Relation of the Sufferings of Ministers in Scotland Since 1660, Section 15
SECTION XV.
Concerning the hearing of such as are now thrust in upon the people in the Roome of those who are put away.
WHen by these wayes forementioned a great number, even the third part of the Ministery of Scotland, was put from preaching the Gospell, & banished from their own, parish Churches: There were a number of naughty base men who had denyed the faith which once they professed; & renunced that covenant which they had sworne with hands lifted up to the most heigh God; Men for the most part of flagitious lives, corrupt both in their principles, & in their conversation, unfit to have the privilege of Church members, in any well governed Church, let be to be officers in the house of God: And men who will willingly comply with any course which Satan & his instruments can set on foot, thrust in upon the people, sore against their wils, having presentations from patrons, & collations from the prelats, & no more, for a call. And there are others, alas too too many, who being in the Ministerie before, have basely betrayed their trust, & complyed with those abjured prelats, & gone contrary to that covenant which both themselves did sweare, with hands lifted up to the most high, & which they caused all within their severall congregations to sweare, in a most solemne manner, as hath been showne above: And now did the tryall come near to the doors of the poor people for there was an Act of Parliament, I…l 10. 1663. Enjoying the people to attend all the ordinary meetings for divine worship under these paines & penalties, viz. each nobleman, gentleman & heritour the losse of a fourth part of each yeers, rent, in which they shall be accused & convicted: And every yeoman, tennent & farmer the losse of such a proportion of their free moveables (after payment of their rents due to their Master & landlord) … …is maj. Councell shall think fit, Not exceeding a fourth part thereof. And Every burges to lose the liberty of merchandizeing, tradeing, and all other privileges within brugh—& the fourth part of their moveables—and such other corporall punishments, as the Councell shall think sit. And yet notwithstanding of this act, faithfull & honest Christians were constrained in conscience, to withdraw; & could not yeeld obedience unto this act; but resolved rather to suffer affliction, what ever it might be, then countenance such as had intruded themselves without a call, & had made such defection from the truth & cause of God; & for this cause many have suffered, & many are put to suffer dayly, whom no tender hearted Christian will or can condemne, if these few particulars be considered.
1. To yeeld obedience unto this act enjoyning them to hear such men alwayes & to attend all the ordinary meetings for worship, & so to countenance them as lawfull pastours, were to comply with the sinfull defection of the time, as appeareth from these two particulars. 1. It were a countenanceing of these men who have broken covenant, & overturned the whole work of reformation, & an approving of them in the same; for themselves look on all such as obey that act, as their friends, & the act it self sayeth that a chearfull concurrence, countenance & assistence given to such Ministers, & attending all the ordinary meetings for divine worship, is an evidence of a due acknowledgment of, & hearty complyance with, his Maj. Government ecclesiaesticall & civill, as now established by law within this Kingdom, for in order to this last, the act sayeth that this Maj. doth expect the former; And experience proveth much of this to be true, viz. that such as do countenance them after this manner do indeed approve of them, & by the contrary they look on others, as disaffected persons, so that obedience to the Act is the very badge of complyance; And therefore upon that account cannot in conscience be yeelded; for in such a case many things which otherwise might be lawfull or indifferent cannot be lawfully done, as being most inexpedient, & what is not expedient, in so far as not expedient, is unlawfull, & un…defying; & therefore must not be done, as Pau… sayeth, 1 Cor. 10: v. 23. 2. It were some way also the acknowledging of the power & authority of Prelats: And so contrary to the league & Covenant, & the reason is, because, these men come forth, from the Prelat having no other call or warrant, but what the Prelat giveth: And so a receiving of them is a receiving of the Prelat, as a refus…ing to owne them, will be accounted a slighting of the Prelat & his power. These things will be clearer, if two things be considered 1. That now there is no door opened for getting any wrongs redressed, & corruptions in the ministery, which creep in & abound, removed; There is no accesse for grieved persons to presente their grievances; Corruption & defection is carryed on with such a heigh hand, that there is no liberty once to speak or object against such & such corruptious; Yea all these corruptions are approved: So that all possibility of getting any redresse made, is away: And in such a case as this, when privat persons have not accesse to propound their objections, against such or such a man's exerceing the ministeriall function, or no hopes of getting a hearing; But by the contrary such persons as they would objecte against, would be the better liked; And these things, which they might objecte as hainous crimes, would be accounted vertues & matter of greater commendation; what can they do else, but withdraw & not countenance such vitious & naughty persons, nor do any thing which may import, a consenting unto, or an approving of these grievous wrongs & enormities▪ Especially considering. 2. How there is now no other way left for persons to exoner their consciences before God & the world, & to declare their Non-conformity unto this wicked & corrupt course of defection: All other doors are barred by law, so that now they must either give testimonie against this course of defection this way by refuseing to give obedience unto this Act, & to countenance these men (whose chief qualification is perjurie) as Ministers of the gospel; or else they must be accounted consenters: For how else shall their dissatisfaction be known. There is no patent door now, for any legall exoneration of their consciences by remonstrances, & protestations, the Parliament haveing declared such Actions to be treasonable: Yea there is not so much as liberty granted for petitioning or supplicating against any such abuse: And of necessity, they must some way or other give publicke testimony against these courses (for they must not partake of other mens sinnes) as are carryed on, contrary to the word of God, to the Covenant, & to their former resolutions: And there is no other way so harmlesse & Innocent as this, though suffering should follow thereupon.
2. By giving obedience unto this Act, they should be in hazard, not only of falling away unto a detestable neutrality & indifferency in the matters of God; but ere long, they should be in hazard to fall away in heart & affection, from the cause of Christ, & from the work of reformation sworne unto, and owned so much; for there is no other way now apparent, whereby the difference shall be keeped up, betuixt such as honestly minde the covenanted work of reformation: & the corrupt prelaticall, & malignant party, but this of refuseing to give obedience unto this Act. So that, as it is already too too apparent that some who had no scruple to hear these men, and withall thought to abide constant to the cause of God, were ere long found to be deceived; for piece & piece the edge of their Zeal was blunted, & their affection to the work of God cooled, & they at length were brought to condemne it: So dangerous a thing is it to suffer the standing difference to weare out of sight: So that let a Man once beginne to countenance those men, as lawfully called & authorized Ministers, & by this meanes, keep up no standing difference, he shall, ere he be aware, slide into their campe, & side with them in all things: Therefore it is best to keep up this distance & standing difference by with drawing.
