V , ^ ^(OFPRiS^ JUN 2 9 192G Division Section PUtrTAN OOLLeCTNm sec Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/apologyOOmonr A ft APOLO F O R T H E Clergp of $cotlan&, Chiefly oppos'cl to the Cenfures, Calumnies, and Accufations OF A LATE Presbyterian Vindicator, In aLETTER to a Friend. TV HE R EIN His Vanity, Partiality and Sophiftry are modeftly Reproved, And the Legal Eftablifiiment of Epifcopacy in thai* Kingdom, from the Beginning of the Reformation, is made evident from Hiftory and the Records of Parliament. Together with A POSTSCRIPT, relating to a Scandalous Pamphlet, Intituled, An Anfwer tjrike Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence. J^uiius ego non Cum tantum honorem habiturus' y ut ad ea cjua Jixermt y certu loco, aut fingulatim unicuiq, rtfjmndiam. Sic urevtter, ejuor.um tap confultO; fed cafu } in eorum wtntionetn wci:!i y juafi prater iens jkrvfd* ciam univerfis. M. T. C Orat. in Q. Carcilium. Scottish Church Tract— An Apology for the Olergj of Scotland, chiefly opposed to the Censures, Calumnies, and Accusations of a late Presbyterian Vindicator, together with a Postscript relating to a Scandalous Pamphlet, intituled "An Answer to the Scotch Presby- terian Kloquence," 4to, 108 pp., 4s Gd 1693 1 ysm THE CONTENTS- A Short Introduction Page I, z The Divifion p. z The frfl Tie a difcufsd, and the Cameronians frovd not only to le Presbyterians, but the only true Presbyterians p. 2, 3 , 4, 5 The Villanies committed to le the refult of an "Uniform Combina- tion, and wicked Principles , and not the tranftent efforts of Pa JF° n P. 6,7,8, p, 4 o Thejeccnd Plea of an Interregnum exposed p. 10 The third Plea, that the People wen injur d by the Clergy difprovd p. 11, 12,1 5 The fourth Plea, from the Immoralities of the Clergy, Confuted and Retorted p. 14, 15,16 The fifth Pleaagainft the Clergy from their want of Popular Electi- on) unreafonable in it felf, and retorted upon, the Adverfary p. 1 6, 1 7 The fixth Plea, that the Clergy peevrfilj and rigoroufly preffed Conformity, examind ibicf* The J event h Plea again fl the Clergy, that they are Heterodox, found to be vain, foolifh, and frivolous p. 1 8 The eighth Plea, that they are Enemies to ^.William and gKMary confidered p. j ^ The ninth, that they Preached Non-Ref /lance, and Pajfive Obe- dience. This Dottrine proved to be fill reaf enable andChri- fi' lan p. 20 The tenth Plea again/I the Clergy, that the Epifcopal Church is remifs in Cenfuring feanefdous Delinquents, baffled and re- J eiled p. 22 A 2 The The Contents. 'I he fecond General Head, a Modejt C en jure of the Vindicator taken from his own Book. p. %? Firjl, His avowed Partiality and hjuflice ibid. Secondly, His peremptory and Enthufiaftick pretences to a Jus Divinum p. 14 Third ly^ His rudenefs and vanity p. % y Fourthly, His Tergiverfations and Lying p. 25 Fifthly y His illnatured and uncharitable Insinuations p. 27,28, The third General Head. His Theological Reafonings,&cc. p.38 Firji) Of the Obfervation tf/Chriftmas, and the Fejlivities of the Church p. 3 9, 40, 41, 4.x Secondly, His Notion of Schifm p. 43 , 44, 45, 46 Thirdly , His Cenfure of the Clergy for Preaching Morality p. 47,48, 49, 50 Fourthly, Nis Notion of Calvinifm, and his way of explaining, and defending it p. 5X552 Fifthly, His pretences to Antiquity, and the Hiflory of the Qil- 54> S ? Sixthly, His Clamour again/l Ceremonies of human Inflitution p. 5 6 The fourth General Head, wherein the Legal Eftalliflment of Epijcopacy in Scotland, is proved from the Records of Par- liament P» 60, 61,62, 63,64. The Conchfion in feveral inflames from the forefaid Hiflory p. 66 The Proteflation in the year 1651. qgainfl the General Affembly Poftfcript', Relating to a Scandalous Pamphlet, Entituled, An Anfwer tQ the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence p. 85, 86,&c A N C i] A N APOLOGY F O & THE Clergy of Scotland, &c. Sir, YOUR Friendfhip for me I look upon as a great Honor, and I value my fclf upon it ; and the tincerity, wherewith I endeavour toferve you, prompt me more to undertake what you com- mand, than any fenfe I can have of my own Skill or Ability : and rather than oblige you to continue ycur importunities, I fend you here my thoughts of that Book you ordered me to Read. I undertook it with great averilons partly becaufe fuch fcurrilous Contentions arc very UnchritUan in the firft Original, fcandalousin their Confequences, and very unedfyirg to the ChriiHan Church. Partly, Recaufe I think the late Presbyterian Barbarities and. Cruelties towards the Epifcopal Clergy in Scotland are fuf- ficiently known all Europe over, and therefore I was unwilling to undergo the Penance of reading a Book, that provoked me in every other Line unto the undectncies of Paition. It lay by me fix months without ever opening it, until I was over* powered by your Commands. Though, in the mean time I muft tell you that you never impofed a feverer Task upon me. I have no inclination to Read fuch Books, no more than I have o drink off a Potion of Phyfick every day to my Breakfaft ; befides there are fome men with whofe Genius I am not well acquainted, who cannot be tilenced be- caule they have made lies their Refuge. The Truth, it felf (if at any time it happen'd to be on their tide,) doth not pleafe them unlefs it be dreifed up in all the Colours of Fallhood, and (tript of its natural Beauty and Sim- plicity •, who like Solomon s Whore, when they have but newly committed their Abominations, dene all mankind to charge them with the leali Tranf- grtilion. Men who Arm themfelves with all degrees of Confidence to run B down Cx] etewn the cleared Truths that truly reprefent or fecra to difparage the £V tfio/iin which they are engaged. If that Book of which you deflre my k noughts were particularly anfwered, fuch a Reply could not but fwell to a prodigious Bulk, becaufe to clear the Matter of Fact in fo many parti- cular Cafes, obliges men to turn over all the Pamphlets to which his Book is related. I did indeed once Read his Book that he Entitles his Second Vindication, and I hope Khali never be fo deftituteof good Books (though at prefent I have very few) as to perufe it a fecond time. However I will briefly give you my thoughts of it, and lince the Book has no method, I may be allowed to put the Reflections I make upon ie in any order I pleafe . In the fir A place I will examine his General Apologies by which he thinks to ward off the blame of the barbarous Rabblings of the Clergy from his Party. S-condly, From the Bookicfelf, I'll give you a natural Character of the Author. Thirdly, I will thortly confidei his Theological Reafonings, that occasionally falls under his confideratior,^ when he pleads for the In- nocence of Presbyterian?. And lafily, I will conlider the truth of that ordinary Objection that the Presbyterians manage againft the Epifcopal Church of Scotland, when they alledge that Presbyterian Government was eftablifhed in that Church from the beginning of the Reformation. And firft, I take notice that all along he (eerm todifown the Cameroni- ans as Presbyterians, or as men not of their Communim. At other times he acknowledges they are zealous godly men, and if he proves that the Barba- rities committed upon the Clergy were not committed by fiber and intelli- gent Presbyterians, he thinks the Presbyterians are fufficiently vindicated from all imputations of Cruelty and Violence. And therefore unlefs we prove them fiber and intelligent, he thinks all our Complaints of the Out- rage and Tumults of the Presbyterians are vain and impertinent : But are not the Cameronians Presbyterians? To what Communion then do they belong? Have they any Principles, Difcipline, or Worftiip, different from the Presbyterians? Were not their Leading Men lately owned and received by the pretended General Aflembly, without retracting any Articles of Do- ctrine, or difowning any of their Practices that they fo zealoufly recom- mended to their Followers in the Welt ? This is a very pleafant Fancy, that the Author fhould endeavor to hide the Tumults and Infurreclions of that Party by changing the name of Presbyterian into Cameronian. The Donatifls in Afrk\ (as readily all Schifmaticks do) fplit themfelves into two great Factions, viz. The Frimianifts and the Maximianifis. What Sa- crilegious Villanies they committed (and all under the Pretext of Zeal and Reformation) every body knows. But pray? What an impertinent Apo- logy could it have been for the Donatifls to fay that it was true in- deed there were a great many Barbarities committed Mikvit ° Tmum> upon the Clergy, their Families, Churches, Altars, and Sacred Utenfils '■> and upon the People adhereing to their C 3 3 their Communion, but that fuch Indignities were not committed by the fiber intelligent Udnatifts, they intended no more than the Reformation of A bufes by orderly and Imperial Edi&s. Their Zeal againft the Traditores only put them upon extraoidinary attempts of Reformation. It could not be denied, but that the African Church and the Catholick Clergy there were fadly oppreft and run down by a company of mad and ungovernable En- thuliaftsi but the fiber and intelligent Vonatijis weie not to be blamed. They were cither the Primianifts, or the Maximianijh, that committed fuch Extravagancies, and diiorders, or (which is molt probable) they were committed by the Circnmcellians, a third Divifion of that unhappy Family, Now the Author makes jult fuch another Apology for the Presbyterians of Scotland. He cannot deny but that the Oithodox Clergy in the Weftem Shires were miferably haraiTed, but the fiber and intelligent Presbyterians are not to be blamed. We do eafily grant him that the Presbyterians that were moft inftrumental in the Diftiters of the Clergy were not fiber men, though themoft intelligent amonglt them did contrive and manage the ir- regular Heats and Motion? of their own Partizans. But to expofe the vanity of this Apology a little more clofely. Wc know no Opinions that Mr. Cameron propagated or entertained that were peculiar to himfelf. He followed molt clofely and ingenuoufly the Hypo- thecs of the old and zealous Presbyterians ; and the plain Truth is, Mr. Cameron was not a mm very proper to be the Founder of a new Seel", He built upon the Notions that he was taught by his Brethren ; and the Presbyterians are obliged for this word Cameronian to the Epifiopal Clergy, who mean no more by this word but a Presbyterian tvbofe Zeal for bis Fa ft ion ( after the Example of Mr. Cameron ) over drives him violently beyond all Bounds of difcretion. And yet I cannot but commend their Artirice in thi?. The word Presbyterian is known in England, but the word Cameronian is not •> and therefore this diltinciion (for diliindlions are of great ufe fome- times)of Presbyterian and Cameronian is a very plauiible Defence in England todifprove all the complaints made by the Epifiopal Clergy. A? if the Cameronians were a new Species of Schifmaticks different from the Presby- terians, and that we had three considerable divifions of Chrifiians in Scot- land t the Epifiopal Party, the Prejbytcrians and the Camcronians. Whereas indeed, wc know of none but two. And the Camcronians are thoie Presbyterians that have fludyed their own Principles mofc accurately, and draw from thofe Principles fuch pra&ical Conclufons as they naturally and necejfarily yield. I know not how this Author can make his Peace with the Cameronian s. For the whole Nation knows that thofc Presbyterians whom he Nicknames Cameronians did aifert their Presbyterian Principles when others were very filent s and upon this they value themftlves as the mod Pious, Active, and ingenuous of the whole Party, who differ not from others in their Principles but do exceed fome of their Brethren in B 2 highei [ 4] higher degrees of Zeal and Sincerity to promote the Intereft of their Com- bination. But pray ? What is it that the Cameronians have done that they might not have done upon Presbyterian Principles ? For it is a received Maxim amongf! them That the people may, (efpecially in Conjttn&ion with their Paftors) reform the Church when the Magijhate is flacl^ or remifs in bis duty, or oppofue unto the dcfigned Reformation. Now the removal of the Epifcopal Clergy upon their Hypothecs was a necelTary mean to advance this glorious Reformation. And what is there in the mod Barbarous Rabbling of the Clergy inconliltent with the Presbyterian Principles } Can Religion profper in our Nation unlefs the Bifhops and their Adherents b: extirpated ? And is not Presbyterian Government the immediate and cx- frefs JkfUmtim of our Lord and Saviour? Is not the x :^ik of Presbyte- rian Vifcipline the Adminifrration of his Royal Kingtf to the fcandal of ChrijTiJHity,and reproach of our Nation. And this is not at all to be imputed to thecafual efforts of PaiTion or Revenge, but to an uniform Combination of the whole Society: and this appears becaufe the Clergy were not generally Rabbled' by their own Parishioners, but but by thofc Fire-brands who concerted their Meafures with their own Societies, and did nothing of that Na- TheCmfedcracies ture without Advice and Vtretlions. The Author thinks ^tJ^ZTl toexcufc what was done againft the Clergy, when he (cd societies in the tells us in fome places of his Book, that their own Pa- Weft of Scotland. rifhioners gave them no disturbance : but this proves that the Cruelties they met with proceeded from a League and Covenant amongft their Enemies lince thofe mifchiefs did not light upon a few of the Clergy (who might poflfibly provoke their Parilhoners by fome indifcretions ) bint upon the whole Order* even upon fuch, (who mistaking the frucObje&s of Pity and Companion,) as had frequently interpofed with their Supe- riors to mitigate the Legal Penalties againft Non-ConformiiK Add to this that fcv.rals of the Gentry in the Weft, who were better natur'd and had better Principles than their Presbyterian Neighbours, were very forward to refent the Affronts, and Indignities done to the Clergy, un- til they underftood that the Tide was rifen too high to be refilled : and that fuch of the Presbyterians as were then out of the Nation, and directed the Methods that the Rabblers were totak?, would vigorouily refent the leaft ftop that was put to their carreer. For it b obfeivable of fuch men that they never forgive an Injury, and no Injuries arc more implacably tefented than any the leaft Affront that is offerM to their Fafiion and Go- vernment, And it is no wonder for they never (ay the Lords Prayer, and it is probable that their oppolltion to that Divine Compofure, is rather from its contradiction to their Nature, than from the ftrength of fome whiffling Entbufiajtick^ Arguments invented againft it. It is not poflible to oblige men of their Tempers by any Favours, and the Clergy upon the laft Revolution found fuch of them as they had done kindnefs to, molt v:no nous and irreconcilable : and generally the Body of the People in thofc Wcftern Shires are cunning, avantious. and dijfembling beyond meafure : and llnce the Presbyterian Principles invaded their Honclty, it was never heard that any of them heartily forgave an Injury, or what they fancied to be fo. But 1 return to what I intended, viz- That the Affronts done to the Clergy were concerted by the Party : fince it is eviJent from many of their Topicks and their avowed Principles, that there was nothing fo rude or villanous in the difa(iers that the Clergy met with but what they might venture upon by the Maxims of their Moral Theology; fo alfo it appears undeniably from this, that the Leading Men of that Party who were at London upon the beginnig of the Revolution, oppoicd with all Vigour and Impudence all the Evidences brought from Scotland of the Sufferings of the Clergy. And though a Reverend perfon brought with him Authentick Attentions of what the Clergy Dr. 5 fuffered s yet the leading Presbyterians boldly averred, that there was nothing in Scotland but profound Peace and Silence > that they tffaey had Letters from their Fattors and Chamberlains informing the con- trary to what was alledged by the Epifcopal Party. In the ConfufioH that Affairs then flood, it was eaile for them to Hop any regular or legal Tryal i and they had in that critical Jun&ure many Ad- vantages of their Neighbours. So their Emiffaries in (Jllfi— ^ Scotland went on with all poflible Licence and Vtllany. And it is very odd that this Author (hould undertake to vindicate the Presbyterians from thofe Tumults, when the united force of the whole Party, with all their Zeal and Strength, never yet appeared fo unanimous and uniform in any enterprife as at that time in their endea- vours to pull down our National Church, and fofond were they then of their Revenge, that they preferred their Dagon of Presbytery to their be- ing United to England. The Author thinks that neither he nor his Party are obliged to vindicate any acft of Cruelty that proceeded from the Civil Authority againft the Clergy. If they were the Patrons of Presbytery fas he thanks God they werej certainly their Actings ought to have been juftified in the firft place, but he tells us that if the Clergy have fuffered any thing that was hard and extraordinary, it ought not to be imputed to bis Party and Principles, but to the Kz'/zgand the Councel, and the Rabble, as he very mannerly expreffes himfelf. Yet I muft thank him for this com- pendious Apology, fince the Presbyterians under the late Reigns fuffered nothing but what was infli&ed by Law. We need make no excufes for the Laws made againft Presbyterians, and thofe Laws more gravely confulted, than the hafty and undigefted refolutions of peevifh and angry Outlaws. And fuch Laws were made in times of Peace, and with all Solemnity and Deliberation, and were abfolutely necelTary to maintain the Peace of the Nation, and the Kings legal and juji Prerogative againft the Popular but fernicious Tenets of bigotted Covenanters > now I hope you are fufficiently convinced that I need not tranferibe the Hiflory of the Tragical Rebellion in King Charles the Firft his time, nor yet the many Proteftations of the Covenanters at the Crofs at Edenburgh againft the Kings moft Juft and Fatherly Proceedings And to convince you by one Inftance that they love nothing but what they pofftfsby Force and Rebellion. When that moft gracious King ordered the Covenant to be taken as it was Enadted in King James the Sixth his time (thinking this might blunt the edge of the Covenanters, and fatisfie the deluded Peoplejthey Proteft againft this his Proclamation. For you muft think that in their Divinity, things Law- ful'm their Nature, nay things NeceiTaay, (for inch they take the Cove- nant to be J become unlawful when once required by \urifM w huiul Authorh y- Does this Authar think that the prcfent Generation knows nothing of the Hiftory of Presbyterians ? That the Brittjh Tragedies from the year 163%. are buried in eternal fiUnce ? Ti at all the Mwumentj of their daring Inlolence are ill rxthll ? That the A&s of the General Affiembly are quite loft > That the Villaniesof the Remonftrttors are Recorded no where i Why then does he think to impofe upon the World by telling us that indeed they are very firry fox the Tumults that happened in the lVeft, but that the Presbyterians were no A6tors in thofe disorders, they would gladly fee things done more regularly and orderly* They (forfiotb ) love no finch Methods: and yet the prcfent Minilkrs of the Presbyterian Church cannot inftance any one thing that the Cameronians did upon this late Revolution, but what is juftifiable from Presbyterian Principles ; and though they could not be juftihed from their former Principles, why may not the prcfent Presbyterians improve the Principles of their Predeceffors * ? As all Sectaries do who grow worfeand worie until they are given up * Mm of the old of God unto a Reprobate mind. And indeed if I had Presbyterians ever any Books by me I could catty prove (efpecially from \ll^t f th fZds their own Calderrpood) that the Presbyterians did no- Prayer or Doxology? thing towards the Clergy in the Weft of Scotland upon the late Revolution, but what they ought to have done upon their Principles and former Pra£tifcs. It is very pleafant to obferve what different Batte- ries the Prejbyterians in Scotland, and the T>iffienters in England raife againft Epificopacy. The Presbyterians in Scotland pleid for their National, Glaf- fical, Spiritual Power, independent upjn Kings : theDifTenters in England plead that fuch a Spiritual Union amongft Clergy-Men is too powerful a Fadion, and may eafily endanger the Letters of a Difi- Safety and Peace of the Nation. The Reafon is, the Je T mer '° 'J* '™ l > — r f . . rr r*~ cry ,-* • • \ Learned Dr, ourl- Presbytenans are in polieiiion of fuch an Union in Scot- cough. land, and the DiiTenters in England have no legal Ce- ment to unite them together. And therefore evrery thing that they are not in PoiTttfion of at prefent, is wicked and dangerous : but if they could grafip it, it might become a very ufetul Engine to Propogate the Covenant all Europe over. For they find that men are naturally averfe to the Pom? and Authority of their Discipline, and therefore it were neceiTary to fupporc it by all the ttrength of Laws and Editls, and by the Inquifuion it felf, if the Eyes of Princes could be fo far opened as to fee that there is no true Re- formation wrought but by the ConduCf and direction of Presbyterians, f have inliffed the longer upon this general Topick becaufe molt of his Boole is built upon this Subterfuge alone, that Cameronians are no Presbyterians 9 though they can be reduced to no other Schifmaticks •> and that what they did wasdifowned by the Presbyterians though he himfelf knows the con- trary^ and the whole Party magnified thefe Heroes i and when it was doing it was faid to be nothing lefs than the Caufe and Work of God. But I leave this general Head when I give you an account of one remark- able piece of Sophijiryznd tergiverfiation, that he makes ufe of to palliate the Climes of his Party i and it is fo much the more material, finceif he fails in [8] in this he Shakes the Foundation of all his Apologies, by which he would make us believe that the %ifi and leading Men of his Party had no hand in any Tumults, no not in that at Edinburgh in Decern- bur E f /•£/»«.' , " >'6S? .His words are, F.r»6«rw««.EUQ \ n * an d contrivw this Tumult It rSf&tty; •" • dig-nffinen. to *$ Zni, and A*. December 17. //j4mW G*< Vl(v > t0 be robbed of the Glory they acquired for this Glorious Reformation, in this Enterprife. I cannot but acknowledge linftance him not to exclude that it is highly indecent to name particular 6t ^ove\t bUt beCAUl * ' ^ Men) but What (ha11 Wefay When We haVe C0 ? }0Ze .' do with fuch Wafps and Hornets : you fee then by the Reflections I have made of this General Topick, what the Supeiftrudure mult be. The next thing under which he endeavours to cover himfelf and his Party, is his fancy of an Interregnum. He tells us gravely in many places of his Book, that what was done againft the Clergy was done in an In- terregnum , and that the People- were highly provoked by the Clergy , that they were inftrumental in the Sufferings of the Non-Conformijls. That the Clergy themfelves were but profligate and debauched, and that they are ge- nerally fuch as are unacquainted with the operation of the Spirit or God upon their Hearts $ and if this does not excufe, yet it extenuates what thole zealous Patriots did at that lime to advance the GlorioM Reformation. I cannot but take notice in the firft place of his wild imagination of an Interregnum, which cannot properly fall out in an Hereditary Monarchy i for the King never dies. For, Though the Laws were not put in Execution in that Interval of Con fit/ion and uncertainty, yet they retained their Legal Force and Authority. The Government was indeed in a Convuliive Mo- tion, fo that it could not perform the ordinary Functions of Order and Ju- stice s but does he think, thatbecaufe humane Laws were in that Interval hundred , that therefore the Godly and Zealous Presbyterians were loofed from the Obligations of the Laws of Nature and Religion ? Is theic no fecurity againlt the violent hands of thofe Saints, but the coercive power of Laws? How can they pretend to be better Christians than the reft of their Neighbours when they venture upon the mod uncbriiiian Practices ? Which puts me in mind of the Character that Cornelius Tacitus gives of the Jews, Ihey were hind and affcilionate to their own Kindred 3 but they retained adverjus omnes alios hojlHe odium. Juvenal gives the tame Character ot thun, bur it is much more agreeable to the Tresbyteri- Nonmonftrar.c vi- an$m [) oes | 1C $fefa t h at rne Notion of an Interregnum Voll'tr ' " n i lliHfte what modtft Men are a(hamcd t0 ovvn - And is it for the honour of his Party that he (hould pro- claim to the World that they iland not in awe of the Divine Laws, unlcfs they are retrained by the terrour of." Humane Laws ? Why do they pre- tend to be acquainted wirh rhe Gbfpel, when they openly and jointly con- temn its rr.'