A R E VIE W EXAMINATION O F A BOOK, bearing the Title of the ISTORY OF THE Wtj,erein the Jawfulnefs of the acceptaoce of the peaceable exercife of the Miniftry, granted by the A£ts of the Magiflrates rndulgencc, is de- raonftrated, contrary Obje£lions anivvered, and the Vindication of fuch as withdraw from, hear¬ ing Indulged Minifters, is confuted. To which js added, a Survey of the mif chievous abfurdities of Sanquhair Declaration* the late Bond , and Rom, 14. ip. let us therefore follow after the things robkh mai^efer peaceyand things wherewith one may edifie another. / Prov .2/^, 21. My fan, fear thou the Lord and the Kfn mi meddle not with them that are given to change ^ &c. ^ - - — - - - - - - _ _ _ London-'. Printed httho^ 'Coc\eriUfiitz^Q*rbree Legs in the Poultrsy, over-againft the Stocks Marh^t. > ' t 3l A R eview and Examination of a Book, bearing the Ti¬ tle of the Hiflory of the I«- dulgence^ 8ic. AMongft the many fad tokens, and prodigious Prognofticks of Gods anger againft the Church of Scot-^ land^ our multiplied Divifions are none of the lealh The righteous and holy God being deeply provo¬ ked, hath armed every man againft his brother, fo that Manajfeh is againft Ephraim^ and Ephraim a- gainft Manajfeh, and they both together againft Judah. Aud the Lord hath hereby, in the open view of the Atheiftical and prophane world, pour¬ ed contempt upon the remnant of his people, that defire to cleave to his way and truth, and made them defpicable,' as a broken veflci that cannot be made whole again. And this is the more afflifting, that thefe contentions abound in a time, wherein the Proteftant Religion is vifibly in fo great dahgeu from popery and Popifh Plots. It therefore eon- terns all themi who are any thing affected with the A 2 wrath [ 4 ] wrath and anger of a jealous and provoked God? to lye in theduft, to Tcarch out their own fins and provocations, and fincerely bewail them before the Lord. And although the publick defections and provocations, ought not to be flighted, but much I’orrowed for , yet it is to be feared, that perfonal humiliation , repentance, and reformation, hath been little minded bv many pretending to the ab¬ horrence of publick fins. O that every one of us might find grace, ferioufly to enquire what we have done, and that (at fuch a time, when all fouls feri- ous exercife of Religion is like to evanifh into nbti.. ons anJ debates) every one of us would lay to heart the evil of his way, both as to acceflion unto publick provocations, and as to perfonal fins. It is now high time, when the Lord is fo vifibly taking Vengeance for our inventions. It hath been the fad obfervation of diversj that every new tryal hath been the occafion of a new difference, if notdivifion. The Lord partly, in his holy difpleafure, withdrawing light, andchaftifing his people forrheir fins, and partly trying, and cx- ercifing of them in that great duty of mutual for¬ bearance, fo little made confcience of j and partly difcovering infirmities, much drofs in his own, by the contelfs fo carnally managed. This we are now to inllance in the Indulgence, which al¬ though it was firft looked on as a favour and mer¬ cy from God, and the Minifters that imbraced it were advil'ed thereto by the generality of outed Minifters (a great part whereof were then at £- denboroHgh) \ yet now the contention about it is come to fuch a height, that the acceptance is cried C 5 1 down, as highly finful, and the hearing of Indul¬ ged M^nifters Preached and written againft , as utterly unlawful ; The Indulged Minifters have ge¬ nerally hitherto (for ought I know;, with much Chriftian meeknefs and patience, endured re¬ proach, finding that what Letters were fprcad abroad againft them > did contain nothing but high Magifterial diftates , without any fhew of arguments*, as alfo, they were refolved by their filcnce and forbearance, to evidence their great defire to prevent contentions : but now, left their filence fhould be looked on as faintnels , arifing from the conviftion of the evil of their Caule (which, it leems, made the Author of one of thefe Letters to write, that they never had the heart to dare to fpeak or themfclves) , I fhall fay fomething in their behalf. I roufl: confels, 1 amaftonifhed to read thefe Papers that are going up and down amongft the people, wherein with high and bitter words ( which I love not to re¬ peat), the Indulged Minifters are reprelented, as having acknowledged , and homologate a formal Ecclefiaftick Supremacy, afTumed by the Magi- ftrate , and having fubjefted their Miniftry in a direft line of fubordination unto his cognizance (as inferiour Civil Courts are unto the fuperiour^ ^ yea not only fo, but thefe grave and worthy Mi¬ nifters, who thought it their duty to notice, and bring to an account (ome few Probationer?, that were vifibly fowing fedition, and kindling a flame, are reprefented as enamoured with that Idol of Jealoufie (meaning the Indulgence), and as afted by the fpirit of Antichrift. And where- A 3 fore? ] fore ? Eccaufe they took upon thena to queftion the carriage of a fev/ hardy and extravagant young men, the tendency ot whofe way, will ere long make it to appear, what a fpirit they were aded by. But before I go further, 1 muft here proteft , that the perlonal reproaches caft upon thofe honeft Minifters, are not fo much the mo¬ tive that prevails with me to put Pen to Paper, upon this Subject , as refpeft unto the Truth, and publick Intereft of the Church ( the unity and order whereof feems to be wholly fliaken, and going to ruine, by the courfes driven on by I'ome), and to the Golpel of Jefus Chrift Preach¬ ed by them, who, i am fure, have been armed by Gbd in the Miniftry,' with a bleffingupon the fouls of many though it is like thele that now ieek to decry the Indulged Minifters , will not believe that ever their Minidry was blcfled and countenanced of God*, and how can they, feeing they look not upon them as the Ambalfadors of Chrift ? But blelTd be God , who hath looked upon them as his ArabiiTadors, and hath not left their Miniftry without the feal of a fenfible blefling upon many. But that I may inform honeft well-meaning people, who are jumbled and confounded with queftions about the acceptance of the Indulgence, and about hearing oi Indulged Minifters, 1 ftiall endeavour to lay the matter open in a plain con¬ ference *, The perfons conferring, fliall be a Mi~ nijisr not Indulged, but clear tor hearing Indul¬ ged Minifters : an ingenious Farmer^ who feru- ples to hear Indulged Minifters, and a preacher. 171 who is againfl: the hearing of Indulged Mini' fters. Farmer, Sir , it is now near Sun-fetting , I would be much obliged to you , if you would he pleafed to lodg at ray houfe this night. Minifler. 1 would be nearer the Church, ere I take up ray lodging ^ for I ufe to make ray Sabbath- days journeys as (hort as I can. Farm. You will be nigh ted ere you can come where you can have any lollerable lodging, and you may with eafe reach the Church to morrow be¬ fore Sermon-time. Min. Well, I am content to ftay with you. Farm. lafTureyouof welcom. When you have taken fomc refreOiment, Ifhall within a little ad- vertife you when to come to the Family-exercife i and after Supper I lhall defire half an hours confe¬ rence about a particular, with which I will not now trouble you. Min. I ufe to be heavy after Supper, I had ra¬ ther take a little time juft now, or, if the mat¬ ter be fit for a Sabbath-days difeourfe, we may confer upon it to morrow in our way to the Church, Farm, It is almoft all the matter of fome folks difeourfe upon the Sabbath i but for my Ceif, though I am fornetimes a hearer of fuch difeour- les upon theSabbath, I have no great pleafure in them, for I find notmy feif edified by them, as I was wont to be with the difeourfes which we ufed long fince to have upon the Lords day. As for going to the Church with you to morrow, I de¬ fire you would excufe me in that matter, for I A 4 have - -- - p,j- g 3 have not clearnefs to hear Indulged MinifterSs but you fhall not want company , for ‘there are feveralof my Family, who have clearnefs to hear, and I dare not hinder them., ^ Min. I commend you, in that you do not impofe your opinion in that matter upon others : but did you not once hear Indulged Minifters ? ^arm. I did *, but I have more Hght about the Indulgence than I had ; and I am much confirmed in withdrawing from hearing, by Si Preacher who is in the next Chamber ^ and, if you will, 1 fliall call him to the conference about the Indulgence i for this is the conference which I defigned to trou¬ ble you with after Supper. . Min. I think it very fit that you call him. Preacher. 1 have over-heard you, and half an invitation is enough to ingage me in that confe-, rence which ye defign ; but I defire, Sir, t|^t you and our Landlord may enter upon it, and 1 fhall. fpeak when 1 think it convenient. Min. Seeing you did once hear the Indulged Minifter, who is fetled in this Parifh, why did you withdraw from hearing him ^ farm. It is very confidently faid, by thofe who are acknowledged fpr able men, and very zealous,, that the Indulged are not the Minifters of Chrift, but of men. Min. It is as confidently faid, by as able and jealous men, That the Indulged Minifters are the Minifters of Chrift, and not the Minifters of men. But our faith and ,pra£iice, muft not be ruled by mens fayings, how confident foever the faycrs be t Ye know the Reformed Churches have, with de- C 91 teftation, rejefted that error of the Popifli Do“ aors, that people (hould implicitely, that is, in efFea blindly believe all that they fay, and do all that they direa. Farm. But do you think, Sir, that lo able and zealous Preachers would deceive us poor peo¬ ple ? Min. I do not fay, that they would deceive you *, but feeing able and zealous, yea, and god¬ ly men may therafelves be deceived ( tor the beft of men are fallible, and may err in many things, fo long as they Have corruption remaining in them, and know but in part they may deceive others in thofe things in which they are themfelves deceived, though they do not defign to deceive either theta-') felves or others. But 1 wonder how any can have the confidence to fay, that they are not the Mi- nifters of Chrift : were they not ordained Mini- fters by the laying on of the hands of the Presby¬ tery ? Farm. I acknowledg that they were ordained in the way appointed by Chrift to feed the flock of God. Min. Dp they not Preach the wholefome words of Chrift, and not the inventions and Dodfrines of men ? Farm. I cannot deny that, for they Preach the Doftrine contained in the Scriptures, which was taught to us incur beft times ; 1 hear of no change in their Do£^rine. Fr. Sir, we do not queftion their Ordination, they had their Poteftative Million from Chrift by the Presbytery 5 and if we fliould deny them to C 10 1 to be lawfully called, andfent to Preach the Gof- pcl, we Ihuuld condemn the Ordination^ and call¬ ing of all Presbyterian Minifters *, nor do we deny that they Preach the Gofpcl, and adminiftrate Gofpel Ordinances according to Chrifts inftituti- on y nor do we charge them with Preaching the Do- ftrines of men Min. Seeing ye grant that they are Pent of God, and that they i’peak the words of God, and not the Precepts and Doctrines of men, why deny you them to be the Minifters of Ghrift, and alledg that they are the Minifters of men ? Pr- They have renounced their former Miflion, which they had fro-m Ghrift, and have now their Poteftative Million from the Magiftrate, and have fubjefted their Miniftry in a direft line of Subor¬ dination to the Magiftrates cognizance, as inferi- our Givil Gourts are unto the fuperiour y and they have received their inftruOiions, for regulating them in the exercife of their Miniftry, from the Magi* ttrate. Min, I have feen thefe things, which you fay,Writ- ten and Printed, but they are lb manifeftly falfe, that I wonder how any could write them, and f am forry to hear you repeat them as if they were true y for the Magiftrate did not fo much as pre¬ tend to ordain them, or to make them Minifters^ for the Aift of Indulgence fuppofes them to be Mi¬ nifters, and only “permits them, or puts them to the exercife of the Miniftry. Thofe Minifters were fo far from renouncing their dependance on Ghrift, and their Million from him, that they at the firft acceptance of the Indulgence, declared ‘ . to to the Council, that they were the Minifters of Chrift, that they had received their Miniftry from Chrift*, and they were f'o far from fubjefting their Miniftry, and the matters of their Minift ry, to the Magiftrates pleafure , that they declared, that they were the I'ervants of Chrift in thefe mat¬ ters, and that they would behave, as became the faithful Minifters of Chrift*, and they were fo far from receiving the Magiftrates inlhu^fions, that they declared they could not receive from the Magiftrate inftruftions intrinfecally Ecclefiaftical, to regulate them in the exercife of their Mini¬ ftry i and the Author of the Hiftory of the Indul¬ gence grants, that Mr. Blair did give a faithful teftimony againft thefe intiru£tions, and that Mr. Hutchefon faid the fame upon the matter with Mr. Blatr\ and as thefe .Minifters did byword, in the prefence of the Council , fhew that they could not accept of fuch inftrudfions of their Lord- fhips making, and impofing, anddiddefign them impofitions , fa their pradice did evidence, that they did not accept of thefe inftruftions ^ and any who will but read Mr. /f’s fpeech at the firft In¬ dulgence , in which he afierts, That as they had received their Miniftry from Chrift, and full pre- fcriptipns to regulate them in the exercife of their Miniftry, fo they were to difcharge it, as they would be accountable to Chrift •, will wonder how any perfon, let be a Minifter , who had read that fpeech , could harbour any fuch ugly in¬ jurious thoughts of thefe Minifters , and much more that any could deliberately write and Print fuch horrid falflioods and reproaches of honeft Minift.ers. Barm, if C 3 Varm. If thefe things be fo as you have repre" fsrited them, itfeems, that the Indulged Minillers are wronged. Min. If you doubt of the truth of what I have faid, I defire you may read the Hiflory of the Jndul- genccy and you ihall find thefe things which I have laid here, recorded there. Pr, That cannot be denied, but that Hiftorian fays, that upon the matter the Indulged Minifters renounced, &e. Mm. That addition of the words upon the matter, is but a nieer blind, it may beguile fimple people, but no judicious perfon will be deceived by it, feeing there is nothing either i.i the matter or form of what thefe Minifters laid , or did, which doth import any fuch thing, as that Hiftori- an alledges ; and although thefe Minifters had faid nothing of their receiving their Mmiftry from Chrift, &c. before the Council, it had been a very uncharitable conftrudion to have conftiued their filence to be a renunciation of their depen- dance on Chrift, &c. but iCs a horrid injury to charge them (with the renunciation of that which; they exprtlly own before the Magiftrate. Pr. But Sir, have not they their Miniftry, and the exercife of their Miniftry in thefe Parifhes, from the Magiftrate ? Min They have their Minifterial calling , or which is all one. Authority, to exercife the afts of their Minifterial Office, from Jefus Chrift, as the fountain of their fpiritual power ; and this Minifterial Authority flowing from God , was conveyed to them by the Presbyteries, by which ini they were ordained Minifters according toChrid ^ inftituiion. But they have the peaceable publick exercile of their Miniftry, in thefe places, by the Magiftrate, under God. It’s the Magiftrates civil Authority , by which the penal Statutes, which rendered their Preaching hazardous , are remo¬ ved, or relaxed *, by the prote£lion of Civil Au¬ thority, they have the peaceable exercile of thek Miniftry, or they have freedom from raoleftation or difturbance, while they are exercifjng their Miniftry in thefe places. Before the of Indul-^ gence they had their Minifterial Authority, and did Preach upon hazard before they were Indul¬ ged j but by the Indulgence they had this benefit, that whereas before it, they were expofed to ha¬ zard wherever they Preached, whether in private or publick *, after it, they might Preach pubUckly, and exercile the other parts of the Minifterial Of- ftce, in fome places, without moleftation. ^r. Their accepting of the Indulgence , and the peoples hearing of them who have accepted the Indulgence, is an Homologation of the Su¬ premacy. Farm, Sir, I befeech you make ufe of fome o- ther word than that^long word, with the four O’s in it j for though I have often heard it^ 1 ingeni- oufly profefs 1 do ‘not underftand it. I always thought, that many of our Country people ren¬ dered themfelves ridiculous, by learning to fpeak words, like Parrots, which they did not under- (land That’s not the worft of it; for whem peer people are once brought to fpeak confidently they C 14 1 they wot not what, they may be brought next to do they know not what *, and to fturr.ble they know not at what : As it was indil'creetly done to bring in this long Greek word among unlearned people , fo this word is milerably mifapplyed in the bufmefs of the Indulgence > for to homologate, is to fay what was before faid, in the fame or like words i as when in a Court one declares his mind in fome matter, and anotlier tiles up after him, and fays the fame which he faid, in the fame, cr like words •, this laft fpeakcr is laid to homologate what the other laid before him. Now the Indul¬ ged Minifters , when they accepted the Indul¬ gence, were far from faying that the Magilirate had a Spiritual Supremacy, or an abfolute Supre¬ macy i they never faid it, they never thought it ^ they declare, that the Magiiirate hath not the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven at all, and muchlefs a Supremacy of Spiritual power •, and they declare, . that the Magiftrate may not do what he pleafes in Ecclefiaftical matters ; for all things in the Church of God muft oedone accord¬ ing to the will of the God of Heaven, and not ac¬ cording to the will of man ^ they were fo far frotri faying any thing for the Magiftrates Spiritual or abfolute Supremacy , or any thing that founded that way, that they faid much to the contrary, as appears in their fpeeches before the Council ^ and as they faid nothing founding this way, fo they did nothing in accepting the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry, which did any way import any approbation of any unlawful Supremacy ^ they grant, that the King is Supreme Civil Coyer- C IS 1 nour of his Kingdoms ; and that it belongs to the Magiftrate, as Magiftrate, to take off civil re- ftraints, which hinder Minifters from the peacea¬ ble cxercife of their Miniftry ; and that the Magi* ftratc fhould permit and allow Minifters to exer- cife their Minifteria! Office in his Dominions; and when the Magiftrate did this in the Indulgence, he did not exercife any unlawful Supremacy, but did exercife that lawful Authority which he hath from God, for' good ; and when they made uf^ of the liberty granted by the exercife of lawful Authority, they did not approve of any finful Su¬ premacy, but did approve, and make ufe of that lawful power which the Magiftrate hath from God. All Orthodox Divines grant, that the Ma¬ giftrate not only may, but fhould permit, allow, countenance, and protedi the exercife of the Mi¬ niftry of the Gofpel in his Dominions ; and w^hen there is need, the Magiftrate may command and compel Minifters to do the work of their Office, as appears from the Books of Difeipline of the Church of Scotland, Varm, ^ir, I am feared to fin *, and we are told, that there is fin wrapt up in hearing Indulged Mi¬ nifters. Min. We fhould be feared for fin, and for that fin, among the reft, of adding to the word of God ; they who make thefe aftions , which are not tranfgreflions of the Law, to be fins, do high¬ ly provoke God ; but they who make thefe acti¬ ons which God not only permits, but alfo com¬ mands and commends, to be fins, they fe^ them- felvesin the Throne of God, and annul his Law, and C ] and countermand the commands of the moft high God : Sin, ye know, is the tranfgreflion of the Law of God ^ before ye believe that the hearing Minifters of the Gofpel Preach the Gofpel, is fin, ye fhould require, that they who fay fo much, fhew you what command of God is tranfgreffed by your hearing Indulged Minifters \ for it ye be fo eafily driven from the worthip of God by ftrong alkdgraenrs, the Devil can alledg as ftrongly, and fuggeft it importunately, that it is a fin to pray in ■your Family, in which it may be there are fome profane perfons ^ and if ye be driven from Family* Worfhip by fuch alledgances, he will alledg, that it is a fin for you to believe on the Name of the Lord Jefus j and thus drill you (rom all exercifes of Religion, publick, private, andfecret. FarKz. But Sir, feeing 1 doubt if it be lawful tohear, Ivyould be damned if I did hear; for ye know the Apoftok fays, he that donheth is dammdy if he eat* Min. But if you take up doublings , whether ye fhould do what God hath commanded, and that upon roeer alledgances that thefe duties are fin, you lay your felf open to the tentations of Satan, who by this method will drive you from all duty, and by your doublings make void the law of God ; for he will ftrongly alledg, that it^s a- ftn to pray to God*, and if ye upon this doubt, fif ye fhould pray, and then upon your doubting forbear praying , what comes of the command. That menmuft always pray, and not faint ? There> is a great difference betwixt praying , hearing she word of God, and the eating of meats, which L 17 ] the Apoftle Ipeaks of in that fourteenth Chapter of the Epiftle to the Romans^ for it was once un¬ lawful to eat of thofo meats which was difeharged in the Ceremonial Law, and it was not neceflary by any precept to eat of thole meats ; fo that the weak Chriftian who did not yet underftand that the Ceremonial Law was abrogate , was under no obligation to eat of thole meats ; it was lawful to thole who knew their Chriftian liberty to eat (providing they did not ule their liberty unlealb- nably before weak ones, and fo induce them to do what they judged unlawful) and it was law- M to them to forbear ; the ule of thele things being at that time, as Mr. Rutherfurd Ihews in his Treadle of Scandal, every way indifferent. The doubting of thele weak ones , did arile from the Ceremonial Law , which was unque- ftionably the Law of God ; and there was no Law obliging them to eat of thele meats at that time ; and fo their doubting in luch a cafo at that time, was a doubt very incident to thole who did know the Law, and were tender of it ; and their know- ledg that that Ceremonial Law was the Law of God, and their fear to break the Law of God, oc- cafioned their doubting; and there was no hazard of fin in forbearing to cat , but there was fin in caring, fo long as their doubt remained; and there¬ fore the Lord would, not have the ftrong eating before thele weak ones j to wound their weak Confeiences., Hence it appears , that they who would from Por their forbearing to pray or ^ tb h^r fh^ word of God^ becaufe, forfooth, they’ B doubt [i8 3 doubt if they fhould pray or hear Gods word ; they fearfully mifapply and wreft that Scribtrire j for this doubt is no ways like the Jews doubt, a- aboiit eating of fnch or fuch meats • for the Lord had once forbidden to eat of thefe meats, but he never forbad the hearing of his own W ord, he never forbad prayer. 2. There was no command obliging thefe weak yews to eat of thefe forbidden meats at that time j but there is a command obliging us to hear the W'^ord of *God, and not to forfake the aflembling of our (elves together, not to defpife prophecying, and obliging us to pray without ceafing. 5. Thefe doubtings of the weak Jews was not damnable ; for they did not incur the hazard of damnation by their doubting , but by their eating with a doubting Confcience. But the doubting of thefe, tvho doubt if they fhould hear the Word of God, and if they fhould joyn with the Church of God in hearing the Word of God, in praying and praifing, their doubting is damnable, and they fhould repel it with detefta- tion and abhorrency, and not fb much as liften to fuch a fuggeftion of the Devil, who goes a- bout to make void the Law of God, by raifing fiich prophane and godlefs doubtings in mens minds, that he may drive them from all Religi¬ ous exercifes, to grofs profanity : And if people vt^ould obferve what abfurdities this doubting to hear Indulged Minifters, has produced, it might, through the bleffirig of God , be a means to de^ them of thefe doubtings. I doubt not, bu t C '9 T ye have heard of fbme, who from doubting to iicar indulged Minifters , have proceeded to doubt if they (hould hear any r-iini.zer wdid were for hearing Indulged Minifters ^ and Ibme have gone that length , that they would hear none but thole who were not only againft hear¬ ing Indulged Minifters, but alfo Preached againft the hearing of them • and fbme have doubted themlelves out of all hearing • and fbme are come to that, that they will not joyn in private prayer with thofe who hear Indulged Minifters. It’s true wifdom and tendernefs to repel doubts and fcruples, which hinder us from the W’orfhip of God, or move iis in it, that they may not get any entrance into our minds and confcieii- ces ; and if they have entered, w’e fhould caft them out wath dereftatioa Farm. But though that was granted, that there ivere no fin in hearing them • yet feeing they are not the Minifters of thofe Congregations where they are fetled, there is no obligation upon thefe people to hear them, feeing they are not their Minifters. Min. Some of them are in the Parifhes where they were ordained Minifters by the laying , on of- the hands of the Presby tery. Others of them, who had no accefs to the Congregations where they w^ere ordained, U’ere cordially invited by vacant deftitute Congregations j and the Mini¬ fters Concerned, approved of the peoples invita¬ tion: and of the Minifters gbing to thefe Parifhes. Upon, the peoples invitation. And what more cotil'd be expetted in a broken tinje, when, Pres- B % byterial C 20 J byterlal Government was broken, and General Affembles, Synods, Presbyteries, diffolved, and Presbyterian Minifters turned out of their Chur¬ ches, and difpcrl^d and fcattered through the Nation? If tbefe Congregations call at thefe In¬ dulged Minifters, and difown them as not their h-linifters, and fo think themlelves loofed of all obligation to hear them, they fhake themfelvcs lodle of any obligation to hear any Minifters ; for no other Minifters can pretend fuch intereft in theft Congregations as they really have, upon the’ grounds which I mentioned. If you be not obliged to hear the Indulged Minifter, who is in your Parifh, becauft he is not your Minifter, then upon the fame ground ye are not obliged to hear 'any outed Minifters, who occafipnally come alongs to Preach j for they are not Minifters of this Congregation : And if ye be obliged to hear them; though they be not Minifters of this Con¬ gregation, why are ye not allb obliged to hear the Indulged Minifters, though they were not Minifters of theft Congregations? They who fhake themftlves looft of any relation to the In- dulged Minifters, will very eafily fhake them¬ ftlves looft of any obligation to hear others. And this is the thing which the Devil defigns, to caft the people looft of all relation to Minifters, and of all obligation to hear any, whether Indul¬ ged, or no Indulged. And he hath gained this defign, as to fbme, who are come to that, that they think not themftlves obliged to hear any, except it be one or two whom they think the only witnefTe^ j and. others think themftlves ob- liged not to hear tliefe, and think it mu eh better to hear none, than to hear thefe, who teach fuch ftrange, and wild conceits, which tend to the conflifion both of the Church and Kingdom j and many finding, that all obligation to hear ay ny Minifters, is called in qiieftion, and that the hearing of Minifters depends upon their pum pleafure, they are better pleafed to ftay at hpmp on the Sabbath, than to go any Where, to hear any Minifter; and this is like to prevail with people who have not any true principle of Relir gion j for this is an ealie way, and pleafing to flefh and blood. Farm. The Indulged Minifters, do not bring forward the whole Reformation with them j they have no Presbyteries , Synods, General Aflem- blies • they have quit thefe : Our godly Anpe- ftors would have taken nothing, except they had gotten all , they would not have quit with a hoof- and feeing it is fo, how fhould we own them, or hear them, who are fo far degenerate from the zeal of the Minifters of Chrift who li¬ ved in former times ? Mm. This reafbn , if it w^ere good, would caft all the Minifters who are not Indulged, as Well as the Indulged ; for they want Presby terics^ Synods, and General Affemblies ; in the fields, or houfes where they Preach, they do not bring the whole frame of Presbyterian Government along with them where they come to Preach ; and if you do not difbwn them, becaufe [they want ge- nerel Affemblies, &c.. why fhould you difbwn Indulged Minifters upon this account? Willyou " B ^ add c 22 3 add ailllAion to the afflidcd ? And becaule the Lord in his righteous Judgments hath taken away ^hefe (blemn Courts of his Houie, which were great blefllngs to the Church, and hath fcattered his Servants ; will ye as far as in you lies, deprive them of the power of Preaching the Gofpel, be- caufe they have not accefs to the exercife of Go¬ vernment ? This looks like a judicial infatuation, to calf at any remnant of Gods Ordinances , be- caufe ye have not all ^ ddth this look like humi¬ lity ? or looks this like the frame of the Godly Ifraelites, who when the ftately Temple was ru¬ ined, yet took plealure in the Stones of yjon, and favoured the Duft thereof? a. General Aflcmblies, Synods, Presbyteries, vcere taken a^vay long before the Indulgence ; and therefore ’tis a fbolifh Calumny which hath no fhadow of likelihood, that the Indulged Mini- fters by accepting the Indulgaice, did quit thele Courts ; for they were quit and gone before the Indulgence ; the Indulged Minilters got fbmewhat of that which they formerly had, liberty to Preach without hazaid in fome places, and to keep Church-Selfions • but they quit nothing when they accepted of that. ’T’is a great wrong, done to our Anceftors, to alledge that they were fuch humorous Fools, that they would take nothing from the Magiftrate if he withheld any thing which was due to the Church : They did indeed defire all the Church¬ es priviledges, but they took what they could get, and made the belt ufe of it in the mean time, till more came. ' Although C 23 ] Althougli Queen Mary laboured to impofe Po¬ pery. upon the Nation , and was far from grant¬ ing all which She fhould have granted ^ yet as they, who were of the Reformed Religion, were far from fcnipling to feek and petition for liberty to their Minilters to Preach the Golpel ; fo when rhefe Petitions, or any part thereof, was granted, they, thankfully accepted of what was granted. And although King [fames and his Heirs and Suc- celfors have a vaft Supremacy fetled upon them. Anno 1 5r 84. P<3!r/. 8. James 6. And though he ex¬ erted thut Supremacy ; yet the Minifters, though they found themfelves deprived ot their priviledg- es, wiiich they judged due to .the Church, and though feveral of ^em wpre imprifoned, baiiifh- c;d,,lPf their adhering to thele priviledges • yet tiiey were always willing to take' the liberty of Preaching the Gofpel when the King granted it; and; when they pould not get' accefs to theiy own ^harges, they d'ld t;ake other Charges. Mr. Br.uce did not return to £jOT^z/rg.^i.,h'is'pi'Qper Charge, but to Larber ; .When Mr. S(;ri}p^eQur^ Minilier of Kinghorn^ was outed , he y;aS'fo glad when he Ireard that an honeft Minifter would be permitted to go to his Charge, thathefaid, O to have it but one day old, T would with joy bear him on my back , to. have the Go4>el preached to my poor people. Mr. Welchy a. man of God, when he was imprifoned in the Caftle of Edenbtirgh for holding the Alfembly at Aberdeen, he was fo far from refiifing to take liberty to Preach from the King, till he .repented andreftored the Churches priviledges, and till the Church got all that was . B 4 due; C 24 ] due • that he defires the Lord Ochlefree to carry a Petition from him to his Majefty, intreating for liberty to Preach the Gofpel : And thus he owned a lawful Civil Supremacy in the King, and fued for its lawful exercife, in granting the liberty to Preach the Gofpel, even when he was fuffering upon the account of his difbwning the Kings fpi- ritual or vaft Supremacy. Dr. Sharf , after his banifhment returns not to his own Charge, but to when permitted. In the Reign gf King Charles the Firft, they be¬ gin with a Petition to be free of Innovations, af¬ terward they Petition for an Affembly, they were not of that opinion, that they Would feek or take nothing from the King, except he would right all that was, wrong in the Government and Worfhip at the firft. The famous Affembly of Divines which met at We(lminfier^ and compofed the ConfefRon of Faith, Catecliifms , Directory for Wbrfhip , &c. when called together by the Parliament in the' year 164.2'. they were not only all nominated by the Parliament, but the Prolocutor was named and chofen to them by Ordinance of Parliament ; alfb they were limited fb as to meddle only with the exercife of dogmatick power, and that only in ' fuch blatters , as fhould from time to time be propofed to them by the Parliament ; and In cafe of difference among themfelves, they were to re¬ ceive directions from the Houfes of Parliament ; add befide many other things, that Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, provides in the clofe, that they in that Aftembly fhall not afllime to ex¬ ercife C 25 3 ercifeaiiy Jiirifdidion , Power, or Authority Ec- defiaftical whatfoever, or any other power than is herein particularly exprefled. Yet thefe Di¬ vines did not refule to fit, becaufe of the limita- dons and reftraints, although divers of thefe can¬ not but be looked on as incroaching too rriuch upon that Aflemblies liberty ; As alfo the General Alfembly of the Church of Scotland, did approve of the faid Alfembly, fent their Commiffioners to it, who took the Oath of the Alfembly, and their fitting in that Aflembly was approved , as the Printed Ads of our Alfembly do fully bear. I Ihall here infert a Paper intituled, • ■ ■ ; . s, Certain L C 1 - ^ U: Certain Gonfiderations, and Cauti¬ ons, agreed upon by tbe Miniflers of London and Wej^minjier^ and within the Lines of Communicati- on lime 19, 5646- According to which they refolved to put the Presbyterian Government in Exe¬ cution, upon the Ordinance of Parliament heretofore publilhed by Authority. Printed by T. K. and £. N, WE Mmillers of Chrifity rejtdent 'ivithm the Cities of London and Weftminfter, nnd^ lines of Communication^ halving feen and read an. Order of the Honourable Houfe of Commons Af- fembled in Earliament^ bearing date, June 9. 1 646. requiring, and enjoyning all th^ Miniflers of the Tro'uince of London, forthwith to yut in Execution the Ordinances concerning Church-Government, we thought it requifite humbly and faithfully, as in the fight of God, to flew our judgments and refolutions about this weighty matter, for clearing of our inte- and j>referving our Confcimces void of offence both towards God and man. We have fecondly., pondered the fate of things^ and find our felves, whether we act as is required^ or aB not.y ip a very great fir ait: On the one fide.. Prelacy being jafily fulled doonn^ and the Church miferably groaning under difcord and confufion, ma¬ ny things cry aloud up.cn us y in cur places^ to put Church-Government mto actual Execution, theGlo- ry of God, the edification of his Church, the duty of cur FunBions, the engagement of our folemn Cove¬ nant with God, the command of the Civil Magi- firate, which fo far as we can with a gocd_ Con- fcience, wo pr^ refolved, and hold it cur duty to c- bey ,- arid the prefent unjpeakahle miferies of the Church, by woful Divifions, Blafphemies, Herefies, abominable Lazinefs , Lihertinifm , Atheifm , the fpiritual ruines of many Congregations thrc-ugh falfe Teachers, for want of faithful Paftors, for lack of Ordination. On the other hand, upon confideration of all the Ordinances of F arliament about Church- Government, we fnd many necejj'ary things, not yet efiablified, and jome things wherein our Confciences are not fully fatisfied', and therefore in cur begin¬ ning to aB, we cannot but fee how finifierly we are like to., be interpreted by many, who are prone to mif- confiruB all our aBicns of this nature. We hereupon hold it necejjary, -to exprefs upon what grounds we may proceed to aB upon the Ordinances already efiablijhed by Authority, although that we conceive the power of Church-Cenfures, and parti¬ cularly the Lords Supper, to he in the Church Offcers, by the 7vill and appointment of fefm Chrifi, and from C 28 3 frotn him they recei that ye would be pleafed to forbear to fell upon this queftion' about the Indul« C?7 3 gence, before my Family. Let thefubietH: of youi difcourle at Table, and after Supper, be of pur* pofes which may be fitter to prepare us for i’aiiai- fying the Lords day, than this doubtlul difpu- tation. 1 hear allb from fome of my Neighbours, that fince their fervants did withdraw from hearing Indulged Minifters , and from the duty of Cate- chifing, they are become more ignorant andcare- lefs of learning the grounds of Religion, arid arc taken up with the Jangling about the Indulgence, as if that were the one thing needful, not to go to the Kirk, but to the fields, to hear Preachirig. And I hear th'ir Mafters complaining, that they are become more unruly , and make lefs cori- fcience of doing their work, which makes me ap- prehenfive, that all is not right in this new way they have taken i and to be ingenuous with yoii, 1 find, that my own withdrawing hath not been to my ad vantage, > and this prejudice againft the Indulged Minifters , who Preach edifying Do- £Irine, feems not to be to edification*, 1 fome- times hear no Preaching iipon the Sabbath, when there is no Preaching in the Fields, in the bounds j and I fometimes upon falfe Advertifements wander, feeking Preaching in the Field, and find it not ^ and fometimes there comes f reachers along, wbofe do- (ftrine is little to Edification, which makes me often think, that thofe of my Family who go to the Kirk, and brings away edif^ying Notes ol the Sermon , fpend the Sabbath much better than I do^, and when I compare their N tes with the Notes of fome o- thers, who go to the Field, who either bring away nothing, except it be a fair general, that the Preach- G 3 C38] er had brave work, and it was a wonderful Sermon, or Ibme refleftion upon the indulged Minifters,or iboic bitter inveftive againft the Magiftrate. I can¬ not but think, that they who go to the Church have the advantage of thefe who go to the Fields. And therefore 1 do not dcfire, that thefe of ray Fa¬ mily who go to the Church, may be hindred from going •, for I am edified by the Notes which they bring from the Church. There are none of my acquaintance for any thing I can perceive, bettered by their de¬ ferring of the indulged Minifters •, and this doff rine that the indulged Minifters fihould not be heaid, is a Doflrin from which ( for any thing 1 can fee J no edifying ufe can be drawn. The Lord incline our hearts to follow after the things which niikefor peace, and the things wherewith one may edifie another. J FarmS\r,you^lrt as good as your word, in refurii* ing. Have you brought the anfwer of the Hiftcry of the Indulgence with you. Minifi. Here it is. There are fo many Papers already extant, and never yet anfwered, which from the Holy Scrip¬ ture, and from the Writings of Orthodox Divines, do clearly demoF.ftrate the lawfulnefs of the ac¬ ceptance, of the peaceable Exercife bftheM niftry, granted in the Magiftrates A£fs of Indulgence, that it may feem a needlefs work to write any more up¬ on that Subjeff. And if the fad Confequehces which have followed upon this Queftion, did not render it I’crious, it were almoft ridiculous to move the C39l the Queftion whether thefe of the oiited Minifter® of the Church of Scotland , who after the Magi- grates Aft of Indulgence, did either refumc to their own Congregations, or not having accefs to re-' turn to their own Congregatiofts, did upon the In¬ vitation of vacant Congregations, and the Con¬ tent of the Minifters concerned, come to help thele defolate Congregations, till they might have ac¬ cefs to thele Congregations where they were for¬ merly ietled. Whether thele JVIinifters did right or not •, and whether thefe Congregations did right in receiving, and countenancing their own Minifters, or in inviting and countenancing thofe Minifters who had no accefs to their own Congre¬ gations, but had accefs to the peaceable Exercife of their M niftry among them ? They who will make a queftion, if it be lawful for Minifters of the Gofpel to preach the Gofpd to their own Congre¬ gations, or when they have not accefs to their own Congregations, if it be lawful to preach to defo¬ late Congregations, which carneftly defire them to come and help them *, they may make a queftion of any thing. And yet lorae have not only ftarted this queftion, but refolveditin the Negatives and not only fo, but they have raifed a horrible Hue- and-Cry after thefe honeft Mirdfters, for going to preach the Gofpel in thefe Congregations, as if they had been Thieves or Robbers, and have charg¬ ed them as Traitors, Betrayers ot the caufe , and what not?and have not only ftirred up the People to difown and defert them, but have commended their defer ting of them, as a necefiary tcftimony,foriboth, againft: Eraftiaavfm : and thus one of the vileft and G 4 C4o3 moft groundlefs Schifms that hath ever been in the Church, is made a fort of Martyrdom. This Doftrine was firft whifpered to the People in private Conferences *, then it was dropped now and then in the Sermons of one or two •, then fome rafli youths made it a great part of their difeourfe in publick*, then we had Letters and Queftions from Holland, with Advertifertient, that the Prefs was travelling with the Hiftory of the Indulgence, which is now brought forth. And although any thing to the purpofe in it, hath either been anfwer- ed, or grounds laid down from which it may be an- Iwered, in the Anfwers which were given to the ' Authors Letters and Queftions: yet becaufe fome have alledged, that this Book is lb irrafragible in its reafon, that the many who are againft it, fhall ne¬ ver be able to anfwer its Reafon, and a friend of this Hiftorfan threatned,that he would make all the Indulged Minifters run before him ^ and becaufe the People who withdraw from the Indulged Minifters, are confident that this Book will never be anfwered, and fo are hardened in their Separa¬ tion *, and becaufe there are many dangerous and deftruftive Tenets in this Book, and the Epiftle pre¬ fixed to it, which if reduced to praftice, would fill the World with Confufion; I lhall for Vindi¬ cation of the Truth, and out of Love and Corri- paflion to the People, who are deceived by this Book, and for the juft Vindication of the reputa¬ tion of the Indulged Minifies , who are very in- jurioufly reproached in this Hiftory, examine all that looks like reafon in this Book. And though I i be of their Opinion, that all that hath an7 IhadoW of Reafon in this Book, might be ajniwered fully m a few Pages •, yet feeing many are fopoife fled with a conceit of the Unahfwerablenefs of this Book, that if any part of it were left unanfwered, it would be alledged that it could not be anfwered, and this might be a fnare to the poor people, who lay fo great ftrefs upon this Book ; I hope the judicious Reader will forgive me, that I put my felf to fo much labour , which to him feemeth needlefs ; for though it will not only feetn, but be really need¬ lefs to the Judicious Reader, yet it isneceflary for the weak, for whofe fake I efpecially put ray felf to this trouble. The Hi dorian gives his Book the Title of The Hiftory of the Indulgence^ Rife f Convey • ance^ Acceptance together with a Demonfir ation of the Vnlawfulnejs thereof If under the name of Indul- gei\ce he comprehend all the Ails of the Magiftrate, which he records in this Hiftory, he abufes the word Indulgence, and he abufes his Reader ^ for there are feveral of the Ails which he relates, as for Example the Ail of Inftruilions, and the Ail of Fining the Minifters who kept not the Twenty ninth of May , which were not Ails of Indul¬ gence. The Ails of Indulgence were only thofc Ails which granted the peaceable Exercifeof the Miiiiftry to forae Presbyterian Minifters notwith- ftanding of the Laws which eftabliflied Prela(;y,arid enjoyned Conformity. But this Confufion runs through his whole Book, in which he would have his Reader believe, that the Indulged Minifters ac¬ cepted M cepted of all thefe A^ts, which he calls, or rather mifcalls by the name of Indulgence ^ and this con- fufion is one main foundation upon which his con- fufed Babel is found. Whether he hath deraon- ftraced the unlawfulnefs of the Magiftrates A£ls in which thefe Minifters are permitted, and allowed to preach the Gofpel, or the unlawfulnefs of the acceptance of -the peaceable exercife of the Mini- ftry, we will fee when we come to his Demon- ftrations, and his anfwers to contrary Ob)e^fions. As for his Vindication of fuch as fcruple to hear the indulged, it is a rare undertaking, and looks liker the attempt of a Knight errant, than of a folid and peaceable Divine •, for a fcruple ( as he might have learned from Amefins in his Cafes of Confei* ence, i Book, and fixth Chapter ) is a rafh and groundlefs fear, and therefore he hath been very ill advifed to undertake to maintain thoCe who fcruple to hear indulged Minifters-, this was a rafh and frantick aft of Cafuiftick Chivalry 5 his prowefs would have been better proved and ap¬ proved of all fober perfons, in fetting thefe peo¬ ple free from thefe ralh and groundlels fears ^ for that would have been a right Vindication of thofe Scrupulous people, to have delivered them from their rafh and groundlefs fears, which fcare them from their mercies, and the means of their Salvation , and was an injurious cruelty to their fouls. The Hiftonan defigns himfelf a Presbyterianr in great Letters*, and yet this Book is a Hiftory of warring againft Presbyterians \ and if it were fair War, it were more toUerable \ but as the War is groundlefs and unjuft, fo it is very foully raa- C43l naged, non amice faBnm ah amico. And though he be a Prcbbyterian in great Letters, in Hberiore forma, and the Indulged ftand before him in the frontilpiece ot his Bock^ in avery rmah Charafletj yet he fhould have remembred, that he was but one, and they were many, and it is hot a Presbyterian praaice, butaPopilh Prank for one toaigmatize, cenfure and condemn many, his Defighationfhould have put him in rainde of Presbyterian Pradlice , and that among Presbyterians, matters are carried by the Plurality of voices, and not by the will of one how great foever he imagine himfclf to be ^ but there are lo many things in this Hiftory, which arc inconfiftent with Presbyterian Principles, and which overturns the very foundation of Presbyte¬ rian Government, and of all Government*, and there is fo much Saty rick, infolent inful ting ever his Pref- by terian Brethren, that he had fome reafon to fear, that he would be taken for fome other fort of Crea-^ ture than a Presbyterian : and therefore he hath done as the Painters they fay were wont to do, when the Art of Painting was rude, and it was not eafic toknow where a Horfe were a Hdrfe or an Ox, what was defective in their Painting they helped it by writing, and in good great Letters wrote down, this is an Horfe, and this an Ox, that none might miftake. I cannot but refent the inju¬ ry, which he hath done to Presbyterians, and to their caufe, in calling himfelf a Presby terian, and then acting the part Ibroetimes of aPqpe, and fame- times of a Separatift , and venting extravagant , wild conceits, which are contrary to the received Tenets of Presbyterians but I am hopeful that no in- 11443 hgenious Perfon willimpute all this Authors con¬ ceits to Presbyterians, bccaufe he calls himfelf a Presbyte rian. Before I come to the Hiftory , 1 find an Epiftle to the Chriftian Reader written by the Hiftorians Friend, who was like-minded with him in thefe matters relating to the Indulgence. This Epiftle is particularly directed to the fuffering Minifters and Profeftbis of the Church of Scotland, To thefe Chriftian Readers, he lays, he need not tell them, that the knowledge of the Times, and what the if- rael of God ought to do , Ihould be their Orna¬ ment and Cognizance, diftinguilhing them from o- thers, who are brutilh in their knowledge. He hath an eye to that Scripture, iChron. 12. 52. mongthofe who were ready armed to the War^ and came to David to Hehron^ to turn the Kingdom of Saul to him^ according to the word of the Lord. Ver, 23. There arefomcOf the Children of JJfachar, V. 11, And of the Children o/Iftachar, which were men that had under flanding of the Times , to know what Ifrael ought to do : the Heads of them were two hundred^ and all their Brethren were at their com¬ mand. Thefe men of JJfacbar fpokeri of, were, as the Dutch Interpreters expound the place, under- ftanding and expert men, which are able to give good Advice and Counfel at what tinoie it were beft to attempt any thing, or defift from it, whether in War, or civil Affairs, as Bfiher i. 1 3. or in Husban¬ dry and Countrey Affairs. Some Interpreters re¬ fer this|to the knowledge of Aftronomy, as Diodate fhcws ; but Others ( fayes he ) tinderftand and take [45] it to be only wifdom and fagacity, either natural, or gotten by long cKpericnce, to dil’cern and know the very moment of Opportunities, a thing very impor-r tant, whence ordinarily depends the good fuccefs of Affairs Others (hew, that thefe men otJJfachar were men eminently skilful, and endued with pru¬ dence, to know what was to be done» and when, and gave evidence of this fagacity at this time , in taking this fit opportunity in turning the King- " dom of Sanl to David, and they were followed by their Brethren in this matter. This Knowledge of the Times was not common to all the ProfelTors in Ifrael ^ for if fo, this Know¬ ledge of the Times would not have been noted by the Spirit of God, as fomething remarkable in thefe men of JJfachar, And no doubt there were many Ifraelites who were taught of God, and were fufficiently diftinguiflied from thofe who were bru- ti(h in their knowledge, who yet had not this Knowledge of the Times, to know when it wp time to make War, and to make alterations in the State, in turning the Kingdom from the houfe of Saul to David, This Knowledge of the Times is very defirable , but every thing defirable is not a duty* Mofes wilhes that all the Lords People were Prophets *, but it is not the duty of every one of the Lords People to be a Prophet, and to Pro- pbefie. Again, there are feveral things which we are oblidged to have and to do, which yet are not the Cognizance, or the Badges and Marks where¬ by they who are taught of God, are diftinguiflied from them who are brutifli in their Knowledge ^ 't ' ' ' • ■■ '' . ac [461 as for example, an eminent meafure of Knowledge, of Prudence, of Love, of Afifurance , thele iO' deed , are excellent Ornaments, but they are not Badges and Marks common to all thole who are taught of God, and diftinguilhing them from thofe who are brutilli in their Knowledg *, for there are many honeft ProfelTors who are taught of God , who have not attained to thefe eminent degrees of Knowledge, Prudence , Love and AlTarance. Again, it’s the duty of all ProfelTors to obey the Law of God perfe ersfrom the flo’ck. He hath, I fay, the fame Ma- ^tfiratical Poorer j while he is a Heathen , as ■ wheti \ "he IS converted to the Chrifiian Faith and he is efjually head of men when Heathenifh , as when I Chrifian. I Oiall add no more of this, but that as the Magifcrate hath retrafted the Ad of Inter- comniLining madeagainftfeveralof the Subjeds, (b I vviOi that the Author of this new Ad of In- tcrcommuning againft th^ Magiftrate may retrad it allb. In the 4th pag^e of the Preface, he lays of the Indulged Miniirers,That they were men in as ill cate to have made or medled in the concern^ ofChrift and his Church, with the men with whom they had to do in their circumftancesj aS ever any godly men in our Church were. ' ' I ' Jnfw. I fee this Author hath a Way of judging die inward Frames and Cafes of others , and e- \Tn of thofe who Ih'e at a great diftance frorti, him ; not only in regard of place, but alfb of time. By what Evidence he knows the ill cafe of thefe indulged Minifters at the time of the Indulgence, and by what Evidence he knows the cafes of all the godly men, which have been in this Church, (for this he muft know, or elfe he 1 could not determine that the Indulged were in I as ill cafe as ever any godly men in this Church f were) I cannot conjeftare. He fhould cither : have held his peace of their ill cafe, or elfe he (hould have initanced it j for as he hath leftic. Ex in C68] in this uncharitable time, fome people may fii- fped much worle than any thing he hath to lay: It may be his informations and Reafons may be falle, or not conclndent ; and it maybe . his Reafons, if he have any , conclude only a- j gainft Ibme of the indulged ^ whereas he hath now left it upon them all , that they veere in as ill cafe as ever any godly men in this Church were. But luppofe they were in an ill cafe, will that prove, that it was unlawful for them to go and preach in thefe Parifhes which were either their own, or elfe being deifitute, invited them ? The exercife of their Miniflry might be, through the BlelTing of God, an cxcellejit means to better their cafe. I have heard it of fonie, who could well judge, that he had heard loine of thefe Mi- nilters beibre affirm, that they Preached much better lince their return , than they did before they were put out. if he knew his Brethren to be in an ill cafe, he ffiould have told them of it, ■ and have heard them what they had to fay, and then have coniidered , whether it were ft to have Printed their Cafe, and Publifhed it to the world. Whatever truth may appear in his di¬ lating this further, there is no great appearance i of Charity in this Method that he hath taken ; as we Ihould think on the things that are true, 16 on the things that are lovely, and Ipeak the truth in Love. What ground the Author hath for this Faith , by which he believes that the fmothering of what he hath laid concerning the ill cafe of his Brethren , would have met him at the , [^93 tlie Lord’s 'Tribunal, he knows befthlmfelf ; but X hope he doth not intend t6 obtrude his behet iip^ others, as an evidence of the truth of what he believes. 1 he belief of appearing before the Tribunal, fhoiild keep us from rafh judging oi our Brethren, Rom. 14.10. But why, 'doft that; page thy Brother^ or, why doft thou fet at naught thy 'Brother? IVe jhM all (hatJ before the judgment- Seat of Chrifi. And verf 4. Who art thou that '■•juda-ed another mans Servant'^ to Jm twn Map er he fandeth or falleth. Matth. 7.^ I . Juage not, that ye be not judged. Jam. 3.1. My Brethren , be not naany Mafers , krmvmg that 'we pah receioje the arefter condemnation, jam. 4. ii. Sgeak cm of another '(Brethren) he that Jjeaks evth of his Brother.) and judgeth his Brother , fpeaketh eojd oj the Law, andiudgeth the Law : But if- thou judge the Lavp thou art rM a deer of the Lavp but a jtido-e. I do not fee how he can CiCar liimieJ 01 rafh judging , except he knew certainly the cale of all the Godly men that have been in the Church i and becaufe Godly men may be fome- - times in a better, and fometimes in a worfe cate, ' he muft know their cafe when it was at the i worft , or elfe he cannot make a parallel of their i Cafe, and the Cafe of the Indulged Mihifters : ' Or elfe he muft know, that the Cafe Of thefe In- ■ dulged Minifters was fo ill, that no Godly men coulcf be in a worfe cafe ; and how he can cer¬ tainly know the one or the other, expepphe have it by Revelation, wdiich I think he will not pretend unto, I cannot imagine. I think it would ■ £3 not L7o1 not be raflinefs to fay, that his confidence in this matter hath gone further than his evidence could carry it; for as fearlefs and untender as he thinks thefe Indulged Minifters, I fuppofe they would have been afraid to have intruded fb far in the comparative judging of the illnefs of the cafe of any one godly Minifter, let be of fb many. In this next Sedtion he charges the Indulged Minifters with this new ftep of defedlion, and fays, That it hath had moft deplorable effedts, and that it’s like to be more fatal to the poor languifh- ing remnant, than any ftep of defedion to which ever any godly men were left in the Church of Scotland. If it be found that the Indulged Minifters have not made defedtion in their going to e.xercife their Miniftryin the places to w^hich they are indulged, nor in their Adts that were previous to their going to thefe Congregations, his charge will be found falfe, ’and hemuft find out fbme other caufes of thefe. deplorable effedts of which he fpeaks, than the pradice of thefe Indulged Minifters. There are many good effeds of the exercife of their Mi- niftry in thefe Congregations ; feveral have been converted ,‘ many edified and built up in their moft holy Faith.',' The- renting and mine of the Church, which he fpeaks of afterward, will be found to have proceeded from other caufes, which I love not to narne, and npt from the Miniftry of thefe Minifters in thefe places, or from their pra¬ ctices which went before their Preaching in thefe Congregadons. The The firfl decree of their defe£Uor*? we heard before, was this, That they made or medled widi the Rulers at all. He is againft all Addrefles to them • and therefore according to his opinion, when the Magiftrate called for thefe Mmifters whom they intended to indulge, they ftoiild have fent them word, will neither make nor meddle with you, nor can we make any Addrefs to you, except it -be to tell you we can make none. Now how this could have confified with common ci¬ vility, and how it could have confifted with the duty of any SubjeTs towards Rulers, efpecially with the duty of Miniilers, who fliould be ex¬ amples to others in all dutiful, refpedlful behuT viour towards Superiors , 1 cannot underhand ; I fuppofe the Author v/ill not get many to '^r>te with him in this vote of Non-addrefies ; 1 doubt much if he was of that opinion himfelt at the nmc of the firft Indulgence : but we had enough m this before a. He taxes their embracing of the indul¬ gence. :>. their giving thanks to the givers. 1 heir not giving Teftimony againlt their invahor. c.Their going and continuing to exerciie their Mi- Itryinthele Parilhes to which they w’ere Indulg¬ ed • for he defires them with much earneftnds to deliver themlelves from this Indulgence, by icxim quifhing thole Congregations. The embracing and accepting of the Indul¬ gence, is taken ordinarily by thole who quairel^ with the Indulged Minifters, for an accepting ot all that is in the Magiftrates Acbs that relate to the Indulgence, and lb they alledge they acceptcc E 4 C72l ^ ihrln&riidions, ’Cf'c. BiU’this is a manifeft miftakci the IndLiJaed 'Minilters know belt themfeivesk v_ ivhatt’hcy did make iiie of in the Magiftrates In-- dnigcncc; aixi Mr. Hutch lueech fhews whit it was that they acknowledged as debrable and: fcfrething to them, c'-en the free liberty of theiptiithck excrcife o-f-'their Minihry, under the prorcctioii of lawfnl Authority. I hey fhew they ,, had been under a long reltraint ; and this liberty and free bberty ( as it is called afterward ) .of the , ptiblidk excrcife of their Minili:ry,’s oppofed to that " civil rc.;raint which the Magiirrate had laid on them:? bv reafdn of which they could not, with-- ' out hazard or great difturbance, publickly cxer- cife their Miifncry, as waiitingthe Magiftrates Pro- tedion, and being cxpoled to the hazard threat-^ ned in the penal .St-jtutes, whicli did inhibit the piiblick excrcife of the Minilfry. 7'his piibhck ex-' erdfe, free from this reftraint ; /or this publick ex- excrciic urcer the preaeftion of lawful Aurhority,; IS he fame ivith the publick peaceable excrcife- of the iX'iinifri-y : this they acknowledge as a fa¬ vour: andwhy mav they not accept of freedom from I ekrairit., ivhich had been upon the piibJick cxercife of tiieir Miniftrv, and accept of the Pro- teefion of lawful Authority, and give thanks for it ? The peaceable excrcife of the Miniftry is a great ■ benchr, and it's acknowledged, that the publick peaceable excrcife of the Miniftry, is by the Ma- , giftrate ; and therefore it was very lit that they Ihpuid thankfiiliy. acknowledge this. ■ It is a w^onder to me, when I hear men who , fhoiild C73l fliould have more than commnn ingenuity, al¬ ledging fo confidently , that the Indulged Mini- fters received and accepted their Miniltry , and Inftrndions to regulate them in their Miniftry ,from the Council j and that they alledge this after they have leen what M. H. (poke in their name, who acknowledges no more as received from the Ma- giftrate, but liberty or freedom from the reftraint that had been upon their Miniftry, and their Pro¬ tection of lawful Authority in the Cvercife of it ; thougli he had faid no more, I think this fhould have been fufficient to have prevented fuch falfe alledgences ; but when he hath (aid further in the’ face of the Council, that they received their Mi¬ niftry from jefus Chrift , and full prefcriptions from him for regulating them therein, that yet they will alledge that they received their Miniftry and inftruClions from the Council, is even afto- nilhing, and (hews what force Hiimburs and pre¬ judices have upon mens minds. I come next to his Queftions ; and he asks, I. If they could after this'thelr 'acceptaf/ce and giv¬ ing tbanJis to the Council^ h ave with dr aivn from that appearance, and fetledthemfdves before Chrif j efm , the King of his Church,and with a fweet ferenitj of foul have had confidence to offer their thanks to him for being helped to witnefs a good ’Cdnfejfion againfi the wickednefs of this Invafion made by the overturn- ' ers of his work, upon his Royal Treroga.tive, who built theheufe, and mufi bear the glory, for it was either then or never, that this was to have been done ? [74] Anf. I perceive this Author hath a way of iur. truding upon the (ecrets of his Brethren; as be¬ fore he judged and condemned their frame and cafe, fo here he lets up a new fort of Inquifition , and will have his brethren give an account to him and the World of the ferenity of their Ibuls af- - rer they had been before the Council: Although I am in charity bound to think, that thefe Minifters had this ferenity of foul after what they had done before the Council, and that they can declare this when they find themfolves called thereto ; yet I think this new Inquifition is a dangerous prepa-: rative. I foe not what Authority he hath to put his Brethren to give an account to him^ and to the World, of the frame of their foul, nor what obfir gation liethupon them to give fiich an account to him ; if he have a particular Warrant to ered ftich an Inquifition-Court, let him fhew how he came by it; if he have no particular priviledge for this, then any one may do what he does-; and if every one may make fuch Inquifition, and all the Lords people and fervants be obliged to an- fwer every Inquifitor that foarches after the focrets of their fouls, this would be much more intolle- rablc than the Popifh Inquifition, and Auricular Confellion ; for this makes every man that pleafos, an Inquifitor, and obliges the party inquired, not only to round his focrets in the ear of one , but t© publilh them to the whole world, and that upon the Inquifition of perfons who are rafhly ftifpicious, or prejudged againft them and their way. How [753 How often have good men , after they have done what w^as good and acceptable to God , been aifaulted With temptations, and perplexed with doubts and fears, about what they had done ? I hope he will not fay that they were upon the inquiry ofperfons prejudged againft them , and the good which they had done, and who were waiting for their halting , obliged to tell thofe prejudged perfons and the whole World , that they were under fuch doubts and fears about what they had done; for befide many other evils that would follow upon this, it would give occafion of fpeaking evil of the good which they had done , and harden thole who were adverlaries to the good deed they had done, and might occafion others to doubt of the I^wfulnels of a good aftion. Befide, this fort of Inquifition, if it fhould take place, would draw out fecret fins to the view of the world, and make them publick Icandals, and would raile liilpicions offcandals without ground; as for example , if afufpicious perfon might in¬ quire and oblige any other perfon to anfwer to this queftion. Could yc, after yc come from liich q place or Inch company, have confidence to of¬ fer thanks to God for helping you to overcom.e the temptation ye had to uncleannels, theft, drun- kennels, and to bear witnels againft the fiovS^ of the perfons ye were with? If the perfon be fi enr and give no anfwer, the fiifpicious Inquifitorwall be more confirmed in his fiifpicion, and readily conclude the man guilty. It the man be really guilty, and yet clears lumfelf, he fins by lying.^ i: 7^1 Ifh^confefs his guilt, he makes a fcandal in an unwarrantable divulging of his fin ; and though it may be he hath behaved himfelf blamelefly , yet a tender perlbn upon flich an enquiry may readily be put to a demur, and iiifped; that he may at leaft have omitted fbmcthing which he ought to have done, and fo cannot give any prefent ac¬ count of the (erenity of his foul in that matter, which will encreafe the finful fulpicioufhefs of his Inquifiteig ’ and though he be altogether blameleft, and his Conlcience ferene, yet the very queftion- ing of filch things, is apt to breed (ulpicions and fcandals. But to come to his Qneftion, His defigninit is to hnd the Indulged Minifters guilty by their own Confeffion of the negled of a Teltimony againft the wickedilefs of this Invafion made by the overturners of the Work of ChrilL The Qneftion is. Whether it was the duty of thofe Minifters at that time, to give in a 1 efti- mony of that nature ? He determines, they fhould have done it then or never. Now he hath fo con¬ ceived his Qneftion, that whether they anlwer yea or nay, he will conclude them guilty for not giving in fucha Teftimony as he requires at that time ; for if they fay, they were lielped to wit- nefs a good Confefllon againft this wickednels , then he will conclude, that then it was duty to give in fucli a Teftimony as he requires at that time • for to make a Confeffion good, it’s re¬ quired that it be foafonable ^ an unfeafonable Con¬ feffion is not a good Confeffion, for the foafonable- nefs 'ofa Confeffion, is one of thofo things which are [77 3 are required to the goodnefs of it • and a good thing is made up of intire caules, but any defeat makes a thing evil. _ . , • Again, it cannot be faid, that men with lereni- ty ot foul can have confidence to giveChrift thanks for helping- them to give an unfoaibnableConfeiTion, or a Confelfion out of feafon. But again, if they anfvver, that they were not helped by Chrift to give Inch a good Confelfion ; then he will conr dude, that they are guilty of neglefting to give in that Confelfion at that timo,leeing it was a good Confelfion, and lb feafonable, which if they had^ given, they would have done it by the help of. Chrift, and would haye had matter of tliankl- giving j and feeing they have not done it, they have not been helped by him to that which was good and their duty at that time. Thus whether they anfwer his Queftion affirmadyely or nega¬ tively, he will conclude them guilty. The Author made his Addrels, as he lays, not as an acute dilpiitant, but as a poor, blunt, plain, open-hearted man, in a few plain Qiieftions; he fhould not after liich a profelfion of plain-deal¬ ing in the very Entry, begun with Sophiftry, with a Caption , from many Interrogations. Soloj^on lavs, Pyov. 9. 8. .RepYO^e not ci ScoYfieY^lujt hc hdis thee. So that a man may forbear to reprove a Seqr- ner, and yet not be guilty of a finful neglect ; but by liich a captious Qiieftion as this, any mail who hath been with, and heard Scorners, wfil be found guilpy i for if ye fpear at hanii, wwe ye helped by Chrift to witnefs a good Confelfion a- gainft fueha Scorner, or to give a good repipof C781 to fa ch a (corner? if heanfwer, that he was not helped to give him a good reproof, then ye con¬ clude that he omitted good, and (o finned in not reproving him ; whereas Solomon forbids to re¬ prove him. If he (ay, he gave him a good reproof, then he calls that good which the Scripture for- biddeth ; or if this queltion be moved to one who hath not reproved a man when he was not in a ca(e to receive reproof, fuppofe when in drink, or in the hdght of rage, dr when in fiich diftemperj and under (lich prejudice , as the reproving of him would hinder him from doing (bme good that he were about to do, and in all probability make him worfe; if the per(bn perceive not the captioufnels and fophiftry of the Queftion, but an%er yea or nay, he will be intangled j butfuch may eafily anfwer the Qiieftion thus, i. That they did not reprove fich a perfon in fuch a ca(e : and a. That it was not good to reprove him in fuch a cafe, or at (iich a time ; and that therefore he was not guilty of neglecting a good reproof, be- caufe it was not fea(bnable to reprove at that time. If the Prefacer Would have dealt as plainly as he promifed, he (hould have plainly proved, that thefe Minifters (hould at that time have given in (iich a Teftimony as he requireth. The com¬ mand that requires the making of CbnfelTion, is an affirmative Precept j and though it be obliged at all times, yet doth not oblige to give a Tefti- mony at all times; we mull: never deny the truth , but we mud: not ever make Confeflion of k, as all Cafuifts grant. We do not hear that [79l MoCts and Jaron made any formal proteftatlon againft bar nobs and avowed Rebellion againlt God ; they heard him lay, Who is the Lord that I (hould obey his Hjoice^ to let Ilfael gO ? I know not the Lcrd^ neither will I let Ilracl^o: They make no Proteftation nor Declaration a- gainft this blalphemous Speech , and avowed Rebellion againft God ; they only IheW their Warrant, and humbly infift in their Petition: and yet thele extraordinary Embaffadonrs ofGod, were in another manner of capacity for doing this, if it had been necelfary and fealbnable, than ordinary Minifters are^ read Exod. 5'. 3. Nor do we hear that the other Children gave any writ¬ ten or verbal Proteftation againft the making of the Image, and Proclaimation to worlhipit: Nor Daniel give any w^ritten, lltblcribed, or verbal Declaration againft the making, figning, pnblilh- ing of that Decree which dilcharged all Petitions to be given to any for thirty days, but to Darius , which was to make him God alone: All that they did , was , they did not obey, but aded contrary to thofe godlels Decrees, and chuled rather to liiffer death than obey them. Nor did our Saviour fpeak any thing before Hercd^ though a vile man, when he was before him. Chrift held his peace a long time before the Council, and when he Ipoke, he gave in no written or verbal Prote¬ ftation againlt the Council , it’s conftitution and corruptions, nor againft the lentence they pro¬ nounced againft him as a Blalphemer. Nor when Fatil compeared at Rome, do we hear of any Pro¬ teftation againft themonftrous abominations and per- [8o3 perfcciitions of Nero. Many Martyrs and Con- ' fefibrs did forbear to make piiblick Proteftation againft the Idols and Idolatry of tlueir Perfecii- tors ; and all that many of them faid, was this , That they were ChrijiMiis^ and np'n that ftiffered. How many, both private Chriftiansand Minifters, have appeared before the Council, fince the Su¬ premacy was eltablilhed, who did not think themfelves obliged to give in a written or ver¬ bal ConfelTion , Teftimony , or Proteftation a- gainft the Supremacy, and the Invafions made upon the Government of the Church? and yet the Author of this Epiftle urges none of thefe with his Queries; but only the Indulged Minifters, though they have fomewhat to fay for their for¬ bearance of any fitch Proteftation which others had not, feeing they ivere called to the Council in a time when the Magiitrate was relenting fbmeivhatas to the feverity formerly iifed, and they were called to get foilte relaxation from tire reftraintlaid formerly upon them; and their irri¬ tating of the Magiftratc, might not only have pre¬ judged themfelvesof that freedom, but alfo have been prejudicial to others who were in expedta- - tion of it, who might very readily have blamed them for their imprndency in trifling their Pro-, teftation with that feafbn, not only to their own prejudice, but to the prejudice of others. And , I leave it to the Confideration of indifferent per-: fons, whether or not the Magiftrate would in ^11 probability have laid, Thefemen and others . of them made no Proteftation againft u$ when we turned them outjand fubverted their Govern-. mentj meiit, but now when we begin to fhew favour to any of them, they grow more infolent, and therefore it’s belt policy to forbear our favonrs,arid to life feverities. And feeing all thefe Brethren , and the whole Presbyterians in Scctlan£l^\^QVQ con¬ cerned in the Invafions made upon the ChiircH , and were concerned in the bad effedls that might have followed upon the imtation of the Magl- ll rate in that jimdlure of Affairs, if it had been fit for a few private Miniiters, without the concurrence ofall concerned,orat kit without their counfel and advice,to have given in fuch aTeltimony or Pro- teitation as the Author requiresiand it’s well known that no fiich conciirrerice was otfered, nor fhch advice given to thefe Miniiters by the refr of their judgiuent, who were concerned in this matter. 1 fhali not repeat what the i\uthor of the Anfwer to the Ccmtrey-rnans Scm-ples anent the Indul¬ gence, hath laid , concerning Teftimonies , in which he hath fhewed from Scripture and fb^ lid Reafbn, the rafhnefs and unreafonablenefs of thofe who have condemned the fuftering Mini- Iters, and the Indulged Minifters, for not giving Teftimonies : He hath excellently difcovered from Scriprure when Teftimonies are to be given, and whe i not ; when they are feafbnable , and vvhen unleafbnablc: He hath alfb Ihewed how written Teftimonies which Synods had prepared when Prelacy was coming in , particularly the Synod of Fife, were obftrufled by the MagUtrates railing of thefe Synods • and that they who had no clearnefs to make any life of the Jndulgence, did obftruift the written Teftimbhy-'Which was F - pre- [ 82 ] prepared againft the evils which were in the com¬ plex ads, which related to the Indulgence ; he. hath alfb fhewed how many Teftimonies have been given by word in Preaching , and before theX-ouncil, and by ruffcring , and by not obey¬ ing, the Inhrudions of the Council. I Ihall only (hew, that the Minilters, who firft appeared before the Council, at the firft Indul¬ gence, did witnefs a good Confefiion in the pre- lence of the Council. . They declare that they had received their Mi- fiiftry.from jefus Chrift • and after defign them- felves^the Minifters of Jefus Chrift : They fpeak of their Miniltry as Vaul did of liis Miniftry, Atls aa. ^4. The faith he, which I ha^-e re- cemei of the Lord Jefus. And by the way we may take notice, that the Miniftry is not a meer Power or Authority, but comprehends the exer- cile of that Authority, the exercile of the Mini- fterial. Office ; for Vaul (peaks of finiffiing the Mi- iiiftry which he had received, which unqueftion- ably points at the exercile of his Miniftry ; and they defign themfelves as defigns Minifters, 1 Cor. 4. I. 'Let a man fo account of us., as of the JAinifers of Chrif. z Cor. ii. ag. Are they Mi^ mfiers of Chrifi} I Jpeak as a fool I am more. They who quarrel this part of their ConfelTion, muft fall firit upon the Apoftle Vauf or rather upon the Holy Ghoft; for the Apoftle Ipoke as he was moved by the Holy Ghoft. z. They declare that they had received from Chrift mil prefcriptions for regulating them in jdieir Miniltry ; as they had acknowledged Chrift the the 2lwr of the Miniftry, fo they acknowledge him the Law- giver from whom they have the prefcriptions to regulate them in the Miniftry, both in their entrance into it, and percife of it : then they declare that thefe prefctiptions of Chrilts are full ^ This excludes all other prefcriptions though they had faid no mote but tharthey had received prefcriptions from Chrift to them ; this would have flifficiently excluded all other prefcriptions: For the prefcriptions beifij the prefcriptions of God, we muft not diminilii frorri them i and fo tvemuft not admit any Rules contrary to them, or that derogate any way from them; and we muft not add unto them, be- caufe they are his words, Tro'u. 36. y, 6. 7uordofGod ts pure - add thou not to hts vJords^ Jed he reprove thse^ and thou he found a lia'i . And then feeing Chrift hath given thefe prefcriptions to regulate Minifters in their Miniftry, this (hews that thefe prefcriptions areaperfedl; Rule; a Rule milftbe perfe(ft, elfe it iS not a Rule, as our Di¬ vines maintain againft the Papifts in pleading fbf the perfedion of the Scripture ; feeing Chrift hath given prefcriptions to his Minifters to regulate them in their Miniftry, thefe prefcriptions are pei - fed, elfe tliey were not fufficient to reach the end of regulating. His work is , perfeT, he is fakh^ ful in his hoiife, as a fbn over his owit houfey he hath finifhed all the work that was given him to do. ■ , ^ But when they further aflert, that thefe pte-* fcriptions were full, this did Clearly exdilde ;all ocher prefcriptions for regulating dtein' iul “theiy Fa. ^ [84] Miniftry as fiiperfliious, and as Additions to that which God had made full and perfed; biitlaftof all, thisfis one of the Lords prelcriptions, that we fhould not add to his \\'ord, nor diininifh from it, Deut. 4. X. Again, that is another of his pre- icriptions, that they do all in the Name of the Lord JeJ/fs: And feeing they are the Miniiters of Chrift, and their work, the work of the Miniitrv, received from Chrift, any that will not Ihut their eyes may fee that they behoved to be regulated by his prefcriptions alone in the matter of their Mini- ftry. 5. They confefs Chrift to be their Judge to whom they were countable in the difcharge of their Miniftry: for thefe are the words which rrir. Hutchefon fpoke in their name, We ha^ve re' ceived our Mini fir y from ye (us Chrifi, with full prefcriptions from him for regulating us therein ; and mufj: in di fcharge thereof be accountable to him. This, doth clearly evidence that they behoved up¬ on their greafeft peril to adhere clofely to th& prefcriptions which they had received from the Lord Jeftis : Seeing they were to give an account unto Chrift how they had difcharged their Mini¬ ftry according to his full prelcriptions, and that they could receive no ocher prefcriptions befides Chrifts prefcriptions to regulate them in the ex- ercife of their Miniftry. 4. They declare how defirable and refrefh- ing the exercife of this their Miniftry was to them. y. They declare what power they acknowledg¬ ed in the Magiftratej it’s not a lawlefs but lawful Au- Authority which they acknowledge ; they acknow¬ ledge no other power in the Magiftrate but what is the Ordinance of God ^ for fo they defcribe law¬ ful Authority the excellent Ordinance of God : They declare it’s the work of Magift rates to pro¬ tect the Minilters of Chriftiii the exerciie of their Miniftry. , , , i 6. That they purpoled and refolved to behave themfelves in the difcharge of their Miniftry with that wildom and p'udence which became faith¬ ful Minifters of jefus Chrilf. _ . u • 7. They declare that they continued in their known judgment in Church-affairs j they did let the Magiftrates know that they had not altered their Judgement in Church-affairs, that they were ftill Presbyterians; and all who have^ any knowledge of the Judgment ot Presbyterians, know that they own Chrift for the alone head of the Church,and fountain of Church-au¬ thority, and that they are as op- pofite to Eraftianifm as they are to Prelacy. That they arc fo far from aferibing a Supremiacy of fpiritual power to the Magiftrate, that they profefs that the Magiftrate hath not any power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to him ; and that it doth not belong to the Magiftrate to ordain ordepofe, fiifpend , excommunicate , or to exercife any Church-cenfures ; and that it doth not belong to him to form Church-Canoys, or to preferibe In- ftrudions for regulating Minifters in the exc rcife of their Miniftry ; and that they are of that judg- ^ ^ ' F 3 ment. Jbsir judgment is l^iotvn from toe Confk(Jton nf faithy chap. 23. yirt. 3. ch. 23. ajrt. 6, ch. 30. I - ch. ■31. Art. 3. [80 ment, that no Magiftrate, nay, nor all the powers (in earth, though they were united, can difpole of Ecclefiallical matters according to their WiE dom or pleafiire j feeing the things of the hoiife of the God of Heaven, muft be done accordiiig to the wifdom and pleafure of the Lord, and not according to the wifdom and pleafiire of Crea¬ tures.’ ” Thefeand many other Te'netsare known by all who know what Presbyterians are, to be their known and profefi'ed judgement. Now feeing they declared their continuance in their known Judgement , and adherence to their former prin¬ ciples, and that to the Magiftrate, and had de¬ clared before their refblutions to behave as faidi- ful Minifters of Chrift , and that they believed the account they were to give of their Mihiftry to Jefus Chrilr. They did fliew to the • Magi¬ ftrate, that they did not, ilor could not approve of powder or adts of the Magiftrate which were contrary to their judgements; for that had been fb far from becoming the faithfulnefs of the Minifters of Jefus Chrift, that it could not con- fift with common'ingenuity.' 'g 8. And they clearly enou gh infinuate that there was an oppofition betwixr their, known judgeH ments and the actings of the Magiftrate in fiib- verting Presbyterial Goverhmbnt, and fetting up of Prelacy, and other adlings contrary to Pref- byterial Principles ; fbme whereof I mentioned before : This oppofition is clearly infiniiated and imported, while they fay, And to demain our fehes toTvards lawful Authority , notwithfiandin^ of ' our C 87 1 kmyivn Jurkment in CburcUnffmrs , m w'eU ier (ometb Loyal Sub jells ■■ for if the Affairs of the Church had been then according to their known liidsment, that [ notwithftanding ] had been mpertinent, and could have had no;ftfferable fence. But Church-aftairs being feticd by the^ Magiftrate, contrary .to the kfiown ludgment of Prefbyterians, feme might have alledged, that Presbyterian Minifters would not be Loya) ^to¬ wards lawful Authority; to obviate this, they fay, That notwithPianding their known JndgcniciUS, they would behave as Lo3'al Subjects. g And hence they declare to the Magiftrate that there was no difloyalty in their Pinnciples or pradice ; of their Principles, that their known iudgement in Church-affairs, and the faithful di- fcharge of their Miniftry , according to their known Tudgement, did well conhft with; lOyalty, and with that refpea which from a piincrple ot Confcience they did owe to lawful Authority, though it did not conlift with fomeof the a^bings of thofe who were in Authority. . ; lo.They modeftly declare the low efteemthey tiiey had of themfelves, in faying they were t^e unworthieft. of many ot their Brethren ^ and they fo far from ielfithncfs, in defiring to partake ot this liberty alone, that they exprefs their d.elife that others of their Brethren may be fhareis oi the liberty which they enjoyed. r \ It appears from what is laid, that thele Breth¬ ren witnefled a good Confeftion before theCoun- xihand the Author of the Hiftory of thedndnl- geuce, hath in this refpedl done right to thefe ? • ’ F 4 Brethren, t 88 T Brethren, and good fervice to the Church, in Printing the Speech which Mr. Hutchefon fpoke in their name before the Council. If any object, that their Teftimony is not good, becaufe they do not exprefly and in terminis teftifie againft the Invafions made upon the Church. I would defire thefe to confider, that in faying fb, they condemn the Teftimonies of many Martyrs , who in their Confellions ohly exprelfed the truths which they did believe j and fbme of them only in the ge¬ net al aflerted that they were Chriftians. They condemn alfb our Confefl ion of Faith, which doth not lb exprefly, and in lb many words refute and rejed many dangerous and damnable errors, but doth only alTert the truths oppofite to thele errors; yea, they condemn the Teftimony of the Holy Ghoft in the Scriptures, which is good and perfed, and yet doth not in terminis^ and exprefly mention every error which is contrary to the truth, but leaves the refutation of many of thefe grrors to be gathered by good confequence from what is faid in the Holy Scriptures ; and they condemn alfo that good ConfefTion which Chrift witneffed before Vcntius Tilate, in afferting him- felf to be a King ; for he doth not exprefly mention and rejed all the errors which are con¬ trary to his Spiritual Kingdom. > And feeing I am fpeaking of Teftimonies, I lhall mention what the Indulged Minifters, who were called before the Council for not keeping the 29. of Maj^ declared in the face of the Coun¬ cil. As they had agreed, that Mr. Hutchefon fhould declare that the Magiftrate had not a power for;- C 89 3 mally Ecclefiaftical, and that they could not re¬ ceive Rules intrinfecally EcclefiaftiCal fforii the Magiftrate : So Mr. Hutchefon to prevent the Coun¬ cils giving them any liich inftrudlions, defired that their Lordlhips would be pleafed not to burden them with impofitions in the matter of their Miniftry, wherein they were the Servants of Chrift. And after Mr, Alexander Blare^ who was called before Mr. Hutchefon , had Ihewed that he could not receive (iich inftrudions to regulate him in his Miniftry; Mr. Hutchefenhe- fore he was called, fpoke againft their L, L. impofing Rules intrinfecally Ecclefiaftical for re¬ gulating Minifters in the exercife of their Mi- niftrv, who were the Servants of Chrift in thefe matters: And after when he was called, he (hew¬ ed that a formal Ecclefiaftick power could not be allowed to the Magiftrate ; and (everal others of them fpoke to the fame purpofe. As thefe Mi¬ nifters have not received thefe Inftrudions, fo they have declared to the Council, that they could not receive them; befide what we ob- ferved from M. Hutchefons Speech at the firft Indulgence , there are here other things obfer- vable. ‘ " I . T'hat he defgns them Imp&fitions , and fo he Jheu's that they looked upon them as incr caching and intrenching upon their Miniferial calling. t. ' In afjerting.^ that the Magifhate had 7ict a power formally Ecclefapical, he tefiifed againfi E- rafiianifm'y and did further (how. That the ’Ma^ gifirates \vork is not to form Rules or Infir uBions which are fcrmallj Ecclefiafikal ; for all ABs which . are C 90 ] fite 4ntnnfeeall^. anchf6r.malj.y EcckfiajHcal^ mufi ht elkite hy a pwer is formally .Ecclefiaflkal \ the giving infruHions formally Ecclefiafikal^ is the formal ejfeB of an Eocle/la/ikal .Inf ruBor as it is not , proper for the Magi f rate ,, but for Phyf- tians to give medicinal Receits , which . mufi be dr awn from the art or faculty of Medicine \ Ncr is it. proper for the Magifirate to make a Phyfical JjireBory to regulate Yhyf tians in their giving of Thyfical Receits j for this were an intrenchmg and breaking in upon the Thyfitians Calling. So it is not proper for the Magifrate to make Rules in- trinjecally Ecclefafical j for thefe mufi be drawn j from the Word of God^ feeing they are for the^ or-^ dering of the Matters of God ^ and when there is need of forming any fuch Rules or InfiruH'kns, iPs the proper Work of. thofe to whom the publkk Explication and fipplkrttion of the Word of God be¬ longs : Ehe forming of fuch Canons hath in all Ages been the work of Eeclefiafitcal Synods.^ who had not the power of the Sword j and confequently the forming of fuch Rules is not. an. AB of the power of the Sword. g. In afl'erting, That in their Minifiry^ . and thefe matters which were the exercife of it., they were the Servasits of Chrifi ; they did ^aew that they could not admit of any Impofitkns which would pre¬ judice their Adafiers Jervice and that in thefe me tr ters they were not at their own dijpofal, and mufi not aB ex proprio arbitrio, nor pro hominum im- perio, but exChrifti obfequio- that is ^ That they were neither to he ruled by their own wilf nor the will of men., but by the will of Chrifi in thefe Mat" Matters. ihey did fut m the words formally and mtrmfeeally Ecckfiafncal , hecauje the Magi- (irate may make civil , laws about Church-mattersy as IS acknowledged in the feccnd Book of Difciylmey Chap. lo. where it is faid, That he may make Civil Laws and Ccnfiitutmis agreeable to Gods word^for the advancement of the Kirk and policy thereof y though he may not make Canons intr in fee ally Eccle- ^ were good Confelfiohs made before the Magiltrate by the Indulged Mmifters , and the fnlleft i know hath been made by any before the Magiftrate : Although perfons while they are un¬ der DfEiadices agalnit tliefe Min ilLer&, make no- thinff of any thing thefe fay or do ; yet when thefe humours and perjudices afe removed, and the carriage of chele Minilteri is impartially con- fidered, ineeniious and unbyaffed pedons will not only dear'^ them of theunjiiftafperfions caft iip- on them , • but commend; theni, that that they have beenfo imjuftly abnied, and that they have fo long born fo many injufies with fo gr^at patie-nce.’ 'The attempts ot the Author of the Hiftory of the Indulgence , to make nothing of thefe Teftlmonies, as they di - coverthe frength of humour and prejudice, lo the vanity of his attemps will appeamwlfen we come'to Examine them. I comie to the feeond Queition in the Epiftfe to the Reader. Secondly, faith he, let me ask. Are they fo very clear and confident in the cafe, that tlAy^ cannot on- \ly in dealing with men, hold up thek face , cm '>^fl(firm without hink or heft at tony (hat this is theiy‘ [90 rejoycing, e-ven the Teftlmony of their Confdevce , that in [im^Ucity and godly fincertty^ not with, flejhiy wtfdom, but by the grace of God they have had their Converfation before all men, and more a- bundantly towards thefe backfiding Rulers, before whom they appeared, now declared enemies to the work of God, and Invaders of his Throne and Tre- rogative^ But are they alfo content to be carried be- fore the Tribunal of Chrifi with this acceptance from thofe which have exauBcrate then Lord and Mafier in their hand , and to have the quality of their love to the coming of his Kingdom, and their Loyalty unto Chrifi fefus now oppofed , and put from the exercife of his Royal Government by the party indulging in this very Indulgence , tried by fuchatefl? It otvere fit fare to think on this , and lay it to heart, for each Receiver may lay his account with it, that foon or fyne he jhall be put to^ it. Anf Before I come to anfwer this Qiieftion , I cannot but advertife him, that in faying, with¬ out any limitation or reftridion, that not only the Magiftrate hath exaudorate Chrift, but alfo that Chrift is put from the exercife of his Royal Government, he hath laid a ftumbling-block be¬ fore weak and ignorant people, which mayoc- cafion them to imagine that Chrift is quite van- quifhed, .and denied of all Authority, and put fpom all exercife of his Kingly Office. There are fuch loofe Rhetorications in the Cup of cold Water , which may occafion fimple people to think, that Chrift is quite difpoffeft of his Crown and Throne. If any will read the Anfwer to that Queftion in the Wger Catechifm, How (^oth, Chrilt C 93 1 Chrift execute the Office of a Kin?»? they will fee, that he exercites his Kingly Office, not only by^Governing his Church vUibly, in calling it out of the World, in giving Officers , Laws and Cenfures, but alfo in beftowing laving Grace upon the Eleft ; rewarding them for their obedi¬ ence, correding them for their fins, prelmuig : and fupporting them under all their temptations i and lutterings,"reftraimng and overcoming all their enemies, and powertully ordering all things for his own Glory, and their own good ; and allb in taking vengeance on the reft who know not [ God, and obey not the Gofpel. I Now 1 luppofe the Author of the Letter, will not imagine that the Magiftrate intended to put [ Chrift from the exercife of his Royal Government, I as to many of thele Ads of his Kingly Office. It’s a (ad truth , that the Magiftrate hath fubvert- cd Presbyterial Government, which is a part of thevifible Kingdom of Chrift ^ but it is not the all of Chrifts Kingdom ^ wherever there is a vi- lible Church called'oiit of the World, where the Word of God is preached, where the rmth is born w'itnels to , and the Sacraments Admini- ftred, there Chrift executeth his Kingly Office, and there is Ibmething of his vifible Kingdom. Ido not think that the Author of the Epiltle will fay, that the Magiftrate intended that there Ihould be no Church, nor any Preaching pf the W ord of God in Scotland. T.. What ever may be faid of the Ad of Su¬ premacy, which is lb terribly vaft, that even Mr. Burnet in his laft Dialogues infiauates, that it can- [94] I ' cannot bear a ftricft examenj and that fbme ex- prefllons in it miift carry with them a tacite ex- ' ception ; yet it is manifeftly falfe, that the Adt of Indulgence did any way oppofe the exercife of Chrifts Royal Government • for the Adt of Indulgence allowed Chrifts Minifters to preach the Gofpel of the Kingdom, to keep Kirk-Sef- fions, which is one of Chrifts Courts. As for the Queftion; I wonder how be dare call the fimplicity and godly fincerity of thefe Mini¬ fters in queftion, or how he diirlt doubt of their Loyalty to Chrift, and of their love to the com¬ ing of his Kingdom. I am bound to think, that it was the defire which they had of the coming of his Kingdom, which moved them to defire the, peaceable exercife of their Miniitry, that they might make full proof of it in Preaching, Bap- tifing, celebrating the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Catechifing, Vifiting, exercifing Bifci- pline without difturbance, which they could not have attained in an unfetled ambulatory Preach- * y ing. As thefe Minifters think themfelves bound to praife the Lord, and to be thankful to the Ma- giftrate for the peaceable exerc fe of their Mini- ftry,fothey could not according to thefe thoughts that they then had, and ftill have, with peace in, their Confciences, refufe to take this opportu¬ nity of the peaceable, ferled exercife of their Mi- niftry. I would enquire of him how he knows that this acceptance of freedom from that reftraint which had been upon the publick exercife of their Miniftry, will be a telt betdfe the 'I'ribunal 0f i Chrift,' L9n i thrift by which their love to the coming of hi» I Kingdom, and their Loyalty to Chrift will be tried.. Acceptance of a freedom of this nature, if conh- derecf fimply in it’s own nature, is no teft of love I to Chrift, or Loyalty to him j becaufe this is a favour, that a Minifter voidof Grace, may bede- firousof, and take, as any man who is reftrained from the exercife of his calling whereby he hath his livelihood, will willingly accept of freedom from that reftraint. And Id a Minifter who hath no love to Chrift, who hath been reftrained from the exercife of the Miniftry, will willingly ac¬ cept of a relaxation from that reftraint ^ and therefore this acceptance fimply confidercd, being a thing common, and not a thing accompanying Salvation, is not capable of being a mark or teft, I gf Love or Loyalty to Chrift. It were an imper¬ tinent and foolilh Cbueftion if one fhould come to a poor man come out of Prifon, with this Que- ftion. Are ye content to be carried before the Tri¬ bunal of Chrift With your acceptance of free¬ dom from your Prifon in your hand, as a teft of your love to Chrift ? If the man had any know¬ ledge, he would anfwer, that acceptance of free¬ dom from Imprifonment, is common both to good and bad ; and therefore he behoveth to feek for other marks and teftsof his love to Chrift' : if he would further urge and fay. If your commg out of Prifon, be not a teft of your love to Chrift, I and your Loyalty to him, then it was not law¬ ful for you to come out of Prifon. The man might anfwer, that there are many things law¬ ful and commendable, which are not marics- and tefts c 9n tefts of Love and Loyalty to Chrift. Now itfeem^ this is the thing that he would be at, that if this acceptance of freedom, &c. be not a teft or mark of Love or Loyalty to Chrill:, that then it Was finful. I think it a ftrange thing to fee a rational man profeffing , and as I fiippofe, de- figning plainnefs, making flich captious con- fufed Queftions. I fhall not fay, that the Au¬ thor’s Qiieltions are the Qiieftions of a blunt man j but all the point 1 can perceive in his plain Que¬ ftions, is in the captious confufednefs of them. His third Qiieftion is ; If they helk've that Chrifl who purchafed his Churchy 8cc. In this Que- ftion, if the Indulged Minifters believe that Chrift who purchafed his Church , &c. lives to make IntercelTion, &c. And there are fome things which he fuppofes the Indulged Brethren will not, nor cannot deny, which are not fb clear as to be be¬ yond the poftibility of denyal; as for example. That Chrift procures by vertue of the price he hath paid, the execution of the written ven¬ geance upon all who ftrive with him for ftate and fupremacy, gtc. And afterward , That the Mediator who is fet down at the right hand of God, intercedes and pleads by his blood, by his wounds and paflion, for the execution of the pur- chafed and promifed vengeance. I do not re¬ member that I have read this before, that the price Chrift hath paid, doth procure vengeance ; the purchafing and promifing of vengeance, are exprelTions new to me j mens fins procure or de- ferve vengeance, and God threatens vengeance. Purghafes and Promifes are of things that ate / good. C97l [ good. I (hall only move this Queftlon, By what ‘ evidence was he allured, that none of the Iri^ dulged Minifters would or could deny, that Chrill intercedes and pleads by his blood , by his wounds and palTion, for the execution ofven- , iviio have ufed fuch exprelTions as thefe which he I ufesin this matter. I find feveral Divines reftrD I tfting Chrilts Frieltly Interceflion unto the Eleft j I and they look upon his Prieftly Office , as an Of¬ fice of Grace ^ and herein they diftinguilh Chrifts Kingly and Prieftly Office , which the Socinians Would confound- that the Prieftly Office, and that , part of it, the Prieftly IntercelTion, is for the Elect, and is not for punilhing of enemies, as the King¬ ly Office is. EJJemMsm his Triumpbus Crucis^ pag. ^79. (hews the diftinftion of the Kingly and Prieftly Office of Chrift, by aferibing to the Prieftly Office the Sacrifice and Interceflion, and the punilhing of enemies to the Kingly Office, and after in the fame page he (hews, That fhsJmer^ [98 3 ' cefiiJn (differs much frcm the Kingly AHs^ a?mng whiAr Kingly ABs he reckoneth the ccmpefcing or ^luajhing of enemies \ and he fheweth, lhat e'ven Crellius, thtugh he labour to confound the Kingly and Triejlly office of Chrifi^ yet he affiigns feme differences , and this is cne^ That it belongs to Chrifi^ as 4 King^ to puniflr, but tohim^ as a Priefij it belongs only to ex-- piate the f ns of the people. 'And Marefus in his Syftems of Theology, in ■ his I o. Common-place, 1 hef 57. taxeth the^oa* mans for confounding Chrilts Kingly Office with ■ his Prieftly ; and in his Annotations fubjoyned to his laft Edition of that Syftem, he fays, As thefe tiao offices miffi not be divided.^ cr drawn ajlundef\ or feparate, fo they [Iwuld not he confounded • for Chfifls Priefily Intercejftcn in Heaven., is only for the EleBy hut his Royal Posner is exercifedy as in calling and ^ proteBing the EleB , fo alfo in refraining^ com- pefeing, and puni filing the enemies of his Churchy and in that fame icth. Chap. Thef 55-. Annot. A. In, which refpeBy the blood of the New Covenant is faid to cry for better things than the blood of Abef Heb. 1 X. 24 for the blood of Abel requireth ven- geneanccy but the blood of Chrif feeks and obtains Grace and Peace,. And the. excellent Dodor Owen in his Exercitations prefixed to the Continuation of the Expofition on the 4, y. Chapters of the Epiftle to the Hebrews y Exercitat. 8. pag. 117. faith. For neither did Chrif as King, expiate and purge our finsy which could be done only by a bloody ' Sacrifice j nor doth he as Priefi fubdue his enemies ' and ours , which is the work , and whereunto the ' power of a King is required > — m brief , as a PriefiT- ■ he- L 99 ] . te. interpofeth "With God for m ; as a iCing^ he aas from God towards m. Pag. iiy. For the Kingly power of Chrifi is intended unto his enemies , the fubhornefi of them^ and tho fe who are finally fio ; but Chrifi is a Trieft offered and intended only for the EleB. Pag. i fpeaklng of the Offices of a Riiig and Priefr, confidered abfolurely, he fays^ That the Offee of a King is founded in nature^ the Office of a Vriefi in Grace the one belongs fmen^ AS Creatures capable of Tolitical Society ^ tbe other jvith refpeB unto the fuffrnatural end only. Pag. i x For that the Office of Friefihood is that faculty anc^ power., whereby fome yerjons do Officiate with God, m the name and on the behalf of others , hy offering Sacrifices, all men in general are agreed. And thereon it is confented alfo , that it is in ff s entire nature difiinB from the. Kingly F ower and Office. Pag. 1 14. For e-aery Friefi, as we ha-vefnew- ed, aBs in the name , and on the henalf of men with God-, but a King in the fiame, and on the be¬ half of God, with and mvards men, as to the ends of that rule 7vhich God hath ordained. The ffrieff reprefents meii to God, pleading their caufe.'-, tbe. King reprefents God to men, acting his Fciver — for all the aBs ofth^ Frieflly Office, belongs to oala- tion and interceffun -, and thefe effeBs cenfifis either in I. Avemmeatione mali, or proairatione boni j thefe they affeB morally only by procuring and ob¬ taining of them. Fhe ABs of the Kingly Office , are Legifiation.^ - -defiruBion of enemies, and the like. Pag. 1I9. fhe fpecial nature of his Sacerdotal fntercejjion, whiff) confifis in the moral efficacy of his Mediation, 'in procuring Mercy gndt Grace. And G ^ [loo] in his Expofidonon the 5-th. Chap.v. j,z. where the Pr'eftly Office is defcribed- For o'ver-j Htgh- i riefi taken from among men^ is ordained for men in things pertaining to God for men^ is Jome- times vice cr loco, mthe fieadj Joh. 10. ii, 15'. ; Chap. 13.38. Sometimes pro only ^ as it denotes the final caufe, as to do a thing for the '/ocd of men^ iTim. 10. And boththele fenfesmay haaje place here’, for 'where the fir fl intention is , the latter is always included", he that doth any thing infiead of another, doth it always for his good-, and the High- , Triejl might be fo far faid to (land and aB in the (lead of other men, as he appears in their behalf, reprefented their perfons, and pleaded their cauje , and confejfed their fins, Levit. 