Naphtali, or, The wrestlings of the Church of Scotland for the kingdom of Christ contained in a true and short deduction thereof, from the beginning of the reformation of religion, until the year 1667 : together with the last speeches and testimonies of some who have died for the truth since the year 1660 : whereunto are also subjoyned, a relation of the sufferings and death of Mr. Hew McKail ...

READER

THE LORD in great mercy, having won∣derfully and with an outstretched arm, not∣withstanding all the opposition of Sathan and earthly Principali∣ties, redeemed Scot∣land from the Power and darkness, first of Gentilism, and then of Antichristianism, by raising of some burn∣ing and shining Lights, and other Instruments fitted for that Work; Whereby the Light of the Glorious Gospel, from a very small beginning, did increase more and more, untill at length, shining with brightness and heat as the Sun in his strength, it filled the Land with knowledge, in so much that the name thereof became Jehouah Shammah, the Lord is there: And having built to Himself a house upon the foun∣dation of the Prophets and Apostles, not only sufficiently instructed with righteous Laws and Judgments for Doctrine and Worship; But also provided with all Ordinary Offi∣cers necessary in the Christian Church, and with a form of Church-Government, of his own Institution, distinct from, and without any prejudice unto the Civil Govern∣ment

of the Kingdom, Whereby the Church of Scotland, for Soundness of Faith, Purity of Worship, Excellency of Government, Freedom and Power of the Gospel, beauti∣ful Order and Unity, was not inferior to any, if not pre∣ferable to most of the Reformed Churches, and therefore was deservedly famous and esteemed amongst them: Hav∣ing also, for an hundred Years, from it's first National Esta∣blishment, preserved the same from utter overthrow, not∣withstanding the many various and renewed endeavours of men, by force and fraud, to reduce it unto the same Er∣rors, Ignorance and Superstitions, wherein it self at first lay buried, and under which others groaned; And several times revived and restored it, when by it's own Impurity, Indifferency and Formality it began to decline, or by the Treachery, Subtilty, or Violence of others it was oppress∣ed; Thereby not only disappointing, confounding, and many times ruining the Adversaries, and comforting and strengthening the faithful; But also alwayes rebuilding to Himself a Temple, the glory whereof did far excell and darken the glory of the former: And having many times engaged the whole Land to Himself, by several most so∣lemn Obligations, of voluntary Surrender and Resigna∣tion, by frequently renewed Oaths and Covenants; So that within these few Years past, there were not many per∣sons of age, of whatever degree, and not so much as one Preaching Minister in all the Land, who not only did not make publick profession of the true Reformed Religion, but also subject themselves unto the Presbyterial Form of Church Government and Discipline, & who did not (which we desire to be noted) for that effect in their own persons swear and subscribe with the hand unto the Lord, in the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant; In so much, that as to the publick Profession of the Truth, and almost as to the number of persons, the Church of Scot∣land was of equal extent with the Nation, and in that re∣spect,

of all other National Churches, did most resemble the old Church of the Iewes: The Lord, I say, having to the conviction and acknowledgement of our selves and others, done such great things for us, whereof we are glad, the present Apostacy, whereby Scotland's Bethel is become Beth∣aven, and the Land that was sometimes Holiness unto the Lord, is become (alas too Edom-like) the border of wicked∣ness, & an Aceldama, a Tragical Theatre of blood & persecu∣tion, ought to be unto us no less matter of Sorrow, Shame and Fear, then it is Sin in itself, & Wonder and Amazement unto others. Who can hear our Covenanted and Kindest Lord, who hateth putting away, and defieth us to shew the bill of our Mothers divorcement, who groaneth under our Backslidings, being pressed therewith as a cart full of sheaves, complaining that He is broken with our whorish hearts, and therefore declaring that He will be no more our Husband; nor we His Wife, and that His heart cannot be toward us; But that He will drive us out of His house, and love us no more, and not cover the lip for Shame? And in consequence thereof, who can behold the Fathers house, not only de∣filed, by turning it into a house of Marchandise and den of theeves, but the Temple casten down to the ground, and the Adversary in the midst thereof insultingly and scornfully set up their ensignes for signes of Triumph; And furder, behold the blood of the Saints shed like water, and their flesh given to be meat to the fowles of the heaven and beasts of the Earth, and not lament with Jeremiah? Cap. 9:1, 2, 3▪ •• Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the Daughter of my People. Oh that I had in the Wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my People and go from them: For they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongue like their bowe for lies: But they are not valiant f••r the Truth upon the Earth▪ for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me,

saith the Lord. And this will the more appear, not only if we remember the general nature of Backsliding, which is a very comprehensive Sin, importing less Love, Fear and Trust in the true God, and proclaiming more Inconstan∣cy, Unfaithfulness, and ingratitude towards Him, then sometimes is found in very Heathens towards their Idols; But also if we consider that our present Defection hath all circumstantial Aggravations in the highest degree. For it is not in things only Civil, Indifferent, or of little mo∣ment; But in things Religious, Necessary, Important and which at least in their tendency and consequence reach to the very foundation: It is not the effect of common, hu∣mane and invincible infirmity; but most free and volunta∣ry, yea wilful and deliberate: It is not done by stealth, or in a corner; but avowedly and openly in the sight of the Sun: It is not Private and Personal; but Representative and Authorized, by Acts and Proclamations of King, Parlia∣ment and Council: It is not smoothly and subtilly, but most tyrannically carried on by military violence and cruel∣ty: It is not of a few or inconsiderable Persons, but very Universal; The greatest part of all Ranks, and of some Ranks almost the whole, being some one way or other involved therein: It is not only of these, who were al∣wayes of known and professed disaffection to the Cause and Covenant of God; but also of many who sometimes being exceeding zealous themselves, and exemplary and forcible upstirrers of others therein, are now become the chief Ring-leaders theirof, and most bloody Persecuters of those who remain stedfast in the Truth: It is not in an Heathenish or Antichristian Land, or Church divided and broken with several Sects, as some others are; but even in Scotland, so clearly enlightened, for which the Lord had wrought so many wonderful works, which was under so many obliga∣tions of Oaths and Covenants to the contrary, and had been so united in the profession of the Truth: It is not from vio∣lent

force, Inevitable necessity or irresistible temptation (which is neither possible nor yet would excuse it) but when the Lord, by breaking the yoke of forrain Usurpa∣tion, had given King and Countrey the fairest opportunity which they ever had, to restore, confirm and advance His Work; as if He had delivered us, that we might work all these Abominations: And all this for no other end, then the base flattering of the Kings humor and inclination, the satiating of Prelaticall Pride and Ambition, the indulging of the licentious profanity of some Debauched & degenerated Nobles and others, who could not endure the yoke of Christ's sound doctrine and impartiall discipline, And the suppression of Religion and Righteousness in the subversion of the late work of Reformation: Whereby we have charged our selves with all the blood that hath been shed upon either side, during the former wars; Have laid a stumbling block before all, who shall see or hear of it, to blaspheme Religion as a fiction, to condemn the late Work of Refor∣mation as a false pretence for Rebellion and Self-Interest, and to affirm that there is neither truth nor ingenuity in the Professors thereof. Pass over the Isles of Chittim and see, and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing; hath a Nation changed their Gods, which yet are no Gods? But Scotland, Ah Scotland! hath chang∣ed her glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens at this, and be horribly afraid: And so much the rather, because few Lands did ever make Defection after this manner, but, as upon the one hand, the Lord gave them up unto more Backsliding, until they abounded more with Atheism and all manner of abominations, then some Pagan-Nations, who never heard nor made Profession of the Gospel; So upon the other hand, He alwayes pursued them with sorest plagues, not only of subjugation at home, scattering and exile abroad, dividing of Kingdomes amongst themselves, and from their former Rulers, and final sub∣version

of whole Empires, Kingdomes and Common-wealths; But also many times with the Final removal of the Gospel, and utter dissolution of all visible National Cove∣nant-relation, as might be demonstrated from Holy Scripture, and other Histories: And indeed, if He, to whom nothing is strange or impossible (though they may seem both to us) and whose wayes and thoughts are as far a∣bove ours, as the Heavens are above the Earth, do not in the Soveraignity of His Grace, recede from His ordinary method of dealing with such apostatizing People, and now when he hath seen our way do not heal us, we have, alas! ••oo too just ground of fear, that we shall become such a proverb amongst the Nations, that the generation to come of our Children, and the stranger that cometh from a far Land, when they see the plagues of this Land, shall won∣der and ask, Wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this Land? What meaneth the heat of this great anger? Oh! that the very first, and next following steps of Defection; together with the Causes of the Lord's wrath against the Land, were remembered and acknowledged, and that all who have had any accession to the kindling of this flame (and who can wholly Justify himself? If any would, be sure, his own mouth should condemn him) would draw water and pour it out before the Lord, for quenching thereof, and that the first resiclers from our National Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to duties, would glorify God by Confession, that he might turn from the fierceness of his An∣ger; But alas! He hath at once pour'd out upon us the Spirit of Whoredome and of a deep sleep! and hath both made us to erre from His way, and hard'ned our hearts from his fear. And as we should look bekind us to the Rise, so be∣fore us to the Result of th••se things; for though every runner may read the Primum mobile of this course, the great axletree and wheels upon which all moveth, and who are the furious drivers and slavish drawers thereof, and we have

