A Hind Let Loose

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 Laodiceds temper, indifferent & Lukwarm dispositions, consulting their own more them the things of Christ, which makes 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 Iealous 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, & 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, viz what we should hear, Mark. 4. 24. how we should hear Luk. 8. 18. 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 Licenciousness in the matter & manner of hearing. Nor would that itching humor & 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, & destruction of many poor Souls. But through the ignorance & neglect of this Duty of trying whom we should hear, by seeking some satisfieing evidence of their being clothed with Authority from Christ, the world hath been left louse in a Licence to hear what they pleased, and so have received the Poison of error from Monte banks, instead of the true & wholesome Potions of Christ's Prescripts from them that had Power & skill to administer them. Hence the many Sects, & Schisms, & errors, that have Pestered the Church in all ages, have in a great measure proceeded from this latitude & laxness of Promiscous hearing of all whom they pleased, whom either the worlds 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 & 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 & obey in the Lord, and Love & esteem them for their Works 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 theiroun 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 & Extremes that inadvertency or precipitancy in this matter may rush upon; So as to escape & sail by the Scylla of sinful Separation on the one hand, and the Charybdis of sinful union & Communion on the other, which are equally dangerous; especially how these Cautions are to be managed in a broken and disturbed & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 Contraversie; 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 Learnedst of them, as the Great Gisb. Voetius in his Polit Eccles. in several places comes near to favor us: where he allows People to leave some & hear such Ministers as they profit most by, from these grounds,

But though it labor 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 those faithful men who hath sufficiently cleared it up, to all that have a Conscience not blinded or bribed with some prejudices, by which more light hath accrued to the Church in this point of withdrawing from Corrupt Ministers, 〈◊〉 ever was attained in former times; which is all the good we have got of Prelacy. In so much that I might spare labor in adding anything, were it not that I would make the Arguments vindicating this Cause of suffering alitle more public, and take occasion to show, that the grounds espoused by the Present & 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 it may appear, there is no Discrepancy but great likness & harmony between the Arguments & Grounds of withdrawing, in the late Informatorie 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 premitted, And then Our Grounds Propounded.

First, I willingly yield to & Cordially close with the Truth of these Assertions.

I. The Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, ought to be the Endeavor 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. 4. 3. &c. And for Brethren to dwell together in Unity, is good & pleasant, and like the precious Ointment upon the head, that ran down upon Aaron's beard Psal. 133. 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 first pure & then peaceable; and not made up of Adulterate Politicks: that Union that hath the Spirit for its Author, the Scripture for its Rule, Peace for its bond & beauty, love for its Cement, Faith for its foment, Christ for its foundation, and Truth & holiness for its constant Companions, cannot but be intensely desired, enixely endeavored, and fervently followed, by all the Professors of the Gospel of Peace, & Subjects of the Prince of Peace: Which makes Division & Schism not only a great Miserie, but a Grand sin. But it must be in the way of Truth & Duty, and consistent with holiness & the honor of Christ, otherwise if it be in the way of Apostasy & defection, it is but a Confederacy & 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 overruling Cause, the Anger of the Lord be removed, in turning to & following him.

II. Thô 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 & Members of the Catholic Church, considered as such; holding the Head Christ, and the foundation 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. 3. 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 & 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 & lesser Antichrists; though differing from us in some circumstantial points, not Reformed, and not contradictory unto the Protestant Testimony, against Popery & all Heresy; nor declining from their own Reformation, by Defection or Schism. And Consequently, its 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 & Members of the Churches of Britain & Ireland, considered as such: Providing they hold, not only the Universal, not only the more Special, Protestant Testimony against the Greater & lesser Antichrists, but the Covenanted Testimony for the Reformation in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, & Government, against Popery, Prelacy, Superstition, Heresy, Schism, & Profanness, according to the Covenant; Thô 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 & counteract that, we cannot own that particular Communion. 4. We may have yet a nearer Organical Communion, upon stricter conditions still, with all the Ministers & Members of the National Church of Scotland, constitute & 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 Constitutions, and sworn to in the National Covenants & Engagements of that Church, founded upon the Word of God, against Popery, Prelacy, Erastianism, Sectarianisme, Toleration, Schism & 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 & truly admitted to that function, according to Christ's Appointment, and the Call of the people, whether in a fixed or unfixed relation: provicing he holds the Testimony of Christ, under all the former considerations, and ounes and adheres unto the true received principles of the Church of Scotland, in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, & Government, founded upon the written Word of God, and whatsoever Declarations or Testimonies, former or latter, particular or more General, are aggreable thereunto; though differing from us in some of the Integral & 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 Complyance with the enemies thereof, we cannot own this Congregational Communion, in this broken State of the Church.

III. Thô there be many things in a Church, to brangle & 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 Perga ••• & Thyatira, though they had many corruptions & deficiencies 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 shows in his Comment. on the Revel. chap. 2. Lect. 6. Pag. 148, 149. as also Chap. 18. Lect. 1. Pag. 585. in 4 ^to. 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 born with, while they are ascending & 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, Peri. 4. Pag. 54. 3. In a Constitute and settled case of the Church, enjoying her Privileges & Judicatories, corruptions may be • oreborn, and the offended are not to withdraw, before recourse to the Judicatories for an orderly redress: But in a broken & 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 & 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 & 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 chargable with such corruptions & defections from our Reformation, as we cannot but show our dislike of. This the Reverend Author of Rectius instruendum justifies Confut. 3. Dial. Chap. 1. Pag. 8. where he is showing, 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 disoune, by her standing Acts & Authority, while those from whom we separate own that Corruption. Which holds true of the Curates, & 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 & badge of our incorporation with them, and partaking of their sin, & in hazard of their judgment.

IV. Thô 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 speak here of the Prelatic Curates) without great reluctancy and grief of heart, even when the grounds of it are solid & 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 weaknesses, Natural, spiritual or Moral. 2. Neither for Pers • nal faults & 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 biased with affection for particular persons. We do not hold, that faults in Members, or defects in Ministers, do pollute the Oordinances, and so necessitate a Separation; but aggree with what Mr Durham says on Revel. chap. 2. Lect. 6. Pag. 147. in 4 ^to. Sincerity discovered, will cover many faults. 4. Nor for every discovery of Hypocrisy; though we may have gro • nd to suspect a Mans principle & Motive be not right, yet if he be following duty unblameably, and have a Lawfull Call, What then! notwithstanding every way, whether in Pretence or in Truth, Christ is Preached, therein me may rejoice Philip. 1. 18. 5. Nor yet for real Scandals, not attended with obstinacy, if Ministers will take reproof & admonition, and at least by Doctrinal Confessing and practical for saking them satisfy the offended. 6. Yea though his Scandals be so gross, that we must discountenance him, when he persis • s in them: yet that is not a disouning of his Ministry `or a rejecting his Commission, but a discountenancing for his disorders, until they be removed. But the Apologet. Rela • Sect. 14. Pag. 290, 291. says (1) there may be Ministerial corruptions,

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 & reverence as Godly Ministers, for their offensive defections, is a disouning all the Ministry of Scotland. Whereas, we do profess indeed a disouning of the Curates Ministry, but for our Reverend Presbyterian Ministers, though we do discountenance many of them with sad hearts, for their not keeping the Word of the Lord's patience in this hour of temptation, nor adhering to the principles & constitutions of the Church of Scotland: Yet this is not a disouning of their Ministry, but a Refusing to countenance them in their present administrations, in this disturbed State, till these offenses be removed.

