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NARRATIVE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Rise and Progress 
 
 CONTROVERSY 
 
 About the 
 
 National Covenants, 
 
 and 
 OftheWAYS that have been taken a- 
 bout It on both Sides, ^^^ 
 
 By Mr. JohnGlas^^^ , 
 
 Acts xxi. 20, 21. Thoufeefi, Brother,how many frf"* 
 of lews there are which believe, and they are jealous 
 Ifthe Law. And they are informed ef f ^"* 
 teachefiall the Jews which are among the <* ntll « * 
 ' Make Mofes, faying. That they ought not to circumaf* 
 their Children, neither to walk after the Cufioms. 
 Verfe 27, 28. The Jews which were of Afaflrred.tt «» 
 the People, and laid Hands on him, Crying out Men of 
 I(racl,ift : This is the Man that teacheth all Men every 
 where again ft the People, and the Law, and this Plate. 
 A c r s xxv. 7, 8. The Jews, which came down from Je- 
 TuMen,, flood round about, and laid m<M and grievous 
 Complaints againfi Paul, which they couUnot P^Wh* 
 he anfweredfor himfelf, Wither againfi the Law of the 
 Jews, neither againfi the Temple, nor yet againfi ^elar 3 
 have I offended any Thing at all. 
 Gal. vi. 12 16. 
 
 EDINBURGH, 
 Printed in fbc Year M.DCC.XXVni, 
 
 h €*■■ 3 
 
C in ] 
 
 To all that love our Lord J e- 
 sus Ghrist, of whatever 
 penomination, into whofe 
 Hands this may come. 
 
 TU B Caufe here contended fir is common to you all '; 
 and) however you may he prejudiced againft {t, and 
 againft him that here contends for it unto Suffering) 
 on Account of his Infirmities, and the Reproach he lies under', 
 hut chiefly for the Sake of the Parties wherein ye are engaged, 
 and the different Ways you take from one another, which 
 may be attributed to the different Meafures of Light you have, 
 in enquiring into the Mind of Chrift in his Word, and perhaps, 
 to your fubjeBing your f elves too much, in many Things, to the 
 Do&rines and Commandments of Men ; yea, and to your 
 conforming your felves, more than is your Duty, to the Com- 
 fes of a prefent World, and not proving, what is that good y 
 andperfeB, and acceptable Will of God; nor prefencing 
 your Bodies a living Sacrifice: Tet this has been undertaken 
 may I fay, for your Sokes, by one thai thinks himfelf bound, 
 ly great Obligations, to ferve you', and ought to reckon himfelf 
 highly honour d, in being enabled to fpend and be fpent in 
 your Service. If this be granted to him, whatever Requites he 
 receive from you now, h? will havefome Confidence to look 
 for the Approbation of your Lord, and therefore your Approba- 
 tion in that Day, which will put a full End to all your Dif- 
 ferences. There is nothing more dreadful than to offend you, 
 or to bejufily the ObjeB of the Offence of the leaf: of you : 
 And thoyoufjould be offended without jujl Ground, even by * 
 Mans telling you the Truth', yet, in that fame Cafe, it is his 
 Duty, to do his heft tofatisfy you, and this is the Defignofthe 
 3 £ jclkwing 
 
[ > ] 
 
 following Narrative : Wherein yon have my Views of tit* 
 Matter, fitch as they are, laid open before you and the World 
 
 If any pall convince me of a Mi flake, I pall, I hope, frankly 
 acknowledge it \ but if any intend to he contentious, and in- 
 cline merely to contradiB whafs here fajd, or reproach or 
 wrangle with me, they pall have free Liberty to fpeak with- 
 out any Return, As jor the Subjeft of Controverfy, i am 
 content to fubmrt it to your fudgment ', If this mofi reaf&n- 
 able Requefi be granted me, That you judge for your f elves 
 and bring me and this Caufe only to the Standard of the 
 Word of the Lord Jefus> the Old Tefiament and the New : 
 and that ye condemn me not, till ye have the Mind of your 
 ■Lord, in that his Word, made known to you upon this Head 
 by him f elf 
 
 I expeh, at leaf, fome of you will acknowledge th@\ 
 Things I fay, to be tolerable; but it may be, at the fames 
 Time, aHedged, that Ipouldhave kept them to my felf; as 
 if I had the Truths of Chrifi at my own Difpofal to deal 
 with them, as I fee befi for nif own Conveniency, and for 
 maintaining a Peace in the World, which our Lord came not 
 to fend ; and as if I were not under an Obligation to declare 
 the whole Counfel of God, fo fa? as* tis known to me, without 
 hiding, mincing, or dijfembling^a&y Part of it', and that 
 under the highefi Pains. Shokldlf&mpQfe my Sentiments^ 
 wherein I differ from others JriihiA Matter, upon any, or 
 feek to do Violence on any Man's &fi$:ience who differs from 
 me, or excommunicate any of the People of Chrifi, even i'n 
 the Thoughts of my Hearty for differing from me in this 
 Matter, without any fcandalous Tranfgreffion of the Laws of 
 Chrifi, I would then be ' in Rebellion againfi the roval Law 
 of Liberty : But if I withhold any Part of the Counfel of God y 
 n keep up any Truth of Chrifi, that to mm appears for the 
 Profit of his People, {as aU his Truths are) tho' thro* Preju- 
 dices they may rife up againfi it ; or if I forbear to profefs it 
 on any worldly Ccnfi deration, I am, in that Cafe, a Tranfi 
 greffor of the Law of Chrifi- If it were as criminal, a- 
 mongthe Profeffors of Chrifiianity, and with fome in this 
 Church, to fpeak againfi the Jewifh Sabbath, according to 
 Col. u. 1 6. as it is to fpeak againfi that Sort of National 
 Covenants^ that fome are fo zoaUus ef } would it be my 
 
 My 
 
[ V ] 
 
 Duty in that Cafe, to forbear fpeakzng of the GhrrjBan Dp-* 
 Brine, if ike Change of the Sabbath, and of the Day of Reft J 
 that remains to the People of God, Heb.M*. 9, 10 1 IfitW 
 would, then I'll fay, it is not eafy to fee how Chrifiiaxs 
 fbould fuffer Perfection for the haft ifChrift's Truths, ov 
 how Paul was a Sufferer for Chrifi, when he fufferedfrom 
 Judaizing Difciples, as weUasjrom the Jews .* For, migh^ 
 he not have held his Peace ? Why did he needlejly bring a 
 Crefs uponhimfelf? And, Why did he give needle] s Offence 
 to the Thoufands of Jews that believed ? But I beg Leave to 
 think, Paul was a Sufferer for Chrifi, and for his Members 3 
 in that fame Bujinefs. 
 
 However, now this Mazier is already publiped, mofe than 
 ever I defign d, and that by them who have been pretending 
 Endeavours, to fmother it, and by thefe very Means which 
 have been intended to fmqther it. And mw, that it is pu-+ 
 bliped, ipferves to lead you to your Bibles, and to free fome 
 of you from a Toke that the Lord fefus never laid upon you' f 
 and chiefly to call, you in from thefe Ways wherein you have 
 been too much divided and fcattered from one another 3 
 and tco much mingled with the Men of this World, 
 and too much engaged in their greatefl Concerns, unto 
 more Attendance to thai, whereby you are all diftinguifi'd 
 from the Men thaT follow t the Ccurfe of this World, and 
 the Prince of the Power of the -Air ', and wherein you are all 
 one among your f elves, e^Qhrift crucified, ihefole Ground 
 of your Peace with God^^md^iih one another, and of your 
 Separation from the Worfe. Hb is fo fet -forth to you in his 
 Word and in his Infiimion^, that have the Stamp of his Ah- 
 
 ■ thority upon them, aid he is the only Lord of your Confcience 
 and of your Faith,, This is what the new Nature in you a- 
 grees to ; and whatever Miflakes may be in the Manner of pur ~ 
 fuing it, this is the End of what is laid before you in the fol- 
 lowing Sheets. Pray for me that I may have" Ground to call 
 
 ■ wyfelfyour Brother and Companion in the Kingdom and 
 patience of Jefus Chrijl, 
 
 January 26. 
 
 1 7*83 John G l a s f . 
 
 AM 
 

C * 1 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the Rise 
 and Progress of the 
 CONTROVERSY about 
 the National Covenants, &c. 
 
 BECAUSE, what has pafled in this 
 Country, with Refpeet to the Nati- 
 onal Covenants, has been manylVays 
 mifreprefented ^ fome have thought it ne- 
 ceflary, That a full Account fhoula be given 
 of the Rife of that Controverfy, and the Me- 
 thods taken in managing it. I confefs I am 
 a very unfit Hand for this, as for other 
 Reafons \ fo, becaufe every Body muft con- 
 clude I am under a Byafs in this Matter. 
 But mice the Ears of all People have been 
 filled with -ftrange Accounts from, the one 
 Hand, Reafon requires that fomething mould 
 be heard on the other Part : For no Man 
 ftiould be condemned until he be heard, and 
 it be known what he doth. And if any, 
 that have been offended by what they have 
 heard, will be pleafed to allow me a Hear- 
 ing in this Cafe, I fhall only fay, that I 
 hope I fhall not wilfully tell a Lye $ and 
 when they have heard, I am content they 
 A pafi 
 
pafs what Judgment they fliall find molt a- 
 greable to that Word by which we muft be 
 judged' at length : For indeed it ought to be 
 a (mall Thing with me to he judged of them 3 
 -or of Mans Judgment 3 yea, I am not mine 
 •own Judge y He that judgethus, is the Lord. 
 I was never worthy to ferve God in the 
 Gofpel of his glorious Son ^ but Sovereignty 
 would have it fo, and that it fhould be in "a 
 Country generally accounted as Heathen, hy 
 the m of our Perfwafion in other Parts. 
 When I came to this Place, I ought to have 
 ■determined with my J elf to know nothing, 
 among this People, but Jefus Chrift, and 
 him crucified, and to preach him to an .ig- 
 norant and ungodly People, as I had heard 
 them commonly reckoned to be. I did not 
 think it my Bimnefs to draw them over to 
 any ofthefe little Seels, that have made 
 fuch Noife in the "World $ but to perfwade 
 them to be Ch^iftians^ and when I have 
 been asked why-I did not infift againft Epi- 
 fcopacy in my Sermons for Ordinary, as zea- 
 lous Minifters had done before me$ my An- 
 fwer was, if they were once Chriftians, it 
 were then perhaps Time to fpeak of that. 
 I thought it my Duty to enquire if there 
 were any Difciples ofChrift in the Place 
 where I am concerned, and I found a very 
 Few, moft of them from other Places, and 
 all of them abundantly zealous of Presby- 
 tery. 
 
L 3 1 
 tery : But having been diflatisfied with Tom© 
 Things in my PredecefTor's Managements, 
 and encouraged in that Diflatisfaffion by a 
 neighbouring Minifter, who infilled much 
 on the National-Covenants, and the Defecti- 
 ons of the Church 5 and fome of them being 
 withheld from fealing Ordinances by their 
 own Minifter, on Account of their not duly 
 attending his Miniftry, were laid open to 
 receive Informations from fuch as feparate 
 from this Church on Account of the Cove- 
 nants 5 and I was much furprifed when I 
 found that they had drunk in many of their 
 Notions, e xpeding to find no fuch Thing 
 in this Country. Some of them were a- 
 bundantly .rankled at the Magiftracy and 
 prefent Miniftry in this Church ^ particu- 
 larly, on Account of the Oath of Abjurati- 
 on : However, they heard me ^ but I came 
 to know that they were expelling no Bene- 
 fit by the Ordinances, on Account of what 
 they called Defections of the Church, and, 
 as is ufual with them of that Way of Think- 
 ing, magnifying the former covenanting 
 Days, and prophefying of great Days to 
 come, by the reviving of thefe Covenants 5 
 but, as for this Day, expecting no Benefit 
 by the Gofpel, nor lying open to its Influ- 
 ence. Thus the holy and wife Providence 
 of God ordered Things •, fb that this was the 
 firffc Thing I had to contend with, as a con- 
 A 2 fiderable 
 
* L I 4 1 
 
 Jiderable Bar lying lithe Way of the Edifi- 
 cation of inch as profeffed Religion in the 
 Place. r 'Tis true> fjme, that were of more 
 Discretion, ftood with me in this Matter, 
 and mewed me much Kindnefs *, but I was 
 grievoufly perfecuted with the Tongues of 
 thofe I have been defer ibing, when I began 
 to fet my felf againft their Way : And if it 
 had not pleafed the Sovereign Lord to ftand 
 by me, and go forth with me in Preaching, 
 fo as to bring fome to a x>rofeiTed Subjection 
 to the Gcfpel of Chrift; I had undoubtedly 
 funk under the Oppofition I met with from 
 that Sect. But when the Lord gave Tefti- 
 anony to the Word of his Grace, tho 5 they 
 iniinuated Sufpicions of Delufion $ yet they 
 were in a great Meafure filenced, and one 
 of them, a good Man, that died very chri- 
 ftianly of late in a neighbouring Parilh, 
 forfook that Way altogether, lamenting the 
 Harm it had done him, and communicated 
 with us. Thus the Lord delivered me from 
 this People at that Time, and fent me to 
 them, whom they reckoned as Gentiles, to 
 turn them from Darknefs to the Light, mew- 
 ing thereby, that of Stones he was able to 
 raife up Children to Abraham. But, after 
 a while, they began to infinuate, upon the 
 young ProfefTors of the Gofpel, bad Impref- 
 iions of the Miniftry, and Ordinances 
 difpenfed by them, as if there were no real 
 
 Be- 
 
C 5 3 
 
 Benefit to "be expected from them ^ fo that 
 fome of them have confefled to me that 
 their Edification was marred by theft and 
 fuch like Impreiiions, till it pleafedT the 
 Lord to fliew them the Snare. I ever ab- 
 horred that filly Art of engaging Profeffors 
 to me by Flattery, and when I reproved any 
 young Profeflbrs for any Thing unchriftian 
 in their Behaviour, if they happened to take 
 it ill, then was the Opportunity for that 
 Sort of People to inimuate upon them, which 
 they did not fail to take, and they were 
 ready to hearken to them in that Cafe. 
 
 All this put me upon thinking, with 
 fome Care and Concern, to have my Con- 
 fcience fatisfied concerning the Kingdom of 
 Chrift, which that Sort have fo, much im 
 their Mouths, and concerning the Covenants, 
 with out "which they can fee no Kingdom to 
 Chrift. I refolved, if poffible, to be at the 
 Bottom of this Controverfy, and that it 
 fhould be determined to me hy the Word 
 of the Lord Jefus, and by that only.: And I 
 cannot refine, but in Procefs of Time, anS 
 by Degrees, I have been directed into fuch 
 a "Way of Thinking on that great Subject, 
 as is not altogether agreeable to the prevail- 
 ing Notions of the ftricf eft Seel among us. ^ 
 but according to the Truth of Chrift m the 
 Word concerning his Kingdom of Heaven, 
 as typified by, and diftinguilhed from his 
 A 3 earthly 
 
C 6- ] 
 
 earthly Kingdom, among his typical People 
 'Ifrael. And I am perfwaded that the 
 Lengths, to which man)* - have gone upon 
 the Principles of National Covenanting, fet- 
 ting their Affe&ions upon a temporal earth- 
 ly State of Chrift's Kingdom, have proceed- 
 ed from Ignorance of, or Inadvertency to 
 this Truth, concerning Chrift's Kingdom in 
 the New Teftament Church, fo much in- 
 filled on, by our Lord and his Apoftles, in 
 the New Teftament, and fb little taken No- 
 tice of ordinarily among us. This Truth, 
 in my Uptakings of it, was moft pleafant 
 and fatisfying to me, and, gave me a glori- 
 ous View of the New Teftament State of 
 Things under Jefus Chrift the Mediator of 
 the New Covenant, and of the Old Tefta- 
 ment 5 as all, one Way or other, referring 
 and pointing to it : But then I had done with 
 National Covenanting, under the New Te- 
 ftament, according to all the Views, that 
 they who are truly zealous for our National 
 Covenants, have had of that Covenanting. 
 However, if this Humour of them that 
 are not fatisfied, unlefs they fee a temporal 
 Kingdom to Chrift, had refted in the Place 
 where I am immediately concerned, I had 
 not troubled the World with my Thoughts 
 upon the Covenants, further than in private 
 dealing with my own People : But it did 
 not reft there, for the ProfefTors of Religion 
 
 in 
 
C 7 1 
 
 In Montr of e^ the eaftern Parts of Angus , and 
 In the Mearns, began to entertain thefe 
 fame Notions which J had obferved in our 
 People. This took its Rife from Mx. James 
 Trail's Affair, wherein the People of Mon- 
 tr of e^ who have no fmall Influence on the 
 Body of the Profeflbrs in that Country, were 
 encouraged, in an Offence taken at Mr. 
 ^Trail, by feveral Minifters in that Presb}^ 
 tery, and in the Synod ^ particularly Mr. 
 
 W- n, with his Friends, and Mr. 
 
 G r, whopufhed that Affair with a 
 
 Keennefs, and unto a Length that I hope 
 they themfelves now repent of: For it iffu- 
 ed in the Death of Mr. Tnz?/, and in the 
 almoft Separation of the ProfefTors in Mon- 
 tr of e and the Me arm from the prefent Mi* 
 niftry ; For upon this Occafion, being en= 
 coufaged in publick Appearances in Judica- 
 tories againft their Minifter, and in bad Im- 
 preilions of their Minifter, and of the Mi- 
 nifters that either withftood them, or did 
 not mew fuch Keennefs for their Caufe, as 
 they defired} they were thus put in Cafe to 
 receive the Things, that are fpoken by 
 the Diffenters from this Church, on Account 
 of the Covenants. They were alfo further 
 difgufted at the prefent Miniftry by the 
 Managements of the Presbytery, in the 
 Settlement of Montrofe 5 and, tho' 'tis true 
 the Presbytery made them feme Compen- 
 A 4 fatioa 
 
i « i 
 
 fation, by inftrufting their Members to the 
 AfTembly, to feek the Renewal of the Co- 
 venants-, yet they came the Length fcarcely 
 to hear any, in that Country, but ( Mr. 
 J _ s K—r, and Mr. F— s A — J 9 
 and were upon the very Point of total Sepa- 
 ration. 
 
 About that Time I was called to alTift 
 Mr. K - r on the Occafion of his admini- 
 ftring the Sacrament, and preached in the 
 Hearing of that People fo, as I thought was 
 moft fuitable for their Cafe. After Sermon, 
 I was attacked by them, and found them in- 
 clining to ftrange Heights. I di<J what I 
 could to perfwade them to fubmit to their 
 Minifter, and ftrengthen his Hands, but, 
 for ought I faw, in vain : Tho 3 afterward, 
 fome of them have confeffed, that, by what 
 they heard that Day, they were kept in from 
 the Lengths to which they were before in- 
 clined. I preformed likewife to give my 
 Advice to Mr.. K — - r, with Refpedt to 
 his giving them any Encouragement. I 
 limit likewife take Notice, that I found them 
 ftill more incenfecl by Accounts they had 
 received of the Edition of the Confeihon of 
 Faith without the Solemn League. And 
 beoaife I "knew- how much, not only they, 
 fciit a great man}?' through the Nation, were 
 fed with the Judicatories : I thought 
 I fej the Commillioa or Aflembly 
 
 to 
 
C 9 1 
 
 to give them needlefsOffence : For I could 
 not underftand, why it might not be allow'd 
 to be in the Books as formerly, and there- 
 fore, I was concern'd that this Ground of 
 OfTerice might be removed. But our Bufi- 
 nefs in Angus went on. 
 
 The Affair of Separation received a notable 
 Blow in other Parts of the Land by Mr. 
 Hepburn s Death ; and in my View, the Re- 
 covery of this was expected frcm among us. 
 Therefore queftion not, but all Psins was 
 taken on Mr. A — ~-£s inclining that Way, 
 to lead him off, with the People of Angus 
 and Mearns, that join'd Hand with him. 
 
 It happened, if I miftake not, that the 
 Presbytery of ' Aberbrothwick had not, rill a- 
 bout this Time, fubfcrib'd the Formula 17 1 1. 
 and, according to the Affembly's Act, they 
 all fign'd it, except Mr. A~- d\ who, be- 
 ing call'd upon to lign it, refus'd 5 and, hj 
 way of Reafbns, gave in a Paper to the Prefr 
 bytery, containing an Account of all the 
 Defections of the Church from the cove- 
 nanted Work, beginning at the publick Re- 
 folutions, and proceeding to this Day, This 
 Paper, as I take it, was, for Subftance, the 
 fame with another Paper handed about a- 
 mong Profeflbrs of Religion in Angus and 
 Mearns, to be fubfcruVd and given in to 
 the Synod, as an Introduction to a defign'd 
 Separation. This Paper came to Dundee, 
 
 and 
 
J 10 1 
 
 and* one of the People otMontrofe, with a 
 Separatift in Dundee, made an Attack upon 
 that G. M. of whom Mr. Willifon writes in 
 his Afflicted Man's Companion. Tho" by the 
 Preface of that Book, the Reader would be 
 ready to imagine, that it were Men of ano- 
 ther Stamp he is there {peaking of, even 
 fuch as liy'd in the warmeft brotherly Af- 
 feclion with that fame G. M and had enough 
 to do to perfwade him to hear Mr. Willifon 
 for fame Time, till he found fome Benefit 
 by that Sermon of his, on Pfal. lxxxv. 8. 
 of which he writes $ while, it feems, he has 
 not known that the extraordinary Things he 
 there reports concerning G. M. took their 
 Rife, and were for the mod Part carried on 
 by the Sermons of one of his Colleagues : 
 But whether it were he or they, fo they 
 preach'd, and To he felt. And they that 
 are not fatisfy'd in the Covenants, are confi- 
 dent that" they have faid nothing on that 
 Head, or with reipeQ: to the Ordinances, 
 but what is agreeable to G. Ms Way of 
 Thinkings yet his differing from theni 
 could not have alter'd their Judgment, who 
 have neither the Opinion of Martyrs, nor 
 the Judgment of Men of extraordinary Ex- 
 perience for the Rule of their Faith. How- 
 ever, when this was the Cafe with Profef- 
 fors, and Tome Pains were taken in Durr+ 
 dee to obtain Subfcriptions to this Paper, 
 
 (the' 
 
C « 3 
 
 (tho* afterwards I understood they got none) 
 I had a very melancholy View of Circum- 
 ftances, with refpect to the ProfefTion of the 
 Gofpel in this Country. I thought I had 
 feen an open Door to the Gofpel among us ^ 
 People thronging to the preaching of the 
 "Word} the Lord's Hand with Minifters 5 and 
 not a few beginning to {hew forth the Fruits 
 of the Gofpel in their Life. And on the 
 other Hand, I obferv'd them that profefs'd 
 Subje&ion to the Gofpel in the Eaftern Parts, 
 ready to break off,, and Endeavours us'd to 
 draw along with them the People in Dundee? 
 who have no fmall Influence on the Coun- 
 try about $ and confidering, that this was 
 the Way wherein I found Satan fetting him- 
 felf againfl: the Gofpel in the Parilh where 
 I preach, I doubted not but this was of the 
 fame Kind, and if it took, was the moft e£ 
 fedtual Way to ruine the Intereft of the Gof- 
 pel In this Country. 
 
 Hereupon I thought my felf bound no 
 longer to forbear, and reckon'd it my Duty 
 16 give the People, fb far as I had Accefe, 
 fome Information upon that Point ^ even as 
 I my felf had been taught. 
 
 About this Time, Mr. G r preach'd 
 
 on a Faft Day within a Mile of Dundee , Mr. 
 W #, and feveral of the People of Dun- 
 dee being prefent, and I was alfo his Hearer. 
 His Sermon was full of the Covenants, with- 
 out 
 
. C 12 .] 
 
 out any Caution. Of this I complain'd, as 
 moft unfeafonable, in a Converfation I had 
 with Mr. 'W— — n that fame Night, and 
 having Accefs to preach the next Lord's 
 Day at that Place, where there was a great 
 Confluence of People from Dundee and o- 
 ther Parts, I took the Liberty, when fpeak- 
 ing of ftumbling at Chrift, to tell the People 
 what follows, or to the fame Purpofe. c As 
 the flricteft Sect among the Jews, in the 
 Days of our Lord and his Apoftles, 
 ftumbl'd at this Stumbling-ftone, mewing * 
 a Zeal of God -, fo might fome in our Day 
 {tumble at him, defpifing the prefent 
 Appearances he makes to them in the 
 Gofpel, and extolling the Fathers, with 
 the Works of God in their Day, to the 
 Difparagement of the Works he does in 
 their own Day : So not knowing or im- 
 proving the Time of their merciful Vifi- 
 tation, and this through a miftaken No- 
 tion of the Nature of Chrift's Kingdom, as y 
 if it were of this World, and came with 
 Obfervation, and as if his Servants were 
 to fight for him, taking him by Force to 
 make him a King. So, that tho 5 not a few 
 of the Poor, to whom the Gofpel is 
 preached,are of the Truth,and hear Chrift's 
 Voice, being made willing by his Power, 
 and tho* the Kingdom of God be come 
 to us ; yet all is defpis'd by thefe, or at 
 
 < leaft 
 
c m ] 
 
 leaft, 'tis to them a Day of fmall Things • 
 becaufe there is not an Aflbciation of the 
 Nations, and a Combination of the Church 
 and State, to make Chrift a King hy Vio- 
 lence, and the Power of the Sword 5 and 
 becaufe the whole Nation is not obliged, 
 whether they will or not, to fubjecl: them- 
 felves to this Kingdom of Chrift, or to 
 feign Subje&ion to it. The Dilciples of 
 our Lord themfelves,- while he was with 
 them, were fo much prejudiced with this 
 Notion of a temporal Kingdom, that they 
 eould not admit the Thoughts of his 
 Death, wherein he is the Foundation that 
 God hath laid in Zion «, and they were fb 
 intent upon the reftoring that Kingdom to 
 IJruify that they loft the prefent Benefit 
 of .many of his excellent Sayings con- 
 cerning his Crcfs, the Salvation of the 
 World thereby, and their Duty of follow- 
 ing him, bearing his Crofs. And the 
 . Multitude that would take him by Force, 
 and make him a King, with many that 
 profefs'd to be his Difcipl.es, went back, 
 and walked no more with him, when in 
 ftead of the earthly Things they were 
 minding, he prefs'd them to a' believing 
 Fellowmip with him in his Crofs, faying, 
 Except ye eat the Fie ft, and drink the Blood 
 of the Son of 'Man , ye have no Life in you. 
 
 Upon 
 
."■'.'Jt "O 
 
 Upon this, fome Noife was made, and 
 fome Offence taken ^ and after fome Time, 
 at another Occafion of the like Nature, I 
 touch'd but a very little upon that Subject $ 
 and then the News was, that I was eating in 
 what I had faid. I knew what Ufe wuuld 
 be made of this : For, if that People could 
 but perfwade themfelves that I had any Re- 
 morfe, it would be lookt upon as a notable 
 Confirmation to them in their Way ^ and fo 
 better I had never open'd my Mouth on 
 that Subject. Sometime after this, having 
 Occafion to preach in Dundee,. I took that 
 Text, Eph. ii. 14. and preach'd Chrift cru- 
 cified, the Mediator of the new Covenant, 
 the Peace of his People, not only with God, 
 but with one another y and Ihew'd how he 
 became fb, by demolifliing the Wall of 
 Partition betwixt Jews and Gentiles, through 
 his Death and Blood fealing the New Tefta^ 
 ment, which we have now inftead of that 
 which is done away. And I endeavour'd to 
 fhew, that the fetting up of any other Co- 
 venant like unto that old Wall of Partition 
 now under the" New Teftament, whereby 
 we fhould be related to God, and to one a- 
 nother as his People, lerv'd unto the Pur- 
 pofe of dividing the Lord's People from one 
 another, and joining them with fuch as had 
 no fuitable Appearance of being his. This 
 made great Noife not only in thjs Country, 
 
 but 
 
C u 1 
 
 tut ill other Parts 5 and Mr. W — » n con- 
 ceive fome Offence at this : However, the 
 Appearances of the feparating Party began, 
 after a while, to wax faint, Providence fo 
 ordering it. 
 
 I was then with Mr. W n in the Af- 
 fair of a Settlement that divided the Presby- 
 tery, and found him (till at Pains, as I 
 thought; to form them, that ftood with him 
 in that Matter ,into a ftanding Party for him 
 in the Presbytery. I was never fond of fuch 
 Clubbing, and flood as much off as could 
 be ^ but one Day when they met I wasfent 
 
 For, and when I came Mr. W^~- n began 
 
 a grave Speech, (hewing the Neceility of 
 our holding together, and what a fad Thing 
 it would be if we divided among our fel ves. 
 Then he fignif y'd his Offence on the Subject 
 of the Covenants 5 and, after a little Rea- 
 foning upon it, he propos'd Intercourfe on 
 that Head by Writing, which I did not al- 
 together decline ^ but fome prefent figni- 
 fy'd, they could not approve of that, fearing 
 it would turn to a Paper War. 
 
 All this while Mr. A d was reckon'd 
 
 to be upon the Point of going off to the Di£ 
 (enters, and they were expecting him every 
 Day. His Cafe was lying before the Sy- 
 nod, and I convers'd him upon the Subject 
 of Difference at the Meeting of the Synod 
 in Montr of? y Qftober 172 J. I had heard feve- 
 
[ I* J 
 
 ral Amounts of him 5 but in Converfatiori 
 with him, I found him a Man of Integrity 
 and Confidence, endeavouring to follow his 
 Light exaclly, and willing to receive more 5 
 of an. excellent fedate natural Temper- and, 
 which is a rare Thing among them of that 
 Way, of a truly extenfive Chriftian Charity : 
 So that, tho J I dinerM much from him in my 
 Judgment on that Subject} yet fo much of 
 the Chriftian Spirit appeared in him, that I 
 thought my felf bound to love him.- After 
 this Converfation, fome Time in December, 
 he wrote me a Letter, defiring to know my 
 Mind" more fully as to the Covenants, fig- 
 nifying his very freely, and at the fame 
 Time fhewing his earneft Defire of more 
 Light, as to the Duty of his Day and Place. 
 Upon the Receipt of this, I wrote for him 
 that Letter, which has fince gone abroad, 
 and been much complain'd of by them who 
 have thought themfelves concern'd fo to do. 
 It was done in hafte, and never defign'd for 
 publick View ^ yea, by the Advice of fome 
 Friends, I forbore to fend it, and wrote to 
 
 tyix.A rfthat I choos'd rather to con- 
 
 verfe with him on the Subjecl. We con- 
 verse at fome Length rin a neighbouring 
 Minifter's Houfe, and tho', for any Thing 
 I could fee, I prevailed nothings yet I was 
 ftill more engaged to the Man, on the 
 Grounds already mentioned. The Letter 
 
 went 
 
. C '17 ' ] - 
 
 Went not abroad, till next Summer, when 
 the Bufinefs of the Covenants began to 
 make more Noife, and feverals were very 
 earneft to know the Principles from which 
 I oppos'd thefe Covenants y but even then, 
 it was given out with great Caution, and it 
 has been furprifing to me to find, that fb ma- 
 ny had got it in their Hands, However, it is 
 no Secret now,andnotwithftanding of ail that 
 has been faid againft it y and all the bitter 
 Invectives againft the Author of it, I am 
 nowife aftlam'd to fhew it to the World,' 
 that it may fpeak for itfelf I fhall only 
 add a few marginal Notes, for obviating 
 fome Objections made againft it, till fuch. 
 Time as (if the Lord will) I give a more 
 fall and diftinct Account of the Principles 
 contained in it. The Letter is as follows. 
 
 R. D. E. % |#? 
 
 c "^7 Ours of the 8. came" to my Hand on A 
 c I the 18. and tho' I have, had little 
 
 * fpare Time iince to apply my Thoughts 
 
 * to the Subject whereof- you write, and 
 
 * have not prefently at Hand the Authors 
 c you mention •, yet, becaufe you defire a 
 6 ipeedy Return, I fhall endeavour to lay 
 f open to you fuch Thoughts as I have at 
 
 * prefent upon that Subject, and that with 
 1 all Freedom^ as to a Brothef •, intending 
 X nothing, if I deceive not my felf, but 
 
 - B I ysMt 
 
___ C is 3 
 
 your Profit, or my own Convl&ion •, if I 
 be in a Miftake, putting Confidence in | 
 you, that no illUfe will be made of my 
 Freedom * defiring alfo to think foberly 
 in a Matter, wherein a great many of the 
 Godly in the Nation are of different Sen- 
 timents from what I incline to think, and 
 to be fo much fenfible of my Blindnefs, 
 and the ftrong Byafs in me to Error, and 
 my Readinefs to be deceiv'd, as to ly o- 
 pen to Cenvidibh from the Law and the 
 Teftimony. 
 
 ' My Scruples .then with refped to our 
 Covenant s 9 efpecially, the Solemn League, 
 the Lawfulnefs of entring into them ^ and 
 therefore, the Obligation of them, take 
 their Rife chiefly from the View I have 
 of the New Teftament Church, and its Di- 
 ftin&ion from the Church of the Old Te- 
 ftament. And, i. I think it was pecu- 
 liar to the Old Teftament Church ofl/rael, 
 that the Commonwealth and the Church 
 were the fame (a) t fo that to be a Member 
 
 ' of 
 
 (a) The Subftance of what's pleaded againft this, iy, 
 That the Judicial Law; was diftinft from the Ceremo- 
 nial, the Kings from the Priefts, and the Matters of the 
 King's Government from the Matters of the, Lord's Wor- 
 &ip in the Temple ; and that the Prefident of the Court 
 fet to judge by Jehojbafhat in the King's Matters, was 
 4iftin& from the PreficteQtof that fame Court fet to judge 
 
 fcy 
 
of that Commonwealth and the Ctittrda 
 
 c were 
 
 fey him in the Lord's Matters, 2 Chron, xix. 8, 9, io, 
 II. And. the whole Argument goes upon the Suppoii- 
 t ion of the Thing in queftion, i. $. That the Matters of 
 the Lord's Worfhip in the Temple were not only the 
 moft faered Matters, but the only faered Matters^ an<# 
 that there was nothing Eccledaftick, but what belong'cf 
 immediately to the Worfhip of God arid the Temple Ser- 
 vice : For 'tis alledg\i, that the Nation was unto God a 
 holy Nation, Exod* xix. 6. and the Flock of God? Jer. xxiiii 
 I, 2. and that the Kings were Paftors of this his Flock : 
 Sotjiatthe King's Matters were Ecclefiaftick, and thus 
 other Things were of the Church befide the Things of 
 the Priefthood and Te/nple Service,- This is miferably 
 confuted, by tellings that thefe other Matters were not 
 the Matters of the Lord's Worfbip in the Temple ; there- 
 fore they belong'd not to the Church. 'Tis ftill affirm'd^ 
 that the Judicial Law, the Inftrument of Government ire 
 the Commonwealth, was a faered Law, tho 9 it was not. 
 the Ceremonial Law ; that the Seventy Elders, who re- 
 ceived of Mofes's Spirit for judging in the Commonwealth^ 
 Numb. xi. Were faered Officers, tho 3 they were ~~ftot 
 Priefts, and that the Kings, especially they tfiat fat uport 
 the Throne of David, were Church Rulers,- tho' they 
 ©ffer'd not. Sacrifice, nor Were Prophets j as Jehojhaphat- 
 letting a Court to judge in the Lord's Matters, as well as 
 in the'King's Matters. Under thje Old Teftament, Pro- 
 phets were Church Oncers who were not Priefts, and 
 their Buiinefs, beiide foretelling the Mejfiah, was to give 1 
 an Account of the Lord's fpecial Providence about that 
 his Nation, according to the Covenant he made with it 
 at Sinai. Under the New Teftament Deacons are Church 
 Officers, tho' they be not Bifliops ; and Chrift's Kingly- 
 Office is truly Eccieila ft ick, tho 3 it be not his Prieftly o£ 
 lice; and th©' it would be greatly abus'd, ifimproveri 
 any Way to ssake void his Prieftly Office, h% to what 
 . B 3 is 
 
E. 20 3 
 
 were then the fame.(i)-, and the reft of 
 the Nations being Aliens to that Com- 
 monwealth, which was ^t he only viilble 
 Church, were without the Church of God, 
 
 ^ 
 
 Eph. 
 
 is laid of Excommunication, 'tis defired, that it may he' 
 made manifeft from the Old "Teftament, ffcat any ex- 
 communicated Perfon enjoy'd the Privileges of the Com- 
 monwealth as before Excommunication. Nothing is now 
 . faid againft the Identity of the Jewifi Church and Com- 
 monwealth, but what is borrow'd from the great GiJ- 
 leffie's Aaron j Rod'', and I defire, that what he fays in 
 the firft Chapter againft the Era/lions, may be duly con-, 
 iidered. If the main Point, which is there driven a- 
 gainft the Evafiians, be eftablifhed, tho* it be not done in 
 the fame Way, my differing from that great Man is not 
 of fuch Importance as fbme would have it to be. 
 
 (b) The Profelytes of Juftice were as much Members; 
 of the Commonwealth as they were of* the Church, by 
 their coming within the Bond of the Covenant of Cir- 
 cumcifion, Exocl. xii. 48. and of the National Covenant 
 at Sinai> Dent. xxix. 10, II, 12. 'Tis faid, They were 
 not admitted to bear Office in the Government of the 
 Commonwealth ; but, Were they admitted to bear Of- 
 iice about the Worflup of God, as Priefts or Levites ? 
 Ruth was no Alien from the Commonwealth of Ifrael, 
 It will not be-eafy to (hew the Difference betwixt Je<ws<> 
 dwelling in other Nations and coming to Jentfahm to 
 
 worfhip, and Profelytes in thefe Gircumftances, further 
 than, that the Jews were really of the Seed of Abraham y 
 and the Profelytes only as of it, by coming within the 
 .Bond of the Covenants made with Abraham 's Seed ac- 
 cording to the Flefh ; which is the Reafon of the Di- 
 ftin&ion of Jews into Jews and Profelytes, ABs ii. 5, 
 10. See the Lord's. Appointment, Exptb Kil 42> — ~-4$j 
 40. lev. xi\'. 54. 
 
I 2i j 
 
 Eph. ii. 12. (c). But m Oppofition to. 
 this typical Church, which was an earthly 
 
 6 King- 
 
 0) The Words of that Text, Eph. ii iz. may be, 
 • translated thus, T#/Jtf at that Time ye, were without Chriji- 
 leing Aliens from the Commonwealth of Jfrael, and Stran /L 
 gers from the Covenants, orTefiamenis, having^ no Hope irL 
 the Promife, and without' God in the World. I find the Co-' 
 venants^ or Teftaments, diftinguifh'd from the Prorrufes, 
 Rcyn. i^« 4> and 'tis eafier to 'tell -how the Promife of 
 Chrift, containing the Covenant of Grace, was many 
 Promifes, than to give a fatisfying Account how one only 
 Covenant was more Covenants than one. , However the* 
 Words of that Text be render'd, the Senfe to me is the 
 fame; the uncircumcifed Gentiles were without Chrift, 
 by their being Aliens from the Commonwealth of ifrael, 
 and Strangers to the' Covenant of Circumciiion, made 
 with Abraham's Seed according to the Flefh, till Chrift, 
 .the promifed Seed, fhould come, and fubfervient unto 
 that great Promife of the Seed, in whom the Nations 
 fhould be bleffed, who was prefigur'd in Circumciiion ; 
 and by their being Strangers to the Covenant which the 
 Lord made with the Nation of Ifrael at Sinai, whereby 
 that great ^Promife of Chrift was inelos'd to the Nation 
 of Ifvael, as it had been to the Houfe of Jacob and the 
 Children of Ifrael, by the Covenant of Circumciiion be- 
 fore :_ And as the uncircumcis'd Nations were without 
 Chrift, by their being Aliens from the Commonwealth of 
 Ifrael, as Strangers to thefe Covenants ; fo thereby they 
 W&re without Hope in the Promife of Chrift, and did 
 not ftand in any Covenant-relation to God, as his Church 
 and People. If the Profelytes, who were circumcifed, 
 _were not belonging to this Commonwealth by thefe Co- 
 venants, then they were without Chrift, having no Hope in 
 the Promife, and without God, in the World. Yea, it may , 
 be fupposM, that Profelytes had fome Intereft in the Jhri- 
 vileges of the Commonwealth bf ifrael, who yet knew* 
 , B~J not 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 * Kingdom 7 (VJ the New Teftament Church 
 ■ or Kingdom of Heaven, coniifts not of any 
 I one earthly Kingdom, nor of many Com- 
 monwealths 
 
 pot the Covenants of Prpmife, if thereby were to be un- 
 derftood the Covenant of Grace : For many of the $e<wk 
 themfelves knew not that Covenant ; tho' they had more 
 Accefs to know it than other Men. 
 
 {d) That Church or Congregation of the Lord (Afts 
 yii. 38. ) confined of all Ifrael according to the Flefli, 
 who were redeemed opt of Egypt with a temporal and 
 earthly Kedempticn, to whom tlje Lord gaye the Land 
 jofCanaap> a Spot of this Earth, for ah Inheritance, and 
 who were a holy Nation unto God above all the Nations 
 of the Earth ; It is not doubted that ifrael, according to 
 the Fleih, was a Type of Ifrael according to the Spirit, 
 jpor that the Redemption out of Egypt was a Type of tl;e 
 Ipiritual and eternal Redemption, whereof the fpiritual 
 Ifrael are Partakers, nor that Canaan*, the Inheritance of 
 ifrael according to the Flefh, was a Type of the hea- 
 venly Inheritance of Ifrael according to the Spirit : And 
 there is as little Reafon to doubt, that the Nation of God, 
 the Congregation of the Lord, confirming of the Tribes 
 of Ifrael according to the FlefH, was a Type of the holy 
 Nation confifting of the true ifrael, of all the Families of 
 the Earth called out of Darknefs into God's marvellous 
 Zighiy I Pet. ii. % 10. and of the general Affembly, the 
 Church ofthefrfi born. Heb. xji. 23. This is the Nati- 
 on bringing forth the Fruits of the Kingdom of God. 
 Now when the Kingdom of God is taken from that Nati- 
 on, that brought not: forth thefe Fruits of it, thefe two 
 Nations and Congregations of the Lord are not the fame 
 Thing, but differ as far as Flelh and Spirit,- Earth and 
 ^leaven, arid the one is cafu off, to 2\vt place unto the 
 other, of which all, who were of. the Spirit of old, are 
 now a Part, according to their Faith in the Promife of ify 
 apd their earneft pefires and Hopes'. 
 