3. By giving obedience unto this Act, they should quite undoe & betray their posterity: For though now the honest party be not in a capacity, to transmit the work of reformation unto their posterity, in such a manner as were to be wished, it being now defaced & overturned, by this course of defection, which is so violently carryed on; yet they may, & should do something for keeping fresh the memory of the good old cause, that it be not bury…d quite in oblivion, & this must be, by keeping up some footsteps of a standing controversy, for Zions interest, & the work of God against the common enemies thereof, the prelaticall & malignant faction: But now take this weak & inconsiderable appearing in the fields against these corruptions, away, what appearance of a standing controversie shall posterity see? Shall not they conclude that the day is lost, and the cause gone when they see that this generation hath fled the field or rather sold & betrayed the cause, by owneing, countenancing & complying with the enemy, & that there is no standing testimony against corruptions, or nothing seen in the practices or carriage of their fathers, that may in the least signifie their dissatisfaction with these courses. Where as if there were but this much of a standing difference, betwixt the people of God, & the common enemies of Zion, to be seen, posterity would in some measure, be keeped from being deceived, & would see the interest of Christ not killed, nor buried quicke; but living though in a bleeding condition: & this would occasion their engadging for Christ & interessing themselves in the quarrell: And it is far better to see the cause of Christ owned, though by suffering & blood, then sold & betrayed by base flenching & complyin gwith persecuters.
4. There is not a more ready way to harden & encourage the enemie in their wicked & malicious way of opposing the work of God, then thus to countenance them in obedience to this act. This is a way to strengthen their hands in their wicked courses; for then, they encourage themselves in evill when they see how they are countenanced by all, & that there is no disrespect put upon them, nor dissatisfaction evidenced against their courses, then they conclude that they are approved of all, & this hardeneth them, so that they never once think of the evill of their wayes: Whereas were they disowned, notwithstanding of the act, it would cool their courage, & possibly occasion some reflecting thoughts upon their courses, sometime or other; And who knoweth what might follow? It is more then probable that the people of God, are not freed from seeking the conviction, repentance, & …dfiication, even of these their malicious enemies: And it is certane they may not encourage them in their evil wayes, nor do any thing which may really tend to harden them in their wicked courses. And therefore if obedience to this act will in all probability have this effect, it ought to be forborne.
5. By giving obedience unto this act, they should stumble the truely tender in conscience, by encourageing them to do contrary to their light & conscience, after their example; when they are not clear to hear them, they are imboldened or stirred up▪ thereunto, when they see others doing so, & thus they are ready to halt in the wayes of the Lord, & this is a grievous sin, to seek to destroy those for whom Christ died. But it will be objected. That hearing the word, is duty, & so, if any stumble thereat, it will be but a scandall taken, & not given. Ans. The question is not whether it be a duty to hear the word or not, but whether it be a duty to hear the word out of such mens mouths, & that in obedience to the act; or so as the act doth enjoyne, & if this be not a necessary duty, the objection falleth to the ground, for it is not at hearing of the word, that men do stumble, but at hearing of such men preach who are not lawfully called. This solution will be cleared by considering what is the Apostle's answere in matters of meat & drinke, Rom. 14: & 1. Cor. 8: & 10. He would have them forbeareing such or such meat, at such or such a time, when there were hazard of stumbling thereat, & for his part he resolved never to eat flesh rather then by eating thereof he should stumble any weak Christian, & yet it is an indispensable duty to eat meat, there is a command for it, & the command doth alwayes oblige though not ad semper to all times. So then though it be a commanded & necessary duty, to eat meat; yet it is no necessary & indispensable duty, to eat such or such a sort of meat, as fish or flesh, nor is it necessary to eat alwayes at such or such a time, but both may be forborn for the scandall & offeńce of the weak: So the parallel will run clearly, it is a duty to hear the Gospell preached; but it is not a necessary & indispensable duty to hear such or such a man alwayes; & so in this case, scandall may have place, as well as in the case of meats; & Paul's arguments are of force here. And therefore Christians should be tender of those for whom Christ died, & be loath to occasion their stumbling, by doing that which is not a necessary & indispensable duty, as it is circumstantiated.
