The Banders Disbanded
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A51043.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
The Banders disbanded Or AN ACCURAT DISCOURSE Solidly and plainly Demonstrating How Inconvenient, scandalous & sinful it is, in the present Circumstances of the Church of Scotland, For Ministers of Christ there, that they may obtain a pretended Liberty to Preach and Administer the Sacraments, in such and such particular Paroches, To give Bond to their present Rulers, That they shall live peaceably : Or For others, in their name and behalf, to Bind to the said Rulers for their peace • ble living, & to present them when call • so to do, & in case of faillzie to underly a great penalty: And so Discovering clearly the great unfaithfulness of The Affirmative Vote, of the late Meeting of Ministers at Edinburgh, (Anno 1679.) concerning the Lawfullness of giving the Bond then presented by the Council : AS ALSO Occasionally holding forth many considerable Truths very necessary to be known & pondered in these dark & difficult Times.
Printed Anno M. DC. LXXXI.
A LETTER Concerning the Bond, tendered by the Council of Scotland, to some Presbyterians there, in the Year 1679.
SIR
I Find now too certain what was reported, of that Meeting of Ministers at Edinburgh, their allowing by Vote the Peoples giving that Bond of surety for the Minister, required in the Proclamation, and have also got a double of the Bond itself. I hear the Meeting had several communings and tampernigs, with the Members of the Council, anent this busniess, by some of their number, whom they appointed to wait upon them from time to time for that purpose. What was the matter of their Communing, or to what end, I cannot well tell; However when at last the Brethren, who were appointed, returned, the meeting after some sort of Conference among themselves upon the present Favor (as they term it) granted by his Maj. bearing a liberty for Presbyterian Ministers to exercise their Ministry, did generally Conclude (and that ere ever they had seen the Bond) That they found no Reason why the People might not give security at this time for a Ministers peaceable behavior. And upon another day afterward, it is again Concluded as followeth: The meeting having considered the bond o • security as now presented by the Council, find nothing therein to alter their former determination affirmative. I hear there were several and these of the most eminent who endeavored to prevent this determination & were for the negative when ti • ame to be voted. Sir, my charity toward many of these Brethern would scarce suffer me to believe, That ever they would have tabled such a question to be debated in so public a Meeting, far less affirmatively determined it. But finding it now (as I said) too certain; and this being the thing wherein you desire advice, I have the more free • dom to return an answer, when I have first told you that the news of these two Votes was so surprizing, that I was made a little to sit down as one astonied at the Report, yea & my grieved soul is so overprest, that I am in a strait whether to say anything or be altogether silent, and what or how to express myself if I say anything. Alas! is it come to this in the Church of Scotland? That so many wise men, and who by Office are seers to the Church, did see no reason why such a Bond might not be given to these who now require it, and that as a sign of the Churches subjection to that power which they have assumed over it; yea & at such a juncture when the Cry of the Souls under the Altar, who were slain • or the word of God & the Testimony which they held, was so much increased by reason of • heir blood which these had recently shed. O! where is now that single eye wherwi • h our former Seers saw of old, who found valid & convincing Reasons for refusing bonds of far less import to the Cause & Churches prejudice? O! where is the discerning of some of these same Reverend Brethren, who ha • e perceived snares more covertly hid then now they are, when the snare is so openly spread i • the sight of the bird? Did so many Brethren, convened in a general Meeting, find no Reason why such a Bond as this ought not to be given? Was there no evil, nay, nor so much as the appearance of evil to be found in i • ? Was there no ground, nor so much as an occasion of offense in it? Was there nothing in it, that might occasion a new breach; and also widen & • ender the former more incurable? Was there nothing in it, that might be supposed would grieve the hearts of many of their dear Brethren, and many others dear to God; the grieving of whom ought not to have been despised? Could these Brethren suppose, that the passing such a Vote would indeed satisfy all the rest of the Non-conform Ministers & Church of Scotland? or that their determination affirmative would (or ought) also determine all the rest? Was there nothing to be found, in yielding to give this Bond, that might occasion both Ministers and Ministry • o become yet more vile, and contemptible in the eyes of this evil generation? Was there nothing in it of a dangerous preparative, of wreathing & continuing a yoke of bondage, upon the necks of Christ's free Ambassadors, unto the generations to come; & a bad copy to all other Magistrates to impose the like Bond, upon faithful Ministers of the Gospel. Was there nothing to be found therein, that might prove a probable, yea unavoidable temptation to Ministers their being unfaithful in delivering the whole of their Masters message, & declaring all the Counsel of God? Was there nothing in it, to scarr & deter, both Ministers & people (or so much as to put them in some demure) from giving a Bond, upon such an account, as the like thereof was scarce ever required, far less yielded to by any Church or Church-men to this day? Ah alas! That ever the Ministers of Scotland should have been the first, that ever trode in this strange and unt • oden path! Was there no hazard of confirming, & encouraging the Rulers, in all their iniquous Impositions of this nature? Yea was there nothing in it, that might at least be interpreted a direct condemning many Worthies, both Ministers & others, as being ignorant sc • uplers & preposterously zeallous for undergoing the outmost of sufferings, ere they would engage in the like bonds? Ah! whither have we not caused o • r shame to go? O! if it were possible to prevent or stop the spreading of this Report, for preventing what further disgrace is like to be cast upon all • the Ministers of Scotland; for whoever hears of this will coun • all alike, seeing the thing was both publicly voted by a Meeting of Ministers, assuming to themselves the name of a General Assembly ; yea & of the Representative of the Church of Scotland. As also no public dissent or Protestation entered against the same. In the mean while I am not a little refreshed by this, that it is not as you & I heard at first, That few Ministers in Scotland would be against that Vote; for after trial there will be found, I hope, rather few to approve thereof, yea some of themselv • who then aggreed, do already wish that it had never been tabled in that Meeting. And before I proceed, I must tell you that several wanted not their fears, that not a few of that Meeting, as it was then constitute, would be ready enouugh to declare themselves for such a Bond, whenever they should have occasion for that effect; and there was too good ground for this, Considering 1. How we have provoked the Lord, by our former cedings & unfaithfulnes, to give us up to walk in connsells of our own. 2. How Ministers & their Ministry have been brought under so much subjection, to the Civil Magistrate already, by closing with & embracing the two first Indulgences. 3. That so many Ministers in Scotland had laid themselves aside, from the public exercise of their Ministry declining & shifting to preach under the Cross, these many years past. 4. What secret grudgings, emulations & whisperings, now & then vented by some, in sharp & bitter Invectives against their Brethren, for supplying the desolate parts of our Church, by transient visits, in this disturbed state; being neither willing to labor themselves, or that others (though upon their peril) should supply their defect; but rather with the Common Enemy despising & reproaching their persecuted Brethren, as dis-orderly walkers fosterers of the people in an ignorant zeall, leaders of them into separation & fomenters of division; and too often decrying, extenuating & undervaluing all the glorious & signal appearances of the power of God, at these meetings, & the singular blessed effects, wich were produced by the right arm of the Lord in the Ministry of their Brethren, who were despised in the eyes of the world, & too much also in theirs. 5. How these general Meetings were called together since the late doolfull & sorrowful dispensation, which was at first by a few, and these such as had little concerned themselves in the desolations of the Church, during the time of the bypast persecution, till the late Proclamation for this new liberty or Indulgence. 6. How the leaven of the two first Indulgences hath wrought till it had near leavened our whole lump, that several who professed once to be clear & peremptory against it, & some who then had the offer, and refused to accept, of late were become favorers of & pleaders for it. 7. What eager longing too many had after some new Indulgence, as hath been manifest from the expressions & carriage of some, which did clearly show their readiness to embrace the first offer that might come in their way. Lastly if we consider the Constitution of the late meeting who past this Vote, That it was for the most part made up of Indulged, avowed Applauders of the Indulgence, or under-hand Approvers & favorers of the same: yea and some of them vigorous Contenders for these old public Resolutions, which was a signal step of the Church of Scotland's declining, and who were active persecutors of their dissenting Brethren at the time of that temptation. I say an impartial Reflexion upon these & the like Considerations may make it seem less strange, that such a Vote did so easily pass at that Meeting. But seeing you desire to have an account of my Thoughts anent this new Liberty, & the method prescrived to Ministers for entering to Congregations by petitioning the Council & giving this Bond of surety, And whither the people may concur in calling Ministers who will enter this way, I dare not shun to communicate what light I have therein, though most unfit of many, and as averse as any from entering into a Contest wherein I am necessitat to differ from so many Reverend Brethren, whom I highly honor in the Lord, & who have deservedly been esteemed in the Church; yet I cannot but bear my Testimony against what sin & snare I see in this, as I would not partake of other men's sin; And shall in obedience to your Desire (if it may be of any use for futher information to yow or others who are careful to keep themselves from the Contagion of this current Defection) speak alitle to this sad subject, and hold forth what Reasons do at present occur to me against the giving or allowing to give that Bond for Ministers to obtain this new Indulgence: And in order thereto, I shall propose this method; 1. I shall lay down some Generalls previously to be considered; 2. a word to the Liberty granted to Ministers by the Civil Magistra • . 3. Some things by way Explication of the Bond. 4. Propose the state of the Question, & draw forth some Reasons for the negative. 5. Answer briefly to some Objections. And lastly for obviating Mistakes, I shall point at some of our Principles anent the Civil Government.
As to the First, I shall touch only upon such general Considerations as are most conducible to my present scope of arguing against giving this Bond in the present Case. And 1. Let us reflect upon some Positions of the Reformed Government of our Church called Presbyterian, as: (1) This Government is not of a temporal or Civil nature, but purely spiritual, and to be exercised modo spiri • uali ; and consequently, (2) It is a Government specifically distinct from & independent upon the Civil Government, and neither to be confounded therewith nor subordinate thereto, either in the power or exercise of the power. (3) This Government is not Monarchical, save only in the Head Christ; Not Hierarchical, or prelatical; not Democratical; not Magistratical, nor Magisterial; but Ministerial, & to be exercised in an immediate subordination to Christ as sole Head, King & supreme Governor of the Church & Instituter of this Government. (4) That this Government of the Church is to be exercised by a plurality of Compresbyters, or as we use to say Communi consilio & consensu Presbyterorum, not by any single person (it is • iven Unitati non uni ) nor at all by the Civil Magistrate. (5) That the trial & judging of the Qualifications & fittedness of men for the Ministry, as also the power of Conveying a Licence to Preach, or the potestative Mission to the Ministerial function (being acts of Ecclesiastic order and Jurisdiction) belong only to Church Officers in their Classical or Synodical Meetings. (6) As the trial & judgin • of a Persons sittedness for the Ministry in general, so the trial & judging of Ministers Qualifications & sittedness for the exercise of their Ministry, to the best edification, in such or such a particular Charge or Congregation belongeth only to these Church-Officers. And therefore (7) the power of transplanting or loosing Ministers from one particular Charge & fixing them in another, is proper only to Church-Officers as an intrinsic act of the power. (8) As the power or office of the Ministry is given authoritatively from • esus Christ alone, who ascended on high and gave gifts to men, & this great gift of the Ministry unto the Church, to be conveyed by the Presbytery; so by the same Conveyance, he gives them the exercise & liberty to the exercise of the Ministry, (for it is frivolous in this case to distinguish between the Exercise & Liberty to the exercise, at least as to their Rise and Conveyance, as some do) and therefore neither the office, nor the exercise of the Office, nor liberty of the exercise thereof dependeth upon, and so are not subordinate to, nor to be begged from the Civil Magistrate. (9) That the Magistrate hath not a power or right to prescribe to, or impose upon Ministers (who are the Ambassadors only of Christ) Instructions, Rules, Restrictions or limitations, to regulate them in the exercise of their Ministry, especially when these Impositions proceed only from, & are founded upon the Magistrates assumed power & supremacy in Church-matters, & have no other ground or reason whereupon they can challenge Ministers their obedience & subjection thereto. And therefore (10) That Ministers are not accountable to the Civil Magistrate in the exercise of their ministerial function, or in the administration of affairs purely spiritual & ecclesiastic, formally and primâ instantiâ.
A II. General consideration we may reflect upon, is: The supervenient Engagements & Obligations to God which lie & specially upon us of the Church of Scotland, by our solemnly sworn Covenants, for the maintenance & defense of this Presbyterian Government, & the rest of the work of Reformation in all the principles thereof; And, that we shall without respect of Per • ons endeavor the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy &c. and whatsoever is contrary to • ound doctrine & the power of Godlines; And that we shall assist & de • end all these that enter in to this Covenant, in the maintaining & pursuing thereof, and shall not suffer ourselves directly nor indirectly, by whatsoever Combination, persuasion or terror, to be divided or withdrawn from this blessed Union; but shall all the days of our li • e zeallously & constantly continue therein, against all opposition; & promote the same according to our power against all lets & impediments whatsoever; and what we are no able ourselves to suppress or overcome, we shall reveall & make known, that it may be timely prevented or removed: &c. All which we shall do as in the sight of God. Which Covenant hath frequently been renewed in this Church, and the breach thereof often publicly acknowledged, and we solemnly engaged again to the duties therein contained; as may be seen particularly in that Paper called A solemn Acknowledgment of sins & Engagment to duties, wherein we are expressly engaged, amongst other Errors, against Schism, Skepticism & Erastianism.
A III. General to be Considered, is: The manifold Encroachments, Invasions & Usurpations made by the Civil Magistrate upon the Royal prerogatives of Christ, the Intrinsic previledges of his Church & the just freedom of his Ambassadors, by many iniquous Laws, Acts & Edicts, especially of late, together with all their vigorous endeavors by open force & subtle Insinuations, to putt these laws in execution, and to advance this design of bringing the whole Ordinances of Christ, & Officers of his House in subordination unto, & under the Check, Censure & Regulation of the Civil Magistrate, and so put themselves in actual possession of what is assumed and settled by law. Many Instances of their endeavors to this effect might here be given, especially these late years by past; and of their too successful prevailling by Church-men's ceding thereto, whereof I shall for present only give these following: the First relating to the Prelates • as (1) their altering of the Church-Government from what it was by Christ's Institution & the practice of the pure primitive times into a Government of Human Invent • on & Lordly domination over the Lord's Inheritance contrary to the word of God. (2) The Prelates were set up & established, & the power of Ordination is conveyed unto them from the King, as having right by his Royal Office to all the external Government of the Church. (3) The Kings giving them their Pa • ents impowering them to exercise that pretended Church-Office, making them accountable in all their Ecclesiastic Administrations to himself as supreme Governor of the Church. A Second Instance we have in reference to Presbyterian Ministers, as: (1) Turning them out of their particular Charges for not taking Presentation from the Patron & Collation from the Prelates: and for this Cause by Act of Parliament declaring their Churches to be ipso jure vacant. (2) Discharging them absolutely to exercise any part of their Ministerial function within this Church. (3) Raising & dissipating all their Church-Iudicatories of Presbyteries Synods & Gen. As • emblies. (4) In the matter of the two Late Indulgences to Presbyterian Ministers, where • in we may take notice of several grievous encroachments upon Christ's prerogative & his Churches privileges, as: (1), this Indulgence is granted and deduced from the Kings supremacy in Church-affairs, & conveyed by the Council; as is clear from his Maj. Letter to the Council whereupon the Indulgence is founded, and as the Narrative of the Warants given to the first Indulged, do bear in these words, In pursuance of his Maj. Commands signified by his Letter of the 7 of June 1669, &c. (2.) The King by his Conncill doth nominat & elect according to his sovereign pleasure certain of the outed Ministers, as were judged by them most fitted & qualified, to be appointed, or readmitted to the exercise of their Ministry, and by that same power & pleasure excluding or passing by the rest as unworthy and unqualified for receiving that power or warrant, interdicting them any exercise thereof under all highest pain. (3) By this Indulgence he fixes or admitts them to exercise the function of their Ministry in what particular flock & paroch he pleaseth to assign • , though under the notion of a Confinement. (4) He restricts them in the exercise of their Ministry to these particular Paroches, inhibiting them to preach else where in the Church. (5) With these Restrictions he gives them also several Canons or Rules, to regulate & direct them in exercising their Ministerial office. (6) All this is done without either advice or consent of the Church, or any of her Lawfull Officers, but at his Maj. sole pleasure as supreme in all Causes. (7) The Indulged Ministers have been frequently called & convened before the Council, to give an account, How they had observed these Injunctions which they had received from them, & severely rebuked, yea & some of them sentenced, by being silenced & deposed for alleged disobedience to, or non-observance of the same; And this is done according to the tenor of the foresaid Letter, as in these words To turn them immediately out in case &c. A Third Instance we have in all these severe acts & cruel Executions following thereupon, against many other Ministers, for presuming to exercise their Ministry (though in a case of so urgent necessity, & upon so earnest Calls of the People) without that license or warrant which was granted to the Indulged.
