precarious footing of the pure will of
wicked and ungodly men? The smallest acquaintance with divine revelation
will readily convince, that he hath not. It may as well, and with the
same parity of reason, be refused, that there are any qualifications
requisite, as essential to the being and validity of the office of the
ministry, but only necessary to its well-being and usefulness; and
therefore, is as lawful (in its exercise) in the want of these
qualifications, as the ordinance of magistracy is accounted to be. But
how contrary is this to scripture, _Tit._ i, 7, 8; 1 _Tim._ iii, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, &c. Now, comparing these with the above-cited texts,
respecting the qualifications of magistrates, it appears, that the
qualifications of the magistrate are required in the same express and as
strong terms (if not also somewhat more clearly,) as the qualifications
of the minister; and seeing a holy God hath made no difference, as to
the essentiality of the qualifications pertaining to these distinct
ordinances, it is too much presumption for any creature to attempt doing
it. Both magistrate and minister are, in their different and distinct
spheres, clothed with an equal authority from the law of God,--have
subjection and obedience equally, under the same pains, required to them
respectively, (as _Deut_. xvii. 9 to 13; 2 _Chron_. xix, 5 to 11; _Heb_.
xiii, 17, &c.)--and the qualifications of both, as above, stated and
determined with equal peremptoriness, making them no less essential to
the being and validity of the one than the other. And this being the
case, it is not easy to understand how _Seceders_ will reconcile their
principles anent civil government, with their principle and practice, in
separating from an established church or ministry, whose constitution
they acknowledge to be good; and who being presbyterially ordained, are
also still countenanced by the body of the people. Sure, had they dealt
fairly, honestly and impartially in the matters of God, they would have
acted in this case agreeably to their declared principle, page 79th of
their pamphlet, viz.: "The passages holding forth these qualifications
and duties of magistrates, do not by the remotest hint imply, that, if
in any wise they be deficient in, or make defection from the same, their
authority and commands, even in matters lawful, must not be subjected
unto and obeyed," &c. Certainly, according to this, all the
deficiencies, defections, and mal-administra