must be a necessary duty for poor simple people to avoid such. So the Apostle, writing to Titus (i. 14) forbiddeth to give "heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men, that turn from the truth." And who are these who teach such things? See ver. 10, 11, "Unruly and vain talkers, and deceivers, -teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." It cannot then be lawful to obey this act. So, writing to the Philippians (chap. iii. 2), he saith, "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision," by whom the false teachers of these times are to be understood. Now, he commandeth to beware of these, that is, shun them, forbear to hear them, follow them not. And again, (ver. 17, 18, 19) he saith, Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)" So he would have them following such as taught as he did, and walked as he walked, and not such as were enemies to the cross of Christ. And certainly when Paul would have the Ephesians (chap. iv. 14) no more "carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive," he would not have them following or attending the ministry of such concerning whom the question is. So, when he willeth the Colossians (chap. ii. 8) to beware lest any man spoil them through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ, he would not have people give obedience unto this act, and to attend the ministry of such who teach false doctrine, by sleight and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and seek to spoil people of the truth by their philosophy (such as it is) and vain. deceit, after the traditions of men, and not after Christ, and seek to beguile with enticing words. So in his first epistle to Timothy (chap. iv. 1, 2), he saith," That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." It must then be hazardous and most dangerous to give heed to such

seducing spirits as speak lies, and have their consciences seared with an hot iron, as being the cause of departing from the faith; so that such as will guard against departing from the faith would take heed whom they hear. So in his second epistle to Timothy (chap. iii. 5), he speaketh of some whom he would have all honest people turn away from, and these he describeth first from their corrupt conversation, (ver. 2-5), thus, "Men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." Much time needs not be spent in showing how fitly all these agree unto the persons now spoken of—such as know them can best judge. But then, secondly, he describeth them from their doctrine (ver. 6, 8, 13), they "Creep into houses and lead captive silly women; as Joannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith; evil men and seducers." All which particulars, without contradiction, agree to these now spoken of; and therefore the Apostle's command standeth in force, "From such turn away." By all these passages it is clear that the ministry of false and corrupt teachers should not be attended.

7. If it were lawful to hear these, in obedience to this act, it would be also lawful, upon an act, to attend the ministry of Anabaptists, Antinomians, Socinians, Arminians, or Jesuits; and if it would not be lawful to do this, no more can it be lawful to attend the ministry of those in question who seek to pervert the right ways of the Lord, and labour to subvert the simple people, and to turn them away from the truth.

8. Such as their doctrine is, such their prayers, not only stuffed with error, but larded with blasphemy, as might easily be shown were it fit here to mention what their expressions are. As their doctrine tendeth to reproach the work of reformation and the power of godliness, so do their public prayers, as such as hear them can show : they pray for a blessing on the prelates, under the name of "reverend" and "right reverend fathers," and on their ways and courses (which God will curse and blast), not to mention their unsound and parasitic

expressions concerning the king's supremacy, calling him "head of the church," &c. Now, seeing tender consciences cannot join with them in those prayers, how can they attend their ministry? Are not all present bound to join in prayer with them who should be the mouth of all the congregation unto God, and pray with them? And when, out of the corruption of their heart, they ordinarily utter expressions savouring of blasphemy and error, can godly tender consciences go along with them? And, seeing they cannot, how can they be bound to attend their ministry? There are snares in prayer no less than in preaching. Yea, particular persons concur more with the minister in prayer than in preaching; and therefore they may more safely hear error preached than join in an erroneous prayer; for in the one they are purely passive, but in the other they are some way active, and therefore, unquestionably, there is sin in constant attending the ministry of such, with whom, if they concur in prayer, they must sin.

9. Yielding obedience unto this act were, upon the matter, a consenting unto the great encroachment made upon the privileges of the church. The church hath this power and privilege from the Lord, to make choice of her own officers, as the frequent examples thereof in the days of the apostles do clear; and this would be the greater sin now, after the Lord hath graciously delivered that church from that yoke, and put her in possession of her power and privileges; after that the power of patrons, which was a piece of cruel bondage and oppression unto the church, is removed, to consent again unto wreathing of that yoke about her neck were no small transgression; and it is clear that the attending of the ministry of such must be an accepting of them as ministers lawfully called, notwithstanding that they want the election of the people, and have nothing for their warrant but a presentation from the patron. And so this would be nothing else, upon the matter, but a consenting unto this encroachment, and a joining with such as wrong and spoil the church: to say that people in that case should protest against these encroachments, and so exonerate themselves, were to put them to run their heads against a wall; and, next, their refusing thus to obey the act is, upon the matter, a protestation, and, if after their protestation they were bound to hear them and attend their ministry, they should undo their own protestation by their