-u 1 ejfential Precepts ? But he (ays the I'eople were much u juied and provoked by the Clerpy. What the Clergy in the Wert of Scotland did, I know I know not, if I make an eftimate cf their proceeding? againft Non-Con- firmifa from the pra&ice of our CLrgy-Men in other parts of the Nation, 1 declare fincerely to you I never knew one of them that profecuted the Vif~ fenters without great relu&ancy, nay I knew many of them that interpofed with fincere kindnefs and vigor for their Panfliior.ers, frequently and with fuccefs too, when they were obnoxious to the Laws. But let us fuppofe that the Clergy did profecute the DiiTenters according to Law, they did nothing in this but what they were obliged to do, the Peace of the Nation was indangered, the Legal and Lineal Monarchy was under- mined i and the Government, by fuch frequenting/, molt likely to re- lapfe into its former fiate cf Civil War and Confufwn ; and the fouls of the People committed to their Care were poyfoned with dark^ and EntbufiaJiicJ^ Principles : Speakjng evil of Dignities took place of the 'Ten Commandments, and a Schifm unreafonable in its beginnings, anddifowned by ail Proteftant Chu'ches, and the leamedeli Presbyterians*, was propagated in all corners of the Nation T * Bochart. Phaleg. Edit. 3. with P all P vJor and diligence, and ought the ^g^g £i Clergy to look on ai.d continue idle bpecta- inhancCharybdim mcidamus, tors when the Peace and Safety ot their Coun- neve rigor nimius , & pluj- try Spiritual and temporal was fo daringly and quam Vatimanum in Epijco- faclioufh invaded ? Were they not obliged by pos odium eo imprudent esadv^ J,\ J J < r> 1 j v;r . ' a *u:« >• Z at -> ut ^eteri Ecclefa die am the Laws of God and Man to flop tms Career f cribam! ^ & ah em CQmmu , of Infolence and Villany , and rhough they mme ^ ms a rcsamus. A ought to undeceive the poor deluded People by qmbm Extremis Gallicanas all the foit Methods of tendernefs and mecknefs, Ecclefms femper abborruijje z.am iet the Boutefeu's and Incendiaries were to be Wj * ?fffij JfepV t >. , ./■ 1 1 , „ j • 1 . r • ' j indicant. c5 Nqltrorum per* chalufed and hjkedwah greater feveruies, and p etua p rMxiSm J f our Governours did nothing then but what they idem ibid." Interim Epifcc- ought to have done in their own defence, unlefs pale regimen ejje antiquifji- they hadrefclved to Sacrifice the Fundamental mum, & paulo poft /Ipoftolos Conflitution of the Monarchy and their own Ho- P er Vmverfam Ecclcfiam ' _. . . j -r 7 1 r* maTiio cum truclu oUtinui Jc, nours, Dignities and Ejiates unto the Caprice tf%ibi compendium. and Ambition ot foms bigot ted Covenanters, But I would ask the Vindicator whether they of the Clergy that ne- ver profecuted any pf the DilTenters were the mere kindly treated upon this laft 'Revolution. I know (eveiaJs of them who have been rnbfl fpite- fully ufed by the Pre byterian-, the ugh formerly they did them all the good Offices that lay in their power. The Clergy, as well as itii Laity, were obliged by the Laws of the Land, and by ihe Fundamental Laws of Humane Society, to cruih, and extirpate the beginnings Qf Rebellion, and the attempts cf fuch as preached the molt pernicious Principles, until at lart the Rebels juitiikd in their Books anil Sermons open and avowed hlurthtrs* And that by the molt natural Confequences from their own C 2 Principles, [ It] Principles, when the wiekednefs of the Party appeared thus fcrrible to the Peace of the Nation, was it to be expected that our Governours ftiould look on and differ their own Throats to be cut, their Families to be forfeited their jfiffg to be dethroned, their Church Polity to be pulled down, and the entire Scheme oi their Government to be defaced? And all this for no other Reafon, and upon no wifer Confideration, than becaufe their Enemies pre- tended Religion, and gave mod Jacred Names to the moft abominable Crime*. And now again that they are uppermoft, they are very angry that men do not (hut their Eyes, and furTer their Fellies and Tyranny to overfpread the Na- tion without Contradiction. But what was it, that */;a>Minifters did fuf- ftr upon the RelHtution of King Charles the Second. Why they would not take Frefentations from the Patron, nor Collation from the Bithop : they would pciTefs their Ben( has againft the Law, and in defiance of Authority : but was any of them turned out that did comply with the Law > So earneft were feme of our Eculefiaftical Governors to keep them Bifliop Light on. in their Places, that they made fuch offers of Peace and Accommodation, as none could refufe but fallen and defperate Incendiaries, nor was there any thing required of them, but what the moft rigid Presbyterians might comply with, it their Zeal to fupport their Fadtion had not infatuated them as much agatnft the Vow of Baptifm, as againft the common Peace and Safety of their Country. The Presbyterians in Scotland are gen rally blinded with this fatal pre- judice (an Evidence of their incurable EnthutiafmJ they think that no man can adt any thing againft the Presbyterians, but he immediately adts againft the light of his own Confidence. They take it for granted that their way is the only true Religion, that it is plainly revealed, and that they give greater Evidences of Piety, and Religion, than any other Society of Chriftians up- on Eaith, and if you do not believe this prefently, without Examination ycu are far from the Kingdom of God. Nay, you are alienated from the life if God. Hence it is that the Presbyterians conclude that whatever is done againlt their Party, is done rather againft the Light and Convidfion of their Enemies,than the petulance and vanity of their own Fraternity : there- fore they infmuate upon all occafions, that all Reafonings againft them pro- ceed frrm Prophanity and Atheifm, or from men void of all Principles and Relig ; on. You may as eafily reafona Bedlamite out of his fancied Honors and Principalities, as perfuade any of their deluded Difciples that they may be in an Errour ; and this they owe to their cunning Teachers, who tyrannize over their Belief as imperioufly as the cruel Brach-mans do among the Indians. But let me enquire in the next place calmly, did the meek Covenanters when they got the afcendent in King Charles the Firft his time, treat iheir Oppoiite with that gentlenefs and difcretw* that condefecntivn and longanimity, that became the true Gofpel of our Saviour? But fo ve- \y far fiom this temper, that they profecuted the Mabgnantt with all Rage C '3 1 Rage and Cruelty. And if there were not another inftance cf their Cruel- ty, but the Sufferings of the excellent Bijhop Wifhart , men might eafily penetrate into the Genius and Spirit of the Party. Then their Pulpits thun- dered againft the Malignant / all the Curfes in the Bible > and all were Ma- lignantly in their Dialed, that were not Presbyterians. Add to this the univerfal and rcfilefs er-deavours of their Minifters to ruin the Terfons, Efiates, and Families, of all that oppofe4 their Vefigns : and their Difci- plinc was made an Engine to pry into the greateft Secrets of Families, and the Piesbyterian Chaplain, who was ordinarily the Minifters Intelli- gencer, complained in his Prayers of what he thought amifs in the Fa- mily or Neighbourhood, nay theSoundeftpartof the Nation groaned un- der this Tyrannical Pedantry, as the Jfiaehtts did under the Egyptians, when their bloody Scaffolds Hood erected for fome whole weeks together. Then it was, that their modefi Minifters faid that their Caufe was like to pro- sper, when they juftified one Crime by the Commiilion of another, and the whole Scheme of their Arbitrary Tyranny from their Succefs and Pro- fperity \ when their furkifh Argument of Force and Arms ran down the Dodtrines of our Mee\ and Crucified Saviour. And now forfooth they mult fell us, that the Epifcopal Clergy were rigid, and peevifh, and fe- vtre, to their Parishioners > when perhaps they did not represent to the Judges, in their feveral bounds, the tenth part of thofe Crimes that were committed againft the Church and State ; and yet the Law did oblige them to give up the names of Recufants. And do not we fee, that the Pres- byterians fince the late Revolutisn have out done the diligence of all men againft the Clergy and Laity of the Epifcopal perfuafion, for the whole Faction applyed their utmoft force ( fince the Revolution) to ruin her Neighbour, and poflefs themfclves of all their Places, Civile Military ^ and Ecclefiajiical. The truth is, there are no people upon Earth that value Government and Sovereignty as the Presbyterians do. It is the Idol they bow to : there is nothing gratifies their higheft Pailions fo much as a power to tyrannize. If the whole world were once under their Feet, they would look chearful, their Blood would Circulate more briskly i untill this be obtained there is no reft nor peace for mankind. The Vifcipline, the Sacred Vifcipline of Geneve, mult rvreftle with all Authority until the Confirmation ofall things. But if the former excufe did not ferve his Vefign ', yet it is often inlinu- ated all a long his Book that mod of the Clergy were wkted men; But let mefuppofe the truth of this infamous accufation \ who made them Judges of the Scandalous Clergy ? VVhofe Delegits were they in the Execution of this Puniuhment ? I have told you before that 1 am acqu3inted with very few of the Clergy of the Weftcrn Shires, but I am informed by judicious ar.d intelligent Men, that generally the Clergy in thofe Shires were Grave, Sober, and Arduous in the work of the Miniltry. That mofi of them en^ deivoured L»4] dcavoured upon all occafions to gain thofe Entbufiaftj from their Scbifm arid T>elufwn y and were very fuccefsful in this Chriftian defign, if a new In- Aulgmcc after the Defeat at Bothtvel- Bridge had not buoyed up their Interej}. As for the fcandalous Afpcifions caft upon the Clergy by the Weftcrn Presby- terians, it is certain that by one of the Vindicators own Rules vye ou$>ht not to believe them ; becaufe they are all of them of a Party, and indeed of luch a Paity, who from their firit appearance in the World placed much of their ftrength in reproaching the Clergy. If fome of the Minifters in the Weft did not live according to the Dignity of their Character, we ought rather all of us (who have not renounced our Baptifm) to lament it, ra- ther than infultand upbraid them with it. Indeed a Minifter, whofe Em- ployment is to tit other men for Eternal Life, and yet lives in open and fcandalous oppofition to his Rule, is the moil monftrous thing in Nature. AH the Satyrical Writings of the Poets, and all the Invedtives of Orators, cannot furnifh one word to give a true Idea of that loathfome Creature. But on the other hand, If any of them be guilty, to upbraid them with their faults, is not the way to reform them, fur of all Advices thofe that are given to reform the Clergy, mould be managed moft nicely and ten- derly. And it is to be feared that the Vindicator and his Jffociates are very glad when they can difcover the trippings of their Adverfaries. If any of the C'ergy be guilty of fuch things as are clamoroufly alledged by Presbyterians'* it is no Argument againft the common Caufeof the Catbo- ticl^ Church, and the Apojiolical Succeflion of that Hierarchy of Bifhop, Tresbyter, and Deacon, continued from the days of me Apoftles until now. And therefore he may, if he will (as is threatned) employ the people in the Weft to make and gather ftories to the difad vantage of the Epifcopal Clergy, and it is an eaiie thing to fwell that Volumn into a prodigious Bulk, if their ignorant and implacable Enemies may be believed, it is not poiTiblefor them not to accufe. But I think The Presbyterians in Eng- t | ie Vindicator himfclf, is not of lb profligate a ^dM^W as to give Ear to fuch malicious /wain It the -Clerjn before the _ . X7 , & , , . T ,, j^nrnp VarUammt , and one Reports. We nave had late Initanccs of tne of them was deprived for Presbyterian activity againft the Reputation of dyimkiwiefs, who was fb ab- the Clergy, no man could efcape a Libel that llemious, that he never drank e r. joyed a comfortable Benefice. Nothing could TndH'au" Hfe have fnade the Pm h f ^^ more contemptible than this treacherous and fneatyng method of Libelling, when it was vifible to all men that thole fcurrilous Papers were intended for no more, than to ruin and difgrace the moil innocent and de- lirving men. AnJ it is very odd that they could venture to blindfold the Nation by this baffled and hypocritical Sham, and how comes it that the Clergy in the Weft are reprelented as Criminals, when they dare not attack ffie Clergy in the North? The reafon is obvious, the People in ihzWtfi date C if 3 date their Cettvcrfion from the time that they forbear to hear the Curate, and they think themfelves obliged by all their ties and folemn Covenants , to ruin and difparage thofe limbs of Amichrift. But the People in the North can difcover no fuch beauty in their Presbyterian VifcipUw : the. love and honour their own Minijicrs, they hear .them Preach the Articles of ChriiUan Fattb, and true and (olid Morals, and (o rough are thofe ln\- dels in the North, that they never thought Sniveling necelTary to make a great Saint. They love a plain and unafTedted Stile, and they cannot beper- fuaded but that the Oracles of God may be Preached without jffctljtion, and yet with all tcquiiitt Gravity and Recoiled ion: lfthere be fo many Libels gathered -by Presbyterians, it may provoke their Enemies to recriminate, and if the Vindicator thinks that fuch /car- rilous writings canferve the common caufe of Religion, I with him more wifdom and fobriety: I condemn all fuch methods in all Parties, and if i the thing were allowable, we could >tell him that many of his Affociates :in theMinilhy are very fcandalms, fome of them Adulterers. Come Forni- cators, fome Blafphemers ; fome whole Presbyterian Families Inceflmus^ •* Sed prajiat motos componere 'fluUus. If I r< joyced in this Recrimination, I were not a good ChrifUan. But it is neceifary to put thofe Proud and Supercilious- men in mind, that they are but ordinary Mortals, eneompaffed about with the .fame Infirmities with other men, and that they, mould confult the Scriptures, and the Fa- thers for Arguments, rather than. thcCvmeronian Zealots in the WcfLrn Shires s and if they beat theCiergy at thofe -Weapons, they dtferve to be chaftifed i and for a conelufion to this^Obfervation, I mull tell you that 1 know not a mote unblamable Company of mm upon Earth than the Epifcopal Clergy ot Scotland. Nor do I know any litre of them iri the whole Nation, who could not undergo the feverelt Examinations,' ufed in tlte Ghriitian Church Preparatory to Ordination. I wilh that they f our p/v/c/iriGahrrwiyyjthe £boner will but does not he remember that feveralsof the Remontirator Pret- ty terians have been induced to their Churches by fome Troops of Englijb Hoife in the time of the late Civil Wars, yet he does not think but that the People owed all Deference and Spiritual Obedience * His own word. to them*, and if a * Paftoral Relation may be founded between a Minifter and the People by Cromuells Troopers, why not by King Charles the Second's Dragoons \ But does not the Vindicator remember that fome have been obtruded on the old College of Aberdeen^ without the Regular and Collegiate Ele&ion, by the fame very force that had planted fome Remonftrator Minifters, and that without any Tryal or Examination, when their more deferving Predeceffors were moft Tyrannically removed. But not to trifle with the Vindicator, The method of admitting Ministers in the Church of Scotland^ under the Epifc^pal Conftitution, is the mod ;«/?, and the moft unexceptionable that can be deviftd. For Vid. Letters */ when ^ Candidate for any Ecclefiaftical Preferment re- the Perfecutton. . _ _,, . r i_ , ^ i i_ «• ccives a Prefentatton from the I atron, he goes to the Bi- fhop, and the Bifhop fends him to the Presbytery to undergoe the ordinary iryals of his Literature and Sufficiency i and when the Bifhof and his Presby- ters with him are fatisried of his Knowledge and Learning, then the Bifliop (Irves a publick Kdid at the Church where the Candidate is robe preferred, inviting all the Parifriioners to come to the Cathedral Church againft an ap- pointed day,to fee if they have any reafonable exception againft the Candidate i and this is not done in a hurry Jbut they have a competent time allowed them ro gather all poflible Informations concerning him from all Quarters } and if they can objedr any thing againft him that is of any weight ,they are heardand the Candidate is repulfed: now I would gladly know what is it that the People can [ 17 3 can complain of in this Eccleilaflic i! Polity ? The Confufions of Elections that are iolely left to the People arc innumerable, and though we had not famous and remarkable In (lances in E cldiafli :cl Hiftory of the bloody and tragical Effects of fuch popular Elections, our own Country nvfcht furnifh us with very many fad Efcperi- Damafus W Ur- , fa , n -n n -r .i c:hnr,s^ Rome, Vid. mentSj when the Panihoncrs could not compromilc the ^ Ammianum affair piaceably, they quickly came toBlowes, and in Marcehnum. many places to Blood ihed, and Riots, Thefe were all the good effedh we could difcern of their popular Elections-, it cannot be denyed, but that the method of electing the Clergy varied o^tch and ap- peared under many Figtores i\ (cvfral Ages, and Countries, iince the hrft Plantations of Chrifrianify : hut 1 dare boldly fay no Chriftian Church came nearer the Apoftolical Method, and more happily avoided both Extremes, than the Church or Scotland iirkfe? khz Epifcopal Con- stitution. But you may put the Vindicator in mind 'Wherever they that the Presbyterians themlclves never thought the dare venture, they Call of the People fo genual a Conttitution of that h * ve no , T%* r f t0 Taftoral Relation. For there is an Act of the General i^^pearld % Afllmbly, ordering the Presbytery to name a Minifler Leith , the unam- to fuch Parillies as were Mai ignant, that is/ fuch as were rr.ous popular ElecU- ofthe Epifcopal perfuafion, fo this pretended popular on °f Mr. George Election, if at any time it prove unferviceable toad- G ™? was refufed, . . -r J . . j. , • ~ i r* and one Wilnart a. vance their Tyranny, is immediately rejected, for p res i yteridn t / jru fh the Presbyterians do not at all believe any fuch inherent t/ p on t hem. Right in the People to chufe their own Minifters ; for they think the Malignants have no Right to chufe for themfelves, this is the fole privilege of the Godly. The Malignants are not at all to be con- futed, accordingly we fee that though their Parliament lodged the power of Election in the Heretors and Elders of each Parilh, or in the major part of them, yet no Elections are allowed by the Presbyteries, though never fo unanimous and univeifal, but fuch as are promoted by their own Fa- ctions, witnefs Mujjelburgh and Tranent. There is hardly any thing inilfted upon by the Presbyterians morefooli(h and ineonfittcnt with common honefiy than this Topick from popular Elefti- o/z/, and to fay the truth, the old Presbyterians never obtruded fuch a whimfey upon the People : the Lay Patronages were not abolil^ed in Scot- land until the year 40. when the Vifcipline was in its Zenith when there was no fin Preached againft but Malignancy, and the Kings Prerogative Royal W3s pofllfled by the Kir\. Presbyterians in other Countries quietly fubmit to Lay Patrons: and indeed if the Bifhopstake care that none but pious and vertuous Men be Ordained, what harm can the Church fuliain by fuch Premutations. May not the Clergy examine fuch Candidates as offer themfelves to the MiniflrY, accurately and narrowly? 'Tis certain that D the [i8] ihe moft trifling and fuptrflcial Students do molt effectually recommend themfelves to the People, nay there are Co many mean and abjcd Artsre- quiiite to promote a Clergy-Man (if the Hypothecs of the popular Election hold neceflaryj that an ingenuous man cannot proflitute himftlf tofuch fervile and popular methods. As for the grave and retired Clergy- Man, he is fure never to be preferred s and if fome judicious and difcreet Patrpn does not foxcg him out of his Solitude, he is like to die amongft his Books, and the Church has been ferved in a ! l Ages tothebett Advimages by fuch as lealt underitood the Arts of Infinuation, and it will continue fo until the end of all things. In the next place I do not fee why the Vindicator mould fay that the. Clergy prejfed the Conferences of their Hearers : there was nothing in out worlhip, but the ufe of the Lords Prayer, the Doxology, ard the Apofto- iick Creed at Baptifm, that they themfelves objected againft, are not rhefe mighty Grievances to Tender Consciences ? The Vindicator tells us that Pref- byterians were not againft the ufe of thofe Forms but they would not ufe them as the Prelatijrs did. What he means by this ! cannot tell > but I can tell you that all the Presbyterians before the year 1638. m.de ufe of them all. And that after the year ;S. until Cromwellh Army invaded our Nati- on they never left off the ufmg of thofe CatholickjiV\& Cbrifiian Forms. But fuch of theRtmonitratorsas were deeply in the Intercits of the Vfurpcr, then left off the ufe of fuch Forms, drawing as near as was podibleto the Spiritual Heights, and pretended Purity ot the Independents in the Army* And the Cbrifiian Religion at that time in our Nation varied in its outward Figure,and in their Notions about it as much as the Philofophy of the Schools^ and the wife Queftions of Vniverfale and Objetlum Attributions logic*. The Vindicator is content to ufe fuch Forms, but not as the Epifcopal Church doth command it. That is to fay, he will do nothing in Unity and Society. with the Chriftian Church, and though the Vow or Baptifm oblige us, as we are Members of Chrifts Myftica! Body, to preferve and fupport the Unity of theChrifiian Church, yet he thinks he may leave the Communi- on the Church, without either fear or (cruplc, in thofe very things that are fhor t Ah\hMs of our Faith, and Symbols of our Profejfion. And yet no People are now fo violent as they in preiling Subfcriptions to the Presbyte- rian Confeifion at Wefimin\\er, and that without any ex-. Vid. Prcslytenan C( p tll)U refiritiion, or explication, I am of Opinion that inqmfitton of chc t{ E ; kopal C j agy oi Seotlandhwz been from thei* Cclleve of linen- . - 1 • 1 r \ r 1 j n ^ rg ^ infancy taught in, | and are hrmly relolved to adnere to J tkl Pioteftant Religion, and is it not a piece of extra- ordinary vanity in the Pre v-erian*. to iniinuatc that they themfelves are the only men careful to prefer ve the purity of Do&rine ? Did not the Clergy : *ddrel^d -:o the crct nd^d G^'.eral /ViTembly, plainly decide lhatthey would fubferibe the IVefimuifter Confeffion, as it contained ths Fundi* L*9l Fundamentals of Piottfhnt Religion, But this the Vindicator ininks did not fufficiently purge them from the fufpicion of being Armmans There are but very few of the Clergy of Scotland that explain the Dodfrinc of Grace and Freewill after the method of Armimus \ and if any of them does not favor the Calvhiian Hypothecs they are very far from propagating their Opinions in a fadHous naarmer, and not at all enclined to change the Pulpit into a Metaphyseal Chair. I think it b no difparagement to either of the Parties to fay thai evrry one of them cannot ftate fuch controverGa! dirTerences/j/^v, and reafon acout them clofdy ; nor is it neceffary for every Country MLnitf to' tcad Alvarez and Dr. 