■ t, T ?3 '-1 
 
 monwealths join d in one 5 but of a So- 
 ciety gather J d out of all Nations into one 
 in Chrift, with the Spirits of ju/i Men mads 
 perfeff, and the innumerable Company of An* 
 gels. Tis. a general Affembly of the firffi 
 Born of all Nations whofe Names are writ- 
 ten in Heaven and who are redeemed to 
 God by the Blood of the Lamb out of every 
 Nation, Tongue and Language. And the 
 vifible Church of Chrift upon the Earth is 
 a Society diftinct from all earthly Com- 
 monwealths ^ confifting only of fuch as 
 in any Nation have a fair Appearance of 
 belonging unto this heavenly Society, and 
 not of any whole Nation $ for Chrift mull 
 rule every where in the midft of his Ene- 
 mies: (e) So that, the Church and Com- 
 monwealth under the New Teftament be- 
 ing diftindt, our being Members of any 
 Commonwealth makes us not Members of 
 the Church, nor can our mere being no 
 Members of the Church deprive us of the 
 Privileges of the Commonwealth ^ which 
 B 4 « yet 
 
 ( e } Our Lord declares his Will that the Diftin&ion 
 betwixt Believers his Followers and the World fhould be 
 fome Way vifible wherever his People are, and* that the 
 Controverfy between the Seed of the Woman and of the 
 Serpent fhould appear in the Earth, fee John xvii. 14^ 
 l6 v 2o'2i, and Luke xii. 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, Where- 
 ver Chrift cftacified is purely preached and profeffed,_ 
 there will be a Diviiiqn among the People becaufe of him. 
 
C 24 ] 
 yet behov'd to be, if the Commonwealth 
 and the Church were the fame. 
 * 2. TheCommonwealth of 'Ifrael became a 
 Church by Yirtue of the Covenants of 
 Promife, (f) from which the Gentiles 
 were Strangers. Thefe Covenants, as I 
 take it, were the Covenant ofCircumci- 
 fion, and the Sinai Covenant, including 
 in it the whole Law of Commandments 
 contained in Ordinances. And thefe Co- 
 nants are called the Covenants of Promife •, 
 becaufe by them the Promife of Chrift 
 was inclos'd among the Seed of Abraham 
 
 < ac- 
 
 ( f ) TIick there was a Church in Families from the 
 firlt Promife, Gen. iii. 15. yet the Church of Ifrael was 
 not till the Covenant of Circumcihon, neither was the 
 Commonwealth of, ifrael a Church till the Covenant at. 
 Sinai ; for till then that Commonwealth or Nation was -^ 
 not. -This Church, which was a Commonwealth, had 
 its Church State firft from the Covenant of Circumcifion, 
 whereby Abraham's Seed, according to the Flefh, ftood 
 related unto God in a temporal Relation, and wherein 
 it was promife d, That this Sctd fhould be a great Nation, 
 and poftefs the Land of Canaan, Exod. vi. 5, S. and 
 then by the Swat Covenant, wherein God ftood related 
 to that Seed as his Nation and his Kingdom, Eyod. xi\'. 
 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Thus pah thou fay to the Houfe of 
 Jacob, andtelLthe Children of 'Ifrael, ye have feen what 
 I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare yon on Eagle's 
 Wings-, and brought you unto my felf. Now therefore, if ye- 
 will obey my Voice indeed, and keep my Covenant, then ye 
 fall be a -peculiar Tre afire unto me above all People ', for all 
 the Earth is mine, and ye pall he unto rne i&Kingdom of 
 TrlcjlS) and an I ply Nation, ckc. 
 
[ 25 ] 
 according to the Flefh, and to the Com- 
 monwealth of Ifrart, until the promis'd- 
 Seed fhou'd come -, and thefe Covenants 
 were a Wall of Partition betwixt the Jew- 
 ifjj Commonwealth and the other Com- 
 monwealths and Nations of the "Earth/ex- 
 cluding them from Chrift, till he mould 
 come. Now by the Sinai Covenant the 
 IfraeTites held, ( g ) the Land of Canaan, 
 that earthly Inheritance, the Seat of their 
 Church, typifying the heavenly Inheri- 
 tance, and much of their Happineis in 
 that Land, depended upon their keeping 
 
 " c this 
 
 . ( g ) Tho' the Lord gave not the Inheritance of Cana- 
 an by the Law, but by the free Temporal Promife made 
 to Abraham- (of making his Seed a Nation, and giving 
 them that Land ) which the Covenant at Sinai, eftabli- 
 fhcd upon that Promife, and containing the Law, could 
 not difmnul; even as it could not difannul the fpiritual 
 and eternal Promife of the Seed Chrift, and of Blef- 
 fednefs to all Nations in him : Yet notwithftanding,.the 
 Ifvaelhes held the Land of Canaan by the Covenant at 
 Sinai, and their Happineis in that Land' depended upon 
 their keeping that Covenant; as is very evident to any, 
 that, read the Bleffings and Curfes of the Law, as it Rood 
 in that Covenant, with the Hiftory of Ifrael, going up 
 through the Wildernefs.to' Canaan, and .living in Canaan, 
 and tne Hiftoryof the Captivity, with' the Writings of 
 die Prophets. God obliged himfelfby Promife to mike 
 Abraham's Seed a Nation and give them that Lanci, but 
 he did not oblige hfmfelf to give that Generation., that 
 came out oiEgypt, the Land, 'nor to ^ive any Generation 
 of them Happinefs in that Land, whether they kept his 
 Covenantor not. 
 
E *s ] 
 
 * . this Covenant, and fo it behov'd to be fre* 
 ' quently renew'd upon the National Breach^ 
 ' es of it. Jerem. xxxiv. $$~i~/. And then, 
 c by thefe Covenants they flood fairer for 
 
 * Salvation by Chrift than other Nations, ! 
 
 * walked together as Brethren, and had the 
 c .Lords fpecial Prefence, in their Common- 
 
 * wealth •, fo they were a Church by thefe 
 c Covenants. But now, under the New 
 ' Teftament, Chrift himfelf, fet forth cruv 
 c cify'd in the preach'd Gofpel unto all Peo- 
 c pie without Diftindtion, to be believed in 
 c unto Salvation, is come in the Room of 
 
 * thefe Covenants whereby the Promife 
 
 * was inclofed to the Jews.. >He is the true 
 ' Seed of Abraham, whofe if we be, then 
 c are we Abrahams Seed, and Heirs of the 
 
 5 promis'd Inheritance, which was typifjr'd 
 1 by Canaan : Tis by him alone that we 
 : are made free in the Houfe or Church of 
 
 6 God, when the Servants are turn'd out. 
 1 confider John viii. 33, 34, 35, 36. Gal. 
 
 * iii: 28, 29. and iv/25, 26, And there's the 
 : End of the Covenant of Circumcifion- 
 
 ; Chrift, by his Obedience unto the Death in 
 
 - the Room of fome Sinners,of all Sorts,Natir 
 ; ons, Tongues and Languages, has reconciled 
 
 ; both Jews and Gentiles unto God in one Bo^ . 
 ' dy by his Crofs, having /Jain the Enmity there- 
 
 - by, and fo hath abolim'd in his Flefh the 
 Sinai Covenant j and has come and preach- 
 
t 2 7 3 :■ 
 
 P ed Peace to them that were afar off, and 
 \ to them that were near, Eph. 2 Chap. 
 
 * £&?. iv. 24, 30* and there's the End of 
 6 the <Sjwm Covenant, even Chrift the End of 
 c the Law for Right eoufnefs to every one that 
 ? helieveth : So that he, fet forth fully in 
 
 * the preach'd Gofpel to be believed in, is 
 & for a Covenant to the People. If a. xlix. 
 « 6, 7, 8, Ifa. Iv. 3, 4, 5- He is the one 
 c Thing, by which one Sinner can ftand 
 c fairer for the Inheritance than another $ 
 c He is our Peace, and the only Bond of 
 ( Union and Communion in the Church, 
 
 * and by him we have God's fpecial Prefence' 
 ' in the Church. In a Word 3 he is all in, 
 i and unto the CJhurch $ fo that who- 
 c foever receives' him in the Gofpel, is a 
 c Member .of the New Teftament Church -, 
 
 * and a credible ProfeiEon of this, jointly 
 c ~ with others, makes a Man a Member of 
 ¥ the vifible Church. Now to teek the 
 c Thing typify 'd by the Old Covenant elfe- 
 
 * where, or to feek to imitate them by any 
 c earthly Covenants, or to bring in other 
 f Covenants into the New Teftament Church, 
 f as a Foundation of Church Communion, 
 c is in my View crofs to the New Tefta- 
 \ ment Difpenfation, and a Bringing of the 
 j Difciples again under the Yoke of Bon- 
 J dage ^ and therefore by all Means to be a- 
 ' voided; Yer 3 this feems to me, to be 
 
 * \ ' . ' c done 
 
I 28 ] 
 c done by our Covenants, whereby the 
 g Commonwealth, as a Commonwealth, 
 1 enters into Church Communion, as is e- 
 ** vident by the firft Article of the Solemn 
 
 * League and Covenant ^ wherein yet are a 
 
 * great many Things diftindt from this Foun^ 
 
 * dation of Church Fellowfhip I have men- 
 ' tion'd, and feveral Things peculiar to the 
 c Nations of Br it am and Ireland. Yea, any 
 6 Man.that glances 3 may fee there's fo much 
 c of the Commonwealth in it, that there is 
 c fome Ground to doubt, whether the Bufi- 
 
 * nels of the Church or Commonwealth be 
 6 moft driven in it *, or to fufpedt there might 
 
 * be two Parties, one of which minded 
 c chiefly the Commonwealth, and their De- 
 ' figns in it : At leafi, 'tis plain that 
 c Church and Commonwealth are blended 
 c together in it ^ and yet 'tis a Church Co- 
 c yenant, eftablifliing Church Communioii 
 c Upon fuch a Footing as divided the Mem- 
 c bers of the vifible Church from one ano- 
 4 (ther, and mixed in the profane World in- 
 
 * to the Communion of the Church. 
 
 * 3 The Church or Commonwealth of If* 
 c rail had three Handing Offices in it, fui- 
 c table to the earthly but typical Nature of 
 c it, viz. Prophet, Prieft, and King 5 all of 
 f them. Ecclefiafljicfc Offices,like unto which 
 c there was never, nor will beany in anyNa- 
 c tio&.but in that heavenly Nation ,typify J d 
 
 ! by 
 
C 29 1 
 
 f by the earthly Nation of Ifrael, and there 
 ' they are only to be found in the Perfon 
 4 of Jefus Chrift ^ particularly, he is the 011- 
 c \y Thing like the King of Ifrael, and the 
 ' Governors thereof, (h) in the New Tefta- 
 c ment Church, neither is there any other 
 c King there but he. If one of the Kings of 
 c the Earth be there, he is there, no other- 
 c wife but as a Believer in Chrift, and a Sub- 
 
 * je£t unto him, and whatever Power he has 
 c • in the Commonwealth, and over every 
 c Member of it, whether they be Members 
 
 * of the Church or not, ( for there is no 
 t Difference as to that' Point) yet there is 
 
 c none 
 
 ( h ) The King and Governors -of ifrael are call'd z/- 
 ens King, her Heads and her Princes. Lam. ii. 8, 9, 10. 
 See likewife Ezek.. xxii. 27. Micah iii. II. Zeph.. iii. 
 5, 4. Their Office wis to feed the Sheep of the Lord's 
 Pafture, his People and Flock, ^erem. xxiii from the 
 Beginning. The Kingdom in the Houfe of David was^ 
 Light before" God m ?emfahm y the City which 
 lie had chofen to put ^his Name- there.. 1 Kings xi, 
 36. k would require fome AiTurance to affirm thefe and 
 luch Things of the Kings and Governors of the Nations 
 of this World ; but 'tis our Faith tkat Jefus Chrift is the 
 King of Ifvaejy the Lord, our Judge, Lawgiver and King, 
 the Shepherd and Bifihop of our Souls, the good Shepherd 
 that gave his Life for the Sheep, and the King over God's 
 holy Hill zhffy whofe Kingdom is a Lamp or a Light 
 continually before God in the new Jerufalem, which is a- 
 feove, and is the Mother of us all, fee, Owen on Heh. xli. 
 22. Te are come unto Mount Zion. See alfo the Dutch 
 Notes on tufa i, 32, 33^ and Gualterpts ujontjMHac^ 
 
* none of his kingly Power in the Church o 
 ' Kingdom of Heaven. Upon this, I think 
 
 * .out Martyrs fuffer'd, and fofar they wen 
 
 ' the Martyrs of Chrift Jefus ; but it will' 
 
 * he no Confequence from this, that there* 
 c fore their Notions about the Covenant'! 
 c were true, and I bound to embrace them, 
 c till I fee . that they were confident with 
 
 * this Point upon which they fuffer'd : For : 
 4 if the Commonwealth and the Church be 
 § the fame, ( as it is by this Solemn League ) 
 c then he that is King of the Common- 
 
 * wealth, is fo likewife in the Church. Yet 
 € they that renounc'd and burnt the Cove- 
 
 * 113 nts, and perfecuted fuch as adher'd to 
 
 * them, did fo in their Ufiirpation of the 
 
 * royal Prerogative of Jefus Chrift, as the 
 
 * only King in Zion % and fo the condemn* 
 
 * ing of the Covenants can in nowife juftify 
 
 * them* who alfo, for their worldly Ends? 
 ' took the Covenants, and for the fame 
 
 * Ends threw off the Mask again, which 
 
 * they had put on with all the Solemnity of 
 % an Oath. 
 
 ,:« However, *tis plain, that the Solemn 
 € League, being a Church Covenant, brings 
 
 * in earthly Power into this Church, where- 
 
 * of it is the t Bond of Communion : It looks 
 4 not like the Kingdom of Chrift, where 
 4 fuch Power hath no Place. His King- 
 '♦dom* if it Were of this World, his Servants 
 
 '■ would 
 
C.3I 
 
 : him, 
 
 would fight for him, and force Men into 
 his Subjection : But his Kingdom is not 
 from hence, he has another more glori- 
 ous and powerful Way of engaging Sub* 
 je&s. to him. / came, fays he, to bear 
 Witnefs to the tfruth, every one that is -of 
 the Truth heareth my Voice : But this is 
 heavenly and fpiritual, and the Men of 
 this World defpife it exceedingly, Pilate 
 faith, What is Truth ? But the plain Cafe 
 is, when a Multitude were to be brought 
 in to the Church, that had no Senfe of the 
 Truth, nor any Feeling of the Power of 
 it upon their Confciences, they behov'd 
 to be dealt with another Way, and that 
 was, by fuch Power as they had a Senfe 
 of. And is there any Thing of Chrift'g 
 Kingdom in this ? . 
 
 c 4. The Old Teftament typical Church 
 was earthly, an earthly Kingdom ^ it had 
 a worldly San&uary, an earthly Seat uf 
 Worihip, and oi Church Power : For in 
 the earthly Jerufalem were the Thrones 
 of Judgment, the Thrones of the Houfe 
 of David. It had an earthly Inheritance, 
 and it had an earthly Glory in it. Yea, 
 there was never an Attempt to imitate it 
 by any earthly Community, that any Way 
 equal'd the outward Comelinefs and Great- 
 nefs of it: Yet it was no more but 3 
 Shadow of the heavenly Kingdom of our 
 - < Lord 
 
■ J* C h ] ' 
 
 c Lord Jefus ^ and, abftrad from the typi 
 
 * cal Relation it had to him and his King 
 c dom, it had no true Glory in it* Yea 
 
 * the Covenants of this Church, being earth- 
 c ly, had nothing defirable in them, ab- 
 
 * ftradtly from the Promife, and the Sub- 
 
 * ferviency wherein they were laid unto 
 
 * Chrift : For, without him they gender'd 
 c unto Bondage, and could never give Free- 
 c dom, or Boldnefs of Accefs unto him 5 
 ' For they were legal and earthly : And yet 
 I even in that fame Refpedt, they had fome- 
 c thing about them beyond what any other 
 c legal earthly Covenant can ever amount 
 1 to. And I call all Church Covenants le- 
 
 * gal and earthly, that go not upon the 
 ' pure Footing of the New Te'ftament Dif- 
 ' penfation (z). The Lord plainly intimates 
 
 * this 
 
 (0 Or befides the New Covenant or New Teftament, 
 eftablifh'd upon the better Promifes of the Seed of the Wo- 
 man, Abraham and David the fpiritual and - eternal Pro- 
 mifes; even the New Covenant, whereof Jefus is the Me- 
 diator, which is another Covenant than that at Siwai y and- 
 prefigured by it, as is plain from Gal. iv. Chap, from the, 
 2 1 Verfe to the End, Bzjsk. Chap. xvi. verie 8, 50, 60. 
 61, 62, 63. Heb.vnu from the 0. Verfe to the End. jfer, 
 xxxi. 31, 32. Heb. ix. from the 15, to the 23 Verfe. Of 
 this New Covenant, Baptifm and the Lord's Supper are 
 the Signs and Seals. God is not now related to any as their 
 God ; but in this Covenant whicrTis fealed with the Blood 
 of Jefus Chrift ', as the firft Covenant was dedicated with 
 
 the 
 
f « 1 
 
 this Diftinftion between the new Cove- 
 nant and the old, Heb. viii. when he fays, 
 / will put my Laws into their Minds, and 
 write them in their Hearts, Sec. But now, 
 the New Teftament Church is a fpiritual 
 and heavenly Kingdom : For the Lord, by 
 afcending to the Father's right Hand, and 
 entring into the Holier! by his own Blood, 
 has tranflated the Place of the Church's 
 Worfhip (k) from Earth to Heaven, and 
 there is now the Seat of Church Power : 
 (•/) There alfo is the Church's Inheri- 
 
 6 tances 
 
 the Blood of the typical Sacrifices, wherewith alio the 
 Book of the Law, in that Covenant, was fprinkled : Ancf 
 herein it had the Advantage of any religious Covenant 
 diftinft from the new Covenant, which alone is feal'ct 
 by the Blood of Jefus Chrift. All "Engagements unto 
 religious Duties in any other Covenant/ but that fealM 
 with the Blood of Chrift, where we have the Law 
 fprinkled with his Blood, are legal. And a Covenant of 
 Duties, diftind: from this new Covenant, as it is a ground- 
 lefs Imagination, fo it is a dangerous Thing to meddle 
 with ; but it is a moft pleafant, warrantable, and fafs 
 Thing, to engage to Duties requir'd in the new Cove- 
 nant, as they ftand there fprinkled with the Blood of the 
 
 Mediator. ,- 
 
 (k) So fays the Apoftle, Heh, ix, 8, 9, lo, 1 1, 12, 
 
 24, For Chrift is not entred into the holy Places made- 
 
 with Hands, which are the Figures of the True ; but into 
 Heaven it f elf now to appear in the We fence of God for us, 
 See Heh. x. 19,20,21, 22. and Heb. xi. 14, 15, 1 6, and 
 Heh. viii. from the Beginning to the 5 Verfe. 
 
 . (/) Where the King fits on the Throne of the King- 
 dom, Pfal.cx, Pfal, ciii. 19. ?/<?', xlyii, A'ffs ii 35, 
 C 34, 
 
I H 1 
 th( 
 
 c tance: There the Saints of the Old Tefta- 
 c ment are brought into one Church, 
 6 and gathered together in one, with the 
 c General Affembly, and church of the Firft- 
 e born in Chriji Jefus, in whom, as the 
 c Head, the Things in Heaven, and Things 
 c on Earth are gather'd together. This Je- 
 € rufalem, which is thus above,' is free, and 
 
 * is .the Mother of all them that areChrift's. 
 c In him we- are hlefs'd with all fpiritual Blef- 
 6 fings in heavenly Places^ and are raisd up 
 ' to fit with him in heavenly Places \ and by 
 ' his Blood we have Accefs into the Holieji 
 c of all j which was not of OH made mani- 
 c feft, and that in every Act of the New 
 
 4 Teftament Worfliip. From thence, even 
 
 * from the Father's right Hand, he rules in 
 c the mir-ft of his Enemies, and makes a 
 c . People willing in the .Day of his Power. 
 
 5 Confider tph. ii. and Heb. xii. Why turn 
 fi we then again to the beggarly Elements? 
 c Let us leek the Things that are above, 
 
 * where Jefus fits on the right Hand of 
 c God, and fet our Affections on them, and 
 
 * not on Things on the Earth •, and lb we 
 
 ' may 
 
 34, 35, 3d. pfal, Ixviii. 18. Eph. iv. 9, to, n, 12, 
 13. Anu where all the Ads of Government in Gofpel 
 Churches, which are of his Infliruticn, are ratify 'd and 
 confirm'd, hax T ing alfo all their Force and Efficacy from 
 thentCj Matih, xviii. 15^ 16, 17^ j$. 
 
€ may do in the Ordinances of the Lord's 
 f Appointment in his vifible Church on 
 c ' Earth, which are all glorioufly fubfervi- 
 c ent unto this ' Fellowfhip jin the heavenly 
 c tenifalem : But, kuhefe Covenants, and 
 c ' tide State of the vifible Church arifing 
 c thereupon, I fee Nothing hut a pitiful Sha~ 
 
 * dow (myot the old earthly Church of If* 
 < rael^ which ferv'd only for 'an Example 
 c and Shadow of heavenly Things. 
 
 ' Now having thus, in Haft and Confu- 
 f fion, endeavoured to lay before you * the 
 c . View of the Dirtindtion betwixt the Old 
 
 * Teftament Church and the New, with 
 c which I cannot reconcile the Uptaking I 
 c have of the Covenants, I {hall next touch 
 4 at fome of the Heads of my Scruples, 
 c which have been occafioned by the Things 
 f already faid, And, 
 
 C 2 < I. X 
 
 (jri) The New Tefbment excels not the Old in exter- 
 nals, but in that which is fpiriwal, 2 Cor. iii Chap. The 
 Glory of the New Teftament is not the Glory of die Let- 
 ter, but of the Spirit, and the Glory of the Letter is done 
 away to give Place to the Glory of the Spirit; the Senfe 
 of that Letter. Our Covenants dealt only in External?, 
 and were defign'd fome Way to exemplify that Letter, 
 which is done away, and a poor Exemplification of itthey 
 were. That Glory of the Letter was.but.a Shadow ant! 
 Prefiguration of the true fpiritual Glory of the New Te- 
 stament ; yet all Imitations of that fame Glory come ve- 
 ry far fliort of it. 
 
C 3« ] 
 
 c i. rfiiid no Warrant, nor any Shadow 
 of a Ground, for thefe Covenants in the 
 New Teftament^ and 'tis ftrange, that the 
 Head of the Church, forefeeing all Cir- 
 cumflances his Church on Earth could be 
 in, has never given any Intimation of fuch 
 a Thing ^ but on the contrary, made an Ac- 
 count of his Church fo apparently crofs' 
 to the Defignof them, if yet they be of 
 fuch Moment unto the Church as fome 
 would have them : And it is likewife ve- 
 ry ftrange, that, when the Difcipline of 
 the vifible Church was moft pure, in the 
 firft Three Hundred Years, there was not 
 the leaft Appearance of thefe Things, 
 without which, fbme go the Length to 
 refufe Communion with the Difciples and 
 Minifters of Chrift in Scotland. And as 
 for the Old Teftament, and what is addu- 
 ced from thence for thefe Covenants, I 
 think it glorious, and manifefts itfelf to be 
 divine iri its fpiritual Accomplifhment in 
 Chrift, and in his fpiritual New Tefta- 
 ment Church 5 for when we turn the Old 
 Teftament to the Lord Chrift, the Vail is 
 taken away. It is the Manner of the Old 
 Teftament to fliadow forth the fpiritual 
 Things of the New by earthly Refemblan- 
 ces, and if we feek not the fpiritual Ac- 
 ; complifhment of them in the New Tefta- 
 ; ment, we will labour, in a great Mea- 
 
 fure 
 
I n V 
 
 fure, at leaft, under the fame Miftake -a- 
 bout them as the Jews did, who were fo 
 poffefled with the Thought of a temporal 
 Kingdom, that they flighted the Appear- 
 ance Chrift made to them in their Day. 
 * 2. I fee plainly they are Church "Co- 
 venants, yea, the very Terms of Church 
 Communion, of walking as Brethren in 
 Love, and enjoying the Lord's Prefence 
 among them, are exprefs'd fpecially in 
 the folemn League ^ and jet they are not 
 pure Ecclefiaftick, hut a great Part belong- 
 ing to the Commonwealth. Yea, the Com- 
 monwealth, as a Commonwealth, enters 
 formally into the League and Covenant, 
 and thereby makes itfelf a Church \ and 
 this Covenant, whereby they become 
 one Church, contains feveral Articles, 
 which are not Ecclefiaftick but Civil, yea, 
 peculiar to the Kingdoms of Britain and 
 Ireland^ very agreable indeed to a Com- 
 monwealth, and a Churclis being one and 
 the fame, as of Old •, but very crols to 
 the Nature of the New Teftament Church, 
 which is not of this World. 
 ' -3. By the Covenants, fpecially the 
 fblemri League, the vifible Church 
 of Chrift is enlarged beyond the Li- 
 mits, that Chrift, the Head of the 
 : Church, hath fet-, becaufe a vifible Unbe- 
 ; liever slight, and many fach a&ually did 
 C 3 ^ take 
 
•t 3».7. ' 
 
 take thefe Covenants^ neither was their 
 talcing of them, any Evidence of their Faith 
 in Chrift, in the Circumftances wherein 
 they 'were taken.- And by ' thefe . Cove- 
 nants the vifible Church is ftraitned 5 fo" 
 that the Limits of it in Britain and Ireland 
 did not extend £0 far as to take in all them 
 that had a credible Profeffion of Faith in 
 Chrift , and Obedience to. him : Chrift rec- 
 kons all them of his Fold that hear hisVoice, 
 i. e. believe in him $and fo obey him y They 
 that have a fuitable Appearance of this then, 
 are the vifibleMembers of his Church: Now 
 this* Sheep-fold of his is one, and he is the 
 one Shepherd pver it •, but many belong- 
 ing unto his Sheep-fold in Britain were ex- 
 cluded the Communion of this" Church e- 
 reded upon the Covenant, which made our 
 walking, as Brethren, m Love and the 
 Lord's Name, being one, to depend upon 
 the neareft Uniformity in Religion, Con- 
 feffion of Faith, Form of Church Govern- 
 ment, Directory for Worfhip, and Catechi- 
 fing, and that according to the Example of 
 the beft reformed Churches ^ and who thefe 
 are is not precifely determin'd. Yea, 
 there are Believers, and vifible ones too, 
 not a few among us in Scotland at this 
 Day, that could not with a clear Confci- 
 ehce, yea, wou'd not fwear to thefe Words 
 in the National Covenant. ( But are 
 
per/waded only in our Confaences, through 
 the Knowledge and Love of God's true Kdi- 
 gion^. B. printed' on our Hearts by the holy 
 Spirit \ as we [hall an/wer to him in the Day 
 when the Secrets of all He arts Jl) all bedi/clofed) 
 f. 4. The folemii League deprives all fuch 
 as cannot take it, not only of Church Com- 
 munion, but of the Privileges due to them 
 as Members of the Commonwealth •, and 
 upon this theProteftersagainftthe publick 
 Refolutions went { very agreeably to the 
 View they had of the Church and the Com- 
 monwealth's being the fame, according to 
 the Covenants, and very agreeably to the 
 Notion of a temporal Kingdom, which 
 Chrift's own Difciples were, very fond of; 
 but very difkgreeably to the Nature of 
 that Kingdom, which is not of this World, 
 and which is not advanced by Force and 
 earthly Power, nor comes with Obferva- ' 
 tion, nor to deftr oy Mens Lives, but to 
 lave them. 
 
 c 5. The Covenants, in my View, pro- 
 ceeded upon the old Miftake of a tempo- 
 ral Kingdom, and from an I.nclination,even 
 in the beft of thefe that had the Conduct 
 in that Bufinefs, to take Chrift by Force, 
 and make him a King ^ and they were 
 plainly defigning an Imitation of the 
 earthly Church of the Jews, in a Thing 
 wherein it ought not to be imitated. I re- 
 C 4 ' member 
 
C 4° 1 I 
 
 member I have read, in the Preface, if I 
 rightly remember, of the Book called 
 Naphali, fomething to this Purpofe, ( that 
 Scotland <was then the likeft on Earth to the 
 Church of the Jews ) and I cannot fay 
 that this leffened my Scruples agamft the 
 Covenants. 
 
 c 6, The Covenants had a Tendency to 
 deftroy the true Difcipline of the chrifti- 
 an Church, which is to be exercifed only 
 by fiich whom Chrift hath appointed in the 
 New Teftament for that End, and that, 
 not by Weapons that are carnal and earth- 
 ly, like human Policy and Powe/, which 
 are the Weapons, in a Commonwealth > 
 but by fpirltual. Weapons, which are migh- 
 ty through God unto thefpiritual Ends, for 
 which he appointed them •, and the next 
 Thing I mention will illuftrate this fur- 
 ther. For 
 
 c j. The Covenants, in the Way where- 
 in the^ were entred into, were a Mean 
 of mixing the profane World with the vi- 
 fible Church in Scotland, Britain and Ire- 
 land?, and lb they did in a great Meaiure 
 deftroy the Diftinc~Hon between the Church 
 and the World, which fo much concerns 
 the Glory of Chrift and the Purity of the 
 Church, that it ftiould be faithfully kept 
 up. It was indeed a Means of avoiding 
 Perfecutioa, to make the Church and the. 
 
 < World 
 
E 4* > 
 
 World one-, but it ruin'd the Hedge of true 
 
 Difcipline, and defiled the Church: For if 
 a little Leaven leavens the whole Lump^ how 
 much more, when the far greater Part is Lea- 
 ven? as it was in the Times of the Cove- 
 nants ; And I cannot help thinking, that 
 if the Half of the Concern and Pains, that 
 was taken to purify the. Army and tlie 
 State, had been beftow'd upon purifying 
 the Communion of the Church from fuch 
 as - had not a credible Profeifion of Faith in 
 Chrift, and Obedience -to him, tho' they 
 took the Covenants, it would have tended 
 much more to the Credit of the Church, 
 and the Glory of the Head of it : And I am 
 of the Mind, that unto the Neglect of this, 
 and not to any Corruption in the State or 
 Army, is owing the Corruption of the re- 
 formed Churches, as to Faith and real Ho- 
 linefs, and their fo much lamentable Con- 
 formity to a prefent World : And I had al- 
 moft faid, if I be in a Miftake youT cor- 
 rect me, That the Purity of the vifible 
 Church, and its due Diftinction from the 
 World makes more for the Honour of 
 Chrift,than that Kind ,# of outward Reforma- 
 tion of many Kingdoms and Common- 
 wealths. 
 
 1 Laftly, The Things that I have found at- 
 tending a Zeal for the Covenants at this 
 ; Day, have given me fome Difguft at it . 
 
 ' For 
 
i 42 1 - 
 For as thefe Covenants have a Tendency , 
 to lead off Men from the Foundation, that 
 God hath laid in Zion^ and the only Cor- 
 ner Stone in it, ( n ) by joining other 
 Things, however lawful in themfelves, 
 as a Foundation of Church Union and 
 Communion. So I find thefe, of my Ac- 
 quaintance, that are zealeufly affected to 
 them, flighting the preaching of the Crofs 
 of Chrift, and the Appearance he makes 
 in the Ordinances, and the profefs'd Sub- 
 jection of poor Sinners unto the Gofpel of 
 Chrift, where this Zeal for thefe Cove- 
 nants is wanting ^ and I find them cool a- 
 bout the one, in their Zeal for the other; 
 yea, however much they declaim againft 
 a legal Spirit, fome, I believe from their 
 Ccnfciences, but many ignorantly, and 
 many upon Party Views and Defigns, 
 yet fomething of a legal Spirit prevails 
 with this Zeal among .thefe of my Ac- 
 quaintance. And as for what you fay up- 
 pon the Head in your Letter anent cove- 
 nanting inChrift's Strength, with looking 
 for Acceptance through him, it makes No- 
 thing ^ you know, as to his Righteoufnefs, 
 
 6 the 
 
 (w) So he is fet forth in the Gofpel and its Ordinances, 
 and lb he iwrhe End of the Gofpel Miniftry, and thus he 
 (lands in the Confeffion of his Peoples Faith. Eph. ii. 14, 
 '24. Eph. iv. XI, iZ 3 13. I Cor* xii. 13. i Cor, x. 16,17. 
 
t 4? 3 
 
 1 the Foundation of the Church, and its U- 
 : nity and Diftin&ion from the World ^ 
 ; the Faith of which is at the Root of all chri- 
 ; ftian Duties : The City, which is the New 
 ' Teftament Church, bears this Motto, The 
 '' Lord our Right eoufriejs, Jer. xzxiii. 16. and 
 £ the Language of the Church is, In the 
 
 * Lord have 1 Kighteoufnefs and Strength. I 
 - find likewife a Spirit of Bitternefs, unfiiit- 
 : able to the Goipel of Chrift, attending 
 { this Zeal (V), and there is much Vent for 
 ' Self this Way. 
 
 * And another Thing that is oifenfive to 
 c me is, their being led by this Zeal into 
 1 unchriftian Principles, about obeying the 
 c civil Magiftrate, in paying him Tribute, 
 ' and profelhng Allegiance to him as the 
 % civil Magiftrate, and acknowledging his 
 6 Right to .govern, notwithfbmding of his 
 c Difference in Religion : To all which " we 
 
 * are bound hy the Command of Chrift, 
 ( (tho* he never requir'd us to do it in a 
 
 * Church Covenant) and their Principles, 
 * ' as to. the civil Magiftrate, are, in my O 
 ' pinion, a Difcredit to the Chriftian Re- 
 c ligion. 
 
 4 I am convinc'd, ' that there are many of 
 
 < the 
 
 (0) If any; queftion the Truth* of this, they may be 
 fatkfy'ci from the Pamphlets that have been lately writ- 
 tea on this Subjeft, and agatinii this Letter. 
 
C 44 J 
 
 the Godly that look this Way, and are zea^ 
 lous for thefe Covenants ; But the Godly 
 are far from being moft exercifed about 
 this: For that wherein they are chiefly 
 exercised, is, the Thing wherein all Chri- 
 ftians, in all Ends of the Earth, are one. 
 I know as lively Chriftians as are of my 
 Acquaintance that have no Zeal this Way. 
 c And 'tis poihble, yea it has been found, 
 1 that there may be great Zeal this Way, 
 i where there is no Christianity : For this 
 6 is much eafier, and more agreeable to 
 * corrupt Nature, than to be exercis'd about 
 6 the Foundation . God has laid in Zhon. 
 c Wherefere, whereto we have already at- 
 c tamed let us walk by the fame Rule, let us 
 c mind the fame Thing, Philip, iii. 15, 16. 
 c And the Things infilled ' on from the 7 
 c Verfe, are the Things wherein all true 
 6 Chriftians, however they may differ in 
 c other Things, are every one, according to 
 6 their Meafure, agreed, &c f 
 
 There follow'd in the Clofe of this Letter 
 fome few Things, ferving to diffwade Mr. 
 A — - - — ■* d from going off to the DifTent- 
 ers, and to perfwade him to fubmit to the 
 prefent Eftablimment •, which, for what I 
 know, have not been taken out in the Cor 
 pies of the Letter that have gone abroad • 
 and it is to no Purpofe to infert them here. 
 This Letter was done in Decentier^ 172^ 
 
 Toward 
 
E 45 ] 
 
 Toward the End of that Winter I affifted 
 at the Admiriiftration of the Lord's Supper 
 in Dundee, and flaying fome Days in the 
 To^rn, I took Occafion to converfe Mr. 
 W* — , n on fome Things that were grie- 
 vous to me with refpecl to himfelf, (for 
 then I was fo fond as to imagine, that there 
 was free Accefs among us for the Obferva- 
 tion of that Rule of our Lord, Mattb. xviii. 
 15. ) In the Entry of that Converfation, he 
 profefs'd Forbearance as to that Point of the 
 Covenants, if we mould agree or hold toge- 
 ther in other Things : But in the Progrefs 
 of our Conference, among other Things, I 
 expreiVd rny Grief, in the moft modeft 
 Manner I could, at the Way I obfervd of 
 forming Parties in the Presbytery 5 €o that, 
 notwithftanding his alledging I was mifta- 
 ken in my Thoughts of that, ytt he under- 
 flood, that tho 5 1 had been with him in the 
 late Affair, he could not. expedt to have me 
 his Follower, It may be likewife notic'd 
 by them who notice their own Hearts, and 
 the wicked Temptations wherewith they 
 may find themfelves attack'd onfuch Occa- 
 fions, that fo it was order'd, fome of the 
 People profefs'd themfelves much edify'd 
 by Means of what I preached on that Occa- 
 lion, as they had alfo done on former Occa- 
 sions. And it may be alfo obferv'd, that 
 
 fomQ 
 
fomething was faid in one of my Sermons' 
 againft the Fellowlhip of them that profef 
 Chrift with the Profane in the Lord's Sup 
 per h which Mr. W ~ n took as intendec , 
 againft them. From this Time, at leaft, J 
 ' may date his taking Pains in Converfation.* 
 even with Minifters, to give th^m odd Im- 
 preffions of me, and his making fuch Infi- 
 .nuations to fome, whom he knew to b'i. 
 friendly to me, as gave them Ground to' 
 fufped his Spirit rankled on fome Account 
 or other ; tho' at the fame Time, he, as a 
 Friend, defir'd them to ufe their Influence 
 with me. ■ 
 
 I preach'd the Summer following at 
 Fowlis, on the Subject of Chrift's Kingdom, 
 and fpake of it as the Antitype of God's 
 earthly Kingdom in the Old Teftament 
 Churchy and fhew'd, that it was not an 
 earthly, but fpiritual and heavenly King- 
 dom, and that it was not fetup, or advanced 
 by Force or any Violence, but that Chrift 
 reign'd over a willing People. I like wife 
 fhew'd the. Dependence of his Kingdom on 
 his Priefthood, and that he is aPriefton his 
 Throne. Several Explications of Scripture, 
 to- thefe and other Purpofes belonging- to 
 them, were new to Mx.W — n : But he was 
 far from condemning the Sermon, in Con- 
 vention with me and fome others that 
 
 Night: 
 
L 47 J 
 Night s rather the contrary : Yet after- 
 wards there was fome Noife made about it 
 among the People of Dundee, by what 
 Means I cannot fay. But I had faid in that 
 Sermon, from Heb. xi. 13, 14, 15, 16,-—. 
 39, 40. Heb. xii. 23, and If a. xxiv. 23. fome 
 Thing to this Purpofe, That the Old Tene- 
 ment Saints, who died ill the Faith, and en- 
 joy'd God in Heaven with the Angels, be- 
 fore Chrift afcended to the Throne of his 
 Kingdom there, receiv'd the" glorious Ac- 
 complimment of the Old Teftament Pro- 
 mifes, and the full Enjoyment of what 
 they were hitherto expecting, in feeing the 
 promifed Seed of the Woman, Abraham and 
 David reigning before them glorioufly^ and 
 in being Members of this glorious Society, 
 the Kingdom of Chrift now erected, and 
 Fellow-citizens with the General Affembly, and 
 Church of the Firft-born, in the new Jerufalem 
 which is above, and is the Mother of all 
 them that do believe $ and in partaking 
 with Chrift, and al! his Members in all 
 Nations, of that Promife of the Spirit which 
 he receiv'd of the Father, at that Time when 
 he afcended to his right Hand far above all 
 Heavens, that he might fill all Things, 
 and gather together in one the Things in 
 Heaven and Things, on Earth. From° this 
 
 Mr. W- n took Occafion to tell fome 
 
 Minifters, fometime after,, that I was for a 
 
 Limkis 
 
t 48 1 
 
 Limbus Pair urn-, fo that one of them en- 
 quir'd at me, if it was indeed fb. 
 
 I preach'd likewife at Longforgan that 
 Seafon •, where, fpeaking of the Accefs of 
 the Gentiles unto Fellowihip with God, in 
 his Worfhip, in the glorious heavenly San- 
 ctuary, the Seat of the New, Teftament 
 Worfhip*, I told, it was by Chrift's doing 
 away, in his Death, the old Covenant, the 
 Wall of Partition, with the .Ordinances of 
 divine Service, and the worldly Sanctuary 
 belonging to it, and by the New Teftament 
 in his Blood now brought into that San&ua- 
 ry ; befides which new Covenant, there is 
 no other Covenant in the New Teftament 
 Church. Hereupon the ProfefTors in Dun* 
 dee, as I was inform'd, . were addrefs'd, by 
 fome nearly concern'd in Mr. W — - n, af- 
 ter . this Manner, What is this he is doing 
 with us now ? Is he going to bring the Blood 
 of the Martyrs on our Heads ? Does he not 
 know the Godly thro the Nation are offended 
 with him y and can he be any longer born with 
 at this Rate ? And it was at the fame Time 
 told, That feverals of the Godly in Fife, 
 and other Parts, came not to the Sacrament 
 in Dundee, or did not Communicate there, 
 becaufe I was there. And it was likewife 
 laid, That they could not hear me, if I did 
 not give over this Way of doing. By this, or 
 fueh Means, the ProfeiTors in Dundee were 
 
 ftirr'd 
 
fiirr'd up, and their Minds made evil affe&fc 
 ed againft me 5 and then Mx.W-— % nfe- 
 clar'd his Offence, and fignifyU That if I 
 infilled again on that Subject, he would 
 preach againft me $ and feeing he was to 
 preach with me zt-Strathmartine, if I totich'd 
 upori it, he would therq make a Stand for: 
 the Truth. This was known at a good Di- 
 fiance from Dundee, a Fortnight before that 
 Sacrament, and fome were profeiiing their 
 Concern and Fear about what mould hap- 
 pen there, when Mr. W — ~—n and I 
 preach'd together. Of all this I knew no- 
 thing, nor knew I if I would have touched 
 that Subject at Strathmartine, at leaft I had 
 no Defign about it 5 for I heard nothing of 
 this Work till that very Week, when ibme 
 of our People, that had been in Dundee, 
 told, they were forry to find the People of 
 Dundee fo offended with me, and to hear, 
 that Mr. W~- — n efpecially was fignifying 
 great Offence. I was a little furpriz'd with 
 this ♦, but did not altogether give Credit ' to it, 
 till I went in to Dundee on the Wednefday to 
 wait on the Presbytery, and when I was en- 
 quiring about this Matter* my Friends in- 
 treated me to forbear fpeaking on that Sub- 
 ject at Strathmartine, and gave this Reafon 
 for it, That Mx.W ~~—n would preach 
 againft me if I did, and that the People 
 would be much ftumbl'd at me. This put 
 D me 
 
C 50 3 
 me to confider whereunto all tills tended \\ 
 but Mr. JV~~ — - n converfed me the fame 
 Day, and the Difcourfe began with an Ac- 
 count of his being at Abemethy at the Sacra- 
 ment, and of the Offence Minifters and 
 People there had at me, and of my own 
 Friends their lamenting me, ( tho 5 after- 
 wards I was informed, that he himfelf, with 
 fome that went with him from Dundee , had 
 a great Hand in railing that Offence there. ) 
 Then he defir'd, ai it were in a friendly 
 Manner, on Account of the Offence ta ken, 
 'and the Divifions lite to arife, that I mould 
 forbear any more .{peaking in Publick on 
 that Subject I reply'd, That was what I 
 could not engage to, becaufe I took it to be 
 a Truth of Importance in this Corner : And, 
 as he knew I had never y^blifh'd it in 
 Preaching, till I thought the Circumftances 
 of the Profeffion of Religion in the Country 
 obiig'd me to it} fo 1L did not know how 
 foon I might be in fuch Circumftances as I 
 could* not forbear it, and be filent, without 
 Sin. At the fatme Time I told him, per- 
 haps that, and what relates to it, might be 
 one of the Things for which I was defign'd. 
 He told me then, he would be obliged to 
 preach againft me, and fignify'd the bad 
 Confequences of that. I faid, he might ufe 
 his Liberty, and let the People judge * or 
 if they did not much meddle in it, but re- 
 ceive 
 
C U 3 
 
 ceive that chiefly wherein we agreed, I. 
 would not In that Cafe come altogether 
 ihort of my Intention. He fignify'd, That 
 If I mould forbear, he would likewife for- 
 bear 5 but if I did not, he behov'd to ejo- 
 ner himfelf. I anfwer'd, that If he rec- 
 kon'd fo much upon it as he feem'd to do^ 
 I could not well underftand it to be his Du- 
 ty, to come under any fuch Engagement 
 about it j and for my Part, however I fhould 
 behave on that Head, I could come under 
 no Engagement. He alfo told me at that 
 Time of the People, how much they were 
 offended, and that they would not hear me^ 
 nor hold Communion with iiie y and further 
 fhew'd his Fears of my Danger from the 
 Judicatories of the Church 5 becaufe fome 
 Members of the Synod, who were ill af- 
 fe&ed to me, would be glad of fuch an Qc- 
 cafion againft me, and he would be forry to 
 fee me expos'd to their Refentments. I an- 
 fwered, it was my Duty to lay my Account 
 with all that, I knew all that they could 
 do. So we parted. It was very natural to 
 be thoughtful about the Tendency of this i 
 And now, when it was likely my Appear- 
 ances upon that Subjecl of the Covenants 
 v/ere well nigh at an End, becaufe the Q& 
 cafion of them was like to ceafe, obferving, 
 that Pains had been taken not only in this 
 Country, but in other Parts, to raifeOf- 
 D 2 ■ fence 
 
,111 
 
 fence againft me on that Head, anct"to alarm 
 People and Milliliters • and finding my felf 
 thus addrefs'd by one that knew well my 
 Temper and Way, I did fufpe£t that it was 
 much wanted I Ihould fpeak more clearljr, 
 fully, and exceptionally upon that Point at 
 Strathmartine ^ and what ihould be the Con- 
 fequences of that with refpeft to me, 'and 
 him that Iliad now to do with, it was eafy 
 to ghefs. However, it was not my Bufmefe 
 now, fo much to confider the Defigns of 
 Men": Here was a Cafe laid before me by 
 the holy Providence of God, Whether, on 
 many Considerations of worldly Wifdom, 
 and for Fear of fuffering, I Ihould now be 
 . iilent as to a Truth of Chrift, which I had 
 declared fome Way before when I was not 
 infucliFear? or, Whether I Ihould, when 
 thus warned, and upon the Matter dar'd, 
 confefs that Truth, and thereby expofe my 
 felf to all the Hurt I am threatned with > 
 In my View there was no Choice here 5 for 
 I thought my Bible dire£ted me to the la ft 
 of thefe Two. Tho' I queftion not but they, 
 t who are for keeping fair with the World by 
 keeping their Faith to themfeltfes, will dif- 
 fer from me in this Point. 
 
