false For it was for praying for King James as the account which he himself giveth doth make manifest All that he observeth on the Proclamation ordering to whom the Bishops Rents should be paid they being now laid aside is That Alexander Hamiltoun of Kinkel who was imployed as receiver for St. Andrews was at Bothwel Bridge and by the Clemency of the then Government had his Life spared If all this were true what doth it make against the Presbyterians He is known to be a faithful Man and why might not the Government imploy him seeing the former Government had spared him But in truth it was not so much the Clemency of the former Government as no Crime could be proved against him that saved his Life His last Paper for it seemeth that he is now at a Close and can say no more is a draught of an Act for the Establishment of the Government of the Church given in to the Parliament by the Kings Commissioner which he saith that the Presbyterians would not admit of because it restrained them from medling in State Affairs Ans Many other Acts as well as this were given in being drawn by private hands to be considered by the Parliament and were rejected or amended That the Parliament rejected any of them it was because they saw them or somewhat in them to be inconvenient but that he will fix on the particular cause and lay this on the Presbyterians is saucy boldness Not only medling with the designs of the Legislators which is not fit for a private Person but with the secret thoughts of Men which is fit for no Creature § 15. The conclusion of his Book consisting of five or six pages I shall not much be concerned with he there more than before which was needless venteth his Spleen against the present Government of the State And that in very undecent terms He dealeth in most of it with the Observator whom I leave to plead his own cause Though I have above Asserted and Vindicated the Truth of most things for which he challengeth the Observator His note about the Earl of Crafurd's Letter is a groundless Cavil His Lordship doth not own that the Council took probation of Crimes of another Nature beside not Reading and Praying but on the contrary said that though they who framed the Libels against the Episcopal Ministers did ignorantly in their Libels accuse them either for their Opinion about Church Government or Immoralities in their Conversation yet no regard was had to these nor any question made about them He next taketh to task a Book Intituled A brief and true account of the sufferings of the Church of Scotland from the Episcopalians since the year 1660. which he saith is written by a true-paced Presbyterian And imputeth all the Assertions and severity of Stile in that Book to the Presbyterians This is an unfair and injurious and false imputation Presbyterians disown both the Stile and many Principles vented in that Book it was written by a Cameronian while that party stood at a distance from the sober Presbyterians and from the Generality of them who bear that Name as much as from the Prelatists Though on the other hand we know that there are many undeniable truths in it as to the matter of Fact concerning these Sufferings which I wish he or any of his party would undertake to disprove But it is strange that this Gentleman should quarrel the stile of that Book seeing it is exactly conform to his own in the bitterness and ill nature that appeareth in it Only things are not there so foully mis-represented as in his Paper The Queries with which he shutteth up this his Work we are the less concerned in because most of them are built upon the principles of that Book which we do not own And others of them on some Actings of this Church in a time when both contending parties run a little too high in the heat of debate Of which I have spoken what is sufficient in my Former Vindication Only a few things not met with in that Paper I now take notice of That the presbyterians have risen twice in Arms in King William ' s time is an impudent and false Assertion For the first time that he mentioneth it was a Rabble of Cameronians not in a Body but here and there to throw out some of the Clergy who had severely oppressed them Of which I have told my Sentiment above The other A formidable number in an Hostile manner making an Address to the Council telling them That they would not lay down their Arms till the Council had discharged all Judicatories to pronounce any Sentence in Favour of Episcopal Ministers This was never heard of before and certainly this Gentleman hath either Dreamed it or Invented it Page 107. He hath amassed a heap of gross Lies viz. That they had Voted King William out of the Supremacy That they have Vâ—urped it to themselves having without his leave Convened at Edinburgh and Voted themselves into a free General Assembly That they daily draw up Instructions for regulating the Parliament That they Meet and Adjourn at their pleasure For the first of these it was not the Ministers but the Parliament to which the King gave his Royal Assent which Voted away the Supremacy And that not any Supremacy that is due to any Man on Earth but such a one as the Pope had usurped over the Church of God and which some of our Kings had assumed and under the former Government had been scrued up to that