But if we can make appear that these Ceremonies as imposed by you are made essential parts of Religion and necessary to Salvation then you must acknowledge them destructive of Christian Liberty This will appear if it be considered 1. That if these Impositions be necessary in order to Communion with the Church and Communion with the Church necessary to Salvation then they must be necessary to Salvation that they are made necessary conditions of our Communion with the Church is evident by the Act of Uniformity and your calling us all Schismaticks who conform not to them 2. What is made necessary to the Solemn Worship of God is made necessary to Salvation but so are they seeing without them it cannot be solemnly performed in England and Ireland 3. If the bare omission of them tho' out of tenderness of Conscience be juâ—ged Schism Sedition and Rebellion and be made worthy of Fining Imprisonment and Excommunication 4. If for calling them unlawful a man must be delivered to Satan according to Can 6. 5 If the omission of these make a Minister more lyable to Deprivation c. than Whoredom Drunkenness or breaking the Lord's day 6. If the refusers of Conformity to them be judged worse than Idolatrous Papists if they be more necessary than the Peace and Unity of the Church with what confidence can any man say that he judgeth them not necessary to Salvation That our Directory requâ—reth any Ceremonies of mystical signification or imposeth any indifferent things save such circumstances as nature's Light and right Reason direct us to for the decent and orderly performance of our duties we deny and demand proof from all who assert it Having justify'd as you think the nature of your Ceremonies you proceed to vindicate their number telling us if we should say that your Ceremonies were too numerous and burthensome c. if this were really so it were only an inconvenience and not a sin Ans God's word tells us that to do what is not convenient is sinful Rom. 1. 28. Ephes 5. 4. though to suffer things inconvenient is not still so and by what authority can any burthen Consciences with their own Inventions was not this the sin of the Pharisees Matt. 23. 4. if Augustine complain'd as you say of the number and burthen of Ceremonies in his time why may not Dissenters do so now who are as unable to bear them as he was yet had he lived in some place of the World and complain'd of such a burthen there is a Canon called the 10th by which he had been ipso facto shut out of the Church But ye'll say he did not separate tho' he complained Answ How do ye know that he did not separate if he refused to use them he separated from them as well as we do and if he used them after his complaint of their being burthensome and too numerous it would be hard to excuse him from sinning against his confession but we have more Charity for him than to believe he did so To your Non-Conformists last Objection to wit The Ceremonies are unnecessary and therefore the Governors of the Church are not to lay unnecessary impositions on the People Ye Answer thus Tho' this were true that Governors did impose such things yet our complyance therewith for Peace and Vnityâ— sake were no sin but a virtue Answ That they are unnecessary you confess while you declare them indifferent and therefore the dubious supposition if they were c. is needless but that it is a virtue rather than a sin to comply with the unnecessary impositions of Church Governors for peace and unity is asserted not proved seeing nothing can be a Christian virtue which wants Christ's Command and we know of none he hath given for our complyance with Governors in their unnecessary impositions Yea we find Church Governors obliged by their Commission to teach us to observe no more than what Christ commanded them Matth. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and the good Centurian Cornelius would submit no further to the Apostle Peter Acts 10. 33. Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God for seeing God and Nature do nothing in vain they have no power to impose things needless and where their power to command is void we are under no Obligation to obey yea such complyance is but a conspiracy with men usurping power and so partaking of their sins Paul withstood Peter to the face in his imposing unnecessary things on the Jews Gal. 2. 11. And seeing the Church hath no Power but to Edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. We are to follow them no further than they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. The Synod of Jerusalem Acts 15. guided by the holy Spirit thought fit to impose nothing but necessary things Bishop Bramhall page 101 of his Vindication says It was not the Erroneous opinions of the Church of Rome but the imposing them by Law on other Churches that warranted the separation So when things unnecessary are made conditions of our Communion we look not upon it as a Christian virtue to comply with them Having asserted not only the lawfulness but innocence of your Communion you profess your self assured that we do not think every man is at liberty either to join himself with the establish't Church of a place or to set up a distinct Church for himself Answ Such as on good grounds judge your Communion lawful and innocent will not set up for themselves but your asserting your selves such makes it not evident seeing there is a generation all whose ways are clean in their own eyes tho they be not wash'd from their iniquity Therefore we say with Memerable Hales of Eaton page 194. Notwithstanding of the great benefit of Communion in regard of divers Distempers Men are subject to Dissention and Dis-union are often necessary for when either false or uncertain Conclusions are obtruded for truth and acts either unlawful or ministring just scruple are required of us to be performed by us in those cases consent were conspiracy and open contestation is not Faction or Schism but due Christian animosity For tho' you value your selves mightily on account of your legal establishment which is indeed your most powerful argument yet the aforesaid Author page 231. says That publick Assemblys though according to form of Law are indeed nothing else but Riots and Conventicles if they be stain'd with Corruption and Superstition A Legal Establishment gives protection and provision but makes neither Doctrine true Worship pure or Government of Divine apponitment and seeing it adds no intrinsick value to a Church it can merit nothing barely upon that account else other Churches who have had a longer title to a Legal Establishment than ye might expect more honour While you desire to know whether one or more bare inconveniencies which are or may be free from sin can be a sufficient reason to separate from
