 'That seeing the spiritual +jurisdiction of the church is granted by Christ, and given only to +them, that by preaching, teaching, and overseeing, bear office within +the same, to be exercised, not by the injunctions of men, but by the +only rule of God's word.--Hereafter, no other, of whatsoever degree, or +under whatsoever pretence, have any colour to ascribe, or to take upon +them any part thereof either in placing or displacing of ministers, +without the church's admission, or in stopping the mouths of preachers, +or putting them to silence, or take upon them the judgment of trial of +doctrine,' &c. But in contempt and contradiction to this, and to +prosecute and exert this new usurped power, Mr. Andrew Melvin was +summoned before the Secret Council, for a sermon of his, applying his +doctrine to the time's corruptions; whereupon he gave in his declinature +against them, as incompetent judges, and told them, 'They were too bold, +in a constitute Christian church, to pass by the pastors, prophets, and +doctors, and to take upon them to judge the doctrine, and to controul +the ambassadors of a greater than was there, which they neither ought +nor can do. There are (saith he, loosing a little Hebrew bible from his +girdle) my instructions and warrant: see if any of you can controul me, +that I have past my injunctions.' For this he was decerned to be warded +in the castle of Edinburgh; but he being informed that if he entered in +ward, he would not be released, unless it were for the scaffold, he +conveyed himself secretly out of the country. Hereafter when the +parliament 1584 had enacted this supremacy, and submission to prelacy, +to be subscribed by all ministers; the faithful first directed Mr. David +Lindsay to the King, desiring, that nothing be done in parliament +prejudicial to the church's liberty, who got the prison of Blackness for +his pains. And then when they could not get access for shut doors to +protest before the parliament; yet when the acts were proclaimed at the +cross of Edinburgh, they took public documents in name of the church of +Scotland (though they were but two) that they protested against the said +acts, and fled to England, leaving behind them reasons that moved them +to do so. And Mr. James Melvin wrote against the subscribers at that +time very pertinently; proving first, 'That they had not only set up a +new pope, and so become traitors to Christ; and condescended to that +chief error of papistry, whereupon all the rest depend; but further, in +so doing, they had granted more to the King, than ever the popes of Rome +peaceably obtained,' &c. And in the end, as for those that lamented +their own weakness and feebleness, he adviseth them, to remove the +public slander, 'by going boldly to the King and Lords, and shew them +how they had fallen through weakness, but by God's power are risen +again; and there by public note and witness taken, free themselves from +that subscription, and to will the same to be delete, renouncing and +detesting it plainly, and thereafter publicly in their sermons; and by +their declaration and retractation in writ, presented to the faithful, +manifest the same, let them do with stipend, benefice, and life itself, +what they list.' This I inferr, because this counsel is now condemned; +and when poor people, offended with ministers subscriptions of bonds and +other compliances, desire acknowledgments of the offence, they reject it +as an impertinent imposition, and plead they are not obliged to manifest +any retractation but to an ecclesiastical judicatory. To which I shall +say nothing here, but this is no novelty. After this, it is known what +bickerings the faithful witnesses of Christ had, in their conflicts with +this supremacy upon the account of Mr. David Black's declinature, which +they both advised him to, and approved when he gave it in, against the +King and Council, as judges of his doctrine. And the Commissioners of +the General Assembly ordained all, to deal mightily with the power of +the word, against the Council's encroachments; for which they were +charged to depart forth of Edinburgh. After which he added a second +declinature: 'Declaring, there are two jurisdictions in this realm; the +one spiritual, the other civil; the one respecting the conscience, the +other externals, &c.--Therefore, in so far as he was one of the +spiritual office-bearers, and had discharged his spiritual calling in +some measure of grace and sincerity, should not, nor could not be +lawfully judged for preaching and applying the word, by any civil power; +he being an ambassador and messenger of the Lord Jesus, having his +commission from the King of kings, and all his instructions set down and +limited in the book of God, that cannot be extended, abridged, or +altered by any mortal wight, king or emperor; and seeing he was sent to +all sorts, his commission and discharge of it should not, nor cannot be +lawfully judged by them to whom he was sent; they being sheep, and not +pastors, to be judged by the word, and not to be judges thereof in a +judicial way.' The interlocutor being past against him for this, the +brethren thought it duty, that the droctrine of the preacher should be +directed against the said interlocutor, as against a strong and mighty +hold set up against the Lord Jesus, and the freedom of the gospel; and +praised God for the force and unity of the spirit that was among +themselves. And being charged to depart out of the town, they leave a +faithful declaration at large, shewing how the liberties of the church +were invaded and robbed. But all this was nothing, in comparison of +their wrestlings for the royalties of their princely Master, and +privileges of his kingdom, against the tyrant's insolences, after he +obtained the crown of England; for then he would not suffer the church +to indict her own Assemblies. And when the faithful thought themselves +obliged to counteract his encroachments, and therefore convened in an +Assembly at Aberdeen in the year 1605, they were forced to dissolve, +and thereafter, the most eminent of the ministers there assembled were +transported prisoners to Blackness; whence being cited before the +Council, they decline their judicatory. And one of their brethren, Mr. +Robert Youngson, who had formerly succumbed, being moved in conscience, +returned; and when the rest were standing before the Council, desired to +be heard, and acknowledged his fault; and therefore, howbeit not +summoned by the Lords, was charged by the living God, and compelled to +compear that day, to justify that Assembly, to the great astonishment of +the Lords, and comfort of his brethren; he subscribed the declinature +with the rest; and for this they were arraigned, and condemned, as +guilty of treason, and banished. Before the execution of which sentence, +Mr. Welch wrote to the Lady Fleming, to this effect: 'What am I, that he +should first have called me, and then constituted me a minister of glad +tidings of the gospel of salvation, these fifteen years already, and now +last of all to be a sufferer of his cause and kingdom? To witness that +good confession, that Jesus Christ is the King of saints, and that his +church is a most free kingdom; yea, as free as any kingdom under heaven, +not only to convocate, hold and keep her meetings, conventions and +assemblies; but also to judge of all her affairs in all her meetings and +conventions among his subjects. These two points, (1.) That Christ is +the head of his church. (2.) That she is free in her government from all +other jurisdiction except Christ's, are the special cause of our +imprisonment, being now convict as traitors, for maintaining thereof. We +have now been waiting with joyfulness to give the last testimony of our +blood in confirmation thereof, if it would please our God to be so +favourable, as to honour us with that dignity.' After this, the King +resolving by parliament to advance the state of bishops again, as in the +time of popery, without cautions as before; and further, to establish +not only that Antichristian Hierarchy, but an Erastian supremacy: the +faithful ministers of Christ thought themselves bound in conscience to +protest; and accordingly they offered protestation to the parliament +July----1606, obtesting, 'That they would reserve into the Lord's own +hands, that glory which he will communicate neither to man nor angel, to +wit, to prescribe from his holy mountain a lively pattern, according to +which his own tabernacle should be formed: remembring always, that there +is no absolute and undoubted authority in this world, except the +sovereign authority of Christ the King; to whom it belongeth as properly +to rule the church, according to the good pleasure of his own will, as +it belongeth to him to save his church by the merit of his own +sufferings: all other authority is so entrenched within the marches of +divine command, that the least overpassing of the bounds, set by God +himself, brings men under the fearful expectation of temporal and +eternal judgment.--If ye should authorize bishops, ye should bring into +the church the ordinance of man, which experience hath found to have +been the ground of that Antichristian Hierarchy, which mounted up on +steps of bishops pre-eminence, until that man of sin came forth, as the +ripe fruit of man's wisdom, whom God shall consume with the breath of +his own mouth. Let the sword of God pierce that belly, which brought +forth such a monster; and let the staff of God crush that egg, which +hath hatched such a cockatrice: and let not only that Roman Antichrist +be thrown down from the high bench of his usurped authority, but also +let all the steps, whereby he mounted up to that unlawful pre-eminence, +be cut down and utterly abolished in this land: and beware to strive +against God with an open displayed banner, by building up again the +walls of Jericho, which the Lord hath not only cast down, but also hath +laid them under an horrible interdiction and execration; so that the +building of them again must needs stand to greater charges to the +builders, than the re-edifying of Jericho, to Hiel the Bethelite in the +days of Ahab.' Yet notwithstanding of all opposition, prelacy was again +restored in parliament. And to bring all to a compliance with the same, +presbyteries and synods universally charged, under highest pains, to +admit a constant moderator without change; which many refused +resolutely, as being the first step of prelacy. Upon this followed a +great persecution of the faithful, for their non-conformity, managed by +that mongrel and monstrous kind of court, made up of clergymen and +statesmen, called the high commission court, erected in the year 1610, +whereby many honest men were put violently from their charges and +habitations; the generality were involved in a great and fearful +defection. But the cope-stone of the wickedness of that period, was the +ratification of the five articles of Perth, 'kneeling at the communion; +private communion to be given to the sick, private baptism: and +confirmation of children by the bishop; and observation of festival +days:' which were much opposed and testified against by the faithful, +from their first hatching in the year 1618, to the year 1621, when they +were ratified in parliament; at what time they were also witnessed +against from heaven; by extraordinary lightnings and tempests. And +against this the testimony of the faithful continued, till the +revolution in the year 1638. Here we see how the cause was stated in +this period; and may gather also wherein it agrees; and how far it +differs from the present testimony, now suffered for under all rage and +reproach. + +I. The matter of the testimony was one with that we are suffering for, +against popery, prelacy and supremacy; except that it was not so far +extended against tyranny, because that tyrant was not such an usurper, +nor such a violator of the fundamental constitutions of the civil +government, as these that we have had to do withal. But as to the +managing the testimony; they far outstripped their successors in this +generation, in conduct and courage, prudence and zeal, as is above +hinted in many instances; to which we may add some more. When several +plots of papist lords had been discovered, conspiring with the king of +Spain, and they were by the king's indulgence favoured, and some were +also persuaded to treat with them, famous Mr. Davidson opposed with +great resolution; declaring before the synod of Lothian, 'That it +savoured much of defection in these days, that such notorious rebels to +God, his church, and the country, should be so treated with; we should +not rashly open a door to God's enemies, without better proof of their +manners nor were yet seen.' And when a convention in Falkland was +consulting to call home these conspiring traitors, Mr. Andrew Melvin +went thither uncalled; and when found fault with by the king for his +boldness, he answered, 'Sir, I have a call to come here from Christ and +his church, who have special interest in this turn, and against whom +this convention is assembled directly; I charge you, and your estates, +in the name of Christ and his church, that ye favour not his enemies +whom he hateth, nor go about to call home, nor make citizens of these, +who have traiterously fought to betray their city and native country, +with the overthrow of Christ's kingdom.' And further challenged them of +treason against Christ, his church and the country, in that purpose they +were about. About the same time, in a private conference with the king, +he calls the king God's silly vassal; and taking him by the sleeve, told +him, 'Sir, you, and church and country is like to be wrecked for not +telling the truth, and giving you faithful counsel; we must discharge +our duty, or else be enemies to Christ and you: therefore I must tell +you, there are two kings and two kingdoms; there is Christ and his +kingdom, whose subject king James VI. is, and of whole kindom he is not +a king, nor a head, nor a lord, but a member; and they whom Christ hath +called to watch over and govern his church, have sufficient authority +and power from him, which no Christian king should controul, but assist, +otherwise they are not faithful subjects to Christ. Sir, when you were +in your swaddling clouts, Christ reigned freely in this land, in spight +of all his enemies; but now the wisdom of your council, which is +devilish and pernicious, is this, that you may be served of all sorts of +men to your purpose and grandeur, Jew and Gentile, Papist and +Protestant, because the ministers and Protestants in Scotland are too +strong, and controul the king, they must be weakened and brought low, by +stirring up a party against them; and the king being equal and +indifferent, both shall be fain to flee to him, so shall he be well +settled: but, Sir, let God's wisdom be the only wisdom, this will prove +mere and mad folly; for his curse cannot but light upon it; so that in +seeking both, you shall lose both.' To the like effect Mr. Robert Bruce, +in a sermon upon Psal. li. gives faithful warning of the danger of the +times. 'It is not we (says he) that are party in this cause; no, the +quarrel is betwixt a greater prince and them. What are we but silly men: +Yet it has pleased him to let us in this office, that we should oppone +to the manifest usurpation that is made upon his spiritual kingdom. Is +there a more forcible mean to draw down the wrath of God, than to let +Barabbas that nobilitate malefactor pass free, and to begin the war +against Christ and his ministry. It putteth on the cope-stone, that so +many of our brethren should not be so faithful, as their calling and +this cause craveth. Fy upon false brethren, to see them dumb, so +faint-hearted, when it comes to the shock; not only are they ashamed to +speak the thing they think, which is a shame in a pastor, but speak +directly against their former doctrine. They will speak the truth a +while, till they be put at, but incontinent they will turn, and make +their gifts weapons to fight against Christ; for there is none so +malicious as an apostate, when he begins to slide back,' &c. The same +faithful witness, because he would not preach as the king would have +him, against his own conscience, to justify and proclaim the king's +innocency, in a forged conspiracy against him, was put from his church +in Edinburgh; and being requested in an insinuating manner to desist +from preaching but for nine or ten days; he condescended at first, +thinking the matter of no great importance; yet that night his body was +cast in a fever, with the terror of his conscience, and he promised he +should never obey their commandments any more. These were faithful men, +yet we find they challenge themselves, in deep humiliation, for their +short-comings and defections. At the renovation of the national covenant +March 30th, 1596, was the greatest solemnity ever had been seen in +Scotland before that time; so that the place might worthily have been +called Bochim. O when shall we see such a day, when even the most +faithful among us, shall mourn over our far more aggravated defections! +but if they mourned then for these first degrees of declensions; we may +say, 'How heavily would these valiant men groan, who formerly contended +so stoutly for the liberty of the church of Scotland, if they beheld +this our laziness (that I may call it by no worse name!') I know +notwithstanding of all this, that some encourage themselves in a base +compliance with the present corruptions of our church, from the practice +of these worthies; alledging, they did not scruple to hear and join with +prelatical men, dispensing the ordinances. But this objection will be +easily refelled, if we consider, first, the period wherein they were but +growing up to a more perfect reformation, and therefore might bear with +many things which we cannot, after we have been reformed from them: +they were then advancing, and still gaining ground, we are now +declining, and therefore should be more shy to lose what we have gained. +They had then of a long time enjoyed their judicatories, unto which they +might recur for an orderly redress of such grievances that offended +them; and when they were deprived of them, yet they were still in hopes +of recovering them; and so suspended their total secession from that +corrupt church, until they should recover them; in the mean time still +holding their right, and maintaining their cause against these invaders. +But we were, at the very first beginning of this unhappy revolution, +totally deprived of our judicatories, and denuded of all expectation of +them in an ordinary way, and of all place, but what they are masters of +to contend with them that way; therefore must keep ourselves free of +their communion. But next, if we consider their practice, we shall find +these worthies were not such conformists, as our compliers would make +them. What if we find among them meetings, that were called and counted +as seditious and schismatic as ours are now? We find a field meeting, +yea, a General Assembly at Dumfermline, without and against the king's +warrant, when the ports were shut against them, in the year 1585. But +that is not so pat to the purpose, as that we find private meetings at +Edinburgh, and that in the very time of public service in the churches, +discharged by open proclamation in 1624, wherein it is charged, that +they had no respect to the ordinary pastors, contemned and impugned +their doctrine, disobeyed and controuled their discipline, abstained to +hear the word preached, and to participate of the sacraments. And long +before that, we find the sincerer sort scrupled to hear Bishop Adamson, +notwithstanding that he was absolved in the Assembly. And that +afterwards, the doubt being proponed to the Assembly, if it be a slander +to a Christian to absent himself from the sermons of them that are +suspended from all function in the ministry? The Assembly answered, +there is no slander in the case, but rather it is slanderous to resort. +And why is not this ground to think it slanderous, or scandalous to +resort to them, who deserve to be suspended (all of them by a spiritual +cognizance, and some of them to be suspended corporally for their +villany) when there can be no access orderly to do it. And the rather, +because we find in this period, that sometimes ministers were so +faithful and zealous against the corruptions of the ministry, that they +decerned ministers to be suspended for far smaller faults, than many now +could exempt themselves from, viz. if they were not powerful and +spiritual; if they did not apply their doctrine to corruptions; if they +were obscure and too scholastic before the people; cold and wanting +zeal, flatterers, dissembling at public sins for flattery or fear, &c. +As we may read in the advice of the brethren, deputed for penning the +corruptions in the ministry, in 1596. I wish our silent prudent +ministers now would consider the justness of this censure, and what +ground people have to be offended at such censurableness. But not only +this may answer the false imputation of conformity on these witnesses of +Christ at that time; but I shall set down a part of a letter of one of +the banished ministers at that time, discovering his mind about hearing +these men, that were then serving the times. Mr. John Welch, writing to +Mr. Robert Bruce,----'What my mind is concerning the root of these +branches, the bearer will shew you more fully. They are no more to be +counted orthodox, but apostates; they have fallen from their callings, +by receiving an antichristian, and bringing in of idolatry, to make the +kingdom culpable, and to expose it to fearful judgments, for such an +high perfidy against an oath so solemnly enacted and given; and are no +more to be counted Christians, but strangers, apostates, and +persecutors; and therefore, not to be heard any more, either in public, +or in consistories, colleges, or synods; for what fellowship hath light +with darkness?' We see then as to that part of the testimony, they were +not dissonant to the witness of the present reproached sufferers. + +II. As the matter and manner of their testimony against all the invaders +of the church's privileges, did speak forth a great deal of sincere and +pure zeal; so their practice was conform, shewing forth a great deal of +strictness and averseness from all sinful compliances, even with things +that would be now accounted of very minute and inconsiderable +consequence, and for which honest sufferers now are flouted at as fools. +When that oath was formed for acknowledging the supremacy, there was a +clause added which might have been thought to salve the matter, +"according to the word of God." I fear many now would not stand to +subscribe with such a qualification. Yet the faithful then perceived the +sophistry, that it made it rather worse, affirming that that brat of +hell was according to the word of God: and therefore, though there were +several eminent men to persuade them to it, both by advice and example, +yet they could not, in conscience, comply; and pleaded also from the +illegality of that imposition, that they should be charged with the +subscription of laws, a thing never required before of any subject; if +they offended against the laws, why might they not be punished according +to the laws? When many honest faithful patriots, for the attempt at +Ruthven to deliver the country from a vermin of villains that abused the +King, to the destruction of the church and kingdom, were charged to +crave pardon, and take remission; they would do neither, judging it a +base condemning duty, which puts a brand upon our sneaking supplicators +and petitioners, and pardon mongers, as unworthy to be called the race +of such worthies, who scorned such baseness; and choosed rather to +endure the extremity of their unjust sentences of intercommuning and +banishment, &c. And when the Earl of Gowrie accepted of a remission, he +afterwards condemned himself for it, and desired that his old friends +would accept of his friendship, to whom he had the same favour offered +to him, refused altogether, lest so doing he should condemn himself, and +approve the courts proceedings: and the brethren, conferring with the +counsellors, craving that some penalty should be condescended unto for +satisfying his majesty in his honour, would not condescend to any, how +light soever; lest thereby they should seem to approve the judicatory +and their proceeding. The imprisoned ministers, for declining the +counsel, had it in their offer, that if they would, without any +confession of offence, only submit themselves to his majesty, "for +scandal received, not given," they should be restored to their places: +but it pleased God so to strengthen them, that they stopped their +mouths, and convinced them in their consciences, that they could not do +it without betraying of the cause of Christ. Again, in another case, we +have instances of such strictness, as is much scorned now a-days. The +ministers of Edinburgh were committed to ward, for refusing to pray for +the queen, before her execution in Fothringham castle 1586. They refused +not simply to pray for her, but for the preservation of her life, as if +she had been innocent of the crimes laid to her charge, which had +imported a condemnation of the proceedings against her. Afterwards, in +the year 1600. The ministers of Edinburgh would not praise God for the +delivery of the king from a pretended conspiracy of the Earl of Gowrie +at that time, of which they had no credit nor assurance; and would not +crave pardon for it neither. For this Mr. Robert Bruce was deprived of +the exercise of his ministry, and never obtained it again in Edinburgh: +but now, for refusing such compelled and imposed devotion, to pray or +praise for the king, poor people are much condemned. I know it is +alledged, that these faithful sufferers in those days, were not so +strict as they are now, in submitting to unjust sentences, and obeying +and keeping their confinements. I shall grant, there was much of this, +and much might be tolerate in their circumstances, when the court's +procedure against them was not so illegal, their authority was not so +tyrannical, nor so necessary to be disowned, and they were so stated, +that they were afraid to take guilt upon them, in making their escapes; +whereas it is not so with us. Yet we find very faithful men broke their +confinements; as Mr. John Murray, confined at Dumfries, perceiving there +was no end of the bishop's malice, and that he would be in no worse case +than he was, he resolved without licence, either of king or council, to +transport himself: so did also Mr. Robert Bruce. + +III. For resistance of superior powers, we have in this period, first +the practice of some noblemen at Ruthven, in the [year] 1582. who took +the King, and seized on that arrant traitor, enemy to the church and +country the Earl of Arran; declaring to the world the causes of it, the +King's correspondence with papists, his usurping the supremacy over the +church, and oppressing the ministers, all by means of his wicked +counsellers, whom therefore they removed from him. The King himself +emitted a declaration allowing this deed. The General Assembly approved +of it, and persuaded to a concurrence with it, and nothing was wanting +to ratify it, as a most lawful and laudable action. At length the fox +escapes, and changes all, and retracts his former declaration. The lords +again rally, and interprise the taking of the castle of Stirling, and +gain it; but afterward surrender it: after which the Earl of Gowrie was +executed, and ministers are commanded to retract the approbation of +Ruthven business, but they refused; and many were forced to flee to +England, and the lords were banished. But, in the year 1585, they return +with more success, and take the castle of Stirling. The cowardly king +does again acknowledge and justify their enterprise, 'that they needed +no apology of words, weapons had spoken well enough, and gotten them +audience to clear their own cause:' but his after carriage declared him +as crafty and false, as he was cowardly and fearful. Again, we have the +advice of the General Assembly, for resisting, when the ministers were +troubled upon Mr. Black's business, and there was an intention to pull +them out of their pulpits; they advised them to stand to the discharge +of their calling, if their flocks would save them from violence, and yet +this violence was expected from the King and his emissaries. As to that +point then there can be no dispute. + +IV. There was little occasion for the question about the King's +authority in this period, but generally all acknowledged it; because +they were not sensible of his usurpation, and his cowardice made him +incapable of attempting any thing that might raise commotions in civil +things. Yet we remark, that whatsoever authority he usurped beyond his +sphere, that was disowned and declined by all the faithful, as the +supremacy. Next that they resented, and represented very harshly, any +aspiring to absoluteness; as Mr. Andrew Melvin could give it no better +name, nor entertain no better notion of it, than to term it, the bloody +gully, as he inveighs against it in the Assembly 1582. And next, in this +same period, we have a very good description of that authority, which +the King himself allows not to be owned, which out of a King's mouth +abundantly justifies the disowning of the present tyranny: this same +King James, in a speech to the parliament, in the year 1609, saith, 'A +king degenerateth into a tyrant, when he leaveth to rule by law, much +more when he beginneth to invade his subjects persons, rights and +liberties, to set up an arbitrary power, impose unlawful taxes, raise +forces, make war upon his subjects, to pillage, plunder, waste, and +spoil his kingdoms.' + + +PERIOD V. + +_Containing the Testimony for the last Reformation from Prelacy, in all +its steps, from the year 1638. to 1660._ + +The following period, from the year 1638, to 1660, continues and +advances the testimony, to the greatest height of purity and power, that +either this church, or any other did ever arrive unto, with a gradation, +succession, and complication of wonders, of divine wisdom, power, +justice and mercy, signally and singularly owning and sealing it, to the +confusion of his enemies, comfort of his people, conviction of +indifferent neutrals, and consternation of all. Now after a long winter, +and night of deadness and darkness, the sun returns with an amiable +approach of light and life; now the winter was past, the rain was over +and gone, the flowers appear on earth, and the time of singing of birds +is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. Now the +second time, the testimony comes to be managed in an active manner, as +before it was passive: as the one hath been always observed to follow +interchangeably upon the other, especially in Scotland, and the last +always the greatest; which gives ground to hope, though it be now our +turn to suffer, that when the summer comes again after this winter, and +the day after this night, the next active testimony shall be more +notable than any that went before. The matter of the testimony was the +same as before, for the concerns of Christ's kingly prerogative, but +with some more increase as to its opposites: for these grew successively +in every period, the last always including all that went before. The +first period had Gentilism principally to deal with; the second Popery; +the third Popery and Tyranny; the fourth Prelacy and Supremacy; this +fifth hath all together, and Sectarianism also, to contend against. The +former had always the opposites on one hand, but this hath them in +extremes on both hands; both fighting against one another, and both +fighting together against the church of Scotland, and she against both, +till at length one of her opposites prevailed, viz. the Sectarian party, +and that prevailing brought in the other, to wit, the Malignant, which +now domineers over all together. Wherefore, because this period is in +itself of so great importance, the revolutions therein emergent so +eminent, the reformation therein prosecuted wanting little of its +perfect complement, the deformation succeeding in its deviation from the +pattern being so destructive; to the end it may be seen from whence we +have fallen, and whether or not the present reproached sufferers have +lost or left their ground, we must give a short deduction of the rise, +progress, and end of the contendings of that period. + +In the midst of the forementioned miseries and mischiefs, that the pride +of prelacy and tyrannical supremacy had multiplied beyond measure upon +this church and nation, and at the height of all their haughtiness, when +they were setting up their Dagon and erecting altars for him, imposing +the service-book, and book of Canons, &c. the Lord in mercy remembred +his people, and surprised them with a sudden unexpected deliverance, by +very despicable means; even the opposition of a few weak women, at the +beginning of that contest, which, ere it was quashed, made the tyrant +tumble headless off his throne. The zeal against the English popish +ceremonies, obtruded on Edinburgh, did first inflame some feminine +hearts to witness their detestation of them; but afterwards was followed +out with more masculine fervor, accosting King and Council with +petitions, remonstrances, protestations and testimonies against the +innovations, and resolving upon a mutual conjunction, to defend +religion, lives and liberties, against all that would innovate or invade +them. To fortify which, and conciliate the favour both of God and man in +the resolution, all the lovers of God, and friends to the liberty of +the nation, did solemnly renew the national covenant, (wherein they were +signally countenanced of the Lord,) which, though in itself obliging to +the condemnation of prelatical Hierarchy, and clearly enough confirming +presbyterial government, yet they engaged into it with an enlargement, +to suspend the practice of novations already introduced, and the +approbation of the corruptions of the present government, with the late +places and power of church men, till they be tried in a free General +Assembly. Which was obtained that same year, and indicted at Glasgow: +and there, notwithstanding all the opposition that the King's +commissioner could make, by protestations and proclamations to dissolve +it, the six preceeding Assemblies establishing Prelacy were annulled, +the service-book, and high commission were condemned; all the bishops +were deposed, and their government declared to be abjured in that +national covenant; though many had, through the commissioners +persuasions, subscribed it in another sense without that application: as +also the five articles of Perth were there discovered to have been +inconsistent with that covenant and confession, and the civil places and +power of church men were disproved and rejected: on the other hand +presbyterial government was justified and approved, and an act was +passed for their keeping yearly General Assemblies. This was a bold +beginning, into which they were animated with more than human +resolution, against more than human opposition, hell as well as the +powers of the earth being set against them. But when the Lord gave the +call, they considered not their own deadness, nor were daunted with +discouragements, nor staggered at the promise through unbelief, but gave +glory to God, outbraving all difficulties. Which in the following year +were much increased, by the prelates and their popish partakers +rendezvousing their forces under the King's personal standard, and +menacing nothing but misery to the zealous covenanters; yet when they +found them prepared to resist, were forced to yield to a pacification, +concluding that an Assembly and Parliament should be held, for healing +all grievances of church and state. + +In which Assembly at Edinburgh, the covenant is ratified and subscribed +by the Earl of Traquair commissioner, and enjoined to be subscribed by +the body of the whole land, with an explication, expressly condemning +the five articles of Perth, the government of bishops, the civil places +and power of churchmen: but the sons of Belial cannot be taken with +hands, nor bound with bonds of faith, humanity, or honour, for in the +year following, king and prelates, with their popish abettors, go to +arms again; but were fain to accommodate the matter by a new +pacification, whereby all civil and religious liberties were ratified. +And in the following year 1641, by laws, oaths, promises, subscriptions +of king and parliament, fully confirmed, the king, Charles I. being +present, and consenting to all; though in the mean time he was +treacherously encouraging the Irish murderers, who by his authority made +a massacre of many thousand innocent protestants in Ireland. But in +Scotland things went well, the kingdom of our Lord Jesus was greatly +advanced, the gospel flourished, and the glory of the Lord did shine +upon us with such a splendour, that it awaked England, and animated the +Lord's people there, then groaning under those grievances from which +Scotland was delivered, to aspire to the like reformation. For advice in +which, because though all agreed to cast off the yoke of prelacy, yet +sundry forms of church government were projected to be set up in the +room thereof, chiefly the Independent order, determining all acts of +church government, as election, ordination, and deposition of officers, +with admission, excommunication, and absolution of members, to be done +and decided by the voices of every particular congregation, without any +authoritative concurrence or interposition of any other, condemning all +imperative and decisive power of classes, &c. as a mere usurpation. +Therefore, the brethren in England wrote to the Assembly then sitting at +Edinburgh, who gave them answer,----'That they were grieved, that any of +the godly should be found not agreeing with other reformed churches, in +point of government as well as doctrine; and that it was to be feared, +where the hedge of discipline and government is different, the doctrine +and worship shall not long continue the same without change; that the +government of the church, by compound presbyteries and synods, is a help +and strength, and not a hindrance to particular congregations and +elderships, in all the parts of government; and are not an extrinsical +power set over particular churches, but the intrinsical power wherewith +Christ hath invested his officers, who may not exercise it +independently, but with subordination, unto presbyteries, &c. which as +they are representative of particular churches, conjoined together in +one under their government; so their determination, when they proceed +orderly, whether in causes common to all, or brought before them by +reference in case of aberration, is to the several congregations +authoritative, and not consultatory only. And this subordination is not +only warranted by the light of nature, but grounded upon the word of +God, and conform to the pattern of the primitive and apostolic church, +for the preservation of verity and unity, against schism, heresy and +tyranny, which is the fruit of this government wheresoever it hath +place.' So from henceforth the Assembly did incessantly urge uniformity +in reformation with their brethren in England, as the chiefest of their +desires, prayers and cares. And in the year 1643, prevailed so far, that +the English parliament did first desire, that the two nations might be +strictly united for their mutual defence, against the papists and +prelatical faction, and their adherents in both kingdoms; and not to +lay down arms, till these implacable enemies should be brought in +subjection; and instantly urge for help and assistance from Scotland. +Which, being sent, did return with an olive branch of peace, and not +without some beginnings of a reformation in England. And afterwards, a +bloody war beginning between the King and Parliament, with great success +on the King's side, whence the papists at the time got great advantage, +(witness the cessation of arms concluded in Ireland,) commissioners were +sent from both houses to Scotland, earnestly inviting to a nearer union +of the kingdoms, and desiring assistance from this nation to their +brethren in that their great distress. And this, by the good hand of +God, produced the solemn league and covenant of the three kingdoms, +first drawn 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 and constant endeavours, in +their several places and callings, for preservation of the uniformity in +reformation, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government: the +extirpation of popery, prelacy, error and profanity; the preservation of +the rights and liberties of the people; and of the magistrates +authority, in defence of the true religion and liberty; the discovery +and punishment of incendiaries; the retaining of the peace and union of +the kingdoms; the mutual assistance and 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 exemplarily one before another. This +is that covenant comprehending the purpose of all prior, and the pattern +of all posterior covenants, to which Christ's witnesses did always +adhere, for which the present witnesses do suffer and contend; that +covenant, which the representatives of church and state in the three +nations did solemnly subscribe and swear, for themselves and posterity, +of which the obligation, either to the duty or the punishment, continues +indispensibly on the generation; which for the moral equity of its +matter, the formality of its manner, the importance of its purpose, the +holiness of its solemn engagement, and the glory of its ends, no power +on earth can disannul, disable, or dispense; that covenant, which the +Lord did ratify from heaven, by the conversion of many thousands at +their entering under the bond of it, securing and establishing unto +them, and all the faithful, the blessings and privileges therein +express, 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 and opposition of its adversaries; +that covenant, which malignants do malign and deny, and sectaries scorn +and lay aside, as an almanack out of date; which hath been many ways +traduced and reproached by enemies, and yet could never be reflected on +by any serious in this land, without an honourable and fragrant +remembrance: especially that retortion of adversaries of the rigour of +its imposition upon recusants, to justify 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, and 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 and 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 and elected Mr. Alexander Henderson, Mr. +Robert Douglas, Mr. Samuel Rutherford, Mr. Robert Balzie, Mr. George +Gillespie, ministers; John Earl of Cassils, John Lord Maitland, and Sir +Archibald Johnston of Waristoun, ruling elders; to propone, consult, +treat, and conclude in all such things as might conduce to the +extirpation of popery, prelacy, heresy, schism, superstition, and +idolatry; and for the settling of the so much desired union of the whole +island, in one form of church-government, one confession of faith, one +common catechism, and 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 enterprizes, till that war was ended by the total +overthrow of tyranny at that time, and all its upholders. But that +popish, prelatical, and 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 and valleys both) to try the fortune of +war in Scotland, under the conduct of that treacherous and truculent +traitor Montrose, gathering an army of wicked apostates and Irish +murderers: who prevailing for a time, did punish in the justice of God, +the hypocrisy and 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 and warrant from +the King; as the Assembly that year, February 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 and +his posterity, under the wrath of the ever-living God, for his being +guilty of the shedding of the blood of many thousand of his best +subjects, for his permitting the mass and other idolatry in his family +and dominion,' &c. At the same time also, the Assembly did zealously +incite the Parliament to a speedy course of justice, against these +incendiaries and 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 and seasonably warned all ranks to applaud the glory and +righteousness of that judgment of the sword, in the hands of these +apostates, and murderers, and to search to understand the language of +that dispensation; wherein many public sins and breaches of covenant are +pointed at, as the causes of that desolation; and the covenant itself is +there very encomiastically vindicated. 'We are so far from repenting of +it (say they) that we cannot mention it without great joy and +thankfulness 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 and manifestly assisted and blessed from heaven, that we have +what to answer the enemy that reproacheth us concerning that business, +and that which may make iniquity itself to stop her mouth; but which is +more unto us than all victories, the reformation of religion in England, +and uniformity therein between both kingdoms (a principal end of that +covenant) is so far advanced, that the government of the church by +congregational elderships, classical presbyteries, provincial and +national assemblies, is agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines at +Westminster, and voted and concluded 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 Newcastle: by whom +(because by covenant they were not obliged to defend him, but only in +defence of religion and liberty, which he had been destroying, and they +defending, because in this war he did directly oppose and oppugn these +conditions, under which they were only to defend him; and therefore they +had all along carried towards him as an enemy, as he to them; and +because, by the same covenant, they were obliged to discover, and render +to condign punishment all malignants and incendiaries, of whom he was +the chief, and to retain the peace and union of the kingdoms, which +could not be retained in maintaining their destroyer, and to assist +mutually all entred into that covenant, which he was fighting against) +he was delivered up unto the English, and kept under restraint in the +isle of Wight, until he received his just demerit, for all his +oppressions, murders, treachery, and tyranny; being condemned and +execute January 30th, in the 1648-9. Which fact, though it was protested +against, both before and 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 for the manner than for +the matter, and more for motives and ends of it, than for the grounds of +it, that they opposed themselves to it, and resented it. For they +acknowledged and remonstrated to himself, the truth of all these things +upon which that sentence and execution of justice was founded. And when +a wicked association, and unlawful engagement 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 and remonstrances, the +sinfulness and destructiveness of that engagement; that it was a breach +of the commandments of God, and of all the articles of the covenant; +declaring withal, they would never consent to the King's restitution to +the exercise of his power, without previous assurance, by solemn oath, +under his hand and 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 regret, that +there was too much of this plague of the king's-evil even among good +men: which from that time forth hath so infected the heads and hearts of +this generation, that it hath almost quite extinct all loyalty to +Christ, and all zeal for religion and liberty. + +Then it began to infuse and diffuse its contagion, when after the death +of Charles 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 +men's yokes from off their necks, and putting them again into a capacity +to act for the good of religion, their own safety, and the peace and +safety of the kingdom, to think of joining once more with the people of +these abominations, and taking into their bosom these serpents which had +formerly stung them almost to death. Hence these tears, lo the origin +and spring of our defection! There was indeed at that time a party +faithful for God, who considering the many breaches of the solemn league +and covenant, and particularly by the late engagement against England, +did so travel, that they procured the covenant to be renewed, with the +solemn acknowledgment of sins and engagement to duties, which was +universally subscribed and sworn through all the land; wherein also they +regret this tampering with malignants. And therefore the Lord did +mightily save and 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 Lord's hand against his father, +yet he hearkens unto the counsels 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 and necessary desires of the church +and kingdom, for securing of religion and liberty: And it is much to be +feared, that these wicked counsellors, may so far prevail upon him, as +to engage him in a war, for overturning the work of God, and bearing +down all those in the three kingdoms that adhere thereto. Which if he +shall do, cannot but bring great wrath from the Lord upon himself and +throne, and must be the cause of many new and great miseries and +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 and 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 Galloway, protested +against it: foreshewing, and foretelling, what mischief and misery he +would bring with him when he should come. These things might have had +some weight, to demur the nation from meddling with that perfidious +traitor. But all this serves only to aggravate the sin and 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, and +inclination to tyranny; they sent commissioners, and concluded a treaty +with him at Breda. During which treaty, the commissions which he had +sent to that bloody villain Montrose, and his cut-throat complices, to +raise an army, and waste, and invade the country with fire and sword the +second time; were brought to the Committee of Estates, discovering what +sort of a 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 doubtful case, wherein all was in danger, the +Estates concluded to break off the treaty, and recal 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, and false betrayer of his trust and 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 and +hypocritical cabal, found it his interest to play the fox (being +disappointed at that time to play the tyger) and dissemble with God and +man. And so sending for the Commissioners, he made a flattering speech +to them, shewing, that now after serious deliberation, he was resolved +to comply with all their proposals. Whereupon the poor cheated +Commissioners dispatch the post back with letters full of praise and joy +for the satisfaction they had received. The Estates, perceiving +themselves imposed upon, consulted again what to do; and in end, being +overswayed more with respect to their own credit, (which they thought +should be impeached, if they should retract their own plenipotentiary +instructions, to conclude the treaty, upon the King's assent to their +conditions) than to their reclamant consciences, they resolved to bring +home that pest, and thereby precipitated themselves and us into +eluctable misery. Yet they thought to mend the matter, by binding him +with all cords, and putting him to all most explicit engagements, before +he should receive the imperial crown. Well, upon these terms, home he +comes, and, before he sets his foot on British ground, he takes the +covenant: and thereafter, because the commission of the General +Assembly, by the act of the West-kirk, August 13th, 1650, precluded his +admittance unto the crown, if he should refuse the then required +satisfaction, before his coronation, he emits that declaration at +Dunfermline; wherein, 'Professing and appearing in the full persuasion +and love of the truth, he repenteth (as having to do with and in the +fight of God) his father's opposition to the covenant and work of God, +and his own reluctances against the same, hoping for mercy through the +blood of Jesus Christ, and obtesting the prayers of the faithful to God +for his stedfastness. And then protesteth his truth and sincerity in +entring into the oath of God, resolving to prosecute the ends of the +covenant to his utmost, and to have with it the same common friends and +enemies, exhorting all to lay down their enmity against the cause of +God, and not to prefer man's interest to God's, which will prove an idol +of jealousy to provoke the Lord: and he himself accounteth to be but +selfish flattery.' A declaration so full of heart-professions, and high +attestations of God, that none, considering what followed, can reflect +thereon, without horror and trembling from the holy jealousy of the +Lord, either for the then deep dissimulation, or the after unparalleled +apostasy. I know it is objected by court-parasites, that the king was +then compelled to do these things. To which I shall only say, it would +have cost any of them their head at that time, to have asserted, that he +did upon deliberation and choice mock God and man, and entered into +these engagements, only with a purpose to be thereby in better capacity +to destroy what he swore to maintain, only because he could not have the +crown without this way, which, in the confession of the objectors +themselves, was only deliberate and premeditate perjury. Next, if it +should be granted he was compelled; let it be also considered, who +compelled him; and these will be found to be the deceitful courtiers. +For, let it be adverted, what Mr. Gillespie declares of the case, who +put the pen in his hand when he subscribed that declaration: he, +perceiving there was sufficient ground to jealouse his reality, and +seeing evidently that the courtiers prevailed with the king on a sudden +to offer to subscribe the declaration (when they observed that the +commissioners of church and state were resolute, and ready to go away in +a fixedness, to leave out the putting of his interest in the state of +the quarrel) and being afraid of the said consequences of it, spoke his +mind plainly to the king: 'That if he was not satisfied in his soul and +conscience, beyond all hesitation of the righteousness of the +subscription, he was so far from over-driving him to run upon that, for +which he had no light, as he obtested him, yea, he charged him in his +master's name, and in the name of these who sent him, not to subscribe +this declararation, no not for the three kingdoms.' Whereupon the king +answered,--Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Gillespie, I am satisfied, I am satisfied +with the declaration, and therefore will subscribe it. Upon which some +of the courtiers swore that Mr. Gillespie intended simply to dissuade +the king from subscribing it, that so church and state might professedly +lay aside his interest; which would have defeat their hopes to make up +themselves, as now they have done, upon the then designed ruin of the +interest of truth. Then at his coronation, we have his again reiterated +confirmations of that covenant; first, he is desired in name of the +people to accept the crown, and maintain religion according to the +national and solemn league and covenant; whereunto he gave his +apparently cordial consent (the words are in the form and order of the +coronation with the whole action.) Then next, a sermon being preached +upon 2 Kings xi. 12 and 17. the action commenceth, with his most solemn +renewing of the national and solemn league and covenant, by oath. Then, +he is presented to the people, and their willingness demanded to have +him for their king on these terms. At the same time, in the next place, +he took the coronation oath. Then on these terms he accepted the sword. +And after the crown is set upon his head, the people's obligatory oath +is proclaimed on the terms foresaid, otherwise he is not that king to +whom they swore subjection. Then being set upon the throne, he was by +the minister put in mind of his engagements, from 1 Chron. xxix. 33. And +then the nobles of the land came one by one kneeling, and lifting up +their hands between his hands, swore the same oath. These things done, +the whole action was closed with a most solid and severe exhortation +from several instances, Neh. v. 13. Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19, 20. &c. +Thereafter in the year 1651, followed the ratification of all these +preceeding treaties, transactions, and engagements, concluded and +enacted by the king, and the parliament then fully and freely conveened; +whereby the same did pass into a perpetual law. And this covenant, which +from the beginning was and is the most sure and indispensible oath of +God, became at length the very fundamental law of the kingdom, whereon +all the rights or privileges, either of king or people, are principally +bottomed and secured. This might seem security sufficient, but +considering the former discoveries and experiences they had of his +treachery, and the visible appearances (in the mean time) of his +refusals, visible reluctances, manifest refilings, open counter actings, +and continued prejudices against the covenant, and his following +unprecedented avowed perjury, every thing doth indelibly fasten upon +them the weakness at least of an overweening credulity, and upon him the +wickedness of a perfidious policy, in all these condescensions. After +this it came to pass, that zeal for the cause rightly stated was +suddenly contracted to a few, and the flame thereof extinguished in +many, and court wild-fire substitute in its place: whereby a plain +defection was violently carried on by the public resolutioners, who +relapsing into that most sinful conjunction with the people of these +abominations, so solemnly repented for and resolved against, did +notwithstanding bring in notorious malignants, into places of power and +trust, in judicatories and armies, in a more politic than pious way of +requiring of them a constrained and dissembled repentance, to the +mocking of the God of truth, and scorn of all our holy engagements. +Which defection did not only cause for a long time an incurable +division; the first of that kind, and most permanent of any that ever +was in the church of Scotland, by reason of the surcease of general +assemblies, stopped and hindered by the yoke of the sectarian +usurpation; but also was the spring and source of all our defections +since, all flowing from and fomented by that same spirit that fostered +that: and for that, since that time, the Lord hath been contending with +this church and nation, bringing us under the bondage of these malignant +enemies, whom we suffered them then to encourage and introduce. And both +at that time, and since that time, the Lord never countenanced an +expedition where that malignant interest was taken in unto the state of +that quarrel. Upon this our land was invaded by Oliver Cromwel, who +defeated our army at Dunbar, where the anger of the Lord was evidently +seen to smoke against us, for espousing that interest. And remarkable it +is, how in that very day wherein the public resolutions were concluded +in the assembly at St. Andrew's, the Lord then shed the blood of his +people at Inverkeithing; so as that the assembly, having in great haste +hurried through this approbation, were all made to run for it, and +adjourn themselves to Dundee, where they met and completed that step of +defection. And afterwards it is known, what a peculiar vengeance fell +upon that city, where this deed was done, beyond all other cities of the +nation. Next, an army being raised, according to these unhallowed +resolutions, and the Lord putting remarkable discountenance upon them in +their attemptings at home, as was manifest in their attemptings at +Torwood, &c. They march into England, and there did the Lord continue, +by his leaving our army to the sword, to preach that doctrine to the +world, Josh. vii. 10, 11, 12. ('Israel hath sinned and transgressed the +covenant--have taken the accursed thing--and dissembled also, and have +put it even amongst their own stuff, therefore the children of Israel +could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before +their enemies, because they were accursed: Neither will I be with you +any more, except ye destroy the accursed thing from among you.') An army +of near 30,000 was totally routed at Worcester, and the Achan, the cause +of the overthrow, was forced to hide himself in the oak, and thence to +transport himself beyond sea, where he continued a wandering fugitive +in exile, till the year 1660. In the mean time the sectarian army here +prevailed, till, after the usurper Cromwel's death, the false Monk then +general, with a combination of malignants and public resolutioners, did +machinate our misery, and effectuated it by bringing home the king to +England from his banishment: Wherein he was habituate into an implacable +hatred against the work of God. Yet, though since the king's first +reception into Scotland, our declensions were still growing, until they +produced this dreadful revolt from God, wherein the nation is now +involved; there was still a faithful remnant of ministers and +professors, zealous for the cause, keeping their integrity; who in their +remonstrances and testimonies witnessed against both their malignant +enemies, and their backsliding brethren the revolutioners, and also +against the sectarians their invaders; whose vast toleration and liberty +of conscience, which they brought in to invade our religion as they had +invaded our land, and infected it with their multifarious errors, was +particularly by the synod of Fife, and other brethren in the ministry +that joined themselves to them, testified against, and demonstrated to +be wicked and intolerable. Now to see how far the present testimony is +confirmed by the witnesses of this period, we may resume some +reflections on it. + +I. They impartially carried on the testimony against prelacy, and the +popish, prelatical and malignant factions on the one hand, and the +sectarians on the other, without ever waving the testimony against +either, or at the least, winking at the one to weaken the other: both +which testimonies they thought of so great importance, that they could +not dispense with but faithfully maintain both, in their witnessings and +warnings. In that seasonable and necessary warning and declaration, +concerning present and imminent dangers, given at Edinburgh July 27. +sess. 27. they first say of the sectaries, 'That prevailing party of +sectaries in England, who have broken the covenant, and despised the +oath of God, corrupted the truth, subverted the fundamental government, +look upon us with an evil eye, as upon these who stand in the way of +their monstrous and new fangled devices in religion and government; and +though there were no cause to fear any thing from that party, but the +gangrene and infection of those many damnable and abominable errors +which have taken hold on them; yet our vicinity unto and daily commerce +with that nation, may justly make us afraid, that the Lord may give up +many in this land into a spirit of delusion to believe lies, because +they have not received the love of the truth. In that same warning they +say, We are not so to have the one of our eyes upon the sectarians, as +not to have the other upon malignants, they being an enemy more numerous +and more dangerous than the other; not only because experience hath +proven, that there is a greater aptitude and inclination in these of our +land to comply with malignants, than sectaries, in that they carry on +their wicked design, under a pretext of being for the king, but also +because there be many of them in our own bowels.' By which we may see +how impartially they opposed both; and that this cannot be condemned in +the testimonies of the present sufferers, except the assembly be +condemned. And because many now a-days have extenuating notions of those +debates, against prelacy and sectarianism, about the government of the +church, &c. and condemn these that would adhere to and suffer for the +punctilios of it, as rigid nicety: I shall, for seeing what account the +assembly had of them, cite their words in a letter to the assembly of +divines at Westiminster, dated Edinburgh, June 18, 1646. The 'smallest +(say they) of Christ's truths (if it be lawful to call any of them +small) is of greater moment than all the other businesses, that ever +have been debated since the beginning of the world to this day: but the +highest of honours and heaviest of burdens is put upon you; to declare +out of the sacred records of divine truth, what is the prerogative of +the crown and extent of the sceptre of Jesus Christ; what bounds are to +be set between him ruling in his house, and powers established by God on +earth; how and by whom his house is to be governed; and by what ways a +restraint is to be put on these who would pervert his truth and subvert +the faith of many.' + +II. In the manner of maintaining this testimony, these famous fathers, +while faithful for God, gave us a perfect pattern of purity and +strictness, in opposition to all degrees of conformity and compliance +with the corruptions of the time; and laid down such rules and +constitutions, as might regulate us in our contendings about present +defections, and teach us what account to make of them, and how to carry +towards them: which if adverted unto, would evince how manifest and +manifold the declinings of many have been from the late reformation, +that yet pretend to adhere unto it, and how justifiable the aversation +and abstraction of the present reproaching suffering party is, from all +these defections and the daubings of them, because so much deviating and +declining from the attained reformation. I need not repeat how prelacy, +and all the parts and pendicles of that antichristian hierarchy, were +abjured in the national covenant, and condemned in the acts of +assemblies, and re-abjured in the solemn league and covenant, and in the +solemn acknowledgement of sins and engagement to duties, where also we +came under sacred and inviolable engagements, to endeavour the +extirpation thereof: Which doth clearly file the present countenancing +and submitting to the prelatic curates, in receiving ordinances from +them, among the grossest of defections; being altogether inconsistent +with these acts and constitutions, and covenant obligations to extirpate +them, as much as the countenancing of popish priests were inconsistent +therewith, being both equally covenanted to be extirpated. Next, though +in this period, tyranny being in its retrograde motion, erastian +supremacy was not so much contended for, and therefore not so much +questioned as formerly, being held exploded with execration out of doors +and out of doubt; yet the testimony was still continued against it, in +the uninterrupted maintaining of the church's privileges and freedom of +assemblies, against all encroachings of adversaries. And therefore the +embracing of the late detestable indulgences, were as contrary to the +actings of this as to the testimonies of the former period, against the +supremacy from which they flow. Yea many particulars, might be +instanced, wherein the accepters had declined from the covenanted +reformation then prosecuted; not only in their confederating with +malignant usurpers, for the pretended benefit of them (by which, if +there had been no more, they are obnoxious to the censure of the church, +standing registered in an act of assembly, ordaining all persons in +ecclesiastic office, for the like or lesser degrees of compliance, yea +even for procuring protections from malignant enemies, to be suspended +from their office and all exercise thereof at Edin. 1646. sess. 14.) Nor +only in their taking sinful instructions from them, restricting them in +the exercise of their ministry; but in admitting themselves, by their +patronage, to be by them presented to their prelimited and pre-imposed +congregations: which involves them in the iniquity of the abolished +patronages, condemned by the assembly; for that ministry of such so +presented, is made too much to depend upon the will and pleasure of man, +and such an imposition is destructive of the church and people's +liberties, obstructive of the gospel's freedom and faithful plainness, +and occasion of much base flattery and partiality; and in subjecting to, +homologating, and fortifying a sacrilegious supremacy, overturning the +intrinsic power of the church, contrary to the covenant obliging to the +preservation of the government, as well as to the doctrine of the +church, in the first article thereof; and in their suffering themselves, +either directly or indirectly, either by combination, persuasion, or +terror, to be divided and withdrawn from that blessed union and +conjunction, which they were obliged to maintain and promove, according +to the sixth article of the solemn league and covenant; and in their +strengthening the erastian usurpations of enemies encroaching upon the +church's liberties and Christ's prerogatives, against which we are +engaged expressly in the solemn acknowledgment of sins and engagement to +duties, where also we have these words article 2. Because many have of +late laboured to supplant the liberties of the church, we shall maintain +and defend the church of Scotland, in all her liberties and privileges, +against all who shall oppose or undermine the same, or encroach +thereupon under any pretext whatsomever. Next, we have many +demonstrations of the zeal and strictness of these servants of Christ, +in their synodical determinations of censures, to be past upon many +ministerial corruptions; which will condemn the present course of +covering and countenancing them, and commend the contendings of a poor +reproached party against them, in their conscientious abstracting from +them. Of which determinations, I shall rehearse some. Among the +enormities and corruptions of the ministry, in their callings, this is +one, sect. 4, 5. Silence in the public cause--some accounting it a point +of wisdom to speak, ambiguously--whereof the remedy is sect. 15. 'That +beside all other scandals, silence or ambiguous speaking in the public +cause--be seasonably censured, general assembly, at Edinburgh, June 13. +1646.' There is indeed an act against withdrawers from ministers: but in +the self same act they are charged to be diligent in fulfilling their +ministry, 'to be faithful in preaching, declaring the whole counsel of +God, and as they have occasion from the text of scripture to reprove the +sins and errors, and press the duties of the time, and in all these to +observe the rules prescribed by the acts of assembly, wherein if they +be negligent, they are to be censured, general assembly Edinburgh, Aug. +24. 1647. sess. 19.' Then there is that act, Aug. 3. 1648. sess. 26. for +censuring ministers for their silence, and not speaking to the +corruptions of the time; 'calling it, a great scandal, through some +ministers their reserving and not declaring themselves against the +prevalent sins of the times; appointing, that all that do not apply +their doctrine to these corruptions, which is the pastoral gift, and +that are cold or wanting of spiritual zeal, dissembling of public sins, +that all such be censured even to deprivation; for forbearing or passing +in silence the errors and exorbitancies of sectaries in England, or the +defections current at home, the plots and practices of malignants, the +principles and tenets of erastianism; and if they be found too sparing, +general, or ambiguous in their applications and reproofs, and continuing +so, they are to be deposed, for being pleasers of men rather than +servers of Christ, for giving themselves to a detestable indifferency or +neutrality in the cause of God for defrauding the souls of people, yea +for being highly guilty of the blood of souls, in not giving them +warning.' And in that seasonable and necessary warning of the general +assembly, Edinbugh July 27. 1649. sess. 27. we are taught how they +resented the unfaithfulness of ministers continuing in defections, and +how we are to look upon them and carry to them: where they say, it is +undeniably true, that many of the evils, 'wherewith this church and +kingdom hath been afflicted in our age, have come to pass because of the +negligence of some and corruptions of others of the ministry; and the +course of backsliding was carried on, until it pleased God to stir up +the spirits of these few, who stood in the gap, to oppose and resist the +fame, and to begin the work of reformation in the land; since which +time, the silence of some ministers, and the compliance of others, hath +had great influence upon the backslidings of many amongst the people, +who, upon the discovery of the evil of their way, complain that they got +no warning, or that if they were warned by some, others held their +peace, or did justify them in the course of their backsliding: we can +look upon such ministers no otherwise, than upon these that are guilty +of the blood of the Lord's people, and with whom the Lord will reckon, +for all the breach of covenant and defection that hath been in the land; +the priest's lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the +law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, but such +as are departed out of the way, and have caused many to stumble at the +law, therefore hath the Lord made them contemptible before all the +people, according as they have not kept his ways, but have been partial +in his law, because they have lost their favour, he hath cast out many +of them as unsavoury salt.' Furthermore, to evidence the purity and +power of zeal burning and blazing in these days in their contendings +against public enemies on all hands, I shall instance some of their acts +and testimonies, clearly condemning the manifold compliances of this +generation and which may contribute somewhat to justify the reproached +preciseness of a remnant, standing at the furthest distance from them. +There is an act for censuring the compliars with the public enemies of +this church and kingdom, general assembly, June 17. 1646, sess. 14. +'where, they judge it a great and scandalous provocation, and grievous +defection from the public cause, to comply with those malignants (such +as James Graham then was) in any degree, even to procure protections +from them, or to have invited them to their houses, or to have drunk +James Graham's health, or to be guilty of any other such gross degrees +of compliance; censured to be suspended from the communions, ay and +while they acknowledge their offence.' And yet now, for refusing these +degrees of compliance, for not having the protection of a pass from the +wicked courts of malignant enemies, by taking a wicked oath, and for +refusing to drink the king's health, a greater enemy then ever James +Graham was, some poor conscientious people have not only been murdered +by enemies, but mocked and condemned by professors. There is an act +likewise, and declaration against all new oaths or bonds in the common +cause imposed without consent of the church general assembly, Edinburgh +July 28. 1648. sess. 18. 'Enjoining all the members of the church to +fearbear the swearing or subscribing any new oaths, or bonds, in this +cause without advice and concurrence of the church, especially any +negative oaths or bonds, which may any way limit or restrain them in the +duties whereunto they are obliged, by national or solemn league or +covenant.' Yet now, for refusing oaths, not only limiting in covenanted +duties, but contradicting and condemning many material principles of the +covenanted reformation, many have not only lost their lives, but also +have been condemned, by them that are at ease, having a wider conscience +to swallow such baits. It is known how pertinacious the most faithful in +those days were, in their contendings against associations, in any +undertaking for the cause, with persons disaffected to the true state +thereof. I need not give any account of this, were it not that now that +principle is quite inverted; and poor adherers to it, for their +abstracting and substracting their concurrence with such promiscuous +associations, are much hated and flouted; therefore I shall give some +hints of their sentiments of them. In their answer to the committee of +estates, July 25, 1648, sess. 14. the general assembly says, 'It was +represented to the parliament, that for securing of religion it was +necessary, that the popish, prelatical, and malignant party, be declared +enemies to the cause upon the one hand, as well as sectaries upon the +other, and that all associations either in forces or counsels, with the +former as well as with the latter, be avoided.' And in their declaration +concerning the present dangers of religion, especially the unlawful +engagement in war, July ult. 1648. sess. 21. they say, 'Suppose the ends +of that engagement be good (as they are not) yet the means and ways of +prosecution are unlawful; because there is not an equal avoiding of +rocks on both hands, but a joining with malignants to suppress +sectaries, a joining hands with a black devil to beat a white devil; +they are bad physicians who would so cure one disease, as to breed +another as evil or worse--we find in the scriptures condemned, all +confederacies and associations with the enemies of true religion, +whether Canaanites, Exod. xxiii. 32 and 24. xii. 15. Deut. vii. 2. or +other heathens, 1 Kings xi. 1, 2.' More arguments against associations +may be seen in that excellent discussion of this useful case, concerning +associations and confederacies with idolaters, infidels, hereticks, or +any other known enemy of truth or godliness, by famous Mr. G. Gillespie, +published at that same time: whereunto is appended his letter to the +commission of the general assembly, having these golden words in it, +words fitly spoken in that season, when he was a-dying, at the beginning +of the public resolutions: 'Having heard of some motions and beginnings +of compliance, with these who have been so deeply engaged in a war +destructive to religion and the kingdom's liberties, I cannot but +discharge my conscience, in giving a testimony against all such +compliance. I know and am persuaded, that all the faithful witnesses +that gave testimony to the thesis, that the late engagement was contrary +and destructive to the covenant, will also give testimony to the +appendix, that compliance with any who have been active in that +engagement is most sinful and unlawful. I am not able to express all the +evils of that compliance, they are so many--But above all, that which +would heighten this sin even to the heavens is, that it were not only a +horrid backsliding, but a backsliding into that very sin, which was +specially pointed at and punished by the prevalency of the malignant +party, God justly making them thorns and scourges who were taken in as +friends. Alas! shall we split twice upon the same rock? yea run upon it, +when God hath set a beacon on it? yea I may say, shall we thus outface +and outdare the Almighty, by protecting his and our enemies, by making +peace and friendship with them, when the anger of the Lord is burning +against them. I must here apply to our present condition, the words of +Ezrah, ix. 14.--O happy Scotland, if thou canst now improve and not +abuse this golden opportunity! but if thou help the ungodly, and love +them that hate the Lord, wrath upon wrath, and wo upon wo, shall be upon +thee from the Lord.' Whereunto is subjoined his dying testimony to the +same purpose; wherein are these words: 'But if there shall be falling +back, to the sin of compliance 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 and +many other warnings and witnessings, a course of compliance was +commenced by the public 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 and +joining at least in worship, with the corruptions of the time, and for +condemning conscientious withdrawers; that the godly in those days did +not separate from the men of these compliances and defections, as many +do now, viz. the protesting party did not withdraw from the public +resolutioners and associators with malignants. I answer, first, many and +these the most godly and tender did withdraw, even from their own +ministers, and would have gone forty or fifty miles to hear a faithful +minister at that time: yea ministers themselves, in the case of +intrusion of the unfaithful, would have supplied 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 and 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 +constitute case, enjoying the privilege, power and order of synods and +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 and +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; until, 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 +beginning, and people did not know and could not expect it would go such +a length, and therefore could not fall upon the rigour of that duty, +which such disorders call for at first: but if they had seen where these +beginnings would land them at length, I doubt not but they would have +resisted those beginnings, in such a way as would have precluded this +imputation of novelty upon our necessitated withdrawings. + +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 arms, in resisting the sovereign power, maleversing +and abusing authority to the destruction of the ends of it; which +resistance was avowed, encouraged, and 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 and seasonable +warning to all ranks, Feb. 12, 1645, sess. 18.--'Unless men will blot +out of their hearts the love of religion and cause of God, and cast off +all care of their country, laws, liberties, &c. (all being in visible +danger of present ruin and destruction) they must now or never appear +actively, each one stretching himself to, yea beyond his power. It is +not time to dally, or go about the business by halves, 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 own? Or shall the enemies of God be more +active against his cause than his people for it? God forbid.' In another +seasonable and necessary warning, July 27, 1649, sess. 27. they say, +'But if his majesty, or any having or pretending power and 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 thereto, so it will be a +necessary duty to resist and 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 stooping to the shadow 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 king's honour +and authority with the abuse and pretence thereof, and with commissions, +warrants, and letters, procured from the king by the enemies of the +cause and covenant, as if we could not oppose the latter, without +incroaching 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 +article of the covenant; where there seems to be a great deal of +loyalty, obliging to defend the king's majesty, his person and +authority, in the preservation and defence of the true religion and +liberties of the kingdoms, 'that the world may bear witness with our +consciences of our loyalty, and that we have no thoughts or intentions +to diminish his majesty's just power and greatness.' I answer, there is +indeed a deal of loyalty there, and true loyalty, because lawfully +limited, being qualified with, and subordinate unto the preservation and +defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdom (as the makers +of the covenant do expound it, in the assembly's declaration against the +unlawful engagement, July _ult._ 1648, sess. 21.) not that reverse +loyalty, which makes duties to God conditional and limited, and duties +to the king absolute and unlimited, as our loyalists do now. And I wish +others were free of it, who have sworn oaths of unlimited allegiances to +maintain the king in any power unto which his force aspires; and to +justify this their loyalty, will bring in this article of the covenant +with a distorted sense, reading it backward, 'that we in the +preservation and defence of religion must preserve and defend the king:' +As if religion obliged to defend him, do what he will. It were better +such pretended covenanters denied 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 and the liberties of the +people, and to vindicate these precious interests from his usurpings, +into a state of liberty: And shall we imagine, that that very oath of +God did lay upon them or us an obligation to defend the person who is a +destroyer of all these, contrary to the very nature of the oath, +contrary to the hope of the covenanters, and contrary to their +subsequent practice? 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 sovereignty. The owning 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 world's mistake, and to +remove that odium industriously heaped upon the heads of whose hearts +were associate in the defence of religion and liberty, therefore they +would profess they would not be disloyal while he was for God. And a +defiance may be given to clamour, and calumny itself, to give one +instance of the defect of performance hereof, while he went not about to +ruin those things, incomparably more precious than 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 own in +our testimony, for which many have died, 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 and +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 +among them. This principle of reason and natural justice, was not much +inquired into in this time; when the sun was up, whose warmth and 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 and orderly course of law was running in its +right channel. Yet from the ground of their ordinary procedure, military +and civil, against such monsters, we may gather the lawfulness of an +ordinary procedure in a pinch of necessity, conform to their grounds: I +hope to make this evident, when I come _ex proposito_ to vindicate this +head. But there is another thing that we own, which seems not to have +been known in these days, viz. That when we are required to own the +authority of the present dominator, we hold sinful to own it. Yet we +find these reverend and renowned fathers owned King Charles I. and did +not refuse the succession of Charles II. I shall answer in order. First, +As to King Charles I. there was a great difference betwixt him and his +sons that succeeded; he never declared parliamentarily 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 beginning, when there were some hopes of +redress, than after such process of time; whereby now we see and feel +beyond all debate, that the throne stands and is stated, not only in +opposition to, but upon the ruins of the rights and privileges both of +religion and liberty. But was not the equivalent done by the church, +anno 1648, when they refused to concur with that unlawful engagement, +for restoring of the king, 'till security be had, by solemn oath under +his hand and seal, that he shall for himself and successors, give his +assent to all acts and bills for enjoining presbyterial government, and +never make opposition to it, nor endeavour any change thereof? July +_ult._ 1648. sess. 21.' But it will be laid, 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 thorns. 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 engage to maintain him, than +simply to disown 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 was their blame and +our bane, of which we may blush this day) yet we find many things in +that transaction which justify our disowning of him, and condemn the +owning of the present possessor. (1.) In that seasonable and necessary +warning, July 27, sess. 27. 'whereas many would have admitted his +majesty to the exercise of his royal power, upon any terms whatsoever: +the assembly declares first; that a boundless and unlimited power is to +be acknowledged in no king nor magistrate; neither is our king to be +admitted to the exercise of his power, as long as he refuses to walk in +the administration of the same, according to this rule. Secondly, that +there is a mutual stipulation and obligation between the king and the +people, as both of them are tied to God, so each of them are tied to one +another, for the performance of mutual and reciprocal duties; +accordingly kings are to take the oath of coronation, to abolish popery +and maintain the protestant religion: As long therefore as the king +refuses to engage and oblige himself for security of religion and safety +of his people, it is consonant to scripture and reason and laws of the +kingdom, that he should be refused. Thirdly, in the league and covenant +the duty of defending and preserving the king, is subordinate to the +duty of preserving religion and liberty: And therefore, he standing in +opposition to the public desires of the people for their security, it +were a manifest breach of covenant, and a preferring the king's +interest to the interest of Jesus Christ, to bring him to the exercise +of his power. Fourthly, That it was for restraint of arbitrary +government, and for their just defence against tyranny, that the Lord's +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 were to put in his hand that arbitrary power, +and so to abandon their former principles, and betray the cause. +Fifthly, That he, being admitted before satisfaction, would soon +endeavour an overturning of the things which God hath wrought, and +labour to draw public administrations, concerning religion and liberty, +into that course and channel in which they did run under prelacy, and +before the work of reformation. Whence they warn that every one take +heed of such a snare, that they be not accessory to any such design, as +they would not bring upon themselves and their families, the guilt of +all the detriment that will undoubtedly follow thereupon, of all the +miseries it will bring upon the kingdoms--And therefore whosoever +attempt the same, oppose themselves to the cause of God, and will at +last dash against the rock of the Lord's power, which hath broken in +pieces many high and lofty ones, since the beginning of the work in the +kingdoms.' 2. I shall here insert the act of the West-kirk, declaring +their mind very manifestly. + + '_West Kirk, August 13, 1650._ The commission of the general + assembly, considering that there may be just ground of stumbling, + from the king's majesty refusing to subscribe and emit the + declaration, offered to him by the committee of estates and the + commission of the general assembly, concerning his former carriage + and resolutions for the future, in reference to the cause of God + and the enemies and friends thereof; doth therefore declare, That + this kirk and kingdom doth not own or espouse any malignant party, + or quarrel, or interest, but that they fight merely upon their + former grounds and principles, and in the defence of the cause of + God and of the kingdom, as they have done these twelve years past: + And therefore, as they disclaim all the sin and guilt of the king + and of his house, so they will not own him nor his interest, + otherwise than with a subordination to God, and so far as he owns + and prosecutes the cause of God, and disclaims his and his father's + opposition to the work of God, and to the covenant, and likewise + all the enemies thereof; and that they will with convenient speed + take unto consideration the papers, lately sent unto them by + Oliliver Cromwel, and vindicate themselves from all the falshoods + contained therein; especially in these things wherein the quarrel + betwixt us and that party is mistated, as we owned the late king's + proceedings, and were resolved to prosecute and maintain his + present majesty's interest, before and without acknowledgement of + the sin of his house and former ways, and satisfaction to God's + people in both kingdoms.' + +'A. KER.' + + '_August 13, 1650._ The committee of estates, having seen and + considered a declaration of the commission of the general assembly, + anent the stating of the quarrel wherein the army is to fight, do + approve the same, and heartily concur therein.' + +'THO. HENDERSON.' + +In the third place: It is specified in the Causes of Wrath, as one of +the steps of defection, Art. 9. Step. 5. 'That a treaty should have been +closed with him, upon his subscribing demands, after he had given many +clear evidences of his disaffection and enmity to the work and people of +God: That these demands, which he was required to subscribe, did not +contain a real security, a real abandoning of former malignant courses +and principles, and cleaving to the work of God; it was not a paper or +verbal security which we were bound to demand of him, but a real one; +and to entrust him without this, was but to mock God, and to deceive the +world, and to betray and destroy ourselves, by giving up all the +precious interests of religion and liberty unto the hands of one, who +was in a course of enmity to them: That both before, and in the mean +time of the treaty, he had given evidences of his enmity in many +instances there condescended upon particularly; that he authorized James +Graham to invade this kingdom, and encouraged him by letters to go on in +that invasion, even whilst he was in terms of a treaty with us, as +appeared by bringing into our hands the authentic commission itself, and +sundry letters under his own hand.' Next, in the same Causes of Wrath, +among the sins of the ministry, in relation to the public, sect. 10, 11, +12, 13. 'That they agreed to receive the king to the covenant, barely +upon writing, without any apparent evidences of a real change of +principle: That they did not use freedom, in showing what was sinful in +reference to that treaty, but went on therein when they were not +satisfied in their consciences, for fear of reproach, and of being +mistaken: That they were silent in public, and did not give testimony, +after a discovery of the king's commission to James Graham for invading +the kingdom: That they pressed the king to make a declaration to the +world, whilst they knew by clear evidences that he had no real +conviction of the things contained therein.' + + +PERIOD VI. + +_Containing the Testimony through the continued tract of the present +deformation from the year 1660 to this day._ + +Now comes the last catastrophe of the deformation of the church of +Scotland, which now renders her to all nations as infamously despicable, +as her reformation formerly made her admired and envied; which in a +retrograde motion hath gradually been growing these 27 years, going back +through all the steps by which the reformation ascended, till now she is +returned to the very border of that Babylon, from whence she took her +departure, and reduced through defection, and division, and persecutious +to a confused chaos of almost irreparable dissolution, and unavoidable +desolation. Through all which steps notwithstanding, to this day, +Scotland hath never wanted a witness for Christ, against all the various +steps of the enemy's advancings, and of professed friends declinings: +though the testimony hath had some singularities, some way +discriminating it from that of former periods; in that it hath been more +difficult by reason of more desperate and dreadful assaults of more +enraged enemies, more expert and experienced in the accursed art of +overturning than any formerly; in that it hath been attended with more +disadvantages, by reason of the enemies greater prevalency, and friends +deficency, and greater want of significant asserters, than any formerly; +in that it hath been intangled in more multifarious intricacies of +questions, and debates, and divisions among the assertors themselves, +making it more dark, and yet in the end contributing to clear it more +than any formerly; in that it hath been intended and extended to a +greater measure, both as to matter and manner of contendings against the +adversaries, and stated upon nicer points; more enixly prosecuted and +tenaciously maintained, and sealed with more sufferings, than any +formerly; in that it hath had more opposition and contradiction, and +less countenance from professed friends to the reformation, either at +home or abroad, than any formerly. And yet it hath had all these several +speciallties together, which were peculiar to the former testimonies, in +their respective periods: being both active and passive, both against +enemies and friends; and _in cumulis_ stated against atheism, popery, +prelacy, and erastian supremacy, which were the successive heads of the +former testimonies, and also now extended in a particular manner against +tyranny. And not only against the substance and circumstance, abstract +and concret root and branch, head and tail of them, and all complying +with them, conforming to them, or deduced from them, any manner of way, +directly or indirectly, formally or interpretatively. This is that +extensive and very comprehensive testimony of the present period, as it +is now stated and sealed with the blood of many: which in all its parts, +points and pendicles is most directly relative, and dilucidly reducible, +to a complex witness for the declarative glory of Christ's kingship and +headship over all, as he is Mediator, which is the greatest concern that +creatures have to contend for, either as men or as Christians. The +matter of this testimony, I shall give a short manuduction to the +progress and result of its management. + +During the exile of the royal brothers, it is undeniably known that they +were, by their mothers caresses and the jesuits allurements, seduced to +abjure the reformed religion (which was easy to induce persons to, that +never had the sense of any religion) and to be reconciled to the church +of Rome: and that, not only they wrote to the pope many promises of +promoting his projects, if ever they should recover the power into their +hands again, and often frequented the mass themselves; but also, by +their example and the influence of their future hopes, prevailed with +many of their dependents and attendants abroad, to do the like. Yet it +is unquestionably known, that in the mean time of his exile, he renewed +and confirmed, by private letters to presbyterians, his many reiterated +engagements to adhere to the covenant, and declared that he was and +would continue the same man, that he had declared himself to be in +Scotland, (wherein doubtless, as he was an expert artist, he +equivocated, and meant in his heart he would continue as treacherous as +ever) which helped to keep a loyal impression of his interest in the +hearts of too many, and an expectation of some good of him, of which +they were ashamed afterwards. And immediately before his return, it is +known what promises are contained in that declaration from Breda (from +whence he came also the second time, with greater treachery than at the +first) to all protestants that would live peaceably under his +government; beginning now to weigh out his perfidy, and perjury, and +breach of covenant, in offering to tolerate that in an indulgence, which +he swore to maintain as a duty. But in all this he purposed nothing, but +to ingere and ingratiate himself into the peoples over credulous +affections, that they might not obstruct his return, which a jealousy of +his intended tyranny would have awakened them to withstand. And so +having seated himself, and strengthened his power against the +attemptings of any, whom his conscience might suggest an apprehension +that they ought to resist him, he thought himself discharged from all +obligations of covenants, oaths, or promises, for which his faith had +been pledged. And from the first hour of his arrival, he did in a manner +set himself to affront and defy the authority of God, and to be revenged +upon his kingdoms for inviting him so unanimously to sway their sceptre; +in polluting and infecting the people with all debaucheries and +monstrous villanies; and commencing his incestous whoredoms that very +first night he came to his palace, wherein he continued to his dying day +outvying all for vileness. Yet he went on deluding our church with his +dissimulations, and would not discover all his wickedness hatched in his +heart at first, till his designs should be riper; but directed a letter +to the presbytery of Edinburgh, declaring he was resolved to protect and +preserve the government of the church of Scotland, as it is settled by +law without violation: wherein it was observed he altered the stile, and +spake never a word of the covenant, our _Magna Charta_ of religion and +righteousness, our greatest security for all interests intrusted to him, +but only of law; by which, as his practice expounded it afterwards, he +meant the prelatical church, as it was settled by the law of his father, +since which time he reckoned there was no law but rebellion. This was a +piece and prelude of our base defection, and degeneration into blind +blockish, and brutish stupidity; that after he had discovered so much +perfidy, we not only at first tempted him to perjury, in admitting him +to the crown, upon his mock-engagement in the covenant, whereby God was +mocked, his Spirit was grieved, his covenant prostituted, the church +cheated, and the state betrayed; but after the Lord had broken his yoke +from off our necks, by sending him to exile ten years, where he was +discovered to be imbibing all that venom and tyrannical violence, which +he afterward vented in revenge upon the nation; and after we had long +smarted for our first transaction with him; yet notwithstanding of all +this, we believed him again, and Issachar-like couched under his burdens +and were so far from withstanding, that we did not so much as witness +against the re-admission and restoration of the head and tail of +malignants, but let them come in peaceably to the throne, without any +security to the covenanted cause, or for our civil or religious +interests, and by meal, at their own ease, leisure and pleasure, to +overturn all the work of God, and reintroduce the old antichristian +yoke of absurd prelacy, and blasphemous sacreligious, supremacy, and +absolute arbitrary tyranny with all their abominations: which he, and +with him the generality of our nobility, gentry, clergy, and commonality +by him corrupted, without regard to faith, or fear of God or man, did +promote and propogate, the nation was involved in the greatest revolt +from, and rebellion against God, that ever could be recorded in any age +or generation; nay attended with greater and grosser aggravations, than +ever any could be capable of before us, who have had the greatest +privileges that ever any church had, since the national church of the +Jews, the greatest light, the greatest effects of matchless magnified +love, the greatest convictions of sin, the greatest resolutions and +solemn engagements against it, and the greatest reformation from it, +that ever any had to abuse and affront. O heavens be astonished at this, +and horribly afraid! for Scotland hath changed her glory, and the crown +hath fallen from off her head, by an unparalelled apostasy, a free and +voluntary, wilful and deliberate apostasy, an avowed and declared and +authorized apostasy, tyrannically carried on by military violence and +cruelty, a most universal and every way unprecedented apostasy! I must a +little change my method, in deducing the narration of this catastrophe, +and subdistinguish this unhappy period into several steps; shewing how +the enemies opposition to Christ advanced, and the testimony of his +witnesses did gradually ascend, to the pitch it is now arrived at. + +I. These enemies of God, having once got footing again, with the favour +and the fawnings of the foolish nation, went on fervently to further and +promote their wicked design: and meeting with no opposition at first, +did encourage themselves to begin boldly. Wherefore, hearing of some +ministers peaceably assembled, to draw up a monitory letter to the king, +minding him of his covenant engagements and promises (which was though +weak, yet the first witness and warning against that heaven-daring +wickedness then begun) they cruelly incarcerate them. Having hereby much +daunted the ministry from their duty in that day, for fear of the like +unusual and outrageous usage. The parliament convenes January 1, 1661, +without so much as a protestation for religion and liberty given in to +them. And there, in the first place, they frame and take the oath of +supremacy, exauctorating Christ, and investing his usurping enemy with +the spoils of his robbed prerogative, acknowledging the king 'only +supreme governor over all persons and in all causes, and that his power +and jurisdiction must not be declined.' Whereby under all persons and +all causes, all church officers, in their most properly ecclesiastic +affairs and concerns of Christ, are comprehended: And if the king shall +take upon him to judge their doctrine, worship, discipline, or +government, he must not be declined as an incompetent judge. Which did +at once enervate all the testimony of the 4th period above declared, and +laid the foundation for all this Babel they have built since, and of all +this war that hath been waged against the Son of God, and did introduce +all this tyranny and absolute power, which hath been since carried to +its complement, and made the king's throne the foundation of all the +succeeding perjury and apostacy. Yet, though then our synods and +presbyteries were not discharged, but might have had access in some +concurrence to witness against this horrid invasion upon Christ's +prerogative and the church's privilege, no joint testimony was given +against it, except that some were found witnessing against it in their +singular capacity by themselves. As faithful Mr. James Guthrie, for +declining this usurped authority in prejudice of the kingdom of our Lord +Jesus, suffered death, and got the martyr's crown upon his head: And +some others, for refuting that oath arbitrarily imposed, were banished +or confined, when they had gained this bulwark of Christ's kingdom; then +they waxed more insolent, and set up their ensigns for signs, and broke +down the carved work of reformation with axes and hammers. In this +parliament, 1661, they past an _act rescissory_ whereby they annulled and +declared void the national covenant, the solemn league and covenant, +presbyterial government, and all laws made in favour of the work of +reformation since the year 1643. O horrid wickedness! both in its nature +so atrocious, to condemn and rescind what God did so signally seal as +his own work, to the conviction of the world, and for which he will +rescind the rescinders, and overturn these overturners of his work, and +make the curse of that broken covenant bind them to the punishment, whom +its bond could not oblige to the duty covenanted; and in its design and +end so base and detestable, for nothing but to flatter the king in +making way for prelacy, tyranny, and popery, and to indulge the +licentiousness of some debauched nobles, who could not endure the yoke +of Christ's government, and to suppress religion and righteousness under +the ruins of that reformation. But O holy and astonishing justice, thus +to recompence our way upon our own head! to suffer this work and cause +to be ruined under our unhappy hands, who suffered this destroyer to +come in before it was so effectually secured, as it should not have been +in the power of his hand (whatever had been in his heart, swelled with +enmity against Christ) to have razed and ruined that work as now most +wickedly he did, and drew in so many into the guilt of the same deed, +that almost the whole land not only consented unto it but applauded it; +by approving and countenancing another wicked act framed at the same +time, by that same perfidious parliament for an anniversary +thanksgiving, commemorating every 29th of May, that blasphemy against +the Spirit and work of God, and celebrating that unhappy restoration of +the rescinder of the reformation; which had not only the concurrence of +the universality of the nation, but (alas for shame that it should be +told in Gath, &c!) even of some ministers who afterwards accepted of +the indulgence (one of which, a pillar among them, was seen scandalously +dancing about the bonefires.) And others, who should have alarmed the +whole nation _quasi pro aris & focis_, to rise for religion and liberty, +to resist such wickedness, did wink at it. O how righteous is the Lord +now in turning our harps into mourning! Though alas! we will not suffer +ourselves to this day, to see the shining righteousness of this +retribution: And though we be scourged with scorpions, and brayed in a +mortar, our madness, our folly in these irreligious frolics, is not yet +acknowledged, let be lamented. Yet albeit, neither in this day when then +the covenant was not only broken, but cassed and declared of no +obligation, nor afterward when it was burnt (for which Turks and Pagans +would have been ashamed and afraid at such a terrible sight, and for +which the Lord's anger is burning against these bold burners, and +against them who suffered it, and did not witness against it) was there +any public testimony by protestation or remonstrance, or any public +witness? though the Lord had some then, and some who came out afterward +with the trumpet at their mouth, whole heart then sorrowed at the sight; +and some suffered for the sense they shewed of that anniversary +abomination, for not keeping which they lost both church and liberty. It +is true the ordinary meetings of presbyteries and synods were about that +time discharged, to make way for the exercise of the new power conferred +on the four prelates who were at court, re-ordained and consecrated +thereby renouncing their former title to the ministry. But this could +not give a discharge from a necessary testimony, then called for from +faithful watchmen. However the reformation being thus rescinded and +razed, and the house of the Lord pulled down, then they begin to build +their Babel. In the parliament 1662, by their first act they restore and +re-establish prelacy, upon such a foundation as they might by the same +law bring in popery, which was then designed; and so settled its +harbinger diocesan and erastian prelacy, by fuller enlargement of the +supremacy. The very act begins thus: 'For as much as the ordering and +disposal of the external government of the church, doth properly belong +to his majesty as an inherent right of the crown, by virtue of his royal +prerogative, and supremacy in causes ecclesiastic--whatever shall be +determined by his majesty, with advice of the archbishops, and such of +the clergy as he shall nominate, in the external government of the +church (the same consisting with the standing laws of the kingdom) shall +be valid and effectual. And in the same act all laws are rescinded, by +which the sole power and jurisdiction within the church doth stand in +the church assemblies, and all which may be interpreted, to have given +any church power, jurisdiction, or government to the office-bearers of +the church, other than that which acknowledgeth a dependence upon, and +subordination to the sovereign power of the king as supreme.' By which, +prelates are redintegrated to all their privileges and pre-eminencies, +that they possessed 1637. And all their church power (robbed from the +officers of Christ) is made to be derived from, to depend upon, and to +be subordinate to the crown prerogative of the king: whereby the king is +made the only fountain of church power, and that exclusive even of +Christ, of whom there is no mentioned exception: And his vassals the +bishops, as his clerks in ecclesiastics, are accountable to him for all +their administrations; a greater usurpation upon the kingdom of Christ, +than ever the papacy itself aspired unto. Yet, albeit here was another +display of a banner of defiance against Christ, in altering the church +government of Christ's institution into the human invention of lordly +prelacy, in assuming a power by prerogative to dispose then of the +external government of the church, and in giving his creatures patents +for this effect, to be his administrators for that usurped government; +there was no public, ministerial, at least united testimony against this +neither. Therefore the Lord punished this sinful and shameful silence of +ministers, in his holy justice, though by men's horrid wickedness; when +by another wicked act of the council at Glasgow, above 300 ministers +were put from their charges; and afterwards, for their non-conformity in +not countenancing their diocesan meeting, and not keeping the +anniversary day, May 29, the rest were violently thrust from their +labours in the Lord's vineyard, and banished from their parishes, and +adjudged unto a nice and strange confinement, twenty miles from their +own parishes, six miles from a cathedral church, as they called it, and +three miles from a burgh; whereby they were reduced into many +inconveniencies. Yet in this fatal convulsion of the church, generally +all were struck with blindness and baseness, that a paper proclamation +made them all run from their posts, and obey the king's orders for their +ejection. Thus were they given up, because of their forbearing to sound +an alarm, charging the people of God, in point of loyalty to Christ, and +under the pain of the curse of the covenant, to awake and aquit +themselves like men, and not to suffer the enemy to rob them of that +treasure of reformation, which they were put in possession of, by the +tears, prayers, and blood of such as went before them; instead of those +prudential fumblings and firstlings then and since so much followed. +Wherefore the Lord in his holy righteousness, left that enemy (against +whom they should have cried and contended, and to whose eye they should +have held the curse of the covenant, as having held it first to their +own, in case of unfaithful silence in not holding it to his) to call +them out of the house of the Lord, and dissolve their assemblies, and +deprive them of their privileges, because of their not being so valiant +for the truth, as that a full and faithful testimony against that +encroachment might be found upon record. Nevertheless some were found +faithful in that hour and power of darkness, who kept the word of the +Lord's patience, and who were therefore kept in and from that temptation +(which carried many away into sad and shameful defections) though not +from suffering hard things from the hands of men; and only these who +felt most of their violence, found grace helping them to acquit +themselves suitably to that day's testimony, being thereby prevented +from an active yielding to their impositions, when they were made +passively to suffer force. However that season of a public testimony was +lost, and as to the most part never recovered to this day. The prelates +being settled, and re-admitted to voice in parliament, they procure an +act, dogmatically condemning several material parts and points of our +covenanted reformation, to wit, these positions, 'That it was lawful for +subjects, for reformation or necessary self-defence, to enter into +leagues, or take up arms against the king: And particularly declaring, +that the national covenant, as explained in the year 1638, and the +solemn league and covenant, were and are in themselves unlawful oaths, +and were taken by and imposed upon the subjects of this kingdom against +the fundamental laws and liberties thereof, that all such gatherings and +petitions that were used in the beginning of the late troubles, were +unlawful and seditious: And whereas then people were led unto these +things, by having disseminated among them such principles as these, That +it was lawful to come with petitions and representations of grievances +to the king, that it was lawful for people to restrict their allegiance +under such and such limitations, and suspend it until he should give +security for religion, &c. It was therefore enacted, that all such +positions and practices founded thereupon, were treasonable.--And +further did enact, that no person, by writing, praying, preaching, or +malicious or advised speaking, express or publish any words or +sentences, to stir up the people to the dislike of the king's +prerogative and supremacy, or of the government of the church by +bishops, or justify any of the deeds, actings, or things declared +against by that act.' Yet notwithstanding of all this subversion of +religion and liberty, and restraint of asserting these truths here +trampled upon either before men by testimony, or before God in mourning +over these indignities done unto him, in everting these and all the +parts of reformation, even when it came to Daniel's case of confession, +preaching and praying truths interdicted by law; few had their eyes open +(let be their windows in an open avouching them) to see the duty of the +day calling for a testimony. Though afterwards, the Lord spirited some +to assert and demonstrate the glory of these truths and duties to the +world. As that judicious author of the Apologetical Relation, whose +labours need no eulogium to commend them. But this is not all: for these +men, having now as they thought subverted the work of God, they provided +also against the fears of its revival: making acts, declaring, 'that if +the outed ministers dare to continue to preach, and presume to exercise +their ministry, they should be punished as seditious persons; requiring +of all a due acknowledgement of, and hearty compliance with, the king's +government, ecclesiastical and civil; and that whosoever shall +ordinarily and wilfully withdraw and absent from the ordinary meetings +for divine worship in their own churches on the Lord's day, shall incur +the penalties there insert.' Thus the sometimes chaste virgin, whose +name was Beulah to the Lord, the reformed church of Scotland, did now +suffer a violent and villainous rape, from a vermin of vile schismatical +apostates, obtruded and imposed upon her, instead of her able, painful, +faithful, and successful pastors, that the Lord had set over her, and +now by their faintness and the enemy's force, robbed from her, and none +now allowed by law to administer the ordinances, but either apostate +curates, who by their perjury and apostacy forfaulted their ministry, or +other hirelings and prelates journeymen, who run without a mission, +except from them who had none to give according to Christ's institution, +the seal of whose ministry could never yet be shewn in the conversion of +any sinner to Christ: but if the tree may be known by its fruits, we may +know whose ministers they are; _ut ex ungue leonem_, by their +conversions of reformation into deformation, of the work and cause of +God into the similitude of the Roman beast, of ministers into hirelings, +of their proselytes into ten times worse children of the devil than they +were before, of the power of godliness into formality, of preaching +Christ into orations of morality, of the purity of Christ's ordinances +into the vanity of men's inventions, of the beautiful government of the +house of God for edification, to a lordly pre-eminence and domination +over consciences; in a word, of church and state constitutions for +religion and liberty, all upside dwon into wickedness and slavery: These +are the conversions of prelacy. But now this astonishing blow to the +gospel of the kingdom, introducing such a swarm of locusts into the +church, and in forcing a compliance of the people with this defection, +and that so violently and rigorously, as even simple withdrawing was so +severely punished by severe edicts of fining, and other arbitrary +punishments at first; what did it produce? did it awaken all Christ's +ambassadors, now to appear for Christ, in this clear and claimant case +of confessing him, and the freedom and purity of his ordinances? Alas! +the backwardness and bentness to backsliding, in a superseding from the +duties of that day, did make it evident, that now the Lord had in a +great measure forsaken them, because they had forsaken him. The standard +of the gospel was then fallen, and few to take it up. The generality of +ministers and professors both went and conformed so far as to hear the +curates, contrary to many points of the reformation formerly attained, +contrary to their covenant engagements, and contrary to their own +principles and practice at that same time; scrupling and refusing to +keep the bishops visitations, and to countenance their discipline and +power of jurisdiction, because it was required as a testification of +their acknowledgment of, and compliance with the present government, and +yet not scrupling to countenance their doctrine and usurped power of +order required also by the same law, as the same test of the same +compliance and submission. Its strange that some yet do plead for +persisting in that same compliance, after all the bitter consequents of +it. Other ministers lay altogether by in their retired recesses, waiting +to see what things would turn to: others were hopeless, turned farmers +and doctors: others more wily, staid at home, and preached quietly in in +ladies chambers. But the faithful thought that this tyrannical ejection +did not nor could not unminister them, so as they might not preach the +gospel wherever they were, as ambassadors of Christ; but rather found +themselves under an indispensible necessity to preach the gospel and +witness for the freedom of their ministry, and make full proof of it, in +preaching in season and out of season: and thereupon as occasion offered +preached to all such as were willing to hear; but at first only in +private houses, and that for the most part at such times, when sermons +in public surceased (a superplus of caution.) But afterwards, finding so +great difficulties and persecutions for their house meetings, where they +were so easily entrapped, were constrained at last to keep their +meetings in the fields, without shelter from cold, wind, snow, or rain. +Where testifying both practically and particularly against these +usurpations on their Master's prerogatives, and witnessing for their +ministerial freedom, contrary to all law-interdictions, without any +licences or indulgences from the usurper, but holding their ministry +from Jesus Christ alone, both as to the office and exercise thereof; +they had so much of their Master's countenance, and success in their +labours, that they valued neither hazards nor hardships, neither the +contempt of pretended friends, not the laws nor threatnings of enemies, +adjudging the penalty of death itself to preachers at field conventicles +as they called them. Now having thus overturned the church-government, +by introducing prelacy, to advance an absolute supremacy; the effects +whereof were either the corruption, or persecution of all the ministry, +encouragement of profanity and wickedness, the encrease and advancement +of popery, superstition, and error, cruel impositions on the conscience, +and oppressions for conscience sake, by the practices of cruel +supra-Spanish inquisitions, and all manner of outcries of outragious +violence and villany: the king proceeds in his design, to pervert and +evert the well modelled and moderated constitution of the state +government also, by introducing and advancing an arbitrary tyranny; the +effects whereof were, an absolute mancipation of lives and liberties and +estates unto his lust and pleasure, the utter subversion of laws, and +absolute impoverishing of the people. For effectuating which, he first +procures a lasting imposition of intollerable subsidies and taxations, +to impoverish that he might the more easily enslave the nation; next a +further recognizance of his prerogative, in a subjection of persons, +fortunes, and whole strength of the kingdom to his absolute arbitrement, +'in a levy of militia of 20,000 footmen, and 2000 horsemen sufficiently +armed with 40 days provision, to be ready upon the king's call to march +to any part of his dominions, for opposing whatsoever invasion, or +insurrection, or for any other service.' The first sproutings of tyranny +were cherished, by the cheerful and stupid submission generally yielded +to these exorbitancies; under which they who suffered most were inwardly +malecontents, but there was no opposition to them by word or action, but +on the contrary, generally people did not so much as scruple sending +out, or going out as militiamen: never adverting unto what this +concurrence was designed, and demanded, and given for; nor what an +accession it was, in the nature and influence of the mean itself, and +in the sense and intention of the requirers, unto a confederacy for a +compliance with, and a confirmation and strengthening of arbitrary +tyranny. After the fundamental constitutions of both church and state +are thus razed and rooted up, to confirm this absolute power, he +contrived to frame all inferior magistrates according to his mould: And +for this end appointed, that all persons in any public trust or office +whatsoever should subscribe a declaration, renouncing and abjuring the +covenants; whereby perjury was made the chief and indispensible +qualification, and _conditio sine qua non_, of all that were capable of +exercising any power or place in church or state. But finding this not +yet sufficient security for this unsettled settlement; because he well +understood, the people stood no ways obliged to acknowledge him but only +according to the solemn covenants, being the fundamental conditions +whereupon their allegiance was founded (as amongst all people, the +articles mutually consented betwixt them and these whom they set over +them, are the constituent fundamentals of government) and well knowing, +that he and his associates, by violating these conditions, had loosed +the people from all subjection to him, or any deriving power from him, +whereby the people might justly plead, that since he had kept no +condition they were not now obliged to him, he therefore contrived a new +oath of allegiance to be imposed upon all in public trust both in church +and state; wherein they are made to oblige themselves to that boundless +breaker of all bonds sacred and civil, and his successors also, without +any reciprocal obligation from him to them, or any reserved restriction, +limitation, or qualification, as all human authority by God's ordinance +must be bounded. Whereby the swearers have by oath homologated the +overturning of the very basis of the government, making free people +slaves to the subverters thereof, betraying their native brethren and +posterity to the lust of tyranny, and have in effect as really as if in +plain terms affirmed, that whatsoever tyranny shall command or do, +either as to the overturning of the work of God, subverting of religion, +destroying of liberty, or persecuting all the godly to the utmost +extremity, they shall not only stupidly endure it, but actively concur +with it, and assist in all this tyranny. Alas there was no public +testimony against this trick, to bring people under the yoke of tyranny; +except by some who suffered for conscientious refusing it, while many +others did take it, thinking to salve the matter by their pitiful +quibbling senses, of giving Cesar his due. Whereas this Cesar, for whom +these loyal alledgers plead, is not an ordinary Cesar, but such a Cesar, +as Nero, or Caligula, that if he got his due, it would be in another +kind. Strange! can presbyterians swear that allegiance, which is +substituted in the place of the broken and burnt covenant? Or could they +swear it to such a person, who having broken and buried the covenant, +that he who had sworn it might have another right and allegiance than +that of the covenant, had then remitted to us all allegiance founded +upon the covenant? However, having now prepared and furnished himself +with tools so qualified for his purpose, in church and state, he +prosecutes his persecution with such fervour and fury, rage and revenge, +impositions and oppressions, and with armed formed force, against the +faithful following their duty in a peaceable manner, without the least +shadow of contempt even of his abused authority, that at length in the +year 1666, a small party were compelled to go to defensive arms. Which, +whatever was the desire of the court (as it is known how desirous they +have been of an insurrection, when they thought themselves sure to +suppress it, that they might have a vent for their cruelty; and how one +of the brothers hath been heard say, that if he might have his wish, he +would have them all turn rebels and go to arms.) Yet it was no +predetermined design of that poor handful. For Sir James Turner, +pursuing his cruel orders in Galloway, sent some soldiers to apprehend a +poor old man; whom his neighbours compassionating, intreated the +soldiers to loose him as he lay bound, but were answered with drawn +swords and necessitated to their own defence: In which they relieve the +man, and disarm the soldiers, and further attacked some others +oppressing that country, disarming ten or twelve more, and killing one +that made resistance. Whereupon, the country being alarmed, and fearing +from sad experience Sir James would certainly avenge this affront upon +the whole country, without distinction of free and unfree, they gather +about 54 horsemen, march to Dumfries, take Sir James Turner prisoner, +and disarm the soldiers, without any more violence. Being thus by +providence engaged without any hope of retreat, and getting some +concurrence of their brethren in the same condition, they came to +Lanark, where they renew the covenant, and thence to Pentland hills; +where, by the holy disposal of God, they were routed, many killed, and +130 taken prisoners, who were treated so treacherously and truculently, +as Turks would have blushed to have seen the like. Hence now on the one +hand, we may see the righteousness of God in leaving that enemy to him, +whom we embraced, to make such avowed discoveries of himself, without a +blush to the world, and to scourge us with scorpions that we nourished +and put in his hands: And also, how justly at that time he left us into +such a damp, that like asses we couched under all burdens, and few came +out to the help of the Lord against the mighty, drawing on them Meroz's +curse, and the blood of their butchered brethren; after we had sat, and +seen, and suffered all things civil and sacred to be destroyed in our +fight, without resentment. And though the Lord, who called out these +worthy patriots who fell at Pentland to such an appearance for his +interests, did take a testimony of their hands with acceptance by +sufferings, and singularly countenanced them in sealing it with their +blood; yet he would not give success nor his presence to the enterprise, +but left them in a sort of infatuation, without counsel and conduct, to +be a prey to devourers, that by a sad inadvertency they took in the +tyrant's interest into the state of the quarrel. Which should have +warned his people for the future to have stated the quarrel otherwise. + +II. By this time, and much more after, the king gave as many proofs and +demonstrations of his being true to antichrist, in minding all the +promises and treaties with him, as he had of his being false to Christ, +in all his covenanted engagements with his people. For in this same year +1666, he, with his dear and royal brother the duke of York, contrived, +countenanced, and abetted, the burning of London, evident by their +employing their guards to hinder the people from saving their own, and +to dismiss the incendiaries, the papists, that were taken in the fact. +The committee, appointed to cognosce upon that business, traced it so +far, that they durst go no further, unless they would arraign the duke, +and charge the king, and yet before this, it was enacted as criminal for +any to say the king was a papist. But having gained so much of his +design in Scotland, where he had established prelacy, advanced tyranny +to the height of absoluteness, and his supremacy almost beyond the reach +of any additional supply, yea above the pope's own claim, and had now +brought his only opposites, the few faithful witnesses of Christ, to a +low pass; he went on by craft as well as cruelty, to advance his own in +promoting antichrist's interest. And therefore, having gotten the +supremacy devolved upon him by law (for which also he had the pope's +dispensation, to take it to himself for the time, under promise to +restore and surrender it to him, as soon as he could obtain his end by +it, as the other brother succeeding hath now done) he would now exert +that usurped power, and work by insnaring policy to effectuate the end +which he could not do by other means. Therefore, seeing he was not able +to suppress the meetings of the Lord's people for gospel ordinances, in +house and fields, but that the more he laboured by violent courses, the +greater and more frequent they grew; he fell upon a more crafty device, +not only to overthrow the gospel and suppress the meetings, but to break +the faithful, and to divide, between the mad-cap and the moderate +fanatics (as they phrased it) that he might the more easily destroy +both, to confirm the usurpation, and to settle people in a sinful +silence, and stupid submission to all the incroachments made on Christ's +prerogatives, and more effectually to overturn what remained of the work +of God. And, knowing that nothing could more fortify the supremacy than +minister's homologating and acknowledging it; therefore he offered the +first indulgence in the year 1669, signifying in a letter, dated that +year June 7, his gracious pleasure was, 'to appoint so many of the outed +ministers, as have lived peaceably and orderly, to return to preach and +exercise other functions of the ministry, in the parish churches where +they formerly served (provided they were vacant) and to allow patrons to +present to other vacant churches, such others of them as the council +should approve: That all who are so indulged, be enjoined to keep +presbyteries, and the refusers to be confined within the bounds of their +parishes: And that they be enjoined not to admit any of their neighbour +parishes unto their communions, nor baptize their children, nor marry +any of them, without the allowance of the minister of the parish, and if +they countenance the people deserting their own parishes, they are to be +silenced for shorter or longer time, or altogether turned out, as the +council shall see cause; and upon complaint made and verified, of any +seditious discourse or expressions in the pulpit, uttered by any of the +ministers, they are immediately to be turned out, and further punished +according to law: And seeing by these orders, all pretences for +conventicles were taken away, if any should be found hereafter to preach +without authority, or keep conventicles, his pleasure is, to proceed +with all severity against them, as seditious persons and contemners of +authority.' To salve this in point of law, (because it was against +former laws of their own) and to make the king's letter the supreme law +afterwards, and a valid ground in law, whereupon the council might +proceed, and enact, and execute what the king pleased in matters +ecclesiastic; he therefore caused frame a formal statutory act of +supremacy, of this tenor, 'That his majesty hath the supreme authority +and supremacy over all persons and in all causes ecclesiastic, within +his dominions, and that by virtue thereof, the ordering and disposal of +the external government of the church, doth properly belong to him and +his successors, as an inherent right to the crown: And that he may +settle, enact, and emit such constitutions, acts, and orders, concerning +the administrating thereof, and persons employed in the same, and +concerning all ecclesiastical meetings and matters, to be proposed and +determined therein, as he in his royal wisdom, shall think fit: which +acts, orders, and constitutions, are to be observed and obeyed by all +his majesty's subjects, any law, act, or custom to the contrary +notwithstanding.' Whereupon, accordingly the council, in their act July +27, 1669, do nominate several ministers, and 'appoint them to preach, +and exercise the other functions of the ministry, at their respective +churches there specified, with consent of the patrons.' The same day +also they conclude and enact the forementioned restrictions, conform to +the king's letter above rehearsed, and ordain them to be intimate to +every person, who is by authority foresaid allowed the exercise of the +ministry. These indulged ministers, having that indulgence given only +upon these terms, that they should accept these injunctions, and having +received it upon these terms also (as an essential part of the bargain +and condition, on which the indulgence was granted and accepted, as many +following proclamations did expressly declare) do appoint Mr. Hutcheson, +one of the number, 'to declare so much; in acknowledging his majesty's +favour and clemency, in granting that liberty, after so long a +restraint; and however they had received their ministry from Jesus +Christ, with full prescriptions from him for regulating them therein, +yet nothing could be more refreshing on earth to them, than to have free +liberty for the exercise of their ministry, under the protection of +lawful authority; and so they purposed to behave themselves in the +discharge of their ministry, with that wisdom that became faithful +ministers, and to demean themselves towards lawful authority, +notwithstanding of their known judgment in church affairs, as well +becometh loyal subjects; and their prayer to God should be, that the +Lord should bless his majesty in his person and government, and the +council in the public administration, and especially in the pursuance of +his majesty's mind in his letter, wherein his singular moderation +eminently appears.'--Afterwards they issued out proclamations, +reinforcing the punctual observation of the forementioned injunctions, +and delivered them into the indulged. In the mean time, though cruel +acts and edicts were made against the meetings of the Lord's people, in +houses and the fields, after all these Midianitish wiles to suppress +them, such was the presence of the Lord in these meetings, and so +powerful was his countenance and concurrence with the labours of a few, +who laid up themselves to hold up the standard of Christ; that the +number of converts multiplied daily, to the praise of free grace, and to +the great encouragement of the few hands that wrestled in that work, +through all human discouragement. Therefore, the king and council was +put to a new shift, which they supposed would prove more effectual: To +wit, because there was a great number of nonconformed ministers not yet +indulged, who either did or might hereafter hold conventicles, therefore +to remeed or prevent this in time coming, they appoint and ordain them +to such places where indulged ministers were settled, there to be +confined with allowance to preach as the indulged should employ them; +thinking by this means to incapacitate many to hold meetings there or +elsewhere: And to these also they give injunctions and restrictions to +regulate them in the exercise of their ministry. And to the end that all +the outed ministers might be brought under restraint, and the word of +God be kept under bonds, by another act of council they command, that +all other ministers (not disposed of as is said) were either to repair +to the parish churches where they were, or to some other parishes where +they may be ordinary hearers, and to declare and condescend upon the +parishes where they intend to have their residence. After this they +assumed a power, to dispose of these their curates as they pleased, and +transport them from place to place; whereof the only ground was a simple +act of council, the instructions always going along with them, as the +constant companion of the indulgence. By all which it is apparent; +whatever these ministers alledge, in vindication of it to cover its +deformity, in their balms to take away its stink, and in their surveys +to gather plaisters to scurf over its scurviness, 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 mere mock pretence for a prelimited +imposition, whereby that ordinance of Christ was basely prostituted and +abused) and that their testimony and protestation was a salvo for their +conscience (a mere Utopian 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 denied, that that doleful +indulgence, both in its rise, contrivance, conveyance, grant, and +acceptance, end and effects, was a grievous encroachment upon the +princely prerogative of Jesus Christ the only head of the church; +whereby the usurper's supremacy was homologated, bowed to, complied +with, strengthened and established, the cause and kingdom of Christ +betrayed, his church's privileges surrendered, his enemies hardened, his +friends stumbled, and the remnant rent and ruined; in that it was +granted and deduced from the king's supremacy, and conveyed by the +council; in that, according to his pleasure, he gave and they received a +licence and warrant, to such as he nominated and elected, and judged fit +and qualified for it, and fixed them in what particular parish he +pleased to assign, under the notion of a confinement, in that he imposed +and they submitted to restrictions in the exercise of their ministry, in +these particular parishes, inhibiting to preach elsewhere in the church; +and with these restrictions, he gave and they received instructions to +regulate and direct them in their functions: all which was done without +advice or consent of the church: and thereupon they have frequently been +called and conveened before the council, to give account of their +ministerial exercise, and some of them sentenced, silenced, and 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, and could not obtain it, and far more at that time +and since in the guilt of misprision of treason, in passing this also +without a witness. Thus, in holy judgment, because of our indulging and +conniving at the usurper of Christ's 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, +and plaister, and patronize it, in keeping up the credit of the king and +council's curates, wherein they have shewed more zeal, than ever +against that wicked indulgence. Yet the Lord had some witnesses, who +pretty early did give significations of their resentment of this +dishonour done to Christ, as Mr. William Weir, who having got the legal +call of the people, and discharging his duty honestly, was turned out; +and Mr. John 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-compliance with such a +snare; and Mr. Alexander Blair, who, upon occasion of a citation before +the council for not observing the 29th of May, having with others made +his appearance, and got new copies of instructions presented to them, +being moved with zeal and remembering whose ambassador 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 Christ's ambassador +but theirs, and herewith lets their instructions drop out of his hand, +knowing of no other salvo or manner of testifying for the truth in the +case; for which he was imprisoned, and died under confinement. But +afterwards, the Lord raised up some more explicit 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, and producing the same effects of +defection, security, and unfaithfulness. The occasion was upon his wars +with the Dutch; which gave another demonstrative discovery of his +treachery and popish perfidy, in breaking league with them, and entering +into one with the French, to destroy religion and liberty in Britain: +'Wherein the king of France assures him an absolute authority over his +parliaments, and to re-establish the catholic religion in his kingdoms +of England, Scotland and Ireland; to compass which it was necessary +first to abate the pride and power of the Dutch, and to reduce them to +the sole province of Holland, by which means the king of England should +have Zealand 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 and field meetings, he was so far disappointed, that these very +means and machines 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 drawn away from +their duty, and others were now sentenced with confinements and +restraints, if they should not chuse and fix their residence where they +could not keep their quiet and conscience both; they were forced to +wander and disperse through the country, and the people being tired of +the cold and dead curates, and wanting long the ministry of their old +pastors, so longed and 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 and presence of God, +and the light of his countenance now shining through the cloud, after so +fatal and fearful a darkness that had overclouded the land for a while, +with such a resplendent brightness, that it darkened the prelatic +locusts, and made them hiss and gnash their tongues for pain, and +dazzled the eyes of all onlookers; the word of God grew exceedingly, and +went through at least the southern borders of the kingdom like +lightning, or like the sun in its meridian beauty; discovering so the +wonders of God's law, the mysteries of his gospel, and the secrets of +his covenant, and the sins and duties of that day, that a numerous issue +was begotten to Christ, and his conquest was glorious, captivating poor +slaves of satan, and bringing them from his power unto God, and from +darkness to light. O! who can remember the glory of that day, without a +melting heart, in reflecting upon what we have lost, and let go, and +sinned away, by our misimprovements. O that in that our day we had +heartened to his voice, and had known the things that belonged to our +peace! A day of such power, that it made the people, even the bulk and +body of the people, willing to come out and venture, upon the greatest +of hardships and the greatest of hazards, in pursuing after the gospel, +through mosses and muirs, and inaccessible mountains, summer and winter, +through excess of heat and extremity of cold, many days and +night-journeys; even when they could not have a probable expectation of +escaping the sword of the wilderness, and the barbarous fury of bloody +Burrio's raging for their prey, sent out with orders to take and kill +them, it being now made criminal by law, especially to the preachers and +convocaters of those meetings. But this was a day of such power, that +nothing could daunt them from their duty, that had tasted once the +sweetness of the Lord's presence at these persecuted meetings. Then had +we such humiliation-days for personal and public defections, such +communion-days even in the open fields, and such sabbath-solemnities, +that the places where they were kept might have been called Bethel, or +Peniel, or Bochim, and all of them Jehovah-Shammah; wherein many were +truly converted, more convinced, and generally all reformed from their +former immoralities: that even robbers, thieves, and profane men, were +some of them brought to a saving subjection to Christ, and generally +under such a restraint, that all the severities of heading and hanging, +&c. in a great many years, could not make such a civil reformation, as a +few days of the gospel, in these formerly the devils territories, now +Christ's quarters, where his kingly standard was displayed. I have not +language to lay out in the inexpressible glory of that day: but I will +make bold to say two things of it, first, I doubt if ever there was +greater days of the Son of man upon the earth since the apostolic times, +than we enjoyed for the space of seven years at that time: and next, I +doubt, if upon the back of such a lightsome day there was ever a blacker +night of darkness, defection, division, and confusion, and a more +universal impudent apostasy, than we have seen since. The world is at a +great loss, that a more exact and complete account demonstrating both +these, is not published, which I am sure would be a fertile theme to any +faithful pen. But this not being my scope at present, but only to deduce +the steps of the contendings of Christ's friends and his enemies, I must +follow the thread of my narration. Now when Christ is gaining ground by +the preached gospel in plenty, in purity, and power, the usurper's +supremacy was like to stagger, and prelacy came under universal +contempt, in so much that several country curates would have had but +scarce half a dozen of hearers, and some none at all. And this was a +general observe that never failed, that no sooner did any poor soul come +to get a serious sense of religion, and was brought under any real +exercise of spirit about their souls concerns, but as soon they did fall +out with prelacy and left the curates. Hence to secure what he had +possessed himself of by law, and to prevent a dangerous paroxism which +he thought would ensue upon these commotions, the king returned to +exerce his innate tyranny, and to emit terrible orders, and more +terrible executioners, and bloody emissaries, against all field +meetings: which, after long patience, the people at length could not +endure; but being first chased to the fields, where they would have been +content to have the gospel with all the inconveniences of it, and also +expelled from the fields, being resolute to maintain the gospel, they +resolved to defend it and themselves by arms. To which, unavoidable +necessity in unsupportable extremity did constrain them, as the only +remaining remedy. It is known, for several years they met without any +arms, where frequently they were disturbed and dispersed with soldiers, +some killed, others wounded, which they patiently endured without +resistance: At length the ministers that were most in hazard, having a +price set upon their heads to be brought in dead or alive, with some +attending them in their wanderings, understanding they were thus +appointed for death, judged it their duty to provide for the necessary +defence of their lives from the violence of their armed assaulters. And +as meetings increased, diverse others came under the same hazards, which +enforced them to endeavour the same remedy, without the least intention +of prejudice to any. Thus the number of sufferers increasing, as they +joined in the ordinances at these persecuted meetings, found themselves +in some probable capacity to defend themselves, and these much endeared +and precious gospel privileges, and to preserve the memory of the Lord's +great work in the land, which to transmit to posterity was their great +design. And they had no small encouragement to endeavour it, by the +satisfying sweetness and comfort they found in these ordinances, being +persuaded of the justness of their cause, and of the groundlessness of +their adversaries quarrel against them: And hereunto also they were +incited and prompted, by the palpableness of the enemy's purposes to +destroy the remainder of the gospel, by extirpating the remnant that +professed it. Wherefore in these circumstances, being redacted to that +strait, either to be deprived of the gospel, or to defend themselves in +their meetings for it; and thinking their turning their backs upon it +for hazard was a cowardly deserting duty, and palpable breach of +covenant-engagements, abandoning their greatest interest, they thought +it expedient, yea necessary, to carry defensive arms with them. And as +for that discouragement, from the difficulty and danger of it, because +of their fewness and meanness, it did not deter or daunt them from the +endeavour of their duty; when they considered the Lord in former times +was wont to own a very small party of their ancestors, who in extremity +jeoparded their lives in defence of reformation against very potent and +powerful enemies: These now owning the same cause, judged themselves +obliged to run the same hazard, in the same circumstances, and to follow +the same method, and durst not leave it unessayed, leaving the event to +God: considering also, that not only the law of nature and nations doth +allow self defence from unjust violence, but also the indissoluble +obligation of their covenants, to maintain and defend the true religion, +and one another in promoving the same, made it indispensible to use that +endeavour, the defect of which, through their former supineness gave no +small encouragement to the enemies: They considered also what would be +the consequence of that war, declared against all the faithful of the +land with a displayed banner, prosecuted with fire and sword, and all +acts of horrid hostility published in printed proclamations, and written +in characters of blood by barbarous soldiers, so that none could enjoy +gospel ordinances dispensed in purity, but upon the hazard of their +lives: and therefore, to prevent and frustrate these effects, they +endeavoured to put themselves in a posture. And hereunto they were +encouraged, by the constant experience of the Lord's countenancing their +endeavours in that posture, which always proved successful for several +years, their enemies either turning their backs without disturbance, +when they observed them resolve defence, or in their assaultings +repulsed: So that there was never a meeting which stood to their +defence, got any considerable harm thereby. Thus the Lord was with us +while we were with him, but when we forsook him, then he forsook us, and +left us in the hands of our enemies. However, while meetings for gospel +ordinances did continue, the wicked rulers did not cease from time to +time to encrease their numerous bands of barbarous soldiers for +suppressing the gospel in these field meetings. And for their +maintenance, they imposed new wicked and arbitrary cesses and taxations, +professedly required for suppressing religion and liberty, banishing the +gospel out of the land, and preserving and promoting his absoluteness +over all matters and persons sacred and civil: Which, under that +temptation of great suffering threatened to refusers, and under the +disadvantage of the silence and unfaithfulness of many ministers, who +either did not condemn it, or pleaded for the peaceable payment of it, +many did comply with it then, and far more since. Yet at that time there +were far more recusants, in some places, (especially in the western +shires) than compliers; and there were many of the ministers that did +faithfully declare to the people the sin of it; not only from the +illegality of its imposition, by a convention of overawed and +prelimitated states; but from the nature of that imposed compliance, +that it was a sinful transaction with Christ's declared enemies, a +strengthening the hands of the wicked, an obedience to a wicked law, a +consenting to Christ's expulsion out of the land, and not only that, but +(far worse than the sin of the Gadarenes) a formal concurrence to assist +his expellers, by maintaining their force, a hiring our oppressors to +destroy religion and liberty; and from the fountain of it, an arbitrary +power domineering over us, and oppressing and overpressing the kingdoms +with intolerable exactions, that to pay it, it was to entail slavery on +their posterity; and from the declared end of it, expressed in the very +narrative of the act, viz. to levy and maintain forces for suppressing +and dispersing meetings of the Lord's people, and to show unanimous +affection for maintaining the king's supremacy as now established by +law; which designs he resolved, and would be capacitate by the granters +to effectuate by such a grant, which in effect, to all tender +consciences had an evident tendency to the exauctorating the Lord +Christ, to maintain soldiers to suppress his work, and murder his +followers, yet all this time ministers and professors were unite, and +with one soul and shoulder followed the work of the Lord, till the +indulged, being dissatisfied with the meetings in the fields, whose +glory was like to overcloud and obscure their beds of ease, and +especially being offended at the freedom and faithfulness of some, who +set the trumpet to their mouth, and shewed Jacob his sins, and Israel +his transgressions, impartially without a cloak or cover, they began to +make a faction among the ministers, and to devise how to quench the +fervour of their zeal who were faithful for God. But the more they +sought to extinguish it, the more it broke out and blazed into a flame. +For several of Christ's ambassadors, touched and affected with the +affronts done to their princely master by the supremacy and the +indulgence its bastard brood and brat, began after long silence to +discover its iniquity, and to acquaint the people how the usurper had +invaded the Mediator's chair, in taking upon him to depose, suspend, +silence, plant, and transplant his ministers, where and when and how he +pleased, and to give forth warrants and licences for admitting them, +with canons and instructions for regulating them in the exercise of +their ministry, and to arraign and censure them at his courts for +delinquencies in their ministry; pursuing all to the death who are +faithful to Christ, and maintain their loyalty to his laws, and will not +prostitute their consciences to his lusts, and bow down to the idol of +his supremacy, but will own the kingly authority of Christ. Yet others, +and the greater number of dissenting ministers, were not only deficient +herein, but defended them, joined with them, and (pretending prudence +and prevention of schism) in effect homologated that deed and the +practice of these priests. Ezek. xxii. 16. teaching and advising the +people to hear them, both by precept and going along with them in that +erastian course: and not only so, but condemned and censured such who +preached against the sinfulness thereof, especially in the first place, +worthy Mr. Welwood, who was among the first witnesses against that +defection, and Mr. Kid, Mr. King, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Donald Gargil, &c. +who sealed their testimony afterwards with their blood; yet then even by +their brethren were loaden with the reproachful nicknames of +schismatics, blind zealots, Jesuits, &c. But it was always observed, as +long as ministers were faithful in following the Lord in the way of +their duty, professors were fervent, and under all their conflicts with +persecutors, the courage and zeal of the lovers of Christ was blazing, +and never out-braved by all the enemies boastings to undertake brisk +exploits: which from time to time they were now and then essaying, till +defection destroyed, and division diverted their zeal against the +enemies of God, who before were always the object against which they +whetted the edge of their just indignation. Especially the insulting +insolency and insolent villany of that public incendiary, the +arch-prelate Sharp, was judged intolerable by ingenuous spirits; because +he had treacherously betrayed the church and nation, and being employed +as their delegate to oppose the threatened introduction of prelacy, he +had like a perjured apostate and perfidious traitor advanced himself +into the place of primate of Scotland, and being a member of council he +became a chief instrument of all the persecution, and main instigator to +all the bloody violence and cruelty that was exerced against the people +of God; by whose means, the letter sent down to stop the shedding of +more blood after Pentland was kept up, until several of these martyrs +were murdered. Therefore in July 1668, Mr. James Mitchel thought it his +duty to save himself, deliver his brethren, and free the land of the +violence of that beast of prey, and attempted to cut him off: which +failing, he then escaped, but afterwards was apprehended; and being +moved by the council's oath, and act of assurance promising his life, he +made confession of the fact: yet afterwards for the same he was +arraigned before the justiciary, and the confession he made was brought +in against him, and witnessed by the perjured chancellor Rothes, and +other lords, contrary to their oath and act produced in open court, to +their indelible infamy: whereupon he was tortured, condemned, and +executed. But justice would not suffer this murder to pass long +unrevenged, nor that truculent traitor, James Sharp the arch-prelate, +who was the occasion and cause of it, and of many more both before and +after, to escape remarkable punishment; the severity whereof did +sufficiently compense its delay, after ten years respite, wherein he +ceased not more and more to pursue, persecute, and make havock of the +righteous for their duty, until at length he received the just demerit +of his perfidy, perjury, apostacy, sorceries, villanies, and murders, +sharp arrows of the mighty and coals of juniper. For upon the 3d of May +1679, several worthy gentlemen, with some other men of courage and zeal +for the cause of God and the good of the country, executed righteous +judgment upon him in Magus Moor near St. Andrews. And that same month, +on the anniversary day, May 29, the testimony at Rutherglen was +published against that abomination of celebrating an anniversary day, +kept every year for giving thanks for the setting up an usurped power, +destroying the interest of Christ in the land.--And against all sinful +and unlawful acts, emitted and executed, published and prosecuted +against our covenanted reformation. Where also they burnt the act of +supremacy, the declaration, the act recissory, &c. in way of retaliation +for the burning of the covenants. On the Sabbath following June 1. a +field meeting for the worship of God near to Loudoun-hill was assaulted +by Graham of Claverhouse, and with him three troops of horse and +dragoons, who had that morning taken an honest minister and about +fourteen country men out of their beds, and carried them along with them +as prisoners to the meeting in a barbarous manner. But by the good hand +of God upon the defendents, they were repulsed at Drumclog and put to +flight, the prisoners relieved, about thirty of the soldiers killed on +the place, and three of the meeting, and several wounded on both sides. +Thereafter the people retreating from the pursuit, consulted what was +expedient in that juncture, whether to disperse themselves as formerly, +or to keep together for their necessary defence. The result was, that +considering the craft and cruelty of those they had to deal with, the +sad consequence of falling into their hands now more incensed than ever, +the evil effects that likely would ensue upon their separation, which +would give them access to make havock of all; they judged it most safe +in that extremity for some time not to separate. Which resolution, +coming abroad to the ears of others of their brethren, determined them +incontinently to come to their assistance, considering the necessity, +and their own liableness to the same common danger, upon the account of +their endeavours of that nature elsewhere to defend themselves, being of +the same judgment for maintaining of the same cause, to which they were +bound by the same covenants, and groaning under the same burdens; they +judged therefore that if they now with-held their assistance in such a +strait, they could not be innocent of their brethren's blood, nor found +faithful in their covenant: to which they were encouraged with the +countenance and success the Lord had given to that meeting, in that +defensive resistance. This was the rise and occasion of that appearance +at Bothwel-bridge, which the Lord did in his holy sovereignty confound, +for former defections by the means of division, which broke that little +army among themselves, before they were broken by the enemy. They +continued together in amiable and amicable peace for the space of eight +or nine days, while they endeavoured to put out and keep out every +wicked thing from amongst them, and adhered to the Rutherglen testimony, +and that short declaration at Glasgow confirming it; representing their +'present purposes and endeavours, where, only in vindication and defence +of the reformed religion--as they stood obliged thereto by the national +and solemn league and covenant, and the solemn acknowledgment of sins +and engagement to duties; declaring against popery, prelacy, +erastianism, and all things depending thereupon.' Intending hereby to +comprehend the defection of the indulgence, to witness against which all +unanimously agreed: until the army increasing, the defenders and daubers +of that defection, some ministers and others, came in who broke all, and +upon whom the blood of that appearance may be charged. The occasion of +the breach was, first, when in the sense of the obligation of that +command, when the host goeth forth against thine enemies, keep thee from +every wicked thing, an overture was offered to set times apart for +humiliation for the public sins of the land, according to the practice +of the godly in all ages, before engaging their enemies, and the +laudable precedents of our ancestors; that so the causes of God's wrath +against the nation might be enquired into and confessed, and the Lord's +blessing, counsel, and conduct to and upon present endeavours, might be +implored. And accordingly the complying with abjured erastianism, by the +acceptance of the ensnared indulgence, offered by and received from the +usurping rulers, was condescended upon among the rest of the grounds of +fasting and humiliation, so seasonably and necessarily called for at +that time. The sticklers for the indulgence refused the overture, upon +politic considerations, for fear of offending the indulged ministers and +gentlemen, and provoking them to withdraw their assistance. This was the +great cause of the division, that produced such unhappy and destructive +effects. And next, whereas the cause was stated before according to the +covenants, in the Rutherglen-testimony and Glasgow-declaration, wherein +the king's interest was waved; these dividers drew up another large +paper (called the Hamilton-declaration) wherein they assert the king's +interest, according to the third article of the solemn league and +covenant. Against which the best affected contended, and protested they +could not in conscience put in his interest in the state of the quarrel, +being now in stated opposition to Christ's interests, and inconsistent +with the meaning of the covenant, and the practices of the covenanters, +and their own testimonies; while now he could not be declared for as +being in the defence of religion and liberty, when he had so palpably +overturned and ruined the work of reformation, and oppressed such as +adhered thereunto, and had burnt the covenant, &c. Whereby he had loosed +the people from all obligation to him from it. Yet that contrary faction +prevailed, so far as to get it published in the name of all: whereby the +cause was perverted and betrayed, and the former testimonies rendered +irrite, and the interest of the public enemy espoused. Finally, the same +day that the enemy approached in sight, and a considerable advantage was +offered to do execution against them, these loyal gentlemen hindered and +retarded all action, till a parly was beat, and an address dispatched to +the duke of Monmouth, who then commanded his father's army. By which +nothing was gained, but free liberty given to the enemies to plant their +cannon, and advance without interruption. After which, in the holy all +over-ruling providence of God, that poor handful was signally +discountenanced of God, deprived of all conduct, divested of all +protection, and laid open to the raging sword, the just punishment of +all such tamperings with the enemies of God, and espousing their +interest, and omitting humiliation for their own and the land's sins. +About 300 were killed in the fields, and 1000, and upwards were taken +prisoners, stripped, and carried to Edinburgh, where they were kept for +a long time in the Greyfriar's church-yard, without shelter from cold +and rain. And at length had the temptation of an insnaring bond of +peace: Wherein they were to acknowledge that insurrection to be +rebellion, and oblige themselves never to rise in arms against the king, +nor any commissionate by him, and to live peaceably, &c. Which, through +fear of threatened death, and the unfaithfulness of some, and the +impudence of other ministers that persuaded them to take it, prevailed +with many: Yet others resolutely resisted, judging it to imply a +condemning of their duty, an abandoning of their covenant engagements, +wherein they were obliged to duties inconsistent with such bonds, and a +voluntary binding up their hands from all oppositions to the declared +war against Christ, which is the native sense of the peace they require, +which can never be entertained long with men so treacherous. And +therefore, upon reasons of principle and conscience they refused that +pretended indemnity, offered in these terms. Nevertheless the most part +took it: and yet were sentenced with banishment, and sent away for +America as well as they who refused it; and by the way, (a few +excepted,) perished in shipwreck: whose blood yet cries both against the +imposers, and the persuaders to that bond. + +III. This fearful and fatal stroke at Bothwel, not only was in its +immediate effects so deadly, but in its consequents so destructive, that +the decaying church of Scotland, which before was beginning to revive, +was then cast into such a swoon that she is never like to recover to +this day. And the universality of her children, which before espoused +her testimony, was after that partly drawn by craft, and partly drawn by +cruelty, from a conjunction with their brethren in prosecuting the same, +either into an open defection to the contrary side, or into a detestable +indifferency and neutrality in the cause of God. For first of all the +duke of Monmouth, whose nature, more averse from cruelty than the rest +of that progeny, made him pliable to all suggestions of wicked policy +that seemed to have a shew of smoothness and lenity, procured the +emission of a pretended indemnity, attended with the foresaid bond of +peace for its companion. Which were dreadful snares, catching many with +flatteries, and fair pretences of favours, fairded over with curious +words, and cozening names, of living peaceably, &c. while in the mean +time a most deadly and destructive thrust (as it were under the fifth +rib) because most secret, was intended against all that was left +remaining of the work of God undestroyed, and a bar put upon all essays +to revive or recover it by their own consent who should endeavour it. +This course of defection carried away many at that time: And from that +time, since the taking of the bond of peaceable living, there hath been +an universal preferring of peace to truth, and of ease to duty. And the +generality have been left to swallow all baits, though the hook was +never so discernible, all those ensnaring oaths and bonds imposed since, +which both then and since people were left to their own determination to +chuse or refuse; many ministers refusing to give their advice when +required and requested thereunto, and some not being ashamed or afraid +to persuade the people to take them. The ministry then also were +generally insnared with that bonded indulgence, the pretended benefit of +that indemnity, which as it was designed, so it produced the woful +effect of propagating the defection, and promoting the division, and +laying them by from their duty and testimony of that day, which to this +day they have not yet taken upon their former ground. For when a +proclamation was emitted, inveighing bitterly against field meetings, +and absolutely interdicting all such for the future under highest pain, +but granting liberty to preach in houses upon the terms of a cautionary +bond given for their living peaceably: yet excluding all these +ministers who were suspected to have been at the late rebellion, and all +these who shall afterward be admitted by non-conform ministers: and +certifying, that if ever they shall be at any field conventicle, the +said indemnity shall not be useful to such transgressors any manner of +way: and requiring security, that none under the colour of this favour +continue to preach rebellion. Though there seems to be enough in the +proclamation itself to have scared them from this scandalous snare, yet +a meeting of ministers at Edinburgh made up of indulged, avowed +applauders of the indulgence, or underhand approvers and favourers of +the same, and some of them old public resolutioners, assuming to +themselves the name of a general assembly, yea of the representatives of +the church of Scotland, voted for the acceptance of it. And so formally +transacted and bargained upon base, dishonest, and dishonourable terms +with the usurper, by consenting and compacting with the people to give +that bond, wherein the people upon an humble petition to the council, +'obtaining their indulged minister to bind and oblige--that the +said--shall live peaceably. And in order thereto to present him, before +his majesty's privy council, when they shall be called so to do; and in +case of failzie in not presenting him, to be liable to the sum of 6000 +merks.' Whereby they condemned themselves of former unpeaceableness, and +engaged to a sinful peace with the enemies of God, and became bound and +fettered under these bonds to a forbearance of a testimony, and made +answerable to their courts, and the people were bound to present them +for their duty. The sinfulness, scandalousness, and inconveniences of +which transactions, are abundantly demonstrated by a treatise thereupon, +intitled, the banders disbanded. Nevertheless many embraced this new +bastard indulgence, that had not the benefit of the former brat, of the +same mother the supremacy, and far more consented to it without a +witness, and most of all did some way homologate it, in preaching under +the sconce of it: declining the many reiterated and urged calls of the +zealous lovers of Christ, to come out and maintain the testimony of the +gospel in the open fields, for the honour of their Master and the +freedom of their ministry. Whereupon, as many poor people were stumbled +and jumbled into many confusions, so that they were so bewildered and +bemisted in doubts and debates, that they knew not what to do, and were +tempted to question the cause formerly so fervently contended for +against all opposition, then so simply abandoned, by these that seemed +sometimes valiant for it, when they saw them consulting more their own +ease than the concerns of their Master's 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 and faithful, after several addresses, +calls, and 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 and 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 and boldness becoming Christ's ambassadors, +maintained and 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 Lord's inheritance +was again revived with the showers of the gospel's blessings, wherewith +they had been before refreshed; and enlightened with a glance and +glimpse of resplendent brightness, immediately before the obscurity of +this fearful night of darkness that hath succeeded. But as Christ was +then displaying his beauty, to his poor despised and persecuted people; +so antichrist began to blaze his bravery, in the solemn and 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 bigotry, through a trick of his brother, constrained +by the papists importunity, and the necessity of their favour, and +recruit of their coin, 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 York's contrivance and 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 promote popery and arbitrary government. However, though the +parliament of England, for his popery and villany, and his plotting and +pursuing the destruction of the nation, did vote his exclusion; yet +degenerate Scotland did receive him in great pomp and 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 crown, in their declaration published at +Sanquhar, June 22d, 1680. 'Wherein also they disown Charles Stewart, as +having any right, title, or interest in the crown of Scotland or +government thereof, as being forefaulted several years since, by his +perjury and breach of covenant, usurpation on Christ's prerogatives, and +by his tyranny and 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 Hamilton.' 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 and important reasons to disclaim that tyrant's +authority, hinted in the declaration itself, and hereafter more fully +vindicated: so the necessity of a testimony against all the tyrannical +encroachments on religion and liberty, then current and increasing; and +the sin and shame of shifting and delaying it so long, when the +blasphemous supremacy was now advanced to its summit; the church's +privileges all overturned; religion and the work of reformation trampled +under foot; the people's rights and liberties destroyed, and laws all +subverted; and no shadow of government left but arbitrary absoluteness, +obtruding the tyrant's 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 king's letter for it?) and all the +ends of magistracy wholly inverted; while innocent and honest people +were grievously oppressed in their persons, consciences, and estates; +and perjuries, adulteries, idolatries, and all impieties were not only +connived at, but countenanced as badges of loyalty, and manifest and +monstrous robberies and murders authorized, judgement turned into gall, +and the fruit of righteousness into hemloc; do justify its +seasonableness: and the ends of the declaration, to keep up the standard +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 and maintain their +revolt, in opposition to all who would pursue them for it, and reinforce +them to a subjection to that yoke of slavery again; and the extremity of +danger and distress that party was in, while declared and pursued as +rebels, and intercommuned and interdicted of all supply and solace, +being put out of their own, and by law precluded of the harbour of all +other habitations, and so both for safety and subsistence compelled by +necessity to concur and keep together, may alleviate the censure and +stop the clamour of its unfeasibleness. But though it is not the +prudence of the management, but the justness of the action, that I would +have vindicated from obloquies; yet it wanted nothing but success to +justify both, in the conviction of many that made much outcry against +it. In these dangerous circumstances their difficulties and +discouragements daily increased, by their enemies vigilance, their +enviers treachery, and their own inadvertency, some of their number +falling into the hands of them that sought their lives. For two of the +most eminent and faithful witnesses of Christ, Mr. Donald Cargil and +Henry Hall, were surprized at Queensferry; Mr. Cargil escaped at that +time, but the other fervent contender for the interest of Christ, fixed +in the cause, and courageous to his death, endeavouring to save him and +resist the enemies, was cruelly murdered by them. And with him they got +a draught of a covenant, declaring their present purposes and future +resolutions. The tenor whereof was an engagement. '1. To avouch the only +true and living God to be their God, and to close with his way of +redemption by his Son Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is only to be +relied upon for justification; and to take the scriptures of the old and +new testament, to be the only object of faith, and rule of conversation +in all things. 2. To establish in the land righteousness and religion, +in the truth of its doctrine, purity and power of its worship, +discipline, and government; and to free the church of God of the +corruption of prelacy on the one hand; and the thraldom of erastianism +on the other. 3. To persevere in the doctrine of the reformed churches, +especially that of Scotland, and in the worship prescribed in the +scriptures, without the inventions, adornings, and corruptions of men; +and in the presbyterian government, exercised in sessions, presbyteries, +synods, and general assemblies, as a distinct government from the civil, +and distinctly to be exercised, not after a carnal manner, by plurality +of votes, or authority of a single person, but according to the word of +God, making and carrying the sentence. 4. To endeavour the overthrow of +the kingdom of darkness, and whatsoever is contrary to the kingdom of +Christ, especially idolatry, and popery in all its articles, and the +overthrow of that power that hath established and upheld it--and to +execute righteous judgments impartially, according to the word of God, +and degree of offences, upon the committers of these things especially, +to wit, blasphemy, idolatry, atheism, bougery, sorcery, perjury, +uncleanness, profanation of the Lord's day, oppression and +malignancy.----5. Seriously considering--there is no more speedy way of +relaxation from the wrath of God, that hath ever lien on the land since +it engaged with these rulers, but of rejecting them who hath so +manifestly rejected God--disclaiming his covenant----governing contrary +to all right laws, divine and human----and contrary to all the ends of +government, by enacting and commanding impieties, injuries, and +robberies, to the denying of God his due, and the subjects theirs; so +that instead of government, godliness, and peace, there is nothing but +rapine, tumult, and blood, which cannot be called a government, but a +lustful rage----and they cannot be called governors, but public +grassators and land-judgments, which all ought to set themselves +against, as they would do against pestilence, sword, and famine raging +amongst them----Seeing they have stopped the course of law and justice +against blasphemers, idolaters, atheists, bougerers, sorcerers, +murderers, incestuous and adulterous persons--And have made butcheries +on the Lord's people, sold them as slaves, imprisoned, forefaulted &c. +and that upon no other account, but their maintaining Christ's right of +ruling over their consciences against the usurpations of men. Therefore, +easily solving the objections, (1.) Of our ancestors obliging the nation +to this race and line: That they did not buy their liberty with our +thraldom, nor could they bind their children to any thing so much to +their prejudice, and against natural liberty (being a benefit next to +life, if not in some regard above it) which is not as an engagement to +moral things: they could only bind to that government, which they +esteemed the best for common good, which reason ceasing, we are free to +choose another, if we find it more conducible for that end. (2.) Of the +covenant binding to defend the king: That this obligation is only in his +maintenance of the true covenanted religion--which homage they cannot +now require upon the account of the covenant, which they have renounced +and disclaimed; and upon no other ground we are bound to them--the crown +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 in them, 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 God's righteous judgments upon them--yet they cannot now be +believed, after they have violated all that human 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 +laws of the kingdom, taken away Christ's church-government, and changed +the civil into tyranny, where none are associate in partaking of the +government, but only these who will be found by justice guilty +criminals--and declare they shall, God giving power, set up government +and governors according to the word of God, and the qualifications +required Exod. xviii. verse 20.--And shall not commit the government to +any single person, or lineal succession, being not tied as the Jews were +to one single family--and that kind being liable to most inconveniences, +and aptest to degenerate into tyranny--and moreover, that these men set +over them shall be engaged to govern principally, by that civil and +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 and death--and other things, so far +as they reach, and are consistent with Christian liberty--exempting +divorces and polygamy--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 and given by virtue of that blasphemously arrogate +and usurped power--and appeared before their courts to accept of it, and +to be enacted and 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 down 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 regrets of men, when once brought under tyranny, +to recover their liberty again.--They declare they neither can nor will +hear them &c. nor any who encouraged and strengthened their hands, and +pleaded for them, and trafficked for union with them. 7. That they are +for a standing gospel ministry, rightly chosen and rightly ordained--and +that none shall take upon them the preaching of the word &c. unless +called and ordained thereunto--and whereas separation might be imputed +to them, they resell both the malice, and the ignorance of that +calumny--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 ministry, but +cleaving to the same ministers and ordinances, that formerly they +followed, when others have fled to new ways, and a new authority, which +is like the old piece in the new garment. 