V. As to disoune the Ministry, were hateful Sectarianisme; 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, & racked Remnant now Persecuted have been exercised, this hath not been the lightest; that they have been on all hands stigmatized as Schismatics & 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 Complyances 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 j •• tify all their withdrawings. 1. Mr Durham distinguishes these three; Schism, separating from the Unity & Communion of a true Church, consisting not always in diversity of Doctrine, but in divided Practices, according to that of Augustine, Schismaticos facit not diversa fides, sed disrupta communionis Societas: 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 & Active, or Negative & 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 & Ministry & Ordinances, disouning those they left. The latter is, when the faithful Remnant of a declining Church, standing still & refusing to concur with the backsliding part of the same Church, after they have become obstinate in their defections, holds clossly by, & adheres unto the Reformation attained. This Famous Mr Rutherfoord in his due Right of Presbyteries pag. 253. 254. showeth to be Lawful, and calleth it a Non-Union, as that in Augustine's time, when the Faithf • l did separate from the Donatists, which is Lawful & laudable. 3. Mr Rutherfoord there proceeds to distinguish,

Thus the Apol. Relat. rehearsed his words Sect. 14. pag. 292. 293. 4. There may be a Lawful withdrawing, where the Ordinances & Ministry are not cast at, as the Apol, Rel. saith. ibid. 291. So then,

But Secondly, it being in part cleared by these Assertions, what is our mind in this Controversy, I shall lay coun from Scripture Oracles, all the Causes & Cases justifying & warranding 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 endeavoring 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 Criticismes in stating the Question, in distinguishing betwixt hearing & 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 strenthened with, from the Testimonies or Church Constitutions of former Periods, which are premitted 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's, 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. 10. 1, 5. And how shall they preach, or be heard, except they be sent, Rom. 10. 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. 4. 1. and Ambassadors for Christ, standing in his stead, beseeching us to be reconciled to God 2. Cor. 5. 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, nor the Lawful call 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. 3. 2-4. Tit. 1. 6-9. except it be to be husbands of one wife, and if that do not make them Ministers, they have nothing else: especially four are wanting in all of them. (1) Blamelessness, and freedom from Scandal, even such as affects the office (besides other gross disorders in their life & conversation, obvious to the view of onlookers being men who have denied the Faith, and therefore unfit to have the privilege of Church members in any well Go • erned Church) being in the experience of all that know them signalized under the Characters of those that run unsent, and from whom we are commanded to withdraw: Causing the people to err by their lies and by their lightness, not sent of God Ier. 23. making the heart of the righteous sad, and strengthening the hands of the wicked Ezek. 13. 22. See also Ezek. 34 2, 3. Such as we are commanded to beware of Math. 7. 15, 16. Such as we must mark & avoid, Rom. 16. 17, 18. Phil. 3. 2. Disorderly walkers from whom we must withdraw 2 Thess. 3. 6. Covenant-breakers from whom we are commanded to turn away 2 Tim. 3. 3, 5. They are not then Blameless: and in showing how fitly these aggree unto the persons now spoken of, time needs not be spent, such as know them can best Judge. Hence, such as either are not fit to be Church members, or have all the Characters of such Officers from whom we are to withdraw, cannot be acknowledged capable of the qualifications of the Ministers of Christ: But such are the 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 & out of season, so as to make full proof of their Ministry 2 Tim. 4. 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. 56. 10, 11. for they nor no man can say, that the diseased they have strenghtened, or healed that which was sick &c. Ezek. 34. 4. And it is known to all that know them, that if ever there were any that assumed to themselves the name of Levites, who departed out of the way, and caused many to stumble at the Law, and corrupted the Covenant of Levi, and therefore were deservedly contemptible & base before all the people ( Mal. 2. 8, 9.) they are the men. Let any man judge then, whether they have the qualifications of the Messengers of the Lord of hosts. Hence, they that can give no proof of their Ministry, but that which proves them to be such whom the Lord condemns, & such who deserve to be contemned of all, cannot be acknowledged to be qualified as the 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. 56. 10.) but even their Greatest Clerks & Rabbies may fitly be called after the name of their forefathers, whom Christ calls blind Leaders of the blind, concerning whom he gives a Command to let them alone Math. 15. 14. Either generally they are discovered to be such Masters of Israel, as know not these things John. 3. 10. being men not exercised in Religion, and have not Learned the Truth as it is in Jesus: or they are such, as if they have had gifts or Grace, yet now they are palpably blasted of God, and so cannot profit the people at all, being such as do not stand in 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 everyone from their Neighbor, clearly discovering they are not sent of Him Ier. 23. 21, 22, 30, 32. And because they do not stand in God's Counsel, they cannot declare all the Counsel of God, Act. 20. 27. For they can neither be apt to teach repentance towards God, since they cannot be supposed to be sensible of these sins to be repented of, for which the Land perisheth & is burnt up like a wilderness, Ier. 9. 12. for then they would first repent themselves of their own Conformity with Prelacy, of their breach of Covenant &c. All that they can do in such a subject is, to see vain & foolish things, and not to discover the Lands intiquity, but to see false burdens, & causes of banishment, Lam. 2. 14. Nor can they be apt to teach faith, seeing in many things they teach otherwise than Christ hath taught us in his word, and consen • not to wholesome words and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness from such the Command is to withdraw, 1. Tim. 6. 3-5. whose Mouths must be stopped when they teach things which they ought not, Tit. 1. 9-11. which is 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;

Secondly, They have not the Lawful Call of a Minister of Christ, So much as an External Call of his Institution: which I prove thus. They that have Presentations from Patrons, & Collations from Prelates, and no more for a Call, have no Lawfull Call at all: But the Curates have presentations from Patrons, & collations from Prelates, and no more for a Call: Ergo they have no Lawful Call at all. 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 & Liberty of the Church in calling their own Pastors, and makes all Intruders, without the Churches choice; whereas the flock are allowed a Judgment of Discretion, knowledge of, & consent to the admission of their Pastors, to whom they intrust their Souls Directions, before they be subject & 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. 10. 1-5. They had an Interest in choosing & 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 Lots, Act. 1. 23. and even the Deacons were looked out & chosen by the people, and appointed over their business Act. 6. 3. Much less ought Ministers, to be thrust upon such a weighty employment, Hence, if the Curates have no Call but what destroys the Peoples 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, & 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. 4. 14. And by Ministers their ordaining Elders in every Church, with the Consent of that Church: But a Prelates Collation is not this Act of a Presbytery. (3) That which only makes a man a Prelates Depute, cannot give him a Call to the Ministry of Christ: But this Collation only makes a man a Prelates Depute. Or thus, A Prelates Depute is no Minister: But a Curate is a Prelates Depute: Ergo —That a Prelates Depute is no Minister, I Prove: not only from that, that a Prelat qua talis 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 & execute it immediately by himself, & wait upon it Rom. 12. 7, 8. That Curates are Prelates Deputes is clear: for they are subject to them in order & 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, That their Ministry is the Lord's Ordinance he plainly denied, Napht. pag. 109. They have nothing like a solemn ordinanation, It will be objected here. 1. That then their baptism is no baptism, if they be no Ministers. Ans. the best way to avoid these inconveniences is not to countenance them. But (2) the same Answers may serve which are adduced for Popish Baptismes & ordinations: And factum sometimes valet, quod fieri non debuit. Next it will be Obj. 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 & betraying their trust, and perjuries in breaking Covenant, they have really forfaulted 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 & Ambassadors of Christ, should not only have had a commission from Christ, sometimes conveyed to them in his orderly appointed way, by & 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 it or changed it, by taking anew right another way, it is all one in point of owning them as if they had none at all: and we must not medle with such changelings, in things that they & we must not come & go upon Prov. 24. 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, shows that Ministers may forefeit on Revel. chap. 1. pag. 55. in 4 ^to.

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 refells 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 & forefeit their old right, & 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 & forefeited their old one. The minor I prove thus. They who had aright 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 hold • ng 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 Prelat, which is none of His officers: Ergo —The stress of all will lie in the Probation of this, that the Prelat 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 Luk. 22. 25.) or Authority as the Gentiles did, but that the Chiefest should be only a Minister Math. 22. 25, 26. The Apostle Paul disclaims Dominion over the Church, 2 Cor. 1. ult. Peter exhorts the Elders not to be Lord's over God's Heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3. The Authority of Church officers then is not a Desp • tick power, but a Ministerial Stewardship. But the Diocesan Bishop is both a Lordly Title & 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 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. Ergo —2. Because he is an officer Distinct from & 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 Episcopy or Overseers Act. 20. 17. 28. An ordainded Elder must be a blameless Bishop, as the steward of God, Tit. 1. 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 His purposed recitalls 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 & 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: Ergo —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 Act. 20. 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 & orders of Superiority & inferiority, of officers of the same kind, beside & against the Scripture, which makes all Apostles alike, & all Evangelists, so all Teachers: though there be a Distinction & Superiority in diverse Kinds, yet not in the same. God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, Secondarly Prophets, thirdly Teachers 1 Cor. 12. 28. but not among Teachers some above others, in a power of order & Jurisdiction. Hence, an Officer over officers of the same kind is not an Officer of Christ's institution, And consequently any power conveyed from his is null: But a Prelat pretends to be an officer over Officers of the same kind: Ergo —4. Because every officer in the Church hath equally, and in perfect parity, equal power & Authority allowed them of God in the exercise of both the keys, both of order & Jurisdiction: All ruling Elders may rule alike, and deserve equal honor: And all Preaching Elders have the like Authority, and the like honor conferred upon them 1 Tim. 6. 17. The scripture attributes both power of Order & Jurisdiction to all Preaching Presbyters equally. They must oversee the flock (or as the word is, do the part of a Bishop over them) Act. 20. 28. and they must also feed the flock 1 Pet. 5. 2. Subjection & obedience is one, to them all alike: All that are over us and admonish us, we must esteem highly for their works sake 1 Thess. 5. 12. and obey & submit our selves to them that watch for our souls Heb. 13. 17. we find also excommunication belongs to all alike 2 Cor. 2. 6. and ordination 1 Tim. 4. 14. But the Diocesan Prelat takes from Presbyters to himself power of ordination, assuming only his Curates for fashions sake, and the sole decisive power in Church Judicatories, wherein he hath a Negative voice; like a Diotrephes, the first Prelat who loved to have the preeminence 3 John. 9. the only precedent for Prelacy in the Scripture. Hence, he that would take all power to himself, which is undivided & 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 Prelat would take all the power to himself, which is undivided & 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.