height that the King might overturn our Religion at his pleasure And it is highly to the Commendation of our Gracious King that he was pleased to give to God that which was his and to reserve only to himself what was Caesars For the second the Presbyterians usurp no Supremacy no Legislative nor Coercive Power They pretend to no more but a Ministerial Power in declaring the Laws of Christ by his Authority and in executing the Censures which he hath appointed for the breakers of these Laws Thirdly It is most false that they convened in the General Assembly without his leave they had an express Act of Parliament for it neither did the Assembly Meet or Adjourn without the Kings Commissioner at any time other Judicatories are by Law allowed to Meet and Adjourn as they think fit and therefore their so doing is not without the Kings leave We think it no small mercy to have the Magistrates Countenance to our Meetings tho' we think to deny any Intrinsick Power in the Church to meet about the Affairs of Religion were to condemn the Apostles and to allow Rulers if they should be either open or secret Enemies to the Truth a power to Ruin all at their pleasure Fourthly That they either daily or at all draw up Instructions for Regulating the Parliament is an Assertion so false and malicious as none but a Man of this Authors Temper could be capable of Nor can I imagine
that in England the King whether from Light or Interest I do not judge begun a half Reformation And Royal Authority enlightned the Minds of the people I speak not of all but of the Multitude but in Scotland Light from the Word of God did move first the People then the Great Ones and they prevailed with the King at last Zealously to own the Truth of God Yea and to defend it in Print 3. That the Government of the Church of England was suited to the Monarchy that is as I suppose he meaneth framed by a suitableness to the Monarchy as the Standard of it is not its commendation For that is to make it a humane Contrivance or worldly Policy brought into the Church of Christ over which he is the Head and which is to be governed by his Laws Whereas the Government of the Church of Scotland was contrived by the Word of God as the Standard of it yet was it as much suited to the Monarchy as that of England could be That is it gave and giveth to the King all that power in the State that our Laws gave him And all that Authority over the Church that is due to any Man on Earth The Abettors of it preach and practise as much Obedience and Subjection to Kings as others do and can vie in Loyalty with their Accusers as shall after be observed 4. I do not understand how our present Animosities about Church Government should depend on the one way being suited to the Monarchy and the other not seeing this Author as well as his opposites really are doth highly pretend to be not only for the Monarchy but for the present Monarch King William But either he hath a latent Meaning which hath much Truth in it or he hath hit on the Truth by guess as Cajaphas did viz. That our Animosities about Church Government arise mainly from the different Inclinations that are in the two parties toward the Monarchy as now established in the Persons of our Gracious King William and Queen Mary The strain both of their Writings and Actings make it evident that with him the Interest of King James and that of Prelacy are linked together And their Zeal for the one filleth them with Spite and Animosity against what is opposite to the other And whoso considereth the strain of this Pamphlet will find that the Zeal that this Scribler pretendeth to for King William is expressed usually under the general Notion of the Monarchy which may be understood of either of two Monarchies What he saith that Buchannan and others wrote Books that were condemned for Treason is no Argument For that which by one party is condemned for Treason by another party when they have got the Ascendent hath been absolved as not guilty of that Crime That the Puritans vexed King James VI. is no further true than that they could not yield to the endeavours of some evil Counsellers about him for overturning the Setled Government of the Church and encroaching on its Rights It is true He at last got Episcopacy setled by the help of some both in State and Church who were either none of the best Protestants or had their worldly Designs in promoting that way but still our Author owneth on the matter that the Word of God was not consulted in this weighty Concernment of the Church But only his fancied suitableness to the Monarchy and Conformity to England The account he giveth of putting down Episcopacy afterwards and setting up of Presbytery is neither like a Christian nor like a Historian It is perfect railing while he calleth the Nobles that had a hand in it Ambitious and Factious the Gentry Priest-ridden and blind Zealots the Preachers Enthusiasticks The War that he mentioneth is by all Posterity to be lamented but Men as able to discern as he have laid the blame of it on Episcopal Tyranny and Usurpation and their making many steps toward Popish Doctrine as well as Discipline He next giveth account of the Solemn League and Covenant entered into without the Royal Authority calling Parliaments c. These things were