Relation of the Sufferings of Ministers in Scotland Since 1660, Section 18
SECTION XVIII.
It is lawfull for the people, to hear those suffering Ministers, & to meet for prayer & other Christian exercises, in private.
WHen the poor people cannot in conscience attend the ministry of such as are thrust in upon them against their will; for the reasons already given; their temptation groweth double upon them; & their trouble increaseth; for now when they goe to hear such Ministers, as they may lawfully hear, either in publict or in private, it is a cause sufficient for persecution: yea or if they meet two or three together, in any privat place, for prayer, conference, or any other Christian exercise, they are in hazard to be hailed to prison &, punished as keepers of conventicles.
Doubtlesse, it cannot be very necessary, to speak much, for the justification & defence of those, who either have suffered, or may hereafter suffer upon that account; seing few who owne Christianity, or know the sweet of Christian exercises, and of Christian fellowshipe, will condemne such as value the good & advantage of their souls beyond their bodies; yet lest some should be moved to think that at such a time, such wayes should be forborn, a little must be spoken to justify both those courses.
And first for their going to heare, either in publick or privat such Ministers, as are still lawfull Ministers, what ever sentence hath passed against them; & have given a faithfull testimony unto the truth, by adhereing to their principles, notwithstanding of all the sufferings they do, or can meet with, much needeth not be said, seing,
1. They are so expresly & often commanded to heare the word of truth, to heare what is the minde of the Lord; for by the Ministery of his servants doth God manifest his minde unto his people. The priests lips should preserve knowledge and the people should seek the law at their mouth, who are the messingers of the Lord of hosts: It is their duty to waite at the posts of wisdomes doors, this will be undenyable.
2. There is an innate desire in the saints, after the word of truth, as new born babes they desire the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby, 1 Pe…. 212. So that, any who are offended with them, for this, must be offended with them for being Christians, & must be offended with new born babes for desireing the breast; & is it not cruelty to smite & punish poor young babes for seeking the breast? What cruelty must this be then, to punish such for this, to which their nature as Christians, leadeth them.
3. They have oftentimes, through the breathing of the spirit of God upon such exercises, found a rich in-come: as they gote life & quickening grace that way, at the first, so have they oft found their souls revived, & their hearts enlairged, their eyes inlightened, their drouping spirits encouraged, their feeble knees lifted up, their doubts answered, & cleared, and their souls lifted up in the wayes of the Lord, & strengthened to turne the battell to the gate, & to stand against corruption, &c. And can any blame them for seeking after those watters that they have been so often refreshed by, formerly?
4. There was never greater necessity; for upon the one hand temptations abound, darknesse, fainting, discouragment grow: And upon the other hand, they have no other to goe to, unlesse they would resolve to drink of fouled watters, which their soul abhore: let none say that they thereby drive at separation, for they desire not to separat from the Church, not from the publick ordinances, whereever they can have them without sin; they love the ordinances, only they can not owne such men as their Ministers, who have so palpably betrayed their trust, nor can they attend the ordinances▪ here they cannot enjoy them to edification, & the sheep must be a lowed to choose wholsome food, & not to take poison.
But is it not a strange thing that they will not suffer Christians to meet together for prayer? It would seem they look on that God to whom the saints do pray, as their enemie, & that they are afrayed of prayer: And indeed the time hath been when the prayers & fasting of the saints of God have been terrible to the great enemies of God in that land, yea more terrible then Ten thousand men, as themselves have professed. But what is this else then to banish Christianity, to professe enmity unto Christian exercises? And sure no Christian will condemne Christians for flocking together, as birds of one feather do, for prayer & other exercises in this evil time: seing,
1. It hath been constantly practised, especially in evill times, in all ages, & why should it be condemned now? Learned Voetius de Polit. Pag. 969. Sheweth that by this meanes, true religion was preserved & propagated, both of old & of late, & how this course is followed, where popery reigneth, or where there is such formality as the truely tender cannot conforme themselves unto. Further he cleareth the lawfulnesse of this practice from that meeting in the house of Cornelius Act 10. & that other Act 12: 12.
2. God hath approven such & promised to rewarde them that in such an evill time wherein the proud were called happy & they who did work wickednesse, were set up; Yea they that tempted God were delivered: Did speak often one to another, Mal. 3: 16, 17. the Lord hearkened & heard it, & a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord & that thought upon his name, & they shall be mine, sayeth the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, & I will spare them as a man spar…th his own son that serveth him, would not this encourage Christians to meet together? What will do it, if this will not do it?
