m "" I Wmtj Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/answertodeclaratOOedin ! * TO THE Of the Pretended Assembly at" v> AND TO A PRINTED PAPER, INTITVZET), The Protestation given in by the DisTen ting 1 Brethren to the G e n e r a l Assimbiy, July 21.1652.Rev evved and refuted, &c. In which A N S WE % are kt down Ten Steps of their defection who follow the way of the Publick Resolutions* Together Vnith Observations upon fome of the Adts i of the P. Aflsmblies at Dundee and Edinburgh , and feme PAPERS concerning the endeavors of %\\$ P RO T E S T E R S for Union wkh their Brethren, who differ from them in Judgement. Pri need in %/fnno-i6$ 3 . - \ / ^^.^ijt^jj^^^^^^e^^^iiti^^jy^flfc^^^^^jjt^jji^^t Good Reader, Bpleafedto under (land, that when that Taper ,lntitu!edT\\Q Froteftation given in by the diffcnting Brethren to the Gen. Affembly fnly 21.1652, Reviewed and refuted &c. came abroad in 'Print, there were differing thoughts about it, amongft thefeWbo are concerned to anfwer it. i>omef aid that itWasnotWortb an anfwer, others fyoWing that it did indeed more a- bonnd With calumnies and reproaches then With arguments, yet, did judge it fit U he anfwered, becaufein this corrupt age calumnies paj) 'e for truths a- mong the generality of people without anyferious difquifithn and examinati- on- Within VeryfeW dayei after that Taper Was publtfbed, an Anfwer Was drawn bj one whofaVouretb the Caufe of the Protefiers , and Was by him in- tended brefentlyfcr the frelfe ; But there it Was delayed , and ufon good grounds the %e\>ieW of the Vindication of the pretended JJJembly at St. An-, drewsW Dundee bad the precedency in the TreJJe : fir the Validity of thefrotejiation lately made at Edinburgh doth much depend upon the nul- lity of that Afjembly, which Was afferte'd and Well proved in that l^eVieWi And the Writer of that Paper ( 1 mean the T^VteW of the Vroteftation made at Edinburgh , to which the Aufwer was intended) did jo byperbolkally commend that Vindication of the Affembly at St. Andrews and Dundee as a Nervous Piece, not yet anfwered> noreafily anfwerable , befidedivtrfe other exprejfions about it, and. didfo often refer unto it in his O^eVieW, that Wfraseajie to perceive that no anfwer Would be accounted fatisfattoiy, if that Vindication Were not fir ft anfwered and publifhed that fober andjudi- tious men might fee whether there Was fo great caufe ofboafling of that Vin~ dkation or not, and togivefuch PublicJ^pftVocations in Trint, calling form Anfwer to it • befide that, there Was information that a courfe Was taken by fbme ofthofethat maintain the Hublic^efolutions for Printing the Vindica- tion of that Affembly at London,^Wf& Was \>ery true for it wasPrinted there in the year 1652. After the %e\>ieW of the Vindication Was Trinted;this An- fberWai awhile flopped at the Vrejfe for Want of 'licence to Vrint it, and as feme things Which Were in the Copy which Was at firfl intended for the Vrejfe Wtre left out, fo other things emergent Were added. The ReVkWer of the Troteflationdothin the beginning of his Piper refer to a Declaration made 4t the pretended Affembly at Dundee, which ym Will find to befiyflan & a ft .* fa ered \>trt\ and heeaufe it ahunds Vem rt\ washes and' mif-k form at\om t therefore thereof a ntiejptpo injiftjhe more largely in matters ^ fill, ToubaV^m^ihftefScftheirdefei i fvi»M> tbcWaytfthe^MUi Rj'dutkm, and then tbe4nfaer tojhe 'ftgVWp of tie T eteftatm, and I ajlly fame dings about the Union endeavoured by the Pratesiers, together With obferVations a'fon jfome dits cfthe'faid pretended Affemblhs ; In all Ttebicb you haVetbiiroWn Papers, that it may befcen that no Wrongts done to their CJtrfe, in re>>eati ig tin ir 'I^eafons and shguments exapt it be tivve by them fives. Idejtrenot to preJAake the 'J^adcr by a P/efsce, on: ly this much I Would fay further? that whereas this JieltcWcr boa jus that the gray headed and aged men fa the moft part are outhd>Jide 3 to which there is enough an foe red in this Trcaiife- } Let I Would * a\e it remembered that the fame Argument is ufed by Eliphaz^ Temanite againfi Job. chap.i >v. 9, ro. What knoweftthou that we know not? What undeiltundcft thou which is no; in us ? With us are both the gray-headed, and ve- ry aged men, much elder then thy father. #k* this is better conftdered by Elihu, Job 32. 7. 8, 9. I faid dayes fhould fpeak, and multitude of years fhould teach wifdom: But there is a fpirit in man, and the ln- fpiration ot the Aimighty giveth them understanding , great men are not al wayes wife, neither do the aged underftand judgement. Fare- well good Reader, read arid confidi r, and the LordgiVe thee under/landing in aU things folrefl, Thine in the Lo r d ] e su s . Thi *the Protestation Reviewed And refu- ted: Briefly foemmg the wfaffickpcie of the Reafons thetcifynd'confcquently thejufice §fthe x^A^emhhes [enttnet cwdtmning it* Ow wel this Reviewer and Refutes; hath performed .what th'S his Title feeins to promife agaiflft the -Pro - t:ftit!on,and for the fentence of the AHemhly condemning itjWili appear to thefe to whom the Lord gives an hearing ear,and a feeing eye 5 by comparing what is \%'& in defence of the Proteftation m Anfwcr to chis Review. Therefore beseeching the Lord who is no refpecler of perfons, to make what is here laid unfavoorie or acceptable unto the Reader^ it contributes for deftr action or edification, for d'ark'enieg or clearing of the truth in 'this hour of tempta- tion, and dsy of blafphemie and rebuke. I come to the matter it felf. Review of the Protestation. ^^^ Msfigfl the many fad judgments wherewith the holl yZ bhfled.Cjodu -pteafei t& exereife this fin f mil Laud* i flawing the pride efalt &urglery 7 there w n&ne tn$re f terrible , then that he thre&ineth ts remove onr Candle flick* *' Defence ofthe Protestation. Lbeit the Generation of the righteous in the Land, who are .inftrucled With a ftrong hand, are preferred in hope^that the thoughts of the Lord towards this poor Church, are thoughts of peace,and not of cvill s to give us an expected end, yet that there be many things which threaten that rooft dreadful! judgment of re- moving the Candkftsck, he that runs may read, the fhidowesof the evening are grown long, and the wilde beafts are come out of their dens, our Battlements are broken down, and the Adversary A hath A - hath ftretched forth his hind upon all our pleafant things : we fee not our figns,th a re is no more anyProphet,neither is there amon^ft us that knoweth how long,the Lord is become as a ftrangcr,and as a way-faring man in the Land,that turns afide to tirry for a n»,Q5 not to comfort her,or to de- ceive her,or to perfecute hcr,not to be conferring to the whordoms and back-Hidings of her children ? And to tell them,that they have perverted their way,and hive forgotten the Lord their God,and to fay to her Prophets,th*t they do not d /cover her iniquity > to turn aw3y her captivity, and that they,"ven they have caufed the Lords people to errt: fome ofth>>m built a wall,andmar>y ftrive to upheld it, and daub it With untemoered morter ; / mean, that fome of them gave conn fell concerning the impUying and entrnfting the Malignant Party t ana that many adhere thereto ; and for ftrengthening thefe wretched foundations , have corrupted and perverted the Nationall Ajfemtlies of this Church in the free and lawfull conflitution thereof j t^at they have made fad the hearts of the right eons , whom the Lord hath not made fad y and ftrengthened the hands of the wicked , that he fhoul i net return from his Vtickjd way , that they thrufjt With the fide and {boulder , and pnfh the difeafed with their herns , tofcatter ttiem abread % that they decree unrighteous decrees, And write gric~ vow thtngs againft their brethren , which they have prejcnbed a Our bruife i^ fore, nnd our woundis uncurable y for the Lord h.ith bounded m with the wound of an Ensmy t wi[h the c ha fti foments of a cruell one, for the multitude of our iniquities) htcaufe our fins were encreafed: Therefore is it no time to cover our tranfgreflfions as Adam, by hiding our iniquity in our bofome, not to daub with untempcrcd morter, nor (lightly to heal the diughter of our peo- plc,but to give glory to the God of Ifrael, by taking (hame to our felve$,and confelTing wherein we have trefpaffed againft him;and it •is the beft ftrvicc that can be done toZior^to fiiew her fons andhet v A 2 daugh- (4) her daughters in this day of her calamity, why the Lord contends wkh her. juch co. roiives from friends,are better then the cordtalls of iiattcrcrsj when the righteous fmitts it is a kindnefle»and when he reprovr., t is an excellent oil which breaks not the head. Surely fhii is th Lord and his Saints; yea, the Jnterpreters one of a thou- fartd che : r pived wiy of being comfortable to thefe whom GOD h ith fmitten,to difcover their work and (he tranfgeib'on wherein th< y IwVfi oxce. dedjthat they may open their ear to d.fcipl'ne, and re ember whence th-y a r c fallen, and repent, and do their firft work ,1 :. r t y obry not, they pcrifh by the fword,and die wr fl- out kro.v'edge; or he come againft them qu:ck!y t and remove t r candleftick out of h s place, Z-fvrV.26.40.41 . fob 34-29,30,3 ij$% 33- Hjd.8,0,,0,11,12. R*vm.^. Protestation Reviewed. IShal be loath to tract that too too ordinary by-path of judging any mans &*f#al t ft ate by hit temporal ou,>-breakj't*s, or his h*ar( and intentions by the out fide of hit aSlions^yet 1 •bin'^ / may fafely fay y That that Af\embly At St. Andrews ami Dundee, al- though desjjif'ed of Men t ¥?as owned of G D t ami t hat be guided their Pens, at ah along in f eir Procedor, ft particularly tt* their Warning Aad'Dcclaration ^ And thefe tyord hbeteof, Whatever hath heen the intention of thefe "tohs have bean in#rut&fr>t> I in making of this rent from Pubiic^Counjels and Atlinfs t yet the ^orjfjt (elf y and the fpirit .hat hath beenfiirring in ii y h*th been and yet is jn«ft effectual for carrying an el the deftgn of the adver- f Aries of our caufe - 3 Which they prove by (even Steps of their Trogrefs, Protestation Defended. TO judge ofary rnios ercrlaftin^eftite by his temporal out- breakings,or his intentions by the ewtfide of h s a-rtionvs it is to encroach upon things fec^et wh ch belong unto G.xl, and to walk uncharitably to w-irds men , fo it is nor .he pnh which the Protefte-s h:-.ve troden, and it is but a gro- ndies infhution to fug- geft it of them, they k ioW,?.n ! do ac s'ri'*nfyr*$m*f4bt^rel^4^kh - within mint heart s t&fct t&ire -fate fear of Gu'd'i^f^re'bis ■ejts'.Pfe. 3 6.1. As- 1 da r e not judge of any. maris erer biting ef&te, brirleave it unto him with whom the oooks are'; lb hi we" I'r.o't ''hyiV-lfntd Chnft as fome men would have it,to put np : di$Vence**mo: -gil the Profeflors of tfecGofpel,- btitttfeall tffcerti m godly though :itrarr* ged from the life of God through' the ignorance, that is m tbaryand walking contrary to the GofpeU That -the Amenably -$tS .And? avis and Vhh eg was owned of Godjand that He ail a. : ona: in their pro- ceder did guide th«ir Pens , as my foui cannot away wth that af- ' fertfon to fubferibe to l^ (0 1 fear it is mo< e then the ujrd- : mi! al- low any man to fay. 1. Becaufe that Atfcrabiy did fay,'- a corfede- racy to thefe concerning whom the Lord'fpoke to'h ^Prophet with a ftron'g hand, and inftructed him thai 5 he •fhoidd^ot-.taf , $ confe- deracy to them, //4.- 8. itri2- And iher$forejajihoti|h they ; did a'l^ciat rffem-ftj vc*, yet they did fall aed fid together, Wfm 3 r. 3. The fad" ditpenfation of their rain being in the beginmg thereof ft Isitrltithen in Providence tryfted with the begining of. that ' Af • ferably- tnd afterward more fully accom^ilied and perfected at ether places,as they, and the it Comnrnillon went on in MtjfyflS^ theie Refolut;ons,andcenfur'ng thednpofersof the'iame s and IC- fai^Wai nirigs and Declarations iareference to thefe things. 2.Be- kmfz diAt Adembly was f» far from rejoyeing the neamj Or ap- proving themfdves unto the* conferences of molt of the godly in th F L:v?d,or froai Jeavingth'''-? fi&ra&j impre^o-nupon rheir fteijfft t'h-jt ■ hey fed the image and nthortf of'Jefus ChniV, and d ci proc ed icco- 'ding to the Law aneTthe Teibmomyirid employ their power into education and promoting of godlinett ; that upon the contrary contrary they did exceedingly fadden their fpirits and leave a deep and fti ong conviction thereupon, that they did add unto the Lands provocation andencreafe wrath, and that in moftof all their act- ings they did walk not unto edification, but urtodeftructon^.Be- caufc their actings did rcjoyce the hea ts and ftro gthen the hands of chefe in the Land who were void of Grace and of the knowlcdg of JefusChnit, and adverlaries to the Caufc and People or* God, and mocker* and haters of Piety and Godlinefs. Was not that Aifembly countenanced and pleaded for ? and is it not to this day countenanced and pleaded for by all the generation of malignant and prophane pcrfons throughout the Land . ? And fure, if it had been fo much countenanced and owned of God, it is rot like that it fhould ruve been fo endeared to thefe who have fo much oppo- fed his friends ad intereft in Scitl**d thefe many years paft. 4 Bc- caufe that Atfe •• bly at Dundee did for no other cauie,but for pre- ceding againft their wrong Conftitution,and the ratifying of thefe Refolutions,cenlu cand pronounce the fentences of DepofitiOA and Suipcnlion agamft fundry godly nun who have obtained mercy of the Lord to be followers of his Caufe fince the bt fining of the late Rtfoi mation,and whofc Miniftry hath been fcaled of the Lord up- on the hearts of not a few of his Kcople. 5. Becaufethey did by their Ads lay a foundation forcenfuring all Minifters, fclders, Ex- pectants, Students and Profeflors whatfoever , who rerufe to ac- knowledge the conftitution of that Aflfembly and oppofe the Acts thereof; which as it makes way for the calling out of many able & godly Profeflors f om being Church-members { for it is wei known how many there be of the god y in theLand both Minifters,Elders, and Prore(iors,who cannot be confenting to fubmit to theie things, but do hold themfelves bound in their ftations to bear testimony a- gainft them)Noiv,to caft out & yerfecutc all thefe,or to laya foun- dation fordoing of it, whether it be to be owned Be guided of God, and to do things to edification, or if it be not rather to be deter ted of the Lord, to eftabiifh iniquity by a Law, and to decree unrighte- ous Decrees,& write grievous things againft their Brethren which thry have prefcribed,! leave it to thofc who are taught of God,to confidcr.As to that paflagc in the Warning and Declaration of that Affembly ( fo much magnified and cried up by the Author of this Review) it was, and it is the intention of the Proteftcrs, throngh the Lords aflifhncc (though with much weaknefsj to oppofe the defign (7) deftgn and work of the Adverfancs on both hands, and fo tread the middle path, the good old way, without declining to the rght hand or to the left, upon which accompt it was thar. they could not condefcend to employ and aifociat with, and cntnuft one adver- fary for oppofing another, knowing fuch coiarfes to be condemned of God in his holy Word, and to have proven bitter often hereto- fore unto this Nation, and for this caufe did fo!emundee, I wifn the flrft pennec thereof,aod the Gentleman who now hath cited it, and all others-, to confider thefe few things : 1. That not long ago there was a time that fonje of the beft and moft precious of thefe who now charge the Protefters with thefe harfh imputations of having * ffi- rit ftirring in their reorkjhdt hath been t Mud it meft iffsttudl for Cdrrjing §n of the defign of the tAdverfaries of our-C*n{e were liable no lefs then the Proteftors now arc to the fame Imputations from thefe by whom they now arc cried up and commended, and with whom they now joyn itfue in calling them upon their Bre- thren. It concerns them to think whence thefe changes are, and whether they have given diligent heed to that word of exhortati- on that faith, Let them come to thee , but g* not thou to them* a.That the Protefters have ftudicd to take hold of every oportunity to declare and make known their approbation of,and idherence un- to the Work of Reformation, and to bear teftimony auair.ft all in- juries done thereunto.and encroachments made thereupon, and have endeavoured to the utmoft of their power to prevent a>>d rcmc-'y the fa ne. 3 That the Authors and Abettors of rhePubluk Re- folut.onsjhaYe now met fevcral times in their Affemblics and Com* million^ f8.) rnifHons , yet to th\ day - have we had no word of t ftlmony from thniragtfjfttbtife jdverfanesofour Ouf.-, wltfrtfoe promoting of wh- they do (o ftiufln charge ttffl Protcftcr*, but the r fpi- > y | (§hri$, 3rd at the belt it w>U amount to no higher , then the : rorlvfco'i or Ntc»*c »>m in private. Why have they not made ftimofty In ft ■■■-I s and apwohted forne^cr their number to pre- i - . ■ t , I •• ■■ •> i M d i v •■• v ;r, before fome of thefe agamft whom they te- ft ->r,;- the Proreitcs ciid feaiouahly and with the hrfropo'-tumry? OV vvhyci ; they remove all oth.^ri out of their meeting ? Were na-d thrf; •me ihordd have born witneile and teftified what baS-done? If they looked oothcmfelves as an Alterably of thi> KsriijChey cannot beigno aot that the tracfa&ions ofGcnerall Aifcmblies ought and ufc to be pubhck,and eipecially their testimo- nies. 0t why did thev not communicate the fame to Synods, Presby- teries -md Cong' -eaations btto let it ly in the dark to this day. If the* 'define th be Jk I f-'thfulbthey would cither give a more dtftfaft and certain four; j concerning thefe adverfaries, or elfe fpeak lefle agar It the Prof efters ; ltft they bewray more paffion then pie- ty,and more of the zca" of themfelves,then of the true zeal of God. 4. Where hath that fpirit -'lodged which this 1 lafl: year paft hath been m oft c^ernall tor carrying on the ckf-gn of tfte adversaries , whe- ther among rhe Prot*fters,or amongrt tfte Authors and Abettors of the Publick Refolutions, let thernfclves (peak. But becaufe he is pleafcd from that Warning and Declaration of the A (Terribly at &}&&*$& mention feven ftep* of prog,reh i e > where- by they labour re prove what they $0' allelic 'in the- former paifage a- fted by him-, therefore feeing that Declaration ( which is fraughted with much ill-, rounded chanty to 'Malignant* , and with a g cat deal ofcaufelcHeptejud'ceaod miftsken zeal agsirft many of the precious and sod'y ft the Lsud )> begins again to be digged up out of its grave, wherein fad d irritations of Providence did once feern to bury it before *t could be heard 1 peak in many of the Congrega- tions of the Land s therefore though he do infift on the lift Step, yet for truths l'4ce,and for clearing of thefe who arc traduced without caufe,I fhall ipcak (hordv to all the fevcm The The DE^C LAR ATI pT^zt Dundee. THe firft ftep is expreffed thus: The credulity of feme, belie- ving the hypocritical/ pretences of this noty prevailing fa El i- en of Sectaries , mnveti apparently yeith the craft j defigne of ethers, would not I & much as admit the fnsfition of this enemies furpofe te invaie tu ^nd thereupon d drefifc axdretarh the lifting of an Ar- my for tfoe defence of the Canfe and Kingdom^ untill the Enemy jvm ver) near our B^rders^andhad emitted, a 'Declaration of their re/oltifton to txvade Hi s fo that all means of defence tyas like te be utterly marred* T Defence. Wo things are charged here upon the Protefters and their adherent?, as the principle of their adings, credulity in fonie, and defigne in others. As to the firft , it is indeed ordinary to gracious men to be credulous of thefe who have the fhew of god- line{fe,until they fee them deny the power therecf,and I think this fault (if it be a fault)" may be eafily pardoned by tnefe who allow fo large charity to Malignants upon bare and naked Profeffions now and then , when they come before the Judicatories of the Kirk,notwithftanding of their many former breaches and relapfes, and known diffimulation,& contrary cariages in the tenor oftheir. fpecches& adings.but what ever he thefe mens creduHty } yetfeing they walked in the fimplicity oftheir hearts, the Lord hath to this day keeped them out of fnares , and given them.as to the main of their carnage,to keep the ftraight way,declining extreams on both hands. As to the fecond,to wit, a crafty 'defigne in others, it is alleaciged to be apparently fo, but no evidence 'is' brought of thar, neither can any evidence be brought of it, it being a meer aileadge- ance, without all ground of truth, fuch things have been fpoken, and written,and preached by fomc now for a good while pa ft, it is now high time fince it hath been fo often called for, for their own credits fake, to bring fome proof of what they fay ; I befeech the Author of thefe words, and of all fuch exprefliom, as before the Lord, and as they would not wrong themfelves nor their brethren, nor delude and do injury to others , by filling their hearts with thoughts of jealoufie and rancour againft innocent men , if they know any thing of this kind,to bring it forth • and if they know B nothing 3 nothing,to forbeat fach rtprochcs, which thogh for the pr#fent they be bitter to thefe whom theyafperfe,yet in the end the flume wil te- turn upon the heads of thefe who have broached and vented them; It may be remembred, that reproaches of this kind were caft upon the mod eminent aud faithful, in the year 1648, by the Authors of the unlawful! Engagement , becaufe of their oppofing thereof, and bearing teftiroonv againft the fame; but pafsing thefe, I come to that which is alleadgcd to be their work , and that was , that they did refift and retard the lifting of an Army for defence of the Caufe and Kingdom, for clearing and confuting of which,it would be remembred,that as in refolving and condelcendmg upon the In- ftructions given to the Commissioners of this K ngdom for Trea- ting with the King, there were fomc who too much favouring the Malignant party, would have had it put in Inftru&iop, that this Kmgdom would engage in a War againft En^Und , for reftorng the King to his Throne, upon condition of his giving fatisf dion in the Demands propounded to him, which when thty could not obtain , their next endeavour was,that the tranfadion at Brrdab might be (o carried,as that thcKirg and his Party mi^ht have fome probable aftliiance of thi',and then fore was the firft invitation gi- ven to theKmg there,contrivedin fuch words & expref>ions,as fee- med to import the fame ; which being fent home to this Kingdom, was cenfured & corrected by thcParl.Sr new Inftm&ions fent back to Ho//«i»W,containin^ the exprefc demands of this Kingdom to the King,and the form of the Invitation given him upon fatisfadion in xerminii to thefe demands; which form oflnvitation & Declaration made therewith, did exclude all engagement to make w*r upon BngUnd ,yct was there a Party in the Land, and fomc in theParlia- raent,whofe defignes and endeavors did ftill tend to engage us in a War againft E*gl**d. On the ithtr hand there was caufe to fear an Iavaflon from England^y reafon of the preparations made the former year by thole in power in that Nation, upon the report of an Agreement betwixt the King and Commifli oners fent from this Kingdome to H»M*nd 9 in the year 1649. The great dirhculry was, how to fteer an even courfe in reference to both thefe eac- trcams , both to prevent a finfull Invafion from this Land upon .E*j/4«n defence, Vfbith they do accompt abundantly Jufficient to remove all grounds ofjealoujtesaitd mif-rep or -ts of 'their intention s } and to take away all pretence ofneceffity of the marching of Forces for defence of the *B orders »/ England. And being informed of a refolmion in Eng- land tejendan Army to invade this Kingdom^ hey dejiredte £»w B 2 whethir fl») whether thefe whs have the pre/tut power in England do ac^now* ledge the-mfelves obiiged f or by their anlvctr will oblige themselves and declare thetr re/olutions to objtrve the forefaidwaj and order upon their fart to us , and plainly unci clearly to declare whether their Forces do march for defence or offence , for keeping onelt Within the Bvrd-rs of E 'gland,**" coming within ours: which way ifprocedor in cl aring each othcr^and dealing plainly t is not onelj agreeable to pit , iculdr Treaties, and" to the many 'Bonds and'De- clar^tions p.iit betwixt tbelc Kingdoms , but aljo to the L<*VP ef Cjed^nd p>-Afl-ice o' his people in bis fVord t andto theCommonLaw and practice even o\ Heathen N .it ions ^much more of fchriftian co- tenanted Kingdowts ^ir c When the Forces appointed to ; be ratfed for defence of the Kingdom, together with the o!d (landing Forces that were before on foot, were to be formed and drawn to- gether n a Body, there were fome differences in Parliament ; one was, Whether the Mal-giant Parry,and perfons groifely fcandaloul iliould be excluded from the Army, or not ? There were none in Parliament that had the countenance to plead for it direcYy ; our conftant Principles being known te be fo exprelfe againft it,and the Kirk having fo often pre/fed upon the Parliament by many Petiti- on;;,Remonftrances,and Declarations, the purging of their Forces, butdivcrfe would have had the Acl for making up the Army to pa(re,without appointing any Committee,having power to remove fuch from the Army Another difference was, Whether the Com- mittee of Eftites fhould have power to command the Army to in- vade England ( as was done in the year 1 648) or if there fhould be a limitation of their power onely to fta;;d for the defence of the Land within our Borders. In this queftion likcwjfe there were none that pleaded expreilely for fuch a power in the Committee, but they oppofed the limitation. Same time was fpmt in confe- rence and debate about thefe , but they were fo few in Parliament that were either againft the exdu'iion or limitation, that when the fenfe of the Parliament came to be known, their number was no wayes confiderable , (o that what is here reprefented by the Au- thors of that Declaration againft the Protefters, as the firft ftep of declining,i$ in effect an evidence of their own declining from the former principles of State and Kirk, for both were then unanimous for exclusion of the Malignant Party and groifely fcandalous per- fons from the Army, and againft the invading of England, which were were the two queftions in Parliament