8. That they shall defend +themselves in their civil, natural, and divine rights and +liberties----and if any assault them, they shall look on it as a +declaring a war, and take all advantages that one enemy does of +another--but trouble and injure none but those that injure them.' This +is the compend of that paper which the enemies seized 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 own baseness in that paper truly +represented, I leave it to the reader to judge: or, if they did not +thereby proclaim their own tyranny, and the innocency and honesty of +that people, whom thereby they were seeking to make odious; but in +effect inviting all lovers of religion and liberty to sympathise with +them, in their difficulties and distresses there discovered. However +that poor party continued together in a posture of defence, without the +concurrence or countenance of their convenanted brethren, who staid at +home, and left both them to be murdered and their testimony to be +trampled upon, until the 22d of July 1680. Upon the which day they were +attacked 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 Zion's precious mourners, and +faithful witnesses of Christ were killed; and among the rest, that +faithful minister of Christ, Mr. Richard Cameron, sealed and 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 disowning the authority of +king and council, and all their tyrannical judicatories, was cruelly +murdered, but countenanced eminently of the Lord. Now remained Mr. +Donald Cargill, deprived of his faithful colleague, destitute of his +brethren's concurrence, but not of the Lord's counsel and conduct; by +which he was prompted and helped to prosecute the testimony against the +universal apostacy of the church and 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 +jealousy, provoked and threatening wrath against the land, for the sins +especially of rulers, who had arrived to the height of heaven-daring +insolence in all wickedness, in which they were still growing and going +on without controul; that notwithstanding of all the testimonies given +against them, by public preachings, protestations, and declarations, +remonstrating their tyranny, and disowning their authority; yet not only +did they still persist in their sins and scandals, to make the Lord's +fierce anger break forth into a flame, but were owned also by +professors, not only as magistrates, but as members of the christian and +protestant church; and that, however both the defensive arms of men had +been used against them, and the christian arms of prayer, and the +ministerial weapon of preaching, yet that of ecclesiastical censure had +not been authoritatively exerted against them: Therefore, that no weapon +which Christ allows his servants under his standard to manage against +his enemies, might be wanting, though he could not obtain the +concurrence of his brethren to strengthen the solemnity and formality of +the action, yet he did not judge that defect, in this broken case of the +church, could disable his authority, nor demur the duty, but that he +might and ought to proceed to excommunication. And accordingly in +September 1680, at the Torwood, he excommunicated some of the most +scandalous and principal promoters and abettors of this conspiracy +against Christ, as formally as the present case could admit: After +sermon upon Ezek. xxi. 25, 26, 27. 'And thou profane wicked prince of +Israel, whose day is come,' &c. He had a short and pertinent discourse +on the nature, the subject, the causes, and the ends of excommunication +in general: And then declared, that he was not led out of any private +spirit or passion to this action, but constrained by conscience of duty, +and zeal to God to stigmatize with this brand, and wound with the sword +of the Lord, these enemies of God that had so apostatized, rebelled +against, mocked, despised, and defied our Lord, and to declare them as +they are none of his, to be none of ours. 'The persons excommunicated; +and the sentence against them was given forth as follows: 'I being a +minister of Jesus Christ, and having authority and power from him, do, +in his name, and by his Spirit, excommunicate, cast out of the true +church, and deliver up to Satan, Charles the Second, king,' &c. The +sentence was founded upon these grounds, declared in the pronunciation +thereof, (1.) 'For his high mocking of God, in that after he had +acknowledged his own sins, his father's sins, his mother's idolatry, yet +he had gone on more avowedly in the same than all before him. (2.) For +his great perjury in breaking and burning the covenant. (3.) For his +rescinding all laws for establishing the reformation, and enacting laws +contrary thereunto. (4.) For commanding of armies to destroy the Lord's +people. (5.) For his being an enemy to true protestants, and helper of +the papists, and hindering the execution of just laws against them. (6.) +For his granting remissions and pardons for murderers, which is in the +power of no king to do, being expressly contrary to the law of God. (7.) +For his adulteries, and dissembling with God and man.' Next, by the same +authority, and in the same name, he excommunicated James duke of York, +'for his idolatry, and setting it up in Scotland to dedefile the land, +and enticing and encouraging others to do so:' Not mentioning any other +sins but what he scandalously persisted in in Scotland, &c. With several +other rotten malignant enemies, on whom the Lord hath ratified that +sentence since very remarkably, whole sins and punishments both may be +read more visible in the providences of the time, than I can record +them. But about this time, when amidst all the abounding defections and +divisions of that dark and dismal hour of temptation, some in zeal for +the cause were endeavouring to keep up the testimony of the day, in an +abstraction from complying ministers; others were left (in holy +judgment, to be a stumbling-block to the generation hardening them in +their defections, and to be a beacon to the most zealous to keep off +from all unwarrantable excesses) to fall into fearful extravagancies, +and delirious and damnable delusions, being overdriven with ignorant and +blind zeal into untrodden paths, which led them into a labyrinth of +darkness; when as they were stumbled at many ministers unfaithfulness, +so through the deceit of Satan, and the hypocrisy of his instruments, +they came to be offended at Mr. Cargil's faithfulness, who spared +neither left hand declensions, nor right hand extremes, and left him and +all the ministers; not only disowning all communion with those that were +not of their way, but execrating and cursing them; and kept themselves +in desert places from all company; where they persisted prodigiously in +fastings and singing psalms, pretending to wonderful raptures and +enthusiasms: and in fine, J. Gib, with four more of them came to that +height of blasphemy, that they burnt the Bible and Confession of Faith. +These were the 'sweet singers,' as they were called, led away into these +delusions by that impostor and sorcerer, John Gib, who never encreased +to such a number, as was then feared and reported, being within thirty, +and most part women: all which for the most part have been through mercy +reclaimed from that destructive way, which through grace the reproached +remnant, adhering to the foresaid testimony, had always an abhorrence +of. Wherefore that ignorant and impudent calumny, of their consortship +with Gib's followers, is only the vent of viperous envy. For they were +the first that discovered them, and whose pains the Lord blessed in +reclaiming them, and were always so far from partaking with them, that +to this day these that have come off from that way, and have offered the +confession of their scandal, do still complain of their over rigid +severity, in not admitting them to their select fellowships. To which +may be added this undeniable demonstration, that whereas the persecuting +courts of inquisition did always extend the utmost severity against the +owners of this testimony, yet they spared them: And the duke of York, +then in Scotland, was so well pleased with Gib's blasphemies, that he +favoured him extraordinarily, and freely dismissed him. This was a +cloudy and dark day, but not without a burning and shining light as long +as that faithful minister of Christ, Mr. Donald Cargil, was following +the work of the Lord; who shortly after this finished his testimony, +being apprehended with other two faithful and zealous witnesses of +Christ, Mr. Walter Smith, and Mr. James Boog, who with two more were +altogether, at Edinburgh, 27 July, 1681, crowned with the glory of +martyrdom. Then came the day of the remnant's vexation, trouble, +darkness and dimness of anguish, wherein whoso looked unto the land +could see nothing but darkness and sorrow, and the light darkened in the +heavens thereof, wherein neither star nor sun appeared for many days, +and poor people were made to grope for the wall like the blind, and to +stumble in noon-day as in the night. While the persecution advanced on +the one hand, a violent spait of defection carried down the most part of +ministers and professors before it, driving them to courses of sinful +and scandalous conformings with the time's corruptions, compearings +before their courts, complyings with their commands, paying of their +cesses and other exactions, taking of their oaths and bonds, and +countenancing their prelatical church-services, which they were ashamed +to do before: and thereupon on the other hand the divisions and +confusions were augmented, and poor people that desired to cleave to the +testimony were more and more offended and stumbled at the ministers, +who, either left the land in that clamant call of the people's +necessity, or lurked in their own retirements, and declined the duty of +that day, leaving people to determine themselves in all their +perplexities, as a prey to all temptations. But the tender Pastor and +Shepherd of Israel, who leads the blind in the way they know not, did +not forsake a remnant in that hour of temptation who kept the word of +his patience; and as He helped those that fell into the hands of enemies +to witness a good confession, so He strengthened the zeal of the +remaining contenders, against all the machinations of adversaries to +crush it, and all the methods of backsliding professors to quench it. +And the mean which most effectually preserved it in life and vigour, was +the expedient they fell upon of corresponding in general meetings, to +consult, inform, and confirm, one another about common duties in common +dangers, for preservation of the remnant from the destruction and +contagion of the times, and propagation of the testimony: laying down +this general conclusion for a foundation of order, to be observed among +them in incident doubtful cases, and emergent controversies, that +nothing relative to the public, and which concerns the whole of their +community, be done by any of them, without harmonious consent sought +after and rationally waited for, and sufficient deliberation about the +means and manner. In the mean time, the duke of York, as commissioner +from his brother, held a parliament wherein he presided, not only +against all righteous laws that make a bloody and avowed papist +incapable of such a trust, but against the letter of their own wicked +laws, whereby none ought to be admitted but such as swear the oaths; yet +not only was he constitute in this place, but in the whole +administration of the government of Scotland without the taking any +oath, which then he was courting to be entailed successor and heir of +the crown thereof; and for this end made many pretences of flatteries, +and feigned expressions of love, and of doing many acts of kindness to +that ancient kingdom, as he hath made many dissembling protestations of +it since, for carrying on his own popish and tyrannical designs: but +what good-will he hath borne to it, not only his acts and actings +written in characters of the blood of innocents declare, but his words +do witness, which is known when and to whom he spake, when he said, It +would never be well till all on the southside of Forth were made a +hunting field. However in that parliament, anno 1681, he is chiefly +intended, and upon the matter by a wicked act declared legal and lineal +successor, and a detestable blasphemous and self-contradictory test is +framed for a pest to consciences, which turned out of all places of +trust any that had any remaining measure of common honesty; and when +some was speaking of a bill for securing religion in case of a popish +prince, the duke's answer was notable, that whatsoever they intended or +prepared against papists should light upon others: whereby we may +understand what measures we may expect, when his designs are ripe. And +to all the cruel acts then and before made against the people of God, +there was one superadded regulating the execution of all the rest, +whereby at one dash all civil and criminal justice was overthrown, and a +foundation laid for popish tyranny, that the right of jurisdiction both +in civil and criminal matters is so inherent in the crown, that his +majesty may judge all causes by himself, or any other he thinks fit to +commissionate. Here was law for commissionating soldiers to take away +the lives of innocents, as was frequently exemplified afterwards, and +may serve hereafter for erecting the Spanish inquisition to murder +protestants when he thinks fit to commissionate them. Against which +wicked encroachments on religion and liberty, the faithful thought +themselves obliged to emit a testimony: and therefore published a +declaration at Lanark, January 12. 1682. Confirming the preceeding at +Sanquhar, and adding reasons of their revolt from the government of +Charles the second. 1. 'For cutting off the neck at one blow of the +noble constitution of church and state, and involving all officers in +the kingdom in the same perjury with himself. 2. For exalting himself +into a sphere exceeding all measures divine and human, tyrannically +obtruding his will for a law in his arbitrary letters, so that we are +made the reproach of nations, who say, we have only the law of letters +instead of the letter of the law. 3. For his constant adjourning and +dissolving parliaments at his pleasure. 4. For his arrogantly arrogated +supremacy in all causes civil and ecclesiastic, and oppressing the godly +for conscience and duty. 5. For his exorbitant taxings, cessings, and +grinding the faces of the poor, dilapidating the rights and revenues of +the crown, for no other end but to employ them for keeping up a brothel +rather than a court. 6. For installing a successor, such an one (if not +worse) as himself, contrary to all law, reason, and religion, and +framing the test, &c. And in end offer to prove, they have done nothing +in this against our ancient laws, civil or ecclesiastic--but only +endeavoured to extricate themselves from under a tyrannous yoke, and to +reduce church and state to what they were in the year 1648 and 1649.' +After which declaration, they were more condemned by them that were at +ease than ever, and very untenderly dealt with; being without any +previous admonition reproached, accused, and informed against, both at +home and abroad, as if they had turned to some wild and unhappy course. +For which cause, in the next general meeting, they resolved to delegate +some of their number to foreign churches, on purpose to vindicate +themselves from these calumnies, and to represent the justness of their +cause, and the sadness of their case, and provoke them to some sympathy +abroad, which was then denied at home: and withal to provide for a +succession of witnesses, who might maintain the testimony, which was +then in appearance interrupted, except by martyrdom and sufferings. +Therefore by that means having obtained access for the instruction of +some young men, at an university in the united provinces, in process of +time, Mr. James Renwick received ordination there, and came home to take +up the standard of his master, upon the ground where it last was left, +and to carry on the testimony against all the oppositions of that day, +from open enemies and backsliding professors: an undertaking more +desperate-like than that _Unus Athanasius contra totam orbem_, and like +that of a child threshing down a mountain. Which yet against all the +outrageous rage of ravening enemies, ranging, ravaging, hunting, +chasing, pursuing after him, through all the towns, villages, cottages, +woods, moors, mosses, and mountains of the country; and against all the +scourge of tongues, contradictions, condemnations, obliquies, +reproaches, and cruel mockings of incensed professors, and generally of +all the inhabitants of the land; he was helped to prosecute, by many +weary wanderings, travels, and traversings thro' the deserts, night and +day, preaching, conferring, and catechising, mostly in the cold +winter-nights in the open fields: until, by the blessing of God upon his +labours, not only was the faithful witnessing remnant that joined in the +testimony, further cleared, confirmed, and encouraged, and their number +much increased by the coming in and joining of many others to the +fellowship of their settled societies; but also many others, in other +places of the country were induced to the contracting themselves in the +like, to the settling such fellowships in most of the southern shires. +But then the fury of persecutors began to flame more flagrantly than +ever; not only in sending out cruel soldiers, foot, horse and dragoons, +habitually fleshed in, and filled with the blood of the saints, to hunt, +hound, chase, and pursue after them, and seek them out of all their dens +and hiding-holes, in the wildest glens, fens, and remotest recesses in +the wilderness; but emitting edicts allowing them to kill, slay, hang, +drown, and destroy such as they could apprehend of them _pro libitu_; +and commanding the country to assist them, in raising the hue and cry +after them, and not to refer, harbour, supply, or correspond any manner +of way with them, under the hazard and pain of being liable to the same +punishment. Whereby the country was harassed and spoiled in searching +after them, and many villains were stirred up to give informations and +intelligence of these wanderers wherever they saw them, or learned +where they were. Hence followed such a slaughter and seizure of them, +that common people usually date their common occurrences since, from +that beginning of killing time, as they call it. For which cause, to +preserve themselves from, and put a stop to that deluge of blood, and +demur and deter the insolency of intelligencers and informers, they were +necessitate to publish the Apologetical Relation, and affix it upon +several market-crosses and parish-doors, November 8, 1684. Wherein they +'declare their firm resolution, of constant adherence to their covenants +and engagements, and to the declarations disowning the authority of +Charles Stewart. And to testify to the world, that they purpose not to +injure or offend any whomsoever, but to pursue the ends of their +covenants, in standing to the defence of the work of reformation, and of +their own lives; yet, if any shall stretch forth their hand against +them, by shedding their blood actually, either by authoritative +commanding or obeying such commands, to search for them, and deliver +them up to the spilling of their blood, to inform against them, to raise +the hue and cry after them, and delate them before their courts. All +these shall be reputed by them enemies to God and the covenanted +reformation, and punished as such, according to their power and the +degree of their offence, if they shall continue so maliciously to +proceed against them; and declare, they abhor and condemn any personal +attempt, upon any pretext whatsomever, without previous deliberation, +common or competent consent, without certain probation by sufficient +witnesses, the guilty person's confession, or the notourness of the +deeds themselves; and in the end warn the bloody Doegs, and flattering +Ziphites informing against them, to expect to be dealt with as they deal +with them.' This declaration, though it occasioned greater trials to +them and trouble to the country, by the courts of inquisition, pressing +an oath abjuring the same universally upon all, as well women as men, +and suffering none to travel without a pass, declaring they had taken +that oath: yet it was so far effectual, as to scare many from their +former diligence in informing against them, and to draw out some to join +with the wanderers more publicly, even when the danger was greatest of +owning any respect to them. But at length in the top and height of their +insulting insolency, and heat of their brutish immanity and barbarous +cruelty, designing to cut off the very name of that remnant, the king of +terrors (a terror to kings) cut off that supreme author and authorizer +of these mischiefs, Charles the Second, by the suspicious intervention +of an unnatural hand as the instrument thereof. Wherein much of the +justice of God was to be observed, and of his faithfulness verified, +that 'bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days.' His +bloody violence was recompensed with the unnatural villany of his +brother, and his unparalleled perfidy was justly rewarded with the most +ungrate and monstrous treachery of a parricide: for all the numerous +brood of his adulterous and incestuous brats, begotten of other men's +wives, and of his numerous multitude of whores at home and abroad, yea +of his own sister too, he died a childless pultron, and had the +unlamented burial of an ass, without a successor save him that murdered +him: and for all his hypocritical pretensions to a protestant +profession, he not only received absolution and extreme unction from a +popish priest at his death, but drunk his death in a popish potion, +contrived by his own dear brother that succeeded him; impatiently +longing to accomplish that conspiracy of reintraducing popery, wherein +the other moved too slowly, and passionately resenting Charles's vow, to +suffer the murder of the earl of Essex to come to a trial (which was +retorted by the reiterated solicitations of some, who offered to +discover by whom it was contrived and acted) which made the duke's +guilty conscience to dread a detection of his deep accession to it: +whereupon the potion quickly after prepared, put a stop to that, and an +end to his life, Feb. 6, 1685. Of which horrid villany time will +disclose the mystery, and give the history when it shall be seasonable. + +IV. The former persecution and tyranny, mainly promoted by the duke of +York's instigation, did not only oppress the poorer sort, but reached +also the greatest of the nobility and gentry in both kingdoms. In +Scotland, the earl of Argyle was arraigned and condemned for his +explanation of the test, but escaped out of the castle of Edinburgh, +_anno_ 1681. And after him several gentlemen were arbitrarily oppressed +and troubled, upon the act of intercommuning with rebels, and for a +pretended plot against the government (as they called it) but really +because they knew these gentlemen had a desire, and would design to +preserve the nation, which they were seeking to destroy, and would +counteract their wicked projects to advance popery and tyranny upon the +ruins of the nation's interest. For which cause they left their native +country, to seek safety and quiet abroad. And in England, upon the same +pretences, the lord Russel was murdered by law, and the earl of Essex by +a razor in the Tower, in a morning when the king and duke of York came +to pay it a visit. And many other gentlemen lost either their lives or +fortunes, upon the same grounds of opposing the duke's designs: which +made many resort to the United Provinces. Where they, with the Scots +gentlemen, as soon as they heard of the death of Charles II. and of the +ascending of James duke of York, a notorious and bigot papist, to the +throne, associating themselves in counsel, to essay some diversion and +opposition to the present current of tyranny and popery, threatening the +ruin of both nations; resolved and agreed upon the declaring a war +against that usurper and all his complices. And in order thereunto, +having provided themselves with arms, concluded that a certain number +should, under the conduct of James duke of Monmouth, direct their course +for England, for managing the war there: And others to go for the same +ends to Scotland, under the conduct of Archibald earl of Argyle, their +chosen captain. Whereupon in a short time they arrived at Orkney, where +two gentlemen of their company going ashore, were taken prisoners, and +carried to Edinburgh; whereby the country was alarmed, and a huge host +gathered to oppose them. From thence they went to the West Highlands, +where encreasing to the number of about 2000 men, they traversed to and +again about Kintyre and Bute, and other places in the Highlands, for six +or seven weeks, until many of their men ran away, and the rest were much +straitened for want of victuals, their passage by sea was blocked up by +ships of war, and by land with their numerous enemies, who got time to +gather and strengthen themselves, whereby their friends were frustrate +and more oppressed, and themselves kept little better than prisoners, +till their spirits were wearied and worn out, and all hope lost. At +length the earl determined, when out of time, to leave the Highlands, +and the ships, cannons, arms, and ammunition at Island Craig, and +marched towards Dumbarton, crossing the water of Leven about three miles +above it. Next morning near Duntreith, they discovered a party of the +enemy, and faced towards them, but they retired. And then directed their +course towards Glasgow, were intercepted by a body of the enemy's army: +where they drew up in battalia one against another, and stood in arms +till the evening, a water being betwixt them. But Argyle's party, +perceiving that their enemies were above ten times their number, and +that themselves were wearied out with a long and tedious march, want of +victuals and sleep, resolved to withdraw: but as soon as it grew dark, +all hope lost, they dispersed, every man shifting for himself; only a +few keeping together all the next day, had a skirmish with a party of +the enemies, in which they slew the captain, and about 12 or some more +of his men, and afterwards they dispersed themselves also. The enemies, +searching the country, gleaned up the earl of Argyle himself, colonel +Rumbol an Englishman, Mr. Thomas Archer minister, Gavin Russel, and +David Law, who were all condemned and executed at Edinburgh, and many +others who were banished to America: and about some 20 in the Highlands, +who were hanged at Inveraray. In England, the duke of Monmouth's +expedition, though it had more action, yet terminated in the same +success, the loss of many hundred lives, many killed in battle: and +afterwards, by the mercy of the duke of York, several hundreds in the +west of England were carried about, and hanged before the doors of their +own 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 cruelty. This was the commencement of the present +tyrant's government. In the mean time, the wanderers in Scotland, though +they did not associate with this expedition upon the account of the too +promiscuous admittance of persons to trust in that party, 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 Sanquhar, +May 28, 1685. 'Wherein approving and adhering unto all their former +declarations, and considering that James Duke of York, a profest and +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 James duke of York as king: in regard that it is the +chusing of a murderer to be a governor, who hath shed the blood of the +saints--that it is the height of confederacy with an idolater, forbidden +by the law of God--contrary to the declaration of the general assembly +of the church, July 27, 1649. And contrary to many wholesome and +laudable acts of parliament----and inconsistent with the safety, faith, +conscience, and christian liberty of a Christian people, to chuse a +subject of antichrist to be their supreme magistrate----and to instruct +an enemy to the work and people of God with the interests of both: and +upon many important grounds and reasons (which there they express) they +protest against the validity and constitution of that parliament, +approving and ratifying the foresaid proclamation.----And against all +kind of popery in general and particular heads----as abjured by the +national covenant, and abrogated by acts of parliament----and against +its entry again into this land, and every thing that doth or may +directly or indirectly make way for the same: disclaiming likewise all +sectarianism, malignancy, and any confederacy therewith.'----This was +their testimony against popery in the season thereof: which though 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 mystery and conspiracy of popery and tyranny, +twisted together in the present design of antichrist, had made so great +a progress, and was evidently brought above board, they were left to let +slip this opportunity of a testimony also, to the reproach of the +declining and 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 soldiery, and such as had no profession of religion, suffered +unto death for speaking against popery and the designs of the king, +while the ministers were silent. And some of the curates, 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 and +dolorous reflections, and yet in candour 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 conveyed in a channel of pretended +clemency, offering a sort of liberty, but really introducing a +licentious latitude, for bringing in all future snares by taking off +some former, as arbitrarily as before they were imposed, in a +proclamation, dated Feb. 12, 1687. 'Granting by the king's sovereign +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 and under the several +conditions, restrictions, and 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 allenerly, and none other: and that +there be nothing said or done contrary to the well and 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 is his royal will and +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 laws made against them----in like manner +tolerating the quakers to meet and exercise in their form, in any place +or places appointed for their worship----and by the same absolute power, +foresaid, suspending, stopping, and disabling all laws or acts of +parliament, customs or constitutions against any Roman catholic +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, +and discharging all oaths whatsoever, and tests, and laws enjoining +them. And in place of them this oath only is to be taken----I A.B. do +acknowledge, testify, and declare that James the VII. &c. is rightful +king and supreme governor of these realms, and over all persons therein; +and that it is unlawful for subjects, on any pretence or for any cause +whatsoever, to rise in arms against him, or any commissionated by him; +and that I shall never so rise in arms nor assist any who shall so do; +and that I shall never resist his power or authority, nor ever oppose +his authority to his person--but shall to the utmost of my power assist, +defend, and maintain him, his heirs and lawful successors, in the +exercise of their absolute power and authority against all deadly--and +by the same absolute power giving his full and ample indemnity, to all +the foresaid sorts of people, under the foresaid restrictions.' Here is +a proclamation for a prince: that proclaims him in whose name it is +emitted, to be the greatest tyrant that ever lived in the world, and +their revolt who have disowned him to be the justest that ever was. For +herein that monster of prerogative is not only advanced, paramount to +all laws divine and human, but far surmounting all the lust, impudence, +and insolence of all the Roman, Sicilian, Turkish, Tartarian, or Indian +tyrants that ever trampled upon the liberties of mankind: who have +indeed demanded absolute subjection, and surrender of their lives, +lands, and liberties at their pleasure, but never arrived at such a +height of arrogance as this does, to claim absolute obedience, without +reserve of conscience, religion, honour, or reason; not only that which +ignorantly is called passive, never to resist him, not only on any +pretence, but for cause, even though he should command his popish +janissaries to murder and massacre all protestants, which is the tender +mercy and burning fervent charity of papists; but also of absolute +active obedience without reserve, to assist, defend, and maintain him in +every thing, whereby he shall be pleased to exercise his absolute power, +though he should command to burn the Bible as well as the covenant (as +already he applauded John Gib in doing of it) and to burn and butcher +all that will not go to mass, which we have all grounds to expect will +be the end of his clemency at last. Herein he claims a power to command +what he will, and obliging subjects to obey whatsoever he will command: +a power to rescind, stop, and disable all laws; which unhinges all +stability and unsettles all the security of human society, yea +extinguishes all that remains of natural liberty: wherein, as is well +observed by the author of the representation of the threatening dangers +impending over protestants page 53. 'It is very natural to observe, that +he allows the government, under which we were born, and to which we were +sworn, to be hereby subverted and changed, and that thereupon we are not +only absolved and acquitted from all allegiance to him, but +indispensibly obliged, by the ties and engagements that are upon us, to +apply ourselves to the use of all means and endeavours against him, as +an enemy of the people and subverter of the legal government.' But this +was so gross, and grievously gripping in its restrictions, as to +persons, as to the place, as to the matter allowed the presbyterians in +preaching, that it was disdained of all; and therefore he behoved to +busk it better, and mend the matter, in a letter to the council (the +supreme law of Scotland) bearing date March 31. 1687. of this +tenor--'Whereas we did recommend to you to take care, that any of the +presbyterians should not be allowed to preach, but such only as should +have your allowance for the same, and that they at the receiving the +indulgence should take the oath contained in the proclamation----these +are therefore to let you know, that thereby we meant such of them as did +not solemnly take the test; but if nevertheless the presbyterian +preachers do scruple to take the said oath, or any other oath +whatsoever, and that you shall find it reasonable or fit to grant them +or any of them our said indulgence, so as they desire it upon these +terms, it is now our will and pleasure----to grant them our said +indulgence, without being obliged to take the oath, with power unto them +to enjoy the benefit of the said indulgence (during our pleasure only) +or so long as you shall find they behave themselves regularly and +peaceably, without giving any cause of offence to us, or any in +authority or trust under us in our government.'----Thus finding the +former proposal not adequately apportioned to his design, because of its +palpable odiousness, he would pretend his meaning was mistaken (though +it was manifest enough) and mitigate the matter by taking away of the +oaths altogether, if any should scruple it; whereas he could not but +know, that all that had sense would abhor it: yet it is clogged with the +same restrictions, limited to the same persons, characterized more +plainly and peremptorily, with an addition of cautions, not only that +they shall not say or do any thing contrary to the well and peace of his +reign seditious or treasonable, but also that they behave themselves +regularly and peaceably without giving any cause of offence to him or +any under him; which comprehends lesser offences than sedition or +treason, even every thing that will displease a tyrant and a papist, +that is, all faithfulness in seasonable duties or testimonies. But at +length lest the deformity and disparity of the proclamation for the +toleration in Scotland, and the declaration for liberty of conscience in +England, should make his pretences to conscience suspect of +disingenuity, and lest it should be said he had one conscience for +England and another for Scotland; therefore he added a third eik to the +liberty, but such as made it still an ill favoured patched project to +destroy religion and true liberty, in another proclamation dated at +Windsor, June 28, 1687, wherein he says--'Taking into our royal +consideration, the sinistrous interpretations, which either have or may +be made of some restrictions (mentioned in the last) we have thought fit +by this further to declare, that we will protect our arch bishops, &c. +And we do likewise, by our sovereign authority, prerogative-royal, and +absolute power, suspend, stop, and disable, all penal and sanguinary +laws; made against any for non-conformity to the religion established by +law in that our ancient kingdom----to the end, that by the liberty +thereby granted the peace and security of our government in the practice +thereof may not be endangered, we hereby strictly charge all our loving +subjects, that as we do give them leave to meet and serve God after +their own way, in private houses, chapels, or places purposely hired or +built for that use, so that they take care that nothing be preached or +taught, which may any way tend to alienate the hearts of our people from +us and our government, and that their meetings be peaceably and publicly +held, and all persons freely admitted to them, and that they do signify +and make known to some one or more of the next privy counsellors, +sheriffs, stewards, bailiffs, justices of the peace, or magistrates of +burghs royal, what place or places they set apart for these uses, with +the names of the preachers----provided always that the meetings be in +houses, and not in the open fields for which now after this our royal +grace and favour (which surpasses the hopes, and equals the very wishes +of the most zealously concerned) there is not the least shadow of excuse +left: which meeting in the fields we do hereby strictly prohibit and +forbid, against all which we do leave our laws and acts of parliament in +full force and vigour, notwithstanding the premises; and do further +command all our judges, magistrates, and 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 +and freedoms, given to all without reserve to serve God in their own +way, presume to meet in these assemblies, except such as make a pretence +of religion to cover their treasonable designs against our royal person +and 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 laws, constitutional oaths, and covenants wherewith it +was formerly confirmed. This is the only patent which the royal dawties, +the moderate presbyterians, have now received to ensure their enjoyment +of it _durante bene placito_, during his pleasure whole faith is as +absolute over all ties of promises, as his power from whence it flows is +over all laws; 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 and wishes and zeal are terminate +upon peace rather than truth, case 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 corresponds with their +jealousies, who put the same interpretation upon it as on all the former +indulgences, indemnities and tolerations, proceeding from the same +fountain, and designed for the same sinistrous ends with this, which +they look upon as more openly and obviously antichristian: and +therefore, while others are rejoicing under the bramble-shadow of it, +they think it a cause of weeping and 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, though 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 though 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 laws and liberties of +the country, all overturned and 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 and +treasonable designs against the government on pretence of religion, I +trust it shall be made evident to the conviction of all that know +religion, that their designs are to preserve it, in opposition to the +tyranny that goes about all these ways 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 own place: here I shall only say, +none that are 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 and 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, and 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 and practice professedly treacherous, yea, obliged to be +both perfidious and 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 +and 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, and treacheries +imaginable; and that lateran canon, that enjoins kings 'to destroy and +extirpate 'hereticks, under pain of excommunication,' does oblige them +to be cruel; besides what deep engagements he is known to be under by +oaths and promises to the pope, both in his exile, and while a subject, +and since he came to the crown; 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 believed, +for there are seven abominations in his heart. Of which open and +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, and to +their neighbours in christian love, and that it never was his principle +to offer violence to any man's 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 crown; +and that it hath been his constant sense and opinion, that 'conscience +ought not to be constrained, nor people forced to matters of mere +religion.' To which his uninterrupted endeavours to divide us from God, +and from one another, that he might the more easily destroy us, and his +constant encroachments upon laws, liberties, and properties, and all +interests of men and 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 mere religion; by which he may elude all these flattering promises of +tenderness, by excepting at the most necessary and indispensible duties, +if either they be such wherein any other interest is concerned, beside +mere religion, or if their troubles sustained thereupon be not +altogether invincible necessities. Hence the plain falsehood and +doubleness of his assertions as to what is past, may give ground to +conclude his intended perfidy in the promises of what is future. Next, +it is known what his practice and plots have been for the destruction of +all honest and precious interests; what a deep hand he had in the +burning of London, in the popish plot discovered in 1678, in the murder +of the earl of Essex, yea in the parricide committed upon his own +brother. By all which it appears, nothing is so abominable and barbarous +which he hath not a conscience that will swallow and digest without a +scruple; and what he hath done of this kind must be but preparatory to +what he intends, as meritorious to atone for these villanies. And in his +esteem and persuasion of papists, nothing is thought more meritorious +than to extirpate 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 and exercise of +their religion under the shadow of such a bramble. If it was the +Shechemites sin and 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 well as peace, from such a +monster of cruelty and treachery. 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 +Montrose's case. See page 107 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 votary and vassal of antichrist: who, as the letter from +the Jesuits in Liege lately published in print, tells us, is resolved +'either to convert England to popery, or die a martyr,' and again that +he stiles himself 'a son of the society of Jesuits, and will account +every injury done to them to be a wrong done against himself;' being +known to be under the conduct and 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 yields absolute obedience as well as implicit faith +without reserve, to the Jesuits. Such a bigot was Mary of England (as +also his great grand dame of Scotland if she had got her will;) and his +bigotry will make him emulous of her cruelty, as counting it a +diminution of his glory, for such a champion as he under antichrist's +banner to come short of a woman's 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 Mediator's malediction; yea in this respect is heir to +his grandfather's imprecations, 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's 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 and confederacies with such enemies. See +Gillespie's useful Case of Conscience concerning associations, hinted +page 109, and more head 3. argument 1. But to accept of this liberty as +now offered were a bargaining; for where there is a giving and receiving +upon certain conditions, where there are demands and compliance; +commands and obedience, promises and reliance, offers upon terms, and +acquiescence in these terms, what is there wanting to a bargain, but the +mere 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 and improven from enemies of +religion: and so do the wanderers now take it and improve it to the +best advantage, without receiving it by acquiescing in any terms. 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 filthy +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 i. But who sees not the disparity in +every respect? Cyrus at his very first entry into the government did lay +out himself for the church's 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 and corroborate his prerogative, and then by virtue of that to +dispense with all penal laws: 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 church's 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 +popery by this gate and 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 God's authority but man's, +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 and ratified, and confirmed with so +many reasons, and sealed by so much blood, bonds, banishment, and other +sufferings, to own or acknowledge his authority which is mere usurpation +and tyranny; in that by the laws of the land he is incapable of +government, and that he had neither given nor can give, without an +hypocritical and damning cheat, the oath and security indispensibly +required of him before and at his entry to the government. Yet this +liberty cannot be complied with, without recognizing his authority that +he arrogates in giving it: seeing he tenders it to all his good +subjects, and gives it by his sovereign authority, and to the end that +by the liberty thereby granted, the peace and 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 +such 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 owning of the +government out of duty, but an union and joining with it and him by +inclination, which is a cordial confederacy with God's enemy, and a +co-operating to the establishment of his tyranny; that the peace and +security thereof may not be endangered. And in his former proclamation, +he gives them the same security for their rights and properties, which +he gives for religion; and in the English declaration, addeth that to +the perfect enjoyment of their property, 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 and law +which is hereby infringed, and to acknowledge not only the liberty of +religion, the right of property to be his grant: which when ever it is +removed, there must remain no more character for it, but stupid slavery +entailed upon posterity, and pure and perfect tyranny transmitted to +them. The sin and absurdity whereof may be seen demonstrated, head 2. + +4. Considering the fountain whence it flows, they cannot defile +themselves with it. In the English declaration, it flows from the royal +will and pleasure which speaks a domination despotical and arbitrary +enough, but more gently expressed than in the Scots proclamation; when +it is refounded on sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and absolute +power: proclaiming by sound of trumpet a power paramount to all law, +reason, and religion, and outvying the height of Ottoman tyranny: a +power which all are to obey without reserve: a power to tolerate or +restrain the protestant religion, according to his royal will or +pleasure: an absolute power which cannot be limited by laws, 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 popery, which then must be complied with without +controul. 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 dissolves all government, and all security for religion and +liberty, and all the precious interests of men and Christians: Which to +acknowledge, were contrary to scripture, contrary to reason, and +contrary to the principles of the church of Scotland, particularly the +declaration of the general assembly, July 27, 1649. See page 117, &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, +and disables all penal laws against papists, and thereby averts all the +securities and legal bulwarks that protestants can have for the +establishment of their religion; yea in effect leaves no laws in force +against any that shall attempt the utter subversion of it, but ratifies +and leaves in full vigour all wicked laws and acts of parliament, +against such as would most avowedly assert it; and stops and disables +none of the most cruel and bloody laws against protestants: for the most +cruel are such as have been made against field-meetings, which are +hereby left in full force and vigour. Hence as he hath formally by +absolute power suspended all laws made for the protection of our +religion, so he may when he will dispense with all the laws 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 laws, rights, and liberties, which is contrary to reason as +well as religion, and a clear breach of the national and solemn league +and 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 loyalty and to their +neighbours in love, as in the former proclamation; and that by the +liberty granted the peace and 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 and worker, to wit, to incline and induce us by flattery to a +lawless loyalty, and a stupid contented slavery when he cannot compel us +by force, and make us actively co-operate in setting and settling his +tyranny, in the peaceable possession of all his usurpations, robberies, +and encroachments upon our religion, laws, and liberties, and to +incorporate us with Babylon; for who 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 believed of any in +it, viz. that he heartily wishes that all the people of these dominions +were members of the catholic church: which clearly insinuates, that +hereby he would entice them to commit fornication with that mother of +harlots; which enticing to idolatry (if we consult the scripture) should +meet with another sort of entertainment than such a kind and thankful +acceptance, which is not an opposing of such a wicked wish, but an +encouraging and corroborating of it. And further he says, that all the +former tract of persecutions never obtained the end for which it was +employed; for after all the frequent and pressing endeavours that were +used, to reduce this kingdom to an exact conformity in religion, it is +visible the success has not answered the design, and that the difficulty +is invincible. Wherein we may note his extorted acknowledgment, that all +former endeavours to destroy the work of God have been successless, +which induces him to try another method, to which this acceptance is +very subservient, to wit, to destroy us and our religion by flatteries, +and by peace to overturn truth, and by the subversion of laws to open a +door to let in popery and all abominations. But what is more obscurely +expressed in his words, is more visibly obvious in his works, to all +that will not willingly wink at them; discovering clearly the end of +this liberty is not for the glory of God, nor the advantage of truth, or +the church's edification, nor intended as a benefit to protestants; but +for a pernicious design, by gratifying a few of them in a pretended +favour to rob all of them of their chiefest interests, religion, laws, +rights, and liberties, which he could not otherwise effectuate but by +this arbitrary way; for if he could have obtained his designs by law: he +would never have talked of lenity or liberty, but having no legal ends, +he behoved to compass them by illegal means. They must then be very +blind who do not see, his drift is, first to get in all popish officers +in places of public trust, by taking off the penal laws disabling them +for the same; then to advance his absoluteness over all laws, in a way +which will be best acknowledged and acquiesced in by people, till he be +so strengthened in it that he fears no control; and then to undermine +and overturn the protestant religion, and establish popery and idolatry: +which he is concerned the more violently to pursue, because he is now +growing old, and therefore must make haste, lest he leave the papists in +a worse condition than he found them: which, to be sure, the papists are +aware of, and their conscious fears of the nation's resentments of their +villanies will prompt them, as long as they have such a patron, to all +vigilance and violence in playing their game; and withal, hereby he may +intend to capacitate himself for subduing the Dutch, against whom he +hath given many indications of a hostile mind of old and of late; not +only in hiring two rascals to burn the Amsterdam-fleet heretofore, but +in stirring up and protecting the Algerine pirates against them; so +universal a protector is he become of late, that Papists and +Protestants, Turks and Jews are shrouded under the shadow of his +patrociny, but with a design to destroy the best, when his time comes. +Which cursed designs cannot be counteracted, but very much strengthened +by this acceptance. + +7. Considering the effects already produced thereby, they cannot but +abhor it. Seeing the eyes of all that are tender may afflict their +hearts, observing how the papists are hereby encouraged and encreased in +numbers, the whole nation overflowed with their hellish locusts, and all +places filled with priests and Jesuits, yea the executive power of the +government put into the hands of the Romanists, and on the other hand +how the people are endangered with their abounding and prevailing errors +(to which the Lord may and will give up those that have not received +the love of the truth) truth is fallen in the streets and equity cannot +enter, a testimony against antichrist is abandoned and laid aside as +unseasonable, the edge of zeal for the interest of Christ is blunted and +its fervour extinguished, they that should stand in the gap and upon the +watch tower are laid aside form all opposition to the invasions of the +enemy, and lulled asleep by this bewitching charm and intoxicating +opium, ministers and, professors are generally settling on their lees +and languishing in a fatal security, defection is carried on, division +promoted, and destruction is imminent. Is it not then both a part of the +witness of the faithful, and of their wisdom to stand aloof from such a +plague, that hath such destructive effects? + +8. Considering the nature and name of this pretended liberty, they +cannot but disdain it as most dishonourable to the cause of Christ. It +is indeed the honour of kings and happiness of people, to have true +human and Christian liberty established in the common wealth, that is, +liberty of persons from slavery; liberty of privileges from tyranny, and +liberty of conscience from all impositions of men; consisting in a +freedom from the doctrines, traditions, and commandments of men against +or beside the word of God in the free enjoyment of gospel ordinances in +purity and power, and in the free observance and establishment of all +his institutions of doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, in +subordination to the only rule of conscience, the revealed will of its +only lawgiver Jesus Christ. When this is ratified as a right by the +sanction of approven authority, and countenanced and encouraged as +religion, by the confirmation of laws, approving whatsoever is commanded +by the God of heaven to be done for the house of the God of heaven +(which is the full amount of all magistrates authority) then we are +obliged to accept of it with all thankful acceptation. But such a +liberty, as overturns our rights, our privileges, our laws, our +religion, and tolerates it only under the notion of a crime, and +indemnifies it under the notion of a fault to be pardoned, and allows +the exercise thereof only in part so and so modified, cannot be accepted +by any to whom the reproach thereof is a burden, and to whom the +reproaches of Christ are in esteem, in such a day, when even the hoofs +of Christ's interest buried in bondage are to be contended for. Whatever +liberty this may be to some consciences, it is none to the tender +according to the rule of conscience, it is only a toleration which is +always of evil: for that which is good cannot be tolerated under the +notion of good, but countenanced and encouraged as such. Therefore this +reflects upon our religion, when a toleration is accepted which implies +such a reproach: and the annexed indemnity and pardon tacitely condemns +the profession thereof as a fault or crime, which no Christian can bear +with or by his acceptance homologate these reproaches, if he consider +the nature of it: and much more will he be averse from it, if he +consider how dishonourable it is to God (whatever some addresses, +particularly the presbyterians at London, have blasphemously alledged, +that God is hereby restored to his empire over the conscience) since the +granter, after he hath robbed the Mediator of his supremacy and given it +away to antichrist, and God of his supremacy imperial as universal king +by a claim of absolute power peculiar to him, he hath also robbed him of +his empire over the conscience, in giving every man the empire over his +own conscience, which he reserves a power to retract whom he pleases. + +9. Considering the extent of it, they cannot class themselves among the +number of them that are indulged thereby. It takes in not only the +archbishops and bishops, and the prelatical and malignant crew, but all +quakers, and papists, reaching all idolatry, blasphemy, and heresy, and +truth also (which could never yet dwell together under one sconce.) +Whereby the professors of Christ come in as partners in the same bargain +with antichrist's vassals; and the Lord's ark hath a place with Dagon, +and its priests and followers consent to it; and the builders of Babel +and of Jerusalem are made to build together, under the same protection; +and a sluice is opened to let the enemy come in like a flood, which to +oppose the accepters cannot stand in the gap, nor lift up a standard +against them. Liberty indeed should be universally extended to all the +Lord's people, as Cyrus's proclamation was general, who is there among +you of all his people? his God be with him. But a toleration of +idolaters, blasphemers, and hereticks, as papists, &c. is odious to God, +because it is contrary to scripture, expresly commanding idolaters to +die the death, and all seducers and enticers to apostacy from God to be +put to death without pity; and commending all righteous magistrates that +executed judgment accordingly, as Asa, Hezekiah, &c. yea even heathen +magistrates that added their faction to the laws of God, as Artaxerxes +is approven for that statute, that whosoever will not do the law of God +and of the king, judgment should be executed speedily upon him. And in +the new testament this was never repealed but confirmed, in that the +sword is given to magistrates, not in vain, but to be a terror to, and +revengers to execute wrath upon all that do evil, among whom seducers +that are evil workers and idolaters are chiefly to be ranked, being such +as do the worst of evil to mankind. Ephesus is commended because they +could not bear them which are evil: and Thyatira reproved for suffering +Jezebel: by which it appeareth, that our Lord Jesus is no friend to +toleration. It is true this is spoken against churchmen; but will any +think that will be approven in civil powers, which is so hateful in +church officers? Surely it will be the duty and honour of these horns +spoken of Rev. xvii. to eat the whore's flesh and burn her with fire: +and shall that be restricted only to be done against the great +antichrist, and not be duty against the lesser antichrists, the limbs of +the great one? it is recorded of Julian the apostate, that among other +devices he used, to root out Christianity this was one, that he gave +toleration openly to all the different professions that were among +Christians, whereof there were many heretical in those days: which was +exactly aped by James the apostate now for the same end. It is also +contrary to the confession of faith, chap. 20, sect. 4. asserting that +'for their publishing such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, +as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of +Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation, or to +the power of godliness, or such erroneous opinions or practices, as +either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or +maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order, which +Christ hath established in the church; they may lawfully be called to +account, and proceeded against by the censures of the church, and by the +power of the civil magistrate.' And therefore to accept of this +toleration is inconsistent with the principles of the church of +Scotland, with the national and solemn league and covenants, and solemn +acknowledgment of sins and engagement to duties, in all which we are +bound to extirpate popery, prelacy, &c. With the whole tract of +contendings in the fifth period above related, and particularly by the +testimony of the synod of Fife, and other brethren in the ministry, +against Cromwell's vast toleration and liberty of conscience, mentioned +above page ----, for it is plain, if it be not to be suffered, then it +is not to be accepted. + +10. Considering the terms wherein it is offered, they cannot make such a +shameful bargain. In the former proclamation it is granted expresly +under several conditions, restrictions, and limitations: whereof indeed +some are retracted in the latter, as the restriction of it to moderate +presbyterians, which would seem to be taken off by extending to all +without reserve to serve God in their own way; but being evidently +exclusive of all that would serve God in Christ's way, and not after the +mode prescribed, it is so modified and restricted that all that will +accept of it must be moderate presbyterians indeed, which as it is taken +in the court sense, must be an ignominy to all that have zeal against +antichrist. The limitation also to private houses and not to out-houses, +is further enlarged to chapels, or places purposely hired, but still it +is stinted to these, which they must bargain for with counsellors, +sheriffs, &c. So that none of these restrictions and limitations are +altogether removed, but the condition of taking the oath only: yet it is +very near to an equivalency homologated, by the accepters acknowledging +in the granter a prerogative and absolute power over all laws, which is +confirmed and maintained by their acceptance. As for the rest that are +not so much as said to be removed, they must be interpreted to remain, +as the terms, conditions, restrictions, and limitations, upon which they +are to enjoy the benefit of this toleration. And what he says, that he +thought fit by this proclamation further to declare, does confirm it, +that there are further explications, but no taking off of former +restrictions. Hence it is yet clogged with such provisions and +restrictions, as must make it very nauseous to all truly tender. (1.) +The restriction as to the persons still remains, that only moderate +presbyterians, and such as are willing to accept of this indulgence +allenarly, and none other, and such only whose names must be signified +to these sheriffs, stewards, bailiffs, &c. are to have the benefit of +this indulgence: whereby all the zealous and faithful presbyterians are +excluded, (for these they will not call them moderate) and all that +would improve it without a formal acceptance, and all who for their +former diligence in duty are under the lash of their wicked law, and +dare not give up their names to those who are seeking their lives, must +be deprived of it. (2.) It is restricted to certain places still, which +must be made known to some one or more of the next privy counsellors, +and whereby they are tied to a dependence on their warrant, and must +have their lease and licence for preaching the word in any place, and +field-meetings are severely interdicted, though signally countenanced of +the Lord, whereby the word of the Lord is bound and bounded; and by this +acceptance their bloody laws against preaching in the open fields, where +people can have freest access with conveniency and safety, are +justified. (3.) The manner of meeting is restricted, which must be in +such a way as the peace and security of the government in the practice +thereof may not be endangered, and again that their meetings be +peaceably held, which is all one upon the matter with the bond of peace, +and binding to the good behaviour so much formerly contended against by +professors, and is really the same with the condition of the cautionary +bond in the indulgence after Bothwel, of which see page ----. And +further they must be openly and publicly held, and all persons freely +admitted to them; which is for the informing trade, exposing to all the +inconveniencies of Jesuits, and other spies and flies their delations, +in case any thing be spoken reflecting on the government, a great +temptation to ministers. (4.) The worst of all is upon their matter of +preaching, which is so restricted and limited, that nothing must be said +or done contrary to the well and peace of his reign, seditious or +treasonable; and in case any treasonable speeches be uttered, the law is +to take place against the guilty, and none other present, providing they +reveal to any of the council the guilt so committed, as in the former +proclamation: and in the last it is further declared, that nothing must +be preached or taught, which may any way tend to alienate the hearts of +the people from him or his government. Here is the price at which they +are to purchase their freedom (a sad bargain to buy liberty and sell +truth) which yet hardly can be so exactly paid, but he may find a +pretence for retrenching it when he pleases; for if a minister shall +pray for the overturning of a throne of iniquity, or for confounding all +that serve graven images, and for destruction to the pope, and all that +give their power to that beast, there will be something said against the +well of his government; or if any shall hear this and not delate it, +then the same pretence is relevant; or if he shall preach against the +king's religion as idolatry, and the church of Rome as Babylon, and +discharge his conscience and duty in speaking against the tyranny of the +times; or let him preach against any public sin faithfully, a popish +critic or Romish bigot shall interpret it to be an alienation of the +people's hearts from the king and his government. But who can be +faithful, and preach in season and out of season now, but he must think +it his duty to endeavour to alienate the hearts of the people from such +an enemy to Christ, and his absolute tyranny, so declaredly stated +against God? What watchman must not see it his indispensible duty, to +warn all people of his devilish designs to destroy the church and +nation, and preach so that people may hate the whore, and this pimp of +her's? sure if he preach the whole counsel of God, he must preach +against popery and tyranny. And if he think this indulgence from +absolute prerogative, granted and accepted on these terms, can supersede +him from this faithfulness, then he is no more the servant of Christ but +a pleaser of men. Therefore since it is so clogged with so many +restrictions, so inconsistent with duty, so contrary to scripture, so +clearly violatory of covenant-engagements, so cross to the constant +contendings and constitutions of this church, and acts of assembly (see +page ----, &c.) it were a great defection to accept of it. + +11. Considering the scandal of it, they dare not so offend the +generation of the righteous by the acceptance, and dishonour God, +disgrace the protestant profession, wrong the interest thereof, and +betray their native country, as thus to comply with the design of +antichrist, and partake of this cruel tender mercy of the beast; who +hath always mischief in his heart, and intends this as a preparative for +inducing or inforcing all that are hereby lulled asleep either to take +on his mark, or bear the marks of his fiery fury afterwards. For hereby +foreign churches may think, we are in a fair way of reconciliation with +antichrist, when we so kindly accept his harbinger's favours. And it +cannot but be very stumbling to see the ministers of Scotland, whose +testimony used to be terrible to the popish, and renowned through all +the protestant churches, purchasing a liberty to themselves at the rate +of burying and betraying the cause into bondage and restraint, and thus +to be laid by from all active and open opposition to antichrist's +designs, in such a season. The world will be tempted to think, they are +not governed by principles but their own interest in this juncture, +seeking their own things more than the things of Christ; and that it was +not the late usurpation upon, and overturning of religion and liberty +that offended them, so much as the persecution they sustained thereby; +but if that arbitrary power had been exerted in their favours, though +with the same prejudice of the cause of Christ, they would have complied +with it as they do now. Alas, sad and dolorous have been the scandals +given, and taken by and from the declining ministers of Scotland +heretofore, which have rent and racked the poor remnant, and offended +many both at home and abroad, but none so stumbling as this. And +therefore the tender will be shy to meddle with it. + +12. Considering the addresses made thereupon, with such a stain of +fulsome and blasphemous flatteries, to the dishonour of God, the +reproach of the cause, the betraying of the church, and detriment of the +nation, and exposing themselves to the contempt of all, the poor +persecuted party dare not so much as seem to incorporate with them. I +shall set down the first of their addresses, given forth in the name of +all the presbyterian ministers, and let the reader judge whether there +be not cause of standing aloof from every appearance of being of their +number. It is dated at Edinburgh, July 21, 1687, of this tenor. + + _To the king's most excellent majesty. The humble address of the + presbyterian ministers of his majesty's kingdom of Scotland._ + + 'We your majesty's most loyal subjects, the ministers of the + presbyterian persuasion in your ancient kingdom of Scotland, from + the due sense we have of your majesty's gracious and surprising + favour, in not only putting a stop to our long sad sufferings for + non-conformity, but granting us the liberty of the public and + peaceable exercise of our ministerial function without any hazard: + as we bless the great God who hath put this in your royal heart, do + withal find ourselves bound in duty to offer our most humble and + hearty thanks to your sacred majesty, the favour bestowed being to + us and all the people of our persuasion valuable above all our + earthly comforts, especially since we have ground from your majesty + to believe that our loyalty is not to be questioned upon the + account of our being presbyterians, who as we have amidst all + former temptations endeavoured, so we are firmly resolved still to + preserve an entire loyalty in our doctrine and practice (consonant + to our known principles, which according to the holy scriptures are + contained in the confession of faith, generally owned by + presbyterians in all your majesty's dominions) and by the help of + God so to demean ourselves, as your majesty may find cause rather + to enlarge than to diminish your favours towards us; throughly + persuading ourselves from your majesty's justice and goodness, that + if we shall at any time be otherwise represented, your majesty + will not give credit to such information, until you have due + cognition thereof: and humbly beseeching, that those who promote + any disloyal principles and practices (as we disown them) may be + looked upon as none of ours, whatsoever name they may assume to + themselves. May it please your most excellent majesty graciously to + accept of this our most humble address, as proceeding from the + plainness and sincerity of loyal and thankful hearts, much engaged + by your royal favour, to continue our fervent prayers to the King + of kings, for divine illumination and conduct, with all other + blessings spiritual and temporal, ever to attend your royal person + and government, which is the greatest duty can be rendered to your + majesty, by + + _Your majesty's most humble, most faithful, + and most obedient subjects_. + + Subscribed in our names, and in the name of the rest of our + brethren of our persuasion, at their desire.' + + +Which received this gracious return. + + _The king's letter to the presbyterians in his ancient + kingdom of Scotland_. + + 'We love you well: and we heartily thank you for your address: we + resolve to protect you in your liberty, religion, and properties, + all our life: and we shall lay down such methods, as shall not be + in the power of any to alter hereafter. And in the mean time, we + desire you to pray for our person and government.' To which may be + added that kind compliment of the chancellor's: 'Gentlemen, My + master hath commanded me to tell you, that I am to serve you in all + things within the compass of my power.' + +These gentlemen needed not to have been solicitous that those who avouch +an adherance to the covenanted reformation, and avow an opposition to +antichristian usurpers (which they call promoting disloyal principles +and practices) might not be looked upon as of their confederacy: for all +that abide in the principles and practices of the church of Scotland +(which they have deserted) and that desire to be found loyal to Christ, +in opposition to his and the church's, and the country's declared enemy, +would count it a sin and scandal, laying them obnoxious to the +displeasure of the holy and jealous God, who will resent this heinous +indignity they have done unto his majesty (if they do not address +themselves unto him for pardon of the iniquity of this address, which is +the desire of those whom they disown that they may find grace to do so) +and a shameful reproach, exposing them to the contempt of all of whom +they expect sympathy, to be reckoned of their association who have thus +betrayed the cause and the country. These mutual compliments (so like +the caresses of the Romish whore, whereby she entices the nations to her +fornication) between the professed servants of Christ and the vassals of +antichrist, if they be cordial, would seem to import that they are in a +fair way of compounding their differences, and to accommodate their +oppositions at length; which yet I hope will be irreconcileably +maintained and kept up by all true presbyterians, in whose name they +have impudence to give out their address: but it they be only adulatory +and flattering compliments, importing only a conjunction of tails (like +Samson's foxes) with a disjunction of heads and hearts, tending towards +distinct and opposite interests; then, as they would suit far better the +dissimulations of politicians, than the simplicity of gospel-ministers, +and do put upon them the brand of being men-pleasers rather than +servants of Christ, so for their dissemblings with dissemblers, who know +their compliments to be and take them for such, they may look to be +paid home in good measure, heaped up and running over, when such methods +shall be laid down as shall not be in the power of any to alter, when +such designs shall be obtained by this liberty and these addresses, that +the after-bought wit of the addressers shall not be able to disappoint. +However the address itself is of such a dress, as makes the thing +addressed for to be odious, and the addressers to forefault the respect, +and merit the indignation of all that are friends to the protestant and +presbyterian cause, as may appear from these obvious reflections. 1. It +was needful indeed they should have assumed the name of presbyterians +(though it might have been more tolerable to let them pass under that +name, if they had not presumed to give forth their flatteries in the +name of all of that persuasion, and to alledge it was at their desire; +which is either an illuding equivocation, or a great untruth, for though +it might be the desire of the men of their own persuasion, which is a +newly start up opinion that interest hath led them to espouse, yet +nothing could be more cross to the real desires of true presbyterians, +that prefer the truth of the cause to the external peace of the +professors thereof) and call it the humble address of presbyterian +ministers: for otherwise it could never have been known to come from men +of the presbyterian persuasion; seeing the contents of this address are +so clearly contrary to their known principles. It is contrary to +presbyterian principles, to congratulate an antichristian usurper for +undermining religion, and overturning laws and liberties. It is contrary +to presbyterian principles, to justify the abrogation of the national +covenant, in giving thanks for a liberty whereby all the laws are cassed +and disabled therein confirmed. It is contrary to presbyterian +principles, to thank the king for opening a door to bring in popery, +which they are engaged to extirpate in the solemn league and covenant. +It is contrary to presbyterian principles, to allow or accept of such a +vast toleration for idolaters and hereticks, as is evident above from +all their contendings against it, which is also contrary to the +confession of faith, generally owned by presbyterians, as may be seen in +the place forecited, chap. 20. par. 4. It is contrary to presbyterian +principles, to consent to any restrictions, limitations, and conditions, +binding them up in the exercise of the ministerial function, wherewith +this liberty is loaded and clogged; whereby indeed they have the liberty +of the public and peaceable exercise of it, without any hazard of +present persecution, but not without great hazard of sin; and incurring +the guilt of the blood of souls, for not declaring the whole counsel of +God, which addressers cannot declare, if they preserve an entire loyalty +in their doctrine, as here they promise. 2. There is nothing here sounds +like the old presbyterian strain; neither was there ever an address of +this stile seen before from presbyterian hands. It would have looked far +more presbyterian like, instead of this address, to have sent a +protestation against the now openly designed introduction of popery, and +subversion of all laws and liberties which they are covenanted to +maintain, or at least to have given an address in the usual language of +presbyterians, who used always to speak of the covenants, and work of +reformation; but here never a word of these, but of loyalty to his +excellent, to his gracious, and to his sacred majesty, of loyalty not to +be questioned, an entire loyalty in doctrine, a resolved loyalty in +practice, and a fervent loyalty in prayers: and all that they are +solicitous about is not lest the prerogatives of their master be +encroached upon, and the liberties of the church be supplanted, and +religion wronged; but lest their loyalty be questioned, and they be +otherwise represented: and all that they beseech for is, not that the +cause of Christ be not wronged, nor antichristian idolatry introduced by +this liberty; but that these who promove any disloyal principles and +practices may be looked upon as none of theirs, wherein all their +encouragement is, that they persuade themselves from his majesty's +justice and goodness, that he will not give credit to any other +information, until he take due cognition thereof. Here is a lawless +unrestricted loyalty to a tyrant, claiming an absolute power to be +obeyed without reserve, not only professed, but solicitously sought to +be the principle of presbyterians; whereas it is rather the principle of +atheistical hobbes exploded with indignation by all rational men. This +is not a Christian loyalty, or profession of conscientious subjection, +to a minister of God for good, who is a terror to evil doers, but a +stupid subjection and absolute allegiance to a minister of antichrist, +who gives liberty to all evil men and seducers. This is not the +presbyterian loyalty to the king, in the defence of Christ's evangel, +liberties of the country, ministration of justice, and punishment of +iniquity, according to the national covenant; and in the preservation +and defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms, +according to the solemn league and covenant; but an erastian loyalty to +a tyrant, in his overturning religion, laws and liberties, and +protecting and encouraging all iniquity. This loyalty in doctrine will +be sound disloyalty to Christ, in a sinful and shameful silence at the +wrongs done to him, and not declaring against the invasions of his open +enemies. This loyalty in practice is a plain betraying of religion and +liberty, in lying by from all opposition to the open destroyer of both. +And this loyalty in prayers, for all blessings ever to attend his person +and government, will be found neither consonant to presbyterian prayers +in reference to popish tyrants, nor consistent with the zeal of +Christians, and the cries of all the elect unto God to whom vengeance +belongs, against antichrist and all his supporters, nor any way conform +to the saints prayers in scripture, nor founded upon any scripture +promises, to pray for a blessing to a papist's tyranny, which cannot be +of faith and therefore must be sin. It were much more suitable to pray, +that the God which hath caused his name to dwell in his church, may +destroy all kings that shall put to their hand to alter and destroy the +house of God, Ezrah vi. 12. 3. This address is so stuffed with sneaking +flatteries, that it would become more sycophants and court-parasites +than ministers of the gospel; and were more suitable to the popish, +prelatical, and malignant faction, to congratulate and rejoice in their +professed patron and head, and fill the gazettes with their adulatory +addresses, which heretofore used to be deservedly inveighed against by +all dissenters; than for presbyterians to take a copy from them, and +espouse the practice which they had condemned before, and which was +never commended in any good government, nor never known in these British +nations, before Oliver's usurpation and Charles' tyranny; flattery being +always counted base among ingenuous men. But here is a rhapsody of +flatteries, from the deep sense they have of his majesty's gracious and +surprising favour----finding themselves bound in duty to offer their +most humble and hearty thanks, to his sacred majesty, the favour +bestowed being to them----valuable above all earthly comforts. One would +think this behoved to be a very great favour, from a very great friend, +for very gracious ends: but what is it? in not only putting a stop to +their long sad sufferings; which were some ground indeed if the way were +honest: but this not only supposes an also; what is that? but also +granting us the liberty----which is either a needless tautology (for if +all sufferings were stopped, then liberty must needs follow) or it must +respect the qualifications of the liberty; flowing from such a fountain, +absolute power; through such a conveyance, the stopping all penal laws +against papists; in such a form as a toleration; for such ends, as +overturning the reformation, and introducing popery. This is the favour +for which they offer most humble and hearty thanks, more valuable to +them than all earthly comforts; though it be manifestly intended to +deprive the Lord's people, at the long run, of the heavenly comforts of +the preached gospel. Sure, if they thank him for the liberty, they must +thank him for the proclamation whereby he grants it, and justify all his +claim there to absoluteness, being that upon which it is superstructed, +and from which it emergeth, and so become a listed faction to abett and +own him in all his attemptings, engaged now to demean themselves as that +he may find cause rather to enlarge than to diminish his favours, which +can be no other way but assisting him to destroy religion and liberty, +at least in suffering him to do what he will without controul. O what an +indelible reproach is this for ministers, who pretend to be set for the +defence of the gospel, thus to be found betraying religion, through +justifying and magnifying a tyrant, for his suspension of so many laws +whereby it was established and supported. 4. It were more tolerable if +they went no further than flatteries: but I fear they come near the +border of blasphemy, when they say, that the great God hath put this in +his royal heart: which can bear no other construction but this, that the +holy Lord hath put it in his heart to assume to himself a blasphemous +and absolute power, whereby he stops and suspends all penal laws against +idolaters, and gives a toleration for all errors: or if it be capable of +any other sense, it must be like that as the Lord is said to have moved +David to number the people, or that Rev. xvii. 17. + +"God hath put it in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree and +give their kingdom unto the beast." But to bless God and thank the +tyrant for this wicked project, as deliberate and purposed by men, I say +is near unto blasphemy. And again where they say, they are firmly +resolved by the help of God so to demean themselves as his majesty may +find cause rather to enlarge than to diminish his favours; this in +effect is as great blasphemy as if they had said, they resolved by the +help of God to be as unfaithful, time-serving and silent ministers as +ever plagued the church of God; for no otherwise can they demean +themselves so as he may find cause to enlarge his favours towards them, +it being in no way supposeable that his enlarging his favours can +consist with their faithfulness, but if they discover any measure of +zeal against antichrist, he will quickly diminish them. + +Thus far I have compendiously deduced the account of the progress, and +prosecution of the testimony of this church to the present state +thereof, as it is concerted and contended for, by the reproached remnant +now only persecuted: which I hope this pretended liberty shall be so far +from obscuring and interrupting, that it shall contribute further to +clear it, and engage them more to constancy in it, and induce others +also to countenance it, when they shall see the sad effects of this +destructive snare, which I leave to time to produce; and hope, that as +the former representation of their cause will conciliate the charity of +the unbiassed, so an account of their sufferings thereupon will provoke +them to sympathy. To which I now proceed. + + + + +PART II. + +_Containing a brief account of the persecution of the last period, and +of the great suffering whereby all the parts of its testimony were +sealed._ + + +The foregoing deduction, being the first thing I proposed to be +discussed in the method of this essay, hath now swelled to such a bulk, +that the last period of it doth, in a manner, swallow up what I intended +to have said on the second: because it gives grounds to gather the +methods and measures that our adversaries have managed, for the ruin of +this witnessing remnant, and also discover some special steps of their +sufferings within these 27 years past, under the tyranny of both the +brothers. It will now be the more easy to glean the gradations of the +means and machines, used by this popish, prelatical, and malignant +faction, to raze the work of reformation, and to build their Babel of +popery and slavery on the ruins thereof; and to aggregate an account in +brief of the great sufferings of the faithful. Which though it be beyond +my power, and besides my purposes at present, to offer a narrative of +it, with any proportion to the greatness of the subject; a more +particular relation thereof, being now projected, if providence permit, +to be published to the world, which will discover strange and unheard of +cruelties: yet, in this little heap of some hints only of the kinds of +their sufferings, I do not question but it will appear, that the +persecution of Scotland hath been very remarkable, and scarcely out-done +by the most cruel in any place or age, in respect of injustice, +illegality, and inhumanity, though perhaps inferior in some other +circumstances. But that none could be more unjust, illegal, or inhuman, +I need not further, I cannot better, demonstrate than only to declare +the matter of fact, as it fell out in the several steps of the last +period. + +I. In the entry of this fatal catastrophe, the first of their +mischievous machinations was to remove out of the way all who were +eminent instruments in carrying on the former work of God, or might be +of influence for obstructing their antichristian and tyrannical designs, +both in the state and in the church. And accordingly, when the marquis +of Argyle, who had a main hand in bringing home the king, and closing +the second treaty at Breda, went up to London, to congratulate his +return from exile, he was made prisoner in the tower, thereafter sent +down to Scotland, indicted of high treason, at length beheaded, and his +head placed upon the tolbooth of Edinburgh (a watch-word of warning to +our addressers, who may, ere all be done, meet with the same sauce) for +no other alledged cause, but for his compliance with the English, when +they had our land in subjection; a thing wherein the judges who +condemned him were equally criminal; but really for another provocation +that incensed the king against him, which made him a tyrant as infamous +for villany as for violence, to wit, for his reproving the king (when +others declined it) for an adulterous rape, which he held for so +piacular a crime, that he resolved nothing should expiate it but the +blood of this nobleman. For the same pretended cause was the lord +Wariston afterwards executed to death at Edinburgh, after they had +missed of their design of taking him off by clandestine ways abroad. +Then they fall upon the ministers: and because Mr. James Guthrie was a +man, who had been honoured of God to be zealous and singularly faithful, +in carrying on the work of reformation, and had asserted the kingly +authority of Christ, in opposition to the erastian supremacy encroaching +thereupon, therefore he must live no longer, but is condemned to die, +and most basely handled, as if he had been a most notorious thief or +malefactor; he is hanged, and afterward his head placed upon one of the +ports of Edinburgh, where it abideth to this day, preaching not only +against the enemies rebellion against God, but against the defection of +many ministers since, who have practically denied that great truth for +which he suffered, to wit, his testimony against the supremacy, and for +declining the usurped authority of him who arrogated it. At the same +time there was a proclamation, which they caused to be read at all the +church-doors, discharging ministers to speak against them or their +proceedings, whereby profane and malicious persons were encouraged to +witness against their ministers. By which means (though many were in no +hazard, thinking it commendable prudence, commended indeed by the world, +but hateful unfaithfulness before God, to be silent at such a time) some +faithful ministers giving faithful and free warning, and protesting +against the present defection, were condemned of treason, and banished +out of the three dominions. Others, without a legal citation, or without +access to give in their defences, were sentenced with banishment, and +could never get an extract of their sentence: and further, were +compelled to subscribe a bond, under pain of death, to remove out of all +the dominions betwixt and such a day. This was the lot, and also the +blot of these famous and faithful ministers, Mr. John Livingston, Mr. +Robert Macward, Mr. John Brown, &c. who spent the rest of their days in +Holland, serving their generation by their excellent writings. Then, +after they had disposed of many other ministers, whom they thrust out, +for not keeping the 29th of May, having now laid by the most eminent, +and whom they feared most of the ministry, they shortly thereafter +outed, and violented the rest from the exercise of their ministry, and +straitned them with strange and severe confinements; yea, because they +would not be outdone in suppressing religion by any, no, not by Julian +the apostate, they proceeded to poison all the springs and fountains of +learning; ordaining that none be masters in universities, except they +take the oath of supremacy, and own the government of prelacy; and none +be admitted to teach in a school, without the prelate's licence. These +courses brought many ministers and expectants to great sufferings. + +II. Hitherto they reached only noblemen, gentlemen and ministers, and +others whom they thought might stand in their way of advancing their +cursed designs. The next drift is, when they had emptied the churches of +ministers, and filled them with the vermin of ignorant and scandalous +curates, to force the people to conformity, and to disown and +discountenance their own ministers; first, by severe edicts of +exorbitant fining not only the persons themselves contraveening, but +those that had the superiority over them, and rigorous exaction of these +fines, to the depopulation of a poor country, by military force; +whereby, where there was but one church in the bounds, still enjoying a +minister whom the people could hear, the profane soldiers would beset +that church in time of worship, and cause all within to pay their fines, +or take the garments from them that could not, and beat them to the +effusion of their blood: and where the church was planted with a curate, +the soldiers would come, and call the names of the parishioners, and +amerciate the absents in such fines as they pleased. In other places +they went to private houses, and by force drove them to church, even +though sick and unable. But where the dissenters were numerous, great +bands of legal robbers were sent to exact and extort these exorbitant +fines, by plundering, quartering, beating, wounding, binding men like +beasts, chasing away from houses, and harassing whole country-sides in a +hideous manner. And yet after all these insolencies, some of the common +sort were compelled to subscribe an acknowledgment, that the captain had +used them civilly and discreetly; though the account of others of that +place manifests the violence to have been so monstrous, that it +justified the great barbarity; shewing their exactions to have been +intolerable, both for the quantity, without all proportion or pity, and +for the manner of it, consuming and wasting poor people's provision by +their very dogs, and sparing no more these who conformed, than others +who did not conform at all, and punishing husbands for their wives, yea, +doubling and tripling the same exactions after payment. Next, though at +first they did not imprison any for simple absenting themselves from the +curates, yet they began to fill prisons with such as at any time shewed +more than ordinary zeal against the curates intrusion, and testified +their dissatisfaction to his face; for which, some were imprisoned, +scourged, stigmatized, and thereafter carried to Barbadoes. Others, +because they would not give the prelates their title of lords, when +conveened before them, were also scourged: and one minister seized for +preaching, and offending the prelates by the same fault, was carried +first to the thieves hole, laid in irons in company with a madman, and +then banished to Shetland, the coldest and wildest of all the Scots +islands. + +III. But when fining would not do, and still the people were more averse +from the curates, by getting sometimes occasions of hearing their own +ministers in private; hence were houses forced and searched, many hawled +to prisons, and several necessitate to escape at windows with the hazard +of their lives, spies sent unto and set in suspected places, to seize +and fall upon such as they found at such meetings, or but suspected to +have been there. Whence it came to pass, that many, both men and women, +young and old, have been dragged to prisons, and there close kept as +malefactors, besides several other outrageous and illegal acts of +violence and oppression committed against them, contrary to all law, +equity and conscience. + +IV. After Pentland defeat, they ruled by rage more than either law or +reason. There 40 prisoners, who were taken upon quarter, and solemn +parole to have their life spared, yet treacherously and bloodily were +all hanged (except five that were reprieved) who had much of the Lord's +presence at their deaths, and assurance of his love, strengthening them +to seal a noble testimony. One of them, a much honoured young minister, +only for having a sword about him, though not present at the fight, did +first most patiently endure the cruel torture of the boots (a cruel +engine of iron, whereby with wedges the leg is tortured, until the +marrow come out of the bone) and afterwards death, with great courage +and constancy. Upon the scaffold, at their execution, they then began +that barbarity never practised in Scotland before, but frequently, and +almost always at all the executions since, to beat drums, that they +might not be heard. After this conflict, many were forefaulted of their +estates, and intercommuned, with inhibition to all to reset, conceal, or +correspond with any that had escaped, under the pain of being accounted +guilty of the same rebellion, as they called it. Soldiers are permitted +to take free quarter in the country, and licensed to all the abuses, +that either rapine or cruelty may suggest; to examine men by tortures, +threatning to kill or roast alive, all that would not delate all they +knew were accessory to that rising; to strip them who did so much as +reset the fugitives, and thrust them into prisons, in cold, hunger and +nakedness, and crowd them so with numbers, that they could scarce stand +together, having the miseries of their own excrements superadded; yea, +to murder without process, such as would not, nay could not, discover +those persecuted people. But not only time, but heart and tongue would +fail, to relate all the violences and insolencies, the stobbings, +woundings, stripping and imprisonings of mens persons, violent breaking +of their houses both by day and night, beating of wives and children, +ravishing of women, forcing of them by fire-matches and other tortures, +to discover their husbands and nearest relations, although not within +the compass of their knowledge, and driving away all their goods that +could be carried away without respect to guilt or innocency, and all the +cruelties that were exercised without a check by these ruffians at that +time. + +V. After all these tender mercies and clemencies, or cruelties, which +his gracious majesty was pleased to confer or commit upon these poor +contenders for religion and liberty, he and his cabal the council +thought it not enough to suppress them with oppressions and force, +distrusting the authority of his law (that he knew the people would no +more observe, than he would observe a promise or oath) and diffiding +also the authority of his sword, which he had above their heads, he +proposes terms of bargaining with them, whereupon he would suffer them +to live, and to which he would have them bound to live according to his +prescript; therefore, besides the old oaths of allegiance and supremacy, +that were still going among hands, he caused coin new ones to keep the +peace, and to live orderly, meaning to conform themselves to the +disorders of the times! whereby, after he had wrought such destruction +to their bodies and estates, and almost nothing was left them but a bit +of a conscience, he would rob them of that too, verifying the constant +character of the wicked, they only consult to cast a man down from his +excellency. What is a man's excellency but a good conscience? But these +men, having feared consciences of their own, not capable of any +impression, they presume to impose upon all others, and cannot endure so +much as to hear of the name of conscience in the country, except it be +when it is baffled in the belchings of beastly mouths; as one, that was +well acquaint with the council's humour in this point, told a gentleman +that was going before them, to have one of these oaths imposed upon him, +who was beforehand signifying his scruples, that he could not do such +things in conscience. Conscience (said he) I beseech you whatever you +do, speak nothing of conscience before the lords, for they cannot abide +to hear that word. Therefore it is, that since this last revolution, +there have been more conscience-debauching and ensnaring oaths invented +and imposed, and some repugnant and contradictory to others, than ever +was in any nation in the world in so short a time: and hereby they have +had woful success in their designs, involving the generality of the land +in the sin of perjury and false swearing with themselves. And it hath +been observed, that scarcely have they let one year pass, without +imposing some oaths or bonds upon presbyterians; such always as are +unlawful to take, yea and impossible to keep, sometimes more obviously +gross, sometimes more seemingly smooth, sometimes tendered more +generally through the kingdom, sometimes imposed upon particular shires; +and these carried on by craft and cunning, sometimes by force and +cruelty. Doubtless it is not the least part of their design, hereby to +make oaths and bonds become a trivial and common thing, and by making +all men of as capacious consciences as themselves. + +VI. Further, they never ceased to express their fear of another rising, +(their guilty consciences dictating that they deserved greater +opposition.) Hence, to secure themselves, and incapacitate the people +from further attempts of that nature, they order all withdrawers from +churches, all who did not join to suppress the Lord's people, to deliver +up their arms betwixt and such a day, and not keep a horse above such a +very mean price, unfit for service. + +VII. When force could not do the business, then they try flatteries; and +hence contrive that wicked indulgence to divide and destroy the +ministers that remained, and to suppress meetings. But when this bait, +so well busked, could not catch all, but still there were meetings for +administring the ordinances; their flattery turns to fury, and the +acceptance of that indulgence by some, and despising of it by others, +did both animate and instigate them unto a following forth of their +design, by all the cruel acts and bloody executions. And hereby the +residue of the faithful of the land were exposed unto their rage, while +the indulged became interpretatively guilty of, and accessory to all the +cruelties used and executed upon ministers and professors, for adhering +unto that way. Hence it was common at private and peaceable meetings, +when, without arms of defence, they were disturbed by soldiers, and +exposed to all manner of villanous violence, some being dragged to +prisons, some banished and sold to French captains to be transported +with rascals, many intercommuned and driven from their dwellings and +relations, great sums of money were proffered to any that would bring in +several of the most eminent ministers, either dead or alive; yea several +at several times were killed, and others cruelly handled: all which, for +several years, they patiently endured without resistance. But +especially, when not only they were driven to the fields to keep their +meetings in all weathers, summer and winter, but necessitate to meet +with arms, then they raised more troops of horse and dragoons to pursue +them with all rage, as traitors and rebels. Hence what pursuings, +hornings, huntings, hidings, wanderings through mountains and muirs, and +all kinds of afflictions, the people of God then met with, because of +their following that necessary and signally blessed duty; all the lands +inhabitants know, the jailors can witness to this day, and the barbarous +soldiers, bloody executioners of the commands of their enraged masters, +having orders to wound and kill, and apprehend all they could take at +these meetings, or on the way suspected to be going to or coming from +them, having encouragement to apprehend some ministers, and bring them +dead or alive, by the promise of 2000 merks, others valued at 1000, and +several professors also with prices put upon their heads. Hence others +that were taken of them were sent into the Bass, a dry and cold rock in +the sea, where they had no fresh water, nor any provision but what they +had brought many miles from the country; and when they got it, it would +not keep unspoiled. And others, both ministers and many hundreds of +professors, were outlawed; whereby all the subjects were prohibited to +reset, supply, intercommune with any of them, or to correspond with them +by word, writ, or message, or furnish them with meat, drink, house, +harbour, victual, or any other thing useful, under the highest pains. +Hence also prisons were filled, and the wives and children of the outed +ministers, that were come to Edinburgh for shelter, were commanded to +dislodge, within a short day prefixed, under the pain of being forcibly +shut up or dragged out. For which and other such uses, to apprehend and +seize, on meetings, a major was appointed in Edinburgh, with command +over the town guards, and a good salary for that end. Then prisons being +filled, they were emptied to make room for others in ships, to be taken +away to be sold for slaves, in one of which were sent to Virginia above +60 men, some ministers; who, through the kindness and sympathy of some +English godly people, were relieved at London. A greater barbarity not +to be found in the reigns of Caligula or Nero. + +VIII. But all this is nothing to what followed; when, thinking these +blood-hounds were too favourable, they brought down from the wild +Highlands an host of savages upon the western shires, more terrible than +Turks or Tartars, men who feared not God nor regarded man; and being +also poor pitiful Skybalds, they thought they had come to a brave world, +to waste and destroy a plentiful country, which they resolved, before +they left it, to make as bare as their own. This hellish crew was +adduced to work a reformation, like the French conversions, to press a +band of conformity, wherein every subscriber was bound for himself and +all under him, wife, children, servants, tenants, to frequent their +parish churches, and never to go to these meetings, nor reset, nor +entertain any that went, but to inform against, pursue, and deliver up +all vagrant preachers, as they called them, to trial and judgment. Which +they prosecuted with that rigour and restless, boundless rage, that the +children then unborn, and their pitiful mothers do lament the memory of +that day, for the loss of their fathers and husbands. Many houses and +families then were left desolate in a winter flight, many lost their +cattle and horses, and some, in seeking to recover them, lost their +lives, by the sword of these Burrios. So that it was too evident, both +by what orders was given, the severity of prosecuting, and the +expressions of some great ones since, that nothing less than the utter +ruin and desolation of these shires was consulted and concluded, and +that expedition, at that time, calculated for that end; for what else +can be imagined could induce to the raising 10 or 11,000 barbarous +savages, the joining them to the standing forces, and with such cruel +orders the directing them all to the west, where there was not one +person moving the finger against them: neither could they pretend any +quarrel, if it was not the faithfulness of the people there in their +covenanted religion, and their hopelessness of complying to their popish +and tyrannical designs, and therefore no course so feasible as to +destroy them; so for dispatching thereof, order is given forth, that +whosoever refuseth to subscribe that hell-hatched bond, must instantly +have 10, 20, 30, 40, more or fewer according to his condition as he is +poorer or richer, of these new reformers sent to him, to ly not only +upon free quarters to eat up and destroy what they pleased, but also +(for the more speedy expedition) ordered to take a sixpence for each +common soldier a-day, and the officers more, according to their degrees, +and so to remain till either the bond was subscribed, or all destroyed; +nor was these trustees deficient to further their purposes in +prosecuting their orders, who, coming to their quarters, used ordinarily +to produce a billgate for near to as many more as came, and for these +absents they must have double money, because their landlord was not +burdened with their maintenance, and, where that was refused, would take +the readiest goods, and if any thing remained not destroyed and +plundered at their removing, which was not transportable, rather than +the owner should get any good of it, they would in some places set fire +to it, as they did with the cornstacks. It would require several great +volumes to record the many instances of horrid barbarities, bloods and +villanies of that wicked expedition; so that what by free quarterings, +exactions, robberies, thefts, plunderings, and other acts of violence +and cruelty, many places were ruined almost to desolation, all which the +faithful choosed rather to suffer, than to sin in complying: and albeit +their oppression was exceeding lamentable, and their loss great, yet +that of the compliers was greater and sadder, who losed a good +conscience in yielding to them, and compounding with them. + +IX. Then the country behoved to pay the soldiers for all this service, +and hire them to do more, by paying the imposed cess; whereby they were +sharpened into a greater keenness in cruel executions of their orders, +returning to those places of the country whither they had chased the +persecuted people, who still kept their meetings wherever they were, +though they could not attend them, but upon the hazard of being killed, +either in the place (where some had their blood mingled with their +sacrifice) or fleeing, or be exposed to their dreadful cruelties, more +bitter than death. For then it was counted a greater crime, and punished +with greater severity, for persons to hear a faithful minister preach, +than to commit murder, incest, adultery, or to be guilty of witchcraft, +or idolatry, or the grossest abominations: for these have passed +unpunished, when some, for their simple presence at a meeting, have been +executed unto the death. Then also, when some were forced to flee into +the English border for shelter, there also were parties ordered to +pursue these poor hunted partridges, who could not find a hole to hide +their head in. There we lost a valiant champion for truth, and truly +zealous contender for the interest of Christ, that universally +accomplished gentleman and Christian, Thomas Ker of Heyhope, who was +cruelly murdered in a rencounter with a party of the English side. + +Thereafter followed that lamentable stroke at Bothwel, where about 300 +were killed on the field, and about 10 or 1100 taken prisoners, and +stript, and brought into Edinburgh in a merciless manner. After which, +first two faithful and painful ministers and witnesses of Christ, Mr. +John Kid and Mr. John King, received the crown of martyrdom, sealing +that testimony with their blood, and many others after them for the same +cause. Then the enemy, after the manner used before, first to wound our +head, and then put on a hood upon it, (as they have done always after a +mischief, and intending a greater), offered their bond of peace, on +terms that clearly condemned the cause, never to rise in arms against +the king, &c. by which bond, many of the prisoners, after they had lien +several weeks in a church-yard, without the shadow of a house to cover +them night and day, were liberate: and many of the rest, by the +persuasion of some ministers, at whose door their blood lies as well as +at the enemy's, took that bond; and yet were sent away with others that +did not take it, in a ship bound for America between 2 and 300 in all, +who were all murdered in the ship, being shut up under the hatches, when +it split upon a rock in the north of Scotland, except about 50 persons; +whereof many to this are living witnesses of such a cruelty. + +X. Hitherto only the common rules and rudiments of the art of +persecution were put in practice, exactly quadrating with the rules of +Adam Contzen the Jesuit for introducing of popery, in his polit. lib. 2. +cap. 18. which are, (1.) To proceed as musicians do, in tuning their +instruments gradually. (2.) To press the examples of some eminent men to +draw on the rest. (3.) To banish all arch-heretics at once (that is the +most zealous witnesses of Christ) or at least with all expedition by +degrees. (4.) To put them out of all power and trust, and put in friends +to the catholic interest. (5.) To load the protestant opinions, as are +most obnoxious, with all odious contions. (6.) To discharge all private +conventicles. (7.) To make and execute rigorous laws against the most +dangerous. (8.) To foment all quarrels among protestants, and strengthen +the party that is ready to comply. But these, and many other of a deeper +projection, and greater perfection, were fallen upon afterwards, +equalling the most mischievous machines of Spanish inquisition, or the +methods that effectuated the desolation of the church of Bohemia; that +were exactly followed, as they are related in Clark's Martyrology. +Especially the last of Contzen's rules were industriously observed, in +the device of the indulgence both before and after Bothwel, which +contributed more to the rending and ruining the remnant, and to expose +the faithful to rage and cruelty, than any thing; for when, by these +ensnaring favours, many were drawn away from their duty, the rest that +maintained it, and kept up the testimony, were both the more easily +preyed upon, and more cruelly insulted over. Hence the field-meetings +that were kept, were more fiercely pursued after Bothwel than the many +before, and more cruel laws were made against them, and more bloody +executions, than I can find words to express in short. But, in a word, +no party of Tartars invading the land, or crew of cut-throats destroying +the inhabitants, or the most capital malefactors, could have been more +violently opposed, or more vigorously fought to be suppressed, than +these poor meeters were. But I must make some more special hints. + +1. They not only raised more forces to exhaust the strength and +substance of the already wasted country, and laid on and continued from +one term to another that wicked exaction and cruel oppression of the +cess, for the same declared ends of suppressing and banishing what +remained of the gospel, and imposed localities for maintaining the +soldiers employed in those designs; for refusing which many families +were pillaged, plundered, and quite impoverished, besides the beating +and abusing them: but also they went on unweariedly with their courts +of inquisition, pressing the bonds of peace, and dragging them like dogs +to prisons that would not subscribe them, and for taking up in their +Porteous' rolls the names of all that were suspected to have been at +Bothwel insurrection: which they gathered by the information of +sycophants, and reputed them convict, if being summoned they did not +appear, and forced others to swear concerning things that are to be +enquired after, and delate upon oath whom they did either see or heard +that they were in arms, or went to meetings; and such as refused, +suffered bonds or banishment. Yea, having made it criminal to reset, +harbour, correspond, or converse with these whom they declared rebels, +they thereupon imprisoned, fined, and ruined vast numbers, for having +seen or spoken with some of them, or because they did not discover or +apprehend them when they fancied they might, and even when they were not +obliged, and could not know whether they were obnoxious persons or not: +for which many gentlemen and others were indicted and imprisoned, and +some arraigned and condemned to death. For these causes, the country was +harrassed and destroyed by four extraordinary circuit courts, +successively going about with their numerous train, whereby many were +grievously oppressed, and with their oppressions tempted with many +impositions of conscience-debauching oaths, and bonds to compear when +called, and to keep the church, and to refrain from going to meetings, +&c. and by these temptations involved in compliances and defections. + +2. To enrich themselves, by these means, with the spoil of the country, +did not satisfy these destroyers; but they must glut themselves with the +blood of the saints, upon every pretext that they could catch, under any +colour of law. As upon the account of Bothwel insurrection, many were +cruelly executed to the death, some gentlemen, and some common country +men, without any legal conviction, by packing bloody juries and assizes +most partially for their murdering ends, besides more than can be +reckoned that were kept to perish in their imprisonments. And not only +for being actually in arms, or any ouvert act of transgressing their +wicked laws, but even for their extorted opinion of things, or because +they could not condemn these necessitated risings in arms to be +rebellion, and a sin against God, which they were forced to declare by +terrible menacings of death and torture, they have been condemned to +death; making their arbitrary laws to reach the heart, thoughts, and +inward sentiments of the mind, as well as outward actions. Whereupon +this became a criminal question robbing many of their lives, Was the +rising at Bothwel-bridge rebellion, and a sin against God? And this +another, Was the killing of the bishop of St. Andrew's horrid murder? +Which if any answered negatively, or did not answer affirmatively, they +were cruelly condemned to death; for which, first, five innocent +Christians were execute upon the spot, where that murderer fell. Though +they declared, and it was known, they were as free as the child unborn, +and that some of them had never seen a bishop that they knew from +another man, and were never in that place of the country where he was +killed. And afterwards this was the constant question that all brought +before them were troubled with, which some avouching to be duty, were +dismembered alive, their hands struck off, and then hanged, and their +heads cut off when dead. + +3. After Sanquhar declaration, they observed the jesuits rules more +exactly, especially that mentioned above, to load the opinions that are +most obnoxious with all odious constructions, and to make it both +criminal to declare them, and also criminal to conceal and wave their +intrapping questions thereupon. For after Mr. Hall was killed at the +Queensferry, and Mr. Cameron with several worthies were slain at +Airsmoss, and after Mr. Hackston for declining the authority of his +murderers, head and tail, and for being accessory to executing judgment +upon the arch traitor, or arch bishop of St. Andrew's (though he laid +not his hands on him himself, nor was present at the action, but at a +distance when it was done) was tortured alive, with the cutting off of +his hands, and then hanged, and before he was dead, ripped up, his heart +taken out, and carried about on the point of a knife, and thrown into a +fire, and afterwards his body quartered. Then, not only such as were +with that little handful at Airsmoss were cruelly murdered, but others +against whom they could charge no matter of fact, were questioned if +they owned the king's authority? which if any did not answer +affirmatively and positively, he was to look for nothing but exquisite +torments by terrible kinds of tortures, and death besides. And if any +declared their judgment, that they could not, in conscience, own such +authority as was then exercised; or if they declined to give their +thoughts of it, as judging thoughts to be under no human jurisdiction; +or if they answered with such innocent specifications as these, that +they owned all authority in the Lord, or for the Lord: or according to +the word of God, or all just and lawful authority, these underwent and +suffered the capital punishment of treason. And yet both for declining +and declaring their extorted answers about this, they were condemned as +unsufferable maintainers of principles inconsistent with government. + +4. But here, as in Egypt, the more they were afflicted, the more they +grew, the more that the enemies rage was increased, the more were the +people inflamed to inquire about the grounds of their suffering, seeing +rational men and religious christians die so resolutely upon them; and +the more they insisted in this inquisition, the more did the number of +witnesses multiply, with a growing increase of undauntedness, so that +the then shed blood of the martyrs became the seed of the church, and as +by hearing and seeing them so signally countenanced of the Lord, many +were reclaimed from their courses of compliance, so others were daily +more and more confirmed in the ways of the Lord, and so strengthened by +his grace, that they chose rather to endure all torture, and embrace +death in its most terrible aspect, than to give the tyrant and his +complices any acknowledgment: yea, not so much as to say, God save the +king, which was offered as the price of their life, and test of their +acknowledgment, but they would not accept deliverance on these terms, +that they might obtain a better resurrection. Which so enraged the +tygrish truculency of these persecutors, that they spared neither age, +sex, nor profession: the tenderness of youth did not move them to any +relenting, in murdering very boys upon this head, nor the grey hairs of +the aged; neither were women spared, but some were hanged, some drowned, +tied to stakes within the sea-mark, to be devoured gradually with the +growing waves, and some of them of a very young, some of an old age. +Especially after the murder of the never to be forgotten martyr, Mr. +Cargil, the multitude of merciless sufferings upon this account cannot +be enumerated; which increased far beyond all the former steps, after +the Lanark declaration, which was burnt with great solemnity by the +magistrates of Edinburgh in their robes, together with the solemn league +and covenant, which had been burnt before, but then they would more +declaredly give new demonstrations of their rage against it, because +they confessed, and were convinced of its being conform unto and founded +upon that covenant. And because the incorporation of Lanark did not, +because they could not, hinder the publishing of it; therefore they were +threatened with the loss of their privileges, and forced to pay 6000 +merks. Upon the back of which, the sufferings of poor people that owned +the testimony were sadder and sharper, and further extended than ever: +some being banished for soldiers to Flanders, &c. some to be sold as +slaves in Carolina, and other places in America, to empty the filled +prisons, and make room for more, which were daily brought in from all +quarters, and either kept languishing in their nasty prisons, or thieves +holes, in bolts and irons to make them weary of their life, or +dispatched as sacrifices, and led as dumb sheep to the slaughter, +without suffering them to speak their dying words, for beating of drums, +or disposed of to masters of ships to be transported to slavery. + +5. Had they satisfied themselves with murdering them out of hand, it +would have been more tolerable, and reckoned some degree of mercy, in +comparison of their malice; which, after all their endeavours to murder +their souls, by ensnaring offers, enslaving bonds, blasphemous and +contradictory oaths, and multiplying captious questions to catch the +conscience, or at least vex the spirits of the righteous, whom they +could not prevail with to put forth their hands into iniquity, did +proceed to invent all exquisite torments more terrible than death. Some +at their first apprehending were tortured with fire-matches, burning and +for ever thereafter disabling their hands: then laid fast, and locked up +in great irons upon their legs, where they lay many months in the cold +of winter, without any relaxation. Some were tortured with the boots, +squeezing out the marrow of their legs: others with thumbkins, piercing +and bruising the bones of their thumbs: and some tormented with both one +after another, and besides, kept waking nine nights together by watchful +soldiers, who were sworn not to let the afflicted person sleep all that +time. + +6. All this tyranny had been the more tolerable, if they had kept within +any bounds of colourable or pretended shadow of legality, or in any +consonancy to their own wicked laws, or exemplars of any former +persecutions. But in an ambition to outdo all the Neros, Domitians, +Dioclesians, duke d'Alvas, or Lewis le Grands, they scorned all forms, +as well as justice of law, and set up monstrous monuments of +unprecedented illegality and inhumanity. For when, after all their +hornings, harassings, huntings, searchings, chafings, catchings, +imprisonments, torturings, banishments, and effusions of blood, yet they +could not get the meetings crushed, either in public or private, or the +zeal of the poor wanderers quenched, with whom they had interdicted all +harbour, supply, comfort, refreshment, converse or correspondence, and +whom they had driven out of their own and all other habitations, in +towns, villages, or cottages, to the deserts, mountains, muirs, and +mosses, in whose hags and holes they were forced to make dens and caves +to hide themselves, but that they would still meet for the worship of +God, either in public (though mostly in the cold winter nights) or in +their private fellowships for prayer and conference; and to rescue their +brethren, and prevent their murder in these extremities, would surprize +and take advantages of the soldiers now and then: they then raged beyond +all bounds, and not only apprehending many innocent persons (against +whom they had nothing to accuse them of, but because they could not +satisfy them in their answers) sentenced, and executed them, all in one +day, and made an act to do so with all; but allowed the bloody soldiers +to murder them, without either trial or sentence. Especially after the +apologetical declaration, affixed on the church doors, they acted with +an unheard of arbitrariness. For not only did they frame an oath of +abjuration, renouncing the same, but pressed it universally upon pain of +death, upon all men and women in city and country, and went from house +to house, forcing young and old to give their judgment of that +declaration, and of the king's authority, &c. to ridicule and reproach, +and make a mocking stock of all government: yea impowered soldiers, and +common varlets, to impannel juries, condemn, and cause to be put to +death, innocent recusants, and having stopt all travel and commerce +without a pass, signifying they had taken that oath, they gave power to +all hostlers and inn-keepers to impose oaths upon all passengers, +travellers, gentlemen and countrymen, who were to swear, that their pass +was not forged. And prisoners that would not take the oath were, +according to the foresaid act, condemned, sentenced and execute, all in +one day, and early in the morning, that the people might not be affected +with the spectacles of their bloody severities. Yea spectators also, +that gathered to see the execution, were imposed upon, and commanded to +give their judgment, whether these men were justly put to death or not. +And not only so, but after that, they gave orders and commands to the +soldiers to pursue the chase after these wanderers more violently, and +shoot, or otherwise put them to death wherever they could apprehend +them; whereby many were taken and instantly most inhumanly murdered. + +XI. In the beginning of this killing time, as the country calls it; the +first author or authorizer of all these mischiefs, Charles II. was +removed by death. Then one would have thought the severity would have +stopped: and the duke of York succeeding, in his late proclamation would +make the world believe, that it never was his principle, nor will he +ever suffer violence to be offered to any man's conscience, nor use +force or invincible necessity against any man on the account of his +persuasion: smooth words, to cover the mischiefs of his former +destructions, and the wickedness of his future designs. To which his +former celebrated saying, that it would never be well till all the south +side of Forth were made a hunting field; and his acts and actings +designed to verify it, since his unhappy succession, do give the lie. +For immediately, 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 and slaughtered in the fields, without all +shadow of law, or trial, or sentence, than all the former tyrant's +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 own laws, but slain and 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 +refusing to take the oath of abjuration, and to own the authority, and +surprized with their execution, not knowing certainly the time when it +should be, yea left in suspense whether it should be or not, as if it +had been on design to destroy both their souls and bodies. Yea +Queensberry had the impudence to express his desire of it, when some +went to solicit 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 foreign plantations in this man's +time, than in the other's. Within these two years, several shipfuls of +honest and conscientious sufferers have been sent to Jamaica, (to which +before they were sent, some had their ears cut) New Jersey, and +Barbadoes, in such crouds and numbers, that many have died in +transportation; as many also died before in their pinching prisons, so +thronged that they had neither room to ly nor sit. Particularly the +barbarous usage of a great multitude of them that were sent to Dunotter +castle, when there was no room for them in Edinburgh, is never to be +forgotten; which the wildest and rudest of savages would have thought +shame of. They were all that long way made to travel on foot, men and +women, and some of both sexes, very infirm and decrepit through age; and +several sick, guarded by bands of soldiers, and then put into an old +ruinous and rusty house, and shut up under vaults above 80 in a room, +men and women, without air, without ease, without place, either to ly or +walk, and without any comfort save what they had from heaven, and so +straitned 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 own excrements, +that as several of them died; so it was a wonder of mercy that any of +them could outlive that misery, yet there they remained some months, at +a distance from all their friends, being sent thither to that northern +corner out of the south and 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 and ridiculous passage to strangers, +discovering the ridiculous folly as well as the outrageous fury of their +persecutors. For at a private meeting in London, among others, some +Scotsmen, of very mean figure, some taylors, a shoemaker, a chapman, &c. +were taken, and being found to be Scotsmen, were not only examined at +the common courts there, but by Sir Andrew Foster, by express commission +from the late king a little 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 days, retarded it a little: yet not long +thereafter they were sent in a yacht, with a guard of soldiers, and a +charge of high treason. But, when brought before the council of +Scotland, the amount of all that bustle was, a question posed to them +under pain of death, whether the king should be king or no? that is, +whether they owned his authority or not. Yet though some of the poor men +did own it, they were sent to Dunotter castle: and thence among the rest +banished and transported to New Jersey; in which passage, by reason of +their crude and bad provision, the most part in the ship were cast into +a fever, and upwards of sixty died, yea even since the former +proclamation for this pretended liberty, there are twenty-one men and +five women sent to Barbadoes, against whom nothing could be alledged but +matters of mere religion and conscience: which, as it proclaims the +notoriousness of these impudent lies, wherewith the proclamations for +this liberty are stuffed; so it puts an indelible brand of infamy upon +some London 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 Lord's captives. + +3. There have been more cruel acts of parliament enacted in this +tyrant's time, than the former made all his reign. For in his first +parliament held by Queensberry, 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 own 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 +owning both these, that are so much the more publicly to be avouched, +that they are so openly interdicted by wicked and blasphemous tyranny, +though for the same they expect from the Scottish inquisition all the +murdering violence, that hell and Rome and malignant rage can exert. + +But to conclude this tragical deduction: as these hints we have heaped +together of the kinds and 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 howled these twenty-seven +years, to be a complete and habitual tyranny, to discover the inhumanity +and 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 Scottish inquisition, and the +practices of the council of Scotland, and judiciary court; so I shall +shut up all in a summary relation of the common practices and forms of +procedure in these courts: which will be useful to understand a little +more distinctly, to the end the innocency of sufferers may more clearly +appear. 1. They can accuse whom they will, of what they please; and if +by summar citation, he will not, may be, because he cannot, compear; if +once his name be in their Porteons' rolls, that is sufficient to render +him convict. 2. They used also to seize some, and shut them up in prison +year and day, without any signification of the cause of their +imprisonment. 3. They can pick any man off the street; and if he do not +answer their captious questions, proceed against him to the utmost of +severity; as they have taken some among the croud at executions, and +imposed upon them the questions. 4. They can also go through all the +houses of the city, as well as the prisons, and examine all families +upon the questions of the council's catechism, upon the hazard of their +life, if they do not answer to their satisfaction, as has been done in +Edinburgh. 5. When any are brought in by seizures, sometimes (as is said +before) they let them lie along without any hearing, if they expect they +cannot reach them; but if they think they can win at them any way, then +they hurry them in such haste, that they can have no time to deliberate +upon, and oftentimes have no knowledge or conjecture of the matter of +their prosecution: yea, if they be never so insignificant, they will +take diversion from their weightiest affairs, to examine and take +cognizance of poor things, if they understand they dare vent or avow any +respect to the cause of Christ: and the silliest body will not escape +their catechization about affairs of state, what they think of the +authority, &c. 6. If they be kept in prison any space, they take all +ways to pump and discover what can be brought in against them: yea, +sometimes they have exactly observed that device of the Spanish +inquisition, in suborning and sending spies among them, under the +disguise and shew of prisoners, to search and find out their minds, who +will outstrip all in an hypocritical zeal, thereby to extort and draw +forth words from the most wary, which may be brought in judgment against +them the next day. 7. When prisoners are brought in before them, they +have neither libel nor accuser, but must answer concerning things that +are to be enquired after, to all questions they are pleased to ask. 8. +If at any time they form a sort of libel, they will not restrict +themselves to the charges thereof, but examine the person about other +things altogether extraneous to the libel. 9. They have frequently +suborned witnesses, and have sustained them as witnesses, who either +were sent out by themselves as spies and intelligencers, or who palpably +were known to delate those against whom they witnessed, out of a pick +and prejudice, and yet would not suffer them to be cast for partial +counsel. 10. If they suppose a man to be wary and circumspect, and more +prudent than forward in the testimony; then they multiply questions, and +at first many impertinent interrogations, having no connexion with the +cause, to try his humour and freedom, that they may know how to deal +with him: and renew and reiterate several criminal examinations, that +they may know whereof, and find matter wherein, to indict him, by +endeavouring to confound, or intrap, or involve him in confessions or +contradictions, by wresting his words. 11. They will admit no time for +advice, nor any lawful defence for a delay, but will have them to answer +presently, except they have some hopes of their compliance, and find +them beginning to stagger and succumb in the testimony; in that case, +when a man seeks time to advise, they are animated to a keenness to +impose, and encouraged to an expectation of catching by their snares, +which then they contrive and prepare with greater cunning. 12. If a man +should answer all their questions, and clear himself of all things they +can alledge against him, yet they used to impose some of the oaths, that +they concluded he would not take; and according to the measure of the +tenderness they discovered in any man, so they apportioned the oaths to +trap them, to the stricter the smoother oaths, to the laxer, the more +odious, that all natural consciences did fear at. 13. They will not only +have their laws obeyed, but subscribed, and they reckon not their +subjects obedience secured by the lawmaker's sanction, but the people's +hand-writing; and think it not sufficient that people transgress no +laws, but they must also own the justness of them, and the authority +that enacts them, and swear to maintain it: and yet when some have done +all this, and cleared themselves by all compliances, they will not +discharge them, but under a bond to answer again when called. 14. They +will have their laws to reach not only actions, but thoughts; and +therefore they require what people think of the bishop's death, and of +Bothwel insurrection; and whether they own the authority, when they can +neither prpve their disowning of it, nor any way offending it. 15. They +will have them to declare their thoughts, and hold them convict, if they +do not answer positively all their captious questions; and if they will +not tell what they think of this or that, then they must go as guilty. +16. If they insist in waving, and will not give categorical answers, +then they can extort all, and prove what they please by torture: and +when they have extorted their thoughts of things, though they be +innocent as to all actions their law can charge them with, then they +used to hang them when they had done. 17. They have wheedled men +sometimes into confession either of practices or principles, by +promising to favour their ingenuity, and upbraiding them for dissemblers +if they would not, and by mock expostulations, why were they ashamed to +give a testimony? and then make them sign their confessions at the +council, to bring them in as a witness against them at the criminal +court. 18. Yea, not only extrajudicial confession will sustain in their +law: but when they have given the public faith, the king's security the +act and oath of council, that their confession shall not militate +against them, they have brought it in as witness against them, and given +it upon oath, when their former oath and act was produced in open court, +in demonstration of their perjury. 19. When the matter comes to an +assize or cognizance of a jury, they use to pack them for their purpose, +and pick out such as they listed, who they think will not be bloody +enough. 20. Sometimes when the jury hath brought their verdict in +favours of the pannel, they have made them sit down, and resume the +cognition of the case again, and threatened them with an assize of +error, if they did not bring him in guilty. 21. Yea, most frequently the +king's advocate used to command them to condemn, and bring in the pannel +guilty, under most peremptory certifications of punishment if they +should not; so that they needed no juries, but only for the fashion. 22. +Sometimes they have sentenced innocent persons twice, once to have their +ears cut and be banished, and after the lopping of their ears, some have +been re-examined, and sentenced to death, and execute. 23. They have +sentenced some and hanged them both in one day; others early in the +morning, both to surprize the persons that were to die, and to prevent +spectators of the sight of their cruelty; others have been kept in +suspence, till the very day and hour of their execution. 24. Not only +have they murdered, serious and zealous followers of Christ in taking +away their lives, but endeavoured to murder their names, and to murder +the cause for which they suffered; loading it with all reproaches, as +sedition, rebellion, &c. which was their peculiar policy, to bring the +heads of sufferings to points that are most obnoxious to men's censure, +and accounted most extrinsic to religion, whereby they levelled their +designs against religion, not directly under that notion, but obliquely +in the destruction of its professors, under the odium and reproach of +enemies to government. 25. But chiefly they labour to murder the soul, +defile the conscience, and only consult to cast a man down from his +excellency, which is his integrity; that is a christian's crown, and +that they would rather rob him of as any thing, either by hectoring or +flattering him from the testimony: which they endeavour, by proposing +many offers, with many threatnings in subtile terms; and pretend a great +deal of tenderness, protesting they will be as tender of their blood as +of their own soul (which in some sense is true, for they have none at +all of their own souls) and purging themselves as Pilate did, and +charging it upon their own heads. 26. They will be very easy in their +accommodations, where they find the poor man beginning to faint, and +hearken to their overtures, wherein they will grant him his life, +yielding to him as cunning anglers do with fishes: and to persuade him +to complying, they will offer conference sometimes or reasoning upon the +point, to satisfy and inform his conscience, as they pretend, but really +to catch him with their busked hook. 27. Sometimes they used to stage +several together, whereof they knew some would comply, to tantalize the +rest with the sight of the others liberty, and make them bite the more +eagerly at their bait, to catch the conscience. But when they had done +all they could, Christ had many witnesses, who did retain the crown of +their testimony in the smallest points, till they obtained the crown of +martyrdom, and attained boldly to them without fear or shame, and +disdaining their flattering proposals, but looking on them under a right +notion, as stated there in opposition to Christ; whereby they found +this advantage, that hence they were restrained from all sinful +tampering with them, or entertaining any discourse with them, but what +was suitable to speak to Christ's enemies, or doing any thing to save +their life, but what became Christ's witnesses, who loved not their +lives unto the death. Of whom universally this was observed, that to the +admiration of all, the conviction of many enemies, the confirmation of +many friends, the establishment of the cause, and the glory of their +Redeemer, they went off the stage with so much of the Lord's +countenance, so much assurance of pardon and eternal peace, so much hope +of the Lord's returning to revive his work, and plead his cause again in +these lands, that never any suffered with more meekness humility and +composure of spirit, and with more faithfulness, stedfastness and +resolution, than these worthies did for these despised and reproached +truths; for which their surviving brethren are now contending and +suffering, while others are at ease. + + + + +PART III. + +_The Present testimony stated and vindicated in its principal heads._ + + +By what is above premitted, the reader may see the series and succession +of the testimony of Christ's witnesses in Scotland from time to time, in +all the periods of that church; how it hath been transmitted from one +generation to another down to our hands; how far it hath been extended, +and what increasements it hath received in every period; how it hath +been opposed by a continued prosecution of an hereditary war against +Christ, by an atheistical, papistical, prelatical, and tyrannical +faction; and how it hath been concerted, contended for, maintained, and +sealed actively and passively, by an anti-pagan, anti-popish, +anti-prelatical, anti-erastian, anti-sectarian, and anti-tyrannical +remnant of the followers, professors, confessors, and martyrs of Christ +in all ages. Now it remains in the third and last place, to consider the +merit of the cause as it is now stated, to see whether it will bear the +weight of those great sufferings wherewith it hath been sealed. I hope +all the lovers of Christ, who have an esteem even of his reproaches +above all the treasures of Egypt, will grant, that if these sufferings +be stated on the least or lowest of the truths of Christ, then they are +not mistated, nor built upon a bottom that will not bear them, or is not +of that worth to sustain them. For certainly every truth, the least of +truths, is of greater value than any thing that we can suffer the loss +of for it; yea, of infinitely greater value, than the whole world. So +that if I prove these heads of suffering to be truths wherein conscience +is concerned, the cause will be sufficiently vindicated from the +loadings and lashings of such as prefer peace to truth, and ease to +duty, who to justify their own backwardness and detestable lukewarmness, +call some of them only state questions about things civil, and not +gospel truths and heads to state suffering upon: and if they be truths +and duties, the cause will some way be rendered more illustrious, that +it is stated upon the smallest hoofs and hair-breadths of the concerns +of Christ's declarative glory; as being a greater witness of its owners +love and loyalty to Christ, and of their pure and tender zeal for his +honour, than if for more substantial and fundamental truths, which a +natural conscience may reclaim to decline, when for the meanest +circumstantials of Christ's truths they dare and are ambitious to bestow +their dearest blood. But if the complex of them be impartially +considered, no unprejudiced arbiter will suffer himself to have such +extenuating impressions of the present word of patience, and testimony +of the suffering remnant in Scotland this day: but it will appear to be +a very weighty and worthy concern, as any that either men or Christians +can be called to witness for; being the privilege of all mankind, the +duty of all Christians, and the dignity of all churches, to assert; it +is for the glory and crown prerogatives and imperial regalia of the King +of kings, with reference to his visible kingdom, of which the government +is laid upon his shoulders, against the heaven daring usurpations and +encroachments made thereupon, both as he is Mediator, and King, and Head +of the church, and as he is God and universal King of the world. As he +is Mediator, it is his peculiar prerogative to have a supremacy and sole +sovereignty over his own kingdom, to institute his own government, to +constitute his own laws, to ordain his own officers, to appoint his own +ordinances, which he will have observed without alteration, addition, or +diminution, until his second coming: this his prerogative hath been, and +is invaded by erastian prelacy, sacrilegious supremacy, and now by +antichristian popery, which have overturned his government, inverted his +laws, subverted his officers, and perverted his ordinances. As he is God +and universal King, it is his incommunicable property and glory, not +only to have absolute and illimited power, but to invest his deputed +ministers of justice with his authority and ordinance of magistracy, to +be administred in subordination to him, to be regulated by his laws, and +to be improved for his glory, and the good of mankind; this glory of +his, hath been invaded by tyrants and usurpers arrogating to themselves +an absolute power, intruding themselves without his investment into +authority, in a rebellion against him, in opposition to his laws, 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 and liberty, to both which these are destructive. This will +appear to be the result and tendency of the testimony in all its parts, +opposed by the enemies of religion and liberty, and the end of all their +opposition, to bring it to this crinomenon, who shall be king? Jesus or +Caesar? Let any seriously search into all their proclamations and edicts +against religion and liberty, this will be found to be the soul and +sense of them, practically and really speaking to this purpose, +especially since this man came to the throne. + + '_J. R._ + + 'James the VII. II. by the V. of G. king of Scotland, England, + France, and Ireland, defender of the antichristian faith: To all + and sundry our good subjects, whom these presents do, or may + concern: greeting. We having taken into our royal consideration, + the many and great inconveniencies which have happened in that our + ancient kingdom of Scotland, especially of late years, through the + persuasions of the christian religion, and the great heats and + animosities, betwixt the professors thereof, and our good and + faithful subjects, whose faith and religion is subject and + subservient to our royal will (the supreme law, and reason, and + public conscience) to the disappointment of our projects, restraint + of our pleasures, and contempt of the royal power, converting true + loyalty and absolute subjection, into words and names (which we + care not for) of religion and liberty, conscience and the word of + God, thereby withdrawing some to the christian faction, from an + absolute and implicit subjection to us and our will, as if there + were a superior law to which they might appeal; and considering + that these rebellious christians do never cease to assert and + maintain strange paradoxes, such principles as are inconsistent + with the glory and interest of our government, as that the + authority of kings should be hemmed in with limits, and that their + acts and actions are to be examined by another rule than their own + authority to make them lawful, that some things in the kingdom are + not subject to the king's 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 no + magistrates; and considering also their practices are conform to + their principles, they will not obey our laws, but the laws of + another inconsistent with ours, and will calculate their religion + according to his laws, and not according to ours, and continually + make their addresses to, and receive ambassadors from a prince whom + we know not, whom our predecessors, of truly worthy memory, did + crucify, one Jesus 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 crown 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 and 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 and might we can use, + because his government is hateful to us, his yoke heavy, his + sayings are hard, his laws 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 and exercise our sovereign + authority, prerogative royal, and 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 ourselves to, settled by law, and lineally derived to us as + an inherent right to the crown, we have power to order all matters + of church as well as state, as we in our royal wisdom shall think + fit, all laws and acts of Christ to the contrary notwithstanding; + and accordingly in our royal wisdom have overturned the platform of + that government which Christ hath instituted, razed all courts + fenced in his name, and severely interdicted all meetings of his + subjects, and entertainment of his ambassadors: 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, + and requiring allegiance and obedience to him, after we had + exauctorated him; we have also established our right trusty, and + well beloved clerks in ecclestiastic affairs, and their underlings, + by our authority to have the administration of the business of + religion and impowered our right trusty and well beloved cousins + and counsellors, to compel all to submit to them, by finings, + confinings, imprisonment, banishment, oaths, and 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 oppose Christ in his way; but we reserve + so much to ourselves, 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 and prosecute + our sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and absolute power + foresaid, against Christ, and without subordination to him, from + whom, as we sought none, so we received no power by his warrant and + grant, and against whom we mind to manage it to the uttermost of + our power. Yet reflecting upon the conduct of the four last + reigns, how, after all the frequent and pressing endeavours that + were used in each of them, to reduce our kingdoms to antichrist, + the subjects of Christ were so stubborn, that the success hath not + answered the design: we must now change our methods a little, and + tolerate that profession of Christ which we cannot yet get + overturned, his subjects being so numerous, but always upon these + terms, that they take a special care that nothing be preached or + taught among them, which may be a testimony for Christ's + prerogatives, in opposition to our usurpation, or may any way tend + to alienate the hearts of our people from us, or our government, or + preach his truths which we have condemned as seditious and + treasonable, under the highest pains these crimes will import. + Hereby we shall establish our government on such a foundation, on + the ruin of Christ's, as may make our subjects happy, and unite + them to us by inclination as well as duty, in a belief that we will + not restrain conscience in matters of mere religion: for which we + have a dispensation from our holy father, and also from our own + absoluteness, to be slaves to this promise no longer than consists + with our own interest; and which we have power to interpret as we + please: and would have all to understand, that no testimony for + Christ's supremacy against our encroachments thereupon, shall be + comprehended under these matters of mere religion, for which the + conscience shall not be constrained: but we will have the + consciences of such subjects of his, that dare assert it, brought + to a test and probation how they stand affected in this competition + betwixt us and this King Jesus, and see whether they will own or + decline our authority, because not of him, nor for him, nor to him, + but against him and all his interests. Our will is therefore, that + all who will countenance any other meetings of his subjects than we + have allowed, or connive at them, shall be prosecuted according to + the utmost severity of our laws made against them, which we leave + in full force and vigour, notwithstanding of all the premises. And + for this effect, we further command all our judges, magistrates, + and officers of our forces, to prosecute all these subjects and + followers of Christ, who shall be guilty of treating with, or + paying homage to that exauctorated king of theirs, in their + assemblies with his ambassadors in the fields with the utmost + rigour, as they would avoid our highest displeasure: for we are + confident none will, after these liberties and freedom we have + given to all without reserve, to serve God publicly, in such a way, + as we, by our sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and absolute + power aforesaid, have prescribed and allowed, presume to meet in + these assemblies, except such whose loyalty to Christ doth alienate + them from us and our government. As also, under the same + certifications, by the same sovereign authority, and prerogative + royal, and absolute power foresaid, we charge, impower, warrant, + and authorize, against all hazards (hell excepted) all our foresaid + judges and officers, in their respective places, to prosecute and + execute our laws, against all that may be suspected or convicted of + their adherence to Christ, or be found guilty of owning their + allegiance to him as their liege Lord, by solemn covenant, which we + have caused burn by the hand of the hangman, and declared criminal + to own it, or shall be found guilty of declining allegiance to us + and our absolute authority, stated in opposition to him and his, or + of maintaining that pernicious principle, inconsistent with our + government, that their lives are their own, which they will + preserve without surrender to our mercy: all which we command to be + executed to death, or banished as slaves, as shall be found most + conducible to our interest. And to the end, the few that remain of + that way may be totally exterminated, we straitly command all our + soldiers, horse and foot, to be ready upon order, to march and + make search, pursue and follow, seize and apprehend, kill and slay, + and cause to perish, all such, whether they shall be found at + meetings, or in their wanderings, wherever they may be apprehended: + and ordain all our good subjects to be assistant to these our + forces, in prosecuting this war against Christ and his followers, + and contribute their best help and encouragement, in giving them + their required maintenance, and duly paying cess and locality + imposed for that end; and that they shall not dare to countenance, + converse with, refer, harbour, supply, or keep any manner of + correspondence with any of these traitors that adhere to Christ, + under the pain of being found art and part with them, and obnoxious + to the same punishments to which they are liable; but on the + contrary, to assist our forces to apprehend, and raise the hue and + cry after them wherever they shall be seen, that they may be + forthwith pursued, seized, cut off, and destroyed, which we order + to be instantly done upon the place, where they or any of them are + apprehended, and that without any delay or mercy to age or sex,' + &c. + +On the other hand, if any will take a look of the declarations and +testimonies of the other party without prejudice or stumbling at some +expressions, which may be offensive to critics, he will find the scope +and strain of them to have this importance. + + 'We, a poor company of persecuted, reproached, and despised + Christians; who indeed have not many wise men among us after the + flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, but are a few foolish, + weak, base, and despised nothings in the world; yet having this + ambition to be his called chosen; and faithful soldiers, who is + King of glory, King of heaven, King of saints, King of nations, + King of kings, whose kingdom is everlasting and universal; + considering the many insolent indignities, affronts, and + reproaches cast upon his name and glory, and the many usurpations, + encroachments, and invasions made upon his crown and dignity, by a + pestilent generation of his atheistical, papistical, prelatical, + and tyrannical enemies, who have rebelled against him, and have + renounced, corrupted, and subverted his royal government, both in + the church and in the world, both in his kingdom of grace and of + power: do bear witness and testimony against these rebels, from the + highest to the lowest: and assert the interest and title of our + princely Master, and own allegiance and absolute obedience to him + and his government, to which he hath undoubted right; an essential + right by his eternal Godhead, being the everlasting Father, whose + goings forth have been of old from everlasting; a covenant-right by + compact with the Father, to bear the glory and rule upon his + throne, by virtue of the council of peace between them both; a + donative right by the Father's right of delegation, by which he + hath all power given to him in heaven and in earth, and all + authority, even because he is the Son of man; an institute right by + the Father's inauguration, which hath set him as King in Zion; an + acquisite right by his own purchase, by which he hath merited and + obtained not only subjects to govern, but the glory of the sole + sovereignty over them in that relation, a name above every name; a + bellical right by conquest, making the people fall under him, and + be willing in the day of his power, and overcoming those that make + war with him; an hereditary right by proximity of blood and + primogeniture, being the first born, higher than the kings of the + earth, and the first born from the dead, that in all things he + might have the pre-eminence; an electing right by his people's + choice and surrender, a crown wherewith his mother crowned him in + the day of his espousals. In a humble recognizance of all which + rights, we own and avouch, that he hath that incommunicable + prerogative of sole sovereignty over his visible kingdom, as well + as invisible, without a co-partner or competitor, either + co-ordinate or subordinate; in prescribing laws, by no human + authority to be reversed; in appointing ordinances immutable, + without addition or diminution, for matter or manner; instituting a + government, which no man or angel can, without blasphemy, arrogate + a power either to invert or evert, change or overturn; and + constituting officers, which must depend only on his authority, and + his alone; and must be cloathed only with his commission, and his + alone; guided by his instructions, and his alone; acting according + to his laws and prescribed platform, and his alone; without any + dependence on, subordination to, licence, warrant or indulgence + from any mortal. And therefore we disown and detest every thing + that hath not the stamp of his authority, either in doctrine, + worship, discipline or government: and will discountenance prelacy, + supremacy, popery, and all corruption contrary to his institution, + who is sole and supreme lawgiver to the conscience, and will submit + to, or comply with nothing that may directly or indirectly signify + our respect unto them. Hence we will take none of their oaths, + subscribe none of their bonds, yield to none of their impositions, + pay none of their exactions; neither will we hear or receive + ordinances from any minister, but the faithful authorized + ambassadors of Christ our king, whatever either rage or reproach we + suffer for it. We assert and affirm also, that our exalted Prince + is King of the whole world, by whom kings reign, and princes decree + justice, as his ministers of justice, in subordination to him; whom + he hath hath appointed to rule over us, with just boundaries, that + they may not exceed, and true characters, by which we should know + them and pay them deference. And therefore, whosoever shall + arrogate to themselves, and extend their power beyond and above + his prescripts, being neither called to, nor qualified for, nor + improving the office for the ends he hath appointed; we will + acknowledge them no otherwise than usurping tyrants, and not + magistrates nor ministers of justice, to whom he hath given the + sword by his perceptive will; only as lions, bears, wolves, to whom + he hath given a rod by his providential will; in that case we may + be passively subject, when we cannot do better; but will never own + conscientious allegiance to them, nor own them as our lawful + magistrates; and therefore we will not bow down to their idols they + have set up, nor prostitute either conscience or liberty to their + lust, but will endeavour, under our Master's banner and conduct, to + preserve whatever he hath intrusted to us religion, life, liberty, + estate, and whatsoever the Lord our God hath given us to possess, + as they unjustly possess what their god gives them; and will + maintain a war of constant opposition to them (against whom our + Lord hath declared a war for ever) without parley, treaty of peace, + capitulation, composition, truce, or any transaction; we will + neither meddle nor make with them, less or more, nor seek their + favour, nor embrace it when it is offered, on any terms that may + imply any obligation to surcease from our duty to our King, and + irreconcileable opposition to them,' &c. + +Now I shall come more distinctly to the purpose, in offering a short +vindication of the heads and grounds of our great sufferings, dividing +them into their principal parts, which I reduce to two, to wit, +negatives and positives. The negative grounds I reckon three +principally. 1. For refusing to acknowledge a corrupt ministry. 2. For +refusing to own a tyrannical magistracy. 3. For refusing to swear and +subscribe their unlawful imposed oaths, chiefly that of abjuration, +which was the occasion of suffering unto death. The positive grounds are +also three. 1. For frequenting field-meetings, to receive gospel +ordinances from faithful ministers. 2. For maintaining the principle +and practice of defensive resistance of superior powers. 3. For +maintaining the privilege and duty of offensive revenge, in executing +justice upon murdering enemies of mankind, in cases of extreme +necessity, in prosecuting which, I shall intertex some subordinate +questions relating to their respective heads, and endeavour to discuss +them briefly. + + +HEAD I. + +_Where the sufferings of many, for refusing to acknowledge a corrupt +ministry, are vindicated; and the question of hearing curates is +cleared._ + +This question, though it may seem nice, and of no great moment, to +persons of Gallio's or Laodicea's temper, indifferent and lukewarm +dispositions, consulting their own more than the things of Christ, which +make it pass without any enquiry with the most part of the world; yet, +to all who are truly tender in keeping a good conscience, free of the +times contagion, to all who have the true impression of the fear of God, +who is jealous, especially in the matters of his worship; to all who +have the true zeal of God eating them up, in a just indignation at the +indignities done to him, in usurping the office and corrupting the +administration of the ministry; to all who truly love the gospel, and +put a due value on the ordinances of Christ, the corruptions whereof +this question touches, it will be accounted of great importance. + +There are three questions about the duty of hearing the word, concerning +which the Lord Jesus gives us very weighty cautions, to wit, what we +should hear, Mark iv. 24. how we should hear, Luke viii. 28. and whom we +should hear. The last of which, though it be not so expressly stated as +the other two, yet the searcher of the scriptures will find it as +clearly determined, and as many cautions to guard from erring in it, as +in any other case, and that the concern of conscience in it is very +weighty. And certain it is, if there had been more advertency in this +point, there would not have been such inconsideration and licentiousness +in the matter and manner of hearing. Nor would that itching humour and +luxuriancy of lust, in heaping up teachers to please the fancy, have +been so much encouraged, to the great detriment of the church, disgrace +of the gospel, and destruction of many poor souls. But through the +ignorance and neglect of this duty of trying whom we should hear, by +seeking some satisfying evidence of their being cloathed with authority +from Christ, the world hath been left loose in a licence to hear what +they pleased, and so have received the poison of error from the +mountebanks, instead of the true and wholesome potions of Christ's +prescripts from them that had power and skill to administer them. Hence +the many sects, and schisms, and errors that have pestered the church in +all ages, have in a great measure proceeded from this latitude and +laxness of promiscuous hearing of all whom they pleased, whom either the +world's authority impowered, or by other means were possessed of the +place of preaching, without taking any cognizance whether they had the +characters of Christ's ambassadors or not. If this had been observed, +and people had scrupled and refused to hear these whom they might know +should not have preached; neither the great antichrist, nor the many +lesser antichrists, would have had such footing in the world as they +have this day. It is then of no small consequence to have this question +cleared. Neither is it of small difficulty to solve the intricacies of +it, what characters to fix for a discovery of Christ's true ministers; +whom we should submit to and obey in the Lord, and love and esteem them +for their work's sake, and for their qualities sake, as standing in +Christ's stead, having the dispensation of the word of reconciliation +committed to them; and how we may discern those characters; what +judgment is incumbent to private Christians, for the satisfaction of +their own consciences in the case; and how they ought to demean +themselves in their practice, without scandal on either hand, or sin +against their own conscience; how to avoid the rocks and extremes that +inadvertency or precipitancy in this matter may rush upon; so as to +escape and sail by the Scylla of sinful separation on the one hand, and +the Charybdis of sinful union and communion on the other, which are +equally dangerous; especially how these cautions are to be managed in a +broken, and disturbed, and divided case of the church. The question also +is the more difficult, that as it was never so much questioned before +this time, and never so much sought to be obscured, by the perverse +disputings of men of corrupt minds, to find out evasions to cover sin +and escape sufferings upon this account; so it hath never been discussed +by divines either at home or abroad, with relation to our case, except +what hath been of late by some faithful men, who have suffered upon this +head, from whom I shall gather the most of my arguments, in as +compendious a way as I can without wronging them. The reason, I fancy, +that we are at such a loss in our helps from the learned on this head, +is partly, that they have written with relation to their own times, in a +constitute case of the church, when corruptions and disorders might be +orderly rectified, and people might have access to get their scruples +removed in a legal way by church-order, in which case the learned and +judicious Mr. Durham hath written excellently in his book on scandal; +but therein neither he nor others did consult, nor could have a prospect +of such a case as ours is; and partly, that foreign divines, not having +this for their exercise, could not be acquainted with our +circumstantiate case, and so are not fit nor competent arbiters to +decide this controversy; hence many of them do wonder at our sufferings +upon this head. Every church is best acquainted with her own testimony. +Yet we want not the suffrage of some of the most learned of them, as the +great Gisb. Voetius in his polit. eccles. in several places comes near +to favour us: where he allows people to leave some, and hear such +ministers as they profit most by, from these grounds, 'That people +should choose the best and most edifying gifts, and from that scripture, +1 Thess. v. 21. Prove all things, &c. and answers objections to the +contrary, and granteth, that, upon several occasions, one may abstain +from explicit communion with a corrupt church, for these reasons, that +such communion is not absolutely necessary, by necessity either of the +mean or precept, where the Christian shall have more peace of +conscience, and free exercise of Christian duties elsewhere, and that he +may keep communion with more purity in other places, polit. eccles. +quest. 17. pag. 68. And he approves of the people refusing to bring +their children to be baptized by such corrupt ministers, because they +may wait until they have occasion of a minister; for if the best gifts +be to be coveted, why should not the best ministers be preferred? and +why should not Christians shew by their deeds, that they honour such as +fear the Lord, and contemn a vile person? They ought not to partake of +other men's sins, 1 Cor. v. 9, 11. Eph. v. 11. They should not +strengthen the hands of the wicked, and make sad the godly; the +authority of such ministers should not be strengthened,' Voet. polit. +eccles. pag. 637 to 640. But though it labour under all these +disadvantages; yet it is not the less, but so much the rather necessary, +to say somewhat to clear it, with dependence upon light from the +fountain, and with the help of faithful men who have sufficiently +cleared it up, to all that have a conscience not blinded nor bribed with +some prejudices, by which more light hath accrued to the church in this +point of withdrawing from corrupt ministers than ever was attained in +former times; which is all the good we have got of prelacy. Insomuch +that I might spare labour in adding any thing, were it not that I would +make the arguments, vindicating this cause of suffering, a little more +public, and take occasion to shew, that the grounds espoused by the +present and reproached party for their withdrawings, so far as they are +stretched, are no other than have been owned by our writers on this +head; to the intent that it may appear, there is no discrepancy, but +great likeness and harmony between the arguments and grounds of +withdrawing, in the late informatory vindication, &c. and those that are +found in other writings. And so much the rather I think it needful to +touch this subject now, that not only this hath been the first ground of +our sufferings, but many that suffered a while for it, now have fainted, +and condemned all their former contendings for this part of the +testimony, calling in question all these reasons that formerly satisfied +them. But to proceed with some distinctness in this thorny point: some +concessory assertions must first be permitted, and then our grounds +propounded. + +First, I willingly yield to, and cordially close with the truth of these +assertions. + +I. The unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace, ought to be the +endeavour of all that are members of the one body of Christ, partakers +of his one Spirit, called in one hope, professing one Lord, confessing +one faith, sealed with one baptism, Eph. iv. 3. &c. and for brethren to +dwell together in unity, is good and pleasant, and like the precious +ointment upon the head, that ran down upon Aaron's beard, Psal. cxxxiii. +1, 2. A fragrant ointment indeed, if it be composed aright of gospel +simples, according to divine art, and the wisdom that is from above, +which is pure, and then peaceable: and not made up of adulterate +politics: that union that hath the Spirit for its author, the scripture +for its rule, peace for its bond and beauty, love for its cement, faith +for its foment, Christ for its foundation, and truth and holiness for +its constant companions, cannot but be intensely desired, enixly +endeavoured, and fervently followed by all the professors of the gospel +of peace, and subjects of the Prince of peace: which makes division and +schism, not only a great misery, but a grand sin. But it must be in the +way of truth and duty, and consistent with holiness and the honour of +Christ, otherwise if it be in the way of apostasy and defection, it is +but a confederacy and conspiracy against the Lord. And true union can +neither be attained, nor retained, nor recovered, except the sinful +cause of division, defection, and the holy over-ruling cause, the anger +of the Lord be removed, in turning to and following him. + +II. Though there be not perfect union, but diversity both of judgments +and practices, in several cases there may be communion with a church in +its ordinances and ministry. As, 1. We may have a catholic communion +with all christian ministers and members of the catholic church, +considered as such; holding the head Christ, and the fountain sure. And +so we may meet for worship with all devout men in every nation under +heaven, whether they be Parthians, or Medes, or Elamites, or French or +Dutch, &c. though differing in controversies of lesser moment, not +overturning that; if they hold the universal testimony of the gospel, +against the common enemies thereof, Jews, Turks, or Pagans: for there is +neither Greek nor Jew, if he be a christian, Christ is all and in all, +Col. iii. 11. But if they be heretics, we can have no communion with +them. 2. We may have a more special communion with all protestant +ministers and members of the reformed church, considered as such, more +strictly, and upon stricter conditions: providing they hold, not only +the universal of christians, but the general testimony of protestants, +against the greater and lesser antichrists; though differing from us in +some circumstantial points, not reformed, and not contradictory unto the +protestant testimony against popery, and all heresy; nor declining from +their own reformation, by defection or schism. And consequently, it is +lawful to own communion with the churches of the united provinces, and +take ordination from them, though they have some forms not allowable, +from which they were never reformed, because they are sound in the +protestant testimony. But with the sectarians, or schismatics, or +apostates among them, we cannot own that special communion. 3. We may +have a more particular communion upon yet stricter conditions with all +our covenanted brethren, ministers and members of the churches of +Britain and Ireland, considered as such: providing they hold, not only +the universal, not only the more special, protestant testimony against +the greater and lesser antichrists, but the covenanted testimony for the +reformation in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, against +popery, prelacy, superstition, heresy, schism, and profaneness, +according to the covenant; though differing from us in those +controversial points, never reformed, and which were never the word of +Christ's patience, and do not overturn the covenanted testimony. But +with those that contradict and counteract that, we own that particular +communion. 4. We may have yet a nearer organical communion, upon +stricter conditions still with all the ministers and members of the +national church of Scotland constitute and confederate under one +reformed government, according to the rule of Christ: providing they +hold, not only all the former testimonies under the foresaid +considerations, but the presbyterian testimony as stated in the +ecclesiastical constitution, and sworn to in the national covenants and +engagements of that church, founded upon the word of God, against +popery, prelacy, erastianism, sectarianism, toleration, schism and +defection; though differing in some things from us, never reformed, +never considered in ecclesiastical judicatories, never engaged against +in our covenants, never stated as the word of patience and matter of +testimony. But with those that oppose, suppress, reproach, and abandon +this testimony, we cannot own this organical communion, in this broken +state of the church. We may have yet a stricter congregational +communion, upon stricter conditions, in and with the ordinary or +extraordinary meetings or societies of the Lord's people for gospel +ordinances, with any minister or ministers, duly and truly admitted to +that function, according to Christ's appointment, and the call of the +people, whether in a fixed or unfixed relation; providing he holds the +testimony of Christ, under all the considerations, and owns and adheres +unto the true received principles of the church of Scotland, in +doctrine, worship, discipline and government, founded upon the written +word of God, and whatsoever declarations or testimonies, former or +latter, particular or more general, are agreeable thereunto; though +differing from us in some of the integral and not essential parts of our +testimony against the enemies of our covenanted reformation. But with +such as deny or decline from it, by schism or defection, or compliance +with the enemies thereof, we cannot own this congregational communion, +in this broken state of the church. + +III. Though there be many things in a church, to brangle and lessen the +comfort of our communion with it, and the ministry thereof; yet we may +keep fellowship with a true church, though in many things faulty and +corrupt, as all churches are, in some measure, in this militant state. +As the church of Corinth had many corruptions in their practice, yet no +separation is enjoined from it. And the Lord did not require separation +from the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira; though they had many +corruptions and deficiences in discipline, in a toleration of heretics; +and would lay no other burden upon them, but to hold fast what they had: +as Mr. Durham shews in his Commentary on the Revelation, chap. 2. lect. +6. page 148, 149. as also chap. 18. lect. 1. page 585. in 4to. This must +be granted especially in these cases, 1. In the infant state of the +church, when the reformation is only begun: then many things may be +tolerated, before they be gradually reformed, which, in an adult state, +are not to be suffered. 2. In a growing case of the church, advancing +out of corruptions, then many things may be borne with, while they are +ascending and wrestling up the hill, which in a declining state, when +the church is going backward, must not be yielded unto. See that +objection of hearing prelatical men in the time of former prelacy, +answered above, Period 4. In a constitute and settled case of the +church, enjoying her privileges and judicatories, corruptions may be +forborn, and the offended are not to withdraw, before recourse to the +judicatories for an orderly redress; but in a broken and disturbed +state, when there is no access to these courts of Christ; then people, +though they must not usurp a power of judicial censuring these +corruptions, yet they may claim and exercise a discretive power over +their own practice; and by their withdrawing from such ministers as are +guilty of them, signify their sense of the moral equity of these +censures that have been legally enacted against these and the equivalent +corruptions, and when they should be legally inflicted. As we do upon +this ground withdraw from the prelatic curates, and likewise from some +of our covenanted brethren, upon the account of their being chargeable +with such corruptions and defections from our reformation, as we cannot +but shew our dislike of. This the reverend author of Rectius Instruendum +justifies, Confut. 3. Dial. chap. 10. p. 8. where he is shewing what +separation is not sinful; and gives this for one, If we separate in +that, which a national church hath commanded us as her members to +disown, by her standing acts and authority, while those from whom we +separate own that corruption. Which holds true of the curates, and +indulged and addressers, and all that we withdraw from. However it be, +certainly those are to be withdrawn from, with whom we cannot +communicate without submitting to the laws establishing them, and taking +on that test and badge of our incorporation with them, and partaking of +their sin, and in hazard of their judgment. + +IV. Though in some cases, as we are warranted, so are necessitated to +withdraw: yet neither do we allow it upon slight or slender grounds, nor +can any tender soul be forced to discountenance the ministers of Christ, +(I do not here speak of the prelatical curates), without great +reluctancy and grief of heart, even when the grounds of it are solid and +valid, and the necessity unavoidable; therefore we reject these as +insufficient grounds. Besides what are given already, 1. We cannot +withdraw from a minister, for his infirmities or weakness, natural, +spiritual, or moral. 