An apology for the clergy of Scotland chiefly oppos'd to the censures, calumnies, and accusations of a late Presbyterian vindicator, in a letter to a friend : wherein his vanity, partiality and sophistry are modestly reproved, and the legal establishment of episcopacy in that kingdom, from the beginning of the Reformation, is made evident from history and the records of Parliament : together with a postscript, relating to a scandalous pamphlet intituled, An answer to The Scotch Presbyterian eloquence.

An apology for the clergy of Scotland chiefly oppos'd to the censures, calumnies, and accusations of a late Presbyterian vindicator, in a letter to a friend : wherein his vanity, partiality and sophistry are modestly reproved, and the legal establishment of episcopacy in that kingdom, from the beginning of the Reformation, is made evident from history and the records of Parliament : together with a postscript, relating to a scandalous pamphlet intituled, An answer to The Scotch Presbyterian eloquence.

Table of contents

Title page

THE CONTENTS.

AN APOLOGY FOR THE Clergy of Scotland, &c.

The Proteſtation of divers Miniſters, againſt the Proceedings of the late Commiſſion of the Church of Scotland, as alſo againſt the lawfulneſs of the preſent pretended Aſſembly.

§

POSTSCRIPT.

§

[Page]

[Page] AN APOLOGY FOR THE Clergy of Scotland, Chiefly oppos'd to the Cenſures, Calumnies, and Accuſations OF A LATE Presbyterian Vindicator, In a LETTER to a FRIEND. WHEREIN His Vanity, Partiality and Sophiſtry are modeſtly Reproved, And the Legal Eſtabliſhment of Epiſcopacy in that Kingdom, from the Beginning of the Reformation, is made evident from Hiſtory and the Records of Parliament. Together with A POSTSCRIPT, relating to a Scandalous Pamphlet, Intituled, An Anſwer to the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence.

Quibus ego non ſum tantum honorom habiturus, ut ad ea quae dixerint, certo loco, aut singulatim unicui (que) reſpondeam. Sic breviter, quoniam non conſulto, ſed caſu, in eorum mentionem incidi, quaſi praeteriens ſatisfaciam univerſis. M. T. C Orat. in Q. Caecilium.

§

Imprimatur.

Sept. 24. 1692.

Edmund Bohun.

LONDON: Printed for Joſ. Hindmarſh, at the Golden Ball over againſt the Royal Exchange in Cornhil. 1693.

THE CONTENTS.

[Page]

[Page]

A Short Introduction Page 1, 2

The Diviſion p. 2

The firſt Plea diſcuſs'd, and the Cameronians prov'd not only to be Presbyterians, but the only true Presbyterians p. 2, 3, 4, 5

The Villanies committed to be the reſult of an Uniform Combination, and wicked Principles, and not the tranſient efforts of Paſſion p. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

The ſecond Plea of an Interregnum expos'd p. 10

The third Plea, that the People were injur'd by the Clergy diſprov'd p. 11, 12, 13

The fourth Plea, from the Immoralities of the Clergy, Confuted and Retorted p. 14, 15, 16

The fifth Plea againſt the Clergy from their want of Popular Election, unreaſonable in it ſelf, and retorted upon the Adverſary p. 16, 17

The ſixth Plea, that the Clergy peeviſhly and rigorouſly preſſed Conformity, examin'd ibid.

The ſeventh Plea againſt the Clergy, that they are Heterodox, found to be vain, fooliſh, and frivolous p. 18

The eighth Plea, that they are Enemies to K. William and Q. Mary conſidered p. 19

The ninth, that they Preached Non-Reſiſtance, and Paſſive Obedience. This Doctrine proved to be ſtill reaſonable and Chriſtian p. 20

The tenth Plea againſt the Clergy, that the Epiſcopal Church is remiſs in Cenſuring ſcandalous Delinquents, baſſled and rejected p. 22

[Page] The ſecond General Head, a Modeſt Cenſure of the Vindicator taken from his own Book. p. 23

Firſt, His avowed Partiality and Injuſtice ibid.

Secondly, His peremptory and Enthuſiaſtick pretences to a Jus Divinum p. 24

Thirdly, His rudeneſs and vanity p. 25

Fourthly, His Tergiverſations and Lying p. 26

Fifthly, His illnatured and uncharitable Inſinuations p. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

The third General Head. His Theological Reaſonings, &c. p. 38

Firſt, Of the Obſervation of Chriſtmas, and the Feſtivities of the Church p. 39, 40, 41, 42

Secondly, His Notion of Schiſm p. 43, 44, 45, 46

Thirdly, His Cenſure of the Clergy for Preaching Morality p. 47, 48, 49, 50

Fourthly, Nis Notion of Calviniſm, and his way of explaining, and defending it p. 51, 52

Fifthly, His pretences to Antiquity, and the Hiſtory of the Culdees p. 53, 54, 55

Sixthly, His Clamour againſt Ceremonies of human Inſtitution p. 56

The fourth General Head, wherein the Legal Eſtabliſhment of Epiſcopacy in Scotland, is proved from the Records of Parliament p. 60, 61, 62, 63, 64

The Concluſion in ſeveral inſtances from the foreſaid Hiſtory p. 66

The Proteſtation in the year 1651. againſt the General Aſſembly p. 79

Postscript, Relating to a Scandalous Pamphlet, Entituled, An Anſwer to the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence p. 85, 86, &c.

AN APOLOGY FOR THE Clergy of Scotland, &c.

[Page]

SIR,

YOUR Friendſhip for me I look upon as a great Honor, and I value my ſelf upon it; and the ſincerity, wherewith I endeavour to ſerve you, prompts me more to undertake what you command, than any ſenſe I can have of my own Skill or Ability: and rather than oblige you to continue your importunities, I ſend you here my thoughts of that Book you ordered me to Read. I undertook it with great averſion; partly becauſe ſuch ſcurrilous Contentions are very Unchriſtian in the firſt Original, ſcandalous in their Conſequences, and very unedifying to the Chriſtian Church. Partly, Becauſe I think the late Presbyterian Barbarities and Cruelties towards the Epiſcopal Clergy in Scotland are ſufficiently 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 undecencies of Paſſion. It lay by me ſix months without ever opening it, until I was over-powered by your Commands. Though, in the mean time I muſt tell you that you never impoſed a ſeverer Task upon me. I have no inclination to Read ſuch Books, no more than I have to drink off a Potion of Phyſick every day to my Breakfaſt: beſides there are ſome men with whoſe Genius I am not well acquainted, who cannot be ſilenced becauſe they have made lies their Refuge. The Truth, it ſelf (if at any time it happen'd to be on their ſide,) doth not pleaſe them unleſs it be dreſſed up in all the Colours of Falſhood, and ſtript of its natural Beauty and Simplicity; who like Solomon's Whore, when they have but newly committed their Abominations, defie all mankind to charge them with the leaſt Tranſgreſſion. Men who Arm themſelves with all degrees of Confidence to run [Page] down the cleareſt Truths that truly repreſent or ſeem to diſparage the Faction in which they are engaged. If that Book of which you deſire my Thoughts were particularly anſwered, ſuch a Reply could not but ſwell to a prodigious Bulk, becauſe to clear the Matter of Fact in ſo many particular Caſes, 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 I ſhall never be ſo deſtitute of good Books (though at preſent I have very few) as to peruſe it a ſecond time. However I will briefly give you my thoughts of it, and ſince the Book has no method, I may be allowed to put the Reflections I make upon it in any order I pleaſe.

In the firſt 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. Secondly, From the Book it ſelf, I'll give you a natural Character of the Author. Thirdly, I will ſhortly conſider his Theological Reaſonings, that occaſionally falls under his conſideration, when he pleads for the Innocence of Presbyterians. And laſtly, I will conſider the truth of that ordinary Objection that the Presbyterians manage againſt the Epiſcopal Church of Scotland, when they alledge that Presbyterian Government was eſtablished in that Church from the beginning of the Reformation.

And firſt, I take notice that all along he ſeem to diſown the Cameronians as Presbyterians, or as men not of their Communion. At other times he acknowledges they are zealous godly men, and if he proves that the Barbarities committed upon the Clergy were not committed by ſober and intelligent Presbyterians, he thinks the Presbyterians are ſufficiently vindicated from all imputations of Cruelty and Violence. And therefore unleſs we prove them ſober and intelligent, he thinks all our Complaints of the Outrage 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, Diſcipline, or Worſhip, different from the Presbyterians? Were not their Leading Men lately owned and received by the pretended General Aſſembly, without retracting any Articles of Doctrine, or diſowning any of their Practices that they ſo zealouſly recommended to their Followers in the Weſt? This is a very pleaſant Fancy, that the Author ſhould endeavor to hide the Tumults and Inſurrections of that Party by changing the name of Presbyterian into Cameronian. The Donatiſts in Africk (as readily all Schismaticks do) ſplit themſelves into two great Factions, viz. The Primianiſts and the Maximianiſts. What Sacrilegious Villanies they committed (and all under the Pretext of Zeal and Reformation) every body knows. But pray? What an impertinent Apology could it have been for the Donatiſts to ſay that it was true indeed there were a great many Barbarities committed upon the Clergy, their Families, Churches, Altars, and Sacred Utenſils;Vide Optatum, Milevit. and upon the People adhereing to [Page] their Communion, but that ſuch Indignities were not committed by the ſober intelligent Donatiſts, they intended no more than the Reformation of Abuſes by orderly and Imperial Edicts. Their Zeal againſt the Traditores only put them upon extraordinary attempts of Reformation. It could not be denied, but that the African Church and the Catholick Clergy there were ſadly oppreſt and run down by a company of mad and ungovernable Enthuſiaſts; but the ſober and intelligent Donatiſts were not to be blamed. They were either the Primianiſts, or the Maximianiſts, that committed ſuch Extravagancies, and diſorders, or (which is moſt probable) they were committed by the Circumcellians, a third Diviſion of that unhappy Family.

Now the Author makes juſt ſuch another Apology for the Presbyterians of Scotland. He cannot deny but that the Orthodox Clergy in the Weſtern Shires were miſerably haraſſed, but the ſober and intelligent Presbyterians are not to be blamed. We do eaſily grant him that the Presbyterians that were moſt inſtrumental in the Diſaſters of the Clergy were not ſober men, though the moſt intelligent amongſt them did contrive and manage the irregular Heats and Motions of their own Partizans.

But to expoſe the vanity of this Apology a little more cloſely. We know no Opinions that Mr. Cameron propagated or entertained that were peculiar to himſelf. He followed moſt cloſely and ingenuouſly the Hypotheſis of the old and zealous Presbyterians; and the plain Truth is, Mr. Cameron was not a man very proper to be the Founder of a new Sect. He built upon the Notions that he was taught by his Brethren: and the Presbyterians are obliged for this word Cameronian to the Epiſcopal Clergy, who mean no more by this word but a Presbyterian whoſe Zeal for his Faction (after the Example of Mr. Cameron) over drives him violently beyond all Bounds of diſcretion. And yet I cannot but commend their Artifice in this. The word Presbyterian is known in England, but the word Cameronian is not; and therefore this diſtinction (for diſtinctions are of great uſe ſometimes) of Presbyterian and Cameronian is a very plauſible Defence in England to diſprove all the complaints made by the Epiſcopal Clergy. As if the Cameronians were a new Species of Schiſmaticks different from the Presbyterians, and that we had three conſiderable diviſions of Chriſtians in Scotland, the Epiſcopal Party, the Presbyterians and the Cameronians. Whereas indeed, we know of none but two. And the Cameronians are thoſe Presbyterians that have ſtudyed their own Principles moſt accurately, and draw from thoſe Principles ſuch practical Concluſions as they naturally and neceſſarily yield. I know not how this Author can make his Peace with the Cameronians. For the whole Nation knows that thoſe Presbyterians whom he Nicknames Cameronians did aſſert their Presbyterian Principles when others were very ſilent; and upon this they value themſelves as the moſt Pious, Active, and ingenuous of the whole Party, who differ not from others in their Principles but do exceed ſome of their Brethren in [Page] higher degrees of Zeal and Sincerity to promote the Intereſt of their Combination. 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 amongſt them That the people may, (eſpecially in Conjunction with their Paſtors) reform the Church when the Magiſtrate is ſlack or remiſs in his duty, or oppoſite unto the deſigned Reformation. Now the removal of the Epiſcopal Clergy upon their Hypotheſis was a neceſſary mean to advance this glorious Reformation. And what is there in the moſt Barbarous Rabbling of the Clergy inconſiſtent with the Presbyterian Principles? Can Religion proſper in our Nation unleſs the Biſhops and their Adberents be extirpated? And is not Presbyterian Government the immediate and expreſs Inſtitution of our Lord and Saviour? Is not the exerciſe of Presbyterian Diſcipline the Adminiſtration of his Royal Kingdom and Scepter. And may we be leſs ſerious in aſſerting his Kingly Office than in defending his Prieſtly and Prophetical Office? Did not the Presbyterian Church of Scotland upon all Turns wreſtle with Authority about this great Truth? And does the Author think that they ought not to interpoſe in so Critical a Juncture to reſcue themſelves from the Bondage of the Antichriſtian Hierarchy? That their Squeamish Conſciences groan'd under for ſo many years? If the Reformation of the Church from Epiſcopacy to Presbytery be of this Conſequence (As they Print and Preach every where.) What is there in thoſe laſt Tumultuous Rabblings that the Presbyterians can diſown? Wherein are the Cameronians to be blamed? Becauſe forſooth this Author thinks that the Actors of thoſe Villanies we complain of were perhaps not ſo ſober and intelligent, that is to ſay, he rejoyc'd in what was done, but he wiſhed it might have been carryed on with greater caution and ſecrecy, leaſt the Epiſcopal Clergy might take occaſion to repreſent them and their proceedings in their true and natural Colours.

I think the Author is to blame for ſaying the Cammeronians are not intelligent. For certainly they took their Meaſures by the beſt directions that could be had; for their Agents gave them exact intelligence of what they might venture upon and when. Accordingly a company of wicked Incendiaries (who had declared War againſt King Charles the Second, when he Governed the Nation by thoſe Laws that were made in times of Peace by the moſt unanimous and ſolemn Parliaments that ever the Nation had, and who declared in their Seditious Pamphlets and Papers that he had forfeited all Right to the Crown, becauſe forſooth, he had broke the Covenant) I ſay they, were the men who at the beginning of this Revolution (as they were directed) fell violently upon the Clergy and drove them from their Houſes and Reſidence; to the ſcandal of Chriſtianity, and reproach of our Nation. And this is not at all to be imputed to the caſual efforts of Paſſion or Revenge, but to an uniform Combination of the whole Society: and this appears, becauſe the Clergy were not generally Rabbled by their own Pariſhioners, [Page] but by thoſe Fire-brands who concerted their Meaſures with their own Societies, and did nothing of that Nature without Advice and Directions. The Confederacies againſt the Government were then called Societies in the Weſt of Scotland. The Author thinks to excuſe what was done againſt the Clergy, when he tells us in ſome places of his Book, that their own Pariſhioners gave them no diſturbance: but this proves that the Cruelties they met with proceeded from a League and Covenant amongſt their Enemies ſince thoſe miſchiefs did not light upon a few of the Clergy (who might poſſibly provoke their Pariſhoners by ſome indiſcretions) but upon the whole Order, even upon ſuch, (who miſtaking the true Objects of Pity and Compaſſion) as had frequently interpoſed with their Superiors to mitigate the Legal Penalties againſt Non-Conformiſts. Add to this that ſeverals of the Gentry in the Weſt, who were better natur'd and had better Principles than their Presbyterian Neighbours, were very forward to reſent the Affronts, and Indiguities done to the Clergy, until they underſtood that the Tide was riſen too high to be reſiſted: and that ſuch of the Presbyterians as were then out of the Nation, and directed the Methods that the Rabblers were to take, would vigorouſly reſent the leaſt ſtop that was put to their carreer. For it is obſervable of ſuch men that they never forgive an Injury; and no Injuries are more implacably reſented than any the leaſt Affront that is offer'd to their Faction and Government. And it is no wonder for they never ſay the Lords Prayer, and it is probable that their oppoſition to that Divine Compoſure, is rather from its contradiction to their Nature, than from the ſtrength of ſome whiffling Enthuſiaſtick Arguments invented againſt it. It is not poſſible to oblige men of their Tempers by any Favours, and the Clergy upon the laſt Revolution found ſuch of them as they had done kindneſs to, moſt venomous and irreconcilable: and generally the Body of the People in thoſe Weſtern Shires are cunning, avaritious and diſſembling beyond meaſure: and ſince the Presbyterian Principles invaded their Honeſty, it was never heard that any of them heartily forgave an Injury, or what they ſancied to be ſo.

But I return to what I intended, viz. That the Affronts done to the Clergy were concerted by the Party: ſince it is evident from many of their Topicks and their avowed Principles, that there was nothing ſo rude or villanous in the diſaſters that the Clergy met with but what they might venture upon by the Maxims of their Moral Theology; ſo alſo it appears undeniably from this, that the Leading Men of that Party who were at London upon the beginnig of the Revolution, oppoſed with all Vigour and Impudence all the Evidences brought from Scotland of the Sufferings of the Clergy. And though a Reverend perſon brought with him Authentick Atteſtations of what the Clergy ſuffered;Dr. S—. yet the leading Presbyterians boldly averred, that there was nothing in Scotland but proſound Peace and Silence; that [Page] they had Letters from their Factors and Chamberlains informing the contrary to what was alledged by the Epiſcopal Party.

In the Confuſion that Affairs then ſtood, it was eaſie for them to ſtop any regular or legal Tryal; and they had in that critical Juncture many Advantages of their Neighbours. So their Emiſſaries in Scotland went on with all poſſible Licence and Villany. Juſque datum ſceleri— And it is very odd that this Author ſhould undertake to vindicate the Presbyterians from thoſe Tumults, when the united force of the whole Party, with all their Zeal and Strength, never yet appeared ſo unanimous and uniform in any enterpriſe as at that time in their endeavours to pull down our National Church, and ſo fond were they then of their Revenge, that they preferred their Dagon of Presbytery to their being United to England. The Author thinks that neither he nor his Party are obliged to vindicate any act of Cruelty that proceeded from the Civil Authority againſt the Clergy. If they were the Patrons of Presbytery (as he thanks God they were) certainly their Actings ought to have been juſtified in the firſt place, but he tells us that if the Clergy have ſuffered any thing that was hard and extraordinary, it ought not to be imputed to his Party and Principles, but to the King and the Councel, and the Rabble, as he very mannerly expreſſes himſelf. Yet I muſt thank him for this compendious Apology, ſince the Presbyterians under the late Reigns ſuffered nothing but what was inflicted by Law. We need make no excuſes for the Laws made againſt Presbyterians, and thoſe Laws more gravely conſulted, than the haſty and undigeſted reſolutions of peeviſh and angry Outlaws. And ſuch Laws were made in times of Peace, and with all Solemnity and Deliberation, and were abſolutely neceſſary to maintain the Peace of the Nation, and the Kings legal and juſt Prerogative againſt the Popular but pernicious Tenets of bigotted Covenanters; now I hope you are ſufficiently convinced that I need not tranſcribe the Hiſtory of the Tragical Rebellion in King Charles the Firſt his time, nor yet the many Proteſtations of the Covenanters at the Croſs at Edenburgh againſt the Kings moſt Juſt and Fatherly Proceedings. And to convince you by one Inſtance that they love nothing but what they poſſeſs by Force and Rebellion. When that moſt gracious King ordered the Covenant to be taken as it was Enacted in King James the Sixth his time (thinking this might blunt the edge of the Covenanters, and ſatisfie the deluded People) they Proteſt againſt this his Proclamation. For you muſt think that in their Divinity, things Lawful in their Nature, nay things Neceſſary, (for ſuch they take the Covenant to be) become unlawful when once required by lawful Authority. Vid. Kings large Manifeſto. Does this Author think that the preſent Generation knows nothing of the Hiſtory of Presbyterians? That the Britiſh Tragedies from the year 1638. are buried in eternal ſilence? That all the Monuments of their daring Inſolence are [Page] extinct? That the Acts of the General Aſſembly are quite loſt? That the Villanies of the Remonſtrators are Recorded no where? Why then does he think to impoſe upon the World by telling us that indeed they are very ſorry for the Tumults that happened in the Weſt, but that the Presbyterians were no Actors in thoſe diſorders. They would gladly ſee things done more regularly and orderly; They (forſooth) love no ſuch Methods: and yet the preſent Miniſters of the Presbyterian Church cannot inſtance any one thing that the Cameronians did upon this late Revolution, but what is juſtifiable from Presbyterian Principles; and though they could not be juſtified from their former Principles, why may not the preſent Presbyterians improve the Principles of their Predeceſſors Who of the old Presbyterians ever Preached againſt the uſe of the Lords Prayer or Doxology? As all Sectaries do who grow worſe and worſe until they are given up of God unto a Reprobate mind. And indeed if I had any Books by me I could eaſily prove (eſpecially from their own Calderwood) that the Presbyterians did nothing towards the Clergy in the Weſt of Scotland upon the late Revolution, but what they ought to have done upon their Principles and former Practiſes. It is very pleaſant to obſerve what different Batteries the Presbyterians in Scotland, and the Diſſenters in England raiſe againſt Epiſcopacy. The Presbyterians in Scotland plead for their National, Claſſical, Spiritual Power, independent upon Kings: the Diſſenters in England plead that ſuch a Spiritual Union amongſt Clergy-Men is too powerful a Faction, and may eaſily endanger the Safety and Peace of the Nation.Letters of a Diſſenter to the truly Learned Dr. Burſcough. The Reaſon is, the Presbyterians are in poſſeſſion of ſuch an Union in Scotland, and the Diſſenters in England have no legal Cement to unite them together. And therefore every thing that they are not in Poſſeſſion of at preſent, is wicked and dangerous: but if they could graſp it, it might become a very uſeful Engine to Propogate the Covenant all Europe over. For they find that men are naturally averſe to the Power and Authority of their Diſcipline, and therefore it were neceſſary to ſupport it by all the ſtrength of Laws and Edicts, and by the Inquiſition it ſelf, if the Eyes of Princes could be ſo far opened as to ſee that there is no true Reformation wrought but by the Conduct and direction of Presbyterians. I have inſiſted the longer upon this general Topick becauſe moſt of his Book is built upon this Subterfuge alone, that Cameronians are no Presbyterians, though they can be reduced to no other Schismaticks; and that what they did was diſowned by the Presbyterians though he himſelf knows the contrary, and the whole Party magnified theſe Heroes; and when it was doing it was ſaid to be nothing leſs than the Cauſe and Work of God.

But I leave this general Head when I give you an account of one remarkable piece of Sophiſtry and tergiverſation, that he makes uſe of to palliate the Crimes of his Party; and it is ſo much the more material, ſince if he fails [Page] in this he ſhakes the Foundation of all his Apologies, by which he would make us believe that the wiſe and leading Men of his Party had no hand in any Tumults, no not in that at Edinburgh in December 1688. His words are,Pag. 35. Edenburgh Edition. For the Tumults at Edenburgh, we know of none but what was made by the Students at the College there in burning the Pope in Effigy. And a little alter, That any Preſbyterians who then or ſince had Authority in the State or Church did aſſiſt in contrivance or management of this matter we do utterly deny. I have faithfully tranſcribed his own words, becauſe this is a conſiderable paſſage which flies in the Face of all Evidence, and contradicts the Conviction of all the Inhabitants at Edenburgh. Then, if the barbarous Tumult at Edenburgh was managed and contrived by the Leading Men of his Party, who then and ſince have had Authority in the State, in that caſe all his Apologies for the Presbyterians fall to the ground. And from this one ſingle Inſtance his Book is ruin'd and his Authority baffled, Crimine ab uno diſie omnes. and the next General Aſſembly will order him to be more cautious, and quietly tell him, it had been better he had not ventured upon this unfortunate Sally againſt his Adverſaries. For there is nothing more eaſily made out than that the Leading Men of the Presbyterians were the ſole Actors and Contrivers of this hideous Tumult. To make you ſenſible of this, let me obſerve firſt, That he ſhuſſles and confounds two very different Stories into one, viz. The Tumultuous deſaceing of the Kings Chappel, and the burning of the Pope in Effigy: for the laſt was near a fortnight after the other without any Tumult or diſorder. The Students had made a mock Effigies of the Pope, and carryed it from the place that it was made to the Colledge, and from thence to the Croſs at Edenburgh. All of them in the mean time walking orderly in their Ranks, and the Colledge Mace carryed before them by one of the Publick Servants, this could not be obtained without the Maſters Permiſſion. So there was no Tumult nor no diſorder intended. A great many of the Nobility, and moſt of the Citizens of beſt quality were looking on, and when this fooliſh Ceremony was over, they retired to their Lodgings without any Tumult or Extravagance. But the defacing the Chappel at Holyrude Houſe was a Tumult indeed, and a very tragical one too, in all its beginnings and Conſequences. This fell out upon the 10. day of December, 1688. The Presbyterian Faction in Edenburgh, had ſometime before determined to Rifle the Kings Houſe, particularly my Lord Chancelor's Lodgings, to deface the Chappel, and to force the Guards, and in a word, to make the moſt terrible and the moſt numerous ſhew that they were able to make. In order to this they gave out that the Papiſts intended a Maſſacre of the Proteſtants, though there was not a Papiſt in Edenburgh to two thouſand Proteſtants: And in the Confuſion that Men were then in, a great many unwary people were frighted, and the Presbyterians concerted [Page] their Meaſures and ſlew to their Arms, and the City for that night become a diſmal habitation, carrying all the marks of Hell and Confuſion; nothing was to be heard but ſcreeches, lamentable howlings and ſhootings, and this was not managed by the Body of the People (who were very a verſe to ſuch treacherous and unmanly adventures) but by ſome of the Leading Presbyterians, who then and now have Authority in the State, and might be known by their large Buff-Belt, and a Halbard upon their Shoulder, running up and down in great fury to excite the People to this Reformation. In this Scuffle, before they entred the Chappel, there were ſome killed, and ſeveral wounded by the Guards that kept the King's Houſe, and in the mean time the Governours of this Tumult finding that the People were not ſo forward to Pillage the King's Houſe, went up and down and told them that their own Children were killed, when thoſe very Children were as Home and ſafe in their Lodgings. And though many were wounded, and ſeverals killed, yet not a Student belonging to the College was hurt, for there were but very few of them whoſe Youth and Levity had engaged them to be witneſſes of this Tumult.

I believe the Ringleaders of the Presbyterians at Edenburgh will give the Vindicator but little thanks for mentioning this Tumult that is openly avowed by themſelves And he may ask, not only the forementioned Gentleman, but alſo the Maſter of F—and ſeveral others (whoſe names are concealed, and may continue ſo, unleſs the Vindicator, or ſome of his Aſſociates, by their indiſcretions oblige me to be more particular) whether they were there, and what a glorious Figure they made. If it be unpleaſant to name particular Gentlemen, they may thank their Vindicator who obtrudes ſuch fulſome Lies upon the World, when the Matter of Fact is ſo very recent, and known to all the Inhabitants at Edenburgh; and the Leading Presbyterians are very loth to part with the honor of this Atchievement, ſo agreeable to their conſtant Genius and former Practiſes; for one of their chief Advocates pleaded lately before the Judges, in the Tryal of Mr. Wallace, that they that Pillaged the Kings Houſe were a Company of Grave, Reaſonable, Thinking Men, Commanded by a Lord of the Seſſions. We ſee then by this one ſingle Inſtance the Spirit of Lies and Vanity that runs through his Book. For if it be undenyable that this Rabble Reformation was concerted by the Ringleaders of the Faction. Then he muſt own that the Tumults were not the accidental Eſſorts of ſome angry inconſiderable People but the united endeavours of the Presbyterians.

And indeed this Eſſay at Edenburgh was but the Preface to other marks of the Kindneſs they intended the Clergy in that place; if their violence had not been happily prevented by the Generous Reſolution of that Learned and Illuſtrious Society of the College of Juſtice: and it is very probable that the Vindicator wrote down this Story carleſly and hand over head. For if he had adviſed with his Friends at Edenburgh, George Stirling the Apothecary, and Mr. Menzies in the Locken buiths: they could not be ſo ſelf-denyed [Page] as to be willingly deprived of the honour they had in managing and contriving this Tumult. The very next Lords day one of their Miniſters in the Meeting-Houſe belonging to the Tron Church Pariſh, December 17. thanked God for this Glorious Reformation, I inſtance him not to exclude others, but becauſe I can prove it. It was a diſparagement to their Zeal, and Activity, to be robbed of the Glory they acquired in this Enterpriſe. I cannot but acknowledge that it is highly indecent to name particular Men, but what ſhall we ſay when we have to do with ſuch Waſps and Hornets: you ſee then by the Reflections I have made of this General Topick, what the Superstructure muſt be.