that did retard for fome days the brmg'ng forth the new levied Forces; for fo foon as thefe two queftions were ended, it was evidently ften there were none more fo ward in Parliament and Comm ttees to haften them to the fields, then thefe whoareunlatisfied with the late Publick Refo- lutionsj and there was together at Lmb % before the Englifh Army marched into Scotland , fo coo.fi derabie a namber ©fHorfeand Foot,thatthey were double the number of the Englifh. Surely no other thing but the cbaage of principles , or groundleffe preju- dice could lead men to quarrell thus for want of an Army to de- fend the Landythc great number whereof made the ftroke at T>um- bar the more unexpedcd,doleful & dreadful. This is the truth con- cerning what is laid to the charge of that faithful Parliament wh-ch met at Edinburgh in the year 1650, and whofe endeavours to pre- vent extreams were anfwered with difappointment on both hands, which I truft doth iurhciently anfwer what is faid anent the firft ftep. De c laration. THe fecond ftep is (et down thus : When the Snemj had inva- ded uSjdnd an Army Vfas raifed t under pretence of f urging the Forces^and k? e fi n g the Kings Inter eft under due [ubordindti- on t9 Cjoi^courfes were tahen^M aftcr-atltngs made manifeft pend- ing to the dividing of the ns€r my perplexing And difcottragi g the fpirits of thefe Who laboured to be fait hf nil both to (fed and their King^nd humoring of and jeeldinr to the untimom arid dange- rous motions offuch who were under fufpition of too much affc&i- on to the Enemy, and that not without caafe^ as is now too too i- vident. De fence. IConfcffe it is to me matter of forrow and aftonifliment to hear thefe words. W"as not the purgi ogk)£ the Army from fuch of the Engagers as had not approven themfelves in theirrepentance, a duty that al 1 of us were folemnly engaged unwbefore the Lord ? Had not the Gencrall Aflfemblics of this Kirk,and their CommirTi- ons before that time 3 given in above twenty feverall Petitions^ War- nings and Remonftrances to the Parliament and Committee of E- ■ftates for that end ? Had they not iifued Declarations and Warn- ing? to all the Land concerning the nccefllty of that duty , as we defired dcfired to prdfper and be bleflcd #t God ? And had not all the Congregations of the Land kept feverall Fafts and Humiliations by their appointment in order thereunto ? Hid not the . Parliament and Committee of Lftates made Acts, a d app< tntcd Comrmijions thcre-anent { and taken thepcrfons to whom ComnuiTion was gi- ven, folemnly engaged and fwor> to go t jithfuily about it, as they would be anfwerable unto Uod^nd after all thdc things (in which many of the leadiiTg men of that Ai'icmbly at S. Andrews and Dun- dee were concurring a: id confuting ) to hear the endeavours of purging of the Army, fo refie&ed upon and fpoken againft; what is this but t© proclaim agamft thcmfclvcs,that cither they did then diffcmble, or elfc that now they are repenting of the thing which they did then concur in and were confenting to as a duty, but what ever be their thoughts of it,as thefe whom they now fpeak agai ^ft did in the limplicity of their hearts then endeavour it, fo do they ltill ownc it as a rinty,and are forry to hear it otherwtfc fpoken of, efpecially by thefe who profeflc love to Reformation. And I do as much wonder of that which they fpeak of the Kings Intereft, fee- ing nothing was done in reference thereto, buc the declaring of the due fubordination thereof unto God's, and that they would not otherwife owne him and his quarrclhbut in that fubordination,and that they meaned to fight upon the fame ftate of quarrell up- on which they had done thefe twelve years paft, which was not done by any particular perfons or party >but jointly and unanimouf- ly both by theCommittee of Bftates,and Commitfion of the Kirk, none diiTenting,snd was homologated by the whole Officers of the Army in a fupplication to the Committee of Eftates , and fo far as did then appear , generally followed in their ftations and capacity. This,tdgether with the leaving that Declaration of the Commiffi- cn of the Kirk, anent the fubordination of the Kings Intereft , out of the Aclofthe Alterably at Dundee, which ratifieth the procee- dings of the CommiiTion, (peaks what fpirit ftirred in the Aflcmbly when thefe things were penned and 3pproven;but (fay they J under pretence of thefe thin£s,courfes were taken fordividingof theArmy, and yet they do not tell what thefe courfes were at that time , butr labour to find tht evidence of them in after acling?,they did wifely to wrap up in generals, without condescending upon any particu- Iar,lcft they fhould have therein been found our, but their generals ure as cafily denied^ affirrned.What is meaned by after- aclmgs,re- qifireth (15; quireth expiication,and fomewhat over : If be can make this much out ofthe actings n HfswVo*, which were their bft fidd-acl'tvs. I jfhall wonder at his w t,to fay nothing of b;s conference. Who thefe faithful! ones to God and the King are,whofe fpints they did fo much labour to perplex and difcourage, I do not know. I do as Utile know what were thefe untimous and dangerous motions, wherein fuch as were under fufpirion of too m ch affection to the Enemy, were humoured in,and yeelded unto Jt may be remembred that as a great part of the Army was much weighted in their fpt- rits,with the carriage of thefe , efpecially fome of chief note, who did obftrud the purging of the Army , and gave countenance and encouragement to fuch as were, or iho&'d have been removed out of the Army; fo the whole Army Officers and Souldicrs, and the Committee ©f Eftates were much perplexed, difcouraged, and dff-fati fled with the flacknefs, fhiftings, anddelayes, and foli- tarycounfelsandcourf«sofchiefmen.inthe^rmy , who had the leading of the Forces, and for molt part did do therein, and dtfpofc therof as feemed beft to themfelves^without taking much notice ei- ther of tht Committee of Eftates orOrfkers of the Ar.myjand none was more perplexed,, difcouraged, and dif-fatisfied wth th's way 8 then foenc of thefe whoTiad a chief hand in penning this Declara- tion,in fo much that having once fpoken therein, they got i'o unfa- tisfying an anfwer , that with much difcontent they did declare, they rneaned never to fpeak again in that matter. And it may be alfo remembrcd, that the untvmous and dangerous motions' of which they fpeak , were fo far from being thought fo when they were proponed,that it was the grief of many in the Army & Com- mittee of Eftates, yea and of Aflembly-men too, who are fuppofed to be skilled in thefe things , that they were not entertained and hearkened unto, the truth is, neve? any motion of that kind made by any of thefe whom they call of fufpeeled affec < rion,from the day that our Army came together , until! the day that it was routed, was hearkened unto , unlefTe they inftance the in-fall ztMufsle- b*rgb 9 but onely the half of that motion was followed for the Par- ty which was appointed by the unanimous refolution of the Offi- cers to make good their retreat, who made the in- fall, was not tent, which , whether it was faithfelneffe to God and the King, and to their Brethren, much of whofe blood was fhed, their ownheart s who dA it can beft judge,- as beft knowing what were the induce. men ments that moved them not to make the refohition of the Officers concerning the (ending of that Pat ty iff. -etnal. Other mot oris were made by thefe fufpecled men alfo,as to have taller, on at'joger and at Dumbdr^.0 fet behind the Encmy,and not before them,but were not hearkened to. It is vvi II known who made the motion to- draw the Army down the hill on Monday morning, and carried it by plurality of voices in a Co ncell of War, which appointed itto be put presently in execution; yet upon a new conceit, without ad- vice of the Officers, he delayed all that day till five at night that it was dark , and then he brought it down, contrary to the advice of the Oncers. I truft they will not deny that this was a dangerous motion, and they cannot fay,that any of thefe fufpeded men had a hand therein. Concerning the laft words of that fecond ftep, let it be this day examined and confidered, what hath been the carriage of thefe fufpectcd men,and of their unfufpecrcd men the Malignant Pany,and it will at leaft be found very evident, that this Reviewer his fufpition is calculated to a wrong Meridian. Declaration. THe third ftep is in thefe words : when after that fadftrcks ** Dumbar , the Lords diffenfation did call for rvayes of union. *ndhealingj*ftead of thefe y fubtile courfts Vfere taken to engage A great fart of the Well- affetted in the Weft, to feparatefrom the Forces of the Kingdom^ wherebj inftcadtf joint concurring for 4» Bing againft the Enemy , jealeptjies were begotten , and fa far en- greafed, that there Was no [mall danger feared t left the one fart of onr Forces fhould have faUen ufsn the other* Dl FENCE. THe plaineft things , and which are acred with the greateft /impiicity and integrity, are often branded with the name of fubtile dcviceSjby maintainers ©fan ill ciufe, who no fboner depart from their former principles, but they give to their oppofcrs the very name,which (were their eyes opened of the Lord to fee their own wayes) they fhould take to thcmfclvcs. What fubtile device couid there be here? The Committee of Eftates hearing before the defeat at Dnmbar, that Forces were leving in the North of Eng- land y which were to come into Scotland by the way of Carlile, they wrote Letters to the Wcftern Shires to meet and correfpond atriong imong themfelres , and to be in readineffe for their own defence. This pat them in fome forwardntrfle to rife in Arms, when they heard of the dtfeat,which being on the third of Sept. the Gentle- men of the Committees met upon the fifth, and had fome of their number at Sterlm upon the fixth , who made offer to raTe ipccuily a double proportion of the ordinary Levie, which was Well accepted by the Committee of Eilates , and Ccmitifsion of the Kirk, and Letters of encouragement written from both, which are yet extant, and the Committee of Eftates fent fuch Officers to conduct thelcFjrccs.as they knew to be moft acceptable to theWe- ftern Shires. The Forces were railed by author ; ty of the Commit- tee of tftates , and were obedient to their Orders fent from time to time under the I ord Chancellours hard, which yet remain un- cancelled^ witnelTcagiirsft iuch calumnies : And there was never any command lent to them to come and joyn with the reft of the Forces until! agreement was made by the State with the Malig- na c Party , and then C oionell Mentgvmtric was appointed to march towards them with fome Forces under his command to re- quire their conjunction , b> t before he came the length of Sierlin, Major General! L*»*bert with 3 ftrong Body of horfe had come to Hamiltm^hctd he was fought againfl: by the Wcftern Forces, (though they were far inferiour in number) and many were killed of the Enemy on the p!ace,but with the lode of the Day, and dif- fipation of the Weitcm.Foices,wrndi put an end to many ground- lelle jealosies. Declaration. THe fourth ftep they kt it down in thefc words , tAxd to heighten differences ftt mor$ arid more under fair pretences of exonering their eW» eonfciences > andebtaimtsg more elearneffe in the quarrell *gat»ft the enemy ^many Vehofe intentions Were ho- nefi were abufed and draVvn in the fnare of a Remenftrancejsvhere*- by the owning of the Kings ju ft Inter eft Agreed, unto by the Gene- rail Affembly and the Parliament mu exprefty laidaftde, and his removal! from the exercife of his Ray all PvVeer and Government , advifed to the Committee ofEftatesjbe authority of the Commit- tee of Eftates mush weakened^ and a Way of holding up a covftmt diviftonfrom State and Kir\t herein moulded, C Defence. IT is ftrange that thcfe who maintain the Publick Refolutions, fhould judge it want of charity toaccompt fome men Malig- nant votwithlhnd;ng their a&ibns do evidently declare it,and yet do chink it no breath of charity in themfelves to judge other mens hearts and thoughts , contrary to their declared intentions, and whole tcpour or their a&ions. If thefc men pretend co exonec their coufciences. and Lck more clearnefle in the ftate of the* quar- rcll, when yet they dd intend no fuch thing , but their reali pur- pofe was, to advance the Adverfaries Cau(e; Surely it wax a grie- vous and intollerablc provocation before rhc Lord , which he will finde out,that he may take vengeance of fuch bypocricicall inventi- ons and grofs diffimulation • but if their hearts were tfraight be- fore him in all thete things ( of which they have a witnek in Hea- ven^ Record in their own breafU>ai.d their actions in adventuring their lives agiinft the Enemy as a ccftimony before the world ) they do them w r ong who fpeak fo of them, which is the more pieremg^becaufc it proceeds from fome of thefc who were once as their guide, their acquaintance w»th whom they took fweet coun- fcll together in the Work of God , and walked into the houfe of God in company, and yet do now allow them lelfe chanty»and 2;ive them leifetruft in their folcnn and publ'c* Pro:efsions in thefc thing* that relate to their consciences and the publick Work, then they do to thegreateft Malignant* in the land , and the bloodi* murderers who followed James grAhtme : for they will have thcfe upon their verbal profefsions to beaccompced true penitents, and arc filled with ind gnation agar ft any who fpeak or write o- therwiie of them ; but co mend the matter, and that they may not provoke too many of their old friends at once,they tell u^that the intentions of many who were honcft , were abufed and drawn in the fnare* They would do a great favour to the whole Land , c- fpecialiy to (imple ones , if they would be pleafed once to conde- feend by name and furname , upon the fuDtile enfnari ig men that do abuie others, that they might be known and avoided. For thefc who were at the compiling of that RemonitranceJ know many of them to be men of great and good parts, but I know none of them that are very skilful! in drawing circles in the dark , and conjuring other men unawares within the compaHc thereof ; they ai e open ingenuous Op) ingenuous men, whofc hearts and defignes have alvvaycs been read in their profei'iions and expreffions, and thefc whom they call the abufedand enfnaredones.arc more intelligent and decerning men, then to be eafily deceived ; they arc many of them eminent for grace and abilities,and fuch'as have approved themfelves in fpecial trufts and employments relating to the Caufe and Kingdome. 3t is true .that fine e the presenting of that Ren ;on0 ranee, fome of them did flip in a day of temptation, by pafsing f om the fame; but it is as true, that it is the matter of their humiliation for which they mourn before God, and iome of them fo much, that hardly can they be cemfo; ted. It is to me a great confirmation of the Re- monftrance , that it Was approved and accepted by the Lord as a neceflary duty, that gracious men , who by the certations of the time , and the perfwafions of fome whofc judgements they refpecled , being drawn into afnareat Sterltne to difdaim the Remor ftrance, they were within very few dayes after, fo challen- ged in confcicncc,that they had no peace of mir.d till they acknow- ledged their fault, and ?efolved to walk foftly all their years in the bittcrneflc of foul. The firft thing thatjrhey challenge in the Re- monftrance is,That the owning of the Kings juft Intereft , agreed unto by the Gencrall Aflembly and the'Farl'iament, was expreffely laid afide,and his removall fiom theexercife of his Royall Power and Government advifed to the Committee of Efbtts; but in this they do not deal fairly, not onely beeaufe they leaveout the Rea- fons upon which this is offered to be conftdered by the Commit- tees which are very weighty and important ; ''but'alfo beeaufe they omit to tell, that the Gentlemen , Miniftcrs, and Forces of the Weft, had no other meaning in the Remonftrance as to the Kings Intereft, then what was expreffed in the Declaration at the Weft Kirk of the i2..<4#£#/?»mtheyear 165 c. In which the Commit- tee of Eftates, theCommifsionoftheKirk , and the Army, did unanimouily joyn in their feverall ftations and capacities ; in tefti- mony whereof they were willing, and did often offer accordingly to clear and explain the fame, if fo be the Commission fhould for- bear to give any fenfc upon it , and let un-byafTed men fudge if it Was unfeafonable to remonftrate this,upon the Kings deferting the Councels of State and Kirk, and joyning with the Malignant Par- ty, contrary to the Covenant and Treaty* The next thing chal- C 2 lenged (20) lenged is, Thatch: authority of the Committee of Eflrates is thereby weakened; but it is not told how, belike it is meaned be- caufe of the freedom that is therein ufed , in laying before them the fins and mif-carriages of fundry of thefe who were then in place and power, but the dsfcovermg and taking with of fin, doth not weaken buc (trengtnen authority ; that which hath provoked the Lord to daili our judicatories in purees , and t«> bring them to nothing, is , Becaufc they have refund to take wi h chrfr guilti- nellc , and to humble them elv s under ihr mtfh y hand uf Go J* If the freedom? that was ufed in the ftcm^nftraflce , in reference to Members of the Committee of i-ftates orTv.d a y , ihefe four things would be remembred: i . Thar what is fcricrein te >reicnt d, is known a d unde' nable troths a. Tint the Lord wis calling thereto by his moft dr adful ftroaks 3. That many were hardning and-hab.tuat n^ rhemfeives in rin.4.That the ■■< en who fp-ke, were about to lay down their hvc< , and therefore took liberty to fpeak all their heart', that they mi^ht exoner rhemfelves,and leave it as their ttftimoiiy w th others. The thir J is, that a way of holding up a conftant divifion from State and K rk i> therein moulded, but nothing is faid to make out this,- and though fome of the Remon- ftratori be judged and called fubt'le and defign'ng men. yet as th"y did intend no fui>h thi'ig , fo do I doubt exceed ngly if they be fo quick- lighted as to fee the ftrength of this inference that is made upon ;t; for my parr, I fee it not, and am content to be ignorant of itjUutili it fhali be difcovered unto me. D* C LARATION. T^He fifth fte pis, when notVeirhftundt*i of thU perillotu pra- flice > all means ej union *f Forces^ and healing of the breach WM endeavoured hj Chu, ch and State , yet union could not be had } except nponfuih conditions as the State and Church i ould neither in henour *or in conjcience grant • whereby ani through the dissipation §f thefe Forces ^hich adhered to the Remonjlrance at Hamilton , the State and Church were necefsita'cd either t* render all tip t» the prefect rajre of a perfi tious and prevalent E« nemji or to malrj ufe of I uch as had been formerly received to re- fentance fir their Jinffillcourfes, and admit others t9 repentance^ frem VthomfAtufattitn might fa £»tten 9 agreeable t$ the Rules L r (2i) if the gutter *g *s4§emhl^ that tlltigethtr might be employed for the jttft AndttecfQarJ defence §f the Ca»fe and Kingdom fair nrnturall intereft t 9biig*titns tndjelcmw tjes bj Qevsnant ctUiug forth* fame* Defence. Et it be considered what thefc conditions were which the Church and State could neither in honour nor confeience grant. As for the Kngs exerdfing of h'S power,the Remonftra- tors did declare,that tbry had in humility propounded their judg- ment and the reafons the* eof unto the Committee of Eftar.cs ; but it was in their power to hearken unto thcm,and to do fo } yca or no, as they thought fit, and that if they ihouid not be p.eafed, ft.il to debar the King from the exercife of his powe*y as he had b en for- mcrly,they would not refufe to live peaceably *ndcr hinvs theMa- giftratoftheLand , only two things they did dcfrVe in order to their uniting with the Forces of the Kingdom: 1. That the quar- reil upon which they fought, might be ftated as in the Declaration of the 13. of Aug. 1650. 2. Thit there might be one tocom-> mand the Forces, qualified according to the folemn Engagement unto duties, to wit, of a blamelefs and Chriftian converlit on, and of known integrity and conftant afFedion to the Caufe of God; both which conditions were refufed. Now, I would fain know a rcafon why thefe things might not be eondefcended unto in honor and conference. Was it leffe honour or conference to ftate-thc quar- rel in November 16$ o. according to the forefaid Declarat ;'on,thcn it was to ftarc it \nL*f»gt$ immediatly preceding ? Had any thing occurred in order to the King for altering the ftate of the quarrdl, and making it more favourable as to him, or rather, was there not fomcthing to the contrary , to wit, his deferring of the Judica- tories,givingof Commifsions to the Malignants, and joyning with them ? Or was it contrary to honour and confeience to fat*sfie them in the other ? Or did not both honour and confeience bmde them to it ? Astotheimplny-ngof the Malignant Pmy, there is fo much faid in a particular Treatifc to demonftrate the finfulnefs of it,as alfo that there was no neceftity for ir, that j ftull not now infift npon it, only I defire that to be taken notice of, wnieh they fay of making ufe of fuch as had been formerly received to repen- tance tance for their finfull courfes, ai d admitting others to repentance from whom fatisfadion might be gotten, agreeable to the Rules of the G nerall Afiembly, that all together nvght be imployed. Wtvch words import , that as t' ey did require repen tance in all thefe who were formerly excluded, and were now to be imployed ; fo alio that care was taken to receive none but filth as fatisfied according to the Rules of the General! Af- fembly , both which are fpoken gr*iii i and withott ground- The firft, becaulc in anfwer to the Vntre , and in the Warning penned for the ftrengthening of it (which two were the foundati- ons of imploying thefe men) there is no word of repentance, or fatisfaftion as neceflary requfites in thefe who were to be imploy- ed in the defence of the Kingdom, and of the Caufe, but the ex- ceptions in the Anfwer exclude or ely txcomirunicated perfons forefaulted, notorioufly profane, or flagitious, and fuch as have been from the beginning, ai d continue ftill, or are at this time obftinate and profelkd enemies and oppofers of the Covenant and Caufe of G O D; and moft, if not all the Arguments in the War- ning run for iroploy ing all men who are Subjects without any fuch quil.fication. The laft becaufe the order prefcribed by the Gen. Aftembly was not keeped in receiving of them .• That Order (ai is evident from the Ad of the Afiembly 49. concerning the recei- ving of Engagers ) is, "That becaufe many heretofore have made "(hew and profefiion of their Repentance, who were not con- evinced of their guiltinefle , nor humbled for the fame, but did "thereafter return with the dog to thevomite, and with the "fow to the puddle, unto the mocking of GOD , and the ex- "ceeding great reproach and detriment of his Caufe : Therefore "for the better determining the truth & fincerity of the repentance •'of thofc who defire to be admitted to the Covenant and Commu- "nion, It is appointed & ordained, that none of thofe perfons who "are debarred from the Covenant and Cornunion fhal be admitted "and received thereto, but fuch as after exact tryalftiall be found "for fome competent time, before or after the offer cf their repen- "tance, according to the discretion of the refpective Judicatories, * { to have in their ordinary conventions given reall teftimony of "their d.fhke of the late unlawful Engagcment,and of the covrfes "and wayes of Malignants,and of their forrow for their acceflioa ''to the fame,and to live foberly, rightcoufly and godly; and if any Ml J "ftiail be found, who after the defeating of the Engagers, have ut- tered any malignant speeches tending ro the approbation of the "late unlawfull Engagement,or the bloudilied within the Kingdom "for promovin£ of the ends of the fad Engagement, or any other "projects or practifes within or without the Kingdom 5 prejudicia! "to Religion and the Cover ant,or tending to the reproach of the "Miniftery, or the Civil Government of the Kingdom ; or who "have unnecefifar.ly or ordinarily converfed with malignant* and e< dif- affected perfons,or who have had hand in, or acceiiion tOjOr "compliance witb,or have any wayes countenanced or promoved "any malignant dedgn, prejudicial! to Religion and the Covenanr, "that thefe, notwithftanding their profeflion of repentance be not "fuddenly received,but a competent time, according to thedifcred- Publich Fafis Were [operated from and contemned^ Factions drawn a* f»»ngs~l i he People ; tn a Word, no means were left fine (fayed to make "Public k Refolutions in order to the raifittg of the Army its- effectual, without holding forth any fofftble or probable means for the relic] of the Kinvdnm : All which (Whit ever have been the intentions of men) d* of their own nature contribute no lefrcef- fellually to the delivering up of all to the will of the Enemy With- out flroks efjvrerd, thin if it had been purpofelj intended. Defence. PRe/udice ftretcheth far to reach a blow. Albeit it is here af- ferted * hat fome men did by aii means pofiiblc oppofe the rai- fmg of the Army, accord ng to the Publick Refactions, and that they left no means uneffayed to make theie RefolutionS incffcclu- al for raifing of thcArmy, yet they muft be the men who thus oc- cafioned the nuking up of the Army as it was: How this fhould be I do not well know , uniefs it was by an A»t*pertfl.