6. By yeelding obedience unto this act they should cast themselves into snares & temptations, & that because many of those intruders, if not all of them, do teach false doctrine, tending to seduce the hearers, crying up the lawfulnesse of prelacy, & venting bitter invectives against presbyterian government, inveighing against the covenant, & so teaching & incouraging people to follow them, in open perjury, & condemning the work of reformation, as being nothing else but treason & sedition, which were blasphemy: Beside some poynts of Arminianisme & Popery, which some of them are venting, now & then. Seing then there is such false Doctrine held forth, & taught with such boldnesse, & impudencie, can it be lawfull for simple people to attend such, when their souls are in such hazard to be seduced thereby, & when the Spirit of God sayeth cease to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge? Prov. 19: 27. Beware of false Prophets) is a command that is of force now, as well as of old, Iohn in his second Epistle v. 10: 11. sayeth that if there come any unto you & bring not this Doctrine, receive him not unto your house neither bid him God speed, for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil… it is sure then Iohn would never advise people to goe constantly or ordinarily to hear such deceivers who bring not with them the Doctrine of Christ. He who would not have the lesse done would never consent unto the more. Paul writting to the Romans Chap. 16: v, 17, 18. sayeth. Now I beseach you brethren Marke them which cause divisions & offences contrary to the Doctrine which yee have learned & avoid them, for they that are such serve not our Lord Iesus Christ, but their own belly & by good words & faire speaches deceive the hearts of the simple. Here is a clear warrand for avoiding (& that will at least include a refuseing obedience to this Act) such as teach things contrary to the Doctrine which hath been already received, & Learned out of the word, & do thereby cause divisions & offences & have nothing before their eyes but their own belly, & not the glory of Christ. And how well this agreeth unto those men now spoken of, any who know them may judge. And therefore seing it is their designe & intended work to deceive the hearts of the simple, by their bold & consident assertions, & to cause them beleeve things contrary to the Doctrine which they have already learned & received, it must be a necessary duty for poor simple people to avoid such. So the Apostle writting to Titus cap. 1: 14. forbiddeth to give head to jewish fables & commandements of men that turne from the truth, & who are these who teach such things? See v. 10, 11. unruly, vaine talkers, & deceivers, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucres sake. It cannot then be lawfull to obey this act. So writing to the Philippians cha. 3: 2. He sayeth beware of dogs, beware of evil workers beware of the concision by whom the false teachers of these times are to be understood. Now he commandeth to beware of those, that is, shun them, forbear to hear them, follow them not: And againe v. 17: 18, 19. he sayeth Brethren be followers together of me, & Marke them which walk so as ye have us for ensample, for many walk of whom I have told you oftin, & now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies to the crosse of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, who minde earthly things. So he would have them following such as taught as he did, & walked as he walked, & not such as were enemies to the crosse of Christ: And certanely when Paul would have the Ephesians cap. 4: 14. No more carryed about with every winde of Doctrine, by slight of men & cunning craftinesse, whereby they lie in waite to deceive he would not have them following or attending the Ministerie of such, concerning whom the question is. So when he willeth the collossians cap. 2, v. 8. to beware least any man spoile them through Philosophy, and vaine deceit, after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ, he would not have people give obedience unto this Act, & to attend the Ministery of such who teach false Doctrine, By slight & cunning craftinese, whereby they lie in waite to deceive & seek to spoile people of the truth by their Philosophie (such as it is) & vaine deceit after the traditions of men & not after Christ & seek to beguile with enticeing words. So in his first Epistle to Timothie cap. 4. v. 1, 2. He sayeth that in the later times some shall depaire from the faith, giving head to seduceing spirits, speaking lies in Hypocrisie having their consciences feared with a hote yron. It must then be hazardous & most dangerous to give head to such seduceing spirits, as speak lies, & have their consciences seared with an hote yron, as being the cause of departing stom the faith; so that such as will guaird against departing from the faith would take heed whom they heare. So in his second Epistle to Timothie cap. 3, v. 5. he speaketh of some whom he would have all honest people turne away from, & these he describeth first from their corrupt conversation, v. 2: 3, 4, 5. thus men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankfull, unholy, without naturall affection, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of these that are good, treatours, heigh minded, heady, lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God much time needs not be spent in shewing how fitly all these agree unto the persons now spoken of, such as know them can best judge. But then secondly he describeth them from their Doctrine, v, 6, 8, 13. They creep into houses and lead captive silly women; us Ia…es and I…mbres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt mindes, reprobat concerning the faith, evil men and seducers all which? particulars without contradiction, agree to these now spoken of: And therefore the Apostle's command standeth in force from such turne away. By all these passages, It is clear that the Ministerie of false & corrupt teachers should not be attended.
7. If it were lawfull to hear these in obedience to this Act, it would be also lawfull, upon an Act, to attend the Ministerie of Anabaptists, Antinomians, Socinians, Arminians, or Iesuits: And if it would not be lawfull to do this, no more can it be lawfull to attend the Ministerie of these in question, who seek to pervert the right wayes of the Lord, & labour to subvert the simple people, & to turne them away from the truth.
8. Such as their Doctrine is such are the prayers, not only stuffed with errour, but larded with blasphemy, as might easilie be shown, were it fit here to mention what their expressions are: As their Doctrine tendeth to reproach the work of reformation & the power of godlinesse, so do their publick prayers, as such as hear them can showe, They pray for a blessing on the prelats, under the name of Reverend, & right Reverend fathers, & on their wayes & courses (which God will curse & blaste) not to mention their unsound & parasitick expressions concerning the King's supremacy calling him head of the Church &c. Now seing tender consciences can not joyn with them in those prayers, how can they attend their Ministerie? Are not all present bound to joyn in prayer with them who should be the mouth of all the congregation unto God & pray with them? & when out of the corruption of their heart they ordinarily utter expressions savouring of blasphemy & errour; can godly tender consciences goe alongs with them,? And seing they cannot, how can they be bound to attend their Ministerie? There are snares in Prayer no lesse then in preaching. Yea particular persons concurre more with the minister in prayer then in preaching; & there fore they may more saiflie hear errour preached then joyne in an erroneous prayer, for in the one they are purely passive, But in the other they are some way active: & therefore unquestionably there is sin in constant attending the Ministerie of such, with whom if they concurre in prayer, they must sinne.
