A Hind Let Loose

HEAD. IV. The Sufferings of people for frequenting Field Meetings Vindicated.

HItherto the Negative Heads of Sufferings have been vindicated: now follow the Positive, founded upon Positive duties, for doing, and not denying, and not promising & engaging to relinquish which, many have suffered severely. The first both in order of nature and of time, that which was first and last, and most frequently, most constantly, most universally, and most signally sealed by Sufferings, was that which is the clearest of all, being in some respect the Testimony of all Ages, and which clears all the rest, being the Rise & Root, Cause & Occasion of all the rest; to wit, the Necessary duty of hearing the Gospel, & following the pure & powerful faithfully dispensed Ordinances of Christ, banished out of the Churches to private houses, and persecuted out of houses to the Open Fields, and there pursued & opposed, and sought to be suppressed, by all the fury & force, rigor & rage, Cruelty & Craft, policy & power, that ever wicked men, madded into a Monstrous Malice against the Mediator Christ and the Coming of His Kingdom, could contrive or exert: yet still followed & frequented, owned & adhered to, by the Lovers of Christ & serious seekers of God, even when for the same they were killed all day long, and counted as sheep for the slaughter, and continually oppressed, harrassed, hunted, and cruelly handled, dragged to Prisons, banished & sold for slaves, tortured, & Murdered. And after, by their fraudulent favors of ensnaring Indulgences & Indemnities, and a Continued tract of Impositions & Exactions, and many Oaths & Bonds, they had prevailed with many, and even the most part both of Ministers & Professors, to abandon that necessary duty; And even when it was declared Criminal by Act of Parliament, and interdicted under pain of death, to be found at any Field Meetings; they nevertheless persisted in an undaunted endeavor, to keep up the Standart of Christ, in following the Word of the Lord wherever they could have it faithfully preached, though at the greatest of hazards: And so much the more, that it was prosecuted by the rage of enemies, and the reproach & oblequies of pretended friends, that had turned their back on the Testimony, and preferred their own ease & Interests to the cause of Christ; and with the greater fervor, that the Laborers in that Work were few, and like to faint under so many difficulties. What the first Occasion was that constrained them to go to the fields, is declared at length in the Historical Deduction of the Testimony of the Sixt Period; to wit, finding themselves bound in duty, to Testifie their Adherence to & Continuance in their Covenanted profession, their Abhorrence of Abjured Prelacy, and their Love & Zeal to keep Christ & His Gospel in the Land; after they had undergone & endured many hazards & hardships, oppressions & persecutions, for Meeting in the houses, where they were so easily attrapped, and with such difficulty could escape the hands of these Cruel Men; they were forced to take the Fields, though with the unavoidable inconveniences of all Weathers without a shelter: yet proposing the advantages, both of Conveniency for Meeting in greater Numbers, and of Secrecie in the remote recesses of Wild Moors & Mountains, and of Safety in betaking themselves to inaccessible Natural Strengths, safest either for flight or resistence, And withal having occasion there to give a Testimony for the Reformation with greater freedom. And to this very day, though many have a pretended Liberty to meet in houses, under the security of a Mans promise whose principle is to keep no faith to Hereeicks, and under the shelter & shadow of an Antichristian Toleration; yet there is a poor people that are out of the Compass of this favor, whom all these forementioned reasons do yet oblige to keep the fields, that is both for Conveniency, Secrecy, and Safety; they dare not trust those who are still thirsting insatiably after their blood, nor give them such advantages as they are seeking to prey upon them, by shuting themselves within houses; And morover they take themselves to be called indispensably, in the present Circumstances, to be as public, or more than ever, in their Testimony for the Preached Gospel, even in the open Fields. Now this would be a little cleared: And to essay the same, I would offer first, Some Concessions. Secondly some Postulata or Supposed Grounds. Thirdly some more Special Considerations which will conduce to clear the case.

First, That we may more distinctly understand what is the duty here pleaded for, and what is that which these people Suffer for, here Vindicated; let these Concessions be premised.

1. Now under the Evangelical Dispensation, there is no place more Sacred than another, to which the Worship of God is astricted, and which He hath chosen for His House & Habitation, whither He will have His people to resort and attend, as under the Legal & Typical Dispensation was ordered: there was a place where the Lord caused His Name to dwell Deut. 12. 5, 11. But now, neither in the Mountain nor at Jerusalem the Father will be Worshipped, but everywhere and anywhere in Spirit & in Truth John. 4. 21, 23, 24. And the Apostle wills that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath & doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. We abhor therefore the English & Popish Superstition of Consecrated places, and assert that all are alike in this respect, houses or fields.

2. In the Constitute case of the Church, or when ever it can be obtained, Order, Decency & Conveniency doth require that there be appointed places, sequestrate & appropriate for the Meetings of the Lord's people, according to that General Rule, Let all things be done decently & in order 1 Cot. 14. ult. And in that case private Conventicles, set up in a Schismatical Competition with Public Churches, are not to be allowed. But even then, Private Meetings for prayer & conference, are necessary, Lawful, & Laudable. But now the Church is broken by a Crew of Schismatical Intruders, who have occupied the places of Public Assemblies, and thrust out the Lods Ministers: It is these we scare at, and not the place.

3. Suppose a Magistrate should interdict & Discharge the public place of Worship, and restrain from the Churches, but leave all other places free to meet in; or if he should prohibit the houses, but leave freedom for the fields; or discharge the fields, and give Liberty in houses; in that case we would not contend for the place out of contempt: though it were duty then to witness against such a Sacrilegious Injury done to the Church, in taking away their Meeting places; yet it were inexpedient to stickle & strive for one Spot, if we might have another: then when only excluded out of a place, and not included or concluded and restricted to other places, nor otherwise robbed of the Churches privileges, we might go to houses when shut out of Churches, and go to fields when shut out of houses, and back again to houses when discharged thence. But this is not our case, for we are either interdicted of all places; or if allowed any, it is under such confinements as are inconsistent with the freedom of the Gospel; and besides, we have to do with one from whom we can take no orders to determine our Meetings; nor can we acknowledge our Liberty to depend on his Authority, or favor, which we cannot own nor trust, nor accept of any Protection from him. Neither is it the place of fields or houses, that we contend for; Nor is it that which he mainly opposes: but it is the freedom of the Gospel faithfully preached, that we are seeking to promove & improve, and he is seeking to suppress. The contest betwixt him & us is the Service of God in the Gospel of His Son, that we profess without owning him for the Liberty of its exercise: And therefore as an Enemy to the Matter & Object of these Religious Exercises, which are the eye-sore of Antichrist, he prosecutes with such rage the manner & Circumstances thereof.

4. Even in this case, when we are persecuted in one place we flee unto another, as the Lord allows & directs Math. 10. 23. And if occasionally we find a house, either public, or a Church, or a private dwelling house that may be safe or convenient, or capacious of the numbers gathered, we think it indifferent to meet there or in the Fields: But in the present circumstances, it is more for the conveniency of the people, and more Congruous for the days Testimony, to keep the Fields in their Meetings, even though it irritate the incensed Enemies. Which that it may appear.

Secondly, I shall offer some Postulata or Hypotheses to be considered, or endeavor to make them good, and infer from them the necessity & expediency of Field Meetings at this time in these circumstances: which consequently vindicate the Sufferings that have been thereupon Stated formerly, and are still continued.

1. It is necessary at all times that Christians should meet together, whether they have Ministers or not, and whether the Magistrate allow it or not. The Authority of God, their necessity, duty, & Interest, makes it indispensable in all cases. It is necessary for their Mutual help, two are better than one for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow, Eccles. 4. 9, 10. It is necessary for their Mutual encouragement in an evil day, to speak often one to another, which the Lord hath promised to take special notice of Mal. 3. 16, It is necessary for cherishing Mutual Love, which is the New Commandment, and the badge of all Christ's Disciples John. 13. 34, 35. a principle which they are all thaught of God. 1 Thess. 4. 9. It is necessary for nurissing Union to communicate together, in order to their being of one mind & of one mouth, and that they receive one another Rom. 15. 5, 6, 7. 1 Cor. 1. 10. standing fast in one Spirit, striving together for the faith of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. It is necessary for serving one another in Love Gal. 5. 13. bearing one another's burdens, & so fulfilling the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. submitting to one another Ehphs. 5. 21. 1 Pet, 5. 5. teaching & admonishing one another Col. 3. 16. comforting one another 1 Thess. 4. ult. edifying one another 1 Thess. 5. 11. exhorting one another Heb. 3. 13. It is necessary for considering one another, & provoking unto love & to good works; And for this end, they must not forsake the assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some is, for that were to sin willfully Heb. 10. 24, 25, 26. Must these things depend on the Magistrates Allowance? or can they be done without meeting together in private or public? The same reasons do alike conclude, for the necessity of both. If then there must be Meetings for these ends necessary at all times, then when they cannot do it within door, they must do it without.