-fis , as heat fometimes occafions cold, and cold,heat ; or,as the preaching of the Gofpcl occafions war upon the earth, it is like enough that the Teftimory which was born'agairft that way did irritate mens corruptions and make them more violent and head-ftrong in the profecutionofthefame. But their meaning happily is, Thatthefc men did oppofc the union of the Forces,or would not fuffer others to rile for the defence of the Kingdom and Caufe, and fo put the Committee of Eftates upon a neccflity of employing of ihefe. To joyningof the Forces we have fpoke before, and^fhewed npon what terms they were willing to have joyned, and that there ne- ver came to tht- m any Order or Command from the State tor con- junction, and for the other, until there was ftnmbling-biocks puc in their way by the Publick Refolutions ; they were fo far from I hindrins any.againft whom there wag nnr fnft rvrpr.t ir>» .' • -hn^l vWe willing to employ themfeives to the utmoft in defence of the- Caufc and Kingdom, a tl d gave abundai t proof thoeof frdrr'trie time they ruft took up Arms unt 1 the month of 'bicemLr that the Lord was pltaled in his wie diipenfation to, break th'm at H*mute«> The Pubiick RefoJut o< s being contrary to the Word ofGotf , and to the Covet afeaW to the Agings and Proceedings of both Kirk and State in the Canfe &k& m.nyytar* jiff* ahtf in- volving fo fiiddett and gtofs a change' both or Principles and Pra- ctice, gave occafion to many gaciotis onci throughout tfccfcantf' to (tumble^ and to many Miniiters to bear Tcftimo»>y again'fl: them both by preaching, and by writing their minds to the CMtiiffim of the Kirk, and to others of their Brethren a* they had 6pportil> nity ; Upon w ? ith occafion alfo it was that many were nerJet^ta- ted to withdraw from fach Fafts as did involve ao ! a]5pf boa fieri of thefe Refolutions- ; and what was in all this but duty ? May not, yea, ought nor the fervants of GocU Min flfers and People bea? m ftimony agair ft declining and bacRfliding, and Mdy tMe£p ihW own garmcats pure, and refufe to fay a confederacy to wicked men in the Interefts and Caufc of God. Jc b a Oirewd iafinuation tnat is made of their drawing factions amonglt the People -'- a£ if they had fbrrrd the Feomc to fcditiOn, or to tiHrtufo t Thetit* mbft length which Minifters%ent> was id hold forth the? finish nefleof that courfe, hoW contrary it was to our former Principle? how it wou d help to haften on more- wrath ; or If k did feem to profper, how dangerous it would prove to the Catife and People of God by letting upOf fuch as Had been,and ftffl were advetiarieS to botW and thegreateft length which People went, wa* To pro - fefs their diil.ke thereof, and without tumult or faction to with- draw, orinafoberandmodeftway to reffrfe to concur , becaufe they had aoclearnefs nor fatisfic^n in their coniciences concern- ing thefe Resolutions - withal.they did clearly declare their judg- ments againft the Invafion, and for the defence of theCaufeand their Country, and their readinefs to concur in all lawful means, 8C i ^ ,n , § L t0 C Word ahd former Prin ciplcs for that end. If any Who had been formerly honeiV and born any part of the burden and heat of the day, were branded as back -Aiders, it was not To much by Diflenters from the Pablick Re(olutiohs, as by the multi- tude or. that generation with whom they did atfnciat, I mean the Maliguajits who did not fpare openly and every where to fay .That D thefe thefe^oneftimeftWere now come, to them ; as for others, though they cannot foymdicate them/elves as to fay thu there is none a- mongft them who doth ac any time fpeak raihjy or unadvikdly wtth his li^s , yet the Lord knows it was the grief o^t.heii. hearts tjiat hpneft men iliould have, fallen from thcj.r incegnty v and thou&hjt&ey Cjouldnotc^ufe bugbear T.ftirooi y agamft their iin, yet th^qy 4jd ic as Mi :ted in fpi rit, keeping reference, sefe^ndo auction unto the men thonfelvesj and had the ini.]U,ty been pri- vate,thry would moft wdl.ngly have covered the ftixme thereof, but k was publick s and fuch a*, did relate to the pubJck Caufe, and wherein their con lent and concurrence was delired, and chercforc theft (Y?€ce forced tp fpeak,and not to fur£r fin upon thcmfelves not upon their Brethren. There is yet one thing remains/Tharwhilft no means were left uneflayed for makii.g of Publick Refolutions ineffectual that no po ■ ble nor probable mean was hoMerjforch- fpr, t ie relief of the Kingdom i if it be meant as to the- timc ; whep thefe Refolutions were faft taken by the Commiflions Anfwer to the Parliaments Quare, there could nothing of that kind be then holden forth by fuch as are d.flatisficd. with.thefe Refolutions, be- caufe few or none of them were prefent, advertifnents not beng fo.jnuch as fent to many. pf them, and the time being fo iliort;thit others could not come upon the-advertilmenc- when- wi re lent to them. The advertifroent came to Ste r li»£ upon the Tuefday to be difpatehed unto all the Presbyteries in. the Well 8 trut their- Goromiuioners might keep zi'Ptrth upon the Thurfday immedi- ately following,, which day could not probably be but, pad 'before theadvertifmentcameatmoftof them, it being in the depth of the winter-feafon when the day was at theihorteft, and by fuch bearers as was not, fixed, or km of purpofe, but by fuch as were occationally going to thofe places for o^c^bufinefs ,■ yea, fuppof$ theutmoft diligence imaginable had beenufed, it had not been poffible to fend thefe Advertifments from Sttrlin to the CpmmiN Honers of thefe Presbyteries in the Weft, infofhorta time;, ancj thefe Commiffipneis thereupon tp b.ave kept the Diet at Perth, as any who knows the, difta^ce of thefe places, will eafily acknow ledge, it being above fourty .miles' betwixt Perth and (jlafepW, which is the near eft of the Presbyteries of. the Well:, the reft of ihem being a.good deal more remote, (ome of them three or four- fcore.rniles. ; An4 if it be meant, that after the taking of thefe Rer ' * 7 folutions K*7) folutions, no poflibl? nor probable mean was holden forth by thefe who did objeel: againft thewt.if #WJt JtQc rjojpurpofe then to do it, the Authors and Abetters or them being fo zealous for them that they would admit of no ob/edion: to the contrary, much left be content to wave t'hefoRefolunons J .and go to a. calm and peaceable enquiry, about other pollible or probable means of defence ; .and yet, as r* fore the taking of thefe; R^ioliftions, ihepoffibijity and- probability of other means had been often holden forth, fo wafchf alfo holden forth after the taking of thefe Refolutions. . To fay nothing of Treaty and Conference ( which was moved hyfome, but peremptorily and bitterly re jecled by others) the poflibility and probability of getting an Army, without employing and en* truftmg of the Malignant party, was: holden forth, and they who did aflert otherwife,did a gteat deal of wrong to the Kingdom and Kirk of Scot la? J t m& make them too much malignant. It is true* they were confiderable for number , power and policie, who were and ought to have been excluded y yet were there as many befidet as might have been means competent, in rat.onal prudence, for de- fence of the Kingdom and Caufe, efpecially in a Nation covenanted With God, which ought to be tender in all their wayes, and to ftay tljemfclvesjnot upon Horfes 4 andChariot?jbutupon the Name of theLord. After the fetting down ofaii thefe things,they are plea* fed to a(fcrt, That they, do of their own nature contribute: no lefi tff -dually to the delivering up of all to the will of the Enemk, without ftroke of fword, then if it had been purpofely intended. \ As no evil caufe can of it felf produce any good effect j fo neither can any good caufe of tt A if produce an evil erred • .good and evil being contrary in their natures, and the one not natively arifing put of the other : What was done in thefe, was duty and good in it fclf,and therfo e had no connexion in it felf with any evil thing that is charged upon it-* when I reade this charge^ I-remembered the challenge of thePnnces tfjftditb againft the Prophet feremiah 9 That he weakened the hands of the men of wat that remained in the City, and the hands of all the People; and that he fought nog the welfare of the People, but thekhurt } Jer.i 8,4: M sifj ni a TT[ ; yldms^AlIn I. D a JDecx-a- Declaration. He laft itep is fet down in this anfwer to the Protection,* but becaufc it is - inhered in with a hrge Preface that is not menti- oned in this A f\Vcr,rherrfore I (hall fpeak fomewhat alfo to that, the words a c thete ; J'Notwtthfiandiig of all which in otencies, The (fommifsten of the Ia(1 Cj clemencie towards their chief oppofers , not onelj f$r- kranvg to cent are thtm y though it wot Within the b»unds of their C mmision (o erity to censure, they Appointed to cite them to the Cjenerail ^€^embiy y that after calm debating of the matter^ and liberty given th^m to propound the grounds of their dif- J at is/aft ion to the full y they might either receiw jatisf allien erothefwAj/es (uch ccur.es for healing wight be taken , as the Cfe~ tterall Ajfembl} in their tender nefs t»w-Aras pietie t and thefe who arepiottif and m zteal to the d>ftre(f.*d (fauft and King lorn, (hould th'nf^fit j iut they unwilltno to have tbeir opinions broueht to the touch-ftone of i he Word f God t andfolid re a on in a free Gen, A§embly y did content the m/elvt t* hAVe prottfied agamfl the jilt of the Cjer. A jfembh^tp) roving the proceedings of thcCommifsioH oftheKirkjflobe after debAttng an both ban4< y (uch an All /hould have been made : but beftre the main point of aifftrence was ft much At once debated, far lefs Any conclufion ps(} upon it , feme of them did prate ft agai* ft the determination of the Affembly in that particular , Ai if they had flood in no need of further information fr om t** debates of learned and gracious men which Were to be had upon it in the faceof the General AjSfmbly and others of them by an Uhparadelltd pralJice (except that of the perfiaiom prelates at the Cjenerail tsfftembly at Glafgow, who minde the overthrow * fall Afsembttes for ever ) did ab, olutelj decline the suthoritie •fthe Cjenerail Aj semblyfroteftwg agatnji it as null^c. Defence. IT is in the firft place denied, That the Commifsion of the Gene- rail Aflcmbly had any power at all to cenfure any of thefe who did oppofe thefe publick RefoKitions,becaufe their power as it was ®nly in things coramittcd unto them by the Affcrobly,fo were they to to walk i« the adminiftration thereof, and to exercife the fame ac- cording to the Ads and Conft tutioas of this K rk j but there was then no Act nor Conftitution of this Kirk appointing the oppofers of lueh Refolut.ons to be cenfurcd, that Vindication lo much cryed up in this Review,doth acknowledge, that thde Resolutions were indetertninati juris, or th ngs not then, determined in Law by any A^ or Conftitution of this Kirk, and therefore fee ms to yecld^rhat the Commiflion bad no power to cenlure the o^pofers of thtm; yea, there a- c many Afls and Conft'tutionsof this Kirk, as hath been often iliewed, expreffdy condemning thefe Re'olutionsj and ordaining arid appointing M mfters under the pain of cenfnres , not to be fijeot, bur to bear ti ftimony aganft thefame, as whl appear to any who fhall be at the pains to read the Acts , Warning* and Declarations of Aflemblyes, efnecially fince the late Reformation. What their elemencie was in thc.exercife of that piefumed power, is holden forth in the ^nfwet to the Vindication of the Aflembly at St* AHttrewts and Dmndee tj in which is (hewed from their own Records,that they did not only emit and fend abroad Warnings to be read amongft the People , wherein they did apply moft of the Characters of the old Mal;gnanrs to fueh as were unfatisfied withi and did bear teftimony againft thefe Rcfolutions ; but alfo did de- clare them to deferve cenfure by the Civill Magiftrate , and ftirred up the Magiftrare to inflicT; that deferved cenfurc, and made Acts and fent to ail the Presbyteries , requiring and appointing them to cenlure the oppofers or thefe Refolutions within their bounds; and as to the citing them to the Generall Aflembly, left their own Presbyteries ftioald have proceeded agamft them. I confefle it would almoit ftir a patient fpirit to hear fuch things averted. If they did not intend that Presbyteries ftiould cenfure them , why did they long before that time make an Acl, and fend it to Presby- teries,requiring and appointing them to cenfure them without any limitation of the cenfure,as to the point of fe^eritie* 2 Was there fo much as a title of that reafon in their Acl, for fummoning of them to the Aflembly, or for forbearing to proceed in the Proceffes of any whom they were begun to procelfe. 3 It is more notour- ly known,then can be gotten warrantably demed ? That that citati- on was not in order to that end , but that they might be fecluded from being Commiflioners to the Affembly, or fitting therein as Judges of the Pubhck Refolutions. 4. .There were but few Pief- bytcrisc ; (3«; byterics who had then come that length, as to proceed to any cca- fuie agair.ft fuch ; and many p.esbytenes were of the judgment/ that fuch as wei'C for the Publick Reiolutiop.s, defer v'cd to be cen- furcd,and not the oppofcrs of thefe Refolutioris,yet that O der for citation was fent to all the P.esbyteries in the Land. 5, The cure feemes as evill if not worle then thedifeafe,to cite them before the Aflernbly , was to put them on the Stage before the Supreme and moll: Publick Judicatory in the Land , as guilty and worthy to be cenfured in the moft Publ ck way,if they could expect nothing but feverit.e of their Presbyteries, in many of which they had many of the fame mind with themfeivcs,f yea,in many the plurality was of their judgment ) what could they expect in the Aflernbly , from which almoft all fuch were excluded by the Letter and Ad of the Commiliion prelimiting Elections. The Atfemblies proceedings did make it manifeft what courtefie they found there,fome of than being actually cenfured with Sufpenfion , and others with Depofi- tionjend a foundation laid,& Acts made for centering all of them. 6. It was ftrange that they ihould be cited to the Aflem; ly to re- ceive fatisfaction, when the AiTerably had not yet concluded, that whit they did hold, was wrong , and contra-y to truth and found doctrine ; fure the Commiliion having no former Act of any for- mer AHembJy approving of thele Refolutious, as is acknowledged by the Author of that Vindication j they did fllli too far before the net,to cite men to the Alterably, to receive fatisfaction there- anent. This favours too much of pains taken and endeavours uled, to prelimit the Auembly,and modell it after their own mind- That fome did proteft againft the approving of the Proceedings of the Commiliion of the Kirk,before the AlTembly did make any Act ra- tifying the fame , was not from any unwillingncfle to have their proceedings tryed by the touch-tone of the Word, or to receive light from anygracious & godly in that Meeting jbut upon perfwa- fion that theieRcfoIutions were contrary to theWord,and that the far greater part of the Members of that Meetmg,had upon the mat- ter gone very far to declare thernfclves as to the approving of thefe things before the tryall of them,becaufe it being objected agaii ft thefe Members of the Aflernbly , who were Members of the Com- tniilion, that they had carry ed on a courfe of defection; and :t be- ing offered to verific the fame, and thereupon defired, that thefe Commiliioners might not be admitted to fit as Members in the Af- ferably, V3V fembly,trll that matter were tryed ,• it was refufcd, and notwith- ftanding of the exceptios timeoully propounded and orTrredtobe inftructed, they • were before the takng tryail thereofj ailowed to fir which was in eflf:& to reject the exceptor), either as irrelevant in Law,or as falfe in fad,and fo to appi ove them before try ail; yea, they -were admitted to (it as Judges in their own caufe • for the Protestation being particularly founded on the finfulnefs and un- Warrantableriefs of their proceedirgs, yet they were allowed to fit a$ J udges, and toeondetrme the Pi oteftation as deftru&ive to the Governmcntand Liberties of this K-rk , and ccnfurable with the higher! cenfure thereof. Uponrhe. 23 of "julj 1651. notwith- flanding their proceedings were not approven till the day after 3 which was the 24. - That others of them did abfolutely decline the authority of that A(Tembly,and proteft againft it as null, was a practice that hath ma- ny commendable and praife -worthy parallels in this Church ; and therefore they do fpeak more from their owmfpint, then from the fpirit of truth,who cry Out,that it hath no paralcl, but that of the perfidious Prelats. The Dcclinatours of the Prelats againft the Affembly ztGIafgow 1.638. as any who pleafeth to read the fame will find,thatitdothft.rikeat the root ofFresbytersiill Gpvern^ mentand General! Aifembiies , in regard of the ellentials of their conftitutioji^ but the Probation doth acknowledge and plead for the Government, and for the due liberty and freedom, and right eonftitutionof AlTemblies , according to the rule of the Word of God, and A&s of this Kirk, and dr.th only bear tell: mony agairft, and decline that Aflembly, becaufeof unwarrantable preliaiiting of the Elections, admitting of per fons. under feand.all before trying of them , admitting of the fame men to be both Judges a; id Parries want of free accefle and receiTe 9 abftrnce of many. CommitTioners v want of freedom in voicing* denying to hear what was offered for, holding forth of light, whereby it appears that there "is little confer- ence and ingenyitie.and leffe charity in making of that parallel: But the Hiftory and Acls of our Church do furnifh us many juft and true parallelsof this practice in the carriage- of the faithfull wtnef- fes of our Lord,in our own and our fathers dayes , who have ftood to pJead ^for the Doctrine, Government, Wor/hip and Disci- pline of this Kirk: I {hall onely name a few: The firft is in the year 15971 at which time the Commiffioaers of the Generall -AlTembly having hiving contrary to the trufi: committed to them in thefe intervals betwixt Afltmi'lies, petitioned and obtained from the K^ng and E- ftaeei of - the K ngdom , that Mimfters fhould fit in Parliament as the thi r d Uhte (which was the foundation of our Prclat ic) their proceedings in that Petition, and the things relating thereto et ing approven in the AHembly by the prevailing influence of the Kng, and thefe Commifiionersjnocwithft-indirf of ihereafons propoun- ded againft the iame by fundi y of the MiniftcricM./tf^ Davtdfott a molt worthy and pious iMimfter of this Church , indued with the fpirit of Prophecie in many things,and as anti-prelat call , and tru- ly tender of Presbyttriall Government,and of (he authorise of Af- fembiies,as any this Church hath brought forth, didiolemnly p>o- teft againft that Artembly, as not free and lawfull ; to which PrO- teftat on Kr.' David CaiA-rwood a ftrcnuous maintainor of the Go- vernment of this Church,and a conftant adverfary to Prelats,& an unfufpccT: witnes in this prefent controverfie,dedareth in hisSto r y, his own adherence & the adherence of many of the moft fincere Pa- ftors and Profeflors or this Kirk,as feeing the beginnir.g,and fearing the grouth of that defection. Likeas he did often from thit cxperi* cnce,expreflc his fears , and thereupon his opinion againft putting too much power in the hands of a CommilTion,and prognoft catcd a defection to enfue thcrcupon,whenioever the Kipg and the Coart fhould have influence upon the leading men thereof , concerning which he hath not been miftaken. 2. Did not many worthie Pa- llors and Profeflors of this Church, proteft againft the corrupt Af- femblies, annulled by the AiTembly at CUfgew , fundry of which Proteftations are to be feen in the Book,c ailed, The courfe of Con- formity. Let our PredecefloursSupplications,Reafons, Admoniti- ons , Proteftations prefented to the Parliament 1617 and 1 621, be confidered, wherein they afiert the Aflcrobljcs then controverted,to be unlawfully conftituted , and to be but pretended Aflcmbli.s, though no authority had declared the fame. See alfo the Obfer- vations Printed 163 5,with the grievances given in by the Minifters to the Parliament 1633, Ic ' s ncrc wc ^ k'd) tnat ^ e ^ a t et J •{ Re- ligion d-pendeth not topon Aflemblies ofWhatfomever kind, but up' on the liberty of free and right conftitute Ajfemblie$ t as in the Commonweal , he were not to be thought a faithful patriot who would not ft and as much for the liberty of a Parliament^* hu ovrn f$efsions t becaufe the fafetie of all other libertiosftandeth in the prefer- . (33) prcfervation of that main Liberty. 3. did not thefe whofe fpirits the Lord ftiricd op to appear againft the Prelates, andtofeton foot the Woi k of Reformation in the year 1 657. cxprefly declare their adherence to all rhtfc Ptotcfiations made by their Fathers and Predecefsors, declaring the nullity of thefe corrupt Aflemblies, and thereby cftabiiftiing the Declinatours againft the fame before the Afiembly at $1*1 go** which practice was as ftrangely looked upon, and as much fpoken again ft then, as the practice of the Prc- ti iters in the year 165 1. 4. Oar National I Covenant doth both mention and allow thefeProteftations againft that whole courfe of Defection, whence it appears that that practice at Dundee hath nuny,both very worthy Precedents and Parallels; and that to pro- teftagamft corrupt AHemblies ( iuch as that was ) hath been fo far from being looked upon by difcerning faithfoll and godly men in this Kirk, as the throwing d-Wn oftheheegt ef'Di/ctpltnf, and makjngwaj for every be aft of the forreft tpbrgnkjn, as this Reviewer alleadgeth, that they have ukd it as one of the beft means tor preveiiting and remedying of thefe evils , and fo it is m- deed,6ecaufe as it is well obferved , and truly Afferted in the great Act of the Affcrnbly, concerning the bygone evils of this Church, and the Remedies thereof » that the keeeping or authori- zing of corrupt Generall Artemblies hath been one of the main caules of our evils 5 by thefe it was that the Prelates , and all the train of fuperftitious Ceremonies did enter, and ha- ving had (uch worthy precedents , in oppofing of fi ch and fuch doolfal and dear bought experiences of the wrong they have done to this poor C hurcb, there is the greater reafon to take heed to ftacd faft in the liberty wherewitbCH rist hath made us freej and not to be again entangled with the yoke or bondage of corrupt Afifemblies. It is added,*/;** the grounds of that Troteftation atSt. Andrews 4re friveUut and falfe, and (uch as wakes the Authority of all ihe Jffemblies of this Kirl^Jince the br gun Reformation to bs cal- led inte ejtteftion upon the lame or the like fretences-, and for ma- king out this , the Author of this Refutation remits his Readers to a piece s Intituled, A Vindication of the late Generall Ajjembly which he doth here commend as tpfdeffo /slide, and judicious, and afterwards, as a fitct not yet an/Wered , nor eafilj anfftcrable* It E wcrt were a great deal more convincing and commendable to demon* ftratethe grounds of chit Protection to be fil'e and frivolow then to call them fo , and do no more : That V ndication hath indeed in it more modefty and folidity and judgement and nerves then this Refutation and Review; as we acknowledge a d flference betwixt the men from whom thefe proceeded, fo alfo betWixt their writings, yet if even indifferent men be not miftaken, it wantf much of chat modefty that had been fui table, and that folidity and judgment and nerves are in it: As to the Vindicating of the free- domcand authority of that Affembly, and Shewing the frivolouf- acifeandfalfhoodofthe grounds of the Proteftation againft the famemay appear by reading and pondering of the Reviexv of that Vindication, in which the ftrcngth and truth of the grounds of the Proteftation are convincingly eftablifhed and cleared , and the ma- ny great miftakes of the Author of that Vindication, both in mat- ters of judgement and matters o? fact are difcovered, and the Pro- tefters eafed of the burden of many heavy things laid upon them. I might hy more for that Review , but it needeth not my commendation : I iuppofe it fhal not want that from Adverfaries. A* to that which this Refutcr faith of the divels design &f divifion; I (hill eafi'y grant that divifion amongft Brethren is an evill tning, in which the divcll hath indeed a defign, and an a&ive hand» but that fubtde fcrpent fometimes gains by Union as wel as by divifion, and therefore is Satan as loath to be divided againft Satan as he is defireous to divide the Children of God amongft themfclves, and when he gets a multitude going in a wrong way , he can as much pkad for Union and Peace, and againft divifion as any. As it hath been the grief of the Protefters fouls to fee their Brethren divide from their former good and found Prisciples , fo did they, and do hold themfelvs bound to adhere and cleave thereto,though never fo- many fhould forfake them cherein.and cry out upon them becaufe they wil not follow \ multitude to do evil.There is in the fame place a defpightfull exagcration of the giving in, and publishing of the Protection againft the laft ArTembly at Edinburgh , as an Att of SttAH.s in which he did Add violence to deffight , &6 . It is not good to meet reproach with reproach; I lhall onely fay that what the Protefters did therein, they did it with fad hearts, and not till a ncceflity of duty did conftrain them thereunto, becaufe of a mod wilful! ^vilfull and peremptory refufall of any Conference in oMerco Uni« on and peace, before the afliiming of the power of an A(Tcmb!y ? rotwithftanding that the fame was moft earneftiy deified, and much preifed , not onely by the Pi otcfters themfelves, but alfo by fome of the moft judicious godly and eminent men of that Meetings and after that it was clear iy holden forth to have been agreeable to the pracWe of former Aftemblies, and that it could have brought no apparent prejudice to the caufe of thefe who were moft zealous for the fitting of the AtTembly, unleite it was to have put them to the charges of ftaying fome tew dayes longer in the Town. It is well he acknowledges chat it "&** dene by men^ho were eminent in our Afttmbltes, It feems when a teftimony to titeir eminency in Aflemblies can contribute for the aggravation of the fuppoied offence, his«hcart can give it unto them; but when the denying can make for weakening their caufe he can ftudioufly deprefle them, and ftudy fo fir to undervalue them, as that men fhould accompt them nothing, as he doth in the 1 2. page of his Pamphlet, it is indeed true, that not a few of thefe who had hand in that Protefta- tion have been in our Affemblies , and npon the accompt oi this mercy among others, they &td hold themfelves the more bound to plead for the freedome of Aflemblies, and to bear teftimony ag.iinft the corrupt ones at St, Andrews m& Edinburgh. That it was done in the City of star felenmities, and in the face of the isf§em- Blji was becaufe, where the carcafe is, thither will the Eagles refort j the crefpaffe was there , and fo behoved the tefti- mony be there a!fo. That it was put to the Prefle albeit I fee not the fault info doing, they againft whom it was given in, having now constituted themfelves, and being fitting openly and avow- ed y in an Aflfernbly s yet I am confident there was no rcfolution ta- ken, nor order given by the Meeting of the Protcfters for fo doing; But private Copies were taken , and who was obliged to hnder fuch as pleafed to caufe print it; when fome of the number heard that t was in Printing, they defired and endeavoured that it might be (topped, til! they fhould fee the 1 flue of the conference, that then was betwixt fome few of both fides; the Copes were not published till the next day after,that conference was broken off.and Sutinefs as to that time rendered in all appearance hopelefs as to f n agreements becaofe thcAflembly had now paned an Adl for ra- E * tifying tifying the proceedings of the Commiflioners appointed by the Af- fcmhly at Dundee^ which did include the Publick Refolutions, and h id alio fignified what length they meaned to go in order to the diff rentes betwjxc us a,~d them, which was onely to take cenfures oft theie Brcrhrcn who had been cenfured by the Atlembly at /)*«- dte becaule of i heir Prtelting, and to declare that others involved therein, and in the Proteftation againft the Aiiembly at £*iji* burgh Should not be cenfured , providing that they would judicial- ly under their hands palle from thefc Proteftations, and engage themfelvcr to for bear medling in the grounds of thefe diff.rencrs, by Preaching, Writing, or otherwise , which did import a Hand- ing of all theie Afts xt Dundee concerning the Publick Refolutions, and the oppofers of the fame, and a pafsing from, and revoking of all the Teftimonies given againft the Litids backfliding, and an en gagement to forbear for ever hereafter; to fay that Kirk or State had finned in thefe Refoiutions,and thete were the bowels ofChri- fiiAn Condcfcendence, of which this Member of that Aflembly at Edinburgh fpcaks, the fum whe eof is a pardon upou Repentancei or rather an hire uponCompl ance,a fbrrbcaring to affl ; d and pcr- fecute any wore, providing that we will abandone the Truth, and call good evil!, and cvill good; but we dare not be acceflbry to the receiving fuch wages of unrghteoufnefll-, let us rather fuffer then fin, and lye under, or be put under cenfures with a good Confer- ence , then be freed from them with an evill conference. 