9. Yeelding obedience unto this Act were upon the matter a consenting unto the great incroachment made upon the privileges of the Church. The Church hath this power & privilege from the Lord, to make choise of her own officers, as the frequent examples thereof in the dayes of the Apostles do cleare, & this would be the greater sin now after the Lord hath graciously delivered that Church from that yoke, & put her in possession of her power & privileges; after that the power of patrons, which was a piece of cruell bondage & oppression unto the Church, is removed to consent againe unto wreething of that yoke about her neck, were no small transgression: And it is clear that the attending of the Ministerie of such, must be an accepting of them as Ministers lawfully called notwithstanding that they want the election of the people, & have nothing for their warrand, but a presentation from the patron: And so this would be nothing else upon the matter but a consenting unto this incroachment; And a joyning with such as wronge & spoile the Church: To say that people in that case should protest against these incroachments, & so exonere themselves, were to put them, to run their heads against a wall: & next their refuseing thus to obey the act, is, upon the matter a protestation, & if after their protestation they were bound to hear them & attend their Ministerie, they should undoe their own protestation, by their after carriage; for by their protestation they declare, that they cannot look upon them as Ministers having a lawfull call, according to the lawes of Christ, & by their after carriage, in constant attending of their Ministerie, they should declare to all, that they owne them as lawfully called Ministers; And thus their practice should belie their protestation. Nor will it be of any force to say that their fore-fathers did submit unto the Ministerie of such as had no other call but the patron's presentation: For there is a vaste difference to be put butwixt a time wherein the Church is advanceing in a course of reformation; & a time wherein she is declineing & slideing back from that degree of reformation unto which she had already attained: In a time wherein the Church is but coming out of darknesse, & the day is but begining to break up, many things may then be comported with & tolerated, which may not be submitted unto, after the Church hath gotten all these abuses reformed. Every beleever, & every Church is bound to stand fast in that which they have attained unto, & not to cede in a hoof: So that Christians living in a time wherein the Church is but begining to wrestle up, from under the heap of errour & corruption, may be allowed to do many things, which must not be done, when the noontide of the day is come. In the time of the reformation begun by Luther & others, many things might have been comported with in the Church, (reformation being a graduall motion that hath but small beginings & riseings) which now since the reformation hath been carryed on, through the blessing of God, to that degree it was advanced to, cannot be allowed: When God hath wonderfully by his mighty power & out-streached arme, brought a Church to a great length in reformation, it will be the duty of that Church & of the members thereof to adhere to that degree unto which they have attained, with all perseverence. It will be lawfull for the Church which is but coming up the hill to stand at such a step untill they gaine another; when yet it will not be lawfull for the same Church, to goe backward after they have advanced. The truth once bought should never be sold: so then the consequence is null, Their fore-fathers stumbled not, nor did scruple, at the doing of such or such things. therefore these in this generation, who have advanced, through the blessing of God, unto a further degree of reformation, should not scruple either: It is a poor consequence to say, The posterity may return backward, because their fore sath. Is could not advance further: Much more may be seen when the sun is up then in the twilight. Therefore the scrupleing of honest people now, doth no way condemne their fore-fathers: But on the contrary, the stedfastnesse of their fore-fathers, in standing to the degree, to which they had reached, & their endeavouring to advance, will condemne this generation for backsliding. In their dayes those abuses & corruptions were not remedied, the Church was not then freed of that yoke of oppression. And furder their after consent unto such Ministers made up this defect; But those in this generation are not at liberty to give or grant their after consent, because they are engadged to stand to the work of reformation, & to owne it in all its parts, whereof this is one, vis. the putting away of the usurpation of patrons, & the putting the Church in possession of her own privileges, & this they must owne upon any hazard, if they would not betray their trust. The right way of Election was not setled by law in their fore-fathers dayes, & so they were groaning under that oppression, & constrained to make the best of that ill bargan they could: But it were utterly intolerable for those in this generation to consent unto the wreething of that yoke, which hath been once loosed from their Lawes, about their necks againe. Nor will it be of any force to say, within few ages, yea or yeers, such a thing as this will never be scrupled at: for if defection be carried on, with as great vehemency, as it hath been these few yeers by past, it is like, grosse popery shall not be scrupled at ere long, except by such as now do scruple to countenance these intruders. And what ever the following posterity may be allowed to do, to prevent worse, it will plead nothing for these in his generation; because it is their part to stand in the gap & leave their dead bodyes there, rather then give way unto any degree of defection, which may cause posterity to curse them. More is expected of a standing army, then of stragling souldeours; these may make some shift after the army is broken, to get as good quarters, as they may, when it were basenesse & utterly unlawfull for any to do so; while the army is unbroken. Small things should be stood at, in the time of the begining of an apostasie: when the watters of corruption are begining to break in, the least hole should be stopped, & watched over.
10. By giving obedience unto this act, they should, upon the matter, iustifie & approve of, & consent unto the violent & cruell thrusting out of these whom God had setled in those places, & whose labours he had blessed, & thus they should consent unto this terrible act for persecution of the godly & faithfull Ministers of the Lord: And therefore they could not do it in conscience. The antecedent is cleared thus. Because to imbrace & encourage such, were to approve of the ground, upon which they enter, & that is, their complyance with the sinfull defection, & their submission & obedience unto the sinfull injunctions of the time: And what were that else, but a condemning of the honest Ministers who could not in conscience so comply, nor submit, & an approving of the sad sentence gone out against them. He who willingly submitteth unto an usurper, & accepteth of him as a lawfull superiour, by yeelding all active obedience, doth thereby declare that the right of the usurper, is good, & better then his right who is outed by the usurper, or he doth what in him lyeth to make it so.
11. It may be questioned, as to some of them, whether they be Ministers at all or not; for as they have not the qualifications required by the Apostle, neither as to life, nor abilities, being scandalous in their life & conversation, to the view of all onlookers; & as to doctrine, being either corrupt, or utterly insufficient, having none of the qualifications requisite: So nor have they any thing like a solemne ordination, or setting apart for that office, having no imposition of hands of the Presbytery, with fasting & prayer, according to the order of the Gospell; but the sole warrand & mission of the prelat: & therefore it cannot be lawfull to countenance such, & to look upon them as lawfull Ministers. It is true, privat Christians may not set themselves up into the chaire, & judge of the enduements & qualifications of Ministers & what nulleth their office & what not; yet every private Christian, hath the use of the judgment of discretion, and that way may judge whether such an one, appear qualified according to the rule of the word, or not. It is certaine there may be times wherin such men may be set up into that office as have few or none of all those qualifications required in the word: Such corruption may overgrow the Church, (as by past experience hath abundantly evinced in the times of popery) as that the most unfit men imaginable shall be installed in the office of the Ministery: Yea & now likewise some such might be instanced, if it were fit. Now albeit it be hard for privat persons to take upon them to unminister such as are Coram homi…ibus (though not Coram Deo, in God's account wanting these qualifications which his word requireth) installed in the office; yet when the standing, clear, & undenyable lawes are rejected, & such put in place, who would not once be evened thereunto if the qualifications which the word requireth, were once eyed, They cannot be condemned for withdrawing from such, & for refuseing to attend their Ministery, or to countenance & encourage them, as lawfull Ministers of Christ ought to be countenanced & encouraged. It is likewise certane that privat Christians may know whether such an one be ordained according to the primitive order, or only hath the prelats hands laid on him, or no imposition of hands at all, & accordingly may carry themselves towards such.
12. It is certaine there is much corruption in the way of their entry, if not a whole masse of corruption, all circumstances being considered: And so the yeelding obedience unto this Act, now when these corruptions are well known, should be an approving of these corruptions, whereas they should partake of no mans sin, but keep themselves pure, & beare testimony against these corruptions so far as they can; & there is no other way for them now to do it, but by refuseing to yeeld obedience unto this Act: There is no accesse for complaints, & such as would but petition, should in so far accuse themselves.