'Tuiffe, ArminiHs itia Epifcopius. Thofe queftioos baVC bczn debated in all Ages of the Church, and if we underftand fo little of our fclves, of our own fid, and its union with the tody, tr;e method and manner o[ its operatic:^. How daring a thing is k to pretend to gnfpthe infinite Mind that made Heaven and Ea^th , and to methodize the Acf s of that eternal l>t» left, m whom toe Ijve. move, and hocot ntr Bring i To read lomc of the a8s 17- Sch rol men is enough to make a modeit man tremble, whei". Ite eonfiiers li jt link i:icomprehenfble Deity is thought to be fettered by the Laws, Methods, ardconfufed Notions of our Mind, this is learned Ignorance, and the Presbyterians may think they wonderfully reform the World when they oblige Miniiters to Swear their SyjUmsot Metaphyftckf. It were infinitely better to leave them to their Liberty in things that are dif. put able in their Nature, and paji finding out after all our Endeavours. Upon the whole matter, the Ojjedrions againft the Clergy from the Do- ctrine they Preach is vain and trifling, and ferves no other Defign than to till the Mouths of the People wit/i words that they do not underftand, and yet have a mifchkvous influence upon their lives. Another Topick by which he endeavours to provoke the prefent Powers againft the Epifcopal Clergy, is, that E J^ € 24 ' Edlnbo they are Enemies to King William and Queen Mary. I have no CommiiTion to give an account of particular mens Opinions In the Controvert that is now debated in Britain, but I may obferve that the Vindicator puts a mean Complement upon King William, .... ,. to tell the World in Print that the Intereft of King £ ^ e lbld Edmb * William, and that of the Presbyterians is embarqued to- gether , i.e. If King Wtllijm does not punctually ob- For they fancy the lerve the Original Contrail 8 they know well enough Covena f t0 be *** what they owe all earthly Kings. Again he tells us, ^JMZ that fuch of the Epifcopal Clergy as addreffed to King Crown. William and Queen Mary, never thought of any fuch Addiefs, until they had loft all hopes of King James , and by this he thinks to dilparage the Epifcopal Clergy wonderfully: whereas the Argu- ment rightly turn'd is to their Advantage. That they never treachcrou(fy D 2 betrayed betrayed King James when they were publickly Praying for him, nor did they fecretly undermine his Government when they were giving publick tliankj for his Adminiftrations, as the Presbyterians did, and fuch of the Epifcopal Clergy as came over to King William, ought to be treated with Civility and Prote&ion at lcaft, if it were no more but that theii Principles of Government are more agreeable to Reafon, and more favourable to Monarchy in General, and the Common Peace of Mankind. I know no Notion the Presbyterians can have of a King,bue * And therefore /(.William, that he (hould be * Arch-Bedle to the Kirk having, not taken the Cove- and t}m he ought t0 e ] h ; p ^ nant , and bemv in League A „. .. .. D * *l • r* ^. with bigot Pap,% and %U Authority to execute their Decrees. The Vin- Protecting the church of dicator remembers no doubt the Aft of the- England and its Hierarchy, Weji Kirk. A Specimen of Presbyterian Loy- jkould le Excommunicated alty to K. Willi an and Q. Mary, we have lately upon Presbyterian Principles, from (he Provo ft-o{ Rutheralin, who publicklv as at S.mghair lately it was i ., „ . , , . h \ A r-" J »«-Aty reafoned aid determined, the ™ nd ih " they would indeed Arm fo many loth, of Auguft. Forces, and not Disband than until &JVilliam had Eflabliftied Presbytery to their mind i and if he did not fo fettle it, they would turn him our, and ufe him as they did K.Charles the Firji. But if the Epifcopil Clergy in the Welt of Scotland ate enemies to the prefent Government, (hey are obliged to con- tinue in that oppvfitionby the Vindicators Principles, (a unfortunate is he in his Endeavours to ferve the prefent Government. For if the Clergy in thofe Shires never met with any thing but Ads of Hojlility, without any Law IryA, or fo much as any the leait Formality of Julticev pray, let the Vindicator tell me what Allegiance do they owe upon fuch Principles, as he and his AiTociates were wont to propagate under the Reign of K. Charles, the Second ? And therefore he himfeif (not others) dtferves to have his NecJ^jiretehed for adhircir.g.to fuch Principles, as neceilarily overthrow in their lalt aw/f^fpflce all Government and Order. Another Topick upon which he and others found many of their Libe's againti the Clergy, is, that they were fubfervient in the late Reigns to ad- vance Arbitrary Power by their Qc&rine of* fflSK^' No 1 ,Rc 1 i 1 Unce.an.J P.ffive OWW The Lpiicopal Ckrgy Preached rto Doclrine but •he true Chriftian Docfrine, which can never be overthrown by all tie- Attempts of their Advcrfaries i they Preached indeed that in every Govern- ment there Was a Sup.emc Le^al Tribunal, from whofe Decilions there iay no Appeal upon Eaith. That this Supreme Tribunal was not ac all to birefifted) and therefore that the Infurreclions in the VVefkrn Shires sgainft- the Xrwg, Parliaments and Lans wjs Rebellion, in ns nxA\ rigoroxs No- ik:u this indeed they did Pieacl^and I hope they are not yxt fo degenerate as SGthjfl&px Preach other wife - as for the other Branch of the Gon tro- ver lie. [« 3 veriie, whether the King of Scots may be refilled, I will (ell the Vmdic& ter iny Opinion when he and I ftands upon a Level. For where the Su- preme Tribunal may be refitted, and counter a&ed, then there is fome thing higher than what is already granted to be Supreme s but the King and Par- liament are with us Supreme, and if they may be refilled, what is ic that may not be refijied? If Sentences interfere, there can be no Government, bc- caufe no rinal Dccifion of Controverfus \ therefore there can b: no App.ai from the Supreme Tribunal in any Nation* and into whatever Figure the Government is molded, fome fuch Supreme Independent Tribunal mull be acknowledged, whence there is no appeal, and of which there is no n- (iftir.g \ unlifs you fo order your Government as to h;ve one part of it right perpetually againft the other, and Vltul dorriinantu in that cafe our Saviour tells us, that a Hcufe divided ^^^debemiu 1 * . rir n . . j j i r. l ficut mmiQs.imbfes. agatn(t it felf cannot fraud. And do the Presbyterians Gomel. Tacit. think to recommend themfelves by afTerring fuch Do- ctrines as neceiTari'y overthrow all Government ? And Mowes up the Foundations c.f all Humane Society? We have all the Governments in tnc World to defend us upon this Hc:di for without this neceiTiry truth no Notion can be formed of what is L2W ^Government, or Society \ do not we fee every day fuch as eppofed the Government, any where, Fined, Cor rincd, pi Executed ? And this can ies withinhe Unanim< us Sentence of all Judges up- on Earth, declaring that the Government is not o be Refitted in its hi it and Supreme Authority: neither ought- the Seaets of Government tobcCopro- pbaned^ as to be laid open to the Cenfure and Objections or eve*ypetulan| Mccihr. It is net our buiinefs, who live in private St3:ions, to Caovafo the Myjicries of State ; Gcd ordinarily gives to fuch as are at the Helm of Government anothei Spirit, thin that he bcftow.s upon fiwate f^.en, their- ca-e null extend prand near, we mult not upon all occjfions publilh our Comments upon their aclions, far lefs ought we to fly to Arms when our. Caprice is not fatisried, nor when the Dreams ar.d Delufuns of our particular Stcjtzxedifcouraged. Por, If men may run to Arms upon every occahon, the Political World (houlJ quickly tumble into the 0/iginal Chaos. What- ever Parties then there are that oppofe the Do&r ne of Non- Refinance, thus itated, are Enemies to 2W Government, and when they themfelves ar^. invelled with Power and Authority, their Practice b fries their former No- tionr, and expofes fufficiently their Chimerical Ideas ••, and whatever branches* there may be of this Controvofie, it mull be agiecd ro on all funds, that the Scots Vrcsbyerians were Rebels under Charles I. and CharUs 11, in ill the Formalities of Rebellion. The Vindicator himfelf thinks that the Authority of P*g' ?6. and 97. the Nation in the Convention or Parliament, may t. ke itway the Legal Right that betongs to the Clergy. H;d not the Clergy as good right to their by-palt Stipendi as any mar. had ro his private Hltate ? So nfcems ttiat in ftme cafes the C onr cnil oc may «f#j& t>jc Fropertydt private men, especially the Property of the Epifcopal Ckxgy, and this is no other ftretch of Arbitrary Yo&er, than what was pradlifed formerly againft the Lieges in the rrarmcfl weather of the Covenant, when private men were compelled to lend ihcir mony to Levy an Army againft the King: yet fince it was to advance the Covenant there was nothing Arbitrary in it, and though it was cpen Robbery, and never prafiifed by any of our Kings, yet we were forced to jhop to Ruin and Poverty, btcaufc the Covenanters faid that this was our Liberty and Property. So they that clamour molt againft Arbitrary Power, praRife it moft when they dare venture. Another Imputation whereby the Presbyterians endeavour to fully the Reputation of the Epifcopal Clergy is this, that the kindnefs that any have for Epifcopacy proceeds from the Efpifcopal Cler- 1-66^' ^*' £ V ' S in< 3 u, & in g mcnln their fns m& immoralities. And this is the old ftnry, and contains nothing but their inveterate fpite and malice. What is it that the Epifcopal Church teaches that indulges men in their fins? What Doctrine is it, that's publickly owned or taught by the Epifcopal Church, that has the leaft tendency to the breach or any of Gods Commandments? How long (hallthefe Sons of Strife continue in their Impudence? Though this Accufition be zsfenfelefs as it is indefinite, yet upon this occallon they ordinarily magnifie their dif- cipline, as the moft Sovereign Remedy againft the immoralities of the Age, much after the fame manner that Montebanks do when they fet off their Drugs with vehement and zealous Harrangues\ and if you have the patience for a quarter of an hour you'll hear all that they can fay. Whereas a grave experienced Pbyfitian, will make no fuch promifes, but he'll calmly confider the prefent temper of your Body, the Caufes of your Difeafe, and proportion his Applications to your ftrength, and other Circumftances, without noift or Ojlentation. I know no effect that ever the Presbyterian Difcipline had towards Re- forming the World, unltfs you reckon that the muithering of Baftard Children was of that Nature. It cannot be denyed but that the Presbyte- rian Minifters ufe long Difcourfes to the Whores that fit on the Stool of Re- pentance, but they cannot name three of them that ever mounted that Pub- lick Seat but they became Proftitntes, and when once they made Sbiprvracl^ of their Modejiy, one may guefs what followed. And their publick ap- pearance in this manner made them impudent. This is all the Reformation I know that their Difcipline moft eminently promotes*, its true indeed there was a very remakable Step towards the Reformation made by Sir John Hall, and his AfTociatcs, the firft year of the Revolution, when the Wells were locked up, and none could have frefh Water upon Sunday,yct as much Wine and Brandy was allowed as one was pleafed to call for. But if by their Difcipline^ they mean that endlefs and pragmatic]^ inquifnion into all Actions, in I Actions, it is as impraUt^hk, as it is burtlxnfomt\ and though it be a natural ftep to advance tUeir S«pnm>c h Jg£2gl£ yet it is attended vvitn to much confupon and animofities, * that neither true Religion nor Liberty can endure it. It is pleafant to hear them declaim again (1 the Tyranny of Papal Power, and yer medd'e with all that ever he medled A }^ nhl f^ vm€ ' with. We know what Profanations cf the Name of God were occasioned by this Difcipline in the year 1648. when the bell of the Nobility and G r,~ try, and others were made to profefs their Repentance for the Lawful E ?- gagerncnt. I do not plead againlt Eccltfiajlical Difcipline \ for it is abfo- luteiy necelTary to the order and PrefervJtion of the Church, as it is a Society founded by our Lord and Savicur. Bui this new fantaltick and api.fh imi- tation of (iridtnefs, is incGnfijhnt with reafon, as it is indeed dejlruclive to true and regular Devotion. The Vindicator ufes to refer his Readers to other Books, I cannot condemn that pra&ife, therefore I with him to Read 2>i- Jhop Brambalfs Treat ife of the mw Difciplir.e. There is nothing more de- iireable than to fee the Antient Difcipline revived, and all men ought to Pray that God would direct our Ecclefiaftical Govemwrs, to rettore the Trim.iive Difcipline, io as the molt negligent may be awakened, di- rected, and encouraged to repent, and teitirie his Repentance by the molt unfeigned mortification * and Charity. Thus i have run over fome of the General Heads that are fcattered up and down his Vindication, and given you freely but very briefly my Opi- nion of them. The r exr thing I undertook for your fatista&ion was to en- quire into the Spirit and Genius of the Author, by the Characters that ap- pear of him in his Vindication. Not that I conclude him habitually fuch, for perhaps the paroxyfms of his Indignation are over, but this I may conclude that when this Eo kwas written, he was overdriven with his pailiun ; I do not immediately conclude him to be of the Seed of the Serpent, nor of the Race of Efau, nor a f f^rST**"* Villain, nor the Succtjfor of Judas Ifcarioly nor a Rab- Jhakghk Though he oppofes the Apnltolical Government of Epifcopjcy, he is net of my Opinion ; but 1 do not think he def^rves any Cenfure on that account that he is not of my Perfuaiion. His Adverfare> cannot drive him to a greater abfiwdity than if he be made to vent his Paili>n ic perlbnal Reftiilions, and therefore I (hall endeavour to fix nothing upon his perfot: but what naturally follows from his own words, I charge him therefore in the rirft place with open and P*g- 94- avowed Pj-tulity. He rejtdh the Teitimony of any man that is not of his Party, fo he rejecrs the Teftimony of John Gihfo/.u one of the Magillrates of Glafgow, becanfe, fa',s he, he , vans sf a pariy, and made * a Bailiff by the Arcblifi ' ■ crman ' and Cm] and all feiew the Prelates Inclinations towards the prefent Civil Government, His Argument may be reduced into form thus, the BiGiop was an enemy to the Civil Government, John Gibfon was flamed a Bailiff by the Bifhop ; Ergo the TefHmony of John Gibfon ought not to be received in a Matter of Fad : this is very hard, how can a man at London be more credibly inform'c- of a Matter of Fad in Glafgoiv, than by the Authentic 1 ^ Tedimonies of the Magijhaies of Glafgow \ but he tells us the Magijhates were of a Party, and what of that ? By this method of reajoning what becomes of Calder- wood's Hiiicry ( f the Presbyterians ? Muli not we believe him at all becaufe he is of a different perfuafion ? Juft fo our Author treats Mr. Morer, one of the Prebendaries of Santm^ who wrorc the firit Letter of the Perfecu:ions. The Vindicator tells us it is one lie from the beginning to the end, and why all this barjhnejs and f verity ? Why ? Becaufe the Vindicator imagines forr* robe a Jacobite, though he vemured his perfon in Ireland, and fworcthe Oath of Allegiance to K. William and Q^Mary, and wrote this Lette; to one of his Ecclefiajlical Superiors in England* yet the account he gave of the Scots Affairs did not pleafe the Vindicator, and therefore he's immedi- ately transformed into a Jacobite. This is a very hard cafe, but why may not even the Jacobites be received as Witncfll-s. The Jews when they fvvearupon the Pentateuch axe received as WitneiTes before ail Judicatures, and in all Courts in Cbrijiendom i fo are the Mabumctans vvhen they fwear upon the Alchoran, and all Pagans if they fvvcar by the Idol of their Coun- try. But Mt.Morer is no Presbyterian, and therefore his Tellimony muft be rejected •, tin s with one ddfli of his Pen lie overthrows all the Accounts that he himfelf had from the JVeji, to the Disparagement of theEpifcopal Clergy, or in defence of their Enemies, for they are P> 1 ge 85. all of them of a Party, and obliged by their Oaths to ruin Epifcopacy. And again he reje&s the Testimony of a great and an txall Hiftorian, becaufe he was no Page 88. Presbyterian. And again, The Teltimony of a Mini- Pa% /09 ' niftcr, Witnefling the Perfection of another^ muft not be received. Another thing very remarkable in this Book, is the Author's peremptory and dogmatick pretences to the Jus Vivinum ef Presbytery, contrary to the Modefty, or rather Caution of the rirft Presbyterians, Vid. Confejfi 'on of w h declared in their publick Confelfions, that all Faith inSerted in ch j p olity was vatU Ue, and changeable; but the theOatbof the left. . J . , . . ' .» _ ' . ", Scots Presbyterians, think they cannot jumhe their Zeal for their new Polity, unlefs the People believe it to be of Divine Right. But how to make up this Divine Right from the Precepts of our Saviour, or the pratticeot the Applies, or the Succej/ton of the tirft Ages of dhrifti- anity^ they know not •, they are refolved to fay it is of Divine Right, and then they work hard for (irained Confequences^ and hence it is that they are very very angry if their intrinfvck^ Ecchfiajhcal power lodged in this parity be not obeyed, or quelhoned. So the Vindicator complains that (uch of the Epifcopal Clergy as addrtfled to them, did contider them no otherwife than as a Company of men that derived all the Power they had from the Con- vention, and was not this a mighty affront > They cannot endurethat they fhould be confidered as Delegates of the State, when as yet all the Nation knows, and common Serfe mult determine they could have no power over the Epifcopal Clergy, but what they derived from the State i and therefore all along he alTerts pofitively, that the Scots Presbytery is the immediate Iniiitution of Jefits Chri(t. But I mufi: be fo juft to him as to acknowledge that moftof all his Brethren, are equally peremptory and dogmaticj^upon this Head, and though Calvin acknowledges great honor and deference to be due to Prelates etiam hoc nomine, if they (hould embrace the Reformation, yet his Difciples are more improved, and cannot endure that any other Church Polity fhould prevail. From this proceed the high and lofty Epithets they bellow upon Presbytery ', Cbrijis vifible Kingdom upon Earth, his Royal Crown and Scepter, bis exprefs Institution and Discipline. And upon this Hypo- thefis they become proud and infolent, they defpife all their oppolltes as men not acquainted with the Spirit of p& e % God, and enemies to the Kingdom of Jcfus ChrilK Another thing I take notice of in his Writings, is, his rudenefs and vanity. He reprefents his Adverfary as a Liar, ard a Villain, though he cannot prove that the Author of the Hiliory of the General AiTembly wrote one Lie, from the beginning ti the end, if the Accounts he got from iuch as were pre lent were not fo exa&, he himfelf was not to be blamed s but the Vindicator cannot prove that any in- p a g. 113. formation he got was falfe. Again, one of his Ad- verfaries is reprefented as a Liar, and a Slanderer, and fell us again that the Council appointed that no Decreet (hould pafs in favour oi the Epif- copal Clergy, until the Parliament fhould determine in that exiraordinaiy cafei where I take notice, that according to the Vindicators pre fen t Do- ctrine, the Council may {top and difabh the Laws, especially wtan the the Epifcopal Clergy Profecute their Debitors before the Ordinary Judge* and therefore the Council may invade any mans Legal Property^ contrary to the Law, and much more the Parliame t ', yet this is a (ircjtch or Ar* bitrary Power, never heard of in Scotland 1 o.wi.hilanaing of ail the h ous Clamors of that reftUfs Fac^ioa He n^y it he wi 1 endeavour to ju- ilihe that Arbitrary firetcb, but I think that t^ev who were moil active in ir, do truly think Jbame of it as a thing as much unprecedented and un- warrantable. A;:ain, Hcinfiniutesthat the Clergy hod Clubs fi r P*g- 5p- drinking, and that it is an impudent faiihood that ei- ther Dr. R. or Mr. Malcolm nude application to the Presbyterians* £ I 26 ] Tot theiaft whether he made application, or after what manner, I neither know nor [hall I ever enquire. As for the flrft he is at his reft, and I will not rake into his Allies j but this is certainly known, although he had sddreiTed unto the Presbyteries, he had been rejected becaufe he was one of the Minifters of Edinburgh '•> for his Party had determined to break through all obftaclesof Juftice and Decency, rather thanfufor any of the Epifcopal Clergy to continue within the City of Edinburgh. Nay, no Presbyterian was allowed, if once he had made the lead Advances ofCom- plyance with Epifcopacy, as was then too vifible in the Cafe of Mr Wilky, The Vindicator's clownifh BufToonry, and infulting over the affiicYed, in the 4th. page, I omit. You will excufe me if I do not tranferibe the moil part of his Book, the ordinary Epithets hebeftows on hisAdverfa- ries are, that they are impudent Slanderers and Villains ; but when his He- me PaiTion is put into a higher ferment, they are Succejfors or Judas Ifca- rioty and Rahjhakgs. No doubt the Sifters will think that the Vindicator is a precious convincing man, he tramples upon the Epifcopal Clergy as if they were below his notice, there is no grapling with a Giant of fo much jlrengtb and reafon. We muft be taught better manmrs than to venture upon this man of Oa\ and forehead, poor Creatures ! Have not we been taught better than to make publick the Secrets of the Fattion ? if this man write once again, he will ruin us for ever. Is not the World well mended by this Reformation ? But I had rather prove the Vindicator a Lyar than call him fo, and therefore you may ask him who gave him information that my Lord Dundee Pag. 40. had gathered together at Edenburgh two thoufand men of the Kings disbanded Forces, that with them he might furprize the Convention, when all the Nation knows that when he retir'd from Edenburgh he had not above thirty or forty to attend his Per- fon. Who faw (he two thoufand } And how comes the Vindicator to fix upon that precife number twice ? Where were they Muftered ? And is it likely that my Lord Dundee at the Head of two thoufand well trained old Soldiers could be forced to retire from Edenburgh by all the Vagabond Ruffians that came from the lVe\i. Let the Vindicator recoiled 1 hinofelf a little, and enquire where he had this information. What my Lord Bun- dee intended is not the Subject of our prefent enquiry, but I am very fure that if he had had the fourth part of that number the Vindicator ailedge?, he could have quickly made the Convention at that Pag. 13. time retire: and this 1 confidently think, though the Vindicator Confutes this probability by telling Mr. Merer that the Presbyterian Confidence is built on a better foundation than fuch as Dundee was , and here I muft take notice of this Gentlcmans Chart- iaili Temper and . Condefcention. Mr. Merer, one of the Prebendaries of Saturn, C =7] Sarum, wrote that none doubted but that if my Lord Dundee had lived he would have changed at that time (he Faoe of Affairs in Scotland. From this the Vindicator concludes that the Epifcopal Party in Scotland placecf their Confidence m none higher than my Lord Dundee, how is it poffible to (hun thofe venomous darts of fpite and ill nature ? So when ever ycu fpeak to a Presbyterian I advife you to take good heed what you fay, and how i if you do not fay every thing that may be faid, they are fure to conclude, that what was left unfaid was not at all believed by you : fo when Mr. Merer writes again hemuft tell his Patron that though fuch a change was probable according to the Situation of Affairs at that time yet the Epifcopal Party placed rheir Confidence in God. For if his words arc not thus guarded the Presbyterians will immediately conclude that the Epifcopal Party are but a pack of Atheijh that place noConfidence in God, but lean on the Arm ofFlejb. I return from this Vigreffion to that that I lately mention'd, viz. The Vindicators fiory of two thoufand disbanded Soldiers, which carries with it all the marks by which a willful and deliberate lye, may be known from tnodeji and ingenuous Truth, and the reafon why I infiance in this particular is becaufe the Vindicator was at Edenburgh, or not far from it, about that tiTie, and therefore it is not probable but that he might have known the truth: and from this I conclude that either he lies deliberately, and will- fully, or his Informers are Lyars, and idle talkers, or at belt he himfelf, is guilty of fupine negligence, in gathering true Informations. For to do him Juitice, I promife to rttradt this publickly. if he get five or fix men of any note even amongft the Presbyterians in Edenburgh, who will declare it under their hands that they knew that my Lord Dundeehzd gathered to- gether two thoufand Disbanded Soldiers at Edenburgh, before he retired from the Convention. And the Vindicator himfelf cannot d^ny but that this is an extraordinary piece of Condefccnfion, that I (hould leave it to be decided by the Teltimony of Presbyterians themfeives, lince he rejects all tpifcopal WitnelTes. The next thing I infiance. as to his Candour and Integrity, is this, that in the third page of his Preface he ^fg^ , jto" writes, that there was Advice writen by Dr. Canaries to Mr. Lis\, to be commuuiuted to the Epifcopal Patty, That they (hould yield feigned Obedience to the Presbyterians at prefent, and thefe words he caufed to be Printed in a different Character, that every one might conclude they were the words of Dr. Canaries Letfer ^ whereas the Docfror never wrote fuch a thing, nor any thing that can yield any fuch Confidence* And 'tis yet more pkafant to read his Letter that juftifies this dffingchuous nfige, becaufe forfooth feigned Obedience was a Scriptiyal Phi3l,, and though the Dodtor wnrotc no fuch thing, yet he thinks he was allowed to Piint this Relation of him, fo as all the World might conclude thefe words were theexprefs woids of D*. Canaries Letter, and this Lie is more un- E 2 pardonable C t8] paidomb'e than the former, becaufe it is deliberate and mrepented off. J (hall mention one Inftance more of his Candour and Integrity, and it re- lates to Mr. Macmatb, whom he injures molt atrocioully. And becaufe he raifes all his Batteries againti Mr. Macmatb > the Mini- fter of Leftrade, we need no ocher proof of the Vindicator ingenuity, nor no other Character of his genius thar. to read that part of his Libel that relates to Mr. Macmatb. Firit, he charges him with Vrunkennefs but the Vindicator knew no fuch thing, only the barbarous Villains who wounded him upon the Road as he was Travelling from Edenburgb to his own Houfe, they would take care to tranfmit to the Vindicator (uch ftories as were molt convenient for him to propagate, but Mr. Macmatb was that very night , before he came from Edenburgb, in the Mr. Riddel of co mpany of two Gentlemen of Honor and Inteeritv SS^e^£ u and a .T al VV^ m whether th ? cou,d p ercdve 5 Straitone. h,m either the M beginnings, or the leaji appearance of any excels or diforder, and their Teitimony is of greater authority than all the ttories that the Vindicacor can patch together from fuch Villains as made an attempt upon his life. Next he charges him with amorous, wanton, and lafcivious behaviour and I am glad t\\tV indicator mentions it, becaufe in th : s very (lory we have a notorious inftance of their Villany and Hypocrifie : there was a poor woman hired by the Tresbyterians to fay that Mr. Macmatb once made Love to her, and the was prevailed with by her Brother, a Presbyterian, to fay fo, and when (he was encouraged by them again to adhere co what (he faid, (he declined it, and told them that (he had faid enough for any thing lhe had gotten. Her Brother, who had taught her thus to accufc an inno- cent man, was fmitten with fuch a remorfe (when he came toconfider more nanowly what he had done) that he was in hazard to deftroy himfelf, and actually did fo, when he removed to the next Parifti, by ripping up his own Belly. But it is no wonder to hear Mr. Macbmath Anno 38. thus calumniated, when they had the impudence toac- cufe the Venerable Old Archbifhop Spotfwood of Inceft with his own Niece of fourteen years old. And to make an end of what concerns Mr. Macmatb, let roe acquaint the Reader that fuch asweremort a&ive in his Trouble and Perlecution, very thortly after felt the feverity of Gods juii Judgment. John ClarJ^, who beat him with the great end of his Musket, was (uddenly bruifed to death by the rail of a Tree in the Wood of Kofltngy fo that he never fpoke again : and for the other Mr. Bortbwite y his Conference did fo check him, that he had no peace until heended his life in a rnoft lamentable Dillia&ionand Mgdnefs. I am not fo bold as to initr that the Peilecuting of Mr. Macmatb was the only tin that drew upon them the viiible and tudden marks of Gods heavy difpleafure, but 1 may very uidy fay that the Signatures of Gods anger are frequently legible enough [29 3 *n the punifhmentof fome mens fins, and that Atheiflical Hypocrites Sel- dom efcape his indignation even in this Wcrld. As for the Vindicators Tattling of Mr. Finlafone, Mr. Finlajone himfelf denyed all when he was challenged. Bur, that I may no longer detain the Reader, nor yet condemn my felf to the drudgery of rakirg into that Puddle that is here heaped together againft Mr. Macmatb, let him com- pare the following Authentick Certificate in favours of Mr. Macmatb, fub- fcribed by rhe Gentlemen and others of his own Parifh, with all the little hnavijh and impudent Lyes that the Vindicator has gathered already, or may hereafter invent, and then let him Judg as his discretion will lead nim Lefwade, Augufl: 10. 