 Next Day, being the F&ft before the 
 
 Communion at Strathmartine ', Mr. W n 
 
 preach'd, and, in Prayer after his Sermon, 
 he lamented heavily the dreadful Divifion 
 
 and 
 
and Schifm wherewith we are threatned in 
 this Corner, and pray'd, that nothing might. 
 be done on this Occafion that fhould hinder 
 the Communion of Saints * and this Cafe 
 'was clafs'd v/ith Profeffor Simfons- in Glaf> 
 gow 7 at that Time 5 as it has been fince in the 
 Preface of his late Book, with the Cafe of 
 fuch as fet up for a middle State : For this 
 is the Way of introducing it, to make it 
 look the more odious to them who are to be 
 inflam'd with Zeal about it. Whereupon I 
 fpoke to the Minifter of the Place, That, 
 to avoid that great Inconveniency which he 
 had heard of this Day, it would be defirable 
 if he could find out another to take my 
 Turn on Saturday ^ and, as I was afterwards 
 informed, fome Letters paft betwixt him 
 
 and Mr. W n upon this Cafe, Mr. 
 
 j^ _- , n deilr'd Advise of the. reverend 
 Mr. S ~- — 4 J — - k, ' who, tho* he be' 
 heartily for the Covenants, thought it heft 
 for Peace and Edification, that he fhould 
 forbear meddling with the Covenants at 
 
 that Time. ' He fignify'd to Mr. STj n 
 
 an Averfion at preaching with me on the 
 Saturday hut after fome Intreaty he was 
 pre Vail'd upon. Mr. T~ — n us'd his En? 
 deavours to get another to fhift Diets with* 
 ine, but could not obtain it. And on the 
 Tburfdays Night I had befpoke a neighbour- 
 ing Miniiier to prepare a Sermon fox that 
 
 D 3 Diet 
 
C 54 1 
 
 Diet which fell to me, and my Friends 
 
 were dealing with me, and plying me with 
 many prudential Confiderations, to forbear 
 touching on that Head in preaching : Yet 
 when Saturday came, I was not fatisfy'd 
 with my felf that I had taken any Pains to 
 Ihift preaching at that Time. When I came 
 
 to the Place, Mr. T n told me, he had \ 
 
 been at Pains'to find fome otner for that i 
 Diet, jqI could not obtain it : And the Mi- i 
 nifter to whom I fpoke faid, he had been at 
 fome Pains to meditate a Sermon for me, 
 and it feem'd ftrange to him that it would 
 not do \ folbehovd to preach. The Mi- 
 ^lifter of the Place with other Minifters 
 friendly to me prefs'd me much to be 
 fflent on that Head, Then came up Mr, 
 W~- — - #, I did not fee him, but Mr. O ™ y 
 undertook the Part of Mediator betwixt us, 
 and told me from him, that if I would for- 
 bear, he fhould forbear -, if I did not, fo 
 loon as I touch'd on that Subjecl he would 
 go off and preach none that Da}V- and fome 
 of the People would go off with hi in. I 
 anfwer'd, that was a Threatning of apiece 
 with his former Threatnings, and had the 
 fame Effect with me., When the Time 
 'came that was appointed for beginning pub* 
 lick Worfhip I went to preach 5 my Text 
 Was, John vi. 69. and in fpeaking of Jefus 
 a§ the Chrift, the promifed Meffiah, a- 
 
 nointed 
 
.[ WTJJ 
 nointed 1 unto his Threefold Office, I figni- 
 fy d,Thatheis therein the Antitype of thefe 
 three {landing Offices in the Jemfli Church, 
 Prophet, Prieft, and King , particularly, that 
 he is in his. Kingly Office the Antitype of 
 the Kings that fate upon the Throiie ot Da- 
 vid, and of all the Rulers, Judges, and Ma- 
 giftrates that were in that earthly Church 
 or Kingdom of God. And when I came to 
 fpeak of his Kingdom, I fignify'd, that I 
 found my felf in fuch Circumftances, . as 
 wherein I was bound to declare my felf, 
 and confefs my Faith on that Head. So I 
 confefs'd, c Firji, My Adherence to the 
 t good Confeffion of the King of Martyrs be- 
 c fore Pontius Pilate, concerning his King- 
 t dom, John xviii. 36, 37. (and I reckoned 
 ' his Blood wherewith that his dying Tefti- 
 4 mony was feafd, of more Worth than the 
 c Blood of all the Martyrs that ever was 
 c fried upon the Earth. ) He teftify'd plaiM^ 
 c ly, that his Kingdom, which he us'd to 
 . c defign the Kingdom of Heaven, is not a 
 c worldly Kingdom-, and that it is not fet 
 c up, advanced or defended, as the King- 
 c doms of this World -, Either, 1. By hu- 
 6 man Policy ^ for it is by the Truth. Of, 
 c 2. By human Eloquence, and the "Word's 
 4 of Man s Wifdom ; for it is by bearing 
 c Witnefs to the Truth. Or, 3. By world- 
 • ly .Force and Power -, for his Subjeds are 
 D 4 \t all 
 
t 5? 3 
 
 c all thefe, and thefe only, who are of this 
 
 f Truth. And he fays, If my Kingdom were 
 c of t,his World, ' my Servants would fight j 
 
 * hut now is my Kingdom not from hence. 
 \ Some, no Doubt, would think this a poor 
 
 * Way of fetting up a Kingdom, x and joyn 
 
 * Iffue with Pilate, who faid, upoA hearing 
 
 * of it, What is Truth* But thus he ad4 
 6 vances his Kingdom. Next, I confefs'd 
 I my Adherence unto the Teftimony of the 
 
 * Apoftles of Chrift after r his Afcenfion, 
 
 * which they gave to the Spirituality and 
 
 * Heavenlinefs pi the Kingdom of Chrift, 
 f in Opposition to Jews and Judaizing Tea* 
 % chers, who fet up for a temporal King- 
 i dom to the Meiliah, and minded earthly 
 % Things. Laftly. I confefs'd my Adhe- 
 
 * rence to our Fathers and Martyrs in their 
 c Teftimony to the Kingdom of Chrift, in 
 t Opposition to an earthly Head of the 
 ft Church, and to any Officer in the Church 
 
 * not- appointed by the Lord Chrift-, ancl 
 
 * thus I acknowledge them to be the Mar- 
 ' tyrs of Jefus. But as far as they contended 
 f for any inch National Covenants, as where- 
 3 by Chrift's Kingdom Should be of this 
 | World, his Church and the World mingled 
 i together, and his People, who are of the 
 ? Truth, 'and hear his Voice, divided from 
 t om another^ ancl fuch as he hath not 
 
 I appoint- 
 
C '57 1 
 
 I appointed under the New Teftament, but 
 if fet afide $ fo far they were not enlightned. 
 And this is that, from which they, that 
 were earneftly defirous of more, have taken 
 O.ccafion to fpread fuch Stories as thefe 
 through the Nation ^ that I had faid our 
 Martyrs died as Fools, and that they were 
 Self-murderers. Mr* WiU'ifon has had % the 
 Confidence to tell the World, in the Preface 
 of his late Book, That our worthy Refor- 
 mers and Anceftors, who fram'd and took 
 the Covenants,, or dy 5 d adhering to them, 
 are reflected upon as unenlightned : As if 
 thefe 5 fee there points at, had reckoned them 
 a Set of Men, into whole Hearts the Light 
 of the Gofpel had not flrin'd ^ tho 3 he might 
 have known that, as they have on all proper 
 Occafions, fo thro 5 Grace, they defire to the 
 End to value the Light, that thefe Reformers 
 and their Anceftprs had, and reckon that it was, 
 in the greateft Matters, beyond what he or I 
 can pretend to: Yet neither can he himfelf af- 
 firm that 'they were in all Points enlightned, 
 nor will hejuftify every Thing that the Mar- 
 tyrs brought in to their Teftimony \ an$ 
 where his Light and theirs differ, he muft 
 think they were not enlightned. I know not 
 if he will be pleas'd with what he himfelf re- 
 ports in his Book from Mr; Welfch, as the 
 Ground of his Sufferings, and .the Sufferings 
 pf thefe in his Day., i>eeaufe there is no 
 
 Mem 
 
5|« 
 
 L 5& J 
 
 Mention of the Covenants In it ^ for Mr 
 Welfch ftates their Sufferings upon thefe two 
 Points, i. That Chrifl is the Head of his 
 Church. 2. That (he is free in her Government 
 from all other Jurisdiction, except drifts % 
 yea, as free as any Kingdom under Heaven, 
 not only to convocate, hold and keep her Meet 
 ings and Affemblies, but alfo judge of all he f Af- 
 fairs amongft her Members and Subjects, tfheje, 
 faith he, are the Caufe of our Sufferings.. Nei- 
 ther do I know, if he will agree with me in 
 profefling a great Regard to the Martyrs on 
 this Account, That ? whatever their Light 
 was, they follow'd it exactly, and did not 
 hide it, nor diffemble it for Fear of Suffering 
 And I may alfo queftion if he will be plea- 
 fed with the famous Mr. Shids y who freely 
 own'd, before his Perfecutors, his Diflikeof 
 the impofing of our Covenants upon all Sorts 
 of Perfons prqmifcuoufly : For this was fome 
 Reflection ori them who, fram'd and took 
 them. The Author of a late Effay to prove 
 the perpetual Obligation o/ the National Co- 
 venant, points at fome -fpeaking difgrace- 
 fully of thofe precious Worthies, who, on 
 the Score of the Matter, and Formality of 
 the National Covenant, liiffer'd in their 
 Lives, Eftates or Liberties from and after 
 the Refforation, and faying they did but 
 throw away their Lives : As for him, he 
 would not fojT any Thing entertain uncha- 
 ritable 
 
[ $ 9 ]■ 
 "• ritable Thoughts of them 5 and with refpeft 
 to them, that fign'd the Bond of the Congre- 
 gation, he cannot get himfelf forced to an 
 uncharitable Thought of them. But if thefe 
 Difgracers of the Worthies, whom he would 
 have to fay, they did but throw away their 
 Lives, {hall be found to have faid no more 
 of them, than he himfelf fays of them, who 
 fubfcruVd the Bond 1557. to wit, that he be- 
 lieves, excepting the common Infirmities of the . 
 Lord's People, they had in View the Honour of 
 God, the Good of their own Souls, and the 
 Souls of others ; it muft be own'd, that he has 
 not treated them very chriftianly. For I 
 reckon that it is a very common Infirmity 
 and Imperfection of the Lord's People in this 
 Life, that they have not all the Light they 
 might have by a due Attendance to the Word, 
 laying afide Prejudices, " and that they are 
 not fully enlightned from the Word in every 
 Point of their A&ings, even when they are 
 acling upon good Deiigns. . But if thefe, he 
 reprefents fo odiou£Ly,have not (aid lb much, 
 as he himfelf fays, their Charity may be 
 '. compared with his own. He fays on the 
 fubfequent Renewings of it 1559. t0 tne Co- 
 ronation of King Charles at Scone ° r I will not 
 deny, but that infundry ofthofe Periods, carnal 
 Men and Hypocrites might have ' defigned the 
 Increasing their worldly Inter efts out of the 
 Church's Rents 5 others, Refentments of the 
 
 ' Cove- 
 
C 60 ] 
 
 Covet oufnefs and the Pride' of tie Popijb am. 
 Prelatick Clergy and^ N. K /te> wyrf religious 
 Pride and Faulty. And he concludes tfys Pa- j 
 ragraph with this rnoft beautiful Sentence, 
 It were the moft uncharitable to difiike it, on 1 
 the Score of feme pernicious Defigns fame Per- 
 fons might have had in, going in to it. But to I 
 return. 
 
 Mr. W — #, notwithstanding of his 
 Threatning, heard that Sermon, and was 
 prevailed upon to" preach after he had mewed 
 fome Reluctance. He had that Text Luke 
 xiii. 34. and introducing himfelf to the 
 Words, he took Notice of Verfe 24. and 
 fpoke of the Ayerfion of Men. to Strictnefs 
 and Diligence in Religion, insinuating a Re- 
 flection on them that preach Chrift's Righ- 
 teoufnefs to the Neglect of Holinefs, -no 
 Doubt, imagining th.it he was :hitting fome 
 among us •, tho 5 Chrift's Righteoufnefs jvas 
 the great Subject' of his Sermon at that 
 Time, and I thought he infilled ' more on it 
 than is his .Ordinary ^ but I mail not allow 
 anyfelf to make any Reflection on it. He 
 pafs'd over what follows from the 24 Verfe 
 to his Text $ for what Reafon he knows beft, 
 and in entring upon his Subject, he tookOc- 
 cafion to declare himfelf for the National 
 Covenant, and to magnify it as the Glory 
 of our Land, and our Forefathers their en- 
 tring into it, as the Fruit ofthe Pown-pour- 
 
ing of the Spirit upon our Kings, Nobles, 
 Barons, and the whole Nation -, and he figni- 
 fy'd that that Covenanting was accompany'd 
 and followed with the Effufion of the Spirit 
 to the Converfion of many , withall iiifmu- 
 ating, That, for all the gathering to the 
 preached Word among us, and the high ex- 
 alting of Chrift and Free Grace at Sacra- 
 ments, there is Ground to fear that there is 
 little or nothing of this in our Day. Fur- 
 ther, the Covenant was fet forth as that 
 $vhich the Martyrs and our worthy Anceftors 
 contended for, and iealed with their Blood $ 
 and a Lamentation was raised over their un- 
 worthy Pofterity, that were left to oppofe 
 them. He alio alledged, N. B. That what- 
 ever Regard was pretended to the Martyrs, 
 yet it is to be fear'd they are little regarded^ 
 and further, he alledged That this Op-' 
 -pofition to that Covenanting, with the Ar- 
 guments levelling againft it, is as much a- 
 gainil a National Church and a National Con- 
 ■■feflion of Faith • and then the National Co- 
 venant was extoll'd under the Notion of a 
 Confeflipn of Faith, The Dreadfulnefs of 
 this Divifion and Schifm, attending or ari- 
 iing from this Oppofition to the Covenants, 
 was reprefented .both in his Preaching and 
 in his Prayer : Withal, it was fuggefted by 
 him, that Satan is in this Matter transform- 
 ing himfelf into an Arigel of Light, and 
 
 Pray-^ 
 
L «2 r 
 
 Prayer was made that the cloven Foot migh: 
 appear. He alio advertis'd us not to lool 
 upon the renewing of the Covenants as im i 
 poflible^ for it was eafy with God to revive 
 his own Work, and we ought to pray for the 
 Revival of it. This is the Subftance of what 
 I remember of that notable Appearance a- 
 gainft me, and the Truth confefs'd by me 
 on that Occaflon, and this fell out on the 6. 
 of Auguft^ 1726. . 
 
 It fell Mr. "/F— — n to have the Exer* 
 cif e and Addition before the Presbytery, 
 which met September 7. The Text was 
 Heb.vi. and 11. from whichvhe took Occa- 
 sion to reprove feveral Sorts in the Churchy 
 as them, that made Ailurance of Hope to 
 "be in the Nature of Faith, and them, that 
 ■were diffatisfied with the prefent Eftablifh- 
 ment on Account of the Covenants -, but the 
 main Scope was againft me, as the Hearers 
 underftood by what had been talk'd of me 
 before : So he reprov'd fome among us that 
 fpoke reproachfully of the Graces of the Spi- 
 rit, Repentance and Contrition of Heart, and 
 of the Martyrs, and fuch as were againft 
 Perfonal and National Covenanting, and 
 then faid, he could prove that of National 
 Covenanting both from the Old and New 
 Teftament j but for Peace fake he forbore •, 
 only recommending it to the Judicatories of 
 the Church, hoping they would take Notice 
 
 of 
 
t & ,3 
 
 of it. In his Prayer,after this Difcourfe, he af~ 
 fcm'd,That this- whole Land was married to 
 the Lord, and related jto him as his in Cove- 
 nant, and this Relation had been often plead- 
 ed with Comfort, I think too, with good 
 Succefs. I took the Defign of this Appear- 
 ance to be that the Presbytery might take 
 Notice of the lateBuflnefs, and call me to an 
 Account for my Principles with refpecfc to 
 the Covenants. When I found him thus 
 reproaching and endeavouring to draw the 
 Wrath of the Judicatories upon me, I com- 
 par 5 d this with the Fears he had expreffed to 
 me, with refpett to the Sjmod, in that Con- 
 verfation before the Sacrament of Strath- 
 martine. . 
 
 I happened to be the laft that was called . 
 . on to give my Mind of the Exercife and Ad- 
 dition ♦, and befide obferving, that all I 
 heard of it was befide the Scope and Spirit 
 of the Text, which preffed to a diligent Per- 
 feverance in the Work and Labour of ths 
 chriftian brotherly Love, in Order to our 
 having the full Anurance of Hbpe y I figni- 
 fied my Offence at his faying in his Prayer^ 
 That the whole Land was Handing in a Co- 
 venant Relation to God, and married to him, 
 I alfo defired that Mr. ffl—~» n might con- 
 defcend on them of us, who were fpeaking 
 reproachfully of the Graces of the Spirit, Re- 
 pentance and Contrition of Heart, and of 
 
 the 
 
[-64 X 
 the Martyr?, and were againfl: perfonal Co 
 venanting, becaufe, for my Part, I knew ' 
 none of them. As to the Way he took a- 
 bout our National Covenants, palling over 
 the ticklim Point of Proof, under a Pretence 
 of ftudying Peace, and with the fame Breath, 
 calling the Judicatories to fall -upon them 
 that differ'd from him, I refle&ed upon this 
 Piece of Art as moft abominable. 
 . The Presbytery, underftanding that this 
 Matter made much Noife, refolved to confl- 
 der of it ^ and, .after their ordinary Bufinefs 
 was over, they heard Mr. W — n and me 
 a little : Some, never known to have been 
 for the Covenants, ihew'd much Keennefs 
 againfl me on this Occafion, and faid I had 
 made an Attack upon the Church, Mr. 
 
 G~ : r alledged that I had oppofedLand 
 
 denyed the Doctrine of the Church of Scot- 
 land, and that the Presbytery ought to or- 
 der me to be filent, ( he has a better Title 
 than fome others now to appear for the Cove- 
 nants,having fhew'd a great Zeal for them be- 
 fore now) but fome others, particularly Mr. 
 
 M r,faid I could not be fo condemn'd till 
 
 I washeard,and that they behov'd endeavour 
 my Conviction in a brotherly Way.' For 
 this, and for his Perfeverance in a. Profeffi- 
 on of Forbearance towards me, he' has Ipeen 
 a Sufferer fince that Time^ and Mr. &— r, 
 who till then v\ r as his intimate Friend, has 
 
t. »S-.H . . • ' 
 
 given up Communion with him, tho' he Ka£ 
 *no Ground to fufped that he is diffatisiied 
 with the Covenants. Mr, W n men- 
 tioned an Ad of Aflembly,en joining the De- 
 . position of them that fpake againft the Co- 
 * venants % and from that he inferred, not that 
 I fliould be depos'd, far be it, ( tho' that 
 Inference was as clofe as fome others he has 
 made ) but that I fhould be cenfur'd. 
 
 I obfe'rved Mr. W- n was all along 
 
 reprefenting me as oppofing the Bbdtrine 
 and Authority of the Church, and the Mar- 
 tyrs, in thjis Matter 5 and yet ftill confin- 
 ing himfelf to the National Covenant: I told 
 him, before the Presbytery, That, if the 
 National Covenant was the Do&rine of the 
 Church and of the Martyrs, fo was the So- 
 lemn League 5 and if he affirm'd not the 
 Lawfulnefs and Obligation of the Solemn 
 League, he himfelf held not the Do£trin& 
 of the Church, and the Teftimony of th§ 
 Martyrs, for which he feem'd fo much con* 
 eern'd againft me. I called for his affirming 
 it in Pre fence of the Presbytery 5 but he told 
 he was not obliged to anfwer my Queftions. 
 The Author of the Effay has followed him 
 in this Politick, tho 5 all his Arguments for 
 the Obligation of the National Covenant are' 
 as ftrong for the Obligation of the Solemn 
 League, and the Matter of it is capable of 
 this fame Apology, that he malces for tBe 
 ""' . £ • Mm 
 
ter of the National Covenant 5 neither will 
 he find that fame Defeft in it, which he< 
 finds in the prefent Settlement, and the Con* 
 f^ffion of Faith, and Formula, in Anftver to 
 the feventh Objection, when he fays, " The 
 /aid Confeflion and Formula do not expreflyl 
 contain an Obligation on the Subfcribers tojiand 
 hy one another in the Defence of the Gojpel, as 
 the National Covenant, and Bond thereto an* 
 nested, do : 'Tis very proper all Ranks be im- 
 preffedwith its perpetual Obligation, efpecially 
 in that RefpecJ. But from what he fays iii 
 the following Part of that fame Paragraph* 
 3 tis eafy to ghefs the Reafbn of his profound 
 Silence as to the Solemn League, andfo td 
 find out what would make IbmeMen as fllent 
 about the National Covenant, as they are a- 
 fcout the Solemn League. For he fays, But 
 fince the gracious Authority, we live under, has 
 mot thought fit hitherto to enjoyn the Subfcribing 
 cfthe Covenant, and yet, N. B. have removed 
 all Laws that flood againfl it, we ought at leaft, 
 freely and openly to acknowledge its Obligation 
 on us and our Pofierity. Our Martyrs had fa- 
 ved themfelves from much fuffering, if they 
 had but had Confcience enough for this Po- 
 litick> and this Would have faved the Lives 
 of all the Martyrs, that have N been killed 
 fcy Vertue of ftanding Laws -, but the Mar- 
 tyrs of Jefus have been fromth£ Beginning 
 Men of another Spirit. 
 
 Some 
 
c *7 3 
 
 Some In the Presbytery fhewed Concern 
 that this Matter {hould not enter the Judi- 
 catories, and expreffed their Fears of the 
 Confequences ^ .- and, after fome Contention* 
 It was agreed, That the whole Presbyter f 
 mould hear the Matter of this Controverfy 
 in a brotherly Communing, that they might 
 come to fome Underftanding of it ^ lb we* 
 inet again in the Afternoon. Mr. W — - n 
 iirged,That the Presbytery mould conftitutei' 
 that fo the Bufinefs might be done in a ju- 
 dicial Way 5 but this was declin'd. I, being 
 defired, gave an Account of the Doctrine I 
 delivered at Strathmartine on the Subject of 
 thrift's Kingdom and the Covenants $ but 
 it feems I had forgot to mention what I fa id 
 of our Lord's being the Antitype of the Ru- 
 lers in the Church of Ifrael , yet I defir'd to 
 \ know if fuch as were there hearing could re- 
 J member any Thing I had laid more upon 
 that Head, or if they had any Queftion to 
 j put upon that Subject, for underftanding my 
 I Mind in a Way of brotherly Communing, X 
 ' was very willing to give them Satisfaction, 
 \ When none offer'd to fpeak, Mr. W — \ n 7 be* 
 I ing deiired by fome, laid it was not his Bufi- 
 nefs, but the Presbytery's, feeing it was the 
 \ Church of Scotland he was contending for, a n 3 
 I then proceeded to tell there was another 
 , Thing advanced by me,for fupporting my O 
 finion, which was, that the Kings oflfmd 
 E i weii , 
 
L 1 
 
 were Types of Chrift. I freely aclcnowleJ- ; 
 ged, that I looked upon the Kings, as well 
 as the Priefts, to be Types of Jefiis Chrift. 
 He objected, it was abfurd to fay that the 
 bad Kings were Types ©f Chrift, and fo 
 Heads of the Church. I anfwered, I faw 
 iio greater Abfurdity in that, than to fay 
 •that bad high Priefts were Types of the high 
 Prieft the Head of the New Teftament 
 Church ^ for it was their Office that was ty- 
 pical, whatever the Men were, and howe- 
 ver they misbehaved in the Exercife of it. 
 Then he began to alledge, that this was con- 
 trary to the Doctrine of the Church of Scot- 
 land ; for ftill he endeavoured to bring me 
 under the Lafti of Authority. I anfwered I 
 did not fee that, but it rather feemed to be 
 the Mind of the Weftminfter AfTembly, in 
 their Preface to the Form of Presbyterian 
 Church Government, examined and appro- 
 ved by the General Affembly of the Church 
 of Scotland-? where, faying from Ijai. ix. 
 6, 7. that Jefus fits upon the Throne of Dei- 
 vid, and upon his Kingdom, to or^er and e- 
 ftablifi it with Judgment and Jujtice, from 
 henceforth even for ever, they feemed to rec- 
 kon Davids Throne and Kingdonvthe Type 
 of the Throne and Kingdom of Jefus Chrift - 
 &nd therefore the Kings, that fat on that 
 Throne _ in that Kingdom, Types of Je- 
 fus fitting in his Throne, and ruling in 
 
 his 
 
[ 6 9 ] 
 
 his Kingdom. Then he alledged,that they had 
 cited Places, with relation to fhe Kings, in 
 the Confeffion of Faith, and, if what I faid 
 was true, they had mifcited the Places. 
 When I faw the Thing driven into this Chan- 
 nel, I told him, I had been opening myfelf 
 in a Communing upon a Scriptural Cortfro- 
 verfy, and I now obferved him lying at the 
 Catch, and watching at leaft for Matter of 
 Reproach, and if he went on in that cun^ 
 ning Way of doing, I would no more con- 
 verfe freely on that Subject. Upon 
 this, he went off in a Rage from the 
 Meeting, and feverals with him, thinking 
 the Converfation was thus ended ^ but fbme 
 flayed and converfed me more fully upon it 7 
 and we parted calmly ^ only I found one of 
 
 m them much upon Enquiry to find out fome- 
 thing, that might be made look odious, de- 
 firing that I fhould declare if I thought our 
 Covenants lawful Means for advancing the * 
 Kingdom of Chrift, and I eas'd him, when 
 I freely told him and the reft, that I was not 
 f atisfied that they were lawful Means for 
 advancing that Kingdom. 
 
 Shortly after this, I had Information of 
 grievous Defigns againft me, ana that the 
 
 ' Covenants were to be made ufe of as the 
 
 moft proper Handle * and that feveral Mini- 
 
 fters in the Synod, who have never (hewn 
 
 much Regard far the Covenants, but have 
 
 E 3 ihew^ 
 
X 7° 1 
 
 fiiewcd a Diffatisfaflion with me on othei? 
 
 Account?, were preparing for an Attack up? 
 on me againft the Synod. J was likewife- 
 
 informed, that Mr. W n was holding $ 
 
 Perrefpondence with them -, fo I reckoned, 
 If this was true, his Fears, which he fome 
 Time profeffed to ipe, were coming upon 
 him- But when this began to take Air a- 
 mongthe People of Dundee, they began tQ 
 
 intimate their Diflike of it ^ Mr- W— » ? 
 
 ^fter this, preached at the Sacrament of the 
 Murrofe very difcreetly, and whereas he 
 had fpoken odly about the Succefs of the 
 Gofpel at Stratbmartine, he now told us, that 
 there were never fo many converted any o- 
 ther Way, as by the preaching of Chrifl: and 
 HsCrofs. 
 
 Mr. G — r preached from ffeb. x. i J; 
 The great Fart of his Sermon was a Defcrip- 
 tion of a Seducer, in Order to prevent Apo- 
 ftafy by that Means ♦, and in his Defcripti- 
 on, he infilled chiefly on them of the mofi 
 fubtile and refined Sort \ and this in fuch a 
 Way, and with fuch Keennefs and Bitter- 
 Siefs of Expreifion, that the whole Hearers, 
 that knew any Thing of the prefent Cpntro- 
 yerfy, arid the Way wherein I have been 
 , fiefcribed, understood it to be wholly intend- 
 pd againft me. Many were offended, -and 
 fbme, being moved with an unwarrantable 
 |£nd*of Zeal, fpoke to hirn, after Sermon | 
 
C 7* 3 
 
 and, as was commonly reported, declared 
 their Offence in fome uncharitable Expref* 
 lions. This made great Noife, and there 
 were who did not fail to improve it againft 
 me. 
 
 Shortly after this, I went to the Synod 
 otFife as Correfpondent, where I met with 
 fome who have fhewn Abundance of Zeal 
 for the Co\ r enants. I fhall not fay how con* 
 fiftently with their other declared Principles. 
 They teemed concerned to hear me upon 
 the Subject, and when I came into Conver- 
 fation with them, they appeared fome of 
 them, at leaft, willing to give me a fair 
 Hearing upon that Head. But tliere was a 
 iilent Gentleman there that beckned to his 
 Fellow, who thereupon defired to know if I 
 agreed with them as to the Nature of Faith. 
 I told them my Mind very frankly, and we 
 did not agree upon that Point. I cannot 
 help thinking if we had agreed upon that, 
 which is the Point, on which the Hinge of 
 their Scheme turns, and if the Party, with 
 which they are engaged, would have born 
 it - 5 they would at Jeaft have ufedmore For- 
 bearance upon the Head of the National Co- 
 venants than I have fince heard of. 
 
 About this Time, Mr. G — r had his Sa- 
 crament, and it was noifed abroad that, in 
 fencing the Tables, he debarred all fuch as 
 were againft the National Covenants, and 
 E 4 -fk. 
 
C 72 3 
 
 fevmls, thai were there prefent, took it 
 as pointed againft me. Mr. W — : — n was 
 there, and I did not hear of any Thing re- 
 markable in his or Mr. G<— r\ preaching- 
 but twoMinifters were called from otherParts, 
 and fufficiently informed', and confidering 
 iheirWay of Thinking 5 fomething was expect- 
 ed of them 5 hut it feems the}?- fell to preacft 
 en the Monday , and they were both of my Ac- 
 quaintance. One of them told me he came 
 there with a Deftgn to make an Appearance 
 againft me $ till he obferved the Heights 
 to which they were inclining, and then he 
 forbore, and the other preached mutual For- 
 bearance. This Difappointment affected 
 
 them fo, that Mr. W— -- n expreffed Tome 
 
 Refentment againft diefe Minifters. I look- 
 ed upon this as a remarkable Providence^ 
 Ifhat fame Minifterf informed me, that they 
 were there laying a Project for keeping me 
 from Ocqafions of preaching publickly ' at 
 Sacraments. 
 
 I was forry to find, that this Controverfy 
 feern d to have occafion'd a great Diverfion 
 in the Minds of People, from what I take 
 to be the main Thing hi Chriftianity : And 
 I endeavoured to prefs upon the People to 
 whom I preach, what I think is the Scope 
 of that Text, . FM. iii. 16. And from this 
 Time, both in private Converfation and in 
 jmbljck, I have faid the fame Thing of this 
 " > $nh 
 
Subject^ as the Apoftle faid of C&eumcifioii, 
 concerning which, he had a Coritrovetfy 
 with the Judaizing Teachers, Gah iii. 6; 
 and vi. i %> 1 6. And I have often faid, that 
 tho' thefe Men fhould, as they (peak, exo» 
 ner their Confcieneesj in giving Teftimony 
 to the Covenants •, yet it they /would but 
 plainly declare to the Pebple/what they 
 cannot well deny to be a great Truth,, e?en 
 that which is faid with refpe& to Circumei- 
 Hon in the'forecited Places, the Controverfy 
 would come to an End i But when, inftead 
 of this, Methods are taken to inflame the 
 People with Zeal on that Point, and they 
 who differ from them are minted out in 
 vile Colours in Sermons, and excommuni* 
 cated from the Lord's Supper, it ffluft be 
 pwn'd this is not a feaflble Way of extin- 
 guifhing the Flame. 
 
 The Presbytery for privy Cenfures met 
 the Day before trie Synod, and when they 
 came to confider of that Bufinefs wherein 
 Mr*/F— — n and I are eoneem'd, I pre* 
 pos'd, that as they had already heard what 
 I advanced at Stratlmartinc % io they fliould 
 confider what was done on the other Hand* 
 and notice ^fome Things advanced by Mr, 
 W — *-n. 'As, for Inftariee, his faying^ 
 That the Lord determined the Hearts of our 
 King?, Nobles, Barons, and all Ranks, to 
 take the Covenant % and his r-eprtfe&ting the 
 
 t akipg 
 
L 74 3 
 
 taking of it, as the Fruit of the down-pour] 
 ing'of the Spirit upon them ^ and his alledg 
 ing, that the Succefsof the Gofpel was mofi 
 remarkable under that Covenanting ^ and 
 that notwithstanding the preaching of Chrifl 
 and his Grace among us, that was not now 
 to he obferved : Thus confining the Down* 
 pourings of the Spirit, and the Succefs of the 
 Gofpel unto thefe Covenants * which had, 
 in my Opinion, a direct Tendency to erh 
 courage People in their Alienation from the 
 prefent Difpenfation of the Gofpel, and to 
 lay a notable Bar in the Way of profiting by 
 it * and this befides its being a notorious 
 falfehood. I alfo defir'd the Presbytery 
 might confider, what Pains he has taken to 
 make me odious in this Difference from 
 him •, particularly by fignifying, that Satan 
 wais, in this Bufinefs, transforming himfelf 
 into an Angel of Light, and praying that 
 the cloven Foot might appear. I alfo de«? 
 clar'd to the Presbytery, that it would much 
 eafe my Mind, if I could be perfwaded that 
 Mic./F — ; — >#, in his Endeavours againft 
 me, is acling only from Principle and Con^ 
 fcience. He profefs'd his Sincerity and 
 $i^iglenefs in this Caufe, and in giving his 
 poor Teftimony, as he call'd it 9 to the 
 Caufe of God, endeavouring alfo- to juftify 
 iiimfelf in what he had laid, as I thought, 
 hy njincing it ; anc} he faid, when queftiond 
 
'iwon it* that he did not coi 
 
 r |ipon It, that he did not confine the Succefs 
 $bf the Gofpel to the Covenants, but, with 
 f refpeft to the Down-pouring of the Spirit 
 $upon our Kings, ©r. He diftinguifh'd be- 
 Ttwixt* the common and fpecial Influences of 
 ^Ithe Spirit $ and he could not altogether de- 
 ny, when put to it, that he intended me, 
 when he fpoke of Satan s transforming him- 
 felf into an Angel of Light "When I found 
 ibme in the Presbytery reflecting on my 
 going to the Publick with my Thoughts on 
 that Subject, I offer'd to lay my Reafons, 
 for appearing in Publiclc, before the Presby- 
 tery, which, if duly weighed, might Sa- 
 tisfy them. The Presbytery did not incline 
 to hear this ^ and when one faid, they had 
 been long Kept already, and that I ought to 
 be remov'd, I anfwer'd, If that was the 
 Mind of the Presbytery, I fhould remove. 
 
 The reverend Mr. S / J— w faid. If 
 
 I fliould be remov'd, Mr. W n likewife°, 
 
 which he, after fome Shew of Reluctance, 
 condefcended to. After a while I was calPd 
 in, and the Mind of the Presbytery was in- 
 timated to me by the Moderator, viz. That I 
 Ihouldbe filent on that Subject of Difference. 
 I defir'd to know if any Thing of this was 
 ininuted $ and when the Moderator told me s 
 there was not, then I lignify'd verbally, 
 That I was fo far from acquiefcing, that I 
 heartily reclaimed ; Jtecaufe I was fully fa- 
 
 tisfied^ 
 
[ 7* ] 
 tisfied, that what I preach'd upon this Sub* 
 je& is a glorious Truth of the New Tefta- 
 ment, the Teftimony of our Lord, and a 
 Truth of great Importance at this Day in 
 our Corner j and that it was not,in my View, 
 inconfiftent with the prefent Eftablifhment, 
 as were the Covenants. And, becauie the 
 Presbytery, in this Sentence, had proceed- 
 ed too haftily, without hearing the Reafons 
 of my appearing upon that Subject •, , I fur- 
 ther complained of this, as moft injurious 
 to my Miniftry, to Ihut my Mouth on fuch 
 a Subject % and at the fame Time, to fuffer 
 others to represent me in the moft odious 
 Terms, and trample my Miniftry, with 
 the Truth, under their Feet. And feeing 
 
 Mr. G -r now prefent, I defir'd the 
 
 • Presbytery might take Notice of his Sermon 
 -VLtthzMnrrofci andlikewife confider how 
 far he could be juftify'd, in excommunica- 
 ting all them that differ'd from him about 
 thele Covenants. He, after fome "Wrang- 
 ling with me and Shifting, being cjueftion'3 
 fcy the Moderator, deny'd that he had any 
 ► View to me in that Sermon at Murrofe, or 
 in his Excommunication ^ which, hefaid, 
 was done after his common Manner, which 
 he had us'd for feveral Years. Mr. W ~n 
 affirmed, that the Rife of all this Contro- 
 versy was owing to me. I anfwer'd, not 
 to me, but to himfelf and to his Wife. 
 
 When 
 
f ~1 
 
 When the .Presbytery fkw the Contention 
 thus riling hot* they adjourned. After Pray- 
 er, Mr. W- n defir'd, that we might 
 
 converfe a little upon that which I fpake 
 laft,' concerning him and his Wife. Upon 
 this nothing but Contention enfu'd, which, 
 when the Members of the Presbytery ob* 
 ferv'd, they went off. 
 
 Next Day the Synod met at Dundee, and 
 at Night Mr, M*— -/ advertis'd the Synod, 
 JThat there was an Affair of great Import- 
 ance with refpeft to the Presbytery of Dun- 
 dee, or fome Members of it \ which re- 
 quir'd a Committee of the Synod to confider 
 it, and prepare it for the Synod : And there- 
 fore defir'd, That a Committee might ,be 
 appointed. Mr. 'J— -J, ff--«r, Mr. Ws^ 
 and fome others back'd this. When this 
 was oppos'd, as a Thing out of the common 
 Road, Mr. W-^-n fhe'w'd as if he did not 
 deiire the Matter fhould come before the 
 Synod • but feconded the Motion, and 
 faid,*That the Appointment of a Commit- 
 tee might prevent its coming to the Synod. 
 After fome Debate upon it, they were al- 
 low'd to lay before the Committee of Over- 
 tures what they had to fay of the Presbytery 
 of Dundee, or any Member of it, and that 
 Committee to. confider it, and do therein as 
 they found moil: expedient. This Commit- 
 tee met next £)ay in the Forenoon, I refol- 
 
 vect 
 
C 78 ] 
 
 vei not to go to the Committee Without hei 
 ing call'd, fo I did not know what paft but 
 
 fcy Information. Mr. M • / and others 
 
 fliew'd much Zeal for the Covenants., but e« 
 ipecially Mr. ff— - — y y who told over the 
 Subftance of that Story concerning the Na«^ 
 tional Covenant, which we have now print* 
 ed in the late Effay, wherein he fail'd not to 
 make honourable Mention of the mighty 
 Deeds of the Anceftors of his Laird -, and 
 when he had told this Story, and profefs'd 
 his Zeal, he furpriz'd many with his Tears. 
 Some believd that he was an honeft hearted 
 Covenanter, and others calPd them Croco- 
 dile Tears. ^Tis the great Lofs of fome 
 Men, that they are fufpecled, even when 
 they appear to be mofl: ferious. Others 
 joined them, inpufhingto have this Matter 
 before the Synod, who have nothing lefs at 
 Heart than the Covenants •, . yet Providence 
 fo ordered it, that it was diverted from co- 
 ming before the Synod, fome friendly to 
 iiie, yea and fbrrie Honeft Covenanters, and 
 not a few alien enough from me, Having 
 their own Views, did withftand its coming 
 to the Synod. The Committee left it to the 
 Presbytery, without fo much as taking any 
 Minute of it. 
 
 The very Wrath of Mah praifes thee, and 
 the Remainder of his Wrath thou doeji re £ 
 firain! 
 
 Mr, 
 
C 79 1 . , 
 
 Mr. W », as I was mform s d, gave 
 
 the Committee an Account of his Sermon 
 at Straihmartine, fuch as he thought ferv ed 
 to juftify himfelf -, and while he joyn'd theart 
 that were thus acting againft iiie in the 
 Committee, he profefs'd great Regard to 
 irie on the greater!: Accounts, anddeclarV^ 
 he did not defire that I fhould be feverely 
 dealt with •, hut he needed not, neither was 
 It fafe at this Time to appear fo openly as 
 before. 
 