The next thing under which he endeavours to cover himſelf and his Party, is his fancy of an Interregnum. He tells us gravely in many places of his Book, that what was done againſt the Clergy was done in an Interregnum, and that the People were highly provoked by the Clergy, that they were inſtrumental in the Sufferings of the Non-Conformiſts. That the Clergy themſelves were but profligate and debauched, and that they are generally ſuch as are unacquainted with the operation of the Spirit of God upon their Hearts; and if this does not excuſe, yet it extenuates what thoſe zealous Patriots did at that time to advance the Glorious Reformation.

I cannot but take notice in the firſt place of his wild imagination of an Interregnum, which cannot properly fall out in an Hereditary Monarchy; for the King never dies. For, Though the Laws were not put in Execution in that Interval of Confuſion and uncertainty, yet they retained their Legal Force and Authority. The Government was indeed in a Convulſive Motion, ſo that it could not perform the ordinary Functions of Order and Juſtice; but does he think, that becauſe humane Laws were in that Interval hindred, that therefore the Godly and Zealous Presbyterians were loosed from the Obligations of the Laws of Nature and Religion? Is there no ſecurity againſt the violent hands of thoſe Saints, but the coercive power of Laws? How can they pretend to be better Chriſtians than the reſt of their Neighbours when they venture upon the moſt unchriſtian Practices? Which puts me in mind of the Character that Cornelius Tacitus gives of the Jews, They were kind and affectionate to their own Kindred, but they retained adverſus omnes alios hoſtile odium. Juvenal gives the ſame Character of them, but it is much more agreeable to the Presbyterians. Does he think that the Notion of an Interregnum can juſtifie what modeſt Men are aſhamed to own? Non monſtrare vias eadem niſi ſacra colenti. And is it for the honour of his Party that he ſhould proclaim to the World that they ſtand not in awe of the Divine Laws, unleſs they are reſtrained by the terrour of Humane Laws? Why do they pretend to be acquainted with the Goſpel, when they openly and jointly contomn its moſt eſſential Precepts? But he ſays the People were much injured and provoked by the Clergy. What the Clergy in the Weſt of Scotland did, [Page] I know not, if I make an eſtimate of their proceedings againſt Non-Conformiſts, from the practice of our Clergy-Men in other parts of the Nation, I declare ſincerely to you I never knew one of them that proſecuted the Diſſenters without great reluctancy, nay I knew many of them that interpoſed with ſincere kindneſs and vigor for their Pariſhioners, frequently and with ſucceſs too, when they were obnoxious to the Laws.

But let us ſuppoſe that the Clergy did proſecute the Diſſenters 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 undermined; and the Government, by ſuch frequent ſhakings, most likely to relapſe into its former ſtate of Civil War and Confuſion; and the ſouls of the People committed to their Care were poyſoned with dark and Enthuſiaſtick Principles: Speaking evil of Dignities took place of the Ten Commandments, and a Schism unreaſonable in its beginnings, and diſowned by all Proteſtant Churches, and the learnedeſt Presbyterians

Bochart. Phaleg. Edit. 3. Lugd. Batav. pag. 989. Cavendum igitur ne Scyllae fugâ in hanc Charybdim incidamus, neve rigor nimius, & pluſquam Vatinianum in Epiſcopos odium, eo imprudentes adigat, ut Veteri Eccleſie dicam ſcribamus, & al ejus communione ipſi nos arceamus. A quibus Extremis Gallicanas Eccleſias ſemper abhorruiſſe libri à Gallis ſcripti palam indicant, & Noſtrorum perpetua praxis.

Idem ibid. Interim Epiſcopale regimen eſſe antiquiſſimum, & paulo poſt Apoſtolos per Univerſam Eccleſiam magno cum fructu obtinuiſſe, eſt mihi compertiſſimum.

, was propagated in all corners of the Nation with all vigor and diligence; and ought the Clergy to look on and continue idle Spectators when the Peace and Safety of their Country Spiritual and Temporal was ſo daringly and factiouſly invaded? Were they not obliged by the Laws of God and Man to ſtop this Career of Inſolence and Villany, and though they ought to undeceive the poor deluded People by all the ſoft Methods of tenderneſs and meekneſs, yet the Boutefeu's and Incendiaries were to be chaſtiſed and laſhed with greater ſeverities, and our Governours did nothing then but what they ought to have done in their own defence, unleſs they had reſolved to Sacrifice the Fundamental Conſtitution of the Monarchy and their own Honours, Dignities, and Eſtates unto the Caprice and Ambition of ſome bigotted Covenanters.

But I would ask the Vindicator whether they of the Clergy that never proſecuted any of the Diſſenters were the more kindly treated upon this laſt Revolution. I know ſeverals of them who have been moſt ſpitefully uſed by the Presbyterians, though formerly they did them all the good Offices that lay in their power. The Clergy, as well as the Laity, were obliged by the Laws of the Land, and by the Fundamental Laws of Humane Society, to cruſh, and extirpate the beginnings of Rebellion, and the attempts of ſuch as preached the moſt pernicious Principles, until at laſt the Rebels juſtified in their Books and Sermons open and avowed Murthers. And that by the moſt natural Conſequences from their own [Page] Principles, when the wickedneſs of the Party appeared thus terrible to the Peace of the Nation, was it to be expected that our Governours ſhould look on and ſuffer their own Throats to be cut, their Families to be forfeited, their King to be dethroned, their Church Polity to be pulled down, and the entire Scheme of their Government to be defaced? And all this for no other Reaſon, and upon no wiſer Conſideration, than becauſe their Enemies pretended Religion, and gave moſt ſacred Names to the moſt abominable Crimes. And now again that they are uppermoſt, they are very angry that men do not ſhut their Eyes, and ſuffer their Follies and Tyranny to overſpread the Nation without Contradiction. But what was it, that their Miniſters did ſuffer upon the Reſtitution of King Charles the Second. Why they would not take Preſentations from the Patron, nor Collation from the Biſhop: they would poſſeſs their Benefices againſt the Law, and in defiance of Authority: but was any of them turned out that did comply with the Law? Biſhop Lighton. So earneſt were ſome of our Eccleſiaſtical Governors to keep them in their Places, that they made ſuch offers of Peace and Accommodation, as none could refuſe but ſullen and deſperate Incendiaries, nor was there any thing required of them, but what the moſt rigid Presbyterians might comply with, if their Zeal to ſupport their Faction had not infatuated them as much againſt the Vow of Baptiſm, as againſt the common Peace and Safety of their Country.

The Presbyterians in Scotland are generally blinded with this fatal prejudice (an Evidence of their incurable Enthuſiaſm) they think that no man can act any thing againſt the Presbyterians, but he immediately acts againſt the light of his own Conſcience. 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 Chriſtians upon Earth, and if you do not believe this preſently, without Examination, you are far from the Kingdom of God. Nay, you are alienated from the life of God. Hence it is that the Presbyterians conclude that whatever is done againſt their Party, is done rather againſt the Light and Conviction of their Enemies, than the petulance and vanity of their own Fraternity: therefore they inſinuate upon all occaſions, that all Reaſonings againſt them proceed from Prophanity and Atheiſm, or from men void of all Principles and Religion. You may as eaſily reaſon a Bedlamite out of his fancied Honors and Principalities, as perſuade any of their deluded Diſciples that they may be in an Errour: and this they owe to their cunning Teachers, who tyrannize over their Belief as imperiouſly 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 aſcendent in King Charles the Firſt his time, treat their Oppoſite with that gentleneſs and diſcretion, that condeſcention and longanimity, that became the true Goſpel of our Saviour? But ſo very far from this temper, that they proſecuted the Malignants with all [Page] Rage and Cruelty. And if there were not another inſtance of their Cruelty, but the Sufferings of the excellent Biſhop Wiſhart, men might eaſily penetrate into the Genius and Spirit of the Party. Then their Pulpits thundered againſt the Malignants all the Curſes in the Bible; and all were Malignants, in their Dialect, that were not Presbyterians. Add to this the univerſal and reſtleſs endeavours of their Miniſters to ruin the Perſons, Eſtates, and Families, of all that oppoſed their Deſigns: and their Diſcipline was made an Engine to pry into the greateſt Secrets of Families, and the Presbyterian Chaplain, who was ordinarily the Miniſters Intelligencer, complained in his Prayers of what he thought amiſs in the Family or Neighbourhood, nay the Soundest part of the Nation groaned under this Tyrannical Pedantry, as the Iſraelites did under the Egyptians, when their bloody Scaffolds ſtood erected for ſome whole weeks together. Then it was, that their modeſt Miniſters ſaid that their Cauſe was like to proſper, when they juſtified one Crime by the Commiſſion of another, and the whole Scheme of their Arbitrary Tyranny from their Succeſs and Proſperity; when their Turkiſh Argument of Force and Arms ran down the Doctrines of our Meek and Crucified Saviour. And now forſooth they muſt tell us, that the Epiſcopal Clergy were rigid, and peeviſh, and ſevere, to their Pariſhioners; when perhaps they did not repreſent to the Judges, in their ſeveral bounds, the tenth part of thoſe Crimes that were committed againſt the Church and State; and yet the Law did oblige them to give up the names of Recuſants. And do not we ſee, that the Preſbyterians ſince the late Revolution have out done the diligence of all men againſt the Clergy and Laity of the Epiſcopal perſuaſion, for the whole Faction applyed their utmoſt force (ſince the Revolution) to ruin her Neighbours, and poſſeſs themſelves of all their Places, Civil, Military, and Eccleſiaſtical.

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 highest Paſſions ſo 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; untill this be obtained there is no reſt nor peace for mankind. The Diſcipline, the Sacred Diſcipline of Geneve, muſt wreſtle with all Authority until the Conſumation of all things.

But if the former excuſe did not ſerve his Deſign; yet it is often inſinuated all a long his Book that moſt of the Clergy were wicked men. But let me ſuppoſe the truth of this infamous accuſation; who made them Judges of the Scandalous Clergy? Whoſe Delegats were they in the Execution of this Puniſhment? I have told you before that I am acquainted with very few of the Clergy of the Weſtern Shires, but I am informed by judicious and intelligent Men, that generally the Clergy in thoſe Shires were Grave, Sober, and Aſſiduous in the work of the Miniſtry. That moſt of them endeavoured [Page] upon all occaſions to gain thoſe Enthuſiaſts from their Schiſm and Deluſion, and were very ſucceſsful in this Chriſtian deſign, if a new Indulgence after the Defeat at Bothwel Bridge had not buoyed up their Intereſt. As for the ſcandalous Aſperſions caſt upon the Clergy by the Weſtern Presbyterians, it is certain that by one of the Vindicators own Rules we ought not to believe them; becauſe they are all of them of a Party, and indeed of ſuch a Party, who from their firſt appearance in the World placed much of their ſtrength in reproaching the Clergy. If ſome of the Miniſters in the Weſt did not live according to the Dignity of their Character, we ought rather all of us (who have not renounced our Baptiſm) to lament it, rather than inſult and upbraid them with it. Indeed a Miniſter, whoſe Employment is to fit other men for Eternal Life, and yet lives in open and ſcandalous oppoſition to his Rule, is the moſt monſtrous thing in Nature. All the Satyrical Writings of the Poets, and all the Invectives of Orators, cannot furniſh one word to give a true Idea of that loathſome 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, for of all Advices thoſe that are given to reform the Clergy, ſhould be managed moſt nicely and tenderly. And it is to be feared that the Vindicator and his Aſſociates are very glad when they can diſcover the trippings of their Adverſaries. If any of the Clergy be guilty of ſuch things as are clamorouſly alledged by Presbyterians; it is no Argument againſt the common Cauſe of the Catholick Church, and the Apoſtolical Succeſſion of that Hierareby of Biſhop, Presbyter, and Deacon, continued from the days of the Apoſtles until now. And therefore he may, if he will (as is threatned) employ the people in the Weſt to make and gather ſtories to the diſadvantage of the Epiſcopal Clergy, and it is an eaſie thing to ſwell that Volumn into a prodigious Bulk, if their ignorant and implacable Enemies may be believed, it is not poſſible for them not to accuſe. But I think the Vindicator himſelf, is not of ſo profligate a The Presbyterians in England libelled all kind of Crimes againſt the Clergy before the Rump Parliament, and one of them was deprived for drunkenneſs, who was ſo abſtemious, that he never drank any thing in his life but Milk and Water. Conſcience as to give Ear to ſuch malicious Reports. We have had late Inſtances of the Presbyterian activity againſt the Reputation of the Clergy, no man could eſcape a Libel that enjoyed a comfortable Benefice. Nothing could have made the Presbyterians more contemptible than this treacherous and ſneaking method of Libelling, when it was viſible to all men that thoſe ſcurrilous Papers were intended for no more, than to ruin and diſgrace the moſt innocent and deſerving men. And it is very odd that they could venture to blindfold the Nation by this baſſled and hypocritical Sham, and how comes it that the Clergy in the Weſt are repreſented as Criminals, when they dare not attack the Clergy in the North? The reaſon is obvious, the People in the Weſt [Page] date their Converſion from the time that they forbear to hear the Curates, and they think themſelves obliged by all their ties and ſolemn Covenants, to ruin and diſparage thoſe limbs of Antichriſt. But the People in the North can diſcover no ſuch beauty in their Presbyterian Diſcipline: they love and honour their own Miniſters, they hear them Preach the Articles of Chriſtian Faith, and true and ſolid Morals, and ſo rough are thoſe Infidels in the North, that they never thought Sniveling neceſſary to make a great Saint. They love a plain and unaffected Stile, and they cannot be perſuaded but that the Oracles of God may be Preached without affectation, and yet with all requiſite Gravity and Recollection.

If there be ſo many Libels gathered by Presbyterians, it may provoke their Enemies to recriminate, and if the Vindicator thinks that ſuch ſcurrilous writings can ſerve the common cauſe of Religion, I wiſh him more wiſdom and ſobriety: I condemn all ſuch methods in all Parties, and if the thing were allowable, we could tell him that many of his Aſſociates in the Miniſtry are very ſcandalous, ſome of them Adulterers. ſome Fornicators, ſome Blaſphemers; ſome whole Presbyterian Families Inceſtuous,

—Sed praeſtat motos componere fluctus.

If I rejoyced in this Recrimination, I were not a good Chriſtian. But it is neceſſary to put thoſe Proud and Supercillous men in mind, that they are but ordinary Mortals, encompaſſed about with the ſame Infirmities with other men, and that they ſhould conſult the Scriptures, and the Fathers for Arguments, rather than the Cameronian Zealots in the Weſtern Shires; and if they beat the Clergy at thoſe Weapons, they deſerve to be chaſtiſed; and for a concluſion to this Obſervation, I muſt tell you that I know not a more unblamable Company of men upon Earth than the Epiſcopal Clergy of Scotland. Nor do I know any five of them in the whole Nation, who could not undergo the ſevereſt Examinations, uſed in the Chriſtian Church Preparatory to Ordination, I wiſh that they may make a Chriſtian uſe of their preſent Tryals, and give the world a proof of that greatneſs of ſoul that qualifies men for the Prieſthood; that all round about them may be convinced that he that is in them is greater than he that is in the World. Seneca John Ep. tells us that to do good even when it is attended with infamy, is noble and heroick: and a greater than Seneca tells us, that we muſt go thorough good report and bad report; God will clear our Innocence as the Sun in his Meridian Elevation, and I hope to the Conviction of our Enemies, that in the ſimplicity of our ſouls we deſigned the Reformation of ſinners, and that we look upon our ſelves as Dedicated to the immediate Service of God, and the ſooner we retire into our own Conſciences, and diſcover the ſecret Springs of our preſent Calamity, the ſooner will our heavenly Father remove the marks of his Indignation. There is no Argument ſo proper to convince the Ignorance of fooliſh men as by well doing: and though we [Page] ſhould not be ſo ſuccesful in gaining Proſelites in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Generation, yet we fortifie the Peace and Tranqulllity of our Conſciences, we ſtrengthen our ſelves againſt thoſe things that are moſt terrible to Fleſh and Blood, we rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of Glory, in the midſt of all Calamities and Reproaches that are caſt upon us. And let not them that are yet untouched think that their Brethren, upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell, are greater ſinners than their Neighbors.

I leave this, and I go forward to another Topick by which he endeavours to vindicate the Presbyterians; and it is this that the Clergy of the Church of Scotland did preſs the Conſciences of the Presbyterians; and that the People could not own them Vid. pag. 52. and pag. 87. as their Miniſters, becauſe they were obtruded upon them, and not invited by Popular Elections. But the Vindicator ſhould conſider, that if his Argument be turn'd againſt his Party in the North of Scotland, it may be of dangerous Conſequence to the growth of Presbytery. For the bresbyterians there are not likely to carry their Elections by plurality of Votes; but does not he remember that ſeverals of the Remonſtrator Preſbyterians have been inducted to their Churches by ſome Troops of Engliſh Horſe in the time of the late Civil Wars, yet he does not think but that the People owed all Deference and Spiritual Obedience to them; and if a His own word. Paſtoral Relation may be founded between a Miniſter and the People by Cromwells Troopers, why not by King Charles the Second's Dragoons? But does not the Vindicator remember that ſome have been obtruded on the old College of Aberdeen, without the Regular and Collegiate Election, by the ſame very force that had planted ſome Remonſtrator Miniſters, and that without any Tryal or Examination, when their more deſerving Predeceſſors were moſt Tyrannically removed.

But not to trifle with the Vindicator, The method of admitting Miniſters in the Church of Scotland, under the Epiſcopal Conſtitution, is the moſt juſt, and the moſt unexceptionable that can be deviſed. For when the Candidate for any Eccleſiaſtical Preferment receives Vid. Letters of the Perſecution. a Preſentation from the Patron, he goes to the Biſhop, and the Biſhop ſends him to the Presbytery to undergoe the ordinary tryals of his Literature and Sufficiency; and when the Biſhop and his Presbyters with him are ſatisfied of his Knowledge and Learning, then the Biſhop ſerves a publick [...]dict at the Church where the Candidate is to be preferred, inviting all the Pariſhioners to come to the Cathedral Church againſt an appointed day, to ſee if they have any reaſonable exception againſt the Candidate; and this is not done in a hurry but they have a competent time allowed them to gather all poſſible Informations concerning him from all Quarters; and if they can object any thing againſt him that is of any weight, they are heardand the Candidate is repulſed: now I would gladly know what is it that the People [Page] can complain of in this Eccleſiaſtical Polity? The Conſuſions of Elections that are ſolely left to the People are innumerable, and though we had not famous and remarkable Inſtances in Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory of the bloody and tragical Effects of ſuch popular Elections, our own Country might furniſh us with very many ſad Experiments, Damaſus and Urciſinus at Rome, Videtiam Ammianum Marcelinum. when the Pariſhoners could not compromiſe the affair peaceably, they quickly came to Blowes, and in many places to Bloodſhed, and Riots. Theſe were all the good effects we could diſcern of their popular Elections; it cannot be denyed, but that the method of electing the Clergy varied often and appeared under many Figures in ſeveral Ages, and Countries, ſince the firſt Plantations of Chriſtianity: but I dare boldly ſay no Chriſtian Church came nearer the Apoſtolical Method, and more happily avoided both Extremes, than the Church of Scotland under the Epiſcopal Conſtitution. But you may put the Vindicator in mind Wherever they dare venture, they have no regard to the popular Call, as lately appeared at Leith, the unanimous popular Election of Mr. George Gray was refuſed, and one Wiſhart a Presbyterian thruſt upon them. that the Presbyterians themſelves never thought the Call of the People ſo eſſential a Conſtitution of that Paſtoral Relation. For there is an Act of the General Aſſembly, ordering the Presbytery to name a Miniſter to ſuch Pariſhes as were Malignant, that is, ſuch as were of the Epiſcopal perſuaſion, ſo this pretended popular Election, if at any time it prove unſerviceable to advance their Tyranny, is immediately rejected. For the Presbyterians do not at all believe any ſuch inherent Right in the People to chuſe their own Miniſters; for they think the Malignants have no Right to chuſe for themſelves, this is the ſole privilege of the Godly. The Malignants are not at all to be conſulted, accordingly we ſee that though their Parliament Iudged the power of Election in the Heretors and Elders of each Pariſh, or in the major part of them, yet no Elections are allowed by the Presbyteries, though never ſo unanimous and univerſal, but ſuch as are promoted by their own Factions, witneſs Muſſelburgh and Tranent.

There is hardly any thing inſiſted upon by the Presbyterians more fooliſh and inconſiſtent with common honeſty than this Topick from popular Elections, and to ſay the truth, the old Presbyterians never obtrude ſuch a whimſey upon the People: the Lay Patronages were not aboliſhed in Scotland until the year 49. when the Diſcipline was in its Zeaith when there was no ſin Preached againſt but Malignancy, and the King, Prerogative Royal was poſſeſſed by the Kirk. Presbyterians in other Countries quietly ſubmit to Lay Patrons: and indeed if the Biſhops take care that [...] but pious and vertuous Men be Ordained, what harm can the Church [...] by ſuch Preſentations. May not the Clergy examine ſuch Candidates [...] offer themſelves to the Miniſtry, accurately and narrowly▪ 'Tis certain that [Page] the moſt triſting and ſuperſicial Students do moſt effectually recommend themſelves to the People, nay there are ſo many mean and abject Arts requiſite to promote a Clergy-Man (if the Hypotheſis of the popular Election hold neceſſary) that an ingenuous man cannot proſlitute himſelf to ſuch ſervile and popular methods. As for the grave and retired Clergy-Man, he is ſure never to be preferred; and if ſome judicious and diſcreet Patron does not force him out of his Solitude, he is like to die amongſt his Books, and the Church has been ſerved in all Ages to the best Advantages by ſuch as leaſt underſtood the Arts of Inſinuation, and it will continue ſo until the end of all things.

In the next place I do not ſee why the Vindicator ſhould ſay that the Clergy preſſed the Conſciences of their Hearers: there was nothing in our worſhip, but the uſe of the Lords Prayer, the Doxology, and the Apoſtolick Creed at Baptiſm, that they themſelves objected againſt, are not theſe mighty Grievances to Tender Conſciences? The Vindicator tells us that Preſbyterians were not againſt the uſe of thoſe Forms but they would not uſe them as the Prelatiſts did. What he means by this I cannot tell; but I can tell you that all the Presbyterians before the year 1638. made uſe of them all. And that after the year 38. until Cromwell's Army invaded our Nation they never left off the uſing of thoſe Catholick and Chriſtian Forms. But ſuch of the Remonſtrators as were deeply in the Intereſts of the Uſurper, then left off the uſe of ſuch Forms, drawing as near as was poſſible to the Spiritual Heights, and pretended Purity of the Independents in the Army. And the Chriſtian Religion at that time in our Nation varied in its outward Figure, and in their Notions about it as much as the Philoſophy of the Schools, and the wiſe Queſtions of Univerſale and Objectum Attributionis logicae. The Vindicator is content to uſe ſuch Forms, but not as the Epiſcopal Church doth command it. That is to ſay, he will do nothing in Unity and Society with the Chriſtian Church, and though the Vow of Baptiſm oblige us, as we are Members of Chriſts Myſtical Body, to preſerve and ſupport the Unity of the Chriſtian Church, yet he thinks he may leave the Communion the Church, without either fear or ſcruple, in thoſe very things that are ſhort Abſtracts of our Faith, and Symbols of our Profeſſion. And yet no People are now ſo violent as they in preſſing Subſcriptions to the Presbyterian Confeſſion at Weſtminſter, and that without any exception, reſtriction, or explication, I am of Opinion that Vid. Presbyterian Inquiſition of the College of Edenburgh. the Epiſcopal Clergy of Scotland have been from their Infancy taught in, (and are firmly reſolved to adhere to) the Proteſtant Religion, and is it not a piece of extraordinary vanity in the Presbyterians to inſinuate that they themſelves are the only men careful to preſerve the purity of Doctrine? Did not the Clergy that addreſſed to the pretended General Aſſembly, plainly declare that they would ſubſcribe the Weſtminſter Confeſſion, as it contained the [Page] Fundamentals of Proteſtant Religion. But this the Vindicator thinks did not ſufficiently purge them from the ſuſpicion of being Arminians. There are but very few of the Clergy of Scotland that explain the Doctrine of Grace and Freewill after the method of Arminius; and if any of them does not favor the Calvinian Hypotheſis they are very far from propagating their Opinions in a factious manner, and not at all enclined to change the Pulpit into a Metaphyſical Chair. I think it is no diſparagement to either of the Parties to ſay that every one of them cannot ſtate ſuch controverſial differences fairly, and reaſon about them cloſely; nor is it neceſſary for every Country Miniſter to read Alvarez and Dr. Tuiſſe, Arminius and Epiſcopius. Thoſe queſtions have been debated in all Ages of the Church, and if we underſtand ſo little of our ſelves, of our own ſoul, and its union with the body, the method and manner of its operations. How daring a thing is it to pretend to gr [...]ſp the infinite Mind that made Heaven and Earth, and to methodize the Acts of that eternal Intellect, in whom we live, move, and have our Being? To read ſome of the Acts 17. School men is enough to make a modeſt man tremble, when he conſiders that the incomprehenſible Deity is thought to be fettered by the Laws, Methods, and confuſed Notions of our Mind, this is learned Ignorance, and the Presbyterians may think they wonderfully reform the World when they oblige Miniſters to Swear their Syſtems of Metaphyſicks. It were infinitely better to leave them to their Liberty in things that are diſputable in their Nature, and paſt finding out after all our Endeavours. Upon the whole matter, the Objections againſt the Clergy from the Doctrine they Preach is vain and trifling, and ſerves no other Deſign than to fill the Mouths of the People with words that they do not underſtand, and yet have a miſchievous influence upon their lives.

Another Topick by which he endeavours to provoke the preſent Powers againſt the Epiſcopal Clergy, is, that Page 24. Edinb. Edit. they are Enemies to King William and Queen Mary. I have no Commiſſion to give an account of particular mens Opinions in the Controverſie that is now debated in Britain, but I may obſerve that the Vindicator puts a mean Complement upon King William, to tell the World in Print that the Intereſt of King Page ibid. Edinb. Edit. William, and that of the Presbyterians is embarqued together; i. e. If King William does not punctually obſerve For they fancy the Covenant to be the tenure by which any King may hold his Crown. the Original Contract, they know well enough what they owe all earthly Kings. Again he tells us, that ſuch of the Epiſcopal Clergy as addreſſed to King William and Queen Mary; never thought of any ſuch Addreſs, until they had loſt all hopes of King James; and by this he thinks to diſparage the Epiſcopal Clergy wonderfully: whereas the Argument rightly turn'd is to their Advantage. That they never treacherouſly [Page] betrayed King James when they were publickly Praying for him, nor did they ſecretly undermine his Government when they were giving publick thanks for his Adminiſtrations, as the Presbyterians did, and ſuch of the Epiſcopal Clergy as came over to King William, ought to be treated with Civility and Protection at least, if it were no more but that their Principles of Government are more agreeable to Reaſon, and more favourable to Monarchy in General, and the Common Peace of Mankind. I know no Notion the Presbyterians can have of a King, but that he ſhould be And therefore K. William having not taken the Covenant, and being in League with bigot Papiſts, and ſtill Protecting the Church of England and its Hierarchy, ſhould be Excommunicated upon Presbyterian Principles, as at Sanghair lately it was reaſoned and determined, the 10th. of Auguſt. Arch-Bedle to the Kirk, and that he ought to employ his Power and Authority to execute their Decrees. The Vindicator remembers no doubt the Act of the Weſt Kirk. A Specimen of Presbyterian Loyalty to K. Willian and Q. Mary, we have lately from the Provoſt of Rutherglin, who publickly owned that they would indeed Arm ſo many Forces, and not Disband them until K. William had Eſtabliſhed Presbytery to their mind; and if he did not ſo ſettle it, they would turn him out, and uſe him as they did K. Charles the Firſt. But if the Epiſcopal Clergy in the Weſt of Scotland are enemies to the preſent Government, they are obliged to continue in that oppoſition by the Vindicators Principles, ſo unfortunate is he in his Endeavours to ſerve the preſent Government. For if the Clergy in thoſe Shires never met with any thing but Acts of Hoſtility, without any Law, Tryal, or ſo much as any the leaſt Formality of Juſtice; pray, let the Vindicator tell me what Allegiance do they owe upon ſuch Principles, as he and his Aſſociates were wont to propagate under the Reign of K. Charles the Second? And therefore he himſelf (not others) deſerves to have his Neck ſtretched for adhereing to ſuch Principles, as neceſſarily overthrow in their laſt conſequence all Government and Order.

Another Topick upon which he and others found many of their Libels againſt the Clergy, is, that they were ſubſervient in the late Reigns to advance Arbitrary Power by their Doctrine of Non-Reſiſtance and Paſſive Obedience.