A IV. General previously to be considered, is: The faithful, zealous, laborious & constant wrestlings & contendings, by manifold Testimonies, Protestations, Declarations &c. of our faithful & worthy Predecessors, in defense of their foresaid Principles of Presb. Government, and their peremptory withstanding anything which they perceived might in the least tend to bring the Government or Ministry under a subordination or accountablenes to the Civil Magistrate, faithfully & courageously witnessing their resentment of any attempts tending that way, by their frequent dissentings & protestations against any acts or Conclusions insinuating such Attempts in Corrupt Assemblies, & against the very Constitution of some of them upon that account; & by their frequent presenting of Grievances to • he King • Council & Parliament, yea & sometimes entering Protestation at the Cross of Edinburgh against proclamations declaring the King to be supreme Judge in Church-matters, & that none should appeall from him & his Council. Many such Instances may be produced: Neither have we wanted witnesses in our own time, both at the breaking up of the last Reformation from Prelacy, and also since the late Revolution & overturning of the work of Reformation, who have protested & given testimony against all such encroachments & usurpations: And though alas! we cannot produce any joint Testimony under our hands, against all the horrid Invasions made upon our Royal Masters prerogative & his Churches Righ • s, since the last overturning; yet some have adventured to witness practically & pa • icularly against these usurpations & testified their maintaining of their Ministerial freedom, who with blessed success under manifold hazards & hardships, have often ventured upon the public exercise of their Ministry both in houses & fields, contrary to all these Law-Interdictions, without any licences or Indulgences from the Civil Magistrate, or coming under bonds to him; not out of any contempt o • his authority, but merely out of the conscience they had o • an indispensable duty, That they might make full proof of their Ministry, in such a crying necessity of the Church, and that thereby they might also witness they held their Ministry from Jesus Christ alone their only Lord & Master, and their dependence only on him, both as to their office, ex • rcise of the office, & liberty to the exercise thereof.
Thus having laid down these few Considerations, to be reflected on; it would seem to me, that any who would be at pains duly to ponder the same, needed no further argument to make the very name & notion of whatsoever Bond of surety required b • the present Rulers (& tha • as a Condition of admitting Ministers unto the exe • cise of their Ministry) most odious & detestable at the first view; and ye • mo • e odious, to engage in such a Bond as is now required; & most of all, • h • t the giving of such a Bond should be decided & decla • ed by a public vote of M •• isters to be lawful & warantable. But now a word to the liberty.
As for Liberty i • general, which Ministers have granted unto them by the Civil Magistra • • or the exercise of their Ministry, it may be considered either abstractly in it's own nature, o • relatively. 1. Abstractly or absolute • lie, it may be taken either positively o • negatively. Positively I understand i • , whereby the • ivill Magistrate (by virtue of his Magistratical authori • y) doth C • mmand & all • ow all the Ministers within his Dominions freely to exercise their Mi • istry according to the word of God, for the edifica • ion of his subjects. Negatively as it is a bare permission, or rather a not-hind • ing of Ministers to exercise their Ministry. 2. This liberty may be considered relatively ; And that 1. as it relates to the laws made against it. 2. To the Magistrate who grants it. 3. To the persons of the Ministers who accept it. 4. To the places of their Ministry. 5. To the Ministry itself, And 6. as it relates to this present Bond.
1. Then, as this liberty relates to the laws made against it, it may be considered in a threefold sense: (1) as it is the total removing & taking off of a Lawrestraint, that is, a rescinding & quite annulling such laws & Edicts as are made in prejudice of it. (2) As it is only a suspending of the Execution of these Laws (which is indeed a removal of the legal restraint pro tempore ) and that during the pleasure of the lawgiver. (3) As it is simply a not executing of these laws, which may be either out of neg • igence or Connivence; for instance the liberty which many Ministers have had (or rather taken) to preach since this • ate Indulgence, and yet have not given up their names to the Council, nor found Surety according to the Proclamation: which three sorts of liberty may & ought (in so far as it is a liberty) to be embraced & emproved by any Minister of the Gospel.
2. This libe • ty may be considered with respect to the Magistrate who grants it, who (1) may either be an open & avowed Enemy to the work & people of God, or a professed friend thereto; If ane avowed Enemy, then the liberty granted is the more to be suspect, but cannot upon that only account be rejected, if in itself sinless: Or (2) may either have a good & honest design in granting such a liberty, or a wicked design therein: If an honest design, then the Minister to whom it is granted, ought to be so far from refusing the same, that the Granters good design (though the Granter otherwise be but corrupt) should rather be a motive to him to accept of it, the liberty being in itself lawful. But if the Granter have a bad design & prejudicall to the Gospel in tendering this liberty, then either this wicked design is made known to the Accepter (whether the granter discover the same by his words, or declare it by his practice) or it is not: If the former, then either the effectuating of that evil design hath a necessary & inseparable Connection with the accepting of the liberty, or the evil design thereof is such as may be prevented or removed by the Accepters: If the former, then I cannot see how such a liberty can without sin be embraced or bargained for, though otherwise never so warantable, and a protestation in this case would be but contraria facto : If the latter, then I conceive that the Accepter's protestation against that evil design, together with a practical endeavor to defeat it, might in such a Case be a sufficient salvo to the Accepter's Conscience, the liberty being othewise lawful. But if this wicked design of the Magistrate (the Imposer) be hid & latent to the Accepter, then I see not how he can refuse a liberty (otherwise sinless) upon this only account, That the Magistrate who grants it is suspected to have some evil design in granting it, when no such design is made apparent; for in such a Case I suppose it sufficient, that the Accepter endeavor what in him lies to obviat & dissappoint whatsoever wicked design can be pretended or supposed, & particularly that which the Granrer is suspected to have in granting it.
3. As this liberty relates to the Persons of the Ministers, it may be Considered either as it is extended to all without exception, or as it is denied to some: If it be denied to some (as in our case it is to many) and these too who have been most faithful, useful & successful in the work of the Ministry in the Church, and upon which very account they are deprived of it, because they have been such; then I humbly apprehend that the tampering for, or accepting of it would be an active concurring with the wicked design of the Excepters, in debarring such useful Instruments (though never so few in themselves, or despicable in the eyes of others) from the free exercise of their Ministry to the manifest detriment of the Gospel, & consequently sinful: an active concurring I say, because an active consenting to a bargain made up of such sinful Conditions, whereof this is one That so many Eminent Ministers must be debar • ed from the foresaid Liberty; and it is to be judged an active consenting, in so far as the terms & conditions are accepted, the bargain actually complied with & acquiesced in by the Accepter, without any Protestation against the depriving of others of this liberty, & the evil design thereby intended (which yet would seem to be but a Protestation contradicting the practice, 1. Because all these sinful Conditions & Restrictions are inseparably interwoven with the liberty granted in the Proclamation, unto which the Bond must be conform. 2. Because there is no obtaining of this present Liberty, but as it is tendered by the Council, that is, as it is complex of all these sinful Restrictions, of which the forementioned is one) for in this case he is to be holden a Consenter that is not a Contradicter, as is clear from the like Numb. 30:14. Where the Husband confirms his wise's vows by holding his peace, or not contradicting and protesting against them. If this Liberty be extended to all the Ministers alike, then let it be considered
4. As it relates to Places; and thus it is either extended to all & every place within the Magistrates Dominions, or it is restricted to some only: If to some only, then it is clear that it ought upon • his very account to be refused, in as much as the good of the whole, though attended with some external hazard & Inconveniences (as in our cafe) is always to be preferred to the good of a part only, which may be obtained without that hazard or inconvenience. If extended to all places alike, then it is either with a confinment of evry Minister to a particular parishonall charge, or it is without such a Confinement; If with this confinement, then it is sinful to accept of it, & that for two Reasons chiefly: (1) Because although all the faithful Ministers in Scotland (& Licentiates too) were everyone of them fixed & restricted to a paroch, I suppose that notwithstanding thereof, many paroches should be vacant of such pastors. (2) Because thereby Ministers would be utterly debarred from the exercise of Church-discipline by Presbyteries & Synods, as also incapacitat for ordaining a succeeding Ministry. If this liberty be extended to all places without any such Confinement, Then
5. If we Consider this liberty with refere • ce to the Ministry itself, It is either granted with some sinful Impositions (and tha • either as to Doctrine or Discipline) or it is not: If the former, then such a Liberty cannot be accepted without sin especially when these sinful Impositions do immediately concern & qualify the doctrine of the Ministry, as in our case.
6. This liberty ma • be considered as it relates to the present Bond the giving of which is the very Condition of obtaining the same: And thus we are to look upon it as a Complex business i. e. as it is complicat with all these evils and Inconveniences that are either expressed or implied in the Bond itself & the proclamation whereon it is founded & to which it is said to be conform; and so it must be most sinful to embrace the same, as shall afterward be made out. And whether a Liberty in this last sense ought not more properly to be termed a slavery, & bondage then true Liberty, let the un-prejudicat determine from what hath been already, & shall afterward be said.
I come now to speak of this particular Bond for Ministers which is required by the Council, and allowed & voted to be lawful by the late Convocation of Ministers. (But by the way I cannot pass, how that it hath been by several observed (not without Reason) That the Imposers of these Bonds do scarce let one year pass without imposing some engagments or other upon the presbyterians, sometimes they are more obviously gross, sometimes more seemingly smooth, sometimes they are tendered more generally thorough the Kingdom, sometimes imposed upon particular shires; And all this is carried on sometimes by Craft & cunning, sometimes by force & Cruelty: Doubtless it is not the least part of their design, hereby to make Oaths & Bonds become a trivial & common thing, & by frequent renewing of them to make the presbyterians, men of as capacious Consciences as themselves; And it is sadly to be feared, or rather regrated, that they have gained too much of this design already) And lest there may arise any mistake about the terms thereof or that it should be represented either to the better or to the worse, I have thought fit to give you here the just & genuine double of it, which is as followeth.
There are other Copies also of this Bond, which instead of the term granted (that is here used in this copy) some of them have allowed, some given Licence ; and withal they make mention of the Proclamation as gracious, which how truly it may be termed so, may justly be doubted, if there be any truth in the received maxim, That Bonum oritur ex integra Causa malum vero ex minimo quoque defectu. But seeing this which I have here inserted is the just double of that which was presented to the Ministers at the foresaid late Assembling, and upon which the Vote did pass I shall hold myself by it.
This Bond may be taken up in these two 1. The Narrative, 2. The Obligatory part. In the Narrative are mentioned 1. an humble petition given in to the Council by the parishoners for such a Minister as they have called to such a paroch. 2. The Council's Granting of the said petition, which Grant consists of these five. (1.) they grant the Minister. (2.) to preach & administer the Sacraments. (3.) in such a particular paroch. (4) conform to his Majesty's proclamation & Letter. (5) upon their finding of Caution, &c.
As for the Petition, it seems chiefly to import 1. That the people's calling of the Minister, their petitioning of the Presbytery, & their obtaining him from them, is hereby counted insufficient for his being admitted to the exercise of his Ministry, until the Magistrate first be supplicated for it, & his Consent obtained thereto; And therefore. 2. That the way they took form • lie to invite & call Ministers (at least since Ministers were outed) hath been irregular & dis-orderly. 3. That they ought not henceforth (seeing they look upon this new mode of calling Ministers as their present duty) so long as matters continue thus ci • cu • stan • ia • To receive or permit such Ministers to exercise their Ministry among them as do not enter by this De novo damus. As to the 2. Part of the Narrative which is the Councils granting the petition, whereby I. They grant such a Minister, it imports (1) That Granting or authoritative giving of Minis • ers to the Church, & investing them with power to exercise their Ministerial office, doth not belong properly primarly & solely to Christ as being the alone Head of the Church, nor to a Church-Judicatory in subordination to him, nor to be conveyed to the Ministers in an Ecclesiastic way, But must immediately be conveyed to him from the Civil Magistrate, & that in a Civil way. (2) That it supposeth, yea and giveth to the granter an au • hori • ative & definitive power to cognosce upon, judge & determine, & that primâ instantiâ who are worthy & qualified, & who unqualified for being admitted to the exercise of the Ministry. (3) It yield • h to the Civil Magistrate a power both Accumula • ive and p • ivative in matters purely Ecclesiastic, viz. a power • o grant or not to grant (as he pleaseth) such Ministers a Licence to exercise their Ministry, as are bo • h qualified for, and also already ordained in that Function. II. To preach & administer the Sacraments : which yields to the Magistrate (beside what we have observed in the former) a power to separate & divide the Essentiall parts of the Ministerial function, & enjoin the Ministers so to do; for by the Proclamation and Council's act, the Ministers who accept of this Indulgence, have Licence only to preach & administer the Sacraments, so that what they would seem liberally to give with the one hand, they sacrilegiously robb with the other. III. In the paroch of &c. which supposes (1) That the Minister hath no power nor legal right to exercise his Ministry save in that particular Congregation to which he is assigned by the Council. (2) That the Magistrate ha • h power to dissolve and annihilate the old • y & relation betwixt Pastor & Flock, & to make up a new one at his pleasure; and conseq. (3) Th • t the power of fixing, planting & transplanting of Ministers is not the proper & inherent Right of Church-Iudicatories. IV. Conforme to his Maj. Proclamation &c. Whence it is manifest That as the Council's Grant or Licence, so the Parishioners petition, the Cautioners bonding for the Minister, as also the Ministers accepting of the Liberty thereupon must be conform to, and so a complying with & acquiescing in all these evils (in so far as the terms are thus proposed by the Granter, & without any reluctancy, or Protestation, accepted by the Receiver) that are inseparably connected with the said proclamation, such as: (1) The many bitter invectives against field Meetings in the Narrative thereof, and a positive Condemning all such as Rendezvouzes of Rebellion &c. (2) Ane absolute Interdicting of any such Meetings for the future under highest pain. (3) Restricting the faithful Ministry of Scotland to the south side of Tay only, excluding many other places also within the said bounds from this liberty. (4) Excluding all these Ministers who are suspected by the Council to have been at the late Rising in arms. (5) All these also who shall afterward be admitted by non-conform Ministers. (6) No liberty granted for the exercise of Church-discipline, or ordaining others to the work of the Ministry &c. V. Upon finding caution &c. Where observe (1) That the Council looks upon the Ministers as persons so naughty or infamous, that they are not worthy to transact with in this affair, at least immediately & in their own Persons, but they must have others of more credit & Respect to represent them, undertake for them, & make up the bargain in their name & favors. (2) That the Ministers are men of so pernicious & profligat principles, That they will make no C • nscience to perform their duty to their superiors (such as peaceable living is acknowledged to be both by the Giver & Receiver of this Liberty) unless they be either allured thereto, partly by the benefice of a set stipend from the paroch, partly by the promise of external peace & protection from the Council; or else overawed thereto, either by the • e • ror of the Council, or • ear of hazarding the Cautioners paying the penalty.
In the Obligatory part of this Bond, I find the Cautioner is obliged to four things in reference to the Minister: 1. That he shall live peaceably: 2. In order thereto, he shall present him to the Council when called so to do: 3. In case he failzie, he shall be liable to 6000 Merks: And 4. he obliges (with himself) his Heirs & successors to all these. In all which we may observe this in general, That there is here not only a real or virtual, but a formal, yea explicit Compact or Transaction between the Magistrate on the one hand, & the Minister & his Cautioner on the other; each of the two Parties to perform something to the other, but with this difference, that what the Magistrate is to perform, he pretends to do it out of mere condescendence or indulgence to the other party; and therefore challengeth to have the terms of the bargain in his own framing & proposing; whereas the Minister & his Cautioner being subjects to the Magistrate, are presumed to perform their part as a duty, which they owe to their Magistrate, and are bound by the word of God to perfo • me antecedaneously to this, or any other supervenient bonds of this nature: The Magistrate on his part, grants to the Minister a liberty or license to preach, and that upo • such & such Conditions as himself is pleased to propose; the Minister again on his part (or the Cautioner • or him) engages to fulfill these conditio • s: And so the bargain is aggreed upon & concluded by them both, & a Record thereof taken, & put up in the council books to be kept ad futuram rei memoriam.
The First thing then that the Cautioner is obliged to by this Bond, is, That the Minister shall live peaceably, or (as it is expressed in the proclamation to which the Bond is said to be conform) That he shall not preach Rebellion, schism nor Heresy. Now though the te • mes seem very smooth & plausible, and if some ought to be believed, are so plain, obvious & unquestionable, that they can hardly be liable to mistake, or exponed in a sinistrous sense; yet after a little inquiry it will appear that they are most ambiguous, & co • sequen • lie fallacious when so generally & indefinitely proposed (as in this Bond:) for peace or peaceable living may be considered either, (1) In it's nature and quality: and thus it is many ways distinguishable, as: Peaceable living in a natural or Moral sense; Civil or Ecclesiastic; Spiritual or Carnal &c. And so according to every particular state or condition that a man can be in, may peaceable living be distinguished.
Or 2. As it relates to it's Objects, which may be either (1) Persons, as God, Angels, men, devils, superiors, Inferiors, Equalls • saints, sinners, ourselves or others &c. Or (2) Actions: Or (3) Things; and both, either good or ill; all which to number were infinite.
Or 3. it may be Considered with reference to it's Rule, which may be either the Word of God • Light of Nature, Laws of the Land, prescript of Reason, pleasure of the Rulers, Common Custom &c.
Or 4. With respect to it's Circumstances of Time, place, persons &c.
Or 5 With reference to it's native Consequents or Concomitants, which may be either in general the edification of the Church & Propagation of the Gospel, or the prejudice & dis-advantage of both; or in particular, may be either the Confirming of the Godly, Convincing & reclaiming of the wicked, or the grieving & offending of the • oddly, & hardening of the wicked &c.