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 & subordination to Christ as King, who ascending far above Principalities & Powers, appointed & gave the Gifts of the Ministry Eph. 4. 8. 11. and set them in the Church 1. Cor. 12. 28. and gave them commission to go & teach the Nations, by virtue of that all Power that was given to Him in Heaven & Earth Math. 28. 18, 19. If then they take a new holding & close with a new Conveyance of the Ministry, and of the Power to exercise the same, from a new Architectonick usurped Power in the Church, encroaching on Christ's Royal prerogative, we dare not Homologat such an affront to Christ, as to give them the respect of His Ambassadors, when they become the servants of men, and subject even in Ministerial functions to another Head then Christ; for then they are the Ministers of men, & 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. 2. 19. Hence those that receive & derive their Church-Power from, and are subordinate in its exercise to, another Head then Christ Jesus, should not be received and subjected to as the Ministers of Christ in His Church: But the Prelates & their curats do receive & derive their Church Power from, & are subordinate in its exercise to, another Head then Christ: Therefore they should not be received &c. The first Proposition cannot be denied. The Second is proved thus: Those officers in the Church, Professing themselves such, that derive their Church-Power from, & are subordinate in its exercise to, a Power truly Architectonick & Supreme in the Church (to wit the Magistrate) beside Christ; Do derive their Power from & are subordinate in its exercise to another Head than Christ Jesus: But so it is that Prelates & their Curates do derive &c. Ergo —The Major is evident: for whosoever hath a Supreme Architectonick Power in & 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 Croun right and an inherent perpetual Prerogative, and thereupon the Bishops are restored to the Episcopal function; And it is expressly Declared, that there is no Church Power in the Church-office bearers, but what depends upon & 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 excomunication & spiritual Censures, & 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 lie in proving, that this Monster of a Supremacy, from which the Prelates & their Curates have all their Authority, is a Great Encroachment on the Glory of Christ as King: which will appear if we briefly consider these Particulars. 1. It usurps upon Christ's Prerogative, who only hath all undoubted right to this Architectonick & 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. 9. 6. Mic. 5. 2. in recognizance of which, we own but one God the Father, and one Lord, by whom are all things & we by Him 1. Cor. 8. 6. But also a Covenant-right, by Compact with the Father, to bear the Glory & rule upon His Throne, by virtue of the Counsel of Peace between them both Zech. 6. 13. A Donative right by the Fathers Delegation, by which He hath all power given in Heaven & in Earth, Math. 28. 18. and all things given unto His hand John. 3. 35. and all judgment & Authority to execute it, even because He is the Son of man, John. 5. 22, 27. and to be Head over all things to the Church Eph. 1. 22. An Institute right, by the Fathers inaugaration, who hath set Him as King in Zion, Psal. 2. 6. and appointed Him Governor, that shall rule His people Israel Math. 2. 6. An Acquisite right, by His own purchase, by which He hath merited & obtained, not only subjects to Govern, but the Glory of the Sole Sovereignty over them in that relation, A name above every name Phil. 2. 9. which is, that He is the Head of the Church, which is as much His Peculiar Prerogative, as to be Savior of the body Eph. 5. 23. A Bellical right by Conquest, making the people fall under Him, Psal. 45. 4. and be willing in the Day of His power, Psal. 110. 3. and overcoming those that make war with Him, Rev. 17. 14. An Hereditary right by Proximity of blood & Primogeniture, being the first born higher then the Kings of the Earth, Psal. 89. 27. and the first born from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence, Col. 1. 18. An Elective right, by His people's choice & surrender, having a Croun wherewith His Mother Crouned Him, in the day of His Espousals Cant, 3. ult. By all which undoubted Titles, It is His Sole incommunicable Prerogative, without a Copartner or Competitor, Coordinate or subordinate, to be Judge, & only Lawgiver & King in Spirituals, Isa. 33. 22. to be that one Lawgiver, I am. 4. 12. who only can give the power of the keys to His officers, (which Comprehends all the power they have) Math. 16. 19. to be that one Master over all Church officers, who are but brethren, Math. 23. 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, Math. 28. 18. 19. Math. 18. 20. from whom only they receive what ever they have to deliver to the Church 1. Cor. 11. 23. To be the only Instituter of His Officers, who hath set them in the Church 1. Cor. 12. 28. and gave them to the Church Eph. 4. 11. whose Ambassadors only they are 2. Cor. 5. 20. from whom they have authority for edification of the Church 2 Cor. 10. 8. 2 Cor. 13. 10. in whose Name only they are to assemble, and keep & fence their Courts, both the least, Math. 18. 20. and the Greatest Act. 15. But now all 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 & 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, & subjects it to, the Kingly Government of the world, removes the Seripture Land Marks & Limits between civil & 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 & independent upon the civil Magistrate: which clearly derogats from the Glory of Christ's Mediatory Kingdom, which is altogether distinct from & not subordinate to the Government of the world, both in the Old Testament & 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 & King of His Church, whose Kingdom is not of this world, John. 18. 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 out ward 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. 19. ult. 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 offense, they must tell the Church, not the civil Magistrate Math. 18. 15. 20. In the case of Excommunication, the Church is to act by virtue of the power of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5. not by the Magistrates 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. 2. 6. 7. So in the case of Trial & ordination of Ministers &c. None of these belong to the Magistrate. They have distinct Natures: The civil is a Magisterial, the Ecclesiastic is a Minsterial 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 Magistrates power was Coactive, by death, banishment, Confiscation &c. Ezra. 7. 26. The Church, by puting out of the Synagogue, interdiction from Sacred things &c. In the New Testament, The Magistrates power is described Rom. 13. to be that of the sword by punishment; the power of the Church only in binding & Loosing, Math. 16. 19. They have distinct Ends: the end of the one being the good of the Common wealth, the other the Churches 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. 19. 10. In the New Testament, the end of Magistratical power is to be a terror to evil works, & a praise te the good, Rom. 13. 3. but the end of Church power is Edification 1 Cor. 5. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 2. Cor. 13. 10. They have distinct Courts of officers: In the Old Testament, the distinction of the civil & Ecclesiastic Sanhedrin is known, where there were distinct causes, & Persons set over them to judge them respectively 2. Chron. 19. ult. In the New Testament, we find officers given unto the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. with no mention of the civil Magistrate at all, And Church-Assemblies distinct from Parliaments or senats (yea when the Magistrate was an Enemy) determining questions that did not belong to the Magistrate at all Act. 15. we have Rulers distinct from the Rulers of the Common wealth 1 Thess. 5. 12. whom we are to obey and submit our selves as those who are accountable to Christ only, for to whom else can they give account of souls? Heb. 13. 17. we have Rulers inferior to Laborers in word & doctrine, not to be honored so much as they: Sure these cannot be civil Rulers 1 Tim. 5. 17. we have Rulers commended for trying Impostors, which were not Magistrates, Rev. 2. 2. And others who are rebuked for suffering Heretics ibid. verse. 14, 15, 20. which supposes they had Authority to do it; yet distinct from & not depending on the Magistrate. Besides from this 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. Sic 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 tuo Governments, civil & Ecclesiastic, and take it all from a mere civil power, cannot be owned as having any Authority of Christ's Institution: But the Prelates & their Curates, in deriving their Authority, do confound the tuo Governments civil & 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 & warrand from the Usurper of this Supremacy: because it is highly injurious to Christ's Headship; very contrary to to Presbyterian Principles; clearly Homologatorie of the Supremacy; plainly Prejudicial to the power of the people; very much establishing Erastianism; Sadly obstructive & destructive to the good of the Church; wronging our cause & ground of suffering; Strengthening the Prelates hands; contradictory to our Covenants▪ Prejudging the Meetings of God's people; and heinously Scandalous & offensive: As is clear by, & unanswerably poven in the History of the Indulgence.