16.21, But in their behalf, and for their good and ad'vantage, to per¬ form what on their part is with God to be performed, is evidently intended in this place and pag. i 5 o. he expounds the things pertaining to God t* r hof the Exprejfion is eliptical and facred j hut what is intended in it, is fuff dent ly manifefi, the things which were to he done with God, or towards God in his worjhip, to anfiwer the duties and ends of the Office of the Triefihood’, that is, to do the things, where¬ by God might be appeafed, atoned, reconciled, pad- ' filed, and his anger turned away ; fee Chap. a. 17. - and pag. 136. He ffieweth from the Text, Float Compaffion is a qualification of an High-Friefi for their \ relief, who are fenfible of their ignorance and wan- \ drings ’, and therefore are apt to be cafi down and dif- j couraged ; and that it is a qualification required in '• the Vriefi, and necejfary unto him fior the afore (aid end,--’ — Set it is faid of our Saviour, the great High- ' Friefik [lOll reconciliaticn for the fins of the fcople’, mil htercefion for rrnnfgrejjirs. _ " 1 fhall only add one other, and that is Tbcmas Gcochmn B. D. in his Treatife entituled, The heart of Chrifi in lifnajen^ to finners on earth. Part. z. 1 8 8. Ftrfh, r faith he) this Office cf High-Priefi- hocd, u an Ofjice erected wholly for the ffiewing of Grace a77d Mercy,^ - the Office of the High- Vrieflhood, is altogethen an Office of Grace, and I may call it the Pardon-Office, fet up and erefted hy God in Heaven , and Chrtfi he ts afpotnted the Lord and Mhnfler of it : and as his Ktngly Office, ^ an Office of P cover and Dominion, and his Pro¬ phetical Office,, an Office of lOmvledge and IVifdom', fo his Prtcfily Office is an Office of Grace and Mer¬ cy the High-Priefs Office did properly deal in m - thing elfe‘, if there had net ken a Mercy-feat in the Holy of Holies, the High-Priefi had not been at all ap¬ pointed to go into if, It was mercy, reconciliaticn, and i atcncmesit for finners, that he was to treat aheut, and I fo to Officiate for at the Mercy-fat he had ether- : ways no work, nor any thing to do, when he ffiousd : come into the moffi Holy place. Now this vhrs but a typical alltffion to this Office rf Chrifi m Heaven-, ; and therefore the Afofile in the Text, when he fpeaks ^ ; of this oilr High Priefis being entered into Heaven, he makes mention of a ‘Tarone of Grace - and this IS the very next words to my Fext, Chap. y. J 3, verleSjZW which he gives alull dejer/ptien of anHigh- Priefi, and all the properties and rccyuifites, that were to be in him. Pag. i 89" the great and ejjtntial ay./a- lifications there jpecifed, that were to be in an High- Pried, are Mercy and Grace. - IPs faid he was G 3 Ci02T ordained for men. - that is., for mens caufe, and for their good- - pag. 190. thus you fee the ends which he is or darned for., are all matter of Grace and Morey - the qualification that was required in an High-Vrief, was., That he jhould be one that could ha-ue CompaJJlon - Mercy and Compajjion is that which is here made thejfeciaf assd therefore the only mentioned property of the High-Priefi as fuch , and the Jfecfical ejfential qitalficdtion that was inward¬ ly and internally to confitute him. The Reader will find much npre to this purpofe in theplace cited- but from whathath bin cited froni the x\uthors mentioned, whofe Books are common, and no doubt have beenfeen by the Author of the Epiftle, he might have feen, that it was great rafh- nefs to fuppofe that none would or could deny, that Chrift by his blood didintercede for vengeance. Thofe Authors mentioned, have a far other np-taking of Chrifts Prieftly Office, and of that part of it, his Prieftly Interceflion by his blood ; for they think his Prieftly Office was wholly an Office of Grace , and altogether an Office of Grace , founded In Grace and Mercy and that Mercy is an effential qualification of a Prieft, as a Prieft • that it’s an Office for men for ' expiating fin , and not for punifhing it ; that the defigne of it is mercy and grace j that the Prieftly interceftion is only for the Eled , and in this diitingui filed from Chrifts Royal Power, which as it is for proteding the Eled , fo it is for pu¬ nifhing the enemies of his Church. w But fuppofe Chrift did intercede by h^ blood againft fqme 3 I enquire at him,, how he knows knows that he intercedes by his blood for ven- Sri upon the Authors of the Indulgence? what knows he but (bme of them may be eleft • I am S will not fay that the blood of Chrift which was (hed on earth for the Eleft, doth plead a- gainft them within the vail in Heaven ; if he &y , that he knows they are all Reprobates, he knows more than the Author of the Cup of coU mter knew in the year 1678- 1°"' P^S- therele fon,e of the fo far left at Drelent as to run along;, courje. 1 n pe Km not take on him to fay, They have fin¬ ned the fin againft the Holy Gholl If oy ven¬ geance he mean eternal vengeance, he muft con- dude them Reprobates; if he Man temporal vengeance, how knows he that Chiiits Kood -pleads for that? We fee Aam> as Priefi, Itood tetwixt the dead and the living to ftay the Piague; he made an atonement to avert the wram ot ' God, and not to bring it on ; Nuwh. i6. 46, 47, 48. And the Plague which came after the nurn- bring of the people, is ftay ed by building an al¬ tar, and offer mjr burnt -offer mgs and teace-offerings^'L Sam. a4. Again, whatfoever Chrift intercedes for by his blood , he obtaineth it ; now how knows he, that temporal ven¬ geance will certainly come upon It belonged to the Fried as Friej't:,to blejs in the name of the Lord for ever , 2 Chron. 23. vviix - - - J - X the Authors of the Indulgence . May not Sovereign grace avert the temporal jiiclg. ment which mens heinous fins have de.ferved ? who can fet bounds to the Grace of Go , ^jjioo bath Mercy on whom he will ha^’je Mercy, and hatli G 4 Ci04l fnewcd mercy to (bme of thole who were the chief of Tinners ? Snppolc that were granted, that Chrift did by his blood intercede for vengeance, and that the Author of this Epiftle could condcTcend up¬ on the particular perfbns againft whom Chrift intercedes, and that he intercedes againft the Au¬ thors of the Indulgence, becaufe of the complex of this deed of the Indulgence j yet this would make no dilcrepancy betwixt Chrifts IntercelTion in Heaven and Mr. Hutebefens Speech upon earth ; for except he proves that Chrift intercedes for vengeance upon them, for their taking off the ci¬ vil reftraints of penal Statutes, and granting the peaceable exercile of the Miniftry • all he lays , is nothing to the pnrpole: For Mr. H. and the Indulged Minifters did give thanks for this, and not for the complex of the Indulgence j for they never gave thanks for the InftriKftions. Ke will never prove that Chrift as King, willeth the exe¬ cution of vengeance upon Magiftrates, for rak¬ ing off fuch undue reftraints; and much lefs will he be able to prove that Chrift as Prieft inter¬ cedes by his blood for vengeance upon that ac¬ count. And as for the Prayer which is in the end of Mr. Hutchefons Speech , That the Lord would hlefs his Majefly inkis Perfon at^d Go^enment^ and their L.T. in the fublick Adminifiraticn thatw^as according to the Lords Command, i Tim. 1. 1,2,3. where it is exprelly Laid, That this praying for Kings, and all that are in Authority, is good and accepahle in the fight of God onr Saviour. And what they meant by his Majefties Government, is dear, C 105 1 clear from what they faid before in the Defcrip- tionof Magiftracy, which they defign lawful Au¬ thority, and the excellent Ordinance of God. See¬ ing Mr. Hutchefon fpoke according to the good and acceptable will of the Lord, revealed in his word, this alledged difcrepancy betwixt Chrifrs In- terceffion and their Speech, is one of the Authors roaveries , a Melancholy dream , with which he may affright himfelf^ but the Indulged Minifters are not fuch weak Fools, as to be affrighted with his many terrible words of terroiir, trembling , confufion of face, Ihameand aftonilhment. This minds me of thecenfure which I faw of him in an Anfwer to the Hiftory of the Indulgence, that he hath hoyav^ paffions without reafon. The Indulged Minifters believe, that they have fol¬ lowed the Lords w^ill, in not flighting the oppor¬ tunity of the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry, which the I.ord in his good providence did offer to them ; and they look upon the diredion tvhich they had from the Lord in this matter, tochiUc the good, and refufe the ill; and upon the Lords alllftance of them in the exercife of their Miniftry, and his helping them hitherto , to run ivith pa¬ tience in the courfe of their Miniftry , notwith- ftanding of the contradidions>andfaIfe reproaches they have met with, from home, from whom they expeded better things ; and upon the bleffing of the Lord in the exercife of their Miniftry, as the fruits of Chrifts Interceflion, fo far are they from being confounded and terrified with re- fleding upon the Interceffion of Chrift. There C io6 1 There are other things in this ^d. Qiieftion ^ which may be denyed, at for example ; That our Rulers in aff'rontingChrifl have outdone all that ever ivent before them^ and were refolved never to be out~ done by any who (hould come after them. What ? no not by the Council at ferufalem, who condemned him ofBlafphemy, and after commanded his A- poftles not to (peak at all to any man in the name of Jefiis ? But the Gentlemans obfervation holds here; for he goes as far as his fancy can go ; he minds me of a Drunken man in the times of Popery, who could not get on upon his Hor(e; at length, ha¬ ving prayed to the Hily-rude of Crail to help him on , he went to forne advantage, and did caft himfelf over the Horle , and then he blamed Hdy-riide of Crail , becaufe it could not do, ex¬ cept it did over-do. 1 wifh his ftile were as folid and temperate as that Speech of Mr. Hutchefons, which though he flightingly calls an Harangue yet was fuch as did well become a Minifter oftheGofpel; whereas this Author by a flood of great fwelling words, is often carryed away beyond all bounds of Rime or Reafon j but although they who can¬ not difcern betwixt Words and Reafon, may be tofledtoand fro with the windy node of empty words; yet they who can difcern theforciblenels of right words and folid arguings, from bold and imperious dictates and captious Queftions, will not be moved with a Mafs of words, void of the Nerves of folid Reafon. After C io7l After his Queftions, he very earneftly defires the Indulged Minifters to relinquifh the Congre¬ gations where they have the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry. To this Petition 1 gwe this fhort anfwer : Thele Minifters think it their duty to preach in thefe Congregations, andthei^ fore^ till he prove it to be theft duty to relmquifh them, he cannot expeft that they ftiould grant ^ his Petition. The reading of the following Hi- ftory which he recommends, hath been lo tar from ihaking them, that they are more conftrm- cd thereby^ for his grounds are either fo falie, or fo inconclndent of what he would infer from them againft the Indulged Minifters, that any who underhand any thing of the rules of right reafoning, are confirmed tliat the caufe he hath taken in hand is evil for if there had been good reafons to have concluded againft the Pradice ot the Indulged Minifters, a man of his parts, and who had fo much fpare time to feek them out , could hardly have miffed them. After this Petition and Advice to read the Hi- ftory, he faith, I am not jvithout ho^e, hut yoti will Jujfer your feh.es to be overcome into axompli- ancewith the humble and earnefi befeechings^ not of your foor Brother only ^ hut of many who are irefenting you to God, and dare feek nothing for you till this be obtained ; do not offend at this la(i word, for if it were my lafi, I muft both confefs unto you, I never had confidence to feek any thing for you, fince you embraced the Indulgence, five this, and I know fince that day, you have been out of th Pray¬ ers of many ferms Prayers, to whom, you were and [108] yet are dear , which hath been none of your advan¬ tage-^ jea, whatever ufe you may make of it ^ delity toyou^ ^ut me to uje this freedom that I have not only found my felfin fetters^ hut I have chferved more fervent , judicious and'^ gracious ferfons , to whom it was a cafe of Confcience ; yea^ who had sto confidence to reprefient you to God , as a part of that fufi'ering remnant for whom they ajj'ayed to fur out their heart before him-^ whereat youovill ceafe to wo?i- der when you confider, that to them the Indulgence ovas defection. Anf If his Petition prevail not to draw the In¬ dulged Minifters to relinquifh what they have embraced ; he effays to drive them from thefe. Congregations where theyexercife their Miniftry, by a new kind of Excommunication ; for till this, which he defires be obtained, he (hews that him- felf and others dare leek nothing for them ; if he had laid, that in their Prayers for the Indulg¬ ed, they did in the firft place leek, that they mightrelinquifh what they had embraced,and then fubjoyncd other Petitions to that, it had been hard enough to have juftified this Method and Order of praying, as the only right Method of pray¬ ing for them ; but that they dare Peek nothing for them till they firft relinquifh what they have embraced, till his Petition to them be obtained, is a new piece of pradical Divinity. I am Pure the Lords Prayer is not his Diredory in this new Method of Praying, or rather of this new Me¬ thod of reftraining Prayer; is there no way of hallowing of the Name of God, and promoving of die coming of the Kingdom of God, and doing the will of God which they are bound to by the command of God, till his Petition to them be ob¬ tained ? I think he will not fay that their continu¬ ance in thefe charges, do make void the obliga¬ tion of the command of God;, and if they be obliged to other duties ( fuppofe this granting of his Petition to be a duty which it is not ) even before this which he defires be performed by them, why may he not pray for Grace to them, to en¬ able them to hallow the name of God, and do his will in thefe duties ? May he not pray for daily bread for them, and that their fins may be for¬ given them, and that they be hot led into tem¬ ptation? &c. May not a godly man dye without any doubt of the lawfulnefs of his exercifing his Miniftry in his own Parijfh, or in any other de- fhtute Congregation that invited him ? May not a godly man dye in one, yea,in many errors that are not fundamental ? Would this Author, if he were at the death of flich, refufeto leek any thing for them, till they explicitely repent of thefe er¬ rors, and aaually quit them? Ifay explicitely; for every good man who hath true Repentance doth virtually and interpretatively repent of e- vcry one of his fins. This Author will have anaTual relinquiflfing what they have embraced, before he feek any thing for them. Our Saviour prayed, that the Fa¬ ther would forgive thofe oi>ho were ■^erjecutirig him to deaths and mocking him when on theCrofs. Ste^heti prays, That the Lord ^i^'Quld not lay the fin of thofe 7vha were fioning him^ to their charge. Thefe Per- fecutors were far from Repentance and Refor¬ ma- [ Ito] mation , when thefe 'prayers were put up for them. The Authpr acknowledges the Indulged to be godly men, and fo he cannot deny that Chrift in¬ tercedes for them in Heaven ; doth he think that the IntercelTion of Chrift for them is interrupted, till that be obtained which the Author petitions ? He knows that Chrift intercedes for the Eleft be¬ fore they believe ; for he prays for them who ftiall believe, that they may be one, &c. Job. 1 7. ao, ^i. If their unbelief doth not hinder his lii- tercelTion, ( for by his Death and Intercefliori they are brought to believe ) doth he think that their milcarriages after their Convcrfion, doth inter¬ rupt his Intercellion, and that he intercedes for nothing for them, till they actually reform what is wrong ? I would defire the Author and thefe perlons who take this method in this reftraining Prayer , to think ferioufly how they can clear this method of theirs from a difeord and difere- pancy with Chrifts Interceflion; and if he hath not fallen into that fault, which he without juft ground alledged againft the Indulged Minifters > What warrant he and thefe he fpeaks of, have to caft the Indulged Minifters out of their Prayers, he and they would do well to examine ; this is a new fort of Excommunication , to caft tliofe whom he acknowledges to be godly men , out of this part of the Communion of Saints. And I perceive by what he fays, that this new cen- fure is no warrantable cenfure j and proceeds not from that Authority which is given for edi¬ fication, and not for deftriuftion j Hbr even the. fen- C*” 3 fentence of exccrr.munication , is for the gooa and advantage , for the Salvation of the perfon excommunicated. But this new cenfure hath beeen, as he fays, none of the advantage of the Indulged Minifters.' A cenfure that hath no o- thereffed but a non-advantage and damage of godly perfons ; is no cenfure approvenof Chrift; for he hath commanded his fdvants and people, that they do all their things in love and for edi¬ fication. How the Indulged Minifters can be ftill dear to thofe who caft them out of their Prayers to their damage, I cannot underlland: I fuppofe when he and thofe who take his Me¬ thod, have fericnfly refleded' upon the matter, they will find that they themfelves have more difadvantage by this uncharitable negled of duty, than the Indulged Minfters have. He faith, he finds himfelf in'fetters as to praying for them; ignorance, and prejudice, and humour, and fuck like diftempers, will fetter folk in duty; 1 am^ fure his letters are not made of the cords of love. I am very confident that more light and more love would loolethefe fetters, if thofe fer¬ vent, judicious, gracious perfons that he (peaks of, were more judicious, and had more of the grace of charity, and had learned to love more fervently, they would not have fallen into that ignorant and uncharitable cafe of Confcience , whick binds them up from making Confcience of praying for thofe who are ( as he fays ) dear unto them. If they had more judgment , ar-d more fervent charitgj they would pray much more better than they do ; and when they pray better [I12l better , the Indulged Minifters will not be caft out of their Prayers. And I cannot but tell him, 16 long as he and they take fuch ^ unwarrantable and uncharitable methods of pra}'ing Chrifth ans, who are truly judicious , will not think fo much of their Prayers , as it feems he and they do , who would terrifie the Indulged Mini¬ fters by their forbearing to pray for them, from the exercife of their Miniftry in thole Congre¬ gations, in which through the good Providence of God , they have had in a fad time the peace¬ able exercife thereof. That thefe people do not account the Indulg¬ ed Minifters a part of the fulfering remnant , is another of their miftakes ; for though their fufferings have not run in the channel of the fufterings of others, yet they have had their large Ihare in fufferings, if the Icourge of Tongues and Calumnies, back-bitings and heart-breaking reproaches be fufterings, they may be reckoned among fufferers. Thefe and many other fad things they have endured with much patience j and thefe things they have fuft'ered , becaufethey could not in Confcience neglecff to take the oppor¬ tunity of the peaceable exercife of their Miniltry. It’s another of their miftakes, that they look on the Indulged Minifters as guilty of defedlion. They might have had patience till the Mini¬ ftry of the Church of Scotland had tried and found the practice of the Indulged Minifters de- fedion : But at their own hand to condemn fo many judicious and confcientious Minifters of defe^on, and caft them out of their Prayers , are C ”3 3 are among the wild Praftifes of this evil time ; in which many folk, do what is right in their But I perceive a new fort of negative Reli¬ gion is like to come in faftiion in this Genera¬ tion : Praftical Divines condemn the ill-gronnded confidence of thofewho pleafe themfelves becaufe they forbear grofs evils ■ though they negled: that which is goodi and jUftly, becaufe the tree that brims not forth good fruit; ■ is h izim n doom and cad into the fire. Butnow many piCalethemfelves as if they were more judicious, gracious, ten-- der than others, becaufe they forbear to hear the word of God preached by rhofc whom they dare not to deny to be Minifters ot the Gofpel, and, becaufe they forfakethe alfemblies of the Lords People met together for the Lords worfiiip ; and becaufe they do not pray for thofe who are dear to them, and whom they dare not de¬ ny to be godly, until they actually do that which they delire them. O what need have we to walk- humbly, and pray earneftly for the Spirit of a found :mind ! ..... He faith in that fame page, 7hat God hatbovrit-- ten an Hifiory a^aihfi the Indulged Minifters acu'^- tance. I : wiih lie had forborri this tafn alfertionf the right order had been to have fhewed thai, tire practice of the Indulged Minifters was con¬ trary to the written word of God ; he knows that Providence is not our Bible. I what Hiftory this is, and what thefe effedts that he fpeaks of, as flowing from the Indulged Mini¬ fters pradlice which he mentions elfewherej are.j * and CiH]- ]! and fo cannot (peak particularly to them ; if he i meant that fbme have been very bufie to draw ! people away from hearing the Indulged Minifters, he may remember that there were fbme who endeavoured to draw away the people from hear¬ ing Chrhi: hinifelf. He is faid they, why hear ye h,m ? if he mean that fbmje people who once countenanced their Miniftry, have withdrawn from them, he knows that many of Chrifts Dif ciples went back and walked no more with him f and they who would once have pulled out their eyes, and given them to Taulj looked on him as : an enemy, becaufe he told them the truth ; many have fl'umibled at Chrift and the Gofpel, and the Minifters of it, without caufe. If he mean the renting and divifion, that is no effed of the pra¬ ctice of thedndulged Minifters, but of thofe who' did fet themfelves to draw the people off from^ them, and upon fuch grounds that too many people are become very indifferent and carelefs of hearing any Minifters, and fome are only for hearing fbme fewj and how long they will con- tiiiLie their refped for fuch, who can tell? for it’s the work of a fpirit of Schifm to di- r* fubdivide, till 'all be bro- ■'« crumbled away WS not our Bi- to nothing. We fhould be very ten- ble: and Mr. der in fpeaking of Gods written Hi- Ro. Blare ufed ftories againft or for any thi ng.There eumUtiluci, gr&t myfteries in divine Provi- the EngUlh u~ dence. Which does not appear , at furpers" firft, till the Lords work be com- frojn fucctJsiTurkilh Argumms. . . . pleav [ ”5!1 pleat, and all his Counlel appear ; and therefor^ folk who are hafty in determining in this mattei> run a great hazard of taking the Name of God in vain; In his next page he expfefTes fome hope, that amongft the Indulged themlelves, among fb ma¬ ny godly men, there were fome that the Lord fhould make ule of to difcover the evil of this In¬ dulgence 3 and fays, That that man Ihall be bkf- kd. r •* . . • --X Anf. As for the evil that is in the complex of the Indulgence, feveral of the Indulged Mini- fters have difcovered it to much better purpof| than the Author of the following Hiftory hath done j but thele fame Miniilers have given fuch Iblid Reafons for the warrantablenels of their own Pradice in what they have done nponthb' Magiftrates Indulgence, that he cannot in rea- fon exped that they Ihould condemn theralelvds in that, in which they have fo much peace upon (b folk! grounds. In his Taft Sedion, he fays, Manj^ will cry out againfi the following Hifiury ( who pall n:%!er' be able to anfwer its Reafon ^ hut ' by clamour^ as unanfwerabl’e. I aiifwer, If he had been plealed to have read what ti e Indulged Minifters and o- thers have written in anfwer to what the Author of this Hillory lent before this Hiftory, in Letters and Queftionsi he might have feen any thing that this Author hath faid againft the pradile bf the Indulged Minifters, very rationally and Ib- Udly anfwered. As for his firft realbri, for thd lealbnablenels of this, I anfwer, Thfe evil which H a ' ‘ is [116] is in the Magiflrates actings, whiel^ relate to the Indulgence, have been more folidly dilcovered than this Author doth • but this Authors great defign, is to fallen all the Magiflrates faults in this matter, upon the Indulged Minifters: Ardif this laft be the Teftimony which the Author means in his fecond Reafon, ifs a falfeTeltimo- ny, and of no value and worth, and worfe than nothing. . In his third he ismiflaken • for feveral who are difTatisfied with the Indulgence, are much more diffatished with this Hillory , as a Book which they think will do much mifehief among ignorant and profane people, in hardning them in a care- lefs negledl of the Lords Ordinances , and pro¬ faning of the Sabbath, and jumble many weak and well-meaning people, and confound them with things that they do not underftand. His fourth Reafon for the feafbnablenefs of it, is, becaufe the Indulged Brethren had been threatning and boafling with a Vindication of the lawfulnefs of their acceptance. I anfwer. The Author either faw thefe Vindications, for there were many of them, of not ; if he faw them not, might he not have had patience till he had leen what they had to fay for themfelvCs ? it was injuftice to condemn men Unheard, who were of¬ fering a Vindication of their Pradtice- butitfeem- ed he had a mind to give them Couper' juftree : But it may be he thought he could imagine alltliat they had to fay ; but this was ralhnels, and too' much felf-confidence j he Ihould have heard them,; before he had anfivered, feeing he knew they. Cii7] had fpoken for themfelves. If he faw any of thefe Vindications, as fome think he did, why did he not examine them? it may be he found them too hot for his handling: If he had fent this Hiftory to the Indulged Minifters privately, that they might have given him a return , this had been fliirly done; but to print it and publifh it to the Vv^orld at the very firft, was not fair ; nm amice faBum ah amico. _ His firft Reafon for the reafonablcnefs of it, is, becanfo the Non-indulgcd Minifters had done fomewhat to ftrengthen the hands of the Indul¬ ged, by giving them new conftdence in their courfe , m oblicfiio ^ covering all aid cair^dng to¬ wards tliem, as if they had done noticing amifs, but upon the the matter, by a direft Homo.o- gatry of the Indulgence ; for now filence as to all fpeaking againlt this evil, is made the very door and porch through which all entrance to theMiniftry muft pafs ; Jnd t her cf ere ((k\th he) it's Jtmply 7i.cejjtirj\ afid mote than hi^htims^ to difcovcr and detect the blacknefs cf its lyefeciion, when the Church is thm brought in bondage by it. An^. I did not think that the Author, though he be very confident upon fhiall evidence, had fb farpalfed the bounds of modefty, as that he durft in Print have avowed and jultificd the deed of tw'o young men, who contrary to Presbyterian Principles , did let themielves to counteratft the judgment and fentence of the fnftering Mini- Iters of the Church of Scotland-^ for their way did manifeftly rend to the fubverfion of the very foundation of all Government and Order. H 3 it’s C»i8] . It’s a flrange Reafon, that becaiife the Non indulged Minifters endeavoured to ftrengthen ^he hands of the Indulged Minifters, that there¬ fore it was fealonable to put out a Book con¬ demning all together; and whatelle was this, but for two men living at a di fiance , to take upon them to condemn the whole Presbyterian Mini- Rers of the Church of Scotlmd^ and to encou¬ rage two unruly youths in their contempt of any remnant of Authority , that that poorrem' riant had AMiat fober perfon, who hath any Judgment in matters of tnat nature, can but commend the Pradlice of thefe Kon-indulged Minifters, who, laboured to prevent the breaking of the Church, by that Queftion about the Indulgence, by re- 4Ir aiping; thefe young men, who made it their great work to cry put againit the Indulged Minifters and the hearing of them ? and yet ;his Author is lb far from having that reverence that he ought to have had to the Judgment of the generality of the Minifters of the Church of Scotland, that he thinks, becaufe they agreed together to endeavour to prevent the renting of the Church, therefore it was leafopable to caft in anew fire-ball of Contention among the peo¬ ple, and lb render all their endeavours of Unity, ineffedual; and what more effedual way would be have taken to render all the fuffering Mini¬ fters of the Church of Scotland contemptible in the eyes of all who will believe him, than to charge all the Indulged Minifters with fo black and fearful a defeft;ion; and all the reft of the Mini- [119^ Minifters with adirea homologating of the Im dulc^ence? In this he hath done fcrvice veryac:^ ceprable to Prelatifts,Papifts, and Quakers,thongli 1 believe he defigned no fuch thing. His fixth, taken from thefevere infulting over fome of the poor remnant, who wuld not for¬ bear to witnefs their abhorrency of it, flows fiom mifinformation j the infulting was among lome of thofe who quarrelled with the Indulged fters, and who took occaflon from the Indulged Minifters forbearance to meddle with that mat¬ ter in their Sermons^ to fay, that they had^ no¬ thing to fay for themfelves; and thus their n- lence for peace fake, was turned into a piejudice againft them. They who live in thefe parts where Indulged Minifters are, can bear witnefs how much forbearance and tendernefs hath been ufed towards thepoor people, who were confound>-d with thefe doubtful Difputations , and frighted with unknown words of HoiuologationsandHo- mologatings, and impofed upon by ftrong al- ledgencies, and parables,, and allegories, without Scripture or fblid Pwafons. This of witnefting, which he means the withdrawing from the Lords Ordinances, to which they formerly referred, and in the ufe of which they profited, is a way of witnefting, that if- they who take it, have little caufe to be afhamed of it, as he fays, I am lure they liave as little caufe to glory in it j for there needs no more to qualifie folk for giving this Teftiir^ony, butla- zinels and grofs profanity, and contempt of Or¬ dinances. There can be no great matter in that, < H 4 which r i2oi ivliich any profane man, as he is profane, and becaufe he is profane, can do. As forhis feventb, neither this Author, nor he, hath proven that the Indulged Minifters entring into thefe Parifhes, was a coming in, not by the door, blit a climbing up another way. His laft confiils of hopes. That fbme of thefe godly men Indulged, may be by this Hiftory taken off, and that the No'n-indnlged will con- lider how to deliver the Clr.irch from this evil, and their Brethren out of the fhare, and them- felves from giving this evil any interpretatite coun¬ tenance ^ withal, that they will henceforth ap¬ pear more friendly towards the real Lovers of them and die Came. ^ ^ . It’s needlefs to make any Anfwer to this : but that I fee no appearance that this Hiftory is like, to take any of the indulged Minifters off ; upon the contrary, there are fb many falfe afperfions and uncharitable wreftlings, and fo much bitter- nefs, tliat it makes even indifferent perfbns fuf- pedt his Caufe bad, which is managed by fb ill means and methods. As for thofe lovers of the Non-indulged, and the Caufe whom he defigns, holders faff of their integrity, in whom he feems afterwards to grant that there are excefles, he means, 1 fnppofe the young man of whom he fpoke be ore, and if there be any other of his way. I like well of friendlinefs , and of fhewing of all mceknefs to all men • but thofe whom he feems to mean, have given no great evidence, that they arc lovers of the caufe, if by the caufe he mean ^ Ci2i3 mean Presbytery; for their way was diredly de^ ftruftiveto the way of Presbyterian Government; for they would not, and thought they fhould not be fubjed to the Minifters, and their work was to kindle the fire of Contention if he and the Author of the Hiftory had had as much charity for the Indulged Minifiers, as they had for thole young men, they would have found other names for their fnppofed faults, than blak defedion, and betraying of the cauie, hen all that he fays of thefe yoimg men, is, that they had excelfes which are incident to the Zeal of the belt Saints out of Heaven. He requires a juft difcountenancing of the defedion of the Indul¬ ged Minifters; but he fays, thefe young men ought to be countenanced, cherifhed and encou¬ raged for their uprightnefs; and after real af- fedion, and tendernefs witnelfed to them, then to procede to curb or cure their excefles. Curb¬ ing, it leems, feemed too rafh a word; and there¬ fore he mollifies it by the alternative of curing. And yet I cannot underhand how he comes to condelcend to the cure of their exccifes ; for if I be not mifinformed he and the Author of the Hiftory, Commended themi for thefe Pradifes , which were looked upon as their greateft excefi (es. But now I remember that one of them had fomeftrangeEmhufi- aftical Dodrine ; it may be he hath apyting an im- heard fome fuch tlungs which he medim call defigns exceftes. I have been niuch f^oni Gijd a longer detained in reviewing this itxt in a particular place^ before any invitation from the People or y lUinijier. Epiftle Epiftk to the Reader than I defigned for I really defigned to have made my Oblervation upon it no iojiger, if not {hotter than the Epiltle. I did not let my feif to feek out all that might have been excepted againft, but only took notice of thofe things which were obvious, and offered themfelves at firft view. I thought my felf the more obliged to note thofe obvious errors which 1 found in it , both for the peoples fake ; fbme whereof I hear read this book on the Lords day inftead of the Bible ; and for the Authors fake, that he, if he fhall fee what is written, may fee himfelf to be fallible ; and that he may be better advifed before he put fuch Papers as this to the Prefs j and that he may know his own ipeafiire, and not look on himfelf as one fit to cenfiire the generality of the Minifters of the Church of Scotlatid, and to ob¬ trude his didates upon them, when one of the unworthieft of thefe Minifters, who hath foiittle leifure for fuch work, hath in a hafty glancing through his Epiftle, obferved in a few . pages fo many dangerous Errata’s in Dodrine, Worfhip, and Chrihian Pradice, and in Civil and Ecclcfi- aftical Government. I come now to the Hiftory of tire Indulgence. 1 have not fo much leifure as the Apthor of it had, and therefore I purpofe-not to follow him foot for foot- as that would be tedious, fo it would be needlefs ^ feeing the Author ferves us not only twice, but thrice with the fame Cole- worts. Occidit. C>23l i Occidit miferos cramhe repet ka magtfiros^ I looked for a ftate of the Qiieftion, but in vain. The true ftate of the Qiieftion, according to the mind of the Author of the Epiftle, and the Author of the Hiftory, is, WLether any Indul¬ gence or PerwiJJiony though it were for eatery nifier to return to his own charge^ if granted ay the prefent Adagijlrate , cetdd be wade ufe of ? Both thefe Authors are for the negative : We heard the Author of the Epiftle’s mind before ; the Author of the Hiftory goes the fame way, - Tag. III. 5. If it jhould be free of all thefe in- iatanglewentSy and grounds of ferupling j I leave it to Chrftian Prudence to cenfider^ whether.^ as mat¬ ters now Jland^ the Lord be not rather callhig thew to preach his Name on the Mountains., feeing this way hath been fo fgnally blejj’ed of the Lord , and IS daily mere countenanced of him^ than their la* bouring in their particular ref eBive charges ufually have been : And feeing if s undeniable., that the Adverfaries are not yet really repenting of their op- pcfition to the Work of Cod, and therefore , that any fuch permiffion, if granted, cculd not be fup- pofed to fow from any love to the proferous pro- grefs of the Gfel, but rather from the contrary , as 15 clear in the Indulgence already granted’, and to from apurpofe to entangle and enjnare, yea, and endanger both joul and fedy, if not from a. purpofe and defign to deflroy all at once. He hath a hint of it alfo, pag. 1 8. knowing that favours granted by funding und fated enemies, could not C 124] he for advantage^ hut for hurt. Jlnf. I think it was well done, that he left the matter to Chri- itian Prudence ; but it was not to the purpofe he defigns , for feeing it was neceflity that put prudent Miniftersand Chriftians to the fields and mountains, becaufe they were there moft free from hazard j I fuppole the Chriftian Pru¬ dence of the one and other, would advife not to go to the 'fields and mountains, if the Magiltrate granted fb free a permifTion as he there fup- pofes. And I know not if Minifters and people could expert the Lords approbation and blelfing, if needlefly j:hey would clafh with the Magi- fhrate in ’going to the mountains; for if Fathers ftiould not provoke their Children to wrath, then certainly 'Children and Subjects (hould not pro¬ voke their Parents apd Rulers to wrath. His fuf- pending of ule-making of a liberty granted by ^ the Magiftrate , though free of entanglements, and ground of fcruple upon the Magiftrates real Repentance, and love to the profperous progrefs of the Gofpel, is as unreafonable as the Author of the Epiltle his fiifpending of his Prayers for the Indulged Minifters till they quit their char¬ ges ; and it favours ftrongly of that error. That Dominion is founded in grace. May We take no favours from Magiftrates , except they be real penitents, and have gracious Principles and good defigns in their Magiftratical adings ? From what is faid, it appears, that though the Indul¬ gence had been free of clogs, yet thefe Authors would not have been for making life of it ; they would ftill have called the people to leave the Kirks, Rirks, and come to the fields and mountains. They know that the Magiftrate would oppofe thefe^ Field-meetings ; fo that people _ rnay i'et if they will follow the dilates of their Au¬ thors whoever favours our prefent Ma^ftrates would give, and how free foever of fuch clogs and entLglements as attended the Indulgence : vet they muft go to the fields; and then feeing the Magiftrate will fend foldiers to diffipate thefe Field-meetings, they muft refolve, if they cannot flee, to be carried to Prifons, or elle to fight. This gratifies the defigns ot lapilts exceedingly, who have been labouring ever fince the Reformation, to put Magiftrates and Sul> jeds in a ftate-hoftility and enmity one againft another. Among many fad things which have accom¬ panied and followed this Way, this hath been one , that the conceit many have entertained of fighting, hath exceedingly hindred their Hu¬ miliation under the mighty hand of God, and fo hath holden on, and encreafed the Calamities and Defolations of this poor Church. From what is obferved out of the Writings of thefe Authors, Minifters and People may fee that no Indulgence given by the prefent Magi¬ ftrates, will fatisfie them ; and that it is not a withdrawing from hearing the Indulged Mini¬ fters that will fatisfie them. Nothing lels will la- tisfie them, than a going to the mountains, and hearing thofe who preach contrary to the Ma¬ giftrates command ; for there muft* be a contra¬ riety in their ading to the Magiftrate, or elfs it [12(5] it is not right •, for this is put in th6 ftate of the Qucftion in his Vindication of thofe who fcruple to hear and own the Indulged, Fag. ia8, l^9. forthofe who are to be heard, arefnch as preach not according to mans order , but contrary thereto. If there be not a contrariety to, and counterading of the Magiftrate, their Authors will not be fatisfied, and no vjonder; for no¬ thing left than this will anfwer their delign : lb that people may fee that their Authors, though they were out of danger themfelves, being at a good diftance, and under an Engagement by fub- fcription with their hand not to come where the hazard was , yet they take upon them to draw up poor people, as it were in Battalia a- gainft Rulers, and armed rude Ibldiers, and dift charges them to hear any Propofals from the Ma¬ giftrate, or to make any to him, or leek or re¬ ceive any thing from him and now 1 leave it to be Gonfidered what this tends to. It was not becoming them, elpecially who were without the reach of Musket-lhot, to be lb prodigal of the lives of poor people, as to think of no way of Peace, nor of any treating. I could not but remember what I had read in Tcrmce of Tljrafo ^ who kept himlelf far off from the hazard, and put others betwixt him and it ; but he undertakes to give the fign of Battel, Hic ego ero fofi frin- cipia inde omnibus jig7ium dabo. And of G^jathos remark, llluc ejl Jdpere ut has infiruxit ipjius fibi cacvit loco : But People Ihould not upon the de- fire of any man, rulh themlelves upon hazards;- when croftes lies in the way that God calls them ' t 527 1 them to walk in , then they are their crofles which the Lord calls them to take np willingly , and bear patiently j but they muft not go out of the Lords way to feek croffes- they will meet with as many as the Lord fees meet for them in the Lords way. I cannot fee how the prefcripfions that their Authors give to people, confilfs with that command of of God, Rem. iz. i8. If it be pffible , as much as lieth in you.y live peaceably with all men. I amfure Rulers are not excluded, but in a fpecial manner included in the llniverfa- lity of all men. But I do not wonder, that the Author did not form the hate of the Queftion diftindly; nor do I wonder, that they who are againft the Indulged . Minifters, are generally againft diftindtions, at leaft in that Queftion; feeing that any apparent hrength that is in their arguings, is founded in confounding things that differ. If the Queftion be rightly hated, as 1 hated it in the beginning, the Arguments commonly tiled againh the In¬ dulgence, will be found not only inconcludeiiL but very ridiculous • for fiippole the ads of the Magihrate indulging, to be wrong ; and fuppole the Indulged Miniffers to have mifearried in their appearance before the Council ; yet if ye but grant them to be Minihers of the Golpel , they might warrant to return to preach to their own Parilhes , and dehitute Congregations , might w'arrantably invite others ofthem ivho bad not accels to their own Conereeations , to help them in their dehitute condition ^ and chev might wSrrantably come upon their invitation to ' ' hdp [083 help them. To argue, it was unlawful to in- vite them, and for them to go upon that Invita¬ tion , becaufe the Magiftrate appointed or per¬ mitted them to go , or becaufe the Magiftrate gave them Tnftrudions, is very abfard reafoningj for this abfiirdiry follows upon it, that the Ma¬ giftrate may lay by any, yea, all the Minifters of the Gofpel from exercifing their Miniftry, and render it finful to them to exercile their Miniftry ; for according to this way of fealbning , he need do no more to bind up a Minifter in his very Con- fcience, that he cannot preach without fin, but appoint him or permit him to preach, and give him Inftrudions, and the work is done. He need not give pay , to maintain foldiers to hinder preach¬ ing, with Swords and Guns, feeing he may do all that foldiers can do,andmuch more, by Pen, Ink and Paper: for foldiers can only impede them where they are prefont by external force; biitthefo Paper-Ordinances reach, their Confoiences, that they cannot preach without fin in any place that he appoints or permits them to preach in. But there was thus much at leaft of right in the Magiftratcs Jndulgence , that it did fo far relax that general reftraint that was formerly laid by Penal Statutes upon Minifters, that whereas before they could preach no where with¬ out hazard , now they might fbmewliere have the publick exercife of their , Miniftry without hazard or difturbancejfo that it made way for the . peaceable exercife of their Miniftry in fome places- fo that though the former Statutes i were not a- brogated, yet this derogating from fuch Statutes,. ' I 129 ] [ or this dirpenfatlon in taking away the Obligation of the Law, or the Obligation of a part of it, as to Ibme perfons in refpeft of fonie, place isfomerhingof right, and better than nothing, and may lawfully be made life of. The Method which the Author hath followed, I' is firft to reprefent the Indulged Miniftcrs as guib 1 ty of many grievous faults, and then to draw people from hearing them , to the Mountains. The moft compendious way, if Ibenotmiftaken, to meet with anv thing he fays, is to • coiifider what is in. his Arguments agalnft the Indulgence ; for he refumes there w'hat he had' remarked on the Kings Letter; and what he hath in his Vin¬ dication, is taken, out of thefe Arguments, . In thefe Reafons againft the Indulgence, be faith, the Reader may fee at one view, Wdiat was feat- tered up and down the tbregoing Relation ; fo here we will find all his forces united and drawi^ up in order. Pag. i^v ,i.;He promlfes to (hew iri hovy niany particulars. Injury was dene by the Indul- ^ence,. as acceped, unto cur Lord 'Jefus Chrifi, the ■ \nly Head and Kins; of his Church. ■ JnC That which the Indulged Miniders ae- fcepted, was a freedom froifr, or ,a relaxation ot that civil reftraint which had hindered the peace¬ able exereife of .their Miniftry ; as Was cleared before. . If he alledge that they accepted of the Inftrufrions, &c. This is an acceptation. of his own makuig, and he may make, any thing, if he Meafes for the Indulged Mihifters cannot hin¬ der any body to fight againft their own fhhcies.. I Having Ino] .'having prcmilcd this, I come to the particulars of his charge againh them. , I. (Sakhhe) in that hereby they declared they did not. hold their Miniftry wholly and folelj If Chrifljeftfs: How proves he this? IVe^f^khhefavt \ abo'tfeyhoji’ the Indulged did ■plainly .and gofitively n- ■ fufe to fay^that they held their Alinifiry effefits Chrifi ' alone ^ where ex profeflb, the word alone war left mt. See what is remarked on 7^:/r, Hurchefons Sgeech, and what was faid in anjwer to the Informer^ who i' was dijjatisfed with M. Blair, whereby an in^u- h ry of a ^ery high nature was 'done unto cur -Lord fefust "that which is remarked on Mr. Hutchelbiis Sfeechi, is in pag. 9, they fay., That they re¬ ceived their Miniftry from Jefiis Chrift : why was it not (aid, as (cmeofthtm(^ if lam not mifinformed^ def red, only from fefui Chrijl, W'hen this was dejtgnedly and deliberately left cut let aU the World pidge vdoether in this they carried as faithful Minijlers of the Gofvel or n,t‘. ‘For my ^art, I' cannot but fudge, that this 'was. a manFejl betraying of the Caufe, and a gi'i'ing up of all' to the Magijhate ; for hereby they declared, that either in their judgment ' they had their Mmijiry from others as well as from Chriji, that is from the Ma^ gif rate as well as -from Chrif', and that inane- duality and Cc-erdination , or elfe-that they had ittifct from Chrifi immediately, but from men, from the Ma^firdte in fubordinaticn to Chrifi. And then he reafbns againft both thefe, and concludes, that therefore when they kept out the Word only, they did plainly declare that they held their Mini firy partly . of the Magifirdte. And after he hath darted an- [130 another Obiedlion about holding the peaceable exercife of the Miniftry from the Magiftrate, ^ he concludes; So that uCewhat devices men cm. to c this matter, a manifefl betraying of the Cattfe will break through, and a receding from received and [worn Vrinciflcs, will bevijible. _ In the anfwer td^the Informer , to which ai- fo he refers, he fhkh pag. 71. Mmifiers receiving tnfiruBions for regulating them in the exercife eft heir Minifiry from Magifraks, aflng like themfelves ' gda^iferially and Architeclonically, do, if not for" ! mah, yet at leaf virtually, deny Chrifi tofe, the I only H^ad and Lawgiver of his Church. But again I pag. 85-. he objeds, That this fault, was buffer- I fonal and accidental to the Indulgence, andfo cannot Ieff'eB the fame, or make it an encroachment if on. Chrifi of fo high a , nature. He anfwer s , Jhat I being fpoken at that occafion, when the King and Council were acknowledged thankfully, for grant¬ ing of the Indulgence, and being fpoken With iindcrfranding, . it mu ft be granted that it had re-, ference to the Indulgence it folf, and fo ( faith he) their difeourfe was to this purpofe in effed. We declare that we hold' not our Miniftry of Chiift alone, but of Chrift and of the Magiftrate; and therefore do accept of this Indulgence with¬ out fcruple. He adds afterward. Further this Pifoourfe of theirs fo worded pUrpoIely and de- libdately, faith, Tioat if they had not believed that f they held their M-iniflry not of Chrifi alone, but of 1 ethers aljo, they could not have accefted of the In- C'92] An[. lliis is the Authors great Gun with which bethought fit to begin th.e battel j if this mifgive and do no skaitli, there is no lefs feafon to fear his leffer Ordnance. It’s llrange that he fhould have begun with a piece of Ofdnance, which he knows not whether it be fixed or not; he is not hire whether the word ovly^ was by fbme of the Indulged Minifters defired to be added ; for when be fays it, he caffs in this doubt¬ ful Tarenthefis^ if I be not mifinformed. He got many wrong Informations, and this may be one among the rdf, I do not remember of any fuch thing ; and if he be mifinformed, his tirft Argument hath neither matter nor form. I have heard italledged that fbme people, by telling uncertainties, yea, falfhoods, come themfelves to believe them, and confidently to add to them. I find lomething like this in this Author. I. \^^e fee he fpeaks doubtfully, if I be not mifinformed ; but the oftener he repeats it, he grows the more pofitive and confident ; for we never hear more of any doubt of his Infof- formation; yea, in repeating he wonderfully am- 'plificsthemattcr,and makes the notfayingbf this only, to fay many things ; Fcr, faiLhhe, hereby they declared^ that they didaiot hold their Mini firy wholly and folely of Chrifi. He might have eafily perceived, that a pofitive Declaration that they did not hold their Miniftry from Chriff only, is more than a not-faying, that they had it from him only. A man may trifly fay, 1 had this gift from my Father, though he add not the exclu- ["333 ive' word only. Who yet cannot politively de, alare, that he had not the gift only fi'ora his Fa¬ ther, becaufe he (as I fnppofe) received it from lis Father, and not from any Asain, he grantevi that lome ot the Indulged defired that the word cnlj might be put in ; hire ichele did not pofitively and plainly iefu,eto lay. That they held their Miniilrv from Chrift alone-, and yet here he charges it upon the Indulged, generally, that they refuled to lay Ip. i his is a- nother of his AmplihcafioiiiS. 'Then he judgeth that this was a manueir be¬ traying of the Caiile, and refers it to the judg¬ ment of the world, it they carried, aslaithful Mi- nifters. What ? lhall Miniilers be condemned as not faithful, becaufe they fpoke of their Mi- niftryinthc words that the 'Holy Ghoh taught Paul to fpeak, Mcts ao. Shall the ufing ot the W^ords of God be judged a bewaying of the caule of God? Suppole that thatwoyd was delignedly and deliberately left out ; this might have bepri the realbn that they durlt not adventure to add a word to tliC words of the Apoltle who Ipoke by the Inlpiration of God. > • i i He ampliftes yet further, v'liS) laith he, a (riviv^ wp all to the Ada^Jha'S : That is a wondei-^ fill amplilicafion. There is no mention made ot the Magilfratc in that lentencerUt all, nOr any giving of any thing to him there , but an acknow¬ ledgment that they had received their Miniftiy from Chrilb , and yet he will conclude, that by this all was given up to the Maglhrate. What . was nothing given to Chrilt from whom they ac- j 2 know- C 154 ] Isnowledgc they had received their Miniftry ex¬ prefly, ahd all given to the Magiflrate , whom they do not fo much as mention there ? But he will prove that they gave up all to the Magiflrate; ' For, faith he, hereby they declared^ that in their judgment they had their Alinifiry from others as <3vell as fnm Chrifi. Here he eats in again fbme- what he had faid ; for even now all was given to the Magiflrate ; but here he leaves fomething at leaft to Chrift, but takes in others with him ; but who are thefe others ? That faith he, the Magiflrate ^ as well as frcmChrifl. What? was there no others but the Magiflrate that they might have their Miniflry from? 1 think he might rather have fuppofed that it was the Father and theHoly. Gholr, ihan the Magiflrate, efpecially whcit he is (peaking of an equality ; for it was an abominable alledgance of Blafphemy to fay, that they declared in their judgment that they had their Miniflry from the Magiflrate, as well as from Chrift, and that in an Equality and Co¬ ordination ; Or elje, faith he, that they had it net from chrifi immediately., but from men ; from the Magiflrate in {uhordination to Chrifi : But Were . there no other men befldc the Magiflrate? if he would have dealt candidly, he might have flip- pofed that Presbyterians meaned rather thePref- bytery than -the Magiflrate ; and therefore, faith he, when they kep cut thewerd only, they did gla in- \ ly declare that they held their Miniflry ■partly of • the Adagfirate, quod erat demonffrandum. He is not liire if thiss word was defired to be put in; ho knows not whether it was kept out upon : de- [135] defisn • he knows not upon what defign it was kept out ; fiippofe it had been defignedly kept out and how then can he conclude froni this , That thefe Minifters declared, and that they plainly declared that they held their Miniftry of the Magiftrate? he may conclude any thing he pleafes at this rate of reafoning; yet I perceive he hath forgotten himfelf, as very ordinarily men who pafs the bounds of truth do, except they have very good memories j for a little before he alledged, all was given up to the Magihrate; but here he hath reduced him to a part : WTOt is cited from pag. 7 1 . relates to the inftrudions, which will come in afterwards. That the want of this only., was a perfonal fault, or was an encroachment upon Chrift, or did af¬ fect the Indulgence, as he fpeaks : he muft prove he would make it a fault affecting the Indulgence, becaufeit wasatthatoccafion when the King and Council were thankfully acknowledged for the granting of the Indulgence, and becaufe it was fpoken with underftanding ; but this hath no fhew of Reafon, if it be confidered what it was they thankfully- acknowledged, the freeing of them from the refiraint which was upon the publick exercife of their Miniftry j any who are not blinded with prejudice, may fee that this was the defign of thefe Presbyterian Minifters to Ihew, that though they acknowledged the Magi- ftrates taking off that rellraint, yetthey did not look on themfelves as the Magiftrates Minifters, hut as the Minifters of Jefiis Chrift , who had re- » ceived their Miniftry from him : But the thing I 4 that C 135 ] he (ays, mufl: be granted, whether there be reafonbrno; and (b he proceeds in his Amplifi¬ cations; and out of the want of this only^ he forms a Charrang and Difcourfe, and puts it in thefe Minifters mouths; and (b if ye will believe him, their Difcourfe was to this purpofe in effeft: We declare that we hold not our Miniftry of Chrik alone, but of Chrift and the Magiftrate ; and therefore do accept of this Indulgence with¬ out fcruplf. ‘ But, which is more ttraiige, he will not only have them to fay as he fays, but alfo Relieve as he alledges upom them ; he will not only impofe Charrangs upon them, but he. will impoie a Creed upon them ; Fcr, faith he, thii Difcourfe of theirs faith, Dhat if they had not be¬ lieved that they held- their Minifry not of Chrifi a- lone, but of others alfo, they could not have acceped of the Indulgence. I am (lire no judicious perfbn tyho reads thefe things, will think tliat they de¬ lete any refutation ; and I am very apprehen- five fuch will alledge, that I had little to do who tranfbribed them. ' When I Was writing this, and refleding upon the, wild conceits that the Author hath fallen into upop' this' fiippofition, that only was purpofely kept out, and that his amplifications grow ftill the more remote from truth; it put mein mind of a cenfiire which an Englifh man paffed upon a Scottijh^ ' Gentleman with whom he was acquain¬ ted ; this Gentlernan told him ftrange things which the Englijh map could not believe, they were' fb leafing-like f "This Englijh' man having iOccafiontofpeakof this Gentleman, laid of him,‘ , C . ■ ■ ^ ^ He, Ueis (aid he, a wry f retry Gentleman, ^ Me, mtebtih. This Author hath amplified Shtily u^n the word only, and if he had been orofelTedly making Romances, it had been more mtaable -but ina matter of fo great importance to give his fancy leave to rove fo as to condemns Scnptnre-expreffion made ufe ofby the Indulged Mirafters,'and to draw Treafon agamll Chrift , and a betraying of the Caufe out of a Scripture fentenee uttered by the Apoftle Taul, fpeaking y thelnfpiration of the Spirit ; and not only to con¬ demn them for ufingthe tvords that the Holy Ghoft iifeth, but to impofe words of his own , and a Creed of his own devifing upon tlietp ; and then condemn them becaufe of that Faith and ProfelTion, is very intollerable infolenc^ His Argument, if reduced to a form, mult be to tliis purpofe. Whofoewr de/ignedly and delibe¬ rately declares that they have received their Mmt- dry from the Lord Jefus, and- fays not that they have not received their Mini fry from Jefus ChriH only ^they deny Cbnft to be alone head of his Church, and, are zuilty of High Treafon againfi the King of kings , ind betrayers of the Caufe, and they ft the Ma- Zifrate in Chrifis Throne, and hold their Mmiftry of the Magifirate, &CC. but fo is it, the Indulged have defignedly and deliberately declared, SCC. and there- Mf. He is not fare of the truth of the matter, for he brings mthe St6ry,pag. a.4.with that doubt- fulParenthefis, if I benot miftnformed-, many lay, that it was the Authors mfhap that he was many times mifinformed 3 and its like this may be a piece [138] piece of his bad intelligence : it’s doubtful if it was refufed by any of the Indulged Minifters, to fay they received, their Miniftry from Chrift only. The Author doubts of the truth of it himfclf, and I do not remember if ever I heard this before. But again, fuppofe it was refufed, yet it was not refufed by all the Indulged Minilters, and yet he charges all indefinitely j it can be only charg¬ ed upon the firft ten who appeared before the Council, and not upon all thele either- for he fays, \oms cf them defired to have only fut in , and fb they did not refufe. Yea, for any thing he hath faid, this Refufal, if there were any fueh thing, might have been only the Ad of the Speaker ^ and yet from this Omiffion or Refufal to put in this word, which for any thing he fays might have been the deed of one, he charges all the Indulged with High Treafbnagainlr Chrift, yea,, he would have been at proving that this O- miflion did affed the very ■ Indulgence j and for anything I can fee, he would make this Omiffion affed all after-indulgences j for if the fecond In¬ dulgence be affeded as well as the firft, why not alfba third, and (ic in infinitum. He amplifietli mightily when he fpeaks of any ill or fuppofed ill in the Indulged Minifters. The Magnitying- glafs through which he hath looked upon the faults of the Indulged Minifters, hath not been a true Glafs ; and there hath been no charity in¬ termixed in . its compofition, but the vice which is oppofite to that grace, hath been the great In¬ gredient in its compofition. But C'39l But I come to his major Propofition ; and I fhall fo far gratifie him, though 1 be not obliged to it, to give him leave to alledge that this c??// wasde- liber^ely left out. Yet 1 deny his Ptopofition up¬ on this ground, becaufe ifit were true, the Apoftle Vatil, who Ipoke by the Infpiration of the Holy Gholt, when he faid he received his Mimfiry frcm the herd JeJffs, Would be chargeable with all thefe hideous things, which he charges on the Indul¬ ged Minifters ^ for Vuul put not in this exclufive particle cnly in his alfertion, when he was fpeak- ing to the iYmepurpofe which Mr. H. was fpeak* ing of j and he Ipoke not rafhly but with under- ftanding and deliberation, yea, by the infpiration of the Holy Ghoft. If ye fay, Paul did not re- fule to put it in- that’s true, becaufe none did de¬ fine him to put it in; but 1 enquire, if the Author had been by him, and had defined him to alter what he had fpoken , that he might prevent the Era flian Error, whether he would have: altered what he had faid ? I fiappofe none will be fo bold as to imagine he would have al¬ tered the words of the Holy Ghoft. Who dare take on them to teach God, who made mans mouth, how to fpeak ? If any W’cre fo bold as to alledge, tha^ if Paul were to fpeak this over again in thefe times, he w^ould addow//; he would be as ridiculous as that Minifter was, who before the celebration of th^e Communion, told his Hearers, Tloat they had hitherto received the Ccmmunion fitting, but new they were to receive it kneeling ; it's true, faid he, Chrifi gave it fitting, but 1 am fiure if he had given it again, he would have given it kneel- c 1403 kneeling. What the Spirit of God who knowetfi all things pall, p^cfent, and to come, fjDoke by the Apoftle Vaul, he fpoke it not only for that time, but for this ; and except mens eyes be quite put out by prejudice, or fome other dillemper, they cannot imagine that words dited by the Spirit of Chrift, are chargeable with theie hor¬ rid things which the Author would charge upon the Indulged Minifters, who {poke as the Apo¬ ftle Vaul fpoke : Might not this be a very good Reafon why Mr. H. might refiife to put in the word only, becanfehe would not mend the Phrafe and Stile of the Holy Ghoft? a. But Mr. H. might think it fit to forbear to put in theexclufive Particle, to prevent the Ca¬ lumny of thole who might readily have alledged that they pretended to an immediate call , fiich as the Apoftles had; for the words feem to (bund that way; and to add any word to the words of the Holy Ghoft, which might be turn¬ ed into an occafion of Calumny, had been, to. fty no more, great rafhnefs. 3. Mr. Hutchefcn might have this Reafon why he put not in the word only, becaufo Minifters re¬ ceive their Miniftry not only from Chrift, but alfo from the Father and the Holy Ghoft ; and it is one of the Arguments whereby Orthodox Di¬ vines prove the Deity of the Holy Ghoft, againft thole Hereticks who deny it,That the Holy Ghoft is the Author and Inftitutor of the Miniftry, an(^ cite that fame Scripture which the Author hath cited, pag. 8 y. Hence, faith he, they are [aid to be made Overfeers by the Holy Ghofi,^Cis 20. V. aS.fo that CmO that if he had bntcbnfidered what he w^as writing, he might have feen a very good Reafon why Mr. i/. did keep our the exdufive Particle j and was hot this a very good Reafon why he might deli¬ berately leave it out, that he might not lofe an Argunient for the Deity of the Holy Ghoft ? And Gal 1. 1. The Father is joyned with Ch rift, Vaid an Afcjile^ not of men, neither by man, hut by ’Jeff IS Chr'tf anfi God the Father, ivho raifed hii'n from the dead. And Jels 13. a, 4. he is fe far ated and fent by the Holy Ghofi to the ivork of the Mini- fry. He might have remembred that Mr. H was much better infighted in Divinity, than hewas,and might have had many Realdns for forbearing this Addition, which he could not fall upon. 4. If he had cbnfelfedhis Ignorance, that he did not know upon what Reafon or upon w^hat De- fign Mr. H. had left this word out • this might have been fpokeningenuoufly; but to alledge that the defign of this, was, to betray the Caule , and to eftablifh Eraftianifm, and to let the Ma- giftrate in Chrifts Throne, or put them in the room of the Presbytery, was a foul fault, which deforves a worfe name than I will give it ; and this fault is the more inexculable, becanle there is not only no ground, nor appearance of ground in Mr. Hutchefens Speech for it, but, on the con¬ trary, any who will not ftiilttheit eyes may foe that Mr. Hutchefons defign was to Ihew, that they had not their Miniftry from the Magiftrate, and that the Magiftrate cannot order the Miniftry or Minifterial adings as he pleafoth. For i. the Mi¬ niftry which Mr. H. f^'eaks of, is that Miniftryl whichr CK2 1 which had, as to it’s publick excrcife , been un¬ der a civil reftraint; now I fiippofe none will imagine that at t heirOrdination they received their Miniftry from thvb Magiftrate ^ for when they were Ordained, Presb}'tery was handing, and no body imagined thatth Hr Miniftry was received from the Magiftrate. X. If the Author, pag. 87. reafbn right, whe* he {hews that the leceiving of the Miniftry from the Magiftrate, is inconfiftent with the receiving of it from Chrift, and is a plain dethroning of him, I'hen the receiving of the Miniftry from Chrift, is inconfiftent with receiving it from the Civil Magiftrate ; and fo when Mr. H. afterted that they had received their Miniftry from Chrift, he excluded the Magiftrate from Chrifts Throne. I- The receiving 6r deriving the Miniftry from the Magiftrate is an Era(tian conceit, and none of the full Preferiptions of Chrift, but contrary thereunto, and therefore was excluded by Mr. Hutchefons Speech, which afterts the fulnels of Chrifts Preferiptions for regulating the Mini¬ ftry. 4. Whereas they declare their Refolution in the difeharge of their Miniftry, to behave thera- felves as became faithful Minifters of Chrift; They (hew that they were not the Magiftrates Minifters but Chrifts 3 and it had been inconfiftent with fatthfulnefs, to have derived their Miniftry ffoin the Magiftrate, or to have fubmitted their Mini¬ ftry which they had from Chrift, and which they were to exercife according to the Preferiptions, as CK3] accountable to him, to the will and plcafiire of men; this had been a finful way of pleafing men, inconfiftent with faithfiilnefs in the (crvice of Chrift, Gal. i. lo. ^ y ■ 5-. Their declaring' of their continuance in their known judgments, fhervs that they defigned to let the . Magihrate know that they were not Eraflia^js, and that they minded not to put the Magiftrate either in Chrifis Throne, or in the room of the Presbytery ; for all who know Pres¬ byterians know that this is their Judgment, That it’s Chrift and not the hdagiftrate that is the Foun¬ tain of the Spiritual Power of the Church ; and that it. is not by the Magiftrate but by the Presby¬ tery , that Chrift doth convey the Minifterial Fundtion to thofe who are ordained. Now is not this ftrange dealing, to alledge that Mr. Hutchefens Speech gives the power of Chrift, or the Presbytery, to the Magiftrate, when there is not only no ground from Mx.HatchefcnsS^Q^ch. for any fuch alledgance, but many folid grounds demonftrating the contrary ? but this lets us fee the imperious force of prejudice, which will liave things to be as it Will, without, yea, contrary to all Realbn. After the writing of this, I was informed that this alledgance of the Author con¬ cerning the word only^ is utterly falfe, as all the Minifters alive who were firfl: Indulged wiil wit- nefs. In his a, 3,4. Sedions pag. S6, and 87. hean- fwers an alledgance, Taat the Ind dged Admijtt rs accepted oj" the exercife of their Alimfiry frem the Adagifirate. An r L [ 144 ] Anf. The Indulged Minifters aflert , That they have not only their Office or Authority, but allb the excrcife of.it ffiom Chrifl: and not from the Magiftrate; and if hehad but confidered the Scripture which Mr. H. made ule of, he might have clearly feen, that the Miniftry Faid ipeaks of, comprehends the wffiole exercjfe of it ; for he (peaks of finiffiing the Miniftry which he had received from the Lord jedis. For any thing .1 know^, the Author in the(e Sedlidns, is fighting with his ow^n ffiadow. . , In pag. 87. Sed. 5.he faith, Tlje acceftwg cf this Indulgence containeth another wrong done 10 Chrifi, in that thereby there, is. an acknowledgment made of the fujjiciency of aJltheRules^VrefcriptiomandlnJlru- fl ions granted by him for the ordermg.of the cxercife of the Minifiry—rfor in the Indulgence^ Infiruhlions were gi'ven - a?id when the Indulgeitce was imbraced , as accompanyed ivith thefe InfiruBions, the pov-’er granting thefe InJlruBicns was acknowhdged-~-and a granting of a .Magi ferial Rower to Magifirates to make fuch Rules:, 8cc. is a robbing of Chrifi of that foie Supream Tower which is due to him. .Anf If the Author, had not -Printed Mh Hutchefons Speech, and what the Minifters,who were called before the Council for not keep¬ ing the xgth. of May, TpoYe, it might havObeen thought he had never (een their Speeches. M. Hutchefon declares the fulnefs of thefe Pfe- feriptions ; and yet this Authof would have folk believe that the contrary was acknowledged , that thefe Rules were not full, but inflifficient ; he fuppofes thefe Rules were received j the" con- C I45'0 tFciry wlicrcof W3.s before cleared* It s 3 niife- rsble t3sk to dilpute 3§3.inft 3 ni3n Who begs ths Qneftion. His 6th;Seaion goes upon the .fame fiippofition, that they have taken their Miniftry and Inftrudi” ons from the Magiftrate. j Jnf. The faKhood of both is cleared before^ He refers us to what hefaid in the Vindication of Mr. Blairs affertion. Anf. If the Author had been as well difpoled towards the reft of the Indulged Minifters as he was to Mr. Blair, he would have vindicated them alfo, and not have been their accufer ; yea, fo great is the force of truth, that it hath extorted a Vindication of them alfo ffoiti him ; for he acknowledges that what Mr. Hutche- fon fpoke, was the fame upon the matter with what Mr. fpoke j forfpeaking of Ux. Hutch- fans defire to the Council, That their L.L, would be pleafed not to burthen them jhith impofiti- ons in the matter of their Miniflry, wherein they were the [errant s of Chrif. He fays, he is apt to think that this defire did import, that he and the reft were unclear to fubmit unto impofitions in the matter of their Miniftry, becaufe of their being the Servants of Chrift ; and then he fub» joyns that Queftion, Why were the Brethren fo offended with what Mr. Blair laid ? which fhews that Mr. Hutchefons and Mr. Blairs words were to the fame purpofe. As for another fenfe of thefo words of Mr. Hutchefons, which in that 69. page he mentions. As he does not think it to be the fenfe of Mr. Hutchefons words, fo it is fb void of fenfe, and iiiconfiftent with what he acknowledges ~ K Mr< Tun Mr. Butchefon was ordered to fpeak in all their names, that 1 ivonder how he could imagine any fuch fenie of Mr. Hutchefons words. And pag. 70. the Author faith, And v.-hat dijf'erence^ I pray, was there upo?t the matter hetwtxt Mr. Hlltchefons reijuefi'ing that they might not be bur- thened with impofti.ns in the matter cf their Mini- firy, and Mr. Blairs faying he veculd not rcceioje In- Jbrttbbions from them for regulating him in the exer- cife ofhts AA’wi/?r/? and the Author cleareth this in the words following in that page. He repeats the fame, pag. 73. That Mr. Hiuchefons ajjertion was the lame uyen the matter with what Mr. Blair faid. Thus I hope he will not alledge there was not an honeft TLcltimony given againff the In- ftrudtions, feeing he acknowledges that Mr. Blair •gave an honeft Tehimony^and that Mv.Hutchefon fpoke the fame upon the matter which Mr. Blair laid. Pag. 88. Seft. 7. He will have the indulged Minifters guilty, becaufe the. Magiftrate deter- • ■mined and appointed the qualifications of Mini- ' fters; and the Accepters, fays he, acknowledged that they- were fo and Jo qualified, a7id did fweetly ac- , tquiefee in the Magifrates Arijlocratcrical deter min--, ing of thefe quaUf cations. He refers us to his ^d. remark upon the Kings Letter, which is pag. 7. and 8. The quahfeations are, living peaceably and orderly in the places where they rejided. I fhall he far, faith he, from faying, that Minifters fmfl'd not lioje yeaceaoly and orderly. Blit he Would have it ''coil- • Jfidered what' was the feme of this qualification, l^y fuch as did propole it, which he fays, is a ne- gatioje comylianoe with a greaP number of hainous' [147] evih^ and an, ^c. at the end of them. He expounds it, that to fay, have been very quiet and filent as to the bearing of faithful witnefs to the Caufe of God _ and hath been loath to tranfgrefs any of their iniqucus Laivs, and careful to carry fo in all their deportment, as not to diffleafe them in the leaf. What Son of the Church of Scotland could ac¬ cept a favour in the bofonie of which lay fucli a Reproach ? For this, faith he, waj an open de¬ claring that hewas one of theje peaceable livers —he thinks this ovas a loud call to vindicate themfelves from this aJperfon,and to have born witnefs to the truin of God. And after he izys,That the Accepers of the In¬ dulgence, did upon the matter an d.^ inter pret at ively give their ajjent and approbation to thefe two things. I. That the Magiflrate as Juch, hath power tope- feribe and Jpecifie what are indeed, and what he will have locked on as the only qualifcaticn necef farily requifite in Minifters. And next. That thefe here fpecified , are the only qualifications necefi’arily requifite in Mini fieri', and ccnfequently, that the Apofiles and Primitive I\Fini- fiers, who neither jvould, nor could have lived fo peaceably in reference to the Heathen Emperors, viere not rightly qualified for the Minifiry. Add to thefe, faith he, that hereby they acknowledged themfelves to be duly qualified after this manner. Anf I. Thefe qualifications were in none of the ads of Indulgence j they were not intimate to the Minifters, much lefs were thefe Minifters interrogate, if they had lived peaceably and or¬ derly : And as for the Kings Letter, I believe many Indulged Minifters never faw it, till the K % Au-i [143] Author printed it ; yea , fome who have bet¬ ter intelligence than the Author had, doubt if ever any Presbyterians faw the Kings Letter, or a true Copy of it, or if there be a true Copy of it ex¬ tant • the Council did not publifh the Kings Let¬ ter and to quarrel openly at a Claule in the Kings Letter direded to the lecret Council, not publiflied to them, and whereof they had no cer¬ tain Copy upon which they could found their Plea, would have evidenced too great an Itch of quarrelling with the King. I fee it’s very hard to pleale fome folk when they are angry; if tlfo Magiftrate had defigned the Author unpeaceable and difordeiiy, he would have judged himfelf injured; and if he had de- figned him peaceable and orderly, he would have counted it a reproach ; and yet it would foem ra¬ tional, he fhoiild have been pleafed either with the one or the other. If he look upon it as an in¬ jury to be called unpeaceable, why fhould he think that which is oppofite to that injury to be evil? I think he is miltaken in the explication of thefe terms. I do not well underhand a negative compliance; for compliance feems to import fomething pofitive ; and a negative pofitive thing, is a thing odiy compofod. I know no onted Miniftcr who can fall under the delcription thaf he gives of peaceable and or¬ derly living, feeing their very Nonconformity is a tranfgreffion of the Laws, and fo difpleafing to the Makers of thefe Laws; and to alledge that any of them were filent, as to the bearing faithful witnefsto the caufe of God, c^f/isnofmall injury done C 149 T done to them. I ftippofe it was not the Magi- ft rates defign to fet down Minifterial qualih ca¬ tions, and to determine that thefe too , are the qualifications only requifite in a Minifter;, to al¬ ledge that peaceablenefs and orderlinels, wfiiich every Magiftrate in the world requires of every Subjed, were made Minifterial qualifications, and the only Minifterial qualifications by our Rulers, is an afledgance that hath no colour, no (hew, no lhadow of probability. Nor do I think that it was the defign of the Magiftrate to exclude Presbyterians for preaching againft Prelacy, or for Presbytery, or for the obligation of the Cove¬ nant. I do not remember that they have put any to the trouble for Dodrine of that nature. But I conceive their defign being to keep the Country peaceable, they had no mind that any Minifters who would ftir up the people to fight againft them, fhould be fettled in Kirks ^ and in this they are not fingular : For I fiippoie all the Magiftrates in the World are of the fame mind. Now he knoivs that the Apofdes and primitive Chriftians lived peaceably enough in this leifte in reference to the Heathen Emperors. 1. Rut grant that the Magiftrate had defigned thele for Minifterial qualifications , and grant that thefe qualifications were as ill as he msakes them- he hath no fhadow ofReafbn to prove that the Indulged Minifters did approve of the Kla- giftrates raking on him to appoint qualifications, or that they owned themfelves to be fhch and fuch, as the Magiftrate defigned j for as 1 faid, thefe qualifications were not intimate to them j and though they ha(^ been intimafCjW^^^^ K 3 ' Ipoke [>50] ^pokewas fuffidcntto caft all qualifications that were not right- forMinifters miift be qualified ac¬ cording to Chrifrs prefeription ; and he fiimmoned up their qualifications in Prudency and Faithful- nefs. And it’s the known Judgment of Presbyteri¬ ans, that it’s the work of Chrift, and not of the Magiftrate, to inftitate the Miniftry, and to ap¬ point the qualifications of Minifters. Pag. 88. Sed. 8. He alledges , That the Indulged are mt fet over thefe flocks by the Holy Ghofi^ but by the King and the Council ^ and for thofe who re¬ turn to their former charges^ he fays, their ground of returning is not their former relation unto that yeoyle^ hut the Order of the Council. Anf Thefe are falfe alledgances, and as eafily denied by the Indulged Minifters, as affirmed by him. The former relation was the ground of thefe Minifters returning to their former charges ; it was really a juft ground of returning; and they who reriirncd, did go upon this ground in return¬ ing; the Councils Ad did not weaken this ground, but made way for their peaceable accefs to the exercife of their Miniftry , where they had ftt juft ground to exercife it. I wonder how he could obtrude his groundlefs alledgances, and put his groundlels Payings in the months of the Indulged Minifters ; for he faith, Khat the Minifler can only now fa r.. Though this be the Flock over which the Holy Ghofl did once make me Overfeer, yet now I am fet over it by the Councils Order. It’s ftrange that he will not content himfelf to fpeak what lie pleafes without reafbn, but he will have the In¬ dulged Minifters to fpeak as he pleafes, contra¬ ry to their own knowledge and folid reafbn ; but L J they who will Ipeak w^ithoiit realon, rnuft al ledge, and make where they want. , . , . He fays, That the ccrdial invitatmu Tvhich jcme pojfihly did chain, was no fuch call as Chrifis law allowethi it was not the Rife and Fcantain of thefe . Minifiers going to thefe fJaces, hut a pcfierior meer precarious thing whereby the Ordinance of C hr if was rather grcjl'ituted than followed. It s fujfcienlj known, the Council made the free EleBion, and not the Parifr, and withal, where v^as the Acl of the Treshytery, giving them ]\dmifter tally a gotefative mijfion. Tioe Council both called, choofed, andfent, and Co were both the flocks and' Presbytery. Jrf. He flill playeth the Dilator; and xvhat hefhould prove, he ailed gech, that it is fufficienly known. It’s well known that there could be no accefs to the peaceable exercile of the Miniftry without the Magiftrate. Minifters could not preferibe to the Coun¬ cil when they fhould make their. Ads of Indul¬ gence; had it been fit for them to have defired the Council to make no Ads in reference to any Mi¬ nifters, until the Eledion of the Parifh and tlte Ad of the Presbytery had gone before ? the.Pres- bvneries were dillolved, and to quarrel th^t there was no Presbyteries, is but to quarrel againft the holy Providence of God, who had doprived us of thefe Coprts and to have declared that they would not have the Couiiqll ma,ke^ qny fuch Ad, till Presbyteries were again (edecl, would have been to have refuted any thing from the Council, except they would give all , and this as matters thenftood, had been a refulal of^i?y- thing . . K 4 [153^ from the Magiftrate ; this had been very fiitable to thedefign of the Author, and the Author of the Eftfile to the Reader, and Cuj> of cold Water , who are for receiving nothing from the Magi- lirate. But when ifs exeaminedby reafon, it will be found to be nothing but unreafonable humor. That the Coui'jcils Ad which made way for the peaceable exercile oftheirMiniftry infuch places, went before the peoples invitation, flowed from the Councils pleafure, which was not in the power of the Indulged Minifters. But after the Council had pafled their Ad, it was in the power of the Pariflies to have invited thefe Minifters, or not to have invited them, as they’faw fit. yiv.'Thomas Wjlie hath in that Paper which he emitted for Vindication of the Indulged Minifters, cleared the freedom of the peoples invitation • it was in their power to have invited , or to have forborn to invite ; and though they had forborn to invite^-they would have been but in the condition they Were formerly in. And it was in the power of thefe Minifters in thefe bounds, to have con- lented or not confented to the invitation of the Parifhes ; and it was in the power of the Indul¬ ged Minifters, when they law the Invitation “of the people, to have gone, or not to have gone to thefe Pariihes, as they law reafon • for though the Councils Ad made way for their going, yet it did liot Idtle them in thefe Pariihes, nor make any relation betwixt them and thefe Pariihes. ■ Now' when it is gonfidered that all Minifters are Mihifters of the Church Univerlal, and in a ^|)eGial manner of the National Church, hi which v> . / ^ ; ■ they they were ordained Minifters, and many exerdfe their Minifterial Offices in other Congregations than thofe where they were ordained ( as Pres¬ byterians maintain againft Independents) if there be no juft Impediment, nor wrong done to any by the exercife of their Miniftry ; and that thefe Congregations who invited them, were deftitute, and earneftly defired their help; and that the Minifters of thefe bounds confented, or acqm- efeed to the peoples inviting them, and their coming upon the peoples invitation. When theie things are confidered, I fuppofe every judicious unprejudiced perfon, will acknowledge that thefe Minifters had a fufficient call to help thefe defti¬ tute people, who earneftly defired their help un¬ til they might have regrefs to their own Congre¬ gations where they were ordained Minifters. He faw that if the call of the Indulged Mi- fters were queftioned, then the call of thefe who preach in the Fields would be queftioned alfo ; therefore having moved that queftion, \\ hat ffiall then be Paid of them, who preach in the F.elds? pag. 89. Seeft. 3. he anrwers,£‘i;erj cm may he hew impertinent this quefiion isyfer tht^s preaching in the Fields or Houfes ism fixed fiated overjight ever a di- jlinhh company^as is that of h ]\4inifier oner apnrticn^ lar flock^ but ameer'occafional aff, depending upon pronidtntial Call from God^and the cordial intreaty of this perfecuted peopleyivhich IS all that is requifite there- untL Jnf. This is a piece of artinfomeDifputerSjto flight that as clearly impertinent which they can¬ not anfwer; there is no doubt of a difference be¬ twixt ftxed and occaficyial Preaching: fora fixed ftated [154 3 ftated preaching hath many advantages which an ambulatory & cccafional preaching wants -but the qiieftion is, whether they who preach in the Fields be called of God to preach, and to take as much in- fpettion as they can for that occafion,of the peoples caieto whom they preach^and if their call be good, as I hope he will not deny, the call of the In¬ dulged Miniliers muft be good alfb For the Indulged had a more deliberate Invitation and intreaty than thefe Preachers ordinarily can have ; and a more general invitation from thefe con¬ cerned, than thele Preachers have, or can wait for t And the Minifters of the bounds knew of the invitation given to the Indulged Minifrers a confiderable time before they came- Id that if they had been difpofed to have excepted againft it, they had opportunity to have acquainted the people , or the Indulged Minifter, with their ex¬ ceptions: but thefe occalional Preachers are often come and gone before Nfinifters concerned in thefe bounds hear any thing of it • and there¬ fore, if the one be good, the other cannot be evil. The fixednefs of the Indulged Miniliers makes not their call bad. I fuppofe thofe people did intreat one of thefe who preaches in the Fields to flay until them, and takeinfpedion of them as long as he could with fafety ; would his continuing to labour among them, make his Call, which was at firfl good, become bad afterwards ? if it Was good the firft time he preached , why fhould it be ill the next? if he may preach fora month, why not for a year ? . The term of a C«553 a providential Call, is a kittle word ; and fome have faid. That only Providential Minifters are the Minifters that (honld be heard. \^'e had need to beware of new words in a time when folk are fo much addided to Novelties- ordi¬ narily new words are big ivitll Novelties , new Conceits and new things : how he would define a Providential Call, I know not ; but if that be the thing he means. That the Lord in his Pro¬ vidence makes way for, and gives an opportu¬ nity of occafionar Preaching ; then it may be faid, that the Lord in his Providence made way by what the Magiftrate did, for the peaceable exercife cf the Indulged Minifters Miniftry in the Congregations where they are fetled. I (hall fay no more of this, but for any thing I can fee, if this Author be believed, neither Presbyterians that preach fixedly, nor thefe who preach oc- cafionally, can fay, that their Minifterial over- fight or infpedion is by the Holy Ghoft • for he affirms this of the Indulged, and does not thinkirreqiiifitein thole who preach occafionally ; and of how dangerous confcquence this is, I leave it to be confidercd. Pag. 89. Se(ft.9. His 9. Sedion is concerning the Inftrudions,of which enough hath been faid before. The Indulged Minifters accepted of the relaxation, as before explained, but did not accept of the limi¬ tations. In the fame page he faith in anfwer to an objedion,T^^f there uuU be no fim-^le t perours Dogs of this Shepherd; and Gafper Sciol¬ ism calls tlie Bifhops the men who are the Mtilietkrs , and Afs-drivers, and the Catholicks Aps ; and the Catholick Kings, Aljcs vAth and Charles the Great, he favs was a tar-greatci L ' und Ci661 ar.ii v/ifcr Afs than thcfe Kings who caft off rbc Popes yoak. And yet though they make Kings and Emperoiirs ’meet Servants to the Pope and iy^iops, implicitciy and blindly' to execute their L^^-'yees^ yet they grant that the Magiltrate mav ajy->rvv. IfLifpeSt the Author hath been gravelled and pic¬ ked with this Objection j and therefore he would fhuh.e it off with fcornand difdain: but this is a piece of Art in fbmc to feem to make nothing of ri67T of thefe objections to which they fee they can give no fatisfadoxy anfwer ^ but when any will with¬ out paflion confider this pafTage in the fecond Book of Difcipline, they will fee that the placing of Minilters implies more than permitting them or appointing them to preach ; for though tae Magiltrate appoint a Minifter to preach in iticli^ a Parifh, if the Parifh do not invite him, or it the Invitation be not fatisfaCtory to the Miniftei, he may forbear to go to that Parifh to preach ; but when a Minifter is placed , he is actually fetled in a Parifh ; and therefore the Book ot Difcipline allows of the Magiftrates doing more than permitting and appointing Minifters to preach. Again, it appears from this. That the Ma¬ giftrates permitting or appointing Minifters to preach in a Parifh, is notin the judgment of the Kirk of Scotland^ contrary to Presbyterian Principles- for the Authors of the fecond Book of Difcipline, and the General Afiembly of Scot¬ land, ivho examined that Book fb carefully, and appointed all the Minifters ot the Chinch of Scotland to fubfcribe it, underftood what were the Principles of Presbyterian Government, bet¬ ter than this Author did ; And thefe great Seers did fee no abomination of dejolation in Magiftrates placing Minifters ; and much left did they, or could they fee it in their permitting them or appointing them to preach when die Church is eorrupted, and all things out ot order j but why tliinks he, that none can for fhame make life of that ConcGlfton now? He gives thisReafbn ; See- L 4 . [i68] fays he, cuY Church 'was confiituted and vrell ordered^ and had all her Rights and Vriarlled^e's, Blit I wonder that he for fhaine could make life of this anfiver. If he could have faid, Seeing our Church is conftituted and well ordered, and hath all her Rights, it had been a pertinent an- fwcr, if it had been true • but when he lays, only fur Church was con(lituted and well ordered^ and had all her Rights, he grants that the Church now is not conftituted nor ordered, nor hath not her Rights ; he clearly yields the caule, and acknow¬ ledges that our Church is in fuch a cafe, as that is of which the lecond Book of Dilcipline (peaks. He might have confidered that the Readers of his Book would be very (enflels if they could not (ee a ditference betwixt what once was, and what now isj but this was good enough to put off •simple people who cannot diftinguifh betwixt wat is paft, and what is prelent. But he adds, iVhen the Magi fir at es with their own hands haoje overturned all, fiall this OhjeBicn be made ufe of to countenance their after-yraBifes ? that were indeed to teach Magifirates a way Jtfow to ufiurp, and take to themfelves all Church-fower, viz. let them once by Intcjuity and Tyranny break the glorious Order of the Church, and bring all into Confufion, and then forfooth, they may warrantably ajjume to themfelves an etcercife all Church-gower according to their mind. ' Arf. He (eems to infinuate, that the (econd Book of Dilcipline yields, that the Magiftrate may afliime all Church-power, which is an in- finiiadon very injurious to the Church of Scot- ■ 1 ... land^ Uiul In that fame page cited from Chap. lo. of the fecond Book of Difcipliiie, they ftiew that the Magiftrate may not ufurp the power of the might have learned from Mv. Ruther¬ ford, that the Magiftratical power which capa¬ citates the Magiftrate to do good to the Church, is the fame in ill Magiftrates,evenin aJVero,that itisin good Magiftrates 5. The more ill the Magiftrate hath done to the^ Church, he is more bound to repair the wrong he hath done. 4. According to this way of Realoning, it me Magiftrate overturn the Church ; he can do no more good to the Church; if the placing of Mi- nifters in the corrupted ftate of the Church, be commendable in godly Magiftrates, why would he hinder Magiftrates which have overturned all, to reftore all or a part, to do (bmething that is good? or why Ihould that be counted Ufnrpafipn in them, which is commended as good fei vice done to the Church, when it is done by godly Emperours and Kings ? Is not that the duty of thele who have overturned the Order ot the Church, to build what they have deftroyed? and when they do any thing that way, it fhould not be defpifed, but made ufe of, as far as can be done with a good Confcience ? But the Indulged Minifters need not anxioufly enquire (as to the defence of their Pradice) what Power the Magiftrate hath, or may have infome cafes to command Minifters to exercife their Mi- niftrv in fuch or fuch particular Parilhes ; for that [170] .that wliich they accepted and made life of, was the rckxStion from the Civil rehraint ; and they were called by thefe Parilhes to preach and do their parts of the Miniftry there. What he faith pag 9 1 . Sed. 3. concerning plant¬ ing and tranfplanting, and placing Minifters in particular charges, is obviated already. If he would have difputed fairly, he Ihould have kept the terms of the Councils Ads of appointing, allow¬ ing, permitting Minifter,s to preach in fuch and fuch places, and not have thrulf in his own words of poteftative miffion , planting and tranfplant- ing. We heard before what words are ufed in the firlt Book of Difcipline, as nominating, compel¬ ling, appointing, alfigning. And in the fecond Book of Difcipline, placing Minifters 5 and Mr, IVeljh doth not find fault with King fninss's ufing the word of planting every ’Parifh within his Kingdom; but as was faid, theilndulged Mini¬ fters needs not have recourfe to -thefe defences. Any who confiderSjthat Presbyterial Government was overturned before thefe Ads of Indulgence, and Prelacy letled by Law, may think ftrange, that he blames the Council for not conllilting Kirk-judicatories. There were no Presbyterial Church-judicatories to confult, and the Prelates did not like the Indulgence; and the confulting them in the matter, would have readily feared Presbyterians from making any ufe of the Indul¬ gence. He faith in that fame Sedion, Tlmt it was the Qomiils deed alone which did confiltate all the In¬ dulged [ijll JiikeJ M'mifters in fudr and fad places, and fo tjtfidc u^> thut Tclditiofi. Now'this is falfe ,and a beggmg of the qiieftion ^ for they who returned to their own Congrega¬ tions hada ftanding relation to thefe Congrega¬ tions, and they who had not accefs to their own, did not, till they had Invitation from the Parifhes, to which they went, and the cbii^nt of Presby¬ terian iVjinifters concerned, cqnccive, theiTifelves obliged to exercife their Minihry among them i far lels did they think, that the Councils deed did conrtitiite them Minifters of thefe Congre¬ gations, and make up that relation j for if they "had thought fo, they would have thought them- felves obliged to have gone to thefe'^ Congrega¬ tions upon the Councils deed. Concerning the bverfight that they have of thefe Congregations, ■we Ipoke before, and rau.ft not continually weai-y the Reader with Repetitions. He frequently carps at their getting the fti- pend • 1 know not vjhom he would have to get thefe 'hipends, feeing he is again ft the Indulged Minifters getting of them : as for the Councils defign of iixing them in other charges than their own, the Indnlged Minifters are not Mailers of the defigns of arty perfons, but their own j but the defign of thefe Minifters Vv^as to return to their own Coiigregations affoon as they had peaceable accefs. Nor could the Indulged Minifters hin¬ der the Council to have regard to the confent of the Patrons, but they had no regard to it. He refers us to his fecond remark on the Kings Let¬ ter. I find no new thing in it 3 he taxes the In¬ dulged C '72 ] •diilged Minifters filence, and alledges that by their filence they interpretatively alTented to the ufarpation; but they were not filent, as we heard before. But I would enquire as to the point now in hand , to wit, the Council appointing Mini¬ fters to preach in fuch and fuch places, What he would have had thele Minifters to lay? Would he have had thefe who were appointed to return to thofe Parifties where they were ordained Mi¬ nifters, to have told the Council they would not go to thefe Parifties, becaule they had appointed them to go? Or would he have had thefe who were appointed to go to other Parifties than their own, to have refufed abfblutely to go, becaufe they appointed them to go ? They did not pro- mife them to go to preach in thofe Parifties ; but it had been raftineft and unreafbnable raftinefs to have abfblutely refufed to go, and to go upon that accountj and therefore as they acknowledged not any relation betwixt them and thefe Parifties upon the Councils Ad, and did not oblige them- felves before the Council to go to thefe Parifties ;lb' they did not go until they were invited by thefe Congregations. To have abfblutely refufed to preach in thefe Congregations, before they had heard what was the refoludon of thefe Congre¬ gations who were concerned as well as they in that matter, had beena prepofterous hafte; and they could not have given any rational account to the Council of fuch a refulal or proteftaiion : for if the Council had inquired. Why will ye not go to preach there ? if they had anfwered accor¬ ding to this Authors mind, they behoved to have r«d Eecaiife yonr L. L. appoints me to go tliere and’ preach, and I can preach no where where ve command me to preach j for I miift preach contrary to yonr command ; for fo he ftates the matter pas. iiQ. had not this been humour and ^o reafon? ifthi Magiftrate had been difpored to make themfelves fport, they might have faid. Then we dlfcharge yon to preach in that Con¬ gregation which we appointed you to preach in before, and we appoint yon to preach any where elie- if the Minilter concerned would have been ruled bv this Authors reafon, or humour rather, he would have anfwered, Then I will preach in that Congregation where ye firft appointed me to preach in, and no other place j this had been ae¬ ry ridiculous! The Magiftrate needs not keep foldiers under pay to hinder any of this humour from preach¬ ing in any place , for they need do no more, but appoint them to preach in any place, and they may be Hire they will not preach there j or if they would have them to preach in any place, they may forbid them to preach there, and they rnay be fure they will do it j for this crofs humour will aft contrary to what is commanded. Pag. 91. Seft. 4. Relates to the Canons; of thefe we have fpoken before. The Indulged Minifters accepting of the relaxation of the rigour of Civil Edifts, hath nonecelfary connexion with the ap¬ proving of the Magiftrates power to make Eccle- fiatical Canons. The Author hath faid. That it hath fuch a connexion^wt he hath never fhowiiwhaC he (aid ; but he (ays this nhll al undatitly evince it. C 174 3 that if they had rccei ved. the fame or like Indulgence at the hands of the Prelates , clogged with the fame or like iniunclions^ this would haoje been a grant ir?- to the Prelate that -pciver to make fuch injmblions. Anf He knows that in the Judgment of the Presbyterians , the power that Magiftrates hath from God, and the excrcife of that Power, is Gods Ordinance ^ and the taking otf the reilrainr lb of¬ ten ipoken of, was the exercile of the Magiftrates lawful Authority. But Presbyterians do i3ot ac¬ knowledge Prelacy, nor the exercife of it to be the Ordinance of God. And therefore there is a great difference betwixt the ufe-making of an In¬ dulgence from the Magifrrate, and from tlie Pre¬ late. But if that were granted, that a Prelate had the fame power from God, that tl]e Magiltrate hath, to do what the Magiltrate did in taking off the relfraint; and then fuppole the Minifters to have declared themfelves in reference to the in- jundions, as they did before the Council, they could not hare been at all charged ;'With granting any fuch power of making inftriuaions tothePrer late ; but this Scarcrow is good enough to beguile fimple people. I have often obferved,thatthe apparent ftrength of all that is faid againft the Indulged Minifters pra- ^ice, lies in a confuled miftaking of the queftion, and in falfe ailed gances, and halting fimilitudes ^nd parables. To what he faith pag. 9 a. Sedt. y. IPs anfwcred, That it is not in the Adis of Indulgence lb ealle to prove, as to fay. That the Magiftrare hath al- fumed the power of exercifing real Church-Cei> fures ; L 175 1 fiircs bnt:(lippofe that could be proven, he can¬ not prove that the Indulged Minifters are any ways accefrary to their ahuming any fuch. power. Pag. 91. he laith, Our third head of ArgumenPs ngainjl this Indulgerxe , ts taken from its relation to, af.nity nnth, dependence upon, and Gonfrmaticn by that TPcful Adi of Supremacy made by our- Tar- liament 1669. He grants feveral times in that Book, that the Indulged Minifters did not formally and exprehy own, acknow’edg , acquiefee in, or approve of the Ecclefialiickfiipremacy, in and by their ac¬ cepting of the Indulgence ; and that he is far from thinking that tliey had any intention to make way for, approve of, or confirm the faid Sm premacy, pag. and elfc-where j but he al- ledges they arc interpretatively guilty. But this is but a mean alledgance; for as the Magilirates Ads of permitting or appointing Minifl-ers to preach, are not Ads fiowing from any finful Supremacy, as hath been cleared from the Books of Difeipline; and theic were the Ads Which were properly the Ads of Indulgence ; So much Ids can the Ma- giftrates Ad of relaxing of the reftraint, be called an Ad of finful Supremacy • it was a part of right which they were obliged unto, and it was only this relaxation xvhich the Indulged Minifters ac¬ cepted and made ufe of , as is clear from’ Mr.' Hutchejens Speech ; and if he would have feid^tnv thing to the pnrpofe, he fhould have proven that this was an iiomologating of an Erajtian, -of- ab- folute Supremacy in the. Magiftrate. ■ Bu t he ne¬ ver attempts dtis, and he did beft: never to 'dTav 19' Ci7^3 to do that which he knew he could not do i hut ac¬ cording to his confufed way, he takes the Indiih gence for all the Adts of the Magiftrate, relating to the Indulgence, and fhews what affinity fbme of thefe have with the Supremacy j and this he labours in from pag. ay till pag. but what will he infer from that? fhall the Indulged Minilfers be guilty of homologating the Supremacy, be- caufe the Magiftrates Adis have affinity one with another, and relate one to another ? How knows he that we would never have feen the Adi of Su¬ premacy, if the Indulgence had been utterly re- ftifed ? this is but his own conjedlure, and con- jedlures made upon mens defigns ; and Statemens defigns are very uncertain. I was furprized pag. gySedl. a. When I found him abufing the Indulgence, as an illigitimate brood, becaufe it was diredlly again ft law ; he means the Laws made in favour of the Prelates ; for I thought he would have liked it the better , becaufe it was contrary to Law, and fnch La:u^s. If he could havefaid, that the taking the reftraint off thefe Minifters, had been contrary to the Law of God, it would have been more to his purpofej but that he could not fay. In his Sedl. y he fpeaks as if he minded to perfwade the Indulged Mi¬ nifters to take fhelter under the wings of the Adi of Supremacy, againft the charge of Sedition ; but I do not think that ever any Indulged Mini- fter thought of this for a refuge? His Sedl. 4. refers to the two foregoing heads of which we have fpoken.His ^th. Sedl. contains Mr. Burnet s Argument, which fhews a correfpon- dence [ 177 3 . .... Hence betwixt the Adt of Supremacy and the complex Adts of Indulgence, bur it thing againft the praftice of the Indulged Mim- fter? or what they did upon or after the Indul- telce Asfor his 6th Sedt it’s more hkely that to I'l was made to litlve thefe he fpeaks of m hisSeft. I.fhantofiippolt the Indulgence, but fiiefe things are little or nothing to the pmpofe. To his Sea. 7. That the taking off the reftramt, or the giving relaxation trbm the reftraint, did flow from no ufurped power in nns Council; it vi-as the firodua of that power which every Magillrate hath from God, pag. 94- To his 8th. where he again brings m "f; latcs Indulgence, we fpoke before. His 9th abou the Prela.tes Collation, is to the fame p^irp e , he hill begs the quelfion what the Indulged Minifters made ufe of, flowed from an unlawful power. In his Sect. lo. e a the falhion of an Argument., but he begs the, miefiion ^ .for he takes for granted , what he Ibouid have proven. The Indulged Mmifteis c il no fubmit themfelves to be difpoftd of by radian ot abfolnte fapremacy in the ^ As for the Minifters going afte.f the, Magift rates Indulgence to fuch and fuch Kirks, he^ jniii er _ grants, according to the lecondBook of That the Magiftrate who claims noSpintnal Su¬ premacy, may ill fome cafes- pilace Mimlteis , which Is milch' more than the Council .aid , who only appointed or permitted them to .preacn in fuch and tiich Kirks, as wd cleaied '^•-'efore. Vve did Ihew alio from the firft book of Diicipluic, M [178] That the Magriftrate may in fome cafes appoint i and compel JVlinifters to preach where there is | need. He knows alfb that the Indulged Mini* iters who were appointed to go to other Con¬ gregations than their own, did not upon the Ma- gilfrates appointment go, till they were invited by the people- and would not have gone, if they ■ , had not been invited ; and his alledgance that that they accepted Inltrudions , Orders, Acts and Conhitutions , to regulate them in the ex- ercife of their Miniftry, is a falfe alledgance. He fays he hath cleared it above • but he hath nei¬ ther cleared it above or under. I cleared from his own ConfelTion, that the In¬ dulged Minifters gave an honelt Teftimony a- gainft thefe Inltrudions. He grants pag. 95-. Tuc^t the Indulged Aiinijrers nt'ver did , nor will own the Supremacy^ hut plainly dijown it ^ and fays, he j^eaks not of a poftive, explicite^ formalyntenti.