done by the Body of the Nation met in the most orderly representative that the time and case could permit And I deny not but that they were extraordinary Actings not to consider now the Morality of them But let this Gentleman freely tell us whether his Episcopal party be capable of Courses parallel to these which he so exposeth The Presbyterians under the conduct of the Primores Regni arose against their King in defence of their Religion and Laws did not the Prelatick party the same and on the same account They were indeed all for Loyalty and Non-resistance while the Royal Authority supported their greatness and power over their Brethren but when seven of their Bishops were touched it proved another case like that in Ployden if we be guilty in this they are not the Men who should cast the first Stone at us For Barbarities committed by the Presbyterians in these times I know of none but what are the necessary consequents of a War But this Man and his Associates have no other Dialect whereby to express their dislike of the Actings of the opposite party He accuseth them with a Bloody Mouth of what hath been a thousand times refuted as a horrid Lie That the Scots Presbyterians did persidiously give up their King to the English who Murdered him He was the King of the English as well as theirs and they could not withhold him from them And gave him into their hands on as good security as could be for his safety and if others dealt perfidiously with him they are not to be blamed for it He hath a hint as if Episcopacy had been setled by King Charles the Second because the Presbyterians refused all conditions of peace and pardon And for the Monarchies sake The former of these is a great untruth they never refused peace nor pardon but would gladly have imbraced both Only they could not buy them at the rate of Perjury Tho' they never refused to disown any Principles that were indeed Rebellious Their preaching up Rebellion in their Conventicles is false They both preached and practised Loyalty Only after many grievous and insupportable hardships suffered for their Conscience some few of them were prevailed upon by that Temptation to vent some Principles that the more Sober and Intelligent were not satisfied with That punishing them who were taken in Rebellion is all the severity complained of is a Notorious Falshood as all the Nation know and I have above disproved it § 3. From these so well laid Foundations he proceedeth p. 5. to give His Highness some Advices if they may not more properly be called Directions The first That the Prince being come to support our Laws is in Honour bound to support Episcopacy which is confirmed by twenty Parliaments This is Saucy enough As if His Majesty had Acted against his Honour now that Episcopacy is not supported That Episcopacy is
He saith also that some of them suffered the loss of Children which is above made appear to be false in the only instance that was brought That they suffered without any Authority is not denied because then there was no Authority in the Nation It was in a state of Anarchy For the right that he saith they have to their by-past Stipends we shall not grudge that they get what was legally due to them But if the Authority of the Nation in the Convention or Parliament have determined otherwise I know not where their Legal right can be founded but this I leave to Lawyers to consider § 7. The fulsome and flattering Expressions in the Presbyterian Address to King James for their Liberty their approving of the Dispensing Power which he taxeth page 9. are his own imaginations other Men can see no such thing in that Address That they never preached against the disorders of the Rabble is false Though we thought not fit to make that our constant Theme And if but few did it it was because they who were Actors in that Scene little regarded the preaching of the sober Presbyterians And they should have lost their sweet Words These practices of the Rabble were publickly spoken against by Ministers both before they were acted for preventing them and after for reproving them and preventing the like That the Presbyterians possessed their places when called to them it was their Right both by their standing Relation to their people from whom they had been thrust away in Anno 1662. And also by the Act of Parliament giving all Ministers then put out regress to their Charges And indeed they who had been by the Bishops put into their places were Intruders and if any entered to other places on the Call of the people to which they had not such former Relation there was no blame because there being no probable regress for the former Incumbents it was not reasonable that the people should continue destitute of the Gospel Beside that there was never a Relation of Pastor and people between them and these Flocks they never having consented to such a Relation For what he saith of the Right of Patrons I think there were but few Ministers Fixed before it was legally made void And if they were we think that Right was only founded on the Law but was contrary to Christs Institution And it was known to be about expiring and therefore it was not contrary to a good Conscience to accept of a Call to a people without the Patron It is true in that Case they could