2. There is a necessity for Meeting for preaching & h • aring the Gospel; the enjoyment whereof hath always been the greatest design & desire of Saints, who could not live without it; therefore they loved the place where the Lord's Honor dwelt Psal. 26. 8. This was the one thing they desired of the Lord, and that they would seek after, to behold the beauty of the Lord Psal. 27. 4. for this they panted, and their Soul thirsted Psal. 42. 1, 2. without which every Land is but a thirsty Land, where there is no water, where they cannot see the power & the Glory of God as they have seen it in the Sanctuary Psal. 63. 1, 2. O how amiable are His Tabernacles? one day in His Courts is better than a thousand else where Psal. 84. 1, 10. No gladness to them like that of going to the House of the Lord Psal. 122. 1. A Christian cannot possibly live without Gospel Ordinances, no more than Children can want the breasts, or the poor & needy want water when their tongue faileth for thirst; they are promised it in high places, and in the wilderness, when they can get it nowhere else Isai. 41. 17, 18. There is an innate desire in the Saints after it, as new born habes they desire the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. So that any that is offended with them for this, must be offended with them for being Christians, for as such they must have the Gospel cost what is will. It is the greatest desire of the Spouse of Christ, to know where He feeds and where to find the Shepherds tents, where they may rest at noon Cant. 1. 7, 8. And not only in their esteem is it necessary; but in itself, the Church cannot bear the want of it, for where there is no vision the people perish Prov. 29. 18. and when there is no open vision, the Word of the Lord is then very precious 1 Sam. 3. 1. No wonder then that the Lord's people make such ado for it, in a famine of it, that they go from sea to sea, to seek it Amos 8. 11, 12. and that they are content to have it at any rate, though with the peril of their lives because of the sword of the Wilderness Lam. 5. 9. Seeing they cannot live without it. Would men be hindered by Law, from seeking their natural food? nay they would fight for it before they wanted it, against any that opposed them. If then they cannot get it with peace, they must have it with trouble: And if they cannot get it in houses, they must have it wherever it is to be found, with freedom, & the favor of God.