both seen the several degrees of Motion and advancement, and smarted the sad effects of the same, yet I am affray'd, that there is now another Spirit in Persons and Tendency in affairs then some men apprehend. Whether there be a suf∣ficient ground in the Holy Scriptures to think with some, that before the last fall of the Roman Antichrist, the Popish Religion shall once more overshadow the Christian World▪ is not proper here to enquire; But considering the great affinity betwixt Papacy and Prelacy, and the already au∣thorized and practized Conformity of the one to the other, not only in Government and Discipline, whereby they have, for the most part, the same Ecclesiastical Courts and Offi∣cers; But also in Worship, whereby they have the same Liturgy, for substance of Epistles, Gospels, Collects and Letany; The same Ceremonies of Rising, Standing to the East, Bowing, Kneeling, Crossing, &c. the same supersti∣tious & fool-like Vestments; The same observation of many dayes, the same adorning of Churches and Chappels, with Altars, Books, Candles, Candlesticks, Basins, Images, and Crucifix's on windows, and the same Jesuitical sign upon their pulpit cloath; And also in several points of Do∣ctrine, preached, licensed and printed, with many other things tedious to be enumerated: Considering also the constitution of the Kingdoms, which by Ignorance, A∣theisme, disputing and oppugning of the Authority of the Holy Scriptures, Error, Superstition, Profaneness, Indiffe∣rency, Formality and Hypocrisy in many, are much more then formerly disposed to embrace whatsoever shall be au∣thorized or indulged: And considering the native tenden∣cy of the present Course of Backsliding, which leadeth unto the great Whore, the mother of all these abominations, Nothing but gross, wilfull or judicial Ignorance, and e∣strangement from affairs, can deny that there is too just ground of fear, that ere long (if the Lord do not prevent it) Brittain may be again precipitated into the old gulf of

Antichristianism. And so much the rather, because it is universally observed and notourly known, that the number of professed Papists, hath increased more within these six Years, then it had for near sixty before; the conviction whereof made some of the Prelates themselves say some Years hence, that since the Year 1660. there were more thousands of avowed Papists in Scotland (compute then what may and must be in England and Ireland) then before that Year there were hundreds. Whence this is, and whether there be any positive Resolution to reintroduce Popery in these Lands, I do not affirm, but remit it to the consideration of the impartial Reader who understandeth the times, and to Time it self, a great searcher and discoverer of secrets, to declare the genuine meaning and tendency of these things, That the King should publish in print, that the Papists had been faithful Subjects to him and his Father, whilest others under pretence of Religion had in∣volved the Kingdoms in blood; Was that bloody Massacre in Ireland, whereof they were the known and acknowledg∣ed Actors, though perhaps not the only Authors, such Faithful service? That the execution of penal Statutes a∣gainst Papists should be superseded, whilst severe penal Sta∣tutes are dayly enacted and executed against Protestants, really, though not under that name and notion: That so many known and open Idolatrous Masses should be conniv∣ed at & tollerated, whilst both publick & private meetings of Protestants for pure Worship are prohibited by Law, and violently interrupted: That so many known professed Pa∣pists, Priests and Jesuites, who do not publickly counten∣ance the Prelatical Worship, are permitted to live peaceably and enjoy all their Liberties, whilst non-complying Pro∣testants, for simple Non-conformity to Prelacy, are impri∣soned, fined, confined, scourged, stigmatized, and ma∣ny otherwayes oppressed and persecuted, in their Estates, Consciences and Names: That so many Papists especially

in England should enjoy and be dayly advanced to the great∣est places of publick Power and Trust, not only as mem∣bers of Parliament, Council, and Court, but as State-Officers, Lieutenants, Sherifs, Justices of Counties, and Officers in Army, whilst stedfast Protestants, for simple non-perjuring, are some of them not so much as permitted to sit in Parliament, or any other Iudicatory; others of them discourted, disgraced, disarmed, imprisoned and proscribed, and all of them who will not forswear, de∣clared incapable of publick Power or Trust in Church or Common-wealth: That a house for Fathers or Friers is provided; whilst many faithful Ministers are removed and chased from place to place, without any certain habitation: That there should be such universal Report & so much Pre∣sumption, of a Popish hand in burning of London, which, for number and strength of Protestant Inhabitants, was the most considerable City in the World, and bulwark against the Romish Religion and designes, and yet, as if men were affrayed to try the truth in that matter, so little satisfying & effectual course taken, to try and punish the Authors and Actors, and to repress their many other insolent misdemea∣nors; whilst many thousands of innocent Protestants, who never burnt either house or City, for no other alleaged crime but their peaceable forbearance to bow to the Idol which the King hath setup, are thrown into a furnace of fiery Triall, seven times more heated then ever was known in the Chri∣stian World for such a Cause, all things being considered.

It may seem strange to the Nations about, and to the Generations following, that the Church of Scotland which had been so faithful and chast, should have suffered herself to be thus prostituted, and that (if she would not other∣wayes, after the manner of her Fathers, contend for the Faith which she had receaved) she did not cry to all the World by Declarations and Protestations (as the Maid under the Law) that she was forced; And that of all the sons

which she had brought forth, there were so few, either to take her by the hand, and plead openly for her, or to plead with her, that she would put away her whoredoms. This indeed is, and ought to be for a lamentation; But let none therefore conclude (as some of the profane and perfi∣dious Prelates, measuring others after their own baseness and treachery, had the impudence at first to misrepresent to the Rulers) that all were or are consentient unto this hor∣rid Apostacy; for even at the beginning thereof, if Synods (which were then resolving to bear publick Witness for the then established Government of the Church, and against the begun Defection, and further progress thereof by the Re∣introduction of Prelacy, which was then designed) had not been, some of them, by Proclamation prohibited to conveen, and others of them violently interrupted and rais∣ed by Nobles, who, by Order of Parliament, were pre∣sent for that effect; And if some of her Watchmen (who were neither professedly driving on, nor secretly breathing after Prelacy & Prelatical promotion) had not for Reasons best known to themselves, too much courted and flattered the Powers by their own silence, and withdrawing of their necessary and required concurrence in a publick joint Testi∣mony, there wanted not Faithfulness, Zeal, Courage, Resolutions and some Endeavours in others to have emitted such Declarations, as probably might have crushed the bold attempt of the Prelates in it's infancy, and thereby have prevented much Sin and Suffering which hath ensued there∣upon, and certainly would have witnessed to all the World, that the Church without & against her consent was treacher∣ously betrayed and violently forced. Neither hath the Truth, all along from that time till this, wanted many testimonies, though none of them were so National, Uni∣versal, Authoritative and Solemn as they should have been; And few of them (perhaps) so explicite, full, plain and bold, as the weight of the matter and other circumstances

required: Yea, the continued fears of the Adversaries, expressed in the Narratives of several of their own Acts and Proclamations, and their leavying of Military Force, for upholding of them and their Cause; The Non-complyance of many thousands, their secret and open complaints and moans because of it, & their daily prayers to God against it, bear witness against this present Course. Besides, it is very observable, that some, who had been chief Authors and Active Promoters thereof and Complyers with the same, and others, who had been intimate familiars and favourers of Prelats and their Vice-curats, in Sickness and at Death did so much abhorre their way and loath their Persons, that they would not admit their presence, but called for Non-conforming Ministers to speak to them and pray for them; Yea some Gentlemen upon Death-bed, did with much sorrow bemoan their own concurrence, and particularly their taking of the Declaration against the Covenant, and seriously warned and exhorted their old Fa∣miliars and companions in that guilt to repent thereof, wishing they were able to go and make publick profession of their own Repentance; and others (whilst some friends offered to bring Prelatical men unto them) professed, that though they had sported with such men in health, yet they durst not do so at Death; and some Ministers who had con∣formed, in remorse thereof, forsook that way, and there∣after died with convincing evidence of Repentance therefore, and dec••aration against the same: And indeed, as there was never any Course in the Land, which so visibly had the Vo∣luntary and Active Concurse of all and Only the Wicked and Prophane; so there was never a more Universal concur∣rence and Wrestling together by prayer, of all the Godly without Exception, against any Party and Cause, then now is against this; for there needs no more to make any man (though formerly their friend and familiar) to hate their way and detest themselves, but to convince him of his

own Sin, make him thorowly apprehensive of death and Judgment, and become a sincere seeker of God, and Stu∣dent of holiness in his own Person. And further the late Rising in Armes, is an Argument above contradiction, that Prelacy is ••n out-landish and Unnatural weed in Scot∣land; It is true, that it had it's immediat Rise from cruell Oppression, but it is as true, that all that Oppression, was Authorised by the Rulers, Exercised by the Souldiers, and endured by the People, meerly Because and upon accompt of their Faithfulness and Stedfastness in the Covenant and Cause of God, in a non-complyance with Prelacy, other∣wise they might have lived as quyetly as others, and so soon as they were in a probable Capacity, by renewing of the Co∣venant, they declared Actively for that same Cause, for which they had suffered so much: It is true also, that the Action is condemned by some as Rebellious, and the Ende∣avour as Indeliberate, Irrational and Presumputous; But referring the Reader to the following discourse for full satis∣faction thereanent, I shall only here hint, that being al∣together accidentally occasioned, by an unforseen emer∣gent difference, betwixt 3 or 4 Souldiers and as many Countrey-men, ariseing from horrid Oppression, through unjust Lawes and cruell military execution thereof, with∣out premeditated counsel or contrivance, it cannot be imagined that all the formalities, which may be judged necessary in a matter of that nature and importance, could have been in it: And yet it is presumed, that it wanted nothing but success to have made many of the same persons account the Action just and necessary, and the Enterprize, laudable and valorous. And as for the Persons themselves, it may be truly and without all vanity affirmed. that these many years past, there hath not been in Brittain such an o∣ther Company of men joyned in Armes for the Covenant and Cause of God: for though where Armies were more numerous, there might be or was the like or greater num∣ber