Or 6. In all • or any of these Respects it may be either Universal & Absolute, or Restricted & definite; And accordingly either lawful or sinful.
I shall not at present insist to make a particular application of these, or the like distinctions to our present case, but this only in short, that peacea • le living ought to be considered with respect to the whole Complex state of affairs wherein it is required. However in general Peaceable living imports in it something Positive, & something Negative : Posi • ively, it may be described thus; submissively to acquiesce in, & rest satisf • ed with that (whether it be persons, courses or things &c) about which it is to be exercised. Negatively, it imports this, no ways to contend with, oppose or testify dislike, or abhorrence at that or these Persons, Courses, things &c. about which it is to be exercised. And now as to our present Case, let us inquire what sort of peaceable living it is which is required in this Bond? 1. It must either be General & indefinite, and so abstracted from all, & restricted to no particular & determinat sense. Or 2. it must be Universal & Absolute, & so comprehensive of all & every sense that the terms are capable of. Or 3. It must be understood in some particular, determinat & limited sense. The first it cannot be, Because To live praceably is here enjoined in such a sense, as therein it is possible to give obedience; but it is altogether impossible to live peaceably abstractly from, & without having a respect to some particular sense or other; Therefore to live peaceably is not enjoined by the Council in such a general, indefinite & metaphysical sense as excludes all & every particular sense. If the 2. then, besides that it is sinful to engage in such a Bond (as afterward is proven Arg. 4. of the 1 Head) it is ridiculous & absurd to enjoin peaceable living in such a sense, and as absurd to engage thereto in that sense; Because the terms thus taken are capable of, & liable to senses, both contrary to, & utterly inconsistent with one another. But 3. If this peaceable living be enjoined in some particular, determinat & limited sense (as it must needs be, if it be not nonsense) then our next enquiry is to know what is that particular & determinat sense of the Council or Imposer: and this we may easily know by their sense of Rebellion, Schism & Heresy (for the terms are equivalent, viz. not to preach Rebellion, Schism nor Heresy, as in the Proclamation, and to live peaceably, as is expressed in the Bond; this being a compendious positive of the other negative) which they have a • lways declared, both by their public Acts & Proclamations, and also by the whole series of their procedour against the Presbyterians, to be such as thereby they directly condemn many points to be Rebellion, Schism & Heresy which the Pres • yterians hold to be necessary Duty, & sound doctrine, such as these: 1 To preach the iniquity of the Parliaments Declaration & other the like Bonds imposed upon Presbyterians, or to assert the perpetual obligation of the Covenant, & the breach thereof to be perjury in the highest degree both against God & man. 2. That we are bound everyone of us in our capacity & station to adhere to, & defend all the Articles & heads of these Covenants. 3. To assert the divine right of Presb. Government, & the unlawfullnes of prelatical & Erastian. 4. That the prelates & their Curates are manifest Intruders, & tyrannically obtruded upon other faithful men's labors without the Churches advice or Consent. 5. That it is lawful & a necessary duty for outed Ministers to continue in the exercise of their Ministry, and that it is the people's duty to hear & own them for their only lawful pastors, and that notwithstanding of all the Law-Interdictions to the contrary. 6. That Jesus Christ is the alone Head & absolutely supreme Governor over the Church in all causes spiritual & Ecclesiastic • and that it is an high Usurpation and insolent Invasion upon his Royal Prerogative, for any man or mortal to arrogate unto himself either title or office of the same. 7. That all the persecution which hath been inflicted upon the presbyterian Ministers and Professors these 17 or 18 years, for witnessing their adherence to the work of Reformation & refusing to comply with • or subject themselves to Prelacy or the usurped Supremacy over the Church, hath been a heinous sin against God, and horrid cruelty against his people: And many moe of this nature. In short, I take peaceable living, or not to preach Rebellion Schism nor Heresy, as it is now required & imposed by the Council, to be upon the matter this viz. To refrain from reproving, testifying against, or any ways opposing such Courses (whether sinful or lawful) as are authorized or allowed by the Laws o • Example of our present Rulers • or the persons (whether supreme or subordinate) who carry on the same. And consequently to be altogether silent as to the avowing such duties, or rep • oving such sins as are in controversy between the Presbyterians & the presen • Erastian Papistico-prelatick Party, such as these Presbyterian points above-me • tioned.
But it is like some will say, That his Maj. & Council allowing Presb. Ministers liberty to preach, doth eo ipso tolerat & allow them to preach & pro • esse their Presb. Principles, and consequently That the Council's sense of peaceable living is not to be interpreted according to their former Acts and Proc • amati • ns against Convent • cles which are n • w dispensed with, but accor • ing to the presbyterians own sense thereof. The st • ength of this objection seems to consist chie • lie in these Two: 1. Because the laws of the land are as directly & expressly ag • inst House-meetings simpliciter as they are against the Covenant & other controverte • Truths preached at these Meetings, so that a dispensation for the one (viz. House Meetings) doth necessarily import & infer a dispensing with the other, viz. preaching of these controverted T • uths. 2. Because it is scarce imaginable that the Rulers or any rational man should impose a Bond (& that by way of favor) upon Presbyterian Ministers, the terms whereof are known to be contrary to their Presb. Principles (which this Bond would certainly be if understood according to though foresaid acts) at least that they could in reason expect that the Presbyterians should engage in such a Bond, & yet continue true Presbyterians.
Answer 1. If this Consequence be valide • The Magistrate allowing Presbyteria • Ministers liberty to preach, doth eo ipso allow them to preach their Presby • erian Principles; then this must be as valide. The Magistrate granting liberty to Presbyterian Ministers to exercise their Ministry, doth eo ipso grant them liberty to exercise their Presbyterian Government, & ordain Presbyterian preach • s (both which are essential partes of that function) which is false; fo • they have no liberty or allowance, either by the proclamation or Bond to exercise these two parts of the Ministry, and if they get leave to exercise them, it is rather by Connivence then Allowance. 2. As to the Acts made against Presbyterian House-meetings, there is ane express suspending of the execution of them, and that by virtue, of a power reserved to his Maj. by 5. Act. sess: 2. Parl. 2. Whereas touching other acts made against many of the Presbyterian Principles or preaching of them, there is no such suspension as yet obtained, neither doth any of them reserve to the King such a power, and so he cannot in law do it without a parliament. But 3. I suppose what may be said here as to Presbyterian Ministers their liberty to preach their Presbyterian Principles, the same might have been said also of the Liberty g • anted by the former Indulgence; But it is well known, That some Presby • erian Ministers then Indulged were processed as Rebells & Traitours for preaching their Presbyterian Principles, particularly Mr. William Weir, who for asserting the obligation of the Covenant, & preaching against the supremacy, was turned out by the Council's Order. 4. Since the proclamation for this new Indulgence, there comes forth another July 27. containing ane Indemnity to these who were at the late Rise; In which proclamation (after many exceptions from the said Indemnity) it is enjoined as ane expresses Condition of enjoying the benefit of the said Indemni • y. That if ever they shall be at any field Conventicle (though the necessity were never so urgent, as probably it may be) the said Indemnity shall not be useful to such Transgressours any manner of way. In the same proclamation also it is expressly Commanded, To pursue & punish with all the severity that law can allow all such as shall afterward threaten or abuse the Orthodox (i. e. the Corrupt) Clergy ; And i • 's very probable, that hereby they no less discharge Ministers to threaten them by denounceing God's just judgment against them then any other persons to threate • or abuse • hem by external violence nor murmur against their Iudicatures or Officers (and if but Murmuring must be so severely punished, how much sharper punishment must be inflicted upon them who publicly preach against these & testify against their enormities?) Or shall make, publish, print • or disperse libels or pasquills, these being the fore runners of all Rebellions ; Now by these libels & pasquills we cannot but understand chiefly such Presbyterian Principles as are emitted to the public against Prelacy, Perjury, Erastianism &c. so that hereby the preaching of Presbyterian Principles in opposition to these will not be allowed nor tolerate. But 5. & chiefly I would gladly understand in what sense Schism (which Ministers by this bond are engaged not to preach) is to be taken, if thereby be not meaned a separating, or keeping ourselves a distinct body from the prelatick & Erastian party then which nothing is more consonant to presbyterian principles; For that by this Schism is understood a separating from popery or any other sect • nconsistent with the protestant Religion the Imposers thems • lves will not affirm, unless with the same breath they • ffirme also that they are no friends to the protestant Cause & Interest. To the 2. Reason of this Objection, It is scarce imaginabile &c. I Answer 1. Whither it be imaginabile or not to some who are biased or blinded with self-interest or prejudice, yet it is very palpable to the most seeing & serious That the terms of this Bond as imposed by the Council is contrary to Presbyterian Principles, as shall afterward at more length appear. 2. Although he Magistrate when he imposes this Bond, doth not expressly declare that his sense of the terms thereof is contrary to Presbyterian Principles, or that he requireth obedience in that sense; yet it is true & undeniable, that the terms thereof do admit of, and are commonly taken in a sense contrary to Presb. Principles, as also that that sense is the sense of the Magistrate (though not declared by him to be such at the imposing of the Bond, yet alibi it is, as might be made out particularly by produceing such acts & proclamations as have been made against the presbyterians, & are not as yet legally suspended) yea, & that that sinful sense of the Imposer is also the sense of the Ingadger, as shall further appear in the Arguments adduced against this Bond And therefore 3. The Imposers of this Bond do coutch and cover the same under such general & ambiguous terms as may admit of a sound eneugh sense even according to the Presbyterians themselves; whereas if they had roundly declared their own sinful sense thereof at the imposing of it, it is probable that the Presbyterians had more universally startled at it: And herein the meanest Capacity may ea • ily discover the deceitful design both of the Imposer & Ingadger; o • the Imposer, to lead the poor Presbyterians into a snare, by the generality & ambiguity of the terms, & by a bait busked up with smooth & plausibe words make them swallow down hook & all; and of the Ingadger, in that whenever he is justly impeatched, as relinquishing his Presbyterian Principles by this Bonding, he may be always ready to make his Retreat to this (viz. that the terms are general and admitts of a sense consonant enough with his Presbyterian Principles, & that he hes engaged only in that sense) as a Refuge & Cloak to cover his Anti-presbyterian Complyance.
Having thus cleared what the Council's sense of peaceable living and of Rebellion Schism & Heresy in reference to the Presbyterians, is; as also that that sense of theirs is to be known by such Acts & Edicts against the presbyterians as are not legally suspended, I shall endeavor next to make it appear that the terms of this Bond are to be understood only in the Conncill's sense, & shall for present satisfy myself with this one Argument: Rebellion Schism & Heresy (& on the contrary peaceable living ) which Ministers by this Bond are engaged not to preach, is to be understood in that sense wherein the Ministers have formerly been guilty thereof; But only in the Council's (or Magistrate's) sense have the Ministers been formerly guilty of Rebellion Schism & Heresy ; Therefore only in the Council's sense is Rebellion, schism, Heresy & peaceable living to be understood; and by Consequence, this Bond doth oblige the Ministers to live peaceably, or not to preach Rebellion Schism or Heresy only in the Council's sense, of which more afterward Arg. 7. of the 1 Head.
The 2 thing in the Obligatory part is the Cautioners binding himself in order to the Ministers peaceable living. That he shall present him when called so to do : Where we see 1 That he binds absolutely for the Ministers peaceable living, for in order thereto he obliges himself to present him when called, which is nothing else but to give the Council full assurance That he shall live peaceably. 2. That he is bound to deliver up the Minister to the Council when called so to do, though the Minister live never so peaceably; for it does not run thus. That he shall present him when it shall be verified that he ha • h lived unpeaceably, but thus That he shall present him when called so to do. 3. That this obligation is imposed by the Council on the Cautioner as a terror & awe-band both to Cautioner & Minister; for the Council will easily suppose That ere the Cautioner should be instrumental in persecuting his Minister by presenting him or before that the Minister putt himself in hazard of falling into their hands, both Cautioner & Minister will rather do all they can to live peaceably according to the Bond, & so prevent the Council's displeasure and their own paying of the penalty.
The 3 thing in the Obligatory part of this Bond is, That the Cautioner shall be liable to the payment of the soume of 6000 Merkes in case he failzie & not present the Minister when called for. Where observe That the two last obligations are corroborative of the first: 1 The Cautioner is absolutely engaged that the Minister shall live peaceably. 2 In order thereto (or for corroborating thereof) shall present him when called. And 3. in case of failzie (or in Certification that he shall no • faill, but shall certainly present him when called) he shall be liable to 6000 merkes. As for Instance, If the Magistrate should require me to engage to perform some Civil duty unto him which I am bound in my station & capacity to do, I thereupon offer myself absolutely • o engage upon my honest word to perform it (I suppone also that the Magistrate's defigne is to have me absolutely engaged thereto) But because he lays no weight upon, nor gives any credit to my bare word & promise (having possibly offended him formerly by alleged delinquencies) and so apprehends • hat he hath no security or assurance that I shall perform the said duty (which duty he will by no means dispense with my non-performance of) Therefore in order thereto that I may not cheat him, but perform what I am so absolutely engaged to, for a Corroborative & Assurance thereof, he enjoins this for a Certification, That in case I failzie (or lest I faill & not perform my Ingadgement) I shall be liable to a great penalty. Will any Lawyer or Divine call this ane Alterna • ive Bond? So in out present Case. If it be said that the Cases are not parallel, because in the one the principal obligation is lawful, in the other (viz. to present • he Minister to be persecute, or to engage to live peaceably in the Council's sinful sense) i • is not; I Answer 1. It is both lawful & a duty of the Ingadger as to the Imposer, and he imposes it as such, and so it is not Alternative as to him, nor imposed by him as such. 2. If the Ingadger look upon it as unlawful & alternative, then (1) he doth at best but juggle wi • h the Imposer & cheat him. (2) He thereby confesses That he takes ane Alternative Bond whereof one of the Alternatives is unlawful; both which to be sinful shall afterward be proven. If it be further said; That the Cautioner doth not oblige himself by ane absolute Ingadgement that he shall pay the 6000 Merkes, and consequently That this is ane Alternative Ingadgment, whereof both the Alternatives are put in his power (to wit either to present the Minister or pay the penalty) which of them he pleases to choose. Answer 1. That the Cautioner doth not oblige himself absolutely to pay the penalty, I grant; but that Therefore this Ingadgement, to pay the penalty is Alternative, I deny: Because, it is neither properly Absolute nor Alternative, but merely Conditional, as the very terms In Case (or on Condition) he failzie &c. do hold forth. And it is one thing to say, I engage either to perform this Or that, and another to say, I engage to perform such a thing, and in case of not performing it, to underly a penalty or punishment: for in the fo • mer both the Alternatives are put in the Binders choice, & left arbitrary to him, and the one Alternative is no more determinatly enjoined by the Imposer then the other: But in the Latter (for instance when the Cautioner ingadges to present the Minister, & in case of failzie to be liable to 6000 Merks) the penal part of the Obligation is imposed upon him as a punishment for not performing the P • incipall part thereof, & is only a secondary & subordinate obligation in respect of the principal, and to have place only upon Condition of the breach thereof; whereas Alternatives as such are not subordinate the one to the other, but both equally proposed by the Imposer, neither is the one imposed as a punishment for non-performance or breach of the other. But 2. Howsoever it may be supposed That to present the Minister or pay the penalty is Alternative upon this account, That the Cautioner by performing of the one is thereby free from the obligation of the other; yet (besides that it is questionable in our present Case, whither the Cautioner by paying the penalty, shall be eo ipso liberate from his obligation for the Ministers peaceable living & presenting of him when called) sure I am that this Bond is not proposed formally & explicitly in Alternative terms (& so not to he understood such, nor engaged unto as such) if w • but consider the true nature & definition of Alternative promises (or Ingadgements) that is given by Lawyers, which is: Alternativa promissio est, cum duo vel plura sub disjunctione (v. g. cum dicitur aut hoc aut illud) promittuntur cujus natura haec est, ut utrumque sit in obligatione, quamvis solutione unius tollatur tota Obligatio : that is, Ane Alternative promise (or engadgement) is, when two or moe things for instance when it is said Either this or that are disjunctively (or severally) promised, the nature of which is this, that both (to wit the Alternative parts) are in the obligation, although by performance of either, the whole obligation ceaseth.
The 4. & last thing to be noticed in the obligatory part of this Bond is, That the Cautioner doth bind his Heirs & Successors together with himself to the fulfilling of all these 3 parts already mentioned & explained. The Inconveniences of which I shall afterward only touch in the 8. Arg. of the 3. Head.
The terms of the Bond being some way explained in so for as is conducible to the purpose in hand, I shall next in prosecution of my Method propose the state of the Question thus: Whither in the present Circumstances of the Church of Scotland, it be lawful & a necessary duty for the faithful Ministers of Christ there to give bond to their present Rulers, in order to obtain liberty to preach & administer the Sacraments in such & such particular paroches, That they shall live peaceably ; Or for others in their name & behalf to bind to the said Rulers, for their peaceable living, presenting them when called so to do & in case of failzie to underly a great penalty ? Or shorter thus: Whither Ministers (or Cautioners in their behalf) may lawfully give the present Bond required by the Council? And the Negative I sustain, and shall endeavor to evince by Reasons taken from a threefold Head (with all due reverence & respect to these who concluded they found no Reason why it might not be given) 1. From it's more direct & immediate Sinfulnessesse, 2. From it's Scandallousnes. 3. From it's native & necessary Inconveniences.