2. Neither for personal faults and escapes: we +expect a faithful, but not a sinless ministry. 3. Nor for every defect +in faithfulness, through ignorance, want of courage, misinformation, or +being biassed with affection for particular persons. We do not hold, +that faults in members or defects in ministers, do pollute the +ordinances, and so necessitate a separation; but agree with what Mr. +Durham says on Revelations, chap. 2. lect. 6. p. 147. in quarto. +Sincerity discovered will cover many faults. 4. Nor for every discovery +of hypocrisy; though we may have ground to suspect a man's principle and +motive be not right, yet if he be following duty unblameably, and have a +lawful call, what then! "notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence +or in truth, Christ is preached, therein we may rejoice," Phil. i. 18. +5. Nor yet for real scandals, not attended with obstinacy, if ministers +will take reproof and admonition, and at least by doctrinal confessing, +and practical forsaking them, satisfy the offended. 6. Yea, though his +scandals be so gross, that we must discountenance him, when he persists +in them: yet that is not a disowning of his ministry, or a rejecting +his commission, but a discountenancing for his disorders, until they be +removed. But the Apologet. Relat. sect. 14. p. 290, 291. says, (1.) +'There may be ministerial corruptions, that cut the very throat of the +office, and make one no officer,----and it is past questioning, such may +be shunned, without all hazard of separation. (2.) When personal faults +are very gross and palpable, open and avowed, such may be shunned +without any hazard of separation; because the man's being an officer, +before God, is much to be questioned; and there is great probability, +that by the very deed itself, he had forefaulted the same, though such +should be the corruption in a church, that notwithstanding of all this +he may be maintained. (3.) Separation is one thing, and not hearing such +or such a man is a far other thing: there may be many just grounds of +exception against a particular person, why people may refuse to +countenance him, without any hazard of separation, or joining with +separatists in their principles: separation is one thing, and refusing +to attend the ministry of such a man is another thing; for a man may +join with ordinances in another congregation, and so testify that he +hath no prejudice at the ministry, but only against such a man in +particular.' Whence it is an ignorant as well as malicious calumny, to +say, that our withdrawing from the curates, and also from some +ministers, whom otherwise we respect and reverence as godly ministers, +for their offensive defections, is a disowning all the ministry of +Scotland. Whereas, we do profess indeed a disowning of the curate's +ministry, but for our reverend presbyterian ministers, though we do +discountenance many of them with sad hearts, for not keeping the word of +the Lord's patience in this hour of tentation, nor adhering to the +principles and constitutions of the church of Scotland: yet this is not +a disowning of their ministry, but a refusing to countenance them in +their present administrations, in this disturbed state, till these +offences be removed. + +V. As to disown the ministry were hateful sectarianism; so to dissolve +or break off communion with a true church, whereof we are members, were +an unnatural schism, which is horrid sin. But because among all the +various sufferings, wherewith the poor tossed and racked remnant now +persecuted, have been exercised, this hath not been the lightest; that +they have been on all hands stigmatized as schismatics and separatists, +not only because they have maintained a resolved withdrawing from the +curates, but also have discountenanced many presbyterian ministers, with +whom they have been offended for their declining courses, and +compliances with the times corruptions, and forsaking in a great measure +the duty of this day: I shall distinguish some cases of separation, out +of the writings of our approven authors, which will justify all their +withdrawings. 1. Mr. Durham distinguishes these three, schism separating +from the unity and communion of a true church, consisting not always in +diversity of doctrine, but in divided practices, according to that of +Augustine, it is not a different faith makes schismatics, but a broken +society of communion: then separation, either in whole from a church as +no church, or in part in some things wherein they cannot communicate +with that corrupt church, which is lawful if it exceed not its ground; +then, lastly, secession, a local removing to a better church. The first +of these cannot be imputed to the persecuted wanderers: for they +separate from no true church, whereof they were members, but these from +whom they separate, will be found to be the schismatics. 2. The second +of these, to wit separation, is either positive and active, or negative +and passive. The first is, when a party not only leaves communion with a +church whereunto they were formerly joined, but also gathers up new +distinct churches, different from the former, under another government +and ministry, and ordinances, disowning those they left. The latter is, +when the faithful remnant of a declining church, standing still and +refusing to concur with the backsliding part of the same church, after +they have become obstinate in their defections, hold closely by, and +adheres unto the reformation attained. This famous Mr. Rutherford, in +his due right of presbyteries, p. 253, 254. sheweth to be lawful, and +calleth it a non-union, as that in Augustine's time, when the faithful +did separate from the Donatists; which is lawful and laudable. 3. 'Mr. +Rutherford there proceeds to distinguish between a separation from the +church in her worst and most part, and a separation from the best and +least part: and these who separate from the worst and greatest part, do +notwithstanding retain a part of, and a part in the visible church, +because they do not separate from the church, according to the least and +best part thereof; as the godly in England, who refused the popish +ceremonies and antichristian bishops. Hence it will follow, that though +people should now withdraw from communion with the greatest part of the +church, which is now corrupted, they cannot be counted separatists, +because they hold full communion with the better, though lesser part. +Moreover he saith, p. 254, 255. That there may be causes of non-union +with a church which are not sufficient causes of separation. Lastly, he +tells us in the same place, p. 258. when the greatest part of a church +makes defection from the truth, the lesser part remaining sound, the +greatest part is the church of separatists; though the manyest and +greatest part in the actual exercise of discipline be the church, yet in +the case of right discipline the best, though fewest, is the church. For +truth is like life, that retireth from the manyest members unto the +heart, and there remaineth in its fountain in case of dangers. So that +it is the major part which hath made defection, that are to be accounted +separatists, and not such who stand to their principles, though they +cannot comply or join with the corrupt majority.' + +Thus the Apol. Relat. rehearsed his words, sect. 14. pag. 292. 293. 4. +There may be a lawful withdrawing, where the ordinances and ministry are +not cast at, as the Apol. Rel. saith ibid. 291. 'So then, so long as +people do not cast at the ordinances, but are willing to run many miles +to enjoy them: nor cast at the church as no church (thought they sadly +fear, that God shall be provoked by this dreadful defection, which is +carried on by these men and their favourers, to give her a bill of +divorce) nor at the ministry, for they love those that stand to their +principles dearly, and are most willing to hear them either in public or +private. 5. It is granted by all that write against separatists, that +separation from a church is lawful, when the case so falleth out, that +union cannot be kept up with her without sin,' Voet. Polit. Eccles. p. +68. quest. 17. 6. The grave author of Rectius Instruendum Confut. 3 +dial. chap. pag. 7. &c. 'Allows, every separation is not schism, even +from the church which hath essentials; yea, and more than essentials: if +it be from those (though never so many) who are drawing back from +whatever piece of duty and integrity is attained; for this is still to +be held fast, according to many scripture commands. So Elias, when God's +covenant was forsaken, was as another Athanasius (I and I only am left) +in point of tenacious integrity. 7. Next he says, If we separate in that +which a national church hath commanded us as her members to disown, by +her standing acts and authority, while those from whom we separate own +that corruption. 8. Likewise he there asserts, there is a lawful +forbearance of union and compliance with notorious backsliders, in that +which is of itself sinful, or inductive to it: which is far from +separation strictly taken. The commands of abstaining from all +appearance of evil, and hating the garment spotted with the flesh, do +clearly include this. 9. He adds, many things will warrant separation +from such a particular minister or congregation; which will not warrant +separation from the church national; nor infer it, by Mr. Durham's +acknowledgment (on Scandal, pag. 129.) for if scandals become excessive, +he allows to depart to another congregation. 10. Lastly, He says, There +is a commanded withdrawing from persons and societies even in worship, +the precepts, Rom. xvi. 17. 2 Cor. vi. 17. Prov. xix. 27. Acts ii. 40. +will clearly import this by consequence.--Surely the ministers and +professors, adhering to the reformation, must be the true church of +Scotland, though the lesser number: these soldiers who keep the generals +orders, are the true army, not the deserters of the same.' + +But, Secondly, it being in part cleared by these assertions, what is our +mind in this controversy, I shall lay down from scripture oracles, all +the causes and cases justifying and warranting withdrawing from any +ministers; with application of all of them to the curates, and +accommodation of some of them to all that the wanderers withdraw from: +with arguments endeavouring to evince the validity of them, and +evidencing they are not new notions, but the same grounds which approven +authors have improved in this controversy. I shall omit the ordinary +criticisms in stating the question, in distinguishing betwixt hearing +and joining in worship, and owning them as our ministers, and submitting +to them, &c. And only essay to prove this thesis: we cannot, without +sin, own church communion in gospel ordinances with the prelates or +their curates, as our ministers, but must withdraw from them, and any +other guilty of the like corruptions, which we can make out against +them. I shall not resume what confirmations this thesis is strengthned +with, from the testimonies, or church constitutions of former periods, +which are permitted in the foregoing discourse; nor make any repetition +of the circumstances of our present condition, represented above, which +contributes to clear it: but shortly come to the arguments. + +I. It is necessary that we must acknowledge them ministers of Christ, +and his ambassadors clothed with his commission, from whom we receive +the ordinances of the gospel. For otherwise they must be looked upon as +thieves, robbers, usurpers, and strangers, whom Christ's sheep will not, +nay must not hear, John x. 1, 5. And "how shall they preach," or be +heard, "except they be sent," Rom. x. 15. For such whom we know may not +lawfully preach, we cannot lawfully hear. These from whom we may receive +the mysteries of God, we must account ministers of Christ, 1 Cor. iv. 1. +and ambassadors for Christ, standing in his stead, beseeching us to be +reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 20. Hence such as we doubt to acknowledge +ministers of Christ, clothed with his commission, them we cannot hear +without sin; but the prelatical curates are such as we doubt to +acknowledge ministers of Christ, clothed with his commission: therefore +we cannot hear them. The minor only needs probation. These who neither +have nor can have the qualifications of a minister of Christ, cannot be +acknowledged with confidence to be ministers of Christ clothed with his +commission: but the prelatical curates are such: Ergo----First, they +neither have, nor can have the qualifications of Christ's ministers; +since few of them have the personal, as christians, far less the +ministerial as officers, mentioned 1 Tim. iii. 2, 3. Tit. i. 6, 9. +except it be to be "husbands of one wife," and if that do not make them +ministers, they having nothing else, especially four are wanting in all +of them. (1.) Blamelessness, and freedom from scandal, even such as +affects the office (besides other gross disorders in their life and +conversation, obvious to the view of onlookers, being men who have +denied the faith; and therefore unfit to have the privilege of church +members in any well governed church) being, in the experience of all +that know them signalized under the characters of those that run unsent, +and from whom we are commanded to withdraw: causing the people to err by +their lies, and by their lightness, not sent of God, Jer. xxiii. making +the heart of the righteous sad, and strengthening the hands of the +wicked, Ezek. xiii. 22. See also Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3. Such as we are +commanded to beware of, Matth. vii. 15, 16. Such as we must mark and +avoid, Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Phil. iii. 2. Disorderly walkers from whom we +must withdraw, 2 Thess. iii. 6. Covenant breakers, from whom we are +commanded to turn away, 2 Tim. iii. 3, 5. They are not then blameless: +and in shewing how fitly these agree unto the persons now spoken of, +time needs not be spent, such as know them can best judge. Hence, such +as either are not fit to be church members, or have all the characters +of such officers from whom we are to withdraw, cannot be acknowledged +capable of the qualifications of the ministers of Christ; but such are +the curates: Ergo----(2.) The qualification of vigilancy cannot be found +with them for all that know them will acknowledge that they neither do, +nor can in preaching the word be "instant in season and out of season," +so as to make "full proof of their ministry," 2 Tim. vi. 1,--5. Nay, +they can give no proof of their ministry at all, further than may be +competent to dumb dogs that cannot bark, Isa. lvi. 10, 11. For they nor +no man can say, That the diseased they have strengthened, or healed that +which was sick, &c. Ezek. xxxiv. 4. And it is known to all that know +them, that if ever there were any that assumed to themselves the name of +Levites, who departed out of the way, and caused many to stumble at the +law, and corrupted the covenant of Levi, and therefore were deservedly +contemptible and base before all the people, (Mat. ii. 8, 9.) they are +the men. Let any man judge then, whether they have the qualifications of +the messengers of the Lord of hosts. Hence, they that can give no proof +of their ministry, but that which proves them to be such whom the Lord +condemns, and such who deserve to be contemned of all, cannot be +acknowledged to be qualified as the Lord's ministers; but the prelatic +curates can give no proof of their ministry, &c. Ergo----(3.) The +qualification of aptness to teach is wanting; yea, incompatible with +them, not only such of them as are noted for ignorance, of whom clearly +that is verified, they are blind watchmen, they are all ignorant (Isa. +lvi. 10.) but even their greatest clerks and rabbies may fitly be called +after the name of their forefathers, whom Christ calls blind leaders of +the blind, concerning whom he gives a command to let them alone, Mat. +xv. 14. Either generally they are discovered to be such masters of +Israel, as know not these things, John iii. 10. being men not exercised +in religion, and have not learned the truth as it is in Jesus; or they +are such, as if they have had gifts or grace, yet now they are palpably +blasted of God, and so cannot profit the people at all, being such as do +not stand in God's counsel, for then they should have turned the people +from their evil way, and so they are not apt to teach others when they +are not taught of God, but steal his words every one from their +neighbour, clearly discovering they are not sent of him, Jer. xxiii. 21, +22, 30, 32. And because they do not stand in God's counsel, they cannot +declare all the counsel of God, Acts xx. 27. For they can neither be apt +to teach repentance towards God, since they cannot be supposed to be +sensible of these sins to be repented of, for which the land perisheth, +and is burnt up like a wilderness, Jer. ix. 12. For then they would +first repent themselves of their own conformity with prelacy, of their +breach of covenant, &c. All that they can do in such a subject is, to +see vain and foolish things, and not to discover the land's iniquity, +but to see false burdens, and causes of banishment, Lam. ii. 14. Nor can +they be apt to teach faith, seeing in many things they teach otherwise +than Christ hath taught us in his word, and consent not to wholesome +words, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, from such +the command is to withdraw, 1 Tim. vi. 3,--5. whose mouths must be +stopped when they teach things which they ought not, Tit. i. 9,--11. +which is undeniable to all that know what sort of stuff they preach, +contrary to the word of God, and the principles of our covenanted +reformation. Hence if none of them be apt to teach, then none of them is +fit to be heard; but none of them is apt to teach: Ergo----'It is true +private christians may not judge of the endowments and qualifications of +ministers; yet every private christian hath the judgment of discretion, +and that way may judge such an one if he appear qualified according to +the rule of the word; and may doubt if he be a qualified minister before +God, wanting these qualifications which the word requireth,' Apol. +Relat. sect. 15. p. 285. Secondly, They have not the lawful call of a +minister of Christ, so much as an external call of his institution: +which I prove thus. They that have presentations from patrons, and +collations from prelates, and no more for a call, have no lawful call at +all; but the curates have presentations from patrons, and collations +from prelates, and no more for a call: Ergo they have no lawful call at +all. The minor cannot be doubted: 'For, in this government, the +minister's mission, call, ordination, and relation to such a people over +whom he is to officiate, flows all from the prelate; the congregational +eldership hath not the least interest in it: hence the presbyterian way +of calling pastors was ranversed by the parliament, when prelacy was set +up, and the old custom of patronages was restored,' Rectius Instru. +Confut. of 1 Dial. chap. 4. p. 3. The major proposition may be proven by +parts. First, Presentations from patrons cannot give a lawful call; for +besides what other reasons might be given against this old relict of +popish bondage of patronages, it destroys that privilege and liberty of +the church in calling their own pastors, and makes all intruders, +without the church's choice; whereas the flock are allowed a judgment of +discretion, knowledge of, and consent to the admission of their pastors, +to whom they intrust their soul's directions, before they be subject to, +and obey him in the Lord, for otherwise he is a stranger that hath not +come in at the door, and they must not, nor will not be imposed upon, +John x. 1-5. They had an interest in choosing and nominating even the +apostles, though there were other apostles of infallible knowledge, as +to qualifications, present to ordain them; and they appointed two to be +chosen by lot, Acts vi. 23. and even the deacons were looked out and +chosen by the people, and appointed over the business, Acts vi. 3. 'Much +less ought ministers to be thrust upon such a weighty employment, to +pleasure great men who are patrons, since in their faithfulness the +people are infinitely more concerned,' Rectius Instruen. ubi Supra. +Hence, if the curates have no call but what destroys the people's +privilege, they have no lawful call at all, neither ought they to be +owned, or countenanced as called ministers; but by the presentation of +patrons they have no call, but what destroys the people's privilege: +Ergo--Next, collations from prelates cannot give a lawful call: for (1.) +they cannot give that to others which they have not themselves; but they +have not a lawful call themselves, because they are not lawful officers, +as is clear, and may be proven afterwards. (2.) the only way of +conveyance of an ordinary call to this office, is by the act of a +presbytery, Tim. iv. 4. And, by ministers, their ordaining elders in +every church, with the consent of that church; but a prelate's collation +is not this act of a presbytery. (3.) That which only makes a man a +prelate's depute, cannot give him a call to the ministry of Christ; but +this collation only makes a man a prelate's depute. Or thus, a prelate's +depute is no minister; but a curate is a prelate's depute: Ergo----That +a prelate's depute is no minister, I prove; not only from that, that a +prelate, as such, is not a servant of Christ, but an enemy; and +therefore cannot confer upon another, that dignity to be Christ's +servant; but from this, that the scripture allows no derivation of +deputed officers. If no officers of Christ can have deputes of Christ's +institution; then the deputes that they make cannot be Christ's officers +of his institution; but no officers of Christ can have deputes by +Christ's institution: every man that hath any piece of stewardship in +God's family must ever see and execute it immediately by himself, and +wait upon it, Rom. xii. 7, 8. That curates are prelates deputes is +clear: for they are subject to them in order and jurisdiction, and +derive all their power from them, and are accountable to them: therefore +they cannot be acknowledged with confidence of conscience to be Christ's +ministers. 'Because they have not such a visible evidence of the call of +Christ, as, in reason and charity, doth oblige all men to receive the +person so called, as truly sent: which things are so evident in +themselves, that whoever denieth them, is obliged by the same +consequence to affirm, that if Simon Magus had in his horrid wickedness, +purchased the apostleship by money, the Christian world had been bound +to receive him as an apostle,' Naphtali, p. 105, 106, first edition. +That their ministry is the Lord's ordinance is plainly denied, Naphtali, +p. 109. 'They have nothing like a solemn ordination, having no +imposition of hands of the presbytry with fasting and prayer, according +to the order of the gospel, but the sole warrant and mission of the +prelate, and therefore it cannot be lawful to countenance such, and to +look upon them as lawful ministers,' Apol. Relat. sect. 15. pag. 183. It +will be objected here, 1. 'That then their baptism is no baptism, if +they be no ministers.' Ans. '(1.) what sad consequences may follow upon +the nulling of their office, let them see to it who either send such +forth, or employ them.' Apol. Relat. ib. p. 294. the best way to avoid +these inconveniences is not to countenance them. But (2.) the same +answers may serve which are adduced for popish baptisms and ordinations: +and the deed sometimes signifies, That it ought not to be done. Next it +will be, Object. 2. That many of the curates were in the ministry +before, therefore the argument is not stringent against them. Ans. The +one half of it about the qualifications does still urge them, through +the want of which, and their base treachery and betraying their trust, +and perjuries in breaking covenant, they have really forefaulted their +ministry, and loosed all from an obligation to hear them, or any other +to whom these scripture-characters may be applied, and brings all under +the guilt of partaking with them that hear them. + +II. It is necessary also, that all whom we may lawfully hear as +ministers and ambassadors of Christ, should not only have had a +commission from Christ, sometimes conveyed to them in his orderly +appointed way, by and from approven church officers; but they must have +it then when we hear them, at this time when we own communion with them. +For if they have sometimes had it, and forefaulted or changed it, by +taking a new right another way, it is all one in point of owning them, +as if they had none at all: and we must not meddle with such +changelings, in things that they and we must not come and go upon, Prov. +xxiv. 21. Now plain it is, that some curates sometimes had a commission +from Christ, when they were presbyters; but now they have changed their +holding, and taken a new right from them who are no officers of Christ, +invested with power to confirm or convey a ministerial mission; and so +they have forefaulted what they had. Mr. Durham, in a digression on this +subject of hearing, shews, that ministers may forefeit, on Revel. chap. +i. p. 55. in 4to. 'In matter of hearing (says he) it is not so hard to +discern, who are to be counted to speak without God's commission; +because ordinarily such have no warrantable call at all (no not in the +outward form, and so cannot be counted but to run unsent) or by palpable +defection from the truth, and commission given them in that call, they +have forefeited their commission: and so no more are to be counted +ambassadors of Christ, or watchmen of his flock, than a watchman of the +city is to be accounted an observer thereof, when he hath publicly made +defection to the enemy, and taken on with him.' Let the indulged and +addressing ministers advert to this: and consider, whether or not the +truly tender have reason to discountenance them, while they continue in +their palpable defection. But undeniably this resells that objection of +the curates ordination before they were curates; for they that change +their holding of a right, and take a new right which is null, they +forego and forefeit their old right, and all right; but the prelatic +curates have changed their holding of their right, and taken a new one, +which is null: therefore they have foregone and forefeited their old +one. The minor I prove thus. They who had a right from Christ by +conveyance of his officers, and take a new grant for the exercise of it, +not from Christ, but by conveyance of such as are none of his officers, +they change their holding, and take a new one, which is null. But the +prelatic curates, who had a right by conveyance of his officers, have +taken a new grant for the exercise of it, not from Christ, but by +conveyance of the prelate, which is none of his officers; +Therefore----The stress of all will ly in the probation of this, that +the prelate is none of Christ's officers, and therefore the conveyance +of a power from him is not from Christ. Which I prove, 1. Because his +office is cross to the very nature of gospel church government, and +therefore he cannot be a gospel church ruler. Christ discharged his +officers to exercise dominion (or lordship, Luke xxii. 25.) or +authority, as the Gentiles did, but that the chiefest should be only a +minister, Matth. xxii. 25, 26. The apostle Paul disclaims dominion over +the church, 2 Cor. i. ult. Peter exhorts the elders not to be lords over +God's heritage, 1 Pet. v. 3. The authority of church-officers then is +not a despotic power, but a ministerial stewardship. But the diocesan +bishop is both a lordly title and power, having all authority in the +diocese derived from him, as being as it were the universal pastor, and +so taking upon him a power, which is neither commanded, nor can be +discharged. Hence, he that subjects his ministry to the domination of a +strange lord, inverting the nature of gospel church-government, cannot +be owned in his ministry; but all curates subject their ministry, &c. +Therefore----2. Because he is an officer distinct from, and superior to +a presbyter or pastor; whereas the scripture makes a bishop and +presbyter all one. The elders of the church of Ephesus are called +episcopi or overseers, Acts xx. 17, 28. An ordained elder must be a +blameless bishop, as the steward of God, Tit. i. 5, 7. Again, it cannot +be shown, where the scripture mentions either name, qualification, work, +duty, or ordination of an ordinary church-officer superior to +presbyters, and which are not likewise appropriate to them who are +called rulers, governors, bishops. In all the holy Ghost's purposed +recitals of ordinary church-officers, there is not the least hint of a +diocesan bishop; and yet a deacon is described the meanest officer in +his work and qualifications. Hence then, if this diocesan prelate be +such an uncouth beast, that neither in name nor nature is found in the +word of God, all the power derived from him is null; but the first is +true: therefore----3. Because every officer in the scripture relates to +the flock (except the extraordinary officers, who were further extended, +now ceased) bishops of Ephesus, were overseers over the flock, Acts xx. +the elders that Peter writes to were over the flock. But this diocesan +antiscriptural monster pretends to be over the shepherds, and invents +new degrees and orders of superiority and inferiority of officers of the +same kind, beside and against the scripture, which makes all apostles +alike, and all evangelists, so all teachers; though there be a +distinction and superiority in diverse kinds, yet not in same. God hath +set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly +teachers, 1 Cor. xii. 28. but not among teachers, some above others, in +a power of order and jurisdiction. Hence, an officer over officers of +the same kind, is not an officer of Christ's institution, and +consequently any power conveyed from him is null; but a prelate pretends +to be an officer, over officers of the same kind: therefore, 4. Because +every officer in the church hath equally, and in perfect parity, equal +power and authority allowed them of God in the exercise of both order +and jurisdiction; all ruling elders may rule alike, and deserve equal +honour; and all preaching elders have the like authority, and the like +honour conferred upon them, 1 Tim. vi. 17. The scripture attributes both +power of order and jurisdiction; to all preaching presbyters equally. +They must oversee the flock (or as the word is, do the part of a bishop +over them) Acts xx. 28. and they must also feed the flock, 1 Pet. v. 2. +Subjection and obedience is due to them all alike: all that are over us +and admonish us, we must esteem highly for their work's sake, 1 Thes. v. +12. and obey and submit ourselves to them that watch for our souls, Heb. +xiii. 17. We find also excommunication belongs to all alike, 2 Cor. ii. +6. and ordination, 1 Tim. iv. 14. But the diocesan prelate takes from +presbyters to himself power of ordination, assuming only his curates for +fashion's sake, and the sole decisive power in church judicatories, +wherein he hath a negative voice; like a Diotrephes, the first prelate +who loved to have the pre-eminence, 3 John 9. the only precedent for +prelacy in the scripture. Hence, he that would take all power to +himself, which is undivided and equal to all officers by Christ's +appointment, hath none by Christ's allowance, but is to be reckoned an +usurping Diotrephes; but the Diocesan prelate would take all the power +to himself, which is undivided and equal to all. By all which it +appears, the prelate being no authorized church-officer of Christ's, no +authority can be derived from him; and so that such as betake themselves +to this pretended power, for warranting them in the function, can +warrantably claim no deference thereupon, nor can be owned as ministers, +whatever they were before. 'For this were an acknowledging of the power +and authority of prelates (especially when the law commands our hearing +as a submitting to them.) The reason is, because these men came forth +from the prelate, having no other call or warrant but what the prelate +giveth: and so a receiving of them will be a receiving of the prelate, +as a refusing of them will be accounted a slighting of the prelate and +his power,' Apol. Relat. 15. p. 272. + +III. It is necessary also, that all with whom we own communion as +ministers, should be Christ's ambassadors, having then, when we hear +them, and holding still their commission from Christ as king, and only +head of his church: conveyed not only from church-officers, in a way +that he hath revealed as the prophet of his church, but in a way of +dependence upon, and subordination to Christ as king, who ascending far +above principalities and powers, appointed and gave the gifts of the +ministry, Eph. iv. 8, 11. and set them in the church, 1 Cor. xii. 28. +and gave them commission to go and teach the nations, by virtue of that +all power that was given to him in heaven and earth, Matth. xxviii. 18, +19. If then they take a new holding, and close with a new conveyance of +the ministry, and of the power to exercise the same, from a new +architectonic usurped power in the church, encroaching on Christ's royal +prerogative, we dare not homologate such an affront to Christ, as to +give them the respect of his ambassadors, when they became the servants +of men, and subject even in ministerial functions to another head than +Christ, for then they are the ministers of men, and by men, and not by +Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, because +they do not hold the head, Col. ii. 19. Hence those that receive and +derive their church power from, and are subordinate in its exercise to, +another head than Christ Jesus, should not be received and subjected to +as the ministers of Christ in his church; but the prelates and their +curates do receive and derive their church power from, and are +subordinate in its exercise to, another head than Christ: therefore they +should not be received, &c. The first proportion cannot be denied, the +second is proved thus: Those officers in the church, professing +themselves such, that derive their church power from, and are +subordinate in its exercise to, a power truly architectonic and supreme +in the church (to wit the magistrate) beside Christ, do derive their +power from, and are subordinate in its exercise to another head than +Christ Jesus; but so it is that prelates and their curates do derive, +&c. Therefore----The major is evident; for whosoever hath a supreme +architectonic power in and over the church, must be a head to the same, +and the fountain of all church-power. The minor is also clear, from the +foregoing historical deduction, manifesting the present prelacy to be +gross erastianism; for the disposal of the government of the church is +declared by law to be the crown-right, and and an inherent perpetual +prerogative, and thereupon the bishops are restored to the episcopal +function; it is expressly declared, that there is no church power in the +church office-bearers, but what depends upon, and is subordinate unto +the supremacy, and authorized by the bishops, who are declared +accountable to the king for the administration; by virtue of which +ecclesiastic supremacy, he put excommunication, and spiritual censures, +and consequently the power of the keys, into the hands of persons merely +civil, in the act for the high commission. Hence it is clear, that as +the fountain of all church government, he imparts his authority to such +as he pleases, and the bishops are nothing else but his commissioners in +the exercise of that ecclesiastic power, which is originally in himself, +and that the curates are only his under clerks. All the stress will ly +in proving, that this monster of a supremacy, from which the prelates +and their curates have all their authority, is a great encroachment on +the glory of Christ as king; which will appear, if we will briefly +consider these particulars. 1. It usurps upon Christ's prerogative, who +only hath all undoubted right to this architectonic and magisterial +dominion over the church, his own mediatory kingdom; not only an +essential right by his eternal Godhead, being the everlasting Father, +whose goings forth hath been of old, from everlasting, Isa. ix. 6. Mic. +v. 2. in recognizance of which, we own but one God the Father, and one +Lord, by whom are all things, and we by him, 1 Cor. viii. 6. but also a +covenant-right, by compact with the Father, to bear the glory and rule +upon his throne, by virtue of the counsel of peace between them both, +Zech. vi. 13. A donative right by the Father's delegation, by which he +hath all power given in heaven and in earth, Mat. xxviii. 18. and all +things given into his hand, John iii. 35. and all judgment and authority +to execute it, even because he is the Son of man, John v. 22, 27. and to +be head over all things to the church, Eph. 1. 22. An institute right, +by the Father's inauguration, who hath set him as King in Sion, Psal. +ii. 6. and appointed him governor, that shall rule over his people +Israel, Matth. ii. 6. An acquisite right, by his own purchase, by which +he hath merited and obtained, not only subjects to govern, but the glory +of the sole sovereignty over them in that relation. A name above every +name, Phil. ii. 9. which is, that he is the head of the church, which +is as much his peculiar prerogative, as to be Saviour of the body, Eph. +v. 23. A bellical right by conquest, making the people fall under him, +Psal. xlv. 4. and be willing in the day of his power, Psal. cx. 3. and +overcoming those that make war with him, Rev. xvii. 14. An hereditary +right by proximity of blood and promogeniture, being the first born, +higher than the kings of the earth, Psal. lxxxix. 27. and the first born +from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence, Col. +i. 18. An elective right, by his people's choice and surrender, having a +crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, +Cant. iii. last verse. By all which undoubted titles, it is his sole +incommunicable prerogative, without a co-partner or competitor, +co-ordinate or subordinate, to be judge, and only lawgiver, and king in +spirituals, Isa. xxxiii. 22. to be that one lawgiver, Jam. iv. 12. who +only can give the power of the keys to his officers, (which comprehends +all the power they have) Matth. xvi. 9. to be that one Master over all +church officers, who are but brethren, Matth. xxiii. 8, 10. in whose +name only they must perform all church acts, and all parts of their +ministry, and not in the name of any mortal, Matth. xxviii. 18, 19. +Matth. xviii. 20. from whom only they receive whatever they have to +deliver to the church, 1 Cor. xi. 23. to be the only instituter of his +officers, who hath set them in the church, 1 Cor. xii. 28. and gave them +to the church, Eph. iv. 11. whose ambassadors only they are, 2 Cor. v. +20. from whom they have authority for edification of the church, 2 Cor. +x. 8. 2 Cor. xiii. 10. in whose name only they are to assemble, and keep +and fence their courts, both the least, Matth. xviii. 20. and the +greatest, Acts xv. But now also this is usurped by one who is not so +much as a church-member, let be a church-officer, as such: for the +magistrate is neither, as he is a magistrate, otherwise all magistrates +would be church-members. Hence they that have all their power from a +mere usurper on Christ's prerogative, who is neither member nor officer +of the church, have none at all to be owned or received as his lawful +ambassadors; but the prelates and their curates have all their power +from a mere usurper on Christ's prerogative, who is neither member nor +officer of the church: Ergo----2. It confounds the mediatory kingdom of +Christ with, and subjects it to, the kingly government of the world, +removes the scripture land-marks and limits between civil and +ecclesiastic powers in making the governors of the state to be governors +of the church, and denying all church-government in the hands of +church-officers, distinct from and independent upon the civil +magistrate: which clearly derogates from the glory of Christ's mediatory +kingdom, which is altogether distinct from, and not subordinate to the +government of the world, both in the old testament and in the new. For, +they have distinct fountains whence they flow; civil government flows +from God Creator, church government from Christ the Lord Redeemer, Head +and King of his church, whose kingdom is not of this world, John xviii. +36. though for this end he came into the world, that he should have a +kingdom there, verse 37. They have distinct objects: civil government +hath a civil object, the outward man; church government a spiritual +object, men considered as Christians; in the old testament, the matters +of the Lord are clearly distinguished from the matters of the king, 2 +Chron. xix. last verse. In the new testament, there are matters of +church cognizance which do not at all belong to the civil magistrate; +as, in the case of offence, they must tell the church, not the civil +magistrate, Matth. xviii. 15, 20. In the case of excommunication, the +church is to act by virtue of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. +v. 4, 5. not by the magistrate's power; in the case of absolution, the +church is to judge what punishment is sufficient, and what evidence of +repentance is sufficient to remove it, 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7. So in the case +of trial and ordination of ministers, &c. None of those belong to the +magistrate. They have distinct natures: the civil is a magisterial, the +ecclesiastic is a ministerial government; the one is the power of the +sword, the other of the keys; the one put forth in political +punishments, the other in ecclesiastic censures: In the old testament, +the magistrate's power was coactive, by death, banishment, confiscation, +&c. Ezra vii. 26. the church, but putting out of the synagogue, +interdiction from sacred things, &c. In the new testament, the +magistrate's power is described, Rom. xiii. to be that of the sword by +punishment; the power of the church only in binding and loosing, Matth. +xvi, 19. They have distinct ends, the end of the one being the good of +the commonwealth, the other the church's edification: In the old +testament, the end of the civil government was one thing, and of the +church another, to wit, to warn not to trespass against the Lord, in +that forecited, 2 Chron. xix. 10. In the new testament, the end of +magistratical power is to be a terror to evil works, and a praise to the +good, Rom. xiii. 3. but the end of church power is edification, 1 Cor. +v. 5. 2 Cor. x. 8. 2 Cor. xiii. 10. They have distinct courts of +officers: in the old testament, the distinction of the civil and +ecclesiastic Sanhedrim is known, where there were distinct causes, and +persons set over them to judge them respectively, 2 Chron. xix. last +verse. In the new testament, we find officers given unto the church, 1 +Cor. xii. 28. with no mention of the civil magistrate at all, and church +assemblies distinct from parliaments or senates (yea, when the +magistrate was an enemy) determining questions that did not belong to +the magistrate at all, Acts xv. we have rulers distinct from the rulers +of the commonwealth, 1 Thess. v. 12. whom we are to obey and submit +ourselves to as those who are accountable to Christ only, for to whom +else can they give account of souls? Heb. xiii. 17. we have rulers +inferior to labourers in word and doctrine, not to be honoured so much +as they: sure these cannot be civil rulers, 1 Tim. v. 17. we have rulers +commended for trying impostors, which were not magistrates, Rev. ii. 2. +And others who are rebuked for suffering hereticks, ibid. ver. 14, 15, +20. which supposes they had authority to do it; yet distinct from and +not depending on the magistrate. Besides it is from the confusion of the +two governments together, and making the supreme magistrate to be +supreme governor of the church, would follow many absurdities; as that +they who are not church-members should be church-officers, even heathen +magistrates; yea women should be church-officers; and none should be +chosen for magistrates, but such as have the qualifications of +church-officers. See Apol. Relat. Sect. 12. pag. 190. Rectius Instruen. +Confut. 1. Dial. chap. 6. pag. 50. Hence, they that in deriving their +authority do confound the two governments, civil and ecclesiastic, and +take it all from a mere civil power, cannot be owned as having any +authority of Christ's institution: but the prelates and their curates, +in deriving their authority, do confound the two governments civil and +ecclesiastic, and take it all from a mere civil power. This same +argument equally militates against hearing the indulged ministers, who +have taken a licence and warrant from the usurper of this supremacy: +because it is highly injurious to Christ's headship; very contrary to +presbyterian principles; clearly homologatory of the supremacy; plainly +prejudicial to the power of the people; very much establishing +erastianism; sadly obstructive and destructive to the good of the +church; wronging our cause and ground of suffering; strengthening the +prelates hands; contradictory to our covenants; prejudging the meetings +of God's people; and heinously scandalous and offensive: as is clear by, +and unanswerably proven in the history of the indulgence. + +IV. There is a necessity that any man whom we may join with as a +minister, must not only be a minister, and a minister clothed with +Christ's commission then, when we join with him, but he must also have a +right to administer there where we join with him. Else we can look upon +him no otherwise than a thief and a robber, whom Christ's sheep should +not hear, John x. 1-5. Now the prelates and curates, though they should +be accounted and acknowledged ministers, yet they have not a right to +officiate where they have intruded themselves. Hence we have several +arguments, as 1. They who have no just authority, nor right to officiate +fixedly in this church as the proper pastors of it, ought not to be +received but withdrawn from: but the prelates and their curates have no +just authority, or right to officiate in this church as her proper +pastors: therefore they ought not to be received, but withdrawn from. +All the debate is about the minor, which may thus be made good. They who +have entered into and do officiate fixedly in this church, without her +authority and consent, have no right so to do: but the prelates and +their curates have entered into and officiate fixedly in this church, +without her authority and consent: Ergo--The major is manifest: for if +this church have a just right and power of electing and calling of +ministers, then they who enter into and officiate fixedly in this +church, without her authority and consent, have no just authority or +right so to do: But this church hath a just right and power of electing +and calling of ministers, as all true churches have. And, if it were not +evident from what is said above, might be easily demonstrated from +scripture. The minor, to wit, that the prelates and their curates have +entered into and officiate fixedly in this church, without her authority +and consent, is evident, from matter of fact: for there was no +church-judicatory called or convocated, for bringing of prelates into +this church; but on the contrary her judicatories were all cashiered and +discharged, and all her officers turned out to let them in; and all was +done immediately by the king and acts of parliament without the church; +a practice wanting a precedent in this, and (for any thing we know) in +all other churches: All that the curates can say is, that they came in +by the bishop and patron, who are not the church, nor have any power +from her for what they do; all their right and power is founded upon and +derived from the supremacy, whereby the diocesan erastian prelate is +made the king's delegate and substitute, only impowered thereto by his +law. This is Mr. Smith's, 1st and 6th argum. If 'we suppose a particular +congregation acknowledging their own lawful pastor, and a few violent +persons arise and bring in a minister by plain force, and cast out their +lawful pastor; are not the faithful in that church obliged to relinquish +the intruder, and not only discountenance him, but endeavour his +ejection?' This is our case, Naphtali, pag. 106. Sect. 5. first edition. +2. If we cannot submit to these curates, without consenting to the great +encroachments made upon the privileges of this church, then we cannot +submit to them without sin; but we cannot submit to them without +consenting to the great encroachments made upon the privileges of this +church: therefore we cannot submit to them without sin. The minor is all +the question: but instances will make it out. As first, The robbing of +the privilege of election of her pastors, and substituting the bondage +of patrons presentations, is a great encroachment upon the privilege of +this church: but accepting of curates as ministers lawfully called, +notwithstanding that they want the election of the people, and have +nothing for their warrant but a presentation from the patron, were a +consenting to that robbery and wicked substitution. It will be of no +force to say, Our forefathers did submit to this, and to a ministry who +had no other call. This is answered above in the narrative; 'tis a poor +consequence to say, The posterity may return backward, because their +forefathers could not advance further forward. Secondly, The thrusting +out of lawful ministers without any cause but their adhering to the +covenanted work of reformation, and thrusting in others in their rooms +who denied the same, is a great encroachment on the churches privileges; +but embracing and encouraging curates by countenancing their pretended +ministry, were a consenting to this violent extrusion and intrusion. The +minor is proven thus. They who leave the extruded, and countenance the +intruded, they consent to the extrusion and intrusion, and declare they +confess the intruded's right is better than his who is extruded: but +they who embrace and encourage curates by countenancing their pretended +ministry, do leave the extruded, to wit, their old ministers, and +countenance the intruded: Ergo----To say, that people, in this case, +should protest against these encroachments is frivolous; for withdrawing +is the best protestation: and if after their protestation they still +countenance the encroachment, they should undo their own protestation. +The same argument will militate against countenancing the indulged, or +any that obtained authority to preach in any place by a power +encroaching on the churches liberties. There is an objection to be +removed here, from Matth. xxiii. 2, 3. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in +Moses chair; therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and +do; therefore they who, without a title, usurp the office, may be heard. +Ans. 1. The case is no-ways alike; for then the Lord had no other church +in the world but that, which was confined in its solemnities of worship +to that place, where they intruded themselves: he had not yet instituted +the New Testament form of administration in its ordinances and officers. +Therefore the head of the church being present might give a toleration, +during pleasure: but it is not so now. But, 2. Our Lord's words bear no +command for the people to hear them at all, but only not to reject sound +doctrine, because it came from them: surely he would not bid them hear +such, as he calls plants that his Father had never planted, whom he +bids let alone, Matth. xv. 13, 14. and who were thieves and robbers whom +his sheep should not hear. + +V. They must not only be ministers, and acknowledged as such then and +there, when and where we join with them; but they must be such as we can +own church communion with in the ordinances administrated by them, as to +the matter of them. Otherwise if they pervert and corrupt their +ministry, by preaching and maintaining errors, either in doctrine, +worship, discipline, or government, contrary to the scriptures, our +confessions, and principles of our covenanted reformation, and +contradictory to our testimony founded thereupon, and agreeable +thereunto, maintaining errors condemned thereby, or condemning truths +maintained thereby, we must withdraw from them. For if any seek to turn +us away from the Lord our God, we must put away that evil, and not +consent nor hearken to them, Deut. xiii. 5, 8. We must cease to hear the +instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge, Prov. xix. +27. We must have a care of these leaders that will cause us to err lest +we be destroyed with them, Isa. ix. 16. we must mark these who +contradict the doctrine that we have learned, and avoid them, Rom. xvi. +17. If any man teach otherwise we must withdraw ourselves from such, 1 +Tim. vi. 3, 5. If there come any, and bring not this doctrine, we must +not receive him, nor bid him God speed, in that work of his preaching or +practising against any of the truths, we have received from the word, 1 +John x. 11. Hence we must not hear false teachers, who, in preaching and +prayer, bring forth false doctrine contrary to the principles of our +reformation; but the curates are false teachers, who, in preaching and +prayer, bring forth false doctrine, &c. Therefore we must not hear them. +The minor is certain, in that not only many of them are tainted with +points of Popery and Arminianism; but all of them do teach false +doctrine tending to seduce the hearers: when in their preaching they +cry up the lawfulness of prelacy, and vent bitter invectives against +presbyterian government, condemn the work of reformation, and inveigh +against the covenant, and so teach and encourage people to follow them +in open perjury, and condemning all our testimony, as nothing but +treason and sedition; which we are persuaded is truth, and that +therefore they are blasphemers: and in their prayers, stuffed with +error, and larded with blasphemy, they reproach the work of reformation, +and the power of godliness, and pray for a blessing on the prelates, and +on their courses which are cursed; besides their parasitick prayers for +the king, to be blessed in his government when stated in opposition to +Christ, and several other things that tender consciences cannot go along +with them therein. And yet if they hear them, they must go along and +actively concur with them, as their mouth to God. If it be objected +here, that this doth not strike against all, nor against any at all +times, because some preach always sound doctrine, and all preach +sometime sound doctrine, and the like may be said of their prayers: +therefore sometimes at least they may be heard. I answer 1. This may be +alledged for all hereticks, who do all at sometimes preach sound +doctrine, and yet these scriptures are stringent against them at all +times, which I have adduced; for by these fruits which they bring forth +at sometimes, they shew themselves to be such as we must beware of at +all times. 2. We cannot know when they will preach sound doctrine, +seeing by their subjection to that government, they are obliged to +maintain prelacy, and impugn our covenanted constitution. + +VI. They must not only be such as we can join with in the ordinances as +to the matter of them, but in the manner also they must be such +administrators, as we are obliged in charity to think the Lord will +approve of them, and their administrations, and of us in our communion +with them; or at least, that, in their manner of dispensing ordinances, +they be not such as we find are under a recorded sentence of dreadful +punishment, both against them and their partakers: for if it be so, it +is as sufficient a ground to withdraw from them, as for men to withdraw +from a company staying in a house, that they see will fall and smother +them in its ruin; yea it is as warrantable to separate from them, as for +Israel to separate themselves from the congregation of the rebels who +were to be consumed in a moment, Numb. xvi. 21. or for the Lord's people +to come out of Babylon, that they receive not of her plagues, Rev. +xviii. 4. Now we find that not only the prophets of Baal, and enticers +to idolatry, and leaders to error upon the matter are threatened, and +the people for adhering to them, but we find also (as is observed by +Rectius Instruendum confut. dial chap. 1. pag. 21.) many terrible +charges and adjurations laid upon ministers, in reference to a faithful +diligence in their ministerial function, and a suitable testimony +concerning the sin and duty of the time, that they are commanded to cry +aloud and shew the people their sin, Isa. lviii. 1. and as they would +not have the blood of souls upon them, to give faithful warning touching +the peoples case and hazard, sin and duty, especially in times of great +sin and judgment, when God is terribly pleading his controversy with +them, Ezek. iii. 17. therefore they must be instant in season and out of +season, 2 Tim. iv. 2. And for their negligence and unfaithfulness +herein, we find many scripture woes and threatenings thundered against +them. When in the deceit of their own heart they promise assured peace, +when the Lord is pleading against a generation, they are threatened to +be consumed with sword and famine, and the people to whom they prophesy +shall be cast out in the streets, Jer. xiv. 13, 15, 16. therefore we +dare not admit them to prophesy to us. When they strengthen the hands, +and harden the hearts of evil doers, that none doth return from his +wickedness, the Lord threatens to feed them with wormwood, and commands +not to hearken to them, Jer. xxiii. 14.-16. their blood shall be +required at their hands, Ezek. iii. 18. one builds a wall, and another +daubs it with untempered morter, then ye, O great hailstones shall fall, +and they shall be consumed in the midst thereof, Ezek. xiii. 10, 11, 14, +18, 22. we dare not join with either builders or daubers of such a work, +as is carried on to the dishonour of Christ and ruining of reformation, +nor by our countenance and concurrence strengthen either builders or +daubers; lest we also be consumed in the midst thereof. When there is a +conspiracy of the prophets, and the priests violate the law, and profane +holy things, and shew no difference between the unclean and the clean, +then the Lord will pour out his indignation upon all, Ezek. xxii. +25,--to the end. We would endeavour to keep ourselves free of having any +hand in that conspiracy. These scriptures do give the perfect +pourtracture of our curates, in the conviction of all that know them. +Hence we draw a complex argument: such ministers as can do no good by +their ministry, but a great deal of hurt to their hearers, and expose +themselves and them both to the indignation of a jealous God, are not to +be heard; but the curates are such as can do no good by their ministry, +but a great deal of hurt to their hearers, and expose themselves and +them both to the indignation of the jealous Lord: therefore they are not +to be heard. The connexion of the major is clear from what is said +above. The minor is also evident from the application of these +scriptures, thus: they that in the deceit of their own heart promise +peace to, and strengthen the hands of evil doers, and give them not +warning, but seduce them by daubing their wickedness, and shew no +difference between the unclean and the clean, &c. are such as can do no +good by their ministry, but a great deal of hurt to hearers, and expose +themselves and them both to the indignation of God; but the curates are +such, and all others, who are so unfaithful as to give no warning +against, but justify the sins of the times. To be short, the minor of +both these foregoing arguments is evident from the experience of all +that go to the curates, who wrong thereby their own souls, mar their +edification; and run to cisterns without water. What blessing can be +expected upon the labours of such, who having perjured themselves in +taking on with the prelates, are prosecuting that course of defection, +and making themselves captains to lead the people back to Egypt, +encouraging profanity and wickedness, being themselves patterns and +patrons of the times corruptions? And seeing a blessing cannot be +expected upon their labours, but rather a curse, as daily experience +maketh good, when instead of any work of conversion or conviction among +people, there is nothing seen but a fearful hardening in profanity, +ignorance and atheism: so that many that seemed to have somewhat like +religion before, through hearing of them, are turned loose and lax in +all duties: yea never can it be instanced these twenty-seven years, that +they have brought one soul to Christ, from darkness to light, and from +the power of Satan unto God: but many instances might be given of their +murdering souls, as indeed they cannot be free of it, who cannot warn +nor declare the whole counsel of God. Hence these who cannot but be +soul-murderers, may not be heard nor entertained as soul-physicians; but +the curates cannot but be soul-murderers. Again, we can expect no good +from them, but a great deal of hurt; seeing their ministry is not the +Lord's ordinance, which he will approve, and no performances can be +acceptable unto the Lord which are not, in manner as well as in matter, +agreeable to his will: hence the wickedness even of the Lord's lawful +priests, not only caused the people to abhor the offerings of the Lord, +but even the Lord himself to abhor his sanctuary, and to account their +incense an abomination, so that he could not away with the calling of +their assemblies, which yet upon the matter were duties. Should not we +then hate that which the Lord hates, and withdraw from that which he +hath forsaken? But the meetings of the curates for administration of +ordinances in their way, the Lord hates, and hath signally forsaken: +therefore we should hate and forsake them. This is confirmed by what Mr. +Durham says in that digression about hearing, Rev. 1. page 55. in +quarto, 'Seeing edification is God's gift, can it be expected but in his +way, or can that be accounted his way which he hath not warranted.' + +VII. As we would not partake of their judgment in countenancing of their +administration of ordinances, so we would keep ourselves free from all +participation of their sin; for we must not be partakers with any in +sin, nor have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, that we +must reprove, and that we find the Lord reproves and condemns, Eph. v. +7, 11. and not only ministers in ordaining, but people in hearing, may +be in hazard of partaking of some mens sins, who enter into the +ministry, 1 Tim. v. 22. we must keep at the greatest distance from sin: +hence if we hear the curates without partaking of their sin, then we +must not hear them; but we cannot hear the curates without partaking of +their sin: therefore we must not hear them. The minor I prove. If +hearing of them be a tessera of our incorporation with them, a test of +our submission to them, a badge of our compliance with them, and sign of +our approbation of them, then we cannot hear them without partaking of +their sin; but hearing of them is such: the major cannot be denied, if +prelacy and conformity therewith be sin, as is in part proven above: for +if these be sins, then we must not incorporate with, nor submit to them, +nor comply with them, nor approve them. The minor I prove by parts. 1. +Hearing of curates is a tessera of our incorporation with them; for +communion in sacred things doth infer an incorporation of the +communicants or joiners in all cases, both in lawful and unlawful +communions, 1 Cor. x. 17.-20. All partakers of the bread are one body, +and they which eat of the sacrifices are partakers of the altar; and +also they that partake of the sacrifice offered to devils, though they +do not offer it so themselves, yet they are incorporate, and have +fellowship with devils. And 2 Cor. vi. 14.-17. where they that do not +come out, and are separate from unlawful communions, are expostulated +with, as making an unequally yoked fellowship between righteousness and +unrighteousness, light and darkness, Christ and Belial, the temple of +God and idols: hence then, if we cannot partake of their sacred things, +without partaking of their altar, and becoming one body with them, and +making such an unequally yoked mixture with them, then we must be +separate; but the first is true from these places. This argument +concludes with equal force, against joining with any deeply engaged in +the gross defections of the time. 2. Hearing of curates is a test of our +submission to them, and compliance with them: for so it is required by +law, as the acts themselves say, 'That a chearful concurrence, +countenance, and assistance given to such ministers, and attending all +the ordinary meetings for divine worship, is an evidence of a due +acknowledgment of, and hearty compliance with his majesty's government +ecclesiastical and civil, as now established by law within this +kingdom,' Act of Parl. July 10, 1663. And themselves look on all such as +obey this act as their friends. Hence, if this be sinful to submit to +them, and comply with their establishment, in obedience to a sinful act +of parliament, then it is sinful to hear them; but the former is true, +as hath been shown: Therefore----3. Hence it follows, by native +consequence, that hearing of curates is a sign of our approbation of +them: for he that gives that which is required, and accepted, and +interpreted as an evidence of a due acknowledgment, and of compliance +with the government ecclesiastical, gives the sign of his approbation +of it; but the hearer of curates does that in obedience to the act +requiring accepting, and expresly interpreting it so: therefore, &c. + +VIII. As we would be free of their sin, in approving of, and complying +with their course; so we must endeavour to stand at the greatest +distance from all appearance of sin in ourselves, either by commission +or omission, in which our joining with them in these circumstances would +involve us. For we must abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thess. v. +22. and from every thing that circumstances may make sinful: for +otherwise, suppose a thing might be materially lawful and not sinfully +sinful, yet circumstances may make it sinful, and a countenancing it so +circumstantiated, doth infer a communion in these circumstances that +makes it sinful. They that eat of the sacrifice are partakers of the +altar, and if the altar be not of God's approbation, the thing offered, +though otherwise lawful to be eaten, cannot justify the eaters, so +circumstantiated. An idol is nothing, and that which is offered in +sacrifice to idols is nothing, yet they who eat of it, when they know it +is so circumstantiated, have fellowship with devils, 1 Cor. x. 18, 19, +20, 21. And it is called idolatry, comp. verse 14. which provokes the +Lord to jealousy, verse 22. Especially when an action is so +circumstantiated, that it would infer an omission of our duty, and a +declining from or denying of our testimony, then it is clearly sinful. +For whosoever shall deny the Lord before men, him will he deny before +his Father, Matth. x. 33. And we must 'hold fast the profession of our +faith without wavering,' Heb. x. 23. and 'keep the word of his +patience,' if we would be kept in the hour of temptation, and hold it +fast that no man take our crown, Rev. iii. 10, 11. 'All truth must be +avowed, and practically avowed, on the greatest hazard: and as this +testimony must be full so must it be also constant. It was Demas's +shame, that the afflictions of the gospel made him forsake the apostle, +after great appearances for Christ: and therefore whatever truth or duty +is opposed, that becomes the special object of this testimony.' Rectius +instruend. confut. 3. Dial. Chap. 1. Pag. 18, 19. Hence, if hearing of +the curates would infer and involve us under the guilt both of +commission of sin, and omission of duty, then we cannot hear them +without sin; but the former is true; therefore also the latter. I prove +the minor by parts. First, That it would infer and involve us under the +guilt of commission of sin, all that is said above doth evince it; and +besides, palpable breach of covenant, hereafter to be charged and +cleared: and idolatry is a great sin of that nature; but the hearing of +the curates doth infer this. Which may be made out thus; the breach of +the second commandment is idolatry, (for to make the sins against that +command odious, they are all comprehended under that odious name of +worshipping images, as the sins against the seventh are called adultery, +comprehending all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions); hearing of +curates is a breach of the second command: Ergo----The minor I prove +thus: Every worship, not according to Christ's appointment, is a breach +of the second commandment; but hearing of curates is a worship not +according to Christ's appointment. Which I prove thus: a worship +enjoined by, and performed in obedience to a law, establishing a human +ordinance in the church, besides and against the institution of Christ, +is a worship not according to Christ's appointment; but the hearing of +curates is a worship enjoined by, and performed in obedience to a law +establishing a human ordinance, to wit Diocesan Erastian prelacy, with +the curates their substitutes. Hence also the second doth follow by +necessary consequence, that it would infer and involve us under the +guilt of omission of duty. For, first, If reductively it may involve us +under the guilt of idolatry and breach of the second commandment, then +it will infer the guilt of omission of these necessary duties incumbent +to the Lord's people with a reference to idolatry; to make no covenant +with them nor with their gods, nor let them dwell in the land, lest they +make us sin, Exod. xxiii. 32. 33. Exod. xxxiv. 14, 15. to overthrow +their altars, and break their pillars, and destroy the names of them out +of the place, Deut. xii. 3. Judg. ii. 2. I do not adduce these precepts, +to stretch them to the full measure of the demerit of the grossest of +idolaters: for as there are degrees of breaches of the commandment, some +grosser, some smaller, so there are also degrees of punishment, and as +to the manner of destroying and extirpating all pieces of idolatry; but +that the commands being founded upon a moral ground, lest they be sins +and snares unto us, do oblige us to some endeavour of expelling, +extirpating and overthrowing all pieces of idolatry, according to the +word and our covenants; 'and that the true and right zeal of God should +and would not only inspire all with an unanimous aversion against the +profane intruding curates, but animate us as one man to drive away these +wolves and thieves, and to eradicate these plants which our heavenly +Father never planted,' Naph. Prior edit. pag. 108. The least duty that +can be inferred is that of the apostles, flee from idolatry, 1 Cor. x. +14. which idolatry, there mentioned to be avoided, is to eat of the +sacrifices offered to idols: whence we infer, that if to eat of things +consecrated to idols be idolatry, then also to partake of sacred things +consecrated by idols must be idolatry; as the curates dispensing of +ordinances is consecrated by, and hath all its sanction from an idol of +Diocesan Erastian prelacy; but we see the apostle expresses the former: +therefore we may infer the latter. Further, It will also infer a +declining from, and denying a necessary testimony, in the case +circumstantiated. Even the smallest matter is great, when a testimony +is concerned in it, were it but the circumstance of an open window; +Daniel durst not omit it upon the greatest hazard. And now this is +clearly come to a case of confession, when there is no other way to +exoner our 'consciences before God and the world, and declare our +non-conformity to this course of backsliding, no getting of wrongs +redressed, or corruptions in the ministry removed, but by this practice; +and certainly some way we must give public testimony against these +courses, and there is no other way so harmless and innocent as this, +though suffering follow upon it,' Apol. Relat. Sect. 14. 272, 273. And +now there is no other way apparent, whereby the difference shall be kept +up betwixt such as honestly mind the covenanted work of reformation, and +the corrupt prelatical and malignant enemies; but this argument also +will infer the expediency of withdrawing from all ministers, with whom +our circumstantiate joining would involve us in a participation with +their defections. + +IX. As we would endeavour to avoid sin in ourselves; so we must have a +care to give no occasion of others sinning, by our taking liberty in a +promiscuous joining in church communion, whereby we may offend and +stumble the conscience of others: for to that, in this as well as in +other things, we must have a special respect, and forbear things, not +only for our own unclearness, but for the sake of others also. If +therefore the hearing of curates be a scandal, we must refuse it, be the +hazard what will: for 'whoso shall offend one of Christ's little ones, +it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck,' +Matth. xviii. 6. 'No man must put a stumbling block, or an occasion to +fall in his brother's way,' Rom. xiv. 13. They that 'sin so against the +brethren, and wound their weak conscience, they sin against Christ,' 1 +Cor. viii. 12. we must forbear some things for conscience sake. +Conscience, I say, not our own, but of others, giving none offence, +neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God,' 1 +Cor. x. 28, 29, 32. and so 'cut off all occasion from them that desire +occasion,' 2 Cor. xi. 12. 'These commands discharge whatever practice +gives occasion of our brother's sinning, of calling truth in question, +of acting with a doubting conscience, or which weakens his plerophory or +assurance; and neither the lawfulness nor indifferency of the thing +itself, nor mens authority commanding it, nor the weakness, yea, or +wickedness of those in hazard to be stumbled, will warrant the doing of +that out of which offence arises,' Rectius Instruend. Confut. 3. Dial. +chap. 1. p. 19. Mr. Durham in that forecited place saith, 'It carries +offence along with it; in reference to the party who runs unsent, it +proves a strengthening and confirming of him, and so a partaking of his +sin; in reference to others, either strengthens them by that example, to +cast themselves in that snare, which possibly may be their ruin; or it +grieves them, and makes them sad, who are tender of such things, or +gives occasion to make all difference of that kind to be thought light +of.' Hence, if hearing of the curates be an offence or scandal, both in +reference to malignants, and in reference to the godly, and in reference +to the posterity, then it must be avoided; but the former is true: which +is evidenced by parts. First, in reference to malignants, it hardens and +encourages them in their opposition to the work of God, and all +backsliders and compliers with them in their apostacy; this strengthens +their hands in their wicked courses, when they see how they are +countenanced by all, and that there is no disrespect put upon them, nor +dissatisfaction evinced against their courses, then they conclude that +they are approven of all: and this hardeneth them, so that they never +once think of the evil of their ways. Next, in reference to the godly, +stumbles the truly tender, by encouraging them to do contrary to their +light and conscience, even when they are not clear to hear them, then +they are emboldened thereunto when they see others doing so; and so it +tends to the wounding of their peace, and makes them halt in the ways of +the Lord. Lastly, With reference to posterity, it would prejudge them +very much: though now the honest party be not in a capacity to transmit +the work of reformation unto their posterity, in such a manner as were +to be wished: yet they should do something for keeping fresh the memory +of the good old cause, by keeping up some footsteps of a standing +controversy for Zion's interest against the common enemy: but now let +all join with, and own the curates, what appearance of this shall the +posterity see? shall not they conclude that the day is lost, and the +cause is gone, when they see that this generation hath fled the fields, +or rather sold and betrayed the cause, by owning, countenancing, and +complying with the enemy, and no standing testimony against these +corruptions? whereas if there were but this much of a standing +difference, betwixt the people of God and the common enemies of God, to +be seen, posterity shall in some measure be kept from being deceived, +and shall see the interest of Christ not killed nor buried quick, but +living, though in a bleeding condition, and this will occasion their +engaging for Christ, and interesting themselves in the quarrel; and it +is far better to see the cause of Christ owned, though by suffering and +blood, than sold and betrayed by base flenching and complying with +persecutors. This argument may also sound and infer a withdrawing from +the addressing ministers, who, to the great scandal of presbyterians, +give forth their addresses in the name of all of that persuasion. + +X. Our duty to themselves, yea our greatest office of love we owe to +them, in order to their conviction, does oblige us to withdraw from +them. This may seem a paradox, yet it will be apparent, if we search +the scriptures, to see what we owe to scandalous brethren. There we find +it is a duty, to endeavour by all lawful means to shame them out of +their sin; and it is an argument of hatred, when we do not rebuke our +neighbour, or when we suffer sin upon him, Lev. xix. 17. If we consider +them then as neighbours and friends, we must use endeavours to take away +their sin from them; if we consider them not as such, but as enemies, +then we must avoid them, and not be mingled with them, as I could adduce +many scriptures for that. But I suppose all that will oppose my thesis, +would have them considered as friends. Well then, if they be scandalous +brethren, this is the way prescribed by the apostle to deal with them, +in order not to suffer sin upon them, that we should withdraw from them +our company; and if we must withdraw our company, then also a fortiori, +we must deny them our religious communion: for that must either be +included there, or necessarily inferred. He writes, not to keep company: +If any man that is called a brother (mark that especially) be a +fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or an extortioner, +with such an one no not to eat, 1 Cor. v. 11. And I presume they that +know them best will grant, that it would not be hard to prove, that all +the curates in Scotland were chargeable with some of these, or at least +partakers with them; and that if they were all impartially impannelled, +they would be rare ones, whom an honest jury would not bring in guilty +of this libel. Then we are expresly commanded 'in the name of our Lord +Jesus Christ, to withdraw ourselves from every brother that walketh +disorderly, and not after the received tradition. And if any man obey +not the word, to note him, and have no company with him, that he may be +ashamed,' 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14. Sure neither their office nor their +innocency can exempt them from these rules. For either they must be +considered as our brethren; or not; if not, then we own no church +communion with them; for that is only among brethren that are so in +sympathy and affection, and affinity, having one father and one mother, +if they be brethren, then all scandalous brethren are to be withdrawn +from; but they are scandalous brethren: therefore they are to be +withdrawn from. The minor will not be doubted by any, but such as are +strangers to them, who both in their ministerial and personal capacity +are so scandalous to the conviction of all, that profaneness hath gone +forth from them into all the land, and they as much as ever the profane +sons of Eli, have made men to abhor the offering of the Lord, 1 Sam. ii. +17. But even strangers, that are unacquaint with their personal +profligateness and ignorance, &c. cannot be altogether ignorant of the +scandal of prelacy and erastianism, in which they are involved, of the +scandal of apostasy, perjury, and breach of covenant, which is their +brand, and the nation's bane, that hath countenanced them. And none can +doubt, but if our church were duly constitute, and invested with the +orderly power of Christ, and in capacity to exercise and improve it, +they would soon be censured every soul of them as scandalous, as they +have been also previously sentenced as such, by the acts of our general +assemblies. This argument levels also against all complying, indulged, +addressing ministers, who by these courses have incurred the character +of disorderly brethren. + +XI. Our faithfulness to God, and to one another, engaged in our +covenants, doth oblige us to turn away from them who have broken it, and +so classed themselves among these truce breaking traitors, who make our +times perilous, from whom we must turn away, 2 Tim. iii. 1,--5. It +appears from the foregoing deduction, how solemnly these nations were +engaged, both to keep out and put out this generation of prelatists, now +prevailing; the obligation of which yet lies upon all the inhabitants of +the land, with a binding force, both in regard of their form, and +object and end. Hence, if the curates be covenant-breakers, and we also +in owning them, then we cannot own them without sin; but the curates are +covenant-breakers, and we also in owning them: Ergo----The minor may be +manifest by an induction of all the articles of the solemn league and +covenant, broken by them, and all that own them. 1. That doctrine, +worship, discipline and government in the 1st article, sworn to be +preserved and propagated, was the presbyterian then established, which +our church was in possession of, which they have opposed, and their +owners refiled from, and have not maintained. 2. We are engaged in the +2d article, to endeavour the extirpation of prelacy, and its dependents; +which is diametrically opposite to owning of curates: can we own 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 popery, heresy and schism, this +article obliges us to disown, and not to hear papists and schismatics, +why not also in relation to prelatists, who are greatest schismatics? 3. +They have established and homologated an erastian supremacy, to the +prejudice of true religion, and the liberties of the church and kingdom; +and their owners have abetted and countenanced the same, and not +preserved either the liberties of church or kingdom, contrary to the 3d +article. 4. They have not only concealed and countenanced malignant +enemies to this church and kingdom, but have themselves been real +incendiaries, hindering the reformation of religion, making factions and +parties among them contrary to this league and 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 4th article. 5. They have broken our +conjunction in firm peace and union, and yet their hearers have not +marked and avoided these causers of divisions, contrary to scripture, +and the 5th article. 6. Instead of assisting and defending all these +that entered into this league and covenant, &c. they have been the +greatest persecutors of all them that adhered to it; and their owners +have suffered themselves, by combination, or persuasion, or terror, to +be divided and 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 6th article. 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 and patterns of all +deformations; and their owners and hearers have not repented of that +neither, when they countenance such covenant-breakers and profane +persons, nor of their not labouring for the purity and 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 guilty of the same, or equivalent breaches of covenant. + +XII. Finally, for union's sake, and to avoid schism 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 schism in the body, but that +the members should have the same care one for another,' 1 Cor. xii. 25. +And that for to prevent and remeid this, the apostle 'beseeches us to +mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine +which we have learned, and avoid them,' Rom. xvi. 17. Now then, if the +prelates and their curates be schismatics and separatists, and dividers, +then we must avoid and withdraw from them, but so it is, that the +prelates and their curates are schismatics and separatists, and +dividers: therefore we must avoid and withdraw from them. The minor I +prove from all the constituents of a formed schism, separation and +sinful division. 1. They that start out from under due relations to a +church, and from her ministry, are schismatics, separatists and +dividers; but the prelates and their curates have started out from under +due relations to the covenanted church of Scotland, and from her +ministry, in being so unnatural rebellious children, as have broken +their mother's beauty and bands, order and union, and razed her +covenanted reformation in doctrine, worship, discipline and government. +2. These who withdraw from the communion of a true church, and therefore +are censurable by all her standing acts, are schismatical separatists; +but the prelates and their curates 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 and combination +repugnant to the communion of this church, and all her established +order. 3. Those who separate from a church, whose principles and +practices are subservient to that church's true union and communion, and +right establishment, are properly schismatics; but the prelates and +their curates have separated from this church, whose principles and +practices are subservient to its true union and 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 and order, but their principles and practices are stated +in opposition to her purity and reformation. Those who innovate the +worship and government, owned and established in a true church, are +schismatics; but the prelates and their curates have innovated the +worship and government of the true church of Scotland, in bringing a +doctrine new and odd, and not the voice of this church; and their +worship, over and above the corruption adhering to it, is the +worshipping of an innovating party, contrary to our church's established +order. 5. They that make a rent in the bowels of the true and genuine +church, are the schismatics; but the prelates and their curates 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 and +ordinances, are the schismatics; but the prelates and their curates have +divided themselves from the fellowship of this pure church, in her +ministry, lawful courts and 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 prelates and their curates 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, and persecute away sound +adherers thereunto, both ministers and professors, and will not admit +ministers to officiate, but upon the sinful terms of compliance with +their way, are schismatics; but the prelates and their curates 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 schismatics to be withdrawn from, and their +way is the schism, which we are bound to extirpate in the covenant. + + +HEAD II. + +_The sufferings of many for refusing to own the tyrant's authority +vindicated._ + +The other grand ordinance of God, magistracy, which he hath in his +sovereign wisdom, justice, and goodness, appointed, ordained, and +consecrated, for the demonstration, illustration, and vindication of his +own 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 great concern: wherein not only the prudence, +policy, property, and liberty of men, but also the conscience, duty, and +religion of Christians, have a special interest. And therefore it is no +less important, pertinent, profitable, and necessary for every one that +hath any of these to care and contend for, keep and recover, to inquire +into and understand something of the institution, constitution, nature, +and boundaries of the sacred ordinances of magistracy, than into the +holy ordinance of the ministry; so far at least as may consist with the +sphere of every one's capacity and station, and may conduce to the +satisfaction of every one's conscience, in the discharge of the duties +of their relations. Every private man indeed hath neither capacity, +concern, nor necessity, to study the politics, or search into the +secrets, or intrigues of government, no more than he is to be versed in +all the administrations of ecclesiastical policy, and interests of the +ministry; yet every man's conscience is no less concerned, in +distinguishing the character of God's ministers of justice, the +magistrates, to whom he owes and owns allegiance, that they be not +usurping tyrants, everting the ordinances of the magistracy, than in +acknowledging the character of Christ's ministers of the gospel, to +whom he owes and owns obedience, that they be not usurping prelates or +impostors, perverting the ordinance of the ministry. The glory of God is +much concerned, in our owning and keeping pure and entire, according to +his will and 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 +tyranny 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 liberty, 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 laws, 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 and unity, and prejudice +of defection, and division or schism in the church. So that in +confidence, we are no more free to prostitute our loyalty and liberty +absolutely, in owning every possessor of the magistracy; than we are +free to prostitute our religion and faith implicitly, in owning every +pretender to the ministry. This may seem very paradoxical to some, +because so dissonant and dissentient from the vulgar, yea almost +universal and inveterate opinion and 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 little or nothing concerned; for not owning the authority of the +present possessors of the place of government: which seems to be a +question not only excentric and extrinsic to religion, but such a +state-question, as for its thorny intricacies and difficulties, is more +proper for politicians and lawyers to dispute about, (as indeed their +debates about this head of authority, have been as manifold and +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 tyranny of custom, and the bondage of being +bound to the world's mind in our inquiries about tyranny, and suffer +ourselves to ponder impartially the importance of this matter; and then +to state the question right; we shall find religion and conscience hath +no small interest in this business. They must have no small interest in +it, if we consider the importance of this matter, either extensively, +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 God's ordination, or of the devil's +administration? Whether it be magistracy or tyranny? Whether it gives +security for religion and 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 and mercies of magistracy, or matter +of mourning for the plagues and miseries of tyranny, to the end they may +know both the sins and snares, duties and dangers, cases and crisis, of +the times they live 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 tyranny, for which men were bound both 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 beginning it +hath been observed, that as people's sins have always procured the +scourge of tyranny; so all their miseries might be refounded upon +tyrants encroachments, usurping upon or betraying their trust, and +overturning religion, laws and liberties. Certainly mankind is concerned +in point of interest and conscience, to inquire into the cause and cure +of this epidemic distemper, that hath so long held the world in misery, +and so habitually, that now it is become, as it were, natural to ly +stupidly under it; that is, that old ingrained gangrene of the king's +evil, or compliance with tyranny, that hath long afflicted the kingdoms +of the world, and affected not only their backs in bearing the burden +thereof; but their hearts into a lethargic stupor of insensibleness; and +their heads in infatuating and intoxicating them with notions of the +sacredness and uncontroulableness of tyranny; 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 and original of the civil magistrate, (to +which Mr. Durham is not absonant) expounds to be the effect of the +fourth vial, Rev. xvi. 8, 9. when in these dog days of the world, power +is given to the sun of imperial, especially popish, tyranny, by their +exorbitant stretches 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 male-content complaints, grumblings, +grudgings, and murmurings under the misery, but they do not repent, nor +give him glory, in mourning over the causes promeriting such a plague, +and their own 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 rays. But will the +world never be awakened out of this dream and dotage, of dull and stupid +subjection to every monster that can mount a throne? Sure at length it +may be expected, either conscience from within as God's deputy, +challenging for the palpable perversion of this his excellent ordinance, +or judgments from without, making sensible of the effects of it, will +convince and 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, foreboding and +presaging the downfal of tyranny, may be in its aspirings to this height +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 and illustrious character of the +glorious majesty 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 and 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 +in-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 and 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 commandment, the first commandment with promise; +that hath the priority of place before 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 blasphemy to assert they were of the Lord's +authorization, conscience cannot bind to a subjection to this. Again, +the dignity of magistracy, ordained for the maintenance of truth and +righteousness, the only foundations of people's felicity, whether +temporal or eternal, including the bonds and boundaries of all obedience +and subjection, for which they are intended, and 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 and sublime in glory, whose +highest prerogative is, That, being God's 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 iniquity, +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, and +safety, and all choicest external blessings; but the ends and 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 tyranny not only be shrouded under a privilege of +impunity, but by our subjection and acknowledgement of it, as a lawful +power, encouraged into all enormities, and licensed to usurp, not only +our liberties, but God's throne by an uncontroulable sovereignty? But if +we consider the subjective concern of conscience, it must be very graat, +when it is the only thing that prompts to subjection, that regulates +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 licentiousness, +that they would never come under the order of this ordinance, except +constrained for wrath's 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 magistrates, we would either obey +none, or else would observe all their commands promiscuously, 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 than man, and that we must render to all their dues, fear to whom +fear, honour to whom honour, conscience regulates us what and whom to +obey. And without conscience there is little hope for government to +prove either beneficial or permanent; little likelihood of either a +real, regular, or durable subjection to it. The discernible standing of +government upon conscientious grounds, is the only thing that can bring +in conscience, and a conscientious submission to it; it being the +highest and most kindly principle of, and the strongest and most lasting +obligation to any relative duty. It will not be liberty of conscience, +(as saith the late declaration for it) but reality of conscience, and +government founded upon a bottom of conscience, that will unite the +governed to the governors, by inclination as well as duty. And if that +be, then there is needful a rule of God's revealed preceptive will, (the +only cynosure and empress of conscience), touching the founding and +erecting of government, that it have the stamp of God's authority. It +must needs then follow, that conscience hath a very great concernment in +this question in the general, and that before it be forced to an +abandoning of its light in a matter of such moment, it will rather +oblige people that are conscientious to suffer the worst that tyrants +can do; especially when it is imposed and obtruded upon conscience, to +give its sufferage and express acknowledgment that the present tyranny +is the authority of God, which is so visible in the view of all that +have their eyes open, that the meanest capacity that was never +conversant in laws and politics can give this verdict that the +constitution and administration of the government of the two royal +brothers, under whose burden the earth and we have been groaning these +twenty-seven years past, hath been a complete and habitual tyranny, and +can no more be owned to be magistracy, than robbery can be acknowledged +to be a rightful possession. It is so plain, that I need not the help of +lawyers and politicians to demonstrate it, nor launch into the ocean of +their endless debates in handling the head of magistracy and tyranny: +yet I shall improve what help I find in our most approved authors who +have enlarged upon this question, (though not as I must state it) to +dilucidate the matter in Thesi, and refer to the foregoing deduction of +the succession of testimonies against tyranny, to clear it in Hypothesi. +Whence we may see the occasion, and clearly gather the solution of the +question, which is this: + +Whether a people, long oppressed with the encroachments of tyrants and +usurpers, may disown their pretended authority; and, when imposed upon, +to acknowledge it, may rather choose to suffer than to own it? + +To clear this question: I shall premit some concessions, and then come +more formally to resolve it. + +1. It must be granted the question is extraordinary, and never so stated +by any writer on this head; which makes it the more difficult and +odious, because odd and singular, in the esteem of those who take up +opinions rather from the number of votes than from the weight of the +reasons of the asserters of them. It will also be yielded, that this was +never a case of confession for Christians to suffer upon. And the reason +of both is, because, before these seven years past, this was never +imposed upon private and common subjects to give an account of their +thoughts and conscience about the lawfulness of the government they +lived under. Conquerors and usurpers sometimes have demanded an +acknowledgment of their authority, from men of greatest note and stroke +in the countries they have seized; but they never since the creation +urged it upon common people, as a test of loyalty; but thought always +their laws and power to execute them on offenders, did secure their +subjection. Or otherwise to what purpose are laws made, and the +execution of them committed to men in power, if they be not thought a +sufficient fence for the authority that makes them; except it also have +the actual acknowledgment of the subjects to ratify it? Men that are +really invested with authority, would think it both a disparagement to +their authority, and would disdain such a suspicion of the +questionableness of it, as to put it as a question to the subjects, +whether they owned it or not. But the gentlemen that rules us, have +fallen upon a piece of unprecedented policy; wherein they think both to +involve the nation in the guilt of their unparalelled rebellion against +the Lord, by owning that authority that promotes it; and so secure their +usurpations, either by the suffrage of all that own them, or by the +extirpation of the conscientious that dare not, with the odium and +obloquy of being enemies to authority; by which trick they think to bury +the honour of their testimony. Yet in sobriety without prophesying it +may be presumed, at the long run, this project will prove very +prejudicial to their interest: and herein they may verify that Scots +proverb, 'o'er fast o'er loose,' and accomplish these divine sayings, +'He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, he taketh the wise in their +own craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.' For +as they have put people upon this question, who would not otherwise have +made such inquiries into it, and now finding they must be resolved in +conscience to answer it, whenever they shall be brought before them; +upon a very overly search, they see terrible tyranny written in legible +bloody characters almost on all administrations of the government, and +so come to be fixed in the verdict that their conscience and the word of +God gives of it; so it may be thought, this question now started, for as +despicable beginnings it hath, yet ere it come to a full and final +decision, will be more enquired into through the world, and at length +prove as fatal to tyranny, as ever any thing could be, and then they may +know whom to thank. But however, though the question be extraordinary, +and the sufferings thereupon be unprecedented, and therefore, among +other contradictions that may be objected, that neither in history nor +scripture we can find instances of private people's refusing to own the +authority they were under, nor of their suffering for that refusal; yet +nevertheless it may be duty without example. Many things may be done, +though not against the law of God, yet without a precedent of the +practice of the people of God. Though we could not adduce an example for +it, yet we can gather it from the law of God, that tyranny must not be +owned, this will be equivalent to a thousand examples. Every age in some +things must be a precedent to the following, and I think never did any +age produce a more honourable precedent, than this beginning to decline +a yoke under which all ages have groaned. + +2. It will be also granted, it is not always indispensibly necessary, at +all times, for a people to declare their disclaim of the tyranny they +are under, when they cannot shake it off; nor, when they are staged for +their duty before wicked and tyrannical judges, is it always necessary +to disown their pretended authority positively; when either they are not +urged with questions about it, then they may be silent in reference to +that; or when they are imposed upon to give their judgment of it, they +are not always obligated, as in a case of confession, to declare all +their mind, especially when such questions are put to them with a +manifest design to entrap their lives, or intangle their conscience. All +truth is not to be told at all times; neither are all questions to be +answered when impertinently interrogate, but may be both cautiously and +conscientiously waved. We have Christ's own practice, and his faithful +servant Paul's example, for a pattern of such prudence and Christian +caution. But yet it were cruel and unchristian rigour, to censure such +as, out of a pious principle of zeal to God and conscience of duty, do +freely and positively declare their judgment, in an absolute disowning +of their pretended authority, when posed with such questions, though to +the manifest detriment of their lives, they conscientiously looking upon +it as a case of confession. For where the Lord hath not peremptorily +astricted his confessors to such rules of prudence, but hath both +promised, and usually gives his Spirit's conduct, encouraging and +animating them to boldness, so as before hand they should not take +thought how or what they shall speak, and in that same hour they find it +given them, it were presumption for us to stint them to our rules of +prudence. We may indeed find rules to know, what is a case of +confession; but hardly can it be determined, what truth or duty we are +questioned about is not, or may not be, a case of confession. And who +can deny, but this may be in some circumstance, a case of confession, +even positively to disown the pretended authority of a bloody court or +council? when either they go out of their sphere, taking upon them +Christ's supremacy, and the cognizance of the concerns of his crown, +whereof they are judges noways competent; then they must freely and +faithfully be declined. Or when, to the dishonour of Christ, they +blaspheme his authority, and the sacred boundaries he hath prescribed to +all human authority, and will assert an illimited absolute authority, +refusing and discharging all offered legal and scriptural restrictions +to be put thereupon, (as hath been the case of the most part of these +worthy though poor martyrs, who have died upon this head) then they must +think themselves bound to disown it. Or when they have done some cruel +indignity and despite to the Spirit of God, and to Christ's prerogative +and glory, and work of reformation, and people, in murdering them +without mercy, and imposing this owning of their king, by whose +authority all is acted, as a condemnation of these witnesses of Christ +their testimony, and a justification of their bloody cruelties against +them, which hath frequently been the case of these poor people that hath +been staged upon this account: in this case, and several others of this +sort that might be mentioned, then they may be free and positive in +disowning this test of wicked loyalty, as the mark of the dragon of the +secular beast of tyranny. And in many such cases, when the Lord gives +the spirit, I see no reason but that Christ's witnesses must follow his +pattern of zeal in the case of confession, which he witnessed before +Pontius Pilate in asserting his own kingship, as they may in other cases +follow his pattern of prudence. And why may we not imitate the zeal of +Stephen who called the council before whom he was staged stiff-necked +resisters of the Holy Ghost, persecutors of the prophets, and betrayers +and murderers of Christ the just one, as well as the prudence of Paul? +But, however it be, the present testimony against this pretended +authority lies in the negative, which obliges always, for ever and for +ever; that is to say, we plead, that it must never be owned. There is a +great difference between a positive disowning and a not owning; though +the first be not always necessary, the latter is the testimony of the +day, and a negative case of confession, which is always clearer than the +positive. Though we must not always confess every truth, yet we must +never deny any. + +3. It is confessed, we are under this sad disadvantage besides others, +that not only all our brethren, groaning under the same yoke with us, +will not take the same way of declining this pretended authority, nor +adventure, when called, to declare their judgment about it, (which we do +not condemn, as is said, and would expect from the rules of equity and +charity, they will not condemn us when we find ourselves in conscience +bound to use greater freedom) but also some when they do declare their +judgment, give it in terms condemnatory of, and contradictory unto our +testimony, in that they have freedom positively to own this tyranny as +authority, and the tyrant as their lawful sovereign: and many of our +ministers also are of the same mind. And further, as we have few +expressly asserting our part of the debate, as it is now stated; so we +have many famous divines expresly against us in this point, as +especially we find in their comments upon, Rom. xiii. among whom I +cannot dissemble my sorrow to find the great Calvin, saying, Saepe solent +inquirere, &c. 'Men often enquire, by what right they have obtained +their power who have the rule! it should be enough to us that they do +govern; for they have not ascended to this eminency by their own power, +but are imposed by the hand of the Lord.' As also Pareus saying too much +against us. For answer to this, I refer to Mr. Knox's reply to +Lethington, producing several testimonies of divines against him upon +this very head; wherein he shews, that the occasions of their discourses +and circumstances wherein they were stated, were very far different from +those that have to do with tyrants and usurpers, as indeed they are the +most concerned, and smart most under their scourge, are in best case to +speak to the purpose. I shall only say, mens averment, in a case of +conscience, is not an oracle, when we look upon it with an impartial +eye, in the case wherein we are not prepossessed: it will bear no other +value, than what is allayed with the imperfections of fallibility, and +moreover is contradicted by some others, whose testimony will help us +as much to confirm our persuasion, as others will hurt us to infirm it. + +4. But now when tyrants go for magistrates, lest my plea against owning +tyranny, should be mistaken, as if it were a pleading for anarchy, I +must assert, that I and all those I am vindicating, are for magistracy, +as being of divine original, institute for the common good of human and +Christian societies, whereunto every soul must be subject, of whatsoever +quality or character, and not only for wrath but also for conscience +sake (though as to our soul and conscience, we are not subject) which +whosoever resisteth, resisteth the ordinance of God, and against which +rebellion is a damnable sin, whereunto (according to the fifth +commandment, and the many reiterated exhortations of the apostles) we +must be subject, and obey magistrates, and submit ourselves to every +ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the king as +supreme, &c. And we account it a hateful brand of them that walk after +the flesh, to despise government, to be presumptuous, self-willed, and +not afraid to speak evil of dignities: and that they are filthy +dreamers, who despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities: and of +those things which they know not. We allow the magistrate, in whatsoever +form of government, all the power the scripture, laws of nature and +nations, or municipal do allow him; asserting, that he is the keeper and +avenger of both the tables of the law, having a power over the church, +as well as the state, suited to his capacity, that is, not formally +ecclesiastical, but objectively, for the church's good; an external +power, of providing for the church, and protecting her from outward +violence, or inward disorder, an imperate power, of commanding all to do +their respective duties; a civil power of punishing all, even +church-officers, for crimes; a secondary power of judicial approbation +or condemnation; or discretive, in order to give his sanction to +synodical results; a cumulative power, assisting and strengthening the +church in all her privileges, subservient, though not servile, +co-ordinate with church-power, not subordinate (though as a christian he +is subject) in his own affairs, viz. civil; not to be declined as judge, +but to be obeyed in all things lawful, and honoured and strengthened +with all his dues. We would give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, +and to God the things that are God's; but to tyrants, that usurp and +pervert both the things of God and of Caesar, and of the peoples +liberties, we can render none of them, neither God's, nor Caesar's, nor +our own: nor can we from conscience give him any other deference, but as +an enemy to all, even to God, to Caesar, and the people. And in this, +though it doth not sound now with court-parasites, nor with others, that +are infected with royal indulgencies and indemnities, we bring forth but +the transumpt of old principles, according to which our fathers walked +when they still contended for religion and liberty, against the +attemptings and aggressions of tyranny, against both. + +5. It must be conceded, it is not an easy thing to make a man in the +place of magistracy a tyrant: for as every escape, error, or act of +unfaithfulness, even known and continued in, whether in a minister's +entry to the ministry, or in his doctrine, doth not unminister him, nor +give sufficient ground to withdraw from him, or reject him as a minister +of Christ: so neither does every enormity, misdemeanor, or act of +tyranny, injustice, perfidy, or profanity in the civil magistrate, +whether as to his way of entry to that office, or in the execution of +it, or in his private or personal behaviour, denominate him a tyrant or +an usurper, or give sufficient ground to divest him of magistratical +power, and reject him as the lawful magistrate. It is not any one or two +acts contrary to the royal covenant or office, that doth denude a man of +the royal dignity, that God and the people gave him. David committed +two acts of tyranny, murder and adultery; yet the people were to +acknowledge him as their king (and so it may be said of some others, +owned still as kings in scripture) the reason is, because though he +sinned against a man or some particular persons, yet he did not sin +against the state, and the catholic good of the kingdom, subverting law; +for then he would have turned tyrant, and ceased to have been lawful +king. There is a great difference between a tyrant in act, and a tyrant +in habit; the first does not cease to be a king. But on the other hand, +as every thing will not make a magistrate to be a tyrant; so nothing +will make a tyrant by habit a magistrate. And as every fault will not +unminister a minister; so some will oblige the people to reject his +ministry, as if he turn heretical, and preach atheism, Mahometanism, or +the like, the people, though they could not formally depose him, or +through the corruption of the times could not get him deposed; yet they +might reject and disown his ministry: so it will be granted, that a +people have more power in creating a magistrate, than in making a +minister; and consequently they have more right, and may have more light +in disowning a king, as being unkinged; than in disowning a minister, as +being unministred. It will be necessary therefore, for clearing our way, +to fix upon some ordinary characters of a tyrant, which may discrimate +him from a magistrate, and be ground of disowning him as such. I shall +rehearse some, from very much approved authors; the application of which +will be as apposite to the two brothers, that we have been burdened +with, as if they had intended a particular and exact description of +them. Buchanan de jure regni apud Scotos, shews, 'That the word tyrant +was at first honourable, being attributed to them that had the full +power in their hands, which power was not astricted by any bonds of +laws, nor obnoxious to the cognition of judges; and that it was the +usual denomination of heroes, and thought at first so honourable, that +it was attributed to the gods: but as Nero and Judas were sometimes +among the Romans and Jews names of greatest account, but afterwards by +the faults of two men of these names, it came to pass, that the most +flagitious would not have these names given to their children, so in +process of time, rulers made this name so infamous by their wicked +deeds, that all men abhorred it, as contagious and pestilentious, and +thought it a more light reproach to be called hangman than a tyrant.' +Thereafter he condescends upon several characters of a tyrant. 1. 'He +that doth not receive a government by the will of the people, but by +force invadeth it, or intercepteth it by fraud, is a tyrant; and who +domineers even over the unwilling (for a king rules by consent, but a +tyrant by constraint) and procures the supreme rule without the peoples +consent, even tho' for several years they may so govern, that the people +shall not think it irksome.' Which very well agrees with the present +gentleman that rules over us, who, after he was by public vote in +parliament secluded from the government, of which the standing laws of +both kingdoms made him incapable for his murders, adulteries and +idolatries, by force and fraud did intercept first an act for his +succession in Scotland, and then the actual succession in England, by +blood and treachery, usurping and intruding himself into the government, +without any compact with, or consent of the people; though now he +studies to make himself another Syracusan Hiero, or the Florentine Cosmo +de medices, in a mild moderation of his usurped power; but the west of +England, and the west of Scotland both, have felt the force of it. 2. He +does not govern for the subjects welfare, or public utility, but for +himself, having no regard to that, but to his own lust, 'acting in this +like robbers, who cunningly disposing of what wickedly they have +acquired, do seek the praise of justice by injury, and of liberality by +robbery; so he can make some shew of a civil mind; but so much the less +assurance gives he of it, that it is manifest, he intends not hereby the +subjects good, but the greater security of his own lusts, and stability +of empire over posterity, having somewhat mitigated the peoples hatred, +which when he had done, he will turn back again to his old manners; for +the fruit which is to follow, may easily be known, both by the seed and +by the sower thereof.' An exact copy of this we have seen within these +two years, oft before in the rule of the other brother. + +After God hath been robbed of his prerogatives, the church of her +privileges, the state of its laws, the subjects of their liberty and +property, he is now affecting the praise, and captating the applause of +tenderness to conscience, and love of peace, by offering now liberty +after all his cruelties; wherein all the thinking part of men do discern +he is prosecuting that hellish project, introducing popery and slavery, +and overturning religion, law, and liberty. 3. The kingly government is +according to nature, the tyrannical against it; principality is the +kingly government of a freeman amongst freemen; the tyrannical a +government of a master over slaves. Tyranny is against nature, and a +masterly principality over slaves. Can he be called a father, who +accounts his subjects slaves; or a shepherd, who does not feed, but +devours his flock? or a pilot, who doth always study to make shipwreck +of the goods, and strikes a leak in the very ship where he fails? 'What +is he then that bears command, not for the people's advantage, but +studies only himself, who leadeth his subjects into manifest snares? He +shall not verily be accounted by me either commander, emperor, or +governor.' King James VI. also, in a speech to the parliament in the +year 1609, makes this one character of a tyrant, when he begins to +invade his subjects rights and liberties. And if this be true, then we +have not had a king these many years: the foregoing deduction will +demonstrate, what a slavery we have been under. 4. What is he then, who +doth not contend for virtue with the good but to exceed the most +flagitious in vices? 'If you see then any usurping the royal name, and +not excelling in any virtue, but striving to exceed all in baseness, not +tendering his subjects good with native affection, but pressing them +with proud domination, esteeming the people committed to his trust, not +for their safeguard, but for his own gain, will you imagine this man is +truly a king, albeit he vapours with a numerous levee guard, and makes +an ostentation of gorgeous pomp?' The learned Althusius likewise in his +politics, chap. 38. Num. 15. (as he is cited by Jus Populi, chap. 16. p. +347.) makes this one character of a tyrant, that 'living in luxury, +whoredom, greed and idleness, he neglecteth, or is unfit for his +office.' How these suit our times we need not express; what effrontery +of impudence is it, for such monsters to pretend to rule by virtue of +any authority derived from God, who pollute the world with their +adulteries and incests, and live in open defiance of all the laws of the +universal king; with whom to exceed in all villanies is the way to +purchase the countenance of the court, and to aspire to preferment? No +Heligobaldus, &c. could ever come up the length in wickedness, that our +rulers have professed. 5. He can transfer unto himself the strength of +all laws, and abrogate them when he pleases. King James VI. in that +forecited speech saith, a king degenerateth into a tyrant, when he +leaveth to rule by law. Althusius also, in the forecited place, saith, +'There is one kind of tyranny, which consisteth in violating, changing, +or removing of fundamental laws, specially such as concern religion; +such, saith he, Philip the king of Spain, who, contrary to the +fundamental Belgic laws, did erect an administration of justice by force +of arms; and such was Charles IX. of France, that thought to overturn +the Salic law.' All that knoweth what hath been done in Britain these +twenty-seven years, can attest our laws have been subverted, the +reformation of religion overturned, and all our best laws rescinded; and +now the penal statutes against papists disabled and stopped, without and +against law. 6. He can revoke all things to his nod, at his pleasure. +This is also one part of King James VI.'s character of a tyrant, when he +sets up an arbitrary power; and of Althusius, in the forecited place, +'when he makes use of an absolute power, and so breaks all bonds for the +good of human society.' We allow a king an absolute power taken in a +good sense, that is, he is not subaltern, nor subordinate to any other +prince, but supreme in his own dominions: or if by absolute he meant +perfect he is most absolute that governs best, according to the word of +God; but if it be to be loosed from all laws, we think it blasphemy to +ascribe it to any creature. Where was there ever such an arbitrary and +absolute power arrogated by any mortal, as hath been claimed by our +rulers these years past? especially by the present usurper, who, in this +liberty of conscience now granted to Scotland, assumes to himself an +absolute power, which all are to obey without reserve, which carries the +subjects slavery many stages beyond whatever the grand Signior did +attempt. 7. For by a tyrant strangers are employed to oppress the +subjects: 'they place the establishment of their authority in the +people's weakness, and think that a kingdom is not a procuration +concredited to them by God, but rather a prey fallen into their hands; +such are not joined to us by any civil bond, or any bond of humanity, +but should be accounted the most capital enemies of God, and of all +men.' King James, as above says, he is a tyrant that imposes unlawful +taxes, raises forces, makes war upon his subjects, to pillage, plunder, +waste, and spoil his kingdoms. Althusius as above, makes a tyrant, who +by immoderate exactions, and the like, exhausts the subjects, and cites +scripture, Jer. xxii. 13, 14. Ezek. xxxiv. 1. Kings xii. 19. Psal. xiv. +4.' It is a famous saying of Bracton, he is no longer king, than while +he rules well, but a tyrant whensoever he oppresseth the people that are +trusted to his care and government. And Cicero says, he loseth all legal +power in and over an army or empire, who by that government and army +does obstruct the welfare of that republic. What oppressions and +exactions by armed force our nation hath been wasted with, in part is +discovered above. 8. Althusius in the place above quoted, makes this +another mark, 'When he keepeth not his faith and promise, but despiseth +his very oath made unto the people.' What shall we say of him then, who +not only brake, but burnt, and made it criminal to assert the obligation +of the most solemnly transacted covenant with God and with the people, +that ever was entered into, who yet upon these terms of keeping that +covenant only was admitted to the government? And what shall we say of +his brother succeeding, who disdains all bonds, whose professed +principle is, as a papist, to keep no faith to heretics? 9. In the same +place he makes this one character: 'A tyrant is he, who takes away from +one or more members of the commonwealth the free exercise of the +orthodox religion.' And the grave author of the impartial enquiry into +the administration of affairs in England, doth assert, p. 3. 4. +'Whensoever a prince becomes depraved to that degree of wickedness, as +to apply and employ his power and interest, to debauch and withdraw his +subjects from their fealty and obedience to God, or sets himself to +extirpate that religion which the Lord hath revealed and appointed to be +the rule of our living, and the means of our happiness, he doth by that +very deed depose himself; and instead of being owned any longer for a +king, ought to be treated as a rebel and traitor against the supreme and +universal sovereign.' This is the perfect portracture of our princes; +the former of which declared an open war against religion, and all that +professed it: and the latter did begin to prosecute it with the same +cruelty of persecution, and yet continues without relenting against us; +though to others he tolerates it under the notion of a crime, to be for +the present dispensed with, until he accomplish his design. 10. Ibid. he +tells us, 'That whoso for corrupting of youth erecteth stage plays, +whore-houses, and other play-houses, and suffers the colleges and other +seminaries of learning to be corrupted.' There were never more of this +in any age, than in the conduct of our court, which, like another Sodom, +profess it to be their design to debauch mankind into all villanies, and +to poison the fountains of all learning and virtue, by intruding the +basest of men into the place of teachers, both in church and university, +and precluding all access to honest men. 11. Further he says. 'He is a +tyrant who doth not defend his subjects from injuries when he may, but +suffereth them to be oppressed, (and what if he oppress them himself?)' +It was one of the laws of Edward the confessor, if the king fail in the +discharge of his trust and office, he no longer deserves nor ought to +enjoy that name. What name do they deserve then, who not only fail in +the duty of defending their subjects, but send out their lictors and +bloody executioners to oppress them, neither will suffer them to defend +themselves! But Althusius makes a distinct character of this. 12. Then, +in fine he must certainly be a tyrant, who will not suffer the people, +by themselves nor by their representatives, to maintain their own +rights, neither by law nor force; for, saith my author forecited, 'He is +a tyrant who hindereth the free suffrages of members of parliament, so +that they dare not speak what they would; and chiefly he who takes away +from the people all power to resist his tyranny, as arms, strengths, and +chief men, whom therefore, though innocent, he hateth, afflicteth, and +persecuteth, exhausts their goods and livelihoods, without right or +reason.' All know that our blades have been all along enemies to +parliaments; and when their interest forced to call them, what means +were used always to paque and prelimit them, and overawe them, and how +men, who have faithfully discharged their trust in them, have been +prosecuted with the height of envy and fury, and many murdered +thereupon; and how all the armed force of the kingdoms have been +inhanced into their hand, and the people kept so under foot, that they +have been rendered incapable either to defend their own from inrestine +usurpers, or foreign invaders. All that is said amounts to this, that +when ever men in power to evert and subvert all the ends of government, +and intrude themselves upon it, and abuse it, to the hurt of the +commonwealth, and the destruction of that for which government was +appointed; they are then tyrants, and cease to be magistrates. To this +purpose I shall here append the words of that forecited ingenious author +of the Impartial Inquiry, pag. 13, 14. 'There can be nothing more +evident from the light of reason as well as scripture, than that all +magistracy is appointed for the benefit of mankind, and the common good +of societies; God never gave any one power to reign over others for +their destruction, (unless by his providence when he had devoted a +people for their sins to ruin,) but on whomsoever he confers authority +over cities or nations, it is with this conditional proviso and +limitation, that they are to promote their prosperity and good, and to +study their defence and protection; all princes are thus far +pactional----And whosoever refuseth to perform this fundamental +condition, he degrades and deposes himself; nor is it rebellion in any +to resist him; whensoever princes cease to be for the common good, they +answer not the end they were instituted unto, and cease to be what they +were chosen for.' + +6. It will not be denied, but when the case is so circumstantiate, that +it would require the arbitration of judgment to determine, whether the +king be a tyrant or not, that then people are not to disown him: for if +it be a question, whether the people be really robbed of their rights +and liberties, and that the king might pretend as much reason to +complain of the people's doing indignity to his sovereignty, as they +might of his tyranny; then it were hard for them to assume so far the +umpirage of their own cause, as to make themselves absolute judges of +it, and forthwith to reject his authority upon these debatable grounds. +But the case is not so with us; no place being left for doubt or debate, +but that our fundamental rights and liberties civil and religious, are +overturned, and an absolute tyranny, exactly characterized as above, is +established on the ruins thereof. Hence we have not disowned the +pretended authority, because we judged it was tyrannical, but because it +was really so. Our discretive judgment in the case was not our rule, but +it was our understanding of the rule, by which only we could be +regulated, and not by the understanding of another, which cannot be +better, nor so good, of our grievances, which certainly we may be +supposed to understand best ourselves, and yet they are such as are +understood every where. To the question then, who shall be judge between +these usurping and tyrannizing rulers and us? We answer briefly and +plainly. We do not usurp a judgment in the case pretending no more +authority over them in our private capacity, than we allow them to have +over us, that is none at all? Nor can we admit that they should be both +judges and party; for then they might challenge that prerogative in +every case, and strengthen themselves in an uncontrollable immunity and +impunity to do what they pleased. But we appeal to the fundamental laws +of the kingdom, agreeable to the word of God, to judge, and to the whole +world of impartial spectators to read and pronounce the judgment. Lex +Rex, Quest. 24. pag. 213. saith in answer to this, 'There is a court of +necessity no less than a court of justice; and the fundamental laws must +then speak, and it is with the people in this extremity as if they had +no ruler. And as to the doubtsomeness of these laws, he saith, (1.) As +the scriptures in all fundamentals are clear, and expound themselves, +and _in the first instance_ condemn heresies; so all laws of men in +their fundamentals, which are the law of nature and nations, are clear. +(2.) Tyranny is more visible and intelligible than heresy, and it is +soon discerned----The people have a natural throne of policy in their +conscience, to give warning, and materially sentence against the king as +a tyrant;--where tyranny is more obscure, and the thread small, that it +escape the eye of man, the king keepeth possession, but I deny that +tyranny can be obscure long.' + +7. I shall grant that many things are yieldable even to a grassonant +dominator, and tyrannical occupant of the place of magistracy; as 1. +There may be some cases, wherein it is lawful for a people to yield +_subjection_ to a lawless tyrant, when groaning under his overpowering +yoke, under which they must patiently _bear the indignation of the Lord, +because_ they _have sinned against him, until he_ arise and _plead_ his +own _cause, and execute judgment_ in the earth, (Mic. vii. 9.) until +which time they must kiss the rod as in the hand of God, and own and +adore the holiness and sovereignty of that providence that hath +subjected them under such a slavery; and are not to attempt a violent +ejection or excussion, when either the thing attempted is altogether +impracticable, or the means and manner of effectuating it dubious and +unwarrantable, or the necessary concomitants and consequents of the cure +more hurtful or dangerous than the disease, or the like. As in many +cases also a man may be subject to a robber prevailing against him; so +we find the people of Israel in Egypt and Babylon, &c. yielded +subjection to tyrants. But in this case we deny two things to them, (1.) +Allegiance or active and voluntary subjection, so as to own them for +magistrates. (2.) Stupid _passive obedience_, or suffering without +resistance. For the first, we owe it only to magistrates, by virtue of +the law, either ordinative of God, or constitutive of man. And it is no +argument to infer; as a man's subjecting himself to a robber assaulting +him, is no solid proof of his approving or acknowledging the injury and +violence committed by the robbery, therefore a person's yielding +subjection to a tyrant a public robber does not argue his acknowledging +or approving his tyranny and oppression. For, the subjection that a +tyrant requires, and which a robber requires, is not of the same nature; +the one is legal of subjects, which we cannot own to a tyrant; the other +is forced of the subdued, which we must acknowledge to a robber. But to +make the parallel; if the robber should demand, in our subjecting +ourselves to him, an owning of him to be no robber but an honest man, as +the tyrant demands in our subjecting ourselves to him in owning him to +be no tyrant, but a magistrate, then we ought not to yield it to the one +no more than to the other. For the second, to allow them passive +obedience is unintelligible nonsense and a mere contradiction; for +nothing that is merely passive can be obedience as relative to a law; +nor can any obedience be merely passive; for obedience is always active. +But not only is the inaccuracy of the phrase excepted against, but also +that position maintained by many, that, in reference to a yoke of +tyranny, there is a time which may be called the proper season of +suffering, that is, when suffering (in opposition to acting or +resisting) is a necessary and indispensible duty, and resisting is a +sin: for if the one be an indispensible duty, the other must be a sin at +the same time, but this cannot be admitted. For, though certainly there +is such a season of suffering, wherein suffering is lawful, laudable and +necessary, and all must lay their account with suffering, and little +else can be attempted, but which will increase sufferings; yet even then +we may resist as well as we can: and these two, resistance and +suffering, at the same time, are not incompatible: David did bear most +patiently the injury of his son's usurpation, when he said, 'Let the +Lord do to me as seemeth him good,' 2 Sam. xv. 26. chap. x. 12. and +betaketh himself to fervent prayers, Psal. iii. and yet these were not +all the weapons he used against him; neither did he ever own him as a +magistrate. We are to suffer all things patiently as the servants of the +Lord, and look to him for mercy and relief, (Psal. cxxiii. 2.); but we +are not obliged to suffer even in that season, as the slaves of men. +Again, suffering in opposition to resistance, does never fall under any +moral law of God, except in the absolutely extraordinary case of +Christ's passive obedience, which cannot fall under our deliberation or +imitation; or in the case of a positive law, as was given to the Jews to +submit to Nebuchadnezzar, which was express and peculiar to them, as +shall be cleared. That can never be commanded as indispensible duty, +which does not fall under our free will or deliberation, but the enemies +will, as the Lord permits them, as the case of suffering is. That can +never be indispensible duty, which we may decline without sin, as we may +do suffering, if we have not a call to it; yea, in that case, it were +sin to suffer; therefore, in no case it can be formally and +indispensibly commanded, so as we may not shift it, if we can without +sin. Suffering simply the evil of punishment, just or unjust, can never +be a conformity to God's preceptive will, but only to his providential +disposal; it hath not the will of the sign for its rule, but only the +will of well-pleasing. All the commands that we have for suffering, are +either to direct the manner of it, that it be patiently and cheerfully, +when forced to it wrongfully, 1 Pet. ii. 19, 20, or comparatively, to +determine our choice in an unavoidable alternative, either to suffer or +sin; and so we are commanded, rather to suffer, than to deny Christ, +Matth. xiii. 33. and we are commanded upon these terms to follow Christ, +to take up his cross, when he lays it on his providence, Matth. xvi. 24. +See at length this cleared, Lex Rex, Q. 30. page 317-320 otherwise in +no case subjection, even passive, can be a duty; for it is always to be +considered under the notion of a plague, judgment and curse, to be +complained of as a burden, never to be owned as a duty to magistrates. + +As we find the Lord's people resenting it as a servitude, under which +they were servants even in their own land, which did yield increase unto +the kings whom the Lord had set over them, because of their sins, Neh. +ix. 36, 37. 2. In divers cases there may be some compliance with a mere +occupant, that hath no right to reign; as upon this account the noble +marquis of Argyle and lord Warriston suffered for their compliance with +the usurper Cromwell. Such may be the warrantableness, or goodness, or +necessity, or profitableness of a compliance, when people are by +providence brought under a yoke which they cannot shake off, that they +may part with some of their privileges, for the avoidance of the loss of +the rest, and for the conveniency and profit, peace and safety of +themselves and their country, which would be in hazard, if they did not +comply; they may do whatsoever is due from them to the public weal, +whatsoever is an office of their station or place, or which they have +any other way a call unto, whatsoever may make for their own honest +interest, without wronging others, or the country's liberties in their +transactions with these powers, even though such a compliance may be +occasionally to the advantage of the usurpers, seeing good and necessary +actions are not to be declined for the ill effects that are accidental +to them, and arise from the use which others make of them. But though +this may be yielded in some cases to such usurpers, especially +conquerors, that have no right of occupying the empire, but are capable +of it by derivation from the people's consent: yet it must not be +extended to such usurpers as are also tyrants, that have no right of +their own, nor are capable of any, and that overturn all rights of +subjects. To such we can yield no compliance, as may infer either +transacting with them, or owning them as magistrates. We find indeed the +saints enjoyed places under these, who were not their magistrates; as +Nehemiah and Mordecai and Esther was queen to Ahasuerus. But here was no +compliance with tyrants (for these heathens were not such) only some of +them were extraordinary persons, raised up by an extraordinary spirit, +for extraordinary ends in extraordinary times, that cannot be brought to +an ordinary rule, as Esther's marriage; and all of them in their places +kept the law of their God, served the work of their generation, defiled +not themselves with their customs, acted against no good, and engaged to +no evil, but by their compliance promoted the welfare of their country, +as Argyle and Warrriston did under Cromwel. Again, we find they paid +custom to them, as Neh. ix. 36, 37. and we read of Augustus' taxation +universally complied with, Luke ii. 1-5. and Christ paid it. This shall +be more fully answered afterwards. Here I shall only say (1.) It can +never be proven that these were tyrants. (2.) Christ paid it with such a +caution, as leaves the title inflated; not for conscience (as tribute +must be paid to magistrates, Rom. xiii. 5, 6.) but only that he might +not offend them. (3.) Any other instances of the saints taxations are to +be judged forced acts, badges of their bondage, which, if they had been +exacted as tests of their allegiance, they would not have yielded. +Strangers also, that are not subjects, use to pay custom in their +trafficking, but not as tests of their allegiance. 3. There may be also, +in some cases, obedience allowed to their lawful commands because of the +lawfulness of the thing commanded, or the coincidency of another just +and obligging authority commanding the same. We may do many things which +a tyrant commands, and which he enforces; and many things also whether +he will or not; but we must do nothing upon the consideration of his +command, in the acknowledgement of obedience, due by virtue of +allegiance, which we own of conscience to a lawful magistrate. We must +do nothing, which may seem to have an accessoriness to the tyrant's +unlawful occupancy, or which depends only on the warrant of his +authority to do it, or may entrench on the divine institution of +magistracy, or bring us into a participation of the usurper's sin. In +these cases we can neither yield obedience in lawful things, nor in +unlawful: 'nor can we own absolute subjection, no more than we can +absolute obedience; for all subjection is enjoined, in order to +obedience: and to plead for a privilege in point of obedience, and to +disclaim it in point of subjection, is only the flattery of such, as +having renounced with conscience all distinction of obedience, would +divest others of all privileges, that they may exercise their tyranny +without controul, Naphtali, p. 28. prior edit.'] 4. There may be +addresses made to such as are not rightful possessors of the government, +for justice, or mercy, or redress of some intolerable grievances, +without scruple of accepting that which is materially justice or mercy, +or seeking them at the hand of any who may reach them out to us, though +he that conveys them to us be not interested in the umpirage of them. +Thus we find Jeremiah supplicated Zedekiah for mercy, not to return to +prison; and Paul appealed to Caesar for justice. But in these addresses +we may not acknowledge the wicked laws that brought on these grievances, +nor conceal the wickedness, no more than the misery of them which we +have endured; nor may we own the legal power of them that we address, to +take them off, nor signify any thing, in the matter and manner of our +representations, that may either import a declining our testimony, for +which we have suffered these grievances, or a contradiction to our +declinature of their pretended authority: only we may remonstrate, what +cruelties we have endured, and how terrible it will be to them to be +guilty of, or accessory to our blood, in not pitying us; which was all +that Jeremiah did. And as for Paul's appeal, we find he was threatened +to be murdered by his countrymen, Acts xxiii. 14. from whose hands he +was rescued, and brought before the judicatory of Festus the Roman +deputy, not voluntarily; thence also they sought to remand him to +Jerusalem, that they might kill him, Acts xxv. 3. whereupon he demands +in justice that he might not be delivered to his accusers and murderers, +but claims the benefit of the heathens own law, by that appeal to Caesar, +which was the only constrained expedient of saving his own life, Acts +xxviii. 19, by which also he got an opportunity to witness for Christ at +Rome. But, as shall be cleared further afterwards, Caesar was not an +usurper over Judea; which not obscurely is insinuated by Paul himself, +who asserts, that both his person, and his cause criminal, of which he +was accused (it was not an ecclesiastical cause, and so no advantage +hence for the supremacy) appertained to Caesar's tribunal, and that not +only in fact, but of right, Acts xxv. 10. 'I stand at Caesar's +judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged.' We cannot say this of any +tribunal; fenced in the name of them that tyrannize over us. 5. I will +not stand neither upon the names and titles of kings, &c. to be given to +tyrants and usurpers, in speaking to them or of them, by way of +appellation or compellation: for we find even tyrants are called by +these names in scripture, being kings in fact, though not by right and +indeed not impertinently, kings and tyrants for the most part are +reciprocal terms. But in no case can we give them any names or titles, +which may signify our love to them whom the Lord hates, or who hate the +Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 2. or which may flatter them, whom Elihu durst not +give, for fear his Maker should take him away, Job xxxii. 22. or which +may be taken for honouring of them, for that is not due to the vilest of +men, when exalted never so high, Psal. xii. ult. a vile person must be +contemned in our eyes, Psal. xv. 4. nor which may any way import or +infer an owning of a magistratical relation between them and us, or any +covenant-transaction or confederacy with them, which is no terms with +them, as such, we will say or own. Isa. viii. 12. Hence many sufferers +upon this head forbear to give them their titles. + +8. It will be yielded very readily by us, that a magistrate is not to be +disowned, merely for his differing in religion from us: yea, though he +were a heathen. We do not disown our pretended rulers merely upon that +account, but cheerfully do grant and subscribe to that truth in our +Confession of Faith, chap. xxiii. sect. 4. That infidelity, or +difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate's just and +legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to him: on +which our adversaries have insulted, as if our principle and practice +were thereby disproved. But it is easy to answer, 1. Let the words be +considered, and we are confident, 'That no sober man will think, the +acknowledgement of just and legal authority, and due obedience a +rational ground to infer, that tyranny is thereby either allowed or +privileged,' Napht. p. 60 prior edition. 2. Though infidelity or +difference of religion, does not make void authority, where it is +lawfully invested; yet it may incapacitate a person, and lawfully +seclude him from authority, both by the word of God, which expressly +forbids to set a stranger over, who is not our brother, Deut. xvii. 15. +which includes as well a stranger of a strange religion, as one of a +strange country, and by the laws of the land, which do incapacitate a +papist of all authority, supreme or subordinate. And so, if this James +VII. II. had been king before he was a Roman Catholic, if we had no more +to object, we should not have quarrelled his succession. 3. We both give +and grant all that is the confession, to wit, that dominion is not +founded in grace: yet this remains evident, that a prince, who not only +is of another religion, but an avowed enemy to, and overturner of the +religion established by law, and intending and endeavouring to introduce +a false, heretical, blasphemous and idolatrous religion, can claim no +just and legal authority, but in this case the people may very lawfully +decline his pretended authority; nay, they are betrayers of their +country and posterity, if they give not a timeous and effectual check to +his usurpings, and make him sensible that he hath no such authority. Can +we imagine, that men in the whole of that blessed work so remarkably led +of God, being convocate by a parliament of the wisest and worthiest men +that ever were in England, whom they did encourage, by writing and +preaching, and every way to stand fast in their opposition to the then +king displaying a banner for his prerogative (a court dream) against +religion and liberty, should be so far left, as to drop that as a +principle and part of our religion, which would sacrifice religion +itself to the lust of a raging tyrant? Must we believe, that a religion +destroying tyrant is a righteous ruler? And must we own him to be a +nursing father to the church? Shall we conclude, that the common bounds +and limits, whereby the Almighty hath bounded and limited mankind, are +removed by an article of our Confession of Faith, which hereby is turned +into a court creed: Then welcome Hobs de cive, with all the rest of +Pluto's train, who would babble us into a belief, that the world is to +be governed according to the pleasure of wicked tyrants. I would fain +hope at length the world would be awakened out of such ridiculous +dreams, and be ashamed any more to own such fooleries. And it may be, +our two royal brothers have contributed more to cure men of this moral +madness than any who went before them. And this is the only advantage, I +know, that the nations have reaped by their reign. + +9. Though we deny that conquest can give a just title to a crown; yet we +grant, in some cases, that by the peoples after-consent it may be turned +into a just title. It is undeniable, when there is just ground of the +war, if a prince subdue a whole land, who have justly forfeited their +liberties, when by his grace he preserves them, he may make use of their +right now forfeited, and they may resign their liberty to the conqueror, +and consent that he be their king, upon fair and legal, and not +tyrannical conditions. And even when the war is not just, but successful +on the invading conquerors side, this may be an inducement to the +conquered, if they be indeed free and unengaged to any other, to a +submission, dedition, and delivery up of themselves to be the subjects +of the victor, and to take him for their sovereign: as it is like the +case was with the Jews in Caesar's time, whose government was translated +by dedition to the Roman power; in the translation, when a-doing, there +was a fault, but after it was done, it ceased; though the beginning was +wrong, there was a post-fact, which made it right, and could not be +dissolved, without an unjust disturbance of public order. Whence, +besides what is said above, in answer to that much insisted instance of +Christ's paying tribute, and commanding it to be paid to Caesar, the +difficulty of that instance may be clearly solved. That tribute which he +paid, Matth. xvii. 14. &c. and that about the payment whereof he was +questioned, Matth. xxii. 21. seem to be two different tributes. Many +think, very probably, they were not one and the same tribute. It is a +question, for whom, and by whom that of Matth. xvii. was gathered; it is +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 itself unobliging) that their claim is left as much in the +dark, as if the question had never been moved. The other, Matth. xxii. +was exacted for Caesar: but to that captious question our Lord returns +such an answer, as might both solve it, and evade the snare of the +propounder, giving a general rule of giving to God and to Caesar each +their own, without defining which of them had the right to the payment +in question; whether Caesar should have it, or whether it should be paid +only for the temple's use: upon which they marvelled, which they needed +not do, if they had understood in his words an express and positive +declaration of an obligation to make that payment to Caesar; 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 Emperors, as their governors, to whom they were obliged (I do +not say Christ was) to pay tribute. For they had yielded themselves +unto, and owned the Roman dominion in Pompey, Caesar Augustus and +Tiberius, ere this question about tribute paying was proposed to our +Saviour; and therefore they who stuck at the payment of it, were a +seditious party, dissenting from the body of the nation; else it is not +supposeable readily, that their dominion in Judea 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 Jews themselves, disavowing the power of capital +punishment. It is not lawful for us to put any man to death, and owning +Caesar as their king, with an exclusive abrenunciation of all other, we +have no king but Caesar; as Paul also acknowledges, he ought to be judged +at Caesar's bar, in his appeal to Caesar. It is also acknowledged by very +good authors, that this was the tribute which Judas the Galilean stood +up to free the people from; and that the sedition of those Jews that +followed him, mentioned Acts v. 37. who mutinied upon this occasion, +was, according to Gamaliel's speech, disallowed by that Sanhedrim, or +council of the Jews. And it may be gathered out of Josephus, that the +Jews of Hircanus' party came under the Roman power by consent and +dedition, while they of Aristobulus' party looked upon the Romans as +usurpers. Which difference continued till our Saviour's time, when some +part of them acknowledged the Caesarean authority, some part looked upon +it as an usurpation; and of this generally were the Pharisees. To +confirm this, Calvin's testimony may be adduced, upon Matth. xxii. who +saith, 'The authority of the Roman emperors was by common use approved +and received among the Jews, whence it was manifest, that the Jews had +now of their own 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. p. 635. 'What +then? if Caesar's authority was from bad beginnings, 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 kingdoms +would be just.' + +10. As tyranny is a destructive plague to all the interests of men and +Christians; to anarchy, the usual product of it, is no less pernicious, +bringing a community into a paroxysm as deadly and dangerous. We must +own government to be absolutely necessary, for the constitution and +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 believe, except we +betake ourselves to the divine allowance and permission; we shall be as +puzzled 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 and branch, spring and streams, +in its original, nature, ends and effects, is diametrically opposite to +religion and liberty; and because its contagion, universally converting +and corrupting all the ends and orders of magistracy, doth affect and +infect all the subordinate officers, deriving their power from such a +filthy fountain; we must also subtract and deny their demanded +acknowledgments as any way due, so long as they serve the pride and +projects of such a wicked power: and do not reckon ourselves obliged by +covenant, or any otherwise (though, in the third article of the solemn +league, we are bound to preserve the rights and privileges of our +parliaments, and consequently the honour and 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 engaged in a conspiracy with +the tyrant) to own or defend a soulless 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 own as our representatives, but +must look upon them as perjured and perfidious traitors to God and their +country, which they have betrayed into the hands of a tyrant; and +therefore divested of that power and 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 ourselves, religion and liberty, without them. +We would think nobles, ennobled with virtue, a great mercy and +encouragement; and if they would concur in the testimony for religion +and liberty, we would be glad that they should lead the van, and prove +themselves to be powers appointed by God, in acting for him in 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 and nature: but, on +the contrary, must judge that their relinquishing or opposing their +duty, which before God they are obliged to maintain, preserve, and +promove, is so far from loosing our obligation, or exeeming us from our +duty that it should rather press us to prosecute it with the more +vigour, without suspending it upon their precedency. For now they can +pretend to no precedency, when they do not answer the end of their own +private advantage, they cease to be the ministers of God and of the +people, and become private persons. And reason will conclude, 'That when +the Ephori or trustees betray their trust, and sell, or basely give away +the liberties and privileges of the people, which they were entrusted +with, the people cannot be brought into a remediless condition; if a +tutor waste and destroy the pupils estate, the law provides a remedy for +the pupil, Jus popu. vind. cap. 15. page 335, 336.' 'The remedy, in this +case, can only be, as every one must move in his own sphere, while all +concur in the same duty; so if any, in higher place, become not only +remiss, but according to the influence of their power would seduce +others into their apostasy, it is their duty to resist and endeavour +their reformation or removal: and if these more eminently entrusted +shall turn directly apostates, and obstructive and destructive to common +interests, the people of an inferior degree may step forward to occupy +the places, and assert the interests, which they forefault and desert. +Neither is this a breach of good order; for order is only a mean +subordinate to, and intended for the glory of God, and the peoples good, +and the regulation thereof must only be admitted as it is conducible, +and not repugnant to these ends. A general's command to his soldiers in +battle, does not impede the necessity of succession, in case of vacancy +of any charge, either through death or desertion, even of such as in +quality may be far inferior to those whose places they step into, +Naphtali, page 151. first edition.' I do not assert this for private +peoples aspiring into the capacity of primores of peers; but that they +may do that which the peers desert, and dare not, or will not do, if the +Lord put them in a capacity to do it. And more plainly I assert, that if +the peers of the land whose duty it is principally to restrain and +repress tyranny, either connive at it, or concur with it, and so abandon +or betray their trust, then the common people may do it; at least are +obliged to renounce, reject, and disown allegiance to the tyrant, +without the peers. For which I offer these reasons. 1. Because all men +have as much freedom and liberty by nature as peers have, being no more +slaves than they; because slavery is a penal evil contrary to nature, +and a misery consequent of sin, and every man created according to God's +image, is a sacred thing; and also no more subjects to kings, &c. than +they; freedom being natural to all (except freedom from subjection to +parents, which is a moral duty, and most kindly and natural, and +subjection of the wife to the husband, &c.) but otherwise as to civil +and politic subjection, man, by nature, is born as free as beasts; no +lion is born king of lions, nor no man born king of men; nor lord of +men, nor representative of men, nor rulers of men, either supreme or +subordinate; because none, by nature, can have those things that +essentially constitute rulers, the calling of God, nor gifts and +qualifications for it, nor the election of the people. 2. The original +of all that power, that the primores or representatives can claim, is +from the people, not from themselves; from whence derived they their +being representatives, but from the people's commission or compact? when +at the first constitution of parliaments, or public conventions for +affairs of state, necessity put the people, who could not so +conveniently meet all, to confer that honour and burden upon the best +qualified, and who had chief interest by delegation. Hence, if the +people give such a power, they may wave it when perverted, and act +without their own impowered servants. 3. The people's power is greater +than the power of any delegated or constituted by them; the cause is +more than the effect; parliament-men do represent the people, the people +do not represent the parliament: they are as tutors and curators unto +the people, and in effect their servants deputed to oversee their public +affairs, therefore if their power be less the people can act without +them. 4. It were irrational to imagine, the people committing the +administration of their weighty affairs unto them, did denude themselves +of all their radical power; or that they can devolve upon them, or they +obtain any other power but what is for the good and advantage of the +people; therefore they have power to act without them, in things which +they never resigned to them; for they cannot be deprived of that natural +aptitude, and nature's birth-right, given to them by God and nature, to +provide the most efficacious and prevalent means for the preservation of +their rights and liberties. 5. As the people have had power before they +made peers, and have done much without them; so these primores could +never do without them, therefore in acts of common interest, the peers +depend more upon the people than the people do upon them. 6. All these +primeve rights, that gave rise to societies, are equal to both people +and peers, whereof the liberty to repress and reject tyranny is a chief +one. The people as well as peers have a hand in making the king, and +other judges also, as is clear from Deut. xvii. 14. Judg. ix. 6. 1 Sam. +xi. 15. 2 Kings xiv. 21. therefore they may unmake them as well as they. +To seek to preserve the ends of government, when they are overturned, is +essentially requisite to all societies, and therefore common and +competent to all constituents of these societies, superiors or +inferiors. The glory of God and security of religion, the end of all +Christian government, doth concern all equally. As every one equally is +bound to obey God rather than man, so violence in this case destroys +both the commonwealth, and maketh the end and means of government, and +the injured persons obligation thereto to cease; and this equally to +every man of private or public capacity. In the concern of religion at +least, we must not think because we are not nobles, or in authority, +that the care of it, or reformation thereof does nothing pertain to us; +nay in that, and carrying on the work thereof, there is an equality: as +in the erection of the Old Testament tabernacle, all the people were to +contribute alike half a shekel, Exod. xxx. that it might be for a +remembrance before the Lord. Hence it follows, if we disown the supreme +ruler, and the inferior confederate with him, and cannot have the +concurrence of others: 'now through the manifest and notorious +perversion of the great ends of society and government, the bond thereof +being dissolved, we liberated therefrom, do relapse into our primeve +liberty and privilege: and accordingly, as the similitude of our case, +and exigence of our cause doth require, may, upon the very same +principles, again join and associate, for our better defence and +preservation, as we did at first enter into societies,' Nap. p. 150. +yet, whatever we may do in this case, we are not for presumptuous +assumptions of authority which maleversers have forefaulted: neither are +we for new erections of government, but are for keeping the society, of +which we are members, entire, in an endeavour to have all our fellow +members united unto God, and to one another, in religion and liberty, +according to the bond of the solemn league and covenant. Certain it is, +that greater societies, under one government, may in some cases make a +secession, and divide into lesser, without sedition: or else, how would +there be so many distinct commonwealths in the world? seeing at first +all was under one head: and how comes it to pass, that there are so +many kingdoms in Europe, when it can be instanced, when all, or the most +part, were under one Roman emperor? But this, in our circumstance, is +noway expedient, neither was it ever in projection. But our aim is to +abstract ourselves inoffensively, and maintain our rights that remain +unrobbed, and to adhere closely to the fundamental constitutions, laws, +and laudable practices of our native kingdom. + +II. We own the obligation of our sacred covenants, unrepealably and +indispensibly binding to all the duties of christian subjection to +magistrates. But we deny, that hereby we are bound either to maintain +monarchy, especially thus perverted; nor to own the authority of either +of the two monarchs that have monarchized or tyrannized over us these +twenty-seven years past. For as to the first, we assert, That that which +is in its own nature mutable, cannot be simply sworn unto to be +maintained and preserved, but hypothetically at most, else it were +simply sinful; since it were to make things in their own nature, and in +the providence of God changeable, unchangeable; yea it were a downright +swearing not to comply with, but to spurn against, the various +vicissitudes of divine providence, the great rector of the universe. And +it is unquestionable, that when things alterable and unalterable are put +in the same oath, to make the engagement lawful the things must be +understood, as they are in their own nature, and no otherwise: else both +the imposer and the taker grievously transgress; the former, in taking +upon him what is in the power of no mortal, and a contradiction to the +prerogative of the immortal God; and the other, in owning that power as +just. Hence when these two fall to be in the same oath, they must be so +understood as it may not be made a snare to the conscience of the +swearer. For it may fall so out in the providence of God, that the +preservation of both is in all respects made impossible: and an adhesion +to the one, may so far interfere with the preservation of the other, as +if the mutable and that which hath no objective obligation to be stuck +to the other, which with the loss of all interests we are to maintain, +must be abandoned; yea, that which was sworn to be maintained as a mean +only, and a mutable one too, may not only cease to be a mean, but may +actually destroy the main end, and then it is to be laid aside, because +then it inverts the order of things. Hence also it may be questioned, if +it were not more convenient, to leave out those things that are +alterable in themselves, out of the same oath with things unalterable, +and put them in a distinct oath or covenant by themselves; as we see +Jehojadah did 2 Kings xi. 17. 'He made a covenant between the Lord, and +the king, and the people, that they should be the Lord's people; between +the king also and the people.' Here are two distinct covenants; the one +made with God, about things eternally obligatory, wherein the king and +people engage themselves upon level ground to serve the Lord, and Joash +the king, his treacherous dealing with God in that matter, brought the +curse of that covenant upon him: the other covenant was civil, about +things alterable relating to points of government and subjection. And as +he, by virtue of that prior covenant, had obliged himself, under the +pain of the curse thereof, to carry as one covenanted to God with the +people, and so not to tyrannize over his brethren: so, the people, by +virtue of that same covenant, were to yield obedience, but in nothing to +acknowledge him, as having power or authority to countermand God's +command; neither had it been an act of disloyalty, to have broken down +his groves, which he had, with the addition of the guilt of perjury, set +up, and to have bound his ungrateful hands from the blood of the +gracious Zechariah: a perfect parallel to our case under the former +dominator, save that it was outdone as to all dimensions of wickedness +by him. To speak more plainly, the religious part of our covenant is of +an eternal obligation; but as to the civil part, it is impossible it +can ever be so, unless it be well and cautiously understood; that is, +unless instead of any species of government, as monarchy, &c. we put in +magistracy itself. For this is that power which is of God; but monarchy, +&c. is only a human creature, about the creation whereof men take a +liberty, according to what suits them best in their present +circumstances. And as to this species of monarchy; men are never left at +liberty to clothe therewith any inept or impious person. And they are +perfectly loosed from it. 1. When that species of government becomes +opposite to the ends of government, and is turned tyranny, especially +when a legal establishment is pretended, then it affects with its +contagion the very species itself: the house is to be pulled down, when +the leprosy is got into the walls and foundation. 2. When it is +exercised, it is turned inept for answering the ends of its erection, +and prejudicial to the main thing for which government is given, to wit, +the gospel and the coming of Christ's kingdom: hence it is promised to +the church, Isa. xlix. 23. 'Kings shall be nursing fathers to the +church:'----And Isa. lii. 15. It is promised to the Mediator that 'Kings +shall shut their mouths,'----_i.e._ never a word in their head, but out +of reverence and respect to his absolute sovereignty, they shall take +the law from him, without daring to contract, far less to take upon them +to prescribe in the house of God, as they in their wisdom think fit. 3. +When providence, without any sinful hand, makes that species impossible +to be kept up, without the ruin of that for which it was erected: when +things comes to this push, whosoever are clothed with the power, are +then under an obligation to comply with that alteration of providence, +for the safety of the people; else they declare themselves unworthy of +rule, and such who would sacrifice the interest of their people to their +particular interest; in which case the people may make their public +servant sensible, he is at his highest elevation but a servant. Hence +now, when this species named in the covenant, viz. monarchy, is by law +so vitiate, as it becomes the mean and instrument of the destruction of +all the ends of that covenant, and now by law transmitted to all +successors as a hereditary, pure, perfect and perpetual opposition to +the coming of Christ's kingdom, so that as long as there is one to wear +that crown, (but Jehovah will in righteousness execute Coniah's doom +upon the race, Jer. xxii. _ult._ 'Write this man childless'----) and +enter heir to the government as now establishment, he must be an enemy +to Christ; there is no other way left, but to think on a new model +moulded according to the true pattern. As to the second, we are far less +obliged to own and acknowledge the interest of any of the two monarchs, +that we have been mourning under these many years, from these sacred +covenants. For, as to the first of them, Charles II. Those +considerations did cassate his interest, as to any covenant obligation +to own him. 1. In these covenants we are not sworn absolutely to +maintain the king's person and authority, but only conditionally, in the +preservation and defence of religion and liberties. Now, when this +condition was not performed, but, on the contrary, professedly resolved +never to be fulfilled; and when he laid out himself to the full of his +power and authority, for the destruction of that reformed religion and +liberties of the kingdom, which he solemnly swore to defend when he +received the crown, only in the terms that he should be a loyal subject +to Christ, and a true and faithful servant to the people, in order to +which a magistrate is chosen, and all his worth, excellency, and +valuableness, consists in his answering that purpose; for the excellency +of a mean, as such, is to be measured from the end, and its +answerableness thereunto: we were not then obliged, to maintain such an +enemy to these precious interests. 2. Because, as the people were bound +to him, so he was bound to them by the same covenant, being only on +these terms entrusted with the government, all which conditions he +perfidiously broke, whereupon only his authority and our allegiance were +founded; and thereby we were loosed from all reciprocal obligation to +him by virtue of that covenant. 3. Though he and we stood equally +engaged to the duties of that covenant, only with this difference, that +the king's capacity being greater, he was the more obliged to have laid +out that power, in causing all to stand to their covenant engagements, +as Josiah did, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 31, 32, 33. (but alas! there was never a +Josiah in the race,) yet he rose up to the height of rebellion against +God and the people, in heaven daring insolency, and not only brake, but +burnt that covenant, and made laws to cass and rescind it, and made a +not-concurring in this conspiracy, a note of incapacity for any trust in +church or state. + +Therefore to plead for an owning of him in this case, were only +concludent of this, that the generation had dreamed themselves into such +a distraction, as may be feared will be pursued with destruction, and +make such dreamers the detestation of posterity, and cause all men +proclaim the righteousness of God, in bringing ruin upon them by that +very power and authority they owned in such circumstances. 4. It is a +known maxim, 'He that does not fulfil the conditions, falls from the +benefit of it, and whoso remits the obligation of the party obliged upon +condition, cannot exact it afterwards.' So then it is evident, that the +subjects of Scotland were by king Charles II. his consent, yea express +command, disengaged from so much of that covenant as could be alledged +in favours of himself: so that all that he did, by burning and +rescinding these covenants, and pursuing all who endeavoured to adhere +to them, was a most explicit liberating his subjects from, and remission +of their allegiance to him, (and in this we had been fools if we had not +taken him at his word;) yea he rescinded his very coronation, by an act +of his first parliament after his return, which did declare null and +void all acts, constitutions and establishments, from the year 1633 to +that present session, not excepting those for his own coronation, after +which he was never recrowned, and therefore we could not own that right, +which himself did annul. But as for his royal brother, James the VII. +and II. we cannot indeed make use of the same reasons and arguments to +disown him, as we have now adduced; yet, as we shall prove afterwards, +this covenant does oblige to renounce him. So it is so clear, that it +needs no illustration, that there lies no obligation from this covenant +to own him. 1. Because, as he is an enemy to the whole of our covenant, +and especially to these terms upon which authority it is to be owned +therein: so he will not come under the bond of this covenant, nor any +other compact with the people, but intrude himself upon the throne, in +such a way as overturns the basis of our government, and destroys all +the liberties of a free people, which by covenant we are bound to +preserve, and consequently, as inconsistent therewith, to renounce his +usurpation. For, a prince that will set himself up without any +transactions with the people, or conditions giving security for religion +and liberty, is an usurping tyrant, not bounded by any law but his own +lusts. And to say to such an one, reign thou over us, is all one as to +say, come thou and play the tyrant over us, and let thy lust and will be +a law to us: which is both against scripture and natural sense. If he be +not a king upon covenant terms, either expresly or tacitely, or general +stipulations according to the word of God, and laws of the land, he +cannot be owned as a father, protector, or tutor, having any fiduciary +power entrusted to him over the common wealth, but as a lawless and +absolute dominator, assuming to himself a power to rule or rage as he +lists: whom to own were against our covenants: for there we are sworn to +maintain his majesty's just and lawful authority, and by consequence +not to own usurpation and tyranny, stated in opposition to religion and +liberty, which there also we are engaged to maintain. Sure, this cannot +be lawful authority which is of God, for God giveth no power against +himself; nor can it be of the people, who had never power granted them +of God to create one over them, with a liberty to destroy them, their +religion and liberty, at his pleasure. 2. As he is not, nor will not be +our covenanted and sworn king (and therefore we cannot be his covenanted +and sworn subjects;) so he is not nor cannot be our crowned king, and +therefore we must not be his liege subjects, owning fealty and obedience +to him. For, 'according to the national covenant, as all lieges are to +maintain the king's authority, consistent with the subjects liberties; +which, if they be innovated or prejudged, such confusion would ensue, as +this realm could be no more a free monarchy;--so for the preservation of +true religion, laws and liberties of this kingdom, it is statute by the +8th act, parl. 1. repeated in the 99th act, parl. 7th, ratified in the +23d act, parl. 11th, and 14th act, parl. 12th of king James VI, and 4th +act. of king Charles I. that all kings and princes, at their coronation +and reception of their princely authortity, shall make their faithful +promise by their solemn oath, in the presence of the eternal God, that +enduring the whole time of their lives, they shall serve the same +eternal God, to the uttermost of their power, according as he hath +required in his most holy word, contained in the Old and New Testaments; +and according to the same word, shall maintain the true religion of +Christ Jesus, the preaching of his holy word, the due and right +ministration of the sacraments, now received and preached within this +realm (according to the confession of faith immediately preceding) and +shall abolish and gainst and all false religion, contrary to the same; +and shall rule the people committed to their charge, according to the +will and command of God, revealed in his foresaid word, and according to +the laudable law and constitutions received in this realm, no ways +repugnant to the said will of the eternal God; and shall procure, to the +uttermost of their power, to the kirk of God, and whole Christian +people, true and perfect peace in all time coming, and that they shall +be careful to root out of their empire all hereticks, and enemies to the +true worship of God, who shall be convicted by the true kirk of God of +the foresaid crimes.' Now, this coronation oath he hath not taken, he +will not, he cannot take; and therefore cannot be our crowned king +according to law. As there be also many other laws, incapacitating his +admission to the crown, being a professed papist, and no law for it at +all, but one of his own making, by a packed cabal of his own complices, +a parliament, wherein himself presided as commissioner, enacting +materially his succession, and rescinding all these ancient laws: which +act of succession (which is all the legal right he can pretend to in +Scotland) because it cannot be justified, therefore his right cannot be +owned, which is founded upon the subversion of our ancient laws. But as +he cannot be our legally crowned king, so he is not so much as formally +crowned. And therefore before his inauguration, whatever right to be +king (whom the representatives may admit to the government) he may +pretend to, by hereditary succession, yet he cannot formally be made +king, till the people make a compact with him, upon terms for the safety +of their dearest and nearest liberties, even though he were not disabled +by law. He might, as they say, pretend to some right to the thing, but +he could have no right in the thing. The kings of Scotland, while +uncrowned, can exercise no royal government; for the coronation in +concrete, according to the substance of the act, is no ceremony (as +they, who make conscience itself but a ceremony, call it) nor an +accidental ingredient in the constitution of a king, but as it is +distinctive, so it is constitutive: it distinguished Saul from all +Israel, and made him from no king to be a king; it is dative, and not +only declarative; it puts some honour upon him that he had not before. +3. Though the laws should not strike against his coronation, and though +the representatives legally should take the same measures with him that +they took with his brother, and admit him upon the terms of the +covenant; yet after such doleful experiences of such transactions with +these sons of Belial, who must not be taken with hands, nor by the hand, +it were hard to trust, or entrust them with the government, even though +they should make the fairest professions; since they, whose principles +is to keep no faith to heretics (as they call us) and who will be as +absolute in their promises as they are in their power, have deservedly +forfeited all credit and trust with honest men; so that none could +rationally refer the determination of a half crown reckoning to any of +them, far less own them and their government in the management of the +weightiest affairs of state, since their malversations are written in +such bloody characters, as he that runs may read them. At least it were +wisdom, and is our duty, to take our measures from the general +assembly's procedure with the other brother, before his admission to the +government, to suspend our allegiance to him, until authority be legally +devolved upon him, and founded upon, and bounded by terms, giving all +security for religion and liberty. + +12. As I said, before wary prudence, in waving such an impertinent and +ticklish question, cannot be condemned; since whatever he may be in +conscience, no man in law can be obliged, so far to surrender the common +privilege of all mankind, to give an account of all his inward thoughts, +which are always said to be free. And as in nothing they are more +various, so in nothing they can be more violented, than to have our +opinion and sentiments of the current government extorted from us, a +declining of which declaration of thoughts, where no ouvert act in +project or practice can be proven against it, cannot be treason in any +law in the world: so a cautelous answer, in such a ticklish, and +intrapping imposition, cannot be censured in point of lawfulness or +expediency, even though much be conceded, to stop the mouths of these +bloody butchers, gaping greedily after the blood of the answerer; if he +do not really own, but give them to understand, he cannot approve of +this tyranny. But as these poor faithful witnesses, who were helped to +be most free, have always been honoured with the most signal countenance +of the Lord in a happy issue of their testimony: so those that used +their prudentials most, in seeking shifts to shun severity, and studying +to satisfy these inquisitors with their stretched concessions, were +ordinarily more exposed to snares, and found less satisfaction in their +sufferings even though they could say much to justify, or at least +extenuate their shiftings. I knew one, who had proof of this, who +afterwards was ashamed of this kind of prudence. A short account of +whose managing of answers to this question, because it may conduce +somewhat to the explication of it, may here be hinted. The question +moved after the usual form, was, do ye own the authority of king James +VII. In answer to which, he pleaded first, for the immunity of his +thoughts, which he said were not subject to theirs or any tribunal. When +this could not be an evasion from their extortions, he objected the +ambiguity of the terms in which the question was conceived, being +capable of divers senses: and enquired, what they meant by authority? +What, by owning authority? By authority, whether did they mean the +administration of it as now improved? If so, then he was not satisfied +with it: or the right, as now established? If so, then he was not clear +to give his opinion of it, as being neither significant nor necessary; +and that it was fitter for lawyers and those that were better acquaint +with the secrets of government, than for him to dispute it. + +Again he asked, what they meant by owning? Either it is passive +subjection, that he did not decline; or active acknowledgment of it and +that he said he looked upon as all the suffrage he could give to its +establishment in his station, which he must demur upon some scruple. The +replies he received were very various, and some of them very rare, +either for ignorance or imposture. Sometimes, it was answered: to own +the king's authority, is to take the oath of allegiance; this he +refused. Some answered, it is to engage never to rise in arms against +the king, upon any pretence whatsoever; this he refused likewise. Others +explained it to be, to acknowledge his right to be king: to his he +answered, when the authority is legally devolved upon him by the +representatives of both kingdoms, it was time enough for him to give +account of his sentiments. Others defined it, to own him to be a lawful +king by succession. To this he answered, he did not understand +succession could make a man formally king, if there were not some other +way of conveyance of it; it might put him in the nearest capacity to be +king, but could not make him king. + +Some did thus paraphrase upon it, that he must own him to be his +sovereign Lord under God, and God's vicegerent, to be obeyed in all +things lawful. To this he answered, whom God appoints, and the people +choose according to law, he would own. When those shifts would not do, +but from time to time being urged to a categorical answer; he told them, +he was content to live in subjection to any government providence set +up; but for owning the present constitution as of God, and according to +law, he durst not acknowledge it, nor own any mortal as his lawful +sovereign, but in terms consistent with the covenant securing religion +and liberty. This not satisfying, when he came to a more pinching trial; +he declared, he owned all lawful authority according to the word of God, +and all authority that was the ordinance of God by his preceptive will, +and he could be subject to any; but further to acknowledge it, he +behoved to have more clearness; for sometimes a nation might be charged +with that, 'Ye have set up kings, and not by me,' &c. Further he +conceded, he owned his providential advancement to the throne; he owned +as much as he thought did oblige him to subject himself with patience; +he owned him to be as lawful, as providence possessing him of the throne +of his ancestors, and lineal succession, as presumed next in blood and +line, could make him: but still he declined to own him as lawful king, +and alledged that was all one, whether he was lawful or not, he refused +not subjection, distinguishing it always from allegiance. + +But all these concessions did not satisfy them, and alledged he might +say all this of a tyrant; and therefore commanded him to give it under +hand, to own not only the lineal, but the legal succession of king James +VII. to the crown of Scotland; which he did, upon a fancy, that legal +did not import lawful, but only the formality of their law; withal +protesting, he might not be interpreted to approve of his succession. +But this was a vain protestation against fact. However, by this we see, +what is owning this authority, in the sense of the inquisitors. + +The result of all is, to acknowledge allegiance to the present +possessor, and to approve his pretended authority as lawful, rightful +and righteous; which indeed is the true sense of the words, and any +other, that men can forge or find out, is strained. For, to speak +properly, if we own his authority in any respect, we own it to be +lawful: for every authority, that is owned to be authority indeed, is +lawful; authority always importing authorization, and consisting in a +right or call to rule, and is formally and essentially contradistinct to +usurpation: where ever the place of power is merely usurped, there is no +authority but according to his word; a stile without truth, a barely +pretended nominal equivocal authority, no real denomination: if we then +own this man's authority, we own it to be lawful authority: and if we +cannot own it so, we cannot own it all. For it is most suitable, either +to manly ingenuity, or Christian simplicity, to speak properly, and to +take words always in the sense, that they to whom they are speaking will +understand them, without equivocating. + +These preliminaries being thus put by, which do contribute to clear +somewhat in this controversy, and both furnish us with some arguments +for, and solutions in most of the objections against my thesis, in +answer to the questions above stated. I set it down thus: A people long +oppressed with the encroachments of tyrants and usurpers, may disown all +allegiance to their pretended authority, and when imposed upon to +acknowledge it, may and must rather chuse to suffer, than to own it. And +consequently we cannot, as matters now stand, own, acknowledge, or +approve the pretended authority of king James VII. as lawful king of +Scotland; as we could not, as matters then stood, own the authority of +Charles II. This consequence is abundantly clear from the foregoing +deduction, demonstrating their tyranny and usurpation. In prosecuting of +this general thesis, which will evince the particular hypothesis, I +shall, 1. Adduce some historical instances, whence it may be gathered, +that this is not altogether without a precedent, but that people have +disowned allegiance to tyrants and usurpers before now. 2. Deduce it +from the dictates of reason. 