1 have now anfwered what is faid,againft the Protefters, in that Declaration of the pretended AffemMy at 'Dw-dee, which this Re- viewer and Rcfoter me tioneth with fo great commendation and applaufe ; And feeing thefe who have d timed from chi ir former Principles, have made it their work to endeavour to difcovcr ft ps of def dion in thofe who have wnittffcd and protefted againft the Defection that hath been in this Land ; which was the ufial way of the Prelats againft Noa-conformifts in former times. I i"hi!l,for making a clear dilcovery, go nearer to the fpring-head and tif: of our dflerences, then this Reviewer and his friends of the preten • ded Affembly have done, who would fhroud thcmfelves in fome particular wildings and turnings of arTiirs, by which they would amufe fimple underftandings , but they keep a great diftance from the fountain and begining of our divifioru, and are loth to rememr bcr (37) bcr where we were once, and wherefore we parted : Therefore I fha.ll fhortly fet forth fome few fteps of the late Defection andde- clinings from our former principles, and let indifferent menjudge who have been the Authors , and are to this day the Abetters thereof. Since_the time that the Lord brgan a work of lUformar tion, in the year 16J7. there hath been a conftant harmony a* mongft the Lordb People, and in all Proceedings, Declar3tiom,and Publick Actings of State and Kirk, gr^ at unanimity againft the Ma 1 - lignant party and their Interefts : And though in theyear 1648, the StacedccUned, .yecchv Kirk,ahd body of zealous Profeifersiia the Land, remained ftedfalfc in their principles.; and after the defeat of the Forces that w.nt into Evzland, the whole Land did for their further confirmation in the Lords wayes, enter into a folernn Acknowledgment of fins, and Engagement to duties, at the renew- ing of the Covenant, which was about the end of that year; In theyear 1640. there wasgreat concord betwixt Kirk and State, both adhering to their Prinop!es,aod the Lord wonderfully blefifed their Councels and Forces ; as; alfo in the begining of the year 1650. Andwhatevrr fecret under-hand dealings there werefor the promoting the Malignant Inte/eft and Conjuri&ion with jthat party, yet it was little known to the far greater part in Judicato- ries of Stats and Kirk, who (I am confident) went on in the fim- plicity of their hearts in their proceedings,ftudioufly defirous to a* void the fplitting on the rock of Malignancy * afwel as the rock on the other hand. The firit vsfible ftejs of declining that was taken notice of 6y the generality or zealous Profefiors in the Land , wastfm tranf- aftwn made at Bred*h with the King , by the Commiilioners of State and Kirk,t ; xpre(fely contrary to their Irtftruelionsi and not- wkhftand.ng both State and Ktrk did unanimonfly Hgnifie their great dif-fatisfafHon therewith, and declared againft the faid 8- greement in many particulars , efpecially in reference to Malig- nant Interefts and dengnes,and conjunction with that Party j = all which was made known to the (aid Corns® idioners by Letters and Declaration from State andK'.rk,which were delivered na- to them' before the Kings corning from HalUnd , yet without fo much as acquainting the King therewith, they brought him on Oiipboard a and aiongs with him, the chief or the Scotufh and Ei- glslh f38) g hfh Mali*nlnts', known enemies, tofhc Caufe and Work of Re- formation. ( Ioio not charge alltheCoKimiflion f rs as equally fharer* in the guilt of that hi transaction, for which the Land luff rcth and lamenteth to this day, I know that inch of them as had lea't hand therein, have been moft ready to acknowledge their offence 5 and that theie v» ho were moft guilty, doltanl for their own juftification , which aggravates their fin both before God and men) as to that which was done afterward,fad cxperi- encr hath taught us, that it was but a pitifuil after-game they made in their fecond Treaty, while the King was at Sea, immedi- arly before his landing in ScnUnd^ and it w ts fo far from being a remedie, as it hath proved an in-let to further tranfgreflion and mifery. ~ Thefccondftepof defeclion was,. That thefe Commiffioners .Whcn/t hey were come home, being defirous to maintain their own credit, dealt not faithfully in giving a true'accompt of their proceedings to the Parliament and Generall Arlembly, but con- ccalcdmany things of consequence, and imoothed and varn fh^d their report of Proceedings with fair generally, whereby both the fca'clia'mentatid Generall Afl'embly were deceived, and induced to allow and mifie their Proceedings. The third ftep was,That when after D«w^4r,the King had gi- venCommiflion to the Malignant Parry to rife in Arms, and upon their rifing had de(erted the Councels of State and Kjfk,ai.'d gone away to joyn with that Party, the State did fend for the King, aod forthwith adsnit him to have the chief hand and Government in all their Councels and managing of Affiirs , f om which upoo Weighty confiderarions he had been ftill debarred former y by the "SratCjUpon advice with the Kirk,and not many dayes after his re- 't'um,niatter$ were fo conveyed, @s an agreement was made with thefe wicked and bloudy rebeiis; and not oncly their prcicnt re- beliroh and btad into which they had entered among themiclvcs, but all thcr former tranlgreflions were pafled over by the State, and in that t; anfaelion aho , there was a foundation laid for im- ploymentof them in places of truft. it ts true, that the Comu i{- lionof thcChurch gave forne teftimony againft thei'e proceedings, the confcicncfsofdiverfeof that Meeting being then oftended with (o groffe, declining, but afterward through the great oppo- 1 of unqueftioned integrity, who were unlamfud inccnlcience w h fuch Malignant proceedings , were appointed to be eked to the Affcmbly. Neither waa all rfvs enough. , but in the feventh place thae muft be yet a nearer and full conjunction with the Malignant P r* ty, they were already advanced .-to chief places of trull m the Army; but the Acts or Cl«Cs made sgainft James Grahame lare Earl of Monfroft his bloody. Complices and A(iociats,mtift be re- pealed and broken,*ndthc Malgnant Party advanced to the chut places of truit in the Land,Civili as well a^M iitaty ; and intrfct, to have the whole iway in Court, Parliament and Army. In this both Kirk and State did concorre. It is true, that the Commiflion of the Ktrk.did in that traniaction, require a Band of Lawbormws to be taken »f the Ma! ignants before their admifllcn to fitinPar- liament,obligingthem ro: to e ndeavour the repealing fcnrurActs made for Religion , and that they fhould not revenge thymic Ives upon any foroppofing or cenfuri-g thena for their Maligna if courfes; but all the former Bands given by them for keeping the peace, were difchargcd,and all the penaltiet or them ; and now all the certification a»d pain required in cafe they fhould fail , was, that they fhould be declared Malignants, and loictfuir places ; i pretty fancie indeed to declare them Mahgnants. And who fhould declare it ? The Act of Parliament iaith, It mufi be fin*- found by the Parliamcm,Committees i f Eftate$, or Kings Privy G uncel], that they have contraveened this Band , and the far greatelt part of them were known Malignant* in all their wayes. No fconer was the Malignant Party admitted to*Parliament,bnt forthwith ail W-ho would not concur for promoting the Pobl ck Rcfolutions, were declared Enemies, the ir perfons ordained to be imprifontd, ind their «ftasesconfilcated } and in this they anfwt red the expe- ctation Ration of the Commiflion of the Kirk s publiflicd in thffr Warning JM*rcbi6$i* wherein they foretold, thai no den fo eivilfhh (h- w ,e t -would he ihjilEttA ty ih- C*vtl jM^giftrdte. 1 he eight ftep was,Ttut the G>mm:flion of the Kirk,a fubotdi- nate Judicatory, linked in their proceedings to the Acls of former Gencrall Aifen)bhcs,did take upon them to prehmit the elections of the enfuing Genera UAticmbly , by laying a foandat'on for debar- ring all futh as had oppofed their Refolutions (which the Author of the Vindication ib mvch cryed up in this Pamphlet grants to be centr*ve>ft]U>is , and th^t they have not for their warrant the prefident and practice of any former Ailembly )ard for conftituting the Aifembly of men Lfut were of their judgment, snd hai pracli- fed thefc Novations by them introduced, which ,s a preparative of fo dangerous conlequence, that being adm tted, we cannot expert hereafter right conftituced A J emblies , nor look that the purity and power of Religion (hill be long continued among us ; but the fubordmat Judicatory being permited in the Interval betwixt AflemblieSjto muke rules for conftituting the enduing General! At- fembly,we may ere long be led baik to f" rdacy and Popery. The ninth ftep is s That election of Commiflioners being made generally in Presbyteries according to thefe pre!imitarJons,and they being met at St. Andrews y did refofe the p a;eable Overture made to them by thefe brethren who were unfatisfied w th the Publick Reiolutions,did admit perfons under fcandall,to fit as Judges, after exception made publkkly againft them ; yea, d>d admit them to be both Judges and Party ,and did according to the dtfigned prelimita- tion, exclude faithful! and godly men, for their opposition to the Publick Refolutions; all which and much more is fully cleared in the Review of the Vindication of that Ailembly. The tenth ftep is, That the faid pretended Affembly thus cor- ruptly conftituted, did ratifie and approve ail the Publick Refoluti- ons, ceniure godly and faichfosllMinifters for their witneflfing a- gainft thefe corruption?, and er -■*& againft the generality of zealous ProfefTors within the Land, that all who did oppofe, or after con- ference did not acquiefce in their determinations, fhould be procee- ded againft with the cenfures of the Kirk, and the CommiiTion of that Aflemb!y met at Ftrfsr 22 Augtfft^A in their printed War- ning,denounte the h/Mvy enrfe ej G*d againft all that did not con- ''.."*■ F cur (40 cur in their Publick Refolutions, and appoint the fame to be read in all Congregations on the Lods day , which if well confidered, I fuppofe may be a parallel to the tyranny and ufurpat on of the Pre- law, and in fome refpe^s above the fame ; for they did not injoyn the practice of the five Articles or PmA,under pun ot cenfures and curies for di*erfe years after they were concluded in that preten- ded A'embly. I I full now proceed in anfwering this, Reviewer, who hath col- lected the f urn me of the Obfervanons made in th ir A'knuly up- on their reading or the Proteitation , aad hath borrowed fbrh'c things fro m the Author of the Vind cation. Befide thefe, I finde nothing m him but frothy words and reproaches. He faith, he Will ttt'jfe the Reprcfentatian , and alfo Wave the Yropofitions y becaufe jatpsftiftorilj an freer edit j the Afsembly : wherein he is greatly miftaken,fo d verfe of them are not anfwered at all, and others of them only w th equivocations,for which let this one inilance ferve foi the prefei it, to wit, becaufe we conceive their late proceedings relating ro the Pub' ick Refolutions, have obflruded and fhaken the Work of Reformation, we delired that they would give atfurance that they approve of the Acts of uncontravertedAilemblie5,concer- ning receiving or Pertents.In their anfwer they leave outthe word ■ti7tc9»rrj> ened^nd fo include their late AdembIiesAcls,wh ch are thethmgs we com p ain of. As for the Rcprefentatmn , hefhould have confidcred what h.mfcif faith in that fame page, that in fomc cafes a Protection is lawfull ; how can he then jud^c this Prote- ft it on unlawful! , which is grounded upon the refufall of the juft deiires made in that Repr< fentitioo without considering the fame, but he may n<-tft*y* therefore he makes longfteps that he miy come foon at the Proteftation,his words are thefe, I fbalGodwilhng grapple n>i>h them in thiir ar(ena(l of the Proteftati$n it [elf \ jet Jbrrtly glanceirtg onelj at fome principal things^ jQuiddigntim tax to tnlit hie pr»mi[sor hiatu. I (hall not troubV my felf with his vain boatings ; but proceed to try what ftrength is in h 4 s Arguments* « Pro- Protestation Reviewed. •»- y\ T Here 1 begin with the Tittle, A PrMeftMton which V/ %/ was g*ven in againft the Sufrve no ft mtdj left thrm tn Lw but to protcfi , yet except the ca e be clear and (ptrt % t*u i cur/* is one of the higheft contempts of Ecctefiftuk^Authortty ; Tjoe. ufi refuge for removing offcast* tin's, betng Mat* 1 8. 17. TJ1 the Church » after which nothing rtmainethJ>Ht 1 he ne giccl to hear rheChurch let him be as » Hcaihen or a Publican; / truft whatfotver glofses ethers pus 9n the Words, there is no difference betwixt our Brethren and US about the Sxfejition of thm ; ana htnee appeareth the canity ef that Aft anapr^clce of our Afsemblies , irfiitling the highifi Cenfures onfuch^xdreaton, fince they in the higheji me$fure ne*> gleU to near the £ hurch j neither is there now any ulterior , or fuperior Judicatory to go tt:But what ij ft.e er mt,and whether Jhe da or not ^herein have tkeje menJhcWen their refpetl to their Aie* ther , Who What in them lyeth ( but blefsed be the LORD it ly- eth not ) Would discover her nalrednefs^ when others then Bre- thren are to beheld it } Let them t alee heed if this be not amain fiep to fepara.tion ( v-htch in words th, then he fpeaketh a^ainlt Experience , and the known pracV.cc of the faithfullfrrvantsofGoD in this Kirk ; I have giwrn (< veral Pre- sents of this before , and the Aftschhe Aflcmbly 1^38. and 1630. againft the fix corrupt Aden biles, do ckarly demen- ftratethc lame. Is it not as lawfuil , and rr.orc neceflary. to Prottft againft a wrong Aifhoritte or ■furpation as againft wrong acKofatrue Authority ? Ft r the fif ft is far more dan- gerous to the K rk every way then the lecond; He makes it one of the hijhtft contempts of Ecckfiaftick Authority, topro- fceft whan the cafe is not clear and fure, bat h< forgets to confi- dcr how great a tranfgreflbn it is before the L O R P, and how injurious us; injurious to hisWork and peop!e,to ufurp the SupremeAuthority of the Kirk over all the- Judicatories thereof, to decrct unrighte- ous dccreesj»nd tyrannize over confeeaces: hub fad conicquences cf fuch a courfe cannot be foon reckoned. As to r hat he a»g ieth {tova Mat. i^.ij. Tell the Church. I ani'wer.Thai the (amc <-om- mandementsof God th^t'rpyn acknowledging ©F; andobedi- encetofree and lawtull General! Aflembltesin th% Lord, do per negationem ctntrarit, accordii g to the genera) 1 rule « t inter- pretation of Commands let down in our large Catech ! frBc,r.qn>re the not acknowledging, or keeping unrrce and unlawful! Gme- rall Aficmbiiesj for where a duty is commanded, the con ra.y fin is .forbidden » and fo the command to hear the true Chmch rcqu:- reth our rot heanog a ralfe or non-Church, within which an un- frec, unawfull, and corrupt AfTembly doth fall ; and therefore it is neither to be told nor heard, but to be declared, Pioteftcd a* gainft, and difcovered in tke nullities and corruptions thereof, as the Aflemblies 16*48 and 1639 have well judged. He aileadgeth an JAct and practice of our Aflemblies , but he neither mentions the Adt nor AtTcmbly wher* fuch a thing is to be found. There was never any Act m*da in this Church 'againft declining of AC- fewblies as unfree or unlawfull or corrupt, the Ac^ which he hintethat upon miiinformatioB (but as it f«remeth hath never read ) doth fpeak nothing of declining an Aflembly , becaufe of its conftitution go@d or bad, but againft appealing from rhe Kirk Judicatory in an Eccleti&ftick cauie totheCivill Mabftratc , as is well known to all that have perufed the Ads of Aiembliej. It is refped to true- Authority to decline ulurpation, and it is a contcaapt, yea, in effect a Declinator ©f tru^EccUfialtick Au- thority to acknowledge unlawfull intruders upon the lame. It is nottotheprefenrcafe , totellusthat Divines fay reverence is due to the Church when £h« erreth; the queftionig, whether the two late Aflemblies 6e a lawful! Reprefentative , yea, or 00, and not about an Aflembly lawfully conflitute s and erring in their Proceedings: The learned Rsview of the Counsel o£Trent t and the gravamina contra Concilium tridentinum made ufe of by the Geneall AiTembly at Glafgow agginft the B (hops declinatur, doful'y foew the judgement of Proteftant Divines, for delining and Protifting againft an Aflembiy not hwfully and rightly con- ) ftituted ftitutrd. But what if fheerre not , faith he: Tanfwer, that it fumcicnrly cleared in irverall Tivatiles , which have bin lo rlVd in Wntmg, and haveto ne to the hands ri n a y cftheconnaiy jidgmei t, but have never yet befcn an'Wctvtj ty any <\ then); tin re is (n lmlc doubt amom ft 'he meft m t . t z< a- lous PrtirfTurs a icnt the finfuliu tfc oh he Puoluk R. io urions, a$ I need not here to d»f pure it . But ( tai h he ) whether She em or ner t Wberetn have thefe men fhewen their refpecl *n& reverence to their Mother. I Rvply, that reverence to th i; true M Jthcr rnake'h them difclaiin itch Step-Mot furs j a"r,d Id fi.ctoh ar it proved by cood rcalon f whit more right pretended ATetubl el feavetoca'lthemlclvts the Mo r her of all the People if God in this Chuuh , tlun the Prelates had to ell tnem'elves our, Spiritual Fathers : For th^t which l.c la th , the Pro* teflers would dijeaver her n*k,ydnefs, , when others then Bre- thren are to hhold it ; 1 (hall give the fame anfwer to it whth was given to the like callumny , by our Proreftm^ ror^-ra- thers, ii their Supplication to the Parliament 162 . re * ric-.j in thecour eof conf rmi'y j their w< rds arc the ie : There* ens •whereby we are upheld in our ctnrfe And Proteflanonf and jufi defence agairfi the epptfitions intended, are all maae patent to the eyes of the fVorld y no wajes to lay open the nakednejs of our Mo- ther to the Jcandal of the tnttn) , or \nfttj to tff"nd any oihtrwife mended, but that the muhiiude of our Professors be net tainted ruitb the veneme rf malicioufneffe > contrary to the [metre Mi't^ which they have received, &c. la the next place he i>ids us mite heed if this be not a main fiep to feparatten , that we refuje to hear them as the lawfull Reprefentative Church: But we muft take heed in the firft place to another thinq, viz. Not to leparate from known and received Principle?. The Declaration of the AHfefnbly 1647 ^ith# that next to the changing ot Princ pes, the changing of parties , the aili ting or thefe whom we fhould fuppt eric, and petf cuting thefe whom wc fhould an^ft; the joyn- ing with thefe agamft whom the Covtnaut was made.and a^ainll thefe fur whom it was made, is hV gr^at breach of Coveuant,ani reparation trom the Covenanted union which is held forth in the words ot the Coven air, obliging us not to ^e divided and w th* drawn fiomth&t tleiled Uuion and conjunction by making de- fection (47) ftftjon to the contrary part, &e. Th. Nit«an*ll Covenant defctf- ve*h >htie to be the ^ hurch or ScotUnd who agree u th our firft R t formers in Doctrine, &c Tile declaration of th s K k made inio>8 isnfh, tf;a:ou. Un oninthj Co.fenan.i- with GOD, his Oufeand Peo; I -, ttands tM keeping the Prfnciji'eith r of 3 aid fepararnn Hinds m defe&ion thcr Jronri. It is Declared tyrhe AfTemlly that year, a P ineiple (four Ciufe, .and nccetTary for lecurity of Religion^, that the M di^nant Party be efeemed ene- mies totheC u eotCcD, and ihar fefiociation with them is con- trary to the Word of Gap, and to the Covenant; (o doth the Aflembly 1640 n rhe Act againlt Engagers. Now I fay,that these who are for the Puolu.k Reiolutsons have changed fume of their Princip!es,and alfo ch: n^cd their party, for thy have pyncd wish the Malignant p nty, a id acts and; cenTures for pcrfecut/nj thefe with whom they Were joyned before ; where then lyes th* g« ilt of Divifion ? and wh» made the firft fteps to ieparatiun ? a Oca feeder e & Eccle fit* frifiina Sceticana- wkh whomsoever theie things are foune, let thc r n be accounted .feparatriUs indeed. As for rrrariug them, an 'conferring w:ththem in an extra judicial! way , the Prot.ft rs h«ve ne*er . leaned it ;but the hearing which they rcquirei is to be acknowledged asths lawful Rcprefcn- tahve ofdro K;rk an I to be obeyed .accordingly;!!!-] theReview- er intimreth, that there is anecrjftty ofholaing th Proteflers as Heathens and Publieans t but thdt they have found, out a w did I ever hear that any Member of the Meeting doth own the Writing of that page. But what is th* cry me he thus aggrcgeth ? The Propositions gn* t in to the pritjnded Ai(eaab f y were lueh as they could r«ake no luit exception againft thera,and when they refuieJ. to grant the Pr^teiters defixes, what fault' was therefor Brethren, Brethren to recommend it one to a; other in the'r ftations,to endea- vour to put in rxccution Ads of un contravened Aflrm^lies; yea, what they have done in oider thereunto, was agierable to the cuftoms or this K»rk,and commendable in this corrupt and troubled eftate the* cof. He is much miftaken when he faith, a Proteftation is in its nature odious, and it argueth imal- knowledge of [he ftatc of the Kuk of Scotland in former times, to fay it is worfe in rhis Kirk then elfc- where; It is the mean which the Lord hath blefled in the hands «f our lathers, and our own to pieftrve rhe Caufc of God, and his K rk in times of Defection, as the Paper fent by the Clerk of the Aifembly, and Procurator for the Kirk to their Meeting at St. An- drews doth fufticiently nruwf ft; I defire ths Reviewer may be pleaftd, to take a look of the Narrative of the folemn League and Cove ; ant, and National! Covenant, where he wjII find Protefta- tions reckoned as a mean for prefervat»on of Religion, and fo Pro- teftation i&no divifive way , but a lawfutl endeavour to which wc are tyed by Covenant; and in the 6. Article, l*W tve are not *bie CHrfelvestofupprcJfeoroverc§me i VPe are botni to reveal and make known , that H may be timely prevented or removed : If he had confidered well , it had been more for his advantage to have fpared the mentioning the crofle Petiton in 1642. and divifive Sup- plication in isi*no 1648 both thefc were in favours of the Malig- na it Party and their Jntereft , and the Proteftation which he fo much inveigheth againft:, is againft the Mahgnants and their In- tereft,fo it was very agreeable tothe Proteftcrs Principles to be zea- lous againft thefe Suppl cations. But I readiiy believe what this Re- viewer profciTeth to be his jndgment, viz,. Thit the Proteftation is to him a greater crime then the croflc Petition , or divifive Suppli- cation, for moft of thefe who now fhew thcmlelves hot Zea- lots againft the Proteftation were of a cold temper, when the croff Petition and divifive Supplication were corfidered in Church Judi- catories. HefaithmoftoftheProteftersarebutofYeftcrday; he might have faid as much of all men, and fpoken truly, but if he plead earneftly for age upon his fide,I do yeeld him this much, that many of thefc who are for the Publick Refolutions are of that age that they entered into the Miniftery in the time of the Prelates,and did fwtar conformity unto the Articles of Terth, and iruplicite o« bediencc (4P> bcdichee to their ordinary, and the like cannot be (aid of the Pro- tefters, fur either they were (uffercrs urder the Prelates or elfe they cntred noc into the Minifrery till the Lord had in his gracious Providence opened a dott by the Reformation. Phote station Reviewed. Ndthus p*ffin% thcTitleofit.We come to the matter, where- __. following their oWn foot Steps, We begin With the narrative which they begin witb,aQertmgAat its we I kn$Wn to divers of om- numher What fe&ct able ends Avars they have ufed Without [meets it)9rdert»the rcmovinfyof the differences among mj: t o which Ireph that even by the permtfton of their own fhraje,t»oft pay? of the A{- femblymight 3 y t a did net faoW any Juch thing } but ^eUconfidtnth per jWadei,if any \uch endeavours were tiled , the Uckj>ffucceRt did t and doth lye/ole/y 'and fadlj upon the Rr&teftc? s them/elves ■ when this Was. PubUkjy debate.