those who were under Sentence of Deposition or Deprivation A. Doth not the Law of England also deprive men of the Benefice who are degraded from the Office seeing Beneficium datur propter Officium for none were deposed by Presbyteries but such whose Crimes upon full and fair Tryal deserved such Treatment Is that severe in a Parliament to deny those men wages who have cut themselves off from service in the Church Further to evince the more than ordinary severity in Scotland against the Episcopal Clergy since the Revolution the D. alledgeth an Act of Parliament June 12. 1693. whereby is is Enacted That no Person be admitted or continued to be a Minister or Preacher within the Church of Scotland unless he own the Presbyterian Government to be the only Church Government of that Church that he will submit thereunto and and concur therewith and never endeavour directly or indirectly to do any thing to the prejudice or subversion thereof A. The disingenuity so oft complained of in the V. seems not to be so much a dislike of the evil as that this D. would make a monopoly of it for himself for in this report we have a considerable deal of it for he waves the consideration of what it was brought to prove that a great many Episcopal Ministers enjoyed the Protection of the Government in the free Exercise of their Ministry and legally establish't maintainance 2. That the places of greatest trust are in the hands of those who are Episcopal in Judgment several of whom were instanced so that no severity is exercised meerly for mens judgments in that matter all which by his silence he seems to confess and yet insisteth in his ordinary rote of of exclaiming against the Government But we say 2. The Act cited doth not inflict any penalty on any for being Episcopal in Judgment 3. There is nothing in this Act but what upon the matter was agreeed to by the Episcopal Clergy in their Address presented to the General Assembly of that Church held Jan. 15. 1691 2. with the following Formula they promised to Subscribe The Address of the Episcopal Clergy to the General Assembly held at Edinburgh VVE under-subscribers for our selves and our constituent Ministers of the Gospel humbly shew that since the Episcopacy is abolished and Presbyterian Government is established as it was 1592. we being desirous to exercise the holy Function wherewith we are invested in our several Stations for the Glory of God Advancement of Religion their Majesties Service and the Peace of the Nation do therefore humbly desire that stops and impediments may be taken off so that we may be admitted as Presbyters to sit in Presbyteries Synods and General Assemblies in concurrence with the Presbyterian Ministers in the Government of the Church as now established by Law in this Kingdom The Formula Proposed is I A. B. do sincerely Promise and Declare that I will submit to the Presbyterian Government of this Church as now by Law established in this Kingdom under K. William and Q. Mary by Presbyteries Provincial Synods and General Assemblies and that I will as it becomes a Minister of the Gospel heartily concur with the said Government for the suppressing of Sin and Wickedness the promoting Peace and purging the Church of all Erroneous and Seandalous Ministers and do further Promise that I will Subscribe the confession of Faith the Larger and Shorter Catechisms now Confirmed by Act of Parliament as containing the Doctrine of the Protestant Religion Professed in this Kingdom By all this it appears that the Act obliges to nothing but what these Addresses offered except a promise not to subvert the Government which they indeed refused as a severity but we leave the world to judge of the sincerity of such Ministers of the Gospel who will promise to submit to a Government and concur with it but will not promise not to subvert it but if needful we could fully detect to the world the juggle of that whole design But 4. Knows he not that the Act of Uniformity requires the same from all Conformists which he exclaims against in the Church of Scotland is not then the height of partiality to condemn that as rigid severity in others which we applaud in ourselves as Justice and Prudence But his second Exception against this Act is it 's ordering that uniformity of Worship and Administration of all publick Ordinances in the Church of Scotland be observed by all Ministers and Preachers as it is at present performed or shall be hereafter declar'd by the Authority of the same which he looks on as equally unreasonable as the Papists requiring Implicit Faith or subscription to the Oath c. A. It is very unjust in him to instance that as a piece of severity against the Episcopal Clergy which by the Act all Presbyterian Ministers as well as they are obliged to But if uniformity of Worship and Administration of all publick Ordinances be so Popish and unreasonable why so much noise about it in his Church to deprive men of a birth-right priviledge if they comply not But 't is Scotish Conformity only disgusts him for what concerns the English and Irish he can say ego mihimet ignosco But saith he They are to subscribe to what shall be Ordered by the Church as well as to what is at present Ordered A. We ask him seriously whether he that swears Canonical Obedience to his Ordinary doth not oblige himself to be ruled according to such Canons as shall be made by the Church as well as by these which are already made or when a Judge sweareth to administer Justice according to Law whether he obligeth not himself to Judge by Acts of Parliament that shall be made as well as by those that already are And if so he dare not say whatever he may think that they are guided by an implicit Faith or takes an Oath c. Even so when the Ministers of the Church of Scotland promise to govern their flocks and be governed themselves by such constitutions as are already made or hereafter shall by the common consent of the Church established what man compos mentis can condemn them doth not natures light reach us that all who join themselves to a Society ruled by Laws are obliged to be governed by these Laws already made or to be made especially when they are made by themselves if this be Popery he must be such or resist the Government in the execution of Laws made since his creation but men of inconsiderate slippery judgment must be dilemma'd His last instance of Scotish severity is from an Act made July 5. 1695. against Intruders by whom are understood all who have not an orderly call from the Heritors Elders and People with a legal Admission by the Presbytery now such by that Law are to be removed from these Churches into which they have intruded and rendred incapable of any Church or Stipend within the Kingdom for seven years c. but he tells
they be really such into Parishes A. If the Law doth not make Non-Conforming Ministers Intruders by what Law doth he call them so The Law of the Land he vindicates from this Aspersion and we are sure the Law of God layeth no such crime to our charge For Ministers duly qualified and by the unanimous consent of a Christian People elected and call'd to be their Ministers are not intruders tho' their Election be not ratisy'd by the Civil Sanction else all the Ministers of the Gospel for the first 300 years of Christianity had been Intruders That a Christian People have power to Elect and call their own Ministers is according to the Primitive Patern Cyprian's Rule Lib. 1. Ep. 4. is consonant to Scripture viz. Plebs ipsa potestatem habet vel eligendi dig nos sacerdotes vel indig nos recusandi And even in Rome it self in Pope Leo's time it was a Rule Qui prae futurus est omnibus ab omnibus Elegatur And such we are able to make appear our Election to the Ministry to be 2. Nor hath the Parl. of Scotland made any Act against intruding into Parishes but against intruding into Churches and seizing upon Manses and Glebs which if N. C's here had done it 's possible they had both heard and felt that there are Acts of Parl. against such intruders The fourth instance of Moderation is that the Establish'd Church hath not forbid these Dissenters whom the Calamities of the late times had driven away to return and perform any Ministerial Acts in the places where formerly they held their Conventicles for want of a Legal Call A. Had Dissenters as obstinately refused to swear Allegiance to K. W. and Q. M. as his Episcopal Brethren did in Scotland we shou'd have had as little favour as the Non-jurant Clergy there have had and justly deserv'd it But why the