—Nunquamne reponam

Vexatus toties.—

The Epiſcopal Clergy Preached no Doctrine but the true Chriſtian Doctrine, which can never be overthrown by all the Attempts of their Adverſaries; they Preached indeed that in every Government there was a Supreme Legal Tribunal, from whoſe Deciſions there lay no Appeal upon Earth. That this Supreme Tribunal was not at all to be reſiſted, and therefore that the Inſurrections in the Weſtern Shires againſt the King, Parliament, and Laws was Rebellion, in its moſt rigorous Notion: this indeed they did Preach, and I hope they are not yet ſo degenerate as to think or Preach otherwiſe: as for the other Branch of the Controverſie, [Page] whether the King of Scots may be reſiſted, I will tell the Vindicator my Opinion when he and I ſtands upon a Level. For where the Supreme Tribunal may be reſiſted, and counter acted, then there is ſomething higher than what is already granted to be Supreme; but the King and Parliament are with us Supreme, and if they may be reſiſted, what is it that may not be reſiſted? If Sentences interfere, there can be no Government, becauſe no final Deciſion of Controverſies; therefore there can be no Appeal from the Supreme Tribunal in any Nation; and into whatever Figure the Government is molded, ſome ſuch Supreme Independent Tribunal muſt be acknowledged, whence there is no Appeal, and of which there is no reſiſting; unleſs you ſo order your Government as to have one part of it fight perpetually againſt the other and Vitia dominantium tolerare debemus ſicut nimios imbres. Cornel. Tacit. in that caſe our Saviour tells us, That a Houſe divided againſt it ſelf cannot ſtand. And do the Presbyterians think to recommend themſelves by aſſerting ſuch Doctrines as neceſſarily overthrow all Government? And Blowes up the Foundations of all Humane Society? We have all the Governments in the World to defend us upon this Head; for without this neceſſary truth no Notion can be formed of what is Law, Government, or Society; do not we ſee every day ſuch as oppoſed the Government, any where, Fined, Confined, or Executed? And this carries with it the Unanimous Sentence of all Judges upon Earth, declaring that the Government is not to be Reſiſted in its firſt and Supreme Authority: neither ought the Secrets of Government to be ſo prophaned, as to be laid open to the Cenſure and Objections of every petulant Medler. It is not our buſineſs, who live in private Stations, to Canvaſs the Myſteries of State; God ordinarily gives to ſuch as are at the Helm of Government another Spirit, than that he beſtowes upon private men, their care muſt extend far and near, we muſt not upon all occaſions publiſh our Comments upon their actions, far leſs ought we to fly to Arms when our Caprice is not ſatisfied, nor when the Dreams and Deluſims of our particular Sect are diſcouraged. For, If men may run to Arms upon every occaſion, the Political World ſhould quickly tumble into the Original Chaos. Whatever Parties then there are that oppoſe the Doctrine of Non-Reſiſtance, thus ſtated, are Enemies to all Government, and when they themſelves are inveſted with Power and Authority, their Practice b [...] their former Notions, and expoſes ſufficiently their Chimerical Ideas; and whatever branches there may be of this Controverſie, it muſt be agreed to on all hands, that the Scots Presbyterians were Rebels under Charles I. and Charles II. in all the Formalities of Rebellion.

The Vindicator himſelf thinks that the Authority of Pag. 96. and 97. the Nation in the Convention or Parliament, may take away the Legal Right that belongs to the Clergy. Had not the Clergy as good right to their by-paſt Stipends as any man had to his private Eſtate? [Page] So it ſeems that in ſome caſes the Convention may invade the Property of private men, eſpecially the Property of the Epiſcopal Clergy, and this is no other ſtretch of Arbitrary Power, than what was practiſed formerly againſt the Lieges in the warmeſt weather of the Covenant, when private men were compelled to lend their mony to Levy an Army againſt the King: yet ſince it was to advance the Covenant there was nothing Arbitrary in it, and though it was open Robbery, and never practiſed by any of our Kings, yet we were forced to ſtoop to Ruin and Poverty, becauſe the Covenanters ſaid that this was our Liberty and Property. So they that clamour moſt againſt Arbitrary Power, practiſe it moſt when they dare venture.

Another Imputation whereby the Presbyterians endeavour to fully the Reputation of the Epiſcopal Clergy is this, that the kindneſs that any have for Epiſcopacy proceeds from the Eſpiſcopal Clergy's indulging men in their ſins and immoralities. And Pag. 76. and pag. 166. this is the old ſtory, and contains nothing but their inveterate ſpite and malice. What is it that the Epiſcopal Church teaches that indulges men in their ſins? What Doctrine is it, that's publickly owned or taught by the Epiſcopal Church, that has the leaſt tendency to the breach of any of Gods Commandments? How long ſhall theſe Sons of Strife continue in their Impudence? Though this Accuſation be as ſenſeleſs as it is indeſinite, yet upon this occaſion they ordinarily magnifie their diſcipline, as the moſt Sovereign Remedy againſt the immoralities of the Age, much after the ſame manner that Montebanks do when they ſet 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 ſay. Whereas a grave experienced Phyſitian, will make no ſuch promiſes, but he'll calmly conſider the preſent temper of your Body, the Cauſes of your Diſeaſe, and proportion his Applications to your ſtrength, and other Circumſtances, without noiſe or Oſtentation.

I know no effect that ever the Presbyterian Diſcipline had towards Reforming the World, unleſs you reckon that the murthering of Baſtard Children was of that Nature. It cannot be denyed but that the Presbyterian Miniſters uſe long Diſcourſes to the Whores that ſit on the Stool of Repentance, but they cannot name three of them that ever mounted that Publick Seat but they became Proſtitutes, and when once they made Shipwrack of their Modeſty, one may gueſs what followed. And their publick appearance in this manner made them impudent. This is all the Reformation I know that their Diſcipline moſt eminently promotes; its true indeed there was a very remakable Step towards the Reformation made by Sir John Hall, and his Aſſociates, the firſt year of the Revolution, when the Wells were locked up, and none could have freſh Water upon Sunday, yet as much Wine and Brandy was allowed as one was pleaſed to call for. But if by their Diſcipline, they mean that endleſs and pragmatick inquiſition into all [Page] Actions, it is as impracticable, as it is burthenſome; and though it be a natural ſtep to advance their Supremacy, Vid. Bramhal on the Scots Diſcipline. yet it is attended with ſo much confuſion and animoſities, that neither true Religion nor Liberty can endure it. It is pleaſant to hear them declaim againſt the Tyranny of Papal Power, and yet meddle with all that ever he medled Act of General Aſſembly 49. with.

We know what Profanations of the Name of God were occaſioned by this Diſcipline in the year 1648. when the beſt of the Nobility and Gentry, and others were made to profeſs their Repentance for the Lawful Engagement. I do not plead againſt Eccleſiaſtical Diſcipline; for it is abſolutely neceſſary to the order and Preſervation of the Church, as it is a Society founded by our Lord and Saviour. But this new fantaſtick and apiſh imitation of ſtrictneſs, is inconſiſtent with reaſon, as it is indeed deſtructive to true and regular Devotion. The Vindicator uſes to refer his Readers to other Books, I cannot condemn that practiſe, therefore I wiſh him to Read Biſhop Bramhall's Treatiſe of the new Diſcipline. There is nothing more deſireable than to ſee the Antient Diſcipline revived, and all men ought to Pray that God would direct our Eccleſiaſtical Governours, to reſtore the Primitive Diſcipline, ſo as the moſt negligent may be awakened, directed, and encouraged to repent, and teſtifie his Repentance by the moſt unfeigned mortification, and Charity.

Thus I have run over ſome of the General Heads that are ſcattered up and down his Vindication, and given you freely but very briefly my Opinion of them. The next thing I undertook for your ſatisfaction was to enquire into the Spirit and Genius of the Author, by the Characters that appear of him in his Vindication. Not that I conclude him habitually ſuch, for perhaps the paroxyſms of his Indignation are over, but this I may conclude that when this Book was written, he was overdriven with his paſſion: I do not immediately conclude him to be of the Seed of the Serpent, nor of the Race of Eſau, nor a His own mannerly expreſſions. Villain, nor the Succeſſor of Judas Iſcariot, nor a Rabſhakeh. Though he oppoſes the Apoſtolical Government of Epiſcopacy, he is not of my Opinion; but I do not think he deſerves any Cenſure on that account that he is not of my Perſuaſion. His Adverſaries cannot drive him to a greater abſurdity than if he be made to vent his Paſſion in perſonal Reflections, and therefore I ſhall endeavour to ſix nothing upon his perſon but what naturally follows from his own words.

I charge him therefore in the firſt place with open and Pag. 94. avowed Partiality. He rejects the Teſtimony of any man that is not of his Party, ſo he rejects the Teſtimony of John Gibſon, one of the Magiſtrates of Glaſgow becauſe, ſays he, he was of a party, and made. Alderman. a Bailiff by the Archbiſhop; [Page] and all knew the Prelates. Inclinations towards the preſent Civil Government. His Argument may be reduced into form thus, the Biſhop was an enemy to the Civil Government, John Gibſon was named a Bailiff by the Biſhop: Ergo the Teſtimony of John Gibſon ought not to be received in a Matter of Fact: this is very hard, how can a man at London be more credibly inform'd of a Matter of Fact in Glaſgow, than by the Authentick Teſtimonies of the Magiſtrates of Glaſgow, but he tells us the Magiſtrates were of a Party, and what of that? By this method of reaſoning what becomes of Calderwood's Hiſtory of the Presbyterians? Muſt not we believe him at all becauſe he is of a different perſuaſion? Juſt ſo our Author treats Mr. Morer, one of the Prebendaries of Sarum, who wrote the firſt Letter of the Perſecutions. The Vindicator tells us it is one lie from the beginning to the end, and why all this harſhneſs and ſeverity? Why? Becauſe the Vindicator imagines him to be a Jacobite, though he ventured his perſon in Ireland, and ſwore the Oath of Allegiance to K. William and Q. Mary, and wrote this Letter to one of his Eccleſtaſtical Superiors in England, yet the account he gave of the Scots Affairs did not pleaſe the Vindicator, and therefore he's immediately transformed into a Jacobite. This is a very hard caſe, but why may not even the Jacobites be received as Witneſſes. The Jews when they ſwear upon the Pentateuch are received as Witneſſes before all Judicatures, and in all Courts in Chriſtendom; ſo are the Mahumetans when they ſwear upon the Alchoran, and all Pagans if they ſwear by the Idol of their Country. But Mr. Morer is no Presbyterian, and therefore his Teſtimony muſt be rejected; thus with one daſh of his Pen he overthrows all the Accounts that he himſelf had from the Weſt, to the Diſparagement of the Epiſcopal Clergy, or in defence of their Enemies, for they are all of them of a Party, and obliged by their Oaths to Page 85. ruin Epiſcopacy. And again he rejects the Teſtimony of a great and an exact Hiſtorian, becauſe he was no Presbyterian. And again, The Teſtimony of a Mininiſter, Page 88. Witneſſing the Perſecution of another, muſt not Page 100. be received. Page 109.

Another thing very remarkable in this Book, is the Author's peremptory and dogmatick pretences to the Jus Divinum of Presbytery, contrary to the Modeſty, or rather Caution of the firſt Presbyterians, who declared in their publick Conſeſſions, that all Vid. Confeſſion of Faith inſerted in the Oath of the Teſt. Church Polity was variable, and changeable; but the Scots Presbyterians, think they cannot juſtifie their Zeal for their now Polity, unleſs 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 practice of the Apoſtles, or the Succeſſion of the firſt Ages of Chriſtianity, they know not; they are reſolved to ſay it is of Divine Right, and then they work hard for ſtrained Conſequences, and hence it is that they are [Page] very angry if their intrinſick Eccleſiaſtical power lodged in this parity be not obeyed, or queſtioned. So the Vindicator complains that ſuch of the Epiſcopal Clergy as addreſſed to them, did conſider them no otherwiſe than as a Company of men that derived all the Power they had from the Convention, and was not this a mighty aſtront? They cannot endure that they ſhould be conſidered as Delegates of the State, when as yet all the Nation knows, and common Senſe muſt determine they could have no power over the Epiſcopal Clergy, but what they derived from the State; and therefore all along he aſſerts poſitively, that the Scots Presbytery is the immediate Inſtitution of Jeſus Chriſt. But I muſt be ſo juſt to him as to acknowledge that moſt of all his Brethren, are equally peremptory and dogmatick upon this Head, and though Calvin acknowledges great honor and deference to be due to Prelates etiam hoc nomine, if they ſhould embrace the Reformation, yet his Diſciples are more improved, and cannot endure that any other Church Pollty ſould prevail. From this proceed the high and lofty Epithets they beſtow upon Presbytery; Chriſts viſible Kingdom upon Earth, his Royal Crown and Scepter, his expreſs Inſtitution and Diſcipline. And upon this Hypotheſis they become proud and inſolent, they deſpiſe all their oppoſites as men not acquainted with the Spirit of Page 185. God. and enemies to the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt. Page 178.

Another thing I take notice of in his Writings, is, his rudeneſs and vanity. He repreſents his Adverſary as a Liar, and a Villain, though he cannot prove that the Author of the Hiſtory of the General Aſſembly wrote one Lie, from the beginning to the end, if the Accounts he got from ſuch as were preſent were not ſo exact, he himſelf was not to be blamed; but the Vindicator cannot prove that any information Pag. 123. he got was falſe. Again, one of his Adverſaries is repreſented as a Liar, and a Slanderer, and tell us again that the Council appointed that no Decreet ſhould paſs in ſavour of the Epiſcopal Clergy, until the Parliament ſhould determine in that extraordinary caſe; where I take notice, that according to the Vindicators preſent Doctrine, the Council may ſtop and diſable the Laws, eſpecially when the the Epiſcopal Clergy Proſecute their Debitors before the Ordinary Judge. and therefore the Council may invade any mans Legal Property, contrary to the Law, and much more the Parliament; yet this is a ſtretch or Arbitrary Power, never heard of in Scotland notwithſtanding of all the hideous Clamors of that reſtleſs Faction. He may if he will endeavour to juſtifie that Arbitrary ſtretch, but I think that they who were moſt active in it, do truly think ſhame of it as a thing as much unprecedented and unwarrantable.

Again, He inſinuates that the Clergy had Clubs for Pag. 55 thinking, and that it is an impudent falſhood that either Dr. R. or Mr. Malcolm made application to the Presbyterians. As [Page] for the laſt whether he made application, or after what manner, I neither know nor ſhall I ever enquire. As for the firſt he is at his reſt, and I will not rake into his Aſhes; but this is certainly known, although he had addreſſed unto the Presbyteries, he had been rejected becauſe he was one of the Miniſters of Edinburgh; for his Party had determined to break through all obſtacles of Juſtice and Decency, rather than ſuffer any of the Epiſcopal Clergy to continue within the City of Edinburgh. Nay, no Presbyterian was allowed, if once he had made the leaſt Advances of Complyance with Epiſcopacy, as was then too viſible in the Caſe of Mr Wilky.

The Vindicator's clowniſh Buffoonry, and inſulting over the afflicted, in the 4th. page, I omit. You will excuſe me if I do not tranſcribe the moſt part of his Book, the ordinary Epithets he beſtows on his Adverſaries are, that they are impudent Slanderers and Villains; but when his Heroic Paſſion is put into a higher ferment, they are Succeſſors of Judas Iſcariot, and Rabſhakes. No doubt the Siſters will think that the Vindicator is a precious convincing man, he tramples upon the Epiſcopal Clergy as if they were below his notice, there is no grapling with a Giant of ſo much ſtrength and reaſon.

We muſt be taught better manners than to venture upon this man of Oak and Forehead, poor Creatures! Have not we been taught better than to make publick the Secrets of the Faction? 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 ſo, and therefore you may ask him who gave him information that my Lord Dundee had gathered together at Edenburgh two thouſand men of the Kings disbanded Forces, that with them he Pag. 40. might ſurprize the Convention, when all the Nation knows that when he retir'd from Edenburgh he had not above thirty or forty to attend his Perſon. Who ſaw the two thouſand? And how comes the Vindicator to ſix upon that preciſe number twice? Where were they Muſtered? And is it likely that my Lord Dundee at the Head of two thouſand well trained old Soldiers could be forced to retire from Edenburgh by all the Vagabond Ruſſians that came from the Weſt. Let the Vindicator recollect himſelf a little, and enquire where he had this information. What my Lord Dundee intended is not the Subject of our preſent enquiry, but I am very ſure that if he had had the fourth part of that number the Vindicator alledges, he could have quickly made the Convention at that time retire: and this I confidently think, though the Vindicator Confutes this probability by telling Mr. Morer Pag. 13. that the Presbyterian Confidence is built on a better foundation than ſuch as Dundee was; and here I muſt take notice of this Gentlemans Charitable Temper and Condeſcention. Mr. Morer, one of the Prebendaries of [Page] Sarum, wrote that none doubted but that if my Lord Dundee had lived he would have changed at that time the Face of Affairs in Scotland. From this the Vindicator concludes that the Epiſcopal Party in Scotland placed their Confidence in none higher than my Lord Dundee, how is it poſſible to ſhun thoſe venomous darts of ſpite and ill nature? So when ever you ſpeak to a Presbyterian I adviſe you to take good heed what you ſay, and how; if you do not ſay every thing that may be ſaid, they are ſure to conclude, that what was left unſaid was not at all believed by you: ſo when Mr. Morer writes again he muſt tell his Patron that though ſuch a change was probable according to the ſituation of Affairs at that time yet the Epiſcopal Party placed their Confidence in God. For if his words are not thus guarded the Presbyterians will immediately conclude that the Epiſcopal Party are but a pack of Atheiſts that place no Confidence in God, but lean on the Arm of Fleſh.

I return from this Digreſſion to that that I lately mention'd, viz. The Vindicators ſtory of two thouſand disbanded Soldiers, which carries with it all the marks by which a willful and deliberate lye, may be known from modeſt and ingenuous Truth, and the reaſon why I inſtance in this particular is becauſe the Vindicator was at Edenburgh, or not far from it, about that time, 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 willfully, or his Informers are Lyars, and idle talkers, or at beſt he himſelf, is guilty of ſupine negligence, in gathering true Informations. For to do him Juſtice, I promiſe to retract this publickly, if he get five or ſix men of any note even amongſt the Presbyterians in Edenburgh, who will declare it under their hands that they knew that my Lord Dundee had gathered together two thouſand Disbanded Soldiers at Edenburgh, before he retired from the Convention. And the Vindicator himſelf cannot deny but that this is an extraordinary piece of Condeſcenſion, that I ſhould leave it to be decided by the Teſtimony of Presbyterians themſelves, ſince he rejects all Epiſcopal Witneſſes.

The next thing I inſtance, as to his Candour and Integrity, is this, that in the third page of his Preface he Second Vindication. Edenb. Edit. writes, that there was Advice writen by Dr. Canaries to Mr. Lisk, to be communicated to the Epiſcopal Party, That they ſhould yield feigned Obedience to the Presbyterians at preſent, and theſe words he cauſed to be Printed in a different Character, that every one might conclude they were the words of Dr. Canaries Letter; whereas the Doctor never wrote ſuch a thing, nor any thing that can yield any ſuch Conſequence. And 'tis yet more pleaſant to read his Letter that juſtifies this diſingenuous uſage, becauſe forſooth feigned Obedience was a Scriptural Phraſe, and though the Doctor wrote no ſuch thing, yet he thinks he was allowed to Print this Relation of him, ſo as all the World might conclude theſe words were the expreſs words of Dr. Canarie's Letter, and this Lie is more unpardonable [Page] than the former, becauſe it is deliberate and unrepented off. I ſhall mention one Inſtance more of his Candour and Integrity, and it relates to Mr. Macmath, whom he injures moſt atrociouſly.

And becauſe he raiſes all his Batteries againſt Mr. Macmath, the Miniſter of Leſwade, we need no other proof of the Vindicators ingenuity, nor no other Character of his genius than to read that part of his Libel that relates to Mr. Macmath. Firſt, he charges him with Drunkenneſs, but the Vindicator knew no ſuch thing, only the barbarous Villains who wounded him upon the Road as he was Travelling from Edenburgh to his own Houſe, they would take care to tranſmit to the Vindicator ſuch ſtories as were moſt convenient for him to propagate, but Mr. Macmath was that very night, before he came from Edenburgh, in the company of two Gentlemen of Honor and Integrity, Mr. Riddel of Hayſning in the Foreſt, and Captain Straitone. and appeals to them whether they could perceive in him either the firſt beginnings, or the leaſt appearance of any exceſs or diſorder, and their Teſtimony is of greater authority than all the ſtories that the Vindicacor can patch together from ſuch Villains as made an attempt upon his life.

Next he charges him with amorous, wanton, and laſcivious behaviour, and I am glad the Vindicator mentions it, becauſe in this very ſtory we have a notorious inſtance of their Villany and Hypocriſie: there was a poor woman hired by the Presbyterians to ſay that Mr. Macmath once made Love to her, and ſhe was prevailed with by her Brother, a Presbyterian, to ſay ſo, and when ſhe was encouraged by them again to adhere to what ſhe ſaid, ſhe declined it, and told them that ſhe had ſaid enough for any thing ſhe had gotten. Her Brother, who had taught her thus to accuſe an innocent man, was ſmitten with ſuch a remorſe (when he came to conſider more narrowly what he had done) that he was in hazard to deſtroy himſelf, and actually did ſo, when he removed to the next Pariſh, by ripping up his own Belly. But it is no wonder to hear Mr. Machmath thus calumniated, when they had the impudence to accuſe Anno 38. the Venerable Old Archbiſhop Spotſwood of Inceſt with his own Niece of fourteen years old. And to make an end of what concerns Mr. Macmath, let me acquaint the Reader that ſuch as were moſt active in his Trouble and Perſecution, very ſhortly after felt the ſeverity of Gods juſt Judgment. John Clark, who beat him with the great end of his Musket, was ſuddenly bruiſed to death by the fall of a Tree in the Wood of Roſling, ſo that he never ſpoke again: and for the other Mr. Borthwite, his Conſcience did ſo check him, that he had no peace until he ended his life in a moſt lamentable Diſtraction and Madneſs. I am not ſo bold as to infer that the Perſecuting of Mr. Macmath was the only ſin that drew upon them the viſible and ſudden marks of Gods heavy diſpleaſure, but I may very ſafely ſay that the Signatures of Gods anger are frequently legible enough [Page] in the puniſhment of ſome mens ſins, and that Atheiſtical Hypocrites ſeldom eſcape his indignation even in this World.

As for the Vindicators Tattling of Mr. Finlaſone, Mr. Finlaſone himſelf denyed all when he was challenged. But, that I may no longer detain the Reader, nor yet condemn my ſelf to the drudgery of raking into that Puddle that is here heaped together againſt Mr. Macmath, let him compare the following Authentick Certificate in favours of Mr. Macmath, ſubſcribed by the Gentlemen and others of his own Pariſh, with all the little knaviſh and impudent Lyes that the Vindicator has gathered already, or may hereafter invent, and then let him Judg as his diſcretion will lead him.

Leſwade, August 10. 1689.

WE Subſcibers, Heretors, or ſuch as repreſent them, Elders, and others within this Pariſh of Leſwade, do hereby Declare and Teſtifie that Mr. John Macmath, preſent Miniſter there, has been above theſe twenty years bygone in the ſaid Miniſtry to our great ſatisfaction, and has Preached the Word of God faithfully, and performed other Duties of his Miniſterial Function diligently; his Deportment and Behaviour being ſutable to his Doctrine and Sacred Employment: wherefore we do own him as our lawful Miniſter, and are well pleaſed that he be continued in the peaceable exerciſe of his Miniſtry amongſt us, as witneſs theſe preſents ſubſcribed with our hands. Sic Subſcribitur.

Sir Will. Drummond of Hauthornden, Kt. William Drummond.

Saintclare of Roſline, Barronet. Jo. Saintclare.

Lately one of the Magiſtrates of Edenburgh. Jo. Johnſtone.

Repreſenting the Barronry of Preſtone. Ro. Preſton.

Nicolſone of Trabrowne, one of the Magiſtrates of Edenburgh, as repreſenting Leſwade Barronry. Ja. Nicolſone.

Son to the L. Preſtone. Alex. Preſtone.

Town Major of Edenburgh, living in the Pariſh of Leſwade. Major Will. Murray.

Son to the L. Preſtone. Char. Preſtone.

Son to Major Murray. Pat. Murray.

Elders

Alex Lawder.

Ja. Chiſeholme.

Will. Dobie.

Tho. Geddes.

Archibald Johnſtone.

Jo. Mulckin.

Tho. Reok.

Ad. Threplain.

Will. Ramſey.

Alex. Porteous.

William Pouerſell.

Maſters of Families.

John Reok.

Franc. Scott.

Pat Whytlaw.

Ja. Moriſone.

Jo. Mathre.

Geo. Johnſtone.

Da. Mackall.

Alex. White.

And. Summer.

[Page] Again he tells us, that it is well known that the Epiſcopal Party made all the eſſayes they were capable Pag. 12. of to carry the Elections for the Convention, when it is far better known, that in ſeveral Shires the Epiſcopal Gentry declin'd induſtriouſly their being choſen for that Convention, particularly in the Shire of Roſs where the Vindicator dare not ſay that the Presbyterians can carry the Elections. And let me but once for all tell you, that the Presbyterians had many Advantages of their Oppoſites at that time not to be named. To be ſhort, his Book is every where interſpersed with the ſilliest ſhufflings and tergiverſations: it is not enough for him to ſay that he is not acquainted with the Matter of Fact, when any thing is affirmed by his Adverſary, that he is a ſtranger to, but inſtead of this; he preſently flies in his Face and gives him the Lie. I'll give you one Inſtance of this rudeneſs, Mr. Morer wrote to his Patron, that there were ſome that Sate in the late Convention, who were not infeft in their Eſtates, and conſequently were excluded by the Fundamental Laws of the Nation. This the Vindicator denies, and tells us, his denial is a ſufficient anſwer, and all this becauſe Mr. Morer did not name the Members of the Convention that were not infeft in their Pag. 12. Eſtates. Had it not been an extraordinary indiſcretion to have named particular Gentlemen, and to publiſh what might be ſo prejudicial to their Intereſt amongſt their Creditors and Acquaintances. And if the Vindicator will generouſly conceal their names, he ſhall know them too when he pleaſes; and when he thus contends for the honor of that Convention, he in the next Line blunders moſt unhappily, and tells the World in Print that ſome Sate in that Convention who were forfeit for High Treaſon by all the ſolemnities and forms of Law, and that before the Sentence was Repealed by any Judicatory: and therefore I adviſe the Vindicator not to bind up the Sovereign Powers of the Earth to little Punctilio's and Forms of Law, but let him be a little more kind to Arbitrary Power, and the extraordinary Exigences of State. And ſince he thinks it very juſt that the Convention ſhould allow ſuch a procedure againſt all the Forms of Law; why may not he allow the King and Council to put the very Laws in Execution againſt Phanaticks, when the eſſentials of Government are endangered by their Conſpiracies and Inſurrections. There are frequent Inſtances of his Diſingenuity and ſhifting, which no body expects ſhould be particularly refuted: becauſe they engage ones enquiries into all thoſe Pamphlets he pretends to refute; and becauſe the Book would ſwell to a prodigious Bulk, and the Publick is not at all concerned to know the Circumſtances of every particular Miniſters Sufferings in the Weſt of Scotland.

I could in the next place inform you of his Inconſiſtencies. He treats his Adverſaries as Brethren, yet in Pag. 10. Paragraph 6. his Preface he inſinuates that ſuch Diſputes with the [Page] Epiſcopal Party are but the ſtrugglings and oppoſitions between the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Ibidem. Serpent; and that there are but few Matters of Fact that he pretends to any knowledge of himſelf. Yet in the next Line almoſt, he tells us that he doth not build on hear-ſay or common Talk; and yet the materials of his Book are but the Teſtimonies of many who were Actors or Abettors of the Weſtern Villanies: and if he did not build on hear-ſay, how came he to Print that Mr. George Henry, Miniſter at Carſtarphin, meddled with a Brewery, which is notoriouſly falſe? And though this be a trifling ſtory, yet is it an undeniable Evidence that the Vindicator was heedleſs and inconſiderate in gathering true Materials.