* in 'the Affembly, tktre was none feundthdt k?ew any thing in that k>nd* , except that whuh was done *n the latter end of the I aft year-, -which Ut the world judge hoW peaceable an endeavour it was, and Whence it fJtme that it wanted fuccep? Thus it was: T key meeting thtnin Edir^urgh fytbm Order, after a little p^fc, didconftitmte themf elves in to an SccUfiafticzll Judicatory, wherein MagefteriaVj they de- fined tnwgsfi prejudicial to us, as not onelj ohftrulHddl peace hM alj e founded tm alarm to a new confix, by e m ittino * 4aper Wherein they peremptorily conclude, among the chief caufes of Gods contraverfy with the Undjhe fuhliclt Refections andjre- ceeamg Affm. to have a fp,ciall place-.AM having thus fafiheh- edthe deer of peace to moc^the world, if it did mughtelfr thef fen* feme of their number g St. Andrews f ejfaj if they could draw off 3 or+tker,,* others to Chfgovt for the % interim^*! **- tempt (which (.me of thm (pand not to profefs ) thaiifthej cohIA get jive or fix .four moft eminent men off, they cared not forth* reft oftheMimftery , frof effing alfo at tha t conference, and others of them in an open Synod, that they would never unite With the rntfl ?*rt of the MiKiftry of Scothnd, and fui table to thefe ends Was their carnage at 'St Andrews , as is clear in the Relation of the Taper thereanent, Which Paper though Pubikkjmugh, We'have never jet heard Cintradifod by any, P Pro- O) Protestation Defended. THat moft part of the Aflfembly did not know any fuch thing, is more then wil be eafily believed by thefc who know the progretl'e of the differences; were rooft part of the AHembly ig- norant that Conference was defircd by the Synod of &7<«/g#^ and others, when the CommiiTion was carrying on the Publick Refo- lutions, long before the Aflerably at St. Andrews ? were they ig- norant that in St. Andrews before the confutation of that Affenv bly,the Protefters did moft earneftly Petition and endeavour an ad- journment before they Protcfted as they did at their lateAflembfy in Ed'xknrgh , earneftly defire a Conference before Constitution, but neither in the one nor in the other could they obtain fatif- faclion. That which he calleth a Meeting at Edinburgh , was a fleeting of the Commiflioncrs of the Generall Aflembly 1650- and as g-eat a number of them as wasoft u efe who (flighting thcadvertife- ment of others true were joyned with them i:i CommiiTion ) did anfwer the Parliaments Qvere, and laid the foundation of con- junction with the Malignant Party ,befide there were at this Meet" ing many other Godly Mmitters, and Profetfbrs from fcveral parts in the Country conveened , to fearch, conlider, and after Prayer and Conference to agree on the Caufes of the Lords controverly a- gainft the Land ; and being convinced in their judgements that the treasy with the King inH*#„-W,the Pub!ickRefolution5j&: corrupt Confiitutioa and proceedings or [he Aflembly at St. *Ar>d>c¥ts and Dundee were amongft the parts of the Lands deiSction,and Caufes of Godswrath, they did in conference of their duety acknowledge the faT e and their own acceffion to thefe tranfgfe/lionsi and fomc did confeiTe with gricf,that they had been chief in the trefpafs; the grounds arid reafOns of their convi&ion are expreifcd in that Paper by him mentioned, which this Reviewer might have refuted, if he had been abl", or othenvife quarrelled leffe with it; he doth wrong nimfeJfas well as the Protefters, when he faith,that they magifto rially defined things and peremptorily concluded them : for the title of the Paper fheweth , that they onely do foberly propound things to othcrs,as their advice. He would make this a locking of the the door ofprace s hucconrTders not how that long beforetbis.thofe. that arc for the Publick Refofution^had contrary to the Word of God.and Afts of this Kirk.conftitute themfelves into an Aisemb!y 9 approven the publick Refolut ions , condemned the Remonftrarce and^Pcoteftation, cenfured iome with ctepofition, and madefevers Attsa^ainft all that differed from their way ; that was not only to lock the doorjbnt fallen it with bolts and batrs. Then he makes his own conftrudron of the Protefters, fending fome of their number to St. Andrew and gUfg»W , and affirms the end to be onely to gain five or fix of t.cT number » and to make it feem true w&ich heal* leagethjhe fetteth down two fpeeches uttered 1 by fome of the Pro- tefters; but la far as I have learnedjthere was no fuch language as he exprefceth. The Protefters do upon no occaiion deny,that they make a difference betwixt fome > who in former times have bsen faithful! j but of late were engaged for the publick refoiution*, through the ftraits of the time and ftrong tentations, and betwixt others that have alwayes been promoters of a Malignant Intercity they do likewise defer vedlyeftecm more of fome leading men- of the firft. fort ,then of others of them, and their defire and endeavor to draw off fome chief leading men, wasto make way to draw off Others, of whom alio? hey do weH efteem ; yetasis tobefeared 2 were too much fwayed by example of thefe whom they know to have mote learning and psety then thcmfelves : and if a judgment may be given of the thought? of the hearts of many of the laft fort 3 who maintain the publick refolutions,from their fpeeches and a&i- ons,thpy are as defirous to be rid of thefe chief leading men from a- mongit them, as the Protefters are defirous to receive them. For that Paper anent the Conference at S. Axdrewes, which he faith, is publick enough , but not contradicted by any; It is the firil time for ought I know, that any of the Protefters have heard of k, and untill it be in mo e hands then thefe of his judgment , it may meet with no contradiction,and yet well deferve it* Protestation Reviewed, AS fer Any of their endeAyours they Are "inter occulta dec|iii- bus non judicat Ecclefia; But IJhalldefireitte fovnfiierei en the contrArj^htm the f needing tAffemttj At Dundee appoi*. G a 'teL , to give ted, i that Synods *»d Pretbyterie* (hould deal "faith them, them / ai is f*lt ignore tb?y proceeded to cenju^t^ the publicl^Com- mifsi m coai-i do nothing of that kinijbdng by the troubles of the timr impeded to fit, yet were not juch of them as cruld mafl conve- niently corrCj pona\al together defcllive in thus, though prcjjed With tuber part of a dolefntl dilemma .' for if they fh mid aft in the ca- pacity of a ( / »mmifs^on t the Trotefiert Would not havt conferred ; and out of that capacuf, their attings (bejides^ that it could not have been oklig<*iorie to others) had been a f lent quitting, if not betraying of t heir truft ; But providence offered op*rtuniiy thuo: In the beginning of this year ,/ome brethren from jeveral parts of the Cottntrey , being fenfible of the then imminent (nare and dan- ger, rtfolved by common confent to come to Edinburgh abint the 12 of February, at wioich time they heard there was to be a great meeting of our dijjenting brethren,where they revived to deal with them, that there might be a common Warning emitted by confent of all the Judicatories of the Kirb^ , concerning things which we doubted not were agreed to on all hands : accordingly they dealt with fush of them as Wert in Town, by the mediation of the Mini* fters of Edinburgh, by whom they font to them materials of a "De- claration , defning them to change or adde as th-y fbould thinly fit for the purpose , but they refufed tojoyn, to the great grit f of thole Who did me&tate, pretending they Would fi'ft have a conft- rence about differences , which Veas nothing el/e but to dif appoint the matter, the danger bnr,g \o near, th^t a Meeting for fush d conference could not be anveened x and ths danger prevented. Protestation Defended. IT hath been already fhewed , that before their Act at Dundee, they had emitted Warnings and Dchrations a^ainfl: fuch as concurred not with them, as enemies to Re'igion, King and King* dom, ftirred up the Civill Magiftrate to inflict pnnifhment,and re- quired Presbyteries to cenfureoppofer,s vyhhin their bounds; and that Act which he mentioncth , leavethuolartude to Synods and Presbytcrif s to forbear cenfurc, except in the cafe of obedience to the Act anent the Pablick Resolutions, though upon debate, the major m mai'or part of aPtAyter^fh^ula haye ; teea coi]Vi -*ed [ojjsbft G$Ji ofc dm courfe,. yet the Ad" givcs.no po\ver to recede. The Cora- piitiee of Kihco. in 1648. d»d profefle -n generall tersnV* off- ral I pofiibie iatiffafV.-on and fecu rity .for. Reiigioo, to which chv G-ene- Irail Aljfembly July 25. .mfwereth;,. that they, fee no poiiibiky of jfei.u ' v;g Religion , .fojung a/ that unlawful! Engagement was car- ryed on, which may be well <*:>piycd to the preens: caie. Tiu: jjj- hmnpa of his is but a weak device,»*#**r» cornupungit^ *he Prote- fters never did refine to con%re with them, let them frame as rn a- ny capacities to themfeives as they pies fed, onely; they rcfufed ,to acknowledge cherrrja Jpd;cato.y l( and up n> p^oteuation^thcty, did conf ,rre with the fe who ac- ompted thtmfelves doathed' with the power of their late Atflrnbiy uEdinhujgk. And i on the other hand their ading oat of that capacity had conti routed 3* much to - the intended end, which was bycqnrerenee co-hold forth! ghtanent the matters in controverfie. Neither wa* there any. uee$ of au^ thority to oblige others who sntnufted them , for their power was limitcd,and they are not warranted to depart from one i&t* of the Publick Resolutions ; fo in that cafe they coutd not oblige: ,Nor is he able to make it appear , that it had been a betraying of their. tewft, to conferre with thefe who refufe. to acknowledge their au- thority, othcrwife he fhall condemne the pradtee of their late Af- fcmbly at Edinburgh • for though they would not conferre until! they had constituted themfewes into an A (Terribly, yet then they- conferred; but the capacity he ipeaks of,- wss not sckno hedged, but Protefted againft, I know that there be fuch queftjons ^mongft States, to ftickupon the niceties and pimfuHocs of their Titles, and the acknowledgement of their power; but thefe are too ftacely things; for Minifters of the GofpeUt is more fuiubie to ufc Chri- Mian condescendence ', then to be puffed up with the pomp of pre- tended or real! authority, and therefore as I fee pot the ftrength of this DiletnmS) fo I fee no reafon why their late -AlTembly at Edin- burgh refafed to read a Letter from the Proteftcrs , becsufe they wanted their Titles indorfed on the buck of the l/-t ietv As to the relation he maketh in this Paragraohe , it is greatly perverted. If his ordinary difcourle be fuitabie to the language of th's Pamphlet, it would give ground enough to adjudge him to -have loft the be- nefit of his franke law > and never to be admitted co k & 'vyicneffe for tor truth hereafter. The true ftatc of that matter is this : The Protefters who had feafohably «>v*n a teftimony before in a Letter frnrto the Gene rail of the fengl fh Forces,and a dup! Jcat prefentcd to the General! Majofm Editt^kr^h^hiVight t their duty to meet again about that t me , especially to prevent the imminent dangers to Kittson, and having flayed tfmlz fourteen d«ye» together^ and -done what-became them in their ftattons. and alfo advikd the Mf- nfters of Edinburgh to give a free Ct ftimony and faithfull warning to their people upon the Lows Jay , concerning the prcfent fnares and dangers to Rdigion,which was dvne aci»r,if they it i tfftaift- tain'ed the principles of the Pi&h&JuR't fokeififls^bsv^thiy could-*'- bideby a Teftimony,buc did leave tot^cmrebTsa^latit^detojoyn With any party whatfoever ; and fc»me'of iho Gentry had expref- kd this to be as good a warrant for their --a clings in the year 1 65 1 . as in 1 6 5 • a?id therefore if, they would- not- j oy n' wi t H the Pro ce* ftcrs in their TeftiiTionics againft the Englifhyti^ in new Teitimo- nies againft both hands , he would have a great doubt of joyning with thep: but this - fhefaidj was only from,and-forhiiT)fe!fup- his firft thoughts; he knew not what might be his fecond thoughts upon conference with others -/and as for fending tohirn mkena&fe- of a Declaration, defiring the Protefters'to cha*o£*^dr addeyas-they: (liould think fit for the purpofe , there was never -any foch thing prefrnted to him, or any other of the Protefters, nor #ill he find any Minifters in Edinburgh to bear him wit^efs in this particular* ItfeeoYeth that this Reviewer fe-aec-u.ftonted to be yeny liberal 'in his language (to fay no woffe^) and that his neighbors allow him the liberty to do- fo, otherwife he wou^d l feave expefled^ to meet with contradiclion,and taken better heed to his Rotation. Concer- ning that which he would infinqat, of the fesrwar^nefs of thoie of his judgment to g*ve fuch a Tefti'oaony, why then did they not (as the Protcfters had done^ give a Teftimony alone by themfel ; ves,btft they returned home without doing any thing, though the danger was fo near 3 as he faith; nor did they any- thing to that purpofe on their fubfequent Meetings; "and for what they did at -theirlate ■ Af- fembly, I haye fpoken to it before. Protestation Reviewed..' Ulspap the Synods in April, kein?cW'vite~d-'&i thitt */ Fife 9 - by thuir Acceptance of their Overture^ fliewed their Affett 'ten tsfneka peace With their Ti 'rethrew \ as •mifht-&n treuhie their- feme )Xhb Gsd^nd-fff ffiffi effeU '&A&wmfsi v&ftwj%ftt-i efthiir. t . Members GW :Mepjbers tocome to Edinburgh ie a Meeting in Mayday? ; but .that is the^txt 'thing tkpy-cttmpi«tF, y tan* challenge wef. Firfi\ for neglecting, t* give ibem iimws ddver tife mcr< r, whin fit the very firft mutton ef that Meeting in all >-ur htmcatories Was in their prejence- Who ' (.iftkej had been of Inch a peaceable temper as th<) t#i\of ') would, noacuh^kavf made j uch an invitation Wlc*me, and embraced tie ofjedftom jfs for particular adver* tifement twbtm fcpay;*telj}Tio*. , a frfntght before .that Meeting, di(patchtng.tbeir Mifjives, (tyhich for aught that •is kpewn ) did not tmjearrj.; fea^pon their dtl gfnee, we found At that Meeting, feme font Kt>ik>, ..and. others from Dumfries, places of very remots.4.% fiance, both S'Wth and North : and it U credibly i>nf*rmea\that (entc>of thuir chief leading men Wrote both to Aberdeen and Galloway, aefln/igtheir Comp Iters , not to l^rp that Meeting* .Standi) t thf ' th-ir paucity, they required at leafi a fortnights del Ay (although they had probably a pre-indicl- ed meettng y reaf enable: ■fre Yaw* i&mediatiy before our Meeting) and filing a time could not be given • not only becaufe fur Brethren , having come kafi ply (ram their (eve, at towellings , Were nH able to attend fo l**g% and once f offered to fcatter 9 could mt conveniently be gathered again ; but ejpecially becaujc having offered unto thum a free- General o4ffembty ( the of old acknow- ledged proper remedy of all Ecclefiaftical dij cafes ) Where many of our (elves might again beprefent, it was plain, that nothing to any geod effttt could be done tilt then ; and Providence happilj cafling tbtit eccafen in their hands, that they might appoint And determin of the place of lb? enfui- gtA^cmbly^they ceuid not fuf- fer the fame to flip, which could net be fhunned,fer lack, eftimous advertifement '.to the frefbyteries^ it if were not then concluded, e^ind (0 (which they perceived, thole \key fpvheWith, dircttly aimed at) let ti)e Kir&n thu difficult time, be /baleen loofc of her fejfiJjion 3 of that her dear-bought freed*?*, Which Mr. Welfly Mr. A/V\ Forbes s *nd otkr prteltms m thdt nm rtfi % ahventttred their iives i and 1'nfitrti immfi-men^ t§ prefer?* • as Was gravely pre jed kernel) Mr.hklx *f** thtm^ in tkegdnfercnee • ardf Which they could mt^PJ* they did »•#, give/& muck as a (timing fa t isfa^i$ry anfwer. Thirdly $ they j&y in tit printed Paper, Thxt * defift 9f;Jtectncth\atitnV?eis freftnnd^ but peremptorily the ili Ring) #*d fending . Cmmi$'m$rt ie keep l be day^ in&iUed }j the Meeting of pur'dcCi $&TpHe Anfwer which he giveth anent neglecting to give timous 3 L advertifement of their Meeting in M*y lafr, is, That the mo- ' tion of that Meeting in all judicatories, was in" tr.cProtefters prc- fence *{ and if they had been of a peaceable temper, they had made the invitation welcome : This, I'beieeve, is the beft Anfwer he can give ; but he might afwel have given no Anfwer at all. For firfty Letters were only written to foine Presbyteries and Synods, and not to all, and there was not one word fpoken of fuch a thing in many Presbyteries,or in their Synodr. ( 2.) In thefe Presbyte- ries orSynods to which Letters came,the motion or overture doth exprtlly exclude dilTenters from the Publick Refolutions.from any advife or confent in "appointing that Diet, and is only directed to fuch as are for the Publick Refolutions, who are defircd to return their acceptance of the Overture to the Delegats of (he Synod of H Fife 9 Fife, again* the *8 of >fyr*', to the end-, that upon their receiving of the. Anifw-'T of Synods and Pr esbytcries,to which they had vv it- ten, trn-y might, «l th y tlio ght tic, advertifc the diifenters from the Paid ck Rcioi t ;i- to keep -hat Diet, May n.- but in that L.tter there wis no friv nnonfor chem to come, butracher anin- « timat»oii not ro c tme till thy were advertXed concerning the Re- fold ons rjftn'e' D Icgit^of /T^jUpon che return from Synods and Piesb) te.ies. ('3 J 1 I iv, the bu i.iefs was purpofely fo contrived, as to m ke Co feren/e f >f Reconciliation the pretence , but ano- the tin g was 11 re ded v *.. That the Commilion of the preten- ded-A'f m ''y t l D.i uiet\h ght miettodetermin the pUce of the A ^mVy en umg , wh'cn had bern left in the IndicTion under the Uncertai «ry of n Alter atfive. That Confere-rvce for Reconciia- tioh was pretend, d. the ! «t crer of the Synod 6££tfe\ and difcou fc of ch ir K'ect ng M.y 12 dochevide- cc , and this Reviewer alr- tech it. That the fa ne'was not mtended, doth appear. from this, that a competent time i^ allowed co acquaint Synods , and where ' thty were not fitting.tp acq. nine Presbyteries wh'ch were for the Pablick R foluions ; but where Synods and Presbyter es werea- gainftthe Public's Refo!utioi)S.,no Lecters were lent to Lch ; but after thefc tha' are for the Public's Relolutions are acquainted, and have returned their Aniwer* againft.the 18 of Aprtl t the Letter of che Synod of Fife appoints tliefe Anfwers to be considered be- fore any Invitation be given to the Di '.Tenters from the PubikkRe- lowed for them to consider theRecums , and fome t,me to make their Diip.tehcs to alio! aces within the Kingdom, and fome time for chjl t> \vh m the Icctet '? were oVecftrd, to communicate the liim- to the veft of rae number within their bounds' and fome time muft be 'dlowed to ride to Edinburgh^ all which was not poflible with fttfrfc fpave of thirteen 'dayes,' from the 2~8'.of e^//>? // , to the ii of Ai y : foi\initdnee,no Letters were written to theSynod.of CI t^rr^vl-cre '■ma iy of the Protects live ; ,nor fro.n the Synod of Wj or ihcr [XI | 3 a D ts ; but one Brother of that Synod wrrcs a privat Lercer to anofVt Brother in GW{wp , snej ieven or eight cUye's of the time were elaplca before/ theLetter'urrie to his hands, whereby whereby it came to pafs that Tome Presbyteries w^ re rot at all ad- ^ertifed, and other*, w htn it v. as r.o t n c to go. to thai Miciirg, 1 2 of Ma) : the l.ki happened in other farts of the Corrtrj*, and indeed it could not be othcruiir in plates more remote from the Synod of Fije ( t may be rtmc rr.bcred that the fame art was ufed by flighting Advc 1 1 fitments whe^ thty gave their Anfwer to the parian-ents Qu r< ) Furc.b r, I el iuciz msy'be c6r.fidercd,Vvhat this Reviewer faith b m-folf pag.'p. W^.wrun a fortnight is d«- fired to conveen the Proteitc ts, he anfwereth, 7 h,n it Wras flair tyhtn ntthtug 10 W:f_£*ditHe>n under ike uncertainty of an Alternative^ j reafen efthe time ;_ all whichlaid togct!:er,do fuf- ficiently ifiew that the matter was purpofdy fo contrived. Next, he faith, that fome from Ro\je y and others from c Dumfre%s were there upon their d'lige. ce • but unlefs he fay, fonie of the Def&r> . ters from the Pubhik Refolutions , reftdir ig in thefe parts, were thereupon advertilement fent from the Delegats of W4>fe% after the ; 28 of April, he fp eaketh not to the purpofe ; for fuch as were for the Publick Refoiutions mighr tafily be thxre, for they had a com- petent time, and if any of the Dclleuters.fcm the Publick Refolti- tions were chofen by Synods or Presbyteries, W'hxhatmoftWas^ but one or two, they might convenient y be therealfo, or perhaps fome mi^ht be there occafionally : but none of thefe will prove his point. That fome of the chief leading men of the Proteftersjwrote to Gall&way ar.d /iheroeew^ dt firing their Complices not to keep that Meetirg - For ought J have learned,there was no fuch thing 5 and if he can,lt t him initance the perfons , in the mean time I give this inftance to the contrary , That fome of the Protefters were there from *s4berdee» } being chofen by rhe Synod. He grants that which theProttftationalkaccth , That the few Prctcfters that were there,required a fortnights delay, in refpecf, of their paucity,, that they might fend advertifements to others, but faith ,That pro- bably they had a preindided Meet'ng, reafonably frequent* in that H 2 fame (6o) fame place th 3 week following. But herein he is much mifluken, they had no pre-iniictcd Meeting , but thole few Protefte s who were in tdhkitrfh t fippofing that their rcafonabl:requ^ft, for a fortnights delay,cou!d not be denied, ( if there was any real defire of peace, concerning which they had charity, till it appeared other - wiie)&did write Letcers to ail their Brethren that were not ftrdi- ftant from Edinburgh t io haft unto that Meeting with all diligence, which they did accordingly j and this (hewer h their readinefs to have come in upon advertifement,-but when they came in, the Bre- thren that are for the Publick Refolutioris , had indicted the place of their enfuing Allembly,and fo having done the b') fines for which they came, were gone from Sdi^burgh before the Pro; efters were conveened. That two or three were in Town, and did nor appear, and fome of them went out of'Town,is little to the bufmefs, th ir lawful occafions might divert them i and fome of them were not called to the Meeting, yea,in effect rather defired to be abfent-, but they came when they were advert'fed. It is a poor fubterfuge he makes for not granting a fortnights delay ,to fay, they could not attend fo k>pg. or being fcattered, they could not be conveniently gathered again : Either or thefe might have been done, if they had been rfjuch a peaceable temper as they talkjtf { as he is pleafed in this Section to fay of the Protefters.) But he comes nearer to the truth and faith, It tvas pla'n > that nothing couLi bednne y till the meeting of their Ajjemblj : And fohc may well fay, corsfidering that them felvcs hid refolved nothing ih.nild be done till then. Af- terward he alleageth,There would not have been time to advertife Presbyteries anent the place of their Aflembly •• B it fiippofe the defire of the Protefters had been granted, there was abundance of r time, there being about ten weeks betwixt the 1 2 of May ,and the Diet of their ArTembly the 21 of July, and fo all the hazards he mentioncth might even in his own way have been prevented. Bit what if it had been fo, that they had not determined the place ? I cannot confent to what he faith, That the K-rk would have been fliaken loofe of her pofleffion. Doth he know, or hach he forgot- ten what was maintained by the Covenanted Protefters in 1638. and the Act of the Affembly at giajgow/Dccemb. 26. 1638 ? or the Act of the Aflfembly at £JinbMrgk y /tug.ij. 1630. which was made after fo much debate about' that difttnetion of yearly and oc- cafional cafional A&mblies, both in the Treaty at the Hirk*, and in that Atferobiy, the Act ij. 6fjt**uft 1647. * n & the Aft of Parliament I5pa. and the fourth, and fixth Aft of Parliament 1C40. anenc yearly General Afl'emblies, exprefly diftinguifhed from occafional Affemblies, of which fort of Atiembhes only the necefli y is firft to be remonfb ated to the Civil Mag.ftrate,and even thefe may be kept in cafe he refufe, by the intrinfecal power received from Chnfl: as often as it is necerfary for the good of the Church, as the Aft of Affcmbly Augufi 27 beareth: lo there is no queftion/tfjwr^againft this Kirks pnviledge of holding Gen. Aljerriblies once in the year s without any addrcls to the Magiftrate-VVhatif they had been vio- lently ft >ppd at that time from meeting, would they judge the Kirk to be fo /haken loofe of her polTelsion, as (he might not there- after conveen with the firft opportunity , and keep yearly Gene- rail Afiembiies without addrefl'e to the Civiil Ma^iftratc, b'ecauie. the adjournment was not keeped: I hope they wiiVnot fay fo,nor . make the Kirks priviledges lefle thenCh'iit hath appointed ? and the State hath acknowledged there is no limitation in the Afts of Par- liament, or claufe irritant in reference to keep ng of adjournments: If the Right and Pofleffion of the Church did hang on fo ticklifh a pinne, the corrupt Aflembly at St. Andrew hath much fliaken and iniangered the fame, for the ppfleflion of corrupt Aflembiies doth not maintain the tight of free lawful! General! Afifemblies, this al- leadgance of theirs is but a fair flourish to perfwide people to think well of their way, and of the neceftity of the ; r feruling Conference With their Brethren before Conftitution. As to that he faith of Mr. Welch and others; Their endeavours Were not to fit and make Afts approving of the Defection of the time, and obligatory. of the whole Church as now is done , and that which they were mainly condemned to death for, and fuftered barmliment, was for decli- ning the King and his Councell from be'ng judges in Ecclefiafhcail matters ** prima infidntiA ; but the-CommilTioi which fate at 'Perth and their ArTembly at Du» lee did fubjeft the Doctrine of the Minifters of Jefus Chrift to the immediate cognizance and cen- fure of the Civiil Migiftrate in the cafe of the Mailers of Sterline* There be two forts of Minifters engaged for the Publick Relbluti- orts as hath been torched before,one of thefe was never ready to aft for AiTemblies when they were rightly conft-tnted , much Idle to r (oa; frffer for them. A< for the otht r fort, I do hope when the Lord ftul afford the opportunity of having AHemblies rightly conflicted asformerly, they (hi\ no: adhere to the prefent corrupt conftitu- tion; ror do I think their psBiw ifion is fucri concerning the Pub- lico Refolurons, when they are free of temptacions, as they ditfft adveuti re to tuflb f u- the lame as Mr. Wetcb and other precious men did for the undoubted nghr, Preedom a.