13. To yeeld obedience to this Act, & attend the ministry of such, when there are others to be heard, either in publick or privat, were to wrong their owne souls to marre & hinder their own edification & spirituall prositeing, by runing to cisterns without watter: what blessing can be expected upon the preaching of such, as have palpably perjured themselves, in owneing the prelats; as have made defection from the truth, and are prosecuteing a course of defection, & making themselves captaines to lead the people back into Egypt: as stuff their preachings with railing, against the work of God & power of godlinesse: as encourage prophanity & wickednesse & are them selves paterns of all prophanity & debaucheries? can it be expected that God will blesse such, as are thus qualified for the Service of Satan, & are driveing on his designe? Can it be expected that God will countenance such as run unsent, & are thieves climbing up at the windowes, & are not entering in by the door, who feed themselves, & not the flocke, who strengthen not the deseased nor heale that which was sick, nor binde up that which was broken, nor bring againe that which is driven away, nor seek that which is lost: But with force & cruelty rule over them? Will God blesse such, whom, he solemnely protesteth by his oath, that he is against? Ezek. 34: 10. And seing a blessing cannot be expected upon their labours but rather a curse, as dayly experience maketh good, when it is seen that even such as had something like parts before, are now totally blasted of God; their right eye almost already put out, and their right arme dryed up: how can any think of attending their ministery: When in stead of any work of conversion or conviction among people, there is nothing seen, but a fearfull hardening in prophanity, so that such as seemed to have something like Religion before, now through hearing of them ordinarily, are turned altogether loose & prophane, Is there not a seen curse upon them & their labours? Who then can adventure to obey this Act? Hath it not been seen how signally God hath testified his displeasure against some who for fear or some what else, over the belly of their light, would obey the Act; & upon the other hand how he hath signally approved such who have resolved to suffer rather then sin upon that account? Instances of both might be given were it pertinent: Shall it then be saife for any to seek the law at their mouth, seing it is so much to be questioned if they be the messingers of the Lord of hosts; & so clear, that they are departed out of the way and have caused many to stumble at the law & have corrupted the Covenant of Levi, & are now made so contemptible & base before all the people? Yea where there is no such hazard of being misled, it is lawfull for people to goe & hear such Ministers as they posite most by; as worthy doct Voetius cleareth pol. Eccles. pag. 72. from these grounds. 1. People should choose the best & most edifying gifts. 2. Scripture favoureth this choosing Luk. 8: 18. 1 Thes. 5: 21. And he furder there answereth three or foure objections: much more will it be lawfull for people to hear other Ministers in the case now under consideration.
14. Christ alloweth his people & followers to refuse to hear such unsent & false teachers, as it is enjoyned in the Act. Ioh: 10. where he giveth it as a mark & character of one of his sheep, that he will not follow a stranger but flee from him, for his people know not the voice of a stranger. v. 5, & wh… this stranger is, the former verses shew, where he is called a Thief & A robber v. …. And that because he entereth not in by the door, but climbeth up some other way, & wanteth these qualifications of a good shepherd mentioned. v. 3, 4. And therefore it cannot be sinfull or unlawfull to refuse obedience unto that Act seing such as are now commanded by the Act to be heard, are, as to their entry, intruders, & in their doctrine erroneous, & as to the discharge of their trust, mere hirelings & therefore must not be hearkened unto, but fled from. Calvin on the place sayeth this is the spirit of discretion, by which his chosen ones doe discerne the truth from mens fictions—and their obedience herein is commended not only in that they pleasantly meet together, when they hear the voice of a true shepherd but also in that they will not hearken unto the voice of a stranger. It is one of Mr Hutcheson's notes upon the place that The true sheep, are so far enabled to discerne false teachers & corrupt doctrine, as they do approve of neither▪ but will flee from them, that they be not infected nor ensnared with their allurements; For a stranger they will not follow when he calls them to follow him in a wrong way but will flee from him, (as one they will have nothing to do with all) & that because they know not the voice of strangers, that is, they do not approve them, though th…y have a knowledge of discerning, whereby they know them, & their Doctrine to be naught. This is asserted of Christ's sheep, not because they cannot at all erre, nor yet only because it it their duty thus to do (for that is common to them with reproba…s) but because, when any do either imbrace false Doctrine, or fall in likeing with corrupt men, who run unsent, It is no signe of their grace, but of their corruption so to do.