- nal andexprejs homologating-^ hut of a 'virtual^ plicite^material^and elftwhere an interpret at iojs hcnn- logating. He did well to explain Homologating in the beginning of this page, that the people might underftand the meaning of this Greek word j but now again in (hewing what fort of homologating the Indulged Minifters are guilty of, he hath added fo many Latine words, virtual , implicite, mate¬ rial, interpretative, thatthepeople who read this, will be more in the dark than before ; for now they have four kittle tvords, whereas they had but one before; and yet he will have them, to believe , that though the Indulged Minifters plainly difownthe Supremacy, that yet they are [1791 virtually, implicitelv, inaterially, interpretatively guilty of it ; that’s to fay, they arc guilty of it , but they cannot tell how ; and yet upon this iiv terpretative Homologation which they cannot interpret nor underfrand , they are advifed to withdraw from hearing the Indulged Minifters. The cafe of the poor people is much to be pitied, who are thus made to ftumble at they know not what, and made to believe that the Indulged M'.nifters homologate a finful Supremacy in the M'agiftrate ; and that they in hearing the indulged Minifrers , homologate the Supremacy ; and (bme iiave gone that length, that the Minifters who preach not againft hearing of the Indulged Mini hers, are not to be heardj and upon the fam.e groundlefs grounds they may give up private Chriftian fellowlhip with thofe who are not a- gainit hearing the Indulged Minifters. I remember a Hiftory which I read of one J-jhn ol Ltege^ who upon the approach of fbme enemiesagainft that l^own, tookfuch a pannick fear, that he fled into the defert of Ardenna^ and diirft not adventure to come out; for he appre¬ hended that all men that he heard or flaw, ivere thole enemies which flrft frighted him. It hath befallen this Author , and the Author of the E- piftle, as it did to him ; they have taken fitch a fright at the Supremacy , that they apprehend many Ads to be Ads of Supremacy, which others j who are as oppofite to Eraftianifm, and- an arbitrary Supremacy as they, know to be Ads of that Authority which the Magiftrate hath from God ; and they apprehend many things to have M ^ affinity [.8o] affinity With the Supremacy, which have none at all ^ but this way of theirs is fb far from being' the right way to difeern the ill which is in the Su¬ premacy, that upon the contrary, it’s tlie way to commend it, whien thele Afts w^hich Orthodox' and Anti-Eraftian Divines grant to be Ads of law¬ ful Authority, are allcdged to be the Ads of a finful Supremacy. Pag. 95-. W'e have his fourtli ground. I need' not repeat the true irate of the queftion; he ' fliould have proven, if he umuld have proven any thing againlt the Indulged Minifters, that their pradice w^as injurious to the people. I know^ no injury they have done to the people, except^ that bean injury, that upon their Invitation they . came and preached the truth to them. 1 think they may be forgiven this tvrong. He lays, The meer aj-'pointment of the civil Ma~ gifrate^ 'vjas all the groimd of their- relatim^ and thcmly thi-fiirthat ?nade them- t'ajhrs to fach a people. This IS falfe, and W'ill never be proven. f-told him, the Indulged Minifters had no re¬ gard to the Patror. He objeds, that it will belaid they obtained the full and unanimous conlent of the people. And he anlivers i. I doubt if this was either univerfally fought or obtained. Anf. Seeing he charges the Indulged Minifters as injurious to. the people, he Ihould have been' clear, that they obtruded themlelves upon the people; and that the people did not- conlent to' their coming. It leernshe makes his doubts to be evidences to prove his Brethren guilty of injurious dealing. But he- might have known, that no man-' • ■ ■ who’ who hath any common Icnfe, will take the moft con.^dent aifertions of an accufer, and much lefs his doubts, for proofs and_ evidences againft the party whom he charges with a hiult. _ a. Asforthofe who returned to their own Congregations, they had a handing relation foun¬ ded upon the eledion of the people, and ordi¬ nation of the Presbytery ^ and none can ratio¬ nally imagine, that their own Congregations did not defire the return of their own Paftors. As for thofe who vvent to other Congregations , not having acceis to their own j I fuppoie he would not have thought it futable for them to have fought Invitations to thefe Pa- rillies. It was not the Cuftorn, nor had it been decent, but very iiniutable and iiabiC to Excep¬ tions, to have (ought Invitations ; it was all that could be rationally expefled from them, .tofigni- fie to the people concerned, that they could not come to exercile their Miniftry among tneni,-- cx- . cept they did content. Neither had it been fit^ for the people to ha\'e made a formal eleblion ot them, feeing they had never heard, nor leen (bme of them ; and feeing theie Minilters were not out of hope of obtaining regrefs to their own-Parifnes ; but all that was neceilary, as the ca(c^ flood, was the . peoples confent- to thetr coming; and preaching among them- apd: when Jthgy jta.d heard them, both the Minilters and they.mjght cohfider whgt was fit for them to do.- toplball iet down a true Copy of one of thdc-. Iinvita- •tions. r 182 1 Wc under Suhfcribers m the TarijJj of-. - heing;^^ informed by -very 7nany T'tfimonies^ to which we ewe credit. That it hath ^leafed the Lord to endue \'0t. 'i with great Abilities for preaching the Gojpel, and that upon our call you haute free accefs to come and excrciCe the ALmifterial Tun'clicn amenu us • haute thought it cur Duty to gh’e yen a utery cordial Inujitaticn to ceme ajid preach, which we ex pc A may he upon Sunday, the fifteenth of' this i/ifiant ; after which we are not eloubtful, but both you and we jball haute fuck mutual fiatisf'aBion, that we fiaall haute the Comfirt ofi your Alimfitry, and you the opportunity ofi doing ferutice to ycur Lord and ALafer, in pur- fiuance ofi the Commijjion you haute fir cm him , in whom we remain and fiuhfcrihe, &c. By this it appears, i. That the people were informed, that the Minifter had fignified. That an Invitation from the Parifh was ncceOhry fof his accefs to preach to them. T hough they exprefs their hopes, that af¬ ter his preaching among them, both they and he Ihoiild have mutual latisfadion ; yet they do, not determine themfelves , nor pretend to de¬ termine the Minifter; fo that both they and he were at liberty, as to a mutual fetling. Now when fneh an Invitation was given by perfons having fpecial intereft, and not without the knowledge of the people who had place, to have objecTed if they had any thing to fay; and fee¬ ing the people upon the Minifters • coming to Breach, did willingly come and hear, and continued do fo, and to frequent Diets of Catechifing, &c, - VVhar What farther could be dehred, as matters then ftood? the people were willing that theiC Kuni- ftcrs come to preachy and when they had toid , them, they willingly attended upon their Mini- ftrv and that very unanimoufly, until ab^t the time of the fecond indulgence, fome made it their work tirft in private, and then more publickly, to perplex the des. 1 fay. what further could be defired . and as the matter was circa mdantiate, it had been unfit to have ufed any more formalmes in tue matter, feeing there v/as a real willingnels in the people to attend upon the Ordinances di " penled by thelc Minifters. , ; ■ . . 1 He lavs, H'here this ccnfc7it wets it li es but a Tiiecr blind, and to me a mccr p-cfittnting cf that Atfoiniment and Order rf Chrijr, rat hey ihan- anycGf pientiuts o'lfir^'atim thereof _ Jnj. Tills is a very high charge againft thcie deftitutc Congregations; and 1 doubt not to lay, it is a blind acculaiionto charge a deltitute Con¬ gregation, becaufe they dcfiied a Minifiei o tie Golpel to preach the Colpcl to them, ivith lucn an odious crime as the proitituting of the ap¬ pointment and order ol Cbrilt. \\ hen he uas charging others as injurious to tlie peopje, n.e fhould not have wronged them himielt, as il they minded to deceive themielves or others, to put out their own eyes, or the eyes of others, by a blind, and as if they made not Confcience ofob- ferving Chrilts Order, but had proltituted it. but iet Its hear his Rgafon. tj84] For ( faith he) this call of the people ought to he a free EleBton atid. Choke but there was vS free EkBion left unto them but whether they did confcnt or not, the perjon defigned by the Cotinell, ivas to be fct o-ver them. Anf. I fnewed before, That tlie peoples Invi¬ tation was free, and Mr. Tho?nas Iff he in his paper hath made it very evident there was no force upon the people; they miglit have invited or not, as they thought hr. There have been many free Invitations, where tltere hath not been a comparative preferring of one to others ; fe- veral people have, never had thonglits of any but of one to be their Minifter ; there may be the greateh freedom without a formal choice of one out of many, upon comparing them one with nother. ■ I ivonder bow he coiild fay, That whether the^ people had confented, or ?iot , the perfon defigned by the Council was to be fct oujer them. HoW knew he that? did he know the lecretpurpofes of thofe Minifters, that they would obtrude themfelves upon the people againft their will? or that the Council would make thefe Minifters preach, and the people hear againft their wills ? Both the Mi- ni'hers knew that they would not preach to thefe people without their confcnt, and the people kneiy that thefe Miniliers would not .preach to them except they Confentyd ; but this Author knew, r; feems, more than they all. He had it feems a fmntta media of his own, by which he knew what the Indulged Minifters would, ^lo, iippn fuppq- fition that the people did not cdnfentl • He is a . ■ *- little / Ci85l little too homely with the Indulged Minifters; for he not only impofes harangues upon them,oniis own making, and makes them fpeak contrary to their own mind ; and impofes Creeds upon them of his own making, and makes them to believe what they never thought bur alfo he takes on him to tell, that they would have done thatwhidi they refolved not to have done. Ti'his is very ftrange,that he fliould make himfelf not only Ma- fter of their mouths, and of their faith, but alfb of their wills and future adions ! But fuppofe that event which he not only without, but con¬ trary to reafbn, takes upon him, as if he had been a Prophet to foretel, had fallen, or would have fallen out j yet this could nor make the peoples Invitation unlawful, becaufe the lawfulnefs oi un- lawfulnels of adtions is to be meafliied by theii conformity or difconformity to the rule by their conftituent caufes, and concomitant circumftan- ces , which are in being when the aftion is per¬ formed, and not from f\iture events. - 4.-(Saith he) The free- elecl-mt of the people fwuld go before the psrfons defignation to that charge^ and become the foundation of Ins relation to that fock\ but here it was pofierior to the Councils defigna- tion^ and was a meex pfecarious things coming CK poft fado. . Jnf The Indulged Minifters_ had not the difpolal of the time of the Councils adings, as was faid before j but the peoples Invitation was before thefc Minifters preaching to thefe Pa- fllhes. ‘ ■■ ; ■ • [ 1 5', Tots call (faith he) and electbn of the people^ V^as not in the ieajh prefuppofed as any way requifite either in the Kin^s Letter^ or the Councils Nomina- Ticn and Elect ion. An(\ Ir may be if a Call or Eledion had been mentioned in any deed of the Magiftrates, he would have excepted againft it, becaufe accord¬ ing with the Magiftrates will; for elfewliere,as we heard, he commends preaching for not being according to mans order ,but contrary thereunto, pag. 129. But any may fee that the Magiftrates not mentioning of the peoples Invitation, can¬ not vitiate the peoples Invitation. 6. He addeth, Nor did they make any mention hereof^ when before the Council^ ncr make ex¬ ception againfi the Councils order or collation, until this was had. Anf The Councils Election and Collation are words of his own making; he fhould have ufed the Councils owm words, and not thruft in invi¬ dious terms of his own devifing. If they had mentioned the peoples Call be¬ fore the Council, it might have been he would have ailed ged, That this was a bringing of the peoples Call under the Cognizance of the Coum cil; and it might have occafioned the Council to enquire after the peoples calls, and to have urged people contrary to their Inclinations, to have given calls; yea, the Councils requiring them to give calls, would have occafioned fcruples to lome people, and this might have expofed them to fuftering ; or if they had upon the Magiftrates interpofing, given Invitations, it might have been Li87l alledsed , That they were conftrained there¬ unto If the Miniftershad rejefted theCoiinais Ad till once they had the peoples Call,^ then this’ would have either provoked the Magiftrate toretrad their Ad, and give no Indulgence- which is the thing that this Author would have been at : for, if he thinks it a difparagement to the Parilhes, that their Ad is pofterior to the Councils, he was or might be lure the Council would think it a difparagement to have taeir Act not only pofterior to the Parifh Ad,butauoexcep*- • ed againlt and caften, till the Parifti Ad went i.e» fore for the Council would have thought it as great a difparagement to their Ad to be trailed at the heels of the peoples Ad, as he thinks it tor me peoples Ad to be trailed at the heels of the Coun¬ cils Ads. This would have brought in a very odious queftion about precedency betwixt me Council and the Parifn. Or if the Council had _e^e- terminedtofettlefucha Minifter in fiich a Pari in, and faw that he would not go without r'.-e invita¬ tion of the people ; this would have [:ut them to urge the Parilh, as thinking it a dilpamgement to have their Ad made void by the Paifth-ic-^ fufal. If the Parifti had refufed to give aicalonot their refulal , they w^ould have ufed them the m.ore hardly. If they bad excepted againft the Minifters Qualifications, Dodrine , ©u-. this, would have entangled the people to have pur- fued thefe matters before the Magiftrate as the judge competent. , Thefe Minifters intending to make ufe of tne Councils Ad, info far as it was fomc relaxation [>S81 of the reftraint formerly laid on, and as it did make way for the peaceable exercife of their Mi- 'niftry in fotne Parifhes, and minding to have it free to thole Parifhes to invite and not to invite them, as they law ht, and to themfelves to go or not to go , as they fo'ind it fit • it was very convenient that tliey llioald not make mention of the Parifhes or their Invitations; for this might have either n^edlefly irritated the Conncil, and provoked them to undo what they had done, or elle have entangled themfelves and the Parilhes. They declared before the Council, that they had full preferiptions from Chriit to regulate them in their Miniftry; and a violent obtruding them¬ felves upon a people without their conlent, had been contrary to thele Preferiptions, and con¬ trary to the known judgment of Presbyterians. 7. Nor ( faith he ) did they tefi'ifie their dijja- tisfaclion 'ivith^ nor protefl: a^ain[t the unlawful u- furped intereji of the Patron , and his sieetjjary pre-reojuifte confent. Anf The Author would have had fuch for¬ mal Ih’oteftations , becaule they would have marred all Indulgence. I (poke of Proteftation^ before, upon the Epiftle to the Reader. The pro¬ per fealbn of protelfiiig againll: Patronages, had been when they were to efrablifh them by Law ; and it concerned all the Minifters as well as tliefe Ten who were firlt indulged, and it would have Teemed impertinent enough for them to havepro- tefted againll: the Patrons for confenting to their ComivUg to filch Parifhes ; if a Patron had been holding them oiit of a Parifh they had right to be in , it had hecn mote pertinent in that cafe td have protefted, than in this. W hen a Patron had behoved to hay till all the yeft were fet free. The Covenant obliged the Covenanters to united endeavours in their places and ftations, to preferve the good things, and oppofe the evils mentioned in the Covenant j and it obliged them not to turn contrary to what they had fworn, nor to turn indifferent and neutral ; but., it never obliged them to be always in the, fame Lot and Condition as to profperity and adverfity j that if one were poof, imprhbned , banifhed, put to death, all the reh fhould befbtoo- or that none Jhould take the benefit of deliverance from, any diftrefs,. except all ,that were in', diitrefs^ were freed at the fame time ; this had been an im- poffible, unnatural, finful, and ridiculous con¬ ceit ! And yet Ifuppofe the mihake of fbnie wef- meaning people in this point, hath tempted them to go out of the way that they Ihouldhave walked in, to feek rufterings,becaufe they faw others wete fuffering. To his 9/ concerning the leaving oiit of the word onlj., I, havefpoken at length before. HisSed. lo.pag. gl j. concerning the Prefcripti- ons, hath been alfd ffpoken to oftner than once. He alledgeth, theji Tcceiyed other Vrefcriptions frp?p the Magifirate • this is falfe, as we have cleared at length before. . And thus we fee that his Ex¬ amination of Mr, Uutchefhm prove that the Indulged Minifters confirmed the Magiftrate in this ufurpation,Tl^at Miniiters may libt preach in public^, of private rity and Licenfe from the Civil Magiftrate. And < ..... . ry n fof the Speeches of thofe who appeared before the Council 1673. we cleared from the Au¬ thors own words , That thefe Minifters gave an honeft Teftimony againft the Inftrudions. Pag. 96. Sed. 7. He charges all the-Miniilers, and himWamongthe reft^ with avirtua\cadii^ and yielding to Er^(^ta7i Invahons and ons • but he fays. The Indulged Minifters did 'ivil- iinzh to the Magifirates aftml ufurgatim ofChurch-uwerfand hy accenting of, the Indulgence, did tut them in aBual.gcJJtJfon of 'iithat was hut nc- t tonally, and m the Theory arrogate formerly as to jTmuonformiJts. Anf. Seeing he makes all the Minifters guilty of a virtual cadging to thefe Invahons and uftirpations, if he deal with them as he doth with the InduJgea Minifters upon their virtual homologation ot thefe uftu-pations, he muft juftifie the people^ who withdraw from hearing of them ^ for as we heard before, he doth not charge -the Indulged Mmifters with an explicite and formal homologating ot thefe ufurpatiens, but only with a virtual homo¬ logating of them. Now if all, even himfelt be guilty of this virtual yeilding, as he grants , 1 would enquire w'hom ftiall the people hear . Is not this the way to fcareaw?ay the people from hearing all the Nonconformed Minifters ? ButJic will have the Indulged Minifters more guilty ; but he knows that magis ^ minm non ojariant^ Jpeciern. ■ His Reafon is falfe j or the Indulged Minilfers did not (ubmit to any. adual uftirpation; nor did they by any deed of theirs put theMagiftrate in any adu- [208 3 I adual polTeffion of fiich an nfurpation. He con- • tradidls himfelf, when he faith, That thejl tdfur- • patioTJS wsTC only in ths Tloeovy and notion, ^b^ove the \ Inddyrence j for the Magiftrates altering of the I Govcrnmerit of the Church, and fetting up ano- •' ther kind of Church-government than was be- - fore, and turning out of Minifters, which this 5 Author Interprets to be Depofition ; were not i meer Speculations and Notions, but pradtifes too ; too real and 'effedlual. And in this fame page he faith. This Erafiianifm 1 and Suyvevnacy hath abled and outed at it s yleafuve. < They are very far out who think the outing of Minifters to be nothing but Notions and The¬ ory. His 6. is but a Repetition of what he faid before ^ for what the Indulged Minifters did, was no virtual or real acknowledgment of Eraftia- nifm. The Indulged Minifters made ufe of what was good, and both in wordand pradtice teftifted againit what was evil in the complex Adts of Indulgence. He propoles this exception. That the Indulged did only accept of a Licenie, which when ab- ftraded from its offenfive circumltances , is a meer relaxation of the rigour of former Edidts. He aniwers 1. If this Indulgence dtd reJpeB nothing hut the ■ ^erfons and efiates of Udinifiers, then it might be looked on as a fneer yelaxation of the tigi- dity of former Kdi bis under jvhich theygroaiied’^ but it's fafi all denyal , that this Indulgence relatetb more^ yea, and 'principally untotheirOjfce ahd Fun- Bion, and is defigned, as is confejjed, for the hlijhwent of an ufurped power over the Funblion of [ 209 1 the Mmilhrj ; jea, mi tnduieth m apmefiingmi SuhmXoh unto ABs muie ar.i frotofei by fuch as confeiily aB from a frmafk of ujurfation, anJ. that for the better efabUJlmen, of the fame, mi con- firJation oft bent fehes m the Mon thereof- and fberefore !he acceftmg of the Inohdg^ce canno cmtrihute to the ends frofojei by the InU- He anfwers, iVhate-cer that fLiceme ( as k is called ) may be, or maj be fuffofed to he, whm ahjlraat'^fio'" its offenfive circumf antes ; yet ta¬ ken complexly omth thefe circimfiances, it muft be condemned ; and howe-ver in our tmagtnaucns one may abdract it from thefe ctrcumjlances , yet we cannot do fo in point of fradice, jeemg it ^ con- fefj'ed that'the tnoralky of ABlons do much at leaft 'XLT. nS falSer dimnguithes.the Per- fons and Eftates of Minifters from their Office and Funftion, and diftinguiffieth an Indulgence refpeding their Perfbns and Eftates from an In¬ dulgence refpeaing their Office and ^^nftion ; and he grants that an Indulgence refpeding their Perfons and Eftates, may belooked on as a meer relaxation of the rigidity of former Edtds, but denies that an Indulgence relating to their Office and Fundion , can be fuch a relaxation Put 1 would know what reafon he can give, why there may not be a meer relaxation of the r^our ot Edids which relate to Minifters Fundion, as well as of thefe which relate to their Perfons and Eftates? there is very good reafon for diftm- guilhing the Perfons and Eftates of [jiol from their Fun(!^ions, and for diftinguifhing In¬ dulgences relating to the one, from ‘Indulgeii” ces relating to the other. But he hath given no Reafon why there may not be a meer relaxa¬ tion from the rigour of Edids relating to the one, as well as of Edids relating to the other. He Ihould not fo frequently have impofed on us by his didates. He might eafily have perceived, that this was but a blind and toome talk ; and I think he hath perceived it after he had written it ; and therefore he adds, That th?s Indulgence rela¬ ting to their Fiwhtion^ is dejlgred for the e/lahlijh- ment of an ujurped Fower o-ver the Function oj' the Miniftrj. I anfwer : An Indulgence refpeding Minillers Perfons and Eftares, may be dehgned for an ill endj; and if the Magiltrate defigned it in the one, he defigned it in the other alfo ; now if the Magiftrates wrong defign in an Indulgence re¬ lating to the Perfons and Elfates of Minifters, doth not, and fliould not hinder the Minilfers to look upon that Indulgence, and make ufe of it as a relaxation of the rigour of the Edids made again!! their Perfons and Eftates ; why fhould his ill intention in granting an Indulgence relating to their Fundion, hinder them from making ufe of it, only as it’s a relaxation of the rigour of the "Edids which reftrained them from the peaceable life of their Miniihy : for the one relaxation con- fidered in its Iclf, is as good, if not better than the other j for the free undifturbed peaceable exercife of the Miniftry , is preferable to the. naeer freedom of a Mnillers Pe^fon, or the free [211^ life of his Eftate; And though the Ivlagiftrates ill defign in relaxing, doth vitiate his Ad to him- felf vet it doth not vitiate the Adi of him that accepts of the relaxation, and difapproves the Maeiilratesill defign. Although the perfon who gives Alms out of vain glory, 'or the Magiitrate who gives a Prifoner liberty, oiit of an ill defign, do by their ill defigns vitiate their own Adis; yet die indigent mans receiving of the Alms, and the Prifoners accepting of his liberty, are not defiled by the ill defign of the Alms-giver, or the Releafer of the Prifoner. - ^ ^ ' ;;; - . The Author, as it Would ieem;fufpedling what^ he had faidto be but loofe-work ; therefore to makeali fure, he addeth, Tioanth-^s Indulgence tn^ dudeti:^ an actjuiefcing and fubmijjion unto &C. But it’s manifeftly falfe, that they ; acquiefced or fiibmitted to any Adis that 'eftablifhed Eraftia*- aifm, or any ufurpatioh ; but- he hath a way of illedging ftrongly what he fiioiild have proven, but could not do it. ' . . ^ V That which they accepted ,\yas the relaxation ; blithe will have them to acquiefce in the Ads , he .means the complex Ads of the Indulgence ; and fo if ye believe him , they could not bilt contribute to the iniquous ends propofed by the ludulgers. Thus ye fee he makes all as fare as his words could make it ; for if (without reafon J ye will take things upon truil from him, they are as he lays, and they cannot but be as he lays. Ere 1- come to his fecond anfwer, I cannot but fake notice of the Confelfion in his firft Anlwer. . ^ The Objedion which he pretends to am . ■ O 3. [212] Giifwer, fpeaks of what the Indulged Minifters accepted •, he anfivers of the Magiftrate^ Ads and their defigns in adrng- and when he isfpeaking of the Magiltrates Acds, he fays, That this Indul¬ gence includeth an acojimfcing and fubmiJJiDn^ &C. This muft, if it hath any fenfe, be applied to the Ad of the Indulged Minifters ; for as the de - figning of the eftablilhment in the words imme¬ diately preceding , relates to the Magiltrate ; fo this fubmiffion cannot be the Magiftrates Ad. This is very confufed wwk! if the Author hath been neceffitated to ftudy this Confnfion, to wrap up a matter that could not be diftindly hand¬ led withont difadvantage to his caule , he hath been put upon a pitiful Trade. His Anf is as confiifed as his firft. The Ma¬ giftrates Ad indulging, confidered morally, muft be confidered' with its circiimftances ; and he knows that the Indulged Minifters are far from juftifying the fame. But the Minifters indulged did not accept of thole Ads in the complex, but of the relaxation of the reftraint; they Liew howto chufe what was good, andrefufe the evil. But that which hath deceived this Author, hath been a very odd conceit, 'vix.. That the Indulged Alinifiers could not in their fr alike acceft of the relaxation^ and not be involxied in the guilt of the Magiftrates defign-^ becaufe the morality of Actions doth much degend upon circum/tances-, and the end and defign is a main circumjtance in confiituting the morality of an altion. But he was very far out in his morals, if he thought that the morality of one mans adion , is conftituted by another mans defign, Tttim's [21?] Titm^ defign is extrinfecal to Semfrofims’s adion^ another 'mans bad defign, if Ido not ap¬ prove of it, doth not vitiate my adion. I fhewed before, that a man may make ufe of relaxation from Imprifonment, though he who relaxes him hath a bad defign in doing it. ^ It s an ill intention in the Agent himfelf that vitiates his adion, and not the ill intention of another per- fon , whole Intention he knows not j or if he knows it to be ill , dilapproves it : it s upon the circumftandes of our own adions, and not upon the circumftances of other folks adions, that tne morality of our adions doth mudi depend. Pag. 98. Sed. 7. After the repetition of what he had faid often before, he alledgeth, That the refujin^ of the Indulgence ivould ha^e been u fenfihle defeating of the dcfgn of Erajhanifm^ and -would ha've neceffitated the defigners to ha-ve taken othey meajuyes. And he adds, Idhat tots Jugpo fable defeat^ is fuffcient to jhew hew juitable medium this was unto the projected end: a^td that it can¬ not be fatd, that this is but accidental ; frit hath a necejjary connexion with the end, as not only expe¬ rience hath yroojen, hut the -very nature of the thing evinceth, as is abundantly cleared abo-ve. Anf The abfolute refalal of the relaxation of the reftraint; or the ablolute refulal ot the peaceable exercile of the Miniflry, would not have been a right way of defeating Eraftianifm. It’s a very ordinary fault in tbele times, in op- pofing one evil, ‘to run into another. Dum -vitant jiulti ojitia in contraria currunt. ' There were lome, who a little after the Reformation from Popery, O ^ in [214] 11 their oppofing the merit of good works, ran into an oppofite error. That good works were pernicious to Salvation ; this was not a right ivay of defeating the merit of good works ; for this tended rather to harden Papifts in their er¬ ror of the merit of good works, when they faw how abfiird this device was , which fome had fallen upon to defeat the merit of works. Pro¬ digality is oppofite to Covetoufnefs ; but it is not Gods way to defeat Covetoufiiefs , to turn Prodigal ;To refufe the peaceable publick exercife of the Miniftry, and to chufe and prefer an un- peaceable exercifeof the Miniftry unto the peace¬ able exercile of it ; and to chufe a rvay of preaching upon that account that it’s contrary unto the Magiftrates will, as if the Magiftrates appointment or permiflion to preach, were in- confiftent with Chrifts call, as the Author ftates the queftion, pag. i a 9. are fo far from being right nieanspfdefeating Eraftianirm,that they are rather means to harden Erafiians ; for to oppofe that power which the Magiftrate hath from God, as if that vjex^2d\Eraflian power, confirms Erafiians,, that they who oppole Eraftianifm that way op¬ pofe the Ordinance of God ; And they who re- fuie to take, the peaceable publick exercife of their Miniftry under the proteftipn of lawful Authority, but wii.l preach contrary to the Magiftrates will, need not to think it ftrange, if the Magiftrate think and fay, that fuch ways and principles as thefe which lead men to an unneceftary, iin- peaceable thwarting with the Magiftrate, are oppofite to Civil Authority and lawful peace , [315 J and fo are not of God, who is the God of Order ^"rhe^todiilgedMiniftersmade ufe of what in the Indulgence was the exercife of that power which the Magiftrate hath this Ihew their refpedl: to lawM A^i^thority ^ and they both by word and pradice, did what t ey iudaed incumbent to them, to render any evil which was iir the complex Ads of the Indul¬ gence, inetfedual. So far tvere they from doing anything which had a necehary connexion with any wrong end ; and he hath not yet cleared, diat experience or the nature of the thing aoth evince what he fays. I perceive hehath a of toicing nature, to evince what be cannot prove. Pag q8 We have his fixth head of Arguments, in which he undertaketh to Ihew how prepdicial this Indulgence is unto the good of the Chuiclu If he would have proven any thing pradice of the Indulged Minifters , he ^ ou have fhewed that what they did, was prejudicial to the Church. His tirft Hilt, is not pertinent j the pradice of the Indulged Mmiiters in returning to their own charges, or going to Parilhes thac were deftitute, upon the Invitation ot the peo¬ ple, as it doth not make any precedent tor thrult- ing out of Minifters ; ( tor he knew that not long before the Indulgence , not only the In¬ dulged Minifters, but others were thruft out ) fo it makes no precedent for Magiftrates put¬ ting in Minifters hrevi manu ; for whatever the Magiftrate defigned' yet thefe Minifters did not enter in thefe Congregations hrevt as was Q ^ cleared [2163 cleared before. And I fuppofe he will not find in Church-Hiftory, that the Church was hurt by the Magiftrates reftoring or placing , Orthodox Minifters. He granted before, that in the cor¬ rupt ftate of the Church, Magiftrates might place Minifters. If there be any ftrength in this firlt Argument, it will overturn that conceffion; for if Magiftrates may thruft out Hereticks when the Church is corrupted, and place Orthodox Mini¬ fters ; then he will infer, that the ice being bro¬ ken , if the Magiftrate turn Aman , he will thruft out Orthodox, and put in Hereticks, and the Orthodox Magiftrates and Minifters have paved the way and broken the Ice. The abfur- dities which have followed upon the corruptions of corrupt Magiftrates doth no more bind up Magiftrates from doing right, than the abfiirdi- ties which have followed upon the corruptions of Corrupt Minifters doth bind u p Minifters from doing their duty. His ad. as it is no parallel to the cafe in hand, fo it (hews that an ill-difpofed Ecclefiaftick Court may mifplant Kirks; and to reafon from preju¬ dices arifing uponfuppofitionof mens corruptions, would exclude Minifters as well as Magiftrates from having any hand in providing defblate Con¬ gregations. The Minifters who were Indulged, did not upon the Indulgence leave their own char¬ ges, for they were thruft out of them long be¬ fore the Indulgence ; neither did they go to o- ther Congregations upon the Magiftrates Idle call, as he flippofes ; Id tliat he is but fighting with his own Ihadow. ^ : [2I7J To h'S 2(1. I need fay. no more but this j if any fuch emergent fall out in after-times, the carriage of the Indulged Minifters, if it berightty reprelented, will not be prejudicial to the Chgrch ^ if it be mifreprelented, as it is by this Author, then he, and not the Indulged Minifters are to be blamed for any ill ufe that any may make of ; if he had been as tender of the Poftenty as fte {hould have been, he would not have fo mifre- prefented the pradice of many honeft Minifters ; for he might have thought, that following genera¬ tions would lay more weight upon the pratlice of fo many, thanupon his Authory ^ and that.nis reafonings would be no fufficient Salvo ; for Po- fterity would ftippofe that fo many able and con- fciencioLis Minifters wanted not reafonings for their pradice ; and would readily ftifpedall his reafonings as not fblid. . , i To his 4.th.l anfwer:The pradice of the Indul¬ ged Minifters makes no preparative for fending all Orthodox Minifters to one fmall inconfider- able corner of the Land ; for he knows that foe Indulged Minifters were not for the unnecei- fary thrufting in of many Minifters into one Pa- rifti. If the Magiftrate by force did thru ft Or¬ thodox Minifters not only to the High-lands, but out of the Land ; I think it w^ere unreafonable to blame the Indulged Minifters, for that Magi- ftrates know well enough the way ot copfining and banifhing Minifters that they would have been quit of many ages ago. Minifters going to Holland when they are banifhed, may have the fame confequences that Minifters going to the High-lands may have. ® [2i8] To his 5'th. I anfwer ; The cafe of thefe Mini- iters who in the fecond Indulgence were permit¬ ted to preach in Congregations which were al¬ ready provided, was not the fame with the cafe pf thefe who were invited by the people to come and help Congregations which were deftitute. And as the Minifters who are not Indulged, con¬ tribute for the general good of the Church when they preach as they have accefs, now in one place and then in another ( for they can- i not preach to the whole Church at once ) Id do the Indulged Minifters contribute for the good of the Church when they help thele Congregations where they are fetled ; and their fettlement, as Was laid before, puts them in a better capacity to take inlpeftion of the flock, than if they w’ere not fetled ; and their preaching in thefe Con¬ gregations does not hinder Minifters who are not Indulged, to preach elfewhere as they have ac¬ cefs. The Indulged Minifters did not pretend to be the only doers of the duty of the day, but they did a part of the duty of the day, and they are glad of the fuccefs of the Miniftry of thofe who were not Indulged ; and wilh that it were as great as it is called by him in his Sedt. 6. To which I need fay no more but thefe things. I. That as the Indulged Minifters had no defign to deprive the Lords people of the benefit of the Miniftry of Minifters not Indulged ; fo thesir pra¬ ctice did no way tend to the hinderance of the exercife of their Miniftry either in houfes or fields, no more than the preaching of one Mini- te not Indulged in one Parilh, did hinder the : - preaemng preaching ofanother Minifter not Indulged in a- hotherParifh. : II There hath been much more preaching ot the Gofpel in all places where people were wil¬ ling to hear, fince the Indulgence than before. III. In all appearance, an utter refulal to have made any ufe of the Indulgence, would have been a greater obftruTion of preaching and mg and given greater colour for obftruaion than any thing which he ailed geth upon the In¬ dulged Miniftets. ' As for his yth. about Stipends, we had enough of that before. It feems he hath laid great ftrefs upon this bufinels of Stipends j tor he fays, hurt and prejudice hy this bcndage in the ^ matter of Stipends^ is inexprejfihle. He refers to his 4th. Re¬ mark in the Kings Letter, where there are feve- ralthings cited frbm Scripture, and thefecond Book of Difcipline, about Stipends, which the Indulged Minifters know as well as he; but what remedy prelcribes he ? He thinks this was ground enough to have refilled the favour. Surely this tale would have told very ill before the Council ; We will not preach except we get the Stipend at our own difpolah Again, he fpeaks as if the Mini¬ fters had been in equal terms with the Magi- ftrate, and had had polfelhon of the Stipends, and had alienate them by their confent ; whereas the truth was, they were and had been tor feveral years thruft from Kirks and Stipends. I think the Indulged Minifters did much better, and that which was more becoming men of their ftafion, who made no mention of the Stipends at all. Hi e Indulged Minifiers becamewholly fuhjcSl to the Coun- cil^e-ven in all matter sFxcleJiajlich^vjhether concerning Doclrine, Difeipline or manners^ as being accountable only to them , and wholly at their demotion. I anfwer, This is a bundle of untruths, and inju¬ rious falfe afperfions. That the Indulged Mi¬ lters cannot get flayed longer than the Magi- ftrate will fufferthem, is common to them with all the Minifters of the V\ orld where there are Magiflrates who have a coercive power, by which they can imprifbn, banifli, & c. He himfelf and the Author of the Epiftle to the Reader, could flay no longer in Rotterdam than the Magiflrate pleafed ; as for that couping from Kirk to Kirk which he Ipeaksof, asifit had been meerly upon [SSf] the Magiftrates pleafiire,it will I fnppofe upon trial be found an injurious afperfion ; if aMinifter hath upon the Invitation of a vacant congregation,where he might to the greater good of the Church, and with the confent of the Minifters of the bounds, refpedively concerned, removed from- one Con¬ gregation to another ; this will not be found pre¬ judicial, but advantageous to the Churchi 1 As for his Sed.p.we have 6fteii before fpoken of the Inftrudioris. After he hath faid what he plea- fes of a bafe, fmful compading, which to him is the ba'feft Sy'mcny, and taking of liberty upon fmful conditions- He lays, he knows the indulged Mini(lers will (ay they are free ofcomgaHing. And he dare not gainfay ; for he comes off with this faint 5 and I (hall not accuse them further than I know or have gro-Mul ; but he tells US for certain , That the Inftrudions were in the Kings Letter^ , and that the Council calls them terms. He kitows the Indulged Minifters could not hinder the Kings Secretary, or the Cou-ncils Clerks to write what the King or Council thought fit; but 'he fays, They who iiMrb^ealled before- the ‘Council did not cxp-efs their diJJatisfdBion with thefe TerniSy Jo as to quit the bene-fity and c aft' the bargaih fh'eyeu’gon'. Anf He would, I perceive; have hadthe liidul- ged Minifters upon all accufations, quitring the peaceable exerche of their Miniftry ; but thdiigh they did not think it their duty to do that, yet I wonder how. he can fey ,, That they expi'dred not their dilfatisfadion with thefe Inftrudions ; for w?e heard before, that Mr. 'Bla 'tr gave anhoneft and faithful Teftimonyagainftth^Ie Inftrudions, ^•2 22 3 and that Mr. H. fpokethe fame upon the matter which Mr. B. fpoke ; this the Author himfelf faith and proveth : but enough of this before. His Sedt. lo. Suppofes that they fubjeded themfelves to the Councils Inftrudions to regu^ late them in the exercife of their Minilfry j and hence he infers, that they became as formally fubjed to the Magiftrate in matters Ecclefiaftick, as any inferior Civil Officers, fuch as Sheritfs , Juftices of Peace, Baylifs. I anfwer : He flip- poles what he fiiould proven if we yield him his and give him leave to.fuppofe what he pleafes, he may no doubt do great Peats, and eled a world of abfurdities out of one falfe con¬ ceit j but though he will readily get manyfimple- ones that believe every wmrd, to believe him , yet I fuppofe no perfon that is judicious, will belive fo grievous an gceufation againlt fo many Miniftersof Chrift without proof- if we mult not receive an accufation againft an Elder, but under two or three Witnelfes, much lefs mulf we receive an accufation againft fo many Elders upon the meer word of the Aceufers, though they were never fo many j and much lels upon the word of one Accufor. . In his Sed. 1 1. he quarrels with the Indulged MinifterS, hecaufe of. the want of the free and full exercife of Difciplme , and that in the lawful Courts cf Chrift ; and that .they dijpence calmly with the want of Church-Difciplme in Presbyteries and Sy\ Anf. I. As I raid before, this is to quarrel ggainft the holy Providengs of God. „ v JL [22^3 , a. They wanted thefe before they were In¬ dulged. 3. They may fih cruce and cum fmculo keep Pr^byteries and Synods, notwithftandingofthe i Indulgence. 4. Kirk-Seffions are one of the Courts of Chrift, and one is better than none. He excu- fes the Norn indulged though they have no Di- Icipline, becaufe. all their preaching is Illb Cl'UCe , not halving fo much as freedom to exercife any fart I of their Minifirj\ and fo are allo'ived oj God to do I all they can, when they cannot do all they would. Anf I. The Author hath here forgot himfelf, and the quarrel he had againftMr. U. for acknow¬ ledging the Magiftrates granting of the liberty of tho publick exercife of the Miniftryj as if he had thereby acknowledged. That they had the exercife of their Miniftry from the Magiftratej j but if Mr. H. had ufed flich words as this Au- ■; thor doth when he fpeaks of the Non-lndulged, who , as he fays, haue not fo much as freedom to. ex¬ ercife any fart of their Minifiry • O what out¬ crying fhould we have heard, when he makes i fuch a noife about Mr. H’s. words ! though he not only adds liberty and freedom, but alfo pub- ' Iick,to the exercife of the Minifiry j and fubjoyns, after fo long a rcflramt, and under the frotehiion of lawful Authority. If Mr. H. had faid in the words of this Author, My Lords, whereas fince we w(,re turned cut, we had not fo much as freedom to exercife any fart of cur Minifiry', hut now we ha'z.-e freedtn^ to. exercife Minifiry, hat Commentaries and.. Ha- ['224'] rangiies would have been made upon and out of diefe words ! Now if the Non-indiilged wpt the freedom to exercife any part of their Mini- ftry, is it not by the penal Statutes, that they are deprived of this freedom ? were it not an ad¬ vantage to have this freedom which they want ? and this they cannot have without the Magi- ftrate j and why may they not accept of this freedom from the Magiftrate ? and it they may , what ails the Author at the Indulged Minifters for the accepting of that freedom which they wanted ? He deals not equally with the Indulged and Non-indulged y 'Tloe ISlon-indulged are, faith he, allowed of God to do- all they can , feeing they can¬ not do as they would j but he Would have the Indulged Minifters do more than they can. He would have the Indulged Minifters keeping Presbyteries and Synods, which they can no more do without hazard, than the Non-indulged j yea, their hazard would be much greater than the hazard of the Non-indulgcd j for the Magiftrate Would know where to find them if they had a mind to take them ; or if they cited them, they behoved either to appear or to lofe the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry, which the Non-indulged have not, and fb cannot lofe. His tacite infinu- ation that the Indulged are not countenanced in the exercife of Difeipline and Preaching, as the> Amballadours of Chrift ; and his afferting that they are under the Leefheet of the Supremacy » as if they acknowledged any Erafiian or abfblute Supremacy in the Magiftrate in Ecclefiaftical matters, C 22? ] j hiatters, and his reflexion on the conftitiition and cuiding’offome of their Scffions, area new ad¬ dition to his former unproven and ill-grounded alledgances. - . . As for his I a. the Indulged Minmers/ c-um fe- riculo, as well as the Non-indulged, ordain Mini- fters, they have accepted of no terms to inca-' pacitate them for Ordinations Blit this wouid not fatisfiethis Author, except they did relinquifn the Indulgence, and betake themlelves to the fields i but we faw before, why nothing but the fields will pleafe this Author. ‘ ■ Pag. I o I .Wc have his 7th. head-of Arguments: He alledgeth, That the Indulged Mmifiers ha^efief-^ ted ojj' in Juch a ivay. as cannot hut he accounted ct falling of from the caufe and ground cf^ourjufer- ings. We have anfwered already thefe Argu¬ ments whereby be would prove this alledgance in his firft feven Seitionsi His 8^ Section niakcs. much againlt him, and for the Indulged Miniftersy as we faw before. As for his- 9th. its no new thing to fee Minifters compearing befoie the Council j the lirit Book of Difcipiine was di~ refted by Minifters to the Council, which was much more than compearance. • ^ He fiippofes the Indulged to have accepted the inftruaions; but it’s a faife fuppolition, as hatlr been before cleared. ■ if he will make a paiallel cafe ( either in the year 1 649. or any year he pleafeth j ) the Indulged Minifters are content to leave to all who are lit to judge of matters of this nature., to judge concerning their practice. AS for theHiftory which is. in his 10. he ipeaks as if ^ P fhe C 226 1 the Indulged Minifters generally Ivud faid, they had not (een thele iuftrrtdidns.whichisvery talfe. His I ith.He indefinitcly chargestiicliidnlged h'Ji-. nifters with laying afide the Lydiiie, which is another falfhood j That any ot them who do ^ j not Lednre, have forlaken it upon the command of the Council, is another of his groundlcfs al- ^ ledgances; as.fome few ot the indulged Minifters, J , fo feveral of the not-indiilged do not ledure. 1 But I hope he will not lay, i hat it s the com- | mand of the Council, that they .forbear it : They ' have other Reafons • Ibme found themfelves not able to ledure and preach twice on tlic Lorda i day His I^th. is reliimed in his 8 head of Ar- 1 guments,pag. 104. where he undertakes to prove, rhat the bands of Frdaic^ are frengthened i^y the ■] Induhence The Prelates, 1 fui>pole, are not of • that mind themrelve§._ Firft,.laith he, to men-^ tion the open Fa or that tsdeft to the^n to acct-pt pf the V relates Collation, ,ncr the^ en.qouragenient they have to feek and bkam.. He did well not to imention this ^ for it is not worth the- mentioning-. It’s falfe, That the indulged Minifters put th.em- ielves in prilbn under the Rifhops lock and key. As forhislecond, the Churches where the indul¬ ged Mimfters areletled, are not encumbred with thofe tvho own Prelacy, as they W'cre before the Indulgence , which is no fmall diladvantage, to "PtpItcv ’ - . - It’s a falfe alledgance, That the indulg^ Mb nifters were content that their Miniftiy ihoiud fee confined within limited places, let the neceili- tv of the Church be what it would or eonld be ; ^ how [2271 , how knows he that the indulged Minifters woiiid not deny to help people that are definite in o- ther places, if they favv? that the necelTity of the Church did require it? It would be a prejudice, and no advantage to the Church , needlelly to leave the charges vjhere they are letled, and to leave the Congregations where they are, to be planted with Conformifts. ' • His third Sedion , in which he alledgeth the friendly and brotherly love and correfpondeiice betwixt Ibnie of the indulged and Neighoour- hirelings, and the want of -Zeal againfr Prelates wherever the Indulgence is,is grounded upon rniP information. That Prelates will po/fibly fay, That one Field-Conventicle hath done them and caufe more prejudice than many preachings of all the indulged men, is ahqther pf l^is ground- iels guelTiings, and needs no other refutation but this,That poffibly they will not fay it. Tcjjibtle ep foffihiknm It’s another of his groundlefs guef- irmgs,That they ufe morekeennels again It Fieid- Preachers than againft Prelates. T he indulged Minifters, as they have occalion, preach againft Eraftianifm and in abfolute Supremacy j and fhew from the Scripture, That the keys of the King¬ dom of Heaven are not comiT|itted to the Ma- gi/trate; and that all the powers on earth, have no power to dilpole or orderEcclefiafticai matters At their pleafure : but that all things in t he houj e* of God jhould be done according to the 7i>ill cfGcd revealed in the Scripture. ■ , His 4.th. is a begging of the queftion j he Oiouid baye proven,. That the indulged jS4iniIters have P 2, accepted of any thing which flows from any ffrr fill Supremany ; but that he could not do. His 5th. fuppofes that they have accepted of the InftriKftions,, which is a falfe fuppofition, and before refuted. The paying of money to the Clerks, in his Parenrhefis pag. 1 06. Was not worth the mentioning. Thefe Clerks feek it riot by the Prelates Authority, but upon the Councils ap¬ pointment, backed with charges of horning j and whether it be rather eligible to pay a little mony, or to be put to the horn arid taken W^ith caption , let any fober perfon judge. The fcruples that the Author and fome others have put in the peoples heads about paying of Stipends to the Confor- mifts and Sefldrs, have wafted fome peoples E- ftates, and tends to wafte their Coniciences ; for when they are quartered on, and eaten up, and plundered, they are driven to do what they thought finfiil j and this difpdfeS them to do things that are truly finful upon temptatioiis ; and when they are by neceftity driven to pay , they who wait for their halting, alledge they have no Con- fcience j and if they w^ere put to it in other things, they would do all that ivould be required of them. , ^ * Pag. 1 06. we have his 9th . head of Arguments, in wTich he undertakes to prove, That the accep¬ tance of the Indulgence is againft our Covenants p but he hath not proven either herc'or elfewhere. That the Practice of the indulged Minifters, was a breach of Covenant. • . - I'he Partiailars which he brings to prove this charge , have been all refuted above j audit’s need- [ 2291 needlefs, and would be tedious to the Reader to repeat the fame things. For what he faith page 107. in his fifth Sedion, of the defign of the Im duleers to divide, thoughitwereprovcn, it would make nothing againftthe pradice of the indulged Minifters ; for what they did, did no ways tend to divifiou. They declared, themfelves before the Council to be of the fame Judgment diey were of before ^ and they ftill preach the Cme Dodrine, are for the fame VVorfhip, Difcipune , Government. They are againft Popery, Prelacy, Error, Schifm, err. as they were bciore the In¬ dulgence. The Covenant obliges to continue in adhering to the good things, and oppoling the evils mentioned in it j but does not oblige the o- venanters that they fhall accept of no favour, or oi arighfing of any wrong done to them, except they get all the fame favour and right done to tnem at the fame time, but I remember i (poke of this before. Pag. I oy.We have his i cth head of Arguments, where he undertakes to prove, the indulged ^ Minilhrs condemn ihemfcl-ves. His fir ft particuiai to provethis, isfalfe; the indulged Mmiiters ac¬ ceptance of the relaxation of the Civil Reliraint, does not condemn either field or hoiue-meetings. In his fecond he grants, Tuat all the Indulged Afi- mfiers excep one , condemn the Sufremacj as an ufurfation ^ hut, faith he, they hazie accepted ihat^ which purely jio7veth from the Supremacy \ and reicrs to his third head of Arguments. ' Anf. I. This one whom he excepts, if he had been alive , would have anfweied foi iiimfelf , but feeing he is at reft, I am obliged to do ifina : ' p 3 right, [230] right, in (hewing what was his (enie of the Su¬ premacy j and I (hall the rather do it, becaufe the Author of the Cup of cold JVater fays , He bath beat his brains to (hape a beautiful Mask for the Supremacy^ and to put a fuferable fenfe upon it^ and feeks to feat the eyes ,of others. - Author of the Cup of cold IVater cafts him as no Seer j and not only rejeds him from being the man of his Connfel, blit direfts all the fervahts and people of God to Ifand aloof from him , as one who frauds not in the Counfrl of God ; who will fe- dace, pervert and infrare, whole breath is con¬ tagious, and whole Ipeech bewrays him to have the botch of the Court-Creed running upon him. "rirus he Stigmatizes, depoles and excommuni¬ cates iiim j jatis pro imperio qtiifejuis es. It (cems t.ic Author of the Cup of cold Water hath neither known that Miniiler, nor yet his opinion con¬ cerning the Supremacy, and lb he hath ignorant¬ ly rufhed into a multitude of abfurdities. The i^'linifter whom he tlrus abules, was a godly, able, painful Minifrer of the Golpei ; and his memory islavouryto thole who were acquainted ivith him- he w^swell verled in Polemick Divinity, a man who would not be arl'righted or boafted with toomie empty words. I think I lee how he would have fmiled at the Author of the Cup of cold Wai¬ ters Eccho^alas! it was not Eccho'’sfD\\t Ergots which he regarded; it wus not empty founds, whether dired or reflex, but found Realbn wdiich would have prevailed with him. As for bisfingular opinion, it is true, in his.an- fwer tO' the Countrymans Scruples ^ he declares, That C33ll That he doth not think the Supremacy claimed by irMagiftrate, to bea fpiritual Supremacy ; and oives feveral Reafons whv he conceives it can- & expounded inthatlenfe; but it’s as true, that he is fo far from putting a beautiful Mask unon the Supremacy, That he declares this ao- Xte power eftablifhed in the Kinpnd his Suc- ceffors ^ to do what they tvill m Church-affairs , vS hotu either Council or Parliament , is and trill be matter of alronifhment; and that the Aft of cllabliihing it, is more dangerous tnan if it did cftablilh Eraaianifm or the (pintiial Su¬ premacy. And theReafon of this is Ciear, beraufe .although Ew/.vt did abfurdly imagine, Tliat ' theMagiftrate might himfelf exerc.le Ecclef.aft. cal Funaions, orimploy otnerstoexercifethefe F^aions in his name; yet he was fo far from thinking that the Magillrate might difpofe upon, and order things facred according to his plealuie, that he hath often declared, that he ought o order things facred according torhepiefciipuon of the vaord of God. . In his anfwer to fina, pag- i i-v o" tion printed at Anno 1049. alter he hath afcribcd all the Government ol the Chtirdi to the- Magillrate, he adds, rav of tbmv fntane, n ts not Un’hdto the Ma Tiftrate to fafs the bounds ofUftity., Jtijfice , n.nd jfenefy ; thut is the yrejertpMS of If > ' ■ Statutes of the Common-wealth : Jo m dijfefino and ' or derinr things facred, or things fertatmng to the worlhip of God, it is far lefs lawful for the Ma- gtftrJe in any fart to depart from the rrejcripmrt ' p 4. of of the 'liJord of God, 'iijhkh he ought to follonr as a rule in all things, and ne^jer to decline from it , tven in a hairs breadth. Whereas by this AH of Su~ fremacy ( (aith the Minifter who anfwercd the Countrymans Scrt/ples ) a King, if he 7vill , may bring in Popery, yea, overturn all Religion, ivithout confent either of Council or Parliament, as we may fee in the example ^/'Jeroboam, whocaufed Ifrael to fn, by fctting up a Ppor(hip f his own devifing. Is this a beaiitiful mask, Ihaped for the Suprema- macy ? the Author of the Of of cold Water fhoiild be afhamed and humbled for thcfe abfurdities , that through mifinformation he hath run into : IS it not ftrange, that one Minifler fo ill informed , while he is inveighing againft the lupremacy , flioiild aO as ifhe had a Papal Supremacy, in ftigmatizing, depof!ng,exconiniunicating his fellow-fervantPBut I perceive the.truth of that faying, That man will iTiuch fboner fee a Pope in another mans belly , than when he is in his own, ’ That faithful Miniller was feeing light in light, when the Author of the Of of cold Water did judge him no feer ; he was admitted to the fellowfhip of the Saints in Heaven, before this Sentence of Excommunica- don was paft on earth. He was drinking of the pure river of the water of life, wheii this foul, and not cold, but fcalding hot Water was caft at him out of this Cup of cold Water. .’ The Author hath verified what the Poet thought impofhble, Unda dabit fiammas. I wifh the other part of the verfe, & dabit ignis aquas, may alfd be Verified, that fuch flafhes of fire pro¬ ceeding from the wrath of man, might be turn- 1 .... _ . ^ Cml into tbefe waters thati the Prophet Jeremiah Ivifties for, and be refolved in tears of godly for- row. Having difcovered the wrong which the Au¬ thor of the Cuf of cold fVater, and the Author of this Hiftoryhave done to that one indulged Mini- fter : lanfwer, Second ly,That which the Author of the Hiftory of the Indulgence fubfuiues, That the indulged Minifters accepted of that which purely flowed from that Supremacy which they count .an ufurpationjisfalle and a begging of the queftion, as lie refers to the 3d, head, 1 refer to the anfwer to it before given. His third, Ifioat the entry is founded upon any [inful Supremacy, is alfo falfe. To his 4th, concerning the Patrons, we fpoke be¬ fore. For his 5th. after he hath repeated that the indulged Minifters did receive the, Inftrudions, which is a falle alledgance, as we have cleared from Mr. H^s Speech ^ and what was fpoken by the indulged Minifters who were called before the Council for not keeping the aqth. of' May, and from the Authors own conreflion,who grants that they did not obey theft injuniftions, and ac¬ knowledges that they gave an honeft Te.ftim6- ny againft them ; he draws a parallel, whereby he thinks it may diftindlly appear, thattheir re- fiifalof the, benefit offered by the accommodation, did condemn their accepting of the benefit offered by the Indulgence ; but he is here as far out in his Mathematicks , as we have found him be¬ fore out in his Morals and Logicks. The acceptance of the relaxation of the civil reftraint, which impeded the peaceable exercift qf their Miniftry, hath no proportion with , or g ; , . ; . . equality C 254I equality unto the acceptance of the Propofals made by Bifhop Lighton for accortinlodation ; for the acceptance of thefe propolals had been the accepting of a wrong form and model of Church-government. In that Model of Govern¬ ment olfered in thefe Propofal?, there is an Offi¬ cer let up, a Diccefan Bifhop, who is not in the Rolls of Church-Offiaers recorded in the Scrip¬ ture ; a Prefident impqfed upon, hot freely e- leded by the Synod, not countable' to, nor^ cenfurable by the Synod , claiming power to re- ftrain not oitly fingle Presbyters , but Presby¬ teries from the exercife of that Authority which they have received from Chrift for the , Edifica¬ tion of the Church ; Who can reftrain a Presby¬ tery from ordaining a Minifter, though the Church who hath eledted him, be moft earnefl to have him ordained, the perfon eledted be moft fit for the charge, and the Presbytery moft de- firoiis to ordain. The Synod is mangled in its members, wanting ruling Elders, manacled in it^ power, not being free to chufe its own Mo¬ derator, nor to cenfure the impofed Prefident, thoLigh he were moft culpable and unworthy of his place. The propofals overturns the identity of Bifhop and Presbyter; for in them not only is Diftin- dlion made betwixt the Bifhop and Presbyter, but the Bifhop is made Superior to the Presbytery ; they deftroy the parity of Minifters, and the fubjedtion of the part to the 'whole : what the Provincial Synod would have beep , Who could tell ? but it’s like it woiitd be left than the Diocefan ; and [235 3 and yet this behoved to’ be fubjed to that. The acciting of thefe Propofals, and entering into, and concurring with Meetings thus corruptly conftituted, had been a real confenting to own¬ ing, fetling, eftablifhing, promoving this corrupt conftitution of Government ; and no verbal de¬ claration of their dilfatisfa^tion with the corrup¬ tions in the conftitution , could have falved the matter j for their voluntary conftituting them- felves members of a Court , fo corruptly con- ftitute , and concurring with the Bifhop while he was exercifing his Prelatical Power ( for if he exercife it any where, it is in the Diocifan Sy¬ nods) had been contrary to their verbal Decla- j ration ; and whatever they faid contrary to the ' Biftiops ufurpation , or the corrupt conftitution of the Court, their deed would have effedively and moft effedually eftabliftied that corrupt form of Church-government, and rendered their words ineffedualand ridiculous. The moft effectual way of eftablilhing an U- iurper, is to concur with him in his Courts, and ad in a forinfick fubordination to him. Now the indulged Minifters in accepting the relaxa¬ tion fo often fpoken of, did neither verbally, nor really acknowledge, own or eftablifh any Ufui- pation of the Council. The Author fays , That their deed was a manifefi com^lyance 'with Erafiia- nifm ; but this is falfe, as hath been before cleared^- and thus he goeth about to make their accep¬ tance of the relaxation of the Civil reftraint , which is in it felf a ftraight line , crooked that it might run parallel to the crooked line ot com- C 236 1 compliance with Prelacy ; but this was a fault in mor&ity, whatever it was in the Mathematicks. ! t^is firft fix parallels, and his fecond fix parallels, are nothing to his purpofe, except ye let him have his concluriqii by begging, m granting that the pradice of the indulged Minifters was an e- llablifltment of, or a compliance with Era (I la- nifiTi- Mathematicians iifes to demonftrate, and not to beg the qiieftion. The Author wanted not will to have made aDemonftration, but the mat¬ ter would not vyork for him, . r X \ . He hath anothpr parallel in the fixth, where he compares the acceptance of the with the taking of the Collation ; and hrlt he tells us what the taker of Collation, and the ta¬ ker of the Indulgence may think ; and then he tells us what both of them really does. The taker of the Collation acknowledgeth and pre¬ ferred! the Prelate as a Minifter ot Chnit. So , r fays he) he 7vho fubmimth to the Indulgence, acknowkclgeth th MJgt (Irate or the Council to ue the proper fubjeeJ of formal Church-pooner-, he Ihould have proven that theacceptance of the le- laxation, &c. imports any fuch acknowledgment; but it was eafier to take it for granted, than to tiV.M hr, tells US, there is in the Indul- 1^371 te to be believed ) that as he dtirft not before charee the indulged Minifters with a compad,!© here he onlv alledges atranfadion; but he is not hire, as his Parenthefis imports. _ As for his 4th. he knows that Presbyterians make a great difference betwixt the Magiftrate and a Prelate ; but of this before. And then it s falfc That the indulged Minifters lOoked upon themfelve^ as Minifters of thefe ^ tl>e foie ground of the Magiftrates Ad And thus we have done with his parallels which are meer Paralogifms ; If the matter could have afforded better Arguments, the Author would have rea¬ dily hit upon them ; but the fubjed-matter could not be formed in a Mathematical Demonfu-ationj ex que^is UgTio non fit Mefcurim. ’ . r Pag 1 1 o, tve have his eleventh head of Argu- gumeiits, in which he undertakes to prove, That by the accepting ot the Indulgence, the meetings ef Gods people are prejudged ; he means the meetings nicknamed Conventicles • and he alled¬ ges, 'That by the accefing of the InduJge^tce^ they La‘ve contributed to the juffr effing ofi thefe Meetings ; and that interpret at itjely they way he charged in y^t ivith the fe^erities exercified againfi the fiawe. He only pretends to make this probable and likely, and that this head of Arguments deferves fome confideration • fo that the Arguments under thiS head, are not in his own opinion Demonftrati- ons, but only topical Arguments. ^ - The Author fpeaks much more foberly here , than he did in the Letters which he lent before this printed Book ; for in that Letter tvhich he wrote wrote to a young man, who preached at Wamfroy^ he fays , “That the accepters of the Indulgence wuld not hut homologate before the Lord the Magi fir ates ; defi^n to fupprefs ihefe Meetings of the Lords peo- ple^ and contribute to the carrying on of that end^ and in., another Letter he infers, Lkit feeing the Magi fir ate had the fame defign in the Indulgence^ that he had in the band, that therefore the hand and Indulgence are of apiece., and that there is no dif¬ ference as to kind, bet’u-’ixt the making ufe of the In¬ dulgence, and the taking off the band , 'Though there be a magis and miniis, .that may he yielded-, yet there is nothing that can alter the kind-, nor can \ he fee how ihofe who are favourable to the In- j duhence can , fpeaking confequently , condemn the taking of the Banl Here is very great con- hdence^but it’s very groundlefs ^ for fuppofe the defign of all that had a Land in the contriving of the Indulgence, were as ill as he could imagine, - yet their defign could not vhiate the acceptance of the- peaceable exerdfe of the preaching of the Gofpei , nor vitiate the hearing of the Gofpel to thofe who preacli and hear the Gofpel, for^ that end for which God hath appointed it to be preached and heard.. ■ . _ Whatever was' the intention of the Contri¬ vers ofthelndiilgepce, -the preaching of the In¬ dulged Minillers had no more tendency ^to hin- , der other Minifters to preach the Golpel, than the preaching of one Minifter who is not indulg¬ ed,, hinders the preaching of another Minifter; and experience ,hatii proven tliis, .That theiy preaching hindred others to preach ; for leverai Non-lndiilged preached more fince the Indiih pence than before. 3. He gives a Itrange efficacy to the Magiftrates intention, in faying, That it makes the making ule of the Jndulo^ence and taking of the hand , to he of a Mice, and of one kind ; for the band which he'fpeaks of, obliges to conform to Prelacy, and to caft off the oiited Minifters, yea, and ffiiit up their bowels from them in their diftrefs ; and the perfon who takes it, declares Conventicles to be diforderly, and the walking according to (the Law whidi effabliffies Prelacy, to be orderly walking. ^ They who think that the Magiftrates inten¬ tion can make thde things contained in that band tQ be of a piece, and of the fame kind with the peaceable exercife of preaching the Gofpel , they give the Magiftrate a power of working Miracles, in changing the nature of things by his intention, which is more than hath been -given to Magi¬ ftrates by thofe who talk higheft of their Sm prcmacy. 1 wiffi he had forborn that expreffion of Ho¬ mologating before the Lord • for itfeems to be a taking of the name of God in vain. Pag. III. he defires us to ponder fome Par¬ ticulars for the firft about Magiftrates defign,, we have weighed it, andfoupd it light. For his focond, lip fliould have proven , That it is the neceffary work of the indulged Minifters who have Churches to preach in, where the Meet¬ ings of the Lords people -are not difturbed •, %o leave thefe Churches, and go to preach in moun- iHoi ■ ■ mountains, and needlefly cxpofe themfelves to hazard, when they may have the fame ordinam ces of God in the Church, and with thefe adr vantages,That they have the accommodation of a hoLife to Ihelter them frona ftorms , that they are rid of the fears of Invafion by arnaed fob diers which do much diforder folks Spirits for the worfhip of God ; and the place of meeting being fixed and known, peoples uncertain wan* dring upon the Lords day is prevented.. It hath been very fad to thofe who truly de- figned to fandifte the Sabbath, to wander on the Lords day, to feek the word of God and not- find it ; and when they had found it, to be in a continual fear of violence ; or to be fleeing, or to fee fonie more taken up in drawing themfelves up for fighting, than for drawing near to God; or to fee or hear of blood mingled with Sacrifices. He fhoLiId have proven that God calls the indul¬ ged Minilfers to quit the peaceable exercife of their Minilfry in thefe Parifhes where they are fetled ; where they have opportunity to know the State, Cafe and Way of the people, and to apply their Doarine fiitably to the peoples Condition; and where they have opportunity to make full proof of their Miniftry, in preach¬ ing , and miniftring Sacraments , Catechifing , vifiting, exercifing Chiirch-Difcipline. The indulged Minifters are not convinced , That it’s the greater good of the Church to caft thefe Congregations where they are defolate, and leave them to be filled w^ith Conformifts. He fays, the Indulged Mmifiers have given thern- (elves [240 fi-lmsiorefl min the coverm^ of the Sufremacj., This was an invidious and falfe afperfion ; jfthe sivine of themfelvesto the work of the Mmiitry, be a Rivine of themfelves to reft ; then they, have given themfelves to reft. Thinks , he that men cannot labour in the work of the Gofpel, ex¬ cept they carry, the Gofpel from mountain to hill ^ Inftead of the covering of the Supremacy, he (houldhave faid, Under theprotedion of law¬ ful Authority and as Mr, H, M befoie the Council, The exerdfe of the Miniftry under the protcdion of lawful Authority,is one of the molt, defirable things on earth to Mmifters of the rl his third, Tbe cafe of thcfe Minifters, Who Were confined to Congregations where theie were Minifters letled and permitted, to preaca in thefe Parifhes, was far different from the cafe of thofe who v^ent to defolate Congregations,. If they had been permitted to preach todeftitiue. Congregations, the Lords work might have been carried on in all probability With as much fuc- cefs, as by their preaching in the mountains. To his fourth, Ifallhadrefufed to make any life of the Indulgence upon the ground.5 Oi ihi.^ Author, and the Author of the Epiftxe prcnxccj to this Book, and of the Cup of cold PVater ; In aii appearancethis would have been the refult or it. That the Magiftrate being more provoked^, would have raifed more forces to have fupprei- ted Conventicles ; and this would hayeexpfUfv more to ftiffering, and have heigatncd the rruubics of Noiiconfofmiftsi lb that the execution of the penal penal Statures, would.have beenobjedively exten¬ ded, and inrenfivelvencreafed. To his 5th. in which he fays. That all the of thefe VariJljes where indulged Minifiers arc , ha-ve been ivithheld or withdrawn from waiting J o upon the Lord j, at pfiefe hlefjed .and wonderfully - countenanced occafons- ; whereby the followers of the Lord are hrokeny diatidhf a?id weakened ^ and fo become a more ready prey to the Adverfary. I anfwcr, It Were to be wiflied, That the blef- fing of thefe occafions had been really as great as; it was called j many who had no prejudice againft, but loved thefe occafions, have found by fad ex¬ perience, that all was not Gold that gliftered ; and fb many people who for a time ran to thefe occafions, have by their pradifes, which are not . fii table to the Gofpel, confirmed the fad truths which outed Miffifters who heard of, or .obferved their way, preached to them j and they have- too much verified the fcai^ul apprehenfions that they had concerning them , ■ and the tendency , of their way. There were fbme obferved, That they did not find the people who withdrew from indulged Minifiers , any whit better, ei¬ ther in their knowledge, or in their Converfation, by their withdrawing ; but feveral of them to . decline in both , and to become more vain and cenfbrious, and addided to evil-fpeaking. The people who did not withdraw from the Indulged Minifiers,are veryunjufily charged with dividing. If they who attended the Ordinances of the Lord difpenced by indulged Minifiers, were following the the Lord in doing ro,tlien by theirattendancethey did not break oh from the followers of the Lord. To his 6th. I have anlwered in Ipeaking to his Ath. There is greater probability of fad confe- ^ q lienees that would have followed upon an ab- folute rehifal of making any ufe of the Indul¬ gence, than there is of thele good conicquences which he imagines would have followed upon the refufal of it. ^ His Tth. is a meer begging of the qiieinon ^ and fo is bis 8th. For the indulged Minilers hive not expofed other Minifters who are not .indulged, to ajiv cruelties or barbaiities. I perceiyC by his way of reafoning, if the Council had a little aftet the Ad of Gla'^av’^ retraded that Ad, gndhave given all thefe Minifters liberty to return to their ‘ feveral Parifhes : if they had excepted but one or two, this Author could not have allowed ol I their retutn j for he w’oiild have interpreted this to be an expofing of tliofe who were .excepted, i to the fury of Adverfirles, , and would have con- demned them as guilty of all the crueities w'hich ' the excepted perfons might meet with. By tuc i lame realbn prifoners imprifoned foi' fue tiuti ^ might not accept of freedom from prifon, except ' they were all relealed at once j by this mean cone wilful man who would relule to accept ol liberty i from prifon upon very honeft and juft terms, might keep a hundred or thoufand who had hethcT as to matter or manner \ and who remember what Chrif and his Jpofhles have faid of this. Anf. The all who underhand the nature of fcandal, are not fo many as it feems the Authof hath imagined \ the greatelt Divines, who haNC fearched moft into the nature of Scandal , hiwe found it very intricate and obfcuic^. Mr ‘JR,utherford in his dilpute touching Scan¬ dal and Chriftian liberty, llibjoyned to his Di-' vine right of Church-government, pag. 8 i. laith. That the DoHrine of Scandal is more intricate and obfcure than eijery Divine conceives. If folk would forbear to condemn the frattifes of others af Jean- dalotis., until they under food the nature of Scandal there would he much left Scandal in the World than there is j there are many who give Scandal by calling thefe things fcandalous which are not fcandalous. It s a grievous fin.,thcugh many he not aware of it^ to add to the word of God, in making more fns^ andjeemda- lorn fins, than they can f rove to he fins or fcandalous fins from the fetfeB rule of the word of God.^ Mr. Rutherford fhews in the forecited dnpute. That many alledged, That there was Scandal given by tollmz of Bells, and Mmifiers preaching m a [245 J Gooi;n; md the days of the Tlancrsi as Sunday from the Sun, and Monday from the Moon, &:c. and in worfi^png in Churches which had been built in the times or Poperjyo the Zour of feme Saint. But he (hews that thefe were not Scaadals given, but taken ; for^ faith he, pag. r^. ive read not of Scandals culpable in Gods woid, but there be fome apparent moral reafens in them ; enough to alledg that this or that is Scanaalom, butwemuB, if we 'ivodd prow any thing fcandalcas, (hew that-there is a moral reafcn,and an apparent moral reafon in fuch things, which renders them fcanda om. The lords people would be depri ved of theluettywherer with Chn ft hath made them free, and brcugvt unaer an intolerable yoke of bondage, if they were oaliged to abftain fromewrythingovhich either the malicious, or the weak would alledg without reafon to be jeanda- lous.Toere is no way (faith the Author) f. evite the force of this Argument, hut by affirming and pre- vin^ ''the Aclion at which the offence iffken, or may be taken , is not only lawful m it felt, hut as circumftantial, is expedient and necefary to be done. Ant. The Author fhould , if he would have faid any thing to the purpole, have proven, or at leaft endeavoured to have proven, t lat the ac*- ceptance of the peaceable exerciie of the Mi niltry under the proteTion of lawiul Authority ; or which is all one, the acceptance of the Relaxa¬ tion of that Civil relhraint which had fo long reftrained the publick exercife ol the Maniitry , That this acceptance did give oft'ence, or was oi it felf an occalion of ftumbling or ruine ; or that it was inductive to fin. He fnould have proven, ^ that r 246 ] that this deed was fuch a deed, ojuod de fui rations, hahcret , quod ejjet induHi’inim ad ^eccandum. But in head of doing this, he tells us, Tloat when of- fenc'' is taken, cr may be taken at an aBion^ they 'who do that aciicnmuf -prc-ve it, not only lawjtd in it (Ilf, but that as circumfantial, ids expedient and nercfary to be dent', and if they cannot prove the necelTity of what they do, then the Author concludes from the offence taken at the acffion , that the adion gives offence bathe (hould have proven, that abltinence from making ufe of the Indulgence, or forbearance of the acceptance of it, was- neccffarv , by ihewing that acceptance gave offence , or was indudive to ’em. He is acciifm-g the indulged Minifters, and affirming them to be guilty of giving offence, by the ac¬ ceptance of the Indulgence; and fhould have pro¬ ven his alledgance that there was Ibmething wrong, Ibmething inordinately done in^ this ac¬ ceptance of this relaxation. And befide, it’s hard enough to condemn all as guilty of adive fcan- dal, who cannot prove that their adions are ex¬ pedient and necellary ; for every one who doth what is really e.xpedient and neceflary, hath not the faculty of proving every expedient and nc- ceffary adion to be expedient and neeieharyy if the thing be really expedient and neceffary which is done, there is no adive Scandal given by it, though the doer cannot formally prove the expediency and neceffity of what is done ; for he may poffibly be lb weak, as not to nn- derftand the importance of the words or terms of expediency and necelffty, nor tO‘ hit upon the proper. [247 3 proper grounds and midfes which prove this ex¬ pediency and neceffity. Suppofe fome did now take offence at the eating of Swines-fleOi or blood, though the perfon who eated blood, could not prove the expediency or necelfity of his eating Swines-flefli or blood, yet the offence would be taken, and not given j and it were incumbent to the perfon that took offence, to prove that the eating of Swines-flefh and blood ivere un¬ lawful and forbidden ^ or if any take oifence at worfhipping God in Kirks builded in the times of Popery, for VauU or ?eter, or Cuthhert ; and al- ledg that is is not neceflary to worfhip God in thele Kirks, becaule men may worfhip God in the open fields , or in other houfes, which were not builded for any Saint; though every man who worfhips God in theie Kirks builded in the times of Popery, to the honour of fome Saint, cannot prove the neceffity of worlhipping in this or that individual Kirk ; yet the offence is not given, bur taken ; as Mr. Rutherfurd fhews in that difpute of Scandal, formerly cited Queft. 6. in the 6i.and following pages ; and fhews, Tioat ids neccjjhry {or thofe ivho take offence at 7vor[l')ip- ping in fuch Kirks, to prove by Script ur e-warrant , that it isnecejjary to dij'ufe thefe Kirks. It is cer¬ tain , faith he , That the necejjity of difajing the Great are in a Vhffical ufage m the over (hip of God, muf have a ov arrant in the Scripture ; and fo he (hews, That the offence that fome take at Bells, for convening the people to the worfhip of God, is ameer pafflve Scandal, And I fiippofe, it cannot be denied , that the 0^4 pro - Ch3 3 proteftion of lawful Authority, is more neccflaty for the conventions of the Lords People for his ! tvorfhip, than thefe Houfes or Bells. ' " The Author lays the ftrels of the Scandal j which he alledges was given by accepting of » the Indulgence, upon this ground, That this ac- i 'ceptance as circumfiantial^ 'was not expedient and \ vecejjary ; and he fuppofes, that it will be eafily j granted. That the acceptance of the Indulgence was I not a thing in its felf neceJJdrj , fo as it could not | he refufed without manifefi fin againf the Lord. lAnf. It is ordinary, I perceive, with this Author i in this Hiftory, to take for granted that which be Ihould prove • as for that which he adds. That if there be not a mcznifefi fin in refufing the In¬ dulgence., then the taking of ojfeizce at the accep¬ tance of it, will prove that there was ojfence given in the acceptance', will not be Id eafily granted as | hefiippofes: Forfuppole that one could not make it manifeft and evident , that there were fin a- gainft the Lord in dcmolilhing or difufing St. Giles or St. Ciithherts Kirk, or in breaking or dif- nfing the Bells which had been abufed in the time of Popery; it were very hard to condemn that maiij who together with the reft of the Lords people convened ■ for the worfhip of God at St. Gileses Kirk, upon the ringing of Bells, which had been abufod in the times of Popery ; I fay it were hard to condemn him of the fin of giving Scandal, in his going to thefo Kirks upon the ringing of thcfo Bells. As for the expediency and necellity of ma¬ king ule of the relaxation of the rigour of the ' ’ penal [ 249 ] penal ftatufes, as before explained ; or which is all one, accepting of the peaceable exercife of the Miniftry under theprotedion of lawful Authori¬ ty the indulged Minifters have much to fay tor the expediency and necefiity of this acceptance, and for their not refufing this relaxation and protection when offered. I. Some things are neceffary by Divine Or¬ dination, as Magiftracy ^ Whofoewr re0s the fewer, faith the Apoftle, refifistbe Ordm^rice of God ; and the Towers that he, are ordained of God, Roni. i g. 1 ^.&c. And as Magiftracy, fo Miniftry is the Ordinance of God, i, Cor. i a. a 8. And God hath fet 'dome in the Church, firfi Afofilcs, &c. ^ ^ a. Some things are neceftary^ by Divine Pre¬ cept : as for example, the exercUe of the power of the Magiftrate is not only neceffary by vir¬ tue of .Gods inftitiuing and ordaining Magiftra- py, but alfo by the command of God, which ob¬ liges Magiftrates to punifh vice, to execute wrath upon them who do evil , to promove , encou¬ rage and praife that which is good; to pro¬ tect their SubjeCts in well-doing , and to pre¬ serve peace. And fo Minifters are under a ne- peflity of preaching the Gofpel by the command of God. r r- A 3. Some things are neceffary , becaufe God hath madethemufeful and convenient for man, and hath given them to man for his ufe ; they are in their nature convenient for man, given and defigned of God for the good of man; thus meat and cloathing, and houfes,' peace, and the pro- teCtio [2 501 tedion of lawful Authority*, are necelTary.- 4.Some things are neceltary means in order -to a neceffary end ; and thele again are ncGeJary , either fimply for attaining the end , or neceffary for the better or more eafie and convenient at¬ taining of the end j as a houfe is neceffary, not fimply for hearing of the word, but for the more convenient hearing of the word, becaufe it fhel- ters the Miniftcr and people from iforms, winds, and fcorching heat, &c. Thus the protedion of lawful Authority is neceffary for the peaceable hearing of the word without difturbance. y. Some things are neceflary for preventing of evil ; the evil either of fin , or of airlidion and calamity. 6. Some things become neceffary, or the more neceffary to be done, becaufe of thofe who urge the forbearance of them out of fbme erroneous principle, or for eftablifhingof fome error. And thus Mr. Rutherford fhcweth in the forecited Treatife, "That to forbear the eating of Sivines-flef before a few, -who alledges that it is a fn, or breach of the Commandment of God to do fo to forbear it now when we 'are fully pojfefed m that liberty wherewith Chrifi hath made m free, were to har¬ den the few in his fudai(m-, and the way to bring us again under the yoke of the Ceremonial Law. Now I. feeing God hath ordained Magiftracy for protedion of his fervants and people, and for proteding them in the exercife of his wor- fhip , it was expedient and neceffary to accept of this Protedion when offered, and not to re- fufe it j for the acceptance of the effed and pro- dud C.25'i J of that Authority which isGcds n acknowledgment and cwn- the relaxation of this reftralnt which had been long upon the publick exercife of their Mini- ftry and the protection of lawful Authority, which Mr.’n. accepted of, was the very exercife of that Authority which is the Ordinance of God. a. Seeing the Magiftrate in loofing that re-^ •ftraint which hindred the peaceable exercife ot the Miniftry, did his duty , he did fbmewhat of that which he was obliged to do ; it was neceffa- ry that the Miniiters whom they were willing to loofe from the reftralnt formerly laid on , and whom they were willing to proteCb in the ex- excife of their Miniftry , fliould in their place and ftation further and promove the Magiftrate in any good which he was willing to do j p when a Minifter is willing to do his duty in preaching and Catechifing, the people (hould be willing to hear and be Catechifed ; fo when a Ma- giftrate is willing to permit or allow Miniiters to preach in his Dominions, and to proteCt them X in [ 252 ] in the exerdfe of their Miniftry , it’s the duty of Minihers who have the accefs to the peaceable j exerdfe of their Miniftry under the protedtion of j lawful Authority, tQ accept of the peaceable ex- erdfe of their Miniftry i and to refufe this offer, were the way to mar and ftifle the good which the Magiftrate was willing to do. Now when the Magiftrate is willing to do any thing which , is right and his duty, it’s a fin to mar, impede, and ftifle any good that he is willing to do. 3. Seeing peace and the protedion of lawful Authority, and the peaceable exerdfe of the Nfi- niftry under the protedion of lawful Authority, are great blcffings of God, and God promifes and gives them to his people as great benefits , and his people are obliged to pray for them , If/?. 4.8. 18. Jy2?. 60. 15, 16, 17,. I 8. Ifa. 11.6, 7, 8, 9. I Tim. ^. I, Therefore it’s necelfary to accept thefe mercies and benefits when the Lord in his Providence offers and gives them -and TO refufe them when they are offered, were to flight the mercies of God, and to refufe what we are bound to feek, and to be thankful for, when we get it. 4. Seeing the fixed, fetled, and peaceable ex- ercife of the Miniftry , is fo necelfary , as ap¬ pears from the Lords taking care that Mini¬ sters might be fetled in Cities and Churches j und, from the many conveniencies of a fetled Mini¬ ftry, which are wanting in an unfixed Miniftry ; for they who may not ftay among a people, can¬ not fo know their ftate and cafe, and fo cannot apply therr Doftrine futable to their cafe; and can- [2531 cannot make full proof of their Mlniftry among them, in laying the foundation in all the prin¬ ciples of the dodrine of God ; and then leading the people forward unto greater perfedion in knowledge in declaring the whole Counfel of God; and they have not accels roCatechife, and vifit &c. as thofe who have the fetled and fixed exercife of their Mirfiftry have j and then peace and quietnefs in preaching and hearing the Gofpel , hath many conveniencies ; people not only know whither they (hall go to hear, but they may come feaibnably without hazard by the way, and without fear of difturbance when they are come • fo that they may more compofe themlelves for hearing, than they can who are in a continual apprehenfion of a hoftile Invafion, and often alarmed with hearing or feeing^ feme noife or appearance of armed Ibldiers. 1 hele fears and confufions are great Impediiments of the fandification of the Sabbath. Now the fetled and peaceable exercife of the Minifky, which is fo many ways expedient and neceffary, cannot be had but by the Magiftrate; and therefore to have refufed to make any ufe of the Indulgence , had been to refufe the fetled and peaceable exercife of the Miniftry. y. This acceptance was ufeful for preventing many evils of fin and calamity. 1 he indulged Minifters could not fee how they could without fin refufe to make any ufe of the Indulgence', and they conceived their refufal to take the benefit * of the peaceable exercife ol their Miniftry, would have given cccalion of of fence. [ 3543 fence and provocation to the Magiftrate , and tothedeftltnte Congregations who defired their help ; the defire of a people who are wandring as fheepwithouta Shepherd, had aery that they could not fee how they could flight without fin. The acceptance prevented the filling ofthe Kirk with a Conformiit, whom the people would not have heard ^ and freed tbofe Pariflies of the quarter- ings, plunderings, imprifonments, vvhich they were formerly obnoxious unto ; it , prevented their uncertai* wandrings on the Sabbath, their difquieting and confounding fears, their running and fleeing on the Sabbath, which is flicha cala¬ mity, that our Saviour dircTs the jews to pray that their flight might not be in the winter, nei¬ ther on the Sabbath-day, and pre¬ vented rendevoufing, and fighting , and ming¬ ling blood with Sacrifices on the Lords day. The many dilbrders and confufions, and lad liif- ferings, the imprifonments and finings, and ba- nilhments, and the great effufion of the blood of the people ofGod.which have followed upon the fioftile clafliings betwixt Magiflrates and people, may teach us how necelfary the peaceable exer- <34re of the Minilfry under lawful Authority is, and how necelfary it is to take, and leek, and fol¬ low after peace with all men; elpecially with the Magiftrate The Indulged Minifters cannot, nor could not lee how a refufing to have any making or medling with the Magiftrate, which thefe Authors urge, could confift With the refpeT due to Authority , or With that command, folloip peace with all men j and r. •255 1 and ifityAifoJJihhyds much as Ikth in you^ live neae^ablf.'U^ijhallmsn, j/ 6. The refiifing to make any ufe of the Indul¬ gence upon the grounds that thefe Authors go upon, would make tlie refufing fcandalous, be- caufe refufing upon their grounds, ivould cfta- blifh feveral fcandalogs errors; as for example, the Author of the Cup' of ^ cold Water ^ and of the Epiftle pretixcd to this Hiftory of the Indulgence, alledges, That m ufe jlmld have been made of the Indulgence becaufe na Prof of als made ard as others did in the mountains', and therefore there 7}jas no ahfolute- necefity of their acceftance of the gence •, and therefore in accepting it, they gave jean- anfwer : That it will liot follow, that theac-- ^ ceptance did give fcandal, becaufe ..there was no abfolute neceffity of acceptance pfo.t there is no hbfolute neceffity of making ufe of the Chprehes builded in the times of Popery to filch or fucli Saints ; nor is there an abfolute^ neceffity of ma¬ king ufe of Bells to convene the people, _ becaufe the people may meet elfewhere than in thefe Churches and they may be convened^ .though not fb conveniently without Bells. And yet Mr. Rutherford fheweth. That there is no offencegivcf^ by making ufe of thefe Churches and Bells, fecauje they have areal ufefulnefs, and are m a fort, though not (imply, .necejjary.s • , -• ' ' ' > Again! retort; Preaching in the .Mountains is not abfblutely and fimply neceffary j for if that were true, all people, thougli-. all tne formed Churches, behoved to forfaKe_ the Kirks, and go to the fields*: and there ought to be no ^ R prfacli^ [458] preaching in any place of the World , but iri fields and Mountains. Bur 1 fiippofe he would have been far front laying that the preaching in the Mountains did give offence to thole who took offence at it ; lb that a lels necelTity than that which is fimple and abfolute, is fufficient to prevent an aeffive Icandal. ■ Again, though there be not an ablblute necef- fity of peaceable preaching, becaule the Golpel hath been and may be preached where the Ma- giftrate is Pagan and doth not permit it ; yet the peaceable exercife of the Miniltry is very defire- able, and as we beard before, the fixed peaceable exercileof the Miniltry is very necelikry, in order to many good ules , and to prevent many ills • and therefore when the f.ord inclines the heart of Rulers to grant it, it is neceffary not to neg- led! it. The 'difputes of our Predeceffors againff the En^lijh Popifh Ceremonies, does no way quadrate with his dilputes againlt the acceptance of the peaceable exercife of the Miniftry under the protedion of lawful Authority; for our Prede¬ ceffors proved, dhatthefe Ceremonies were the meer Inventions and Devices of men, will-wor- fhip, contrary to the lecond Commandment, and that they were nocent and hurtful ; but he hath not proven by his foregoing Arguments, That the aforefaid acceptance v;as finful ; he fays in¬ deed, T/iflt he hathjujjicievtly done but VVe have the infuib giency of his proofs* Agaln^ C 259 3 Again, they who pleaded for thefe Ceremo- monies, indifferent, antt theNonconformifts argued againft them upon this fuppofition i but the peaceable exercife of the Mi- niftry , and the proteaion of lawful Authority^ are not the Inventions of men , but Ordinan¬ ces of God, and not indifferent 5 but many ways expedient and necelfary. * He fays alfb. That there was a manifefi appear¬ ance of t'oil in this acceptance j but he doth not prove it. That place i Tbef. y. 1 7. is rendred by lome thus, Ah fain from all kind of evil. If it be rendred appearance, the ill appearance muft be in the objed, and not in the diftempered eye and conceit. Some folk apprehend appearances of evil in things which have no appearance of evil in themfelves, but all the appearance is in their own phanlie and conceit. Mr. Durham in his Treatife of Scandal, pag. 6,7. gives, for example, of this appearance of evil, dangerous and doubt¬ ful expreffions of Dodrine that have been or ufe to be abiifed , aud practices which are not becoming that honefty and good 1 epoi t which aChriftian. ought to Itudy. - The Author hath not made it manifeft, That diis acceptance was any kind of evil, or flich an appearance of evil. It’s faperfluous to run through the reft of this head, becaufe he doth not pro\e that the acceptance gave offence to any perfbns, only he reckons up lever al perlbns to whom he alledges it gave offence ; and if accufations make guilty, the Author hath made the indulged Mi- nifters very guilty j but it’s but a guUc ot his ma- [2^0^ ] king. I Hinll only clear, That the eating or not 'i eating of the meats the Apoftle fpeaks of in the , ,i place cited by the Author, was every way indif- | ferentat that time, and fb cannot be a parallel of . the acceptance of the peaceable exercife of the Minifcry, and the Protection of lawful Authority, which are not things meerly indifferent. Thein- differency of eating or not eating of fuch or ' fuch meats at that time, is excellently cleared by Mr. Rutherford in his forecited Treatile of Scan¬ dal ; becaufe the Book is not common, I lhall ri'anfcribe one Objection and Aniwer, in which as in many other parts of that Treatife, there are' feveral things appofite to the prefent debate of ' Scandal. ‘ Pag. 67. And before I come to the ‘ lecond Conclulion , an Houfe for the worfhip ‘ of God, are among the things which are necci- ‘ fary, by way of disjunction. fpeae^ not in in- ‘ dividuoj that is, a houfe is neceffary in itsPhy- ‘ fical life to fence off our bodies the injuries of ‘ Sun, Air, and heat- but not this houfe- for a- ® nother houfe may ferve the turn as conYe-,, ‘ niently. ^ But fome objeT, Then this or that houfe ‘ dedicated fuperftitioufly to the religious Ho- ‘ nour of a Saint, ought to be removed out of ‘ the worfhip of God. 1. Becaufe by your own ‘ Confeffion, this individual houfe fo abufed, is ‘ not neceffary. God may well be worfhipped ^ without this houfe, though it had never been^ ‘ in rerum natura. z. From the worfhipping of ‘ God in fb fiiperftitious a place , many ^ truly ‘ godly are fo fgandalizedj that for worfhipping L26I1 ^jGod in fuch fuperftitious and idolatrous places, * they h^ive feparated from your Church, con- ‘ ceivina that in fo doing, you heal the wounds ‘ of the Beaft, ■ Ii’s true, it may be their weak- ‘ nefs- vea,but be it fo, that it were their Wick- ‘edneVs, that -they are Icandalized j yet by •hyour Dotoie in things not necejBiry, you are hnot to do any thing % which either the weak '‘ or the wicked may be fcandalized, as is clear ‘in the eating -of Meats, Rom. 14. ‘ Anf. This Argument may (i.) be retorted ‘aeainft thofe who, hold with us in the fame To- Trine of Scandal j for without eating of Swines- '‘ flefo my life may -be preferved ; and a mahci- ‘ ous Tew may be, and is neceffarily highly fcan- ‘dalized that I, who poTTibly am a jew comji^ ‘ed.to the Chriitian Faith,, do eat Swines-fleih ‘ before himj for be conceiveth me to be an A. ‘ PQftate from Adofes's Law ; therefore I Thould ‘ abiiain from -eating SwinesTelh before a ]e_w , : ‘‘who out of malice is fcandalized by my doing ‘ a thing not neceffary hic 6" mmc ; but the Con- ‘ clufion is abford j nor do I think, That many ‘ truly godly of the ftridtelt Sepa.ation, doftum- ‘ ble at our Churches out of wickedneis^ many ‘ truly godly and fincere reftifc to come to our ‘ Churches j whereas many fcandalous, well-lu- ‘ ftcred Hypocrites, who knovv7 nothing ot the I ‘ power of Godlineis, but are fitten down in the I ‘ Scorners chair, are admitted to the Lords Sup- ‘ per j and as the fornrer cannot be excufcd , lb ‘1 pray God that the latter draw not down ‘the wrath of God upon both Kingdoms. . ■ R 3 ‘(;z.)Thmgs 1 [262] * (a.) Things not necclTary, which aftively pro- ‘ diice Scandal, miift not only be indifferent Phyfi^ ‘cally in their natural ufe, as this or that Hoiife, ‘blit they mail: be indifferent both Phyfically ‘ and Morally ; for the meats fpokenof, Rom. 14- ‘at that time were both ways indifferent. ‘ I. They were not neceffary , but indifferent ‘ Phyfically in an ordinary Providence both then ‘ and now j for ordinarily my life may be pre- ‘ferved, and fnffer little lofs by not eating Swines- ‘ flefh, or fuch meats ; in cafe of extream ne- ‘ ceffity of ftarving, if any could have no other ^ meat, they might eat then, as the Cafe iv^s, Rem. ‘ 14. bccaiife mercy is better than Sacrifice at all ‘ times. Thefe things, Rom. 14. were indiffe- ^ rent Theologically or Morally in their own *■ nature, ( i.) Ver.g. Let not him that eateth.