3. The Apostle writting to the Hebrews cap. 10: 25. sayeth not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is, & this is a warrand for privat Christians to assemble to gether; for he is there pressing du…es on Christians in reference to other privat Christians, as considering one another & provokeing one another to love & to good works; And for this end presseth their frequent assembling together not only to the publick ordinances, but even also to privat exercises whereby they may the better consider one another, & as it followeth, may exhort one another. Therefore this is a commanded duty, & God must be obeyed.
4. Their necessitie calleth for it that every one should be helpfull to another; & therefore they should joyn together as one, for the mutuall relief & supply of one another: vis unita fortior. Eccles. 4▪ 9, 10. two are better then one—for if they fall the one will lift up his fell…w v. 12. & if one prevaile against him, two shall withstand …m, & a threefold cord is not quickly broken who then can condemne this practice?
5. There are some generall comprehensive dutyes required of Christians, which will necessarily require their meeting together or by good consequence cleare the lawfulnesse thereof. as,
1. They are commanded frequently to love one another Ioh. 13: 34, & 15: 17, 12. Rom. 13: 8. 1 Thes. 4: 9. 1 Ioh. 3: 11, and 4: 7, 12. Ioh. 13: 35. 1 Thes. 3: 12. Now as love in other societies necessarily effecteth a frequent assembling together: So will this Christian love draw Christians together for these ends & purposes which love setteth them on work to do, each to other.
2. They must be Kindely affectioned one toward another Rom. 12: 10. as parents to Children, & is it not ordinare to see parents & children together? And where there ought to be such affection can any condemne their assembling together.
3. They must be of one minde and of one m…uth▪ Rom. 15: 5, 6. 2 Cor. 13: 11. 1 Cor. 1: 10. Phil. 1: 27, and 2: 2, 10. 1 Pet. 3: 8. And how is this possible unlesse they meet together to communicate their mindes unto other, & to pray to God for light in any poynt of difference, &c.
6. There are some particular duties pressed upon Christians which will include their assembling together: as.
1. They must consider one another so provoke unto love and to good works Heb. 10: 24. And this will necessarily imply their familiarity with other, & their frequent assembling together, to provoke to love, &c.
2. They must exhort one another Heb. 10: 25, and 3, 13. & can this be done if they may not conferre together & assemble for this end?
3. They must comfort one another 1 Thes. 4. last and 5: 11. & must they not meet together & speak together for this end? & pray that God would blesse the meanes & beare home the words of comfort?
4. They must edifie one another 1 Thes. 5: 11. And is it possible for them to do this duty & live as strangers one to another; this duty of edifying one another is a very comprehensive thing, & doth necessarily imply the saints assembling frequently together, that one may be helpfull, strengthening & encourageing to another.
5. They must admonish one another Rom. 15: 13. Presse or urge a thing upon the minde of another, & so instruct them aright, as children are instructed; & this sayeth they must often be together for this end.
9. They must teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymnes and spirituall songs Col, 3: 16. & can this be done unlesse they assemble together?
7. They must be kinde or profitable one to another Ephes. 4. last & this sayeth, they must not be strangers to other.
8. They must serve one another in love Gal. 5. 13. that is, they should spend themselves for one another for their spirituall advantage, & that in love, & should they not then assemble together?
9. They must receive one another Rom. 15: 7. that is, receive with affection & imbrace, one another: And must they then scarre at the company of one another? And not rather receive other into their intimate fellowship?
10. They must be subject one to another Ephes. 5: 21. 1 Pet. 5: 5. every one ready to give, & to take, reproofs to, & from another & to do service to other as called thereto, & this sayeth they must not live as strangers to other.
11. They must confesse their sinnes to one another and pray for another Iam. 5: 16.
12. They must ministere their gifts to one another, 1 Pet. 4: v. 10.
Obj. It will be objected that this is sedition & opposeing of established lawes, made for the good of the common wealth against such conventicles, & therefore such controv…ers cannot be justified. Ans. It is not for fear of any disturbance to the peace of the common wealth that such Acts are made, for a few women, (who in all likelihood are able to do little that way) may not meet together. 2. The heathens did pretend this when they made lawes against the meetings of the primitive Christians; And therefore their meetings, were called Factions, And conventicles: And yet the primitive Christians did not forsake the assembling of themselves together, notwithstanding of all these edicts, & albeit that severall times they were put to suffer upon that account: se… this fully made out by the learned Mr Stilling fleet in his Origines sacr…, Lib. 2: cap. 9. Pag. 316. &c. And who then will condemne these Zealous Christians now for so doing?