have no Right to the Stipend But the Consent of Minister and people the Authority of a competent Church Judicatory being interposed could well fix a Relation between Minister and People without the Patron He doth next fall heavily on the Convention of Estates for these Men hide not their Treasonable Speeches against the present Government of the State That it is no wonder that many thought that the Design of some who were zealous for the Revolution was more to destroy the Episcopal Clergy than to settle the Nation or preserve our Religion Liberties and Properties This I leave to them to Answer who have power to correct such petulancy He further lasheth the Convention and the Council for their Acts with respect to the Ministers cast out in the Western Shires Neither shall I meddle with him on this Head He hath not yet done with our Rulers But blameth them for the Proclamation for Praying for King William and Queen Mary And punishing Men for not obeying it so suddenly This I have answered on Letter 2. Sect. 17. All that followeth to page 14. is already answered in the forecited place Only he hath a new Argument in Defence of them who did not read or pray viz. That the Proclamation was not sent to them from the Bishops As if the Estates could not imploy what Officers they pleased to Authorize for signifying their Mind to the Ministers page 14. Even the King shall not escape his Censure because while he extended Clemency to Criminals he did not so to the Clergy Who were neither willing to obey his Commands nor pray for him nor so much as own Him for their King And it is indeed an Act of Clemency which few Kings ever shewed to allow such to be in publick Churches and to have the conduct of the Consciences of his Subjects I am sure this is not the way to have the people principled with Loyalty though that was the main Theme that these Men insisted on in the former Reigns What followeth is his observation on a Debate in Parliament about imposing the Oath of Allegiance and why it was not imposed on the Clergy He saith It was out of respect to the Presbyterian Preachers lest they should scruple it They being unwilling to come under Allegiance to King William till first he had setled their Church Government And he thinks some will not take it till the Covenant be renewed Here is bold judging and censuring the secret thoughts and purposes of the Estates As also most calumnious Imputations on the Presbyterians Did ever any of them refuse the Oath of Allegiance Have not many of them even as many as were required on any occasion chearfully taken it And that though the Covenant be not renewed Did ever any of them move such a scruple about it Yea it is manifest that it is not their principle so to bargain with their Kings about Allegiance For they were ready to swear it and did when called to Kings who unsetled their Church Government and who enacted the abjuring of the Covenant What followeth page 15 16. about Ministers being deprived for not reading and praying is answered in Letter 2. Sect. 17. He odiously compareth the States dealing with the Clergy with that of the French with the Protestants there who saved their Life and Fortune if they change their Religion but Compliers here are turned out by the Rabble Ans If he can shew that this is done here by Authority as in France the Persecution is acted or that the Protestants in France suffered in a time of Anarchy by a people that had been so barbarously injured and enraged by them Then should he speak to the purpose otherways his parallel doth no ways hold They had made themselves justly loathsom and a burden to the people who took their opportunity to be rid of them without such Barbarous usage of them as they had suffered from them And the Estates thought it not fit to impose that burden again on a people who had been so crush'd by it what is there here that hath any Affinity with the Case of the Sufferings in France § 8. He pretendeth page 16 and 17. to remove a Mis-information given to them of England That the Clergy were not deprived by the Council for not reading and praying unless they were Immoral in their Conversation And from this he laboureth to vindicate them Much of which is answered above
only the Reader may know that this was never alledged nor given as the reason of their deprivation by any of us Whatever might possibly be talked in England by them who knew little of our Affairs The Council did not consider their Immorality nor freedom from it but only their obedience or disobedience to the Law His story about Bishop Lighton will not Vindicate the Western Clergy from gross and multiplied Immoralities But that is not now the thing under our consideration That Scandals were represented at Court as the ground of their deprivation by the Council is as injurious and false as any thing that can be said The plurality of Episcopal Ministers above the Presbyterians he seemeth to brag of But is it any wonder when twenty eight years ago many had complyed with Episcopacy and all that did not were driven away and in that long time many of them were removed by death Was it not so at the Reformation from Popery How far did the number of Popish Priests exceed that of Protestant Ministers But what he hence inferreth hath no weight