^dejpife him that eateth t, not and let not him that eateth ‘ not., deffife him that eateth ; for God hath received ^ him. (a.) Eecaufever. \ '] .the Kingdom of God ts net meat and drink. Surely in Me fed's time, to. ‘ abffain from fuch meats, and eat fuch as the ‘ L.amb of the Paffover, the Manna, to drink of ‘ the water of the Rock, was Worfhip , and lo ‘fomicpart of the Kingdom of Heaven j hut it is ^fiot jo now., faith Taal. 3. Raul clearly maketh ‘them morally indifferent, i Cor. 8.8. For me^t *' commendeth us 7iot to God : for neither if jve eat y are we better ( morally before God) neither- if we eat not are we ( morally) the worfe. Now ‘ this Temple or Houfe Phyfically, is indifferait ‘ and not neceffary for the Worfhip of God; for ‘ men may be defended from the injuries of Sim' and i 12633 fand Air, though this Houfe had never been in ‘ rerum nature, : But this Temple or Houle.though ‘dedicated to a Saint, is not morally indifteient, ‘ but morally neceflary; fo as, if yon remove it ‘ from the Worlhip, becaufe abufed to Wo^atry , ‘ and eive it no life in the defending oi our Lo- ‘ dies from the injuries of the Wind, Ram, and ‘ Sun, you Judaize, and do adively icanoahze ‘ the Tews, and harden them in their Apoftacy ; ■ and fo this Houfe, though abufed to Idoiatry, is ‘ not indifferent morally, as the meats, 14,. ‘ But the ufmg of it is nece.llary, and an aller- ‘ ting of our Chriftian liberty, as to eat mood ‘and things ftrangled even before a jew. So to ‘ufeall houfes for a Phyfical end to defend^ our ‘ bodies from Heat and Cold, is a part 01 the ‘ liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us tiee; ‘ but Ceremonies have no natural noi 1 hyiica ‘ life; the croffingof the Air with the Thumb, ‘ the keeping of a day religioufly without war- ‘rant of the word, are not taught in the Scnooi * of Nature, and lb are naturally not neceliaiy, as ‘ this or that Houfe though abufed toSuperftitioa ‘ is; and the Adverfarics that fay they are morally ‘ indifferent,. aS good and as fpiritual^ Ceremonies ‘ in kind and nature, may be devifed in their ' ‘place. But in all this dhpute of Scandal, we ‘ give but we never grant that the Ceiemonics \ are indifferent ; we difpute here, 1 hat they are ‘ rcandalous,and fo unlawfulin their ufe, upon the ‘ Principles of Formalifts ; whereas we judge ‘them in their Nature, becaufe they have not * God, but the will of men to be their Father and ‘ ’ R 4 [2643 ^ Author- to be unlawful and repugnant to Scrip- ‘ ture, becaufe not warranted by either com-- ‘ mand, pradife, or promhe in Scripture. So far Mr. Rutherford Srom which we may lee, that the ufing of aHoufe, though it hath been idolatrouily abufed, for this end to defend our bo¬ dies from heat and cold, is a part of the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free. Now any who will not fhut their eyes, may lee that the fecking and taking the Protection of lawful Au¬ thority, is more neceffary than the making life of this or that individual Houfe. • We cannot iiave the benefit of publick houfes for worfhip, without the Magiftrate. . But fecondly, The Protection of the Magiftrate defends from injuries that are much more in¬ jurious and hurtful, than the injuries of Wind and Rain, and feorching by the Sun j a houfe can but defend from fhowers of Rain, Hail, fcorch- iuig-Heat, '&c. but the Protection of lavTul Au¬ thority defends from fhowers of Bullets, and the ficorching-Hcat of Perfeciition. ; Again, men might be fheltred by another houfe, though St. Cuthberts,OT St. Gileses Kirk,were caft down • but the peaceable exercife of the preaching and hearing of the w^ord . in publick , cannot be liad without the Protection of Civil Authority. • Now if the Scandal taken at taking the (bel¬ ter tif St.Guthkrts Kirk in hearing the word , ftiould not make folk difufe that, Kirk , nor de¬ prive themfelves of the ufe of it j much left fhould the taking offence at the taking of the Protection df lawful Audiority fot the publick peaceable r' ; . . ■ exer- C 265 1 pverdfeof the Miniftry, make Minifters and peo- ole deprive themfelves of the Proteftion of Ma- llLaterwhom theLotdcalls the Shields of the earth • feeing the Magiftrates permitnng and allowing Minifters to preach, and proteding them in preaching, is the very exercife of that Autho¬ rity which they have from God tor good. And further, from Mr. Rutherfords words we may fee. That the eating or not eating, in the places cited by the Author, does no way qua¬ drate with the cafe of acceptance w no accep¬ tance : for as Mr. Rutherford thews, That at that time the eating or not eating, was both Phylical- ly and Morally indifferent. The Author hath not proven the acceptance or no acceptance to be indifferent j and any who will take up this Club and Quarrel, will find it a, bard task to prove the acceptance or no accep¬ tance Phyfieallv and Morally indifferent^and fo the cafe, Rom. 14." I Cor. 8. do no way quadrate with this. The eating of flefh forbidden in the Cere¬ monial Law, was no ways neceflary at that time, when the Apoftle Vaid wrote his Epiftles to the and hip firft Epiftle to the Corinthuns , tt was neither Phyfically nor Morally neceffary at that time, to eat thofe flefhes before a weak Jew ; for they who, knew their Chriftian liberty^ might eat thofe flefhes in private , and when fuoh weak Brethren w'ere not prefent. But the acceptance, of the relaxation of the Civil leftiaint formerly laid on by the Magiftrate , the accep¬ tance of the Protedion of lawful Authority, was feveral ways neeeffary, as w^e faw before. The j peace- 1 766 ’] peaceable, fixed, fetled preaching and hearing of theGofpel, is a very defirable end; and the ac¬ ceptance of the Proteftion of Civil Authority is necelfary in order to this end ; for as the Reve¬ rend Author of the late Apology, printed Jnno 1677. acknowledgtth the peaceable exercile of the Miniftry, is from the Magiftrate ; pag. 1 1 1. where he grants , 7‘hat it is within the com^afs of the Magiftrates ^ower to gi^oe Itherty to Minifiefs and feofle for ferving and worjJnpping of God in his Son Jefus Chrijf. This, faith he, we do not deny, hut chea.r fully grant. That although the exercife of Church-power, that is properly fuch, he independent on the Magijirate, yet the peaceable exercife of it is truly from him. Pag. iig. Sect. I. He fays, That the accepters of the Indulgence did hereby give offence to fuch of their Brethren as had the offer, but were not cleared, nor convinced of the lawfulnefs of the fW- hracinv of fuch a favour at fuch a time. Nowhow proves he this. That they gave offence? For, faith he, by their example the fc were encouraged and moved to do that which they judged ftnful and un- laovful for them to do. I wonder how ^ reafbnable man, who had read any thing concerning the nature of Scandal, could give fuch a reafon ; for according to this reafoni, whofbever' does that Which another judges unlawful for him to do, -he by his doing gives offence ; this is a moft falfe and abfurd Propofition. Our Saviour did feveral things which the Jews judged finful and unlaw¬ ful for them to do ; but it were blafphemous to infer that therefore our Saviour in doing thefe 1 C^67 3 things, gave offence to the Jews. This DocHirine of the Author, teaches people that will believe him, to judge, that whatfoevcr they judge unlaw¬ ful for them to do , that that is in it felf finful and unlawful ;for whatfoever gives olfence, is fin¬ ful; for every thing that gives oifence , is fome way or other inordinate ; and this makes the judgment, it may be, but of one man who judges fbmething finful and unlawful for him to do , to bind up others that they cannot do that which he thinks finful; for if they fhoidd doit accord¬ ing to this Author, they fhoiild give offence and ib fin ; this would ma^ke the Judgment of one er¬ ring man, who thinks that finful which is not, fb to be a Law to others, which were an intolerable yoke of bondage. ’ ^Lhe Reverend Brethren who had not clcarnefs to make ufe of the ’ Indulgence , were far from this erroneous conceit to think, That becaufe. they had not clearnefsto accept of the Indulgence, that therefore they who accepted of it, did fin and give offence. ' The Scriptures which he cites, as we did ftiew before out of Mr. Rutherfords Dif]pute of Scandal, are impertinently cited ; becaufe the eating or not eating of thefe meats at that time, was every way indifferent, Phyfically and Morally indifferent, and no way necelfary ; but the acceptance vds in feveral refpeefts neceffary, as was fhewed be¬ fore ; efpecially becaufe they could not have the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry without the Magiftrate ; but the eating of thefe meats the Apoftle fpeaks of, might be forborn without any £5683 sny prejudice to him who was perfwaded of his Chriftian liberty ^ he might forbear it without any prejudice or hurt to his body ; for he might get other meat to eat, when thefe weak Brethren who took offence at eating, wereprefent: If there had been no other meat , and he would have been in hazard of his lire if he did not eat ; and if he could not have gotten fhifted out of the pre- fence of thefe weak Brethren , then the cafe would have been altered, and not eating in that cafe had been a breach of the fixth Command¬ ment, 'Thou p^alt not kill. In hich a neceffity it was lawful for* David jto eat the Shew-bread j and fo his eating would have been necelfary, and ^he offence would have been taken hf the weak Brethren , but not given by the eater j but if he found thefe naeats ufeful for his body, ajid couid get the prefence of the weak fhifted, he might "lat them in private , as Mr. Rutherford fheweth in the forefaid Difputei _ Again, he might forbear eating without any prejudice to his foul ; becaufe, as Mr. Rutherford fheweth, at that time the eating was morally in¬ different • there was no fin at that time in for¬ bearing to eat thofe meats before a weak Bro¬ ther. But now when we are fully poffeft of our Chriftian liberty, it were a fin to forbear eating fuch meats before a Jew, becaufe of his taking ofoffence at eating ; for that were an hardnmg of him in his judaifiTi. Pag. 1 1 3. Sedl. he fays, They gave offence to ethers who had not this Indulgence in thetr offer, yet judged the accepting thereof unlawful upon the ground lafi mentioned. [2693 Jnf. What ground means he ? if he means diat ground which he lays down in the laft Se- ftion near the beginning, becaufe they judged it finful and unlawful for themfelves to have done it : We have Ihewed the groundlefnefs and fallhood , and dangerous confequence of this ground', or if he mean, That the acceptance was ks indifferent , and every way as unnecelfary as the eating in the cafe that the Apoftles words late to , he is much miftaken, as appears from what is faid before. He fays in the end of this fecond Seftion , That they Jlootild ha-oe refufed the Indulgence:^ Jeeing there wanted not who told them of the evil they conceived to lye. therein. ^ But ■!. asl'fhewed before, thisteafon is not re¬ levant ; for it makes the judgment of one man TO be an obliging Rule to another. a. The Indulged Minifters did fee and acknow¬ ledge the evils which were in thd complex’Afts of the Magilfrate, which related to the Indulgence: 3. The Reverend Brethren who had not clearnefs to make ufe of the Indulgence, did not tell the indulged hlinilfers. That there u^as evil in accepting of the relaxation of the reftraint ; or that there was evil in acceping of the peaceabl exercife -iof their Miniftry, or of the Protedion of lawful Authority in the exercife of theirMiniftry-, fo that thefe Reverend Brethren didnot fay,Thar there was evil in what the Indulged accepted, for thefe were the things wdich the indulged Mini¬ fters accepted, as we cleared from Mr. Bhs Ipeecli before the Council ; but on the contrary, they , declare, That there is good in this, as appears from [370 1 ^ _ from Mr. Burnets Paper, fet down in this Hifto- ry, pag. 46. Sed. 5. As for the permiffion and allowance I have to preach when confined, this periTiiilion (eenieth very far, when I look on it abftradtly without relation to the reft of the par¬ ticular Circumftances of the Acft j for this would look, like the opening of the door in part which the Magiftrate hinafelf had fhut j and afterwaid he lays , Fey ■pevmijfion to preach in any ^vacant Church 7vithin the Kingdom^ is fo ‘very great a fa^vour ^ as- for which ! wculd dejire to blcfs God.y and thank his . Majefiy mof Joeartily. And in his Letter to my L. Chancellor, pag. 48. he (hews himfelf clear for Minifters going not only to their, former Charges, , but to other Congregations as they lhall have opportunity of a cordial Invita¬ tion from the people. . . ; And in the other Paper drawn up by the ten Minifters, let down pag. 48, 49, 50,51. of this Hiftory, in the 51. page their third defire to the Council is , That yuir L. L. would be pleajed to deal with his Ahajefy to take off the legal re- firaints on our Mmifiry and Verfons , that we may. teaceahlj' oive our Jclojcs to the work of the Alini~ fry for Che edif cation of the body. ■ of Chrifi. . And we heard from pag. 111. of the late Apology,, Tiiat the peaceable exercile of the Miniftry is from the Magiftrate , lb that thefe Reverend Mi¬ nifters were lo far from accounting that evil, which the indulged Minifters accepted, that they accounted it defirable , and did defire it j and by this it may appear how far thefe Reve-. rend Minifters were from the Sentiments of this Authof, [270 Author of the Hiftory , and the Author of the Cup of cold iVatcT^ and of the Letter prefixed to the Hiftory of the Indulgence, The difference betwixt thofe Reverend Brethren who did not accept, and thefe who did accept, was not in their Principles anent the Goveriv ment of the Church ; nor did they differ anent the ills which are in the complex Ad:s of the In¬ dulgence, which both by word and writings drawn lip by the confent of Indulged and not Indulg¬ ed Minifters, isinanifefci but the difference was in this, .That the indulged Minifters ccnveived that it Was their duty to take what w'as good in the Indulgence, and refufe what was evil. The Reverend Brethren who had no clearnefs to accept, conceived that in taking^ the good , they tvoiild be fbme way involved in an intei- pretative approbation of the evil • and this dif¬ ference of apprehenfion, as it w^as no giound of divifion, fo it made no divifion betwixt the indul¬ ged Minifters and their Brethren who were not indulged ; only about the time of the fecord In¬ dulgence, one or two at molt of Minifteis that were ordained before the Revolution, began to drop firft m.ore privately, and then more pub- lickly, Borne feeds of Schiftn among the yeoplc who before w’ere profiting under the Miniftry of the indulged Minifters; and then fbme young men, whofe judgments had not been formed ai^ Colled ges of Divinity under Orthodox Doftorsof Divinity ( which is an unfpeakable lois to many well inclined youths ^ and W'ho w^ere not ftudied. iii Divinity, were not aeT>^inted with the writings tl72] ■ of Noncofnormifts againft Schifm, through a rafh- nefs very incident to young men who want experience, did further diftemper the poor people; and perceiving that feme people were very fond upon thofe Preachers who (poke moftagainlt the Indulgence, and cryed them molt up ; this was a great fnare to thele youths, and a great grie to the grave judicious Minifters, who were not '"'h not the Councils delign, as fome al¬ ledge but this (tickling in preachuig thmgs which tended to divifion , which divided the people. It is not defigns of Magillratcs to divide which doth really divide; nay any that have fenfe, i( they perceive that Magiltrates have a mind to divide them, they will fo much the more Itu- dy unity ; but if the Contrivers of the Indulgence hada defign of dividing, it was thofe who vented divifive Doflrines in publick and private who dideffeauate that defign, which wofd "ever have been, effeaual without this. , I lhall (u^ ioyn the words of the reverend Autiior of the A- pologv, pubiilhed An. 1677- who is.comrnended by the Author of this Hiftory. , I wift the Au¬ thor of the Hiilory had learned him to feek for peace, and to render defigns of diyifion in- elfeaual ; the Author of the Hiftory widens the wound which the Author of the Apology, en¬ deavoured to heal, as appears by what he wrue? pag. ii8, and 179. ot that Apology.. 1 mail tranfcribe bis words, becaule they co^rm what hath been laid , , That there is no ^ffere.nce in the profelled Principles about the Goveritnie^t [*73] of the Church, or about the ills whkh are in the complex of the Indulgence, betwixt the In¬ dulged and not Indulged Minifters : his words pag. iiB. are thele. For jphate^er d/fference t hers ■ hath heen, or yet is amongji us in our praBice, \n relation to the Indulgence ; 'ive are all agreed ht the preceding exceptions againjt it j and there hctd ; been access for prefenting the fame to our Ruler), cur Una?nmity and Concord in thefe, had hee^itnoie difcovered and made hnovjn to the World than it is there is no change with us about our hnown and prt- . fejjed Judgment about the Government of the Church hits true dijinclion from, and in dependance on tlA Magijirate , as ts afterward exfrefed • whatever was our perfwafon of this, reprefentcd to the World in our publick Cortfe^ion of Faith, we jet througlj . the Grace of God, refolve to cleave to, having never feen or heard of any thing in all the times that have . gone over our heads, to caufe Us to- alter our apprc~ henfons of this matter in the leaf. Some ( who take hold of all occaftons to reproach us ) are pleafed to , reprefent fome, their acceptance of -this Indugence as \ contradiBcry to , and mconfflent with mr former I profcjjed Vrinciples anent Church-Government j y: t i any who conpder what was faortly hinted at to - i the Cov,ncil at the receiving of this Indulgence, and ! what was more l^egely declared by them to the Ccn- gngations at their firfi entry , will be fujfciently ^ convinced of our confant adherence to our fo'mer 1 Vrinciples , which by his acceptance rs-not at all chang-' ed. It IS expelled from the Lovers of cur righteous caufe^ that fiothing {hall be done by them toward the furtherance of the evil intents of this Indulgence, S but [*74] hut rather an enclea^wur to contraB and ineffeBuate them, that our cffofttcs may have no benefit there-' from, to the prejudice of the Minifiers of Chrifi, for ' 7i>hich ive contend. Thus far that Reverend Author of the Apology ; where we fee that the Indulged and iSIon-indul- ged are ftill united in Judgment about the Go¬ vernment of the Church , and in difapproving the ills which are in the complex A(2;s of the In¬ dulgence 5 and that this Author is not pleafed with thofe who are pleafed to reprefcnt this acceptance as contradidory to, and inconfiftent with our for¬ mer profeffed Principles ; and acknowledges that what thefe indulged Minilters fpoke before the Council, and at their entry to thefe Congrega¬ tions, is fufficient to convince their adherence to their former Principles. And he fhews, that the difference is only inpraftice^ and this difference would have been lefs, if fbme few who were a- gainft ill making ufe of the indulgence, had not obftrufted a wruten Telffmony againlt the ills in the complex of the Indulgence j for if that had been agreed on , more would have had clear- nefs to have made ufe of the Indulgence j and ^ then this difference of pradice would have been left , if the cafe of others had been the fame with the cale of thefe who accepted *, but this made a notable difparity in the cafe, that feveral \\ho refufed to make ule of the Indulgence, re- fufed upon this account, becaufe they were con¬ fined and permitted to preach in Parifhes which were already provided with Minifters j fb that they thought their preaching there was fuper- fluous. C 275 ] fluous, and they might do more good eife- the Authors Sed. 3. we have (hewed be^ fore, That this acceptance was no Homologa-, tion of any linful Supremacy , and they who look on it fo, the fault is in their own eye ; the impertinency of the Scripture cited , we clear-? ed before , out of Mr. Rutherfords difpute of Scandal. As for his 4th. pag. 114. we (hewed’ before. That the Indulged Minifters . did not contrary to their engagements leave their Brethren-. The Minifters, who went to Holland would think- they were injured, if any fhould alledge. That they had left their Brethren, becaufe they took tiie benefits of the peaceable exercife of their Mini- ftry under the prote(ftion of the Magiftrates in Holland - - ’ , As for his 5th. it’s falfe. That - the hands, af tho(e who were not indulged, were u^eakenedj, the number of the bearers of burthens waxing- foaller; for the indulged did ftill continue to be bearers of burdens \ and the^ favour (hewed to them, encouraged other Minifters to advcn=i ture to preach smore and more publickly .than they had done before ; and there was this further advantage, That many people heard the. indul¬ ged Minifters, who would not have ventured to hear other Minifters preach j (b that the Indul¬ gence was to the furtherance of theGofpel. ■ The indulged Minifters did not.ftep off,, but ftepped to,, their work in the Congregations to which thevy went: and it was no prepofterous tendernefs to S ^ [276-] I forbear preaching in thole places which w^ere pro- i vided with Preachers, where there was fo many places where no Presbyterian Minifters were letled. To his 6th. 1 have anfwered before, That the pradice of the Indulged Minifters, didnotcon- lirm the Prelates, &c. in any defedion. To his yth. They gave no offence to Rulers, but edified them; they did and faid what tended to their edification; if they had ( as the Authors would ) refufed to make or meddle with them at all, they Would have offended by provoking them to wrath, in refufing what was good ; but they took what was good, and by word and deed did fhew. That they difapproved of what w'as ill in the complex of the Indulgence. As for the 8th. If the pradice of the indiih ged Minifters be rightly reprefented topofterity , it willedifie and not itumble. His 8th is found¬ ed upon that falfe foundation, that the indulged Minifters have complied with grievous ufurpa- tions. And his 9th. upon that falle ground, That the indulged Minifters have fubmitted to theexercife of Erafiianilhi. It’s they who fpread fuch falfe afperlions of honeft men , who give offence to Pofterity, and the reformed Churches abroad. Let a true Narration of the pradice of the in¬ dulged Minifters be given to the Reformed Churches abroad , and the x indulged Minifters doubt not of the approbation of thole Churches; and they doubt as little, that all the reformed Churches, if they heard the ftrange Tenets and I [2771 i divifive praaices of their Authors, they would 1 condemn them as erroneous of dangerous con- fequence, and fome of them as ftnking at the ■ very foundation of all order Civil and Ecde- I ^^^k’^fad, That offences , real offences, do fo ! abound, and that fo many Itumble at thefe of- ^ fences , and that many make ■ offences where I there is none, and Humble where there is no f Stumbling-block ; and fome ftumble at the Lords ' Ordinances, and fome ftumble at others, becaufe I they hear the word ; and this Author farthered [ that ftumbling by a Letter, in which he averted, i That there was fin wrapped up in hearing the indulged Minifters ^ and thus poor people are i taught to ftumble at the means of others Edi- f fication. . . Having anfwered his Arguments contained 111 his Hiftory, 1 (hall take fome notice of fome things which he hath in his Letters , that no¬ thing which hath any fhadow of reafon in this I Authors writings , may feem to^ be negleded. I In one of thefe Letters he fays, JVho^ I j>raj\ d- i mongji thefe Indulged men^ as I fay, as fuch ( for [ oiherwajs I honour fuch as are knoovn to me, and h fall entertain charitable t houghs of others ) can be called the Amhaffadors of Chrifl , opho depend as to the aBual exercife of their mimfierial FunBion, on fuch immediately who never were intrufied , even as to kind, with Church-power. Anf It’s hard enough to reconcile this profeC- fion of Honour and Charity towards the indul¬ ged Minifters with fome of his grievous reproaches S3 whieft Cvn which he hath caft upon them, which have a direct arid manifeft tendency to render them bale and I contemptible, and to caft them out of the hearts | andaffedionsof all who hear and believe them. ! 1 His Qjieftion ivhich he brings in with fuch a Phrale, Who^ I pray, is a very idle Queftion. I fnppofe he is the firli man, into whole head this idle imagination. That the indulged, as in¬ dulged, are the Ambaftadors of Chrift, did en¬ ter ; did he ever hear, That any indulged, or any for them, thought or faid. That they were Ambalfadors for Chrift, as indulged ? they were Ambaftadors before they were indulged , and would be Ambaftadors although the Indulgence were retraded. The Magiftrates Indulgence fuppofed them Ambaftadors, and did not con- ftitute them Ambaftadors; but it may be he in¬ tends to argue thus : The indulged, as indulged, are not the Ambaftadors of Chrift , and therefore they are not the Ambaftadors of Chrift;'this is a pi¬ tiful quibble;! like that, An Ethiopian as he is black, is not a man ; and therefore the black Ethiopian is not a man ; a Phyfitian as he hath the Ma¬ giftrates Patent to pradice Phyfick, is not a Phy¬ fitian ; and therefore the Phyfitian who hath the Magiftrates Patent, is not a Phyfitian. A Minifter as he is banifhed, is not an Ambafta- dor for Chrift ; and therefore a banilhed Mini- iter is not an Ambaftador for Chrift. The ante¬ cedents are true , becaule blacknels doth not eonftitute the Ethiopian a man, nor hath any ef fential or neceftary connexion with his humanity; Jior doth the Magiftrates Patent inftitutfc a Phy- ; 0 ■ fttian, 1^791 fitlan nor doth banifliment conftitute a Minifter; but the confequences are naught for the Propo- fitions to be fupplied, are manifeftly falfe , as for example, he who is not a man as he is blacK,^ is not a man, &c. And befide, die Syllogirm is made up of Negatives, and fo is no Syllogifm at all. I lhall fubjoyn the words of a Minihernot indulged , who in a Letter direded to this Hi- ftorian, hath folidly refuted his Letters; and in anfwer to this paflfage of his Letters, faith, JVe Zrant that indulged Mtmihers as indulged, are not Miniders , being taken redufhcatively by a Jpeci- £ck reduplication-, and fo neither bamfhed nor im- pnConed Mnifier's, are Mmifiers, as ^amjhed or im~ prifoned ; for none will fay. That the Indulgence ts the formality under which they are Mmmers , or the form conflituent of their Minifiry : iVe think you wrong them , and your Readers, who would, obtrude fuch an ajjertion. As hanijh.ed is not the con- fit uent form of your Minifry, neither is the In¬ dulgence, adjedum repugnans, any more than ba- nifliment or imprifonment is ; that becaufe he is in¬ dulged therefore hoc ipfo he is no Minifler ; nei¬ ther is your ajjertion ivhich ye bring as ajir oof of this, any more true or warrantable, viz. That they ' have all their power of preaching derived from the Magifrate ; for it is only a Civil Allowaitce^ freeing the exercife of their Minifiry in the places to which they are refiriAted from molefiation or refiraint. Tais Civil allowance takes awa^he exe¬ cution of penal Laws which were againfi them 'this they have from the Magifirates here, as . 1 7 r _ t-L.. yoti and fome others have from the Magifirate ^ S where [28o] ’)i'here you are ihefe years hygon for the exer- -1 cife of your Miniftry there , but the Minifiry it felf ' and its exercife they haoje from yofus Chrifi : As when the Ci^ 'tl Mafi-ftrate convocates a Synod, and giojes a ciajil Toller ance and VroteHion to them in | going, coming and fitting , which they could not ; have without his Command or Warrant , though ’ they have the intrinfick yower of meeting, fitting ,j and voting from Chrifi, and not from him • hr.w- i heit the outward quiet and fecurity of their fittmg ' (^foas none may mole fi them') is from him', even ' fo Mini (leys as they are indulged , have the out¬ ward civil liberty of a quiet and fecure preaching { of the Gofiel, fo that no inferiour Courts, Officers, ' or Soldiers, may mole fi them for their preaching.' - - The (implex indulged Minifiers implies two things, I. As Minifiers, they had before that Indulgence, and fiill have, a power from Chrifi to preach and adminifirate the Sacraments, z. As Indulged, they • have the quiet and fafe exercife of that power, &c. • The Hiftorian in another of his Letters mif- reprelents the indulged, as a fainting Tarty, who . have departed from their fujfering Brethren ; and ) that they firengthen the hands of the Adverfary , and are for the peoples finful compliance with this , evil. Anf I fiippofe I have touched upon fome of theie things before. I fhall only (ay, Thele Mini- jfters have laboured, -and have not fainted; they have noi^fhunncd to declare the whole Connlel " of God^or have they withholden what was convenient for the people; they have given the people faithful warning to beware of thofe evils \ . [280 : of the time, which the people were in hazard ; i and though they think it not their duty to turn the preaching of the Gofpel of peace into bitter i wrathful invedlives againlhany, efpecially abfent perfons ( which is a fmooth preaching to rhofe who are prefent, who uie not to be humbled, but father puffed up by filch inveftives againft others ) ; and though they dare not bring rail¬ ing Accufations againft, nor revile nor curfe thofe who are in lawful Authority • nor defpife dignities, nor fay anything which tends to put an evil Spirit betwixt Magiftrates and people ; yet they have been far from flattering any Ru¬ lers or people in their fins, but have endeavour¬ ed to bring perfons of all ranks to Repentance, as they have had accefs and occafion from the word to difcover the evil and danger of fins of all forts ; and they pray for Repentance to per¬ fons of all ranks ^ as they think it not their duty ! to defign to provoke any perlbn to wrath, fo they fhidy not to plcafe any in their fin- but think themfolves obliged to endeavour to pleafo all unto edification-, and to commend themfolves, : though not to the humours, yet to the Confci- ences of all in the fight of God. They were : not, as was fhewed before, by Covenant bound to be always adually under the fame futferlngs , that all who entered in Covenant, did fall un¬ der ; the Lord diftributes fufferings among his Servants and People as he foes meet. Chrift is at liberty when yohn Baptifit was in Prifbn. I Jt had been a very reafonlefs reafoning, Chrift is j not to be heard becaufe he is not in prifon as J ■ yohn [182 3 John is : the reft of the Apoftles are not to be heard, becaufe they are free when James and feter are in Prlfon ; the Angel and Church of Philadelphia are to be difowned, becaufe they are not under the trial that other Churches are under. . , . , r- • '■ Again, there are divers kinds of flittering; the indulged Minifters have had their (hare of reproaches, which utes to go further than the skin; Ref roach^PsXth. David, hath broken my heart’, revilin? Speeches are Perfecutions, Matth. y. ii. Ter 1 8. 1 8. they incite one another to devife de- ^ices againfi Jeremiah, and to fmte him with the I remember not of any thing in the Letteis which I have mitfed, except his Predidions : for t'he Hiftorian is a fort of a Prophet ; he hath a faculty of foretelling things to come. I know not how he hath fallen upon it, or whether it be be ill come, or not ; he very confidently af¬ firmed in the year 1677. That if Mr. John Welfh had hearkened t-o the defire of drawing near to the Reiter of an houfe for meeting with the peo¬ ple hut for one Sabbath ( though that might have Contributed for taking off all Sentences againfi him- felf and others, and to an Univerfal Liberty for all outed Minifiers to preach without Molefiation ) that then he would have forefaulted all the prote- dion and countenance he had fmgularly enjoyed be¬ fore that time. This was far faid. ^o dicious Perfon will think that it could be unlaw¬ ful in fuch Circumftances at leaft, to preach at a houfe ; but though there had been fomewhat C '4? D wrong in it, how comes he to kipw, that for that failing Mr. iVelflo would have loft the Protedtion and Countenance which he had formerly enjoy¬ ed? it was prefumptuous boldnefs for him to take upon him to determine fo peremptorily con¬ cerning the forefaulting of the Protedlion and Countenance of God, who hath mercy on whom he ivillha^e mercy, and does for his names fake, e- njen when his peoples fins tefitfie againfi them, and remembers his Covenant and Mercy for his People, Another of his Predidions is, That all indif ferent Speflators will judge as he fays, and that Pc^ ferity will fee and fay as he fays, whether the in^ dulf^ed men will or not. But I think they are over-credulous who will believe that he had the foreknowledge what way the Judgments of men prefent, and of the Generations to come, would incline and determine. ■ There is yet a third Predidion of another Author, which is, That the Indulgence fiould be¬ come as 'odiotts and detefiahle to all the godly in the Land, as ever Prelacy was. To this Prophecy the Author of the Hiftory and Letters, makes an Addition, while he fays in one of his Letters, That what that perfonwas perfwaded of, will quickly appear the firft had only faid it would be; but he fays it will quickly appear , augur augur em ; but thefe Prophets were fb fearfully miftaken in feeing things that were, that there is very good reafbn to doubt of their forefight of things to come ; yet there is more Art in this inartificial Argument founded upon the Authority of a man who hath but confidence to fay boldly what he C=84l fays concerning things to come , than in many artificial Arguments • and thefe Predidions will go further with weak credulous people, than ' very folid reafons •, for people of that fort e- fpecially, if they be curious, think more of a - man who will take upon him to tell but fome things that will be , though the event be of fmail confequence ; than they will think of a fo¬ lid, judicious man , who can tell them from the word of God what they Ihould do, that they may glorifie and enjoy God j and therefore there is fuch flocking of people to Fortune-tel¬ lers^ Specimen y Dummeos^ lFiz>Zjnrds and South- fajers. Now if curious people have fuch a con¬ ceit of thofe who foretel, though they be fuf peded tp" have their Knowledge from the De¬ vil, they will think much more of men who are in reputation for Religion ^ if they take on them to foretel things to come, they will readily be very defirous that fuch Predidions may not fail. I know one who prefled fome of his ac- quaintaince to get weapons for fighting in fuch a year upon this ground. That if there were not Blood that year , then fuch a perfon who had foretold that there would be Blood, would prove a falfo Prophet. Thefe Predidions are very taking , when they fuit with peoples Inclinations, and when the fulfilling of thele Predidions contribute to their honour ; and when they who are not a- dive in fulfilling them, are caften as ungodly and defpicablej and therefore thefe Predidions of Minifters which did foretel, That the, Indul¬ gence I I sence would become defpicable, coiild not but i be very raking with people who were inclined to defpile it ; and this could not but be very ef- feftual to prels them to defpile it , that if they did it not, then they Would be known to be none of the godly j and this would prefs ci¬ thers to defpife it, that they might not be ranked among the ungodly. I have obferved, that feveral have an Art of bringing about (everal things by foretelling them ; fbme make people offend at thefe things which they would nev^r have offended at, by fore¬ telling that the people will be offended. So Sa¬ tan hath brought about many mifehiefs by fore¬ telling them and the Aftors of them ; this was a very effectual trick to render the Indulgence defpicable, toforetel that it w^ould become odious and deteltable to all the godly • for they who believe thefe Predidions, would reafbn them, If we do not deteft and hate the Indulgence, we ; cannot lift our felves among the godly ; and then if the Indulged Minifters did not relinquifh the Indulgence and hate it, that they could not be reckoned among the godly; and if they did not make hafte to hate it and deteft it very , fhortly, that then they could not be accounted I godly, becaufe this PrcdkTioii was to be quickly I accomplifhed. It was no great matter to foretell [ that the Indulgence and indulged Minifters ' would become odious, when there w?as fb many Letters and Copies of printed Books full of o- ' dious reproaches calt at the Indulgence and Indulged Minifters, wlienfuch caufes were work- ing, [ a86 ] ing, and fuch Fire-balls caft, and the people were fo prepared to take fire ^ it was an eafie thing without any Spirit of Prophefie , to fbretel a Fire when fneh trains were laid and kindled. Again, when a poor Church is going to ruin^ the ordinary Forerunner of that ruin, is the con¬ tempt of the Minilters, z Chron. lafi-. 'They mocked the JideJJe'K^eTs oj^ God^ ciTid dejpijed his oiiovds ^ and mifiifed his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rofe agamfl his people, till there was no re¬ medy. O Jerufalem^ Jerufnlcm, .thou who hllefi the Prophets I teSid Adatth. a^.ver. 34- fo that if thefe two Minifters had fpoken a little more indefinitely, they might have pafled for pretty good GuefTors, if they had (aid only , that the Indulgence would be deteftable to the eodly ; but taking on them to foretel that , it would be deteftable to all the godly, and that quickly, hath quite broken their credit as Pro¬ phets : for there are many of the godly who have always been far from detefting the Indul¬ gence; and they are much further from deteft- ino' it now, than before. And the Authors of thefe Prediifbions, have by thefe Predictions, and fpme other Practices of that nature, much wrong¬ ed their own Reputation. ^ This is ordinary when a Church is going to ruin, the Defpifers of the Lords Servants go be¬ fore ; this contempt ufes to begin at Tome, but it fpreadslike Fire; and they who aremoft biifie to bring their Brethren into Contempt, fuddenly. ibfe their own Credit i or if , they , continue a while to take pleafure in that Fire that con-, fumes [2873 iiirncs their Brethrehs reputation ^ thcit ple^fiiie will be readily as fnort as the pleafure that an i envvful neighbour taketh in iVarming his hands I at the fire which confumes his neighbours houfe; for the conftiming Fire taking hold of his own houfe, doth quickly fpill that fport, and turns > the pleafure into Borrow and vexation. There is yet another piece of high Prefnmption i in one of thefe Letters, which is folidly refuted ' in a Letter diredled to this Hiftorian ; 1 fhall fet 1 it down in the words of that Ixtter. ■ You fay the ftn of the Jndulge?ice^ and of the Mu nifiers throughout the Land faojouring it, hath been fuch ah unparalleLd Fro^ocaticn, as God cannot for- gioje it till vengeance be proportionably inpHed on i the Land and Fofierjty. t This muft be indeed a very hainous and great I wickedneis , that is an unparrallel’d provoca¬ tion, fothat none hath been fo great before it, nor co-exiftent .to it ; but this is a very Cata- chreftick Hvperbolie proceeding from exceffive heat and irritation of Spirit. Is the preaching of 1 an honell Minifter after the removal of the Magi- i ftrates reftraint, a greater wickedneis than whore- 1 doms, Incefts, Witchcrafts, Idolatries, Perlecii- : I tions that have been or are acifed ; the abomina¬ tions of Popery in Doctrine, cruel Malfacrcs , Torturing, Death, taught, authorized and pra- dtifed by the Man of Sin, on whofe forehead are written Abominations ? 1 his is an unparral- lel’d excels of expreffions ! His Hyperbohek exaggeration is very pre¬ fuming upon the- Sovereign power of Gods mercy ard’ [ 288] and will not go well down with tliofe who have found and high thoughts of Gods Soveraigmty ; it will be to them durim fermo JT fiudax. ^ Gods power either of doing or forgiving, is pounm ahfduta, which is confidered as abftradled or prefeinded from his Decrees; whe¬ ther revealed or lecrCt; of this we fiippofe you do not fpeak ; for if he had not decreed tenipo- ral piinifliments, none will fa}^ but that God mighthave not decreed them,andfo not executed them, and yet have pardoned the fin upon be¬ lieving in Chrift ; and this even thofe who fay That primitive juftice is,effential_ to God, do grant, that as to the egreflions of it , in its acts on the creature, its free. This Own in his Dtntrih. de Jure O fuftitia Dei doth yield, and yet he doth very contrary to Twilfe Rutherford aSm, That promnde fuflice u efjinuul to God, frcjcmdmg frem all Decrees. ^ ^ i i ■ ^ Or Gods powr ss potentia ordinata hy felt, wbteh « eUher hj hit fecret Decreet, or fuel, d are re-vealed ,n bet word. ^Now as riiat po. tentta Du, to do or forgive ftn, which is fccret and not revealed, we are not to fearch into it, tar lefs to determine what it is ; and as for that pc- untia ordmata, by his Decrees revealed, we oiiglit ' to fearch,- and may affert what we hnd determines it to be; fothat if it be revealed, God will not pardon (iich a fin without vengeance pro- portionably executed upon the Land and 1 olteii- ty ■ one may fay, God will not pardon it till ven¬ geance, 0-c. But it is a harm word, even then ai|d [ ^99 ]: in that ca(e, to fay God cannot pardon it nil venge* a nee be executed j but where is it revealed in the word, That God cannot, or, God will not pardon it till vengeance, This therefore may feemto be great and temerarious boldnefs to be lb per'emp- tour in it j how many great an‘d horriblewi'cked- nefles have been aded, which hath not been vifibly purfued with proportionable vengeance, ih this world? And thus to determine how much affinity hath it with Enthufiafm, which the Writer hath Well confuted in writing ag/inft the and therefore we hope doth not with advertency or deliberation fall into it. We ffiail only; , mind you of a much approven and commended lay¬ ing of Augu(i'me^ pertinent to this cafe. That- God doth Jignallj ^mijh 'f699te hninous JVickednefs ^ hfi 'men \hould deny Providence ^ and for hears to fiinijh as great Wickednefs here^ that jve may exfetf and certainly conclude there 'will be a day of. judgment iv'oerein heivill render vengeance to fuch v/icked doers. I ffiail add the words of Mr. H. iii his excellent Expofition of the Book of pag. 3 7. .where he is (hewing the errors of yebs three Friends, he reckoneth this among thofe errors. That they maintained, that there w^as always an adtual exe¬ cution of fuch Judgments upon all the wicked in this life. But Job agreeably to the Scripture, maintained That God exercifes d great variety cf dijpenfations towards wicked men , in this life , 'Chap. 'z.i. '2-3, ^4, ly and as ma^* be gathered from the (cope of moft of his rpeeche3,.that oft- ■ times God Teeth it fit to (pare wfeked men.ui this life, yea, and to heap prolperity upon them un¬ til their death, diat fe he ma^^ ^.xercife 'the Faith T and Csco] and lienee of the Godl}^ and inay t'eadi all to Iddk out to a day of Judgment, and the eternal reward of wicked ne'fs and piety. Pag. 1 1 y. The Author of tbcHiftofy of tlie Tiv diligence, pretends to anfwer what can be faid in the defence of the accepting of the Indulgence. Having thus piful the acr cepting of this Indulgeitce ivasi, 'd'fojt many accounti^ it ronaihs that 'ive remove out of^jthe ■')i/ay ii'hat can he faid in the defence thereof, to the end we may give all fatisfdBion pojfihle. he really intended togive^all pofTlblefatis- ifadion, he fhould^iot have withholden the ftate of the queftion , ^Which in all queftions is abld- lutely necelTary, in order to fatisfadion, . It’s a wonder how he could imagine to give dny, let be all fatiTadion, or to give any iilual . ordinary latisfadiondet be all polTible lafitsfadtion, and yet withhold from his Readers the ftate ol the queftion, without which he can give nofatil- fadionatall f no not the leaft degree of absolute¬ ly neceftary fatisfadion, which in all controver- fies, efpecially about fin and duty, fhould and mu ft be given j and farlefs all polfible latisfadi- on, xvhich takes in not only all that muft belaid, but all that can be faid for the P.eaders fat isfadion. The Authors way of handling this queftion, will give latisfadion to none, except they be fuch as are fatisfied with ignorance, and confufion, and vain jangling, underftanding neither what they fay, nor whereof they affirm. But though there be no candor, yet there is craft in concealing ttie true ftate of the Controverfie, when the caufe is r 301 3 . bad, and cannot ftand if it be rightly ftated. I this Author had but prefisced the true ftate of the queftion to his Reafons agamft the accepting of the Indulgence , the many accounts iipoij which heaiiedgeshe hath {hown the riniulnefs of its acceptance, would have come to no accolint , and all his (howi rtg would have been clearly fcera to be nothing but a vain (hew. He hath nor nof can any for him (how that thofe of the outed Mi- nillers, to whom the Magiftrate had granted the ™ble publick exercife of the, r Office m fonie Parilbes ih their returning to thole Pai ifhea Lere they were formerly ordamed Minivers or not having accefs to the peaceable cxcrcife of their Miniftry in their own Panffies, upon the Invitation of deftitute Congregations, with the confent of Presbyterian Minifters concerned, go¬ ing to exercife their Office in thofe deftitute Con¬ gregations till they might hat-e accefs to retiilm m their ownParifhes ; That theft Minifters in h. “"gdidlin. OfWhajLawofGod ^^^ffiisga. doing Old lin. WHcIL ^ r C dice of theirs a Tranfgrempn. Is it a fin foi'M'W- fters whom God hath called to the woik of the Miniftry, to exercife their Office in the Paiifte^ where they were ordained Minifters, 01“^? deftitute Congregations who deftre tnem to come and help them? it a fin becanfe the Ma¬ giftrate permits them to preach ? 1 he himfelf dare not fay this, as appears hom his lirft Anfwer to the firft Objeftion. A Minifter ■fins not in preaching t le Gplpel, ' furper, aRobber permit him to doth the Permiffion of the lawful l|agi^ X" ^ [5^2 1 ftrate render his preaching finful. Objecf. The Magiftrate appoints them to preach, and to preach in (hch or fuch a parifh , and therefore it’s fmfiiL A'fjf. I . If it were a fin In the Magiftrate to appoint a Minilter to preach in (itch or fuch a place, and a fin for the Minifter ro preach, be- caiife the Magiftrate appointed him to preach in fuch a place, then the Minifters who wrote the firft Book of Dilcipline, and the Church of Scotland who approved it , did fin in defiring . the Magiftrate to appoint Minifters to preach in fuch and fuch Parifhes. W e did ftieW fi’om the firft Book of Dhcipline , That they defired the Ma¬ giftrate to do this and more too, even to compel them to preach. ' This Author grants In his Ahl'wer to the third ObjCvftion , Tuat the Aiagijhrate ynaj vlacc Adiniflcrs when the Church is cerrupt, and all things are out of order ; the vanity of hisevafion by which he leeks to elude that Argument taken from the iDth. Chapter of the Iccond Book of Dilcipline, is before difcovered. Suppole it were unlawful for the Magiftrate to appoint a Minifter to exercife the Olfice of the Miniftry in a particular Parilh; yet it would not be finful for that Minifter to preach in that Pa¬ rilh, if the Parilh w^Cre vacant, and earneftly de- lired him to exercile his Miniftry among them ; and if his preaching there, were not injurious to any ; if the Magiftrates appointing a Minifter to preach , &c. in a Parilh , render the Minifters tfeaching in that Parilli finful, then the Magi¬ ftrate C30J1 ftrate by facn appointments , might make the exercife of the Miniihy in any Parifh , or in all Pariflies in his Dominions, finfiil • which is a moft abfurd Conceit. Or is it finful to ac¬ cept of the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry in fuch or fuch Parifhes, bccaiife the Magiltrate gives them Injundtlons and Rules to regulate them in the exercife of their Miniftry ? But I. Thefe Injunjft;io.ns vvere the Magillratcs A(fts,aiui. not the Minill-ers. %. The Minifters accepted not of thefe Injun- aions, but declared they could receive no llicli Ecckfia.ftick Rules from the Magiftrate, and that they had full Prelcriptions from Chrift , which they behoved to obferve, as they would be anr fwerable to him of whom they had received their Miniftry. g. The Adi of Inftrudlions , as it was diftindl from the Adi of Indulgence, in which thepublick peaceable exercife of their Miniftry was granted, and came not to the Minifters hands for a con- fiderable time after they had received the Adi of Indulgence.; (b there was a great difterence in the nature of the Adis; and the Indulged Mini¬ fters did right in making ule of what was good, and. refilling what was evil. 4.1f theMagiftrates fending Injundlions toMini- fters, renders the exercile ot tlieir Miniftry linful , then the Magiftrate may render theexercile of th e Miniftry in any place, in every place of his Dr mi¬ nions linful, by lending Inftrudlions to all the Mini¬ fters in his Dominions , which is another abliird i Conceit ; which if it w.ere received, w^ould.make it 1’ 9 eafie C 304 J cafie for an ill-dirpofed Magiftrate to mar aU preaching by writing and fending Ads of Inftru- dions to all the Minifters in his Dominions. ObjeB. The Ad of Indulgence flowed from a finfiil Supremacy, and therefore it was finful to make any ufe of it. ^;5!jfTo fay nothing of the making ule of a Pals given by a Captain of Robbers, or of a Covenant of peaceable commerce made with an Ufurper, who hath no juft title, which Caftiifts do not con¬ demn ; 1 anfwer, That that Ad which indeed was the Ad of Indulgence, and which the Indulged Minifters made ufe of , wz. The Relaxation of the Civil Reftraint, which hindred the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry, or the granting of the publick peaceable exercife of Miniftry, was no Ad of any finful Supremacy , but the exercile of that power which the Magiftrate hath from God for doing good. . As from the right ftating of the queftion, it e- vidently appears, That this accepting of the pub- lick peaceable exercife of the Miniftry was not finful j fo it evidently appears, That it was lawful and commendable, and a duty to which they were obliged ; as the work of the Miniftry is a ^ood work, fd the peaceable fetled exercife of ir, under the protedion of lawful Authority, is, a great mercy, that hath many blelfings and ad¬ vantages in it ; it’s a promifed blelTing, it’s a bleC ling for which the people of God fhould pray j and becaufe the peaceable fetled exercife of the Miniitry cannot be rvhere Magiftrates are, with¬ out their allowance or permiftion^ therefore it’s [305] duty to pray, Tiiat the IjDrd would incline the heart of Rulers to grant the peaceably publick exercife of Religion in thJdtMns‘^ and the Ch'urch-]udicatory of ■Ifjyatria, fuifered the \\' oman that Called her felf a Prophetefs, to teach and feduce the Servants of God to commit Fornication; ' and to eat things lacriftced to Idolis ; in this cafe Ih all the Magiftrate do no more but command the ■Ghtirch- Judicatory to their work ? if e hath done that, and yet the judicatory does nothiilg , or nothing to purpofe; and the Church is like to. be undone through thele Dodrines that fret like a Gangreen. . And the other member -'of 'his -Ifindion makes, no help : for the Church-Jodica- toiy, 1 fuppofe, palies no T-ight Sentence which the Magiftrate may corroborate; (hah he whdis ;G.od3 V icegerent fufter the people of Godj Wl •his ! Subjeds,: to be ^poifoned ^mth cfemnable Dcj- dtnne ? may he do nothing Indifedly to lyftr'hin I itliefe Heieticks- from preaching flvchdCimn^Ie Dodtrines ? and therefore it feenis,- thgt thcMgh the Magiftrate cannot . depofe an Heretick that’s a Minifter, yethe may do morC' to reftrainatle- ritick from de'ftroying the -people of Gcd, fean , is C5H] is comprehended within the members of his dU iVmdion of caufatively and corroboratirely ; and he himfelf feems to grant with Foetim in his Anfwer ro the fecond Objedion, That the Magi- ftrate waj hinder an Heretick from f reaching Herejie either vuhrxkly^or from houfe to hou(e- — : As for his’ fecond Objedion, if he had formed it thus: When the Magiftrate granteth the peace¬ able pnblick exertife of the Miniltry , Minifters fhould thankfully accept of this grant, he would have had no Antiver ^ but he kept out peace¬ able out of the Objedion ; and then he aniwers; that the Magiftrate fhould not difeharge the pub- lick ejfercife of the Miniftry ; vvell, but what is that to the purpofe ? will he infer from thence,that therefore he fhould not allow to Minifters the publick peaceable exercife of their Miniftry ? The third Objedion he proponeth thus ; Our fecond Book of Dilcipline granteth , That Ma- ~lace Mmifiers tvhen the Kirk is cor- 'runted , and all ihi^gs out -of order ^ and fb it is now with us. The Argument may be framed thus ; if the Magiftrate when the Church is cor¬ rupted, and all things out of order, may place Minifters, then the Magiftrate may appoint, permit, allow Minifters to preach in. fuch and fuch Kirks ; For if the Magiftrate may do what is more, then they may do what is lefs in the corrupt ftate of the Church ; But the ftate of the Church is fuch : and therefore if the Magiftrate may in this cafe place, &c. he may much more permit, &c, ^ He grants all the major is evident from the place cited; and Ite grants it to the minor, which was as he pro- £-3*5 1 proponed. it,. but fo it is now with iis- he ai> fwers that our Church was a conftitiited and well-ordered Church - but that now Confu- fion is come, and ib in efFed he yields all ^ but I remember he fpoke to this before. What he fays of -the Magiftrates bringing on thisConfm fion , is no evafion j for the Book of Difciplipe does fpeak generally of a Church corrupted, whatever way it hath been corrupted, wherher by Magiftrates or Miniftcrs, thatb neither up nor down. A Maglftrate that hath difordered the Church, is fo much the more obliged rp right thdfe diforders ; and if a Magiftrate hath difordered the Church by thrufong Miniftera from the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry, he ought to retraft what, he hath done, ,by aliow» ing them the peaceable excrcife of dac.ir Mini-' ftry j if he did wrong in thrulting them our, it’s right to let them in j and the Church ot Scct-^ land in that place cited, hath declared, T’hat in that cafe Miniiters fiiould not refiife to preacli in any place, becaufe the Magiltra.te hath inter- poled his Authority for fetling them. He inly ntiates in the end ot this Anfvvei, That thi.s I Concelilon gives the Magiftrate all Church^ i power j but this is a groundlefs and injurious ■ alledgance j the Authors ot that Book, and the General Alfemblie’s, which after exa eft yxaminaT ' tion of every part of it, concluded it to bq ^ fublcribed by every Minifter of the Church of I Scotland , Lindcrftood the IsatUiC oi Church- I power much better than he did*^ and th^ were fo far from thinking. That the Magiftrates ; ^ ^ "V who 1^16-] who in the corrupt and difordered ftate of th^ Church, interpofes their Civil Authority for fet- ling Minihers, does in fo doing affume unto themfelvesjand exercife all Church-power ; that they commend what they did in that cafe as a pradtice well-becoming godly Kings, and Prin¬ ces, and Emperors. This Infinuation is highly injurious to thofe wife and godly men who com¬ piled and approved, fubfcribed that fecond Book of Difcipline ; for if this Conceffion did yield all Church-power to the Magiftrate, then thofe who compiled and fubfcribed it, do quite fii b- vert what they had immediately afferted, ^iz,. That the Magifirate mdy not ufurp any thing which belongs not to the civil Sword, but belongs' to the Offices which are meerly Eccleftafiical , as is the M'ln'ifiry of the Word and Sacraments, ujing Ec~ clefiafi'ical Difcipline, and the Spiritual Execution thereof, or any part of the power of the Spiritual Keys wh'ich our Mafer gave to the Apofles and their Succeffiors : As it cannot be fiippofed, that fo wife men would fo quickly contradid them- felves in a Book fo deliberately, and after fo ma¬ ny Debates concluded j fo it cannot be imagined, that they would defign Kings and Princes godly for doing that which would quite fwallow up^ and fubveft the holy Calling of the Miniftry. This one palfage in the fecond Book of Difci¬ pline, does quite mine the cauffe of the Author of the Hiftory of the Indulgence , and approves the pradice of the Indulged Minifters ; fo that wiiat they have done, they have done it accor- #ig to the mind of the Church of Scotland ex- [317] ^ 1 expreffed in the fecond Book of Difcipline. Tlis Book fays, That godly Kings hoth m the old and in the light of the New fefiament, ha-ve faced Mi- niflers when the Kirk was -.corruptedy &C. ^This not only may be, but it hath been ; and tlK Au¬ thor denies not that the Church was cortupted at the time of the Indulgence, and ail things -out of order and in confufiori ; and thus he really yields the caiife, and concedes all ; wheivthe Church is corrupted, and all things out of oi .ei, the Magiftrate may place Minifters, and Mini- ifers may be placed by Magillrates p but • at the time of the Indulgence, as the Author grants, the Church was corrupted, and all things order ; and therefore at the time of the Iiadul- gence , the Magiftrate might place Minifters, and Minifters might be placed by Magiftrates according to the i oth. Chapter of the lecond Book of Difcipline. It’s true, that the Magiftrate . fhould not have broken the order of the Church , but to conclude that the Magiftrate cannot place Minifters, becaule he thrufts them out, or that he cannot do them right in granting tp them the peaceable exercile of their Miniftry r-be- caufe he did them wrong in reftraining them I B'om the exercile of it ; or to- conclude, d hat the Magiftrate by breaking the order ot the Church, lofes all" Authority to do any good to the Church afterward; or that we may make noufeof any good that the Magiftrate does, becaufe he hath done evil , or becaule at the fame time he does Ibme things right, and lorre> things wrong, that we cannot cluile the goo ^ _ _ L3i8] bccaiifc wc muft refiife the evil, is a moft im- realbnable way of reafoning ; and at this rate a man may conclude fjuidlibet ex 9l ling, and Minifters may and fhould obey fuch Commands ; but the former is true, for thefe. Kings are commended fordoing fo, Chron. ;^5'. See. iChron.'K). a, 4? 5’ '^Chron. 31. and therefore the latter is true alfo. He anfwers, That our Rulers have done many evil things which thefe Kings did not j but will he conclude, that becaufe they have done evil which thefe .Kings did . not, -that therefore they may not imitate thele Kings in doing good, in permitting, allowing, commanding Minifters to preach the Golpel and do the other parts of their Minifterial Office ? this was the Ad of In¬ dulgence which the Indulged Minifters made ufe of; and the Magiftrate in tins Ad did not- deftroy the Order and Beauty of the Church, The Author in his Anfwer would make his Reader believe. That they ivho make ufe ofthis- Argument, bring it to prove tliat the Magiftrate might make the Ad ot initrudions; but it hath been often anlwered, 1 hat the Ad ot Inftrudi- ons was not the Ad of Indulgence ; the Ad of Indulgence permitted and allowed the ex- ercife of their Miniftry ; of this Acft they made ufe ; the Ad of Inftrudions which was tuper- added to he Ad of Indulgence, the Indul¬ ged Minifters did not obferve , and told the Ma¬ giftrate they could not receive fuch Inftrudions. . l am wearied of thefe Repetitions ; the Qiie- ftionis. Whether the Magiftrate may command Minifters to do the work of their Minifterial Cal¬ ling? the Queftion is concluded in the affirma- V 3 tive, [ 320 ] live. That they may from the Scriptures cited ; and if they may command, they may permit and allow them to preach ,and do the other Fnn- dionsSof the Miniltry. He diverts his Reader from confidering the force of the Argnmentf, by making a Comparifon betwixt Hez.ekiah and Jc- Jiah, and other Rulers • as if this were the de- fign of thofe who argue from the forecited Scri¬ ptures, to prove that our Rulers xvere as godly Reformers as Hez^ekiah and J-opah-, but this is but a trick to elcape the dint of the Argument : A& we fhoiild mourn , that neither our Rulers nor we, are like thole eminently holy Kings, tvho were very fingular for uprightnefs and tender- nefs ,; and pray that the Lord who hath the hearts of Eulers and Subjects in his hand, Vv/puld give them and us fuch uprightnefs and tendefnefs as thofe Kings had j fo when our Ru¬ lers do • any thing for which thofe Kings were commended, we fhould thankfLilly acknowledge iL ; and this is one of thofe things for which they are commended , That they commanded the Frielfs and Leviresto do their work; and is not preaching and the exercifeof the other Fundions of the Miniury, the work of the Minifters of the Gofpel ? and if it was good, and a part of the Reformation of thofe godly Kings, to command this, why iliould it be judged evil in our Ru¬ lers to do wdiat they did ? : Ob]e^h y. But what can be faid of fuch of the Indulged, &c ? the Argument may be forfiitd thus ; When the Magidrate appoints; perrriits,; allows Minillers to go to their own Charges to ex- ■ . ercife [3^1] ercift their Minifterial Office , Minifters may latvfully go, yea, they ffiotilO go to their own Charges ; but the Magiftrate appointed thole Minifters whom the Objeftion concerns, to go to their own Charges, to excrcile their Mmr- fterial Office, and therefore tiiey might lawtiilly go, and it was their duty to go. He anfwers, i. That it ims a meer accidental, tbim that they mre jent to their own charge,, v\z becaufe at that time they were wacant AnC. I. He puts in his own word of lending, and not the words ufed in the Ails of Indul¬ gence, which is nor lair dealing. ^.What means he by a ineer : :ade iitar thing . if he mean that the Council did not intend that they (hould go to their own Charge^., but that this fell out befide the Magi !rrates intent, this is falfe ; for as it was appointed by the Kings Majeftv , That they lhould_ return to preach and exerc le the other bunilions of^tae Miniftrv in the Parifh-Chiirches wneiethe} '.'A- merly ferved^ fo the Council appointed them to go to thefe Churches ; and therefore tneir going thither was not befide the intent of the Magihrate, but was a thing defigned and inten¬ ded by the Magiltrate: Their going to their former Charges, was not in relpeil ot the Ma¬ giftrate, like the finding of a Treallire by a man who is plowing the ground. But 2ly. Suppofe this had been a meer acci¬ dent, will this militate againlt thefe Minifters returning to their own Charges ? It was dental that thofe Parifhes were vacant , and V 4 diere- [3321 therefore it was unlawful forthefe Minifters to |•etllrn to their own vacant Parifhes ; had not- thefe Parifhes been vacant, thefe Minifters had been appointed either to go elfewherc, or had. not been indulged at all ^ and therefore it was unlawful for them to return to thofe Congre¬ gations which were accidentally vacant- Thefe are reafbnings which have no fhadow of Realbn • but the Subjedl-niatter could not furnifh him, ^^'dth any better, • . l^ut it would feem frorn pag- 19. That he op- poles accidental, to that which is nece(rary,.and, ■ cannot be otherways than it is ^ for “when he is' proving, that this was an accidental thing , he' labours to make it appear by Mr. "john Vark ■ ins difappointm'ent, becaufe the ^’relate pre¬ vented his corning to the Kirk deffgned, .by thrpfti/ig in, a Curate , notvvithftanBing of his pleading tire benefit of the Ad of iiidempnity iu his’ own defence, againft what tvas objeded againft him,, and thereby acknowledged himfelf to have been a' Tray tor in all his former adings, and that all the work of Reformation was but ; Rebellion. ,' Here the Author grants, That Mr. John ark's own Kirk was defigned for him , and fo his accidental thing is not here oppofed ; to a defigned thing , but to a thing that is fb he-^ c^ffary, thgt it cannot be hindred or prevented; and if be take accident a I in this lenfe, the Argu¬ ment mu.d run thus ; The returning of Minifters to their own Charge was not a neceflary thing , which muft be, and can not but be ; but only a contingent thing, which may not be, and whole . * " ■ " being' [ m T being iBay b.e prevented ^ and therefore it was not a thing lawful, or a duty. But this 'Argu¬ ment is as ridiculous , if not more ridiculous than the former ^ for there are many things which may lawfully be, and (hould be, which yet never have any exiltence. 1 doubt not but the Reverend Bvother^Mr.JchT. Tark, can.abnii; dandy clear himfelf from the foul afperfions that this Author would caft upon him. 1 know notthe Matter of fadt, which might yield many grounds of defence ^ but. it Teems the. Author hath been too intent , to have a hit at. Mr. Park, feeing he brings, or rather impertinently drags him upon the Stage to be beaten ; and that bdeaufe he pleaded the beneftt of an Adt of Indempnity. It feems very unrealbnable and injurious dealing to alledge, That any man who pleads to have the benefit of an Adi oi Indemnity - as it doth free a man from Skaitii and Damage, doth hereby acknowledg’, that he hath been a Traytor in all ,his former actings, or that he acknowledges any real crime at all. X. Says he, T'lky werc not hardy permitted, to^ (TO to their own Chflr^es hj refcmding of the Acl of tjlafgow, or ' taking off the Sentence oj^ Banijljmefit ; which might eafily ha've been done, if the- Council had intended no aSiual Inuafion. Anf. They were not barely permitted to re- t-urn to their own Charges, and therefore they fhould not have returned. The Council intend- e'd an adlual Invafion in their returning , and therefore the Minifters finned in returning. T am wearied C 324], Wearied In repeating fach Arguments that are palpably abfurd. His 3d. is, "That their right to their former Char¬ ges^ is nothingbut the Councils Order and appoint¬ ment. This isamanifeft falfhood; the Councils Adt gave them accels to the peaceable ule of the right which they formerly had. His 4th. That their cafe was wor/e than the cafe of other indulged Mmifers ; and that they did renounce their old right to the exercife of their Minifiry ; but how proves he that ? very cafily, 'viz.. by faying it. Thele things are fo abfurd and grofs , and are fo far from having any fhadow of Reafon, that to repeat them, is to refute them j and the truth is, they are not wor¬ thy of repetition, let be of Refutation. His yth. And why may they not alfo repair to Tresbyteries and Synods^upon the Councils order} &c. Anf. If the Magiftrate would fet up Presbyce- rial Government by Presbyteries and Synods, would he have Minifters refule to go to thele Presbyteries and Synods ? if he mean Presbyte¬ ries and Synods Prelatically conftitute, in which the Prelatick Power is exerciled, and they who conftitute themlelves Members of thele Courts, own the Prelatick Power which gives them their being ; his Queftion is impertinent ; for there is a great difpariiy betwixt a Minifters going to a CourtPrelaticaltyconftituted,and going cp'preach to his own Parilh. The Magiftrates difeharge doth not invalidate the right that Minifters have to meet in Presbyteries and Synods , but it hin¬ ders the peaceable life of that right. The [325^ The 6i\i.0hjeB. He propones thus j If it ha ground fufficient to rejetl the benefits of the Indul¬ gence , becaufe it is fiippofed to flovj from the Su¬ premacy ^ then much more more might tve refufe to preach if the Magi (Irate f mild command iit exprefy by ‘virtue of his Suprem/aCy ^ and if this he yielded^ then it is manifeff that if the Magifiratc had a mind to hanifl} all preaching cut of his Dominions, he needeth ufe no other medium than only tell the Minifiers, That he commanded them to preach by ‘virtue of his Supremacy. This is a piece of one of the Arguments made ufe of by the Indulged Minlfters : it may be formed thus ■ If the Mini- fiers of the Gofpel may not lawfully preach the Go f- pel in any place where the Magifirate who claims to himfelf a Spiritual Supremacy, appoints or per¬ mits them to preachy and if Mm if ers.. may not law- f illy preach the Gofpel, if Magijirates command, them, by ^virtue of their Spiritual Supremacy, to preach it, and write Ecrlefiafical InfiniFtions and InjunBions to regulate them then the Magifirate may, if he be fo difpofitd, eafily hanijh all preach¬ ing out of his ^ Dominions , by writing Papers , in which he claims the (aid Supremacy, ami fiets down InjunBions, &c. But this latter is moft' ^bfurd; and therefore fo is theforiuefitheabfur- dity of this, that the Magiurate by his claiming to himfelf a Spiritual Supremacy, and giving In- lirudioils to Minifters, which is his proper deed, which the Minifters cannot hinder, and to which they hhve no 'accelRon , can make Minifters preaching unlawful j I fay, the abfurdity of this sonceif is fo evident, that any who have com¬ mon Ln6l mon fenfe, and will make life of it, may clearly perceive it. Now let us hear what he.anfwers : I. He fays, That he hath feen and manifcjied ^ that the Indulgence hath a real relation to^ and de^ ' \ ^endance upon the Supremacy. He hath never manifefted, That the In¬ dulgence, as it was accepted, hath anyfuch de¬ pendence upon any unlawful Supremacy j or that the Magiftrates A6ts,which were indeed the I Adts of Indulgence his appointing, permit¬ ting, allowing Minifters of the Gofpel to preach , the Gofpel, flow from any unlawfulSupremaijy. a. He fays. That he hath adduced many other heads of Arguments agamf' it. Ajtf. Thefe many heads ai^ cut off in the an- fwers before adduced. In his gd. he grants , That the command to preach fmply, cannot be [aid to flow from, ?}or to have fuch a dependance upon this ufurped Suprema¬ cy, for to command Mmi(lers to do their duty in preaching the Gofpel according to the Command of God, belongs to the Power nvhich God hath granted to the Magi flr ate , and fo natively flowetb from his Office. Now feeing the Author hath granted this, 1 hope he will no more quarrel at the in¬ dulgence upon the account of the Magiftrates ufing the word appointing Minifters to preach^for commanding is at leaft as much as appointing. He adds. But to fet down Limitations, Refirictions and Conditions, regtdating the exercife of the Mirtiflry , doth not fo flow’, and when they are fuch as are op- pofite to the Rules of Chrfl, it mufl of neceflity be by virtue of an ufurped power j whence it is ap-: parent. C 3^7 3 parent , 'that this Indulgence, containing fuch limi^- tat tens, &c. doth not flew fr cm the Office of the Chriflian Mugiflrate, &c. Anf. It hath been often anfwercd, That the Ad of Inftriidions was an Ad diftindfrom the Ad of Indulgence ; and the Minifters dfd never accept the Inftrnd’ions, and gave Reafo'ns to the Magiftrate why they could accept of no fiich In- ftriidions , as Was (heWed before. He adds, 'Tljerefore though in the cafe of fmffie preaching, the InjunBicn iffiered in with an exprefs mention of the Supremacy, as ids ground and rife, would he hut a ridiculous Scarcrew ; yet in this other cafe, which is the caje of the Indulgence, it would he an open fpreading of the Net in the fght of the Bird, and more than a Jufficient warning for wife men to hew are. Anf If the Supremacy let before, the Injim- dion to preach the Gofpel , be blit a ridiculous Scarcrow, that fhould not hinder Minifters from preaching it- then certainly the Ad of Inftru- dions which was fet behind the Injundion to preach the Gofjpel, is as ridiculous a Scarcrow, iand ftiould hinder no Minifter from doing the work of the Miniftry • yea, it feems more ri¬ diculous : for the Scarcrow of the Supremacy is by the Author fuppofed to be before the Injun¬ dion of preaching ; but this Scarcrow of the jn- ftrudions comes behind the injundion ofpreach- ing. Now thofe Scarcrows which are betwixt Crows and the Corn, fears them more; than thole Scarcrows uHich are beyond the Corn. And if Minifters need not fear at the Injundon of preach- L?28] preaching, though the Magiftrate wrapt in his Supremacy in the Injunftion , then Minifters need far lefs fear at any Injundion to preach theGofpel, becaufe there is another Ad of In- ftrudions lying at (bme diftance trom it ; for if judicious Minifters may and (hoiild make ufe of the good injundion to preach the Gofpel, though the Magiftrate did endeavour to wrap bis Spi¬ ritual Supremacy in it ^ if they may untwift his Ad, and take the Injundion, and leave his Spi¬ ritual Supremacy, as having nothing to do with it • I am fure they may far more eafily take the Im\indion to preach, and leave the Ad of In- ftrudions, which is not twifted in with it ^ but as it wasdiftind in it’s Nature, fo it lay at a pretty diftance ffom it i hit, fays he, this is tin tpen Cpreadm^ of the Net m the fight of the Bird. Anfi I. The more open it be , t^iere is the lefs hazard, except men be more filly than Birds, who do not ufe to intangle themfelves in aNet that’s openly Ipread in their fight; and therefore crafty Fowlers ufe to hide their Snares. a. The Supremacy which he fuppofes to be wrapped in with the Injundion to prpeh, is as bpen a Snare ; and if folk would be fcarred without Reafon, they would have a fairer pretence for making no ufe of an Injundion to preach, iilhered in with, and founded upon a Spiritual Supremacy ; than for making no ufe of an In- jundion to preach, becaufe of another. Ad of Injundion, which, as it hath no connexion m nature with the Injundion to preach, fo it hath not fo much asa connexion in the Contexture^ ot [3291 the Magiltrates Ad, being framed in a diftind Ad. He adds, This ts more than a fufficknt 'warn¬ ing for TTife men to beware. ^ Anf. But of what? I hope not of preaching the Gofpel ; and yet hemuft fay this, or he fays nothing to the purpofe here; for if he mean of the Inftrudions, this makes no difference betwixt this cafe and the former ; for fo miift Minifters beware of the Spiritual Supremacy, by which the Injundion of preaching is ufhe’red in ; but yet the Author would not have Minifters fear- ring at preaching, becaufe of the Supremacy ; no more fhould they beware of preaching, be- caufe of the Inftrudions. In his 4th. he fays, Though a command to p-each according to the Rules of Chrifi, cannot he account¬ ed to flow from this corrupt Supremacy , ^'ven though the Magifrate jhall fay fo much in plain terms ; yet a command to preach in this place ^ and not in another place ; and to preach fo and fo accord¬ ing to fttch Limitations., Rules andRrefeript ions, and according to no other, as it is in the cafe of Indul¬ gence, may he faid to fow natively from the cor¬ rupt Supremacy - 'And fb he infers the accepting of the Indulgence cannot be juftified, though in the granting of it, no mention was made ofthe Su¬ premacy, much lefsifthis were exprefty prefixed. Anf I. As to the matter of fad, the Author mifreprefents theMagiftrates Ad of Indulgence; for though the Magiftrates appointed, permit¬ ted, allowed the Minifters to preach in flich pla¬ ces, yet they did not command them to preach m'nb other.place. Again, though they gay^ Limitations and Prcfcriptions, yet they never limit the Minilters fo to the(ff Preferiptions , as to exclude all other Prcfcriptions. Seeing he had a, mind to make fuch terrible Am plifications, he did not wittily in fetfmg down the Ads of Indulgence, which are a fnfficient refutation of thofe additions which he hath made to them. If any ailed ge, that the Magi ft rate confined them, and thatreftrained them from preaching in any other place, the Author anrwereth,p.i the Magi^rate hj banishing and confining^ may conft- quently and indireeVy filerice Aiinillers^ as Solo¬ mon remo'ved Abiathar from the Triefhood. Now this was a worfe confinement than that of thd Indulged Minifters in this refped, becaufe A- hiathar could not exercife the Priefts Officebut at ferufakm,^ from which Solomon banifht him \ but the Indulged' Minifters riot only might, but they might v/ithout hazard, preach in thePa- rifhes to which they were confined j but though he grant this, yet he denieth that the Magiftrate can diredly difeharge Minifters to preach ; and therefore the Ad of Confinement will not war¬ rant what he fays here. That the Magiftrate commanded them to preach in one place, and not in another; if they preach in another place he- fide that to which they are indulged, they run a hazard ; but the Magiftrate hath not in the Ad of Indulgence diredly difeharged them to preach in another place. : a. He cannot prove, That the Magiftrates Commanding a Minifter to preach in a certain place, is an Ad of Eraftianifin, or an Ad that flow- C33«0 floweth from a corrupt Supremacy j yea, he hath granted, according to the tenth Chapter of the fecond Book of Difdpline , That the ^ Magiftrate may in fome calb place Minifters ; the Minifters who went to their own Pariflies had the antecedent Judgment of the Church at their Ordination, for preaching in fuch Chur-* ches, and the Magiftrate in appointing them to go thither, appointed them to do what the Pref- bvtery had before ordained them to; they who went to other Churches than their own, as they had the antecedent Judgment of the Church of Scotland in that tenth Chapter of the fecond Book of Difcipline, to warrant their Adt ; fo be¬ fore they went to the Council, they had the advice of, or confent of the generality, of the outed Minifters to do what they did ; and be¬ fore they went to thefe Parifties, they had In¬ vitations from the refpedtive Congregations. As for the Inftrudions, enough hath beeii Paid before ; they were not the Adt of Indulgence which the Minifters made ufe of; and therefore whatever be the fountain whence they iioweei , the Indulged Minifters arc not deftled , feeing they drank not . of thofe ftreams. But 4ly. The Author hath forgot the Argu¬ ment which he ftiould haveanfwered ; Aie doth not evite the abfurdity of the , banifiiing al! preaching out of the Land, mentioned . in t! e end of the Objcdtion he propofed ; And there- fofe.l ftiall again refume it; for fuppofe that it were not only unlawful for Magiitrates to give Inftrudtions ,’biit alfo to appomt or permit Mh X hifters [33’!] nifters to preach In certain places, that will not make it unlawful for Minifters whom they ap¬ point to preach in fnch places, to preach there, llippole the Inhruftions be faperadded : for if this ftiould follow, then the Magiftrate, if he were ill-dilpofed,and would render Minifters ri¬ diculous, he might baniih all preaching, by or¬ der ng Clerks to write Papers, and fend to thefe Minifters j for wherever they ftiould or would preach, or people would hear them, he might fend his Commands to them to preach there , and his Inftrudions to regulate them ; and then forfootli it would be unlawful for them to preach in that place j or if he would not have them to preach in the Fields, he might hinder them by commanding them to preach in the Fields, and fending Inftrudions to them j and it he would have them preaching in plain open Fields where SoIdies,horfe and foot, might win at them, he might command them to preach in flow- moffes , and particularly defign the moffes in fuch and fuch Shires, and then all preaching in thefe moffes would become unlawful, and fb people behoved either to have no preaching, or come to the plain open Fields where the Sol¬ diers might eafily take or kill them ^ and thus they would not only lofe preaching, &c, butal- fo render themfelves ridiculous. In his 5th, he fays, The 'vijible ends of Ma- ^ifirates in giving forth of Commands 'which may ^be known by fever al circumfiances , may do much to clear and determine Chrifians to obey or not obey^ and fo a Command materially the fame, may in Jome r 55? ] ^ ' Come cafes be obeyed^ in fome cafes not j fo that Jvher^ ^ the Magifirate manife fling his intent to root oat the Gofpel, (hall command all Miniflers by tue of an ufurped Supremacy, to preach the Gofl pel, the material Commands may be obeyed, yet the Magiflrate fruflrate in his Intentions. 'u^hen he commands a few, and only a few by vir¬ tue of his Supremacy to preach here or there, as he pleafeth, and upon fuch terms as he is pleafed to vrefcribe,and under fuch and fuch Limitations and Refriclions as he is pleafed to enjoyn to the inam^ fefl hurt and detriment of the Kingdom of Chrifl ^ he is to be difobeyed and fruflrate cf his pernici-^ ous ends j whence we /ee haw different the cafes are, Anf. Yes, the cafes are different, as ye have made them, becaufe in the iirit cafe where ali Minifters are commanded to preach, ye held out the Limitations and Reftridions j but in the ' iccond where s few Minifters sre conini^iiQ*' ed to preach, ye put in the Reftriftions and ' Limitations ^ and thus ye make an unequal and iniquous comparifon. But tirft, to leave Chri- 1 Itians to determine and clear themfelvcs from the vifible ends of MagiRrates, which again aie 1 to be known from ieveral Circumftances, looks ' rather like the Advice pf a Politician, than the i (olid advice of a Divine to honeit fimple Crn i- ; ftians. The like of thefe refolves, puts honeit fimple people from the plain Rules given jnrre word of God for direfting their actions, to rn. e ^ their meafures from Magilrrates and btau/i- mens intentions aixt encis ^ and bet^auie StaiC*- mens ends are feldom vifible when they think ic X a their [334] their intereft to conceal them ; fo iVheil they pleafe, they can give out defigns which they do not really intend;, and can order circum- ftances fo , as to give a fair colour to thefe- pretended defigns ; and is not this a piti'- ful Diredtory for plain honeft Chriilians? I woifd not have noticed this, if I had not heard it regrated by many, that by Diredtions of this kind, fimple people are brought to intangle them- felves in the mtreigues of State, and to guefs at the defigns ofStatefmen, and to counter¬ work the defigns which they guefs the Magi- ftrate hath againft them • and thus while they Ihould be conferring upon the word of God, upon the chief end of man, and the means that leads to that end , they wafte their time in gueffing at the Magiftrates ends, and in letting the World upon Stoups, and parts more foolilh and confufed than when they met. ^ -1. He grants in the firft cale, That the Map- flrates Inteuticn ts to root out the Gofjiel^ taoitgb it be ?^amfefted by jfjould 7iot hmciev tioc MiiaijleTs from obeymg the Magifirates Comma?id to freach. This Concelfion overturns all his former rea- fonings from the Magiltrates bad intentions ; for if this be true , that when the thing com¬ manded by tlie Magiftfate is good , it may be done though the Magiltrate command it by vir¬ tue of an ulurped Supremacy, and command it for an ill end, ojtz.. the rooting out of the Gofpel i then the Magiftrates alfumed Supre- tpacy by which he commands, and his evil de- fign for Which he commands the preaching C335 3 of the Gofpel does not vitiate the Minifters preaching of the Gofpel ; and thus a great part of his Book is bv his own conceflTion evanilhed in fmoke, and all the Batteries he hath raifed a- gainft the Indulged Minifters upon thefe grounds of the Magiftrates Spiritual Supremacy, and evil defigns, hath been a building of Caftles^ in the Air j and hence it appears, That the bad circum- ftances of the Magiftrates adings, in permitting, allowing, commanding Minifters to preach the i Gofpel, does not vitiate the Minifters preaching i of the Gofpel i who as they do not approve of what is wrong in the Magiftrates ading, nor have any accelTion to the wrong Principles and ends of the Magiftrate;, fo they preach the Golpel upon right Principle^ and for right ends. I fee the Author can allow Minifters in fome cafes to abftrad good from evil, to obey what is good in the Magiftrates command, and leave i what is evil in the Principles upon which, .and the end for which he commands ^ why did he then gybe at the Indulged Minifters for making- fa chMetaphyficalabftradions, as if they had not been manly, or fuch as became honeftmen and j Minifters? but now he himfelf hath fpoilt all the i {port that was in thefe gybings; and as he hath . expofed himfelf to laughter, aliedging that me- taphyfical abftradions, which are. one of the I things which diftinguifties men from Bcafts, are ! not manly ; fo he hath made himfelf obnoxious I to juft Cenfure, in alledgmg,T That- the InduU. i ged- Minifters abftradion in the forelaid caie, I was not honeft nor.fuitable to Minifters of th£ X 3 Gof^ [3?61 Gofpel ; and yet granting that honeft minifters may make fuch abftradions. i argue from his Concefllon, If all the Mi- nirters in the Magdtrares Dominions may obey ihe Maglftrates Command to preach , though icbeulhered in with an iifurpe:! Supremacy, and dcfignedfor an ill end ; then Ibme of thefe Mi¬ nifters may do what all of them might, have done ; for few, as well as many, may chnfethe good and leave the ill why flwii’d the preachr i'ng of the Gofpel be fulfill to a few Minifters, if "it be lawful to all? what if the Maglftrates had commanded all the Minifters that were out- ed, to preach , except one or two, would it have been finful to them to preach fo long as thefe two were excepted. I fuppofe no Ibber peribn will fay (6 , and yet the deduction of thefe two, mars the Univerlality ; for it two be excepted,thenaIlarenot commanded to preach; fuppofe the total fiim of thefe Minifters were 40. fhall the Magiftrate excepting or paifing by 2, or 10, orio, or go of the 40, render it unlaw¬ ful to the g8, or go, or 20, or 10, whom he indulges, to preach ? if the palfing by of two makes it not unlawful for the g8 to preach, why fhould the pafting by of 10, or 20, render it unlawful to the reft to preach? muft the fin- fulnels or unlawfulnefs of preaching be calcu- * lated by Arkhmetick figures? lifts is a newufe of Arithmerick, that I fuppofe Marchejion him- felf never imagined. If the accepting, of one or two, docs not make it finlul for the reft to preach when the Magiftrate commands them, I would i337l would know if the exception of 4 or 8, will ren¬ der it unlawful to the reft to preach ? and if nor, where (hall we fift? what is the number that will alter the morality of preaching, and turn what was right, to be wroi’jg ? who can determine the mumquod fic, or the minimum cfuod fic^ the precife number c^uo mn dntur ultra} but enough of this. 4. What he adds to make the cafe of the few different from the cafe of all, ajiz^. That the few are commanded to preach here and there , and Limitations and Reltriaions fuperadded to the Command, fhould have been added in the firft cafe , if he would have dealt fairly , and to have encountered the Argument in its full ftrength p but he framed the iirft ruppofed cafe To, as he might make a way for himfeif to efeape; but he miift not go fo. , I Oiall therefore reinforce the Argument thus. If it be unlawful lor all the Minifters, or all the outed Niinifters in a Ring- dom, to preach the Gofpel, it the Magiftrate by , virtue ot an ufurped Supremacy, and for an ill end, command them to preach here and there and under filch and fiich Limitations and Reftridtions; then a Magiftrate by fuch a Command without any more ado, may banifh all preaching out of his Dominions j but the latter is abfiird, and fo is the former. I fee not how upon his Principles tliis ab- furdity can be evited ; for if a few Minifters may not lawfully preach, if they be fb commanded ; and reftrided, how can many preach lawfully , I if fo commanded and reftriifled ? but ye will fa)^ I there is a great difference betwixt many and ! few ; I grant there is an Arithmetical difference, 1 . X 4 [338] blit it’s nothing to the prefent purpofe ; for If tlie Reftridions do vitiate the preaching of, a few, it will alfb vitiate the preaching of many; for moral filth is not like natural filth, dimi- iiifhed by fpreading , bn’t is rather encreafed» If It be faid, That, if all Miniliers were fb com¬ manded to preach , they might fruftrate the Magiftrates ill Intentions, and finful Inftfudions, by driving on the great defign of the.Gofpel, and obferVing Chrifts Inftrudions. I anfwer ; A few of them might do the fame ; what fhould binder a few of them to do wbat all may do ? y. If a fmall number may not lawfully preach if there were fuch reltridions fiiperadded to the command of preaching, then it were ftill eafre for the Magiftrate to put all from preach¬ ing, by writing fuch and fuch Reftridions ; for it would take but a little more time to do it; for firlt he might fend his command to preach, and his Inftrudions to a few and they might not lawfully preach , becaufe they w'ere but a few ; and when they are laid by, he fends his command to preach with Inftrudions to another Jmall number of them, and fbon, till he had put all df them from preaching; for many fiualls will amount to All be-time. ' In his 6rh. he grants, Tioat when thativhlch the Magifira^'e commands by 'virtue of his Supre¬ macy, ts not only lawful, hut necejfary by 'virtue of a Command of God i the prefixing of the Su¬ premacy cannot alter the nature of the Duty. He might have added, That the affixing of the Re¬ ftridions can no more alter the paturc .of a ^ i C??9T Duty than the prefixing of the Sapremacy can alter it *, but he adds, That he hath ahQve, cleared, thatvjhat 7i>as dene by the indulged Minifbers, ivas neither expedient nor lawful , but he hath never cleared it, but it hath been cleared, that what the indulged Minifters did in preaching in the places to which they were indulged, was law¬ ful, ^pedient, and in many refpeds necefl'ary. in his yth. he grants , lf this fuppofed com¬ mand came to Mmfters already preaching, the Supremacy might be fuffciently delete bypa Trot e [bat ion or Declaration, that they preach by 'Virtue ofChrifis Supremacy ; but if it were given to cuted Minifters detained from their werk till they pould thus acknovdedge the unlawful Supremacy of the Magi fir ate. He JuppoJes there might be ground here for a demur. ‘ Anf 1 do not underftand what this thus ac¬ knowledging means, or this thus^ relates to • I doubt if he could well explicate rhis^if he thinks that the preaching of thele outed Minifters would be an acknowledging of that unlawful Supremacy,why{hould not the preaching of the already fetled Minifters be fo too ? Why might liot a Declaration (alve all in the Minifters that were out^ as wdl in thele who were in ? If. this were an acknowledging of the unlawful Supre- macy, I wonder why he Ihould be in any de¬ mur. The Argument 1 perceive hath ftrangely puzledhim. If he be not pofitive, that a com¬ mand to which the unlawful Supremacy is pre¬ fed, Ihould berefufed, why is he fo pofitive, that a command to preach fhould be quite re- ^ fufed C34o] fufed becanfe of Initriidtions fiiperadded in ano¬ ther Adi ; I can fee no fhadow of Reafbn for this : now he is far from being Peremptoiir in the former cafe , but very, very modeil ; I Cuppofe^ fays he, there-mip^ht be ground Ijere for a demur • he doe's not pofitively atferc, That they fhonld refufe to preach in this cafe, blithe only fuppo- fes ; not that there was adlually, bur that there might be ground ; not for a reflifal,but only for a demur. I wifh he had pondered his Argu¬ ment in its full flrength ^ it’s like it would have put him in a demur as to the writing of this Hiftory, and fpared him a great deal of need- lefs labour , and much v;alle of his precious time, which might have been improven to the good of the Church and his own edification. 1 leave him in this demur, and come to the 7th. Objedlion, which he propofeth in this queflion. It feerneth then you would not be for Minifters returning to their own charges, if the Magifrrate fhoiild grant filch an order or permiffion^hewho will not be for a Minifters doing his duty, is wilful without and againft Reafon • but he who will not be for a Minifters returning to his own Chai'ge, will not be for a Minifters doing his duty ; and tlierefore he is wilful without and againft Reafbn. : In his firft he grants. That though the Order or TermiJJlon did exprejly mention the Supremacy, as if s ground , that yet it might be madeufe of with a Vrotejiation. 1. I fee the Author in this cafe, would not fear at the Magiftrates ordering 3 and why then ' makes [340 makes he fuch a bufinefs about the word ap¬ pointing? %. That their returning to their nvn Charges , thoigh the Magiftrate order it, is not a renouncing of their former mijjion and old right, nor a renoun- (ingof their dependence upon Chrijl', nor a deriving of%eir Minifiry from the Magi fir ate ; fir if it were fuch, the matter could not he falved hy a Pro- tefiation. This Concefllon overturns a great part of his Book. ?. There was no mention made of the Su¬ premacy at all in the Indulgence ; and therefore there was no need by his own Conceilionsof hich a Proteftation. 4. Though there had been mention of it , Minifters returning to their own Charges, would have been, according to this ConcelTion , but a ieem/mg Homologation of the finful ufurpation. In his xd. he thinks, if the permiffion were not univerfal, but a permiffion of fome only , that then they fhould not goj and why ? be- caule the Magiftrates intention to divide, is ma- nifeft;, fuppofethat to be true, yet theMiniilers returning to their own Charge, hath no tenden¬ cy todivifion. If men n iiit not do their duty be- caufe they who permit them to do it, have ill Defigns, this would be a new device for tortur¬ ing mens ConfcienceSjUnd would make Minifters as dependent upon the Magiftrates intention, as to the lawfulnels of their minifterial adtings , as thePapifts are dependent upon the Priefts in¬ tention, as to the validity of their Sacraments. If a Minifter fhould not go to his own Charge, be - caufe i 34^1 caiife the Magiftrate hath an illdefign in permit¬ ting him, by the fame reafon a Prifbner (hould not go home to his Wife and Children, becaufe the Magiftrate hath an illdefign in letting him go home. He lays, Tins is contrary to our Covenant s\ it’s ftrange how any man could imagine, that Minifters going to their places andftations, could be contrary to the Covenant, which fiippofeth that every man fhould keep him within the bounds of place, Itation and vocation; fuch wild conceits tend to render the Covenants ridiculous. He grants that the Minifters- permitted, would be freed from trouble , and the Congregations re¬ ceive fome advantage ; yet the publick good of the Church would be prejudged; but what ad¬ vantage could Congregations receive from them if that were true, that they were not the Mini¬ fters of Chrift , but of men, &c ? He deftroys what he had formerly builded ; but he does well in carting down what he had finfully build¬ ed. The publick good of the Church is nor to be meafured by any particular rnans phanfie ; and Minifters muft not leave their ftations, or refufe to go to them, becaufe this or that par¬ ticular perfon judges that the Church is pre¬ judged by their fb doing; and their returning to their own Charges , does no way tend to con¬ firm the Magiftrate in ufiirpations or encroach¬ ments, but to confirm him in doing his duty , in retting Minifters in their Charges, as Jojiah let the Priefts in their Charges, i Chron. 35. 2. In his 3d. he thinks. That the Minijiers Jhould not go to their own Charges^ if they were confined, though C3431 though the'liherty ivere granted to thiin all, hecaufi of the ill 'defgn of the Magifirate , and many in- cori'V'tniencies that would fclltw. We have fpoken enough of the Magiftrates intention. The in¬ conveniences do no way urge the indulged Minilfers, who never proiuifed to keep their confinement. Their returning to their proper Charges docs not incapacitate them for preach¬ ing elfewhere ; they may with hazard after their returning, preach elfeWhere, if it be found ne- ceffary by thofe to whom it is competent to determine matters of that nature. If his reafons conclude , they will not only conclude, That outed Minifters fhould not return to their Char¬ ges ; but that though they had not been outed, they Ihould have outed themfelvcs to preach in other Congregations where there was ib great ignorance, &c. If a corruption of a great part of the Land be a good reafon for Minifters not fixing, then how^ comes it, that the Apoftles fixed Minifters, when the whole World almoft was corrupt wfith Paganifin ? and it’s loofe work to loofe every one, and let them go and preach w here they lift. In his 4th. he fays. Though this liberty were 7Vithout anfnement, yet if any one or other of thofe Treprifttons were added, with which the indulgence was clogged, that the liberty could not he accented, for . the reajons againfi the indulgence would militate kgainfi that liberty. Blit may not rational men make ufe of a grant of due liberty , and yet not take on clogs? The Magiftrates making clogs, does not clog them, except they take on the C 344 3 the clogs ; may not a man return to his own houfe to do the Duty of the Mafter of a Fami¬ ly, though the Magiftrate prefcribe Injundions to him, which he cannot in Conlcience obey ? We have feen the vanity of his militating Rea- fons, which fight againlf the wind, and conclude nothing againft the indulged Minifters. In his yth. he fays, That though the grant of li¬ berty were Univerjal, and without intanglements^ and grounds of fcrupling, that he leaves it to Chri- Itian Prudence to confider, whether, as matters now hand, the Lord be not rather calling them to preach his iSfame on the mountains^ feeing that way hath been foblejfed^ and Adaierfaries .are not really repenting, and that fuch a Vermijfion could not flow from good, but ill Principles. I remember, I have anfwered to this before, and fhewed the vanity of thefe Reafbns ; and hence it appears, that his defignisto put Minifters and people in a State of Hoftility with the Magiftrate ; he is not for re¬ ceiving from them, according to the didates of the Author of the Cup of cold iTater • but enough of this before. 1 hope no judicious perfon will imagine, that fuch wild conceits, ojiz.. That it’s unlawful for Miniflers to fettle in any particular Charge, when a great part of the Land is prejudged againfi the work of God , that the peaceable exerdfe of the Mini fry granted by the lawful Magiftrate, is ' to be refufed, if the Magiftrate be not a real Peni¬ tent, and if he have not gracious Principles and good defgns in granting that which he ought to grant j I fay, I hope that no judicious perfon will imaginCj that becaufe the Author is defigned a Presbyte¬ rian [ 545 1 rian in the Title-page, that thefe and the like Conceits fcattered through the Hiftory, are the opinions of Presbyterians. The 8th. Objedion may be thus proponed ; The peaceable, fafe exercife of the miniftry gran- ed by the Magiftrate, is a mercy promhed by the Lord, and of great import to Souls, &c. and therefore it ftiould not berejeded but accepted. What heanfwers, That theGcfiel may he f reached^ though the Magift-rate grant not the feaceahle ex- ercije of preachtn^^ as it ii^as hy Chrijh and the pfiles, is true^ but it is nothing to thcpiirpofe: he {hould have {hewed, That Chriit or his Apo- Itles refufed the Magiitrates PermiiTion to preach when it was granted, faul was fo far from re- jeding fuch a grant, that he inrreats for it, AH. 21. 39. I befeech thee fuffcr me to /peak unto the people. 2. He would make the worki believe , That the outed Minifters had left their Charges out of a Principle of reafcnlefs fear, and were like Solomons Sluggard, who imagines a J.y on to be there, where I.yons ufe not to be ; Lyons ufe not to haunt Ways and Streets : but the ha¬ zard of thofe Minifters was not feigned 5 they did not fear where no fear was ^ he fhould have l e- membred how this Lyon frighted himfelf io far., that in his fear he engaged to put the broad Sea betwixt him and that Lyon. He fays, Tne Gojpel mi£^ht have been ^reached without this Indulgence , though with lefs eafe , fence and quietnefs to the Treachers and Hearers-, yet he is fure with more in¬ ward quietnefs op mind, and acceptance witu God, and with more ground of hope of a rich Bhffing to follo7l^ follcuf their pains, as experience lath 'pro^em-., Anf. i.Thele are his own imaginations, a. perience hath not proven that they who have rejeded the peaceable exercile of their miniftry^ when they might have had it in a lawful way^’ have had more fuccels in preaching , or more inward peace in chufing a way of preaching , that expofed them to moleftation , than they would have had, if they had embraced the peace¬ able exercife of their miniftry. Indulged Minifters could not have peace and quiet in their minds to rejedl the offer of the peaceable exercife of their miniftry. And the affurance of this Author^ That they wduld have had more quietnefs in re^ fufmg than in chufing the peaceable exercife of their miniftry, is no evidence to the contrary ; this is no Demon ftration. The Author of .the Hiftory of the Indulgence was lure, that the in¬ dulged Minifters would have more peace and liiceefs in refufing, than in embracing the peace¬ able exercife of their miniftry; and therefore they fhoiild have refufed it ; the indulged Mini¬ fters muft have better furety for the confequence, than his aflu ranee. The 9th Objedt. is very confufedly proponed, - and as confufedly anfwered, interrogati'vis danda fmt debita refponftva. I have fonie Other thing to do, than to.^ be his Interpreter in unravelling ' fuch ravelled Difeourfes ; any thing that he fays in his Anfwer againft the indulged Minifters , hath been frequently refuted . He anfwers to the i oth. Objedlion, by faying. That ive faw that by the Indalgence, there was an ex- C 3471 , eiifrefs Deputatim, 8cc. He hath a faculty of fee¬ ing that which is not really vifible, vitium efl in orvano, we are not obliged to lee with his eyes which were 'vitiate with an ill huiT.our.’ ; The indulged -iJlmifters were lawfully fetled in their refpeila'>(^ Charges, as hath been hfreh cleared. He hath vitiate the i ith. Airgltment by foift- inginit dne of hi's own Imagination / That the relaxatfen of the Reftraint formerly laid or|,tv'as finfiil upon the Granters part, which is- a; npi torious falfhood; for it was the Magiftrafes ^ Duty to grant fuch a Relaxation. After feteral ^ Difcourfes which are not to the purpofe, hfe' grants in his 5th. Anfwer, That after an Unroer- Jal overthrow of the Friviledges of the ChurS I ive maf I ajvfuUy accent of little, when more' chpr mt.be had • and fo he yields the Caufe, and im^ does What he hath been, formerly doing. : Wha? he adds, That that little rauft be fuch as-Ayas not unlawful at any time to be accepted qfy and that we muft accept it in another manner than could ever have been accounted a fidful compliance, is no evafion for him for the Re¬ laxation was lawful in- its felt; and the manlier of acceptance w’as no finful compliance , and could never truly be accounted linful. •> d To his 6th. I anfwer, That the peaceable li¬ berty of publick preaching cannot be had with¬ out the Magiltrate ; and, until he prove, that the peaceable exercife of the Mini If ry is a need- le(s thing, and the Relaxation -or the Grant of the peaceable. exercife of the Miniitry, an Ufor- pation : he cannot prove the Acceptance of thait Y R?- C348] Relaxation to be a necdlefs compliance with, or a Confirmation of any Ufurpation. In the I X. Objedion he hath foihcd in one of his own fuppofitions, That the Relaxation ( fo often mentioned before ) yi-’as an infufferahle im*- fofition , which is manifeftly falfe ; If there was any defed in the Minifters when they were at firif turned out, the Author of thisHiftory was as defedive as his Neighbours. By refifting unto blood, I fuppofe he does not mean, that Minifters fhould have continued preaching iii their own Pulpits, till they had been killed in them ; our Saviour allows Minifters, when they are perleciued in one City, to flee to another ; he did not himlef continue preaching at Rotter¬ dam after he was commanded by the Magi- ftrate to remove, till his Blood was fhed. The indulged Minifters accepting of a part of what was formerly taken from them, is not a parting with a hoof, nor doth it put them in any in¬ capacity to ufe any lawful means in their pla¬ ces and ftations for recovering former priviled- ges. He fuppofes in the igth. Objedion, That the Magiftrates principal Defign in this mat¬ ter, was the eftablifhment of his own Supre¬ macy ; but how can that be proven , That the Magiftrate in granting the fafcty of the exercife of the Miniftry, did intend the efta¬ blifhment of any ftnful Supremacy? this can¬ not be proven from die Magiftrates Ad of Re¬ laxation , for this was an Ad of that Authority ^hieh is of Gt)d, ait Ad of lawful Civil power C 3491 if this Ad have no tendency to fuch an intent , how can he conclude, that this was confelTed by the Magiftrates Defigii ? fox the Magiftrste hath not by deed or word confelfed it ; but the Author, like fome others, concludes many things by gueifing • they lay Foundations by guels and build up conjedural Superftrudures up¬ on thefe con jedural Foundations. But fuppofe the Magiftrate had fuch a Defign , this could no way vitiate the pradice of the indulged Minifters , as hath been frequently manifefted. The 1 4th. Argument may be propofed thus ; \\Ten the Magiftrate grants to Minifters the peaceable exercife of the miniftry in one Ad, and in another Ad, by way of command, and not by way of padion, luperads Inftrudions, which thofe Minifters cannot obferve ; if thefe Minifters accept of the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry, and not only obferve not the Inftrudions, but alfo declare to die Magiftrate, That they cannot receive fuch Inftrudions y thefe Minifters do their dti^ in chufing what is good, and refufmg what is evil ; but the indul¬ ged Minifters did fo, and therefore they did what was their Duty. He anfwers , i. That though the Mugifirate thought It below them to aB an) otherways than- by way of command, j yet the nature of the thing faith , Tloat the accepting' of the firf, doth 'vir¬ tually engage to the fecend \ both making up one complex grant^ or one Indulgence fo /qualified. 