IV. There is a necessity that any man whom we may Joine with as a Minister, must not only be a minister, and a Minister clothed with Christ's commission then when we Joins with Him, but He must also have a right to administer there where we Ioin with Him. Else we can look upon him no otherwise than a thief & a robber. whom Christ's sheep should not hear Io. 10. 1-5. Now the Prelates & Curates, though they should he accounted & 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 & 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 & do officiate fixedly in this Church, without her Authority & Consent, have no right so to do: But the Prelates & their Curates have entered into & officiate fixedly in this Church, without her Authority & Consent: Ergo — The Major is manifest: for if this Church have a just right & power of Electing & Calling of Ministers, then they who enter into & officiate fixedly in this Church, without her Authority & Consent, have no just Authority or right so to do: But this Church hath a just right & power of Electing & 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 & their Curates have entered into & officiate fixedly in this Church, without her Authority & consent, is evident, from matter of fact: for there was no Church Judicatory called or convocated, for bringing of Prelates in to this Church; but on the contrary her Judicatories were all cashiered & discharged, and all her officers turned out to let them in; And all was done immediately by the King & Acts of Parliament without the Church; A practice wanting a Precedent in this and (for anything we know) in all other Churches: All that the Curates can say is, that they came in by the Bishop & Patron, who are not the Church, nor have any power from her for what they do; all their right & power is founded upon & derived from the Supremacy, whereby the Diocesan Erastian Prelat is made the Kings Delegate & substitute, only impowered thereto by his Law. This is Mr Smiths 1 ^st & 6 Argum.

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 Church 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: Its a poor Consequence to say, the posterity may return backward, because their forefathers could not advance further forward. Secondly, the thrusting out of Lawfull Ministers without any Cause but their adhering to the Covenanted work of Reformation, and the thrusting in others in their rooms who denied the same, is a great Encroachment on the Churches Privileges; But embracing & encouraging Curates by countenancing their pretended Ministry were a consenting to this violent extrusion & intrusion. The minor is proven thus. They who leave the extruded & countenance the Intruded, they consent to the extrusion & intrusion, and declare they confess the Intruded his right is better than his who is extruded; But they who embrace & 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 Math. 23. 2, 3. The Scribes & Pharisees sit in Moses Chair, therefore whatever they bid yow observe, that observe & 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 & Officers. Therefore the Head of the Church being present might give a Toleration, Durante beneplacito: But it is not so now. But 2. Our Lord's words bears 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, Math. 15. 13, 14. and who were Thieves & Robbers whom His Sheep should not hear.

V. They must not only be Ministers, & acknowledged as such then and there, when & 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 & corrupt their Ministry, by preaching & maintaining errors, either in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, or Government, contrary to the Scriptures, our Confessions, & principles of our Covenanted Reformation, and contradictory to our Testimony founded thereupon & aggreable 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 most put away that evil & not consent nor hearken to them, Deut. 13. 5, 8. We must cease to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge, Prov. 19. 27. we must have a care of these Leaders that will cause us to err lest we be destroyed with them Isa. 9. 16. we must mark these who contradict the Doctrine that we have Learned, & avoid them Rom. 16. 17. If any man teach otherwise we must withdraw ourselves from such 1 Tim. 6. 3, 5. If there come any & bring not this Doctrine, we must not receive him, nor bid him God speed, in that work of his preaching or practicing against any of the Truths, we have received from the word 2 John 10, 11. Hence we most not hear false Teachers, who in preaching & prayer bring forth false Doctrine contrary to the principles of our Reformation: But the Curates are false Teachers, who in preaching & prayer bring forth salse 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 & Ar • inianisme; but all of them do teach false Doctrine tending to seduce the hearers; when in their preaching they cry up the Lawfullnesse of Prelacy, and vent bitter invectives against Presbyterian Government, condemn the work of Reformation, and inveigh against the Covenant, and so teach & encourage people to follow them in open perjury, and condemning all our Testimony, as nothing but Treason & Sedition; which we are persuaded is Truth, and that therefore they are Blasphemers: And in their prayers, stuffed with error & larded with Blasphemy, they reproach the work of Reformation, & 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 obj • cted here: That this doth not strike against all, nor against any at all times, because some Preaches 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 ans. 1. This may be alleged for all Heretics, 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 fr • its which they bring forth at sometimes, they show 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 Joine 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, & their Administrations, & 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 sentance of dreadful punishment, both against them & 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 & 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 Rebells who were to be consumed in a moment, Numb. 16. 21. or for the Lord's people to come out of Babylon, that they receive not of her plagues Rev. 18. 4. Now we find that not only the Prophets of Baal, and Inticers 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 Rect. Instruend. confut. dial. chap. 1. pag. 21.) many terrible charges & Adjurations laid upon Ministers, in reference to a faithful Diligence in their Ministerial function, and a suitable Testimony concerning the sin & duty of the time, that they are commanded to cry aloud and show the people their sin, Isa. 58. 1. and as they would not have the blood of souls upon them, to give faithful warning touching the people's case & hazard, sin, & duty, especially in times of great sin & judgment, when God is terribly pleading His Controversy with them, Ezek. 3. 17. therefore they must be instant in season & out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. And for their negligence & unfaithfulness herein, we find many Scripture woes & 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 & famine, and the people to whom they Prophecy shall be cast out in the Streets, Ier. 14. 13. 15. 16. therefore we dare not admit them to Prophecy to us. When they strengthen the hands & harden the hearts of evil-doers, that none doeth return from his wickedness, the Lord threatens to feed them with wormwood, & commands not to hearken to them, Ier. 23. 14-16. their blood shall be required at their hands Ezek. 3. 18. one builds a wall, and another daubs it with untempered mortar, then ye o great hailstones shall fall, and they shall be consumed in the midst thereof Ezek. 13. 10, 11, 14, 18, 22. we dare not join with either builders or daubers of such a work, as is carried on to the dishonor of Christ & ruining of Reformation, nor by our countenance & 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 show no difference between the unclean & the clean then the Lord will pour out His Indignation upon all, Ezek. 22. 25—ad • fin. We would endeavor 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 complexe Argument: Such Ministers as can do no good by their Ministry, but a great deal of hurt to their hearers, and expose themselves & 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 connection 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 show no difference between the unclean & 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 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, & run to Cisterns without water. What blessing can be expected upon the labors 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 & wickedness, being themselves Patterns & Patrons of the times corruptions? And seeing a blessing cannot be expected upon their labors, 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 & Atheism; so that many that seemed to have somewhat like Religion before, through hearing of them, are turned loose & lax in all Duties: yea never can it be instanced these 27 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 Ordrnance, which He will approve, and no performances can be acceptable unto the Lord which are not, in manner as well as in matter aggreeable 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 & forsake them. This is confirmed by what Mr Durham says in that digression about hearing

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 & condemns, Eph. 5. 7, 11. And not only Ministers in ordaining, but people in hearing, may be in hazard of partaking of some men's sins who enter into the Ministry 1 Tim. 5. 22. we must keep at the greatest distance from sin. Hence if we cannot 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, • Test of our Submission to them, a badge of our comp • yance 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 & 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 & unlawful Communions 1 Cor. 10. 17-20. All partakers of the bread are one body, and they which eat of the Sacrificies 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. 6. 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 & unrighteousness, light & darkness; Christ & Belial, the Temple of God & 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, & Complyance with them: for so it is required by Law, as the Acts themselves say,

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. Ergo —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, & accepted, & Interpreted as an evidence of a due acknowledgment, & 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, & expressly interpreting it so: Therefore &c.