3. It is necessary that the Meetings be as public, as they can be with Conveniencie & Prudence; yea simple hazard should no more hinder their Publickness & Solemnity, than their being at all. Especially in an evil time, when wickedness is encouraged & established, and conformity thereto pressed, Truth banished, and a Witness for Christ suppressed, Corruption in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, & Government connived at, countenanced, and advanced, the Word of God is become a reproach, and men have no delight in it, Apostasy is become universal, and both Magistrates & Ministers generally turned promoters of it, which is the true Discription of our times: Then the Meetings of the Lord's people, that endeavor to keep clean Garments, should be more frequent, public, & avowed. The reasons are. 1. Then the Call of God, by His Word & Works, is more clamant, for public & solemn humiliation. in order to avert public imminent judgments and impendent stroks from God. It is not enough to reform our selves privately & personally, and to keep ourselves pure from such Courses by an abstraction & withdrawing from them as is proved Head. 1. (where this is improved as an argument against hearing the Curates ) Nor is it enough to admonish, exhort, reprove, & testify against such as are involved in these Courses: But it is necessary, for them that would be approven, to adhere to the Truth, and serve God after the right manner, and to mourn, sigh and cry for all the abominations of the time, so as to get the Mark of Mourners on their foreheads Ezek. 9. 4. and they that do so, will be found on the Mountains like doves in the valleys all of them mourning everyone for his iniquity Ezek. 7. 16. and not only to by humbled every family apart, but there must be a great Mourning as the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon Zech. 12. 11. to the end. That is a Solemn public Mourning there promised. There must be a gathering themselves together, though a Nation not desired, before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, and the fierce anger of the Lord come upon them, if they would have any possibility of their hiding Zeph. 2. 1, 2, 3. The Trumpet then must be blown in Zion, to sanctify a fast, to call a solemn Assembly, Gather the people, Sanctify the Congregation, Assemble the Elders, Gather the Children—Joel. 2. 15, 16. As was exemplified in Ezra's time, when there were great Congregations of people assembled publicly, weeping very sore, then there was hope in Israel Ezra. 10. 1, 2. and when that Messenger of the Lord came up from Gilgal to the people of Israel, and reproved them for their Defections & Compliance with the Canaanites, they had such a solemn day of humilation, that the place of their Meeting got a name from it, they called the name of that place Bochim, that is, Weepers Judge. 2. 4, 5. And when the Ark was at Kirjath-jearim all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord—and they gathered together to Mizpah and drew water & poured it out before the Lord 2 Sam. 7. 2, 6. I show before, that there is reason to fear that the sins of a few, especially of Magistrates & Ministers, will bring wrath upon the whole body of the people, as is plain from these Scriptures Levite. 10. 6. Isai. 43. 27, 28. Lam. 4, 13. Mic. 3. 11, 21. showing the sins of Ministers may procure universal Destruction. And 2 Sam. 24. 25. 2 King. 21. 11. Ier. 15, 4. proving the sins of Magistrates may procure it: And Num. 3. 14, 15. Josh. 22. 17, 18. Demonstrating that the sins of a party of the people, may draw wrath upon the whole. Now the only way the Scripture points out to evite & avert such public judgments, is to make our resentment of these indignities done to our God, our Mourning over them, and our witness against them, as public as the sins are, at least as public as we can get them, by a public pleading for Truth Isai. 59. 4. for the defect whereof He hides His face, and wonders that there is no man, no Intercessor verse. 16. that is none to plead with God, in behalf of His born down Truths: There must be in order to this, a public seeking of Truth, which if there be any found making conscience of, the Lord makes a gracious overture to pardon the City Ier. 5. 1. we cannot think there were no mourners in secret there, but there was no public Meeting for it, and public owning the duty of that day: There must be valor for the Truth upon the earth Ier. 9. 3. a public & resolute owning of Truth: There must be a making up the hedge & standing in the Gap for the Land, that the Lord should not destroy it Ezek. 22. 30. a public Testimony in opposition to defection: There must be a pleading with our Mother Hos. 2. 2. which is spoken to private persons in the plural number Commanding all that would consult their own safety, publicly to condemn the sins of the whole Nation, that they may escape the public punishment thereof, as it is expounded in Pool Synops. Critic. in locum. By this means we must endeavor to avert the wrath & anger of God, which must certainly be expected to go out against the Land, which hath all the procuring causes, all the Symptoms, Prognostics, & Evidences of a Land devoted to destruction, that ever a Land had. If then there must be such Public Mourning, and such Solemn Gathering for it, such public pleading for Truth, Seeking of Truth, valor for Truth, making up the hedge, and pleading with our Mother, there must of Necessity be public Meetings for it: for these things cannot be done in private, but must be done by way of Testimony. Which I make a 2. Reason. The Nature & End of Meeting for Gospel Ordinances is for a public Testimony for Christ and His Truths & Interest, against Sin and all dishonors done to the Son of God. So that the only end, is not only to bring to Christ & build up Souls in Christ, but it is to Testify also for the Glory of Christ, whether Souls be brought in & built up or not. The Preached Gospel is not only the Testimony of Christ 1 Cor, 1. 6. but a Testimony for Christ; in which sense, The Testimony of Jesus is said to be the Spirit of Prophesy Revel. 19. 10. so called, Durham expounds it, for its bearing Witness to Christ, in which respect Ministers are often called Witnesses. It is also the Testimony of Israel (not only given to Israel, but given by Israel ) unto which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord Ps. 122. 4. Whensoever therefore or howsoever the Testimony of the Church is contradicted, thats not a Lawful Meeting of the tribes of the Lord. It is also the Testimony of the Preachers for Christ, against them that will not receive them, Mark. 6. 11. And a Witness unto all Nations to whom they preach. Math. 24. 14. And of all the Witnesses that hold it & suffer for it Rev. 6. 9. And the same which is the Word of Christ's Testimony, is the Word of theirs Rev, 12. 11. by which they overcome, & for which they love not their lives. Wherever then the Gospel is preached, it must be a Testimony: But it cannot be a Testimony, except it be Public, at least as public as it can be, as we find all Christ's Witnesses were in the Old & New Testaments. 3. The Motive or principle prompting the Lord's people to a frequenting of Gospel Ordinances, is a public Spirit stirring up to a public Generation Work, whereof this is the Scope, to promote the Kingdom of Christ, and not only to obey the Lord's Command enjoining the duty, to enjoy the Lord the end thereof, or to edify their own Souls; But to partake in & promote this Great Work of the Day, for the Glory of God and the Churches good. For the Gospel is not only a Banner of Love over His Friends, but Christ's Standart of war against His Enemies Isai. 59. 19. under which, all that countenance it, are called to list themselves as His Soldiers called, & chosen, & faithful: And it is required of His Soldiers, that they be valiant for the Truth upon the earth, Discovering a Gallant greatness & generosity of a Public Spirit, having their designs & desires not limited to their own interests, even Spiritual, but aiming at no less than Christ's Public Glory, the Churches public good, the Saints public Comfort, having a public Concern for all Christ's Interests, Publik Sympathie for all Christ's Friends, and a public declared Opposition to all Christ's Enemies: This is a Public Spirit, the true Spirit of all Christ's zealous Lovers & Votaries: Which, when He is a missing, will prompt them to go about the City, in the streets, and in the broad ways, to seek Him whom their Soul loveth Cant. 3. 2. and not only in their beds, or secret corners, but they must go to the streets, and to the fields, and avow their seeking of Christ, even though the Watchmen should smite them, & the keepers of the walls take their vails from them Cant. 5. Which obliges them not only to take Him in to their own Cottages, and entertain Him in their hearts, and give Him a Throne there, but also to endeavor to enlarge His dwelling, and propagate His Courtly residence through the World, that the Kingdoms of the earth may become the Kingdoms of the Lord; and if they cannot get that done, yet that He may have the Throne in • her Mothers house, and take up His abode in the Church, or Nation they belong to, that there His Ordinances be established in purity, peace, plenty, & power, according to His own Order; And if that cannot be, but that their Mother play the harlot, and He be provoked to give up house with her, and by her Children's treachery the Usurping Enemy be invited in to His place & Habitation, and take violent possession of it, and enact His extrusion & expulsion by Law; yet they will endeavor to secure a place for Him among the Remnant, that He may get a lodging among the afflicted & poor people that trust in the Name of the Lord — that they may feed & Lie down & none make them afraid Zeph. 3. 12, 13. that the poor of the flock that wait on Him may know that it is the Word of the Lord, Zech. 11. 11. they will lay out themselves to strengthen their hands. This is the Work of the public spirited Lovers of the Gospel, which hath been and yet is the great work of this our day, to carry the Gospel, and follow it, and keep it up through the Land, as the Standart of Christ, against all opposition, from mountain to hill, when now Zion hath been Labouring to bring forth as a woman in travel, and made to go forth out of the City, and to dwell in the field Mic. 4. 10. Therefore seeing it is the public Work of the day, and all its followers must have such a public spirit, it follows that the Meetings to promote it must be as public as is possible. 4. The Interest & privilege of the Gospel, to have it in freedom, purty, power, & plenty, is the public Concern of all the Lord's people, preferable to all other Interests, and therefore more publicly, peremptorly and zealously to be contended for, than any other Interest whatsoever. It is the Glory of the Land 1 Sam. 4. 21. without which, Ichabod may be the name of everything; and every Land, though never so pleasant, will be but a dry & parched Land, where no water is, in the esteem of them that have seen the Lord's Glory & power in the Sanctuary Psal. 63. 1. Whereas its name is Hephzibah & Beulah Isai. 62. 4. and Jehovah-Shammah Ezek. 48. ult. where God is enjoyed in His Gospel Ordinances; And the want & reproach of the Solemn Assemblies, is a matter of the saddest mourning to the Lord's people Zeph. 3. 18. Therefore while the Ark abode in Kerjath-jearim the time was thought very Long, and all the house of Israel Lamented after the Lord 1 Sam. 7. 2. then they heard of it at Ephratah and found it in the fields of the Wood Psal. 132. 6. But it hath been longer than twenty years in our fields of the Woods, and therefore we should be Lamenting after it with greater concernedness; especially remembering, how we were privileged with the Gospel, which was sometimes publicly embraced & countenanced by Authority, and ensured to us by Laws, Statutes, Declarations, Proclamations, Oaths, Vowes, & Covenant-engagments, whereby the Land was dedicated & devoted unto the Son of God, whose Conquest it was. And now are not all the people of God obliged to do what they can, to hinder the recalling of this dedication, and the giving up of the Land as an offering unto Satan & Antichrist? And how shall this be, but by a public Contending for this privilege, and a resolving they shall sooner bereave us of our hearts blood, than of the Gospel in its freedom & purity? But this we cannot contend for publicly, if our Meetings be not public. 5. The nature & business of the Gospel Ministry is such, that it obliges them that exercise it to endeavor all publicness, without which they cannot discharge the extent of their Instructions: their very names & titles do insinuate so much. They are Witnesses for Christ, and therefore their Testimony should be public, though their Lot oftentimes be to Witness in Sackcloth: They are Heralds, and therefore they should Proclaim their Masters Will, though their Lot be often to be a voice crying in the Wilderness, as John the Baptist was in his field Preachings: They are Ambassadors, and therefore they should maintain their Masters Majesty, in the Public port of His Ambassadors, and be wholly taken up about their Sovereigns business: They are Watchmen, and therefore they should keep & maintain their post their Masters hath placed them at: Nay they are Lights & Candles, and therefore cannot be hid Math. 5. 14, 15. The Commands & Instructions given them, infer the nec • ssity of this: They must cry aloud, and not spare, and left up their voice like a Trumpet, and show the Lord's People their transgressions & sins Isai. 58. 1. They are Watchmen upon Jerusalem's walls, which must not hold their peace, day nor night, nor keep silence, nor give the Lord rest, till He establish and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isai. 62. 6, 7. They are Watchmen, that must command all to hearken to the sound of the Trumpet Ier. 6. 17. They must be valiant for the Truth upon the earth Ier. 9. 3. They must say, thus saith the Lord even to a rebellious Nation, whether they will hear or forbear, and not be afraid of them Ezek. 2. 5, 6. They must cause the people to know their abominations Ezek. 16. 2. and the abominations of their Fathers Ezek. 20. 4. And what their Master tells them in darkness, that they must speak in the Light, and what they hear in the ear, that they must Preach upon the house tops Math, 10. 27. These things cannot be done in a Clandestine way. And therefore now when there is so much necessity, it is the duty of all faithful Ministers, to be laying out themselves to the utmost in their Pastoral function, for the suppreffing of all the evils of the time, not withstanding of any prohibition to the contrary, in the most public manner, according to the examples of all the faithful servants of the Lord, both in the Old & New Testaments; Though it be most impiously & Tyrannically interdicted, yet the Laws of God stand unrepealed, and therefore all who have a Trumpet & a Mouth should set the Trumpet to their Mouth, and sound a certain sound; not in secret for that will not alarm the people, but in in the most public manner they can have access to. And it is the duty of all to come & hear & obey their Warnings & Witnessings, command who will the contrary. It was for mocking, despising His Words, & misusing His Prophets, that the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, the Jews, until there was no remedy 2 Chron. 36, 16. Therefore from all that is said, it must be Concluded, that Meetings for Gospel Ordinances must be as public as can be: And if so, then that they should be in houses, safety will not permit to us; to go to the streets or Mercat places, neither safety nor prudence will admit: Therefore we must go to the fields with it, cost what it will.