Again, The Vindicator tells us that they do not think K. William an Idolater though he Communicate with Pag. 115. the Church of England, yet when ſome of his Party mounts the Desk and declaims their Maccaronicks, they poſitively conclude that the Church of England is idolatrous. Again, he does not allow that the Clergy who Addreſs'd the Commiſſion of the General Aſſembly had any meaſure of wit, yet their Contrivances were founded on deep Conſults. But let me tell the Vindicator, that no man, or Society of men, has the Monopoly of Prudence, the moſt cautious ſteps may be ſometimes fruſtrated and the wiſeſt men may ſometimes widely miſtake their meaſure: and the Hearts of all Men, as well as the Hearts of Kings and Princes, are in the hands 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 Addreſs blew up their pretended Aſſembly: and let me tell him more, yet (tho I pretend to no acquaintance in Political things) that it is very probable that thoſe very Laws by which the Ringleaders of Presbytery thought to ſecure their Tyranny for ever, will occaſion its fall and ruin, though they endeavour to ſupport it by the Pens and Lungs of all its Aſſociates.

I could name many other Inconſiſtencies, I have no room for them: every other Line is ſtuffed with ſuch mean and ſcurrilous Railings that it is nauſeous to repeat them; yet I cannot but take notice of his Vanity. He treats his Adverſaries with ſcorn and contempt. The Author of the Hiſtory of the General Aſſembly he treats as a Scioliſt, and as a Momus, and he is enraged that he ſhould preſume Pag. 183. and Pag. 169. to write that one of the Presbyterian Doctors could not ſpeak Latine. Such an Affront was not to Mr. Gilbert Rule. be endured by a man that had ſignalized himſelf ſo much in Controverſial Feats, and therefore I adviſe you when you meddle with the Presbyterions, to make your Approaches with all poſſible Caution and Reverence. A Presbyterian had rather be accuſed of Adultery, Sodomy, or Inceſt, than to be thought Ignorant, and this is the reaſon why the Author of that Hiſtory [Page] is laſh'd with all the ſeverities of Satyr, and the Vindicator would have forgiven him any thing rather than the leaſt Inſinuation of being ignorant. Alas! this was not to be be endured that one of their Leaders, and who had made a remarkable Figure, ſhould be thus run down and expoſed to laughter. For though the Presbyterians look very demure and grave, you miſtake them, if you think them Stoicks: If you venture to ſay any thing that may rob them of that pleaſant Imagination of their own Grandeur, that lovely idea that they have of themſelves, and their extraordinary performances.

But I muſt tell you what occaſioned his heavy diſpleasure againſt the Author of the Hiſtory of the General Aſſembly, That Author gives one Inſtance why he thought Mr. Gilbert Rule did not underſtand throughly the things that he wrote of, becauſe when he Cites the Epiſtle of St. Jerom to Evagrius, and from thence Cites the Sentence you ſee in the Margine Sancti Hieron. Epiſt. ad Evagr. Quid facit Epiſcopus quod non facit Presbyter excepta ordinatione. he muſt needs force the word ordinatio in that Epiſtle to ſignifie the Ordering of the Meetings. This Expoſition the Author of that Hiſtory (ſuch an Infidel he is) thinks a little Paradoxical, if not downright Ignorance; becauſe no Eccleſiaſtical Writer in that, or any former Age underſtood any ſuch thing by that word ſo placed, as it is in that Epiſtle; beſides there's no mention of any meeting near that word, that determin it to that ſignification. And ſince this Expoſition was ſo very odd, the Author of that Hiſtory did treat it and the Inventer of it very familiarly. Beſides, others do think that it this Expoſition be received, it will oblige us to underſtand St. Jerom, in many places, in a Senſe contrary to the Opinion of all former Ages.

Thus I find St. Jerom informs us that ſuch and ſuch a man was Ordinatus ab Apoſtolis Epiſcopus of Catalogus Scriptorum Eccleſiaſticorum. ſuch a place, therefore the meaning muſt be that ſuch a man was appointed to meet the Apoſtle at ſuch a place. However the Vindicator treats him as a Scioliſt, a Momus, a poor ſequacious Animal, that follows ſuch as went before him. But if he had been acquainted with the penetrating Genius of Mr. Rule and others, he had no doubt underſtood the Fathers better. It is very difficult to gueſs what to impute this extravagant Fancy to, he thought it dangerous to allow that Ordinatio did ſignifie the Impoſition of Hands, at leaſt he wiſhed ſuch a power might not be granted to a Biſhop, and therefore he will have Ordinatio in that Epiſtle of St. Jerom to Evagrius, to ſignifie the ordering of ſomething, though that thing be not named in St. Jreom; and if it ſignifies the ordering of ſomething (as the Vindicator profoundly Reaſons,) why not the ordering of a Meeting? And if it was the ordering of a Meeting? Why not the ordering of an Eccleſiaſtical Meeting? Yet all this time it is not determined whether this ordering of the Meeting be an Authoritative [Page] appointing of the time when they ſhould meet, and what they ſhould treat of, or only preſiding as Moderator amongſt them, when the Collective body themſelves appointed the meeting. Becauſe, I ſay, this is left uncertain; perhaps the Vindicator will judge it moſt convenient to adhere to the laſt. If he had ſaid, that Ordinatio ſignified the ordering of a Dromedary it had been more to his purpoſe, for certainly the ordering of ſuch an Animal made not ſo great a diſtinction between a Biſhop and Presbyter as the ordering of Eccleſiaſtical Meetings.

How contrary ſuch a fancy is to the received expoſition of that word, will beſt appear when we conſider other places in the works of S. Jerom, where the word Ordinare is made uſe of, and let us ſuppoſe that the word muſt be interpreted according to the new Critick. Thus we find St. Jerom, Comment. 1. Epiſt. ad Timothe. Cap. 3. ab initio Primum laicos inſtituit de quibus optimi quique in facordotium eliguntur & ſic dicit quales debeant ordinari. Then the meaning muſt be according to this late diſcovery, that the Apoſtle declared ſuch as were fit to be appointed to meet. Again, S. Jerom in his Comment on the Epiſt. to Titus in thoſe words: For this cauſe left I thee in Crete that thou mighteſt ordain, He hath theſe words, Quae deſunt recto tenore corrige & tunc demum presbyteros poteris ordinare, cum omnes in Eccleſia fuerint recti, when all have been blameleſs in the Church, then thou mayſt appoint Presbyters to meet. And again, in his Catalogue Scriptorum Eccleſiaſticorum, ſpeaking of S. James the Brother of our Lord, Jacobus qui appellatur frater Domini cognomento juſtus—Poſt Paſſionem Domini ſtatim ab Apoſtolis Hieroſolymorum Epiſcopus ordinatus, the meaning muſt be, that he was appointed by the Apoſtles to meet at Jeruſalem. And in the ſame Book it is ſaid again, Timotheus autem Epheſiorum Epiſcopus ordinatus a Beato Paulo, that is to ſay, Timothy the Biſhop was appointed by S. Paul to meet at Epheſus. Again, Polycarpus Joannis Apoſtoli diſcipulus & ab eo Smyrnae Epiſcopus ordinatus, totius Aſiae princeps fuit. I need add no more teſtimonies to make this Critical obſervation more ridiculous, and I defic all that ever looked into the Presbyterian Books to find any thing ſo palpably ignorant and fooliſh, as this expoſition of that paſſage in S. Hierom, except it be the Vindicators Notion of decretum praedamnatum, which I ſhall examine before I end this Letter, and yet I do not remember that ever I read any Man more proud and ſupercilious; but Ignorance and Pride go ordinarily together. I ſhall not contend with him about this nonſenſical Whimſey, I wiſh with all my heart he had writ a Book in Quarto of ſuch Expoſitions of the moſt difficult places in the Fathers▪ and I dare aſſure him ſuch Books would be read by the Youth in the Univerſities with far greater Delight than his Vindication of the Kirk of Scotland. And [Page] I have a far greater Opinion of the knowledge of moſt of his Brethren, than to think that there are two of them in the Nation (except it be Mr. Ruſſel and Mr. Gourlay) that can agree with him in this Expoſition; the reaſon why I mention it here is not to diſpute with him any farther concerning it, but to give you an Inſtance of his inſufferable Pride and Vanity that he reſents the leaſt Contradiction to his Nonſence with ſo much bitterneſs and indignation Nulli patentius reprehenduntur, quam qui maxime laudari merentur. Plin. Ep. 20. lib. 7..

Another Inſtance to the ſame purpoſe we have again p. 183. The Author of the Hiſtory of the General Pag. 183. Aſſembly ſaid, That ſuch as were thruſt into Univerſities and Colleges by the Presbyterian Faction were ſhort of their Predeceſſors. This nettles the Vindicator, who, (if his Tacit. Convitia ſpreta exoleſcunt, ſi iraſcare agnita videntur. ſufficiencies be ſuch as he fancies) ſhould have ſlighted it. And therefore he compares the men of his way with their Predeceſſors, (I ſuppoſe he muſt mean ſuch as are lately promoted into the Seminaries of Learning) if the Vindicator means Mr. Rules Predeceſſors in the College of Edenburgh that are already dead, He is extravagantly impertinent; If he mean the Masters lately ejected, I aſſure him, they never compared themſelves nor their Sufficiencies with any dead nor alive; the more any man knows the leſs he thinks of it; and though Knowledge in it ſelf be very valuable, yet ſuch Thraſonical Boaſtings of it are very oppoſite to the nature of it. It may be the Vindicator thinks that the ejected Maſters wrote ſo advantageouſly of themſelves: but if that be his miſtake, I dare aſſure him they had no hand in any Hiſtory of the Aſſembly, or of any affairs relating As to the Characters given to ſome of them, neither they nor the Author of that Hiſtory was to be blamed for it. to it. And if ſuch as love theſe Maſters ſpeak kindly of them, when they are expelled by a prevailing Faction, he need not take it ill, far leſs is there any neceſſity to run them down with ſuch loud and ſaucy Compariſons Tullius Orat. in Caecil. Nam cum omnis arrogantia odioſa eſt, tum illa Ingenii atque eloquentiae multo moleſtiſſima.. He inſtances in four particulars, wherein he thinks the preſent Maſters may compare with their Predeceſſors, viz. The Knowledge of Books, uſeful Learning, Prudence to direct the Studies of the Youth, Grammar, and the knowledge of the learned Languages Nam levia ingenia quia nihil a-h bent nihil ſibi detrabunt, magno ingenio multa (que) nihilominus habituro convenit etiam ſimplex veri erroris confeſſio. Celſus de Medic. lib. 8.. If it be ſo, it is ſtill ſo much the better, but it is very difficult [Page] for any man that was intirely a ſtranger to his Predeceſſors, to know what Books they recommended or were themſelves acquainted with. But the Author mentioning caſually Mr. Gilbert Rule's want of Latin, brought the Vindicator into this lofty ſtrain of Compariſons, no doubt it was to let the World ſee how well he underſtood the Roman Authors, that he cites Plutarch and Simonides in Latin, but a little Latin may go very far if it be dexterouſly managed, and it may be worth his while to conſider the direction Buchan. Franciſe.

Novi ego qui tantum tor quinq latina teneret

Verba, ſed ingenii ſic dexteritate valebat,

Ut quocunque loco, de re quacunque parata,

Semper & ad nutum poſita in ſtatione teneret.

Buchanan gave the Franciſcans. But if he would be entreated to put on a more chearful 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 reaſon cloſely and yet not ſpeak the Latin readily; ſo that there is no neceſſity to appear buffy and out of humour, tho it were ſaid that he did not ſpeak Latin purely and fluently, that accompliſhment depends upon long practice and upon all Revolutions (and ſometimes without them) the publick Schools have their Factions, and ſome are ready to cenſure what is not juſtly cenſureable, and this might occaſion the Boys to be a little more ſevere than perhaps was allowable, when this Rabbi ſpoke ſomething inſtead of Latin that was neither Latin nor Scotch.

But I muſt tell him withal what I heard from eye and ear Witneſſes in (and this I have more credible Atteſtations than any of the Teſtimonies the Vindicator brings to diſparage the Clergy) That the ſaid Mr. Rule did publickly in his Prelections in plenis Academiae comiti is, ſay, That one that did ſo and ſo, as the Church of England did, was guiltus Idolatriae; nor have I this from the younger Boys of that Houſe, but from ſuch as need not be named and cannot reaſonably be ſuſpected of lying. And I muſt tell Mr. Rule, tho ſuch an unhappy Trip would vilifie him amongſt the Students, yet it never leſſens him in my Opinion, becauſe ones Imagination may be ſo fix'd upon the thing, that he forgets what Language he ought to ſpeak. But I will tell you of another thing that I think was yet worſe.

At a publick Commencement, apprehending that a Gentleman who was diſputing againſt the Praeſes did bear too hard upon him; He got up very gravely, and ſpoke to the Praeſes thus, Domine Praeſes, require illum ut proponat Argumentum categorice. It is true, that require illum is Latin; for (if I remember right) it may be met with in Eunuch. Terent. But in a ſenſe vaſtly different from what was intended by Mr. Rule. For the ſenſe intended by Mr. Rule no doubt, was that the Praeſes would oblige the Opponent to be more methodical. and if that be the meaning, it could not be more unhappily expreſt, [Page] for requirere aliquem in true Latin ſignifies to ſearch for one again and again, to ſee where he may be found. I ſhall give you one Inſtance more, It is this, Mr. Rule finding Mr. Magnus Prince. that one of the Students in a Harrangue, advanced ſome things that were unagreeable to him, and favourable to ſome of the Maſters that were lately ejected, He got up and offered to ſilence the Youth, and ſaid, That ille diolamat contra ſtarum Regni, He meant no doubt the late Convontion and Parliament, and any thing againſt them in the old Latin was contra Ordines Regni, how this ought to be expreſs'd after the Reformation I know not. I can make no Apology for keeping you ſo long to ſuch Importinencies, but who can help it: Why ſhall men give themſelves the trouble to anſwer Books ſo accurately as the Vindicator pretends to do, that there muſt not be a Cobweb in all their foldings unſwept. This put the Vindicator upon many impertinent Eſſays, and if I had time to inſiſt upon them I could furniſh you with very pleaſant Inſtances out of his Anſwers to Mr. Morer's Letter. But the Vindicator muſt refute accurately; and this obliges him to condeſcenſions below Gravity and Manhood. Every where we have viſible marks of the Vindicators Genius, every where he ſtoops ſo low when he has nothing to pick up but ſtraws and broken Pins, the Spirit of Contradiction eats out the vitals of his Soul, and ever and anon puts him upon ſilly and extravagant importinencies: For to nothing elſe can it be imputed than to his impardonable vanity—his wiſhing this Scioliſt or ſome other would attempt the refuting his Books.

I muſt confeſs, I read his Vindications and his pretended Anſwer to the Ironicum, and if he be not improved ſince he wrote thoſe Tracts, he deſerves no particular Anſwer, for his Explication of S. Jerom's Epiſtle, and his Decretum praedamnatum (of which hereafter) are Indications of his groundleſs and illiterate Fopperies: if he had defended himſelf by the common Pleas of learned Presbyterians, he ought to be treated with Civility and Diſcretion; but when he preſumes to dictate either blaſphemous Nonſence, (ſuch as his decretum praedamnatum) or viſionary and childiſh Romances (ſuch as his fancy of the meaning of Ordinatio in S. Jerom's Epiſtle) he ſhould in this caſe be treated according to his Character, for it is not poſſible that ſo much ignorance could dwell but in the company of ſo much Pride, and therefore I appeal to all the Scots Presbyterians, if ever they yet diſcovered any ſuch monſtrous Nonſence written or ſaid by any man that pretended to have read but one Syſtem in his lifetime, and yet this Mormo of a Scholar muſt forſooth ſtrat with ſo much inſolence and vanity, as if he were teaching ſome Americans, who were never acquainted with the civilized part of Mankind. There have been many attempts uſed by different Parties to expoſe [Page] one another for their Ignorance and Immoralities, but I defie all men to name one Inſtance of greater Ignorance, either before or after the Reformation than this one Notion of his Decretum praedamnatum, and yet forſooth he muſt pretend to explain and defend the Calvinian Syſtem, and takes occaſion by an innocent Sentence or two, to thruſt himſelf into this Scuffle without conſidering whether he underſtood the Controverſie or not, but I leave him to the Chaſtiſement of others.

Good Nature and Chriſtian Modeſty teach us to hide and extenuate the weakneſſes of others; but when thoſe very men pretend to give Rules to all mankind, they ought to be put in mind that it is not yet time for them to appear ſo arrogant and preſumptuous. Affectation is the meaneſt Vice, and an intollerable piece of Hypocriſie; we are not ſo ugly by our natural defects, as by the Accompliſhments that we counterfeit, and this is the Hereditary uncurable Diſeaſe of our Pedling little Reformers. They cannot indure to follow the common Sentiments of Mankind, they are all for heights, and ſingularities. He that walks not in the common Road, where the way is ſafe, muſt be ſilly, and bypocondriack, or proud, and deſigning; and therefore the Spirit of Chriſtianity teaches us to believe and practice the indiſputable Truths of our Religion, more than the peculiar Opinions of broken Schiſmaticks, and leſſer Fraternities. Sometimes I have had ſome kind Thoughts towards the Quakers; but when I conſidered that they needleſly forſake the innocent Cuſtoms of Mankind, the Univerſally acknowledged Rules of Decency, and the Univerſal Tradition of the Church, I muſt think that they are led by a Spirit of Deluſion and Pride. Nothing recommends us to God more than true Humility, and it is an undeniable proof of Integrity and Self denial to comply with the innocent Cuſtoms of the World, and therefore our Saviour left us an Example, by which we may in the midſt of all tentations live in the World, and yet continue unſpotted by its infection. I have digreſſed two far, not from what I deſigned, but from the Vindicators account of things.

I am afraid I may get upon the Finger-ends, becauſe I did not name my Witneſſes for the Latin Eleganeies that I lately mentioned; but if he waites to the Bookſeller whoſe name is prefixt, he ſhall know as many Witneſſes as are neceſſary, and forty more ſuch Barbariſms.

To end, and to complete this Character of the Vindicator, I might mention his apparent Shufflings and Tergiverſations, for when the Outrages done to the Clergy are open and notorious, then he extenuates it as no great Injury, when ſome of them were beat upon the Head, and Legs, and others of them made to go through deep waters in the midſt of Winter.

But among all the Flights of his Invention there is none more remarkable than this unwary conceſſion, that Eccleſiaſtical Page 164. Judicatories that enquire into Scandals are not obliged to follow the Forms of other Courts. I thought that the Forms of Civil [Page] Courts were wiſely appointed partly to prevent our being ſurprized, partly to hinder (as far as humane Prudence could prevent) all Forgeries, and Combinations, againſt the innocent, and that the Forms were but the external Fences, that the Law invented to guard Juſtice and Equity. But this Author tells us that its doubted (no doubt amongſt Learned Men) whether the Eccleſiaſtical Court be obliged to follow ſuch Forms. It is very odd that the Laity among the Scots Presbyterians, who pretend to be at the greateſt Remove from Popery, ſhall thus calmly ſtoop to the moſt intollerable ſlavery of the Inquiſition.

Next to this Conceſſion is his fair Advertiſement to the Church of England, that indeed the Covenanters do not think themſelves obliged to reform the Church of Pag. England, unleſs they are called to it; but if the Godly in England call them, then all their Ammunition muſt be employed to ſerve their dear Brethren in England.

Next to this, let me inſtance his ſhameful Shuffling about the Toleration lately granted to Presbyterians in Scotland, he tells us, that they expreſſed as much as Pag. 5. they were capable their diſlike of the Toleration given to the Papiſts for their Heroſies and Idolatry, yet their Agents, then at Court, wrote Books (ſuch as they were) Mr. J. S. pleading that the Penal Laws ought to be Repealed; but withal the Vindicator adds that they do not grudge Pag. 6. Liberty to any others who can ſhew as good a Warrant for their way of Worſhip 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; becauſe their way is different from all others; and therefore at bottom they are againſt Toleration as the moſt miſchievous thing in the World: and in the time of the late Troubles they exclaimed againſt it, as a thing worſe than the Calves of Dan and Bethel. Now you have no other Character of the Vindicator from me, than what I have extracted from his Book, nor do I conclude him to be habitually guilty of ſuch ſhuffling and diſingenuity; but ſingle Acts may grow into rooted Habits. He is ſo deeply tinctur'd with the fulleneſs of his Faction; that he'll rather queſtion whether the Body of the Sun is luminous, than admit the leaſt ſcruple concerning the Divine Right of Presbytery.

The next thing I promiſed to Diſcourſe of, was his Theological Reaſonings that occaſionally falls under his Conſideration, when he pleads the Innocence of the Presbyterians.

It is true, the Vindicator does not deſignedly inſiſt on thoſe Theological heads that I am ſhortly to ſpeak of, but incidentally they fall in his way; but he Pag. cannot forbear his venomous Squibs, when he mentions the practice of the Catholic Church, that moſtly expoſe their Novelty and Enthuſiaſm. The [Page] firſt I take notice of is his Cenſure of the Catholick Obſervation of Chriſtmas; The Author of the ſecond Letter did very iudiciouſly obſerve how diametrically oppoſite the Pag. 25. weſtern Phanaticks are to the ſpirit and practice of the Catholick Church, That they ſhould begin their Barbarities againſt the Clergy upon that very day upon which the Church did celebrate the Nativity of our bleſſed Saviour; and which the Angelical Hoſts of Heaven did magnifie with triumphant Songs; the Vindicator cannot let this Obſervation Pag. 25. paſs without his Theological Animadverſions. And he tells us in the firſt place, that the Author of that Letter valu'd himſelf upon this fine Notion, certainly the Author could not value himſelf upon this Notion, but he had great reaſon to value the univerſal practice of the Chriſtian Church from the firſt plantations of Chriſtianity. Next the Vindicator tells us, that it is ridiculous to aſſert that that day was celebrated by the Court of Heaven. What? ſays he, Did the Court of Heaven keep the Anniverſary day? This is profoundly wiſe. There is no ſtanding before the wit and ſmartneſs of ſuch Repartees. What, did not the Court of Heaven celebrate the birth of our bleſſed Saviour? And was not the Anniverſary Solemnity of this Feſtival a juſt imitation of what the Court of Heaven did? But he asks if the Court of Heaven did keep an Anniverſary? For the great Danger is in that word Anniverſary. But might not the Chriſtian Church take care that this glorious Myſtery ſhould never be forgotten? And was it not reaſonable that our Poſterity ſhould remember it, as well as they to whom it was firſt reveal'd? and could the Chriſtian Church take more effectual methods to preſerve the memory of it than by appointing this Anniverſary Feſtival? He grants that the Inſtitution is very ancient, but that the Church did keep it in all Ages is ſaid without book; If he means that there are no Presbyterian Books that give Evidence for this Feſtival, we grant it; but if he mean that the Church did not obſerve it from the very days of the Apoſtles, we deſire to know when it began? and in what Period of the Church it was not obſerved? and then we may ſee more clearly into the Origine of this Feſtival: And tho it had not been from the beginning the Chriſtian Church may continue the practice of it upon the beſt reaſons. He asks again, If our Saviour was born upon the 25th day of December, but this is childiſh and impertinent, when the Church did order the Commemoration of that Myſtery on the 25. of December, ſhe did not decide that Chronological Nicety, whether our Saviour was born on the 25. of December, nor was it needful to encreaſe the Devotions of the Church, that they ſhould be performed with regard to one day more than to another, as if they depended upon ſuch a Critical Minute of [Page] time, I hope the Vindicator knows that the 25. of December in France is not the 25. of December in Britain; and yet the Chriſtians of either communion celebrate the Nativity of our bleſſed Saviour with regard to the Calculations of the Country in which they live, nay, he may know that there are Confiderable Objections againſt the common Aera of the Chriſtians. But the Vindicator Vid. Mr. Medes Diſcourſe of Chriſtmas. thinks that ſuch an Anniverſary day is not to be kept by Gods Appointment. But hath not God appointed us to obey the Apoſtles and their Succeſſors our lawful Eccleſiaſtical Rulers to the end of the World: And may not they regulate the publick Solemnities and returns of Gods Worſhip? Is there any thing in this Regulation but what hath a natural tendency to preſerve and propagate the great truths of the New Teſtament? With what impudence then dare we refuſe obedience to the univerſal Church, when her Conſtitutions are ſo juſt, ſo wiſe and ſo agreeable to the whole tenor of the Goſpel? If all the Eccleſiaſtical Conſtitutions from the days of the Apoſtles had been written in the Bible, could one read it in a thouſand years? There was a plain neceſſity in that caſe to have continued the immediate inſpiration in the Church until the conſummation of all things. Upon this their Hypotheſis Reaſon becomes uſeleſs to order the publick Solemnities of the Church, the Chriſtian Faith being once revealed, they needed not the aſſiſtance of a new Revelation to order its publick Solemnities; For when the feſtivities and Faſts of the Church were only converſant about the Articles of Faith already reveal'd, it is ſuppoſed that common ſenſe and diſcretion muſt cloath the great Myſteries of our Religion, with ſuch vehicles of time, place, and publick Solemnity, as beſt preſerve their reverence, and tranſmit them to Poſterity. But this is an unfortunate miſtake, an original Blunder of the whole Party; and as long as they keep to this Maxim they muſt neceſſarily continue ſtubborn and ungovernable, and proof againſt the wiſeſt Conſtitutions of the Chriſtian Church: for they muſt have Scripture for ſuch things as could not be contain'd in the Scripture; but he fortifies this with a Latin Sentence, as if Nonſence could change its Nature Quia ſcriptum non legimus ideo juſſum non credimus. by being put into Latin. For the Queſtion is not of Articles of Faith, but concerning the Conſtitutions of the univerſal Church. But perhaps the Vindicator might yield to the Obſervations of Chriſtmas, if the Obſervation of it were not anniverſary. There is ſome hidden dangerous Plot in that word Anniverſary, as if our Poſterity were not to be educated in that Faith which we believe. And ſo Enthuſiaſtick our Presbyterians are become, that they broach Principles unknown to all the ſubdiviſions of Diſſenters in England; and tho more knowing and intelligent among [Page] them never ſcruple the obſervation of an Anniverſary day, ſince they yearly commemorate the dreadful Fire of London, by Faſting and Prayers.

From all this I conclude, That it is very dangerous, if not impious, to ſeparate from the Church in thoſe excellent Conſtitutions that have been received from the beginning, and in all Countries where the name of Jeſus hath been worſhipped, ſuch Conſtitutions and Solemnities have been derived from the Apoſtles or Apoſtolick times.

When the World was enlightened by the knowledge of the Son of God, he did not extinguiſh the light of Reaſon, but he ſuppoſes it, and reaſons from it, and ſtrengthens it, and there is nothing more ſtrongly enclined towards God, and the Communications of his Spirit, than true and unbiaſſed Reaſon. Therefore ſuch Conſtitutions [as the reaſon of all Mankind is agreed in) have nothing in them contrary to the purity of our Religion.

If Anniverſary days and Feſtivals have been profaned among the Pagans to the worſhip of Idols, why A ſhort digreſſion. may they not be ſanctified by the true Object of Worſhip, and the honour of Jeſus Chriſt? Publick Solemnities have nothing in their own nature that is reproveable no more than the motion of the Sun, or the viciſſitude of Seaſons, if any part of our time be abuſed to exceſs or riot, or the worſhip of an Idol, we are liable to the Juſtice of God.

But when we return from Idols to the true God, when we change our exceſs into faſting, and prayer, and when the whole Scene is become pure, what is there in all this that can be blamed? Do not we ſee all Nations agree in this, that publick Solemnities, and anniverſary Feſtivals, and Faſts are neceſſary to the being and beauty of Religion, even thoſe Nations that are at the greateſt diſtance from our Cuſtoms, our Language, our Laws, and way of living, upon the Converſion of Nations to the Chriſtian Religion; ſome of the places where they worſhipped their Idols have been dedicated to the true God; and was it not a happy Victory over the Kingdom of Darkneſs when the publick Solemnities of Idolatry, times and places, have changed their Objects, their Exerciſes, and their End.

It is true, the great Anniverſaries of the Jewiſh Religion were appointed immediately by divine Authority. But had not they other Anniverſaries not immediately appointed by God, and do you read that ever the Prophets did reprove the Jews for ſuch Anniverſaries. They did indeed reprove their negligence and indevotion in them, but the thing it ſelf was acknowledged reaſonable and prudent, and a very powerful inſtrument of true Religion when managed with Contrition, true Simplicity and Piety. Zach. Did ye at all faſt unto me ſaith the Lord. The Faſts mentioned here are of humane appointment, and yet anniverſary.