after carriage; for, by their protestation, they declare that they cannot look upon them as ministers having a lawful call according to the laws of Christ, and, by their after carriage, in constant attending of their ministry, they should declare to all that they own them as lawfully called ministers; and thus their practice should belie their protestation. Nor will it be of any force to say that their forefathers did submit unto the ministry of such as had no other call but the patron's presentation; for there is a vast difference to be put betwixt a time wherein the church is advancing in a course of reformation, and a time wherein she is declining and sliding back from that degree of reformation unto which she had already attained. In a time wherein the church is but coming out of darkness, and the day is but beginning to break up, many things may then be comported with and tolerated which may not be submitted unto after the church hath got all these abuses reformed. Every believer and every church is bound to stand fast in that which they have attained unto, and not to cede in a hoof: so that Christians living in a time wherein the church is but beginning to wrestle up from under the heap of error and corruption, may be allowed to do many things which must not be done when the noontide of the day is come. In the time of the reformation begun by Luther and others, many things might have been comported within the church (reformation being a gradual motion that hath but small beginnings and risings) which now, since the reformation hath been carried on, through the blessing of God, to that degree it was advanced to, cannot be allowed. When God hath wonderfully, by his mighty power and outstretched arm, brought a church to a great length in reformation, it will be the duty of that church, and of the members thereof, to adhere to that degree unto which they have attained with all perseverance. It will be lawful for the church which is but coming up the hill to stand at such a step until they gain another, when yet it will not be lawful for the same church to go backward after they have advanced. The truth once bought should never be sold. So then the consequence is null. Their forefathers stumbled not nor did scruple at the doing of such or such things; therefore those in this generation who have advanced, through the blessing of God, unto a farther degree of reformation, should not scruple either. It is a

T

poor consequence to say, The posterity may return backward because their forefathers could not advance farther. Much more may be seen when the sun is up than in the twilight therefore the scrupling of honest people now doth no way condemn their forefathers; but, on the contrary, the stedfastness of their forefathers, in standing to the degree to which they had reached, and their endeavouring to advance, will condemn this generation for backsliding. In their days those abuses and corruptions were not remedied,―the church was not then freed of that yoke of oppression,-and, further, their after consent unto such ministers made up this defect; but those in this generation are not at liberty to give or grant their after consent, because they are engaged to stand to the work of reformation, and to own it in all its parts, whereof this is one, namely, the putting away of the usurpation of patrons, and the putting the church in possession of her own privileges; and this they must own, upon any hazard, if they would not betray their trust. The right way of election was not settled by law in their forefathers' days, and so they were groaning under that oppression, and constrained to make the best of that ill bargain they could; but it were utterly intolerable for those in this generation to consent unto the wreathing of that yoke, which hath been once loosed from their jaws, about their necks again. Nor will it be of any force to say, within few ages, yea, or years, such a thing as this will never be scrupled at; for if defection be carried on with as great vehemency as it hath been these few years bypast, it is like gross Popery shall not be scrupled at ere long, except by such as now do scruple to countenance those intruders. And whatever the following posterity may be allowed to do to prevent worse, it will plead nothing for those in this generation; because it is their part to stand in the gap, and leave their dead bodies there rather than give way unto any degree of defection which may cause posterity to curse them. More is expected of a standing army than of straggling soldiers: these may make some shift after the army is broken to get as good quarters as they may, when it were baseness and utterly unlawful for any to do so while the army is unbroken. Small things should be stood at in the time of the beginning of an apostacy: when the waters of corruption are beginning to break in the

least hole should be stopped and watched

over.

10. By giving obedience unto this act they should, upon the matter, justify and approve of, and consent unto the violent and cruel thrusting out of these whom God had settled in those places, and whose labours he had blessed; and thus they should consent unto this terrible act for persecution of the godly and faithful ministers of the Lord. And therefore they could not do it in conscience. The antecedent is cleared thus: Because to embrace and encourage such were to approve of the ground upon which they enter, and that is, their compliance with the sinful defection, and their submission and obedience unto the sinful injunctions of the time. And what were that else but a condemning of the honest ministers who could not in conscience so comply nor submit, and an approving of the sad sentence gone out against them? He who willingly submitteth unto an usurper, and accepteth of him as a lawful superior, by yielding all active obedience, doth thereby declare that the right of the usurper is good, and better than his right who is outed by the usurper, or he doth what in him lieth to make it so.