4. Seeing then there must be Meettngs, & public Meetings, And seeing we cannot and dare not in Conscience countenance the Curates Meetings; we must hear, own, embrace, & follow such faithful Ministers as are clothed with Christ Commission, Righteousness, & salvation, and do keep the Words of the Lord's patience, and the Testimony of the Church of Scotland in particular. This I think will not, or dare not be denied, by any that own the Authority of Christ (which none can deny or instruct the contrary, but our Ministers that ventured their lives in preaching in the fields have had a certain seal to their Ministry, & is sealed sensibly in the conviction of many, & confession of moe) That Christ's Ministers & Witnesses, employed about the Great Gospel Message, clothed with His Authority, & under the obligation of His Commands lying upon them, must preach, & the people must hear them, not withstanding of all Laws to the contrary. Divines grant that the Magistrate can no more suspend from the exercise, than he can depose from the Office of the Ministry; for the one is a degree unto the other. See Apollon. de jure Majest. circa Sacra. Part. 1. Pag. 334. &c. Rutherf. Due right of Presb. Pag. 430. &c. For whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto men more than unto God, the Consciences of the greatest enemies may be appealed unto Act. 4. 19. They must not cease, wherever they have a Call & Occasion, to Teach & Preach Jesus Christ Act. 5. ult. Necessity is laid upon them, yea woe unto them if they Preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 16. In all things they must approve themselves, as the Ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, &c. by honor & dishonor, by evil report & good report, as deceivers and yet true, as unknown & yet well known—2 Cor. 6. 4, 8, 9. They must preach the Word, be instant in season, & out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering & doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 2. Dare any say then, that a Magistrates or Tyrants Laws can exauctorate a Minister? or silence him by his own proper elicit acts, as King or Tyrant, or formally & immediately? Will Mischiefs framed into a Law, warrant such iniquity? or an act of a King of Clay rescind the Mandats of the King of Kings? or exempt people from obedience due thereunto? Or will the Bishops Canons, who have no power from Christ, or the Censures of them, that stand condemned themselves by the Constitutions of the Church & Acts of the General Assemblies, have any weight in the case? And yet these are all that can be alleged, except odious & invidious Calumnies, the ordinary Lot of the most faithful, against the present preachers in the fields, which are sufficiently confuted in their late Informatory Vindication, and need not here be touched. Seeing therefore they have given up themselves unto Christ as His servants, they must resolve to be employed for Him to the outmost of their power, and must not think of laying up their Talent in a Napkin; especially now when there is so great necessity, when Defection is yet growing, covered, countenanced more & more, Division nothing abated, but new oil cast daily into the flames of devouring Contentions; the people generally drouned in the deluge of the times snares & sins, and like to be over whelmed in the inundation of black Popery, now coming in at the opened sluice of this wicked Toleration, with the Congratulations of Addressing Ministers; when now the Harvest is great and the Laborers are few: Great then is the necessity, and double must the woe be that abideth such Ministers, as are silent at such a time: And great & inexcusable is the sin of the people, if they do not come out, and countenance faithful Ministers, the Messengers of the Lord of hosts, from whom they should seek the Law Mal. 2. 7. especially when there are so many, that have palpably betrayed their Trust; and so few that are faithful in the necessary Testimony of the day. Seeing then faithful Ministers must preach, & people must hear, where can they meet with conveniency, & safety, & freedom, except either under the shelter of this wicked Toleration, which they dare not do, or else go to the fields?

5. It must be obtained also, that the Ministers have a right to Preach, in this unfixed manner, where ever they have a Call; their relation now, in this disturbed state of the Church, being to be considered more extensively, than in its settled condition. For understanding which, we must distinguish a three or four-fold relation, that a Minister of the Gospel stands into. First, He is a Minister of Christ, and Steward of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. having his Commission from Christ as his Master: And this relation he hath universally, wherever he is. Secondly, he is a Minister of the Catholic Church, though not a Catholic Minister of it; which is his primary relation; for that is the Church, in which Ministers are set 1 Cor. 12. 28. and to which they are given Eph. 4. 11, 12. Thirdly, He is a Minister of the particular Church whereof he is a Member; and so in Scotland a Minister is a Minister of the Church of Scotland, and is obliged to lay out himself for the good of that Church. Fourthly; he is a Minister of the particular Congregation, whereunto he hath a fixed relation in a constitute case of the Church: This last is not essential to a Minister of Christ, but is subservient to the former relations: but when separated from such a relation, or when it is impossible to be held, he is still a Minister of Christ, and His Call to preach the Gospel stands & binds. See M ^r Durhams Degression on this particular on Revel. chap. 2. pag. 89. &c. in quarto. For though he be not a Catholic Officer, having an equal relation to all Churches, as the Apostles were; Nevertheless he may exerce Ministerial Acts Authoritatively, upon occasions warrantably calling for the same, in other Churches, as Heralds of one King, having Authority to charge in His Name wherever it be; especially in a broken state of the Church, when all the restriction his Ministerial relation is capable of, is only a tie & call to officiate in the service of that Church whereof he is a Member; and so he hath right to preach everywhere, as he is called, for the edification of that Church. The reasons are. 1. He hath power from Christ the Master of the whole Church; and therefore, wherever the Masters Authority is acknowledged, the Servants Ministerial Authority cannot be denied; at least in relation to that Church whereof he is a Member as well as a Minister. 2. He hath Commission from Christ, principally for the edification of Christ's body, as far as his Ministry can reach, according to the Second relation. 3. His relation to the whole Church is principal, that which is fixed to a part is only subordinate, because it is a part of the whole. 4. His Commission is indefinite to preach the Gospel, which will s • it as well in one place as in another. 5. The same great ends of the Churches greater good & edification, which warrands fixing of a Minister to a particular charge in the Churches peaceable state, will warrand his officiating more largely in her disturbed state, 6. Else it would follow that a faithful Minister, standing in that relation to a disturbed & destroyed Church, and all his gifts & graces were useless in that case, which notwithstanding are given for the good of the Church. 7. Yea by this, when his fixed relation cannot be kept, it would follow, that he ceased to be a Minister, and his Commission expired; so that he should stand in no other relation to Christ, than any private person so qualified, which were absurd: for by Commission he is absolutely set apart for the work of the Ministry, so long as Christ hath work for him, if he continue faithful. 8. This hath been the practice of all the Propogators of the Gospel from the beginning, and of our Reformers in particular; without which they could never have propogated it so far: And it was never accounted the Characteristick of Apostles, to preach unfixedly; because in times of persecution, Pastors & Doctors also might have Preached wherever they came, as the Officers of the Church of Jerusalem did, when scattered upon the persecution of Stephen Act. 8. 1. did go everywhere preaching the Word ver. 4. Since therefore they may & must Preach in this unfixed manner, they must in this broken State look upon all the Godly in the Nation, that will own & hear them, to be their Congregation, and embrace them all, and consult their conveniency & universal advantage, in such a way as all equally may be admitted, and none excluded from the benefit of their Ministry. And therefore they must go to the fields with it.