[Page] Our Saviour was preſent at the Feaſt of the Dedication, for which there was not any immediate Divine Inſtitution; and though he had not been preſent, if it had been ſuperſtitious he had certainly reproved it, and given directions againſt ſuch uſages in the general. To ſhake off all the externals of Religion, is as dangerous as the multiplying of them, the one is the Error of the Romaniſts, and the other the ſuperſtition of the Diſſenters. It is certain that nothing preſerves Knowledge of Chriſtian Religion amongſt the Body of the People more than the Feſtivals of the Church; for it is not left to the Arbitrary or Extemporary Fits of Devotion, but the Church by her excellent Diſcipline orders the matter ſo, that it is not poſſible to forget the Faith unto which we have been once Baptized: but amongſt the Preſbyterians in Scotland, the People are taught by their Leaders to deſpiſe all Forms, ſuch great ſouls ought not to be fettered to the Rules and Methods of the Univerſal Church, and therefore it is very rare to find a Child in the Weſt of Scotland, that can repeat the Commandments or the Creed (I mean the Children of Presbyterian Parents) and by ſuch Enthuſiaſtick pretences, Atheiſm is inſenſibly promoted, and the Body of the People alienated from the ſimplicity of Chriſtian Religion, and ſcarcely will they allow any man to be acquainted with true Religion that mentions thoſe firſt Principles of it. It is not poſſible to tell how much their oppoſition to Forms and Feſtivals of the Church has infatuated their People, there is nothing can make a Clown in the Weſt of Scotland laugh ſo heartily, as when the Curate recommends to their Children the Creed, the Lords Prayer, and Ten Commandments; and therefore they have no opinion of any Mans underſtanding, unleſs he entertain them with Diſcourſes of Gods unſearchable decrees, of Juſtification before Converſion, and how the Convictions of natural Conſcience may be diſtnguiſhed from the Convictions that proceed from the Spirt of God: to obſerve the Feſtivals of the Church is but a piece of antiquated Superſtition. But we ought to remember that the ſtated Feſtivals and Faſts of the Church do preſerve, and increaſe true Devotion and Mortification. Faſting is acknowledged a neceſſary Inſtrument of Religion by all Nations who profeſs any Religion at all. It is not enjoyned, but ſupoſed by our Saviour: why may not then the Church regulate and direct the Publick Solemnities of Faſting, as well as of Prayer. There is nothing ſo proper to fix our attention as Faſting, it delivers the Soul from the oppreſſions of the Body, and reſtores it to its true and native Sovereignty over our Luſts and Paſſions. The ſtated Periods of Faſting oblige the moſt ſtubborn and impenitent to think of his Soul, and the viſible Practice of the Church Preach Repentance more effectually, and make more laſting Impreſſions than the looſe and indefinite Homilies of ſelf-conceited men.

The External Solemnities of Religion may be abuſed (as the moſt excellent things are) when they are left to the Conduct of humane weakneſs; [Page] but it is not poſſible to preſerve Religion among the Body of Mankind, without thoſe Vehicles of Form Vid. Dr. Gunning of the Lent-Faſt. and Order. Nothing hinders the Reformation of the Grecian Churches, from the variety of their Errors and Superſtitions, ſo much as the open neglect of Faſting We may ſeek for reſt in new ways, but we ſhall never find it but in the old. among the Proteſtants, and this Practice is not to be defended, but rather lamented and amended. What a Cruelty is it in all the Sectaries to deprive the People of the Publick helps of Prayer and Faſting? Who can juſtifie this, that conſiders the many Incumbrances, Tentations, Weakneſſes, that we daily encounter? They that ſet up Methods of their own, in oppoſition to the Wiſdom of the Church, in all Ages may amuſe the People for a while, but can produce nothing that is ſolid or uſeful. It is certain that the Grecian Churches had, long ere now, made an utter Apoſtacy from the Chriſtian Religion, if the ancient and fix'd Diſcipline of the Church did not retain them in the Faith, and when we conſider how much the Religion that we are Baptized into, triumphs over Senſualities and Concupiſcence, we cannot but acknowledge the Wiſdom and Beauty of the ancient Diſcipline. The moſt uſeful things in Art or Nature, may be ſadly abuſed by Folly or Ignorance. We are not to ſeparate from the Roman Church, further than they have ſeparated from the Wiſe and Primitive Conſtitution of the firſt Ages of Chriſtianity; and all the Proteſtants abroad ſeem to agree in this Truth, for they Preach and Pray Publickly upon the great Faſts and Feſtivals of the Church. The publick Seaſons of Devotion are the Catechiſm of the People. It is true, when there is no day fixt for the Uniform Celebration of ſuch a Myſtery it may be remembred by ſome; but it is not credible that all the People will remember it; but when the day is fixt we cannot forget it, and from our Infancy we are eaſily trained in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord, and in the ſimplicity of Chriſtian Religion, free from Jewiſh Superſtition (touch not, taſte not, handle not, with which all our Sectaries are unhappily Leavened) as well as from giddineſs and Enthuſiaſm. Colloſſ.

The next thing that I mention, is his Accuſation againſt the Epiſcopal Church, that they were guilty of Schiſm: For, He tells us that he knows no Schiſm, but ſuch as was cauſed by his Oppoſites, and this is pleaſant enough. There is a Pag. Company of men lately ſtarted up in the Chriſtian Church, and if the Univerſal Church does not immediatly ſtrike Sail to their Novelties, all muſt be concluded Schiſmaticks. By our Baptiſmal Vowes we are obliged to preſerve the Unity of the Catholick Church, we are Members of that viſible Body, that worſhip the true God through Jeſus Chriſt, and conſequently we are obliged to worſhip God in Unity and in Society, nor can we ſeparate from any ſound part of the Catholick Church, that does not [Page] require unlawful Conditions of Communion, and ſuch as are forbidden by that God whom we Worſhip. Upon this Hypotheſis, I think it impoſſible for the Presbyterians of Scotland to defend themſelves againſt the Charge of Schiſm in its moſt rigorous and formal Notion.

Firſt, Becauſe they ſeparate from all Churches Ancient and Modern, there is not now a Church upon Earth with whom they think they may Communicate without fear of being polluted. The Proteſtants of France obſerve the Feſtivals of the Church, as alſo the Proteſtants of Geneve and Swiſſerland, and the Calviniſts in Germany do the ſame. As for the Lutherans of Germany, Denmark, and Sweedland, we dare not ſo much as once name them, they have all of them Liturgies and Feſtivals, and Organs, and Divine Hymns, diſtinct from the Pſalms of David. As for the Socinians of Poland, though they agree in ſome things with them; yet they would no doubt refuſe their Communion. They muſt refuſe, upon their Principles, the Communion of the Grecian Church, and all the Subdiviſions of it: and they cannot joyn with the Papiſts, nor yet with the Church of England. And their Conſciences could not endure to Communicate with the Epiſcopal Church of Scotland, that was againſt their Covenants, and their Obligations, as if a man could diſingage himſelf from what he is obliged to, by the Common Ties of Chriſtianity, and the Vows of Baptiſm, by any Bond or poſterior Obligation of his own.

But if there be no viſible Church with which they can Communicate, they are certainly cut off from the viſible Communion of Saints over the Habitable World; and this Phariſaical ſingularity is ſo much the more hateful, that it is abhorred by all Proteſtant Churches, and if the Vindicator will Read Durellus only, he will eaſily ſee how oppoſite this peeviſhneſs is to the Sentiments and Practice of all Reformed Churches. It is acknowledged by all ſober men, that to joyn with, or abet Schiſmaticks, makes one guilty of Schism: and therefore the Presbyterians can by no means require the Members of the Epiſcopal Church, to joyn with them, who have wilfully and furiouſly cut themſelves off from the whole Body of Chriſtians: but there is lately found out a wiſe Diſtinction to ſave them from this blow, they can have occaſional Communion with other Churches, tho they cannot have a ſixt Communion with them.

Before I conſider this Diſtinction, let me inform you that the Ringleaders of the former Presbyterians in Scotland never made uſe of any ſuch Diſtinction, they themſelves reaſoned againſt Separation upon ſuch frivolous pretences as are now alledged by their Vid. Rutherford's Due right of Preſbytery. Succeſſors; but the Presbyterians have borrowed this Diſtinction from Engliſh Diſſenters. And the former Preſbyterians Collection of Caſes againſt Diſſenters, by the Clergy of London. did never ſeparate from the Publick Worſhip under the Epiſcopal Conſtitution; nor did the latter Preſbyterians after the Reſtoration, dream of it until the year [Page] 1664. that ſome of the Weſtern Bigots, as had fled to Holland, thought that the Faction could not be ſupported unleſs People were taught that they were obliged to leave the Communion of the Epiſcopal Church intirely. And accordingly in Ann. 1664. there appeared a Seditious Pamphlet in Octavo, Entituled, The Apologetical Relation of the Church of Scotland. And it is impoſſible for any Presbyterian to name any one Book or Treatiſe before this Pamphlet, that juſtified the Separation of Presbyterians from the Publick Reformed Worſhip under the Epiſcopal Conſtitution in the Church of Scotland. It is a long time ſince I Read this Book, and therefore I cannot give a particular account of it, though I remember that the Author when he comes to that Concluſion, that the People were not to hear the Curates, he ſpeaks with diffidence and heſitation, and in ſome one place or other of that Diſpute he ſoftens this wild and extravagant Paradox by ſome reſtrictions and limitations. That they were not to hear them always nor conſtantly, but that they ought ſo far to ſeparate as to keep the Party from being ſwallowed up in the Communion of the Church. Accordingly, their firſt Eſſays of Schiſm were but faint and timorous, they were not in the beginning ſo well armed againſt the Remorſe of their own Conſciences, for this was a Novelty, and they did not venture upon it with that boldneſs and aſſurance that afterward appear'd, to that degree that our Governors were forced to make ſevere Laws againſt their Field Meetings, which were juſtly termed by our Law the Rendezvouze of Rebellion. And though the Bigots in the Weſt had advanced this Paradox, Vid. Defence of King Charles II. Government by S. G. M. yet the Presbyterians of greateſt Note and Learning took no notice of it, but kept the Communion of the Church after the Reſtoration of Epiſcopacy as punctually as any Mr. Ro. Douglas, Mr. Geo. Hutchinſon, Mr. Sam. Rutherford, Mr. J. W. and many others. Church-malt. And it is very obſervable that all the Preſbyterian Miniſters in Scotland, made uſe of the Chriſtian Forms of the Lords Prayer, Creed, and Doxology, until Olivers Army invaded Scotland, and the Independent Chaplains in that Army thought their own Diſpenſation was above that of Geneva. Upon this, ſuch of the Presbyterians as would recommend themſelves to the Uſurper, and ſuch as had his Ear, forbore thoſe Forms in the Publick Worſhip, and by degrees they fell into deſitetude (for it was not Creditable to be out of the Faſhion) and yet they have the Confidence to juſtifie their Separation from the Epiſcopal Church, partly becauſe ſuch ſuch Chriſtian Forms are retained in the Publick Worſhip. And though they diſpute againſt the uſe of Forms, yet Thoſe Chriſtian Forms were rejected by Baſtard Presbyterians that grew upon the Independent Stock. they pronounce the Apoſtolick Benediction after Sermon, as others do, except ſome few who love rather to Paraphraſe it, than keep to its Original ſimplicity. The unhappy temper of Schiſmaticks leads them to do every thing againſt the Spirit and Practice of the Church; [Page] and though the Canonical and Univerſal Methods of the Church are tempered with regard to our weakneſs and infirmities, yet they love to fly in the Face of their Mother, when ſhe tenderly binds up their Wounds, and offers her Aſſiſtance to prevent their Ruin and Danger.

I have almoſt forgot to enquire into the meaning of that diſtinction of occaſional and fixed Communion. Why may not one do that conſtantly (ſince the Common Tyes of Chriſtianity oblige him) that he may do occaſionally? But if the meaning be that their Conſciences allow them now and then to hear an Epiſcopal Presbyter Preach, or Read, though they dare not venture upon the higheſt Acts of Communion, ſuch as receiving of the Lords Supper, at this rate they may have this occaſional Communion with Papiſts, Grecians, Jews, and Mahumetans, for they all teach ſome great and common Truths which they dare not refuſe.

But ſecondly, It is apparent that the Scots Presbyterians are Schiſmaticks in the ſtricteſt Senſe, becauſe by their Principles they muſt needs profeſs, that if they had lived one hundred and fifty years before the firſt Council of Nice, there was then a neceſſity to ſeparate from the Unity of the Church. For then all thoſe things that they ſcruple at in the Publick Worſhip were practiſed by the Univerſal Church, the Solemnities, and Feſtivities, the Publick Faſts, the Altars, the Hierarchy of Biſhop, Presbyter, and Deacon. Nay, the Dignity of Metrapolitans is ſuppoſed as Ancient and Venerable by the firſt Council of Nice. So upon the Presbyterian Hypotheſis, they ſhould have been obliged if they had lived amongſt the Ancients then, to keep up diſtinct and ſeparate Conventicles, when the Purity of their Lives, and the Glory of Martyrdom, and Patience, made them ſhine to the Confuſion of their Enemies, when their Zeal for God made them victorious over all the Powers of Darkneſs, when by their Faſtings and their Prayers, they crucified the Fleſh with all its Luſts and Affections, when they taught the Goſpel in its Majeſty, and Simplicity, and bafled the Objection of the Pagans by their heavenly Converſation. Let my Soul be with thoſe firſt Christians, I would chuſe their Company at all adventures, without the leaſt fear of either Chriſtmas, Eaſter, or Good Friday.

But thirdly, The preſent Presbyterians muſt be Schiſmaticks, by the Doctrine and Practice of their Predeceſſors. This I have touched a little before.

Fourthly, I deſire the Presbyterians to name ſome Schiſmaticks in the Records of Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, that are now acknowledged by the common conſent of all Churches to be Schiſmaticks, and then I enquire what it was that made them ſuch; and if this be not agreeable to the Presbyterians more eminently, than to any rank of the ancient Schiſmaticks, I am miſtaken.

But fifthly, They themſelves do not deny (nor can they) but that they are Schiſmaticks in St. Cyprian's Notion of Schiſm, ſince to ſeparate from ones own Biſhop was a juſt and Apoſtolical Notion of Schiſm. And the Presbyterians of Scotland are by ſo much the more inexcuſable in that they [Page] have ſtubbornly and factiouſly Conſpired againſt the Apoſtolical Hierarchy of Biſhop, Presbyter, and Deacon.

The next thing that I remark, is his Cenſure of the I piſcopal Clergy for Preaching Morality, pag. 62. and 63. He tells us that the Author of the Second Letter wrote, That the Epiſcopal Party underſtand the Chriſtian Philoſophy better, and that it was never underſtood or preached better in Scotland, than under Epiſcopacy. The Vindicator replies very wittily, That he thought the Commendation of a Miniſter had been rather to underſtand Chriſtian Divinity, than Chriſtian Philoſophy. But ſoftly, Sir, I do not ſee that nice diſtinction between Chriſtian Divinity, and Chriſtian Philoſophy; for if Philoſophy be truely Chriſtian, it muſt be refined upon no lower Standard than the Morals that our Saviour practiſed, and recommended; and is not this Chriſtian Divinity in it; Nature and Tendency? The Author of that Letter did not underſtand by Philoſophy, the lame and defective Syſtems of the Pagans, but rather that Heavenly and Spiritual Rule delivered by our Saviour. I hope he has not the Impudence to accuſe the Clergy that they recommended the Pagan Morals as a perfect Rule of Life to their Hearers; or that they themſelves did neither believe nor exhort others to believe the Myſteries of Faith, the Credenda of our Religion. It may be they did fortifie ſome excellent Arguments among the Philoſophers with Chriſtian Motives, and what the Philoſophers (who ſpoke of the Immortality of the Soul with diſſidence and heſitation) could not recommend but faintly: the Chriſtian Preachers did aſſert boldly, ſince the Reſurrection of our Saviour from the Dead, was an invincible and infallible Argument, not only of our Reſurrection, but of the Glory that ſhall afterwards be 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 Teſtament, and purer Morals, and greater heights than the Pagans could diſcern. Nor can I think but that the Preachers of the Goſpel may make very good uſe of Pagan Moraliſts. I always thought Seneca a very excellent Book, but if Seneca be Chriſtianiſed (as the Vindicator ſpeaks) I cannot ſee what fault the Vindicator can find with Seneca, or Marcus Aurelius, or any of our Ancient Friends. For certainly Chriſtian Morality in its true extent and latitude, is nothing elſe but Evangelical Obedience and Holineſs, without which no man Heb. ſhall ſee God. And I believe the Author of that Letter intended no more, than that the Episcopal Clergy did plainly and ſeriouſly recommend to their Hearers the Reformation of their [...] according to the Chriſtian Standard. And truly, Sir, notwithſtanding the Vindicators Sarcaſtic Paraphraſe, I think this is very good Philoſophy, nay more, I think Moral Philoſophy never arrived at its true Elevation and Meridian Purity, but by the Doctrine of our Saviour and his Apoſtles; and does the Vindicator know better Philoſophy than what is taught in the Sermon upon the Mount, and in the 12th. to the Romans, we Preach that the Wiſdom [Page] which is from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, and eaſie to be entreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocriſie, we Preach that a man endowed Jam. 3. 17. with knowledge, ſhould ſhew out of a good Converſation, Jam. 1. 26. his Works with meekneſs of Wiſdom. We Preach That if any ſeem to be religious, and bridleth not his Tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, that this mans Religion is vain, becauſe true Religion, and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to viſit the Fatherleſs, and Widow, in their Afflictions, and to keep himſelf unſpotted from the world. We Preach that the Grace of God that bringeth ſalvation, bath appeared to all men, teaching us, Tit. 2. 11, 12. that denying ungodlineſs, and worldly Luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly, in this preſent world. And truly, Sir, I think this very good Morality, and the rather becauſe we fortifie our Exhortations, with the ſame motives that the Apoſtles uſed, and with which the Pagan Philoſophers could not be acquainted. Looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and Tit. 2. 13, 14. our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt who gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good Works. It is very true that the Pagan Philoſophers Preached againſt Luſt and Senſualities, and Uncleanneſs; but could they recommend Chaſtity by ſuch powerful and invincible motives as you meet with, 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. What, know you not that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghoſt which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorifie God in your body and your ſpirit which are Gods. And without all doubt S. Paul recommended to the Philippians the true uſe of the Moral Philoſophers, when he exhorts Phil. 4. 8. Finally Brethren whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things lovely, whatſoever things are of good report, if there be any vertue, and if there be any praiſe, think on theſe things. Compare this with the place on the Margin, and hundreds of ſuch places, and from Galat. 5. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. them I conclude, that to Preach what the Moral Philoſophers commended (though we muſt Preach many things that they could not ſee) and to ſtrengthen them by Chriſtian Motives is a thing very becoming the Miniſters of the Goſpel: becauſe it is indiſpenſably neceſſary and agreeable to the Practice of our Saviour, and his Apoſtles. But the Vindicator tells us, Pag. 62. That this is the dialect of men ſtrongly enclin'd to Socinianiſm. I let go this mark of his ſpite and ill nature, for we have no Socinians amongſt the Epiſcopal Clergy of Scotland. And if he underſtands the Socinians, they are not ſo very zealous for Celebrating the Feſtival of Chriſts Nativity and Incarnation; nor yet are they great Enemies to Presbyterian Government, nor can they be thought zealous for any [Page] particular Platform (were it never ſo agreeable to the Canons of the Ancient Church) any further than their intereſt is involv'd. He tells us a little after, that the preaching of ſome men is ſuch morality, as Seneca and other Heathens taught, only Chriſtianiſed with ſome words; ſo the Vindicator thinks that the morality they recommended to their Hearers was neither higher nor purer than the Doctrines 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 Defects of the Stoical Philoſophy, and wherein it fell ſhort of the Chriſtian Standard: One may eaſily gueſs whom he means, and intends to hit by this waſpiſh accuſation. But to purſue him thorow all his hiding places, and little Subterfuges, is as uſeleſs as it is weariſom. The reaſon why I kept you ſo long on this Head, was to diſcover the Genius of the people we have to do with. He tells us, this Philoſophy was never much preached by the Presbyterians: but the Philoſophy that I have deſcrib'd was preach'd by S. Paul, and conſequently not oppoſito unto the Doctrine of Chriſt crucified (as he fancies) 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24. but rather ſubſervient unto it, and a great confirmation of the truth and divinity of it; It is very true, that the Princes of Philoſophers underſtood not the Revelations of the Goſpel, but the true exerciſe of Reaſon is very conſiſtent with Revelation; and S. Paul's diſcourſe to the Athenian Acts 17. proves him a learned and ſolid Philoſopher. And tho the Apoſtles were mean and illiterate men, yet God did ſtrengthen their Reaſon beyond the moſt accurate Philoſophers: And when he ſent them forth to preach the Goſpel, they became in the ſtrictest ſenſe greater Philoſophers than their Enomies. And tho the Chriſtian Religion in its beginnings appeared weak and fooliſh, yet when it was narrowly enquired into, it was found to be the wiſdom of God, and the power of God: for the Apoſtles offer'd the beſt Reaſons to convince both Jew and Gentile, that Jeſus of Nazareth was the Meſſins; and conſequently, that there was no other Acts. 2. name under heaven known by which men might be ſaved but the name of JESUS. They proved their Miſſion, and their Doctrine by their Miracles; and this was an Argument divine, and a refragable in its nature; as it was obvious and plain to the meaneſt Capacity, and therefore the Author to the Hebrews Hebr. 2. 3, 4. concludes, that the damnation of Infidels is the moſt juſt and reaſonable thing, becauſe infidelity it ſelf is moſt inexcuſable, ſince God did bear witneſs to the Goſpel by ſigns, and wonders, and divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghoſt. True Philoſophy Vid. Juſt in Mar. Dialog. cum tryph. and Religion ſupport one another. [Page] None can be truly religious but he that exerciſes his Reaſon, and he that exerciſes his reaſon muſt of neceſſity be religious. For the whole of our Religion is a reaſonable [...] ſervice; God treats us as reaſonable Creatures; he makes himſelf Maſter of our Will, by methods ſutable to his wiſdom and our nature; when the light of the Goſpel enters the Soul and warms it by its direct beams and perpendicular rays, ſhe then chuſes what is beſt with all her force and delight.

It is certain, that if the Moral Philoſophers could lay aſide their pride and the intereſt of a Faction, they might be ſooner gained to Chriſtianity than others, they could not but ſee the beauty and reaſonableneſs of ſuch excellent Morals as were recommended in the Goſpel, and were far above the lame and defective ſyſtems of the Pagan Schools. There are no excellent Precepts amongſt the Pagans, but what are contained in the New Teſtament; and if we recommend Chriſtian vertue by Chriſtian motives, I think the whole undertaking is very commendable. Why the Vindicator ſhould thus waſpiſhly Comment on an innocent Sentence or two of that Author, I cannot tell; but he may remember that when we were Boys we were taught that Philoſophy in its utmoſt extent and latitudo, was the knowledge of divine and human things. And then Chriſtian Philoſophy is good Chriſtian Divinity & vicê verſâ; but the Vindicator is afraid leſt any one may think him a ſtranger to Philoſophy, and therefore tells us, that it may be that they underſtand that as well as their Neighbours. And no doubt this Paragraph of his, that I have examined, is a ſufficient Evidence of his Philoſophical skill and knowledge.

Such another Specimen of his Candour and Ingenuity we meet with pag. 66. where he again inſinuates, that the Clergy are Socinians, &c. The Pag. 66. Author of the ſecond Letter had juſtly obſerved, that the Clergy could not be erroneous, becauſe they could ſign the 39 Articles of the Church of England. But the Vindicator replies, So can many do who every day preach againſt the Doctrine contained in theſe Articles. And at this rate he may diſprove all external Evidences: there is no penetrating into the hearts of men, they are only acceſſible to Omniſcience to whom all things are naked and open. But the Vindicator may remember, that the diſſenting Miniſtes in and Article of a Confeſſion of Faith. about London in their late agreement, require no more of any as marks of Orthodoxy, than the ſubſoription of 36 Articles. The Vindicator inſinuates, that though the Clergy do ſubſcribe them, yet they preach againſt them. This is another ſtroke of his good Nature and Civility; and he may beconvinced long [Page] e're now, that the Epiſcopal Clergy is not ſo very pliable to do any thing againſt their Convictions in view of their worldly Intereſt, even when he and his Party have been very active to reduce them to extraordinary ſtraits and difficulties; nay, if he will oblige me to be plain, I could tell him, where ſome Miniſters of that Faction were ſo villanouſly zealous againſt the Clergy, that they did ſolicite Witneſſes againſt them, where they themſelves, or ſome of their intimate Brethren were Judges. I am not to publiſh 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 ſo particular, though I am reſolved by Gods aſſiſtance to perform all the promiſes I make to him and his Aſſociates.

But the next Cenſure that he beſtows on the Clergy is of the ſame nature with the former. The Author of the ſecond Letter had ſaid, that there were many among the Clergy who were not inclined to be every day talking to the people of Gods decrees and abſolute reprobation, &c. Indeed, I think the Author gave a juſt account of the prudence and modeſty of his Brethren, but the Vindicator laſhes him here with great ſeverity, and tells him that his diſcourſe is impertinent; for they do not require that one ſhould talk always to the people of Decrees and Reprobations. But here the Vindicator gives no great proof of his Logick. For the phraſe, every day did not imply a Metaphyſical ſtrictneſs, as if the Presbyterians never preach'd on any other Subject but on the abſolute Decrees and Reprobation; but the plain and obvious meaning is, that Presbyterians did frequently and indiſcreetly handle ſuch abſtruſe Subjects, as neither they nor the people were able to fathom. And all ſuch Phraſes, though they ſeem to imply a Logical univerſality muſt be interpreted, to intend no more, than that ſuch or ſuch a thing frequently comes to paſs.

The next Blow is more ſevere, and one had need Pag. 66. to be armed Capa-pee to meet with it, But if he mean (as he muſt if he ſpeak to the purpoſe) that the abſolute decrees of Electon and Reprobation, both praeteritum as an act of Sovereignty, and praedamnatum as an act of Juſtice, are not to be held forth or taught to the people; we abhor this as an unſound Doctrine, and look on him as a pitiful Advocate for the Orthodoxy of the Clergy. Thus the Vindicator is ſufficiently revenged of his Adverſary, who is now more lamentably ſhattered than can be imagined; It is not generous in the Vindicator thus to purſue his Victory; is it poſſible that ſuch meek and calm Saints ſhall thus openly expoſe the weakneſs of their Antagoniſts. But if the Vindicator were out of his paſſion, I would entreat him to tell me in what place of Saint Virg. Aeneid. 1.—Tantaene animis coeleſtibus irae. Paul's Epiſtles does he read of a Decretum praedamnatum, [Page] and what ever come of the Calvinian or Arminian Hypotheſis; I am afraid his Explication is both conplicated Nonſenſe and Blaſphemy. But he tells us, that he underſtands Philoſophy as well as his Neighbors; pray, let him tell us in which of the Schoolmen or Proteſtant Calviniſts did he ever read of a Decretum praedamnatum? praeteritio and praedamnatio may be met with, but a Decretum praedamnatum is the peculiar invention of this Tully de nat. deorum, lib. 3. nihil tam abſurdum quod non dixerit aliquis philoſophorum. Philoſopher. The Decree is the Act of God, and there is no act of his can be condemned. Such an unfortunate Blunder as this is was never before ſeen in print; and yet the Vindicator muſt tell us, that ſuch things muſt be held forth to the people, and in imitation of Saint Paul too. Truly, I think they had as good not be held forth, but hid and laid up in the boundleſs Regiſters of Chimera's, Nonentities, and Negations. I think this Deoretum praedamnatum may keep company with ſuch 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 adviſe him to read the Calvinian Hypotheſis before he venture to explain it. And perhaps there are ſome about him who may expoſe his explication of the decrees as much as they do his Latin reaſonings againſt Idolatry.