viz. That many of the Episcopal Ministers must be removed lest they should over-vote the others For a more rational and sure course was taken to obviate it viz. That the Government should be setled only in the hands of Presbyterians and such as they shall receive which he or his Fellow Censurer of the State had above complained of and we have vindicated He concludeth this Narrative with a warning to the Church of England of the Enmity of Presbyterians against them and their hazard from us And indeed the strain of these Pamphlets is mostly a complaint against the King and Parliament and all the Authority of this Nation and an Appeal to the Church of England for deliverance from this Yoke And I hope our Rulers will consider them accordingly § 9. We now come to consider the Authors several Collections of Papers in which he hath been at a great deal of pains but to little or bad purpose as I hope by Examination of them shall appear His first Collection is of accounts that he hath had from his Complices a Company of Men avowed and malicious Enemies of all Presbyterians concerning their Sufferings from them and all this attested by themselves as I above observed He beginneth with the Story of Mr. Bell of Kilmarnock which I have above answered on Letter second Next he cometh to the Presbytery of Hamiltoun Where it seems he findeth three Mr. John Dalgliesh of Evendal Mr. James Crichtoun of Kilbryd Mr. Angus Mackintosh at Sten-house whose Gowns were torn and they discharged to preach Attested by Dr. Robert Scot Mr. George Leslie and Mr. John Dennistoun To all which I give no other Answer but what hath been said on the like occasion That the Presbyterians are not to answer for such practices which were done by such as Sober Presbyterians do not own nor are owned by them but rather hated and opposed As also that so many lying Stories of this kind have been told by him that it is not worth the while to enquire into the truth of these Men use to slight what is asserted by a common Liar We have next a general account of the Ministers of the Presbytery of Irwin that all their Houses have been assaulted their Gowns torn and they discharged to preach many of their Wives and Children turned out of Doors like to starve by Hunger and Cold in the Winter some forced to fly and lurk that they cannot meet to make known their Grievances Only three or four give these accounts from their own knowledge and certain information Signed Charles Littlejohn Minister of Larg Alexander Laing Minister at Stewartoun One may easily answer all this without particular information Considering the veracity that is to be found in this Pamphlet viz. Here is nothing but Generals and that by report Personal knowledge is pretended but for little of what is Asserted And we have cause to think that these were none of them who are of our Communion who Acted these things Then follows the Sufferings of the Presbytery of Glasgow in the persons of Mr. Russel at Govan Mr. Finny at Carthcart which two Stories are answered and found to be forgeries 〈◊〉 Letter 2. Mr. Blair at Rutherglen Mr. Gilbert Mushet at Cumernâ—… Mr. David Mill at Cumernald which we may rationally judge 〈◊〉 be of the same stamp Neither have we time to search into all the groundless Tales that he thinketh fit either to invent or to take up from them that devise them But that which he laboureth to set off by the Circumstances of it is that January 17. 1689. A Rabble mostly Women came with a design to drag the Minister out of the Pulpit he being warned and forbearing and returning from the Church was assaulted his Gown and other Cloaths torn The same day Mr. Alexander George had his Doors broken and he being upon his Sick-bed they had dragged him out of his Bed if the Provost with ten Men had not come to his Relief Next Sabbath January 20. there was no Sermon in the City on the 22 d they sent a threatning Letter forbidding all Ministers to preach on the highest peril this is attested by Alexander George John Sage the Ministers of Glasgow All this is answered above § 10. Another Paper of History he setteth down page 41. of the Sufferings of the Presbytery of Paislay upon the Bedele of Paislay on the Minister there on the Minister of Kilbarken And how Mr. Houstoun usurped the Pulpit of Eastwood This attested by Robert Fullertoun Moderator and John Taylor Minister at Paislay The answer of all this we take out of the Accusation it self It was done by Mr. Houstoun and his Party A man who not only is disowned by the Soberest sort of Presbyterians but even by the Cameronians as of most unsound Principles and most immoral practices Followeth a Letter Signed by four Ministers George Gregory Francis Fordyce William Irwine Minister at Kirkmichael John Hog Minister at Ochiltry What is not repeated out of the former Stories and answered before is the People of the Meeting-house Battering and Bruising the Minister of Kirkmichaels Man-servant commanding him to remove with what was his Masters from the House Ans It is witnessed under the Hands of David Bell James Cathcart Thomas Craig William Niven all of that Parish That they were present when one Robert Donaldson with some others came to the Minister of Kirkmichlaes House and that they did not beat or use any Violence to the Ministers Man servant But only took the Communion Cups from him and that they two drank together and shook Hands at Parting And that the said Servant lived there peaceably a year after and disposed of the Crop of his Masters Glebe It is also witnessed under the Hand of John Kennedy and George Monaught that the forementioned Robert Donaldson who was said to use Violence in the house of the Minister of Kirkmichael was a common