6. The Lord hath so signally owned, successfully countenanced, and singularly sealed Field-Preaching in these unfixed exercises, that both Ministers & people have been much encouraged against all opposition to prosecute them, as having experienced much of the Lord's power & presence in them, and of the breathings of the enlivening, enlarging, enlightening, and strengthening Influences of the Spirit of God upon them. The people are hereby called, in this case of defection, to seek after those waters that they have been so often refreshed by: For in this case of defection, God being pleased to seal with a palpable Blessing on their Souls, the Word from Ministers adhering to their principles, they may safely look on this as a Call from God to hear them, and follow after them so owned of the Lord. And it being beyond all doubt, that the Assemblies of the Lord's people to partake of pure Ordinances, with full freedom of Conscience in the fields, hath been signally owned & blessed of the Lord, and hath proven a mean to spread the knowledge of God beyond anything that appeared in our best times; And in despite of this • ignal Appearance of God, and envy at the good done in these Meetings, all endeavors being used by wicked men to suppress utterly all these Rendevouzes of the Lord's Militia, both by open force & cunning Midianitish wiles; Ministers cannot but look upon it as their duty, and that the Lord hath been preaching from Heaven, to all who would hear & understand it, that this way of preaching, even this way, was that wherein His Soul took pleasure, and to which He hath been & is calling all who would be co-workers with Him this day, to help forward the Interest of His Crown & Kingdom. Many hundreds of persecuted people can witness this, and all the Martyrs have sealed it with their blood, and remembered it particularly on the Scaffolds, that they found the Lord there, and that He did lead them thither, where He made them to ride upon the high places of the earth, and to eat the increase of the fields, and to suck honey out of the rock, and that in their experience, under the Spirits pouring out from on high, they found the wilderness to be a fruitful field, and in their esteem, their feet were beautiful upon the Mountains that brought good tidings, that published peace, that brought good tidings of good, that published salvation, that said unto Zion, thy God reigneth. And all the Ministers that followed this way, while they were faithful, and had but little strength, and kept His Word, and did not deny His Name, found that verified in their experience, which is said of Philadelphia Revel. 3. 8. that they had an open door which no man could shut. The Characters whereof, as they are expounded by Mr Durham, were all verified in these Meetings: where 1. The Ministers had a door of utterance upon the one side opened to them; and the people's ears were opened to welcome the same, in love to edification, simplicity, & diligence, on the other. 2. This had real changes following, many being made humble, serious, tender, fruitful &c. 3. The Devil raged & set himself to oppose, traduce, & some way to blast the Ministry of the most faithful more than any others; just as when Paul had a greater door & effectual opened to him, there were many adversaries 1 Cor. 16. 9. 4. Yet the Lord hath been observably defeating the Devil & Profanity in every place, where the Gospel came, and made him fall like lightening from Heaven, by the preaching of the Word. 5. And the most experimental proof of all was, that hereby ground was gained upon the Kingdom of the Devil, and many Prisoners brought off to Jesus Christ. And therefore seeing it is so, this mnst certainly be a Call to them who are yet laboring in that Work, which others have left off, to endeavor to keep this door open with all diligence, and reap the corn when it is ripe, and when the Sun shines make hay, and with all watchfulness, lest the wicked one sow his tares, if they should fall remiss.

7. As for the Circumstance of the place, of this unfixed manner of celebrating the Solemn Ordinances of the Worship of God, in a time of persecution: This cannot be quarrelled at by any, but such as will quarrel at any thing. But even that is better warranted, than to be weakened with their quarrels. For before the Law, Mountain-Worship was the first Worship of the World, as Abram's Jehovah-jireh Gen. 22. 14. Iac • bs Bethel (or House of God in the open fields) Gen. 28. 17, 19. his Peniel Gen. 32. 30. his El-Elohe-Israel Gen. 33. ult. do witness: Under the Law, they heard of it at Ephratah they found it in the fields of the Wood Psal. 132. 6. After the Law, field-preaching was the first that we read of in the New Testament, both in John his preaching in the wilderness of Judea, being the voice of one crying in the wilderness, and the Master Usher of Christ Math. 3. 1, 3. and in His Ambassadors afterwasds, who on the Sabbath sometimes, went out to a river side were prayer was wont to be made, As Lydia was converted at Paul's field preaching Act. 16. 13, 14. And chiefly the Prince of Preachers, Christ Himself, preached many a time by the syds of the Mountains, and the the sea side: That Preaching Math. 5. was on a Mountain verse. 1. And this is the more to be considered, that our Lord had Liberty of the Synagog • es to Preach in, yet he frequently left them, and preached either in private houses, or in the fields; because of the opposition of His Doctrine by the Jewish Teachers, who had appointed that any who owned Him should be excommunicate: And therefore in the like case, at it is now, His Servants may imitate their Master: for though all Christ's Actions are not imitable; such as these of His Divine Power, and the Actions of His Divine Prerogative (as His taking of the ass without the ouners liberty) and the Actings o • His Mediatory Prerogative, which He did as Mediator; but all His Gracious Actions, and Moral upon Moral grounds, and Relative upon the grounds of Relative Duties, are not only imitable, but the perfect Pattern of imitation. Therefore that superstitious & ridiculous Cavil, that such Meetings in fields or houses are Conventickles, gathering separate Congregations, is not worth the taking notice of: for this would reflect upon Christ's and His Apostles w • y of preaching, and the constant method of propogating the Gospel in times of persecution, in all ages • ince, which hath always been by that way which they call keeping of Conventickles. Its absurd to say, it is a gathering of separate Congregations, it is only a searching or seeking after the Lord's sheep, that are made to wander through all the Mountains, and upon every 〈…〉 , and 〈…〉 which is scattered by corrupt Sheeph ••• ▪ and the cruelty of the beasts of the field Ezek. 34. 5, 6. and preaching to all who will come & hear the Word of Truth, in such places where they may get it done most safely, and may be most free from distraction & trouble of their enemies, who are waiting to find them out, that they may hail them to Prisons or kill them.

8. As for the Circumstance of the Time, that is specially alleged to be unseasonable, especially when there is a little breathing, and some relaxation from the heat of Persecution, to break the peace, and awaken sleeping Dogs by such irritating Courses, is thought not consistent with Christian prudence. This is the old pretence of them that were at ease, and preferred that to duty. But as we know no peace at this time, but a peace of Confederacy with the enemies of God, which we desire not to partake of, and know of no relaxation of Persecution against such as continue to witness against them: So let what hath been said above in the 3. Hypothesis▪ of the necess • ty of publicness in our Meetings at such a time as this is, be considered; And let the Scripture be consulted, and it will appear, not only that in preaching the Gospel there must be a Witness & Testimony kept up (as is proved above) and not only that Ministers must preach the Word, and be instant in season & out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. But that such a time as this, is the very Season of a Testimony. For in the Scripture we find, that Testimonies are to be given in these Seasons especially. 1. When the enemies of God, beginning to relent from their stiffness & severity, would compound with His Witnesses, and give them some Liberty, but not total; as Pharaoh would let the Children of Israel go, but stay their flocks: And now our Pharaoh will give some Liberty to serve God, but with a Reservation of that part of the matter of it, that nothing be said to alienate the hearts of the Subjects from his arbitrary Government. But Moses thought it then a season to testify (though the bondage of the people should be thereby continued) that there should not a hoof be left behind; for says he, we know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we c • me 〈◊〉 Exod. 10. 24, 25, 26. So must we Testify for eve •• closely▪ the Interest of Christ this day. 2. When there▪ to • l • ration of Idolatry, and Confederacy with Idolaters, and suspending the execution of penal Laws against them, or pardoning of those that should be punished: In such a season as this, that Messenger that came from Gilgal gave his Testimony at Bochim against their toleration of Idolatrous Altars, and Confederacy with the Canaanites Judge. 2. 1, 2. He is called an Angel indeed, but he was only such an one as Ministers are, who are called so Rev. 2. 1. for Heavenly Spirits have brought a Heavenly Message to particular persons, but never to the whole people, the Lord hath committed such a treasure to earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4. 7. and this came from Gilgal not from Heaven. So the Man of God testified against E • i, for his toleration of wicked Priests, though they were his own Sons 1 Sam. 2. 2 • . &c. So Samuel witnessed against Saul, for his toleration & indemnity granted to Agag 1 Sam. 15. 23. So the Prophet against Ahab, for sparing Benhadad 1 King. 20. 42. The Angel of Ephesus is commended for this; and he of pergamus and he of Thyatira is condemned, for omitting this Testimony, and allowing a toleration of the Nicolaitans & Jezebel Revel. 2. 2, 14, 20. In such a Case of universal Complyance with these things, and the people's indulging themselves under the shadow of the protection of such a Confederacy, the Servants of the Lord that fear Him must not say a Confederacy, though they should be accounted for signs & wonders in Israel Isai. 8. 12, 13, 18. But now Idolatrous Mass-Altars are set up, none thrown down, penal Statutes against Papists are stopped & disabled, and the Generality of Ministers are Congratulating, & saying a Confederacy in their Addresses for the same. 3. When the Universal Apostasy is come to such a hight, that error is prevailing, and few syding themselves in an avowed opposition against it; as Elijah chose that time, when the people were halting between two opinions 1 King. 18. 21. And generally all the Prophets & Servants of Christ, consulted always the people's necessity for the timing of their Testimonies: And was there ever greater necessity than now, when Popery is coming in like a flood? 4. 〈…〉 men are chief in power; as when Haman was 〈◊〉 Mordecai would not give him one bow though all 〈◊〉 people of God should be endangered by such a provocation Esther. 3. 2. And when Tyrants & Usurpers are set up without the Lord's approbation, then they that have the Lord's Trumpet should set it to their mouth Hos. 8. 1, 4. Is not this the case now? 5. When upon the account of this their Testimony, the Lord's people are in greatest danger, and enemies design to Massacre them, then if they altogether hold their peace at such a time, there shall enlargement & deliverance arise another way, but they and their fathers house shall be destroyed, who are silent then, as Mordecai said to Esther Est: 4. 14. And who knows not the cruel designs of the Papists now? 6. When iniquity is Universally abounding, and hypocrisy among Professors, then the Servants of the Lord must cry aloud & not spare Isai. 58. 1. as the • ase is this day. 7. When the Concern of Truth, a 〈…〉 Glory of God, is not so illustriously vindicated as He gives us to expect it shall be; then the Watchmen must not hold their peace, and they that make mention of the Name of the Lord, must not keep silence Isai. 62. 6, 7. especially when His Name & Glory is blasphemed, baffled, and afronted, as at this day with a Witness. 8. When Ministers generally are involved in a course of defection, and do not give faithful warning, but daub over the people's and their own defections; then the Prophets must Prophesy against the Prophets Ezek. 13. 2, 10. &c. As alas this day there is a necessity for it. 9. When public Worship is interdicted by Law, as it was by that Edict prohibiting public Prayer for thirty days in Daniel's time: They could not interdict all Prayer to God; for they could forbid nothing by that Law, but that which they might hinder & punish for contraveening; but mental Prayer at least could not be so restrained, And certain it is, they intended only such Prayer should be discharged, as might discover Daniel: But might not the wisdom of Daniel have eluded this interdiction, by praying only secretly or mentally? No: whatever Carnal wisdom might▪ Mee • te, his honesty did oblige him in that case of Conf •• re par • hen he knew the writing was signed, to go into hie clossly. • d to open his windows, and to kneel upon his kn • , to cleatimes a day— as he did aforetime Dan. 6. 10. Nowny agaireason can be given for his opening his windows? Was it only to let in the air? or was it to see Jerusalem out at these windows? The Temple he could look toward, as well when they were shut. No other reason can be assigned, but that it was necessary then to avouch the Testimony, for that indispensable Duty then interdicted. And is not public preaching indispensable Duty too? which is declared Criminal, except it be confined to the mode their wicked Law tolerates; which we can no more homologate, than omit the duty. 10. When it is an evil time, the evil of sin is incumbent, and the evil of wrath is impendent over a Land; then the Lyon hath roared who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but Prophesy? Amos. 3. 8. There is no contradiction here to that word, whi • e hath been miserably perverted in our day, to palli • use or • il silence of time-servers Amos. 5. 13. The prudent shall keep • silence in that time for it is an evil time: Whereby we cannot understand 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 a wily withdrawing our witness against the times evils: for there they are commanded to bestir themselves actively, in seeking good, hating the evil, loving the go • d, and establishing Judgment in the gate verse. 14, 15. but we understand by it a submissive silence to God, without fretting (according to that Word Ier. 8. 14. for the Lord our God hath put us to silence —and Mic. 7. 9.) Calvin upon the place expounds it, The prudent shall be affirighted at the terrible vengeance of God;