 Toward the End of the Synod Mr. M— --/ 
 inov'd in the Committee of Overtures, That 
 there ihould be an Act made, aflerting tthe 
 Obligation of the Covenants ; but neither 
 was this hearken'd to : So they could get 
 nothing made effectual againft me at tthe 
 Synod. But Mr. Archibald was before them 
 on the Account of his Appearances for the 
 Covenants, and againft the prefent legal 
 Eftablifhment, as inconfiftent with them $ 
 and for fome Things in his Practice fuitable 
 to this Way of Thinking. His Affair was 
 referral to a Committee to confider it, and 
 report to the next Synod. He acts front 
 Principle in his Appearance for .the Cove- 
 nants, and when he faw the Humour of 
 fome in the Synod, he earneftly advis ? d me 
 not to yield till I fhould fee my felf in ari 
 Error. 'Tis furprizing to fee him for For- 
 bearance toward me* while others, that are 
 
 not 
 
I %o 1 
 
 not believed to have fuch Zeal for the Coi 
 venants, are ctefting themfelves fo mud 
 againft me on that Head. But fome of then 
 in the Committee declar'd, That they were 
 tiow refolVd to preach, and give public* 
 Teftimony to.the Covenants more than evei 
 they had done heretofore * and fome of them 
 profefs'd Readinefs to fuffer for the Cove- 
 nants, and burn for them. 
 
 Some Time after the Synod, the raifirig 
 of fome Bones out of a Garden in, Edinburgh, 
 and burying them again in the Gray Friar] 
 there | which Bones were ■ faid to be the 
 Bones of Martyrs who fuffer'd in the Year 
 1681. was lookt to by fome People, and 
 Mr. IT-—- n made ufe of them in the 
 Pulpit m Dundee, for a Teftimony againft 
 the Oppoution now made to the Covenants 
 and againft .the prefent Apoftafy. Such a 
 Story as this was firmly believ d by fome 
 well meaning People in Dundee, That the 
 Spot of Ground where the Heads of thefe 
 Martyrs lay bore the fineft Flowers, and 
 when Mr. ^—r began to fpeafc againft 
 the Covenants, the Flowers witherU ■ The 
 Heads of the Martyrs, when taken up, were 
 perfedHy frefli, fo that their Faces could 
 be known. The Guns of the Caftle fir'd on 
 the Occafion of their Burial, and they fir'd 
 as they us ? d to do upon fome mournful Oc- 
 canon, They have the more to anfwer for, 
 
 that 
 
X 8t P 
 
 tliat thus impos'd upon the poor People 
 
 However, if Mr. W> », who brought 
 
 them into his Sermon as WitnelTes againft 
 N me, do not adhere to the Teff imony they are 
 faid to have given to the ^ueensferry Paper, 
 and the Ruth a glen and Sanquhair Declarati- 
 ons, he Hands condemn'd by his own Wit- 
 nefle's.. The National Covenant was fet 
 Forth that Winter in Preaching as being a- 
 gainft Popery, and, by Way of Inference 
 from that, Infmuations were made, as if 
 they, that were not fatisfied with it, f avour'd 
 Popery. But yet there was another Step 
 taken, by whofe Influence I cannot fay, a 
 Propofal was made in Societies for Prayer in 
 Dundee., That none mould be admitted to 
 thefe Societies, but fuch as mould declare 
 themfelves for the Covenants: And this 
 Propofal was vehemently oppos'd by an e- 
 minent Chriftian, who had been a Sufferer 
 in the lat§ Times^ or a Companion of the 
 Sufferers, and by ibme others ; For by this 
 Time, the more Sober and Judicious of the 
 People were fatisfied, That the Covenants 
 ought not to be the Term of Church Com- 
 munion, and began to obferve, That perfb- 
 nal Prejudices, and other Things, than mere 
 Conference, were in the Cafe. 'Tis true, 
 when feverals began to call for Forbearance, 
 there was a great Complaint made by o~ 
 thers for . the Decay of Zeal $ and they la- 
 F - tfcsnihi 
 
[ 82 ] 
 inerited the Defedion. One Thing is moft 
 remarkable, thefe among us, who had been: 
 Sufferers themfelves, and Companions of 
 the Sufferers, tho* they be as ferioufly for 
 the Covenants as any of us that are now 
 appearing for them, yet exprefs DiiTatisfac- 
 tion with Lengths that fome have now gone, 
 and the Ways that they have taken in the 
 Defence of them. I know not if thefe ex<- 
 .ferienc'd Chriftians,fmell the old Prelatical 
 perfecuting Spirit in that ftrange Affociati- 
 oii, wherein Men of very different Ways, 
 fome of them alien enough from the Spirit 
 of the old Covenanters, are joyn'd together 
 againft me. 
 
 About this Time, there came to Dundee^ 
 from an unknown Hand, two or three Let- 
 ters for Mr. A ms in Anfwer to fome 
 
 Queries which he had written for me, fome 
 Time before, as I reckor&d, for his own 
 Diverfion : He had allowed me to glance 
 thefe Queries ^ but he prefently took the 
 Paper away with him, and I law them no 
 more, till I found them in that firft Letter 
 that was writ in Anfwer to them $ nor did 
 I remember them, having only looktthera 
 over once very flightly. I find the Author 
 of the Effay endeavouring, in his own Man- 
 ner, to point me out as Author of thefe 
 Letters. I mail not fay he knows the con- 
 trary, but this I fufpeft, he's the only Man 
 
 of 
 
1 H ? 
 
 jpf my Acquaintance that has made himfelf 
 jfcelieve fo, and endeavour'd to imprefi ck 
 triers with it. And now, that I have fome 
 Information of the Author of thefe Letters, 
 I can tell he's no Minifter of this Churchy 
 as he would make the World believe ^ nor, 
 ifor ought I know, was he in Concert with 
 any Minifter in the Church, when he did 
 thefe Letters. However., 'tis not eafy to 
 fte the Service this Author has done to the 
 Caufe he contends for, in his Remarks upon 
 thefe Letters * and I reckon, he would have 
 {hewn more Temper in them, and fbrborti 
 his Scolding, if he had not had me in his 
 Eye as the Author of them I did not like 
 the Anfwer to Mr. A •- ms*s Queries, and 
 however much Favour the Author fhev/d to 
 me, yet I knew the improvement that 
 would be made of his Performances againft 
 me, and feeing Mr. A -~ ms's Queries had 
 gone abroad, and another was anfwering for 
 me, in a Way that I could . not approve of, 
 I wrote fome Counter Queries for him. His 
 Queries, with the Counter Queries, are as 
 follows* 
 
 Some Queries for Mr. Adams, dccafwnd lj 
 hu to Mr. Glafs. 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 Query i. J-JAue not all Societies a natural 
 TL. and mtrinfiek Power J to pre- 
 F 2 firth 
 
. ' . L .84 J 
 fcribe and itnpofe their own Termf of Commu* 
 niqn, even by Contracl and Covenant, if they 
 have a Mind? 
 
 Counter &t;.£ kits, 
 
 Jgucry i. Muft not this Power, even in 
 civil Societies, be limited by the Law of 
 [Nature? 
 
 Query 2. Seeing the Church is a Society 
 founded folely in the Word of Divine Re- 
 velation, mult not this Power be wholly re^ 
 gulated by that > 
 
 j. Query %\ Seeing there, is no Lawgiver 
 in this Society, but the Lord Chrift, is it in 
 the Power of any to impofe Terms of Com- 
 munion among his Subjects, whereby thefe, 
 whom he forbids us to own as his Subjeds, 
 ihall have a Right to the Privileges of his 
 Kingdom, ^ or whereby thefe fhould be ex- 
 cluded, with whom he commands us to 
 walk in Love as Fellow-fubje&s > 
 
 Query 4. Is not Chrift's Sheep-fold one, 
 and is it not in his Prayer to the Father, 
 Thai his People may be one, that fo the World 
 may believe that he hath fent him ? And is 
 therenot one Bond of Peace for them all > 
 And if fo, in whofe Power is it to make a 
 Covenant for this Society, upon Terms 
 whereon he hath never promis'd there fhall 
 be ail Agreement among them? How is 
 this Uep'mg the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond 
 
'cf Peace ? And how doth this perfwade the 
 World to believe that the Father hath fent 
 him ? 
 
 Query ?. What are your Thoughts of 
 the Controverfy which the Diffenters have 
 had with the Church of England, upon the 
 Subject of this Query > 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 2. Are not all Churches gathered 
 and conftitute, at leafi, }?y implicit e Covenant- 
 1 ing ? 
 
 Query 3. Did not the dpo/ilesthemfelves, 
 in Purfuance of their Commijfion, Matth. 
 xxviii. 19, 20. bring thefe they difcipled un- 
 der the ftrongefl Obligations imaginable to 
 profefs Chrifiianity, and keep the Unity of 
 the Spirit in the Bond of Peace > 
 
 Query 4. Was not the Apoltolical Creed, 
 as we call it, originally defegn'd to preferve 
 Church Communion ? 
 
 Query 5. Did not the primitive Chrifiians 
 feal and fw ear it as a Covenant f 
 
 Query 6. Was it not enlarged, and /worn 
 anew, as Here fie s fprung up and broke out in* 
 the Church ? 
 
 Query 7. D'ses not the very Word Religi- 
 on, from Religo, import, to bind us together 
 in its Profejjion and Practice ? 
 
 F 3 C o u n- 
 
I 85 3 
 
 Counter Q_tJ E & I E fi 
 
 '$>uery k When you have confider'd and] w 
 knfwer'd the foregoing Queries, will you 
 not be in Cafe to fatisfy your felf as to 
 ihefe t 
 
 ^uery 2, Will not the Independents 
 thank you for the Service you have done to 
 their Church Covenants, by fuch Queries > 
 
 jgiwy 3. By what Means {hall thefe 
 Queries ferve to the Purpofe of National j 
 Covenanting ? May they not rather, with 
 £he Help of a very little Reflection, pufh 
 llrenuoufly againft it } 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 8. Be pleafed to tell me i what ef- 
 feniml Ingredient the fubfcribing our Confeffipn 
 pf Faith, with the other Vows Minifters come 
 tinder at their Ordination, w^ant of an ordina- 
 ry Covenant Engagement $ 
 
 Ppun TER Qv e R y. 
 
 '$uery. How makes this for National Co* 
 'tenanting ? And what is this to the Purpofe 
 of a Covenant for Chriftian Communion, as 
 diftinguifh'd from that which is commonly 
 palled Ministerial. 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 Que?y 9. Whether- the Old tfeftament Co- 
 venant* 
 
tenants you read of, 2 Kings xi. 17. 2 ChroST 
 xv. 12. xxix. 10. and xxxiv, Z.andelfewhere, 
 may be imitated ? 
 
 Query 10. If they were Typical, ( as I 
 hear you maintain ) I ask what they can mors 
 naturally prefigure, than our, or fuch like Na- 
 tional Covenants, made, or to be made for Rem 
 formation, fis plainly they were ? 
 
 CO U N T E R Q.U ERIBS,' 
 
 Query 1. Did not the Children o£lfrael 
 become a Kingdom of Priefts, and an holy 
 ^Nation, Exod. xix. 4, $, 6. that is, a Nati- 
 onal Church, by Means of that Covenant 
 the Lord made with them at Sinai? And 
 did not God's* Church then pals out of the 
 Family-ftate into a National-ftate > 
 
 Query 2. Was not this Kingdom, under 
 the feveraf Forms of Government,the Lord's 
 Kingdom in a peculiar Way, the Govern- 
 ment of it his, and the Throne of it his, 
 1 Chron. xxviii. 5. and xxix. 25 ? And was 
 not the Lord offended with that Nation, for 
 defiring a King like the Kings of the reft of the 
 Nations ? 
 
 Query 3. Was not this State of the 
 Church a Type, and an earthly Shadow of 
 that holy Nation, that heavenly Kingdom, 
 the New Teftament Church, which is now 
 ere&edby the leaking of Heaven and of 
 Earth, and of all Nations, whereby that 
 F 4 State 
 
t $ 8 1 
 
 State of the Church ere&ed by the fhaldng 
 of the Earth at Sinai is removed, i Pet., ii. 
 e. /£$. xii. from Verfe 22. to the End > 
 
 ^|Wy 4. Was not the King, with all the 
 Rulers of the National; <phurch of Ifrdel, ty- 
 pical of Jefus Chrift his Kingdom arid Go^r 
 Vernment in the New Teftament Church, 
 %vhjch is the Kingdom of Heaven ? Gen xlix. 
 10. Ifa. xxxiii. 20, 21, 22. PfalAxxxiu 
 throughout. IJ$. ix. 6, 7. Jer xxiii. 5, 6, 7, 
 $, Luke i. 32. 3^/? i. 49. 
 
 ifWry 5V Hath not the Lord exprefly de^ 
 clared. That his Covenant with his Church 
 now, is not according to the Covenant he 
 made with the Ifraelites when he brought 
 them out of the Land of Egypt I How then 
 fay we, That we muft now have a Cove- 
 nant in the Church according to that, and 
 feelv to imitate it by a Covenant faulty on; 
 the fame Account, whereon that Covenant 
 was not found faultlefs, with refpe£t unto 
 the People covenanted, Heb. viii ?■' 
 
 ghiery 6. Were thefe Covenants you 
 
 5 joint to, any Thing elfe but Repetitions of 
 JraeVs^ Engagements at Sinai after their 
 Backflidings ? Or, Were they diftindt Cove- 
 nants from that which the Lord made with 
 the Nation at Sinai > And may not the fame 
 Thing be faid of them that is faid of the 
 Covenant at Sinai, Heb. viii ? 
 $uery 7. In the Matter of Types, ought 
 
 no? 
 
t.*9 3 ■ 
 
 Jjnot the Thing typifved to excell the Type,' 
 . [and do not the Things of the New Tefla* 
 fment excel their Types, as they are hea- 
 venly Things ? How then do our National 
 ■ I Covenants as fuch excel that Covenant, 
 which the Lord himfelf with fo great So- 
 lemnity made with the earthly Nation of 
 Jfraely which was his -whole Church on 
 Earth ? 
 
 Qiiery 8* Ought we not rather to look 
 for the End of thele Covenants in the hea- 
 venly Nation, the Catholick Church, and 
 in the Covenant between the Lord and his 
 Chrift, the King of this Kingdom and the 
 People i and between this King and the 
 People'* efpecially feing the Lord tells us 
 his Kingdom is not of this World > 
 
 ghtery 9. Was there any Thing in that 
 old National Covenant, frequently renew- 
 ed by the Kings and People o£ ffrael, but 
 what is found to much better Purpofe in the 
 New Teftament, and in the heavenly Nati- 
 on headed by Jefus Chrift himfelf, than it 
 lias in that earthly Nation ? 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 11, *Th prophefied? Rev. xvii. 16. 
 that Ten Kings or Nations, that had for- 
 merly fupported the Whore of Baby Ion, {hall 
 turn againft her, make her defolate, naked, 
 3ikl burn her with Fire \ now I? pleafed to, 
 
 Ull 
 
tell me how 'tis imaginable this great Event can 
 be brought about by ten Kings or Nations, with- 
 out fomething like National Covenanting -, e- 
 fpecially if they (ball attack the Whore all at 
 once 5 which, for any Thing I know, they may 
 do? 
 
 Query 12, If ten, or rather a greater Num- 
 ber of independent Congregations, fiould make 
 an Effay to demolifh Antichrift, would they not 
 neceffarily be obliged to for fake their own Prin- 
 ciple, and make ufe of ours, according to- ths 
 very fir ft Ufe of a- confederate War ? 
 
 Qnery 15. For what Sort of Allies would 
 they make in this holy War without fomething 
 like our Solemn League to cement them? 
 
 Counter Qju e r 1 e 3. 
 
 Query i. Is it not imaginable, th st 
 ten Kings may make the Whore defolate, by 
 withdrawing all that Power and Furniture 
 of theirs from her, wherewith me exalted 
 and adorned herfelf, and perfecuted the 
 Saints ^ or by forbearing to commit Forni- 
 cation with her, as fome have already in 
 fome Meafure done, Rev. xviii. 14. ? 
 
 tiery 2. Be pleafed to mew me, how it 
 at thefe Kings are faid to agree and 
 give their Kingdom to the Beaft ? And how 
 jt is that the Kings, who have committed 
 Fornication, and lived delicioufly with her, 
 fhall bewail and lament for her, when they 
 
 fliall 
 
C 91 ] 
 
 '(hall fee the Smoke of her Burning > Or 
 will you not rather wait the Event for a 
 clearer Explication of the Manner of Ant;- 
 chrift's Deftrudion pointed at in thefe me- 
 taphorical Predictions? Rev. xvii. 16. and 
 xviii. 9, .10. 
 
 Query 3. Is it not poffible, that we may 
 fall into the fame Miftake, in explaining 
 thefe metaphorical Predj&ions of AiitichriftYs 
 Deitruction, that the Jews, and others after 
 them unto this Day have fallen into, in ex- 
 plaining metaphorical Prophecies in the Old 
 Teftament, concerning the Kingdom of the 
 Meiliah? ■ 
 
 Query 4. How is Antichrift, as Antichr;ff, 
 expofed to a forcible Attack, from the u- 
 nited Power of the Kings of this Earth > Or 
 is worldly Power meet for a Conflicl: with 
 fpiritual Wickednefs > 
 
 Query ?. Is not Antichrift to be confumed 
 with the Spirit of his Mouth, and deftroyed 
 with the Brightnefs of his Coming ? Doth 
 riot the Scripture in this fpeak plainly, and 
 no Proverb ? And what is there of the uni- 
 ted Force of ten Kings againft him in this ? 
 And do you know what it was that flood in 
 the Way of his being reyealed for fome 
 Time > 2 ThejJ. ii. 6, 7, 8. 
 
 Query 6. Have Independents no other 
 Way of warring againft Antichrift, but by 
 worldly Force and. Pqwer?- Or need they any 
 
 Thing 
 
[ 9* X 
 
 "Thing to cement them in a holy fpiritual j 
 War againft him, but the Bond of Peace and 
 the Unity of the Spirit therein > 
 
 Query 7. Is there nothing of Antichrifi: 
 in the Ufe fome would make of the Magi- 
 strates Sword now for the Church, iince 
 Chrift hath fet afide the Power of this World 
 from his Church ; and fince the ten Kings 
 have agreed to give their Kingdom to the 
 Beaft? 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 14. Whether the Lords of the Con* 
 gregation a fled an honeli and warrantable Part 
 at the Reformation, in openly covenanting a^ 
 gain ft Popery, and all its Abettors, as they 
 did Edin. December 3. i?57- Perth, May 
 31. 1559. Leith, April' 12. 1560. Air,Sep- 
 t ember 4. 1562. 
 
 Counter Qu erie s. 
 
 Query 1. Becaufe I have not prefent Op- 
 portunity for a diftindfc View of the Hiftory 
 of that time, be pleafed to inform me, if 
 it was the fame after the Year 1560. as it 
 was before, when they bound themfelves 
 together for the Defence of one another in 
 their ProfeiEon againft that Violence of the 
 ' Papifts, and when it was no National Co^ 
 tenant? ' 
 Query 2. Is there no Difference between 
 
 my 
 
C -93 1 
 
 ?ny defending myfelf from Violence in the 
 Profeffion of my Faith, and my compelling 
 others by Violence to profefs as I do > And, 
 is there no Difference between a voluntary 
 Engagement, and an impofed Covenant > 
 
 <gucry 3. Were our Covenants National 
 by the free Choice of the whole Nation, af- 
 ter Examination of Truth and Falfhood ac- 
 cording to the Word, as to all the Things 
 engaged to in thefe Covenants ? Or was the 
 whole Nation ever perfwadedof the Truth 
 of thofe Things by the Evidence of the 
 Word > Is it not then an evident Inconfi- 
 ftency, to difclaim Force, and zealoufly" to 
 affert thefe Covenants as National, which 
 they could never have been without Force, 
 and to affert that every Perfon in thefe Na- 
 tions is under the Obligation of an Engage- 
 ment, which the greateft Part of the Nati- 
 .011 never underftood, nor gave their hearty 
 Confent to, and yet deny the Lawfulness 
 of Covenanting without Choice ? 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 1?. Do not all Cafuifts &von thefe 
 Oaths and Covenants to be lawful and binding, 
 whofe Matter is moral \ and Form legal? 
 
 Query 16. Is not the Matter of the Nati- 
 onal Covenant moral, necejjary y and antece- 
 dently binding I 
 
 Query 17. Was it not formally and legaU 
 
 b 
 
tygotie in toby King, Parliament, Mimfiers-, 
 and People of all Ranks, and /worn five of 
 fix Times for the more Security ? 
 
 Counter Qu £ r i e s, 
 
 §>uery i. Is it no? neceffary that the Ma- 
 ter of the Covenant be known precifely 
 what it is, Before it be judged all neceffary 
 and antecedently binding ? 
 
 ghiery 2. Does the Matter of an Oath or 
 Covenant oblige further than by its own 
 Morality without the Form ? Or is the Mat- 
 ter the Oath, other wife than as put in fuch 
 a Form ? 
 
 Sguery 3, If all the Matter of the Co- 
 venant be moral, neceffary, and ante- 
 cedently binding, how far is it lawful for 
 the covenanted to make any Alteration in 
 that Matter at any Time > 
 
 §>tiery 4. May moral Matter be fworn to 
 in every Form, wherein it may be caft > Or 
 may it not be caft into fuch a Form, a$ that 
 the Oath fliall be unlawful I 
 
 ^uery 5. .Does a King, Parliament, Mi- 
 irifters and People of all Ranks, their fwear- 
 ing a Covenant with great Formality, and 
 frequently ,make the Form of that Covenant 
 lawful, or make the Matter of the Cove- 
 nant binding in that Form ? And is there 
 not Ground fometimes for fame Diftinftion. 
 between lawful and legal ? 
 
 Mr, 
 
Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 18. What then can difohlige a Pro- 
 teftant Presbyterian Minifier at Proteftant Pre/- 
 hyferian National Covenant or Con/effion of 
 Faith ^ originally defigned to pre/erve us from 
 all Mifchie/s of Popery and arbitrary Govern* 
 inent i 
 
 Counter Qu e r y. 
 
 S^uery *Wliatcan difoblige many Prote- 
 ftant Presbyterian Minifters at the great 
 Zeal of fome Proteftant Presbyterian Peo- 
 ple for Proteftant Presbyterian Covenants, 
 originally defigned to preferve us from the 
 Mifchiefs of Popery and Arbitrary Govern- 
 ment > And what has moved many Pres- 
 byterian Proteftants to fufpedt that the Zeal 
 of that People has fometime received fome 
 Encouragement from Rome ? 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 19. For what Purpofe is the Nati- 
 onal Covenant and Solemn League kept in our 
 Books, and dels of Affembly anent them pre- 
 ferved in Reputation, if they be not [till valu- 
 able Parts of our Conftitution f. 
 
 Counter Q_u e r i e s. 
 
 Query 1. Is our Conftitution entire with- 
 out 
 
t '96 1 
 
 out the Covenants, valuable Parts of otii 
 Conftitution h U- 
 
 Query 2. Are the Covenants ftanding In 
 our Conftitution at prefent by their being 
 printed in our Books, and by the Reputati- 
 on of the Acls anent them ?- And be pleafed 
 to Ihew me with whom of us it is, that the 
 Ads of Affembly anent them, have fuch Re- 
 putation, and if there be no Difficulty about 
 printing them in our Books? 
 
 . Query 3. And are we by this Means to 
 Convince them, that our Conftitution is en- 
 tire, who count it far otherwife, for the 
 Want of thefe Covenants ? 
 
 Mr* Ada m s. 
 
 Query 20 ~ Does it look fair then, after one 
 has got hint) (elf into our Communion, to quarrel 
 the Law fulnefs of our Covenants, the Bredches 
 thereof- are frequently given as Reafons of 
 Faffing and Humiliation before God 2? 
 
 Counter Q_u e'eibs, 
 
 Query i. Are the Covenants the Term 
 upon which. he came into that Communion, 
 who now quarrels the Lawful nefs of them ? 
 
 Query 2. If they had s might he not pof- 
 fibly fee the Unlawfulnefs of them in that 
 Communion, which yet he might not fee 
 before? And is it not fair to tell it, wheii 
 he fees it ? 
 
C >7 1 
 
 Query 3. If there be a notable Breach of 
 them in our prefent Eftablifhrnent^ or, if the 
 prefent legal Eftablifhment be inconfiftent 
 with them, as fome conceive, they will be 
 making Enquiry* if this be acknowledged 
 among the reft ? 
 
 Query 4. Is there not Ground to acknow* 
 ledge the Sin of Perjury, if it be," as it can- 
 not well mifs to be, in the National Swear* 
 ing of fuch Covenants, as well as Perjury ir* 
 that Breach of them ? 
 
 Query 5. Will the Querift upon no TerrriS 
 hold fuch Communion with any that fcruplc* 
 to acknowledge Things finful under this pre- 
 cife Confideration, as Breaches of fuch Na* 
 tional Covenants > 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 21. What Account would the Church 
 lave made of fuch a Praclice in the Days of 
 
 Yore ? 
 
 CotJN?E& Query* 
 
 ■Query Does not this Query plainly fup- 
 pofe a Difference betwixt the Days of 
 Yore and thefe Days with refpect to the Co- 
 venants ? And if the Querift will clearly 
 and candidly fhew that Difference, may it 
 not be enquired how this Query confifts iii 
 the Scope of it with the Scope of fome fore* 
 going > 
 
 G Mr, 
 
t 98 ] 
 
 Mr. Adams, j 
 
 Query 0. hit yet imaginable, the Church, 
 after fo long maintaining the Lawfulnejs of 
 National Covenanting, will all on a fudden 
 go into the Independent Way of doing things I 
 
 Counter Q_u e r i e s. 
 
 Query i. Is a Diflatisfac~tion with the Co- 
 venants a fufficient Ground for holding a 
 Man as an Independent ? Have not Presbyte- 
 rians been diffatisfied with thefe Covenants 
 iefore now ^ 
 
 Query 2. Who Was fo fond as to imagine^ 
 That a Presbyterian Church would of a fud- 
 den be of the Independent Way, even tho' 
 fometime the main Body of fuch a Church 
 has of a fudden gone into another Way, 
 leemingly more inconfiftent with the Co- 
 venants ? i 
 
 Query 3. Is it not lawful and fbmetimes 
 abfolutely neceffary, to declare fome Truths 
 of the Gofpel, where there is no Ground to 
 imagine that the main Body of fuch a Church 
 Will giye their Affent to them ? 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 23. Is the Zeal, Blood and u tea- 
 fur e ft ent by our worthy Ancejiors in framing 
 and handing down our Covenants, to be forgot 
 all at once $ And mufi we now reckon no mere 
 
 tit- 
 
L 99 J 
 
 topdn our Martyrs, than as fo many fools dud 
 
 mad Men ? . 
 
 C.ou N T feR Q_U £ i I U $♦ 
 
 j|Wy i. Cannot the Zeal and Blood of 
 our Anceftors be had in honourable Remem- 
 brance,without j unifying all Things iii their 
 Manner of doing ? Is there no Mids between 
 Madnefsand unerring Wifdom ? Orare wor- 
 thy Anceftors to be followed any further^ 
 than as they follow Chrift ? 
 
 gguery 2, Does the Querift, or any- other 
 Minrfter upon the prefent Eftabliflimenr, 
 undertake to juftify every Thing that the 
 Martyrs feted as one of the Grounds of 
 their Suffering? 
 
 '^ucry 3. Does he, that now confefTes his 
 Diffatisfadfcion with thefe Covenants, give 
 any Intimation of his reckoning our Mar- 
 tyrs Fools and mad Men ^ but on the con- 
 trary, does he not on all Occafions fhew a 
 fufficient Regard to them \ and would thefe 
 Martyrs, if now alive, thank any Man for 
 putting their Judgment in Place of his 
 Eible ? 
 
 .Query 4. Has there not heen fuch a 
 Thing feen in the World as Men building 
 the Tombs of Martyrs, magnifying therri 
 much, and, in their Manner of magnifying 
 them, bewraying a Spirit of Perfecution-$ 
 
 G 2 and 
 
L «p J 
 
 and fo fhewlng themfelves the Children of 
 them that killed the Martyrs > 
 
 Query $. Did they not well that fufFered, 
 bearing "Witnefs unto the Kingdom of Chrift 
 in the Church, in Oppofition to fuch Offi- 
 ces and fuch Dominion in it as he . hath ne- 
 ver inftituted, but on the contrary difchar- 
 ged ? And may they not alfo do well, who 
 may be helped to contend* unto fuffering 
 againfl: any Covenant in his Church, which 
 is not of his making, or againft any fuch 
 Covenant, as he hath removed by his Death, 
 and by his dying Teftimony, and his royal 
 Authority in the Church > 
 
 Mr. Adam s. 
 
 ' I Query 24. Does not the inveighing aga'mft 
 the Covenants gratify the Enemies of our happy 
 EJiabliJliment, as it doth at the fame Time 
 grieve the Hearts of its be ft Friends ? 
 
 Query 2$. Do not they, who are guilty this 
 Wuy 9 juftly deferve to he reckoned Malignant s, 
 according to the very fir [i Senfe andUfe of that 
 Word? 
 
 Counter Queries. 
 
 Query i« Has not the Tame Argument 
 fometimes been applied to very bad Pur- 
 pofes. John viii. 48. ? 
 
 Query 2. Is there not a grievous Com- 
 plaint among fome who profefs to be good 
 
 Friends 
 
Friends to Presbyterian Government now e- 
 ftablifhed, That in the publick Acting s of 
 Church Judicatories, there is not always a 
 due Tendernefs ihown this "Way ? And, if 
 the Querift will manifeft that fuch a Com- 
 plaint is groundlefs, will he not be in better 
 Cafe to fatisfie himfelfas tothefe Queries ; 
 or at leaft to fympathife with him, whofe 
 Lot it is, itfeems, to be thus reproached? 
 
 Query 3. How far would the Enemies of 
 this happy Conftitution be gratifyed, if they 
 underftood the Cafe > And is it to be expected 
 That, after fo much Zeal Ihown againft this 
 Eftablifhinentjthey will all of a fudden fall in 
 with Principles ftated in a direct Oppofition 
 unto thefe Things, for which they and their 
 Anceftors have fj>ent fo much Treafure and 
 Blood, and, they lay, Zeal too ? 
 
 Query 4. Who is there of our beft Friends 
 duly informed,, and not prejudiced by Mif- 
 informations, * that has not peculiar Defigns 
 of his own a driving \ and whofe Confcience 
 is influenced in this Matter by the New Te- 
 ftament Spirit and Light of the Word, whofe 
 Heart is grieved in this Cafe ? 
 
 Query %. Xluft we bear Witnefs unto no 
 Truth of the Gofpel, nor againft any Thing 
 1 inconfiftent with it, till we are fatisfied that 
 all the beft Friends of "our Eftablifhment 
 will be pleafed with fach a Teftimony % 
 And if we be to go to them, and leave the 
 
 G 3 ¥ QiA 
 
L I02 3. 
 
 Word in all our Searches after Truth •, howf 
 {hall we he their Teachers, and they be? 
 made wiler by us > 
 
 Mr. Adams. 
 
 Query 26. What Satisfaction then can a 
 Minifier of the Co/pel of Peace have in propa- 
 gating, on all Occafions, an Opinion, which can- 
 not mifs to. inflame his Mother Church ^ which, 
 with Submiffion, I think, were it true, yet would 
 pme for all its Ufes,tho he kept it to himfelf? 
 
 Counter Qu e & i e s. 
 
 Ornery j, Is it not the Duty of a Mini- 
 fter of the Gofpel of Peace to fet himfelf a- 
 gainft any Thing inconfiftent with it, as it 
 is a Gofpel of Peace ^ and againfi every 
 Thing that ferves to break the Peace of the 
 Church ? And what will be to blame, if any 
 Church be divided by this > 
 
 ^uery %. Has not this covenanting ferved 
 to divide the true Members of the Church of 
 Chrift in thefe Lands \ Is there riot a Party 
 in thefe Days divided from this Church on 
 the Account of thefe Covenants ? And is there 
 xlq Offence taken at this Church,the Gofpel of 
 Peace, and the Ordinances difpenfed by the 
 prefent Miniiiry, on this very Account, by 
 pot a few that profefs to be Presbyterians in 
 ffds Country at prefent I 
 
 ' §>uery 3. What is there in this Opinion 
 
 with 
 
t 103 1 
 
 with refpecl: to the Covenants, inconHftent 
 with the Gofpel of Peace,or that ferves in the 
 leaft to break the Bond of Peace or the Roy- 
 al Law of Charity amongft ChriiYs Difci- 
 pies, the Children of the New JerujaUm a- 
 bove, which is the Mother of us all > 
 
 Query 4. Where have you learned to call 
 any other Church your Mother now, but 
 that Jerufahm which is above ? 
 
 Query % May not all unbiaffed Hearers 
 be left to judge, whether thefe Sermons, 
 wherein this Diflatisfaclion with the Cove- 
 nants was confefTed, or thefe, wherein the 
 Covenants have been fo much magnified, 
 have favoured moft of true Schifm ? 
 
 Query 6. Is it lawful for a Minifter of the 
 Gofpel of Chrift to keep any Thing to him* 
 felf, when the Circumftances of Chrifl's 
 prof effing People neceflarily require the 
 Knowledge of it ^ and when they- are mani- 
 ieillj at a Lofs as to receiving Benefit by 
 the Gofpel through the Ignorance of it, and 
 when he is dar'd to declare it ? 
 
 Query 7, Unto what Ufe then can fuch a 
 Truth ferve, being kept to himfelf, but to 
 break the Peace of his own Confidence, and 
 be a Fire in his Bofom ? 
 
 When he had confidered thefe Queries^ 
 
 lie defired me to read his Anlwer to the 
 
 Letters, and gave me one iingle Query for 
 
 them all , to which I gave an Aniwer, and 
 
 G 4 I 
 
[ 104 1 
 I have had no more of his writing fince? 
 That Query with the Anfwer is as follows. 
 
 Another, Query from Mr. Ad a m §. 
 
 Query Where the Odds lies in 900 Parifhes 
 covenanting congregationally •, and a Nations 
 doing it, of the fame- Number, in the fame > 
 Way, and upon the fame Sub j eel? 
 
 ( The Answer.) 
 
 Anfwer For clearing the Queftion, it is 
 neceflary that we underftand the Terms ^ 
 And, ifi, I fuppofe, from what has paft 
 Betwixt us, and from the View I have of the 
 Query, it i§ a Church Covenant that is in- 
 tended. 
 
 idly, By a Nation, I mull underftand ei- 
 ther firft, and moft properly, the Politick 
 Body. Or, 2dly, Every Perfon in the Na-? 
 lion. Or, idly, fome Perfons, perhaps of 
 #11 Sorts in the Nation fingled out unto a cer- 
 tain Purpofe 5 as they, that are redeemed 
 pu|: of every Nation, and are the firft Fruits 
 to God and the Lamb, are frequently called 
 in Scripture, the Nations and the Kingdoms 
 of the World, of which the Kingdom of God 
 is made up. 
 
 7,dly, ByaParifhthat Covenants \ I muft 
 underftand either iji thefe in fiich a PJaee 
 fit for Covenanting, i. e. The People of 
 Ghrift profefling themfelves Strangers on 
 
 Earth, 
 
jEarth, and ' Sojourners among the Men of 
 'this World, in the Place where they live 
 together, according to the Import and firfl: 
 Vie of the Word among Chriftians. See 
 the Infcription of Clemens Romanuss firfl: 
 Epiftle to the Corinthians, « immo-io. •»?*/%*?* 
 
 'Pcofjwv tw \\LKK*<ricL nr&fotiusffn KopivQov, Tho' fbme- 
 
 times it alfo fignifies Fellow/hip, and 'tis 
 us'd in the fecond Epiftle commonly a- 
 fcrib'd to Clemens, to fignify that Fellowship 
 : which we ought not to have with the Men 
 of this World. oQzv *Vu*po/ kajaxu^avtis tw 
 
 *7taooih.iav tb koq-[j.h jutx, woiiKraftsv to Bi\H(XA ja ka- 
 Xmtavtgs «//<*<■ nctt fjtn ooCnQo^v k£e\Quv at th KGtrp.v 
 Tarn hvyet yet? o Kup/o? eirscS-s 04 ctpi'ta. ivfj^g-a Kvy.w y 
 
 Qpc. Which, if you pleafe, you may recon- 
 cile with fome Kind of Covenanting •, arid 
 this was the Covenanting in the firfl: 300 
 Years, of Chriftianity. And you muft bear 
 with me, in quoting another Paflage in the 
 firfl: Epiftle of that fame Clemens, Toiwv xoa- 
 
 Anda/USK TOti (JLiT lVQ~t$ti(ti itpMSVX(Tll' y KAl fJW TOIC 
 
 [Aitf i'7roKpio~Z6)$ (ZisKo[jApQi$ eiprnw. Or, 2aly. All 
 
 the Perfons inhabiting fuch a Bounds affign'd 
 by the civil Magiftrate, as in the Query $ 
 which fuppofes Scotland, with all its Inha- 
 bitants, to be divided into 900 Parifhes. 
 
 Now, Firfl, Taking Nation in the third 
 Senfe, and Parijh in the firft Senfe, it be- 
 longs not to the Controverfy, nor to the 
 Query, as I take it, to fr^ew where the Odds 
 lies. Or if it do, then fuppofing the Na- 
 tion 
 
[ 106 ] 
 
 lion fb coniider'd to confift of 900 fiich Pa- 
 rimes, the Odds between the 900 Parifhes 
 covenanting Congregatiorially, allc | the Na- 
 tion's doing it in the fame Way, ( i. e. Con- 
 gregationally ) will be none at all. 
 
 idly. Taking Parifh in the fecond £enfe, 
 which is intended in the Query, and Nation 
 in the moft proper Senfe, as fiich a politick 
 Body, with all its Policy, Power and Go* 
 vernmeht, Ranks and Orders of Men in it, 
 and Reprefentatives 5 and then the Odds 
 betwixt 900 Parifhes, in which all the Per- 
 ions belonging to that politick Body are con- 
 tain'd, their covenanting congregationally, 
 and the Nation's doing it, is very plain. 
 And I reckon you will not find it eafjf to 
 reconcile a Nation, in this Senfe, its entring 
 into a Church Covenant, under the New 
 Teftament, with our Lord's good Confeffion 
 before Pilate, concerning his Kingdom ♦, nor 
 with the Notion the New Teftament gives 
 us of a Chrifihtn Church. 
 
 idly. The Odds between 900 Parifhes* co- 
 venanting Congregationally, and a Nation 
 (taking it in the fecond Senfe) made up of 
 that Number, its doing it in the fame Way, 
 is the fame with the Odds between 900 Pa- 
 rifhes covenanting Congregationally, and 
 900 Parifhes covenanting Congregation- 
 ally. 
 
 In his Anfvver to the Letters, he pointed 
 
 plainly 
 
plainly to a neighbouring Minifter as the 
 
 Author of them, and treated him not very 
 
 difcreetly. That Minifter complained of 
 
 this, and fblemnly declared he had no Hand 
 
 jin them, at the fame Time iignifying, as 
 
 he well might, That Mr. A ms's Anfwer 
 
 did not afford him any Satisfaction upon the 
 
 Subject of controverfy. And it was not 
 
 civil, after his folemn Declaration, for Mr, 
 
 ; J, — — . ms ari( i others, ftill to infinsiare their 
 
 I Sufpicions of him as the Author of theft 
 
 Letters. 
 
 I was invited that Sealon by two of theMi- 
 nifters in Dundee to aflifb at the Sacrament 
 there ^ but underftanding that Mr. 7^—— n 
 was wreftling againft it, and that it would 
 be grievous to him, unlefs I were brought 
 there under fome Limitations, I refus'd to 
 come, without an unlimited Invitation, 
 with the Content of all the Three, as for- 
 merly. In the mean Time, many of the 
 People urg'd my being there, and when he 
 faw that it was not fafe to refill, he yielded. 
 This, with foine other Things that appeared 
 on that Occafion when I was there, gave 
 him fuch a Vidimus of the People, as made 
 him lament on the Tiie/day after in his Ser- 
 mon, That fo few were appearing for the 
 covenanted Work, and exhort the Few that 
 adhered to it, to plead for it. 
 