First therefore from it's Sinfulnes I may argue thus.
T Hat Bond cannot be given or allowed to be given with a good Conscience which is Vinculum Iniquitatis, a Bond of Iniquity, or a sinful Bond. But this is such a Bond: Therefore it cannot be given or allowed to be given, with a good Conscience. That a sinful oriniquous Bond may be given with a good Conscience, no Conscientious man will affirm: But that this Bond is ane iniquous and sinful Bond, may appear from the Reasons following.
And 1 (not to make a repetition now of what evils we have already detected in Explication of the Narrative of this Bond, which the Obligatory part hath so near a relation to & close Connection with, as above) That Bond which presupposeth, yea necessarily prae-requireth (for without previous petitioning there is no access for bonding in our case) the making of a sinful Adress to the Council, must be sinful; this I suppose none, either in Reason or Conscience can deny: But that it is a sinful Address which is prae-requisite to this Bonding, I prove: 1 To supplicat the Council for that which otherwise may be had with more advantage to the Church and advancement of the Gospel, is to make a sinful Address: But that to supplicat the Council for this new liberty, is to supplicate for that which may otherwise &c. I prove. If greater liberty (both extensively considered in reference to places & intensively to Truths preached) then what is yet tendered by the Council may be had without supplicating the Council, Then &c. But the former is palpable from the daily experience of all these Ministers who without any warrant from, or dependence upon the Council, have hitherto & yet do exercise their Ministry (though I grant not without some seeming external hazard & Inconveniences, which yet are not comparable to the manifold Inconveniences which attend this way of bonding, these being sinful (as is afterward proven at large) & the Minister active in bringing himself into them, in those it is not so) either in Town or Country, or wherever in providence they are called, and who have therein had such signal proofs of God's contenancing their Labors, & protecting their persons (some of them to the astonishment of all) from the harm & fury of the Oppressor & such as thirst after their blood, that even a very reflection thereupon may be sufficient to frighten any Man o • Minister of the Church of Scotland •• om such untroden & in • rapping paths. 2. If the Council's Grant of this Liberty upon the giving of this Bond, be many ways manck & mutilate, as also implicate with many sinful Restrictions & Impositions • then it is sinful to supplicate the Council for the benefit (or rather bondage) of such a grant • , And the reason is, because it is • infull o supplicate for that which is sinful. But the • Co • ncill's Grant is sinful (as is cleared above in Explication of the Narra •• ve) Ergo &c. 3. Such a petition as putts the Civil Magistrate not only in the place of the Presbytery, but above all Church-Iudicatories, and that in Church-matters, is sinful: But the petition praerequisite to this Bond is such: Prob. A petition that yields to the Civil Magistrate the power of imposing upon Ministers Instructions & limitations prejudicial to the Church & propagating of the Gospel, a power to cognosce & authori • atively judge of Ministerial Qualifications, as also a power to censure, silence or depose them at their pleasure, and that primâ instantiâ, such a petition, I say, doth put the Civil Magistrate not only in the place of, but above all Church-Iudicatures. But this petition is such (as is partly already & partly afterward shall be cleared) Ergo it is sinful.
2. If the Council's Act or Gra • t, the parishoners petition for that Grant be sinful, then the giving of this Bond (which is the very accomplishment of both • hese, & the immediate end for which both Grant & petition are calculate) must be much more sinful: But both the Councils Grant & parishoners petition is sinful, as is already proven: Therefore the giving of this Bond must be much more sinful.
3. It is sinful for any Man to oblige himself to do that which is impossible for him to perform: But the Cautioner by this Bond obligeth himself to do that which is impossible from him to perform; Therefore it is sinful for him so to oblige himself. That the Cautioner by this Bond obligeth himself to that which is impossible or impracticable to him, is clear from the terms of the Bond, which is, That the Minister shall live peaceably. Now seeing every Man is Master only of his own proper, personal & voluntary acts (such as to live peaceably is to the Minister in this case) How can the Cautioner oblige himself for the Ministers peaceable living, without obliging himself to that which is impossible for him to perform, seeing the Minister is neither • nder the Cautioners dynamis no • exu • ia ; i. e. the Cautioner can neither constrain him by force, nor command him by authority, but at most can only deal with him by moral suasion or entreaty to live peaceably, which the Minister may either do or not do as he pleases to determine, or thinks convenient.
• . It is a sin to engage in a Bond, wherein the matter engaged unto is held forth in such general & ambiguous terms as admitts of various, yea & contrary senses: But that this Bond is held forth in such terms, is cleared already in the Explication, & is obvious to the meanest capacity. And therefore it is a sin to engage in such a Bond. Now for a man to engage in a Bond, the terms whereof (as they are proposed) are liable to a sense contrary to & inconsistent with the known sense of the Imposer, and yet not to signify to the Imposer in what determinat sense he ingadges, or that he does not engage in a sense inconsistent with that of the Imposer, what is it else but to juggle & deceive? But more particularly.
5. Seeing the terms of this Bond ( to live peaceably ) are acknowledged to be so general & liable to various & contrary interpretations, then he who thus ingadges, does either engage to live peaceably in a general, abstracted & metaphysical sense, or to live peaceably in some particular & determinat sense. The former it cannot be, for that is not intelligible, yea altogether impossible, viz. to live peaceably abstractly from any particular Consideration of, or respect to particular persons, Actions, manner of peaceable living & other Circumstances. If the Latter (as indeed it must be, seeing a determinate sense of words is the very soul & substance of words) then by this Bond he is either obliged to live peaceably in the Imposers which is the sinful sense (as is formerly cleared) or in another sense inconsistent with that of the Imposer If the former, then questionless it is sinful to engage in such a Bond: If the Latter, then it must be deep dissimulation (& consequently sinful) in him who thus ingadgeth & a manifest abusing of the Imposer with his dis-ingenuity, in as much as the Imposer requireth one thing by this Bond, and the Binder doth oblige himself to the quite contrary of what is required of him, and in effect bindeth himself to nothing at least as to that which the Imposer requires of him.
6. If it be sinful to give Bond for Absolute & universal peaceable living with any man, then to give this Bond is a sin: But that the former is true, I prove: That which is proper & due unto God only, cannot ( jure ) be given to any man or mortal; But a Bond for absolute paceable living is proper & due to God only: Prob. If absolute obedience, or ane absolute Ingadgement to such obedience be proper & due to God only, then absolute peaceable living, or absolutely ingadging thereto (which is a part of that absolute obedience which is due only to God) is proper and due unto God only. That absolute Ingadgements or absolute obedience are proper & due to God only, is hence evident, Because he & he only is the absolute & supreme Authority, and whose law only can be our absolute & infallibile Rule. And if this argument be valide against giving Bond for absolute peaceable living with any mortal because fallibile & subordinate to the absolute & sole supreme authority; much more then must it militate against the giving of such a Bond to these who are stated & avowed Enemies to Christ's royal prerogative, to his people & work of Reformation; yea would not such a Bond be rather ane Association & Combination against the Lord? That this Bond (as it is proposed) ingadgeth the Minister to live peaceably in ane universal & absolute sense is clear from the indefinitnes of the terms To live peaceably And it is known, that ane indefinite, general & illimited proposition is equivalent, to ane universal or absolute.
7. It is a sin to give such a Bond as by virtue of the obligation thereof tendeth to bring the Ministry of the Gospel & Ministers doctrine immediately & prima instantiâ to be cognosced & judged formally & authoritatively by the Civil Magistrate; and the reason hereof is, because it belongeth properly to the Ministerial function, formally & authoritatively (though ministerially) to judge & determine, & that prima instantiâ (i. e. previously to any determination of the Magistrate or any otheir Judicature thereanent) by the Scripture, of which Ministers are the only Interpreters ex Officio, what is Orthodox or Heterodoxe, what is Schism or Heresy, these being matters purely spiritual & ecclesiastic, and so determinable only from the Scriptures. But that this Bond is such as by virtue of &c. I prove 1, If by this Bond the Binder doth make the Magistrate the Immediate, yea sole & supreme Arb • ter & decisor of what is Schism & Heresy in the Ministers doctrine, then the obligation of this Bond tendeth to bring the Ministers doctrine immediately, formally & authoritatively to be cognosced & judged by the Civil Magistrate. But the former is true, thus: If the obligation of this Bond ingadgeth the Binder for the Ministers not preaching of Schism & Heresy only & immediately in the Magistrate's sense, then by this Bond the Binder doth make the Magistrate the Imme • iate, sole & supreme Arbiter & decisor of what is Schism & Heresy in the Ministers doctrine. But that the former is clear • I prove (1) By this Bond the Binder doth oblige himself for the Ministe • s not preaching of Schism & Heresy only & immediately in such a sense as thereupon he cannot be called in question by the Civil Magistrate for the Ministers preachi • g of Schism & Heresy (else to what purpose doth he bind?) But only & immediately by binding in the Magigistrat's sense of Schism & Heresy can he expect • ot to be called in question by the Ma • istrate for the Ministers preaching Schism & Heresy (for in no other sense can the Binder promise himself security) Ergo by this Bond the Binder obligeth himself for the Ministers not preaching of Schism or Heresy only & immediately in the Magistrate's (or Imposers) sense. (2) If by this Bond the Cautioner is obliged to produce the Minister or pay the penalty only & immediately for his preaching of Schism or Heresy in the Magistrate's sense: then the Cautioner is bound • or the Minister's not preaching of Schi • me or Heresy only and immediately in the Magistrates sense: But the former is true: Therefore. The 2. Arg. whereby I prove that the obligation of this Bond tendeth to bring the doctrine of the Ministry immediately & soldly under the Magistrate's Cognizance & decision, is this: These must be acknowledged by this Bond to have the sole immediate & supreme determination of what is Schism or Heresy in the Ministers doctrine, who have the sole immediate & supreme decision of what is properly a violation of the Ministers ingadgement by this Bond. But only the Civil Magistrate hes (or rather assumes to himse • f) the sole immediate & supreme decision of what is properly a violation of the Ministers ingadgement by this Bond. Ergo the Civil Magistrate must according to this Bond have the sole, immediate & supreme &c. 3. It is well known that the non-conform Ministers are not allowed by law to keep any Church-Iudicatories whereby such mat • ers as Schism or Heresy might judicially be decided. 4. Nor doth the Council refer the determination of these to the Prelatical Courts or any other Ecclesiastic Judicature, so far as we know. From all which we gather That the Civil Magistrate (the Imposer) must according to this Bond be the sole, Immediate & supreme Arbiter & decisor of what is Schism & Heresy in the Minister's doctrine.
8. That which tendeth to the prejudice of the Church of Scotland in general, ought to be avoided as a sin (for no private or particular advantage ought to interferre with the public good, & that either in Church or Common Wealth) But that this way of bonding or fixing by Bond to a particular Congregation, tendeth to the prejudice of our Church in ge • erall • I prove: That which tendeth only to the advantage of the farleast part of the Church, & not to the edification of the whole, • endeth to the prejudice of the Church in general, & so must be sinful. But this way of Bonding tendeth only &c. Ergo. That this way of bonding tendeth only to the advantage of the far least part of the Church (or rather to the dis-advantage of the whole) is clear: 1 The one half of Scotland to wit from Tay north-ward whi • h is the very part which stands most in need of a faithful Ministry is debarred & in a manner excommunicate from having this liberty • beside some of the most considerable Towns & places particularly excepted thereform. 2 All the Ministers who are suspected by the Council to have been at the late rising in arms. 3 All these Ministers who shall afterward be ordained by non-c • nforme Mini • ters 4 All these Ministers who are not clear in their Conscience for giving or allowing such a Bond, who we hope are not a few. 5 All these Ministers who possibly cannot get any to be Surety for their peaceable behavior, though themselves were • lear for the thing. 6 All these Ministers Bonders who shall not actually fullfull, or shall contraveen (whither designedly or inadvertently) the Conditions of • he Bond. 7 All the Ministers who shall not coram present themselves to the Council in order to receive their Licences upon this Bond, & so pass their Trials before them. 8 All these paroches which either are not able to undergo the penalty of 6000. merks or are not w • lling to hazard the same, whereof there may be not a few. And 9 in a word, only such Ministers are hereby allowed & authorized to preach & administer the Sacraments, as will formally engage & actually perform the terms of this Ingadgement, which in charity we hope will be found a very inconsiderable number. And then let any conjecture what a small part of the Church of Scotland would be supplied with Presbyte • ian Ministers, if none should preach but such as are thus licensed.
9. That ought not to be done without the advice & Consent of the whole • Church which is of the great concernment of the whole Church at least ought not to be determined, co • cluded & complied with, without first he • ring & pondering the Reasons of dis-sentients against it. But in a publ • ck Meeting of Ministers that which was of the concernment of the whole Church (viz. their voting for the lawfullnes of this Bonding, & some of them their actual Comp • i • g with it) was done and concluded to be done not only without the advice & consent o • the whole Church but without so much as hearing & pondering the Reasons of dis-sentients against it, yea contrary to the mind of several present who declared themselves against • o sudden a determining of such a Question at that time. Therefore the giving or allowing this Bond ought not • o be done, & so is sinful.
10. That Bond is sinful which may be interpreted contrary to our former lawful & solemnly sworn Bonds & Covenants: But this Bond is such: By our former solemn Ingadgements we are bound (& more speci • lly Mini •• ers of the Gospel) by all lawful means to wrestle & contend for the main • enance & defense of the work of Reformation in all the points & principles thereof, and to oppose everything that may be prejudicial to the said work; and that we shall continue constant all the days of our li • e in this defense & opposition. But by this Bond we oblige ourselves not to con •• nd strive or wrestle anymore for the defense of the woe • k of Reformation (at least no • to oppose & with stand everything that may be prejudicial to the said work, & such as are professed Enimies thereto) seeing by this Bond we engage to live peaceably with these, who we know are in actual opposition against that blessed work: for these two are contrary to & inconsistent the one with the other: And therefore this Bond may be interpreted directly contra • e to our former lawful Ingadgements, & so most sinful, & a manifest breach of our solemn Vowes to God in most of the articles thereof. And no doubt such as now engage in this Bond would have been looked upon as Enemies to the main ends of the Covenant if they had subscribed or allowed such a Bond to be given when required by the avowed Enemes of that Covenant in these days, when our Church was most vigorous in their zeal and faithfulness for the defense of that work of Reformation according to these Covenants; And that it can be any less sinful now seeing we lie as strictly under the vows of God now as then, and that these to whom this Bond is given are as vigorous in opposing that same work & Covenant as ever they were since the beginning, I cannot see: And we may refer it to the Consciences of these who are now so forward in gi • ing & allowing this Bond, in their most solitary retirements • when they • i • t themselves immediately before God who weigheth actions & compareth this deed most impartially with their so strict and peremptory Vowes to him in that Covenant, & our Churches formerzeall & tenderness in observing the same.
11. It is a sin to give such a Bond as mak • th my nighbour who is a free man, especially a Minister who is a free Ambassador of Christ, to be a prisoner at the will & pleasure of such as will make him ane offender • ven for a word : But such a Bond is this now required: Therefore • infull. And if it ought to be refused upon this account that it bringeth the Minister in Bonds, much more then is it to be refused with all detestation, that it bringeth the Ministry itself and Gospel in to bondage.
12. It is sinful to engage either by ane Absolute or Alternative Bond to be active or instrumental in persecuting any (but especially Christ's Ambassadors) for saying or doing that which is their unquestionable duty: But by this Bond the Cautioner ingadgeth (at least alternatively) to be active & instrumental in persecu • ing the Minister, (viz. by presenting him when called for by the Council) for that which is really his duty, & acknowledged both by Minister & Cautioner to be such; for instance when the Minister preaches the perpetual obligation of the Covenant, or plainly testifyes against the crying sins & corrupt Courses of the time (as he is bound in point of faithfulness and Loyalty unto his great Master to do) especially these carried on by our Rulers or their authority, and thereupon is called in question, & persecuted as a preacher of Rebellion &c. Ergo It is • infull thus to engage. The like may be said also against the Cautioner his binding himself to pay the 6000 Merks in case he failzie & present not the Minister; for thereby he obliges himself (alternatively at least) to be active in persecuting and punishing himself for that which is not his fault, and so to that which is sinful. But lest any should imagine That because the terms of this Bond a • e Alternative (the contrary of which is already made out) therefore they may lawfully engage, viz. alternatively, though some of the Alternatives be really sinful • Wherefore
13. Giving by supposition, but no • granting, that the terms of this Bond were indeed as Alternative as some would have, or any could wish them; yet I say that it is sinful to engage therein, 1 Because all & everyone of the Alternatives of this present Bond are sinful, as is proven above. 2 Though but one of the Alternatives were sinful & the rest lawful, yet it is a sin to engage in such a Bond, and that because it is sinful to engage to that which is sinful either absolutely or alternatively; For as we cannot without sin bind ourselves to that Conditionally which upon no Condition we can without sin perform, so neither can we without sin bind o • rselves to that alternatively which in no case can come under our choice; and where their can be no choice (as of sin or sinful Alternatives as such their can be none, seeing choice or election is to have place only where the thing is some way or other eligible, which sin or a sinful Alternative can never be) there ought to be no deliberation, and conseq. far less ought their to be Bonding.