In the Third Place, besides what is said, to clear the Lawfulness & necessity of a public Testimony against the evils of the present time, Some Considerations may be added to prove the Expediency of this way & manner of giving a Testimony, by maintaining Field-Meetings in our present Circumstances.

1. The keeping of Field-Meetings now, is not only most convenient for Testifying, but a very significant Testimony in itself, against this Popish Toleration; the wickedness of whose Spring & Original, and of its Nature and Terms, Channel & Conveyance, End & design, is shown in the Historical Narrative thereof, and cannot be denied by any Presbyterian, whose constant principle is that there should be no Toleration of Popery, Idolatry, or Heresy, in this Reformed & Covenanted Church. Reason & Religion both will conclude, that this is to be witnessed against, by all that will adhere to the Cause or Reformation overturned hereby, and resolve to stand in the Gap against Popery to be introduced hereby, and that will approve themselves as honest Patriots in defending the Laws & Libertys of the Country subverted hereby▪ And besides, if it be considered with respect to the Granter; it is palpable his design is to introduce Popery, and advance Tyrannie, which can be hid from none that accept it, the effectuating whereof hath a n • cessary & inseparable connection with the acceptance of the Liberty; and is so far from being avertible by the Accepters, that it is chiefly promoted by their acceptance, and the design of it is to lay them by from all opposition thereto. If it be considered with relation to the Accepters, it is plain it must be taken as it is given, and received as it is conveyed, from its fountain of Absolute power, through a channel of an Arbitrary Law-disabling & Religion-dishonoring Toleration, which is semper mali; and with consent to the sinful • mpositions, with which it is tendered; concerning & affecting the Doctrine of Ministers, that they shall Preach nothing which may alienate the subjects from the Government; Against all which there is no access for a Protestation, consistent with the improvement of the Liberty, for it is granted & accepted on these very terms; that there shall be no Protestation; for if there be, that will be found an alienating of the hearts of the subjects from the Government, which by that Protestation will be reflected upon. If it be considered with respect to the Addressers for it, who formally say a Confederacy with, and Congratulate the Tolerator for his Toleration, and all the Mischiefs he is machinatinating & effectuating thereby; then seeing they have Presumptuously taken upon them to send it in the name of all Presbyterians, it concerns all honest men, zealous Christians, and faithful Ministers of that persuasion & denomination, in honor & Conscience, to declare to the world by some public Testimony, that they are not Consenters to that sinful, shameful, & scandalous Conspiracy, nor of the Corporation of these flattering Addressers who have betrayed the Cause, with which all will be interpreted Consenters, that are not Contradicters. Further this Tolleration is sinful as is cleared above Peri • 6. And to accept of it is contrary to our Solemn Covenants & Engagments, where we are bound to exstirpate Popery, preserve the Reformation, defend our Liberties, and never to accept of a Toleration eversive of all these precious Interests we are sworn to maintain. And it is heinously scandalous, being in effect a succumbing at length and yielding up the Cause, which hath been so long controverted & so long contended for, at least an appearance of ceding & lying by from contending for the Interests of Christ, of condemning our former Wrestlings for the same, of purchasing a Liberty to ourselves at the rate of burying the Testimony in bondage & oblivion, of hardening & confirming open Adversaries in their wicked invasions on our Religion, Laws, & Liberties, of being weary of the Cross of Christ, that we would fain have ease upon any terms, and of weakening the hands yea condemning the Practice & peremptoriness of these that are exampted from the benefit or rather the snare of it, and suffer when others are at ease. It is also attended with many Inconveniences; for either such as Preach under the Covert of it, must forbear declaring some part of the Counsel of God, and give no Testimony seasonable this day; or else if they do, they will soon be discovered and made a prey. Hence seeing there must be a Testimony against this Toleration, it is certainly most expedient to give it there, where the Meeting is without the reach & bounds of it, and interdicted by the same Proclamation that tenders it, and where the very gathering in such places is a Testimony against it: for to Preach in houses constantly & leave the fields, would now be interpreted an Homologating the Toleration that commands Preaching to be so restricted; especially when an Address is made in name of all that accept the benefit of it, from which Odium we could not vindicate ourselves, if we should so make use of it.

2. The keeping of Field Meetings now is a Testimony against that wicked Law that discharges them, and interdicts them as Criminal; yea in some respect a Case of Confession: for if Daniel's case, when public prayer was discharged under pain of death, was a Case of Confession, as all grant; then must also our case be, when public Preaching is discharged under the some penalty: for it is equivalent to an Universal discharge of all public Preaching, when the manner of it is discharged, which we can only have with freedom & safety in way of public Testimony, which can be none other in our Circumstances but in the fields, Again if the Law be wicked that discharges them, as certainly it is, and is demonstrated from what is said already, then it must be sin to obey it; but it were an obeying of it to quite the fields.