men came to his house he was not within but in a Neighbours house hard by His Wife said to them that he was in Edinburgh he withdrew a little and returned as soon as they were gone and said that he would not have fled if he had thought they were so few but have Pistoled them both it is also false that any came out of the Preachers house on him as he Rode but these two young men being provoked with his speaking of Pistoling them came out of another House and called to speak with him He fled the Preachers man came out to see what the Fray was one of the young Men followed him on Horseback did no harm to him but reasoned the Case with him He alledging that all the Honest men in the Parish owned him They brought ten or twelve whom he Named as such who yet disowned him It is most false that he was hindred to read the Proclamation he did read a part of it It is true some moved to hinder him from Preaching but the Presbyterian Minister restrained them It is a gross untruth that he was willing to read and Pray and yet deprived for it For he said before the Council that he had not Prayed for King William and Queen Mary That his Gown was torn is also a gross Lye § 12. The Story of Mr. Little which nextfolloweth is above answered in Answer to Account of Persecution Letter 2. Sect. 13 Next we have account of the Sufferings of Mr. Archibald Ferguson Minister at Kirkpatrick whom the Rabble Men and Women Assaulted in his House When he calmly asked the reason they knocked him on the Head with a Pistol so that he fell His Wife daily expecting the pains of Child-birth they knocked down with the Butt-end of a Musket He received many merciless Blows and was sorely bruised Himself they dragged into a puddle the Women cut and tore off his Cloaths even to the uncovering of his Nakedness be at him on the Shins with a Club commanded him to be gone and forced him in his Wounds to leave his House Family and Church Before I examine the matter of this Story I take notice of the bitter Sarcasms and cruel Mockings against all the Presbyterians with which it is interspersed as if this Fact were to be charged on the Party who yet do abhor such practices as much as any Men can do He saith these Barbarities were committed by the pretended Godly Presbyterians That they have separated themselves from the Society of the Catholick Church because they do not observe Easter with the same superstition as some others do He addeth that the Womens Daggers were prepared for a through Reformation And many such bitter Reflections he throweth out against us all from the irregularities of a wild Party whom persecution from his Party had made mad and in whom we are no further concerned than to Lament their Principles and Practices A further Answer was delayed when this was written expecting Information from such as know the Circumstances of this Story But that Account not being as yet come to Hand when this sheet is printing off by whose fault I know not I can only say that the many Lying Stories that are in this Book may derogate from the Credibility of this If it be true we abhor the Fact and wish that the Actors may be brought to condign Punishment for such Inhumanity § 13. In his third Collection of Papers which concerneth them who complied and yet suffered he beginneth with Mr. William Hamilton who first at Irwin then at Kirk-newtoun was put from his House and Church by the Rabble and very hardly used Ans That these things acted against him were not the deed of the Presbyterians nor approved by the Church is evident from this that Mr. Hamiltoun is in good esteem among the Presbyterians and is now received as one of themselves into a share of the Government with them Wherefore if such things were done against him it was not by the sober Presbyterians but by a sort of Men who are not of our Communion and who have shewed dislike against us also For the Truth of what he alledgeth to have been done I can meet with none who can affirm what our Author saith and therefore have cause to suspect it as of the same strain with others of his Affirmations He telleth us next how Mr. Samuel Nimmo was hindred to Preach by some of the Earl of Argile ' s Regiment If this were true it was the Deed of some Cameronians not approved by the Presbyterians And I hope hindring a man to Preach tho we allow not that it be done in a disorderly way doth not amount to so horrid a Persecution as he crieth out of His next complaint concerneth Mr. Selkirk at Glenholm in Tweddale who Read and Prayed was threatned by some of the meanest of the People to remove from his Dwelling obtained from them a fortnight for that end some put another Lock on the Church door to keep him out Of this he had no Redress This we are far from allowing but still here is nothing like the French Dragooning He saith that he complained and had no Redress But