3. Confirm it by scripture arguments. + +I. Albeit, as was shewed before, this question, as now stated, is in +many respects unprecedented; yet the practice, which in our day hath +been the result of it, to disown, or not to own prevailing dominators +usurping the government, or abusing it, is not so alien from the +examples of history, but that by equivalency or consequence it may be +collected from and confirmed by instances. + +1. To begin at home, besides many passages related already for +confirmation, we may add, (1.) That for about 1025 years, the people had +in their choice whom to own, or admit to succeed in the government, +'Even though the kingdom was hereditary; and used to elect, not such who +were nearest in blood and line, but these that were judged most fit in +government, being of the same progeny of Fergus,' Buchanan's History of +Scotland, book vi. pag. 195. in the life of Kenneth III. This continued +until the days of Kenneth III. who to cover his villainous murder of his +brother's son Malcolm, and prevent his, and secure his own son's +succession, procured this charter for tyranny, the settlement of the +succession of the next in line from the parliament: which, as it +pretended the prevention of many inconveniencies, arising from +contentions and competitions about the succession; so it was limited by +laws, precluding the succession of fools or monsters, and preserving the +people's liberty to shake off the yoke when tyranny should thereby be +introduced: otherwise it would have been not only an irrational +surrender of all their own rights, and enslaving the posterity, but an +irreligious contempt of providence, refuting and anticipating its +determination in such a case. However it is clear, before this time, +that as none but the fittest were admitted to the government; so if any +did usurp upon it, or afterwards did degenerate into tyranny, they took +such order with him, as if he had not been admitted at all; as is clear +in the instances of the first period, and would never own every +pretender to hereditary succession. (2.) As before Kenneth's days, it is +hard to reckon the numerous instances of kings that were dethroned, or +imprisoned, or slain, upon no other account than that of their +oppression and tyranny; so afterwards they maintained the same power and +privilege of repressing them, when ever they began to encroach. And +although no nation hath been more patient towards bad kings, as well as +loyal towards good ones; yet, in all former times, they understood so +well the right they had, and the duty they owed to their own +preservation, as that they seldom failed of calling the exorbitantly +flagitious to an account. And albeit, instead of condoling or avenging +the death of the tyrannous, they have often both excused and justified +it, yet no kingdom hath inflicted severer punishments upon the murders +of just and righteous princes: and therefore, though they did neither +enquire after, nor animadvert upon those that slew James III. a +flagitious tyrant, yet they did, by most exquisite torments, put them to +death who slew James the I. a virtuous monarch. Hence, because these and +other instances I mind to adduce of deposing tyrants, may be excepted +against, as not pertinent to my purpose, who am not pleading for +exauctoration and deposition of tyrants, being impracticable in our +case: I shall once for all remove that, and desire it may be considered, +(1.) That though we cannot formally exauctorate a tyrant; yet he may, by +law itself, fall from his right, and may exauctorate himself, by his +laws by whom kings reign; and this is all we plead for as a foundation +of not owning him. (2.) Though we have not the same power, yet we have +the same grounds, and as great and good, if not greater and better +reasons to reject and disown our tyrant, as they, whose example is here +adduced, had to depose of their tyrannizing princes. (3.) If they had +power and ground to depose them, then a fortiori, they had power and +ground to disown them; for that is less, and included in the other, and +this we have. (4.) Though it should be granted, that they did not disown +them before they were deposed; yet it cannot be said that they did +disown them only because they were deposed: for it is not deposition +that makes a tyrant; it only declares him to be justly punished for what +he was before. As the sentence of a judge does not make a man a murderer +or thief, only declares him convict of these crimes, and punishable for +them; it is their own committing them that makes him criminal: and, as +before the sentence, having certain knowledge of the fact, we might +disown the man's innocency or honesty; so a ruler's acts of tyranny and +usurpation make him a tyrant and usurper, and give ground to disown his +just and legal authority; which he can have no more than a murderer or +thief can have innocency or honesty. (3.) We find also examples of their +disowning kings undeposed; as king Baliol was disowned with his whole +race, for attempting to enslave the kingdom's liberties to foreign +power. And if this may be done for such an attempt, as the greatest +court parasites, and sycophants consent; what then shall be done for +such as attempt to subject the people to domestic or intestine slavery? +shall we refuse to be slaves to one without, and be, and own ourselves +contented slaves to one within the kingdom? It is known also that king +James the I. his authority was refused by his subjects in France, so +long as he was a prisoner to the English there, though he charged them +upon their allegiance, not to fight against the party who had his person +prisoner: they answered, They owned no prisoner for their king, nor +owned no allegiance to a prisoner. Hence princes may learn, though +people submit to their government; yet their resignation of themselves +to their obedience is not so full, as that they are obliged to own +allegiance to them, when either morally or physically they are +incapacitate to exercise authority over them. They that cannot rule +themselves cannot be owned as rulers over a people. + +2. Neither hath there been any nation, but what at one time or other +hath furnished examples of this nature. The English history gives +account, how some of their kings have been dealt with by their subjects, +for impieties against the law and light of nature, and encroachments +upon the laws of the land. Vortigern was dethroned for incestuously +marrying his own sister. Neither did ever blasphemies, adulteries, +murders, plotting against the lives of innocents, and taking them away +by poison or razor, use to escape the animadversion of men, before they +were priest-ridden unto a belief that princes persons were sacred. And +if men had that generosity now this man that now reigns might expect +some such animadversion. And we find also king Edward, and Richard the +II. were deposed, for usurpation upon laws and liberties, in doing +whereof the people avowed, They would not suffer the laws of England to +be changed. + +Surely the people of England must now be far degenerate, who having such +laws transmitted to them from their worthy ancestors, and they +themselves being born to the possession of them without a change, do now +suffer them to be so encroached upon, and mancipate themselves, and +leave their children vassals to popery, and slaves to tyranny. + +3. The Dutch also, who have the best way of guiding of kings of any that +ever had to do with them (witness their having so many of them in +chains, now in Batavia in the East Indies) are not wanting for their +part to furnish us with examples. When the king of Spain would not +condescend to govern them according to their ancient laws, and rule for +the good of the people, they declared him to be fallen from the +seigniory of the Netherlands, and so erected themselves into a +flourishing common-wealth. It will not be amiss to transcribe some of +the words of the edict of the states general to this purpose. It is well +known, (say they) 'That a prince and lord of a country is ordained, by +God, to be sovereign and head over his subjects, to preserve and defend +them from all injuries, force, and violence; and that if the prince +therefore faileth therein, and instead of preserving his subjects, doth +outrage and oppress them, depriveth them of their privileges and ancient +customs, commandeth them, and will be served of them as slaves; they are +no longer bound to respect him as their sovereign lord, but to esteem of +him as a tyrant, neither are they bound to acknowledge him as their +prince, but may abandon him, &c.' And with this agrees the answer +William, prince of Orange, to the edict of proscription, published +against him by Philip the II. There is, says he, 'A reciprocal bond +betwixt the lord and his vassal; so that if the lord break the oath, +which he hath made unto his vassal, the vassal is discharged of the oath +made unto his lord.' This was the very argument of the poor suffering +people of Scotland, whereupon they disowned the authority of Charles the +II. + +4. The monarchy of France is very absolute; yet there also the state +hath taken order with their tyrants; not only have we many instances of +resistances made against them, but also of disowning, disabling, and +invalidating their pretended authority, and repressing their tyranny. So +was the two Childerici served: so also Sigebertus, Dagabertus, and +Lodowick the II. kings of France. + +5. The great body of Germany moves very slowly, and is inured to bear +great burdens: yet there also we find Joanna of Austria, mother of +Charles V. was put to perpetual imprisonment: which example is adduced +by the earl of Morton, in his discourse to the queen of England (whereof +I rehearsed a part before) vindicating the deposing and disowning queen +Mary of Scotland. 'If, saith he, we compare her with Joanna of +Austria--what did that poor wretch commit, but that she could not want a +little lustful pleasure as a remedy necessary for her age? and yet, poor +creature, she suffered that punishment, of which our dame, convicted of +most grievous crimes, now complains.'--Buchanan's History of Scotland, +book xx. p. 748. The duke of Saxon, the landgrave of Hesse, and the +magistrates of Magdeburgh, joined in a war against her son Charles V. +and drew up a conclusion by resolution of lawyers, wherein are these +words----'Neither are we bound to him by any other reason, than if he +keep the conditions on which he was created emperor. By the laws +themselves it is provided, That the superior magistrate shall not +infringe the right of the inferior, and if the superior magistrate +exceed the limits of his power, and command that which is wicked, not +only we need not obey him, but if he offer force we may resist him.' +Which opinion is confirmed by some of the greatest lawyers, and even +some who are patrons of tyranny, Grotius none of the greatest enemies of +tyrants, de jure belli. lib. 1. chap. 4. p. 11. saith out of Barclaius, +and with him, That the king doth lose his power when he seeketh the +destruction of his subjects. It was upon the account of the tyranny of +that bloody house of Austria over the Helvetians, that they shook off +the rule and government of that family, and established themselves into +a republic. And at this present time, upon the same accounts, the +tyranny and treachery of this imperial majesty, the Hungarians have +essayed to maintain and justify a revolt in disowning the emperor, now +for several years. + +6. Poland is an elective kingdom, and so cannot but be fertile of many +instances of casting off tyrants. Henricus Valesius, disowned for +fleeing, and Sigismundus for violating his faith to the states, may +suffice. Lex Rex, q. 24. p. 217. + +7. In Denmark, we find Christiernus their king, was, for his intolerable +cruelty, put from the kingdom, he and all his posterity, and after +twenty years did end his life in prison. + +8. In Swedland, within the compass of one century, the people deposed +and banished the two Christierns, and dethroned and imprisoned Ericus, +for their oppressions and tyranny, and for pursuing the destruction of +their subjects. + +9. The Portuguese, not many years ago, laid aside and confined Alphonsus +their king, for his rapines and murders. + +10. Some dukes of Venice have been so disowned by these commonwealths +men, that laying aside their royal honours as private men, they have +spent their days in monasteries. Buchan. de jure regni apud Scotos. + +11. If we will resolve the old Roman histories, we shall find no small +store of such examples, both in the time of their kings, consuls, and +emperors. Their seventh king Tarquinius Superbus was removed by the +people, for his evident usurpation: saith Livius, 'That is, for he had +nothing for a right to the government, but mere force, and got the rule +neither by the people's consent and choice, nor by the authority of the +senators.' So afterwards the empire was taken from Vitellius, +Heliogabulus, Maximinus, Didius, Julianus, Lex Rex, ubi supra. + +12. But it will be said, Can there be any instances of the primitive +christians adduced? Did ever they, while groaning under the most +insupportable tyranny of their persecuting emperors, disown their +authority, or suffer for not owning it? To this I answer, 1. What they +did, or did not of this kind, is not of moment to enquire.: seeing their +practice and example, under such disadvantages, can neither be known +exactly, nor what is known of it be accommodated to our case: for (1.) +They were never forced to give their judgment, neither was the question +ever put to them, whether they owned their authority or not? If they +transgressed the laws, they were liable to the punishment, they craved +no more of them. (2.) They confess themselves to be strangers, that had +no establishments by law; and therefore they behoved to be passively +subject, when in no capacity to resist; there was no more required of +them. Yet Lex Rex Quest. 35. page 371. cites Theodoret affirming, 'Then +evil men reigned through the unmanliness of the subjects.' (3.) Their +examples are not imitable in all things; they were against resistance, +which we doubt not to prove is lawful against tyrannical violence: many +of them refused to flee from the fury of persecutors: they ran to +martyrdom, when neither cited nor accused; and to obtain the crown +thereof they willingly yielded up their lives and liberties also to the +rage of tyrants. We cannot be obliged to all these. 2. Yet we find some +examples not altogether unapplicable to this purpose. When Barochbach, +the pretended king of the Jews, after the destruction of Jerusalem, set +himself as king in Bitter, a city in Arabia; the Christians that were in +his precincts, refused to own him as king; which was one great cause of +his persecuting them. It is 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 disowning of the king: yet this is +reckoned as a distinct cause of their suffering, by Mr. Mede, on the +Revel. Part. 1. Page 43. Gees Magist. Origin. Chap. 10. Sect. 7. Page +361. The same last cited author shews, that when Albinus, Niger, and +Cassius, successively usurped the empire, having none of them any legal +investiture, the Christians declined the recognition of their claim, and +would not own them; and that upon this Tertullian says, That is, the +Christians could never be found to be Albinians, or Nigrians, or +Cassians, meaning they were never owners of these men for magistrates. +And so may we say, We may be ashamed to be found amongst the Charlites +and Jacobites of these times. Not unlike is the passage of Ambrose, who, +in favours of Valentinian the rightful governor, contested against +Maximus the tyrant, and not only disowned 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 Justina the empress, he would not accept of +the help of Maximus, whose power he disallowed and disowned. Whence I +observe, that it is not without a precedent for a minister to disown 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 II, and +James, 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 Milan, in Italy, did also hold out of +the assembly of the Christians Theodosius the emperor, though a most +virtuous 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 primitive +Christians is much insisted on, both against this and the head of +defensive arms: I shall further take notice of several distinctions, +that do make the difference between their case and ours very vast. (1.) +There is a great difference betwixt 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, and the benefit 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 and 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 own allegiance to him, when +he would withdraw us from our allegiance to God. (2.) There is a great +difference betwixt a prince persecuting the true religion, which only a +few of his subjects here and 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 public servant; (which was their case) +and a prince persecuting that religion, which was professed by the body +of the nation, when they set him up. In this latter case, men of great +sense have denied he should be owned 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 +public religion and 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, publicly owned and +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 and 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 of course, and by law, 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 and bounds, but rageth as +a tiger and 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 emperors) 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 and +oppressing that religion, which himself hath professed, and is ratified +by laws with his own 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 sometime 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 ruin 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 Julian the +apostate) and a prince, who not only consented to these laws, but who +did upon these very terms, and no other, get and receive his crown and +sceptre, 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, being once settled in the government, +breaks, casts, cassates and overturns (which was done by Charles) or, +and a prince who will be bounded by the laws 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 and liberty, and all +the valuable interests of the nation, when he pleases. This is James's +character. (6.) There is a difference betwixt a prince breaking the main +and only article of his covenant, in a fit of fury and rage being +transported upon some mistakes (which was the case of Theodosius the +emperor) 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 privileges (this was the case of Charles) or, and a +prince who, as he never will come under the bond of a covenant with his +people: so tho' he makes never so many fair promises with the greatest +solemnities, maintains a principle, that he will keep no promises, but +when, and with whom he pleases, and can get a dispensation to break all +when he likes. (This is James's ingenuity.) Sure in this case, such as +are characterized, declare themselves so far from being princes, that +they profess before the world, they are no more men to be conversed +with: for if neither their words, writs, vows, promises, oaths, +declarations, nor protections can bind them, what society can be had +with them? Are they not to be looked upon, and carried towards as common +enemies of morality, religion, righteousness, liberty, humanity, yea +even of mankind itself? Now then, let the world be judge, if the people +of Scotland can be judged in conscience, reason, prudence, policy, or +any imaginable way, bound to own their authority, being so stated, and +by the act rescissory all human ground rescinded, that ever it shall be +otherwise; let them go seek other slaves where they can find them, for +we will not sell ourselves and posterity to tyrants as slaves, nor give +up our religion and the exercise of it to the mouldings of the court. + +II. In the second place, it being clear from these forementioned +instances, that tyrants and usurpers have been disowned; and it being +also as clear as light can make any thing, from the foregoing account of +their government, and all the characters of truculency, treachery and +tyranny, conspicuously relucent therein, that these two gentlemen, whose +authority we are pressed to own, were tyrants and usurpers: it remains +therefore to prove from all dictates of reason about government, that +their pretended authority could not nor cannot be owned. + +For the argument runs thus; the authority of tyrants and usurpers cannot +be owned; but the authority of Charles and James was and is the +authority of tyrants and usurpers, therefore their authority cannot be +owned. Now it is the major of this syllogism that I undertake to prove, +the minor being so clear from their history, that to prove it by +witnesses were to do what is already done. + +1. All authority to be owned of men must be of God, and ordained of God: +for so the apostle teacheth expresly, Rom. xiii. 1. &c. which is the +alone formal reason of our subjection to them, and that which makes it a +damnable sin to resist them; because it is a resisting the ordinance of +God. The Lord owns himself to be the author of magistrates, Prov. viii. +15. By me kings reign and princes decree justice. + +As he is the author of man, and hath made him a sociable creature, so he +is the author of the order of human society, which is necessary for the +preservation of mankind, he being the God of order and not of confusion. + +And this must hold not only of the supreme authority, but of +subordinate magistrates also; for they must be included in the higher +powers, to whom we must be subject, Rom. xiii. and they that resist +them, resist God's ordinance too. Their judgment is God's, as well as +the judgment of the supreme magistrate, Deut. i. 17. 2 Chron. xix. 6, 8. +They are called gods among whom the Lord judgeth, Psal. lxxxii. 1. He +speaketh not there of a congregation of kings. + +We are to be subject to them for the Lord's sake, as well as to the +supreme magistrate, 1 Pet. ii. 13. therefore all magistrates, superior +and inferior, are ordained of God in the respective places. It is true, +Peter calls every degree of magistracy an ordinance of man, not that he +denies it to be an ordinance of God for so he would contradict Paul, +Rom. xiii. but terms it so emphatically, to commend the worth of +obedience to magistrates, though but men, when we do it for the Lord's +sake: not effectively, as an invention of men, but subjectively, because +exercised by men, and created and invested by human suffrages, +considered as men in society, and objectively, for the good of man, and +for the external peace and safety of man, thereby differenced from the +ministry, an ordinance of Christ, for the Spiritual good of mens souls. +Hence, those rulers that are not of God, nor ordained of God, cannot be +owned without sin; but tyrants and usurpers are the rulers, that are not +of God, nor ordained of God, but are set up, and not by him, &c. Hos. +viii. 1.-4. therefore they cannot be owned without sin. + +I refer it to any man of conscience and reason to judge, if these +scriptures, proving magistracy to be the ordinance of God, for which +alone is to be owned, can be applied to tyrants and usurpers. How will +that, Rom. xiii. read of tyrants? Let every soul be subject to tyrants, +for they are ordained of God as his ministers of justice, &c. and are a +terror to good works, and a praise to the evil. Would not every man +nauseate that as not the doctrine of God? Again, how would that sound, +Prov. viii. By me tyrants reign, and usurpers decree injustice? Harsh to +Christian ears. Can they be said to be gods among whom the Lord judgeth? +If they be, they must be such as the witch of Endor saw, gods coming out +of the earth, when she raised the devil; in a very catechrestical +meaning, as the devil is called the god of this world. And indeed they +have no more power, nor otherwise to be owned, than he hath: for this is +a truth, tyranny is a work of satan, and not from God; because sin, +either habitual or actual, is not from God; tyranny is sin in habit and +act: therefore----The magistrate, as magistrate, is good in nature and +end, being the minister of God for good, a tyrant as a tyrant, is quite +contrary. Lex Rex saith well, 'A power ethical, politic or moral, to +oppress, is not from God, and is not a power, but a licentious deviation +of a power, and no more from God, but from sinful nature, and the old +serpent, than a licence to sin,' quest. 9. p. 59. Hence sin, a licence +to sin, a licentious sinning, cannot be from God; but tyranny, +usurpation, absolute power enaroaching upon all liberties, laws, divine +and human, is sin, a licence to sin, a licentious sinning: +therefore----But, to make this clear, and to obviate what may be said +against this, let it be considered, how the powers that be are of God, +and ordained of God. Things are said to be of God and ordained of God, +two ways; by his purpose and providence, and by his word and warrant. + +Things may be of God, either of his hand working, or bringing them +about, ordaining and ordering them to be to his glory, either by a holy +over-ruling providence, as Samson's desire of a wife was of God, Judg. +xiv. 4. and Amaziah's insolent and foolish rejection of Joash's +peaceable overture, 2 Chron. xxv. 20. or by a powerful effective +providence; so Rom. xi. 36. Of him and through him are all things, 1 +Cor. viii. 6. One God, of whom are all things. Or things be of God, of +his word warranting and authorizing. So we are commanded to try the +spirits; whether they be of God (1 John iv. i.) So in this sense, sin, +tentation, lust, corruptions of the world are not of God, Jam. i. 13, 1 +John ii. 16. + +Again, things are ordained of God, ether by the order of his counsel or +providential will; either effectively, by way of production, or +direction; or permissively, by way of non-impedition: or they are +ordained by the order of his word and preceptive will. The former is +God's rule, the latter is ours: the former is always accomplished, the +latter is often contradicted: the former orders all actions, even +sinful; the latter only that which is good and acceptable in the sight +of God: by the former Israel rejected Samuel, by the latter they should +have continued Samuel's government, and not sought a king: by the former +Athaliah usurped the government, by the latter she should have yielded +obedience, and resigned the government to the posterity of Ahaziah: by +the former, all have a physical subordination to God at creatures, +subject to his all disposing will; by the latter, those whom he approves +have a moral subordination to God, as obedient subjects to his +commanding will. Now magistrates are of God, and ordained by him both +these ways, tyrants but one of them. I say, magistrates, the higher +powers, to whom we owe and must own subjection, are of God both these +ways; both by his purpose and providence; and that not merely eventual, +but effective and executive of his word, disposing both of the title and +right, and possession of the power, to them whom he approves, and +bringing the people under a conscientious subjection, and by his word +and warrant. So Adonijah the usurper (though he had the pretence of +hereditary right, and also possession by providence) was forced to own +king Solomon in these terms, upon which only a magistrate may be owned: +'the kingdom' says he, 'was mine, and all Israel set their faces on me +that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and become my +brother's, for it was his from the Lord,' 1 Kings ii. 15. He had both +providence turning about the kingdom to him, and also the warrant of the +Lord's approbative and preceptive will. But tyrants and usurpers are +only of God, and ordained of God, by his over-ruling purpose and +permissive providence, either for performing his holy purpose towards +themselves, as Rehoboam's professing he would be a tyrant, and refusing +the lawful desires of the people was of God, 2 Chron. x. 15. or for a +judgement and vengeance upon them that are subject to them, Zech. xi. 6. +whereby they get a power in their hand, which is the rod of the Lord's +indignation, and a charge and commission against a hypocritical nation, +Isa. x. 5, 6. This is all the power they have from God, who 'gives Jacob +to the spoil, and Israel to the robbers, when they sin against him,' +Isa. xlii. 24. This doth not give these robbers any right, no more than +they whose 'tabernacle prosper, into whose hand God bringeth +abundantly,' Job xii. 6. Thus all robbers, and the great legal robbers, +tyrants and their authorized murderers, may be of God, viz. by his +providence. Hence those that are not ordained of God's preceptive will, +but merely by his providential will; their authority is not to be owned; +but tyrants and usurpers are not ordained of God's preceptive, but +merely by his providential will. The minor needs no proof, yet will be +cleared by many following arguments, the major will be afterwards more +demonstrated. Here I shall only say, they that have no other ordination +of God impowering them to be rulers, than the devil hath, must not be +owned; but they that have no other than the ordination of providence, +have no other ordination of God impowering them to be rulers, than the +devil hath: therefore they that have no other than the ordination of +providence, must not be owned. + +2. But let us next consider what is comprehended in the ordination of +that authority which is to be owned as of God: and it may be +demonstrated, there are two things in it, without which no authority can +be owned as of God, viz. institution and constitution so as to give him, +whom we must own as God's minister, authority both in the abstract and +concrete, that is, that he should have magistracy by God's ordination, +and be a magistrate by and according to the will of God. All acknowledge +that magistracy hath God's institution, for the powers that be are +ordained of God: which contains not only the appointment of it, but the +qualification and form of it. That government is appointed by divine +precept all agree, but whether the precept be moral natural, or moral +positive, whether it was appointed in the state of innocency, or since +disorder came into the world, whether it be primario or secundario, from +the law of nature, is not agreed upon. It may possibly be all these +ways; government in the general may be from the law and light of nature +appointed in innocency, because all its relative duties are enjoined in +the fifth command, and all nations naturally have an esteem of it, +without which there could be no order, distinction, or communion in +human societies but the specification or individuation may be by a +postnate, positive and secondary law, yet natural too, for though there +be no reason in nature why any man should be king and lord over another, +being in some sense all naturally free, but as they yield themselves +under jurisdiction the exalting of David over Israel is not ascribed to +nature, but to an act of divine bounty, which took him from following +the ewes, and made him feeder of the people of Israel, Psal. lxxviii. +70, 71. yet nature teacheth, that Israel and other people should have a +government, and that this should be subjected to. Next, not only is it +appointed to be, but qualified by institution, and the office is +defined, the end prescribed, and the measures and boundaries thereof are +limited, as we shall hear. 'Again, the forms of it though politically, +they are not stinted, that people should have such a form and not +another; yet morally, at least negatively, whatever be the form it is +limited to the rules of equity and justice, and must be none other than +what hath the Lord's mould and sanction. But there is no institution any +of these ways for tyranny. Hence, that power hath no institution from +God, cannot be owned as his ordinance; but the power of tyrants is that +power, being contrary in every respect to God's institution, and a mere +deviation from it, and eversion of it: Ergo--To the minor it may be +replied; though the power which tyrants may exercise, and usurpers +assume, may be in concrete contrary to God's institution, and so not to +be owned; yet, in the abstract, it may be acknowledged of God. It is but +the abuse of the power, and that does not take away the use. We may own +the power, though we do not own the abuse of it. I answer, 1. I +acknowledge the distinction as to magistrates is very pertinent; for it +is well said by the congregation in a letter to the nobility, Knox's +History of Scotland, Book 2. 'That there is a great difference betwixt +the authority, which is God's ordinance, and the persons of these who +are placed in authority; the authority and ordinance of God can never do +wrong, for it commandeth that vice be punished, and virtue maintained; +but the corrupted person placed in this authority may offend.' + +It is certain, higher powers are not to be resisted; but some persons in +power may be resisted. The powers are ordained of God; but kings +commanding unjust things are not ordained of God to do such things; but +to apply this to tyrants, I do not understand. Magistrates in some acts +may be guilty of tyranny, and yet retain the power of magistracy; but +tyrants cannot be capable of magistracy, nor any one of the +scripture-characters of righteous rulers. They cannot retain that which +they have forfeited, and which they have overturned; and usurpers cannot +retain that which they never had. They may act and enact some things +materially just, but they are not formally such as can make them +magistrates, no more than some unjust actions can make a magistrate a +tyrant. A murderer, saving the life of one and killing another, does not +make him no murderer: once a murderer ay a murderer, once a robber ay a +robber, till he restore what he hath robbed: so once a tyrant ay a +tyrant, till he makes amends for his tyranny, and that will be hard to +do. 2. The concrete does specificate the abstract in actuating it, as a +magistrate in his exercising government, makes his power to be magistry; +a robber, in his robbing, makes his power to be robbery; an usurper in +his usurping makes his power to be usurpation; so a tyrant in his +tyrannizing, can have no power but tyranny. As the abstract of a +magistrate is nothing but magistracy, so the abstract of a tyrant is +nothing but tyranny. It is frivolous then to distinguish between a +tyrannical power in the concrete, and tyranny in the abstract; the power +and the abuse of the power: for he hath no power as a tyrant, but what +is abused. 3. They that object thus, must either mean, that power in it +general notion is ordained of God, but this particular power abused by +tyrants, and assumed by usurpers, is not ordained: or they must mean, +that the very power of tyrants and usurpers is ordained of God, but the +way of holding it and using it, is not of God. If the first be said, +they grant all I plead for; for though the power in general be ordained, +yet what is this to tyrants and usurpers? would not this claim be +ridiculous for any man to soy, God hath ordained governments to be, +therefore I will challenge it? God hath ordained marriage, therefore any +may cohabit together as man and wife, without formal matrimony. If the +second be alledged, that the power of these prevailing dominators is +ordained, but not their holding and using of it: this is nonsense, for +how can a power be ordained, and the use of it be unlawful? For the +abuse and use of tyrannical power is all one and reciprocal: an usurper +cannot use his power but by usurpation. + +Again, is it not plain, that the abstract and the concrete, the act or +habit, and the subject wherein it is, cannot have a contrary +denomination? if drunkenness and theft, lying or murder, be of the +devil; then the drunkard, the thief, the liar, and the murderer, are of +the devil too: so if tyranny and usurpation, or the use or abuse of +tyrants and usurpers be of the devil, then most the tyrants and usurpers +also be of him: none can say, the one is of the devil, and the other of +God. Wherefore it is altogether impertinent to use such a distinction, +with application to tyrants or usurpers, as many do in their pleading +for the owning of our oppressors; for they have no power, but what is +the abuse of power. + +3. As that authority which is God's ordinance must have his institution; +so it must have his divine constitution from himself and by the people. +Wherever then there is authority to be owned of men, there must be these +two, constitution from God and constitution from the people. For the +first, God hath a special interest in the constitution of authority, +both immediately and mediately. Immediately, he declares such and such +forms of government to be lawful and eligible, and does order whom, and +who, and how people shall direct governors. And so, he confers royal +graces, and endowments, and gifts for government on them, as on Joshua +and Saul: so they become the Lord's anointed, placed and set on the +throne of the Lord, 1 Chron. xxix. 23. and honoured with majesty, as his +deputes and vicegerants, having their crown let on by God, Psal. xxi. 3. +But in regard now he doth not by any special revelation determine, who +shall be the governors in this or that place; therefore he makes this +constitution by meditation of men, giving them rules how they shall +proceed in setting them up. And seeing, by the law of nature, he hath +enjoined government to be, but hath ordered no particular in it with +application to singulars he hath committed it to the positive +transaction of men, to be disposed according to certain general rules of +justice. And it must needs be so; for first, without this constitution, +either all or none would be magistrates: if he hath ordained civil power +to be, and taken no order in whom it shall be, or how it shall be +conveyed, any might pretend to it; and yet none would have it, more than +another. If then he hath affixed it to a peculiar having and holding, by +virtue whereof this man is enstated and entitled to the office, and not +that man, there must be a law for constituting him in authority, which +will discover in whom it is. 2. If it were not so, then resisting of a +particular magistrate would not be a resisting of the ordinance of God, +if a particular magistrate were not constitute of God, as well as +magistracy is institute of God: for still it would be undetermined, who +were the owner; and so it would be left as free and lawful for the +resister to take the place, as for the resisted to hold it; the +institution would be satisfied if any possessed it: therefore there must +be constitution to determine it. 3. No common law of nature can put in +practice, without particular constitution regulating it. That wives and +children own their superior relations, is the law of nature; but there +must be such a relation first fixed by human transaction, before they +can own them; there must be marriage authorized of God, there must be +children begotten, and then the divine ordination of these relative +duties take place. So the judges of Israel for four hundred and fifty +years were given of God, Acts xiii. 20. not all by an immediate express +designation, but a mediate call from God by men, as Jephthah; Judg. xi. +6, 11. Inferior judges also are magistrates appointed by God, yet they +have their deputation from men. Our Saviour speaks of all magistrates, +when he applies that of the 82 psalm to them, I said ye are gods; and +shews how they were gods, because unto them the word of God came, John +x. 35. that is, by his word and warrant he authorized them, not by +immediate designation in reference to the most of them, but the word of +God comes to them, or his constitution is past upon them, who are +advanced by men according to his word. When men therefore do act +according to the divine rule, in the moulding and erecting of government +and governors, there the constitution is of God, though it be not +immediate. And where this is not observed, whatever power (so named or +pretended) there may be, or whatsoever persons there be that take upon +them to be the power, and are not thereto appointed or therein instated, +and do exercise such a power as God hath not legitimated, they are not a +power ordained of God. Hence, whatsoever power hath no constitution from +God, either immediate or mediate, cannot be owned: but the authority of +tyrants and usurpers, is a power that hath no constitution from God, +either immediate or mediate; therefore it cannot be owned. The major is +cleared above. The minor is also undeniable: for, either they must +pretend to an immediate constitution by revelation, that James duke of +York a vassal of antichrist, had, by all his plots and pranks, merited +the crown of Britain, and therefore must be constitute king; and this I +hope they will not pretend to, except the Pope hath gotten such a +revelation from Pluto's oracle; or they must have recourse to the +mediate constitution by men: and if so, then either this mediate +constitution of God is left undetermined, indefinitely and absolutely +giving way to any that will assume what power they please and can: and +then, I confess tyrants may have a constitution; but this constitution +cannot be of God; or else it is fixed by a rule, regulating the +succession or constitution of the governors, and obliging the people to +own the government so constituted, with exclusion and disallowance of +any other. And so, if in that constitution there be a substantial +deviation from the rule, as when incompetent or unallowed persons be +the advancers of themselves, or others, into that place by illegal and +sinistrous means, in as much as in that case there is the divine +disapprobation, it may be said there is no ordinance of God, but a +contradiction and contra-ordination to God's order. Gee's magist. +origin. chap. 5. sect. 4. subject 3 page 135. This will shake off this +of ours, and all other tyrants and usurpers, that come into the +government, and hold it not according to God's rule. + +4. It is clear also in the second place, that the authority which we can +own out of conscience, must have constitution by the people. The special +way by which men should be called into the place of sovereign power, may +perhaps not be found so expresly defined in scripture, as mens call to +the other ordinance of the ministry is; yet in this two things are +essentially necessary to the constitution of a magistrate, the peoples +consent and compact either formal and virtual. And without these we can +own conscientious subjection and allegiance to no man living. That the +first is necessary will be evident, from the law of nature and nations, +and from scripture. First, The light and law of nature dictates, that +the right and interest of constituting magistrates is in the elective +vote or suffrage of the people. This will appear, 1. If we consider the +original of government among men, especially after they were so +multiplied, that there was a necessity of a reduction into diverse +communities; which, whatever was before the flood, yet after it, behoved +to be by a coalition with consent under an elective government. The +scripture makes it more than probable, that the partition of +commonwealths was in Peleg's days, in whole time the earth was divided, +Gen. x. 2. occasioned by the confusion of "languages at Babel, which did +dissolve their union, and scatter them abroad upon the face of all the +earth," Gen. xi. 9. + +Then was it that we may conceive, as Buchanan says, de jure regni apud +Scot. 'The time was when men dwelt in cottages and caves, and as +strangers did wander to and fro without laws, and such as could converse +together of the same language, assembled together as their humours did +lead them or as some common utility did allure them, a certain instinct +of nature did oblige them to desire converse and society.' But this +confusion of languages, and communion of language, in several divided +parcels, could not incorporate these several parties into communities; +that behoved to be the effect of some other cause: and what should that +be, but the joint will, consent and agreement of the severally +languaged? It could not be by consanguinity; for there is no direction +from nature for a confinement of that into such and such degrees, to +make out the bonds of a common-wealth, or possibility of knowing all +within such degrees; besides all within these degrees might not be of +the same language. Now, the scripture says, they "were divided every one +after his tongue, after their families, in their nations," Gen. x. 5. +Next, it could not be by cohabitation: for how that must go to be the +boundaries of a common-wealth, inclusively, or exclusively, is not +defined by nature, nor can it be otherwise determined, than by human +choice. Then, it could not be by mens belonging to such a sovereign: +for, after that division and confusion, they could not all be under one +sovereign, nor under the same that they were subject to before; and a +sovereign cannot be before the aggregation of the subjects whereof he is +head, they must first be a commonwealth before they can belong to it. +Again, it cannot be founded upon the right of fatherhood: for, in that +scattering, such a right could not be uninterruptedly preserved: and +then Noah should also have been the universal magistrate, which he could +not be in these multiplied secessions. And further, if it be refounded +on the right of fatherhood, either every company had one common father +over all, or every father made a commonwealth of his own children: the +latter cannot be said, for that would multiply commonwealths in +infinitum: neither can the first be said; for, if they had one common +father, either this behoved to be the natural father of all the company, +which none can think was so happily ordered by Babel's confusion: or +else the eldest in age, and so he might be incapable for government, and +the law of nature does not direct that the government should alway be +astricted to the eldest of the community: or else, finally, he behoved +to be their political father, by consent. For, before this consent, they +were unengaged as to common order of government; none of the community +having any legal claim to sovereignty more than the rest. When therefore +they were forced to conclude upon association, for their mutual +preservation, they must be thought to act rationally, and not to make +their condition worse, but rather better by that conclusion; and if they +found it worse, to resume their radical right which they had conferred +upon men subject to law, not to tyrannize over them: and in this case, +certainly they had the power of choosing what kind of government suited +most to their advantage, and would best preserve their liberties, and +how far this should be extended, and who should be affirmed into this +combination; still with a reservation of the privilege to their own +safety, if their associates should not do their duty: and so they might +also reserve to themselves a liberty to alter the form, when they found +it productive of more prejudice than advantage, and never to leave their +condition remediless; and to pitch upon this way of succession, and not +another, the way of free election of every successor, or of definite +election limited to one line, or to the nearest in line; and _e contra_, +with a reserve still of their primeve privileges, to secure themselves +from the inconveniences of that determination, or to change it; and to +make choices of such a family and line, and not another, and whether +the eldest always of that family, or the fittest is to be chosen; and +however it be, yet still by the peoples consent: and in all this to have +respect to some good, great and necessary ends, which, if they should be +disappointed of, and find these means useless or destructive to, they +were to be loosed from their obligation to use or to own them. See Jus +populi vindicat. chap. 5. p. 80, &c. 2. If we consider how nature +determines the peoples interest in the constitution of governors: whence +comes it that this man, and not that man, this race and family, and not +that, is invested with that title? It will be found there is no title on +earth now to the crowns, to families, to persons, but the peoples +suffrage: for the institution of magistracy in general does not make +James Stewart a king, no more than John Chamberlain: neither do +qualifications make one, otherwise there might be many better than is +this day extant; for there are many men better qualified: and there is +no prophetical or immediate callings to kingdoms now: and as for +conquest without consent, and having no more for a title, it is no +better than royal Latrociny. + +It is certain, God would not command us to obey kings, and leave us in +the dark, that we should not know him that hath a real call to it. And +if he have not the peoples call, where shall we find another? It remains +therefore they must have it from the people, who have it to give +radically and virtually, having a power to preserve themselves, and to +put it in the hands of one or more rulers, that they may preserve +themselves by them. All men are born alike as to civil power (no man +being born with a crown on his head) and yet men united in society may +give it to this man, and not to that man; therefore they must have it +virtually, for they cannot give what they have not. And as cities have +power to choose their magistrates, so many cities have power to create +an universal ruler over them all. The people also have power to limit +the magistrates power with conditions; so that the present ruler shall +not have so much prerogative as his predecessor, as royalists cannot +deny, therefore they must have given that power which they can limit. +See Lex Rex, quest. 4. p. 10. &c. 2dly, The scripture also gives light +in this particular. 1. In giving directions and rules about their +orderly calling their governors, impowering them to "take wise men, and +understanding, and known among their tribes, to be made rulers," Deut. +i. 13. "To make judges and officers in all their gates," Deut. xvi. 18. +"To set one among their brethren king over them, and not a stranger," +Deut. xvii. 15. To what purpose are these rules given them, if they had +no interest to choose their magistrates? Would God command them to set a +king over them, if they had not power to do it? And to set such a man +over them, and not such an one, if they had no influence in making one +at all? And accordingly that wise statist says very well, 2 Sam. xvi. +18. Hushai to Absalom, nay, but whom the Lord and this people, and all +the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. +Which will also hold in the negative, whom the Lord and the people, and +all the men of the kingdom do not choose, his we will not be, nor with +him will we abide. 2. The scripture expressly attributeth the making of +kings to the people. All the people of Judah took Azariah, and made him +king, instead of his father Amaziah, whom they had executed, 2 Kings +xiv. 21. They came with a perfect heart to make David king in Hebron, 1 +Chron. xii. 38. So they made Joash king, 2 Chron. xxiii. 11. 3. Even +these that were particularly designed of God, and chosen to be rulers, +yet were not formally invested with power, before the people conferred +it upon them. Gideon was called of God to it, but was not judge, till +the people said, Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son, giving him an +hereditary right for his children, Judg. viii. 12. Saul was appointed +to be king, and therefore Samuel honoured him, because he was marked out +of God to be king, 1 Sam. ix. 24. and anointed him with oil, 1 Sam. x. +1. after which he was gifted and qualified for government. God gave him +another heart, vers. 9. yet all this did not make him king, till the +people met for his inauguration, vers. 17. &c. and crowned him, and made +him king in Gilgal, 1 Sam. xi. last verse. David was anointed by Samuel, +and yet was a persecuted fugitive for several years, and never +acknowledged formally king, till the men of Judah came and anointed him, +2 Sam. ii. 4. for if he had been king before, then there were two kings +in Israel at one time, and David failed of his royal duty, in not +punishing the murderer Saul; whereas himself says, he would not touch +the Lord's anointed. Therefore the people made all kings, and that by +choice and consent, without which they were no kings. Hence I argue, if +the consent and choice of the people be so essentially necessary to the +making of kings, then they who set up themselves against the consent of +the body of the land, and without the choice of any, must be usurpers, +not to be acknowledged for lawful kings; but the former is true, as is +proven above: therefore.----Now plain it is, that this duke set up +himself against the consent of the body, being excluded from the +government by the representatives of England, and generally hated of +all; who disdaining to wait upon the formal choice of any, but after he +had paved his passage to the throne upon his brother's blood, did usurp +the title without all law. + +5. The second thing necessary for the legal constitution of a king by +the people, is their compact with him: which must either be express or +tacit, explicit or implicit. Two things are here to be proven, that will +furnish an argument for disowning both the brothers. First, that there +must be a conditional reciprocally obliging covenant between the +sovereign and the subjects, without which there is no relation to be +owned. Secondly, that when this compact is broken in all or its chiefest +conditions by the sovereign, the peoples obligation ceases. The first I +shall set down, in the words of a famous author, our renowned countryman +Buchanan, in his dialogue 'de jure regni apud scotos. There is then (or +there ought to be) a mutual compact between the king and his subjects', +&c. That this is indispensibly necessary and essential to make up the +relation of sovereign and subjects, may be proved both from the light of +nature and revelation. + +First, It may appear from the light of natural reason. 1. From the rise +of government, and the interest people have in erecting it by consent +and choice (as is shewed above) if a king cannot be without the peoples +making, then, all the power he hath must either be by compact or gift: +if by compact, then we have what we proposed: and if by gift: then if +abused, they may recal it; or if they cannot recover it, yet they may +and ought to hold their hand, and give him no more that they may retain, +that is, no more honour or respect, which is in the honourer before the +honoured get it. Can it be imagined, that a people acting rationally, +would give a power absolutely, without restrictions, to destroy all +their own rights? Could they suppose this boundless and lawless +creature, left at liberty to tyrannize, would be a fit mean to procure +the ends of government? for this were to set up a rampant tyrant to rule +as he listeth, which would make their condition a great deal worse than +if they had no ruler at all, for then they might have more liberty to +see to their safety. See jus populi, chap. 9. pag. 96, 97. 2. This will +be clear from the nature of that authority, which only a sovereign can +have over his subjects; which, whatever be the nature of it, it cannot +be absolute, that is against scripture, nature, and common sense, as +shall be proven at more length. + +That is to set up a tyrant, one who is free from all conditions, a +roaring lion and a ranging bear to destroy all if he pleases. It must be +granted by all, that the sovereign authority is only fiduciary, +entrusted by God and the people with a great charge: a great pledge is +impawned and committed to the care and custody of the magistrate, which +he must take special care of, and not abuse, or waste, or alienate, or +sell: (for in that case, royalists themselves grant he may be deposed.) +He is by office a patron of the subjects liberties, and keeper of the +law both of God and man, the keeper of both tables. Sure, he hath no +power over the laws of God, but a ministerial power, he may not stop and +disable them as he pleases; of the same nature is it, over all other +parts of his charge. He is rather a tutor, than an inheritor and +proprietor of the commonwealth, and may not do what his pupil's +interest, what he pleases. In a word, the nature and whole significancy +of his power lies in this, that he is the nation's public servant, both +objectively in that he is only for the good of the people, and +representatively in that the people hath impawned in his hand all their +power to do royal service. The scripture teaches this, in giving him the +titles of service, as watchmen, &c. allowing him royal wages for his +royal work, Rom. xiii. he is God's minister attending continually on +this thing. + +There is his work, for this cause pay you tribute also. There is his +wages and maintainance. He is called so in that transaction with +Rehoboam; the old men advised him to be a servant unto the people, then +they should be his servants, 1 Kings xii. 7. There was a conditional +bargain proposed: as to be a servant, or tutor, or guardian upon trust, +always implies conditions and accountableness to them that entrust them. +3. It must needs be so, otherwise great absurdities would follow. Here +would be a voluntary contracted relation, obliging us to relative +duties, to a man that owed none correlative to us, and yet one whom we +set over us. It were strange, if there were no condition here; and no +other voluntarily suscepted relations can be without this, as between +man and wife, master and servant, &c. This would give him the disposal +of us and ours, as if both we and what we have were his own, as a man's +goods are, against which he does not sin whatever he doth with them. So +this would make a king that could not sin against us; being no ways +obliged to us, for he can no otherwise be obliged to us, but upon +covenant conditions; he may be obliged and bound in duty to God +otherwise, but he cannot be bound to us otherwise: and if he be not +bound, then he may do what he will, he can do no wrong to us to whom he +is noways bound. This also is point blank against the law of God, which +is the second way to prove it, by the light of revelation or scripture. +1. In the very directions about making and setting up of kings, the Lord +shews what conditions shall be required of them, Deut. xvii. 15. &c. and +in all directions for obeying them, the qualifications they should have +are rehearsed, as Rom. xii. 3, 4. Therefore none are to be set up but on +these conditions, and none are to be obeyed but such as have these +qualifications. 2. In his promises of the succession of kings, he +secures their continuation only conditionally, to establish the kingdom, +if they be constant to do his commandments and judgments, 1 Chron. +xxviii. 7. There shall not fail a man to sit upon the throne, yet so +that they take heed to their way to walk in God's law, as David did, 2 +Chron. vi. 16. + +Now he was not otherwise to perform these promises, but by the action +and suffrage of the people setting him up, (which he had appointed to be +the way of calling kings to thrones,) if therefore the Lord's promise be +conditional, the people's actions also behoved to be suspended upon the +same conditions. 3. We have many express covenants between rulers and +subjects in scripture. Jephthah was fetched from the land of Tob, and +made the head of the Gileadites by an explicit mutual stipulation, +wherein the Lord was invocated as a witness, Judg. xi. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11. +So all the elders of Israel came to make David king; and king David made +a league with them in Hebron before the Lord, and then they anointed him +over Israel, 2 Sam. v. 3. he made there a covenant with them before the +Lord, 1 Chron. xi. 3. + +He was no king before this covenant, and so it was a pactional oath +between him and the kingdom, upon terms according to the law, Deut. +xvii. He was only a king in fieri; one who was to be king, but now +actually inaugurate a covenanted king upon terms that sanctified them. +It is true, they came to recognosce Rehoboam's rights, and came to +Shechem to make him king, 1 Kings xii. 1. and yet when he would not +enter in covenant-terms with them, to satisfy their just demands, the +people answered the king, saying, what portion have we in David, neither +have we inheritance in the son of Jesse, to your tents, O Israel, vers. +16. They refused to acknowledge such an usurper, and we find no prophets +ever condemning them for it. So when Jehoash or Joash was crowned, +Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, +between the king also and the people, 2 Kings xi. 17. 2 Chron. xxiii. +11, 16. From all these reasons and scriptures, it is clear, there must +be a mutual compact between the subjects and every sovereign they own +subjection to, which if he refuse, and usurp the sword, they are under +an anterior obligation to subtract their allegiance, and to make use of +their sword, if they be in capacity to pull it out of his hands, and use +it against him. And of this we are put in mind by the motto of our old +coronation pieces, which have these words about the sword, 'for me, but, +if I deserve, against me:' and surely to him that hath it now in his +hands, it may be said, thou hast deserved, and as yet deserves. We see +then, the allegiance that this usurper alledges is his due, wants a +bottom, to wit, a compact with the people. Whence I argue, if there must +of necessity be a compact between the king and the people, when he is +advanced to the government: then he that advances himself, without and +against this compact, is an usurper not to be owned; but the former is +true: therefore he that advances himself without and against this +compact, is an usurper not to be owned. And who more notoriously +deserving such a signature, than James VII. and II. who hath made horns +of his own strength, or the Pope's bulls, to push his brother out and +himself into the throne, upon no terms at all, or any security for +religion and liberty. One objection is to be removed here: can the +customs of the Jews be binding to all nations? The kings of Judah made +such covenants, shall therefore all kings do so? _Answ._ Why not this +custom, as well as crowning, which they used likewise? These rules are +not typical or ceremonial, nor only so judicial as to be peculiarly +judicial, but are matters of moral equity, bearing a standing reason +founded upon that law, Deut. xvii. 15. &c. limiting the prince to stand +to conditions. If we cast at divine laws for rules of government where +will we find better laws? It is recorded of the first of the British +kings who was Christian, that writing to Eleutherius bishop of Rome, +(before Antichrist took that seat) for the Roman laws, he received this +answer: 'By divine clemency ye have received the law and faith of +Christ, you have the Old and New Testaments, out of them in God's name +by counsel of your states take laws, and govern your kingdom.' And of +another, that he began his laws thus. God spake all these words, &c. And +so repeated the laws of God. The second thing I undertook to prove, is +that assertion of Buchanan ubi supra, de Jure Regni. 'There being a +paction between the king and subjects, he who first recedes from what +is covenanted, and doth counteract what he hath covenanted, he looses +the contract; and the bond being loosed which did hold fast the king +with the people, whatever right did belong to him by virtue of that +compact, he looses it, and the people are as free as before the +stipulation.' Which is also asserted by the author of Jus populi, chap. +6. pag. 112. 'It is no less clear, that when the sovereign doth not +perform the principal, main, and most necessary conditions, condescended +and agreed upon, by right he falleth from his sovereignty: and pag. 117. +when the prince doth violate his compact, as to all its conditions, or +as to its chief, main, and most necessary condition, the subjects are by +right free from subjection to him, and at liberty to make choice of +another.' This is so clear that it needs no labour to prove it, that, +upon this head, we were loosed from all allegiance to the former tyrant, +who was admitted upon terms of an explicit covenant, the conditions +whereof he did as explicitly break. + +There are two cases wherein subjects are loosed from covenanted +allegiance to their princes. 1. When the prince remits the obligation of +the subjects, and refuses allegiance upon that basis; then he can no +more demand it by virtue of that compact. He that remits, and will not +have that allegiance, that the subjects covenanted upon such and such +conditions to him, these subjects should not give it that they so +covenanted, for they should not prostitute it to a refuser and remitter: +but Charles the II. remitted and would not have that allegiance, which +we covenanted upon such and such conditions, viz. upon the terms of the +covenant, which he cassed and annulled and made criminal to own: +therefore to him we should not have given it, which we so covenanted. 2. +When the prince doth enter into a mutual covenant with the people upon +mutual conditions, and does not only cease to perform the conditions, +but simply denies all obligation to do it, and makes it a quarrel to +insinuate so much, yea persecutes all who dare assert the obligation of +that covenant; and yet demands allegiance, not upon the obligation of +that covenant which he hath remitted, but absolutely upon the grounds of +his prerogative: in this case it will be evident also, the subjects are +not bound either to own their formerly covenanted allegiance to him, or +that which he demands on other grounds. Grotius de Jure belli, is clear +as to this, lib. 1. cap. 4. num. 12. 'If there be such a clause or +condition in the very devolution of the government upon a prince, as if +he do so and so, the subjects shall be loosed from all bonds of +obedience, then, when he does so, he becomes a mere private person.' +Grotius there supposes the power is transferred upon a resolutive +condition; that is, if he transgress the condition, the power shall be +resolved into its first fountain: much more if it be transferred +expresly also upon a suspensive condition, that he shall continue to +maintain the ends of the covenant, defend religion and the liberties of +the subjects, in the defence whereof we shall own allegiance to him, +otherwise not. In that case, if he do not maintain these ends, plain it +is, our obligation ceases; for how can it stand upon a conditional +obligation, when his performance of the condition sists? But whatever be +the conditions mutual, it flows natively from the nature of a mutual +compact, 'That he who doth not perform the conditions agreed upon, hath +no right to the benefit granted upon condition of performance of these +conditions; especially if he perform not, or violate these conditions +upon supposition whereof he would not have gotten the benefit: it were +very absurd to say in a mutual conditional compact, one party shall +still be found to perform his conditions, though the other perform none, +but break all. Were it the act of rational creatures to set up a +sovereign, upon conditions he shall not play the tyrant, and yet be +bound to him though he tyrannize never so much? We have the name of +mutual compacts in the spies covenant with Rahab, Josh. ii. 20. "If thou +utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath, which thou +hast made us to swear:" if she should break, condition, then the +obligation on their part should cease. But next, all the stress will ly +in proving that the covenant, on such and such conditions between a +prince and subjects, doth equally and mutually oblige both to each +other: for if it equally oblige both, then both are equally disengaged +from other by the breach on either side, and either of them may have a +just claim in law against the other for breach of the conditions. But +royalists and court slaves alledge, that such a covenant obliges the +king to God, but not to the people at all: so that he is no more +accountable to them, than if he had none at all. But the contrary is +evident: for, (1.) If the compact be mutual, and if it be infringed on +one side, it must be so in the other also; for in contracts, the parties +are considered as equals, whatever inequality there may be betwixt them +otherwise: I speak of contracts among men. (2.) If it be not so, there +is no covenant made with the people at all: and so David did no more +covenant with Israel, than with the Chaldeans: for to all with whom the +covenant is made it obliges them to it. Otherwise it must be said, he +only made the covenant with God, contrary to the text: for he made it +only before the Lord as a witness, not with him as a party. Joash's +covenant with the Lord is expresly distinguished from that with the +people. (3.) If it be not so, it were altogether nonsense to say, there +were any covenant made with the king on the other hand: for he is +supposed to be made king on such and such terms: and yet, by this, after +he is made king he is no more obliged unto them, than if there had been +no compact with him at all. (4.) If he be bound as king, and not only as +a man or Christian, then he is bound with respect to the people; for +with respect to them he is only king: but he is bound as king, and not +only as a man or Christian, because it is only with him as king that the +people covenant, and he must transact with them under the same +consideration. Next, that which he is obliged to, is the specifical act +of a king, to defend religion and liberty, and rule in righteousness; +and therefore his covenant binds him as a king. Again, if he be not +bound as king, then as a king he is under no obligation of law or oath, +which is to make him a lawless tyrant; yea, none of God's subjects. It +would also suppose that the king as king could not sin against the +people at all, but only against God: for as king he could be under no +obligation of duty to the people, and where there is no obligation, +there is no sin; by this he would be set above all obligations to love +his neighbour as himself, for he is above all his neighbours, and all +mankind, and only less than God; and so by this doctrine, he is loosed +from all duties of the second table, or at least he is not so much +obliged to them as others. But against this it is objected: both prince +and people are obliged to perform their part to each other, and both are +obliged to God, but both are not accountable to each other; there is not +mutual power in the parties to compel one another to perform the +promised duty; the king hath it indeed over the people, but not the +people over the king, and there is no indifferent judge superior to +both, to compel both, but God. Ans. 1. What if all this should be +granted? Yet it doth not infringe the proposition: what if the people +have not power to compel him? Yet, if by law, he may fall from his +sovereignty, though, indeed, he is not deposed: he loses his right to +our part, when he breaks his part. 2. There is no need of a superior +arbiter: for as in contracting they are considered as equal, so the +party keeping the contract is superior to the other breaking it. 3. +There may be mutual co-active power, where there is no mutual relation +of superiority and inferiority: yea, in some cases, inferiors may have +a co-active power by law, to compel their superiors failing in their +duty to them; as a son wronged by his father, may compel him to +reparation by law; and independent kingdoms, nothing inferior to each +other, being in covenant together, the wronged may have a co-active +power to force the other to duty, without any superior arbiter. 4. The +bond of suretiship brings a man under the obligation to be accountable +to the creditor, though the surety were never so high, and the creditor +never so low: Solomon says, in general, without exception of kings; yea, +including them because he was a king that spake it, Prov. vi. 1, 2. "My +son, if thou be surety for thy friend,----thou art snared with the words +of thy mouth." Now a king's power is but fiduciary; and therefore he +cannot be unaccountable for the power concredited to him. And if this +generation had minded this, our stewards should have been called to an +account for their stewardship ere now. Hence I argue, if a covenanted +prince, breaking all the conditions of his compact, doth forfeit his +right to the subjects allegiance, then they are no more to own him as +their sovereign; but the former is proved, that a covenanted prince, +breaking all the conditions of his compact, doth forfeit his right to +the subjects allegiance: Therefore----And consequently when Charles II. +expresly bound by covenant to defend and promote the covenanted +reformation and liberties of the kingdom, to whom only we were bound in +the terms of his defending and promoting the same, did violently and +villainously violate and vilify these conditions, we were no more bound +to them. Somewhat possibly may be objected here, 1. If this be the sense +of the covenant, then it would seem that we were not bound to own the +king, but only when and while he were actually promoting and carrying on +the ends of the covenant. _Ans._ It does not follow, but that we are +obliged to preserve his person and authority in these necessary +intervals, when he is called to see to himself as a man; for we must +preserve him as a mean, because of his aptitude and designation for such +an end, albeit not always formally prosecuting it: we do not say, that +we are never to own him, but when actually exercised in prosecuting +these ends: but we say, we are never to own him, when he is tyrannically +and treacherously abusing his authority for destroying and overturning +these ends, and violating all the conditions of his compact. It may be. +Object. 2. Saul was a tyrant, and a breaker of his royal covenant, and +persecutor of the godly, and murderer of the priests of the Lord, +usurper upon the priest's office, and many other ways guilty of breaking +all conditions: and yet David and all Israel owned him as the anointed +of the Lord. _Ans._ 1. Saul was indeed a tyrant, rejected of God, and to +be ejected out of his kingdom in his own time and way, which David, a +prophet knowing, would not anticipate. But he was far short, and a mere +bungler in acts of tyranny in comparison of our grassators: he broke his +royal covenant in very gross particular acts, but did not cass and +rescind the whole of it, did not burn it, did not make it criminal to +own its obligation, nor did he so much as profess a breach of it, nor +arrogate an absolute prerogative, nor attempt arbitrary government, nor +to evert the fundamental laws, and overturn the religion of Israel, and +bring in idolatry as ours have done: he was a persecutor of David upon +some private quarrels, not of all the godly upon the account of their +covenanted religion: he murdered 85 priests of the Lord, in a transport +of fury, because of their kindness to David; but he did not make laws +adjudging all the ministers of the Lord to death, who should be found +most faithful in their duty to God and his church, as ours have done +against all field preachers: he usurped upon the priest's office, in one +elicit act of sacrificing: but he did not usurp a supremacy over them, +and annex it as an inherent right of his crown. 2. He was indeed such a +tyrant, as deserved to have been dethroned and brought to condign +punishment, upon the same accounts that Amaziah and Uzziah were deposed +for afterwards: and in this the people failed in their duty, and for it +they were plagued remarkably. Shall their omission be an argument to us? +3. As the question was never put to the people, whether they owned his +authority as lawful, or not? So we do not read, either of their +universal owning him, or their positive disowning him: however, that is +no good argument, which is drawn from a not doing to a doing; because +they did it not, therefore it must not be done. 4. They owned him; but +how? As the minister of God, not to be resisted or revolted from under +pain of damnation? (as all lawful magistrates ought to be owned, Rom. +xiii. 2, 4.) This I deny: for David and his six hundred men resisted him +resolutely; and though the body of the nation did long lazily ly and +couch as asses under his burden, yet, at length, weary of his tyranny, +many revolted from under him, and adjoined themselves to David at +Ziklag, "while he kept himself close, because of Saul the son of Kish," +1 Chron. xii. 1. who are commended by the Spirit of God for their +valour, verse. 2. &c. "and many out of Manasseh fell to him, when he +came with the Philistines against Saul, to battle," verse 19. This was a +practical disowning of the tyrant, before the Lord deposed him. 5. David +did indeed pay him and his character some deference, as having been the +anointed of the Lord; yet perhaps his honouring him with that title, the +Lord's anointed, 1 Sam. xxiv. 1 Sam. xxvi. and calling him so often his +Lord the King, cannot be altogether justified, no more than his using +that same language to Achish king of Gath, 1 Sam. xxix. 8. I shewed +before how titles might be allowed; but this so circumstantiate, does +not seem so consistent with his imprecatory prayer, for the Lord's +avenging him on him, 1 Sam. xxiv 12. and many other imprecations +against him in his Psalms. In some of which he calls the same man, whom +here he called, Psal. lix. 63, 14. and the evil, violent and wicked man, +Psal. cxl. 1, 4. and the vilest of men, Psal. xii. ult. However it be, +there can be no argument from hence, to own the authority of tyrants and +usurpers. + +6. Though this necessary conditional compact, which must always be in +the constitution of lawful rulers, be not always express and explicit, +so that a written authentic copy of it cannot be always produced; yet it +is always to be understood, implicitly at least, transacted in the +ruler's admission to the government, wherein the law of God must +regulate both parties; and when he is made ruler, it must be understood +that it is upon terms to be a father, feeder, and protector, and not a +tyrant, murderer and destroyer. All princes are so far pactional, that +they are obliged by the high and absolute Sovereign from whom they +derive their authority, to reign for the peace and profit of the people. +This is fixed unalterably by the laws of the supreme legislator, and +solemnly engaged unto at the coronation: and whosoever declines or +destroys this fundamental condition, he degrades and deposes himself. It +is also not only the universal practice, but necessary for the +constitution and conservation of all commonwealths, to have fundamental +laws and provisions about government, both for the upholding, and +transmitting and transferring it, as occasion calls, and preventing and +punishing violations thereof, that there be no invasion or intrusion +upon the government; and if there be any entrance upon it not according +to the constitution, that it be illegitimated, and the nation's +liberties always secured. This doth infer and regulate a conditional +compact with all that are advanced to the government, albeit it should +not be expressed. For it is undeniable that in the erection of all +governors, the grand interests of the community must be seen to, by +legal securities for religion and liberty, which is the end and use of +fundamental laws. Now, how these have been unhinged and infringed, by +the introduction and present establishment by law of that monster of the +prerogative, enacted in Parliament _anno_ 1661, the apologetic relation +doth abundantly demonstrate, lect. 10. Concerning the King's 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 sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and +absolute power, which all are to obey without reserve; whereby the whole +basis of our constitution, and bulwark of our religion, laws and +liberty, is enervated, and we have security of no law but the king's +lust. Hence I argue, those princes that, contrary to their virtual +compact (at least) at their coming to the crown, overturned all +fundamental laws: Ergo they cannot be owned. The major is plain; for +they that overturn fundamental laws are no magistrates; thereby all the +ends of government being subverted, and the subverter cannot be owned as +a father or friend, but an open enemy to the commonwealth, nor looked +upon as magistrates doing their duty, but as tyrants, seeking themselves +with the destruction of the commonwealth. 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 magistrates, the people are no subjects; for the relation is +mutual, and so is the obligation, Jus populi, chap. 9. page 183. The +minor is manifest, both from the matter of fact, and the mischiefs +framed into laws, by the sovereign authority, prerogative royal, and +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 own, for these reasons, taken +both from reason and scripture. First, It is against reason, 1. A power +contrary in nature cannot be owned; absolute power is such: for that +which takes away, and makes the people to give away their natural power +of preserving their lives and liberties, and sets a man above all rule +and law, is contrary to nature: such is absolute power, making people +resign that which is not in their power to resign, an absolute power to +destroy and tyrannize. 2. A power contrary to the first rise of its +constitution cannot be owned; absolute power is such: for the first rise +of the constitution is a people's setting a sovereign 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 random, and rule as he +lists. It is 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 owned; absolute power is such: for that which will +make a people's condition worse than before the constitution, and that +mean which they intended for a blessing to turn a plague and scourge to +them, and all the subjects to be formal slaves at the prince's devotion, +must needs be contrary to the ends of government; but absolute power is +such: for against the exorbitance thereof, no means would be left to +prevent it obstructing all the fountains of justice, and commanding laws +and lawyers to speak; not justice, righteousness, and reason; but the +lust and pleasure of one man, turning all into anarchy and 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 were to get comfort, +safety and liberty, under the shadow of government. 4. That power which +invalidates, and is inconsistent with the king's compact with the +people, cannot be owned; absolute power is such: for the tenor of that +is always to secure laws and liberties, to rule according to law; but to +be absolute invalidates, and is inconsistent with that: that which were +an engagement into contradictories cannot consist with that compact; but +to engage to be absolute, and yet to rule by law, is an engagement into +contradictories, which no people could admit for a security. It is +inconsistent with this compact, to give the king absolute power to +overturn religion and liberty; and to assume that 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 and liberty. 5. That power which is not from God, +nor of God, cannot be owned; but absolute power is not of God; because +it is a power to tyrannize and 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 God's minister for the people's good, cannot be owned; (for +that is the formal reason of our conscientious subjection to rulers, +Rom. xiii. 4, 5.) But absolute sovereigns are such as cannot be God's +ministers for the people's good; for if they be God's 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 the signal act and exercise cannot be owned; but an absolute +prince is such; being a power that may play the tyrant if he pleases, +and by law as king; and so if kings be by action tyrants, then people +are by action slaves; and so royal power cannot be a blessing to them; +yea, a lawless breaker of all bonds, promises, and oaths, cannot be +owned as lawful power; but absolute power is such: for, it cannot be +limited by these obligations, at least people cannot have any security +by them. 8. A lawless power is not to be owned; an absolute power is a +lawless power: ergo, not to be owned. The major is plain. Cicero says, +lib. 2. 'The reason of making laws was the same, as of the creation of +kings.' And Buchanan, de Jure Regni, very excellently, when 'the lust of +kings was instead of laws, and being vested with an infinite and +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 +licentious wills in judgment, but of that right and privilege which the +people had conferred upon them, being taught by many experiences, that +it was better that their liberty should be concredited to laws, than to +kings; better to have the law, which is a dumb king, than a king, who is +not a speaking law.' If then laws be necessary for the making of kings, +and more necessary than kings, and the same cause requires both, then a +king without laws is not to be owned. A king must be a speaking and +living law, reducing the law to practice. So much then as a king hath of +law, so much he hath of a king; and he who hath nothing of the law, hath +nothing of a king. Magna charta of England saith, 'The king can do +nothing but by law, and no obedience is due to him but by law.' Buchanan +rehearses the words of the most famous emperors, Theodosius and +Valentinianus, to this effect, 'It is,' say they, 'a word worthy of the +majesty of a king, to confess he is a tied prince to the laws; and +indeed it is more to submit a principality to the laws, than to enjoy an +empire.' But now that an absolute power must be a lawless power, is also +evident; for that is a lawless power that makes all laws void, needless +and useless; but such is absolute power: for it cannot be confined to +the observance of laws. 9. That power which is destructive to the +people's liberties cannot be owned; absolute power is such: for such a +licentious freedom as is absolute cannot consist with the people's +liberties; for these may infringe when he pleases. Now these, in their +own nature, and in all respects, being preferable to the king's +prerogative, and it being no prerogative which is not consistent with, +yea in its own nature adapted to, the precious interests of religion and +liberty: when the king's absolute authority is stated in contradictory +terms to these, we cannot own that authority; for now he hath another +authority than could be given him for the preservation of these +interests; in the preservation whereof he can only have an authority to +be owned, seeing he claims a power to destroy them, if he please. 10. If +we should own absolute authority, then we should own a royal prerogative +in the king to make and dispense with laws: now that cannot be owned; +for, it would infer that the king had a masterly dominion over his +subjects, to make laws, and inflict penalties without their consent. + +And plain it is, they that make kings must have a co-ordinate power to +make laws also; but the people, in their representatives, make kings, as +is proven. Next, a prerogative to dispense with laws, except such laws +as are in their own nature dispensable, without prejudice to any law of +God or liberties of men, cannot be owned: for any power to dispense with +reason and law, not grounded on any other reason but mere will and +absolute pleasure, is a brutish power. It cannot be a right annexed to +the crown, to do so; for a king, as a king, can do nothing but what he +may do by law. Nay, this is not only a brutish power, but a blasphemous +power, making him a kind of god on earth, illimited, that can do what he +pleases: and to dispute it further, were to dispute whether God hath +made all under him slaves by their own consent? or, whether he may +encroach on the prerogative of God or not? By this prerogative, he +arrogates a power to dispense with the laws of God also, in pardoning +murderers, &c. which no man hath power to do; the law of God being so +peremptorily indispensible. Gen. ix. 6. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by +man shall his blood be shed." Numb. xxxv. 30, 31. "Whoso killeth any +person, the murderer shall be put to death----Moreover, ye shall take no +satisfaction for the life of a murderer, but he shall be surely put to +death." These pardons are acts of blood to the community. If the +judgment be God's, as it is, Deut. i. 17. and not for man, but for the +Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 6. then no king can arrogate a power to dispense +with it, no more than an inferior judge can dispense with the king's +laws; for the king is but a minister, bearing the sword, not in vain, +but as a revenger, to execute wrath upon them that do evil, Rom. xiii. +4. They are but bastard kings who give out sentences out of their own +mouth, contrary to God's mind. + +And if he may do acts of grace by prerogative above law, then may he +also do acts of justice (so pretended) by the same prerogative; and so +may murder innocents, as well as pardon murderers; he may condemn the +just, as well as justify the wicked; both which are alike abomination to +the Lord, Prov. xvii. 15. This power cannot be owned in any man. 11. To +own absolute power, were to recognosce the king as the proper and sole +interpreter of the law. This Buchanan shews to be very absurd, 'When you +grant the interpretation of laws to a king, you give him such a license, +that the law should not speak what the lawgiver meaneth, but what is for +the interpreter's interest; so that he may turn it to all actions, as a +Lesbian rule, for his own advantage; and so what he pleases the law +shall speak, and what he will not, it shall not speak.' Now the king's +absolute pleasure can no more be the sense of the law, than it can be +the law itself: he is king by law, but he is not king of law; no mortal +can make a sense to a law, contrary to the law; for it involves a +contradiction: the true meaning is only the law. This also would take +away the use of all laws; for they could not declare what were just and +unjust, but as the king pleased: their genuine sense could not be the +rule. 12. If we own the law to be above the king, then we cannot own the +king to be absolute; but the former is true; for he must be under it +several ways: (1.) Under its directive power; that will not be denied. +(2.) Under its constitutive power; he is not a king by nature, but by +constitution and law: therefore the law is above the king; because it is +only from the law that there is a king, and that such a man and not +another is king, and that the king must be so and so qualified, and they +that made him a king, may also unmake him by the same law. (3.) Under +its limiting and restrictive power, as a man he cannot be absolute, nor +as a king by law. (4.) Under its co-active power. A lawmaker, said king +James the VI. should not be a law-breaker: but if he turn an overturner +of the fundamental laws, that law or covenant that made him king, doth +oblige to unmake him. Whatever power he hath, it is only borrowed +fiduciary power, as the nation's public servant: and that which was lent +him in pledge or pawn may be reclaimed, when abused by him. + +Especially if he turn parricide, kill his brother, murder his nobles, +burn cities, then he may and ought to be punished by law. Otherwise God +should have provided better for the safety of the part than of the +whole, though that part be but a mean for the safety of the whole: for +if he turn a tyrant in his absoluteness, the people must be destroyed, +if they may not repress him: thus he is secured, and the whole exposed +to ruin. Yea, if he be a man, as well as a king, he must be under rule +of law; and when he transgresses, either his transgressions are +punishable by men, or they are not transgessions with men. See many +arguments to this purpose in Lex Rex, quest. 14, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, +27. But secondly, I prove it by scripture, 1. Even as a king he is +regulated by law, not to multiply horses, nor wives, nor money, but to +keep the words of the law, and not lift up himself above his brethren, +Deut. xvii. 16, 17, 19, 20. he must observe to do according to the law, +and not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, Josh. i. 7. +therefore he must not be absolute. 2. He is certainly under that law, +Matth. vii. 12. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do you +even so to them: which is the universal fundamental law. If then he +would have us keeping in our line of subordination to him, he must keep +his line, and so cannot be absolute. 3. What is God's due and peculiar +prerogative, can be owned in no mortal; but absolute power is God's due +and peculiar prerogative. He alone does whatsoever pleases him, Psal. +cxv. 3. He alone worketh all, things after the counsel of his own will, +Eph. i. 11. Acts or commands founded upon the sole pleasure of the +agent, are proper to God. It is God's will and not the creature's that +can make things good or just. It is blasphemy therefore to ascribe +absolute power to any creature. 4. That which the Spirit of God +condemned as a point of tyranny in Nebuchadnezzar, that is no +prerogative to be owned; but the Spirit of God condemned this in him, +proceeding from absolute power, that whom he would he slew, and whom he +would he kept alive, whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put +down. And his heart was lifted up, Dan. v. 19, 20. 5. That which God +condemns and threatens in tyrants in the word in general, cannot be +owned; but absolute power God condemns and threatens in the word in +general; that they "turned judgment into gall," and said, "Have we not +taken to us horns by our own strength?" Amos vi. 12, 13. 6. The word of +God speaks nothing of the king's absolute prerogative, to make laws as +he will. It is plain the king of Judah had it not: but the Sanhedrim +had a great part of the legislative power, and of the punitive power in +a special manner: the princes and people had it by Jeremiah's +acknowledgement, Jer. xxvi. 14. And Zedekiah confesses to them, The king +is not he that can do any thing against you, Jer. xxxviii. 5. 7. We find +the king in scripture had not an absolute power, to expone or execute +the law as he would; Saul made a law, 1 Sam. xiv. 24. Cursed be the man +that eats any food until the evening. But exponing it, and thinking to +execute it after a tyrannical manner, he was justly resisted by the +people, who would not let him kill innocent Jonathan. 8. Nor had he the +sole power of interpreting it; for inferior judges were interpreters, +who are no less essential judges than the king who are set to judge for +the Lord, and not for the king, 2 Chron xix. 6. and therefore they were +to expone it according to their own conscience, and not the king's. They +were to speak righteousness and judge uprightly, Psal. lviii. 1. hence +called gods as well as kings, Psal. lxxxii. 1. + +There was no essential difference between a king of God's approving, and +a judge; there being but one law to both, Deut. xvii. 9. He was subject +to judgment as well as others: for being but a brother, even while on +the throne, who was not to lift up his heart above his brethren, Deut. +xvii. ult. When this cause was to be judged, his person, though never so +great, was not to be respected: nor were they to be afraid of the face +of man, for the judgment was God's, Deut. i. 17. therefore the judges +were to give out sentence in judgment, as if the Lord were to give it +out: there was no exception of kings there. Yea we find, according to +common law, they judged and punished offending kings, as shall be made +appear: 10. If they were under church censures, then they were not +absolute; but we find kings were under church censures; not only rebuked +sharply to their face, of which we have many instances; but also +subjected to church discipline, as Uzziah shut up for his leprosy. + +And certainly at all times this must be extended to all: for the king is +either a brother, or not: if not, then he should not be king, according +to the scripture, Deut. xvii. 15. then also he is not a Christian, nor +can he say the Lord's prayer: if he be, then if a brother offend, he is +subject to the church, Matth. xviii. there is no exceptions of kings +there. The objection from Eccles. viii. 3, 4.--he doth whatsoever +pleaseth him, where the word of a king is, there is power, and who may +say unto him, What dost thou? is of no significancy here. For, 1. This +argument will enforce absolute obedience, if the power be to be taken +absolutely; for it is obedience that is there commanded: and so we must +not only own the absolute authority, but obey it without reserve, which +never any yet had the impudence to plead for, until James the unjust +claimed it in a Scots proclamation: but we answer, It is better to obey +God than man. 2. If he may do whatsoever pleases him, then he may turn +priest, then he may kill whom he pleases, and take possession; and yet +for Saul's usurpation Samuel could say more than what dost thou? even to +tell him, he had done foolishly, and his kingdom should not continue, 1 +Sam. xiii. 13, 14. And for Ahab's tyranny, Elijah could tell him, the +dogs shall lick thy blood, even thine, 1 Kings xxi. 19, And Ezekiel, +thou profane wicked prince of Israel, Ezek. xxi. 25. 3. The meaning is +then only this; that a righteous king's just power may not only be +controlled: he is armed with power that may not be resisted, for he +beareth not the sword in vain, and therefore we must not stand in an +evil matter against them. I conclude then this argument, with the word +of an ingenious author, upon this same subject, both in thesi and +hypothesi: 'Whosoever shall offer to rule arbitrarily, does immediately +cease to be king by right, seeing by the fundamental, common and +statute laws of the realm, we know none for supreme magistrate and +governor but a limited prince, and one who stands circumscribed and +bounded in his power and prerogative. Ill effects of animosities,' page +17. + +7. From what is said, this is the result, that it is essentially +necessary to a moral power and authority, to have a right and title, +without which we can own none, but as a tyrant without a title. For what +is authority, but a right to rule? if then it have not a right, it is +not authority. This will be undeniable, if we consider, that as private +dominion, or property, consists in a right to enjoy; so public dominion, +in a right to rule. Some things indeed are exposed to the common and +arbitrary use of every man, and also at the beginning, by reason of the +fewness of mankind, dominion was not reduced to distinct property; yet +now, upon the multiplication of occupants, of necessity it must be +stated by peculiar appropriation, from the law of nature, and by the +grant of the supreme king, who hath given the earth to the children of +men, Psal. cxv. 16. not to be catched up as the food of beasts, which +the stronger seize, and the weaker get only what the other leave them, +but divided by right as an inheritance, by him who separated the sons of +Adam, and set the bounds of the people, Deut. xxxii. 8. Especially +public dominion cannot be without a foundation, for its relation to the +subjected, and must be so tied up, that it may be said, this man is to +command, and these are to obey. I shew, that authority is from God, both +by institution and constitution; so that the subjects are given to +understand, such an one is singled out by God to sustain this authority, +by prescribing a rule for men's entry into the authoritative relation, +whereby he communicates that power to them which is not in others, and +which otherwise would not be in them. Hence it is, that orderly +admittance that must give the right, and upon men's having or not having +such an entrance to it, depends the reality or nullity of the power +they challenge. + +Where therefore there is no lawful investiture, there is no moral power +to be owned; otherwise John of Leyden's authority might have been owned: +the unlawfulness of such a power consists in the very tenor itself; and +if we take away the use or holding of it, we take away the very being of +it: it is not then the abuse of a power lawfully to be used, but the +very use of it is unlawful. But in the usurpation of this man, or +monster rather, that is now mounted the throne, there is no lawful +investiture in the way God hath appointed as is shewed above; therefore +there is no moral power to be owned. To clear this a little further, it +will be necessary to remove the ordinary pretences, pleaded for a title +to warrant the owning of such as are in power, which are three chiefly, +to wit, possession, conquest, and hereditary succession. The first must +be touched more particularly, because it hath been the originate error, +and spring of all the stupid mistakes about government, and is the +pitiful plea of many, even mal contents, why this man's authority is to +be owned, asserting, that a person attaining and occupying the place of +power (by whatsoever means) is to be owned as the magistrate. But this +can give no right: for, 1. If providence cannot signify God's +approbative ordination, it can give no right; for without that there can +be no right; but providence cannot signify his approbative ordination, +because that, without the warrant of his word, cannot signify either +allowance or disallowance, it is so various, being often the same to +courses directly contrary, and oftentimes contrary to the same course; +sometimes savouring it, sometimes crossing it, whether it be good or +bad, and the same common providence may proceed from far different +purposes, to one in mercy, to another in judgment; and most frequently +very disproportionable to men's ways. Providence places sometimes +"wickedness in the place of judgment, and iniquity in the place of +righteousness," Eccl. iii. 16. that is, not by allowance. By providence +it happens to the just according to the work of the wicked, and to the +wicked according to the work of the righteous, Eccl. viii. 14. No man +knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things +come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the +wicked, Eccl. ix. 1, 2. It were a great debasing of the Lord's anointed, +to give him no other warrant than sin hath in the world, or the falling +of a sparrow. 2. Either every providential possession, in every case, +gives a title; or, God hath declared it as a law, that it shall be so in +this particular matter of authority only. + +The first cannot be said: for that would justify all robbery: nor the +second, for where is that law found? Nay, it were impious to alledge it; +for it would say, there is no unjust possessor or disorderly occupant, +but if he were once in the possession, he were right enough, and then +usurpation would be no sin. 3. If none of the causes of magistracy be +required to the producing of this possessory power, then it cannot give +or have any right; for without the true causes it cannot be the true +effect, and so can have no true right to be owned: but none of the +causes of magistracy are required to the production of this; neither the +institution of God, for this might have been, if magistracy had never +been instituted; nor the constitution of men, for this may usurp without +that. 4. That which must follow upon the right, and be legitimated by +it, cannot be owned as the right, nor can it give the title: but the +possession of the power, or the exercise thereof, must follow upon its +right, and be legitimated by it: therefore.----A man must first be in +the relation of a ruler, before he can rule; and men must first be in +the relation of subjects, before they obey. + +The commands of public justice, to whom are they given but to +magistrates? They must then be magistrates, before they can be owned as +the ministers of justice: he must be a magistrate, before he can have +the power of the sword: he cannot, by the power of the sword, make +himself magistrate. 5. That which would make every one in the possession +of the magistracy a tyrant, cannot be owned: but a possessory occupation +giving right, would make every one in possession a tyrant; for, that +which enervates, and takes away that necessary distinction between the +king's personal capacity and his legal capacity, his natural and his +moral power, will make every king a tyrant (seeing it makes every thing +that he can do as a man, to be legally done as a king) but a possessory +occupation giving right, would enervate and take away that distinction: +for how can these be distinguished in a mere possessory power? The man's +possession is all his legal power; and if possession give a right, his +power will give legality. 6. What sort or size of possession can be +owned to give a right? Either it must be partial or plenary possession: +not partial, for then others may be equally entitled to the government, +in competition with that partial possessor, having also a part of it: +not plenary, for then every interruption or usurpation on a part, would +make a dissolution of the government. 7. Hence would follow infinite +absurdities; this would give equal warrant, in case of vacancy, to all +men to step to, and stickle for the throne, and expose the commonwealth +as a booty to all aspiring spirits: for they needed no more to make them +sovereigns, and lay a tie of subjection upon the consciences of people, +but to get into possession: and in case of competition, it would leave +people still in suspense and uncertainties whom to own; for they behoved +to be subject only to the uppermost, which could not be known until the +controversy be decided: it would cassate and make void all +pre-obligations, cautions, and restrictions from God about the +government: it would cancel and make vain all other titles of any, or +constitutions, or provisions, or oaths of allegiance: yea, to what +purpose were laws or pactions made about ordering the government, if +possession gave right, and laid an obligation on all to own it? Yea, +then it were sinful to make any such provisions, to fence in and limit +the determination of providence, if providential possession may +authorize every intrusive acquisition to be owned: then also in case of +competition of two equal pretenders to the government, there would be no +place left for arbitrations. + +If this were true, that he has the power that is in possession, the +difference were at an end; no man could plead for his own right then; in +this also it is inconsistent with itself, condemning all resistance +against the present occupant, yet justifying every resistance that is +but successful to give possession. 8. That which would oblige us to own +the devil and the pope, cannot be a ground to own any man; but if this +were true, that possession gave right, it would oblige us to own the +devil and the pope. Satan we find claiming to himself the possession of +the world's kingdoms, Luke iv. 6. which as to many of them is in some +respect true, for he is called the god of this world, and the prince of +this world, John xiv. 30. 2 Cor. iv. 4. Are men therefore obliged to own +his authority? or shall they deny his, and acknowledge his lieutenant, +who bears his name, and by whom all his orders are execute, I mean the +man that tyrannizes over the people of God? For he is the devil that +casts some into prison, Rev. ii. 10. Again, the pope, his +captain-general, lays claim to a temporal power and ecclesiastic both, +over all the nations, and possesses it over many; and again, under the +conduct of his vassal the duke of York, is attempting to recover the +possession of Britain: shall he therefore be owned. This cursed +principle disposes men for popery, and contributes to strengthen popery +and tyranny both on the stage, to the vacating of all the promises of +their dispossession. 9. That which would justify a damnable sin, and +make it a ground of a duty, cannot be owned; but this fancy of owning a +very power in possession would justify a damnable sin and make it the +ground of a duty; for, resistance to the powers ordained of God is a +damnable sin, Rom. xiii. 2. But the resisters having success in +providence, may come to the possession of the power, by expelling the +just occupant; and, by this opinion, that possession would be ground for +the duty of subjection for conscience sake. 10. If a self-created +dignity be null and not to be owned, than a mere possessory is not to be +owned; but the former is true: as Christ saith, John viii. 54. If I +honour myself my honour is nothing. 11. That which God hath disallowed +possession without right, Ezek. xxi. 27. I will overturn, overturn, +overturn it, until he come whose right it is, Hos. viii. 4. They have +set up kings and not by me, Matth. xxvi. 52. All they that take the +sword shall perish with the sword; by this the usurper of the sword is +differenced from the true owner. 12. Many scripture examples confute +this; shewing that the possession may be in one, and the power with +right in another. + +David was the magistrate, and yet Absalom possessed the place, 2 Sam. +xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. chap. Sheba also made a revolt and usurped +the possession in a great part, and yet David was king, 2 Sam. xx. 2. +Adonijah got the start in respect of possession, exalting himself +saying, I will be king: yet the kingdom was Solomon's from the Lord, 1 +Kings 1. The house of Ahaziah had not power to keep still the kingdom, 2 +Chron. xxii. 9. and Athaliah took the possession of it, yet the people +set up Joash, xxiii. 3. Next we have many examples of such who have +invaded the possessor, witness Jehoram and Jehoshaphat's expedition +against Mesha, king of Moab, Elisha being in the expedition, 2 Kings, +iii. 4, 5. Hence we see the first pretence removed. + +The second is no better; which Augustine calls Magnum Latrocinium, a +great robbery; I mean conquest, or a power of the sword gotten by the +sword; which, that it can give no right to be owned, I prove That which +can give no signification of God's approving will, cannot give a title +to be owned: but mere conquest can give no signification of God's +approving will, as is just now proven about possession: for then the +Lord should have approven all the unjust conquests that have been in the +world. 2. Either conquest as conquest must be owned, as a just title to +the crown, and so the Ammonites, Moabites, Philistines, &c. prevailing +over God's people for a time, must have reigned by right, or as a just +conquest. In this case, conquest is only a mean to the conquerors +seizing and holding that power, which the state of the war entitled him +unto; and this ingress into authority over the conquered, is not +grounded on conquest but on justice, and not at all privative, but +inclusive of the consent of the people; and then it may be owned; but +without a compact, upon conditions of securing religion and liberty, and +posterity, cannot be subjected without their content; for whatever just +quarrel the conqueror had with the present generation, he could have +none with the posterity, the father can have no power to resign the +liberty of the children. 3. A king as king, and by virtue of his royal +office, must be owned to be a father, tutor, protector, shepherd, and +patron of the people; but a mere conqueror, without consent cannot be +owned as such. + +Can he be a father and a patron to us against our will, by the sole +power of the sword? A father to these that are unwilling to be sons? An +head over such as will not be members? And a defender thro' violence? 4. +A king, as such, is a special gift of God, and blessing, not a judgment: +but a conqueror, as such, is not a blessing, but a judgment, his native +end being not peace, but fire and sword. 5. That which hath nothing of +a king in it, cannot be owned to make a king; but conquest hath nothing +of a king in it: for it hath nothing but violence and force, nothing but +what the bloodiest villain that was never a king may have, nothing of +God's approving and regulating will, nothing of institution or +constition; and a plain repugnancy to the ordination of God, for God +hath said, Thou shalt not kill; conquest says, I will kill, and prosper, +and reign. 6. A lawful call to a lawful office may not be resisted; but +a call to conquest, which is nothing but ambition or revenge, ought to +be resisted; because not of God's preceptive will, otherwise he should +be the author of sin. 7. That power which we must own to be the +ordinance of God, must not be resisted, Rom. xiii. 2. + +But conquest may be resisted in defence of our king and country: +therefore it must not be owned to be the ordinance of God. 8. That which +God condemns in his word, cannot be owned; but dominion by the sword God +condemns in his word, Ezek. xxxii. 26. "Ye stand upon the sword,----and +shall possess the land," Amos vi. 13. "Ye rejoice in a thing of naught, +which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?" Habbak. +ii. 5, 6.----"Wo to him that encreaseth that which is not his, how +long," &c. 9. We have many examples of invading conquerors; as Abraham, +for the rescue of Lot, pursued the conquering kings unto Dan, Gen. iv. +4. "Jonathan smote a garrison of the conquering Philistines," 1 Sam. +xiii. 3. The Lord owning and authorising them so to do. The people did +often shake off the yoke of their conquerors in the history of the +judges: but this they might not do to their lawful rulers. What is +objected from the Lord's people conquering Canaan, &c. is no argument +for conquest: for he, to whom belongs the earth and its fulness, +disponed to Israel the land of Canaan for their inheritance, and +ordained that they should get the possession thereof by conquest; it +followeth not therefore, that kings now, wanting any word of promise, or +divine grant to any lands, may ascend to the thrones of other kingdoms +than their own, by no better title than the bloody sword. See Lex Rex, +quest. 12. The third pretence of hereditary succession remains to be +removed; which may be thus disproven, 1. This classes with the former, +though commonly asserted by royalists. + +For either conquest gives a right, or it does not; if it does, then it +looses all allegiance to the heirs of the crown dispossessed thereby: if +it does not give a right, then no hereditary succession founded upon +conquest can have any right, being founded upon that which hath no +right: and this will shake the most part of hereditary successions that +are now in the world. 2. If hereditary succession have no right but the +people's consent; then of itself it can give none to a man that hath not +that consent; but the former is true. For, it is demanded, how doth the +son or brother succeed? By what right? It must either be by divine +promise; or by the father's will, or it must come by propagation from +the first ruler, by a right of the primogeniture; but none of these can +be. For the first, we have no immediate divine constitution tying the +crown to such a race, as in David's covenant: it will easily be granted, +they fetched not their charter from heaven immediately, as David had it, +a man of many peculiar prerogatives, to whose line the promise was +astricted of the coming of the Messias, and Jacob's prophecy that the +sceptre should not depart from Judah until his coming, Gen. xlix. 10. +was restricted to his family afterwards: wherefore he could say, The +Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father, to be +king over Israel for ever; for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and +of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my +father, he liked me to make me king over Israel; and of all my sons he +hath chosen Solomon, 1 Chron. xxviii. 4, 5. All kings cannot say this; +neither could Saul say it, tho' immediately called of God as well as +David: yet this same promise to David was conditional, if his children +should keep the Lord's ways, 2 Chron. vi. 16. Next, it cannot be said +this comes from the will of the father; for according to the scripture, +no king can make a king, though a king may appoint and design his son +for his successor, as David did Solomon, but the people make him. The +father is some way a cause why his son succeedeth, but he is not the +cause of the royalty conferred upon him by line: for the question will +recur, who made him a king, and his father, and grandfather, till we +come up to the first father? Then, who made him a king? Not himself; +therefore it must be resounded upon the people's choice and +constitution: and who appointed the lineal succession, and tied the +crown to the line, but they? It is then, at the best, the patrimony of +the people, by the fundamental law of the kingdom, conferred upon the +successor by consent. + +And generally it is granted, even where the succession is lineal, he +that comes to inherit, he does not succeed by heritage, but by the force +of law; the son then hath not his kingdom from his father, but by law, +which the people made and stand to, as long as it may consist with the +reasons of public advantage, upon which they condescended to establish +such a family over them. Neither can it be said, it is by a right of +primogeniture, propagated from the first ruler; for this must either be +Adam the first of the world or Fergus for example, the first of this +kingdom. It could not come from Adam as a monarch and father of all: for +that behoved to be, either by order of nature, or his voluntary +assignment: it could not be transferred by order of nature; for besides +the difficulty to find out Adam's successor in the universal monarchy, +and the absurdity of fixing it on Cain, (who was a cursed vagabond, +afraid of every man and could not be an universal monarch, yet Adam's +first born.) It will be asked, how this passed from him unto others? +Whether it went by fatherhood to all the sons, fathers to their +posterity? Which would multiply as many commonwealths, as there have +been fathers since: or if it went, by primogeniture, only to the +first-born, that he alone could claim the power which would infer the +necessity of an universal monarchy, without multiplication of +commonwealths. + +If it was by his voluntary assignment, to whom, and in what proportion, +he pleased; then the universal monarchy died with himself, and so could +not be conveyed at all: for, either he behoved to give each son a share, +to be conveyed downwards to their children in that proportion; or whole +and solid to one: so also the former dilemma recurs, for if the first be +said, it will make as many little kingdoms as there have been sons of +Adam; if the second, the world should be but still one kingdom. But +however it be, this could never be the way that God appointed, either +for raising a magistratical power where it is wanting, or deriving a +right to any in being; considering the multiplication, division, +confusion, and extinction of families that have been. If it be from +Fergus the first of his line; then either it comes from him as a king, +or as a father: not the first, for the reason above hinted: nor as a +father; for a father may defraud his son of the heritage, a king cannot +divide the kingdom among his sons; it must then be length refounded on +the peoples consent. 3. If even where lineal succession is constituted +by law, for eviting the inconveniencies of frequent elections, people +are not tied to admit every first born of that line; then that +birth-right, where there is no more, cannot make a king; but the former +is true; for they are tied only conditionally, so he be qualified, and +have a head to sit at the helm, and not a fool or monster; neither are +they free to admit murderers or idolaters by the laws of God, and of +the land: it is not birth then, but their admission being so qualified, +that makes kings. Hence, 4. That which takes away the peoples +birth-right, given them of God to provide for their liberties in the +fittest government, and that is not to be owned; but to make birth alone +a title to the crown, takes away the peoples birth-right given them of +God of providing for their liberties in the fittest government, fetters +their choice to one destructive to these. Certainly where God hath not +bound the conscience, men may not bind themselves nor their posterity; +but God hath never fettered men to a choice of a government or governing +line; which, contrary to the intention of the oath, may prove +destructive to the ends thereof. Nor can the fathers leave in legacy, by +oath, any chains to fetter the after wits of posterity to a choice +destructive to religion and liberty. Israel was bound, by covenant, not +to destroy the Gibeonites; but if they had risen to cut off Israel, Who +can doubt but they were loosed from that obligation? For to preserve +cut-throats was contrary to the intention of the oath: so when either +monarchy, or the succeeding monarch, proves destructive to the ends of +government, the choice, law, or oath of our fathers, cannot bind us. 5. +If we are tied to the hereditary succession, not for the right the +successor hath by birth, but for our covenanted allegiance to them whose +successor he is; then cannot his birth-right be the ground of our +allegiance, and consequently hereditary succession cannot make a king; +but the former is true; for in hereditary crowns, the first family being +chosen by the suffrages of the people, for that cause the hereditary +successor hath no privilege or prerogative, but from him who was chosen +king: therefore the obligation to the son, being no greater than the +obligation to the father, which is the ground of that, if the father +then was owned only because he was chosen, and qualified for government, +the son cannot be owned for any other cause, but as chosen in him, and +also qualified and admitted with consent. We cannot choose the father as +qualified, and tie ourselves to the successors, be what they will. 6. If +a king be not born heir of a kingdom, then is he not king by birth; but +he is not born heir of a kingdom; for, a mean cannot be born to inherit +the end, the king is but a mean for the kingdom's preservation. If the +kingdom be his, by birth, as an inheritance, why may he not upon +necessary occasions sell his inheritance? But if he sell it, then all +confess he is no more king. 7. If that which makes a king cannot be +transmitted from father to son; then succession, by birth, cannot make a +king; but the former is true. The royal faculty of governing cannot be +transmitted: Solomon asked it from God, he had it not from his father: +nor can he be born to the honour of a king, because not born with either +the gift or honour to be a judge. God maketh high and low, not birth. +Nor can the call and constitution of a king, according to the will of +God, be transferred from father to son, for that cannot be in God's way +without the intervening consent of the people, that cannot make him a +born king. 8. If no dominion can come by nature, as is proven before, +then can no man be a born king: nature and birth cannot give them a +sceptre in their hand, nor kingly majesty, they must have that alone +from God and the people, and may only expect honour from their own good +government: kings (as Plutarch says) must be like dogs that are best +hunters, not these who are born of best dogs. 9. The peculiar +prerogative of Jesus Christ must not be ascribed to any other; but this +is his peculiar prerogative, to be born a king, of whom it might be +truly said, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? And for this end +was he born, who came out of the womb with a crown on his head, which no +creature can bear. 10. In scripture we find that a king was to be so and +so qualified, not a stranger, but a reader of God's word, &c. Deut. +xvii. 15, &c. he was not qualified by naked birth. Hence, if all the +qualifications requisite in an heir cannot make a king qualified +according to the institution of God, then his being heir cannot make him +king: but the first is true, an heir may be an heir without these +qualifications. 11. We find in the scripture, the people were to make +the kings by that law, Deut. xvii. 15. Thou shalt choose him whom the +Lord chooseth: yea, neither Saul nor David were kings, till the people +met to make them: therefore birth never made them kings, even though the +kingdom was tied to David's line. That was only a typical designment by +special promise, because Christ was to come of that line; it was +therefore established in David's 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 Jacob was +preferred before Esau, Judah before all the elder sons of Jacob, Ephraim +before Manasseh, Solomon before Adonijah. Hence if this gentleman, now +regnant, have no better pretences than these now confuted, we cannot +recognize his right to reign; yea, though this last were valid, yet he +cannot plead it, it being expresly provided in our laws against the +succession of a papist. But there is one grand objection against all +this. The Jews and other nations are commanded to bring their necks +under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and to serve him, and yet he had +no other right to these kingdoms; than the Lord's providential disposal, +because the Lord had "given all these lands into his hand," Jer. xxvii. +6, 7, 12. Ans. 1. He was indeed an unjust usurper, and had no right but +the Lord's providential gift; which sometimes makes "the tabernacles of +robbers prosper, into whose hand God bringeth abundantly, Job xii. 6. +And gives Jacob sometimes for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers, Isa. +xlii. 24. And giveth power to the beast to continue forty and two +months, and to have power over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations," +Rev. xiii. 5, 7. His tyranny also was very great extensively, in respect +of his oppressions and usurpations by conquest; but it was not so great +intensively, as our robbers and spoilers may be charged with; he was +never such a perverter of all the ends of government, nor a treacherous +overturner of all conditions, he was never a persecutor of the Jewish +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 and +wisdom, in which respect alone he is called his servant, as elsewhere +his rod and hammer, having given him a charge against an hypocritical +nation, to trample them down in his holy providence; and accordingly +there was no resistance 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 owning was exacted either +of the equity of that power, or of fealty 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 parallel, 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 +threatnings for the conquest of England and all Britain; were the people +of England bound to surrender themselves as servants and 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 Babylon, were not delivered, until after +the king of Judah had surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar, and entred into +covenant with him to be subject to him, 2 Kings xxiv. 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. +xviii. 14, 15, 18, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13. Then the commandment came, that +they should disown their own king Zedekiah, now forfeiting his right by +breach of covenant, and be subject to Nebuchadnezzar, whence I argue, if +people are commanded to disown their covenant-breaking rulers, and +subject themselves to conquerors, then I have all I plead for; but the +former is true, by the truth of this objection: therefore also the +latter. There is a 2d Objection from Rom xiii. 1. "Let every soul be +subject to the higher powers, the powers that be are ordained of God;" +yet the Roman emperor, to which they were to be subject, was an usurper. +Ans. It cannot be proven, that the apostle intendeth here the Roman +emperor as the higher power: there were at this time several +competitions for the empire, about which Christians might have their own +scruples whom to own; the apostle does not determine their litigations, +nor interest himself in parties but gives the general standard of God's +ordinance they had to go by. And the best expositors of the place do +alledge, the question and 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 obey the ordinance of magistracy, conform to its +original, and as it respects the end for which he had and 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 usurped, there being then a supreme +Senate, which was a lawful power; nor that Nero was then an usurper, who +came in by choice and 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 merely by his providential +disposal, and of conscientious subjection to magistracy, not to tyranny, +describing and characterizing the powers there, by such qualifications +as tyrants and 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, flows the magistratical relation, which +is necessary to have a bottom, before we can build the relative duties +thereon. This brings it under the fifth commandment, which is the rule +of all relative duties between inferiors and superiors, 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 and rebelling against fathers, +magistrates, &c. but also by performing them to contrary objects, as by +giving the father's due to the father's opposite, and the magistrates +due to tyrants who are their opposites. Certainly this command, +prescribing honour, does 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 Lord's "holy hill," Psal. xv. 4. +"In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that +fear the Lord." So that we sin against the fifth command, when we honour +them that we are obliged to contemn by another command. Hence I argue, +if owning or honouring of tyrants be a breach of the fifth command, then +we cannot own their authority: but the former is true: therefore the +latter. I prove the assumption: a honouring the vile, to whom no honour +is due, and who stand under no relation of fathers as fathers, is a +breach of the fifth command; but the owning of tyrants authority is a +honouring the vile, to whom no honour is due, and who stand under no +relation of fathers, and is yet a honouring them as fathers: therefore +the owning of tyrants authority is a breach of the fifth command. The +major is clear: for if the honouring of these to whom no honour is due, +were not a breach of the fifth command, that precept could neither be +kept at all or broken at all. It could not be kept at all; for, either +it must oblige us to honour all indefinitely, as fathers, and other +relations, which cannot be; or else it must leave us still in suspense +and ignorance, who shall be the object of our honour; and then it can +never be kept: or finally, it must astrict our honouring to such +definite relations, to whom it is due; and then our transgression of +that restriction shall be a breach of it. Next, if it were not so, it +could not be broken at all: for if prostituting and abusing honour be +not a sin, we cannot sin in the matter of honour at all; for if the +abuse of honour be not a sin, then dishonour also is not a sin: for that +is but an abuse of the duty, which is a sin as well as the omission of +it. And what should make the taking away of honour from the proper +object to be sin, and the giving it to a wrong object to be no sin? +Moreover, if this command do not restrict honour to the proper object, +we shall never know who is the object. How shall we know who is our +father, or what we owe to him, if we may give another his due? The minor +also is manifest: for if tyrants be vile, then no honour is due to them, +according to that, Psal. xv. 4. and yet it is a honouring them as +fathers; if they be owned as magistrates; for magistrates are in a +politic sense fathers; but certain it is, that tyrants are vile, as the +epithets and characters they get in scripture prove. But because, in +contradiction to this, it may be said, though fathers be never so +wicked, yet they are to be honoured, because they are still fathers; and +though matters be never so vile and froward, yet they are to be +subjected unto, 1 Pet. ii. 18-20. and so of other relations, to whom +honour is due by this command; therefore though tyrants be never so +vile, they are to be owned under these relations, because they are the +higher powers in place of eminency, to whom the apostle Paul commands to +yield subjection, Rom. xiii. and Peter to give submission and honour, 1 +Pet. ii. 13, 17. Therefore it must be considered, that as the relative +duty of honouring the relations to whom it is due, must not interfere +with the moral duty of contemning the vile, who are not under these +relations; so this general moral of contemning the vile, must not +cassate the obligation of relative duties, but must be understood with a +consistency therewith, without any prejudice to the duty itself. We must +contemn all the vile, that are not under a relation to be honoured, and +these also that are in that relation, in so far as they are vile. But +now tyrants do not come under these relations at all, that are to be +honoured by this command. As for the higher powers that Paul speaks of, +Rom. xiii. they are not those which are higher in force, but higher in +power, not in authority, but in power, not in a celsitude of prevalency, +but in a pre-excellency of dignity; not in the pomp and pride of their +posterity, and possession of the place, but by the virtue and value of +their office, being ordained of God not to be resisted, the ministers of +God for good, terrors to evil doers, to whom honour is due; those are +not tyrants but magistrates. Hence it is a word of the same root which +is rendered authority, or an authorized power, 1 Tim. ii. 2. and from +the same word also comes that supreme, to whom Peter commands subjection +and honour, 1 Pet. ii. 13. Now these he speaks of have the legal +constitution of the people, being the ordinance of man, to be subjected +to for the Lord's sake, and who sends other inferior magistrates for +the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well, +who are to be honoured as kings or lawful magistrates; this cannot be +said of tyrants. But more particularly, to evince that tyrants and +usurpers are not to be honoured according to this command, and that it +is a breach of it so to do; let us go through all these relations of +superiority, that come under the obligation of this command, and we +shall find tyrants and usurpers excluded out of all. First, They cannot +come under the parental relation: we are indeed to esteem kings as +fathers, though not properly, but by way of some analogy, because it is +their office to care for the people, and to be their counsellors, and to +defend them, as fathers do for children: but roaring lions and ranging +bears, as wicked rulers are, Prov. xxviii. 15. cannot be fathers. But +kings cannot properly be owned under this relation, far less tyrants +(with whom the analogy of fathers cannot consist) there being so many +notable disparities betwixt kings and fathers. 1. A father may be a +father to one child; but a king cannot be a king or politic father to +one only, but his correlate must be a community; a tyrant can be a +father to none at all in a politic sense. 2. A father is a father by +generation to all coming out of his loins; a king not so, he doth not +beget them, nor doth their relation flow from that; a tyrant is a +destroyer, not a pro-creator of people. 3. A father is the cause of the +natural being of his children, a king only of the politic well being of +his subjects; but tyrants are the cause of the ill being of both. 4. A +father, once a father, as long as his children live, retains still the +relation, though he turn mad and never so wicked; a king turning mad may +be served as Nebuchadnezzar was, at least all will grant in some cases +the subjects may shake off the king; and if in any case, it is when he +turns tyrant. 5. A father's relation never ceases, whithersoever his +children go; but subjects may change their relation to a king, by coming +under another king in another kingdom; a tyrant will force all lovers +of freedom to leave the kingdom where he domineers. 6. A father's +relation never changes, he can neither change his children, nor they +change their father; but a king may naturalize new subjects, and +subjects may also change their sovereign. Royalists will grant a state +or commonwealth may make a king, and there is great reason sometimes +that a monarchy be turned into a commonwealth; but a tyrant changes +those that are under him, expels the natives, brings in foreigners, and +all good patriots do pant for a change of him every day. 7. A father +hath no power of life and death over his children; a king hath it over +his subjects according to law; a tyrant usurps it over the innocent +against law. 8. A father is not a father by consent of his children; as +a king is by consent of his subjects; a tyrant is neither a father with +it nor without it. 9. A father is not made by the children, as a king is +by his subjects, as was shewed: a tyrant is neither a natural, nor by +compact, but a self created power. 10. A father is not chosen +conditionally upon compact, as a king is by the free suffrages of the +community; a tyrant in this differs from a king that he is not chosen, +and in tyranny from a father. 11. Children wanting a father cannot +choose whom they will to be their father; as subjects wanting a king may +choose whom they will, and what form they please; but though they can, +yet if they be rational, they will never choose a tyrant, nor a +tyrannical form of government. 12. Children cannot restrict their +father's power to what degrees they please; as subjects may limit their +kings, at their first erection; but a tyrant, though he ought, yet he +will not be limited, and if he might, he should be restrained. 13. +Children cannot set bounds how long they will have their fathers to +continue; subjects may condescend upon the time, in making laws how long +such an one shall be their sovereign, during life, or while faultless, +according as the fundamental law is made at first; tyrants ought every +day to be repressed that they should not continue at all. Yet giving and +not granting, that a king were to be owned under the relation of a +father; though every man be bound to own and maintain his father's +parental authority, yet let the case be put, that the father turns a +robber, murderer, an avowed enemy to God and the country, is his person +and authority in that case to be owned, to the dishonour of God, and +hurt and hazard of the country? or ought he not rather to be delivered +up even by the son to justice? Much more then will it follow, that a +king who turns the more dangerous, because the more powerful robber, and +legal murderer, and enemy to God and the country, cannot be owned seeing +the relation between father and son is stronger and stricter as having +another original, than can be betwixt king and subjects, and stands +unremoved as long as he is father, though turning such, they ought to +contribute, (in moral duty, to which their relative duty must cede) that +he should no more be a father, nor no more a living man, when dead by +law. Secondly, They cannot come under the herile or masterly relation, +though analogically also sometimes they are stiled so, and subjects are +called servants, by reason of their subjection, and because it is the +office of kings to command, and subjects to obey, in this there is some +analogy. But kings cannot properly be owned under this relation, as +masters over either persons or goods of subjects, far less tyrants, yea +kings assuming a masterly power turn tyrants. Now that the magistratical +relation is not that of a master, is clear from many disparities and +absurdities, whether we consider the state of hired servants or slaves. +For hired servants, the difference is vast betwixt them and subjects. 1. +The hired servant gets reward for his service, by compact; the subjects +none, but rather gives the royal reward of tribute to the king for his +service; the tyrant exacts it to maintain his tyranny. 2. The hired +servant is maintained by his master; the subjects maintain the king; +the tyrant robs it from them by force. 3. The hired servant bargains +only for a time, and then may leave him; the subject cannot give up his +covenanted allegiance, at that rate and for these reasons as the servant +may his service; a tyrant will make nor keep no such bargain. 4. The +hired servant must have his master's profit mainly before his eyes, and +his own secondarily; but the magistrates power is primarily ordinated to +the public good of the community and only consequentially to the good of +himself. 5. The master hath a greater power over the hired servant, to +make and give out laws to him, which if they be lawful he must obey; +than the king hath over the nation, to which he is the sole lawgiver, as +is shewed. 6. The hired servant's subjection is mercenary and servile; +but the subject's subjection is civil, free, voluntary, liberal, and +loving to a lawful king. Again for slaves, the difference between them +and subjects is great. 1. Slavery, being against nature, rational people +would never choose that life, if they could help it; but they gladly +choose government and governors. 2. Slavery would make their condition +worse than when they had no government, for liberty is always +preferable; neither could people have acted rationally in setting up +government, if to be free of oppression of others they had given +themselves up to slavery, under a master who may do what he pleases with +them. 3. All slaves are either taken in war, or bought with money, or +born in the house where their parents were slaves, as Abraham and +Solomon had of that sort; but subjects are neither captives, nor bought, +nor born slaves.--4. Slavery is not natural, but a penal fruit of sin, +and would never have been if sin had not been; but government is not so, +but natural and necessary. 5. Slaves are not their master's brethren, +subjects are the king's brethren, "over whom he must not lift up +himself," Deut. xvii. 20. 6. Masters might purchase and sell their +slaves, Abimelech took sheep and men servants and gave them unto +Abraham, Gen. xx. 14. Jacob had maid-servants, and men-servants, and +asses, Gen. xxx. 43. no otherwise than other goods, Solomon got to +himself servants and maidens, and servants born in his house, Eccles. +ii. 7. a king cannot do so with his subjects. 7. Princes have not this +power to make the people slaves, neither from God, nor from the people: +from God they have none, but to feed and to lead them, 2 Sam. v. 2. to +rule them so as to feed them, 1 Chron. xi. 2. Psal. lxxviii, 71, 72. +From the people they have no power to make slaves, they can give none +such. 8. Slavery is a curse: it was Canaan's curse to be a servant of +servants, Gen. ix. 25. but to have magistrates is a promised blessing, +Jer. xvii. 25. 9. To be free of slavery is a blessing, as the redemption +from Egypt's bondage is every where called, and the year of redemption +was a jubilee of joy, so the freedom of release every seven years a +great privilege, Jer. xxxiv. 9. but to be free of government is a +judgment, Isa. iii. 4, 5. 'tis threatened, "Israel shall abide without a +king and without a prince;" Hos. iii. 4. In the next place, they cannot +be owned as masters or proprietors over the goods of the subjects; +though in the case of necessity, the king may make use of all goods in +common, for the good of the kingdom; for, 1. The introduction of kings +cannot overturn nature's foundation; by the law of nature property was +given to man, kings cannot rescind that. 2. A man had goods ere ever +there was a king; a king was made only to preserve property, therefore +he cannot take it away. 3. It cannot be supposed that rational people +would choose a king at all, if he had power to turn a great robber to +preserve them from lesser robberies and oppressions; would rational men +give up themselves for a prey to one, that they might be safe from +becoming a prey to others? 4. Then their case should be worse, by +erecting of government, if the prince were proprietor of their goods, +for they had the property themselves before. 5. Then government should +not be a blessing, but a curse, and the magistrate could not be a +minister for good. 6. Kingdoms then should be among the goods of +fortune, which the king might sell and dispone as he pleased. 7. His +place then should not be a function, but a possession. 8. People could +not then, by their removes, or otherwise, change their sovereigns. 9. +Then no man might dispose of his own goods without the king's consent, +by buying or selling, or giving alms; nay, nor pay tribute, for they +cannot do these things except they have of their own. 10. This is the +very character of a tyrant, as described, 1 Sam. viii. 11. "He will take +your sons," Zeph. iii. 3. "Her princes are roaring lions, her judges are +evening wolves." 11. All the threatnings and rebukes of oppression +condemn this, Isa. iii. 14, 15, Ezek. xlv. 9. Mic. iii. 2, 3. Ahab +condemned for taking Naboth's vineyard. 12. Pharaoh had not all the land +of Egypt, till he bought it, Gen. xlii. 20. So the land became Pharaoh's +not otherwise. Yet giving, and not granting that he were really a master +in all these respects; notwithstanding if he turn to pursue me for my +life, because of my fidelity to my master and his both, and will +withdraw me from the service of the supreme universal master, I may +lawfully withdraw myself from his, and disown him for one, when I cannot +serve two masters. Sure he cannot be master of the conscience. Thirdly, +they cannot come under the conjugal relation, though there may be some +proportion between that and subjection to a lawful ruler, because of the +mutual covenant transacted betwixt them; but the tyrant and usurper +cannot pretend to this, who refuse all covenants. + +Yet hence it cannot be inferred, that because the wife may not put away +her husband, or renounce him, as he may do her in the case of adultery; +therefore the people cannot disown the king in the case of the +violation of the royal covenant. For the king's power is not at all +properly a husband's power, 1. The wife, by nature, is the weaker +vessel, but the kingdom is not weaker than the king. 2. The wife is +given as an help to the man; but here the man is given as an help to the +common-wealth. 3. The wife cannot limit the husband's power; as subjects +may limit their sovereigns. 4. The wife cannot prescribe the time of her +continuing under him; as subjects may do with their sovereigns. 5. The +wife cannot change her husband; as a kingdom can do their government. 6. +The husband hath not power of life and death; but the sovereign hath it +over malefactors. Yet giving, and not granting, his power were properly +marital: if the case be put, that the man do habitually break the +marriage-covenant, or take another wife, and turn also cruel and +intolerable in compelling his own wife to wickedness; and put the case +also, that she should not get a legal divorce procured, who can doubt +but she can disown him, and leave him? For this case is excepted out of +that command, 1 Cor. vii. 10. Let not the wife depart from her husband, +meaning for mere difference in religion, or other lesser causes; but +adultery doth annul the marriage relation. See Pool's Synopsis critic, +in locum. So when a prince breaks the royal covenant and turns tyrant, +or without any covenant commits a rape upon the common-wealth, that +pretended relation may and must be disowned. Hence, we see, there is no +relation can bring a king or ruler under the object of the duty of the +fifth command, except it be that of a fiduciary patron, or trustee, and +public servant: for we cannot own him properly either to be a father, or +a master, or a husband. Therefore what can remain, but that he must be a +fiduciary servant? Wherefore if he shall either treacherously break his +trust, or presumptuously refuse to be entrusted, upon terms and +conditions to secure and be accountable for, (before God and man) +religion and liberty, we cannot own his usurped authority. That +metaphor which the learned Buchanan uses, de jure regni, of a public and +politic physician, is not a relation different from this of a fiduciary +servant; when he elegantly represents him as entrusted with the +preservation and restoration of the health of the politic body, and +endowed with skill and experience of the laws of his craft. If then he +be orderly called unto this charge, and qualified for it, and discharges +his duty faithfully, he deserves, and we are obliged to give him the +deference of an honoured physician; but if he abuse his calling, and not +observe the rules thereof, and instead of curing, go about wilfully to +kill the body he is entrusted with, he is no more to be owned for a +physician: but for a murderer. + +9. If we enquire further into the nature of this relation between a +king, (whose authority is to be owned) and his subjects; we can own it +only as it is reciprocal in respect of superiority and inferiority; that +is, whereby in some respects the king is superior to the people, and in +some respects the people is inferior to him. The king is superior and +supreme as he is called, 1 Pet. ii. 13. In respect of formal +sovereignty, and executive authority, and majestic royal dignity, +resulting from the peoples devolving upon him that power, and +constituting him in that relation over themselves, whereby he is higher +in place and power than they, and in respect of his charge and conduct +is worth ten thousands of the people, 2 Sam. xviii. 3. and there is no +formally regal tribunal higher than his; and though he be lesser than +the whole community, yet he is greater than any one, or all the people +distributively taken; and though he be a royal vassal of the kingdom, +and princely servant of the people; yet he is not their deputy, because +he is really their sovereign, to whom they have made over their power of +governing and protecting themselves irrevocably, except in the case of +tyranny; and in acts of justice, he is not accountable to any, and does +not depend on the people as a deputy. + +But, on the other hand, the people is superior to the king, in respect +of their fountain power of sovereignty, that remains radically and +virtually in them, in that they make him their royal servant, and him +rather than another, and limit him to the laws for their own good and +advantage, and though they give to him a politic power for their own +safety; yet they keep a natural power which they cannot retract, the +power of justice to govern righteously, yet it is not so irrevocably +given away to him, but that when he abuseth his power to the destruction +of his subjects, they may wrest a sword out of a mad man's hand, though +it be his own sword, and he hath a just power to use it for good, but +all fiduciary power abused may be repealed. They have not indeed +sovereignty, or power of life and death formally; yet, in respect, they +may constitute a magistrate with laws, which if they violate they must +be in hazard of their lives, they have this power eminently and +virtually. Hence, in respect, that the king's power is, and can be only +fiducial, by way of trust reposed upon him, he is not so superior to the +people, but he may and ought to be accountable to them in case of +tyranny; which is evident from what is said, and now I intend to make it +further appear. But, first, I form the argument thus; we can own no king +that is not accountable to the people: ergo, we cannot own this king. To +clear the connexion of the antecedent and consequent, I add; either he +is accountable to the people, or he is not: if he be accountable to all, +then he is renouncible by a part, when the community is defective as to +their part, it is the interest of a part, that would, but cannot, do +their duty, to give no account to such as they can get no account from +for his maleversations. This is all we crave: if he be not accountable, +then we cannot own him, because all kings are accountable: for these +reasons, 1. The inferior is accountable to the superior; the king is +inferior, the people superior: ergo, the king is accountable to the +people. The proposition is plain; if the king's superiority make the +people accountable to him in case of transgressing the laws; then, why +should not the peoples superiority make the king accountable to them, in +case of transgressing the laws? Especially, seeing the king is inferior +to the laws: because the law restrains him, and from the law he hath +that whereby he is king; the law is inferior to the people, because they +are as it were its parent, and may make or unmake it upon occasion: and +seeing the law is more powerful than the king, and the people more +powerful than the law, we may see before which we may call the king to +answer in judgment, Buchan. jure regni apud Scot. That the king is +inferior to the people is clear on many accounts: for these things which +are institute for others sake, are inferior to those for whose sake they +are required or sought; a horse is inferior to them that use him for +victory; a king is only a mean for the peoples good; a captain is less +than the army, a king is put a captain over the Lord's inheritance, 1 +Sam. x. 1. He is but the minister of God for their good, Rom. xiii. 4. +Those who are before the king, and may be a people without him: let the +king be considered either materially as a mortal man, he is then but a +part inferior to the whole; or formally under the reduplication as a +king, he is no more but a royal servant, obliged to spend his life for +the people, to save them out of the hand of their enemies, 2 Sam. xix. +9: A part is inferior to the whole, the king is but a part of the +kingdom: a gift is inferior to them to whom it is given, a king is but a +gift given of God for the peoples good: that which is mortal, and but +accidental, is inferior to that which is eternal, and cannot perish +politically; a king is but mortal, and it is accidental to government +that there be a succession of kings; but the people is eternal, one +generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, Eccl. i. 4. +especially the people of God, the portion of the Lord's inheritance, is +superior to any king, and their ruin of greater moment than all the +kings of the world; for, if the Lord for their sake smite great kings, +and slay famous kings, as Sihon and Og, Psal. cxxxvi. 17,--20. if he +give kings and famous kingdoms for their ransom, Isa. xliii. 3, 4. then +his people must be so much superior than kings, by how much his justice +is active to destroy the one, and his mercy to save the other. All this +proves the people to be superior in dignity; and therefore, even in that +respect, it is frivolous to say, the king cannot be accountable to them, +because so much superior in glory and pomp; for they are superior every +way in excellency; and though it were not so, yet judges may be inferior +in rank considered as men, but they are superior in law over the +greatest as they are judges, to whom far greater than they are +accountable. + +The low and mean condition of them to whom belongs the power of +judgment, does not diminish its dignity; when the king then is judged by +the people, the judgment is of as great dignity as if it were done by a +superior king; for the judgment is the sentence of the law. 2. They are +superior in power: because every constituent cause is superior to the +effect, the people is the constituent cause, the king is the effect, and +hath all its royalty from them, by the conveyance God hath appointed; so +that they need not fetch it from heaven, God gives it by the people, by +whom also his power is limited, and, if need be, diminished from what +they gave his ancestors: hence, if the people constitute and limit the +power they give the king, then they may call him to an account, and +judge him for the abuse of it; but the first is true, as is proven +above: ergo.----The major is undeniable, for sure they may judge their +own creature, and call him to an account for the power they gave him, +when he abuses it, though there be no tribunal formally regal above +him, yet, in the case of tyranny, and violating his trust, there is a +tribunal virtual eminently above him, in them that made him, and reposed +that trust upon him, as is said. 3. The fountain power is superior to +the power derived: the people, though they constitute a king above them, +yet retain the fountain power, he only hath the derived power: certainly +the people must retain more power eminently, than they could give to the +king, for they gave it, and he receives it with limitations; if he turn +mad or incapable, they may put curators or tutors over him; if he be +taken captive, they may appoint another to exercise the power; if he +die, then they may constitute another, with more or less power; so then +if they give away all their power, as a slave selleth his liberty, and +retain no fountain power or radical right, they could not make use of it +to produce any of these acts: they set a king above them only with an +executive power for their good, but the radical power remains in the +people, as in an immortal spring, which they communicate by succession +to this or that mortal man, in the manner and measure they think +expedient; for otherwise, if they gave all their power away, what shall +they reserve to make a new king, if this man die? What if the royal line +surcease, there be no prophets now sent to make kings; and if they have +power in these cases, why not in the case of tyranny? 4. If the king be +accountable by law, for any act of tyranny done against one man, then +much more is he accountable for many against the whole state: but the +former is true; a private man may go to law before the ordinary judges, +for wronging his inheritance, and the king is made accountable for the +wrong done by him. Now, shall the laws be like spiders webs, which hold +flies, but let bigger beasts pass through? Shall sentence be past for +petty wrongs against a man, and none for tyrannizing over religion, +laws, and liberties of the kingdom? Shall none be past against +parricide or fratricide, for killing his brother, murdering the nobles, +and burning cities? Shall petty thieves be hanged for stealing a sheep; +and does the laws of God or man give impunity for robbing a whole +country of the nearest and dearest interests they have, to crowned +heads, for the fancied character of royalty, which thereby is forfeited? +5. If there be judges appointed of God independently, to give out and +execute the judgment of the Lord on all offenders, without exception of +the highest; then the king also must be subject to that judgment; but +there are judges appointed of God independently, to give out and execute +the judgment of the Lord on all offenders, without exception of the +highest. Two things must be here proved; first, that in giving judgment +they do not depend on the king, but are the immediate vicars of God. +Secondly, that the king is not excepted from, but subject to their +judgment, in case he be criminal. + +First, They cannot depend upon the king, because they are more necessary +than the king; and it is not left to the king's pleasure whether there +be judges or not. There may be judges without a king, but there can be +no king without judges, nor no justice, but confusion; no man can bear +the people's burden alone, Numb. xi. 14, 17. If they depended on the +king, their power would die with the king; the streams must dry up the +fountain; but that cannot be, for they are not the ministers of the +king, but of the kingdom, whose honour and promotion, though by the +king's external call, yet comes from God, as all honour and promotion +does, Psal. lxxv. 7. The king cannot make judges whom he will, by his +absolute power, he must be tied to that law, Deut. i. 13. To take wise +men and understanding, and known: neither can he make them during +pleasure; for if these qualifications remain, there is no allowance +given for their removal. They are gods, and the children of the most +high, appointed to defend the poor and fatherless, as well as he, Psal. +lxxxii. 3, 6. They are ordained of God for the punishment of evil doers, +in which they must not be resisted, as well as he, Rom. xiii. 1, 2. By +me (saith the Lord) rule--all the judges of the earth, Prov. viii. 16. +To them we must be subject for conscience sake, as being the ministers +of God for good; they must be obeyed for the Lord's sake, as well as the +king; though they are sent of him, yet they judge not for man, but for +the Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 6. hence they sit in his room, and are to act as +if he were on the bench; the king cannot say, the judgment is mine, +because it is the Lord's; neither can he limit their sentence (as he +might, if they were nothing but his deputies) because the judgment is +not his: nor are their consciences subordinate to him, but to the Lord +immediately; otherwise if they were his deputies, depending on him, then +they could neither be admonished, nor condemned for unjust judgment, +because their sentence should neither be righteous nor unrighteous, but +as the king makes it; and all directions to them were capable of this +exception, do not so or so, except the king command you; crush not the +poor, oppress not the fatherless, except the king command you; yea, then +they could not execute any judgment, but with the king's licence, and so +could not be rebuked for their not executing judgment. + +Now all this is contrary to scripture, which makes the sentence of the +judges undeclinable, when just, Deut. xvii. 11. The Lord's indignation +is kindled, when he "looks for judgment, and behold oppression, for +righteousness, and behold a cry," Isa. v. 7. Neither will it excuse the +judges to say, the king would have it so; for even they that are +subservient to "write grievousness, to turn aside the needy from +judgment," &c. are under the wo, as well as they that prescribe it, Isa. +x. 1, 2. The Lord is displeased when "judgment is turned away backward, +and judgment stands afar off,"----and when there is no judgment, +whatever be the cause of it, Isa. lix. 14, 15. The Lord threatens he +will be "avenged on the nation," when a man is "not found to execute +judgment," Jer. v. 1, 9. And promises, if they "will execute judgment and +righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the +oppressor," he will give them righteous magistrates, Jer. xxii. 3, 4. +but if they do not, he will send desolation, ibid. He rebukes those that +"turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth," +Amos v. 7. He resents it, when "the law is slacked, and judgment doth +not go forth" freely, without overawing or over-ruling restraint, Hab. +i. 4. + +Can these scriptures consist with the judges dependence on the king's +pleasure, in the exercise and execution of their power? therefore, if +they would avoid the Lord's displeasure, they are to give judgment, +though the king should countermand it. Secondly, That the king is not +excepted from their judgment, is also evident from the general commands, +Gen. ix. 6. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be +shed:" there is no exception of kings or dukes here: and we must not +distinguish where the law distinguisheth not, Numb. xxxv. 30, 31. Whoso +killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of +witnesses,--ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer +which is guilty of death, but he shall be surely put to death. What +should hinder then justice to be awarded upon a murdering king? Shall it +be for want of witnesses? It will be easy to adduce thousands. Or, shall +this be satisfaction for his life, that he is a crowned king? The law +saith, there shall be no satisfaction taken. The Lord speaketh to under +judges, Levit. xix. 5. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, thou +shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the +mighty. If kings be not among the mighty, how shall they be classed? +Deut. i. 17. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but you shall +hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid of the face +of man, for the judgment is God's. If then no man's face can outdare the +law and judgment of God, then the king's majestic face must not do it; +but as to the demerit of blood, he must be subject as well as another. +It is no argument to say, the Sanhedrim did not punish David for his +murder and adultery; therefore it is not lawful to punish a king for the +same; a reason from not doing is not relevant. David did not punish Joab +for his murder, but authorized it, as also he did Bathsheba's adultery; +will that prove, that murders connived at, or commanded by the king, +shall not be punished? Or that whores of state are not to be called to +an account? Neither will it prove, that a murdering king should not be +punished; that David was not punished, because he got both the sin +pardoned, and his life granted from the Lord, saying to him by the mouth +of the prophet Nathan, Thou shalt not die. But as for the demerit of +that fact, he himself pronounced the sentence out of his own mouth, 2 +Sam. xii. 15. "As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing +shall surely die." 'So every king condemned by the law, is condemned by +his own mouth: for the law is the voice of the king. Why then do we so +much weary ourselves concerning a judge, seeing we have the king's own +confession, that is, the law?' Buchanan de jure regni. + +And there needs be no other difficulty to find a tribunal for a +murdering king, than to find one for a murderer; for a judgment must +acknowledge but one name, viz. of the crime. If a king then be guilty of +murder, he hath no more the name of a king, but of a murderer, when +brought to judgment; for he is not judged for kingship, but for his +murder; as when a gentleman is judged for robbery, he is not hanged, +neither is he spared, because he is a gentleman, but because he is a +robber. See Buchanan above. 6. If the people's representatives be +superior to the king in judgment, and may execute judgment without him, +and against his will, then they may also seek account of him; for if he +hath no power but from them, and no power without them to act as king, +(no more than the eye or hand hath power to act without the body) then +his power must be inferior, fiduciary, and accountable to them; but the +former is true, the peoples representatives are superior to the king in +judgment, and may execute judgment without him, and against his will. In +scripture we find the power of the elders and heads of the people was +very great, and in many cases superior to the king; which the learned +Dr. Owen demonstrates in his preliminary exercitations on the epistle to +the Hebrews, and proves out of the Rabbins, that the kings of the Jews +might have been called to an account, and punished for transgressing of +the law. But in the scripture we find, (1.) They had a power of judgment +with the supreme magistrate in matters of religion, justice and +government. Hamor and Shechem would not make a covenant with Jacob's +sons, without the consent of the men of the city, Gen. xxxiv. 20. David +behoved to consult with the captains of thousands, and every leader, if +it seemeth good to bring again the ark of God, 1 Chron. xiii. 1, 2, 3. +So also Solomon could not do it without them, 1 Kings viii. 1. Ahab +could not make peace with Benhadad against the consent of the people, 1 +Kings xx. 8. The men of Ephraim complain that Jephthah, the supreme +magistrate, had gone to war against the children of Ammon without them, +and threatned to burn his house with fire, which he only excuses by the +law of necessity, Judges xii. 1, 2, 3. The seventy elders are appointed +of God, not to be the advisers only and helpers of Moses, but to bear a +part of the burden of ruling and governing the people, that Moses might +be eased, Numb. xi. 14, 17. Moses upon his sole pleasure, had not power +to restrain them in the exercise of judgment given of God. + +They were not the magistrate's depending deputies, but in the act of +judging, they were independent, and their consciences as immediately +subjected to God as the superior magistrate, who was to add his +approbative suffrage to their actings, but not his directive nor +imperative suffrage of absolute pleasure, but only according to the law; +he might command them to do their duty, but he could do nothing without +them. (2.) They had power, not derived from the prince at all, even a +power of life and death. The rebellious son was to be brought to the +elders of the city, who had power to stone him, Deut. xxi. 18, 24. They +had power to punish adultery with death, Deut. xxii. 21. They had power +to cognosce whom to admit into, and whom to seclude from the cities of +refuge: so that if the king had commanded to take the life of an +innocent man, they were not to deliver him, Josh. xx. throughout. But +besides the elders of cities, there were the elders and heads of the +people, who had judicial power to cognosce on all criminal matters, even +when Joshua was judge in Israel we find they assumed this power, to +judge of that matter of the two tribes and the half, Josh. xxii. 30. And +they had power to make kings, as Saul and David, as was shewed: and it +must needs follow, they had power to unmake them in case of tyranny. +(3.) They had power to conveen, even without the indiction of the ruler, +as in that, Josh. xxii. They conveen without him; and without advice or +knowledge of Samuel, the ruler, they conveen to ask a king, 1 Sam. viii. +And without any head or superior, they conveen and make David king, +notwithstanding of Ishbosheth's hereditary right. Without and against +tyrannous Athaliah's consent, they conveen and make Joash king, and +cared not for her Treason, treason, 2 Kings xi. But now the king alone +challenges the prerogative power of calling and dissolving parliaments +as he pleases, and condemns all meetings of estates without his warrant, +which is purely tyrannical; for, in cases of necessity, by the very law +of nature, they may and must conveen. The power is given to the king +only by a positive law, for order's sake; but otherwise, they have an +intrinsical power to assemble themselves. All the forecited commands, +admonitions, and certifications, to execute judgment, must necessarily +involve and imply a power to conveen, without which they could not be in +a capacity for it: not only unjust judgment, but no judgment, in a time +when truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter, is charged +as the sin of the state; therefore they must conveen to prevent this +sin, and the wrath of God for it: God hath committed the keeping of the +commonwealth, not to the king's only, but also to the people's +representatives and heads. And if the king have power to break up all +conventions of this nature, then he hath power to hinder judgement to +proceed, which the Lord commands: and this would be an excuse, when God +threatens vengeance for it. We would not execute judgment, because the +king forbade us. Yet many of these forementioned reproofs, threatnings, +and certifications were given, in the time of tyrannous and idolatrous +kings, who, no doubt, would inhibit and discharge the doing of their +duty; yet we see that was no excuse, but the Lord denounces wrath for +the omission. (4.) They had power to execute judgment against the will +of the prince. Samuel killed Agag against Saul's will, but according to +the command of God, 1 Sam. xv. 32. Against Ahab's will and mind Elijah +caused kill the priests of Baal, according to God's express law, 1 Kings +xviii. 40. It is true it was extraordinary, but no otherwise than it is +this day; when there is no magistrate that will execute the judgment of +the Lord, then they who have power to make the magistrate, may and ought +to execute it, when wicked men make the law of God of none effect. So +the princes of Judah had power, against the king's will, to put Jeremiah +to death, which the king supposes, when he directs him what to say to +them, Jer. xxxviii. 25. They had really such a power, though in +Jeremiah's case it would have been wickedly perverted. See Lex Rex, q. +19, 20. (5.) They had a power to execute judgment upon the king himself, +as in the case of Amaziah and Uzziah, as shall be cleared afterwards. I +conclude with repeating the argument: if the king be accountable, +whensover this account shall be taken, we are confident our disowning +him for the present will be justified, and all will be obliged to +imitate it: if he be not, then we cannot own his authority, that so +presumptuously exalts himself above the people. + +10. If we will further consider the nature of magistracy, it will appear +what authority can conscientiously be owned, to wit, that which is +power, not authorised power, not might or force; moral power, not merely +natural. There is a great difference betwixt these two: natural power is +common to brutes, moral power is peculiar to men; natural power is more +in the subjects, because they have more strength and force; moral power +is in the magistrate, they can never meet adequately in the same +subject; natural power can, moral only may warrantably exercise rule; +natural power is opposed to impotency and weakness, moral to illicitness +or unlawfulness; natural power consists in strength, moral in +righteousness; natural power may be in a rout of rogues making an +uproar, moral only in the rulers; they cannot be distinguished by their +acts, but by the principle from which the acts proceed; in the one from +mere force, in the other from authority. The principle of natural power +is its own might and will, and the end only self; moral hath its rise +from positive constitution, and its end is public safety. The strength +of natural power lies in the sword, whereby its might gives law; the +strength of moral power is in its word, whereby reason gives law, unto +which the sword is added for punishment of contraveeners: natural power +takes the sword, Matth. xxvi. 52. Moral bears the sword, Rom. xiii. 4. +In natural power the sword is the cause; in moral it is only the +consequent of authority; in natural power the sword legitimates the +sceptre; in moral the sceptre legitimates the sword: the sword of the +natural is only backed with metal, the sword of the moral power is +backed with God's warrant: natural power involves men in passive +subjection, as a traveller is made to yield to a robber; moral power +reduces to conscientious subordination. Hence the power that is only +natural, not moral authority, not power, cannot be owned; but the power +of a tyrant's and usurper's is only natural, not moral, authority, not +power: Ergo it cannot be owned. The major cannot be denied; for it is +only the moral power that is ordained of God, unto which we must be +subject for conscience sake. The minor also; for the power of tyrants is +not moral, because not authorized, nor warranted, or ordained of God by +his preceptive ordinance, and therefore no lawful magistratical power. +For the clearer understanding of this, let it be observed, there are +four things required to the making of a moral or lawful power; the +matter of it must be lawful, the person lawful, the title lawful, and +the use lawful. 1. The matter of it, about which it is exerted, or the +work to be done by it, must be lawful and warranted by God: and if it be +unlawful it destroys its moral being. As the pope's power, in dispensing +with divine laws, is null and no moral power; and so also the king's +power, in dispensing with both divine and human laws is null. Hence that +power, which is, in regard of matter unlawful, and never warranted by +God, cannot be owned; but absolute power, which is the power of tyrants +and usurpers, (and particularly of this of ours) is in regard of matter +unlawful, and never warranted by God: Ergo--2. The person holding the +power must be such as not only is capable of, but competent to the +tenure of it, and to whom the holding of it is allowed; and if it be +prohibited, it evacuates the morality of the power. Korah and his +company arrogated to themselves the office of the priesthood, this power +was prohibited to them, their power then was a nullity. As therefore a +person that should not be a minister, when he usurps that office is no +minister; so a person that should not be a magistrate, when he usurps +that office, is no magistrate. Hence, a person that is incapable and +incompetent for government cannot be owned for a governor; but the duke +of York is such a person, not only not qualified as the word of God +requires a magistrate to be, but by the laws of the land declared +incapable of rule, because he is a papist, a murderer, an adulterer, &c. +5. There must be a moral power, a lawful title and investiture, as is +shewed above; which, if it be wanting, the power is null, and the person +but a scenical king, like John of Leyden. This is essentially necessary +to the being of a magistrate; which only properly distinguishes him from +a private man; for when a person becomes a magistrate, what is the +change that is wrought in him? what new habit or endowment is produced +in him? he hath no more natural power than he had before, only now he +hath the moral power, right and authority to rule, legally impowering +him to govern. Let it be considered, what makes a subordinate +magistrate, whom we own as such; it must be only his commission from a +superior power, otherwise we reject him; if one come to us of his own +head, taking upon him the stile and office of a bailiff, sheriff or +judge, and command our persons, demand our purses, or exact our oaths; +we think we may deny him, not taking ourselves to owe him any +subjection, not owning any bond of conscience to him; why? because he +hath no lawful commission. Now, if we require this qualification in the +subordinate, why not in the supreme? Hence, that magistrate, that cannot +produce his legal investiture, cannot be owned; but the duke of York +cannot produce his legal investiture, his admission to the crown upon +oath and compact, and with the consent of the subjects, according to the +laws of the land, as is shewed above: therefore----4. There must also be +the lawful use of the power; which must be not only legal for its +composure, but right for its practice; its course and process in +government must be just, governing according to law, otherwise it is +mere tyranny: for what is government, but the subjecting of the +community to the rule of governors, for peace and order's sake, and the +security of all their precious interests? and for what end was it +ordained, and continued among men, but that the stronger may not +domineer over the weaker? and what is anarchy, but the playing the rex +of the natural power over the moral? Hence, that power which is contrary +to law, evil and tyrannical, can tie none to subjection; but the power +of the king, abused to the destruction of laws, religion and liberties, +giving his power and strength unto the beast, and making war with the +Lamb, Rev. xvii. 13, 14. is a power contrary to law, evil and +tyrannical: therefore it can tie none to subjection: wickedness by no +imaginable reason can oblige any man. It is objected by some, from Rom. +xiii. 1. There is no power but of God; the usurping power is a power: +therefore it is of God, and consequently we owe subjection to it. Ans. +1. The original reading is not universal, but this: for there is no +power if not from God: which confirms what I plead for, that we are not +to own any authority, if it be not authorized by God. + +The words are only relative to higher powers, in a restricted sense and +at most are but indefinite, to be determined according to the matter; +not all power simply, but all lawful power. 