Government of Scotland only shou'd be condemn'd for severity when both in England and Ireland the Non-jurant Bishops and Clergy have met with the same measure and yet he dates not tax the Government here or in England of severity upon that account so that he is either grosly impartial or a Jacobite in heart tho' he appear for King William The Fifth Instance of Moderation is That they have not here authorized or required the Mayors of Corporations and Justices of the Peace to remove all those who have intruded or shall intrude as they have done in Scotland A. If the Civil Magistrate were subject to the Authority of the Church we have cause to be confident of being otherwise dealt with than at present we are God be blessed for it We think he deserves a fee if he 'll make good that Dissenters may without counter acting Acts of Parl. enter and possess Churches and Tythes but then why makes he such a hideous out-cry against the Minister of Letterkenny for his intrusion His Sixth and last Instance of Moderation exceeding that of Scotland is that they have not ordered Writs of Rebellion against Dissenting Ministers in order to the removing them out of Parishes where they live and making them desist from exercising Ministerial Acts. A. For all this boasted of Moderation the time was when there were Writs out against all the Dissenting Ministers to apprehend them whereupon many were apprehended and imprison'd which is well known And we owe but little thanks to Church-men for the mercy we now enjoy But by this he insinuates that the Episcopal Clergy are by Writs and Capias's driven from living in any Parishes in Scotland which is a Calumny and by it we may see how safe his Majesty's Government is like to be under such Directors of Conscience who labour to possess his Subjects against him and his Government as cruel and severe notwithstanding all the Clemency he has us'd to such as are declar'd Enemies to his Authority The D. having triumph'd in the victory of the Establish't Church of Ireland over that of Scotland in point of Moderation seems to be mov'd with a Prophetick Spirit to â—oreteâ—l that in case such Revolution of Church Affairs should happen in this Kingdom as hath lately been in Scotland the V. and his Adherents would imitate the Presbyterians in Scotland and make the Episcopal Clergy desist from exercising any Ministerial Acts and Issue out Writs of Rebellion against them A. Either he fears what he supposeth will come to pass or not If he doth really fear such Revolution then we think 't were his wisdom to be preparing an Ark for saving himself and houshold tho it be no policy to declare his fears seeing thereby he incourageth Dissenters and weakens the hands of his Friends by representing us as a formidable party But if he believes no probability of what he supposeth he needs not trouble us or his party with such Prophecies for if he were not conscious to himself that he had deserved ill of Dissenters he would not fear ill from them To make his Prophecy probable he tells us that the Professors in Colleges of Scotland felt the rigor of the Presbyterian Visitation which he calls by the odious name of Inquisition practised upon the Professor of the College of Edinburgh in Aug. and Sept. 1690. according to an Act passed the 4th of July 1690. By which it is ordered that no Minister or Professor in any College or School shall be allowed to continue in the Exercise of his Function but such as shall subscribe to the Confession of Faith ratify'd by this present Parliament and submit to the Government of the Church now Establisht by Law A. To stigmatize the Visitors of the University's acting by his Majesty's Commission and Parliamentary Authority with the odious name of Inquisitors and the Visitation with the name of Inquisition doth palpably insinuate that tho the Heroick Ancestors of our King did drive the Inquisition out of the Netherlands yet he and his Queen have brought it into Scotland And tho he will swear he intended no such â—â—flection on his Majesty yet it 's too apparent he would make him and these acting by Authority under him successors to St. Dominick 2. He falsely attributes to the Church the Act of the State 3. When he wou'd prove a removal of Persons Episcopal from Civil Employments he instances in Professors of Divinity which are not esteem'd Civil Employments in Scotland 4. The ground of their removal was their refusing to swear Allegiance to K. W. and Q M. and the reason they gave for their refusal was that they were not crown'd K. and Q. of Scotland tho' they made no such scruple of swearing to K. James whether or no by justifying them in this he partake with them in their evil deeds let all Men judge 5. It 's highly hypocritical to rail at that as Sin in others which we applaud in ourselves as a Vertue for what more criminal is it in the Church of Scotland to oblige its Professors of Divinity to subscribe its legally Establish'd Doctrin and to submit to its
Animadversions ON The Defence of the Answer To a PAPER INTITULED The CASE of the Dissenting Protestants of Ireland In Reference to a BILL of Indulgence from the Exceptions made against it TOGETHER With An ANSWER to A Peaceable Friendly Address TO THE Non-Conformists Written upon their desiring an Act of Toleration without the SACRAMENTAL TEST Phil. 4. 5. Let your Moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand Printed in the the Year 1697. To the Protestant Reader THe Publication of these Animadversions tho design'd some time ago had ceas'd if a late Pamphlet called A Peaceable and Friendly Address c. had not importun'd it For seeing some men judge it their Interest to mis-represent to the world them they 'r pleas'd to call N. Conforming Brethren as a factious and schismatical people whereby we are mis-apprehended and pre-condemn'd We cannot in justice to Truth and Innocence suffer such so to prey upon the Credulity of some and our Reputation as thereby to hazard their Souls and our Safety Yea compassion to our Adversaries in endeavouring the prevention of their being wise in their own conceit a case more despcrate than that of Fools obligeth us to vindicate our selves and inform mis-guided people with words of Truth and Soberness The people we plead for are not the Idle and Consuming Caterpillars of the Nation but Industrious Labourers Ingenious Artists and Honest Traders whose religious Principles will abide in their strength while one jâ—t or tittle of the Law of God indures becase they adore the fulness of the H. Scriptures as the perfect and only rule of Faith and Manners They believe the necessity of a standing Gospel-Ministry in the Church to whose directive Authority they submit themselves not by an implicit Faith but by a judgment of Discretion All God's holy Ordinances and instituted Worship they embrace but their Fear towards God is not taught by the Commandments of men Their doctrine bears conformity with that of the Reformed Churches abroad and harmoniously agrees with that of Ireland declar'd in her Convocation An. 1615 excepting in what relates to Prelacy and Ceremonies They are willing to give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's They profess their Credenda Petenda and Agenda ought all to be regulated by the word of God These Principles we believe are able to abide a Fiery Tryal And as their Principles are true so their Petitions are modest Episcopal Grandeur Jurisdiction or Revenues is not demanded for their Ministers or by them A liberty to serve God according to these foresaid Principles with a relief from some Penal Laws formerly fram'd against them and that no new ones