VIII. As we would be free of their sin, in approving of, & complying with their course; so we must endeavor to stand at the greatest Distance from all appearance of sin in our selves, either by commission or omission, in which our Joining with them in these circumstances would involve us. For we must astain from all appearance of evil 1 Thess. 5. 22. and from everything that circumstances may make sinful: for otherways suppose a thing might be materially Lawful & not simply sinful, yet circumstances may make it sinful, and a countenancing it so circumstantiated, doth infer a Communion in these Circumstances that make 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 Sacrifices to Idols is nothing, yet they who eat of it, when they know it is so circumstantiated, have fellowship with Devils 1 Cor. 10. 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, Math. 10. 33. And we must hold fas • the Profession of our faith without wavering, Heb. 10. 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 Croun Rev. 3. 10, 11.

Hence, if Hearing of the Curates would infer & involve us under the guilt both of commission of sin, and omission os 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 & involve us under the guilt of Commisssion of sin, All that is said above doth evince it: And besides, palpable breach of Covenant, hereafter to be charged & cleared: And, Idolatry is a great sin of that na • ur: but the hearing of the Curates doth infer this. Which may be made out, thus: The breach of the sceond Commandment is Idolatry (for to make the sins against that Command odious, they are all commprehended under that odious name of worshipping Images; as the sins against the seventh are called Adultrie, comprehending all unchaste thoughts, words, & 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 & involve us under the guilt of Omission of Duty. For first, if reductively it may involve us under the guilt of Idolatry & 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 God's, nor let them dwell in the Land lest they make us sin, Exod. 23. 32, 33 Exod. 34. 14, 15. to overthrow their Altars, & break their Pillars, and destroy the names of them out of the place Deut. 12. 3. Judge▪ 2. 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 or the Commandment, some grosser some smaller, so there are also degrees of punishment, and as to the manner of destroying & extirpating all pieces of Idolatry: But that the Commands being founded upon a Moral ground, lest they 〈◊〉 & snares unto us, do oblige us to some endeavor 〈…〉 , extirpating & overthrowing all Pieces or 〈◊〉 according to the word and our Covenants; And 〈…〉 The least Duty that can be inferred is that of the Apostles, flee from Idolatry 1 Co,. 10. 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, & hath all its Sanction from, an I • ol 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 & 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, 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 & Malignant Enemies. but this Argument also will infer the expediency of withdrawing, from all Ministers with whom our circumstantiat Joyning would involve us in a participation with their defections.

IX. As we would endeavor 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 & stumble the consciences 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 who so shall offend one of Christ's little ones, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck Math. 18. 6. No man must put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way, Rom. 14. 13. They that sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak Conscience, they sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. we must forbear somthings for conscience sake, conscience, I say, not our own but of others, giving none offense neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God, 1. Cor. 10. 28, 29, 32. and so cut off all occasion from them that desire occasion 2 Cor. 11. 12.

Mr Durham in that forecited place saith, Hence, If Hearing of the Curates be an offense 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 & encourages them in their opposition to the work of God, and all backsliders & Complyers with them in their Apostasy; 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, it stumbles the truly tender, by encouraging them to do contrary to their light & 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 a re • erence 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 Joine with, & own the Curates, what appearance of this shall the Posterity see? shall not they conclude that the day is lost, & the cause is gone, when they see that this generation hath fled the fields, or rather sold & betrayed the cause, by owning, countenancing, & 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 & 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 & blood, then sold & betrayed by base flenching & complying with Persecutors. This Argument may also found & i • ter 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 endeavor by all Lawful means to shame them out of their sin: And it is an argument of hatred, when we do not rebuke our Neighbor or when we suffer sin upon him, Lev. 19. 17. If we consider them then as neighbors & friends, we must use endeavors 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 fortiore, 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 speciality) be a fornicator, or covetous, or an Idolater, or a railer, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat 1 Cor. 5. 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 chargable 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 lybel. Then we are expressly Commanded, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw ourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the received Tradiction; and if any man obey not the word, to note him and have no Company with him, that he may be ashamed 2 Thess. 3. 6. 14. Sure neither their office nor their innocence, 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 Sympathie, & affection, & 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 & Personal Capacity are so scandalous to the Conviction of all, that Profanness hath gone forth from them unto 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. 2. 17. But even strangers that are unacquaint with their Personal Profligatness & ignorance &c. cannot be altogether ignorant of the Scandal of Prelacy & E • astianisme, in which they are all involved, of the Scandal of Apostasy, Perjurie, & breach of Covenant, which is their brand, and the Nations bane, that hath countenanced them. And none can doubt, but if our Church were dwely constitute and invested with the orderly power of Christ, and in capacity to exerce & improve it, they would soon be censured every Soul of them as Scandalous, as they have been also Previously sentanced as such, by the Acts of our General Abssemblies. This Argument levells 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 Perillous, from whom we must turn away 2 Tim. 3. 1-5. It appears from the foregoing deduction, how solemnly these Nations were engaged both to keep out & 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 indiction of all the Articles of the Solomn League & Covenant, broken by them, and all that own them 1. That Doctrine, worship, discipline, & Government in the 1. Ar:. sworn to be preserved & propagated, was the Presbyterian then established, which our Church was in possession of, which they have opposed, & their ouners resiled from, and have not maintained. 2. We are engaged in 2. Art. to endeavor 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, & Schism, this Article obliges us to disoune, & not to hear Papists & Schismatics, why not also in relation to Prelatists, who are the greatest Schismatics? 3. They have established & homologated an Erastian Supremacy, to the Prejudice of true Religion and the Liberties of the Church & Kingdom, and their ouners have abetted & contenanced the same, and not preserved either the Liberties of Church or Kingdom, contrary to the 3. Art. 4. They have not only concealed & Countenanced Malignant Enemies to this Church & Kingdom, but have themselves been real Incendiaries hindering the Reformation of Religion, making factions & Parties amongst the People, contrary to this League & Covenant, And their hearers are so far from bringing them to Condign Punishment. that they have strengthened their hands in their avowed opposition to the Covenants, contrary to the 4 Art. 5. They have broken our Conjunction in firm peace & union; and yet their hearers have not marked & avoided these Causers of Divisions, contrary to Scripture, and the 5 Art. 6. Instead of assisting & defending all these that entered into this League & Covenant &c. they have been the greatest Persecutors of all them that adhered to it; And their ouners have suffered themselves, by combination or persuasion or terror, to be divided & withdrawn from their suffering Brethren, and have made defection to the contrary part, and given themselves to a detestable indifferency in this cause, contrary to the 6. Art. 7. Instead of humbling themselves for their sins, and going before others in the example of a real Reformation, they have obstinately defended their breach of Covenant, and have been Patrons & Patterns of all deformations; And their ouners & hearers have not repented of that neither, when they countenance such Covenant-breakers & profane persons, nor of their not laboring for the purity & power of the Gospel, when they seek it from such impure hands: Neither do they go before others in Reformation, when they are such bad examples of defection, contrary to the conclusion of the Covenant. This Argument will also strike against hearing of such Ministers that have made themselves guilty of the same, or equivalent breaches of Covenant.

XII. Finally, for Unions 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. 12. 25. And that for to prevent & remede this, the Apostle beseeches us to mark them which Cause Divisions, & offenses contrary to the Doctrine which we have learned, & avoid them, Rom. 16. 17. Now then, if the Prelates and their Curates be Schismatics, & Separatists, and dividers, then we must avoid & withdraw from them: But so it is that the Prelates & their Curates are Schismatics, & Separatists, and dividers: Therefore we must avoid & withdraw from them. The Minor I prove from all the Constituents of a formed Schism, Separation, & sinful division. 1. They that start out from under due relations to a Church, and from her Ministry, are Schismatics, Separatists, & dividers, But the Prelates and their Curates have started out from under due relations to the Covenanted Church of Scotland, & from her Ministry, in being so unnatural rebellious Children, as have broken their Mothers beauty & bands, order & Union, & razed her Covenanted Reformation, in doctrine, worship, Discipline, & Government: 2. These who withdraw from the Communion of a true Church, and therefore are Censureable by all her standing acts, are Schismatical Separatists: But the 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 & Combination repugnant to the Communion of this Church, and all her established order: 3. Those who Separate from a Church, whose Principles & Practices are subservient to that Churches true Union & Communion and right establishment, are properly Schismatics: But the Prelates and their Curates have Separated from this Church, whose Principles & practices are subservient to its true Union & Communion and right establishment; for they could never yet impeach or challenge any Principle or practice, contrary to the word of God, or not subservient to true Union & order, but their Principles & practices are stated in opposition to her purity & Reformation. 4 Those who innovate the worship & Government, owned & established in a true Church, are Schismatics: But the Prelates and their Curates have innovated the worship & Government of the true Church of Scotland, in bringing a Doctrine new & odd, and not the voice of this Church; and their worship, over and above the corruption adhering to it, is the worshiping of an innovating party, contrary to our Churches established order: 5. They that make a rent in the bowels of the true & genuine Church, are the 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, & 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 & 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 anything that might loose the obligation: 8. That party in a Reformed Church, which having overturned her Reformation, hath shut out, laid aside, & persecute away sound adherers thereunto, both Ministers & Professors, & will not admit Ministers to officiate but upon the sinful 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 Tyrants Authority vindicated.