The next thing I take notice of is his hiſtorical Argument from the Culdees, to prove that there was a Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the primitive Pag: times before Popery entred. And the plain truth is, this is the only thing that he ſays, that deſerves to be conſidered, not for any weight or hiſtorical Truth that is in it, but becauſe the learned Blondel made uſe of it to ſupport that imaginary Hypotheſis from ſome Ancient Teſtimonies. He had met with it in Buchanan's Hiſtory, and that learned Hiſtorian took it unwarily from his Contemporary Monks, Boctius and others, or ſuch as were little removed from his own Age; Blondel made uſe of it to ſerve the diſſenting Apolog. pro ſententia Hieronym, p 315. Intereſt in Britain. And to the end that he might make a great muſter of Teſtimonies, he muſt needs erect a Presbyterian Church in Scotland towards the end of the ſecond Century, or beginning of the third. If they can prove this, I muſt confeſs it is of conſiderable weight; but the great misfortune is, there are no Authors now extant upon whoſe Teſtimony an affair ſo diſtant from our times can be reaſonably founded. None within ſix hundred years of that Period gives us the leaſt evidence for it, when I ſay ſix hundred years, I do not mean, that good Authors at the diſtance of ſeven or eight hundred years give any Evidence for it more than their Predeceſſors; but when there is none to vouch it within that Period, it is ridiculous [Page] to impoſe it as a piece of true Hiſtory. And our Vindicator tells us, that tho the Presbyterian Government Pag. 3. Vindicat. 1. continue for ſome Ages in the Church of Scotland before they had Biſhops: Can he name any Church upon Earth that embrac'd the Chriſtian Religion, and yet none to write the affairs of their own time for ſome Ages together? But if the writings of thoſe ancient Presbyterians are loſt; Are there no fragments of them preſerved in the writings of ſucceeding Ages? There were no people ſo ignorant as the Monks for ſome Centuries before the Reformation; and yet there was nothing that they were ſo ignorant in as true Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory. And if they had been the moſt learned and accurate, what could they help themſelves in an affair of this nature when they had no certain Records The Antiquity of our Nation does not depend on any ſuch Monkiſh Legend, but may very well ſtand on its former grounds, and ſuch collateral proofs as may be borrowed from the Roman Hiſtorians. Vid. Macken. Defence of the Royal Line. by which they might tranſmit the knowledge of former times to Poſterity. No tradition of that Antiquity can be preſerved without writing; why then do they obtrude this fabulous Story, ſince it cannot be received by any known rules of Credibility, we have no veſtige of it from any Author that lived near thoſe times. The Vindicator uſes to refer us in ſome Inſtances to his own little Books, I do him a greater kindneſs when I refer him to the Learned Du Launoy, and from ſeveral Treatiſes and Du Launoy. reaſonings of his (which now I have not at command) he may learn by what Rules to diſtinguiſh fabulous Accounts from true and ſolid Hiſtory, and not only from him but from hundreds, if they do but argue from principles of common ſenſe, and the acknowledg'd rules of Logick. Logica Clerici parte ſecunda de judici is. Deſicientibus omnibus hiſtoricis monumentis hiſtoria gentis alicujus cognoſci nequit, nec quidquam verum niſi caſu de ca dici. Quot conjecturae inanes cirea hiſtoriam ſacram & Eccleſiaſt team, quaſi certae affer [...] quae mu [...]o majorem hiſtoriarum requirerent lucem, ſi de tis quidquam certi ſlatuendum eſſe [...]? Indeed, the Presbyterians might have given us ſome of the Acts of their Aſſemblies, in that ancient Period, and the rules of Diſcipline, as well as obtrude upon us this Romantick Account. And if I dare interpoſe my Opinion, I think that the late illiterate Monks advanc'd this Fable to gratifie the Pope's deſign, of exempting the religious Orders from Epiſcopal Juriſdiction, by which Engine the Biſhops were kept low, and the Reformation hindred, and the religious Orders encouraged, to check their Authority in all places. This is ſo known, that it needs neither proof nor illuſtration; and this Fiction of the Culdees governing a Church without the authority of a Biſhop, invented in the days of Barbariſm and Superſtition, ſeems naturally calculated [Page] to advance this Deſign, and to depreſs the Epiſcopal Juriſdiction. For the Monks that propagated this Story, were more converſant in little Legends, than the Writings of the Ancients. And hardly is there any thing more oppoſite to the Univerſal Teſtimony, and ſimplicity of thoſe Ages, than this Monkiſh Fable of Presbyterian Government, towards the end of the Second Century, or the beginnings of the Third, when all the known Records of the Chriſtian Church unanimouſly declare for the Hierarchy of Biſhop, Presbyter and Deacon, and the Succeſſion of Biſhops from the Apoſtles. It is not poſſible to preſerve the memory of the greateſt men Tullius pro Archia Poeta? Atque is tamen (Alexander) cum in Sigaeo ad Achillis tumulum aſtitiſſet. O fortunate, inquit, adoleſcens qui tuae virtutis Homerum praeconem inveneris! & verè, nam niſi Ili [...]s illa extitiſſet idem tumulus qui corpus ejus contexerat nomen etiam obruiſſet., the greateſt Conqueſts, or the moſt remarkable Actions, unleſs they are timeouſly committed to writing. Unwritten Tradition goes but a ſhort way, and is not able to ſupport it ſelf with any certainty, for any number of years. Is it likely that the Scotiſh Church had any other Eccleſiaſtical Government than what was received in the Chriſtian Church when they were converted to the Faith? and is it not very ſad that there are no parallel Inſtances of any other Church from abroad? By whom were they Converted? And is it not reaſonable to think that ſuch as were inſtrumental in their Converſion, would plant the Eccleſiaſtical Government amongſt them that they were acquainted with themſelves? And are there any footſteps of ſuch a Government amongſt the more polite and learned Nations, who becauſe they had the Advantages of learning, might ſooner tranſmit to Poſterity the Knowledge of their Eccleſiaſtical Affairs. And let me ask the Presbyterians, if they had all the Teſtimonies of the Ancients in favours of their parity, and that we only had the Authority of ſome fabulous Monks in ſome remote Corner of the World to ſupport our Hierarchy, and that in an Age of ſhameful Ignorance, and Darkneſs, when they impoſed upon mankind, and multiplyed their viſionary Legends. I ask, how the Vindicator would treat us if we appeared with our Culdees againſt the undoubted Records of the Fathers, the Univerſal Suffrages of Councels, the Succeſſion of the famous Sees, and the glorious Cloud of Witneſſes, that by their Zeal and Sufferings enlightened the World? I think he would treat us very huffingly, and let us hear more than once his oft repeated and beloved Metaphor of the Seed of the Serpent, and the Seed of the woman. Would not he 1. Vindicat. Preface. tell us of our bold and ſilly pretences to Antiquity. However when the Vindicator names good Authors foreign or domeſtick in the third, fourth, fifth, ſixth, or ſeventh Century (and this is more than by the Rules of Credibility or Hiſtory we need yield to him) then it is time to conſider his Teſtimonies. Let him Apoleg. pro Sentent. Hieron. Read Blondel again, and ſee whether that great Antiquary [Page] can name any Ancient Writer to uphold this Monaſtick Dream. But if I ſhould grant that there had been ſome Prieſts in Scotland before there were Biſhops in it, there is nothing in that Conceſſion to favor Presbytery; for they had their Miſſion and Ordination from Biſhops in other places to whom they might give an account of their Travels and Succeſs, and this was ordinary before Nations were Converted. But when they received the Faith, all Eccleſiaſtical Officers were then encouraged to continue amongſt them, and this is it that we confidently affirm, that where there are any Records of Nations and Countries Converted to the Faith, there do we meet with the Eccleſiaſtical Hierarchy of Biſhop, Presbyter, and Deacon, over the whole Chriſtian Church. The Primitive Confeſſors and Martyrs Travailed the World over to gain Proſelytes to Chriſtianity, ſome Biſhops, ſome Presbyters, ſome Deacons, ſome Lay-men; but wherever there was any conſiderable number of Converts, then they became an Organical Church, and had Biſhops and Presbyters Conſtituted, until their ſound went unto all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Rom. 10. 18. Pag. 184.

He runs down the Author of the Hiſtory of the General Aſſembly as one, not acquainted with the Actings of Grace in the Soul, becauſe forſooth he had not ſpoke with reverence enough of Mr. Gray's Sermons, in that Page cited on Pag. 185. the Margin.

The Vindicator diſcovers much of his own creeping Genius, when he diſcourſes of the Act of their Aſſembly againſt the private Adminiſtration of Baptiſm, nor is it poſſible to purſue him in ſuch a Wilderneſs of little impertinencies.

Their pretended Aſſembly would have done better if they had left the Adminiſtration of Baptiſm to the diſcretion of Miniſters in all places, it is certainly much to be wiſhed, that Baptiſm be Adminiſtred with all publick Solemnity, when there is not an apparent neceſſity to recede from ſo laudable a Cuſtom, but to make Diſcourſes to the People on particular Texts of Scripture, at the Adminiſtration of Baptiſm, is a thing in it ſelf altogether new and unneceſſary. If the nature, uſe, and deſign of it, be ſeriouſly explained, there needs no more. And to think a Sermon, in the modern and uſual Notion, neceſſary is as great Superſtition, as that of theirs, who fancy that the effects of it follow ex opere operato, which Phraſe is very little underſtood by the People, and perhaps others who ſhould teach the People do not throughly underſtand it neither.

Next I ſhall take notice of what we are told by the Vindicator Pag. 174. That the Presbyterians could not comply with Human Ceremonies with a good Conſcience in the Worſhip of God But they refuſed to joyn in the Worſhip of God when there were no Ceremonies appointed.. It is true the Vindicator hath not in this place any Diſcourſe to [Page] prove this unlawful, but I take notice of it as one of the Theological hints that are interſperſed in his Defamatory Libel, But may not Ceremonies of Human Appointment (if they decently and gravely expreſs our Affections) be uſed in the Worſhip of God? Did not Solomon adviſe us to look to our Feet when we come into the houſe of God, and the ſame Ceremony was practiſed under the Patriarchal Diſpenſation, viz. That of putting off our Shoes when we approach the Holy Place: as Moſes was enjoyned by God himſelf, becauſe the place he ſtood upon was holy ground, and this was an Advertiſement that he ought to do what was ordinarily done by all the Eaſtern Nations when he approached the place of Gods peculiar Reſidence. And pray, Was it not a ſignificant Ceremony expreſſive of their Reverence and adoration? In like manner, Sackcloth and Aſhes did amongſt all Nations ſignifie grief and ſorrow, therefore in their Humiliations they were uſed to expreſs their Remorſe and Contritions. The Presbyterians fix upon a word, and pronounce it with diſdain and contempt, they repeat it with Indignation, and then their zealous Diſciples when they hear that word pronounced, preſently let fly their thoughts to ſome monſtrous thing or other that is not at all ſignified by that word; yet the Idea of ſome ſuch ugly thing ſticks to their Imagination, for no other reaſon but that Mas John frown'd when he heard that word pronounced. What other reaſon can we give why the word (ſignificant Ceremony) ſhould diſturb their Imaginations? Why may not we expreſs our Thoughts, Paſſions, and Affections by Ceremonies as well as by words? Since both are innocent, and both ſerve the ſame deſign. But the Covenanters themſelves uſed ſignificant Ceremonies, when they impoſed 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 otherwiſe extended. It was bare, and not covered, and was not this a ſignificant Ceremony of Human Inſtitution?

In the Worſhip of God, nature taught Mankind to approach God with all the decent Marks of Diſtance and Adoration, and they that declaim moſt againſt Ceremonies, do practice them frequently, only they do this more awkwardly, and with a figure becoming their ſingularity; but this will never convince the Intelligent part of Mankind that they are either wiſer or better than any of their Neighbours. True Religion obliges us to comply with the innocent decencies of Mankind, and to affect nothing that's extraordinary or ſingular. Our Saviour left us this Example, he eat and drank with Publicans and Sinners, and affected no Cuſtoms different from the Jews. If the Ceremonies be practiſed by the Nation amongſt whom we live, if they decently expreſs our Reverence, or our Humiliation, I ſee no reaſon why they may not be uſed in the Service of God, as well as words, eſpecially when they are commanded by our lawful Superiours as neceſſary Inſtruments of Publick Order and Uniformity, nor can they change their Nature by being commanded; for ſuch and ſuch Ceremonies are in their Nature [Page] indifferent, yet ſome one or other muſt be uſed, and which of them we ſhall uſe may very well be determined by our lawful Superiors. Sitting (for any thing I know) was never looked upon as a Poſture of Reverence, yet the Presbyterians in Scotland, for the moſt part fit all of them in time of Publick Prayer, what they ſignifie by it I know not, I am ſure not that which becomes Prayer, and the Worſhip of the moſt High God. We look upon the decent Ceremonies of the Church as Appendages or Expreſſions, but not conſtituent parts of Worſhip, as is fooliſhly and peeviſhly alledged by our Adverſaries; and I may put the Vindicator in mind, that the reaſon why ſome of the Clergy in Scotland Read the Book of Common-Prayer, is not what he ſuggeſts, according to his wonted Candor and Ingenuity, but rather an open avowing of their Principles, when it was viſible to the World there was no poſſibility of uniting with the Presbyterians.

Another thing I take notice of, is to be met with Pag. 196, 197. The Author of that Epiſtle, that is ſubjoyned to the Vindicators Book, tells us, to the reproach of our Biſhops, that ſome of them upon the Reſtoration of the Government ſubmitted to reordination to the great ſcandal not only of this, but other Reformed Churches. I know none were ſcandalized at it, but ſuch as were reſolved to pick quarrels with every thing that the Biſhops would do. It was no ſcandal to the Foreign Churches or the French Divines. All of them the greateſt men among M. Alix, and many others. them are reordained when they come to England, and they chearfully ſubmit to it. And this was never condemned by any Publick Act of the Gallican Church, nor by none of their Eminent Divines. The Church of England does not abſolutely condemn their Ordinations in France, but rather waves the debate: but ſhe is determined to preſerve an unqueſtionable ſucceſſion of Prieſts within her own Bounds.

As to the Matter of Fact narrated in Mr. Meldrum's Letter I know nothing of it, and therefore I ought to ſay no more than I know. He tells us that he ſubſcribed a Paper, and that the Paper was drawn out of the Archbiſhops Letter by a Friend of his, and that now he repents for Subſcribing this Paper, and that though he was in great Friendſhip afterwards with Biſhop 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 I obſerve, that it is a very happy thing to live in, or near an Univerſity as Mr. Meldrum did. Diſtinctions are very uſeful things, one had better carry a good bundle of them about him than all your famous Elixirs and Eſſences; one may pay material Canonical Obedience, but it is dangerous to pay it formally: the great miſchief is in the formality of paying it, but for my part I have ſworn Canonical Obedience formally, and I have paid it materially, and ſhall never decline my Biſhops Spiritual Authority when ever there is occaſion, and I think all the Presbyters of that National Church are as much obliged to obey their Spiritual Governours, notwithſtanding of all [Page] that paſt in favors of the oppoſite Faction ſince the Revolution. And now I think it high time to go forward to the fourth Particular that I promiſed, viz.

To let you ſee the ſeveral Periods of Epiſcopacy and Presbytery in the Church of Scotland ſince the Reformation. And I am the more confident to give you ſatisfaction, becauſe I had the happineſs to peruſe a Manuſcript (written by a perſon of great honour and true Learning) relating to this very affair; and it is of ſo much the greater weight and Authority, that it is not only founded on our beſt Hiſtorians, but on the authentick Records of Parliament; and it is from that Manuſcript that I copy the following Account: for 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 in the entry to this Narration, Let us remark, ſays my Author,

That none of our Martyrs did ever impugn or oppoſe imparity in the Church, or preach or write againſt it; you cannot name one Teſtimony, unleſs you argue from their preaching againſt Popiſh Tyranny and unwarrantable exerciſe of Eccleſiaſtical Power, to infer that they were for (the then unheard of) Parity, and all who write of thoſe Martyrs and firſt Reformers, omit not to praiſe them for their dutiful ſubmiſſion to their Biſhops and Superiours. And it is very probable theſe Martyrs would have pſeached againſt Eccleſiaſtical Tyranny as well in a Company of Arbitrary Presbyters, as they did when it was lodged in one or few; and that Presbyters may be Tyrants, witneſs the Scots Hiſtory from the year 1639 to 1652. At which time Cromwel (tho no Friend to Epiſcopacy) was ſo wearied with the Inſolencies and Confuſions of Presbytery, that he diſmiſt it ſolemnly at Barrow-Moor.

Let us now come to poſitive Evidences. The very firſt eſtabliſhed Reformation in Scotland, was that which on the 6th of July 1560 (being the third day after the pacification at Leith) was concluded on, betwixt the Lords and Miniſters of the Congregation aſſiſted by the Queen of Englands General and Ambaſſader on the one ſide. And the Queen Regent, the popiſh Lords, and Clergy, aſſiſted by the French Ambaſſador on the other ſide, in name of Francis and Mary their Sovrreigns. Spotſwood, Ann. 1560. pag. 149. and Knox in his Hiſt. 1560. pag. 264 ſets down at length the form of Electing the Superintendents. The Proteſtant Lords and Clergy did meet, at Edenburgh, the Proteſtants preached in the Churches and in their Aſſembly they did diſtribute their Preachers among the Chief Towns of the Nation, and did nominate five Superintendents for the Dioceſes, where the Biſhops were popiſh. For there are no Superintendents named then for Galloway and Argile, becauſe the Biſhops of thoſe Dioceſes were Proteſtants.

[Page] By the ſaid Treaty a Parliament was to hold in Auguſt following, wherein the Confeſſion of Faith drawn up by the Superintendents was given in to the Lords of the Articles, prepared by them, and Voted in Parliament, where it was carried in the Affirmative. In this Parliament the Biſhops did ſit as the firſt Eſtate. The popiſh Biſhops voted againſt the Confeſſion, the Proteſtant Biſhops, viz. Galloway and Argile, and three Abbots voted for it. The Sederunt of this Parliament is on Record with its Acts, and related by Spotſwood, pag. 149.

In January thereafter, the Scottiſh Proteſtant Clergy offer a form of Church Policy; one of its Heads is for Superintendents, whom they name, and appoint, with diſtinct Dioceſes for them, and to ſhew that theſe Reformers did not treat of Superintendents as a temporary Reſolution for that time only; It is there ſaid, that the Election of Superintendents, in aftertimes ſhould be ſtricter than the preſent circumſtances would allow; and the laſt Head of that Policy preſcribes ſome Conditions to be kept in future Elections of Superintendents. Spotwood, pag. 150 and 160, and by the book of Policy, pag. 168. it is expresly ordered, that Complaints againſt Ministers be notified to the Superintendents. And the Petition preſented to the Queen, related by Knox Hiſt. pag. 337. bears, as the ſuperſcription of the Superintendents, Miniſters of the whole Church of Scotland, to the Queens Majeſty, &c. And in the year 1563. John Knox and others elected a Superintendent for Dumfries, and the Letter written from the Aſſembly or Convention of the Scots Church at Edenburgh on the 27. of December, 1566. to the Church of England bears this Superſcription. The Superintendents, Miniſters, and Commiſſioners of the Church within the Realm of Scotland to their Brethren, the Biſhops and Paſtors of England. And at Queen Mary's firſt arrival in Scotland from France, the Superintendents and Miniſters did meet at Edenburgh in an Aſſembly, Knox biſt. pag. 318.

In January 1572. the Commiſſion of the Aſſembly did meet at Leith, under the Regents Government, and did agree on ſeven Articles of Policy. 1. That all Biſhopricks which were vacant (and thoſe were only four; for where popiſh Biſhops were alive, the See's were not eſteemed vacant, but ſupplied by Proteſtant Superintendents) ſhould be filled out of the ableſt of the Miniſtry. Secondly, That ſpiritual Juriſdiction ſhould be exercis'd by Biſhops in their Dioceſes; and the ſixth Article is, that Miniſters ſhould receive Ordination from the Biſhops, and in Dioceſes where no Biſhops were, they ſhould receive Ordination from the Superintendents. And in Auguſt thereafter, the General Aſſembly of the Church did meet at Perth, and approved of all theſe Articles; and accordingly Mr. John Douglas, Mr. James B [...]yd, Mr. James Paton, and Mr. Andrew Graham, were plac'd in the four [Page] vacant Biſhopricks. It was Mr. Andrew Melvil's misfortune that he was neglected, and therefore in the year 1575. he ſtirr'd up one Mr. Dury to impugne the Epiſcopal Order, and all Imparity. This is the firſt time that this debate was toſs'd in our Church; and on it, Church and State immediately divided, and much Confuſion, Rapine, Blood and other miſchiefs did follow, and then and ſince every firy Faction did lay hold on this Schiſm as a fund whereon to build all Rebellion and Treaſon. In proſecution of this Schiſm Mr. Andrew (and ſome Miniſters led by him) did in the year 1578. draw a Book of Policy ſtuffed ſo with the ſpirit of Mr. Andrew himſelf, that it was rather a Propoſal for the overthrow of all juſt Authority than an Eſtabliſhment of a Religious Government: and therefore it could never (no not in theſe diſtracted furious times (even when there was no King in our Iſrael) obtain approbation from any Authority, but was look'd on as a Rapſody of groundleſs Aſſertions, and full of miſchievous Novelties. Indeed, in the year 1580. an Aſſembly met at Dundee, called by Mr. Andrew and his Aſſociates without a ſhadow of any permiſſion from the Civil Authority; and they declared that the Office of a Biſhop (but with this reſtriction, as it was then uſed) had neither foundation nor warrant in the Word of God. But let all ſerious Chriſtians conſider, whether they will believe this famous Conventicle or the plain Scriptures, the Doctrine of the Apoſtles, the primitive Fathers, and the Canons of all Oecomenick Counſels, and the rule of Apoſtolick and primitive Practice, and to help their choice, let them take notice of the pious Deſign of this Aſſembly in caſting off Biſhops, by the very next clauſe in their Act, viz. That their next Aſſembly ſhould conſider how to diſpoſe of the Patrimony and poſſeſſions of Biſhops. This was the primitive Invaſion of the Kings Patronages and Regale of the Crown. Then Presbyterian Diſciples began to propagate their new Goſpel very zealouſly; The firſt was one Montgomery, who at Sterling propoſed that all ſuch as ſpoke for the Order of Biſhops ſhould be cenſured; but this zealous Saint did moſt baſely and ſimoniacally (ſhortly thereafter) bargain with a Nobleman that he might be made Biſhop of Glaſgow, and then his Co-Presbyters (who themſelves were not ſo ſucceſsful) handled him to purpoſe; but with ſuch indiſcretion, that in purſuing him they trampled on the King and all the Civil Authority, in ſo far, that when they were called to anſwer for illegal Invaſions on the Kings Authority, they did boldly proteſt, that tho they compeared in civility to the King, yet that they did not acknowledge the King [...] Councils Right in any Eccleſiaſtick matter. This was on the 12th of April 1582. And ſhortly thereafter in one of their Aſſemblies holden at St. Andrews, Mr. Andrew Melvil told the Maſter of Requeſts (who was ſent by the King to ſtop ſome of their illegal procedures) [Page] that they did not meddle in Civil matters; but in Eccleſiaſtick matters they had ſufficient Authority to proceed, and did ſo.

The practice on theſe grounds did ſhortly follow, for on the 23d of Auguſt 1582. the King was made Priſoner by a Faction of Lords at the houſe of Ruthwen, and on the 13th of October 1582. the Aſſembly of the Church at Edenburg, did by an Act approve of that perduellion, and declared that it was good ſervice to God and his Chucrh. And in the beginning of January 1583. two Ambaſſadors came from France, and one from England, to endeavour the Kings Liberty; the Aſſembly ordered the Miniſters to declaim againſt the impious Deſign of liberating the King, and they did rail at the Ambaſſadors by name, and ſtirred up the Rabble (their faithful Confederates on all occaſions) not to ſuffer the Badge of the French Order Du St. Eſprit. to be ſeen on their Streets, it being the mark of the Beaſt, a badge of Antichriſt, and to ſhew their good Manners as well as their ſound Doctrine, the King having appointed the Magiſtrates of Edenburgh to entertain the Ambaſſadors on the 16th of February 1583. The Miniſters appointed a ſolemn Faſt on that very day, and civilly preached from morning till night, (a matter of no great difficulty to ſuch as preach for ſuch ends, and with ſo little rule) curſing the Magiſtrates, and their Company, and were with difficulty kept from excommunicating them.

The King having delivered himſelf from his reſtraint, Mr. Dury and others of the Miniſtry openly aſſert that there was no injury done to the King, and Mr. Melvil declaimed frequently againſt the King, for which he was called before the Council; but he boldly declined the King and Council as Judges in prima Inſtantia of what's preached in the Pulpit, even tho it were high Treaſon, and ſo he fled to England▪ from whence he kindled that Conſpiracy, which ſhortly thereafter brought the Earl of Gowry and others to the Scaffold. Theſe ſeditious doctrines and practices moved the whole Eſtates of the Kingdom in the year 1584, on the 22d day of May in a Parliament at Edenburgh by a ſolemn Act, to aſſert the Kings Sovereign Power over all perſons, and in all cauſes as his undoubted ancient Right; and that it was Treaſon to decline his Authority in any matter, and diſcharging all Aſſemblies, Convocations, and all Juriſdictions ſpiritual or temporal, not allowed by the King and Eſtates: and prohibiting all factions and ſeditious Preachings, Sermons, and all ſlanderous Speeches againſt the King. The Miniſters declaimed againſt this and reproached this Act of Parliament. Notwithſtanding of all this, the King was prevail'd with to allow Mr. Melvil and his Complices to return to their Churches: but no ſooner had they this favour, than Mr. Andrew calls an Aſſembly to St. Andrews; it conſiſted of Presbyters and Laicks, and one Mr. Robert [Page] Wilky, a Regent Profeſſour, and Laick was choſen Moderator. There in a moſt ridiculous manner they Cite the Archbiſhop of St. Andrews on twenty four hours to Compear before them (and he not compearing) they cauſed a young indiſcreet Fellow, called Hunter, to Excommunicate him, for having acceſſion to that Act of Parliament lately mentioned, he being a Member of Parliament, and an Aſſembly meeting this very year at Edenburgh, would have taken up this difference, and in order thereto did Abſolve the Archbiſhop from Excommunication; yet Mr. Andrew and his adherents proteſted againſt the Aſſembly, and declared that notwithſtanding of their Abſolution, yet the Archbiſhop ſhould be ſtill eſteemed as one delivered to Sathan, until ſigns of true Repentance appeared. And though upon all occaſions they magnifie their Aſſemblies, and their pretended parity, yet when the far major number was againſt their humour, they regarded not their plurality. For in Anno 1591. when the Synod of St. Andrews had determined to conſtitute one Mr. Weems, Miniſter at Leuchars, Mr. Melvil, and ſome few more, viz. ſix were for one Mr. Walace, and when the far major part would not ſubmit to his Opinion, (though they pretend that the Kingdom of Chriſt is invaded when Biſhops or Princes oppoſe the majority of a Synod) yet Mr. Melvil. and his ſix withdraw to another place, and admitted Mr. Walace to the Miniſtry of Leuchars, and the Synod did admit Mr. Weems. But this had almoſt engaged the Pariſhioners in Blood, and the ſcuſſle could not be ended until Melvil's Faction prevailed ſo far againſt the Synod, that neither of the two ſhould be Miniſter at that Church. The Reaſon why I inſist on this, is, to let them of a contrary Opinion ſee how juſtly our diſlike of a parity in Church Offices is Founded, and that there being no imaginable warrant for it from Scripture, Apoſtolick Practice, Primitive Fathers, Councils, or any well Eſtablished Chriſtian Church, and that the beſt plea for it, ſeems to be the pretended parity that is alledged amongſt the firſt Reformers in Scotland, we judged it fit firſt to ſhew that there was an imparity then; and always thereafter in this Church, and that the deſign of parity was always rejected by our Kings, Parliaments, and the moſt, and beſt of our Clergy, and that the immoralities, and Seditions, of ſuch as contended for parity gives us no invitation to be amongſt their Succeſſors.

It is true, that the King in the year 1590. and 1591. and 1592. was ſo often brought into danger, twice was he Captive, and conſtantly in great trouble by the Seditions of Mr. Andrew Melvil, and his firy complices, that in the year 1592. he did conſent to grant a great deal of Juriſdiction to Presbyteries; Synods, and General Aſſemblies by Act of Parliament; and this of neceſſity to evite a threatned Rebellion, and that by the advice of Chancellor Maitland, who in Council adviſed the King to give them much of their will, for that [...] the ſhort way to make them odious, as already they were troubleſeme to the Nation, and then they would be [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] turned out by all. Yet there was never an Act or motion of Aboliſhing Epiſcopacy; but on the contrary, they continued in their Dioceſes and Churches always thereafter, and in the very year 1594. Cunnigham Biſhop of Aberdeen did Babtize Prince Henry at Sterling; but the King was forced to connive a while at at their Inſolence, for they had preached the People into a perſuaſion that the King was to betray his own Crown and Kingdoms to the King of Spain. And when three Noblemen were brought to Tryal before the Juſtice, the Miniſters would needs order the Proceſs in October 1593, and to back them, they ſtirred up multitudes of the Rabble to Arms, thereby to force Juſtice to decide in their favour; nor would they disband or abſtain from coming before the Judges in armed Crowds, although the King and Council did by Proclamation prohibit them. If this be Presbyterian Government, it muſt be confeſſed that Anno 1590, 1591, 1592, and 1593. Presbyters had it ſolely. But all this time Biſhops did exiſt by Law, enjoyed their Rents, and preached in their Churches, if you truſt not us, Notice the moſt Authentic Records of the Kingdom.

By Act of Parliament 1. Jac. 6. Chap. 7. Miniſters are ordered to be preſented by the Patrons to the Superintendent of the Dioceſe. Note, At this time moſt of the Biſhops were Popiſh, which occaſioned the Proteſtants to appoint Superintendents.