2. It is a fallacy from what +is said according to a certain thing, there is no power but of God, that +is no moral power, as universal negatives use to be understood, Heb. v. +4. No man taketh his honour unto himself, but he that is called of God; +which is clear, must not be understood for the negation of the fact, as +if no man at all doth or ever did take unto himself that honour, for +Korah did it, &c. but, no man taketh it warrantably, with a moral right +and God's allowance without God's call: so also the universal +imperative, in that same text, must not be taken absolutely without +restriction; for if every soul without exception were to be subject, +there could be none left to be the higher powers; but it is understood +with restriction to the relation of a subject. So here, no power but of +God, to be understood with restriction to the relation of a lawful +magistrate. It is also to be understood indiscriminately, in reference +to the divers species, sorts and degrees of lawful power, supreme and +subordinate, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, &c. as +Peter expresses it: or whether they be Christian or pagan; it cannot be +meant of all universally, that may pretend to power, and may attain to +prevailing potency; for then by this text, we must subject ourselves to +the papacy now intended to be introduced; and indeed if we subject +ourselves to this papist, the next thing he will require will be that. +3. To the minor proposition, I answer, the usurping power is a power; it +is power, I grant, that it is power, or authority, I deny. + +Therefore it is of God by his providence, I concede; by his ordinance, I +deny. Consequently we owe subjection to it, I deny. We may be subject +passively, I grant. Actively, out of conscience, I deny. But some will +object, 2. Though the power be usurped, and so not morally lawful in all +these respects; yet it may do good, its laws and administrations may be +good. Answ. I grant all is good that ends well, and hath a good +beginning. This cannot be good which hath a bad principle, good from the +entire cause. Some government for constitution good, may, in some acts, +be bad; but a government for constitution bad cannot, for the acts it +puts forth, be good. These good acts may be good for matters but +formally they are not good, as done by the usurper: they may be +comparatively good, that is better so than worse; but they cannot be +absolutely, and in a moral sense good: for to make a politic action +good, not only the matter must be warrantable, but the call also. It may +indeed induce subjects to bear and improve to the best, what cannot be +remedied; but cannot oblige to own a magistratical relation. + +II. The nature of the power thus discovered, let us see the nature of +that relative duty, which we owe and must own as due to magistrates, and +what sort of owning we must give them; which, to inquire a little into, +will give light to the question. All the duty and deference the Lord +requires of us, towards them whom we must own as magistrates, is +comprehended in these two expressions, honour required in the fifth +command, and subjection required in Rom. xiii. 1. &c. 1 Pet. ii. 13. &c. +Whomsoever then we own as magistrates, we must own honour and subjection +as due to them: and if so be, we cannot, upon a conscientious ground, +give them honour and subjection, we cannot own them as magistrates. The +least deference we can pay to magistrates is subjection, as it is +required in these words; Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, +and, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. +But this cannot be given to tyrants and usurpers; therefore no deference +can be paid to them at all: and consequently they cannot be owned. That +this subjection, which is required to the higher powers, cannot be owned +to tyrants, will be apparent, if we consider, 1. The subjection required +is orderly subjection to an orderly power, that we be regularly under +him that is regularly above; but usurpation and tyranny is not an +orderly power, orderly placed above us; therefore we cannot be orderly +under it. This is gathered from the original language, where the powers +to be subjected to, are ordained of God and the ordinance of God, and +he that resisteth the power is counter-ordered, or contrary to his +orderly duty; so the duty is to be subject. They are all words coming +from one root, which signifies to order; so that subjection is to be +placed in order under another relative to an orderly superiority; but, +to occupy the seat of dignity unauthorized, is an ataxy, a breaking of +order, and bringing the commonwealth quite out of order. Whereby it may +appear, that, in relation to an arbitrary government, there can be +properly no orderly subjection. 2. The thing itself must import that +relative duty which the fifth command requires; not only a passive +stooping endurance, or a feigned counterfeit submission, but a real +active duty including obedience to lawful commands; and not only so, but +support and maintenance; and that both to the acts of his +administration, and to his standing and keeping his station, assisting +him with all our abilities, both human and Christian; and not only as to +the external acts of duties, but the inward motions of the heart, as +consent, love, reverence, and honour, and all sincere fealty and +allegiance. + +But can a subjection of this extent be paid to a tyrant or usurper? Can +we support those we are bound to suppress? Shall we love the ungodly, +and help those that hate the Lord? Can we consent, that we and our +posterity should be slaves? Can we honour them who are vile, and the +vilest of men; how high soever they be exalted? 3. The ground of this +subjection is for conscience sake, not for wrath, that is, so far and so +long as one is constrained by fear, and, to avoid a greater evil, to +stoop to him, but out of conscience of duty, both that of piety to God +who ordained magistracy, and that of equity to him who is his minister +for good, and under pain of damnation if we break this orderly +subjection, Rom. xiii. 2, 5. But can it be imagined, that all this is +due to a tyrant and usurper? Can it be out of conscience, because he is +the Lord's minister for good? The contrary is clear, that he is the +devil's drudge serving his interest: Is resistance to tyrants a damnable +sin? I hope to prove it to be a duty. 4. If subjection to tyrants and +usurpers will inveigle us in their snares, and involve us in their sin +and judgment, then it is not to be owned to them; but the former is +true; therefore the latter. In the foregoing head I drew an argument, +for withdrawing from and disowning the prelatic ministers, from the +hazard of partaking in their sin, and of being obnoxious to their +judgment, because people are often punished for their pastor's sins; +Aaron and his sons polluting themselves, would have brought wrath upon +all the people, Lev. x. 6. because the teachers had transgressed against +the Lord, therefore was Jacob given to the curse, and Israel to +reproaches, Isa. xliii. 27, 28. and all these miseries lamented by the +church, were inflicted for the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities +of her priests, Lam. iv. 13. the reason was, because they owned then, +followed them, countenanced them, complied with them, or connived at +them, or did not hinder, or else disown them. The same argument will +evince the necessity of withdrawing our subjection from, and disowning, +usurping, and tyrannical rulers, when we cannot hinder their wickedness, +nor give any other testimony against them, to avert the wrath of the +Lord. If the defections of ministers will bring on the whole nation +desolacing judgments; then much more have we reason to fear it, when +both magistrates and ministers are involved in, and jointly carrying on, +and caressing and encouraging each other in promoting a woful apostasy +from God: when the heads of the house of Jacob and princes of the house +of Israel, abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. The heads judge for +reward, and the priests teach for hire, and the prophets divine for +money, and yet lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us: +none evil can come upon us. Then we can expect nothing, but that Zion +for their sake shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem become heaps, +and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest, Mic. +iii. 9, 11, 12. Certain it is, that subjects have smarted sore for the +sins of their rulers: for Saul's sin, in breaking covenant with the +Gibeonites, the land suffered three years famine, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. and the +wrath of the Lord could not be appeased, till seven of his sons were +hanged up unto the Lord. What then shall appease the wrath of God, for +the unparalleled breach of covenant with God in our days? For David's +sin of numbering the people, 70,000 men died by the pestilence, 2 Sam. +xxiv. 5. For Jeroboam's sin of idolatry, who made Israel to sin, the +Lord threatens to give Israel up, because of the sins of Jeroboam, I +Kings xiv. 16. only they escaped this judgment, who withdrew themselves +and fell into Judah. For Ahab's sin of letting go a man whom the Lord +had appointed to utter destruction, the Lord threatens him, thy life +shall go for his life, and thy people for his people, 1 Kings xx. 42. +Because Manasseh, king of Judah, did many abominations, therefore the +Lord threatened to bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that +whosoever heard it, his ears should tingle, &c. 2 Kings xxi. 11, 12. and +notwithstanding of his repentance and the reformation in the days of +Josiah, notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his +great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of +all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal, 2 Kings +xxiii. 26. which was accomplished by the hands of the Chaldeans, in +Jehoiakim's time. Surely, at the commandment of the Lord, came this upon +Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh +according to all that he did, and also for the innocent blood which he +shed,----which the Lord would not pardon, 2 Kings xxiv. 3, 4. And +Jeremiah further threatens, that they should be removed into all +kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh for that which he did in +Jerusalem, Jer. xv. 4. Certainly passages were recorded for our +learning, Rom. xv. 4. and for our examples, to the intent we should not +do as they did, 1 Cor. x. 6. and for our admonition, ver. 11. Whence we +may be admonished, that it is not enough to keep ourselves free of +public sins of rulers; many of those then punished, were free of all +actual accession to them; but they became accessory to, and involved in +the guilt of them, when they did not endeavour to hinder them, and bring +them to condign punishment for them, according to the law of God, which +respecteth not persons; or, at least, because they did not revolt from +them, as Libnah did: there might be other provocations on the peoples +part, no doubt, which the Lord did also punish by these judgments; but +when the Lord specifies the sin of rulers as the particular procuring +cause of the judgment; it were presumption to make it the occasion only +of the Lord's punishing them: for plain it is, if these sins of rulers +had not been committed, which was the ground of the threatening and +execution, the judgment would have been prevented; and if the people had +bestirred themselves as became them, in repressing and restraining such +wickedness, they had not so smarted; and when that sin, so threatened +and punished, was removed, then the judgment itself was removed or +deterred. It is just and necessary, that the subjects, being jointly +included with their rulers in the same bond of fidelity to God, be +liable to be punished for their rebellion and apostacy, when they +continue under the bond of subjection to them. But how deplorable were +our condition, if we should stand obnoxious to divine judgments, for the +atheism, idolatry, murders, and adulteries of our rulers, and yet be +neither authorized nor capacitated to hinder it, nor permitted to +withdraw ourselves from subjection to them? But it is not so; for, the +Lord's making us responsible for their debt, is an impowering us either +to repress their wickedness when he gives us capacity, or at least to +save ourselves harmless from their crimes, by disowning them; that being +the only way of standing no longer accountable for their souls. + +12. It remains to consider the ends for which government was institute +by God, and constitute by men; from whence I argue, that government, +that destroys the ends of government, is not to be owned; but tyranny, +and especially this under which we howl, destroys all the ends of +government; therefore it is not to be owned. The minor I prove thus, +That government, that destroys all religion and safety, destroys all the +ends of government; but this popish and arbitrary absolute power, +destroys religion and safety; therefore--it is evident, both from the +laws of nature and revelation, that the ends of government are the glory +of God, and the good of mankind. The first is the glory of God, the +ultimate end of all ordinances; to which whatever is opposite, is not to +be owned by them that fear him: whatever power then is destructive to +religion, and is applied and employed against the glory of the universal +King, and for withdrawing us from our fealty and obedience to him, is +nothing but rebellion against the supreme Lord and Lawgiver, and a +traiterous conspiracy against the Almighty, and therefore not to be +owned: and they are enemies to religion, or strangers to it, who are not +sensible this hath been the design of the present government, at least +these twenty-seven years, to overturn the reformed covenanted religion, +and to introduce popery. Hence, seeing a king at his best and highest +elevation, is only a mean for preserving religion, and for this end only +chosen of the people to be keeper of both tables of the law, he is not +to be regarded, but wholly laid aside, when he not only moves without +his sphere, but his motion infers the ruin of the ends of his erection, +and when he employs all his power for the destruction of the cause of +Christ, and advancement of antichrist, giving his power to the beast; he +is so far from deserving the deference of the power ordained of God, +that he is to be looked upon, and treated as a traitor to God, and +stated enemy to religion and all righteousness. The second end of +government is the good of the people, which is the supreme and cardinal +law; the safety of the people is the supreme law. Which cannot be +denied, if it be considered, 1. For this only the magistrate is +appointed of God to be his minister for the people's good, Rom. xiii. 4. +and they have no goodness but as they conduce to this end: for all the +power they have of God is with this proviso, to promote his people's +prosperity. (It were blasphemy to say, they are his authorised ministers +for their destruction) to which if their conduct degenerate, they +degrade themselves, and so must be disowned. He is therefore, in his +institution, no more than a mean for this end; and himself cannot be +either the whole or half of the end; for then he should be both the end +and the mean of government; and it is contrary to God's mould to have +this for his end, to multiply to himself silver and gold, or lift up +himself above his brethren, Deut. xvii. 17, 20. If therefore he hath any +other end than the good of the people, he cannot be owned as one of +God's moulding, 2. This only is the highest pitch of good princes +ambition, to postpone their own safety to the peoples safety. Moses +desired, rather than the people should be destroyed, that his name +should be razed out of the book of life. And David would rather the +Lord's hand be on him and his father's house, than on the people, that +they should be plagued, 1 Chron. xxi. 17. But he that would seek his own +ambitious ends, with the destruction of the people, hath the spirit of +the devil, and is to be carried towards as one possessed with that +malignant spirit. 3. Originally their power is from the people, from +whom all their dignity is derived, with reserve of their safety, which +is not the donative of kings, nor held by concession from them, nor can +it be resigned or surrendered to the disposal of kings; since God hath +provided, in his universal laws, that no authority make any disposal, +but for the good of the people. This cannot be forfeited by the +usurpation of monarchs, but being always fixed in the essential laws of +government, they may reclaim and recover it when they please. Since then +we cannot alienate our safety, we cannot own that authority which is +inconsistent with it. 4. The attaining this end was the main ground and +motive of peoples deliberating to constitute a government, and to choose +such a form, because they thought it most conducible for their good; and +to admit such persons as fittest instuments for compassing this end; and +to establish such 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 owned; 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 and safety. + +Whosoever then breaking through all legal limitations, shall become +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 and 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 realm, 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 public safety, and make laws for their own +interests, they are no more trustees but traitors. 9. If it were not +for this end, it were more eligible to live in desarts, than to enter +into societies. When therefore a ruler, in direct opposition to the ends +of government, seeks the ruin, 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, and destroyed by +this and the deceased tyrant, all Scotland can tell, and all Europe hath +heard. If ever the ends of government were perverted and subverted in +any place. Britain is the stage where this tragedy has been acted. + +13. I may argue from the covenant, that to own this authority is +contrary to all the articles thereof. 1. That authority which overturns +the reformation of religion in doctrine, worship, discipline and +government, which we are sworn to preserve against the common enemies +thereof, in the first article, cannot be owned; but the present +pretended authority overturned (and continues more to overturn) the +reformation of religion, &c. therefore it cannot be owned. For against +what common enemy must we preserve it, if not against him that is the +chief enemy thereof? And how can we own that authority, that is wholly +employed and applied for the destruction of religion? 2. If we are +obliged to extirpate popery, without respect of persons, lest we partake +in other mens sins; then we are obliged to extirpate papists without +respect of persons; and consequently the head of them. (For how +otherwise can popery be extirpated? Or how otherwise can we cleanse the +land of their sins?) But in the 2d article we are obliged to extirpate +popery without respect of persons, lest we partake in others mens sins: +therefore we are obliged to extirpate papists without respect of +persons, and consequently the crowned Jesuit, and therefore cannot own +him: for how can we own him, whom we are bound to exstirpate? 3. If we +be engaged to preserve the rights and liberties of parliaments, and the +liberties of the kingdoms, and the king's authority only in the +preservation and defence of the true religion and liberties of the +kingdoms, then we cannot own his authority, when it is inconsistent +with, opposite to, and destructive of all these precious interests, as +now it is with a witness. But in the 3d article we are engaged to +preserve the rights and privileges of parliaments, and the liberties of +the kingdoms, and the king's authority only in the preservation and +defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms: therefore +all allegiance that we can own to any man, must stand perpetually thus +qualified, in defence of religion and liberty; that is, so far as it is +not contrary to religion and liberty, and no further; for if it be +destructive of these, it is null. If we should then own this man, with +this restricted allegiance, and apply into his own authority (as we must +apply it to all authority that we can own) it were to mock God and the +world, and own contradictions: for can we maintain the destroyer of +religion, in defence of religion, and the destroyer of all our rights +and liberties, and all our legal securities for them, in the +preservation of these rights and liberties? That were pure nonsense. 4. +If we be obliged to endeavour, that all incendiaries and malignants, &c. +be brought to condign punishment, then we cannot own the authority of +the head of these incendiaries and malignant enemies; but in the fourth +article, we are obliged to endeavour, that all incendiaries and +malignants, &c. be brought to condign punishment: therefore----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, and gives life unto all these abominations shall be +exempted from punishment, or owned for a sacred majesty? shall we be +obliged to discover, and bring to justice the little 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 and 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. xxv. 4. For hath not he and his accomplices made the +kingdom a curse? and we, with our own consent, have made ourselves +obnoxious to it, if we do not procure, each in our capacities, and +pursue these traitors and rebels, that the judgment of the Lord be +executed upon the accursed. 5. No wilful opposer of peace and union +between the kingdoms is to be owned; but, according to the 5th article, +we are obliged to endeavour, that justice be done upon him: but this man +and his brother have been wilful opposers of peace and union between the +kingdoms, all true peace and union, except an union in confederacy +against the Lord; for they have taken peace from both the kingdoms, and +destroyed and annulled that which was the bond of their union, to wit, +the solemn league and covenant. 6. If we are obliged to assist and +defend all those that enter into this league and covenant, in the +maintaining and pursuing thereof, and never to suffer ourselves to be +divided, to make defection to the contrary part, &c. According to the +6th article then, we must not owt the butcher of our covenanted +brethren, who hath imbrued his hands in their blood, in maintaining and +pursuing thereof, and would have us withdrawn into so detestable a +defection; for we cannot both own him as he requires to be owned, and as +God requires every magistrate to be owned (so as not to resist him under +pain of damnation, Rom. xiii. 2.) and assist our brethren too in +refilling his murders: and our owning of him were a dividing of +ourselves from our brethren that oppose him, into a defection to the +contrary part, whereof he is head and patron. Lastly, In the conclusion, +we are obliged to be humbled for the sins of these kingdoms, and to +amend in a real reformation; whereof this is one to be mourned for, that +after the Lord had delivered us from the yoke of this tyrannical family, +we again joined in amity with the people of these abominations, and took +these serpents into our bosom again, which hath bit us so sore, and +wherewith the Lord hath scourged us severely. And if it was our sin to +engage with them at first, then it is our sin to continue under their +subjection; and is not consistent with that repentance, that the Lord's +contendings call for, to continue owning that power which was our sin to +own at first. + +III. In the third place, I promised to confirm my thesis from more +express scripture arguments. Therefore I shall endeavour to gather them +as briefly as may be. 1. From scripture inferences, nearly and natively +consequential. 2. From scripture assertions. 3. From scripture precepts. +4. From scripture practices. 5. From scripture promises. 6. From +scripture threatnings. 7. From scripture prayers. + +First, I shall offer some arguments deduced by way of immediate +inference, from the grounds laid before us in scripture about +government: wherein I shall confine my self to these particulars. + +1. Let us consider the characters of a magistrate, laid down in +scripture; and we may infer, if tyrants and usurpers are not capable of +these characters, then they cannot be owned for magistrates. For if they +be not magistrates, they cannot be owned as magistrates; but if they be +not capable of the characters of magistrates, they are not magistrates: +Ergo, if they be not capable of the characters of magistrates, they +cannot be owned as magistrates. To find out the characters of +magistrates, we need seek no further than that full place, Rom. xiii. +Which usually is made a magazine of objections against this truth; but I +trust to find store of arguments for it from thence, not repeating many +that have been already deduced therefrom. We find, in this place, many +characters of a magistrate, that are all incompatible with a tyrant or +usurper. 1. He is the higher power, verse 1. Authorities supereminent, +signifying such a pre-excellency as draweth towards it a recognition of +honour; but this is not competent to tyrants and usurpers; for they are +the vilest of men, let them be never so high exalted, Psal. xii. last +verse, and if they be vile then they are to be contemned, Psal. xv. 4. +and no more to be regarded than Herod was by Christ, when he called him +a fox, Luke xiii. 32. But more particularly, let us consider what is the +highness, or dignity of magistrates, set forth in scripture. They are +stiled gods, not to be reviled, Exod. xxii. 28. among whom God judgeth, +Psal. lxxxii. 1. so called, because the word of God came unto them, John +x. 35. But tyrants are rather devils, as one of them is called Lucifer, +Isa. xiv. 12. and they that persecute and imprison the people of God, +because actuated by the devil, and acting for him, do bear his name, +Rev. ii. 10. They are devils that cast the Lord's witnesses into prison. +The magistrate's judgment is God's judgment, Deut. i. 17. because it is +not for man, but for the Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 6. and therefore Solomon is +said to have sat on the throne of the Lord, 1 Chron. xxix. 23. But it +were blasphemy to say, That tyrants judgment, usurping the place without +his warrant, and giving forth judgment against his laws, and cause, and +people, is the Lord's judgment, or for him, or that they sit on the +throne of the Lord. A throne of iniquity is not the throne of the Lord, +for he hath no fellowship with it; the tyrant's throne is a throne of +iniquity, Psal. xciv. 20. Magistrates are truly to be subjected to and +obeyed, as principalities and powers, Tit. iii. 1. it is a sin to speak +evil of them, verse 2. for it is presumption to despise dominion, and +speak evil of dignities, 2 Pet. ii. 10. Jude 8. But tyrants are very +catechrestically and abusively principalities and powers, no otherwise +then the devils are so termed, Eph. vi. 12. and there is no argument to +own or obey the one more than the other: for if all principalities and +powers are to be subjected to and owned, then also the devil must, who +gets the same title. To speak truth of tyrants indignities, cannot be a +speaking evil of dignities; for truth is no evil, nor is tyranny a +dignity. Hence they that are not capable of the dignity of rulers, as +these places prove: Ergo----Against this it is objected. That Paul did +apply this character to the tyrannical high priest Ananias, whom, after +he had objurated for manifest injustice, he honours with that apology, +that he wist not that he was the high priest, for it is written, thou +shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people, Acts xxiii. 5. Ans. +Though all should be granted that is in this objection, yet our argument +would not be enervated: for grant we should not speak evil of tyrants, +that does not evince that we should hold them us rulers; for we should +bless our persecutors, Rom. x. 14. and speak evil of no man, Tit. iii. +2. that does not say, We should hold every man, or our persecutors, to +be rulers. The meaning must be, he knew not that he was the high-priest; +that is, he did not acknowledge him to be either high priest or ruler, +he could acknowledge or observe nothing like one of that character in +him: for as the high-priest's office was now null and ceased, so this +Ananias was only an usurper of the office, in place of Ismael and +Joseph, who had purchased it by money: and Paul had learned from his +master Gamaliel, Tit. Talmud. of the Sanhedrim. That a judge who hath +given money for purchasing this honour, is neither a judge, nor to be +honoured as such, but to be held in place of an ass. And it was common +among the Jews to say, If such be gods, they are silver gods, not to be +honoured, as is quoted by Pool's synopsis criticorum, &c. on the same +place. And that this must be the sense of it is plain; for he could not +be ignorant that he was there in place of a judge, being called before +him, and smitten by him authoritatively, whom therefore he did threaten +with the judgment of God; it were wicked to think, that he would retract +that threatning which he pronounced by the Spirit of God. And therefore +this place confirms my thesis: if a tyrannical judge, acting contrary to +law, is not to be known or acknowledged to be a ruler, but upbraided as +a whited wall; then a tyrant is not to be known or acknowledged as such; +but the former is true, from this place: therefore also the latter. Paul +knew well enough he was a judge, and knew well enough what was his duty +to a judge, that he should not be reviled; but he would not acknowledge +this priest to be a judge, or retract his threatning against him. + +2. He is of God, and ordained of God; I proved before, tyrants are not +capable of this; yea, it were blasphemy to say, They are authorized, or +ordained of God, by his preceptive will. Hence, take only this argument. +All rulers that we must own are ordained of God, do reign, and are set +up by God, Prov. viii, 15. (for that and this place are parallel) but +tyrants do not reign, nor are set up by God, Hos. viii. 4. They are set +up (saith the Lord) but not by me: Ergo, we cannot own them to be +ordained of God. 3. Whosoever resisteth this power ordained of God, +resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist, shall receive to +themselves damnation, verse 2. This cannot be owned of a tyrant, that it +is a damnable sin to resist him, for it is duty to resist, and also +repress him, as is proven already, and shall be afterwards. Hence, +whatsoever authority we own subjection to, we must not resist it; but we +cannot own that we must not resist this authority: therefore we cannot +own it at all. Again, That cannot be the power not to be resisted, +which is acquired and improved by resisting the ordinance or God; but +the power of usurpers and tyrants is acquired and improved by resisting +the ordinance of God: Ergo, their power cannot be the power not to be +resisted. The major is manifest; for when the apostle says, The +resisting of the power brings damnation to the resister, certainly that +resistance cannot purchase dominion instead of damnation: and if he that +resists in a lesser degree, be under the doom of damnation; then +certainly he that does it in a greater degree, so as to complete it, in +putting himself in place of that power which he resisted, cannot be +free. The minor is also undeniable; for, if usurpers acquire their power +without resistance forcible and sensible, it is because they that defend +the power invaded, are wanting in their duty; but however morally the +tyrant or usurper is always, or in contrary order to a lawful power. 4. +Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil, and they that do +that which is good, shall have praise of the same, verse 3. This is the +character and duty of righteous magistrates, though it be not always +their administration; but an usurper and tyrant is not capable or +susceptible of this character; but, on the contrary, is, and must be a +terror to good works, and a praise to the evil: for he must be a terror +to them that would secure their rights and liberties in opposition to +his encroachments, which is a good work; and he must be a tutor, patron, +and protector of such, as encourage and maintain him in his usurpation +and tyranny, which is an evil work: and if he were a terror to the evil, +then he would be a terror to himself and all his accomplices, which he +cannot be. Therefore, that power which is not capable of the duties of +magistrates, cannot be owned; but the power of tyrants and usurpers is +such: Ergo--We find in scripture the best commentary on this character, +where the duties of a magistrate are described; they must justify the +righteous, and condemn the wicked, Deut. xxvii. 1. They must, as Job +did, deliver the poor that cry, and put on righteousness as a +clothing,----and be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, and a +father to the poor----and break the jaws of the wicked, Job xxix. 12, +17. Their throne must be established by righteousness, Prov. xvi. 12. A +king sitting on the throne of judgment must scatter away all evil with +his eyes----then mercy and truth will preserve him, and his throne is +upholden by mercy, Prov. xx. 8, 28. But tyrants have a quite contrary +character; the throne of iniquity frames mischief by a law, and condemns +the innocent blood, Psal. xciv. 20, 21. They judge not the fatherless, +neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them, Isa. i. 23. They +build their house by unrighteousness, and their chambers by wrong, and +use their neighbours service without wages, Jer. xxii. 13. They oppress +the poor, and crush the needy, Amos iv. 1. They turn judgment to gall, +and the fruit of righteousness to hemlock, and say, have we not taken +horns to us by our own strength, Amos vi. 12, 13. These contrary +characters cannot consist together. 5. He is the minister of God for +good, verse 4. not by providential commission, as Nebuchadnezzar was, +and tyrants may be eventually, by the Lord making all things turn about +for the good of the church; but he hath a moral commission from God, and +is entrusted by the people, to procure their public and political good +at least. + +Now, then tyranny and usurpation, are together inconsistible; for if +tyrants and usurpers were ministers for good, then they would restore +the public and personal rights, and rectify all wrongs done by them; but +then they must surrender their authority, and resign it, or else all +rights cannot be restored, nor wrongs rectified. Hence, these that +cannot be owned as magistrates of God for good, cannot be owned as +magistrates; but tyrants and usurpers, (and in particular this man) are +such as cannot be owned as ministers of God for good: Ergo----Again, if +magistracy be always a blessing, and tyranny and usurpation always a +curse, then they cannot be owned to be the same thing, and the one +cannot be owned to be the other; but magistracy, or the rightful +magistrate, is always a blessing; tyranny and usurpation, or the tyrant +and usurper, always a curse: Ergo----That the former is true, these +scriptures prove it. God provides him for the benefit of his people, 1 +Sam. xvi. 1. A just ruler is compared to the light of the morning, when +the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds, 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. So the +Lord exalted David's kingdom, for his people Israel's sake, 2 Sam. v. +12. Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he Solomon +king, to do judgment and justice, 1 Kings x. 9. When the righteous are +in authority the people rejoice----The king by judgment stablished the +land,----Prov. xxix. 2, 4. The Lord promises magistrates as a special +blessing, Isa. i. 26. Jer. xvii. 25. And therefore their continuance is +to be prayed for, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all +godliness and honesty, 1 Tim. ii. 2. And they must needs be a blessing, +because to have no ruler is a misery: for when Israel had no king, every +man did that which was right in his own eyes, Judges xvii. 6. And the +Lord threatens it as a curse to take away the stay and the staff----the +mighty man, and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, &c. Isa. iii. +1, 2. &c. And that the children of Israel shall abide many days without +a king, and without a prince, Hos. ii. 4. But on the other hand, tyrants +and usurpers are always a curse, and given as such: it is threatened +among the curses of the covenant, that the stranger shall get up above +Israel very high----and that they shall serve their enemies, which the +Lord shall send against them----and he shall put a yoke of iron upon +their neck, until he hath destroyed them, Deut. xxviii. 43, 48. As a +roaring lion and a ranging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor +people, Prov. xxviii. 15. and therefore, when the wicked beareth rule +the people mourn, Prov. xxix. 2. The Lord threatens it as a curse, that +he will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over +them, Isa. iii. 4. And if unqualified rulers be a curse, much more +tyrants. They are the rod of his anger, and the staff in their hand is +his indignation, his axe, and sawe, and rod, Isa. x. 5, 15. It is one +thing to call a man God's instrument, his rod, axe, sword, or hammer; +another thing to call him God's minister; there is a wide difference +betwixt the instruments of God's providence, and the ministers of his +ordinance; those fulfil his promises only, these do his precepts. Such +kings are given in the Lord's anger, Hos. xiii. 11. therefore they +cannot be owned to be ministers of God for good. 6. He beareth not the +sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute +wrath upon him that doth evil, verse 4. The apostle doth not say, He +that beareth the sword is the ruler, but he is the ruler that beareth +the sword. This is not every sword, for there is the sword of an enemy, +the sword of a robber, the sword of a common traveller; but this as a +faculty of political rule, and authoritative judgment. It is not said, +He takes the sword (as the Lord expresses the usurpation of that power, +Matth. xxvi. 52.) but he beareth the sword, hath it delivered him into +his hand by God, by God's warrant and allowance, not in vain; to no end +or without reason, or without a commission, as Paraeus upon the place +expounds it. He is a revenger to execute wrath, not by private revenge, +for that is condemned by Paul before, Rom. xi. 19. not by providential +recompense, for when a private person so revengeth, it is the +providential repayment of God; but as God's minister, by him authorized, +commissionated, and warranted to this work. Now this cannot agree with a +tyrant or usurper, whose sword only legitimates his sceptre, and not his +sceptre his sword, who takes the sword rather than bears, and uses it +without reason or warrant from God, in the execution of his lustful rage +upon him that doth well, and hath no right to it from God. Hence, he +that beareth the sword no other way but as it may be said of a murderer, +cannot be a magistrate bearing the sword; but a tyrant and usurper +beareth the sword no other way but as it may be said of a murderer: +Ergo.----So much for the characters of a magistrate, which are every way +inapplicable to tyrants and usurpers, and as inapplicable to this of +ours as to any in the world. + +2. If we consider the scripture resemblances, importing the duty of +magistrates, and the contrary comparisons, holding forth the sin, +vileness, and villainy of tyrants and usurpers; we may infer, that we +cannot own the last to be the first. First, From the benefit they bring +to the commonwealth, magistrates are stiled, 1. Saviours, as Othniel the +son of Kenaz is called, Judges iii. 9. and Jehoahaz in his younger +years, 2 Kings xiii. 5. and all good judges and magistrates, Neh. ix. +27. But tyrants and usurpers cannot be such, for they are destroyers, +whom the Lord promises to make go forth from his people, Isa. xlix. 17. +The Chaldean tyrant is called the destroyer of the Gentiles, Jer. iv. 7. +and the destroyer of the Lord's heritage, Jer. l. 11. where they can no +more be owned to be magistrates, than Abaddon or Apollyon can be owned +to be a saviour. 2. From their paternal love to the people, they are +stiled fathers, and therefore to be honoured according to the fifth +command. So Deborah was raised up a mother in Israel, Judges v. 7. Kings +are nursing fathers by office, Isa. xlix. 23. But that tyrants cannot be +such, I have proved already; for they can no more be accounted fathers, +than he that abuseth or forceth our mother. 3. From the protection and +shelter that people find under their conduct, they are called shields, +Psal. xlvii. ult. The princes of the people, the shields of the earth, +belong unto God. But tyrants cannot be such, because they are the +subverters of the earth. 4. From the comfort that attends them, they are +resembled to the morning light, and fruitful showers of rain, 2 Sam. +xxiii. 4. They waited for me, as for the rain, saith Job xxix. 23. But +tyrants cannot be resembled to these, but rather to darkness, and to the +blast of the terrible ones, Isa. xxv. 4. as a storm against the wall. If +darkness cannot be owned to be light, then cannot tyrants be owned to be +magistrates. 5. From their pastoral care and conduct and duty, they are +feeders. The judges of Israel are commanded to feed the Lord's people, 1 +Chron. xvii. 6. David was brought to feed Jacob his people, and Israel +his inheritance, Psal. lxxvii. 71. But tyrants are wolves, not +shepherds. 6. By office they are physicians, or healers, Isa. iii. 7. +That tyrants cannot be such, is proven above. Secondly, On the other +hand, the vileness, villainy, and violence of tyrants and usurpers, are +held forth by fit resemblances, being compared to these unclean +creatures. 1. Tyrants are wicked dogs, as they who compass about Christ, +Psal. xxii. 16, 20. Saul is called Dog there, and in that golden psalm, +Psal. lix. 6. Saul and his accomplices watching the house to kill David, +make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 2. They are +pushing bulls, Psal. xxii. 12. and crushing kine of Bashan, that oppress +the poor, Amos iv. 1. They have need then to have their horns cut short. +3. They are roaring lions, that are wicked rulers over the poor people, +Prov. xxviii. 15. Zeph. iii. 3. So Paul calls Nero the lion, out of +whose mouth he was delivered, 2 Tim. iv. 17. 4. They are ranging bears, +Prov. xxvii. 15. So the Persian monarch is emblemized Dan. vii. 5. 5. +They are leviathan, the piercing serpent and dragon, Isa. xxvii. 1. and +have great affinity in name and nature with the apocalyptick dragon. So +also, Isaiah li. 9. the Egyptian tyrant is called dragon and +Nebuchadnezzar swallowed up the church like a dragon, Jer. li. 34. See +also Ezek. xxix. 3. 6. They are wolves, ravening for the prey, Ezek. +xxii. 27. Evening wolves, that gnaw not the bones till the morrow, Zeph. +iii. 3. 7. They are leopards; so the Grecian tyrants are called, Dan. +vii. 6. and antichrist, Rev. xiii. 2. 8. They are foxes; so Christ calls +Herod, Luke xiii. 32. 9. They are devils, who cast the Lord's people +into prison, Rev. ii. 10, 13. Now, can we own all these abominable +creatures to be magistrates? Can these be the fathers we are bound to +honour in the fifth commandment? They must be esteemed sons of dogs and +devils that believe so, and own themselves sons of such fathers. + +If we further take notice, how the Spirit of God describes tyranny, as +altogether contradistinct and opposite unto the magistracy he will have +owned; we may infer hence, tyrants and usurpers are not to be owned. +What the government instituted by God among his people was, the +scripture doth both relate in matter of fact, and describes what it +ought to be by right, viz. That according to the institution of God, +magistrates should be established by the constitution of the people, who +were to make them judges and officers in all their gates, that they +might judge the people with just judgment, Deut. xvi. 18. But foreseeing +that people would affect a change of that first form of government, and, +in imitation of their neighbouring nations, would desire a king, and +say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are about me, +Deut. xvii. 14. The Lord, intending high and holy ends by it, chiefly +the procreation of the Messias from a kingly race, did permit the +change, and gave directions how he should be moulded and bounded, that +was to be owned as the magistrate under a monarchical form; to wit, that +he should be chosen of God, and set up by their suffrages, that he +should be a brother, and not a stranger; that he should not multiply +horses, nor wives, nor money, (which are cautions all calculated for +the people's good, and the security of their religion and liberty, and +for precluding and preventing his degeneration into tyranny) and that he +should write a copy of the law in a book, according to that which he +should govern, verse 15. to the end of the chapter, yet the Lord did not +approve the change of the form, which that luxuriant people was long +affecting, and at length obtained: for, long before Saul was made king, +they proffered an hereditary monarchy to Gideon, without the boundaries +God's law required: which that brave captain knowing how derogatory it +was to the authority of God's institution, not to be altered in form or +frame without his order, generally refused, saying, I will not rule over +you, neither shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you, +Judges viii. 23. But his bastard, the first monarch and tyrant in +Israel, Abimelech, by sinistrous means being advanced to be king by the +traiterous Sechemites, Jotham, and other of the godly, disowned him; +which, by the Spirit of God, Jotham describes parabolically +significantly holding out the nature of that tyrannical usurpation, +under the apologue of the trees itching after a king, and the offer +being repudiate by the more generous sort, embraced by the bramble: +signifying, that men of worth and virtue would never have taken upon +them such an arrogant domination, and that such a tyrannical government, +in its nature and tendency, was nothing but an useless, worthless, +sapless, aspiring, scratching, and vexing shadow of a government, under +subjection to which there could be no peace nor safety. But this was +rather a tumultuary interruption than a change of the government; not +being universally either desired or owned; therefore, after that the +Lord restored the pristine form, which continued until, being much +perverted by Samuel's sons, the people unanimously and peremptorily +desired the change thereof, and, whether it were reason or not, would +have a king; as we were fondly set upon one, after we had been delivered +from his father's yoke: and the Lord gave them a king with a curse, and +took him away with a vengeance, Hos. xiii. 11. as he did our Charles II. +Yet he permitted it, but with a protestation against and conviction of +the sin, that thereby they had "rejected the Lord," 1 Sam. viii. 7. and +with a demonstration from heaven, which extorted their own confession, +that they "had added unto all their sins this evil to ask a king," 1 +Sam. xii. 17, 18, 19. And to deter and dissuade from such a conclusion, +he appoints the prophet to shew them the "manner of the king" that +should reign over them, 1 Sam. viii. 9. to declare before hand, what +sort of a ruler he would prove, when they got him; to wit, a mere +tyrant, who would take their sons and appoint them for himself, for his +chariots, and for horsemen, and to run before his chariots, and make +them his soldiers, and labourers of the ground, and instrument makers, +and household servants, and he would take their fields and +vineyards--the best of them, and give unto his servants. In a word, to +make all slaves; and that in the end, when this should come to pass, +they should cry out because of their king, but the Lord would not hear +them, ver. 11-18. All which, as it is palpable in itself, so we have +sensibly felt in our experience to be the natural description of +tyranny, but more tolerable than any account of ours would amount to. It +is both foolishly and falsely alledged by royalists or tyrannists, that +here is a grant of uncontroulable absoluteness to kings to tyrannize +over the people without resistance, and that this manner of the king is +in the original Mishphat, which signifies right or law; so that here was +a permissive law given to kings to tyrannize, and to oblige people to +passive obedience, without any remedy but tears; and therefore it was +registered, and laid up before the Lord in a book, 1 Sam. x. 25. But I +answer, 1. If any thing be here granted to kings, it is either by God's +approbation, directing and instructing how they should govern; or it is +only by permission and providential commission to them, to be a plague +to the people for their sin of choosing them, to make them drink as they +have brewed, as sometimes he gave a charge to the Assyrian rod to +trample them down as the mire of the streets: if the first be said, then +a king that does not govern after that manner, and so does not make +people cry out for their oppression, would come short of his duty, and +also behoved to tyrannize and make the people cry out; then a king may +take what he will from his subjects, and be approved of God: this were +blasphemy absurd, for God cannot approve of the sin of oppression. If +the second be said, then it cannot be an universal grant, or otherwise +all kings must be ordained for plagues; and if so, it were better we +wanted such nursing fathers. 2. Though Mishphat signifies right or law, +yet it signifies also, and perhaps no less frequently, manner, course, +or custom: and here it cannot signify the law of God, for all these acts +of tyranny are contrary to the law of God; for to make servants of +subjects is contrary to the law of God, Deut. xvii. 20. Forbidding to +lift up himself so far above his brethren; but this was to deal with +them as a proud Pharaoh; to take so many for chariots and horsemen, is +also contrary to the law, Deut. xvii. 15. "He shall not multiply +horses;" to take their fields and vineyards is mere robbery, contrary to +the moral and judicial law, whereof he was to have always a copy, ver. +18. And contrary to Ezek. xlvi. 18. "The prince shall not take of the +peoples inheritance," &c. This would justify Ahab's taking Naboth's +vineyard, which yet the Lord accounted robbery, and for which tyrants +are called "companions of thieves," Isa. i. 23. and "robbers," Isa. +xlii. 24. into whose hands the Lord sometimes may give his people for a +spoil in judicial providence; but never with his approbation and grant +of right: to make them cry out, is oppression, which the Lord abhors, +Isa. v. 7, 8. And if this be all the remedy, it is none; for it is such +a cry, as the Lord threatens he will not hear. 3. It is false, that this +manner of the Lord was registred in that book mentioned, 1 Sam. x. 25. +for that was the law of the kingdom, accordingly the copy of which the +king was to have for his instruction containing the fundamental laws, +point blank contrary to this which was the manner of the king; there is +a great difference between the manner of the kingdom, which ought to be +observed as law, and the manner of the king, what he would have as lust. +Would Samuel write in a book the rules of tyranny, to teach to oppress, +contrary to the law of God? He says himself, he would only teach both +king and people "the good and the right way," 1 Sam. xii. 23, 25. 4. +Nothing can be more plain, than that this was a mere dissuasive against +seeking; for he protests against this course, and then lays before them +what sort of a king he should be, in a description of many acts of +tyranny; and yet in the end it is said, 1 Sam. vii. 19. "Nevertheless +the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel, and said, Nay, but we +will have a king." + +Now, what else was the voice of Samuel, than a dissuasion? I am not here +levelling this argument against monarchy in the abstract, that does not +ly in my road; but I infer from thence, 1. If God was displeased with +this people for asking and owning a king, who was only to become a +tyrant and dissuades from the choice, by a description of his future +tyranny; then certainly he was displeased with them, when they continued +owning, when he was a tyrant indeed, according to that description; but +the former is true, therefore also the latter. The consequence is clear: +for continuing in sin is sin; but continuing in owning that tyrant, +which was their sin at first, was a continuing in sin; therefore----The +minor is confirmed thus: continuing is counteracting the motives of +God's dissuasion, especially when they are sensibly visible, is a +continuing in sin; but their continuing in owning Saul after he became a +tyrant, was a continuing in counteracting the motives of God's +dissuasion, when they were sensibly visible. I do not say, because it +was their sin to ask Saul, therefore it was not lawful to own him, while +he ruled as a magistrate: and so if Charles II. had ruled righteously, +it would not have been sin to own him; but after the Lord uses +dissuasives from a choice of such an one, and these are signally +verified, if it was to make the choice, then it must be sin to keep it. +2. If it was their sin to seek and set up such an one before he was +tyrant, who yet was admitted upon covenant terms, and the manner of it +registred; then much more is it a sin to seek and set up one, after he +declared himself a tyrant, and to admit him without any terms at all, or +for any to consent or give their suffrage to such a deed; but the former +is true, therefore the latter: and consequently, to give our consent to +the erection of the duke of York, by owning his authority, was our sin. +3. If it be a sin to own the manner of the king there described, then it +is a sin to own the pretended authority, which is the exact transumpt of +it; but it is a sin to own the manner of the king there described, or +else it would never have been used as a dissuasive from seeking such a +king. 4. To bring ourselves under such a burden, which the Lord will not +remove, and involve ourselves under such a misery, wherein the Lord will +not hear us, is certainly a sin, ver. 18. But to own or choose such a +king, whose manner is there described, would bring ourselves under such +a burden and misery, wherein the Lord would not hear us: therefore it +were our sin. + +4. We may add the necessary qualifications of magistrates, which the +Lord requires to be in all, both superior and inferior: and thence it +may be inferred, that such pretended rulers, who neither have nor can +have these qualifications, and are not to be owned as ministers, who +have no qualifications for such a function. We find their essentially +necessary qualifications particularly described. Jethro's counsel was +God's counsel and command; that rulers must be able men such as fear +God, men of truth, hating covetousness, Exod. xviii. 21. Tyrants and +usurpers have none, nor can have any of these qualifications, except +that they may have ability of force, which is not here meant: but that +they be morally able for the discharge of their duty: surely they cannot +fear God, nor be men of truth; for then they would not be tyrants. It is +God's direction, that the man to be advanced and assumed to rule, must +be a man in whom is the spirit, Numb. xxvii. 18. as is said of Joshua; +what spirit this was, Deut. xxxiv. 9. explains, he was full of the +spirit of wisdom, that is, the spirit of government; not the spirit of +infernal Jesuitical policy, which tyrants may have, but they cannot have +the true regal spirit, but such a spirit as Saul had when he turned +tyrant, an evil spirit from the Lord. Moses saith, They must be wise +men, and understanding, and known among the tribes, Deut. i. 13. for if +they be children or fools, they are plagues and punishments, Isa. iii. +2, 3, 4. &c. not magistrates, who are always blessings. And they must be +known men of integrity, not known to be knaves or fools, as all tyrants +are always. The law of the king is, Deut. xvii. 15. he must be one of +the Lord's chusing. Can tyrants and usurpers be such? No, they are set +up, but not by him, Hos. viii. 4. He must be a brother, and not a +stranger, that is, of the same nation, and of the same religion: for +though infidelity does not make void a magistrate's authority; yet both +by the law of God and man, he ought not to be chosen, who is an enemy to +religion and liberty. Now it were almost treason, to call the tyrant a +brother; and I am sure it is no reason, for he disdains it, being +absolute above all. That good king's testament confirms this, the God of +Israel said, the rock of Israel spake, he that ruleth over men must be +just, ruling in the fear of God, 2 Sam. xxiii. 3. But tyrants and +usurpers cannot be just: for if they should render every one their +right, they would keep none to themselves, but behoved to resign their +robberies in the first place, and then also they must give the law its +course, and that against themselves. These scriptures indeed do not +prove, that all magistrates are in all their administrations so +qualified, nor that none ought to be owned, but such as are so qualified +in all respects. But as they demonstrate what they ought to be, so they +prove, that they cannot be magistrates of God's ordaining, who have none +of these qualifications: but tyrants and usurpers have none of these +qualifications. Much more do they prove, that they cannot be owned to be +magistrates who are not capable of any of these qualifications: but +usurpers are not capable of any or these qualifications. At least they +conclude, in so far as they are not so qualified, they ought not to be +owned, but disowned; but tyrants and usurpers are not so qualified in +any thing: therefore in any thing they are not be owned, but disowned. +For in nothing are they so qualified as the Lord prescribes. + +Secondly, I shall offer some reasons from scripture assertions. + +1. It is strongly asserted in Elihu's speech to Job, that he that hateth +right should not govern, where he is charging Job with blasphemy, in +accusing God of injustice; of which he vindicates the almighty, in +asserting his sovereignty and absolute dominion, which is inconsistent +with injustice, and shews both that if he be sovereign, he cannot be +unjust: and if he be unjust, he could not be sovereign: which were +horrid blasphemy to deny. And in the demonstration of this, he gives one +maxim in a question, which is equivalent to an universal negative, Job +xxxiv. 17, 18. Shall even he that hateth right govern? And wilt thou +condemn him that is most just? Is it fit to say to a king, thou art +wicked; and to princes ye are ungodly? In which words, the scope makes +it clear, that if Job made God a hater of right, he should then deny his +government; and if he took upon him to condemn him of injustice, he +should blasphemously deny him to be king of the world. For it is not fit +to say to any king, that he is wicked, or so ungodly, as to be a hater +of right; for that were treason, lese majesty, and in effect a denying +him to be king; much less is it fit to say to him that is King of kings. +Here then it is affirmed, and supposed to hold good of all governors, +that he that hateth right should not govern, or bind, as it is in the +margin; for Habash signifies both to bind and to govern, but all to one +sense; for governors only can bind subjects authoratively, with the +bonds of laws and punishments. I know the following words are alledged +to favour the uncontroulableness and absoluteness of princes, that it is +not fit to say to them, they are wicked. But plain it is, the words do +import treason against lawful kings, whom to call haters of right were +to call their kingship in question; as the scope shews, in that these +words are adduced to justify the sovereignty of God by his justice, and +to confute any indirect charging him with injustice, because that would +derogate from his kingly glory, it being impossible he could be king, +and unjust too. So in some analogy, though every and of injustice do not +unking a prince; yet to call him wicked, that is habitually unjust, and +a hater of justice, were as much as to say, he is no king, which were +intolerable treason against lawful kings. But this is no treason against +tyrants; for truth and law can be no treason: now this is the language +of truth and law, that wicked kings are wicked; and they that are wicked +and ungodly ought to be called so, as Samuel called Saul, and Elijah, +Ahab, &c. However it will hold to be a true maxim, whether we express it +by way of negation or interrogation. + +Shall even he that hateth right govern? But are not tyrants and usurpers +haters of right? Shall therefore they govern? I think it must be +answered, they should not govern. If then they should not govern, I +infer, they should not be owned as governors. For if it be their sin to +govern (right or wrong, it is all one case, for they should not govern +at all) then it is our sin to own them in their government: for it is +always a sin to own a man in his sinning. + +The royal prophet, or whoever was the penman of that appeal for justice +against tyranny, Psal. xciv. 20. does tacitly assert the same truth, in +that expostulation, shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with +thee, that frameth mischief by a law? Which is as much as if he had +said, the throne of iniquity shall not, no, cannot have fellowship with +God; that is, it cannot be the throne of God that he hath any interest +in, or concern with, by way of approbation: he hath nothing to do with +it, except it be to suffer it a while, till he take vengeance on it in +the end. And shall we have fellowship with that throne, that God hath no +fellowship with, and that is not his throne, but the devil's, as it must +be, if God doth not own it? Much may be argued from hence; but in a +word, a throne which is not of God, nor ordained of God, but rather of +the devil, cannot be owned (for that is the reason of our subjection to +any power, because it is of God, and ordained of God, Rom. xiii. 1. And +that is the great dignity of magistracy, that its throne, is the throne +of God, 1 Chron. xxix. 23.) But a throne of tyranny and usurpation, is a +throne which is not of God, nor ordained of God, but rather of the +devil: Ergo----. The minor is proved: a throne of iniquity, &c. is a +throne which is not of God, nor ordained of God, but rather of the +devil; but a throne of tyranny and usurpation is a throne of iniquity: +Ergo, it is not of God, and so not to be owned. + +3. The Lord charges it upon Israel as a transgression of his covenant, +and trespass against his law, that they had set up kings, and not by +him, and had made princes and he knew it not, Hos. viii. 4. and then +taxes them with idolatry, which ordinarily is the consequent of it, as +we have reason to fear will be in our case. He shews there the apostasy +of that people, in changing both the ordinances of the magistracy and of +the ministry, both of the kingdom and of the priesthood, in which two +the safety of that people was founded: so they overturned all the order +of God, and openly declared they would not be governed by the hand of +God, as Calvin upon the place expounds it. Whereas, the Lord had +commanded, if they would set up kings, they should set none up but whom +he choosed, Deut. xvii. 15. yet they had no regard to this, nor +consulted him in their admission of kings, but set them up, and never +let him to wit of it, without his knowledge; that is, without consulting +him, and without his approbation, for it can have no other sense. I +know, it is alledged by several interpreters, that here is meant the +tribes secession from the house of David, and their setting up Jeroboam. +I shall confess that the ten tribes did sin in that erection of +Jeroboam, without respect to the counsel or command of God, without +waiting on the vocation of God, as to the times and manner, and without +covenanting with him for security for their religion and liberty; but +that their secession from David's line, which by no precept or promise +of God they were astricted to, but only conditionally, if his children +should walk in the ways of God, or that their erecting of Jeroboam was +materially their sin, I must deny; and assert, that if Jeroboam had not +turned tyrant and apostate from God (for which they should have rejected +him afterwards, and returned to the good kings of David's line) he would +have been as lawful a king as any in Judah, for he got the kingdom from +the Lord the same way, and upon the same terms that David did, as may be +seen expressly in 1 Kings xi. 38. It must be therefore meant, either +generally of all tyrants whom they would set up without the Lord's mind, +as at first they would have kings on any terms though they should prove +tyrants, as we have seen in Saul's case. Or particularly Omri whom they +set up, but not by the Lord; 1 Kings xvi. 16. And Ahab his son, and +Shallum, Menaham, Pekah, &c. who were all set up by blood and treachery, +the same way that our popish duke is now set up, but not by the Lord, +that is by his approbation. Hence I argue, those kings that are not +owned of God, nor set up by him, must not be owned by us (for we can own +none for kings but those that reign by him, Prov. viii. 15. and are +ordained of him, Rom. xiii. 1.) But tyrants and usurpers are not owned +of God as kings, nor are set up by him: Ergo----Again, if it be a sin to +set up kings, and not by God, then it is a sin to own them when set up: +for, that is a partaking of, and continuing in the sin of that erection, +and hath as much affinity with it, as resetting hath with theft; for if +they be the thieves, they are the resetters who receive them and own +them. + +4. The prophet Habakkuk, in his complaint to God of the Chaldean +tyranny, asserts that God hath made righteous, as the fishes of the sea, +as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them, Habak. i. 14. Now +how were they said to be without a ruler, when the Chaldean actually +commanded, and absolutely ruled over them? yea, how can the fishes and +reptiles have no ruler over them? If domineering be ruling, they want +not that; when the weaker are over-mastered by the stronger, and by them +made either to be subject, or to become their prey. But the meaning is, +these creatures have no ruler over them by order of nature: and the Jews +had then no ruler over them by order of law, or ordination from God, or +any that was properly their magistrate by divine institution, or human +orderly constitution. + +We see then it is one thing for a people to have an arbitrary or +enthralling tyranny; another to have true magistracy or authority to be +owned over them; without which kingdoms are but as mountains of prey, +and seas of confusion. Hence I argue, if the Jews having the Chaldean +monarch tyrannizing over them, had really no ruler over them, then is a +tyrant and usurper not to be owned for a ruler: but the former is true: +therefore also the latter. + +5. Our Saviour Christ delivers this as a commonly received, and a true +maxim, John viii. 54. "He that honoureth himself, his honour is +nothing." The Jews had objected that he had only made himself Messias, +ver. 53. To whom he answers, by way of concession, if it were so indeed, +then his claims were void, if I honour my self, my honour is nothing: +and then claims an undubitable title to his dignity, It is my father +that honoureth me. Here is a twofold honour distinguished, the one real, +the other suppositious and null, the one renounced, the other owned by +Christ, self-honour, and honour which is from God. Hence I argue, a +selfcreated dignity is not to be owned; the authority of tyrants and +usurpers is a self created dignity: Ergo----. This was confirmed above. + +Thirdly, I shall offer some other considerations confirming this truth, +from those scriptures which I class among precepts. And these I find of +divers sorts touching this subject. + +1. I shew before that the greatest of men, even kings, are not exempted +from punishment, if guilty of capital crimes; for where the law +distinguisheth not, we ought not to distinguish. There is one special +and very peremptory law, given before the law for regulating kings, +which, by that posterior law, was neither abrogated nor limited even as +to kings, Deut. xiii. 6-9. If thy brother (and a king must be a brother, +Deut. xvii. 15.)--entice thee secretly, saying, let us go and serve +other gods--Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him, +neither shall thine eye pity him. How famous Mr. Knox improved this +argument, is shewed in the third period. That which I take notice of +here is only, that kings are not excepted from this law; but if they be +open enticers to idolatry, by force or fraud, persecution or toleration, +as this idolater now reigning is palpably doing, they are obnoxious to a +legal animadversion. As it cannot be supposed, that secret enticers +should be liable to punishment, and not open avouchers of a desire and +design to pervert all the nation to idolatry: that a private perverter +of one man, though never so nearly and dearly related, should be pursued +and brought to condign punishment, and a public subverter of whole +nations, and introducer of a false and blasphemous idolatrous religion, +should escape scot free. Let the punishment inflicted be in a judicial +way, and of what measures it pleases the judge to determine, I shall not +controvert here; only I plead, that idolatrous tyrants are not excepted +from this law: and infer, that if they ought to be punished, they ought +to be deposed; and if they ought to be deposed, they cannot be owned, +when undeniably guilty of this capital crime, as was urged above. + +To this I may add that part of that prophetical king's testament; who, +being about to leave the world, under some challenges of +maladministration in his own government, (for which he took himself to +the well ordered everlasting covenant, for pardon and encouragement,) +after he had shewn what rulers should be, he threatens, by antithesis, +tyrannical pretenders, in these severe words, which do also imply a +precept, and a direction how to deal with them, 2 Sam. xxiii. 6, 7. "But +they of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they +cannot be taken with hands, but the man that shall touch them must be +fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly +burnt with fire in the same place." Let these words be understood as a +threatning against all the wicked in general, who are to be quenched as +the fire of thorns; or particularly of the promoters of antichrist's +kingdom, in opposition to Christ's, as some interpreters judge; it will +not weaken, but confirm my argument, if kings who are ringleaders of +that gang be not excepted. + +I know some do understand this of rebels against righteous rulers: which +though indeed it be a truth, that they that are such should be so +served, and roughly handled with iron, and the staff of a spear; yet it +is not so consonant to the scope and connexion of this place, shewing +the characters of righteous rulers, and of usurping tyrants, making an +opposition between rulers that are just, ruling in the fear of God, and +those that are rulers of Belial, promising blessing upon the government +of the one, and contempt and rejection to the other, and shewing how +both should be carried towards: neither does it agree with the words +themselves, where the supplement in our translation is redundant; for it +is not in the Hebrew. The sons of Belial, only they of Belial, clearly +relative to the rulers of whom he was speaking before. And indeed the +word Belial, in its etymology is not more applicable to any than to +tyrants; for it comes from beli not, and Hhall above, because they will +have none above them, or from beli not, and Hhol a yoke, because they +cannot suffer a yoke, but cast away the yoke of laws and the yoke of +Christ, saying, Let us burst his bands, &c. Nor is it always agreeable +to truth, to understand it only of rebels against righteous rulers, that +they can never be taken with hands: For as very rarely righteous rulers +have any rebels to be the objects of their rigour and rage; so when +there are any, discreet and wise rulers will find many ways to take and +touch them, and quath or quiet them. But it is always true of tyrants, +for they can never be taken with hands, neither in a friendly manner, +taken by the hand and transacted within any bargain as other men, for +they that would do so, will find them like pricking and jagging briers, +which a man cannot handle without hurt to himself: nor can they be any +other way repressed or restrained, or touched, but by hands fenced with +iron, that is, with the sword of necessity, or axe of justice. And this +is insinuated as duty, so to endeavour to extirpate and eradicate such +thorns, as pester the commonwealth; but if it cannot be done, it must be +duty and wisdom both not to meddle with them, nor own them, no more than +Jotham, who would not subject himself, nor come under the shadow of the +bastard bramble. I confess it is commonly taken as a threatning of the +Lord's judgment against these sons of Belial: And so it is. But it +teacheth also what men are called to, when they have to do with such, to +wit, to take the same course with them as they would to clear the ground +of thorns and briers. And that it is restricted to the Lord's immediate +way of taking them off, is not credible: for, it can have no tolerable +sense to say, they shall be thrust away, because they cannot be taken +with the Lord's hands: neither is there need, that he should be fenced +with iron, &c. And let iron, &c. be taken tropically for the Lord's +sword of vengeance; yet how can it be understood, that he must be fenced +therewith? or that he will thrust them away, as a man must be fenced +against thorns? What defence needs the Lord against tyrants! It is only +then intelligible, that the Lord, in his righteous judgment, will make +use of men and legal means, and of those who cannot take them with +hands, in his judicial procedure against them. Hence I argue, if tyrants +are to be dealt with as thorns, that cannot be taken with hands, but to +be thrust away by violence, then, when we are not in case to thrust them +away, we must let them alone, and not meddle nor make with them, and so +must not own them, for we cannot own them without meddling, and without +being pricked to our hurt; but the former is true: therefore,--Of this +same nature, another threatning confuting the pretence of the prince's +impunity, may be subjoined out of Psal. lxxxii. 6, 7. "I have said, ye +are gods, and all of you are children of the most high, but ye shall die +like men, and fall as one of the princes." From which words the learned +author of the history of the Douglasses, Mr. David Hume of Godscraft, in +his discourse upon Mr. Craig's sermon, upon the words, doth strongly +prove, that the scope is to beat off all kings, princes and rulers, from +the conceit of impunity for their tyrannical dominations; that they must +not think to domineer and do what they list, and overturn the +foundations or fundamental laws of kingdoms, because they are gods; as +if they were thereby uncontroulable, and above all law and punishment: +no, they must know, that if they be guilty of the same transgressions of +the law, as other capital offenders, they shall die like other men, and +fall as princes, who have been formerly punished. It is not to be +restricted to a threatning of mortality; for that is unavoidable, +whether they judge justly or unjustly, and the fear thereof usually hath +little efficacy to deter men from crimes punishable by law: neither can +it be understood only of the Lord's immediate hand taking them away, +exclusive of men's legal punishment; for expressly they are threatned to +die like common men, and to be liable to the like punishment with them: +now, common men are not only liable to the Lord's immediate judgment, +but also to men's punishment. Hence, if tyrants and overturners of the +foundations of the earth must be punished as other men, then when they +are such, they cannot be looked upon as righteous rulers, for +righteous rulers must not be punished; but the former is true: +therefore,--According to these scriptures, which either express or imply +a precept to have no respect to princes in judgment, when turning +criminals, we find examples of the people's punishing Amaziah, &c. +which is recorded without a challenge, and likewise Athaliah. + +2. There is a precept given to a humbled people, that have groaned long +under the yoke of tyranny and oppression, enjoining them, as a proof of +their sincerity in humiliation, to bestir themselves in shaking off +those evils they had procured by their sin, Isa. lviii. 6. "Is not this +the fast that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo +the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break +every yoke?" which are all good works of justice and mercy, and more +acceptable to God, than high flown pretences of humiliation, under a +stupid submission, and hanging down the head as a bulrush. We see it +then a duty to relieve the oppressed, and to repress tyranny, and break +its yoke. If it be objected, (1.) That these are spiritual bonds and +yokes, that are here commanded to be loosed and broken; or if any +external be meant, they are only the yokes, of their exactions and +usuries. For Answ. I grant, that it is the great duty of a people +humbling themselves before the Lord, "to break off their sins by +righteousness, and their iniquity, by shewing mercy to the poor," Dan. +iv. 27. but that this is the genuine and only sense of this place, +cannot be proved, or approved by the scope; which is, to press them to +those duties they omitted, whereby the poor oppressed people of God +might be freed from the yokes of them that made them to howl, and to +bring them to the conviction of those sins for which the Lord was +contending with them, whereof this was one, that they exacted all their +labours, or things wherewith others were grieved (as the margin reads) +or suffered the poor to be oppressed. (2.) If it be alledged, that this +is the duty proper to rulers to relieve the oppressed, &c. I answer, it +is so; but not peculiar to them: yet most commonly they are the +oppressors themselves, and cast out the poor, which others must take +into their houses. But the duty here is pressed upon all the people, +whose sins are here cried out against (ver. 1.) upon all who professed +the service of God, and asked the ordinances of justice (ver. 2.) upon +all who were fasting and humbling themselves, and complained they had no +success (ver 3.) the reasons whereof the Lord discovers (ver. 4, 5.) +whereof this was one, that they did not loose those bands, nor break +these yokes, nor relieved the oppressed; and those works of justice +(ver. 6) are pressed upon the same grounds, that the works of mercy are +pressed upon (ver. 7.) sure these are not all, nor only rulers. Hence I +argue, if it be a duty to break every yoke of oppression and tyranny, +then it is a duty to come out from under their subjection; but the +former is true: therefore also the latter. + +3. In answer to that grand objection of the Jews subjection to +Nebuchadnezzar, I shewed what little weight or force there is in it. And +here I shall take an argument from that same passage. The Lord commands +his people there, to desert and disown Zedekiah, who was the possessor +of the government at present, and says, it was the way of life to fall +to the Chaldeans, Jer. xxi. 8, 9. which was a falling away from the +present king. Either this commanded subjection to the Chaldeans is an +universal precept; or it is only particular at that time. If it be +universal, obliging people to subject themselves to every conqueror, +then it is also universal, obliging people to renounce and disown every +covenant-breaking tyrant, as here they were to fall away from Zedekiah: +if it be only particular, then the owners of tyranny have no advantage +from this passage. And I have advantage, so far as the ground of the +precept is as moral, as the reason of that punishment of Zedekiah, which +was his perfidy and perjury. Hence, if the Lord hath commanded to disown +a king breaking covenant, then at least it is not insolent or +unprecedented to do so; but here the Lord hath commanded to disown a +king: therefore,-- + +Fourthly, We may have many confirmations of this truth from scripture +practices approven. + +1. I was but hinting before, how that after the death of that brave +captain and judge Gideon, when Abimelech, the son of his whore, did +first aspire into a monarchy, which he persuaded the silly Shechemites +to consent to, by the same argument, which royalists make so much of, +for asserting the necessity of an hereditary monarchy, (whether it is +better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal----reign over you, +or that one reign over you?) and by bloody cruelty did usurp a +monarchical or rather tyrannical throne of domination, founded upon the +blood of his seventy brethren, (as we know, whose throne is founded upon +the blood of all the brethren he had,) Jotham, who escaped, scorned to +put his trust under the shadow of such a bramble, and they that did +submit, found his parable verified, a mutual fire reciprocally consuming +both the usurping king and his traiterous subjects; neither did all the +godly in Israel submit to him. See Pool's Synopsis Critic. on the place, +Jud. ix. Here is one express example of disowning a tyrant and usurper. + +2. I shewed before, how, after the period of that theocracy, which the +Lord had maintained and managed for some time in great mercy and majesty +in and over his people, they itching after novelties, and affecting to +be neighbour-like, rejected the Lord in desiring a king; and the Lord +permitting it, gave them a king in wrath, (the true original and only +sanction of tyrannical monarchy,) when the characters of his tyranny, +presaged by Samuel, were verified in his aspiring into a great deal of +absoluteness especially in his cruel persecuting of David, not only the +600 men that were David's followers stood out in opposition to him, but, +in the end, being weary of his government, many brave and valiant men, +whom the Spirit of God commends and describes very honourably, fell off +from Saul, even when he was actually tyrannizing, before he was dead, 1 +Chron. xii. 1. &c. They came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept +himself close, because of Saul the son of Kish, (N.B. now he is not +honoured with the name of king,) they were armed with bows, and could +use both the right hand and the left. And of the Gadites, there +separated themselves unto David men of might, fit for the battle, that +could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were as the faces of lions, +ver. 8. And the Spirit came upon Amasai chief of the captains, saying, +thine are we David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse. Here was a +formed revolt from Saul unto David before he was king; for after this he +was made king in Hebron, and there could not be two kings at once. Hence +I argue, if people may separate themselves from, and take part with the +resister, against a tyrant; then they may disown him, (for if they own +him still to be the minister of God, they must not resist him, Rom. +xiii. 2.) But here is an example that many people did separate +themselves from Saul, and took part with the resister David: +therefore----Here two of the first monarchs of Israel were disowned, +Abimelech and Saul. + +3. The first hereditary successor was likewise disowned, as was hinted +above likewise. The ten tribes offer to covenant with Rehoboam, in terms +securing their rights and liberties. They desired nothing on the matter, +but that he would engage to rule over them according to the law of God; +to which, when he answered most tyrannically, and avowed he would +tyrannize over them, and oppress them more than any of his predecessors, +they fell away from, and erected themselves into a new commonwealth, 1. +Kings xii. 16. So when Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, +they answered, what portion have we in David? Neither have we +inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel; now see to +thine own house David, 2 Chron. x. 16. Now, however the event of this +declared revolt proved sorrowful, when they and their new king made +defection unto idolatry, yet if they had stated and managed it right, +the cause was good, justifiable, and commendable. For, (1.) We find +nothing in all the text condemning this. (2.) On the contrary, it is +expressly said, the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his +saying, which he spake by Ahijah, 1 Kings xii. 15. 2 Chron. x. 15. And +(3.) When Rehoboam was preparing to pursue his pretended right, he was +reproved and discharged by Shemaiah, ye shall not go up, nor fight +against your brethren, for this thing is from me, 1 Kings xii. 24. 2 +Chron. xi. 4. (4.) Whereas it is alledged by some, that this was of God +only by his providence, and not by his ordinance; the contrary will +appear, if we consider how formally and covenant-wise the Lord gave ten +tribes to Jeroboam, 1. Kings xi. 35, 37, 38. "I will take the kingdom +out of his son's hand, and I will give it unto thee, even ten tribes; +and I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy +soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel; and it shall be, if thou +wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and +do that which is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and +commandments, as David my servant did, that I will be with thee, and +build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto +thee." + +Where we see the kingdom was given unto him on the same terms and +conditions, that it was given to David. He may indeed give kingdoms to +whom he will, by providential grant, as unto Nebuchadnezzar, and others; +but he never gave them a kingdom upon these conditions, and, by way of +covenant, that does always imply and import his word, warrant, and +ordinance. (5.) If we consider the cause of the revolt, we will find it +very just: for after the decease of the former king, they enter upon +terms of a compact with the successor, upon a suspensive condition, to +engage into fealty and allegiance to him as subjects, if he would give +them security for their liberties and privileges. A very lawful, +laudable and necessary transaction, founded upon moral equity, and upon +the fundamental constitutions of that government, and suitable to the +constant practice of their predecessors, in their covenanting with Saul +and David. As for that word, 1 Kings xii. 19. So Israel rebelled against +the house of David: it is no more than in the margin, they fell away or +revolted; and no more to be condemned than Hezekiah's rebellion, 2 Kings +xviii. 7. The Lord was with him, and he rebelled against the king of +Assyria. That was a good rebellion. Hence if it be lawful for a part of +the people to shake off the king, refuse subjection to him, and set up a +new king of their own, when he resolveth to play the tyrant, and rule +them after his own absolute power; then it is a duty, when he actually +plays the tyrant, and by his absolute power overturns laws and religion, +and claims by law such a prerogative; but the former is true: +Ergo----See Jus populi vindic. chap. 3. page 52. + +4. This same Jeroboam, when he turned tyrant and idolater, was revolted +from and deserted by the priests and the levites, and after them out of +all the tribes of Israel, by all such as set their heart to seek the +Lord God of Israel; because that king, degenerating into tyranny and +idolatry, had put them from the exercise of their office and religion +(as our Charles did,) and ordained him priests for the devils, and for +the calves: so they returned to Rehoboam, being induced by his +administration of the government, which for a time was better than he +promised, for three years he walked in the ways of David and Solomon, 2 +Chron. xi. 13,--17. Hence I argue, if idolatrous tyrants may be +deserted, then they may be disowned abroad, it is the same duty at home, +though may be not the same policy or prudence. + +5. Another example of the like nature we have in the reign of Baasha, +who succeeded to Nadab, Jeroboam's son, whom he slew, and reigned in his +stead, (the same way that the duke came to the throne) for he could not +keep his subjects within his kingdom, but behoved to build Ramah, that +he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah, a +good prince, 1 Kings xv. 17. yet that could not hinder them, but many +strangers out of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and Simeon, fell to him in +abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him, 2 Chron. +xv. 9. Hence, if people may choose another king, when they see the Lord +is with him, then they may disown their country king, when they see the +devil is with him. + +9. When Jeroboam, the son of Ahab, reigned over Israel, we have an +express example of Elisha's disowning him, 2 Kings iii. 14, 15. And +Elisha said unto the king of Israel, what have I to do with thee?----As +the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I +regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look +towards thee, nor see thee. Here he declares so much contempt of him, +and so little regard, that he disdains him a look. + +And if he would not regard him, nor give him honour, then he did not own +him as king; for all kings are to be honoured, that are owned to be +kings really. It may be alledged by some, that Elisha was an +extraordinary man, and this was an extraordinary action, and therefore +not imitable. I shall grant it so far extraordinary, that it is not +usual to carry so to persons of that figure, and that indeed there are +few Elishas now, not only for his prophetic spirit which now is ceased, +but even in respect of his gracious spirit of zeal, which in a great +measure is now extinguished: he was indeed an extraordinary man, and +this action did demonstrate much of the spirit of Elias to have been +abiding with him. But that this was was inimitable, these reasons +induce me to deny, (1.) Prophets were subjects to kings, as well as +others, as Nathan was to David (1 Kings i 32, 33.) every soul must be +subject to the higher powers that are of God. (2.) All the actions of +prophets were not extraordinary, nor did they every thing by +extraordinary inspiration; that was peculiar to Christ, that he could +prophesy, and do extraordinary acts when he pleased, because he received +the spirit not by measure, and it rested upon him. (3.) This particular +action and carriage was before he called for the minstrel, and before +the hand of the Lord came upon him, ver. 15. Ergo, this was not by +inspiration. (4.) The ground of this was moral and ordinary, for hereby +he only shewed himself to be a person fit to abide in the Lord's +tabernacle, and an upright walker, in whose eyes a vile person is +contemned, Psal. xv. 4. And a just man, to whom the unjust is an +abomination, Prov. xxix. 29. What further can be alledged against this +instance, I see not. And I need draw no argument by consequence, it is +so plain. + +7. This same Jehoram, after many signal demonstrations of the power of +God exerted in the ministry of his servant Elisha, which sometimes did +extort his acknowledgement, and made him call the prophet his father, 2 +Kings vi. 21. yet, when in the strait siege of Samaria, he was plagued +with famine for his idolatry, insomuch that the pitiful mothers were +made to eat their own tender children; became so insolent a tyrant, that +being incensed into a madness of outragious malice against the prophet +Elisha, that he sware, God do so to him, and more also, if the head of +Elisha, the son of Shaphat, should stand on him that day, accordingly he +sent a messenger to execute it. But the prophet, from a principle of +nature, and reason, and law, as well as grace, and by the spirit of a +man as well as of a prophet, stood upon his defence and encouraged those +that were with him to keep out the house against him, saying, see ye how +this son of a murderer (a proper stile for such a monster of a king) +hath sent to take away mine head--2 Kings vi. 32. This is a strong +argument for self defence; but I improve it thus; if tyrants may be +opposed as sons of murderers, and murderers themselves, and no otherwise +to be accounted than under such a vile character, then can they not be +owned as kings; but here is an example for the first: Ergo.-- + +8. This man's brother in law, of the same name, Jehoram the son of +Jehoshaphat, who had the daughter of Ahab to wife, and therefore walked +in the way of the house of Ahab, gives us another instance. He turned +apostate and tyrant, and Abimelech-like (or if you will, York-like) slew +his brethren, and divers also of the princes of Israel; moreover he made +high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of +Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto: for which +cause of his intolerable insolency in wickedness, Libnah one of the +cities of priests in Judah, revolted from him, 2 Kings viii. 22. because +he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers, 2 Chron. xxi. 10. which was +the motive and impulsive cause of their disowning him, and is not to be +detorted to that restricted cavil of royalists, understanding it only as +the meritorious or procuring cause of his punishment, and loss sustained +thereby; for it is not said of the Edomites, who revolted at the same +time, as it is mentioned in another paragraph; neither of the +Philistines and Arabians, and Ethiopians, whose spirit the Lord stirred +up against him; these were also a punishment to him: nor would it sound +very suitably to be said, that they opposed him, because he had forsaken +the Lord God of his fathers: for that would insinuate some influence +that his apostasy had on them, as certainly it could not but have on the +Lord's priests that dwelt in Libnah, who understood by the law of God, +what was their duty to do with enticers, or drawers or drivers to +idolatry: and when they were not in capacity to execute the judgment of +the Lord, this was the least they could, to revolt. Here then is an +example of a peoples revolt from a prince, and disowning allegiance to +him, because of apostasy and tyranny. + +9. In this kingdom of Judah, after long experience of a succession of +hereditary tyranny in many wicked kings, the people, after they had long +smarted for their lazy loyalty, in their stupid abandoning, forgetting +and foregoing this privilege of disowning tyrants, and keeping them in +order, began at length to bestir themselves in their endeavours to +recover their lost liberties, and repress tyrants insolencies on several +occasions; wherein, though sometimes were extravagancies, when +circumstances did mar the justice of the action, and some did go beyond +their sphere in tumultuary precipitations; yet, upon the matter, it was +justice, and in conformity to a moral command. One impregnable witness +of this we have, in the pious plot of Jehoiada the priest, who being but +a subject, as all priests were (as the deposition of Abiathar by king +Solomon, 1 Kings ii. 27. proveth) entered into an association with the +inferior rulers, to choose and make a new king: and notwithstanding that +the idolatress and the tyrant Athaliah, who had the possession of the +government, cried treason, treason at the fact, they had her forth +without the ranges, and slew her, 2 Kings xi. 14, 16. This was according +to the law, Deut. xiii. and approven by all interpreters, even Mr. Pool +in his Synopsis Critic. though otherwise superlatively loyal, yet +approves of this, and says, she was an incurable idolatress, and +therefore deserved to be deposed by the nobles of the kingdom, and +quotes Grotius in loc. saying (she reigned by mere force; for the +Hebrews were to have brethren for their kings, but not sisters, Deut. +xvii. 15.) Hence if tyrants may be forcibly repressed, then may they +peaceably be disowned; but this example confirms that: therefore---- + +10. The sacred history proceeds in the relation, how this same Joash the +son of Ahaziah, after he degenerated into murdering tyranny, was slain +by Jozachar and Jehozabad, 2 Kings xii. 20, 21. but that was by his own +servants in private assassination: therefore they are called murderers +by Amaziah his son, 2 Kings xiv. 5, 6. but upon the matter it was the +justice of God, which he deserved (if it had been duly execute) for the +blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, 2 Chron. xxiv. 25. So Amon the +son of Manesseh, for his walking in the way of his father in idolatry +and tyranny, and forsaking the Lord God of his fathers, was slain in his +own house by his servants, who conspired against him; but though this +was justice also upon the matter and consonant to the command for +punishing idolaters and murderers, yet because defective in the manner, +and done by them that took too much upon them in a perfidious way of +private assassination and conspiracy, therefore the people of the land +punished them for it, 2 Kings xxi. 23, 24. But the repressing and +punishing of Amaziah is a more unexceptionable instance. + +The people made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to +Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there, 2 Kings +xiv. 19. after the time that he turned away from following the Lord, 2 +Chron. xxv. 27. which was according to the command, Deut. xiii. which +hath no exception of kings in it. This action was not questioned either +by the people or his successor, as the forementioned conspiracies were. +His son Uzziah succeeding, who did right, and consulted the Lord (2. +Chron. xxvi. 4, 5.) did not resent nor revenge his father's death; which +certainly he would have done, by advice of Zechariah, who had +understanding in the visions of God, if it had been a transgression. The +famous and faithful Mr. Knox doth clear this passage beyond +contradiction in his conference with Lethington. Hence I take an +argument a fortiori, if people may conspire and concur in executing +judgment upon their king turning idolater and tyrant, then much more may +they revolt from him; but this example clears the antecedent: therefore. + +11. The fame power and privilege of people's punishing their princes, +was exemplified in the successor of him last mentioned, to wit, in +Uzziah the son of Amaziah, called Azariah, 2 Kings xv. when he +degenerated into the ambition of arrogating a supremacy in causes +ecclesiastic and sacred, as well as civil, his heart was lifted up to +his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went +into the temple of the Lord to burn incense. In which usurpation he was +resisted by Azariah the priest, and with him fourscore priests of the +Lord, that were valiant men, who withstood him, and told him, it did not +appertain to him to take upon him so much, and bade him go out of the +sanctuary, or else it should not be for his honour. Which indeed he +stomached at as an affront, to be controuled and resisted; but in +thinking to resent it, he was plagued of the Lord with leprosy; which +the priests looking upon, they thrust him out from thence: and +thereafter sequestred him from all supremacy, both that which he had +before in things civil, and that which he was affecting in matters +sacred; for he was made to dwell in a several house, being a leper, (the +law including, and here execute upon, the king as well as the beggar) +and to resign the government into his son Jotham's hands, 2 Chron. xxvi. +16,--21. where it appears, he was not only excommunicated by a +ceremonial punishment, but also deposed judicially. Whether he +voluntarily demitted or not, it is to no purpose to contend; 'tis +evident, that by the law of God, the actual exercise of his power was +removed, whether with his will or against it, it is all one; and that he +was punished both by God and by men is undeniable. Yea, in this, his +punishment was very gentle, and far short of the severity of the law: +for by the law he should have been put to death, for intermeddling with +these holy things, interdicted to all but to the priests, under pain of +death, Numb. iii. 10. Numb. xviii. 7. The stranger that cometh nigh +shall be put to death. All were strangers that were not priests. Whence +I argue, if a prince, for his usurpation beyond his line in things +sacred, may by the priests be excommunicated, and by the people deposed; +then may a prince, not only usurping a supremacy (as Charles did) but an +absolute power of overturning all things, sacred and civil (as James +doth) and oppressing his subjects in all their liberties, be disowned, a +fortiori, for that is less than deposing or dethroning; but this example +clears the antecedent; therefore----. See Knox's discourse to +Lethington. Lex Rex, quest. 44. sect. 15, p. 461. Jus popul. chap. 3. p. +56. + +12. What if I should adduce the example of a king's rebellion against, +and revolt from a superior king, to whom he and his fathers both +acknowledged themselves subject? Surely our royalists and loyalists +would not condemn this; and yet in justifying it, they should condemn +their beloved principle of uncontrouled subjection to uncontroulable +sovereigns possessing the government. Ahaz became servant to the +Assyrian monarch, 2 Kings xvi. 7. yet Hezekiah his son, when the Lord +was with him, and he prospered--rebelled against the king of Assyria, +and he served him not, 2 Kings xviii. 7. Hezekiah was indeed a king; but +he was not Sennacherib's king; he acknowledges himself his vassal, and +that he offended in disowning him, ver. 14. which certainly was his sin +against the Lord, to make such an acknowledgment: for if his father's +transaction with the Assyrian was sin, then it was duty to break the +yoke; if the Lord was with him in that rebellion, then it was sin to +acknowledge it to be his offence: and to make good this acknowledgment, +it was certainly his sin to commit sacrilege, in robbing the house of +God, to satisfy that tyrant. By way supplement, I shall add that +instance of repressing a mad and furious tyrant, which all will +acknowledge to be lawful. Nebuchadnezzar was both stricken of God with +madness, and for that was depelled from the kingdom, according to the +heavenly oracle, The kingdom is departed from thee, and they shall drive +thee from men, Dan. iv. 31, 33. Calvin says upon the place, he was +ejected, as usually is done to tyrants, by the combination of the nobles +and people, Pool's synopsis critic. in locum. Thus he was unkinged for a +time, both by the just judgment of God, and by the intermediation of the +just judgment of men; and could not be owned to be king at that time, +when his nails were as birds claws, and he could not tell his own +fingers: they could not own him to be the governor then of so many +kingdoms, when he could not govern himself. Hence, though this is an +instance of heathens, yet, because they acted upon a rational ground, it +may be argued, If kings, because natural madness, when they cannot +govern themselves, may not be owned; then also, because of moral +madness, when they will not govern but to the destruction of kingdoms, +may not be owned, but the former is true: therefore also the latter. The +same reason against the government of asses, will also militate against +the government of tygers, the first is more eligible than the last. + +Fifthly, This may be confirmed from several promises in scripture. + +1. There are many gracious and precious promises of reformation of the +magistracy, and restitution of good rulers, as a great blessing from God +to mankind, and to the church, Isa. i. 26. 'I will restore thy judges as +at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning, afterward thou +shalt be called the city of righteousness.' If judges must first be +restored before the city can be a city of righteousness, then they must +be restored before we can own the government thereof: for that +government, under which it cannot be a city of righteousness, cannot be +owned, since it is no government, but a rebellion and combination of +thieves, see ver. 33. I do not here restrict the promise, as it is a +prophecy, to its exact fulfilment, as if no government were to be owned +but what answers this promise, of the restitution of the primitive order +of magistrates; but I plead, that when the princes are rebellious, and +companions of thieves, the government is not to be owned, till judges be +so far restored, as to reduce righteousness in some measure, which +cannot be under tyranny. + +And in the general I may plead, that none is to be owned as a +magistrate, but who some way is found in a promise; for there is no +ordinance of God, no duty, no blessing, no good thing, either to be done +or enjoyed, but what is in a promise; but tyranny, or owning of tyrants, +or subjection to usurpers, is not, nor cannot be in a promise. We have +many other promises about magistrates, as, that the Lord will be for a +spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, Isa. xxviii. 6. A +tyrant cannot be capable of this happiness, nor we under tyranny, nor +any while they own them. Kings shall be the church's nursing fathers, +and their queens her nursing mothers, Isa. xlix. 23. Kings are not +always so, but all kings to be owned are such as can be so, at least +they are never to be owned when they turn destroyers of what they should +nourish; but tyrants can never be nourishers. It is promised to the +Lord's people, if they will hearken diligently unto the Lord, and keep +the sabbath, then shall there enter into their gates kings and princes, +Jer. xxiii. 3, 4. But it is never promised, neither doth it come to pass +in providence, that these duties procured tyrants. + +There are many other promises to the same purpose: from whence may be +concluded, the Lord will not always leave his people to howl under +uneluctable tyranny, but will accomplish their deliverance in his own +time and way, though we are not to look to miracles. Whence I argue, 1. +Since all the ordinances of God, and rulers in a special manner, are +appointed and promised as blessings, these cannot be owned for his +ordinance, which are not blessings, but curses. 2. That which would +vacate and evacuate all the promises of magistracy, cannot be a doctrine +of God; but this that obliges to own tyrants and usurpers, as long as +they are up, would vacate and evacuate all the promises of magistracy: +for except the Lord work miracles, (which are not in the promise) and do +all without means, they cannot be accomplished. For if any means be +used, they must be such as will infer disowning of tyrants; for +magistrates cannot be restored, except tyrants be removed; and whatever +way they be removed without miracles, by others or their own subjects, +they must still be disowned, and that before they be removed: for if +they be to be owned before their removal, if they exist, cannot make +them to be disowned: dispossession cannot take away their right, if they +have it before. + +2. There are many promises of breaking the yoke of tyrants, Isa. x. 27. +"His burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from +off thy neck." And in that promise of the church's deliverance and +enlargement, wherein they are prophetically urged and stirred up to some +activity in co-operating with the providence, Isa. lii. 1, 2. "They are +called to awake, and put on strength and their beautiful garments--and +to shake themselves from the dust--and to rise and to loose themselves +from the bands of their neck," that were captives. Here is not only a +promise of deliverance or a ground of encouragement what the church may +expect, but a promise of, and direction for their being active in +delivering themselves, as men, from the encroachments that were made on +their human liberties, that they should loose themselves from these +bands. Whose bands? from their bands that ruled over them, and made them +to howl, and the Lord's name to be blasphemed, (ver. 5) Here is a +promise of breaking the bands of rulers, by them who howled under their +subjection. And it also includes a precept, that people should not stay +any longer under these yokes, than they can shake them off, or slip from +under them. Hence we see we are not to ly stupidly sleeping, or sinking +in the ditch, expecting the accomplishment of the promise of +deliverance; but are to endeavour actively, in dependence upon the +Lord's assistance, to deliver ourselves. Hence we may argue, 1. A +promise by way of command, that a people under bands of oppressing +rulers shall rouse themselves up to loose themselves from them, implies +and infers a promise and a duty of disowning those rulers (for otherwise +they cannot be loosed from their subjection.) But here is a promise by +way of command, that a people under bands of oppressing rulers shall +rouse themselves up to loose themselves from them: Ergo----2. If the +removal of tyranny and usurpation be promised as a blessing, then those +can never be owned to be the ordinance of God; for the removal of that +can never be a blessing; but in these promises we see the removal of +those is promised as a blessing: therefore they can never be owned. + +Sixthly, To the same purpose we may cite some threatnings, that will +confirm the same truth. + +1. There are many threatnings against tyrants themselves. There are two +mentioned, Jer. xxii. that seem partly to quadrate, and near of a piece +with our misrulers; both because of the demerit of the threatning, and +the likeness of the judgment threatned. The ground of it was "building +their house by unrighteousness, and their chambers by wrong," ver. 13. +And severally threatned: "Jehoiakim with the burial of an ass +unlamented," ver. 18, 19. Coniah with a life without prosperity, and a +death without issue to succeed, ver. 30. The first of these is verified +in the elder of our royal brothers, the last is like to be of both. But +that which I take notice of is, first, the demerit, building their +house by unrighteousness, on which Whitehall is built with a witness: +and particularly it is noted of Jehoiakim, as his crimson sin (to which +his son Jehoiachin or Coniah served himself heir) that he burnt +Jeremiah's roll, or causes of wrath; so did our dominators burn the +causes of wrath (a book written by the commission of the general +assembly) and the covenants. Then I note these words, ver. 15. "Shalt +thou reign because thou closest thyself in cedar, &c." It is certainly +not fit for us to say, He shall reign, of whom the Lord says, He shall +not reign; but when we own the authority of those whom the Lord +threatens they shall not reign, we say, they shall reign; for we say, +they have a right to reign, and own ourselves obliged to do all that is +required in our capacity to perpetuate their reign. There is a terrible +threatning against Zedekiah, Ezek xx. 25,--27. "Thou profane," or as +some translate it, "thou worthy to be killed," (Pool. synops. crit. in +locum.) "wicked prince of Israel--Thus saith the Lord God, remove the +diadem, take off the crown, this shall not be the same, exalt him that +is low, and abase him that is high; I will overturn, overturn, overturn +it, and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is, and I will +give it him." Than which nothing can be more applicable to our princes, +who are profane, and the patterns and patrons of it, whose diadem the +Lord will remove; and if he threaten it, wo to them that contribute to +hold it on. We see here a profane and wicked prince threatned to be +overturned must not be owned, because he hath no right; but our +excommunicate tyrant is a profane and wicked prince, threatned to be +overturned: Ergo--There is another dreadful threatning against tyrants, +Amos iv. 1, 2. "Hear this word ye kine of Bashan, which oppress the +poor, which crush the needy--The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, +that lo the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with +hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks." Shall we own these, against +whom the Lord hath engaged his holiness by oath so solemnly, that he +will fish them with hooks? we may fear if there be such a tie as +allegiance between them and us, that that same hook which fishes them +may also catch us; as it is said of Pharaoh and his subjects, when he is +hooked, then his fish stick unto his scales, and he and they are left in +the wilderness, Ezek. xxix. 4, 5. that is, as Grotius expounds it, +whoever are of his community shall be consorts in his calamity, Pool. +Critic. in locum. If we then own them, we must be of their community, +and so partake of their judgments. + +2. There are many threatnings against illimited loyalty, and those who +had more of that than religion: for this Ephraim was broken in judgment, +because he walked willingly after the commandment, Hos. v. 11. And +because the statutes of Omri were kept, and the works of the house of +Ahab, therefore the Lord threatens to make them a desolation, Mic. vi. +ult. And among other threatnings against the men of such universal +loyalty, that is notable, Hos. x. 3. "Now ye shall say, we have no king, +because we feared not the Lord, what then should a king do to us?" It is +the just punishment of wicked loyalty, that prefers the fear and favour +of kings to the fear and favour of God, that at length they are brought +to that pass, that either they have no kings at all to look to, or else +they have such of whom it may be said, they are no kings in effect; for +they cannot act the part of kings to them that trust in them. Hence, 1. +If to have really no kings be a punishment. 2. If those that have the +name of kings, that can do no good, be no kings; then tyrants that can +do no good, but a great deal of hurt, must be reckoned no kings also; +but here it is threatned, people that had kings, that had the name, but +could do no good, should reckon they had no kings: therefore much more +may tyrants be reckoned to be no kings, who can do no good, but a great +deal of hurt. + +Seventhly, This truth is confirmed from scripture-prayers; whereof there +are many against tyrants, none for them. Hence we argue, If we are not +to pray for tyrants, then we are not to own them; for we are to pray for +all that are in authority, 1 Tim. ii. 2. But we are not to pray for +tyrants; Ergo, we are not to own them. The minor now must be proved. And +this leads me to another subordinate question, which hath also been a +head of suffering to some serious seekers of God in our land of late. + +The profane emissaries of this and the late tyrant, sent out with bloody +commissions to hunt after the Lord's hidden ones, in order to murder all +whom they might meet with, that made conscience of adhering to every +part of the present testimony; among other trapping questions to +discover their prey, they used to put this to them as a discriminating +Shibboleth, and tessera of owning the present tyranny, will you say, God +save the king? and for refusing this, many have been cruelly murdered in +the fields; and many before their bloody judicatories, have for this +been arraigned and condemned, and executed to the death. Wherefore to +this somewhat must be said, 1. By way of concession. 2. By way of +vindication, of scrupling it, and suffering upon it. + +First, In the general, it will be necessary to premit by way of +concession, 1. It is duty to pray, supplicate and interceed for all +men, 1 Tim. ii. 1. not collectively considered nor distributively +for every one universally without exception, but indefinitely and +indiscriminately, for the kinds of every individual, for all sorts and +sexes, of whatsoever nation or religion, Jew or Gentile, Christian or +infidel, not excluding any for these distinctions: and not only so, but +for every individual of the kinds, also conditionally, if they be among +those all whom the Lord will have to be saved, verse 4. If they be +among those all for whom the mediator gave himself a ransom to be +testified in due time, verse 5, 9. If they have not sinned the sin unto +death, for which we are not bidden pray, 1 John v. 19. Which, because we +know not particularly who are guilty of it, charity will oblige us to +take into our prayers many that may never be the better of them; yet it +is necessary that we pray in faith, for what, or whomsoever we pray, at +least, if I may so call it, we must have a negative faith, a belief that +they have not sinned that sin unto death; which we cannot have at all, +there being some whose demonstrations of desperate displays of affronted +wickedness, and hatred of holiness may give ground to doubt of it, as +Christians had of Julian the apostate. 2. We are obliged to love our +enemies, to bless them that curse us, to do good to them that hate us, +to pray for them that despitefully use and persecute us, Mat. v. 44. +Accordingly our master, who commanded this, did give us a pattern to +imitate, when he prayed, Father forgive them for they know not what they +do, Luke xxiii. 34. And his faithful martyr Stephen, prayed for his +murderers, Lord lay not this sin to their charge, Acts vii. the last +verse. We are to pity them, and not to seek vengeance against them, for +any injuries they can do to us. Yet, as this doth not interfere with a +holy and zealous appeal to God for righting, and resenting, and +requiting, the wrongs done to us, that he may vindicate us and our +cause, and make them repent of their injuries done to us, to the glory +of God, and conviction of onlookers, and confusion of themselves, which +may well consist with mercy to their souls; so all we can pray for them +in their opposition to us, is in order to their repentance, but never +for their prosperity in that course. + +And we may well imitate, even against our enemies, that prayer of +Zechariah's, "The Lord look upon it, and require it," 2 Chron. xxiv. 22. +But we are never to pray for Christ's stated enemies, as to the bulk of +them; and under that formality as his enemies: for we must not "love +them that hate the Lord," 2 Chron. xix. 2. but hate them, and hate them +with a perfect hatred, Psal. cxxxix. 21, 22. We are to pray for the +elect among them, but only to the end they may escape the vengeance, +which we are obliged to pray for against them. 3. We are not to execrate +our enemies, or use imprecations against any, out of blind zeal, or the +passionate or revengeful motions of our own hearts: our Lord rebuked his +disciples for such preposterous zeal, Luke ix. 55. "Ye know not what +manner of spirit ye are of;" but against the stated and declared enemies +of Christ, as such and while such, we may well take a pattern from the +imprecatory prayers of saints recorded in scripture; such as do not +peremptorily determine about the eternal state of particular persons: +which determinations, except we be extraordinarily acted by the same +spirit, whose dictates these are, are not to be imitated by us. We find +several sorts of imprecations in the Psalms and other scriptures: some +are imitable, some not; some are prophetical, having the force of a +prophecy, as David's Psal. xxxv. 4. "Let them be confounded--that seek +after my soul.--Let destruction come upon him," Psal. lv. 15. "Let them +go down quick to hell." And Jeremiah, chap. xvii. 18. "Let them be +confounded that persecute me,--destroy them with double destruction." +Without this prophetical spirit, determining the application of these +threatnings to particular persons, we may not imitate this +peremptoriness. Some are typical of Christ's mediatory devoting his +enemies to destruction; who as he interceeds for his friends, so, by +virtue of the same merits (by them trampled upon) he pleads for +vengeance against his enemies; which mediatory vengeance is the most +dreadful of all vengeances, (Heb. x. 29.) So also, Psal. xl. He whose +ears were opened, and who said, "lo I come,"--verse 6, 7. (that is +Christ) does imprecate shame, and confusion, and desolation, ver. 14, +15. As also Psal. cix. the Psalmist personates Christ, complaining of, +and imprecating against his enemies; particularly Judas the traitor, +verse 8. It must be dreadful to be under the dint of the Mediator's +imprecations; and also dreadful to clash with him in his intercessions, +that is, to apprecate for them against whom he intercedes. But some +imprecations against the enemies of God are imitable; such as proceed +from pure zeal for God, and the spirit of prayer, as that, Psal. cix. +last verse, "Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations, may know +themselves to be but men." Psal. lxxxiii. 16.----"fill their faces with +shame that they may seek thy name." This is to be imitated in general +against all the enemies of God, Psal. cxxix. 5. "Let them all be +confounded that hate Zion;" without condescending on particular persons, +except obviously and notoriously desperate and presumptively Christ's +implacable enemies. 4. Touching magistrates it is a great duty to pray, +that God would give us magistrates, as he hath promised for the comfort +of his church, Isa. i. 26. Isa. xlix. 2. Jer. xxx. 21. Promises should +be motives and foments of prayer. We ought to pray against anarchy as a +plague, and with all earnestness beg of God, that the mercy of +magistracy may again be known in Britain, of which it hath been long +deprived. 5. And when we have them, it is a necessary duty to pray for +them; "For kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a +quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty," 1 Tim. ii. 2. +Where it is specified, what sort we should pray for, and to what end. As +we are not to pray for all men absolutely; for some, as they are +declared to be out of the precincts of Christ's mediation, so they must +be out of our prayers: so there may be some in actual rule, that may be +excepted out of the verge of the Christian prayers, as was said of +Julian the apostate. But he that is a magistrate indeed, and in +authority, the subjects are to pray and to give thanks for him, not as +a man merely, but as a magistrate. Yea, though they be heathen +magistrates, Ezra vi. 10. We may pray for all in authority, two ways; as +men, and as kings. As men, we may pray for their salvation, or +conversion, or taking them out of the way, if they be enemies to +Christ's kingdom, according as they are stated; and upon condition, if +it be possible, and if they belong to the election of grace. Though for +such as are opposites to the coming of Christ's kingdom, as it is a +contradiction to the second petition of the Lord's prayer, (thy kingdom +come.) So, in the experience of the most eminent wrestlers, they have +found less faith, and less encouragement, in praying for them, than for +any other sort of men. It is rare that ever any could find their hands +in praying for the conversion of the rulers. And though we pray that the +Lord would convince them; yea, and confound them, in mercy to their +souls; yet this must never be wanting in our prayers for tyrants, as +men, that God would bring them down, and cause justice overtake them, +that God may be glorified, and the nation eased of such a burden. But if +we pray for them as kings, then they must be such by God's approbation, +and not mere possessory occupants, to whom we owe no such respect nor +duty. For whatever the Hobbists, and the time serving Casuists of our +day, and even many good men (though wofully lax in this point) +homologating both doctrinally and practically their heathenish notions, +say to the contrary; I hope it be in some measure made out, that tyrants +are no more the ordinance of God, nor to be owned as his ministers and +vicegerents, than the devil the prince of this world for the Lord's +anointed, or Baal's priests for true ministers. If we pray for them as +kings, we must pray for their peace, prosperity, and preservation, that +their government may be blessed with success, their designs not +frustrated, nor their desires disappointed. This we cannot pray for +tyrants. 6. Albeit, we may pray for the peace of the nation, and for +the government thereof, so far as it may conduce to our own and the +church's tranquillity, that we may live a peaceable and godly life under +it; yet this cannot be extended to the peace of tyrants, for whom the +best prayer that we can bestow is, that the Lord would bridle and +restrain them, that they may not mar the church's peace. That command, +Jer. xxix. 7. "Seek the peace of the city, whithersoever I have caused +you to be carried captives, and pray unto the Lord for it, for in the +peace thereof shall you have peace," is apparent to have been but of a +temporary nature, upon occasion of their captivity there, until the 70 +years should be expired, having it also declared by God, that their own +peace was bound up in that of Babylon's: for after that time they are +taught the contrary carriage towards that city, to depart, and pray +against it, and exult and rejoice in its ruin: "O daughter of Babylon, +happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us, that +dasheth thy little ones against the stones," Psal. cxxxvii. 8, 9. "The +voice of them that flee out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion +the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple," Jer. l. 28. And +Jer. li. 35. "The violence done to me, and to my flesh, be upon Babylon, +shall the inhabitant of Zion say, and my blood be upon Chaldea, shall +Jerusalem say." Certainly this is not the season to seek the peace of +mystical Babylon, but to pray for the destruction thereof, and all its +supporters: which we cannot do, if we pray for them that improve, +employ, and apply all their power to support it, lest we pray +contradictions; as many do, who pray against Babel's brats, and yet pray +for the king; but the comfort is this, that nonsensical prayers will do +little good, little hurt, but to themselves that pray them. + +Secondly, To vindicate the scruplers and refusers of such compelled and +extorted devotions in praying for tyrants, I shall offer these +considerations, + +1. The imposed form of it (which as it is found in the original from +whence it is taken, is only paraphrastically expounded, God save the +king; and catechrestically applied to tyrants, being in the native sense +of the words of this signification. Let the king live; which is a very +improper wish for men of death, of whom God says they shall die, and the +law says, they should die for their murders and capital crimes) must be +taken either as an adulatory compliment; or a congratulatory honour; or +a precatory benediction. The first as it is extorted most illegally, so +it can be tendered neither civilly, nor sincerely, nor christianly; but +all ingenious men would think it a base imposition, to be forced not +only to subject themselves to their tyrannical oppressors, but to +flatter them as if they were not such. Whatever they may force the mouth +to speak dissemblingly, they can never compel the heart to think such +wishes are due to them; and so they can never be cordial, nor confident +with candor: and to interpose the holy and dreadful name of God, in a +dissembling compliment, to flatter base men, is a horrid mocking of God, +and a heinous taking his name in vain, contrary to the third command. If +it be a congratulation (as always it is used in scripture, and in cases +formerly; being never imposed on men, by way of compulsion, before this +set of tyrants started up, that know they can get no deference of honest +men, but by extortion) it is the more abominable; not only for the +hypocrisy that is in it, but the blasphemy, in giving thanks for the +promoter of the devil's interest, and the destroyer of Christ's, and the +liberties of mankind. What have we to congratulate him for, but for +overturning our laws and liberties, and oppressing us in most grievous +tyranny? Besides, to give the vilest of men, when exalted, any +congratulatory honour, is contrary to the fifth command, as is shewed +above. "And it were a forsaking of the law, thus to praise the wicked, +since they that keep the law, will contend with them," Prov. xxviii. 4. +If it be a benediction, we cannot bestow it upon one whom our father +curses, our mother curses, and all our brethren. It is no less +preposterous to bless whom the Lord declaredly curses, than to curse +whom he blesses. "The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked," +Prov. iii. 33. we cannot then bless that house. Nor can we bless them +that our mother curses, and cries for vengeance against, as she did +against Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. li. 34, 35. Nor them against whom the blood +of our dead brethren hath a moral cry, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, +dost thou not judge and avenge our blood," Rev. vi. 10. And the vexed +spirits of our brethren, yet howling under the same yoke, are putting up +before the throne of grace, the same continued cry, with incessant +importunity; "How long, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long +shall they break in pieces thy people? O God, to whom vengeance +belongeth," Psal. xciv. 1-4. Yea God hath said it, and we must not +contradict it in our practice, against all tyrants that wrest judgment, +and say unto the wicked, "Thou art righteous, him shall the people +curse, nations shall abhor him," Prov. xxiv. 24. And this must stand +registred, as the everlasting clause of all Zion's haters, to which all +her lovers must say, Amen, that they shall be as the grass upon the +house tops, and never have the benefit of the church's benediction, +Psal. cxxix. 8. "Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the +Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord." This one word +may be a sufficient supersede as from blessing any of the enemies of +God; or of the church, while acting in a declared opposition to God for +the destruction of his people and interest. + +2. Either this----Save the king, as they mouth it, and demand the +repetition of it, is a prayer, or it is not. If not, it must be a +dreadful profanation of the name of God, to be commanded to speak to +him, and yet not to pray. If it be a prayer, we would expect another way +of dealing with us, if they really desired the benefit of our prayers, +than a threatning us with death, if we did it not. And if they did +desire it, as Darius did, "that we might offer sacrifices of sweet +savour unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of +his sons," Ezra vi. 10. we could not refuse to pray for him, so far as +might consist with that prayer of the same Darius, in that same decree, +ver. 12. "That God may destroy all kings and people, that shall put to +their hand to alter and destroy the house of God." We can pray no prayer +inconsistent with this; and to pray that God would save this king, and +yet destroy all kings that put to their hand against his house, were to +pray contradictions. But they know they deserve no prayers, and must +force them, if they get them. And all the world knows, that compelled +prayers are no devotion; and if they be no devotion, they must be sin; +imposed prayers are not the prayers that God will hear and accept: and +if we have not the faith of acceptance in them, they must be sin; for +whatever is not of faith is sin, Rom. xiv. last ver. All prayers which +God will hear, must proceed from the heart voluntarily and fervently, in +spirit and in truth, with the whole heart; but imposed and compelled +prayers cannot be such, especially when they are not only by them +imposed, but prescribed as to the form of them: which sets and forms +prescribed by men, and such men as usurp a supremacy over the church, +cannot be subjected to, according to the word of God, and principles of +our reformation. + +3. That infallible proposition of the apostle, whatsoever is not of +faith is sin, must be urged yet a little further: and that with a +reference, both to the person required to be prayed for, and to the +matter of the duty more generally. First, if we cannot pray for this +man, neither as a Christian, nor as a king, then we cannot satisfy this +imposed demand; for it will not satisfy for him as a heathen: but we +cannot in faith pray for him, either as a Christian, or as a king. Not +as a Christian, for besides that he is an excommunicate apostate (by a +sentence, which we believe stands yet ratified in heaven, pronounced by +a faithful servant of Christ) and a papist, which, as such, can no more +be prayed for, than the pope as pope; for whom, and all the limbs of +antichrist, the only prayer that protestants can pray, is, that the Lord +would consume him with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the +brightness of his coming, 2 Thess. ii. 8. (we cannot reconcile the +prayers of some, that pray against the pope and his supporters, and +upholders of his tottering kingdom, and yet for this his antichristian +vassal) his rage and resolution in prosecuting a war against Christ and +his followers, is such, that if we may make comparisons, our faith will +have little more ground to pray for James, than Christians of old could +find for Julian the apostate. Nor as a king, for that we cannot do, +because he is none with God's approbation, and may not do, for a very +heathen could teach us to pray, that God would destroy all kings that +put to their hand to alter and destroy the house of God, Ezra vi. 12. +And besides, in the second place, with respect to the matter of the duty +in general; that cannot be, in faith, which wants a warrant in the word, +either by precept, promise, or practice; but to pray for wicked tyrants +and enemies of God, wants a warrant in the word, either by precept, +promise, or practice: there is no precept for it, either general or +particular, neither express, nor any to which this is reducible: and who +dare add without a precept in the worship of God, either for matter, +manner, or end, what he hath not commanded? For such presumption Nadab +and Abihu were destroyed, Levit. x. 1, 2. because they did that which +the Lord had not commanded. What command can there be for praying for +that, which is against the preceptive will of God? But it is against the +preceptive will of God that there should be tyrants: therefore to pray +that these may be preserved in the world, cannot fall under a command of +God. There is no promise for it, which is the foment and foundation of +prayer: we can pray for nothing that we have not a promise for, either +general or particular; but we have none, nor can have any, for the +preservation of a plague to us, as tyrants are. + +There is no practice for it in scripture, to pray for kings that put to +their hand to destroy the house of God. Samuel did indeed mourn for +Saul, but the Lord reproved him for it, how long wilt thou mourn for +Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? 1 Sam. +xvi. i. belike this reproof was for his praying for Saul's preservation +as king, for otherwise we may mourn for wicked wretches, for their sin +and misery both. But hence, if the Lord reprove his servant, for +mourning for a king whom he disowned, then we may not pray for such a +king whom the Lord disowns, as he disowns all tyrants, for they are set +up and not by him; but the antecedent is true in that example of Samuel; +therefore also the consequent, that we may not pray for them as kings, +whom the Lord disowns. + +4. Moreover, to confirm this yet further; that prayer is not of faith, +and so sin, which is contrary to the precepts of God, and his promises, +and the practices of the saints; but praying for wicked kings, their +preservation, is contrary to these precepts, promises, and practices, +&c. Ergo----. It is contrary to some divine precepts, both affirmative +and negative. There is an affirmative precept, prescribing what prayer +should be used under the domination of tyrants, that they should weep +and say, Spare thy people, O Lord, give not thine heritage to reproach, +that the heathen should rule over them, wherefore should they say among +the people, where is their God? Joel ii. 17. If it be a reproach to be +under heathen rulers, and if we should pray that they may not rule, but +that our God may shew himself where he is, and who he is, in delivering +his people from their domination; then it is contrary to this, to pray +for the preservation of tyrants, that do rule over them to their +destruction and reproach; for it is contradictory to pray, that they may +not rule, and that they may be preserved in ruling. There is a negative +precept, prohibiting the salutation of heretics and enemies of the +gospel, which will condemn this salutation of heretical kings: for, in +the original, God save the king, is no more than a solemn salutation, or +apprecatory wish that he may prosper. 2 Epist. John ver. 10, 11. "If +there come any----, and bring not this doctrine,----neither bid him God +speed, for he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil +deeds." God speed, in the Greek, is the same with God save, in the +Hebrew. If then we must not say, God save a heretic; neither must we +say, God save an heretical king, or a popish tyrant, a sworn enemy to +the gospel of Christ, and the coming of his kingdom. This is also +inconsistent with that rule and directory of our prayers, commonly +called the Lord's prayer, not only because it cannot be reduced to any +of its petitions, (which are comprehensive of all that we are warranted +to pray for,) but because it is contradictory to the second, which is, +thy kingdom come. The coming of Christ's kingdom in our land cannot +consist with the preservation of the tyrant's reign, which is Satan's +rule, for antichrist's and satan's kingdom, and Christ's, cannot be +promoted both at once. It may be also demonstrated, that it is +inconsistent with all the petitions of that perfect form of prayer. With +the first, hallowed be thy name; for when they who rule over his people +make them to howl, then his name continually is blasphemed, Isa. lii. 5. +Yea much profaned in the frequent repeating that imposition. With the +second, thy kingdom come; for when he takes unto him his great power and +reins, then is the time he will destroy them that destroy the earth, +Rev. xi. 17, 18. It is against the third, thy will be done--for it is +against his preceptive will that there should be a throne of iniquity, +it shall not have fellowship with him; as it would have, if according to +his will. And therefore Habbakkuk pleads from the Lord's holiness and +righteousness against tyrants, Habbak. i. 13, 14. It is against the +fourth, give us this day our daily bread, to pray for them that rob us +of it, whom the Lord hath set over us for a plague, to domineer over our +bodies, and all the means of life, Neh. ix. 37. The saints there make a +complaint of kings, and pray to remove them, not to save them: the +church also prays against base rulers on this account, because under +them they get their bread with the peril of their lives, Lam. v. 8, 9. +It is against the fifth, forgive us our debts or sins; for if we pray +for taking away the guilt of sin, we must also pray for removing the +punishment; whereof this is one, to be under tyrants: and if it be sin +which brings on judgment, then it is sin to pray for the keeping of it +on, and continuing thereof; and though we should forgive their sin +against us, yet we ought to complain against their sins against God, and +the church, in defiling it, and shedding the blood of the saints, Psal. +lxxix. 1-7. It is against the sixth, Lead us not into temptation, and +deliver us from evil: for their government is a continued tract of +temptation, they being a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor, +Hos. v. 1. And if we pray to be delivered from all evil, then we must +pray to be delivered from tyranny, which is a great evil. It is against +the conclusion also, For thine is the kingdom,----and glory: tyrants +being stated in opposition to the glory of God. Again, in the next +place, it is against many promises of giving good rulers, and of +breaking the yoke of tyrants, (as I cited several above;) neither of +which can consist with the preservation of tyrants, if such a prayer +should be answered according to the idol of the heart of the +supplicants: for if God should save this man as long as we may pray for +him as a king, then all the promises of a change and revolution are +precluded. Lastly, It is contrary to the constant tenor of the saints +prayers against the enemies of God. Deborah prayed upon the destruction +of a tyrant, so let all thine enemies perish, O Lord, Judg. v. ult. +Jotham prayed against the bastard king, Let fire come out from Abimelech +and devour the men of Shechem, and--let fire come out from the men of +Shechem and devour Abimelech, Judg. ix. 20. David prays against Saul, +whom he calls Cush the Benjamite in the title of Psal. vii. alluding to +Kish his father, or because he was no better than an Ethiopian, a +Cushite, Amos ix. 7. and could no more change his manners than an +Ethiopian can change his skin, Jer. xiii. 23. See Pool's synops. critic. +in locum. Where it is proven, that this was Saul; against him he prays, +that the Lord would awake to judgment, Psal. vii. 6. and that he would +break the arm of the wicked and the evil man, Psal. x. 15. that he would +not slay them, (to wit, suddenly, or in a common way) lest the people +forget, but scatter, and bring them down, and consume them in wrath, +that they may not be, that it may be known God ruleth in Jacob to the +ends of the earth, Psal. lix. 11, 13. This is a psalm against dogs, ver. +9. what dogs?--Saul and his men watching David. See the title. As also +it is against Saul that he prays, that the Lord would not grant his +desires, nor further his devices, and as for the head of them that +compassed him about, (which was Saul.) Let the mischief of their own +lips cover them, Psal. cxl. 8, 9. There is also a prayer, that the +saints may execute vengeance, and the judgment written upon tyrants, and +bind them with chains, Psal. cxlix. 6, 8, 9. The church is brought in +praying for vengeance against the Babylonian tyrant, Nebuchadnezzar the +king of Babylon hath devoured me,--the violence done to me and my flesh +be upon Babylon shall the inhabitants of Zion say, Jer. li. 34, 35. Paul +imprecates any man that does not love the Lord Jesus, let him be +Anathema Maranatha, 1 Cor. xvi. 22. and sure no tyrant, persecutor, +subverter of Christ's kingdom, can be a lover of Christ. The martyrs, +under the fifth seal slain for the word of God, and the testimony which +they held, are brought in crying against the tyrants that murdered them, +How long! O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our +blood, Revel. vi. 9, 10. Which though it be to be understood of a moral +cry of blood, as Abel's blood cried against Cain: yet ought to be a +pattern of our prayers against such bloody enemies, imbruing their hands +in the blood of our brethren, for which we ought to pray that the Lord +would haste to make inquisition. Durham observes from this place, that +God's people, in a holy way, may pray for vengeance upon persecutors. + +5. Let us consider the person and matter, for whom and for what this +prayer is extorted. Either it is for the personal salvation of James the +papist, or the royal preservation of James the tyrant. It will not +satisfy to pray, that if it be possible, and if it were the Lord's will, +he might be taken to heaven, that so we might be quit of him. Neither +were it lawful to pray, that, except we prayed first, that he might +repent of this his wickedness, if perhaps it might be forgiven him, as +Peter directed Simon Magus to pray for himself, Acts viii. 22. for it is +unlawful to pray for the salvation of a papist, except upon supposition +of his repentance and relinquishing popery. We must pray nothing but +according to the will of God; and it is not the will of God, that they +that have and keep, and will not part with the mark of the beast, should +be saved, for he is adjudged of God to drink of the wine of his wrath, +Revel. xiv. 9, 10. So we cannot pray for him as a Christian, which he is +not; nor as a papist, except that he may get repentance. Nor can we +pray for him as a king, which he is not; nor as a tyrant, except that he +may repent of and relinquish his tyranny and usurpation: for tyrants as +such cannot be saved, no more than papists as such; for Tophet is +ordained of old, yea for the king it is prepared,----Isa. xxx. 33. We +cannot then pray for his salvation, except we pray for his repentance, +and relinquishing all his sins, and so we must pray for him +relinquishing his kingship, and that he may cease to be king; for that +is his sin, that he hath made himself king without God, and against the +laws of the land. + +And now, while he continues such, we must complain in prayer, not for +his misgovernment only, but for that he governs, and desire to be +delivered from him. See Gee's magistrates original, pag. 258. But now +considering what a man, and what a king he hath been, guilty of murder, +adultery, idolatry, under sentence of the law both of God and man; we +can pray no otherwise for him, than for a murderer, adulterer, or an +idolater. We cannot pray for him as cloathed with authority, or that the +Lord may bless his government, for that is his sin and our misery, that +he is a governor: and his throne is a throne of iniquity, which we dare +not pray may have fellowship with God. Can we pray that God would bless +him on a throne of iniquity? Could we pray, that the Lord would bless a +drunkard in his drunkenness, abusing his enjoyments? Or a thief in his +stealing, though he used his purchase never so soberly? What if +prevailing robbers by land, or pirates by sea, preying upon all +passengers, should require this as the sign of subjection to them, and +only condition whereupon such, as they apprehend and overcame, should be +suffered to live, that they should pray for preservation and prosperity +to them? Would not this be wickedness thus to pray for thieves and +robbers? And are not tyrants the greatest of thieves, that rob and +destroy twenty for one of private robberies? And do they not require +this as such a sign on such a condition? + +6. Lastly, Then the plea will be reduced to this, that it is exacted as +a badge of loyalty, and sign, Tessera, Shibboleth of owning the +authority. Which I have at this length endeavoured to prove, cannot be +conscientiously owned by us, in these circumstances. And even by this +argument: that authority which we cannot pray for we cannot own; but we +cannot pray for this tyrannical authority: therefore.--The minor I trust +is in some measure made manifest, by what is said above. And so I +conclude this head, with that form of prayer, that I use for the king. O +Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thy self; lift up thyself, +thou judge of the earth, render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long +shall the wicked? how long shall the wicked triumph? Shall the throne of +iniquity have fellowship with thee, that frameth mischief by a law? The +mighty and terrible God destroy all kings and people, that put to their +hand to alter and destroy the house of God. Overturn, overturn, overturn +this throne of tyranny, and let it be no more, until he come whose right +it is. + + +HEAD III. + +_The refusing to swear and subscribe the many unlawful imposed oaths, +for which many have suffered great cruelties; chiefly that of_ +Abjuration _which was the cause of several their suffering to death_, +vindicated. + +Another great head of grievous sufferings, in this fatal period, hath +been, this stated war between Christ and his enemies in Scotland, he +hath not wanted witnesses, who in their wrestlings for the word of God +and the testimony which they held, thought it their duty to refuse all +illegally imposed and wickedly required transactions with his declared +enemies, and tampering any manner of way with them, in taking or +subscribing any of their conscience couzening impositions of deceitful +and destructive bonds and oaths, obtruded by men who have cast off all +sense of a Deity, or regard to humanity, upon the consciences of poor +people, to debauch them and cast them down from the only excellency or +integrity that was left them: whereby (though they have missed of their +design as to some, who through grace have escaped the snares of these +fowlers, and in resisting have overcome through the blood of the Lamb) +they have prevailed to inveigle the generality, even of the professors +of this generation, into such a degree of defection and wretched +compliance with all their snares, that as it prognosticates universal +desolation ineluctable, (if it be not prevented as universal as the +compliance hath been,) so it proclaims the infamy of the compliers +perjury as indelible as their perfidy with whom they have complied. The +consideration of which woful apostasy, in its various steps by which it +hath been propagated and promoted, ought to deter and demur all the +fearers of God, that would not partake of its threatned punishment, from +venturing any more to come near the brink, or border of such precipices, +and paths of the destroyer, when so many have stumbled, and fallen, and +been hooked, and taken; yea not so much as to look near them, lest they +be left to follow their look, but to stand aloof from every appearance +of transacting with these man catchers, yea conscience-catchers, who are +so cunning to ensnare and destroy; as their predecessors, to whose sins +and judgments also they serve themselves heirs, are described by the +Holy Ghost, Jer. v. 26-29. They lay wait as he that setteth snares, they +set a trap, they catch men,----their houses are full of deceit, +therefore they are become great and waxen rich.----Shall I not visit for +these things saith the Lord? Many and manifold have been the snares, +traps and gins, laid in the way of the professors of this generation and +nation, by these mischief hatchers, these keen and cunning persecutors, +the party now regnant or rather raging, in madness and malice against +Christ and all that are loyal and zealous for his interest against their +encroachings thereon, whereby they have caught and cozened many out of +their consciences, and have broken the neck of some, the peace of +others, and the hearts of not a few. Yea no nation can be instanced, +wherein so many oaths and bonds have been imposed on peoples +consciences, so nauseating for naughtiness and number, as well as +noxious in their nature, in an age, as have been in Scotland within +these 27 years past; on design to waste all remainder of conscience, or +sense of religion among people, that so having worn out the awful +impression of it, they may introduce what they would, upon a people +involved in the same apostasy with themselves and either to incorporate +all with themselves in the same combination against the Lord, or to +extirpate all dissenters, who should discover any tenderness of +conscience, in not going along with them in the same excess of riot. And +to the end they might have the greater concurrence and countenance, with +the help of hell's policy, they contrived them in such terms as might +engage many to take them, and load the recusants with odious obloquies, +either as silly scruplers, or seditious schismaticks, or rebels. For +this hath been all along their grand project, to level their designs +against religion, not directly and formally under that notion, but +obliquely to the destruction of the lovers and professors of it under +the nickname of fanatical enemies to government. Of these ensnaring +engines levelled to these ends, some have been more patent and open, +others more latent and hidden; both have made a pray of people, the +last chiefly. For a snare the more latent and hidden it be and the more +varnished over with the vermillion of pretended honesty and innocence, +it is the more dangerous; and will be so accounted by all the +circumspect and cautious, as in its design more destructive, and in its +effects, when discovered, more dolorous, than that which is more open +and manifest. A hook, the braver that it is busked, and the better that +it is baited, the surer and more successful it is to catch the simple +fish; if it want its busking, they will not so readily bite at it. + +In vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird; yet though this is a +truth, such silly birds have the bulk of us been, such silly doves +without a heart, and so senselessly stupefied, as to suffer ourselves to +be blindfolded and hood-winked into snares, of such a manifest baseness, +as none could be readily supposed might fall into, who did not brutishly +abandon all common sense of reason, besides religion; as a test, and +oaths of arbitrary allegiance, bonds of conformity, and irregular +regulation, &c. Some again, and these, alas! too many, have been +ensnared with snares of a more smooth, and subtile complexion, and +poisoned with gilded arrows, coloured over with the specious pretexts of +the enemies relenting condescendency and tenderness, stooping now to +universal and general terms, obviously thought capable of a very good +construction, and daubed over with the untempered mortar of the +frequency of the most universally unscrupled supscription of very good +and conscientious men and the rarity of recusants lying under the +reproach of some few, wild, fantastical fools. These well busked hooks +have caught many; of which sort have been many banded indemnities, and +easily swallowed oaths thereunto appended. Though the present indeed is +contrived without gins of this sort, and now all these snares of oaths +and bands are as illegally taken away as they were before imposed; upon +the same design, to catch silly fish by other methods; not with hooks, +as before, but with a large spread net, to hale the whole school to +antichrist's shore; and to put to proof and practice the vastness of +that leviathan prerogative of absolute power, to dispense with all +oaths; especially because, in all of them, even the most monstrous, +people might think there was some tye obliging them to maintain the +protestant religion, therefore to obliterate that, and bury it in +oblivion, all now are taken away; but the guilt of them still remains +upon the land, and the grievous cry of suffering for refusing them still +continues; and therefore the iniquity of them must be looked unto and +lamented, and that with an eye to the account and reckoning must be +rendered for them, to a greater judgment than that of creatures. But +among all these destructive and diabolical devices, there have been none +more charming and cheating, than that cunningly contrived oath of +abjuration, as it is called, enjoined to be taken by all within the +kingdom, by a proclamation about it, representing a late declaration +emmitted by that party, whose sufferings I am vindicating (as a +manifesto of their enemies) under the most odious character, that the +malice of men helped with hell's hatred could devise; and requiring all +to abjure it in the most peremptory manner, and under the severest +penalty that ever was heard. This oath, I say, was contrived with such +cunning, and followed with such keenness, that it hath involved more +under its obligation, and engaged more to subscribe it, than any other +that went before it: because it hath been painted over with such +pretexts, as never any before was capable of. The pressing of it hath +been so impartial, upon travelling to the country, &c. And their +acceptance of the pass annexed to it thought so necessary, as without it +no business could be gone about. Its subscription so universally +unscrupled, even by the generality of great professors and ministers +too; the thing abjured represented so odious, as no honest man could +refuse to renounce; and the matter renounced, under its best aspect and +construction, esteemed only a paper declaration of a party very +despicable, wherein the principles, profession, or confession of the +church seems no way concerned; and if any way concerned, yet the concern +appearing so finall, as few or none durst state their sufferings upon +that head. Yet I believe, if either such as have taken it, or others +that may have the tentation of the like hereafter, will impartially +ponder it; so much iniquity may be discovered in it, as may oblige the +one to mourn in the sense of its fulness, and the other to beware of its +danger. And so much rather would I offer this to consideration, that I +know one who was wofully wheedled into it, that found the bitter effects +of this poisoned pill in his wounded conscience, after reflections on +the deed, in such a measure that he despaired of ever recovering peace. +And this man had as much, and more to say, to justify his deed, than any +that ever took it; having it with all the advantages that ever it could +be tendered with: for, being urged thereunto before the justiciary, he +expresly refused to disown that declaration, and the principles +whereupon it was founded, and told them that it was misrepresented in +the proclamation: and when they yielded to an abstract disowning of it +in so far as the proclamation represents it, or, if so be, it might be +so represented, he gave in a sense in writ, wherein he would take it; +shewing that, upon supposition, the declaration did assert such things +as was represented, he would disown it: and after the sense was accepted +as satisfactory, he refused to swear after the ordinary manner, +following the clerks, blind manuduction, but behoved to have it written +down: and when it was written, with express specification of that +apologetical declaration, he refused to swear it, till it was altered +and corrected, and the word pretended put in the stead of it: which +done, before he subscribed it, he protested it might be constructed in +no other sense, than the genuine meaning of the words he delivered in, +and that it might not be reckoned a compliance for fear of his life: +yet, notwithstanding of all this, he lost the jewel of inward peace, and +knew the terror of the Lord for many days. Therefore I shall chiefly +insist on discovering the iniquities of this last oath, called the +abjuration oath, both because it is the smoothest, and more generally +taken than any other, and approven by many that condemn the rest, and +refusing it hath been punished by death, and most illegally pressed upon +all, under the penalty thereof, as none of the rest was; and because as +all other oaths successively imposed, were so contrived that the last +did always imply and involve the substance of the former, so it will +appear that the iniquity of none of the preceeding oaths was altogether +wanting in this. But to the end, both the complication of the iniquities +of this oath may be evinced, and the continued strain of all the oaths +(which have also been heads of suffering, though not to this degree) may +be discovered; I shall touch somewhat of all the sorts of them, and shew +that their iniquity cleaves to this last oath: and then come to canvass +this oath itself, after I have premitted some general concessions. + +First, In a few words some general concessory propositions may be +premitted, + +1. That oaths both assertory and promissory are lawful, will not be +denied but by Quakers, &c. It is clear, swearing is a moral duty, and so +material, that oftentimes it is used for the whole worship of God, Deut. +vi. 13. "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and shalt serve him, and +swear by his name," Deut. x. 20.----"To him shalt thou cleave and swear +by his name." The reason is, because by whomsoever we swear, him we +profess to be our God, and invocate him as witness of our heart's +uprightness, and honest meaning in the thing sworn, according as it is +understood by both parties, and as avenger if we prove false. Hence, +every oath, which doth not bind us faster to serve and cleave to him, +is but a breach of the third command. Again, it is not only commanded as +a duty, but qualified how it should be performed, Jer. iv. 1, 2. Where +it is required of a people returning to the Lord, to swear in truth, in +judgment, and in righteousness. Hence, every oath which is not so +qualified, and does not consist with a penitent frame, is sin. It is +likewise promised in the covenant, that believers shall speak the +language of Canaan, and swear to the Lord, Isa. xix. 18. every oath then +that is not in the language of Canaan, is unsuitable to believers, that +is to say, consentaneous to the word of God, and confession of our +faith. Again, he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of +truth, Isa. lxv. 16. and therefore that oath which is not according to +truth, is dishonourable to the God of truth. If all the oaths imposed +upon Scotland these many years, were examined by these touch-stones, +they would be found all naught. So giving bands for security, which for +obligation are equivalent to promissory oaths, are also lawful +materially; but with the same qualifications, otherwise they are sinful. + +2. This duty when suitably discharged, truly, judiciously, righteously, +in the fear of God, according to his will, is in many cases very +necessary. Not only in vows, in which God is the party, in matters +morally necessary, to keep the righteous judgments of God, Psal. cxix. +106. Nor only in national covenants for reformation, and promoting the +interest of Christ, whereof we find many instances in scripture, in +Moses, Joshua, Asa, Hezekiah, Josiah, Ezrah, Nehemiah, their making and +renewing such covenants by oath, coming under the dreadful curse of it +if they should break it. And this may make our hearts meditate terror, +for the universal unparalelled breach of solemn covenants with God, that +exposes the nation to the curse of it; but also in human transactions, +whereunto God is invocated as a witness, as in national transactions, at +choosing and inaugurating their magistrates, for security of religion +and liberties, as we have many examples in scripture. Seldom indeed do +such bonds hold tyrants, but it is this generation's indelible brand and +bane, that without this they have come under the yoke of ineluctable +slavery, and have entailed it upon posterity. As likewise in contracts +and mutual compacts of friendship, or stricter association, when +edification, or other satisfaction, or security calls for it, as Jacob +sware to Laban, David to Jonathan, &c. In which the matter must be +clear, and mutually understood, and honestly meant, without equivocation +and mental reservation, and all ambiguity, as also possible, and likely +to continue so: for otherwise, it were but a mocking of God and man, to +swear a thing we either cannot, or will not perform, according to the +meaning of him in whose favours the oath is given. But withal we ought +to be sparing in such things except where the matter of the oath or bond +is weighty and necessary, and not multiply them needlesly upon formality +or custom; for if there were suitable confidence in one another, there +would not be need for so many of these securities. And specially in +relative stipulations betwixt man and wife, &c. Where an indissolvable +relation is entered into. And, in a particular manner, even in things +civil, when we are called thereunto by a lawful magistrate, for deciding +of controversies, or our own vindication, or to confirm our obligation +to some duty, an oath for confirmation is an end of all strife, Heb. vi. +16. But always in this the matter must be lawful, according to the will +of God, and true, and certainly known, and also necessary, weighty, +useful, worthy of such confirmation, for the glory of God, and the good +of our neighbour, that his holy name be not taken in vain; for otherwise +if the matter be false, God is made witness of a lie; if uncertain, +conscience condemns us that we know not, nor care not, what we call God +witness to; if unlawful, then God is called to approve what he hath +condemned, and so to contradict himself, which is horrid blasphemy. +With all which cases, and hell devised impositions on consciences in +these days, obtruded to debauch and ensnare them, not one of them, +levelling all at one design, how smoothly soever conceived, can be taken +without a wound and wramp to the conscience. + +3. Of all these cases, only two are applicable to our imposed +transactions with our wicked rulers, viz. in the matter of friendly +contracts, or in the matter of judicial appearances before them, and +swearing and banding before, and to them. In both which, there must be a +sort of confederation, with them. In contracts with them it will not be +doubted; and in judicial submitting to their authoritative impositions +of such securities, it is evident, there must be also a confederation +with them, not only in acknowledging their authority, but in coming +under mutual exacted stipulations; wherein, by taking these oaths and +bands, we give them security of orderly subjection, as members of the +community whereof they are judges, and get their security of +acquittance, and that we shall not be molested nor prosecuted among the +recusants. Now concerning this confederation, I shall concede in two +cases, it may be owned, and consequentially oaths and bonds may be given +to men of their stamp, 1. A confederation which is more discretive, or +discriminative may be allowed to them; that is, such bargains wherein +they and we are kept still divided as two parties, and not under one +incorporation, as in contracts of co-habitation, living under them as +tenants, buying and selling, and the like. But we cannot enter into a +confederation unitive with them, which may make us one body or party. 2. +A confederation which is necessary and unavoidable; when either an +unavoidable strife or contention doth arise between them and us, +whereupon we are compelled to answer in law, and can no otherwise be +decided but by our oath of confirmation, which is an end of all strife; +or when we are falsely accused of some odious and heinous crime, as of +murder or adultery: it is then lawful and necessary to vindicate +ourselves, by giving all these legal confirmations that we are free of +these things; for otherwise to ly under the imputation of such +enormities, were shamefully scandalous to religion. But we cannot allow +any transactions of this sort, which are elective and voluntary, to make +or pursue either peace or pleas with them, when our own interest or +benefit draweth us thereunto; but ere we go to law, or give oaths and +bonds to, and before the unjust and perfidious, and such also as we +cannot own as magistrates, we would rather take wrong, and suffer +ourselves to be defrauded as the apostle adviseth, 1 Cor. vi. 1, 7. It +was not unlawful, as expositors shew from that place, for the +Corinthians to answer in law for their own vindication, being pursued by +a heathen; but it was utterly a fault to go voluntarily one with +another. And if to pursue a brother was a fault, then much more to go to +law with an apostate, with whom there should be less meddling. And if to +go before the unjust magistrates, as these heathen judges were at +Corinth, who yet were magistrates, was utterly a fault, then much more +to go before such as have neither rightful nor righteous authority at +all: which yet must be acknowledged, if we take oaths and bands before +them: for none can exact these but acknowledged magistrates. Hence it is +apparent, it would be an elective confederation with these wicked +usurping judges, when brought before them to take their tendered oaths +and bonds, not as parties pursued before them, but as transacting with +them, with whom, as well as before whom, we must give these confirming +securities: and so not only must we acknowledge them to be gods, among +whom the Lord sitteth, whose holy name is interposed in such solemn +transactions; but also we must swear and enter in bonds to them as they +require. This indeed is necessary when called before them against our +will, and accused of horrid crimes, as was always in the imposition of +the oath of abjuration audaciously imputed to the refusers, that they +asserted murdering principles, and owned it lawful to kill all that +served the king; in such a case, to declare with the most solemn +asseverations, for vindication of truth, that we disown not only all +such assertions, but all such thoughts as that it is lawful to kill all +that serve the king, or any that serve him because they serve him, or +because they have injured us any manner of way, and to declare our +abhorrence of all murder and assassinations. But to swear such things to +them, when we are altogether innocent, would be a granting that we were +legally suspected, by offering a legal purgation. And so all the +subjects of Scotland should take upon them to purge themselves from a +suspicion of murder, which were odious. And to abjure a declaration, as +asserting such things, when it asserts no such thing, is a swearing to a +lie. + +4. All solemn securities of oaths or bonds, that are sacred promises, +are by strictness of law, of most strict and indispensible obligation, +as Mr. Durham on the third command, shews in many cases: No man's loss, +or private prejudice, can make it void, (though we swear to our own +hurt, we must not change, Psal. xv. 4) nor indifferency in the matter, +if once engaged in, for then our souls are bound, Numb. xxx. 2. nor +deceit of others, if the deceit be circumstantial only, as in the +Gibeonites case; nor the extortion of it by fear or violence, if the +matter be lawful; nor rashness and sin in the manner, if lawful in the +matter, as with the Gibeonites; nor another meaning afterwards devised, +not according to the imposer's mind, nor our own at first who took it, +(that is but a swearing deceitfully, Psal. xxiv. 4.) nor any good +meaning or design in reversing the oath (Saul was punished for breaking +his oath with the Gibeonites, out of zeal, 2 Sam. xxi. 2.) nor though +the oath be conceived by creatures, (as by the altar or temple, &c. Mat. +xxxiii. 20,--22.) nor when the thing becomes impossible, if that +possibility could have been foreseen or prevented; nor any other sacred +meaning, by equivocation or mental reservation, which are abominable; +nor any dispensation from pope or king; nor any other posterior oath. +None of these things can make an oath void; but if we have bound +ourselves, God will require it: "For whoso despises an oath, by breaking +the covenant, when lo he hath given his hand, he shall not escape, God +shall recompense it," Ezek. xvii. 18, 19. They are null indeed and of no +force, when they become bonds of iniquity, tying to things unlawful or +impossible; or when the thing sworn is not in our own power, Numb. xxx. +5. Or when there is deceit in it, not in circumstantials only, but in +essentials; or when it hinders a greater good, when the case materially +altereth; or when the party sworn to relaxeth us. All these do condemn +the horrid breach of the sacred and solemn league and covenant, and +confutes the perverting and wresting the words of it in the third +article, as if it did oblige to allegiance of tyrants; for, in that +case, the obligation is unlawful, and there is a case in essentials, and +the case materially altereth, (for in the covenant we are bound to the +king, not to a tyrant) and the party sworn to have relaxed us long ago, +by annulling the covenant; yet all these things prove, that the covenant +is still in force, and that all the oaths and bonds contradictory to it, +are sinful: and yet though it be sinful to take them, and sinful to keep +them, it is nevertheless perjury to break them, especially to them whose +erroneous conscience is bound by them, under a notion of their +lawfulness. + +And in a special manner it is here conspicuous, how deceitful a juggle +that sinful shift of many hath been, that they could subscribe an +unlawful bond under a penalty: as for example, to answer to their +courts, or to go to church, or separate from the persecuted meetings of +the Lord's people, under such a penalty, which they thought to pay the +penalty would clear them off, as if it were only an alternative bond. +The iniquity of this juggle will appear, if we consider, such bonds +cannot be alternative: for alternatives are always disjunctive, binding +equally either to this or that; and the one alternative is no more +determinately enjoined by the imposer, than the other. And so, if these +bonds were alternative, it should be in the binder's choice, whether to +answer the court, go to church, to separate meetings, or pay so much +money. But it is not so, for the stipulation and promise is determinate +to the obligation, for which the bond is required, and the penalty is +annexed, as a punishment of the breach of that obligation. And that +fancy of eluding the bond by paying the penalty, would quite enervate +all security among men, in their mutual compacts of that nature; and +under that pretence, they might give a satisfactory compliance to the +most wicked imposed obligation imaginable, to subscribe the Turk's +Alcoran, with a reserved attention only to pay the imposed penalty. +Which reservation is so far from being suitable to that christian +simplicity the gospel requires, that it does not answer that moral +honesty that our concern, in the good of human society, calls for. It is +incumbent on all that expect to dwell on God's holy hill, to have this +requisite qualification for one, though they swear to their own hurt +they will not change it, and they must be far from swearing deceitfully; +and consequently, if they bind themselves by a promise, which a +Christian should be no less tender of than his oath, they must keep it. +And besides, to condescend that that penalty or fine should be paid, by +ourselves, or friends in our behalf, were to condescend that these +enemies should be enriched by our own or the spoil of our friends, upon +the account of the forfeiture of our promise; which seems such a +dishonest and dishonourable thing, that an honest heart would disdain +it. And though this should be flouted as foolish preciseness, to chuse +rather to ly still and suffer in such a case; yet it may be considered +that Christ's cross, even with reproaches, is always a better choice +than the world's ease, purchased at any price which is a hire for +Christ's enemies. + +5. All divines and casuists do grant, that an oath must be taken in his +sense and meaning who tenders it, and in whose favours it is conceived: +because oaths and bonds are for security, and therefore whosoever would +deal honestly and christianly in taking an oath, must take it in the +sense that it is understood by such as impose it; otherwise the holy +name of God should be taken in vain, and the swearers and promisers +shall deal deceitfully, in frustrating the end of the oath or bond, and +the design of the tenderers thereof. And therefore, as reason and +religion requires, that all oaths or bonds be so conceived and +enunciated, that all concerned may understand them, and if there be any +doubt how far they bind, the imposers should explain the same, as +Abraham did to his servant: So conscience requires, that they be always +taken in the imposer's sense, and as they discover their sense and +sentiments of them, and not according to the meaning that we may think +the words capable of; nor yet according to the wheedling explications, +that they may give or allow, which are as deceitful and ensnaring as the +things themselves. Nor is it to be looked upon as a favour to get a +liberty to put a sense upon them, contrary to their known meaning; for +that is but a liberty to mock God, to mock others, and ourselves too, +and nothing but a snare to the conscience. And to put a gloss upon +printed oaths or bonds, which in strict construction they will not bear, +and then to subscribe them in the terms as offered, is not only an +intangling ourselves into the bond of sinful oaths and bands, but to +stumble the godly, and harden the wicked in the present, and to mock +posterity in future ages; who shall see the oaths in the terms +subscribed, but not the sense they were taken in. See Apolog. Relat. +Sect. 14. It is known by manifold experiences that it is dangerous to +hearken to their overtures who study to ensnare us, but far more +hurtful and hateful to propound overtures to them. For they interpret it +a ceding and giving ground, and when they see a man beginning to yield, +then they will seem to be very condescending, even to accept of little +at first, that they may draw him on to more: like cunning anglers +sometimes recoiling and drawing back the well baited and busked hook, to +invite the poor unwary fish to pursue, and sometimes letting it run away +with the hook when it bites kindly: So when they find a man offering and +ready to accept of accommodations, they will be very yielding and easy, +but with a design to hook him. But conscience can find no safety at +present, nor satisfaction afterwards in accommodations with them. For it +is plain to all that are not blinded with ignorance, or partiality, or a +judicial stroke, that our imposers are such sons of Belial as cannot be +taken with hands, or by the hand; and if we reflect upon the matters +upon which these accommodations are to be offered or accepted, they are +not things upon which we may come and go, upon our discretion, as we do +with our own particulars, or with problems to be disputed, or ambiguous +propositions capable of different senses; but matters so and so +circumstantiate, as do require the positive determinate judgment of the +conscience, concerns of truth and falsehood, duty and sin, which cannot +admit of accommodation, or dispensation, or reservation, or any other +sense than the imposers and they that state their inquisition about such +things do own, and are observedly known to have and maintain about them. +Otherwise, all other forged accommodations are but tampering tricks, +juggling with jugglers, deceiving the deceivers, in such a way as does +not well consist with the simplicity of the gospel, or the doves +innocency; for what is that but a swearing or promising deceitfully! +Psal. xxiv. 4. "a conceiving and uttering from the heart words of +falsehood," Isa. lix. 13. "a false oath," Zech. viii. 17. "which are +hateful to God who will be a swift witness against false swearers," Mal. +iii. 5. Neither will they be so easily deceived, for they will readily +yield to accommodations, or any tolerable sense that we can put upon +their snares; for they reckon that a yielding in part, and are glad to +find us so far justifying their acts and impositions, as by our offer +practically to declare they bear a good sense, and they will come many +ways to our hand to get us hooked so. + +Secondly, These things being premitted, I shall offer reasons why it was +necessary, in point of conscience, to refuse all the oaths hitherto +tendered; and consequently conscientious sufferers upon this account +will be vindicated. And first, some general reasons against all of them +together, and then a word to each sort of them. + +1. There is one general argument, that will condemn coming in any terms +of oaths or bonds with that party, that have broken the covenant, +overturned the reformation, and destroyed the people of the Lord: +because such transactions with them (as hinted above) are a sort of +confederacy with the known enemies of truth and godliness, importing a +voluntary subjection to them, compliance and incorporation with them, as +members of the same community, whereof they are acknowledged to be the +head. Now all such sort of confederacy with such malignant enemies of +God and of the church, is unlawful, as Mr. Gillespie demonstrates in his +useful case of conscience, concerning associations and confederacies +with idolaters, or any known enemies of truth and godliness. Though +civil compacts for common commerce may be allowed, as Abraham was +confederate with Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, Gen. xiv. 13. Jacob covenanted +with Laban by way of lawborrows, Gen xxxi. 14. But sacred confederations +of this sort are unlawful from these arguments, 1. The law of God +condemns them, Exod. xxiii. 32. "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, +nor with their gods, they shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make +thee sin against me,"----Where not only religious covenants are +discharged in a toleration of the idolatry, but familiar conversation +also, they shall not dwell in thy land. If then we must not suffer them, +if in capacity, sure we must far less be imposed upon by them; if we are +not to be familiar with heathens, far less with apostates, that call +themselves Christians; for the apostle lays much more restraint from +communion with them, than with Pagans, 1 Cor. v. 10, 11. The reason of +the law, lest they make thee sin: as long therefore as there is that +hazard of sinning, the law obliges to that caution. So Exod. xxxiv. +12,--16. "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the +inhabitants of the land--lest it be a snare--but ye shall destroy their +altars--lest thou make a covenant with them--and they go a whoring after +their gods, and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons"--Here again +all sacred transactions are discharged, upon a moral and perpetually +binding ground, and all toleration is prohibited, and conjugal affinity. +Such compliance brought on the first desolating judgment, the flood on +the old world (Gen. vi. 1, 2, 3.) when the godly conformed and +incorporated themselves, and joined in affinity with that ungodly crew, +from whom they should have separated themselves. Likewise Deut. vii. 2, +3, 4, 5.--"Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto +them, neither shalt thou make marriages with them--for they will turn +away thy son from following me--so shall the anger of the Lord be +kindled against you--but thus shall ye deal with them, ye shall destroy +their altars." Where all transactions with a people devoted to +destruction are discharged, even that of toleration of malignant +enemies, according to which precept, "David resolved to destroy early all +the wicked of the land, and cut off all wicked doers, from the city of +the Lord," Psal. ci. 8. Mark this, all, of what degree or quality +soever, without respect of persons. And lest it should be thought this +is meant only of these seven nations there enumerate, the law is +interpreted by the spirit of God or many other nations; where Solomon is +condemned for joining in affinity with other wicked people, besides +these, 1 Kings, xi. 1, 2. So that it is to be understood generally, +against confederacies with all, to whom the moral ground is applicable, +and the danger of insnaring the people of God. It is clear likewise, we +must have nothing to do with the wicked, but to treat them and with them +as enemies, Psal. cxxxix. 21, 22. with whom, as such, there can be no +confederation; for that supposes always the enmity is laid aside, but +that can never be between the professors of religion and the professed +enemies thereof: but that must always be the language of their practice, +"Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard me," +Psal. vi. 8. The command is peremptory and perpetual, "Forsake the +foolish," Prov ix. 6. "Make no friendship with them," Prov. xxii. 24. +"Say not a confederacy to them." Isa. viii. 12. where it is clear from +the opposition in that text, betwixt confederating with the wicked and +the fear of God, that the one is not consistent with the other. There is +an express discharge to yoke or have any fellowship with them, 2 Cor. +vi. 14. to the end--"for what fellowship hath righteousness with +unrighteousness?--what concord hath Christ with Belial?--wherefore come +out from among them, and be separate."--2. Many sad and sharp reproofs +for such transactions and confederations do conclude the same thing, +Judg. ii. 1, 2, 3--"I said,--ye shall make no league with the +inhabitants of this land, you shall throw down their altars: but you +have not obeyed my voice, Why have you done this? Wherefore--I will not +drive them out from before you--." It cannot be expected, the Lord will +drive out these enemies, if we swear subjection and allegiance, and +come under confederations with them; for thereby we contribute actively +to their settlement and establishment, and bring ourselves not only +under the misery, but the guilt of strengthening the hands of evil +doers. So Jer. ii. the people of God are reproved, for making themselves +home-born slaves. How? by outlandish confederacies, verse 18. "Now what +hast thou to do in the way of Assyria?