14 That Bond is sinful whereby the Ministers engaged wherein are by the Imposers, 1 Restricted in the exercise of the key of Doctrine. 2. Robbed of the key of Discipline, for this is withheld in the Council's Grant. 3. Are debarred from perpetuating the succession of a faithful Ministry by ordaining others thereto; at least by this bonding they taci • ely approve & virtually consent ( Consentit enim qui non con • radicit ) to these sinful Re •• rictions.
15. If the giving of this Bond be more unwarantable then imbraceing of the former Indulgence, then this bonding is a sin, yea a greater sin then that of the former Indulgence (at least to these who look upon the former Indulgence as a sin) But that it is more unwarantable, is hence manifest: That by the former Indulgence the Accepter thereof doth restrict his Ministry mostly as • o the exercise of it in such a particular paroch, whereas by this Bond (or Latter Indulgence) the Ministry is qualified & restricted also as to the exercise of it simpliciter, i. e. as to the very doctrine itself, as is clear from what is already said: In which sense it seemeth to surpass even Prelacy itself for grossness, viz. in so far as Prelates (as such) requires of their Ministers the Curates that they be subject to them only as to the exercise & manadgement of the external Government of the Church; But by this Bond the Council requires the bond • d Ministers to be subject to & censurable by them in the very Essentialls & most intrinsic acts of their Ministry, namely the doctrinal part thereof, and the Cautioner & Minister by their bonding do ipso facto yield & consent thereto; and the more considerable this is, That Prelates pretend to be a sort of Ecclesiastic persons, & Prelacy ane Ecclesiastic order (though both corrupt & unwarantable) whereas the Civil Magistrate or the Council as such cannot pre • end to any such thing.
16. If it be a sin for any Person or people absolutely to engage to their Rulers (especially such as do now require this Bond) not to resist or oppose them by ex • ernall force in any case whatsoever, Then much more is it sinful for Ministers to bring themselves under such ane absolute Ingadgment in reference to the intrinsic acts of their Ministry. But that it is a sin for any person or people absolutely to engage &c. is so obvious & palpable both from the light of nature, principles of Reason & Religion, as also from the testimony of pious & judicious Politicians & Divines, yea even from the Concessions of some of these who are accounted the greast Royalists, That I forbear at large to prove it, and refers such as doubt thereof to the writings of these who have treated upon that or the like subject. The Connection of the former proposition is clear (1) Because a Mini • ter as a Minister (or Ambassador of Christ) is not a servant or subject to any mortal Prince or Potentate, and so may not with ou • laese Majesty to his sole Sovereign Christ (whose alone servant he is) make such absolu • e ingadgements in things relating to his Ministerial function, as Others may in matters of their Civil • Liberties & Concernes. (2) Because, by • ow much the more indispensable the exercise of the spir • tuall sword is then tha • of the temporal, by so much the more sinful is it for Ministers absolutely to engage to live peaceably (i. e. not to lift up their spiritua • l & mini • teriall arms, such as public Reproving, testifying or protesting against the sinful • Co • rses of the Rulers & these that are in authority) then the people so to do in order not to lift their carnal & temporal arms against the same Rulers: And though we are more prone by nature to flee to the Carnal sword for our bodily defense, when occasion calls thereto, yet the use of the spiritual is both much more necessary & indispensable in itself, and also much more expressly enjoined by God in his word to these whom he hath impowered & authorized to exercise it ex officio. But to proceed.
Secondly from the Scandallousnes of this Bond, I may Reason thus.
A Bond that is justly scandallous or gives just ground of scandal or stumbling (not that the ground of Scandal can be just & warantable i. e, that any ground of Scandal can justify the Scandal or warrant any person to stumble; but that such a Bond as this doth give just ground to repute the giving of it a real Scandal, and that whi • h hes a real and direct tendency to stumble & offend) ought not to be given or allowed to be given: But this Bond for Mini • ters peaceable living (as it is now required) is such: Therefore it ought not to be given or allowed. That this B • nd is Scandallous, & that upon many accounts, may appear.
1 It is scandallous to give such a Bond as puts a tash & disgrace upon the Ministers of the Gospel: But • ha • this is such a Bond, I prove: 1, A Bond that imports & (tacitly at least yet really) praesupposes the faithful Ministers of the Gosp • ll to have been formerly turbulent, unpeaceable or rebellious, puts a disgrace upon the Ministers of the Gospel: But this Bond is such, as is clear from the words of the proclamation, viz. But to the end that none whom we may justly Suspect shall under the color of this favor CONTINUE to preach Rebellion &c. For it is certain that Bonds of this nature, especially these imposed by Superiors upon their In • eriours, or Rulers upon their Subjects, do presuppose that these of whom the said Bonds are required, have either been formerly guilty of • or else have a propensity to do the contrary of what is required of them by these Bonds: Therefore &c. 2. That Bond which imports & presupposes the Ministers to be either incapable or unworthy to bind immediately for their own peaceable behavior, or that they will make no Conscience of their duty (such as to live peaceably ) except others of more Credite & Respect bind for them, or that even others their binding for them is not sufficient to keep them in order except for ane awe-band they oblige themselves also to present them, & that under a great penalty, such a B • nd I say putts a great stain & disgrace upon the Ministers of the Gospel: But such is this Bond now required: Ergo very scandallous. But
2. It is scandallous to give a Bond that not only puts disgrace upon the Ministers but also tends natively to bring the Ministry under Contemp? That this is such a Bond is evident, Because it is scarce imaginable That such a man's Ministry (who hes engaged in this Bond) can have any weight, authority or respect with the people under his Charge so long as he is looked upon as ane Infamous Offender or Malefactor, & one who is neither a good Subject nor a good Christian; not a good Subject, because as he hath been given to rebellious Courses formerly, so he is still ready to break out into the same dis-orders (for both these doth this Bond import, as above) except he be chained up by another man's binding for his peaceable behavior, who hes (as it were) the rope f • stened about the Ministers neck, That so soon as in the least he trespasses, he may be ready to be drawn forth, if it were even to a gibbet: nor is he looked upon as a good Christian, either by the more tender & zeallous, because he ha • h purchased external Liberty to exercise his Ministry in so foul & unwarantable a way; or by others, because he makes no Conscience of his duty ( to live peaceably ) except he be either bribed or over-awed thereto. What esteem then of, or reverence to such a Man's Ministry can the people have, or what au • hority & weight can such a Ministers reproving of sin or scandal in others (& particularly these under his own oversight) have, while he is by them looked upon to be such a Man as we have now described.
3. It is scandallous to give such a Bond as thereby the Cautioner appears to the Imposers as a man who hath no scruple of Conscience to deliver up his Minister to be persecuted (and who can tell how deep it may draw with him?) when called so to do: But this Bond is such Therefore scandallous; for though the terms (to pre • ent the Minister or pay the penalty) were never so formally alternative, yet seeing the Cautioner at his bonding doth not expressly d • clare to the Imposer which of the two Alternatives he chooses, or that he chooses not that which binds him to deliver up the Minister (which is the more sinful & scandallous) the Imposer hes just ground to judge that it is more probable the Cautioner will rather deliver up the Minister when called thereto, then that he will be so lavish of his money as to venture so great a sum for not presenting him: for as one said very pertinently (speaking of this subject) when one temptation prevails with him (viz. the Ca • tioner) to bind for the Minister, another may persuade him to lead him to the Gibbet.
4. It is a scandal for Presbyterians to give a Bond that natively tends to the weakening & dividing of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and makes the Bonders ipso jure the true Separatists & Fomentors of Division: But this is such a Bond: Ergo. That the giving of this Bond (or the allowing of it by a public Vote of Ministers) doth really yea natively tend to the divi • ing & breaking of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland is too palpable by doolfull experience, that it should be den • ed or questioned: Likewise That the Givers & allowers of this Bond are (theri • ) the only true Separatists from their dissenting Brethren, and so the only C • eators of new divisions & fomentors of the former, is manifest from these two: 1. That they did coram Consult and Assembly-ways Conclude the Lawfulnes of this Bonding yea & some of them did actually accept of the Liberty granted the • eby, and preached thereupon, without first hearing & pondering of what dissenting Brethren had to offer against it. 2 Their Brethren who dissented from them herein, do as yet continue in statu quo prius, in the same state & posture they were in before yea & in that same judgment & practice anent this Bond, which our Church was formerly of when most resplendent for Reformation) that is, they preach & hear upon their peril as they have formerly, for refusing to give such homage & subjection to ane Invading Adversary in the matters of God & of his Church, as by this bondadging Bond they would certainly be obliged to give; whereas the Bonders have fallen upon a new & un • roden path, which is altogether unknown & a by-road to the Reformed Church of Scotland either as to her Principles or practices. And this leads me to the next.
5. It is a Scandal for any Minister or Professor of the Church of Scotland to give such a Bond for obtaining external liberty to Ministers to preach, as never hath been given in any Church (so far as we know) far less in a Reformed Church, and least of all in so pure a Reform • d Church, as Scotland, till now: But this is such a Bond as never (let but one parallel instance be produced to disprove it) was given &c. Ergo. We read I confess in our Church-Records That in the year 1596. there was a Bond imposed by the King & his Council to be subscribed by everyone of • he Ministry, under the pain of losing their stipends; whereby they were to Confess That the King was their sovereign • udge to them & everyone of them in all Causes of Sedition & Treason, & other Civil & Criminall matters, & to all their speehes which might import the said Crimes, albeit uttered by any of them in pulpit or any other place &c. Which Bond they jointly & unanimously refused to subscribe (though otherwise they mostly granted upon the matter what was required of them, as in their Explication of Mr. David Black's Declinature & else where they insinuate) and that for XI Reasons which they gave then against the same, as may be seen in the History.
6. It is a scandallous Bond that is tendered, & when tendered is accepted by the Tenderers as the special sign & Test of Mi • isters their now at length succumbing unde • & yielding up the Cause which hes been so much controver • ed, & so long con • ended for; and so a virtu • ll (at least) Ingadging no more to oppose nor Contend against, but peaceably to rest satisfied with all the past & future overturnings of the work of Reformation, but specially with the manifold Invasions made upon Christ's Prerogative & the Churches Privileges. Bu • &c. Ergo.
7. To engage in a Bond the terms whereof do not only admit of, but are commonly taken in a sinful • & scandal • ous sense (suppone that the Ingadger should really not engage in that sense) and yet not to declare, that he does not engage in that sinful & scanda • lous sense, is both sinful & scandallous; for in such Cases (as all • o in most, if no • all Cases of Scandal as such) I conceive that Idem est esse & apparere, as to these to whom the scandal is given: B • t so it is in this business of the Bond: Ergo exce • ding scandallous. That the terms of this Bond are both liable to, and also commonly taken in a sinful & scandallous sen • e (at least by the more tenderly zeal • ous & judicious) in our • ayes, and as matters now stand is undeniable from experience. 2 That the sense of the Imposers is also sinful & scandallous is manifest from what is already said in Explication of the Bond. And 3 That such as have already engaged in this Bond, have not as yet declared, to the Imposers at least, that • hey have not or would not engage in that sinful & scandallous sense, is likewise manifest from matter of fact. The like may be said of the Ingadgers not protesting publicly against all or any of the innumerable evils, that are either implied, expressed in, yea or commonly supposed to be inseparably connected with this bonding. Hence
8. It is scandallous for Presbyterian Ministers to engage in a Bond which is commonly suspected by most of the pious, faithful, tender & judici • us in the Land (yea & by Strangers also & men of other Principles) • o be inconsistent with Presbyterian Principles, and yet not to assert & vindicate either by Word or Write their Presb. Principles (which are exposed to so much Reproach & Igno • iny by such Bondings) or testify against that Usurped power by which they are so much invaded, & from which the imposing of such Bonds doth natively proceed as from their genuine source & fo • ntain; Thus I say to engage, is very scandallous: But Presb. Ministers have engaged in such a Bond, & yet have not &c. Ergo. Yea give me leave to say, How scandallous and reproachful is it even to the dis-sentient & true hearted Presbyterians in Scotland, not to have either by Word, or Write, entered jointly, a faithful • free, positive, public & plain Protestation (whither in the face of the late Assemblers who voted for the lawfulness of this Bond, or otherwise) against this anti-presbyterian (to say no worse) and divisive Bond; that so a standing witness might have been preserved & perpetuate to Posterity against this as one of the most gross steps of our defection and that the mouths of many both at home & abroad might be stopped, who stand not to say & hear said That the whole Ministry of Scotland are for the lawfullnes of this Bond, at least few or none avowedl • or publicly against it.
9. It is scandallous to give a Bond that hes but the appearance of our Ceding from Contending anymore for Christ's undoubted Preroga • ives, the Churches intrinsic Privileges • just freedom of his Ambassadors &c. 2 Hes the appearance of Condemning all our own & ou • Predecessors wrestlings & Contendings fo • these & their peremptory refusing & protesting against all Bonds of this or the like nature. 3 Of dis-couradging the heart & weakening the hands of all such as have hitherto, or are as yet endeavoring to keep a distance from all such Ingadgements as having the appearance of evil. 4 Of hardening & confirming open Adversaries in all their wicked Invasions, particularly their sinful & sacrilegious Supremacy, and encouraging them by such bondings to advance the same higher & higher as they do. 5 Of being weary of the Cross of Christ & mistrusting of God's faithfulness to deliver from, o • carry us cleanly thorough this dangerous difficulty, as he hes done thorough many of the like natu • e. But 6 more particularly the giving of this Bond hath at least the appearance of (if it be not a down-right) condemning the practice & peremptoriness of some tender & zeallous among the people of late, who by choice • have suffered the most opprobrious of deaths, ere • hey would so much as Consent, to take a Bond by many degrees more plausible & tolerable then this of the Ministers, and attended also with incomparably stronger Temptations.
10. It is Scandallous (& more specially for Ministers of the Gospel) to engage in a Bond, which as imposed is either contrary to, or all • oge • her withou • express Scriptural Qualifications, when the matter thereof is enjoined in the Scripture only with these Qualifications: But by giving of this Bond the Binder ingadgeth in such a Bond: Ergo. That the matter of this Bond (viz to live peaceably ) is enjoined in the Scripture always with some annexed qualifications & restrictions is manifest from many Instances, which for brevity I omit now to cite, but shall touch some of them afterward in answering to Objections. 2 That this Bond is imposed by the Council & accepted by the Bonders without express mention of these scripturall qualifications, is undeniably evident from matter of fact. 3 That the terms thereof are commonly now taken & also to be understood in ane Anti-Scriptural or sinful sense, is already proven.
11. The matter engaged unto in this Bond is either 1 Clear & Indispensable duty (I say Clear, because he that doubteth is damned, and whatsoever is not of faith is sin; and Indispensable, because otherwise they shall never prove it to be free of sin, it being attended with so much scandal) in the present Circumstance of affairs: Or 2. it is a clear & manifest sin: Or 3 it is a matter merely Indifferent: Or 4 it hath more appearance of duty then sin: Or 5 more appearance of sin then duty. That it is not the 1, and that it is the 2, is already sufficiently made out. The 3 it cannot be, seeing it is a matter of so much weight and importance to the whole Church of Scotland. And that it is not the 4, but the 5 may appear (beside from what is already said) from this. That the Bonders themselves, and the Allowers thereof are more taken up & exercised how to excogitate Defences (or ra • her pre • ences) for clearing this their bonding not to be a sin then to adduce invincible Arguments (which cannot be had) for proving it positively to be a necessary duty, or the refusing thereof to be a manifest sin; which shows plainly that they have a sort of doubting & diffidency in defending this business, as being some way apprehensive or afraid ne lateat anguis in her • a least there be something really sinful in it (bei • g so much cried out against & abhorred of the most Godly, tender & zeallous in the Land) and because it must first appear not to be a sin, before it can appear to be a positive and unquestionable duty, therefore they find themselves more conce • ned, how to take off (if possible) the appearance or visage of sin from it, then to give it the splendor & color of a clear & indispensable duty. Witness this, their Vote for the giving of this Bond, which they thought fittest to express in negative terms.
12. I would in all humility & sobernes inquire • What is the main motive & Impulse that drives these Ministers now to this Bonding; Either it must be the desire they have of external ease & quietness, temporal advantage & accommodation, the Courts favor & protection, applause of men, or some such carnal end; Or else their great motive & design must be the advancement & propagation of the Gospel, and so the edification of the Church. If the former, then they thereby declare themse • ves to be perfect Hirelings & worldlings, which we will be loath to assert of them. If the latter, then it is either the edification & advantage of ou • Church in general, or of some particular Congregations therein: the former by giving & observing of this Bond cannot be had, as is already proven in the 8 Arg. of the 1 Head : If the latter, then it is either the good of a few Congregations as conducible to the good of the whole • or as inconsistent therewith: The former cannot be, as is clear from the forecited arg. And the latter ought no • to be, Because (as is already said) no particular advantage ought to interferre with the public good; Besides, Christ is said to have given • o his Church, Past • rs, Teachers &c. for edifying of the BODY (to wit of his Church) and not for edifying some petty particular members thereof only.
Thirdly from the many Inconveniences wherewith this Bond is loaded & attended, we may argue against the same as followeth.