Anno 1572. Parl. 3. Jac. 6. Chap 45. The Government of the Church is declared to be in the Archbiſhops, Biſhops, and Superintendents. Note, Both Biſhops, and Superintendents, are contemporary then in the Church.

The like owned Chap. 46. 48. and 54. of that Parliament.

[Page] In the year 1573. The Authority of the Biſhops is owned by the firſt Act of the 4. Par. Jac. 6.

In the year 1578. the like by Act. 63. Parl. 5. Jac. 6.

In the year 1579. the like by Act. 71. Parliam. 6. Jac. 6.

In the year 1581. That the Biſhops did continue in the Church appears from Act 100. Parl. 7. Jac. 6.

The like appears from the Acts 106, and 114, of that Parliament.

In the year 1584. The Biſhops Authority fully owned Act. 132. Parl. 8. Jac. 6

In the year 1587. It appears that Prelacy exiſted then by Act 28. Parl. 11. Jac. 6.

Also in that 11. Parl. It appears by the Act of Annexation, that Prelacy did ſtill exiſt by Law, even although their Temporalties were annexed to the Crown. and by the 111. Act, of that 11. Parl.

In the year 1591, 1592, 1593, and 1594. The King, and Biſhops, could not ſtop the Inſolence of Presbyters, nor their meeting in Synods and Aſſemblies, without any interpoſition of the Royal Authority, but this hindered not but that the Biſhops did ſtill exiſt by Law, and exerced ſome part of their Office, and in all Parliaments and Conventions of Eſtates, the Prelates did did always Sit and Vote as the firſt of the three Eſtates, as the Records and Sederunts of all the Parliaments will prove.

In the year 1596. Leſlie, Biſhop of Roſs, dying at Bruſſels, Mr. David Lindſey was preſented by the King to the Biſhoprick the very next year.

In the year 1598. there was a Conference appointed at Falkland betwixt the Commiſſioners of the Aſſembly, and ſome appointed by the King to meet with [Page] them, where they agreed on ten Articles or Propoſitions of Policy, for the Church, relating chiefly to the Clergy's Votes in Parliament, and the Elections of Biſhops in the Dioceſes; ſome of theſe Propoſitions were fooliſh, but it was thought convenient that the King ſhould comply with thoſe Hot Heads in ſome things; for at that time Severals began to debate his Right of Succeſſion to the Crown of England, and ſo he would have all quiet at Home, yet ſtill this is evident that Biſhops did then exiſt by Law, and that altho ſomething concerning them was debated, yet their Office and Order was not.

In the year 1600, theſe forementioned Articles were appoved in the Aſſembly at Monroſs, March 28, 1600. and to that Aſſembly Mr. Dury (who was the chief Tool with Mr. Melvil for parity) at his death did write an Exhortation diſowning his former Errors, and earneſtly adviſing them to ſubmit to the ancient Order, and to chuſe good Biſhops of the beſt of the Miniſters.

In the year 1601. the King called an Aſſembly of the Church to meet at Brunt Iſland, where many good things were Enacted, both for the true Liberty of the Church, and for reclaiming the Popiſh Nobility from their Errors, which proved more effectual and pacific than all the former furious Methods, which at that time were promoted by a Hot Headed Man, called Davidſon, who by a Letter to the Aſſembly incited them to declare againſt the Kings Hypocriſie, and other Errors. The Aſſembly would have proceeded to Cenſure him, but the King would not allow it, ſaying, it was matter of Joy that theſe Hot Heads were reduced to one, or ſome few.

In the year 1602. the King in an Aſſembly at Halyrood-Houſe, did ſhew great Clemency to ſome firy Miniſters, [Page] whom the Aſſembly would have Cenſured: as alſo he gave great Satisfaction to the whole Aſſembly and Nation; by his excellent Propoſals for eſtabliſhing Proviſions both for Biſhops and Presbyters. And in this Aſſembly of the Church was the fifth of Auguſt appointed an Anniverſary Thanksgiving for the Kings Delivery from Gowry's Conſpiracy.

Before the Diet appointed for the next General Aſſembly, the Crown of England did fall to the King by the Death of Queen Elizabeth; ſo there was no meeting of Church General Aſſemblies for a while, but the few remaining Hot Headed Presbyters were very buſie on the Kings removal ſo far: and fearing the excellent Order of the Engliſh Church (the great Safety and Peace of Britain depending on an intire and full Concord of the Iſland) they were apprehenſive that upon ſuch Conſiderations, the King would heartily promote a further Eſtabliſhment of Epiſcopal Juriſdiction in Scotland. The Presbyterians in this Juncture did buſily ſtir up Prejudices in the People againſt the Church of England; tho undoubtedly the beſt Reformed Church and greateſt Bulwark againſt Popery. And though the King, for good Reaſons, when he went to England, Adjourned the General Aſſembly from July 1604, to July 1605. yet theſe Men prevailed with Nine of the Fifty Preſbyteries of Scotland to keep the Meeting notwithſtanding of the Kings Prorogation: where Thirteen Perſons meeting did moſt Seditiouſly run into ſuch Declarations againſt the Statutes, and ſtanding Laws, as were by the Judicatures declared Treaſon, and for which Severals of the Thirteen were Condemned before the Juſtices. For they could not be perſuaded either to acknowledge, or revoke their ſeditious Paſquils, but they were afterwards pardoned by the King, when they confeſſed that [Page] the Chancellour encouraged their Meeting in July 1604. and proved it, which forced the Chancellour to prove likewiſe that they promiſed to connive at his being a Papiſt, and his Poſſeſſion of what he had of the Church Lands, upon Condition he ſhould own them againſt Epiſcopacy, whereupon the King ſaid that the Presbyterians would betray the Proteſtant Religion in hatred to Epiſcopacy, and the Chancellour would betray Epiſcopacy for greed of their Temporalties. So far my Author.

And now from all this I infer, that the firſt Reformers of our Religion in Scotland declaimed againſt the Tyranny, and incroachments of the Biſhop of Rome, but never againſt the Epiſcopal Juriſdiction as ſuch. That Mr. Wiſehart, and ſome others of our moſt Eminent Reformers and Martyrs knew no other Government of the Church but Epiſcopacy. The firſt being bred in the Univerſity of Cambridge, and others, who were his Diſciples, followed his Sentiments. And that the firſt Reformers ſubmitted to the Epiſcopal Juriſdiction of ſuch of the Biſhops as Preached and promoted the Proteſtant Doctrine.

Secondly, That though the Epiſcopal Authority was frequently weakned, cruſhed and interrupted, by the Popular Inſurrections, and Conſpiracies of Mr. Melvil's Faction, yet it was never legally aboliſhed, but rather continued in the Church, ſecured, and defended by many Laws.

☞ Thirdly, That the Presbyterians always watched the difficult Poſtures of the King's Affairs, and whenever they found him at a diſadvantage, then they made him much more uneaſie by Popular Tumults, and Inſurrections.

Fourthly, That the Romiſh Clergy never pleaded their Exemptions from the Secular Powers more violently and factiouſly, than the Melvilian Tribe in Scotland.

[Page] Fifthly, That Epiſcopacy was not Aboliſhed in that very year wherein they pretend that Presbytery was Eſtabliſhed, but that Epiſcopacy in Anno 1592. was ſtill retained in all its legal Rights, Privileges, and Authority. It is true that the Inſolence of Presbyters was not then to be reſiſted, but by granting them great Liberties, and that this Liberty was granted by the neceſſitous Circumſtances that the King was in.

Sixthly, That the moſt violent of their Faction had not then the Impudence to quarrel the Superiority of a Biſhop above a Presbyter, as a thing unlawful in it ſelf; but that Mr. Melvil made his approaches to the ruin of Epiſcopacy by plauſible pretences, viz. That it was abuſed, and that it was not exerciſed according to its primitive deſigns and ſimplicity.

Seventhly, I obſerve that Epiſcopacy was never legally Aboliſhed in Scotland, until the Tragical Rebellion in King Charles the Firſt his Reign broke forth, and we need not inform the World how unwilling King Charles the Martyr was to Aboliſh Epiſcopacy.

Eighthly, That the Royal Authority never gave way to their Rebellion, and Inſolence, when they could hinder it; but ſometimes they were forced to yield to grant them great Liberties to avoid the heavier Blows and Thunder Claps of their Fury.

Ninthly, That we can have no better Evidence for any Matter of Fact than the Publick Records of Parliament.

Tenthly, We may clearly diſcern that the Vindicators Book in defence of his Party, is one Hypocritical Shuffle from top to bottom. For if Mr. Melvil, the Founder of Presbytery, and his Confederates, did affront the Kings Perſon, and declined his Authority, and provoked the Rabble, and Excommunicated the Archbiſhop, and was ſo rude to the Ambaſſadors of Foreign Princes, and [Page] profanely appointed a Faſt, with no other deſign than to baſſle the King to his Teeth. Then let me ask the Vindicator why all this Apology, to perſuade the World that Presbyterians are not capable of ſuch Villanies as is the Rabbling of the Clergy. Nay, I muſt tell him Presbyterians did nothing upon this laſt Revolution, but what they Practiſed when they had not ſuch opportunities to to vent their Malice. And by this unqueſtionable Hiſtory he and all others may ſee, to how little purpoſe his Diſtinction of ſober Presbyterians, and Cameronians will ſerve him; for the Cameronians have no Principles different from Presbyterians, nor the Presbyterians from Cameronians, nor is it poſſible to reſute the Cameronians by Presbyterian Principles.

Eleventhly, We may gather from the preceeding Hiſtory, and the conſtant Practice of Presbyterians, that they have no Principles of Unity amongſt themſelves, for, the leſſer number (if more Popular than their Brethren) may remonſtrate with that Inſolence, and Fury, againſt the plurality as to ſtop the whole courſe of Diſcipline, as in the forementioned caſe of Mr. Andrew Melvil.

Twelſthly, The Spirit of Presbytery, is a Spirit of Tyranny, and cannot endure to Obey, and therefore ſuch as are fully Poiſoned with its Principles, (whenever the Deciſions of the Publick contradict their own peculiar Plan and Scheme) they immediately fly in the Face of that Authority, they formerly pretended to ſupport, and by general words, which at the bottom have no particular ſignification, but what they pleaſe to put upon them, they pick quarrels, and exceptions againſt all their own Judicatures, Governments Civil and Eccleſiaſtical.

This is viſible as from many inſtances, ſo from the famous Proteſtations of ſeveral biggorted Incendiaries againſt the General Aſſembly of the Presbyterians Anno [Page] 1651. becauſe that General Aſſembly did promote the Publick Reſolutions in order to the Reſtoring the King to the Exerciſe of his Government, they pretend that the General Aſſembly was not rightly conſtituted, that the generality of the Godly did adhere to the Proteſtors, that the Publick Reſolutioners had made defection, becauſe they were for bringing again into Places of Power and Truſt, ſuch as would probably ſerve the King againſt the Rebellion then on Foot, upon ſuch pretences they decline their Supreme National Judicatory, and becauſe that Print is known but to very few of the preſent Generation, and ſince it is a Monument of their Villany and Stubbornneſs, it may be ſeen at the end of this Letter. I have no more to add, but that I wiſh my Skill to ſerve you, were equal to my Zeal and Affection, for I am in all ſincerity

Your moſt obedient Servant.

The Proteſtation of divers Miniſters, againſt the Proceedings of the late Commiſſion of the Church of Scotland, as alſo againſt the lawfulneſs of the preſent pretended Aſſembly.

[Page]

Right Reverend,

HOW gracious God hath been to the Church of Scotland, in giving her pure Ordinances; we truſt that while we live, it ſhall be acknowledged, with thanfulneſs, by us unto the Moſt High, of whom we deſire Mercy and Grace to adhere unto the Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government Eſtabliſhed in this Land, amongſt the many ſad Tokens of the Lords Indignation and Wrath againſt this Kirk, the preſent Difference of his Servants in the Miniſtry, is looked upon by us, and we believe by all the godly in the Land, as one of the greateſt. And as we hold it a Duty deeply to be humbled before the Lord in the Senſe thereof, and by all lawful and fair means, within the compaſs of our power and ſtation, to endeavour the remedy; ſo we do acknowledge a free General Aſſembly, lawfully Called, and rightly Conſtituted, and proceeding with Meekneſs and Love in the Spirit of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, according to the Rule of the Word, and the Acts and Conſtitutions of this Kirk, to be amongſt the firſt and moſt effectual means appointed of [Page] God for obtaining the ſame, and for preſerving Purity, and advancing the power of the Work of Reformation in this Age, and tranſmitting the ſame unſpotted to our Poſterity, and to the Ages and Generations that are to come: but that as the faithful Servants of Jeſus Chriſt in his Church in former times did by his good Hand on them in the right Adminiſtration of free and lawful General Aſſemblies, bring the Work of Reformation in Scotland unto a great Perfoction, and nigh Conformity with the firſt Pattern: ſo unfaithful Men minding their own things more than things of Chriſt, and Usurping over their Brethres, and the Lords Inheritance, did deface the beauty thereof, firſt by encroaching upon the Liberty and Freedom of Aſſemblies, afterwards by taking away the very Aſſemblies themſelves. Therefore remembring and calling to mind the many Bonds and Obligations that lie upon us from the Lord, and being deſirous to be found faithful in this day of Tentation, and to exonerate our Conſciences as in his ſight, and to avoid the acceſſion unto that guiltineſs in which many have involved themſelves. And conceiving that this Meeting is not a lawful General Aſſembly of the Church of Scotland, in regard that the Election of Commiſſioners to the ſame, have been limited and prejudiced in the due Liberty thereof, by a Letter and Act of their Commiſſioners of the laſt Aſſembly ſent to Presbyteries, appointing ſuch Brethren as after Conference remained unſatisfied with, and continued to oppoſe the Publick Reſolutions, to be Cited to the General Aſſembly. And in regard the Commiſſion of many Burghs and Presbyteries are abſent, as wanting free acceſſ, by reaſon of the Motions of the Enemy: and in regard that many of the Commiſſioners of the laſt General Aſſembly have carried on a courſe of defection, contrary to the Truſt committed to them, and to the Acts and Conſtitutions [Page] of this Church: and who in their Remonſtrances and Papers, have ſtirred up the Civil Magiſtrate againſt ſuch who are unſatisfied in their Conſciences with their Proceedings, and who have prelimited the Aſſembly, by their Letter and Act formerly mentioned, are admitted to Sit, and Voted as Members of the Aſſembly, and their Moderator choſen to be Moderator of the Aſſembly, notwithſtanding timous exception was made againſt them, that they ought not to be admitted as Members of the Aſſembly, until their Proceedings were firſt tried and approven by the Aſſembly: and in regard that his Majeſty, and his Majeſties Commiſſioners by his Speech, did incite too hard Courſes againſt theſe who are unſatisfied in their Conſciences, with the Proceedings of the Commiſſioners, before the trial and approbation of the Commiſſion Book, or any Act made by the Aſſembly for the approving their Proceedings; we do upon theſe, and many others important grounds and reaſons, to be proponed and given in time and place convenient, in the name of the Church of Scotland, and in our names, and in the name of all Miniſters, Ruling Elders, and Profeſſours of this Kirk, who do, or ſhall adhere to us, Proteſt againſt the Validity and Conſtitution of this Aſſembly, as not being free and lawful: and that they may not aſſume unto themſelves any Authority, nor exerciſe any Power or Juriſdiction for determining of Controverſies, making of Acts emitting of Declarations, judging of Proteſtations or Appeals, or Proceedings of Synods, or inferior Judicatories, or Cenſuring Perſons or Papers, or iſſuing of Commiſſions of whatſoever ſort to any perſons whatſoever, and in particular Proteſts that they may not proceed unto the Approbation or Ratification of the Proceedings of the former Commiſſion, not only becauſe of the want of juſt Power and Authority ſo to do, but alſo becauſe theſe Proceedings contain many [Page] things contrary to the Truſt committed to their Commiſſioners, eſpecially their allowing and carrying on a Conjunction with the Malignant Party, and bringing them into Places of Power and Truſt in the Judicatories and in the Army, contrary to the Word of God, Solemn League and Covenant, the Solemn Confeſſion of Sins, and Engagement to Duties, the conſtant Tenor of Warnings, Declarations, Remonſtrances, Cauſes of Humiliations, Letters, Supplications, Acts and Conſtitutions of this Kirk, and the laying a Foundation for the Civil Magiſtrate, to meddle with theſe things which concern Miniſters, their Doctrine and Exerciſe of Miniſterial Duties before they be Cited, Tried, and Cenſured by the Judicatories of the Kirk. And we Proteſt that whatſoever Determinations, Acts, Ratifications, Declarations, Cenſures, or Commiſſions that ſhall be made or given by them, may be Void and Null, and may not be interpreted as binding to the Kirk of Scotland; but that notwithſtanding thereof, it may be free for us, and ſuch as adhere to us, to Exerciſe our Miniſtry and enjoy the due Chriſtian Liberty of our Conſciences, according to the Word of God, National Covenant, Solemn League and Covenant, the Confeſſion of Sins, and Engagements to Duties, and all the Acts and Conſtitutions of this Kirk, and that there may be liberty to chuſe Commiſſioners, and to Convene a Free and Lawful General Aſſembly, when there ſhall be need, and the Lord ſhall give opportunity, and to add what further reaſons ſhall have weight for ſtrengthning this our Proteſtation, and ſhewing the nullity of this Aſſembly, and the unwarrantableneſs of the Proceedings of the Commiſſioners of the former Aſſembly; and that theſe preſents may be put upon Record in the Regiſters of the General Aſſembly to be extant ad futuram rei memoriam, [Page] and that we may have a ſubſcribed Extract under the Clerks hand.

Subſcribed and preſented at St. Andrews 20. July, 1651.

by

Mr. A. G. Moderator of the laſt Aſſembly.

Mr. Samuel Rutherford.

Mr. James Guthery.

Mr. Patrick Gilleſpy.

Mr. John Meinzies.

Mr. Ephraim Melvin.

Mr. John Carſtaires.

Mr. William Adair.

Mr. Thomas Wyllie.

Mr. John Nevoy.

Mr. James Simpſon.

Mr. William Guthery.

Mr. Alexander Moncreif.

Mr. John Hamilton in Inderkip.

Mr. Robert Muire.

Mr. John Hart.

Mr. Andrew Donaldſon.

Mr. Robert Keith.

And ten other Miniſters.

§

Right Reverend,

WE are conſtrained by many neceſſities, and by transferring of the Aſſembly, to be abſent from your ſubſequent meeting; and having laid to Heart what the Lord requireth of us in this day of ſo ſad a Diſpenſation, and ſo ſore a Controverſie againſt the Land. We think our ſelves bound in Conſcience, to lay open to you, that we are much unſatisfied with the Proceedings of the Commiſſioners of the late General Aſſembly relating to the in-bringing and in-truſting of the Malignant Party, with the Conſequences thereof; there iſſuing forth one Act with a Letter, to the prejudice, as we conceive, of the Presbyteries Election of Commiſſioners to this Aſſembly, which hath need to be looked on, leaſt the Freedom of this High Court of Jeſus Chriſt, by ſuch preparatives, be infringed. We wiſh it be your Wiſdoms care, that begun Evils be remedied, our bleeding [Page] Wounds with tender Hands bound up, and that the fierce Wrath of the Lord ſmoaking in our Bowels may be quenched: and do in all humility and reverence of your Wiſdoms, and tenderneſs of reſpect to precious Men, whom we much honour and love in the Lord, though in this matter we moſt diſser from them in Judgments; Protest that the foreſaid Proceedings be not Ratified and approven by you, and that we be not involved in the Guilt and Conſequences to the Ratifications thereof: and this we crave to be Recorded in your Regiſter for the Vindication of Truth, and exoneration of our Conſciences. The Lord give you wiſdom in all things, and powre out upon you a ſpirit of Healing the backſlidings of the Land, of building up our Breaches.

We reſt Your Wiſdoms loving Brethren and Servants in Chriſt.

Subſcribed and ſent from Pearth to Dundee (to which place the Aſſembly was Adjourned from S. Andrews upon the 21. July 1651.)

by M. Alexander Dunlap, William Sumervell, John Mauld, James Donaldson, John Veatch, John Hammilton in Carmichael, Alexander Barterem, Miniſters; and William Brown of Dolphington, a Ruling Elder.

POSTSCRIPT.

[Page]

WHEN the Printer had caſt off the former Sheets, there appeared here a ſcurrilous Pamphlet, intituled an Anſwer to the Scots Preſbyterian Eloquence in three parts. If you would have a Character of the Author you muſt read the Book, and perhaps by ſo doing, you may meet with ſomething that is extraordinary, and which cannot ſo eaſily fall under words; he appears with all the ſtorm and Thunder that paſſion and rage can furniſh him with, he breaths nothing but violence and indignation, and bluſters with ſo much fury, that at firſt view you may perceive him as great a Separatiſt from good nature and modeſty, as he is from the Chriſtian Church and her Worſhip.

He divides his Pamphlet into three parts. In the firſt, he complains of cruel Laws made againſt the Presbyterians in the former Reigns. In the ſecond, he meddles with the Author of the Scots Presbyterian Eloquence. In the third, he aſſaults the Sermons and Lives of the Biſhops and Clergy.

As to the firſt, King Charles II. and our ſubordinate Governors made no Laws againſt the Presbyterians in Scotland, but what they were forc'd to make in their own defence; when the King was reſtor'd to his hereditary right, and the Nations deliver'd from their Egyptian bondage; the Parliament being call'd they enacted ſuch Laws as were abſolutely neceſſary for preſerving their Liberty and ſundamental [Page] Conſtitution: and becauſe they had ſo ſadly ſmarted under their cruel Taskmaſters (the Covenanters) in the late Civil Wars, they took care in the firſt place, by gentle Laws both the reclaim the deluded, and ſecure their own ſafety. The frequent attempts and inſurrections of the Presbyterians afterwards oblig'd them to make more ſevere Laws, nor did ever any man in that Period ſuffer capital puniſhment, but for high Treaſon againſt the King and State. If their errors and deluſions were purely ſpeculative, and did not upon all turns prompt them to overturn the Government and graſp the Sovereignty, they might live in Scotland in all peace and tranquility, as other Diſſenters did. But when the whole Vid. Hind let looſe. Nepthali Jus populi. Scheme of their Religion (as far as they differ from the Epiſcopal party) is nothing in it ſelf but ungovernable humor and Rebellion, and when their inſolence became ſo intolerable that they proclaim'd open War againſt the King in his own Dominions, and preach'd to their Hearers that they ought to kill his Servants, and that he had no right to the Crown becauſe he broke the Covenant; what Apology needs there be made againſt the unreaſonable clamours of ſuch deſperate Incendiaries, eſpecially when their cruelties towards the Epiſcopal Church both Clergy and Laity after the Year 1637. were unparallel'd in Hiſtory, as they were diabolical in their nature. And their Oath of the Covenant impos'd upon all ranks and degrees of perſons within the Nation, and (Children at the Schools not excepted) with greater tyranny, malice and violence than the Fathers of the Inquiſition ever practiſed.

VVhat was it then that the King was to be blam'd for, and his Miniſters of State? VVhy; they would not acknowledg that the King had loſt his right to the Crown, they defended his calm and obedient Subjects [Page] from the hands of theſe religious Harpyes who would needs perſuade the Nation, that there was no Sin ſo much to be dreaded, as any the least tranſgreſſion of the ſolemn League and Covenant. The King and his Miniſters of State might more plauſibly be accus'd of cruelty, if they had made ſevere Laws againſt the conſequences of Presbyterian Opinions, rather than againſt the open and avowed efforts of treachery and Rebellion; Prudence and caution might arm them againſt the firſt, but ſelfdefence, the Laws of nature and Nations, their own honour and ſafety, muſt needs prompt them to the ſecond.

In ſhort, you will meet with nothing in the firſt part of this Pamphlet, but an ill contriv'd abſtract of the Hind let looſe, and you know that the Epiſcopalians took care to compendiſe that Book, and publiſh it of new, that all men might ſee the principles, practices and humors of that Sect whom they oppoſe: nor can there be a better defence of King Charles the ſeconds Government, than the Hind let looſe, if duly conſider'd, and upon the whole matter I will only ſay this, that if the Miniſters of State under King Charles II. in Scotland have done nothing againſt the Presbyterians, but what all wiſe, great, and good Men have done in the like caſes, then the Clamours of this party againſt their Miniſtry are rather an honour to, than an accuſation againſt their proceedings. For as long as there are any Records of publick tranſactions preserv'd in our Nation, the Rebellions under King Charles I. and II. and the principles by which they have been maintain'd, and the Vid. King's large Manifeſto. Artifices, made uſe of to delude the people unto miſery and Enthusiasm, can never be forgotten: and if there was no other Book extant but the Acts of their General Aſſemblies, they ſufficiently vindicate King Charles II, and his Miniſters of State from any ſhadow of cruelty and rigor.

[Page] But all this and much more is made evident by the Learned and Loyal Sir George Mackenzie. Advocate in his ſhort and accurate Defence of King Charles the 2ds. Government, where he attacks, and baffles by Reaſon, Law, and the cuſtoms of Nations, the little cavils and exceptions ſtarted againſt the adminiſtrations of that wiſe and peaceable Monarch. A Book which ſhall never be anſwered, I do not mean, that they ſhall not write againſt it, but that it is unanſwerable, and they may as wiſely run a tilt againſt a Rock, as endeavour to ſhake any part of its main deſign. The reaſonings of it are ſo clear, the hiſtorical retorſions ſo undeniable, and the villanies of their factions and combinations ſo tranſparent, that to meddle with that Book will more and more diſcover their folly, as well as renew their correction: and the publiſher of it thinks ſtill he has done the Nation good ſervice; and he is the more confirmed in his Opinion, that he perceives, that the little and hidden Nurſlings of Presbytery are galled by it. Anſwer to the Scottiſh Presbyterian Eloquence, p. 27. It is a Lye that Sir George Mackenzie pretended he would not publiſh it, tho he would not allow a Copy ſurreptitiouſly procured to come abroad without his immediate orders and directions; and when he ſaw it convenient, he recommended it to his Friend to publiſh it; and it might have been printed a good while before he died, if the publiſher had not been diverted by many little Occurrences. But let nor this Scribler, or any of his party, blame Sir George Mackenzie, that their Covenants were added to the Treatiſe lately mentioned; this is ſolely to be imputed to the Publiſher, and he needs no Apology for the doing of it, ſince they are undeniable monuments of their incurable ſtubbornneſs and Rebellion: and the reaſonings in the Treatiſe it ſelf are frequently related to, and illuſtrated [Page] by thoſe wicked Papers, I mean the Bonds and Covenants of that reſtleſs Faction. But to end this Paragraph, you may tell this Accuſer, that the original Copy written by Mr. Andrew Johaſtone (then Amanuenſis to Sir George Mackenzie) is full in the Publiſhers hands.

The Scribler unwarily does us a great deal of honour, when he Quis genus Aeaeadum?—Virg. tells the World that the practices of Presbyterians under the Reign of King Charles II. were proſecuted and oppoſed by ſuch as the Duke of Queenſberry, Marquis of Athol, Earl of Linlithgow, Viſcount of Tarbat, Lieutenant General Drummond, and Sir George Mackenzie. If he underſtood the Laws of Conſequence, he might eaſily ſee that Men of their Quality, Senſe and Intereſt are too great a weight in the oppoſite Scale, and ſince we have juſt reaſon to glory in their parts, honour and integrity, it is very odd that he ſhould be ſo fooliſh, as to own that we are favour'd by perſons of their merit and vertue. 'Tis pleaſant to ſee with what rudeneſs and vanity this little Man aſſaults the memory of Sir George Mackenzie; ſo have I ſeen ſometimes when a generous Falcon drops dead to the ground, the Kites, the Crows, and the Jackdaws gather about him, and ſolemnize a Jubilee, and yet even when he lies dead they dare not touch one of his feathers. He may remember the Fable, that when the Lion Phaedri Fabulae. was expiring, the Aſs amongſt other Beasts kick'd him, and inſulted over him. I do not mean by this, that Sir George Mackenzie, if he were alive, would have taken notice of his bawling or buffoonry; but to let him ſee, that he is as void of generoſity and honour, as he is of common ſenſe and modeſty.