1 reply, i. That he knetv by experience, that the Magiftrate can come fo low, as to require Y ^ con- fenfent by Subfcription ; but the Magiftrate did not require of the indulged Minifters ta pro- ^ ifnife either by word or writ to obferve theiein- ' ; ftrudions. , ‘ f X. I perceive when the Author knows not ' ; what to ahflver, he alledges. That the nature of the thing fays what he would fay - but nei- 1| ther the nature of this thing, nor the nature of | any other thing fays , That the accepting of ij ^ood , doth virtually engage to the accepting ;| cf evil ; nor doth Nature fay. That the Ad of Ihftrudions w'as an Ad of Indulgence; it being 1 Tgravaminous Ait , now an Ad impofing'things j that ■ are grievous, is not an Ad of Indulgence, ' nor * doth nature fay, that thefe tw^o Ads are one Ad ; for though they were made by the fame Magiftrate , for the fame Minifters ; yet ^ they were different Ads , and as diftind in their narures, as good and evil are ; and the Mini¬ fters did wifely diftinguifli them one from a- other, in accepting the one, and giving Reafons \vhy they could not receive the other. 1. He fays, Tbeugh' the Council did not call for any formal or exprejs engagements from them un¬ to the performance of thefe Inpinhiions , yet their carriage, to Air. Blair u^on his renouncing of thefe InjuntlionSj Jheweth^ that they meant thofe Infir u- Hionsf 'cr'' Conditions ) this alfo they declared in their aft er-V rod am at ions. I anfwer , If the In- jundions, as he grants, were not at firft given as Conditions by' way of padion , feeing the Council 'did not* call for any engagement from . tiie Minifters to the performance of thef^ C?5iJ Injundions , no After-ads of the ConncH, could turn what the Council had long be"- fore aded by way of command, into a padi- onal tranladation ; if the Aftcr-ad of any per- fonor Society could turn their own Commands, or Diredions given to others, into Padions , without the confcnt, of thole to whom fuch Commands or Diredions were given, it would make a ftrange reel in the World, and men fhouM thus be involved by Padion to perforM Conditions, though they never confented, yea, though they declared they did nor, nor conld not conlent. z. Although the Council had.lhewed by their imptiloning of Mr. Blair ^ that they meant thofe Injundions for Conditions, that being 16 long after the Indulgence, it could no way conftitute the nature of the Indulgence , which had its being and exiftence long before. 3. The meaning of one Party, though ITiewed, will not make a Padion, except the other party confcnt. ' . 4. The Author grants. That Mr. II fpoke the fame upon the matter that Mr. Blair did , and fo did feveral others who were before the Council at that time j and the Magiltrate,as I am readily informed, laid. That it was lome cir- cumftances of what was done by Mr. Blair, that occafioned his im.prilonment. But 5ly. Suppofe he had been only impri- Ibned upgn. that, account , becaufe he would not receive’ thofe Injundions; that will not provCj that the Magiftrate did mean them. for y 3 Com C35»l X Conditions; for the Magiftrate often impri- Idneth men for difbbeying Adis of Council , though the perfons imprifbned have made no promife to obey thofe Ads ; and though the Injundions which they obey not , were never meant by the Council for Conditions. 6. Suppofe the Magiftrate had in the very Ads of Indulgence , fignified that they had meant thole Injundions for Conditions ; and had put in thofe In|undions as Conditions in the Ads of Indulgence. I do not lee how this would have rendred their minifterial adings in the Parilhes to which they were indulged unlawflil, nor rendred thole Minifters any ways guilty , providings that they had no ways conlented unto thole Injundions. Suppofe Vharaoh had granted liberty to the Midwives to do their Of¬ fice to the travelling Hebrew tVomen, upon con¬ dition that theylhould kill the Male-Children; this fhould not have barred the Midwi-ves from that work of mercy towards the Hebrew-JVc- me?i in Child-birth ; and if the Midwives had no way conlented to this Condition, they would have no ways been guilty of any fin ; though neceliary Duties be clogged with finful Injun¬ dions impofed by men, they Ihould not be p- mitted ; but the Duties Ihould be done, and. the finful Injundions difobeyed. And fiippofe the Midwives knew that yharach would have reftrained them from doing that Labour of Love, that work of neceflityand mercy to the Labouring Women ; if they had foretold, that, they would not kill the Male^Children , 1 think C353y they did better to hold their Tongiie, than to put themfelves out of a capacity to dofo need fill a Duty to the Travailing-Women ; but there is no need of this for vindicating the pradice of the indulged Miniffers, becaufe they declared to the Magiftrate,That they had received fall PrefcripUons from cirifl y n’hich they behoved to obferve and that they could not receive fuch Trefcriptions as the, Ma^i fir ate gave. What he fays in his 3d. about accepting a fa¬ vour with a burden j and the fimilitude of a Fa¬ ther granting a Portion of Land, and enjoying the payment of Debts, is before anfWered. The imperfmency of that Similitude is very palpable; if a Father fhould command his Son to worfliip i 'God in fecret Prayer , and withal give him fome fuperftitious Diredions ; the Son were not to neg- led fecret Prayer, becaufe of thofe fupeardded fuperftitious Injundions. But it’s time for me to weary of Repetitions. In Objed. 1 5. he fuppofes,?!'^? the acceptance of the favour ^had need of a ?urgation by a Vrotefiation ; hut the gp' anting of the fife and peaceable exercije of the Mini firypugh\ not to have been prctefied againfi. The many accounts u^on which he fays the accep¬ ting of the Indulgence ivas fo fcufthat nj Protefiaticn could have filved the matter ; we have found up= on examination to come to no account, I To the 1 6. Objed.which rationally concludes, . [ That the Magifirates aUcwance being dire fled t6 \ none but to Mtmfiers antecedently ordained , can- not be a jufi ground of Scruple, He anftvers, li this dllo'ipance being move than a P ermijfioni did flew [354 3 fro»f the Supremacy ^ and import the deriving of (t Power to exercife the FunBion in fucha place fronf the Magi (Ir (It e. I reply, the allowing, of Minifters ; to preach the Gofpel, is the Magiftrates Duty , and flows from no other Supremacy,, thun that which every Magiftrate hath, as fiipream Magi- ftrate in his own Dominions. If Magiftrates fliould maintain, defend, protect Minifters in the exercife of their miniftry, they fhould allow them to preach j otherways they fliould be obliged to maintain,'dr^. what they do not allow, He grant¬ ed before, Xhat the Magifrate may command MF nifiers to preach the Gofpel j and command im¬ ports allowance , and fomething more ; and vFoeve. there is no fetled y^dicatories in the Kirk, which outed Minifiers own, to fettle Mimfers in parti¬ cular Charges, if the Magi [Irate may not in that cafe fettle Mmifters in particular Charges, hut only command them to preach where they pleafe , fome places where there were mof need of preachings might he left utterly defiitute, and the Magi f rate could do nothing to remedy that evil. We heard that the fecond Book ofDifciplineis for the Magiftrates placing Minifters in fome ca¬ fes ;and therefore to offend at the word /lllowance, is not the kindly work of a well-informed, ten¬ der Confcience j but an effeft of Ignorance. Altho’ we fliould be difpleafed at fin , yet we ' jdiould never offend or ftumble ( for of¬ fending properly imports ftumbling) at fin.j much lefs at what is lawful : all ftumbling is fin, and flows from fin , and not from due Ten- dernefs. f y His anfwers to the 1 7 Obj. are his own .falle ima¬ ginations; for what the indulged Minifters did,was no virtual invalidating of their prior Ordination : Nor 2. did it fay, That as to the Minilhy, they depend upon any power in the Magiftrate, as the fountain of their Miniftry : It’s true, the peaceable and fafeexercife of their Miniftry is from the Magi¬ ftrate under God, who hath appointed Magiftrates to be the fhields of the earth, and nurfing fathers to his Church. Nor is the acceptance of this favour a fubjedfion unto any incroachment. Nor is this the Queftion, whether the reftraints formerly laid on, were vincible or not^, but whether the relaxa¬ tion of thefe reftraints was to be accepted or rejedfed. He cannot but' acknowledge, that the Magiftrates enjoyning and v/arranting, as he words it, includes a permiflion to Preach, and is a real relaxation of former reftraints, and in fb far might be made ufe of ; but if the Author would have dealt fairly, he fltould have retained the words, which the Magi¬ ftrate made ufe of inthe Adfs of Indulgence, and not foifted in his own words. The refulal of this re¬ laxation, when the Magiftrate offered it, would have been an oftence and Icandal to many perfbns ; and it would have been fb far from defeating that it could onely have evidenced the re- fufers to be ignorant of the Erafiian Controverfie, and bred this falfe conceit, that the Magiftrates re¬ laxing of Civil reftraints, which hindred the peace¬ able exercife of the Miniftry ; or that the Magi¬ ftrates granting the peaceable exercife of the Mini¬ ftry, by permitting and allowing Minifters to Preach and exercife the other parts ot their Miniftry, Z is [3J4] is the exercife of Erafiianifin. The right way - which the indulged Miniftcrs took, was to accept of what was good, and to refufe what was evil, ana to give Realbns for their refulal. Neither did they virtually acknowledge any or the Magiftrates wrongs, as he alledges in his 4. where he adds, that their plain Declaration to purge tbemfelves, -Will be but a contradidlion and con- deinnation of their own deed, becaufe the impoler can onely put a fenfe and glols upon his own in- iunaions, and thegranter ol a warrant and tavour, on the lame ; and in his fenfe, it is, at leaft, vytu- ally accepted, by all who accept of it, it p am dea - mg be owned ; and I fuppofe Mmilters when deal- ing with the Council, fliould not walk upon falla¬ cies, or on mental referves, or on what is equivalent. The Indulged Minifiers declared plainly to the Council what they did accept, and \yhat they could not receive, as we heard before ^ but he thinks, that if they accepted of the favour, they could not by the plaineft Declaration purge themfelves from acknowledging the Magiftrates wrongs ; that s a hard cafe, that men cannot accept of what is good and right from the Magiftrate, but they muft ne- celfarily acknowledge the Magiftrates wmngs: That’s ftrange, that they cannot diftinguith and leparate good from ill, and right from wrong ; and that their purging themfelves from acknowledging what is wrong, is a contradidfion to and condemn¬ ing their own deed, whereby they accepted ot what was good. It feems the Author hath had lome new¬ found Laws of contradidlion, tor by the old rules by which contradidlions were wont to be judged, ^ . there [3?J] ,, , there will be no appearance of a contradi6flon found here. Was the Magiftrates wrongs the Mi- nillers deed ? But he will prove what he hath (aid * let us hear how he will convince thefe Minilfers,thac they have contradidfed and condemned themfelvcs. Becaufe, fays he, the impofer can onely put a fenfe and glofs upon his owninftrudtions, and the granter of a warrant and favour on the lame : And in his fenle it is at leaft virtually accepted by all who ac¬ cept of it. And therefore the Mmillers who ac¬ cepted of the favour of the peaceable excrcife of their Miniftry, did condemn this acceptance, by their plain Declaring, that they could not receive the inftrudfions. Anfw. A goodly Demonftration, onely it hath two faults j that it hath neither Rea- (bn, nor the appearance of Realbn in it, and de- ferves no other anfwer but laughter, i. If in- jundtions impoled be ambiguous, and are as capa¬ ble of one fenfe as of another , then the impofer can bell fhew what is the fenfe, which is his fenfe, and they on whom fuch injundfiens are impofed, fhould defire the impofer to declare his meaning , that they may be clear. If he do not explain his fenfe, then if the words be capable of a good fenfe, and of an ill, they fhould deal fo candidly as to fliew the impofer that they cannot keep fuch an injundlion in the ill fenfe which it is capable of, but if the in- jundfions be given in words which are not in them- felves ambiguous, but are clear, according to the common and generally received acceptation ot them, then the impofer cannot in reafon find fault, if thefe injundfions be obferved according to the common received fenfe of the words • neither can he put any Z X fenfs [556] fenfc he pleafes upon words, which by common ufe have a determinate fenfe, for this would breed nothing but confufion; for if the fenfe of plain words in an injun6lion did depend not upon the common fenfe of all men, who ufe fuch words, but upon the meer will of the impofer, then by the word, light, he might mean darknels ; and by the word, good, he might mean evil ; and by the word, Eall, he might mean Weft ; and by true Holinefs , he might mean Superftition and Idolatry : And there¬ fore this affertion of the Author, that the impofer can onely put a fenlc and glofs upon his own in- junaions, muft be taken with a grain of fait, a. This aftertion is nothing to the purpofe in hand, for the fenfe of the Magiftrates injundlions in the adf of inftrudfions, 'Was clear enough: If the Mini- fters had received them in one fenfe, and the Ma- giftrate had given them in another, there had been fbme reafon for this Difeourfe about the fenfe of m- jundions ; but there was no Queftion betwixt the Magiftrate and Minifters about the fenfe of the in- jundions; the Minifters were clear enough, as to the Magiftrates meaning, but they declared, they could receive no fuch Ecclefiaftical inftrudions from tlie Magiftrate, and that they had full prefcnptions from Ciirift to regulate them in the exercife ot their Miniftry, and that they behoved in the difcharge thereof, to be accountable to him. Nowftcing they did not receive the injundioris at aft, they re¬ ceived them in nofbnfe, and therefore his Difeourfe about the fenle of injundions, is to little fenfe, and to no purpofe in this place. 3. As to the favour of the fafe cxercifc of their Miniftry in the paroches. [3)7] to which they were indulged ; the fenfe of Ma- giftrate was clearly enough known by the Aots or Indulgence, which did (hew, that notwithltanding of reftraihts formerly laid upon them, they might now have the peaceable (ate excrcife of theinMini- flry, in thefe parbches. And Mr. Hutchefon in his Speech to the Council, in name ot his Brethren, ac¬ cepted of the favour of the free liberty of the Pub- lick exercifb of their Mimftry, after fo long a re- ftrainr, and of the Proteftion of Lawful Authority. This was very plain dealing with the Council, and was not a walking upon tallaciesor mental leferves, nor on what was equivalent to thefe, as this Author falfly alledges. It any be pleafed to imagine, that the Magiftrate had (bme fenfe lurking m his own mind, which was not expreffed in the Acts ot Indulgence, the Indulged Minifters are not account¬ able for fuch imaginary fenfes. What they accepted was plainly imported in the Adts of Indulgence j and they plainly declared, what it was that they did accept. So that this Authors reafoning, that becaufe the impofer can oncly put a fenfe upon his own injunaions, &c. therefore the Indulged Mi- nifters in declaring they did not acknowledge any ok the wrongs of the Magiftrate, did contradict and condemn their own deed, is a becaufe that hacn no caufe in it, a fallacy, d non caufa, fro cauja-, or rather it hath not (b much colour as to deferve the name of a fallacy ^and it will deceive none who have any skill of Reafoning, except it be fuch as have a mind to be deceived. To the 1 8. and laftObjeaion, which fays, Thnt ths acceptance of the Indulgence j imports no ju % 3 jeBingof the Mini firy to mens arhtr ary Jifpofal , hut onely a fuhjeBmg of the perfons of Mmifters to the Magijirate. He Anfwers, Xhac the Adi; oF Indulgence did not onely mention Mmifters repair- ^ ing to fuch or fiicb places, but fpokelikewileot the exercife of their Miniftry, which it allowed them, I Reply : This is an ill Argument; the Adi of In¬ dulgence fpoke of the exercife of the Miniftry, and allowed the exercife of it, and therefore the accep¬ tance of the Indulgence was a fubjediing of the Mi- nillry to mens arbitrary* difpofal. It the Magi- ftrates allowing of the exercife ot the Miniftry, doth fubjedt the Miniftry to the will and arbitrary difpo- fiil of men, then the Magiftrates allowing of the exercife of the Miniftry muft be an ill thing, no way defirable ; and fb the Magiftrate would be ob¬ liged not to allow of the exercife of the Miniftry ; thele are pitiful abfurdities. What he adds con¬ cerning the preferibing of feveral Rules, is imper¬ tinent, for the Act of Inftrndtions v/as not the Adt of Indulgence, and it was not accepted by the In¬ dulged Minifters : But he will prove that their Mi- niftry was fubjedt to the arbitrary difpof'al of men, becaufe they were made liable to punifhment,for not obferving the Rules and Injundtions preferibed. If this Argument were good, it would prove all the Non- Conlormifts in Scotland to be Conformifts, and fubjedt to Prelacy, becaufe they are all liable to punifhment by the Law, for not obferving the Laws requiring Cbnlormity to Prelacy : But thefe things are nof worthy to be repeated. In his he fays, Thefe Sufferings indeed declared a fubjedlion of their Perfons, but their filence fhall be found, I fear to have done more, and their former fin can be no ground to juhifie their prefent pradice, m accepting of this Indulgence, which inftead ot be¬ ing a relaxation, is a further wreathing of the yoke about our necks. I Anfwer, He Irad done better to have expreCTed his feai^ concerning his own h- lence, than to have exprelfed his fears ot the filence of theouted Miniftevsof the Church of Scotlanl they might preach as they had accers,though he did not know of it, it became him to be very fpanng in cenfuring others for hlence, who by own fubfcription obliged himfelf not to be, to preach in Bntam or Ireland! have (een this deed of his loaded with a great many AbfurditieSjaUd ag¬ gravated from this, that he was in no hazard ot his life, or of any great fuffering : But having heard from one intimately*acquainted wnh him, that the man was naturally timorous, though he were alive, Twould pity him, but being dead I aiall not fo much as repeat the Abfurdities, with which, this deed of his.is loaded : Onely it needs not feem very, ftrano-e if he who was fo far tranfported with the paffion of fear, when there was no great hazard, as to quit the exercife of his Miniftry in the e t lee Nations, hath been fo far tranfported by other pal^^ fions, astomveigb againft the Lawful exei ufe ot the Miniftry, of thefe who could not m Conkience neglea the opportunity of the peaceable exercile ot their Miniftry, when the Lord m his good Piovi- dence inclined the heart of the Magiftrate to grant it T hat which they accepted was no yoke ot bon¬ dage, but a very defirable Liberty, the Liberty ot X 4 [560] the peaceable exerclfe ot their Miniftry, under the ProteiSHon of Lawful Authority. Having anfwered the Authors Reafbns againft the Indulgence, as it was accepted, and reluted his Anfwers to the Objedfions, which in his conceit contained all that could be (aid in defence of that acceptance. I refer the relutation of the faldioods, which are in the fliftorical^art of this Hiftory, to thole who are better acquainted ^ith -the' matters of Fadh than I am. It were fit that the Brethren who find themfelves wronged by this Hi dorian, (hould truly reprefent matters of Fadl, relating to them which are mifreprelented by this Hiftorian , that both the unreafbnablenefs ol his Rea(bns, and the falfhood of his dories might be known to all. I (hall onely (ay (bmewhat tor the Vindication of rhele of the Indulged Miniders, who appeared be¬ fore the Council in July-, the Honedy and Fairhtulnels ot thofe Miniders, and the un- reafbnablenels of the danders of this Hidorian may appear. I fhall the rather take Tome notice of this jiari of his dory, becaufe as it takes up a great part ot his Book, from Page 5" 8 to 8y,' (b the Author hath here done all he could to render thofe Miniders contemptible. And I have now before me, not onely the Nurrative, a part whereof this Author hath infert in his Book , which< was written by one, as I am informed, who was not prefent, but al(d a Narrative written by one who was prefent, who hath written a full anfwer to this Hidory of the Indulgence, which, if it come to the hands of the Author of the Epidle prefixed to this Hidory, it will, I hope, convince him that he was far out in his Pro- gnodicks, gnofticksjWhen he faid, that the Reafon of this Hi- ilovy would never be anfwered but by clamour, for in it he may fee his own and the Hiltorians un- reafonable clamours, folidly refuted by found Rea- Ibn. In this Anfwer, the Reverend Author, who was one of thofe Minifters, who were cited before the Council, for not keeping the of May^ hath fet down the matter of ifacl;, and refuted the cjuibblings of the Author of the Hiflory. I refer .^e Reader for full fatisfadfion to the Authors An- %er, and fliall onely make ufe of Co much of his paper as may fufficiently clear thofe Minillers, and Evidence that they refufed Obedience to thofe In- ftrui£Iions, and gave a fufficient teftimony againft them. Thofe Minifters were interrogate by the Council, whether or not they had Preached upon the x^th.oC May? Two or three of them who had Preached that day, upon the account that it was their ordinary Lecl:ure-day,replyed that they had Preach¬ ed ; whereupon they were commanded forth: All the reft anfwered,' that they had riot Preached ; arid being interrogate wherefore they did not Preach ? They Replyed (as they had before agreed) that they were not free to obferve any Anniverfary day of Humane inftitulion for Religious Worfhip, and that becaufe they faw no ground for it m the Word rif God ; befides which they could not aOc in the matters of Gods fblemn Worfhip. Whereupon they were fined by the Council in the halt of a years ftipend, which Ad: was intimated to them the Tuef day following. i. Hence it appears that there ' Was no ground to alledge, that thofe two or three •who Preached, did obferve the %(yth. of May : And it had been a reafoniefs and ridiculous thing to have , forborn to preach upon their ordinary Le<^urc-day becaufe it was the of a. Nor any ground for quarrelling at the Indulged Miniilers, for not fpeaking againft the Narrative of an Aft of Parliament, that was neither in their Summons, nor yet in their Sentence, and which was really made void by that Aft made in the foregoing Ah^ gufi, which was put in the place ot that Aft, which was in Self. X. of Parliament i. I66^. The Brethren being removed, fomeof them were called in together upon particular Summons, for Bapti7.ingof Children in other Congregations: and that defence, which the Inform^er fpeaks of, that the inftruftions had not been intimate, did> as the anfwerer of the Hillory it iv- ■ : - cth, drop unwarily from die a . . -- fays farther that there were other v^: i •’ fters there, who had never feen a doubi ->!; :> ffruftions, and hence very rationally infers, . ■ : they could not be the condition upon which / received the Liberty to exercile their Miniltry w;? a- out moleftation. If the Council had defigned them for Conditions, they would have lent them as loon as the Indulgence , and would have made fuier work in their intimation. And whatever was their Dsfignin giving thele Inftruftions, they cannot be with" any Reafbn or Senfe fuppo^d to be the Con¬ dition upon which the Minifters accepted the Indul¬ gence, feeing it was accepted by them ere they faw” the Inftruftions, and many of them had not leen the Inllruftions for fbme years after they had exercifed their Miniflry in thele Parilhes to which they were Indulged. [563] Indulged. He fliews alfo that the inferences which the Hiftorian draws from that defence, That it contained a tacite acknowledgment that they would not have done what they did, if the A6t had been intimate to them, and that in time coming, they would willingly obey them, and confequent- ly that the injundfions were juft and righteous and fuch as neither they, nor any other, Ihould difobcy, whether becauleof the matter, or becauie of the power enjoy ning them, are without all Rea- fon, and will not follow from that Antecedent, by thrice nineteen. Seeing this onely follows, that therefore they ought to be free of all damage inten¬ ded, becaufeof that Fa^. And further, hefhews, that the Anfwer which the Hiftorian fuggefts, That they might not be anfwerable to their Ma- fter, to refufe to Baptize any Child within the Co¬ venant, brought to them for that end, is a lax tale; for I. (lays he) it will be hard for him to make out fuch an Obligation. The Or^r of the ' Church determines the contrary. ^ 3. They mult have it teftified that they are within the Covenant. 4. That the Parents, at leaft theprefenters, arenot fcandalous. And that they are not grolly ig¬ norant, or if the teftimony be not from one who rakes mbpeftion of their knowledge , they mult examine them in the grounds of Religion. He adds after all this ; there was a Macer fent utter Council Houle, who fummoned the whole number of thefe Minifters, to compear before the Council on next. rrn r He adds, that in the interval be wixt that Thml- day and the Tuefday in the enfning week, they / [j^4] met frequently every week-day, and twice upon the Tuefday : And partly from memory, and partly from draughts of papers, which he had by him, he fhews, that at their very firft meeting, one of their number told them, that he heard a v/hifper, that lubfcnbed doubles of the Inftrudfions would be de¬ livered to them at their next compearance. Wheie- iipon they thought fit, that there Ihould be a draught of a paper, bearing in it a Xcflimony, not onely againft the matter ot the injundfions, but alfb,and mainly againfl the undue power of Eccjefiaflick Su¬ premacy, afllimed by the Magiftrate, from upon fbme of them at lealt ( as was generally apprehen¬ ded ) had both their formation and injundfion, and not only againft it, as produdfive of the(e,but alfo of all other things of that Nature (ince the year 1 660. Afterwards there was a draught produced, contain¬ ing in its Narrative a thankful acknowledgment of the taking oft Reftraints, and for granting the fafe outward Liberty of the exercife of the Miniftry, as alfo, a fid complaint of what was grievous in the three Adis of Council, Sey. 1671. complexly taken. Next there was a full and clear Alfp'tion and Declaration of what was due to the Magiftrate about Ecclefiaftick Affairs, and what was not due ro him in Ecclefiaftick matters, in a ftridl confo- nancy unto the Judgment and Expreffions of the greateft of the Divines. Then there was a reprefontation of Grievances, in foven full Paragraphs, more pirticularly of all contained in the forefaid three Adis, and moif particulaily ot thofo contained in the A'fl of Injundlions j all which cai ry ill their bofom a teftimony againft the finfulnefs and Ufurpation [36J-] Udirpation manifefted in theft matters of Grievance. And laftly, There was a full Petition for Redrefs. This Paper was lookt upon^ as too large, and there- - fore a ftiorter draught was fallen upon, not differ¬ ing as to Method, nor yet as to Matter and Sub- ftance, but onely contradfed in fewer words ; a double whereof (faith the Anfwerer of thia Hi- fiory ) I have in my hand ; and 1 remember it was much debated, as to the alteration, detraciing and adding of words and claufts, but what thoft pai- - •ticular Debates were, I cannot fo diftindlly remem¬ ber, onely one thing Ido diftinaiy remember, that the’principal Debate was about the adding of a Clauft unto the cloft of a Paragraph about theln- junaions or Inflrudions for the further clearing of it, the Clauft was conceived in theft words. That we cannot receive from the Magifirate anylnfiruhii- cns in Regulating us in the exercife of our Minifiry. How this Debate came to a cloft, the Informer does truly relate; for it being overtured, that-infteadof the former Clauft, this Ihould be inftrt, viz.. We cannot receive from the Magiflrate Infiructions for¬ mally and intrinfecally Ecclefiafticaf for regulating ns in the exercife of our Minifry. All did acqui- This Paper being compleat upon Tuefday be¬ fore twelve hours it was appointed to be drawn in fair writ, that after Dinner it might be Subftribed before their Appearance before the Council. But at that time, on a fudden the turning of it into a Direaory ( as the Informer fays ^ and the appoint¬ ing of one in their name to declare the fubflance or it before the Council, was generally conftntedunto by [566] by Indulged and noc Indulged. In voting who fliould be their mouth, the whole votes ran upon Mr.George Hutchefon and Mx. Alexander Blair each of them voted to other, and Mr. H. had the greater number by very few. Upon their com¬ pearance before the Council, the Clerk of the Coun¬ cil did read in their hearing an Adf, wherein each of them were fined in the half of a years ftipend ; after the reading whereof, Mr. Hutchefon^ addreft fing bis Speech to my Lord Chancellour, after he had fpoken fbmewhat relative to the Adi of Fining, added, That their Lordjhip would be fleafed, not to burden them with Impfitions in the matter of their j\4inijtry^ wherein they were the Servants of ChriJlj and they being men who demeaned themfelves as be~ came Loyal SubjeBs: The Minifters thinking them- felves difmiffed, turned towards the door,' my L. Chancellour required them to ftay , and did ap¬ point the Clerk to deliver to each of them a fub- feribed Copy of that Adt of Injundbons of Sef.-^. 1 6yw A good number of thofe who were firft in the Roll, and to whom thefe Inftrudbons had not been fent before,did take thefe papers in their hands, looking and expedbng that Mr. H. fhould have fpo- ken the things agreed upon amongfl: them former¬ ly • but he having fpoken fbmewhat already, thought he was not called to fpeak till the Paper came to his own hand ; When the Officer came to Mr. A. B. he taking the paper in his hand, among other things, had thefe words, or to that purpofe. That he could not receive InfiruBions from them for regulating him in the exereife of his Alinijlry^ for if he did fo, he jhould not be Chrijls AP^baJfadour, but [?67] hut thctvs • Whereupon heWES by the Chflncellour committed to a Macer. Upon Mr. J. Blatrs com¬ mitment to the Macer, one Mimfter, to wit, of thofe who were in the Roll before him, (aid to my my L. Chancellour, He helie'ved that the rep of the Mintfersof that Company yU’ere of Mr. Bhirs judg¬ ment, thereof h 'mfetf was one. And another faid, Jhat one of theje Rules did hr mg Minipers in dtreH fuhordmation to Trelacy, contrary to their Principles. Let me add ; and one faid, That one of thefe Rules •was impra^icahle • and all of them fpojte moye fully in thefe purpofes than is here expi-effed. The very next Perlbn in the Roll to Mr. Blair , and fo ranked in the Printed Aft containing the Fining, when upon the back of that confulion, the paper was offered to him, did to my certain know¬ ledge, though this be omitted by the Informer, turn towards my Lord Chancellcfur, and with an audible voice faid. My Lord, I adhere to that which Mr. Blair hath fpoken’, infpeakingof which words, my L. Chancellour did flare him in the face, but yet did not commit him to the Macer, and nowon7 der, feeing he fpoke' thefe words with much com- poflire of fpirit, and without the leafl appearance of diftempeting Paffion y with a flitable Minifle- rial Gravity, and alfb with a futable Refpedl unto Lawful Authority, both in expreffion and geflure. Mr. Hutchefon flopping in to take off Mr. B. and to remove any prejudice, that he apprehended the Council might have at him, he i. humbl^defired their Lordfhips not to mifunderftand his Brother, yic. Alexander Blair-, for as for Rules intrinfecally Ecclefial^ick for regulating Miniflefs in the exercife [56S] of their Mini dry,- he liopcd their LordHiipa in¬ tended not to make or impofeany (lich upon them, who were the fervants of Chrift in thefe matters. He u(es juft the words that Mr. B. made ufe of, onely with the addition of mtrinfecally Ecckjiafiick^ (a term both intelligible, and that ought to be under- ftood by all who meddle in thele matters) for clear¬ ing of them as was agreed upon in the paper , and lb not onely homologates what Mr. B. had fpoke, but alfb, th&ugh in modeft teriu?, requefts for the retracing of thele Rules , refules Obedience to them, and gives a Reafon wherefore Minifters could not yield Obedience unto them j and albeit, as the Informer fays, hewasdiflatished withlbme.circum- jftances in Mr. B. fpeaking, and. with the defedfive- nefs of what was fpoken, yet, with the matter ot it, he was never diflatisfied : Here then is a clear and plain teifiraony given by Mr. H. in his own name, and in the name of his Brethren, not onely againft the matter of thefe Rules, but allb againft the Power impoling them in lb far as undue, a. In the other part of his Speech, which was in thelb words; But as for the Magifirates Tower ohjeBi-ve- ly Ecclejiaflick^ whereby they might judge of mat¬ ters of Religion, in order to their own AB, whether they jvould approve or difcountenance fuch a way, he knew 720 Reformed Divine that did deny it unto them • and did humbly defire again, that their Lord- fijips would not mifiake his Brother. He added this part of the Speech to the former, becaule he con¬ ceived that the Council did think that Mr. B. grant¬ ed not this piece of Power to the Magiftratc, and that therefore the Chancellour was incenfed , and to [369] to rc(^ifie this miftake, he did fiiew that this was the judt^ment of all Reformed Divines, and (o the judgment of his Brothwer, Mr. B. whom he account¬ ed to be one of thefe Reformed Divines; and he had good ground to be allured of hisallent towha't he fpoke, "becaufe what was due, and what was not due to the Magiftrate in, or about Ecclefialhck mat¬ ters, was condeRendcd upon in that paper, agreed Upon among themlelves in private. Alter Mr. TL had fpoken this, another Minifler laid, coidcl not receive JLccleJicijiick Cnnons jram their Lor but, as for Civil fig7nfications of^ their fie a fare, un¬ der the hax,ard of Civil Penalties, he could fay no¬ thing to that : And then another Minifter did ho¬ mologate what he had fpoken. In the clofe of all, Mr. H. in the name of all, fpoke as was formerly agreed upon ; and in the for- v mer part of his Speech did fhew, that a formal Ec- clt'fialHck Power could not be allowed to theMagi- flrate,though a Pov^er objcdlively Eccleliallick was allowed to him, and did lb clearly fignifie, that they could not obey thefe Ihjundlions, that my Lord Chan cellour anfwered him in thele words, and no other. Then, Sir, one ovill fumf: you : Unto which Mr. H. did not reply in words, but only^ by ge- llure. Although this Hillorian fets himfelt always to reprefent Mr. B. as feparated from his Brethren, and adling in a divided Xvay from them, yet he was ever one with them as to Judgmept, Alfedfion, and Adlion, though to their very great griet he was fe¬ parated from them, as to his luftenng. i. He a- greed with them in one and the fame paper to ne preRnted to the Council, x. He conlentcd with A a others \ [37°] Others to turn it into a Dire6lory,and to choofe one who in the name of the reft Ihould (peak the fub- ftance of it before the Council. 3. He had many votes, almoft the half, to fpcak the mind of the reft. 4. What he fpoke was in the paper, and Ibme did adhere formally, and all did cordially and really adhere upon the matter to what was fpoken by him. 5. And what was fpoken by others to that purpolc, did agree with what he fpoke, as to mat¬ ter, fenfcjand meaning. 6. After that Mr. Hutche- fon had fpoken to take him off, he was offering to fay, that he meant the fame things which Mr. H> did exprefs. 7. In the Prifbn he made ofter to fbme of his Brethren ( a thing certain to me, albeit the Informer fpeak doubtingly of it) that if it could be a mean to liberate him, he would give it under his hand, That vjhat Mr. H. [poke was his 'very judgment. It will not be fit to take notice of every expreflion, which in that Rhetorical flaunt, and to fay no worfe, that windy rant, which the Hiftorian hath about page 73. But as that worthy man Mr. B. if he were alive, would abhor the Hiftorians overlafliing commendations of him, to the defa¬ ming of all his fellow Brethren : So it will not be unfit for the vindication of thefe, whom the Hifto¬ rian labours to defame, to add a few particulars. I. Some of thefe Minifters who were before the Council did not take any of thefe papers in their iiands,albeit they had never feen an authentick Co¬ py before; others did, and fb did Mr. J?. whether he let his Copy drop out of his hand, I can neither affirm, nor deny, neither think I it any thing mate¬ rial : Others, for any thing I know, might alfo have dropped [?7'] aropped them after the fame manner ; but whether they did that, or whether they carried them away in their hands or pockets, is little to the purpofe. j for what ever TelHmony he gave againft the things contained therein, all the reft gave the like, and laro-e as much : and fo whatever he did in perpetu* ating the Teftimony of the Church of Scotland, the reft did the like. a. That his Imprifonment raifed fome noife in the City, I, grant; but how it could carry with it fome fad refledfion on the reft, I cannot fee, feeing they had given as full a Tefti* mony as he. had given, and they were not obliged to commit themfel ves to Prifon, becaufe he was com¬ mitted. ^ Truc k IS, thefe Minifters met toge¬ ther after his commitment, to deliberate, if poffi- bly they could do any thing for his Releafement, with whom alfb there met fome ftrioUs and judici¬ ous Minifters in the Town, who had met with them leveral times before. It is true, that fome of thefo having heard the Forgeries and Lies which ly flew from about the Parliament-Houfo, " ture and prefs the doing of fomething and feconding Tefti^Yorrow for this they did not out of Hiftorian infinua- unfaithlulnefs of tbe^re^j-jjg obloquy and clamour tetb, but for oWtip every thing done and fpoken of the Vulgaj^jncii by any, either in their own before tbfn the name of others, being brought name eonfidered, canvafled and examined, they ^ere convinced, that any foch thing was needlels and yea, the taking of a groundleft guilt upo them : What he hath farther here, is the A a X . forgery forgery oF his cccho’s at Kdmhurgh, 4 What he hath further here is nothing but forgery and ca¬ lumny ; as that the proceedings of thefe Minifters were point blank contrary to the a6i:ings of the Kirk of Scotland^ and the Faithful in it, and that there was a motion made of writing about the Magift rates Power in Church matters, and that there was need of new Principles to jullifie their proceedings, y. I cannot pafs his raking into the afhes of worthy Mr. //. If the comparilbn were not a difparagement to a Perlbn of fuch worth, I would fay, that for grace, for gifts, for Minifterial qualifications of all forts, for ulefulnels in his Generation, and fervice unto his Lord and Mafter therein, and for ufefulnefs to the Church of God in after Generations alfo. Mr. G.H. was a Perfon above the Hiftorian, and that he was free both of Vedantus and P lagiarie^ his moft ufeful Works left behind him does declare j where- iii everything is judicioufly drawn out of theFoun- ^^in of the Word of God, and not by way of clou- 'It of Humane Authors, and that he had the leaft tin« qC Opinion of VedeUm^ is a thing that cannot w his Writings or Adf- ings. ■ Although com¬ mendation o r. u Works praife him in the ^ • ‘t ^ had occafion to be intimately^acquain ted wn^ found him mifreprefented by tome, 1 rodo him right, after his death, m reprefed/pi bear iuftly as I found him, in frequent cowerirngV™. 1 found him to be a very loveljman of a %cor, amiable, loving and compaffionate i(po/ition ; [S7^] a man of great candour and ingenuity, and though of eminent gifts, yet very lowly and condefcending to thefe, who were of low degree,^ I lound him ready to receive light in Theology from thole who were every way far inferiour to him, as might be made out by many pregnant inftancts, and how much he was regretted, and his death lamented by the Godly Miniftcrs and Profeflbrs in the place he lived, and through the Land is lb well known and notoie, that it were needlefi to be at pains to clear it to any that is in this our Church ; his name lor eminency in abilities Minifterial of all kinds, and Piety, be¬ ing fo favoury and Famous therein, and his Works for the Churches good, fo much approven, and ap¬ plauded by eminent Divines abroad, together with the experience both of Godly and Judicious Nlini- fters and Profeffors at home, do fufficiently to the flopping of the mouth of all detraction and envy, commend him in the gate. 6 That the reft of the Minifters did reproach their Brother Mr.B/^i/r, is a forgery, either minted in his own brain, or coined by Ibme of his correfpondents. It’s true, that Ibme of thefe Minifters, who did go to my L.Chance.- lour that Afternoon, to plead for his Relealement, did declare, that my L. Chancellour did not lay the weight of hisbeing Imprilbned, upon what he fpoke, but upon other things -which he did highly aggra¬ vate, and I forbear to mention further, and it was alfo faid, that he left out fome words, which had been agreed upon, but none can with any fhadow of Reafon, call fuch fpeeches reproaches. It’s alio falfe, that M^cajaif carried rudely before yei>opa- phat and Abah, he carried with that compofure ot Aa 3 [?74] mind and affe6i;ions, with that gravity and reve¬ rence to Lawful Authority, that did become a Pro¬ phet of the Lord. 7. I pafs his uncharitable infi- nmtion, That the refi of the Miniflers had not gray¬ ed that day for Counjel and Courage^ in Order to their appearance. See. and Mr. Blairs telling of his attainments, though it be well known, that he ne¬ ver had the humour to talk of fuch things ; and Ibme could have informed. That he bo7ved not the knee that mm'ning, but in the company of, and in conjunbiton with two, who were lodged with him in the fame Room. I pals feveral other amplifications of this Hiftorian, and fhall mark a thing which he omits, which is this : JTot long before his death, 24 hours at mojh, two ferious and judicious Miniflers cf the Gofpelvifting him, atid feeing that his time could not be long, did tell him, that he was now 'very Jhortly to compear before his Judge, and there-’ fore did urge him to tell, if he had Peace, in his ac¬ cepting of the Indulgence, and ufe making of it,thefe jears by gone : To whom he reply ed, Tloat he had not the leaf Challenge upon that account’, and ad¬ ded moreover, that he could not have had Peace, in faying from his Charge,F orcible and Legal refraints being removed. But our Faithful Hiftorian paftes this in filence, and allb on the contrary, falfly in¬ fers, That he Witnefed againf the Indulgence, pag. 54. It’s true indeed, that he with others Witnel- led againft the Inftrucfions, but that he VVitnefted againft the Indulgence, is rnoft fallc. From this it is clear allb, that in his judgment, it was not ne- ceflary to Witnels before the Council againft thele Inftru61;ions, or any other thing, fuppofed, as in^- tended, [?7J1 tended, to be a concomitant to the Indulgence, un- lefs they were particularly put to it; feeing without this he had exercifed his Miniftry fome years upon the ’account of the Indulgence, and that without a challenge. This Narration of the matter ot Fa6t 1 have taken out of the Anfwer of theHiftory of the Indulgence: The Reverend Author oi that Anfwer is a Perfon of that Piety, Candour, and Integrity, that none who know him, will callipQueftion thtj truth of what he relates concerning his o wn adtmgs, and the actings and fpeeches of his Brethien, ol which he was an eye and ear-witnefs; and which he was fo much concerned to obferve and remem¬ ber, upon many accounts, and which were kept m remembrance, not only by Papers, but by the De¬ bates which prelently did ariie upon thele matters of Fadf. 1 Iball not fay, that the Author ot the Hiftory of Indulgence hath Induifnoufly torged fallhoods in matters of Fadf, but hath written ac¬ cording to the Informations fent to him from lorne of his Correfpondents. Yet, I cannot but wonder, that feeing he would turn an Hiftorian, and write a part of the Church-Hiftory of the time in which he lived, that Ue hath fo palpably tranlgrcflca the Laws of Hiftory, in concealing truths^ which tend¬ ed to the Vindication of the Indulged Mmifters, lu milfeprelenting and milconftrudfingyand perveiting their adfions and fpeeches, in publilhing grofs un¬ truths to their prejudice. : And it will not juftinc^m that he had no betteiTnformation. For, i. This was a fault to publifti a Hiftory of Church-matters, of Rich importance and confequence, without full and certain Ijaformation. a. He might have had A a 4 better [376] better Iniormation, if he would have fought for ir, andlceing he would write a Hiftory, he was in C onfcience obliged to have made a mofl: diligent fearch for truth, and impartially received and re¬ lated ir. It was a fault, that he received his In¬ formations from Perfbns difaffedfed to the Indulged Miniifers, and did not fend to the Indulged Mini- Ifers, to hear what they had to fay, concerning their pradfice, and the Reafbns of ir, he Ihould have had two cars, and followed the old diredfion, audi al¬ teram partem, and the rather becaufc, he not only as an Hifforian, relates matters of Fadh, but upon thefe, he forms grievous Libels, Accufations, and Cenfurcs, hcfhould have heard them before he had publickly condemned them. 4. If he had confidered, that it's one of the Devils grand defigns in this time, to bring the Miniilers of the Gofpeljand theGofpel with them into contempt, and had confidered how cflcdfually a lying Spirit works in fbme of this ge- n<^ration,and how many Ihamelels,fenfelefs lies, which have no appearance of truth, or probability, but have manifeil Evidences of fallhood in their face, are confidently vented againfl: Minifiers, efpecially Indulged Minilfers, it would have made him more cautelous, in receiving Informations of that nature j and he would not have fuffered himfelf to be fb mife- rably abufed, in receiving, nor would he have abu- fed others, in publifhing fuch falfhoods. It’s fiid to lee how much the Father of Lies, and the accu- fer of ’the Brethren, hath prevailed by thefe calum¬ nies and flanders, to bring almoft all Minifters to be defpifed by fome. But the Lord who is excellent in working, and brings good out of evil, hath con¬ firmed [5771 firmed many in their adherence to the Mlniflry of his Servants, and particularly to the Miniftry of In¬ dulged Minifters, and hath reclaimed fome, who were beginning to be dilaftedfed to them, by ma-^ king them to obferve.the adlivity of the Father of Lies, in calumniating thefe Minifters j for the Lies being palpable, that any who will not Ihut their eyes,^ may fee them to proceed from the Father rf Lies. They conclude, that there muft be good in the Miniftry of the Indulged Minifters, feeing the Father of Lies doth fet himfelf fo much againft it. From the preceding Relation of the matter of Fa£f, the Faith fulnefs of thefe Minifters, who were convened before the Council, July 1675. is very evident. For fuppofe, it had fallen out, that they I had gotten leave to fpeak nothing before the Coun- I cil, yet their unanimous agreeing in the paper be¬ fore mentioned, and their appointing one of their number in their prelence to fpeak the fubftance of that paper to the Magiftrate j and their declared Refolution, to adhere to what was fpoken accord¬ ing to it, doth evidence their Faithfulnefs and Inte- ' t^tity. a. Although, it’s likely, that if that jum¬ ble had not fallen in, through the Commitment of I Mr. B. to a Macer, more would have been faid j yet that which was fpoken was a Faithful Teftimony, I even in the judgment of the Author of the Hiftory of the Indulgence j for he grants that Mr. B. gave an honeft Teftimony, and he aflerts, and very ra¬ tionally proves, that Mr.f/. fpoke the fame upon the matter with Mr. B. and added fbmemore, 'that fi, Tower fortnaUy Eccle^afiical could not be allowed [J78] ta the Magifirate^ and feveral others fpoke to the lame purpofe with Mr.//. andMr.fi. Xhat Obedience to thefe Inftrudbons, was refufed, is clear from the Chancellours Anfwer to Mr. H. which was in thefe words, Then jve iviU pmijly you. And hence it is evident, that as the Irapofitions and Rules intrinfically Ecclefiaftical, Ecclefiallick Ca¬ nons, Rules regulating Minifters in the Exercile of . their Miniftry, were ht terms to defign the Impoh- tions and Inftrudfions which were in the Council’s A£Vs, as the Author of the Hlflory acknowledges ^ for he acknowledges, that fome of them were in¬ deed formally and intrinfically Ecclefiaftical, pag. 6^. And he cannot but acknowledge that all of them were Impofitions ; and as the words they ufed, (a the time, and place, and occafion, upon which they were fpoken to the Council by thefe Minifters, and the fpecial Reafons given againft fome of thefe In- ftruftions, did clearly Evidence, that thefe Mini¬ fters fpoke of the Injundlions and Inftrudlions un¬ der debate ; fo we fee that the Magiftrate underftood it fo ; for he would not have threatned to punifh them for not obferving Inftrudfions which he had not gi¬ ven to them : And as they declared they could not receive thefe InftrudtionSjfbthey declared they could not accept of any Inftrudfions of that nature from the Magiftrate, and fo this was not a blind, as he al¬ ledges, by. hut 2. vidimus: By which the Ma¬ giftrate might fee, that they could not receive any fuch Rules from their Lordfhips. This cuts off a great many of the Hiftorians Quibblings. Haying lufRcientiy cleared thefe Minifters, 1 (hall briefly iQUch upon fame things which the Hiftorian carps [379] at. He quarrels, fag.64.,6^. at that Affertion; That we would not receive from the Magiflrate In- jlruthons formally and intrinficaUj Ecclefiafical,for regulating tis in the exercife of our Mtmfry, And fays, That he would not have been for fuhjcrihing a Taper, which had this in it, nor yet for ufing it as a dire^ory. He is for the Affertion, if the words formally and intrinfcally Ecclefafical .vere out , but the putting of the(e words in did put him out of all conceit with this Affeition. This isftrange, that words which do no way overturn or vitiate that Affertion, but clear it, Ihould have raadefuch an alteration upon him ; that which was a mean of harmony, and ended all debate among theBiethren, would have divided him from his Brethren, in this matter 1 I lee he would have done ill, if he had been prelent, and no good; and yet it may be if he had been prcftnt among his Brethren, and heard their realbnings , he might have been better In¬ formed. It’s a great lofs to fome, cfpecially if they have much of lell-conceit, to be alone, and left to their own Iblitary imagination. But let us hear what he hath to lay againft this Affertion .* He I falls upon it with DilemmTs, which threaten with i two terrible horns. Vbhich (fayshe) inmy judg- I ment, was either nothing to the furfoje, or jvhich is 1 worfe, was a betraying of the Caufe. How ! no- I thing lefs than Folly, Foppery, or clfe Fallhood i and Treachery.' T hele Brethren had need to take I heed to themlelves, for he hath a dreadful Delign I upon them, to bereave them either of their Wit or I Honelfy ; he will be furc, if they be not aware, to tJufh one of his horns through their head, and if ‘ that [jSo] that mils, he will gore with the other through th« heart , he will have them to be either Fools or Knaves. If the pulFing of this horned Argu¬ ment be anfwerable to its bellowing and lowing , there w.ll be a dreadful Encounter and great lo?s. But now having lhaken thefe two terrible horns , and given them fair warning, what parts to guaid, he makes a nearer approach. For (faith he) ei¬ ther this was underftood in reference to thoje Rules^ which the Council preferihed in their ABj Sept. 1672. or not. Yesj be Pure it is either the Fox or the fern-bulh: But he makes Purer workdaanPo, for the horns of this Dilemma are contradidfory , and the Brethren mulf of necelPity fall upon one of them 5 but there is no hazard yet, for the one of the horns is harmlePs, it’s for them, and they for it ; their affertion had reference to thePe Rules. He in¬ fills, and Ihews them two new horns : For ( Pays he) tf it was underflood with this reference, then either hereby , they meant to juflifle and defend their rc-^ fiifln^ to accept of thefe Infir utt ions, or to juflifle their accepting of them. This lall horn hath a terrible appearance, it’s an uncouth, unexpe6led horn j but there is no hazard, for be what it will, it is no horn ; for it hath no Polidity when ye gripe it j and no wonder, for it is but a PhantaPin, one ot the Au¬ thors vain imaginations; the Brethren never dream¬ ed of Puch a thing, as accepting, or jollifying of acceptance ; and as the Author lightly made this fantallick horn, the Brethren do as lightly make nothing of it, by diPowning it, and Po it’s evanilhed ; light come, light gone. The Brethren meant by this Affertion, to rcfule, and to jullifie their refuPmg to to accept of tbe(e InftrLi6tlons. But he will pr )ve that they meant not to refufe, and juftifie their re- fufing to accept of thcfe Inftrudfions. i. Says he, Why then was Mr, Blair [o much condemned, who did but refufe the accepting of thefe, that had been exprefedin the AB, and were then exhibited. The Argument runs thus j The Brethren condemned Mr. Blair /cr refufing the InfiruBions, and therefore they meant not t-o refufe them. The confcquence is pretry good, but the antecedent is naught, it’s manifellly falfe; never did any of the Brethren condemn Mr. Blair for refufing of the Inftrudfions, for that was the thing which they had all agreed to do, and which they did. But a. Says he, Why was it not plainly affirmed, that they would not recei ve thefe, which the Council tendred unto them. Anfw. It was fo plainly affirmed, that the Chancellour laid. Then one will punifii you. And as ^dit.Blatr did plainly refufe them, fo did others, and particularly Mr. II. as the Author of the Hilfory not only grants, but proves, when he proves that Mr. H. faid the fvme i upon the matter with Mr.R 3. Saith he. Why ovas there fo much debate about a general Thefis,when the clear aff&rticn of the Hypot hefis , would have fahed both Credit and Confcience? Anfw. This Argument is of the fame nature with the relf, that is, dark naught • there was a great debate among!! the Minifters about the wording of a general The- fis, and therefore they meant not to refufe the In- I ftru6fion.s, and to julfifie their refufal. If it had i been a Qtieftion among them, whether they fliould ^ accept of thefe Inftruidions or nor, he might have ► ir^de fb methingout of that Quelfion, againft any that [jSi] that had held the affirmative, if they had continued in that Opinion, but that was not fb much as brought under debate j they were clear, they could not re¬ ceive thefe InIfriKflions j and to prevent the impo- fing any more iniundlions of that nature upon them,, they refblved to let down a general Thelis, which might exclude all Inllrudfions and Injundfions of the Magiftrate, which might incroach and intrench upon the Calling of the Miniftry. And any who have ftudied and underftood that Queftion of the bounds of the Magilf rates, and Minilfers Power and Authority, will not wonder, if there was a confide- rable time taken up in that Debate, De finibus. They who are moif ignorant, are often moll: confident in their decifions of thele queftions j but I fuppole it will be ordinarily found that they who think there is no difficulty in ridding thefe Marches, are either Perlbns who have not read thele queftions, or have not underilood what they read. If I had been pre- fent with thele Brethren, at that Debate, I could have better anfwered his Queftion, IVhy there wns fo much debate about this general Thefts : \ et as it’s obvious, that it was v’ery convenient, that they fhould agree upon a general 1 hefis, which might prevent in valions upon the Minilleriai Calling, or at leaft difeover them, that they might not be com- plyed with ; So it was not eafie to let down a general Rule in fuch a tickliHi matter, which would admit of no exceptions, and prevent all cavils. The Brethren, who thought the Affertion might Hand, as it was fiidl conceived, without the addition of the words formally and intrwfcally Eccleftajlical^ had much to lay lor their Opinion ; that it was not co-^*' ^ petent [?8n petent for the Magiftrate to inftru(9: and teach Mi^ nifters, how to exercife their Miniftry, or to form In ftr unions, Regulating Minifters in the exercife of their Miniftry : For the forming and pi'efcribing Rules or Canons of that nature, is the proper For* pjal, Intfinfick exercife, of Ecclefiaftick Gover- nours : As it is not competent for Minifters to make Civil Laws and Statutes, fo it is not competent for Magiftrates to make Ecclefiaftick Inftrudfions, Rules, or Canons, Regulating Minifters in the exercife of their Minifterial Fundfion ; for this Would bring the Magiftrate in upon the Calling of the Miniftry, and confound thefe Callings, which the Lord hath made diftindf. Again, the Brethren, who thought it con^ venient to add the words formally and intrinficaUy Ecclefafikal, have conftdered , that although the Afterrion, without this addition, in i'ts genuine fenfe^ was found, yet it might be Interpreted by Perfesis difpofed to Cavil and Calumniate in a wrong fenfe, which would not agree with the judgment of Antl¬ er a fian Divines ; who though they do not allow to the Magiftrate a Power Formally Ecclefiafticat, and fb allow not to him a Power of forming Canons Ec- clefiaftical, Regulating Minifters in the exercife of their Miniftry ; yet they allow to the Magiftrate Power to Command Minifters to exercife their Mi¬ niftry, and to do their Office according to the Word of God. In the firft Chapter of the Second Book of Difcipline W'e have thefe words. The Civil Tower (Imld Command the Sprit ual to exercife ^ and do their Ojfice according to theV/brd of God. And after¬ ward, in that fame Chapter, The' Magi fr ate nei¬ ther ought to Treacb^ adminifier the Sacrametits^nor execute [5^4] execute the Cenfures of the Ktrk, nor yet frefcribe any Rule how it jliould be done, but Command the Adinifiers to obferve the Rule Commanded in the Word, and f uni f} theTranfgreJfors by Civil means. And Chap, lo, which is ot the Office of a Chri- ftian Magiftrate, in the Church, we have thefc words .* "That it 'pertains -to the Ofice of a Chrijlian Maorifrrate to fee , that the Kirk be not invaded, nor hurt by falfe Teachers and Hirelings, nor the rooms thereof be occupied by dumb dogs and idle bellies: To fiffif and maintain the Difcipline of the Kirk, and pumjh them Civilly, that jvillnot Obey the Cenfure of the fame, ovithout confounding always the one Ju~ rifdiblton with the other. And afterwards they add, 'To make Laws and Conjlitutions agreeable to Gods Word, for advancement of the Kirk andVolicy there- of, without Ufur ping any thing that pertains not to the Civil Sword, but belongs to the Offices that are meerly Rcclefiaftical, as is the Mini fry of the W wd and Sacraments, ufing Ecclefiafiical Dijcipline, and the Spiritual execution thereof-, or any part of the Rower of the Spiritual Keys, which our Mafier gave to the Apofiles and their true Sticcejfours. And although Kings and Princes, that be Godly, fome- times by their own Authority, when the Kirkts cor¬ rupted, and aU things out of Order, place Minifiers^ and refiore the true Service of the Lord, after the Example of fome Godly Kings of Judah, and divers Godly Kings and Emperours , in the Light of the New Teflamsnt yet, where the Mini fry of the Kirk is once Lawfully Confitute, and they that m-e placed, do their Office Faithfully, af Godly Princes and Magi f rates ought to hear, and obey their voice, and hSy] (ind reverence the Maje^y of the Son of God, fpeak'^ ing in them. The Author of the Hiftory of the Indulgence, .^ag. 6z. grants that conceffion of Orthodox er apian Divines, That Magiprates may and pould ■put Minipers to their Duty, infoUojmng the Rules and InjunBions prefcrihed by Chrip, in their Volitir cal way, and by their Political Penalties : And hence it will follow , that Miniflers Ihould not refufe Chrifts injundlions, becaufe the Magiftrate com,;^ mands them to o.blert^e them, apd by their Political Power and Political Penalties, puts them to obfer ve them. He grants allb. That Magiprates may Qir. villy conprm, and inforce Canons and Rules, Minu PeriaUy cleared and concludedby Church yudicatories. An6pag. 6^. He diftinguilhes Inlfrudlions, intp thefe which are concerning Rich things, as are al¬ ways neceflary to the right exercife of theMiniftry, or are concerning alterable Circumftances * which onely hie nunc, can be called neceflary : And concerning the former, he faith, That the Magi-’- , Prate cannot enjoyn thefe MiniperiaUy , as holding forth the mind of God, becaufe fo he would not be a I Magifrate, but a Miniper. But he grants, That the Magiprate mciy PoliticaUy inforce thefe Inpr uni¬ ons, in a laell Reformed and Infituted Church, after they have been MiniperiaUy held forth, by the Au- thoriz,ed Miniperial Interpreters of the Word. ftxd in ,a Church confufed and needing Reformation, he doe^ not deny to the Magiftrate a Power to enjoyn fitch things, as are at all times neceflTary, to the right exercife of the Miniftry ; But he alledges. This latter Cafe is not ours. But it feems he hath not conflderedj B b the [^86] the Cafe of this Church, or hath had very bad In- I lorniation conccrnin^^ It. It iheCafeof thisChuich ^ had not been confufed, he durit not have written T and'Printed fuch a Hiftory, nor written Letters to •) encouraj^e fome youn^ Mien to connteiact the Stif- ^ ferinp’ IVlinilhers oF this Chuich, and to reFufe to be fubjedt to them ; he might pofiibly, when he , was in another Nation, in his ftudy among his Books, . imagine that this Church was not confufed, but well ordered, and needing no Retoimation. But alas, our Confufions and Difbrders are more real than to ‘ be removed by the Force of his imagination : We fee them, we find them, and they who have any fenfe groan under them j and we want thefe Aflem- blies, which were a part of the Order of this Church, - and the means to preferve Order, to prevent Con- fufion, or reaifle Diforders, if they had entred. But he will prove, that this Church is not confufed . and needing Reformation. I with he could prove this j but 1 have found his former Arguings fo fal- ; lacious, that I fear this proof prove like the reft; that is, prove nothing. But let us hear him : "The , latter Cafe (fays he) isnotourCaf, unlefsbythis concejfion we vjohU grant Tower and Liberty to any Alagifirate to overturn the bejl Reformed Church'^ that to the end he may order allthmg's in it as he fleafitf which was neojer under flood by the ufers of. this difmBion. The Argument runs thus: If orant that this Church is confufed, and needs Refor- Nation, we grant a Rower and Liberty to the Ma-y.\ iriflrate to overturn the befl Reformed Church, &c. ;yi ' but we cannot grant a Rower ‘ to the Magiflrate to ' overturn, ^c- md therefore we cannot grant that . thu "-: [jSy] this Church is confufed, and needs Reformation. The firft propofition is manifeftly falfe: This is a hard cafe, that a poor Church confufed and difbrdered, may not confeft to God, nor declare before Men^ that it is confufed, and needs R.ei:ormation, may not relate its cafe, as it is, but it muft, by the confcflion or conceffion of the truth, become guilty of giving Power and Liberty to the Magiftrate to overturn the Church. There’s no fhadow of Reafbn for this connexion ; although the Church confefs that ! the Magiftrate hath overturned her, that grants no ' Power and Liberty to the Magiftrate to overturn i the Church. Does a poor mans complaint, that ! his Neighbour hath come in and made Abufe and i Diforder in his Houfe, grant a power and liberty to his Neigbour, to make Abufe and Diforder, or a Power to Order all things in it as he pleafeth ? Shall ■the complaint of an injurious Fadf grant a Power and Liberty to do injury ? The Magiftrates Order¬ ing all things in the Church as he pleafeth, is im¬ pertinently brought in under this head , for he is fpeaking of In ftrudf ions fet down in the Word of God, and which. are concerning things, at all times, neceffary to the right exercife of the Miniftry. If the Magiftrate would give only fuch Injundfions, I i fuppole few would complain ; for' all grant, that the Magiftrate may put Minifters to.do their neceflary Duty, prefcribed to them in the Word of God. As * CO the alterable circumftances, he excludes the Ma- i giftrate from any Power in reference to thefe- but i he doth not prove what he fiys , for though the Church have power to determine fuch Circumftan- ccs, according to the general Rules of the Word, ' B b X it [588] it will not follow, that the Magiftratehath no power in reference to thcfe Circumftances i If he had find, that the Church onely hath that power, and proved what he faid, he would have faid Ibraething. If the Church hath Vo7ver (faith he) by what Law can the Church he robbed of that Tower given by Chrifi? They will eafily Anfwcr, That the Magi- ftrate may have power, in reference to fome Cir¬ cumftances, and exercife that power, and yet not rob the Church of any power which Chrift hath given to it. For both the Magiftrate and Church may have fbme power, in reference to theie eon> ^ mon Circumftances, and exercife it,and yet not rob one another of the power which they have j as there are Ibme Commons for Pafturage, which all Per- fbns in the adjacent bounds may make ti(b o* ror Pafturage, and yet not rob one another. Then he queftions, by what right can the judgment ot this matter be committed in prima infiantia, at the very lirft unto the Magiftrate, or rather wholly and folely ■ to him. But this Queftion alters the ftate of the Queftion j for the Magiftrate may have power, in reference to thefe Circumftances, though he have not the foie power ; the Author of the late Apology , pag. 169. & 170. (hews. That both Magiftrates and Minifters may upon the difpenfation of Mercy and Judgment call for Thankfgiving or Humilia- tion,indi61; days of Humiliation and T hankfgiving j and acknowledges, that for more harmony in this publlck work, and convenient following ot it, with benefit and advantage, to Church and State, it weie expedient that Magiftrates and Minifters did previ- oufly confult. And pag. 167, 168. He i^ws, ■' That [589] That Magiftrates may Convocate Synods : But this is not privative of the power of Church-Officers, who may and ought to come together of themfelves, as the neceffities of the Church requires. The Author of the Anfwer to the Hiftory of the Indulgence, hath very rationally (hewed, that if the Magiftrate appoint the Thurfday of any week, ' to be a Mufter-day in every Parifh of his Domini¬ ons, he may difcharge any PuBlick Sermon upon ^■MThurfday : This is an extrinfecalcircumftantial regulating or limiting of thePublickexercifeof the Mini (fry which cannot in Reafon be denied to the Magiftrate, who finds it necelTary to have a Mufter of all his Subjedfs who are fit to carry Arms in one day. To give the Magiftrate an unlimited power in Circumftantials, were to give him a deftrucfive power- for (b he might appoint a Houfe for Pub- lick Worfhip, which would not contain the third part of the Parifh : And to give him no power in reference to Circumftantials, were unreafbnable ; and to imagine the Marches betwixt Magiftrates , and Minifters, can be Mathematically defined, and brought to a very Mathematical point, is a conceit , that will not readily come in the head of any man, ’ who hath read and underftood any thing of thefe Queftions : And I perceive the Hiftorian himfelf hath a Latitude to come and go upon 5 for fag. 8 1 , & 8 X. where he fays. And I fiall willingly grant^t hat what agreeth to Magi/lrates, as fuch^ agreeth to all I Magiftrates good and bad ; yet it may be maintained I that mofe may be allowed in fuch Magiftrates, as are t really minding Reformation, &c. than in fuch as are [ Of :n Enemies thereunto, ^c. And, I fuppofe, this B b 3. ia [59°] is one Reafon of difference among Divines in thefe matters ; Ibme who have lived under Refoiming Migiftrates, have allowed more, and others who have lived under Magiftrates who abufed their power have allowed lels^ and when thefe concel- fions are calculated, according to the difpofition ot Rulers which arc lb variable, and not according to the Rule of the Word of God, and the natums and ends of the Magiftratical and Mmifterial Ofh^ ces ■ What wonder, if their conceflions vary one from another? All thefe things being contidered,it was no wonder, that thefe Brethren thought it con¬ venient, to add the chuk F ormally and Intrinjecally Ecclefiahcal, to call off the Cavils ot thele who would have alledged, that the Aflertion without this did deny all power to the Magiftrate aboiit the extrinfick Circumllantials of the exercife ot the Miniffry. And thus, I have given fome Reaton, why there was lb much debate about that geneiai Tliefis : The Brethren who were prefent at the de¬ bate, can, no doubt, fay much more than either he or I could dream of ; for there were many there who could have taught both hfm and me m thefe mat¬ ters, or in any Theologick Queftion. In woiding of the Affertion, they were to look not onely to the lalvingof their Credit and Confcience among t eir Friends, who would candidly Interpret their woids, but allb to obviate the cavils of Adverfaries, who were waiting for their halting, and vvoul lave been (dad of any pretext to have rendrea them odi¬ ous to the Magiifrate. The Hiflorian gooth that 65- Vdg. upon that fuppofiuon, that the Ailer- tion was thus qualified, to juffihe their accepting o^ thcfe Rules, and upon this fuppofition, he inters, that then' the caufe fure was betrayed, &c. uno ao- [urdo dato mile Jequuntur. If ye will give him leave to lay a Foundation in the Air of his own lan- cy he will build Caftles in the Air ; but it were a very idle work , for me to fpend time in caftmg down thefe Callles, which have no Foundation but his falfe imagination. . ^ , Further (faith he) I [uffofe tt will be found that feme of thefe Injhuciions were indeed Formally and IntrinfecallyEcclefiaf leaf and if thefe were ex- cepted, they jhould have been particularly mentioned, that all mi^ht have been clear. Anfw. Then rhe addition of the words Formally and Intrmfec ally Ec- clefafiical, to the Affertion, did exclude thefe, and all of that nature, and fb was added to good pur- pofej and why thenv/ould he not have lublaabed this Paper, or ufed it for a diredlory ? Was it die worfethatitdid dircdlly exclude thefe Rule^wbich^ did intrench moft upon the Minlllerial Ottice? It he fay, that the excepting of thefe, was an accept¬ ing of the reft : I Anfwer, He grants, that Mr. B. refufedall, and that Mr. H. faid the fame upon the niatter, with Mr.il. and therefore all weie icrtifed. The confinement with all the reft of the Injnn<5li- ons, was fpoken againft by Mr. 11. as Impofitions burdening their Miniftry, and Reafons 'given why their Miniftry fliould not be burdened with thefe Impofitions. And the addition of the forefaid words, was no ways deftrudlive to the words that Mr. B. fpoke to the Chancellour • for if Mr. B. had diought them to be fo, he would never have acquiefced to them, in the meeting, aor have acknowledged al- Bb 4 ter ward, [39^] terward, that Mr. H. fpoke his mind ; and therefore if the words, as fpoken by Mr. B. were an honeft Teftimony, then Mr. Hutchefons words, which were the fame, and more ample, were an honeft Teftimony ; but enough of this before. And thus we fee, that the horrible horned Argument, with which he fo terribly threatned'thefe Brethren, hath done no hurt, but to himfclf ; he hath raifed duft, which hath blinded his own eyes, and expofed him- felf to the laughter or pity of the beholders : And it is really a great pity, 'that he who W'asfit for bet¬ ter worir, fhould have fo abufed Bimfelf, and wa¬ fted his precious time, in pafting judgment againft his Brethren, who were Judicious and Confcienti- dus Minifters, as men who after a long Debate, concluded, that which was nothing to the purpofe or a betraying of the Caufe: And inftead of evi¬ dent Reafbns to confirm this Charge,- bringing no¬ thing but fiilfhoods and ridiculous Fopperies. It were but a wafting of time, and an abufing of the Readers patience, to go through alibis jumblings againft the Informer ; for many things in his An- fwers are nothing to the purpofe in hand. His infinuation, pag.6‘^. That the Lord ovas, aivay from thefe Brethren^ and fo Light and Coun- , (el could not remain onith them, is full of Infblent boldnefs and rafhnefs; he ought in Charity to have fuppofed that thefe Brethren were met in Chrifts name, and that the Lord was in the midft of them, and with them. If he had confidered what he fays in the end of that page, and beginning of the next, of the inconfiderablenefs of one or two abandoning the reft of their Brethren, it might hare made hin*! [3931 . . , and his Colleague a little more model!: in their fip- ^ular and extravagant conceits fb contrary to the lentiments of the Suffering Miniffers of the Chui ch bi Scotland. Healledges, ^ag. 66. Jhattheywh& •were not clear for giving in a jubferihed Taper to the Council^ could not be very clear, as to the ‘matter of the Taper : The proof of tfiis is in a Tarenthefis, (I judge) ipfe dixit', and fo all is fuie, and the Reader muff accjuiefce, iTsres ^iidicata,^'t\6i'oi\\t\b ' is no more place for Debate. His thinking ffrange that thefe Miniffers could not do that which he : thinks every Miniffer and Servant of Chrilf fliould : be ready to give, upon lefs than a few hours v/arn- i ing, yea, at the firff demand, makes me apprehend, I he%ath not well underffood the difficulty of rid- 1: ding Marches, betwixt Magiffrates and Miniffers. i He who thinks that any Servant of Chriff, can at I demand,and off hand, decide that Queff ion, bus, does not underffand it, or elfe he is a man of oreat abilities, and withal fo Charitable, as to think every Miniffer as able as himfclf. If I had been upon the Hiff orians Counfel, 1 would have advifed him, to have forborn the Imprecation which he hath, 1 pag.6j. §.4. and that for 'his own fake; for if he t by other papers, and by this Hifiory, hath not ad* I miniffred fuel to this fire, very many aie much ^ miftaken. Page 68. he inveighs much agamlt Mr. -ll. for not fpeaking (boner , and not infinuating Reafons, why they could not in Confcience accept ; of thefe Impofitions; but he himfelf hath cleaied ‘ Mr.H. for before thefe papers were delivered, Mr. ( Hutchefen gzve an honeffc Teftimony againft thefe ' Impofitions, for he faid the fame, upon the mattei, > * whjeh I ml which Mr. 5. faid, which the Author commends as an honeft Teftimony. And pag. jo. proves that there was upon the matter no difference betwixt Mr.H. and Mr. fi’s. words. Page 71. he wrongs the Informer, in alledging that he gives to the Ma- giftratc a diataftick power in an illimited and un¬ qualified manner, as he doth (faith the Hiftorian) when he talks of the diatadlick power of both ; for this is a manifeft homologating of the Supremacy, as lately explained by the Parliament : For the In¬ former fpeaksnotol the manner of the Magiftrates diata6I:ick power at all, and much lefs of an illimited manner of his power. The Author hath in the beginning of this page, blamed the Informer, for putting one term more than he fhould in a Syllo- gifm, and yet I find not that Logical effape in the Informers paper, which I have, and if the Informer be the Perlbn whom I take him to be, he can make a Syllogifm as well, if not better than the Author of the ilory could. But I wonder, how he who blamed the Informer for putting one term more than enough in a Syllogifm, fhould add two terms of his own to the Informers words, and then con¬ clude from terms of his own making, a manifeft homologation of the Supremacy, as lately explained in the A-fl of Parliament: This is not fair, but ' very toul dealing. The Informer faith onely, that the Magiftrate hath a diataffick power, and the Au¬ thor of the Anfwer to the Hiftory of the Indulgence Very rationally fheweth, that all power of Govern¬ ment is diataffick; fb that it the Magiftrate have any power of Government about things Sacred, he mu ft have a diataflick power. But to Reafbn thue Ambafladours of Chrift. Is their doing that, which the Magiftrate may Lawfully, and in (bm? caies ought to command, a crime of fo horrid a na¬ ture ? [597] . . , , tureMnc be. not, then the Informer is wherehewa^ & he will tell him, that then the Magiftrate, though he may not make Ecclefiaftick Canons, yet he hath a diataaick Power, or a commanding Power, to enioyn Minifters to do their Duty, and ought to malee ufe of it when there is need ; And to enlorce thefeMagiftratical commands, with Civil Penalties ; as Minifters may, as Ambaftadours of Chrift,eMiorc Magiftrates to do their Duty jfo Magiftrates, as Gods Vicegerents,may command Minifters to do theirDu- ty & yet neither Minifters may make Civil Statutcsi nor Magiftrates Ecclefraftick Canons or Rules. The Arguments by which he would perfwade the Indulged Minifters, in the end of yx and ^ag. 73. not to Preach in the Parifties to which they were con¬ fined would conclude, if they concluded _any thing* that John ftiould not have exercifcd his Miniftry m Tamos, nor Taulm his hired Houfe at Rowe, for they were declared no free Subjeas, and were under the fcandal,ashe ca.lls it,Gf difloy aland cenfured perfonst And this expofed them, and their Miniftry to con¬ tempt in the World ; but this did not render their pains fruitlefs, as he alledges Tnul\ bonds were to th| furtherance ol the Gofpel, Thtlip. i. i a, 131 ^4* wifh the Author and fome others had not been too like to thele, who added affli as ufelefs, for any thing I can per- ceive, for clearing of Air. B. or his Difcourje. jinpi^. Some ill humours does vitiate and disenable fome mens eyes, and their perceptive faculties, that they cannot fee nor perceive what is very vifible and per¬ ceptible. a. Though this part of the Dilcourfe did not clear Mr. Bh. Difcourlb, yet it did compleat it, and fb was not ufelefs ; yea, what compleats a Dilcourfe which was defedlive, doth aUb clear it, as two lights joyned do enlighten one another, and the whole compounded of both, is more luminous. So truths which have connexion one with another, being joyned together, clear one another ; he might have reniembred, that ibme fubjedfs of Dilcouifc cannot be fufficiently cleared, except they be treated of, both affirmatively and negatively, and he who fpeaks both affirmatively and negatively Oi the Ma- giftratcs Power, fpeaks more clearly than he who fpeaks onely negatively : And he who not only fhews what Power the Magiftrate hath not in mat¬ ters of Religion, but alfo what Power he hath a- bout thele matters, fpeaks more clearly, than he who Iheweth only what Power the Magiftrate hath not, but faith nothing of what Power he hath in thele matters. And there was the more need of this, in the matter in hand, becaule of the queftion be¬ twixt Magiftrates and Mmifters, of the bounds of their Power. And as thefe queftions of marches are very kittle, becaufe of Intereft, lb the ridding o marches, in the matter of Power and Authority aie inoft tickliih; for Authority is a very tender thing, and it’s icarcely to be expedfed, that any Perlbn in Power, Power, will not be difplcafed with one, who fpeak- ing of that matter, tells onely what he may not do, but never fpeaks a word of what he may do. And therefore Mr. H. perceiving my L. Chancellour difpleafed with Mr. B. and having a clear ground to conceive that this was at leaft one thing that the Chancellour was difpleafed with, that Mr. Blair Teemed not to allow to the Magiftrate what did be¬ long to him, which manifeftly appears by my L. Chancellours queftioninghim,if the Council might confine him ? To which Queftion Mr. B. anfwered, that he did not deny that the Council might confine him. Mr.H. I fay, perceiving this, did very fea- fbnably ftep in, to remove my L. Chancellours mi- ftake of and difpleafure againft Mr.B. Ihewing, that though they could not allow to the Magiftrate a Power to make and impole Inftrudfions intrinji- cally and formally Ecclefiaftical, yet all Orthodox Divines, and confequently Mr. Blair, was To far from denying to the Magiftiwte a power of confi¬ ning, which is an Adi, both formally and ob- jedfively Civil, that they granted to the Magiftrate a Civil Power which was objedtively Ecclefiaftical, & therefore defired that his Brother Mr. A.B. might not be miftaken, as if he denied this, which all Ortho¬ dox Divines grant; and, as what Mr. H. fpoke, was right and very full, as to the matter in hand, lb it was very appohte, for {hewing what was Mr. jB’s. mind in thefe matters, and to remove miftakes ; and thus we fee that the Hiftorian is much miftaken when he takes up Mr. fTs. words, as ufelefs for clear¬ ing of Mr. B. or of his Dilcourfe ; for he clears Mr. B. to be of the lame judgment with all Orthodox Divines, [4xz] ■ Divines, as to the Magiftratcs Power objectively Ecclefiaftical ; and this part of Mr. H's. Difcourfe, added to Mr.^’s. aflertion, as it- was explained by Mx.H. by adding the terms agreed upon in the meeting, did give much light for clearing the (enfe of Mr. Bh. words. Let us hear the Hiftorians Rea-x Ems to prove the ufelelhels of Mr. H’s. words, i . Saith he, 'There was nothing in TVfr. B’s. Dijcourfe, gizfing the kafi hint of his denying that Tower to the iWagifrate, which all Orthodox Anti-er aflian Dir 'vines grant. Anjw. That’s true, but it is as true, that there is nothing in Mr..B'’s. Dilcourle, giving theleaft hint of his giving this power which is grant¬ ed by all Orthodox Divine- to the Magiftrace. It’s deaf enouga that my L. Chancellour hath taken Mr. jB’s. words as a denyal that the Magiftrate had any Power over Miniflers, which appears by his Lordfhips queftion to Mr. 5. if the Council might confine him? Nor 2. Saith the Hiftorian, doth this piece of the Difcourfe., in any manner of way ^ clear in what fenfe Magi f rates may give Infir ms to Minifiers to Regulate them in the exercife of their Mimfiry. Anfw. That’s true ^ but it clears, that though Magiftrates may not make InftruCfions formallyOindintrinfcally Ecclefiaftical, ^c.yet they might make Civil Laws and Conftitutions, which have Minifiers and their Minifiry for their Objed, and fo are objeCfively converfant about Ecclefiafii- cal matters, about Minifiers and the exercife of their Minifiry. He adds. That he cannot imagine to what purpofe this Difcourfe was brought in, or what it was that gave the leafi occafion thereto. Anfw. This is very firange, for the Author had an imagination that t4'5] that was pretty fertile in other matters, and pretty fagacious, to find out the purpofe of the Difcourfes of the Adverfaries, whofe Writings he examined. And the purpofe of this Difcourfe was fo obvious, I. From the Objections of the Adverfaries of Pres¬ byterians, which alledge that they give too little to the Magiflrate ; and fome of them are not afhamed to calumniate Presbyterians as if they gave as little to the Magiflrate as Papiflsdo. a. From the touchy fenfc that all in Authority have of any thing that diminifhes, or but feems to diminifli their Power, or to derogate from it. 3. From my L.Chancel- lours difpleafure at Mr. B. and his qucftion propo- fed about the Magiflrates Power of confining, and Mr. H’s. beginning and ending his Difcourfe with that defire, that their Lordfhips would not miftake Mr. B. That it’s a wonder how a Perfon that had any imagination at all, could mils the purpofe of this Difcourfe : But yet all thefe objeClive Eviden¬ ces, which might have as Guides led his imagina¬ tion to the true defign of Mr. Ti’s. Difcourfe, were overfwayed by two more intimate Guides, which, like ill Ghofls, haunted his imagination in the mat¬ ters relating to Indulged Minifters, 1 mean his PaF fion and Prejudice , which habitually mif-guided him in thefe matters, and led him out of the right way, which was obvious, into extravagant phan- tafms and imaginations, which are fo wild, that it’s a wonder how any man who had but common fenfe to reClifie his imagination, could give way let be with-gate to them, or how he could fuffer them to arife- or if they had flarted when he was not adver* ting, how he could behold them without laughtef or / or indignation, but that he fhould have entertained them, and bewildered himlelf and his followers iil following them, is one of the wildeft Wild-goofe Chafes imaginable. There is one thing fome what fingular in this Authors imagination in thefe mat¬ ters, that his imagination hath a habitual mifliap of milling the right way, and taking the wrong. I do not remember of any Perlbn to whom I can compare him in this, except one, who was a Ser¬ vant to a Gentleman of my Acquaintance, of whom I heard his Maftcr fay, that when his Servant took the guiding of the way, be conllantly miftook j when he came where there were two ways, he was liire to take the wrong way : which his Mailer ha¬ ving often oblerved, he relblved when there was any doubt of the way, never to take the Way which his man took, but the way which he left, and fo he was lure not to be millaken. But yet I mull give the Hiftotian the pre-eminence in wandring,for that Servant took but one wrong way at once, but the Hilloriarii when he hath prolecuted one wrong imaginary Way, in which no foot hath trod before him, and followed it out, till he could win no fur¬ ther, he imrnediately tomes back, and at the lame pafi where he began to wander he takes another Wrong way, arid then another, and lb forth, till he hath wearied himlelf and his followers to no pur- pole j and which is yet worle, after all thele wan- drings, he never coihes right. That Servant I l^ke of carrte back to his Mailer to the right way, but the Author having rto other Guide but his own imagination, tnilcarried by Prejudice and Pallion , Wanders habitually wheii he begins to guels at the Indulged indulged Minifters meaning j and upon afulle imai gination, that they meant fbmething which never came in their head , he purfues after them in a way which they never took nor dreamed of • and then to be fure to overtake them fome way, he begins again, if they meant not thatj they meant this j and then again purfues, and (b fafties himfelf in follow- ' ing his own fancies, but for the true meaning of thefe Minifters, he ordinarily mifles it, though it be moft obvious to any who will not hood-wink him- ielf. Any who looks but with half an eye into this Controverfie about the limits of the Magiftrates and Minifters Power, and into this bufmefs which was before the Council, will fee that it was moft necef- fary to add what Mr. H. added to Mr. B^s. words, both for clearing Mr. Bh. meaning, and for pre¬ venting the Objedfions that the Magiftrate or others for the Magiftrate might make againft an Aflertion which feeraed to exclude the Magiftrate from ha¬ ving any Power about Church Canons, or the ex- crcifeof theMiniftry; to which there was nothing added to clear what Power the Magiftfate had in reference to matters of Religion. Might they not have Objedfed, Ye will, we lee, take no Inftrudfi- ons from Magiftrates, nor commands to Regulate the exercife of your Miniftry : Ye will make Rules your felves for Regulating your Miniftry, but ye will admit us to make none, for any thing we hear from you ? Ye afcribe no Power to us about mat¬ ters of Religion t What, can the Magiftrate do no¬ thing for the Reformation ana prefervation ol Re- ligion, and for Reforming Minifters? Is the Ma¬ giftrate bound up, that he cannot hinder the making [4i6] or execution of wrong Canons ? What if a Church- Aflembly, a Council agree upon Arriamfm, and refolve to Preach this to the Magiftrates Subjedls ? What if they make Canons for Idolatry, for ado¬ ring Images, as the ^d. Nicen Council did} What if they agree to publifli the error of T ranfubllan- tiation, and to lift up the Bread in the Eucharift to be adored by the People ? What if they agree upon a Church-policy manifeftly contrary to the Scrip¬ ture, and require the Subjedfs to fubje6f themfelves to be ruled by thele Rules of Policy of their own making? Shall the Magiftrate fiiffer his Subje61:s to be poifoned with Herefie, Idolatry, corrupt Church¬ mens Tyranny? Can he do nothing to hinder the making of fuch Heretical, Idolatrous, Tyrannical Canons, or to crulh them, and hinder the execu¬ tion of them when they are made ? Mull he blind¬ ly affent to all the Canons Kirk-men enadt, and add his Civil Sanftion to them, and fee to the execution of them, that is to promove the eternal deftru61:iori of his own Subjects ? Does not the confeflion of Faith allo^^ to the Magiftrate a Power for Refor¬ mation and conlervation of Religion? And our lateft Confeflion of Faith, though it aflert, Chap. 31. Se6f. 5. That it belongs to Synods and Coun¬ cils Minifterially to determine Controverfies of Faith, and Cafes of Confcience, to fet down Rules and Directions for the better Ordering of the Pub- lick Worlhip of God, and Government of his Church, to receive complaints in cafes of male Ad- miniftration, and Authoritatively determine the fame ; yet it doth not aflert, that though thefe De¬ crees be contrary to the Word of God, that they [417] are to be received by any, and much lefs by the Magiftratej for it’s added in that lame Article, Which Decrees and Determinations^ if confcnant to the Word of God^ are to be recei’ved with Reve¬ rence and Suhmijfion^ not only for their agreement to the Word^ but alfo for the Foiver 7vherebj they are made^ as being an Ordinance of God appointed there¬ to in his Word. And though that lame late Con- felTion, Chap. 7.^. Article^, afhrm, that the Civil Magillrate may not aflume to himlelf the Admini- ftrationof the Word and Sacraments, or the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, yet he bath Authority, and it is his Duty to take Order, that Unity and Peace be prelerved in the Church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire \ that all Blalphemies and Herefies be fupprefled, all cor¬ ruptions and abules in Worlhip and Difcipline pre¬ vented or Reformed,’ and all Ordinances of God duly lettlcd, adminiftred, and oblerved ; for the better effedfing whereol, he hath Power to call Sy¬ nods, to be prefent at them, and to provide that whatloever is cranladfed in them, be according to the mind of God; Thus might they liiy, the Con- feflion of Faith acknowledges that the Magillrate hath Authority for doing much in reference to the Reformation and prelcrvation of Religion, but we hear nothing from you of any Power the Magillrate hath in reference to matters of Religion • ye onely tell what the Magillrate may not do in reference to you, and the exercife of your Minillry, and is this all the relpedf ye have to Authority ? Now this and much more would have been Objedled; and had not Mr, H. then very good reafon to add this D d fecond [4i8] fecond part of his Difcourle? The Learned and Judicious Author or Authors of the Couile of Con¬ formity fiw It neceffary after they had fliewed what the Magiftrate might not do in matters of Religion, to fubjoyn a Dilcourfe fhewing what they might do j and becaufe the Book is not common, 1 ihall tran- fcribe Ibmewhat to this purpofc. Page i47» 14^. ye will lee how lender they are in the mat¬ ters of God, and how refpedf ful alio to Lawful Au¬ thority j they fliew , i47' man may command what he will, in any controverted mat¬ ter Eccleliaftical. And then they relate this Hiftory, When Alexander the Great came to Jerufakm, he defired his Image to be eredled in the Temple : The High Prield was willing to pleafe him in any thing, wherein God was not difplealed ; and therefore re¬ filling with all Reverence that Idolatry, what he might, and what ferved more for the Kings Ho¬ nour, he offered chearfully j firft to begin the Ac¬ count of their times from his entry into Jerufalem ; and a. To name all their firft-born Sons Alexan¬ ders from him. Then they add. What is Civil, what IS Domcllick, what is Crefar s, what is ours, let them be forbidden Water and Fire, and their City fown with fair, who refufe it j let Chrifts Roy¬ al Prerogative, who will not give his Glory to ano¬ ther, be kept for himfelf ; May we not in fo narrow a ftrait, where we can fee no way to turn, neither to the right hand nor to the left, open our mouths with the'Obedient Affe? Have we ufed to ferve fo in other matters ? Then they cite Veter Martyr , who fhews, that if a Minifter teach 01 adminifter the Sacraments againft the Word of God, he is to [4^9] be reprcffed by the Civil Magiftratc, and yet not ftonni him, but from the Word of God fliall be fc'ck the Rules and Reafons of his Fundfion. And then they cite Frantifim J-unlm fayin^o;, i- By -ivkat Authority or examfle k the Magifirate mo^'ed to think that the holy Kirk of God, and the fimfioity of the Myfieries of Chrifi {iDhofi 'voice alone his pteef) knoll’ and follow, hecaufe the Father coinmand- ed that it jhould he heard onely^ John i o. 17. ) fould he clothed about with humane Fraditions. a. To what end, thinketh ht, mufi bts things be fowed unto the Ordinances of God • for If it be that f ie may be con¬ form to others, it- ivere more ecjultable that other Kirks fiould conform to them, who come nearef to the Word of God, according to Cyprian’s Coukfel -, not that they fwuld joyn themfehes to other Kirks : If it be that all things may be more decent, what can be more decent , than the fimplicity of Chrif i What more fmple thanhk decency 1 If it he fulfit- ling of hts own will, let it be fo ; but it mufi be re- membred that the Will of God is the great efi nec(fity^ and that the Kirk of God, in things Divine, is not fiibfeB to the will of Men, and what events may follow upon humane Traditions, as daily experience hath fmved. Then Archippm excepts, faying, Tou ever tell me what he fiould not do, but I would hear fimething pofitive of his Tower in things Ecclcfia- fiical, what he fiould,, and may do in times of con¬ tention efpecially. Epaphras Anfv/eveth , That is not my part, ye know , yet this I may fay, that as in the matt&r of Herefie, fo in the time of Sehtfm, for matters of Ceremony, the Magifirate calleth- a Synod, reprefenting' the whole Kir ha'vi'ngTowtr Dd a dejini- [4io] ilefinitive, and the judgment of furifdiEl 'ton accord- tng to the TVbrd, right as naturally m the Soul of Man^ to make tt plain by a comparifon^the Imperial power of the iVtU^ may command the underfianding, quoad exercitium, that is^ to paufe upon a certain purpofe, and to gi've her determination^ut not quoad rpecificadonem, that iSj to ajfent or dijfent, or to determine to the one fide more than to the other j and as the fame will hath adum elicitum, as her ejfen- tial, a?d mofi proper operation ; and adlum impe- ratum, produced by another power of the Soul at the commandment of the Will^ as the JJnderjtand- ing to ponder and confider, the Appetite to exercije Temperance, Fortitude,^c. and out of her defire and choice of the Soveraign good of the Soul and Body, fietteth all the Bowers of Soul and Body to worky even fio the .Magifiyate hath, aftum elicitum, inCi- vil Affairs, hss effential and moft proper ObjeB. In the matters of Gods Kirk, whether for Order or Ju- riJdtBion, albeit he hath not aftum elicitum, he may neither Breach the Word, nor mtnifler the Sacra¬ ments, nor define by himfelf regularly ; yet he hath adlum imperatum, he may command Mmifiers to Breach the Word, to Celebrate the Sacraments, and to Convene and determine according to the Word. Archip. And fay you no more, is that all? Epaphras. And more than this, he hath in allEc- clefiaffical Canons or conclufions a three-fold judg¬ ment : One common, as a Chrifiian-, another pro¬ per, as a Magifirate the third Berfonal, ru a man angularly gifted. As a Chrifiian, the judgment of Difcretion, that he believe not or praBice anything of all that which the Kirk concludeth, if he find it [411 ] to he aga'mjl the Word. As a Magifirate, he mufi have the judgment of his Vocation to difcern what concernetb the Spiritual weal and Salvation of hts SuhjeBs^and accordingly to add^or fufpendthe SanHi” on. Andos a fingular Magif rate, having more than ordinary gifts of Knowledge and Piety, he ought to have fuch Interefi in Determination and Jurijdittion with the Kirk as others who have more than ord> nary gifts. Thus we fee thefe Godly Learned Mi- nirrers faw it neceflary to (hew, not only what Power the Magiftrate had not, but ahb pohtively what Power he had in things Ecclefiaftical ; and Divines generally who treat ot thefe matters u(e to do fo for preventing rniltakes in fb ticklifh a matter. And therefore did as became a Godly, Learned, and Wife man, and a man who had a tender re- fpedl to Lawful Authority, and that from a Prin¬ ciple of Confcience. He fpeaks againft all the Ma- giftrates impolitions which burdened their Miniftry j he (poke againft a Power formally Eccleiiaftic^ in the Magiftrate, againft the Magiftrates exerciling this Power in forming Inftruftions intrinfically Ec- clefiaftical, for Regulating Minifters in thepxercife of their Miniftry, that the matters of their Miniftry were Ghrifts matters, and (b not at the Magiftrates Arbitrary difpofal, nor at the Minifters dilpofal ei¬ ther, they being but Servants in theft matters. And as he denies to the Magiftrate that Minifterial Pow¬ er which Chrift hath given to his Servants, fo he aft cribes to the Magiftrate that Magiftratical Power which God hath given them ; and fo obviates the Objections and Exceptions formerly mentioned : For the Magiftrates Power about Religion is fummarily Dd 3 com- comprcliended in ihefe words, the Magiftrates Fdw- cv objcci:ively Eccleliaftical, d^c. And he fhews, that thcMagillrate is not, as Papifts fay, obliged blindly to execute the Eccicfialtick Sentences of Church-men, but hath the judgment of his Voca¬ tion, whereby he may judge whether he will ap¬ prove or discountenance their Canons or Sentences, or any way or courfe that they take. But ( faith the Hilforian ) as to the main hufinefs, I v^^oidd further enquire whether the Brethren do judge the matter of giving thefe InfiruBions, about ovhich the Debate did arife, did belong to the firjb part of the Difcourfe, and fo to be intripfically and i'ormally Ecclefiaftical or to the latter fart, and 'fo belong to that power of the Magifirate which is objetti-veJy Ecclefiaflical : This J^efiion mufi be judged necefjdry, unlejs that whole Difeour/e be ac¬ count edunnecej] ary and impertinent. Anfw. i. What¬ ever come of his qtiellion, the necelFity and perti¬ nency ol the.whole. of Mr. H’s. Difcourfe, is already cleared to any who will not fliut their eyes againlf the light, a. 'Fhcre is one of thefe Inftrudfionsby his own conlelfion wholly Political, viz. the con- linemcnt;, and therefore it is neither formally nor obje.il ively Eccleliaftical (and yet it was fpokea a-gainft by Adr. 11. m bis hrft Speech, it being a burdcnlom impoiitionm the matter of rheMiniftry) and lb his queftion is not corn prehen five enough, and if it be reiblvedinto a disjunblive Aflertion,it’s by his owh grant ialle. , ]f he apprehend that all thefe Inftrublions muft either wholly belong to the hrll; part of the Difeourie, or all of them onely to the iecond parr, the propofition is not neceffary, [4^3] for fbme of them may belong to the firfl, and (bme^ to the fecond part of the Diicourfc, and yet all oi them be burdenlbme impofitions. If the former he [aid ( faith the Hiftorian ) then why was any troub¬ led at Mr. B’s. refofingthelnfiruBions ? ^»/a/;.None was troubled for his reluhng theie Inftru61:ions, for they all agreed not to receive them. IVhy (faith he) were not thefe condemned 7vho had received them ? Anfw. There were none who received them ; if he think that the taking of them in their hand, was a receiving of them or accepting ot them, this is one of his falle imaginations : Will any fay that a man who is unjuilly Baniflied, or Condemned to die, does approve of the Sentence as right, becaule he takes it in his hand? The Author himlelf does not condemn but commend Mr. B. and yet he took them in his hand. He adds , Why did not jtich as had received them oaf them back again ? '-Anfw. Be- caufe that would have been ill manners ; the Au¬ thor is none of the beft of Hiftorians, and I per¬ ceive he would be no good Mailer of manners the calling of papers at Magiilrates is no good call of that craft j it he had adviied them to lay them down civilly, with all refpedl to Authority, there would have been ibmething of Civility here: But to call, papers at any Magillrate, let be at the Kings Coun- cellours, is an ugly rudeneis, that I iuppoie not been heard of where there hath been any ilia- dow of Civility. Though the Magiilrate had call theie papers at them, it would have been ill man¬ ners to have cail them back; but when the Magi¬ ilrate very civilly delivered them to the Miniilera, if the Miniilers had call them back to the Magi- D d 4 Arate, it would not onely have argued unman ner-p ]y and abfurd rudenefs, but a manifefl: contempt of Authority. I think the Author did not call back his Adi of Banifhment at the Magiftrate : Some have better manners when they arc before the Ma- giilrates face, than when they are behind their back. But they who from a principle of Conlcicnce ho¬ nour Magiftrates, will neither contemn them before their face, nor behind their back. Although this calling back the Magiftratcs papers was ill man¬ ners, yet it may be he thought it good Policy, that though it was Morally ill, it was Politically good, as AhithophePs CoUnfel was, and that it was (ubfer- vient to the grand Defign of the new Policy, which hath broken out lately in the late bond and Sanchar Declaration ; for this calling back the Magillrates Papers would have been a mean pretty fit to have made an outcall betwixt Magillrates and Minillers, and a Hep to the calling oflF the Magillrate. He adds another Quellion. How came it, faith he, that ail of them did not unanimoujly agree in thisTefiimony'? Anfw. In what Tellimony? That all thefe Inllrudlions were formally and intrinfically Ecclefiallick Rules ? But this, even in the Opinion of the Hillorian, had been to agree in a falle Telli¬ mony ; for he lays, that one of them was wholly Political. And/><7^. 