--The Chaldee paraphrase hath it, +What have you to do to associate with Pharaoh king of Egypt? and what +have you to do to make a covenant with the Assyrian?" So may we say, +what have we to do to take their oaths and bonds, that are as great +enemies as they were? Ephraim is reproved for mixing himself among the +people, Hos. vii. 8. by making confederacies with them. What follows? He +is a cake not turned, hot in the nether side, zealous for earthly +things, but cold and raw in the upper side, remiss in the things of +Christ. And this we have seen in our experience to be the fruit of such +bargains, or bonds, or oaths, that they that were engaged in them, have +always in some measure fallen from their former fervour for Christ. Nay +we shall find, that such transactions are seldom or never recorded in +the book of God without a reproof, or some greater marks of God's +displeasure put upon them? which doubtless is set purposely as beacons, +that we may beware of them. And therefore, 3. We may take notice of many +disallowed and condemned examples, on which the Lord set marks of wrath, +as Ahab's covenant with Benhadad, 1 Kings xx. 32. to the end. Asa's +covenant with Benhadad, which the prophet calls a foolish deed, 2 Chron. +xvi. from beginning to verse 10. proceeding from an evil heart of +unbelief, as all such transactions are overawed compliances. +Jehoshaphat's with Ahab hath the same censure, though he kept himself +free of Ahab's idolatry, and Ahab seemed to have been penitent before +he joined with him, and his relation to him was very near, the enemy of +both was an infidel, the cause was good, to recover a city of refuge, +the manner of his proceeding was pious, consulting the prophets, and his +end good; yet all this did not justify that wickedness, related 2 Chron. +xviii. and reproved 2 Chron. xix. 2. Jehu the prophet is sent to him, +"Shouldst thou love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon +thee from before the Lord." After this, when he joined himself with +Ahaziah, who did very wickedly, the Lord brake his works, 2 Chron. xx. +35. to the end: which made him afterwards mend his fault, for he would +not again join with him, when he sought the like association, 1 Kings +xxii. 49. So Amaziah's bargain with the Israelites, when the Lord was +not with them, is condemned by the prophet, admonishing him to disjoin +himself from them, 2 Chron. xxv. 7,--20. and Ahaz's bargain with Tilgath +Pilneser the Assyrian, 2 Chron. xviii. 16 &c. is plainly disallowed. 4. +The complaints, confessions, and lamentations of the Lord's people, +mourning over this sin, demonstrate the evil of it, Ezra ix. 14. "Should +we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of +these abominations? Wouldst not thou be angry with us, till thou hadst +consumed us, so that there shouldst be no remnant nor escaping?" Psal. +cvi. 35. "They were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works." + +All these commands, reproofs, examples and complaints, are written for +our learning; and being seriously laid to heart, will sufficiently sear +all the fearers of God to join, but stand aloof from all compliances, +conjurations, or confederacies with the enemies of God, directly or +indirectly, formally or interpretatively, for fear of partaking of their +sins, and receiving of their plagues. I insist the more largely on this +argument, both because it will conclude that for which those proofs are +adduced, to condemn all bonding or bargaining with malignant enemies; +and because it will vindicate the aversion of this poor persecuted +remnant, from associating in expeditions of war, with promiscuous +subverters and perverters of the cause, on which it were not proper to +my purpose to dilate any discourse in a distinct head, while I must +confine myself only to the heads of sufferings; only because it may be +objected, and it will be profitable to consider it, that these +scriptures disprove only voluntary and elective confederations with the +wicked, but cannot condemn necessitated subscriptions of lawful +obligations, when the matter is not sinful; nor come they home to the +case of prisoners, who are constrained to transact and treat, and have +do with the men in power, otherwise, if all bonds were unlawful, then +prisoners might not procure liberty for longer or shorter time, upon +bond and bail, to answer again when called; which yet is generally +approven, and practised without scruple, and see us not want a precedent +in scripture, in that Jason gave such security, Acts xvii. 9. I shall +therefore subjoin here some considerations, by way of answer to this. 1. +These scriptures disprove all covenants, Exod. xxiii. 32. All +confederacies, Isa. viii. 12. All concord or agreement with the men of +Belial, 1 Cor. vi. 15. and, without distinction of voluntary or overawed +transactions, all unitive agreements of whatsoever sort are discharged, +and can no more be restricted to the particulars there specified, as if +any other covenant, confederacy, or concord might be lawful, that there +was not a joining in marriage, an associating in war, or communion in +communion in worship with them, than the moral grounds of these +prohibitions can be so restricted: for the hazard of sins and snares, +the hurt of faithless fears from whence they flow, and the hatefulness +of such unequal conjunctions, which are the grounds and reasons of these +laws, as may be seen in these forecited places, cannot be restricted to +the particulars specified. But now all the tendered oaths and bonds of +our adversaries, when subscribed as they require; yea, even those +transactions of prisoners for procuring their liberty, on terms of +engaging to re-enter themselves according to agreement with their +persecutors, are unitive covenants, or conditional agreements, giving +solemn securities for their respective obligations, upon terms wherein +both parties accord; for these bonds are given to them, and not only +before them, as was said. They are confederacies of the subjected, +seeking the peace and favours of their superiors, which when overawed +are sinful to be made with wicked enemies of religion, as well as when +unconstrained, for Ahaz's transaction with the Assyrian, was forced out +of fear, and yet it is called a sinful confederacy, not to be +homologated by any of the fearers of the Lord, Isa. viii. 12. They are +concords and agreements with the unrighteous sons of Belial, and not +about common matters, but matters wherein religion and righteousness are +nearly concerned: can any think that these commands are given with +exception of prisoners? and that if any Israelite was prisoner to these +nations, he might make a covenant with them for his liberty, upon an +engagement to render himself prisoner to them again? Then he might give +bond to God's devoted enemies, to bind up his hands from prosecuting the +war with them, which all Israel was obliged to do: for if they might +covenant subjection to them, then it would have been their sin to rebel, +as it was Zedekiah's sin to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, because it was +breach of covenant: and so there might be a case, wherein the +Israelites, notwithstanding of all these prohibitions, would be obliged +not to destroy, nor break down their altars, to wit, if they made such a +bargain with them for their liberty, to surrender themselves as their +subjects. Now we read, many times they were brought under subjection, +and that as a punishment of their leaguing with them: and yet they broke +the yoke, when they cried unto the Lord, and never submitted any longer +than they were able to deliver themselves. Whence it is plain, that they +never bound themselves to such subjection by oath, bond, or promise, for +that would have been no mercy which was purchased by treachery. 2. It is +a voluntary compact with the men in power to procure liberty upon bond +to answer again, and cannot be called necessitated; or if it be, it is +but a necessitated sin. It must be voluntary, because it is an act of +the will, and the will cannot be forced; it is the consent of the will, +and the consent cannot but be voluntary, in so far as it is a consent; +and by this, whereas, before their so procured liberty, they were +prisoners by constraint, now when they must return to prison, they are +prisoners by consent: It is the prisoner's choice, whether he will come +out upon these terms, or not; and every choice, in so far as it is a +choice, is elective and voluntary: it is put to the man's choice, +whether he will continue under the cross, and continue his testimony for +the cause, or surcease from it for a time, the latter in the case is +chosen. It is the prisoner's desire and petition, to transact with them +in these terms for liberty, without which no benefit of any such bond +can be procured, and every desire is voluntary. Yea, it is a formal +compact and capitulation with them, binding and obliging these bonders +by their own word and writ, at least to be at their call and command, +not by compulsion and force now, but by the moral obligation of their +own compact: now, every such compact is voluntary. And therefore, if all +voluntary covenants, confederacies, and agreements, be discharged in +scripture, then this bond of compearance also must be discharged. The +judgment of the famous Mr. Rutherford, or a draught of a petition to +have been presented to the committee of estates, by those ministers who +were prisoners in the castle of Edinburgh, will confirm what is said: we +find it in the third part of his letters, Numb. 93. where are these +words, 'I am straitned as another suffering man, but dare not petition +this committee, 1. Because it draws us to capitulate with such as have +the advantage of the mount, the Lord so disposing for the present, and +to bring the matters of Christ to yea and no (you being prisoners, and +they the powers) is a hazard.' 3. This agreement with the enemies for +liberty upon these terms, is sinful. For it is not only an +acknowledgement of a wicked power, in owning and transacting with them +as judges, who can free them and bind them as prisoners by law, which is +disproved above; but it is a binding themselves over to a packed, +perverse, and law-perverting judicatory, not as prisoners by forcible +constraint, but a willing consent, acknowledging the legality of their +imprisonment, and obliging themselves to observe it when demanded: yea, +it is a covenanted and bonded obedience to a wicked law; for it is a +wicked law, to exact from a sufferer for truth his re-entry to prison, +for no crime but his duty. As also it is a justifying of a wicked +sentence; for it is a wicked sentence, that an innocent man shall return +to prison when they please; which is justified when they bind themselves +to obey it. This is no ways like a man's going to the gibbet on his own +feet; for the man does not bind himself to do that, neither is it +exacted of him as an obedience to a law, nor is it given forth as a part +of his sentence, only he chooseth it for his own ease: but if all these +did concur, it were unlawful for a martyr for righteousness to obey such +a law, or voluntarily to submit to such a wicked sentence. Neither is it +of any pertinency to urge, that it is lawful for a man to submit so far +to a robber, as to bind himself to return to him against such a day with +another purse to him: for this is a necessitated bargain, to give what a +man hath, and promise more to save his life, and is like a man's casting +his goods out at sea to save the ship; the other is not so, but +elective: this is only a choice of the least of two evils of suffering, +but the other is a choice of one of two evils, which is sin, which +cannot come under a Christian's election at all; this is a compact with +the robber, which is still discretive, and no ways unitive of the robber +and him, in any bargain of concord, or confederacy, or acknowledged +subjection, only a passive surrender to his greater force as an enemy; +but the other is unitive, as between rulers and ruled: this is not any +obedience to a law, nor is the man's purse required to be given, or +promised under that notion, as the other is. I shall here also subjoin +some more of that foresaid letter of Mr. Rutherford's, in the second +place, says he, 'A speaking to them in writ, and passing in silence the +sworn covenant, and the cause of God, which is the very present +controversy, is contrary to the practice of Christ and the apostles, who +being accused, or not accused, avouched Christ to be the Son of God, and +the Messias, and that the dead must rise again, even when the adversary +initiated the question.' Now plain it is, that neither in the bonds nor +petitions, is there any word of the cause or testimony suffered for. 4. +As it is sinful, so it is very scandalous in several respects; in that +at least it hath the appearance of evil, which Christians should abstain +from, 1 Thes. v. 22. and seems to be a voluntary subjecting themselves +to their impositions (at least of that to return to prison again) a +willing acknowledgment of their unjust usurpations; a spontaneous +consenting to their mischiefs framed into a law, and exacted under the +notion of a law; a gratifying of the enemies of religion, and pleasing +them more than any thing a prisoner can do, except he should wholly deny +the cause: and therefore chiefly always this overture is most acceptable +from those that durst give any testimony, because they look upon it as +some indication of their fainting or falling from it, or of their +wearying of the cross of Christ, of which they are very glad; and an +offending and making sad the hearts, and condemning the practice, of +some truly tender and zealous confessors of Christ, who have had strong +tentations to make such transactions, and durst not yield so far for a +world; yea it is certainly an argument of faithless fear, and impatient +wearying of the cross, because of the fury of the oppressor, which the +Lord taxeth, when the captive hastneth that he may be loosed, and that +he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail; which is a +dishonour to him who hath promised to bear their charges, and hath given +them many encouragements to trust, that he will open a door in his own +time and way. See Isa. li. 13, 14. Of this Rutherford addeth in that +forecited letter: 'Silence of the cause of God which adversaries +persecute, seems a tacit deserting of the cause, when the state of the +question is known to beholders, and I know the brethren intend not to +leave the cause. And a little after, says he, the draught of that +petition which you sent me, speaks not one word of the covenant of God, +for the adhering to which you now suffer, and which is the object of +men's hatred, and the destruction whereof is the great work of the +times; and your silence, in this nick of time, appears to be a not +confessing of Christ before men, and you want nothing to beget an +uncleanly deliverance, but the profession of silence:' which is +professed by all that petition for such a bond, when their address and +transaction speaks no more in favours of the cause, than if they denied +it. It is plainly a coming out of prison without a testimony, which +cannot consist with faithful and zealous suffering for Christ, and is +far from the choice of Christ's witnesses, who overcame by the blood of +the Lamb, and the word of their testimony, recorded, Heb. xi. 35.----Who +were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a +better resurrection. 5. As it is a scandalous, so it is very +inconvenient and unsuitable for the confessors of Christ. In that not +only they may be ignorant, and much troubled to know what underhand +dealings their friends may use sometimes to procure that liberty, +without acquainting them, and how odiously their act of deliverance may +be worded and registred to the prejudice of the cause, which they dare +not testify against afterwards when they do know it, for fear of many +inconveniences. But also it cannot be vindicated from being a +dishonourable shifting, and putting off, or casting off the call of a +testimony; and confessing either an inconstancy, or impatience, or +unreadiness, or want of resolution, to confess or profess the testimony +for Christ, without some respite to gather new defences for it: whereas +Christ's witnesses should be ready always to give an answer to every man +that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them, 1 Pet. iii. 15. +And besides, they involve themselves into the incumbrances of a doubtful +suspence about the event, whereas if they keep their first resolution +and condition with cheerfulness, aloof from such bargains, they know the +utmost they have to fear or hope from men. But now, as it is hard for +them to come off without some sinful engagement, and to continue any +measure of faithfulness when they are out, for fear of being soon called +again; so they bring themselves into many sad difficulties how to +behave, and cast themselves into many tentations unavoidably. However, +except of late, a precedent of this practice can hardly be instanced +among the sufferers of Christ in former times, but, on the contrary, +many have refused such offers. I shall only name one; in the persecution +of queen Mary of England, Dr. Sands, prisoner at London, had the offer +of liberty, upon the term of such a bond, finding bail to appear when he +should be called, but refused it absolutely; and when a gentleman, +without his knowledge, having procured it by giving 1000 l. bond for +him, brought him forth and required his consent and observance of the +obligation, he would not consent to give any security, and denied his +resolution to observe it in the least; whereupon the gentleman very +courteously told him, he would stand to his hazard. This was far more +like the innocency of the dove, but this new prudence resembles more +wisdom of the serpent. Finally, as for Jason's business, which is so +much harped upon by these bonders. (1.) These were rulers that he had to +deal withal, and not raging tyrants. (2.) They were indifferent arbiters +between Jason and the lewd fellows that troubled him, and not both judge +and party; he gave no security to his persecutors, as these bonders do, +but to the true judges of the cause, who impartially took cognizance of +it, from whom Jason might and did expect right. (3.) This was before he +was prisoner, being as free as his accusers, and having the law as free +for him as it was for them; whereby he could vindicate himself and abide +the law, and be absolved by it: which does not answer the case of +prisoners actually engaged in and called to a testimony for Christ, when +there is no law but what is established in opposition to Christ. (4.) In +the original it is, when they got satisfaction from him; that is, when +he so cleared himself, that they could not fasten any transgression upon +him, then they absolved him. + +2. All these oaths and solemn securities that have been imposed in these +times, are dreadful and heinous breaches of the third command, by taking +his name in vain in the worst sort, whereby the takers cannot be holden +guiltless. For it is impossible such oaths and bonds, however they be +constructed, can ever be taken with these requisite qualifications +necessary to be observed in all oaths (and consequently in all solemn +promises or bonds) that are mentioned once for all, Jer. iv. 2. where +one that sweareth, must do it in truth, in judgment, and in +righteousness. 1. They cannot be taken in truth, which is a necessary +qualification in all oaths, according to the definition of a true oath, +which is a solemn invocation of God, for confirmation of some true, +lawful, grave, and weighty, useful and worthy business, wherein he is +attested and appealed unto, that he, as the only searcher of hearts, +may give his testimony to the truth of the thing, and punish the +swearers, if he swear not in truth. And this swearing in truth does +import and require both sincerity of the heart, filled with reverence +and the awful apprehension of a present God; and simplicity of the mind, +well informed of the genuine meaning of the oath, that we have clear +uptaking of it, and take it not implicitly, but with our own +understanding; and also singleness and honesty of the intention, that it +be not to deceive, by putting any other sense than the imposer hath, or +will allow when he understands it: so the meaning must be clear, and +such as may be obviously gathered from the words, and according as they +are supposed to be understood by others, especially them that exact the +oath; for if they mean one thing and we another, God's name is profaned, +and the end of the oath frustrated, and so all equivocations and mental +reservations are condemned; as all divines treating on oaths teach, and +worthy Mr. Durham particularly on the third command, who asserts, 'that +though we could devise some other meaning, that might seem to make for +us; yet if that was not meant at first tendering, but otherwise +understood by him that did take it, it will not absolve from the guilt +of perjury; for an oath of strict law, and will not admit, on any +respect or account, of interpretations prejudicial to the native truth +of it, lest it should be found to be' (according to Psal. xxiv. 4.) 'a +swearing deceitfully.' And he afterwards says, 'much less will it exempt +a man from guilt, that in swearing he had a meaning of the words, +contrary to what in common sense they bear, and in the construction of +all indifferent persons, without oath, or beyond it; but it should be +plain, single, and clear.' And Paraeus saith, in Catech. Urs. part 2. +quest. 102. An oath hath the divine sanction, that it might be a bond of +verity among men, and a testimony that God is the author and defender +of truth. Now, none of these oaths and bonds can be taken in truth; for +if they may be safely taken in any sense, it must be such as the oath in +the design of the imposers cannot bear, and which the imposers never +intended, nor would they ever have allowed, if they had understood it; +which industriously the takers have a care they should not understand, +and so they must take it in that sense with a mind to deceive, which +cannot be in truth, but most derogatory both to the truth and simplicity +of the gospel. And they are all unclear and ambiguous which cannot be +taken in truth, because they have no truth in them, as Dr. Sanderson +saith, de jure. promiss. oblig. prael. 6. Sect. 10. 'A proposition of an +ambiguous and indefinite sense, before the matter be distinguished, is +not a true proposition; yea, nor a proposition at all: for a +proposition, as its definition cleareth, should signify either a truth +or a falsehood, without any ambiguity; and therefore, says he; such +oaths should be suspected that there is some deceit lurking, and every +pious and prudent man should refuse them offered under such terms,' +cited by apol. relat. sect. 10. pag. 118. and sect. 15. pag. 267. In +fine, none of them can be taken in truth, since they are all a denying +the truth, as will be evident by the induction of all of them: which, +how it can consist with the fear of God, or sincerity of the heart, +cannot be imagined; and if conscience be called into judgment, it will +condemn the taking them. 2. They cannot be taken in judgment, is that, +with knowledge and deliberation, minding and understanding what it is we +swear or subscribe, as Mr. Durham explains it in the place above cited. +For, first, they cannot be taken in judgment, because they are all +ambiguous, the terms of them being capable of divers senses, not +explained by the imposers. And if they were explained in their sense, +then they could not be taken in righteousness; and so at best they are +uncertain: and that is dreadful to invoke the majesty of God to be a +witness to uncertainties; for that is to swear with an evil conscience +and contempt of God to dare to call him in as a witness of that which is +in suspense, whether it be truth or a lie; and such a swearer must make +it a matter indifferent, whether he make God a witness of a truth or of +a lie in the case. Vide Paraeum. loc. sup. cit. pag. 754. sect. 4. Dr. +Sanderson as before, gives these reasons further against all ambiguous +oaths. 'Because of him who tendereth the oath. For the proper end of an +oath is, that he in whose favours it is taken should have some certainty +of that whereof he doubted before; but there can be no certainty out of +the words which have no certain sense. Next, because of him who +sweareth, who, if he take such an oath in these terms, either stumbleth +his neighbour, or spreadeth a net for his own feet; for to what else +should such collusion tend, but either that by our example others may be +induced to take it, whereby they are stumbled; or, that afterwards, by +virtue of that oath, something may be required of us, which is either +unlawful or hurtful, and this is to lay a snare for ourselves! Therefore +let every prudent man beware of suffering himself to be deceived by +these wiles, and of thinking so much either of the favour of the ill +will of any other, as to swallow the bait under which he is sure there +is a hook: it is expedient, that, in the matter of oaths, all things be +done aright, and that the sense be clear to all, and that is, to swear +with a clear conscience,' apol. relat. pag. 267. But next, they cannot +be taken in judgment; because they are all imposed and extorted under a +severe penalty, and some of them of death, and so must be taken out of +fear. Such oaths are by many famous divines judged unlawful, especially +public oaths imposed by authority, and under colour of law; these are +worse than a man's private oath given to a robber, for fear of death, if +the matter be unlawful: for, without the matter be lawful or unlawful, +such oaths coacted, exacted, and imposed by law, cannot be taken in +judgment; for if they be taken out of respect to the law; then it is the +person's suffrage to the equity of that law, and an approbation of the +imposition; which, in the present case, cannot be done, by any man of +conscience; for, whether the oaths be lawful or not, the authority +imposing them is nought, and the law wicked, and can never be approven; +and if they be extorted out of fear, then they cannot be taken with +deliberation, or voluntary and unviolented choice, unconstrained light +or liberty, which are all the ingredients of judgment. 3. They cannot be +taken in righteousness, that is, according to the law of equity as well +as piety, neither wronging God nor others by our oaths. Lawful oaths +should be in themselves ties of equity, as well as truth. And Paraeus +faith, in the place before cited, lawful oaths are only these which are +engaged into about things true, certainly known, lawful, possible, +weighty, necessary, useful and worthy. And if that be true, then are all +the oaths and bonds taken these many years but fetterings into bonds of +iniquity; which, when the consciences of the takers will reflect on +them, will become galls of bitterness, and found to have none of these +qualifications; but on the contrary, to be about matters false, +uncertain, unlawful, impossible, frivolous, fruitless, useless, and +unworthy, to the worst degree of baseness; and, which is worst of all, +dreadfully sinful, and horrid to be thought on to interpose the name of +God upon, making him the approver of what his soul hates, and a witness +of that which he will be an avenger of, as will appear by the particular +consideration of all of them. + +2. Let it be considered, that though (as the pleaders for these +transactions do impertinently) alledge the same words in other cases +might be subscribed in a more abstract sense, as being capable of a good +construction; yet complexly considered in the form and frame of all the +oaths and bonds we have been troubled with, they cannot be subscribed +in any sense; and if in any, that must be the imposer's sense, which in +them all is always pernicious. 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 and trivial, or dubious and +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 says it is necessary, that no +ruler hath right to enjoin an oath which is not first enacted into a +law; and it was always 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 enacted and 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 packed +parliaments that made them, no conscientious man could ever own 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, whenever 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 +always either restraining to a clear sin, to renounce some part of the +covenanted reformation, in profession or practice; or constraining 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 imposer's mind and +meaning, the sense will be found always pernicious, though the words may +be plausible. As when they require an obligation to allegiance, or +loyalty, or peaceableness, or orderliness, and other smooth words, +signifying excellent things in an abstract notion, these will be found +to carry quite another sense, if we enquire into the imposer's meaning, +in which only oaths and bonds must be taken. The only way to find out +their meaning, is to consider either their acts or actings, or their +designs and intentions, as they are discoverable by any man of prudence +or consideration. If we consult their acts or actings practically, and +not only legally explaining them for a commentary, then by allegiance, +we can understand nothing else but an owning of their absolute tyranny: +by loyalty, nothing but an absolute and implicit obedience of their +absolute commands, without reserve (as the late proclamation for the +toleration expounds it) by peaceableness, nothing but a stupid +subjection to them, letting them do what they please without resistance +or controul; and by orderliness nothing but a disorderly compliance and +conformity with them, in going along with the corruptions and defections +of the time; for their acts and actings expound them so. If we consider +their designs and 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 +and bonds have been adapted and 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 popery +and slavery: so that by allegiance and loyalty can be meant nothing else +but an obligation to own and obey, and never to oppose the design of +advancing tyranny; and by peaceableness and orderliness, nothing else +can be intended, than an obligation never to oppose either the present +settlement, or future establishment of popery and arbitrary power, upon +the ruins of the reformation, and our civil and religious rights and +liberties. Whence, they that can take these oaths and 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 worldly +interest, than to the dictates of conscience, please themselves with +such notions and quibbling evasions, do but mock God, deceive the world, +elude the enemies, and delude themselves. And all these debatings for +accommodations and expositions in another sense, are but foul fairdings +of conscience-beguiling compoundings in, and pitiful priggings for, a +base compliance. But it is usual for a guilty son of Adam to sew +fig-leaves. + +4. Let it be considered, that all these oaths and 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 +assemblies requiring no oaths in the common cause to be taken, without +the church's consent, as was cleared in the historical part, upon the +fifth period, page 97. And that especially they are condemned as being +contradictory to, and violatory of prior oaths, of continuing +indispensible obligation; being designed, pressed, and imposed, on +purpose to delete the same out of the minds and memories of the present +generation; I mean the national and solemn league and covenants, and +other former nationally binding public engagements. Which, because they +are not only broken and burnt, but declared criminal to be owned, and +because the owning of their obligation is ordinarily inserted in the +indictments of our martyrs, I must touch upon them more particularly. It +was cleared above, Head I. 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 add +more particularly these many considertions. 1. The national engagements +are national promises, plighting and pledging the nation's public faith, +for the preservation and propagation of religion and liberty, to +succeeding 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 jewish nobles and rulers, not to exact usury of their brethren, but +to restore, and 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. v. 12, 13. 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 vows, avowing and avouching, and +devoting themselves and their posterity to be the Lord's people, and to +keep his statutes, and promote his interests, which do bind the +posterity. Jacob's vow at Bethel, that the Lord should be his God, Gen. +xxviii. 21. did oblige all that his posterity, virtually comprehended in +him; he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us, saith the +prophet many hundred years after, Hos. xii. 4. The Israelites vow to +destroy the Canaanites, did oblige all their posterity, Numb. xxi. 2. +Not only by virtue of the Lord's command, but by virtue of their vow; as +we are obliged to preserve the reformation, not only by virtue of the +Lord's command, but by virtue of our covenants. Vows are bonds to the +soul, which must stand, Numb. xx. 2, 4. And whereas it is said, that as +a woman's father or husband might disannul her vow, and so the +magistrate might abrogate the covenant: besides the impertinency of this +comparison, as might be easy to demonstrate, it may be, by giving and +not granting that he might do so; yet if the father and husband shall +hold their peace, then all her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith +she bound her soul shall stand, ver. iv. 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 and covenant, and received the +crown on the terms thereof, to preserve and promote religion and +liberty; and therefore his vows must stand, they cannot be made void +afterwards; for, it is a snare to devour that which is holy, and after +vows to make enquiry, Prov. xx. 25. So we find the Rechabites were +obliged to observe the vow of their forefathers Jonadab, Jer. xxxv. 6. +14. And if the father's vow obliges the children, shall not the nation's +vow oblige the posterity? 3. They are national oaths which do oblige +posterity: Esau's oath to Jacob, resigning his birth-right, did oblige +his posterity never to recover it, Gen. xxv. 33. Joseph took an oath of +the children of Israel to carry up his bones into Canaan, Gen. 1. xxv. +which the posterity, going forth of Egypt in after ages, found +themselves straitly sworn to observe, Exod. xii. 19. and accordingly +buried them in Shechem, Josh. xxiv. 32. The spies swore to preserve +Rahab alive and her house, Josh. ii. 12, &c. which was without the +consent of the magistrate, and yet Joshua found himself obliged to +observe it, Josh. vi. 22. Moses swore unto Caleb to ensure him an +inheritance, Josh. xiv. 9. and upon this ground he demands it as his +right, ver. 12. which he could not do, if successors might reverse their +predecessors lawful oaths. + +The Lord will in a special manner, resent and revenge the posterities +breach of the oath of their father's covenant, Ezek. xvi. 59. "Thus +saith the Lord God, I will even deal with thee, as thou 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, and 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 and privileges: so that they are national covenants made by men +with men; and these we find do oblige the posterity. Israel's covenant +with the Gibeonites did oblige the posterity, Josh. ix. 15, 19. and for +the breach of it many ages after, the posterity was plagued, 2 Sam. xxi. +1. Zedekiah was bound by his predecessor's covenant, though it was such +as made the kingdom base, yet in keeping it, it was only to stand. +"Shall he break the covenant, and 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 own head," Ezek. xvii. +12, 14, 15, 19. The apostle says even of human covenants, "Though it be +but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or +addeth thereunto," Gal. iii. 15. that is, cannot do so lawfully much +less can one man disannul a nation's covenant. 5. They are national +attestations of God as a witness, for the perpetuity, as well as +fidelity of these sacred engagements. All such covenants, wherein the +holy name of God is invocated as witness, are owned of God as his (hence +the covenant betwixt David and Jonathan, is called the covenant of the +Lord, 1 Sam. xx. 8.) and Zedekiah's fault was the breach of the Lord's +covenant, Ezek. xvii. forecited. So likewise that covenant mentioned +Jer. xxxiv. 8, 9, 10. wherein the princes and people did swear to let +their Hebrew servants go free, is called God's covenant, verse 18. and +upon this account sorer judgments are threatened, verse 19, 20. "And I +will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not +performed the words of the covenant which they had made before +me----into the hands of their enemies." Certainly this did oblige the +posterity, at least not to recal these servants, and, it was always +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 sword upon them to avenge the quarrel of his covenant, +Levit. xxvi. 15, 17, 25. Such were all the national covenants of the +Lord's people, renewed by Joshua, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah, +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 Kings xvii. 15, &c. We have +already experienced the threatned judgments for covenant breaking, and +may look for more. 7. They are for their matter national covenants, +about things moral objectively, obliging to join ourselves to the Lord +in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten, Jer. l. 5. I might +easily demonstrate all the articles of the covenant to be morally +binding, but they are demonstrated sufficiently above, Head 1. Arg. 11. +therefore they are perpetually binding. 8. They are for their ends +national covenants, inviolably obliging. Which cannot be made void, +though they should be broken, because the ends of them are always to be +pursued, as is proved above, Head 1. therefore they are perpetual. 9. +They are for their formality national covenants, most solemnly sworn, +and subscribed by all ranks, with uplifted hands, with bended knees, +with solemn invocating the name of God, with solemn preaching, prayer +and praise, rendering themselves and the posterity obnoxious to the +curse, if they should break it. Now the solemnities of the oath do +aggravate the heinousness of the breach of it, as is clear from Jer. +xxxiv. 19. Ezek. xvii. 18. quoted above: the reason is, because of their +greater deliberation in the action, and because of the greater scandal +accompanying the violation thereof. Hence as they are national oaths and +covenants so solemnized, they are national adjurations, under the pain +of a national curse, not to break them nationally, which do make the +posterity obnoxious to it; as Joshua adjured Israel, saying, "Cursed be +the man that raiseth up, and buildeth this city Jericho," Josh. vi. 26. +which was fulfilled many generations after, in the days of Ahab, upon +Hiel the Bethelite, 1 Kings xvi. last verse. So the curse of introducing +abjured prelacy and popery, if it be let in, will be impendent on the +nation. All national covenants have a curse annexed, in case of a +breach, whenever it shall be: so in Nehemiah's covenant, 'They clave to +their brethren, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in +God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe +and to do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments +and statutes;' particularly not to enter into affinity with their +malignant enemies, Neh. x. 29, 30. which certainly did oblige the +posterity, because the thing was moral; so in our covenants we are bound +to the same things, and nothing but these: and therefore the posterity +is liable to the curse of perjury, for the breach thereof. 10. They are +for their legality national laws, being solemnly ratified by the +parliament and by the king, and made the foundation of their compact +with him at his inauguration, whereby they became the fundamental laws +of the government, and among the very laws and rules of governing, +which, though they be rescinded by a wicked law, yet make the rescinders +chargeable not only of perjury, in breaking a covenant, but of treason +and tyranny, in breaking and altering the constitution of the +government, and render them liable to the curse thereof: for they cannot +rescind that, nor escape its vengeance: whereof we have a speaking +pledge already, in that the rescinder of these covenants was so terribly +rescinded, and cut off by the hands of unnatural violence; God thereby +fulfilling that threatned judgment of covenant breakers, that he hath +broken his covenant shall be brought to destruction, and bloody and +deceitful men shall not live out half their days; Psal. lv. 20. last +verse. So Charles II. got not leave to live out half the days that he +projected to himself. 11. They are national engagements of an hereditary +nature, like that of Israel, Deut. xxix. 14, 15. which did oblige not +only the present, but the absent, 'not only them that stood there that +day before the Lord their God, but them that were not there that day.' +Grotius de jur. bel. lib. 2. cap. 6. gives these marks of hereditary +covenants, (1.) When the subject is of a permanent nature, and as long +as the same body remains: therefore as long as Scotland is Scotland, +whose people in their personal capacity, whose parliaments in their +parliamentary capacity, whose king in his princely capacity, did all +solemnly and sacredly engage in the covenant, it must be real and +perpetually obliging. (2.) When there is such a clause in the covenant, +as that it should be perpetual, there are many clauses in the solemn +league to this purpose. In Art. 1. are these words, 'That we, and our +posterity after us, may, as brethren, live in faith and love, and the +Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us.' In the 5th Art. 'We shall +each one of us, according to our place and interest, endeavour that the +kingdoms may remain conjoined in a firm peace and union to all +posterity.' (3.) When it is such as is made for the good of the kingdom, +the covenant expresses its end, for the perpetual good of the kingdom, +'having before our eyes the glory of God, the advancement of the kingdom +of----Christ, the honour and happiness of the king and his posterity, +and the true public liberty, safety, and peace of the kingdoms; wherein +every one's private condition is included.' And again it is added, 'for +preservation of ourselves and our religion from utter ruin and +destruction.' All this is a public national good. (4.) The matter is +moral, about materially binding duties, and therefore it must be +hereditary, and of perpetual obligation. 12. Lastly, They are national +obligations, taking on public duties, by way of virtual representation +of the posterity. And they that think it irrational, that the father +should represent and involve the family, must resolve us how the +religious and civil covenants of Israel and Judah, made in Moses', +Joshua's, David's, Asa's, Joash's, Hezekiah's, Josiah's and Nehemiah's +days, did comprehend and bind as well the absent as the present, and +their posterity, yet unborn; as also, how the laws and contracts +continually passed by some do take in others, not personally consenting; +yea, how comes it to pass, that every succeeding generation is bound to +the laws, and must be obedient to the kings, that they did not make +themselves, no reason can be given, but because they are virtually +represented by, and included in their fathers. Now, if these arguments +prove our national covenants to be perpetually binding, and cannot be +dispensed with, then must these posterior oaths that are made in a +diametrical opposition to the covenants, and are condemned by the +covenants, be false and unlawful oaths; but the first is proved: +therefore these oaths so opposite to, and condemned by the covenants, +are false and unlawful. That they are opposite to the covenant, will +appear in the induction of all of them. And that, whatever they be +imposed by this party, they are condemned by the covenants, wherein we +are obliged to make no such transactions with them, will appear if we +consider these and the like expressions, 'That we shall neither +directly, nor indirectly, suffer ourselves to be divided by whatsoever +suggestion, allurement, or terror, from this blessed conjunction, nor +shall cast in any let or impediment that may stop or hinder any such +resolution, as shall be found to conduce for so good ends.' Which are +the words of the national covenant, clearly condemning oaths and bonds +given to malignants, which are divisive of them that adhere to, and +unitive with them that oppose the covenant, and impeditive of +resolutions to prosecute the ends thereof. So, in the solemn league and +covenant, Art. 4. 'We are obliged to oppose all such as make any faction +or parties amongst the people contrary to this league and covenant; but +by these oaths and bonds, such factions are made,' &c. And by Art. 6. +'We are obliged to assist and defend all those that enter into this +covenant (contradicted by all the latter oaths and bonds) and not to +suffer ourselves directly, or indirectly, by whatsoever +combination,----to be divided----from this blessed union,----whether to +make defection to the contrary part, or to give ourselves to a +detestable indifferency,' &c. Which we do, when we divide ourselves +from these that refuse these oaths, and make defection unto the party +that impose them. And in the solemn acknowledgment of sins, and +engagement to duties, 'We are sworn, sect. 6. to be so far from +conniving at, complying with, or countenancing of malignancy, injustice, +&c. that we shall not only avoid and discountenance these things, &c. +but take an effectual course to punish and suppress these evils.' All +which we counteract and contradict, when we take any of these oaths or +bonds. + +In the second place, by a particular induction of the several kinds of +these oaths and bonds, the iniquity of each of them will appear; and the +complex iniquity of the smoothest of them, the oath of abjuration +compared with every one of them, will be manifest. And consequently the +honesty and innocency of sufferers for refusing them will be discovered. + +1. The first in order, which was a copy to all the rest, was the +declaration, ordained to be subscribed by all in public charge, office, +or trust, within the kingdom: 'Wherein they do affirm and declare, they +judge it unlawful to subjects, upon pretence of reformation, or any +other pretence whatsoever, to enter into leagues and covenants, or take +up arms against the king,----and that all these gatherings,----petitions, +protestations----that were used----for carrying on of the late +troubles, were unlawful and seditious; and particularly that these +oaths,----the national covenant,----and the solemn league and +covenant, were and are in themselves unlawful oaths.' Here is +a confederacy required against the Lord, at which the heavens +might stand astonished; an unparalelled breach of the third command. +Which could no more be taken in truth and righteousness, than an oath +renouncing the bible; but it hath this advantage of the rest; that it is +somewhat plain, and the iniquity legible on its front. 1. That it is a +renouncing of solemn and sacred covenants, perpetually binding to moral +and indispensible duties, the wickedness whereof is evident from what is +said above. 2. It makes perjury of the deepest dye, the absolute +necessary qualification of all in public office, who cannot be presumed +capable of administrating justice, when they have avowed themselves +perjured and perfidious, and not to be admitted among heathens, let be +Christians, nor trusted in a matter of ten shillings money, according to +the laws of Scotland. 3. It renounces the whole work of reformation, and +the way of carrying it on, as a pretence and trouble unlawful and +seditious, which if it be a trouble, then the peace they have taken in +renouncing it, must be such a peace as is the plague of God upon the +heart, filling it with senselesness and stupidity in his last judgment, +because of the palpable breach of covenant; or such a peace, as is very +confident with the curse and vengeance of God, pursuing the quarrel of a +broken covenant. 4. It condemns the taking up arms against the king, +which shall be proven to be duty. Head 5. Besides, that hereby the most +innocent means of seeking the redress of grievances, that religion, +risings, law, and practice of all nations allows, is condemned. Yet, in +effect, for as monstrous as this oath is, the complex of its iniquity is +touched in the oath of abjuration; in which many of these methods of +combinations, risings and declarations of war against the king, and +protestations against his tyranny, which were used in the late troubles +for carrying on the reformation, are abjured; in that a declaration is +renounced, in so far as it declares war against the king, and asserts it +lawful to kill them that serve him: which yet, in many cases in the +covenanted reformation here renounced, were acknowledged and practised +as lawful, besides that it hath many other breaches of covenant in it, +as will be shewed. + +II. The next net they contrived to catch consciences, was the oath of +allegiance and supremacy: 'Wherein they that took it for testification +of their faithful obedience to their most gracious and redoubted +sovereign, Charles king of Great Britain,----do affirm, testify, and +declare,----That they acknowledge their said sovereign, only supreme +governor of this kingdom, over all persons and in all causes; and that +no foreign prince----hath any jurisdiction, power, or superiority over +the same; and therefore do utterly renounce all foreign power,----and +shall, at their utmost power, defend, assist, and maintain his majesty's +jurisdiction foresaid,----and never decline his power----.' The iniquity +of this oath is very vast and various, 1. It is a covenant of allegiance +with a king, turned tyrant and enemy to religion, subverter of the +reformation, and overturner of our laws and liberties: and therefore +demonstrate to be sinful both from the first general argument against +oaths, and from head 2d. 2. It cannot be taken in truth, righteousness, +or judgment: because the words are general and very comprehensive, and +ambiguous, capable of diverse senses; when he is affirmed to be supreme +over all persons, and in all causes, and to be assisted, and maintained, +in that jurisdiction. Who can be sure in swearing such an oath, but that +he may thereby wrong others, wrong parliaments in their privileges, +wrong the church in her liberties, and which is worse, wrong the Lord +Jesus Christ, who is supreme alone in some causes? Can an oath be taken +in truth and righteousness, to assist him in all encroachments, upon +causes that are not subordinate to him? And in invading all those +privileges of subjects, which are natural, civil, moral, and religious? +For if he be supreme in all causes, then all these depend upon him, and +be subordinate to him. And can it be taken in judgment, and with a clear +mind, when it may be debated and doubted (as it may by some) whether the +obligation of it is to be considered, as circumstantiate and +specificate to the present object of it, supposing him a tyrant? Or in +a more abstract notion, as it might be rendered in the sense of its +first authors as it was taken in king James the VI's days, and as they +plead for taking the English oath of allegiance, as it was excepted by +the Puritans in queen Elizabeth's days? Whether it obliges to a king in +idea, and in a more general consideration, as one who is said never to +die? Or with reference to such an one as we have, a mortal man, and an +immortal enemy to all those precious interests, for preservation of +which he only received his kingship? Whether it must be taken in that of +the imposers, practically explained by their administrations? Or in any +other sense, alledged more legal? These would be clear, before it can be +taken with the due qualifications of an oath. 3. As for the civil part +of it, or ecclesiastical, no other examination needeth to be enquired +after, than what they give forth on their acts on record: the act of +supremacy (to be seen in the historical representation of the sixth and +last period,) senses the ecclesiastical part of it: and the act for +acknowledgment of his Majesty's prerogative does sufficiently sense, +explain and expound the civil part; declaring, 'That it is inherent in +the crown, and an undoubted part of his royal prerogative,----to have +the sole choice and appointment of all officers of state,----the power +of calling, holding, and dissolving parliaments and all conventions and +meetings of estates,----the power of armies, making of peace and war, +treaties and leagues with foreign princes or states, or at home by the +subjects among themselves:----and that it is high treason in the +subjects,----upon whatsoever ground to rise----in arms,----or make any +treaties or leagues----among themselves: without his majesty's authority +first interponed thereto; that it is unlawful to the subjects, of +whatsoever quality or function to convocate----themselves, for holding +of councils to treat, consult, or determine in any matters civil or +ecclesiastic, (except in the ordinary judgments) or make leagues or +bonds upon whatsoever colour or pretence, without his majesty's special +consent,----that the league and covenant, and all treaties following +thereupon, and acts or deeds that do or may relate thereunto, are not +obligatory,----and that none----should presume, upon any pretext of any +authority whatsoever, to require the renewing or swearing of the said +league and covenant,' &c. Whereby it appears, that all this screwing up +the prerogative to such a pitch is by the oath of allegiance to defend +all this jurisdiction justified: and so, these palpable encroachments on +the privileges of the Scots parliaments, that, by the fundamental +constitutions of the government always had a share in making laws, and +peace and war: these robberies of our natural privileges of defending +ourselves by arms, in case of the king's tyranny and oppression, and of +convocating for consultations about the best means thereof; and these +invasions upon our ecclesiastical privileges, in keeping general +assemblies for the affairs of religion for an affair newly happening, +always strenuously contended for as a part of the testimony; yea, all +these rescindings, repealings, and condemnings of the way and manner, +methods and measures, of promoting the covenanted reformation, are by +this oath explained, and by this act acknowledged to be parts of that +supremacy and jurisdiction to be defended and maintained: as likewise, +by many wicked acts since promulgated, which promote the supremacy to a +vast degree of absoluteness, which all do interpret what that supremacy +is which is sworn to be maintained, to wit, pure tyranny established by +law. See the many grievous consequences of this laid out at large, in +Apol. Relat. Sect. 10. 4. Here is absolute allegiance sworn to an +absolute power, paramount to all law, engaging to faithful obedience to +their sovereign, as supreme over all persons, and in all causes----and +to defend, assist, and maintain his said jurisdiction, and never to +decline his power: there is no restriction here on obedience, nor +limitation on the power, nor definition of the causes, nor +circumscription of the cases, in which that assistance, &c. is to be +given, whether they be lawful or not. Now, absolute allegiance to an +absolute power cannot be sworn by any man of conscience, nor owned by +any man of reason, as is proven, Head 2. Arg. 6. It cannot be lawful in +any sense, to swear such an oath to any mortal, nay, not to a David nor +Hezekiah: because to swear unrestricted and unlimited allegiance to any +man, were a manifest mancipating of mankind, not only to an ass-like +subjection, but to a servile obligation to maintain and uphold the +persons and government of mutual men, be what they will, turn to what +they will; it is known the best of men may degenerate: and by this no +remedy is left to redress ourselves, but our heads, hearts, and hands +all tied up under an engagement to defend, assist, and maintain +whosoever doth hold the government, manage it as he pleases. This reason +will also conclude against the English oath of allegiance, though it be +a great deal more smoothly worded, and seems only to require a rejection +of the Pope, and legal subjection to the king; yet, that comprehensive +clause makes it border upon absoluteness, I will bear faith and true +allegiance to his majesty's heirs and successors, and him and them will +defend to the uttermost of my power, against all conspiracies and +attempts whatsoever. There are no conditions here at all, limiting the +allegiance, or qualifying the object; but an arbitrary imposition of +true allegiance and defence, in all cases, against all attempts, (even +that of repressing their tyranny not excepted), not only of their +persons, but of their dignities, if this be not an illimited allegiance +to an absolute power, I know not what is. 5. Here is an acknowledgment +of the ecclesiastical supremacy resident in the king: which is the most +blasphemous usurpation on the prerogatives of Christ, and privileges of +his church that ever the greatest monster among men durst arrogate: yea, +the Roman beast never claimed more; and, in effect, it is nothing else +but one of his name of blasphemy twisted out of the Pope's hands by king +Henry the VIII. and handed down to queen Elizabeth, and wafted over to +James the VI. for that was the original and conveyance of it. The +iniquity whereof is discovered above, Head 1. Arg. 3. But further, may +be aggravated in these particulars, (1.) It is only a change of the +Pope, but not of the popedom; and nothing else but a shaking off the +ecclesiastical pope, and submitting to a civil pope, by whom Christ's +hardship is as much wronged as by the other: and hereby a door is opened +for bringing in popery (as indeed by this stratagem it is brought now to +our very doors) for by the act of supremacy he hath power to settle all +things concerning doctrine, worship, discipline or government, by his +clerks the bishops, having all the architectonic power of disposing, +ordering, and ordaining these, as he in his royal wisdom thinks fit. +(2.) By this church and state are confounded (whereof the distinction is +demonstrate above) making the magistrate a proper and competent judge in +church matters, not to be declined; whereby also he hath power to erect +new courts, mongrel judicatories; half civil, half ecclesiastic, which +have no warrant in the word. (3.) By this, many palpable and intolerable +encroachments made upon the liberties and privileges of the church of +Christ are yielded unto; as that there must be no church-judicatories or +assemblies, without the magistrate's consent, but that the power of +convocating and indicting assemblies do belong only to him, and the +power of delegating and constituting the members thereof, that he may +dissolve them when he pleases; that his presence, or his commissioners, +is necessary unto each national assembly; that ministers have no proper +decisive suffrage in synods, but only of advice; that the church +judicatories be prelimited, and nothing must be treated there, which may +be interpreted grating upon the prerogative, nor any thing whatsoever, +but what he shall allow and approve, without which it can have no force +nor validity; yea, by this a door should be opened unto the utter +destruction and overthrow of all church-judicatories, seeing he is made +the fountain of all church power. (4.) By this, the magistrate is made a +church-member as he is a magistrate, and so all magistrates as such are +church-members, even heathens. And yet, (5.) By this he is exempted from +subjection to the ministry, because they are made accountable to him in +their administrations, and in the discharge of their function are under +him as supreme. Yea, (6.) By this the magistrate is made a church +officer, having the disposal of the church's government. And not only +so, but (7.) By this he is made a church officer of the highest degree, +being supreme in all causes, to whom ministers in the discharge of their +ministry are subordinate. And so, (8.) By this the church of the New +Testament is made imperfect, so long as she wanted a Christian +magistrate, wanting hereby a chief officer; yea, and the apostles did +amiss in robbing the magistrate of his power. (9.) By this the +magistrate might exercise all acts of jurisdiction, immediately by +himself; seeing he can do it as supreme by his commissioners in +ecclesiastic affairs. (10.) Finally, by this oath the king is made the +head of the church, being supreme over all persons, and in all causes, +unto whom all appeals and references must ultimately be reduced, even +from church judicatories. Those things are only here touched they are +more apodictically confirmed above, and may be seen made out at large in +Apol. Relat. Sect. 12. But I proceed. 6. It is contrary unto the solemn +League and Covenant; into whose place, after it was broken, burnt, +buried, and rescinded, since they have remitted the subjects allegiance +by annulling the bond of it, they substitute and surrogate this in its +place: and therefore none can comply with the surrogation of the second, +except he consent to the abrogation of the first oath. All the +allegiance we can own according to the covenants, stands perpetually and +expresly thus qualified, viz. in defence of religion and liberty, +according to our first and second covenants, and in its own nature must +be indispensibly thus restricted: therefore to renew the same, or take +an oath of allegiance simply, purposely omitting the former restriction, +when the powers are in manifest rebellion against the Lord, is, in +effect, a disowning of that limitation, and of the sovereign prerogative +of the great God, which is thereby reserved and as much as to say, +'Whatever authority command us to do, we shall not only stupidly endure +it, but actively concur with, and assist in all this tyranny.' See Naph. +first edition, Pag. 177, 178. Vindicated at length by Jus Populi. chap. +11. By all this the iniquity of the Scots oath of allegiance and +supremacy may appear, and also that of the English oath of allegiance, +even abstract from the supremacy, is in some measure discovered; though +it is not my purpose particularly to speak to that: yet this I will say, +That they that plead for its precision from the supremacy annexed seem +not to consider the full import of its terms; for under the dignities, +superiorities and authorities, there engaged to be upheld, the +ecclesiastical supremacy must be included; for that is declared to be +one of the dignities of the crown there, as well as here; and hither it +was brought from thence. And therefore those Scots men that took that +oath there, and pled, that though the oath of allegiance in Scotland be +a sin, yet it is duty to take the oath in England, seem to me to be in a +great deceit: for the object is the same, the subject is the same, the +duty expected, required, and engaged into, is the same, and every thing +equal in both. Yet all this iniquity, here couched, is some way +comprehended in, and implied by the oath of abjuration: for the civil +part is imported in abjuring a declaration, for its declaring war +against the king, where it is clear, he is owned as king, and all part +with them that declare war against him being renounced, it is evident +the abjurers must take part with him in that war, and so assist and +defend him; for being subjects, they must not be neutral, therefore if +they be not against him, they must be for him, and so under the bond of +allegiance to him: the ecclesiastical supremacy is inferred from that +expression of it, where some are said to serve him in church, as well as +in state, which implies an ecclesiastical subordination to him as +supreme over the church. + +III. The tenor of some other bonds was more smooth and subtile, as that +of the bond of peace; several times renewed and imposed, and under +several forms; but always after one strain; engaging to live peaceably, +whereby many were caught and cheated with the seeming fairness of these +general terms; but others discerning their fallaciousness, refused and +suffered for it. This in the general is capable of a good sense: for no +Christian will refuse to live peaceably, but will endeavour, if it be +possible, as much as lieth in them, to live peaceably with all men, Rom. +xii. 18. that is, so far to follow peace with all men, as may consist +with the pursuit of holiness, Heb. xii. 14. But if we more narrowly +consider such bonds, we shall find them bonds of iniquity. For, 1. They +are covenants of peace, or confederacies with God's enemies, whom we +should count our enemies, and hate them because they hate him, Psal. +cxxxix 21. It is more suitable to answer, as Jehu did to Joram, 2 Kings +ix. 22.----What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, +and her witchcrafts are so many? than to engage to be at peace with +those, who are carrying on Babylon's interest, the mother of harlots and +witchcrafts. 2. This cannot be taken in truth, judgment, and +righteousness, because of the fallacy and ambiguity of the terms: for +there are diverse sorts of peace and peaceableness; some kind is duty, +some never. It must then be rightly qualified, for we can profess and +pursue no peace of confederacy with the enemies of God, not consistent +with the fear of the Lord, otherwise we cannot expect to have the Lord +for a sanctuary, but for a stone of stumbling, Isa. viii. 8, +12,----14.----No peace obstructing the gospel or testimony, or +abstracting from the duty of the day: no peace tending to sinful +security, Jer. viii. 11. No peace leading to slavish stupidity; no peace +prompting to preposterous prudence, in palliating sin, or daubing +defections with untempered morter; no peace inconsistent with truth; +they must go together, Zech. i. 19. No peace that may not be followed +with holiness, Heb. xii. 14. But it must be so qualified, that it be in +the Lord, in truth, in duty, contributing for the good of the church, +Psal. cxxii. 8, 9. and the fruit of that wisdom, which is first pure, +and then peaceable, James iii. 17. Now, all that know the imposers of +these bonds, will acknowledge that is not the peace they are seeking. 3. +If we further enquire into their meaning of living peaceably, and seek a +determinate sense of it from their acts and actings, it is plain they +mean such a peaceable living, as gives obedience to their wicked laws, +and is a compliance to their established courses: and it must be such a +peaceable living, as is opposite to their sense of sedition, rebellion, +schism, &c. Which they interpret every seasonable duty to be: and it +must be such a peaceable living, as they were presumed not to have been +observant of before; and whatever it be, must be opposite to that with +which they were charged as turbulent, and so contrary to all the duties +of our covenanted profession, as going to meetings, withdrawing from the +curates, &c. Which they interpret not to be peaceable living. 4. This is +contrary to our covenants, which oblige us to a constant contending +with, and opposition to them. Yet all this is engaged into in the oath +of abjuration, which abjures all war against the king, and all doing +injury to them that serve him, and consequently to peace, and living +peaceably with them. + +IV. Of affinity to this were many other bonds of regularity, frequently +renewed and generally imposed, and that with unparalleled illegality and +rigour; sometimes by hosts of savage Highlanders; sometimes by circuit +courts, and by heritors upon their tenants, and with such unheard of +involvments, that the master or heritor was obliged for himself, his +wife, children, servants, tenants, and all under him, to live orderly; +which in some was more bluntly expressed, in others more flatly +explained, that they should keep the public ordinances, that is, hear +the curates, and not go to any seditious conventicles, (so they called +the persecuted meetings of the Lord's people for the worship of God) and +in others yet more impudently exacted, that they should not harbour, +entertain, or correspond with any that went to these meetings, but +discover and assist to the apprehending of them. There were several +forms of them from time to time, some longer, some shorter; but all of +them, first and last, were to the same sense and scope. And the most +favourably worded had much wickedness in them: for, 1. They are +covenants of order, and coming under the same rule with themselves, +which is nothing but their lusts and mischiefs framed into law, not +according to the rule of the word of God, but the iniquitous laws of +men. 2. They could not be taken in truth, judgment, and righteousness: +for either they were ambiguous, or their plain sense obliged to manifest +iniquities, to conform with all their enacted corruptions. 3. They are +clear breaches of covenant, which obliges to another kind of +orderliness, and to follow other rulers, and take none from them in the +matters of God. 4. They are impossible, and absurd; obliging masters to +bind for all under them, that could neither lie in their power, nor in +their duty, to restrain their liberty in these lawful things, and to +constrain and compel their consciences to sin. 5. They are unnatural and +cruel, obliging the takers to partake with them in their persecution of +the godly. 6. They were engagements to hear curates, which is proved to +be sin, head 1. throughout. 7. They were engagements to withdraw from +the meetings of the Lord's people, proved to be duty, head 4. Yet the +oath of abjuration is some way equivalent to this, in that it obliges +the abjurers to renounce disorderliness in their sense, and to do no +harm to the time-serving orderly clergy or laity, serving and +prosecuting their wicked orders. + +V. Some other bonds of that nature, and oaths frequently put to +suffering people when taken prisoners, did require peaceableness and +orderliness, in this stile, that they should either tacitly or expresly +condemn some risings in arms, as at Pentland, Bothwel, &c. to be +rebellion against the king, and a sin against God, and engage never to +rise in arms against the king, or any commissionate by him, upon any +pretence whatsoever. The iniquity whereof is manifest: For, 1. This is a +covenant equivalent to a league offensive and defensive with them, +obliging never to offend or oppose them, nor to defend nor rescue our +brethren against and from their murdering violence. 2. This could not be +taken in truth, judgment, and righteousness: for who can tell how far +that may extend, upon any pretence whatsoever? This may oblige us to +make a stupid surrender of our lives, when the king turns so tyrannical, +as to send his cut-throats to demand them, or authorizes his bloody +papists to massacre us, them we must not resist upon any pretence. 3. It +is contrary to our covenants, that allow resistance in some cases, and +oblige to assist and defend all that enter under the bond thereof. 4. +This infers an owning of the present authority, as the irresistible +ordinance of God, and an obligation of living peaceably in subjection +under it; disproved above. To which I shall add a part of that forecited +letter of Mr. Rutherford's, the 63d in number of the third part of his +printed letters, which are a clear vindication of the principles and +practice of our conscientious sufferers on this point: 'There is a +promise and real purpose, (saith he) to live peaceably, under the king's +authority; but (1.) You do not so answer candidly and ingeniously the +mind of the rulers, who to your knowledge, mean a far other thing by +authority than you do: for you mean his just authority, his authority in +the Lord----in the maintainance of true religion, as in the covenant, +and confession of faith----is expressed from the word of God; they mean +his supreme authority, and absolute prerogative about laws, as their +acts clear, and as their practice is; for they refused to such as were +unwilling to subscribe their bond to add, authority in the Lord, or just +and lawful authority, or authority as it is expressed in the covenant; +but this draught of a petition yields the sense and meaning to them +which they crave. (2.) That authority for which they contend, is +exclusive of the sworn covenant; so that except ye had said, Ye shall be +subject to the king's authority in the Lord, or according to the sworn +covenant, you say nothing to the point in hand, and that sure is not +your meaning. (3.) Whoever promises so much of peaceable living under +his majesty's authority, leaving out the exposition of the fifth +command,--may, upon the very same ground subscribe the bond refused by +the godly, and so you pass from the covenant, and make all these bypast +actings of this kirk and state these years bypast to be horrid +rebellion, and how deep this guilt draws, consider.' 5. This would +infer, though the king should send and kill us, we must not resist, nor +defend our own lives: yet, being an oath against the sixth command, +which enjoineth natural self-preservation, it should be intrinsically +sinful; and 'tis all one to swear to non-preservation of self, as to +swear to self-murder. 6. I hope to make it appear in the fifth head, +that this is against the practice of nations, the law of nature, and the +word of God. Yet all this complex iniquity is clearly comprehended in +the oath of abjuration, in terms abjuring all war against the king. + +VI. There were some other oaths, frequently obtruded upon people, for +refusing which they have suffered great cruelties, that can hardly be +described by any name; nor can their imposition have a parallel in any +age or place, for illegality, inhumanity, arbitrariness, and odiousness. +These were the oaths of inquisition, or things beyond all enquiry: +whereby people were pressed to answer the inquisitors, according to all +their knowledge of things they were interrogate upon, and delate and +discover intercommuned persons in their wanderings, or such whole names +were in their Porteous rolls, &c. And power was given to single +soldiers, to press these oaths upon whom they pleased. The iniquity of +which is monstrous: For, 1. This was the worst kind of combination with +these blood hounds, to abet and assist them in their pursuing after the +Lord's people: which is worse than to be bare consenters to such +wickedness, or to be onlookers to their affliction in the day of their +calamity; but like that sin charged upon Edom, that they delivered up +those of his that did remain in the day of distress, Obad. ver. 13, 14. +for these that took oaths, obliged themselves to do all they could to +deliver up the remnant that escaped; and if they did not, no thanks to +them; if they could not, their sin was in their willingness: it they +would not, and yet swore would contribute their help towards it, by +telling of all they knew, that was horrid perjury and false swearing. 2. +This could be no ways capable of the qualification of an oath; not only +because the matter is wicked and unnatural, to discover, may be, the +husband, or children, or nearest relations, to please men, or save their +own life, which was a great tentation; and therefore in it there could +be no deliberation in swearing: but also for the doubtful perplexity +confounding the mind, that they either could not, nor durst not tell of +all they knew, and yet swore to do it. 3. It is against the covenant, +which obliges to discover malignant enemies, and assist our covenanting +brethren, and not to discover them, and assist malignant enemies; which +is a perfect inverting the fourth and sixth articles of the covenant. 4. +It is contrary to clear precepts in scripture, to assist and defend our +brethren, to make our shadow as the night in the midst of the noon-day, +and hide the outcast, and bewray not him that wandereth, Isa. xvi. 3, 5. +The illegality of this imposition makes it very absurd, that every +pitiful officer or soldier should be empowered to impose and exact +oaths, and impanel and examine witnesses, about alledged criminals. Yet +the monstrousness of this oath serves to aggravate the oath of +abjuration; in that the abjurers do renounce their part of, and disown +the declarers of that abjured declaration, and so do as much as from +them is required, to give them up for a prey to their hunters; yea they +declare them murderers, in that they abjure their declaration as +asserting murder; and consequently they must be obliged to discover them +to their acknowledged judges. + +VII. The abominable test comes next: which needs no other refutation +than to rehearse it; the substance whereof was a solemn swearing, 'That +they owned and sincerely professed the true protestant religion, +contained in the confession of faith, recorded in the first parliament +of king James VI.----and that they would adhere thereunto all the days +of their life,----and never consent to any change or alteration contrary +thereto,----but renounce all doctrines, principles, practices, whether +popish or fanatical, contrary thereto.----And they swear, that the king +is the only supreme governor of this realm, over all persons, in all +causes, as well ecclesiastical as civil,----and promises to bear faith +and true allegiance to the king's majesty, his heirs and lawful +successors, and to their power shall assist and defend all rights, +jurisdictions, prerogatives,----belonging to them----and +affirm----it----unlawful for subjects, upon pretence of reformation, or +any other pretence whatsoever, to enter into covenants----or to +convocate, conveen, or assemble----to treat, consult, or determine in +any matter of state, civil or ecclesiastic, without his majesty's +special command or to take up arms against the king, or these +commissionate by him----and that there lies no obligation on them, from +the national covenant, or solemn league and covenant----to endeavour any +change or alteration in the government, either in church or state, as it +is now established by the laws of the kingdom----and they shall never +decline his majesty's power and jurisdiction----and finally, they swear, +that this oath is given in the plain genuine sense and meaning of the +words, without any equivocation, mental reservation, or any manner of +evasion whatsoever.' This is the complement of a wicked conspiracy, +couching in its capricious bosom the complication of all their +mischiefs, comprehending all, and explaining all the former: which +indeed cannot be taken with any equivocating evasion, that can escape +either the stigma of nonsense and self contradiction, or the censure of +atheism and irreligion, or the sentence of divine vengeance against such +baffling the name of God. The best sense that can be put upon it, is +that which a poor sot expressed, when it was tendered to him, prefacing +thus before he took it, Lord have mercy upon my soul. For, 1. It is not +consistent with itself, there being such contradictions between that +confession of faith and the following part, that no man can reconcile, +some whereof may be instanced as follows; (1.) In the 11th art. of that +confession, intituled, of Christ's ascension, it is said, 'That Christ +is the only head of the church, and just lawgiver, in which honours and +offices, if men or angels presume to intrude themselves, we utterly +detest and abhor them, as blasphemous to our sovereign and supreme +governor Christ Jesus.' And a little before in that same article, it is +said, 'This glory, honour and prerogative he alone among the brethren +shall possess.' And in the 16th Art. of the kirk, 'Christ is the only +head of the same kirk.' And yet in the test, the king is affirmed to be +the only supreme in all causes ecclesiastical. (2.) In the 14th Art. +among good works are reckoned these: 'To obey superior powers and their +charges (not repugning to the commandment of God) to save the lives of +innocents, to repress tyranny, to defend the oppressed.' And among evil +works these are qualified, 'To resist any that God hath placed in +authority (while they pass not over the bounds of their office.') And +Art. 24th, it is confessed, 'That such as resist the supreme power, +doing that which pertains to his charge, do resist God's +ordinance,----while the princes and rulers vigilantly travel in the +execution of their office.' And yet in the test, true allegiance is +engaged into without any such limitations; and it is affirmed to be +unlawful, upon any pretence whatsoever, to convocate, &c. or to take up +arms against the king. (3.) In the 14th Art. 'Evil works are affirmed to +be, not only those that expresly are done against God's commandment, but +those also that, in matters of religion, and worshipping of God, have no +other assurance but the invention and opinion of men.' And Art. 18th, +among the notes of the true church, 'ecclesiastical discipline, +uprightly ministred, as God's word prescribes, whereby vice is +repressed, and virtue nourished, is one.' In Art. 20th. 'The voice of +God and constitution of men are opposed.' And yet in the test, they +swear never to endeavour any change or alteration in the government of +the church----as it is now established; whereof many things must be +altered, yea, the whole form and frame of it, if these propositions be +true, as they are. (4.) In the test, they swear never to consent to any +change or alteration, contrary to that confession, and that all +principles and practices contrary thereto are popish and fanatical (for +so they divide them into one of these disjunctively) then must all the +following principles in their test be renounced as such, seeing they are +contrary to that confession in some propositions or articles; and that +the government established by that confession was presbyterian, and this +established by the test is episcopal. 2. It comprehends all the former +oaths and bonds, which are cleared above to be sinful. Yet for as wicked +as it is, it must be some way homologated by the oath of abjuration, +excepting the contradiction that is in it; seeing all these oppositions +against the king, sworn against in the test, are abjured and renounced +in that oath of abjuration, in renouncing all declarations of war +against the king; for if any war can be undertaken against him, all +these kinds of opposition must be allowed, that are in the test sworn +against. + +VIII. In the last place, I shall come to consider more particularly the +oath of abjuration itself; for refusing of which, the sufferings were +more severe (being extended even to death or banishment) though the +words be more smooth than in any of the former, which are these: +'I----do abjure, renounce, and disown a late pretended declaration, +affixed on several market crosses, &c. in so far as it declares war +against the king, and asserts it lawful to kill any that serve his +majesty in church, state, army or country.' That the taking of this oath +is a step of compliance, dishonourable to God, derogatory to the day's +testimony, contradictory to the many reiterated confessions of Christ's +worthy (though poor despised) witnesses, sealed by their blood, bonds +and banishments, encouraging and gratifying to the enemies of God, +hardening to backsliding brethren, offensive to the generation of the +righteous; stumbling to all, leaving a stain and sting upon the +conscience of the subscriber, I shall endeavour to make out by these +considerations. + +1. Considering the party who imposed it; it must be looked upon as a +confederacy with them, being tendered upon all the subjects, as a test +of their incorporating themselves with, and declaring themselves for +their head, and siding with them and him, in this their contest and +contention with a poor remnant of the Lord's people, persecuted and +murdered by them for truth and conscience sake, who issued forth that +declaration against them, here abjured. Therefore let the party be +considered, imposing the oath with such rigour, and prosecuting the +refusers with ravenous rage, murdering and torturing all who did not +comply with them, declaring a war more formally and explicitely against +Christ as king, and all that will dare to assert their allegiance to +him; under an open displayed banner of defiance of him and his, than +even mortals durst espouse and avouch: the head of that treacherous and +truculent faction, both he who was first declared against in that +declaration, and he who hath by bloody and treacherous usurpation +succeeded to him, being such a monster for murder and mischief, tyranny, +oppression and perfidy, that among all the Nimrods and Nero's that past +ages can recount, we cannot find a parallel, by all law divine and +human, incapable of government, or any trust, or so much as protection, +or any privilege, but to be pursued by all, as a common enemy to +mankind: and his underlings, agents and complices, devoted to his lust, +and serving his wicked designs, in their respective offices and places +of trust under him, which by his nomination and sole appointment they +have been erected to, and established in, with the stain and indelible +character of perjury, the only qualification of their being capable of +any advancement, occupying by usurpation, intrusion and violence, the +public places of judicatories, and carrying all so insolently and +arbitrarily, and with an effrontery of wickedness and despight of all +reason, religion or justice, that they cannot but be looked upon as the +most pestilent and pestiferous plague that ever pestered a people: the +taking then of this oath, by them projected as a pest to infect +consciences, with, and pervert them to wicked, truth deserting and law +perverting loyalty, and imposed as a test of compliance with them and +coming off from that little flock whom they design to devour and +destinate to destruction; must be in their own esteem, as well as of the +generation of the righteous, to their satisfaction, and the others +sorrow, a real incorporating with them, an owning of their usurped power +as judges to administer oaths, giving them all obedience they required +for the time to their authority, and all the security they demanded for +the subscribers loyalty, an approving of all their proceedings in that +matter, and transacting, tampering, and bargaining with these sons of +Belial, out of fear, whereby a right is purchased to that common badge +of their owned and professed friends, who (upon taking that oath) had +from them a privilege and allowance to travel and traffic (where and how +they will) through the country, denied to all other that wanted that +badge; I mean the pass or testificate they got from them thereupon, +which was the mark of that secular beast of tyranny, no less pernicious +to the world than popery hath been to the church, and which was given to +all the takers of the oath, as a mark or tessera, that they were no +enemies to the government, as they call it. O base and unworthy livery! +for the suffering sons of Zion to put on the signature of the society of +her devourers. Hence, if covenants and confederacies, declaring we are +on their side, cannot be made with the enemies of religion, then this +oath could not be taken lawfully; but the former is proved above: +therefore the latter follows. This will yet more appear, + +2. If we consider the party that set forth that declaration, whom the +proclamation against it represents so odiously and invidiously, whom the +oath imposed obliges us to condemn; being so represented, as if they +were maintainers of murdering principles, and perpetrators of +assassinating villanies, inconsistent with peace or any good government, +and therefore to be exterminated and destroyed out of the land, whom +therefore they prosecute and persecute so cruelly to the effusion of +their blood, under colour of law. 1. The takers of this oath must have +formally, under their unhappy hand, disowned and renounced them, and all +part or interest in them, or society or sympathy with them; who yet are +known to be the suffering people of God, more earnestly contending, +witnessing, wrestling for the faith and word of Christ's patience, and +have suffered more for their adherence to the covenanted reformation of +the church of Scotland, and for their opposition to all its deformations +and defections, than any party within the land: yet them have they +rejected as their companions, though with some of them sometimes they +have had sweet company and communion to the house of God, by abjuring +and condemning their deed which duty and necessity have drove them to. +2. Hereby they have presumptuously taken upon them, to pass a judgment +upon the deed of their brethren, before their murdering enemies? and +that not a private discretive judgment, but a public definitive sentence +(in their capacity) by the most solemn way of declaring it, that can be, +by oath and subscription under their hand; whereby they have condemned +all the sufferings of their brethren, who sealed their testimony in +opposition to this compliance with their blood, and finished it with +honoured joy, as foolish and frivolous profusion of their own blood, +nay, as just and legally inflicted and executed upon them, as being +rebels, of murdering principles and practices: for this cannot be +vindicated from a more than indirect justifying of all the murdering +severity executed upon them. 3. And hereby they have unkindly and +unchristianly lifted themselves on the other side against them, and take +part rather with their enemies than with them; for thus they used to +plead for it, when they pressed this oath upon them that scrupled it; +when any war is declared against the king, 'any of his majesty's +soldiers may question any man whom he is for, and if he be not for the +king, he may act against him as an enemy, and if they will not declare +for the king and disown the rebels, they are to be reputed by all as +enemies.' Which, whatever weakness be in the arguing, plainly discovers, +that they take the abjuring of that declaration, in that juncture, to be +a man's declaring of what side he is for, and that he is not for the +emmitters of that declaration, but for the king and his party: which, in +the present state of affairs, is a most dreadful owning of Christ's +enemy, and disowning of his friends. Hence, a disowning of the Lord's +persecuted people, and condemning their practice, and an owning of their +persecutors, and espousing their side of it, is a sinful confederacy; +but the taking of this oath is such, as is evident by what is said; +therefore it is a sinful confederacy. + +3. Considering the nature, conditions, and qualifications of so solemn +and serious a piece of God's worship, and way of invocating his holy +name, as an oath is; it will appear, that the taking of this imposed +oath of abjuration, was a dreadful and heinous breach of the third +command, by taking his name in vain, in the worst sort, and so cannot be +holden guilty. I prove it thus: An oath which cannot be taken in truth, +judgment and righteousness, is a breach of the third command; but this +is an oath which cannot be in truth, judgment and righteousness: which +is evident; for, 1. It cannot be taken by any conscientious man in +truth, in sincerity of the heart, simplicity of the mind, singleness and +honesty in the intention, not putting any other sense than the imposer +hath, and which is the clear sense of it without oath and beyond it. For +if he take it according to the meaning, then he should swear it unlawful +ever to declare war against the king, and consequently never to rise in +arms against him upon any pretence whatsoever: for, if we may rise in +arms for our own defence, we make and must declare a defensive war. And +indeed, in themselves, as well as in their sense and meaning who imposed +them, these two oaths never to rise in arms against the king, and this +of abjuration, are one and the same. Then also should we swear it +unlawful, at any time, upon any occasion, or for any cause, to kill any +such as serve the king in church, state, army or country, either in +peace or war: for that is their thought, and the sense of the oath +itself, or what is beyond it: and in part, for their exemption and +immunity from all condign punishment, this oath was contrived. But in +fine, how can this oath be taken in truth; when it is not apparent, +either that the declaring of a war against the king, or killing some for +some causes (which shall afterwards be made appear to be lawful) that +serve him, are to be abjured and disowned? or that the declaration does +assert any such thing? And indeed it will be found to be a denying the +truth, and a subscribing to a manifest falsehood, invoking God to be +witness thereto. 2. This oath cannot be taken in judgment; that is, with +knowledge and deliberation, &c. All the terms of it have much of obscure +ambiguity, declaring a war, and killing any who serve the king, may be +constructed in several senses, good and bad, but here they are +indefinitely expressed, and universally condemned. Particularly that (in +so far as) hath several faces, and can never be sworn in judgment; for +if it denote a casuality, and signify as much as because or wherefore, +then all declarations of war against any that have the name of king +whatsoever, upon whatsoever grounds, and all killing of any serving him, +though in our own defence, must be universally condemned, for the +consequence is good as to every thing, if it import a restriction, +excluding other things in the declaration, but obliging to abjure only +that; then it implies also an affirmation, that these two things are +contained in it, which will not appear to the judgment of them that will +seriously ponder the declaration itself; if again it be a supposition or +condition, and to be interpreted, for if so be, then all that the +judgment can make of it is, that it is uncertain, and so the conscience +dare not invoke God as a witness of that which is uncertain whether it +be a truth or a lie. 3. This oath could not be taken in righteousness: +for the matter is not true, certainly known, lawful, possible, weighty, +necessary, useful, and worthy: it is not true, that the declaration +imports so far as it is represented in the oath of abjuration; neither +is it certainly known, but by collating these two together the contrary +will appear; neither is it lawful (if it were true that such assertions +were in it) to abjure all declarations of war against the king, and to +swear it unlawful ever to kill any, if he be once in the king's service, +in church, state, army, or country; nor is it possible to reduce this +assertory oath into a promissory one lawfully, as most part of such +oaths may and do necessarily imply; for when I swear such a thing +unlawful, it implies my promise, by virtue of the same oath, never to +practice it: But it is not possible (as the case stands) for a man to +bind up himself in every case from all declared war against the king, or +from killing some employed in his service; what if there be a necessary +call to join in arms with the Lord's people, for the defence of their +religion, lives and liberties, against him? what if he commands +massacre? Shall not a man defend himself? nor endeavour to kill none of +that murdering crew, because they are in his service? was ever a fool +so fettered? nor is it of such weight, to be the occasion of involving +the whole country in perjury or persecution, as by that oath was done; +nor was it necessary, in this man's time, to make all abjure a +declaration out of date, when the object of it Charles II. was dead, and +no visible party actually in arms to prosecute it; nor was it ever of +any use or worth, except it were implicitely to gratify their greedy +lusting after the blood of innocents, or the blood of silly souls +cheated by their snares, by involving them in the same sin of perjury +and conscience debauching false swearing, whereof they themselves are so +heinously guilty. But let them, and such as have taken that oath, and +not fled to Christ for a sanctuary, lay to heart the doom of false +swearers, 'the flying roll of the curse of God shall enter into their +house,' Zech. v. 4. 'Love no false oath, for all these are things that I +hate, saith the Lord,' Zech. viii. 17. 'The Lord will be a swift witness +against false swearers,' Mal. iii. 5. And let them sift their conscience +before the word, and set the word to the conscience, and these +considerations will have some weight. + +4. If we consider this particular oath itself, and the words of it more +narrowly, we shall find a complication of iniquities in it, by examining +the sense of them as the imposers expound them. 1. Not only that +declaration, but all such in so far as they declare and assert such +things, are here renounced; and hereby many and faithful declarations +are disowned, that declare the same things. It is indeed pleaded by +some, that profess to be presbyterians, as it was also pretended by some +of the pressers of the oath themselves but in order to pervert and cheat +the conscience; that here is not required a disowning of the +apologetical declaration simpliciter, but only according to which, or +rather of a pretended one of their supposing, in so far as it imports +such things: but this is frivolous for that pretended one is intended by +the imposers to be the real apologetical declaration, which they will +have to be disowned, and cannot be distinguished from it: and though all +these assertions cannot be fastened upon that apologetical declaration, +but it is evident, that it is invidiously misrepresented: yet that same +is the pretended one which they require to be abjured in so far as it +asserts such things, which it does not: and if it be according to which +to be disowned, then that must either be according to that assertion of +killing any, &c. which is not to be found in it, and so it is not to be +disowned at all; or it must be according to the declaration of war +against the king, and so that which, or formal reason of disowning it, +will oblige to disown all declarations of war against the king, which +cannot be disowned. Others again object, that it is not required to be +disowned formally but only conditionally, taking and confounding in so +far, for if so be: but to any thinking man it is plain, this cannot be a +supposition nor yet a simple restriction (as they would give it out) but +an assertion, that such things are indeed imported in it; for so the +imposers think and say: and if it might pass current under that notion, +as a supposition, being equivalent to if so be, then under that +sophistical pretext, I might renounce the covenant, or the most +indisputed confession or declaration that ever was, in so far as it +contained such things; and so this equivocation might elude all +testimonies whatsoever, and justify all prevarications. 2. This must +condemn all defensive war of subjects against their oppressing rulers, +in that a declaration is abjured, in so far as it declares war against +the king: to press and persuade people to which, it was usually urged by +the imposers, that when a war is declared by rebels against the king, +then all the subjects are obliged to disown the rebels, or else be +repute for such themselves; and, when it was alledged the war was +ceased, because the object declared against was ceased, Charles II. +being dead, otherwise if a man be obliged to give his opinion about a +war declared against a king deceased and gone, then by the same parity +of reason, he must be obliged to give his opinion of that war of the +lords of the congregation (as they were called) against queen Mary, in +the beginning of the reformation, It was still replied by them, that the +rebellion continued, and all were guilty of it, that did not abjure that +declaration; whence it is evident, they mean, that every thing which +they call rebellion, must be disowned, and consequently all resistance +of superior, upon any pretence whatsoever, as many of their acts explain +it; yea, and it was plainly told by some of them, to some that scrupled +to take the oath, because they said they did not understand it, that the +meaning was to swear, never to rise in arms against the king. Against +this it hath been objected by several, that this was always denied by +presbyterians, that ever they declared war against the king expresly, +purposedly and designedly, but only against him by accident, when he +happened to be the adverse party; but this distinction will not be a +salvo to the conscience; for the object declared against, is either a +king or not; if he be not, then a declaration of war against him is not +to be abjured; if he be king, then he is either declared against as +king, and by himself, or as an oppressor, or an abuser of his power: the +first indeed is to be disowned; for a king, as king or lawful +magistrate, must not be resisted, Rom. xiii. 2. But the second, to +declare war against a king, as an oppressor and abuser of his power, and +subverter of the laws, hath been owned by our church and state many a +time, and they have opposed and declared war as purposedly against him, +as he did against them, and as really and formally as he was an +oppressor: sure he cannot be an oppressor only by accident: however this +hath been owned always by presbyterians, that war may be declared +against him who is called king. And therefore to abjure a declaration, +in so far as it declares war against the king, will condemn not only +that declaration, upon the heads wherein its honesty and faithfulness +chiefly consists, but all other most honest and honourable declarations, +that have been made and emitted by our worthy and renowned ancestors, +and by our worthies in our own time, who have formally, avowedly and +explicitely, or expresly, purposedly and designedly, declared their +opposition to tyranny and tyrants, and their lawful and laudable designs +to repress, depress and suppress them, by all the ways and means that +God and nature, and the laws of nations allow, when they did by law +itself depose and exauctorate themselves from all rule, or privilege, or +prerogative of rulers, and became no more God's ministers, but +Beelzebub's vicegerents, and monsters to be exterminated out of the +society of mankind. The honestest of all our declarations of defensive +war, have always run in this strain; and others, insinuating more +preposterous loyalty, have been justly taxed for asserting the interest +of the tyrant, the greatest enemy of the declarers, and principal object +of the declared war; which disingenious juggling and foisting in such +flattering and falsifying distinctions in the state of the quarrel, hath +rationally been thought one of the procuring causes or occasions of the +discomfiture of our former appearances for the work of God and liberties +of our country. 3. This must infer an owning of his authority as lawful +king, when the declaration disowning him is abjured, in so far as it +declares war against his majesty; for in this oath he is stiled, and +asserted to be king, and to have the majesty of a lawful king, and +therefore must be owned as such by all that take it; which yet I have +proved to be sinful above, Head 2. Against this it hath been quibbled by +some, that that declaration does not declare war against the king +expresly as king, who set forth the declaration. But this will not salve +the matter; for then (1.) It a subscribing to a lie, in abjuring a +declaration, in so far as it did declare a thing, which it did not, if +that hold. (2.) The enemies impose the abjuring and disowning of it, in +so far as it declares war against their king, who had none other but +Charles Stewart at that time, who was the king in their sense; and an +oath cannot be taken in any other sense, contradictory to the imposers, +even though by them allowed, without an unjustifiable equivocation. (3.) +Though he had been king, and had not committed such acts of tyranny, as +might actually denominate him a tyrant, and forfeit his kingship; yet to +repress his illegal arbitrariness and intolerable enormities, and to +repel his unjust violence, and reduce him to good order, subjects, at +least for their own defence, may declare a war expresly, purposedly and +designedly against their own acknowledged king; this ought not in so far +to be disowned; for then all our declarations emitted, during the whole +time of prosecuting the reformation, in opposition to our king would be +disowned; and so with one dash, unhappily the whole work of reformation, +and the way of carrying it on, is hereby tacitely and consequentially +reflected upon and reproached, if not disowned. (4.) It must infer an +owning of the ecclesiastical supremacy, when it asserts, that some do +serve the king in church, as well as in state; there is no distinction +here, but they are said to serve him the same way in both. And it is +certain they mean so, and have expressed so much in their acts, that +churchmen are as subordinate, and the same way subject to the king's +supremacy, as statesmen are; the absurdity and blasphemy of which is +discovered above. 5. This condemns all killing of any that serve the +king in church, state, army or country; for a declaration is abjured, in +so far as it asserts it lawful to kill any such; and so by this oath, +there is an impunity secured for his idolatrous priests and murdering +varlets, that serve him in the church; for his bloody counsellors, and +gowned murderers, that serve his tyrannical designs in the state; for +his bloody lictors and executioners, the swordmen, that serve him in +the army, whom he may send when he pleades to murder us; and for his +bloody just-asses, informers, and intelligencing sycophants, the +Zyphites, that serve him in the country: all these must escape bringing +to condign punishment, contrary to the 4th Art. of the solemn league and +covenant, and shall be confuted, Head 6. Against this it is excepted by +pleaders for this oath, that it is only a declared abhoring of murdering +principles, which no Christian dare refuse; and it may be taken in this +sense safely, that it is to be abjured, in so far as it asserts it +lawful to kill all that are to be employed by his majesty, or any, +because so employed in church, state, army or country, which never any +did assert was lawful: but though murdering principles are indeed always +to be declaredly abhorred, and all refusers of that oath did both +declare so much, and abhorred the thoughts of them; yet this invasion is +naught: for (1.) The declaration asserts no such thing, neither for that +cause nor for any other, but expressly makes a distinction between +persons under the epithet of bloody cruel murderers, and these only whom +it threateneth to animadvert upon. (2.) The only reason of their +declared intent of prosecuting these, whom they threaten to bring to +condign punishment, was, because they were so employed by the tyrant in +such service, as shedding the blood of innocents, murdering people where +they met them; and so that's the very reason for which they deserve to +be killed, and therefore foolish, impertinent, and very absurd to be +alledged as a qualification of the sense of that impious oath. + +5. If we consider the proclamation enjoining this oath and narrating and +explaining the occasions and causes of it, all these reasons against it +will be confirmed; and it will further appear, that the proclamation +itself is indirectly approved. For though it might be sustained in the +abstract, that we may and must renounce such declarations founded on +principles inconsistent with government, and bearing such inferences as +are specified in that proclamation; yet complexly considered what they +mean by government, what sort of society that is, the security whereof +is said to be infringed by that declaration, and what is the scope of +that narrative; a renouncing of a paper contradictory thereto, must be +in so far a tacite approbation of that proclamation. For that oath, +which renounceth what is contrary to such a proclamation, does justify +the proclamation; but this oath renounces what is contrary to the +proclamation, and that only: therefore it justifies the proclamation. It +is intituled, as it was really designed, for discovering such as own or +will not disown the foresaid declaration, by them falsely nicknamed, a +late treasonable declaration of war against his majesty, and the horrid +principle of assassination. And the body of it discovers such hell-bred +hatred of, and malice against, that poor party, destinated, in their +design, to final and total destruction, and lays down such contrivances +for their discovery and ruin, that the heads and hearts of the inventers +and authors may seem to be possessed and inspired with the devil's +immediately assisting counsel, and the clerk's pen that drew it up to +have been dipt in the Stygian lake, and the gall and venom of hell: +representing the emitters, and abetters, and spreaders of that +declaration, and all who have been joined in any of their societies, and +all who either will own or scruple to disown the said declaration, in +the manner by them tendered and imposed, (which are the generality of +the most tender and conscientious christians in the land) under all the +vilest and most abominable and odious terms, their malice could invent; +as if they were 'insolent and desperate rebels, associated under a +pretended form of government, who had formerly endeavoured to disguise +their bloody and execrable principles, but now had pulled off the mask, +and who think it a duty to kill and murder all who do any manner of way +serve the present rulers, or bear charge under them, who maintain +principles inconsistent with all government and society, and tending to +the destruction of the lives of their loyal and honest subjects; +treacherous and assassinating principles, &c. Who now have declared +their hellish intentions, and for the better performance of their +mischievous designs, do lurk in secret, and are never discerned but in +the acts of their horrid assassinations, and passing up and down among +the king's loyal subjects, take opportunity to murder and assassinate, +like execrable rebels; and calling that declaration, an execrable and +damnable paper,' &c. All which are execrable and damnable lies, and +forgeries of the fathers of them, and a charge which all their sophistry +can never make out in any particular: yet by them amplified to a +swelling height of heinousness; and, among other circumstances, +aggravated, from their frequent refusing the reiterated offers of their +clemency, by which they understand their contempt of their presumptuous, +Christ-defying, and church-destroying indulgences, and their not +submitting to their insnaring and base indemnities, or their conscience +cheating bonds and oaths by them so finely bulked. From these impudently +pretended premisses, in their falsely forged viperous narrative, they +lay down their bloody methods and measures for prosecuting that poor +people, with all vigour of savage severity; ordaining, 'That whosoever +shall own that declaration, and the principles therein specified,' +(which is a larger dilatation of their meaning, than their pretended, +restriction, (in so far as, &c.) and gives a further discovery of the +intent of the oath, that gives a covert stroke to all the principles of +our reformation, which are reductively specified in that declaration) +'or whosoever shall refuse to disown the same----shall be execute to the +death; and commanding all subjects to concur, and do their utmost +endeavour to seek, search, delate, and apprehend all such, under the +severest penalties of the laws; and to difference the good from the +bad, (meaning their own associates and friends, from Christ's followers) +by discriminating signs, declaring it their pleasure, and requiring all +past the age of 16 years not to presume to travel without testificates +of their loyalty and good principles, by taking the oath of abjuration; +whereupon they are to have a testificate, which is to serve for a free +pass, with certification to all that shall adventure to travel without +such a testificate, shall be holden and used as concurrers with the said +rebels; commanding all heritors, &c. to give up the lists, of the names +of all under them, before the curate; declaring, if any shall refuse to +concur in such service, they shall be holden as guilty of the foresaid +crimes, and punished accordingly; and strictly prohibiting all to +harbour, lodge, or entertain any, unless they have such certificates, +under the same pain: and for encouragement to any that shall discover or +apprehend any to be found guilty as above said, ensuring to them the sum +of 500 merks Scots for each of them.' This is that hell hatched +proclamation, so grievous for its effects, so dreadful for its designs, +so monstrous for its absurdities, that the like hath not been seen: +whereby not only the country's interest and trade hath been prejudged, +by compelling all to have a pass in time of peace, and these to be +procured at exorbitant rates, oppressing poor people; not only common +hostlers and innkeepers are made judges, impowered to impose oaths upon +passengers for their passes, that they be not forged; but many +consciences couzened, cheated, wounded and insnared, and the whole land +involved in sin. But they that took this oath have approved and +justified this detestable, execrable, bloody proclamation, the spurious +spawn of the devil's venom against Christ's followers: for they gave all +the obedience to it that was required of them in their capacity, and +obedience justifies the law enjoining it; they have done all was +required, or could be done by them, to answer the design of it in their +circumstances; and consequently, by doing the thing prescribed, they +have justified the grounds upon which the rescript was founded, and the +methods by which it was prosecuted, which hath a dreadful medly of +iniquity in it. Hence, (1.) They have subscribed to all these odious +characters wherewith they branded that poor persecuted party, and +condemned them as insolent, desperate rebels, murderers, bloody +assassins, &c. (2.) In disowning that declaration, they have disowned +the principles therein specified, and consequently all the testimony +against this usurping faction of overturners of the work of reformation, +active and passive, that have been given and sealed by the eminent +servants of God, since this catastrophe, the principle of defensive +arms, and our covenants, and several others which are therein specified. +(3.) They have given their consent to all the concurrence therein +required, for seeking, searching, delating, and apprehending of these +people, and to all the cruel villainies committed against them. (4.) +They have taken on their prescribed discriminating sign of loyalty, and +of being repute by them men of good principles, that is, their friends, +men for the times: which is so sinful and scandalous, that it is +shameful to hint at them, and yet shameful to hide them. + +6. If we consider the apologetical declaration itself, which is so +bespattered, and so odiously represented, and so rigorously enjoined to +be abjured; who will more narrowly look into it, and ponder and perpend +the purpose and scope of it, will see nothing that can be abjured +conscientiously in it, but the whole of it, laying aside prejudice and +invidious critical censoriousness, capable of a fair and acceptable +construction. The motives leading them to let it forth, being only their +desires and just endeavours to prosecute, and secure themselves in the +prosecution of holy commanded duties, and to keep a standing testimony +against the insolency of those that are given up of God, to lay out +themselves in promoving a course of profanity and persecution, +notwithstanding of all their viperous threatnings. Their measures being +none other, than the commendable precedents and examples of zealous and +tender hearted Christians, who have done the like, and our national and +solemn covenants, lying with their binding force indispensible upon all +of us, and obliging us to endeavour all that is there declared, as being +bound for ever to have common friends and foes with our covenanted +reformation, to all which they declare and avouch their resolved +adherence, and their own former declarations, disowning their allegiance +to, and authority of a man who had, by law itself, forfeited all +authority, by his intolerable tyranny, perjury, and perfidious breach of +trust, reposed and devolved upon him by covenant; by his overturning all +the fundamental constitutions of the government, perverting, inverting, +and everting all laws, all liberties, all privileges of church and +state, all establishments of our covenanted work of reformation, all +securities of our life and enjoyments whatsoever, usurping to himself an +absolute tyrannical civil supremacy, inconsistent with the safety or +freedom of the people; and a monstrous, blasphemous, ecclesiastical +supremacy; upon which considerations, to endeavour to make good their +freedom and emancipation from that yoke which they had cast off, they +behoved to resolve upon defensive resistance, against him and his bloody +emissaries; which war being declared before, they only in this +declaration testifyed their unanimous approbation of, adherence to, and +resolutions for prosecuting the same against him and his accomplices, +such as lay out themselves to promove his wicked and hellish designs: by +which war they do not mean a formed stated and declared insurrection +with hostile force, to break the peace of the nation, and involve all in +blood, but a resolved, avowed, constant, opposition to the murdering +violence, injustice, oppression, and persecution of this wicked faction, +now raging, rather than reigning, who have declared, and still +prosecute a declared war against Christ, bearing down his work and +interest in the land; 'And a constant endeavour, in opposition to them, +to pursue the ends of our covenants, in standing to the defence of the +glorious work of reformation, and their own lives; and, in the defence +thereof, to maintain the cause and interest of Christ against his +enemies, and to hold up the standard of our Lord Jesus Christ (meaning +the gospel and the word of our testimony,) whereunto they looked upon +themselves as bound and obliged by their holy covenants, being therein +dedicated to the Lord in their persons, lives, liberties, and fortunes, +for defending and promoving this glorious work of reformation, +notwithstanding of all opposition, that is or may be made thereunto, and +sworn against all neutrality and indifferency in the Lord's matters; +whereunto they beseech, invite and obtest, all them who wish well to +Zion, to a concurrence and concerting the same cause and quarrel.' In +maintaining of which opposition against such wicked enemies, because by +them they were restlessly pursued and hunted, and murdered wherever they +were found, neither could find any harbour or hiding place in any corner +of the country, for searchers, informers, and instigators, who still +stirred up the country to raise the hue and cry after them, and caused +them to be delivered up, and delated them to the courts of their +murdering enemies, whereby much innocent blood was shed; therefore, to +stop their career of violence and deter them from such courses, they +found it necessary to threaten them with more active and vigorous +opposition, and that they might expect to be treated as they deserved. +Wherein they are far from owning assassinating principles, or practising +assassinations; for they give only open and plain warning, and +advertisement to the world, of their necessitated endeavours to defend +themselves, and prevent the murder of their brethren, and can no way be +charged with asserting it lawful, to kill all employed in the king's +service in church, state, army, or country, as the proclamation in +viperous, invective calumny, misrepresents the declaration; but, on the +contrary, do jointly and unanimously declare, 'They detest and abhor +that hellish principle of killing such as differ in judgment from them, +and they are firmly and really purposed, not to injure or offend any +whomsoever, but such as are directly guilty of, or accessory to the +murder of their brethren.' Whom yet they mind not to assassinate or kill +tumultuarily, but to prosecute them with all the legal formalities, that +justice in their capacity, and the times disorder and distracted +condition will allow; expressly declaring, 'That they abhor, condemn, +and discharge all personal attempts upon any pretexts whatsomever, +without previous deliberations, common consent, certain probation of +sufficient witnesses, or the guilty persons confession.' Neither could +it ever be supposed, that they threaten all employed in the king's +service with this sort of handling, but some select and expressly +distinguished kind of notorious villains, men of death and blood, openly +avowing and vaunting of their murders: and these they distinguished into +several classes, according to the respective aggravations of their +wickedness: in the first, 'They place those that murder by command, +under pretext of an usurped authority, as counsellors, justiciary, and +officers of their forces, or bands of robbers, and not all, nor any of +these neither, but the cruel and bloody.' In the second class, they +threaten such as are actually in arms against them of an inferior rank, +and such gentlemen, and bishops, and curates, as do professedly and +willingly serve them to accomplish and effectuate their murders, by +obeying their commands, making search for these poor men, delivering +them up, instigating, informing, and witnessing against, and hunting +after them: and not all these neither, but such as cruelly prosecute +that service, to the effussion of their blood. Neither do they threaten +all equally, nor any of them peremptorily, 'But that continuing after +the publication of this their declaration, obstinately and habitually in +these courses (plainly declaring they intended no hurt to them if they +would hold up their hands) they would repute them as enemies to God and +the reformation, and punish them as such, according to their power, and +the degree of their offence; withal leaving room for civil and +ecclesiastical satisfaction, before lawful and settled judicatories, for +the offences of such persons, as their power may nor reach,' &c. And as +unwilling to be necessitated to such severe courses, and earnestly +desirous they be prevented, they admonish them with sorrow and +seriousness, of the sin and hazard of their wicked courses; and protest, +that only necessity of self preservation, and zeal to religion, lest it +should be totally rooted out by their insolency, did drive them to this +threatening declaration, and not because they were acted by any sinful +spirit of revenge. This is all that is contained in that declaration. +And if there be any thing here so odious and execrable, to be so +solemnly abjured, renounced, and abhorred in the presence of God, for +the pleasure of, and in obedience to the will of his and our enemies, +let all unbiassed considerers impartially weigh, or any awakened +conscience speak, and I doubt not but the sweating and subscribing this +oath will be cast and condemned. + +I shall say nothing of the necessity, or conveniency, or expediency, or +formality of this declaration: but the lawfulness of the matter, +complexly taken, is so undeniable, that it cannot be renounced, without +condemning many very material principles of our reformation: only +success and incapacity is wanting to justify the manner, whole +procedure, formality, and all the circumstances of the business; if +either the declarers themselves, or any other impowered with strength, +and countenanced with success to make good the undertaking, had issued +out such a declaration in the same terms, and had prevailed and +prospered in the project, many, that have now abjured it, would approve +and applaud it. But passing these things that are extrinsic to the +consideration in hand it is the matter that they required to be abjured +and condemned, it is that the enemies quarrelled at, and not the +inexpediency or informalities of it: and it must be taken as they +propound it, and abjured and renounced by oath as they represent it; and +therefore the iniquity of this subscription will appear to be great, in +two respects; 1st, In denying the truth. 2dly, In subscribing to, and +swearing a lie. 1. They that have taken that oath have denied and +renounced the matter of that declaration, which is truth and duty, and a +testimony to the cause of Christ, as it is this day stated and +circumstantiate in the nation, founded upon former (among us +uncontroverted) precedents and principles of defensive wars, disowning +tyranny, and repressing the insolency of tyrants and their accomplices; +the whole matter being reducible to these two points, declaring a +resolved endeavour of breaking the tyrant's yoke from off our neck, +thereby asserting our own and the posterities liberty and freedom, from +his insupportable and entailed slavery; and a just threatening to curb +and restrain the insolency of murderers, or to bring them to condign +punishment: whereof, as the first is noways repugnant, but very +consonant to the third article; so the second is the very duty obliged +unto in the fourth article of our solemn league and covenant. But all +this they have denied by taking that oath. 2. By taking that oath, they +have sworn and subscribed to a lie, making it as they represent it, +abjuring it in so far as it declares, &c. and asserts it is lawful to +kill all employed in the service of the king, in church, state, army, or +country; which is a manifest lie, for it asserts no such thing. Neither +will any other sense put upon the words, in so far as salve the matter; +for as thereby the takers of the oath shall deal deceitfully, In +frustrating the end of the oath, and the design of the tenderers +thereof; and to take an oath in so far, will not satisfy, as Voetius +judgeth, de Pol. Eccl. p. 213. So let them be taken which way they can, +either for so much, or even as, or providing, it is either a denying the +truth, or subscribing a lie: and consequently these poor people suffered +for righteousness that refused it. + + +HEAD IV. + +_The Sufferings of People for frequenting_ Field Meetings +_Vindicated._ + +Hitherto the negative heads of sufferings have been vindicated: now +follow the positive, sounded upon positive duties, for doing, and not +denying, and not promising and engaging to relinquish which, many have +suffered severely. The first, both in order of nature and of time, that +which was first and last, and frequently, most constantly, most +universally, and most signally sealed by sufferings, was that which is +the clearest of all, being in some respect the testimony of all ages, +and which clears all the rest, being the rise and the root, cause and +occasion of all the rest; to wit, the necessary duty of hearing the +gospel, and following the pure and powerful faithfully dispensed +ordinances of Christ, banished out of the churches to private houses, +and persecuted out of the houses to the open fields, and there pursued +and opposed, and sought to be suppressed, by all the fury and force, +rigour and rage, cruelty and craft, policy and power, that ever wicked +men, maddened into a monstrous malice against the mediator Christ, and +the coming of his kingdom, could contrive or exert; yet still followed +and frequented, owned and adhered to by the lovers of Christ, and +serious seekers of God, even when for the same they were killed all day +long, and counted as sheep for the slaughter, and continually oppressed, +harrassed, hunted, and cruelly handled, dragged to prisons, banished and +sold for slaves, tortured, and murdered. And after, by their fraudulent +favours of ensnaring indulgencies and indemnities, and a continued tract +of impositions and exactions, and many oaths and bonds, they had +prevailed with many, and even the most part both of ministers and +professors, to abandon that necessary duty; and even when it was +declared criminal by act of parliament, and interdicted under pain of +death, to be found at any field meetings: they nevertheless persisted in +an undaunted endeavour, to keep up the standard of Christ, in following +the word of the Lord wherever they could have it faithfully preached, +though at the greatest of hazards: And so much the more that it was +prosecuted by the rage of enemies, and the reproach and obloquies of +pretended friends, that had turned their back on the testimony, and +preferred their own ease and interests to the cause of Christ; and with +the greater fervour, that the labourers in that work were few, and like +to faint under so many difficulties. What the first occasion was that +constrained them to go to the fields, is declared at length in the +historical deduction of the testimony of the sixth Period: to wit, +Finding themselves bound in duty, to testify their adherence to, and +continuance in their covenanted profession, their abhorrence of abjured +prelacy, and their love and zeal to keep Christ and his gospel in the +land, after they had undergone and endured many hazards and hardships, +oppressions and persecutions, for meeting in the houses where they were +so easily attrapped, and with such difficulty could escape the hands of +these cruel men; they were forced to take the fields, though with the +unavoidable inconveniences of all weathers, without a shelter: yet +proposing the advantages, both of conveniency for meeting in great +numbers, and of secrecy in the remote recesses of wild muirs and +mountains, and of safety, in betaking themselves to inaccessible natural +strengths, safest either for flight or resistance; and withal, having +occasion there to give a testimony for the reformation with greater +freedom. And to this very day, though many have a pretended liberty to +meet in houses, under the security of a man's promise, whose principle +is to keep no faith to heretics, and under the shelter and shadow of an +Antichristian toleration; yet there is a poor people that are out of the +compass of this favour, whom all these forementioned reasons do yet +oblige to keep the fields, that is both for conveniency, secrecy, and +safety; they dare not trust those who are still thirsting insatiably +after their blood, nor give them such advantages as they are seeking, to +prey upon them, by shutting themselves within houses; and moreover, they +take themselves to be called indispensibly, in the present +circumstances, to be as public, or more than ever, in their testimony +for the preached gospel, even in the open fields. Now this would be a +little cleared; and to essay the same, I would offer, 1st, Some +concessions, 2dly, Some postulata, or supposed grounds. 3dly, Some more +special considerations, which will conduce to clear the case. + +First, That we may more distinctly understand what is the duty here +pleaded for, and what is that which these people suffer for here +vindicated; let these concessions be premised, + +1. Now under the evangelical dispensation, there is no place more sacred +than another, to which the worship of God is astricted, and which he +hath chosen for his house and habitation, whither he will have his +people to resort and attend, as under the legal and typical dispensation +was ordered; there was a place where the Lord caused his name to dwell, +Deut. xii. 5, 11. But now, "neither in the mountain, nor at Jerusalem, +the Father will be worshipped; but every where, and any where, in spirit +and in truth," John iv. 21, 23, 24. And the apostle wills, "that men +pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting," 1 +Tim. ii. 8. We abhor therefore the English and popish superstition of +consecrated places, and assert that all are alike in this respect, +houses or fields. + +2. In the constitute state of the church, or wherever it can be +obtained, order, decency, and conveniency doth require that there be +appointed places, sequestrate and appropriate for the meetings of the +Lord's people, according to that general rule, "Let all things be done +decently and in order," 1 Cor. xiv. last verse. And, in that case +private conventicles, set up in a schismatical competition with public +churches, are not to be allowed. But even then private meetings for +prayer and conference, are necessary, lawful, and laudable. But now the +church is broken by a crew of schismatical intruders, who have occupied +the places of public assemblies: and thrust out the Lord's ministers: It +is these we scar at, and not the place. + +3. Suppose a magistrate should interdict and discharge the public place +of worship, and restrain from the churches, but leave all other places +free to meet in: or if he should prohibit the houses, but leave freedom +for the fields, or discharge the fields, and give liberty in houses; in +that case we would not contend for the place out of contempt: though it +were duty then to witness against such a sacrilegious injury done to the +church, in taking away their meeting places; yet it were inexpedient to +stickle and strive for one spot, if we might have another; then when +only excluded out of a place, and not included or concluded and +restricted to other places, nor otherwise robbed of the church's +privileges, we might go to houses when shut out of churches, and go to +fields when shut out of houses, and back again to houses when +discharged thence. But this is not our case, for we are either +interdicted of all places: or if allowed any, it is under such +confinements as are inconsistent with the freedom of the gospel: and +besides, we have to do with one from whom we can take no orders, to +determine our meetings; nor can we acknowledge our liberty to depend on +his authority, or favour which we cannot own nor trust, nor accept of +any protection from him. Neither is it the place of fields or houses +that we contend for; nor is it that which he mainly opposes: but it is +the freedom of the gospel faithfully preached, that we are seeking to +suppress. The contest betwixt him and us, is the service of God in the +gospel of his Son; that we profess, without owning him for the liberty +of its exercise: and therefore as an enemy to the matter and object of +these religious exercises, which are the eye-sore of antichrist, he +prosecutes with such rage the manner and circumstances thereof. + +4. Even in this case, when we are persecuted in one place, we flee unto +another, as the Lord allows and directs, Matth. x. 23, And if +occasionally we find a house, either public, or a church or a private +dwelling house that may be safe or convenient, or capacious of the +numbers gathered, we think it indifferent to meet there, or in the +field; but, in the present circumstances, it is more for the conveniency +of the people, and more congruous for the day's testimony, to keep the +fields in their meetings, even though it irritate the incensed enemies. +Which that it may appear. + +Secondly, I shall offer some postulata or hypothesis to be considered, +or endeavour to make them good, and infer from them the necessity and +expediency of field meetings at this time in these circumstances: which +consequently vindicate the sufferings that have been thereupon stated +formerly, and are still continued. + +1. It is necessary at all times that Christians should meet together, +whether they have ministers or not, and whether the magistrate allow it +or not. The authority of God, their necessity, duty, and interest, makes +it indispensible in all cases. It is necessary for the mutual help, "two +are better than one, for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow," +Eccl. iv. 9, 10. It is necessary for cherishing mutual love, which is +the new commandment, and badge of all Christ's disciples, John xiii. 34, +35. a principle which they are all taught of God, 1 Thess. iv. 9. It is +necessary for nourishing union to communicate together, in order to +their being of one mind, and one mouth, and that they receive one +another, Rom. xv. 5, 6, 7. 1 Cor. i. 10. Standing fast in one spirit, +striving together for the faith of the gospel, Phil. 1. 27. It is +necessary for serving one another in love, Gal. v. 13. bearing one +another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ, Gal. vi. 2. +submitting to one another, Eph. v. 21. 1 Pet. v. 5. teaching and +admonishing one another, Col. iii. 16. comforting one another, 1 Thess. +iv. last verse, edifying one another, 1 Thess. v. 11. exhorting one +another, Heb. iii. 13. It is necessary for considering one another, and +provoking unto love, and to good works; and for this end, they must not +forsake the assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some is, +for that were to sin wilfully, Heb. x. 24, 25, 26. Must these things +depend on the magistrate's allowance? Or can they be done without +meeting together in private or public? The same reasons do alike +conclude for the necessity of both. If then there must be meetings for +these ends necessary at all times, then when they cannot do it within +doors, they must do it without. 2. There is a necessity for meeting for +preaching and hearing the gospel; the enjoyment whereof hath always been +the greatest design and desire of saints, who could not live without it; +therefore they loved the place where the Lord's honour dwelt, Psal. +xxvii. 8. This was the one thing they desired of the Lord, and that +they would seek after, to behold the beauty of the Lord, Psal. xxvii. 4. +For this they panted, and their soul thirsted, Psal. xlii. 1, 2. without +which every land is but a thirsty land, where there is no water, where +they cannot see the power and glory of God, as they have seen it in the +sanctuary, Psal. lxiii. 1, 2. O how amiable are his tabernacles? "One +day in his courts is better than a thousand elsewhere," Psal. lxxxi. 1, +10. No gladness to them like that of going to the house of the Lord, +Psal. cxxii. 1. A christian cannot possibly live without gospel +ordinances, no more than children can want the breasts, or the poor and +needy want water when their tongue faileth for thirst; they are promised +it in high places, and in the wilderness, when they can get it in no +where else, Isa. lxi. 17, 18. There is an innate desire in the saints +after it, as new born babes they desire the sincere milk of the word, 1 +Pet. ii. 2. So that any that is offended with them for this, must be +offended with them for being christians, for as such they must have the +gospel, cost what it will. It is the greatest desire of the spouse of +Christ, to know where he feeds and where to find the Shepherd's tents, +where they may rest at noon, Cant. i. 7, 8. And not only in their esteem +is it necessary: but in itself, the church cannot bear the want of it, +for where there is no vision, the word of the Lord is then very +precious, 1 Sam. iii. 1. No wonder then that the Lord's people make such +ado of it, in a famine of it, that they go from sea to sea to seek it, +Amos viii. 11, 12. and that they are content to have it at any rate; +though with the peril of their lives, because of the sword of the +wilderness, Lam. v. 9. Seeing they cannot live without it. Would men be +hindered, by law, from seeking their natural food? Nay, they would fight +for it before they wanted it, against any that opposed them. If then +they cannot get it with peace, they must have it with trouble: and if +they cannot get it in houses, they must have it wherever it is to be +found, with freedom, and the favour of God. + +3. It is necessary that the meetings be as public, as they can be with +conveniency and prudence; yea, simple hazard should no more hinder their +publicness and solemnity, than their being at all. Especially, in an +evil time, when wickedness is encouraged and established, and conformity +thereto pressed, truth banished, and a witness for Christ suppressed, +corruption in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government connived at, +countenanced, and advanced, the word of God is become a reproach, and +men have no delight in it, apostasy is become universal, and both +magistrates and ministers generally turned promoters of it, which is the +true description of our times: then the meetings of the Lord's people, +that endeavour to keep clean garments, should be more frequent, public, +and avowed. The reasons are, 1. Then the call of God, by his word and +works, is more clamant, for public and solemn humiliation, in order to +avert public imminent judgments, and impendent strokes from God. It is +not enough to reform ourselves privately and personally, and to keep +ourselves pure from such courses, by an abstraction and withdrawing from +them, as is proved, Head 1. (where this is improved as an argument +against hearing the curates) Nor is it enough to admonish, exhort, +reprove, and testify against such as are involved in these courses, but +it is necessary, for them that would be approven, to adhere to the +truth, and serve God after the right manner, and to mourn, sigh, and cry +for all the abominations of the time, so as to get the 'mark of mourners +on their foreheads,' Ezek. ix. 4. and they that do so, will be found 'on +the mountains like doves in the valleys, all of them mourning, every one +for his iniquity,' Ezek. vii. 16. and not only to be humbled every +family apart, but there must be a great mourning, as the mourning of +Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon,' Zech. xii. 11. to the end. That +is a solemn public mourning there promised. There must be a 'gathering +themselves together, though a nation not desired, before the decree +bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, and the fierce anger of +the Lord come upon them, if they would have any possibility of their +hiding,' Zep. ii. 1, 2, 3. 'The trumpet then must be blown in Zion, to +sanctify a fast, to call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify +the congregation assemble the elders, gather the children,'----Joel ii. +15, 16. As was exemplified in Ezra's time, when there were great +congregations of people assembled publicly, weeping very sore, then +there was hope in Israel, Ezra x. 1, 2. and when that messenger of the +Lord came up from Gilgal to the people of Israel, and reproved them for +their defections and compliance with the Canaanites, they had such a +solemn day of humiliation, that the place of their meeting got a name +from it, they called the name of that place Bochim, that is, weepers, +Judg. ii. 4, 5. 'And when the ark was at Kirjathjearim all the house of +Israel lamented after the Lord----and they gathered together at Mizpeth, +and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord,' 2 Sam. vii. 2. 6. I +shewed before, that there is reason to fear that the sins of a few, +especially of magistrates and ministers, will bring wrath upon the whole +body of the people, as is plain from these scriptures, Lev. x. 6. Isa. +xliii. 27, 28. Lam. iv. 13. Micah iii. 11, 21. shewing the sins of +ministers may procure universal destruction. And 2 Sam. xxiv. 25. 2. +Kings xxi. 11. Jer. xv. 4. proving the sins of magistrates may procure +it: and Numb. iii. 14, 15. Josh. xxii. 17, 18. Demonstrating that the +sins of a party of the people may draw wrath upon the whole. Now, the +only way the scripture points out to evite and avert such public +judgments is to make our resentment of these indignities done to our +God, our mourning over them, and our witness against them, as public as +the sins are, at least as public as we can get them, by a public +pleading for truth, Isa. lix. 4. For the defect whereof he hides his +face, and wonders that there is no man, no intercessor, ver. 16. that +is, none to plead with God, in behalf of his borne down truths; there +must be in order to this, a public seeking of truth, which if there be +any found making conscience of, the Lord makes a gracious overture to +pardon the city, Jer. v. 1. We cannot think there were no mourners in +secret there, but there was no public meetings for it, and public owning +the duty of that day: There must be valour for the truth upon the earth, +Jer. ix. 3, a public and resolute owning of truth: there must be a +making up the hedge, and standing in the gap for the land, that the Lord +should not destroy it, Ezek. xxii. 30. a public testimony in opposition +to defection: there must be a pleading with our mother, Hos. ii. 2. +which is spoken to private persons in the plural number, commanding all +that would consult their own safety, publicly to condemn the sins of the +whole nation, that they may escape the public punishment thereof, as it +is expounded in Pool's Synop. Critic. in locum. By this means we must +endeavour to avert the wrath and anger of God, which must certainly be +expected to go out against the land, which hath all the procuring +causes, all the symptoms, prognostics, and evidences of a land devoted +to destruction, that ever a land had. If then there must be such public +mourning, and such solemn gathering for it, such public pleading for +truth, seeking for truth, valour for truth, making up the hedge, and +pleading with our mother, there must of necessity be public meetings for +it: for these things cannot be done in private, but must be done by way +of testimony. Which I make a second reason, The nature and end of +meeting for gospel ordinances is for a public testimony for Christ and +his truths and interest, against sin and all dishonours done to the Son +of God. So that the only end, is not only to bring to Christ, and build +up souls in Christ, but it is to testify also for the glory of Christ, +whether souls be brought in and built up or not. The preached gospel is +not only the testimony of Christ, 1 Cor. i. 6. but a testimony for +Christ; in which sense, the testimony of Jesus is said to be the spirit +of prophecy, Rev. xix. 10. so called, Durham expounds it, for its +bearing witness to Christ; in which respect ministers are often called +witnesses. It is also the testimony of Israel (not only given to Israel, +but given by Israel) unto which the tribes go up, the tribes of the +Lord, Psal. cxxii. 4. Whensoever therefore, or howsoever the testimony +of the church is contradicted, that is not a lawful meeting of the +tribes of the Lord. It is also the testimony of the preachers for +Christ, against them that will not receive them, Mark vi. 11. And a +witness unto all nations to whom they preach, Matth. xxiv. 14. And of +all the witnesses that hold it, and suffer for it, Rev. vi. 9. And the +same which is the word of Christ's testimony, is the word of theirs, +Rev. xii. 11. by which they overcome, and for which they love not their +lives. Wherever then the gospel is preached, it must be a testimony +except it be public, at least as public as can be, as we find all +Christ's witnesses were in the Old and New Testaments. 3. The motive or +principle prompting the Lord's people to a frequenting of gospel +ordinances, is a public spirit, stirring up to a public generation work, +whereof this is the scope, to promote the kingdom or Christ, and not +only to obey the Lord's command enjoining the duty, to enjoy the Lord, +the end thereof, to edify their own souls; but to partake in, and +promote this great work of the day, for the glory of God, and the +church's good. For the gospel is not only a banner of love over his +friends, but Christ's standard of war against his enemies, Isa. lix. 19. +under which all that countenance it, are called to lift themselves as +his soldiers, called, and chosen, and faithful: and it is required of +his soldiers that they be valiant for the truth upon the earth, +discovering a gallant greatness and generosity of a public spirit, +having their designs and desires not limited to their own interests, +even spiritual, but aiming at no less than Christ's public glory, the +church's public good, the saints public comfort, having a public concern +for all Christ's interests, public sympathy for all Christ's friends, +and a public declared opposition to all Christ's enemies: this is a +public spirit, the true spirit of all Christ's zealous lovers and +votaries; which, when he is a missing, will prompt them to go about the +city, in the streets, and in the broad ways, to seek him whom their soul +loveth, Cant. iii. 2. and not only in their beds, or secret corners, but +they must go to the streets, and to the fields, and avow their seeking +of Christ, even though the watchmen should smite them, and the keepers +of the walls take their vails from them, Cant. v- Which obliges them to +take him into their own cottages, and entertain him in their hearts, and +give him a throne there, but also to endeavour to enlarge his dwelling, +and propagate his courtly residence through the world, that the kingdoms +of the earth may become the kingdoms of the Lord; and if they cannot get +that done, yet that he may have the throne in their mother's house, and +take up his abode in the church, or nation they belong to, that there +his ordinances be established in purity, peace, plenty, and power, +according to his own order; and if that cannot be, but that their mother +play the harlot, and he be provoked to give up house with her, and, by +her children's treachery, the usurping enemy be invited into his place +and habitation, and take violent possession of it, and enact his +extrusion and expulsion by law; yet they will endeavour to secure a +place for him among the remnant, that he may get a lodging among the +afflicted and poor 'people that trust in the name of the Lord----that +they may feed and ly down, and none make them afraid, Zeph. iii. 12, +13. that the poor of the flock that wait on him, may know that it is the +word of the Lord,' Zech. xi. 11. they will lay out themselves to +strengthen their hands. This is the work of the public spirited lovers +of the gospel, which hath been, and yet is the great work of this our +day, to carry the gospel, and follow it, and keep it up, through the +land, as the standard of Christ, against all opposition, from mountain +to hill, when now Zion hath been labouring to bring forth as a woman in +travail, and made to go forth out of the city, and to dwell in the +field, Mic. iv. 10. Therefore, seeing it is the public work of the day, +and all its followers must have such a public spirit, it follows that +the meetings to promote it must be as public as is possible. 4. The +interest and privilege of the gospel, to have it in freedom, purity, +power, and plenty, is the public concern of all the Lord's people, +preferable to all other interests; and therefore more publicly, +peremptorily, and zealously to be contended for, than any other interest +whatsoever. It is the glory of the land. 1 Sam. iv. 21. without which, +Ichabod may be the name of every thing; and every land, though never so +pleasant, will be but a dry and parched land, where no water is, in the +esteem of them that have seen the Lord's glory and power in the +sanctuary, Psal. lxiii. 1. Whereas its name is Hephzibah and Beulah, +Isa. lxii. 4. and Jehovah-Shammah, Ezek. xlviii. ult. where God is +enjoyed in his gospel-ordinances; and the want and reproach of the +solemn assemblies, is a matter of the saddest mourning of the Lord's +people, Zeph. iii. 18. Therefore, while the ark abode in Kirjath jearim, +the time was thought very long, and all the house of Israel lamented +after the Lord, 1 Sam. vii. 2. then they heard of it at Ephratah, and +found it in the fields of the wood, Psal. cxxxii. 6. But it hath been +longer than twenty years in our fields of the woods, and therefore we +should be lamenting after it with a greater concernedness; especially +remembering, how we were privileged with the gospel, which was +sometimes times publicly embraced and countenanced by authority, and +ensured to us by laws, statutes, declarations, proclamations, oaths, +vows, and covenant-engagements, whereby the land was dedicated and +devoted unto the Son of God, whose conquest it was. And now are not all +the people of God obliged to do what they can, to hinder the recalling +of this dedication, and the giving up of the land as an offering unto +satan and antichrist? And how shall this be, but by a public contending, +for this privilege, and a resolving they shall sooner bereave us of our +hearts blood, than of the gospel in its freedom and purity? But this we +cannot contend for publicly, if our meetings be not public. 5. The +nature and business of the gospel ministry is such, that it obliges them +that exercise it to endeavour all publicness, without which they cannot +discharge the extent of their instructions: their very names and titles +do insinuate so much. They are witnesses for Christ, and therefore their +testimonies should be public, though their lot oftentimes be to witness +in sackcloth. They are heralds, and therefore they should proclaim their +master's will, though their lot be often to be a voice crying in the +wilderness, as John the Baptist was in his field preachings. They are +ambassadors, and therefore they should maintain their master's majesty +in the public port of his ambassadors, and be wholly taken up about +their sovereign's business. They are watchmen, and therefore they should +keep and maintain their post their master has placed them at. Nay, they +are lights and candles, and therefore cannot be hid, Matth. v. 14, 15. +The commands and instructions given them, infer the necessity of this. +They must cry aloud, and spare not, and lift up their voice like a +trumpet and shew the Lord's people their transgressions and sins, Isa. +lviii. 1. They are watchmen upon Jerusalem's walls which must not hold +their peace day nor night, nor keep silence, nor give the Lord rest, +till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth, +Isa. lxii. 6, 7. They are watchmen, that must command all to hearken to +the sound of the trumpet, Jer. vi. 17. They must be valiant for the +truth upon the earth, Jer. ix. 3. They must say, Thus saith the Lord +even to a rebellious nation, whether they will hear or forbear, and not +be afraid of them, Ezek. ii. 5, 6. They must cause the people to know +their abominations, Ezek. 16. 2. and the abominations of their fathers, +Ezek. xx. 4. And what their master tells them in darkness, that they +must speak in the light, and what they hear in the ear, that they must +preach upon the house tops, Matth. x. 27. These things cannot be done in +a clandestine way; and therefore now, when there is no much necessity, +it is the duty of all faithful ministers, to be laying out themselves to +the utmost in their pastoral function, for the suppressing of all the +evils of the time, notwithstanding of any prohibition to the contrary, +in the most public manner, according to the examples of all the faithful +servants of the Lord, both in the Old and New Testaments; though it be +most impiously and tyrannically interdicted, yet the laws of God stand +unrepealed; and therefore all who have a trumpet and a mouth, should set +the trumpet to their mouth, and sound a certain sound; not in secret, +for that will not alarm the people, but in the most public manner they +can have access to; and it is the duty of all to come and hear, and obey +their warnings and witnessings, command who will the contrary. It was +for mocking, despising his words, and misusing his prophets, that the +wrath of the Lord arose against his people, the Jews, until there was no +remedy, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. Therefore from all that is said, it must be +concluded, that meetings for gospel ordinances must be as public as can +be: and if so, then that they should be in houses, safety will not +permit to us; to go to the streets or market places, neither safety nor +prudence will admit; therefore we must go to the fields with it, cost +what it will. + +4. Seeing then there must be meetings, and public meetings; and seeing +we cannot, and dare not in conscience countenance the curates meetings, +we must hear, own, embrace and follow such faithful ministers, as are +clothed with Christ's commission, righteousness and salvation, and do +keep the words of the Lord's patience, and the testimony of the church +of Scotland in particular. This I think will not, or dare not be denied, +by any that own the authority of Christ (which none can deny or instruct +the contrary, but our ministers that ventured their lives in preaching +in the fields, have had a certain seal to their ministry, and is sealed +sensibly in the conviction of many, and confession of more) that +Christ's ministers and witnesses, employed about the great +gospel-message, clothed with his authority and under the obligation of +his commands lying upon them, must preach, and the people must hear +them, notwithstanding of all laws to the contrary. Divines grant that +the magistrate can no more suspend from the exercise, than he can depose +from the office of the ministry; for the one is a degree unto the other. +See Apollon. de jure Magist. circa Sacra, Part 1. p. 334, &c. +Rutherford's Due right of Presbyterians, p. 430, &c. For whether it be +right in the sight of God, to hearken unto men more than unto God, the +consciences of the greatest enemies may be appealed unto, Acts iv. 19. +They must not cease, wherever they have a call and occasion, to teach +and preach Jesus Christ, Acts v. last verse. Necessity is laid upon +them; yea, wo unto them, if they preach not the gospel, 1 Cor. xi. 16. +In all things they must approve themselves, as the ministers of God, in +much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, &c. by honour and +dishonour, by evil report and good report, as deceivers, and yet true, +as unknown, and yet well known,----2 Cor. vi. 4. 8. 9. They must preach +the word, be instant in season, and out of season; reprove, rebuke, +exhort with all long suffering and doctrine, 2 Tim. iv. 2. Dare any say +then, that a magistrate's or tyrant's laws can exauctorate a minister? +or silence him by his own proper elicite acts, as king or tyrant, or +formally and immediately? Will mischiefs framed into a law warrant such +iniquity? or an act of a king of clay rescind the mandates of the King +of kings? or exempt people from obedience due thereunto? or will the +bishops canons, who have no power from Christ, or the censures of them, +that stand condemned themselves by the constitutions of the church, and +acts of the general assemblies, have any weight in the case? And yet +these are all that can be alledged, except odious and invidious +calumnies, the ordinary lot of the most faithful, against the present +preachers in the fields, which are sufficiently confuted in their late +informatory vindication, and need not here be touched. Seeing therefore +they have given up themselves unto Christ as his servants they must +resolve to be employed for him to the uttermost of their power, and must +not think of laying up their talent in a napkin; especially now when +there is so great necessity, when defection is yet growing, covered, +countenanced more and more, division nothing abated, but new oil cast +daily into the flames of devouring contentions; the people generally +drowned in the deluge of the times, snares and sins, and like to be +overwhelmed in the inundation of black popery, now coming in at the +opened sluice of this wicked toleration, with the congratulations of +addressing ministers, when now the harvest is great, and the labourers +are few; great then is the necessity, and double must the woe be that +abideth such ministers, as are silent at such a time: and great and +inexcusable is the sin of the people, if they do not come out, and +countenance faithful ministers, the messengers of the Lord of hosts, +from whom they should seek the law, Mal. ii. 7. especially when there +are so many, that have so palpably betrayed their trust, and so few that +are faithful in the necessary testimony of the day. Seeing then faithful +ministers must preach, and people must hear, where can they meet with +conveniency, and safety and freedom, except either under the shelter of +this wicked toleration, which they dare not do, or else go to the +fields? + +5. It must be obtained also, that the ministers have a right to preach +in this unfixed manner, wherever they have a call; their relation now, +in this disturbed state of the church, being to be considered more +extensively, than in its unsettled condition. For understanding which, +we must distinguish a three or fourfold relation, that a minister of the +gospel stands into. First, He is a minister of Christ, and steward of +the mysteries of God, 1 Cor. iv. 1. having his commission from Christ as +his master: and this relation he hath universally, wherever he is. +Secondly, He is a minister of the catholic church, though not a catholic +minister of it, which is his primary relation; for that is the church, +in which ministers are set, 1 Cor. xii. 28. and to which they are given, +Eph. iv. 11, 22. Thirdly, He is a minister of the particular church +whereof he is a member; and so in Scotland, a minister is a minister of +the church of Scotland, and is obliged to lay out himself for the good +of that church. Fourthly, He is a minister of the particular +congregation, whereunto he hath a fixed relation in a constitute case of +the church: this last is not essential to a minister of Christ, but is +subservient to the former relation; but when separated from such a +relation, or when it is impossible to be held, he is still a minister of +Christ, and his call to preach the gospel stands and binds. See Mr. +Durham's digression on this particular, on Rev. chap. 2. pag. 89. &c. in +quarto. For though he be not a catholic-officer, having an equal +relation to all churches, as the Apostles were; nevertheless he may +exercise ministerial acts authoritatively, upon occasions warrantably +calling for the same, in other churches, as heralds of one king, having +authority to charge in his name where-ever it be: especially in a broken +state of the church, when all the restriction his ministerial relation +is capable of, is only a tie and call to officiate in the service of +that church whereof he is a member; and so he hath right to preach every +where, as he is called for the edification of that church. The reasons +are, 1. He hath power from Christ the master of the whole church; and +therefore, wherever the master's authority is acknowledged, the +servant's ministerial authority cannot be denied; at least in relation +to that church, whereof he is a member as well as a minister. 2. He hath +commission from Christ principally for the edification of Christ's body, +as far as his ministry can reach, according to the second relation. 3. +His relation to the whole church is principal, that which is fixed to a +part is only subordinate, because it is a part of whole 4. His +commission is indefinite to preach the gospel, which will suit as well +in one place as in another. 5. The same great ends of the church's great +good and edification, which warrants fixing of a minister to a +particular charge in the church's peaceable state. 6. Else it would +follow, that a faithful minister, standing in that relation to a +disturbed and destroyed church, and all his gifts and graces were +useless in that case, which notwithstanding are given for the good of +the church. 7. Yea, by this, when his fixed relation cannot be kept, it +would follow, that he ceased to be a minister, and his commission +expired; so that he should stand in no other relation to Christ, than +any private person so qualified, which were absurd: for by commission he +is absolutely set apart for the work of the ministry, so long as Christ +hath work for him, if he continue faithful. 8. This hath been the +practice of all the propagators of the gospel from the beginning, and of +our reformers in particular; without which they could never have +propagated it so far: and it was never accounted the characteristic of +apostles, to preach unfixedly; because in times of persecutions, pastors +and doctors also might have preached wherever they came, as the officers +of the church of Jerusalem did, when scattered upon the persecution of +Stephen, Acts viii. 1. did go every where preaching the word, ver. 4. +Since therefore they may and must preach, in this unfixed manner, they +must in this broken state look upon all the godly in the nation, that +will own and hear them, to be their congregation, and embrace them all, +and consult their conveniency and universal advantage, in such a way as +all equally may be admitted, and none excluded from the benefit of their +ministry. And therefore they must go to the fields with it. + +6. The Lord hath so signally owned, successfully countenanced, and +singularly sealed field preaching in these unfixed exercises, that both +ministers and people have been much encouraged against all opposition to +prosecute them, as having experienced much of the Lord's power and +presence in them, and of the breathings of the enlivening, enlarging, +enlightening and strengthening influences of the Spirit of God upon +them. The people are hereby called, in this case of defection, to seek +after these waters that they have been so often refreshed by: for in +this case of defection, God being pleased to seal with a palpable +blessing on their souls, the word from ministers adhering to their +principles, they may safely look on this as a call from God to hear +them, and follow after them so owned of the Lord. And it being beyond +all doubt, that the assemblies of the Lord's people to partake of pure +ordinances, with full freedom of conscience in the fields, hath been +signally owned and blessed of the Lord, and hath proven a mean to spread +the knowledge of God beyond any thing that appeared in our best times; +and in despite of this signal appearance of God, and envy at the good +done in these meetings, all endeavours being used by wicked men to +suppress utterly all these rendezvouzes of the Lord's militia, both by +open force and cunning Midianitish wiles; ministers cannot but look upon +it as their duty, and that the Lord hath been preaching from heaven, to +all who would hear and understand it, that this way of preaching, even +this way, was that wherein his soul took pleasure, and to which he hath +been, and is calling all who would be co-workers with him this day, to +help forward the interest of his crown and kingdom. Many hundreds of +persecuted people can witness this, and all the martyrs have sealed it +with their blood, and remembered it particularly on the scaffolds, that +they found the Lord there, and that he did lead them thither, where he +had made them to ride upon the high places of the earth, and to eat the +increase of the fields, and to suck honey out of the rock, and that in +their experience, under the Spirit's pouring out from on high, they +found the wilderness to be a fruitful field, and, in their esteem, their +feet were beautiful upon the mountains that brought good tidings, that +published peace, that brought good tidings of good, that published +salvation, that said unto Zion, Thy God reigneth. And all the ministers +that followed this way, while they were faithful, and had but little +strength, and kept his word, and did not deny his name, found that +verified in their experience, which was said of Philadelphia, Rev. iii. +8. that they had an open door which no man could shut. The characters +whereof, as they are expounded by Mr. Durham, were all verified in these +meetings: where 1. The ministers had a door of utterance upon the one +side opened to them; and the people's ears were opened to welcome the +same, in love to edification, simplicity, and diligence on the other. 2. +This had real changes following, many being made humble, serious, +tender, fruitful, &c. 3. The devil raged and let himself to oppose, +traduce, and some way to blast the ministry of the most faithful more +than any others: just as when Paul had a greater door and effectual +opened to him, there were many adversaries, 1 Cor. xvi. 9. 4. Yet the +Lord hath been observedly defeating the devil and profanity in every +place, where the gospel came, and made him fall like lightning from +heaven, by the preaching of the word. 5. And the most experimental proof +of all was, that hereby ground was gained upon the kingdom of the devil, +and many prisoners brought off to Jesus Christ. And therefore seeing it +is so, this must certainly be a call to them who are yet labouring in +that work, which others have left off, to endeavour to keep this door +open with all diligence, and reap the corn while it is ripe, and when +the sun shines make hay, and with all watchfulness, lest the wicked one +sow his tares, if they should fall remiss. + +7. As for the circumstance of the place, of this unfixed manner of +celebrating the solemn ordinances of the worship of God, in a time of +persecution: this cannot be quarrelled at by any, but such as will +quarrel at any thing. But even that is better warranted, than to be +weakened with their quarrels. For before the law, mountain-worship was +the first worship of the world, as Abram's Jehovah-jireh, Gen. xxii. 14. +Jacob's Bethel, (or house of God in the open fields) Gen. xxviii. 17, +19. his Peniel, Gen. xxxii. 30. his El-Elohe Israel, Gen. xxxiii. ult. +do witness: under the law, they heard of it at Ephratah, they found it +in the fields of the wood, Psal. cxxxii. 6. After the law, field +preaching was the first that we read of in the New Testament, both in +John's preaching in the wilderness of Judea, being the voice of one +crying in the wilderness, and the master-usher of Christ, Matth. iii. 1. +3. and in his ambassadors afterwards, who, on the Sabbath, went out to a +river-side where prayer was wont to be made, as Lydia was converted at +Paul's field preaching, Acts xvi. 13, 14. And chiefly the prince of +preachers, Christ himself preached many a time by the sides of the +mountains, and the sea-side: that preaching, Matth. v. was on a +mountain, ver. 1. And this is the more to be considered, that our Lord +had liberty of the synagogues to preach in, yet he frequently left them, +and preached either in private houses, or in the fields; because of the +opposition of his doctrine by the Jewish teachers, who had appointed +that any who owned him should be excommunicate: and therefore, in the +like case, as it is now, his servants may imitate their master: for +though all Christ's actions are not imitable: such as these of his +divine power, and the actions of his divine prerogative (as his taking +of the ass without the owner's liberty) and the actings of his mediatory +prerogative, which he did as Mediator; but all his gracious actions, and +moral upon moral grounds, and relative upon the grounds of relative +duties, are not only imitable, but the perfect pattern for imitation. +Therefore that superstitious and ridiculous cavil, that such meetings in +fields or houses are conventicles, gathering separate congregations, is +not worth the taking notice of: for this would reflect upon Christ's and +his apostles way of preaching, and the constant method of propagating +the gospel in times of persecution, in all ages since, which hath always +been by that way which they call keeping of conventicles. It is absurd +to say, It is a gathering of separate congregations, it is only a +searching or seeking after the Lord's sheep, that are made to wander +through all the mountains, and upon every high hill, and his flock which +is scattered by corrupt shepherds, and the cruelty of the beasts of the +field, Ezek. xxxiv. 5, 6. and preaching to all who will come and hear +the word of truth, in such places where they may get it done most +safely, and may be most free from distraction and trouble of their +enemies, who are waiting to find them out, that they may haul them to +prisons, or kill them. + +8. As for the circumstance of the time, that is specially alledged to be +unseasonable, especially when there is a little breathing, and some +relaxation from the heat of persecution, to break the peace, and awaken +sleeping dogs by such irritating courses, is thought not consistent with +christian prudence. This is the old pretence of them that were at ease, +and preferred that to duty. But as we know no peace at this time, but a +peace of confederacy with the enemies of God, which we desire not to +partake of, and know of no relaxation of persecution against such as +continue to witness against them; so let what hath been said above in +the third hypothesis, of the necessity of publicness in our meetings at +such a time as this is, be considered; and let the scripture be +consulted, and it will appear, not only that in preaching the gospel +there must be a witness and testimony kept up, (as is proved above) and +not only that ministers preach the word, and be instant in season and +out of season, 2 Tim. iv. 2. But that such a time, as this, is the very +season of a testimony. For, in the scripture, we find, that testimonies +are to be given in these seasons especially, 1. When the enemies of God, +beginning to relent from their stiffness and severity, would compound +with his witnesses, and give them some liberty, but not total; as +Pharaoh would let the children of Israel go, but stay their flocks; and +now our Pharaoh will give some liberty to serve God, but with a +reservation of that part of the matter of it, that nothing be said to +alienate the hearts of the subjects from his arbitrary government. But +Moses thought it then a season to testify (though the bondage of the +people should be thereby continued) that there should not a hoof be left +behind; for, says he, we know not with what we must serve the Lord, +until we come thither, Exod. x. 24, 25, 26. So must we testify for every +hoof of the interest of Christ this day. 2. When these is a toleration +of idolatry, and confederacy with idolaters, and suspending the +execution of penal laws against them, or pardoning of those that should +be punished: in such a season as this, that messenger, that came from +Gilgal, gave his testimony as Bochim against their toleration of +idolatrous altars, and confederacy with the Canaanites, Judg. ii. 1, 2. +He is called an angel indeed, but he was only such an one as ministers +are, who are called so, Rev. ii. 1. for heavenly spirits have brought a +heavenly message to particular persons, but never to the whole people; +the Lord hath committed such a treasure to earthern vessels, 2 Cor. iv. +7. and this came from Gilgal, not from heaven: so the man of God +testified against Eli, for his toleration of wicked priests, though they +were his own sons, 1 Sam ii. 27, &c. So Samuel witnessed against Saul, +for his toleration and indemnity granted to Agag, 1 Sam. xv. 23. So the +prophet against Ahab, for sparing Benhadad, 1 Kings xx. 42. The angel of +Ephesus is commended for this, and he of Pergamos, and he of Thyatira is +condemned, for omitting this testimony, and allowing a toleration of the +Nicolaitans and Jezebel, Rev. ii. 2, 14, 20. In such a case of universal +compliance with these things, and the peoples indulging themselves under +the shadow of the protection of such a confederacy, the servants of the +Lord that fear him must not say a confederacy, though they should be +accounted for signs and wonders in Israel, Isa. viii. 12, 13, 18. But +now idolatrous mass-altars are set up, none thrown down, penal statutes +against papists are stopt and disabled, and the generality of ministers +are congratulating, and saying a confederacy in their addresses for the +same. 3. When the universal apostasy is come to such a height, that +error is prevailing, and few siding themselves in an avowed opposition +against it; as Elijah chose that time, when the people were halting +between two opinions, 1 Kings xviii. 21. And generally all the prophets +and servants of Christ, consulted alway the peoples necessity for the +timing of their testimonies: and was there ever greater necessity than +now, when popery is coming in like a flood? 4. When wicked men are chief +in power; as when Haman was promoted. Mordecai would not give him one +bow, though all the people of God should be endangered by such a +provocation, Esther iii. 2. And when tyrants and usurpers are set up +without the Lord's approbation, then they that have the Lord's trumpet +should set it to their mouth, Hos. viii. 1, 4. Is not this the case now? +5. When, upon the account of this their testimony, the Lord's people are +in greater danger, and enemies design to massacre them, then, if they +altogether hold their peace at such a time, there shall enlargement and +deliverance, arise another way, but they and their father's house shall +be destroyed, who are silent then as Mordecai said to Esther, Esth. iv. +11. And who knows not the cruel designs of the papists now? 6. When +iniquity is universally abounding, and hypocrisy among professors, then +the servants of the Lord must cry aloud and not spare, Isa. lviii. 1. as +the case is this day. 7. When the concern of truth, and the glory of +God, is not so illustriously vindicated as he gives us to expect it +shall be; then the watchmen must not hold their peace, and they that +make mention of the name of the Lord must not keep silence, Isa. lxii. +6, 7. especially when his name and glory is blasphemed, baffled, and +affronted, as at this day with a witness. 8. When ministers generally +are involved in a course of defection, and do not give faithful warning, +but daub over the peoples and their own defections; then the prophets +must prophesy against the prophets, Ezek. xiii. 2, 10. &c. As, alas! +this day there is a necessity for it. 9. When public worship is +interdicted by law, as it was by that edict prohibiting public prayer +for 30 days in Daniel's time: they could not interdict all prayer to +God; for they could forbid nothing by that law, but that which they +might hinder and punish for contraveening; but mental prayer at least +could not be so restrained. And certain it is, they intended only such +prayer should be discharged as might discover Daniel: but might not the +wisdom of Daniel have eluded this interdiction, by praying only secretly +or mentally? No, whatever carnal wisdom might dictate, his honesty did +oblige him in that case of confession, when he knew the writing was +signed, to go into his house, and to open his windows, and to kneel upon +his knees three times a day,----as he did aforetime, Dan. vi. 10. Now, +what reason can be given for his opening his windows? Was it only to let +in the air? or was it to see Jerusalem out at these windows? The temple +he could look toward, as well when they were shut. No other reason can +be assigned, but that it was necessary then to avouch the testimony for +that indispensible duty then interdicted. And is not public preaching +indispensible duty too? which is declared criminal, except it be +confined to the mode their wicked law tolerates; which we can no more +homologate, than omit the duty. 10. When it is an evil time, the evil of +sin is incumbent, and the evil of wrath is impendent over a land; then +the lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who +can but prophesy? Amos iii. 8. There is no contradiction here to that +word, which hath been miserably perverted in our day, to palliate sinful +silence of time-servers, Amos v. 13. The prudent shall keep silence in +that time, for it is an evil time: whereby we cannot understand a wylie +withdrawing our witness against the time's evils: for there they are +commanded to bestir themselves actively, in seeking good, hating the +evil, loving the good, and establishing judgment in the gate, ver. 14, +15. but we understand by it a submissive silence to God, without +fretting (according to that word, Jer. viii. 14. For the Lord our God +hath put us to silence,----and Mic. vii. 9.) Calvin upon the place +expounds it, 'The prudent shall be affrighted at the terrible vengeance +of God; or they shall be compelled to silence, not willingly (for that +were unworthy of men of courage to be silent at such wickedness) but, +by the force of tyrants, giving them no leave to speak.' Sure then this +is such a time, wherein it is prudence to be silent to God, but not to +be silent for God, but to give public witness against the evils of sin +abounding, and public warning of the evils of punishment imminent. 11. +Then is the season of it, when worldly wisdom thinks it unseasonable, +when men cannot endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts they +heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and turn away their +ears from the truth; then to preach the word, and be instant is indeed +in itself seasonable, because profitable and necessary; but it is out of +season as to the preachers or hearers external interest, and in the +esteem of worldly wiselings, 2 Tim. iv. 2, 3, 4. See Pool's Synops. +Critic. in Locum. So in our day, men cannot endure free and faithful +dealing against the sins of the times, but would have smooth things and +deceits spoken unto them; like those, Isa. xxx. 10. And nothing can be +more offensive, than to speak plainly (so as to give every thing its own +name) either of the sins of the times, or of the snares of the times, or +of the miseries and evils of the times, or of the duties of the times, +or of the dangers, and the present crisis of the times: which no +faithful minister can forbear. Therefore so much the more is it +seasonable, that it is generally thought unseasonable. 