be forg'd to their preiudice is all they require And if such modest Requests may be with Christian Conscience deny'd a people of such Principles we leave to the determination of our Judge that standeth at the Door if Men should give sentence against us Animadversions On the Defence of the Answer to a Paper ENTITULED The Case of the Dissenting Protestants in Ireland c. WHen Diogenes trampled upon Aristippus's Cushion and insulted over himself in these words See how I trample on Aristippus's Pride he had this return thou dost it but with no less Pride So when the Defendant of the Answer c. salutes the Vindicator of the Dissenters Case with a charge of sourness and vanity of temper In the very entrance of his diseourse he discovers so much of the distemper in himself that if Civility coult not yet Conscience of the same evil in himself should have oblig'd him to treat his Adversary more decently But whether the sourness of his temper or his vanity to comprize an Iliad of Railing Accusations in a Nut-shell hath induc'd him with one breath to upbraid the Vindicator with sourness and vanity of temper dexterity in perverting little sincerity dising enuity injustice c. I determine not but if his Reasoning taâ—ent be equivalent to his Railing no Dissenter will be able to stand before him Lest he shou'd be suspected of transgressing the 9th Commandment he attempts to make good this charge by as he calls it A remarkable Instance of the Dissenters injustice to him viz. The phrase general Indulgence us'd by him which as he saith doth plainly signify no more than a legal toleration of Dissenting Protestants the Vindicator wrests to import a comprehension of all sorts of Religion Answ If this be Injustice he hath cause to fear that all who have sense to discern words will be injurious to him seeing General Indulgence natively signifies Indulgence to all sorts of Persons and Opinions And 't is improper to say that General Indulgence imports only toleration of Protestant Dissenters which is but Special unless Protestant Dissentors should comprehend all sorts which himself doth not assert As the Vindicator hath not wrested his Expressions so neither hath he misrepresented his Sense seeing all the arguments he useth against the Indulgence pleaded for militat only against an unlimited and general Indulgence of all sorts The next thing disgusts the Defendant is a rule laid down by the Vindicator that these are of the same Religion with the Establish't Church who subscribe her Doctriual Articles this rule he 'll not allow to be true and that because there being three general parts of Religion viz. Doctrin Worship and Government unless we agree in all these we are not of the same Religion A. If the Rule be not good why do the Books of Articles in England an 1552 and 1562 and those in Ireland in 1616 unanimously declare that they were agreed upon in Convocation for avoiding of diversities of Opinions and for Establishing Consent touching true Religion Do not the Subscribers to the 6th Article concerning the sufficiency of holy Scripture for Salvation subscribe to the Worship and Government of the Church as well as to its Doctrin if they do not as the D. insinuates it must be because that Worship and Doctrin is not read in the holy Scripture nor may be proved thereby which is no honor to the Liturgy Ceremonies or Prelacy Dr. Stillinfleet in his Irenicum hath endeavoured to prove that Men may be of the same Religion and yet not under the same particular form of Church Government And I am persuaded 't will be hard for the D. to produce any Church that is or hath been in the world with which the Establisht Church of England doth exactly agree in Form of Worship and Government And thus by his Rule excluding us from the same Religion with the Establisht Church he doth also cut her off from Communion in the same Religion with any Church in the World The Anabaptists against whom the D. excepts as unfit to be comprehended in the Indulgence are of age let them speak for themselves we are none of their Advocates Yet the V's reason for including them and his Charity also was their being included in the Act of Indulgence for England An. 1689. And in a Bill
the Sheriffs or his Bayliffs and without Bail or Main-prize cast into Prison there to lye till he for or recanâ— by which he is depriv'd of the benefit of the Law and Clergy both Now if this be no sanguinary Law to cast men out of the Church out of which they teach there is no Salvation and to deprive them of their Liberty and Protection of the Laws only for impugning the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England according to the 6th Canon and at once to cut men off from their part of Heaven and Earth unless they would counter-counter-act their Conscience let the World judge Secondly the Civil Laws made against Dissenters in England were sanguinary if that may be construed such which deprives men of Livelihood and Liberty For 1. The Act of Uniformity by which If any Minister convicted to have refused to use the Church Service or to have used any other Rite or Ceremony Order Form or Manner than what is set down in the Common-Prayer-Book he loseth a whole years profit and must undergo six months Imprisonment for the first fault For the second to be deprived and suffer a whole years Imprisonment For the third he is to be deprived and Imprisoned during life and if he be not a Beneficed person for the first fault he is to be imprisoned a whole year and for the second during life So that a man for not using the Cross in Baptism and Kneeling at the Sacrament things which God never required must be depriv'd of his Office Livelihood and Liberty and thus starv'd in Prison but for this perhaps the D. hath a Turkish distinction that strangling is no shedding of Blood and yet we reckon he wou'd judge it sanguinary were he tryed by it But farther all persons not resorting to the Church on Sundays and Holy-days are to be fined 12 d. per day and to incur the Censures of the Church which according to Canon 9 11 12 is Excommunication ipso facto with its appurtenances yea by Canon 10 if we shall dare to say that we have long time groaned under the burthen of certain Grievances imposed upon us we are to be Excommunicated and not restored until we repent and publickly retract such our publick Errors 2. Act is that made in the 13 Eliz. to which every person not repairing to Church according to Statute 1 Eliz. The second shall forfeit 20l. for every month if they so make default and if they forbear for the space of 12 months they are to be bound with two sufficient Sureties in 200 l. Bonds to good Behaviour And by a Statute 29 Eliz. All Grants made by such Offenders which are by them revocable intended for his maintenance left at his disposal or in consideration whereof he and his Family are to be kept shall be utterly void against the Queen for the levying the forfeitures for not coming to the Church and the Queen may seize all the Goods and two thirds of the Lands and Leases of every Offender not repairing to Church as aforesaid which after their first conviction do not pay at the next Term at the rate of 20 l. per month and tho the party be not in the Realm the Indictment is to lye and upon an Indictment found a Proclamation is to be made that such Offender is to render himself to the Sheriff before the next Assizes which if he do not he is to be held Convict These who are not able to pay their Forfeitures are to be committed to Prison till they pay or conform which if they refuse makes the Imprisonment perpetual And 35 Queen Eliz. It is Enacted That if any above Sixteen absent