It will be objected. 1. That Christ commandeth to hear the scribes & the Pharisees who did sit in Moses his chaire Mat. 23. And these of whom now the question is, are not worse then the Scribes & Pharisees were. And therefore it cannot be lawfull to refuse obedience unto this Act. Ans. For solution of this objection, which seemeth to be the maine one. These things would be considered. 1. That these scribes & Pharisees were as naughty men as then lived upon the face of the earth, & were still enemies unto Christ, & were false teachers, their Doctrine was leav…ned with soure & dangerous tenents among which this was a chief. That Christ was not the Messias & upon this account Christ desireth his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees Mat. 16: 6. 2. They were men that had no lawfull call unto that place which they did assume to themselves which appeareth from these particulars. I. Christ calleth them thieves & Robbers & strangers Iohn. 10: 1, 5, 8. & that not▪ merely because of their false Doctrine, nor yet merely because of their carnal way of entry, as hirelings seeking gaine; but also because of their usurping the place, & office, & entering thereinto without a call from God; for the ground & reason why Christ calleth & proveth them to be thieves & robbers is because they entered not by the door but climbed up some other way, & the porter did not open unto them, v. 3. & they came before him, that is, without his warrand & commission: They took not the right way of entry, they came not in at the right door, & with God's approbation. 2. Mat. 15: 13. Christ calleth them plants which his heavenly father had never planted & there he is speaking of them selves (& not of their Doctrine only) who offended at Christ's Doctrine & it was them (& not their Doctrine alone) that Christ would have his disciples letting alone let them alone (sayes he) For they be blinde leaders of the blinde & this will suite the scope very well; for his disciples had laid some weight on this that they were mē in office & therefore the stumbling & offendi…g of them seemed to be some great bussinesse. But Christ replyeth That albeit they had been planted or had planted themselves in that office & charge; Yet they were such plants as his heavenly father had never planted, & therefore they were the lesse to be regairded. Gualter on the place sayeth that it is clear out of historie, that God did never institute the order of the soribes, which then was; Far lesse the Pharisees & sadduces; But they had their rise from that greek, Or heathenish school which Jason whom Selecus made high priest, did institute in Ierusalem contrary to the law; and that the Pharisees did spring from the Stoicks & the Sadduces from the Epicures? And citeth in the margine 1 Mach 1. and 2 Mach 4. So ibid: He giveth the sense of that word let them alone, discedite ab iis, goe away from them 5. The place which they had assumed did properly & of right belong unto the Priests & Levits as Pareus hinteth on the place yet these because of their learning & pride thinking themselves only worthy to be in office, took upon them that place, without any further call; which is the more likely; considering. 4. That those times were times of confusion and disorder, so that (… Grotius observeth) there was no care had about this businesse, but every man who pleased was free to take upon him to iustruct & teach the people & this is confirmed by that passage, Act. 13: 15. And after the reading of the law & the prophe…, the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying, ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Consid. 3. That though the words, v. 2. Be rendered They sit in Moses sea… they may be as well rendered [They have se… themselves down in Moses seat] Pare…s on the place doth fully cleare this where he sayeth [In my judgment foreign is better undered, with the ancint latine edition sederunt, they did … … as now commonly sedent, they do sit f…r that phrase of sitting in Moses seat Signifieth the office of teaching publickly the Doctrine & law of Moses: the verb in the aorist taketh not from them, but giveth unto them the present ordinary office of teaching, but withall it imperteth that this sect had by …ook & crook …surped this office & place which at the first was given by God unto the Priests & Levits. They have sitten, that is, they have sett themselves down in that seat of Moses which they now possesse for the verb foreign doth signifie not only neutraly to sit but also Actively to cause to sit, to place in a seat, thus he. And Scapula indeed rendereth the verb Actively to cause or command to sit & citeth authors for it: so doth Pas…r say, that properly it signifieth to place in a se…, or to cause one sit. 4. There is no word of a command here given to his disciples (to whom with the multitude he is here speaking) to attend the ministry of the Scribes & Pharisees, for if he had commanded them to do so, it is like the disciples would have done so in obedience to Christ's command; but the scripture speaketh nothing of this: And then they should have left Christ & followed the Pharisees which is not very probable, & Christ himself would have taught them to do so, by his owne example, for he came to fulfill all righteousnesse. But there is no word of this either. 5. By the contrare Christ is so far from commanding his dis…ples & others to follow their Ministery, that he disswaddeth them there from, not only else where, calling them blinde Leaders of the blinde, & such as should be let alone & …ed from as impostors, Mat. 15: 13, 14. & saying, Iohn. 10: 4, 5. that the sheep know the voyce of a lawfull shepherd, but not the voice of a stranger. Yea they will not follow a stranger but will …ee from him & this is meaned of the Pharisees as any may see who will look back to the end of the Chapt. 9. but also in this same Chapt throughout, shewing at great length how naughty & perverse men they were, denunceing many a heavy woe & curse upon them, & at length he calleth them a generation of vipers & serpents who could not escape the damnation of hell, v. 33. all which is but small incouragement to his disciples & hearers to follow them, or attend their Ministery. And it is observable how fitly many of the particulars for which here Christ denunceth a woe unto these pharisees, do agree unto the persons concerning the hearing of whom, the queston is▪ As. 1. They shut up the Kingdom of heaven against men & neither will goe in themselves, nor suffer such as are entering, to go… in. 2. They are at great paines to bring poor simple people over to their opinion, & make them proselyts, & when they are made such, they make them the Children of hell with themselves. 3. As the scribes & Pharisees taught poople shi…s to evade the bonds of oaths telling them that it was nothing to sweare by the alter, or by the temple: so do these excell in that art of teaching perjury; & looseing the knots of covenants & oaths, as is too well known. 4. They are much taken up with punctilioes of formalities, & in causing people at tend all their nodes, & desires; But as for the weightier matters of the law, judgment mercy & faith they caste these behinde their back. 5. They declare themselves the children of them who killed the prophets, & are fast filling up the measure of their fathers. But indeed. 6. They are behinde the Pharisees in cleansing the out side of the cup & platter, & in appearing like whited tombes, for they have no shew of piety, & therefore are so much the more to be shunned &, may certanely, unlesse they repent, expect all the woes that here are denunced upon the scribes & Pharisees. 6. It would be considered, for furder confirmation of the last particular. That the maine thing which Christ is pressing upon his hearers here, is that they would beware to follow the practices of these pharisees, for all that heigh place which they took upon themselvs in the Church, & on the by, as it were, he speaketh anent their receiveing of their true doctrine, by way of concession, or of their doing & observing, whatsoever they delivered as sitting in Moses's seat, whereof they were presently in possession, by their usurpation, & while there were no other ordinarily occupying that seat at that time. So that these things being considered it will appear, that this place maketh no way for the attending the Ministery of such men, there being no command here, to heare the Pharisees at all, let be to heare them alwayes & constantly, only a command there is, to do & observe what they, from Moses law, bad do & observe, which may import a hearing of them expounding the law of Moses while there were no other ordinary teachers of the law: But if this place prove not (which it will never do) that the Ministery of these scribes was to be constantly attended, it will speak nothing against these who could not obey that act.