^d Priv.ledf^e < will be ajjented untt> by every ingenuous man, nor know I any reafon why they frould complain : for thofe to whom the Paper was given were not in a capacity t# $ive An anfwer, till they were fir fl Corfttute in an Affembly ( yea none but an Affembly could jatisfachrily anfwer their demands, as is evident to, and will be acknowledged by the judicious Reader ) which was no fooner dwe then they went ejfitfual'y about it % But on the contrary the Proteflers would not jo much as no ait till then, bmprefently gave in their Pro- teftation. We will not now (peak of that other Paper ,yet cant not Pajje that arrogant Tittieofthe generality of the godly , n>hteh they affume t$ thtwfelves and their abetters : We will not mention of whom they learned t his t and whom in many fa- ther things they i§o much resemble ; But we [hall ref err e the Reader to that wo ft faith full andtmeeits Warning and De- claration of the late <^Aj$'embly at Dttndce, and the third ad' monition and charge of thefecondpart thereof. Protestation 'Defended. . I" TE affirmes that they did nothing in confHtutuig their Affem- oL;j31)Y thenwas done in ail the Atfembkes 11 nee the Reformati- on; but ifhehad underflood wcl the -Hiftory of Proceedings in this Kirk,., he flrouli have fai'd they did no other th ; n'* then was done in the fix unlawful! Affcm'blics immediatly preceding the lafl Re- iormation (wh'ieh the Review of the Vindication of the Aflem* h\y&% St-.Apdre.iiys m& Dux'dei doth clearly manifeft , and that 'they have ConftiouteU thefrifelves in a way contrary to the ' drain -and *mo£o£ fiffl Ads of this Kirk anent Conftitution of Affemblies ■fromou'-ftrft Reformation '-and if that at St Andrews was no law- ful Aflenrrbly of this Kirk, then the Comm (lion of the Gen. Aflem. j65pi& fttll in force, and needed not a new Conftitution,th'e Com- 'Eiijffion being ordained to endure in the interval!, until! the next free lawfull Generall -Aflembly,' and though one half of the Mem- bees appointed on that CommilHon by the General Aflembly 1650 have contrary to expreite limitations in their Commiflion agreed on thePublickRefolurcm, and contrary to the tftoblilhed Order of th $ Kirk, procured an unlawfull Aflembly to Ratirle their Procee- dings, yet there is twite the number of a Quorum of the Members of chat Commiflion which have never aflentedto, nor concurred in thefe Publiek Refolutior.s. The defire of the Protefters to that Meeting at SMnhrgh^ot not Conftituting of themfelves, ard for entertaining of a Conference , was (hewed by him who hath the truft of the Regiftcrs of the Kirk, and moft knowledge i hereof, to be agreeable to divers practices even oflawfuit AlTembhes in this Kirk, as in the year 1568, 1569, 1578, i>8<5, 1*01,1597. which was done at the defire of Mr. r BUir i and the particulars offered to beinftruded. The Writer of this Review may remember what fharp retumes Mr. BUir met withbecaufe of his Repeating and preflmg thefe things when the Protefters did remove. . As to that he faith that they were not in a capacity to anfwer the Representa- tion of the Protefters until! they were Conftituted , I affert, they were only in a capac'ty to anfwer beforeConftitution,ard not after it ; for qucftions about conftitution muft precede, and not fol- low after conftitution ; therefore it was neccflary to proteft prcfently againft their wrong Conftitution •, ard it was either a weak anfwer which many of their Aflembly gave that ad- journment , or a few dayes would annul! all their Commiffiors, their being no fuch limitation or provifion in their Commif- fions nor any K&. of this Kirk to that purpoie-,but if the Conference had been granted for the ends defired , and bleifed of the Lord with an agreement in the matter of thePropoiitions,there had been ro great difficulty to have accorded anent AiTemblies in rime com- ming. The generality of the Godly was not mentioned in the Papers of the Protefters, without a previous report of godly Mi- r.ifters and ProfelTors from fcverall parts of the Land, though he faith he will not mention of whom the Protefters learred this, and whom in many other things they referable , yet the Protefters arc not xfliamed of thefe to whom they were Dift iples in this exprefli- o'n, and many other things of neceffary ufe in the prefent debates, whofoeverfhal pcrufe the Papers of this Kirk in the year 1638 and 1648 may be abundantly Satisfied that the Protefters follow the ways and words of thefe who have gone before them in the Work of to) of Reformation. The fifth Argument againft the unlawfulErgage- ment, is founded upon the fame ground and exprcjjiou. It is ve- ry like they had offended as much if the Protefters had ufed the words made ufe of in the hke cafe by ( ; ur Predeceflbrs againftthe cour(e of Defecl:ion,which are the equivalent hereof,* iz,. The grea- teft part of the molt zealous Profeflbrs in the Land , noqutffion that was thought by many of that corrupt age as arrogant a Tittle to be aflbroed by the Protefters of thefe dayes againft the corrupti- ons of that time, as this Reviewer thinks the Tittle of the genera" lityoftbe godly to br, when it's ufedby theprefent ProtefterSo The lingular teftimony which he givetb to the Warning and De- claration at Dundee fpeaks , That he hath a lingular eftimation thereof in his heart, above many former Warnings and Declarati* ons of this Kirk; I defire to know if he can with fo full a mouthy and hearty applaufc give fucte ifremcomium to the Declaration in the year 1648 againft the unlawful Engsgement,Iet any indifferent man read & compare them,whether contrary fpirits do notfpeakin thefetwo Declarations. As to the paifage cited by him in that War- ning,! Afifwer,Thatthe Protefters are very far from fuchwsys and -opinions as theMembers of this Kirk are exhorredin that Warning tobeware of-Neither their Profeflion nor practice doth hold forth any futh thing,as that they would have aKhi^made up offacb per fa,ffs\eftlj^as d.9 evidence their Regeneration} they defire to beware of that extrem upon the one hand;but they defire alfo to beware of another extreme upon the other; to wit, That a Kirk may lawfully iccording to the Word of God , bemadeupofknownobftinate Enemies to the Lo r d and his Work; and that notorious bloudy -Rebels who hate to be Reformed may be admitted to all the Or- dinances of Chrift in the Church, and preferred in the State to chief impioyments, and intrufted with the defence and prefcrvation of the Lords Interefts and People,notwithftanding they have been and ftill remain wicked enemies to, and perfecuters of the fame ; there is a middle way betwixt thefe two extremes which the Protefters do hold according to the Word of God, and the received Doctrine of this Kirk for near an hundred years, and efpecially flnce the late Reformation, to which rule the Protefters do adhere, and do hold it their duty to endeavour that they may be obferved and practifed as well as they arc profeffed , it being one of the crying and moll: I pro- (66) ptovoksng fins of this Land, to make fair Pj?6feflions but to fail in the Practice Protf station Reviewed. TTT TFfere they affirm it their burden, did that they \ \ have no delight to be contejiing with any who frofefjetbemfelvs to be matnt ainers of the Government of this d'hurtht, it is wilhedtheirWorks were confonant to thett words, snd made them credtble to a&on-loo'kert : Certainly however they mat fie a[ethemf elves , this ts not the ordinary opinion that mofi men have of tbev* . Protestation 'Defended. ■ . X 7*T THat opinion moft men have of the Protefteri is not V V much to their difadvantage,if the greater number with- in the Land be admitted judges co Pious men and true P>ety , I fear all that arrive beyond a meer formality, ftial be condemned for Hy- pocrites. 1 would not appeal to the generality of the Land in the matter of judging what.is right and wrong in jure, betwxt thole that arc for the Publick Rofolutions and the Protcftets; but -I dare freely hazard to the rote of the ma jo part in the Land the matter of fact which is the thing in con' ell: betwixt thefe that are for the Publick Resolutions and the Protefters; ( that is to hy , Whether the Aifcmb y at Z)«»(/^and Edinburgh be keep ny their former Principles, yea, or not? Ifyouwllask any, even of the Malig- nant party ( at leaft all that ever I to.ild Ipeak with my felf, or hear of from any other ) they will tell you the Kirk was wrong before, but now is become right (ince the King came to JVof /*» e great Zeakts, and flout patriots f>r the late Aflemblics , thoagh before they were haters of all Kirk Judica- tories. Pro. Protestat.ion Reviewed* ^ m \ V. xt, they fpea^of a party of inefficient. fcandalous.fjril- ^ ajfetted UMimfters, tjfc. complying with the times ex* prefsing their difaffetfionto the Work of Reformation y as they found opportunity , as in the time of ]&mts Grahtm, And the unlaw jull Engagement , who got greater advantage •;> by the Publicity* flings for bringing in of tjMalignants to ■ plates oftrufl: *^nd who perceiving they were not able t$ endure try all and purging-, began the lafl year to lift up their' heads, and being encouraged by the *^Atts and C en fur is of Uundetyhave Jo flrengthened themfelves^as to carry on Pub- Uckpeterminations to their own ends jrom whom (lay they J what can be e^c peeled, but to favour every evill cottrje, to per- fecutehch as feek the Lord in fwcerity , fupprejj'e the power ofGodltnejfe, and open the door of the LMimftcry tofuch as for inefficiency , Jcandats, brdif-ajfecjion , have been ]uft- ij I'depofedt inregard whereof , they thinks there is too great caufe to make ujc of the Prophets words.Jzr. 23. 14,15. There be many things here deferve'animadverfion, I. Although we deny not, but that in. every Order there may befome out of Order-, as tfudas amdng the Apoflles, and Saul among the Prophets, yet know we not of any (ueb party as they fpeak^of , nor did (0 much as any perfon of that ktnde fooner appear among us^ then according to the measure of his offence, he found the fever it j of Uifcipline. It ww Id be feri- ' oujly considered, whether or not by this Party, they mean the Body of the Mini fiery reprefented at Dundee , whom thttt they would cafi an odium upon^but what favour the Party that was truly fuch astheydefcr.ibe^ found at that venerable Jf* fembly, let their Acis and declarations [peak, which De- claration of theirs mentioneth another Party , that hath (alas} I % m (68) U9 ltn% lurked Among us jnd under (pt clous pretexts bnu^ht their dcfi^n to th> for purging t'^e Miniftery by ordinary Judica- tories; jnd becaufe of their negligence , the Commiflions appp/n.- tedfbr V lfitation . and the great work they had where they came , Viiitacions in other parts of the Land , ( where as much, if not more work of chic kind.- was to be expefted ) being interrupted by the troubles of the time' , and other impediments, the grole ignorance not only of the People, but even of the Elders in many C -■> 'gr-egatioos, where th-.it pre fen t Miniiters have been living arnougft them, fome twenty, fome th'rty years , and have not fo much as rak-'n pains to ;nftr.uct them in che neceffary grounds of Religion , together wich the neglect or Difci- pline d iring that time, and yet fuch fuflf.red to remain in the Mini- ftery , the fcanda'sofminy MiniftersfordrunkenneHe and other common vices, together with their godlefs carriage at home and a- bfoad.are more then abundant proof of what is alleaged in the Pro* tcftation. And though this Reviewer is pleafed to fay, they knew not of any fucb Partv s yet alas it is more palpable to the mourners in Zion, then that they need any fu; ther proof thereof, then to be converfant amonjft many or them but a very few dayes,and I know that fome who concur with the late Aflfemblies, wiii not deny t, but I truft d > make conference to mourn for it in fecrer before the Lord. TheProteftitiondofh not fpeik of the Body of the Mini- ftery, but a corrupt Party which had too f^reat influence atr the Af- fembly in Dundee, Whereas he referred his Readers to the Acts made at Dundee, to know what favour the Party chat was* truly fuch y found there,no fuch . Acls are ordinarily to be feen,I am furc, but fuch as are made againil the Proteiters and the Dnlcncers from the the PnbUckR-foUnions are to be readily found in all hind?. If rhe thmg he,.roeaneth,be tKg lltghi AcH made ai'ainft thedivifive Sunpfi- cation.wrut hath followed thereupon for execution Idle ur more ? If he mean chit the Supplications oF'Minitlcrs formerly depofed for gro'TefiultSjwere not granced, he may remember the Pout ck argu- ment ufed at D nwfet , and renewed ar. Edinburgh upon the fame ogc*(ion, viz.i That it was good to abftiirt from prefent reponing them, becaufe oi che oiium it would br even at "■ finft invited to : -\t he Covc^ nant^andftme of them with the ft* ft appeared againjl the Service • '%ook ) and many of them have not to thu day filten from th,:ir fledfaftneffcficiihertyeye all that have fallen of that number. But for farther andf alt clearing tfthisj offer tbefe-tb~$rre Mi~ nijlcri^wbcn the Nation all Covenant wo* fuefcribetf. ^.nsfvid ee~ ueratlyt.atj the eld MlinMers^ and thofe that w*re admitted^ $*¥&% the Efifcopall ' cncreA'ch.nent^an for the Apmbty. 5. Jmtl*ftfy s would ltWkkif$ ^ f^und to hay 6 three fir tt, where one u *g*inft it. < ■> o Protestation Defended. (t ' /"Hat the Wr ter of this Paper doth wean by the com- y, xpon (ubfcription,! do not well knOvy,if.by corrynon he mean that,to wbich.marl of the Cynformifts did.fubfcnbe, I fay,, that was an horrid, qath, as doth appear from thc-Records of their fubfeript'ons. if by common he mean the lefler oath", and aexompt the matter of that oath common ; I fhall fet down the true Copy both of the greater and leiie^Oath.t^GonfQfrfiifts did fubferibe, and let the Reader judge, if thelcaft of the two may not be ac- conipted horrid enough for a Minifter of Jetus Chrift to fwear at his entry to, fuch sn holy Calling: thq gteater Oath fweareth to practizc.all the corruptions of the time, and impkice obedience for what fhouid be after concluded, under the pain of depri ration, ir.- famie and perjury. The lefler; Oath fweareth folemnly to the pra- ctice of the co ruptions of the time, and particularly for Epifcopa*-' ' cy,and the five Articles of-Perth^ud what fhould bfc lawfully co; - eluded thereafter by theCfiurch, as then constituted of Arch K i- fhops,Bi{hop5,&c. Hndec the pain of deposition and perjury. The Proteibtion doth acknowledge,that.the Lord was gracioufly plea-* fed to give repenoance. to not a-few who were involved in that de- fection ;. and concerning that which he faith , that it fliould neither have been fo long concea ! cd,npr now revealed at fuch a time, and in fuch a way. It is not long firice it was made known to thefe who have joyncd in the Proteftation, neither had it been revealed now, unle-fle men fince their feeming to repent .thereof at the taking of the I^ationall Covenant , had by their after-carriage difcovered their hypocrifie and rottennefs of their way : befidc, it hath only been revealed in the generall,andthe Protefters have not published their names. Their iubferiptions ( faith he ) were generally known , I grant their conformity was known, but rot theif fub- fcriptioosjjt icaft, that it was to an Oath,and fo horrid »n Oath. I do verily iuppofe, and not without ground, that fomc who have fubfcnbed,as aforcCaidjhave forgotten that the Oath was fo grofs, ctherwife why would they deny it,whcn the fubfeription is mRe- cord cord Under their hand ? He faith, fame of them appeared with the rirffc a^a'nft the Se; vice-Book, I think few But firni-Papifts or Atheiitw would have willingly embraced that Book/ though fear . might prevail vv th fome for complyance,but how few of them ap- i peared at fivft agjinft Epifcopacy,and the five Art '.'ciesof c Perth y to which they had l worn?* . He offers five,things to clear' the matter further, but two of them are coinccferic. Astothcfirft, for any thing I know or can learn , he can inftance butone of the number of Protesters who complycd with the Pre!ar«, which . hath been matt r of humiliation, and a mean fines:; fled pf the Lord to fit him the more for oppofmg thefe and the like corruptions'/ 1 fre hath now for fifteen years given large proof of the fir cerity of his re- pentance, and hatrr been very ufefull in hjs ftatio'n, for promoting ) the Work of Reformation . beyond other •, of whom more was ex- peeled. And as for the number of thofe Jmai fnrd for the PuB- kk Refolutions,who fuDfenbed OatKs,or atfeatt praerifod the cor- ruptions of that time, he will finde their number no mtitler then fome hundreds. The fecond thing wh ch he propones to conside- ration, is coineiderit with the fifth, for who did bear the heat and rtia^'of tlieday in that hour and power of darknefs, but thefe \irho fuf£ r ed under the Pre'faK ' ; yet in the fecond he jfScjv that thefe of their number were ten for one with thefe that are Pro:efter§; but upon better confederation in the fifrh^he falls down to three for one, and though he.had faid bnely, that their number which fuffe- red under the Prelats was eqoai! to the number, of Potefters that fufTered,heiriOU!d upon a jult computation',' have found drrricul ty to make it good/ but becaufe he is aLCuftomed to fpeak big word?, I fhall pafs this as a brag to beguile -dm pie Readers, though 1 think I might fay, the fu firings of the Protefters were greater ; but -bid- fed be the Lord for the faithfulnerfe of all that furfe'red. As to tfre third,I do fofar differ from him in my computation, and ( I fup- pofe ') I know the Prbtffters near as well as he,that I can fca'cely find twenty of them under fix years ftanding in t,he Minfteryj which then concurred in the Proteitation, 'though' blefied be the Lord thfir number incrtdftth. If 'he csn Tulp rny memory in two or three, that will be the moft, he faith, that about five --f Mem on-, jy we-fe'Minifters when the Nat'Onall Covenant was f'bfcribed, which is about fifteen years (ince, I can find hi in aooirf 'five' times •five, who, were then Minifter?,, that joyn in the Protcftatlonj and thei e be diver fe more whoare unfatiificd with the Publick Refo- huions, though they adherence to i he Wotellation. And what great advantage is this,! pray you,that he fo c arraftly hunts after ? Whether is it more commendation for fwerall of the ProrefUri that were ready to have entered into the Miniftery, to forbear to enter, by frbienbing to fuch finfull Oaths ; or for many of thefe that are for the Publick Refolutions , that they entered by fuch a corrupt" way, and fo were Minifters when the National Covenant was iubJenbed ? would this^rgumentbaveany weight with ju- dicious men againit Mr. George (li/lc/pict testimonies for the Caufc of God.tccauie he enc red not into the Mihift ry till after the Re- formation began. 4. Ht fa;th,tjiat generally allthe old Minifters and thefe that were admitted before the Epifiopall encroachment?, .are for the AiTembly. The defection began in 1 597. and upon King James his entry to SngUnd y , (which £ about fifty years fince) the Epifcopall inc^oachments began , an4»ll oppofers of the defection , were difcountenanced,and fuch as were for it ; favoured ard encou- raged by the King,State,Biihops,,,?nd corrupt AfTemhlies : for my own part, I know few that can be of thajffcarjdicg in.the Mmiftory, bml know fome who have been,about that time in the roomof the Miniftery,who are not long fince depofed for infufiiciencieand fcan- dals,and like enough there be more of that fort. Let this Reviewer do the worft he can to caft afperlions and reproaches upon the P. 0- tefters , I do believe that in no time of the defection of the AiTcm- biies of this Kirk,thcrccan be produced fo great a number of faith- full witness that adventured to give in Proteftations agiinft the corruptions of the time ; and thefe on either hand alfo. This is to roe a token for good ui to the Land from the Lord, to whom alone the praife is due. Tbe greater Oath. Ci W ^ ^y l ^ ir P rc ^ n ts, folemnly f* fwear , and faithfully promife toobferve and fulfill the " Articles and Conditions following ; they are to fay, 11 1. That we (hall be leill and true to our mod gracious Sovc- " raign the Kings Majefty and his Highneffe fuccdk>urs,and to our (f power fhall maintain his Highnes right and prerogative in Caufes (i Eeclefiaftick. i.That (73) V a. That wcfhalikc ©bed sent to our Ordinary the Archbiiliop "and to all other our Superiours in the Church, ipeak of them re- " verendiy,and in all our pnvat andPublick Prayers,commend them " and thdr bftate to Gods rngrcifuHpFOiec^ion. «* 3. That vi t fhall in all places by conferenccs,arid where we have ?<< occa{ifonin p^blick preachmg, maintain the pref-nt Government '*' of the Church and jurifdi&ion Epifcopall , and Avail by reading "be careful! to inform our felves of the true and lawfr 1 grounds a thereof, to the end we may ftand for the fame agaitft the ad'ser- " fkries oppofers of the fame. «: 4. That We ftiail bediligent to our power in the duties of our "Calling by refidence with our flock , and not divert there- ft. cm " Without licence of our Ordinary the ArchbiChop. '-«< j. That we fhallftudy to advance the Eftate of the Church in " genera.H,and particularly the eftate of the Church of tt whereto we are to be admitted and received, in all the profits and e * commodities that poffibly we can. St And laftly,that we thail live peaceable Ministers in the Church, f * fubjeding our felves to the orders that therein are s or ftaall be e« "ftablifhed • 'and by all;means that vve canufc* procure others to **thc due reverence of the fame ; which thing if we (hallcontra- Xl veen fas God forbid ) we are content upon tryall and cognition " taken by our faid Ordinary, without all reclamation or gainfay- " ingjtobe deprived of owr Mmiftery, and be reputed and held in- c< famous and perjured perfons for ever.: Subfcribed with our 8 * hands at The lejfer Oath* (e T now to be admitted to the ho- " JL ly function of the Miniftery,do faithfully promife, and by my "great Oath fokmnly fwear , That I fhall be obedient to all the " Ads and Conft kutiom of the Church, made and agreed upon in p the by- paft Generall Aifemblies , or that hereafter ftiall be law- Af}embly-A4en , that I am Jure,, if We fhiuM Jerve the ^roteflers with the Ity meafnrt \ for tran ; g r efsions of the lilfj na< nre t and perhaps great erf hey would cry out of cruelty and pe*-jtcuti*>n. As for the Epithets they give that Party : / conf jfc y ill enough cannot he done to f let be If ■k", of me» who arc truly jttch as they defcribe ; But we d fsderatt here both charity and p, u ience^ at luch a time^and in fptch a Way, to / i*g filth upon the faces ofthtir Breihren- y and thdt('for ought yetfeen or k,noWn) moft unjutfly. Protestation ^Defended, £ thef* who appeared againft. Rr formation by word or deed had _ found fo i tt'e patrocmy with the late Afiembly men , many of them had beenYrtull friends to themfelves.su is too well kno\vn,not onHy to thdr n areit neghbours, bvt to thefc that live at a good d.ftancefrom th^n. And why d d the .'.ioderacor of their late A^emb'ytch them, that the -depof.-d Miniiters both thought and faid,they had many good friends amongft them ? The Protcfters were never accompted gmlty of that fault , and himfclf afterward chall r.g- th them for being of a rigid purg: g humor, fo I know not what tra Ygrefiiomof the likenatwrehe hath to charge them W'th. He grants in h k fourth Ojfervation, that theep'thets nay be apn yrd it the Parary were iiuh a* h delcnbed , when he fhallfe- rioully colder What hath oeen fald for evidence thereof, he may pcrb'.ps ihangch s jud^rm-nt about them, oratleaft , not^defead' them k) confidently. Pro I •; (75) '*' s Pro t e station Rtvfcwed. i 1**Hat the Publick^d clings were for bringing in dfthe Malignant party, to places of power and tru/i x and beA<* rint down \uch as had hew ft? eight w the Cmft^ ftmtng tip the Civil MAgifirAU Againfi them^ and fttb.eitivg the liberty if the Word in the mouth if Cfatfts Ambdjfaeths^ fir reproof if fin ti the immediate )udictAl cognisance, tcfraint and an* fumf the Civil Magiftr ate mff appear am*f]'eof mahcious reproaches* by fbortly fetting down the true ji ones t elated to ? %ut 1 muff fi?H tell, t hit the sdicm term tJMali^n&nt doth nit Appertain to them, whs having fatisfied for their offences if that kind \ac cording t$ the Order prefer tbed by thefe mens ow@ afjent and advice, keepthem\eives free from new out break- ing of th.n abjured triquity * y And ir we walk^not according to this rule .many of them will be forced to hear^ what for the ptefent I purpofe not to (peak* And next adde, Thai all the birds if their feather, were net fe ftretght in the Canfe^as they would feem^ to infimate here .