themselves from Church above a Month or frequent Conventicles or persuade any other so to do they shall be committed to Prison there to continue till he or she Conform and make open submission and confess that they have grievously offended God c. And if within three Months they refuse to Conform and make such submission they are to abjure the Realm and if they refuse to abjure or return after without leave they are to be proceeded against as Fellons and have no benefit of Clergy This we suppose was literally a Sanguinary Law Again by a Statute the 16 Car. 2d this 35 Q. Eliz. was revived And farther Anno 17. Car. 2d Non-conformists who take not the Oxford Oath there set down which is this I A. B. do Swear that it is not lawful on any pretence whatsoever to take up Arms against the King and that I abhor that Trayterous Position of taking up Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are Commissionat by him in pursuance of such Commissions and that I will not endeavour any Alteration of Government either in Church or State Likewise If any Nonconformist Minister Preach in a Conventicle or come within 5 Miles of any City or Corporation or place of his Ministry except on his Journey or summoned by a Subpena he shall forfeit 40l Furthermore the Crimes in 22 Car. 2d against Conventicles are 1. To be present at an Assembly under colour of Exercise of Religion any other way then according to the Liturgy c. where 5 Persons or more besidess those of the Family are 2dly If any take on him to Teach or Preach in such Meetings for the first Offence he forfeits 20l. For the second 40 pounds c. 3d ly If any person suffer such Meeting to be in his House Out-House Back-side or Garden for his first Offence he is to pay twenty pounds for the second 40 pounds c. and every Hearer five shillings with Ecclesiastical Censures which is Excommunication ipso facto according to the 11th Canon Now from all this we leave it to the judgment even of Adversaries themselves whether the Vindicator might not assert that there were sanguinary Laws in England design'd to extirpate Protestant Dissenters in exerting whereof the Prelates of the Nation had a warm Vote tho' now blessed be God they be abolished by Act 1689. His vindicating Scotland against the guilt of sanguinary Laws against Dissenters is proof that he hears ill else the cry of that Blood shed there by vertue of these Laws which hath even reached Heaven and brought deserved Vengeance upon the shedders thereof might have pierc'd his ears and that he sees ill if he sees not these Laws yet in record but his own confession that there was one sanguinary Law tho he borrow'd Sir Geo. Makenzy's Commentar on it is a sufficient proof of a design to extirpate Protestant Dissenters there seeing that one Law De Heretico Comburendo as employ'd in England by Q. Mary was supposed sufficient to extirpate the Protestant Religion out of England but had he not design'd to blind-fold his Reader a little more pains and honesty might have enabled him to discover many sanguinary Laws in Scotland of which take these few instances The 1 st Parliament of C. the 2 d. Sess 1. Act 4. It was
Enacted that none be Masters in Universities School-Masters or Pedagogues who would not own Prelacy which that Nation had abjur'd even the Law-makers themselves whereby many were depriv'd of their livelihood because they would not be perjur'd Sess 2. Act 2. It is Enacted that all Petioning Writing Printing or Remonstrating Praying or Preaching shewing any dislike of the King 's absolute Prerogative be punished as Seditious and that no Meetings be kept in private Houses Upon which accounts some suffered death Sess 3. Act 2. It is Enacted That all Non-conforming Ministers that presume to Exercise their Ministry be punished as Seditious Persons And that all Persons in in acknowledgement of his Majesties Government Ecclesiastical attend the service of the Curates Noblemen and Gentlemen refusing to lose the fourth part of their Rents Burgesses their freedom and fourth part of their Moveables Yeomen a fourth part of their Moveables and others twenty shillings every time leaving the Council to inflict other Punishments as they thought fit It is also Enacted That if there were three above the Family at Preaching or Prayer it should be esteem'd a Conventicle And for putting these Laws in Execution a High-Commission-Court was Erected by the King contrary to Act 13. Parl. 10. Jacob 6. with power to Examine upon Oath Desuper inquirendis Parl. 2. Lauderdale Commissioner It is Enacted by Vertue of the King's Supremacy that ordering the Government of the Church doth properly belong to His Majesty and his Successors as an inherent Right to the Crown and that he may Enact and Emit such Constitutions Acts and Orders concerning Church Administrations Persons Meetings and Matters as he in his Royal Wisdom shall think fit And thus a fair way was laid for K. James's reforming the Church This Act was to be obey'd by all Subjects any Law or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding Sess 2. Parl. 2. It is Enacted That who should be required to depose upon Oath their knowledge of Meetings or Persons at them shou'd do it on pain of Fining Imprisonment or Transportation Act 5. Enacted That outed Ministers found Preaching or Praying in any House but their own Family be imprison'd till they find bond of 5000 Marks not to do the like again every hearer toties quoties 25l if a Tenant 12l if a Subtenant and then all who Preached in the Field or in a House if any of the people be without doors shall be punished with death And they who can seize or secure any such Minister dead or alive shall have 100 Marks Reward The Magistrates in Boroughs to be fined at the Councils pleasure for any Conventicles held in their Boroughs Men to be fined if their Wives or Children went to Meetings Act 6. Fines were impos'd from 10 to 20l. sterl on such as had their Children Baptised at such Meetings and Servants in half their Wages Act. 11. Sess 3. The same Fines were impos'd on them who kept their Children unbaptised for 30 days and by Act 7. of the same Ses Intolerable Fines were impos'd on all who absented themselves 3 days together Anno 168â— The D. York being Commissioner without taking the usual Oath appointed by Law and against Actmaking Papists incapable of that Trust the Fines were doubled for Field Conventicles Gentlemen were obliged to remove Tenants and Masters their Servants without warning if they went to Meetings Act. 6. They impos'd on all a self-contradictory Test obliging them to own the Confession of Faith recorded in Parliament 1 Ja. 6. which disowns the Supremacy and asserts the lawfulness of defensive Arms tho' the contrary to both was Sworn in the promissory part of the Test without so much as a Non obstante and for taking this Test with his own Explication was Argile Beheaded Parl 1. Ja. 7 D. Queensbury Commissioner Iâ— is Enacted that such as being cited as Witnesses in cases of Treasons or Conventicles and refused to depone should be liable to the punishment of the same Act 8. All who Preach or Hear at House or Field-Conventicle shall be punished with death and confiscation We hope now by this Account which if any doubt we refer them to the Printed Statutes of the Nation If the D's Conscience be nor sear'd it will be so much his friend as to smiâ—e him for the injustice he has done to truth in â—sserting that there were no sanguinary Laws in Scotland save one And tho these Laws were so severe as to deserve abhorrence of all in whom any spark of Christian humanity remains yet the execution of them was more cruelly