tions in the church, could
never have been a warrantable ground (which yet they make the only
ground) of their separation from her. "But on the contrary," they should
still have continued in communion with her, and subjection to her in
matters lawful, in a way of testifying "against the same, and essaying
their reformation, by all means that were habile for them." _Seceders_
must either grant, that such was their duty, and so of themselves
condemn their separation as unwarrantable; or else deny, that the
qualifications of the magistrate and minister are required in the same
express terms in scripture; that both are clothed with an equal (though
distinct) authority; and that subjection and obedience are under the
same pains enjoined to both, and consequently say, that it is less
dangerous to cast off, contemn and disregard the authority of a church,
than that of the state; while yet (according to their scheme) civil
authority is entirely resolved into, and depends purely upon the
changeable will of civil society. But, it is presumed, they will allow,
that ecclesiastical authority is derived, and flows from, and depends
entirely upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone, the glorious Judge, Lawgiver,
and King of his church; so that (according to them) this being of a far
more noble extract and original, it must be of far more dangerous
consequence, to contemn and cast off it, than the other.

Again, as this doctrine gives unto men a negative over the Holy One of
Israel, it also opens a wide door for introducing and enforcing the
cause of deism, already too prevalent: for, if all who are set up by
civil society, however wicked, and void of the qualifications God has
required, while they are acknowledged and submitted to by their
constituents, must be equally regarded as God's ordinance, with those
who have those qualifications; then it will follow, that the corrupt
will of wicked men legitimates the magistrate's office and authority,
not only without, but in contradiction to the preceptive will of God;
and what is this (_absit blasphemia_), but to exalt man above God, in
giving unto the universal Sovereign and Supreme Lawgiver, only a
consultative power in the constitution of magistracy, while it ascribes
unto man an absolute and definitive power, whereby they have power to
receive or reject the law of God (at least respecting magistracy) at
pleasure, and their deed of constitution be equally valid, when
opposite, as when agreeable