65-. he does not lay, that all of them, but he I'uppoles that Ibme of them were indeed formally and intrinfically EcclefiafticaLWhy, would he have had thele Minifters agreeing in a Te¬ llimony, that he could not have agreed to himfelf ? Tills is not fair, but falle dealing, to quarrel with Minillers becaufe they would not agree in a fal- fhood, and in a Teftirnony that he could not have given himlelf. He adds, Or how came it that their common mouth did not ffeak what was the common Opinion of all. Anfw. Their common mouth fpoke the Opinion of all, when he called all theft In- ftrudlions impofitions burdening them in the mat¬ ters of their Miniftry. He fpoke al(b the Opinion of all, when he laid, that they could not receive Canons intrinfically Ecclefiaftick, &c. from their Lordfhips. He fpoke alfb the Opinion of all, when he (aid, that though the Magiftrate had not a Pow¬ er formally Ecclefiaftical, yet he had a Power ob- jecfively Ecclefiaftical ; and in theft Mr. B. agreed with all the reft. He adds, Why was it not more difiinhlly and in fewer words faid, that they could not receive thefe Infiruhiions, as being Rules intrin¬ fically and formally Ecckfiafical. Anfw. He himftlf grants, that all theft Rules were not intrinfically and formally Ecclefiaftical : And why would he have them diftin ftindfly of thefe matters. But it feems- the Reader knows not the mans might, and where his ftrength in in this caufe lies, when bethinks this impoflible for him to fallen this guilt, this horrid guilt upon fo many honeft men : What talk you of impoffibility ? He not onely can do it, but he can do it very eafi- ly, and that by a rnaxime which palfes currant without any contradidlion, a rnaxime that this Au¬ thor makes much ule of in a miller, and when o- ther places of invention fails him the rnaxime is this, Calumniare audaBer alicfuid adharebit^ when all his why’s, and how’s, and if’s have failed him^ he boldly avers, that thefe Minillers, under the, pretext of the Magillrates Power objedlively Ec- clefiallicaf granted to the Magillrate that which is intrinfecally and formally Ecclefiallical. That is, they firll denyed to him a Power formally Ecclefia- llical, and then they gave it again to him in grant¬ ing him a Power objedlively Ecclefiallical • if ye lay, that Power objedtivcly Ecclefiallical is ordina¬ rily when it’s afcribed to the Magillrate contradi- llinguifhed from Power formally and intrinlecally Ecclefiallical. He will Anfwer , that if they had given a Power formally and intrinlecally Ecclefia¬ llical to the Magillrate in plain terms, this had been plain dealing above board, but their conveying of ifto him under a pretext and cover, that none would fufpcdl their cunning conveying this intrinfick Power under the cloak of cbjedlivc Power, their flipping the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven into the guards of the Civil Sword, or cunningly Ihoul- dering them together, and fo delivering them both together to the Magillrate, this was indeed Trea¬ chery : And fay what they_will to purge thera- felves, yet do not ye believe them j for they who have have fo bafely betrayed the whole Caufe, are not to be believed ; or if ye have any Charity to be¬ lieve them when they fay they intended no fuch thing, yet be fure it was the intention of the work, though not of the worker, intentio oferis, though not intentio operantts. And thus he hath proved that the whole caule was bafely betrayed by a de- monftration from the Caufe, for he brings it in with a, becaufe, under the pretext, &c. and fo by a demonftration which they call the charge of betraying the whole Caufe is ftrongly concluded thi This Demonftration doth ftrongly conclude that the Author of it was ftrangely tranf- ported with Paftion and Prejudice againft the Indul¬ ged Minifters, but it proves nothing againft the Indulged Minifters, but by virtue of the forel'aid inaximc ; Calumniate boldly, and fbmething will ftick j for whatever was the nature of thele Inftru- (Sfions, this is a manifeft calumny that Mr. H. made a pretext of the Magi ft rates Power objedfively Ecclefiaftical to grant that which was intrinlecally and formally Ecclefiaftical to the Magiftrate ; For fdppofe jWr. FT. had thought that none of thefe Inftrudfions were intrinfecally and formally Eccle¬ fiaftical, yet in granting to the Magiftrate a Power objeclively Ecclefiaftical, he did no way approve of the Magiftrates giving theft Inftrudfions , becaufe he had defigned thefe Inftruffions, and impoficions burdening Minifters in the matter of their Miniltry ; and fo whatever Power he gave to the Magiftrate about Eccleliaftick Ob- jecfs, he could not be fuppoftd to yield to him a Power to make thefe impoficions, and could no ways [453] Ways be fuppofed to have a deiign to grant to the Ma^iftrare a Power intrinlecally Ecclefmflical , which he manifeftly denied, and to make a pietext of a Power objedfively Ecclefialfical to cover this defign But whither will not Pallion and Piejudice carry men when they are once engaged in a wrorig Caufe? For fo long as they are under thefe woful diftempers, they will make, ere they want Ibme- thing to (ay againft their Adverfaries. I think all who reads the(e things (hould be thereby ftirred up to pray, that they may not be led into temptation. But whatever was ik/r. H’s. or Mr. B's. or any o- ther of thefe Minifters judgments, concerning the nature of every one of thele Inftrucfions, I do not know, and therefore cannot determine ; but I per¬ ceive the Author of this Hiftory hath not been clear himfelf ^ for if he had been clear to have afferted all.^ the relf, befides the conBnement intrinlecally Ec- clefiaftical, he would not have failed to have done it in this place, and to have proved it with all his pith, feeing it would have concluded, as he thinks, the betraying of the whole Cau(e,which is the con- clufion he would have been at with all his heart, feeing he makes (b many letches to bring it about; but when all is come to all, we (ee it amounts to no more but this ; That that which is as intrinfecally and formally Ecclefiaftical as many other at leall: are, ^c. which clearly fliews, that the man hath been in the mift as to the nature of thefe Inflrudfi- ons, for he does not fay, that all thefe Inilrudfions were intrinfecally and formally Ecclefiaftical, oi that any one of them was fuch abfolutely, but onely that fomewhac that was as intrinfecally and for- E e mally [4H] mally Ecclefiaftical as many other at leaft are. But what if thefe many other which he means, be not intrinfccally Ecckiiaftical, for he tells us not what thefe many arc, nor doth he tell us any one of thefe many, that wc might compare them with the In- ltru<4ions in queflion ; and then his adding at lead: fhews that he hath been in the dark in this matter, and durft not determine pofitively or paiticularly concerning the nature of all or any of thefe In- ffru^tions. He durft not determine which of them belonged to the formally Ecclefiaftick, or which to the objeaively Ecclefiaftick Power, nor durft he determine that they were all intrinfecally and for¬ mally Ecclefiaftical j and if he was in doubt him- felf, what wonder it there were doubts of this na¬ ture amongft thefe Brethren. And though I can¬ not certainly affert, that they had different appre- henfions in this matter, yet 1 conjedture that there was fbmething of it from what I read in an excel¬ lent Vindication of the Minifters who made ufe of the Indulgence, written, as is fuppofed , by that faithful and judicious Minifter, yix. Thomas Wylie^ who was, as I am informed, prefent with thefe Mi- nifters at their Meetings, though he had nor then made any ufe of the Indulgence ; for after he hath in Affertion y. afferrpd,that it’s granted without de¬ bate, that the Supream Magiftrate hath a Supream Power objedlively Ecclefiaftick about Church-mat¬ ters: AndAff 7. That as it is the Magiftrates fin toreftrain Minifters from Preaching the Gofpel, fo it IS condefeended to by all ot the Presbyterian per- fwafion, that it is the Duty of the Magiftrates not onely to permit and allow the Preaching of the Gofpel C45J] tjofpel in his Dominions, but: upon fiippofition of negleft or neceffity it is his Duty to command Mi- nillers to Preach the Gofpel. a Chro?i. 17. 7, 8^9. Jehofhaphat fent the Lenjites and Friefis 7Vith the Book of the La7V to teach all the Cities of Judah, and they went through all the Cities of Judah and taught the People. Rom. i dhhe Adagijlrate is to them a Mmifier for good. Mr. Rutherford , in his Trea- ti(e againft Toleration, ex¬ pounds that not onely of Civil good, but aUb of the Spiritu¬ al Soul good of his Subje 6fs, which the Magiftrate, as he is a nurfing-father of the Church, and as he is Cuflos utriufjue ta- hulee, is to procure by (up- prefling Hereticks and Here- iics, and countenancing faith¬ ful Miniflers. And (bme pages alter, he (ays, by virtue of which Power ( contained in the former Aflertions) he may, moving in his own Iphere, and adfing oncIy in a Civil capacity, give command that all things be done in the Houle of the God of Heaven accord¬ ing to the will of the God of Heaven, and even in the matters in hand it may by fome be alledged. that the Magiflrates fail is not in the Formality of the rife of his Rules, but in the iinful and grievous mat¬ ter of them. And then he fuppofes, that if the Magiflrate had in the fir ft Rule permitted, and allowed Presbyterian Minifters to Fapcize the Chil- E e X dren See Durham of Scan¬ dal, Part 3. Chap. 1 4. pag. 2.50. — - Alfa by their negligence in not pronjiding faithful Teachers, pag. ay 2.. — ■ To countenance with their Authority the Or¬ dinance of Difcipline , to confirm by their Au¬ thority the Ordinance of Preaching the Gof¬ pel. pag. 254, Magi- firates might and ought to put Minifiers, See. to thnr Duty, in caje they be negligent, &c. ['4J6] c^ren of Perfons in adjacent Parifhes, and admit them to the Communion, if they were not clear to Joyn with the incumbents who had conformed . And if in the fecond Rule they had appointed that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper fhould be as often yearly celebrated as the conveniency of the refpe- £live Congregations would admit j and had ap¬ pointed that Congregations lying together fhould not have it on the fame day, and allowed at fuch occafions Preaching without, and lb of the lelf . If they had put Minillers to their Duty, who would, or who ought to have quarrelled with the Magi- ftrate, as out of his Duty? So it is not the Forma¬ lity of the rife, or conveyance, but the faultinefs of the matter, confidering our prefent Conftitution that makes the Rules finful, and not to be pradfifed by honeft men. I may add, if the Magilfrate had appointed the Indulged Miniftersto meet Piesbyte- rially, that cafes which were formerly referrable to Presbyteries might be ftill fo referred, and not de¬ termined by Kirk-Seflions, I fuppofe none would have had reafon to complain: And if it had been appointed that thefc Presbyteries fhould have Clerks, and pay them their dues, I fuppofe none would hav’’e alledged that this was but a re- floring of fbmething of the former Order. Some¬ thing alfb of the different apprehenfions of Mini- flers about thefe Rules, which of them were for¬ mally Ecclefiadical, and which mif-appllcations of the Civil Power objedlively Ecclefiaftical appears in the Anfwer of the Hiftory of the Indulgence, of which I fpoke before ; but that made no divifion among thefe honeft Minifters, who looked upon ° ‘ them [4?7] them as impofidons that were not to be received- And I fuppofe any who will impartially confider the matter, will think that thefe Minifters did wife¬ ly in forbearing to determine peremptorily concern¬ ing the nature of every one ot thefe Rules, whether they were theexercife of a Power formally Eccldia- ftical,or mif-applications of the Civil Power object¬ ively Ecclefiaftical. From what is laid we may fee the Vanity of all the Hiftorians endeavours whereby he labours to prove that Mr. H s. words were ufd lefs, or a bafe betraying of the Caufe ; and what¬ ever Mr. H. thought of the nature of thefe Rules, he gave an honeft Teftimony againll them, as the Author is forced to confefs in acknowledging that he faid the fame upon the matter with Mr. B. but he fpoke more fully and diftincSlly j for in his hi If Speech, which the Hillorian acknowledges to be the fame upon the matter with Mr. J5’s. he ufes the words, impofitions burdening in the matters of the Miniftry, which comprehends not onely Rules for¬ mally Ecclefiaftical of the Magiftrates making, but alfo all Civil injundions which impofe grievous bur¬ dens. And 1 fuppofe it was Mr. B s. defign to re- fufe both, though his words feem moft Aredlly to relate to the former, and my reafon is this, becaufe the Reafon which Mr. B. adds does clearly exclude all Arbitrary Civil injunctions which impofe upon the Ambaffadours of Chrift, who are to adhere to their Mafters Inftructions in the difeharge of their Office. And as Mr. H. fhews, that Mr. B. did not intend to deny the Magiftrates juft Powei, fb the Reafon which he adds juftifies what Mr. B.^ faid more exprefly , and what he meant, and clearly Ee 3 enough [4]8] enough Infinuate by the.Realbn which he added to hisRcfulal. VV hat the Author further adds, pag. 75” & 76. to prove that the granting to the Magi- ifrate a Power objedfively Ecclehalfical , doth not warrant him to make Rules regulating the exercile of the Minilfry and its intrinfick adminiflration, is a very needlels work, which his ignorant millake of Mr. H’s. defign in [peaking, and then his tin- charitable, that i lay not perver[e,wrefting of Mr. H's. words, and delign againlf allReafonaiid com¬ mon lenfe, hath put him to ; as little wit makes meickle travel : So it is no wonder, if they who tra¬ vel with fuch a miichievous defign, as that is, to prove honed: men to be bafe betrayers of the caufe of God, be put to a great deal ot pains in travel¬ ling to bring forth fuch a Monder, and to put fbme face upon fuch an ugly deformed Birth, and then to get It fathered upon them, who can give their Oath of verity they have nothing to do with it, and may fafely fay, that the Father of lies hath helped to breed it, and bring it forth. I onely oblervetwo things: i. That in the end of the 77 page, and m the beginning of the 76, he mif reprefents the judgment of Protedants, as if they gave the Magidrate no more but the judg¬ ment of Didretion, which is common to all Chri- dians, and didinguiflies Men from Brutes: He might have learned from the writings of Protedants, and from thecourfeof Conformity in the place be¬ fore cited, that belide the judgment of Dderetion, they give to the Magidrate the judgment of his Vocation, z. Page 76. He redridfs the Magi- drates condderation too rnuebj when he limits it Durham 07J Scan¬ dal, Chap. 14. pag. zj5. [459] onely to the outward good, quiet, and advantage of the Common-wealth. He might have learned from the fore-cited place in the courfec-f Conformity, that the Magiftrate, as Magiltrate, is to dilcern what concerneth the Spi¬ ritual well and Salvation of his Subjects. And from Mr. Rutherfurd, in his Treatile of Tolera¬ tion, that the Magiftrate, as Nurfe- father of the Church, and cnjtos utriufc^ue tabidcSy is not onely to procure the Civil good, but the Spiritual Soul- good of his Subjeas. See alfo Mr. Rutherfurd^s Divine right of Church-Government, fag. Chaf.^d^, ^%Q. Where he lays, Jhat the Magifirate, de jure, ts obliged not onely to fer- mit., but alfo to procure the free exercife of the Mt- niftry — and to procure the good of the Souls of the SuhjeBs. I am fenfible that I have infilled too long in fol¬ lowing the Hiftorian in his ro varies and blind gro- . pings, the Author who hath anfwered his whole^ Book fulficiently, hath fully anfwered this part of his Book in a few lines, by Ihewing what was Mr. iTs. delign and meaning in this lecond Speech, and then Ihews, that the Hiftorian hood-winks himftli', and then quibbles and quaeries , this is the meaning of it, or that is the meaning of it, and ftarts que- ftions that were never ftarted by a man of Letters in this matter, and fuch as there were no ground for here; and having let up his own fancy, he beats it down again, that it might , appear to the lefs judicious, that he was doing fomething, while as he was doing nothing to the purpole. This E e 4 ^ is a full Anfvver, and all that thefe quibbling Di(^ courles deferved. In the reft of page 76, and in page 77, we have eight of his Magifterial dictates, to which the Brother who anfwcrs him, lets down fb many contradibfory propofitions, whichis afuf- hcient Anfwer. He Ihews, That the Indulgence which the Mim(lers made uft of, did neither tend, nor was intended to carry on an Invafion of the Rights of the Church, or of the Rrerogatives of C hr i ft. a. He fnews. That iCs full, and a fuller Teflimony than that which the Hifiorian fo much commends. '^.That ids a ylain Vindication of the Dottrme of the Church of Scotland in that particular, according to former ' Engagements. 4. That it was candid, ingenuous, and pertinent, y. That it was exprejjed in terms folid and fgnificant, made ufe of by the ahlefi Di¬ vines, including the yery words made ufe of by Mr . B, and commended by the Hifiorian for a faithful Tefiimony : Minifiers are not obliged to make every one that hears them capable to under fi and what they very clearly [peak. 6. As it homologates Mr. B’s, words, and made up the defebis of it, fo it contain¬ ed no dif ingenuous reflexions upon A/r. B. 7. Though it was fpoken with all due refpecl to the Magifirate, yet feeing a Rower formally Ecclefiaftical was denied to the Magifirate', and Jeeing they ajjerted them- felves to be the Servants of Chrifi in the matters of their Minifiry, and fo obliged to fellow the will of Chriil, and not the Magifirates impofitions in thefe matters', they excluded the Adagifirate both from the formal and elicitive Acls of the Minifierial Calling, and fr6m Arbitray difpofal of the matters of the Minifiry. And 8. The terms are fo folid fignif- [440 caut, and fo much in ufe among Orthodox Divines^ that they cannot be alledged to give too much or too little in this matter, except the generation of Anti- ernftian Orthodox Divines be condemned. Page 77. theHiftorian falls foul upon the Bro¬ ther, who faid. He could not receive Ecclefiafiical Canons from their Lordjhips, but as for Civil Jig- nif cations of their fleafure under the haz^ard of Civil Penalties, he could fay nothing to that'. And upon another who did homologate this Speech. The Hiftorian replys firft merrily with the ordi¬ nary Preface of Courtefie, that what he was to fay might not be ill taken. But, faith he, under fa¬ vour, this IS (ecundum artem volatilizare denfa denfare volatilia, a pretty ivhim Jnham good for no¬ thing. And then on a fudden he turns very lad and lerious, and begins, with an Oh. Oh (faith he) a ferioits, folid, z>ealoiis Minifier Jhould have been ajhamed to have fubfiitute fuch whittj whatties in the place of a plain Tefim&ny clearly called for in the cafe : But thefe two Perfons not onely break their own Order, and might have occafioned feme confter- nation to the refe as well as Mr. B’s. fpeaking did, but alfo fpoke indeed nothing to the purpofe, ana might as well have been Jilent. Anfw. He who prefaced for favour fhould have fpoken more favourably, according to the common laying, Ut ameris ama- ' bills eflo ; but he very quickly Ipits thecourtelie m a bitter gyb, which he thought would touch a Phy- fitian in the quick, as an Arrow taken out of his own Quiver ; he would kill him with his own wea¬ pons : And becaule Phyfitians ordinarily love to Ipeak Latine, he Ipeaks ip his own Dialed!, Secun- : feim [44^] ihim artem^ &c. but under fiivour, though there be bitterne(s, 1 fee not any Art, or any thing fmart in this tart ill broken Jell:. I perceive fo little fair, either volatile or fixed in it, that it leems tome a v'ery inlipid piece ot Drollery. 11 he delign by thele Chymical terms to put the complement of a Cheat upon a lerious, Iblid, zealous Miniller, as he afterward deligns him, there was much fin in this Iport ; and the plcafure that is taken in doing what is difpleaiing to God, is but a fport for fools, and the end of that mirth is fadnefi j the calling of fuch fire-brands is a Iport for mad-men, to compare the lerious Speech of a Miniller, who by his Calling is a worker together with God, and a worker of the work of God, tq the cheating operations of Al- chymy , the produdl whereof is ordinarily fome counterfeit thing, was a very odious comparilbn; and if this be the thing he means,then,asIoblerved before, that the Hillorian would have made no good Mailer of manners : So from this cad of his (port¬ ing cralt I perceive he would have proved but a fpur-galled (porter. When he (peaks of a whim- wham he hath forgot the half of the rale, for if I be remembred, the whole of- that infignificant tale is a whim-wham for a Goo(e-bridle j if 1 be wrong, the Children will correSb me, the bridle was ill left out, it might have been good for (bmething, if it had been but to have rellrained the volatile things, of which he was immediately (peaking, that they might not get away ; for if ye hold not thefe fub- til Birds by the head, it’s folly to think of laying fait on their tail, if they once flip the bridle : And to follow them when they are flown, is the wildefl: [44]] di all Wild-goofe Chales ; for if they once get out of your hand, ye will never more get your eye upon them again, let be your hand, tor they eva- niih and turn to that which is next to nothing ; and whether they be good for any thing or nothing al¬ ter they are gone, I leave the Chymifts to enquire, who are taken up with thefe whitty whatties, as the Hiftorian terms them : But enough, it nor too much of this. The Hiltorians unworthy abufing of (b worthy and deterving a Perfbn, and his treat¬ ing of ib grave a Perfbn m fb ridiculous a way, did not delerve any ferious Anfwcr. It that Re¬ verend and Learned Minilfer had fpoken his mind in fubtil evamthing words, having no tenfible fenfe, or a fente not eafily perceptible j or if he had ufed terms of Art, or words borrowed trora Phyfick or Chymiflry, or fpoken Latine before the Council, there might have been fbme pretext for this ridicu¬ lous Drollery, but there is nothing of all thefe in his Speech. The firfl: part of his Speech is the fame upon the matter with Mr.R’s. and large as plain, if not more plain than his Speech • and it hath this ad¬ vantage, that it is more comprehentive : For Mr. Bh. Speech doth oncly exclude the Magillrate from making Rules to Regulate Minifters m their Mini- Iferial Actings: This Speech excludes the Magi- flratefrom making all Ecclefiailical Canons. Now there are many Ecclefiaftical Canons befides thefe which Regulate the exercife of the Miniflry ; As for Example, If the Magiftrate would make an Adi that no Perfbn fhould bring a Child to be Bap¬ tized by a Presbyterian Minilfer, or outed Mini- Ifer, this would be an Ecclefiaffical Canon, laying an [ 444 J an undue reftraint upon Minifters who have Chil¬ dren ro be Baprized, not in the exercife ot their Minillry, but in that which is common to them with other Chriftians who have Children to be pre- fented to Baptifm. Tins Speech excluded this, and in general all Ecclefialbick Canons. The Hifto- rian alledges, that it was nothing to the purpofe; fure be would not have (aid (6 ot the hrfl part ot' the Speech, it the fecond part had not been added. Now the addition of the fecond part was very much to the pi j-pofe for removing the miftake which the Magittrate had conceived from Mr. JS’s. Speech ; and the words are in my Opinion more appofite than if he had faid Civil Laws or Statutes ; for the Inftruddions which he had an eye to in this part of his Speech , were neither properly Laws nor Sta¬ tutes, fiich as the Confinement, and it may be the Acf for paying the Clerks Fees. It’s hard to find a more appofite and more fhort defignation of A6fs of that nature than that which he ufed, to wit. Ci¬ vil fignifications of the Magillrates pleafure under the hazard of Civil Penalties. And if I knew not the Hiftorians prejudice againfl: Indulged Minifters, I could not but wonder that he makes fuch Tragi¬ cal out-cries againft fo plain and appofite words. The Brother who hath Anfwered this Hiftory, in his Anfwer to this part of it, fhews, that it was un¬ controverted among thefe Brethren, that the great- eft part of thefe Inftrudtions were Ecclefiaftick Ca¬ nons. He fliews alfo , that the paper offered to them by the Council contained Injunctions ( one at leaft J of a Civil nature. The firft fort are re- fufed, the laft he did not either diredlly refufe or accept, [44J] ■ accept, refolving to do as he fliould (all things confidered) find beft. What could be more plain or ingenuous? ll;?, fays the Hiftorian, i.bytht^di- fiindiion (little better than a Mental refervation j they might ha'ue fcrupled at nothing that the Magi- firate might attempt to prefcribe in Church-matters j nOj not at his giving Rules tntrinfecally and formally kcclefiafiicalfof.thefe might alfo gafs as Civil fignifi- cations of their pleafure, &c. Jnfin: His Parent hefs about Mental refervation, which is a Jefliitical Cheat and trick, confirms the fufpicion that his Latine Sen¬ tence was aperi^^r<^jof cheatry.TheHiflorian could hardly have done the Author a greater injury than to have charged him with one of the worfl of the Jefuits lying tricks ; but his ingenuity is fo well known to all who know him, that the Hiftorians Tongue and Pen will not make this flander flick to him. The Hiftorian might rather have alledged, that it was a piece of Oratory , an Apofiopefis : For the Perfbn of whom he fpeaks is a good Ora¬ tor, and they fay, Suppnmit Orator quod Ruf icus edit inepte: But to make it little better than a Men¬ tal refervation , which even fbme Popifh W riters, as Scotm and Covarruvias condemn as a he, was a^ very injurious flander. They who make ufe of thefe Mental refervations fpeak that which is falfe, and which they know to be falfe, and think they fhun lying by adding in their mind fbme what to what they fpeak to make it a truth ; as when they are interrogate by a Judge, even upon Oath, it they fpoke, or did this or that? They will fwear, that they neither did, nor fpoke it, the Judge hears no more from them, but then they think they have not [446] not lied nor perjured themfelves, becaufe they have this thought in their mind, I did not lay, or do this or that, to tell it to you who Quehions me. So that what they fpeak is maniFeftly a lie, but what that Bro'-her (poke was truth, and I believe he fpoke the kill words in great limplicity and finglenefs, as not knowing what he would do, wlicn put to it by liich Civil hgn ihcations of the Magiflrates pleafure, and fb could not give any determinate Anfwer what be would do; he fpoke like a wife and Confeien- cious man with great ingenuity. What would the Hiflorian had him faying ? Should he have laid, I will Obey no Civil Adfs by which ye fignifie your pleafure, whatever be the hazard or penalty: Or v/ould he have had him faying, I will Obey all the Civil Adis whereby ye fignifie your pleafure: both thefe had been rafli and unw^arrantable Anfwcrs, which no Confciencious man who underftands what lie fays, can give to any Maglftrate who hath Civil Authority over him. And 1 fuppofe if the Hiflo- rian had been in bis cafe, and had abfolutcly refufed to keep the confinement, or pay the Clerks Fees ; if the Maglflrate had certified him, that if he kept not his confinement, he would lay him by tlae heels in a Prrfin ; and febing the Maglflrate did allow him the flipend, and yet he would not pay a little mo¬ ney at their command, that they would Authorize the Clerk to rake him with caption. I fuppofe in this cafe the Hillorian would have been in fome fwirlier what to fay or do, and would have taken feme time to advife. And it’s very llrange that he imagines, that they who fpoke thus might have fcrupled at nothing; no, not at the Magiflrates Rules [447] Rules intrinlecally Ecclefiaftical, feeing they had exprefly declared they could not receive fuch Rules. Butj (ays he, thefe may pafs under the notion of Ct- 'vil fignifications of their flcafure. He might have as well laid, that black may pals under the notion of white, and the Magiflrate may pals under the notion of the Minifler, and the State under the no¬ tion of the Kirk : For Ecclefiaflical Canons, and Civil fignifications of the Magil|;rares plcafure were as clearly contra-diftinguiflied one from another as thele things fpoken of; fo that Canons intrinfecal- ly Ecclefiaftical coming from the Magiflrate to thefe Brethren, could never have pafled with them as Civil fignifications, c^c. except they had pafled from what they had prelently aflerted in the Magi- flrates hearing, and to his face : And the coming of thefe Canons from the Magiflrate would not have turned them into Civil fignifications of the Magi- ftrates plealure ; for they had faid, that they could receive no Ecclefiaflical Canons from their Lord- (hips. Now if their coming from the Magiflrate had turned them into Civil A6fs, and thefe Brethren had thought that the Magiflrates giving of them would'change their nature, they would have thought it impoflible for the Magiflrate to give any Eccle- fiaflick Canons, and lb it had been a very ridicu¬ lous tale to have told they could not receive that from the Magiflrate which it’s impoflible for the Magiflrate to give; it had been jufl as if a man would gravely aflert, I will drink no water out of .the fire ; for its impoflible that fire can give water, and as impoflible upon the forefaid fuppofition , that the Magiflrate can give Ecclefiaflick Canons, becaufe [44S] becaule his very giving them would make them Civil. It's as wild an imagination, that he thinks thele Brethren by Ecclefiaftical Canons meant only Canons framed and given by men in Church Office, as if they had faid, we cannot receive from your Lordffiips, who are Magiftrates, Canons which ye cannot give, becaufe they can onely be given by Kirk-men, and your Lordffiips are not men in Church-Office. It’s a fooliffi thing to follow the Hiftorian in the reft of his Extravagancies. Pag. 78. He Argues as if thele Brethren made no diffindtion betwixt the nature of Ecclefiaftical Canons and Ci¬ vil Acis fignifying the Magiftrates pleafore; and as if they had declared, that they would receive all which the Magiftrate gave under the notion of Civil fignifjcations, and if ye will grant him thele concelfions (which are manifcftly falfe, and con¬ trary to the exprels words ot thefe Brethren ) then he will, e^i concejjis, prove that the Caule was plainly given up. I wonder much how fuch fancies could enter in his Head, but I wonder much more that upon his own groundlefs imaginations he could con¬ clude fuch horrid flanders againft honeft Minifters. The Brother who hath Anfwered this Hiftory, af¬ ter he hath folidly cleared thefe two Brethrens words, and vindicate them, he concludes. Thus our Hi¬ ftorian here hood-winks himfelt again, and, like a Boy playing at belly blind with a bonnet over his face, gropes here, and gropes there, and makes fe- veral falfe fuppofitions, coyns fcveral falfe lenfes, lets them up and dings them down, bravely and Or- thodoxly indeed. What the Hiftorian fays, pag. 79. of thefe two Brethren, that they hinted by their Anfwe'r [4491 Anfwers and Diftinaion, that a Power formally Ecclefiaftical is denominated fo, not becaufe it is (o in it felf, but meerly becaufe it is exerted by Church¬ men, IS manifeftly falfe .* This is a hint minted by his own prejudice and erring imagination, which was wofuily habituated to fiich falfe and injurious imaginations.For the firfl: part of their Speech, which relates to Canons Ecclefiaftical, makes no mention at all of Church-men, nor fpeaks of any reference of Ecclefiaftical Canons to Church-men ; they onely fay, they could not receive Ecclefiaftical Ca¬ nons from their Lordfhips. Page 79. The firft part of Mr.H’s. Speech , which he refumed, as hath been often obferved ^ does overturn ETaJiianiJWj and excludes the Magi- ftrate from making Rules intrinfecally Ecclefiafti¬ cal, whether for Regulating Minifters or Church- members j for he who hath not a Power formally Ecclefiaftical, cannot form Canons which are for¬ mally and intrinfecally Ecclefiaftical. The Hifto- rians additional Anfwer is already Anfwered. As to thefe words which follow, Intimating withal, that the Brethren would either ohferve or not oh° Jer've their DireBions, according as they judged of them in their Conscience upon their peril. The Hi- ftorian Anfwers, And was this all ? Is it all one at whoje hands Minifiers receive Directions, 6cc. to Regulate them in the exercife of their Miniftry, &c, I Anfwer j although the words as they are related by the Informer, who was not prefent, but did write no doubt according to his Information, will bear a fair conftrudtion : For if Mr. H. hath fpo- ken as the Informer relates, I think it is more than E f probable [4^0] probable that he hath been fpeaking of the Coun¬ cils commands in general and indefinitely, and I am confirmed in this from the words as they ftand. The Brother who Anfwcrs the Hi ftory, fays, there were other things Ipoken befide what the Informer relates • and I am very much inclined to think that the fpeeches which pafled betwixt my L. Chancel- lour and the Minifters , and Mr. H. hath carried Mr. H, to l^ak in the general concerning the Bre- threns Obedience to the Councils Dirediions, that they would either obferve or not oblerve their Lord- fhips Diredlions as they judged of them in their Conlciences upon their peril. I lay, I am confirm¬ ed in this by the words as they ftand, for he does not fty thefe Injundtions, or Inftrudbons, or Rules, which are the terms by which thele Inftrudlions were exprefled : But he fays Diredtions j and then he ^ys, not thefe Diredlions, but their Diredlions, compre¬ hending all commands which might come from the Council : If this was the thing he defigned, there is no occafion of carping at his words j for no per- fbn can with any ftiadow of Realbn fay, that a Sub- je(ft fpeaking thus to the Magiftrate, I will obferve or not obferve your commands according as I Jhall judge of them in my Confcience : I fay, none can fay, that that Subject gives more than enough to the Magiftrate. But fuppole his words relate onely to thefe Directions, yet no Perlbn of Candour can alledge, that they were undetermined as to their obftrving or not oblerving the Inftrudtions, which they judged intrinlecally Ecclefiaftical ; feeing they had declared to the Magiftrate they could not re¬ ceive rhele from their Lordlhips, that was a thing [45'0 that they had judged in their Confcicnce already ; but the Confinement, and it may be the Adt for paying the Clerks Fees, hath occafioned his An- fwering in that manner, not being peremptory as to filch things, according as the two Brethren had laid before that as to Civil fignifications, d^c. But from what 1 find in other papers of Brethren who were prefint* whole words, none who know them will queftiori. I perceive that the Informer bath not gotten full Information, for one of thele Bre-* thren relates, that the Brother who was choftn to make ule of the paper that was drawn as a Diredlory for what he was to fay in their name, upon fiippo» fition the paper with Inftrudlions were offered, did in the face of the Council declare, that it Was not in the Magiftrates Power to make Rules intrinle- cally Ecclefiaftical to Regulate Minifters in the ex- ercile of their Miniftry, and that their Lordfhips knew our Divines lay fo : To which my L. Chan- cellour anlwered, Sir, we tmw what belongs to our Office as weU as you , what belongs to yours. And as to my Lord Chancellours Anlwer, which con¬ tained a threatning to punilh, I related before frorri the Anfwer of this Hittory, written by a Minifter ,^ho was prelent, that it was in thefe words, and no other, "then. Sir , we will yumjh you. Unto which Mr. H. did not reply in Words, but oriely^ iri gefture j Hence, fays he, it’s needlels to debate upon things that were not fpoken : Cinely, i . It^s clear by my L. Chancellours reply, that he underftood thefe Minifters as refuting Obedience to thefe In- jundlions, otherwife he would not have uttered tHefe words. %, That the Hiftorians alledgeance F f i that [4?^] that the puniflmient threatned by my L. Chancel- lour might comprehend Ecclefiaftical punifliment, as he calls it, is groundlefs and irrational. The Kings Letter grants not to the Council the Power of inflifting Church cenflires, if the King had gi¬ ven them that Power to infli(5f Cenfures, they would alfo have had Power to take them off j but as he {hews in his Anfwer to the firft Remark of the Hi- ftorian on the Kings Letter, they filled to Indulge iome whom they intended to Indulge, till the Bi- {hop had taken off the Sentence of Depofition. So that the Council did not pretend by virtue of the Kings Letter, to impofe or remove Church-cenfures. And the Council knew that the Indulged Minifters would not fubmit to the Bifhops Cenfures, and there¬ fore it’s a groundlels dream, that by punilhment Church-cenfure is meant. He adds. That the Ma- gillrate might have commanded the Indulged Mi- nillers to indiol Cenfures upon therafelves, as they uled to do formerly in Presbyterial Courts. Page 8o. We heard ( faith the Hiftorian) of Rules intrinfecally^ &c. hut 7ve heard of no ajfutn^t ion that - fuch Tvere the Rules contained in the fafer tendred unto them ^ nor of a conclujion^ that therefore they could not, they might fiot in Confcience acceft of them. Anfiv. The Hiftorian hath not confidered, i . Who thefe Minifters were, they were not School-boys , tyed to the formalities of Arguing Categorice in modo & figtira. Nor %. Where they were, they were not in the School, ingagedin a School-difpute, but before the lecret Council, where formal Syllo- gifms are accounted pedantry. Nor 3. Hath he confidered the part they fuftained there, for they were [4n] were Defendants, and if the Defendant deny and diftinguifli, he does enough j and if he give alib a reafon of his denial, he does abundantly. Now thefe Minifters a£ted all thefe parts very diftin6lly- and rationally, as we have feen already. When the Apoftles are brought before the Council, ABs 4. they get another manner of Injunction than any in the Ad of InftruCtions ; for they are command¬ ed not to fpeak at all, nor teach in the Name of Jefm. This was an Inftrudion which tended to the deftrudion, not only of the Gofpel-Miniftry, but of all Chriftianity : This was one of the worft Councils, and this one of the worft Inftrudions that ever was j for this Council was gathered diredly againft Chrift, and this Inftrudion was for the to¬ tal deftrudion of Chriftianity root and branch, and for the total Subverfton of the Kingdom of Chrift, of the Church, the Miniftry, the Gofpel, and of all private Conference about Chrift, d^c. This was worfe than any Sed of Erafiianijm we have yet heard of, let be {een,and yet the Apoftles enter not m debate with that Councii about the Councils Autho¬ rity to meddle in ftich matters j they do not make Syllogifms againft the Councils capacity ol Ading, nor againft the Ad they had made ; yea, they do not in terminis, fay, they will not obey the Coun¬ cils command: Nor fay they, in terminis^ that they would fpeak and teach in the name of T hey forbear a dired and formal Contradidion in tcrnn- but they do that which was left irritating, but much better, and more for the Advantage of their Caufe. Their Anfwer ( which is in thefe words,^ ABs 4. 1 9, 1,0. Whether it be right in the Jight of jr f ^ God C 45^4! God to hearken unto you more than unto God,judgey^^ for we cannot hut fpeak the things which we ha’ve Jeen (tnd heard') is a real and rational refuel to do wha^ tile Council commanded,and the Council underflood it fb, and therefore threatned them further ; and fuch rational qualified Anfwers, which are real refu- fals of wrong commands, are much more to the Con- vi6lionand Edification of all that hear them, than flat Contradi£lions not qualified with folid Reafbns. When the Apoflles come to their Company, they relate the matter, and they are well fatisfied with, their behaviour ; they fay not, why entred ye not a Froteftation againft that ^nti-chrifiian Council, that was not gathered in the Name oi: Chrifl, but againfl Chrill, Why did ye not in exprefs terms fay, that ye would receive no commands from them ? Why faid ye not in exprefs terms, that ye would fpeak at all occafions, and teach in the name of Jefus, and fo flatly, and in terminis , contra- di6led the Councils Injunblion ? Why fpoke ye in fuch general terms of fpeaking the things that ye had heard and feen ? Why ftid ye not, in terminis^ that ye would obey God, and that ye would not obey the Council, and that the command of the Council was contrary to the command of God ? Teflimonies cannot be too plain, ye fhould have been more particular. Why did ye not frame an Argument againll them thus. When the command of men is contrary to the command of God, then it is not to be obeyed ; but your command that ye have given to us at this time is contrary to the com¬ mand of God : And therefore we will not obey this your command. But thefe good honefl Primitive ^ Chrifti- Lw] Chriftlans, who were A6led by the Spirit of Love, were not lb captious nor cenforious. In the Chap. Jfter they had beaten themy they command^ edt bat they Jhould not [peak in the Name ofyefifs, and let them go. We do not hear that the Apoftles laid any thing after they were beaten, againlt that new Injunftion, but they had not a mind to Obey it, and they make that clear by their practice, for they ceafed not to Preach Jefiis Chrifi daily in the Temple, and in every Houfe. The Difciples do not refufe to hear them becaufe they had given no verbal Teftimony againft that laft Injunftion, or becaufe they had not the laft word ; feeing they did really difbbey that Injun61:ion in Preaching the Gofpel, they made no quarrel either at their fpeak- ing, or at their filence when beaten, they were glad that the Council had let them go, and had not fhut them up in Prifbn, nor put them to death ; they were glad that they were living and at liberty to Preach in the Name of Jefm. 4. The Hiftorian commended Mr. 5*s. Speech, and yet he made no Aflumption nor Conclufion ; and why finds he fault with Mr. H’s. Speech upon this Account, that he did not fubfume and conclude, y. The Author of this ftory could not have fubfiimed that all thefe In- llrufhons are formally and intrinfecally Ecclefiafti- cal, for he grants at lead: that one of them was whol¬ ly Political, and the Brother who anfwers his Hifto- ry, fays, that that Inftruifion about Biirfers and Clerks is about * 7® iS/ovneo;^, a thing pertaining to this life, and of very finall confideration, and no way regulative of the Miniftry ; a thing alfb that falls immediately anddiredfly under the Superiority F f 4 and [4J6] ^ind Jurirdi^lion of the Supreme Civil Magiftrate, although for its remote and mediate end it havt a Spiritual good. And iu may be the Brethren had different apprehenfions about fbme of theft Rules, and ft) fome would have fubfumed more in the aft fumption than others, and this would have made a difference of their apprehenfions manifeft before the Council, which was needleft, fteing they were all agreed that they were gravaminous impofitions, and that theft who were intrinftcally Eccleftaftical, j'egulating the exercift of the Miniftry^ could not be received. That the Hi dorian could not underftand to what purpoft the Magiftrates Power objectively Eccle- fiaffical was conceded except for juftifying the Ma¬ giftrates giving, and the Minifters receiving theft Inftru6fions, did proceed from his Paftion and Pre¬ judice, which blinded his underftanding, as we have clearly manifefted by (hewing what was Mr. H’s. defign in that part of his Diftourft. I fuppoft he as much miftakes the Informers defign, pag.Si. In that fame page he craves leave to add, that the Mi- nifters Declaration was annulled by their receiving of the papers. We could not hinder him to make that addition, but we proteft, that it may be added to the reft of his falft imaginations, and fo let it pals with the reft of his Errors ; he hath forgotten that this condemns Mr. Blair ^ and annuls his T eftimony, for he took the paper in his hand, which ftveral of the Brethren did not. It’s as faifc that the Power impofing thele Inftrudfions was lb lightly paffed ; for Mr. H. declared, that the Magiftrate had not a Power formally Ecclefiaftical , and gave a Iblid Reafon [4J7] Realbn why they could not impole burdens upon Minifters in the matters of their Miniftry, becaufe they were the Servants of Cj^rift, and (b at his will, and not at the will and plealure of men in thele matters. The Informer will deny what the Hiftorian, fays, was hinted by him. I perceive by what the Hiftorian hath here, 8 1 & 8^, that he can allow more to a Godly Reform¬ ing Magiftrate, than to Magiftrates that are open Enemies, and yet he hath granted betore that all that agrees to a Magiftrate as Magiftrate, agrees to every Magiftrate, and fo he can allow more to a Godly Magiftrate, than agrees to the Magiftrate as Magiftrate. Again, he grants, that in a time of univerfal defedfion and deformation, which can no other way be remedied, that Magiftrates may give Rules and Injunaions to Regulate Minifters in the exercife of their Miniftry, for he grants that Godly Divines have granted this to be given to extraor. dinary and immediately infpired Magiftrates, d^c. * Or they have granted it in a time of univerfal de- feaion, &c. For the firft of thefe conceffions, that more may be allowed to Magiftrates really minding Retormation, than to Magiftrates as Magifti ates . I would enquire what Warrant he hath for giving this allowance for thefe divers Weights and Mea- fiiresto the good and bad Magiftrate, in defining the limits of their Power and Office, as the Informer fpeaks. By what Rule gives he one grain of more Power and Authority about thefe things which are the matters of God, to one Magiftrate, than God hath given to all Magiftrates ? The Power of the Magiftrate about things Sacred is given and deter¬ mined [4j8] imincd by God, and is not to be enlarged and re¬ trained by mens allowance or dilallowance : This is kiltie work, if the Magiftrates Power about ho¬ ly things may be enlarged by mens allowance, why may not Minifters Power in the adminillration of Holy things be enlarged alfb, and more allowed to eminent Godly Minifters , who minds Reformati¬ on? This hath been a pretext for Prelacy, and it will go far to make a Bifhop. Again, how much more would he allow to Reforming Magiftrates, when he hath once paft the limits that God hath fer, where will he ftay ? What Rule have we for let¬ ting bounds to this allowance' in the matter of Pow¬ er and Authority ; the mo ft part of men loves well to have ukeritts for their Motto ; muft this depend upon the will of Kirk-raen ? But as the milguided Will of Kirk-men let up an Ecclefiaftick Pope, why may it not alfb fet up a Civil Pope? If the good- jiefs and dirpofttion to Reform be the Rule, then the more a Magiftrate minds the glory of God, he muft have the more Power allowed. What if a Magiftrate feem very Zealous for Reformation, till be hath gotten very much Power, and then he turn an Adverfary; how will ye get back the Power which ye have given away? The Magiftrate will not readily give Subje(51:s dlowance to take back what they have given. Again, how can ye fairly refufe to a bad Magiftrate who lltcceds to a good Predcceflour what was allowed to his Predeceflbur ? Such a refufal would be a great temptation to make a bad Magiftrate worfe. I fliall not infift on this turthcr, but the little that hath been laid may fhew, that tt’s much lafer to hold that all Magiftrates have the [4J9] the fame Ofiftcial Power in reference to Church- matters; and that even Nero, as Mr. Rut her fur d fays, had that, as all Miniftcrs that are Minifters have, the fame Minifterial Authority. And all Maglftrates have in a time of defeftion and defor¬ mation the fame Authority for reducing things to Order, when they can be no other way remedied. If an Indulged Minifter had granted that the Ma- giftrate might in any ca(e give Rules and Injundfi- ons to Regulate Minifters in the exercife of their Miniftry, which yet the Hiftorian grants in a time of univerfal defediion and deformation, which can no other way be remedied ; it’s very like the Hi¬ ftorian would have charged them with the betray¬ ing of the whole Caufe. I wonder that he who grants this to the hdagiftrate at lome times, fliould have made fuch horrible out-cries againft the Indul¬ ged Minifters, though they had done what he al¬ ledges upon them • He hath fore-feen thisObjedtion, and therefore he fubjoyns. This cannot he applyedto our Cafe, But might not honeft men be of that Opinion, that this was our cafe, and though mifta- ken in their Opinion, is that a fufficient ground to charge them with betraying the whole Caufe ? Our cafe looks very like a cafe of defedfion and defor¬ mation, and this Book of his hath helped on the deformation. He looks on the Indulged Minifters, and the Minifters who are for hearing of them, and thofe who adhere to them, as in a courfe of defedbon^ But though at other times he makes a very general defedbon, and alledges that the outed Minifters who are not Indulged, are Adfed by a Spirit of Anti- chrift, yet here he will not grant a defedbon or de- • ■ formation. [460] formation, for fear left he be obliged by his own conceftion to grant the Magiftrate a Power of ma¬ king Rules, and I fiippole before he granted that, he would deny all that he hath faid in other places, of the defection and deformation of the Church. And further j lays he, I "wonder how he thinketh any can judge otherwife than that Inter pretati'uely at leaf the receiving of thefe papers on thefe terms was a giving up of the right of the Church with their onm hands. But what if his wondering be, as or¬ dinarily wondering is, the Daughter of Ignorance. O not fb, his wondenng is the Daughter of mani- feft Light, for he fubjoyns. Seeing it is fo clear and manifefi by what we have faid. And then he makes another Inference from the manifeft clearnefs of what he hath laid : And what is that ? And ( Cays he) feeing it is fo, himfelf (that’s the Informer) will, I fuppofe, grant, that every Minifer is called highly to refent this 'Treachery. And thus he fup- pofes that the Intormer is turned one of his Prolc- lytes, if ye will do him the favour to believe, with¬ out any Evidence, that all that he hath faid is clear and manifeft, he will bring you to believe that the Moon is made of green Cheefe .* He will let every mans hand againft his Brother, and bring every Minifter to account all that Treachery which he himlelf calls Treachery. But the Informer is none of theft credulous Perfons, to grant any thing that the Hiftorian would impoft upon him as clear and manifeft, becaufthe hath laid it. What followeth hath been anfwcred belore; his miftaking ol Mr. H's. purpole in aftribing to the Magiftrate a Power objeihively Ecclefiaftical, hath led him into many abftir- abfurdities. Page 8 3 . he looks on it as an abfur- dity tx) infer from the judgment of Difcretion, which every private man hath to judge of his own A6f about things Civil, to infer that therefore private Perfons can prefcribe Rules to Regulate Magiftrates in the exercife of their Fundtion j and he had good Reafon to judge Co. But the feeds of Sedition and Schifm, of the contempt of Magiftracy and Mini- ftry which are (own in this Hiftory, and the Letter before it in the Cup of cold water, and in other Letters written by thele Authors, have grown up fofaft (for ill Weeds wax well j that they have brought forth a late Band and Declaration, Pub- lilhed at Sanchar., in which private Perfons does much more, than the giving Rules to Magiftrates and Minifters amounts to, for they in thefe papers exaudforatcs the Magiftrates, and appoints their ex¬ ecution for purging the Land, and overturns the eftablilhed Civil Government, and appoints a new one, and new Laws for this new Common-wealth, and they renounce communion with all who joyn not with them in thefe things j and will own no Minifters who differs from them for Minifters, till they ftand in judgment before the Minifters who are of their way, which at moft, for any thing I could learn, were but three, and two of them young men, whole Ordination was queftioned. I hear now alfb of a new Excommunication which I have not feen. There is neither judgment nor di¬ fcretion in thefe Pradfices, but a dreadful judicial giddinefs, which fhould make all tremble and take heed of the fir ft Seeds of Sedition and Schifm, which leads to confufion and defblation. His granting, fag. .[46^3 pag.S^. to the Magiftrate a Power about the fame things wherein the Ecclefiaftical Power is exercifed in, ib far as concerneth the outward difpofing of Divine things in this or that Dominion ; and then leaving it without explication to limit this outward difpofing, is a conceflion that if an Indulged Mini- fter had laid it, all the explications he could have added would not have cleared it from a homologa¬ tion of the A6i: of Supremacy* O, what T ra gica! exclamations would the Hiftorian have made againfl: them ! This outward dil^fing of Divine things Would have beeri made as much of as the A6t of Supremacy amounts to. This Author hath been one of the unhappieft ridder of Marches betwixt the Magiftrates and Minifters that I have met with, for he is ordinarily in extreams, either giving tod much or too little. In the end of pag. 84. he lays. That: this Tefiimony was general, impertinent, con- ftifed, indifilnB, and defetlive — and that there "was much pujiUanimity, dif-ingenuity, carnal confulta- tion in it, and that it ovas a meet cothurnus, that is, that which may he turned any way. Anfw. It’s ftrange that the Author who profefles elfewhere , that Tcfti monies Ihould be made much of, that he could make nothing of this Teftimony, but makes it worle than nothing, even a betraying of the Caule. Seeing there were none who had laid Ib much before the Magiftrate by way of Teftimony^ to the Truth, as the Indulged Minifters did : If he had not beeri much diftempered and byafled with Paffionand Prejudice,he Would fof the Truths lake have made as much of this Teftimony as he Could in truth, but he contrary to truth and con> mon fenfe, perverts and wrefts it to turn it intd Treachery. The Reverend Brother who hath An- fwered this Hiftory, hath Ihewed, that the Indul¬ ged Minifters had concurred with the reft of the outed Minifters, i. In a real and pradlical Tefti- mony, which confifts politively in adhering to all their former Principles, Profeflions, and Engage¬ ments, and in praiflifing them as far as was poliible : And negatively, in keeping themfelves free from every piece of defedlion, and from all impofitions inconliftent with the truths and Inftitutions of Chrift, their former Principles, Profeflions, and Engage¬ ments, which was a holding fafi of their Trofejfion without 'wa'uering ^ Heb. lo. 2,3. The keepng of their Garments clean^ Rev. 4. And being faith¬ ful to the Death. This is the principal thing, upon the account whereof thole who fuffered in the Pri¬ mitive times were called Martyrs, and the faithful- neft of the Indulged Minifters in holding up this Teftimony he clears at great length. %. In a Do- <^frinal or Goncional Teftimony in Preaching a- gainft the evils of the Times, dilcovering and con¬ futing them from the Word of God, and exhort¬ ing to abftain from them ; And herein^ lays he, the Indulged Minifiers ha^ve not been behind with any other faithful Minifiers^ though they made not thts the All of their work^ having many other necejfary GofpUtruths to explain^ inculcate^ and prefs. 3. As for that third fort of Teftimony, by way of pub- lick Declaration in their own name, and in the name of all adhering to them, which is the proper work of a Church-Judicatory, and more formally •f a general Aftferably , or National Synod, and which [464] which hardly can be expe61:ed from the hands of a broken and fcattered remnant, who hardly can meet together without great hazard ; he (hews, that in reference to this, the Indulged Minifters have not been behind any Godly Minifters in endeavouring it. As for the fourth fort of Teftimony, fpoken of, Math. 10. 1 8. Dan. 3. 16, 17, 18. the In¬ dulged Minifters have done more this way than others in their refpeflive appearances before the Council at the giving of the firft Indulgence, and the appearance occafioned by their not keeping the of May : And any who will but confider what is Recorded and remembred of thefe matters, will fee a very clear and diftin£l: confcifion before Ru¬ lers of the truths efpecially called in queftion in thefe times. Confider their Declaration with a re¬ ference to the(e Queftions, and this will be very evident. Queft. I. From whom have ye received your Minifiry^ Anfw. We have received our Miniftry* from Jefus Chrift. CL From whom have ye your frefiriptions to Regulate you in your Mimflryl A. From Jefus Chnft. (L Are thefe prefcriptions full, or defeBive, fo that other prefcriptions may he fuperadded? A. Thefe prefcriptions are full. CL To whom mujt ye make account of the difcharge of your Mini fry ? To Jeftis Chrift. ^^XtfFhofe Minifiers are ye^ A. The Minifters of Jefus Chrift. CL ye be faithful Minifers to. him ? We purpofe and refblve fb. QJFhat is your Judgment in Church-Affairs} A. Our Judgirient in Church- Affairs is known , that it’s the fame it was, and that is no fecret, but well known. Objedl:. But your kneiyn [46y] . known judgment in Cburch-^jfairs is oppojfite to the Government now fettled in the Church by the Ma-- gijlrate, and therefore it can hardly be expeBed that ye wiU be Loyal to the King, who hath fettled a Go- vernment which conffis not with your known judg¬ ments. Anfw. Notwithftanding of our knowrl judgments in the thatters of Church-Goternment, yet We will behave as becometh Loyal Subjedls, Objedl. But your Loyal behaviour will onely be from fear, and for your own eafe. Anfiv. We look up¬ on Lawful Authority as the excellent Ordinance of God, and will be Loyal Subjedls from a Lawful Principle of Confcience ; Thele things are clear in Mr. H’s. Speech. QJlath the Magifirate 'a Tower formally EcclefaflicaR A. A Power formally Ec-> clefiaftical canhot be allowed to the Magiftrate. Can ye receive InfruBions Regulating you in the exercife of your Minifry, or InfiruBions intrinfecally and formaUy Lccleftaf ical Regulating you in the ex¬ ercife of your Mimfry,from the Magi f rate ? A. We cannot receive Inftrudfions intrinfecally and for» mally Ecclefiaftical Regulating Us in the exercife of our Miniftry, from the Magiftrate. QJd’^hofe Ser¬ vants are ye in the matters of yow Mini fry, wh'ofe will and pleafure ye mufi obey ? A. In the matters of our Miniftry we are the Servants of Chrift. May not the Magifirate lay on burdens upon you in the mattefs of your Minifry by his Authority ? A. Such commands are impolitiohs ; it’s our earn eft defire that the Magiftrate may not burden our Mi¬ niftry with fuch impofitions, for we are the Ser¬ vants of Chrift in theft matters, but if he do lay bn fuch impofitions, we cannot approve or receive G g thetiij [466] them, for we are the Servants of Chrift in thefe matters j as thefe matters are the matters of Chrift, and we his Servants in thefe matters, fo we muft be at his will in thefe matters. Obj. Tloen je gi‘ve the Magifirateno Vower in reference to you thafsMini- fiers, ani your Minifierial actings and is not this jufl the Fopijh error, who exempts their Clergy-men from SubjeBion to the Magifirate A. We wil¬ lingly grant to the Magiftrate all that Power that God and Orthodox Divines gives to him ; for though the Magiftrate may not make Religious and Eccle- fiaftical matters which God hath not made, and though he may not exerce any A61: which formally and intrinfecally is a Minifterial A61:, yet he hath a Power converfant about Ecclefiaftical matters or objedls, which they call a Power objectively Ec¬ clefiaftical, by which he may command Minifters and private Perlbns in his Dominions to do what God hath commanded them to do, and put both Minifters and others to (erve God in their ftations, he may add his Sanblion to Ecclefiaftical Canons made by Ecclefiaftical Courts, and prcfs the ob- fervance of them, under Civil Penalties. Obj. Tes^ yes, any thing that Kirk-men does, he may come af¬ ter and back it, and is that all? A. W e do not fay, that the Magiftrate muft blindly execute what the Ecclefiaftical Courts concludes ; we acknowledge that he hath the judgment of his Vocation, where¬ by he may judge whether their Conclufions be for the Spiritual weal and Temporal Peace of his Sub¬ jects, and according as he finds caufe, either coun- ' tenance or difcountenance them in what they do. If a Synod were fo far wrong, as to make an A6t for I [467] for Worfhipping Images, as the ftcond Niccn Coun¬ cil did, he may difcountenarice them, and punilb the makers or keepers of that Idolatrous Decree: If they make Decrees contrary to Religion and Righ- teoufhefs, he Ihould difcountenance them, and not fuffer his Subjedfs to be abufed by fuch Canons. If any objedt, that this conceflion gives the Magi ftr ate Power to overturn all, I anfwer not at all, for it’s onely a Power to preferve the matters of God ( which are the objedt about which his Power is conver- fant ) where they are in purity, or to reflore them to their purity and integrity. If ye fay, what if the Magiftrate err, and be miftaken ? I anfwer, what if Kirk-raen be miftaken , and conclude wrong things? Both tbefe are very cafeable fuppofitions that hath followed upon that woful fuppofition of Adam\ fall ; but the errors that both Magiftrates and Minifters are fubjedt to, muft not make us de¬ ny either of them the Power which God hath gi¬ ven to them, or confound their Offices, which God hath made diftindf . The Hiftorian fiys, it was ge¬ neral. Anfw. It behoved to be fo, becauie it was to comprehend many particulars. Again, Mr. £’s. Teftimony, which he commends, was general ; be- lide, fome of the Brethren made particular excep¬ tions againft particular Inftrudfions, againft one, as bringing them in fubordination to Prelacy, con¬ trary to their Principles, again ft another as impradfi- cable. If he mean that it had no particular refe¬ rence to thele Inftrudfions, this will be like the reft of his imaginations. The time, the place, the oc- cafion of theft Speeches, the particular pointing at Ibme of the Inftrudfions, the comprehending of G g X tbetn [468] . them in the more general defignation of impoGtions, and others of them in that delcription of them, In- llrudfions formally and intrinfecally Ecclcfiaftical, Regulating the exercife of the Miniftry, (hews, that thefe Minifters were not fpeaking of Inftrudlionsin Utopia, and my L. Chancellour knew well enough that they were (peaking ofthefe Inftrudlions, for be would not have threatned topunilhthem for not ob- ferving Inftru£l:ions which the Magiftrate had never given to them. Then, he fays, it was impertinent, eonfufed, tndifiinB, Anfw. He hath by his con- fuled quibbling endeavoured to make it appear fo, but the pertinency and clearnefs of it is manifeft to all who will not (hut their eyes, and the imperti- nency of his confuted queftions, which have their rife from his own confuted fancy, and not from the matter, which gave no occafion for them, is fuffi- ciently ditcovered. \r{ei-xy?i,it''s defeBive. Anfw.l refer the Reader to the Antwers of the fore-going Queftions, which are the words, or the obvious and manifeft tente of their words before the Council, and then to the conftderation of all the genuine con- fequences, which neceftarily and clearly follows, from thefe truths aflerted in thete Anfwers ; and then let him judge, whether their Teftimony was de- fedlive. In denying to the Magiftrate a Power formally Eccletiaftical , all Eraflianijm, properly to called, is excluded • and in aflerting that in the matters of the Miniftry, they are Chrifts Servants, and confe- quently not the Servants of men, in thete matters ; and in dcfigning A6fs burdening their Miniftry, by the name ot impotitions, they have clearly thewed. [469] chat the(e matters are not at the will and pleafure oi men j for if the Magiftrate might warrantably com¬ mand what he pleafed in thefe matters, bis com¬ mands would not be impofitions, but Lawful com¬ mands. Now if the Lord would incline the hearts of Rulers to forbear to affume a Power formally Ecclefiaftical, that’s the Power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to forbear to burden the Church with impofitions, commanding what the Lord hath forbidden, or forbidding what the Lord_ alloweth ; or hindring and marring the Servants of Chrift in his Service : I fuppole none who were judicious, would complain, though they uled their objedfive Power, in commanding what God hath commanded, and forbidding what he hath forbid¬ den, and prefling thefe commands, where there is^ need, with Civil Penalties : And the Servants of Chrift would rejoy ce to lee the Civil Magiftrate ufing the Civil Power, which he hath trorn God,^ for the glory of God, in putting the Minifters of Chrift to their Duty. He lays, Tloere ivas in this^ •way of •vindicating Truths much ptfllanimitj, dij- ingenuity y carnal confultation , occafioniifg mijcon- ceptions , and hlindnefs. Anfiv. Xhe Hiftorians blindneft in and mifconceptions of this matter, hath occafioned and cauled this falle and uncharitable ac- culation : All who know thele Minifters , knows their candour and ingenuity j and their Brethren, who were with them at their meetings at that time, can witnels their integrity ; and their words ut¬ tered before the Council do evidence. They evi¬ denced much more courage before the Magiftrate than the Author did, when brought before the Ma- G g' 3 gi (Irate, [ 47° ] glflnite, for any thing I can bear; but ordinarily men who have leaft courage, are moft vehement exacSers of it in others, and moft ready to upbraid others with pulillanimity ; they ufe to talk much of courage when they are at a good diftance from the place where danger is, but when they come where the fray i^, they are as afraid as other folk. The Brother who hath anfwered this Hiftory, relates, that a Minifter who was brought before the Coun¬ cil in the year i66^. for calling his Neighbour a Knave, becaufe, contrary to his promife, he had gone to the firft Diocefan Synod, being interro¬ gate, wherefore he called his Neighbouring Minifter a Knave ? He anfwered, becaufe he faid one thing, and did another. This Anfwer was much more general and abftracl; from Prelacy or Supremacy and Covenant-breaking, than the Anfwcrs of the Indul¬ ged Minifters; the reafbn why he called him a Knave really, was his conforming to Prelacy, efta- bliflicd by the Supremacy, and his Covenant-break¬ ing. But the Brother who isfb much for particu¬ lar, plain, diftindf Teftimony in others, he con¬ tented himfelf with this contufed general. He adds, that another Brother, who in the preceeding year, was brought before the Parliament for afferting the Obligation of the Covenant, in a Sermon ; when he compeared, all his Teftimony was, a mincing of thefe cxpreilions made ufe of in that Sermon. Bur, faith he, I pitied him, becaufe he was in haz¬ ard of his Life. And yet both thefe Brethren have exclaimed much againftthe Indulged Minifters, for not giving a plain, open, full Teftimony before the Rulers. Several People would have a Tefti- mony. [471 ] mony, as the Cat would have filh without wetting their feet ; Catm amat pifcem , fed non ‘vult tan- gere lymfham j or as the Ape would have Chefnuts out of the fire, without burning their own fingers, and therefore makes ufe of the Cats foot to pull them out. They would have Indulged Minifiers giving plain Teftimonies to the Magiflrates face, but all their own Teftimonies are given behind the Magi- ftrates back, and they look rather like Satyrick in- vedives, and railing accufations, than the Gorpel- Teftimonies of Golpel-Minifters, who ftiould with mecknefs Inftru61:,eventhore whooppofe themfelves, if God peradventure will give them Repentance ; and who ftiould not do any thing, that really tends to harden or irritate ; but do all things that are al¬ lowed of God, to mollifie the hearts, even of thefe v/ho oppofe themfelves. Their way puts me in mind of the way of feme frefti-water Souldiers, who when they are called to fight and ftioot, have nei¬ ther heart nor hand to draw or prefent their Muf- kets, let be to give fire, but flees as faft and far as their feet will carry them ; and when they are at a great diftance, they give brave fire, and ftioots abundance of great volleys at the wind ; and if up¬ on the Report of thefe volleys they be enquired af¬ ter, they difeppear, nufqttam apparent. The Hiftorian fhuts up this matter by defiring the Informer to tell him. If he think not, that more plain, clear, and full pxprejfions might have been fallen on. Anfw. Here he feems to grant that their expreflions were plain, clear, and full ; for the com¬ parative fuppofes the pofitive j and muft honeft men be condemned of Treachery, becaufe they fell not G g 4 upon upon the plaineft v/ords and fullefl: exprcflions ? Muft there be Confufion and Treachery in every Teftimony that is not clear in the (uperlative de¬ gree ? Thefe Brethren ufed the expreliions, which Divines who writ moll deliberately, and diftindlly, and fbundly in thefe matters, uft; and I am very confident if they had known clearer expreffions to have expreft their mind, in that matter, they would have ufed them. The Author of this Hiftory hath not fallen upon more diftinil words, for any thing I remember. For the words which he fuggefis, fag. yy. where he fays , Why was it not more difiinhily, and in fewer words faid^ that they could not receive the Infiru^ions^ as being intrinfecaUy and formally Ec~ clejiaflicaf Regulating them , who were the Ser¬ vants of Chrifi in thefe matters. For i. Though this had been diftincl, yet it would not have been true • for by his own confeifion, the confinement was wholly Political. ^. It’s confuled, at leaft, I do not dillindlly underftand what matters thefe matters are, which are in the end of his difiinct words • no doubt, thefe words mean matters, but what matters he means, I can hardly imagine. If he had fpoken belore of the matters of the Mi- iiiftiy, as Mr. H. did, it would have been clear ; but there is no matters belore in his Speech, but the Councils Inftruclions, and a defeription of them ; now if thefe matters have not a reference to thefe Inftru6lion3, they have a reference to nothing, that the hearer or reader of them can underftand, though the matters he meant might be diftincl enough in his own mind, they could not be diftinclly taken [47J1 up by his hearers or readers, except he had (bme way iignified his mind : He is now (peaking of di- (findf Tcftimonies, and Tefti monies are not given by meer thinking ; (b that the Inftrudfions of the Council muft be meant by thefe matters, or el(e they will have no (enfe at all, that we can underftand from his words ; and words that have no (enfe, arc not diftindl words. If by-«the(e matters, he means the Councils Inftrudbons, then the Council might have urged them to obey thefe Inftrudfions : Thus, feeing ye are the Servants of Chrift, in thefe In- ftrudlions, then why will ye not ferve Chrift, in obferving thefe Inftru^ions, or doing thefe mat¬ ters, in which ye are the Servants of Chrift ? Why refufe ye to receive thefe Inftru6tions, or thefe mat¬ ters, in which ye are the Servants of Chrift ? And does he not here fall in the fault, which he very unreafbnably charges Mr. H. with ? He alledges, that Mr.H. in giving to the Magiftrate a Power objedfively Ecclefiaftical, did give him a Power to make Rules intrinfecally Ecclefiaftical, for Regu¬ lating Minifters in the exercife of their Miniftry, and to give thefe very Rules, which he had (aid, he could not receive from the Magiftrate, there was neither Reafbn, nor fhadow of Reafbn for charging Mr. H. with this contradidfion; but the Author of the Hiftory hath laid himfelf very open to this charge. For if thefe Inftrudlions be matters where¬ in Minifters are the Servants of Chrift, then he hath yielded to the Magiftrate a Power to command Mi¬ nifters to obferve them ; for Magiftrates may com¬ mand Minifters to ferve Chrift in doing thefe things, in which they are the Servants of Chrift. If it be [474] fiiid, that he meant the matters of their Mlniftry, and not the Councils Inftru^tions, then his mean¬ ing was good, but his words were not diftinff at alf, and far left more diftindt than Mr. H’s. It’s true, his words are fome fewer, that he leaves out (i:»me of Mr. H’s. words, but they are fo much the worle and confufed, and by his brevity he falls in obfcurity - brevis ejj'e labor o/>hfcur us fio. Thefc words of his, which he prefcribes for a form, as more diltinct and fhort, than Mr. H’s. words, are either not good Grammar, having a Relative with¬ out any Antecedent in the preceding words, to which they can relate, and lb they are without (en(e, I (hall not fay non-fen fe, or they have a bad fenfe in acknowledging, thele Inllrudtions to be matters in which Minifters are Chrifts Servants • and fuch a fault in Morality was large worfe than a Gramma¬ tical failing in fpeaking non-fenle : And they in¬ volve a contradidlion, or they give a Reafbn why they could not receive thefe Inftrudf ions, which will infer the conclulion that’s conti'adidfory to their Affertion. But make, the beft of them that may be, they are not more diftindt than Mr. H’s. nay, for any thing that I can lee, they are words very confufed, and if they relate to all the Inftrudlions, as I fhewed, they are manifeftly talfe. By the Hi- iforians own confeiiion one of them had no Ecclefi- allical Being at all, being wholly Political j and therefore they could not truly fay of all of them, that they could not receive them, as being Rules intrinfecally, It is flrange that the Hilforian, who is here hnding fault with the Indulged Mini- ffers words, as a dif ingenuous , indiftindt, confu- I fed [47j] fed cothurnm^ could not fpeak more truly and di- ftinilly himfelf jhe who would teach others to fpeak, fhould have learned his Grammar better; and he who blames honeft men for diGingenuity, fhould not have endeavoured to put a lie in their mouth ; and that even in the form of fpeech , which he prefcribes as more diftimff, he Ihould be fb very confuled, is a very ftrange thing. The more I examine the Hiftorians quibblings againft thefe Brethrens words before the Council , I think the more of thefe Brethrens words, and am confirmed that the Lord was with their mouth, and gave them what to fpeak; and I am the more confirmed in this, by obferving that this Hiftorian could not mend what they faid, without falling into a mani- fefl: falfhood, and into a form of fpeech, which ei¬ ther is non-fenfe, or hath an ill fenfe, and deffroys it felf, by giving a Reafbn in the end of the fpeech, for refufing the Inftru61:ions , which doth prove that they fhould not be refufed, and fb the end de- ftroys the beginning of it. And thus the integrity and faithfulnefs of thefe Minifters is cleared ; and whether or not all the Ca¬ vils and Quibblings of the Hiftorian againfi: their acceptance of the peaceable exercife of their Mi- niftry, and againft their Speeches before the Coun¬ cil, be not fufficiently, if not fuperabundantly re¬ futed, I leave it to the impartial judgment of the judicious Reader. The Brother who hath Anfwered this Hiftory , hath fhewed the falfhood of the two Obfervations which the Hiftorian makes, fag. ^6. by (hewing, That Hfon the call of the Congregation £>/' Irwin, Reverend [476] Rtverend Brother ( after his Confinement was chan¬ ged by the Cornell^ upon the Jupplication of the faid Congregation ) did remove to Irwin. And that the A6i:of Council, which came to that Minifters hand, made no mention of the In(tru£fions. So that his feeing that the A6f of Council is the All and onely ground of tranfportation, and that the Inftrudfions always go with the Indulgence, are two other of his lahe Vifions. And thus I have confidered all the Hiftorians Reafons againft the acceptance of the Indulgence, and difeovered their unreafonablenefsjand have con¬ fidered his Aniwers to thele Objediions, which he was pleafed to propole to himlelf, and have found his Anfwers to be indeed no Anfwers. I have allb examined all his quibblings againft the Speeches of thefe of the Indulged Minifters, who appeared be¬ fore the Council j and have difeovered how vain they are, and I refer it to the judgment of the ju¬ dicious Reader, if I have pafled any thing in his Arguings, that had any appearance or fhadow of Reafbn. 1 am fb far from apprehending that the judicious Reader will cenfure me for omitting any thing which deferved an Anfwer, that upon the contrary, I fear, I fhall be cenfured by the judi¬ cious, for refuting many things which are fb ma- nifeftly falfe, that they did not deferve to be no¬ ticed. I fhall onely defire fuch to confider, that many things which are manifeftly falfe , may ap¬ pear true to thofe who are weak , and who have not their fenfes exercifed to difeern both good and evil; And fb that which is needlefs to the ftrong, may be necef&ry for thofe who are weak. It [477] It remains that I examine his Vindication of fuch as ftruple to hear and oWn the Indulged Minifters, which begins pag. 128. and continues to the end of his Book. He makes Ibme falhion here of ting a Qucftion. I. He grants, That the Indulged Minifiers are Miniflers of the Gofpel. And in his zS Queftions ( which were as vant-couriers lent before this Hi- ftory, where the main body of his forces are drawn up ) he fays, he chearfuUy grants them to be Mi’- nifers^ and nothing doubts , but the people •would willingly hearthefe fame Indulged men^ if they would relin^uijh the Indulgence^ and go to the fields and Treach with the rejt. He fays here. That he doth not make this the ^efiion, whether or not thefe In¬ dulged Minijlers are true Minifiers of the Gofpel, or ou^t in any cafe to he acknowledged and looked up¬ on as fuch. z. He grants. That it is not fimply unlawful to hear thefe Indulged. In his a 8 Queftions he fays. He durfi not Jay, that it were fimply unlawful to hear the Cur at s, 3. He grants. That they may be lawfully heard at fame time, and in fome Circumfiances as for example, if there were no other to be heard in all Scotland. In his a 8 queftions he fays, I jhould readily grant, that in fome cafes, and in fome cir- cumfiances, they might not onely be Lawfully heard, and joyned with, but alfo Jhould and ought be heard'. As for example, if there were no other in all Scot¬ land to be heard but fuch as were fettled by the Coun¬ cils Orders. And I would ( fays he ) yield as much even as to the Cur at s, I mean fuch of them as were not [478] not openly flagitmts and profanOj or are not notori- oujly ignorant. If there were no other in all Scot¬ land to he heard. The Reafon moving him to make thefe concef- fions, is, that they have the effentials of the Mini- fterial Office, and fo their Minifterial Actings are valid, and are not nullities ; for fo fays he, if they are not Minifters, all the Children whom they have Baptized are yet unbaptized ; and all their Mini- Berial Adis are null : And to evite this Abfurdity, he will not fay, that they are not Minifters. We have heard what he grants, let us hear what he de¬ nies. I. He denies, That the People among whom the Indulged Minifters are fettled, are to own thefe Minifers as their Minifiers, their Pafiours or Over- feers, fet over them by the HolyGhof. z. He de¬ nies, That ifs Lawful and expedient to hear them, when there are other Minifiers in Scotland to be heard. Then he affirms, That it is thefe Peoples Duty to withdraw from the Indulged to hear and countenance other Minifiers, who are not Indulged-, and he infinuates Realbns, why they are to with¬ draw from the one, and countenance the other. I. Tloe Hofi-indulged Preach uponChrifis call, but the Indulged Preach not upon Chrifis call, hut by mans Order. The Indulged Minifiers are not over the People in the Lord, are not fet over them to be their Pafiours and Overfeers by the Holy Ghofi, hut the JSf on-indulged are over them in the Lord, and fet over them as Pafiours and Overfeers by the Holy Ghofi. The Non-indulged Preach contrary to mans Order, or as it is in his aS queftions, they Preach upon the call of Chrifi, ^7td not upon the Warrant [479] and Or'der of the Council^ hut contrary thereto ; hut the Indulged Preach not contrary to the Warrant and Order of the Council. Hiere are not fuch exceptions againfi the Non-indulged^ as there are againfi the Indulged. The Non-indulged are owned and coun~ tenanced of the Lord in a remarkable and wonder- ful manner. The Indulged are not fo countenanced^ &c. Though he do not exprefly deny all to the Indulged, which he alcribes to the Non-indulged ; and though he do not*!fxprefly afcribe to the Non- indulged, what he denies to the Indulged j yet, leeing he is making a comparilbn to fliew the dif¬ ference betwixt the Indulged and not Indulged ; and leeing he is in this comparative balancing the In¬ dulged and not Indulged, whatever he puts, as pon¬ derous and advantageous in the one Scale, he mufi: keep it out of the other; and upon the contrary, what is wanting or naught in the one, muff be, or be right in the other, or elfe his comparifbn would not be fair, and his Weights and Balance falfe. Thus we have the ftate of the Queftion before us, let us examine how it Hands, and if it be con- flftent with the Hilforians tenets, i. He grants the Indulged Minifters to be Miniffers of the Gofpel; then his own mouth condemns him, for if they be Minilfers of the Gofpel, they have not renounced their Minifterial million and their dependance upon Chrift : And therefore the Hifforian grants, that he laid falfe, when he faid they had done fo. They who renounce that which effentially conlHtutes the Minifterial Office, they are notMiniftersoftheGoI- pel ; and they who are Minifters of the Gofpel, have not renounced what is eflentially conftitutive of the Gofpel- Gofpel-Miniftry. Thus the Hiftorian hath eateii in all thefc horrid calumnies of this nature, which in his Letters and this Hiftory he hath caft upon the Indulged Minifters. 2. If they be Minifters of the Gofpel, they ought to Preach the Gofpel : But this Hiftorian (ays, they (hould not Preach ; for he fays, none fliould hear them, but all (hould withdraw from them j and thus they (hould Preach the Go(^ pel, becaufe they are Minifters of the Go(pel, and they (hould not Preach, becau(e none (hould hear them, and Minifters are not obliged to Preach , where there are none to hear, and when none (hould hear: And thus he makes them Minifters and no Minifters ; for a Minifter who (hould Preach, and whom none (hould hear, is a Minifter and no Mi¬ nifter. He grants that the Minifterial A61;s, which they have done, are valid, they are not nullities ; but if this Hiftorian get his will, they (hall be in¬ capacitate to Baptize, &c. any more ; and thus he turns them into meer infignificant cyphers. The onely comfort in this fad ca(e is, that if they will but come out of the Kirk to the Fields, and (b change the place of their Preaching, they (hall make as fignificant figures as the Non-indulged : For he who is but a cypher in the Kirk, will make a great figure in the Fields, though he (land there alone, and no other Minifter be with him : This is a new Arithmetical invention, to make a cypher, which fignified nothing, by a racer local removal, to become a very fignificant figure, though no fi¬ gure be prefixed to it, to add any virtue to it. I wonder whence it comes, that the Fields and Moun¬ tains in Scotland have fuch virtue, and have it not [4SI1 in aiiy other part of the World, that we hear of) for mScotland, according, to this Authors Opinion? a Minifter who fignifies nothing in a Kirk, where the Magiftrate allows him the peaceable exercife ot his Minilfry, if he will take the Fields, he fliall not only be a man, a Miniller in the Fields, but chear- fully heard , and countenanced, and owned, not onelyof men, but of the Lord in a wonderful man¬ ner: And the Bleiling which was wiih-held from the People in the Rirk, juftly bccaufe of their lin, they lhall find it in the Fields, notwithftanding of their provocations. See fag. 1^^. Or if the Au¬ thor thought that the Fields had this force every where, I wonder how he did not take the Fields in Holland, where they fay the Magifirate claims more Power,in reference to matters of Religion,than the Hiftorian allows- but on the contrary, he Ifayed with in the Kirk,as long as the Magiftrate allowed, & eveil when the Magiftrate would not fulfer him to Preach in the Kirk, he never went to the Fields, for a-ny thing we could hear, but kepthimfelf within doors. I fee the change of places makes a change in feme mens minds, and therefore that doth not hold always; Caelum non animum mutant, (^ui trans mare currunt^ And that the FelloW'Who (aid , Si in hie ejjes , aliter [entires, was not altogether fenfelefs. But again, if the Indulged Miniffers be Miniftcrs cf the Gofpel, and do indeed Preach the Gpfpel, then the People who received them -as their own Minifiers, formerly ordained by the Presbytery to ' take the charge of them ; or who in their defiitute condition, invited them as Miniflers, ordained, toi Come and Preach the Gofpel to them, are obliged H h fo' to own them as Minifters of the Gofpel, and to countenance them in Preaching, and if they with¬ draw from them, and break off that Communion in the publick pure Worlhip of God in which they formerly joyned , they are guilty not only of in¬ gratitude, in delerting the Minifters of the Gofpel, who come upon their invitation, to help them in their deftitute condition, but they are guilty of Se¬ paration or Schiftn. a. He grants, That it is not fimfly (inful to hear the Indulged Minifiers. Then he laid falle, when he fiid, Thefe Minifiers luere not Chrifis Ambafia- dours^ for to hear thefe , as Minifiers^ as Chrifis Ambajjddours, who are not fent by him, but fent by men Ufurfing Chrifs Authority, were fimply Jinful, if they have renounced their dependance on Chrifi, &c. a. And he fpeaks a grofi untruth, when he lays. That the hearing of Indulged Minifiers ts an homologating^ countenancing, approving of a finful Supremacy, and that the hearing of Cur at s is an ap~ proving of T'relacy • for the approving of that which ■IS finful,- and in its own nature finful, is fimply fin- f d j the approving of that which is in it felf ill, and always a^id at all times evil, that is, not only now and then, but always, and in all cafes finful, and fimply finful 3. He grants. That if there were no other Mmifters in Scotland, that none would fcruple to hear the Prelates Curates : And in his 2 8 que- ftions, That in that cafe not only might the Indulged and the Curat s be heard, but they jhould and ought to be heard. Then he muft quit that conceit, that the hearing of Indulged Minifters, and of Curats, t" an approbation of finful Supremacy and Prelacy ; . ... for men fliould never approve that which is in its lelf evil. n. He milerably torments the Conlch ences of the poor fimple- People, who will believe him; for he tells them, it’s unlawful to hear Indul¬ ged Minifters while there are others in Scotland to be heard ; but if there be no others, then it’s not only Lawful, but a Duty to hear the Indulged Mi¬ nifters : So that the People, in Order to the refolu- tion of this cafe of Confcience, whether they do right or wrong in hearing or not hearing the In¬ dulged Minifters, they muft inform themfelves, whether there be any other Minifter alive in Scot¬ land ^ and fb long as they hear there is any one a- live, though he were living in the MuU of Galloway^ and they were living at John a Grots, it were fin- ful for them to hear Indulged Minifters ; but if he were dead, it were a fin not to hear : And fb the People would be in Confcience obliged to keep up a conftant intelligence, that they might know how foon that Minifter died, that they might not neg- - ledl their Duty in hearing Indulged Minifters. His advice to hear the Curats or Indulged Minifters, in cafe there were no other to hear, comes too late to the People whom he commends tor their leading of Minifters, and breaking the ice, for they are far before him here ; for they will choofe rather to hear none at all, than to hear either Bilhops Curats, or Council-Curats ; and fome of them fay, they like the laft worfe than the firft : Arid if the Hiftorian were living, there are fome of thefe People who would not hear himfelf, if they knew he were of that Opinion, that either Indulged Minifters or Curats fhould be heard in any cafe. Some of therri Hh would / [484] wo lid tell him, that he is all midakcn, when he thinks that the Baptifin adminiftred by Curats is valid, and is not a nnllity ; for they judge it to be_ much worle than a nullity, to be even the mark ot the Bead. And feeing he acknowledges the Peo¬ ple for Guides, he mud follow them, they will not come back to him ; if he cry after them, that be meant not flagitious and ignorant Curats, but thole who are knowing and of fober converliitions, they will cry back, we who are common People, arc not for dilbnefions, as ye your felf faid; \Ve will hear none of them in no calc ; whole Sale is good Sale: And therefore follow us, who have guided you, who are Miniders, now along time, and ye your (elf have commended us for good Guide3,and if ye will not follow us, we and you will (bed, for ye are flipped afide, we are where we were, ye are fallen oflj and fo we are not to be blamed for the breach. And if the Hidorian have no other Rca- Ibn for hearing the Indulged, or the Conforraids, when folk can do no other ways but that which he mentions, viz,, the fhunning of that ablurdity , that if they were no Miniders, their Baptifms, o^c. would be nullities, and the Children were unbap¬ tized : If this be all, it may be made ule of to per- Iwade the People in a midcr lohearaPopifb Pried, for the Baptidn that he adminiders is not a nullity, and Papids when they turn Protedants, are not re¬ baptized • and where. away this will lead, let any who have any difcerning in thefe matters, judge. The Reafons for which he would have the Peo¬ ple with-drawmg, arc, I. That they are not called hy Chrifh, 7Jor fet over the Teople hy the Holy GhoJl.y . hut [4S)] hut hy the Coimcil. IF ic be reduced to form,^ and candidly propofed, ic muft run thus: The Coun¬ cil permitted and allowed the Indulged Minifters the peaceable exercifeof theirfMinildry, in fuch and fuch Congregations, and therefore they were not called by Chnft, nor fet over thefe Congregations by the Holy Gholt : The conlequence is mamfehly falfe, for if the Magiftrates.Civil.allowance oi the publick peaceable exercifeof the Mmiftry, do make void the poceftative million, which Minilkrs have from Chrift, in their Ordination j and if it dellroys the Peoples invitation, and. the advice and.conlent of Minifters concerned , all which the Indulged blinifters had, as hath been lliewed before • then it will follow, that where ever the Magiftrate permits, allows, appoints Minifters to Preach, that there there are no Minifters called by Chnft, or fee ovei 1 co.^ pie by the Holy Ghoftj and ot what pcinicioiis confequence this is, and how deftruclive to the Mi- niftry of the Gofpel in all places of the Woild, where the Magiftrate allows ot it, any may fee With half an eye. Again, may not the People of thefe Congregations reatbn thus, it rhcle Minifters, who either were Ordained our IMiniftcrs by the Pies- bycery, or thofe whom we in our deftitute condi¬ tion did invite to come and help us, and who canitp with the advice and confent of the generality ot the Minifters, which was all could be expedled in fuch a broken time for fetting them among us, and applying their Miniftry to us for a time: If thefe be not our Minifters, then certainly there are none whom we can call our Minifters. Is not this die w^ay to fhake thefe People loofe of all relation to any H\i ^ Mini-- [486] Mlnifters, as their Minifters, or as Pent by Chrifl to them. If the Hiftorian will not deny that the Minifters not Indulged are called of Chriftto Preach to the People who are not of the Congregations where they were formerly Minifters, why ftiould he deny this to the Indulged Minifters, who have much more to make up a Relation betwixt them and thefe People, than they have to make up a Relation betwixt them and other Minifters, whom it may be they never heard nor law before, and are not Pure whether they be Minifters or not ? Such wild fancies as this Author and others have Puggefted to the People, have brought Ibme to that, that they have reipe^f to no Mi; lifters, and others care for none, except one or two, ot whom others who are more difcernlng, are much afliamed. As for that Reafbn , that Indulged Minifters Preach according to mans Order, and the not In¬ dulged Preach not upon the Warrant and Order of the Council, but contrary thereunto. If it be truly propoPed, it muft run thus : The Indulged have a Civil Order or Warrant for the peacable cxercife of iheir Miniftry, and fb their Preaching in thele Pa- rifhes to which they are Indulged, is not contrary to the Magiftrates will, feeing the Magiftrate allows them to Preach in thefe places, and therefore Peo¬ ple are to withdraw from hearing them, that they may countenance thefe Minifters, who have no Puch Civil Vyarrant for the peaceable cxercife of their Miniftry, but Preaches contrary to the Magiftrates Will. Now what Reafbn is in this, that the' Indul- ■ ged Minifters fhould be difcountenanccd and de¬ fer ted, becaufe the Magiftrate allows them the peace¬ able [487] able exerdfe of their Mmiftry, and that thefe Mi- nifters fliould onely be heard, who Preach con¬ trary to the Magillrates will : The Indulged were as far from receiving their Miniftry or Inftrudions to Regulate them in the exercife of their Miniftry, as the not Indulged were. This was the difference, that the Magiftrate did countenance or allow the Preaching of the Indulged, and difcountenance and difallow the Preaching of the Non-indulged ; and (hould the Indulged be difcountenanced , becaufe the Magiftrate did permit and allow their Preach¬ ing? This bewrays a great difi'efpcdl: to the Magi¬ ftrate : Why would not the Author try this in HoU land, and with fbme of his Profelytes have taken the Fields, and called away the People from the Minifters, who were countenanced by the Magi¬ ftrate, to hear them who Preached without and con¬ trary to the Magiftrates Order. The People might have countenanced the Non-indulged, and yet not deferred the 'Indulged; for there were many other places befides Indulged Parifties, who defired the help of outcd Minifters , and the countenance of the People, who deferred Indulged Minifters, did not continue towards the Non-indulged, who would not humour them in all things, and hold up their yeas and nays ; and as fbon as any of thefe outed Minifters began to fignifie their inclination to have the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry under the Protedlion of Lawful Authority, thefe People who meafured Minifters faithfulnefs by their Preaching contrary to the Magiftrates will, did caft at them as Apoftates. This I fuppofe is a new Teft for trying what Minifters are called of Chrift, which H h 4 hath [488] huh not been before this heard in the Reformed Churches, 'viz,. They whom the Magiftrate allow? to Preach, they are not called of Chriff, and are to be withdrawn from ; they who Preach contrary to the Magiftrates will, they are called of Chrilf, and to be countenanced ; But it is a deteftable teft, for it would calf all the Minifters of the Golpel through the World, who have the countenance and prote6fion of Lawful Authority. But though this Tell had neither Foundation in Scripture, nor Rea- fbn, being contrary to both j yet it was pretty well calculate for the new Common-wealth, which was to be railed upon the Ruines of the prelent Magi- ftrates. As lor that Realbn, that there are not fuch exceptions againfl: the Non-indulged as againlt the Indulged; 1 have file wed before, that the excepti¬ ons againft the Indulged are calumnies, and if Mi- i^ilfers lhall be caft and delertcd upon calumnies, it’s an ealie thing to depofe them all. It hath been ob- lerved, that th.e belt Minifiers have been moft ca¬ lumniate, and they whom the Lord put in greateft capacity to L him Service, the Devil and his In- ftruments dm Jain moft filthy calumnies at liich; bow many calumnies were call upon our Lord Je- fus, the chiet Shepherd, when he was Minilter of the Circumcifion : Many exceptions were made a- gainft Paul, the chofen veflel til Chrift. Atha7ja' Jilts was horribly calumniate by the Arrians. As for what he fays of the wonderful fucccls of the Non-indulged, and rich Bleffing attending their Miniltry, it hath been oblerved by many who were not Indulged, that tire Lord blelled the Miniltry ot ihcfe nor Indulged Minifters, who made it their ^ bull- [4^91 bufinefs to Preach the Gofpel, and to teach the things which made for Peace and Edification • but as for thofe few, who made it their bufinefs to di¬ vide the People, and draw them away from the In¬ dulged Minifters, that they left the People worfe than they found them: For the People who liftned to them, became more carelefs of learning the grounds of Religion, and had little heart to any thing but thefe jangling Debates, which did not tend to Edification, but Divifion and Confufion ; and that they become more vain, and felf-conceited, and cenforious , and forae of them become great and manifeft lyars, and calumniators, and of a bit¬ ter inveftive difpofition. And if tryal be made in thefe Parilhes, where the Indulged Miniilers are, it will be found, that thefe deferters of the Miniftry of the Indulged Minifiers, are far inleriour in know¬ ledge, love, diligence to others who have con-^ Ifantly countenanced the Miniftry of Indulged Mi¬ nifters. But this Rcafon of defecting the Indul¬ ged Minifters, is alio of moft dangerous coiiie- quence.and would break the beft conftituted Church of the World, if it were reduced to praftice, and^ therefore the general Aflembly of the Church ot Scotland made an A£f againft liich as withdraw thcmielves l^-om the publick Worfliip in their own Congregations; and this A6t was made, as appears in the Adf it felf, for prefer ving Order, Unity, and Peace in the Kirk, for maintaining that Relpedb which is due to. the Ordinances and Minifters of Jeflis Chrift, for preventing Schifm, nolfom Er¬ rors, and all unlawful Praftifes, v/hich may fol¬ low on the Peoples withdrawing thcmfelves from their [ 49° ] their own Congregations. And any may (ee, that if People ought to go to thele Minifters, who are moH: eminent for gifts, grace, utterance, fuccefs j then all the Congregations of Minifters, who arc left eminent for gilts and graces, and have left fuc- ceft in their Miniftry, would be quite diflblved. And oft-times weak Minifters have more fucceft in their Miniftry, than thofe who are every way more eminent, as to gilts and graces : Is not the great Paftor of allPaftors brought in by the Prophet, re¬ gretting he had laboured in vain ? Had ever Chrift in the days of his flefti fuch fucceft as Feter had in one Sermon ? ABs 2. Mr. Rutherfurd^ in his Due right of Freshytery ^ (hews, that even the Inde¬ pendents would not allow of a Separation from a Congregation where all the Ordinances of Chrift are, though the Minifters were left Powerful and Spiritual, to another Congregation, where incom¬ parably there is a more Powerful and more Spiri¬ tual Miniftry, fag>7^- the Independents alledged, that it was the want of fomething which Chrift commanded , which caiiled them leparate. To which Mr. Rutherfurd, after feveral other things, aniwers, pag. 72. That it is not Chrifts command, Mat.z'^. I o. to leparate from thele Churches, and to renounce all communion with them , , becaufe theft, who fat in Mofes Chair did neglect many Ordinances of Chrift ; for when they gave the falft meaning of the Law, they ftole away the Law, and (b a principal Ordinance of God:and yet Chrift I believe forbad Separation, when he commanded that they Ihould hear them, Mat. 25. But the In¬ dependents were not Ib in love with Separation, as to to allow Separation from a Church, where all the Lords Ordinances might be enjoyed in Purity, though not in fo Powerful a manner as in another Congregation. The Hiftorian dare not deny the Indulged to be Minifters of the Gofpel, he dare not fay, that the Ordinances are not difpenled by them in Purity, according to Chrifts Inftitution ; he dare not fay, that there are any of Chrifts Or¬ dinances wanting in the Kirks, which are to be had in the Fields j he dare not fay, that any thing fm- ful is required, as a condition of Church-fellow- Ihip in the Congregations where Indulged Mini- fters Preach ; he dare not lay, that thefe Indulged Minifters did intrude themlelves upon thefe Con¬ gregations againft the will of the People, for they were invited to come, and the People evidenced their confent to their coming, by a chearful atten¬ dance upon the Ordinances difpenled by thele Mi¬ nifters : and yet he concludes, that it’s unlawful for the People to hear them, and that it s their Duty to break oft from that Church-communion and fel- lowftiip , in which they did formerly joyn with them ; for he prefles withdrawing : And he makes this withdrawing trom the Indulged Minifters,which is fo eafie to every profane Perlbn, as he is profane, to be the Duty of a neceftary Teftimony againft ftnful Ulurpations ; and fo thefe profane ,Pcrfbns, who profanely withdraws from the Lords Ordinan¬ ces, in which they never had any delight, and are glad of any pretext for abfenting themlelves, are put in conceit that their profanity makes them Mar¬ tyrs, or VVitneffes to the Truth, and againft fin- ful Ufurpations. Any may fee from his ftating of the [49^] the Queftion, that he hath been miferably confoun¬ ded and perplexed. In one of his Letters he fays, There ts jin wrapt up in hearing the Indulged^ which would feera to make the hearing of them intrinle- cally, and lb fimply finful; here he makes it onely . unlawful, by realbn of Tome Circumilahces, and that which he gives as a Circumlfance,is one of the oddelf Circumllances that ye have readily heard C’fj it flands lb far oft', and at great a diftance from hearing, that it's a wonder how it fhould have any influence to change it in its Morality. He fays, it’s unlawful to hear the Indulged while there are any other Minifters in all Scotland to hear ; but when ilicre are no other, then it’s not onely Lawful, but it’s Duty to hear ; that then not onely they may be heard, but they fliould be heard; Ic’sflrange, that the Life of a Minifler living, it may be 40, 5-0 miles from People, who live in places v/here In¬ dulged Minifters are, fhould make their hearing of thefc Indulged Minifters unlawful, and then liis death fiiould make it Duty. Seeing he was of Opi¬ nion, that fuch remote Circumftances, which come not near by many miles, make this cha. .ge in hear- - ing ; it was a very ill wailed expreftion which he ufed in his Letter, 'uiz,. That jin VJ.ts wrapt up in hearing the Indulged: It had been more confonant to this unlawfulnels, which avifes from Circumftan¬ ces which are fo remote, that they cannot be fo much as called adjacent, they lie fb far off, and keep at fuch adiftance from the Perfon who is con¬ cerned to know whether his heaving be fm or Duty, that though he keep up a moft exadf Intelligence, It will be two or three days ere he can hear ot the [49^1 Clrcumftance that alters the nature of his hearing the Indulged Minifters. I %, it had been more conibnant to fuch a circumflantial unlawfulnefi, to have faid, that fin was wrapped about it, or rather that it was wrapped up at a great dillance from if, than that fin was wrapped up in it : For feeing he had a mind that this unlawfulnefs fhould be taken off by the change of fome very extrinfecal things, he did foolifhly to put this unlawfulnefs within, for it is not fb eafie to pick out what is within, as to flip off that which is without. I heard from a grave and judicious Minifter, who had occafion to meet with one of the young men, who Preached confidently what this Hiftorian wrote, that that Youth kept to this expreffion, That fin ivas 7vraft up in hearing Indulged Minifiers, as if it had been his Text ; and the poor People drunk in this Schifmatick poifon, and it hath taken with their af- fedfion, that in all\ppcarance, though the Hifto¬ rian were alive, and would write a hundred Let¬ ters, and print twenty Books, and declare in them, that there is no fin wrapt up" in hearing Indulged Minifters, thefe People would not believe him, but would adhere to his firft Letter : It’s an eafie thing to drop in the poifon of Error and Schifm in fim- ple Peoples heads, and hearts, but it’s not fo eafie to purge it out again : It’s eafie to beget prejudices again ft Gods Ordinances, and draw People from the Kirk, but it’s not fo eafie to remove thefe pre¬ judices, and bring them again to the Ordinances. The Heart is naturally corrupt, and corrupt Do- dfrines are kindly to it, and it takes well with them, and they with it: And Error is like a fretting gan" green. [494] green, the longer it continues, it rots and fpreads the more. And it’s obferved, that when People drinks in erroneous Do6trines, upon the bare word of thefe, who teach Divifion, and their heart and afFe6):ion takes with Error, though they have nei- ther fhadow of Scripture or Reafon for it, that they 1 are hardly recovered from thele delulions j for Peo- j| pie who are milled by (bme wrefted Scripture, or captious Reafoning, they may be more eafily reco- vered, by Ihewing the true meaning of the wrefted and mil^applyed Scripture, and the captioufiieft of the falfe Reafonin g. But when People will err, and | love to wander, and will ft umblc, though they wot j not at what, and are fo affedfionately addidlcd to ,1 their erroneous Opinions, that they will hear no- [.