3. The • eeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony against Tyranny & Usurpation, encroaching upon our Religion, Laws, & Liberties, and presuming to restrict & bound the exercise of the Ministerial function, and discharge it altogether except it be modified according to the Circumstances prescibed by a wicked Law, which cannot be allowed a • competent to any man whose Authority is not acknowledged, for reasons given in Head. 2. Therefore though there were no more, this is sufficient to call all Ministers to give Testimony against such an Usurpation, by resfusing to obey any such Act. and Preaching where God giveth a Call. For otherwise, to submit to it, would be an acknowledging of his Magist • atical power to discharge these Meetings, and to give forth sentences against faithful Ministers.

4. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for the Honor, Headship & Princely Prerogative of Jesus Christ, which hath been the Great Word of His Patience in Scotland, and by an Unparalelled, insolence encroached upon by Usurpers in our day, and in effect • enied by such as took a new holding for the exercise of their Ministry from their Usurped power. Now in these Meetings, there is a Practical Declaration of their holding their Ministry and the exercise thereof from Christ alone, without any dependence upon, 〈◊〉 to, or license & warrand from His Usurping Enemies; and that they may & will Preach in public without Authority from them. If then it be Lawful & expedient to maintain the Interests of a King of Clay, against an Usurper; then much more must it be Lawful & expedient, to maintain the quarrel of the King of Kings, when wicked men would banish Him and His Interests out of the Kingdom by their Tyrannical cruelty, and cruel mercy of a destructive Toleration.

5. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for the Gospel and the Ministry thereof; which is always the dearest & nearest privilege of Christians, and in the present Circumstances, when our Lives and our all are embarked in the same bottom with it, and sought to be destroyed together with it, by a party conspiring against Christ, it is necessary duty to defend both by resisting their unjust violence; especially when Religion and the Gospel is one and the chief of our fundamental Land-rights, and the Cardinal Condition of the established Policy, upon which we can only own men for Magistrates by the Law of the Land: And this Testimony by defense of the Gospel and of our own lives, cannot be given expediently any where but in the Fields. It is also a Testimony for the freedom & Authority of the Gospel-Ministry, and for their holding their unremovable Relation to the Church of Scotland, which is infringed by these Tyrannical Acts, and maintained by these exercises: which is a privilege to be contended for, above & beyond all other that can be contended for or defended, especially to be maintained against those that have no power or Authority to take it away. There will no man quite any of his goods upon a sentence coming from an incompetent Judge; And shall Ministers or people be hectored or fooled from such a privilege by them that have no such power?

6. The keeping of Field-Meetings now is a Testimony for our Covenants, the owning whereof is declared Criminal by that same Law that discharges these Meetings; in which we are sworn to preserve the Reformation in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, & Government, and to defend all the Churches Liberties, and to oppose all their Opposites, and endeavor their exstirpation: And in the Solemn Acknowledgment of sins & Engagment to duties, we are sworn, because many have of late labored to supplant the Liberties of the Kirk, to maintain & defend the Kirk of Scotland, in all her Liberties & Privileges, against all who shall oppose & undermine the same, or encroach thereupon under any pretext whatsoever. Since then the owning of these Meetings and the Covenants are both discharged together, and the owning of the Covenant does oblige to a public opposition against the dischargers, and an avowed Maintinance of the Churches privileges, whereof this is in a manner the only & chief Liberty now left to be maintained, to keep Meetings where we may testify against them, without dependence on their Toleration; it must follow, that these Meetings are to be maintained, which only can be in the fields▪ with conveniency.

7. To give over these Field-Meetings now, would be an hardening & encouraging of these Enemies in their wicked design of banishing all these Meetings out of the Land; which manifestly would be defeat, by a resolute refusal of all to submit to their discharging of them; and they that do submit, and give them over, do evidently contribute to the effectuating that wicked design, which is certain does not nor will not terminate upon a simple suppression of that sort, but further is intended to exstirpate all Meetings for Gospel Ordinances, in which there is any Testimony against them. To Comply therefore with such a forbearance of them at this time, would lay a stone of stumbling before them, to encourage them in these their designs; when they should see their Contrivance so universally complied with, wherein they might boast that at length they had prevailed, to put quite away that eye-sore of theirs Field-Meetings.

8. To give over these Field-Meetings now, were a stumbling to the poor ignorant people; who might think that now it appears that Work was but of men, and so hath come to naught, and would look upon it as an evidence of fainting, & succumbing at last in the matter of the Testimony, as being quite overcome; and that indeed all have embraced & accepted this present Toleration, and were all alike sleeping under the shade, and eating the fruits of such a bramble.

9. Finally, To give over these Field-Meetings now, would be very scandalous to the posterity, and to Strangers, who shall read the History of our Church, to find that as Prelacy came in without a joint Witness, and the monstrous, Blasphemous, & Sacrilegious Supremacy was erected without a Testimony in its season; So black Popery itself and Tyranny was introduced by a Toleration, which laid them all by from a Testimony against these; who formerly had valiantly, resolutely, & faithfully contended against all lesser Corruptions, but at last, when that came, and stricter prohibitions of all public Meetings but under the Covert thereof were emitted, then all were persuaded to comply with that Course. How astonishing would it be to read, that all these Contendings, sealed with so much precious blood, should come to such a pitiful Period! But I hasten to the Next, which is the Second Positive Ground of Suffering.

HEAD. V. The Principle of & Testimony for Defensive Arms Vindicated.