1689. WE Subfcibers, Heretors, or fucb as reprefent them, Elders, and others within this Party of Lefwade, do hereby Declare and Te(iifie that Mr. John Macmath, prejent Minifter there, has been above the fe twenty years bygone in the faid Miniftry to our great fatisfaclion, and has Preached the Word of God faithfully, and performed other Duties of hij Miniflerial Functi- on diligently \ his Deportment and Behaviour being futable to his Doctrine and Sacred Employment : wherefore we do own him as our lawful Minifter, and are well pie a fed that he he continued in the peaceable exercife of his Miniftry among ft us, as witnefs thefe prefents fubferibed with cur hands. Sic Subfcribitur. Iho. Geddes. Archibald Johnftone. Jj. Mulckitu Iho. Reok, Ad. Tbreplam. Will. Ramfey. Alex. Porteous. William Pouerfell. Matters of Families, John Rou!>. Franc. Scott. Pat Whytlam. J a. Mori f one. Jo. Matbre, Geo. Jobnjione. Da. hlackall. AUx. White. And, Summer, Sir mil. Drummondof l irr . t1 . _ , Hauthornden, Kt. \ William Vrummond. ^t^n^^'^.Prefto, Nicolfone of Trabrowne, } one of the Magittrates o{( j Nkol f OHe> Edenburgb, as reprefent* f J r ing Lejtvade Barronry. > Son to the L. Preftone. 3 Alex. Preftone. Town Major of Eden- a burgh, living in the Parifh } Major Will. Murray. of Lefwade. Son to the L. Preftone. Son to Major Murray. ] Chat. Preftone. ] Pat. Murray. Elders, Alex. Lawdtr. J a. Cbifcbolme. Will Dobie. Again, L jo ] Again he tells us, that it is well known that the Vag: 12- Epifcopal Pasty made all the effayes they were capable of to carry the Elections for the Convention, when it is f3r better known, thru in ftveral Shires the Epifcopal Gentry declin'd indujhioufy their berngchofefi for that Convention, particularly in the Shire of Rofs where the Vindicator dare not fay that the Presbyterians can carry the EleUions. And let me but once for all till you, that the Presbyterians had many Advantages of their Oppeftes at that time not to be named. To be (hort, his Book is every where interfperfed with the fillieft (buffings and terpiverfatiom : it is not enough for him to fay that he is «ot acquainted with the Matter of Fad, when any thing is affirmed by his Adverfary y that he is a (banger to, but infkad of this j he prefently flies in his Face and gives him the Lie. PH give you one Inftance of this rudenefs, Mr. Merer wrote to his Patron, that there were fome that Sate in the late Conven- tion , who were not infeft in their Eilates , and confequently were excluded by the Fundamental Laws of the Nation. This the Vin- dicator denies, and tells us, his denial is a Sufficient an- Pag. 12. fwer, and all this becaufe Mr, Morer did not name the Members of the Convention that were not infeft in their Ejlates. Had it not been an extraordinary indifcretion to have named part i- ™lar Gentlemen, and to publifh what might be fo prejudicial to their Intereft amongft their Creditors and Acquaintances. And if the Vindicator will ge- neroufly conceal their names, he dull know them too when he pleafcs ; and when he thus contends for the honor of that Convention, he in the next Line blunders moft unhappily^ and tells the World in Print that fome Gate in that Convention who were forfeit for High Ireafon by all the So- lemnities and forms of Law, and that before the Sentence was Repealed by any Judicatory : and therefore I advife the Vindicator not to bind up the Sovereign Powers of the Earth to little Punttilws and Forms of Law, but let him be a little moie kind to Arbitrary Power, and the extraordinary Exi- gences of State. And fince he thinks it very juft that the Convention ihould allow iuch a procedure againft all the Forms of Law \ why may not he allow the King and Council to put the very Laws in Execution sgainft Phanatick/, when the ejfentials of Government are endangered by their Confpiracies and InfurreWons. There are frequent Inftances of his Vifmgenuity and jhifting, which no bodyexpe&s (hould be particularly re- futed: becaufe they engage ones enquiries into all thofe Pamphlets he pre- tends to refute > and becaufe the Book would (well to a prodigious Bull^ and the Publick is not at all concerned to know the Circumfianccs of every particular Minitrcrs Sufferings in the Welt of Scotland. I c >uld in the next place inform you of his Incon- * A fk l ° ^ ara " fift eBC,es « H £ treats his Adverfaries as Brethren, yet in £"*' J his Preface he iniinuates that fuch Vifputej with the Epifcopal [ 31 ] Epifcopal Party are bat the firugglings and apportions between the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Ibidem. Serpent s and that there are but few Matters of Fad that he pretends to any knowledge of bimfelf. Yet in the next Line al- moft, he tells us that he doth not build on bear-fay or common Talk^\ and yet the materials of his Book are but the Teftimonies of many who were Adfors or Abettors of the Wefern Villames : and if he did not build on hear-fay, how came he to Print that Mr. George Henry, Minifter at Cjr- ftarpbin, meddled with a Brewery, which is notorioufly falfe ? And though this be a trifling llory, yet is it an undeniable Evidence that the Vindica- tor was heedlefsand inconfiderate in gathering true Materials. Again, The Vindicator tells us that they do not think K.TVtlliam an Idolater though he Communicate with Pag. 115. the Church of England, yet when fome of his Party mounts the Desk, and declaims their Maccaronicfy, they positively conclude that the Church of England is idolatrous. Again, he does not allow that the Clergy who Addrefs'd the CommiiTion of the General AlTembly had any meafure of wit, yet their Contrivances were founded on deep Confults . But let me tell the Vindicator, that no man, or Society of men, has the Monopoly of Prudence, the moft cautious fteps may be fometimes fruflrated and the wifeil men may fometimes widely miftake their meafure : and the Hearts of all Men, as well as the Hearts of Kings and Princes, are in the bands of God, and their motions directed by his Providence. And after all, let me tell the Vindicator once more, that that little Contrivance and Formula of an Addrefs blew up their pretended Alfembly : and let me tell him more, yet (tho I pretend to no acquaintance in Political things.) that it is very probable thatthofe very Laws by which the Ringleaders of Presbytery thought to iecure their Tyranny for ever, will occaiion its fall and ruin, though they endeavour to fupport it by the Pens and Lungs of all its fociates. I could name many other Inconfiftencie?, I have no room for theiri : every other Line is fluffed with fuch mean and fcunilous Railings that it is naufeous to repeat them i yet I cannot but take notice of his Vanity, He treats his Adverfaiies with fcorn and contempt. The Author of the Hiftory of the General AlTembly he treats as a Sciolifi, and as a Momus, and he is enraged that he (hould pre Pa £- lS 3- **"* fjme to write that one of the Presbyterian Dodtors f* ^t'L^i^i ,1 ^ r . . , ' Mr. Gilbert Rule, could not ipeak Latine; Such an Affront was not to be endured by a man that had fignalized himfelf fo much in Controverful Feats, and therefore I advife you when you meddle with the Presbytcri- cm, to make your Approaches with all poilible Camion and lleiwcnce, A Ynsbyterian had rather be accufed of Adultery, Sodomy, or lna>}, than to be thought Ignorant, and this is the reafon why the Author of that Hijlory is lahVd with ail the Tevciiiies of Satyr^ and the Vindicator would have forgiven him any thing rather than the lead Insinuation of being ignorant, Alas! this was not to be be endured that one of their Leaders, and who had made a remarkable Figure, (hould be thus run down and expofed to laughter. For though the Presbyterians look very demure and grave, you miilake them, it yen think them Stokks : If you venture to fay any thing that may rob them cf that pleafant Imagination of their own Grandeur, that lovely idea that they have of tkmfelves, and their extraordinary per- formances. But I muft tell you what occafioned his heavy difpleafure againll the Au- thor of the Hiitory of the General AfTembly, That Author gives one In- fhnce why he thought Mr. Gilbert Rule did not underlland throughly the things that he wrote of, becaufe when he Cites the Epitlle of St. Jerom to Evagrius, and from thence Cites the Sentence you fee • * Sandti Hieron. in the Marline * he mull needs force the word ordina- Epift. ad Evagr. t ' t0 j n t h at Epiftle to ilgnifie the Ordering of the Meetings Qutdfacit Epifco- This £xpofition t he Author of that Hiftory (fuch an T PrSyt nm cxc7pL Infill he isj thinks a little Paradoxical, if not down- ■ordinatione. **gfy Ignorance i becaufe no Ecclefiajlical Writer in that, or any former Age underftood any fuch thing by that word fo plaved, as it is in that Epiltle > belides there's no mention of any meeting near that word, that determin it to that (igniflcation. And llnce this Exposition was fo very odd, the Author of that Hiitory did treat it and the Inventer of it very familiaily. BtiidvS , others do think that if thisExpolition be received, it will oblige us to underlland St. Jerom, in many places, in a Senfe contrary to the Opinion of all former Ages. Thus I find St. Jerom informs us that fuch and Catalogus Scri- fuch a man was Ordinatus ab Apoftolis Epifcopus of ptorum Ecclefiajli- f uc h a place, therefore the meaning mall be that fuch a man was appointed to meet the Apoftle at fuch a place. However the Vindicator treats him as a Sciolift, a Momus, a poor ■{equations Animal, that follows fuch as went before him. But if he had been acquainted with the penetrating Genius of Mr. Rule and others, he had no doubt underftood the Fathers better. It is very difficult to guefs what to impute this extravagant Fancy to, he thought it dangerous to allow that Ordlnatio did fignihe the Impofition of Hands, at kail he wifhed fuch a power might not be granted to a Bi(hop, and therefore he will have Or- dinatio in that Epiltle of Su Jerom tc Evagrius, tofignifie the ordering of fomething, though that thing be not named in St. Jreom ; and if it figni- ries the ordering of fomething (as the Vindicator profoundly ReafonsJ why not the ordering of a Meeting ? And if it was the ordering or' a Meeting > Why not the ordering of an Eccki'iaftlcal Meeting > Yet all this time it is net determined whether this ordering of the Meeting be an Authorita- tive C 33 3 tive appointing of the time when they fhould meet, and what thei* ihould treat of, or only prefiding as Moderator amongft them, when the Colle&ive body themfelves appointed the meeting. Becaufe, I fay, this is left uncertain; perhaps the Vindicator will judge it moft convenient to adhere to the Iaft. If he had (aid, that Ordmatio fig- nified the ordering of a Dromedary it had been more to his purpole, for certainly the ordering of fuch an Animal made not (b great a di- ftin&ion between aBiihopand Presbyter as the ordering of Ecclefia- ftical Meetings. How contrary fuch a fancy is to the received expofition of that word, will beft appear when we confider other places in the works of S. Jerom, where the word Ordmare is madeufe of, and let us Vuppofe that the word muft be interpreted according to the new Critick. Thus we find St. Jerom> Comment, i. Epifi. ad Tmothe. Cap. ;. ab initio Pri- mum laicos infiituit de quibus cptimi quique in Jacerdotium eliguntur & fie dicit quales debeant ordinari. Then the meaning muft be according to this late difcovery, that the Apoftle declared fuch as were fit to be appointed to meet. Again, S, Jerom in his Comment on the Epift. to Titus in thole words : For this caufe left I thee in Crete that thou, mightefi ordain } He hath thefe words, J2>ua defunt reclo tenore corrige & tunc demum presbyteros poieris ordinare, cum omnes tn Ecclejia fuerint retlijNhsn all have been blamelefs in the Church, then thou may ft ap- point Presbyters to meet. And again, in his Catalogue Scriptorum Ec- chfiafiicorum, fpeaking of S. James the Brother of our Lord, Jacobus qui appellalur frater Domini cogmmento jufius — Pojt Paffionem Domini ftatim ab Apofiolis Hierojolymorum Epifcopus ordinatus, the meaning muft be, that he was appointed by the Apoftlesto meet at Jerufalem. And in the fame Book it is (aid again, Timotheus autem Ephejiorum Epifcopi din at us a Beato Paulo, that is to fay, Timothy the Bifhop vv.v pointed by S. Paul to meet at Ephefus. Again, Poly carpus Jca mis A~ poftoli difcipulus & ab eo Smyrna Epifcopus ordinatus, totius Afie? fuit. I need add no more teftimonies to make this Critical obfervarion more ridiculous, and I defie all that ever looked into the Presb terian Books to find any thing (b palpably ignorant and foolnhj as pofition of that paflage in S. Hierom, except it be the Viftdicat tion of decretumpradamnatum, which I ilia.ll examine before I Letter, and yet I do not remember that ever I read any ( : proud and fuperciiious ; but Ignorance and Pride go ordi gether. I ftiall not contend with him about this honlsnfi I wiih with all my heart lie had writ a Book in Qu podtions of the moft difficult plages in the Fach< him fuch Books would be read by die Youth in the Uv. . with far greater Delight than his Vindication of the Kirk ofSm Anc F quam qui maxime laudan merentur. Plin.E/.2o. lib. 7; Pag. i 83- [ 34 1 1 have a far greater Opinion of the knowledge of mod of his Bre. thren, than to think that there are two of them in the Nation ( ex- cept it be Mr. RuJJel and Mr. Gourlay ) that can agree with him in this Expofitun; the reafon why I mention it here is * Nulli patenti- not to difpute with him any farther concerning iu but to give you an Inftance of his infufferable Pride and Vanity that he relents the leaft Con- tradiction to bis Non fence with fo much bit t erne fs and indignation *. Another Inftance to the.fame purpoie we havea- gain p.i8;. The Author oi the Hiftory of the Gene- ral AiTembly laid, 1 hat f uch as were thruft into Universities and Colleges by the Presbyterian Faction were Ihort of their Pre* Tacit. Convitia deceffbrs. This nettles the Vindicator, who, (if his igyfifcfyi **w t ( f h a ? he fanc,es) n,ould %*** demur. lt# & n d therefore he compares the men of nis way with their Tredccejjors, ( I liippofe he mult mean fuch as are lately promoted into the Seminaries of Learning J if the Vindicator means Mr. Rules PredeceJJors in the College of Edinburgh that are already dead, He is extravagantly impertinent ; If he mean the Matters lately ejected, I a (lure him, they never compared themselves nor their Sufficiencies with any dead nor alive; the more airy man knows the lefs he thinks of it ; and though Knowledge in it bit be very valuable, yet fuch Thrasonical Boaftings of it are very opposite to the nature of it. It maybe the Vindicator thinks that the ejected Mafters wrote lb advantageoufly of themfelves : but if that be his mi- ftake, I dare afiure him they had no hand in any Hiftory of the AjJ'embly, or of any affairs relating to it. And if inch as love thele Mailers fpeak kindly of them, when ihey are expelled by a pre- vailing Faction, he need not take it ill, far lefs is there any neceffity to run them down with Inch loud and faucy Companions *. He inftances ih four particulars, wherein he thinks the pre- lent Matters may compare with their Predecef- Ibrs, viz,. The Knowledge cf Books, tiieful Learning Prudence to direcl the Studies of the Youth, Grammar s and the knowledge of the learned La?iguagcs f. If it be (o, it h ftill lo much the better, but it is very dif- genia quia nihil a-h bent nihil f;bt detrahum, migno ivgenio muhaq: nimlominus habituro cenvenit ctiam fwplex veri error is confejjio. Ccfus de Medic, lib. 8. As to the Char a- tiers given to fome of them , neither they nor the Author of that Hiftory was to be blamed for it. * Tullius Orat. in Cacii. N. m cum omnis crroga> t.a c- dsofa eft, turn ilia Ihgenu atq.te elo- 4itentire ch.arful humour, I would tell him freely my opinion on the whole matter; and that is, that a man may be learned, and judicious \ and know a great many excellent Books, and reafm clofe- f Buchan Francifo ly and yet not fpeak the Latin readiiv; (b ^ 0Vl e g° V Ll f< W$ tcr that there is no neceffity to appear huffy and r > 1&% u l!&. te fc& , r / ^v r-j Li. i i-i Vtrb.i, led tnrenti he dex- out of humour, tho it were bid thacrhe did tenute valcbat, not (peak Latin purely and fluently, that ac- %j t auoctmque loco, de re complement depends upon long practice and quacunque parata, upon all Revolutions ("and fometimes with- Semper & ad nutum pofita out them) the publick Schools have their *» ftatione teneret. Fa ft ions, and fome are ready to cenfure what is not juftly cenfureable, and this might occafion the Boys to be a little more (evere than perhaps was allowable, when this Rabbi (poke fbme- thing infield of Latin that was neither Latin nor Scotch. ' But I rriuft tell him withal what { heard from eye and ear Witneffes in (and this I have more credible Atteftations than any of the Teftimonies the Vindicator brings to difparage the Clergy) That the (aid Mr. Rule did pubhckly in his Prelections in plems Academic comitiis,{ay, That one that did lb and fb,as the Church or England did, was gm It us Idolatria ; nor have I rhis from the younger Boys of that Houfe, but from (uch as need not be named and cannot reafbnably be jufpechd of lying. And I muft tell \h\Rule, tho fiich an unhappy Trip would vilifie him ainongft the Students,yet it never lefferis him in my Opinion, becaute ones Imagination may be fo fix'd upon the thing, that he forgers what Language he ought to (peak. But I will teli you of another thing that I think was yet worie. At a publick Commencement, apprehending that a Gentleman who was difputing againft the Prafes did bear too hard upon him; He got up very gravely, and fpoke to the Frafes thus, Domine Prafes, require ilium ut proponat Argument um cutegcrue. 1c is true, that require. :-n is Latin ; for ( if I remember right ; it may be met with in Eunuch. Terent. But in a fjnfe v aflly different from what was intended by Mr. Rule. For the (enfe intended by Mr. Ride no doubt* wa; that the Prafes would oblige the Opponent to be more metbodi. and if that be the meaning, it could not be more unhappily jexprdfc, I ? l for [ 36 ] tor require™ aliquem in true Latin fignifies to (earch for one again and again, to fee where he may be found. I fhail give Mr.Magnus Prince, you one Inftance more, It is this, Mv.Rule finding that one of the Students in a Harrangue, advanced iome things that were unagreeable to him, and favourable to fome of the M afters thar were lately ejected, He got up and offered to fiUnce the Youth, and faid, That tile declamat contra [latum Regni, He meant no doubt the late Convention and Parliament 3 and any thing a- gainft them in the old Latin wa* centra Or dines Rcgni, how this ought to be exprefs'd after the Reformation I know not. I can make no A- pology for keeping you fo long to inch Im pertinencies, but who can help it: Why (hall men give themfelves the trouble to anfwer Books fo accurately as the Vindicator pretends to do, that there mu/i not be a Cobweb in all their foldings unfvvept. This put the Vindi- cator upon many impertinent ElTays, and if I had time to infill- up- on them I could furnifh you with very pleafant Inflances out of his Anfivers to Mr. Morers Letter. But the Vindicator muft refute accu- rately ; artd this obliges him to condefcenfions below Gravity and Man- hood. Every where we have vifible marks of the Vindicators Gemus, every where he ftoops fo low when he has nothing to pick up but ftraws and broken Pins, the Spirit of Contradiction eats out the vi- tals of his Soul, and ever and anon puts him upon filly and extrava- gant impertinencies : For to nothing elfe can it be imputed than to his unpardonable vanity his wiping this Sciolifi or fome other would attempt the refuting his Books. I muft confefs, I read his Vindications and his pretended Anfwer to the lremcum i and if he be not improved fince he wrote thofe Traces, he defences no particular Anfwer, for his Explication of S. Jeroms Epiftle, and his Decretum pradamitatum (of which hereafter) are Indications of hisgroundlefsand illiterate Fopperies: if he had defended himfelf by the common Pleas of learned Presbyterians, he ought to be treated with Civi- lity and Dilcretion; but when he prefumes to dictate either blafphcmous .Nonfence, ( luch as his decretum fradamnatum ) or vifionarj and childijh Romances (inch as his fancy of the meaning of Ordmatio m S. Jeroms E- piftle) he mould in this cafe be treated according to his.Charac1:er,for it is not poffible that (bmuch ignorance could dwell but in the company of (o much Pride, and therefore I appeal to all the Scots Presbyterians, ii ever they yet difcovered any fuch nmjhroks Nonfence written or laid by any man that pretended to have read but one Syftem m his lifetime, and yet this Mormo of a Scholar muft forfooth firut with io much infolence and vanity, as if he were teaching fome Amen- eam t who were never acquainted with the civilized part of Mankind. There have been many attempts ufed by different Parties to expofe one. U7l one another for their Ignorance and Immoralities, but 1 defie all men to name one Inftance of greater Ignorance, either before or after the Refor- mation than this one Notion of his Decretum prtdamnatum, and yet foi- looth he muft pretend to explain and defend the Calvinian Sylkm, and takes occafion by an innocent Sentence or two, to thrult himfelf into this Scuffle without confidering whether he underflood the Controveifie or nor, but I leave him to the Chattifcment of others. Good Nature and Chrillian Modelty teach us to hide and extenuate the weakne lies of others > but when thofe very men pretend to give Rules to all mankind, they ought to be put in mind that it is nor yet time for them to appear fo arrogant and prefumptmm. Aflc&ation is the meanefr Vice, and an intolerable piece of Hypncrifie » we are not fo ugly by our natural def efts, as by the Accomplifhments that we counterfeit, and this is the Hereditary uncurable Difeafe of our Pedling little Reformers. They- cannot indure to follow the common Sentiments of Mankind, they are all for heights, and Angularities. He that walks nor in the common Road, where the way is fafe, muft be filly, and bypocondriack^ or proud, and de- figni?jg\ and therefore the Spirit of' Chriftianity teaches us to believe and practice the indifputabk Truths of our Religion, more than the peculiar Opinions of broken ScNfinaticty, and letter Fraternities. Sometimes I have had fome kind Thoughts towards the Quakers '•> but when I conlidcrcd- that they necdlefly torf-ke the innocent bottoms of Mankind, the Uni* verfaily acknowledged Rules of Decency, and the Univerfal Tradition or the Church, I mull think that they are led by a Spirit of Velufion and Pride. Nothing recommends us to Cod more than true Humility, and it is an undeniable proof of Integrity and Self denial to comply with the innocent Guftoms of the World, and therefore our Saviour left us an Ex- ample, by which we may in the mid It of all tentationslive in the Wor!d s and yet continue unfponed by its infcclion. I have digrelTed two tar, not from what I deligntd, but from the Vindicators account of things. I am afraid I may get upon the Finger-end^, beciufe I did not nam: my VVitnelTes for (he Latin Elegancies that I lately mentioned \ but if he wtites to the Bookfeller whofe name is prefixt, he (hdl kno-v as many WitnefTes as are neceffory, and forty more fuch Barbarifms. To end, and to complete this Character of the Vindicator, I might men- tion his appmnt Shufflings and Tirgiverfmnu^ for when the Ourragcs done to the Clergy are open and n>t>ri)us, then he extenuates it as no great In- jury, whenfom: of them were beat upon the He.id, and Legt, and others of them made to po through deep w iters in the midji of I'/tnter. But among all tlite Might- I f his Invention there is none more remarkable than this ,!