of persons truly Godly; Yet where the whole number was so small, it will be very hard to parallel so many to∣gether, of sound Judgement, true Piety, Integrity of heart, fervent zeal, and undaunted Resolution and Cou∣rage, and with so small a mixture of persons of corrupt Mindes, profane Conversations and sinistrous Ends: And al∣though we would not be prodigal of mens lives, especially of Saints, at this time, when there is so great need and scarcity of intercessors, to stand between the dead and the living; yet that simple act of Renewing of the Covenant is more glory to God, and a greater Testimony and Advan∣tage to that buried Covenant and Cause, then (we hope) the loss of so many men as are faln, shall import of dam∣mage thereunto. But above all, take notice of the many Sufferings and Sufferers hereafter mentioned, whose Blood under the altar, and some of whese Heads and Hands stand∣ing betwixt Heaven & Earth, doth not only cry for Venge∣ance, but night and day bear open Witness against this A∣dulterous Geaeration. These mens Testimony should have the more weight and Credite with all, because of the Per∣sons, the Matter, and Manner thereof, which was not by Wishing, Words-speaking, or Doing without danger, which is the height of too many men's atchievment in these dayes, but by BLOOD, whereunto they resisted striving against Sin, and thereby, being neither affrayed to Act, nor ashamed to Suffer for their Lord and Master, have left behind them a fair Example of both to all, and a Reproof to many, whose greater Prudence then Zeall, hath taught them to Save themselves, by couching betwixt the burdens. That a great Prince, and yet not so Great as Good, an Eminent and more then ordinarly Useful, and never to be forgotten Instrument of the Work of Reformation and Pa∣tron of the Church, and a True & Seeing Prophet, did fall in Scotland, when Argile, Wariston and Mr Guthrey, for no other cause but their Good deeds, and particularly for Loving

of our Nation and building of our Synagogue, were led like Innocent sheep to the Slaughter, nothing but Igno∣rance, Malice, Wickedness, or Partiality can deny: for they wanted nothing to make them Beloved, as they were esteemed and Feared by their Enemies, but that they neither did nor would, because for Love and awe of God they durst not with others make Shipwrack of Faith and a Good con∣science. Of these three Mighty men, and Others who by Suffering since have obtained the Crown (though some of them, being but Countrey-Yeomen, had mean Educa∣tion, and little other Learning, th••n what they learned in the Gospel of Him who is meek and Lowly, and whom the Zeall of his Fathers house did eat up, it is below their due Commendation, when it is affirmed, That never any men of the greatest Spirits, Piety and Learning, did Suffer and Die with more Meekness and Patience toward their Enemies, with more Humility and Confidence toward God, with more Faithfulness and Stedfastness in the Truth, without the least injurious reflexion thereupon, or their own adhe∣rence thereunto, with more Equability and composure of Spirit, sweetly tempered with the Sorrow's of Sin and Joyes of the Holy Ghost, in assurance of Pardon and Life Ever∣lasting, and with less perturbation of mind, and alteration of Carriage or Countenance, then these Worthies did. Here indeed was the Faith and Patience of the Saints, here did the Lord stand by and strengthen them whom others for∣sook: Yea the Lord to the Admiration of all, the conviction of many of their adversaries, the confirmation & Establish∣ment of the Cause, the Encouragement of many thousands, His own Eternall Glory, and their Immortal Commenda∣tion, did Work in the hearts of all Beholders, more ample & enduring Epistles of Commendation, then the most Elo∣quent and Pathetick Rhetorician can Writ in their Favours. This accompt further I will give yow of the first ten who died together December 7. that they once resolved to

speak severally to the People at their death; but therea•••••• considering, that for one Common Cause, and upon the same alleageances, they were all appointed to die one man∣ner of death, together at one time and in one place, and having the conveniency of being together in the Prison, they preferred to leave a word jointly behind them in writ: which as it was the cause of one conjunct Testimony, and some others severally; So the Foreseing Providence of God in this, is very observable: for had it been otherwise (seing they were not at all permitted to speak to the People upon the scaffold, there had nothing of their joint Testimony been extant, more then is of these who were not suffered to speak at their death in Glasgow, & of the rest who Suffered in othe•• places of the West, of whom we have heard nothing more particularly, but that the same Spirit of Glory and of God resting upon them, did work in them all▪ the same Sted∣fastness, Patience, Humility, Consolation, Courage and Confidence.

These being the last times, wherein Sin aboundeth, and the love of many is waxed cold, I cannot devine what pity shall be shewed to them that are in Misery; especially con∣sidering the Universall decay of Religion, and dark cloud of prejudice and discountenance, whereby the Kingdom of Christ is overshaddowed, generally the whole world over, and even amongst the Reformed Churches: Nevertheless, there being a Communion of Saints, which should be en∣tertained amongst both Persons and Churches, whereby these of the same true Religion (amongst other things) reci∣procally give and receave information of their common affaires, that, if they can or will express no other act of Love, they may (at least) the more sutably Sympathize, and mutually pray one for another; And the Lord in his Providence, giving the opportunity, I thought it con∣venient, yea necessary, to communicat the following Deduction of the Wrestlings of the Church of Scotland for the

Kingdome of Christ, hoping, that as it beareth the Name, so, the Wrestling Church of Scotland, in due time shall reap the Blessing of NAPHTALI, who Gen. 49.21. is called a Hinde let loose, and said to give goodly words: for who can tell, but Her Wrestlings may be swallowed up of Victory and Liberty, and Her ancient Covenanted Doctrin, Worship and Government, may become as Pleasant and Acceptable, as it is Profitable, not only within herself, but also amongst the Churches abroad. This Title being only affirmative of Her, and not Negative of other Churches, as if only She, and not also They, had Wrestled for the Kingdom of Christ, let no man offend thereat: For as the Lord Redeemer hath several Offices, equally Necessary in themselves, and Inseperable by Man, and as particular Churches, as well as Persons, have their peculiar gifts and Excellencies, and accordingly their distinct work assigned unto them, whereby (amongst other things) they, more or less eminently, assert and Propugn this or that particular Truth; So in this distribution, whereas other Churches have asserted and contended for his Priestly and Propheticall Offices, the lot seemeth to have fallen upon Scotland, to assert and wrestle more eminently then many others, for the Croun and Kingdom of Jesus Christ. For the establish∣ment of this, did our first famous Reformers strive by the evidence of Holy Scripture, as well as for Soundness of Doctrine and Purity of Worship; for Preservation and Re∣stauration of this, did their Worthy Successors Zealously contend by Petitions, Warnings, Conferences and Dispu∣tations; all Invasion, Usurpation, or the least encroach∣ment upon this, di•• they valiantly resist by Protestations and Declinatures; and for a Testimony to this, did they patiently Suffer Bonds, Imprisonment, Confinement, Sentences of Death, and (of late) Death it self. Neither should any man think this strange, as if Presbyterial Go∣vernment were in itself Unlawful, or the Species of Church

Government, were indifferent, and consequently Con∣tending and Suffering therefore, Unwarrantable or Need∣less, as Pretenders to different Forms (upon the right and left hand) would have the World beleeve. Hithertil indeed the Church of Scotland hath heen as a Speckled bird, and the birds round about have been against her, She hath endured the scourge of many tongues, as well as the Vio∣lence of many hands, upon both hands false witnesses have laid to her charge, things which she knew not, as being (amongst other things) too Laxe or too Rigide; Yea as Unnatural Children have eaten thorow their Mothers bowels, so Unkindly Brethren have rewarded her evil for good, Standing on the other side, and looking upon her and her affliction in the day of her calamity, rejoicing over her in the day of her destruction, and speaking proudly in the day of her distress, yea laying hands on her Substance in the day of her calamity. The wrath of man worketh not the Righteousness of God, neither doth his invincible Truth need the help of humane Passions, if therefore, such men do not fear, I shall not desire, that their own tongues may fall upon them∣selves, and that the Lord may render unto them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours, but rather study the revenge of good will by Prayer, that He would open their eyes & convert their hearts, that they may take revenge on themselves. Charity, which thinketh no evil, obleegeth to beleeve, till wee see the contrary, that Scripture, Conscience, Covenant and Credite will make those who did once laudably assert, constantly propugn and adhere to the Ius Divinum of Presbyterial Government, until they publish (which none can do) as convinceing reasons of Retracta∣tion & contrary Practice: And whatever might be expected of others, Religion, Reason, Candor, Gratitude, and Policy would seem to require, that those who in their distress intreat∣ed & obtained the succesful Assistance of the Covenanted In∣terest of Scotland, & others, who owe thereunto whatever they

are, or have more then just nothing, debt, or broken for∣tunes, should have been so far from cont••mptuous throwing away the Covenant as an old Alm••nack, when, by it as a stirrup, they had mounted the saddle of Power, Promo∣tion and Riches, and from subtile dissolving the nerves, or forcible breaking the Arme of Pre••bytery, that they should rather have said to both as Ruth to Naom••, Where th••u goest, I will go; where thou lodgest, I will lodg; thy People shall be my People, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried: God do so to me and more a••so if ought but death part thee and me. And it may be truly said, as the Church of Scotland hath had no Detractors, but such as were Ignorant of her, or mis-informed about her, or whom Faction, Partiality, Prejudice, Wickedness or Love of unlawful Liberty did inspire; So no Person or Party hath endeavoured hithertil to root out Presbytery, but the Lord hath made it a burdensome stone unto them: And I am sure, there is no other Form of Church Government can boast of so many Testimonies by Bl••od as Presbyterial Government might do. But of all Contradicters, the Church of Scotland, of old and late, hath only had to do (within herself) with Prelatists, some whereof, being high flown, have pleaded a Jus Divinum, others (Antiqua∣ries) have pleaded Antiquity, and many Adiaphorists of late, being beaten from both these strengths, have pleaded Indifferency in general, and only Jus Carolinum, as to this or that Species: But as no eyes, save their own, neither these except by delusion of their se••se, could ever see Pre∣lacy (that is, an Ordinary Ecclesiastical Ord••r, Distinct from and Superior to that of a Preaching Presbyter, having the sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction) in the Holy Scripture, otherwise then by Prohibition to Lord it over Gods heritage, or in the example of Diotrephes who loved Preheminence (as many famous writing, whereunto I refer the Reader, unanswerably demonstrat) & therefore,