T Hat Bond which hath exceeding great & many Inconveniences attending or following the giving of it, ought not to be given, unless it had also as many & great advantages as might preponderat these Inconveniences or disadvantages (which it ha • h not as may be manifest from what is above said, but shall farther more particularly appear:) But this Bond required of Ministers hath &c. Ergo.
For 1 the giving of this Bond bringeth the Minister into a great strait: 1 Either to conceall some part of the whole Counsel of God, which may readily be interpreted by the Council, a breach of his peaceable Living, and so by his unfaithfulness & sin • ull silence offend both God & the godly; or else by declaring the whole Counsel of God, & boldly preaching his presbyterian principles irrita • e the Anti-presbyterian Rulers, and so endanger both his Liberty to be forfaulted & his person to be punished. 2 Either to present himself when called for by the Council & Cautioner, or else to hazard the Cautioners paying of the penalty for non-compearance, & so dis-oblige him who hath done him such a kindness as to procure him the external liberty to exercise his Ministry, by binding for him under so great a sum, and instigat also the Magistrate against him, and so purchase to himself the name of a perfidious & Contumacious person. 3 If he present himself & compear, then either to decline the Council as Competent Judges in the matter of his Doctrine (which may cost him no less then his Head) or o • herwise silently to suffer them go on in cognoscing, judging or condemning his Doctrine of Schism &c. (And so yield to the Civil Magistrate a power to judge immediately & authoritatively of Ministers Doctrine) or Censuring by silencing, deposing, or otherwise punishing him, as they shall please to determine his alleged unpeaceable living doth demerit.
2. It is Inconvenient on this account; That it becometh a great temptation to the Cautioner to persecute the Minister by presenting of him; especially if he apprehend that the Minister hath needlessly done or spoken that thing or word, for which he may be charged by the Council as ane unpeaceable liver (which may very readily fall out) or if he be unable to pay the sum, or if he be so wickedly set, that he will rather venture the Ministers neck then to pay such a penalty himself for not presenting of him, or if he be in some hopes & expectation to bring the Minister fair off though he present him &c. I say this is very Inconvenient, and therefore ought to be avoided.
3. Hereby is occasion given (if not a real ground laid down) not only for the Cautioner or Council to persecute the Minister, but also for any malevolous person who carries the Minister or his Cautioner at ill will, to pitch a quarrel with him, by gathering either from his Doctrine, deportement, or ordinary discourse, anything which may have the least shadow in law That he hath broken the peace whereto he is engaged, or though they can catch nothing in the Ministers carriage whereat they can carp, yet they may either out of their own malice, or by the bribery persuasion or instigation of others swear to his prejudice, and so by delating him get him delivered up to the lust of these whose tender mercies are cruelty, or else the Cautioner to pay the penalty.
4. The giving of this Bond is a bad preparative & example for encouraging all Magistrates both at home & abroad, present & to come, either to require & receive the like Bond from Ministers, when ever they take up the least jealousy or prejudice against them (though probably without any ground) or else to put them from the peaceable exercise of their Ministry, and to debar others also (not admitted) from access to the exercise thereof, until such a Bond of surety be found & given for them.
5. That Bond is very Inconvenient whereby the Binder doth inevitably bring upon himself or others either sin, scandal or suffering: But by this Bond the Binder doth incur the necessity of bringing some or all of these upon himself or others, as may be particularly evinced from what is above said: Ergo such a Bond is most Inconvenient.
6. This bonding will at least occasion other Ministers, who either cannot find clearness in their Conscience to give, allow, or suffer any such Bond to be given for them, or who possibly cannot get any who will venture to bind for them (fearing perhaps they may be too rackless ( aliàs too faithful) in their preaching) or these who are particularly exempted in the proclamation from this Liberty; It occasions, I say, all such Ministers to be exposed as the only butt of the malice & persecution of the Rulers, if they shall presume to preach without their warrant & Licence.
7. This Bonding is very Inconvenient, That thereby the Cautioner & Parishioners are tempted to give to their Minister carnal & sinful advice ( viz. that he utter nothing which may irritate the Rulers, or may be interpreted unpeaceable Living &c.) the Cautioner out of fear, least he be put by the Council to present him, or else pay the penalty; the People, lest they be deprived of their Minister: and thus the edification both of people & Cautioner is marred & obstructed: But this is such a Bond: Therefore.
8. It is Inconvenient also upon this account, That the Cautioner doth bind his Heirs & Successors together with himself: for 1 they may be either Children or fools. 2 They may be unable to underly so great a sum. 3 They may be of another or contrary Judgment anent this Bond. 4 Though they be once of the opinion that there is no sin in it, yet they may afterward (as also may the Cautioner himself) alter their judgment and see the evil thereof, & be made to smart for it, as many have done in the like cases, for doing things of far less import, & having less appearance of evil then the giving of this Bond. But the truth is, it is as impossible to make a full enumeration of all the evils & Inconveniences that are either wrapped up in, or may follow upon this way of bonding, as it is to number or foretell all the particular occurrence & circumstances that shall afterward come to pass in reference thereto.
In a word, it is Sinful, Scandallous & Inconvenient to do or allow to be done that which hes but the appearance of evil in it, which this Bonding cannot be denied to have.
I shall now endeavor to obviat or remove what some do allege in defense of the lawfulness of giving this Bond; as.
1. That the Scripture expressly commands what is required by this Bond. viz. to live peaceably ; as may beseen particularly in these Rom. 12:18. Heb. 12:14. Ps. 34:14. 1. Pet. 3:11. 1 Thess. 4.11. • Tim. 2:1, 2. Rom. 14:19. Jer. 29:7. &c. Therefore such a Bond ought to be given when required. Answer 1, Either these Scriptures do command absolute peaceable living, and illimitedly as to times, places persons &c. or they do not: If they do, then how shall that Scripture hold (for the Scriptures here adduced command us to live peaceably not so much with Magistrates as with men in general) Eccles. 3:8. There is a time of war & a time of peace ; or that, Luk. 22:36. He that hath no sword let him sell his garment & buy one ; and the like? If they do not, either then they say nothing to the purpose in hand, or else the Objectors are holden to prove that they are parallel to, & so conclusive in our present circumstantiate Case. 2. suppose that these forecited Scriptures (commanding to live peaceably) were held forth in as general & indefinite terms as this present Bond (which is manifestly false as shall presently appear) will it yet follow, That therefore such Scriptures were absolutely & universally concludent, and ought not to admit of any exceptions or restrictions whatsoever, because held forth in such terms? If you will affirm that in such a case they ought not, because where the Scripture makes no difference nor restriction, we ought not to dinstinguish nor • estrict; I answer, by the same Reason then I may argue from Matth. 5:39- Resist not evil, & infe • re therefrom; • That therefore we ought not to resist any manner of evil (for the terms are generally & indefini • ely expressed) & consequently not to resist sin nor Satan; to which if you should answer, that such a lax consequence were very inconsequent, because (say you) it is not the evil of sin that there we are discharged to resist, but the evil of punishment, or private & personal injuries, might not I (according to your own way of reasoning) reply, that the terms of this prohibition Resist not evil, are general, illimited & indefinite, and therefore universally conclusive and where the Scripture distinguishes not nor qualifies & restricts we ought not; and then what is become of your argument? But if you should answer here That though that particular passage of scripture doth not characterize nor discriminate what sort of evil we are to resist & what not, yet many other parallel places do: Even so say I, that although one particular passage of Scripture may command peaceable living in general absolute & indefinite terms, yet other parallel scriptures do expressly qualify & restrict the same; so that the former axiom will not always hold unless it run after this manner where the Scripture (viz Complexely considered as to the whole, & collatively as to particular passages thereof) • neither • expressly distinguishes, nor gives any ground for distinguishing, we ought not to distinguish ; which I take to be very true. But 3 Though none of the foreci • ed Scriptures made any mention of the qualifications & Conditions of peaceable living, yea suppose all the Scriptures of the Bible relating to peaceable living (except one particular passage) were so generally & indefinitely expressed, as that indeed they seemed to command absolute peaceable living without any limitation; yet though there were but one passage in the whole Scripture, that either expressly mentions, or so insinua • es these qualifications and restrictions of peaceable living, as thereupon we have good ground to qualify and restrict the same, I say that even that one passage is to be the rule & standard by which all the rest (indefinitely so expressed) are to be interpreted & understood in reference to peaceable living; not contrariwise. 4. It is not so much the generality & Indefinitnes of the terms (to live peaceably) that makes us hate & abhor this Bond, as it is the sinful & sinistrous sense that the Council hes put upon it; neither will it follow, That because the Magistrate doth not expressly declare in the Bond itself, or at the imposing of it, his sinful sense thereof, therefore nowhere else hath he declared it, or that the Bond is left arbitrary to our sensing; no more then it will fol • ow That because the Scripture in one or moe particular passages does not expressly mention the Conditions & Limitations of peaceable living, therefore other parallel places, or the Scripture complexely taken makes no mention of them, nor insinua • s any ground for them or that they are left arbitrary to any man's frameing o • coining 5. Though the terms of this Bond were never so sound in thesi & as they are proposed, Nay (which is more) although they were never so expressly Scriptural, yet when once the right sense & meaning thereof comes under debate, or a sinistrous is suspected to be either • atent or declared, I say that we ought not engage even in such a Bond without protesting (at least in general) against any sinful or sinistrous sense that can be put upon it, or in particular that which is suspect to be latent in the terms thereof; Which yet is to be received with caution according to what is said above in Explication of the nature of Liberty. But 6. Even these very Scriptures adduced against the Refusers of this Bond are so far from commanding us to live peaceably in such a general & indefinite sense as is insinuate by the Objectors, or in such a sinful sense as required by the Imposers, that on the contrary the express qualifications & Conditions mentioned in these Scriptures (both in • he Text & Context) do exceedingly favor the Refusers, yea & which may serve as so many Arguments for them against the Objectors, as may appear thus: Rom. 12:18. If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all men ; from which we may gather That if it be not possible for us simply, or if not possible with a good Conscience (as in our case it is not) we are not to live peaceably &c. So Heb. 12:14. it is commanded that we follow peace with all men (but remember what is connected with it) and holiness. Ergo we are commanded to follow peace only in so far as holiness goes along with it. Also Ps. 34:14. & 1 Pet. 3:11. we are commanded to seek peace and persue it (but what says the former part of the same verse) depart from evil & do good. Likewise 1 Tim. 2:1, 2. I exhort therefore— that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life (but how must it be qualified?) in all godliness & honesty : The Reason therefore why we are to pray for Kings &c. is not that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life simply, but that we may lead it in all godliness & honesty ; and so by consequence it is not lawful for us to bind ourselves to lead a quiet & peaceable life simply or absolutely, but thus q • alified. Likewise Rom. 14:19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace (but stay take the other half a long) and things wherewith one may edify another. As for the other place 1 Thess. 4.11. I see not how it makes for the present purpose, it is true it is there said, That ye study to be quiet &c. but consider also what follows in the beginning of the next verse, That ye walk honestly &c. So likewise 2 Kings 20:19. Is it not good saith Hezekiah) that peace & truth ( Ergo not good that peace alone) be in my days. And Zech. 8:19. Love the truth & peace. And many mo • the like. From all which it is more then manifest, That we are not commanded to live peaceably, seek peace, love peace &c. (far less to bind ourselves thereto) absolutely & simply, but only in so far as that peace or peac • able living is consistent and accompanied with godliness, truth, edification, holiness, honesty &c. As for that Scripture objected from Ier. 29.7. where the people of the Jews are bidden seek the peace of the City (even of Babylon ( whither they were carried Captives; I answer (1) Let the Objector make the parity between the two Cases, and then I shall consider how to make ane answer to the Objection. But (2) to make the dis-parity appear, the scope of this Command is to intimate to them, that it was the determinate purpose of God, that they should continue in their Captivity for a long time viz. 70. years; and therefore that they should quietly submit to, & rest satisfied with their captivate lot till the time appointed, and in the mean while to build houses, plant vineyards take wives &c that they might be increased there; and so they are to seek the common peace & preservation of the City or Incorporation where they lived, & whereof by God's dispensation they were made members. Hence (3) the Reason why they were to seek the peace of that City is, not because they were thereto Commanded or required by the King of Babylon or his Council (as it is in our Case) but the Reason thereof is given to be this, for in the peace thereof (says he) shall ye have peace ; and so they did no less then what the • Law of mutual & self-preservation did oblige them previously to this positive Command: But I question much if the same Reason that is there subjoined to this Command will have place with us; that is, I much doubt if it may be said in our Case, That in the peace of the Prelatists (or Imposers of this Bond) shall ye (viz. Presbyterians ) have peace ; or at least, That the Presbyterians peace is so inseparably connected with, & bound up in theirs, as the Jews their peace was in the peace of the City where they were Captives. (4) From this Command I cannot see how the Jews were obliged to give Bond • or absolute peaceable living, though it had been required of them by the King of Babylon or his Council their then Superiors (far less that it can be therefrom inferred That we are bound to give this Bond) because such a Bond would directly have condemned the same prophet Jeremiah who alloweth the Inhabitants of Zion to pray. That the violence done unto them & their flesh might be upon Babylon ; and the Psalmist Ps. 137. v. last, who prayeth for a bloody day upon these Babylonians; yea & pronounceth them blessed who should dash their little ones against the stones : And when they refused so much as to sing the songs of the Lord at their bidding, lest they sho • ld seem to have forgott the quarrel of Jerusalem & the Injuries done to their God, their Temple & Religion &c. How can any man imagine, or Divine affirm, that they ought to have given such a Bond unto such? Wold they not rather that their tongue had cleaved to the roof of their mouth then to have Consented, and their right hand to forget her cunnig then to have subscribed such a Bond? (5) If this were a good way of Reasoning, then Lot who was a member of Sodom's Incorporation (& so bound to seek the preservation thereof for his own preservations sake) had been obliged if thereto required by the Sodomites, to bind for absolute peaceable living with them, and then how should this have consisted with his daily contending with them for their vile abominations, & his endeavoring to restrain them therefrom? I know some are pleased also to Object Prov. 23:23. Buy the Truth & sell it not and so it is not only lawful (say they) but also commendable in them, who, ere they be deprived or made destitute of a pure & peaceable dispensation of the Gospel preached by Christ's sent Ambassadors, they will rather tran • act with the Magistrate & engage for the Ministers peaceable behavior, & presenting of him unde • the pain of paying a great sum of money; To which I Answer (if such ane Objection may be counted worth the answering) (1) That the Cautioners paying the 6000 Merkes is so far from procuring the peaceable preaching of the Gospel, or being accepted by the Magistrate as the price of the Liberty granted by him for the same (far less as the price of the Truth itself which they have not to sell) That on the contrary the paying thereof is not only a punishment inflicted on him for breach of his ingadgement, but a certain evidence that he hath forfaulted that Liberty so bargained for. (2) It is one thing to buy the Truth & not to sell it, & quite another to buy external peace & protect • on by selling the Truth or any part of it, which may justly be charged upon the Bonders, as appears from what is already said. But (3) It is a question whither we may so formally bargain & transact with the Civil Magistrate (especially one who hes usurped all Church-power in Church-matters & by Church-men's Ceding to such bondings & barganings takes occasion & encouragement to advance his sinful Supremacy) as to offer him a sum of money for obtaining Liberty to preach the Gospel in his Dominions; which Liberty he is so indispensably obliged to grant previously to, and without any such Tran • action.
2. Ministers • re subjects as well as others Therefore they cannot refuse to give or allow this Bond for their peaceable living. Answer 1, I easily grant with all our Protestant Divines, that Ministers are subjects as they are men & members of the Common Wealth; I am no Papist to deny subjection of Clergy-men to the Civil Magistrate in things Civil, But 2 I deny that Ministers as Ministers, or Ministers in discharging their Ministerial function, are subject or accountable (at least primâ instantiâ ) to the Civil Magistrate: But this Bond is required of Ministers not only as subjects (for then how comes it that it is not also imposed upon all the rest of the subjects;) but mainly as Ministers, because (1) it is required of them as the Condition without which they cannot be admitted to the exercise of their Ministry. (2) Because thereby they are qualified & restricted not only in the external exercise but also in the very Essentialls of their Ministry. 3, I deny that either Ministers or other subjects ought to give Bond for peaceable living in such absolute terms as this Bond is held forth in.
3. Peaceable behavior is necessarily included in the Oath of Allegiance as a part thereof. Answer 1, I concede that subjects, & Ministers as subjects, are under the ty of Allegiance to their Civil Magistrate, whither they come under a formal, explicit & personal Oath or not, and that they are bound to live peaceably in all dutiful subjection & obedience. But 2 if by the Oath of Allegiance be understood a Bond without Condition or Limitation, obliging absolutely to peaceable living, then I deny that the Magistrate may require, or that the subjects ought to engage in such a Bond; otherwise I deny this Bond (as now it is imposed) to be a part of, or included in the Oath of Allegiance.