12. In a word, +whenever the testimony of the church, or any part of it, is opposed and +suppressed; then is the season to keep it, and contend for it, and to +hold it fast, as our crown, Rev. iii. 10, 11. It must be then a word +spoken in due season, and good and necessary (Prov. xv. 23.) at this +time, to give a public testimony against all wrongs done to our blessed +Lord Jesus, all the encroachments upon his prerogatives, all the +invasions of the church's privileges, all the overturnings of our +covenanted reformation, and this openly designed introduction of popery +and slavery. But now how shall this testimony be given by us +conveniently? Or how can it be given at all, at this time, in our +circumstances, so as both the matter and manner of it may be a most +significant witness bearing to the merit of it, except we go to the +fields? Who can witness significantly against popery and tyranny, and +all the evils to be spoken against this day, under the protection of a +papist and tyrant, as house-meetings under the covert of this toleration +are stated? For if these meetings be private and secret, then the +testimony is not known; if they be public, then they are exposed to a +prey. Now, by all these general hypotheses, it is already in some +measure evident, that field meetings are very expedient. But I shall add +some particular considerations, to inculcate the same more closely. + +In the third place, besides what is said, To clear the lawfulness and +necessity of a public testimony against the evils of the present time, +some considerations may be added to prove the expediency of this way and +manner of giving a testimony, by maintaining held meetings in our +present circumstances, + +1. The keeping of field meetings now, is not only most convenient for +testifying, but a very significant testimony in itself, against this +popish toleration; the wickedness of whole spring and original, and of +its nature and terms, channel and conveyance, end and design, is shewed +in the historical narrative thereof, and cannot be denied by any +presbyterian, whose constant principle is that there should be no +toleration of popery, idolatry, or heresy, in this reformed and +covenanted church. Reason and religion both will conclude, that this is +to be witnessed against, by all that will adhere to the cause of +reformation overturned hereby, and resolve to stand in the gap against +popery, to be introduced hereby, and that will approve themselves as +honest patriots in defending the laws and liberties of the country +subverted hereby. And besides, if it be considered with respect to the +granter; it is palpable his design is to introduce popery, and advance +tyranny, which can be hid from none that accept it, the effectuating +whereof hath a necessary and inseparable connexion with the acceptance +of the liberty; and is so far from being avertible by the accepters, +that it is chiefly promoted by their acceptance, and the design of it is +to lay them by from all opposition thereto. If it be considered with +relation to the accepters, it is plain it must be taken as it is given, +and received as it is conveyed, from its fountain of absolute power, +through a channel of an arbitrary law disabling and religion +dishonouring toleration, which is always evil; and with consent to the +sinful impositions, with which it is tendered; concerning and affecting +the doctrine of ministers, that they shall preach nothing which may +alienate the subjects from the government: against all which there is no +access for a protestation, confident with the improvement of the +liberty, for it is granted and accepted on these very terms; that there +shall be no protestation; for if there be, that will be found an +alienating of the hearts of the subjects from the government, which, by +that protestation, will be reflected upon. If it be considered with +respect to the addressers for it, who formally say a confederacy with, +and congratulate the tolerator for his toleration, and all the mischiefs +he is machinating and effectuating thereby: then seeing they have +presumptuously taking upon them to send it in the name of all +presbyterians, it concerns all honest men, zealous Christians, and +faithful ministers of that persuasion and denomination, in honour and +conscience, to declare to the world by some public testimony, that they +are not consenters to that sinful, shameful, and scandalous conspiracy, +nor of the corporation of these flattering addresses who have betrayed +the cause; with which all will be interpreted consenters, that are not +contradicters. Further this toleration is sinful as is cleared above, +Period 6. And to accept of it is contrary to our solemn covenants and +engagements, where we are bound to extirpate popery, preserve the +reformation, defend our liberties, and never to accept of a toleration +eversive of all these precious interests we are sworn to maintain. And +it is heinously scandalous, being, in effect, a succumbing at length, +and yielding up the cause, which hath been so long controverted, and so +long contended for; at least an appearance of ceding and lying by from +contending for the interests of Christ, of condemning our former +wrestlings for the same, of purchasing a liberty to ourselves at the +rate of burying the testimony in bondage and oblivion; of hardening and +confirming open adversaries in their wicked invasions on our religion, +laws, and liberties; of being weary of the cross of Christ, that we +would fain have ease upon any terms, and of weakening the hands, yea, +condemning the practice and peremptoriness of these that are exempted +from the benefit, or rather the snare of it, and suffer when others are +at ease. It is also attended with many inconveniences; for either such +as preach under the covert of it, must forbear declaring some part of +the counsel of God, and give no testimony seasonable this day: or else +if they do, they will soon be discovered, and made a prey. Hence, seeing +there must be a testimony against this toleration, it is certainly most +expedient to give it there, where the meeting is without the reach and +bounds of it, and interdicted by the same proclamation that tenders it, +and where the very gathering in such places is a testimony against it: +for to preach in houses constantly and leave the fields, would now be +interpreted and homologating the toleration that commands preaching to +be restricted; especially when an address is made in name of all that +accept the benefit of it, from which odium we could not vindicate +ourselves, if we should so make use of it. + +2. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony against that wicked +law that discharges them, and interdicts them as criminal; yea, in some +respect a case of confession; for if Daniel's case, when public prayer +was discharged under pain of death, was a case of confession, as all +grant; then must also our case be, when public preaching is discharged +under the same penalty; for it is equivalent to an universal discharge +of all public preaching, when the manner of it is discharged, which we +can only have with freedom and safety in way of public testimony, which +can be none other in our circumstances but in the fields. Again, if the +law be wicked that discharges them, as certainly it is, and is +demonstrated from what is said already, then it must be sin to obey it; +but it were an obeying of it to quit the fields. + +3. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony against tyranny and +usurpation, encroaching upon our religion, laws, and liberties, and +presuming to restrict and bound the exercise of the ministerial +function, and discharge it altogether, except it be modified according +to the circumstances prescribed by a wicked law, which cannot be allowed +as competent to any man whose authority is not acknowledged, for reasons +given in Head 2. Therefore, though there were no more, this is +sufficient to call all ministers to give testimony against such an +usurpation, by refusing to obey any such act, and preaching where God +giveth a call. For otherwise, to submit to it, would be an acknowledging +of his magistratical power to discharge these meetings, and to give +forth sentences against faithful ministers. + +4. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony for the honour, +headship, and princely prerogative of Jesus Christ, which hath been the +great word of his patience in Scotland, and by an unparalleled insolence +encroached upon by usurpers in our day, and in effect, denied by such as +took a new holding for the exercise of their ministry from their usurped +power. Now in these meetings, there is a practical declaration of their +holding their ministry, and the exercise thereof from Christ alone, +without any dependence upon, subordination to, or licence and warrant +from his usurping enemies; and that they may and will preach in public, +without authority from them. If then it be lawful and expedient to +maintain the interests of a king of clay against an usurper; then much +more must it be lawful and expedient, to maintain the quarrel of the +King of kings, when wicked men would banish him and his interests out of +the kingdom by their tyrannical cruelty, and cruel mercy of a +destructive toleration. + +5. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony for the gospel and +the ministry thereof; which is always the dearest and nearest privilege +of Christians, and in the present circumstances, when our lives and our +all are embarked in the same bottom with it, and sought to be destroyed +together with it, by a party conspiring against Christ, it is necessary +duty to defend both by resisting their unjust violence; especially when +religion and the gospel is one and the chief of our fundamental land +rights, and the cardinal condition of the established policy, upon which +we can only own men for magistrates by the law of the land: and this +testimony, by defence of the gospel and of our own lives, cannot be +given expediently any where but in the fields. It is also a testimony +for the freedom and authority of the gospel ministry, and for their +holding their unremoveable relation to the church of Scotland, which is +infringed by these tyrannical acts, and maintained by these exercises; +which is a privilege to be contended for, above and beyond all other +that can be contended for or defended, especially to be maintained again +those that have no power or authority to take it away. There will no man +quit any of his goods upon a sentence coming from an incompetent judge: +and shall ministers or people be hectored or fooled from such a +privilege by them that have no such power. + +6. The keeping of field meetings now is a testimony for our covenants, +the owning 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, and government, and to +defend all the church's liberties, and to oppose all their opposites, +and endeavour their extirpation: And in the solemn acknowledgment of +sins and engagements to duties, we are sworn, Because many have of late +laboured to supplant the liberties of the kirk, to maintain and defend +the kirk of Scotland, in all her liberties and privileges, against all +who shall oppose and undermine the same, or encroach thereupon, under +any pretext whatsoever. Since then, the owning of these meetings and the +covenants are both discharged together, and the owning of the covenant +does oblige to a public opposition against the dischargers, and an +avowed maintenance of the church's privileges, whereof this is, in a +manner, the only and 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 and +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 of that sort, but further is +intended to extirpate 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 complied 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, and succumbing at last in the matter of the +testimony, as being quite overcome; and that indeed all have embraced +and 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, and sacrilegious supremacy was +erected, without a testimony in its season; so black popery itself, and +tyranny, was introduced by a toleration, which laid them all by from a +testimony against these; who formerly had valiantly, resolutely, and +faithfully contended against all lesser corruptions; but at last, when +that came, and stricter prohibitions of all public meetings, but under +the covert thereof, were emitted, then all were persuaded 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, and Testimony for, Defensive Arms 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 own, 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 owning this +principle, as well as using the practice of defensive resistance for +self-preservation against tyrannical violence, have set up such +monuments of rage and 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 sufferers in Scotland, to +give their judgment, whether or not such appearances for defence (as the +tyranny of rulers had forced people to) were rebellion, and a sin +against God, which they could not in conscience assert; and therefore, +though many that have suffered upon this head, have been as free of the +practice of such resistance as any; yet because they would not condemn +the principle, they have been criminally processed, arraigned, and +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 hid, hath some heat with it to scorch them; or because +they fear the impression of this in the hearts of people more than +others, knowing that they deserve the practical expression of it by the +hands of all. But the reason they give why they are so offended at it, +is, that they look upon it as the spring of all the errors of +presbyterians, and a notion that destroys them; which indeed will be +found to have a necessary connexion with many of the truths that they +contend for this day, as it hath been the necessary method of defending +them. What practices of this kind hath been, and what were the occasions +inducing, or rather enforcing to these defensive resistances, here to be +vindicated as to the principle of them, is manifested in the historical +representation, shewing, that after the whole body of the land was +engaged under the bond of a solemn covenant, several times renewed, to +defend religion and liberty; and in special manner the magistrates of +all ranks, the supreme whereof was formally admitted to the government +upon these terms; he, with his associates, conspiring with the nobles, +to involve the whole land in perjury and apostasy, overturned the whole +covenanted work of reformation; and thereby not only encroached upon the +interest of Christ and the church's privileges, but subverted the +fundamental constitution of the kingdom's government, and pressed all to +a submission unto, and compliance with that tyranny and apostasy, +erected upon the ruins thereof; yet the godly and faithful in the land, +sensible of the indispensible obligation of these covenants, resolved to +adhere thereunto, and suffered long patiently for adherence unto the +same, until being quite wearied by a continued tract of tyrannical +oppressions, arbitrarily enacted by wicked laws, and illegally executed +against their own laws, and cruelly prosecuted even without all colour +of law, in many unheard of barbarities, when there could be no access +for, or success in complaining, or getting redress by law, all petitions +and remonstrances of grievances being declared seditious and +treasonable, and interdicted as such: they were forced to betake +themselves to this last remedy of defensive resistance, intending only +the preservation of their lives, religion and liberties; which many +times hath been blessed with success, and therefore zealously contended +for, as an inadmissible privilege, by all well affected to the cause of +Christ, and interest of their country, because they found it always +countenanced of the Lord; until the cause was betrayed by the treachery, +and abandoned by the cowardice of such, as were more loyal for the +king's interests, than zealous for Christ's and the country's; for which +the Lord in his holy jealousy discountenanced many repeated endeavours +of this nature, cutting us off, and putting us to shame, and would not +go forth with our armies. But because the duty is not to be measured by, +and hath a more fixed rule to be founded upon than providence; therefore +the godly did not only maintain the principle in their confessions and +testimonies, but prosecute the practice in carrying arms, and making use +of them in the defence of the gospel and of themselves, at field +meetings; which were always successfully prosperous, by the power and +presence of God. This question is sufficiently discussed, by our famous +and learned invincible patrons and champions for this excellent +privilege of mankind, the unanswerable authors of Lex Rex, the +Apologetical Relation, Naphtali, and Jus populi vindicatum. But because +it is easy to add to what is found, I shall subjoin my mite; and their +arguments being various and voluminously prosecute, and scattered at +large through their books, I shall endeavour to collect a compend of +them in some order. The two first speak of a defensive war, managed in a +parliamentary way: and the two last, of resistance against the abuse of +a lawful power, when there is no access to maintain religion and liberty +any other way; which does not come up so close to our case, nor is an +antithesis to the assertions of our adversaries, who say, that it is no +ways lawful, in any case, or upon any pretence whatsoever, to resist the +sovereign power of a nation, in whomsoever it be resident, or which way +soever it be erected. I shall consider it more complexly and +extensively, and plead both for resistance against the abuse of a lawful +power, and against the use and usurpation of a tyrannical power, and +infer not only the lawfulness of resisting kings, when they abuse their +power (as is demonstrate unanswerably by these authors) but the +expediency and necessity of the duty of resisting this tyrannical power, +whensoever we are in a capacity, if we would not be found treacherous +covenant-breakers, and betrayers of the interest of God, and the +liberties of the nation, and of our brethren, together with the +posterity, into the hands of this popish and implacable enemy, and so +bring on us the curse of Meroz, and the curse of our brethren's blood, +crying for vengeance on the heads of the shedders thereof, and upon all, +who being in case, came not to their rescue; and the curse of posterity, +for not transmitting that reformation and liberty, whereof we were by +the valour of our forefathers put and left in possession. I shall not +therefore restrict myself to the state of the question, as propounded +ordinarily, to wit, Whether or not, when a covenanted king doth really +injure, oppress and invade his subjects civil and religious rights, or +unavoidably threatens to deprive their dearest and nearest liberties, +and sends out his emissaries with armed violence against them; and when +all redress to be had, or hope by any address or petition, is rendered +void or inaccessible, yea addressing interdicted under severe penalties, +as treasonable; then, and in that case, may a community of these +subjects defend themselves, and their religion and liberties, by arms, +in resisting his bloody emissaries? But, to bring it home to our present +case, and answer the laxness of the adversaries position of the +uncontroulableness of every one that wears a crown, I shall state it +thus: Whether or not is it a necessary duty for a community (whether +they have the concurrence of the primores or nobles, or not) to +endeavour, in the defence of their lives, religion, laws and liberties, +to resist and repress the usurpation and tyranny of prevailing +dominators, using or abusing their power for subverting religion, +invading the liberties, and overturning the fundamental laws of their +country? I hold the affirmative, and shall essay to prove it, by the +same arguments that conclude this question, as usually stated; which +will more than evince the justifiableness of the sufferings upon this +head. In prosecuting of this subject, I shall first premit some +concessory considerations to clear it. And secondly, bring reasons to +prove it. + +First, For clearing of this truth, and taking off mistakes, these +concessions may be considered. + +1. The ordinance of magistracy, which is of God, is not to be resisted, +no, not so much as by disobedience or non obedience, nay, not so much as +mentally, by cursing in the heart, Eccles. x. 20. but a person clothed +therewith, abusing his power, may be in so far resisted. But tyrants, or +magistrates turning tyrants, are not God's ordinance; and there is no +hazard of damnation, for refusing to obey their unjust commands, but +rather the hazard of that is in walking willingly after the commandment, +when the statutes of Omri are kept. So that what is objected from Eccl. +viii. 2-4. "I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment," &c. is +answered on Head II. and is to be understood only of the lawful commands +of lawful kings. + +2. Rebellion is a damnable sin, except where the word is taken in a lax +sense, as Israel is said to have rebelled against Rehoboam, and Hezekiah +against Sennacherib, which was a good rebellion, and clear duty, being +taken there for resistance and revolt. In that sense indeed some of our +risings in arms might be called rebellion; for it is lawful to rebel +against tyrants. But because the word is usually taken in an evil sense, +therefore it would have been offensive to acknowledge that before the +inquisitors, except it had been explained. But rebellion against lawful +magistrates, is a damnable sin, exemplarily punished in Korah and his +company, who rebelled against Moses; and in Sheba and Absalom, who +rebelled against David. For to punish the just is not good, nor to +strike princes for equity, Prov. xvii. 26. and they that resist shall +receive to themselves damnation, Rom. xiii. 2. So that this objection +brought from this place, as if the apostle were commanding their +subjection without resistance to Nero, and such tyrants; as it is very +impertinent, it is fully answered above, Head II. Here it will be +sufficient to reply, 1. He is hereby vindicating Christianity from that +reproach, of casting off or refusing subjection to magistrates for +conscience sake in general. And it is very considerable, what Buchanan +says in his book de juri regni, that Paul did not write to the kings +themselves, because they were not Christians, and therefore the more +might be born with from them, though they should not understand the duty +of magistrates; but imagine, that there had been some Christian king who +had turned tyrant and apostate, 'to the scandal of religion: what would +he have written then? Sure if he had been like himself, he would have +denied that he should be owned for a king, and would have interdicted +all Christians communion with him, and that they should account him no +king, but such as they were to have no fellowship with, according to the +law of the gospel.' 2. He speaks of lawful rulers here, not tyrants, but +of all such as are defined and qualified here, being powers ordained of +God, terrors to evil works, ministers of God for good. Yea, but say +prelates, and their malignant adherents, these are only motives of +subjection to all powers, not qualifications of the powers. I answer, +they are indeed motives, but such as can be extended to none but to +these powers that are so qualified. 3. He speaks of lawful powers +indefinitely in the plural number, not specifying any kind or degree of +them, as if only kings and emperors were here meant. It cannot be +proven, that the power of the sword is only in them. Neither was there a +plurality of kings or emperors at Rome to be subject to: if he meant the +Roman emperor, he would have designed him in the singular number. All +the reasons of the text agree to inferior judges also, for they are +ordained of God, they are called rulers in scripture, and God's +ministers, revengers by office, who judge not for man, but for the Lord: +and inferior magistrates also are not to be resisted, when doing their +duty, 1 Pet. ii. 13. yet all will grant, when they go beyond their +bounds, and turn little tyrants, they may be withstood. 4. He does not +speak of Nero, concerning whom it cannot be proven, that at this time he +had the soverereign power as the learned Mr. Prin shews: or if he had, +that he was a tyrant at this time; and if he meant him at all, it was +only as he was obliged to be by right, nor as he was in deed. All men +know, and none condemns the fact of the senate, that resisted Nero at +length, without transgressing this precept. Yea I should rather think, +the senate is the power that the apostle applies this text to, if he +applied it to any in particular. 5. The subjection here required, is the +same with the honour in the fifth command, whereof this is an +exposition, and is opposite to the contraordinateness here condemned. +Now, subjection takes in all the duties we owe to magistrates, and +resistance all the contraries forbidden; but unlimited obedience is not +here required: so neither unlimited subjection. + +3. We may allow passive subjection in some cases, even to tyrants, when +the Lord lays on that yoke, and in effect says, he will have us to lie +under it a while, as he commanded the Jews to be subject to +Nebuchadnezzar: of which passage, adduced to prove subjection to tyrants +universally, Buchanan, as above, infers, that if all tyrants be to be +subjected to, because God by his prophet commanded his people to be +subject to one tyrant; then it must be likewise concluded, that all +tyrants ought, to be killed, because Ahab's house was commanded to be +destroyed by Jehu. But passive subjection, when people are not in +capacity to resist, is necessary. I do not say passive obedience, which +is a mere chimera, invented in the brains of such sycophants, as would +make the world slaves to tyrants. Whosoever suffereth, if he can shun +it, is an enemy to his own being: for every natural thing must strive to +preserve itself against what annoyeth it; and also he sins against the +order of God, who in vain hath ordained so many lawful means for +preservation of our being, if we must suffer it to be destroyed, having +power to help it. + +4. We abhor all war of subjects, professedly declared against a lawful +king, as such; all war against lawful authority, founded upon, or +designed for maintaining principles inconsistent with government, or +against policy and piety; yea, all war without authority. Yet, when all +authority of magistrates, supreme and subordinate, is perverted and +abused, contrary to the ends thereof, to the oppressing of the people, +and overturning of their laws and liberties, people must not suspend +their resistance upon the concurrence of men of authority, and forbear +the duty in case of necessity, because they have not the peers or nobles +to lead them: for if the ground be lawful, the call clear, the necessity +cogent, the capacity probable, they that have the law of nature, the law +of God, and the fundamental laws of the land on their side, cannot want +authority though they may want parliaments to espouse their quarrel. +This is cleared above, Head 2. yet here I shall add, 1. The people have +this privilege of nature, to defend themselves and their rights and +liberties, as well as peers; and had it, before they erected and +constituted peers or nobles. There is no distinction of quality in +interests of nature, though there 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 superiors, 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 conduit or concurrence of the nobles 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 fewer. And to be violented in their consciences, +which are as free to them as to the peers, is as insupportable 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 resistance in one case lawful, +and not in the other? Both are alike obliged to concur, and both are +equally, obnoxious to God's threatened judgments, for suffering religion +to be ruined, and not relieving and rescuing innocents. It will be but +a poor excuse for people to plead, they had no peers to head them. What +if both king and 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, Jer. xlix. 2. and l. 45. and +did not think fit to begin with nobles, but began it, when powers and +peers were in opposition to it; and when he blessed it so at length, as +to engage the public representatives to own it, what was done by private +persons before, they never condemned. 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 do it with +them. 4. It is true the nobles 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 the worse condition of a ruler ought not +to be by procuring. 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, and +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: therefore, they may do it without them; for if it be lawful to +resist them, it is lawful to wave them, when they are in a conspiracy +with the king against them. + +5. We disallow all war without real undeclinable necessity, and great +and 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 reality of injuries will justify their resistance, but when their +dearest and nearest liberties are invaded, especially when such an +invasion is made, as threatens ineluctable subversion of them. Next, we +do not say, That a party's esteeming themselves in a capacity, or their +being really in a capacity, doth make resistance a duty; except, all +alike, 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 and legal rights, really and 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 resistance, +it is to be supposed, that the grievances complained of, and sought to +be redressed by arms, 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 nature's eye, as grassant +tyranny undermining and overturning religion and liberty must be. +Nature, in the acts of necessitated ressistance, in such a case, is +judge, party, accuser, witness, and all. Neither is it an act of +judgment, for people to defend their own: defence is no act of +jurisdiction, but a privilege of nature. Hence, these common sayings, +all laws permit force to be repelled by force; and the law of nature +allows self defence: the defence of life is necessary, and flows from +the law of nature. 3. Be judge who will, the tyrant cannot be judge in +the case: for, in these tyrannical acts, that force the people to that +resistance, he cannot be acknowledged as king, and therefore no judge: +for it is 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 manifestos of the state of their cause. + +6. We condemn rising 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 revengeful usurping of the magistrate's sword, to +avenge ourselves for personal injuries. As David's killing of Saul would +have been, 1 Sam. xxiv. 10. 12. 13, 1 Sam. xxvi. 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 immediately assaulting +him, it could not be denied to be lawful: and it would have been an act +of private revenge for a personal injury, and a sinful preventing of +God's promise of David's succession, by a scandalous assassination. But +it is clear, then David was resisting him, and that is enough for us; +and he supposes he might descend into battle, and perish, 1 Sam. xxvi. +10. not excluding, but that he might perish in battle against himself +resisting him. We are commanded indeed not to resist evil, but whosoever +shall smite us on the one cheek, to turn to him the other also, Matth. +v. 39. and to recompence to no man evil for evil, Rom. xii. 17. But this +doth not condemn self defence, or resisting tyrants violently, +endangering our lives, laws, religion, and liberties, but only +resistance by way of private revenge and retaliation, and enjoin +patience, when the clear call and dispensation do inevitably call unto +suffering; but not to give way to all violence and sacrilege, to the +subverting of religion and righteousness. These texts do no more condemn +private persons retaliating the magistrate, than magistrates retaliating +private persons, unless magistrates be exempted from this precept, and +consequently be not among Christ's followers: yea, they do no more +forbid private persons, to resist the unjust violence of magistrates, +than to resist the unjust violence of private persons. That objection +from our Lord's reproving Peter, Matth. xxvi. 52. Put up thy sword, for +all they that take the sword, shall perish by the sword, hath no weight +here: for this condemns only making use of the sword, either by way of +private revenge, or usurping the use of it without authority, (and so +condemns all tyrants) which private subjects do not want to defend +themselves, their religion and liberty; or using it without necessity, +which was not in Peter's case, both because Christ was able to defend +himself, and because he was willing to deliver up himself. Pool's +Synops. Critic. in Locum. Christ could easily have defended himself, but +he would not; and therefore there was no necessity for Peter's rashness; +it condemns also a rash precipitating and preventing the call of God to +acts of resistance; but otherwise it is plain, it was not Peter's fault +to defend his master, but a necessary duty. The reason, our Lord gives +for that inhibition at that time, was twofold; one expressed Matth. +xixvi. 52. For they that take the sword, &c. Which do not belong to +Peter, as if Peter were hereby threatened; but to those that were coming +to take Christ, they usurped the sword of tyranical violence, and +therefore are threatened with destruction, by the sword of the Romans: +so is that commination to be understood of antichrist, and the tyrants +that serve him, Rev. xiii. 13. He that killeth with the sword must be +killed with the sword, which is a terrible word against persecutors. The +reason is, John xviii. 11.----The cup which my Father hath given me, +shall I not drink? Which clearly refels that objection of Christ's +non-resistance. To which it is answered, That suffering was the end of +his voluntary suscepted humiliation, and his errand to the world, +appointed by the Father, and undertaken by himself, which is not our +practice: though it be true, that even in his sufferings he left us an +ensample that we should follow his steps, 1 Pet. ii. 21. In many things, +as he was a martyr, his sufferings were the purest rule and example for +us to follow, both for the matter, and frame of spirit, submission, +patience, constancy, meekness, &c. but not as he was our sponsor, and +after the same manner, for then it were unlawful for us to flee, as well +as to resist, because he would not flee at that time. + +7. As we are not for rising in arms for trifles of our own things, or +small injuries done to ourselves, but in a case of necessity for the +preservation of our lives, religion, laws, and liberties, when all that +are dear to us, as men and as Christians, are in hazard: so we are not +for rising up in arms, to force the magistrates to be of our religion, +but to defend our religion against his force. We do not think it the way +that Christ hath appointed, to propagate religion by arms: let +persecutors and limbs of antichrist take that to them; but we think it a +privilege which Christ hath allowed us to defend and preserve our +religion by arms: especially, when it hath been established by the laws +of the land, and become a land right, and the dearest and most precious +right and interest we have to contend for. It is true faith Christ, John +xviii. 36. 'My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this +world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to +the Jews.' But this objection will not conclude, that Christ's kingdom +is not to be defended and preserved by resistance, of all that would +impiously and sacrilegiously spoil us of it in this world, because it is +not of this world: for then all were obliged to suffer it to be run +down, by slaves of hell and satan, and antichrist's vassals, papists and +malignants: yea, magistrates were not to fight for it, for they are +among his servants, if they be Christians. But the good confession he +witnesses here before Pilate, is, that he hath a kingdom, which, as it +is not in opposition to any cesarean majesty; so it must not be usurped +upon by any king of clay, but is specially distinct from all the +kingdoms of the world, and subordinate to no earthly power, being of a +spiritual nature; whereof this is a demonstration, and sufficient +security for earthly kingdoms, that his servants, as such, that is, as +Christians, and as ministers, were not appointed by him to propagate it +by arms, nor to deliver him their king at that time, because he would +not suffer his glorious design of redemption to be any longer retarded: +but this doth not say, but though they are not to propagate it as +Christians, and as ministers, by carnal weapons, yet they may preserve +it with such weapons as men. Hence that old saying may be vindicated, +prayers and tears are the arms of the church. I grant they are so, the +only best prevailing arms, and without which all others would be +ineffectual, and that they (together with preaching and church +discipline, &c.) are the only ecclesiastical or spiritual arms of a +church as a church; but the members thereof are also men, and as men +they may use the same weapons that others do, and ye my flock, the flock +of my pasture, are men, saith the Lord, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. Yea, from this +I shall take an argument; if it be lawful for private subjects, without +the concurrence of parliaments, to resist a tyrant by prayers and tears; +then it is lawful also to resist him by violence, but the former is +true, as our adversaries grant by this objection, and I have proved it +to be duty to pray against tyrants, Head 2. Ergo--. The connection is +founded upon these reasons, 1. This personal resistance by violence, is +as consistent with that command, Rom. xiii. 1. 2. 'Let every soul be +subject unto the higher powers--whosoever therefore resisteth the power, +resisteth the ordinance of God;' as resistance by prayer is with that, 1 +Tim. ii. 1, 2. I exhort--that--supplications--be made--for kings, and +for all that are in authority. If the prince be good, the one is as +unlawful as the other; and a sinful resistance of the ordinance of God +(to pray against him) no less than the other (to fight against him.) +Therefore when he becomes a tyrant, and destroyer of the Lord's +inheritance, and an apostate, as I may not pray for him except +conditionally, but against him as an enemy of Christ; so I may also +fight against him as such. 2. As adversaries themselves will grant, that +resistance by prayers and tears is more powerful and effectual than the +other; so the laws of the land make the one treasonable as well as the +other; and that deservedly, when the prince is doing his duty; but when +he turneth tyrant, neither can justly be condemned. + +These things being permitted, I shall come shortly to the purpose, and +endeavour to prove this truth, That it is a necessary duty for a +community (whether they have the concurrence of the primores, nobles, +and representatives or not) to endeavour, in the defence of their +religion, lives, laws, and liberties, to resist and repress the +usurpation and tyranny of prevailing dominators, using or abusing their +power, for subverting religion, invading the liberties, and overturning +the fundamental laws of the country. Wherein I shall be but short, +because this truth is sufficiently confirmed by all the arguments of the +second head; yet I may only hint at many others, and prosecute them in +this order. First, I shall produce some arguments from the law of nature +and nations. 2dly, From the common practice of all Christian people. +3dly, From express scriptures. + +I. The arguments of the first class are very multifarious: I shall +reduce them to a few, as compendiously as may be, and only give the +strength of them in a syllogistical form, without expatiating, save +where the matter requires. + +1. The great antagonists of this truth, through the clearness thereof, +are forced to assert and grant such particulars, as will by consequence +justify this plea. 1. Barclay contra Monarchum, is cited by the Apol. +Relat. and Jus Populi asserting 'That if a king will alienate and +subject his kingdom, without his subjects consent, or be carried with a +hostile mind to the destruction of his people, his kingdom is actually +lost, and the people may not only lawfully resist, but also depose him.' +Grotius de jure belli, lib. 1. cap. 4. asserts the same, and adds, 'If +he but attempt to do so he may be resisted.' The surveyor of Naphtali +grants the same, pag. 23, 24. Yea, this hath been granted in open court, +by the council of Scotland, That in case of the king's alienating his +kingdoms he may be resisted. Hence, 1. If vendition or alienation of +kingdoms, or attempts of it, do annul a king's authority, then an +alienation of them from Christ, to whom they are devoted by covenant, +and selling to antichrist, as is attempted by this king, gives the +people a right to resist him; but the former is here conceded: +Ergo--(2.) We need say no more to apply the other, that carrying a +hostile mind to the destruction of the people does forfeit his kingdom, +and gives the people right to resist, than that a papist is always known +to carry a hostile mind to the destruction of protestants, and all the +designs declared these 27 years have been demonstrative efforts of it. +2. Dr. Ferne acknowledgeth, 'That personal defence is lawful against the +sudden, illegal, and inevitable assaults of the king's messengers, or +of himself, in so far as to ward off his blows, or hold his hands. As +also, he alloweth private persons liberty to deny subsidies and tribute +to the prince, when he employeth it to the destruction of the +commonwealth.' Hence, (1.) If one may defend himself against the sudden, +illegal, and inevitable assaults of the king or his messengers; then may +many men, in defence of their lives and liberties, defend themselves +against the surprising massacres, the sudden assaults, and much more the +devised and deliberate assaults of a tyrant's bloody emissaries, which +are illegal and inevitable, as all their furious and bloody onsets have +been; but the former is here allowed: therefore,--3. Bodin de Repub. +lib. 2. cap. 5. granteth, 'If a king turn tyrant, he may lawfully, at +his subjects request, be invaded, resisted, condemned, or slain by a +foreign prince.' Hence, if foreign princes may lawfully help a people +oppressed by their own sovereign; then people may resist themselves, if +they be able and hold in their pains; but the former is here granted: +therefore----The consequence cannot be denied, for foreigners have no +more power or authority over another sovereign, than the people have +themselves. 4. Arnisaeus de Author. Princip. c. 2. n. 10. granteth, 'That +if the prince proceed extrajudicially, without order of law, by +violence, every private man hath power to resist.' So the surveyor of +Naphtali, as above, 'Grants so much of a woman's violent resisting +attempts against the honour of her chastity, and tending to ensnare her +in sin, whereof, her non-resistance makes her guilty.' Hence, (1.) If +every extrajudicial violence of a prince may be resisted; then also all +contrajudicial violence against law or reason must be opposed, for that +is more grievous, and all their violences, wherein they do not act as +judges, must be resisted, and that is all together, for in none of them +they can act as judges; but the former is here granted: therefore--2. +If a woman may defend her chastity against the king, lest her +non-resistance make her guilty, (oh, if all women had been of this mind, +the country would not have been pestered so with the king's bastards); +then may a nation, or any part of it, resist a tyrant's attempt upon the +honour of their religion, enticing them to fornication with the mother +of harlots, lest their non-resistance make them guilty; but the former +is here yielded: therefore,--5. That same Arnisaeus, cap. 4. saith, 'Of +the former (to wit, he who is called a tyrant in title) it is determined +by all without any difficulty, that he may be lawfully repulsed, or if +by force he be gotten into the throne, he may warrantably be thence +removed, because he hath not any jot of power which is not illegitimate, +and unto which resistance is forbidden for the fear of God and for +conscience sake, and therefore he is no further to be looked at than as +an enemy.' This is so pat and pertinent to the present possessor of the +government, that no words can more particularly apply it. 6. Grotius de +jure belli, lib. 1. cap. 4. granteth, the law of not resisting does not +bind when the danger is most weighty and certain, 'And we do not plead +for it in any other case.' And further he says, 'The law of +non-resistance seemeth to have flowed from them, who first combined +together into society, and from whom such as did command did derive +their power: now, if it had been asked of such, whether they would +choose to die, rather than in any case to resist the superior by arms? I +know not if they would have yielded thereto, unless with this addition, +if they could not be resisted but with the greatest perturbation of the +commonwealth, and destruction of many innocents. And afterwards he hath +these words, nevertheless I scarce dare condemn every one or the lesser +part, which may only be done at utmost extremity, notwithstanding +respect is to be had to the common good.' From which we need make no +inference, the concession is so large, that it answers our case. 7. The +surveyor of Naphtali, in the place above cited, 'Grants legal +self-defence against the sovereign, by way of plea in court, for safety +of a man's person or estate,--as also is the case of most habited, +notour and complete tyranny against law, to the destruction of the body +of a people, and of all known legal liberties, and the being of religion +according to law.--And in case of his not being in his natural and right +wits.'--Hence, (1.) If it be lawful to resist the king by a plea in law, +for an estate, (yea the law will allow), by actual force, if he come to +take possession of it illegally: then it must be lawful for their lives +and estates, liberties and religion, to resist him by force, when the +legal resistance is not admitted; but the former is yielded here: +therefore.--The reason of the connexion is, the municipal law permits +the one, and the law of nature and nations (which no municipal law can +infringe) will warrant the other: he hath no more right to be both judge +and party in this case, more than in the other: and he can no more act +as a sovereign in this case, than in the other. (2.) If it be lawful to +resist habited, notour, and complete tyranny against law, to the +destruction of the body of a people, and of all known legal liberties, +and the being of religion, according to law: then we desire no more to +conclude the duty of resisting this tyranny exercised this 27 years +habitually, which the desolation of many hundred families, the +banishment of many hundreds to slavery, the rivers of blood, &c. have +made notour to all Scotland at least, and the perversion of all the +fundamental laws, and all civil and religious liberties, yea the +subversion of every remaining model of our religion, as reformed and +covenanted to be preserved, in doctrine, worship, discipline and +government, and designs to introduce popery and establish arbitrary +government, have made complete; but the former is here granted: +therefore--3. If in case of his being out of his wits, he should run +upon an innocent man to kill him, or attempt to cut his own throat, it +were then lawful to resist him, yea, a sin not to do it; then when in a +rage, or deliberately, he is seeking to destroy many hundreds of the +people of God, he may be resisted; but the former is clear: therefore--. +4. King James the VI. in his remonstance for the right of kings, against +the oration of Cardinal Perron, hath these words, The public laws make +it lawful, and free for any private person, to enterprize against an +usurper of the kingdom. Then shall it not be duty, to enterprize against +a man, who by the laws of the land is not capable of a right to reign, +who hath got into the throne by the means of murder, and can pretend no +right but that of succession, which I proved to be, none, Head 2. +However, we see by these concessions of adversaries, that the absolute +subjection they talk of will not hold, nor the prerogative be so +uncontroulable in every case, as they would pretend, and that in many +cases, the safety of the people hath the supremacy above it; and that +also in these cases the people must be judges, whether they may resist +or not. + +2. From the law of nature I may argue, 1. If God, the fountain of all +power, and author of all right, hath given unto man both the power and +the right, of, and reason to manage self-defence, and hath noways +interdicted it in his word to be put forth against tyrants; then it is +duty to use it against them upon occasion; but the former is true: +therefore,--2. If this power and right were restrained in man against +the unjust violence of any, it would either be by policy, or grace, or +some express prohibition in the word of God; but none of these can be +said: therefore.--Policy cannot destroy nature, but is rather cumulative +to it; a man entering into a politic incorporation, does not lose the +privilege of nature: if one particular nature may defend itself against +destroying violence out of society, then must many of these natures +combined in society have the same right, and so much the more that their +relative duties super-add an obligation of mutual assistance. Grace does +not restrain the right of sinless nature, though it restrains +corruption: but self-defence is no corruption: Grace makes a man more a +man than he was. And nothing can be more dishonourable to the gospel, +than that by the law of nature it is lawful to resist tyrants, but we +are bound by religion from withstanding their cruelty: the laws of God +do not interfere one with another. 3. That law which alloweth +comparative re-offending, so as to kill rather than be killed, teacheth +resistance: but so the law of nature alloweth, except we be guilty of +murder in the culpable omission of self defence. The reason is, because +the love of self is nearer and greater, as to temporal life, than the +love of our neighbour: that being the measure of this: therefore it +obliges rather to kill than be killed, the exigence of necessity so +requiring. 4. If nature put no difference between the violence of a +tyrant than of another man: then it teaches to resist both alike: but it +putteth no difference, but rather aggravates that of a tyrant; being the +violence of a man, the injustice of a member of the commonwealth, and +the cruelty of a tyrant. And it were absurd to say, we might defend +ourselves from the lesser violence, and not from the greater. 5. If +particular nature must yield to the good of universal nature; then must +one man, though in greatest power, be resisted, rather than the +universal commonwealth suffer hurt: but the former is true; for that +dictates the necessity of the distracted father to be bound by his own +sons, lest all the family be hurt: Ergo the greatest of men or kings, +when destructive to the commonwealth, must be resisted; for he is but +one man, and so but particular nature. 6. That which is irrational, and +reflects upon Providence, as putting men in a worse condition than +brutes, is absurd and contrary to the law of nature: but to say, that +the brutes have power to defend themselves by resisting what annoys +them, and deny this power to men, is irrational and reflects upon +Providence, as putting men in a worse condition than brutes: therefore +it is absurd, and contrary to the law of nature. + +3. From the institution of government I may argue thus: that power and +government which is not of God may be resisted: the tyrants power and +government, in overturning laws, subverting religion, bringing in +idolatry, oppressing subjects, is not of God: Ergo it may be resisted: +the major is clear, because that is only the reason why he is not to be +resisted, because the ordinance of God is not to be resisted, Rom. xiii. +2. But they that resist a man destroying all the interests of mankind, +overturning laws, subverting religion, &c. do not resist the ordinance +of God. And if it were not so, this would tend irremedilessly to +overthrow all policies, and open a gap to all disorder, injustice, and +cruelty, and would give as great encouragement to tyrants to do what +they list, as thieves would be encouraged, if they knew nobody would +resist them or bring them to punishment. + +4. From the original constitution of government by men, it may be argued +thus: if people at the first erection of government acted rationally, +and did not put themselves in a worse case than before, wherein it was +lawful to defend themselves against all injuries, but devolved their +rights upon the fiduciary tutory of such, as should remain still in the +rank of men, that can do wrong, who had no power but by their gift, +consent, and choice, with whom they associated not to their detriment +but for their advantage, and determined the form of their government, +and time of its continuance, and in what cases they might recur to their +primeve liberty, and settled a succession to have course not _jure +hereditario_ but _jure et vi legis_, for good ends; then they did not +give away their birth-right of self-defence, and power of resistance, +which they had before to withstand the violence, injuries, and +oppressions of the men they set over them, when they pervert the form +and convert it to tyranny, but did retain a power and privilege to +resist and revolt from them, and repel their violence when they should +do violence to the constitution, and pervert the ends thereof: but the +former is true. Ergo--the minor is cleared, Head. 2. And the connexion +is confirmed from this; if the estates of a kingdom give the power to a +king, it is their own power in the fountain, and if they give it for +their own good, they have power to judge when it is used against +themselves, and for their evil; and so power to limit and resist the +power that they gave. + +5. From the way and manner of erecting governors by compact, the +necessity whereof is proven Head 2. Many arguments might be deduced; I +shall reduce them to this form: If people must propose conditions unto +princes, to be by them acquiesced in and submitted unto at their +admission to the government, which thereupon becomes the fundamental +laws of the government, and securities for the people's rights and +liberties, giving a law claim to the people to pursue the prince, in +case of failing in the main and principal thing covenanted, as their own +covenanted mandatarius who hath no jus or authority of his own, but what +he hath from them, and no more power but what is contained in the +conditions, upon which he undertaketh the government; Then when either +an usurper will come under no such conditions, or a tyrant doth break +all these conditions, which he once accepted, and so become stricto jure +no prince, and the people be stricto jure liberated from subjection to +him, they may and must defend themselves and their fundamental rights +and privileges, religion and laws, and resist the tyranny overturning +them: but the former is true, Ergo--The connexion is clear: and the +minor is proved Head 2. And at length demonstrated and applied to the +government of Charles the Second by Jus Populi. cap. 6. See Arg. 4, 5. +Head 2. + +6. From the nature of magistracy it may be argued thus, That power which +is properly neither parental, nor marital, nor masterly and despotic, +over the subjects, persons, and goods, but only fiduciary, and by way of +trust, is more to be resisted than that which is properly so; but that +power which is properly so, that is parental power, and marital, and +masterly, may be resisted in many cases; Therefore, that power which is +not so properly, but only fiduciary is more to be resisted. That a +king's power over his subjects, is neither parental, nor marital, &c. is +proven Head 2. And the major needs no probation. The minor is clear by +instances, 1. If children may, in case of necessity, resist the fury of +their father, seeking to destroy them; then must private subjects resist +the rage and tyranny of princes, seeking to destroy them, and what is +dearest to them; for there is no stricter obligation moral between king +and people, than between parents and children, nor so strict; and +between tyrants and people there is none at all; but the former cannot +be denied: Therefore,--2. If wives may lawfully defend themselves +against the unjust violence of enraged husbands; then must private +subjects have power to resist the furious assaults of enraged tyrants, +for there is not so great a tye betwixt them and people, as between man +and wife; yea there is none at all; but the former is true: Ergo,--3. If +servants may defend themselves against their masters; then must private +subjects defend themselves against a tyrant or his emissaries; but the +former is true: Ergo,--4. If the king's power be only fiduciary, and by +way of pawn, which he hath got to keep; then when that power is +manifestly abused, to the hurt of them that intrusted him with it, he +ought to be resisted by all whom he undertook to protect; but the +former is true: Therefore the latter. + +7. From the limited power of princes it may be thus argued: If princes +be limited by laws and contracts, and may be resisted by pleas in law, +and have no absolute power to do and command what they will, but must be +limited both by the laws of God and man, and cannot make what laws they +will in prejudice of the people's rights, nor execute the laws made +according to their pleasure, nor confer on others a lawless licence to +oppress whom they please; then when they turn tyrants, and arrogate a +lawless absoluteness, and cross the rules, and transgress the bounds +prescribed by God's laws, and man's laws, and make their own lusts a +law, and execute the same arbitrarily, they must be resisted by force, +when a legal resistance cannot be had, in defence of religion and +liberty; but all princes are limited, &c. Therefore,--The minor is +proved, Head 2. And the connexion may be thus confirmed in short: That +power which is not the ordinance of God may be resisted; but an absolute +illimited power, crossing the rules, and transgressing the bounds +prescribed by God's law and man's, is not the ordinance of God; +Therefore it may be resisted. + +8. Further from the rule of government, it may be argued several ways, +1. That power which is contrary to law, evil and tyrannical, can ty none +to subjection, but if it oblige to any thing, it ties to resistance; but +the power of a king against law, religion, and the interests of the +subjects, is a power contrary to law, evil and tyrannical: +Therefore,--The major is plain, for wickedness can ty no man, but to +resist it; that power which is contrary to law, evil and tyrannical is +wickedness. 2. That power, and those acts, which neither king can +exercise; nor command, nor others execute, nor any obey, must certainly +be resisted: but such is the power and acts that oppress the subjects, +and overturn religion and liberty; Therefore--The minor is evident from +scriptures condemning oppression and violence, both in them that +command, and in them that execute the same, and also them that obey such +wicked commands. The major is clear from reason; both because such power +and such acts as cannot be commanded, cannot be executed, cannot be +obeyed lawfully, are sinful and wicked: and because it cannot be a +magistratical power, for that may always be exercised and executed +lawfully. And what a man cannot command, the resisting of that he cannot +punish; but acts of oppression against law, religion, and liberty, a man +cannot command; Ergo, the resisting of these he cannot punish. 3. That +government of administration, which is not subordinate to the law and +will of God, who hath appointed it, must be resisted; but that +government or administration, which undermines or overturns religion and +liberty, is not subordinate to the law and will of God; Therefore--The +major is clear; for nothing but what is the ordinance of God, +subordinate to his law and will, is irresistible, Rom. xiii. 2. The +assumption is undeniable. + +9. From the ends of government, which must be acknowledged by all to be +the glory of God, and the good of mankind; yea, all that have been +either wise or honest, have always held that the safety of the people is +the supreme law. The argument may run thus, in short, 1. That doctrine +which makes the Holy One to cross his own ends in giving governors, must +be absurd and unchristian as well as irrational; but such is the +doctrine that makes all kings and tyrants irresistible upon any pretence +whatsoever: Ergo--The minor I prove: That doctrine which makes God +intending his own glory and the people's good, to give governors both as +fathers to preserve, and as murderers to destroy them, must make the +Holy One to cross his own ends; for these are contradictory; but the +doctrine that makes all kings and tyrants irresistible, &c. is such: +for, by office, they are fathers to preserve, and, by office also, they +must be murderers, vested with such a power from God, by the first act, +if they be irresistible when they do so; seeing every power that is +irresistible is the ordinance of God. Hence also when a blessing turns a +curse, it is no more the ordinance of God, but to be resisted; but when +a king turns a tyrant, overturning religion and liberty, then a blessing +turns a curse: Therefore--2. Means are to be resisted, when they are not +useful for, but destructive to the ends they were appointed for; but +governors overturning religion and liberty, are means not useful for, +but destructive to the ends for which they were appointed; seeing then +they are neither for the glory of God, nor the good of mankind: +Therefore--3. If all powers and prerogatives of men are only means +appointed for, and should vail unto the supreme law of the people's +safety, and all laws be subordinate to, and corroborative of this law, +and when cross to it are in so far null, and no laws, and all law +formalities in competition with it are to be laid aside, and all +parliamentary privileges must yield to this, and king and parliament +both conspiring have no power against it; and no sovereign power, by +virtue of any resignation from the people can comprize any authority to +act against it; then it is duty to obey this supreme law, in resisting +all powers and prerogatives, all laws, and law formalities, and all +conspiracies whatsoever against this supreme law, the safety of the +people; but the former is true, as was proven Head 2. Therefore--4. That +power which is obliged, and appointed to command and rule justly and +religiously, for the good of the people, and is only set over them on +these conditions, and for that end, cannot ty them to subjection without +resistance, when the power is abused to the destruction of laws, +religion and people; but all power is so obliged and appointed: +therefore, whensoever it is so abused, it cannot ty people to +subjection, but rather oblige them to rejection of it. + +10. From the obedience required to government, it may be argued thus. 1. +If we may flee from tyrants, then we may resist them; but we may flee +from tyrants: therefore we may resist them. The connexion I prove, (1.) +If all grounds of justice will warrant the one as well as the other, +then if the one be duty, so is the other; but the former is true; for +the same justice and equity that warrants declining a tyrant's unjust +violence by flight, will warrant resistance when flight will not do it; +the same principle of self-defence, that makes flight duty, when +resistance is not possible, will also make resistance duty, when flight +is not possible; the same principle of charity to wives and children, +that makes flight lawful, when by resistance they cannot avoid tyranny, +will make resistance duty, when by flight they cannot evite it; the same +principle of conscience to keep religion free, that prompts to flight, +when resistance will not save it, will also prompt to resist it, when +flight is not practicable. (2.) If to flee from a just power, when in +justice we are obnoxious to its sword, be to resist the ordinance of +God, and so sin: then to flee from an unjust power, must be also a +resisting of the abusing of it, and so duty, for the one is resistance +as well as the other; but the difference of the power resisted makes the +one lawful; the other not. Again, if royal power may be resisted by +interposing seas and miles, why not also by interposing walls and arms? +Both is resistance, for against a lawful magistrate that would be +resistance. (3.) If a tyrant hath irresistible power to kill and destroy +the people, he hath also irresistible power to cite and summon them +before him; and if it be unlawful to resist his murders, it must be as +unlawful to resist his summons. (4.) For a church or community of +Christians, persecuted for religion, to flee with wives and children, +strong and weak, old and young, to escape tyrannical violence, and +leave the land, were more unlawful than to resist; for what is not +possible as a natural means of preservation is not a lawful mean; but +this were not a possible mean: neither is it warranted in nature's law, +or God's word, for a community or society of Christians, that have God's +right and man's law to the land, and the covenanted privileges thereof, +to leave the country and cause of Christ, and all in the hands of a +tyrant and papist, to set up idolatry upon the ruins of reformation +there. A private man may flee, but flight is not warranted of them as of +a private single man. 2. If it be duty to disobey, it is duty to resist +tyrants, in defence of religion and liberty; but it is duty to disobey +them: Therefore--The connection only will be struck at, which is thus +strengthened: If subjection be no more pressed in scripture than +obedience, then if non-obedience be duty, non-subjection must be so +also, and consequently resistance; but subjection is no more pressed in +scripture than obedience; for all commands of subjection to the higher +powers, as God's ministers, under pain of damnation, do only respect +lawful magistrates, and in lawful things, and do include obedience: and +non-obedience to the power so qualified is a resisting of the ordinance +of God, as well as non-subjection. If then obedience to magistrates be +duty, and non-obedience sin, and obedience to tyrants sin, and +non-obedience duty; then by parity of reason, subjection to magistrates +is duty, and non-subjection is sin, and also subjection to tyrants is +sin, and non-subjection duty. + +11. From the resistance allowed in all governments, it may be argued +thus; if it be duty to defend our religion, lives and liberties, against +an invading army of cut-throat papists, Turks or Tartars, without or +against the magistrates warrant; then it must be duty to defend the same +against invading home-bred tyrants, except we would subscribe ourselves +home-born slaves: but the former is true; therefore--The minor cannot +be doubted, because the magistrates power cannot be privative and +destructive to defence of our religion, lives and liberties; nor can it +take away nature's birth-right to defend these, or make it fare the +worse, than if we had no magistrates at all. Now, if we had no +magistrates at all, we might defend these against invaders; and whether +we have magistrates or not, we are under moral obligations of the law of +God to endeavour the defence of these: but this needs not be insisted +on. The connexion of the proposition is clear; if princes be more +tyrannical in invading religion and liberties themselves, than in +suffering others to do it, or hindering them to be opposed: and if their +invasion be more tyrannical, hurtful and dangerous, than the invasion of +strangers, then if it be duty to resist strangers invading their +interests, it is more duty to resist home-bred tyrants invading the +same; but the former is true: therefore the latter. Resisting in the one +case is no more resisting the ordinance of God than in the other. + +12. From the motives of resistance we may draw this argument, which +might be branched out into several, but I shall reduce it to this +complex one: if when we are in a capacity, we cannot acquit ourselves in +the duties that we owe to our covenanted religion, and our covenanted +brethren, and posterity, and ourselves, nor absolve exoner ourselves +from the sin and judgment of tyrants, who overturn religion, oppress our +brethren, impose slavery on ourselves, and entail it upon posterity, by +a passive subjection, submission to and not opposing these mischiefs; +then resistance is necessary: but the former is true: therefore--. The +connexion is clear, for there cannot be a medium; if we cannot discharge +these duties by subjection, submission, and not opposing, then we must +do them by non-subjection, non-submission, and opposing, since they must +be done some way. The assumption is thus confirmed. 2. The duties we owe +to religion, when it is corrupted, declined from, and overturned, are +not only to reform our own hearts and ways, and keep ourselves pure from +the corruptions established, and to rebuke and witness against the +compliers with the same, and so by work, doing and suffering, keep and +contend for the word of our testimony; but further, when, by the +constitution of the kingdom, religion is become a fundamental law, and +consequently the magistrate, overturning it, is violating and everting +the main grounds and ends of the government, and turning grassant and +ingrained tyrant, especially when it is not only so authorised and +confirmed by law, but corroborated by solemn vows and covenants made and +sworn unto God by all ranks of people, to maintain and defend this +religion with their lives and fortunes,--and resist all contrary errors +and corruptions according to their vocation: and the utmost of that +power that God puts in their hands all the days of their lives; as also +mutually to defend and assist one another, (as in the national +covenant.) And sincerely, really, and constantly endeavour--the +preservation of the reformed religion in doctrine, worship, discipline +and government, the extirpation of popery, prelacy, &c.--and to assist +and defend all those that enter into the same bond in the maintaining +thereof,--(as in the solemn league;) then to defend and maintain that +religion, and themselves professing it; when it is sought to be razed; +this must be an interest as necessary to be defended, as that of our +bodies which is far inferior, and as necessary a duty, as to defend our +nation and civil liberties from perpetual slavery, and as preferable +thereunto, as Christ's interest is to man's, and as the end of all +self-preservation is to the means of it, the preservation of religion +being the end of all self-preservation; but this duty cannot be +discharged without resistance, in a mere passive subjection and +submission: otherwise the same might be discharged in our universal +submission to Turks coming to destroy our religion. Certainly this +passive way cannot answer the duty of pleading for truth, Isa. lix. 4. +seeking the truth, Jer v. 1. being valiant for it, Jer. ix. 3. making up +the hedge, standing in the gap, &c. Ezek. xxii. 30. which yet are +necessary incumbent duties according to our capacity; therefore we +cannot answer the duties we owe to religion in a mere passive way. 2. +The duty we owe to our covenanted brethren, is to assist and defend +them, and relieve them when oppressed, as we are bound by our covenants, +and antecedently by the royal law of Christ, the foundation of all +righteousness among men toward each other, Matth. vii. 12. 'All things +whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to +them.'--We would have them helping us when we are oppressed, so should +we do to them when it is in the power of our hands to do it, and not +forbear to deliver them for fear the Lord require their blood at our +hand, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. But this cannot be done by mere subjection +without resistance. 3. There is no way to free ourselves of the sin and +judgment of tyrants, by mere passive subjection: we find in the +scriptures, people have been so involved and punished for the sins of +tyrants; as the people of Judah for Manasseh, 2 Kings xxi. 11. &c. Jer. +xv. 4. whose sins if they had not been committed, the judgment for them +had been prevented, and if the people had hindered them they had not +smarted; but being jointly included with their rulers in the same bond +of fidelity to God, and made accountable as joint principals with their +kings for that debt, by their mutual as well as several engagements to +walk in his ways, they were liable to be punished for their rebellion +and apostacy, because they did not hinder it. Hence somewhat must be +done to free ourselves of their sin, and to escape their judgments: but +this can be nothing else but opposition to them by resistance; or else +if we make any other opposition, it will make us more a prey to their +jury. + +II. Secondly, This truth is confirmed from the common practice of the +people of God, even under persecution. Whence I shall draw an argument +from examples, which, to condemn, were impious, and, to deny, were most +impudent. And, for form's sake, it may run thus: What the people of God, +under both testaments, have frequently done, in time of persecution, for +defending, vindicating, or recovering their religion and liberties, may +and ought to be done again in the like circumstances, when these are in +the like hazard; but, under both testaments, the people of God +frequently in times of persecution have defended, vindicated, or +recovered their religion and liberties by defensive arms, resisting the +sovereign powers that sought to destroy them: therefore this may and +ought to be done again, when these religious, civil and natural +privileges, are in the like hazard to be destroyed by the violent +encroachments of the sovereign powers. The proposition cannot be denied, +except by them that do profess themselves enemies to the people of God, +and condemn their most frequently reiterated practices most solemnly and +signally owned of God, to the confusion of their enemies, to the +convicton of the world that the cause for which they contended was of +God, and to the encouragement of all the patrons of such a cause, to +hope, that when it is at the lowest it shall have a revival and glorious +issue. It is true, sometimes they did not resist, when either they were +not in a capacity, or did not see a call to such an action, but were not +extraordinarily spirited of the Lord for passive testimonies under a +suffering dispensation: but it is as true, that many times they did +resist, when the Lord capacitated, called, and spirited them for active +testimonies. And therefore, if their suffering under these circumstances +may be imitated, by a people so stated; then also their actions under +these other circumstances may be imitated, by a people in the like case. +And by an impartial scrutiny it will be found, that the examples of +their endeavoured resistance will be little inferior, if not superior in +number or importance, to the examples of their submissive sufferings in +all ages; which will appear in the probation of the assumption, by +adduction of many instances, which I shall only cursorily glean out of +that plentiful harvest that histories afford. + +1. I need only to glance at that known and famous history of the +Maccabees, of undoubted verity, though not of cannonical authority. In +which according to scripture predictions, we have a notable account of +heroic enterprises, atchievements, and exploits performed by them that +knew their God, and tendered his glory, and their religion and country's +liberties, above the common catechrestic notions of uncontroulable +irresistible royalty, and absolute implicit loyalty, that have abused +the world in all ages. We have there an account of the noble and +successful resistance of a party of a few godly and zealous patriots, +without the concurrence of civil authority, or countenance of the ephori +or nobles of the kingdom, against a king universally acknowledged and +subjected unto, that came in peaceably, and obtained the kingdom by +flatteries, with whom the greatest part and those of the greatest note +took part, and did wickedly against the covenant and nation's interest, +and were corrupted by flatteries: yet a few priests, with the +concurrence of some common countrymen, did go to arms against him and +them; and the Lord did wonderfully assist them for a considerable time; +as was foretold by Daniel xi. This fell out under the persecution of +Antiochus Epiphanes, and was happily begun by Matthias a godly priest, +and his five sons, who, being commanded under severe certifications to +worship according to the then law, and the king's wicked lust, did +valiantly resist that abomination, and went to defensive arms: which, +while living, he patronized, and, when a dying, did encourage his sons +to it by a notable oration, shewing what case his country was in, and +what a duty and dignity it was to redeem and deliver it. This was +vigorously prosecuted by Judas Maccabeus, expressly for the quarrel of +religion and liberty, against that mighty tyrant and all his emissaries. + +2. To come to the history of the gospel dispensation: It is true in that +time of the primitive persecutions under heathen emperors, this +privilege of self-defence was not so much improved or contended for by +Christians, who studied more to play the martyrs, than to play the men, +because in these circumstances the Lord was pleased to spirit for and +call them unto, and accept of their hands passive testimonies; while +they were incorporate under a civil relation with the heathens, in +subjection to governors who did not by open tyranny, overturn their +civil liberties, only did endeavour to eradicate religion, which, at +that time, had never become their right by law; while they were +scattered and out of capacity, and never could come to a separate formed +community by joint concurrence and correspondence, to undertake a +declared resistance; while religion was only a propagating through the +nations, and the Lord providentially did preclude the least appearance +that might be of propagating it by any formed force, being the gospel of +peace, designed to save, and not to destroy: yet even then, instances +are not wanting of Christians resisting their enemies, and of rescuing +their ministers, &c. As they are found on record. 1. How some inhabiting +Mareota, with force rescued Dionysius, of Alexandria, out of the hands +of such as were carrying him away, about the year 255. 2. How about the +year 310, the Arminians waged war against Maximus, who was come against +them with an army because of their religion. 3. How about the year 342, +the citizens of Athanasius their minister, against Gregorius the +intruded curate and Syrianus the emperor's captain, who came with great +force to put him in. 4. How about the year 356, the people of +Constantinople did in like manner stand to the defence of Paulus, +against Constantius the emperor, and killed his captain Hermogenes; and +afterwards, in great multitudes, they opposed the intrusion of the +heretic Macedonius. 5. How, when a wicked edict was sent forth to pull +down the churches of such as were for the clause of one substance, the +christians that maintained that testimony resisted the bands of +soldiers, that were procured at the emperor's command by Macedonius, to +force the Mantinians to embrace the Arian heresy; but the Christians at +Mantinium, kindled with an earnest zeal towards Christian religion, went +against the soldiers with chearful minds and valiant courage, and made a +great slaughter of them. 6. How, about the year 387, the people of +Cesarea did defend Basil their minister. 7. How, for fear of the people, +the lieutenant of the emperor Valens durst not execute those 80 priests +who had come to supplicate the emperor, and were commanded to be killed +by him. 8. How the inhabitant's of mount Nitria espoused Cyril's +quarrel, and assaulted the lieutenant, and forced his guards to flee. 9. +How, about the year 404, when the emperor had banished Chrysostom, the +people flocked together, so that the emperor was necessitated to call +him back again from his exile. 10. How the people resisted also the +transportation of Ambrose, by the command of Valentinian the emperor; +and chused rather to lose their lives, than to suffer their pastor to be +taken away by the soldiers. 11. How the Christians, oppressed by +Baratanes king of Persia, did flee to the Romans to seek their help. And +Theodosius, the emperor, is much praised for the war which he commenced +against Chosroes king of Persia, upon this inducement, that the king +sought to ruin and extirpate those Christians in his dominions, that +would not renounce the gospel. + +3. But when religion was once embraced in embodied corporations, and +established by law, and became a people's common interest and liberty, +in a capacity to defend it with their lives and other liberties, and +when it was propagated through the nations; then the Lord did call for +other more active testimonies, in the preservation and defence of it: of +which we have many instances in histories. About the year 894, the +Bohemian Christians resisted Drahomica their queen, who thought to have +destroyed them, and reintroduced paganism. About the year 1420, they +maintained a long defensive war against the government, and the pope's +legates, under the management of their brave captain Zizca; which was +further prosecuted after him by the remaining Thaborites. And again in +this century, in the year 1618, they maintained a defensive war against +the emperor Ferdinand II. electing and erecting a new king in opposition +to him, Frederick Palatine of the Rhine, in which cause many received a +crown of martyrdom: and this was also espoused by king James VI, who +sent to aid his son in law against the emperor. + +4. It we look to the histories of the Waldenses, these constant opposers +of antichrist, we will find many instances of their resistance. About +the year 1194, very early, while Waldo (from whom they had their name) +was alive, they began to defend themselves by arms, after the bloody +edict of Alphonsus king of Arragon; an edict so like to many of ours +emitted this day, as it would seem our enemies have taken the copy of +it: so it were very seemly for the people grieved with such edicts to +imitate the copy of the Waldenses their practice, in opposition to them. +In the year 1488, they resist by arms Albert de Capitaneis, sent by pope +Innocent VIII. in Pragola and Frassaniere, and throughout Piedmont; +where, for the most part, the offspring of the old Waldenses had their +residence, where, very evidently, through many successions of ages, they +shewed themselves to be the true successors of their worthy +progenitors, valiant for the truth. That's a famous instance of their +resistance, in opposing vigorously the Lord of trinity, in that same +Piedmont, at which time they so solemnly asked their ministers, Whether +it were not lawful to defend themselves against his violence? Who +answered affirmatively. And accordingly they did it with wonderful +success at that time, and many times thereafter. Especially it is notour +in the memory of this present age, how in the year 1655, a vigorous +defensive war was prosecuted against the duke of Savoy, by their +captains Ginavel, Jahier, &c. which was espoused by many protestant +princes. And no further gone than the very last year, it is known how +they resisted the arms of that tyger, and the French that helped him, +and that their simplicity in trusting popish promises was their ruin. + +5. If we look over the histories of the Albigenses, we find many +instances of their defensive resisting their oppressing superiors. About +the year 1200, they defended themselves at Beziers and Carcasson, +against the pope's legate and his crossed soldiers, under the conduct +first of the earl of Beziers, and then of the earl of Foix, and earl of +Remand of Thoulouse, and were helped by the English, who then possessed +Guienne bordering upon Thoulouse; which resistance continued several +years. Afterwards in the year 1226, they maintained a resistance against +the king of France. + +6. In Spain, we find the people of Arragon contesting with Alphonsus +III. and associating themselves together against him. And they tell +Pedro III. their king, that if he would not contain himself within the +limits of the laws, they would pursue him by arms, about the year 1283. +As also other Spaniards, who rose in arms several times against Pedro +the first king of Castile. + +7. It was this which brought the Cantons of Helvetia into this state of +freedom, wherein they have continued many years: for, about the year +1260, they levied war against their oppressing nobles. And in the year +1308, they joined in covenant to defend themselves against the house of +Austria; and in the year 1315, they renewed it at Brunna, in which, at +length, the rest of the Cantons joined, and formed themselves into a +commonwealth. + +8. If we take a glance of the Germans, we will find at the very +commencement of the reformation, as soon as they got the name of +protestants, they resisted the emperor Charles V. The duke of Saxon, the +land grave of Hesse, and the city of Magedburgh, with advice of lawyers, +concluded. 'That the laws of the empire permitted resistance of the +emperor in some cases, that the times were then so dangerous, that the +very force of conscience did leave them to arms, and to make a league to +defend themselves though Cesar or any in his name should make war +against them--for since he attempteth to root out religion, and subvert +our 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 and profane histories.--And so +they undertook and stated the war upon the account of religion and +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 arms; having thereby +recovered both religion and liberty, and established themselves into a +flourishing state. We find even in the time of D. de Alva's persecution, +they began to defend Haerlem and Valenciennes in Hainault, and went on +till under the conduct of William of Nassau 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 tyranny. + +10. If we go to the French Hugonets, we will find many instances among +them, and many brave heroes raised up, to maintain the principle, and +prosecute the practice thereof, of older and later date. The history of +the civil wars of France is stored with their trophies; and the memories +of Conde and Coligni will ever be fragrant. There were many resistances +there, both before and 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 Matthias denied the free +exercise of religion unto the protestants of Austria, they took up arms +in their own defence, and sent a protestation unto the states of +Hungary, requiring their assistance, conform to their league. And now +this present war there founded upon this plea. + +12. The Polonians have oftentimes levied war against their kings: and we +are furnished by Clark in his Martyrol. with a late instance of their +resistance against the sovereign powers, at Lesna in Poland, in the year +1655. + +13. The Danes and Swedes have not been wanting, for their parts, in +taking course with their Christierns, kings of that name, whom they +resisted and 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 and celebrated monarchs in the world have +espoused the quarrel of oppressed subjects. Not only such as Tamerlane, +whose observable saying is noted, when he advanced against Bajazet, I go +(says he) to chastise his tyranny and to deliver the afflicted people. +And Philip and Lewis of France, who assisted the barons of England +against king John. And Charles the great, who upon this ground undertook +a war against the Lombards in Italy. But even Constantine the great, +hath it recorded for his honour, that he employed his power and force +against Licinius, upon no other motive but because he banished, +tortured, and destroyed those Christians in his dominions, that would +not abandon their religion. And queen Elisabeth is commended for +assisting the Dutch to maintain their religion by force, when they could +not enjoy it by favour. And king James the VI. gave public aid to the +protestants in Germany and Bohemia against the emperor. 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 I. this man's 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 kingdoms, yet he was forced to declare, in +his acts of oblivion and pacification, The Scots late taking up arms +against him, in defence of their religion, laws and privileges, to be no +treason nor rebellion.--See Apol. Relat. Sect. 11. pag. 149. And though +the late Charles II. condemned all the risings of the people of Scotland +for defence of religion and liberty, and their lives and privileges +which his own tyranny forced them into; yet he justified the present +revolt of heathens and Mahometan subjects from the young king of Bantam +in Java Major in the East Indies, who, when he got the government in his +hands by his father's resignation, killed his subjects, and caused them +to be killed without any cause, which was the reason of their revolt +from him, and defending the father against the son: this defensive war +of these subjects was justified by the said Charles, in his sending +ammunition, &c. for relief. These, and many more instances that might be +adduced, are sufficient evidences of the righteousness and reason of +such resistances, when the greatest of princes have undertaken the +patrociny 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 adduce some +practices of the Lord's people, frequently reiterated, never condemned, +always 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 atchievements. 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 history. + +1. I shall begin at the first war that is recorded in the world: wherein +some lots fell to the godly at first, but afterwards by the virtue and +valour of their brethren they were vindicated, and the victory recovered +with honour. Lot, and his family living in Sodom, was taken prisoner, by +Chedarlaomer and his confederates, Gen. xiv. 12. but Abraham hearing of +it, armed his trained his servants, and pursued them to Dan, and rescued +him, ver. 14,--19. thereby justifying that rebellion of the cities of +the plain, by taking part and vindicating the rebels. Hence, he that may +rescue subjects from the violence of any tyrannizing domination by arms, +may also rise with these subjects to oppose that violence; but here is +an example of that in Abraham:--therefore, + +2. After the Lord's 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, Judg. iii. 1, 2. And when they did +evil in the sight of the Lord, he sold them into the hand of Cushan +Rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, whom they served and were subject to +eight years, vers. 8. but when they cried unto the Lord, their +rebellion, shaking off that yoke, was successful under the conduct of +Othniel, vers. 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 arms, under the conduct of +Ehud, they recovered their liberty. And after his death, falling into +that sin again, which procured the like misery, they became subject to +Jabin king of Canaan, who twenty years mightily oppressed them, Judg. +iv. 1-3. but by the Lord's commandment, under the conduct of Deborah and +Barak, they rebelled and prevailed. Whence, if the Lord's people serving +a sovereign domineering power, may shake off the yoke of their +subjection: then it is duty to defend themselves and resist them, for +there is no other way of shaking it off; but these examples prove the +former: therefore,--Obj. If any cavil that these were not their own +kings, to whom they owed allegiance, but only invading conquerors, whom +they might resist. I answer, (1.) Yet they were the sovereign powers for +the time; and therefore, if royalists and loyalists grounds hold good, +they ought upon no pretence whatsoever to have been resisted: and though +possibly they might not be by compact their own kings, yet by conquest +they were, as much as that would make them, and by their own consent, +when they paid them king's due, viz. tribute, (2.) No more are they our +kings, who either intrude themselves into an arbitrary domination over +us, (without any terms of a compact upon a pretence of hereditary +succession) or being our covenanted kings overturn all the conditions of +their compact, and degenerate into tyrants: to such we owe no +allegiance, more than Israel did to these dominators. (3.) I retort that +old Colewort twice boiled, who should be judge, whether they were their +own lawful kings or not? For they acted as kings, and thought themselves +their absolute lords, and gave themselves out to be such; and yet we +find an approved rebellion against them. Mr. Gee, in his Magistrate's +Original, chap. 8. Sect. 4. Pag. 268. improves these instances to the +same purpose; and adds, 'Neither (as far as my observation goes) can any +immediate or extraordinary command or word for what they so did be +pretended to, or pleaded from the text, for many of them, or for any, +save Barak or Gideon.' + +3. Yet Gideon's example, though he had an extraordinary call, cannot be +pretended as unimitable on the matter; for that was ordinary, though the +call and manner was extraordinary. He, with the concurrence of a very +few men, did break the yoke of subjection to Midian, Judg. vi. and vii. +chap. and having called his brethren out of all mount Ephraim, into a +conjunction with him in the pursuit of his victory; when he demanded +supply of the princes of Succoth, and of the men of Penuel, and they +denied it, he served them as enemies. Whence, if a small party may with +God's approbation deliver themselves, and the whole of their community, +from the bondage of their oppressing dominators whom they had served +several years, and may punish their princes that do not come out to +their help, in a concurrence with them, and encouragement of them in +that attempt; then must it be duty to defend themselves against their +oppressors that rule over them, and all ought to concur in it; or else +there would not be justice in punishing them that were defective in this +work; but we see the former from this example: therefore,--Obj. If it be +said, Gideon, and the rest of the extraordinary raised judges, were +magistrates, therefore they might defend and deliver their country, +which a private people that are only subjects may not do. I answer. (1.) +They were subject to these tyrants that oppressed them who were then the +sovereign powers of that time, and yet they shook off their yoke by +defensive arms. (2.) They were not then magistrates when they first +appeared for their country's defence and deliverance, neither in that +did they act as such, but only as captains of rebels, in the esteem of +them that had power over them. It is clear, Gideon was not ruler, till +that authority was conferred upon him after the deliverance. See Judg. +viii. 22, &c. yet he did all this before. + +When his bastard Abimelech usurped the government, and was made king by +the men of Shechem, at length God sending an evil spirit between him and +his accomplices that set him up, not only was he resisted by the +treacherous Schechemites, (which was their brand and bane in the +righteous judgment of God), for their aiding him at first and killing +his brethren, Judg. ix. 23, 24, &c. but also he was opposed by others of +the men of Israel, as at Thebez, where he was slain by a woman, vers. +50. at the end. Whence, if an usurping tyrant, acknowledged as king by +the generality, may be disowned by the godly, and threatened with God's +vengeance to consume both him and his accomplices that comply with him; +and if he may be opposed and resisted, not only by those that set him +up, but also by others that were in subjection to him, and at length be +killed by them, without resentment of the rest of the nation; then must +it be duty for a people, who had no hand in the erection of such a +dominator, to defend themselves against his force; but the former is +true by this example: therefore----. + +5. When Israel fell under the tyranny of Ammon, oppressing them eighteen +years, they did, by resisting these supreme powers, shake off their +yoke, under the conduct of Jephthah. And being challenged sharply by the +men of Ephraim, who it seems claimed the prerogative of making war, and +therefore came to revenge and reduce Jephthah and his company to order, +casting herein belike a copy to our regular loyalists, who are very +tenacious of this plea of the Ephraimites, that, at least, without the +nobles of the kingdom, no war is to be made; yet we find Jephthah did +not much regard it, but stoutly defended himself, and slew of them +42,000 men, by their Shibboleth, Judg. xii. If people then, when +questioned for defending themselves, by them that claim a superiority +over them, and should deliver them, may defend themselves both without +them and against them; then it is a people's duty and privilege: but the +former is true by this example. + +6. They were then made subject to the Philistines 46 years, whom the men +of Judah acknowledged for their rulers: yet Samson, that rackle-handed +saint, never ceased from pelting them upon all occasions: and when +challenged for it by the men of Judah, saying, 'Knowest thou not that +the Philistines are rulers over us? What is that, that thou hast done?' +Samson objects nothing against their being rulers; but notwithstanding +prosecutes his purpose of vindicating himself in defence of his country, +as they did unto me, says he, so have I done unto them, Judg. xv. 11. +Hence, If saints may avenge themselves upon them whom the country calls +rulers, and when enabled by God, may do to them as they did to them; +then must it be a duty for them to defend themselves against them; but +the antecedent is true by this example. + +7. When Saul, in the pursuit of the Philistines, had charged the people +with a foolish oath (like unto many of the ensnaring oaths that monarchs +use to impose upon people) not to eat any food until the evening, +Jonathan his son tasted but a little honey, and lo he must die; which +Saul confirmed with another peremptory oath, God do so to him, and more +also, if he should not die. Whereupon the people, as resolute on the +other hand to save him, resisted the rage of that ruler, and swore as +peremptorily, that not one hair of his head should fall to the ground. +So the people rescued Jonathan that he died not, 1 Sam. xiv. 44, 45. +Hence, If people may covenant by oath to resist the commands, and rescue +a man from a tyrant's cruelty, then it is duty to defend themselves +against him: the antecedent is true here. + +8. Afterwards, when the manner of the king, presaged by Samuel, was +verified in Saul's degeneration into many abuses of government, this +privilege of resistance was not wholly mancipated, but maintained by +David's defensive appearance with his little army, he took Goliah's +sword, not for ornament, or only to fright Saul, but to defend himself +with it, and was captain first to four hundred men, 1 Sam. xxii. 2. had +a mind to keep out Keilah against him with six hundred men, 1 Sam. +xxiii. 13. and afterwards a great host came to him to Ziklag, while he +kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish, 1 Chron. xii. 1. +throughout, where they left Saul, and came and helped David against him. +This is proved at length by Lex Rex. quest. 32. p. 340. + +9. The city Abel, whether Sheba the traitor had fled, did well to resist +Joab the king's general, coming to destroy a whole city for a traitor's +sake, and not offering peace to it (according to the law, Deut. xx. 10.) +and defended themselves by gates and walls, notwithstanding he had a +commission from the king, 2 Sam. xx. and after the capitulating, they +are never challenged for rebellion. + +10. The ten tribes revolted from the house of David, when Rehoboam +claimed an absolute power, and would not acquiesce to the people's just +conditions, 1 Kings xii. 2 Chron. x. which is before justified, Head 2. +Hence, if it be lawful for a part of the people to shake off the king, +refuse subjection to him, and set up a new one, when he but resolves to +play the tyrant; then it must be duty to resist his violence, when he is +tyrannizing; but the antecedent is clear from this example. This is +vindicated at more length by Jus pop. ch. 3. p. 52. + +11. The example of Elisha the prophet is considerable, 2 Kings vi. 32. +"Elisha sat in his house, (and the elders sat with him) and the king +sent a man before him; but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the +elders, See how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine +head; look when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast +at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?" Here was +violent resistance resolved both against the man and the master, though +the king of the land for the time. And this calling him the son of a +murderer, and resisting him, is no more extraordinary (though it was an +extraordinary man's act) than it is for a plaintiff to libel a true +crime against a wicked person, and for an oppressed man to close the +door upon a murderer, Lex Rex, quest. 32. p. 346. Hence, if a king or +his messenger coming to use unjust violence, against an innocent +subject, be no more to be regarded than a murderer's emissary, but may +be resisted by that innocent subject; then must a community of such +innocent subjects defend themselves against a tyrant or his emissaries, +coming against them on such a wicked errand; the antecedent is here +clear. + +12. The city Libnah revolted from under Jehoram's tyranny, 2 Chron. xxi. +10. p. Martyr on the place saith, They revolted, because he endeavoured +to compel them to idolatry. This is justified above, Head 2. Hence, if +it be lawful for a part of the people to revolt from a tyrannical +prince, making defection from the true religion; then it is duty to +defend themselves against his force: the antecedent is here plain. + +13. When Athaliah usurped the monarchy, Jehoiada the priest strengthened +himself, and made a covenant with the captains, &c. to put her down, and +set up Joash, 2 Kings xi. 2 Chron. xxiii. and when she came and cried, +treason, treason, they regarded it not, but commanded to kill her and +all that help her. Whence, if those that are not kings may lawfully kill +an usurpress, and all her helpers, then may a people resist them; but +Jehoiada, though no magistrate, did it. + +14. The repressing and punishing Amaziah the son of Joash is an +undeniable instance, vindicated by Mr. Knox. See above, per. 3. p. 54. +After the time that he turned away from the following the Lord, the +people made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to +Lachish, but they sent and slew him there, 1 Kings xiv. 19. 2 Chron. +xxv. 27. Hence, a fortiori, if people may conspire and concur in +executing judgment upon their king turning idolater and tyrant, then +much more must they defend themselves against his violence. + +15. The same power, of people's resisting princes, was exemplified in +Uzziah or Azariah, when he would needs be supreme in things sacred as +well as civil, 2 Kings xv. 2 Chron. xxvi. Fourscore priests, that were +valiant men, withstood him, and thrust him out of the temple, they +troubled him, saith Vatablus, they expelled him, saith Ar. Mont. vid. +Pool's Synopsis. in Loc. See this vindicated by Mr. Knox. Per. 3. pag. +48, 49. above. Hence, if private subjects may, by force, resist and +hinder the king from transgressing the law, then must they resist him +when forcing them to transgress the law of God. + +16. After the return from the Babylonish captivity, when the Jews were +setting about the work of building the temple, which they would do by +themselves, and not admit of any association with malignants (upon their +sinister misinformation, and sycophantic accusation, that they were +building the rebellious and bad city, and would refuse to pay the king +toll, tribute, and custom) they were straitly discharged by Artaxerxes +to proceed in their work, and the inhibition was execute by force and +power, Ezra iv. But by the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and +Zechariah, countermanding the king's decree, they would not be hindered, +the eye of their God being upon them, though Tatnai the governor of +those parts, Shetharboznai, and their companions, would have boasted +them from it, with the usual arguments of malignants, who hath commanded +you to do so and so? Ezra v. 3.--5. And yet this was before the decree +of Darius was obtained in their favours, Ezra vi. Hence, if people may +prosecute a duty without and against a king's command, and before an +allowance by law can be obtained; then may a people resist their +commands and force used to execute them: but here the antecedent is +manifest. + +17. When Nehemiah came to Jerusalem, and invited the Jews to build up +the walls of the city, they strengthened their hands for that good work +against very much opposition: and when challenged by Sanballat the +Horonite, Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Gesham the Arabian. +Great king's-men all of them, who despised and boasted them, What is +this that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king? Say they. He would not +plead authority, though, in the general, he had the king's warrant for +it; yet he would not give them any other satisfaction, than to intimate, +whether they had that or not, having the call of God to the work, they +would go on in the duty, and God would prosper them against their +opposition, Neh. ii. 19, 20. and accordingly, notwithstanding of all +scoffs, and plots, and conspiracies, to hinder the building, yet they +went on, and were encouraged to remember the Lord, and fight for their +brethren, &c. and to build with weapons in their hands, Neh. iv. and +brought it to an end, notwithstanding of all their practices to fright +them from it, chap, vi. Hence, If neither challenges of rebellion, nor +practices of malignant enemies who pretend authority, nor any +discouragements whatsoever, should deter people from a duty which they +have a call and capacity from God to prosecute, and if they may promove +it against all opposition by defensive arms; then, when a people are +oppressed and treated as rebels, for a necessary duty, they may and must +defend themselves, and maintain their duty, notwithstanding of all +pretences of authority against them. + +18. I shall add one instance more, which is vindicated by Jus Populi, +from the history of Esther. Because Mordecai refused to do homage to a +hangman, (Haman I should say) a cruel edict was procured from Ahasuerus +to destroy all the Jews, written and sealed with the king's ring, +according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, becoming a law +irrevocable and irreversible, Esther iii. 12, 13. Yet the Lord's +providence, always propitious to his people, brought it about so, that +Haman being hanged, and Mordecai advanced, the Jews were called and +capacitated, as well as necessitated, to resist that armed authority +that decreed to massacre them, and that by the king's own allowance, +Esther ix. When his former decree drew near to be put in execution, in +the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, it +was turned to the contrary, that no man could withstand them. Here they +had the allowance of authority to resist authority: and this was not a +gift of a new right by that grant, which they had not before; only it +was corroborative of the irradical right to defend themselves, which is +not the donative of princes, and which they had power to exercise and +use without this, though may be not the same capacity; for the king's +warrant could not make it lawful in point of conscience; if it had not +been so before. Hence, if people may have the allowance of well advised +authority, to resist the decree and force of unlawful authority; then +may a people maintain right authority, in defending themselves against +the injuries of pretended authority; but by this instance we see, the +Jews had Ahasuerus's allowance to resist the decree and force of his own +ill advised authority, though irreversible. And hence, we see, that +distinction, in this point, is not groundless, between resisting the +authority of supreme powers, and the abuses of the same. + +2dly, We have in the scripture both tacit and express reproofs, for +lying by from this duty in the season thereof, + +1. In Jacob's swan song or prophetical testament, wherein he foretels +what should be the fate and future condition of each of the tribes, and +what should be remarked in their carriage influencing their after lot in +their generations, for which they should be commended or discommended, +approved or reproved; coming to Issachar, he prophetically exprobates +his future ass like stupidity, that indulging himself in his lazy ease, +and lukewarm security, he should be mancipate himself and his interests +into a servile subjection unto his oppressors impositions, even when he +should be in a capacity to shake them off, and free himself, by +resistance, Gen. xlix. 14, 15. "Issachar is a strong ass couching down +between two burdens." This is set down by the Holy Ghost, as the brand +and bane, not of the person of Issachar, Jacob's son, but of the tribe, +to be inured upon them, when they should be in such a condition by their +own silliness: Hence I argue, If the Holy Ghost exprobrate a people for +their stupid subjection to prevailing tyranny, when they do not improve +their ability, capacity, and right to maintain and defend their +liberties and privileges, from all unjust invasion; but the former is +true here: therefore also the later. + +2. In Deborah's song after their victorious resistance, the people are +severely upbraided for not concurring in that expedition, Jud. v. 16, +17, 23. and Meroz is particularly cursed for not coming to the help of +the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. This is recorded +as a resting reproof, against all that will with draw their helping hand +from the Lord's people, when necessitate to appear in defensive arms for +the preservation of their lives and liberties. On the other hand, +Zebulon and Naphthali are commended for jeoparding their lives in the +high places of the fields, and are approved in that practice of fighting +against the king of Canaan, that then ruled over them, ver. 18, 19. +Hence, if people be reproved and cursed for staying at home to look to +their own interests, when others jeopard their lives for their +countries defence and freedom from tyranny and oppression; then this +implies it is a duty to concur in so venturing; but here, Reuben, Dan, +Asher, and Meroz, are reproved and cursed for staying at home, when +Zebulon and Naphthali jeoparded their lives, &c. Ergo. + +3dly, We have in the scriptures many promises of the Lord's approving +and countenancing the duty of defensive arms, even against their +oppressing rulers. + +1. In that forecited testament of the patriarch Jacob, in that part of +it which concerns God, he prophesies that tribe shall have a lot in the +world answering his name, and be engaged in many conflicts with +oppressing dominators, who at first should prevail over him, but at +length God should so bless his endeavours, to free himself from their +oppressions, that he should overcome. There is an excellent elegancy in +the original, answering to the etymology of the name of Gad, which +signifies a troop, reading thus in the Hebrew, Gad, a troop shall +overtroop him, but he shall overtroop them at the last, Gen. xlix. 19. +And Moses homologating the same testimony, in his blessing the tribes +before his death, shows, that he should make a very forcible and +successful resistance, and should execute the justice of the Lord over +his oppressors, Deut. xxxiii. 20, 21, Wherein is implied a promise of +resistance to be made against oppressing conquerors, who should acquire +the supreme rule over them for a time: and the success of that +resistance for overcoming, necessarily supposes resistance. Hence, where +there is a promise of success at last to a people's conflicts against +prevailing tyranny, there is implied an approbation of the duty, and +also a promise of its performance wrapped up in that promise; but here +is a promise, &c. Ergo-- + +2. In that threatning against tyrants, shewing how they shall be thrust +away and burnt up with fire, there is couched a promise, and also an +implied precept of resisting them, 2 Sam. xxiii. 6, "The sons of Belial +shall be all of them as thorns thrust away--with hands fenced with +iron," &c. which clearly implies resistance, and more than that, +rejection and repression. Hence, If it be threatned as a curse against +rulers of Belial, and promised as a blessing, that they shall be so +roughly handled; then this implies a duty to resist them, who cannot be +otherways taken; but here this is threatned, &c. + +3. When the Lord shall have mercy on Jacob, and chuse Israel, it is +promised, Isa. xiv. 2, 3. "That they shall take them captives, whose +captives they were. And they shall rule over their oppressors." This +necessarily implies and infers a promise of resistance against these +oppressing rulers, in the time of their domineering, as well as revenge +after their yoke should be broken; and something of men's actions, as +well as God's judgment in breaking that yoke; for they could not take +them captives, nor rule over them, except first they had resisted them +whose captives they were: there is resisting of the supreme power, +subjection whereunto was the bondage wherein they were made to serve. +Hence, If it be promised, that a captivated and subjugated people shall +break the yoke, and free themselves of the bondage of them that had them +in subjection; then it is promised in that case, they must resist the +supreme powers; for such were they whose captives they were: the +antecedent is here expressed. + +4. There are promises that the Lord's people, when those that rule over +them are incensed against the holy covenant, and when many of their +brethren that should concur with them shall be frighted from their duty +by fear, or corrupted with flattery, shall be made strong to exploits, +though in such enterprizes they may want success for some time, "and +fall by the sword and flame, and by captivity, and spoil many days," +Dan. xi. 30,--34. Which is very near parallel to the case of the +covenanted people of Scotland, their appearing in defensive exploits +against their covenant-breaking rulers these many years bygone. This was +very eminently fulfilled in the history of the Maccabees, before +rehearsed. Hence, If it be promised, that a people shall be strong to do +exploits, in resisting the arms of their rulers, opposing their +covenant, and overturning their religion and liberties; then it must be +approven that such resistance is lawful, even though it want success; +but this is here promised. To the same purpose it is promised, that +after the Lord's people have been long kept as prisoners under the +bondage of oppressing rulers, they shall by a vigorous resistance, be +saved from their tyranny, Zech. ix. 13,--17. "When the Lord shall bend +Judah for him, and raise up Zion's sons against the sons of Greece."--So +it was in their resistances and victories against the successors of +Alexander, who had the rule over them for a time. And so it may be +again, when the Lord shall so bend his people for him. Hence, If the +Lord promises to fit and spirit his people for action against their +oppressing rulers, and to crown their atchievements, when so fitted and +spirited, with glorious success; then it is their duty, and also their +honour to resist them; but here that is plainly promised. + +5. There are promises of the Lord's making use of his people, and +strengthening them to break in pieces the power of his and their +enemies, and his defending, and maintaining them against all their power +and projects, when they think most to prevail over them. As is promised +in the threatned catastrophe of the Babylonian usurpation, Jer. li. +20,--24.--"Thou art (says he to Israel, of whom he speaks as the rod of +his inheritance in the preceding verse) my battle ax and weapons of war, +and with thee will I break in pieces," &c. Whensoever this hath been, or +shall be accompshlied, (as it may relate to the vengeance to be execute +upon the New Testament Babylon) it clearly implies their breaking in +pieces powers that were supreme over them. Hence, If the Lord will make +use of his people's vindictive arms against Babylon ruling over them, +then he will justify their defensive arms against Babylon oppressing +them. Here it is promised, &c. So Micah iv. 11. to the end. Many nations +shall be gathered to defile and look upon Zion, and then the Lord shall +give an allowance and commission to his people to arise and thresh, &c. +What time the accomplishment of this is referred to, is not my concern +to enquire: it seems to look to the New Testament times, wherein the +Lord's people shall be first in great straits, and then enlarged; but to +restrict it to the spiritual conquest over the nations by the ministry +of the word, (though I will not deny but that may be included) seems too +great a straitning of the scope, and not so apposite to the expressions, +which certainly seem to import some forcible action of men, and more +than the peaceable propagation of the gospel. It is usually referred to +the latter days of that dispensation, when both the Jewish and Gentile +Zion shall be totally and finally delivered from Babylon, or +antichristian tyranny; before, or about which period, the enemies of +Christ and of his people shall attempt their utmost power to destroy the +church, groaning under their bondage; but when they are all well +mustered in a general rendezvous, the Lord's people shall have a gallant +game at the chace. But whensoever the time be of fulfilling the promise, +it ensures to the people of God the success of their defensive arms +against them that pretended a domination over them. And it looks to a +time, when they should have no rulers of their own, but them under whose +subjection they had been long groaning, and now brought to a very low +pass; yet here they should not only resist, but thresh them. Hence, If +in the latter days the people of God are to be honoured, and acted forth +with such a spirit and capacity to thresh and beat down these powers +under which they have been long groaning; then, when the Lord puts them +in such capacity to attempt it, they should be ambitious of such an +honour; but here it is promised, &c. + +The same may be inferred from the prophet's vision, Zech. i. 19, 20. He +sees four carpenters resisting the four horns; the horns scattered +Judah, so that no man did lift up his head; but the carpenters came to +fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their +horn over the land of Judah. These horns had the supreme power over +Judah for a time, while they were in no capacity to resist them; but as +soon as the Lord furnishes them with capacity and instruments impowered +to resist them, they do it effectually. The carpenters are certainly the +Lord's people themselves; for here they are opposite to the Gentiles, +which all were except the Lord's people. Hence, if the Lord promises, +when reconciled to his people, to furnish them with instruments to fray +and scatter the power of tyrants, who have long borne down their head; +then when they are so furnished, they may resist them: but the Lord here +promises that, &c. This is more plainly promised also, Zech. x. 5. &c. +"Then they shall be as mighty men which shall tread down their +enemies,--And the pride of Assyria shall be brought down"--Hence, if the +Lord, when he shall have mercy on his people, will bless their +resistance so, as to bring down the pride and sceptre of them that had +the power over them; then, in hope of such a blessing, they may attempt +such a duty, when the call is clear. + +Fourthly, We have also precepts, from whence we may consequentially +conclude the approven duty of defensive arms against oppressing rulers. + +1. The children of Israel are commanded to vex the Midianites, and smite +them, for saith the Lord, they vex you with their wiles, Numb. xxv. 17, +18. And to avenge themselves, Numb. xxx. 2. Which did not only oblige +the people, when they had Moses for their magistrate to lead them forth; +but in the days of Gideon, when they were under their rule whom they +were to avenge themselves upon. Hence, if people must vex their enemies, +and avenge themselves of them, by war offensive, when ensnared by their +craftiness; much more may they resist them by a war defensive, when +invaded by their cruelty. + +2. There is a command to punish every city or party making apostacy unto +idolatry, Deut. xiii. 12, 15. Upon this moral ground was Israel's war +against Benjamin, Judg. xx. And their bringing Amaziah unto condign +punishment; which is vindicated by Mr. Knox, See above Per. 3. pag. 52, +53. Hence, if people are to bring to condign punishment idolatrous +apostates seeking to entice them; then much more ought they to resist +such tyrants seeking to enforce them to such apostacy. + +3. There is a precept, not only to defend, but also to rescue and +deliver our brethren when in hazard, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. We must not +forbear to deliver them, when drawn to death: which will at least infer +the duty of assisting them when forced to defend themselves; for, if it +be a duty to rescue them from any prevailing power that would take their +lives unjustly, much more is it duty to defend them and ourselves both +against their murdering violence; but it is duty to rescue them, &c. + +4. All that would learn to do well, are commanded, Isa. i. 17. to +relieve the oppressed; which is not spoken to magistrates only, many of +whom were the oppressors, the princes were rebellious, and companions of +thieves, ver. 23, So also, Isa. lviii. 6. It is required of a people +that would be accepted of God in their humiliations; to let the +oppressed go free, and to break every yoke. Hence, if it be duty to +relieve the oppressed by breaking the yoke of them that oppress them; +then it is duty to defend them and ourselves, both against them that +would oppress us more; but the former is here commanded: Therefore, &c. + +5. There is a command for a spoiled oppressed people, when the Lord is +reconciled to them, and sympathizes with them, to deliver themselves +from their rulers servitude, Zech. ii. 7. 'Deliver thyself O Zion, which +dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.' Which comprehends all the +ordinary active means of people's delivering themselves, from oppressing +powers that rule over them: and consequently defensive resistance; for +it cannot only be restricted to flight included (ver. 6.) the promise +annexed (ver. 9.) imports more, when they that spoiled them shall be a +spoil to their servants: whereby it insinuated, they were so to deliver +themselves, as not only to free themselves from their servitude, but to +bring their masters under subjection. Hence, if the Lord's people, being +subject to tyrants ruling over them for the time, may deliver themselves +from their oppressing masters, then may they resist them, and defend +themselves: The antecedent is express here in the command. + +6. There is a command given by Christ to his disciples, to provide +themselves with defensive weapons, necessary for their defence against +them that would pursue after their lives; as well as with other things +necessary for their sustenance, Luke xxii. 36.--'Now he that hath a +purse let him take it, and likewise his scrip, and he that hath no +sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.' Before, when he had sent +them out upon an extraordinary commission, as it were to serve their +apprenticeship in the work of the gospel, he did not allow them such +solicitous care to provide themselves, because he would give them a +proof of his sufficiency to sustain and protect them, without the +ordinary means of their own diligence. But now when he was about to +withdraw his bodily presence from them, and would warn them of the +discouragements they were to expect in the prosecutions of their more +continued work, which they had a commission for not to be retracted, he +would not have them to expect provision and protection by a course of +miracles, but to provide themselves with means for their sustenance, and +also for their defence against the violence of men: which chiefly was to +be expected from their rulers, who would persecute them under the notion +of transgressors of the laws of their kingdoms and countries. He was not +indeed to make much use of them, at that time, for himself; who was then +to finish the work of redemption by suffering: only, that what was +written might be accomplished in him, he would make so much use of them, +as voluntarily to be involved under the censure and reproach of +rebellion, being taken among men in arms, that he might be reckoned +among transgressors, ver. 37. Therefore, when they told him, they had +two swords, he said, 'It is enough,' ver. 38. I need not stand upon that +impertinency of a conceit, that these were spiritual swords; which +deserve no confutation, being fitter to be put among quakers delirious +distractions, than to be numbered among the notions of men of +understanding: for then the purse and the scrip must be spiritual too; +and these spiritual things must be bought by selling of garments; and +yet they would be such spiritual tools, as would a sharp edge for +cutting off of carnal ears, and such as would be both visible and +sensible; and two of them would be enough. They were then ordinary +material swords, which the Lord commands his followers to provide +themselves with for their defence as men, in cases of necessity, and, +when they should be in a capacity to improve them against their +murdering persecutors, against whom he gives his royal grant of +resistance; that the world may know his subjects, though they have more +privileges spiritual, yet they have no less human privileges than other +men: albeit, at that period of his determined suffering, he would not +allow the present use of them. Hence, if the Lord's people should +provide themselves with arms of defence, though they should be reputed +transgressors for so doing; then may they use these arms of defence +against them that persecute them under that notion; but the antecedent +is clear: Therefore, &c. + +Fifthly, We may infer the same truth from some of the prayers of the +saints, wherein they glory in the confident expectation of the Lord's +strengthening them, and favouring and approving their helpers, and in +the experience of the Lord assisting them, while in the mean time +constitute in a formed appearance of resistance. I shall only hint +these, + +1. In that prayer, Psal. xliv. 5. They glory, in hope, that through the +Lord they will push down their enemies, &c. yet now they were under the +power of tyrannizing dominators which they were resisting: for, ver. 9. +they complain they were put to shame, because the Lord went not forth +with their armies, and they which hated them spoiled them,--And for his +sake were killed all day long: hence, they plead, That the Lord would +awake,--and not forget their affliction and oppression. Whereby it is +evident they were under the yoke of tyrannizing powers, and resisting +according to their might. Which, by whomsoever, or upon what occasion +soever the Psalm was compiled, shews, that no want of success in +resisting tyrants, can mar the saints faith in pleading for the Lord's +assistance and approbation of the duty. Hence, they that, in faith, may +pray for, and boast of their treading down their tyrannizing powers that +rise up against them, may also, in faith, attempt the resisting of them +in their own defence; but here the Lord's people did the former. + +2. We find David under Saul's persecution, while he had a party of 600 +men to defend himself against his rage, in the psalms which he composed +upon that occasion, not only complaining of oppressors, but encouraging +himself in the faith that God would be with them that assisted him, in +his essay of defending himself, and imprecating destruction to Saul and +his accomplices; that the Lord would cut them off in his truth, and let +him see his desire upon them, Psal. liv. 4, 5. last verse. And Psal. +lvii. 4. And Psal. lvii. throughout. And Psal. cxl. 7, 9. He imprecates +against the head of them that compassed him about, and consequently +against Saul. Whence I argue, 1. If the Lord's people, conflicting with, +and encompassed with oppressing rulers as so many lions and dogs, may +pray and praise for the help of those that assist them, in their +endeavours of self preservation from them; then may they make use of +their help for their defence, for which they pray and praise; but here +we see the Lord's people did the former: Therefore they may do the +latter. 2. If we may pray against kings, and for preservation from them; +then may we defend ourselves against them, and endeavour the means of +that preservation for which we pray. The connexion is before cleared; +yet here I add: That which will give a dispensation from our duty of +praying for them, will also dispense from the duty of being passively +subject to their will; and consequently will allow defending ourselves +from their violence; but here we see tyranny and treachery, and designed +mischief will give a dispensation from our duty of praying for them, +though that be duty as indispensible as subjection. Again, if any thing +demur us from resisting of princes, it must be respect to their majesty, +and the character of the Lord's anointing upon them; but we see, no +respect to that will demur a believer from praying in faith against +them: therefore no such respect will hinder, but that he may defend +himself against his violence. And indeed, if we consider it right, if +the impression of any majesty God hath put upon princes, should bind up +our hands from any resistance, it will restrain from prayer resistance: +for, if that impression have any force at any time, it must be when a +man is most solemnly stated before God, and speaking to God as a +Christian, rather than when he is acting as a man with a man like +himself: and as prayer resistance is the more formidable and forcible +resistance than any other (as this Saul and many other kings, have found +by their woful experience) so it is more restricted than other +resistance; for we may defend ourselves against many whom we must not +pray against, to wit, our private enemies, for whom we are commanded to +pray: yet nobody will deny but we may resist their violence: and +likewise, we are commanded to pray for kings, when invested with God's +authority; but when their degeneration looses us from that obligation to +pray for them, and allows us to pray against them when they turn enemies +to God (as we see in the prayers of the psalmist) then also we may more +warrantably resist them by defensive arms. + +3. Among the hallelujahs, in the end of psalms, there is one calculated +for the prevailing time of the church, when the Lord shall take pleasure +in his people. In that time of the saints being joyful in glory, when +they may glory in the rest and security the Lord will vouchsafe upon +them, they are prophetically and very pathetically excited to praise +prayer-ways, Psal. cxlix. 6. to the end. "Let the high praises of God be +in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand,--to bind their +kings with chains,--to execute upon them the judgment written; this +honour have all the saints, hallelujah," This was their praise and +honour, when they were brought in to execute vengeance upon the kings +and nobles of Canaan. This also, in David's time, was the ambition, and +also the attainment of the saints, in their triumphant victories over +many of their oppressors round about them. But it looks to a further and +more famous execution of vengeance upon the tyrants of the earth, when +they shall have long kept under the church of God, and at length the +Lord shall give his people a capacity to break their yoke: which, +whenever it shall be, shall be their honour. Hence, if it is the honour +of the saints, when the Lord puts them in capacity, to execute +vengeance upon their enemies, though they be kings that oppress them; +then it may be their ambition to seek it, at least they may resist them. +Thus from several scripture practices, reproofs, promises, precepts, and +prayers, this truth may be proven. From which scriptures, though other +precious truths are more natively deduced, yet this truth by unstrained +and unconstrained consequence may be also clearly inferred. + + +HEAD VI. + +_The Sufferings of some, upon the account of extraordinary executing of +Judgment upon notorious Incendiaries, and murdering public Enemies by +private Persons in the circumstances wherein they were stated +vindicated._ + +Surely (saith Solomon) oppression maketh a wise man mad, as on the other +hand, a gift destroyeth the heart. Which, whensoever there is a +concurrence and verification of both together, makes it very incident, +and noways to be admired, that either some actions of the oppressed be +censurable; or, that there be found many to censure them, either out of +ignorance or prejudice, at a far off glance, which a nearer or narrower +inspection of circumstances, through a prospect of charity, would not so +readily condemn. When the oppression of tyrants comes to such a height +and pinch of extremity, that it not only threatens a community with +desolation, but induces a necessity of unavoidable dissolution, and +reduces a people to such a paroxism of desperation and consternation (in +respect of human deliberation bringing them to their wits end) that +either they must succumb as slaves, and mancipate consciences, persons, +liberties, properties, and all they are or have, to the lust of raging +tyrants, and their revenging emissaries,; or surrender themselves, and +their posterity, and, which is dearer, the interest of religion, to be +destroyed: then it is no wonder, that they be sometimes necessitated in +such an extremity, to apply extreme remedies to extremity of evils, and +forced to fall upon such expedients to prevent their utter +extermination, as at other times common order, and ordinary justice +would make extravagant. Yea it is no marvel, though they fall into +several real extravagancies, which are not to be justified nor +extenuated; but rather it is to be acknowledged, as a miracle of the +Lord's mercy, that in such a case they are restrained from more +scandalous excesses of that nature. Yet even then, such as live at ease, +free of oppression who are blinded with prejudice at the oppressed, and +bribed with the indulgence and lenity of the oppressors towards +themselves, will look upon these actions as transports of madness, and +effects of extravagant zeal, while they weigh them only in the scales of +ordinary justice, and do not ponderate them in the ballance of +necessitated virtue; nor perpend the circumstances which made those +extraordinary acts of judgment, which materially are lawful at all times +to be executed by some, to be then necessary acts of justice to be +inflicted by them in such a case. But if either the oppressors +themselves, or such who are blinded and bribed with their gifts, and +killed with their kindness, not only into an omission of concurring, but +into a condemning of such extraordinary attempts of taking off those +destroyers; or, if onlookers at a distance, would seriously consider, +and ingeniously declare their opinion, in a particular application of +the case to themselves, what they would do in such circumstances: I +doubt not, but as charity should oblige them to be sparing of their +censure, in a case whereof they have no experience; so justice, in +resolving this point for themselves, would constrain them to justify +such extraordinary necessitated practices for self-preservation, in +preventing punishing, by destroying their destroyers, and move them +rather to admire their patience, who have suffered so much and so long +those beasts of prey to devour them, than to censure their +precipitancies, in being constrained to endeavour to deliver themselves +at last from, and put an end to their cruelty who did most annoy them. +'Yea, (as Naphtali says very well) it were impossible that rational men, +after the feeling of so sore grievances, and the teaching of so many and +sad experiences, should still couch under the burden, and submit +themselves to the yoke of such vile apostate upstarts and bloody +villains, and not rather acquit themselves like men, by pulling off +these vizards, under which they mask their villanies and clack their +violence; and plucking them out of that sanctuary of loyalty, and refuge +of authority, which they do not more pretend than profane by all their +horrid rebellions against God, and cruel murders executed upon the +Lord's people, to the effect that in the righteous and deserved +punishment of these wicked men, both the sin of the land might be +sisted, and the fierce anger of the Lord averted,' Naph. first edit. +pag. 134. Nevertheless such lawful, and, (as one would think) laudable +attempts, for cutting off such monsters of nature, beasts of prey, +burdens to the earth, as well as enemies to the commonwealth, are not +only condemned as murders and horrid assassinations, but criminally and +capitally punished as such. And upon this account, the sufferings of +such, as have left a conviction upon the consciences of all that knew +them, of their honesty, integrity, soundness in the principles, and +seriousness of the practice of religion, have been several singular, and +signally severe, and owned of the Lord, to the admiration of all +spectators; some being cruelly tortured and executed to the death, for +essaying such execution of judgment, as Mr. Mitchel; others for +accumplishing it, as Mr. Hackston of Rathillet, and others, who avowed +their accession to the cutting off that arch traitor Sharp, prelate of +St. Andrews; and others, for not condemning that and the like acts of +justice, though they were as innocent of the facts as the child unborn. + +The foregoing historical representation of the matters of fact, doth +clear the circumstances of the actions: which if ever any of that nature +performed by private men without public authority, could be justified, +will at least demur the condemning of them. For, the men, or rather +monsters, thus removed, had not only been perjured apostates from, and +conjured enemies against God, in a conspiracy with the devil, to destroy +the reformation, and the remnant that professed it, affronted +blasphemers, perfidious betrayers of the country, and enemies to the +commonwealth, malignant incendiaries, and habitual murderers of many of +the Lord's people, who, for many notorious crimes, had forfeited their +lives to justice; but were insolently prosecuting their murdering +designs, informing the council, and instigating them against innocent +people to destroy them utterly, procuring from them bloody orders to +spare none, but cut off all who might fall into their hands, and +vigorously and vigilantly with all violence pursuing their murdering +mandates, both in their own persons, and by villains, whom they hounded +out as intelligencers to get, and to give notice where any of those +people might be detected, whom they avowed, and avowed a design to +destroy, when in the heat and height of their rage they were cut off. +The actors were noways subject to them, nor any other way related, than +declared and independent enemies are to one another, having renounced +all relation to them and their masters, as magistrates and their +superiors; and were in no terms of peace with them, but maintaining an +hostile opposition and carrying, without cessation, arms to resist them; +and when they got that advantage over them, that these enemies were +seeking against them, they declared solemnly to them, and died, +declaring it to the world, that they were not moved out of private +revenge for personal injuries they had done against themselves; but +being touched with the zeal of God, love to their country, respect to +justice trampled upon by tyrants, and for saving themselves, rescuing +their brethren, and preventing their murdering them, because there were +none that would or could execute justice upon them legally: therefore +they were forced to put forth their hands against them as enemies, with +whose preservation their own could not consist. Their circumstances were +such, that they were redacted to the greatest of extremities, precluding +all other human possibility of preserving themselves and their brethren +from the destruction intended, and declaredly resolved, and restlessly +sought and prosecuted, by these murderers, being persecuted to the death +by them, daily chased, hunted, way-laid, turned out of their own +habitations, intercommuned, discharged and denied all harbour in any +house, under the hazard of the same pains that themselves were liable +to, which was death by the present law and so forced to hide in caves +and dens; out of which they durst not come forth, if it were but to seek +bread for themselves, without iminent danger of their lives; the country +raising the hue and cry after them, whensover they were seen, whereby +many were killed as soon as they were apprehended: hence they could +neither escape in the land, nor by flight out of the land, passages by +sea and land being stopt, and none suffered to go any where, without +strict examination what they were, which was impossible for them to +elude: and many other specialties of misery and danger were ingredients +in their circumstances, that no words can represent to them that are +altogether strangers to them. Wherefore, in such a strait and pinch of +perplexity, when they could not other wise escape the fury of these +firebrands, nor demur and deter the rest of them from an uncontrouled +pursuit after the lives of innocents, nor otherwise avert the wrath of +God against the land for the impunity of such vermine; and seeing there +was no access to address themselves to magistrates, who by office are +obliged to bring such villains to condign punishment; and none were +found in public authority, but such as patronized and authorized them; +whom in conscience they could not acknowledge, and in prudence durst not +make application to them for fear of their lives; what could they do? +what was left them to deliberate, but to fall upon this extraordinary +course, wherein if they have stumbled into some extravagancies, as to +the manner, who can think it strange, considering the case? But as that +is not the debate; so as for such acts of vengeance as are peccant in +the matter, and were not circumstantiate, as above rehearsed, being +disowned in their public declarations, and the actors excluded from +their communion, for whom I plead; it were iniquous to impute the +scandal of them to that suffering people. It is only the so +circumstantiate, necessitated, extraordinary execution of judgment, upon +notoriously gross and grassant incendiaries, tyrants, and terrible +murdering enemies, where there is no living for them, that I vindicate. +And though the handling of this tender and quick-scented subject may +seem odious to some, and my discourse upon it is pregnant with an +oblique design to obviate such unmerited surmises, I must say, it is +only the wiping off of such reproaches as reflect on religion; the +vindication of preterite extraordinary practices of this nature; the +investigation of present duty with respect to future emergencies; and +the restraining all extravagancies incident on this Head, that I intend. +However this may be exploded by this generation, as odious and uncouth +doctrine; yet, in former periods of this church, it hath been maintained +with courage, and asserted with confidence. How the ancient Scots, even +after they received the Christian faith, served their tyrants and +oppressors, how in the beginning of the reformation, the killing of the +cardinal, and of David Rizio, were and are generally to this day +justified, and what was the judgment and pleading of our reformers for +practicing this principle against idolaters, &c. needs not be here +repeated? Mr. Knox's judgment in particular is before declared, and will +be further discovered, if we consider how he resented his slackness, in +putting people to execute judgment in these words, insert in second part +of the cloud of witnesses, p. 60. 'For God (said he) had not only given +me knowledge, and a tongue to make known the impiety of the idol, but +had given me credit with many, who would have put in execution God's +judgments, if I would only have consented thereto: but so careful was I +of the common tranquility, and loath was I to offend some, that in +secret conference with zealous men, I travelled rather to slacken that +fervency God had kindled in them, than to animate and encourage them to +put their hands to God's work; wherein I acknowledge myself to have done +most wickedly, and from the bottom of my heart I do ask God pardon, that +I did not what in me lay to have suppressed that idol from the +beginning.' But the preceeding historical representation doth abundantly +demonstrate this is no novelty, to assert, that when the ruin of the +country, suppression of religion, destruction of the remnant professing +and suffering for it, and the wrath of God is threatened in, and for the +impunity of idolaters and murderers, that by the law of God and man +should die the death; and supposing always such as are in public office +not only decline their duty, but encourage those destroyers, yea +authorize them themselves, we may not only maintain defensive resistance +according to our capacity, but endeavour also vindictive and, punitive +force in executing judgment upon them in cases of necessity, as before +circumstantiate. And I am the more confident to assert it, that what I +say cannot be condemned, till first what our reformers have proven be +confuted. However, to endeavour to make it somewhat clear, I shall +premit some assertions, to clear the state of the question; and then +give some reasons for it, when clearly stated. + +First. It will be needful for clearing our way, to shew what length we +may warrantably go in this matter of executing judgment, in our private +capacity, in extraordinary cases of necessity, by setting down some +propositions negative and positive, signifying what we disown, and what +we own in this point. + +I. What we disown, may appear in these assertions, + +1. No necessity nor circumstance supposible whatsoever, can justify the +murder of the righteous or innocent, or vindicate the unlawful taking +away of their lives directly, or indirectly, immediately, or mediately, +which in thought as well as deed we must abhor, as a horrid breach of +the sixth command. The guilt whereof may be incurred several ways; as by +killing them immediately, as Cain did his brother Abel; or commanded +them to be killed, as Saul commanded Doeg to kill the Lord's priests; or +contriving their murder, as David did Uriah's, and Jezabel Naboth's; or +counselling thereunto, as the people advised the princes to the murder +of Jeremiah, and all that cried crucify Jesus were murderers of Christ; +or by procuring it, as Haman was guilty of the intended murder of the +Jews; or concurring therein, as Joab was guilty of Uriah's death as well +as David, and Judas of Christ's by betraying him; or by the patrociny +thereof, defending and sparing the murderers when called, by office, to +punish them, as David was guilty in not punishing Joab, Ahab in +patronizing the murder of Naboth; or by consenting thereunto, as Saul +consented to the death of Stephen; or by knowing and permitting, and +conniving at it, as is condemned, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. Whether this be +done under colour of law, as Pilate murdered our Lord, Herod killed +James; or without all colour, by absolute power, Herod the Ascalonite +murdered the infants; or whether it be done by purpose, as Joab murdered +Abner and Amasa; or without previous purpose yet with knowledge of the +action in the perpetrating of it, as men may do in passion, when +provoked beside their purpose, or in a tumult, without intending it +beforehand; yet that is murder; Barrabas committed murder in the +insurrection. For, as for casual killing, contrary to intention, without +knowledge, that's no breach of the command. And, whatever may be said of +necessitated delivering up the innocent, pursued by a potent enemy, to +deliver the city from his fury; or of preferring our own life to our +innocent neighbour, in a case when both cannot be preserved, and by +preserving the one lawfully, the other happens to lose his life; I do +not meddle with these cases. But since this is taken for granted by +casuists, I infer, If it be lawful that an innocent man die in case of +necessity, that others may be preserved; then much more is it lawful, +that the nocent, who are guilty of murdering the righteous all these +ways above specified, and actually prosecuting their murdering designs +by these methods, should rather be made to die, than the righteous be +destroyed. But of this sort of murder, taking away the life of the +righteous, none hath the impudence to accuse that reproached people. + +2. though a man kill an innocent unwittingly and willingly, besides his +knowledge and against his will; yet he may be guilty of sinful homicide, +if he was obliged to know that he was in hazard of it, and neglected to +consider, lest a man might be killed by what he was doing: as if a man +should shoot at random, when he doth not know but some may be killed +thereby: or if one were hewing with an ax, which he either knew or might +have known to be loose, and the head not well fastened to the helve, did +not advertise those about him of it; if by flying off it happened to +kill any person, he were not innocent, but if he knew not without any +inadvertency, then he were guiltless, Deut. xix. 5. See Durham on 6. +Com. So if a man built a house without battlements, he should bring +blood upon his house, if any man fell from thence, Deut. xxii. 8. But of +this the question is not. + +3. Though a person be not altogether innocent, nor to be reckoned among +the righteous; but suppose him wicked and profane, and engaged in an +evil course, dishonourable to God, prejudicial to the church and +kingdom, and very injurious to us; yet it may be murder to kill him, if +he be not guilty of crimes that deserve death by the law of God: for the +life of man is not subjected to the arbitrement of any, but his who is +the author of life and death; it is necessary to all to obey the law, +Thou shalt not kill, without exception, but such killing as is approven +by the author of the law, as saith Ames. De Conscientia, cap. 31. quest. +2. Hence, this people so much reproached with extravagant actions, do +abundantly clear themselves of that imputation of being of the mind to +kill all that differ from them, which was the impudent forgery of the +father of lies, in their informatory vindication, Head 3. 'We positively +disown (say they) as horrid murder, the killing of any because of a +different persuasion or opinion from us, albeit some have invidiously +cast this odious calumny upon us.' And it is as clear, they that took +the oath of abjuration swore a lie, when they abjured the apologetical +declaration, in so far as it is asserted it was lawful to kill all +employed in the king's service, when it asserted no such thing, as is +shewed above Head 3. To think so much, let be to declare it, far more to +practise such a thing against all that served the king, or any merely, +because they served him, or because they are in a wicked course, or +because they have oppressed us, were abominable: for these things simply +do not make men guilty of death, to be punished capitally by men +according to the law of God. But when they are stated in such opposition +to us, and serve the tyrant's murdering mandates by all those ways +above specified; then we may by the law of God and nature and nations, +destroy, slay, and cause to perish, and avenge ourselves on them that +would assault us, and are seeking our destruction: as it was lawful for +the Jews to do with Haman's emissaries, Esth. viii. 11. 13. and ix. 1, +2. 5. This charge then cannot reach the case. + +4. Though murderers, and such as are guilty of death by the law of God, +must be punished by death; for, "he that sheddeth man's blood," &c. yet +it may be murder for a man to kill another, because he thought him so +criminal, and because he thought it his duty, being moved by a pretended +enthusiastical impulse, in imitation of the extraordinary actions of +such as were really moved by the Spirit of God. As when James and John +would have commanded fire to come down to consume the Samaritans, the +Lord rebuked them, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of, +for the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save +them," Luke ix. 54,--56. Such impulses had need to be well examined, for +ordinarily they will be found not consistent with a gospel spirit, which +is always averse from acts of cruelty. Blind zeal sometimes may incite +men to fearful work: yea the persecutors have often most of that spirit, +as our Lord foretels, "The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall +think that he doth God service," John xvi. 2. Paul, in his pharisaical +zeal, breathed out slaughter against the disciples. And Satan can drive +men under several colours, to act such things, as he did the Boors in +Germany, and John of Leyden and his followers, whose practices are +deservedly detested by all that have any spark of Christianity or +humanity: for if this were espoused as a principle, there would be no +security for men's lives. But hence it cannot be concluded, that God may +not animate some to some rare enterprizes, for the cutting off of +tyrants and their bloody emissaries, incendiaries, destroyers of +innocent people, and putting an end to, and stopping the career of +their murders, in a time of real extreme necessity, the matter of the +action being unquestionably lawful, their ends and intentions really +good and commendable, there being also a deficiency of others to do the +work, and themselves in some probable capacity for it. See Jus Popul. +cap. 20. pag. 410. Neither can it be denied, but true zeal may sometimes +incite people to such exploits for the preservation of religion and +liberty, their own lives and brethren, all like to be destroyed by the +impunity of beasts of prey. This will be found very consistent with a +gospel spirit: and though this principle be asserted, and also put in +practice; all persons, notwithstanding thereof would have sufficient +security for their lives, except such as have really forfeited their +lives by all law of God and man. Those that are led by impulses, may +pretend the imitation of extraordinary examples, and abuse them; yet +hence it will not follow, that in no case these extraordinary examples +may be imitated. Shall the examples of good magistrates, executing +justice on idolaters and murderers, be altogether unimitable, because +tyrants abuse them; in persecuting the innocent? If this arguing were +good, it would make all virtuous actions in the world unimitable; for +these may be abused by pretenders. See Jus Popul. ubi supra, pag. 412. +But it cannot be charged upon the sufferers upon this head, that they +had nothing to give as the reasons of their actions, but pretexts of +enthusiasms. + +5. Though a man be really so criminal, as that he deserves death by the +law of God and man; yet it may be murder to kill him, if we do not +certainly know it, and can prove it, and convict him of it upon trial: +for no man must be killed not indicted, or the cause unknown. Thus even +magistrates may murder murderers, when they proceed against them without +probation or cognition according to law, far more private persons. Thus +the Abiezrites would have murdered Gideon, not only unjustly, for his +duty of throwing down the altar of Baal, but illegally; because they +would have had him brought out that he might die without any further +trial, Judg. vi. 29, 30. So likewise the Jews that banded and bound +themselves under a curse to kill Paul before he was tried, would have +murdered him, not only unjustly for his duty, but illegally before he +was tried, Acts xxiii. 12. But this doth not condemn the actions of +those sufferers, in maintaining the necessary execution of judgment, +upon persons who are notorious murderers, yea, professing a trade and +prosecuting habitually a tract of continued murdering the people of the +Lord. + +6. Though it should be certainly known, and sufficiently proven that a +man is a murderer, &c. yet it were murder for an inferior, under a +relation of subjection to him, to kill him, as long as that subjection +were acknowledged; for, whensoever the common and mutual right or +relation, either natural, moral, civil, or religious, to the prejudice +or scandal of the church, or state, or particular persons, is broken by +killing any person, that is murder, though the person killed deserve to +die. As if a subject should kill an acknowledged king, a son by nature +or in law should kill his natural or legal father, a servant should kill +his master, breaking these relations, while their right and tie were +acknowledged, (as some of them must still be acknowledged as long as the +correlates continue in being, to wit, that of a father is not broken by +his becoming a murderer) and to the danger, detriment, and scandal of +the church and state; that were properly assassination: for assassins +are they, who being subject to others, either out of their own head, for +their own ends, or by command of their superiors, kill their superiors, +or such as they command them to kill, as Alstedius describes them, +Theol. Caf. cap. 18. de homicid. reg. 55. Therefore David would not kill +Saul, because he acknowledged him to be the Lord's anointed, to whom he +was under a relation of subjection, and because he was his master and +father in law, and because it would have tended to the hurt of the +kingdom, and involved it in combustions and contentions about the +succession, and prejudged his own right, as well as to the scandal of +the people of God, though Saul deserved otherwise to be capitally +punished. So Ishbosheth was killed by Baanah and Rechab, 2 Sam. iv. 7. +so Jozachar and Jehozabad, who killed Joash, 2 Kings xii. 21. were +punished as murderers, chap. xiv. 6. because they were his servants, and +did assassinate him to whom they were subject: so the servants of Amon +were punished by the people, as conspirators against their king and +master, 2 Kings xxi. 23, 24. though Amon deserved to have been punished +as well as Amaziah was. Hence generally it is observed by some; that +though right be given to equals or superiors, to bring their nearest +relations to condign punishment, when they turn enticers to idolatry, +Deut. xiii. 6. Yet no right or law, upon any cause or occasion +whatsoever, is given to inferiors, as children, &c. to punish their +fathers. See Pool. Synop. Critic. in locum. However it be, this cannot +condemn the taking off of notorious murderers, by the hand of such as +were no way subject nor related to them; but as enemies, who, in extreme +necessity, executed righteous judgment upon them, without prejudice of +the true, necessary, and chief good of the church and commonwealth, or +of any particular person's just right and security, as Naphtali +qualifies it, pag. 12, 23. first edition. + +7. Though the matter of the action were just, and the murderer such a +person as we might punish without any breach of relative obligations, or +duties; yet the manner may aggravate it to some degree of murder; if it +be done secretly, when it may be execute publicly, or suddenly and +precipitantly, when it may be done deliberately, without rushing upon +such an action, or hurrying the murderer to eternity; as this also might +have had some weight with David not to murder Saul secretly and +suddenly in the cave, or when he was sleeping; so Ishbosheth, and Joash, +and Amon were murdered; or if it be done subtilly, when it may be +performed in more plain and fair dealing; or treacherously, under colour +of friendship; or cruelly without regard to humanity; and especially +when the actors are at peace with the person, whose blood they shed, as +Joab shed the blood of war in peace, 1 Kings ii. 5. in killing Abner and +Amasa so craftily and cruelly; and Absalom made his servants assassinate +Amnon, 2 Sam. xiii. 28, 29. But this cannot be changed upon them who +executed righteous judgment, as publicly, deliberately, and calmly, as +the extraordinary exigence of pressing necessity, in extremity of +danger, could allow, upon notorious murderers, with whom they were in +open and avowed terms of hostility. + +8. Though the manner also be inculpable; yet if the principle and motive +of killing, even those that deserve to die, be out of malice, hatred, +rage, or revenge, for private or personal injuries, it is murder. For +the affection and intention doth make one and the same action of taking +away the life, homicide or no homicide: Lex Rex faith, Quest. 31. Pag. +338. If a man out of hatred deliberately take away another man's life, +he is in so far a murderer, but if that same man had taken away the +other's life, by the flying off of his ax head, he neither hating him +before, nor intending to hurt him, he is no murderer by God's express +law, allowing cities of refuge for the one, and not for the other, Deut. +iv. 42. Deut. xix. 4, &c. private revenge is indignity to God, whose it +is to take vengeance, Deut. xxxii. 35. Rom. xii. 19. "Dearly beloved +avenge not yourselves, for vengeance is the Lord's." For which cause +Jacob curses Simeon and Levi their murder of the Shechemites: for in +their anger they slew a man, Gen. xlix. 6, 7. So David would not put +forth his hand against Saul, for his own private and personal quarrel. +So Joab killed Abner, and Absalom Amnon. But this doth not make the +execution of judgment, out of zeal for God, respect to righteousness, +love to the nations interest, and care to preserve the persecuted people +of God from imminent destruction, upon public enemies, incendiaries, +that are trampling upon all these precious interests, and threatening +the utter ruin of them, and in a particular manner their destruction who +thus prevent them. + +9. Though the motive or cause were upon a public account, yet it may be +murder to have a wrong end in it; as either to intend simply the +destruction of the person on whom they execute judgment, as the end to +which all their action is directed, or to make their own advantage or +honour the end of the action. Thus David would not kill Saul, because it +might have been thought he did it to obtain the kingdom, of which he was +rightful successor: and deservedly he punished the Amalekite, that +brought news of his killing Saul; and Baanah and Rechab, for their +killing Ishbosheth, thinking thereby to advance themselves at David's +court. So also Joab murdered Amasa to secure himself in the general's +place. And Jehu, though upon the matter he executed righteous judgment, +his end was only himself, it is condemned as murder. But when the +execution of righteous judgment is both formally intended by the actors, +and natively and really doth conduce to the glory of God, the +preservation of the remnant threatened to be destroyed by these +murderers, the suppressing of impiety, doing of justice, turning away +wrath and removing of present, and preventing of future judgments, then +it may be duty, Napthtali, pag. 23. first edition. + +10. Though the end also were not culpable; yet it may be murder to kill +criminals by transgressing the sphere of our vocation, and usurping upon +the magistrate's sword: for he, by office, is a revenger, to execute +wrath upon him that doth evil, Rom. xiii. 4. none must make use of the +sword of vindictive justice, but he to whom the Lord giveth it; +therefore they that came to take Christ are condemned and threatened for +this, Matth. xxvi. 52. "All they that take the sword, shall perish with +the sword." The God of order hath assigned to every man his station and +calling, within the bounds whereof he should keep, without transgressing +by defect or excess, let every man abide in the same calling wherein he +was called, 1 Cor. vii. 20. and study to be quiet, and do his own +business, 1 Thess. iv. 11. Therefore David would not kill Saul, because +he would have done it beside his calling. And therefore the killing of +Joash and Amon was murder, because the assassins did transgress their +vocation. But when notorious incendiaries do not only transgress their +vocation, but the limits of human society, and turn open enemies to God +and man, destroying the innocent, making havoc of the Lord's heritage, +and vaunting of their villanies, and boasting of their wickedness, and +thereby bringing wrath upon the land if such effrontries of insolence +should pass unpunished, and when there is no magistrate to do that work +of justice, but all in that place are art and part with them, patrons +and defenders of them; yea, no magistrate that can be acknowledged as a +minister of God to be applied unto; in that case, it is not a +transgression of our vocation, nor an usurpation upon the magistrates, +where there is none, to endeavour to avert wrath, by executing righteous +judgment. Otherwise, if for fear, or suspicion of the accidental hazard +of private men's usurping the office, or doing of the duty of public +persons, every virtuous action which may be abused, shall be utterly +neglected, impiety shall quickly gain universal empire, to the +extermination or all goodness, Naphtali, pag. 24. first edition. To +clear this, it must be considered, that a man's calling is twofold; his +particular calling, whereunto in the ordinary course of things he is +regularly confined: and his general calling, not circumscribed by +particular rules, which from the common obligation of the end for which +all callings are institute, in the clear exigence of an extraordinary +emergent, according to the general rules of righteousness, bind to an +agreeable practice; therefore circumstances may sometimes so diversify +actions, that what in the ordinary and undisturbed state of things would +be accounted an excess of our particular calling, and an usurpation, in +an extraordinary occurrence may become a necessary duty of our general +calling. + +11. Though it were no usurpation beyond our calling; yet it may be +murder, to kill any without the call of God in a case of necessity, +either in the immediate defence of life, or though it be in the remote +when the hazard is unavoidable. Every thing must have God's call in its +season to make it duty, so also the time of killing, Eccles. iii. 3. For +want of this David would not kill Saul. Lex Rex saith excellently to +this, quest. 31. pag. 329, 330. 'David might have killed Saul when he +was sleeping, and when he cut off the lap of his garment, but it was +unlawful for him to kill the Lord's anointed, as it is unlawful for him +to kill a man because he is the image of God, Gen. ix. 6. except in case +of necessity,----David having Saul in his hand, was in a remote posture +of defence, the unjust invasion then was not actual, nor unavoidable, +nor a necessary mean in human prudence for self preservation; for king +Saul was not in an actual pursuit of the whole princes, elders, +community of Israel: Saul did but seek the life of one man David, and +that not for religion, or a national pretended offence, and therefore he +could not, in conscience, put hands on the Lord's anointed: but if Saul +had actually invaded David for his life, David might, in that case, make +use of Goliah's sword, (for he took not that weapon as a cypher to boast +Saul) and rather kill than be killed.' Thus he. By a call here, we do +not mean an express or immediate call from God, such as the prophets +might have to their extraordinary executions of judgments, as Samuel +and Elijah had to kill Agag and Baal's prophets; but either the +allowance of man, then there is no question about it; or if that cannot +be had, as in the case circumstantiate it cannot, then the providential +and moral call of extreme necessity, for preservation of our lives, and +preventing the murder of our brethren, may warrant an extraordinary +executing of righteous judgment upon the murderers. Men may have a call +to a necessary duty, neither every way mediate nor immediate, as the +call of running together to quench a fire in a city, when magistrates +through wickedness or negligence, will not, or do not, call people forth +unto that work; they have not man's call, nor an immediate call from +heaven, yet they have a lawful call from God; so they do not intrude +upon the magistrates office, nor want they a call to this execution of +judgment, who did materially that work for that exigent which +magistrates, by office, were bound to do, being called thereto by God, +by nature, and the call of inevitable necessity, which knoweth no human +law, and to which some divine positive laws will cede. Jus populi. chap. +20. pag. 423. + +12. Though this be a principle of reason and natural justice, when all +the fore mentioned circumstances are clear, that it is lawful for +private persons to execute righteous judgment, upon notorious +incendiaries, and murdering public enemies, in cases of necessity; yet +it might be a sinful breach of the sixth command, to draw extraordinary +examples of it to an ordinary practice in killing all who might be found +criminal, and would deserve death by the law, as all that have served +under a banner of tyranny and violence, displayed against God and his +people, to the ruin of the reformation, wasting of the country, +oppression of many honest families, and destruction of many innocent +people, are and would be found guilty of murder; as the chief captain +would have truly alledged Paul to have been a murderer, if he had been +the Egyptian which made an uproar, and led out four thousand men that +were murderers, Acts xxi. 58. As for the vulgar and ordinary sort of +those vermine of varlets, it is of no advantage for oppressed people to +foul their fingers upon them, when their slaughter would not put a stop +to, but rather increase the destruction of the people of God; and were +unlawful to prevent and anticipate the due and legal execution of +justice, where there is any prospect or expectation of its running in +its right channel. But for the chief and principal ring leaders, and +common public and habitual incendiaries, and masters of the trade of +murdering the Lord's people, when there is no other way of being rid of +their rage, and preserving ourselves, and preventing the destruction of +our brethren, we may in that case of necessity make public examples of +them, in an extraordinary procedure against them, that may be most +answerable to the rules of the ordinary procedure of justice, and in +imitation of the heroic actions recorded and justified in the word of +God, in the like extraordinary cases; which are imitable, when the +matter of their actions is ordinary, that is, neither preternatural nor +supernatural though the occasion was singular, just and necessary, both +by divine precept, and as a mean to good and necessary ends, and when +there is no other to do the work, nor any prospect of access to justice +in its ordinary and orderly course, nor possibility of suspending it +till that can be obtained. We need not then any other call than a spirit +of holy zeal for God, and for our own and our brethrens preservation, in +that pinch of extremity. We do not hold these extraordinary actions for +regular and ordinary precedents, for all times and persons universally: +which if people should fancy, and heed more the glory and fame of the +action, than the sound and solid rule of the scriptures, they may be +tempted and carried to fearful extravagancies. But they may be warrants +for private persons in their doing of these things, in an extreme +necessity, to which at other times they are not called. And when the +Lord, with whom is the residue of the spirit, doth breathe upon his +people, more or fewer, to the exciting of more than ordinary zeal, for +the execution of justice upon such adversaries, we should rather ascribe +glory and praise to him, whose hand is not shortened, but many times +chooseth the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the mighty +and the wise, than condemn his instruments for doing such things, Naph. +pag. 24, 25. prior edit. + +All these cases, which are all I can think on at present, comprehending +all that may any way infer the guilt of murder, I have collected; to the +end I may conclude this one argument, and leave it to be considered: If +this extraordinary executing of judgment, upon notorious incendiaries +and murdering public enemies, by private persons, in the circumstances +above declared, cannot be reduced to any case that can infer the guilt +of murder; then it cannot be condemned, but justified; but this +extraordinary executing of judgment, &c. cannot be reduced to any case +that can infer the guilt of murder, (as will appear by the induction of +all of them:) therefore, this extraordinary executing of judgment, &c. +cannot be condemned, but justified. + +II. In the next place, What we own may be done warrantably, in taking +away the life of men without breach of the sixth command, will appear by +these propositions and assertions, which will bring the matter to the +present circumstantiate case. + +1. It is certain, though the command be indefinitely expressed, it doth +not prohibit all killing, but only that which is condemned in other +explicatory commands. Our Lord Jesus, repeating this command, explains +it by expressing it thus, Matth. xix. 18.--"Thou shalt not murder." And +if any be lawful, it is granted by all, that is, which is unavoidable by +the invincible necessity of providence, when a man following his duty +doth that which beside and contrary his intention, and without any +previous neglect or oversight in him, proveth the hurt and death of +another, in which case he was allowed to flee to the city of refuge by +the law of God. Whence if that physical necessity did justify that kind +of killing, shall not a moral necessity every way inivincibly +unavoidable (except we suffer ourselves and our brethren to be destroyed +by beasts of prey) vindicate this kind, in an extraordinary extremity, +when the murderers are protected under the sconce of pretended +authority? In which case the law of God would allow deliberate murderers +should be pursued by the avenger of blood, and not to have liberty to +flee to these subterfuges and pretexts of authority, (mere tyranny,) but +to be taken from the horns of such altars, and be put to death, as Mr. +Mitchel says in vindicating his own action, in a letter dated Feb. 1674. + +2. It is lawful to take the life of known and convicted murderers by +public justice; yea, it is indispensibly necessary by the law of God, +and no mercy nor pardon of the magistrate may interpose to spare them; +for, 'Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by +the mouth of witnesses. '--Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of +a murderer:--but he shall surely be put to death,' he was not to be +admitted to the benefit of any refuge: and the reason is, 'Blood defiles +the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed +therein, but by the blood of him that shed it,' Numb. xxxv. 30, 31, 32, +33. Hence, if it be so necessary to cleanse the land, then when the +magistrate is not only negligent in his duty, but turns a patron and +protector of such murderers, and employs them as his emissaries to +murder and destroy, it cannot be expected he should cleanse the land, +for then he should free it of the burden of himself, and begin with +himself: therefore then, there must be more incumbent upon private +persons, touched with the zeal of God, than at another time. And as Mr. +Knox, in his conference with queen Mary, says, 'They that in the fear +of God execute judgment, where God hath commanded, offend not God, +though kings do it not;' and adduces the examples of Samuel killing +Agag, Elias killing the prophets of Baal, and of Phineas killing Zimri +and Cozbi. + +3. It is lawful for private persons to kill their unjust assaulters, in +defending themselves against their violence, and that both in the +immediate defence of our life against an immediate assault, in the +instant of the assault, and also in a remote defence of ourselves, when +that is as necessary as the first; and there is no other way of escaping +the destruction intended by murderers, either by flight or resistance; +then it is lawful to preserve ourselves by taking advantages to cut them +off. + +4. It is lawful in a just war to kill the enemy; yea in the defensive +war of private subjects, or a part of the commonwealth, against their +oppressing tyrants, as is proven, head 5. Where several of the arguments +used to evince that truth will confirm this; as namely, those arguments +taken from the people's power in reformation, and those taken from the +hazard of partaking of others sin and judgment: for, if all the +magistrates, supreme and subordinate, turn principal patrons and +patterns of all abominations, and persecutors and destroyers of the +people for not complying with them, then the people are not only under +an obligation to resist them; but seeing otherwise they would be liable +to their sin, in suffering them thus to trample on religion, and the +interests of God as well as their own, in order to turn away the wrath +of God, it is incumbent upon them to vindicate religion, and reform the +land from these corruptions, in an endeavour to bring those malignant +enemies of God, and destroyers of the people, to condign punishment, +"that the heads of the people be hanged up before the Lord against the +sun, the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from the land," +Numb. xxv. 4. In this case, as Buchanan says of a tyrant, De jure +regni, 'A lawful war being once undertaken with such an enemy as a +tyrant is, every one out of the whole multitude of mankind may assault, +with all the calamities of war, a tyrant, who is a public enemy, with +whom all good men have a perpetual warfare.' And though the war be not +always actually prosecute in a hostile manner, yet, as long as peace is +not concluded and the war ceased, they that have the just side of the +quarrel may take advantages, in removing and taking off, (not every +single soldier of the contrary side, for that would contribute nothing +to their prevailing in the end) but the principal instruments and +promoters of the war, by whose fall the offending side would suffer +great loss, and the defending would be great gainers. So Jael killing +Sisera, Jabin's captain-general, is greatly commended. Now this was the +case of the sufferers upon this head, as Mr. Mitchel, one of them +represents it in his forecited letter, 'I being (says he) a soldier, not +having laid down my arms, but still upon my own defence, having no other +end or quarrel at any man--besides the prosecution of the ends of the +covenant, particularly the overthrow of prelates and prelacy; and I +being a declared enemy to him (that is Sharp) on that account, and he to +me in like manner, I never found myself obliged--to set a centinel at +his door for his safety; but as he was always to take his advantage, as +it appeareth, so I of him to take any opportunity offered: moreover, we +being in no terms of capitulation, but on the contrary, I, by his +instigation, being excluded from all grace and favour, thought it my +duty to pursue him at all occasions.' + +5. It is lawful to kill enemies in the rescue of our brethren, when they +are keeping them in bondage, and reserving them for a sacrifice to the +fury of tyrants, or leading them forth to the slaughter, or in the time +of acting their murdering violence upon them: then, to break prisons, +beat up garrisons, surprise the murderers, and kill them in the rescue +of our innocent brethren, is very lawful, according to that command, +Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. and the practice of Moses, who seeing one of his +brethren suffering wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was +oppressed, and slew the Egyptian, Acts vii. 24. For that is a certain +truth, which Grotius faith in locum, 'the law of nature gives a right to +an innocent, and to the defender of an innocent person, against the +guilty offender.' Hence, It cannot but be lawful also, in a case of +necessity, when both ourselves and our brethren are pursued incessantly +by destroying murderers, to avenge ourselves on them, and slay them, +when there is no other way to be rid of their violence. + +6. It is lawful to prevent the murder of ourselves or our brethren, when +no other way is left, by killing the murderers before they accomplish +their wicked design, if they be habitually prosecuting it, and have many +times accomplished it before. This followeth upon the other; and upon +this account it had been duty for Gedaliah to have suffered Johanan to +slay Ishmael, and so prevent the governor's murder, if it had been +certainly known that Ishmael was sent by the king of Ammon to +assassinate him, Jer. xl. 14, 15. for nothing is there objected against +the lawfulness of the thing, but only it was alledged that he spoke +falsely. Alftedius asserts this, Caf. de homicid. reg. 6. p. 331. It is +lawful to prevent him that would assault us, and by preventing to kill +him before his invasion, if it be so necessary, to prevent him, that our +life cannot be otherwise defended but by preventing. And hence he +justifies that saying, 'It is lawful to kill him that lieth in wait to +murder,' ibid. This is all the length that the reproached sufferers, +whom I am vindicating, go, in asserting this principle, as may be seen +in their Informatory Vindication, Head 3. pag. 544. where they say, 'We +maintain it as both righteous and rational, in defence of our lives, +liberties, and religion, after an orderly and Christian manner, to +endeavour, by all means lawful and possible, to defend ourselves, rescue +our brethren, and prevent their murder, in a martial opposition against +wicked persecutors, who are seeking to destroy them and us, and imbrue +their hands in our blood, according to the true import of the +Apologetical Declaration.' Which is very rational; especially +considering. + +7. These murderers, who are thus to be prevented, are such whom the law +of God commands to be put to death, and no where allows to be spared, +being public enemies to God and good men, open blasphemers, avowed +idolaters, affronted adulterers, notorious murderers, habitual tyrants, +suppressing religion, oppressing the innocent, and professing a trade of +destroying the Lord's people. Surely, if God hath expressly in his laws +provided, that blasphemers, idolaters, murderers, &c. should not be +suffered to live, he never intended men daily guilty, yea, making +profession of these crimes, should be allowed impunity, either by virtue +of their office, or because there is none in office to execute judgment +upon them; but in a case of extreme necessity, these laws will not only +allow, but oblige people, daily murdered by them, for their own +preservation, for vindication of religion, for purging the land of such +wickedness, for turning away the wrath of God, to prevent their +prosecuting their murdering designs any further, and put a stop to their +persecution, by putting an end to their wicked lives: seeing, as +Buchanan says, De Jure Regni, it is expresly commanded, 'to cut off +wickedness and wicked men, without any exception of rank or degree; and +yet in no place of sacred scripture are tyrants more spared than private +persons.' Much less their bloody emissaries. + +Now, seeing all these cases of killing I have collected, are justifiable +in scripture, and none of the sufferers upon this head, whom I am +vindicating, have exceeded in principle or practice the amount of these +assertions, what is said already may have some weight to demur a +censorious condemnation of them. But as the true nonconformist well +observes, in answer to Dial. 7. p. 391. Seeing the consideration +resulting from the concurrence of all circumstances, whereupon the right +dignoscing of such deeds, when actually existent, doth mostly depend, +doth more contribute to the clearing and passing a judgment on a case of +this nature, when the whole contexture is exposed to certain +examination, than to set down general rules directive of such practices +(which yet will all justify this in question) therefore to clear the +case further, all may be resolved into this state of the question. + +'Whether or not private persons, incessantly pursued unto death, and +threatened with ineluctable destruction by tyrants and their emissaries, +may, to save themselves from their violence, in case of extreme +necessity, put forth their hand to execute judgment upon the chief and +principal ringleaders, instruments and promoters of all these +destructive mischiefs and miseries, who are open and avowed enemies to +God, apostates, blasphemers, idolaters, tyrants, traitors, notorious +incendiaries, atrocious murderers, and known and convict to be public +enemies, prosecuting their murdering designs notourly and habitually, +and therefore guilty of death by all laws of God and man; and in such an +extraordinary case, put them to death, who have by law forfeited their +lives to justice, when there is no access to public justice, no prospect +of obtaining it in an orderly way, nor any probability of escaping their +intended destruction, either by flight or resistance, if they be past +longer unpunished; and so deliver themselves from their murdering +tyranny, while they are under no acknowledged subjection to them, nor at +peace with them, but maintaining a defensive resistance against them; +and in this extraordinary execution of justice, being not chargeable +with ignorance of matters of fact so manifest, nor mistakes of +circumstances so palpable, nor with malice, rage or revenge against +their persons for private and particular injuries, nor with enthusiastic +impulses pretended as their rule, nor with deceit or treachery in the +manner, nor with any breach of relation or obligation, nor usurpation +upon or prejudice to any lawful right whatsoever in the matter, nor with +any selfish or sinistrous ends in the design; but forced to perform this +work of judgment, when there is none other to do it, out of zeal for the +glory of God, care of the country's good, love to their brethren, sense +of their own danger, and respect to justice; to the end, that by the +removal of these wicked destroyers, their war against the prevailing +faction of their malignant enemies may be more successfully maintained, +their religion, lives, laws, and liberties more securely defended, their +brethren rescued, their murder prevented, impiety suppressed, the land +cleansed from blood, and the wrath of God averted.' That this is the +true state of the question, the preceeding assertions, all comprehended +here, do make it evident. To which I answer in the affirmative, and +shall come to give my reasons. + +Secondly, Then I shall offer some reasons for this, first for some +grounds and hypotheses of reason: then more expresly from +scripture-proofs. + +1. There may be some arguments offered from the dictates of natural +reason, which I shall but only glance at. + +1. I premit the consideration of the practice of all nations, even such +from whom patterns have been taken for government, and who have had the +most polite and purest policy, and have been the severest animadverters +upon all extravagants and transgressors of their vocation: yet even +among them, for private persons to destroy and rid the commonwealth of +such burdens, and vile vermin so pernicious to it, was thought a virtue +meriting rather commendation, than a thing to be condemned. I shall not +here instance the laudable practices recorded in scripture; these may +be seen in their own place. Neither do I speak of ruder nations, among +whom this is a relict of reason, not of rudeness, as the Oriental +Indians have a custom, whenever any person runs a muck, that is, in a +revengeful fury, takes such a quantity of opium, as distracts them into +such a rage of mad animosity, that they fear not to assault (which is +the common operation of that portion there) and go through destroying +whom they can find in their way: then every man arms against him: and is +ambitious of the honour of first killing him, which is very rational; +for otherwise no man could be safe; and it seems to be as rational, to +take the same course with our mad malignant mucks who are drunk with +hellish fury, and are running in a rage to destroy the people of God +whom they can meet with. But all the nations, where the best policy was +established, have been of his mind. In Greece public rewards were +enacted to be given, and honours appointed for several cities, to those +that should kill tyrants, from the mightiest of them to the meanest; +with whom they thought there was no bond of humanity to be kept. Hence, +Thebe is usually commended for killing her husband, Timoleon for killing +his brother, because they were pernicious and destructive to the +commonwealth: which, though it seem not justifiable, because of the +breach of relation of natural subjection, yet it shews what sentiments +the most politic nations have had of this practice. As also among the +Romans, Cassius is commended for killing his son, and Fulvius for +killing his own son going to Cataline, and Brutus for killing his +kinsmen, having understood they had conspired to introduce tyranny +again. Servilius Ahala is commended for killing even in the court Sep. +Melius, turning his back and refusing to compear in judgment, and for +this was never judged guilty of bloodshed, but thought nobilitate by the +slaughter of a tyrant, and all posterity did affirm the same. Cicero, +speaking of the slaughter of Cesar, stiles it a famous and divine fact, +and put to imitation. Sulpitius Asper, being asked, why he had combined +with others against Nero, and thought to have killed him? made this bold +reply, 'that he knew not any other way to put a stop to his villanies, +and redeem the world from the infection of his example, and the evils +which they groaned under by reason of his crimes.' On the contrary, +Domitius Corbulo is reprehended by all, for neglecting the safety of +mankind, in not putting an end to Nero's cruelty, when he might very +easily have done it: and not only was he by the Romans reprehended, but +by Tyridates the Persian king, being not all afraid lest it should +afterward befal an example unto himself. + +When the ministers of Caius Caligula, a most cruel tyrant, were, with +the like cruelty, tumultuating for the slaughter of their master, +requiring them that killed him to be punished, Valerius Asiaticus the +senator cried out aloud, 'I wish I had killed him,' and thereby both +composed their clamour, and stopt their rage. 