the Office being a stranger in the Word of God, rather then the bras••n Serpent which once had Divine Institution, should be Nehushtan in the Church; So let no man, Exor∣cist-wise, adjure us by the Charming words of Antiquity, Primitive times and Bishops, Fathers, &c. For Moses we know, the Prophets and Apostles we know, but what is Antiquity, and who are the primitive Bishops and Fathers? Must men be stigmatized, as giddy-headed Novellists, and as much Athenian in their Principles and Professions▪ as other m••n in their Newes, or then be Im∣plicite in-tail-following Antiquaries? No, there is a Medium of proving all things, and holding that which is good: Pure Antiquity deserveth all esteem and reverence, but Simple Antiquity, as such, is neither a certain nor Safe Rule, and much less oblieging to future times, and so remote as our's are. Our Lord Himself repelleth that pretence, that it was said of old: Were there not many Errors and Corruption•• (which themselves will not Justify) as ancient, and early in the Church (yea more) as Pre∣lacy is alleaged to be? We are commanded to the Law and Testimony, but never to the Fathers, and good reason, because few or none of them were without gross errours in Judgment or Practice: Are not the writings of the first Age very few, or obscure? Are not many of these and after Ages lost or Corrupted? Yea other later writings are deceat∣fully emitted under the name of Ancient Times and Persons, so that in such a mist, it is hard to determine what was written by these Fathers, what not: Later, Corrupt or Inadvertant writters about these former times, did speak of Persons and things, under the abused Names which were corruptly used in th••ir own times: And the writtings of particular Persons (suppose of greatest Antiquity) do rather hold forth their own private Opinion, or the Practice of the Time and Place wherein they lived, then the Uni∣versal Judgment and Practice of the Church in all Times

and Places. And if they will Sanctuary themselves in primi∣tive Times, let it be cleared what is meant by Primitive; For if the two first Ages be meant, it is more then they can do, to prove by sufficient Authority, that there was then such a Prelacy, as is before mentioned, or now usurped and exercised; If after ages be meant, wherein the Church grew more corrupt, and Prelacy did aspire and exalt itself, to an Universal Supremacy in the Bishop of Rome, and establishment of that Antichristian Hierarchy, then in∣deed they are like themselves. for twins were never more like in face, then the present Prelats resemble the Romish, but then it were Candor in them, to tell plainly, that Pa∣pacy and Prelacy are of one Original, with this difference, that Prelacy is the first born, or rather the Father which begat the other; And if they mean a Middle time, be∣twixt these Periods, wherein indeed Bishops were first known in the Church, and will reckon their descent from them, why are they so unlike unto them, that they look neither like Sons nor Successors? Ask those who have dived into these depths of Antiquity, and they will tell, that a present Prelat, and a faithful Presbyterian Pastor (or Moderator at most) do little more differ, then the present Prelats and these first Primitive Bishops: For as it was long before such a thing was known in the Church, so when thorow the Malice and Subtilty of Sathan, the Ambition of some Church-men, the Unwatchfulness of others, and Indulgence of some Magistrats it did creep in, at first it was intended and acknowledged for no more, then a Prudential Humane device for greater Unity (a Cure, because with∣out warrant, worse then the desease, which, as the A∣postles never prescribed in their own times, though there were then many Divisions, so there is alike Reason to Ex∣tend further to Papal Supremacy, in the case of divisions amongst Prelats and Patriarches) and had never the im∣pudence to aspire (with some present Prelats) so high as

a Jus Divinum; At first these Primitive Bishops, being Elected by other Presbyters, with consent of the people, and not by the Civil Magistrat only, as now the Prelats are by the Kings Letter to the Dean and Chapter, were Ordained by the laying on of the hands of Presbyters, and rot of Bishops only, as the Prelats are; Their Ordination vas not Essentially different from that of Presbyters, nor to an Order distinct from, and Superior to that of Presby∣ters or Pastors, as the Consecration of the Prelats is alleaged to be; Neither did they (though perhaps they had a ne∣gative voice) usurp the sole power of Ordination and Ju∣risdiction, nor Exerce the Acts thereof, without the potestative Concurrence of Other Presbyters, as now the Prelats do; Many of them being Holy, Humble, and Sober in their conversation toward the people and other Presbyters, did nor (with the present Prelats) assume the lofty Tittles of Lordship, Grace, &c. Nor live and ride in such state and pomp, claming and taking the preference of the greatest Peeres of the Land; Ordinarly, and espe∣cially at the beginning, they had not such vast charges, as now the Prelats have Diocies over Hundreds of Pastors, and many Thousands of people, to whom it is utterly im∣possible to perform Ministerial duties; Being diligent Preachers themselves, they were not, as the Prelats are, Idle drons, nor Non-residenrs, nor yet of a strange lan∣guage to the people, as Wallace, through his ignorance of the Irish tongue, and almost of all others except his Mothers, must be a Barbarian to his Diocy of the Western-Isles▪ Neither did they involve themselves in Secular affairs and Offices, then which, what is there more absurd in Reason, and repugnant to Scriptural precept and Ex∣ample? For Christ Himself telleth us, that his Kingdome is not of this World, Joh. 18: ver. 38. and how can his Officers be of it? He refused to be a Judge, Luc. 12: 14. And, speaking to the Disciples of Civil Authority and

Dominion, saith, it shall not be So amongst yow, Mat. 20: ver. 25. Luc. 22: ver. 25: And the Apostle. Paul telleth us, that Ministerial weapons are not Carnal. 2 Cor. 10: ver. 4: And that the Ministers of the Gospel should not entangle themselves with the affairs of this Life 2 Tim. 2: ver. 4: That the Ministerial calling is so weigh∣ty, that the best qualified and most diligent is not sufficient for it, 2 Cor. 2: ver. 16. how then are they sufficient for it, and civil affairs too? And therefore they should Wa•• upon it, Rom. 12: ver. 7: and give themselves wholly to it. 1 Tim. 4: ver. 15. and not wait (as the Prelats do) upon Courts, Parliaments, Council, Convention of Estats, &c. as members thereof, nor Exerce the office of Provosts, Justices of peace, &c. Nor will it excuse them, that they commit Ministerial inspection of the flock to Deputs: For if they be Shepherds, should not the Shepherds feed the flock? Ezeck. 34: ver. 2. If to them be commit∣ted the Ministery, Teaching, Exhorting, should they not themselves Wait upon these? Rom. 12: 7: If they must give accompt of Souls, should they not Watch for them? Heb. 13: ver. 17: And if the Lord will require the flock at their hand. Ezek. 34: ver. 10: how will they answer to God, the people, their own Conscience (if they have any) or to others who ask a reason of them, for feeding of themselves only, and committing the flock to Others, and especially to such who are so far from being Learned, Holy, Apt to teach, Blameless, of a good report, Chast, Sober, Grave, Lovers of good men, Meek and Gentle, as the Scripture requireth, that many are Novices, Ignorant, Prophane, Light, Given to Wine, False, Covetous, Contentious, Proud, Passionat, and Self willed, and so far from taking heed to the flock, or being an Example to them, in Word, Conversation, Charity, Spirit, Faith and Purity, that they neither take heed to themselves, nor rule their own families well? I remember that one speaking of

such as commit the flock to Vicar-Curats (as all are who serve under Prelacy) saith, Adibunt per Vicarios in Para∣disum, in Persona in Inferos. They shall go to Heaven by their Deputs, but to Hell in Person. These men (if I may borrow an allusion from the duty and commendation of faithfull and approven Ministers) have taken forth the Precious from the Vile, and taught the people the diffe∣rence betwen the Holy and Profane, and caused men to discern betwen the Unclean and the Clean; but mark How, and for what End? Is it not by making sad the hearts of the Righteous, whom they have selected, and set up as the Only object of all their Malice and persecution, and Strengthening the hands of the Wicked, whom they have taken into their bosome, as their Only Familiars and Confidents. The one they thurst with the side and shoul∣der, the other they do not suffer to turn from his evill way, by promising him life. But if any desire more parti∣cular information about them, amongst other places to that purpose, let them read and consider, Ier. 23.9. to 33. and 5.31. Ezek. 34.1. to 11. and 22.25.26.28. Zeph. 3.4, Mal. 2.8.9. Mat. 23. and (as face answereth to face in water) they shall see their Call, Qualities, Doctrine, Conversation, Works and Influence amongst the people, and the Effects of all, together with their righteous Doom and Reward. He hath already made Contemptible and Base before the people, those who have corrupted the Co∣venant of Levy, and being partiall in the Law, have made many to stumble thereat, and will he not cause to cease from feeding of the flock, those who feed themselves, eat the fat and cloth with the wooll, but do not (for indeed they cannot) strengthen the deseas••d, heall the sick, bind up that which i•• broken, bring back that which is driven away, nor seek that which is lost? They have not only turned his house of Prayer into a den of Theeves, but from them is profanness gone forth over all the Land, and seing

they deserve no more honourable Exit, will he not scourge out of his Temple, those who have sold Faith and a good Conscience for a mease of pottage? Yea seing He hath said it, we will beleeve, that He will make the false Pro∣phet and the Unclean Spirit pass out of the Land, and that these men shall bear the Wounds or marks of False Prophets, and for shame shall deny (for lies are their ordinary refuge) that ••ever they were prophets, And that Others, perhaps their nearest Relations, the Fathers and Mothers who begat them, shall so little esteem, regard or Pity them, that they shall accompt them unworthy to live (Ye shall not Live) And that He will again gather those that are now sorrow∣full for the solemn Assemblies, that he will search for the flock, seek that which was lost, bring back that which was driven away, bind up that which was broken, & strengthen that which was sick, by the hand of Pastors after his own Heart, who, under and after the Example of the great shepherd DAVID, shall feed them in a good pasture with Wisedome and Understanding. To all this, as well as the Curse upon them who make the blind to wander out of the way, let all the People say, Amen.