4. Any subject may require of his fellow subject Law-borrows, & get him obliged to keep the peace ; Therefore much more may the King & Council require, & subjects ought when required, to give a B • nd for peaceable living. Answer Though the Cases aggree thus far, that both are Bonds to keep the peace, yet the disparity is very considerable, as: 1 In the one Case the King & Council, as they challenge to have the only power of framing whatsoever Bonds they impose upon their subjects, so by that same power they put what sense & exposition upon these Bonds (for ejusdem est exponere cujus est imponere ) they please, & require obedience only in that sense, & judge of obedience or dis-obedience according thereto; in the other Case between Subject & fellow-subject it is not so. 2. In the one, the Magistrate is both Judge & Party; in the other, neither of the parties is Judge to the other, but the Magistrate is ane indifferent Judge to both. 3. The King & Council have declared their sense of the terms of this Bond to be so sinful & sinistrous, that no Presbyterian can engadge therein without impeaching his presbyterian principles; in the other, it signifies nothing what be the sense of him who requires the Law borrows, as to any prejudice his fellow-subject can sustain thereby, seeing he hath neither the terms in his own framing or sensing, nor is the other bound to give obedience in his sense any further then as it is the sense of the Magistrate. 4 Law-borrows are ordinarily (at least ought to be) expressed in so full, plain & particular terms as both parties may easily understand in what derterminate sense obedience is required; in our Case it is far otherwise as to this Bond. 5, Ministers being the subjects & servants of a King who is above all mor • all Kings, may not take such a latitude in matters relating to their Ministerial function & freedom, as others may in reference to their personal or Civil Concernes. 6, To engage to live peaceably in that sense the Law-borrows requireth is very just & lawful in itself, which is only to do no harm or injury to our nighbour either by word or deed; But as to our present Bond the terms thereof as they are sensed by the Magistrate (in whose sense only the Bonder must engage, as above) are most sinful & scandallous, as is already proven at large. 7, If the Subject who requireth the Law-borrows have declared some evil or hurtful design against his fellow • subject (as in our case the Council hath against the Presbyterians & Presbyterian Cause, by their declaredly sinistrous & anti-presbyterian sense of the terms of this Bond) by requiring them, Then I deny that that fellow-subject ought to engage in these Law-borrows, till first he secure himself against the evil of that design.
5. I • young men (as some do say) entered to the Ministry by giving a Bond to live peaceably in Oliver Cromwell's time without any scruple; Ergo the giving of such a Bond to our Lawfull Magistrate ought far less to be scrupled at. Answer 1 Though this were true (as is most false, as it is alleged) yet it is no good argument a facto ad jus ; such a thing hath been done, therefore it ought to be done 2. I must say, who soever dare affirm That such a Bond was given (yea or required) by all the Intrants at that time, is a grievous Calumniator, and until he make out what he a •• irmes, let him be accounted by all a Traducer of the Brethren & a Complyer (in so far) with the Enemies of our Reformation, whose malice & despite hath ever run chiefly out against these many worthy & successful Ministers who entered since the year 1649. 3 If some very few of those Intrans got Testificats from Ministers (nominat in the paper called the Ordinance ) of their lawful admission to such a kirk, and of their pious and peaceable behavior, before they could uplift their stipends, I shall not contradict; but what is that for a ground to affirm that either all these Intrans did so, or that any of them did give such a Bond as is now required, far less thereby to purchase their entry to the Ministry, whereunto they were already entered, in the actual exercise thereof? 4 It is also well known, that this way of testificating by that Ordinance was rejected, by all the Ministers of Sco • land nominat therein (some very few excepted) who only gave these testificats to a very few also, as abovesaid; yea the generality of the Intrants themselves would not so much as require that Testificat for obtaining their stipends from the Council at that time, far less would they ever have condescended to give such a Bond as is now required for obtaining the external liberty of exercising their Ministry.
6 • To refuse a Bond for peaceable living, when required by our Magistrate, were very scandallous, and that which we could not justify before the Churches abroad. Answer. 1 Though the contrary of what is here objected be more then sufficiently made out above, in the arguments of the 2 Head, yet let me say, I wish they who are pleased thus to object had been as tender of giving scandal & offense, some of them by deserting the work of their Ministry (though so urgent a necessity was laid upon them, by their Call & Admission to that sacred function, by the great scarcity of the means of spiritual Life, by the earnest Invitations of the poor famishing Flocks &c.) & rendering themselves in a manner useless & idle in their Church & generation; Others by their sinful silence or ambiguous speaking, as to a plain, seasonable, faithful & peremptory testifying against the horrid defection of the Land, and by their many other scandallous cedings & complyings with the iniquous Laws & Commands of men, to shun & shi • t the Cross of Christ, and purchase to themselves so scandallous a way of living peaceably under the yock of bondage; I say, I wish they h • d been as tender in giving scandal these ways as they pretend to be in this. 2 If this be scandallous to abstain from all appearance of evil, whither of sin or scandal, & particularly from this Bond, as having at least the appearance of both (as is evident from what is above said) then I confess that tenderness & care to avoid & stand aloof from scandal, must be scandallous; for on this very account is the Bond refused. 3, Neither will I deny, but refusing to give this Bond may indeed displease & irritate such as challenge to themselves a brutall submission to, compliance with, & acquiescence in whatsoever sense they are pleased to put upon it; as also these who are so head-strong & hardy • or bringing themselves & their Ministry into bondage by this Bond, that do Rulers what they li • t against Christ, his Church & Gospel • , yet they are resolved to obtain & enjoy their Liberty (such as it is) by it, though they should even compear & publicly pass their trials before the Council in order thereto. But 4 I would fain know what Foreign Reformed Divines (acquainted any ways with the state of our affairs & Controversy with Prelates, Papists & Erastians) are or will be scandallized at the refusing of a Bond so scandallous: Alas! the contrary is too too apparent, yea palpable, as is hinted above, & a little time will more fully manifest.
7. But the Magistrate hath conceived jealousy of Ministers (at least some of them) who are to have this Liberty, viz. that they are turbulent, factious, disorderly & unpeaceable; And therefore for removing such a jealousy, this Bond ought to be given now since it is required. Answer. 1, Though I am fully persuaded that both this Bond & the Proclamation whereon it is founded do indeed insinuate & suppose that the Presbyterian Ministers, are not only guilty of factious & rebellious Courses formerly, but that they are also still propense to break out into the same disorders & irregularities, unless they be chained up by such fettering & foul-faced favoures, as now are tendered (upon which account it is already proven to be at least scandallous) yet I say, there is either just ground for this jealousy, or there is not: If not, I doubt if they be obliged to remove a groundless jealousy, any further then by clea • ing to all, that there is no ground for it; & by their walking so circumspectly and irreprehensibly, as they may have a Conscience void of offense both toward God & man; and that they patiently bear such groundless jealousies & reproaches flowing therefrom as the Reproches of Christ. If there be any just ground for the said jealousy & suspicion, then this must either be given from their principles or practices. That there is just ground to suspect their Presbyterian principles, no true Presbyterian will affirm; and the contrary is well known from their public Confessions, Catechisms & Covenants: If from anything in their practice this jealousy proceed, then let this be particularly instructed against them, which we hope cannot against the Presbyterian Ministers of Scotland; except it be said That Ministers in following their necessary duty, by preaching in houses & fields, without or against the Rulers Licence, their testifying & protesting against their iniquous Laws & persecution, & the Common defection of the Land &c, have thereby given just ground of jealousy to the Magistrate; which none dare affirm, unless they dare also reflect upon the practice of Christ, his Apostles & all his faithful Ambassadors in times of defection & persecution. But if any will yet allege, That some have given at least too just occasion of such jealousy in our time, Let them charge it on them, and let them answer for it, for the Presbyterian Ministers in Scotland who refuse to enter by this Bond, will not take with the Challenge or Charge, either as to their principles or practices, but do dis-own, yea detest it as most injurious & calumnious to both.
But lest (not withstanding of all that hes been hitherto said) I or any others, who object against the giving of this Bond for Ministers peaceable Living, should be mistaken or mis-represented as dis-loyal, seditious, or dis-affected to the Civil Government & Magistracy; as ordinarily all such (who peremptorly plead for the Interest & Rights of Christ & his Kingdom, and upon that account find themselves often under a necessity of obeying God rather then men ) have been in all generations, and as much this day as ever, are branded with these aspersions; though we are most willing to render first & chiefly unto God the things that are God's, & secundarly to Caesar the things that are Caesar`s ; I say, lest our objecting against this Bond should be thus mistaken • I shall set down a few of these Principles or Positions which true Presbyterians, and Objectors against this Bond, do conscientiously hold, in reference to the Magistrate, as
I That God who is the God of order hath institut & ordained Magistracy in the Common-Wealth, for the common good of Human & Christian society.
II That the Magistrate is the Minister of God for good to them that do good, and a Revenger to execute wrath on him that doth evil.
III. That the Authority or power which God hath given him for encouragement to good works & a terror to evil, is not to be resisted.
IV. That all persons within the Magistrate's dominions, of whatsoever station, quality or employment, are to be subject to this Authority, & give obedience thereto according to the word of God, not only in respect of the matter commanded, but also with respect to the Authority commanding.
V. That the Magistrate is Custos ac Vindex utriusque Tabulae, the Keeper & Avenger of both Tables of the Law. And that as in general he is to command all within his dominons to worship God according to his own Word & do that which is just and equal; so in particular, he is to command & see everyone perform the duties of their respective functions & sta • ions; and consequently Ministers also & Church-officers to do the duties of their particular places, and that under the pain of Civil Censures & punishment.
VI. That the Magistrate's power is nei • her subject nor subordinate to the Ecclesiastic, no • to be confounded with it; but is specifically disti • ct from it, and cöordinat therewith: yet the Magistrate as a Christian & member of the Church, is subject to the Ministry; as also the Minister as a member of the Common Wealth, is subject to Magistracy; that is (as our Divines express it) A Cöordination of Powers and a (mutual) Subordination of Persons. But
VII. Though these Powers be Cöordinat, yet they are not properly Collateral or Coequall; because they are neither of the same nature, extent, nor external eminency, neither are they derived formally from the same fountain, the one being from God as Creator & Governor of the world, the other from Jesus Christ as Mediator & sole Supreme Head of his Church.
VIII. As there is no action how Civil or secular soever (providing it be done by a Church-member) but as it relates to Observance toward God, it comes under the cognizance of the Eccle • iastick Jurisdiction; so there is no cause, action or thing so sacred or Ecclesiastic, but as it respects the external peace of human society, belongs to the Civil Jurisdiction: the same individual action then (though in diverse respects) may fall under the cognizance both of the Ecclesiastic & Civil Court; as for instance Adultery or the like, may be the object of Church-Censures, as also of Civil punishment; in the one, sub ration Scandali ; in the other, sub ration Criminis.
IX. That the Magistrate may & ought to add his Civil sanction & Confirmation to such Canons & Constitutions as are ministerially cleared & concluded by Church-Iudicatories: Neither is • e • o do this implicitâ fide, but may judge of them, not only judicio apprehen • ivo & discretivo, by understanding & discerning these Canons in themselves, but also discursivo & deliberativo, by cognoscing, if they be agreeable to the Word of God & sound Reason • ; in which case he doth (as a learned Divine saith) judicare, but not Iudicem ager • : But of these Canons and Conclusions he hath not power to cognosce & determine judicio definitivo, decisivo or legislatorio, except only in reference to his own Act of ratifying & corroborating them by his civil sanction.
X. This power of the Magistrate as to Church-affairs is Cumulative, not privative; defensive, not destructive; Imperative & Coactive, not Elicitive; Objective, not formal; Corroborative not Abrogative; Sancitive, not L • gislative; not sacra properly, or in Sacris, but CIRCA SACRA; He is a Nursing father to the Chu • ch not a step-father &c.
XI. That the Magistrate's power in ratifying Church-decrees, and commanding obedience thereto, is not servile (though in some respect it may be called subservient, viz, to Ch • ist the great Law-giver of his Church who declareth his will by his Ministers) nor merely executive as the Churches servant but imperative, princely, & s • preame.
XII, That, as when the Magistrate goes beyond his sphere in judging & cognoscing Causes purely spiritual & Ecclesiastic, he may in so far be declined, & appealed from to the Ecclesiastic Judicatory; so when Church • Officers exceed the limites of their Jurisdiction, by judging & determining in Civil affairs, they may justly be declined & appealled from to the Civil Court; and both or any of them, in cases of manifest Injury & oppression (though acting in their own proper sphere) may be appealled from unto the righteous & great God (as the absolute supreme Judge to whom both are accountable) and to him only.
XIII. As it is one thing to decline the Judge, & another to appeall from the sentence : so when the Magistrate unjustly determines in any Civil affair, his sentence may be appealled from, but he cannot for that be declined as a Judge in these affairs: the like may be said of Church-Officers.
XIV. Although we refuse not to yield obedience to the Magistrate's Commands except we be convinced in our Conscience of the unlawfulness of them; yet we acknowledge & assert that the Word of God alone & not the dictates of Conscience is the adequate & infallible Rule both of Obedience & Dis-obedience.
XV. As the Magistrate may command all acts of Divine worship which are according to the Word of God under the pain of Civil punishment; so he may inflict civil punishment for disobeying these Commands.
XVI. That there is a great difference betwixt a Royal Command enjoining obedience to Church-Canons, and a nomothetick power to make Church-Canons ; the Magistrate hath the former not the latter: there is a difference also between a formal Rescinding of Church-decrees, & a Civil command not to give obedience to these decrees; the Magistrate hath the latter not the former.
XVII. As extraordinary Evils require extraordinary Helps, so the Magi • trat may do many things in a time of the Churches gathering, backsliding or Corruption which he cannot do so long as the Church is in a well Constitut & Reformed Condition: But from this to infer, That he may demolish the established order & fabric of a right Constitut & Reformed Church, on purpose to give a proof of his extraordinary power, by reduceing the same into order again; Or that he may make use of this extraordinary power, when the ordinary & appointed means are to be had, & also in case to effectuate the Cure; to infer this (I say) were both impious & incongruous.
XVIII. That the End of Civil Government is not only to obtain a quiet & peaceable Life but also to encourage Godlines & hones • y ; nay, that the end of Mininistry is not so much a quie • & (externally) peaceable life • as the end of Magistra • y is godliness & honesty •
XIX. That the supreme Magistrate is the politick Head of the persons who make up the visible Church ( viz. as they are members of the Common-Wealth) but is not their Head as they are members of the visible Church, i. e. he is not Head of the visible Church; because the Head & members are of the same nature, but the supreme Magistrate as such & the Church as such are of very different natures.
XX. That what ever Liberty the Magistrate may lawfully grant to the Church, the Church may not only lawfully accept thereof, but may also lawfully supplicate (if need so require) the magistrate for it: Though I dare not say that such a Magistrate as doth usurp all Church-power ought to be supplicat in matters concerning the Church, even for that which otherwise may be lawfully granted & which he ought to grant, at least without ane express protestation against that power which he hath unlawfully assumed; nor that any person ought formally to bargain with, or bribe any Magistrate with a sum of money for the grant thereof; far less to condescend to sinful or scandallous Conditions in order to obtain it.
XXI. Albeit the Magistrate ought to restore to the Church what ever right or Liberty he hath unjustly taken from the Church; yet hence it will not follow, That because the Magistrate hath injuriously thrust Ministers out from their particular Charges Therefore he ought to restore with restriction a certain number of them to these Charges again. My reason is chiefly 1 Because in this case the Magistrate doth not restore the same Liberty which he hath injuriously taken, nor to the same number from which he took it. 2 Though he may restore to them a part of their former Liberty & they may accept of it ( viz in order to obtain the whole) yet he cannot restrict them to a part of it, nor ought they to receive it upon such terms. 3 The Liberty which before they enjoyed did not consist in being confined to particular paroches (which is all that the Magistrate now grants & that to a very few) but in having free access to preach in these paroches, or elsewhere as the good of the whole Church should require.
XXII. It is much betwixt Magistrates & Ministers in dispensing of spiritual & Church affairs (as one doth neatly illustrate) as betwixt the Will & the Understanding ; for Quamvis Voluntas imperat Intellectui quoad exercitium actus, determinatur tamen per Intellectum quoad ejus specificationem : that is, Although the Will doth command the Understanding as to the exercise of the act • yet it is determined by the understanding as to the specifical kind thereof. And Magistracy may say to Ministry (in matters spiritual & Eccle • iastick) as Moses said to Hobab Numb. 10:31. Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. But, as the eye cannot say unto the hand, so neither can Ministry say to Magistracy I have no need of thee. 1 Cor. 12, 21.
XXIII. As it is a matter of great moment & difficulty to fix the just limites & land-marks of the Magistrate's power & prerogative, and of the Subjects Rights & privileges as to the exe • cise of either pro • ic & nunc : So it is of no less difficulty & import to condescend upon the most proper & effectual means hic & nunc, for keeping both within the limites of their proper orbe, or curing the extravagances of either; or to give a just & impartial decision when either is invaded by the other.
XXIV. That in some cases many things may be granted by the People even to a tyrannous Magistrate (for instance levyes of men, money, arms &c,) for maintaining him in his civil pomp & grandeur (even though he should alienate the true use & end of these things by employing them for further strengthening & confirming himself in his tyrannical or usurped power) which cannot with a good Conscience be granted unto him or any Magistrate whatsoever when he hath expressly declared (whither at, or before the imposing or requiring of these things) some pernicious & destructive design, either against Religion, the Lives or Liberties of his Subjects, which design he resolves, & would be capacitate by the Granters, to effectuate by such a Grant.