■. wary concelTion, that Eccle- p.ige 1^4. iiaiiical Judicatories that enquire into Scandals are not obliged to follow tk Forms 0) other- Courts. I thought that the Forms of Civil Ce 1 58 ] Courts were wifely appointed partly to prevent our being furprized, partly to hinder (as far as humane Prudence could prevent; all Forgeries, and Combina- tions, a$.z\r& the innocent, and (hat the Forms were but the external Fences, that the Law invented to guard Jujlice and Equity. But this Author tells us that its doubted (no doubt amonglt Learned Men) whether the Ecclefia'Mcal Court be obliged to follow fuch Forms. It is very odd that the Laity among the Scots Presbyterians, who pretend to be at the gi eaten" Remove from Po- pery, Hull thus calmly iloop to the mo/1 intolerable flavery of the Liquifuion. Next to this Conceilion is his fair Advertifement to Pag. the Church of England, that indeed the Covenanters do not think themfelves obliged to reform the Church of England, unlefs they are called to it *, but if the Godly in England call them, then all their Ammunition mud be employed to ferve their dear Brethren in England. Next to this, let me in (lance his fhameful Shuffling Pag. 5. about the Toleration lately granted to Presbyterians in Scotland, he tells us, that they exprelTed as much as they were capable their diilike of the Toleration given to the Papifts for their Her i pes z\ A Idolatry, yet their Mr * ?' ' Agents, then at Court, wrote Booty (fuch as they were) P 9 * pleading that the Penal Laws ought to be Repealed , tb * but withal the Vindicator adds that they donot grudge Liberty to any others who can mew as good a Warrant for their way of Worfhip as they do, i. e. they have a Divine Right for their way, and none others can have a Divine Right if they have it; btcaufe their way is dif- ferent from all others i and therefore at bottom they are againft Toleration as the moil mifchievous thing in the World : and in the time of the late Troubles they exclaimed againft it, as a thing worfe than the Calves of Van and Bethel. Now you have no other Character of the. Vindicator from me, than what 1 have extracted from his Book, nor do I conclude him to be habitually gui!ty of fuch (hurEing and diiingenuity ; but tingle Ads may grow into rooted Habits. He isfo deeply tindfcur'd with the julknefsoi his Faction s that he'll rather queftion whether the Body of the Sun is luminous } than admit the leall Jcmpte concerning the. Divine Right of Piesbytery. The next thing I promifed Co Difcourfe of, was his Theological Rea- fonings that occaiiorally falls under his Conlidcration, when he pleads the Innocence of the Presbyterians. It is true, the Vindicator does not defignedly in- pag. fiff on thofe Theological headc that I am ihortly to [peak of, but incidentally they fall in his way ; but he cannot forbear his venomous Syuibs, when he mentions the practice of the Catholic Church^lut moftly ex pole their Novelty and Emhufiafm. The firft £ 39] fii ft I take notice of is his Cenfure of the Catbolick Obfervation of Chriftmas; The Author of the fecond Letter did very iudiciou(ly obferve how diametrically oppofitt the pag. 25. wefterri Phanaticks are to the fpirit and practice of the Catbolick Church, That they fhould begin their Barbarities againft the Clergy upon that very day upon which the Church did celebrate the Nativity of our bleiTed Saviour ; and which the Ange- lical Hofls of Heaven did magnifie with triumphant Songs; the Vindicator cannot let this Obfervation Pag. 15. pafs without his Theological Animadverfions. And he tells us in the firft place, that the Author of that Letter valud himfelf upon this fine Notion, certainly the Author could not value him- felf upon this Notion, but he had great reafon to value the nmvcrfal pra&ice of the Chriftian Church from the fir it plantations or Ch ftianity. Next the Vindicator tells us, that ic is ridiculous to ailert that that day was celebrated by the Court of Heaven. What < (ays he. Did the Court of Heaven keep the Anniverfary day? This is profoundly wife. There is no (landing before the wit and Jmartnefs of fuch Re- partees. What, did not the Court of Heaven celebrate the birth of our blefTed Saviour? And was not the Anniverfary Solemnity of this Fefiival a ju(t imitation of what the Court of Heaven did ? But he asks if the Court oi Heaven did keep . or December, nor was it needful to encreafe the Qevotions of the Church, that theyihoub be performed with regard to one uay more than to another, as if they depended upon fuch a Critical Mwute of time. . [4° 3 time, I hope the Vindicator knows that the 2$. of December in France is not the if. of December in Britain ; and yet the Chrtftiansof either communion celebrate the Nativity of our blefled Saviour with regard to the Calculations of the Country in which they live, nay, he may know that there are Considerable Objections againft Vid. Mr. Medes the common ts£ra or the Christians. But the Vin- Difcourfe of Cbrtjh- dicator thinks that fuch an Anniverfary day is not to mas. y e k e pt by Gods Appointment. But hath not God ap- pointed us to obey the Apoftles and their Succeffors our lawful Ecclefiaftical Rulers to the end of the World : And may not they regulate the publick Solemnities and returns of Gods Worfhip ? Is there any thing in this Regulation but what hath a natural tendency to preferve and propagate the great truths of the New Te (lament* With what impudence then dare we refufe obedience to the univerfal Church, when her Constitutions are fo juft, (b wife and (b agreeable to the whole tenor of the Gofpel? If all the Eccleiiaftical Conftituti- ons from the days of the Apoftles had been written in the Bible, could one read it in a thousand years ? There was a plain necejjity in that cafe to have continued the immediate inspiration in the Church until the confummation of all things. Upon this their Hy pot he (is Reafon be- comes ufelefs to order the publick Solemnities of the Churcb,the Chriftian Faith being once revealed, they needed not the ajjifiance of a new Revelation to order its publick Solemnities ; For when the feftivities and Fafls of the Church were only converfant about the Articles of Faith already reveal'd, it is fuppofed that common fenfe and difcretion muft cloath the great Myfteries of our Religion, with fuch vehicles of time, place, and publick Solemnity, as belt preferve their reverence, and tranfmit them to Pojlenty. But this is an unfortunate miftake, an criginal Blunder of the whole Party ; and as long as they keep to this Maxim they muft neceffarily continue fiubborn and ungovernable, and proof againlt the wifeft Conftitutions of the Chriftian Church : for they muft have Scripture for (uch things as could not be guiafenptum non contain d in the Scripture ; but he fortifies this with a legimus tdeo jujfum Latin Sentence, as ii Non fence could change its Na- non credimus. tt4re by being put into Latin. For the Qiieftion is not of Articles of Faith, but concerning the Confti- tutions of the univerfal Church. But perhaps the Vindicator might yield to the Oblervations of Chrijlmas, if the Obfervation of it were not anniverfary. There is fome hidden dangerous Plot in that word Anniversary, as if our Poftenty were not to be educated in that Faith which we believe. And fo Enthufiaftick our Presbyterians are be- come, that they broach Principles unknown to all the fubdivifions of Diflenteis in England ; and tho more knowing and intelligent among them L 4» ] them never fcruple the obfervation of an Anniverfary day, fince they yearly commemorate the dreadful Fire of London, by Fafting and Prayers. From all this I conclude, That it is very dangerous, it not impious, to fepara.te from the Church in thole excellent Conjlitutions tha: have been received from the beginning, and in all Countries where the name of J ejus hath been wo: fhipped, fuch Ccnfiitutions and Solemni- ties have been derived from the Apoftles or Apoftohck times. When the World was enlightened by the knowledge of the Son of God, he did not extinguiih the light of Reafon, but he juppofes it, and reafons from it, and firengthens it, and there is nothing more ftrongly enclined towards God, and the Communications of his Spirit, than true and unbiaffed Reafon. Therefore fuch Confiitutions [ as the rea- fon of all Mankind is agreed in ) have nothing in them contrary to the purity of our Religion. If Anniverfary days and Fefiivals have been fro- . ,. , faned among the Pagans to the worfhip of Idols, why r '' Qrt l ^~ may they not be fantlified by the true Object of Worfhip, and the honour of Jefus Chrift ? Publick Solemnities have nothing in their own nature that is reproveable no more than thfc motion of the Sun, or the viciffitude of Sealbns, if any part of our time be abuled to excefs or riot, or the worfhip of an Idol, we are liable ta the Juftice of God. But when we return from Idols to the true God, when we change our excefs into fafiing, and prayer, and when the wha>le Scene is become pure, what is there in all this that can be blamed ? Do not we fee all Nations agree in this, that publick Solemnities, and anniverfary Feftivals, and Fafis arc neceilary to the being and beauty of Religion, even thofe Nations that are at the greatefl: diflance from our Cufloms, our Language, our Laws, and way of living, upon the Converhon o\ Nations to the Chriftian Religion ; fbme of the places where they wor- shipped their Idols have been dedicated to the true God ; and was it not a happy Viclory over the Kingdom oi Darknefs when the publick So- lemnities of Idolatry, times and places, have changed their Qbjecls, their Exercifes, and their End, It is true, the great Anmverfaries of the Jewiih Religion were ap- pointed immediately by divine Authority. But had not they other An- niversaries not immediately appointed by God, and do you read that ever the Prophets did reprove the Jews for fuch Anniverfancs. They did indeed refrove their negligence and indevotion in them, but the thing it felfwas acknowledged reafonable and prudent, and a "very powerful in* firument of true Religion when managed with Contrition, true Simpi and Piety. Zach. Did ye at all fafi unto me faith the Lord. The fajts mentioned here are of humane appointment, and yet anniverfary. G Our [42 ] Out Saviour was prefent at the ¥ eaft of the Dedication, for which these was not any immediate Divine Inftitution , and though he had not been prefent, if it had been J uperfiitw she had certainly reproved it, and given directions againft fuch ufages in the general. To (hake off all the exter- nals of Religion, is as dangerous as the multiplying of them, the one is the Error of the Romanics, and the other the fuperfiition of the Vijfenters. Ic is certain that, nothing preferyts Knowledge of Chriftian Religion amongft the Body of the People more than the Feftivals of the Church h for it is not left to the Arbitrary or Extemporary Fits of Devotion, but the Church by her excellent Discipline orders the matter fo, that it is not poflible to forget the Faith unto which we have been once Baptized ; but amongft the Pref- byterians'm Scotland, the People are taught by their Leaders to defpife all Foims 3 fuch great fouls ought not to be fettered to' the Rules and Methods of the Univerfal Church, and therefore it is very rare to find a Child in the Weft of Scotland, that can repeat the Commandments or the Creed ( I mean the Children of Presbyterian Parents) and by (uch Enthufiajiicl^ pretences, Atbeifm is infenfibly promoted, and the Body of the People alienated from the Simplicity of ChrifUan Religion, and fcarcely will they allow any man to be acquainted with true Religion that mentions thofe fir ft Principles of it. It is not poflible to tell how much their oppolition to Forms and Festivals of the Church has infatuated their People, there is nothing can make a Clown in the Weft of Scotland laugh fo heartily, as when the Curate recommends to their Children the Creed, the Lords Prayer, and Ten Commandments j and therefore they have no opinion of any Mans un- derstanding, unlefs he entertain them withDifcourfesofGod unfearcbabie decrees, of Juflification before Conversion, and how the Convictions ot na- tural Confcicnce may be diftnguilhed from the Convitlions that proceed from the Spirt of God : to obferve the Feilivals of the Church is but a phce of antiquated Superftiticn. But we ought to remember that the ftated Feilivals and Fails of the Church do preferve, and increafetrue Devotion and Mortification. Failing is acknowledged a necciliry Inihument of Religion by all Nations who profefs any Religion at all. It is not enjoyned; butfupofed by our Saviour: why may not then the Church regulate and direct the Publick Solemnities of Failing, as well as of Prayer. There is nothing fo proper to rix our attention as Failing, it delivers the Snirl from the opprcilions of the Body, and reilores it to hs true- and native Sovereignty over our Luils and PalTions. The ftatcd Periods of Failing oblige the moil ftubbom and impenitent to think of his Soul, and the vi- able Practice of the Church Preach Repentance nioie effedtually, and make more lading Iirpalfiuns than the loofe and indefinite Homilies of conceited men. The External Solemnities of Religion may be abuftd fas the moil ex- cellent things arej when they are lei t to the Conduct o( humane weak- nets ; C 43 3 nefs ; but it is not poiTibk to preferve Religion among the Body of Mankind, without thofe Vehicles of Form Vi& Dr. Gunning and Order. Nothing hinders the Reformation of the c f the Lent- Fait Grecian Churches, from the variety of their Errors ar.d Sjperttitions, fo much as the open negledt of Fatting JPJ w ^ 1"* {<" among the Proteftants, and this Practice is nor to be £e jkaU never find. defended, but rather lamented and amended. What a lt but in the old. Cruelty is it in all the Sectaries to deprive the People of the Fubtick helps of Prayer and halting? Who can juftifie this, that con- fid ers the many Incumbrances, Tentations, WeaknelTes, thatwe dailyen- counter ? They that fet up Methods of their own, in oppoiitioo to the Wif- dom of the Church, in all Ages may amufe the People for a while, but can produce nothing that is (olid or uftful. It is certain that the Grecian Churches had, long ere now, made an utter Apofhey from the Chriftian Rel'gion, if the ancient and rlx'd Difcipline of the Church did not re- tain them in the Faith, and when we conlider how much the Religion that we are Baptized into, triumphs over Senfualities and Concupifcence . we cannot but acknowledge the Wifdom and Beauty of the ancient Difcipline, The molt ufelul thirgs in Art or Nature, may be fadly abufed by Folly or Ignorance. We are not to feparate from the Roman Church, further than they have feparated from the Wife and Primhive Constitution of the firft Ages of Chriiiianity i and all the Protectants abroad feem to a^ree in this Truth, for they Preach and Pray Publickly upon the great Fairs and Feltivals of the Church. The publick Seajons of :Devotion are the Catechifm of the People. It is true, when there is no day rixt for the Uniform Celebra- tion or fuch a MyiUry it may be remembrcd by fome •, but it is not cre- dible that all the People will remember if, but when the day is rixt wc cannot forget it, and from cur Iria ;cv we are eafily trained in the Nur- ture and Admonition of the Lord, and in the litirfdH ftydf Chriftian Re- ligion, free from Jewijb Super lYnion (toxc'? n not, handle n:t, with which all our SecV.ru :np- jrf pily Leavened) as well as fromgiddinefs and Enibufiafm. The next thing thatl mention, is his Accufation again ft the Epife o Church, that they were gui'ty of Schifm : For, He- tells us that he kjioxvs m Schifm, but fuch as wis tiaftd ]?a?. byhU Oppofites, and this is pleaiant enough. There is a Company cf men lately ftarted up in. the Chrifuan Civ rcr\ Universal Church does i.ct immediatly faity Sail to their . /, all mult be concluded Sch ifmaticks. By our Bapt'dmal Vowes we are obliged to preferve the Unity of the Catb'ilid^Cburcb, we are M fihle Batj)) that woilhip the tine G- el tin r; and : cjueritly we3ie obliged to w^rlhip God in Vmt\ j r cl in Sjchty, nor cju we feparate from any found paitot the Qatboltckjt G 2 r 4+ ] require unlawful Conditions of Communion, and fuch as are forbidden by that God whom we Worfhip. Upon this Hypothefis, I think ic impoflible for the Presbyterians of Scotland to defend themfelves againft the Charge of Scbifm in its mod rigorous and formal Notion* Firft, Becaufe they feparate from all Churches Ancient and Modem there is not now a Church upon Earth with whom they think they may Com- municate without fear of being polluted. The Proteftants of France ob- ferve the Fejiivals of the Church, as alfo the Proteftants of Geneve and Sv&ifferland, and the Calvinifls in Germany do the fame. As for the Lu~ therans of Germany, Denmark^, and Sweedland, we dare not fo much as once name them, they have all of them Liturgies and Feflivals, and Or- gans, and Divine Hymns, diftindfr from the Pfalms of David. As for the Socinians of Poland, though they agree in fome things with them \ yet they would no doubt refufc their Communion. They mud refufe, upon their Principles, the Communion of the Grecian Church, and all the Subdivisi- ons of it : and they cannot joyn with the Papifls, nor yet with the Church of England. And their Consciences could not endure to Communicate with the Epifcopd Church of Scotland, that was againft their Covenants, and their Obligations, as if a man could difingage himftlf from what he is obliged to, by the Common Tics of Chrijiianity , and the Vows o[Baptifin !>y any Bond or polierior Obligation of his own. But if there be no vifible Church with which they can Communicate they are certainly cut off from the vilible Communion of Saints over the Habitable World ^ and this Pharifaical fmgularity is fo much the more hateful, that it is abhorred by all Proteftant Churches, and if the Vindi- cator will Read Vurellus only, he will eafily fee how oppofite this peevifh- nefs is to the Sentiments and Practice of all Reformed Churches. It is acknowledged by all fober men, that to joyn with, or abet Schifmjtjckf, makes one guilty of Schifm : and therefore the Presbyterians can by no means require the Members of the Epifcopal Church, to joyn with them who have wilfully and furioujly cut themfelves off from the whole Body of Chiiftians: but there is lately found out a wife Diftindrion to fave them from this blow, they can have occafional Communion with other Churches. rho they cannot have a fixt Communion with them. Before I conlider this Diftinclion, let me inform you that the Ringleaders of the former Presbyterians ia Scotland never made ufc of any fuch Diftin- Vid Rutherford ? ion > thcy thcmfclves «*foned againft Separation upon Dae rMt of Prefi fuch * molous pretences as are now alledged by their byt cry. fttccfiBbrt ; but the Presbyterians have borrowed this Di- Collcthan of Cafe: ftindHon irom Engliflj Dijfenters. And the former Pref- ax4in& Dijfenters, byterians did never feparate horn the PubJick Worfhip g * he Ckr V °t under the Epifcopal Conjiitution y nor did the latter Pref- bvtcriansatter the Restoration;, dream of it until the year [4? 3 2664.. that fomeof the Wefrern Bigots, as had fled to Holland, thought that the Faa on could not be fupported unlefs People were (aught that they were obli^ci to leave the Communhn of the Epifcopal Church intirely. And accordingly in Ann. 1664. there appeared a Seditious Pamphlet in Odtavo, Entituled, The Apologetical Relation of the Church of Scotland. And it is impoflible tor any Presbyterian to name any one Book or Trcarife before this Pamphlet, that juftihed the Separation of Presbyterians from the Publick Reformed Worfhip under the Epifcopal Conltitution in the Church of Sat! and. It is a long timefir.ee I Read this Book, and there- fore 1 cannot give a particular account of it, though I remember that the Author w n he comes to that Conclufion, that the People were not to hear the Curates, he ibeaks with diffidence and befit at ion, and in iome one place or other of that Difpute he fattens this wild and extravagant Paradox by fome reftritlions and limitations. That they were not to hear them always nor con- jlantly, but that they ought fo far to feparate as to keep the Party from being fwallowed up in the Communion of the Church. Accordingly, their firft Effays of Schifm were but faint and timorous, they were not in the be- ginning fo well armed againft the Remorfe of their own Confciences, for this was a Novelty, and they did not venture upon it with that boldnefs and affur ance that afterward appear'd, to that degree that our Governors were forced to make fevere Laws againit their field Meetings, which were vtftly termed by our Law the Rendezvouze ot Rebellion. And though the Bigots in the Well ha I advanced this Para- vi 6 ' D f™ff c/ ~ dox 3 yet the Presbyterians of greateft Note and Learning ^if^m^i^M. took no not ice of it,but kept the Communion of the Church after the Rxitoration of Epifcopacy as punclually as any &$• Ro. Douglas, Church-man. And it is very obfervable that all the Pref- g£- G ™; $£$& byterian Minifteis in Scotland, made ufe of the Chrifti- J°"iford' ' M™\ W, an Forms of the Lords Prayer, Creed, and Voxflogy, and many others. until Olivers Army invaded Scotland, and the Indepen- dent Chaplains in that Army thought their own Vifpenfjthn was above that of Geneva. Upon this, fueh of the Presbyterians as would recommend ihemlclves to the Vfurper, andfuchas had his Ear, forbore thofe Forms in the Piiblick Worfhip, and by degrees they fed into defnetude( for it was not Creditable to be out of the Faflaion) and yet they have the Confidence to their Separatim from the Epifcopal Church, partly becaufe fudi fuch Cbriiiian Forms are retained in the Publicly Worihip. And though they difpute againil the ufc of Forms, yet Thofe Chnfitan oron©unce the dpollotick^ JhageUfco* after Sermon, Forms were re-did , do, except iome few who love rather to Pa- ?. aj " rr i Pr ^> r ■ l t • /^ ■ ■ , r ,■ • ti tenths that rreu rapmaie it, than keep to its Original fimphcay. fine ;i p on t y ind^n^ -tnhappy temper of Sehifmaticks leads them to do every dentStid'. thii-.