THe other Grand Ordinance of God, Magistracy, which He hath in His Sovereign Wisdom, Justice, & Goodness, appointed, ordained, & consecrated, for the demonstration, illustration, & 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 Greatest Concern: wherein not only the Prudence, Policy, Property, & Liberty of men, but also the conscience, Duty, & Religion of Christians, have a special Interest. And therefore it is no less important, pertinent, profitable, & necessary for everyone that hath any of these to care & contend for, keep or recover, to inquire into and understand something of the institution, constitution, nature, & boundaries of the Sacred ordinance of Magistracy, than into the holy ordinance of the Ministry; So far at least as may consist with the sphere of every ones Capacity & Station, and may conduce to the satisfaction of every ones conscience, in the discharge of the duties of their relations. Every private man indeed hath neither capacity, concern, nor necessity, to study the Politicks, or search into the secrets, or Intrigues of Government, no more then he is to be versed in all the Administrations of Ecclesiastical Policy, and Interests of the Ministry: yet every man's Conscience is no less concerned, in distinguishing the Character of God's Ministers of Justice, the Magistrates, to whom he owes & ounes allegiance, that they be not usurping Tyrants, everting the Ordinance of the Magistracy; than in acknowledging the Character of Christ's Ministers of the Gospel, to whom he owes & ounes 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 & keeping pure & entire, according to His will & word, both these Ordinances. And our Conscience as well as Interest is concerned in the advantage or hurt, profit or prejudice, of the right or wrong, observation or prevarication, of both these ordinances; being interested in the advantage of Magistracy, and hurt of Tyrannie in the State, as well as in the advantage of the Ministry, and hurt of Diocesan or Erastian Supremacy in the Church; in the advantage of Ltberty, and hurt of slavery in the State, as well as in the advantage of Religion and hurt of Profaneness in the Church; in the profit of 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 & Unity, and prejudice of Defection & Division or Schism, in the Church. So that in Conscience, we are no more free to Prostitute our Loyalty & Liberty absolutely, in owning every Possessor of the Magistracy; than we are free to Prostitute our Religion & faith implicitly, in owning every Pretender to the Ministry. This may seem very Paradoxical to some, because so dissonant & dissentient from the vulgar, yea almost Universal and invetrate opinion & Practice of the world, that hitherto hath not been so precise in the matter of Magistracy. And it may seem yet more strange, that not only some should be found to assert this; but that any should be found so strict and strait-laced, as to adventure upon suffering, and even to Death, for that which hath hitherto been seldom scrupled, by any that were forced to subjection under a yoke, which they had no force to shake off, and wherein Religion seems 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 excentrick & extrinsic to Religion, but such a State question, as for its thorny Intricacies & difficulties, is more proper for Politicians & Lawyers to dispute about (as indeed their debates about this head of Authority, have been as manifold & multiplied as about any one thing) than for Private Christians to search into, and suffer for, as a Part of their Testimony. But if we will cast off Prejudices, and the Tyrannie of Custom, and the bondage of being bound to the worlds Mind in our inquiries about Tyrannie, and suffer ourselves to Ponder impartially the importance of this matter; And then to state the question right; We shall find Religion & Conscience hath no small interest in this business. They must have no snall Interest in it, if we consider the importance of this matter, either extensively, or objectively, or Subjectively. Extensively considered, it is the Interest of all mankind to know and be resolved in Conscience, whether the Government they are under be of God's Ordination or of the Devils administration; whether it be Magistracy or Tyrannie; whether it gives security for Religion & Liberty, to themselves and their posterity, or whether it induces upon themselves, and entails upon the posterity, slavery as to both these invaluable Interests; whether they have matter of praise to God for the blessings & mercies of Magistracy, or matter of Mourning for the plagues & miseries of Tyrannie, to the end they may know both the sins & snares, Duties & dangers, Case & Crisis, of the times they • ive in. All men that ever enjoyed the mercy of a right Constitute Magistracy, have experienced, and were bound to bless God for the blessed fruits of it: And on the other hand, the world is full of the Tragical Monuments of Tyrannie, for which men were bound bath to search into the Causes, and see the effects of such plagues from the Lord, to the end they might mourn over both. And from the beginning it hath been observed, that as Peoples sins have always procured the Scourge of Tyrannie; So all their miseries might be refounded upon Tyrants encroachments, Usurping upon or betraying their Trust, and overturning Religion, Laws, & Liberties. Certainly Mankind is concerned in point of Interest & Conscience, to inquire into the cause & Cure of this Epidemick distemper, that hath so long held the world in misery, and so habitually, that now it is become as it were Natural to lie stupidly under it; that is, that old Ingrained Gangrene of the Kings Evil, or Complyance with Tyrannie; that hath long afflicted the Kingdoms of the world, and affected not only their backs in bearing the burden thereof; but thir hearts into a Lethargick stupor of insensibleness; and their heads in infatuating & intoxicating them with Notions of the Sacredness & incontroulablness of Tyrannie; and their hands in infeebling and fettering them from all attempts to work a Cure: Or else it hath had another effect on many that have been sensible of a touch of it; even equivalent to that, which an ingenious Author Mr Gee in his Preface to the Divine right & Original of the Civil Magistrate (to which Mr Durham is not absonant) expounds to be the effect of the fourth vial, Rev. 16. 8, 9. when in these Dog-days of the world, power is given to the Sun of Imperial, especially Popish, Tyannie, by their exorbitant streaches of absolute Prerogative, to scorch men with fire of furious oppressions, they then blaspheme the Name of God which hath power over these Plagues, in their Mal-content Complaints, grumblings, grudgings, and Murmurings under the 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 endeavor 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 a wakened out of this Dream & dotage, of Dull & stupid subjection to every Monster that can Mount a Throne? Sure at length it may be expected, either Conscience from within as God's deputy, challenging for the palpable perversion of this His excellent Ordinance, Or Iudgments from without, making sensible of the effects of it, will convince & confute these old inveterate Prejudices. And then these Martyrs for that universal Interest of mankind, who got the fore-start and the first sight of this, will not be so flouted as fools, as now they are. And who knoweth, what Prelude or Preparative, fore-boding & presaging the down fall of Tyranny, may be in its aspirings to this hight of arbitrary absoluteness, and in the many questions raised about it, and by them imposed upon Consciences to be resolved. If we consider the object of this question; as Conscience can only clear it, so in nothing can it be more concerned. It is that Great Ordinance of God, most signally impressed by a very Sacred & illustrious Character of the Glorious 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 & sublime. The powers that are be of God, not only by the all disposing hand of God in His Providence, as Tyranny is, nor only by way of naked approbation, but by Divine institution; And that not only in the general, by at least a Secondary Law of Nature, but also the special investiture of it, in Institution & Constitution, is from God; and therefore they are said to be ordained of God, to which Ordinance we must be subject, not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake; which is the Great Duty required in the fifth Command, the first Commandment with Promise; that hath the Priority of Place before all the Second table, because the other Commandments respect each someone 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 & righteousness, the only foundations of people's felicity, whether temporal or eternal, including the bonds & boundaries of all obedience & subjection, for which they are intended & to which they refer, is supereminent; as that Epithet of higher added to the powers that are of God, may be rendered; making them high & sublime in Glory, whose highest prerogative is, that being 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 honor as due, by the Prescript of the fifth Commandment: but for Tyranny, Conscience is bound to deny it, because not due; no more than obedience, which Conscience dare not pay to a Throne of Iniqulty, and a Throne of the Devil, as Tyranny may be called as really as Magistracy is called the Throne of God. Next Conscience is much concerned in the ends of Magistracy, which are the Greatest, the Glory of God and the good of Mankind. And in the effects of it, the maintenance of Truth, Righteousness, Religion, Liberty, Peace, & Safety, and all choicest external blessings: But the ends & effects of Tyranny are quite Contrary, Domineering for pleasure, and destroying for profit. Can we think that Conscience is nothing Concerned here, that these great ends shall be subverted, and the effects precluded; and to that effect, that Tyrannie not only be shrouded under a Privilege of impunity, but by our subjection & acknowledment of it, as a Lawful power, encouraged into all enormities, and Licensed to usurp, not only our Liberties, but God's Throne by an uncontrollable Sovereignty? But if we Consider the subjective Concern of Conscience, it must be very great: when it is the only thing that prompts to subjection, that regulats subjection, and is a bottom for subjection to lawful powers. If it were not out of Conscience, men that are free born are naturally such Lovers of Liberty, and under Corruption such lusters after Licenciousness, that they would never come under the Order of this Ordinance, except constrained for wraths sake: but now, understanding that they that resist the power resist the Ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation, they must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for Conscience sake. If Conscience were not exercised in regulating our duty to Magistrates, we would either obey none, or else would observe all their Commands promiscously, Lawful or unlawful, and would make no difference either of the matter commanded, or the power commanding: but now, understanding that we must obey God rather then man, and that we must render to all their dues, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor, Conscience regulats us what & 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, & a conscientious submission to it; it being the highest & most kindly principle of, and the strongest & most lasting obligation to, any relative duty. It will not be Liberty of Conscience (as 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 & Empress of conscience) touching the founding & 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 moments, it will rather oblige people that are conscientious to suffer the worst that Tyrants can do; especially when it is imposed & obtruded upon conscince, to give its suffrage & express acknowledment 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 & Politicks can give this verdict that the Constitution & administration of the Government of the tuo Royal Brothers, under whose burden the earth and we have been groaning these 27 years past, hath been a complete & Habitual Tyranny, and can no more be owned to be Magistracy the • Robbery can be acknowledged to be a rightful possession. It is so plain, that I need not the help of Lawyers & Politicians to demonstrate it, nor launch into the Ocean of their endless debates in handling the head of Magistracy & Tyrannie: 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 & Usurpers, may disoune their pretended Authority; & when imposed upon to acknowledge it; may rather chief to suffer than to own it?