It will be objected in the next place. That refuseing to give obedience to this act, will be separation from the Church & ordinances, which are not, nor yet can be corrupted by the corruption of administrators. Ans. For clearing of this, let these things be considered. 1. Corruptions in administrators are of two sorts: some personall, & these alone, it is true, cannot defile the ordinances in their hands, & make them no ordinances: others are, to speak so, Ministeriall, or such as affect the office. And these againe are either of smaller moment & lesse dangerous, or else such as cut the very throat of the office & make one no officer: & without all question those corruptions that destroy the office, in it's essentials, & make the man no Minister, do corrupt the ordinances in his hands: he who is no minister cannot baptize, nor administrat the sacrament of the Lord's supper, nor preach with authority, as a Minister, & he can do no Ministeriall act: & it is past questioning, that such may be shunned without all hazard of separation, & of this sort it may be, some of those now spoken of, are. 2. When personall faults are very grosse, & palpable, open, & avowed such may be shunned without any hazard of separation, because that man's being an officer, c…ram deo, is much to be questioned & there is great probability that ipso sac…o, in the court of God, he hath forsaulted the same, though such should be the corruption in a Church, that notwithstand of all this, he may be maintained. But. 3. separation is one thing & not-hearing such or such a man is a far other thing; there may be many just grounds of exception against such or such a particular person why he should not be countenanced as a Minister, or why people may refuse to countenance him, without any hazard of separation or joyneing with separatists in their principles. Every not-hearing is not separation: a man may many a time, be absent from hearing, & yet cannot be justly charged with separation: Yea separation is one thing, & refuseing to attend the Ministerie of such or such a man, is another thing. A man may never hear such or such a man preach; & yet be no separatist from the Church, wherein he liveth; for he may joyne with the ordinances in another congregation; & so testifie that he hath no prejudice against the Ministerie, not against the ordinances of Christ, nor against the Church; but only a prejudice against such or such a man in particular. 4. So then, so long as the refusers to obey that Act do not cast at the ordinances but are willing to run many miles to enjoy them though they should be inhumanely used, by the way, by souldiers, led forth of purpose For that end; Nor cast at the Church as no Church (though they sadly feare that God shall be provoked by this dreadfull defection, which is carryed on by these men & their favourers, to give her a bill of divorce) Nor at the ministerie, for they love these who stand by their principles, dearly; & are most willing to hear them either in publick or in privat, what ever inconvenience or suffering may follow thereupon. 5. It is granted by all such as write against separatists, that separation from a Church is lawfull, when the case so falleth out that union cannot be keeped up with her, with out sin, much more will a forbearing to hant the ordinances in such a particular parish, & to attend the Ministerie of such a particular person, be iustified, as no sinfull separation when the contrary cannot be done without si…, & so it is in this case, as hath been showne above. Reverend & Famous Doct. Vo…tius …. Eccles. Pag. 68. Quaest. 17. Granteth that upon some such occasion one may …bstean from explicite communion with a particular Church; for these reasons. 1. Such communion is not absolutly Necessary necessita… Medi…, nor yet necessita… praecept…, when the Christian shall have more peace of conscience & free exercise of Christian du… else where. 2. such persons may keep communion with other purer Churches, in other places. And Famous Mr Rutherford in his due right of presbyteries Pag. 253. & Pag. 254. Where he is laying down some considerations, about the degrees of separation, sheweth us, That there is a separation negative, or a non union, as That in Augustin's time, when the faithfull did separate from the Dona…sts, which is lawfull, & landable: now if there be a separation here, it can only be a negative separation, & not a positive separation. He sheweth us againe ibid. That there is a separation from the Church in the most & worst part, & a separation from the least & best part, & that these who separate from the worst & greatest part, do notwithstanding remaine a part of, & a part in the visible Church, because they do not separate from the Church according to the least & best part thereof; as the godly in England who refused the popish cerem…nies, & A…tichristian Bishops. Hence it will follow that though now people should withdraw from communion with the greatest part of the Church which is now corrupted they cannot be accounted separatists; because they hold still communion with the better, though lesser part. Moreover he sayeth Pag. 254: 255. That there may be causes of nonunion with a Church, which are not sufficient causes of a separation, as, before the jewes came to blaspheme openly, (as they did Act 1…: 44, 45, 46, & 18. 16.) there was no just cause why any should have joyned to the Church of the jewes, seing there was a cleaner Church to which converts might joyne themselves Act 2: 40, 41, 42. And whether or not the reasons formerly laid down, will be a just cause of non union (which is all we plead for) let the reader judge. Lastly, he tels us ibid Pag. 255. When the greatest part of a Church maketh defection from the truth, the lesser part remaineing sound, the greatest part is the Church of separatists▪ though the manyest & greatest part, in the Actuall exercise of discipline be the Church; yet in the case of right discipline, the best though fewest, … the Church For truth … like life, that retireth from the manyes… members unto the heart, & there remaineth in its fountaine, in case of dangere. So that it is the Major part which hath made defection, that is to be accounted separatists, & not such as stand to their principles, though they cannot complye, of joyne with the corrupt majoriti. Hence it is aboundantly clear, that such as refused to obey this Act cannot be accused as guilty of sinfull separation.