£ againft the Spirit and Practice of the Church la , [46] and though the Canonical and Vniverfal Methods of the Church are tem- pered with repaid to our weaknefs and infirmities, yet they love to fly in the Face of tfo r, when the tenderly binds up their Wounds, and offers her Afliliauce to prevent their Ruin and Danger* I have almoft forgot to enquire into the meaning of that diftinclion of occasional and fixed Communion. Why may not one do that confiantly (fince the Common Tyes of Ghriftianity oblige him) that he may do 6c- cafionally ? But if the meaning be that their Confciences allow them now and then to hear an Efifoppai Presbyter P/eich, or Read, though they dare not venture upon the higheft Ads of Communion, fuch as receiving of the Lords Sapper, at this rate they may have this occasional Communion with Papifts, Grecians, Jews, and Mabumetans, for tluy all teach fome great and common Truths w hich they dare not refufe. But fecondly, It is apparent that the Scots Presbyterians are Schifma- tickj in \hc jiritleft Senfe, becaufe by their Principles they mu(i needs pro- fefs, that it they had lived one hundred and fifty years before the fir ft Council of Nice, there was then a neceftity to Separate from the Vnity of the Church. For then all thofe things that they fcruple at in the Public^ Woilhipv»ere pratlifed by ihcVniverJal Church, the Solemnities, and fefiu Tines, the Pubhck fails, the Altars, the Hierarchy of Bijhop, Presbyter, and Deacon. Nay, the Dignity of Metrapolitans is fuppofed a? Ancient and Venerable by the firfl Council of Nice. So upon the Presbyterian Hypothecs, they mould have been obliged if th^ had lived amongft the Ancients then, to ke< p up diftind and feparatr Conventicles, when the Purity of their Lms, and the Glory of Martyrdom, and Patience, made them (hine to the Confufion of their Enemies, when their Zeal tor God made them vitforhus over all the Powers of Darktiefs, when by their Faft- ings and their Prayers, they crucified the Fldh with all its Lulls and Atfe- dtion?, when the} taught the Gofpel in its Ma'pfty, and Simplicity, and bafled the Objcdion of the Pagans by their heavenly Converfatton, Let my Soul be with thofe firft Chriftians, I would chufe their Company at all ad- ventures, without the leafl fear of either Cbriftmas, Eafter, ox Good Friday. But thirdly, The prtfent Presbyterians mud be Schifmatickj, by the Dc- drine and Practice of their Predeceffors. This I have tcuctud a little bJore. Fourthly, I deilre the Presbyterians to name fomc Schifmatickj in the Records of Ecckfiafticdl Hifloiy, that are now acknowledged by the com- mon confent of all Churches to be Schifmatickj, and then I enquire what it was that made them fuch -, and if this be not agreeable to the Presbyterians more eminently, than to any rank of the ancient Schifmatickj, I am miftaken* Bu; fifthly, Tney themlelvesdo not deny (nor can they) but that they are Schifmatichj in St. CyptMs Notion of Schifm, fince to f pirate from ones own Bilhop was a juji and Apo\\olical Notion of Schifm, And the Presbyterians of Scotland are by fo much the more inexcusable in that they have [47 ] hsrve liubbornly and fattioufly Confpired agalnft the Apoftolical Hierarchy of Bifhop, Presbyter, and Jeacon. The next thing that I remark, is his Cenfure of the Fpifcopal Clergy for Preaching Morality, pag. 62. and 6;. He tells us that the Author of the Second Letter wrote, That the EpiJ copal Party undirjiand the Cbrijhan Philo* fopby better, and that it wm nevir underflood or preached better in Scotland, than under Epijcopacy* The Vindicator replies very wittily, That he thought the Commendation of a Minijier had been rather to underjiand Chriliian Divinit), tba ■: Christian Philofophy. But foftly, Sir, 1 do not fee that nice diftinction between Chriitian Divinity, and Chriliian Philosophy \ for if Phil fophy be cruely Chriitian, it mutt be rehncd upon wo lower Standardthzn the Moralsthzt our Saviour praclifed, and recommended \ and is not this Chriitian Divinity in its Nature and Tendency ? The Author of that Letter did not under(hnd by Phi- lofopby, the lame and defective Syihms of the Pagans but rather tint Heavenly and Spiritual Rule delivered by our Saviour. I hope he has not the Impu- dence toaccufe the Clergy that they recommended the Pagan Morals as zper- fett Rule of Life to their Hearers \ or that they themfclves did neither .be- lieve ncr exhort others to believe the Myfieries of Faith, the Credenda of our Religion. It may be they did fortihe force excellent Arguments among the Pbilifopbers with Chriliian Motives, and what the Fhilofophers ( who fpoke of the immortality of the Sod with diffidence and hefuation) could not recommend but faintly : the Chriitian Preachers did aiTert boldly, iicce the Refurre&ion of our Saviour from the Dead, was an invincible and infallible Argument, not only of our Refurrc&ion, but of the Glory that fhall afterwards bs revealed. There is nothing truly excellent among the Pagan Writers, but what is in one place or other for the Matter found in the New Teftament, and purer Morals, and greater heights than the Pa- gans could difcern. Nor can I t. ink but that the Preachers of the Gofpel may make very good ufe of Pagan Morales. I always thought Seneca a very excellent Book, but if Seneca be Chrijiianifed (as the Vindicator ipeAs) I cannot fee what fault the Vindicator can hod with Seneca, or Marcus Aurclim, or any of our Ancient Fr.\ends. For certainly Chriliian Morality in its true extent ai.d latitude, is nothing elfe but Evan- gelical Ob. dunce and Holinefs , without which no man Heb. jhall ft God. And I b-lieve the Author of that Letter intended no more, than that the Epifcopal Ckrgy did plainly zn& ferimfly recommend to their Hearers the Reformation of their Lues according to the un Standard. And truly^ Sir, (notwithstanding the Vindicators Sar- caflic ParaphraJ}, I think this is very good Philofophy, nay more, [think Moral PhilofiphynLver arrived at its true Elevation and A l-.,i iiqn iVnity, by the Dodi»ine of our Saviour and his Apottks > and does eu*. Vi,. tor know better Philofophy than what is taught in the Sermon upon the Mount, and in the 12th. to the Romans, we Preach that the Wiidom which [48] which is from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, and eafie ts Jam. 3.17. be entreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without parti- ality, and without bypccrifie, we Preach that a man en- Jam. i< 26. dowed wuhtyow ledge, fhould fliew out of a good Con- vention, his Woiks with meeknefs of Wifdom. We Preach That if any fcern to be religious, and bridkth not his Tongue, but de- ceiveth his own heart, that this mans Religion is vain, becaufe true Religion^ and un defiled before God and the Father is this, to vifit the Fatberlefs, and Widow, in their Afficlinns, and to kgep himfelf nnfpotted Tit. 1. 11, 12. from the world. We Preach that the Grace of Gvd that hringeth falvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinefs, and worldly Lulls, we (hould live foberly, rigbte- oitfly, and godly, in this prefent world. And truly, Sir, I think this very good Morality, and the rather becaufe we fortiiie our Exhortations, with the fame motives that the Apoftles ufed, and with which the Pagan Philo- fophers could not be acquainted. Looking lor that blef- Tit. 2. 13, 14. Jed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jefus Cbrijl who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good Works. It is very true that the Pagan Philofophers Preached agatnft Luji and Senfualities, and Vncleannefs ; but could they recommend Chatfity by fuch powerful and invincible motives as you meet with, 1 Cor. 6. 1 2,20. What, know you not that your bodies are the temple of the HolyGbofi which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price i therefore glorifie God in your body and your fpirit which are Gods. And without all doubt S. Paul recommended to the Philippians the true ufeof the Moral Philofophers, when he exhorts P6//.48. Finally Brethren whatfoever things are true, whatfoever things are honeft, whatfoever things are ju(i, whatfoever things are pure, whatjoever things lovely^ whatfo* ever things are of good report, if there be any venue, and if there be any praife, tbinl^on theft things. Compare this with the place on Galat. 5. i9> *o> the Margin, and hundreds of fuch places, and from 21,22, 23, 14, 2.5, t h em j conclude, that to Preach what the Moral Phi- lofophers commended (though we mult Preach many things that they could not fee) and to firengthen them by Cbriftian Motives is a thing very becoming the Ministers of the Gofpch becaufe it is indifpenfa- bly neceffary and agreeable to the Practice of our Saviour, and his Apo[lles. Eut the Vindicator tells us, Pag. 61. That this U the dialecl of men ftrongly endirfd foSocinianifm. I let go this mark of his Jpite and /// nature, for we have no Socinians amongit the Epifcrpal Clergy of Scotland. And if he undeiftartds the Socinians, they are not fo very zealous for Celebrating the FcfUvalof Chrifts Nativity and Incarnation ', nor yet are they great Enemies to Presbyterian Government, nor can they be thought zealous for any particular [49] particular Platform (were it never fo agreeable to the Canons of the Ancient Church) any further than their intereft isinvolv'd. He tells us a little after, that the preaching of fome men is fuch morality, as Seneca and other Heathens taught , en ly Chriftiani fed with (bme words; ib the Vindicator thinks that the morality they recommended to their Hea- rers was neither higher nor purer than the Dotlrines of Seneca and other Stoicks ; But it may be that they have read Seneca with as much attention as he did, and can give as good an account of the Defecls of the Stoical Philofophy } and wherein it fell fhort of the Chnftian Standard; One may eafily guefs whom he means, and intends to hie by this wafpifh accufation. Bat to purfue him thorow all his hiding places, and little Subterfuges, is as ufelefi as it is wearifem. The reafon why I kept you fo long on this Head, was co difcover the Genim of the people we have to do with. He tells us, this Philofophy was never much preached by the Presbyterians : but the Philofophy that I have defcnb'd was preach'd by S. Paul, and confequently not oppo- fue unto the Do&rine of Chrift crucified ( as he ran- i Cor.i. 23,24. cies J but rather fubfervient unto it, and a great con- firmation of the truth and divinity of it ; It is very true, that the Princes of Philofophers under ftood not the Revelations of the Gofpel, but the true exercife of Reafon is Very confrftent with Revelation; and S. Paul's difcourfe to the Atheni- Alls ij. an proves him a learned and [olid Philofopher. And thothe ApolHes were mean and illiterate men, yet God did flrengthen their Reafon beyond the mod accurate Philofophers : And when he fent them forth to preach the Gofpel, they became in the ftrideft ienfe greater Philofophers than their Enemies. And tho the Chriftian Religion in its beginnings appeared weak and fooliflo, yet when it was narrowly enquired into, it was found to be the wifdom of God, and the power of God: for the A po files offend the beft Reafbns to convince both Jew and Gentile, that J e fits of Nazareth was the Mejjias; and confequently, that there was no other Atls.*, name under heaven known by which men might be faved but the name of JESUS. They proved their Mijfion, and their Doctrine by their Miracles ; and this was an A'gument divine, a u irrefragable in its nature ; as it was obvious and plain tti the mean- eft Capacity, and therefore the Author to the He- Hebr. 23, 4. brews concludes, that the damnation of Infidels is the mod jiift and reafonable th. is;, becau(e infidelity it felf is mod *«* excufable, iince God did bear wicnefs to the Goipel by fig 715 * f n 4 '■ ders, and divers miracles and gifts of the holy G ho ft. True Philofophy * and Religion fupport one ano- * #* Juilii^ ■ 1 pg. cum [ H cher. [ Sol then None can be truly religious but he that exercifes his Reason, and he that exercifes his reafon mud of neceffity be reli- Tetv-mv (mvw St/- gi 0USt p or thewhole of our Religion is a reasonable %**>k*n™* l *ril f"™'\ God treats us as reafonable Creatures; he W&v! ^ ^^ ma ^ es himfelf Mafter of our Will, by methods Ci- table to his wijdom and our nature ; when the light of the Gofpel enters the Soul and warms it by its direct beams and per- pendicular rays, ilie then chufes what is beft with all her force and delight. It is certain, that if the Afora/ Philofophers could lay afide their pride and the tnterefl of a Faffion, they might be fooner gained to Chnfiia- r.ity than others, they could not but fee the beauty and reafonablenefs of fuch excellent Morals as were recommended in the Gofpel, and were far above, the lame and defective fyftems of the Pagan Schools. There are no excellent Precepts amongft the Pagans, but what are contain- ed in the New Teflament\ and if we recommend Chriftian vertue by Chnfiian motives, I think. the whole undertaking is very commendable. Why the Vindicator mould thus waipilhly Comment on an innocent Sentence or two of that Author, I cannot tell; but he may remem- ber that when we were Boys we were taught that Philofbphy in its ut- mo'Jt extent and latitude,, was the knowledge of divine and human things* And then Chriftian Philofbphy is good Chriftian Divinity & vice verfa; but the Vindicator is afraid left anyone may think him a ftranger to Philofbphy, and therefore tells us, that it may be that they underftand that as wcll\ as. their Neighbours^ And no doubt this Para- graph of his, that I have examined, is a i'ufficient Evidence of his Phi? lofophical. ikill and knowledge. Such another Specimen of his Candour and In- Pag. 66, genuity we meet with pag.66. where he again in(T- nuates, that the Clergy are Socinians, tkc. The Author of the fecond Letter had juftly obferved, that the Clergy could not be erroneous, becaufe they could ftgn the 39 Articles of the Church of England. But the Vindicator replies, So can many do who every day preach again ft the Doctrine contained m thefe Articles. And at this rate he may difprove all external Evidences : there is no penetrating in- to the hearts of men, they are only accejjible to Ommfcience to whom all things are naked and cpm. But the Vindicator Article of a Cork- may remember, that the diflenting Minifies in and ftjjion of Faith. about London in their late agreement, require no more of any as marks of Orthodoxy, than the Jubfcription of 36 Articles. The Vindicator infinuates, that though the Clergy do fubfenbe thenv yet they preach again ft them. This is another ftroks of his good Nature and Civility ; and he may beconvinced long era. eVe now, that the Epifcopal Clergy is not (b very pliable to do any thing againft: their Convi&ions in view of their worldly Intereft, even when he and his Party have been very aft 'we to reduce them to extra- ordinary (traits and difficulties ; nay, if he will oblige me to be plain, I could tell him, where (ome Minifters of that Faction were fo vilia- noufly zealous againft the Clergy", that they did foiicite Witnefles a- gainft them, where they them (elves, or (ome or their intimate Bre- thren were Judges. I am not to publifh Names, but I can prove this whenever it is found convenient. I know the Vindicator will be very curious to know my Informers, but I am not obliged to be (b particu- lar, though I am reiblved by Gods affiftance to perform all the pro- mifes I make to him and his Ajfociates. But the next Ctnfure that he bellows on the Clergy is of the fame nature with the former. The Author of the fecond Letter had faid, that there were many among the Clergy who were not inclined to be every day talking to the people of Gods decrees and abfolute reprobation, &c. indeed, I think the Author gave a juft account of the prudence and modefty of his Brethren, but the Vindicator lames him here with great fevericy, and tells him that his difcourfe is impertinent ; for they do net require that one mould talk always to the people of Decrees and Re- probations. But here the Vindicator gives no great proof of his Logic k. For the phrafe, every day did not imply a Metaphyseal ftri&nefs, as if the Presbyterians never preach'd on any other Subjeft but on the ab- folute Decrees and Reprobation \ but the plain and obvious meaning is, that Presbyterians did frequently and indifcreetly handle fuch abfrufe Subjects, as neither they nor the people were able to fathom. And all fuch Phrafes, though they feem to imply a Logical univerfality mufl be interpreted, to intend no more, than that fuch or fuch a thing fre- quently comes to pafs. The next Blow is more fevere, and one had nee} P*g- G& to be armed Capa-pee to meet with it, But if be mean ( as he muft if he [peak to the purpofe ) that the abfolute decrees of Ele- ct on and Reprobation, both practentum as an aft of Sovereignty , and prjedamnatum as an aft ofJuftice> are net to be held forth or taught to the people ; we abhor this as an unjound Doftrine } And look on him as a piti- ful Advocate for the Orthodoxy of the Clergy. Thus the Vindicator is diffidently revenged of his Adverfary, wno is now more lamentably mattered-than can be imagined ; It is not generous in the Vindicator thus to purfue his Vi&ory; is it poftible chat fuch meek and calm Saints (hall thus openjy expole the weaknefb of their Antagonhts. But if the Vindicator were out of his pa (lion, I w. ■ , „ ■ , would entreat him to tell me in what place of Sainc ; . Tauh Epiftles does he read of a Decretum pr ( cdam ' ; rj ,. H i zatum, [ 5» } 7tatum 9 and what ever come of the Cahinian or Arminian Hypothecs * I am afraid his Explication is both con plicated Nonfenfe and Bla- fphemy. But he tells us, that he undcrftands Philofophy as well as his Neighbors; pray, let him tell us in which of the Schoolmen or Proteftant Cahinifis did he ever read of a Decretum pradam- natum ? prateritio and pradamnatio may be met with, but a Decretum prxdamnatum is the peculiar invention of this * Phi- * Tuily de nat. de- lofopher. The Decree is the Aft of God, and tfierd orum,\ib.3. mhl j sn04 # f his can be condemned. Such an unfcr- tam abjurdum quod _., , ,. \ r n > r 7ion dixem alLiis tmate Bl »" der a , s »? \ s was never before feen in pbilojophorum. pnnt ; and yet the Vindicator mult tell us, that fitch things muft be held forth to the people, and in imita- tion of Saint Paul too. Truly, I think they had as good not be held forth, but hid and laid up in the boundlefs Regifters of Chimeras, Non- entities , and Negations. I thinlc this Decretum pradamnatum may keep company with fuch ancient Gentlemen of its own kindred and Family; and ought not at all to be held forth to the people. And if you be acquainted with the Vindicator, you may advife him to read the Cahinian Hypothefis before he venture to explain it. And per- haps there are iome about him who may expoie his explication of the decrees as much as they do his Latin reafonings againft Idolatry. The next thing I take notice of is his hiftorical Pag: Argument from the Culdees, to prove that there was a Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the primitive times before Popery entred. And the plain truth is, this is the only thing that he (ays , that deferves to be considered, not for any weight or hifiorical Truth that is in it, but becaufe the learned Blondel made ufe of it to fupport that imaginary Hypothecs from fbme Ancient Teftimomes. He had met with it in Buchanans Hiftory, and that learned Htftorian took it unwarily from his Contemporary Monks, hoetius and others, or fuch as were little removed from his Apokg. pro fen- cu , n Age . Blondel made ufe of it to ferve the iiktm- m«m Hieronym, ^ Ilttere ft m firrto». And to the end that he might make a great mufrer of Teftimonies,he muff needs ereel a Presbyterian Church in Scotland towards the end of the (econd Century, or beginning of the third. If they can prove this, I muft confefs it is of cwfiderahle weight ; but the great mufcrtune is, there are no Au- thors now extant upon whofe Teftimony an affair (o dillant from our times can be reafonably/*0»*vW. None within hx hundred years of that Period gives us the leait evidence tor it, when I fay fix hundred year?, I do not mean, that good Authors at the diffance of (even or eight iridred years give any Evidence [or it more than their Prcdccrjjors ; it when there is none to vouch it within that Period, it is ridiculous to Pag 3. J> 'in >dic at. 1. I 53 1 to mpofe it as a piece of true Hifiory. And our Vin- dicator tells us, that tho the Presbyterian Government continue for fome Ages in the Church of Scotland before thev had Bifiops : Can he name any Church upon fiarth that embrac'd theChriftian Religion, and yet none to write the affairs of their own time for fome Ages together ? But if the writings or thole ancient Presbyterians are lofi ; Are there no fragments ct them prc- ferved in the writings of fucceedmg Ages? Theie were no people io ignorant as the Monks for fome Centuries before the Reformation ; and yet there was notning that they were fo ignorant in as true Eccu cat Hiftory. And it they had been the moll learned and accurate, what could they help themfelves in an affair of this nature when they had no certain Re- cords by which they nv.gh.z tranfmit the knowledge of former times to Posterity. No tradition of that Antiquity can be prelerved without imiting ; why then do they obtrude this fabulous Story, fince it cannot be received by anv known rules of Credibi- lity, we have no veftige of it from any Author that lived near thofe times. The Vindicator ufes to re- fer us in fome Inftances to his own little Books, I do him a greater kindnefs_when I refer him to the Learned DuLaunoy, and from feveral Treatifes and reafonings of his ( which now I have not at com- mand ) he may learn by what Rules to diftinguim fabulous Accounts from true and jolid Hifrory, and not only from him but from hun- dreds, if they do but argue horn principles of common ien(e,and the acknowledge i ules of Logick. * Indeed, the Presbyterians might have given us (ome of the Acts of their Af- emblits, in that ancient Period, and the rules of Dilciplme, as well as obtrude upon us this Romantick Account. And if I dare in- ter pofe mv Opinion, I think that the late illi- ; :e Monks advanc'd this Fable to gratify Pope's deiign, of exempting the rehgicus Orders from Episcopal ^jurif diction, by which Ermine the Bilhops were kept low, and the Reformation hundred, and the religious Or- aeis encouraged, to check their Authority in all place?. This is fo known, that it needs neither proof nor illujiration ; and this Fiction of the Culdees governing a Church without the authority of a Bilhop, in- dented io cue days of Barbanlm and Super fi it ion, ffiems naturally cu' . "the Ant A tt ■' . . aSfCh Modify Legend , but rr.^> zcr) uwi ftai.d on its former grounds, and fucb collateral proofs as may be borrowed from the Roman Htftcnans. Vid. Macken. Defence of the Royal Line. Du L annoy. * Logica Clerics parte fe- cunda de judiciu. Deficienti- b:is omnibus l.nftoricis monu- ment :s hi/loria gent is a! 1 cu- ius cognofci neqnt, vec qmd- quam verum nifi caju de ea did. Qjgpt conjetlxrtf wanes circa hijloriam/.icram Ec- ::rt.e of- fer untur qu.e multo m.vcrem bijtort vrum - c quire . fi de us quidqtidm terii tuend-ar. ejfet : ts41 culafed to advance this Deilgn, and to depreft the Epifcopal Jurifdidrion. For the Monks that propagated this Story, were more corwerfant in little Legends, than the Writings of the Ancients. And hardly is there any thin* more oppofite to the Vniverfal Teftimony, and fimplicity of thofe Ages, than this Menkifb Fable of Presbyterian Government, towards the end of the Second Century, or the beginnings of the Third, when all the known Records of the ChrifVun Church unanimoujly declare for the Hierarchy of Bifiop, Presbyter and Deacon, and the Succejfion of B\(hops from the Apollles. ft is not poiliblc to preferve the memory * Tullius pro Arabia Pec- [ tne g#JM men *, the s>reateft Conquefts, ta? AtqueisttmenWcxff or the m0 (t\emarkaMe Anions, unlefs they tumulum aftitiffet. O fortu- arc tMeottfly committed to writing. Unwritten nate,inqmt,adolifccns qui tir but wherever theic was any coniiderabie number of Converts, then, they became an Organic ai Church, and had Bifhops and Presbyters Conftituted, until their found went unto all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the.: , , fym. 10. 