'For there is so great +force in an honest deed, (saith Buchanan de jure Regni, relating this +passage) that the very lightest shew thereof, being presented to the +minds of men, the most furious assaults are allayed, and fury will +languish, and madness itself must acknowledge the sovereignty of +reason.' The senate of Rome did often approve the fact, tho' done +without their order oftentimes by private hands: as upon the slaughter +of Commodus, instead of revenging it, they decreed that his carcase +should be exposed and torn in pieces. Sometimes they ordered before hand +to have it done; as when they condemned Didimus Julianus, they sent a +tribune to slay him in the palace: nay, they have gone so far, as in +some cases to appoint reward for such as should kill those tyrants that +trampled upon their laws, and murdered virtuous and innocent people; as +that sentence of the senate against the two Maximini doth witness, +Whosoever killeth them deserves a reward. Buchanan as above, rehearsing +many instances of this nature, gives reasons of their approveableness; +and these I find here and there scattered, in his book, de jure Regni, +1. They that make a prey of the commonwealth, are not joined to us by +any civil bond or tie of humanity, but should be accounted the most +capital enemies of God and of all men. 2. They are not to be counted as +within human society, but transgressors of the limits thereof; which +whoso will not enter into, and contain himself within, should be taken +and treated as wolves, or other kinds of noisome beasts, which whosoever +spares, he preserves them to his own destruction, and of others; and +whosoever killeth, doth not only good to himself, but to all others; and +therefore doth merit rather reward than to be condemned for it. For if +any man, divested of humanity, should degenerate into such cruelty, as +he would not meet with other men but for their destruction (as the +monsters I am speaking of, could meet with none of the party here +treated on, but to this effect) he is not to be called a man, no more +than satyrs, apes or bears. 3. It is expressly commanded to cut off +wickedness and wicked men, without any exception of rank or degree; and, +if kings would abandon the counsels of wicked men, and measure their +greatness rather by duties of virtue, than by the impunity of evil +deeds, they would not be grieved for the punishment of tyrants, nor +think that royal majesty is lessened by their destruction, but rather be +glad that it is purged from such a stain of wickedness. 4. What is here +to be reprehended? is it the cause of their punishment? That is +palpable. Is it the law which adjudges them to punishment? All laws were +desired as necessary for repressing tyrants; whosoever doth condemn +this, must likewise condemn all the laws of nations. Is it the person +executing the laws? Where will any other be found to do it in such +circumstances? 5. A lawful war being once undertaken with an enemy for a +just cause, it is lawful not only for the whole people to kill that +enemy, but for every one of them: every one therefore may kill a tyrant, +who is a public enemy, with whom all good men have a perpetual warfare; +meaning, if he be habitually tyrannical, and destructive to the people, +so that there is no living for good people for him; otherwise, though a +man by force or fraud acquire sovereignty, no such violence is to be +done to him, providing he use a moderate way in his government, such as +Vespasian among the Romans, Hiero in Syracuse. 6. Treason cannot be +committed against one who destroys all laws and liberties of the people, +and is a pernicious plague to the commonwealth. + +2. Such is the force of this truth in the case of circumstantiate, that +it extorts the acknowledgment of the greatest authors ancient and +modern, domestic and foreign, and even of all rational royalists (as Mr. +Mitchel lays in his postscript to the forecited letter.) That it is +lawful for any private person to kill a tyrant without a title, and to +kill tories or open murderers, as devouring beasts, because the good of +his action doth not only redound to the person himself, but to the whole +commonwealth, and the person acting incurs the danger himself alone. + +Tertullian, though a man loyal to excels, says, every man is a soldier +inrolled to bear arms against all traitors and public enemies. The +ancient ecclesiastical historian, Sozomen, relating the death of Julian, +and intimating that he was supposed to have been slain by a Christian +soldier, adds, Let none be so rash as to condemn the person that did it, +considering he was thus courageous in behalf of God and religion, Sozom. +Hist. lib. 6. cap. 2. Barclaius, a great royalist, faith, all antiquity +agrees, that tyrants, as public enemies, may, most justly, be attacked +and slain, not only by the community but also by every individual person +thereof. Grotius de jure belli, lib. i. cap. 4. saith, If any person +grasp at dominion by unjust war, or hath no title thereto by consent of +the community, and no paction is made with him, nor allegiance granted, +but retains possession by violence only, the right of war remains; and +therefore it is lawful to attack him as an enemy, who may be killed by +any man, and that lawfully. Yea, king James VI. in his remonstrance for +the right of kings, says, the public laws make it lawful and free for +any private persons to enterprise against an usurper. Divines say the +same. Chamier, Tom. 2. lib. 15. cap 12. Sect. 19. All subjects have +right to attack tyrants. Alsted. Theolog. Gaf. cap. 17. reg. 9. p. 321. +Any private man may and ought to cut off a tyrant, who is an invader, +without a title; because in a hostile manner he invades his native +country. And, cap. 1. 18. reg. 14. p. 332. 'It is lawful for every +private man to kill a tyrant, who unjustly invades the government. But +Dr. Ames concerning conscience, Book 3. Chap 31. concerning +manslaughter, asserts all that is here pleaded for in express terms, +Quest. 4. Whether or no is it lawful for a man to kill another by his +own private authority? Ans. Sometimes it is lawful to kill, no public +precognition preceeding; but then only, when the cause evidently +requires that it should be done, and public authority cannot be got: For +in that case, a private man is publicly constitute the minister of +justice, as well by the permission of God, as the consent of all men. +These propositions carry such evidence in them, that the authors thought +it superfluous to confirm them, and sufficient to affirm them. And from +any reason that can be adduced to prove any of these assertions, it will +be as evident that this truth I plead for, is thereby confirmed, as that +itself is thereby strengthened: for it will follow natively, if tyrants, +and tyrants without a title, be to be thus dealt with,; then the +monsters, of whom the question is, those notorious incendiaries and +murdering public enemies, are also to be so served: for either these +authors assert the lawfulness of so treating tyrants without a title, +because they are tyrants, or because they want a title. If the first be +said, then all tyrants are to be so served; and reason would say, and +royalists will subscribe, if tyrants that call themselves kings may be +so animadverted upon, because of their perniciousness to the +commonwealth by their usurped authority, then the subordinate firebrands +that are the immediate instruments of that destruction, the inferior +emissaries that act it, and actually accomplish it, in murdering +innocent people, may be so treated; for their persons are not more +sacred than the other, nor more unpunishable. If the second be said, it +is lawful to kill them, because they want a title; then it is either +because they want a pretended title, or because they want a real and +lawful one. The latter is as good as none, and it is proven, Head 2. +Arg. 7. that no tyrants can have any. The former cannot be said, for all +tyrants will pretend some, at least before they be killed. + +3. But though some of these great authors neither give their reasons for +what they assert, nor do they extend it to all tyrants that tyrannize by +virtue of their pretended authority, yet it will not be difficult to +prove, that all, great and small, that murder, destroy, and tyrannize +over poor people, are to be punished, though they pretend authority for +what they do. And hence, if all tyrants, murderers and destroyers of +mankind ought to be punished; then when it cannot be done by public +authority, it may be done by private; but all tyrants, murderers and +destroyers of mankind ought to be punished: Therefore--. The minor is +manifest from the general commands of shedding the blood of every man +that sheds it, Gen. ix. 6. of putting to death whosoever killeth any +person, Numb. xxxv. 30, 31. of respecting no man's person in judgment, +Deut. i. 17. And universally all penal laws are general without +exception of any; for under that reduplication of criminal transgressing +those laws, under that general sanction, they are to be judged; which +admits of no partial respect: for if the greatest of men be murderers, +they are not to be considered as great, but as murderers; just as the +meanest are to be considered as mean or poor, but as murderers. But I +need not insist on this, being sufficiently proved, Head 2. Arg. 9. and +throughout that Head, proving that tyrants can have no authority: and, +if they have no authority, then authority (which they have not) cannot +exempt them from punishment. The connexion of the major proposition may +be thus urged: when this judgment cannot be executed by public +authority, either it must be done by private authority, in case of +extreme necessity, or not at all: for there is no medium, but either to +do it by public authority, or private: if not at all, then the land must +remain still defiled with blood, and cannot be cleansed, Numb. xxxv. 33. +Then the fierce anger of the Lord cannot be averted, Numb. xxxv. 4. for +without this executing of judgment, he will not turn it away, Jer. v. 1. +Then must murderers be encouraged, by their impunity, to make havoc of +all according to their lust, besides that poor handful who cannot escape +their prey, as their case is circumstantiate. Besides, this is point +black contrary to these general commands, which say peremptorily, the +murderer shall be put to death; but this supposed case, when public +authority will not or cannot put them to death, says, they shall not be +put to death. In this case then I demand, whether their impunity is +necessary, because they must not be put to death? or because they cannot +be put to death? To say the latter, were an untruth; for private persons +can do it, when they get access, which is possible: if the former, then +it is clearly contradictory to the commands, which say, they must be put +to death, excepting no case, but when they cannot be put to death. If it +be said, they must not be put to death, because the law obliges only +public authority to execute judgment: to this I reply, 1. I trust to +make the contrary appear from scripture by and by. 2. If the law +obliges none but those in public authority to execute judgment, then +when there is no judgment execute, it must be the sin of none but those +in public authority; and if it be only their sin, how comes others to be +threatened and punished for this, that judgment is not executed? If they +must only stand by, and be spectators of their omissions unconcerned, +what shall they do to evite this wrath? shall they exhort them, or +witness against them? But that more than all this is required, is proved +before several times, where this argument of people's being punished for +the sin of their rulers hath been touched. 3. Then when there is no +authority, it must be no sin at all that judgment is not executed, +because it is the sin of none; it cannot be sin, except it be the sin of +some. 4. What if those in public authority be the murderers? Who shall +put them to death? By what authority shall judgment be execute upon +them? Whether public or private? public it cannot be; for there is no +formal public authority above the supreme, who are supposed the party to +be punished; if it be the radical authority of the people, which is the +thing we plead for, then it is but private, as that of one party against +the other: the people are the party grieved, and so cannot be judges: at +best then, this will be extrajudicial executing of judgment. And if the +people may do it upon the greatest of tyrants, then a part of them who +are in greatest hazard may save themselves from those of lesser note, by +putting them to death: for if all the people have right to punish +universal tyrants, because they are destroyers of all; then a part hath +right to punish particular tyrants, because they are destroyers of them, +when they cannot have access to public authority, nor the concurrence of +the whole body. + +4. Let these murderers and incendiaries be considered, either as a part +of the community with them whom they murder and destroy, or not; if they +be a part, and do belong to the same community (which is not granted in +this case, yet let it be given) then when the safety of the whole, or +better part, cannot consist with the sparing or preserving of a single +man, especially such an one as prejudges all, and destroys that better +part; he is rather to be cut off, than the whole or the better part be +endangered: for the cutting off of a contagious member that destroys the +rest of the body, is well warranted by nature, because the safety of the +whole is to be preferred to the safety of a part, especially a +destructive part: but now, who shall cut it off? since it must be cut +off, otherwise a greater part of the body will be presently consumed, +and the whole endangered. It is sure the physician's duty; but what if +he will not, or cannot, or there be no physician? then any that can may +and must; yea, one member may, in that case, cut off another. So, when +either the magistrate will not, or dare not, or does not, or there is +none to do this necessary work of justice, for the preservation of the +community; any member of it may rather prevent the destruction of the +whole, or a greater part, by destroying the murdering and destructive +member, than suffer himself and others to be unavoidably destroyed by +his being spared. If they be not within, or belonging to that society, +then they may be dealt with, and carried towards as public enemies and +strangers, and all advantages may be taken of them in cases of +necessity, as men would do, if invaded by Turks or Tartars. + +5. Let it be considered, what men might have done in such a case before +government was erected, if there had been some public and notour +murderers still preying upon some sort of men. Certainly then private +persons (as all are in that case) might kill them to prevent future +destruction. Hence, if this was lawful before government was +established, it cannot be unlawful when people cannot have the benefit +of the government, when the government that is, instead of giving +redress to the grieved and oppressed, does allow and impower them to +destroy them: otherwise people might be better without government than +with it; for then they might prevent their murderers by cutting them +off. But so it is that this was lawful before government was +established: for let it be adverted, that the scripture seems to +insinuate such a case before the flood. Cain, after he murdered his +brother, feared that every man that found him should slay him. Gen. iv. +14. If he had reason to fear this, as certainly he had, if the Lord had +not removed that, by prorogueing the execution of vengeance upon him, +for his greater punishment, and the world's more lasting instruction, +and by setting a mark upon him, and inhibiting, under a severe +threatning, any to touch him; then every man that should have killed him +was the magistrate, (which were ridiculous) or every man was every, and +any private person universally, which might have killed him, if this +inhibition had not past upon it. Ainsworth upon the place saith, 'That +among the ancient Romans, every one might kill without a challenge, any +man that was cursed for some public crime.' And cites Dionys. +Halicarnas. l. 2. And so Cain spoke this from a dictate of nature and a +guilty conscience. + +6. At the erection of government, though the people resign the formal +power of life and death, and punishing criminals, over to the governor +constitute by them; yet, as they retain the radical power and right +virtually, so when either the magistrates neglect their duty of +vindicating the innocent, and punishing their destroyers, or impower +murderers to prey upon them; in that case, they may resume the exercise +of it, to destroy their destroyers, when there is no other way of +preventing or escaping their destructions; because extreme remedies +ought to be applied to extreme diseases. In an extraordinary exigent, +when Ahab and Jezebel did undo the church of God, Elias, with the +people's help, killed all Baal's priests, against and without the king's +will; in this case, it is evident the people resumed their power, as Lex +Rex saith, quest. 9. p. 63. There must be a court of necessity, no less +than a court of justice, when it is in this extremity, as if they had no +ruler, as that same learned author saith, quest. 24. pag. 213. If then +the people may resume that power in cases of necessity, which they +resigned to the magistrate; then a part may resume it, when a part only +is in that necessity, and all may claim an interest in the resumption, +that had an interest in the resignation. + +7. Especially upon the dissolution of a government when people are under +a necessity to revolt from it, and so are reduced to their primitive +liberty, they may then resume all that power they had before the +resignation, and exert it in extraordinary exigents of necessity. If +then a people that have no magistrates at all may take order with their +destroyers then must they have the same power under a lawful revolt. As +the ten tribes, if they had not exceeded in severity against Adoram, +Rehoboam's collector, had just cause to take order with that usurper's +emissary, if he came to oppress them; but if he had come to murder them, +then certainly it was duty to put him to death, and could not be +censured at all, as it is not in the history, 1 Kings xii. 18. But so it +is that the people pursued by these murderers, some of which in their +extreme exigencies they put to death; have for these several years +maintained a declared revolt from the present government, and have +denied all subjection to it upon the grounds vindicated, Head 2. And +there they must be considered as reduced to their primeve liberty, and +their pursuers as their public enemies, to whom they are no otherwise +related than if they were Turks, whom none will deny it lawful to kill, +if they invade the land to destroy the inhabitants. + +8. Hence, seeing they are no other than public enemies, unjustly +invading, pursuing, and seeking them to destroy them: what arguments +will prove the lawfulness of resistance, and the necessity of +self-defence, in the immediate defence of life, as well as remote, will +also prove the lawfulness of taking all advantages upon them: for if it +be lawful to kill an enemy in his immediate assault, to prevent his +killing of them, when there is no other way of preserving themselves +from his fury; then it must be lawful also in his remote but still +incessant pursuit, to prevent his murdering them by killing him, when +there is no other way to escape in a case of extreme necessity. But that +this was the case of that poor people, witnesses can best prove it; and +I dare appeal to two sorts of them that know it best, that is, all the +pursuers, and all the pursued. + +9. This is founded, and follows upon the 4th article of the Solemn +League and covenant: where we are bound with all faithfulness to +endeavour the discovery, of all such as have been, or shall be +incendiaries, malignants or evil instruments,----that they may be +brought to public trial, and receive condign punishment. Now, as this +obliges to the orderly and ordinary way of prosecuting them when there +is access to public judicatories: so when there is none either this +article obliges to no endeavour at all; (which cannot be, for it is +moral duty to endeavour the punishment of such) or else it must oblige +to this extraordinary action and execution of judgment, if to any at +all. Especially considering, how, in the sense of the short comings of +this duty, it is renewed in the solemn acknowledgement of sins, and +engagement to duties, that we shall be so far from conniving at +malignity, injustice, &c., that we shall----take a more effectual +course, than heretofore, in our respective places and callings, for +punishing and suppressing these evils.----Certainly we were called to +one way of prosecuting this obligation then, when it was first engaged +into, and to another now, when our capacity and circumstances are so +materially and formally altered: if the effectual course then was by +public authority; then now when that is wanting, there must be some +obligation to take some effectual course still, that may suit our +places and callings, which will certainly comprehend this extraordinary +way of suppressing those evils, by preventing their growth in curbing +the instruments, and executing judgment upon them, in a case of extreme +necessity, which will suit with all places, and all callings. + +II. From the scriptures, these arguments are offered, + +First, Some approven examples, and imitable in the like circumstances, +will clear and confirm the lawfulness of this extraordinary work of +judgment executed by private persons, upon notorious incendiaries, +firebrands, and murderers, guilty of death by the law of God, + +1. Moses spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren; and +he looked this way, and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, +he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand, Exod. ii. 11, 12. Here is +an uncondemned example: whereof the actor who was the relater did not +condemn himself, though he condemns himself for faults that seem less +odious; yea, in effect, he is rather condemned by Stephen the Martyr, +Acts vii. And though it be extraordinary, in that it was done by private +authority, not by a judge, as it was objected to him the second day: yet +it was not unimitable; because that action, though heroical, whereof the +ground was ordinary, the rule moral, the circumstances commonly +incident, the management directed by human prudence, cannot be +unimitable; but such was this action, though heroical. The ground was +ordinary, spying his brother in hazard, whose murder he would have +prevented. The rule was moral, being according to that moral precept in +rescuing our brother in hazard, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. The circumstances +were incident in a case of extreme necessity, which he managed very +prudently, looking this way, and that way, and hiding him in the sand. +Therefore it may be imitated in the like case. It signifies nothing to +say that he was moved by the Spirit of God thereto: for unto every +righteous performance the motion of the Spirit of God is requisite. This +impulse that Moses had and others after-mentioned, was nothing but a +greater measure of that assisting grace, which the extraordinariness of +the case, and the difficulties therein occurring did call for; but the +interveening of such motions, do not alter the rule, so as to make the +action unimitable. Impulses are not the rule of duty, either under an +ordinary or extraordinary exigence; but when they are subsequent and +subservient both to the rule of duty, and to a man's call in his present +circumstances, they clearly determine to the species of an heroic +enterprise; in so much that it is not only the particular deed that we +are to heed for our imitation, but we are to emulate the grace and +principle of zeal which produced it, and is thereby so conspicuously +relucent for our upstirring to acts in like manner, as God may give +opportunity, as is observed by the true non-conformist, Dial. 7. pag. +392, &c. + +2. When Israel joined himself unto Baal-Peor, the Lord said unto Moses, +'Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord +against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away +from Israel.' And Moses said unto the judges, 'Slay every one his men +that were joined unto Ball-Peor.' And when Zimri brought the Midianitish +Cozbi in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation, +who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle; and when Phineas saw +it, he rose up,----and took the javelin in his hand, and he went after +the men of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through,----So +the plague was stayed,----And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, +'Phineas hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel, while he +was zealous for my sake among them,----I give unto him my covenant of +peace,----because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for +the children of Israel.' Numb. xxv. 3.-13. This action is here much +commended, and recorded to his commendation, Psal. cvi. 30, 31. Then +stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment, and so the plague was stayed; +and that was counted to him for righteousness, unto all generations; +that is,----Into justice of the deed before men, who otherwise might +have put a bad construction upon it, as rash, out of season, committed +against a magistrate by a private person, too cruel by cutting them off +from repentance; but God esteemed it as extraordinary just. Pool's +Synops. Critic. in Locum. It is certain, this action was some way +extraordinary; because Phinehas was not a magistrate, nor one of the +judges whom Moses commanded to slay every one his men, ver. 5. +Otherwise, if this had been only an ordinary execution of the judgment +by the authority of Moses, Phinehas' action would not have been taken so +much notice of, nor so signally rewarded; but here it is noted as a +singular act of zeal, which it could not have been, if it was only an +ordinary execution of the magistrate's command: yet, though this action +was signally heroical, proceeding from a principle of pure zeal for God, +and prompted by a powerful motion of the Spirit of God to that +extraordinary execution of judgment: it is notwithstanding imitable in +the like circumstances. For, the matter is ordinary, being neither +preternatural, nor supernatural, but just and necessary. The end was +ordinary, to turn away the wrath of God, which all were obliged to +endeavour. The principle was ordinary, (though at the time he had an +extraordinary measure of it) being zealous for the Lord, as all were +obliged to be. The rule was ordinary, to wit, the command of slaying +every man that was joined to Baal Peor, ver. 5. only this was +extraordinary, that the zeal of God called him to his heroical action, +though he was not a magistrate, in this extraordinary exigent, to avert +the wrath of God; which was neither by Moses's command, nor by the +judges obedience, turned away only by Phinehas' act of another nature, +and his zeal appearing therein, and prompting him thereto, the Lord was +appeased, and the plague slayed. In which fervour of zeal, transporting +him to the omission of the ordinary solemnities of judgment, the Spirit +of the Lord places the righteousness and praise of the action. Yet the +same call and motion of zeal might have impowered others to do the like: +the text speaks of no other call he had, but that of zeal, ver. 11, 12, +13. yea, another was obliged to do the same, upon the ground of that +moral command, Deut. xiii. 6.-9. having the ground of God's ordinary +judgment, which commandeth the idolater to die the death; and therefore +to be imitate of all that prefer the true honour and glory of God to the +affection of flesh and wicked princes, as Mr. Knox affirmeth in his +conference with Lethingtoun, rehearsed before, per. 3. Further, let it +be enquired, What makes it unimitable? Certainly it was not so, because +he had the motion and direction of God's Spirit; for men have that to +all duties. It was not, because he was raised and stirred up of God to +do it; for God may raise up spirits to imitable actions. It was not, +because he had an extraordinary call, for men have an extraordinary +call, to imitable actions, as the apostles had to preach. We grant these +actions are extraordinary and unimitable; which, first, do deviate from +the rule of common virtue, and transcend all rules of common reason and +divine word; but this was not such, but an heroic act of zeal and +fortitude: Next these actions, which are contrary to a moral ordinary +command are unimitable, as the Israelites robbing the Egyptians, +borrowing, and not paying again, Abraham's offering his son Isaac; but +this was not such: next those actions, which are done upon some special +mandate of God, and are not within the compass of ordinary obedience to +the ordinary rule, are unimitable; but is not such: as also miraculous +actions, and such as are done by the extraordinary inspiration of the +Spirit of God, as Elias's killing the captains with their fifties by +fire from heaven; but none can reckon this among these. See Jus Populi +at length discussing this point, and pleading for the suitableness of +this action, cap. 20. If therefore the Lord did not only raise up this +Phinehas to that particular act of justice, but also so warrant and +accept him therein, and reward him therefore, upon the account of his +zeal, when there was a godly and zealous magistrate, able, and whom we +cannot without breach of charity presume, but also willing to execute +justice; how much more may it be pleaded, that the Lord, who is the same +yesterday, to day and forever, will not only pour out of that same +spirit upon others; but also when he gives it, both allow them, though +they be but private persons, and also call them, being otherwise in a +physical and probable capacity to do these things in an extremely +necessitous, and otherwise irrecoverable state of the church, to which +in a more intire condition he doth not call them? And particularly, when +there is not only the like or worse provocations, the like necessity of +execution of justice and of reformation, for the turning away of wrath, +and removing of judgments, that was in Phinehas's case, but also, when +the supreme civil magistrate, the nobles of the kingdom, and other +inferior rulers, are not only unwilling to do their duty, but so far +corrupted and perverted, that they are become the authors and +patronizers of these abominations, Naph. prior Edit. p. 23. + +3. When the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab, and they +cried unto the Lord, he raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of +Gera, who made a dagger, and brought a present unto Eglon, and put forth +his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it +into his belly, Judg. iii. 21. That this action was approven will not be +doubted, since the Lord raised him up as a deliverer who by this +heroical action commenced it; ond since it was a message from God, and +that it was extraordinary, were ridiculous to deny: for sure this was +not the judicial action of a magistrate, neither was Ehud a magistrate +at this time, but only the messenger of the people sent with a present. +Yet it is imitable in the like case, as from hence many grave authors +concluded the lawfulness of killing a tyrant without a title. + +4. When the Lord discomfitted the host of Jabin, and Sifera his captain +fled into the house of Heber the Kenite, Jael Heber's wife took a nail +of the tent, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his +temples, Judg, iv. 21. of which the prophetess Deborah says, chap. v. +24. "Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be +above women in the tent." Yet not only was Jael no magistrate, but in +subjection to and at peace with Jabin, though she killed his captain. +But there was no injustice here, when he was declared a public enemy, +the war was just, he was an oppressor of the people of God, it became +Jael, as a member of the commonwealth, to betray and cut off the common +enemy. Therefore Jael had sinned, if she had not killed him. Martyr and +others cited in Pool. Synops. Critic. upon the place, albeit that author +himself, in his English annotations, does cut the knot, instead of +loosing it, in denying Deborah's song to be divinely inspired in its +first composure, but only recorded as a history by divine inspiration, +as other historical passages not approven, only because this heroic fact +of Jael is there recommended, which is too bold an attempt upon this +part of the holy canon of the scripture: whence we see what +inconveniences they are driven to, that deny this principle of natural +justice, the lawfulness of cutting off public enemies, to procure the +deliverance of the Lord's people. Hence, If it be lawful for private +persons, under subjection to, and at peace with the public enemies of +the Lord's people to take all advantages to break their yoke, and +deliver the oppressed from their bondage, by killing their oppressors; +it must be much more lawful for such as acknowledge no such subjection +or agreement, to attempt the same in extreme necessity; but the former +is true: therefore the latter. + +5. When Samson married the Timnite, and obliged himself by compact, to +give them thirty sheets and thirty change of garments, upon their +solving his riddle, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went +down to Askelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, +Judg. xiv. 19. And afterwards, when he lost his wife by the cruelty and +treachery of those Philistines, he said unto them, 'Though you have done +this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. And he +smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter,' chap. xv. 7, 8. And +when the Jews, who acknowledged the Philistines for rulers, came to Etam +to expostulate with him, all the satisfaction he gave them was to +avouch, that as they had done unto him, so he had done unto them, and to +kill a thousand more of them, ver. 11. &c. These were extraordinary +heroic facts, not only because they flowed from an extraordinary power +wherewith he was endued, and from an extraordinary motion and call; but +because of his avenging his own private injuries for the public good, in +a way both of fortitude and prudence, without a declared war, provoking +the enemies against himself, and diverting from the people, and +converting against himself, all their fury, in which also he acted as a +type of Christ; and also because he acted not as a magistrate at this +time, for by whom was he called or counted a magistrate? not by the +Philistines, nor by the men of Judah, for they tell him that the +Philistines were their lords, and they bound him and delivered him up to +them: yet in his private capacity, in that extraordinary exigence, he +avenged himself and his country against his public enemies, by a +clandestine war, which is imitable in the like case, when a prevailing +faction of murdering enemies domineer over and destroy the people of +God, and there is no other way to be delivered from them; for his +ground was moral, because they were public enemies, to whom he might do +as they did to him. Hence, if saints sometimes, in cases of necessity, +may do unto their public enemies, as they have done unto them, in +prosecuting a war not declared against them; then much more may they do +so in cases of necessity, to deliver themselves from their murdering +violence, when a war is declared; but here is an example of the former: +ergo + +6. When these same Philistines again invaded and over-ran the land in +the time of Saul, Jonathan his son, and his armour bearer, fell upon the +garrison of these uncircumcised, and killed them, 1 Sam. xiv. 6. 13. +This was an heroic action, without public authority; for he told not his +father, ver. 1. And singular indeed, in respect of the effect, and were +a tempting of the Lord, for so few to assault such a multitude, as it +were to imitate Samson in his exploits; but in this respect, these +actions are unimitable in consideration of prudence, not of conscience, +or as to the lawfulness of the thing: their ground was moral, to cut off +public enemies. Hence, If it be lawful to fall upon a garrison of public +enemies, oppressing the country, then it must be lawful to fall upon one +or two, that are the ring leaders of public enemies, and main promoters +of their destruction, that are as pernicious, and have no more right or +power, than the Philistines; but such is the case of those about whom +the question is. + +7. When David dwelt in the country of the Philistines, he and his men +went up and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the +Amalekites; and David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman +alive, 1 Sam. xxvii. 8, 9. This was without public authority, having +none from Saul, none from Achish, in whose country he dwelt, and none of +his own, being no magistrate. We deny not the divine motion, but plead, +that it is imitable from its moral ground, which was that command to +cut off the Amalekites, Exod. xvii. and the Amorites, whose relicts +these nations were; the same ground that Saul the magistrate had to +destroy them. Whence it is lawful sometimes for others than magistrates +to do that which is incumbent to magistrates, when they neglect their +duty. All I plead for from it is, If it be lawful for private persons, +upon the call of God, to cut off their public enemies, when they are +obliged by the command of God to destroy them, though they be living +quietly and peaceably in the country; then may it be lawful, in cases of +necessity, for private persons to cut off their public enemies, whom +they are obliged, by the covenant of God, to bring to condign +punishment, and to extirpate them, (as the covenant obliges in reference +to malignant incendiaries) when they are ravening like lions for their +prey. + +8. In the days of Ahab and Jezebel's tyranny, whereby the idolatrous +prophets of Baal were not punished according to the law, Elijah said +unto the people, 'Take the prophets of Baal, let none of them escape; +and they took them to the brook Kishon, and slew them there,' 1 Kings +xviii. 40. How Mr. Knox improved this passage we heard before, in the +historical representation, Per, 3. and Jus pop. vindicates it, that in +some cases private persons may execute judgment on malefactors, after +the example of Elias here. Which fact, Peter Martyr, in locum, defendeth +thus: 'I say it was done by the law of God; for, Deut. xviii. 20. God +decerned that the false prophet should die; and chap. xvii. the same is +said of private men and women, who would worship idols; but, chap. xiii. +not only is death threatened against a seducing prophet, but a command +is added, That no man should spare his brethren.--3dly, It is commanded, +that the whole city, when it becometh idolatrous, should be cut off by +fire and sword:' And, Lev. xxiv. 14. 16. it is statute, that the +blasphemer should not live: 'to which we may add the law or equity of +taliation: for these prophets of Baal caused Jezebel and Ahab kill the +servants of the Lord.' See Jus pop. cap. 20. pag. 425. Upon this also +Mr. Mitchel defends his fact, as above,--'Also Elijah, by virtue of that +precept, Deut. xiii. gave commandment to the people to destroy Baal's +priests, contrary to the command of the seducing magistrate, who was not +only remiss and negligent in executing justice, but became a protector +and defender of the seducers; then and in that case, I suppose the +Christians duty not to be very dark.' + +9. This idolatrous and tyrannical house was afterwards condignly +punished by Jehu, 2 Kings ix. x. chap. who destroyed all the idolaters, +who were before encouraged and protected by that court, chap. x. 25. +This extraordinary fact was not justified by his magistratical +authority; for that was as extraordinary as the fact itself, and +conferred as a mean to accomplish the fact. He had no authority by the +people's suffrages, nor was he acknowledged as such by the court or body +of the people, only the Lord gave it extraordinarily. But it is not the +imitation of his assumption of authority that is here pleaded for, but +the imitation of his fact in extraordinary cases, when not only tyrants +and idolaters pass unpunished, but their insolency in murdering the +innocent is intolerable. Mr. Knox vindicates this at length, as before, +and shews, that it had the ground of God's ordinary judgment, which +commands the idolater to die the death; and that though we must not +indeed follow extraordinary examples, if the example repugn to the law, +but where it agrees with and is the execution of the law, an example +uncondemned stands for a command; for God is constant, and will not +condemn in ages subsequent what he hath approved in his servants before. +See the Testimony of Period 3. above, and Jus pop. cap. 20. pag. 418. + +10. When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, had tyrannized six years, at +length Jehoiada, with others, made a conspiracy against her, to depose +her, and make Joash king; which when it was discovered, she cried +treason, treason, as indeed it would have been so, if she had been the +lawful magistrate; for it was an attempt of subjects against her that +had the possession of the sovereign power. But Jehoiada commanded the +captains to heave her forth without the ranges, and him that followeth +her kill with the sword; and they laid hands on her, and she was slain, +2 Kings xii. 14,--16. That this is imitable in the punishment of +tyrants, is cleared above. If therefore it be lawful for subjects to +kill usurping tyrants, and such as follow them to help them, under whom +nevertheless people might have a life; then it must be lawful for +private persons to put forth their hand against their cut-throat +emissaries, in a case of necessity, when there is no living for them. + +11. When Amaziah turned idolater and tyrant, after the time that he +turned away from the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in +Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent to Lachish after him +and slew him there, Chron. xxv. 37. This fact is before vindicated by +Mr. Knox, Period 3. afterward Head 2. and Head 5. + +12. When Esther made suit to reverse Haman's letters, the king granted +the Jews in every city, not only to gather themselves together, and to +stand for their lives, but also to destroy, to slay, and to cause to +perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault +them, both little ones and women,--and to avenge themselves on their +enemies. And accordingly in the day that their enemies hoped to have +power over them, the Jews gathered themselves to lay hand on such as +sought their hurt, and smote all their enemies with the stroke of the +sword, Esth. viii. 11, 13, chap. ix, 1-5, &c. They had indeed that law +of nature fortified by the king's accessary authority, as Valentinian, +by his edict, granted the like liberty, to resist any unjust invader to +depopulate the lands of his subjects, that he might be forthwith liable +to a deserved punishment, and suffer that death which he threatned.--And +the like of Arcadius is extant, in the Justinian Cod. Tit. How it may be +lawful for every man to vindicate himself and the public, without the +concurrence of a judge. But that doth not exclude the lawfulness of such +resistances in case of necessity, without public authority; so here, it +was not the king's commandment that made the Jews avenging themselves +lawful, if it had not been lawful before and without it; it gave them +only liberty to improve that privilege, which they had from God and +nature. Surely their power of resisting did not depend on the king's +commandment, as is proven, Head 5. Ergo, neither their power of avenging +themselves, to prevent their murder by their enemies, which they could +and were obliged to do, if there had been no such authority: Ergo, it +was not only suspended upon the king's authority. And as for Haman's +sons and adherents, being Agagites, they were obliged, by a prior +command, to avenge themselves on them, on all occasions, by that command +to destroy Amalek: therefore it must be lawful, even without public +authority, in some cases of necessity, to prevent the murder of public +enemies, by laying hands on them that seek the hurt of all the people of +God. + +Secondly, There are some precepts from which the same may be concluded. + +1. There is a command, and the first penal statute against murderers, we +read, Gen. ix. 6. 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be +shed.' Here the command is given in general to punish capitally all +murderers; but there may be some that no magistrate can punish, who are +not here exempted, to wit, they that are in supreme authority, and turn +murderers, as was said above. Again, the command is given in general to +man involving all the community (where the murderer is) in guilt, if +his blood be not shed; as we find in the scripture, all the people were +threatned and punished because judgment was not executed; and when it +was executed even by these who were no magistrates, the wrath of God was +turned away, whereof there are many examples above. Further, if the +command to shed the blood of murderers be given before the institution +of magistracy, then, in case of necessity, to stop the course of +murderers, it may be obeyed, when there is no magistrate to execute it: +but here it is given before the first institution of magistracy, when +now there was no government in the world, but family government, as +Grotius on the place saith, 'When this law was given, public judgment +was not yet constitute, therefore the natural right and law of taliation +is here held forth, which when mankind was increased and divided into +several nations, was justly permitted only to judges, some cases +excepted, in which that primeve right did remain.' And if in any, then +in this case in question. Hence, Lex Rex answereth the p. prelate, +essaying to prove, that a magistracy is established in the text denies +that Ba Adam, by man, must signify a magistrate, for then there was but +family government, and cites Calvin, of the same mind, that the +magistrate is not spoken of here. Though this command afterwards was +given to the magistrate, Numb. xxxv. 30. yet in a case of necessity, we +must recur to the original command. + +2. This same command of punishing murdering enemies, is even, after the +institution of magistrates, in several cases not astricted to them, but +permitted to the people, yea enjoined to them. As, (1.) Not only +magistrates, but the people, are commanded to avenge themselves on their +public enemies, as the Israelites, after their being ensnared in the +matter of Peor, are commanded to vex the Midianites, and smite them, +because they beguiled them, and brought a plague upon them, Numb. xxv. +17, 18. and Numb. xxxi. 2. to avenge themselves on them, and for this +end to arm themselves, and go against them, and avenge the Lord of +Midian: which they executed with the slaughter of all the males. So +likewise are they commanded to destroy Amalek. It is true these commands +are given primarily and principally to magistrates, as there to Moses, +and afterwards to Saul: yet afterwards we find others than magistrates, +upon this moral ground, having the call of God, did execute judgment +upon them, as Gideon and David, before they were magistrates, did avenge +themselves and the Lord upon them, as is before cleared. It is also +true, that there was some holy severity then to be extended against +particular nations as such, peculiar to that dispensation, which is not +pleaded as imitable; but the ground was moral, and the right of a +people's saving themselves by the destruction of their enemies; when +there is no other way for it, is natural. And this is all we plead for +here. If people may vex their enemies, and avenge themselves against +them, even without public authority, when ensnared by their craftiness; +much more may they put a stop to their insolency, by cutting off their +principle and most pernicious instruments, in case of necessity, when +invaded by their cruelty; but here a people is commanded to vex their +enemies, and avenge themselves on them, and accordingly Gideon and David +did so, without public authority, and that upon a ground which is moral +and natural: Ergo--(2.) The execution of the punishment of murderers is +committed to the people: 'The revenger of blood, himself shall slay the +murderer, when he meeteth him, he shall slay him,' Numb. xxxv. 19, 21. +So that if he met him before he got into any city of refuge, he might +lawfully slay him, and if he did flee to any, he was to be rendered up +to the avengers hands, Deut. xix. 12. that the guilt of innocent blood +may be put away from Israel, ver. 23. This revenger of blood was not the +magistrate: for he was the party pursuing, Numb. xxxv. 24. Between whom +and the murderer the congregation was to judge: he was only the next in +blood or kindred. In the original he is called Goel, the redeemer, or he +to whom the right of redemption belongs, and very properly so called, +both because he seeks redemption and compensation for the blood of his +brother, and because he redeems the land from blood guiltiness, in which +otherwise it would be involved. I do not plead that this is always to be +imitated, as neither it was always practised in Israel; but if a private +man, in a hot pursuit of his brother's murderer, might be his avenger, +before he could be brought to judgment, then much more may this power be +assumed, in a case of necessity, when there is no judgment to be +expected by law, and when not only our brethren have been murdered by +them that profess a trade of it, but others also and ourselves are daily +in hazard of it, which may be prevented in cutting them off. I do not +see what is here merely judicial, so as to be rejected as Judaical: for +sure murderers must be slain now as well as then, and there is the same +hazard of their escaping now as then: murder involves the land in guilt, +now as well as then, and in this case of necessity especially, that law +that gives a man right to preserve himself, gives him also right to be +his own avenger, if he cannot otherwise defend himself. (3.) Not only +the execution, the decision of matters of life and death, is committed +to them; as in the case of blasphemy and cursing, 'All that heard were +to lay their hands upon his head, and all the congregation was to stone +him,' Lev. xxiv. 14, 16. 'The man-slayer was to stand before the +congregation in judgment. Then the congregation shall judge between the +slayer and avenger of blood,' Numb. xxxv. 12, 24. The people claimed the +power of life and death, in seeking to execute judgment upon those that +had spoken treason against Saul, Bring the men (say they) that we may +put them to death, 1. Sam. xi. 12. Especially in the case of punishing +tyrants, as they did with Amaziah. Certainly this is not so judicial or +judaical, as that in no case it may be imitated; for that can never be +abrogated altogether, which in many cases is absolutely necessary; but +that the people, without public authority, should take the power of life +and death, and of putting a stop to the insolency of destroyers, by +putting them to death, is in many cases absolutely necessary; for +without this they cannot preserve themselves against grassant tyrants, +nor the fury of public enemies or firebrands within themselves, in case +they have no public authority, or none but such as are on their +destroyers side. (4.) Not only the power of purging the land, by divine +precept, is incumbent on the people, that it may not ly under blood +guiltiness; but also the power of reforming the courts of kings, by +taking course with their wicked abetters and evil instruments, is +committed to him, with a promise that if this be done, it shall tend to +the establishment of their throne; which is not only a supposition in +case it be done, but a supposed precept to do it, with an insinuation of +the necessity and expediency of it, that it is as suitable as the taking +away of the dross from silver, in order to the production of a vessel, +Prov. xxv. 4, 5. 'Take away the wicked from before the king, and his +throne shall be established in righteousness;' which is not only there +given to kings, for then it would be in the second person spoken to +them, but to the people to do it before them, as the people did with +Baal's prophets from before Ahab. And our progenitors many times have +done with wicked counsellors, as may be seen in the foregoing +representation, and more fully in the history of the Douglasses, and in +Knox's and Calderwood's histories. Hence, if it be duty to reform the +court, and to take away a king's wicked sycophants, counsellors, agents, +and instigators to tyranny; then it must be lawful, in some cases of +necessity, to restrain their insolency, and repress their tyranny, in +executing judgment upon such of them as are most insupportable, who are +made drunk with the blood of innocents; but the former is true: +therefore----(5.) For the omission of the executing of this judgment on +oppressors and murderers, involving the whole land in blood guiltiness, +which cannot be expiated but by the blood of them that are so criminal; +not only magistrates, but the whole people have been plagued. As for +Saul's murdering the Gibeonites, the whole land was plagued, until the +man that consumed them, and devised against them to destroy them, seven +of his sons were delivered unto them, to be hanged up before the Lord, 2 +Sam. xxi. 5, 6. So also for the sins of Manasseh. The reason was, +because if the magistrate would not excute judgment, the people should +have done it: for not only to the king, but also to his servants, and to +the people that entered in by the gates, the command is, excute ye +judgment, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, Jer. +xxii. 2, 3. though it be true, this is to be done by every one in their +station, justice and order being preserved, and according to the measure +of their office, and it chiefly belongs to judges and magistrates: yet +this is no wrong to justice, nor breach of order, nor sinful +transgression of people's vocation, not only to hinder the shedding of +innocent blood, to prevent God's executing of what he there threatens, +but also to execute judgment on the shedders, to prevent their progress +in murdering villany, when inferior as well as superior magistrates are +oppressing and tyrannizing: therefore this seeking, and doing, and +executing judgment, is so often required of the people, in such a case, +when princes are rebellious and companions of thieves, and in the city +where judgment used to be, now murderers bear sway, Isa. i. 17. 21. the +Lord is displeased where there is none, Isa. lix. 15, 16. Jer. v. 1. See +this vindicated in Lex Rex, quest. 34. p. 367. and in Jus popul. cap. +10. p. 237. + +3. That command concludes the same against idolaters, apostates, and +enticers thereunto, Deut. xiii. 6. &c. 'If thy brother----or thy +friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, let us +go and serve other gods----thou shalt not spare nor conceal him, but +thou shalt surely kill him----because he sought to thrust thee away from +the Lord thy God----And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and do no more +any such wickedness.' And ver. 13. &c. 'If thou shall hear say in one of +thy cities----saying, Certain men the children of Belial, are gone +out----and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, let us +go to serve other gods----Then shalt thou enquire----and behold if it be +truth, and the thing certain----thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants +of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly.'----This +cause of the open enticers to idolatry was not brought to the judges, as +common idolaters, and such who were enticed to serve other gods, and +worship them, were to be brought to the gates, and to be stoned first by +the hands of witnesses, and afterwards by all the people, Deut. xvii. 3, +5, 7. But this is another law; of which the Jewish antiquaries, and +particularly Grotius out of Philo and the Rabb. upon the place, saith, +'Whereas in other crimes the guilty used to be kept after the sentence a +night and a day, that if he could say any more for himself he might, +these were excepted from this benefit; and not only so, but it was +permitted to any to execute judgment upon them (viz. Enticers to +idolatry) without waiting for a judge. The like was used against +sacrilegious robbers of the temple, and priests who sacrificed when they +were polluted, and those who cursed God by the name of an idol, and +those who lay with an idolatress: chiefly those who denied the divine +authority of the law: and this behoved to be before the people, at least +ten, which in Hebrew they called Hheda.----Neither is this to be +admitted in so grievous a crime, when even the man-slayer without the +place of refuge might have been killed by the kinsman of the defunct.' +And upon Numb. xv. 30. the punishment of presumptuous blasphemers, he +says, 'But here these are to be understood thus, that the guilty shall +not be brought to the judges, but be killed by them that deprehended +them in the crime, as Phinehas did to Zimri;' and proves it out of +Maimonides, Pool. Synop. Critic. on the place. And it must be so; for in +this case no mention is made either of judges, or witnesses, or further +judgment about it, than that he that was tempted by the enticer should +fall upon him, and let the people know it, that they might lay hands on +him also; otherwise evil men might pretend such a thing when it was not +true. + +But in case of a city's apostacy, and hearkning to enticers, the thing +was only to be solicitously enquired into, and then though it was +chiefly incumbent upon the magistrate to punish it, yet it was not all +astricted to him, but that the people might do it without him. As upon +this moral ground, was Israel's war stated against Benjamin, Judg. xx. +13. When there was no king nor judge, and also when there were kings +that turned idolaters and tyrants, they served them so, as here is +commanded: witness Amaziah, as is shewed above. Hence not only Moses, +upon the people's defection into idolatry in the wilderness, commanded +all on the Lord's side, every man to put his sword by his side,--and +slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man +his neighbour, whereby three thousand fell at that time by the sword of +the Levites, Exod. xxxii. 27, 28. But also Joash, Gideon's father, upon +the same moral ground, though he was no magistrate, could say to the +Abiezrites, will ye plead for Baal--he that will plead for him, let him +be put to death while it is yet morning.--Judg. vi. 31. Moreover, (as +Mr. Mitchel adduces the example very pertinently), we see that the +people of Israel destroyed idolatry, not only in Judah wherein the king +concurred, but in Ephraim, and in Manasseh, where the king himself was +an idolater; and albeit, they were but private persons, without public +authority: for what all the people was bound to do by the law of God, +every one was bound to do it to the uttermost of his power and capacity. +Mr. Mitchel offers this place to vindicate his fact of shooting at the +prelate, Deut. xiii. 9. 'Wherein, (says he) it is manifest, That the +idolater or enticer to worship a false god, is to be put to death by the +hand of those whom he seeks to turn away from the Lord: which precept I +humbly take to be moral, and not merely judicial, and that it is not at +all ceremonial or levitical. And as every moral precept is universal, as +to the extent of place, so also as to the extent of time, and persons.' +The chief thing objected here is, that this is judicial precept, +peculiarly suited to the old dispensation; which to plead for as a rule +under the New Testament, would favour of Jewish rigidity inconsistent +with a gospel Spirit. Ans. How Mr. Knox refels this, and clears that the +command here is given to all the people, needs not be here repeated; but +it were sufficient to read it in the foregoing representation, Period 3. +Pag. 24. As it is also cited by Jus Pop. pag. 212. &c. But these general +truths may be added, concerning the judicial laws, 1. None can say, that +none of the judicial laws, concerning political constitutions, is to be +observed in the New Testament: for then many special rules of natural +and necessary equity would be rejected, which are contained in the +judicial laws of God: yea, all the laws of equity in the world would be +so cast: for none can be instanced, which may not be reduced to some of +the judicial laws: and if any of them are to be observed, certainly +these penal statutes, so necessary for the preservation of policies, +must be binding. 2. If we take not our measures from the judicial laws +of God, we shall have no laws for punishment of any malefactors by +death, of divine right, in the New Testament. And so all capital +punishments must be only human constitutions; and consequently they must +be all murders: for to take away the life of man, except for such causes +as the Lord of our life (to whose arbitriment it is only subject) hath +not approven, is murder, as Dr. Ames saith, De homicidio Conscienc. Lib. +5. Cap. 31. Quest. 2. For in the New Testament, though in the general, +the power of punishing is given to the magistrate, yet it is no where +determined, neither what, nor how crimes are to be punished. If +therefore penal laws must be taken from the Old Testament; the subject +of executing them, as well as the object, must be thence deduced; that +is, what is there astricted to the magistrate must be so still, and what +is permitted to the people must remain in like manner their privilege; +since it is certain, the New-Testament liberty is not more restricted as +to penal laws than the old. 3. Those judicial laws, which had either +somewhat typical, or pedagogical, or peculiar to the then judaical +state, are indeed not binding to us under that formality; though even +these doctrinally are very useful, in so far as in their general nature, +or equity of proportion, they exhibit to us some documents of duty; but +those penal judgments, which in the matter of them are appended to the +moral law, and are, in effect, but accurate determinations and +accommodations of the law of nature, which may suit our circumstances as +well as the Jews, do oblige us as well as them. And such are these penal +statutes I adduce; for, that blasphemy, murder, and idolatry, are +heinous crimes, and that they are to be punished, the law of nature +dictates: and how, and by whom, in several cases, they are to be +punished, the law judicial determines. Concerning the moral equity even +of the strictest of them, Amesius de Conscien. Lib. 5. Mosaical appendix +of precepts, doth very learnedly assert their binding force: 4. Those +judicial laws, which are but positive in their form, yet if their +special, internal, and proper reason and ground be moral, which +pertains to all nations, which is necessary and useful to mankind, which +is rooted in, and may be fortified by human reason, and as to the +substance of them approven by the more intelligent heathens; those are +moral, and oblige all Christians as well as Jews: and such are these +laws of punishing idolaters, &c. founded upon moral grounds, pertaining +to all nations, necessary and useful to mankind, rooted in, and +fortified by human reason; to wit, that the wrath of God may be averted, +and that all may hear and fear, and do no more so wickedly; especially +if this reason be superadded, when the case is such, that innocent and +honest people cannot be preserved, if such wicked persons be not taken +order with. 5. Those judicial laws, which being given by the Lord's +immediate authority, though not so solemnly as the moral decalogue, are +neither as to their end, dead, nor as to their use, deadly, nor as to +their nature, indifferent, nor in any peculiar respect restringible only +to the Jews, but the transgressions whereof both by omission and +commission are still sins, and were never abolished neither formally nor +consequentially in the New Testament, must be moral; but such, as these +penal laws I am speaking of, they cannot be reputed among the ceremonial +laws, dead as to their end, and deadly as to their use, or indifferent +in their nature: for sure, to punish the innocent upon the account of +these crimes, were still sin, now as well as under the Old Testament; +and not punish the guilty, were likewise sin now as well as then. If +then the matter be moral and not abolished, the execution of it by +private persons, in some cases when there is no access to public +authority, must be lawful also. Or if it be indifferent, that which is +in its own nature indifferent, cannot be in a case of extreme necessity +unlawful, when otherwise the destruction of ourselves and brethren is in +all human consideration inevitable. That which God hath once commanded, +and never expresly forbidden, cannot be unlawful, in extraordinary +cases, but such are these precepts we speak of: therefore they cannot be +in every case unlawful. Concerning this case of the obligation of +judicial laws, Ames. de Conscienc. Lib. 5. Cap. 1. Quest. 9. 6. Those +laws which are predicted to be observed and executed in the New +Testament, cannot be judicial or judaical, restricted to the old: but +such is this. In the day, that a fountain shall be opened for the house +of David for sin, and for uncleanness; which clearly points at gospel +times; it is said, "The Lord will cause the prophets and the unclean +spirits to pass out of the land: and it shall come to pass, that when +any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him +shall say unto him, thou shalt not live----and shall thrust him through +when he prophesieth," Zech. xiii. 3. Which cannot be meant of a +spiritual penetration of the heart: for it is said, he shall not live; +and the wounds of such as might escape, by resistance or flight, are +visible in his hands, ver. 6. It is therefore to be understood of +corporal killing inticers to idolatry, according to the law, Deut. xii. +9. either by delivering them up to the judges, as Piscator on the place +says, or as Grotius saith, they shall run through, as Phinehas did +Zimri, Numb. xxv. Understand this of a false prophet, desiring to intice +the people to the worship of false gods; for the law impowered every Jew +to proceed against such----which law expressly adds, that they should +not spare their son, if guilty of such a crime. From all which I +conclude, if people are to bring to condign punishment idolatrous +apostates, seeking to intice them; then may oppressed people, daily in +hazard of the death of their souls by compliance; or of their bodies, by +their constancy in duty, put forth their hand to execute judgment, in +case of necessity, upon idolatrous apostates and incendiaries, and the +principal murdering emissaries of tyrants, that seek to destroy people, +or enforce them to the same apostacy; but the former is true: therefore, +&c. + +4. The same may be inferred from that command of rescuing and delivering +our brother, when in hazard of his life; for omitting which duty, no +pretence, even of ignorance, will excuse us, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. If thou +forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are +ready to be slain; if thou sayest, behold we knew it not: doth not he +that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul doth +not he know it, and shall not he render to every man according to his +works? That is, 'Rescue out out of the hand of the invader, robber, +unjust magistrate, &c. and that either by defending him with your hand, +or tongue, or any other lawful way: men use to make a great many +excuses, either that they know not his danger nor his innocence, nor +that they were possessed of so great authority that they might relieve +him, that they have enough to do to mind their own affairs, and not +concern themselves with others, &c. He proposes and redargues here, for +examples sake, one excuse, comprehending all the rest.' As commentators +say, Pool. Syn. Crit. in loc. This precept is indefinitely given to all: +principally indeed belonging to righteous magistrates; but in case of +their omission, and if, instead of defending them, they be the persons +that draw or send out their destroying emissaries to draw them to death, +then the precept is no more to be restricted to them, than that verse. +1. not to be envious against evil men, or vers. 10. If thou faint in the +day of adversity, thy strength is small, can be said to be spoken only +to magistrates. Hence, if it be a duty to rescue our brethren from any +prevailing power that would take their lives unjustly, and no pretence +even of ignorance will excuse the forbearance of it, then it must be +lawful, in some extraordinary cases, to prevent the murdering violence +of public incendiaries, by killing them, rather than to suffer +ourselves or our brethren to be killed, when there is no other way, in +probability, either of saving ourselves, or rescuing them; but here the +former is commanded as a duty: therefore the latter also must be +justified, when the duty cannot otherwise be discharged. + +Now, having thus at some length endeavoured to discuss this some way odd +and esteemed odious head, to which task I have been as unwillingly +drawn, as the actors here pleaded for were driven to the occasion +thereof, whom only the necessity of danger did force to such +atchievements, to preserve their own and brethren's lives, in +prosecuting the cause; and nothing but the necessity of duty did force +me to this undertaking, to defend their name from reproach, and the +cause from calumnies. I shall conclude with a humble protestation, that +what I have said be not stretched further than my obvious and declared +design doth aim at; which is not to press a practice from these +precedents, but to vindicate a scripture truth from invidious or +ignorant obloquies, and not to specify what may or must be done in such +cases hereafter, but to justify what hath been done in such +circumstances before. Wherein I acknowledge, that though the truth be +certain, such things may be done, yet the duty is most difficult to be +done with approbation. Such is the fury of corrupt passion, far more +fierce in all than the pure zeal of God is to be found fervent in any, +that too much caution, tenderness, and fear, can scarce be adhibit in a +subject, wherein even the most warrantable provocation of holy zeal is +ordinarily attended with such a concurrence of self-interest, and other +carnal temptations, as it is impossible, without the signal assistance +of special grace, to have its exercise in any notable measure or manner, +without the mixture of sinful allay; as the true nonconformist doth +truly observe as above. Yet this doctrine, though in its defined and +uncautioned latitude be obnoxious to accidental abuses (as all +doctrines may be abused by men's corruption or ignorance, misapplying +the same) is nevertheless built upon such foundations, that religion +will own to be firm, and reason will ratify their force. And I hope it +is here so circumscribed with scripture boundaries, and restricted in +the narrow circumstantiation of the case, that as the ungodly cannot +captate advantage from it, to encourage themselves in their murdering +villanies, seeing they never were, never can be so circumstantiate, as +the exigence here defined requires; so as for the godly, I may presume +upon their tenderness, and the conduct of that Spirit that is promised +to lead them, and the zeal they have for the honour of holiness, with +which all real cruelty is inconsistent, to promise in their name, that +if their enemies will repent of their wickedness, and so far at least +reform themselves, as to surcease from their cruel murdering violence, +in persecuting them to the death, and devouring them as a prey, then +they shall not need to fear from the danger of this doctrine, but as +saith the proverb of the ancients, wickedness proceedeth from the +wicked, but their hand shall not be upon them. But if they shall still +proceed to murder the innocent, they must understand, they that hold +this truth in theory, will also reduce it to practice. And bloody +papists must know, that Christians now are more men, than either +stupidly to surrender their throats to their murdering swords, or +supinely to suffer their villany to pass unpunished; and though their +favours have flattered many, and their fury hath forced others, into a +faint succumbing and superseding from all action against them; yet all +are not asleep; and I hope there are some, who will never enter into any +terms of peace with them, against whom the Mediator hath declared, and +will prosecute a war for ever, but will still own and aim at this, as +the highest pitch of their ambition, to be found among his chosen, +called, and faithful ones, who maintain a constant opposition against +them. However, though the Lord seems, in his providence, to put a bar +upon all public appearances under a display of open war against them; +and it is not the design of what is said here on this and the foregoing +head, to incite or invite to any: yet certainly, even at this present +time, all that have the zeal of God, and love to his righteous cause +rightly stated in their hearts, will find themselves called not to +supersede altogether from all actions, of avowed and even violent +opposition against them, whom we are all bound both by the morality of +the duty, and the formality of solemn and sacred covenants, to hold out +from a violent intrusion into, and peaceable possession of this land +devoted to God, and to put them out when they are got in either by fraud +or force; and this plea, now brought to an end, will oblige all the +loyal lovers of Christ to an endeavour of these, 1. To take alarms, and +to be fore-warned and fore-armed, resolute and ready to withstand the +invasion of popery; that it be neither established by law, through the +supineness of such, who should stand in the gap, and resolve rather to +be sacrificed in the spot by a valiant resisting, than see such an +abomination set up again; nor introduced by this liberty, through the +wiles of such, whose chiefest principle of policy is perfidy, who design +by this wide gate, and in the womb of the wooden horse of this +toleration, to bring it in peaceably; nor intruded by force and fury, +fire and sword, if they shall fall upon their old game of murders and +massacres. It concerns all to be upon their guard, and not only to come +out of Babylon, but to be making ready to go against it, when the Lord +shall give the call. 2. To resist the beginnings of their invasions, +before they be past remedy; and for this effect, to oppose their gradual +erections of their idolatrous monuments, and not suffer them to set up +the idol of the mass in city or country, without attempting, if they +have any force, to overthrow the same. 3. In the mean time, to defend +themselves and the gospel, against all their assaults, and to rescue +any out of their hands, upon all occasions, that for the cause of Christ +they have caught as a prey, and to oppose and prevent their own and the +nation's ruin and slavery. + +But to conclude: as it will be now expected, in justice and charity, +that all the vassals and votaries, subjects and servants, of the one +common Lord and King, Christ Jesus, every where throughout his +dominions, who may see this representation of the case, and vindication +of the cause of a poor wasted and wounded, persecuted and reproached, +remnant of the now declining, sometimes renowned church of Scotland, +will be so far from standing Esau like on the other side, either as +enemies, rejoicing to look on their affliction in the day of their +calamity; or as neutral, unconcerned with their distressed conditions; +or as strangers, without the knowledge or sense of their sorrows and +difficulties; or as Gallio's caring for none of these things, or +thinking their case not worthy of compassion, or their cause of +consideration; or possibly condemning their sufferings, as at best but +started upon slender, subtile, and nice points, that are odd and odious, +and invidiously represented: it is now expected, I say, that Christians, +not possessed with prejudice, (which is very improper for any that bear +that holy and honourable signature) and not willing to be imposed on by +misinformations, will be so far from that unchristian temper towards +them, as to be easily biassed with all reports and reproaches to their +disadvantage, that if they weigh what is in this treatise offered, and +truly I may say candidly represented, without any design of +prevarication, or painting or daubing, to make the matter either better +or worse than it will seem to any impartial observer; they will admit +and entertain a more charitable construction of them, and not deny them +brotherly sympathy and Christian compassion, nor be wanting in the duty +of prayer and supplication for them; at length the Lord would turn his +hand upon the little ones, and bring at least a third part, a remnant +of mourners, through the fire. So, to that little flock, the poor of the +flock, that wait upon the Lord, and desire to keep his way, I shall only +say, though I judged necessity was laid upon me, instead of a better, to +essay this vindication of your cause, as stated betwixt you and your +Lord's enemies, the men that now ride over your heads, that say to your +soul, Bow down that we may go over you, I desire not that you should, +yea I obtest that you may not lay any stress on the strength of what I +have said; but let its weight ly where it must be laid, on that firm +foundation that will bear you and it both, that stone, that tried stone, +that precious corner-stone, that sure foundation Christ Jesus; and +search the scriptures of truth to see whether these things be so or not: +and I doubt not, but by that touchstone if these precious truths be +tried, they will be found neither hay nor stubble, that cannot abide the +fire, but as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times. Be +not offended, that they are contemned as small, and contradicted as +odious, but look to the importance of his glory, whose truths and +concerns they are, and from whom they are seeking to draw or drive you, +who oppose and oppugn these truths. Stand fast therefore in the liberty +wherewith Christ hath made you free, and hold fast every word of his +patience, that you may be kept in this hour of tentation. Let no man +take your crown, or pull you down from your excellency, which is always +the design of your wicked enemies, in all their several shapes nd shews, +both of force and fraud, craft and cruelty. Beware of their snares, and +of their tender mercies, for they are cruel; and when they speak fair, +believe them not, for there are seven abominations in their hearts. "Say +ye not a confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say a +confederacy, neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid; sanctify the +Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your +dread, and he shall be for a sanctuary, but for a stone of stumbling +and a rock of offence, to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a +snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Wait upon the Lord who hideth his +face from the house of Jacob, and look for him among his children," +though now you be reputed for signs and wonders in Israel, from the Lord +of hosts which dwelleth in mount Zion. "Who knows, but therefore will +the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he +be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you, for the Lord is a God of +judgment, blessed are all they that wait for him." To whom be all the +glory, Amen. + + * * * * * + +Having come to a conclusion of the six heads proposed to be treated of, +I judged it conducing, by way of a postscript, to subjoin a seventh, in +vindication of these conscientious and truly tender sufferers, who, in +the dread and awe of the holy, sovereign, and supreme law-giver, who +commandeth his subjects and followers, to abstain from all appearance of +evil, did in obedience to him and his royal law, choose rather to suffer +the rage, robberies, and violence of cruel and bloody enemies, together +with censures, reproaches, obloquies, and contempt of apostatising +professors, than to give any aid or encouragement to the avowed and +declared enemies of Christ, that might contribute to the promoving their +sacrilegious, tyrannical, and hellish projects and practices, calculate +and prosecute against the gospel and kingdom of Christ, the covenanted +reformed religion of the church, the rights, laws, and liberties of the +people, and to the introducing of antichristian idolatry, tyranny and +slavery, by paying any of their wicked and wickedly imposed exactions, +raised for furthering their hellish designs, of which none that pays +them can be innocent. + + +HEAD VII. + +_The Sufferings of many, for refusing to pay the wicked Exactions of the +Cess, Locality, Fines, &c. vindicated._ + +It will possibly seem impertinent, or at least preposterous at such a +time, when the pressure of these burdens is not more pinching to the +generality of professing people, and in such a retrograde order, as +after the discussion of the foregoing heads to subjoin any disquisition +of these questions, which are now out of date and doors with many. But +considering that the impositions of these burdens are still pressing to +some, and the difficulties of doubts and disputes about them still +puzling, the sin and scandal of complying with them still lying upon the +land, not confessed nor forsaken, the leaven of such doctrine as daubs +and defends the like compliance still entertained, the sufferings of the +faithful, for refusing them, still contemned and condemned, and the +fears and expectations of more snares of that nature, after this fair +weather is over, still increasing; if I may be so happy as to escape +impertinencies in the manner of managing this disquisition, I fear not +the censure of the impertinency or needlessness of this essay. As to the +order of it, it was intended to have been put in its proper place among +the negative heads of sufferings; but knowing of how little worth or +weight any thing that I can say is with the prejudged, and having a +paper writ by two famous witnesses of Christ against the defections of +their day, Mr. M'Ward and Mr. Brown, more fully and largely detecting +the iniquity of the cess (from which the wickedness of other exactions +also may be clearly deduced) though at such distance at the writing of +the foregoing heads, that it could not be had in readiness to take its +due place, and time would not allow the suspending other things until +this should come to hand; I thought it needful, rather than to omit it +altogether, to insert it here. However, tho' neither the form of it, +being by way of letter, nor the method adapted to the design of a moving +disswasion, nor the length and prolixity thereof, will suffer it to be +here transcribed as it is; yet to discover what were their sentiments of +these things, and what was the doctrine preached and homologated by the +most faithful both ministers and professors of Scotland, eight or nine +years since, how closely continued in by the contendings of this +reproached remnant still persecuted for these things, and how clearly +abandoned and refiled from, by their complying brethren now at ease, I +shall give a short transumpt and compend of their reasonings, in a +method subservient to my scope, and with additions necessary for +applying their arguments against the other exactions here adduced in +this head, and bringing them also under the dint of them, though not +touched by them expressly. I must put altogether, because it would +dilate the treatise, already excresced, into a bigness, far beyond the +boundaries I designed for it, to handle them distinctly; and their +affinity, both as to their fountain, nature, and ends, is such, that +what will condemn one of them will condemn all. What and how many and +manifold have been the exorbitant exactions, as the fruits and foments +of this cruel tyranny, that the godly in our land have been groaning +under these twenty seven years, and upon what occasions they have been, +at diverse times, and in diverse manners and measures imposed, I need +not here relate, the first part of the treatise doth represent it. The +first of these tyrannical exactions, were the fines for not hearing the +curates, and other parts of non-conformity; which, together with paying +the curates stipends, were too universally at first complied with; but +afterwards upon more mature consideration, and after clearer discoveries +of the imposers projects and practices, they were scrupled and refused +by the more tender. And their sufferings, upon the account of that +recusancy, have been very great and grievous, to the utter +impoverishment and depopulation of many families, besides the personal +sufferings of many in long imprisonments, which some choose 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 jaylor's +fees, their keepers demanded of them. Many other wicked impositions have +been pressed and prosecuted with great rigour and rage, as militia +money, and locality, for furnishing soldiers, listed under a banner +displayed against religion and liberty, with necessary provision, in and +for their wicked service; which of late years have been contended +against by the sufferings of many, and daily growing a trial to more. +But the most impudently insolent of all these impositions, and that +which plainly paraphrases, openly expresses and explains all the rest, +calculate for the same ends, was by that wicked act of convention, +enacted in the 1678, declaring very plainly its ends, to levy and +maintain forces for suppressing meetings, and to shew unanimous +affection for maintaining the king's supremacy established by law. Or as +they represent it in their act, for continuation of it, Act 3. Parl. 3. +Char. II. August 20, 1681. 'Seeing the convention of estates held at +Edinburgh in the month of July, 1678, upon weighty considerations +therein specified, and particularly the great danger the kingdom was +under, by seditious and rebellious conventicles, and the necessity which +then appeared, to increase the forces, for securing the government, and +suppressing these rebellious commotions, which were fomented by +seditious principles and practices, did therefore humbly and dutifully +offer a chearful and unanimous supply of 800,000 pound Scots,--in the +space of five years,--And the estates of parliament now conveened, +having taken to consideration, how the dangers from the foresaid causes +do much encrease, in so far as such as are seditiously and rebelliously +inclined, do still propagate their pernicious principles, and go on from +one degree of rebellion to another, till now at last the horrid +villanies of murder, assassination, and avowed rebellion, are owned, not +only as things lawful, but as obligations from their religion,--do +therefore, in a due sense of their duty to God, to their sacred +sovereign, and the preservation of themselves, and their posterity, of +new make an humble, unanimous, chearful, and hearty offer, for +themselves, and in name of, and as representing this his majesty's +ancient kingdom, of a continuation of the foresaid supply, granted by +the convention or estates; and that for the space of five years, or ten +terms successive, beginning the first terms payment at Martinmass, 1684, +which yet is to be continued until Martinmass, 1688.' Here is a sample +of their wicked demands, shewing the nature, quality, and 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, and +yet remain to be, the danger of the meetings of the Lord's 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 of Christ, liberties of his church and privileges +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 reformation, (which they call propagating pernicions +principles) and some weak attempts to oppose and resist their rebellion +against God, and vindicate the work, and defend the people of God, from +the destruction they intended against them, and their lawful and obliged +endeavours to bring these destroyers and murderers to condign punishment +(which they, call horrid villanies of murder, assassinations, and avowed +rebellion.) + +Here all the active appearances of the Lord's people, vindicated in the +foregoing Heads, are industriously represented, under these odious and +invidious names, as motives to contribute this supply of means to +suppress them, and to involve all the contributers in the guilt of +condemning them. 5. That as a tell their allegiance unto, and +confederacy with that execrable tyrant (which they call their duty to +their sacred sovereign) they enact this as representatives of the +kingdom, and must be owned as such by all the payers 5. That it is the +same cess that was granted by the convention of estates, and the term of +its continuation is not yet expired. And hence it is manifest, that that +act of convention, though 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 and corroborated, and +the exaction continued upon no other basis or bottom but the first state +constitution; which was, and remains to be a consummating and crimson +wickedness, the cry whereof reaches heaven, since upon the matter, it +was the setting of a day betwixt and which (exceeding the Gadarenes +wickedness, and short of their civility) they did not beseech Christ, +and 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 Lord's 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, and +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 own Christ and his interest. All which they could not, +nor cannot accomplish, without the subsidiary contribution of the +people's help. This is the plain sense of the act for the cess; and, +though not expressed, the tacit and uniform 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, though they durst not for a world do it themselves, to be +silent, and by their silence to encourage and embolden many to such a +compliance; presuming with themselves, and without further enquiry, 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 and pleadings of such +of late, who formerly witnessed against it. O that it might be given to +us to remember Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt, to season us, +lest the stink of our destruction, and what may follow upon it, be all +that the posterity get for a warning not to tread our paths. As for the +few that have suffered upon this head, they have been so discruciated +with perplexities, in their conflicts with the rage of enemies, and +reproach of friends, and fear of these snares attending every lot of +occupation they could put themselves in, that they have been made to +desire death, as their best refuge, and only retreat wherein they may +find rest from all these rackings; for, in no place could they escape +the reach of some of these impositions, nor the noise of their +clamorous contendings of arguments that pleaded for it. But some have +had more love to Christ and his interests, than language to plead for +him, and more resolution to suffer, than learning to dispute for his +cause; and where pure zeal for Christ, and love to his bleeding +interests; in a time when he is crucified afresh, and put to open shame, +and the concurrence of all is required to help forward the war against +him, is in integrity and vigour, it will burn with its flame those knots +that it cannot in haste loose; and chuse rather to ly under the +imputation of being zealous without knowledge, than life of let go such +an opportunity of witnessing a good confession; yea, when it could do +more, expire with an Ichabod in its mouth. + +But shortly to come to the point, I shall, 1. Permit some concessions. +2. Propose some parallel questions. 3. Offer some reasons to clear it. + +1. I shall willingly grant in the general, concerning paying of +exactions, impositions, or emoluments. + +1. They are to be paid to these to whom they are due; as tribute and +custom is to be paid to the powers ordained of God, and for this cause +they that are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very +thing, Rom. xiii. 6, 7. So stipends and all outward encouragements are +due to ministers of the gospel, who sow spiritual things, and should +reap these carnal things, 1 Cor. ix. 11, 12. Fines also, and all legal +amercements for delinquencies against such laws must be paid, Deut. +xxii. 19. And whatsoever is due by law to officers, appointed by law, +for keeping delinquents in custody, as all debts whatsoever. But tyrants +exactions, enacted and exacted for promoving their wicked designs +against religion and liberty, hirelings salaries, for encouraging them +in their intrusions upon the church of God; arbitrary impositions of +pecuniary punishments for clear duties; and extorted hirings, of the +subordinate instruments of persecution, oppressions, are no ways due, +and cannot be debt, and therefore no equity to pay them. + +2. It is lawful to pay them, when due and debt, either by law or +contract, even though they should be afterward abused and misimproven to +pernicious ends. But these payments for such wicked ends, either +particularly specified and expressed in the very act appointing them, or +openly avouched by the exactors, are of another nature than impositions +fundamentally appointed for the public good; and the after +misapplication thereof, made by such as are entrusted therewith, is no +more imputable unto the land or payers, than is the theft of a collector +stealing or running away with the same, without making count or +reckoning to superiors. It is then a foolish thing to say, that former +impositions were peaceably paid, though we saw and were convinced that +their use was perverted, and they were used against the good of the land +and God's people: for no such thing was laid down as the ground, or +declared as the end of these exactions; but what fell out was by the +personal abuse and perversion of those in power: which was their own +personal fault, and posterior to the legal engagement and submission to +the payment thereof by the land in their representatives. + +3. It is lawful to pay them sometimes, even when fundamentally and +originally from the first constitution of them they were not due, but +illegally or usurpatively challenged and exacted, if afterwards they +were by sedition or voluntary engagement, legally submitted unto by the +true representatives. But not so, when they were never either lawfully +enacted, or legally exacted, or voluntarily engaged by the +representatives, except such as represented the enslavement of the +nation, and betrayed the country, religion, liberty, property, and all +precious interests, and declaredly imposed to further the destruction of +all. Nor can any with reason say, that this case is but like the case of +the people of Israel under the feet of enemies, paying to them of the +fruits of their ground, as was regretted and lamented by Nehemia, chap. +ix. 36, 37. for so they must say, the exactions now in debate are their +redemption-money, and by these they purchase their liberty of life and +lands, and own themselves to be a people under conquest. And yet they +cannot deny, but they are both exacted and paid as tests of their +allegiance as subjects, and badges of their loyalty and obedience. But +this is answered before, Head 2. Conces. 7. Sect. 2. If any should +object the practice of Christ, though otherwise free, yet paying custom, +lest he should offend: it is fully solved ibid. Head 2. Conces. 9. Here +it is sufficient to hint (1.) That which made them to marvel at his wise +answer was, that he left the title unstated, and the claim unresolved, +whether it belonged to Cesar or not, and taught them in the general to +give nothing to Cesar with prejudice to what was God's; which condemns +all the payments we speak of, which are all for carrying on the war +against God. (2.) Cesar was no tyrant nor usurper at this time; because +they had legally submitted themselves unto several Cesars successively +before. (3.) It was, lest he should offend: but here it will be evident, +that the offence and scandal lieth on the other hand, of paying the +exaction: and it is against all religion to say, that both the doing and +refusing to do the same act, can give offence. But (4.) make the case +like our's, and I doubt not to call it blasphemy to say, that Christ +would have paid, or permitted to pay a taxation professedly imposed for +levying a war against him, or banishing him and his disciples out of the +land; or to fill the mouth of the greedy Pharisees, devouring widows +houses, for their pretence of long prayers; or that he would have paid, +or suffered to pay their extortions, if any had been exacted of him, or +his disciples, for his preaching, or working miracles; or if help or +hire had been demanded, for encouraging those that rose to stone him +for his good deeds. + +4. It is lawful to pay a part to preserve the whole, when it is extorted +by force and threatenings, and not exacted by law; when it is a yielding +only to a lesser suffering, and not a consenting to a sin to shift +suffering. The objection of a man being seized by a robber, transacting +with him to give him the one half or more to save the rest and his life, +commonly made use of to justify the paying of these impositions, while +under the power and at the reverence of such public robbers, cannot +satisfy in this case. It is thus far satisfying, that there is a +manifest concession in it, that instead of righteous rulers, we are +under the power, and fallen into the hand of robbers, from whom we are +not able to rise up. But there is no paritie. For to bring it home +without halting, and make it speak sense, we must suppose that the +robber not only requires a part for himself, and a part for his +underling shavers, horse-rubbers, &c. but a part upon this declared +account, that he may by that supply be enabled and furnished with all +things necessary, for murdering my father, mother, wife, children, +kinsmen, and friends, (all whom he hath now in his power) yea, and for +doing that besides, which is worse than all these put together: Whether +then shall I, by giving the robber that part which he seeks, enable him +to do all these mischiefs? Or by refusing, expose myself to the hazard +of being robbed or slain? Let the conscience of any man answer this (for +nothing can be here alledged against the paritie as now propounded) and +then I fear not but the objection shall be found a blaze of empty words, +blown away by any breath. But alas! will this tattle of a robber be +found relevant in that day, when the public robbers shall be proceeded +against by the just Judge? Let them who think so, think also, they see +the court fenced, and the judge set, and hear these words sounding in +their ears, "ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even +this whole nation;" and then they are like to lay as little weight on +the objection, for fear of falling under the weight of the curse, as I +do. + +5. It is lawful passively by forcible constraint to submit to the +execution of such wicked sentences, as impose these burdens, if it be +not by way of obedience to them: this is suffering and not sinning. +Hence it is easy to refel that objection; if it be lawful (which +hitherto was never questioned) for a man, who is sentenced to die, to go +to the place of execution, then a man, being under the moral force of a +law, which is equivalent, may pay cesses, localities, fines, &c. Ans. 1. +Might it not be doubted, whether a man's going upon his feet to be +execute, had as manifest, and from the nature of the thing, a tendency, +yea and proper casuality to advance the design of the enemy, and his +refusing to go, had as clear a testimony against the clamant wickedness +of their course, as his refusing to pay their impositions. Whether, I +say, in this case, a man might not, yea, ought not to refuse to go to +the place of execution. But 2. Whosoever would conclude any thing from +it, to give it either life or legs, must make it run thus: let the order +run in this form (else there is no parallel, and so no inference) we +appoint all the opposers of our course (that is all the lovers of our +Lord Jesus) whom we have for their rebellious rendezvouzing at +conventicles sentenced as enemies and traitors to die, to come and be +hanged by virtue of our sentence: otherwise besides the moral force of +the law, adjudging them to die, we shall use force, and drag them like +dogs to the place of execution; and in putting us to this trouble, they +shall fall under the reproach, that being sentenced to die, they +scrupled forsooth, yea refused to go on their own legs to the gibbet. +Let this, I say, be made the case, which to me is the exact parallel, +and there every child will know what to answer, or to hiss the objection +as pure ridicule. 3. I suppose the objection speaks of a righteous and +innocent person, who for righteousness it brought, as a sheep to the +slaughter (for a malefactor, who hath lost all right to his life, is not +to be understood) then to make the case parallel, it must be taken for +granted, (1.) There is a public law with the penalty of death, statute +for the violation thereof. (2.) That the person to be executed, hath not +only transgressed that law, but his disobedience to the law is notour. +(3.) That he is processed and convict of the transgression thereof: +Whereupon follows. (4.) The sentence, and then the execution. Now the +law being wicked, and the man from the fear of God, being constrained to +disobey the law, he can in nothing be justly construed active, but in +that disobedience or renitence: but in the whole of what befals him for +this, he being a captive prisoner, is to be looked upon as passive. Yea +the very act of going to the place of execution in the present case, +howbeit, as to its physical entity, it is of the same kind, with the +executioner's motion that goes along with him, yet in its moral and +religious being, whence it hath its specification, it is wholly the +suffering of a captive. Well then, ere any thing can be pleaded from the +pretended parity; seeing there are laws, made for paying such exactions, +cesses, salaries, and fines, for the declared ends of ruining the people +and interests of Christ; it is necessary, in order to a just parallel, +that the law must be first disobeyed. (2.) The disobedience must be +notour. (3.) The delinquent must be processed and pursued, as guilty of +the transgression, and convicted thereof, whereupon sentence passeth +against him for the breach of the law. Here I grant all with advantage +to the cause: as in the first case, so in this, he who is judged guilty +of the breach of this wicked law, and who is sentenced for that +violation, ought to suffer patiently the spoiling of his goods, and not +to decline suffering, if it were unto blood, striving against this sin. + +6. It is lawful of two evils of sufferings to chuse the least; where +both come in the election, as in the cases forementioned, and in a man +throwing of his goods overboard in a storm; these and the like are deeds +in the present exigent voluntary and rational, being upon deliberation +and choice, where the least evil is chosen under the notion of good, yea +of the best that can be in the present case, and accordingly the will is +determined, and meets and closes with its proper object; or one of them +only be proposed to be submitted to, but another lesser evil of +suffering is in a man's power to chuse and propose, for purchasing his +immunity from a greater; which is not imposed nor exacted of him, either +by a wicked law, or for wicked ends declared, but voluntarily offered; +as in the case of parting with some money to a robber or murderer to +save the life, when he is seeking only the life; as the ten men that +were going to the house of the Lord said unto Ishmael, "Slay us not for +we have treasures in the field," for which he "forbare and slew them +not," Jer. xli. 8. In this a man does nothing, which under such +circumstances is not only lawful (one of the main ends for which goods +are given to him, to wit the preservation of his life, being thereby +attained) but it were a grievous sin, and would conclude him guilty of +self murder, not to make use of such a mean for preservation of his +life, which God hath put in his power, and is in the case called for by +his precept. But however force may warrant one to do that, which may be +done for shunning a greater evil of loss; yet it is never sufficient to +make one to do that which is a greater evil, than all the evil that can +be said to be shunned: For the evil shunned is suffering, but the evil +done to shun this, is real and active concurrence, in manner, measure, +and method, enjoined by law, in strengthening the hands of those who +have displayed a banner against all the lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ; +a manifest chusing of sin to shun suffering, and a saving of life with +the prejudice of that in the preservation whereof he should be ready to +lay down all, and be at a point to endure the worst this wicked world +can make him suffer, ere he be found guilty in the matter of a +compliance of that nature. And though the rod of the wicked should seem +to rest on his lot, for his refusal, and he be the object of their rage +and revenge, for holding his integrity; yet he shall be honoured as a +faithful witness, helped to endure as seeing him who is invisible, and +amidst all his sufferings and sorrows, made to rejoice in the hope, that +when God shall lead forth these workers of iniquity, he shall not be +found amongst the company of these who have turned aside with them into +their crooked courses, and for that shall be overturned and crushed with +them, under the curse that is hovering over their heads. It is true a +man should not cast himself and his family (which if he provide not for, +he is worse than an infidel) upon sufferings, either needlessly or +doubtfully, when he is not persuaded it is truth and duty he suffers +for, and of value sufficient to countervail the loss he may sustain for +it. But on the other hand, in the present and all like cases it is +highly of the concernment of all men to be careful and circumspectly +cautious, when the case comes to be stated upon suffering or not +suffering, in examining well whether the course whereby a man shuns +suffering be of God, and not to take plausibilities for demonstrations: +seeing the flesh is not only ready to inculcate that doctrine, 'spare +thy self,' but is both witty of invention to plead for what will afford +ease, and as unwilling to listen to what would, if attended unto, expose +us to the malice and rage of rigorous enemies: It being always more +becoming the professors of the gospel, and the followers of our Lord +Jesus, who must walk to heaven bearing his cross; to abstain at all +hazards when the case is doubtful, than to rush forward upon an +uncertainty, when it is not evident they have God's approbation for what +they do. Yea suppose a person erred to his own hurt in the first case, +through weakness, yet it will argue much more sincerity and uprightness +towards God, and is done with less danger than in the other. And as many +as walk according to this rule, are like to have the peace of the Israel +of God, to compense whatever of trouble or loss they may meet with in +the world, when others shall not have this bird of Paradise to sing in +their bosom. + +II. But shunning prolixity; to come nearer the point, because perhaps +some may alledge such cases are not determined in the scriptures, nor +can any case be found parallel to these under consideration, from which +we may gather the determination thereof; which I think hard indeed to +find, because in the wickedness of former ages such monstrous exactions +had never a precedent, for such declared ends, so declaredly impudent. I +shall make some suppositions, and propose some questions, all of a +piece, and some way parallel to this under debate, and leave any +conscience touched with the fear of God to answer. + +1. Suppose, when our Lord Jesus and his disciples were tossed upon the +waves by the storm at sea, and he was sleeping, that then Herod or +Pilate, or the chief rulers, had sent peremptory orders to all men, to +supply and furnish with such things as he had, the men they employed, to +capacitate them once for all and forever to sink that floating bottom +out of sight; and that somewhat should be given to the soldiers engaged +in that enterprize, somewhat to the Pharisees for persuading them to it, +and fines to be exacted from the recusants, and rewards to be given to +such as should keep them in custody that should fall in their hands, +either of them that refused to pay the moiety prescribed, or of such of +them as should escape drowning. In this case would, or durst any of the +lovers of Jesus comply with any of these demands? and not rather chuse +to perish with him, or in opposition to such wicked attempts? Now, hath +not the Lord Jesus, and all the interest he hath in the nation, been +embarked as it were in one bottom, and floating like a wreck in the +sea? And have not these called rulers in this land, in their rage +against the Lord's anointed, and the handful who adhere to him, sent +their peremptory orders to pay a cess for sinking his floating +interests; and to pay the curates for persuading to it; and fines for +not concurring in it; and rewards to jailors and others appointed to +repress the recusants? Who durst concur then in this compliance, who had +love to Christ in exercise, and who had his friends in the same bottom +embarked? And besides, seeing the great God had the man of whom this is +required, bound with his own consent, under a sacred and solemn oath, +and under the penalty of never seeing his face, if he do not venture +life and fortune to preserve that precious interest, and all who are +embarked with it from perishing. Shall he, notwithstanding of this, give +what these enemies to Christ, call for as his concurrence, to enable +them to execute their wicked contrivance? Does any man think or dream, +that the pitiful plea, of what they call a moral force, will clear and +acquit him before God from the guilt of a concurrence in this +conspiracy, while in the mean time he furnished whatsoever these enemies +demanded of him, with this express declaration, that it was for this +cause exacted, and for this end imposed? Or can he think to be saved, +when they shall be sentenced, who with so much deliberation and despite +have done this thing? O let us consider the after reckoning! And let us +not with pretences distinguish ourselves into a defection, or distract +ourselves into the oblivion of this, that God is righteous to whom the +reckoning must be made. + +2. Let it be supposed, under Saul's tyranny, when the Ziphims informed +him of David's hiding himself with them, or when Doeg informed him of +Ahimelech's resetting him, that an order had been given forth to all +Israel, with this narrative: Whereas that rebel David had now openly +despised authority, had been entertained by the priest, received +Goliath's sword from him, and gathered a company of armed men together, +therefore to the end he and his accomplices may be brought to justice, +We ordain all from Dan to Beersheba, to concur either personally in this +expedition against him, or to pay cess to our standing forces to +maintain them in this expedition, or so much to gratify the Ziphims for +their kindness, or to furnish Doeg with a sword to murder the priests of +the Lord. Would any that favoured David's righteous cause, have dared to +do any of these? Would these that durst not concur themselves, +contribute any encouragement to the concurrers? Would Saul's servants +that would not fall upon the priests of the Lord themselves, have given +Doeg one of their swords to do it, or money to buy one, if it had been +demanded? To the same purpose, suppose a party comes to a dissenter, +with an express order, and this narrative, Whereas there is such a +minister met with some people, at an execrable conventicle, as they call +it, (but in itself the pure worship of God) therefore to the end the +minister may be taken and murdered, and the servants of the Lord for the +countenance they gave him may be brought to the same punishment, they +ordain him, for the accomplishing of their design, to furnish that party +with all necessities, or to pay such a sum of money for not concurring +with them: now, should he in this case not only forbear to lay down his +life for his brethren, and forbear to deliver them, that are thus drawn +unto death on such an account, (into which forbearance the great God +will make so accurate an inquiry, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. as may make us +tremble, whether we look backward or forward) but also furnish according +to the tenor of this order, that party of the dragon's legions, in their +war against the prince Michael and his angels, with supplies, and think +to put off the matter and plead innocent with this, that he was under +the moral force of the law, accompanied with such military force, as if +he had refused, they would have taken away all he had, &c. For this +plea, in its full strength, is to do evil, that some good may come of +it, (no true good) which brings damnation, Rom. iii. 8. or to choose sin +rather than affliction. + +3. What if Manasseh, or other idolatrous princes, that sacrificed to +devils, and made children pass through the fire to Molech, had enacted a +cess, or under severe impositions of fines had commanded all to concur +to a solemn sacrifice of that nature, charging every man against a +certain day, to bring in his proportion, in order to celebrate the +sacrifice with all its statute solemnities; or should have taken a child +from every father, and then made a law, that each of these should +contribute such a sum, for furnishing with all necessaries, and +maintaining these murderers, whom they had conduced to shed the blood of +their innocent children, or sacrifice them to Molech: could it be +expected that any of the godly would have paid such exactions, and then +have wiped his mouth with the notion of a moral force? This comes home +enough to our case; for no sacrifice they can offer to the devil, can be +more real or so acceptable, as what they declare they intend to do; +being so direct, not only in opposition to the coming of the kingdom of +Christ, but the deletion of his precious interests, and extirpation of +his faithful remnant, and the giving Satan such an absolute dominion in +the nation, as that they who have made the decree, and all who put it in +execution, practically declare thereby they have emancipate themselves +to his slavery, and sold themselves to work wickedness in the sight of +the Lord: so likewise, that all the rest of the nation, may with +themselves become his vassals, and in evidence of their opposition to +Christ, and in recognition of Satan's sovereignty, and their subjection, +they are appointed to pay these back-meals. + +4. Let it be supposed, that after Nebuchadnezzar had made the decree, +for all to fall down and worship his image, and the three children were +apprehended for refusing it, he had made another, that all the Jews +especially should contribute, every one a faggot, or money to buy it, to +heat the furnace, or a rope to lead them to it; can any man suppose, +that Daniel, or the rest of the faithful, would have paid it? Even so, +let it be supposed, that any one of these faithful ambassadors of +Christ, or all these zealous workers together with God, who have +laboured among the people in the preached gospel, should fall into the +hands of these hunters, and then they should make a law, and appoint +every man in the nation to send but one thread, to make a tow, to hang +that minister, or to hang the whole company of Christ's ambassadors, and +a farthing to pay the executioner: can any man, without horror, think of +complying so far as to contribute what is commanded? Or would not a +gracious man, frighted into an abhorrence at the atrociousness of the +wickedness, or fired into a flame of zeal for God, say without demur, as +not daunted with fear of what flesh could do unto him, I will rather +venture my all to keep them alive, or be hanged with them, than by doing +what is demanded, be brought forth and classed in the cursed and cruel +company of those who shall be dragged before the tribunal of Christ, +with their fingers dyed and dropping with the blood of those who are +peculiarly dear to him? I know it will be said, that in all these cases +it would be a clear case of confession. Well, that's all I would have +granted: for that which doth overbalance to a testimony, in all the +cases mentioned, is so far from being wanting in the cases now under +consideration, that they have all to enforce the duty, that all of them +put together do include; as will be clear to any who consider, 1. The +preciousness of the things and interests to be destroyed. 2. The +concurrence called for from every one, that this desperate design may be +accomplished. 3. The great, manifold and indispensable obligations all +are under, not only to abstain from the required concurrence, but to +preserve also and maintain these things in opposition to all whom Satan +sets on work to serve him in this expedition against the Son of God, and +to do it, or endeavour it with the loss of life, and all things dearest +to men, to the end, that these things which are Satan's eye sore, as +only obstructive of his kingdom, may be preserved among the poor +remnant, and propagate in their power and purity to the posterity. Happy +he, who shall be found so doing now, when the dragon and his angels are +drawn into the fields, and have proclaimed the war, and published to the +world the causes thereof; so that now this general having laid aside all +his old disguises, doth in his true shape march upon the head of his +black legions, who wear his badge and colours, and fight under his +banner and standard. + +III. In the last place, with all possible brevity, I shall offer some +reasons against compliance with these exactions _in cumulo_. + +1. To pay these impositions, upon such declared accounts, for such +declared causes, and for such declared ends, would condemn the +contendings and sufferings of many eminently godly, especially in our +day, who have refused them. Of these questions and sufferings thereupon, +among the godly in former times, we cannot instruct much for such +insolent impositions, as to all the dimensions of their heinousness, +were never heard before. But we want not examples of the saints refusing +to give their money and other such things to wicked men, either to +comply with their wicked demands, obey their wicked laws, encourage +their wicked courses, or further their wicked designs. In scrpture we +find Paul would not give Felix money that he might be loosed, though he +sent for him often for that end, Acts xxiv. 26. + +Mr. Durham in his exposition of the revelation, chap. vi. ver. 9. Lect. +6. gives an account, 'That when in the persecution of Dioclesian, the +persecutors sought but the bibles, poor coats, money, or cups (wherewith +they served) to be given them, as some evidence of their ceding: but +they refused to accept deliverance upon these terms; yea, when the +soldiers, partly wearying to be so bloody, partly desirous of seeming +victory over Christians, did profess themselves content to take any old +paper or clout in place of the bible, they refused to give any Ecvola, +or cast-away clout; yea, when soldiers would violently pluck such things +from them against their wills, they would follow them, professing their +adherence unto the truth, and that they had not any way willingly +delivered these things, as is to be seen in Baronius, An. 302, p. 748. +it is reported of one Marcus Arethusius, who was put to torment under +Julian, because he would not build the idol temple which he had formerly +demolished, when they were content to accept some part of the expences +from him, and to spare his life, he refused to give obolum, or one half +penny, Sozom. lib. 5. 9. Cent. Mag. Cent. 4. p. 797 and 833. By which +and many other instances we may see, how resolutely the primitive saints +held fast their testimonies: from which especially they were called +martyrs or witnesses; and by which often, not only many weak ones were +strengthened, but also many persecutors convinced, and made to cry out, +Certainly great is the God of the Christians; while as they saw, that no +allurements on the one side, nor terrors on the other, could make them +loose their grips, but still truth and Christ were borne witness unto, +and well spoken of by them. It will not be unnecessary here to consider +some of Mr. Durham's observations on the fourth lecture; for clearing +whereof he adduced these matters of fact, such as Obs. 7. That the +giving of a testimony by outward confession of the truth, when called +for, is necessary and commendable, as well as soundness of faith; yea, +it is oftentimes the outward testifying of the truth before men, more +than the faith of it before God, that bringeth on suffering: and there +was nothing more abhorred in the primitive Christians than dissembling +of a testimony, to evite suffering, as appeareth in Augustine's writings +concerning a lie, and against a lie, and the writings of others to that +purpose. Obs. 8. That every truth of the word may be a ground of +suffering warrantably: for the least thing that hath a truth in it, as +well as the more concerning fundamental truths, is the word of God, and +so cannot be dispensed with by his people. Obs. 9. Every truth in the +word hath an outward testimony joined to it, and sometimes may be called +for upon very great hazards. Obs. 10. When it is called for, this +testimony or confession to any truth before men, is no less necessary, +and ought as peremptorily to be held and stuck to as the former; +therefore it is called (Rom. x.) Confession unto salvation, and called +for by a peremptory certification, Matth. x. 32, 33. Obs. 11. That these +who are found in the faith of the word, will be also exceeding tenacious +of their testimony; in scripture, and in primitive times, we will find +the saints sticking at, and hazarding themselves on things which appear +of very small moment, yet were to them of great concernment, because of +the testimony, which was involved in them, which they would not let go. +Such was Mordecai, Esther iii. Daniel vi. his not shutting of his +windows. Yea further, in his lately printed sermons on Matth. xvi. 24. +Serm. 7. p. 155. the same author saith; there is not in some respect a +more and a less in the matter of duty, and in the matter of truth, or in +respect of suffering. And a little after, Sect. 5. he says, we would not +limit sufferings for Christ to things simply lawful or unlawful; for it +may be sometimes for things indifferent in their own nature, which yet +being so and so circumstantiated to us, may draw on suffering; a thing +may be indifferent and lawful to some, which to others, stated under +such and such circumstances may be counted a receding from some part of +a just testimony; even though the matter be not such in itself, and in +its own nature, yet it may be so circumstantiate to some persons, as it +may be liable to that construction, if they shall recede from or forbear +it; as in the example of Daniel, who suffered for opening his windows, +which was a thing indifferent in itself, and not essential to his +worshipping of God; but--he finds himself bound in conscience, and that +on very just ground, to do as he was wont to do before, and that on the +manifest hazard of his life, lest his malicious enemies should have it +to say, that he receded from his duty, and that he thought more shame +now, or was more afraid now, than before, to worship the true God.' + +How worthy Mr. Knox argueth for withholding emoluments from the false +bishops and clergy, may be seen before, Part 1. Per. 3. + +The general assembly, in their declaration, dated July ult. 1648. +concerning the then unlawful engagement in a war against England, +plainly and positively dehorteth all members of the kirk of Scotland +from contributing any assistance thereunto, expressed as followeth, +'That they do not concur in, nor any way assist this present engagement, +as they would not partake in other men's sins, and so receive of their +plagues; but that by the grace and assistance of Christ, they stedfastly +resolve to suffer the rod of the wicked, and the utmost which wicked +men's malice can afflict them with, rather than to put forth their hands +to iniquity.' In which declaration may be seen at large that candour, +faithfulness and freedom which becometh the ministers of the gospel, and +dignity of watchmen, in their seasonable warning and dissuading all from +assisting any way to that unlawful engagement, perceiving the sin and +snare thereof, so obviously tending to the involving the land in guilt, +and exposing to wrath; yea, and that notwithstanding of the fair and +plausible pretexts of the engagers and joiners therein, who pretended +and professed their undertaking to be for the furthering reformation, +establishing and securing the covenanted religion from the plottings and +endeavours of the popish, prelatic, and malignant enemies thereof, and +prosecuting the ends of the covenants; pretences which no doubt our +silent and time-serving ministers (if they had any such now to plead) +would strenuously improve, in vindication of their prudent silence, +sinful and shameful compliances. Alas, how sad and lamentable is the +condition of the church and nation now! that even when the case is so +far altered, that not only all such pretences are laid aside, +reformation deserted and disdained, the established religion razed and +ruined, the covenant broken and burned, and the owning the obligation +thereof declared treason, but also an absolute power pleaded and +exercised, to the suspending, stopping and disabling all penal laws +against popery and prelacy, a gap opened by an antichristian toleration +to the letting in all the heresies, idolatries and blasphemies of the +mother of harlots, and the land openly defiled therewith, unjust and +wicked taxations arbitrarily imposed and levied, for the most dreadful, +sacrilegious and hellish ends that ever was published to the world, far +exceeding in wickedness these testified against by the assembly 1648, or +any formerly. While the watchmen have so far abandoned their duty of +setting the trumpet to their mouth, and giving due warning of the sin +and danger of those dreadful and judgment procuring courses, that they +are caught in the snare, and found complimenting and encouraging the +principal instruments of all these evils, by their scandalous flattering +addresses. + +How faithful and tender some have been even in our day, their sufferings +and losses in a measure above others makes manifest, amongst whom the +worthy laird of Kersland is not to be forgotten, whose estate, heritable +and moveable, was declared forfeited and seized, for his appearing in +arms to join with that faithful party, who by horrid oppression, were +forced to betake themselves to defensive resistance in the year 1666; +who, considering the equity of the cause he appeared for, the +indispensibleness of the obligations binding him to that duty, and how +much a good conscience is to be preferred to an estate, durst not part +with the sweet comforts of the one for the uncertain profits of the +other: and as he was earnest with God by frequent and fervent prayer, +for light and stedfastness in the matters of his suffering and +testimony, so it pleased the Lord so to determine his heart therein, as +that all the endeavours and persuasions used both by friends and foes, +to move him to a composition with the enemies for his estate, proved +unsuccessful; yea, it is well known how that severals, both of his near +relations and others, who used the most forcible and persuasive +arguments, as the consideration of the ancient and honourable family he +was descended from; the miserable case that he, his lady and children +should be in, without his estate; the counsel and judgment of grave and +godly ministers; the freedom and practice of other learned and knowing +men; together also with the imputation of vain scrupulosity, simple and +unwarrantable nicety and preciseness, &c. that yet even some of those +who dealt most with him, were, by his defences and reasonings, convinced +of the equity of his cause, and brought to commend his upright +resolution, and to applaud his tenderness and faithfulness; and in +particular his own father, who pleaded much that he would only consent, +that he, with others of his friends, might compone in favours of his +family, and that he himself should be no ways concerned in it further +than to assent that the thing be done; but could not prevail, who +afterwards blessed God that he did not; declaring, that he had much more +satisfaction and comfort in his son's honesty and stedfastness, than +many such estates could ever have afforded him. + +I shall here mention some considerations which prevailed with him to +decline all composition directly or indirectly with the enemies in that +matter. (1.) That he could never attain to freedom to use any such +manifest dissimulation, as deliberately to assent to any thing that +might import his acknowledging that to be a sin and fault, (yea such a +sin and fault as rebellion) which he was convinced in his conscience to +be unquestionable duty both before God and man, nor thereby dissembling +to insinuate his undoubted right to his estate, to be in the person, or +at the disposing of any other. (2.) Considering that there can be no new +right procured upon a composition, and granted to any, but such as shall +carry in the narrative thereof that he had forfeited that estate by +rebellion, with a long preamble, condemning the cause of God, and +dutiful endeavours of his people for reformation, and in defence of +religion and liberty, all as sedition, rebellion and treason; whereupon +he resolved rather to part with his estate, than be any way instrumental +and occasional to the indignifying that holy and honourable cause, with +such disdainful, reproachful and blaspemous epithets. And albeit such +tenderness in principle and practice of this worthy gentleman, and of +many others of the faithful sufferers in our day, be censured and +condemned by the lukewarm and worldly-wise professors in this age, as an +unprecedented novelty, or precise and unwarrantable notion; yet we find +it the same with the faithful sufferers in former ages, and exactly +agreeing with the doctrine and principles of the most orthodox and +famous divines; for the reverend and learned Calvin having the same case +of conscience proposed to him by the godly, persecuted in his age, to +which his solid and faithful answer is extant in his 375 epistle, +Article 3. thus proposed and answered: 'Whether the confiscation of +goods can be fought back again from a prince, in the name and behalf of +these who are forfeited for religion?' To which he answers, 'That it is +certain it cannot be done without sin; for the new right, or the De +Novodamus (as we call it) granted by the prince, doth really contain +open blasphemies against the glory of God; because therein mention is +made of errors, crimes, and divine lese majesty, whereof the condemned +are found guilty; which new right must, in law, be exhibited by him who +intendeth to use the same; and that as a certain kind of approbation, no +ways to be tolerated. Wherefore, I see not that it is lawful for a godly +man, rightly instructed in the gospel, to involve himself into such +fictions.' + +2. From the fountain and conveyance whence they proceed, the iniquity of +these payments might be concluded; which is nothing else than the +arbitrary power domineering over us, and oppressing and overpressing the +kingdoms with intolerable exactions which to pay is all the consent and +concurrence required of us to entail slavery on the posterity. I mean, +to pay it out of submission only to the moral force of its imposition, +which is all the justification required of that absolute tyranny +imposing it. For we have the testimony of a king for it, (King James' +speech to the parliament, in 1609.) That a king degenerateth into a +tyrant, when he leaveth to rule by law, much more when he begins--to set +up an arbitrary power, impose unlawful taxes, &c. It can be denied by +none, that know either religion or liberty, and are not enemies to both, +that these impositions under consideration, upon such accounts, for such +ends, are as unlawful taxes, and as illegally and arbitrarily imposed, +as ever could demonstrate the most despotical absoluteness, paramount to +all law, or precedent, but that of Benhadad, of a very tyrannical +strain. Thus saith Benhadad, "thy silver and thy gold is mine--yet I +will send my servants, and they shall search thine house, and it shall +be that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put in their +hand, and take it away," 1 Kings, xx. 3. 6. which even as Ahab and his +elders would not hearken to nor consent. But from an extoic dominator +this were not so intolerable, as from such as pretend an hereditary +right to govern, who should remove violence and spoil, and take away +their exactions from the Lord's people, as the Lord saith, Ezek. xlv. 9. +But instead of that, That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, +the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward: and the great man +uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up, Mic. vii 3, the +easy compliance with which, makes Zion as the grape gleanings of the +vintage. If those exactions be wicked, then compliance with them must be +iniquity: for it justifies the court that enacts and exacts them, a +packed juncto of a prevalent faction, made up of perjured traitors, in a +course of enmity against God and the country, who, to prosecute the war +against the Almighty, and root out all his people out of the land, +condescend upon these cesses, fines, &c. as a fit and adapted medium +thereunto. Wherefore, of necessity, all that would not own that +conclusion, as their own deed, in these representatives, and own them as +their representatives in that deed, must bear witness against the same, +by a refusal to own the debt, or pay the same. But I shall conclude +this, with observing. (1.) The holy and remarkable righteousness of the +Lord, that we, who would not contend earnestly for the liberty of the +gospel, who would not acquit ourselves like men, in witnessing our +loyalty to Christ, were not fixed in our engagements, nor steadfast in +holding the liberties wherewith Christ hath made us free, did not +reclaim nor reluctate, when we saw our royal master's prerogative +invaded; should be trod upon in all civils, and treated as slaves, even +by these, whom we had gratified with a base and sinful forbearance to +plead for God, and preserve from their violence these things, these +precious and valuable things, which we should have kept more tenderly +than the apple of our eye. O the relucency of this righteousness, in +making the gods whom we have served smite us, and in making them whose +interest we minded, with a misregard and perjury involving neglect of +the interest of Christ, thus to destroy our pitiful interests! And thus +having taught them to be captains over us, we must now sit in the house +of bondage in our land. (2.) Who will not adore and admire the +righteousness of the Lord, particularly in leaving some of these to be +designedly trod upon, who not only were involved in the common guilt of +not withstanding these encroachments, but first went a great way in +concurring to the making of these wicked laws; and now have been made to +ly under the load, laid upon their loins by the hand of such, to whom +they gave the hand in overturning the work of God? Why should not they +be spoiled? Why should not the young lions roar upon them, and make +their land waste? Why should not men of the same metal and soul with the +children of Noph and Tahapenes, break the crown off their head (or feed +upon their crown) who have sold, and set the crown of Christ upon +another's head, and concurred to crush his faithful remnant? O let us +learn to read and revere! Let us not be wheedled with we know not what, +out of our good old principles, into the espousing the interest, or +embarking into the same bottom with men of such principles and +practices. And whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they +shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Great loving kindness, +that he hath shewed to his poor remnant, in delivering us from +deliverances by such deliverers, whereby the work had been more really +and more shamefully ruined and the hope of the posterity more certainly +razed. + +3. From the declared ends of all of them, declared either verbally or +virtually, and indisputable and universally known; to wit, that by such +exaction, they might be enabled to maintain and prosecute the national +rebellion against Christ, and root out his gospel and all the faithful +preachers and professors thereof. These designs being notour, and the +impositions demanded being the best expedients, and most adapted means +to attain them, it cannot but be manifest, that whosoever complies with +the means, do co-operate with the ends: which, if any thing, will +involve the compliers in the contriver's sin, and make the payers +obnoxious to the enacters judgment. If they that take rewards to slay +innocents, be liable to a curse, Deut. xxvii. 25. they cannot say Amen +to it, who so co-operate to the effectuating the slaughter. If any thing +make Zion liable to be plowed as a field, when the heads thereof judge +for reward, Mic. iii. 11, 12. it must be, when they demand such rewards, +and the demands are complied with. But some may pretend, and under that +pretence think to shut the shower of suffering, and command the serenity +and sun shine of a good conscience too, and to shelter their soul under +that shadow; that these exactions may be necessary for other ends: Can +any state be without exactions? Is it not necessary that forces be +maintained, and such as are in public office in the kingdom? Wherewithal +shall the nation be guarded against foreign invasion? Alas! the pretence +is so false and frivolous as he could not escape the censure of foolish, +who in answering it appeared serious, save in a just indignation at its +empty vanity. What are these forces and public officers for? What are +they employed about, but to promote the dragon's designs, and serve his +drudgery? Shall these guard the nation, who, together with religion, +tread upon the poor remaining shadow of liberty? Do they indeed fear a +foreign invasion? No; it doth not hold us here: these called rulers hide +not their designs, but hold them to our eye that we may not pretend +ignorance. They will do the greatest haste first: Christ and his +interest is their great eye-sore. This one Jesus, who calls himself a +king, (yea, and he will be so to their cost,) and his subjects as the +most dangerous party, are to be discussed in the first place: and +thereafter, when they are liberate from that fear of returning to his +throne, whom they have exauctorate, (for, if ever he do, they are +ruined, make haste, O Lord!) and have eaten the flesh and drunk the +blood of his people, then they will be in a better case to defend the +land, by shewing the enemy those teeth and tusks wherewith they have +killed the people of the Lord. But will men put out their own eyes, that +they may be taken with the more tameness to grind in their mill, and +make them merry at our madness? Have we lost our senses, that we may +with confidence jeopard our souls? Have they not invaded the Mediator's +kingdom, and taken to themselves his house in possession? And because +reavers may not be ruers, they will destroy all in the land, who seem +faithful to Christ, and resolute to follow the captain of the host of +Israel. But it is not enough that they menace heaven? Will they mock us +into the same rebellion with themselves? He will not be mocked, but turn +their jest into earnest. I cannot here shift the transcribing some of +the very words of that author, whose reasonings I am but gleaning on +this subject. 'Oh Britain! O Scotland! bent into, and bold in +backsliding, the wrath of God and thy wo seems to be upon the wing. And +alas! I am afraid, that by this crowning and crimson wickedness, the +Lord God Almighty is making a way to his anger, and preparing the nation +for a sacrifice, to expiate in the sight of the world our perjury, +defection and heaven daring provocations. Alas! I am afraid, that the +sword of the Lord, which shall avenge the quarrel of his covenant, is +near to be drawn,--that the contributers, as well as the stated party of +contrivers, decreers and cruel executioners of these decrees, may fall +under the blow of the furbished sword of the Lord God: and that the land +of such abominations may be swept of its inhabitants with the besom of +destruction, and soaked with the blood of those, who instead of +contending for Christ, have by this payment associate with his stated, +his declared, and implacable enemies, whose rage is come up before him, +and will bring him down to take revenge. Alas! my fears, my fears are +multiplied upon me, that the war shall not only at last land in Britain: +but that he hath been all this while training up a militia abroad, +breeding them in blood, and teaching them how to destroy, against the +time he gave them order to march, and put the flaming sword in their +hand, to be bathed in the blood of backsliding Britain! Oh, if our +turning unto him, that he might turn away from the fierceness of his +anger, might prevent this woful day! But since, instead of any turning +unto him, we surpass the deeds of the heathen, and outdo in wickedness +all that went before us, and proceed, with a petulancy reaching heaven, +from evil to worse; I am afraid, that all the blood shed since the sword +was drawn in the nations about, all the sacked cities, all the burnt +crops and villages, all the wasted countries, all the slain of the Lord +by sea or land, all the pillagings, rapes, murders, outrages, (which +rage itself could hardly outdo,) all the horrid and inhuman cruelties, +that hath been committed during this bloody war (wherein the sea hath +been dyed, and the land as it were drowned with the blood of the slain) +all the truculent and treacherous murders of that monster Alva in the +low countries, all the incredible cruelties of the Guises, and the +bloodshed in the massacres of France, all the tortures that the people +of the Lord have been put to in the vallies of Piedmont, by that little +fierce tyger the Duke of Savoy, all the savage and barbarous butcheries +of the Irish massacre: shall be forgotten, or seem things not to be +mentioned in one day, when what shall be done in Britain comes to be +remembered. O Britain, O Britain: of all nations under the cope of +heaven, most ripe for the sickle of vengeance! shall this throne of +iniquity, which hath framed so many mischiefs into laws, and all that +are accomplices in this wicked conspiracy, who now are gathering +themselves against the souls of the righteous, and condemning the +innocent blood, be able to save its subjects, when he comes to make +inquisition for that blood? Or shall the subjects, calling in all from +60 to 16, be able to support the throne? Alas! in vain shall they offer +to draw up, and draw the sword and defend, when the Lord God of Hosts +draws his sword, to accomplish upon them the vengeance written, and +wrapt up in these words. He shall bring upon them their own iniquity, +and shall cut them off in their own wickedness, yea the Lord our God +shall cut them off. And, if it come to this, then in that day, escape +who will, professing gentlemen and others, who, in this, have complied +with the rulers, shall not escape: then shall they be paid for this +payment. The storm of his displeasure, (even though they get their souls +for a prey, yea so much the more as he will not suffer them to perish +eternally) shalt be observed to fall particularly upon their houses, +interests and estates. Who can think upon the wickedness of Britain, +with its just aggravations, and imagine the righteous Lord will not +proportion his judgments to the heinousness of our guilt, and his +revenge to the rage, whereby he and his Christ hath been, and is +opposed, and take other measures?' + +4. From the nature of this payment, it is notour they are sinful +compliances and transactions with Christ's declared enemies, and do +partake of unitive confederacies with them; which are demonstrated to be +sinful, Head 3. Arg. 1. in gen. pag. Certainly such bargains cannot be +discretive, exacted and complied with by persons no ways incorporate +together, being only overcome by mere force: since they are not only +demanded and granted acknowledgments of that power that imposes them, as +legally lording over them, but obediential submissions to these wicked +laws that enact them; which is a formal justifying of these laws: for +laws cannot be obeyed, except they be justified, seeing laws unjust and +unjustifiable cannot be obeyed. Therefore, seeing the payment of the +cess, locality, fines, stipends, fees, &c. is an obediential compliance +with the laws that enjoin them, that obedience can no more be justified, +than the laws enacting such payments; which none can justify but he that +is an enemy to those things for opposing which they are enacted. If then +compliances with the wicked impositions and exactions of arbitrary +dominators, enemies to the work and people of God, be in scripture +condemned, then such payments cannot be justified: but such compliances +are condemned, and cannot be approven. This was Issachar's brand, that +being a strong ass, he couched between burdens, and bowed his shoulders +to bear and become a servant to tribute, Gen. xlix. 14. This was Afa's +folly, that he so far complied with Benhadad, as to give money to take +his help, 1 Kings xv. 18. Condemned by the prophet Hanani, 2 Chron. xvi. +7, &c. much more if he had given it to help him. It is one of the +instances of the evil that Menahem did in the sight of the Lord, 2 Kings +xv. 18,--20, that when Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, he +gave him a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him, +which he enacted of Israel; this was certainly evil in the sight of the +Lord; for if the confederacy was evil, then this price to procure it was +evil also: and if Menahem's exaction was evil, then Israel's compliance +was evil also; for thus Ephraim was oppressed and broken in judgment, +because he willingly walked after the commandment, Hos. v. 11. It was +also a part and proof of Ahaz's confederacy with Tiglath Pileser King of +Assyria, that he sent money to him, 2 Kings xvi. 8. Which to all the +fearers of the Lord is condemned and discharged, Isa. viii. 13, 14. +Which, if it was evil, then also Hezekiah's compliance with Sennacherib, +giving him money, and offering to bear that which was put upon him, 2 +Kings xviii. 14, 15. was evil: and also Jehoiakim's taxing the land, to +give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh, 2 Kings xxiii. +35. was sinful to the exacter, and likewise to the compliers. These were +all sinful compliances and confederacies with the wicked, making their +peace with them to whom they paid them; therefore all peace-making +payments, by way of unitive agreement with the wicked must be sinful. +And accordingly in the time of Montrose, the general assembly made an +act for censuring the compliers with the public enemies of this church +and kingdom, June 17. 1646, Sess. 14. See part 1. Per. 5. + +5. Where these exactions are extorted only as badges of bondage, without +consent unto the law imposing them, it is a case more suitable for +lamentation than censure, that she that was princess among the provinces +should become tributary, Lam. i. 1. But when they are acknowledgments of +the lawgivers, and an exact obedience to the law, and voluntary +agreement and bargain with them, strengthening them to the prosecution +of their mischiefs, they cannot be free of the imposer's sin. It was the +sin of the men of Shechem, and a proof of their heart's inclination to +follow Abimelech, that they gave him threescore and ten pieces of +silver, enabling him to kill threescore and ten persons, and to hire +vain and light persons to follow him, which they paid as an +acknowledgment of his usurped power, Judg. ix. 3,----5. for which +afterwards fire came out of the house of Abimelech and devoured them. +Certainly a voluntary consent unto a mischief is a partaking with the +sin of it, a consent unto theft is a partaking with it, Psal. 1. 18. But +if there be any consent unto a mischief, it must be when the person +agrees it be done against himself, and voluntarily subjects himself to +the force of the law imposing it, and not only does not oppose or +witness against the doing of it against others, but yields to its +reaching himself, and gives what is demanded to strengthen the robbers +to exercise robbery over all. + +As the payer of the cess, fines and fees, &c. gives all the consent +required of him to these mischiefs framed into law, not only to rob +himself, but the church and nation of its dearest treasure, the gospel, +for the punishment of owning which, and as means to remove it, these +payments are exacted. But the plea of the payers is, That they are +constrained to it, and they do it against their will. Ans. 1. He who +says he understands this, that the payer of these exactions can purge +himself of the guilt of them, is like to buy an after-wit at a dear +rate. Can it be thought by any man of knowledge and conscience, that so +remote a force makes the deed involuntary, whereby the payer is purged +from the guilt of accession to the imposers deeds, whom hereby, in this +very imposition, he owns as his representatives! 2. The payment cannot +be involuntary; for the law enjoining it, being the public and declared +will of the nation, requires no other voluntariness but obedience, and +judgeth no other thing involuntariness but disobedience. So that the law +being satisfied, it absolves the satisfier from all transgression, and +looks upon all who yield obedience as equally willing, and equally out +of the reach of its appended penalty, in case of disobedience. Neither +are we to please ourselves with other fancies and fictitious +unwillingness, when real obedience is yielded, whereby the law is +satisfied, and the lawmaker capacitated thereby to act all his intended +mischiefs. For to be unwilling to part with money in the case, as it is +no virtue in itself, so I suppose there are few who will be solicitous +to purge themselves of this. And to be unwilling from some strugglings +of light and conscience, is such unwillingness as aggravates the guilt +of the giver, and makes it more heinous in the sight of God, and hateful +in the eyes of all tender men; the law enjoining such payments, takes no +notice of such reluctances, only requireth obedience; and when that is +yielded, the law is satisfied, as to the voluntariness of the action, +and must construe the agent a willing walker after the command, and a +voluntary complier with the public will of the nation. 3. It must be +simply, really, and truly a voluntary deed, when there is deliberation +and election. The law requiring these payments being promulgate, every +man must be supposed to put the question to himself, What shall I do in +the case? Shall I obey and be free? or disobey and suffer? Here is +election and choice upon mature deliberation; and so the deed becomes +voluntary. This will be confirmed, if we consider the law of God, Deut. +xxii. 25. concerning rapes. Where, to make the unvoluntariness of the +betrothed virgin, she must not only be supposed to struggle and resist +the attempt made upon her chastity and honour by the villain; but she +must cry for assistance in that resistance, without which she was held +in law willingly to consent to the committing of that wickedness. And +moreover, if we consider the law, ver. 13. it will be manifest, in order +to her escaping of death, that when violated, and the villain hath +committed this villany, she is to carry as Tamar (when defiled of that +beast, though of the blood royal) did, 2 Sam. xiii. 19. that is, to +complain and cry, and crave justice against him, and be wanting in +nothing, that may bring him to condign punishment. This doth aptly +correspond to our case. Scotland is the betrothed virgin: we were +espoused to Jesus Christ, and joined to him, by a marriage covenant, +never to be forgotten; but, the rulers, and with them the body of the +land have treacherously broken it; yet there is a remnant that adhere to +him as head and husband, because of which, these called rulers incensed +against him, will violently commit a rape upon them, and have them +prostitute their bodies, their fortunes, yea their souls and consciences +to their lusts, and thus they will needs ravish the queen in the king's +presence. And so, while with displayed banner they will drive our +covenanted husband out of the nation, and destroy all who will own him +as such, they call for our assistance and compliance, to enable them to +accomplish this wickedness. Now either must we make all the resistance +that is in our power; or the law judgeth us willingly to consent, and +because of that we fall into the hands of the righteous Judge, and have +neither the evidence of our resisting, nor crying, nor pursuing the +wicked for this violent rape, to produce and plead upon, why sentence +should not pass, and the law's just severity be executed upon us. What? +alas! do they declare they will stone our husband? (Ah! for which of his +good deeds is this done) and shall they make a law, whereby we shall be +obliged to furnish them with stones to do it? And shall they be obeyed? +Is this our struggling? Is this our crying? Is this our endeavour that +the wicked may be brought to condign punishment? Oh! let us meditate +terror, lest we be brought forth as willing consenters; for whatever +vengeance the jealous and just God shall execute upon them, who have +committed the rape, shall equally, in its crushing and everlastingly +confounding weight, fall upon them who do not by their refusing, and +their resisting make their unwillingness manifest; which in the present +case is their struggling, their crying, and calling God and man to +witness, they are not consenters, but continue constant and loyal in +their love to their betrothed husband. + +6. A formal consent to the wickedness of these impositions were the less +matter, if the payment of them were not also a concurrence to assist +them, and a strengthening their hands in it. But this is so manifest, +that the paying of the cess, locality, fines, fees, &c. is a concurrence +with, and contributing towards the promoving the wicked designs for +which they are imposed, that he must have a conscience of brass, and in +a great measure feared who will run upon such a formal engagement +against the Lord and his anointed King in Zion. If it was Aaron's sin +which made the people naked, and which brought so great a sin upon them, +to take, and the people's sin and shame to give, that contribution of +golden ear-rings for making a calf, Exod. xxii. 3. &c. And if it was +Gideon's sin to take and Israel's to give, that contribution of the +ear-rings of their prey, to make an ephod, Judg. viii. 25. Then, as it +is our oppressors sin to take, so it must be our sin and shame to give, +their demanded exaction to help them in erecting such idols of jealousy, +as they have set up, and are commanding all to bow to, to provoke the +Lord to jealousy, especially when they affrontedly require such +contributions to be paid, both as punishments for not assisting, and as +means to assist in their establishment. Should we thus help the ungodly, +and love them that hate the Lord? 2 Chron. xix. 2. Alas! instead of +arguing, it were more fit to fall a weeping, when it is come to be a +question amongst us, whether, instead of coming to the help of the Lord +against the mighty, we shall really help the mighty against the Lord, +and that while they call for our assistance formally upon this declared +account. As the very inscription of their acts, does carry it in their +front, requiring a supply to his majesty, &c. If this be not a casting +in a lot among them, who can tell what it is? Sure it is a preparing a +table for that troop, and a furnishing a drink offering unto that +number, Isa. lxv. 31. Seeing it is a supplying them with necessaries, to +solemnize their idolatrous festivities, who forsake the Lord, and not +only forget but lay waste his holy mountain, for which all that have any +occasion to it, are threatened to be numbered to the sword. If any thing +be a strengthening the hands of evil doers, Jer. xxiii. 14. certainly +this is. For as they cannot accomplish their cursed ends without these +exactions, so the payment of them is all the present, personal and +public concurrence in waging this war with heaven, that is required of +the nation, to wit, such a sum to furnish them with all necessaries, +and maintain the executioners of their hell-hatched and heaven-daring +decrees and orders: and the law requiring no more but contributing what +is appointed, looks equally upon the givers, as followers of the +command, and active concurrers in complying with its end, and carrying +on and promoving its design, and so affoils them from all the statute +severities, in case of deficiency. + +7. If it were only a concurrence in their wickedness to pay those their +exacted supplies, it were more easily comported with: but I fear it +shall be found a hire and reward for their wicked service. At first they +were only enacted and exacted, as helps to capacitate this popish, +prelatical and malignant faction, to prosecute the war they had +undertaken and declared against Christ: but now, having thereby been +enabled to carry it through this length, that they have almost got all +visible appearances for Christ, in owning his gospel, and propagating +his testimony, quite suppressed by means of these impositions, and +having got the fields cleared or those that formerly opposed their +course and career, and all obstacles removed that might stand in the way +of the reception they have prepared for their mistress the Babylonish +lady, the mother of harlots; they now demand these payments, as their +wages and hire for their labour; which to pay now, is more than a +justifying, seeing it is a rewarding them for their work. And to pay +these pimps, and to purchase their peace thereby, is worse than to bring +the hire of a whore into the house of the Lord, (Deut. xxiii. 18.) since +it is a hiring them to bring the whore into the house of the Lord. O how +hath Scotland played the harlot with many lovers! is this the zeal we +should have had to our covenanted husband, and the honour of his house, +that we have not only suffered his enemies to come in and take +possession of it, but consented to their invasion; and not only +consented, but invited them to come in; and not only invited them, but +prostitute our estates and consciences also to their arbitrary lusts; +and not only played the harlot with them, but hired them also when they +had done! and for this the Lord may say to Scotland, as he said to his +people of old, 'They give gifts to all whores, but thou givest thy gifts +to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on +every side, for thy whoredom. And the contrary is in thee from other +women in thy whoredoms--in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is +given unto thee; therefore thou art contrary,' Ezek xvi. 33, 34. There +Israel is taxed for hiring the Assyrians: but let it be considered and +enquired into in the history, how this was. What evidence can be given +of this in their transactions with them? Was it only that they were +enticed, or did entice them into a communion with their idolatry, It is +true, Ahaz may be an instance of that, in his sending the pattern of the +altar he saw at Damascus, 2 Kings xvi. 10. And it cannot be denied, but +in several respects they did partake with the Assyrians in their +idolatry, which was their adultery. But what could be their hire they +gave them for it, if it was not their taxations they paid, and money +they sent unto them? as Ahaz did, verse 8. and Hezekiah also, though a +good man, 2 Kings xviii. 14, 15. which can no more be justified, than +Asa's paying to Benhadad. It was then their confederacies, and the hire +of them the Lord calls the hire they gave unto their lovers. With this +also Ephraim is charged, that he hired lovers, Hos. viii. 9, 10. of this +we have instances, in Menahem's giving to Pul a thousand talents of +silver, and exacting it of the people, 2 Kings xv. 19, 20. And in +Hoshea's becoming servant to Shalmanesar king of Assyria, and giving him +presents, 2 Kings xvii. 3. If then hiring wicked men in confederacies to +help the Lord's people, be a hiring of lovers so much condemned in +scripture, what must a hiring of them to hurt them, and rewarding them +after they have done, and when they formally seek it for such work, be? +but a giving the reward, they seek to slay the innocent (Deut. xxvii. +25.) and a voluntary yielding that which they take, (Ezek. xxii. 12.) +which if it be sin in the takers, cannot be justified in the givers, but +will render both obnoxious to the indignation of a provoked God, in the +day when he shall begin to contend for the wrongs he hath got, both by +the work and the wages. Now let all the acts for the cess and +continuation thereof, and other acts and edicts for fines and +forfeitures, be considered in their just import, according to the true +meaning of the enacters, and the causes for which they exact them, and +will have them complied with; it will be found they were both declared, +intended and improved, and accordingly approved by the compliers, not +only as helps, but as hires for our oppressors and destroyers, and for +such as have been, and are more destructive and explicitly declared +enemies to Christ's interests and people in Scotland, than ever the +Assyrians were to the church in the old testament. The cess was not only +a help, but a hire to the tyrant and his accomplices, for suppressing +meetings for gospel ordinances; especially the continuation of it, from +time to time, was humbly, unanimously, chearfully and heartily offered, +for themselves, and in name of, and as representing this kingdom, as a +hire for the doing of it, and an encouragement to suppress what remained +of these conventicles. The locality was intended as a help to the +soldiers in their quarterings upon this account; but afterwards, being +expressly discharged to be furnished, without payment according to the +current rates of the country, Act 3. par. 3. X. Charles II. Aug. 20, +1681. The contribution of it for nought must be interpreted for a reward +of their service, fines are appointed, not only for a punishment of +contraveeners of their wicked laws, but for a hire to their most violent +executors. Stipends for a hire to their hireling curates. And fees, as a +hire to jailors, to keep the Lord's people in bondage. By which hires +these destroyers have been rewarded, by them whom they have destroyed, +and for which the righteous Lord will reward both. + +8. Let it be considered, how far these submissions are short of, and how +clearly these compliances are inconsistent with, that duty which lies +upon us with reference to them. Our obligation to God and our brethren +doth indispensibly bind us to a contrary carriage. If it bind us in our +station and capacity to an active renitency, it doth much more bind us +up from such compliances. Neither is it imaginable, how moral force can +ever justify our doing that deed, we are obliged, by all imaginable +bonds, yea, if in any probable capacity, by the utmost of real force, to +counteract. Can we give them that which they require, and by which they +are enabled to murder our brethren, when we are so indispensibly obliged +to rescue our brethren, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. to relieve the oppressed, +Isa. i. 27, to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, +to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke, Isa. lviii. 6. +What do we owe to these enemies, but seeing they have constitute +themselves by these acts implacable enemies to Christ, his people and +interest _in babite_, not only plainly and importunely to pray that he +would overturn them, but to oppose their course, to the uttermost of our +power, and to concur to wrath that power out of their hands? And since +they will needs make the whole nation a curse, they are so far from +being to be complied with, that for these exactings and exactions they +are to be looked upon, and carried unto, not only as these who have sold +themselves to work wickedness, but endeavour also to engage with +themselves all in the same guilt, and expose them to the same curse. And +therefore, that the anger of the Lord may be turned away from his +people, every one in his station is obliged to endeavour to bring these +Achans to condign punishment. + +9. As it must be taken for granted, that these wicked oppressions by +law are perjury avouched in the sight of God; yea in a peculiar manner, +our covenanted subjection unto him is turned into an open war against +him; so we cannot but believe, that for this height of wickedness, the +curse of God (to which in the covenant the nation in case of breach, is +liable by their own consent) and the Mediator's malediction shall +follow, pursue, overtake, and fall upon the head of these, who have made +the decrees, and upon all who concur in the execution, and carry on this +course: Oh! it is impossible to keep them company, and not fall with +them into the hands of the living God. Well then, seeing every one for +whom these exactions are required, is under an anterior obligation to +God and the brethren, to preserve these precious interests, which the +imposers have been long essaying to root out and ruin, and his people +whom they have been destroying, with the loss of all he hath, life not +accepted. (For I suppose none, who acknowledged his soul is still under +the bond of the covenant and it is likely to cost him his soul who +denies it) but he will own this to be duty; nay, none who hath any sense +of religion; but abstracting from the subjective obligation of a sworn +covenant, he will own an objective obligation from the law of the great +superior, that doth immediately bind the conscience to witness against +this course, and to lay down, if it should come to that, his life for +his brethren. Then for a man to give his goods to destroy these things +and persons, which he is obliged to defend and preserve with the loss of +all, is so clear a making himself a transgressor, in paying his +proportion, and being at the expense of destroying what he built, and +building what he destroyed, that it seems inexplicable how he can dream +to be innocent; especially when more lies upon it than the souls of the +compliers are worth even the interest of Christ in the land. And to +close this, I would put home the question, and pose the confidence of +any that took that covenant, if in that day the question had been asked +at him, whether he would have judged the paying of a cess for the ends +narrated, to suppress a testimony for that covenanted reformation, the +paying of fines and fees, (for owning it) to the overturners, breakers +and burners of it, to be a plain perjury and palpable counteracting of +the ends thereof? And let him speak his soul, and it is beyond debate +with me, he will not dare to say he took it in a sense which can subsist +with these compliances. Nay, I doubt not, if to any morally serious it +had been then said, You will pay money, &c. for destroying this covenant +and its ends, and deleting the remnant that shall be found to adhere to +it he would have given Hazael's answer. It concerns every man, that +would be free of the curse of it, to consider how he is brought to make +enquiry after vows; or to dream of consistencies betwixt the performing +those engagements, and the plainest concurring in a counteracting +thereof. + +10. If then these impositions be so wicked, and for such wicked ends and +causes; then, in order to my being free of this heinous guilt, there is +a necessity of my giving a testimony, and such an one, which when +brought to the touchstone, will get God's approbation, and be my +acquittance from a concurrence. Now, it is not imaginable that my +testimony can be the exact obedience to the law, against the wickedness +whereof it is witnessed; but on the contrary, it must be at least a +plain and positive refusing to yield obedience to that law, when I am in +no other case to counteract these commands; for I must either obey and +be guilty, or refuse and be innocent. I shall not here plunge into the +labyrinth of these debates and difficulties, wherewith this matter of +testimonies hath been perplexed, and mostly by those who have had no +great mind to the thing. I shall only propound these few queries. (1.) +Whether any thing less than a testimony can free me of this guilt, +whereby the nation involved in it is made a curse? (2.) Whether, we +believe that the testimony of every one shall be called for, in the day +when God shall seek out this wickedness? (3.) Whether, if ever it be +necessary, it be not then when Christ is openly opposed, and every one +is called either to concur or to testify? (4.) Whether a testimony +against a wicked law must not be notour for my testimony must make it +evident that the law is not obeyed by me, else it is no testimony. (5.) +Whether it be not necessary also, that it be with that plainness and +boldness, as it may keep some proportion with the prodigiousness of that +wickedness testified against? (6.) Whether to the making it a testimony +indeed, it is not only required, that an opposition be made at first, +but that this be so persisted in, as by no subsequent deed it be +weakened? (7.) Whether we do not take it for granted, that according as +a man hath testified, the sentence of the righteous Judge shall pass! +For he who hath not purged himself thereby from the guilt of this +conspiracy, shall be led forth and punished with these workers of +iniquity. It is a saying which would sink in the soul of every one who +would be saved, especially in such a day. Whosoever therefore shall +confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is +in heaven; but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny, +&c. Oh that men would now judge of things and courses, as in that hour +they desire to be judged! and then there would be little difficulty what +to determine in that case. + +11. From what is said it appears, that there is no other way of +testifying against it, or shunning the sin of this wickedness, imposing +and enjoining these compliances, but by refusing them; which as it is +clear duty, so it hath many advantages to countervail all the supposed +loss that can be sustained thereby. It is a shameful subterfuge to say, +I strengthen them more by doing thus, which will make them take all, and +so put themselves in better case to do the mischief decreed. For as it +is then my suffering, not my sin, so it is simply false that I do +hereby strengthen their hands: for hereby I do more certainly weaken +their hands, and wound their cause, by my counteracting, testifying and +suffering. For, 1. I do really, to the uttermost of the sphere of my +activity, counteract their design; and hence, besides my own upmaking +peace of conscience, (which is my hundredfold in this life) I glorify +God in the day of visitation, behaving as the subject and soldier of the +prince Michael; and though I lose my life in the conflict, yet the +victory over the dragon, and his lieutenant and trustees, and their +lictors, is thereby gained, and they are foiled, while I fight and +overcome, by my not loving my life in the present case unto the death. +2. I do by my example encourage my brethren to stand fast, and withstand +in this evil day. 3. I hereby transmit to posterity a pattern for +imitation, and so propagate an opposition to this course to succeeding +generations. 4. I hereby (so to speak) engage God to arise and appear to +plead his own cause and his people's: for when we, out of love to him +and zeal for his interests, take our lives in our hands, or expose our +substance as a prey in witnessing for him, then he is engaged to own us, +and to plead his cause, taking the quarrel then to be against himself. +Hence it is that when he puts on the garments of vengeance for +cloathing, and goes forth to meet them, who, in their risings up against +his people, run upon the bosses of his buckler, his arm is said to bring +salvation to himself, Isa. lix. 16, 17. and Isa. lxiii. 5. This keeps a +man in case to pray against such a party; whereas a compliance with +them, in the least degree, will wound a man's faith and weaken his +confidence, so that he cannot wrestle with God to prevail: For that +wherein his strength lay, a good conscience, being sinned away, in vain +doth he essay, when he hath cut his own hair, to shake himself as at +other times. Alas! if by keeping a due distance from his enemies, we +were in case to play the Samsons or Jacobs on our knees, this enemy, +who think it their stability to stand upon the ruins of Christ's +interest, should not stand long upon their feet. He who would have his +prayer heard, Thy kingdom come, should make his practice, in a +conformity thereto, speak this plain language, If I perish, I perish, +but comply I will not: for it is not necessary that I live, or have an +estate, but it is necessary I should witness a good confession against +the wrongs done to Christ. 6. This keeps a man in ease, either to act +for God with advantage, if an opportunity be put in his hand, or to +suffer, as under his supportings, and the shinings of his face, whereby, +even while dying, he becomes an ornament to his profession, gives a dash +to the enemy, and so becomes more than a conqueror. + +12. Let us consider the matter of scandal in the present case, and +remember whose words these are, "Wo to the world because of offences, +and wo to him by whom offences come:" and it will appear, the payer of +these exactions becomes highly guilty before God. 1. In stumbling and +hardening this party of enemies: for though there was never a party +before them in the nation (and I much doubt if ever a party can come +after them to outdo them) who had so many evidences of plagues poured +upon their hearts, that he may pour forth his wrath, and cause his fury +to rest upon them; and that in his spotless justice, he will rain snares +upon them, that thereafter he may rain fire and brimstone, and horrible +tempest, as the portion of their cup, when he shall come to plead his +own cause: yet we would beware lest we do any thing that may embolden +them, or make them bless themselves in this their stated opposition to +Christ's. And because we know not but some of the elect may, for a time, +be carried down with the current of this impetuous opposition to him, +and may concur actively for a season in promoving this course, we ought, +even upon this supposition, so to witness, and so to keep a distance +from all apparent or interpretative compliance with what they contrive +and carry on, as they may, by beholding our stedfastnes, be provoked to +consider their own course; that considering at last how their feet go +down to death, and their steps take hold on hell, they may hasten their +escape from the company of his enemies, lest they be consumed with the +fire of his indignation, if found congregate with the men of these God +provoking practices. 2. By paying what is required, I stumble also and +offend my weak brethren, while by my example they are encouraged to rush +into the same compliance. O! let every man, whose practice may be +pleaded as a pattern, remember that word, and who spoke it, "It were +better that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the +midst of the sea, than offend any of these little ones." 3. Sufferers +for refusing this payment are offended, when the payer doth not only +encourage the persecutors to proceed with rigour and rage against him, +as a peevish and froward malecontent, but does what in him lies to wound +the heart and weaken the hands of such a faithful witness: whereas, if +the poor sufferer saw himself, by a joint testimony owned by his +brethren, he would be comforted, strengthened, and become more confident +in the conflict. 4. In paying these things the compliers, either by +their example, lay a snare for the posterity, to whose knowledge their +carriage may come; and so instead of the leaving them a pattern of +contending earnestly for the faith, they spread a net for their feet, +yea pave them a way to defection and apostasy; or else they engage the +great God, out of zeal to his own glory, and tenderness to his people +who shall succeed, for preventing of their following of such +progenitors, wherein they have not been followers of him fully, to give +such a testimony against their untenderness, and set such marks of +displeasure upon their course, that the thoughts of turning aside with +them, and following their steps shall be terrible to all that hear of +it, lest, for such a compliance, they fall as they did, for falling +from their own stedfastness into the hands of the living God. But alas! +for the posterity, under whose curse we are like to go off the stage, +because of our not having done what we ought, yea what we might; both +for transmitting pure ordinances unto them, and for not transcribing in +our practice the noble example of our zealous and heroic ancestors, who +valiantly resisted when violently attacked, and by their valour wrestled +us into a state of liberty. Well, if we leave those that shall succeed +us such an example as this, he is like to make us such an example as +will fright the following generations, and force them to serve +themselves heirs to them who have gone before us, who did acquit +themselves as the good soldiers of Jesus Christ, and not to us, the debt +of whose declensions and defections cannot be paid, without the +destruction of those who shall serve themselves heirs to us. But alas! +who does think on what he owes to the poor posterity; or who doth make +confidence to preserve for them that precious treasure put in our +custody, and judges it more necessary than to live, to leave the tract +of a way contending zealously for God, and the preservation of his +interests, and the propagation of his own pure ordinances to the +posterity, shining so clearly by suffering and blood, as the way-faring +man, and they who shall come after, though fools, need not err therein? +Our only comfort is, that the Lord, who shall see his seed, and must +prolong his days, will make his pleasure prosper, and preserve some to +be witnesses of it to his praise. + +FINIS. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Numbering of headings and subheadings were left as they were in the +original. Spelling of many words vary in the text; for example, +expressly/expresly, abbreviation for Matthew as Mat. and Matt., +Dumfermline/Dunfermline. + +Page 82--supplied the word "year" "For resistance of superior powers, we +have in this period, first the practice of some noblemen at Ruthven, in +the 1582. who took the King, ..." + +Long "f" characters were replaced with the standard English "s"; the +"ct" ligature was replaced with "ct". + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A HIND LET LOOSE*** + + +******* This file should be named 37137.txt or 37137.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/7/1/3/37137 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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