{ thing that makes againft them, there is little proba¬ bility of Cure i for as they received them without Reafon, becaufe they would receive them, fo they retain them againft Reafon, and cannot endure to have thefe beloved tenets brought under examina¬ tion and tryal, and therefore they readily flee out in Paftion, upon any who Would inform them j as mens Lulls are their Idols, fb are their Errors, when they are once fettled in their hearts., Augufiine , faid, that his error was his God, Error metis erat Detts metis. Now if this Hiftorian, who was a man of letters^ be fb confounded and confuled in Hating thisQue- ftion, and is involved in grofscontradidlions, what ■ wonder, if the poor people, who are not fit for De- ; • bates, be whirled round by fuch whirl-winds, and J; contrary winds, into a confuted giddinefs, that they '■ wot not what they fay, or affirm^ and know not what * [4951 what to do ; and be like Children, that have lb long run about, that they fall down, as unable to ftand or move any more : So they are fo confound¬ ed with thele perplexed Queftions about hearing, which cannot be propounded, and far left relblved, without manifeft Abfurdities and Contradi61:ions, that many of them are fallen over in a careleft la- zineft and indifferency about all hearing of the Word, and (pends the Lords day in fleeping, loy- tering, and idle wandring. The Hiftorian doth but wafte time and paper , when he (ays, that in our beft times. People were not (b tyed to the hearing of their Minifters, as that they might never, or in no cafe hear others j for that is not the Queftion : But this is the true (late of the Queftion, Whether People who ha've thefe Minivers to hear, ivho were formerly Ordained hy the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, to their Pafiors, and thofe who have thefe Minifers to hear, whom they invited to come and help them, when they were dejlitute, and had none to Preach to them ^ if thefe People who have confented to receive the Lords Ordinances from thefe Minifiers, and have waited on their Mini fry, and joyned with them m the Lords JVorJhip, if they ought to break off that Church fellowjhip, and though they acknowledge thefe Minifiers to he Minifiers of the Gofpel, and though thefe Minifiers Preach the Gofpel, and difpenfe the Lords Ordinances, according to the Lords Infiitution, yet if they ought to withdraw conffantly from hear¬ ing them, and that becaufe if s unlawful to hear them, and there is Jin wrapt up in hearing them, ^nd that they are called of God to withdraw, that [496] in doing fo, they may hear v^itnefs againfi the fi7ifui Ufar pat ions mantfefi in the Indulgence^ and the many evils in accepting it j or more fhortly. If it be fn for thefe People to hear thefe Minijlers, a7id if it be their Duty to dcfert them, and feparate thefnfelves ' from thefe Congregations where they exercife their Minifiry. This Hiftorian fcemeth to be for the Af¬ firmative and fo confident that thefe People do right in withdrawing, that he fays, One might thmk it (Irange, that there fould be any necejfity to vm^ die ate them, confi dering what he hath faid above, I am one of tliefe, who have confidered what he hath faid above, and I thought it very ftrange how he could vent fuch grofs and manifeftly falfe Ca¬ lumnies againfi faithful Minifl:ers,and how he could wrefl and pervert their true, right, honefl words, contrary to common fenfe and equity j that he might wring out of them that which never entred in the thoughts or heart of thefe Miniflers. And again, I think it flrange, that by thefe falfe and groundlefs Calumnies which he hath caft upon thefe honefl; Miniflers, he fhould labour to rent the Church of God by Schifm, by breaking thefe who will li- jflen to him, off from communicating with the true Church in the true Worfhip of God, and by pref- fing then! to difown and defert thefe Miniflers, whom they formerly owned and countenanced, and whom they are flill obliged to own, and have no jufl caufe to defert, except his falfe Calumnies be accounted jufl caufes. Having obferved the confufion and contradi6li- ons in which the Hiflorian hath involved himfelf in dating the Queflion, it remains to confider, what he [4971 Ke fays for the vindication of thefe who (cruple to hear and own the Indulged Miniders. But feeing he lays nothing bur what he hath faid before, and is formerly refuted, I hope the Reader will not ex-‘ pebf that Ifliould play the goke, in repeating again his Cuckows, and refuting them, although I fol¬ lowed him before in his extravagant wandfings j when he without, and contrary to all lenfe and rea- Ibn, imagined that this or that, or the other thing was the meaning of the Indulged Miniflers words* yet I cannot have any pretext lor making meer re¬ petitions in his wandrings, there was variety ot vairt imaginations, which made the refutation of them lefs tedious, but to repeat the fame things to no pur- pole but to wafte time and paper, would be intole- ' rably tedious and nauleating. I Ihall onely by an- Iwering his firft Queflion, fhew the way of anlwer- ing the reft. i. Seetng by ivhat is faid under our firfi head of Arguments^ &c. Anjv.\ Seeing by what is faid, in anfwer to your firft head of Arguments,' it is manifeft that the Indulged, in and by their ac¬ cepting of the Indulgence, have not wronged our Lord Jefus Chrift, who is the onely Head of the Church, and King in Zion^ in any of rhele nine fe- veral particulars ( which are nine feveral Calum¬ nies, the ordinary Arguments which he makes ufe of againft the Indulged Minifters, for he could find no true Arguments to his purpole againft them. J How can they but be blamed, who out of a finful credulity, make upor take up fuch vile Reproaches againft faithful Minifters, and then out of thefe Calumnies create to themfelvesfcruples, which (care them from hearing thefe whom the Lord hath lent I i to [498] .to Preach the Gofpel to them. And fb through the veil: of his Queftions, where he refers to his heads of Arguments, I refer to the Anfwirs, which cuts oft' both heads and tails of thele captions. As for the Arguments taken out of the late Apo¬ logy, which, contrary to the intention of the Apo- logift, he abufes (for he perverts the words both of the dead and living) they make nothing againftj the hearing of the Indulged Minifters j (let the Con- formifts lay for themlelves) for the applications which the Hiftorian makes to the Indulged, are manifeftly falle, as hath been already manifefted in Anfwering the Hiftorians Captions and Cavils. It cannot be denyed, that Ibme who have taken upon them to difeufs that queftion about hearing Conformifts, have ufed Arguments, and laid down Grounds, which are new conceits, and contrary to the Principles of die old Non-conformifts, and tend dire<5dy to Schifm. I Ihall onely relate Ibme of the words of a Godly Learned Minifter, who in An¬ fwering the 1 8 Queftions, which this Hiftorian lent over before his Hiftory, hath fpoken fomewhat with great Modefty, to tliis purpofe. In Anfwering the Hiftorians 8f A Queftion, after he hath (hewed how great difference there is betwixt the Indulged Mini¬ fters and the Conformifts, he lays. But there is one thing 1 would gladly enquire of him: In his Paren- thcfis he feems to hmt, that the hearing of thefe Mi~ nijhrs who hanje comflyed in their own charges^ oi’hrre they were orderly fixed by the Church of Scot¬ land, is a complying with Brelacy: For my own fart^ I fie not how he will infiiruci this ; and if the , Jinfiilnejs of hearing themy upon the account of com- ptyance^ [499] pljance, which is their own perfonal guilt, he maln^ tained. I fee not how that Dohhine can be jufiifed from owning the Frinciples of Separation , but I Jhall be glad to learn of hi?n : I confefs mj judgment hitherto hath been, that it ts the Duty of the Teo- fie to feek their Edification by Presbyterian Minifiers, whether in Houfes, Fields, or Kirks j and that it is their Duty to difcmntenance Curates of aU kinds'. And for intruders, I am not clear for hearing of them, except tranfiently for it's very hard to fay, that it's finful in it felf to hear them at any time. But for them who comply in their own charges, and Preach Orthodox Docirine, without corrupting the Ordit. nances, fo as there be no corruptions that are made the conditions of Peoples Communion,, I fee not how in that cafe it can be made out, that it is Jinful- for People to hear them when they can get no better to hear, which the Author himfelf grants, in fating the ^efiion, and therefore is the more concerned to fee to it. It will be necejfary we reconcile our prabli- ces with our old Principles , for if we drink in new Principles, and once remove March fiones, it's hard to know where we may hold j and 7ve had need to be jealous of that new Light which drives us from our old Principles. In Anfwering his xSth. he ^iiys, This is new DoBrine, that hearing of Adinifiers will in-- volve the People in the approbation of their fnful entry : It zs eafie to ajfert fuch things, but he will put his Re afon upon the Rack before he prove this, g. When he /peaks of the Curates, why does he confound countenancing and hearing, as he dot o feveral times ^ in this Paper ? May not Minifiers in difpenfing of I i % Ordi-' [jfoo] Ordmances mthout the mixtures of mens inventions, sf they be true Ministers, be heard in many cafes, nnthout countenancing their entry and their courfe ? I do ivifh from my heart , that the Peofle in this .^ieflion about hearing had been more dtfiin^ly in¬ formed, fo as they might guard dgainfi Rocks on both Jides, for I fear the negleB of this Jhall be the occa- fion of drinking in of Principles againfi, or contrary to the former Principles of the Church of Scot¬ ian J. And in the dole of that Anfwer, he intrcats the Author of thefe ^8 Queftions, to ponder how the Dodrlne which he delivers, agrees with the Do- drine of our Divines, againft Separation. It is the common aOertion of our Divines againft Separa- tifts, that where the corruptions of a Church are not made the condition of our Communion , it is not Lawtul to Separate : And Mr. Rutherfurd, in his Peaceable Plea, Chap, i o. makes this the Que- ftion, Whether or not it be Lawful to Separate from a true Church vifible, for pbe corruption of Teach¬ ers, and the wickednefs of Pafiors and ProfeJJors, where faith is begotten by the Preaching of thepro- fef'ed Truth. And through that Chapter he allerts and clears the Negative of that Queftion. Allb (fays he) ^\\\Broune, in his Book againft Volfo- gen, pleads againft Separation, becaufe of the cor¬ ruption of Minifters, where Chrifts Ordinances are pure, and the Effence of the Miniftry is not deftroyed by their corruptions. And fb, though the Indulgence had been linfully accepted, which yet we deny, it would not deftroy the Effence of their Miniftry, for the Hiftorian grants they are true [s;o'] true Minifters; and he does not charge them with corrupting the Ordinances, and therefore the Hi- ftorian is condemned by Mr. Rutherfurd and Mr. Broune. The Non-conformifts might have kept up all due refpe6i: to Presbyterian Minifters, and conftantly adhered to them and their Miniftry , though that new Dodrine of the fmfulnefs of hear¬ ing Conformifts had never been taught to them; but Tome folk cannot do, except they over-do ^ and in running from one extream rufh upon anothei. I know Ibme alledge, that they fee further in thele matters than the old Non-conformifts did, and they thin is that the old Non-conformifts in writing a- gamit Separatifts, have wronged the Caufe. But it is not want of Ignorance that aileth fuch People, we are lar behind thefc Godly and Learned men, both in Heavenly Wifdom, and true tendernefs, and Zeal; and that which many take for Light and Zeal is Ignorance, Error, Humour, and the wrath of man which perfedfs not the Righteoufhefs of God. Any who have read what is laid before, will fee that thefe Arguments of the Apologift does con¬ clude npthing againft hearing the Indulged Mini¬ fters, for the applications are manifeftly falle. I ne¬ ver heard of any Indulged Minifter, “who entred into the Congregation ot a living outed Minifter, fave one, who had the confent of that Minifter, who was out of the Countrey, and had no accefs to his People. As for what the Author fays in the application of tbe Apologifts yfL Argument, that the hearing of Indulged Minifters is enjoy ned and required by Law, as a fign of complyance with, and fubjedting to Erafiianifm^ and the Supremacy, [joz] is fo manifeft an untruth , that I wonder how his Confcience could fuffer his hand to write it : And yet I have found fb many talfhoods of this kind be¬ fore, that I need not wonder ; and it were unrealb- nabie to expedl any other Arguments againft Truth and Innocency, and for Schifm , but fuch as are patched up of lies and calumnies. After all his Queflions, 1 may propofe one Queftion, Why in his Taper feiit over before this Hifiory^ and in this Hi' fiory, he doth not Argue poftively, that ifs unlaw¬ ful to hear the Indulged flinifters^ but onely moves <^eJlions, if they jhould be condemned^ who do net own and hear the Indulged^ as they did formerly : And after he hath done with his mil-application of the Apologias Arguments, where he feems more po- fitivc, yet be ends all with a Queftion, which he refers to the judgment ot the Reader, pag. I apprehend the Hilfonan durft not torhisConlcience conclude, that it was finful to hear, or that it was a Duty to withdraw from hearing the Indulged Mi¬ ni ifers ; he knew, and his Conlcience put him to declare, that the acceptance of the Indulgence and the Councils Order, as he calls it, Iktling the In¬ dulged Minillers, -did not make it finful to hv-ar thele Minifters, for he confelfes, that notwithftandingof the fettling of thefe Minilfers by the Councils Or¬ der, yet, if there were no other to be heard, they not onely might be Lawfully heard and joyned with, but they Ihould and ought to be heard. See the Hating of the Queftion in his 2.8 Queflions. But though he durft not pofitively conclude the finful- nels of hearing the Indulged Minillers, yet the poor People thinks that he hath done it j and they are run fb f [iroj] fo far from hearing the Indulged Mini (lets, that they are without his cry to bring them back, though there were no other to hear : And too many by thele queftions about hearing, are become carclefs of all hearing, and fome place their Religion in no hear¬ ing. It had been good for many they had never intermedled with t&fe queftions about hearing, for they are by the wind of Erroneous and Schifma- tical Dodfrines, driven from the Publick Worfhip of God : And they take the profanation of the Sab¬ bath in defpifing the Publick Ordinances to be a piece of tenderneft and Religion j and if the Lord prevent it not, they are like to turn Quakers, Pa¬ gans, Atheifts, and to ftiake off the very form of Religion, both in publick, private, and lecret. The Lord in mercy pity and prevent the mine that the poor People are blindly running upon. ^ Page 159. He propofts Objedfions to oe an- fwered. ' ^ ^ , The ftrft Objedfion ftiould have been propoled thus. Minifiers of the Goff el, are Ordained and admitted Minifiers of their refieclive Congre¬ gations , and Minifiers who not having accejs to thefe Congregations, where they were Ordained Mi¬ nifiers, are invited by defolate vacant Congregati¬ ons to Treach the Goff el to them , and who, ufon their invitation and confent of the Minifiers concern¬ ed, come to helf thefe defiitute, defolate Congrega¬ tions , Jhould not be difowned, difcountenancea, de- ferted, 7vhile they are doing the IVark of the Alini- firy, to which God hath called them by thefe Feop t, who invited them to Preach the Goff el to them ; But the Indulged Minifiers were either Ordained, See. or I i 4 invited. [5'f’.4] invited, and come 7vith confent of the Mintjlers concerned, &c. And therefore they fiould not be dejerted while they are doing the IVork of the Lord, to which thefe reffetfive Congregations invi¬ ted them. If he had thus propofed the Argument, he could not have evaded the force of it, "but it is his way to make ObjetSlions fo, as he may leave Ibme way for himfelf to elcape. The true ftate of the Qiieition is, JLhethcr theje refgcBive Congrega¬ tions jhoa Id dijown and rejeB theje Minijters of the Gojpel, whom they had invited, andwith conjent of the Mintjlers concerned, had received and appropri¬ ate to themfelves, to whom they had fubmitted, and whom they had coimtenanced in the exercife of their Minifiry. Now, why fliould they rejedt them, as if they had nothing to do with them, whom they received ? Why Ihould they dilbwn them, whom they owned, and whom they delired to own them? Why fhould they witlidraw from hearing thefe , whom they Invited to Preach ta them ? Should they leave theirijbecaufe they Preach the Gofpel to them ? While this Author calls in queffion, if the Indul¬ ged Mmiflers be Lawfully called, and appropriate Pallours of this Church, he calls in quellion, if this Church have any Paftours- for they were Ordained by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery accord¬ ing to the Order of the Gofpel j and if this make them not Paflours of this Church, I would know who are Paflours of it. As for his fecondObjeclion, takenfromMr.L;- vinffionh Advke to hesir Mr. John Scot, an Indulr ged Mini Her, he had better forborn to mention it, than 10 have pafl it with fuch Anfwers a? he gives. Mr. [joj] lAwLiv'mgjton^ whom he acknowledges an emi¬ nent Seer and Servant of Chrilf, advifedtohearthe Indulged. This Hiftorian advifes fo withdraw irom hearing the Indulged : And it’s no difparagemenc to the Hiftorian, to fay, that Mr. Ltnjingfion% Ad¬ vice was preferable to this Hiftorians Advice, who for Learning, Piety, Prudence, Experience, and Age, was tar inferiour to Mr. Lvv'mgfton. The onely thing which Mr. Livingfion mifled, fo far as I remember, was a Teftimony j and if he had been well informed of the Teftimonies which the Indul¬ ged Brethren gave, upon (cveral occafions, and particularly before the Council, and ot the conlb- nancy of their Practice to their verbal Teftimony, and their former Principles, he would have “been much confirmed in advifing to hear Indulged Mi- nifters. The Hiftorian fays, that he does not cer¬ tainly know whether this Advice of Mr. Living¬ fion proceeded from want of full information of Circumftances, or from Ignorance of the Magi- ftrates defign, or from fear , that Field-meetings would ceafe ; but he inclines to the laft, becaufe Mr. Livingfion fpeaks not of his Peoples going to the Field-meetings. Anfw. We have feen that any Light which this Hiftorian hath gotten from Circumftances, is dark- nefs. And 1 am very confident, if Mr. Livingfion had lived to fee what Erroneous and Schifmatick in¬ ferences this Hiftorian hath made from the infor- \ mation which he hath gotten of many Circumftan¬ ces, and had feen the horrid Divifions and Confu- following upon thefe Erroneous dividing Do- cfrinu, lie would either havQ judged, that that Cir- [yo6] Circumftantial Light was darknefs, or if it was i light, that this Hillorian did draw darknefi out of light. But I know no Circumftance of any im¬ portance which could make any thing again!! the Indulgence, which was unknown to Mr. Living- fion. Mr. Livlngfion was a wifer man, than to take his meafures of judging of the Lawfulne^ or Unlawfulnefs o! hearing Indulged Minifters, from the Magiffrates deiigns and intendments ; Though Minifters and People were clear, that the Magi- ilrate had an ill delign, in permitting or allowing Minillers to Preach the Gofpel j and People to hear ; or in permitting Mailers ot Families to pray in their Families, or in permitting Phyficians to cure DiF eafM People ; yet no rational man,who is not blinded with Humour or Ibme prejudice , v/ill conclude from the Magiftrates ill defign , which is his Acl, and no way approved,but difapproved by thele Mt- niflers. Mailers ot Families, Phyfitians; that ifs unlawful for them to Preach, Pray, or Cure DiF ealed Perlbns. Mr. Livingfions fears that Field- meetings Would ceale , it teems have been better founded than the Hillorians confidence, that they would continue. And though it cannot be fuppo- fed that Mr. Livingfion was an Enemy to Field- meetings, yet none who knew him, will think that he was Co fond of the Fields, that he would have preferred the Fields to a Kirk, if the Kirk could have contained all who were to hear him. And feeing he fpeaks nothing of Field-meetings, it leems he had not learned that new Dodlrine of the Hifie- nan, that fatning Feafls and the wonderful nuance and BlelTing of God, was onely to ^ found in [jo?] in Fieldings ; and that People from whom God juftly with-holds the Bleffing in the Kirk, becaufe of fin, may find it in the Fields, notwithftanding of their provocations • for if he had been of that Opinion, he would not have failed to exhort his People to go to the Fields. And although he had heard, that the Lord did countenance the Preach¬ ing of theGolpel in the Fields, he would not have Advifed his People to run at random, to hear any body who Preached in the Fields. No, no, Mr. Li'vingfion was more Advifed, and ficker in his Ad¬ vices than fb, for wife men, like Mr. Li^ingfion, ufe to fore-fee evils, and prevent them, while the fimple pafs on, and are punifhed. For Mr. Li'ving- fion could not but fear, that if his People did run to hear any who Preached in the Fields, though they knew not who the Preacher was, and whence he came, that they might readily find inftead of Mini- fters a cheating Cobler, or a Tanner j inftead of a Iblid, judicious Miniffer, fbme ignorant rafh young man, who inftead of the fincere Milk of the Word, would give the People the windy froth of his ov/n Conceits j and inftead of the wholfbme words of Chrift, would give them his own ill Humours and Reproaches of honeft Minifters, and his own dol- tings about Queftions and doubtful Difputations, which would divert the People from the main thing, and fill their Heads with confounding notions, and their Mouths with vain janglings, and fb alienate their minds and hearts from thefc things which make for Peace and Edification. Or that they might, perhaps, find inftead of a Proteftant Pres¬ byterian Miniftcr, a Popifti Prieft or Frier 5 and fb inftead [)o8] inftead of Food find Pojfon, and inflead of a Blef* fing, find a Qirfc. Mr. Livingfion knew the tricks of Jefuits better than the Hiftorian, and therefore woyld have rather Advifed them ftill to hear Mr. 'John Scct^ who he knew was a Godly Orthodox Minifter, than have.cxpofed his People to run fuch risks j he knew the faying, amat ^ericula^ pe~ ribit in He who loveth hazards, (hall perifh in them. To the third Obje£l:ion, That the Teople heard the Indulged Admifiers, and were Edified by their Adinifiry^ till fome jneonfiderate Perfons took it in their Head, to cry out againfi the unlawfulnefs of bearing the Indulged, as if that had been the onely thing necejjary, for yuhich many even of the Non- indulged are off ended with them. The Hiftorian Anfwers, That the Carats might alledge that as well as the Indulged. Anfw. He is a little out of that ftory, as well as in many other; Any who knows the truth, knows how great a difparity there was in the cafes ; fo that his, as well, had been as well, and better out than in, for it makes his Allegeance falfe. fays, he is not fit to judge if thefe Perfons be inconfi derate, but he wijhes that they who call them fo, would remerrh her that. Judge not, left ye be judged, Anfw. He was very unfit by Reafqn of his di- ftance and misinformation of many other things, which yet he hath very peremptorily judged. I wifh he had fboner conflderedhis onfitnefs to judge of others, and had, ere he began to write thisHi- ftory,remembred that, Judge not, lefi ye b/e judged', jt might have prevented his writing this Book, which [5'09] which is mainly founded upon rafh and fahe judg- ings, and reproaches. The inconfidcratenefs of thefe Perfons he fpeaks of, was fo evident, and fo fenfibly felt in the efFe<5ls of it, that they who had any confideration or common fenfe, could not but fee it : And thelecond thoughts, and third thoughts of thefe who were difpleafed with their way, makes no change upon thefe Brethren, but confirms them the more. He found not himfelf fit to judge whe¬ ther they were inconfiderate or not, yet he finds himfelf fit to judge them worthy of praife : But if he was not in a capacity to judge them confiderate, he could be in no good capacity to judge them wor¬ thy of praile : For if they were inconfiderate Per- Ibns, they were not to be praifed ; and till he had evidence that they were confiderate, he might have (pared his praifes, and his Blefling of God in their behalf, till he had been better informed. As for his hopes that the fruits of their labour proclaim their infilling upon the one thing necelfa- ry. I fee not what ground he had for this hope, for the ordinary fruits of their labour, was the kind*- ling of the fire of Contention, Strife, Debate, Con- fufion. Reproaches of thele who followed not with them : But for the fruits of the Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-fuffering, Gentlenefs, Goodnels, Faith, Meeknefs, Temperance, I wilh we could fee them in thefe, who with him did fb much cry up thefe Preachers. He tells us, that at the beginning of the Indulgence, People called them the Councils Curats ; and he will not enquire how it came, that that fpark did not break forth into a general flame ■ and infinuates his defire, that this flame had fpread fooner, [JIO] fooner, and that the firfl: ten had been difcounte^ nanced ; but he acquiefces in Providence. But if he had known what I learned from a Gen¬ tleman, who hath good Intelligence, that it was the late Arch-Bilhop of St. Andrews who was the firft Inventer of the name of Council-Curats, and did fo convey the calling of this fpark, that hfe might not be feen to be the kindler and caller of it, and how plealant it was to thefc of the Prela- tick party, to fee the flame kindled by this little fpark, running, as the Hillorian (peaks, like Moor- burn among the People. If the Hillorian, 1 fay, and thele of his way had known this, it may be they would have taken lels plcafure in this Moor- burn, which was fb plealant to thefe to whom the Hillorian, I fuppole, did not delire to make (port. ^^Then he alledges, that fome fupprefled their judgment about the Indulgence, out of a prepo- llerous alFedlion to the Brethren Indulged, whom they much honoured and elleemed, and that defer- vedly,for their eminent endowments,and fbmetimes ufefulnefs m the Church, or out of a tender care of keeping up Union , and guarding againfl: all mo¬ tions apparently tending to troublelbme dillradlioris and divilions ; And it’s not unlike , fays he, that many were really in the dark, as to the thing, but however light is light, whoever they be that bring it, how inconliderable foever the Inllruments be, who are employed, and whether they come fooner or later ; the light when it’s come, fhould be made welcome, becaufe of him who fent it, &c. Anfiv. Thefe Brethren not onely were, but are yet ufeful, notwithllanding of alibis endeavours to' render [pi] render them ufeiefs : And afFedtion to them is not " prepofterous, but a commended Duty ; tor what¬ ever Infirmities they be compafied about with, yet they ftiould be efteem^d very highly in love for their works fake. I think, when he was fpeaking of the tender care to keep up Union, and to prevent Divifion, his heart fliould have fmitten him, who hath been fo untender and fo carelefs in this matter. It’s true, light is light; but, I. There may be anunfeafonable bringing forth of light, as if a man would bring a light to a large dark Room,where a man fleeing for his Life,had hid himfelf, to let the purluer fee to find and murder the lurking man : Or if one told what way an in¬ nocent man had fled, to his Enemy, who were pur- fuing for his Life; though Light be Light, and Truth Truth, yet that Light was unfeafonably brought in to the dark Room, and that Truth un¬ feafonably brought forth. But ye will fay, that doth not hold as to truths revealed in the Scripture. I Ihall Anfwer in the words of Mr. Durham, whole memory is precious in the Churches, inhlsTreati/e concerning Scandal, which was his Teftament to the Church of Scotland, Tart 4- Chap. 1 1. Tag. 35'8- ‘ A fecond way of compofure, is, when fuch agree- * ment in judgment cannot be obtained, to endea- * vour a harmony, and keep Unity, notwithftand- ‘ingof that difference, by a mutual forbearance in ‘ things controverted, which we will find to be of ‘ two forts. ‘ The firft is to fay fo, total ; that is, when nei- ‘ ther fide doth fb much as Dodirinally in writ,word, ‘ gr fentences of Judicatories, prefs anything that ‘ may [512.] * may confirm or propagate their oWn Opinion, ot ‘ condemn the contrary, but do altogether abllradb ‘ from the fame, out of refpedt to the Churches ‘Peace, and tor the preventing of Scandal^ and do ‘ in things, wherein they agree, according to the ‘ Apoftles diredtion, Fhil. id. Walk by the fame ‘ Rale^and mind the fame things mutually ^as if there ‘ mere no fuch differences, and waiting in thefe, till ‘ the Lord jhall reveal the fame unto them. ‘This way is fife, and where the Dodfrine upon ‘ which the difference is, is fuch, as the forbearing ‘ the decifion thereof, doth neither marr any Duty ‘ that the Church in general is called to, nor endan- ‘ ger the Salvation of Souls through the want of ‘clearnefs therein; nor in a word inter fuch incon- ‘ veniences, to the hurt ot the Church, as fiich un-* ‘ fcafbnablc awakening, and keeping up of differ- ‘ ences and divifions may have with it ; Becaufe the ‘ fcopeof bringing forth every tru^h,or confirming ‘ the fame by any Authoritative Sandl:ion,d^c. is the ‘ Edification ot the Church, and theretore when the ‘bringing forth thereof doth deftroy more thanEdi- ‘ fie, it is to be forborn : Neither can it be ground ‘ enough to plead for fuch decifions in Preachings ‘that the thing they Preach tor is Truth, and the ‘ thin g they condemn is Error. ‘ Becaufe, i . It is not the Lawfulnefs of the thing ‘ fimply that is in Queftion, but the neceffity and ex-^ ‘pediency thereof in fuch a cafe ; now many things ‘are lawful, that are not expedient, i Cor. 10. ‘2.3- . . . . . . . ‘ a. In thefe difterences that were in the Primitive ‘ times concerning Meats, Days, Genealogies, ‘ there ‘ there was a truth or an error upon one of the fides; ‘ as there is a right and a wrong in every contra- ®di6i:ion of fuch a kind, yet the Apoftle thinketh ‘ fitter for the Churches Peace, that fuch be alto- ‘ gether refrained, rather than any way, at leaft in ‘ publick, infilled upon or decided. ‘ 3. Becaufe no Minifter can bring forth every * T ruth at all times, he muft then make choice j and ‘ I fiippofe fbme Minifters may die, and all do lb, ‘ who have not Preached every truth, even which ‘they knew, unto the People. Befide, there are ‘ ( no queftion ) many truths hid to the moft Learn- ‘ ed, neither can this be thought inconfiftent with a ‘ Minifters fidelity, who is to reveal the whole Coun- . ‘ fel of GoX becaufe that Counfel is to be under- ^ ‘flood of things neceffary to mens Salvation, and ‘is not to be extended to all things whatfbever j for ‘ v/c find the great Apoftle expounding this in that ‘lame Sermon, ABs zo. ^o. I have kept back no-- ‘ thing that was profitable unto you ; which evi- ‘ denceth that the whole Counfel o-f God, or the ‘things which he. Chewed unto them, is the whole ‘ and all that was profitable for them ; and that for ‘ no by-refpedl: or fear whatfbever, he fhuniied to ‘ reveal that unto them. ‘ Alfb it’s clear, that there are many truths which ‘are not decided by any Judicial A61, and among ‘ other things, fparingnefs to decide truths, which ‘ are not fundamental judicially, hath been ever ‘ thought no little mean of the Churches Peace, as * the contrary hath been of Divifion. ‘ The third way (which is the fecond fort of the ‘former) of compofure, is mixed, when there is Kk ‘fome [>-h] ‘fome mcdling with fiich queftions, yet with fuch ‘ Forbearance, that though there be a feen difference, ® yet there is no Schifm or Divifion, but that is fc- ‘ rioufly and tenderly prevented ; as upon the one ‘ Fide, fbmc may exprefi their mind in Preaching and ‘ Writing on a particular Quehion, one way, others ‘ may do it differently ; yet both with that refpedl: ‘ and mecknefs to thofe they differ From, that it doth ^ beget no rent, nor give juft ground of offence, ‘nor marr Union, in any other thing j or it may ‘ polFibly come to he decided in a Synod, yet with ‘ (iich forbearance upon both Fides, that it may prove ‘ no prejudice to Union. Thofe who have Autho- ‘ rity tor them, not prefting it, to the prejudice of ‘the Opinion, Names, ConFciences ot the other, ‘ or to their detriment in any refpedl:; but allowing ‘ to them a liberty to fpeak their minds, and walk ‘according to their own light in fuch particulars- ‘ and on the contrary, the other refting Fatisfied in ‘the Unity of the Church, without condemning ‘ them, or prefting them to condemn themfelves, ‘ bccaifte fb indeed their Liberty is no lefts than ' ‘others, who have the.deciiion of a Synod for them. And he adds an inftance in theXiihurch of Africa^ where that Queftion was ftrft debated, ‘If Here- ‘ ricks alter their ConverGon, flioiild be again Bap- ‘tizcd? And aSypodof 300 Biihops concluded, ‘ that they (hould be re-baptized ; yet that Synod ‘ carried lb, that they did not onely not cenfture any ‘ that diftented, nor prefled them to conform in ‘ pradfife to their judgment, but alfb did entertain ‘ moll intimate refpedf to them, and formality with . ‘ them. And upon the other Fide, we do not^Bnd [jif] ‘ any in that Church making a Schifm, upon th^ ‘ account of that Judicial erroneous decirion,though ‘ at leaf! by three (b'eral Synods it was ratified • but * contenting themfelves to have then Conlciences ‘ free, by retaining their own judgment, and fol- ‘ lowing their own pi^adfice, till time gave more ‘ lierht, and moreoccafion to clear that truth. ^And we will never find in the Writings of any ' time, more aftedlion among Brethren, and more * refpedf to Peace, than was in that Chut ch at thar ‘ time, amongft thole that differed : And there is ‘not any pradlicc more commended in all the ‘ Church- Hiftory and Writings of the Fathers, than ‘ this pradfice 3 and partly may be gathered h om ‘ what Was lor meidy touched out of Augufiine i ‘ if we will confidcr the cafe rationally, we will find ‘ that it is not impoflible to have Union in a Church, ‘ where there is fiich a difference, and Authorita- ‘ tive decifion, even fuppoling that fide on which ‘ the Error lies, to he approved. For, fir ft, theie ‘ is no neceftity for fuch as have Authority for them, ‘ to prels others in their judgment and pradfice in ‘fuch things i neither can it be thought that fuch ‘ a decifion can of it lei f fatisfie all Iciuplesj nei- ‘ ther yet, that men doubtingly may follow. ‘ Nor laftly, that fuch Controverfies can bear ‘ the weight of troubling the Church, by cenfuring ‘ luch, as otherways may be faithful j feeing fome- ‘ times even unfaithful men have been fpared with ‘ relpedt to the Ch^rches good, as hath been laid. ‘ And Secondly, upon the other fide, luch a con- ‘ ftitution of the Church doth not involve all that ‘ keep Communion therein in the guilt thereof, if K k X ‘per- * perfonally they be free, as in the inftance of the ‘ Jewijh Church is clear ; where, no queftion, ma- ‘ ny corrupt A61;s have been eftabliflied, yet did it ‘ neither make Communion in Worfhipor Govern- ‘ ment to be unlawful, where the matter and man- ‘ ner of carriage was Lawful. Befide, this would ‘ infer, that no Judicatory could keep Union, where ‘there were contrary votes or a Sentence pafled ‘ without unanimity ,becaure that is certainly wrong ‘to them who think otherwift, and if ib, there ‘ could be no Judicatory expedfed, either in Church ‘ or State ; for it cannot be expefted that they fhall ‘ be ftill unanimous, or that the greater part fhall ‘ cede to the lefler, and refeind their own A6f. And ‘ fuppofe there fhould be flich a Divifion upon one ‘ difference, can it be expedfed, that thofe who unite ‘ upon the divided fides refpedfively , fhall again , ‘ have no more difference among themfelves , and ‘ if they have, fhall there not be a new Divifion, ‘ and where fhall this end ? And feeing men niuft ‘ refolve to keep Unity, where there are faults of ‘ fuch a nature, or to have none at all, it is as good ‘ to keep It at firft, as to be neceffitated to it after- ‘ward. ‘ The Orthodox urge this Argument againft the ‘ Donatifis, who would not keep Union with them, ‘becaufe of pretended corruptions in the proceed- ‘ings of Judicatories and Ordinations; yet were ‘ conflrained to bear with fuch amongft themfelves, ‘and particularly, to receive and unite with the ‘ ]\/[axiffiini(imfis ; whofe Communion they had ‘once rejedfed, though a branch of their own Fadfi- ‘ on, becaufe they law no end of Divifions, if they ‘did [y«7] ® didnotrefolvetodirpenre with fuch things amongfl: ‘themlelves : And Augufiine often aflerted that they ‘ were never able to Anlwer this Argument, when it ‘was propounded to them; to wit, why they did ‘ not give them that fame Latitude in keeping com- ‘munion with them, which they had given to the ‘ MaxiTninidnifis^ who were guilty of foch things ‘ as they imputed to them? We conceive then, that ‘ even in fuch a cafe, there may be Union, for pro- ‘ (ecuting the main work of the Gofpel, notwith-r ‘ (landing of fuch a Circumllantial difference, if ‘ men otherwife fet themfelves to it, and the gene- * ral grounds formerly laid down do confirm this. Thus far I have tranfcribed the words of the Godly, Learned, Peaceable Mr. Durham. I would defire the Reader to read aUb his izth. Chapter, and his whole Book, which is a precious Treafiire, which if the Hiftorian had pondered and pra6lifed, he, and they who follow himj might through the Lords BlefTing, been kept out of thefe divifive and de- ilrudlive ways. If the Hiftorian would have followed Mr. Dwr- han^s Advice, firft, he might have forborn to vent, and to prefs others to vent this which he calls Light, thought it had been Light indeed : For it is no Fundamental truth, that he and they call Light: He cannot charge the Indulged Minifters, that they maintain Dodlrinally any Erafitan Error : All that he alledges upon them, when he explains hirnfell, is, that they have by their pra6lice Interpretative!/ homologate the Supremacy. Now feeing thefe Minifters taught no erroneous Do(3:rine concerning the Magiftrates Power about Kk|. Church- {ji8] Church-matters i but maintain the Principles of nil Orthodox Antt-erafiian Divines ; And feeing they are known to be confcientious men, and de¬ clare upon all occafions, that their pradliice in ma¬ king ule of the Indulgence, is not contrary to, but confiftent with and according to the Principles of thele Anti-crafiian Divines. The moft that the Author could make out of this, was, that they were miftaken in the application of thefe Principles to that particular Fa6i of acceptance of the Peaceable exercile of their Minillry from the Magiftrate. • Now what necellity was there in venting this Light? This Interpretative homologation of the Supremacy, which yet is but confounding darkneft to ‘the' poor People, who'know not what he means by theft words by which he explains, how theft Minifters are guilty, they cannot Interpret his In¬ terpretative homologation: His light is to them darknefs. He clears theft Indulged Minifters of having any Erafiian Error in their Head ‘he grants, they had no ill intention in their mind and heart when they accepted the Indulgence : He grants there was no ill intention in the worker, but in the work done by them ^ and that what they did, did not for¬ mally and explicitly import any approbation of any finful Supremacy, but onely implicitely, virtually, and interpretatively. What neceflity was there of telling the People this implicite Error, in a matter of Fa6f, feeing, when he tells it moft dilfindfly, it’s Ib fubtil a kind of fault, that the People cannot un- derftand it ; it’s fo v/ompled up in Latine, impli- cife, perplexed words, that they cannot get a light of it ? And though the Hiftorian did really intend w, ■ ■ [5'i9] to dirniiiifh the fin of the Indulged Muiifieis, when he faid they themfelvesdid not intend any hi in their acceptance, but it was onely the intention of the work: And when he faid, that the work did not formally and explicitely tend to ill, but virtually, imphcitely, and interpretatively : Yet the People are not capable of underlfanding thefe diminifhing terms ; and fo thinking it to be (bme ill thing, thele words that are unintelligible by them, incieales the apprehenfion of the ilnels or evil of it j even as when hmple People knows that the thing com¬ mended is good, if ye commend it in words that they do not undei'ftand, it heightens their conceit of the goodnefs of it. What effedf could tlie Hi- ftorian think that this dark light could have upon the minds and affedfions of the poor People, but to beget an ill Opinion of, and prejudice againft, and hatred of thele honeft men, who, as he grants him- felf, meant no ill. Now, did this any way tend to the Peoples Edification ? Did it not, upon the con¬ trary, tend to their hurt? For, whereas before they were Edified by the Miniftry of thele Minilfeis, they are put in an incapacity of getting that good by their Miniftry, which they were wont formerly to get ; fo that they are no way Edified, but pre¬ judged, and their Edification hindred. But x. If he would have been Advifed by Mr. Durham, he might well have forborn to have ven¬ ted this light, becattfc the forbearance of venting it could no way have endangered the Salvation ok the Souls of the People, nor marred them in any Duty that the Church in general is called to, nor Goi^ldhe in Realbn think, that the withholding ok K k 4 tins [po] this light could have ib many inconvenicncies fol¬ lowing upon it, as the venting of it would have, by an unfealbnable awakening and keeping up of Divifions, and all the raifchiefs which follow upon Divilions. g. If he would needs vent this Light of his, and prels others to do the like, he might have done it in the way which Mr. Durham points out, ^iz,. with that meeknels, rendernefs, and refpedf towards his Brethren who differed from him, that the diffe¬ rence might make no Divifion, nor marr Union. But he. is Co far from this, that he will have this Light, and thofe who bring it, made welcome, though it be brought for this very end to make Di¬ vifion, and to diftraft and rent the Church. But 4. The wovfl of all is, this Light of his is not Light, but Darknefs ; a confuftd mafs of falfe Calumnies, publifhed to fcatter the poor Iheep, and drive them away from their faithful Paffours, who fed them with knowledge and underftanding. if they who will not forbear to vent T ruths, which are not neceflary, when the venting of them is un- feafbnable ; or if they, who will vent fuch Truths in a fadfious and divifive way, be juftly cenfura- ble, O J how hateful is their temper, or rather di- ftemper, who cannot be perfwaded for Peace-fake, to with-hold their Lies and Calumnies, but will vent them, upon defign, to rent the Church, in drawing away the People from the Lords Minifters, and the Lords Ordinances. They who come to publifh untruths, to make Difeord and Divifion, come not by the Commiflion of the God of T ruth and Peace. I (hall again tranferibe fome of Mr. Durbam'$ Vurhamh words, in his excellent Expofition of the Song of Solomon, Chaf. i. i/. 8. fag.^i. - 6. Belk'uers ivould make ufe of fubUck Ordinan¬ ces and Chrifls Minifiers, effecially in reference to fnares and errors, and they would take their direBi- ons from them, and their Counfel would be laid 7veight upon. 7. Allowed depcndance on a Minifry is a great mean to keep Souls from error, whereas on the con¬ trary, when no weight is laid on a Minifry, unfa- hle Souls are hurried away. 8. Chrifh hath given no immediate or extraordi¬ nary way to be fought unto, and made ufe of, even by his Brtde in her dijfculties ; but the great mean he will have her to make ufe of, is a fent Minifry, and therefore no other is to he expetled. It's no 7Von- der then, that the Vevil (^ivhen his defgn is to cry down Truth', and fpread Error) feek to draiv the Lords People from the Shepherds Tents ; and no won¬ der, that Souls 7vho do cafl offrefpecl to their Over- feers, be hurried away with the temptations of the times, as in experience hath often been found a truth. 9. Minifiers jhould have a fpecial eye on the weak- ef of the flock', their care jhould be, that the Kids may he next them'. Our blefed Lord doth fo. When the Lambs are carried in his own bofom, Ifa.AfO.i i. And therefore feeing weak Believers have mo f need of Chrifls overflght, if they begin to flight the Mi- piflry and Ordinances, they cannot but be a ready Prey, and the Devil hath gained much of his intent, when he hath once gamed that. O ! that men would try whofe voice it is, that faith. Come back from the Shepherds Tents, 7vhen Chrifl fays, abide near abide near them ; -^s as if a Wolf would defire tJos Lambs to come out from tinder the Shepherds eye. And lafly^ when Chrift gives this direSlion to his own Bride, we ipay fee he allows none to be above Ordit^ances in the Militant Church', it ovill be foon enough then, when they are brought to Heaven, and put above the reach of Seducers. In there words, that Holy man of God, who was a burning and finning light, who had the mind of Chrifl:, and the bowels of Chrill, doth clearly from the words of Chrill; warn us, that the voice which laitb, Come back from the Shepherds 'Tents, is not- the voice ot Chrill; this is not light from the Sun of Righteouliiels, from the face ot Chrill; but darknels from the Prince of darknefs, who can trans¬ form himl'elf into an Angel pf Light. Obj. 4. All or moji of the Non-indulged, Faith¬ ful, and Zealotts Mmifers in the Land, are for hear- ing of the Indulged-, and 'onely a few, and thofe of the younger fort, with the ignorant People are againji it. He Anfwers, That he would hope few fliould lay weight on this Obje£lion, and thinks it enough to refer any fuch to conGder fohn 7. 47,48,49. with M.x'.Hatchsfonh Notes, efpecially 7 and 9, and then tells us, that in all the parts of our Tryal, God hath made ule of the nothings, to break the ice to others. Arni in the Introdudlion to his x8 Quelli- ons, he lays, That in all our carriage, that ts th^ day approveable, as to the grounds of our Suffering, the Lord hath for the mo (t part ) made the poor flock go before the Shepherds, and lead the way to them, rather than the Guides to break the Ice, and lead the 'w.iy4o the flock, as might have been expelled. I reply. [?^?] I reply : His hope is as groundlefs and rcaibnlefi as his imaginations, but he would hope his aftcdlion P'Uides his hope, CYeditnzts zin e^uid ziwzitit tpjt ^bi jbm7iid ^Ti^unt., And indeed it (eems he was di eaiTi~ ing when he hoped that more weight would or fhould be laid upon the Opinion and Pradlice of a few young Preachers, and of the ignorant People, than cn the judgment and pradliceof all,notonely Indulged Mimfters, but of all or moll of the Non- indulged, Faithful, and Zealous Minifters. And I know none who will joyn with him in this Dream, except it be fiich, who love to be fngular, and hope to be more noticed and talked of, when they take odd and fingular ways, and who lay down that for a Principle, that the fewelf number, efpecially if they be in greateft hazard and danger, muft cei- tainly be right, and all others wrong. And when their party grows numerous, they grow rufpicious, that all is not right, and fo they break again, as the Englip) Scparatiifs did at Amjierdam. Any may fee how ftrongly this Hiftorian hath been A6fed by a fpirit of Divifion, feeing he with a few young menj take upon them, by themfelves, without the knowledge and concurrence, yea, con¬ trary to the known and declared mind of all oi mod of the Non-indulged, Faithful, Zealous Mimfters, to drive the poor People upon the Rock of Schifrn, contrary to the Word of God, and to the Cove¬ nant. Many of the Non-indulged thought it fit to forbear to move that Queftion about the acceptance of the Indulgence in their Sermons, to the People; they knew weak People, though they be well in¬ clined, yet, having, as Children, ftrong Pafrions,and [jm] little knowledge, and le(s prudence, to direct thel*^ affe61:ions, can hardly differ and not divide. Some others, who did rouch upon that Queftion, yet werp again if Separation; but riow perceiving that the People have gone further than they intended, are, I fuppofe, grieved that they fhould have flatted that Queltion at all among them ; and if it were to do again, would be better advifed, and are very defi- rous to have the divifive Diftempers of the People cured, and the Preachers of Schifm difeountenan- ced. And yet this Hiftorian,with two or three of the younger fort, would contrary to the mind andlhearr, to the tears and prayers of all his Brethren, increafe the Difeafe, which they were fludying to cure, and encourage thefe rafh and inconfiderate Youths to call more fire-brands, and add Oyl to the flame. - I have confidered the 47,48,49 Verfes of the yf^.Chap. of John, with Mr. H’s. Notes, and the more I confider it, I think it the more impertinently alledged : For thefe Tharifees and Rulers were Ene¬ mies of Chrifl ; they believed not themfelves, and they endeavoured to hinder others to believe on Chrift, and are enraged that the People did believe on him. Now, the Minifters of whom he is fpeak- ing, are not Enemies of Chrifl, but his Servants, and faithful Servants, and zealous for his Glory, and are fb far from hindering People from believing in Chrifl, or from looking on them, as ignorant and .curfed, upon that account, that they fludy to bring People to believe is Chrifl, and are grieved that this Author and his Affociates withdraws them from Chrifl, by withdrawing them from his Ordinances, where he comes and bleffes his People, and is in the midfl inidft of them, and withdraws them from hearing ihefe, whom Chrift (ends to Preach to them, and (b liinders them from believing, for Faith comes by hearing, and it increafes by hearing. Mr. H. takes notice, that thefe Fharifees were puffed up ; and I leave it to the confideration of the Reader, if the way of thefe Faithful and Zealous Minifters (eems not to be farther from this, than the way that this Hiftorian hath taken in thisHiftory. He (hews it’s an old Engine to keep men from Chrift, by the op- pofition of able and eminent Church-men; But the ftrefs of the Argument,which he propofes to anfwer, did not lie moft upon that, that they were Church¬ men in eminent place, of great parts ; but on that, that they were Faithful and Zealous Minifters: and that they were not (eeking themfelves, or their own things, but the things of Chrift, and the Edifica¬ tion of the Body of Chrift, appears in this, that they are not like the Hiftorians Youths, who cry down all but themfelves, and draws away the People from all others, to hear themfelves, and tells the People, there is a curled thing in other Meetings, and warns them to beware of it: But their Faithful Minifters does not feek to engroft all the Peoples affedfion to themfelves, but they are for their hearing of o- thers; they behave, as the Lords Minifters were wont to do in the Primitive times, and as we find the Apoftles doing in their Epiftles, they commend and recommend their fellow-labourers to the Churches, and ftrengthens their hands. Again, theft Fharifees took it as an evidence of the Ignorance and Miftry of the People, that they believed on Chrift. Theft who fpeak of the Ig¬ norance [7^6] nofiiilce of the People, who withdraw from hear¬ ing Indulged Minifters, are far from thinking them Ignorant and Gurfed upon that account : But they know, that many of them are very ignorant of Chrill, and of the way of Salvation; audit’s fdd to them that are drawn away from the means of Knowledge5Preaching,and Catechiling,l'rom learn¬ ing the grounds of Religion, and their Heads filled With vain janglings: And they learn not to know their own, fins, in order to their Humiliation and Self-denial, but learns to know the fins of others more than their own, and that readily puffs them up. What he adds, about the Peoples guiding and breaking thp Ice, it blows up the People with a con¬ ceit 'that God hath made them Guides and Leaders, to go before the Minifters, and made the Sheep to lead /the Shepherds. There was enough of wind in this Bladder before; the Hiftorian might have without any hazard, fpared his breath here, and not blown up the People with the ill wind of an anti- Icriptural conceit. When the Lord guides his Peo¬ ple in his way, he guides them according to his Word, in the ufeof the means that he himf^f hath appointed; he leads his People, like a Flock, by the hand of Mojts Tiwd AdTon'^ and for my pair, when I obferve, that thele whom the Lord hath not made Guides, and Leaders, and Shepherds wilful¬ ly refuling to be guided and led by thefe whom God Ivith made Guides and Shepherds, and confidently taking upon them to lead their Leaders. I am veiy fufpicious, that all is not right, and that both the Leaders, and they who are led by them, are wrong. But this is an old trick ufed by thefe who ftii up Peo- [^2-7] People to Schifm or Sedition, to give the People fair words, and make much of them.^ Corah, Da~ than, and Abiram do highly complement the Peo¬ ple • AU the Congregation, fay they, is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Such fair words will eafily beguile iinftable Souls. I remem¬ ber a judicious and Ibber Countrey-man faid of one of thefe Preachers, who made it a great part ot his work-to draw away the People from hearing Indul¬ ged Minifters, That he thought he clapped the Bairns "heads too much. The Hiftorian was iniftaken, if he thought, that withdrawing from the Indulged Minifters had it’s rife from the People ; for it was fome Preachers, who by private conferences, and publick Preaching drew them away. He^alledges, that the matter about hearing the Curats, is a fuf- ficient inftance of the Peoples good guiding: Yet, I perceive, by what he fays, that he would not fol¬ low the Peoples guiding, even in this matter, for he does not think the Baptifms adminiftrated by them, to be no Baptifms .• But fbme of the People have thought their Baptifm to be the mark of the Beaft, and that’s much worfe than nothing. He does not think the hearing of Curats limply unlawful, and thinks, if there were no other to hear, they fhould be heard. -But fome of the leading People have thought the hearing of them fim ply unlawful. I heard of fome, who faid, that the hearing of them was as unlawful as Fornication, Adultery, as the Worfhipping of the Calves of Dan and Bethel : And I fuppofe, the Hiftorian will not deny, that Forni¬ cation, are fimply unlawful. Some have been fo far from thinking, that hearing them could ever become [S^S] become Lawful, that they have placed their Religion and Sincerity in this. A Minifter informed me, that when he was enquiring concerning the eftate of a dying woman, he got no other account of any Evi¬ dence, that it was well, or would be well with her, but this, that Ihe had never heard a Curate j and I fuppole, the Hiftorian would have looked on this as a Soul-deluding and deftrudfive Error, to make that an Evidence of Sincerity, which a Lazy, Profane, Atheiftical Perfbn can lb cafily forbear, and that from a Principle of Lazinefs, Profanity, or Atheifm. From this it appears, that the People are none of the beft Guides, in the matter of hearing, feeing they have been fo far from breaking the Ice in the right Foord, that they have broken it above Whirlpools, and have plunged themftlves fo palpably, that the Hiftorian himlelf could not follow them. And I am fb far from feeing fulficient Evidences of the Peoples good guiding of their Guides, that I am very hopeful, that all Ibber People will, upon leri- ous conlideration of the Errors and Confufions that fbme People, who would needs guide matters, have run unto, will acknowledge, that it is the good and acceptable will of God, that every one fhould keep within the bounds of their own vocation,and not take upon them that which the Lord hath not called them to, and that the fheep fhould not lead the Shepherds, but be led by them. And I fuppofe that feveralMi- nillers have by fad experience found, that they have been indeed led upon the Ice, by following the hu¬ mours of fome head-ftrong leading People, who were fitter to break themfelves and the hearts of their Mi- - nifters, than to break the Ice to make fafe paCfage for their followers. ' The ^ [j^9] The 5?^. Obje6l. No7v 7vhen we are in hazard to he over-run jvith Poperj, is it fea/onahle, that fuch ^lefiions Jhould he fi art eel to break the remnant in ^ pieces, and thereby to make all a Prey to toe man of fin ? PFere it not better that ove 7vere all united as one^ to withfand the Inundation^ He Anrwereth,r/)^f he fear sy hat the Lord by Pope¬ ry and Blood win avenge the'quarrcl of his Covenant, and the contempt of the Gofpel. I Reply, He fhould have I’emembi'ed, that we diQ covenant to extirpate Schilrn, which he endeavours to plant and watei in this Hiftory. And hath he not expofed the Gorpel to contempt, in tempting the People to call; oft all the Indulged Iv4inifters,as no Nlinifteis of Chi ill, and all almoft, who are not Indulged, asadfed by the fpirit of Supremacy, the fpirit of Anti-chrift ? He could not have taken a more compendious way to render the Preaching of the Gofpel contemptible , than to render theMinifters of the Gofpel contemp¬ tible. Then he Advifes, That we fiotdd — acknow¬ ledge our fives the bafef of fnners. This Advice is good, but his Schifmatick dirc£f ions are con ti ary to it; ASchiffnatick Spirit is a proud and fell-con¬ ceited Spirit. They who fee themfelves the bafeft ol finners, would, it they could, rather fepajrate froni themfelves, than others j they will, in lowlmcls of mind,efteem others better than themfelves * they will acknowledge themfelves left than the leaft of mer¬ cies, unworthy of any remnant o,f the Lords Ordi¬ nances, unworthy to whom the Lord fhould fend "^any of his Meflengersj fuch will be far from calling at any of the Lords Servants or Ordinances. Then, he fays, Union, f long ai the accurfd thing L 1 [yjo] is among^ its, is a Confpiracj. I fuppofe, the In¬ dulgence is the accurfed thing which he means j but the iMagiftrates permitting and allowing the peace¬ able exercife of the Miniftry is a good thing: This is a curfe of his own making, a caufelels curfe ; this is one ot the tricks of the Devil, to divert People from taking notice of the fins they are really guilty of, by bogling them with imaginary fins, alledg¬ ing, that there is fin wrapped up in hearing the Adi- nifters of the Gofjpel Preach the Golpel ; and fo he turns Duty to fm, and by making them take up the peaceable exercile ot the Miniftry , under the pro- tediion of Lawful Authority, as if it were a curfe or curled thing j and fo flegging poor People, that they flee from, and tor fake their own mercies j and it’s a dreadful delulion to miftake bleflings, as it they were curtes. He adds, If we be not tender of Chrifif headjiip, and of what depends thereupon j and of the leaf pin of his Tabernacle pitched among us — ^ — I Anfwer • If he had been more tender of Chrift, as head ot his Church, he would have been more ten¬ der of the Union of the Members of his Body, and would have been afraid to have rent the members of that Body afunder. His divitive Doctrine loofes all the pms of the Tabernacle, he hath caft fire into the Lords Tabernacle, which, if the Lord prevent not, may burn up the Synagogues of God in the Land. His Dodfrine tends to diflolve all Adeetings for thcpublick Worfhip of God, except thefe, who meet at the Separate Meetings, moulded after his conceit. He Prophefieth, That they who follow his 7vay^ fmll fnd a ftelter and a Chamber of Frote^tion. Bur, he [yji] iie hath been fb far miftaken in taking up things part and prefent, they are not wife who will believe him, when he Prophefies of things to come ; a falle Hillorian is not an Infallible Prophet ; He is fb far wrong in his Precepts for Direiffion, that I have ao Faith to believe his promifes of Proteblion. He re¬ commends Union upon the old grounds of our; re¬ ceived and fworn Principles and Maximes : Butthey W’ho know thefe old grounds, fee his grounds ta.be the grounds of the E?tgUjli Brojunifis^ which \vere fblidly refuted by the old Non-Conformifls. ’ Nexr, He tf there be not anUnion in the way that he prejcribes ; that is, if there be not a Se¬ paration from thefe Congregations, where Indulged Minifiers are, and alfo from thefe Meetings where Non-indulged Minifiers, who are for hearing Indul¬ ged Minifters Breach ( for he Reproaches thefe Mi- nifters alfo, as Adfed by the Spirit of Supremacy^ the Spirit of Anti-chrift ) that then this Di^ifon from his Separated party will be the certain fore-run¬ ner of a dark and difmal Difpenfation. And then he Advifes every man that would have Peace in the day of Gods contending again ft thefe back-fliders and revolters, to mourn for this Abomination of the Indulgence, among other Abominations, and to ad¬ here to the Lord, and to our Frinciples, which the- Lord hath owned and countenanced, though he fiould be in a manner left alone. Anfw. This Divifion and Schifmatick renting of the Lords People, this driving ot them away from the Lords Ordinances, is more than a fore¬ runner of a dark and difmal Difpenfation ; it’s an Evidence of the continuance of die Lords Anger, L 1 % and [53^1 . and tlrat Us hand is fir etched out fill Schifm is a grievous fin, a dreadful plague, which ufes to end in ruine and defolation ; and they who drive on this viie and defcuaive Schifm, and fcate the Lords People from joyning together in the Wotfhip of God they are back-lliders and revolters from the Principles and Covenant of true Presbyterians : They adhere not to the Lord, who hath conirnand- ed his People not to forfake the Aflembhng of them- felves together, andhathpromifedtobe unththem, .when met in his Name, and to come and blefs them, where he Records his Name, and to be with his ber- vanp. Preaching and Baptising in his “ the end of the World. They who forfake the Or- dinances, in which the Lord hath tryllcd a meeting betwixt himfelf and his People they who w.11 not come where the Lord comes, they who will be ab- fent, where the Lord promifes to be prefent, an where he commands his People to prefent themfelves before him, they do not adhere unto tte °u' depart from the prefence of the Loid , and hey who run away from the Society God, they are not left have left then Com pany, they have left the Shepherds Tents, and wander alone, as a Lamb in a large place, as a be¬ wildered Lamb, which being a one, is a prey to every Wild Beall ; and woe to him,_ who is, and will be thus alone. It is above fufficiendy cleared, that the Magiftrate, as Magillrate, ^Mmifter of God for good : As the Church, not only may, but Ihould take off C vil reftraints that hinder the peaceable NUiiiftry of the Servants of Chnll,and fhould giant [nj] to Miniftersthe peaceable exercife of their Miniftiy, and take care that the Lords People in his Domini¬ ons be fed with the lincere Milk of the Word ot God ; and that it is the Duty of Minifters to accept thankfully of the peaceable publick exercife of then* Miniftry, when the Magiltrate grants it j and to make the Magiftrates Duty in allowing the Preach¬ ing of the Gofpel m his Dominions, or the Mini- flers Duty in making ufe of the Magiftrates giant of the peaceable exercife of their Miniftry,in Preach¬ ing the Gofpel, or to make the Peoples Duty,^ in hearing the Gofpel Preached by thefe Mmifters, an Abomination, to be mourned tor, is to teach Peo¬ ple to pervert their own Mercies, and to turn them to Curfes, and to divert them from laying to heart real Abominations, which are real caules of moui n- ing, to mourn for that, tor which they thould give thanks. Such falfe vifions are matter of mourning, and were among s Lamentations, x. 14. Thy Trophets have feen vain and foolifi things for thee, and they have not difcovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy Captivity j hut have feen for thee falfe burdens, and caufes of Banijhwent. The good old Principles of Presbyterians did not lead them to dcfpife Dignities, they feared God and honoured Rulers, and did humbly Supplicate for Liberty for Preaching the Gofpel, and did thankfully accept of any fuch Liberty, when it was granted by the Magiftrates r r r He adds, pag. 1 6x. Will not, I pray, many of thefe who have complyed with Prelacy , and with the courfes that have been carried on, profefs an abhor- rency at Popery ? ./ind is this ground for us ' ^ L I 3 [jh] to think of uniting with them, mtwithfianding of nlhhcy have dom, ^hat we may bethemoreforti- fed to ipithf and that torrent? Anfw. \Vhat is the importance of his praying in this place ; Or if it be an idle infigniticant word, is not worth ihe en(]niry : But it may be he was ien- lible that his Arguments had no force to convince his Readers judgment and Confcience, and there¬ fore he makes ule of earned Supplication to work upon his Readers Affediions; that what he could not extort by the ftrength of Reafon, he might obtain it by importunate praying and begging ot the Que- dion j and lb gain the thing in quellion, by reque- fhng as Beggers, who have no price to purchafe what they would be at, do importunately ftek what they cannot buy ; and-'thus he would have the Que- fhon , Si non jufio fretio, faltem prece & precario. When his praying is done, let us fee what he (ays to the Cau(e : His Reafoning is to this purpofe. If the profeffed abhorrence of Topery be no jujjicient ground for m to think of uniting with thefe who have "comply ed with Vrelacy, that we may be the more for¬ tified to withftand the torh'eht of Popery , then the Presbyterians may break off that F ellowflup in the Worjhip of God, jvhich they had in thefe Congrega¬ tions, where Indulged Adinifo's Preach, and may difown thefe Minifers, whom they once owned as Mi- nifiers, and their Minifiers,and withdraw from hear¬ ing them,whom they invited to Preach to them, and whom they did hear and countenance in the exer- cife of their Mmifiry. But fo it is, that the ab- horrency of Popery, profeffed by thefe who have com- flyed with fPvdacy, 6cc. Is m fufficknt ground of . ■ . . Uniting XJnit'mg Vreshyterians jvith thefe cowyljers^ and therefore Tresbyterians Jhould break ojf, &€. The connexion is very ill knit, it’s loofe work; for although the profefled abhorrency of Popery , and the defign of withflanding Popery, were not fufficient to make up Union betwixt the Presbyte¬ rians and the Prelatick party, it would not follow, that Presbyterians who are United in Doctrine, Worfhip, Difeipline, and Government, fhould break off their Communion in the Worfhip of God, and, as it is in the Objedtion, by breaking them- felves in pieces, expofe themfelvcs as a Prey to the Man of Sin ; there is nofliadow of Reafbn for this jConfequence : For this ground of Uniting Presby¬ terians and complyers with Prelacy, may beinfuf- ficient, and yet there may be a vile Schifm in Pres¬ byterians breaking themfelves in pieces. Although the Invafion of a common Enemy be not thought a fulficient ground of Uniting two di- flinct Parties in a Nation, yet it may be a very ftrong motive to keep thefe of the feveral Parties United in thefe things, in which they are United, and it fhould keep them from making fiib-divifi- ons, for the more Divifions, the Nation is the more weakened, and the more expofed as a Prey to the Invader. It feems the Author hath been againft all (brt of Uniting with thefe who comply with Prelacy. It’s true, Presbyterians fhould not Unite with them, in their complyance with Prelacy, nor joyn with them in any ill courfe : But there are many things where¬ in we may Unite with Papifts themfelves ; do not Proteftants joyn with Papifts againft the In L 1 4 believing [5^6] believing that the Mejjlah is come? If an Arrian were like to put a Popiih Do61:or our, would it not be the Duty of a Protellanc Minifter, if he were prefent, to allill tlie Popilh Doctor, in maintaining the Xrinity, and the Deity of the Son of God? May not Papilts and Protellants Unite in defending their Native Countrcy againlt the Turks ? May not ' Chriftians Unite with Pagans, in doing Tome work of necciiity? Pi?;// wrought with the Pagans, with whom he tailed, in calling out the tackling of the Ship. ■ hlay not Chriftians joyn with Pagans, in favingand helping Ship-broken men tofhore? May not, Ihould not Protellants, whether they be Non- ‘ conformifts, or Conformifts, Joyn together in the abhorrency of Popery, and in withftanding the current of it? Would the Hiftorian have Piote- llants more demented than the very jeivs, when they were Judicially plagued with inteftine Divift- ons and Seditions, while the Rom^ans befteged rtifalem ; yet they had fb much fenle remaining , that they left off their inward fightings when the Romans made any Affault, and joyncd together in defending the Wails of the City. We mull abhor what is evil in men, and mull have no fellowfhip with the unfruitful Works of darknefsj but we Ihould not abhor that which is good, even in Pa- ' pills or Pagans. Mr. Rutherfurd, in his P eaceahle Flea for Pauls Vresbytery in Scotland, Chap. lo. , pag. I '1.4. Confideration Says, We Separate not from men, but Errors ; we Separate from Rafifm kindly y properly, and totally, from Chriftian Arti¬ cles in no fort. And pug. 11^. We have not Sepa- rate from Rome’s Baptifm and Ordination of Pa- fours, J [?57] ftoun, according to the Subfiance of the Act, nor from the letter of the tovelve Articles of the Creed-, and Contents of the Old and New Tefiament, as they (land with relation to the mind and intent of the Holy Ghofi: Bowheit, ove have left the fa I fe Inter- ^rotations of the Lords of foor Peoples Faith and ^^O^^Ct€TlC€» The Hiilonan himfelF in fbme cafo giants, that wefliould joyn in the VVorQiipof God with thefe who comply with Prelacy, notwithlFanding of all they have done, as we law troni his conceilions in the ftating of the Queftion ; and yet here he Ipcaks, as if all Uniting with them were finful. If the hearing of thefe who have complyed with Prelacy, be at jiny time a Duty, then the hearing of them is no complyance with Prelacy ; and if the hear¬ ing of them who have really complyed with Pre¬ lacy, be not a complyance with Pielat.y , then fup- poih the Indulged Minifters had really complyed with an Erafiian Power in the Magiftrate, yet the hearing of the Indulged Minifters would not have been any complyance with Erafiianifm. How much then is this Hiftorian in the wrong , to the poor People, who would fright them from hearing the Indulged Minifters, who have never complyed with any Erafiian Power , Or linful Supremacy in the Magiftrate, as if the hearing of the Word of God Preached by them, were linful,, a homologating of a finful Supremacy. He adds, Alas, this our firength wiU prove our weaknefs-, let ns remember that ofEray 8. ii, 1 3, 14. He means, that Uniting in the Worftnp of God in thefe paroches, where Indulged Mini¬ fters [^8] fters are fettled, is our wcakncis, and fo that it’s Peoples ftrength to withdraw from the VVorfhip of God in thefe Parochcs. This muft be his meaning, or he fays nothing to the purpofe in hand. This is one of the Hiflorians Paradoxes, that Union in the true Worfhip of God, is the Churches weaknefs; and that the breaking off that Union, is the Churches ilrength. That is to fay, a Church divided fhall ffand : It feems, a Church is not like other Societies, for our Saviour fays, A Houfe and Kingdom divi¬ ded cannot fiand. This is a pitiful Paradox, for it’s contrary to Scripture, Reafbn, Common Senfe, Experience ; and the Author brings no fhadow of Reafbn to give it any colour of probability, but as he began his laft Reafbn with praying, Co he Ufhers in this pitiful Paradox with lamentation, that feeing it had nothing in it, nor upon it, to plead for it’s ad million, it might be received of meer pity. He fhould have confidered, that a Printed Book would readily come to the hands of Rational men, who re¬ gard not Pallions that are void of Reafbn, and who ■will not be prayed or lamented out of their wits : Yet this will pafs currant among weak People, who will be more moved with an Oh, or an Alas, than with ten fblid Reafbns or Seri pture-Tefti monies. The Scripture which he exhorts us to remember, makes nothing for withdrawing from hearing the Word of God Preached by the Lords Minillers: When the Lord Inftrudled the Prophet, That he jhould not walk in the way of that People, nor fay a Confederacy to all them, to whom that People /did a Confederacy, He did notdifeharge the Prophet to hear the Word of God, or to joyn with the Lords ■[559] People in the Worfliip of God. The way of Gods Ordinances is the way of God, in which the Lords goings are, and in which his People walk with him, and in which he hath commanded them to walk ; but the way of that People was their finful ways, ways of their own which were not Gods ways ; die Confederacy difcharged was not joyning toge¬ ther in the Lords Ordinances, for the Lord hud commanded his People to Aflemble together lor his Solerhn VVorfhip, Deut. i 1 1, i x, i g. Deur. i y. 1 9, ^o. Deut. 1 6. 7, 8. 1 6. 1 7. But the Confede¬ racy difcharged, is a Confederacy with the King of Afljrta. He cites Atj^os la, 1^. Where the Lord di- redfs his People to prepare to meet their God. This Scripture is as little to the Hiftorians purpofe as the former, for the way to meet with God, is not to withdraw from the Worfhip of God ; but upon the contrary, they who would meet with God, mull: come to his Ordinances, for there he meets with them, Exod.'L'y.'Li. 29,41,43. He hath laid. That theyi^ho- hear his Servant s.^ hear himfelf, and hath hlejjedthefe who hear him., and watch daily at his gates, and 7vait at the Fofis of his Doors. That’s the way to find him, to find Life, d^c. Frov. 8. 31, 33. Hehath promifed, that where he Records his Name, he will come to his People and blefs them. Separation from the Lords Ordinances is no preparation to meet with God, but it is a depart¬ ing from God : And if this Separation from the Lords People, and from his Worfhip, be compre¬ hended under the Separating of our (el ves from every finful courfe, the Chriftian complyance which he 1 • [5'4o] ■ rpaiks of, is an unclirillian misapplication of that j word in the /[.th. ot Amos : And if he thought that they who have heaiu the indulged Ivlinifteis, mull utterly foriake that way, as a way provoking the Lord to wrath, he was quite out, and utterly mi- ftaken about this utter foriaking. The Scripture with which he clofeth, Zefh. x. I, 2, g. is not for his fcattering of the Lords Peo- pie, but for the gathering of them together to the V Solemn Worfnip of God' If the Author had pon-_ , j dered this Scripture, and obfervedthe diredlions of / the Spirit of the L.ord, which are given in it, he would not hav'e endeavoured to fcatter the Lords People; and if he had made more Confcience of Peeking Righteoufnefs, he would not have done fo / many and great wrongs and injuries to his innocent Brethren, who had done him no wrong, and who were doing right Liaings ; and if he had made more ^ Conlcience of (eeking Meeknefs, he would have been more quiet, and either altogether been iilcnt, or fpoken and written of thefc things with more calmnefs and compofure of Spirit: If meeknefs (as they lay) were loft, it would be a hard work to find it in this Hiilory, in. which there is much of the wrath of man, which perfects not the Righte- ournefs of God. He concludes well with two Peti¬ tions of the Lords Prayer, Thy Kingdom come^ thy Will be done. If he had looked to the Expofition of the Second Petition of the Lords Prayer in the lar¬ ger C.itechifm, he would have found , that this is a part of the meanang of that Petition, that the Church m.iy be countenanced and maintained by the Civil M igillrate ; and to confirm this, the i Tm. a. I z. is eked, I exhort 'therefore that fir ff of all Supplications, Vrayersfiintercejjions, an d Thank fpv- inzsbe made for all men, for Kings, and for all that are m Authonty : That ive may lead a c^mefi and peaceable life in all Godlinejs and Hcnefiy. Which ftiews, that the Affembly ot Divines at iVefimmfier did not think, that the Kingdom of Chrift is to be fet up by ruining earthly Kings and Kingdoms and that they take not the right way to advance Chrilts Kingdom, who rejedf the Magiftrates countenance, and maintenance of the Church: Or who by de- fpifing and provoking Magiftratcs to wrath, tempts themlo difcountenance the Church. And feeing they look on the Church as Chrifts Kingdom, the Hiftorian hath not taken the right way to advance this Kingdom, but hath taken the way to ruine it by dividing it ; For a Kingdom divided againjt it Jelj , cannot fiand. And if be had pondered the explica¬ tion of the third Petition, it might have been a mean to have prevented his giving lo much place to his own Humour and W ill m th;s Hiftory, and helped him to more fubmlllion unto the Holy Providence of God, than doth appear in this Hiftory. 1 willi he had, ere he began to write this Hdtory, put up that Petition, And lead m not into temptation : Or •at the clofe of it, put up that Petition, And forgive m our fins. We have great need, ere we begin De¬ bates and Controverfies, even when they are necel- fary to pray, that we be not led into temptation; And great need to clofe fuch Debates, even when the caufe maintained is right, with Playing, Lord forgive us our fins. I have examined all that ha any appearance of .Realbn in this Hiftory, an re futed many things whicli needed no refutation, if It had not been for the lake of fimple People, who arc otten deceived by big words, where there is no (hew or colour of Realbn. I have often by Realbn reluted the unrcalbnable clamours, both of the Au¬ thor of the Epiflle, and of the Hiftory 5 whereas I might have oppoled clamour to clamour, for what is founded upon meer clamour, may be as eafily cried down as it’s cried up. Let none becaufe of the Au“ thors errors in this Hiftory, call: at other uleful Books which he hath publilhed ; nor rejecf any thing that is true and right in this Hiftory. Good men have their failings, and we may not take our meafures of them from their mifcarriages under a fit of temp¬ tation. Joy’s Friends had a juft hatred againft Hy- pocrifie, and they miftake and falls foul upon him, as a Hypocrite, and fpeaks many things that are not right things, in the heat of Debate. This Author had a juft indignation agsLiniVErafiianiJm, and aSpiritual Supremacy in Magiftrates 3 and he apprehended that his brethren had interpretatively homologate this Eraflian and Spiritual Supream power in the Magiftrate, and having miftaken them, he hath fallen foully upon them, and Ippken much evil of them without caulc. Thele things which in the Epiftle and Hiftory are wrong, are ' things for the raoftpart, which feveral people had drunk in, and the printing of thele errours, hath given occafion to redfifie themiftakesof erringpeo- ple, if they will not fhut their eyes againft the light. The Lord who is excellent in working, draws good out of evil,, and maketh all things work together for good to them who love hirti, and are the called according ' [J43] according to his purpole-he can over- rule the dark- neft of error, fb as it fhall be fubiervient to clear the truth. In the worlh times the Eledf hath obtained and fhall obtain. The Lord reigneth and ruleth in the mid ft of Enemies, he can when men are fcat- teringthc dull of Xion, be making way for laying a folid foundation, in the deep humiliation of his people, for building his houle : The Church hath been before, as dry and Icattered bones, as bones fcattered at the graves mouth ; and yet he who rail- eth the dead, hath made thefe bones to come to¬ gether and live.* It’s our beft to leave the anfwering of that Queftion, Cm thefe Bones live} To the Lord himlelf, to Jehovahy who makes things that are not^ to be ; 'who doeth great things and unfearch- able^ marvellous things^ and without number. If we would take fhame and confufion of face to our felves, and would hum.ble our (elves in the fight and (en(e of our fins, our darknefs, and ftumblings, and juftlings in the dark j and juftifie the Lord in his judgments that are come upon us, and yet a(^ cribc to him the glory of his Mercy ; and our of - our depths and darknefs cry to him, that he would caufe his face to (hine and enlighten our darknels, and (end out his Light and Truth, and pour out the Spirit of a found mind ; and that he would quicken us by the Spirit of Life, that is in Chrift jefus, that we might call on his Name, and look on him whom we have pierced and mourn', dc that when mens endeavours to gather the (battered (heep, are not cftedfual, that he the great Shepherd would (eek out his fheep, and deliver them out of all places where they have been fcattered in the cloudy and dark [ 544 1 dark day. And if we would wait on him in the way of his Judgments, and hope in his Word, his Co¬ venant, which he ufes to remember for his People, and to repent according to the multitude of his Mercies; and though we have no ground of hope in our felves, yet hope againfl hope, on the Lord, ovho IS the hope of Ifrael, and the Saviour thereof in the tim-e of trouble, and that becaufe juith him there is Mercy and plenteous Redemption. And fo con¬ tinue humbly praying, hoping, waiting for him. He could Toon redeem us from all our Iniquities, and all our Xroubies, and cure all our diftradfions and diftempers, and give Light, and Life, and Unity, and Peace. Let us take (hame to our (elves, and give him the glory due to his Name ; that his Name may endure for ever, and be continued as long as the Sun, that men may be Bleffed in him, and all Nations call him Bleffed. BleJJed be the Lord God, the God of Ifrael, -who onely doeth wondrom things. And BkJJcd be his Glorious Name for ever and ever, and let the Tvhole Earth he filled with his Glory, Amen, and Amen. [J45] T ’the Cenjerence continued. t'"armer. O /i?, there are many things covfiderahJs O iri this Anfwer to the Hifiory of the Indulgence^ which I furfofe to confider ^ but there IS one thing which not a little troubles me * 'Jdbat the withdrawing from hearing the Indulged Minifers ts called Schifm. Now I remember we are by Co- tenant bound to extirpate Schifm, and if I have been praStifing Schifm, in withdrawing fi'om hear¬ ing the Indulged Minifiers, I have been Ailing con¬ trary to the Covenant. Minifier. They who deal truly in the matter of the Covenant, will ftudy to fulfill their V owS; not onely in (brhe things, but in all things. Schifin IS a diflolution of that Union which ought to be among Chriftians, and efpecially it appears in refufing that Church-fellowftiip or Ecclcfiallical Communion, which ought to be obferv'ed, or m an unwillingnels to communicate, or to have com¬ munion with the true Church in Holy A61ions. Cafuifts fhew, that it is a moft grievous fm. I. Becaufe it is contrary to Charity towards our Neighbour. X. It is contrary to the Edification of him who Separates, in depriving him of Communion in Spi¬ ritual good. 5. It’s contrary to the Elonour of Chrift, be¬ ing contrary to the Unity of his Myftical Body. 4. It makes way for Herefie, and Separation from Chrift. M m If [,-46], If ye would be cleared ot the unlawfulnels of this SchiUn, or Separation, in your withdrawing from the Indulged Minifters, and thefe Congrega¬ tions where they Preach ; or, which is all one, in j withdrawing from that Church-communion in the ’ Worfliip of God, which ye had formerly in thefe Congregations, as if it were unlawful to joyn with them in the Worfhip of God : I defire you would read the Writings of the Old Non-Contormifts a- gainO; Separatifts ; particularly I recommend to you Mi% Rutherfurd'^’i Reaceahle Flea for Paul’s Fresbjtery in Scotland, Chap. lo. from fag.^ixo. to pag. 149. Where he proves that it's unlawful to Separate from the true Church vifible for the cor¬ ruption of Teachers, and the wicked nefs of Pa- ftours and Profeffours. Where Faith is begotten bv the Preaching of Profeiled Truth, it is not every Error or Corruption in Miniders or PrafeF lours, w’hich will warrant Separation, as he Ihews. A Mini Iter who Preaches the body of Divinity foundly, howbeit he mixes Errors with it, may be heard, and yet we may be no way defiled with his Error, it we reject it. We are, faith he, to hear the Pharifees, but to beware of their leaven, and finding it to be four and unfbund Do6trine, wp are to rejedl it. What think ye would he have judged of your Separation ? Seeing ye Separate from a Church, where the Miniller, and People who fiibmits to his Miniftry, do profefs and hold the whole Dodtrine of Salv^ation, contained in the Word of God, and particularly in the ConfelEona of Faith, ot this National Church, and rejects all • Errors contrary thereto j they have all the pafrs of [w] Worfilipof Divine, MHtution, and no falfc Wor^ fl-iip. I rn 3. They own ahi^fubmittotbe Difciplineof the Church, which is of Divine Infhrution, and owns no Offices or Officers in the Church of God, but filch as the Lord hath appointed to be in his Houfe. Again,your Separating from a particular Church, where the Wffirffiip of God is in every thing ac¬ cording to Chrilfs Inftitution, is by necelTaiyand undeniable confequence a Separation from all 01 her Chufehes, v/here the Worfhip of God is celebrated according to Chrifts Inftitution, and fp is a Sepa¬ ration from the Univerfal Church, and from Chrift in it. The tendency and efficacy of this finful Separa¬ tion, may be feen in the mifchievous efte‘ft:s of it, in diftolving the Bond of Love, in taking Peepe oT from the Duties of Love and mutual Edifica¬ tion, and tends to Malice, Hatred, Envy, WhiE pering, rafh uncharitable judging, Cenfuring, Ly¬ ing, Back-biting, Slandering, Reproaching, De- Euning, Vain jangling, Strife, Contention, and the evil works which follow thereupon. This Separation is one of the moft groundlefs Separations that ever was in the Church, and fb one of the moft vile Schifhas that ever hath been heard of. And the more groundlefs any Separation is ; as it is the more finful, fb it produces ordinarily the more fiu ; for when. People have groundlefly Separate, and cannot give an account of the caffie of their Separation, and yet will not Repent and return, they arc under a dreadful temptation to Mm ^ nwke [?48] ' make up, or take up falfe Reproaches and Calum¬ nies againft thele from whom they Separate, that they may have (bmething to rlay for themlelves j and this increafes to more and more ungodlinefs, and unrighteoulhefs, to Strife, Envy, Confufion, and every evil work. Farmer. I cannot deny, that jome have run into a great height of contempt of Magifirates and Mi- nifters, I conjefs I am ajhonijhed at this late Band and Sanchar Declaration. Min. The Seeds of the Confufion which is in thele Papers, were Town here and there in (bme Papers, which were before fcattered among the People, who did not confider whereto they would grow. Preacher. I v-'onder ivhy there jhould he Jo much out-crying againjl that Band, feeing it hath jO ex¬ cellent a Defign, the Glory of God, the Tropagation of his Kingdom, Reformation of Religion, Extir¬ pation of ivhat is contrary to the Kingdom of Chrijl. Mm. Such Defigns do ufually beguile fimple People, who think if the intention be good, all is right; bur. Sir, you who are a Preacher, know that there are many more things required to make any one Adfion good, befide a right intention; Me mufi not do evil that good may come of it ; the in¬ tention of good Will not juftifie the doing of evil. Some have, as they thought, defigned the ferving [wl of God, when they were killing his Servants ; but this did not juftifie their Murther. Preach. What are thefe evils 'which are in that Band and Declaration ? Min, It would take a long time to relate them, let be to refute them : I have fcen two Refuwrions of that Band. I ftiall give you lome Ihort Obtei- vations out of one of thefe Papers. I. They have been very injurious to Presbyte* riahs, in arrogating to themfelves the Title of the TrueFresbyterian Tarty, feeing their Principles an Praftices are contrary to the Principles ot i tesby- terians, which are publilhed in their Conteffions ot Faith and Covenants: And they have in this vciy Bond, fo clearly diftinguifhed themfelves from, and confHtute themfelves a Party Separate from the generality of the Presbyterians, that they w o would gladly have faftened and Fathered this Band and Declaration upon Presbyterians, have given over that unreafonable attempt, for they faw that tale would not tell. X. The whole contrivance looks like an A£f of Enthufiafm, or of men defpcvatc, rulhmg upon mine and Death: They fay, they Pf ^ God, which looks like an Enthafinfitck >mpu«e. Some endeavoured to aCm, by the words of the lirft Article, whe e / take the Scriptures to be the objeft ot their Fajih, and Rule of their (>nverfation ; but [55°] looked rao';2 narrowly to the words, and found r ut they lay not the Word of God ifi the Scrip¬ tures, but his Scriptures and Word, they found t lat they had not fufiiciently cleared thcnifelves of Entbufiafn! ; for this leems to fay, that there is a word diftinef from the Scriptures, which they alfo take for the Objedf of their Faith, and Rule of thei-r Converfation, fome Enthujiafiick exprefiions di'Oppcd in Sermons did increafe the fiifpicion. g. When they fay, their Confcicnce and Men put them to it, how ftiSll we know that it was not an erring Confcicnce y they muilfhew us by what Rule their Confcience was diredled.And men are hil- lible both in making and breaking Covenants. like mm., faith the Lord, by the Prophet Hofia, ha've tranlf rejjed the Co'ixnant. Thcfe men might have confulted with flefh and blood, -and imagi¬ ned that by getting others engaged in the fame danger with themfeives, they might be fafer in a throng* Men are not to lippen to, except thefe Floly men of God who fpoke as they were moved by the Holy Gholf. 4. They engage in the id. Art. That they jlmll to the utmofi of their Fewer, &c. and fo have al¬ tered a very ncccffary claiife in the League and Co¬ venant, VIZ,. IVe ' jliall ^endeavour in cur feveral Flaces and CnUtngs, Art. i. And in our [ever al Vo¬ cations, Arc. 3. They faw that if they had Icept within tlip bounds of their Callings, they could never have had accefs to make that terrible Con^u- fion in Kirk and Kingdom which they defigncd: their Their Places and Vocations did not allow or war¬ rant them to overturn King and Kingdom, and ^ bring all Minifters that were not of their way, to ftand at their Bar. And therefore being refolved to pafs the bounds of their Vocation, they lelt out thefe- words of the Covenant, which manifellly croffed their Dehgns. i 4. They % in that We all to cur Tower ^ relieve the Church and SubjeBs of this ^ Kino-dom (^ws being called thereto by his giving of tfs Toiver^Tower beingGods call to^do goodf of that opprejjiony &c. _ . ^ i . I. This is, I fuppofe, a new Principle hi Clwl- ftendom, that Power or Strength is Gods . call- T. he Turk thinks he hath a Call and Right ,to take all that he hath might to Conquer j but this is a part of Turcifm^ which Chriflians deteft. It’s good that Malefactors who deferve Death, be Executed , but every man who hath lircngth, o.r ,pith to kill them, IS not called of God to put them to death. It’s good that there be Magiftrates to govern a City, it’s good that the Gofpel be Preached j but evciy man who hath ability to Govern a City, or to Preach,^ is not called of God to Govern or to Preach. It this Principle were reduced to praCfice, it \vould turn the World up- fide down. It’s good that a Mafter, who hath injured his Servant, Ihould be punifhed : May therefore a Servant, if he be ftronger than his Mafter, punifhhim? Is he called of God to doit? If ability to do good, were Gods call, the man who defired Chrift to (peak to his Brothei , to divide the Inheritance v/ith him, might have an- M m 4 (wered to our Saviours Qiicftion, Man^ who made me a yudge or a Divider 0‘ver jou? That feeing Chrift had ability to judge and divide, that there¬ fore he was called of God to judge and djvidc. a. &eing they had rjot power or ftrength to ef; fediuate thefe great things, which they undertake in this and the following Articles j and feeing there was no probability, that a few private Perfbns could ever be in a capacity to do thefe things: And fp feeing, according to their own defeription of God? call; they neither had, nor ever were like to have Gods call to do thefe great things, how could they fwear fo do thefe things which they were not yet called to do, nor were ever like to be called to do them? To fwear to do what we are not called to do, and which is not in our power, and is never like to be in our power, is a rafh taking of the Name of God in vain ; it’i not a fwearing in Judg- inent. y. The Method to overturn Prelacy and Erafiiamfm, by overturning and ruining the Civil Government and Governours, is meer Con- fufion, and tends to havock and defblation. Pref^ byterians think themfelves bound in their places and flations to feek the removal of Prelacy and Erajhianifm, but they do not think it their Duty to overturn Civil Government to ereft Presbyte^ial Governrribnt; to deftroy Civil Order in the jKing- dom,to credf Ecclefiaftical Order in the Kirk ; They do not think it their Duty to break the third Arti¬ cle of the Covenant, to keep the preceding Arti¬ cles. As God hath appointed Order in the Church, [5i'3] fo he hath appointed Order in the State, and the one of thefe fhould not be overturned to eftablifli the other. It’s the earneft defire of Presbyterians, that the removal of all diforders in the Church, and the reparation of the Ruines of the Church may be by the hand of their rightful Rulers. 6. What confidence can the Subje£l:s have, that they who have lo eafily fhaken thepifelves loofe of fubjedlioti to Lawful Rulers, to whom God hath commanded them to be (ubjc<3^ fo^ Conlcience- fake, will be very tender of the CoiiRiences of others, and will not exerche oppreillon upon the Confciences of thefe who would be under them ? No great tendernefs can rationally be expc6fed fiom thefe, who have fo lightly loofed themfelves from the Obligation of the 3^. Article of the Covenant. Or what confidence can they have, that their Ban¬ ders will not difpoffefs them of their Civil Rights, if they find any fault in them, feeing they engage themlHves to difpollcfs the Ring and Subordinate Magiftratesof their places, to which they have un¬ doubted right ? Or that they who make not Con- fcienceto attempt the greateft defturbance that can be imagined in the whole Kingdom, will regard the quiet or difturbance of private Perfons ? Again, the Subjefts do not defire to be relieved in the way laid down in this Bond, which is indeed the way of Diforder, Confufion, and Defolation ; they think the Remedy would prove worfe than the Difeafe. And what Right can be expedled from thefe who makes Power and might to be a Call and Warrapt fpr their A6lings. [7J4] 7- It may fcem 'ft range, that they could in the 3^/. A'“ticle mention the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant, without terrour and Ihame. Seeing they have ib manitelHy in many things de¬ parted from thefe OoV’enants,and gone crofs to them, in this very Bondjfor although in words they engage to extirpate Popery ,in all the Articles of it,yet they really and effedlually plant and eftablifh feveral Popifh Articles. It’s a Popilh Article, that the Mi- niflcrs ot the Relormed Churches Ihould not be owned as Minifters , that Communion ftiould not be kept with them, nor with thefe who joyn with them, in the publick Worftiip of God ; The Au¬ thors of this Bond lay the fame of all the Minifters of the Church ot Scotland^ who are not of their own Opinion and way- and, tor any thing known, when this Bond came forth, theie whom they own for Minifters, were but two or three at mo ft, and they renounce Communion in the Worlhipof God, with all who joyn not with them in their wild and furious conceits. And thus they yield this to Pa- plfts, that there are no Minifters nor Churches in Scotland which Chriftlans ftiould joyn in Chri- ftian or Church-fellowftiip. It’s a Popifti Article, that the Pope may depole Kings and Magiftrates, and free Subjc£ls ot their Allegiance to Kings and Rulers, and that any private Perfon may kill thefe Rulers whom the Pope hath Excommunicated and Depoled. The Authors of this Bond in their Depofing the King and Subordinate Rulers, and in declaring them no Rulers, and in engaging to execute Judg¬ ment upon them. (I Ihall foi'bear to fpeak of their [?5?] tiiEiT litc HiXCOiTirniiiiiCtition ot them, bcciiufcl h3,VG not (eenir) they have confirmed the Papiftsinrhele Errors, for they will think that theTope may claim as much Power over Kino;3 to whom he is not Sub- jedl as their own private Subjedls claim. Again, it's one of the Popes pranks to Inter- didf Countries, or Cities, that he hath a quarrel at, in difcharging all publick Worlhip of God m them j thefe Banders have done the fame upon the matter, in going about to hinder, as far as their Power reaches, all publick Worlhip of God, ex¬ cept in thelc parts< where their Preachers come. We are by Covenant obliged to extirpate Schifm ;• this Bond engages' thefe v/ho take it in one of the vilell Schif^s that hath been beard of in the Church, as appears Article 6. The Covenant is for the extirpation of Prelacy; but tiiefe Banders, though in words they engage to do fo, yet they really make thefe Minilters of theirs, who are far from the number of fourteen, in ef- fecl Prelates, and will have all the Minifters of tha Church to ftand in Judgment before thefe Judges, and to be no Minifters, except thefe Minifters of theirs will. And thus they really overturn Presbyterial Go- i veriiment, which the Covenant obliges to preferve. ; The Covenant obliges to preferve the Priviledges- ' of Parliament, Liberties of the Kingdoms, and ! the Kings Majefties Perfon and Authority, This Bon,d Bond cngageth to deftroy the King and his Autho¬ rity, and to alter the very form of Government j fo that it it (hould take effe61:, there would be no King, nor Parliament, nor Kingdom in the Na¬ tion. And contrary to the 4,th. Article of the Cove¬ nant, they make Fa6tions among the People, and go about to divide the King from the People, by a moft deftrudlive Divifion in deftroying the King. The Covenant keeps every man in his own place and Calling, but all who take this Band, bind themtelves in this 3 Article, to execute Righte¬ ous Judgment impartially according to the VVord of God, and degree of wickednefs upon the com¬ mitters of Blafphemy, d^c. So that all who take this Band, Minifters and People, Mar , and Wo¬ man, engage themfelves to A61: the part y. *- Judges, in executing Righteous Judgment. But who made them Judges? They fiiould have (laid till they had gotten a call to Judge, and had been in a capacity of Judging, before they had fworn to execute Righteous Judgment. Again, if all of them had been Judges, execu¬ ting Righteous Judgment, then all would have been Rulers, and (b there would have been none of them to be Ruled and Judged ; and thus not onely their Minifters, but alfb all their Men old and young, and their Women, are engaged to pafs the bounds of their Calling, and to perform that which would have been impractical and impofliblc. Preacher. [jjy] ■ Preactier. But, Sir, are not the Saints to have a fliarp' Sv^ord in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the Heathen, and puniftiment upon thePe(> pie; to bind their Kings with Chains, and their Nobles with Fetters of IronPTo execute upon them the Judgment written, Tfal. 149. 6, 7, 8, 9. j^nd is it not fro'inifed to him that overcoraeth, and keep- eth the words of Chrift unto the end, that Chrift will give him Power over the Nations, and that he (hall Rule them with a Rod of Iron ? Rev. a. a/. Minip. You might have learned from the Or¬ thodox Interpreters of the Scripture, that the word there, is not a Carnal Sword, but the (harp two- edged Sword of the Word of God, which binds and loofes Perfons of all Ranks, according as they 'Repent, or are obftinate, and contains in it the Sen¬ tence of God, which will be in due time executed ; it’s by the Word, by Spiritual Weapons that the Saints overcome the World, the Flefli, and the Devil. And for that place in the id. of Rev. Mr. Dur~ ham (heweth, that it is no Earthly Dominion which is there meant ; for, I. It’s to be performed after the full Vi6fory. 2,. All overcomers are not capable of Temporal Power over the Nations. It imports then theft two. I. An excellent Dominion that the Believer may expc6l. , [yjS] a. A joynt fliafing in Chrifts ConqueO: over the Nation, 1 Cor. 6. 'I'bcj P^all jlngels and all ■ the PVicked in the day of yudgment - Though Often Believers are now oppreflcd by the Wicked of the World, yet the day is coming, when it (hall be otherways ; Believers ihall notonely be free from their oppreiiions , but (hall be as ablblute King?, .having Dotninion over them m the morning., as it is in the 49 '?