[Page] In this firſt Part he appears very uneaſie, that the Epiſcopal Party are not Perſecuted to the utmoſt, and upbraids us ever and anon with the Lenity that we meet with under the preſent Government, and again muſt needs perſuade the World, that our Principles of Paſſive Obedience are Pag. 26. more dangerous to the preſent Government, than the Principles of the Covenant were to the former. But if there be no more in the caſe than Paſſive Obedience, I think the Government needs not be afraid; and if the Epiſcopal Party are not ſo violently Persecuted now, if they do not feel thoſe loads of Miſery that they groaned under from the year 1638. to 1649, (when the Covenanted Zealots were uppermoſt) this is not at all to be imputed to the Lenity of Presbyterians, but to the reſtraints that are laid upon them by the oppoſite Biaſs of the Nobility and Gentry, and becauſe their moſt terrible Weapon of Excommunication is blunted (the Civil Penalties that formerly did attend it being taken away) this is the true Reaſon why they do not Proſecute their Antagoniſts with Excommunications, becauſe ſuch Cenſures now have no force; ſo that notwithſtanding of all his Panegyricks in commendation of their Meekneſs, we look upon them ſtill as Tygers Chained, not altered in their Nature, but much more galled and irritated by their reſtraint. If the Scotch Epiſcopal Party has any favour in England or in Scotland, they ought to thank God for it, and his Inſtruments whom he directs, and employs to preſerve them. I hope 'tis viſible to the World, with what Induſtry and Application, and by what Engines and Means, Presbyterians are reſolved to deſtroy them.

In the Second Part of his Pamphlet he falls foul upon the Author of the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, in which Scuffle I am not at all concerned. I think the Author [Page] of that Collection was to blame, that he did not more particularly relate the times when, the perſons, by whom, and places where, ſuch Stuff was Preached, and perhaps he has been unwary as to ſome Stories which need Confirmation, but ſince there is ſuch variety and multitude of true Stories of that Nature, nothing ſhould be advanc'd to their diſadvantage that is not duly atteſted. As for the Inconſiſtencies charged upon the Author of the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, they are not worth your while to conſider them, nor have I any inclination to examine them, nor am I concerned to offer my mediation between them; only let me inform you that the Book of which I ſend you the General Hiſtory, contains not one good Conſequence 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 Reaſons that induce me to believe, that there was no injury done the Scotch Presbyterians in the publiſhing of that Book.

Firſt, Becauſe the Printed Accounts cited from their Books are equal to the unprinted relations of their Sermons and Prayers. Mr. Rutherford's Letters alone have in them many coarſe and abuſive Metaphors, and Applications that are mean and loathſome; and though I do not at all in this Letter meddle with his deſign and meaning, yet I think it but a modeſt Cenſure to ſay, that there was in thoſe Letters more Popularity than Piety. I know the Party do magnifie him highly, and it is no part of my buſineſs to leſſen their Opinion of him; yet I muſt tell you, that in the eſteem of all impartial Men he muſt fall below the Character they beſtow upon him. He had Read Dr. Twiſſe, and others of his Opinion, and if any Learning appear in his Books, it is but [Page] ſome of the Metaphyſicks he had borrowed from Dr. Twiſſe, as Dr. Owen, in his Treatiſe De Juſtitiâ Vindicativâ, aſſures us. And he was ſo plunged in theſe Metaphyſical Whimſies, that none can make Senſe of what he wrote. Let his Patrons conſider that Chapter in his Exercitationes Apologeticae pro Divinâ Gratiâ, wherein he pretends to anſwer that Argument, Quod unuſquiſque tenetur credere, and then tell me if they can boaſt of his Perſpicuity and Solidity. Of the ſame Stamp are his Metaphysical Diſſertations annexed to his Book De Providentia, de Ente Poſſibili: if I had the Book by me, I think I could give you Divertiſement. I know very well what our Adverſaries will ſay, viz. that I do not underſtand him, and I muſt ſincerely acknowledge they are in the right of it.

But Secondly, The moſt blaſphemous Stories in the Book called the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, can be proved by the beſt and moſt undeniable Evidence, viz. That of Mr. Urquhart's concerning the Lords Prayer, that of Mr. Kirkton's concerning the Holy Ghoſt, and that he believed Abraham run out of the Land of Caldea for debt. Now I agree with this angry Scribler, ſo far, that theſe are horrid and blaſphemous expreſſions, and I pitch upon them, becauſe he himſelf thinks that nothing can be worſe, and that theſe Expreſſions alone (if falſely alledged) diſprove the whole Collection. Now we fairly offer to prove theſe three, the firſt againſt Mr. Urquhart, the other two againſt Mr. Kirkton. This is undeniably juſt by his own Conceſſions Pag. 61. and if ſuch blaſphemous Stories are openly tolerated, what muſt we expect from that Society of Men, and I have in the former Treatiſe given you two inſtances of greater Ignorance and Nonſenſe 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 againſt [Page] Mr. Rule, and mentioned by him in Pag. 61. I do not truly believe them, unleſs I have better Authority for them.

Thirdly, ſuppoſe that one had a mind to make Stories to the diſadvantage of the Scotch Presbyterians, yet their jargon is ſo coarſly extravagant, that it is not poſſible for any Man to ſpeak their Language, unleſs he had been Educated in their Gibberiſh, and the Harmony between their Printed Books, and their unprinted Sermons is ſo exact, that none can doubt of the laſt who Read the firſt. Let me but name one Man, it is Mr. J. K. his Fancy is ſo Comical, ſo ſurprizing, ſo unimitable, that it is not poſſible to ſay any thing as he ſays it himſelf, nor yet to aſcribe to another what is ſaid by him; and this way of Preaching is no new thing amongſt the Presbyterians. They always accuſed the Epiſcopalians that their Sermons were Cold, and Dry, and Moral Diſcourſes, and were not Calculated to the Capacities and Affections of the People as theirs were, and therefore they complyed ſo much with the Genius of the People that they forgot the Majeſty of Religion, and the diſtinction between things Sacred and Prophane.

Fourthly, There may be ſo many Stories added of their abuſive Diſtorſions of the Scripture with Authentick atteſtations, that it were their wiſdom to let this Debate fall. For Preaching after their way is become of late ſo triſling an Exerciſe, that no Man could perform it to the ſatisfaction of their thorow pac'd Diſciples, but he that was either an extraordinary Hypocrite, or well advanced in Madneſs, and whatever Men pretend that have conſidered the affair but ſuperficially, 'tis neceſſary to expoſe that abſurd, ſenſual, and ludicrous Sect, that Metamorphoſe Religion, and its Solemn Exerciſes unto Theatrical Scenes. If the great things of Religion [Page] be true, if we have any thing that diſtinguiſhes us from the Beaſts that periſh, if our Souls ſurvive our Bodies, and if our belief and hopes of inviſible things, and the ſlate of Retribution be not intirely a Dream: what greater affront can be done to the Majeſty of God, the dignity of Human Nature, and the Common Senſe of Mankind, than thus by mock Sermons to Lampoon the great Truths of the Goſpel? Did not our meek and bleſſed Saviour chaſtiſe the Hypocriſie of the Phariſees with greater ſeverity, than the more open and undiſguiſed lewdneſs of Publicans and Sinners? And St. Paul treats them with no other Language, than that of dogs, evil workers, and the conciſion; their Character is more at length in the Epiſtle of St. Jude; ſuch religious Scorners do in the moſt effectual manner promote Atheiſm, and they that Act Devotion after the manner of a Farce, do expoſe it more than the Wits, and the Philoſophers.

Upon this conſideration alone the Presbyterian Preachments do more harm to Piety, than the moſt ſubtile Arguments of Ancient and Modern Atheiſts: we are ſupported againſt Atheiſm by the ſtrength of Natural Reaſon, when we are attacked gravely by plauſible appearances: but when we are ſurprized and diſarmed by the ſudden inſinuations of Raillery, we are quickly overcome, not becauſe we are weak, but becauſe we do not reſolutely encounter the Enemy. One Sermon mixt with ſuch fooleries, as give occaſion to this Digreſſion, do more real hurt than can be imagined; and if it be a fault to Publiſh them, how intolerable is it to Preach them, and to ſupport Societies that ſeem to deſign nothing leſs than to ridicule all Religion. But it is the juſt Judgment of God, that they who have forſaken the Unity of the Church ſhould be given up to ſtrong deluſions.

[Page] In the third part of his Pamphlet, he heaps together ſome monſtrous and ridiculous Stories againſt the Clergy, and though one had ſufficient ſtrength to grapple with a Scavenger and lay him in the Mire, yet methinks the undertaking is neither generous nor decent. There are a great many of them that he aſperſes that I know nothing off, ſo it is not reaſonable to expect that I ſhould meddle in their affairs, and yet if they were the moſt arrant Villains upon Earth, I am able to demonſtrate, that his Teſtimony againſt them is not Valid. And therefore I humbly beg of all diſintereſted Strangers to conſider but a few Particulars; and then let them judge whether the accuſations of Presbyterians againſt the Epiſcopal Church of Scotland are to be valued.

Firſt, They may remember that this way of Libelling, is the true Characteriſtick of the Party, and we need gather no other inſtances to prove this, than the Practiſes of their General Aſſembly, Anno 1638. Who (when they Sat) Libelled the Venerable Archbiſhop Spotswood, and all his Brethren of that Order, of the moſt abominable Crimes, and charged them with the ſins of Habitual Lying, Swearing, Drunkenneſs, Adultery, Inceſt, Sodomy, and Sorcery, with an &c. and they paſt their Cenſures upon them as guilty of theſe Abominations, and inſerted the names of particular Gentlemen as Witneſſes, who were never acquainted with this Contrivance: and ordered all the Miniſters of the Nation to Read all theſe Libels and Sentences from their Pulpits, as if the whole Proceſs had been fairly examined, and the Witneſſes had appeared before that Packt Jury of Mock Eccleſiaſticks.

[Page] Now this was the Solemn Act of the whole Party met in a General Aſſembly, who concerted thoſe Methods, when they were mutually conſcious to the Knavery of one another, and defying the Omniſcience of Heaven, went on reſolutely againſt their own Convictions, as well as the Practice of all former Ages. It is but ordinary for private Men to aſſault the Reputation of others, but what degrees of wickedneſs muſt they arrive to, that Combine together, and own to one another, that the plaineſt Laws of God might be trampled upon, rather than miſs their end. And this Villany is ſtill upon Record, and to their everlaſting diſgrace undeniable, and will continue ſo, as long as there are any Monuments of that Nation preſerv'd.

Their Predeceſſors thus United, found Calumny the moſt proper Weapon, and effectual Inſtrument to ſerve their Malice, and to diſgrace amongſt 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 1652. (when Oliver grew weary of their inſolence) the Nation groaned under the ſaddest and moſt unutterable Bondage. The Reader is therefore deſired to remember that no Man can continue a Presbyterian without the Arts of Calumny. Omne imperium conſervatur iiſdem artibus quibus primò acquiritur: and when the Varniſh of Hypocriſie drops off, then the Tyranny ſupported by it muſt ſink. The Presbyterians began their Faction with Calumny, and they cannot now (if they would) lay it aſide. What could the Epiſcopal Clergy expect from their preſent Perſecutors, leſs than their Predeceſſors [Page] met with in that General Aſſembly? Who ſtuck at nothing, how monſtrous ſoever, 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 diſcover their Nature, the firſt thing they betook themſelves to was that of Libelling; and when they have now wearied themſelves (if they can be wearied of what is ſo natural to the Faction) and expoſed their own Reputation by invading that of other Mens, they muſt yet goe on, not that they find this Method ſucceſsful, but becauſe they cannot forbear; and it is enough for the Reader to know that they cannot name three of the Clergy of Scotland juſtly deprived for Immoralities, after all their Inſidious Arts, Libellings, and Clamours ſince the Revolution.

But to make the Villany of that General Aſſembly, I lately named a little Anno 1638. more conſpicuous, I deſire the Reader may remember a very memorable Story. It is this, The Aſſembly pretended that the Biſhops were proved guilty of all the Crimes that were imputed to them, by ſufficient Evidence; and therefore they inſerted the names of ſeveral Gentlemen, and others, in their Sentences, as Witneſſes of the Libels. And in their Sentence againſt the Archbiſhop Spotſwood, the Laird of Balfour, in Fife, was named as a Witneſs, whereas this Honeſt Gentleman never knew any thing of the matter; and all the time of the Sitting of that Mock Aſſembly, he had never been from his own Houſe, which is at leaſt threeſcore Miles [Page] from Glaſgow. But Mr. Colin Adam, Miniſter of Anſtruther-Eaſter, did Read the That you may be fully informed of the [...], diſingenuity, illegal Practiſes, and tumultuous Villanies of the Covenanters, you are earneſtly deſired to Read King Charles I. large Declaration in Folio. Lond. Printed for R [...]b. Young, 1639. Sentence againſt the Archbiſhop, from the Pulpit upon a Sunday, according to the Aſſemblies appointment, the Laird of Balfour being in the Church, and hearing his own name Read as a Witneſs of the Libel againſt the Archbiſhop, went out of the Church, and immediately after Sermon called for the Miniſter, and challenged him how he could Read His name in ſuch a Villanous Paper, ſince he himſelf knew that he had not been from Home all the time of the Aſſembly, and ſo could not have been a Witneſs there. To which the Miniſter answered, that he knew well enough he was not a Witneſs, but the Aſſembly had inſerted his name, and he durſt not but Read as they had ordered. Now let the World judge what an Aſſembly this was, and what Credit ought thoſe Enemies of Mankind and good Nature ever to have, after ſuch a palpable Wickedneſs; that when they had charged the Fathers of the Church with ſuch Abominations, they ſhould preſume to abuſe the names of Particular Gentlemen, as Witneſſes of their own inventions.

After this piece of undeniable Hiſtory, I would gladly know, whether any Modeſt Man thinks it neceſſary, that a particular anſwer ſhould be returned to the odious Libel againſt the unſtained Reputation of that Pious, Prudent, Learned, and Loyal Martyr Archbiſhop Sharp, who cannot be named, but to the diſgrace of the Scotch Presbyterians. I need not upon this occaſion run out into Tragical Exclamations againſt their Impudence, [Page] the more they Lye, the more true they are to the Spirit of the Party. They cannot be more kind to his Reputation than they were to his Life, whom they barbarouſly murdered, and whoſe Aſſaſſines were magnified in their Pamphlets. And Vide Hind let looſe. though this little unknown Accuſer pretends that he was not Murdered by the Presbyterians, becauſe (forſooth) one of their Miniſters in Holland refuſed the Sacrament to one of the Murderers, yet it was undeniably the effect of their united Combination, and juſtified in their Vide Hind let looſe throughout. Pamphlets, and attempted once, and threatned frequently before. We dare him, and all his Aſſociates, to anſwer what Mr. Sheilds has Written relating to this Affair: my meaning is, that this effort of their Villany was not the reſult of private Paſſion, but the avowed and juſt Conſequence of their Principles, and then let their Patrons tell me if they meet with any thing worſe in the Morals of the Jeſuits, that are every where ſo juſtly expoſed. They agree in their Notions, but exceed them far by their Bawling, Rudeneſs, and Buffoonry. The Jeſuit is Mannerly and Artificial, but the Scotch Presbyterian ſeems to act by the mechanism of his Nature.

Slanders and Calumny, being thus Authorized by the Aſſembly, it was no wonder to ſee their Leading Men Practiſe the ſame Villanies; therefore it is that you find Mr. Rutherford, Gravely and Maliciouſly, accuſe the Biſhops of the ſame Crimes, that the Aſſembly accuſed them of, in his Preface to Lex Rex, which I cannot Cite more particularly, having no Books by me.

[Page] Secondly, Such as are Strangers to our affairs, muſt remember that this Trade of Libelling the Clergy is no Reflection upon our Country. For the whole Body of the Clergy of England Vid. Centuries of Scandalous Miniſters complained of to the Parliament, Anno 1646. were thus maliciously aſſaulted, and all the Crimes Libelled againſt them, that their Enemies could invent. And if ſuch an illuſtrious Body of Eccleſiaſticks were thus rudely treated, can the Clergy of Scotland, under their preſent Miſeries and Oppreſſions, expect fairer Quarters.

Thirdly, I deſire the Reader to conſider with how much Rudeneſs and Ignorance, this unknown Lampooner beſpatters the preſent Clergy of the Church of England, and the Laity of her Communion. It is no part of my buſineſs to tranſcribe his Characters You may meet with them at length Page 4. of his Pamphlet., if he had aſſaulted only ſome private Men, in ſome remote Corners of our Country, he might be thought only to defend his own Party, but when he foams nothing but Spite and Rancour, and Violence, againſt all Men of whatever Rank, Nation, or Dignity, I again wiſh the unbyaſſed Reader to tell me if this Man ſhould be particularly anſwered. It is not poſſible for him to hide his Nature, the paltry cruptions of his Choler are ungovernable. He ſeems to forget his own deſign (which was to make the Scotch Clergy odious in England) he accuſes them before whom he Pleads, as much as thoſe who were the firſt Objects of his Indignation.

[Page] But this is not enough, he attacks not only our prime Nobility and Gentry, but all our Kings ſince the Reformation. I am alraid I have troubled you too much, and therefore I make haſte in a word or two, to examine the Characters he gives of particular men, as far as I know them.

Some he accuſes as guilty of groſs Immoralities, that were actually for ſuch Immoralities depoſed and cenſured by their Eccleſiaſtick Superiors, ſuch were Dean Hamilton, Ninian Paterſon, John Anderſon of Terregles, and Kockburn of St. Bothens. And is it not very ſtrange that he ſhould accuſe the juſtice of our Eccleſiaſtical Superiors, becauſe of ſuch vitious perſons as were actually cenſured by their Authority. So it ſeems in this man's Language they are accountable for them whom they cenſure, as well as for others. Others he names that are not at all of my acquaintance, and it is nothing but what I expected, that the Agents of the party would employ their little Miſſionaries to gather Stories from all corners of the Country amongſt their Diſciples.

The firſt that he endeavours to abuſe, is Dr. Paterſon Archbiſhop of Glaſgow, and that in a ſtile becoming the true race of the Gnoſticks, I mean Scotch Presbyterians, who have no other precedents in Hiſtory, than theſe impure Sectaries, whoſe lives were a diſgrace to humane Nature, as well as a reproach to Religion. The VVorld is not yet ſo beſotted as to think that the Archbiſhop of Glaſgow needs particular anſwers. Indeed, I muſt acknowledge that the Author has pretty well ſecured himſelf againſt ſuch Apologies: his accuſations are ſo obſcene, [Page] that no Chriſtian muſt name them; and therefore he has hid himſelf in a Cloud of Forgeries, that none can repeat but a Devil, and none could invent but the Author. The Arch-biſhops Character, Merit and Parts, cannot but draw upon him the Odium of the whole Party. And I wiſh with all my heart, they had not try'd his patience by more terrible methods, than thoſe of Paſquils Vid. Pag. 64. and Calumnies.

The next of my Acquaintance is Mr. Brown Miniſter of Dryſdale, and the fooliſh Notes that he makes him to have preach'd, is a pure Forgery, a Lye in which there is not any mixture of truth. His connivances of the Adultery of Lockerby with Archbald Johnſtone of Kirkburn's Wife, is of the ſame ſtamp with the former, for he proſecuted the Adulterer ſo vigorouſly, that he got him excommunicated, and continued ſo under the higheſt Cenſures of the Church, untill the evidences of his repentance obliged the Biſhop to abſolve him.

In the next Paragraph he mentions Mr. Cant, whom he names underling to Pag. 66. Mr. Hamilton, and whom he rails at again. Mr. Andrew Cant was never underling Pag. 71. to any dead nor alive, though ſtill ſubordinate to his Governors both Civil and Eccleſiaſtical: the unaffected freedom of his temper makes him now and then a ſcourge to Hypocrites, and he ſtill preaches the Goſpel to all that obſerve him by his patience, as he did lately by his excellent Sermons: and the ſtories forged of him are but the exhalations of the Libellers infectious breath.

[Page] In the next Paragraph to Mr. Cant, he mentions ſeverals who had their Miſſion and Education from the Preſbyterians, and if they preach'd ſuch things, we know to whom they ow it; many of 'em are dead long ſince, and it was not poſſible upon the reſtitution of the Government, Anno 1660, ſo ſpeedily to recover the Clergy from Presbyterian fooleries, for tho they complied with Epiſcopacy, ſuch as grew old under Presbytery, ſpoke ſtill the Language of Aſhdod: for being enjoin'd under Presbytery to preach perpetually againſt Montroſe, and the Malignants: they ſtumbled now and then into their former blunderings; and it is pleaſant to ſee this Man accuſe the Church for the ſayings of Presbyterians, who though they complied with Epiſcopacy upon the reſtoration of the Government; yet ſtill they wore the marks of their former ſlavery in their Phraſe as well as in their Faces, ſuch are moſt of them he names, Pag. 66. 67.

But the moſt impetuous Efforts of his malice are levell'd againſt Dr. Canaries. The Doctor told me, That theſe were not the firſt Eſſays of their Civility towards him; for he being employed by ſome of the Epiſcopal Clergy to repreſent their grievances at Court, the Preſbyterians from that very moment fixed their Eye upon him, and proſecuted him with all the Calumnies that their fury and common practices in ſuch caſes could ſuggeſt unto them. But ſtill they found the Doctor too hard for them, and the wiſe Men amongſt them have frequently own'd to him, that as they hated ſuch Methods, ſo they highly diſapprov'd the particular injuſtice that was done to the Doctor. Mr. Spalding who was Clerk to the firſt pretended Aſſembly after the Revolution, and [Page] is now one of the Preachers of Dundee, was put upon ſearching after ſuch a Story; but (as he confeſt to Mr. Carſtairs) he found there was nothing to be made of it. And the Doctor appeals, both to Mr. Carſtairs, and Mr. Spalding for the truth of this, and he doubts not but that they will readily do him juſtice in it, and and it is very odd that this Libeller ſhould accuſe him of new, when he ſtood two Trials before the Privy Council, when it was highly Presbyterian, and proceeded againſt the Epiſcopal Clergy with the greateſt rigor: and another before a Presbyterian Synod, in which all the Members except three Miniſters, and three ruling Elders, were mighty violent againſt him. And in both theſe Trials he ſo baffled his Accuſers, that the Judicatories treated him with ſpecial Honour, and acquitted him from all the Calumnies that were charged upon him, and reproved his Enemies for their malicious libelling of him. And this Narrative the Doctor can prove by authentick Extracts, which he has in his own hands. So that the underling Pedlars amongſt the Preſbyterians may write what they pleaſe, 'tis not now in their power to hurt him. And the Doctor further appeals to the Presbytery of Selkirk, when he was there, how readily they would have received him into their Communion, ſuch a particular eſteem they had for him. The Story that's metamorphos'd by this Accuſer into a prodigious villany is no more than this, That the Doctor, when he was a Boy at the Univerſity, fell into the Company of two other Young Gentlemen at Dundee, and they three walking about the Fields in the Summertime, met in the Evening with ſome Women that were watching in the Fields the Linnen that they had waſh'd, the other two Gentlemen accoſted ſome of theſe Women, [Page] by amorous and fooliſh Embraces, and the Doctor over hearing one of them ſqueak, he called them back, and chid them for what they had done, and told them if there was any noiſe made about it, he would declare he had no acceſſion to it. And when this triſling Story was examined before the Presbytery of Dundee, both the Women, and the other two Gentlemen acquitted the Doctor, and conſtantly owned that he had no ſhare in it at all. And this is remarkable, that there was no Circumſtance relating to it, but what was examined by Mr. Rate, then Miniſter of Dundee, an Indulg'd Presbyterian. Nor did the Doctor go out of the Nation till two years after that, upon occaſion of his Fathers death. By this Story one may ſee the Malice, and indefatigable Induſtry of that Sect, it was the Doctors early fate to be accuſed by the Presbyterians; and though no part of the Story be within any poſſible degrees of Truth: yet the Reader may ſee, how the Libeller Vapours, as if he had the beſt and clearest Evidence. And ſince the Doctor has lived eighteen or nineteen years beyond the reach of Calumny, blameleſs, to the Conviction of his Enemies, how fooliſh, and how impious is it to accuſe him.

As for his being Popiſh he has given an account of that in the Preface to his Sermon Printed at London 1686; but that he was a Jeſuit is a Lye, for he was never of any Order in that Church, and his Zeal againſt Popery did ſufficiently appear, and all that know him, know his Innocence, as to all the malicious Slanders invented againſt him.

The following Paragraph, pag. 72. mentions Mr. Monro, commonly called Doctor Monro. I am ſufficiently acquainted [Page] with the Doctor, and he ſays ſo little of him, that I may be allowed to examine it particularly. Firſt, He's commonly called Dr. Monro, and the meaning of this is one of two, either a Fanatick Squeamiſhneſs that will not allow the Title of Doctor to any Clergy Man; or, an inſinuation that he was not graduated Doctor in the Univerſity. If the firſt be intended, 'tis but a piece of Quakeriſm, the 4th. day of the Week commonly called Wedneſday. If the ſecond be meant, he was not called Doctor until the Month of February 1682, when he received his Degree in the Theological Schools of the New College at St. Andrews from the Learned Doctor Comri, then Vice Chancellour of the Univerſity.

Our Libeller adds that he is a mighty Agent for the Party. If he has any qualities to recommend him, that of a good Agent is none of them. And again, he is repreſented to be one of the Epiſcopal Pamphleteers. I do not know what he means by this, unleſs he charges him with publiſhing the Presbyterian Inquiſition. It may be he was the Author of that Narrative, which he is ready to juſtifie if ever he is fairly tryed (excepting ſtill ſome Marginal Notes relating to Mr. Rule, to which he had no acceſſion) and this Pamphlet contains ſo many ſteps of Presbyterian Knavery and diſingenuity, that if he pleaſe he may let it alone.

But the ſaddest blow againſt the Doctor is this, that it is well known that he Pag. 72. Rode for ſeveral years in the Pope's Guards, but I ask, to whom is this known? To the Presbyterians only, who know all ſecrets, and diſcover Plots in the World of the Moon? But I muſt tell you that for the time the Doctor [Page] was abroad, he was never out of France, and the Confines of it, nor nearer to Rome than about four hundred and eighty Italian Miles. It were more eaſie for this Accuſer to have Copyed the former Libel contained in the Presbyterian Inquiſition, than thus to truſt to his own invention.

Mr. Gray comes next, if he mean Mr. James Gray, Miniſter of Kelſo, he is remarkable for his Modeſty, Learning, Veracity, and Piety, and he is Charactered in an oppoſite Style, by ſuch as neither know him, nor the vertuos that recommend him to his Brethren.

Mr. George Henry, Miniſter of Corſtorphen, is a Man of Gravity and Prudence, Pag. 78. and his other qualifications are undeniable, and he is not capable of any ſuch extravagance of Paſſion as this common Accuſer charges him with.

Mr. Alexander Ramſay, Miniſter of the Old Kirk of Edinburgh, was driven from his Reſidence in the Weſt by the Covenanted Zealots, and lived ſince in the Eye of the Nation, beloved of all that know him, whether we conſider his blamleſs Life, or Miniſterial Sufficiencies.

Dr. Annan Dean of Edinburgh was known all Scotland over, and there was ſcarcely ever a more innocent Man in Britain, and he needs no Apology.

Now 'tis pleaſant enough to obſerve, that in all this Liſt he hath not named the Author of Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, nor the Publiſher.

[Page] I have given you a ſhort account of ſuch as I know, for ſuch as I am not acquainted with, I have no reaſon to believe this Libeller. For if they were never ſo guilty, they muſt have other Accuſers than Men of ſuch Proſtitute Conſciences. His Civility to the Church of Vide Page 4. throughout. England alone, makes it appear how little he is to be regarded. He begins his Book with a Printed for Tho. Anderſon near Charing-Croſs. 1693. Lye in the Title Page, that it might be all of a piece. As for any Shadows of Argument that are here and there ſcattered, if they be of any weight they ſhall be conſidered when the other Pamphlets, that are threatned by the Party, are made publick.

Farewel.

FINIS.

Information about this book

Title statement

An apology for the clergy of Scotland chiefly oppos'd to the censures, calumnies, and accusations of a late Presbyterian vindicator, in a letter to a friend : wherein his vanity, partiality and sophistry are modestly reproved, and the legal establishment of episcopacy in that kingdom, from the beginning of the Reformation, is made evident from history and the records of Parliament : together with a postscript, relating to a scandalous pamphlet intituled, An answer to The Scotch Presbyterian eloquence.

Monro, Alexander, d. 1715?

Edition statement

1693

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A51154

ID [STC]

Wing M2437

ID [STC]

ESTC R20155

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12354068

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12354068

ID [VID]

60080

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A51154)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 60080)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 643:5)

Source

— An apology for the clergy of Scotland chiefly oppos'd to the censures, calumnies, and accusations of a late Presbyterian vindicator, in a letter to a friend : wherein his vanity, partiality and sophistry are modestly reproved, and the legal establishment of episcopacy in that kingdom, from the beginning of the Reformation, is made evident from history and the records of Parliament : together with a postscript, relating to a scandalous pamphlet intituled, An answer to The Scotch Presbyterian eloquence., Monro, Alexander, d. 1715?.

Extent

[4], 108 p.

Printed for Jos. Hindmarsh ...,. London :: 1693.. (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.