 After the Sjmod in Ottoier^ fome expect- 
 ' . '^ "' . ed* 
 
I I08 ] 
 
 ed, that the Presbytery of Dundee would 
 take this Bufinels again under Confiderati- 
 on, and bring it to iome Bearing before the 
 next Synod : But, whatever Pains were 
 taken to this Purpofe privately, yet it feems 
 the Presbytery did not meddle with it. Bet- 
 ter Things were expected of the Synod, 
 which met at Aberbrothwick y April 18. 1727. 
 There was a grievous Complaint entered 
 in the Committee of Overtures againft thefe 
 tetters, that had been writ in Anfwer to 
 Mr. A — ms, and they were defign'd much 
 the fame Way, as in the Title Page of the 
 Effay. Withal it was aliedg'd, That there 
 was the more Reafon to take Notice 
 of thefe Letters, that in the Presby- 
 tery of Dundee there had been a Speech 
 made, by a Member, in Favours of 
 them. Mr. W — n made a very zea- 
 lous Speech on this Occafion ^ and took No- 
 tice of another Writing, ( meaning, as I 
 took it, my Letter to Mr. Archibald} 
 wherein our folemn Covenants were repre- 
 fented as contrary to the Kingdom of Chrift. 
 He infilled much to fhew, That this Oppo- 
 fition to the Covenants, if not taken No- 
 tice of, would be a Mean of hardning them 
 that had feparated from the Church, and 
 forwarding others out of the Church that in- 
 clined that Way. -He alfo aliedg'd, That 
 Minifters and others thro' the Nation were 
 
 much 
 
L I0 9. J 
 nuch offended, that this Attack upon out 
 Covenants was born with. In this he was 
 econded by Mr. G— ~ — r, who told* 
 Fhat a reverend Minifter had written iri 
 Defence of the Covenants, and that it 
 would give much Offence, if more Notice 
 was net taken of this Attack upon them* 
 The Letters, that were only made ufe of to 
 introduce the Subject* dropt fome Way or 
 other in the Progrefs of fuch Difcourfes * 
 and the Conclusion driven at was, That 
 without naming any Perfon, ( for that was 
 carefully avoided at this Time* as fbme 
 think, to keep the People eafy, till the 
 Matter mould be brought to fome better 
 Bearing ) the Synod might make an Act, at 
 ferting the Obligation of the Covenants. 
 This was refilled by feverals, but there was 
 no Reft with fervent Speeches and Threat- 
 nings, till a Committee was appointed to 
 confider of this Matter, and draw up the 
 Form of an Affertory A6t When they met, 
 
 I was inform'd, that Mr. W -r* offer'd 
 
 a Draught, which was not gone in with $ 
 as being too particular. Molt Paft m-the 
 Committee were not for an Ad: at all , hut 
 being told, if there were no iuch Acl, ma- 
 ny in the Synod would proteft, and there 
 would likewife be a Libel againft me , they 
 were thus frighted into a general fmooth 
 Form of an A£t, which Ihould, one Way 
 
 or 
 
©r other, pleafe the moft Part : So it wall 
 brought in to the'Overtures, and it was to 
 this Purpofe, ( for I don't well remember 
 the Words) That, becaufe feverals were 
 complaining of Minifters and Judicatories, 
 their not fliewing fufficient Regard to the 
 Covenants, therefore the Synod declar'd 
 their Regard to the Covenants, agreeable to* 
 the Word of God, the Confeffion of Taitb. 
 &nd Formula * 5 and deiign'd to difcourage all 
 -Bifparagemerit of them, and of theie that 
 fufter'd for them. When this came into the 
 Overtures, and the Moderator was enqui- 
 ring the Mind of the Members upon it, 
 3Mfeffi fr * fo i d'$ Judgment^ was alfo asked, 
 ligon which I defir'd, That feeing it had 
 been reprefented, that the DiflatisfacHon 
 •with thefe Covenants ihewed by fome, hard- 
 •med them who feparated from the Church, 
 and inclin'd others to Separation, and feeing 
 '3\4r. ^~~~~ i/was the fitter!: Man to" inform 
 4he Synod of that, being one that inclin'd 
 that Way, and appear'd for the Covenants, 
 <as I thought, from Conference, 1 and not from 
 any private Defign he was driving, he might 
 foe heard upon that * Head. lie was heard, 
 arid he faid to this' Purpofe, That they, who 
 had feparated for the Sake of the Covenants, 
 looktupon the Minifters of this Church as 
 of two Sorts :/ the one materially denying 
 the Covenants, and formally profefling 
 
 them 5 
 
L m J ■ . 
 
 them •, the other formally denying thefri » 
 knd they lookt upon this laft Sort as moft 
 [ingenuous. And as for them that had not yet 
 Separated, he could fpeak beft for himfelf ; 
 land for him ? he declar'd, that what I had 
 ladvanc'd againft the Covenants had made 
 him more eafy. This Speech gave much 
 [Surprize in the Synod. A certain Member* 
 1^ the fame, perhaps, who in .his printed 
 ! Remarks on the fcandalous Letters, endea- 
 vouring to palm them upon me, fays,—-** 
 But when he brings them all to Mr. F — — 
 
 A ■ d\ Temper, it feems he'll be in a 
 
 better Hiimour ) complain'd, That I had 
 brought him there as a Coy-duck 5 others 
 laid, They could not underftand him, for 
 he did not ad confiftently withhimfelfj 
 and the Moderator faid from the Chair,That 
 this was, becaufe I had brought him over to 
 iny "Way of Thinking. To which I reply'd, 
 That if it was fo, the Principles advanced 
 by me, it feem'd, had not forwarded hirri 
 in his Separation from the Church. I de- 
 fied to be heard upon this Draught of the 
 Affertory A6t, being a Member of the Com- 
 mittee y and firft, As to the Reafon giveii 
 for the Act in the Beginning of it, it could m 
 not appear to the Synod to be a Truth : F04 
 except that, perhaps, fome.few Minifters 
 had been complaining to a few People, and 
 they back to them again, or that feme Mi- 
 
 nifterg 
 
C »" J 
 
 fritters among us hatd alarin'd othefs in cn 
 their Parts with odd and partial Accounts of 
 this Bufinefs, I doubted not hut the beft 
 Part of the People, that flood well affe&ed 
 to the Church in this Corner, and the wi- 
 left Minifters in the Nation, were far from 
 being inclin'd that this Matter fhould be 
 before the Synod at this Time* And next, 
 1 defir'd it might be determin'd, what was 
 meant by the Covenants, and if it was both 
 the Covenants commonly call'd National 
 and the Solemn League ? Further I alledg'd , 
 That when we aflerted our Regard to thefe 
 Covenants, agreeable to the Word, Confejiori 
 and Formula^ this was capable, and very 
 like to be taker* two Ways : For fome would 
 take it to impott no more but this, That 
 they afferted the Covenants, only ib far as 
 they thought them agreeable to the Word, 
 Confeflion and Formula $ and others would 
 take it to import, their aflerting that thefe 
 Covenants are agreeable to the Word, Con- 
 feffioH and Formula : So there was a Juggle in 
 it ^ and therefore I denYd that it might be 
 
 • determin'd wh#t it is we are to aflert, that it 
 may be known what we are doing, in a Mat- 
 
 _ ter of Tuck Importance. Then it went to 
 the Vote in the Committee of Overtures, 
 Whether this Form of the Ad mould be 
 tranfmitted to the Synod ? Severals voted 
 againft it, fome were not clear, and it 
 
 carried 
 
carried Tranfmit, by a Few. When it came 
 before the Synod, I propos'd the fame Ob- 
 jections as in the Committee, and found, 
 That the Managers had agreed to take away 
 the Letter (s) from the Covenants ; fo it 
 was -ftruck out by Confent : Only Mr. 
 
 A d reclaim'd; and, I think too, Mr, 
 
 W — n faid, There were other Cove- 
 nants befide the National Covenant and So- 
 lemn League, which it might point to, and 
 inftanc'd the Band of the Lords of the Con- 
 gregation. Hitherto the National Covenant 
 had been fet forth as.one and the lame with 
 that Band z, but now there was a DifHncti- 
 on made to ferve another Turn. Yet the 
 Author of the Ejjay holds by the iirft Notion^ 
 and makes as if he would draw in not only 
 that Band, but the Faith and Patience of 
 thefe Saints, Hamilton, Wijheart, Miln, and 
 others before that Band ; and not that only, 
 but the State of Matters under Donald I. 
 and afterward all into the National Cove- 
 nant : Tho', if he had gone no further back 
 than the Caftle of St. Andrews, fbme think 
 he had trae'd them far enough. However, 
 now thus was the Letter (V) put out, and by 
 a Daih of the Synod's Pen was formally 
 blotted outthe Teftimony ( to ufe the Stile 
 of the Author of the lateEfTay) of thefe 
 precious Worthies, who both on the Score 
 of the Matter, and Formality of the Solemn 
 H League 
 
L "4 J 
 League and Covenant, fuffer'd in tneir LivesJ 
 Eftates or Liberties, from and after the Re- 
 ftoration of King Charles II. until Novem- 
 ier 1688. SJr. I prefume, the Author to 
 the EiTay had a Brow for this Bargain -, and 
 for his Conference, I will not allow my felf 
 to fay any Thing of it, left I tranfgrefs 5 
 tho'ne reprefents thefe he fets himfelf a- 
 gainft, as of odd Confciences, bitter Spirits, 
 and ftrange Brows for a Bargain, and Dif- 
 gracers ' of the Martyrs. After fome Rea- 
 soning in the Synod, they got it brought the 
 Length of this Refolve, That this Draught 
 of the Ad: fhould ly, as it were, upon the 
 Table till the next Synod, and go to the 
 Presbyteries in the Minutes, and that it 
 fhould be enacted in a full Meeting of that 
 Synod. Then a Proteft was given in, to go 
 alongft with this Form of the Act, contain- 
 ing, as it were, an Exoneration of their 
 Confciences in a Teftimony to the Cove* 
 nants, in Oppofition to fuch as deny'd them $ 
 but naming no Body, tho' I took it to con- 
 tain the Matter of a Libel againft me. A- 
 mong other Things complainM of in them 
 that oppofed the Covenants, this feem'd pe- 
 culiarly to be pointed at, That they advan- 
 ced Principles againft the civil Magiftrates 
 Power circa facra y and inconfiftent with 
 the . prefent Eftabliihment. This Proteft 
 was fign'd by Matters Maxwel, Wilhfott, 
 
 Good fir 7 
 
Good fir ^ James Gray, Robert Gray, R^ 9 BaU 
 lantyne m&Wingate, Men of different Ways^ 
 and, upon different Views, agreeing in this 
 one Thing. I was a .little furpriz'd with 
 this concerning the civil Magiftrate, co- 
 ming from Men, who, if they be hearty in 
 what they are contending for, have Prin- 
 ciples, at Heart inconfiftent with theprefent 
 Magiftrates Authority, and who are fore d 
 to be filent as to a great Part of that which 
 their Arguments againft me would conclude 
 for ^ and which they would fain bring forth* 
 and this for Fear of the civil Magiftrate^ 
 and of a {landing Law. I thought I was con- 
 fcious to my felf of no Principles any way 
 derogatory from the civil Magiftrates Au- 
 thority, or tending in the leafb to the Di- 
 fturbance of the civil Society. Holding no- 
 thing concerning Chrift's Kingdom but the 
 Teftimony of our Lord, wherein Pilate 
 himfelf,. who was jealous enough fof his 
 Matter's Intereft and his own, could find 
 no Fault- To that his Teftimony concern- 
 ing his Kingdom, I defire to adhere 5 and I 
 have fuch Confidence to put in the prefent 
 Magiftrate and his Government, patroni- 
 zing the Liberty of his Subjects, and de- 
 fending them from unjuft Violence, that I 
 have no vifible Ground of Fear from that 
 Airth : But if it fhall pleafe the Lord, thaf 
 it mould fall out as he. nas forewarned all his 
 H 2 Dife 
 
[ M 1 
 
 Difciples, John xvi. 2. J Tis my Duty pati- 
 ently to bear it, even as he has given me a 
 blelted Example in his own Perfon. 
 
 I had the Opportunity to hear one of the 
 above named Protefters preaching for the 
 CovenantSjfince this Controverfy began $ and 
 imagining this Land, or thefe covenanted 
 Lands to be the Antitype, or what he had 
 before him, inftead of God's covenanted 
 earthly Nation Ifrael, and hirnfelf to ftand 
 unto this Land inftead of one of the Old 
 Teftarnent Prophets $ he reprefented the 
 ^refent deftitute Condition of the Church, 
 by Reafon of the Defe&ion from the cove- 
 nanted Work, and prophefied of a glorious 
 earthly State of the Church to come, by 
 the reviving of the Covenants, and that in 
 the Words of the Prophet Haggai^ prophe- 
 fying of the firft Coming of Chrift, and in 
 the Words of the Prophet Ifaiah^ i* 21, 22, 
 23, 24, 2>, 26. He read over theffeyerfes, 
 and he paft over Verfe 23. concerning the 
 Princes, and did not meddle with' it. 
 
 The Committee that was appointed by 
 the laft Synod to confider of Mr. Archi- 
 lulls Affair, brought in a favourable Re- 
 port, and an Overture, That he fhould be 
 admonifh'd for fome Irregularities, and that 
 nothing of his Affair fhould be* in the Re- 
 mitters. This Overture was gone into by 
 the Synod, and they forbore him, tho* he 
 
 was 
 
C iff Jt. 
 
 was not yet clear to fubfcribe the Formula. 
 This was done before the Draught of the 
 Aflertory A£t came in to the Committee of 
 Overtures, which was the main Thing in 
 this Synod. i 
 
 After this Synod, the Bufinefs of printing 
 upon the Subject of the Covenants com- 
 menc'd, and the flrft Paper of that Kind that 
 came to my Hand, was a Letter concern- 
 ing, as the Title Page has it, Our jolemn 
 and facrcd National Covenants ■, again/} which 
 fome have of late too boldly , and yet without 
 Cenfure, vented their heterodox Notions. Some- 
 time before this, the reverend Mr. //— g had 
 ■ wrote a Letter to a Lady on that Subject 
 which (he gave me to confider, and give 
 her my Thoughts upon it ^ and upon read- 
 ing this Print, I eafily underftood that it 
 
 was done by the fame Hand. Mr.// g 
 
 I find owns the Print, but difowns and dif- 
 approves of the Title Page, and afcribes. it 
 to fome other. I wrote my Thoughts of 
 this Letter to the Lady, and- fubjoyn'd 
 fome Things with Reference to this Print, 
 as follows. 
 
 Mr. HogV Letter to the Lady C. upon the 
 Subject of the Covenants. 
 
 D. M. 
 
 c T Wrote my poor Thoughts about the 
 
 I X Obligation of our Covenants upon Po- 
 
 H 3 * fterity: 
 
r us 3 
 
 th< 
 
 flerity-: But the Manufcript containing 
 that, and divers other Purpofes, is not in • 
 my Hand, nor within my Reach for the 
 Time. The Queftion, as, to lawful Oaths, 
 whether more dire£tly Religious, or Civile 
 is plainly refolv'd in the Affirmative in 
 the Old Teftament $ . . witnefs. the Series 
 of Providence towards Ifrael and Judab. 
 J^ow, the Scriptures are full and large. I 
 need not quote Paflages -,-of many, One or 
 Twprinay'be confiderecl, Deut> v.. 2, 3, 4. 
 and xxix* 24, 2J. Jer. xxii. 8, 9. Pfah 
 Ixxviii. 37, Q)}. And Iniiances we have 
 of Oath'q, which , from what appears, 
 might be accounted jufldy exceptionable., 
 had not the Spirit of God plainly declared 
 their Obligation/ as that of the ~. 67^0- 
 nites, Jofc.'vL. from Verfe 3. Compare 
 2 Sam. xxL i, 2, 3, mf And of Zedei 
 hi ah to the King of Eahylon, Ezekkl xviu 
 ■I 8, 1% 20, ggjr. In Sum, as to Oaths, I 
 take a Society to be confider'd upon the 
 fame JLevel with ftPtrfoq.. That the O- 
 bligatipn of Oaths in Things juft and law- 
 ful upon the Perfon who takes them, is 
 inviolable, cannot be queftipned. Now, 
 a. Society, whether Civil or Ecckfia/tid%be~ 
 ing . confidered the fame Way, the Obli- 
 gation remains fixed and firm upon the 
 oo;\ety y and every one of them in their 
 respective Capacities,. lunderftand from 
 4 ' i w - m ' • ' ~ i the 
 
C 119 ] 
 
 * the habileft Lawyers, that fo it is under- 
 6 flood in Law -, and the Reafbnablenefs of 
 ? the Thing is plains For the Perfonsf 
 ' who make up the leveral Societies may 
 c be foon extinct, and if their Oaths went 
 
 * off with them, Leagues betwixt Princes, 
 % States, and Kingdoms, ggh and other wife, 
 \ would be but fhort-liv'd, and the Foun- 
 
 * dations of Societies would be overturned. 
 c As to our Covenants, it ought to be fpeci- 
 c ally adverted to, that therein we have to 
 c do with the Lord himfelf, more directly 
 c and folemnly than in Contra&s between 
 c Man and Man/ He ( may it be exprefs'd 
 c with due Reverence ) is the Party in 
 \ the Cafe. I know, that to all this it is 
 
 * excepted, That thefe Things belong only 
 c to an Old Teftament Difpenfation 3 ano! 
 c that we have no Precedent nor Example 
 c for fuch Dealings under the New Tefta- 
 • c ment, nor Warrant for the fame from 
 c Chrift and his Apoftles in New Teftament 
 
 * Churches. To this Objection I offer the 
 
 * following Anfwers. 1. To me it feem* 
 S eth to weaken the reformed Caufe in Op- 
 
 * pofition to Anabafttfrn, and that in two 
 - Refpefts. 1. It is juft their chief Argu- 
 
 * ment againft Infant Baptifm.. We have 
 « neither Precept nor Example ( fay they) 
 c for the baptizing of Infants under the 
 I New Teftament a for the Command to 
 
 H 4 * Ban-^ 
 
.1 I2 ° 1 
 
 * Baptize, carrieth Teaching with the fame 
 
 * Breath, whereof Infants are incapable. I 
 
 * don't efpoufe their Argument y yet we 
 € ought to beware of weakning the reform- 
 *■ edCaufe. m They alledge, That Wars, 
 
 * particularly in the Cafe of Religion, are 
 6 unlawful under the New Teftament ^ be- 
 c caufe, as they pretend, there's no Precept, 
 c nor Example for them in that Record. 
 ' "Whatever be of the Matter, 'tis well ob- 
 
 * ferv'd by orthodox and' eminent Divines, 
 ' That the Covenants and Church, in their 
 e Effentials, beitig the fame from the Be- 
 ginning, and the Old and New Teftament 
 
 & importing only different Adminiftrations 
 1 of the fame Covenant of Grace, the Old 
 
 5 pointing at Chrift to come, and the New 
 
 * being adjuiled to his having come already^ 
 
 * whatever we are taught, and oblig'd to 
 i by the Old Teftament in thefe EfTentials, 
 1 holdeth equally -in the New, as tfiey have 
 
 * M large declared. Hence, unlefs the Mat- 
 t ter of Oath, and their Obligation upon 
 
 * Pqfierity, were a Peculiarity belonging to 
 
 * that Bifpenfation, the Arguments from 
 
 * Trecept and Example in the Old Tefla- 
 
 6 ment, and otherwife, -will hold good un- 
 < derthe'Afcw. ' And feeing Oaths pertain 
 
 * to the Moral Law, the Concerns thereof 
 
 * feem to be the fame under both Tefta- 
 p meats. I wilh the true State of the Que- 
 
 * ftion 
 
ftion, in this Matter,were fairly confider'd/ 
 'Tis this, in Effed: * After that the Lord had 
 happily raifed the Churches in Britain and 
 Ireland to a defirable Pitch of Reformation, 
 in Do&rine, Worfhip, and Government, 
 and not only the Reprefentatives, but the 
 whole Body had (worn, in the Lord's 
 Strength,-to hold Hand thereunto, and to 
 prefs further. Query Whether or not the 
 Pofierity be under the fame Obligation ? 
 This was the Teftimony of our honeft 
 Sufferers, and the Cafe of Confeifion in the 
 former fuffering Times, and I look upon 
 thefe Oaths, as frill obliging, tho' not 
 perfonally, upon us. 
 
 Tour Ladyfbip's as before 
 Car. Nov. 2. 1726. 
 
 J A. Ho Gc 
 
 D. M. 
 
 € T proiriifed to give you my Thoughts of 
 c J_ the reverend Mr. H—g's Letter, and 
 
 * now that I have confidered it, I propofe 
 ' what follows to your Confideration upon 
 S that Subject. 
 
 ' I find he is at fome Lofs for Want of due 
 
 * Information of the State of this Contro- 
 c verfy about the Covenants : For it is not 
 
 * denied that lawful Oaths may be obliging 
 c upon Pofterity. The Lord's Covenant 
 ' with the Nation of Ifrael at Sinai did 
 J plainly oblige their Pofterity, till Chrift 
 
 * ful- 
 
[ 122 ] 
 
 fulfilled and abrogated it by his Deatl 
 Epb. ii. 14, $$• So there was no Need foi 
 citing fo many Scriptures upon the JProoi 
 of a Point, that none, who own Scripture 
 Revelation, will deny $ neither is it refufec 
 that civil Leagues betwixt Princes, States 
 and Kingdoms, as that mentioned Ezek < 
 xvii. are obligatory upon Pofterity. Of 
 this Sort is the League with the Giheonites 
 reckoned to be 5 tho 5 I eonfefs there is 
 fomething peculiar \n the Cafe of the.ffi- 
 beonites or the Hmites^ who were embodi- 
 ed with the Ijraelitifh / Nation God's cove-* 
 n anted Church, be;iag tjie fame People 1 
 that had been circumcifed upon a League 
 made with tjieni by Jacob's Sons, and, af- 
 ter their Circumcifion, greatly injured by 
 them : So that I think there was a pecu- ' 
 liar Providence in their becoming a Part 
 of the Jewifh Nation. Compare Gen. xxxiv. 
 2, &c. with Jofh. ix. 7. However I think 
 his fcripture Proof and his rational Ar- 
 gument, for the Obligation of lawful ci- 
 vil Leagues and Covenants upon Pofterity, 
 abundantly ftrong, and I Jenow none that 
 will deny it. But as for what he fays of 
 our Covenants, That we have to do with 
 the Lord himjelf, more direclly andfolemnly 
 than in Contracts between Man and ' Man, and- 
 %hat he is the Party in the Cafe, I eonfefs 
 I do not fo well underftand it ? unjefs he 
 
i conceive, that our Covenants are "betwixt 
 the Lord and oifr Nation, and reckon them 
 an Exemplification of that Covenant he 
 made with Ifrael at Sinai, which was af- 
 
 1 terward frequently renewed bjr them in 
 returning from their Backflidings, and 
 wherein he avouched them to be his 
 Church and People, and they, avouched 
 
 * him to be their God. If this be his Mean- 
 \ ing j I do differ from him, not being fa- 
 ' tisfy'd in the Lawfulnefs qf fuch an Exem- 
 
 * plincation .of the Lord's Covenant withhis 
 c typical earthly Church of old ^ and that, 
 
 * not only becaufe I have no Precedent nor 
 c Example for fuch a Thing under the New 
 '. Teftament, nor Warrant for the fame 
 6 from Chrift and his Apoftles in New Te- 
 c fiament Churches, as he lays-, but becaufe 
 c it is fet afide in the New Teftament, and 
 c is inconfiftent v/ith the *New Teftament, 
 I and with the Account our Lord and his A- 
 c poftles give of the New Teftament Church, 
 t and Kingdom of God. Tho' at the fame 
 c Time, I think I fay very much, when I 
 ,€ lay,I have no Example nor Warrant for it 
 c from Chrift and his Apoftles in New Te- 
 £ ftament Churches. As to what he fays 
 t with refpecl: to Infant Baptifm 5 if he give 
 - up v/ith the weighty and convincing Ar-? 
 £ guments brought by reformed Divines, 
 **frpm Mark x, 13, 14. Ms ii, 9S, %% 
 
 -' ' * 1 Cm* 
 
t 12 4 I 
 i Cor. vii. 14. and othe,r Places of the 
 New Teftament, for proving a "Warrant 
 from Chrift and his Apoftles for Infant 
 Church Member fhip and Baptifm, he will 
 very much weaken the Argument* from 
 the Old Teftament, and go far to ruin 
 the reformed Caufe in Oppofition to Ana- 
 baptifm. However, as I faid, I have 
 more to fay againft mch an Exemplifica- 
 tion of the Lord's Covenant with the Na- . 
 tion of lfrael at Sinai, than that there is 
 no "Warrant nor Example for it in the "New - 
 Teftament. 
 
 4 For, 1. "When the Lord brought his 
 Church of old out of the Family State in- 
 to a National State, he did, in his Cove- 
 nant at Sinai, feparate that earthly Nati- 
 on, as a peculiar People to himfelf, and as 
 his Kingdom. Exod. xix. 5, 6. But our 
 Lord witneffin^ that good Confeifion be- 
 fore Pilate John xviii. 36, 37. makes 
 fuch an Account of his Kingdom, as plain- 
 ly manifefts it is not his "Will, that any 
 earthly Kingdom mould be his Church. 
 Now, when in the Matter of Oaths, Mr. 
 H—g confiders a Society on the fame Le- 
 vel with a Perfon, and looks on this Nati- 
 on as fuch a Society entring into Covenant 
 with the Lord, he then confiders the Nati- 
 on as a politick Body : For in that View 
 it is that it ftands on the fame Level with 
 
E »? 3 
 
 a Perfon in covenanting : And fo that po- 
 litick Body, the Nation or Kingdom of 
 Scotland, ftands in a Covenant Relation to 
 God as his Kingdom, his Nation, and that 
 while it remains a Nation. This does in- 
 deed look very like the Cafe betwixt the 
 Lord and his earthly Kingdom the typi- 
 cal Church of Ifrael ; but take now this 
 political Body, a Kingdom of this World, 
 thus related unto God as his Church by a 
 Covenant, wherein he vouches this Socie- 
 ty to be his, and it avouches him to be its 
 Lord, and compare it with our Lord's 
 "Words concerning his Kingdom -, My King- 
 dom is not of this World, Sec. and lee if you 
 can find out any Thing more inconiiftent 
 with hisWord$,and his plain Scope in them* 
 * 2. By the' Covenant at Sinai, the Lord, 
 : for holy Ends, avouched a Nation to be 
 : his Church and People 5 who, tho 5 they had 
 1 the Law written to them in Tables of Stone, 
 ; yet had it not written in their Hearts, as 
 : . he faid of them, that there were juch a 
 c Heart in them, andfo they continued not in 
 ' his Covenant, neither did they know him from 
 y the le aft to the great eft, nor were they ajufti- 
 1 fied People -, That Covenant not being fu& 
 1 ficient, by itfelf, without the New Cove- 
 c nant, to which it had a typical Reference, 
 * to make the covenanted People to know 
 6 him, or to juftify them, or to conform 
 j their Hearts to his Law. But now he hath 
 
 * ex- 
 
exprefly declared, that he will ,iio more 
 majce any' Covenant, whereby he will be 
 related to fnch a People as their God. Heb. 
 viii. from the 6 Yerfe to the Clofe. The 
 Covenant, which he made with that ty- 
 pical Nation, when he redeemed them 
 with that typical Redemption out of E± 
 gypt, was' one Thing that the Jews valued 
 themfelves much upon, and they gloried 
 in it in Oppofition to Chrift, and rejected 
 Chrift and his Kingdom as inconfiftent 
 with it^ in Opposition to this: Does 
 the Apoftle fay we have a Covenant like 
 unto this in the Chriftian Church ? Or 
 does he iniinuate, That when the Magi- 
 ftrates, that were then Heathen* fliould 
 turn Chriftian, we fhould have an Exem- 
 plification of this in the Kingdoms of this 
 Earth ? ifcfo, he gives not the leaft Inti* 
 mation of it, but on the contrary, tells us 
 that the New Covenant is not according 
 to that, and far excelling it, in thefe Re-> 
 lpeds,wherein it is not according to if. In a 
 Word,the Lord fays,Fll make a new Cove- 
 nant ? not according to that,and fome fay we 
 muft have another Covenant according to 
 that : And this Covenant of theirs is faulty 
 with reipe£t to the People covenanted* 
 in thefe fame Refpe&s wherein the 
 Lord found Fault with that People whom 
 he avouched to be his in that firft Cove- 
 nant. Thus I think, fuch a Covenant, as 
 
 1 that 
 
that made at Sinai with the typical tfi&et 
 is as plainly fet afide in the New Tefta- 
 ment, as the Jewijh Sabbath, and the world- 
 ly Sanctuary, and the Ordinances of di- 
 vine Service contained in that Covenant $ 
 yea, thefe being fet afide by the doing a- 
 way of the Covenant to which they be- 
 longed, we ought as little to feek to imi- 
 tate that Covenant, as the Ordinances of 
 divine Service, and the worldly Sancf uary 
 belonging to it 5 but ought to enquire 
 what we have in the Place of it, fet up by 
 the Lord himfeif, • who hath fet that afide, 
 and that is, no other Covenant but the 
 New Teftament or New Covenant in the 
 Blood of the Mediator Jefus Chrift, which 
 the Lord makes with all them of all Na- 
 tions that believe in Chrift,the End of the 
 Law for Highteoufnefs to every one that 
 belieYeth without Difference. And now 
 thefe only that believe in Chrift for -Righ- 
 teoufnefs are the People of God by this 
 Covenant 5 and all thefe that are thus of 
 the Truth, and that hear ChrifVs Voice, of 
 ; whatfoever Nation, Tongue or Language^ 
 : together with the Old Teftament Saints 
 ' that died in the Faith of the Promife of 
 c Chrift in the Old Teftarnent, and the in* 
 c numerable Company of Angels, are the 
 £ Family of God in Heaven and Earth, Epk 
 ! in. 15.- -and i, 10. The holy Nation 1 
 
L . ?*8 3 
 
 Pet. ii. 9. The Kingdom of Heaven, or 
 heavenly Kingdom of our Lord Jefus 
 which cannot be moved, and which we 
 have inftead of that earthly Kingdom, 
 that is now removed, together with the 
 Covenant that did •eftablifh it. Heb. xii. 
 from the 22 Verfe,to the End. God a- 
 vouches no other Kingdom now to be his 
 holy Nation and Kingdom 5 and all the 
 Subjects ofthis Kingdom are of the Truth, 
 and hear Chrift's Voice, they have all his 
 Law written on their Hearts, they all 
 know him from the leaft to the greater!, 
 and their Sins and Iniquities he remem- 
 bers no more : And none are the vifible 
 Subjects of this Kingdom, but they that 
 have a fuitable Appearance of being the 
 Subjects of it according to the Word, and 
 the new Commandment of Love. All 
 thefe, however they differ in many Parts 
 of the external Uniformity in Doctrine 
 and Difcipline, . and in Doctrine, Wor- 
 fhip, Government, Form of catechifing, 
 (which Uniformity^ is the Scope and the 
 very Effence of our Covenants) are yet by 
 the Lord's Commandment the Objects' of 
 our brotherly Love as his People,according 
 to the New "Covenant. Chrift the Medi- 
 ator of this Covenant is the Foundation 
 and Corner Stone laid in the Doctrine 
 of the Apoftles and Prophets, and the blef- 
 
 * fed 
 
C I2 £ J 
 
 # fed Bond of Peace among his People. Id 
 
 * this Bond, they are commanded to endea.* 
 f vour to keep the Unity of the Spirit, and 
 f to forbear one another in Love in their 
 ' Differences about other Things, concern- 
 c ing which there is no Prorhife that they 
 6 will altogether agree in this World, and 
 6 wherein the trite Unity of the chriftiari 
 
 * Church does not ly, however the differing 
 i Parties may every one reckon their pecu- 
 ' liar Way to be their Duty. So that U is 
 
 * plain to me, that our National Covenants 
 
 * are not only quite different from this Co- 
 
 * venant, wherein the Lord avoucheth all 
 
 * them, and them only who are of the Truth* 
 c and hear ChrifVs Voice, to be his People^ 
 
 * as they him to be their God, commanding 
 
 * us to walk together in Love as ; Brethren 
 c with thefe, and thefe only, . that have a 
 < fuitable Appearance of being iuch, as we 
 c mall be anfwerable to him at that Day, 
 
 * and promifing his Pretence with lis in fa 
 6 doing; I fay our Covenants are not only 
 1 a quite different Thing from this- but iiir 
 ' confiftentwithit, ' ™f; " 
 
 c As to what Mr. Bog alledges of the 
 
 * Covenants and Church, in their Effentials^ 
 c being the fame from the Beginning, and 
 
 * what pertains to thefe EfTentials holding 
 6 equally in both y I hope he does mt rec~ 
 
 * kon National Covenanting one of thefe Eft 
 
 I feritials i 
 
■A - ,J? J 
 
 t 
 
 fentials ; or if he (to*, he muft acknowledg 
 That the Church of Chrift, in the Days o: 
 the Apoftlesj arid for fome Ages after^ 
 which he will own to Be the pureft Times, 
 was defective as to its Effentials j and fo 
 behoved the Church of God to be defe&ive 
 before the National Covenant at Sinai. 
 * From what has been faid, you may fee 
 how I will confider that which he propo- 
 ses as the State of the Queftion, in this 
 Matter : All that I fhall fay of it is, that 
 I wifh it were fairly underftood, i. What 
 he means by the Churches in Britain and 
 Ireland^ If it be the Nations, as would 
 feem by his fpeaking, of the Reprefenta- 
 tives and the whole Body that fwore to 
 hold Hand with the Reformation, ani by 
 what goes before in his Letter > 2. What 
 is meant by Reformation > If it be a Re- 
 formation lying only in fubfcribed Cove* 
 Yiants, A£ts of Council and Parliament, and 
 feigned Subje&ion to an external Form of 
 Bo&rine, Worfhip and Government ? For 
 that is the only Reformation that was as 
 extenilve as the whole Nations. 5. What is 
 meant by the Lord's raifing thefe Churches 
 or Nations to this? Whether it be in a 
 Way of holy Providence, making all 
 Things work together for the Glory of 
 his Name inthe Salvation of his Church > 
 Or by the Light of his Word, and the.Pow* 
 
 « er 
 
t m 1 
 
 er of his Spirit working by that, and iri| 
 fluencing the Reprefentatives and the 
 whole Body unto that Reformation ? 4/ 
 What is meant by the holding Hand there- 
 with and preffing further, that the Repre-; 
 fentatives and whole Body fwore to ? If 
 it be the employing of all the Policy and 
 Power which this political Body, the Nati- 
 on, is furnifhed with, for the advancing of 
 this Reformation ? 5. What is meant by 
 that further, that they fwore to prefs to ? 
 Is it unto greater Purity of Doftrine^Wor- 
 fhip and Government ? And if fo, does 
 not this import a Senfe, or at leaft a Sufi 
 picion of remaining Impurity in that Do- 
 ctrine, Worfhip and Government which 
 they fwore to,to hold Hand with ? 6. What 
 is meant by the Pofterity's being under 
 the fame Obligation ? Is their free Choice 
 as to the Doctrine, Worfhip and Govern- 
 ment of the Church of Chrift prevented*" 
 and they debarred hereby from fearching 
 the Scriptures for themfelves concerning 
 thefe Things > And are they bound ill all 
 Circumftances, wherein they can be, td 
 hold that Hand with this Reformation 
 which their Forefathers fwore to hold 
 with it ? And are they under this Obli- 
 gation, whether they be Members of that 
 political Body that their Fathers were of? 
 or not f . 
 
 12 <t 
 
I s » 
 
 c I fliould in the laft Place take Notice of 
 the common popular Argument mention'd 
 in the Clofe of this Letter ^ but I find it 
 more largely in a late Print fet forth in 
 Oppofition to fome, who, as the Author 
 fays in the Title of it, have of late too 
 boldly, and yet without Cenfure, vented 
 their Heterodox Notions againfl: our fo- 
 lemn and facred National Covenants. And 
 I beg Leave to trouble you a little further 
 with fome Animadverfions upon that Pa- 
 per, which, for ought I know, is that 
 which Mr. nog points to in the Beginning 
 oi this Letter, and is much the fame for 
 the Matter of it. 
 
 c And here again I obferve that the Que* 
 Irion is grofly miftated. For fuppofing all 
 other Things right about thefe Covenants, 
 and granted fo to be, the Controverfy is 
 ftated precifely^ in thefe two Points, i; 
 Whether it was juft and right to interpofe 
 a folemn Oath in the Cafe ? 2. If this 
 Oath oblige Pofterity ^ Every Body, that 
 has received any tolerable Account 'of what 
 has been alledged againfl: thefe Covenants, 
 will fee that- thefe two Points are too foorj 
 come to. However, the Author makes 
 fome Amends for this ^n the Proof of the 
 affirmative of thefe Points $ for he takes 
 in a great deal more, efpecially as to the 
 firft, than that he intended to prove. 
 
 c I ' ' And 
 
t. m 1 
 
 ' And in eftablifhing the Affirmative up- 
 on the firft Queftion, Tis firft alledged, 
 That the Lord avouched the Churches of ' , 
 Britain and Ireland to be his People, in 
 "Ways moft notable and alluring, &c. and 
 they avouched him to be their God in that 
 Covenant, and this an Exemplification of 
 his Covenant with Ifrael, Dent. sxvi. 17. 
 and to this, fome Inftanees offoletnn Na- 
 tional Oaths are fub joined; and in reading 
 what he fays upon this, you may take 
 thele Things along with you. 
 * 1. There is no Diftin&ion made between 
 the Churches and Nations of Britain and 
 Ireland, but they are ftill by him fuppo- 
 fed to be the fame. 
 
 4 2. The Lord avouch'd typical Ifrael, 
 and they him, in that Covenant he made 
 with them^at Sinai ^ and now he avouches 
 the true fpfael, and they him, in the New 
 Covenant, which is not according to that > 
 3. He avouched all thefe to be his whom 
 he gather'd into Shiloh, and on whom he 
 poured the Gifts and Grace,s of the Spirit. 
 But he has not thus avouched any Nation 
 to be his People ^ whether we take Nati- 
 ; on to fignify the Community of every 
 Perfon in the Nation. 
 c 4. There were fome in Britain avouch- 
 ed hy him to be his People in the New 
 [ Covenant, who alfo avouched him to be 
 I 3 * their 
 
t 134 1 
 
 * their God, that never took thefe Covenants* 
 
 * and Multitudes took that folemn Oath 
 
 * w)iom he never fo avouched, and who ne* 
 *' vej: avouched him to he their God in the 
 
 * New Covenant : And it is owned by this. 
 ' Author on the Head of requifites of en* 
 
 * trjng into Covenants, Place $. tfhat it is 
 e fomething elfe, and quite of another Nature , 
 
 * that constitutes a real Chriftian, and Place 
 i 4. *fhat it fufficeth not to give Accefs tofeaU 
 c ing Ordinances , without further Trial, that 
 
 * the Per/on hath taken a religious Oath as a- 
 
 * f o r?faid, in regard he may he deflitute of the 
 
 * neceffary Qualities ejfential to a true Be- 
 
 * fieyer. Yet I think, he, whom the Lord 
 $ avouches to be his, and who avouches the 
 
 I«ord tp be his God, is to, be looked upon 
 
 * by us as a gracious Perfbri, and if free of 
 Scandal, tp be admitted to fealing Ordi* 
 nances. And it may be noticed, That in 
 tjie Solemn League, they iwore to walk 
 together in Love as Brethren, upon the 
 Fpoting of that Uniformity which they 
 fw^re to, and fo to expect the ford's Pre* 
 fence among them. 
 
 * ?. The National Oaths, of which feve- 
 
 * fa} Instances are given from the Old Te- 
 
 * fiament, were Repetitions of Ifraefc En* 
 
 * g^gements at Sinai, in the Covenant the 
 
 * Lord piade with that Nation there ; ^nd 
 
 S the 
 
C U5 3 
 
 ' the New Covenant, as has been laid, is not 
 c according to that. 
 c 6. May I not, as fuitably to the Scope 
 
 * of the Old Teftament, fay, touching the 
 
 * Covenant in Joafi his Days, we have 
 c therein a divine and excellent earthly 
 
 * Type of the New Covenant in the hea- 
 
 * venly Kingdom, between God the Father 
 1 on the one Part, and Chrift the King of 
 
 * this Kingdom,with his People reprefented 
 
 * in him their Head on the other *, and alio 
 
 * between this King the Father's Reprefen- 
 
 * tative on the one Part, and his Subje&s on 
 c the other. Thus he is the Mediator of 
 c the New Covenant, representing his Peo- 
 
 ■ pie before the Father, and reprefenting 
 
 * the Father to them. We have both thefe 
 c Parts of the Covenant, whereof he is the 
 ' Mediator, pointed at John xv. io. The 
 c Lord Jefus Chriii the King of the Kingdom 
 
 * of Heaven is the glorious Antitype of all 
 \ the Judges and Rulers in that earthly 
 c Kingdom of God, and of all the Paftors of 
 c that typical Flock of God. Ifai. xxxiii. 22. 
 c P/al. lxxxii. Efpeeially he is the Antitype 
 c of the Kings that fat upon the Throne of 
 e DavzdyVrhich was the Throne of the Lord. 
 c 1 Cbron. xxviii. 5. and xxix. 29. (for 
 c that Kingdom was a Theocracy. ) To this 
 c Purpofe you may confider Gen. xlix. 10. 
 ! Ifai. ix, 6,7, Jerem. xxii. laft Verfe with 
 
 I 4 < Chap, 
 
t 13* 1 
 
 Chap, xxiii. from the Beginning to the 6 
 Verfe, and ^Chap. xxxiii. 15, 16, 17, 
 1 8. £%*&.. xxi. 25, 26, 27. and Chap. 
 xxxiv. 22, 2?, i^Pjal - ii. 6, 7, 8. P/«/. 
 Ixxxix. an&PJkl cxxxii. n. 2 <fom.^ vii. 
 from the xii Verfe to. the End* Luke i. 32, 
 33. John i. 49. ./$?/ ii. 30. jfifcj. xii. 
 froirf the 22 Verfe to the End, and 2 Sam. 
 xxiii from the Beginning to the 6 Verfe. 
 I need not cite more to them that duly 
 confider tjiefe. Now the Words are very 
 exprefs, Jehoiada made a Covenant be- 
 tween the Lord and the King, and the 
 People, that they mould be the Lord's 
 People, between the King ? alfo and the 
 People. Hereof J take the New Teftar 
 ment in the Blood of Chrift the Mediator 
 thereof, as it ftands between him the 
 Head of his People and his Father, and as 
 it ftands between him his Father's Reprer 
 Tentative and his Subjects, to be the glori- 
 ous Antitype. By this you'll fee, that this 
 Author arid and I are like to take very 
 different Ways in explaining, the Old Te- 
 ftanient, and which of the two favour 
 molt of Chriftianity, as it ftands diftin- 
 guithed from Judaifm 7 and rtatural Reli- 
 gion, you are left to judges and you may 
 notice that there is here fome Hint given 
 of the New Covenant, which, if followed, 
 may ferve to clear fbrrie Controverfies 
 
 ari- 
 
I *B7 1 
 
 * arifing' from partial Views of that Cove- 
 - nant. 
 
 c The fecond Argument goes upon the 
 f Nature of Vows, and fpeaks of a Com- 
 c munity's vowing under the Notion of 3 
 ? Church. And if by that Community be 
 c meant the Nation, 'tis thought by To me, 
 ' there was no fiich Church fince Ifrari. 
 
 c As to the Third, Tis own'd, that Swear- 
 I ing is a fpecial Part of Moral Wor-? 
 
 * fhip, and that fometimes the "Whole 
 c of religious "Worfhip is comprifed under 
 
 * it -, but fuch National Swearing as has 
 6 been fpoke of, is the Thing in queftion. 
 