18. world. p az lS He runs down the Author of the Hiflory of the Ge- neral Aflembly as one, not acquainted with the ALlings of Grace in the Soul, becaufe forfooth he had not (poke with reverence enough of Mr. Grays Sermens, in that Page cited on Pag. 185. the Margin. The Vindicator difcovers much of his owncreepirg Genius, when he difcourfesof the A&of their AlTembly again/1 the private Administration of Baptifm, nor is it poilibk to purfue him in fuch a. Wildernefs of little impertinencies. T 'heir pretended AlTembly would have done better if they had left the Ad- ministration or Baptifm to the difcretion of Ministers in all places, it is cer- tainly much to be wifhed^ that Baptifm be AdminiShred with all public^. So- temnity^ when there is net an apparent neceffity to recede from fo laudable a Cuftom, but to make Difcourfcs to the People on particular Texts of Scri- pture, at the Adminiiiration of Baptifm, is a thing in it felf altogether new and unnecclTary. If the nature, ufe, and defign of it, be ferioufly explained, there meds no more.. And to think a Sermon, in the modern ^nduiual Notion, neceflary is as great Superftition, as that of theirs, who fancy that the effects of it follow exepere operato, wh>eh Phrafe is very little understood by the People, and perhaps others who lliould teach the Vqo\Ac do not throughly underitand it neither. Next I tha\l take notice of what we are told by the Vindicator. ?Ag. 1 7 .j.. That the Presbyterians could not comply with Human Ceremonies with s good Confcience in the Wordiip cf God \ It is true * But they rjufer. the Vindicator hath not in this place any Difcouife to t0 {o;m ln ' t he Wur- fhip of Cod when, there were, no Ceremonies appointed. prove C 5^1 prove this unlawful, but 1 take notice of it as one of the Theological bints that are interfperfed in his Defamatory Libel. But may not Ceremo- nies of Human appointment (if they decently and gravely exprefs our Affe- tlions) he ufed in the Worfhip of God } Did not Solomon advifc us to look to out Feet when we Co9n& into the bonft of God, and the fame Ceremony was pra&ifed under the Patriarchal Diiptnfation, viz, That of putting off our Shoes when we approach the Holy Place: as Slofes was enjoyned by God himftlfi becaufe the place he flood upon was holy ground, and this was an Advtrtifement that he ought to do what was ordinarily done by all the Eajlern Nations when he approached the place of Gods peculiar R.fidencc. And pray, Was it not a ftgnificant Ceremony cxprejjive of their Reverence and adoration? In like manner, Sackcloth and Afhes did amongit all Nations fgnif.e grief and for row, therefore in their Humiliations (hey were ufed to exprefs their Remorfe and Contritions. The Presbyterians fix upon a word, and pronounce it with difdmm^- contempt, they repeat it with Indignation^ and then their zealous Difcmles when they hear that word pronounced, presently let fiy their thoughts to fome monfirows thing or other that is not at all fgnifud by that word i yet the Idea of fome fuch ugly thing fticks to their Imagituthx, for no other teafon but chat Mas John frown' d when he heard that word pronounced. What other reafon can we give why the word ( ftgnificant Ceremony) fhould dijlurb their Imaginations ? Why may not we exprefs our 1 h oughts * Paffions., and Affeclions by Ceremonies as well as by wo*ds | Since both are innocent, and both ferve the fame de- ftgiu But the Covenanters themfelves ufed ftgnificant Ceremonies, when they impofed the Covenant : he that Swore was to lift up his right hand bare, you are to take notice that it was the Right and not the Left, and it was lifted up and not otherwifc extended* It Was bare, and not covered, and was not this a figftificant Ceremony of Human Institution ? In the Worfhip of God, nature raught Mankind to approach God with all the decent Marks of Diftance and Adoration, and they that declaim molt againlt Ceremonies, do pia&ice them frequently, only they do this more awkwardly, and with a figure becoming their fmgularity, but this will ne- ver convince the Intelligent part ot Mankind that they are either wiferov better than any of their Neighbours. True Religion obliges us to comply with the innocent decencies of Mankind, and to affedr nothing that's extra- ordinary or fingular. Our Saviour left us this Example, he eat and drank with Publicans and Sinners, and affedled no Cufloms different from the Jews* If the Ceremonies be pradlifed by the Nation amongft whom we live, if they decently exprefs our Reverence^ or our Humiliation, I fee no reafon why they may not be ufed in the Serviced God, as well as words, efpeci- ally when they are commanded by our lawful Supcriours as neceffary In- (huments of Publicly Order and Unife^rmity, nor can they change their Nature by being commanded ; for fuch and fuch Ceremonies are in their Na- ture C*7 3 ture indifferent, yet fome one or other muft be ufed, and which of them we (hall ufe may very well be determined by our lawful Superiors. Sitting (for any thing I know) was never looked upon as a Pofture of Revermce, yet the Presbyterians iri Scotland, for the molt part fit all of hem in tine of Pub- lick Prayer, what they figni'ie by it I know not, I am fure not r'lat which becomes Prayer, and the Woifhip of the molt Ht^h God. We look upon the decent Ceremonies of the Church as Appendages or Expreffions, but not coniticuent parts of Worfhip, as is foolifhly and peevifbly alledged by our Adversaries \ and I may pur the Vindicator in mind, that the reafon why fome of the Clergy in Scotland Read the Book of Common Prayer, is not what he fuggefis, according to his wonted Candor and Ingenuity, but rather an open avowing of their Principles, when it was viiible to the World there was no poflibility of uniting with the Presbyterians. Another thing I take notice of, is to be met with Pag. T?6, 197. The Author of that Epiftle, that is fubjoyned to the Vindicators Book, tells us-, to the reproach of our Bijhnps, that fome of them upon the Relhration of the Government fubmitted to reordination to the great fcandal not only of this, but other Reformed Churches. I know none were fcandaiized at if, but fuch as were refolvcd to pick quarrels with every thing that the Bifhops would do. It. was nofcandilto the Foreign Churches or the French Divines. AH of them the greatejl men among H $fc^ andma ' them are reordaimd when they come to England, and they chearfully fubmit to it. And this was never condemned by any Publick Adt of 'the Gallkan Church, nor by none of their Eminent Divines. The Church of England does not abfolutely condemn their Ordinations in France, but rather waves the debate : but me is determined to prefervean unque- stionable fucceffion of Pricfts within her orvn Bounds. As to the Matter of Fact narrated in Mr. Meldrurns Letter I know no- thing of it, and therefore I ought to fay no more than I know, He tells us that he fubferibed a Paper, and that the Paper was drawn out of the Arcbbifhops Letter by a Friend cf his, and that now he repents for Sub- fenbing this Paper, and chat though he was in great Friendfhip afterwards with Bijhcp Scougal, and did what others in that Interval did, yet he thinks that by all this he paid no formal Canonical Obedience. From all which lobferve, that it is a very happy thing to live in, or near an Vniverfuy as Mr. Meldrum did. Diftindf ions are very ujeful things , one had b:tter carry a good bundle cf them about him than all your famous Elixirs and E/- fences ; one may pay material Canonical Obedience , but it is dangerous to pay it formally: the great mifchief is in the formality of paying it, but for my part I have fworn Canonical Obedience foimally, and 1 have paid it mate- rially, and (hall never decline my Bifhops Spiritual Authority when ever there is occafion, and I think all the Presbyters of that National Church are as much obliged to obey their Spiritual Governours^noiwiilulandin^i^lL C y8 ] that paft in favors of the oppofite Faction fince the Revolution. And now I think it high time to go forward to the fourth Particular thac I prom i fed, viz. To let you fee the federal Periods of Epifcopacy and Presbytery in the Church of Scotland fince the Reformation. And I am the more confident to give you iatisfa&ion, becaufe I had the happinefs to pe- rufe a Manulcript ( written by a perfbn of great honour and true Learn- ing ) relating to this very affair ; and it is of fb much the greater weight and Authority >, that it is not only founded on our beft Hifto- rians, but on the authentick Records of Parliament; and it is from that Manufcript that I copy the following Account : lor it is apparent that the Church was never governed by a Parity of Officers, but by different Orders from the beginning of the Reformation. And m the entry to this Narration, Let us remark, fays my Author, f That none ' of our Martyrs did ever impugn or oppofe imparity in the Church, or * preach or write againft it ; you cannot name one Teftimony, unlefe c you argue from their preaching againft Popifh Tyranny and unwar- f rantableexercife of Ecclefiaftical Power, to infer that they were for Ythe|then unheard of ) Parity, and all who write of thole Martyr* 'andfirft Reformers, omit not to praife them for their dutiful fubmif- 'fion to their Bifhops and Superiours. And it is very probable thefe c Martyrs would have pseached againft Ecclefiaftical Tyranny as well c in a Company of Arbitrary Presbyters, as they did when it was. c lodged in one or few ; and that Presbyters may be Tyrants, witnefs * the Scots Hiftory from the year 1639 to 1652. At which time e Cromwel ( tho no Friend to Epifcopacy ) was fo weaned with the. c Injolencies and Confufions of Presbytery, that he difmift it fblemnly at € Barrow- Moor, c Let us now come to pofitive Evidences. The very firft: eflabliihs * ed Reformation in Scotland, was that which on the 6th of July 1 560, '(being the third day after the pacification at Leith) was concluded r on, betwixt the Lords and Minifters of the Congregation al lifted by * the Queen of Englands General, and Ambajjadw on the one fide. And ' the £ueen Regent, the popifl) Lords, and Clergy, aflifted by the French * Ambajjador on the other fide, in name of Francis and Mary their Sovr- i reigns. The Proteftant Lords and Clergy did meer, c at Edenbwgh y \\\t Pi ■ ore ft ants pi etched in the Churches. 'and in their Allembly they did diftribute their 1 Preachers among the ChiefTowns o£ the Nation^ f and did nominate five Superintendents for the Diocefes, c where the Bilhops were popiflu For there are no Su« c ferintendtnts named then for Galloway and Argikfaz- f caufe the B'ihops of thofe Diocefes were, Proteftant \ Spotfwood, A;m. 3560. pag.149 an d Knox in his Htft. 15^0. pag. z'4 fets down at length the form of Electing the Superintendents. L S9 ] e By the (aid Treaty a Parliament was to hold in Augttft following, ''wherein theConfeffion of Faith drawn up by the Superintendents was € given in to the Lords of the Articles, prepared by them, and Vo- € ted in Parliament, where it was carried in the Affirmative. In this Par- c liament the Bimops did fit as the fir ft Efiate. The popiih Bifhops vo- f ted againft the Confeffion, the Proteftant Bifhops, viz,. Galloway and c Argile, and three Abbots voted for it. The Sederunt of this Parlia- c ment is on Record with its A£ts,and related by Spot/wood, pag. 149. c In January thereafter, the Scott ifi Proteftant Clergy offer a form of r Church Policy ; one of its Heads is for Superintendents , whom they c name, and appoint, with diftincl: Diocefes for them, and to fhew that c thefe Reformers did not treat of Superintendents as a temporary Refb- f lution for that time only ; It is there (aid, that the Election of Superin- * tendents, in aftertimes mould be ftricJer than the prefent circumftances c would allow ; and the laft Head of that Policy prefcjibeS fome Con- * ditions to be kept in future Eie&ions of Superintendents. Spetwood, c P a fr 1 5° an ^ l &°> an ^ ^y tne hook of Policy, pag. j 68. it is exprefly s ordered, that Complaints againft Minifters be notified to the Super- ' intendents. And the Petition prefented to the Queen, related by Knox c Hift. p*g>Wl' bears, as the fuperfcription of the Superintendents, Mi- c niflers of the whole Church of" Scotland, to the Queens Majefty, &c. f And in the year 156;. John Knox and others ele&ed a Superintend ' dent for Dumfries , and the Letter written from the AlTembly or Con- f vention of the Scots Church at Edenburgh on the 17. of December, ' 1 566. to the Church of England bears this Snperfcription. TheStf- f perintendents, Minifters , and Commiffioners of the Church within the e Realm of Scotland to their Brethren , the BijJiops and Paftors of Eng- * land. And at Queen Marys firlt arrival in Scotland irom France, the ' Superintendents and Minifters did meet at Edenburgh in an AffemblVj c K«ox hift. pag. 318. c In January 1572. the Commffion of the Aftembly did meet at ( Leith, under the Regents Government, and did agree on (even Ar- c r/c/« of Policy. 1 . That all Bifhopricks which were vacant ( and f thofe were only four; for where popifli Bifhops were alive, the See's c were not efteemed vacant, but fupplied by Proteftant Superintendents) f mould be filled out of the able ft of the Mimftry. Secondly, That ' fpiritual Jurifdi&ion mould be exercis'd by Bifiops in their Diocefes; and c the fixth Article is, that Minifters mould receive Ordination from the c Bifhops, and in Diocefes where no Biflwps were, they mould receive O- * dtnation from the Superintendents. And in Auguft thereafter, the Ge- c neral Affembly of the Church did meet at Perth, and approved or ail c thefe Articles; and accordingly Mr. John Douglas, M. James Boyd, c Mr. James Paton, and Mr. Andrew Graham, were plaJd in the four I ^ ' vacant C 60 ] e vacant Bifooprich* It was Mr. Andrew MelviVs misfortune that he was 'neglected, and therefore in the year 1575. he ftirr'd up one Mr. f Dury to irnpugnt the Epifcopal Order, and all Imparity, This is the * firft time that this debate was tofsd in oar Church ; and on it, Church 1 and State immediately divided, and much Confufion^ Rapine, Blood and f other mifchiefs did follow, and then and finite every firy Faclion did r lay hold on this Schifm as a fund whereon to build all Rebellion and r Treafon. In profecution of this Schifm Mr. Andrew (and fome Mi- € nifters led by himj did in the year r 578. draw a Book of Policy 'fluffed fo with the fpirit of Mr. Andrew himfelf, that it was rather 4 a Propofal for the overthrow of all jnfi Authority than an Etta- 4 bliflment of a Religious Government: and therefore it could never f ( no not in thefe diffracted furious times ( even when there was no c King in our Ifrael) obtain approbation from any Authority, but was look'd f on as a Rapfody of ground left AfTertions, and full of mifchievous No- 'velties. Indeed, in the year 1580. an Aflembly met at Dundee, cal- * led by Mr. Andrew and his AfTociates without a fhadowof any per- c million from the Civil Authority ; and they declared that the Office *of a Bifhop ( but with this reftridlion, as it was then ufed ) had nei- c ther foundation nor warrant in the Word of God. But let all ferious * Chriftians confider,whether they will believe this famous Conventicle ' or the plain Scriptures,thz Doctrine of the Apoft let, the primitive Fathers, f and the Canons of all Oecomenick Counfels,md the rule oiApoftolickand * primitive Practice, and to help their choice, let them take notice of the f pious Defign of this Aflembly in cafting off Bilnops, by the veiy next 1 claufe intheir Ac~t,i>i&.That their next Aflembly mould confider how to 1 difpoie of the Patrimony and pojffiicns o$Bi\hops. This was the primitive c Invaiion of the Kings Patronages and Regale of the Crown. Then f Presbyterian Difciplcs began to propagate their new Go [pel very z,ea- ' loujly; The fir ft was one Montgomery, who at Sterling propofed that f all fuch as fpoke for the Order of Bifhops fhould be cenfured; but c this zealous Saint did mod bafcly and (imo?uacally ( fliortly thereafter) ' bargain with a Nobleman that he might be made Bijhqp of Olafgow, f and then his CoPresb} ters ( Vv'ho themlelves were not jfq fuccejsfid) 'handled him to purpole; but with (uch indiscretion, that in .purjuing ' him they trampled on the King and all the Civil Authority, in (o far, ' that when they were called to anfwer for illegal Invahons on the * Kiigs Authority, they did boldly p.oicft, that tho they compeared m ' civility to the King, yet that they did not acknowledge the King or 1 Councils Right in any Ecdefiaftick matter. This was on the. nth of * April 15H:. Andfhoidy thereafter in one of their AflemMies hoi. I at St AfidreWs, Mr. Andrew Mclvil told the Alafttr of K^uejh ' ( ".' lent by the King to flop fome of their illegal p'roce- f du-c«3 ) L <>« J 1 dares ) that they did not meddle in Civil matters ; but m £<*/< c matters thev had fufficient Authority to proceed, and did fo. c The practice on thefe grounds did (hortly follow, for on *he Tid soi Auguft 158a. the King was made Pnfoner by a incite of Lords 'at rhc^houfe of Ruthwen, and on the £ ;th of Otlober 1 582. the Af- < fembly of the Church at Edmburg, did by an Aft approve of that per duel- Uton^nd declared that it w&sgood iervice- to God and his Chucrh. And in f the beginning oi January 1 58?. two Ambajfadors came from France, and r one from England \to endeavour the £*»£* L/'^rry ; the A (Tembi v 01 f ed the Mimiters to declaim againft the impious Defign of liberating che 4 King, and they did rail at the Ambajfadors by name, and Sirred up the s Rabble ( their faithful Confederates on all occafions) 1 not to (ufFer the Badge of the French Order to be (ben Du St. Rip-it- * on their Streets, it being the mark of the Beaft, a ■ badge of Anticbrifi) and to (hew their good Manners as well as trier 'found Doclrine, the King having appointed the Magi/hates of Et&b* s bur^h to entertain the AmbalTadors on the 16th of February 1583. c The Minifters appointed a folemn Fafi on that very day, and civilly 'preached from morning till night, (a matter of no great difficulty f to lech as preich for fiich ends, and with fb little rule ) curling the f Magistrates, and their Company, and were with difficulty kept from 6 excommunicating them. * The King having delivered himfelf from his reflraint, Mr. Dirrjr s and others of the Miniftry openly afTert that there* was no injury done f to the King, and Mr. Melvil declaimed frequently againft the %fyg\ '* for which he was called before the Council; but he boldly declined c the King and Council as Judges in Vrrma Inftantia of what's preached in ' the Pulpit, even thoit were high Trea(on,and fo he fled to England; * from whence he kindled that Conspiracy, which ihortly thereafter s brought the Earl of Gowry and others to the Scaffold. Thefe [editions 'doctrines and profiles moved the whole Eftates of the Kingdom in ' the year 1 584, on the 2id day of May in a Parliament at Edcnburgb c by a folemn A£t, to artert the Kings Sovereign Power over all perfons, 1 and in all cuttfes as his undoubted ancient Right ; and thac it was Treajon ' to diclim his Authority m any matter, and difcbargin;i?M AJfemblies, Con- ( vocations, and all Jurifdiclions fpiritual or temporal, not allowed by the ( King and Eftates r and prohibiting all factious and iSSfidtfqs Preach- ' tngs y Sermons, and all flanderous Speeches againfr. iht- KjrVg; The c Mmifters declaimed againft this and reproached this Act of pariiarnertc. f Notwithffandingofail this, the King w "as prevail d -with to allow Mr. ' Melvil and his Complices to return to their Churches : but no (boner -had they this favour, tiunjvlr. Andrew calls an Afjemblj to St. An- f drews-^ it confifted of Prhbyters and Laich, and one \i<- t&mt m '* U'llky-, a Regent ProfeiTour, and Lately was chofen Moderator. There in 4 a moll ridiculous manner they Cite the Archbijhop of St. Andrews on 4 twenty four homs to Compear before them fand he not compearing ) they c called a young indifenet Fellow, called Hunter, to Excommunicate him, c for having accejfion to that Ad of failiament lately mentioned, he being c a Member of Pai Lament, and an Afllmbly meeting this very year at c Edenburgh, would have taken up this difference, and in order thereto did c Abjolve the Archbijhop from Excommunication i yet Mr. Andrew and his <**/- ' kre//*/ -profefkd a gain ft the Affcmbiy, and declared that notwithstanding c of their Absolution, yet the Archbi(hop(hould be it ill cfteemed as one deli- c vend to Sathan, until /zg-nj- of true Repentance appeared. And though c upon all occafions they magnifie their AiTemblies, and their pretended pa- l my, yet when the far major number was againft their humour, they re- garded not their plurality. For in Anno 1591. when the Synod of c Sf. Andrews had determined to conft it ute one Mr. Weems, Minifter at Le#- ^hjrs, Mr. bhlvil, and fqme/en? more, via. Ox were for one Mr. Walace % ' and when the far w/^ijor part would not fubmit to his Opinion, (though 4 they pretend that the Kingdom of Chrift is invaded when Bijhops or Fri/zcex 'oppotethe majority of a Synod J yet Mr.Melvil, and his ^c withdraw 6 to mother place, and admitted Mr. Walace to the Miniftry of Leuchars, c and the SjW did admit Mr. Weems. -But this had almoft engaged the c Parishioners in B/W, and the /c»J?€ could not be ended until Melvifs Fa- <■ ftion prevailed fo far. againft the tyw^, that neither of the two mould be c Minifter at that Church. The Reafon why I iniift on this, is, to let them c of a contrary Opinion fee how juftly our diilike of a parity in Church c Offices is Founded, and that there being no imaginable warrant for it from 1 Scripture, Apcftolick Practice, Primitive Fathers, Councils, or any well £ Eftabli(hed Chriftian Church, and that the bell plea for it, feemstobe s the pretended parity that is alledged amongft the firfi Reformers in Scot- 1 land, we judged it-rit firfi to (hew that tbeie was an imparity then •■> and al- 1 ways thereafter in this Church, and that the dellgn of parity was always < -re)eUtd by our Kings, Parliaments, and the moil, and bejl of our Clergy, 1 and that the immoralities, and Seditions, of fuch as contended for parity 1 gwes us no invitation to be amongft their SucceiTors. c It is true, that the King in the year 15^0. and 159 1. and 1592. was c fo often brought into danger, twice was he Captive, and conftantly in "■gnat trouble by the Seditions o{ Mr. Andrew Melvil, and his firy compli- c ccs, that in the year 1 592. he did confent to grant a great deal of Jurifdi- c cQion to Presbyteries, Synods, and General AfTemblks by All of Parlia- c ment i and this of neccility to cvite a tbreatned Rebellion, and that by the f advice of Chancellor Maitland, who in Council advifed the King to give c thtm much of their will, for that was the (hort way to make them odious, * as already they were troubUfome to the Nation, and then they would be c turned ( 6f) c turned out by all. Yet there was never an Attest wo- c tion of Abolijhing Epifcopacy ; but on the contrary, 6 they continued in their biocefes and Churches always * thereafter, and in the very year 1594. Cunnigham I3i- * fhop of Aberdeen did Babtize Prince Henry ar S/*?r- 1 ling } but the King was forced to connive a while at 6 at their Infolence^ for they had preached the People in- 1 to a perfuafion that the King was to betray his am;/* 6 Crown and Kingdoms to the King of Spain, And 'when three Noblemen were brought to Tryal before c the Juftice, theMinifters would needs order the Prcceis ' \t\Oclober 1593, and to back thsm, they ftirred upmui- ■ titudes of the Rabble to Arms, thereby co force Juftice ' to decide in their favour 5 nor would they disb.ind or ' abjiain from coming before the Judges in armed Crowds, * although the King and Council did by Proclamation pro- c hibit them. If this be Presbyterian Government, it f muft be confefled that Anno IJ90, I59r,i59i,and 1593. 6 Presbyters had it /0&/y. But all this time Riihopsdid 4 ^.v//? by Law, enjoyed their Rents, and preached in their 1 Churches, if you truft not us, Notice the moft Au- ' thentk Records of the Kingdom. c By A£t of Parliament I. Jac.6. Chap. 7. Minifters ' are ordered to be prefented by the Patrons to the Su- perintendent of the Diocefe. Note, At this time moll 4 of the Bilhops were Popifh, which occafioned the Pro- 6 teftants to appoint Superintendents. ' Anno 1572. Pari. 3. Jac. 6. Chap, 4J. The Govern- ' ment of the Church is declared to be in the Archbifbops, ' Bifhops, and Superintendents. Note, Both Bifhops, and 'Superintendents, are contemporary then in the Church. c The like owned Chap. 46.48. and 54. of that Par- ' liament. K Mn ( &4 ) 4 In the year x J73. The Authority of the Bifliops is J owned by the firft Aft of the 4. Par. Joe. 6. * In the year 157%. the like by Act. 63. Pari. f. 4 In the year 1579, the likrc by Ad. 71. Parliam. 6* -Jac. 6. 4 In the year 1581. That the Bijhops did continue m 6 the Church appears from Aft 100. Pari. 7. jfoc. 6. * The like appears from the A6!:s *o6, and 114, of * that Parliament. 