rigid Dragoons and a barbarous Pagan Highland-Host being employ'd to execute them without any Process of Law All that can be said for the D. is that if he thinks as he writes he is scandalously ignorant of what all Britain knows if otherwise he is gtolsly disingenuous to impose upon the credulity of his friends As the D. hath given a sad specimen of his intelligence so he gives equal discovery of his prudence while he upbraids the Scots Conventicle Rebels for refusing to Pray for K. Ja. For do not his Jacobitish Brethren deal so by K. William and doth not himself so now as they did then tho' under some other obligations to do it than ever they were whence we may tell him in his own words that his Principles and Practices are destructive to the Establish't Church and Government if not Praying for K. Ja. be so And that there be several distracted Cathedral Rebels who refuse to save their Livings and Bishopricks at so dear a rate as Praying for the King Therefore he and his Party are noâ— in bonafide to accuse any for such Principles and Practices tho we despise both as much as his folly in laying these things to our charge Secondly it's great imprudence what he saith next vizt Certainly these who refuse to give the Government under which they Live all reasonable assurances of their Fidelity and Obedience and will not solemnly disown their turbulent Principles but still retain their inveterate prejudices and pernicious disaffection to the Establisht Church cannot with any modesty expect to be treated as sincere and hearty friends but as declared open Enemies to the lasting Peace and Settlement of the Nation For hereby he smites his dearly beloved Episcopal Clergy of Scotland under the fifth rib and justifies all that the Government there hath done against them tho' they shou'd declare them open Enemies to the Peace of the Nation seeing they have refus'd to give the Government under which they have lived these 5 years any reasonable assurance of their Fidelity and Obedience but still retain their inveterate prejudices and pernicious disaffection to that Church and State so far doth partial passion Transport him that he mortally wounds them he pretends to defend The V. having asserted as a good effect of the indulgence granted in England that since Conformists and Dissenters converse more sociably and live more peaceably than formerly This is Contradicted by the D. for
the Episcopal Clergy had for five years past not only from the unparalell'd rage of a barbarons Rabble but also from the intemperate zeal of their bitter and bigotted Enemies in Authority We join issues with him in referring to the consideration of the prudent and impartial Reader what sort of usage the Episcopal Ministers in Scotland have had these five years past and tho' we think he will be none of these Readers yet let him judge of his own words page 7. where he hath confest that the greatest part of them for these in the North he hath laboured to prove so have had the Protection of the Government in the free and publick Exercise of their Religion and the quiet possession of their own Parishes and legal maintainance notwithstanding that they had not taken the Oath of Allegiance to His Majesty nor made any Submission to the Presbyterian judicatories Is this barbarous usage we wish the Government here would treat us thus barbarously Let him seriously reflect on what he saith page 10. Certainly these who refuse to give the Government under which they live all reasonable assurances of their Fidelity and Obedience and will not Disavow their turbulent Principles but still retain their inveterate prejudices and pernicius Disaffection to the Established Church and State cannot with any Modesty expect to be treated as sincere and hearty friends but as declared and open Enemies â—o the lasting Peace and Settlement of the Nation How applicable all this is to his Scotch Brethren we leave all knowing men to judge and tho' now that Government might justify it self himself being judge tho' they had used his Brethren as declared Enemies to the Peace of that Nation because they have hitherto for five years tho' often required refused to give the Government under which they liv'd any reasonable security for their Fidelity and Obedience yet hath it dealt favourably with them But saith he They have made but one Act in their favours A. Let us have but one such tho' two years after theirs and we shall pardon all that 's by-past But doth not the Church of Ireland think herself Established by one Act of Uniformity yet it is false that they had no more Acts than one past in their favours for April 13. 1689. The Convention of States did prohibit any injury to be done by any Person whatsoever to any Minister of the Gospel either in Church or Meeting house who are presently in possession and exercise of their Ministry By this Act a stop was put to all Rabbling which had been in the Interregnum and in Aug 16. 1689. a Proclamation was issued out Restoring all that had been put out by violence after April 13. 1689. So that they had more Acts in their favour than they deserv'd seeing they continued to deny Allegiance to K. William and Q Mary To what he saith of the unparalell'd rage of the barbarous Rabble tho' neither Reason nor Religion will justify tumultous and confused out-rages yet that same rage had a paralell in the same proportion as near thirty years are to three months during all which time more blood was shed in Scotland for Non-conformity then in the bloody Reign of Q. Mary for that which Papists call Heresie The Act of Council October 1662. is another paralell to the Rabbâ—e's rage by which 300 legally Establish't Ministers were turn'd out of their Churches and Houses without either Citation or Hearing whereas that Rabble some days before-hand gave a Citation to those whom they turn'd out and told them why they did so treat them Further 't is no wonder that this man dare speak evil of Presbyterians as such when he dare revile the Gods and speak evil of Dignities not paying that respect to the Authority of Scotland which the Arch-angel paid to the Devil when contending with him he durst bring no railing accusation against him but this man dares Arraigne without distinction the Authority of that Nation whereof His Majesty is Head and Fountain as Intemperate Zealots and bitter and bigotted Enemies to Episcopal Ministers Had a Dissenter us'd half such Language we know who would have cryed out Crucify him Crucify him And indeed such scurrilous Language may a waken Authority to consider what they may expect from some sort of Clerks if their Mitres and Bellies be once touched Having railed upon the Authority of Scotland he next falls foul on the Act of Parliament July 16. 