 ' And for the Fourth, The Doctrine, Wor- 
 f fhip and Church Government, taught in 
 c the Lord's "Word, axe a Truft committed 
 
 * to the Churcli, not to a Nation *, to the 
 ' Overfeers of the Church, not to Magi- 
 f ftrates \ to Chrift's People in all Nations, 
 \ not to any Nation as fuch. 
 
 c The Author having finiflied his Argu- 
 
 * ments upon the firft Head, brings in an 
 c Exception againft what he had faid, in 
 c thefe Words, That publick, national, and 
 
 * folemn Swearing, was peculiar to the Old 
 ' tfeftament Difpenfation, and fuiteth not the 
 \ State of the Churches under the New. And 
 c in taking off this Exception, he tells us, 
 f That the Warrants, as of ore/aid, which are 
 I Prophetical of what (I 'all 'fa done under the 
 
 6 New 
 
New uefiament, take off the Strength of 
 this-Qbjeclion. How far they take it off, 
 you may fee from what is faid. But he 
 'tells us, That he fincerely thinks, that the 
 Verification or' Accomplifhment of the prophe* 
 tic al Scriptures of the Old Te/tament, which 
 have their Afpetl upon the New, is plainly 
 expreji; 2 Cor. viii. 5. where we are taught, 
 That they who were received into Church So- 
 ciety gave themf elves to the Lord, and unto 
 the Overfeers of the Churches, by the Will of 
 God, Sec. How far this Explication of 
 that Place may ferve the Independents in 
 the Bufinefs of their Church Covenant, I 
 fhall not determine \ hut I fincerely 
 think, that this Author hath hereby given 
 up the Caufe of fuch National Covenant- 
 ing as he is pleading for, fo far as it can 
 be proved and warranted from the Old 
 Teftament and the New : For, Did ever 
 any but himfelf imagine, that what's 
 there faid of the Churches of Macedonia^ 
 ' was an Inftance of National Covenanting ? 
 ' What is faid of the Churches of Macedonia, 
 ; was truly a great Evidence of the Grace 
 ; of God beftow'd on them, and a noble 
 ' Pattern to all Chriftiaii Churches, as well 
 * as to the Church at Corinth : But it will 
 c be no fmall Task to find either Subftance 
 c .or Shadow of National Covenanting con- 
 [ tain'd in it. And this is the Verification 
 -•-'■: " T c of 
 
C I'M .3 
 
 * of the prophetical Scriptures in the Old 
 
 * Teftament, which have their Afpedt upon 
 y the New s as to this Matter. The Au- 
 f thor thinks fo ^ and if he will put the 
 c Caufe of National Covenanting upon this 
 ' lime, he will foon be at the End of the 
 c Controverfy. But I reckon he will not 5 
 fi for he feems to diftruft it,and reckons, (as 
 1 he well may ) that he will ftill be urg'd 
 i to adduce Precedents under the New Te- 
 c ftament. And becaufe there will be Ibme 
 
 * Difficulty in that, he takes a Ihorter Me* 
 c thod with the Objection, and tells us, it 
 - will prove too much ^ and therefore can 
 
 * inftru£t nothing. Why, what does it 
 c prove? It proves no Infant Baptifm un- 
 c der the New Teftament. Of this you 
 c have feen before, what I reckon muft fa- 
 c tisfy himfelf. It alfo difproves lawful 
 ' Wars, and Chriftians their being invefted 
 c with the Office of Magiftracy. As to 
 ' which you may confider, Luke iii< 14. 
 c Afts xiii. 7, 12. 1 lim. ii. 1, 2, 3, 4. and 
 ' you'll find better Warrant for them, than 
 c that which he fays concerning the Church, 
 
 * in Effentials, being the fame of old and 
 ' now, after he has given up the Arguments 
 9 from the New Teftament to the Ana- 
 I'baftifls. 
 
 c Upon the Head of the Obligation of the 
 £ Covenants upon Pofterity, ; there is.no- 
 
 ! thing 
 
C 14° 1 
 thing befide what , we had in the written 
 Letter, except what he fays about Ba[> 
 tifm, and I (hall not trouble my felf nor 
 you with it $ for tho 5 his Notion of it 
 mould hold, it is nothing to the Purpofe, 
 of the Obligation of our National Cove^ 
 nants. 
 
 f He next proceeds to affign the Requi- 
 iites of Covenanting, which being impar- 
 tially confider'd, he prefumes, will be 
 of Ufe for anfwering the ftrongeft Objec- 
 tions. The firft of t hefe Requisites is,That 
 it be with underftanding of the Matter, 
 Call, with whatfoever elfe pertaineth to 
 them. And after all his Charity upon 
 this Head, he concludes thus, Whatever be 
 of that Matter, the Fault was upon the Part 
 of the Ignorant , and impeacheth not Duty 
 in the Cafe. I hope, he does not reckon it 
 was the immediate Duty of the Ignor nt, 
 while they i were fuch, to take thefe Cove* 
 nants. And' I'll fay, That it is not eafy 
 to fuppofe, that all true Believers in Bru 
 tain and Ireland, after due Enquiry into 
 all the Parts of that Uniformity fworn to y 
 fhould be of one Mind as to every Thing 
 in it, let be the whole Nations. 
 * His fecond Requiflte is, That they be 
 gone into heartily and willingly, not from 
 the Influence of carnal and felfifh Ends, 
 mainly with a Defigu to advance fome 
 
 ' worldly 
 
I 141 1 
 
 worldly Interefts ; and he will not de-i 
 fend all the Managements. But he does 
 not advert, That according to this Requi- 
 site, the Covenants could not have been 
 National, even in thefe Times. I lhall 
 not meddle further than I have done, witb- 
 what-he fays in the 3d and 4th Place * 
 only, I reckon his Charity very extenfive 
 in fome Cafes on the 5th Head, where he 
 would have the Church and Common- 
 wealth "diftinguifh'd : He ought to have 
 told us what he meant by Communities^ 
 to which the civil Liberties are given in 
 Truft ^ for I reckon, they are the Truft 
 of the Commonwealth or Kingdom, not 
 of the Church, as the Doctrine, Difci- 
 pline, Worfhip, and Government of the 
 Church are the Truft of the Church, not 
 the Commonwealth ^ but he confounds 
 thefe Two, and ftill makes them the fame 
 Community as did the Covenants. As to 
 his laft Requifite, which, he fays, is the 
 . Hinge upon which all turns, viz. Vowing 
 and Swearing in Faith, yet fo as the Duty 
 is not confined to Believers * I cohfefs I 
 cannot underftand, nor reconcile it. 
 ' In his detection of the Sinfulnefs .of 
 : dealing falfly in the Matter of Covenants, 
 : we have the two great popular Argu- 
 : ments for fcem. 1. The Countenance 
 1 then given from Heaven to the-'Ordinan- 
 
 6 ces 
 
t *4 2 U 
 6eg, the Ingathering of Souls to SbihV\ 
 and their Confirmation was, the Lord's 
 appending his Seal to his own Work, as 
 of old his Glory filled his Houfe, when 
 finifh'd according to the Pattern {hewed. 
 In Anfwer to which, i. I reckon there is 
 nothing more fovereign than the Dowi> 
 pourings of the Spirit, and the Succefs of 
 the Gofpel ^ and I have thought fome have 
 been hainoufly guilty in -their Way of li- 
 miting it unto thefe Covenants. 2. It 
 proceeds upon the Footing of the New 
 Teftament, not upon the Footing of any 
 Exemplification of the Covenant at Sinai, 
 in any Nation of this World. %. The 
 Converfions much fpoke of at Shots and in 
 Ireland, if I miftake not, Was in a Time 
 when the Lord's Minifters and People 
 were groning under the Yoke of Prelacy, 
 and there was as much Countenance and 
 Prefence in Ordinances, and as riiany 
 Converfions in Britain from the Year 
 1650. to 1660. under Cromwell^ Tolera- 
 tion, that was fo much complain'd of, as 
 in any Time -, yet the Author will riot 
 hereby juftify the. State of Matters then. 
 4. Some in England pleaded the fame 
 Thing, for the Courfes they took oppofite 
 to the Covenants. Lafily. The plain Cafe 
 is, the Succefs of the Gofpel and Down- 
 6 pourings of the Spirit were never intend* 
 
 , * ed 
 
I - ,4? » 
 
 I ed to jtfftify all the Courfesthey toot who 
 ■ c had the Benefit of it 3 and we mufi: ftiU 
 c adhere to the "Word as our Rule. 
 
 c 2. The Cafe of Confeffion in fuffering 
 c Times, and the Teftimony of our Mar- 
 ' tyrs. Of this I fhall only fay, 1. This 
 c prefent Controversy was not ftated be- 
 
 * twixt them and their Perfecuters as it now 
 
 * ftands, for ought I know ^ and they that 
 
 * fcruple the Covenants now, adhere to thefe 
 ' Martyrs, in that which they take to be 
 
 * the main Point of their Confeffion, for 
 i which alfo they were perfecuted. 2. The 
 c Author will not Undertake the Defence of 
 c every Thing that was then ftated as a 
 c Ground of Sufferings, elfe he could not be 
 
 * fubjed to King George, nor be a Member 
 } of this Church as eftablifhed. 3. He that 
 
 * confefles his Diflike of thefe Covenants, 
 
 * did always, and does ftill, according to 
 6 his Meafure, profefs a Regard to the 
 
 * Martyrs as well as this Author. 
 
 I did not then notice what he lays of 
 Baptifm, upon the Head of the Obligation 
 of our Covenants ^ but, becaufe it is con* 
 tinually infixed on in Conversion, and by 
 the Pamphleters, I fhall take the Liberty 
 to offer a few Things upon it. And, 1. If 
 we fpeak of a Covenant in Baptifm, it can 
 be no other than the New Teftament in 
 
 Chrift's 
 
t *44 1 
 Chrift*s Blood, whereof Baptifm is the Seal. 
 
 2. The Child has a Right to Baptifm by 
 one of the Parents, at leaft, their Profeffioni 
 of this new Covenant or Teftament. The 
 Children of fuch are to be accounted holy, 
 and within the Bond of the new Covenant 
 with the Parent t, but this touches them on- 
 ly in Nonage l When they are of Age, they 
 muft profefs the new Covenant for them- 
 felves, and i accordingly be accounted o£ 
 
 3. The Parent engages to do the Duties of 
 a Chriftian Parent to his Child, and to take 
 Care to have the Child inftrucf ed in this 
 new Covenant, whereof* it receives the Seal, 
 and to bring it up in the Nurture and Ad- 
 monition of the Lord, which is a Duty of 
 the new Covenant ; to which 'tis meet he 
 fhould be expreily engaged on the Occafion 
 of his Child's Baptifm, the Obligation here 
 lies upon the Parent himfelf 4. It. is 
 thought by fome, and I Cannot diffent front 
 therri, till I fee Reafon, That the Obliga- 
 tion 'upon the Child unto all the Duties of 
 the new Covenant, arifes, not from the Pa- 
 rents ProfeiEon^ by which he had the Seal 
 of the Covenant in Childhood, but from its 
 receiving the Seal of that Covenant, or from 
 the Nature of the Ordinance whereof he was 
 a Partaker. Thereby he is oblig'd tb ftudy 
 to know the new Covenant, and to do the 
 Duties of it from his own proper Know* 
 
 ledge 
 
ledge of them, and of Choice, willingly^ 
 and from the Heart , for an Obligation un- 
 to any other Kind of Obedience is crofs to 
 the new Covenant ?. If the, Child bap- 
 tized, when eome to Age, fliall not embrace 
 this new Covenant, and profefs it , his Sin 
 will be aggravated by his having received 
 the Seal of it, and by his Parents • Inftructi- . 
 on, beyond the Sin of them that have not 
 hten thus privileged : But if that Child,' 
 adhering to the new Covenant, arid enqui- 
 ring into it, fhall find forrie Things pro- 
 fefs'd and taught him by his Parents, as be- 
 longing to that new Covenant, which yet 
 he fees from the Word to be inconfiftent 
 ivith it, or not -belonging to it* he's bound* 
 by his Baptifm, to renounce that* and God 
 wili approve of him, if he judge right, tho* 
 his Parents fhould call him perjur'd. 
 
 About the Time that Mr.H—gs 
 Letter came forth, there was one Walker 
 that made a Kind of Appeara-nce in Print, 
 fhewing that Kind of Zeal he hath for the 
 Covenants. He clafles me with , ProfefTor 
 Sim/on^ plays upon my Jfame, diverts 
 himfelf with his Reproaches, and then, very 
 gravely, denounces againft me ' the Woes 
 that belong to them by whom Offence 
 comes , and at Length aifmifles me with 
 the Character of an Independent, iel\ing,Thai 
 Independency was abjur'd by our Covenants* 
 K and 
 
I 14* -3 
 
 and fo he leaves mb among that abjur'd 
 Generation, Tis a fafe and honeft llule I 
 defign, with refpedt to fuch "Writers, Anfioer 
 him not. Only I agree with him iitthi^ 
 That there is no Party in Scotland going 
 upon the true old Covenant Footing. 
 
 Much about this Time, the Time of the 
 'Affemjbly, as I take it, Mr Join WilVtfon 
 printed a Book, entitled, lie afflifted Man's 
 Companion, 8cc. neceffaryfor Families. Where- 
 in he tells feveral Stories to his afflifted or 
 dying Man, of eminent Saints who bore 
 Witnefs to our Covenants. Ill his Preface I 
 to that Book, he raifes Hue and Cry after 
 fome that oppofe the Covenants * and, that 
 the Alarm may be taken, he reprefents 
 them as in the Hands ofSatan,togetherwitri 
 them that fetup for a middle St ate,and Pray- 
 ers for the Dead, and propagate the old 
 abjur'd Popifh Doctrines, carrying on a deefj 
 and fubtle Plot for fhaking our covenanted 
 Reformation, and weakning a Proteftant In- 
 tereft.He makes fuch a Description of them 
 that are againft the Covenants arid their 
 Principles, as may be awakening to then! 
 in Power ^ and then concludes His Alarm 
 after this Manner, Ah ! What Joy may all 
 this caufe at Rome? rfell it not in Gath, gjh 
 Then proceeds to argue for the Covenants $ 
 and becaufe they would be content to fee 
 this Preface who do not want the Book, I 
 
 ■fhall 
 
L i47 31 
 
 , Shall tranfcribe what he fays for the Cove« 
 nants, and then confider itfo far as I think 
 needful. His Words are as follow* £ M 
 the Lord did fignally countenance our Re- 
 formers Pra&ice in entring into folemn 
 and national Covenants with God, and a- 
 rnong themfelves, for Religion and Re- 
 formation, by the pouring out of his Spi- 
 rit from on High;, for bringing in many 
 Souls to himfelf, and for overturning Ido- 
 latry and Superflition, and advancing Re- 
 formation to a Pitch, in fpite of all the 
 Enemies and Difficulties that were in the! 
 Way^ fo their Pra&ice of National Cove- 
 nanting, even under the New Teftament 
 Difpenfation, is fufficiently warranted, 
 both by the Light of Nature^ and by the: 
 Word of God, and that both Teftaments. 
 And this will appear, if we confider the 
 Scripture Precedents, together with the 
 Promifes and Prophecies of the Old Te* 
 ftament relating to Gofpel Times, an3 
 compare them with the New -, and efpe- 
 dally thefe, that foretell the. unchurching 
 of the Jewifb Nation, and the ingrafting 
 the Gentile Nations in their Room : And 
 that thereupon the National Church, State 
 and Privileges of the Jews were to be 
 transferred to Chnftian Nations, and par- 
 ticularly this, of being Nationally in Co- 
 venant with God. Which Prophecies are 
 & 2 < t© 
 
L MS J 
 to have their full Accomplifhment at Ba- 
 bylon's Downfall. For illuftrating thefe 
 Points, and applying the Scripture Texts J 
 relative thereto, I might expatiate in fe- 
 veral Sheets of Paper, if it were proper 
 here. I '.{hall only at this Time cite fome 
 of the Texts, that may be well improven 
 to the forefaid Purpofes, which the Rea- 
 der may turn to, and confider at his Lei- 
 fure. Such as, Ifa. xix. iS, 21, 23, 
 24, 25. Ifa. xiv. 23. Jer. 1. 4, and 5. the 
 Ix, lxi,and Ixii Chapters of Ifaiah through- 
 out. Ifa. Iv. 3, 4, $. Micah iv. 1, 2. Zech. 
 viii. 21, 22, 23. Rev. Hi 1 ). Rom. xi. 17* 
 ; ink; Rom. x. 12, 19. Mattk iii. <>, 6. Afts 
 viii. 6, 12. 2 Cor. viii. 5. Matth. xxi. 43. 
 : liom. ix. 24, .25, 26. compar'd with Hof. 
 ' /5. 9, 10, 11. /?<?/. ii. 23. Likewife I 
 : might cite feveral Prophecies with refpecl 
 c to the Ifiands, and titmoft Ends of the 
 5 Earth, which were peopled by Japhet, 
 £ that have a very peculiar and favourable 
 c Afped: to this covenanted Land. 
 
 c Befides all which, 'tis evident from the 
 c firft and great Command of the Law, 
 c whidh is dire&ed to Ijrael as a Nation, and 
 c is obligatory under the New Teftament as 
 c well as the Old i That it is a Moral Duty, 
 c - univerialljr and perpetually binding upon 
 'Nations and Societies, as well as fingle 
 c : Perfons, to choofiv acknowledge, and 
 
 6 avouch 
 
C H9 1 
 6 avouch the Lord to be their God, to walk 
 c in his Ways, and keep his Statutes. This 
 c isrequir'd in the firft Commandment, ac- 
 
 * cording to the Expofition of our Larger 
 1 Catechjm, and is there confirm'd by thefe 
 
 * Texts, that warrant and exemplify the 
 c Practice of National Covenanting ^ fuch as, 
 c Dent. xxvi. 1 6, 17. Jofh. xxiv. 22. In 
 
 * fuch a National Way did our Fathers of 
 N old acknowledge and avouch the Lord to 
 ' he their God, and devote themlelves and 
 c their Pofterity to the Lord. And bleffed 
 
 * be the Lord our God, who did many 
 
 * Ways declare himfelf to be well pleafed 
 ' with the Bargain, and especially by fil- 
 
 * ling the Temple with his Glory. 
 
 c As the Prophets, and godly jews, were 
 c at great Pains to convey to Pofterity hi- 
 
 * ftorical Accounts of the wonderful Deli- 
 
 * verances God wrought for Ifrael at the 
 \ Red Sea, and in refcuing them from E- 
 r gypU Babylon, and other Enemies 5 fo it 
 
 * would be ufeful to fortify our Reformati- 
 !i on, if we were careful to hand down to 
 
 A the rifing Generation, a Senfe of God's 
 c diftinguifhing Mercies to this Land, in 
 c delivering us from fpiritual Babylon, and 
 c in refcuing us, from Time to Time, from 
 ' thefe Captains, that have fought' to lead 
 'us back thither. Many a Time hath he 
 K-3 t deli- 
 
dejiiver'4 us, when we have been Brought 
 1 very low, 
 
 6 By m#ny fhftances it hath appeared, 
 & That the glorious Jehovah hath not been 
 f afham'd, to own his Covenant Relation 
 6 to this finful and unworthy Land. God 
 ' forbid, that we of this Age fhould be a- 
 f fham'd to own our Covenant Relation to 
 I him. This hath been both our Glory and 
 i qur Safety 5 and I hope, there will ftill 
 ' jie found a Remnant to own it, and plead 
 ' it with God in the Time of Danger. Sure- 
 ' ly, it is flat Time now to difclaim it, 
 
 * when the Enemies of our Zion are 00m- 
 f bining together, and feeking to raze her 
 
 * to the Foundation. Let all her Lovers 
 
 * qry mightily to her covenanted Lord on 
 i her Behalf, in thefe making Times $ let 
 c themjoyn tp put up that Prayer of the 
 
 * P[almiff§, Pfalm Ixviii. 28. Strengthen, O 
 
 * God, that which thou haft wrought for us. 
 € 4nd that ofHahakkuk, Hah. iii. 2. O Lord x 
 % revive thy Work m the m'idft of the Years, 
 
 J {hall not meddle here with what he 
 fpeaks of the Lord's countenancing the Co- 
 venants, and his Covenant Relation to this 
 l^andj further than I have done already in 
 Anfwer to Mr. H — — g. That which he 
 offers, to prove is, That the Pra&ice of our 
 Reformers, in ejitring into folemn Nati- 
 onal Covenants with God, a^nd among 
 
 mm 
 
L Hi 3 
 
 themfelves, for Religion and Reformation; 
 Is fufficiently warranted, both by the Light 
 of Nature, and by the Wor4 of God in both 
 Teftaments •, _ arid that the National Church 
 State and Privileges of the Jews, are, by 
 the Prophecies, to be transferr'd to Chriftian 
 Nations •, and particularly this of being Na- 
 tionally in Covenant with God : And thus, 
 the Prophecies are to be accomplifhed at 
 Babylon's Downfall, fpecially and fully; and 
 in a Word, That there is a Covenant Rela- 
 tion between God and this Land, whieh he 
 hath owned, and they ought not to difown. 
 This is to be proven by the Light of Na? 
 ture, the Word of God in both Teftaments, 
 and particularly, the Scripture Precedents, 
 and the Promifes and Prophecies of the Old 
 Teftament ? relating to Golpel Times, com- 
 pared with the New. 
 
 As to the Light of Nature, I know not 
 how it comes in upon a Controyerfy about 
 a Covenant Relation betwixt God and fin- 
 ful Men •, That being a Bufinefs of pure 
 Revelation : But he only names it, and fo 
 I pafs it. I am more concern'd to attend to 
 him fpeaking of the Old Teftament and 
 the New, and here he cites fome Prophe- 
 cies of the Old Teftament* and fome Texts 
 in the New Teftament, That by comparing 
 them together, we may fee the Evidence 
 they give to this Point he is a proving. 
 K 4 
 
p t m a 
 
 I know, that after that Promlfe to Abra- 
 Hm of a ll t&r Nation of the Eartl %; m 
 lleffed in Cbrift ifce&omifed Seed, the Pro- 
 phets fpake mucR of the Nations ; and they 
 fpake alfo of a Covenant, and Covenanting 
 m the latter Days, whereby the Nations 
 ftould become the Lord's. Some, when 
 they read of this new Covenant in the Old 
 Teftament imagine, That they find it ac- 
 complimed, in a Part, at leaft, in our Na- 
 tional Covenants -, whereas the Apoftle has 
 *old us, what that Covenant and Covenant- 
 3 £S, » s >.3^nowdiftinguifli'dfromthe01d 
 Heb. via. from the 6 Verfe to the End, and* 
 ix. i, 1 8, 19 20, 21,22,2?. And when 
 they read of Nations in ,the Prophecies, they 
 pxefently think of National Churches, fomi 
 Way lijce the Jewifh Church , and in this 
 Controversy, they urge thefe Prophecies 
 the fame Way that thefe, who contend for 
 iiniverfal Redemption, do the Expreffions, 
 twryMafr the whole World, See, And both 
 have a plain Anfwer, Rev. v. 9. With re- 
 aped to this Bufinefs about Nations in the 
 Propheqes. It might give fome Light, duly 
 to , confide* Gai 111. 14. That the Bleffmg If 
 Abraham might eome on the Nations, (r*1(W 
 Um Mm Chrift; that we might teethe the 
 Bromfe of the Spirit thro' Faith. And Verfe 
 
 faithful Abraham, * 
 
 No 
 
c m l 
 
 No Old Teftament Prophecy is of any pri- 
 vate Interpretation. 2 BijA* 19, 20, 21. 
 Tis only the Spirit of ChriS, that endited 
 the Prophecies, fpeaking more clearly, and 
 mewing the Accompliihment of them in 
 the Things written by the Apoftles, that 
 muft explain them. 1 Pet. £10, n, 12. 
 If then we find no fhch Explication given of 
 them in the New Teftament, nor any Thing 
 there delivered fry which we may fo explain 
 them, we may freely fay they bear no fuch 
 Senfe, as is by fome now put upon them a 
 And further, if the Senfe put upon them fa- r 
 vour of the Jewifi earthly Interpretation, 
 which they oppofed unto the Kingdom of 
 Chrift, and which the whole Apoftolick Do- 
 ftrine on that Head is pointed againft, we 
 may freely fufpedt that Senfe and Interpre- 
 tation as belonging to that Prejudice of a 
 temporal Kingdom to the Meffiab^ trfot pot 
 ieffed the Minds of our Lord's Difciples be- 
 fore the pouring out of the Spirit, and the 
 calling of the Gentiles. But if the Apoftles 
 have guided us in the Interpretation of thefe 
 Prophecies, and pointed out .to us another 
 Accomplishment of them, the Controverfy 
 upon this Head is altogether at an End 
 How far the New Teftament Scriptures el* 
 ted by Mr. Wilhfon^ for explaining the Old 
 Teftament Pronheeie % make for his Pur- 
 
 pofe, 
 
[ m 1. 
 
 pole, we may eafily fee in eonfideringj 
 the Scriptures |hemfelves. Rom. xi. id 
 19. And if fome of the Branches he 
 Iroken off, and thou being a wild olive 
 9w, wert graffed in amongft them, and with 
 them partakeji of the Root and Fatnefs of .the 
 dive Tree : Thou wouldfifay then, the Bran- 
 ches were broken off, that 1 might be graffed in; 
 This fpeaks of the unchurching of the Jew- 
 if) Nation, and that ingrafting of the Gen- 
 tiles in their Room, which was in the A- 
 poftles Days, when there was no National 
 Covenanting, and syhen they pointed out 
 the holy Nation, the Kingdom, that cannot 
 be moved, inftead of the typical Nation 
 Ifrael. 
 
 Rom. x. 12, 19. For there is no Difference 
 between the Jew and the Greelf: : For the fame 
 Lord over ally is rich unto all that call upon 
 him. But I fay, did not Ifrael know > Firrt, 
 Mofes faith, / will provoke you to Jealoufy by 
 them that are no People ', and by a foolifi Nation 
 I will anger you. And this fpeaks of no other 
 than fiich a Dominion over the believing 
 Jews and Gentiles, as the Lord Chrift began 
 to have 'in that Day, and fuch a calling of 
 the Gentiles, provoking the Jews to Jealou- 
 fy, as was in the Days of the Apoftles, when 
 there was no National Covenanting. 
 
 Mat. xxi. 4 V Therefore I fay untayau, the 
 JUingdom of God fiall be taken from you, and 
 
 given 
 
given to a Nation _ bringing forth the Fruits 
 thereof. This plainly declares the unchurch- 
 | ing ot the Jewifh Nation, that was the King-* 
 "domofGod, and that another more excel- 
 1 1 lent Nation, behaving fuitably to the Re«* 
 ! lation between God and it as his Kingdom, 
 ' fhould come in the Place of it. And what 
 ; Nation is this but the heavenly Nation of 
 our Lord Jefus, typified by that Nation 
 now unchurched ? The People of this Na-» 
 \ tion is defcribed Heb. viii. This is the King- 
 i dom, of which the Apoftle fays, it cannot be 
 \ moved, and that, in holding the Grace of it, we 
 ferve God acceptably. And it is to be noticed, 
 1 that he declares they had received this King- 
 dom in their Day. Heb. xii. 28. No other 
 I Nation but this brings forth the Fruits 
 which our Lord fpeaks of ^ and this Nation 
 is made up of all them, and them only of 
 any Nation of this World, that bring forth 
 thefe Fruits. This Text makes it evident 
 that no Nation, like unto the Nation of the 
 Jews, and not bringing forth thefe Fruits, 
 is, now the Kingdom of God -, and fo that no 
 Nation of this World, fince the Jews, has 
 flood or can ftand in a Covenant Relation 
 unto God, as his Church and Kingdom. 
 
 This, if duly coniidered by him, would 
 help him to underftand Rev. xi. 1$. Where 
 it is faid, *the Kingdoms of this World are be-* 
 feme ( the Kingdoms) of our hoxd and his, 
 
 Chriji, 
 
£ " 5 J 
 
 :lil 
 
 Cbrift, and he (hall reign for ever and ever\ 
 "We may notice, that ( the Kingdoms ) is i 
 Supplement, and there is no Reafon wh} 
 the Tranflation may not run thus $ art be- 
 come . the Kingdom, But, whatever be iti 
 that, fuch# Kingdom of God is here fpoke 
 of, as will be for ever and ever. Does any 
 Man imagine, That God nrill reign for ever 
 In the Nations of this World, in this Senfe 
 of Nations that Mr. If— — < n contends for •> 
 That which is intended in the Text feems 
 to be, That at fuch a Time there fhall be a 
 further Execution of that Commiffion ^ Go 
 preach the Go/pel unto every Creature , and a 
 further Accomplifhment of the Old Tefta^ 
 ment Prophecies in gathering Men of different 
 Nations and Kingdoms into the Kingdom of 
 our Lord^like as in the Days of the Apoftles. 
 And in the Context, we read of the Nation's 
 tying angry at this Reign to the I aft, till they 
 .be judged and deftroyed. But if this does not 
 fatisfie them, that infifc. fo much on thefe 
 "Words, Kingdoms and Nations ^ may they 
 not allow the Scripture to explain itfelf up- 
 on this Head, and compare this Text with 
 Rev. xxi. 24, 2?, 26, 27. 1 he Nations of 
 them which are jawed, fiall walk in the Light 
 of it: And the Kings of the Earth do bring 
 their Glory and Honour into it \ and the Gates 
 ofitfiall not be (but at all by Day : For there 
 (hall be no Night there. And they (ball bring 
 
 the 
 
E m 1 
 
 ihe Glory and Honour of the Nations into it ■ 
 And, N. B. there (hall in no wife enter into 
 it any Thing that defileth, but they, which are 
 written in the Lamb's Book of Life. And this 
 may be again compared with Ifai. xlix. 21, 
 22, 23. 
 
 He likewife cites Mat. 111. 5, 6. Aels 
 viii. 6, 12. The firft fpeaking of the State 
 of Matters in Judea under Johns Miniftry 
 in the Church of the Jews, when pointing 
 out the Kingdom of God as at Hand,and near 
 to come; The fecond fpeaking of the great 
 Succefs of the Gofpel in Samaria, when the 
 Difciples were fcattered abroad by Perfec- 
 tion, and of their being "Baptifed who em- 
 braced the Gofpel. Arid with thefe he cites 
 2 Cor. viii* ?. He perhaps thinks thele are 
 Inftances of National Covenants • but this is 
 a plain Inftance of Mens Induftry to find 
 their own Notions in the Scripture, while 
 they will not let themfelves fee clear Evi- 
 dence there againft them. 
 
 In the laft Place he brings forth the A- 
 ; potties Explication of Hof. i. 9, 10, 11. 
 and.ii. 23. which we have, Rom. it, 24, 
 25, 26. Where the Apoftle explains the 
 ©IdTeftament Prophecy, of them, whom 
 in his Day the Lord called not of the Jews 
 only, but alfo of the Gentiles -, and we hold by 
 his Explication, and will not admit of any 
 other., nor expect any other AccomplinV 
 
 rnent 
 
L U8 j 
 
 ment of that Prophecy unto the End of tho 
 World, but what is of the fame Sort with 
 that, which the Apoftle there point us to. 
 And this is undoubtedly the befl: Key for o- 
 pening all fuch Prophecies of the Old Te- 
 stament. Thus we fee the Glory of them, 
 and the Stamp of divine Authority upon 
 them, and in this we boaft againft all the 
 private Interpretations of Men, that are 
 minding earthly Things, in explaining Old 
 Teftament Prophecies* 
 
 I own, That what is faid ofthe Iflands iri 
 the Prophecies, has a Refpedt to the Ifles of 
 Britain and Ireland, where David's Son 
 and Lord, fitting on his Throne* Jias had 
 many Subjects in different Ages, and diffe- 
 rent Circumftances, and has at this Day not 
 a few Subjeds : And thefe Promifes had 
 their Accomplifhment before our National 
 Covenants, and under CromweFs Toleration, . 
 as well as under the Covenants, and among 
 them in England, that withfiood the De- 
 fign of the Covenants, in the Affembly of 
 Divines, even as with them, that had pufrV 
 e-d it there ^ and we hope too^among them, 
 that are not fatisfled with the Covenants a- 
 mong us, even as among the'm, that think 
 themfelves bound to contend for them. Our 
 Lord is not fo narrow hearted, as fome of 
 vis would have him to be, and his Heart is 
 toward all them in thefe Iflands. that trull 
 
 iri 
 
,L l 59 J 
 
 in his Arm, and wait for his Law, of what- 
 soever Denomination, and perhaps to Chil- 
 dren yet unborn, that may be in other Cir- 
 Cumftances than we have yet feen. He has 
 another Argument on which he lays much 
 Strefs, and it is taken from the firft Com- 
 mandment, obligatory under the^New Te- 
 ftament, its being directed to Ifrael as a Na- 
 tion. And when he fhall find another Na- 
 tion of this Earth, to which the Lord fhall 
 fay, I am the Lord thy God, and if thou wilt 
 obey my Voice, and keep my Covenant, then 
 thou (halt be unto me a Kingdom of Priefts, and 
 an holy Nation, as He faid to Ifrael, Exod. 
 xix. Or if he fhall find a Nation of this 
 Earth, to which the Lord fliall fay, in the 
 Capacity of a Nation, I am the Lord thy God 
 and Redeemer : Then I will acknowledge 
 that Nation to be in Covenant with God $ 
 and that itis the Duty of that Nation, as fuch, 
 to avouch the Lord to be its cpven^nted God 
 and Redeemer. But the New Teftament 
 Redemption, being fpiritual and eternal, 
 cannot touch a Nation of this Earth, as fuch ? 
 in like Manner as the Redemption out of 
 Egypt affected the Nation of Ifrael. The Ex- 
 position of our larger Catechifm fpeaks not 
 of this National Covenanting, upon the fir ft 
 Commandment. The citing of thefe Texts he 
 fpeaks of, will never make it appear, That, 
 the Authors of the Catechifm had this Kind 
 
 of 
 
L *«p 3 a . . . 
 
 of National Covenanting in View^ ttiejji 
 prove that they are brought for, without itj 
 And I find our larger Catechifm explaining 
 thus upon the Words of the Preface to the 
 Ten Commandments, And that he is a Go a 
 in Covenant , as with Ifrael of 'old \ fo with all 
 Ms People (Gen. xvii. 7 with Rom. Hi 29) 
 who j as 'he brought them out of their bondage 
 in 'Egypt, fo he deliver eth us from our fpiritu 
 al Thraldom (Luke i. 74, 75.) and that 
 therefore we are bound to take him for our God 
 alone , and to keep his Commandments, (i Pet. 
 i. 15, — - 17, 18; Lev. xviii. 3oandxix; 
 37. ) Which, if rightly confidered, will let 
 tis fee how the Authors of the Explication 
 upon the Firft Commandment could well 
 bring thefe Scriptures mentioned by Mr. 
 Willifon, to prove their excellent Explicati- 
 on, without intending to prove fiich Ratio- 
 nal Covenanting, as he contends for under 
 the New Teftament. Without Qpeftion the 
 Moral Law is obligatory under the New 
 Teftament \ but there is a Queftion, if it 0- 
 bliges as it flood in the National Covenant 
 at Sinai ^ which is done away. 
 
 There is but one Thing more that I have 
 to take Notice of in this Preface, and that is 
 his Hope of the Accomplifhment of the Old 
 Teftament Prophecies, according to his 
 Senfe of them, at Babylon s Downfall. This 
 is that Notion that took its Rife firft from 
 
 that 
 
i 
 
 C W 3 
 
 hat old Prejudice of a temporal Kingdom 
 r «jto the Meffiab) and has been continued in 
 Sine World, by an Inadvertency to the Apo- 
 e iftolick Explication of the Prophecies, and 
 ^ithe glorious heavenly State of the Kingdom 
 [ of Chrift fince his Aicenfion. This Notion 
 )i has diverted the Minds of ChrifFs Difciples 
 'from feeking Conformity to him in his Hu- 
 ': miliation on the Earth, and Difconformi- 
 |ty to a prefent World *, .and from encou- 
 I raging themfelves under their Sufferings, by 
 a prefent Converfation in Heaven, and by 
 the lively Expectations of the glorious fecond 
 coming of his Kingdom. Phil., iii. 20, 21. 
 Ta this Purpofe, the New Teftament Pre- 
 dictions of 'Babylon 's Downfall in the Reve- 
 lation, which are as metaphorical as the 
 Old Teftament Prophecies of the Mejfiah's 
 Kingdom, are explained the fame Way as 
 the Jews explained them. But we do not 
 advert to this, That the Affair of a tempo- 
 ral Kingdom, and a State of the Church, 
 fiill of earthly Glory, and of the Power of 
 the Kingdoms of this World, is a Part of An- 
 tichrift or Babylon. As to Babylon's Down* 
 fall, I look at the New Teftament Predidti- 
 on r where it feems to fpeak moft plainly, 
 and no Proverb, and think it fafeft. to ex- 
 plain the metaphorical Predictions by that 5 
 and in a Confiftency with the plajh Account 
 £he New Teftament gives of the Kingdom 
 L of 
 
[ 1*2 3 
 
 ofChnft, and^ofwhat his Subjects have U 
 lay their Account with unto the End 
 Time. 
 
 The due Confideration of what the Apqftlc 
 fays, 2 Theft.- ii. of this Matter, might 
 ferve to open our Eyes upon this Head. He 
 reprefents the Bufinefs of Antichrift as a 
 great and umverfal Apoftafy from the Pri- 
 mitive State of the Church, and as a State op J 
 polite to that, .which behoved to take Place 1 , 
 before the glorious fecond Coming of Jefus 
 Chnfr, which the Theftdoniam werelooking 
 for immediately. He. tells, that, tW this 
 Myftery of Iniquity was already working in 
 the Church, as a Thing, that could not come 
 to a Head at-firib 5 yet that Man of Sin could 
 not be fully revealed, till that which with- 
 held, and he, that was then a Let or Him 
 drance m the Way of his being revealed 
 lhoiild.be taken out of the Way^ which is' 
 .commonly, and I think, juftly reckoned to 
 be the civil Magiftrate, then Heathen, 
 andagamft the Church. The Magiftrate 
 behoved to be Chriftian, and by the Power 
 of the Kings of the Earth, Antichrift beho- 
 ved to be raifed, and eftafclifhed in his King- 
 dom. But how is that wicked to fall ? If 
 .we take the Apoffles Account of it, he is 
 firft to*e confumed, then wholly and final- 
 ly deftroyed. He mull: be confumed, he 
 mult fall gradually, as he rofe gradually., 
 
 And 
 
thJ 
 
 iff And 61 wnom is this his Fall ? The Lord {halt 
 confkme him and deftroy him. By what 
 Means, or how ? He fhall confume hirri 
 tjsvith the Spirit of his Mouthy the preaching 
 ^fhisGoipel, the Gofpelof his Kingdom, ac- 
 companied with the mighty Power of his 
 Spirit,, as he began to do remarkably at the 
 , Reformation^ and this is to be done gradually 
 and Piece- meal, as in a Confumption, per- 
 laps, with Intervals, till he be .finally and 
 atterly deftroyed by the Brigritnefs of the 
 Cod's Coming. The Queftion is, what Co- 
 ming is this ? And I reckon the beft Way 
 to underftand this, is to fee what glorious 
 Coming of Chrift the Apoftle, is fpeaking of 
 in the Contest, and that is ^ His fecond Co- 
 ining in the Cvnfummdtion of all things, wh en- 
 he (hall put down all Rule and Authority, and 
 Power ^ and no Kingdom (hall remain , hut that, 
 of the Saints only, the heavenly Kingdom of 
 our Lord Jefus, and then the Prophecies will 
 have their full Adcomplifhment. Rev. xxh 
 6. The Kingdom of Antichrift appears 
 plainly to be an earthly Kingdom. . That 
 Man of Sin could not be revealed without 
 Worldly Power, and the Prophecies manifefl 
 that he exercifes it abundantly againfi: the 
 Saints, ib that John wpnder'd to fee the Wo* 
 fl20/z,{bmething under the Name of a Church, 
 drunk with the Blood of the Saints : But the 
 Power whereby Antichrifi; muffc fall, ishea-, 
 L % . venlyj 
 
[ i« 4 " J > : ' 
 
 venly. The Saints do not appear in the 
 Revelation but in a fuffering Conditio^ tillj 
 the Lord's fecond coming, when he wil^find 
 the Kingdoms of the World in a State of 
 War againft him. Rev. xix. from the xi 
 Verfe to the End. 3 Tis true, the Earth fome- 
 times helps the Woman, Providence order- 
 ing it fo, The Kings hate the Whore y &c. but 
 this will never make the Earth to be the 
 Woman, and the Dragon goes on full to make 
 War with the Remnant of her Seed, whicbl 
 keep the Commandments of God, and have the] 
 Teftimony ofjefus Chrift. There are fome 
 that contend from Rev. xviii. 6. That the 
 Saints muft haye^ worldly Power in their 
 Hands, and exercife it in executing their 
 own Vengeance upon Babylon : But no fuch 
 Thing is evident from that Place, which 
 fhews Vengeance upon Babylon from Hea- 
 ven, for the Sake of the Lord's People ; and 
 that the Lord will take Vengeance for all the 
 Ills done to, his People upon his Account - y 
 and this Vengeance of his is the Anfwer of 
 their Prayers. It cannot be proved that 
 this Prophecy commands them to fight 
 and execute their own Vengeance on Baby- 
 lon with the Sword : For it cannot be de- 
 nyed, That fome of the Plagues threatned 
 - there, are fe't forth under the Similitude of 
 ' fuch Strokes as are from the immediate 
 Hand of God * as Famine, Verfe viii and 
 
 the 
 
L i«5 J. 
 
 the Smoke of 'Babylon's burning is a plain 
 Allufionto the Fire and Brimftone from 
 Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah. And it 
 is to be confidered, That what the Head of 
 the Church does for the Church in Anfwer 
 to their Prayers, may well ^e faid to be 
 done by the Church. 
 
 Thus far I have confidered Mr. WilUfonh 
 Preface, and fo leave him to reconfider the 
 Scripture Grounds of his Zeal for the Natio- 
 nal Covenanting he contends for under the 
 New Teftament, and of his Hopes of a tem- 
 poral Kingdom to Chrift, in the Nations of 
 this World, at Babylon' } s Downfall *, and if 
 he fhall give me folid Satisfaction from the 
 Word of God in the Old and New Teftament, 
 for what he contends for in. this Preface a- 
 gainft me, I fhall frankly acknowledge my 
 felf to be his Difciple and Follower, and fo 
 free many well meaning People of the Ot 
 fence they have conceived againft me, as 
 an arrogant Youth, taking upon me to differ 
 from fuch a Perfon as Mr. Willifon, and not 
 yielding to him in this Difference-, and not 
 him only, but our worthy Forefathers and 
 Martyrs, and many excellent Minifters now 
 in the Church *, which is, with many,a more 
 weighty Argument than all that he can fay 
 for the Covenants, or I againft them, from 
 the Old Teftament and the New. And I 
 perfwade myfelf, That for his own Credit 
 L 3 at 
 
Jt leaffi he will not charge me with denying 
 the Authority of the.OHTeftanienC for no 
 other Reafon, hut becaufe I will not sive 
 
 W «fith the Apoftolick Explication of itfaiid 
 hibmittohis private Interpretation, which' 
 i r ^ Je % , b ecaufe it appears to me contrary; 
 to the Old Teftament, as well as the New. 
 
 Mr. £— -rhad the Lords Supper in 
 his Parilh mthe Beginning of Summer. Mr 
 }V-~ — n was there, and had David's Vow 
 ml. emu. for his Text. Tis'fcid, That 
 he fpolce from that Text of perfonal Cove- 
 nanting, congregational Covenanting at the 
 JLords^Supper, fed National Covenanting. 
 Mr. U——r proceeded in his laudable Cu- 
 •Itom of debarring from the Communion 
 Juchasare againft the Covenants . and par- 
 ticularly them, that % there is no Warrant 
 an the Word of God for National Covenant- 
 ing now, and backed his Excommunication 
 with ftme of the prophefying about Nations. 
 Jie alfbdffmiffed his People on Monday' with 
 m 4dvice, to beware of Seducers of the re- 
 ■hned Sort, and of Satan transforming him- 
 m into an Angel of Light. Some that ad- 
 hered to the Covenants were greatly offend- 
 ed at what they obfervedofthis Kind on that 
 Occafion. 
 
 But there is another difference of no fmall 
 importance, that began to break out in this 
 Country that Seafon ; and becaufe it has a, 
 
 nearer 
 
5 nearer Relation to the Difference about the 
 c Covenants, thari fome apprehend, and per- 
 e haps may be the Reafon of fome Appear- 
 J ances made againft me on the Head of the 
 'Covenants, I mall- alio give «fome Account 
 of it. The Bufinefs of promifcuous Commu- 
 nicating, as it is called, has been long 
 a Grievance to them,' that love the Commu- 
 nion of Saints, and upon their complaining 
 of it to Minifters, they have been put oft 
 by Pretences of the Impoffibility of what 
 they defired, and the Neceifity of going up- 
 on fuch an eftablimed Rule (and fome wilh, 
 that even that were obferved ) fo they 
 have crouched' under the Burden, and fub- 
 mitted to that, which is in no Ways J: heir 
 Choice. Now^there are a few in this Coun- 
 try, of whom I confefs my felf to be one, 
 that entertain fuch Thoughts as thefe upon 
 this Head. 
 