Neither are they who plead an Indifferency of Forms of Government, more Scriptural or Rationall then the Former: for it seemeth equally absurd & incosinstant with the Faith∣fulness of J. Christ, who was faithfull to Him who appointed him; With the Lords way of dealing with the Jewish Church, whereunto he prescribed a Specifical and Fixed Form of Government; And with the Perfection and Plain∣ness of the Holy Scriptures, wherein all Church Assemblies, Officers, Powers, Acts, and who should Exerce the same, & every other thing necessarily belonging thereunto, which the Light of Nature doth not teach, and is not common to it with Civill Government and Order, are clearly held forth, Expressly or by necessary Consequence, in Speciall or Generall directions and warrantable Examples (as ap∣peareth

by the many debats Extant thereanent) to leave the Government of his Church Indifferent, and Arbitrarily de∣terminable and alterable, according to the will of the Civill Magistrat, or the various and mutable humours and In∣clinations of Persons, Times and Places, or the pretended conveniency of Civil Policy, as to leave Doctrin and Wor∣ship thus Indifferent, and arbitrarily determinable and variable, according to these crooked and changable rules: If Church Government must be Indifferent, and thus arbi∣trarily determinable and Ambulatory, because the Holy Scripturs do not Expressly affirme, that Presbyterial Go∣vernment is the Only Government, which should be in the Christian Church, and also Expressly declare, that it is Unalterable to the worlds end, and that the first Institution and Practice thereof, by the Apostles and their Successors in the Ministry, never was nor shall be Repealed, why may not the Civil Magistrat, or any other arrogating a power of Instituting or Altering Church Government or Officers, by Parity of reason, make many other Necessary and Practicall points of Faith, which are not more Expressly declared by the Holy Scriptures to be Unalterable Truths, then Presbyterial Government is (though all be evident enough) to be also In∣different, & arbitrarily determinable & mutable? & then fare∣wel Infant-baptisme, Womens receaving of the Lords▪ Sup∣per, & observation of the first day of the week for the Christian Sabbath, yea, farewel Law & Testimony, & more sure Word of Prophecy, whereunto we should go & take heed; & for a new Rule of Faith & Practice, welcome Humane Prudence, State-Policy, Corrupt & Changable Disposition of man, & pretend∣ed Necessity or Conveniency of State, Time & Place; yea wel∣come all Doctrins & Practices, which though they were once positively prohibited, can alleage that the Scripture doth not Expressly declare, that they never were nor shall be repealed. And where are we then? In vain is the Law, in vain is the pen of the Scribe, and every one, without transgression,

may do what seemeth good in his own eyes, if only he can Temporize, and offe••d not the Civil Magistrat, by viola∣tion of his Arbitrary Institutions and Lawes in Church aff••i••s, wherein he must be Supream. O my soul, come not int•• the secrets of such Latitudinarian, or rather (in this) Nullifidian Adiaphorists. We would not be here mistaken, as if we denyed to the Civil Magistrat any Power, which the Holy Scriptures allow unto Him; for as we assert his Office to be an Ordinance of God, and his Person (be∣ing lawfully therewith vested) to be signally impressed with a special Character of Majestick Authority, where∣fore, in a due Subordination to Him who is Lord over all, He should be subjected to and obeyed; So we chearfully grant, that, whereas the Heathen Magistrat (because of his Morall incapacity to Exerce more power) about Religi∣on and Ecclesiastical affairs, hath only a Power in Actu signa••o and ••us ad rem, the Christian Magistrat hath Ius in re, and in Actu Exercito may and should by his Lawes esta∣blish the true Religion within his dominions, and com∣mand his Subjects to make publick profession thereof; That by his Civil Sanction he may and should Ratify Ecclesiasti∣call Sentences, aggreeable to the Word of God; That anent these he may and should Exercise an Antecedent Dis∣cretive Iudgment, whereby he may not adde an Implicit approbation; That for Preaching and Propagation of the Gospel, and for nursing of Piety and Learning, he may and should provide Necessary and Convenient accommodation and encouragement, as to Persons, Places and Revenues; That for his own Information and Advice, he may call Oc∣casionall Meetings of Church Officers and others, to Con∣fer and Debate matters before him; That Pro r•• nata he may Convocate Ecclesiasticall Synods, to reason and conclude Church affairs according to the Scripture; That for his own Information, and for preventing of Outward Force and Inward Confusion, he may be Present therein by Himself

or his Delegats; That by his Power he may and should Defend and Encourage the Church, in the free and peace∣able Possession of all her Intrinsecall Priviledges, and all the Members thereof, in the Profession and Practice of the same; That by the same Authority he may and should re∣press Error, Heresy, Superstition, Atheisme, Blasphe∣my and Profanness, and Punish the Authors and Spreaders thereof; That in case of negligence, he may Command all, and even Ministers, to per••orme their r••spective duties in general, as necessity requireth; And that for Civil trans∣gressions, he may Civilly puni••h Eccl••siastical Persons, as well as other Subjects, according to the Law of God and Righteous Lawes of the Land: The Zealous discharge of all which, we would thankfully acknowledg to God and Man, as the Faithfull performance of that gracious Pro∣mise, that Kings shall be the Churches nursing ••athe••s. But if discontented herewith, as if all this, together with the Weighty affairs of the Common wealth, were too little work for his Transcendent Power and Abilities, and as if Jesus Christ had no Kingdom or Government, or these were not distinct from the Kingdoms and Government of the World, or though th••y were, as if he were equally Head and Fountain of both, He will needs a••bitrarily Institut or Al∣ter, the Species of Church Government; Authorise, Ex∣authorise or Restrain Church-Officers, in the Exercise of the Power of Order or Jurisdiction, in whole or in part, as the Parliament and Councill have prohibited some Hun∣dreds the whole Exercise of their Ministry, and the High Commission (which claimeth no power, but what is solely and immediatly derived from the King) hath deprived some from the Office, & interdicted Others the administration of the Lords Supper; If he will Define Articles of Faith, and prescribe what heads of Doctrine, Ministers shall treat or not treat of in their Sermons, as the King hath done in his printed Letter to the Bishop of York; And thereupon

Primarily, Immediatly, and Antecedently to any Judg∣ment of the Church, which is the Pillar of Truth, and to which the Spirits of the Prophets are Subject, Cognosce and Determine of Ministers Doctrine, when the Church herself is willing and ready to try the Spirits; And Crimi∣nally or Capitally punish them therefore, under the pre∣tence of Treason and Rebellion, as several instances can be adduced against King and Councill in the series of our Church; If he will Ordain particular Church Censurs to to be executed against particular persons, for particular definite Ecclesiastical (alleaged) offences, leaving nothing undone by Himself in person, but the Execution of what he hath appointed, As the Parliament hath appointed Suspension and Deprivation of Ministers, for not observing the Bishops meetings, and the King in his Commission to the High Commission hath appointed Excommunication, whereas they may as well Immediatly Suspend, Deprive and Excommunicat themselves, as Appoint them to be executed in the manner specified in the said Act of Parliament and Commission; If after the example of Antichristian or Pa∣gan Nations, he will Institut and Enjoin Needless, Vain, Superstitious, Significant and Burdensome Rits in the Wor∣ship of God, as most of the Imposed Ceremonies in the Lyturgy, can be instructed be; If he will arrogate the Sole Power of convocating Ecclesiastical Synods, which is an Intrinsecall priviledg of the Church, whereof She was in Possession three hundred years before there was a Christian Magistrat in the world Authorizing it; And will Impri∣son, Confine, Condemn, and Banish Ministers, for plead∣ing and Practising this Right, as King James did not a few in and about the Year 1606. and the Present King of late, by Parliament, Council and Commissioner, did interdict all the Lawfull Assemblies of the Church, which did not derive their Power from the Abjured and Perjured Prelats; and if he will not only claim the only power of indicting

••••lemn Fasts and Thanksgivings, as de Facto is done these ••or 6 years past, but also institute a day to be Aniversarily ••oly for ever, which no mortal man can do; If, I say, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will thus Invade the Kingdom of Christ, confound it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Kingdoms of the World, and equally Exerce the ••overnments of both, no man needs pronounce, but rather fear the Domesticall and Personall doom, Executed upon Saul and Uzziah for usurping the Priests office. How in ••quall dealing is it, that He who clamoureth so much of other men, and particularly Ministers wandering without their sphere, and overstretching-meddling with Civil affairs, should himself be Circumscribed and move within no Fixed sphere? Is it not enough that He have a Power Objective∣ly Ecclesiasticall, about Church affaires, but he must also have a Power Formally Ecclesiasticall, whereby he may Exerce Acts purely Spiritual, and proper to Church Offi∣cers? Will it not suffice him, that he have an Externall Power, of providing for the Church, and protecting of her from Outward Violence or Inward Disorder, but he must also have an Internall power, of Doctrin, Govern∣ment, and Disciplin, & the several Forms & Acts thereof? Is is not Sufficent that he have an Imperat Power, where∣by He may command all his Subjects, as such, to do their respective duties; but he must also have and Elicit power, whereby he may at least materially or equivalently Exerce Spirituall Acts in his own person? Will it not please him, that he have a Civil Power of Punishing Church Officers, as Subjects, for Civil transgressions, but he must also have a Spiritual Power of Censuring them for Ecclesiasticall of∣fences? Will it not content him that he have a Secundary Power of Judiciall Approbation or Condemnation of what the Church hath already found and declared to be Truth or Error, but he must also have a Primary and Im∣mediat Power of Cognition of Truth and Error, Antece∣dent to any Judgment of the Church thereanent? Will it

not satisfy him, that he have a Discretive Power, whereby he may not Implicitely Ratify Ecclesiasticall Sentences, but he must also have a Definitive Power of Authoritative Decision? And in a word, is it not enough, that he have a Cumulative Power of Confirming and Strengthening the Power and Priviledges of the Church, but he must als•• have a Privative Power, whereby (if he please) he may destroy the same?