11. It may be questioned as to some of them, whether they be ministers at all or not; for as they have not the qualifications required by the Apostle, neither as to life nor abilities, being scandalous in their life and conversation, to the view of all onlookers; and as to doctrine, being either corrupt or utterly insufficient, having none of the qualifications requisite; so, nor have they anything like a solemn ordination, or setting apart for that office, having no imposition of hands of the presbytery, with fasting and prayer, according to the order of the gospel, but the sole warrant and mission of the prelate; and therefore it cannot be lawful to countenance such, and to look upon them as lawful ministers. It is true, private Christians may not set themselves up into the chair, and judge of the endowments and qualifications of ministers, and what nulleth their office and what not, yet every private Christian hath the use of the judgment of discretion, and that way may judge whether such an one appears qualified according to the rule of the word or not. It is certain there may be times wherein such men may be set up into that office as have few or none of all those qualifications required in the word. Such corruption may

overgrow the church (as bypast experience hath abundantly evinced in the times of Popery) as that the most unfit men imaginable shall be installed in the office of the ministry; yea, and now likewise some such might be instanced if it were fit. Now, albeit it be hard for private persons to take upon them to unminister such as are coram hominibus (though not coram Deo, in God's account, wanting these qualifications which his word requireth) installed in the office, yet, when the standing, clear, and undeniable laws are rejected, and such put in place who would not once be evened thereunto if the qualifications which the word requireth were once eyed, they cannot be condemned for withdrawing from such, and for refusing to attend their ministry, or to countenance and encourage them as lawful ministers of Christ ought to be countenanced and encouraged. It is likewise certain that private Christians may know whether such an one be ordained according to the primitive order, or only hath the prelate's hands laid on him, or no imposition of hands at all, and, accordingly, may carry themselves towards such.

12. It is certain there is much corruption in the way of their entry, if not a whole mass of corruption, all circumstances being considered; and so the yielding obedience unto this act now, when these corruptions are well known, should be an approving of these corruptions, whereas they should partake of no man's sin, but keep themselves pure, and bear testimony against these corruptions so far as they can; and there is no other way for them now to do it but by refusing to yield obedience unto this act: there is no access for complaints, and such as would but petition should in so far accuse themselves.

13. To yield obedience to this act, and attend the ministry of such when there are others to be heard, either in public or private, were to wrong their own souls, to mar and hinder their own edification and spiritual profiting, by running to cisterns without water. What blessing can be expected upon the preaching of such as have palpably perjured themselves in owning the prelates; as have made defection from the truth, and are prosecuting a course of defection, and making themselves captains to lead the people back into Egypt; as stuff their preachings with railing against the work of God and power of godliness; as encourage pro

fanity and wickedness, and are themselves. patterns of all profanity and debaucheries? Can it be expected that God will bless such as are thus qualified for the service of Satan, and are driving on his design? Can it be expected that God will countenance such as run unsent, and are thieves, climbing up at the windows, and are not entering in by the door; who feed themselves and not the flock, who strengthen not the diseased, nor heal that which was sick, nor bind up that which was broken, nor bring again that which is driven away, nor seek that which is lost; but with force and cruelty rule over them? Will God bless such whom he solemnly protesteth by his oath that he is against? Ezek. xxxiv. 10. And, seeing a blessing cannot be expected upon their labours, but rather a curse, as daily experience maketh good, when it is seen that even such as had something like parts before are now totally blasted of God,their right eye almost already put out, and their right arm dried up,-how can any think of attending their ministry, when, instead of any work of conversion or conviction among people, there is nothing seen. but a fearful hardening in profanity, so that such as seemed to have something like religion before, now, through hearing of them ordinarily, are turned altogether loose and profane. Is there not a seen curse upon them and their labours? Who then can adventure to obey this act? Hath it not been seen how signally God hath testified his displeasure against some who, for fear or somewhat else, over the belly of their light, would obey the act; and, upon the other hand, how he hath signally approved such who have resolved to suffer rather than sin upon that account? Instances of both might be given were it pertinent. Shall it then be safe for any to seek the law at their mouth, seeing it is so much to be questioned if they be the messengers of the Lord of hosts, and so clear that they are departed out of the way, and have caused many to stumble at the law, and have corrupted the covenant of Levi, and are now made so contemptible and base before all the people? Yea, where there is no such hazard of being misled, it is lawful for people to go and hear such ministers as they profit most by, as worthy Dr Voetius cleareth, Polit. Eccles., p. 72, from these grounds: 1. People should choose the best and most edifying gifts; 2. Scripture favoureth this choosing, Luke viii.