 Saints, by Profeffion, are bound to. main- 
 tain an holy Fellowfhip and Communion 
 in the "Worfhip of God, and in performing 
 fuch other fpiritual Services as tend to their 
 mutual Edification, Heb x, 24, 25. Acts 
 ii. 42. If a. ii. 3. 1 Corinth, xi. 20. We. 
 think, according to thefe Scriptures, the 
 Lord's Supper is an Ordinance of Worihip, 
 wherein they are bound efpecially to main- 
 tain this Fellowfhip and Communion toge- 
 ther. And, becaufe it is inftituted by the 
 L 4 Lord 
 
» L 168 J 
 
 Lord to fee a Bond and Pledge unto Belie- 
 vers of their Communion with him, and! 1 
 with each other, as Members of his myftical 
 Body, (according to iCor.x. J 6, 17. The 
 . Cup of Bleffingi which we blefs, is it not the 
 Communion (or, partaking together) of the 
 Blood of Chri/t ? The Bread, which we break, 
 is it not the Communion ( or, our joynt Par- 
 taking) of the Body of Chri/t? For we being 
 many, are me Bread and one Body : For we 
 are all Partakers of that one Bread.) His 
 Inftitution is not intire, if the Supper be 
 not given as a Bond and Pledge of the Com- 
 munion of Believers together, even as it is 
 not intire among the Papifls without the 
 Cup to the People. And becaufe we judge, 
 That all that partake of that Ordinance,have 
 Communion together in that Bread and Cup, 
 as that is a Bond and Pledge of their Com- 
 munion with each other, as Members of 
 his myftical Body, we hold, That alligno- 
 rant and ungodly Perfons cannot, without 
 great Sin againft Chrift, while they remain 
 fuch, partake of thefe holy Myfteries, or 
 be admitted thereunto j according to thefe 
 Scriptures, 2 Cor. vi. from the 14 Verfe 
 and downward, Be not unequally yoked toge- 
 ther, Believers with Unbelievers, &c. 1 Lor.. 
 v. S, 7. Tour Gloning is not good, Know ye 
 not that a little Leaven leaveneth the whole 
 Lump? Purge out therefore the old Leaven, 
 
 that 
 
i L 160 j 
 
 that you may be a new Lump, as you are un- 
 leavened. Sec. to the End of the Chapter. 
 2 T'heff. iii 6, 14, 15. Now we command 
 you, Brethren, in the Nam? of our Lord Je- 
 fus Chrift, that ye withdraw your fehes from 
 every Brother that.walketh diforderly, Sec. We 
 find by fuch Scriptures, that it is incumbent 
 on the People, as well as Minifters, in their 
 Station, to fee to it, that they fin thus not 
 againft Chrift in this moft eminent Part o£ 
 Church Communion. We know, that this 
 is a Seal of the new Covenant, and a feal- 
 ing Ordinance, and that the Seal is not pro- 
 mis'd but unto them that are keeping his • 
 Commandments, particularly his Com- 
 mandment of Faith, and Love to one ano- 
 ther, as Members of his myftical Body. 
 And we know, that this Ordinance was 
 appointed for drawing forth Faith, and this 
 mutual brotherly Love, which is our Obe= 
 dienceto the trying Command of the New 
 Teftament, unto a lively Exercife, in order 
 to the receiving the Seal ■, and that, unto the 
 fuitable Exercite of this Love, in a Way a- 
 greeable to the Nature of the Ordinance, 'tis 
 neceffary that all, that partake together of 
 that Bread and Cup, be proper Objedts of 
 this brotherly Love, that they may profefs 
 Love to one another, in partaking of that 
 •Bread and Cup, without Diflimulation. We 
 fee it not neceffary unto this, that they 
 
 be 
 
P e abiolutely of the fame -Way of Think- 
 thl 'TV° a! i Th ^inRelig4, orasfo 
 the lhings wherein the Godly have differ'd 
 and may differ Confcientioufly ; but that 
 they be one m Chrift, our Peace with God 
 
 • ^Tw? j™ 6 a ' j0tl «r, who is fo fet forth 
 in this Ordinance 5 and' that, either by per- 
 
 ■lonal Acquaintance, or good Report, tW 
 have Knowledge of one another's Faith m 
 the Lord Jefns,and Love in him unto all the 
 Ssum,Fprfa this fJmllall M f n know that ye are 
 
 :m Difciphs, if ye have Love one to -another 
 jays our Lord. Neither do we fee it necef 
 
 5r° ,IlIS '? atthe yi% Mens Hearts; 
 we think our Lord has not enjoyn'd this in 
 
 £w n ?f ,,V 01 ? manament > but elfewhere for- 
 bids it. We know they may poffibly be Hy- 
 pocrites whom he commands us to love, as 
 we lhall be anfwerable to him at that Day : 
 ■ButaSufpiaon of their Hypocrify,while not 
 difcoverd, we reckon inconfiftent with this 
 ifJri of . whlc hitis faidin this Cafe, that 
 nthnhth no Evil And fo we can hold 
 Inch Communion with one who may prove 
 a Judas-, but then he muft be fuch an one 
 concerning whom we may, with the Dif- 
 ciples reckon it our Duty tofufpeft our 
 felves We him. We judge it our Duty . 
 to bear good Will to all Men, and to love our 
 Enemies, and pray for -our Perfecuters 5 biit 
 we know, that brotherly Love required in 
 
 the 
 
L I 7 I J 
 
 fee new Commandment, is a Thing not to 
 je beftow'd upon every baptiz d Man, fince 
 Batrtifm became common 5 nor every one 
 fuppos'd to be within the Bond of a Nation- 
 al Covenant, and not excommunicated from 
 ^National Church-, nor upon every one 
 that has a Form of Knowledge, and is not 
 fcandalous, according to the common No- 
 tion of Scandal that goes m the Country. We 
 find our felves concem'd to obferve who 
 they are, whom the Lord points out to us in 
 ihisVord, as the Objeds-of this Love ; and 
 ' who they are, from whom he commands us 
 to turn away, and not to be yoKed toge- 
 ther with them : Becaufehe ml to judge of 
 us by this fpecial Love to his Difciples, the 
 Brethren, whom we have feen when he 
 pomes to fevere the Sheep from the Goats.- 
 By the Words of the Inftitution, ( lbts is 
 my Both which is broken for you, this tup is, 
 I de tim Teftmem in my Blood, this do ye in 
 Remembrance of me, ) it appears, that thele 
 that mould partake in this Ordinance, ought 
 tobefuch, who are to f be Iook .d upon iby 
 us as they for whom Chrift dy d : So that 
 we may exprefs our Love to them, m that 
 Ordinance, on that Account, accordmgjo 
 his new Commandment, lhat his Difciptes 
 (houldlove one another, even as he has loved 
 them. Tis obfervable, that the Members 
 of the Apoftolick Churches, that held Com- 
 
mumon together m this Ordinance, while 
 they continued fuch, were thus defign'd by 
 them without Diffimulation, Ms xx. 28, i ; 
 Take heed to your J elves , and to all the Flock, 
 over which the Holy Ghoft hath made you O- 
 verfeers, to feed the Church of God, which he 
 lath pur chafed with his own Blood. Rom. 
 xiv. 15. Deftroy him not with thy Meat for 
 <whotti thrift died. 1 Cor. viii. 1 1* And 
 through thy Knowledge Jh all thy weak Brother 
 perifhjor whom Chri/f died. 2 Pet. ii. 1. 'J here 
 Jhall be falfe Teachers among you, who privily 
 (hall bring in damnable Herefies, even denying 
 the Lord that bought them, and bring upon 
 themfelves fwifi Beftruttien. This Defolia- 
 tion of being bought by the Lord, was due 
 to them as Members of the Churches, by 
 the Chriftian Law of brotherly Love, before 
 they deny'd him, even as our Lord, on that 
 Account, calls them, Branches in him, John 
 xv. 2. which is a Part of that comfortable 
 Sermon of his to his Difciples, touching this 
 brotherly Love,and the Privileges and Com- 
 forts that were to attend it, and the Fruits 
 of it in his bodily Ablence. We know it to 
 be our Duty to love many with this Love, 
 who, at this Day, thro' Prejudices, Mifin- 
 formations, &c. do fpeak Evil of us, and 
 excommunicate us, and would gladly hold 
 Communion with them, on the Account of 
 that fame Chrift, in whom we ought to de- 
 1 /zre 
 
t m 1 
 
 jjire to be one with them, however differing 
 pom us as to many other Things. To fome 
 pf us it has been juftly a Wonder, that e\*er 
 [we were privileged with the Love of them 
 that love the Lord Jefus ^ and, on many 
 Accounts, we have Ground to fhfpecl it 
 may be can: away upon us : But as to this 
 Point, wherein we have become the Ob- 
 ject of the Reproach of the World, and are 
 counted deluded,felf-coriceited Schifmaticks, 
 : @\ by fuchas we are bound to love beyond 
 t the reft of the World, we conceive we hold 
 nothing but what's agreeable to the very In- 
 \ ftincl of the new Nature, nor do we fepa- 
 rate from any, to our Knowledge, the leaft 
 of them with whom the Lord Jefns com- 
 mands us to hold Fellowship in his Supper^ 
 or with whom, by the Principles contain'd 
 in the Confeffion of Faith, we are bourtd to 
 hold Communion. We fee not that the 
 Lord has commanded any to partake of his 
 Supper but his Difciples, and we refufe not 
 Communion with the leaft of them, whom 
 his People, that may be offended with us, 
 will heartily own to be fuch : And we find 
 not, that our Lord commands us to partake 
 in that Supper with any, but fiich as appear 
 to be bound by his Commandment to par- 
 take of it. 
 
 We are forry t6 fee, that the ancient Bu- 
 finefs of brother!]/ Love andChriftian Com- 
 munion 
 
C *74 J 
 miinion is degenerated into Party Love and| 
 
 Fellowfhip, either in Things alien front | 
 Glirift, or remote from him, the Foundati- 
 on of Ghurch Communion « 5 and to fee his 
 profefling People mingling themfelves with 
 the World in thefe Things, efpecially in 
 this Ordinance, wherein he would have 
 them to be feparate, and fo joyning with 
 them, and learning their Way in" other 
 Things. We reckon, that it is vain to com-- 
 plain flothfully of the Lord's Abfence in 
 Ordinances, and of Backfliding, and to la- 
 ment for Reformation, while Reformation, 
 in this Point of mingling with the World ill 
 Church Communion, and Conformity J:a 
 the World, is negledted, and while qommori 
 Love goes for Chriftian brotherly Love. A- 
 mong other Things, we reckon the chief 
 Reafoii of the Confufion of Languages at this 
 Day, among the Minifters . and People of 
 Chrift, is, Behold, the People is one. 
 
 Something like a Reformation in tljis 
 foint was begun in the P&rim where I 
 preach, and was abundantly fpoken againft 
 before now -, but thisSeafon,, fomeinothe£ 
 Places began to entertain the fame Thoughts, 
 and this Way began to make more Noife. 
 The Occafion of it was, Mr.' Archibald ear- 
 neftly prefs'd me to be with him on the 
 Occafion of his adminiftring the Lord's 
 Supper to his People - 7 I had preach'd there' 
 
 fome 
 
[ 175 ] ... 
 bmcTimfc before on aFaftDay, and \vas 
 brry to fee fo few in that Place attending 
 Ordinances, and the Few that attended ap- 
 pearing fo indifferent: Therefore, I now 
 ilefir'd fome of oiir People that were able,to 
 go along with me to that Place, and ufe 
 their Intereft at the Throne of Grace, for 
 the Lord's Prefence, and the Succefs of his 
 Gofpel there. I preach'd on the Saturday, 
 and in the Clofe of the Sermon, fpeaking 
 of Communicating, I explain'd a little up- 
 on i Cor. x. 1 6, 17. according to what is 
 above faid. After Sermon, Mr. Archibald, 
 in his Speech to the People, fignify'd, That 
 he had gone too far in admitting many of 
 his People to that Ordinance. Upon this, 
 fome of our Elders came to me, telling, 
 That they knew the People of that Coun- 
 try, and the Minifter himfelf had laid, he 
 had not Charity for all he admitted 5 fo that 
 they could not Communicate with therri. 
 Ana when I told them, they behovd the'ii 
 to forbear, I found fome of them had a 
 great Inclination to partake of that Ordi- 
 nance, if they could have it together fome 
 Way, according to the Lord's Inftitution. 
 As to that I told them, the Minifter of the 
 . Place, who had it in his Hand, was the fit- 
 teft Perfon to be conversed with on that 
 Head 5 fo I went off to my Lodging in a 
 Gentleman's Houfe in that Country, When 
 
 I 
 
c m ] 
 
 I return'd next Morning, I found, that Mr! 
 Archibald had concerted with them to ordei! 
 Things fo, as they might communicate at; 
 the laft Table, after his own People wer< 
 all ferv'd. He told me, That he reckon'd 
 them Confcientious in their Scruple, and it 
 was his Principle, That a great Forbearance 
 and Tendernefs fhould be us'd to all fuch.He 
 likewife forbore me as to the ferving of Ta« ' 
 hies. There were feveral Profeffors of Chrift 
 from other Parts, with whom our People, it! 
 feems, had Ibme Acquaintance, and they 
 advertifed them of this. It is not the Cu- 
 ftom there to have Sermon without, in the 
 Time of the Communion : But when the 
 Tables began to be ferved, there was a Com- 
 plaint that there were fome People without 
 Doors that could not hear. Mr. Archibald 
 defired me to go out and preach to them. 
 For ought I know,this was alfoa new Thing 
 in that Place of the World. I continued 
 preaching to them, and they heard gladly 
 till the Tables were ferved, and then a Call 
 was made without, if there were any more 
 to communicate. On which I went to the 
 Kirk, and feeing fome of ouf People fet 
 down at the Table, fat down with them. 
 Thefe from other Parts that had been ac- 
 quainted of the Thing by our People, were 
 there likewife,and a Minifter in that Coun- 
 try, who fufpe&ed nothing, and, I think, 
 
 another 
 
1 177 1 
 mother Miniftert Wife. Mr. Archibald 
 .erved the Table, .and ufed fomething of a 
 different Form, fpeaking none in the Time 
 }f Partaking, and truly he needed not : 
 Wot the Lord was there to the Senfe of Com- 
 Jmu&jcants, and to the Obfervation of On- 
 .ookers, tho' there was no uncouth Noife ^ 
 fo that fome, no Way defpicable for Want 
 , of Judgment, faid afterwards, That if they 
 ibad known of the Thing, they had commu- 
 nicate at that Table* 
 
 I may be iuppofed to be far enough from 
 jjlooking to Experience, where I fee no Foun- 
 dation for it in the Word ; but when I find 
 Experience feconding the Word, and the 
 Lord's Promifes fulfilled in it^ I own it is to 
 me a Confirmation. There is one Thing I 
 obferve in myfelf and the People, That it 
 is a more awful Thing, by far, to prelent 
 3ur felves before God, in that Ordinance 
 among his People, among whom his Eyes 
 \are as a Flame of Fire, and be "walks with his 
 SFe-et as of fine Brafs burning in a Furnace, 
 khan among a p'omifcuous Multitude $ and 
 Sthere is much more Ground of Fear and 
 Trembling here. But there are alfo preci- 
 ous Promifes made to his People, in the 
 lively Communion of the Obje&s of bro* 
 therly Love, which would be enjoy'd by 
 them in their Obedience to him in this 
 Point, Chrift our only Peace with God 
 M. ■> md 
 
■C 17s '1 ; 
 
 and Chrift our only Peace with one another, 
 and fo reprefented in his Supper, is the bleft 
 fed and the glorious Privilege of the New 
 Teftament, Epk n\ 17, i&, 22. And that ,i 
 is a bleffed Promifc, intiie New Teftament 
 Church the Kingdom of God, to his People, 
 for whom he died, partaking together in 
 this Ordinance according to his Appoint- 
 ment, This is my Body broken for you, the 
 New. Teftament in my Blood : I will drink this : 
 ifyuit of the Vine new with you in my Father's 
 Kingdom". Since the letting up of the King- 
 dom of Heaven, ( when Chrift afcended, 
 and Peace was preached to them afar off and 
 near, and the Holy Ghoft lent down from 
 Heaven in another Manner than ever he 
 was given before, even in the Days of out 
 Lord's Fkih ) there is a more excellent Pre- 
 fence of Chrift by his Spirit, as a Sealer and 
 Comforter, efpecially in that Ordinance of 
 the Supper : So he drinks it new in his Fa- 
 ther's Kingdom with his own People, when 
 they partake of it according to his Mind, 
 and when this mutual brotherly Love is in 
 a lively Exerciie in this Ordinance, as the 
 Fruit of Faith in him who has reconciled 
 ais all to God in one Body by his Crofs. The 
 Spirit of Chrift is promifed as a Comforter 
 mid Sealer to his People keeping his Com-- 
 tjiaridments, John xiv. ij, ™-~ 22. and 
 ' XV Chap. 10, 11, 12, f§; 14, 17- And by 
 • ' • thef" 
 
[179 3 
 the keeping of thefe* Commandments, his 
 People know, that he abideth inihem, by the 
 Spirit which he hath given them y 1 John ii| 
 fee from the 19 Verfe to the End. There 
 are particular Promifes of the Lord's Pre- 
 fence with* the New Teftament Ordinances, 
 as the preaching and teaching of the Word, 
 Baptifm, gjfr. but there is not a particular 1 
 promife for his Pretence in that eminent 
 Ordinance of his Supper left with his Peo- 
 ple, if this be not it, Vll drink of 'this • -Fruit 
 bf the Vine new with you, in my Father's King- 
 dom. And they who are tranflated from the 
 Power . of Darknefs into that Kingdom, and 
 partake of it according to his Inftitiition* 
 will find it accom£lilhed unto the Und of 
 the World. ... 
 
 I preached frequently on this Dcpafiorij 
 
 and, in one of my Sermons, touched on Heb. 
 
 viii. from 6 Verfe, {hewing what I take to 
 
 be the Apoltle's Scope in that Place. I faw 
 
 ■ nothing but Love among the prof effing Peo- 
 
 ' pie that were there from different Parts 5 
 
 . and even they in Montr of e, who might have 
 
 teen fuppofed to be as much offended" as 
 
 any, (hewed much Love on this Occaflon : 
 
 For this is the Fruit of the Lord's PrefeBce 
 
 with his Word and Ordinances among his 
 
 People. Mr. AchibaU exvieffed much of 
 
 that exterifive Charity which is in hiirf, at ^ 
 
 this Time 5 neither have I obferved him do- 
 
 ' M 2 ing 
 
L -W> J 
 ingBifobedience to qur Lord's new Com- 
 mandment. So far as I can fee, the Charge I 
 of Schifm as it lies againft him, has no o- ! 
 ther Foundation, but his great Forbearance ] 
 and Condefcendencies towards all Sorts of I 
 them who are Objecls of brotherly Love 
 however differing from him, A or from the 
 eftabhfhed Church. On this Account, he 
 has broke thro' that which- is called Order, 
 In feveral Inftances 5 he is truly, for this 
 Reafon, a rare Man, and I think 'tis great 
 Pity he fhould fuffer on this Account, from 
 Men pretending tofcft in his Name and Au- 
 thority, who has given this Commandment 
 * of Love and Forbearance among his Difci- 
 ples. Neither can I fee the Reafon or Re- 
 ligion, of depriving the People of that 
 Country of his laborious and ufeful Work 
 in the Gofpel, and him of his Living upon 
 the publick Encouragement, by preffing 
 rum to declare his Satisfa&ion with the pre- 
 fent Eftablifliment, when he is diffatisfied 
 with it 5 for no other Reafon, that J know, 
 fcutbecaufe he does not fee its Confiftericy 
 with the Covenants, which he cannot alto- 
 gether tejeft, till his . Confcience.be fatisfi- 
 ed, that they are not warranted in the Word 
 of God, tho' yet he be not clear to preach ■ 
 them up. At leaft, if there be aConfiften- 
 cy betwixt the prefent Eftablifliment and 
 the Covenants, they that find themfelves 
 
 con- 
 
C i8i 1 
 
 concerned to fliew _ Zeal for the Covenants^ 
 [md at the fame Time againft him; mould 
 {endeavour to fliew him that fame Con- 
 sfiftency : For certainly they muft, of all 
 (Men, if they ad from Principle, have the 
 i:leareft View of it 
 
 There were feveral Minifters that came 
 there to hear, when the Sacrament was at 
 Guthrie, and this Bufinefs about Communi- 
 on in the Lord's Supper began to take Air. 
 [There was no fmall Stir about it, and about 
 jmy Sermon at that Time, in the Pulpits and 
 lotherwife ^ till at Length Mr. Archibald 
 was called in queftion by the Presbytery, 
 for his Condefcendence to us in the Matter 
 of the Lord's Sapper. There were three 
 Things complained of in my Sermons, i. 
 That they were Antinomi an, becauk I preach- 
 .ed freq Justification to guilty Sinners, thro* 
 the Righteoufnefs of the Lord Jefus, and 
 made a practical Improvement of that Do- 
 dtrine, of Faith's justifying only as an In- 
 ftrument, and of the Lord's accounting and 
 accepting our Perfons as righteous, not for 
 any Thing wrought in us or done by us, 
 tut for Christ's Sake alone $ nor by impu- 
 ting Faith itfelf, the Aft of Believing, or 
 any other evangelical Obedience, to us as 
 our Righteoufnefs 5 but by imputing the 
 Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto 
 us, we receiving and refting on him and 
 M g his 
 
L ifg J 
 
 Jiis Righteoufhefs by Faith : Which Faith 
 we have not of our felves, 'tis the Gift of 
 God. Ana" becaufe I afcribed the/Whole of 
 our Salvation unto the Election and "Fore* 
 .knowledge of God the Father, the Blood oi 
 jefus thrift, and . the San&ification of the 
 Spirit unto Obedience, and nothing of it tQ 
 our felves, when explaining upon i Peter 
 1..2. 2. That they were agaii\ft the Cove? 
 nants j this they took from my Explicate 
 on of Beh, viii 6. And, 3. That they 
 were fchiimatical $ becaufe I explained 
 1 Cor. '?. 16, 17, as is before faid. Thefe 
 Three furnifhed fome of them; that teach 
 the People 111 that Part of the Country, with 
 Matter of piipute and Reflection, in their 
 Difcourfes to them, from the Pulpit, for a 
 good while after, and it coil others fome 
 ' Pains, with the profeilmg People that were 
 there, to engage theiri again in Party Quar- 
 rels. 
 
 Shortly after thisT went to Pertly being 
 called to affift at the Adminiftration of the 
 . Lord's Supper there, where I preached or* 
 the Saturday. I had that Text, Beb. y. 19, 
 and, for an Introduction, gave this general 
 View of the Epiftle : The Apoftle meets 
 y/ith thefe Things wherein the Jem glori- 
 pd, and whereby they fortified themfelves 
 311 their Rejection of the Gofpel,aiid where r 
 "ty the 'Hebrews v/ere tempted toApoftafy. 
 
L , AV * J 
 
 ■As, i- Their receiving the Law from God 
 Jby'the Difpofition of Angels : 'For this the 
 lApoftle fets forth the Excellency of the 
 ■Son of God above Angels, and {hews their 
 [Subjection to him the Son of Man, in the 
 j New Tetoment. Church, Chap. i. 2. 2. 
 J Mofes the Law-giver : The Apoftle there. 
 ■ fore (hews his Excellency above Mofes, and 
 ' the Excellency of his Houfe above that of 
 Mofes, Chap. iii. 3. The promifed Reft, 
 J and the Sabbath Day : And for this he fpeaks 
 df the more glorious Reft into which Jefus 
 Is entred, arid of theChriftian Day of Reft, 
 Chap.iv. 4. The Priefthood of Aaron : For 
 that he fets forth the more excellent Briefly 
 hood of Chrift, after the Order of Melchhe- 
 del, Chap. v. 7, ', 8. from the Beginning. 
 5. Their National Covenant,, which the 
 Lord fo folemnly made with them when he 
 brought them out of the Land of Egypt : ' 
 'And the Apoftle fhews the Excellency of 
 the new Covenant, by the taking Place of 
 which, that is done away, according to the 
 Old Teftament Prophecies. 6. Their 
 Temple, the Sacrifices and Temple Ser- 
 vice: To which -the Apoftle oppofes the 
 more excellent heavenly Sanctuary, and 
 'the Sacrifice of Chrift typified by thefe 
 Sacrifices, and- his Blood fealjng the New 
 New Teftament, typified by the Blood of 
 Beafts 3 wherewith the Old Teftament was 
 M 4 • dedi? 
 
dedicated, Chap. ix. x. 7. , The Fathers : 
 Whom the Apoftle makes fo many "Witnefc 
 fes unto the Way 6f Faith and Patience, and 
 calls to follow them in that Way, ftill look- 
 ing h J ejus, the Author and Ftnijber of our 
 Faith^ and the great Pattern of Patience in 
 fcuttering, aid fo to run the Race let before us 
 correfling all other Patterns by him, Chap' 
 xi. xn. from the Beginning. Laftly. The 
 glorious State of the Church and Kingdom 
 
 Jr% lxi V rael > raifed ^ s inai: To 
 which the Apoftle cppofes a more excellent 
 State of the New Teftament Church and 
 Kingdom, to which New Teftament Belie- 
 vers are come, Chap, xii. 
 
 . Then in difcourfing the Text, I endea- 
 voured to fhew, That Heaven it felf, hy 
 Jeius his entnng there, is become unto us 
 the.Sanftuary or Place of Worfhip, and is 
 what we have now inftead of .the Sanctua- 
 ry at Jerufalem h and made a practical Im- 
 provement of it. In fpeaking of our en- 
 mng into that Holiefl hy the Blood of Jefus 
 ^offawwgnearjn full Affurunce of 
 fartb i I figmf/d the Difference betwixt the 
 •Aiiurance of Faith and of Hope ? and that 
 the Afluranceof Faith is a firm Perfwafion 
 of the Truth of God's Teftimony concerning 
 iiiff Son HiAeGofpel h even fuch as that, of 
 which it isfaid, Be that hath it is born of 
 l*od 7 1 John v. 1. In explaining the Word 
 
 ^ Brethren ',' 
 
[ m } 
 
 irethren, I took Occafion to fpeak a little oj 
 church Communion, and had fomething to 
 his Purnofe'-, that the Beauty of this had 
 nuch decayed fince Chriftianity became 
 National. *J 
 
 Mr. IV * --», and Mr. D — -^-£who 
 
 'lave'fhown diftinguifhing Zeal for the Co- 
 /enants, and made much Noife about them 
 Ince this Bufinefs began, were both Hear- 
 ers. They had alfo been enraged before by 
 in Allufion I had made to the Craftsmen at 
 Epbtjus 9 "in a diverting Converfation with a 
 Minifter of my old Acquaintance in that 
 Country. There might b$ too much Liber- 
 ty in that Jeft , but when they heard of it, 
 they were the more offended, that fbme 
 People would be ready to conclude there 
 was fome Truth under it $ and Minifters 
 jeered them w r ith it. Mr. W n came 
 
 to me after Sermons, arid attacked me in 
 the Church before another Minifter, and 
 laid he was ill pleafed with the Sermon 5 and 
 I replied, I believed that. He faid, further, 
 he would pray for rrte • and I anfwered that 
 was his Duty. The other Minifter diverted 
 him, and he went off in great Wrath. On 
 Sabbath Night he preached, and made fbme 
 fatyrical Infinuations" upon the Excellency 
 of the Old Teftament, and the Faith of the 
 Old Teftament Saints , he alfo fell upon my 
 Notion of Faith with fome Reflections $ and 
 
 this 
 
L xou 4 
 
 this was the Appearance he made. But M^! 
 D — : g {hewed his Zeal, on the Monday, foil 
 the Covenants, and againfl: Independency J 
 I was not his Hearer, for I was preaching -m 
 the other Kirk, 
 
 I had that Text John- xii. 26. and iri| 
 fpeaking of following Chrift in his Suffer-* 
 ings, which muft, one Way or another, e- 
 ver attend ferving of him in the "Way here** 
 Quires, I fignified, That an,Aflociation, for 
 defending our felves as his Subjects, or for 
 defending the Truths and Iriftitutions of | 
 Chrift by the Sword, is not the Kingdom of 
 Chrift, but a Kingdom of this World ^ ae-3 
 cording to bur Lord's Description of a worlds 
 ly Kingdom, as it is diftinguifhed from his. 
 John xviii, .36. I cited feveral Scriptures, 
 to fhew that Chriit's Subjects are bound to 
 follow the Example of the King of Martyrs 
 in patient Suffering t, and among the reft, I 
 happened to fpeak a little of that Text, Mau 
 v. %§\ and applied it unto that Purpofe, 
 fhewing, That Chrift calls his Subjects ra^ 
 ther to prepare for more Sufferings, when 
 they are injured, than to refent Injuries 
 done them, under Pretence of avoiding great- 
 er Wrongs that may follow upon their bear? 
 lug patiently, 
 
 • My Sermon on Saturday was condemned, 
 as carrying in it plain Infinuatioi^s agaiiig 
 ^fational Covenanting. The Apoftolick 
 
E gf ■ 3 • 
 
 " Jo&rine of the New Tcftament Sah&uary 
 >r Pla:e of Worfhip, Help. . ixicio^Vas as 
 jiirprifing to fome, as it is to the Author of 
 i late Pamphlet, who calls it old Myfticifni 
 to the Life. Much Notice was taken of my. 
 not ferving Tables, nor communicating 
 there. But, above.all, my Sermon on Mon~ 
 day^ enraged a great many, and made much 
 Noife - 5 fome called it (>iakerifm, becaufe 
 J cited that Text that Quakers have made 
 Ufe ofj fome faid I was for paffive Obedi- 
 ence and Non-refiftance, againft the natu- 
 ral Principles of Self-defence, and againft 
 the Proteftant' Caufe, and the Revolution, 
 But the Proteftant Caufe, fo far as the Sword 
 is concerned in it, arid the Revolution, is 
 plainly a civil Affair in Oppofition to Ty- 
 ranny, and to the common Enemy o£ the 
 Liberties of Mankind in the Kingdoms of 
 the World, the Pope of Rome. Self-defence 
 from Violence offered to the Conference is 
 a natural Right of Mankind, This is a di- 
 ftinct Affair from an Affociation, 4 to defend 
 a particular Religion by the Sword, which 
 one Way 'or other mufViffue in breaking in 
 upon the natural Right of Mankind's Liber- 
 ty of Confidence-, .(• I hope the Word will 
 fright no Body ) which is to be defended in 
 the Kingdoms of this World, fo far as is con- 
 ilftent with the Nature of Civil Society. The 
 Kingdom of Chrift is another Thing, even 3 
 
 V King- 
 
- C 188 ^ 41 
 
 Kingdom of Patience, and if any 'Man ferve J| 
 liim in that Kingdom, he muft follow him, 1 
 bearing his Crofs daily. It is no Wonder 
 that this Do&rine give Surprife in this 
 Time of the World, when there is fo little 
 Diftin&ion to be feen between his Subje&s 
 and the reft of the World'; and when there 
 is fb little to be obferved, according to that 
 Word ^ / have given them thy Word, and the 
 World hath hated them r bee aufe they are not 
 of the World, even as I am not of the World. 
 An Aiibciation for defending this or that 
 Religion by the Sword, like that in oiir Co- 
 venants, muft have a Foundation in the 
 Light of Nature, or in the -Word ' of God. 
 The Light of Nature fhews that Liberty of 
 Coiifcience is a naturaj Right to be defend- 
 ed $ if this be maintained in the Kingdoms 
 of this World, Chr ill's Subjects of different 
 Denominations will have Reft, and Popery 
 cannot take Place while this is maintained - y 
 but then our abjured Toleration will take 
 Place. If we go to the Word, we'll fee the 
 Ifraelites punifned for Rebellion againft their 
 King, (God being then the very King of that 
 Kingdom ) and that Nation defending them- 
 felves as a Nation, from Violence offered to 
 them by other Nations f yea, and cutting off 
 other Nations by their Lord's fpecial Co m- 
 mand, and making other Nations fubjeel: to 
 them by the Sword ; Which Things were ty- 
 pical 
 
ideal of the~AfTairs of the fpiritual Kingdom 
 j>f Jefus Chriftjwhere God now reigns. And 
 If we look to the New Teftament, we'll find 
 [he Behaviour of the Subje&s o'f this King- 
 Horn, anfwering, as near as may be, unto 
 that ^Vord of our Lord ^ If my Kingdom were 
 
 * of ibis World, my Servants would fight, that 
 I fhould not be delivered to the Jews, but now 
 is my Kingdom not from hence •, neither will 
 we find any Ground for fucli an Affociation 
 to defend his Kingdom by the Sword •, but 
 much to the contrary : Or, if there be any 
 
 : Ground for it, it will be - produced, and 
 when that is, it may be confidered, and 
 frankly acknowledged to be fufficient, if.it 
 be found fo to be. 
 
 Thefe are the Things which have been re- 
 prefented through the Nation, as they who 
 found themfelves concerned have thought 
 fit. I am far from thinking that this Repre- 
 fentation of them will fatisfie all People ; 
 .but every Man, that judges, mould hear 
 both Parties, and I queftion not, but it may 
 be acknowledged,by fome at leaft, that this 
 Account of them is not wholly fo ridiculous, 
 as fbme other Accounts that they have .re- 
 ceived ^ yet after I have fpok'en, any Man 
 that pleafes, fhall have free Liberty for me 
 to mock on. 
 At publick Occafions of preaching, they 
 
 * that profefs Zeal for the Covenants in this 
 
 Court- 
 
L *9° J 
 
 Country, went about, fpeaking much oti 
 the Covenant Relation between the Lord 
 and this Land, efpeciallyin Prayer* and, 1 
 when thefe Occafions were over, they be- 
 gan again to make fome Stir about this Way 
 in Societies for Prayer.^ There is a PI#ce hi 
 this Country, where the Gofpel. of Chriffi 
 has, of late, had fcmeSuccefs, • and the 
 Profeffors of the Gofpel meet together for ' 
 Prayer, and mutual 'Edification. Two or 
 three that met with' the ni^ being one Way 
 or other ftirred up, of a fudden fttewed Zeal 
 for the Covenants after this Mariner ^ one of 
 them, praying in the Society, pleads for 
 Confufion to the Perfbri that had oppofed 
 the Covenants, and withal infinuated, . that 
 thefe, with whom he was prajnng, were 
 following that Man. The reft were offend- 
 ed with this, and propofed to thefe Zealots, 
 that they* might pray as much as they plea- 
 led for the Covenants $ but they .would' not 
 •hear them praying Confufion to any Man's 
 Perfon, nor reflecting on them . in Prjtyer, 
 as following any Man further than he fol- 
 lowed Chrift. The Iffue was, thefe two or 
 three broke off from the, Society, but one 
 of them returned again, acknowledging his 
 Folly. And there was a Woman or two, that 
 forfook the Fellowfhip oft he profeffing Wo- 
 men, abufing them and him that oppofed 
 the Covenants, and like wife their oivm Mi- 
 
 nifter* 
 
t m ] 
 
 nhter, tho' they had nothing to fay of him, 
 but that he did not teftify for the Covenants 
 In a Time when they are oppofed 5 and for 
 [this Caufe they left hearing of him for fome 
 (Days, and went in to Dundee to hear Mr, 
 f W Z - .. ■ ■ - n preach up the Covenant 
 
 The Synod met at Montr of e, Ocfober 17. 
 1727. 'The Bufinefs of the Affertory Act 
 was referred to the Committee of Overtures, 
 and next Day' that Committee came upon it. 
 There was an extraordinary Corref pondence 
 •from Aberdeen ; At firft there appeared much 
 Keennefs in the Committee fb» the A&, 2nd 
 fome prefled, That, feeing federal 'Presby- 
 teries had been conlidering the Draught of 
 the Act, the Commitee fhould hear what 
 thefe Presbyteries had to lay upon it » but 
 this was waved : For the Correfpondents 
 from Aberdeen reafoned againft the Expedi- 
 ency of fuch an Act at this Time, fignify- 
 ing, That apublick Deed- of this Sort would 
 give Umbrage at this Time, and the Synod ' 
 ought to take head of any Thing that might 
 occafion a Rebound : For tho 5 we be all for 
 the Covenants, ( and there Were fonle Floit- 
 rifhes ononis Head ) yet we ought to corij 
 .fider, That all, with whom we had to 
 had not the fame Thoughts' with us a: 
 them 5 and it would have an ill' Afpecl, up- 
 on his Majefty's Acceffion to the Throne, if 
 the Synod fhould now proceed to a publick 
 
 1 Deed 
 
L *?2 J 
 
 Deed of this Kind. If would be more Hi 
 that the Synod mould make a loyal Addrefs 
 to his Majefty on this Occafion ; and, if any 
 of us had reflected on thefe Covenants, or 
 ^vented any unfound Principles, fuch might 
 I be. taken Notice of, and proceeded againft. 
 This was hearkned to, for the Committee o- 
 verturedto the Synod, That his Majefty 
 mould be addrefTed, and appointed a large 
 Committee of their Number, with the Cor- 
 refpondents, to confider of fuch as reflected 
 op the Covenant, or had been venting Prin- 
 ciples contrary to the Purity of Dodrine, 
 and to bring an Overture tothaCommitee: 
 And they defired that I might, be appointed 
 to wait on them when called. When that 
 Committee met, they found there had been 
 one Thing neglecled,by fuch as were giving 
 in Informations againft me •, and that was, 
 they had not firft told myfelf between them 
 and me ^ fo, two of them were appointed 
 by the Committee to converfe me, and they 
 came to me, and went through the Form of 
 it • one of them brought forth a great Num- 
 ber of ill told Stories, and Fads, moft bafe- 
 • 1 f mifreprefented, which he had been at 
 Pains to gather, in no lefs a Compafs of 
 Ground, than betwixt Perth and Montr oft 5 
 and, notwithftanding I did enough to fatis- 
 fy him, or any rational Man, as to feveral 
 of them, that they were falfe,or mifreprefen- 
 ted, 
 
[ m 1 
 
 , ted, yet they were afterward brought in Jo 
 the Committee,and laid as a Foundation for 
 Queries put to me by the Committee v and 
 he pretended no other Information as to one 
 of the Fads, upon which I was queftioned 
 in the Committee, but that of a poor Wo* 
 man in the Pariih of ^calling, who, I very 
 well knew, had no underftanding in theie 
 Matters. 
 
 Mr. Arthlbald was alfo brought before x 
 this Synod, by a Reference from the Pres- 
 bytery of Jlherbrotbwicky with refped to 
 two Irregularities committed by him fince 
 thelaft Synod. One of them was his baptizing 
 a Man's Child, v/ho feparated from this 
 Church on Account of the Covenants, and 
 had been brought again to hear; He had re- 
 ceived Baptifm to. his Child from Mr. Ar- 
 chibald^ only as a Minifter of the Catholick 
 Church -, and Mr. Archibald had baptized his 
 Child, with a Proteft, that it : Qiould be no 
 Approbation of the wrong Steps he had fa- 
 ken, and the Things wherein he differed 
 from him. I knew not till now, that this 
 Perfon had been contumacious to thePref- 
 bytery. The other Fad was, his being m 
 Concert with fome People, as he had con* 
 feffed to the Presbytery, and allowing me, 
 and thefe People, to communicate feparate- 
 
 ly at his Sacrament. 
 
 " When he was fpeaking for hirafelf en the 
 N firft 
 
L *94 3 
 firft Head, intending to fhew, That he i 
 thought it his Duty to ufe Condefcendence 
 m difpenfing Ordinances to them for whom 
 he had Charity, as he had for that Perfon 
 that diflented on the Account of the Cove- 
 nants ^ he brought in fome of their Objecti- 
 ons againft the prefent Eftablifhment, as in- 
 confiftent with the Covenants, which he 
 laid he could not ^nfwer. He fpoke feveral 
 Things this Way, and continued long, till 
 the Synod could no longer bear with him: 
 For they faid, inftead of vindicating h|m- 
 felf, he was injurioufly flandering the 
 Church ^ fb they were enraged at him, and 
 proceeded to queftion him upon his Readi- 
 nefs now to fublcribe the Formula. He. 
 owned the two Fads in the Presbyteries Re- 
 ference, and adhered to them before the 
 Synod ^ and as to the Formula, he anfwer- 
 ed,That he was willing to fubfcribe the Con- 
 feifion of Faith, according to the AfTembly's 
 A& 1647. but refufed the Formula, on the 
 fame Grounds whereon he had hitherto re- 
 fufed it. There were feme, in the Synod, 
 fhewing a great Inclination to be at him, 
 on Account of the laft of the forementioned 
 Fads, and when I found this, I defired that 
 they might not lay the Strefs of the Procefs 
 againft him upon that Point, feeing he came 
 in to it only accidentally, and out of Con- 
 defcendence to fuch as he took to be con- 
 
 fcientioufly 
 
t 19? 1 
 
 fcient:oufly differing from him; but that 
 the Synod would lay the Burden of that 
 i Point of Church Communion, upon fuch as 
 I had it for a Part of their Faith. The Sy- 
 nod proceeded to appoint fome to deal with 
 i him til| next day, and refolved, if he did 
 not then fubfcribe the fin/iw/tf, acknowledge 
 his Fault, and return to his Duty, that they 
 would come to a^enfure, That Night I was 
 called before the Committee 5 where many 
 Queftions were put to me, which I cannot 
 now diftinclly remember 3 and I gave this 
 Anfwer to them, That they were all upon 
 Fads concerning my Preaching, and the. 
 Exercile of my Miniftry, and I could fay, I 
 had faid nothing in Secret, they might ask 
 them that heard me 3 only upon their pro- 
 pofing that Queftion, if I had faid or preach- 
 ed, That the Covenant of Grace was fub- 
 ffantially or effentially different under the 
 Old Teftament and under the New, I alled- 
 ged, their Queftions were inadvertently or i- 
 gnoranily put; and when they defired me to 
 condefcend, I faid it feemed they thought I 
 held two Covenants of Grace : When they 
 complained of my Refervednefs, I fignifl- 
 ed, That if the Synod would put right Que- 
 ftions to me upon my' Principles,I hoped I 
 ivould confefs, and not deny them : For I 
 was not afham'd of my Principles ^ and 9 tliro* 
 Grace enabling me, was refolved tp ftand 
 N 2 hy 
 
fcy then* at all Hazards. At laft, I was I 
 told, That they had one Queftion 4 more, 
 which refpe&ed my Principles, which was, 
 If I was ready to fubfcribe the Confeflion 
 and Formula } And as a Reafbn for putting 
 that Queftion to me rather than any other, 
 they laid it had Relation to another Que- 
 ftion, concerning my not mentioning the 
 Co nfeflion, when baptizing Children. To 
 this I anfwered, when that Fad appears td 
 the Synod, and they fhall find Ground in it 
 for putting that Queftion to me, I fhall 
 then give a clearer Anfwer. Next Day, Mr. 
 Archibald was again before the Synod, and, 
 by the Perfwafion of fome, was brought to 
 fay, that he could not altogether juftify his 
 baptizing the Child, by the "Word, and to 
 cpnfefs a Fault in it ^ but he adhered to 
 what he had done about communicating,and 
 ftill refufed to fubfcribe the Formula. The 
 Synod appointed his Presbytery, with Cor* 
 refpondents, to meet fometime in January > 
 and, if he did not then fubfcribe the Formu- 
 la, to fufpend him. But the Presbytery, 
 with the Correfpondents, by reafon of the 
 Storminefs of the Weather, met not PfaL 
 cxvi. 6. Tfa Lord preftrveth the fimple. Af- 
 ter this, an Overture Was brought in to the 
 Synod concerning me, which ftands in 
 the Synod's Act as follows, with fome Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
C 197 3 
 
 tures I have noted on the Foot of the Page, 
 which have ferved to illuftrate it to me. 
 