That the Lord hath had, and to the Worlds end will have a Church, none who beleeve the Authority of the Holy ••criptures can deny or question; And that he hath fixed Discriminative boundaries betwen his own and the King∣doms of the Earth (that is, betwen his Church and other Civil Societies, and their respective Governments) is no less evident: For though both consist of Men, and some∣times of the same Persons; though both have Order and Go∣vernment; a Power to Exercise the same, and that Derived from God; and the Persons invested therewith should be qualified; and in the Exercise thereof should walk Absolutely by the Rule of the Word; Punishing and Censuring after clear Conviction by Confession or Probation; And should Ultimatly aime at the Glory of God, and Good of the People; and for that effect be mutually subservient and use∣ful one to another (in these, amongst other things, they aggree) Yet they are Formally distinct: For they consist of men under distinct Notions and Relations; Civil Society and Policy is founded upon the Light and Law of Nature, Ecclesiasticall by Revealed Positive precept; The one is Common to all men as Men, the other is Peculiar to those who profess the True God; The Form of the one may be Monarchical, the other not; The object of the one is Civil, the other is Spirituall; The Nature of the one and Manner of Exerceing it, is Magisterial, the Other Ministerial; The Acts and Sentences of the one are Corporall, rhe other Spiritual; The Immediat Rule of Exerceing the one is the

••awes of the Land; and the other the Word of God and ••cclesiastical Constitutions aggreeable thereunto; The one ••s performed in the Name of the Supream Magistrat, the other in the Name of Jesus Christ; The Immediat End of the one is the Good of the Common-wealth, the other the Good of Souls. Yea though the Church and Common-wealth of the Jewes, of all others that ever were, did most aggree, yet were they Formally distinct: for they had ordina∣rily distinct Rulers, the Priest and Levits for the one, Judges and King's for the other; They had distinct Acts Sacrificing, praying &c. in the Church, Death, Banishment, Confiscation, Inprisonment, Ezra 2:26. in the State; They had distinct Objects, the Matters of the Lord and the Matters of the King, 2 Chron. 19.11; Distinct Lawes, the Ceremo∣niall for the Church, the Judicial for the Common-wealth, and the Morall for both; They had sometimes distinct Members, when these of the One, were not admitted to some Priviledges of the Other; The Form of the State did alter from Judges to Kings, but the Churches was unalterably the same; And they had their distinct Periods of Duration, for the Church continued (though corrupt) after the Civil Government was overturned by the Romans.

And as the Church and State of the Jewes were in these things distinct, so had they their distinct Governments, and Judicatories for Exer••••ing the same Respectively; For Exo. 24.1. there are 70. Elders, who v. 14. appear to be vested with Authority, and to have Aaron and Hur for their Presidents or Moderators; now these 70 Elders cannot be the 70, who Numb. 11. shared of the Government with Moses, for these mentioned Exod. 24. were in Authority when the Israelits were at Sinai, whereas the other men∣tioned Numb. 11. were chosen after they went from Sinai; neither can they be any other 70 in Civil Authority, be∣cause before the Election of those Numb. 11. Moses was

alone in the Government. Again Deut. 17. there are distinct causes, viz. Blood & Blood, plea and plea, which were Civill, and Stroke and Stroke, which (whether it was Leprosy) belonged to the Priests to Judge of; Lev. 13.3; Distinct Rulers. viz. the Priests the Levets, and the Iudge, who v. 11. are distinguished by the disjunctive particle Or; Distinct Acts of telling (or exponing) the Sentence of the Law, & of telling Iudgment v. 10.11, & distinct Penalties, of Death, and put∣ing the Evill from Israel, v 12. Further in •• Chr. 23.4. Ye will find 6000 of the Levites who were Officers and Iudges, which must needs have been in Ecclesiastical affairs, be∣cause, 1 Chron. 28:1. there were Princes of Tribs, Cap∣tains of Thousands, Hundreds, Stewarts and Officers, for Civil affairs. And, 2 Chron. 19:8, &c. there are Church Officers, Priests, Levits, chief of the Fathers; there are distinct Matters, the Matters of the Lord and the Matters of the King. Ver. 11. There are distinct Acts or Sentences, for Warning not to trespass is more proper to Ecclesiastical then Civil Persons; And there are distinct Moderators or Presidents, Amariah is over you for the Mat∣t••rs of the Lord, and Zebadiah for the Matters of the King. Now what should all this mean, viz. Distinct causes, and Persons set over them to Judge them respectively, and what meaneth these distinct Acts, Sentences and Penalties, if not to hold out the Distinction of Government, and of Judica••ories respectively exercing the same? Yea ••hat was in the Old Testament, we may know by what we read in the New, for Matth. 21: ver. 23. and 27: ver. 1. and 26: v. 3, 57, 59. Act. 4: v. 5, 6, 15. and 5: v. 21, 27. there are Assemblies & Councils, which must needs be Eccle∣siastical: not only because they consisted of Ecclesiastical persons, the High Priest, Cheef Priests and Elders of the People; Cognosced of Ecclesiastical Causes, the life, Doctrin and Authority of Christ and his Apostles; And past Ecclesiastical Sentences about preching in the Name

of Christ, Act. 4, and 5. But also because (the Jewes being subdued) the Supreme civil Government was taken out of their hands, and little left them but the Ecclesia∣stical. And if at any time, in the Old Testament, the same persons were members of both Judicatories, it was under distinct Notions and considerations, as Ecclesiastical in the one, and Civil in the Other; As now the Ruling Elder, under several Considerations and Capacities, may be a mem∣ber of an Ecclesiastical and Civil Iudicatory. It is true that the High Priests and some Kings had great hand in both Civil & Ecclesiastical affairs, but Extraordinary, and (may be) Typicall instances are not an Ordinary and Universal Rule; And it may be also, that in the New Testament these Councils meddled in Civil Affairs, for Matth. 27: ver. 1. they take counsel against Iesus to put him to death, but that was by Corrupt Abuse of their Power, which crept in, in the declining State of the Church, and when the Civil Government was taken from them by strangers, or when, wanting a Magistrat, they took more upon them then at another time; for it was not so from the beginning, and was by the like Corrupt and Ex∣travagant Abuse, as now the High Commission (if it be an Ecclesiastical Courr) doth Scourge, Stigmatize, Fine and Banish, or the Prelats now as Members of Parlia∣ment, Council, and Session, make themselves Judges of Blood, Pleas, &c. And as this was the Manner & Difference of the Jewish Church and State under the Old Testa∣ment, so under the New Testament, there is by Divine Institution, a Formal and Specifical Difference, between the Government of the Church and Common-wealth: For ye will not only find Office-bearers Given unto, and Set in the Church. Rom. 12: ver. 8. 1 Cor. 12: ver. 28. Ephes. 4: ver. 11. Which are as wel Distinct from Office-bearers of the State as from the People, for neither Magistrat nor People were ever called Apostles, Prophets▪

Evangelists, &c. especially in the Apostles sense; But also RULERS, distinct from the Rulers of the Common-wealth, who 1 Thess. 5: ver. 12. are Over the People, and Hebr. 13: ver. 17. Rule over them. Now these Ru∣lers cannot be the Magistrat, for in none of the places doth the Apostle Intend or Mention him. Besids, at that time there was not a Christian Magistrat to Rule the State, and how should the Rule of the Church be committed to a Pagan? And 1 Tim. 5: ver. 17. He that Labours in Word and Doctrin, seemeth to have more Honour, then He who Ruleth, which, if either Magistrat or Prelate be the Ruler, how they will Relish, & that the poor preach∣ing Presbyter should be more Honoured then they, let any man Iudge. Here then are Ecclesiastical Rulers, distinct from these of the Common-wealth. To these Rulers be∣longeth the Cognition of Ecclesiastical Offences, in Contra∣distinction to Civil Causes and Iudges; Matth. 18.—Tell the Church: Now the Civil Magistrat cannot be this Church, where is He ever so termed? Or how will He, (being himself a Heathen) accompt another man so: Here then is a Church distinct from the Common-wealth; here are Church-Offences distinct from Breaches of Civil or Muni∣cipall Lawes; here is Church-Delation or Complaint, distinct from any complaint to the Magistrat, tell the Church; and consequently, here is a Church-power of Cognition of these Offences, distinct from that which resids in the Magistrat, else it were in vain to tell the Church, and as good or better to tell the Magistrat; And here is a Church-Sentence, Let him be unto thee as a Heathen, which the Magistrat, being then Heathen himself, would never pro∣nounce against, or inflict as a Punishment upon another man. To these Church-Rulers also is committed not only the Power of Order, or Pastorall Administration of Word and Sacraments, but also the Power of Jurisdiction, whether Dogmatical, Diatacticall, Critical, or Exusiastical, and