To clear this question: I shall first premit some concessions, and then come more formally to resolve it.

I. 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 & 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 & common subjects to give an account of their thoughts & conscience about the Lawfulness of the Government they lived under. Conquerers & Usurpers sometimes have demanded an acknowledgment of their Authority; from men of greatest note & stroke in the Countries they have seised: but they never since the Creation urged it upon common people, as a Test of Loyalty; but thought always their Laws, & 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 queston to the subjects, whether they owned it or not. But the Gentlemen that rule 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 exstirpation of the Consciencious that dare not, with the odium & obli • uie of being enemies to Authority; by which Trick they think to bury the honor of their Testimony. Yet in sobriety without Prophecying 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, over fast over 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 head long. 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, when ever they shall be brought before them; upon a very overly search, they see terrible Tyranny witten in legible bloody Characters almost on all administrations of the Government, and so come to be fixed in the verdict that their conscience & 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 & final Decision, will be more inquired into through the world, and at length prove as fatal to Tyranny, as ever anything 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 their 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 honorable precedent, than this beginning to decline a yoke under which all ages have groaned.

2. It will be also granted, It is not always indispensablie 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 & Tyrannical Judges, is it always necessary to disoune 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 obliged, 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 entangle 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 & Conscienciously waved. We have Christ's own practice, & his faithful servant Paul's example, for a Pattern of such prudence & Christian caution. But yet it were cruel & unchristian rigor, to censure such as out of a pious principle of zeal to God & conscience of duty, do freely & positively declare their judgment, in an absolute disouning of their pretended Authority, when posed with such Questions, though to the manifest detriment of their lives, they Conscienciously 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 Spirits Conduct, encouraging & 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 circumstances a case of confession, even Positively to disoune 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 Croun, whereof they are Judges no ways Competent; then they must freely & faithfully be declined. Or when, to the dishonor 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 & discharging all offered Legal & 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 disoune it. Or when they have done some cruel indignity & despite to the Spirit of God, and to Christ His prerogative & 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 have been staged upon this account: In this case, and several others of this sort that might be mentioned, then they may be free & Positive in disouning this Test of wicked Loyaltie, 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 & 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, semper & ad semper; that is to say, we plead, that it must never be Ouned. There is a great difference between a Positive disouning, and a not Ouning: though the first be not always necessary, the Latter is the Testimony of the day, and a negative case of confession, which is allwise clearer than the Positive. Though we must not allwise 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 & 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, & 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 & learned divines expressly against, us in this point, as especially we find in their Comments upon Rom. 13. among whom I cannot dissemble my sorrow to find the great Calvin, saying,

As also Pareus saying too much against us. For answer to this I refer to Mr Knox his reply to Lithingtoun, producing several Testimonies of Divines against him upon this very same head; wherein he shows, that the occasions of their Discourses & Circumstances wherein they were stated were very far different, from those that have to do with Tyrants & Usurpers, as indeed they that are most concerned and smart most under their scourge are in best case to speak to the purpose. I shall only say, Men's 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 & 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 & 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 speakevil of dignities and that they are filthy dreamers who despise Dominion & speakevil 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 or Nations, or Municipal do allow him: Asserting that he is the keeper & 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 Churches good; an external power, of Providing for the Church, & Protecting her from outward violence, or in ward disorder; an imperate power, of commanding all to do their respective duties; a Civil power of Punishing all, even Church officers, for Crimes; a Secundary power of Judicial approbation or condemnation, or discretive, in order to give his Sanction to Synodical results; a Cumulative power, assisting & strengthening the Church in all her Privileges, subservient though not servill, Coordinate with Church power not Subordinate (though as a Christian he is subject) in his own affairs, to wit Civil, not to be declined as Judge, but to be obeyed in all things Lawful, and honored & strengthened with all his dwes. We would give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are God's But to Tyrants, that usurp & pervert both the things of God & of Caesar, and of the people's Liberties, we can render none of them, neither God's, nor Caesars, nor our own; Nor can we from conscience give him any other deference, but as an enemy to all, even to God, to Caesar, & the people. And in this, though it doth not sound now with Court parasites, nor with others that are infected with Royal Indulgences & Indemnities, we bring forth but the transumpt of old Principles, according to which our fathers walked when they still contended for Religion & Liberty, against the attemptings & 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 & continued in, whether in a Ministers 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, misdemeanure, 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 behavior, denominate him a Tyrant or usurper, or give sufficient ground to divest him of Magistratical power, and reject him as the Lawful Magistrate. It is not any one or tuo Acts contrary to the Royal Covenant or office, that doth denude a man of the Royal dignity, that God & the people gave him: David committed tuo acts of Tyranny, Murder & 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 everything will not make a Magistrate to be a Tyrant: So nothing will make a Tyrant habitu, 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, & Preach Atheism, Mahumetanisme, 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 & disoune 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 disouning a King, as being unkinged; than in disouning a Minister, as being un-ministerd. It will be necessary therefore, for clearing our way, to fix upon some ordinary Characters of a Tyrant, which may discriminate him from a Magistrate, and be ground of disouning him as such. I shall rehearse some, from very much approved Authors; the application of which will be as apposite to the tuo Brothers, that we have been burdened with, as if they had intended a particular & exact description of them.