{alm 14. When the condition of the Wicked in Gods JulHce Ihall be moh miferable. I have heard of late, that feme of tlie People are fb lar deluded, as to imagine, that the place of Scripture which ye fir ft mentioned, warrants every private Saint to take the Sword and execute Judg-- ment upon all evil doers. But ye may calily per¬ ceive, that this is contrary to the Analogy of Faith, and the Confefiions of Faith of all tlie Reformed Churches, and is the dregs of that Dream, that the Saints ihall have a Temporal, Earthly Monarchy ; and we who profeisour felv’es to be Teachers of the People, Ihould be lb far from plealing People in fuch Deluiions, that we fhould faithfully diicover their Errors unto them, and reprove them fharply, and not fufier fin to be upon their Souls, and efpe- cially Errors of this nature, that tends to the Ruine of all Humane Societies, anti to utter Confulion and Deiblation: And you will have little Peace if you fee them by their pradfiiing thefe Erroneous Principles brought unto bonds, and under the lafh of the Civil Sword. Preach. Proceed in your Ohfervations. Min, 8. T'hc [5'5:9] Min. 8. The formers of this Bond (eem to have been unacquainted with the judgment of Presbyr terians concerning the National Covenant ; for in this Band they fpeak^ as if Prelacy were not ex¬ cluded by the National Coveeant, but onely by the League and Covenant, They who engrofled to themfclves the Title of the true Presbyterian Party, ftiould not have been fo ignorant of the fentiments of Presbyterians. 9. They wlio take this Band and adhere to if^ cannot fubfcribe the Covenants : And I heard of one of this way, who faid, if the fubfcribing of the Covenant were to do again, his hand fnould tather be cut off, than fublcribe it.' This fhews, that this Band is inconhftent with thefe Covenants. 10. In the ^th. Article there are many horrid things vented of the Magiftrates , as for Example, That their Go'uernment cannot be called a Govern¬ ment^ but a lufiful rage.y and that they can be no more called Governours^but Fublick GraJJators^that is.. High-way Robbers., and fubltck Judgments^ as Sword, Famine, Fefiilence raging among zts-, and for a Conclujion , they fay, that none can judge us bound in Allegiance to them, unlefs they fay aljoi, we are bound in Allegiance to the Devil, they being his Vicegerents, and ?totGods. if this be not an inftance of fpeaking evil of Dignities, and of railing ac- cufation againft them, it will be hard to find an inftance of fuch railing elfewhere. II. It’s [j6o] i I. It’s very ftrange, that they fay, that it cannot be thought that there is hope of the Magilfrates Repentance. Was it not enough to them to ex- aggerate the Magiftrates fins beyond the bounds of Truth and Sobernefs ? But they muft alfo magni- fie and multiply them above the multitude of the great Mercies of God. Who can limit the Sovereign grace of God, jvho hath Mercy on -whom he will have Mercy'? The example oi Manajjeh^s Repen¬ tance might have reftrained them from this bold encroaching upon the Sovereignty of Free Grace. 1 ^ It’s a terrible ftretch that they fay they have fhewed their enmities againft all Righteoufiiels , this is a part of the Delcription of Elimas the Sor¬ cerer, Ahh 13. I o. They cannot but be exceed- ingly blinded with prejudice againft the Magiftrate, who fees not Ibme Righteoufnefi in the excrcile ot their Government. I If Private Perfbns may take upon thcm,be- caufeof the fins of their Superiours, to difown their Authority, and take Power to themfelves, and ex¬ ecute Judgment upon thele who are their Parents, Mafters, Magiftrates ; this would overturn the Foun¬ dations of all Humane Society, and fill the World with Confufion. Though Saul was an ungodly man, and Perfe- cuted David without a caufe, and drove him out of the Land, from the Ordinances, and expofed him to the hazard of ferving other gods: Though he unjuftly and very fummarily flew eighty five Priefts of the Lord, and contrary to the manner of the !r 1 the Kingdom, which obliged him to maintain Re¬ ligion and Rightcoiifhe^s, did put the Foundations of the Earth out of courfe, yet David did non think himfelf obliged to difbwn Saul to be King, nor did he think himfelf obliged to kxWSaul when he had Power and Opportunity to do it ; He will not differ his Men to do it, i Satn.y^. 6,7. i Sam. a6. 8,9, He did not think that his kiUing of Saul was the way to free the Land from Guiltinefs • yea, his heart fmote him for cutting off the lap ot his Garment. He judged Abner^ worthy of Death, becaufe he nad not been caretul to pi efer vciS/rw/s Life : And though David was appointed ot God to be a bleffed Inftrument of Reformation, atid Saul flood in his way, yet he will not deflvoy him, but waits Gods leifure. Xhere were many ill Kings in Judah^ but the Lord never direcls private Perfons to dilbwn them, and dethrone and kill them. AhaZj is frequently called by the Lord, King A- haz,^ notwithftanding of all the ill he had done , and was doing. Daniel calls Darim King, after the Blafphemous Decree which he had Signed. Chrift diredfs to give Tribute to C^£far, and gives it himfelf : And Paul owns Nero’s Judgment- feat, and Appeals to Ca^av'^ aAd what Mongers Tiberius and Nero were, is known to all who know the Hiftories of the Roman Emperours. If this Device of nullifying the Authority of Ru¬ lers, becaufe of their faults real or alledged, were put in pradfice, it would quickly turn the World tipfide-down. For though Magiftrates, as Gods N n Vice^' [S6z] Vicegerents, be fingularly obliged to reprefent the Holinefs and Righteoiifnefs of God in the exercife of their Government ; yet if we confider that they have the fame Corruption by nature which others have, and that they have greater temptations than otherS'j and that there are often with them, men who for their own ends will tempt them to fins, which they would never have thought upon : As for Example, That abominable Decree which Da- wie/’s Enemies cheatingly obtruded upon Darim, as a great Complement ; and when they have gotten them to Ena6f any thing that is not right, they will alledge they are in point of Honour bound to maintain their own deed : And feeing there are many Flatterers, who will praife all that great Per- fons do, as if it were right: And feeing faithful Counlellors, who fingly defign the Glory of God, and the true Happinefs and Intereft of Rulers, are very rare : Dum non 'vult alter, timet alter dicere ^erim, Kenlyus. And conlidcring how many provocations Ruleis ufe to get by bitter inve61;ives and (currillous Pam¬ phlets, which tend to render them contemptible j and by flighting and mifconftruing their favours, and by affropting of their Authority. Thefe things being confidered, I mean, their inward Corruption and allurements to fin upon the one hand , and irritating Provocations upon the oj:,hqr hand, it’s like enough that they who wnll uullifie their Authority, becaufeof their faults, will not not want pretences i afwJ they who are of this hu» m our of Depofing Rulers, if they find not faults enough, they will make where they want ; or they will magnifie their faults, and make them worfe than they are. If Men of this difpofitidn made Infurredfion againlf Jidofes, and alledged upon him who was the meekeft man upon Earth, and whom God had extraordinarily raifed That he lifted up himjelf abo've the Con^ye^atiofi of the Lovd^ and that he had brought thetn out of a Land floiving with Milk and Honej, to kill them in the ITilder- nefs^and made himfelf altogether a Prince over them^ and had not brought them unto a Land flowing with Milk and Honey, nor given them Inheritance of Fields and Vineyards : yind that he ivould put "out, or bore out their Lyes, If they found, or made ib many pretences againft Mofes, w’ho was fb blame- lefi, 0 1 how many faults would they find ift the Perfbns and Government of the generality of Ru¬ lers, through the World in thefe lalt times:, in which Initjuity does fb much abound in Peifonsof all ranks? • ' '-f ki Preach. But if Kings and Rulers do not what they ought to do, but do the contrary, then the Sub- jells are free from any Oath- of Allegiance, and from any (lo-venant ?nade to preferve theirer, with our jSdeans and Lives, to jtand to the Defence of our dread Sovereign, his Verfon and Authority , in the Rrejervation of true Religion, Liberties, and Laws of this Kirk and Kingdom-, but alfo in ervery Caiife which may concern His Majefiks Honour, fiall concur with our Friends and followers, as we ft all he required. Preach. SubjeBs are not obliged to concur ivith, an.d ajfifi Rulers in doing ill. Min. That’s true; for to concur with them, in affilringthem to do evil, were to partake of their fin : But though we may not partake of their evil,- yet that will not follow, that we muft not maintain their Pei Idn and Authority. Although the Ifraeliies would net affift and concur with in deftroying fonathnn, but refeued him, yet they thought them- felves bound to defend Saul’s Perfon and Authority. It’s one thing not to concur with Superiours in evil, and another thing todeftroy their Perlbns and their Power, bccaufe they do evil. But ye cannot deny, but the. Covenant obliges to defend and maintain the King in fb far as he maintains the true Religion and Righteoulhefs ; and I think ye will not deny that the King doth in part maintain the true Religion and P..ighteournefs, and therefore ye are bound to defend his Perfon and Authority ; and how can ye defend his Perfon and Authority in doing any good , if ye deftroy his Perfon and Power, as is defigned and (worn in this Band. There 'rhere are many or -P7J . . ^ , ler Abfurdities m that rourth A. IlCiCai^ - Article of the Band, which were tedious to repeat In the fifth Article they lay, IVe then being made free by God and their oivn doings^ he giving the Law, and they giving the tranfgreffionofthatLaw, which is the caufe that we are loofedfrom all Oh li¬ gations Divine and Civil to them. * zi i r It’s flrangc that men who cry out again It thele Who break other Articles of the Covenant, Ihould lo boldly {hake olf the Obligation of the third Article of the Covenant, and fo increale the fin of the tion by adding the breach of the Civil part of the Covenant to the breach of the Religious part of To make out what they affert, it’s not enough to prove that the Rulers have rranlgreffed the Law of God, for they mull: alfo Ihew from the Law, tnat it is the will of God, that Subjedfs ftiould upon fuch and fuch tranfgreffions, fhake oft all Obliga¬ tions towards fuch Rulers : But this they have ne¬ ver attempted, becaufe they could nof- 1 ^o^'^ enquire at them, doth every tranfgreftion loole thefe Obligations? If not, then how many, and how great muft thefe tranfgreffions be? And then ffiall a few private Perfons, who have very little Intereft in the Nation, determine this Queftion, How many, and how great tranigreftions makes Rulers no Rulers, andSubjedfs noSubjedfs? Then they promife to fet up Government and GoVernours according to the Word qf God, efpe- N n 4 cially [^68] pally Exod I 8. Moreover, thou jlialt provide ey,t of ah toe Vcopk able Men, fich as p<.ar God, A! n (f Truths hattnfr Covetoujncfs, &c. I wil]i they hud pondered I 144. ii, z a. Aly Son, fe^r thou the Lord ai d the King, and me u die not ovlih tb.m that are given to chardd • For their Ca¬ lamity’ frail rije f::ddealj,and "ivho krarwcih the ruins of them both ? 'I’he Dutch Interpreters expound it of thele who are addicted to changes and novelties, departing from the Obedience which they owe to God and thf.ir Lawful M:^g?laates, and rifing up in Rebel¬ lion againil thern. Alojes w.ts King in yefurun, and his fetting up fuKudinaie Rulers, is no pattern for their fhakng off chc Yoke of Subjection, and letting up Ufur- pers and an unlawful Government : The 1 6 of Numb, rs, where Subjedts do Scditioufly exalt them- lelves againfe ALoJes and Aaron, quadrats better V'i‘h their cate chan the 1 8 ot Exodiis, where Mo- fa makes fubordinate Rulers fo'- his own and the Peoples ea.Ie. And how could they in Realbn ex- pe6t, chat able men, wile and prudent men, iit for Governnicnt, or men fearing God, or men of Truro, would undertake to be Governours oyer them ? For wile men would fee the lin, and fnare, and hazard in breaking down the hedge of Civil or Er.clcfulticai Government, Ecclef. 10. 8. Men fearing God they ahb fear the King, and tear an Oath; and men of Truth will not deal fallely in tb e niauer of their Covenant with God or Man : And 'vvho but tjoliffi raili Perfons vyould upon them [?69] them to Rule fuch an unruly and diforderly Peo- ' pie, who had deftroyed all Order Civil and Eccle- I fiallical ? t It’s ftrange that they durfl: fpeak, as they do, of Kingly Government and Lineal Succelhon, (eeing the Lord eftabliihed both among his People in the Houfe of David, the man after his own heart. Kingly Government, as eilabhfhed in thefe Na¬ tions, in which King and Parliament make Laws, is a form of Government lb excellent, that few, except Perfons byaffed with pvejudice, will find fault with it : The faults of Rulers ihould not be imputed to the form of Government. ii They engage to letup the judicial Law,but they i apprehend it would not reach far enough, and they j rejeff (onie parts of itjbut befide thefe things which ^ they mention, there are feveral other things, which ; would not fliit with us : Some, even of their Capi¬ tal Laws, have intimate connexion with their Ce- : rernonial Law, and derive much of their ffrength and equity from it : By that Law Fornication in the Pneils Daughter was Capital, and fo was the gathering of flicks upon the Sabbath-day ; and j this feems to be a ieffer breach of the Sabbath than the mifpending of a great part of the Lords day in j drawing up Men and Horfe, and learning them I how to handle their Arms ; as if the Lords day had ^ been a day of Rendevouz, or Weapon-fhewing. The refloring of four or five-fold would not luf- ficiently relfraiti Theft in this Nation, 1 [fyo] The Judicial Law was not glren to other Na¬ tions. See Confcf of ^ Chap. 19* To them alfo as a Body Politick, he gave fundry Judicial Laws, which expired together with the Eilate of that People, nor obliging any other now further than the general equity thereof may re¬ quire. Our Saviour and the ApofUes never offered to 1 impofe the Judicial Law upon the Gentiles : The I Apoftle Vaul fubmitted to be Judged by the Roman ' Law at CatfaFs Judgment-Sear, and exhorts Chri- , fhans of all Nations to fubmit themfclves to the Government and wholefbm Laws of the Nations, in which they lived. There have been Hereticks, who were for reftoring of the Judicial and Cere¬ monial Law ; and fome wild Perfons in the Nether¬ lands have, of late, written for this Error j and there is the more need to take heed of reftoring the Judicial Law, becaufe of its connexion with the Ceremonial Law. This is a ftrange Age, fome are feeking to draw the World by Relagianifm and ^akerifm to old Pagamfm ^ and fome feeking to draw men under the iliadow and vail of fit- daifn. They are not very much concerned , though they be called Fifth-Monarchy-men. But this con¬ trivance of theirs is fo ftrange, that it is hard to find a name for it ; it’s rather an Anarchy and Con- fufion than a Government; And it*s hoped that it will never have any fuch proportion to the four Monar- [57‘] Monarchies, as to get the name of a Fifth-Monar¬ chy ; And it is fit that fuch a Monftrous thing die ere it get a Name. I know nothing fo like to ir, as the Infurredlion of the Boors in Germany^ who 1 believed Thomas Munfier and Nicholas Stork, that God was (etting up a new Kingdom, in which the Saints fliould Reign, and that the prefent wicked Magiftrates were to be killed, and Godly Magi- ftrates fet up in their Ifead : Thefe Teachers pre¬ tended Revelations and Chriftian Liberty. The poor People believed- thefe delufions, and rejedted the wholefbm Inftrudlions of Luther and MelanBhon * and in their Fury, which they imagi¬ ned to be true Zeal, they would needs fight, but when it came to fighting, they could neither fight nor flee ; and in one Summer filty thoufand of them were killed. Munfier at his Death confefled his Error, and exhorted the Princes to ufe more cle- I mency towards poor Men, and fb they needed not j| fear any fuch hazard ; and withal exhorted them I to read diligently the Book of the Kings. If they who contrived this Bond of Confufion, had conlidered the Confeflion of Faith, and the Queftions in the larger Catechifm, which explain ' the fifth Commandment, and the Scriptures con¬ firming the Articles of the Chapter of the > Confeflion, and the Anfwers oi the fore-faid Qnc- ' ftions, it might have prevented this furious and mad defign, Confefi Chap. zg. Art. i. God the js Supream Lord and King of all the World, hath ^ . ordained i • t^7^] ordained Civil Magiftrates, &c, Rom. 1 3. i, Let every Soul k jubjeB to the Higher FoiiJers, for there ts no Rower but of God • the Powers that be, are ordained of God : IVhofoever therefore refifi- eth the Power ^ refifeth the Ordinance of God, and they that rejifi jhall receive to themfelves dam¬ nation, See. I Pet. X. 13, 14. Submit your [elves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords fake, whe¬ ther it be to the King as Supream, 6cc. And Art. 4. It’s the Duty of People to pray for Magillrates, to Honour their Perfons, to pay them Tribute, and other dues, to Obey their Lawful Commatids, and to be Subject to their Authority, for Conlcience lake. Infidelity or difierence of Religion doth not make void the Magiftrates juft and Legal Authority, nor f^rcc the People from their due Obedience to him , from which Eccleliaftical Perfons are not exempted j much left hath the Pope any Power or jurirdi£i:iop over them in their Dominions, or over any of their . People; and lead of all, to deprive them of their Dominions or Lives, if he fhall judge them to be Hereticks, or upon any other pretence whatfoever. I Ttm. X. I , X. I exhort therefore that firjt of all. Supplications, Prayers, IntercejJions, and giving of 'Thanks be made for all Men, for Kings, and for all that are in Authority , that we maj had a quiet and peaceable Life, in all Godlinefs and Honejly, 1 Pet. X. 1 7. Rom. I 3. 6, 7. For this caufe pay you Tribute alfo, &c. Titus 3. i. Put them in mind to k Subjell to Principalities md Powers , to Okj Magijlrates. [j??] Magifirates. i Pet. i 5, 14. & t6. As fre^, and not ujtng your Liberty as a Cloak of maliciouf- nefs, but as the Servants of God. 1 Kings '2.. 35. ASts 9, 10. Then faid Paul, I fiand at C^lar’s Judgment-feat, -where I ought to be judged - I Appeal unto CxCur. ^ Pet. i. i. io,ii. But there were falfe Prophets alfo among the People, even as there jhall be falfe Teachers among you - But chiefly them that walk after the flejh in the lufi of XJncleannefs, and defftfe Government', prefumptu- cm are they, felf-wiUed, they arc not afraid to /peak evil of Dignities ; whereas Angels, who are greater in Power and might, bring no railing accufation a~ gainflt them before God. Jude 8, 9, 10, 1 1. Like- wife alfo thefe filthy Dreamers defile the Fkjh, de- fpife Dominion, and [peak evil of Dignities. Tet Michael the Arch- Angel, when contending jpith the : Devil about the Body of Mofes, durfi not bring a- gainfi him a railing accufation, but fluid, the Lord \ rebuke thee : But thefe fpeak evil of thefe things p which they know not, but what they know natu- 1 rally, as brute Beafis in thefe things they corrupt themfelves : Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and run greedily after the Error , of Balaam, and perifhed in the gain-faying of Core. X Thell X. 4. Rev. i 3. 1 5”, 1 6, 1 7. la the larger Catechifm. ■ Quell. Who are meant by Father and Mother in ] the fif th Commandment ? ^ Anfw. By Father and Mother in the fifth Com¬ mand- [?74] mandment are meant not only Natural Parents* but all Superiours in Age and Gifts, and efpecially filch as by Gods prdinance are over us in place of Authority, whether in Family, Church, or Com¬ mon-wealth; and they tite ^.49. ag. And Kings jhall be thy Nurfmg-Fathers^ and ^eens thy Nur- fing-Mothers. Queft. Why are Superiours filled Father and . Mother ? Anfiv. Superiours are ftiled Father and Mother, Foth to teach them in all Duties towards their In- feriours, like Natural Parents, to exprefs love and tendernels to them, according to their leveral Re¬ lations; and to work Inferiours to a greater wil- lingnefs and chearfulnefs m performing their Du¬ ties towards their Superiours. Queft. What is the Honour that Inferiours owe to Superiours ? Anfiv. The Honour which Inferiours owe to Su¬ periours, is, all due Reverence in Heart , Word, and Behaviour , Prayer and Tbankfgiving for them, imitating their Virtues and Graces, willing Obedience to their Lawful Commands and Coun- fels, due Submiffion to their Corredfions, P idelity to defence and maintenance of their Per Ions and Authority, according to their ieveral Ranks, and Nature ‘ of their places, bearing with their Infir¬ mities, and covering them in love, that fo they [nj] may be an Honour to them, and to their Govern¬ ment. And for confirming this Anfwer, befide places cited in the Confefiion, they cite EpheJ. 6. y, 6, 7. I Pet.%. 18, 19, ao. Ser‘vants he SuhjeB to your Mafiers with all feaVy not only to the goody but to the froward • for this is thank-worthy y if a Man for Confcience toward God endure grief, fuffering wrongfully , for what glory is it, tf when ye be buffetted for your faults, ye Jhall take it patiently ? But if when ye do well, and fuffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. Titus a. 9, 10. I Sam. a6. 15:, 16. - Wherefore hafi thou not kept thy Lord the King - - This thing is not good which thou haf done', as the Lord livetb, ye are worthy to die, becaufe ye have not kept your Mafier the Lords anointed, a Sam. 18. 3. - But no7V thou art worth ten thoufand of zis. Efther 6. a. Matth. aa. ai. - Render unto Csefar the things which are Caefar’s, and unto God the things which are Gods. Rom. i 3. 6yj. Gen. 9. a 5. And Shem and Japhet took a Garment, and laid it upon their jhoulders, and went backward, and co~ vered the nakednejs of their Father, and their fa¬ ces were backward, and they fawnot their Fathers nakednefs. If we compare this Band with the Confeflion of Faith, and Catechifms, and the Covenants, and the Scriptures which are cited in the Confeffion of / Faith, and larger Catechifm, we may lee, if we will will not diuc oiir eyes, that this Band cannot be reconciled with thefe, but manifcftly cUilbeth with them i and therefore they who adhere to this Band, are a party who by their tenets and pradHces, di- ftinguilh rhemielves from thefe, who do a'dhere to the ConfeiTion of Faith j Catechifm^, and Cove¬ nants. I hud forgot that they alfo defign themfelves Perlbns whom the Magi Urate hath declared no Lawful Subjects, which fhews,^ that their number is not great, and yet there are many who fall un¬ der the lalh of thefe Declarations, who think them¬ felves bound by the Covenants to maintain the Kings Pcrfon and Authority; and who difclaimed Ruglen Declaration, and would undergo a thou- fand Deaths, ere they fubfcribed this Band : And it’s hoped that the Magiftratcs will think it true Po¬ licy to put a difference betwixt thefe who own their Authority, and thefe who difowri it. This (hews how inconfiderable the number of thefe who own this Bund are, and how unfit they are to make a Reprefentative ot the true Presbyte¬ rian Church and Covenanted Nation of Scotland. / Very C5771 ' Very ordinarily they who are for dcftroyiiig Magiftrates, are no great friends to Minifters : Having rejefled the Magiftrates in the prece¬ ding Articles, they fall upon the Minifters in tire ftxth Article, at leaft the greater part of tlfem,a^ being defedive in preaching and teftifying a- gainft the Ads of the Rulers, crc. and then for hindririg t)thers who were willing to have teftin- ed, &c. It was a long time a’ myftery to manv what fome people meant by a teftimony, which they were gWys calling for ; becaufe although Minifters plainly preached as their Text led I them, againft Prelacy and Eraftianifm ; and did I fhew the people from the Scripture , that God hath given the keys of the Kingdom ot Hea«i ^ ven to Minifters, and not to Magiftrates • -and that the things of the Houle of God, Ecclefta-^- ftical matters, mult be done accoiding to the will of the God of Heaven , and not according to the will of the Magiftrate. And though they with grief regrated the breaches made in the Order and Government of the Church, yet thefe people would ftill exclaim againlt them, as_ 'not bearing teltimony againft the ills of the time: blit at length it appeared what was the teftimo? I ny which they meant:, for if one inftead of preaching the Gofpel, had made an invetftive di-v- feourfe againft the Rulers, and treated them at the rate that they are treated in this bandj and' ; lb rendred them and their Authority delpicable and hateful ; O ! that , was a preaching of the whole counlel of God, though they brought nei- II ther Scripture nor Reafon for what they laid, and O o they [578] they made nothing of what was brought irom Scripture and Reafon againfl: Vrdacy and Era- fiianifm, by other Minifters, becauic they alfo did preach the duty whicli fiibjcfts owed to the ivla- i giftrate, and maintained their lawful Authority, as Gods Ordinance ; and prayed for the King and fubordinate Magiftrates. The Teftimony which fomc of thefe people, who were upon the iecret which hath now bro¬ ken out, were feeking, was fomething which might render the Magiftrate hateful , and eaft him out of the affedions of the fubjecls, and fo make way for driving on the defign which is now dilcovered in this band and declaration, ‘x.vs:,. the rejedion of the King and Kingly Govern-' ment, and all fiibordinate Magiftrates deining their Authority from the King. They are highly injurious to Vresbjterum Mi- nifters, in alledging that they have not born te- ttimony to that truth which Chrift witncfted before Ponti/is t’iz- That Chiift is a King, for they declare it privately and publickly in their places and ftations, 1 hat Chrift is a King, and that he hath a (piritual Kingdom diftind from the Kingdoms of this world, but no ways prejudicial to earthly Kingdoms ; but where it comes into any Kingdom ot this world, it is, if it be received, the eftablifhment of that King- dom. Not to repeat what is (aid in (everal Papers, W’hich do (hew the (everal (bits of teftimonies both verbal and real, given by Presbytermn Mi- nifters , I (hall only fay. That their teftimony * concern- [579] . concerrting the Church and the Government thereof, and the power of the Magiftrate in re- ference to Church-matters, is in the Confeflioh of their Faith and Catechifnis , Directory for Worfhip and Government ; and as it could hardly be expedled that thefe Minifters , being fofcattered, could meet to agree upon neivConr felTions ; fo though they had met, they could not readily have fallen upon a better confelTion thaii what is already extant, and to which they add here. In chap. 2 5. of xhe,Co7tfejJion of Faiths Art. i. it is alferted, Fhat the Church is the Kmg- ijom of the Lordyefm Chrifiy the Houfe and Fa- mily of God — Art. Unto this CathoUck vifble CJourch C hr if hath give?} the Mini fry y Oracles and Ordinances of God, for gathering and perfecliug of the Saints. Art. 6. Fhere is no other head of the Church but the Lord yefus Chrif. Chap. 3 o. The ! Lord fejm as King and Head of his Churchy hath therein appointed a government in the hand of Church-Ofeersy difiinci from the Civil Magi fr ate.. Art. X. To thefe Officers the. Keys’ of the Kingdom of Heaven are committed - Chap. 31. Art, 3. It be-- p longs to Synods and Councils miniferi ally to deter-' II' mine controverfies of Faith, and cafes af Conj.ci- > ence ; to fet down Rules and Difedlicns for the t better ordering of the publick Worfhip of God, and i government of his Church. Aft. y. Sy?tcds and [ Councils 4re to conclude nothing but that which^ ts i Ecclefiafiicaly and are not to meddle with Civil af ■ • fairs, which concur?} the Commonwealth , unlefs by way of humble petition, in cafes extraordinary ; an O o 7. by' Cs^o]- I’j ivay of advice for fat/sfa^'fion of confclence , tf they be thereto required by the Civil Magtfrate. ■Chap. ag. Art. The Civil Afagiflrate may not ajjiime to himfelf the adminifiraticn of word and Sacraments^ as the power of the keys of the king¬ dom of heaven \ yet he hath' authority^ and it Is his duty to take order that unity and peace be prefer ved in the Churchy that the truth of XSod be kept pure and int'ire ; that all blafphemies and herefes be fup- preJJ'edf all corruptioris and abufes in worfnp or dif- cipline prevented or reformed^ and all Ordinances of God duly fetled, adminifred, and obfcrved , for the better cffebitng whereof he hath power to call Synods^ to heprefentat them, and to provide that whai/cever is tranfabled in them, be according to the word of God. Thefe Articles, and the Scripture-proofs, do clearly hold out, and confirm. That Chrift, not the Magifti-ate, is the Head, King, Lord of the Church", which is the Body, Houfe, and King¬ dom of Chrift^ that Church, and not the Ma- giftrate, is the Fountain of the Spiritual Power of the keys of the kingdom of Heaven ; that the Offices in the Church are of divine inftituti- on, given by Chrifi ; and that thefe Offices which Chrift hath given, are fufficient for ga¬ thering and perfefting the Church , feeing he hath given them for that end, and that they ate Minifterial, and not Lordly j and hence - it fol¬ lows, that the Office of a Prelate ( who claims a majority of Diredive and Coercive power o- yer Minilters, who not Only takes upon him, without eledion, to' moderate Synods, but alfo is C 581] is, above the cenfureof the Synod, and who can hinder the Synod from concluding any thing, liow nccelfary ibever they find it, and ■without whole Authority the Synod is no Synod ; who impofes Moderators upon the meetings for ex- ercife, and to whom thefe meetings are counta¬ ble for their abfings, without whom there can be no ordination, depofition, excommunication, re¬ laxation from it, who exafteth an Oath of Ca¬ nonical obedience from Minifters ) not being in the Rolls of the Offices and- Officers given by Chrift ; and being a Lordly, andfo more than a Minifterial Offixe , Presbyterians cannot own it, nor judg it ufefal for gathering or perfeding of the Church. They (hew alfo, that the Magiftrate to whom God hath given the Lordly power of the fword, is fo far from having a fpiritual Su¬ preme power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that he hath not the powxr of the keys of the.kingdom of heaven given to him at all ; for the power of the keys which Chrift hath given, is Minifterial, and makes thofe who are invefted with it, Minifters of the Church ; but the power of the Sword is Magiftratical, and a Lordly Dominion ; and that it belongs to Sy- ' nods and Councils , and not to yWagiitrates, to make Ecclefiaftical Rules, (yo and that none, neither T/agiftrates nor ft^inifters , may order Ecclefiaftical matters according to their mind and plcafure ; but thofe things muft be ordered I according to the mind and wall of God reveal- ri ed in his word. And [580,^ And all true Tveihjterims believe, That (eeing i both the Lordly Power of the Magi fir ate in ge* ^ neral, and in fpecial the Kingly Power , and the ;« Mini ferial Tower of Church-Officers are of God, ,1 and his Ordinances, that they are not contrary j to one another ; for the Ordinances of God do j not jurtle one againft another , but fweetly a- \ grecj and any juftling or clalhing which hath | proceeded from the corruptions of Alagifirates^ ) or Afiw/? . diffinguifhing rightly betwixt that which can- ^ not be had, nor the value of it, unlefs I gdiially ji give it ; and that which may be taken, -whether I .1 contribute it or hot ; Of this latter kind ts ; pay- L6o6\ paying of Taxes in this cafe. * Herein I am hut morall'^ ‘pajji've^ ns a man thnt ts fallen into the hands of a pack of bloody 'Thieajes^ and being deman"- ded it^ takes his Furfe out of his Pocket and delivers it to them ; though with his own hand^ faith the Author, he puts his Purfe in¬ to their hands , yet the Law calls that not a gift , nor excufeth the Thief for taking it, but all con- » Nolite igitur fortunam incul J pam convertere, nequc Regis inju- riamjhujus cri¬ men pucare, nec confilium ex ne- ceflitatc, nec vo- luntatem ex vi interpretari Ci¬ cero Orat. ^9. fro C. RMino Pofibu- mo. So he defend* Cth Pofthumus his changing his Ro¬ man Gown to a Cloak at AUxan trary or a man a rppreh tended by a party of the invading Enemies , or Ufurpers Army, walks or rides along with them to their mufier - . — - cr battel , when as he cannot ef fia., as compel- ^ otherway s they would draw him. But it is com¬ monly obfeBed thus. ■; Object. This payment, or other charge, is taken, and will be ufed to an evil ufe^ as to maintain U- furpation. Anf! But that is beyond my deliberation, not in my power to prevent : It will not be avoided, by putting them to force it from me, but rather more Gain will accrue to them, and Damage tome ; if I jfand out, my denying will be made an occafion to them to take more. This caufeis like that of en- tying into a Covenant with thofe, that in covenant¬ ing, we know before hand, will fwear by a falfe God-, wherein Divines * refolve the Party fwear- ^ Anguftinus ad Publicoram Epifl. 1 54* 21.31, 3^* in I wg- hy the true God, farticifotes not in his Jin, that [wears by a falfe one', inafmmh as he communi-’ cates with him in the Covenant, not in the Oath ta¬ ken in his fart , and pro-vides thereby for his ne- cejj'ary fecurity ; and thus did Abraham and Jacob in their refpe^ive Coojinants with Abimblech and Laban. I (hall add the words of another Tresbyterian Minifter, Edward Gee Minifter in Lancafer, in his excellent Treadle of the Divine Right and Original of the Civil Magijirate, publifhed Anno 1658. pag. 368. where he is Ihewing what may be lawfully done by people under the power of an Urui'per. He fays, 2: And therewithal fuch as are peculiarly arijing from that Jlate of fub~ duednefs, as the necefjity that is incumbent to do, or part with the thing required, for the avoidance of gre ater lofs, or fujfering to come if the SubjeH de-^ teB It, or the greater conveniencj, fafety or etno- lument, which there is to ones felf, to his Neighbour, or to the publick, in doingthem, in denying, as the cir cum (lances of the Impojal lye, though were it not [ fo impofed, it would not be eligible ; though we are ; obliged to iiothing jiiffu ejus, or upon the intuition f of his Command, yet we may do many things, eo I jubente, he commanding ; and jhould do, eo pre-, I mente, he inforcin^ them • and we have many . things to do, ipfo leuvolente, leu nolente, ther he will , or forbid the doing of them , Scc. By which palTages it appears, That thofe godly, learned Tresbyterians in thole Treatiles, which they wrote of pur pole to maintain the Kings Authority when he was thruft from it ; and to fliew [ 6c8 ] (hew tliat tile Siibjedt might do nothing whith might prejudge his right ; or which might be interpreted to be an owning of the title of the then Ufiirpers, who had forced the King out of, his Dominions ; yet they fhew, that Taxes might be paid to the Ufurpers j and that they who payed it, were not accountable for the a- bu(e that the Ufiirpers made of it , which lets us fee how far they would have been from re- fufing to pay Tribute to the rightful Magiltrate, though irtjpofed for fome wrong end. And I cannot but here take notice, how conftantly and courageoufly Vresbjterians owned the Kings Authority , when he was thru ft from the exer- cife of it ; and how careful they were, that Sub- jefts might do nothing which might be prejudi¬ cial to his Title, when he was violently dilpoftef^ fed of his Kingdoms. I fhall not fpeak of the Teftimonies they gave in preaching and in print, againft the Ufurpers, lipon the account of their uflirpation , and for alTerting of the Kings Title. I wifh their Loy¬ alty had been better remembred but any fuf- fering they have met with fince, wall not make them repent of their conftant adherence, frorh a principle of Confcience, to their Allegiance , and covenanted Duty to their rightful Sove- reign. If any will but look to the fronfifpiece of Mr. Gee’s Book, where there is an. empty Chair of ^Jtate, and the Scepter arid .Crowai lying upon the ground ; and below, the King ftanding, and above his head, non efi^otefias nifi a Deo, Rom. i and 1^091 and under his feet , and oppofire t.d him upon the other fide, an Armed-Soldier with his hand in the handle of his Sword, meaning the Parliament ; and under- his feettty7ox:**'‘4%/^3 and below, A.bfolom hmgmg upon a. tree, and Joab darting him, x Sam. i8. and-the Wornaii of Abel cafting Sheb'a^s head over the wall , ■x Sam. io. They may fee i y-eshyterinns Loyalty and courage in a time of hazard .; when ethers; who afterward would have engrolTed all f^V” alty to themfelves, were very calm; and fotne of them (peaking in another Dialed. , > Mr. Rutberfrrd ufed to keep Family-fails, to pray for the King in his diltrels.- There is ,ng Loyalty comparable to that which isTounded upon the word and Covenant, and the Principle of Conlcience, bound by the :: .\\"ord and Oath pf God. The late -King advifed fhpfe who were defirous to befriend him in his Itraits, to preach the Obligation of the Covenant, which binds to maintain his Perldii and Authority. . The new Principles of Confufion, which ars oppofite to the Magiftrates Authority , and -to tlie paying of Tribute to Rulers, are direftly gppofite to, and inconfiftent with the Principles ^nd Pradtic^s of Fresbjteriansy and (eem to have been deviled by ^efaits , and then craftily con¬ veyed into the heads of weak people, diftmej:.er- ed with fad ^(uflering;. or . having Zeal witluiic Knowledge , that they might at once rendei thpfe people ridiculous, and expofe their ppf- (eflior^as a prey, • and , thei^^ lives to the. SWord ■ and their profeiridh of Religion to contempt and Q. q icdrii j 1610-] fcorn j as if it iinadc fnen frantick, and depri¬ ved them of the life of common Reafori and fenle. , . I heard from a godly and learned Minifter, That he heard a great Zealot againft the paying of the Se(s, (ay, That n'hate%>er ivas unla'ivfulfor atnnn to do 'voliltitdvily’0 “ “ Mmiller or Presbytyr, then tyhat Office this is, if it be not the Office of a Prelate. It 11619] . ^ It hath not yet been proven that, the Lord gave a Soveraign power, and Spiritual jurifdi- dion to any one of his Minifters, no not to the Apoftles over the reft. Taul Bains' in his Dioce- fan Trial, Pag. 7g, 77- ^^^ws, that a majority of diredive and corredive power, fuch a power a? Biftiops claim, is more than Minillerial. And Mr. Rutherford in his Divine Right of Church-Go¬ vernment, faith, JVbr do 7ne find that the Afoflles had jurifdiBicn over Vaflors in the Scripture, nor in -any Ecclefia flick Records, hut tvhcre lapacy 7pas ivorking. See Pag. 2i. ^ There is but one Lord in the Church, Efhefi 4. and Chrift hath forbidden Lordfhip, and en¬ joined miniftry, and ferving, Luk. x4. i Pet. y. 5. Pden requiritur in dcminatione humilitas, Jed ipfa Dom inat 10 prohihetur, Pdith. JVkitaker, Chriflus de re dominantur, non autem de mode dommandi, hgc vel illo modo dominantur, faith funius. The work of all Church-Officers is a Minifterial work, not only Dodors and Paftors, but Apo¬ ftles, Prophets and Evangelifts were appointed, hi Ecr the Tvork of the Mmifiry, Ephef 4. I ^. X Cor. 4. 5. Paul calls himfelf a felloTis-fervant Tvith Epaphras , Col. i. 7. with Jychicus, Col. 4. 7. PauPs dignity confifted not in Lording oyer other Minifters, but in labour¬ ing more abundantly than others j the Apoftles claimed no Maltery, or ftated jurifdidion over other Minifters, but they did draw with them as yoke-fellows, and, fought with them in their Spiiitual warfare,as fellow Soldiers, and wrought with them as fellow-labourers, Phil. 4. 3. PhiL 2. t [ 620 J VhtL '1. Rom. 1 6. 5; they engrolTed not the power of Jiirifdidion in the Synod of [feru- fakm to themfelves, for the Presbyters judged with them, the Decrees of the Council, 1 6.4. | were Ordained by the Apoftles and Elders, | Tf^ Kitceiixivct \xsfl 7av eiiroTo^av raf ir^iiCvTlfav. The Church at Antioch fends Faul [ to ferufhlem^hi&i, 1 ^'•the Officers of the Church^at i' Antioch lay hands on Paul and Barnabas, Ad. i | 1,1,^. Paul and Barnabas are lent with a Colle- i (Mon,AB. 1 1. ^9,50. the Apoftles claimed no_ ne¬ gative in Presbyteries or Synods, in Ordination, Excommunication, &c. The Apoftles were extraordinary Ambafia- dors, had infallible inftrudions by their Do- drine and pradice, did ffiew the Platform of the Church,were not limited to any fixed charge^ and fb might exercife their Minifterial authority in all places where they came ; they were to lay the foundations of Churches.- But that they had anv fiich ftated Jurifdidion over other Minifters, as Prelates claim over Presbyters, is yet to be proven,for any thing I know^ • their in- ftruding Minifters and Churches in their duty, and reproving their fins, will not prove it, for the Prophets did fo, and yet they had no ftated Ju¬ rifdidion over the Priefts. Paul reproved Peter, but had not jiirifdidion over him. That 'Timothy or Titus had fuch a ftated Jurift didion over the Minifters of Ephefus and Greet, is yet to be proven; that they bad the foie pow¬ er .of Ordination and Jurifdidion, and that the Minifters cf Ephefus and Greet had no power of Ordination and jurifdidion, is not yet proven. The * 1621-] Tbe Apoftle directs them to Ordain, but tliat they are directed to do it alone, and not in conjiindion with other Minifters, is yet to be proven ; Lay hands fuddenly 07i no man , is h Diredion applicable to every Miniiier; there are multitudes ofDiredions given them, that cannot be denied to be given to all Minifters ; and that fome Directions are given to them, as Prelates, and fome as Presbyters, is as eafily denied as affirmed. But though it were granted, that thofe extra¬ ordinary Officers in founding Churches at firft, might do fome things which ordinary Minifters might not do j this would be no warrant for thefe two or three, w^ho were but rery ordinary perfons , . to claim a JurifdiClon over the reft. Whence have they their power? No man can receive any thing of this nature, except it be gi¬ ven him from Heaven, ]oh. 3. xy. Let us fee their Patent, that we may know if it be leill come. They muft firft ffiew a. Warrant from the word for fivch a Prelatical Sovereignty , an'd then let ut fee how they came by it • no man ffiould take any Honour in the Church to him- felf, at his own hand- he mult be called of God, as was Aaron. If they fay. That Inch a Sove¬ reign Jurifdidion is not difeharged, and there¬ fore it’s lawful. I anfwer, I. The Offices and - Officers of the Houfe of God, which are in the Scripture, are-pofirively inlfituted and conltimted ot God, 1 Cor. T?,. 28. Qodhath fet, &.C. Efhef. 4. il . God hath ^en^ See. Rom. 1 %. 6, 7, 8. If God hath not fet thefe new Sovereign Judges, Minifters ffiould not t hand [6221 Hand before them, as Judges; if God hath not given them for Sovereign judges, we fhoiild not receive them; and if they be not given, their Office is not a gift of Grace. It’s a gracelefs thing, and we have nothing to do with it. a. It’s not enough that ah Office which is ex- ercifed in the name of another, be not difcharg- ed or forbidden , it mulf be charged and comt mande :l ; if a manfhould claim to himfelf fome new Office of hiftice, or (hould intrude him¬ felf into fome Office which were fetled by Law, would that be a fiifficient defence for him, that foch an Office was not dilchai ged, nor he for¬ bidden to take foch an Office ? it would be re- plyed. He had no Law nor Command, or War¬ rant for what he did : it’s not enough to make a man an Ambalfador, that he is not difoharged. to go Ambalfador, hemuft have a pofitive Corn- million. u* 7. The Lord in forbidding us to add to his word, hath difcharged to add any Spiritual Of¬ fices to thofe which he hath inlbtuted in the Word ; and I fee not how thole who take oh them to make new Spiritual Offices in the Church, can hold out new Spiritual work for thofe new Officers ; and fo we ffiall have new figniftcant Symbols and Sacraments, new worlhip ; when they made the Office of the Vote, they cut out new work for him , to make new Articles ofFaith,to difpencewith the Lau^ of God, &c. or if they do not this, they take fomewhat from the formerly eftablilhed Officers and appropriaje it to thole new ones , the Prd- [^23] byters were fi'rft bereaved of the power of Ordi¬ nation, and then of the power ot Jnrifdidlion, ut aliquU faceret Epifccfuf, c^uod nonfacerct Tref byter. If they objetfl, That the reft of the Presby¬ ters need not, except they pleafe, fubjed them- felves to thefe Minifters ; and if they confent to fubjed thcmfelves to them , and ftand in Judgment before them, and fubmit their mini- Irry to their uiipoial , then they get this Sove¬ reign power by the Minifters voluntary con- lent j and then ojoknti non fit in'juria ; may not Minifters part with their power , and put it in the hand of one, or two, or three, for unity and order ? I anfwer, I. They do as much as they can to necefti- tate and force the Minifters to fubjed themlelves to thofe new Sovereign Judges ; for as far as in them lyes, they effedually defpife them ; and in effed excommunicate them by withdrawing from them, until they ftand in judgment before their new Lords and Sovereigns, and come in their will. It's a great and dangerous error to inia- gine, that Minifters of the Golpel may dil- pole of their minifterial power, as a man may difpofe of his money ; and fo may either quit all, or give part and retain the reft ; retain the power of preaching, and quit the potver of go¬ verning, in conjundion with others ■ for a Mi- nifter hath not Dominion Over his minifterial Fundion, as a man hath ox^er his money ; but he is obliged to retain all that Authority that the Lord f Lord hath given him for edification, and to ' make full proof of his Miniftry, as he will be anfwcrable to his Mailer, who will require an account of the Talents he hath given him to occupy with ; and therefore fuppofe the Fresbj- tenan Miniilers were fo demented, as to renou nee their minifterial Authority, in favour of their new Judges, this could not make their Sove- ■ reign Jurifdidion warrantable, becauie this fur- render made to them, would be a non habente P 'tefl'ntL’w ^ for Miniilers cannot give away their Authority to another , and therefore their new Judges would ilill be Ufurpers, both in uilirping a Dominion which the Lord hath not given to Miniilers, and then taking it to themfelves with¬ out any title. . The .uext thing in Dr. GauJens Definition, is the exercife of this Sovereign power and Spiri¬ tual Juriididlion in the feveral Aiils, as Oi dina¬ tion, Confirmation, Cenfures , Rebuking , Sf lencing, Excommunication, Abfblution, o o- It we may conclude from the prai^^ice of thefe new Prelates, how Sovereign , high and abfo- lute, they will be in their ads of power, we have Ibme ground to think, they will out-do any Prelates that have been before them 5 for they have really, though not formally depojd and excommunicated the Miniilers who differ from them, before any Procefs, Tryal or hear- ing granted to thefe Miniilers p an4 one of thejn h£h very fummerly excommunicated the King > the Duke of Tprk, she puke pf feveral Peers and Officers of State. This is )ugh high flown at thefirft flight, it’s l?ut now and then that the Bifliop of Rome, the Pope himfelf, plays fuch pranks as thefe. Ordinary Bifliops ufe to have formal procelfes, and they allow Presbyters to have fome (hare in the trial, and leading of the procefs againft perfons to be Ex¬ communicate, and they do not ufe to Excom¬ municate Kings and Princes. Ambrofe the Bifliop of MtUain was feme what lingular in his cenlure of 'Theodojius the Empe*' rour, in keeping him feven months from enter¬ ing within the Church-doors. I grant, faith Hor~ 'mus in his Chiirch-Hiftory, this cenfure of Am- brofe is not approved of all j but there are none who can or ought to dilapprove the humility and repentance of 'Theodejius, who patiently en¬ dured the fliarp reproofs of Ambrofe, and did give example to the whole Church. But it s rare to find great ones of dilpofition j there are conliderable difficulties objected againlt the Excommunication of Supreme Magiftrates. And the fault of Theodufius was lb fingular ; for in his paflion at a popular fedition in 'Thejjalo?iica, in which the Prefident and feme" Noblemen were killed, he fent in Soldiers, who killed feven thou- land perfons of all ages and fexes, both guilty and innocent. And then the Emperqur was a man fo holy, humble and tender, and A?^brofe a Bifliop of fo great authority, and fo venerable and beloved, that if any ordinary Bifliop would attempt to imitate Ambrofe in this, he would readily find that he had miftaken his meaiiires, and w^ould not find that he had to do with a R r Theodo- 9 / ^ RHthsrford's Teaceabk Plea, Vzg. $. faith, The Church, not one finglc man, hath the power of Bifcipline •, if one Pa¬ llor himfelf alone fhould Excommunicate, the Excommunication were null both in the Court of Chrift, & his Church. 1626'] lleodofius^ or that he himfelf were an Amhrofe, But as this is certain, that the Excommunicati¬ on of Magiftrates, Mafters and Parents,, does not make void their Magiftratical, Mafterly and Paternal authority -fo this is granted, that as it is Church-Judicatories, and not Tingle perfons that fhonld Excommunicate and * that thefe Judica¬ tories mu ft not only con- fidet, whether the fault delerve Excommunicati¬ on, but alfo whether they have authority over the perfon or perfons who are fcandalous j and withal,, as Mr. Durham w^on the Commands faith, they would confider when cen- flires, by reafon of fome circumltances, prove riot edifying but hurtful to the Church and per¬ fons concerned. For, faith he, that which war- ranteth debarring and cenfures ot all forts, is edification ; and when that end cannot be gain¬ ed to a people or perfon, fuch cenfures may be omitted. — Or upon the cenfiire would proba¬ bly mils its end, which is edification, and would weaken the authority of the Ordinance of Dif cipline, if not hazard the liberty of the Gofpel ; in that cafo he thinks that exclufion from the Sacrament by a fentence, may be forborn. But as for this late Excommunication, judici¬ ous fobe.r perfons are grieved and much afha- med to hear of It ; and it’s matter of (port and derifion to others j and it’s more than probable that [^27] that Tefuits take advantage of the diftempers of weak perfons, to drive them under pretext of zeal to ftich Pope-like pranks , to make the Popes Excommunications of Princes lefs odiouf, and to render Treshjterians odious to Eulers^ ; but any Who will not Ihut their eyes, ma^ fee that (lictv e^ttravagancies are inconfiftent v^itii 'PYesbytcYtiin principles and praftices. , Dr Gauden2.M% That this Soveraign. Jurif- didionis without, above, againft Presbyters and people In all thefe their new Prelates have the pre-eminency. For the fitlt it is indeed true, that Prelates need not, if they pleale , defire the prefence or advice of Presbyters, for they claim the foie authority of Ordination and ]ly rirdidion, and the Presbyters have no concur¬ rence in authoritative ads. ; ^ , ; The Author of the feajonable cafe^ Ipeaking of the Bifhops nomination of the Moderators of the Meetings ofExercife, has written, that, the Bilhop did it with the Synod j this Teemed to give the Synod a concurrence in the nomination of the Moderators, and therefore all the Prin¬ ted Copies which I Taw were mended with a Pen,- and the with was turned to iv, which turned the Synods concurrence into a meer prefence. A DioceJuTi Synods faith Mr. Scot, is only an Effcc^^l Vtftation, and not a Council, fro- peYly fo called and cites Bellar. de Condi, lib. cap. 4. Viocefina concilia funt in auibiis^ conojem- unf tantum Fresbyteri unius Epifeofatus & iisEpf^ 'copus cujus. generis paricijfma exf>*?it^ nec ifttmerttO'^ narn %iix diet p'JJunt concilia^ cum in its Rr 2. ndlus 1628-] nullus fit cjui jurifdiRitnem hahet^ prater unum Epfco^um, qui fraefi. A Council is^'ivherein thofe 'jvho are afi'embled have every one of them a fart of the joint-fower and ‘jurifdidticn belonging to that Council, as every Senator hath in the Senate. Tdhe comparing of the AB of Glafgow, fune 3. 1610, anent Vifitations, with the AB of Parliament re¬ lating to it, fieweth that Diocefan Synods are Epif copal Vifitations ; the Bijhop fummons to them in his own name, makes the Clerk appoint a Subfiitute or Vicegerent when he pleafes ; he only fententiates, depofes, fujpends ; if he at any time number votes, and conclude according to the plurality, that is not done by vertue of the AB of Glafgow, hut by to¬ lerance of the Bifiop ; who does it to jet tie himfelf in pojj'ejjion. But when they pleafe they will not jo much as fujj'er a matter to come to voicing and therefore they who cannot come to a Bijlwps parti¬ cular Vifitation, when he or his Subfiitute vifiits the Kirks of his Diocefs feverally, which was wont to be called Vifitatio ^XotxaJje cannot go to the Dio¬ cefan Synod, which is nothing hut a juperficial jlwf- fied vifitation, devifed to hold in the Bijhops tra¬ vel in going through the Diocefs to make a full Vifitation. But fuppofe they were Councils, yet they are not fire, for the Bijhop by his negative, whether in the Synod, or out of the Synod, even fm a Court infe- riour to the Synod, may dajh all done in the Synod , 'pea he may do it by his Afiirmatives in the very Synod, fo that the Presbyters are only in the nature of Counfellors. Thus far he. From [629] From which we fee the Bifhop claims the foie authority, and he might adt without Pres¬ byters if he pleafcd; yet they life not to at^ without their Presbyters ; and life to feek their advice and counfel ; but their new Prelates do not defire the advice or prefence of Presbyters ; the old Prelates are fo difereet, that they futfer the Presbyters to fit befide them as Coiinfellors, but thefc new ones do nefther admit them to fit or ftand as Counfellors, but require them to ftand as guilty to be judged. And fo Dr. Gau- denh definition is more verified in them than in the former Bifhops. As for the next Clanfe in the Dodors deferip- tion, 'uiz,. above Presbyters, it agrees alfo to their new Prelates ; and their fuperiority over Presbyters, is the more intollerable, that there is no kind of pretext for it, for they are defign- ed only Minifters j now a Minifter as a Minifter to be above Minifters, is an iifurpation the more intollerable that it is not colourable with any pretext, either Divine or humane. The old Pre¬ lates plead a fuperiority which King James they fay thought their fureft title,and that v they had belt to hold them by Jure Jacobi. Some plead from Analogy, that as the high Prieft was over the Priefts, fo the Bifhop may be over the Presbyters. But to let pafs tlie an- fwer of the Typiealnefs of the Office of the high Prieft, I have not yet feen any argument to prove that the high Prieft had^ a Soveraign Jurifdidion over the reft of the Prieftsjhe might do feveral things which the reft of the Prielts R r 3 might s [630J might not do, as fome fervants have, more emi¬ nent fervice in a family, and yet no mafterly or Soveraign power over other fervants, who have not fb eminent fervice allotted to them. They have a pretext alfb from the Afian Angels, be- caule there one Angel in the fingular number is written to • it’s true, that reafbn taken from the fingular number, to prove that it muft needs be a fingle perfon, is no (olid argument, efpeci- ally in a myftical Book, fiich as the elation is, in which fbmetimcs one is fpoken of in the Hural number, as in the firft Chapter, the one Spirit of God is called ieven Spirits. The four Beall'S, the four and twenty Elders, are not four individual perfons , or four and twenty fingle Elders. The feven Angels, Re'v. 8. a, 6. 1 5'. i. are not to be reftrifted to feven individual An¬ gels. 'The Woman clothed with the Sun, the Whore, the Beaft, the Dragon, are names of the fingular number, and yetfignifie a colledion of many Individuals. When the Angel of the Lord is faid to incamp about them who fear the Lord, it’s expounded of Angels, becaule one Angel cannot be properly' faid to in¬ camp, ' _ Again, they have a pretext of Superiority, as B’^fhops over Presbyters. It’s true, Vresbyteriam rnake it evident from Scipture, that Bilhop and Presbyter are one there. And Dr. Hammond to evite the dint of this argument, was forced to alledg, That all, the Presbyters mentioned in the Scripture, were Bilhops and notMinifters ; for he faw that he behoved either to lofe the Bilhop t6?i3 Bifliop or the Presbyter in the Bible; for not on¬ ly are Presbyters called Bilbops, but they ^-e made Bifliops by the Holy Ghoft ; now to fay Sat the Holy Ghoft made them, nominally Bi- ftoDS but not really Bilhops, is very injurious » Sie work of the Spirit, as if it were produ- Sive only of an empty irame^ And,.t takes away the force of the argument, Feed the floe of God which the Holy Ghoji hath or Bilhops. If they had only the name of BilhWs, and not the Office, the argument, would not.be cogent; for a meer empty narne and title, doth not oblige a mmi who ^ts it, to any work. And as Taul (kys That the Holy Cbcfi^ made the Elders of the Church of Efhefrs hipiops So the Apoftle Eeter exhorts Elders to take in- ffieftionto dothe work ofBiffiops,’E^, Neither doth the name of Bifhop import any primacy of one Miniftcr over others ^ for the Apoftle John taketh the. love of pre-eminence or primacy in Diotrephes ; but t’aul commends the defire of the Office of a Biffiop, which (hews that the Office of a Biihop dpth not import a though Biihop and Presbyter be one in the Scripture, yet it cannot be denied, that at- terward the name of Biihop began to be appio- priate to fome Minifters in eminent Cities, and afterward Ordination, and then lurildhtion, was by degrees taken from the Presbyters. It s true, Presbyterians when they are urged witu thefe humane ftories, and with the hohnels of the Ancients, who were Bilhops ^ they do^not I 1637-] deny, but praife the holinefs and zeal of tlicfe Ancients, who were Bifliops ; but neither the holinefs of the men, nor the Ecclefiaftick cu- ftom will prove the Divine right of the Epifco- pacy pleaded for. If any would plead for Poly¬ gamy from the holinefs of Abraham the Father of the Faithful, and of Jacob, who as a Prince did prevail with God in weeping, and making fuppli cation'; Or from the long continuance of that Polygamy; the anfwer were eafie. From the beginning it vms not fo ; God made male and female. So when they plead that Bifhop and Presbyter were diftinguifhed in after-times, it’s anfu^ered, brom the beginning it was not fc*, God made Bifhop and Presbyter one ; man fhould not have made them two, nor made the one lefs to make the other greater than he was by Divine conftitution. Yet it cannot be denied that this is a very plaufible pretext, for fetting up Bifhops above Presbyters. But their new Pre¬ lates have no pretext , nor colour imaginable for their Jurifdidion over Presbyters ; for they pretend to no other name but Minifters,and yet they will Lord it over their fellow Minifters ; and thus their Soveraignty is more intollerable, becaufe it hath no kind of colour or pretext for it. The laft claufe in the Dodors Definition a- g2\n?t Presbyters, is pretty ingenious; for Pre¬ lates engrofs the power that Presbyters fhould have ; Prelacy rifes upon the mines of Presby¬ ters ; yet I luppofe the generality of thofe who are for Epifcopacy , will give the Dodor no thanks C^93l thanks for that danfe of the Definition; bntit agrees very well with 'their new Prelates; for at their firft appearance in tlie world , they Itand in a pofture of oppofirion againft the Presbyters of the Church of Scotland ^ they li¬ bel them, they effediially depofe them, if not excommunicate them ; nor can they exped to be abfblved , till tliey make thefe their /^cculers their Judges, and ftandin judgment to be judged by them, and if we may guefs by the Libel which the Judges themfelves formed , the fentence would not be very comfortable. There is yet another thing which would make them a very dangerous fort of Prelates, and that is, That they not only engrofs this So¬ vereign and Peerlefs power over Presbyters^ but alfo ( which other Prelates ufe not to do ) they engrofs a fingularity in Holinefs, as if they, and they alone, had followed God, and were free of Ihefedions, which other Minillers are involved in ; and it’s like, this is one of the Fountdationsof their new Sovereignty , that they think them¬ felves, though the lefler , yet the founder part of the miniftry. It puts me in mind of a Coun¬ tryman, who underftood nor Lafine, who heard fome talking great things that the fe7iior pars Ecclejt a could do ; he enquired what is' he, that Samor} he ferns to be fome great man? but ex¬ cept they be Judges themfolves, they will not be accounted by men of found minds, to be the founder part of the Church; Nay, Orefies himfelf would fay it, and fwear it, That the con¬ trivance of this Bond was not the work of a man found in his mind. Nott » C634T Non fani ejje homines non fanus j nr et Orefies^ | Any may fee with half an eye, that this is i not aPresbyterial form of Government; for in Presbytery, the Plurality carries matters, and v the part is ruled by the whole ; but here the part, | : and a very little confiderable part, and a part , not inconiundtion with the whole , but that hath 1 1 disioyned it felf from the whole, takes upmi it i to 2overn the whole , even as if a little Toe j fhould dis)oyn it felf from, the Body, and then , take upon it to judge the whole Body, anddil- pole of it at its pleafure. ^ It is a wonder, that fo few men, fo inccmii- derable for number and parts, were nix afha- med to think of their fitting andjudging fo many Minifters ; let be to publilh it to the world. As their high Court of Juftice would have made ftrange havock of Magiftrates , and readily dii- patched fome Presbyterian Minifter for Loyalty, as Mr. Love was difpatched in>_ England to be a terrour to others; Ib this Ecclefiaftick Judicatory in all appearance , if Minifters had been fuch fools as to have owned them, would have made ereat havock of Minifters; for a few weak men, not found in their Principles , and ^^anfported with Paifion and Impatience, and pofleft with a Conceit of their fingular Purity and Z-eal, and iifurping a pre-eminency over the generality oi Minifters, and taking on them to be their Judges, and talking of no lefs than depofition, before they were in any capacity to depofe, would have made a very Kittle-Court. f [635] t It’s a fad fpedade to behold many through ig¬ norance and blinding humours, running into the fapie evils which they in words difclaim. They in words difclaim Independency, and yet really make the people and not Church-Officers to be Rulers and guides to dired Minifters what to preach and do,and to depofe them if they obey not thefe di- redions.They who called themfelves the Council of the Army which was broken at Bothwel-Bridge^ were highly dilpleafed with the indulged Mi¬ nifters, becaule the fecret Council had fent in- ftriuftions to them , though the indulged Mi¬ nifters did not accept of them ; and yet thele fame perfons took upon them to prefcribe to thofe Minifters and Preacliers that were with tliem, what DoTrine they ffiould preach j which was an encroachment beyond any thing done by the fecret Council. Some talk of Presbytery and Presbyterian parity , and of their deteftation of Prelacy ; and in the mean time, let up Prelacy ; it’s, a great evidence of a Spirit of giddinels, when people run round, as thofe who run in a Circle, and lb run to that point from which they once did run. The Declaration at is refuted in the Confutation of the Bonds ; and the truth is, fuch principles and pradices are fo abfurd and de- ftrudive to all Rule and Government, that they are not worthy of Refutation , and ffiould be anfwered with deteftation and abhorrence. They conclude that Declaration , hoping that none will blame them for, or offend at their rewards ing I ing thofe that are againft them, as they have done to them ; if they had confidered Pro'v. ao. Say not thou, I will recompence evil", but wait on the Lord, and he Jljall fave thee-, and Prox>. 2.4. 19. Say not, t will do fo to him, as he hath done to me: I will render to the man accordiny^ to his work. Rom. 12. 14, 17, 18, 19, ^o, ^I, I TheC y. ly. i Pet. 4 9, 10, 1 1, I^, i 14. They might have (een how groundlefs and at?- fard this hope was. The 8 and 9 veles of the i^yPfalm are wrefted, when applied to juftifie fiich iinchriftian Practices ; for that Scripture is a predidion of the profperoiis fiiccefs that the Modes and Per/tans (hoiild have in dedroying Babylon-, which is alfo foretold, Ifa. i, 3,4, 15. and not a Rule to warrand us to revenge our Pelves, and to dafh out the brains of Infants. It’s among the delnfions of the time, that fbme know not of what Spirit they are, and imagine that to be the Zeal of God, which is nothing but the wrath of man , which worketh not the Righteoufiiefs of God. It is meet to Ihut up this fad Subjedl: with humble and earneft Supplications , That the I.ord would humble us in the fight andfenie of our fins , which have procured the dreadful Judgments and Plagues which have come upon this finful Generation , That he would convince us of our fins, and make every one fenfible of . the Plagues of his own heart, and of the Plagues that are upon the heircs of others, which are among the moft dreadful evidences of the an¬ ger of God, that Magiftrates, Minifters, people of C5373 of all ranks, may take with their fins, and take (hame and confufion of face to themfelves , be- caiife of their own fins, and the fins of others. That he would fo turn in mercy and loving- kindnefs,and turn us again, that our backflidings be not perpetual ; and turn the hearts of Rulers and the hearts of people to himlHf; and the hearts of Rulers to the people, and the hearts of people to the Rulers ; the hearts of the fathers to the children, ard of ihcchrehen to the fa¬ thers ; that Rulers may have the love, kind nels, pity and companion of fathers towards the peo¬ ple, and may not by rigor and feverity provoke the children to wrath, and may pity thole who are diftempered by fad fufferings ; and that the Lord would incline their hearts to rake fpeedy courfe that the poor people who wander as fheep without fhepherds, and who through their own ignorance, and humours, and diftempers, are expofed asX prey to feducers, to Jefliits, and thofe wly5 are influenced by them, who drive poor unftable people ( who are deftitute of faithful Teachers to difeover to them the devi¬ ces of Satan, and of his Inftruments) into fnares and mifehievous pradices, and makes them ima¬ gine that thofe pathes of the deftroyer are the way to an outgatc from their calamities. That the Lord would incline, I fay, their hearts to take fpeedy courfe that thefe poor wandering fheep maybe provided with Paftors after the lords heart, who may feed them with knowledg and underftanding, with found dodrine , with the wholefome words of Chrift, that they may not be w > C6?81 : be turned from the truth unto fables, but by th^ words of the Lords mouth they may be keep" ed out of the paths of the deftroyer , and any who are intangled through the devices of Satan, and fubtil deceivers, may be recovered in time out of thefe fnires. And that the Lord would incline the hearts of people to be (libjcftto prin¬ cipalities and powers, and to obey MagiftrateS, i to fear God,- and honour the King, and keep them that they be not, tempted by grievous pref- fures to caft off the yoke of lawful Authority, but may polfefs their fouls in patience; and wait on the Lord in the way of his judgments, who often makes ufe of lawful Magiitrates to^ pun- ' ifli his people for their fins ; and thoue ^ ■ Jie Magiftrate may bewrong, yet God is l i : and we Ihould be humbled under his h :: i it’ - a very humbling difpenfation , when Paioni s , :j(i Magiftrates are alienate from, and rigid a^ ' tit their children and fubjedts ; and we fhoU‘0 no' be chafed and enraged, but humbled undt mighty hand of God; and carry with thai !'-* - linefs and meekncls, patience and refpe-ft to i fill Authority, that we may commend our lelveb to the confciences of all in the fight ot God.tha ; being reviled, we may blefs ; being peifecuted, we may fuifer it ; being defamed , we may en¬ treat. And feeing the Devil is fo adive to rent the • Church, and to mine it , and to render the Mk niltersof the Gofpel, andjb the Gofpel it felf* contemptible ; we (hould, if we can do no moire, pray for the peace of Jerufakm , and that the ‘ . Lord ^ C6393 Lord would let people fee the devices of Satan and Seducers, who draw themaWay from under the eye of the Shepherd, that they may deftroy them ; and that he would convince people, that it’s their duty to efteem Minifters very highly in love for their works fake , and for their Ma¬ ilers fake ; for they who defpife them, delpile Chrift, and the Father who lent- Chrift. Farwer. Sir, I think my felf much obliged to you for the pains you have taken for my infor¬ mation ; and I ingenuoufly acknowledg I am by what I have heard, inltruded in many things of which I was ignorant. I fhall defire, before We part, that ye would give me fome directions how to order my way in this dark and danger¬ ous time in w'hich my lot hath fallen ; it’s fel- dome that I have occafionto converle witliMi- hifters , which makes me the more defirous to make the heft ule of their company I can, when any of them come this way. Mmifi. There are many excellent directions in feveral of theft Papers that I was fpeaking of before, it were your advantage to have them. 1 fliall only give you a few. I. Let that be your earneft ftndy to be in Chrift, and to walk in him j to know him, and to be found in him, having his righteoufhels • and to be conformed to, him, to walk at he walked. The Apoftle Faul counted all things loft for the excellency of the knowledg of Chrift, and to be found in him, &c. and he travelled as in birth to have Chrift formed in the Gahums, It’s to this fellowfhip with Chrift that God calls us in the Golpel^and then give all diligence to make your calling and eleilion fure. It’s fad to fee feveral people who will talk great things ot the interefts of Chrift in the Land, fo ignorant ot Chrift, and of union with him, and fb unconcerned as to their own intereft in Chrift , that though they have no affurance of it , and cannot give one mark of intereft in Chrift ; yet they are not ferr fible of this, nor regrating it, nor earneftly ing in publick or private to know him, to be m him, to know if tliey be in him, but they are taken up vvith other things. Chrift is not in their mind , heart, and mouth j they are not fpeering after him in their private compel fe, as the Spoufe doth in the Song : Saw ye him whom my foul lowth ? They are more infeeking to know Tome ufelefs barren notion , fbme jangling de¬ bate, than they are in feeking to know ^hrift and him crucified , more taken up in apprehend' ing fbme unedifying empty conceit, than in ap¬ prehending Chrift , or feeking to be appreaend- edby him. Who can think that they are tiuly careful about Chrifts interefts in the LanT who are carelefs about their own intereft in Chnlt, and give no diligence to make fure their calling. If folk were taken up about the one thing necel- fary, it would take them off their vain janglmgs about thefe things, which tend neither to ediftca* tion nor peace. They who are ftriving to enter in a« the ftrait gate, and taking the kingdom ot heaven by violence, and working out the work ot their falvadon with fear and trembling j anci gi- [64i1 ving diligence to make their calling and elecn;i“ on fare, will not find leifure to dote about qne- ftions and ftrifes of words, whereof cometh en“ vy, ftrife, railings, and evil furmifings. That weighty queftion , What Jhall I do to be fanjed ? would take folk off from unedifying queftions, and doubtful deputations. X, Be much in the exercife of Faith and Re^ pentance j ye muft live and walk by Faith, and be daily fearching out your fins, looking into the fink of original corruption, that loathfome, Itinking, corrupt body_ of Death, that is ever prefenc with you, to hinder you from good , and incline you to evil i and to the innumerable Iwarms of adual fins, which compal^ you a- bout ; and ye muft be daily confefling your fins, judging your felf, lamenting after the Lord lying at the Fountain opened to the houfe ot Dax’id, and Inhabitants of Jerufakm^ and com¬ ing through the great High Prieft jefus the Son of God , to the Throne of Grace , to obtam Mercy and find Grace to help in the time of need. Tliele exercifes would hold you doing,’ and keep you from medling, as a bulie-body, in things too high for you, and that do notbelrng to you j and are not within the compals of your calling .• if ye were thus exerciled , ye would walk humbly with God, and humbly with men;* ye would be lb far from bidding others itand by themfelves, as if ye w^ere holier than they , that in holinefs of mind ye would efteem others better than your (elves j and (b far from cafting at fellowfhip with the Lords people fmpublick S f Or- [ 64-. 1 Ordinances or private worOiip ; that ye would rather judge your felf unworthy of their fellowfliip j and if Vc could do it, would la¬ ther feparate from your felf than from others, ve would think it a great mercy and priviledge, that the like of you had any accels to wait at the polls of the Lords doors, and any place in his Courts ^ beware of thofe who undervalue the preaching of Faith and Repentance, for this was the Doarineofthe Prophets, of the Baptift, who came preaching the Dodrine of Repentance, and directing his heaiers to the Lamb of God, wlio takes away the fins of the World. Chrift himfelf preached, that men fhould repent and believe the Gofpel , and the Apoftle taught Repentance toward God, and Faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift. Repentance and Faith are as neceuaiy tor the beginning and progrefs of our motion to¬ wards Heaven, as our two legs are ncccUary for walking; and the exercile of Faith and Re¬ pentance ceafe not, till all tears be wiped a- way , and Faith be turned into fight ; to_ cut off the exercife of Faith and Repentance, is to cut off the legs of a man, who is fleeing from fin and wrath to the true City of Refuge. may be fure, that thofe Teachers who make it their bufinefs to dilcover to you your fins and difeafes, your poverty, nakednefs, filthinefs, and dired you to Chrift, as the Saviour of finners, as the Phyfitian of fouls, as full of grace and trutbr Vv'h^liath fine white Raiment, tine Gold, rdio is a fountain opened , who teach you to loatbr f [^43] loath your felves, and to love Chrifl: *, to hav^ no confidence in the flefli, but to rejoyce m the Lord jefus ; who teach you , that you are nothing, and he is alii that you may not! glory in your felves, but in the Lord i you may be alfured that they preacli the fame_ that Chrift and his Apoftles preached i and if you werc rightly fenfible of your o^yn fins, and humbled for them ; then the confideration of the fins ot others, would not puff you up, but humble you further, Dan. ^,6,7, 8. Beware of the way of thofe who talk of the fins of otheis, a^ xf they were accufers , leading a procefs againlt others, and commending thenifelves by condem¬ ning others ; for that looks like the (train of the Tharifee in the 1 8. of Luke The fins of our Ru¬ lers, Minifters, and of perlbns of all ranks mould make us afhamed, Ez.r.().6. , , . ' o. Let the Glory of God, and the enjoying of God, be your chief end, and take his word, which is contained in the Scripture ot the Ojd and New Teltament, for the only R-ule to di¬ rect you how to glorifie and enjo^y him ; deiyy voiir (elf, beware of felf-leeking, felf-pleaiing, 01 pleafing your own humoursor the humours ot o- thers.Let chat be your great defign to pleafeCmd, to be accepted of him ; if you can pleafe orhei's to their edification , become all things to afl for gaining of them i but beware ye difpxea.e not God, to pleateany, make no nians reftu mony , though it were given iilimediately be¬ fore his death j the rule of your Faith or Py- ^ire- fo long as men are here on earth, they ^ cOo know L6ul know but ill' parr, and even good men may err in their judgment and practice in feveral things ; (bme are fo eafily mifled, that if a Pa¬ per come to their hand-, that pleales them in (ome opinion that they are addided to, they take all the reft of it for unqueftionable truth without examination ; or if a Preacher be of their party, they implicitely follow him in any thing he fays or does : beware of liftning to Impuhes and Revelations, which ye find born in upon you, even though ye be in a good frame of Spirit when they ^te caft in ; for Satan can turn himfelf into ^n Angel of light , and wait fuch occafions of fuggefting errors ; and he can delude people by fuggefting, that fuch or flich a Scripture, makes for his deluding fuggeftions. Peter roved even when he was in the Mount , beholding Chrifts Transfiguration , when he moved, that Chrift might abide in the Mount ; and after he had given that excellent Confef- fion of Chrift , That he was the Son of God , which not flefh and blood, but the Father had revealed to him ; Satan fliggefts to him , to diftwade Chrift from going to ferufalem to fuf- fer, which drew that fharp rebuke from the blefted mouth of Chrift , Get thee behind me Satan. The Devil can back his fuggeftions with Scriptures, which he perverts, as we fee he did, when he tempted Chrift to caft himfelf down from thePinacle of the Temple; and therefore there is the more need to fearch the Scripture, iuidto compare Scripture with Scripture, andta con- C^45l confider what goeth before, and what followeth in the Scripture ; and to know the Analogy of Faith from the Scriptures that are more clear ^ and as it is holden forth from the Scriptures in theConfemon of Faith and Catechirms, that ye may not receive any fenfe of Scripture which is contrary to the Analogy of Faith, to the Dodi'ine which is according to godlinefs re¬ ceived in the Reformed Churches. Beware ot adding to the word of God, by making thefe things Duties, which God hath not commanded , or making any thing finful , which God hath not forbidden ; there are too many who will confidently impole tneir Conceits upon others, and too many who are eafily impofed upon ; fimple people who believe every w^ord, and are tolTed to and fro with every wind. Study to be well founded in the Scriptures, that With the Bereans ye may try Dodrines and Pradices by the Rule of the holy Scripture. It’s lamenta¬ ble , that there is To great ignorance of the Scriptuees; and many are more in reading other writings than in reading the holy Scriptures. Walk exadly according to the light which the Lord hath given to j ou from his wordjdetain it not in unrighteoufiiefs, and beware ye go no further^ than the light of the word diredsyou j for it ye go out of the light , and be in the dark , ye know not how far ye may wander ; they who without diredion from the word, do blind ¬ ly follow the example of others, and know not whether it be right or wrong, or take what others do to be right, becaufe fuch or fuch per- S f ? [646 3 ions does it, they are in an ill taking. Beware ye go not without the word , walk in the Law of the Lord, in the light of the word, which is a light to the feet, and a Lamp to the paths. 4. And that ye may be nourilhed up in the knowledge of the. Scriptures of truth • go to ihe publick Ordinances, forlake not affembling together with the Lords people, who meet in his name ; the Lord hath commanded his Mi- nifrers to teach and baptize, &c. and hath pro- mhed to be with them to the end of the world , and hath promiled, That where he records his Name, there he will come and blels his people j he hath appointed Minifters for this end, to feed his people with the knowledge and underftand- ing of the word, with the fincere Milk of the Win’d ^ and 'therefore if ye would glorifie the Name of the Lord, if ye would have fellow- Bilp with God, if you would have his prefence and his BlelTing, if ye would know his mind and will revealed in his word, frequent his Ordinan¬ ces , beware of thole who would draw you a- way from the Shepherds Tents, for they draw you away from Chrift himfelf; for it’s there that he feeds and makes his Flocks to reft. Believe not thole who lay. That he is not to be found in his 'own Ordinances j for there he is, and hath tryfted his people to meet him there j and he hath promiled to come there and blels them, whenever they are met in his name. He is pre- feiit, he is not to come, when they are met in his Name ; for he is come already ^ T^ere am I, laidi he,' in the midfi of them. The tins of thole who [ 647 J are Drefem at the Lords Ordinances (had ,« deprive thofe who, upon his cal , comes to not cep n ^ pi-efence and b.efling j The s fl M lo hathpromifed; and they ‘X come according to glorifie his Name in his own ho affured, that he comes and bleilp ^aem , thoushit may be, they do not fenhbly difccin S they are bound to. believe it tha l e hath come^ and bleffed them, becaufe he hath ‘^'Beware of thofe who think they are the beft anf mJll tender Chriltian^ '""'I, “'caches to crftMinitters as no Mmifters, and C. . 1 as no Churches; there were many inhhe Church of Ccrmrh, infeveial ot a • of Jfia and their Angels and yet Clniit limfelf oins them and their and Angels ; and we hnd '’f reds any to ftparate from thcfe rhoir Affemblies for publict^ itoiimp, became u m n t-oraft theleas no Chorchea and Mini SomChriftowns ; , to tiiefe Meetings where Chr.h himfe!^ and bleffes his peop e; 1 A, f creat bufmes in Ordinances, is S 1 4 r^48] the worrhinefs and intention of Minifters ; who¬ ever abfent themfelves, ye may be ftire he is preient whom yonrfonl fhouid feek; come, be- caiife he calls von , and becanfe he comes and blelles his people, where he can ies his Name to be recorded. Learn to hear the Word, not as the word of man. but as • the word of God. Efteem the Minifters of Chrift very highly in love for their works-fake, and for their Mafters lake. Beware of the way of thole who caft at the Ordinances if they be not difpenfed by Mi¬ nifters of the moft eminent gifts, or by Mini¬ fters who are in all things of their opinion ; re¬ ceive the Lords meflage of the hand of any of his Meffengers. Beware of idolizing any Minifter ; Remember that neither he that planteth, nor he that watereth, is any thing, but God whogiveth the encreale j And beware of undervaluing any of the Lords Minifters, feeing they are the Mi¬ nifters of Chrift, 1 Cor. 4. I. In which Chapter the Apoftle dilfwades the Corinthians who over¬ valued fome, and undervalued others of their Minifters, from this comparing and ralh judg¬ ing of Minifters ; and among other Arguments wits That they ptdge before the time-^ hede- fires them to let alone that judging till the Lord come, ^er. 5-. who knew the counlels of the heart, and the hidden things of darknels. Negleft not the private exercifes of Religion upon the Lords day, but beware of the way of thole who negled the publick Ordinances , though they have the opportunity of them j thele private Meetings which were kept in En- C649J - gUnd in a feparating way from the folemn Af^ fembly, became the Seminaries of error and herefie' when the fheep leave the fhepherds tents, and the green Paftures of the I.ords own Ordi¬ nances, what wonder if they wander, and grow fick, and dote about qiieftions, ■ y. In yonr private converfe leek for the things w'hich make for peace, and for mutual edificati¬ on ; beware ye ivafte not yonr time in vain janglings, and unedifying debates which diftem- per the minds and hearts of thole who dote upon them, and diverts them from edifying purpoles. \Mien ye meet with thole who are given to thefe janglings, if ye can by Scripture and reafon reclain them from that fnare, efiay ir with meeknefs of wildorn. If ye find them impatient to ie contradicted, and not ca^ pable through palfnn and prejudice to receive inltruction, then fall upon Ibme good edifying purpoles, wherein ym and they agree, that whereunto ye have 2itained, ye may walk ac¬ cording to the fame rile. If you find that they will neither hold otf thdr janglings, (and that’s very ordinary for a fpir*: of error or fchifm, to hold people perpetually 'pon thofe things which fofter error or divifibn) lor yet receive inftrii- ftion ; your converle witi fuch is not like to be fruitful ; imploy other, to deal with them, and be much in praying fc them, and be rea¬ dy to do them any good hat they v/ill admit or accept of. Beware of wafting yoiirime in Ipeaking ill of ablent perlbns j remembe.the words, T;r. g. To jpeak ervil of no mm^ & c, Ktke-not that your • defie^n tv C ^5o3 aefien to wrong the fame of any peribn, as the word imports ; hate the way of fiich who!e work it is to render Mitiifters and thole who dif- from them, in any thing hateful, and to put them out of capacity as far as m thcna yes to ferve the Lord in their generation and ffation Reware of raftt determinations of quellions St ve undetftand not ; fome people are lo, S that no queftion is ftartedj but they will orefaitly determine it ; and hayfe vented their mdgment.thev will not readily! etraO. Meddle nS as a bufie-body in other nfns matters, and in things too bigb tbryou St m-e n^ in the compafs of your calltii ^ afte not your nSgrrtte keprefentatives of Nations’, and ^^X'^tmuZ wS^h^l^^ Sat“ nIS may f for i;^hting what iswron^ in the Governi/ent of Nations, is a S°on which the Repr/fentatives of Nations, and .rprivateperlbns Aid move and relolve. It’s a trfck of Satan anliedmoas jeiiWi, to di- veh people from the /tries of their Chriftiait. and particular callings/and to break and crack to brains in ovei-/retching them to reac t thhhs that are abovt/hem, and to grafp mat- ters^which they cJneK! comprehend ; and though they eoitldjttderftand them have^no m meddle them. And it private nerfons take the fwfti which God, hath not p- f 0 1 m hem to ri| what they think wrong, by ftronu hand ; Anff private perfons take upon Eheraradepofe [lifters for real or apprehend^ C ^51 T ed faults, this is the high-way to all confufion, to turn State and Church upfide down, and to fill the world with miirthers and butcheries, to turn it into a Butcher-houfe, and to fill the Church with fchifm, and damnable errors. Thefe are the methods of the lying and murtheiing fpirit, to make haYock of the fouls and bodies of men. t j t r 6. Imitate the example of our Cord jeius, Kphef. 5- Be of God as dear childnen^ and ivalk m lo‘ve as Chrifi aljo bath loved us. Let all hitternefs and wrath, and an^^er, and clamour^ and evil (peaking, be put away from you, with all malice-, and be ye kind one to another, tender hear¬ ted, forgiving one another, even as God for Cbrifis fake hath forgiven fou. Put on therefore as the L leB of God, ‘holy and beloved, bowels (p mercies, kindnefs, himblenefs of mind, meeknejs, Icng-juf- fermz, forbearing one another, 'and. forgiving one \vioiher. If any man have a c^ua. rel againfi any, even as Chrift forgave ycu, jo aljo do ye. And a- bove all things gut on charity, waich is the bond of perfeAnefs. Love them that hate you. Blejs ana, curfe not. Be not overcome with evil, but over¬ come evil with good. Learn ot Chrilt to be meek and lowly in heart, fhew all meeknefs to all men. Tfhe ornament of a meek and ajuiet Jpir it is of great price in the fight of God. When ye are injured and perfecuted, learn of Chrift to be patient, and in your patience poffefs your fouls. L.ook above men who. wrong you, unto God, who is correaingor trying you, and be humbled, and patient under the mighty hand of God, ii et no^ at the prolperity of tkofe who foi a while [650 i bring evil devices to pafs, but truft in the Lord, | and be doing good. And delight thy felf in the | Lord ; Commit your way to him : Wait on \ the r.ord, and in well-doing commit your felf ^ to him as to a faithful Creator. Take heed to ' vour fpirit, beware that ye be not deluded by .. Satan, and brought to imagine, that wrathful revenge is zeal. is a rnan^ nnd endued with knowled^ among you^ let him jhsvf out of a good converfation his wovks with meeknefs of wif- %?n ; hut if je have bitter envying and firife in your hearts^ glory not^ and be not agatnf the tt uth. This wifdom defeendeth not from above^ but is t earthly, fenjual, devilif) \ for where envying and (Irife is, there is confufion and every evil work. But the wifdom that is from above, is firfl 'pure, then . ^ peaceable, gentle and eafe to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits,without partiality, and with'- ' cut hypocrifie. And the fruit of nghteoufnefs is fcwn tn peace of them that make peace. The Spirit of Chrift oppofeth that fpirk which lufteth to en- > vy and revenge. When James and John would have been at fire from Heaven to confume the Samaritans, Chrift turned and rebuked them, and faid, Te know not ovhat manner of {pint ye are of, for the Son of man is not come to defiroy mens lives, but to jave them. Ijet that be your conftant defign and en/leavour to exprefs the prailes, the vertues of (fhrift in refembling hini in lovelinefs, in love, ih bowels and mercies, in humility, lowlinefs ofl heart, in felf-denlal, in gentlenefs, meeknefs, / patience, long-fuffering, forbearance, forgiveiTels j that the fame mind may be in you that Was in Chrift Jefus j that ye / may « [^531 rliay be in the world as he was in the tVorld ; that ye may walk in his fteps ; that ye may be conformed to the Image of the Son of God, and Chrift formed in you. He countenanced the^ Ordinances, he heard John, was baptized ot him, when the people were baptized j he was Circumciled, he Prayed, Preached, and eated the Palfover , when Judas the Traytor was prefent ; he dire^ied the Lepers whom he cu¬ red to (hew themfelves to the Prieft ; he was {ubjeery cm of us 7vill look to fome others, rather thasi'thcsn- felves, as obft ruling the defir ed uniting in the Lord. But ugon mature after-thoughts, it 7vill he found the mind ofChrtfi, that one narro^dy fearch our fehes, every one of us, how we have provoked the ' Holy One to finite us fo in his dtjf leajure, and accurately to try jvhat yet remains in us ohfiru- Bive to this union j and jvithal to flee to our fligh¬ ted duty, as m a city they run to the quenching of a Puhlick burning, laying this evil to heart more than Disord or Veftilence. All the writings and actings ao-airifl Presbyterian Government , which is the jtall of the houfe of God, have never wronged or hurt it fo much as our ill-raifed and worfe continu¬ ed contefis. Our nakednefi-difcoverwg writings, what have they done but added oyl to the flamed h or Chrifis fake, my reverend and dear Brethren, hear¬ ken to this word in feafon from the Oracles of God, and treafures of gur'e antiquit y,fotnting out the 7my of a godly and edifying feace. It will be no grief of but coTtfolfitio?!^ wc fivts to appear 'befire the ffudg of the quick and the dead. How the God of patience and confolation ■ grant you to be like-minded one tow'ards another, according to Chrilh fefus. So heartily prayeth your Brother and felloi-fervant, ROBERT BLAIR Thus far Reverend Mr. Blair, who was both a Son of Thunder, and a Son of Peace, a Peace ma- ker. O with what authority and leriouIheJs did I hear him prefs unity, in Preaching before a Sy¬ nod from tlielewords, Phil.x.i. If there be theie^ T t firs C658] I fore any confolation in Chrift^if any comfort oflo^ue, .1 if any felUmfnt) of the j}mt, if any howch & mer- cies,fiMl ye my joy that ye he like minded ; having the fame love, being of one accord, of one mind. And | 1 heard him (ay upon Preaching before a general | A(rembly,That he could be content to be earn- | ed from the place in which he was Preaching,to J his grave, to have the rent that then was in the J Church cured. Ignorant and rafh youths, who | have not experience, and confider not what an | abominable fin Schifm is, and what are the mil- | chievous confequences of it, and how it ordina- j rily ends in the ruin Sc defblation of a Church, ] they know little what they are doing, when they are blowing up the fire of contention j and it s a ; I'port to fome to caft (licb fire-brands. But they . who have Heavenly wifdom, fee that that (port- , ing is mifehievous madnefs, Sc that it will be bi> i ternels in the latter end.lt is not for nought that J the Spirit of C7od direcled the Apofi. Faal in wri- i ting to the Church of the Corinthians, in which , there were many things wrong, to fall fijft upon the ill of divifions, i i. lo. and when he is fhutfing up that Epill;le,he exhorts, that all theje , thinzs be done^vith cbarity,and to greet one another with an holy kifs. And when he is (hutting up the o Epifi. be concludes, Finally, Brethren, farewell, be perfecJ,be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in feace,and the God of love and feacejhall be with you.Greet one another with an holy kijs. So thus ne begins and ends with this unity and peace. o. And becaufe no fpeaking nor reafoning will prevail againft the working of a (pirit of and fchifm, without the effeiftual working of the C^59l Spirit of the I/)rd,let us humbly and earneMy pray, that the Lord would have mercy upon us A foi' ‘’is Sons fake who came to dellroy the works of the De¬ vil pour upon us the fpirit of grace and of iiippli- carions,thefi>irit of faith & repentance, that we may look on him whom we have pierced, & mom n ; tn^ fpirit of a found mind, the (pint of Im’e Sc peace. And that every one, Magiftrates, Mimlters and peopie, may be made fenfible of their own lins. W e {laomd pray that the Lord would fend his Spirit, that con- vinresthe world of fin, to let us fee us fee them written in our judgments, that we may accept of the punilhment of our fins, & juflihe iIk Lord when he judges.The Lord often writes the fns of men in fo great and legible letters in their ,adg- ments,that they who run may read them. David de- fpifed the Lord, and occafioned the enemies oi the Lotd to blafpheme,by his adultery and murtnei , in- celluous filthinefs breaks out in his hou(e,thelwoid departs not from his houfe, his people delpr.e him, and follow e.xalperateBfMptw-tt^is let loofe upon him, to revile and curie him, and ca.t flones at him;he difotvns him as no King, gives him no title of honour, but only calls him a man, and which was world, a bloody man, a man oi he.ml^ - and does not cry, and then flee , but goes aiong in the fight and hearing of the King, ‘-“‘"■'If /"l. Soldiers, curfing Sc CiVding Hones and diut. lees that tho’ Sbtmei did this contrary to the f' God, which fays, Ibo* mt revile the Gods, iia mrfe the ruler of thj peeple-, Yot that he did it not with¬ out the over-ruling Providence of God, lie law chat the Lord had let Shimei loofe upon him, & is humlxed 1 under the hand ofGod. Uis'woAwtllneedsgo to ^ # . T t X 1 cmpie, 1660-] Te!npie,&: excrcife the Priefts Office, 8z! the Lord by Leprofie cuts him off from the Houle of the Lord, an ' from the exercile of his Kingly Office. When thf-Prieltsdidnot impartially apply the Law of God to reclaim the people from their fins, no doubt they tliougbt thus to keep in with the people; but this brought them to be bale & contemptible before all the people, Adal.z.^. The Jewsi\\zx. remained in the land, after the ruin of the Temple, though they had biitoncProphet,yet they defpilehim, they will not hear the word which Jeremiah Ipoke in the name of the Lord but they would do what went out of their own mouth; and therefore the Lord leaves them to live like Pagans,& (wears by his great name, that his name fiaould not be named anymore in their mouths ; they Ihould not have fo much as the form & profeL fion of the worfliip of the true God, [fer. 44- 1 they would not be reproved h^Eicek. ch.‘:^.z6.d>c they are plagued with the want of a reprover. W hen peo¬ ple will rejecl the counfel of the Lord, & will not hearken to liis voice,nor take his gracious offer made in the Gofpel; when they will not endure found Do- (n;rine,nor dehrethc finceremilk of the word, nor re¬ ceive the truth in love, the Lord juftly gives them up to their own hearts luffs, to walk in their own counlels,ro ffrong delulions,to believe lyes, to be toL led to and fro with every wind of Do(ffrine,to turn a- fide to fables. When they delpile his lcrvants,& will not receive his mdrengers,& their meffage, & count them enemies for telling the truth, the Lord removes lus lervants from them,&: leaves them to be deluded with teachers, which are after their own humours and luffs. When people refufe to hear the Loids words, and walk after the imaginations of their own L6^o own besrt, yer. i?. lo. the Lord fills them with drLinkenners,that they deftroy one another like drun¬ ken men, who know not what they are doing, -v. 1 3. Beheld^ I 71’tll Jill nil the Inhabitants of this L and^eojen the Kings that fit tn^on Davids Thresng and the Briefs, and the Prophets, and all'the Inhabitants ,''^^’]erura]em, with drtmkennefs. And I will dajh them oneagatnfi a- nother,eajen the Bathers apd the Sops t( pelhtr, tanh the Lord : I will not pity , nor [pary, rar h.rae mercy, hut defiroy them. Hear jc, and gave car-fenot pnudfor the Lord hath fpoken.Give glory to the Lord your Gcd before he caufe darknefs, and before your feet jUnnble upon the dark mountains, and while je look for light, kc turn it into the (hadew of dea^h, and make it gr of darknefs. When folk will follow their own imaginations, and will not walk in the light of the word of Gcd, the Lord fills them with drunkennels, and leaves them todafii upon one another, and deftroy one another like drunken men fighting in the dark. But neither words nor rods will be rightly underftood or laid to heart, till the Spirit be poured from on high. If the Lord would pour out his Spirit , we would not only be brought to fee our fins , but tobe afitamed of them, to take fname and confufion ot face to our lelves ^we would fcrrow and mourn, and lament af¬ ter the Lord ; we would turn from our fins to the Lord , and joyn our (elves to the Lord, and we would joyn together in feekingthe Lord in his Or¬ dinances ; then the V\'ildernels would be a fruitful field, the dead and fcatte red bones would be joyn- ed together and live ; then Judah and Ijrael would be oneftick in the hand of theLoidjEt^t/i. 37. 1 hen the Children of KvacI and Judah would cltne together, going, and weeping, Jeektng the Lord their God, asking the waj to SIoil their faces thitherward, fay big. Come and let m joyn oar [elves unto the Lord in a per-^ petual Covenant that flsall not be forgotten, Jer- ‘po. 4,- When the Spirit is poured out from on high up¬ on his people, then the Lord turns to them a pure Language, that they may call upon the Name of the Lord, to ferve him with one conlent ; then they turn humble Suplicants , and pour out their hearts in <7roans and fighsthat cannot be uttered j then Pride und Haughtinefs is taken away, and people becoir^ poor in Spirit, and have no confidence in the flelh, but truft in the Lord,and rejoyce in the Lord Jellis, Zeph, 7. 9, 10,1 1, IV. Rom. 8. ^6, ay. PM ^.3. 1 ill the Lord come, till he return with mercy and loving- kindnels, and turn us again, and caiife his face to (bine, and fee our ways,and heal us, we will but wax worfe and worie there is no remedy for us, but in his Sovereign Grace, and thofe mercies that have been of old, and endure for ever. Let us look to him who is exalted to give Repentance to IJrael, and Re- miffion of fins ; that he would turn us, that we may be turned, and heal our backilidings, and heal our breaches, that he may utter that quickning word, 57.9. Come from the four winds,0 breath, and breathe upon thefe flain,that they may live; O Lord come, and overcome our evil with thy goodnefs; for who is a God like untO' thee, that pardoneth iniquity , and pafles by the tranfgreifion of the Remnant of thy heritage,and retains not anger for ever; becaufe thou i delights in mercy, who will turn again, and will have companion upon us ? he will fubdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cafi: all their fins in the depth of the Sea ; thott-wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the Sy mercy to Abraham, which thou haft fworn to our Fa-* ^ X thers tbcrs from the days of old, ]\dicha 7. 18, 19, 10. We have hot remembred our Covenant, but ha\e fpo- ken words falfly, in making a Covenant. Neverthe- lefs,0 Lord, remember thy Covenant, and eftablifh to us an everlafting Covenant, that we may remem¬ ber our ways, and be afhamed. Ertablifh thy Cove¬ nant with us, that we may know that thou art the Lord, that we may remember and be confounded, and never.open our mouth any more,becaufe of our lhame, when thou art pacified toward us for all that we have done. O Lord, Righteoufiiefs belongs to thee, but unto us confufion effaces, as it is this day to all of us j to our Kings, Princes, Fathers, Miniiters, people of all ranks, belongs Confufion - but to the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenels, tho’ we have finned againft him. Lord, give us Repentance, and turn us, and we fliall be turned. Let thy power be great, according as thou haft fpoken, faying, The Lord is lovM'erwg, and of great mercy, forgiymg im- auity and tranCgreJJi.n. Lord, humble our nncircumcif- ed hearts,that we may take with our fins, and accept of the punifhment of tliem, that we nray remember them with fhame and forrow j but do not thou re¬ member againft us former iniquities, but a,ccording to thy mercy remember us,for thy goodnefs fake. O Lord, remember for us thy Covenant, and repent ac¬ cording to the mailtitude of thy m,ercies-and for thy names-fake pardon our iniquities, for they are many and great. And when Wifdom, and Council, ai'id Strength, when Light and Life is gone, and when U- nity is gune, when there is none to help, and noi.c (A the Sons of Zton to take her by the hand in her di- ftrefs, when there is none to make up the breach, no ^nterceffor , let thine own arm bring falvation. r , W hen [6641 I When all earthly Glory is ftaineclblafted and gone; ^ appear in thine own Glory, in the glory of thy wif- dom, power, and Sovereign grace, in building Sim, ^ build the houre,and bear the glory ^ that when thou ; haft done the work by thy Spirit, grace, grace may be glorified, and that this may be written for the Ge¬ nerations to come, that the people which fhallbe cre¬ ated, may prahethe Lord.V'v e donotprefent our Sup- jj plications before thee for our righteoufne(s,foi we aie ^ all as an unclean thing, and our righteoufhefs as fil- ^ thy rags ■, but for thy great meicy, O L.oid, hear, 0 Loixt forgive, O I O our God ! for this people are \ called by thy Nalne. O Lord, the hope of IJrael, the Savior thereof in the time of trouble, though ou r ini- c|uities teftifie againftus.doforthy name lake.it thou mark our inicfuity, we cannot ftand, but there is for- ; givenets with thee, that thou may befeared j theie is mercy with thee, and plenteous redemption •, and thou redeemeft Ifrael from all his iniquities and trou¬ bles. O remember not againft us former iniquities; let thy tender mercies fpeedily prevent us,for we are ■ brought very low ; help ns, O God of oni Salvation, j tor the Glory of thy name ; and deliver, and puige j away our fins for thy name fake ; fave this people, 3 blefs thy Inheritance , feed them alfb, and lift them up for ever. Save us, O Lord our God ,^nd gather us to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praife. Blelfed be the Lord God of Ifrael from everlaiting , to evierlafting ; and let all the people fay Amen. Praife ye the Lord. Unto the King eternal, immortal , invifible, the only wife God, be Honour and Glory forever and and ever. Amen, FINIS. iners » A V