not to the Civil Magistrat; And accordingly Jesus Christ, giveth the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to Peter and not to Cesar Mat. 16.19: Ye will find Church-Assemblies, distinct from Parliaments, Convention of Est••ts, Senats, &c. (yea when the Magistrat was an Enemy) determining ques∣tioned Matters of Faith and Practice, Act. 15: The Apostle Paul enjoineth the Church of Corinth and not the Ma∣gistrat, both to Excommunicat and Absolve the Inces∣tuous man, 1 Cor. 5.4.5. and 2 Cor. 2.7.8: The same Apostle leaveth Titus and not the Magistrat to Ordain El∣ders in Every City. Tit. 1. v. 5; and accordingly it is per∣formed by the Presbytery, and not by the Magistrat, 1 Tim. 4.14: The Apostle Iohn thereateneth by Himself and not by the civil Magistrat, to Censure Diotrephes, 3. Iohn 10. And as the Power it self, and the several Acts thereof are Committed to Church-Officers; So to them and not to the Civil Magistrat, are all the Directions given for Regula∣tion of the Exercise thereof, distinct from the Directions given to the Magistat for Regulation of the affairs of the Common-wealth: and so in the case of Offence, there must be private rebuke before Publick delation, Mat. 18:15, 16, 17. In the case of Publick Scandal, there must be a Rebuking before all, 1 Tim. 5:20: In the case of Publick Censure, there must be Notoriety of the Fault 1 Cor. 5.1. or suffi∣cient conviction of the Person, by Confession or Probation, Mat. 18.15; In the case of Excommunication, it must be when the Church is gathered together, 1 Cor. 5.4. and not (after the Prelatical fashion) in a corner; In the case of Ab∣solution, there must be sufficient evidence of Repentance, 2 Cor. 2.7; In the case of Ordination of Ministers, there must be the Election of the People, Act. 6.3, 4, 5. Trial, 1. Tim. 3:10. & laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, 1 Tim. 4.14. and they must be Fixed to particular flocks, Tit. 1.5. How distinct are these, and all other Directions given to Church-Officers for Regulation thereof, from the directions

given to the civill Magistrat for Regulation of the Com∣monwealth? And the Church Officers, & not the civil Magistrat, are Commended or Discommended accord∣ing as they faithfully or unfaithfully Exerce this Power and follow these Directions: So the Angel of the Church of Ephesus (which I hope none will say was the Magistrat) is commended for Trying them which said they were Apost∣les and were not, Revel 2.2. It was not the Emperor, Senat, &c. that tryed these false Apostles, as of late the Parlia∣ment, Council, High Commission, ejected many Hundreds of faithful Ministers without Trial; The Angels of the Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira are discommended, for tollerating false Doctrin and Corrupt Practice, v. 14.15.20. so is the Church of Corinth blamed for not timeous Excommunicat∣ing of the Incestuous Person. 1 Cor. 5. For the like Ommissi∣ons which are reproved in these Angels, I know them who now deserve a sharper censure, sed quod defertur non aufertur.

From all which, as the Formal & Specifical Difference be∣twixt the Power and Government of Church and Common wealth is aboundantly evident; So Jesus Christ Himself, & not the civil Magistrat, is the Author & Fountain of Church-Power and Government; Then which, there can be nothing more clear to them who do not wilfully shut their own eyes, or whom the God of this world hath not blinded: For, besids that Himself telleth us, that He hath receav∣ed all Power and Judgement from the Father, Mat. 28. ver. 18. Iohn. 5.22. and Iohn beareth him that Testi∣mony. Iohn 3.35. And who should derive Power to others, but He who receaved it for that end? Let us consider his Name and Relation to the Church; In what Relation he standeth to the Common-wealth or civil Magi∣strat, I do not here i••quire, but the Apostle tells us, that He••, and not the civil Magistrat, is Head of the Church Ephes. 1.22. and 5: 13. &, as such, he doth not only Mysti∣cally communicat inward Grace to the members, but Occo∣nomically

derive Power and Direction for the Outward Re∣gulation of the whole body. How then can the Magistrat be Head of the Church, or supream Governor in all causes Eccle∣siastical? Must the Church have two Heads, or a Head above a Head? Why may not a Church Officer or Officers, as well claim (with the Pope) to be Head of the Common-wealth? Will they shew us a Warrant from Scripture or Reason for the one, which will not as strongly plead for the other? Well then, let Christ be still Head of the Church. And as such. Ye will find Him, and not the civil Magistrat, Instituting all Church-Ordinances for Administration of Word and Sacraments, Mat. 28:19. 1 Cor. 11:23. for Excommuni∣cation and Absolution, Matt. 18:17, 18. and all other Acts of Government and Disciplin: Ye will find Him, and not the civil Magistrat. Instituting Church-Offices; He it is who gave, Ephes. 4:11. and sett in the Church, 1 Cor. 12: v. 28. Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Teachers, &c. And who is he that dare alter by addition or diminution? Ye will find Him, and not the civil Magistrat, Authorizing these Officers to Exerce the Several Acts of the Power of Order and Jurisdiction, Mat. 28:19: Ye will find Him, & not the civil Magistrat, Furnishing these Church-Officers, with Gifts and Graces for their work; as none goeth here upon their own Expences, so can any Magistrat breath the Holy Ghost, as Christ did upon his Apostles? Ioh. 20.22? In His Name, and not in name of the Magistrate, must they performe all Church-Acts; they must Assemble, Mat. 18:20. Baptise, Mat. 28:19. Excommunicat, 1 Cor. 5: ver. 4. and do all in His Name: He, and not the Ma∣gistrat, maketh Lawes Absolutely and Primarily oblieging to the Church and Church-Officers, and therefore is He called the Lawgiver, Isai. 33:22. Iam. 4:12: He, and not the civil Magistrat, will call Church-Rulers to their final Accompt; An Accompt they must give, Hebr. 13:17. & to whom but to Him that gave them Commission, and is

Iudge? Isai. 33:22: And in recognition of all this, the Apostle Paul acknowledgeth that the Lord Jesus, and not the civil Magistrat, Giveth Ministerial Power and Authority, 2 Cor. 10:8. and 2 Cor. 13, 10: And because of this, they are called the Ministers of Christ, 1 Cor. 4: 1. and Ambassa∣ders for Christ, 2 Cor. 5:20. and not of, or for the Magistrat, as now the King termeth the Prelats Our Bishops: His Ser∣vants they are, & therefore should not be Pleasers of Man, nor of the Magistrat, Gal. 1:10. as they ought to be, if he gave them Commission: If the Magistrat, as such, be Head of the Church, and Fountain of Church Power and Government, I would gladly know, how or whence the Apostles, their Successors and others in the Ministery, had power to Teach or Govern the Church, when there was no Christian Magistrat to derive Power to them? Or whether they had any Power at all, or were but Usurpers? Or what the Church shall do for Power when the Magistrat is Hea∣then, Antichristian, or a Woman, Child, a Fooll, a Tyrant, or Heretick, &c. Shall the Church all this time want a Head? Or shall the Body of Christ, have a Pagan-Head? Shall a Woman, who must not speak in the Church, be Head of the Church? shall a child or Idiot, who can∣not Govern themselves, have the External Regulation of the Church? Or shall Cruell Tyrants, who oppress or destroy the Common-wealth, and Bodies of men, have the Regulation of the Church, & of the Souls of men? We may then go to the Pope, the Turk, the wild Indian-In∣fidels and Savages, for a Head to the Church before She want; for what••ver belongeth to one man, as a Magistrat, belongeth to all Magistrats: But we will hold us content with the Head, Iesus Christ, which the Father hath given us.

Now from this, that Church-Power and Government are thus distinct from the Civil, and that Jesus Christ and not the Magistrat, is Author and Fountain thereof, it evidently followeth, that it is not Subordinat to the Magi∣trat.

It is true, that the Magistrat hath much Power Objec∣tively Ecclesiasticall, and that Church Officers, as Subjects, are subject to him; yet Ecclesiastical Power it-self, is not Properly Subordinat to the Civil. This will the more ap∣pear, not only because it is not Derived from the Ma∣gistrat, as the Head or Fountain thereof, nor is Exerced in his Name, but also if we consider, that Proper Subordina∣tion, is only in things flowing from the same Fountain, and of the same Nature, whereas civill and Eccesiasticall Powers are neither from the same Immediat Fountain (if the one be from Iehovah Essentially considered, and as great Lord Creator and Gubernator of the World, the o∣ther from the Lord Redeemer, Head and King of his Church) nor yet are they of the same, but different Natures, as is said before: Again, if it were properly Subordinat to the civil Power, then the Magistrat himself, might Exerce all Ec∣clesiasticall Acts, in the Administration of Word and Sa∣craments, as well as of Jurisdiction; for as nor ason can be adduced, why He may Institute or Alter Church Go∣vernment or Officers, or Exerce the External Regulation thereof, which will not by parity of strength infer his Ex∣ercing Acts of Order; So, every Superior Power includ∣ing all the Inferior. He may as well Exerce all Ecclesiastical Power, as civil, if the One be Subordinat to the Other: And further, the Magistrat himself, as a Christian, is but a Member of the Church, and Subject to Church-Govern∣ment and Discipline, though it should not be practised, except for most weighty Causes, in great necessity, and with singular Prudence, and all due Respect and Reverence to Civil Authority, and the Person therewith vest••d; and accordingly many Magistrats have been censured: Yea in some cases, as if the Magistrat should unjustly forbid to Preach, Baptise, Ordain, Deprive, Excommunicat &c. the Church may Exerce Church Power without and against His consent, which She could not do, if it were Subordinat to