Which very well aggrees 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 Murthers, Adulteries, & Idolatries, by force & fraud did intercept first an Act for His Succession in Scotland, and then the actual Succession in England, by blood & treachery usurping & intruding himself into the Government, without any Compact with, or Consent of the people; though now he studies to make himself like another Syracusan Hiero, or the Florentine Cosinodo 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. An exact Copy of this we have seen within these tuo years, as 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 & property, he is now affecting the praise & 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 & slavery; and overturning Religion, Law, & Liberty. 3. Emperor, or Governor? King James the 6 ^th also, in a speech to the Parliament anno 1609. makes this one Character of a Tyrant, when he begins to invade his subjects rights & 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. Quid qui non de virtute certet c • m bonis &c. The learned Althusius likewise in his Politicks cap. 38. Num. 15. (as He is cited by Ius Populi chap. 16. Pag. 347.) makes this one Character of a Tyrant, that How these suite our times we need not express; what effrontry 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 & Incests, and Live in open defyance of all the Laws of the universal King; with whom to exceed in all villainies is the way to purchase the Countenance of the Court, and to aspire to preferment? No Heliogabulus &c. could ever come up the length in wickedness, that our Rulers have professed. 5. Omnium vim Legum in se transfer &c. King James the 6. in that fore-cited speech saith, a King degenerateth into a Tyrant when he leaveth to rule by Law. Althusius also loc. cit. saith, All that knoweth what hath been done in Britain these 27 years, can attest our Laws have been subverted, the Reformation of Religion overturned, and all our best Laws rescinded; and now the Penal Statuts against Papists disabled & stopped, without & against Law. 6. Ad suum eum unius nutum omnia &c. This is also one part of King James the 6 his Character of a Tyrant, when he sets upon arbitrary power. And of 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 be meant Perfect, he is most absolute that governs best according to the word of God. But if it be to be Legibus solutus, loosed from all Laws, we think it blasphemy to ascribe it to any Creature. Where was there ever such an arbitrary & 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 what ever the Grand Seigneur did attempt. King James ub, supra says, he is a Tyrant that imposes un Lawful Taxes, raises forces, makes war upon his subjects, to Pillage, Plnnder, wast, & spoil his Kingdoms. Althusins ubi supra It is a famous saying of Bracton, He is no longer King; then dum been regit, while he rules well, but a Tyrant when-soever he oppresseth the people that are trusted to his Care & Government. And Cicero says, amittitis omne exceritus & imperit jiu, qui eo imperio & exercit • Rempublicans oppugnat. He loseth all legal power in & over an Army or Empire, who by that Government & army does obstruct the well-fare of that republick. What oppressions & 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 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 on Character: And the Grave Author of the This is the perfect Protracture of our Princes; the former of which, declared an open war against Religion & 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 for corrupting of youth There was 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 in to all villainies, and to poison the fountains of all learning & virtue, by intruding the basest of men into the place of teachers, both in Church & University, and precluding all access to honest men. 11. Further he says, (and what if he oppress them himself?) It was one of the Laws of Edward the Confessor, Quod si Rex desit officio, nomen Regis in eo non constabit. If the King fail in the discharge of his Trust & 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 & 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, 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 pacque & prelimit them and over-awe them, and how men who have faithfully discharged their trust in them have been prosecuted with the hight of envy & fury, and many murdered thereupon; And how all the armed force of the Kingdoms have been enhanced into their hand, and the people kept so underfoot, that they have been rendered incapable either to defend their own from intestine Usurpers, or foreign Invaders. All that is said amounts to this, that when ever men in power do evert & subvert all the ends of Government, and intrude themselves upon it, and abuse it, to the hurt of the Common wealth, 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

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 disoune him: for if it be a question, whether the people be really robbed of their rights & Liberties, and that the King might pretend as much reason to complain of the people their doing indignity to his Sovereignty, as they might of his Tyranny; Then it were hard for them to assume so for the umpirage of their own Cause, as to make themselves absolute judges of it, and forth with to reject his Authority upon these debateable grounds. But the Case is not so with us: no Place being left for doubt or debate, but that our fundamental rights & Liberties Civil & Religious are overturned, and an absolute Tyranny exactly Characterized as above is established on the ruins thereof. Hence we have not disouned 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 everywhere. To the question then, who shall be Judge between these Usurping & Tyrannizing Rulers & us? we answer briefly & plainly, We do not usu • p 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 & party; for then they might challenge that prerogative in every case, and strengthen themselves in an incontrollable immunity & impunity to do what they pleased. But we appeal to the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, aggreeable to the word of God, to Judge, and to the whole world of impartial Spectators to read & pronounce the judgment.

7. I shall grant that many things are yeeldable even to a Grassant Dominator, & Tyrannical Occupant of the place of Magistracy, as 1. There may be some cases, wherein its Lawful for a people to yield subjection to a Lawless Tyrant, when groaning under his overpouring yoke, under which they must patiently bear the in ••• nation of the Lord, because they have sinned against Him, until He arise & plead His own Cause & execute judgment in the earth ( Mic. 7. 9.) until which time they must kiss the rod as in the hand of God, and own & adore the holiness & 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 & manner of effectuating it dubious & unwarrantable, or the necessary Concomitants & 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 Egyt & Babylon &c. yielded subjection to Tyrants. But in this case we deny two things to them (1) Allegiance or active & voluntary subjection, so as to own them for Magistrates (2) Stupid Passive obedience, or suffering without resistence. 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 soild proof of his approving or acknowledging the injury & violence committed by the robber, therefore a Persons yielding subjection to a Tyrant a Public robber does not argue his acknowledging or approving his Tyranny & 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 Paralell; 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 in-intelligible Non-sense, & a mere Contradiction: for nothing thats 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 & 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 & 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, Resistence & Suffering at the same time, are not incompatible: David did bear most patiently the injury of his Sons usurpation, when he said, let the Lord do to me as seemeth Him good 2 Sam. 15. 26. ch. 10. 12. and betaketh himself to fervent prayers Psal. 3. 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 & relief (Psal. 123. 2.) but we are not obliged to suffer even in that season, as the slaves of men. Again, suffering in opposition to resistence, does never fall under any moral Law of God, execept 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 & 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 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 voluntas signi for its rule, but only voluntas beneplaciti. All the Commands that we have for suffering, are either to direct the manner of it, that it be Patiently & Chearfully, when forced to it wrongfully 1 Pet. 2. 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, Math. 13. 33. and we are commanded upon these terms to follow Christ to take up His Cross, when He lays it on in His Providence Math. 16. 24. See at length this cleared Lex rex Q. 30. Pag. 317-320. otherwise in no case subjection even Passive can be a duty; for it is allwise to be considered under the notion of a plague, Judgment, & Curse to be complained of as a burden, never to be 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. 9. 36. 37. 2. In diverse cases there may be some Complyance with a mere occupant, that hath no right to reign; as upon this account the Noble Marquis of Argyle and Lord waristoun suffered for their Complyance with the Usurper Cromuel. Such may be the warrantableness, or goodness, or necessity, or profitableness of a Complyance, when people are by Providence brought under a yoke which they cannot shake off, that they may part with some of their Privileges for the avoidance of the loss of the rest, and for the conveniency & profit, peace & 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, what soever is an office of their station or place, or which they have any other way a call unto, whatsoever may make for their own honest interest, without wronging others or the Countries Liberties in their transactions with these Powers, even though such a Complyance may be occasionally to the advantage of the Usurpers: Seeing good & necessary actions are not to be declined for the ill effects that are accidental to them, and arise from the use which others make of them. But though this may be yielded in some cases to such Usurpers, especially Conquerers, that have no right of occupying the empire, but are Capable of it by derivation from the 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 Complyance, 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, & Mordecai, and Esther was Queen to Ahaswerus. But here was no Complyance with Tyrants (for these Heathens were not such) only some of them were extraordinary Persons, raised up by an extraordinary spirit, for extraordinary ends, in extraordinary times, that cannot be brought to an ordinary rule, as 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 Complyance promoted the welfare of their Country, as Argyle & waristoun did under Cromuel. Again, we find they paid Custom to them, as Neh. 9. 36. 37. and we read of Augustus his taxation universally complied with Luk. 2. 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 unstated; not for conscience (as tribute must be paid to Magistrates Rom. 13. 5, 6.) but only that he might not offend them (3) Any other instances of the Saints taxations are to be judged forced acts, badges of their bondage, which if they had been exacted as tests of their allegiance, they would not have yielded. Strangers also, that are not subjects, use to pay Custom in their trafficquing, but not as tests of their allegiance. 3. There may be also in some cases obedience allowed to their Lawful Commands, because of the Lawfulness of the thing commanded, or the coincidency of another Just & obliging Authority commanding the same. We may do many things Tyranno Iubente which he commands, and Tyranno premente which he enforces, and many things also ipso sou volente seu nolente whether he will or not But we must do nothing Tyranni jussu upon the consideration of his Command, in the acknowledgment of obedience due by virtue of Allegiance, which we own of Conscience to a Lawful Magistrate. We must do nothing which may seem to have an accessoriness to the Tyrants unlawful occupancy, or which depends only on the warrant of his Authority to do it, or may entrench on the Divine Institution of Magistracy, or bring us into a Participation of the Usurpers sin. In these cases we can neither yield obedience in Lawful things, nor in unlawful:

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