1695. notwithstanding all it's Clemency Complaining of it as a Continuation of Severities And that for these reasons 1. saith he the favour is granted only to these Ministers who were at His Majesties Accession to the Crown and have since continued actual Ministers of their particular Parishes and so no Provision made for those who were Rabbled out tho' they should take the Oath of Allegiance c. which he hopes the V. will allow to be Severity A. It needs not be thought severe to keep our some of those whom the Rabble put out seeing many of those 300 Ministers who were thrust out October 1662. by the Counsel without and against all Matter or Form of Law were yet alive And never were by the prelatical Church it self Canonically suspended or degraded nor legally deprived by the Magistrate so that they 'r continued still dejure Ministers of these Parishes when then that violence by which they were barred from the Exercise of their Ministry was removed they might peaceably re-enter having all right to officiate there there being neither Canonical nor legal Impediment to obstruct them in the same manner as the Episcopal Incumbents here after they were forced from their Parishes in K. James's time returned to them in K. William's the parallel being the same because the Bishops came last into Scotland not by Law but the Will of the Governor If any severity by done then it is justly deserved by those who unjustly thrust themselves into other mens Possessions But 2. many if not all in the West were violently thrust in upon the people to whom by Law the Election of their Ministers belongs and therefore they never looked on them as Ministers for the Scotch Law allows no man to be put on any Parish without the People's Election and Consent Again 3. Those men had been active for the most part in all the oppressions of that People at least as Informers and Promoters and were voted by the convention the griivance If then they were happily delivered from the Yoak which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear it needs not be wondred at that the Government was not willing to gall the necks of that People with such yoaks again Besides all this these very men were and are known to be heart-Enemies to the Revolution and were they let in again undoubtedly they would open a door to K. James's re-entry Let all men judge then if it were not severe to humour such men But his other ground of dissatisfaction with that Act is That it excludes
that by these Intruders are chiefly means Episcopal Ministers thrust out by the Rabble who had repossess'd their own Churches A. This Act was made against allIntruders without exception Presbyterian or others and we suppose thought Rational by all reasonable men for the English Law justifies not a forcible Entry even tho' a Person hath a right And I doubt not but the Church of Engl. would condemn it in her own case for I question if the D. could defend the late Bishop of Down and Connor with the Arch-Deacon who looked on themselves unjustly deprived of Bishopprick and Livings by the late Regal visitation should they re-enter and possess themselves of what they have lost without owning Church or State But we say that those who were rabbled out neither have nor dare intrude into those Churches from which they were rabbled and challengeth him to instance one who hath so done But the truth of the matter is this some of those who were rabbled out in the West and South went to the North and there by the connivance of the Inheritors and some of the Parishioners did intrude into vacant Parishes some also had been deposed by the Church for Immoralities others who were put out of their Benefices by the Counsel for refusing to swear Allegiance to K. William and supported by the Jacobite party did enter into Churches in contempt of both Civil and Ecclesiastical Government Against these this Act was made so that none are counted Intruders meenly for repossessing the Church out of which they were turned by the Rabble seeing that by the Proclamation Aug. 6. 1689. all who had been Rabbled since the Settlement of the Government were restored to their Churches By this the D. as he thinks having proved the Parliament of Scotland guilty of great Severity for making an Act against Intruders concludes undoubtedly the reason of the V's not publishing that Act of Parliament July 16. 1695. not to be what is alledged but his fear of setting matters in a true light and exposing too plainly his gross and willful misrepresentations of the present State of that Kingdom A. We leave it to the Parliament of Ireland whether they will thank him for inveighing against the Parliament of Scotland thus at random when both have the same head and in all these Invectives his Sacred Majesty is reflected on But how ridiculous is it to reason thus The Vindicator durst not publish the Act of July 16. 1695. lest he should have exposed the severity of the Parliament against Intruders when there is nothing in that Act against Intrusion but it is as himself tells us by an Act July 5. 1695. what needs the V. fear the publishing that Act which all allow to be an Act of Câ—emency we are satisfied the V. had not seen that against which he so much Inveighs Nor needed he fear the publishing that other Act which was in Print yea so far were Dissenters from any sear from that Act that they industriously spread it amongst Members of Parliament here as a good precedent of Moderation The D. having discharg'd his spleen upon the Parliament of Scotland returns upon the Church Government saying by way of mock I must indeed acknowledge that we cannot boast of our coming up to or equal in the example which the present Presbyterian Government in Scotland has set us For first our moderation to Dissenters has not exprest it self in raising of the Rabble against them much less in returning them publick and solemn thanks for the greatness of their Zeal in so doing A. His first instance of this Churches negative moderation to Dissenters contains an unreasonable calumny thrown upon the Presbyterian Government of the Ch. of Scotl. for during the Rabble's Reign there was no legal Government in Church or State And therefore the Church is not chargeable with things done before it was re-established or had power That the Church gave the Rabble publick and solemn Thanks for their Rabbling is false but the truth was this the Prelates of Scotland with the Jacobitish Party headed by the Viscount Dundee having conspired against the Convention of States then assembled at Edenburg to settle the Crown of that Kingdom upon K William and Queen Mary had secretly conveyed 200 and upwards of armed men into the Town in order to scatter the Convention and so defeat the Nations Settlement Hereupon the Gentlemen and Commons of the West being then in Arms came with all expedition to Edinburgh whereupon the Viscount of Dundee with his party immediately fled and entred into an open Rebellion which ended with his Life at Killycrankie These Gentlemen who protected the Convention of Estates till they had established the Government are by him and his Episcopal Brethren in Scotland called the Rabble These indeed received the publick thanks of the Convention of Estates instead of their pay and so went all home peaceably But at this time there could be no Establish't Church seeing there was no Establish't Civil Government 2. That he and his have not raised the Rabble against Dissenters in Ireland we owe not to him or his but to the Rabble if any such be who if once up might possibly turn their rage upon others Yet he and some of his have not failed to incense the Magistrate against Dissenters who have thereupon imploy'd arm'd force against them For notwithstanding all that the Dissenting Ministers had suffered in the North for their Loyalty to Ch. 2. being all banished by Oliver for refusing the Oath called the Tender which many Episcopal Clergy-men easily swallow'd yet upon his Restauration the Prelates stirr'd him up contrary to his inclination to imprison all Dissenting Ministers and so persecute the People for Non-conformity which was accordingly done This the Living Generation can abundantly Testify A Second Evidence of the Churches Moderation to Dissenters he offers is That the Church of England Parliament in this Kingdom has not declared that Non-Conformist Ministers in exercising any part of their Ministerial Function have offer'd a high contempt of the Law as tending to perpetuate Schism and of dangerous consequence A. Seeing as he saith The Church of England Parliament hath not declared Non-Conformist Ministers contemners of the Law in exercising any part of their Ministry How cometh it to pass that the Church of England Clergy daily declare them guilty of offering high contempt to the Law As being Schismaticks that the exercise of their Ministry is of dangerous consequence We have cause to thank the Church of England Parliament for their Justice and Moderation but neither of us have reason to thank the Clergy for declaring the contrary And tho we may be satisfied with this Confession that there is no Act of Parliament against us vet we have cause to fear he will retract else he hath labour'd in vain in this Pamphlet The third Instance given of the Churches Moderation to us is They have not made an Act of Parliament against ut making Non-Conforming Ministers Intruders altho