XXV. As every escape, error, or act of unfaithfulnes (even known & continued in) whether in a Ministers entry to the Ministry, or in his Doctrine or deportment, doth not non-minister him, nor give sufficient ground to with-draw from, or reject him as a Minister of Christ: So neither doth every enormity, mis-demeanure or act of Tyranny, Injustice, perfidy or profanity &c. in the Civil Magistrate, whither as to his way of entry to that Office, or in the execution of it, or in his private & personal behavior, denominate him a Tyrant or ane Usurper, or give sufficient ground to divest him of his Magistratical power, & reject him as the lawful Magistrate.
XXVI. Though such a Minister may lawfully be withdrawn from & dis-owned as a Minister of Christ's mission & institution, who either enters to the Ministry by the window ( i. e. in a way unwaranted or condemned in the Word of God) preacheth erroneous & damnable Doctrine, is grossly scandalous & vicious in his conversation, or is utterly insufficient for such a sacred Function: Yet the case may be, & often hes been (and whither or no it be ours now, is not mine to determine) that a People may & ought to submit themselves to the Government even of such a Magistrate who either hath injuriously usurped that Office, or hath so malevers'd in the exercise thereof (by violating the main & most of the Conditions upon which he was admitted to it) that his Government is degenerate into a manifest Tyranny & Irreligion, and so hes ( de jure ) forfaulted his right to rule as a Magistrate: I say the case of a People may be so circumstantiate, that they ought to subject themselves even to such a Tyrant; till the Lord clearly point forth to them a way, either from his written Word, or some extraordinary impulse & influence upon their spirits, or from indubitable grounds & persuasives of sound moral principles, or such like, whereby they may emerge from under that yock. Hereby I do not yield nor assert, That it is lawful to give obedience to any unlawful Commands, or that it is no ways lawful for a People to shake off the yock of ane unlawful & tyrannical Government: But only, That there may be some cases wherein it is lawful for a People to yield subjection to a lawless Tyrant, and wherein it may be unlawful for them to perpetrate or attempt their own liberation by external force (which abstractly from those Circumstances might be both lawful, laudable & a necessary duty) viz. when the thing attempted is either altogether impracticable, the means or manner of effectuating it dubious or unwarantable, the timing of it inexpedient & unseasonable, or the necessary Concomitans or Consequents of the Cure more hurtful or dangerous then the disease; or the like: Neither do I affirm, that under a tyrannical Government it is always or absolutely lawful for the people to give passive obedience (if such a form of phrase may be admitted which many explode as unaccurate & incongruous) but only that 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 & indispensable duty.
XXVII. As a man's subjecting himself to a private Robber assaulting & prevailing against him, is no solid proof of his approving or acknowledging the injury & violence committed by the Robber; so in many cases a people or person's yielding subjection ( viz • in matters civil & external, for I always exeem Conscience & Religion from subjection to any creature whatsoever) to a Tyrant i. e. a public Robber, does not argue their acknowledging or approving his tyranny & oppression.
XXVIII. As it is one thing to be subject to the Magistrate for Conscience sake and a far other to subject our Conscience to the Magistrate, that is, to be subject for his pleasure sake: So although we may lawfully submit our bodies & estates to the Civil Magistrate, and in many cases also to a Tyrant; yet in no case can it be lawful for us to subject our Conscience or Religion to any Magistrate or mortal, God himself being the immediate, & sole Sovereign Lord of both.
XXIX. Although this great & fundamental truth, that Christ is a King, yea & the only King & Head of his Church, be such as at no time or before no Persons is to be denied or dis-owned, but freely & faithfully to be asserted, when the circumstances of the Case calls for a Confe • sion: yet Whither or no Caesar be a King, or hath any right to reign as Supreame in matters civil? (even upon suppotion that he is ( jure ) no King, but a Tyrant & ane Usurper) or such Law-questions as these relating to Civil Government, seems to me not to be of such import or consequence in Religion, as that we are always bound in Conscience positively to declare our judgment when interrogat theranent, especially when such Quaestions are put to us with a manifest design to entrap our Lives or entangle our Conscience. We have Christ's own practice for a pattern of such prudence & Christian Caution. But yet I would be loath to condemn, or rigidly to censure such as out of a pious principle of zeal to God & conscience of duty, do freely & positively declare their judgment (when posed with such Questions) though to the manifest detriment of their Lives, they conscientiously looking upon it as a case of Confession.
XXX. We cheerfully acknowledge, that it is the duty both of Ministers & People & of every Subject to pray for Magistrates (whither Supreame or subordinate) & all whom the Lord hath set in authority over us; and that not only so long as they continue to rule for the Lord or good of the Land, but even when they become open Tyrants, pe • secutors &c. & continues such: I say, we ought to pray for the Conversion & salvation even of such; except the Lord should either expressly discharge the same, or by some infallible demonstration declare that he hes rejected them (which I humbly think we cannot be infallibly ascertained of • especially as to particular persons, without divine Revelation) or else give such clear & sensible • ignifications of his refusing to hear any prayers for them, & of his displeasure thereat, that we dare not adventure to put up such suits withou • fearing to offend him, & procure his dis-countenance in o • her things that we find clearness & freedom to pray for; or the like.
Thus, Sir, I have given you some account, not only of mine own, but of • he judgment of diverse others deservedly esteemed in the Church, with whom I have communicate in the matter of this new Indulgence & way of bonding for • b • aining the same: wherein (with some serious desires to the Lord for light & leading) I have endeavored to deal as • ingly & impar • ially (though in a plain & simple way) as I can, and studied also to guard against giving occasion of offense o • irritation to any who are otherwise minded. By all which you may likewise perceive what is our judgment in answer to your other Qu • stion, • iz. Whether the People ought to concur in calling Ministers who will enter by this Bond? That not only we cannot advise, but are clea • & determined to dissuade (as we find access & conveniency) all • o beware of Calling or Inviting of Ministers according to the pattern & plat-form that is laid down by this new Indulgence, as they would show themselves tender of the Concernes of Christ's Crown & Kingdom, as they would not list themselves among the Obstructe • s & Opposers of the free Course of his Gospel, as they would not be counted Enemies to the Ministerial freedom & faithfulness of his Ambassadors; and in a word, as they would not be found accessory to, & guilty of all these innumerable Evils of Sin, Scandal & Inconveniency (whereof we have mentioned several in the preceeding discourse) that are either implied in, or do natively follow upon this way of pactioning. It is Likwise thought fit, That the same be communicate by you to others as you shall see needful & convenient: A • d though we have no pleasure in contending, far less in divulging our Diffe • ences, yet it is found necessary to make this known at this time, for • hese (among many other) urgent Reasons 1 The clear Co • viction, we have of the many Evi • ls & sad • endency of complying with this new device, as you may see in the above w • itten Arguments. 2 That this is a time wherein, as there hath been, so there is still a continued & impetuous torren • of infecting Defection, and many alas! already, & moe y • t like to be carried down with it. 3 The firm persuasion we have of that excellent & clear (though now much controverted & contradicted) truth, that Jesus Christ the Mediator is the alone King & supreme Governor in & over his own House & Ordinances. 4 The sense we ha • e, & ought to have, o • th • many & grievous I • croachments &. Invasions which have been made upon this his Royal Prerogative, & ou • so ready cedings to, & silence thereat. 5 In particular, the multiplied experiences we have already had of the bad fruits and fatal effects of closing with the two-for • er Indulgences, too much approving of & conniving at the • ame; and our not endeavoring to the furthest le • gth of du • y to have prevented Complyance therewith by a seasonable, plain & public Protestation against it. 6, That such as will not despise, may yet have timeous warning to hold off from involving themselves in this, or any other the like snares for the future. 7, That the fur • her offending of the already offended & afflicted Remnant (thorough our sinful silence & more sinful compliance with such Courses) may be prevented so far as in us lieth. 8, That this poor Mi • e may be added to all the preceeding Testimonies of the Lord's servants, & a witness continued in this Church against such steps or Courses of Defection. 9 Because most of the dissentient Brethren were not present at the passing of the fore-mentioned Vote (being either off the town at that time, or even these who were in it not so much as advertised that such a Vote was intended, which upon what account was neglected, is best known to the Assembler • ) but were altogether surprised with it. And since we have (I know not by what sort of preposterous P • udence ) so unhappily le • slip the most proper & pertinent season of entering a Verball joint Testimony against that Vote & Bond, and have not keepit such a proportion betwixt our dissentings and their vo • ings & bondings, as should have been equivalent to a withstanding them to their face wherein they were to be blamed ; Therefore now we find ourselves the more nece • sitat to give some publi • k signification of our Resentment of • his step of Defection by (at least) a paper-Testimony, for rubbing off (so far as is possible) the Reproach that we have procured to be cast upon us, through our so long forbearance of, & flinching from so laudable & necessary a duty. 10, And so much the rather That some h • ve taken the Confidence to publish several Arguments whereby they essayed to prove this Bonding not only to be lawful but a laudable duty, yea & expressly commanded by God in his Word, as may be seen in a Paper called Plea's for peaceable living ; There is also ane invective & sarcastick paper, or rather a scurrile and • colding pamphlet (pardon the picquantnes of the phrase since it is extorted & the thing deserves a • harper stigma ) compound of Quae • ies containing some • hing to this purpose, but in effect is • carse worth the naming or noticing, being a piece wherein the clamorous & carping Qu •• rier (the Author) hath bewrayed so much passion, pedantry & (if we may tell the truth as it is) manifest mendacity, by fastening groundless calumnies & nottour falsehoods upon his ad • erse Party, That I am persuaded his own Associates & greatest plead • s for • he Bond, will (if they consult the advantage of their Cause) be ashamed to own such a shameless & slanderous Satire, which seeing it is for most part stuff'd with private & personal reflections, I leave to be cognosced by these who find themselves most concerned to answer it. II. Because there is such a hideous Clamour & ou • -cry against all these who (by adhering to their sworn Presb. principles & the known p •• ctice of our worthy & zeallous Ancestors in times of such backsliding & Corruption) do testify their dissent from this Bond & the Late Vote for the same, as b • ing Separatists Authors & Fomentors of division, heady, self-willed, malecontents, implacable, blind zelotes, Ignorant Scruplers, and • ven such as CANNOT GIVE A REASON for dissenting from their banded brether in this business; and that although these Voting Brethren in plain terms declared they FOUND NO REASON why people might not give this Bond for Ministers, yet they may now see & know that their dissenting Brethren found so much Reason against it as not only doth fully clear & satisfyingly convince their own Consciences of the sinfulness thereof, but may be sufficient also to render the same justly to be dis-liked, yea detested by every honest & true hearted Presbyterian & Covenanted Son of the Reformed Church of Scotland. 12. Several o • her means were used & essayed for dis-suading and reclaiming the voting & Bonding Brethren from ingageing or continuing in these divided & dividing practices, but have not proven effectual. 13, Because of the imminent danger we are now in of being overwhelmed again with Antichristian darkness, & redacted to that old Babylonish bondage & superstition (out of which our zeallous & Renowned Reformers had wrestled thorough so many difficulties & discouragements, who not only pe • emptorly refused to bring their Ministry into such bondage as by this Bond is requisite of the Bonders, bu • also faithfully & plainly protested against the least appearance or sign of subjection that the Enemy required of them in the matters of their Ministry) by the blood-thirsty Papists, who take no li • le encouragement by these divisive degenerate & un-presby • erian like practices (which they • ee so many formerly zeallous Presby • e • ians fallen upon) to carry on their hell-hatchit & pernicious Plotts against all who will not worship the Beast & receive his mark. A • d though some of the Pleaders for, & Favorites of this new pretended ill-favor'd favor are plea • ed • o turn this Consideration into a Motive & argument to unite with them in these by-ways of theirs for strengthening us against that Common Enemy, and that our refusing to comply therewith is the very way to weaken both our Cause & Party; yet how incontrovertibly true is the contrary (both from what hath been already said, & will (we fear) be more sadly & shamefully discovered by the event) if there be any truth in that, Prov. 10:29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright or in that, Job. 17:9. he that hath clean hands (how weak soever or witless • e be accounted by the Wits of this world) shall be stronger & stronger or in the Connection betwixt these two 1 Thess. 5:21, 21. to hold fast that which is good, & to Abstain from all appearance of evil. And though we should be esteemed in this to be weak yet are we strong; Nay, when we are (thus) weak, then are we strong. 14, That it seems now evident, the Lord is at hand & cometh out of his place to plead the long dependent Controversy of Zion, to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity, to avenge the quarrel of his broken & burnt Covenant, to make inquisition for the blood of his Martyrs, and to call all of us to give ane Account of our ways, and particularly what hath been our carriage in reference to owning or disowning of him or his Interests, during all the time of this dismal & growing Defection, when our min • ings, excusings, shiftings, subtle or supple Evasions & partial palliatings will be of little value or significancy towaird off the strokes of our highly offended & jeallous God. And Lastly, That at least we may hereby in some measure exoner & discharge our own Consciences before God & the World by thus testifying our dis-like & dissatisfaction with these & the like Courses • & more particularly, against this divisive Defection, driven on by these doleful Indulgences & may obtain mercy in the Day of the Lord's fierce & fast-approaching wrath.
I shall shut all up only with a few Scriptures worthy to be pondered & improven in our practice this day, when upon the one hand there is so little regard to the grieving & offending of the Little Ones, and on the other, such readiness • o stumble & be offended when occasion is given. First then, for guarding against giving of Offence, let these few Scriptures be Considered: Matth. 18:7. Woe unto the world because of Offences ; yea, woe unto that man by whom the Offence cometh. 1 Cor. 10:32. Give none of • ence, n • ither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God. Rom. 14.13, 21. Let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but judge this rather, That no man put a stumbling block or ane occasion to fall in his brother's way. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor ANY THING whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, • r is made weak 2 Cor. 6:3 4 Giving no offense (let Ministers hearken to this, for it chiefly concerns them) that the Ministry be not blamed, but in all things approving ourselves (read but the following verses of that Chapter, & ponder the particulars wherein Ministers ought to approve themselves) as the Ministers of God &c. 1 Cor. 8 • 9. But take heed least by any means this Liberty of yours (even though abstractedly from scandal it were sinless, as this spoken of in the Text is, which the Liberty granted both in the former & latter Indulgence is not, as above) become a stumbling block to these that are weak & verse. 12. But when ye sin against the brethren & wound their weak Conscience, ye sin against Christ. And to this purpose I would recommend that Rule of Ames de Consc. Lib. 5. Cap 11. Quaest. 6. Resp, 3. To prevent scandallizing of the Little ones (saith he) all these things ought to be done or • orborn which may be done or forborne without sin. Secondly, for guarding against stumbling or being offended, though occasion thereto be given, I shall only add these following Ps. 119:165. Great peace have they which love thy Law, & nothing shall offend them. Hos 4:15. Though thou Israel play the Harlot, yet, let not Judah offend, or transgress. Matth. 11:6. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me: yea, it is given as the Character of him who received the seed into stony places (Matth 13:21) i.e. of a fruitless & temporary professor, that when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by & by he is offended. Prov. 10 9. He that walketh upr • gh • lie walketh surely ; that is, he shall not stumble or be offended, or as it is chap. 28:18. he shall be saved. Prov. 13:6. Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way. and Chap. 15:19. The way of the Righteous is made plain. Job. 17:9. The Righteous also shall • old on his way, & he that hath clean hands shall be stronger & stronger. And in order h • reto Trust in the Lord with all t •• ne •• a •• , & lean not to thine own Understanding Prov. 3:5. and verse 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, & he shall • irect thy paths. Keep sound wisdom and discretion Prov. 3:21.23. then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, & thy foot shall not stumble. For yet a little while (Heb. 10:37, 38.) and he that shall come, will come, & will not tarry. Now the just shall live by Faith • but if any man shall draw-back, my soul shall have no pleasure him. Rev. 16.15 Echold I come as a thief, blessed is he that keepeth his garments, least he walk naked, & they s • e his shame. And Rev. 22:20. He which testifieth these things, saith, surely I come quickly Amen. Ev • n so come Lord Jesus.
Now • nto him that is able to keep you from falling & present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory & majesty, dominion & power, both now & forever, Amen. Jud. verse 24, 25.
Augustine. Lib. 1. Contra Epist. Petiliani.
Ambrose ad Valentinianum Imper. Epist. 31.
Seneca Lib. 4. de Benef. cap. 38.
Nazianzenus Orat. 1. de Concordia
Bernard. ex Greg. Mag. hom. in Ezech.
P. Voet. Jurisprud. sacra
Erasm. Simil.
Plutarchus.
Errata.
P: 1. l. 19. r. it. p. 6. l. 11. r. way o • p. 7. l. 13. r. lie specially. p. 14. l. 27. r. • w to p. 15. l. 32. r. peaceably. p. 18, l. 16. r. as true. p. 21. l. 3. r. far. p. 23. l, 2. r. to. p. 25. l. 24. r. solely. p. 26, l. 29. r. Complying. p, 28. l. 7 & 8. their. r. there. l. 12, r. therein. p. 29, l. 1. r. greatest p. 31. l. 35. r. speeches • p. 33. l. 41. r. herba
In some of the Copyes
48 • l. 9. or • uffering. r. of suffering