THis Truth is of that sort, that can hardly be illustrated by demonstration; not for the darkness thereof, but for its self evidencing clearness, being scarcely capable of any further elucidation, than what is offered to the rational understanding by its simple proposition. As first Principles can hardly be proven, because they need no probation, and cannot be made clearer than they are, and such as cannot consent to them, are incapable of conceiving any probation of them: So this Truth of Self-preservation being Lawful, because it is congenite with and irradicated in every nature, that hath a Self which it can preserve, can scarcely be more illustrated that it may do so, than that it can do so. And therefore to all who have a true respect to their own, as well as a due concern in the Interest of Mankind, and zeal for the Interest of Christ, it might seem superfluous to make a doubt or debate of this: Were it not that a Generation of men is now prevailing, that are as great Monsters in Nature, as they are Malignant in Religion, and as great perverters of the Law of Nature, as they are Subverters of Municipal Laws, and Everters of the Laws of God: Who for owning this principle, as well as using the practice, of Defensive Resistence for self preservation against Tyrannical violence, have set up such Monuments of rage & cruelty, in the Murder of many innocent people, as was never read nor heard of before. It hath been indeed the practice of all Nations in the World, and the greatest of men have maintained this principle in all ages: But the bare▪ Asserting the principle, when extorted by severe Inquisitions, was never a Cause of taking the lives of any, before this was imposed on the poor Suf • erers in Scotland, to give their judgment, Whether or not such Appearances for Defense (as the Tyranny of Rulers had forced people to) were Reb • llion and a Sin against God; Which they could not in Conscience assert; and therefore, though many that have suffered upon this head, have been as free of the practice of such Res • stence as any, yet because they would not condemn the principle they have been Criminally processed, Arraigned, & Condemned to the death. And against this Truth they have been observed to have a special kind of indignation, either because the light of it, which cannot be • id, hath some heat with it to se • rch them; or because they fear the impression of this in the hearts of people more than others, knowing that they deserve the practical expression of it by the hands of all. But the reason they give why they are so offended at it is, that they look upon it as the Spring of all the errors of Presbyterians, and a Notion that destroys them: Which indeed will be found to have a necessary connection with many of the Truths that they contend for this day, as it hath been the necessary method of de • ending them. What practices of this kind hath been, and what were the occasions inducing or rather enforcing to these Defensive Resistences here to be vindicated as to the principle of them, is manifested in the Historical Representation: Showing, that after the whole body of the Land was engaged under the bond of a Solemn Covenant, several times renewed, to defend Religion & Liberty; and in special manner the Magistrates of all ranks, the Supreme whereof was formally admitted to the Government upon these terms; he with his Associates, conspiring with the Nobles to involve the whole Land in perjury & Apostasy, overturned the whole Covenanted Work of Reformation; and thereby not only encroached upon the Interest of Christ and the Churches Privileges, but subverted the fundamental Constitution of the Kingdoms Government, and pressed all to a submission unto and compliance with that Tyranny & Apostasy, erected upon the ruins thereof: Yet the Godly & Faithful in the Land, sensible of the indispensable obligation of these Covenants, resolved to adhere thereunto, and suffered long patiently for adherence unto the same, until being quite out wearied by a continued tract of Tyrannical oppressions, arbitrarly enacted by wicked Laws, and illegally executed against their own Laws, and cruelly prosecuted even without all color of Law, in many unheard of barbarities; when there could be no access for or success in complaining or getting redress by Law, all Petitions & Remonstrances of Grievances being declared seditious & treasonable, and interdicted as such; they were forced to betake themselves to this last remedy of Defensive Resistence, intending only the preservation of their Lives, Religion, & Liberties; which many times hath been blessed with success, and therefore zealously contended for, as an inamissible Privilege; by all well affected to the Cause of Christ and Interest of their Country, because they found it always Countenanced of the Lord; until the cause was betrayed by the Treachery and abandoned by the Cowardice of such, as were more Loyal for the Kings Interests than zealous for Christ's and the Countries; for which the Lord in His holy Jealousy discountenanced many repeated endeavors of this nature, Cuting us off and puting us to shame and would not go forth with our Armies. But because the duty is not to be measured by, and hath a more fixed Rule to be founded upon, than providence; therefore the Godly did not only maintain the principle in their confessions & Testimonies, but prosecute the practice in carrying arms, & making use of them in the defense of the Gospel and of themselves, at Field-Meetings; which were always successfully prosperous, by the power & presence of God. This Question is sufficiently discussed, by our famous & learned invincible Patrons & Champions for this excellent privilege of Mankind, the unanswerable Authors of Lex Rex, the Apologetical Relation, Naphtali, & Ius populi Vindicatum. But because facile est inventis addere, I shall subjoine my mite. And their Arguments being various and volumniously prosecute, and scattered at large through their books, I shall endeavor to collect a Compend of them in some order. The two first speak of a Defensive war, managed in a Parliamentary way: And the two last, of Resistence against the abuse of a Lawful power, when there is no access to maintain Religion & Liberty any other way; which does not come up so close to our case, nor is it an adequate Antithesis to the Assertions of our Adversaries, who say, that it is no ways Lawful, in any case or upon any pretence whatsoever, to Resist the Sovereign power of a Nation, in whomsoever it be resident, or which way soever it be erected. I shall consider it more complexely & extensively, and plead both for Resistence against the abuse of a Lawful power, and against the Use & Usurpation of a Tyrannical power, And infer not only the Lawfulness of Resisting Kings, when they abuse their power (as is demonstrate unanswerably by these Authors) but the expediency & necessity of the duty of Resisting this Tyrannical power, whensoever we are in a Capacity, if we would not be found treatherous Covenant-breakers, & betrayers of the Interest of God, and the Liberties of the Nation, and of our Brethren together with the posterity, into the hands of this Popish & Implacable Enemy, and so bring on us the Curse of Meroz, and the Curse of our Brethren's blood, crying for vengeance on the heads of the shedders thereof, and upon all who being in case came not to their rescue, and the Curse of posterity, for not transmitting that Reformation & Liberty, whereof we were by the valor of our forefathers put & left in possession. I shall not therefore restrict myself to the State of the Question, as propounded ordinarily viz. Whether or not, when a Covenanted King doth really injure, oppress & invade his Subjects Civil & Religious Rights, or unavoidably threatens to deprive them of their dearest & nearest Liberties, and sends out his Emissaries with armed violence against them, and when all redress to be had, or hope by any Address or petition is rendered void or inaccessible, yea addressing interdicted under severe penalties as treasonable; Then & in that case, may a Communitie of these Subjects defend themselves, & their Religion & Liberties, by arms in resisting his bloody Emissaries? But to bring it home to our present case, and answer the Laxness of the Adversaries position of the uncontrollableness of everyone that wears a Crown, I shall State it thus: Whether or not is it necessary duty, for a Community (whether they have the Concurrence of the primores or Nobles, or not) to endeavor, in the Defense of their Lives, Religion, Laws, & Liberties, to Resist & Repress the Usurpation & Tyranny of Prevailing Dominators, using or abusing their power for subverting Religion, invading the Liberties, and overturning the foundamental Laws of their Country? I hold the Affirmative, and shall essay to prove it, by the same Arguments that conclude this Question, as usually stated. Which will more than evince the Justifyableness of the Sufferings upon this Head. In prosecuting of this Subject, I shall first premit some Concessory Considerations to clear it. And Secondly bring Reasons to prove it.

First for clearing of this Truth, and taking off Mistakes, these Concessions may be considered.

1. The Ordinance of Magistracy which is of God is not to be Resisted, no not so much as by disobedience or nonobedience, nay not so much as mentally by cursing in the heart Eccles. 10. 20. but a person clothed therewith, abusing his power, may be in so far Resisted. But Tyrants, or Magistrates turning Tyrants, are not God's Ordinance; and there is no hazard of damnation for refusing to obey their unjust commands, but rather the hazard of that is in walking willingly after the Commandment, when the Statutes of Omri are kept. So that what is objected from Eccles. 8. 2-4. I counsel thee to keep the Kings Commandment &c. is answered on Head. 2. And is to be unsterstood only of the Lawful commands of Lawful Kings.

2. Rebellion is a damnable sin: except where the word is taken in a lax sense, as Israel is said to have Rebelled against Rehoboam, and Hezekiah against Sennacherib; which was a good Rebellion, and clear duty, being taken there for Resistence & Revolt. In that sense indeed some of our Risings in Arms might be called Rebellions, for it is Lawful to Rebel against Tyrants. But because the word is usually taken in an evil sense, therefore would have been offensive to acknowledge that before the Inquisitors, except it had been explained. But Rebellion against Lawful Magistrates is a damnable sin, exemplarly punished in Korah and his Compan • , who rebelled against Moses; and in Shebah and Absalom who rebelled against David; for to punish the Just is not good nor to strike Princes for equity Prov. 17. 26. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13. 2. So that this Objection brought from this place, as if the Apostle were commanding there subjection without Resistence to Nero, and such Tyrants, as it is very impertinent, It is fully answered above Head. 2. Here it will be sufficient to reply. 1. He is hereby vindicating Christianity from that reproach, of casting off or refusing subjection to all Magistrates, as if Christian Liberty had destroyed that Relation, or that they were not to be subject to Heathen Magistrates. Whereupon he binds this duty of subjection to Magistrates for conscience sake in general. And it is very considerable, what Buchanan says in his book de jure regni, that Paul did not write to the Kings themselves, because they were not Christians, and therefore the more might be born with from them, though they should not understand the duty of Magistrates: But imagine, that there had been some Christian King, who had turned Tyrant and Apostate, to the Scandal of Religion;

3. We may allow Passive subjection in some cases, even to Tyrants; when the Lord lays on that yoke, and in effect says, He will have us to lie under it a while, as He Commanded the Jews to be subject to Nebuchadnezzar: of which passage, adduced to prove subjection to Tyrants Universally, Buchanan ubi supra infers, that if all Tyrants be to be subjected to, because God by His Prephet Commanded His people to be subject to one Tyrant; Then it must be likewise concluded, that all Tyrants ought to be killed, because Ahab's house was Commanded to be destroyed by Jehu. But passive subjection, when people are not in capacity to resist, is necessary. I do not say Passive obedience, which is a mere Chimaera, invented in the brains of such Sycophants, as would make the world slaves to Tyrants. Whosoever suffereth if he can shun it, is an enemy to his own being: for every natural thing must strive to preserve itself against what annoyeth it; and also he sins against the order of God, Who in vain hath ordained so many Lawful means for preservation of our being, if we must suffer it to be destroyed, having power to help it.

4. We abhor all war of subjects, professedly declared against a Lawful King, as such; all war against Lawful Authority, founded upon or designed for maintaining Principles inconsistent with Government, or against Policy & Piety; Yea all war without Authority. Yes, when all Authority of Magistrates supreme & subordinate is perverted and abused, contrary to the ends thereof, to the oppressing of the people, and overturning of their Laws & Liberties, people must not suspend their Resistence upon the Concurrence of men of Authority, and forbear the Duty in case of necessity, because they have no • the peers or Primores to lead them: for if the ground be Lawful, the call clear, the necessity cogent, the capacity probable, they that have the Law of Nature, the Law of God, and the fundamental Laws of the Land on their side, cannot want Authority, though they may want Par