legally Establish'd Church-Government then it is in the Church of England to require Subscription to their 39 Articles Assent and Consent to her Liturgy and Ceremonies and Canonical Obedience to her Bishops For an Epilogue to his History of Scots Affairs since the Revolution he gives a mock Commendation as he is pleas'd to call it the ingenuous temper of the General Assembly in their Act for a solemn National Fast Nov. 12. 1690. wherein they gave a particular Confession of the Sins of the Nation To which he saith Amen wishing they may be as sincere in repenting as they have been ingenious in Confession A. To have our Prayers and Fasts turned to reproach is but what befel our betters Psal 69. 10. and therefore we may the easier bear it but doth not the Church of England dayly confess we have erred and strayed from thy ways we have done these things which we ought not to have 〈…〉 to require his Charity to the Church of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 wish him ingealous and 〈◊〉 in his The D. having made his progress through Scotland in his return home to Ireland gives us a taste of his skill in persuading while he would have us believe that the gently Penal Laws are not as the V. insinuates a severe lash design'd as Instruments of an Unreasonable Correction but as the necessary means of keeping such Children as are of a froward and ungovernable temper within the bounds of a due Subjection and therefore it ought not to be esteemed an unkind severity but a prudent tenderness in a Parent to deny them such indulgences as in all propability will be abused to the diveâ—â—ing him of his Parental Authority and to the incouraging of them to a total withdrawing of their Filial Duty and Obedience for the future A. This D. seems to be or at least wou'd have Dissenters be like the Wives of Mascovy who are jealous of their Husbands affection unless they correct them severely But he must beat us out of reason and sense both e're he persuade us to this and had he but tasted as much of these gentle Penal Laws as some have lately done for refusing the Oath of a Church-Warden he wou'd change his Note If to be Excommunicated thrown into Prison till a Man and his Family be utterly ruin'd be gentle correction how dares he exclaim against the severity of Scotland where there is not one such Penal Law nor one instance of a Lay-man's being fin'd and imprisoned for meer Non-conformity much less for refusing to be Lay-Elders And we suppose he cannot give instance of any Church in the World who Excommunicate Fine and Imprison Men for refusing to be Officers in the Church especially these whom they condemn as Schismaticks And to thrust Men into Places of Trust in the Church out of Malice That many more Episcopal Children have discover'd their froward and ungovernable temper since the happy Revolution then of Dissenters is sensibly felt by the Government and therefore the reflection on us hath as little Truth as Charity Nor is it rational to suppose us such enemies to our own case and peace as to endeavour to divest these of Authority by whose powerful Clemency we are protected from the claws of some of the angry Clergy As to the second thing desired by Dissenters viz. That there be no such Clauses annexed to the Bill of Indulgence as might disenable them from serving their King and Country he observes to be the same Argument the Papists made use of in the late Reign for taking off the Penal Laws and Test and that the design of Dissenters is the same with that of the Papists viz. not only to capacitate themselves for all Employments of Honour Trust and Profit but also to exclude others of a different persuasion from having a share in any unless perhaps in mean and unprofitable ones A. The Observation tho his own is not observable either for it's Wit or Honesty for if Dissenters ought not to use the Argument because Papists have us'd it then the Church ought far less to Cross in Baptism and kneel at the Sacrament seeing the Papists have gresly abused them But it 's well known that Dissenters did refuse to joyn with the Papists in taking off the penal Laws and Test tho they thereby might have had their own Fetters knockt off yet they rather chus'd to continue in chains then to suffer such ravenous Creatures to run loose And we remember what fair promises were then made to Dissenters for this piece of generosity but the world knows how religiously these promises have been kept And he may see that where Presbyterians have more then we desire they have not ingross'd to themselves all places of Honour and Trust as now in Scotland where such imployments are enjoy'd by Persons declared Episcopal in Judgment And its ridiculous to tell that Dissenters won'd inhanfe all imployments to those of their own perswasion and exclude others seeing all of them are not of one persuasion and so cannot inhance all to their own Party But unless the Magistrates to whom the grant of such Offices belongs shou'd turn Dissenters it 's unreasonable to fear that Dissenters shou'd be able to make such a Monopoly While he tells us That it 's not reasonable that they shou'd pull down any part of their Church to furnish Dissenters with Materials to build and strenthen theirs We must say that we knew not before now that Penal Laws against Dissenters were any part or parcel of the Church of England which if they be as is said it will be no demonstration of that Churches Antiquity at least for that part of it which must commence with the Act of Uniformity Surely the Primitive Church had no such Pillars to support it for 300 years and more and yet the Gates of Hell were not able to prevail against it Bp. Taylor liberty of prophesying p. 18. will better inform him That imposing on Mens understandings being Masters of their Consciences and Lording it over their Faith came in with the rotinue and train of Antichrist The increase of Interest and abatement of Christian Simplicity when the Churches Fortune grew better and her Sons grew worse and some of her Fathers worst of all And cites Tertullian saying Sâ—d nec Religionis est cogere religionem quae suscipi debet sponte non vi To this he adds That all wise Princes till they were overboâ—n with Faction or sollicited by peevish Persons gave To eration to different Sects whose opinions did not disturb the Publick Interest Heretical Persons who are impatient of an Adversary were the first who intreated the Emperors to persecute the Catholicks but till 400 years after Christ no Catholick Persons or very few did provoke the secular Arm or implore its aid against Hereticks The D. having given his judgment with more passion than truth against Dissenters particularly these in the North to make it appear reasonable as he saith he attempts to prove it by matter of fact