18; 1 Thess. v. 21; and he further there answereth three or four objections. Much more will it be lawful for people to hear other ministers in the case now under consideration.

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14. Christ alloweth his people and followers to refuse to hear such unsent and false teachers as it is enjoined in the act, John x., where he giveth it as a mark and character of one of his sheep, that he will not follow a stranger, but flee from him, for his people know not the voice of a stranger (ver. 5). And who this stranger is the former verses show, where he is called thief and a robber," ver. 1.; and that because he entereth not in by the door, but climbeth up some other way, and wanteth those qualifications of a good shepherd mentioned, ver. 3, 4. And therefore it cannot be sinful or unlawful to refuse obedience unto that act, seeing such as are now coinmanded by the act to be heard are, as to their entry, intruders, and in their doctrine erroneous, and, as to the discharge of their trust, mere hirelings, and therefore must not be hearkened unto, but fled from. Calvin on the place saith, "This is the spirit of discretion by which his chosen ones do discern the truth from men's fictions. And their obedience herein is commended, not only in that they pleasantly meet together when they hear the voice of a true shepherd, but also in that they will not hearken unto the voice of a stranger." It is one of Mr Hutcheson's notes upon the place, that "the true sheep are so far enabled to discern false teachers and corrupt doctrine, as they do approve of neither but will flee from them, that they be not infected nor ensnared with their allurements; for a stranger they will not follow when he calls them to follow him

in a wrong way, but will flee from him (as one they will having nothing to do withal), and that because they know not the voice of strangers; that is, they do not approve them, though they have a knowledge of discerning whereby they know them and their doctrine to be nought. This is asserted of Christ's sheep, not because they cannot at all err, nor yet only because it is their duty thus to do (for that is common to them with reprobates), but because, when any do either embrace false doctrine, or fall in liking with corrupt men who run unsent, it is no sign of their grace, but of their corruption so to do.

It will be objected, 1. That Christ com

mandeth to hear the scribes and the Pharisees who did sit in Moses' chair, Matt. xxiii. And those of whom now the question is are not worse than the scribes and Pharisees were; and therefore it cannot be lawful to refuse obedience unto this act. Ans. For solution of this objection, which seemeth to be the main one, these things would be considered: 1. That those scribes and Pharisees were as naughty men as then lived upon the face of the earth, and were still enemies unto Christ, and were false teachers; their doctrine was leavened with sour and dangerous tenets, among which this was a chief, That Christ was not the Messias; and upon this account Christ desireth his disciples to "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,' Matt. xvi. 6. 2. They were men that had no lawful call unto that place which they did assume to themselves, which appeareth from these particulars: (1.) Christ calleth them thieves, and robbers, and strangers, John x. 1, 5, 8, and that not merely because of their false doctrine, nor yet merely because of their carnal way of entry, as hirelings seeking gain, but also because of their usurping the place and office, and entering thereinto without a call from God; for the ground and reason why Christ calleth and proveth them to be thieves and robbers is, because they entered not by the door, but climbed up some other way, and the porter did not open unto them (ver. 3), and they came before him; that is, without his warrant and commission: they took not the right way of entry, they came not in at the right door, and with God's approbation. (2.) Matt. xv. 13, Christ calleth them plants which his " heavenly Father hath not planted," and there he is speaking of themselves (and not of their doctrine only), who were offended at Christ's doctrine, and it was them (and not their doctrine alone) that Christ would have his disciples to let alone: "Let them alone (says he), for they be blind leaders of the blind;" and this will suit the scope very well; for his disciples had laid some weight on this, that they were men in office, and therefore the stumbling and offending of them seemed to be some great business. But Christ replieth, that albeit they had been planted, or had planted themselves, in that office and charge, yet they were such plants as his heavenly Father had never planted, and therefore they were the less to be regarded. Gualther on the place saith, "That it is clear, out of