- And on the other part, feme. whom they term Malignant! here, have given unqtteftioned evidence of their affesiion to^ and are ftili fnfferwg for that Caufe. Nowjhe Stories related to^are thefe two - y The onefi wellknewnjhat we need no more but remember how^vhen^and upon what pinch of necefl/ty, ( which them (elves knsw how it came } the, Comwifii&n of the Kirkheing enquired by the State, who might be employed fir the necefjary defence of the Coun- try at fuch a time: The Commifsion if the Kir kg Ave that An ■ Jwcrjvbtch their duty to Go J), their CM. &t her Kirk , Native Country, ana the Pr etc flam Intereft ^extorted from them > and which all Nations and Incorporation* whatfoever t &ilf ahddo allow and pi act i ft in fuch a cafe, But j hat People may rightly ' judge efit,for it is ordinarily mif-reprejented^ we defire them to get) And ponder the Csmmifltons own Papers. The other K 2 St try is Jhtrtly (in [of at as it ts mofl mdterUl) thtu • It being reyre\ented by the Committee $fRfldtes$ to»the Commission of the Kirk what hazard the Garrifon of SitxWn was inj?y their Mini lien there preachinf^ AndotMrwAietdealing, theywitfat fi^niftd how they behoved to take fome cottrfe for {{curing ike [Ate the Commtfsion defired their Lordfhips, thdt they would not meddle with the matter, ttfl they bad fir fi dealt with ihem^ ' And returned their report of the Ifjue, which being Affentedto ) the Commission woteforthemto St. Andrews, where they met with them; And when by conference they would not receive fttisfdlhon, began to entreat them fir (I to give afjurance, that they would not obfiruti the Levies Jbnt this the) refufed: Thcr- Aftcr, that they would bepieafed (for Peace fake) to withdraw for Afrdfonfrow S Y .cx\m^andthey would provide their places^ but this they Alfo refufed .although Mr, Blair then (apparently a dying) did gravely oheflthem y both for the one and thee* ther • which being reprefented to the Committee of E fates y And they thereafter informed , how thofe Mini ft en conti- nued in their for -mer practice l , they wrote for them once, and AgAiu, to come to Perth ; But ere they came \thcmofl partof the Committee being removed to the North) they who remsi ■ tied, defired them to ftay at Perch or Dundee, tiff the reft (hottld return^ againft which they proteftedin very high terms % as encroaching upon the tMiniftry,&c. By the time the reft returned J he Parliament did fit , who defired the judgment of the Commipon, whether or not the Committee of Eftates hah made any encroachment upon the Miniflry and Government of thisKtrk, by detaining thefe Minivers, and give their ad* vice what courft the Parliament fhould take in relation to thtm, forfecuring the Garrifon efSzerlin • the fttmme of the Anfwer thereto was } The Brethren might lawfully protcft, that nothing be done prejudicial to the Liberties of the Kirk » but that they did not fee that the Committee of Eftates hadeneroa* ehedt hereon } by that which they had done • and that they could ■ giv* (injtno ddvisc to their Lordjhifs^ the (Muring of a Garrifon being d thing not competent unhem. After which, feme of thofeMintfters friends entreated ftme efthe Comniifsim, to deal with the fArliamentfolet their tnthren go kme\under ~ taking for themjhat they fhould n$t further offend s which the Brethren of the Commifsion did, engaging themselves to be an fee* 'able for their- carriage gj whcreufin they were frefontly di [miffed. ThU being the true Stsry^ let any judge of the truth of the ftrmer Calumnies. PROTESTATATION Defended. TWo things he dehies,af;d faith they are malicious reproaches : The firft is, the in- bringing of the Malignant party to places of power and trait. ; one while he pleads thar repentance, and would have them to be no Malignanrs that have made a fafhion of repen- tance, without any evidences, yea s there were contrary evidences in their fpeechesand actions : another wh le he pleads neceflity for it, and faith, the Protefters know how it came jj which is true indeed, though not perhaps in his fenfe : They too wellknow from fad ex- periencejhow that neceility was plotted and contrived at iheHfgue and Brtfdah in Hcl/attd^ud how the defig? was driven on in Court, State and Kirk in iV**7/rW,aU other necefiities were but pretended ; and what neceflity is that, which fhould make a People, confedera- ted with God in a folemn Covcnant,to give up the Lords Covenan- ted In terefts and People, to the power of his and their Anti-Cove- nanted Enemies, whofe hands have been, more then orce, imbrued in their blood. Then he referreth to the Commiliions Papers, for further latisfaclion ; but thefe have been fufficiently anfwered by former Papers* to which no Reply hsth been given. I find in the, CommifTions large Paper , in anfwer to the King and Parliament,' concerning the Miniftcrs of Sterlin^ this Defence of their Anfwer to the Parliaments Quaere, which is brought forth by them , with confident words,as an undeniable Argument^ Either the Malignants will fatisfie, or not fatisfie j if they fatisfie, then they muit be id~: mitted to the Covenant and Ordinances, and if to thefe, then they' may be admitted to fight for Religion^ King and Country &c, I f they they fatisne. not, then they are to be Excommunicated » and by the PublickRefQlucaons.Excommunicared ptrlons are excepted from be, ing employed. -The Vindication of their Ailembly hath another Anfw'er, that the Publick Resolutions wcrts'ndeterminatt jurists to any former Aflembly. Wh:r-e fir IV I defire it to be obferved, how ore Defence ihtVrfeffctfi Ov th another^ What a fad bofinefs is here ? fomc few Members of the Commiflion without advertif- mtut Pent to other?, do,at the defic of the State, d -te "mine a mat- ter.of Dodlrine w th great precipitation , contrary to received and known principles ; and then they drain their wits todevifc feveral forts of Arguments to maintain the fame. ( i ) What a ftrangc con- verfion is here of Thoufands all q\\ a fudd-ePjfojlowng upon an Act of Parliament > b Jtowfng places,though j.uft now , many of them Were in Arm*; againft Religion and their Country , and others on. their v way to joyn wih them. The State hrft nominates Malignant 0/ficcrs 5 and then they come to make a bare llmv of repentance be- forc.tbe ComrniiTion <nd they accept it. (2 ) Obferve, that it is nor true which is allcaged for defence of the Comrniffion, that they ore ft ri bed good Rules, but the State tranfgrefted tht.ro ; for according to the CommiiTtons d lemma , brought to maintain tbeir Rel'oiut ons, the State did net tranfgrefs the limits prefcribed \vhea they nominated p:i ions .;ot yer Excommunicated, for faith tbeComnvflion, If they fatisfle nor, chny qr$ to be LxvO»r,munica~ ted, and fo are excluded ; and to Uy the truth, t l e State could not think that the CoittqaiiHon judged any to be nbfVrate enemies , or notorioufl.y flagitious, wh j neither we? c :J xcormmi!v.cstcd,nor un- der p ocefs of ExeoriLi unicition ; and fo the Commiffioners of the Kifl were thief in the Tranfgre! ion, for they did not Excommuni rate any one Malignant h ScatUndj hv-t fhorrly after pheir Aniwer did relax from Excommunication a chief Maiignarr, who had been Excommunicated a 1'itle before their Ar.H\ er , f\u bung a Ring- leader ofaprefent Rebellion. ($ ) How contrary g that to former Princ ; pie«, toreafon from mer.s be •:■.£ admitted ro Repenrar.ce, to their Employment in Places of Truft ; for chit is the thing complai- ned of in the Proteftation , and anfwere i by th s Reviewer ) the Acbof Aficmbly 16$$. 1649. and 1650. and Declarations of the Coinmiflionsof the K : rk,. fpeak exp-cfiy agaiuft enwloyi, g 01 K.a- lignants, notwithftanding any outward fatisfaclion : h not the io- lemn - . (79) , Icmn Acknowledgment of our great fin,, in employing jwafigjRKESj made particularly in relation to the employir g thole who kad given fausfaction to the Kirk? for none were employed in places of power fnd authority but fueh as had fir ft fati.'-fied the Kirk.' Doth rot ihe Aflemb''y.i^4P» Hfffrfly diftirguith betwixt AdmifTion of i\U- iigmrts to. Repentai re,and their AdmilltOn to Trtfff • which, even in Kirk Seflions, Is difcharged without exprefs 'warrant of Aflem- bly ? And then (q) As t© their Repentance. How few of the great multitudes admitred, were received 1 , accord ng to the Order prefcribed in the General Atfcmbly at Gfaf-jrow , and, the. rpeneral Aiferribiy 1649 ? Upon Evidences, irwas'in the ■ ju'dgmen'rof many judicious and pious rncri, the very Cspt-ftxne of that Defr&ipp, that the Lords Ordinances were- made to ferve the corrupt ends and designs of men, and. the mocking of ; Repentance, mode a patent way to Truft and Preferment : What better was .it , then if the Priefts of old had admitted Lepers 'int.o'the'Lords Houie, arid then, to excufe.themfelvcsjhad pronounced them all to be e'ean.when the Leprofie had fprung up and fpread in their b.4J-!u as! ; th -t cc rtain- ly fhould be 'accfrmpted a double gm!r> ' !ift| for tbofe,' which he faith, arc free from nevv darMoreaitHg^yall Imt 1 I know oTiJiat kind will hardly exceed (that which we could only _callj a perfect num- ber, their Repentance is very rare • it is toViiranirlit that many of ' them have,"sCcording to their mutable principle^ gore f cm one ck- tream -co another. • Forhis bo^fbef ; wh'at he caw fpVak, of'any-of she Proteilers r they fear him not* only let him freak rioniorf here- after then he cm make good ; ;wfykh is the be ft way to bring him- felfnto credit again. The other thing which he denyeth in this placc s ?s 3 T!ie fubjecling, of the liberty of the Wordinthe kffdutB of Ci'.riits E.rhbaftVdors to the immediate judicial cognizance., reftraint'ind centre of ibe Civil Mag ! ftrate. This is fo fully cleared in f he Review'of the Ymd'cati- on, as I need, fay nothing in anfvyer to the Relation hrrc maic\on{y I obfe< ve this difF mice bawixt theVrndiCan'on afid th's R« v"; .wei"^, that the. Vindication denictli that the Magiftrate. cor fired the. Mi-. njfters of JV but belike it Vri/t never leave them. fVe grant indeed^ the JCtrj^/btuld be care- ful to purge out the old Leaven. All our jQueftien it, anent the manner how : And I /ball dejire them in the fearofGed i to c§tt- "fider whether their pralUfe in thit hath been in every thing f qua- red to the ApoUles Rules, rTim.5.19. Tit..;. 10. Gal.eT.i. Jud.22. 23. A^d^hether or not they made it a politicly [crew , to Vrind ttyemfclves into all places of power and, Authority y Civil and Scctc- ft<*ftic*l y and a mean of revenge^ exerting it uncharitably andux- feafonabtj. Protb s tation Defended. STOw ofTcnfive mud this needs be both in the ears of God and X good men, that one who pretends to be a Patron of an Af- fembly of the Kirk,ftiould fo publick'y and fiornfully reproach that neceflary and covenanted duty which the AHembiies of theKirk and their Commiftion, in their Declarations, Warnings,, and Remon- ftrances, above the number of Twenty, have prefled upon the Par- liament and Committee of Eftates,f; om the Word of God and our, Covenants, as they would avoid the Lords eternal wrath on them- felves,and a curfe uron the Land, and ftill challenged them as neg- ligent and defective ; in all wh ch the men of moft deferved eftima- tion in their Afltmblies had a very great hand. The Caufes of Hu- miliation prefented to the State before T>umbar^t Leith, and the Caufes after Dumbar at Sterlin, fhew and acknowledge, the not- purging the Judicatories and Armies , according to our Vows and Profetfions to be a great caufe of the Lords wrath upon the Land ; after- yf8(8i} afterward he would,feem not altogether to condemn the duty, and would ftate the difference upon the "ntatifleH arid" by the words he fpeaks and texts h>ntetri>hefeems to defiderat juftice,prudence,cha- riry, and what mi ? It would pleafe fuch a Matter iar better to 6t idJe thenito vyork.;.i)'Ut.fuch, to whofc hearts the lord hatiimajde the bwgttagQiof His YvTords to fpeak , though they: do readdy ac- knowledge a great mixture of humane infirmities in their perfor- mance of ail duties^ yen they are fo far from thought&of repenting what they have done in irfetii;atter, asthey -xMlrc to:rliQurrii>cfb^ the Lord that the wotkof purgit g .haftfit >ixen fo'muvhflighted'jm,* all Judicatories both Eccitfiafheal arid Gtvlt : . Sometime he under 1 values the Protefters as acornpany of youi^ men of jnalail accoiftptf- and at other times, he holds them forth as iren who had: a great fway in Judicatories of, Kirk and ^rate. q l$& faid^ Purging iwasr made a politick fere w, to, wind into Power and Authoriieyiin.'Kndil and State. To whxh I anlwer. in bis own' words/ T^a't I Hthbatri noHs accufauons r/tujl notfaj*k,ep ttpdn trMft^hexfiotki»T-isfaidL ■to make them affear • efpecial!y when they are fpcken:by a jper^r fon wheuakes more --pleaforo.tftrepFo'acfc then tttrjb*%n* I zmSsM if it, was before acceptable in JudscatoHesJoHptak foi;pan^ng>;jciS «0w more acceptable tofpeakagainftit, and J think I may in the fear of the Lord , defire-gopd rften who Were; very indubious ; aml zealous for purging the Houfe of God, the Judicatories' andiAr? mies, and now areengaged in the. way of the PublicJeRefblurionij %o cpnftder the boldnejs.ofthis-rnan ( wiiom they dowel! enough know J and either to take with the thing he charges upon their for?, mer actings, and to let the world know that then they were wrong, but now are right, together with the Reafons of their change-* or elfe to be fenfibie of their lifting up the head ofifuGh(men.,by de'clr? nlng to their way, and to remember whence they are fallen* tfmddtn repent. Prot e s t as i on Reviewed.*. AS for any former in any to carry P ttUickfD etermin'iiiUris p any Wrong ends, We car. % and do hlefs (jod t the contrary k known to ketr ue , and allihc^4\Jemy\%es Determination* .t^eak^ the fume language to th? whole World • jea % I hope to their co/jfei- enees alfc ^henthe, heat *f their, fa.fiions & a little allayed* v k\ \ ;. h PRO" Phoie,staTion Defended. • . ....... ?JftH2;Ac"te rtiadeiin thcic ArTembly at »»theia W^aaiheteAi^affid.C)xerx\irev?atFed,jThat thewords of tJhoflta- yfeb'MtiMikQKwfotho Rro|)lteh, in ; his 4 *yes, uaigtit irel aj>*fcid)& rheAnri ^isirs. s«e25 . : The} fate mth thvfrfaitky\a^cty i <)ft3t\fa ktejfairb* That the AlfembHes Determinations fpeak die time Jin- guage p the! late Aileaibiy at Edinburgh fpeaks the fame language vimfo^harof r JDnnaee y but neither- ofithfcrmfpeak che language of ^oniieci^fifcmfcfl!ie& fioETjour Reformation,®? the Paper's &a*£0 iheat from thc\Keeffc?rjo!f tfie Regifteivof the' Aifembi}'(\vl ; /eh tfoiey <&&"•• ftxkto reacie) dttfufry -{hew'Their language is the fame with that "of the parliament and 'Committee of. Etlates j 648. pleadingibr the Unlawful Eogkgjament 2- itdotfr' aiifat'Wifcliagyce w;-th che-i King*; Baclarncionfirj 2th appear whofe word is J**.and nay* a (Z&thfot 7, io\: M\vM'^l(it??the la^e^efl^AnAi^h^Arne^piYit^trarih 2.18. ../and Who" ttHiU a- g#iirj»fr\trtfop4vfi rP y bk> A «d Itfq^/rtw wfsfo ej tr fjbjfy mfs djQ J arid whi) wqttem.fi %h*jnft™?*idth*%^kh-i'<}q fai^p^y ■/&?#. 4 Jj. -'2:3.', P.JSL^.xJ^sJaAT-ioHAReviewcd.- "^JQ.*tbe\f*.il9»&\ jpaWs.^bitkdr.A »f ih»'ykifHpy»*k *&Xf*rAcr t J7; I (b*U-*»ty *$&£* :itykakikMxfl(K*'s "^xktteyfaiYtbq^k nlthp tfaeir ftffrjttigl h.mt*yUxpell\af- ihem r . ifuhe.i*\fopmer\ uttings had xfet fHffi"■ - ij . | ■•;;;': 1' i&nVoi - '•< .-::•■_■- vV^'^A '.'■ d :i: PROTE3TA.TION- ^Dtfiwdid. i . , 2 ■ i '.Oil TO the firftlanfwerVthat hi ioth Wcti to grant, that the pre- fers expreflions and former actings of theProteflers do agree, the 4ike cannot be fatdMat that^re lor the Public'k R'efolt>iitfhs$ though it fee tootrue of many of thenyhe Protesters a r e indeed for p'ur*fttg out atiinfu.fficientJfcaodaious & il-affecTed -but that is very far from judging fuch as come not up the full length that they de- fire -he kno weth what me-afure faitfrfai •'Minifters andProfeflors got; in the if A&s a t D -nvdee^ and ihe may rem em be r li is ttwn #tliiia e ion page 5. ofanceeffity to hold them as Heathens and Publicans*. To the fecond I lay , that they do neither: often affume, nor a-tall approt prtat fas he faith eifwhere) tfa^^e'of^^dl^ot%^ffi]ri^e%^*fe| ji&fcfibers of the Proteftut'fyn are fpe$fin£ ■'•• of others l XW $b($ ; m thefe of beft'ac'cbmpt in their- Aifembiie^wili^t-dfnytlie^^lrko^ , ny ofgodiinefle j and yet when they are reproached and •eoEdettT- nedjthey may even concerning themfelves _;; -ufe fome freedom-in their Vindication ,for which there be diverfe examples in Scripture. To the third, feeing ^hatsAffemblf tcTWkigh the Proteftation was prefented,accompt themfelves a ] udicatory, why did they not ac- defired the Protefters to prove them ,- ^'herein if -tfeeyha^d *faled 9 -the AffemMy had the greater advantage , - but they'^'Were. 'loath to put the bufineffe Upon that iilue. To the fourth, I defireftirfi to confider whatMr.fe^ Knox faid to the Go-unc'ell' \^w!v4iis'la&T.etter to the L 2 General C84) Genera!! Aflfembly, a litle before his death. But doth not the Wri- ter cf tin > pj.pcr Know , that fome.depo fed Minrfters arc admit- ted contrary to puoliek Order of the AtTembly 1649, and 1650, in feverall places, and particularly within the Synod or Tividale and M r< > I believe he is not ignorant of it, and however, I am fure a great part , if not the m.oit part of the Aflembly did know it: and the whole Alfemb'y pigfot have known it, if they did examine Sy- nod- Books and their Proceedings; a t 1 Protestation Reviewed. 1 TT^Or their illafitii in the Trophett. VtardsJ (bail de fire them (e- J7 rio:Jlj to rjfid them again , and perpend if in confeience they be applicable to the prefent points of differences. T^ex^^hcytel us y it flail be their purpofe to maintain the Ttoft) i?.^Wo'fhi i t > y Dij ci- pliaejtnd Government of this Kirk^, and particularly the Natit- nall Ajftfoblies , -fs longas^hey arcprefervedfram corruption in the eonfiiiution thereof: Bat wtt»l need better hat ever be the pur- pofeofmen , it is evidently ''n> of 'the divsl coruine Generall tsiftembtie-s, and j"o to raze i-he walls of our Je/uialem; And they tyoulddowell to cor.Jider tfand how far they have been inftrnmen- tall to dxive on that difign, . Protestation defended.. ^■T^He Prophets words were well considered before they were J, fet down-in the Protefbtion, and, they are very applicable to the Party e>f w ! ich the Protdlrrs (peak. ? t is known to the World ■/wh^tTome 01 the : Prote(krs frave done for maintenance of theGo- vernmentofth-s Kir't ,• 1 may fay of them all Without any boaft, that they have done more for it, then any who queftion the reality of their Profeflions.. There is no doubt but it is the Devils delign to mine General! Afcnbi'es,. and eyery Ordinance of Chrift if he could, but the way by which Satan hath molt advanced that defign -- hath been through their own corruption,and when they were faith- ful), opposition hath iittk prevailed. Pro- f85) Protestation Reviewed. ut they VPouldmake [erne clearing here, by tdlivg us f hat all m who are acquaintedwith the principles and practices of ' mr \\>or t hyp reduce (for s,and of the learned & godly nen- conform! ft s in England, W/7/ eafily fee hoVtfar they are from their judgments and fral~lices,who follow the wayes of (eparation. Belike they flill dwell it fide evil neighbours; but which is worfe, they are hardly belie- vtd : when men call to mind and confider how no^ of a longtime ftiil they tool^the patrociny of all that were fuffe fled to follow thofe^ayes. 2. What progrefs feme of their chief and cryed-up men have made in thife^Ayes. 3. what affeElien they ft ill carry To them, and how familiarly they converfe with them, even al- though excommunicate. 4. But e[peci ally hoy* unavoidable (epa- ration is upon their grounds : For, ifitbeam'atlerofcsnfcience for them to joyn with others in Civil duties, that 1 nscejjjpriiy be- long to the Incorporation , whereof both are members , fure much more m Sccleftaftick^ 'But a litle time Will further clear this. Protestation Defended* E"e he bends all his endeavours to make it appear , that the .Protefters incline to fepamion; bnt he anfwers not what is faid in theProteftation for their vindication^ wit,that their waj 5 are agreeable to the principles and practices of their Predcceftors and the Non- conform ifts \n8ngUnd, he brings four confederations why the profeffions oftheProtefters are not believed. Pirfl - , he faith, that the Protefters ftill took the patrociny of ail that were fufpe- cted to follow thefe waves; but what doth all tins amount unto . ? Forte faith not that they patronized thefe who folio wed,but trufe who were fufpected to follow the wayes of reparation. It is well iknown that too many have an evill eye agairft Reformation , and have fufpe&ed all that hath been done thefe fourteen- years in the Lords; Work, as reodrng to feparation •• But what, will he fay for his aflbciats, who have not onely taken the patrociny of men fufpe- tied for Milignancyjbut of thefe that weie condemned and excom-- mutrcar Km municated for being murderers of the People of God ,• yea, and what if they have recommended ohtgi at o Rublick ttuft and em- ployment?!^ that which he alleageth in the fecond p!ace } I anfwcr, that this :s the old Prelaticall fong againft the Non-conformifts,be- caufc forne of their number turned Separates: therefore to fay that they were all for feparatian,< though they keepedChriftsmiddlt way between extreams, and did much more againft Separation by Word, Writ and Prinr,thcn all the Prelaticall Party; And I may fay the like of the Protefters,that they have taken more pains by word and writ, to prevent and remedy the declining of Jome to the ways ■of Separation , then all that are for ihePwblick Refo uclons have done. Befide he would confider what is iaidin the Repreftntation which was given in before the Proteftation •• How great a (nArc jsnr -. former actings^ which \\ ere not to tdifc*tionhave betnto fome people to tempt thtm to the way cf ' ftparatior. y and -to the ft/a- iding cf the government of this -Ch/trck, &c. He may alio bethink him'feifcyjhat great numbers cf thefe that were, mod: zealous for the PubficK Refolutions, have either departed from their Principles to the contrary way,, againft which they were fighting the former year; or other wife,if they be ftill walk ; ng upon their principles^ is true which the Protelters a'.leage, tint the PubJick Refolutions lay a foundation for conjunction with a! Iparties whatXoever. To the third I fay, thut he hath forgotten the rules recommended by him ■to the Protefters in the preceding page' , anent purging 6\ fcanda- lous, insufficient -and ill-affected Minifters. . Willhenotdlow the fame moderation to men reputed godly, when they fall into an er- ror of judgment ? He recommendt d to the Protefters confiderati- oni.Tim. < ).i9Tit.$.6Sja/.i. Brethren, if a man be over-taken in a fault , ye which are fpirituallrefi^e (nek an one in the fpirit of meek*e(ft t C0*fideri»gthj fel{ left theu alfo be templed. Hexecotn* mended alfo ftt& 22 23'. and of fome have &empf:the quarrel! was changedfrora what was agreed oq by- State, Kick and Arrny,before the .fight huf&w&wfy as liutli been. fliewccl before/ Next, theihtereftaod ends, of ike iWari- were changed., when the> Malignant Party became the predominant anebjprevalent MI-tirtT^icacdries, and 'Armies- jjxiiis^ooe thing to joyn w tli a ft^^yili^eJrshia.gt'eat Army trntcis aiioriier.-xhip.g- t-oijo^a with the G^ffgrigation of cyd-h-doerls'^ rmtf&W¬orio&s et«J&4o l e& bear i&t Hvay and rule in. government!. /-'There was a tKrd tlrng*, that- though all^vetfedexr anent theivrdiwfufceffeof ifat imdfiitl^ *(3d^d c -cbn^P : co-optio«fe it $>$qt " very beed lefty fdvSffiMl wer£>fnade Stetef fcbliflgand reading teoifof-'ofa, Treatyfdr peachy w'lftch ^'5 c fri^'dl-%'Geriecai'! and GouncelLof the Enghiri Forces not long afttrCfhe'right at Dumbdr , feeing it had been an fade matter mi tevt$tiy£s to have- -made tryali and discovery , whether ; there was anyrealicy in that offer or riot, bu knot fo rriusblas aft anfwer' Was re- turned ! by : wOrd Or Writing to 1 that Letter , uotwi'thflahding that it was ohce refolved eta by the moft part of the Members '-of- the Cbmmttee of Eftates-tbyt were thenprefentat Stsrlws. 'Now it #s evident, that chefe things are-ofe different nkHk-frWm'th^/cjittr- ftion abouc JWaration from\vopifaip,.becaufe of' thefts'* #-^iUA-v*- worihippers/ But yet further I fay, there are many cfcaf difference's betwixt non- concurrence' With the 'Malignant Party WAfttis.acco:-' ofQoQ, gft%if ! is to every £berHs^riee<>moTon en^&'reluUeth to atk& all muft lime tlrerin, ( §ecori'ng as the Lord difpenftth a'viclor'y or' defeat; noW the Lov-d irw ; ittt i bi's^&fd^rkl bfeffilchtfe^ [ucb an Argu- M ^ mens 3 (po) mtit ^Ul bt f or\u ftifpng their pre fint prattice • is palpable to any who will either U»k^ to the matter concluded in thofe corrupt JUsetingSi cr the manner of 'their procewre, or the particular r-tafens whereon they were condemned, in all Which there being no- thing *hk e ; I wonder why they are attctgcd, except perhaps :, they l>novtmany of their Projelytes witltak? upontruJf t Whatfoever csmmech from (hem > or (eemeth i» borrow countenance frtm Glafgow. Protestation Defended. IT is to be obferved, that where the protefhtion upon good ground faith, That the fecend A^embly after this loft Refor- mation hs,th clearly determined the keeping and authorising cor^ rupt Cjener&ll Af\emblics to haze keen one of the chief caufes of the many evils Which have befallen thii Church - t heonely faith that it affirmed that thefe corrupt Affemblics Were a cmefcanfe & c. If any of the Protefters;had fpoken fo barely of fo futmn an Ac! and determination of the General! Aflemb.y , ft had been a Crime to have been noted with great Letters; but he alio palleth over thefe Words, kjepmg and. authorising thefe corrupt AfjemHies^ which are. the words of the Acl, and of no fmallufein this debate be- twixt them and the Pfoteftets; and if the lafe Atfembly be corrupt, the forbearing to keep them, atxi to concur for authorizing them is fo far from feparation, that it is a duty fo to do. In the next placr, I obferve that he feerns to grant the nullity of the late Aflemhlies,if they.be like unto the fix corrupt Aflecobltes, either i ; i .matter,man<- ner orreafons condemning the iame^ and if hefhall be pi™ fed di- ligently to perufe theJ8.eview of the late Vindication , he may fee their Iikendle in all the three* though he yeejd chat one of them is enough; As to that bitter fcofij faying* That the Praeflers k»QW many of their Prof elytes will t ah* upon trufi whatfeever commeth from thtm y or fetrntthie] iyi*rety c-fu-'it^fance from Glafgow. I ■wifli the Writer of this Paper had as great ability- and dexterity to fpeakin things, concerning Edification, and the promoting of godli- neflfe, as he hath for jeers and fcofti, wherein he feemeth to fpeak as one who had, delighted to exercife himfelf therewith from hi? fvgtk 3 but Purely be.is greatly miibken in the truth of what he faith £•'. I ■■■'(9i) faith, and if he {ha 1 ask thefe whom he calleth Pi'ofeiites, I truft he il^all find them in fome meafure able to render a reafon of their doings,: and thatthey acl: from a Principle of knowledge, and not ef ignorance^ - Proti station Reviewed. Heyfay they have a clear warrant from Scjipuye, j$ t plead and tepfie again f corruptions i Itis y indeed] but withall the) flwuld have better grounds then any we have jet heardtf or can conceive > befe* t 'they trouble the Pedcetfa Kirk % and fo fcremptmlj conclude that a corruption? which they cannot. prove one^yea what alUnot only re-formed Churches from the light of Scripture are perjwadetlof 5 but even gene- rally all pet fie from the tight ofnatu^e^ and upon the Brine i* ties ef felf-frefervauon^are cm vimtd is a duty. Wepajfe for thefrefent to give anjverdiB\ concerning fome bfpaft Affsof theirs (whuh they mention) hm good 'they wcrejr how true. - What is fatd being fujficieni to clear ^ that this their Protection if alfo netdlejfe { to {ay m worfe) as the following grounds given for it are frivolom \which tkemjelves fern in part to ajfent to , while they faj^ they do it for all or Ume of the reafomfoBomng^andfo infinuatejhatfomeoj them will not hold water, which( in my humble opini on ) they might fafely have affirmed of them all. x Protistation D^/wM TTt TKen the Protefters bring Arguments from the Word of V V God, from fworn Covenants, and the Acls and Decla- rations of this Kirk, to prove a defection in this Kirk, and that in the Publick Refolutions they have departed from former Principles then this Reviewer takes himfelf to general! Arguments from the light of nature, and felf prefervation, &i t Which fheweth that he hath nothing to anfwer in particular to the Arguments brought a- M 2 gainft (92) gainfl: theav. Many Aifearid Declarations ofth's Kirk have been made dfe of in foraiep Piper* agaioft the Pttblick Hefolutions, buc never anv Dae A.i or Dec'ararion could be produced for then;' a!! their arguments from the light of nature hive been an- fwered formerly by th : Proteft rs, and it hath been (hewed chat it is ay*amft: natures light to a'fociace with actual! enemies and bloudy rebels, they hive buc a poor plea to pLad before conferences bar, to fay that niture taught them to proiouiceabfoluution to all the Malignant Pi.rty,a:id to declare them friends to the Lord, his Work and People, w thout evidences of8.epeqcance,to the end they might be ft-engche icd by their help ar s d aflaftmce for defence of Religion and the Country. It is a fid matter that Mincers of theWord of fifol who (hould rmgaifie the Law and make ic honourable fliould mike it a haodemid to the light of nature, whereby it is to be fear- ed the Lord miy be provoked to remove Sefiptu-e light from his leers, and to let them walk in the light of the r own fire , and in the fpir'.