1 In the year 1 584. The Bijhops Authority fully own- udging of Proteftations or Appeals, or Proceedings of Synods, or inferior Judicatories, or Cerfurihg Perfons or Papers, orifluingof Commiflions of whatfocver fort to any perfons whatsoever, and in particular Prorefts that they may not proceed unto the Approbation or Ratifica- tionof the Proceedings of the former Commiflioir, nor only becaufe of the want of juft Power and Authority fo to do, but alfo becaufe thefe Proceedings contain many M 2 things ( 8z ) things contrary to the Truft committed to their Com- miffioners, efpecially their allowing and carrying on a Conjunction with the Malignant Party, and bringing them into Places of Power and Truft in the Judicatories and in the Army, contrary to the Word of God, Solemn League and Covenant, the Solemn Confeffion of Sins, and Engagement to Duties, the conftant Tenor of Warnings , Declarations , Remonftrances, Caufes of Humiliations, Letters, Supplications, A&s and Con- ftitutions of this Kirk, and the laying a Foundation for the Civil Magiftrate, to meddle with thefe things which concern Minifters, their DoGrine and Exercife of Mi- nifterial Duties before they be Cited, Tried, and Cen- fured by the Judicatories of the Kirk. And we Proteft that whatfoever Determinations, Afts, Ratifications, Declarations, Cenfures, or Commifiions that fliall be made or given by them, may be Void and Null, and may not be interpreted as binding to the Kirk of Scot- land; but that notwithftanding thereof, it may be free for us, and fuch as adhere to us, to Exercife our Mi- niftry and enjoy the due Chriftian Liberty of our Con- sciences, according to the -Word of God, National Co. venant, Solemn League and Covenant, the Confefii- on of Sins, and Engagements to Duties, and all the A£ls and Conflitutions of this Kirk , and that there may be liberty to chufe Commiflfioners, and to Con- vene a Free and Lawful General AfTembly , when there (hall be need, and the Lord fliall give opportu^ nity , and to add what further reafons fliall have weight lor flrcngthning this our Protcftation, and fliewing the nullity of this AfTembly, and the im- warrantablencfs of the Proceedings of the Commifii- oners of the former AfTembly } and that thefe pre- icnts may be put upon Record in the Regifters of the Gcr.erai Affembiy to be extant ad jut tit am rei memorl- ( h ) am, and that we may have a fubfcribed Extract under che Clerks hand. Subfcribed and prefented at St. Andrews 20. July, 1 65 1, by Mr. A.C. Moderator of the lafl Affembly. Mr. Samuel Rutherford. Mr. William Guthery. i Mr. James Guthery, Mr. Alexander Moncreif Mr. Patrick GiUe/py. Mr. John Hamilton in ///- Mr. John Meinzies. derkip, Mr, Ephraim Melvin. Mr. Robert Muz re. Mr. jW# Carftaires. Mr. jW« -£&r^ Mr. William Adair. Mr. Andrew Donald foni Mr. Thomas Wyllie. Mr. /tofo/-/ 7te//£. Mr. jftf/w Nmy. And ten other Minifters, Mr. James Simpfon. Right Reverend, WE are conftrained by many neceffities, and by transferring of the Aflembly, to be abfent from your fubfequent meeting} and having laid td Heart what the Lord requireth of us, in this day of fo fad a Difpenfation , and fo fore a Controverfie againft the Land. We think our felves bound in Conference, to lay open to you, that .we are much unfatisfied with the Proceedings of the Commiffioners of the late General Af~ fembly relating to the in-bringing and intrufting of the Malignant Party, with the Cohfequences thereof 3 there ifTuing forth one Act with a Letter, to the prejudice, as we conceive, of the Presbyteries Election of Commiffi- oners to this Aflembly, which hath need to be looked on, leaft the Freedom of this High Court of Jefus ChrifL, by fuch preparatives, be infringed. We wiih it be your Wifdoms care, that begun Evils be remedied, our bleeds ing ( 8 4 ) ing Wounds with tender Hands bound up 5 and that the fierce Wrath of the Lord fmoaking in our Bowels may he quenched : and do in all humility and reverence of your Wiidoms, and tendcrnefs of refped to precious Men, whom we much honour and love in the Lord, though in this matter we moll differ from them in Judgments ; Proteft that the forefaid Proceedings be not Ratified and approven by you, and that we be not involved in the Guilt and Confequences to the Ratifications thereof: and this we crave to be Recorded in your Regifter for the Vindication of Truth, and exoneration of our Confci- ences. The Lord give you wifdom in all things, and powreout upon you a fpirit of Healing the backflidings of the Land, of building up our Breaches. We refi Tour ififdoms loving Brethren and Servants in Chrift. Sulfcriled and Jent from Pearth to Dundee {to which place the AJfembly was Adjourned from S. Andrews upon the 21. July \6$i)' by M. Alexander Dunlap, William Sumervelljohn Mauld, James Donaldfon, John Veatch, John Hammilton in Carmichael,Alexander Barterem, Mi* niflers 5 and William Brown of Dolphington, a Ruling Elder. POST- (h ) POSTSCRIPT. WHEN the Printer had caft off the former Sheets, there appeared here a fcurrilous Pam- phlet, intituled an Anfwer to the Scots PreJ- 'byttrim Eloquence in three parts. If yon yould have a Character or the Author you mull read die Book, and perhaps by fo doing, you may meet with fomcthing that is extraordinary, and which cannot foca- fily fall under words ; he appears with all the ftorm and Thunder that paffion and rage can furnifh him with,, he breaths nothing but violence and indignation, and bliufters with fo much fury, ohat at fir'ft view you may perceive him as great a Separatift from good nature and modefty, as he is from the Chriftiati Church and her Worfhip. He divides his Pamphlet into three parts. In the firft, he complains of cruel Laws made againft the Presbyterians in the former Reigns. In the fecond, he meddles with the Author of the Scots Presbyterian Elo- quence. In the third, he aflaults the Sermons and Lives of the Bifhops and Clergy. As to the firft, King Charles IF. and our fubordinate Governors made no Laws againft the Presbyterians in Scotland,but what they wereiore'd to make in their own defence ; when the King was reftor'd to his hereditary right, and the Nations delivered from their Egyptian bondage^ the Parliament being call'd they cna&ed Tuch Laws as were abfolutelyneceffary for preserving their Liberty and fun- damental ( *6 ) damental Conftitution : and becaufe they had fo fadly fmarted under their cruel Taikmafters ( the Covenan- ters) in the late Civil Wars, they took* care in the firft place, by gentle Laws both to reclaim the deluded, and iecure their ownfafety. The frequent attempts and infur- re&ions of the Presbyterians afterwards oblig'd them to make more fevere Laws, nor did ever any man in that Period fuffer capital punifliment, but for high Treafon againft the King and State. If their errors and delufions were purely fpeculative, and did not upon all turns prompt them to overturn the Government and grafp the Sovereignty, they might live in Scotland in all peace and tranquility, as other Diflenters did. But * vid. Hmd let when the whole * Scheme of their Reli- J&. N ^ ?us § ion ( as far as the y differ from the E P if - copal party) is nothing in it felfbut ungo- vernable liumor and Rebellion, and when their infolence became fo intolerable that they proclaim'd open War a- gainft the King in his own Dominions, and P^' s ; j. . .r r r 111 large Mawf ej to. the Artifices, made uie or to delude the people unto mifery and Enthufiafm, can never be for- gotten : and if there was no other Book extant but the Afts of their General Aflemblies, they fufficiently vindi- cate King Charles II, and his Minifters of State from any fhadow of cruelty and rigor. N But ( 88 ) But all this and much more is made * Sir George Mac- ev ident by the Learned and Loyal* Ad* vocate in his fhort and accurate De- fence of King Charles the ids. Government^ where he at> tacks, and baffles by Reafon, Law, and the cuftoms of Nations, the little cavils and exceptions ftarted againft the adrniniftrations of that wife and peaceable Monarch. A Book which fhall never be anfwered, I do not mean, that they fhall not write againft it y but that it is un- anfwerable, and they may as wifely run a tilt againft a Rock, as endeavour to fhake any part of its main de- fign. The reafonings of it are fo clear, the hiftori- cal retortions fo undeniable, and the villanics of their factions and combinations fo tranfparent, that to meddle with that Book will more and more difcover their folly, as vvellas renew their correc~tion:and thepubliflier of it thinks {till he has done the Nation good fervice ; and he is the more confirmed in his Opinion, that he * Anfwer to the perceives , that the little and hidden S££S? Nurnin § s of Presb y cer y are g alled b y it *, It is a Lye that Sir George Mac- kenzie pretended he would not publifli it, tho he would not allow a Copy furreptitioufly procured to come a- broad without his immediate orders and directions ; and when he faw it convenient, he recommended it to his Friend to publifli it , and it might have been print- ed a good while before he died, if the puhlifher had not been diverted by many little Occurrences. But let not this Scribler, or any of his party, blame Sir George Mac- kenzie, that their Covenants were added to the Treatife lately mentioned ; this is folely to be imputed to the Puhlifher, and he needs no Apology for die doing of it, fince they are undenialle monuments of their incurable flulbornncfs and Rebellion: and the reafonings in theN Treatife it fclf arc frequently related to, and llluflrated fey ( 8 9 ) by thofe wicked Papers, I mean the Bonds and Covenants of that reftlcfs Fa&ion. But to end this Paragraph, you may tell this Accufer, that the original Copy writ- ten by Air. Andrew John ft one ( then Amanuenfxs to Sir George Mackenzie) is full in the Publifbers hands. TheScribler unwarily does us a great deal of honour, when he $&&!* ^^dum}— tells the World that the practi- ces of Presbyterians under the Reign of King Charles II. were profecutedand oppofed hy fuch as the Duke 0/~Queenf- berry, Marquis of Athol, Earl of Linlithgow, Vifcount of Tarbat, Lieutenant General Drummond, and Sir George Mackenzie. If he underftood the Laws of Confequence, he might eafily fee that Men of their Quality, Senfe and In- tereft are too great a weight in the oppofice Scale,and fince we have juft reafon to glory in their parts, honour and inte- grity ,it is very odd that he fhould be ib fooli(h,as to own that we are favour'd by perfons of their merit and vertue. 'Tis pleafant to fee with what rudenefsand va- nity this little Man aflaults the memory of Sir George Mackenzie; fo have I feen fometimes when a generous Falcon drops dead to the ground, the Kites, the Crows, and the Jackdaws gather about him, and folemnize a Ju&ilee, and yet even when he lies dead they dare not touch one of his feathers. He may re- member the Fable, that when the Lion pbadri FabuU. was expiring, the Afs amongfl: other Beafts kick'd him, and infulted over him. I do not mean by this, that Sir George Mackenzie, if he were alive, would have taken notice of his bawling or buf- foonryj but to let him fee, that he is as void of gc- ncrofity and honour, as he is of common feme and modefty. N 2 I» ( 9° > In this firft Part he appears very uneafie, chat the Epifcopal Party are not Perfecuted to the utmoft, and upbraids us ever and anon with the Lenity that we meet with under the prefent Government, and again muft needs perfuade the World, that our Principles of Pafftve Obedience are more dangerous to the prefent Government, than the Principles of the Covenant were to the former. But if there be no more in the cafe than Paffive Obedience, \ think the Government needs not be afraid 5 and if the Epifcopal Party are not ib violently Perfecuted now, if they do not feel thofe loads of Mifery that they groaned under from the year 1638. to 1649, (when the Cove- nanted jLeaiots were uppermoft) this is not at all to be imputed to the Lenity of Presbyterians, but to the re- ftraints that are laid upon them by the oppofite Biafs of the Nobility and Gentry, and becaufe their moft terrible Weapon of Excommunications blunted (the Civil Penal- ties thar formerly did attend it being taken away) this is the true Reafon why they do not Profecute their An- tagonifls with Excommunications* becaufe fuch Cenfures now have no force ; fo that notwithftanding of all his Panegyricks in commendation of their Meeknefs, we look upon them ftill as Tygers Chained, not altered in their Nature, but much more galled and irritated by their reftraint. If the Scotch Epifcopal Party has any favour in England or in Scotland, they ought to thank God for it, and his Injlruments whom he dire£b, and employs to preferve them. I hope 'tis vifiblc to the World, with what Induftry and Application , and by what Engines and Means, Presbyterians are rcfolved to deftroy them. In the Second Part of his Pamphlet he falls foul up- on the Author of the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, in which Scuffle I am not at all concerned, I think the Au- thor ( 9> ) thor of thac Collc&ion was to blame, that he did not more particularly relate the times when, the perfons, by whom, and places where, fuch Stuff was Preached, and perhaps he has been unwary as to fome Scories which need Confirmation, but fince there is fuch variety and multitude of true Stories of that Nature, nothing ftiould be advanc'd to their difad vantage that is not duly attefled. As for the Inconfiftencies charged upon the Author of the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, they are not worth your while to confider them, nor have I any inclination to examine them, nor am I concerned to offer my me- diation between them; only let me inform you that the Book of which I fend you the General Htflory^ contains not one good Confequence from the beginning to the end. I have heard that the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence has been much talked off, and therefore I take the liberty to acquaint you with the Reafons that induce me to be* Iieve,that there was no injury done the Scotch Presbyteri- ans in the publifhing of that Book. Firft, Becaufe the Printed Accounts cited from their Books are equal to the unprinted relations of their Ser- mons and Prayers. Mr. Rutherford's Letters alone have in them many coarfe and abufive Metaphors, and Appli- cations that are mean and loathfornej and though I do not at all in this Letter meddle with his defign and mean, ing, yet I think it but a modeft Cenfure to fay, thac there was in thofe Letters more Popularity than Piety, I know the Party do magnifiehim highly, and it is no part of my bufinefs to leffen their Opinion of him 5 yet I muft tell you, that in the efteem of all impartial Men he muft fall below the Charafter they beftow upon him. He had Read Dr. Tiu/Jfe, and others of his Opi- nion, and it any Learning appear in his Dooks, it is but fome fome of the Metaphyfuks he had borrowed from Dr. Twijfle, as Dr. Owen, in his Treacife De Juftitia Vindicative af- fures us. And he was fo plunged in thefc Metaphyfical Whimfies, that none can make Senfe of what he wrote. Let his Patrons confider that Chapter in his Exercita- t tones Apologetics pro DivinaGratia,\vhQrcin he pretends to anfwer that Argument, W unufquifque tenetur credere, and then tell me if they can boaft of his Perfpicuity and Solidity. Of the fame Stamp are his Metaphyfical Dif- fertations annexed to his Book De Providentia, de Ente Poffibili : if I had the Book by me, I think I could give you Divertifement. I know very well what our Ad verfaries will fay, viz. that I do not underftand him, and I muft fincerely acknowledge they are in the right of ir. But Secondly, The moft blafphemous Stories in the Book called the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence yczn be proved by the beft and moft undeniable Evidence, viz. That of Mr. ZJrquhart's concerning the Lords Prayer , that of Mr. Kirktons concerning the Holy Ghojl, and that he be- lieved Abraham run out of the hand of Caldea for debt. Now I agree with this angry Scribler, fo far, that thefe are horrid and blafphemous exprefiions, and I pitch upon them, becaufe he himfelf thinks that nothing can be vvorie,and that thefe Expreffions alone (if falfely alledged) difprove the whole Collection. Now we fairly offer to prove thefe three, the firft againft Mr. Vrquhart , the other two againft Mr. Kirkton. This is undeniably juft by his own Conceffions Pag. 61. and if fuch blaf- phemous Stories are openly tolerated, what muft we expeft from that Society of Men, and I have in the for- mer Treatife given you two inftances of greater Igno- rance and Nonfenfe in the Printed Books of Mr. Rule, than any that's to be found in the Scotch Eloquence. As for the Stories cited from the Scotch Eloquence againft Mr. Rule, (91 ) Mr. Rule, and mentioned by him in Pag. 61. I do not truly believe them, unlcfs I have better Authority for them. Thirdly, fuppofe that one had a mind to make Stories to the difad vantage of the Scotch Presbyterians, yet their jargon is fo coarfly extravagant, that ic is not pollible for any Man tofpeak their Language, unlefs he had been Educated in their Qibberijh, and the Harmony between their Printed Books, and their unprinted Sermons is fo exaft, that none can doubt of the laft who Read the firft. Let me but name one Man, it is Mr. J. K. his Fancy is fo Comical, fo furprizing, fo unimitable, that it is not poffible to fay any thing as he fays it himfelf, nor yet to afcribe to another what is faid by him ; and this way of Preaching is no new thing amongft the Presbyterians. They always accufed the Epifcopalians that their Sermons were Cold, and Dry* and Moral Difcourfes, and were not Calculated to the Capacities a id Affe&ions of the People as theirs were, and there- fore they complyed fo much with the Genius of the People that they forgot the Majefty of Religion, and the diftindtion between things Sacred and Prophane. Fourthly, There may be fo many Stories added of their abufive Diftorfions of the Scripture with Authen- tic^ atteftacionS; that it were their wifdom ro let this Debate fall. For Preaching after their way is become of late fo trifling an Exercife, that no Man could perform it tothefatislaftion of their thorow-pae'd Difciples, but he that was either an extraordinary Hypocrite, or well advanced in Madnefs, and whatever Men pretend that have confidered the affair but fuperficially , 'tis necef- fary to expofe that abfurd, fenfual, and ludicrous Sefl\ that Metamorphofe Religion, arjd its Solemn Exercifes unto Theatrical Scenes. If the great things of Religion be ( ?4) be true, if we have any thing chat diftinguifhes us from the Beafts that perifh, if our Souls furvive our Bodies, and if our belief and hopes of invifible things, and the ft ate of Retribution be not intirely a Dream : what greater affront can be done to the Majefly of God, the dignity of Human Nature, and the Common Senfe of Mankind, than thus by mock Sermons to Lampoon the great Truths of the Gofpel ? Did not our week and llejfed Saviour chaftife the Hypocrifte of the Pharifees with greater feverity, than the more open and undif- guifed levvdnefs of Publicans and Sinners ? And Sv.Paul treats them with no other Language, than that of dogs, evil workers, and the cone/ /ton ; their Character is more at length in the Epijlle of St. Jude$ fuch religious Scor- ners do in the mod effectual manner promote Atheifin, and they that Aft Devotion after the manner of a Farc.e, do expofe it more than the Wits, and the Fhilofophers. Upon this confideration alone the Presbyterian Preach- ments do more harm to Piety, than the moll (ubtile Ar- guments of Ancient and Modern Atheifts : we are fup- ported againft Atheifm by the ftrength of Natural Rca- fon, when we are attacked gravely by plaufible ap- pearances .• but when we are furprized and difarmed by the fudden infinuations of Raillery, we are quickly over- come, not becaufe we are weak, but becaufe we do not refolutely encounter the Enemy. One Sermon mixt with fuch fooleries, as give occafion to this Digreffion, do more real hurt than can be imagined 5 and if it be a fault to Publifti them, how intolerable is it to Preach diem, and to fupport Societies that feem to defign no- thing lefs than to ridicule all Religion. But it is the juft Judgment of God, that they who have forfaken the Uni- ty of the Chureh fliould be given up to Jirong dela- tions. In (91) In the third part of his Pamphlet, he heaps together feme monftrous and ridiculous Stories againft the Cler- gy, and though one had fuffirient ftrength to grapple with a Scavenger and iayhim in the Mire, yet methinks the undertaking is neither generous nor decent. There are a great many of them that he al"; 5 that I know nothing off, fo it is not reafonable to i chat I fliould meddle in their affairs, and yet if they were the mofl arrant Villains upon Earth, lam able to demonftrate, that his Teftimony againft them is not Valid. And therefore I humbly beg of all difititerefted Strangers to confider but a few Particulars 3 and then let them judge whether the accufations of Presbyterians againft the Epif copal Church of Scotland are to be valued. Firft, They may remember that this way of Libelling, is the true Chara&eriftick of the Party, and we need gather no other inftances to prove this, than the Practices of their General AJfembly, Anno 1658. Who (when they Sat) Libelled the Venerable Archbifbop Spot! wood, and all his Brethren of that Order, of the moft abominable Crimes, and charged them with the fins of Habituai Lying, Swearing, Drunken nejs, Adultery, hcefi, Sodomy, and Sorcery, with an &c. and they pa ft their Cenlures upon them as guilty of thefj Abominations; and inferred the names of particular Gentlemen as Witnefles, who were never acquainted with this Cpncrivance : and ordered all the Minifters of the Nation to Read all thefe Libels and Sentences from their Pulpits, as if the whole Pro- cefs had been fairly examined, and the Wr had appeared before that Packt Jury oi Mock Ecclefia- fticks. O Now ( 9& ) Now this was the. Solemn Aft of the whole Party met in a General Affembly, who concerted thofe Methods, when they were mutually confeious to the Knavery of one another, and defying the Omnifcknce of Heaven, went on refolutcly againft their own Convictions, as well as the Practice of all former Ages. It is but ordinary for private Men to aflault the Reputation of others, but what degrees of wickednefs muft they arrive to, that Combine together, and own to one another, that the plaineft Laws of God might be trampled upon, ra- ther than mifs their end. And this Villany is ftill upon Record, and to their everlafting difgrace undeniable, and will continue fo, as long as there are any Monuments of that Nation preferv'd. Their Prcdeccflors thus United, found Calumny the moft proper Weapon, and effectual Inftrument to ferve their Malice, and to difgrace amongfl: the deluded People, Grave, Learned, Loyal, and Judicious Men ; and the People were quickly undeceived, when the Covenanters got into the Saddle: for from the year 1638. to the year 1651. (when Oliver grew weary of their infolence) the Nation groaned under the faddeft and mod unutterable Bondage. The Reader is therefore defired to remem- ber that no Man can continue a Presbyterian without the Arts of Calumny. Omne iwptrium confer vat ur iifJem ar- tibus quihus prw.o acquiritur : and when the Varnifh of Hypocrifie drops of£ then the Tyranny iupported by it mult fink. The Presbyterians began their Faflion with Calumny, and they cannot now (if they would) lay it a fide. What could the Epifcopal Clergy expert from their prefent Pcrfecutors, lefs than their PredccefTors met ( 97 ) met with in that General Affernbly ? Who (luck at nothing, how monftrcus foever, to promote their end ; when they forbear to breath, then it is that they forbear to Slander and Calumniate. When upon the late Revolution the Presbyterians were impowred more plainly to difcover their Nature, the firft thing they betook themfelvcs to was that of Li- belling ; and when they have now wearied themfelves ("if they can be wearied of what is fo natural to the Fa- lliori) and expofed their own Reputation by invading that of other Mens, they muftyet goe on, not that they find this Method fuccefsful, butbecaufe they cannot for- bear ; and it is enough for the Reader to know that they cannot name three of the Clergy of Scotland )\x&* ly deprived for Immoralities , after all their Infidious Arts, Libellings, and Clamours fince the Revolution. But to make the Villany of that Ge- neral AJfemhly, I lately named a little Anno l6 ^' more confpicuous, I defire the Reader may remember a very memorable Story. It is this, The Affernbly pre- tended that the Bifhops were proved guilty of all the Crimes that were imputed to them, by fufflcient Evi- dence 3 and therefore they inferted the names of feveral Gentlemen, and others, in their Sentences, as WitneiTes of the Libels. And in their Sentence againfl the Arch- bifl)op Spotfivcod, the Laird of Balfour, in Fife 9 was named as a Witnefs, whereas this Honefl Gentleman ne- ver knew any thing of the matter ; and all the time of the Sitting of that Mock Affernbly 3 he had never been from his own Houfe, which is at lead three/core Miles O 2 from ( ?8 ) from Glafgow. But Mr. Colin Adam, Mi* SggffR* &* "I Mrutbcr-Eafter, did Read the tricks, difingenuity, Sentence againit the Archbijhop, from illtgalPraBifes avd t j lc p u !pj c upon a Sunday, according tumultuous Vtllames . , , r »;. . J , r . &. */ ^ c*t*«*«m*, t0 thc A^rnblits appointment, the Laird you are eameftlj 4e~. of Balfour being in the Church, and find to Read Ki»g hearing his own name Read as a VVic- Charles I. large De- p ■ . . *,>.„ claration in Folio, neb ot the Libel agamit the Archbificp, Lond. Pn'«^ /or wenc ouc f t h e Church, and immedi- ^ r ^' l639 ' ately after Sermon called for the Mini- fler, and challenged him how he could Read His name in fuch a ViUanout Taper \ fince he himfelf knew that he had not been from Home all the time of the Affembly^ and fo could not have been a Witnefs there. To which the Minifler anfwered, that he knew well enough he was not a Witnefs, but the Ajfembly had inferred his name, and he durft not but Read as they had ordered. Now let the World judge what an Ajfembly this was, and what Credit ought thofe Enemies of Mankind and good Na- ture ever to have, after fuch a palpable Wickednefs 3 that when they had charged the Fathers ■ of the Church with fuch Abominations, they fliould prefume to abufe the names of Particular Gentlemen, as Witnefies of their own inventions. After this piece of undeniable Hiftory, I would glad- ly know, whether any Modeft Man thinks it neceflary, that a particular anfwer fliould be returned to the odi- ous Libel againfl: the unftained Reputation of that Pious, Prudent, Learned, and Loyal Martyr Archhfhop Sharp, who cannot be named, but to the difgrace of the Scotch Presbyterians. I need not upon this occafion run out into Tragical Exclamations againfl their Impudence, the ( 99 ) the more they Lyc, the more true they are to the Spi- rit cf the Party. They cannot be more kind to his Re- putation than they were to his Life, whom they bar- harcufly niurdered t and iphoj res were Magnified in their Pamphlets* And ,J^ ide Hind lct though this little unknown Accufer pre- tends that he was not Murdered by the Preslytenuns, becaufe (forfoothj one of their Minifters in Holland re- fufed the Sacrament to one of the Murderers, yet it was undeniably the effedl of their united Combination , and juftified 'in their , ™a ** ** Pamphlets, and attempted once, and threatned frequently before. We dare him, and all his AiTociates, to anfwer what Mr. She/Ids Ins Written re- lating to this Affair : my meaning is, that this effort of their Villany was not the refult of private Paflion, but the avowed and juft Confequence of their Princi- ples, and then let their Patrons tell me if they meet with any thing worle in the Morals of the Jefuits, that are every where fo juflly expofed. They agree in their Notions, but exceed them far by their Bawling, Rude- nefs, and Buffoonry. The Jefuit is Mannerly and Arti- ficial, but the Scotch Presbyterian feems to a£t by the mechanifm of his Nature. Slanders and Calumny, being thus Authorized by the Affembly, it was no wonder to fee their Leading Men Pra&ife the fame Villanies ; therefore it is that you find Mr. Rutherford, Gravely and Malicioufly, accufe the Bijhops of the fame Crimes, that the Affembly accufed them of, in his Preface to Lex Rex y which I cannot Cite more particularly, having no Books by me. Secondly^ ( loo ) Secondly, Such as are Strangers to our affairs, mud remember that this Trade of Libelling the Clergy is no Reflection upon our Country. For the sJliZ m '"uS whole Body of the Clergy of England fters complained of were thus malicioufly affaulted , and 4mo i6 6 Uam