It will be objected thirdly. That by refuseing to obey that Act they declare they look not on these men as Ministers, & if they account them no Ministers, they must say that their baptizeing is no baptizeing: & also that the Church of Scotland now is no organicall Church. And that such do well who refuse to bring their Children unto them to be baptized. Ans. 1. Though it were affirmed positively (as it is not) that all of these men were no Ministers; Yet it would not follow that the Church of Scotland were no organicall Church; because all these ministers, who are now violently restrained from exerceing their Ministeriall function, are Ministers & officers of the Church of Scotland though bound up from exerceing their office: for as no deed of a Magistrat can loose a Minister's relation, (so long as his life is in him) unto the Church universall; so no deed of the Magistrats can loose a Ministers relation to the nationall Church whereof he is a member, so long as he remaineth …vis regn… & is not banished out of that Kingdome. Yea reverend Apoll…nius in his jus Majestatis circa sacra. Par. 1. Pag. 331. thinketh that when a Minister is wrongously put from his charge, by a Magistrat, he remaineth still a Minister of that Church from which he is banished, jure divino; Because of his call; & hath a right to exerce all his Church power there; as a wife ravished from her husband remaineth still his wife, because of the marriage covenant which is inviolable; & therefore all these Ministers who are yet within the Kingdom are reall officers of the Church of Scotland & full & compleat officers as to the power, only they are violently restrained from the actuall exercise of that power. And therefore the Church of Scotland is still an organicall Church, as a man is an org…nicall body when bound hand & foot so as he can neither work nor walk. But, 2. Whatever may be thought ofsome of these men, (whose being reall officers in the Church of God (as was said) may much be questioned) & what sad consequences may follow upon the nulling of their office, let these see to it who either send such forth, or imploy them. Yet as to all of them, this forbearing to yeeld obedience unto this Act, will not ground the consequence alledged: For there is a difference betuixtthe not owneing & dis-countenanceing of a man as no Minister at all, or no Minister of the Church universall: And dis-owneing, or dis-countenanceing him as not being their minister in particular, or as pastor of such a particular flock. It is certane, a man may be a Minister of the Church universall & yet not the Minister of such or such a particular place. It is certane, a man's relation unto such or such a particular flock may be Changed by transportation, when his relation unto the Church universall abideth: And so it is certane that a denying of one to be a Minister of such or such a particular flock will not, by any good consequence be a denying of him to be a Minister at all; Many things may lo…se a Minister's relation to such or such a particular congregation, which will not a null his relation unto the Church universall: And when his relation to such a particular flock is loosed, that particular flock is loosed from being a flock owneing him as their Minister, for relata se mu…uo ponunt et tollunt. And when such or such particular persons, refuse to owne such a man as their pastor in particular, it cannot be inferred that therefore they deny him to be a Minister at all; Unlesse this consequence were good. He is a Minister in generall to the Church universall Ergo he is a Minister in particular to such a particular flock: It is ill argueing a genere ad speciem, or a specie ad individuum affirmativè. So then there can no such thing be concluded from their practice who refuse to obey that act. As for their refuseing to bring their children unto such to be baptized; judicious & lea…ned Voetius in his polit Eccles. pag. 640. doth approve of it upon these grounds because no necessity compelleth them to it, & they may waite untill they have the occasion of a better Minister either in their own paroch, or in another; for if the best gifts be to be coveted, 1 Cor. 12: 31. why should not the best Ministers be preferred? & why should not Christians show by their deeds that their delight is in the saints, Psalm. 16. & that they honoure such as feare the Lord & contemne a vile person, Ps. 15: So Pag. 638. quaest. 8. he sayeth the same for these reasons. They should not partake of other mens sin, 1 Cor. 5: 9, 11. Ephes. 5: 11. 2. They should not strengthen the hands of the wicked & make sad the godly. 3. The authority of such Ministers should not be strengthened, &c. See further, Pag. 637: q. 5.
Lastly, it may he some will objecte that passage Phil. 1: 18. what then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached, & I therein do rejoyce, yea, & will rejoyce: And hence gather. That seeing the Apostle Paul, was glade that the gospell was preached whatever the men were who did preach it; all should now be so far from refuseing to hear the gospell preached, because of some prejudices which they may have at the men who are imployed in that work; that they should be glade & rejoyce, that there are any who will preach truth; And should rather encourage then discourage such. Ans. 1. These of whom the Apostle there speaketh, were not false teachers, or such as did pervert the right wayes of the Lord; But were, it seemeth, orthodox in their Doctrine; only they were prompted to it, by an evil spirit of envy & contention, that they might some way or other (unknown to us who (as Calvin sayeth on the place) are ignorant of the circumstances of the time which would cleare us) increase Paul's trouble & affliction: And therefore, there is a difference be…ixt them, & these of whom our present disput …s, who, as was showne above, are perverting the right wayes of the Lord. 2. The Apostle speaketh nothing of hearing, or not hearing of them, only he sayes that these ambitious, & malicious preachers, did misse their mark; For whereas they thought to …nake his heart sad, & so adde affliction unto the afflicted; by the contrarie, he would rejoyce, that, whatever their intention was, God was useing them as instruments, for carrying on his work. 3. In the best of times there may be some such naughty Ministers, …s mainely designe, by their preaching, some hurt to the eminent & worthie servants of Christ (Famous Calvin sound this true in his own experience as he sayeth on the place) and yet may carry themselves outwardly so faire as that great and publick scandals cannot legally be fastened upon them; & it may be that these of whom Paul speaketh here, were such; And if so, there is, as was showne above, a vaste difference betuixt them, & these concerning whom the question now is. 4. Or be it so, that they were most vitious & outwardly loose & prophane, Yea & persecutets, there is nothing here warranding a constant or ordinary hearing of them, or an owneing of them as lawfull Ministers of Christ: all that is here, is a rejoyceing that the gospell was spreading, though Sathan & Sathan's instruments were imployed therein far against their intentions. There is nothing which can import Paul's approveing of such, as lawfull Ministers; for as judicious Calvin sayeth on the place Though he did rejoyce at the gospels advanceing: Yet if it had been in his power, he would never have ordained such to be Ministers of the Gospell. So, though the godly now would rejoyce if they saw the Kingdome of Christ prospering, by the mighty power of God, carrying on the same, far contrary to the intentions & designes of such as now call themselves ministers of the Gospell (which, as it doth not sensibly appeare unto them so it altereth the case far) yet it will not follow that therefore they are bound to owne such, as lawfull Ministers of the Gospell, for as Calvin sayeth on the place we must rejoyce when God bringeth any good to passe, by wicked instruments, & yet therefore such are not to be put into the Ministerie, nor to be accounted lawfull Ministers of Christ: So that this place can prove nothing, but that Christians should rejoyce when they see the gospell promoveing in the hands of wicked instruments coutrary to their intention & purpose, through the mighty power of God outshooting the devil (as we say) in his bow: And not that they should owne such as lawfull Ministers of the gospell, & constantly attend their ministerie when they may profite more another way, & when their countenanceing these men so, shall harden their hearts in their evill wayes, shall stumble the truely godly, shall wrong their own souls, & dishonour God. Rejoyceing at the gospel's prospering is one thing: And countenanceing, encourageing, receiveing & approving of every one who giveth out himself for a Minister thereof, be he otherwise never so vitious & insufficient, is a far other thing; And the one will no way inferre the other; as any, with half an eye, may see: Therefore whatever these preachers were, whether such as sought praise of men, preaching out of envy that Paul might not get all the glory, and with all indirectly accuseing Paul for rashnesse & imprudence, & as justly suffering upon that account, to the reproach of the gospell & scandall of the weak, as Aretius on the place thinketh: or such as desired to procure his death, That Nero, through their preaching, hearing of the generall disperseing of the doctrine taught by him, might be thereby enraged to take away his life whom he had now in bonds; as the English annotators think: Or both: there is nothing here that can with any shew of probability plead for hearing of, & owneing as Ministers lawfully called, such as are spoken of in this debate.