^s which they have kndled- I do no: ea% believe, that he who delights fomachh reflections an i afper/lons againft thefe Whom he dilketh , would paffe any by-paft acts of. the Proteiiers fas he faith) :f there were any thing he could with any ("hew of reafon quafrellw.ee he concludes th: Pro reflation was needlefle, and the grounds of it frivoio is,ani he wonid ferch a proof hereof from th:mfelves, b:ciufe'they fay they do Proteft for all or [omiafthe re tfonjfawmitfrwWtch laith, he doth in'huate thit fonts of th;r» nil not fold witer-. Sue h: w ttingly om ; tteth in the fame place that they do alio Proteft up >n the grou ids before mMtiorei , wherein they ail did agree , a ii thefe a'oie had bzz<\ fu ficient to infer the co.icla'i in. The true reafon of that cxrkcfiiirijfirdllorfims oftbs reA'om fo!iawi*g was this , There were amo.igil the Proteftersa- gaioft the hte corrupt k fembly at E linbirsk > dfverfe who were fu'iy perfwadei concerning the ii afataeTe o f th i Pnbl ck ReloSuti • o:i>> a ai accounted the Aieobly at *D#niee corrupt , forthermt- ter,yet had fome doubts agent the form , but perceiving this year [ a corrupt conftitution continued acsording to that corrupt aft,api fuleofconft cation of ATembties mde at £>/««&*, they were clear, that it was their duty to Proteft ag drift this Auembly itEdin- i*rgb,is corrupt in the form and co ..indication: Bat the mod part by fa? were clear 3 that it was a duty^ to Protelt jgainft the confuta- tion tionofthat'AflcmWyatSt.v/W^W/ and Dundee, yet did not judse it expedient to make two feveral! Proteftations becaufe of tbis'dirFerence when they agreed in che main ; Therefore that all n^ght jorn in oneProtertation,tbat manner of expreifion was ufed; and what hath this Reviewer to infult in agakft che Prottfters when ail the matter is , that the numb; r of the Protefters agair.ft the late Aifembly at Edinburgh is increafed above the number of Protefters agamft their Aflcmbly at St. Andrews, Protestation Reviewed. Heir frflreafon is, That this (Meeting hath its de- tendance ^ fewer and authority fer its indi$i$n, from that of Si. Andrews And Dundee, h tret that to btgthe quefiien} and besides, hath ffl weight , neither in refpttrof us who hold and have determined it a free lawfnllGenerail Af- (ewbly, as indeed it was, and doth appear from the finite 4r tion thereof, a nervous piece not jet answered , nor eafily an* Jrverable- NorinrefpeBofthemfelves, and their Principles^ wh& in their Arguments again fi that Ajfewbiy, do determine that Presbyteries may by mutual I consent, meet in a free, law- fnd Genera! I ^Afj'embiy • now the Commi[sions dtrtftedte this , dt prefuppoje and import the mutual conjent $f Presby- teries. Protestation TVjW/5) tors k ape hmrvedfnm the Remmflrams tfthrfStetkerUttds, their Vroteftathn againff the CouncehfDort'^afwhUh mee- ting , it was largely and ledmedly Ytfm td K as • may be fee® in ffo ftdgewttti if the Orthodox pwlnestbtreufm. Protestation Defended.: hi E w.fiijl in the wrong to fay .th§ P*oteft«s-i)fgthc:Queftion _ and being under fo great a fcandal, are by the Adh of the K'nk irctpabk tfi be Members of a General!. AT. mbiy. But indeed now 'his Reviewer g'tah occsfion to think upon that which he talicthafalftiood, and though the Profeftation faith nothing of the fisr-e pcrlons being Members of the ATerably at Edinburgh^ that were Members at St. Andrew;* as he would have theProte- ftni~n to ipeaki yet there is more truth in iha% then he is wil- ling to ix f ,re(fe, r'or the chief leading men for the Publlck RMo- lutions were conftituent Members of the Aflfembly at Edinburgh, andof the grand Committee, and of the Commmee appointed for Conference with the Protefters. As to that h: faith of their Moderators, not being at the Commiflirn at Ttrrh^t mii*ht have been fereborn , aod I take no pleafure to remember how inftru- mentall he was otherwise. PROTE STATATION Reviewed. TH* third reafon is, becau[e of the pre limitation of E* lelliom, by the A els made at Dundee injoyning Sy- nods and Presbyteries to proceed to cenfure ail who eppofethe Pal/lick Refolutiom, orfhouldnot acquiefce to the K^icis made at Dundee, andfo exclndcth all not involved in the courje of defection, from Elections, in fur [fiance whereof > there were Jundrypre- limitations made fine c, by [ever al Synods andPref- byt cries. For anfwer , I would enquire with what con[cience this Argument is proponed by them, who [for ought I know) are clear again jl the major, and cannot be ignorant oft be va- nity or nullity of the minor. Their major muft be^ no Ajjembly that is pre limited, can be free. But to paf[e the judicious con- siderations thereof in the learned ' Vindication ^ure lamjbtm- I 'elves will never afier.t to any Af[embly in this Kirk , without fir ange pr&- limitations , yea and pra-conclttfions too • as they didfignifie at the Meeting and Conference />* May lafl. And [or the %Minor % there were pr ^limitations here A pray you what} Such Such a) may nullifie an Jfjembly V No fuch thing. Is a future Jffembly predimtfed', hecMfc xynetrdet engine d the qualifi- cation of its Members i Was the Parliament 16^9. pre-Uwh- ed-and utfise , beeanfe the Cm mittee of E (fates } exclude \ therefrom, all that fate and voiced in the former? Or the C^jfemklyof, OU{'v\becau(e the Tables appointed and laid down a way whcfiouldbe elected thereto, am who n$i i Or all future Afjembjies^ because tkatjfGhigow exclude! h from- them all that fhall net take the National Covenant. < Whither doth their pafsipn lead them to plead the Efifcopalcaufei $efides\ didmt the Letter oftheCommifsion in May f%M re- quire of Presbyteries to chuje faithful arid honefl men 1 - Which 3 whatever feme havefaid^ was no fwful preAlmhauon. Aide* although the Alt of Dundee requires Presbyteries and Synods to Proceed with the Cenfmes of the Church again f them y r who After conference ofpofed the Pubtick Kefoluthns (not as they Jay f with a disjunctive, or who fl)&ll not aquiefcttothe Aofs made) yet hath no Presbytery nor. Spied that I kvow y cenfured any upon thai accompt, or excluded any from voicing in Elc* vfhns ^ but rather all Presbyteries did r equire 1 ihem thereto* Now^ if they might eleff, they might alfo by thefaw\e reafon be e letted ; but themf elves ferc-jeetng that, in Jew Presbyteries obtainable • where- ever they were^ they refujed and dijfentedi being probably themf elves pre-limited bythe order and advice of their Sing- leaders. Laftly, it u at beft^needlefly added ^ that there were feveral limitations fine e , in fever al Sy- nods, 1 beleeve there will be nothing el fe found but the f&me^ ViZ.Theaff'ertionoftheConftitHtionoftke Afjembly ^/ Dun- dee, which we will not grant, and they cannot prove to bejuch a pre-limitation^ as is deftrttcJivc of the freedom of an Af fembly. N Pro- Protestation Defended. Ertajnjy this Reviewer either hath not read and considered the RcafonsoftheProteflers upon this fubject, or other wife i% Would feemhe is vAidefcrfritta frontu , that can enqure with what confeience this Argument is propounded. He faith, their ma- j^muft be,no Affembly that is prelimited,is free,and that they can- not be ignorant of the V3nity of the mintr : But their Argument is, That ho A'lemoly prelumted in the free Election of Commifli- onen by (Vcluditjg and making uncapable thofe who ,may, and fhould d" cholen aaordi^g to the A&s of this Kirk \ and by inclu- ding folely thofe, who according to the Acl:s of this Kirk, are u. ca- pable, is a free Alkmbiy : But Inch was this late pretended AfTem- bly, Srgo. The Protefters never aflerted , nor aflfented unto fucb pre -limitations , and pre-conclulions as this Reviewer f'peaks of ; and Ik* doth well to fnppofe that there were inch pre- limitation* in their late AflTemblics ; but he is much to blame that he ftudyeth to confound pre limitations of the freedom of an AlTembly , with due qualifications of ts Members, agreeable to the Word of God,to our Covenants, and. the Conftitutbns of this Kirk, as if chc/e were one & the fame. If he think that in the Rules of Conftitutionof the Af- fcmbly at qttfgm t ox any other Aflembiy fince that time preceding their late Aflem. « S./Udrevps t ihexc was any other thing required but thefe due qualifications of Members before mentioned, let him fpeak out, that his mind may be known ; and for their Act and Let- ter, and Publick Papers 165 i. and their late Acts at £> /^^exclu- ding ail thatdfTer from the PublickRefolutions : he will never be able to prove thofe to be fuch : he is begg ng the Queftion indeecL \y! en he fuppofeth.that Aflferably at D*?tdee to be a free lawful Af- femb'y, determining the qualification of Members. He tels us, that in the Affembly at Gi^igor» > all were-excluded that did not Bike the National Covenant: But that was no prelimitation of due freedom, it was a requifit qualification, r Indeed, if the Aflembiy at Cjiaigtw had fecluded all that did take the Covenant,from being Members of any AlTemb'y, and had appointed , that AiTernblici Ihrnild confift only of fuch as had oppofed the Covenant, and concurred in the cuurfe of Defection, as the late Affembly at Dundee hath done in the (99) the cafe of the PabKck Refolutions ; it hadbeenapfelimirationoi the freedom o~jf Afljflftbhesa and it had been great nnfaithfnli^fs not; to havegiVf n teftimony agairrlVthe fattfie- It would fikffl by the Ar- gument, whxh this Rcvktver hath framed/That if the Aucrnb'.y-Hht ■ Dundee had brought In the Prekts and'Sctyice-Book-Jrterj tO be Members of the AWembly at Edinknrgh^hz would have fuftained it to be a, free lawful' General Aitembly, for faith he (vay loofy, without reftriclion according to the Word of God, Covenants and Conftttutions of this Kirk ) a : prior Aflerrb'y determined the qua- lification of its Members.. Surely ' tbefe who have brought in the Malignant patty ''tifidem vik^siii & tmtfjcdu, may bring in the Prelatical party, and thereafter thePopifh parry. The Covenant- is a^ expreOy againft Malignant?, as againft Pre* ats and Papift?. Both Prelats andPaplfts can diilerrible sfwel as the-Mafigfcan'ts,and a pre- tended nec^ffity maybe foon found out for feeking their help^and aififtance for relief of a diftrefled Lanrci '•' The Letter of the Commiffion in ffidf l.afly did require the chu- (irig Commiflioners to the Aflembly, to be done according to the known and ordinary Rules of Election. Now if the Authority of that CommifTion of the Aflembly at Dundee be ackhdwledged,hbw can any man conceive that they underftand by known and ordinary Kul^s any other then thefev^hich ire effabfifhed by the AiTembly at Dundee, from whom they had their Commiflion ,. it being a kno wrf and ordinary Rule, not to choofe fuch to be CommiiTjofrers asvtfe~feeeufured by the laft ArTemb'ly , or whom they appointed Presbyteries to procefs and cenfure ; and fo all that differ from the Publick Refclutioris muft.be excluded from Election, which,what- foeyer thisReviewer ha-th fa:d, is a (inful pre-limitation. He gran t teth, tbat the Aflembly zt Dundee did by their AcT,require Presby- teries and Synods to proceed with the Cenfures of the Kirk againft' them,who after conference oppofe the Publick Resolutions ; but all the Copies Which I have feen or heard of,have alio this disjUncTivey Or whoThallnot acquiefce to thdf Ai^s and'Gonlliitutioh's j but- tttedifllreri^is^iot g^eUt i feeiti g tfe e^t weft knO#tha , t! foch who fo£ conscience fake cannot acquiefre , \n\\, 'as they arhca! led thcrftiuitQ. by providence^eftify their dir)ike of the Pubjick Refolutio^ns^feh in the judgment of men zealous for the Publick Ilefolutioris, will beaccomptedoppofition. But, faith he, The Presbyteries have N 2 not (lOo) not put t-ncfe Art* into execution.. J and?e are wrong and unjuft. As'for the prelimltations in Synods, he faith, they were nothing elfe but an aflertion of the ConiVstution of the Aflembly at D/vWtt.But that Conftitution was made up of perfons fcandalous for defection from the Covenant and Caufe^vhlch was never denied in this Kirk to be deltrjcrive of the freedom of an A(Iemb!y,except at this time, and in former corfupc Alfemblies. If it were ncedful,'Ac1:s } Orders, and pra&ifrs of Twenty General Affembli.es can be produced againft the admiifion of fuch to fit as Members ; but that controverfieis fo well handled in the Review of the Vindication, as it fhndcth not in need of my Additions. Protestation Reviewed. T He fourth Reafon is made up of many Particulars ^which xv t thiti particularly reply to. i . There Are man) Pref* byteries whorefufe to fend Commfsioners to this Meetings as an Afjembly. But then be many unquefl toned Affemblies have been made up of fewer lM embers, as upon the infection of the Rob will appear. Neither, is a Meeting that hath no deter- minate Quorum, evacuate or made null, becaufe a Minor part legally warned \ cannot y or mH not come thereto ; as the perpe- tual praclife of Presbyteries, Synods^ former ^Aftemb 'lies ', and Parliaments fheweth. Nor is the number of the Abfents here [0 great • and although it were greater \ it is not their fimple abfencej but unjuft exclu (ion, thairendreth the meeting ob- noxiow ■ (iQl) nww to exception* a* f ®h{% tkn an m&m Prcsbpe - rks that de concur in. protefiing agamfl this Ajfmkiy, To which I reply , We have heard of 'diktats , hm not of an) Pro- tefldtion, except thts^vohtch they nsw have given , which if the 'j mean here y as the Protestation is not Preshperial % fo the Rc&fon will he found to. have no more of Reafon in tt y then if they had argued thus • Wefnd our. f elves necefsitated to pro- tefi again ft this i^jfemifly, because we have f rote fted again ft it, Or thus h This our Proteftation is j »ft and lawful % hecanfe rve have frotefled. Protestation defended, TO the fourth Reafon of the Proteftation he anfweretli cun- ningly. There are diverfe things put together, which he takes afunder, and anfwereth feverally, making ule of a common fallacy, adevifis ad conjunfta. Bat fuppofe one of thefe alone to be fas he aiie'ageth) a defect in aa Affembly, which in fome cafes might be difpenced with, yet that will not hoid,if all the five Considerations be taken together, as is done by the General AtTembly at GUfgnv in the like cafe. As for his Anfwer to the firft of thefe Confidera- tions, he granteth, That uojuft exclufion rendreth the Meeting ob- noxious to exception. And I truft , it is fufficiently proved in the Review of the Vindication and Papers printed therewith, That there is an unjuft exclufion, by the Ails made at Dundee , which ftandftill unrepealed, and in effect acknowledged by the Affembly at Edinburgh :And if the Act at Dundee anent the Conftiturion of Aflemb-iies be acknowledged to be juft and right, then fubfequent Aflfeaiblies, other wife conftituted, are by the Acts of this Kirk null and void; fo that until that Rule of Conftitutiob, made at Dundee^ be difc'lamcd, Whether oppofers of Publick Refolutions be ad- mitted or not) firbfequent Affemblies are ftilfqueftionable ; there- fore there was a neceflity to proteft,or elfe to give way to a corrupt Constitution of AfTemblies hereafter,which is as poifon in the foun- tain, a defect in the caufe, an error in the principles and foundation, ancl hathan univerfal influence in the ftreams, effect: and fuper- fbrudure. (ro2) ftru&ure. He affirmeth, that thcfe Presbyreries which refufed to fend Conimiflloners, wore legally warned : But there can be no le- gal wirninc, where there was no Authority to give a warning. He granteth there were diifents ; but deniethfin his Anfwer to the fe- cond CoufiderationJ that there were any Proteftations made in Pachytenes, but Protections were only needful in thofe Presby- teries which refufed to put Diffent .- upon record. To the reft of what he faith there, I fay no more, but if he- had known that k ve- ra! Presbyteries did fend two or three of their number, warranted by Commiflion, to protelt • he might have fpared his cenfure of a fuppofed tautology. Protestation Reviewed. WHere Presbyteries have fent Commifioners, the E- leiHom are generally controverted^ there being Pr§ • te flat ions made, at leafl dijfents entered, against mtftof their Elections, upon good grounds. But here { I think.) a [fecial providence hath ruled.jhat there was m Protcfiation. In moft Presbyteries there were no diffents at all • and all that rve heard of, were fimply againfl the Elections *, r or otherwile, no Commiflioners lent in,more then moft part of Presbyteries,as was founi upon tryall by the Protefters in the very t'me of that Affembly; Where there was no Election, there needed not a diffent, and where dtflents were entered, there needed not Proteftation ; andif the diflents were againft the ele&i- on,it doth neceffarily infer a not election of theperions* and for the profecution of thefe di(Tents , they were timeoully objected againft in ■their Aikmb.jy at the reading of the Commiffions,and an offer made t^o profecute them,if according to the conftant practice of this Kirk the Commiflions fhould be laid afide untill they were tryed ; but this was rejeeledjcontrary to the known rules acknowledged, even by the Aflembly 3 and the io much cryed up Vindication, to wit,that a diHent entered in the Presbyterie, and timeoufly proponed in the Ailembly, and offered to be profecuted* fliould be a ground to lay afide corstraverted Commiflions, untill the relevande of the reafons of diflent be examined, and proof made of what is alleaged 3 fed ubi femel deerrattitn ejfinpraceps ruitttr. Protestation Reviewed. THere he wanting (femmijfisncrs from B-urghs^ in refpetl'&f their prefent incapacity. tVe needfay no more t» this, fines themfelves anfwer it t tbat they are in an incapacity .: and (m-pafe they were; nat y yei have they n&t & negative voice, Bcfidcs thxt.aU were not akjent* Protestation D e fended: <*""§"* O his fourth Anfwer I fay,that he knowetji that the Affcmbly J at CjUf.gw made ufe of this joynt.ly with other reafons for nullifying the Friended AflembLes y and their being in an incapacity , ought to have carryed its own weight for fufpending the conititu- tmg themfelves into an AiTembly, efpeealiy whenfo marvy 'other ' things did concur. He faith further, that all were not abfent>but all of (i©4) of them that were prefer* for ou^ht I can karrvf they were okih W % yet they were wtfhraiit nttmeri* Protestation Reviewed. THc generality of the Godly in the Land go along with us ( lay they ) and approve our frottfting againfl this meeting, K^i ft range offer ti on y and of ' danger ou* con~ fequenee. This Proteftation was given in at the very begin- ning t j the ^ffembly , ereeveritwasconfUtute, and that upon the delay of taking in their fir ft Paper • and is it pro- bable they could gather all their conj 'ems in fo [hort a time «? Or, had they them before! But that fmellethofa premeditate FaCliom Or g$ their refolutions along with whatfoever thefc Proteflers do ? But that is not fuitable to them that arc tru- ly godly fo have their faith pinned to thejlieves of any, how high (oever they hold their head. Or^ is it that they will al- low none to be of the number of the godly , who go not along with them in every thing t This (I (ufpecf ) be the marrow of the matter : But who gave them that power to put out and put in into the Roll of the Godly, whom they plcafe ? And as we doubt of their authority fo to do^even [o alfo of their power: can they reach the heart jr are they quicker fighted then ElUs, who (aw not one of the (even thoufand God had referved to himfclf i Will they condemn all for ungodly , that are not of their way i Htw fuiteth that with their profefsions elfwhere ? I amfure, we have here reafen to dtffent and appeal from fuch an uncharitable cenfure of them that have no power , to the right cotts Tribunal! of the Lord , to whom we ft and. There may be fomewhat more yet of dangerous confequence in it , in that they feem to fubjeel the Publick CMinifteriall authority to the People , and among ft them, to fuch onely as are viftble Saints, where, if there be any my fiery jhey will do well to un- foldit. And \Andmw for the [olenm words of tit Protection , the grounds And reafons thereof being houghed^ we need fdy no mere • but if thoje Principles from which they fdy they do it y vlz.the^edl they owe tothegloryef Gsd, &c. were rightly weighed, they would inf err e r and h Ave produced the quite fontrary condnfi&n : Which the Lord out of his tender mersf to this poor, bleeding Church And Co&ntrey , imprint uyon their fpmtsfor Chrifs CAufe* Amen. Protestation Defended, " A 5. for the fifth, thattermofthegenerality of the godly hath JLJL been cleared beforehand the Argument wasufed by this Kirk diverfe times. Like wife if he pleafe he may firft quarreli with th® Generall Affembly 1(648. for the e xfnffion ana argument both. The ground upon which the Prott ftershave made ufe of that rea- forris this ; At the meeting in St. Andrews the PrOtcfters delivered in a Representation, notwithstanding whereof , the Meeting did proceed to conftitute themfelves into an AlTembly , and thereafter didapprove of the Publick Refolutions , a;id enacl: fevere centres agarnft alMvfinrfiers and ProferTors in the Land that were of a diffe- rent judgment, which gate an oecaiion to many Minifters and Pro- feflfors; throughout the Land,timeoufly to take into theirconfidera-' tion,what fhould be their duty at the next Meeting which was.ap- pointed by that corrupt Affembly at Dundee, and they doing weJ, approve of the method followed by the Protefters at. St. Andrei s t thought fit that firft a Reprefentation (hould be given in, defiring thefe which were to meet, not to proceed to conftitute themfelves into an Aflemblyjbut to enter into a conference- with their Biethren who differed from them in judgments andeight Propofitions were agreed \mto after muttiaill>con'efpondence,'3n4 'i report made from tfaa Feverail ■quarters of the Count rey, .which were to be offered as She fub jecl of the Conference ; and -incife Conference .{hould be denyed , and that the Meeting fhonld proceed to conftitute them- feto'es into a General! Aftembly,as they had done formerly., it was {feqipght a neceflary duty , that thefe who were to repair to the O place (106) phce of Meeting,ihould proteft againft the authority , conftitution and ads of that Aifembly. Now,in all this,\yhat is there of a pre- meditated faction ? There was indeed a con ide; able number in all qua; tcrs of the Land of fuch as in former times have been found to be ra,thfulI,who perceiving that the edge or Church-D famine was turned againft many of the godly in the Land, and for protecting and countenancing the wicked and prophane, that fome godly Mt- niiters were already fuffrri^g, and that both Mm iters & Profcflors were like to fuffer more by the prevailing taction of a corrupt Party in the Miniftery, they held it their duty to ufc all lawfull means m their power,to remedy paft evils, & to prevent them for the future, by offering their humble advice to that Meeting; and incife of their proceeding in the cour{e of the begun defection, to proteft againft thefecorruptio ;s,and this was all.Th y are very far from rigid cen« furing ofothers,as this writer would have the world to believe,therc are many whole judgments are for the Publick Resolutions, who wil be loath to accompt all Profeflbrs in the Land to be godly jandin their Sermons and otherwife , they do make a difference amongft ProfeiTors,as well as the Protefters do, and they alfo do very well know,that the Protefters do not fub/e].%. f. and ibetfoliiityani ji< foment *ni nerwt are in it ; as t* the vindicating, &c. r. *»i what joltdity an! judgment and nervct ate i* tt, as u the vii>dicating t 1kc. P 47. 1. 14. f. and A fit ani ccnfurcs t r. and made Aft am ceufutes P.*o. 1. 6. after the Parenthefis, dele &. P. 6 f 1 2. f. grtund and exprefsion, r. gmwd and manner oftxpresitn. P-y8. & 79. the figures are mtiplaced, 1. fur 1. and 1. for 4. Sec. and the punctuati- ons is bad,is m fome other places P.79. 1 2 1, f. etuld *niy,T. cmmonlf, P. xcj. 1. 1|. after Ajjembiy, v.tt S. Andrews Thefe faults have been obferved upon a 1k- pevfictal reading a but very like there may be more,which the Courteous Reader will pardon. FINIS. h ... ill ' \ jr. 3:- iffll .aa £ I ft * «