him. I know there are many clamours of the Absurdity and Inconsistency of two Collateral and Co-Ordinat Su∣pream Powers and Governments in one Kingdom; And indeed that Absurdity and Inconsistency may hold true, of two Supream Collaterall and Co-Ordinat Powers ejusdem Generis, but not in this case where they are diversi generis: Yea of their own Natures, they are so far from being hurtful, that, being rightly mannaged, they are singularly help∣full to one another: Neither can these two Powers and Governments in a Land, import now under the New Tes∣tament greater absurdity and Inconsistancy, then under the Old, when the Jewes had their Ecclesiastical Sanedrin, as well as civil Courts for the affairs of the Commoun∣wealth. Hence also it followeth, that as Ecclesiastical Power is not Subject to the civil; So, in matters Ecclesiasti∣cal, there should be no Appellation from the Church to the civil Magistrat: For though when Church Judicatories, without their sphere, meddle in civil Causes as such, or, for Ecclesiastical offences, inflict civil Punishments, they may be Declined as Judges Incompetent in the one case, & com∣plaint of an unjust or Heterogeneous Sentence is lawful in the other; & though the Magistrat, before He adde his Ratifi∣cation, may require a Reason of Ecclesiasticall proceedings, or, in case of an injust Sentence, may desire the Church to con∣sider the matter again; & the Church i•• bound thus to give a Reason, or Consider the matter, especially in a degenerat or declining time of the Church, when more is permitted to the Faithful Magistrat, then otherwise; Yet there can be no Appellation from the Church to the Magistrat in Ec∣clesiastical Causes & Sentences: Not only because all Ap∣pellations are from the Inferior to the Superior in Eodem genere, but the Church and State are not such, as is cleared before; but also because the Church is indued with Com∣pleat Power of Cognoscing & Final determining Ecclesiasti∣cal affairs, without dependance upon the State, and these

Determinations, being Just, the Lord hath promised to Ra∣tify, Mat. 18:18. And the Magistrat, having no Formal Church Power, cannot pronounce Ecclesiastical Sentence, or make Redress by Himself, & so the Appellation is in vain. Pauls Appealing to Caesar, Act. 25:11. will not help this weak cause; For He did not appeal in an Ecclesiastical cause, from an Ecclesiastical Court, to a Court of another Nature, but in a matter of alleaged Sedition, from Festus an Infe∣rior Magistrat to Caesar the Supream. Neither is the In∣stance of Ieremy stronger then the former (Ier. 26:8.9. &c) for there is no mention of His appealing from the Priests to the Magistrat, but of his Apology before the Princes, who came to hear the matter, and their Voluntary delivering him from the Uniust persecution of the Priests and Prophets, who were not competent Judges of Life and Death. Neither is the Exception of the Difference betwixt a Hea∣then and Christian Magistrat more Valid in this matter; for (besids all that is before said) in the old Testament, the Government of the Church was Committed to Church-Officers, even when the Magistrat was Religious, and why not in the New? The Government of the Church is not committed to them, because the Magistrat is Hea∣then, or upon Temporary, but upon other Moral and Immu∣table grounds, & therefore should not be taken from them when he becometh Christian: It is sure, that the Church had power given unto Her to Govern Herself, when the Magistrat was Heathen, now when and where is that Pow∣er Repealed? If Church-Govenment belong to the Chris∣tian Magistrat, then it is either as Magistrat or as Christian, if as Magistrat or as Christian, then (according to the known maxime) it belongeth to Every Magistrat, and so to the Heathen, and to Every Christian, both which are false: Was the Magistrat no Magistrat or Incompleat, when (be∣ing Heathen) he did not meddle with Church Govern∣ment?

or did the Church Usurp and Rob the Heathen Magistrat of that Power, in the Apostles dayes, and 2 or 300 years after? Shall the Church, by the promise of Nursing Fathers, have less Power and Priviledge, or be in worse Condition, by a Christian then Heathen Magistrat? And how vain i•• the Distinction of Outward Regulation of the Church, and Inward, (for that must be the other terme) for the Inward Regulation thereof belongs incontrovertibly to Jesus Christ, and if the Magistrat hath the Outward, what is left to the Church? These things, which, had they been formally digested, would have been more clear and convincing, are only thus confusedly and abruptly hi••ted: nor should I have said so much, if (besids the Erastian Spirit, which, more then ever, doth now rage) some Parliamentary and Council-Expressions, and aggreeable practices, had not given occasion. Whether it be Primi∣tive or not, let the Reader Judge, but sure I am, the Kings Government of the Church and State; Charles, &c. Supream Governor in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as Civil; The Bishops serving the King in the Church, is neither Scriptural nor Safe Dialect. Him they may serve, and Whether or How, Time will tell; but well know I, whom they do not ser••e in the Church: and indeed it is proper, that they who are there, only by the Will of Man, should only serve Man. His Commissioners they are, and according∣ly Sharp hath deposed some Ministers by Vertue of the Power which he hath from his Majesty, and therefore they can ex∣pect no greater Assistance, Blessing or Reward then he can give; But yet there is a great••r to whom they must give an Accompt.

Having (beyond my first intention) detained Thee longer, then perhaps was Necessary, or will be Profitable or Pleasant, Thow may'st now speak with the Deduction, which is of age, & able to answere for itself, if according to the Patience, Learning & Justice of many, thow do not Re∣fute

and condemn before thow know it; or brandish big words, as he who upon a Coronation-day, offereth duell to all who question the Kings Right, when he knoweth, that (for Major Vis) none dare appear in the contrary. But in the passing take a word of the National Covenant, the Solemn League and Covenant, and Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement unto Duties, that at one view, thow may'st see Scotlands Engagements and Breaches, the Faithfulness of many, & flood of Sin and Suf∣fering that hath overflowed the Land: Here is the Termi∣nus a Quo and ad Quem of our Backsliding, whereof, though the most skilled Artist cannot pourtray to the life the whole body (the form is so monstruous & Complexion so strange) he may well darkly represent some Lineaments of fingers and toes, that the reader may know Ex ungue leon••m; yet the Author hath nervously asserted the Truth, and drawn matters of Fact, with such True Collours, that he can only be accused for a Picture fairer then the live-face of many Persons & Actions. To winde up all, be not discouraged upon the one hand nor insult upon the other, by the Death of many Mighty men of God, Co-workers and Eye witnesses of his Work, within these few years past, and the stripling-stature of many survivers, who have not attained unto the dayes of the years of the life of their Fathers, and (being but of yesterday) can know little of the Lords ancient kindness to the Land, ex∣cept what th••ir Fathers have told them: For as he hath reserved a numerous remnant of Holy, Learned, and Faith∣ful men, a rich cluster wherein there is a blessing, and we have reason to bless Him who gave not our Church dry breasts & a miscarrying womb; so he can make the barren bear seven, & become a Joyful mother of many Children, and as he hath work for them, will raise up both Shepherds and Principal men. It is true, alas! there is grown up a most degenerat Off-spring of all Qualities,

some whereof (and not the meanest) being as profane as Machiavel, who teacheth Rulers to keep promise and Oath no longer, then with pretended advantage they can break, and that it is a prejudice to be Really Religious, but not so honest as He, who notwithstanding affirmeth a Necessity of Seeming to be Religious, which they are not, accompt no man to be a Man, who, by Whoring, Swearing, Drinking & Spending all or more then they have, do not class themselves into their new Profane Orders, & become as Cartesian in their Religion, by Atheistical doubtings & disputings about God, the Holy Scripturs, Heaven, Hell, &c. as others are in their Philosophy. But here is an Advantage, that by Discovery, and distinguishing betwixt the pre∣cious and the vile, the Lord hath made this Defection contribut more to the Facility (as well as Necessity) of a future Purgation of the Church, then all her Judicatures could ever effectuat without it. And further, as he hath frustrated many chief Authors and Promotters thereof of their Hopes and Designs, and called Nobles, Prelats and others to an accompt before they well tasted the expected sweetness, or were warm in their Places or Promotions; So though Herod & Pilat may aggrie against the Innocent, yet where men are like Samsons foxes, only tied together by the tail of common Corrupt Principles, whilst their heads, of Self Interest and designs, look different wayes, what such a Position, Conjunction and Aspect prognosticateth, let Scripture, Reason and Experience be consulted and they will tell. Let us not, in the meantime, mistake Gods Work, Wayes, Doings nor Intentions, neither be envyous at evil doers, nor yet be Cu∣rious nor Anxious about futuritions, much less limit the Holy one, to Means, Method or Time, but bear the Indignation of the Lord because we have sinned, till he plead our cause, waiting upon him who is a God of Judgment, and waiteth that he may be gracious, and in patience possess our souls, for (though we do not) he knoweth his own thoughts toward us, it may be they are thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give an expected end, and that (when he hath ri∣pen'd Deliverance) he will bring us forth to the Light, & we shall be∣hold his Righteousness. It is a crime of the highest nature with our Rulers, to complain or supplicat for redress, Others are either of deaf ears or feeble hands and cannot help, and seeing we can do no more for the Cause and Covenant of God, for our Mother-Church, the Land, Ourselves, Our Brethren & Posterity, let us open our cause to him who tryeth the Righteous. O Lord Hear, O Lord Forgive, O Lord hearken and do: Defer not for thine own sake, O my God: For thy City and thy People are called by thy Name, AMEN.