 Ci At Montrofe, Oclober Nineteen, One 
 c tfboufand /even Hundred and Twenty Seven 
 
 * Tears. The which Day, the Committee 
 
 * appointed by the Provincial Synod o£An- 
 c gus and Mearns, reported to the faid Sy- 
 ' nod, that they being informed, That 
 
 * there are lome Things vented in this Pro- 
 
 * vince, contrary to the Purity of Do&rine ; 
 
 * they thought this worthy of their Confi- 
 ' deration : And,after reasoning fome Time 
 c upon it, thought it proper to remit it to the 
 c Confideration of a Sub-committee of their 
 ■ Number, who were to report their Mind 
 
 * thereanent; which Sub-committee did this 
 
 * Day give in an Overture to the Commit- 
 
 * tee for Overtures, the Tenor whereof fol- 
 
 * lows, viz. The Committee, having taken 
 
 * under Coniideration the Affair committed 
 
 * unto them, ^nd being informed of the fe- 
 c veral Particulars reported concerning 
 
 * Mr. John C7a/*-Minifter of 1 calling his 
 
 * Difcourfes, in relation to our National 
 ' Covenant Engagements, and other new 
 4 Principles lately vented by him, they 
 *• proceeded to call the faid Mr. John Glafs 
 1 before them, that he might have Accefs 
 c to remove any Miftakes which might be 
 ' in thefe Reports : And, being according- 
 
 ' N 3 ly 
 
L *9* J 
 
 ly interrogate on the feveral Heads there- , 
 bfy he, inftead of giving any fatisfa&ory 
 Anfwer thereto, not only refufed to an*"i 
 fwer diredtly to the Queries put to him ; 
 but by what he advanced, it rather ap- 
 peared to the Committee that he was to 
 continue in thefe offenfive Practices. Upon 
 all which the Committee overtures, That 
 confidering, That preaching Chrift and 
 the Covenant of Grace, by infifting upon 
 the great Do&rine of Faith, Repentance 
 and new Obedience, ( a ) tend much 
 more to the Advancement of the great 
 Ends of the (Sofpel, than what any contro- 
 verfial Points raifed of late by the faid 
 Mr. Glafs 9 relative to, and renewing on 
 our Solemn Covenant Engagements, can 
 ever erfe&uate : And withal underftand~ 
 ing, That there is a Fama clamofa in 
 the Bounds of the Presbytery of Dundee \ 
 of fuchDifcourfes having been, from Time 
 to Time, publickly vented by him, to- 
 ther with fome other new Principles, con- 
 trary to the Word of God, our Confeifion 
 of Faith and Catechifms, which cannot 
 but greatly corrupt the Minds of the Peo* 
 pie, as having a Tendency to the dimi- 
 niihing of the Authority oT the Scriptures 
 
 of 
 
 (a) ABs v. 20. an4 XX, ftj. 27, 2 Cor. iv* 2. Gd, V, 
 II. M^ty xxviii,2o. 
 
L *99 J 
 
 5 ofthe01dTeftament 5 (6J and the Pow* 
 { er of the civil Magiftrate under the New* 
 (c) and likewife to the railing a Schifni in 
 the Church : (d) Therefore, that the Sy« 
 nod appoint the laid Presbytery, in Con- 
 
 * junction with the Correfpondents to be 
 i named, to make ftridt Enquiry concerning 
 
 * the Deportment of the faid Mr. Glaf$ y 
 ' with refpedt to the Truths of the forefaid 
 
 * Reports ^ and, according as they fhall 
 
 * find Caufe, to proceed againft him con- 
 
 * form to the Rules of this Church, ufque ad 
 ' fententiam : And when the faid Presbytery 
 
 * and Correfpondents have brought the Pro- 
 
 * cefs that length, that then they apply tc* 
 
 * the Commiilion of the General Anembly, 
 
 * for Advice therein, and fhall report the 
 
 * fame to the next Synod : And for the 
 
 * more effectual Accomplilhment of the 
 
 * forefaid Appointment, and confideringthe 
 
 * great Importance of the Affair, andDiffi- 
 
 * culties that may occur to, them in the Pro- 
 € cefs, ( not from jealoufing of the Presbyte- 
 f ry, ) That the Synod appoint fome Mem- 
 c bers of other Presbyteries to join with the 
 *' faid Presbytery as Correfpondents 5 and to 
 
 * continue fo, ay and until the faid Affair be 
 
 N 4 ab- 
 
 " " " ' ■■ " ' ■ ■ ' i ' , " " , ' ' A ■ - " ' 
 
 (b) ABs vi. 12, ig, 14. A&s xxiv. 13, 14. A8sxxu20 7 
 si, 28. (c) John six, 12. aq4 gviii. 35, 3$, 37, 3S. 
 
L 200 J * 
 
 e abfolutely finifhed •, and that the firft 
 < Meeting of the forefaid Presbytery and 
 
 * Correfpondents be at Dundee, the third 
 c fVednef day oi November, with Power to 
 
 * them to adjourn themfelves, from Time 
 f to Time, to what Place they fee moft 
 
 * convenient $ and that they report their 
 c Diligence in the Premises to the next 
 
 * Synod to meet at Brechin the third Tuef* 
 f day of April, One Tboufand feven Hundred 
 1 and twenty eight •, and that in the mean 
 c Time, the Synod ftri&ly prohibit a}l their 
 c Members from venting, either more pub-* 
 6 lickly or privately, any Do&xines of that 
 
 * Nature, or from accufing any of their 
 
 * Brethren, in their Sermons, of Error $ 
 
 * with Certification that if they do other- 
 c wife, they fhall be proceeded againft, a§ 
 6 the Synod fhall find Gauft : And finally, 
 c that the Clerk be appointed to fend with? 
 
 * out Delay an Extract hereof to each Pref- 
 f bytery in the Province. Which Overture 
 c being read once and again, and the Gom- 
 
 * mittee of Overtures having reafbned there-* 
 
 * anent, it was put to the Vote, Tranfmit 
 4 this to the Synod or not, and the Roll 
 
 * being called, it was carried by a great 
 f Plurality in the Affirmative*, and therefore 
 f the Committee tranfmit the faid Over r 
 I ture to tfie Synod, 
 
 Whfoft 
 
C 201 3. 
 
 Which Report above written being rea4 
 ithe Synod, Jthey appoint the Brethren 
 ffternamed to Jbyn with the faid Presbyte- 
 j, as Correfpondents, to the Effed above 
 nentioned, viz. Mafters James Gray, Robert 
 Iray, Thomas Ay ton, Robert ^ Steven, Hugh 
 Maxwel, Charles Chartris, Gilbert Anderfon 9 
 William Trail, James Hugh, Robert Trail, George 
 Ogilvie, George Wemyjs, John Henderfon y 
 James Ramfay, George Clephan, David Thomp- 
 son, James Ogilvie at Glammis, William Hep- 
 \hurn, Andrew Arrot, John Cowpar Modera- 
 tor of the Synod, and Robert Young, Mini- 
 lifters *, with the Laird of Gar drum, Provofl: 
 White in Br e chin ^ and George h'icol in For- 
 far, Ruling Elders -, whereof Nine Minifters 
 are to be a Quorum, of which Five are to be 
 Members of the Presbytery of Dundee. 
 Mr. Glafs being call'd/and defired to offer 
 what he had to fay before Yoting, he was 
 heard ^and thereafter it was put to a Vote, 
 Approve of the faid Overture, or Not > And 
 the Roll being called, and Votes marked, 
 it was carried by a great Plurality in the 
 Affirmative : Arid therefore, the Synod ap^ 
 proves of the Overture above mentioned, 
 and of the laid Nomination of Correfpon- 
 dents, and appoints accordingly. Extra&ed 
 forth of the Records of the faid Synod, by, 
 
 I was called upon to fpealc, if I had any 
 
 Thing 
 
„ L 202 J 
 
 Thing to fay before the Vote, and only 
 "laid, That I faw my felf flandered in that 
 Overture, but hop'd to be clear'd Tome 
 Time ^ and that I underftood what Corre- 
 fpondents they had named to meet with the 
 Presbytery : But they had no Power againft 
 me, unkfs. it were given them from above, 
 "When this Overture paffed into an A&, then 
 the affertory Ad and Proteft were with- 
 drawn, the End of them being thus reach- 
 ed. 
 
 And thus began that Procefs which is now 
 in Dependence, the Iffues of it are with 
 him, whom alone it becomes to do as he 
 will in the Armies of Heaven, and among the 
 Children of Men. I have great Reafon to 
 blefs him, That tho* he has innumerable 
 great Grounds of Controverfy with me 5 yet 
 he has hitherto fuifered me to be charged 
 with no. other Charges, but fuch as were 
 brought againft the Lord himfelf, and the 
 firft Preachers of the Gofpel. And truly, 
 this is a Branch of that fame Controversy 
 that they had with the Jews, and with Ju* 
 dahwg Difciples. I defire to be influenced 
 \>y his Grace, freely to forgive all them 
 that have had Hand in this Profecution ^ and 
 to pray for fuch of them as have Gifts for 
 the Edification of the Church, That they 
 may be ufeful, whatever come of my Mi* 
 niftry. This is my Encouragement That, 
 
 whate- 
 
l 2 °5 J 
 
 whatever Power Men may think they have, 
 however ready they be to put it forth againft 
 me, and however juft it be that they 
 ihould have their Will of me $ yet this 
 whole Bufinefs is in the Hand of the Lamb 
 that was '/lain, who alone is worthy to open 
 the Book, and loofe the Seals, and is abun- 
 dantly able to make a good Account of all 
 that's committed to him againft. that Day. 
 And I have no greater Fear in this Matter, 
 than that I mould be left to yield up his 
 Truth, and be alhamed of it in this adul- 
 terous Generation, either by the Terror of 
 Enemies, the carnal Advice of Friends, or 
 by an evil Heart of Unbelief in my felf, in 
 departing from the living God. 
 
 After this Synod, there came forth ano- 
 ther Print, called, A Review of a Letter* 
 and after that, A Letter to aMinifter in the 
 Country, &c. The namelefs Authors are at 
 all the Pains they are able, to find Fault 
 with that Letter they are writing againft, 
 and theyfeemto be very angry, becaufe 
 they cannot find more Fault -, yea, be- 
 caufe they are angry themfelves, they ima- 
 gine there is a great deal of Bitternefs and 
 Malignity in that Letter : For what it has 
 occahoned in them, I fhall not fay -,but this 
 I can fay, That I was neither angry my 
 felf, nor had I any Defign to provoke them, 
 in writing that Letter. I do not know but 
 
 they 
 
t 20 4 ] 
 they may be good Men 5 but it has been to 
 me furprizing, that fuch as know much 
 more of Mortification than ever I could pre- 
 tend to, when they enter upon this Sub- 
 ject, are by it infpired with fuch a Spirit of 
 Bitternefs, as is as inconfiftent with the 
 Gofpel, as that which they contend for. 
 They verily think with themfelves, that 
 they ought to be thus affecled in this Caufe, 
 and others applaud them for it ^ for there 
 are not wanting, that think the worft 
 Words too fmooth for this — — the Object 
 of their "Wrath. But whom do they hurt 
 moil by this ? or, What have they gained, 
 when they have ftirred up a poor People, 
 that follow their Hue and Cry unto the 
 fame Pitch of Fury with themfelves ? If it 
 would not offend them more, I would pre* 
 fume to put them in mind of an Advice, 
 which I ought to be taking to my felf, and 
 which they and I both had Need to advert 
 to, more than any of us feem to do, Jama 
 iii. from the 1 3 Yerfe to the End. 
 
 It is not eafy ent ring the Lifts with fuch 
 namelefs Authors, that are fure to expofe 
 their Adverfary to the Wrath of a great 
 ,many People, and be fafe themfelves. One 
 of them is a Minifter of this Church, it 
 feems ^ and I'll either undertake to anfwer 
 him, or find him in a more moderate 
 Wav, if he publifhes his. Name, and is 
 
 call'd 
 
caFd In qtieftion for what he lays. It is 
 not eafily to be accounted for, by the Prin- 
 ciples and Rules of Chriftianity, That Men 
 fhould Ihew Zeal, even to Rage and Fury^ 
 to make others Sufferers, and at the fame 
 Time be fo very cautious, to avoid Evil 
 that may come from an Airth, never fo 
 diftant, upon themfelves. What thefe Au- 
 thors have brought forth directly againft 
 me, which may feem to be of any Weight, 
 is already, I think, fufficiently obviated in 
 the Notes upon the Letter, and in the fore- 
 going Sheets. As for their Revilings and 
 Anathemas, I do not pretend to anfwer 
 them, nor to fatisfy them that think there 
 Is ftrong Senfe in them. And there is ano- 
 ther Argument, v/herein their whole- 
 Strength lies, and which they ever haveRe- 
 courfe to in a Pinch, before which it is not 
 eafy to Hand, neither do I pretend to an- 
 fwer it, further than Proteflant Writers 
 have done, in their Anfwers to the fame 
 very Argument, in the Mouths of the Pa- 
 pi/is ^ nor mall I undertake to fatisfy them 
 whofe Faith ftands in it. It is this, Out 
 Fathers ! the Church! the Martyrs! Great, 
 I own, but ftill Men, and not God : Wife 
 mid holy, I confefs, beyond what we call 
 pretend to -, but ftill acknowledged, in 
 Words, by them that truft in their Autho- 
 rity, to be imperfect and fallible Men, 
 
 One 
 
[ '*>< ] 
 
 One of thefe Authors, placing himfelf* on 
 the Head of thefe Forces, looks at me with 
 all the juft Dildain that his Greatnefs can 
 furnifh him with -, and' then propofes this 
 fame Queftion, Whether flpall we believe 
 him or them ? If the Queftion be come 
 there •, he frankly yields it\ and it is no 
 great Condescendence in him, nor can it foe 
 called Humility to yield it ; yea, he ne- 
 ver once claim'd it. But the Reviewer had 
 his Bible before him, for he cites Places of 
 it. And if the Queftion be, Whether are 
 the Sayings bf that fame Bible alone, or aljb 
 his Sayings, and the Reviewer's Sayings, and 
 even their Sayings, the Objccl and Re of on of 
 Faith? I conceive, without any Dcfignto 
 fcreak his Peace, the Bible mult carry it, 
 and that even by the concurring Teftimony 
 of thefe fame Witneffes, that fome make 
 to be the Authors and Finilhers of their 
 Faith, in this Point Further, if the Que- 
 ftion be in other Words, Whether the Lord 
 jfefus, the Author and Finifher of our Faith, 
 f peaking to us by his Spirit in the Old and 
 New Te/tament, and thereby opening the Un- 
 der/landings of his Difciples to underftand it 
 by the Means of the Mini/try of the Word, be 
 the only infallible Explainer of 4ns own Mind 
 hi that his Word, as our Reformers., and Mar- 
 tyrs, and the Church, have been faying to us ? 
 Or, Whether it be the wifeft, holieft Fathers, 
 
 Martyrs, 
 
C 20 7 ] 
 
 ^Martyrs, and Churches? I am fure, the 
 rathers and Martyrs would have decided 
 »:he Queftionfor him,and againft themfelves, 
 ■and fo will the Reviewer in calm Blood 5 at 
 !eaft, by his Principle of believing them, 
 he is bound to believe them in this alfo. And 
 fo I leave him with his Bible, and win* him 
 Succefs in ufing it well. 
 
 "Tis fomewhat ftrange now to fee them of 
 us, that are fo gealous for religious Natio- 
 nal Covenants, as almoft to make the Hinge 
 of Religion to turn upon them, feeking a 
 Foundation for them, not only in the Au- 
 thority abo\ r e mentioned, but in the Light 
 of Nature, and talking in the very Lan- 
 guage of thefe, whom they have been in- 
 : veighing againft, as faft as any, under the 
 Name of Naturalifts and Rationalifts *, but 
 'tis Pity it can do them no more Service; 
 For I hope they do not mean their own 
 Di£tates,when they fpeak of Nature's Light, 
 and I d'efpair to fee a Demonftration wrought 
 up upon natural Principles for our National 
 Covenants. And if they tell us, They'll de- 
 monftrate National Covenanting in gene- 
 ral, I hope they'll determine precifely what 
 that Covenanting in general fhould mean, 
 and then we'll know if it be the fame Thing 
 that fo much fceligious Zeal is now, and has 
 been formerly fpent about : For I would be 
 fatisfied, if this National Covenanting in 
 
 general 
 
L 208 j 
 
 general include all Sorts of Covenanting 
 and, if not that, what Sorts of it are inch 
 ded fc in it ? But if I be ftill told, it is onl 
 National Covenanting in general 5 Muft 
 then fufFer as an evil Doer, becaufe I hav 
 not Philofbphy enough for this Wonderfu 
 Thing, National Covenanting in general 
 And is this the Thing that's now the grea 
 Touchftone for our natural Senfe, and I 
 ven our Religion, National Covenanting L 
 general ? For my Part, I have no Inclina 
 tion to fpend any Senfe or Religion abou 
 it, till I fee more in it than I have yet feen 
 for I reckon both may be much better em 
 
 It is a Bufinefs of much more grave; 
 Consideration with me, to find foot eft ants) 
 adhering to the Covenants, abjuring all the 
 Errors of Popery^ and charging them whc 
 differ from them about our Covenants, as 
 being Favourers of Popery and Perjury : 
 yet beginning to fpeak of the Old and New 
 Teftament in the Popifli Dialed, as if the 
 People were not in Safety to fearch them 
 for themfelves,and could not come to know 
 the Mind of the Author of them in theUfe 
 of Means, becaufe they are dark, ^nd dif- 
 ferent Senfes put upon theni, and the Peo- 
 ple have not Clergy enough for them. And 
 Men begin to fpeak now, as if the Scrip- 
 tures had been only a Rule for the Church 
 
 how 
 
L. *°9 J. . 
 
 how to manage in the primitive Times, 
 ( and that, fay they, was its Infancy ) and 
 not in After-ages. Thefe, and fuch like 
 Ways of doing Difhonour to the Scripture 
 Revelation, in Oppofition to what I have 
 been contending for, are unto me a great 
 Confirmation, and beget a Sufnicion in me, 
 That there is more of the abjured Popifh 
 Faith among us than I apprehended 5 and 
 I defire to be forry for it. One Thing I 
 am fure of, I fhould not have a Hand in ad- 
 mitting any fuch People to talce the Natio- 
 nal Covenant. 
 
 The Manner wherein I have been hither- 
 to oppofed, has ferved much to confirm me 
 in the Truth confeiTed by me ^ and among 
 other Things, the Flood of Lies and Re- 
 proaches that has been fpued out of the 
 Mouth of the Serpent, and thefe Lies and 
 Reproaches greedily embraced and propa- 
 gate every where, the Chaftifement of itiy 
 Sins may be in them, and if they ferve to 
 my Benefit, I'll be at Length cleared of 
 them. I envy no Man his Name, that has 
 heQn raifed higher upon the Ruin of mine. 
 If we would think on it, there is no fuch 
 Matter in being cxtoll'd with dying Breath, 
 as in attaining Glory, Honour, and Im- 
 mortality 5 and yet there is far more Work 
 in this World with the one than the other 
 of thefe, If I be under a Delufion, and in 
 O ' a 
 
L 210 J r | 
 
 a dangerous Error, as many fay, it muft be 
 only Light brought to me from the "Word 
 of the Old and^ New Teftament that muft 
 lead me out of it \ and neither the Authority 
 of Fore-fathers, nor the Vote of the Synod, 
 nor the Voice of many Thoufand Jews that 
 believe, all zealous of the Law, nor the 
 Lofs of my Name and of my Intereft in this 
 "World. Thefe Things ferve only to move 
 me to diffemble, and go crofs to my Light, 
 they cannot convince my Mind -, neither 
 will I foriake the Account he gives of his 
 Kingdom, and go to Nature's Light for 
 Counfel about it : Tis only the Word of 
 the Lord that can truly convince me in this 
 Matter, and Light brought to me from his 
 "Word by the meaneft Hand, I hope fhall 
 be welcome. 
 
 To whom Jhall we, go hut unto thee alone ? 
 thou alone haft the Words of eternal Life. 
 Shew me thy Way, teach me thy Path, let bi- 
 te grit) and Uprightnefs preferve me. Lead me 
 in a plain Path, becauje of mine Enemies. 
 
 APPEND 
 
C art 3 
 
 (APPENDIX. 
 
 Containing all the Grounds that the Synod of 
 Angus and Mearns had, for proceeding to 
 the Sentence of Sufpending the Author from 
 the Exercife of his Mini/try, till they pro* 
 
 . ceed further againft him. 
 
 The Presbytery of Dundee, with Correfpon- 
 dents appointed by the Synod \ having met 
 0/zTuefday the 26 of March 1728. and 
 having called Mr. Glafs before them, did, 
 according to an Advice f aid to have been 
 given them by a Committee of the Com- 
 mijfion of the Affembly, demand, imo* 
 His declaring and fubfcribing again his 
 Adherence io /i^ConfeiEori of Faith and 
 Formula, 171 1. And, 2do. His dif 
 owning and renouncing judicially, under 
 his Hand, the Errors he is reported to 
 have vented or taught. 
 
 AS to the Firft, anent 'declaring and fub- 
 fcribing again his Adherence to the 
 Confeffwn of Faith and Formula, 171 1. he 
 anfwer'd. That I am not careful to anfwer 
 you in that Matter, let the Confequences 
 be what they will. 'And as to the Second, 
 Anent difGwning the Errors he is reported 
 O 2 to 
 
£ 212 1 
 
 to have taught, or his being willing to re- 
 nounce them judicially under his Hand -. 
 he anfwered, That if I were made fenfible 1 
 of any Errors that I have vented or taught,' 
 I would reckon it my Honour judicially to ] 
 renounce them here ^ but until that be, I 
 muft be excufed from renouncing them. 
 
 Mr. Giafs being .called to explain his An- 
 fwer to the firft Head of Advice h for Ex- 
 plication, he faid, He thought it was a clear 
 enough Signification of his Refufal to fub- 
 fcribe the Formula $ and that he would not 
 have it fo taken, as that he abfolutely refu- 
 fed to fign the Confeffwn, becaufe his Faith 
 is contained ii^ that Confeffion : But his Re^ 
 filial to fubfcribe, goes mainly upon thefe 
 Two Scruples, i. With refped: to the For- 
 mula, he finds himfelf obliged there to af- 
 firm, That the government of this National 
 Church by Kirk Seffions, Presbyteries, Pro- 
 vincial Synods, and General AfTemblies, is 
 founded on the Word of God, and agreeable 
 thereto ;- but having been obliged, by his 
 Circumftances, to enquire a little narrowly 
 into that Matter, after all Enquiry, he can- 
 not fee fuch a Foundation in the Word of 
 God, for the forefaid Government, as could 
 warrant him, without Diffimalation, to 
 own the Stamp of Divine Authority upon 
 it 5 and he trembles at the Thought of ad- 
 ding any Thing to the Words written in 
 
 the 
 
L 213 J 
 
 ahe Book of God. He further laid, That he 
 i would not have this taken, as if he prefer- 
 red any other national Conftitution of the 
 [Church unto this, or as if he were difTa- 
 Jrisfied with the prefent legal Eftabliihment 5 
 {feeing, as he takes it, that Eftabliihment 
 does not fettle it upon the Foundation of 
 (the "Word of God. 
 
 I And, idly. He could not fubicribe tlie 
 Fecond Part of the third Paragraph of the 
 xxiii. Chapter of the Confeffion of Faith. And 
 (that, imo. Becaufe, unlefs he could be con- 
 vinced, that the Kings who fat upon the 
 iThrone, and ruled in the Kingdom of Da- 
 vid, were not in that refpecl: Types of Jefus 
 Chrift, the Son of David, now fitting on 
 that Throne, and ruling in that Kingdom : 
 Or, unlefs he could be convinced, That the 
 Kings and Magiftrates of the Earth are fit- 
 ting on Davias Throne, and ruling in his 
 Kingdom : Or, unlefs he could be convin- 
 ced, That Mount Zion, under the New Te- 
 ftament, is a worldly Society ^ or, that the 
 dwelling Places and AfTemblies of Mount 
 Zion, Gofpel Churches, are worldly Socie- 
 ties, bleffed with worldly Privileges, and 
 capable of fuch Affiftances as the national 
 Church, and worldly Sanctuary in Ifrael 
 was capable of from the Powers of the 
 Earth : Till he be convinced of this, he 
 cannot fee the Foundation for the forefald 
 ? Part 
 
L 2 H J 
 Part of the Confeffion in the Word of God, 
 ido. He fignifies. That he conceives by that 
 Part of the Confeffion, the Magiftrate is 
 made a publick Judge in Matters of the 
 ■Chriftian Religion, and fomejthing like the 
 Power of the Keys is given to him, which 
 he can neither reconcile with the firfl: Part 
 of that Paragraph, nor with the Pradice of 
 this national Church. But as to all that is 
 above, he declares himfelf ready to receive 
 Convidion from the Old Teftament and the 
 New $ on both which, and every Part of 
 them, he owns the Stamp of divine Au^ 
 thority, and that he is ready to receive 
 Light from' thence, by any the meaneft 
 Hand ^ tho' yet, as to what is above faid, he 
 is at prefent fully fatisfied, fo as to defire to 
 venture with Chrift, on all the Confequen- 
 ces that may follow, upon his declaring 
 himfelf as he has now done. 
 
 - The particular Errors being read, and 
 Mx.Glafs denYd to own or refufe the fame $ 
 Iieanfwex'd, That when the Presbytery and 
 Correfpondents have asked them that "heard 
 him, anentthefe Fads whereof he is accu- 
 fed, then it will be Time ^ and he hopes to 
 "be in better Circumftances to declare what 
 fee adheres to, or what he renounces, as to 
 
 Podrines laid to be vented by him. * 
 
 'Mr. Glcifs owned, That he had fignified his 
 not being convinced, that J ejus ChnJU the 
 
 Head 
 
[ 21? J 
 
 Head of the Church, had made that For- 
 mula the .Term of admitting Men to 
 preach his Gofpel in the "World, or to be 
 Paftors in his Churches. 
 
 Mr. Glaffs Opinion, with refpeft to the 
 feveral Errors alledged againft him, being 
 asked, and the firft Article of. the general 
 Head being read -, he anfwered as to that, 
 That he could Jiot lay that his Sentiments 
 were exprefl ed in his Words in the faid Pa- ' 
 ragraph, and that he could not abfolutely 
 refufe every Thing therein $ but if the' 
 Court fees Caufe to pofe his Confcienee, 
 with refpecl: unto his Principle on that Head, 
 he looks upon himfelf obliged to aniwer, 
 and the Confequences thereof imputable 
 unto thofe who pofed him. 
 
 *Ehe Synod of Angus and Mearns met at 
 Brechin the 16. of April 1728. having 
 had laid before them the Report of the 
 Presbytery 0/ Dundee and Correfpondents, 
 did proceed, on the 17 at Night, to give' 
 Mr. Glals the following Queries, and 
 demanded his . Anfwers to them againft 
 their next Sederunt on the 18. in the 
 Forenoon, which being accordingly given 
 in, they, at their very next Sederunt, 
 proceeded to the Sentence of Sufpenfion 
 againft him, and perfected that fame Se- 
 derunt with a Sentence of Sufpenfion a* 
 O 4 gainfi 
 
L 216 J 
 
 gainfl the reverend Mr. Francis Archi- j 
 fcald, Minifterof the Go/pel at Guthrie, " 
 upon the like Grounds. j 
 
 The Queries put to Mr. Glafs, with his 
 Anfwers, are as follows. 
 
 4 ghmy i. Is it your Opinion, That the 
 c Chriftian Magiftrate has no more Power, 
 « concerning Church Matters, than a pri- 
 
 * vate Believer > Or not ? 
 
 Anfwer. If the Church be of this World, 
 
 fr if it be National, and eftabliftied by the 
 ,awsofthe Kingdoms of this World, with 
 civil Sanctions, and if it have Jurifdiclion 
 over theMagiftrate's Subjects in their civil 
 Rights, then the Magiftrate's Power mult 
 be in and about the Matters of fuch a 
 Church h but in the Kingdom of Heaven, 
 or in the Church of Chrift, which is not of 
 this World, the Magiftrate's Power, whe- 
 ther he be Chriftian or not, has no Place. 
 < Query 2. Is it your Opinion, That 
 
 * earthly Power ,or Power of the Magiftrate, 
 « ought not at all to be employed, for advan- 
 « dug the Kingdom of Chrift > Or not > 
 
 Anfwer. The Kingdom of Chrift, which is, 
 not of this World, cannot be advanced by 
 earthly Power, or the Power of the Magi^ 
 finite, any otherwife, than as all Things are 
 working together for the Advancement of 
 
 Query %l 
 
L 217 J] 
 
 * Query %• Is it your Opinion, That it is 
 unlawful to enacl: Laws, with Penalty's, 
 in Favours of Religion > Or to defend the 
 true Religion by Arms ? Or not ? 
 Anfwer. The Lord Jefus Chrift hath not 
 annexed civil Sanations to his Laws, and the 
 true Religion cannot be defended by Arms, 
 as may the natural and civil Rights, and Li- 
 berties of Mankind : It muft be defended 
 another Way, Epk vi. 11, 12, & 13. 
 5 Cor. x. 8c 4. 
 
 c Query 4. Is it your Opinion, That no 
 
 * Argument can be drawn for the Chriftian 
 
 * Ma^iftrate's A&ing for the Reformation 
 4 of Religion, and fuppreffing of falfe Wor- 
 « fhip, from the Examples of Magiftrates 
 
 * under the Old Teftament > Or not > 
 
 Anfwer. It is my Opinion, till I fee other- 
 wife. 
 
 c Quwy ?• Is it your Opinion, That the 
 ' Kingly Office of the Kings otjudah and 
 
 * Ifrael was an Ecclefiaftical Office > Or not > 
 
 Anfwer. It is my Opinion, That the Kingly 
 Office of David, and the Kings that fat upoa 
 his Throne, was Ecclefiaftical. 
 
 c Query 6. Is it your Opinion, That the 
 ' Magiftrate ought not to give civil Encou= 
 
 * ragement to godd Chriftians, living in his 
 
 * Dominions, more than any other good 
 t Subje&s ? Or not ? 
 
 Anfwer. Civil Encouragement given by 
 
 tha 
 
i 218 j 
 the Magiftrate, refpeds his good Subjefts as 
 
 . ' gup 7. Is it y ou r Opinion, That the 
 Countenance of civil Authority to the 
 
 Church is a Hindrance to Religion, orRe- 
 c formation? Or not? 
 
 AM It is not my Opinion, hut I have 
 thought, That the Encouragement, given 
 by ConUmine and his Succeffors, to the Cler- 
 gy however diey defigned it,ferved to 
 raife Antichrift to his Tyrone 
 
 « U^P 8 ' Is , if yo^ Opinion, That the 
 Magiftrate ought to give Liberty to He-> 
 
 . &$*% ai ^ d - ail falfe Teachers > to Perform 
 their Worihip, and fpread their Opinions, 
 ana hinder none of them, if they carry 0- 
 therwife as good Subjeds? Or not > 
 AM The Magiftrate can punifh none 
 that carry as good Subjeds. 
 
 £«&W 9 Is jt- your Opinion, That the 
 ^ Church of ^W was but a typical Church ; 
 ^ and Gods Covenant with them was but- 
 typical, and temporary, promising no- 
 thing but earthly Bleffings, and a carnal 
 Inheritance? Or not? 
 Mwer. That Church, which confifted of 
 all lfrad according to the Fleffi, was a Type 
 of that Church, which confifts of all the '.If. 
 ~f according to the Spirit; and that typi- , 
 cal Church enjoyed only earthly Bleffings, • 
 and an earthly Inheritance, by Virtue of the 
 
j_ 21^ J 
 
 Covenant at Sinai, which could not give 
 them fpiritual Bleffings, and the heavenly 
 Inheritance any other Way, than as it was 
 fubfervient unto the better Covenant eftabli- 
 Ihed on better Promifes, by which all true 
 Believers among them obtained eternal Blefc 
 fednefs. 
 
 c Query 10. Is it your Opinion, That 
 c the old Sinai Covenant made with the 
 c Church, was but a Type, Figure or Shadow, 
 
 * of the New Covenant, that God was to 
 
 * make with his New Teftament Church? 
 5 Or not? 
 
 Anfwer. The -Nation taken into Covenant 
 with God at Sinai, was a Type of the hea- 
 venly Nation, related unto him in the New 
 Covenant : The Redemption of that People 
 out of Egypt, was a Type of the eternal Re- 
 demption of all the People of God by Jefus 
 Chrift •, Mofes, the Mediator of that Old Co- 
 venant, was a Type of Jefus Chrift, the Me- 
 diator of the New Covenant •, the Inheri- 
 tance, belonging to that Covenant, or Te- 
 ftament, was a Type of the Inheritance in 
 the New Teftament -, the Blood, where- 
 with that Old Covenant or Teftament was 
 dedicated, was a Type of the Blood of Chrift, 
 fealingthe New Covenant ^ and that Old 
 Covenant, which is made old, Heb. 8. and 
 is caft out, with the People covenanted, Gal. 
 4, even that firft Teftament dedicated with 
 
 the 
 
I_ 220 J 
 
 the Blood of Beafts, was a Type or Pattern 
 of the New Covenant or Teftament in the 
 Blood of JefusChrift. ift#, ix. from 15 to 
 
 6 Query *** Is it your Opinion, That 
 c the Commands or Precedents, under the 
 c Old Teftament, for National Covenanting, 
 4 were not moral, but typical, earthly and 
 
 * Jewifh, and ought not to be imitated by 
 
 * any Chriftian Nation ? Or not ? 
 Anjwer. I know no Nation truly Chrifti- 
 an, but the holy Nation, the Kingdom of 
 Chrift 5 which is not of this World, and is 
 gathered out of all Nations : This is the on- 
 ly Nation bringing forth the Fruits of the 
 Kingdom of God, and with this Nation there 
 is an everlafting Covenant. 
 
 c Query 12. Is it your Opinion, That it 
 g was unwarrantable for our Anceftors, to 
 «■ carry on Reformation, by National Co- 
 
 * ■ venanting ? Or not ? ^ 
 
 Anfwcr. It is my Opinion, That the Co- 
 venants, commonly called the National 
 Covenant, and the Solemn League and ' Co- 
 venant, were without Warrant in God a s 
 Word •, and that all the true Reformation, 
 that has been in thefe Lands, was carried on 
 by the Word and Spirit of the Lord Jefus, 
 by the New Teftament. 
 
 c Query 1 9. Is it your Opinion, That thefe 
 
 * who differed in the late Times, for adhering 
 
 ■ to 
 
C 221 1 
 
 € t» fuch National Covenant Engagement^, 
 were in fo far unenlightned ? Or not > 
 Anfmer. It is my Opinion ^ while at the 
 fame Time, I highly honour and value them* 
 and the Light they had, and their Sufferings, 
 for Chrift. 
 
 ' Query 14: Is it your Opinion, That 
 c thefe Covenant Engagements have a Ten- 
 * dency to lead Men off from that Founda- 
 c tion that God hath laid in ZAon ? Or not ? 
 Anjwer. Tis my Opinion, That the found- 
 ing of Church Communion, upon that ex- 
 tenfive Uniformity, which is the great Scope 
 of the Covenants, National and Solemn 
 League, had a Tendency to lead off Men 
 from Chrift the Foundation that God has 
 laid in Z/<w, and the Comer-ftone, in whom 
 all the Building of God is fitly framed to- 
 gether y and I judge it to be the Duty of all 
 his People to keep the Unity of the Spirit 
 in the Bond of Peace, and to forbear one a- 
 nother in Love, in their Differences, about 
 feveral Parts of the forefaid Uniformity. 
 
 * Query 15. Is it your Opinion, That 
 6 there is no Warrant for a National Church 
 ' under the New Teftament ? Or not ? 
 
 Anfwer. It is my Opinion ^ for I can fee 
 no Churches inftituted by Chrift, in the New 
 Teftament, befide the univerfal, but congre- 
 gational Churches •, neither do I fee, That 
 a Nation can be a Church, unlefs it could 
 / be 
 
t 222 j 
 
 Be made a Congregation, as was the Nation 
 of Ifrael $ and my Opinion about the Church 
 feems to me to agree with the Account our 
 Reformers have given of it, in the Scott i0 
 Confeifion, fworn to ii} the National Co- 
 venant, to which I here refer. 
 
 < Query 16. Is it your Opinion, That 
 ' the Members of the viflble Church are 
 c only thefe, who have the credible Marks 
 c of Regeneration I Or not > 
 ■ Anfwer. The Members of the viflble 
 Church are only thefe, whom our Lord 
 points out to us, and commands us to love, 
 with a peculiar Love, in his New Command- 
 ment, John xiii. 34. 3?. 
 
 ' Qtwy I7» Is it your Opinion, That the 
 
 * Body of Believers, or Church Members, 
 
 * have a Right to determine the' Admrffion 
 ' or Non-admiffion of Perfons to the Lords 
 
 * Table, together with the Minifters and El- 
 c ders > Or not > 
 
 Anfwer. None can be admitted to Com- 
 munion in the Lord's Supper, with a Con- 
 gregation of Chriit, without the Confent of 
 that Congregation % and there muft be a 
 ProfelHon of mutual brotherly Love in them, 
 that partake together in that Ordinance. 
 
 ' Query 18. Is it your Opinion, That the 
 c Admiifion of Unbelievers to the Lord's 
 c Table, doth pollute the Ordinance unto 
 c fellow believing Communicants, and 
 
 1 bin- 
 
C 2 ^ I 
 
 binders .Saints from enjoying Communion 
 with the Lord, and with one another, in 
 that Ordinance ? Or not >.. 
 Anfwer. The Admiffion of vifible Unbe- 
 levers to that Ordinance mars the vifible 
 Communion of Saints in it*, and fo far as 
 their Communion with the Lord, in the Or- 
 dinance, is connected with that vifible Com- 
 munion, fo far it mars that alfo.^ 
 
 1 $>uery 19. Is it yqu.r Opinion, That a 
 
 fingle Congregation of Believers, with 
 
 their Pallor, are not under the Ecclefiafti- 
 
 cal Jurisdiction, and Authority of Superi- 
 
 '- or Church Judicatories, nor cenfurable 
 
 c by them,, either as to Doctrine, Worihip 
 
 c or Practice ? Or not > 
 
 Anfwer. A Congregation, or Church of 
 Jefus Chrilt, with its Presbytery, is, in its 
 Difcipline, fubject to no Jurisdiction under 
 Heaven. 
 
 c ghiery 20. Is it your Opinion, That .a 
 c fingle Congregation of Believers hath 
 4 Power, aiot only, to choofe, but to ordain 
 c their own Pallors > Or not ? 
 
 Anfwer. If by Ordination be meant the 
 laying on of Hands, it is not my Opinion. 
 
 c ^iiery 21. Is it your Opinion, That it 
 c is unwarrantable to take Parents engaged 
 c to educate their Children, when baptized, 
 c according to the Confeffion of Faith of 
 < this Church ? Or not ? 
 
 Anfwer. 
 
. L m J 
 Anjwer. It i§ my Opinion. ■ 
 
 * Query 22.. Is it your Opinion, That 
 
 * Chrift, by his Afcenfion, hath tranfiatecj 
 
 * the Place of the Church's Worfhip front 
 
 * Earth to Heaven, and the Seat of the 
 1 Church's Power ? Or^ not? And if it be ? 
 
 * In what Senfe do you underftand it 4 
 Anjwer. It is my Opinion That Heaven it 
 
 ielf, where Chriftour High Prieft is en* 
 tred,and where he fits ruling on the Throne 
 of his Father David, is what we now have, 
 inftead of the worldly San&uary, and the 
 holy Places made with Hands, and what 
 we have, inftead of Mount Zion, where Da- 
 vid's Throne was fet. 
 
 * Query 23. Is it your Opinion,., That 
 
 * Minifter's Preaching the Neceflity ol 
 ■' Repentance, and a Mourning Frame of 
 
 * Heart, in order to fit People for approach- 
 
 * ing to the Lord's Table, is to make them 
 
 * feek for a Righteoufnels of their own ? 
 c Or not? 
 
 Anfwer. It is not my Opinion*, if he do 
 not preach up Repentance and a mourning 
 Frame, inftead of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, 
 whkh is to deftroy Repentance,and a mour- 
 ning Frame. 
 
 c Query 24. Is it your Opinion, That be- 
 
 * caufe God, or his Spirit, doth all for us in 
 c the Bufinefs of Salvation, That therefore 
 I we are to do nothing ? Or not ? 
 
 Anfwer 
 
I 22 > -J 
 
 Anymsr. God forbid, That it fhouldbemy 
 Opinion. • - , _• 
 
 * '''Query 2?. Is it your Opinion, That 
 the Practice of our Anceftors, at the Re- 
 formation, and Revolution, in defending 
 the true Religion by Arms,againft theun- 
 juft Oppreffion ofPapifts and Tyrants, 
 was unwarrantable > Or not ? 
 Anfioer. The Proteftant Caufe, (fo far as 
 >the Sword is concerned in it ) and the Revo- 
 lution, is a civil, not properly , an Ecclefi- 
 aftick Caufe •, and a moft righteous Caufe it 
 is, as it ftands in Oppofition to Antichrifti^- 
 an Tyranny, and Oppreffion of the Confer- 
 ences and juft Liberties of Men*, and thus 
 it is the common Caufe of Mankind againft 
 Slavery of Soul and Body. 
 
 c $&* r y 2 $> Do you think your felf 0- 
 c bliged in Confcience, to teach and publifh 
 € thefe your Opinions, differing from the 
 
 * received Doctrine of this Church, unto the 
 
 * People? Or not? 
 
 Anfwer. I think my felf obliged in Con- 
 fcience to declare every Truth of Chrift, 
 and keep nothing back, but to fpeak all the 
 Words of this Life, and to teach his People 
 to obfer\ r e all Things whatfbever he com* 
 mands, fo far as I can underftand 5 and that, 
 notwithstanding of others their differing 
 from me, and my being expofed to Hazard 
 in the declaring of them. 
 
 P A 
 
1 
 
 r A Qjj b r y feparately put to Mr, \ 
 Glass £y ftfo <S]Wd?l 
 
 f ^Onfidering, That in Mr. Glafs his An« 
 c V> fwers to the Propofal, If he did act- I 
 ' here to his former Subfcription of the | 
 ' Confeflion of Faith and Formula, and would 
 f again renew it ? He fays, his Scruples a- 
 * gainft figning, are mainly, the two there- 
 4 in mentioned : They think it convenient 
 f That he be interrogate, If he hath Free- 
 4 dom in his Mind, to fign all the other Ar- 
 € tides of the Confeflion of Faith, as the 
 I Confeflion of his Faith > 
 
 9# which Mr. Glass anfwered, 
 
 I have not Freedom to refufe any Thing 
 in our Confeflion, but what relates to the 
 Paflage already mentioned, in the Chapter 
 concerning Chriftian Liberty, and Liberty 
 of Conference, and in the Chapter concern- 
 ing Synods. 
 
 FIN IS. 
 
 ■.-. 
 
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