we neither know whom to blame nor how to make enquiry about the Truth of it seeing he is not pleased to let us know who did thus deny Justice to him It is sufficiently attested that this was done by Strangers that they took two of Mr. Selkirks Elders into the House with them who might witness that they used no violence and that he and they parted peaceably And that afterward he dimitted his Charge and the Presbytery gave him a Testimonial Mr. Burgess he doth not tell where he was Minister is the next subject of Complaint His Church was possessed by the Rabble sent by Mr. Walker Preacher in the Meeting-house by the connivance of Mr. Mowat who is Old and Infirm The Heretors were offended that Mr Walker invaded Mr. Mowats right The Rabble hindred Mr. Burgess to Preach and when he objected King Williams Authority they spoke of it with contempt Ans Mr. Mowat and the Parish had called Mr. Walker to his help The people hearing of the Act for restoring the old Ministers not considering that it was only Voted but had not the Royal Assent which it afterward had met in the Church Mr. Walker disswaded them Yet was forced to Preach to them there There was no Tumult the whole Parish was met Mr. Burgess's Bedle opened the Church door to them It is false that any of the people did contemn King William's Authority There were indeed three young Men who some days after discharged Mr. Burgess to Preach But this was not approved by the rest nor was ever any violence offered to him What the Paper saith of Arms and beating a Drum is false The Parish had been at a Rendezvous whence they came to a Burial but that they made use of Arms or Drum at or near Mr. Burgess's House is altogether false The
I am sure his own party have a large share of it among them What he so Tragically Painteth out of Preachers and People going through Parishes where there were no Meeting Houses Amounteth to no more than this that the Ministers were so charitable to People who could not maintain a Minister for themselves as to go to them and help them by appointing their Meetings where such destitute People might attend them § 3. He telleth a long Story pag. 7. Of the Presbyterians Arming themselves and inventing false Reports to give countenance for their so doing and that the design of it was to ruine the Clergy This Allegation is above answered being brought in also in some of the former Letters And himself opposeth it in acknowledging that most of the Clergy were turned out before this Arming of the Countrey Neither are the Papists in that Country so few as he alledgeth Especially considering them as strengthned by all that owned King James's Interest tho nominal Protestants There was both necessity for Protestants providing Arms and it was allowed by Authority after the Prince of Orange Landed That One Troop carried all the Papists to Goal I know not but I am sure before the Prince and his Interest became formidable which was the time when the People provided Arms and while the Episcopalians were not discouraged from appearing for the Papists many Troops would not have done it The Persecution that he speaketh of was by his own Confession mostly if he had said only it had been nothing amiss Acted by the Cameronians Which leaveth it on them not on us to answer for it page 8. That all the Ministers of that Presbytery except one who was absent obeyed the Proclamation for Reading and Praying is a bold Assertion For it is said by guess For first They had few or none to hear them beside their own Families Who then can witness that they obeyed the Proclamation or before whom did they perform this Solemn Action Secondly It was witnessed before the Synod of Wigtoun April 18. 1690. That Mr. Cameron Minister at Inch did the same day pray for King James and the young Prince And that he read not the Proclamation till after the Blessing when the Congregation was a Dissolving The Narrative page 8 9. Of the Two Commissioners treating with Patrick Paterson to make him Provost if he would put out the Minister is most false Mr. Paterson who is now Provost of that Town 1691 denieth that any of the Commissioners did ever insinuate any such terms of his being Provost And these two Commissioners are known to be Persons of that integrity that his Lies will not be able to stain them They did no more than oversee the Election which by the Convention was enjoined What he maliciously saith of William Torbran we have no more but his word for it which of how much value it is may be judged by what already hath been observed § 4. The falshood and malice of what he affirmeth about the Commissioners from Stranrawer to the Convention bringing from Edinburgh with them a part of the Collection for the Irish Protestants is so evident as nothing can be more That Money was according to order delivered to the Provost of the Town Who distributed it Faithfully to the Irish Protestants who were there according to their several Necessities And the names of them who received it with the place of their abode in Ireland and what they received was returned to Sir Patrick Murray And these records can make it appear that it was not bestowed as he alledgeth He cannot forbear to spit his Venome even on the Irish Protestants who had escaped the Bloody rage of the Papists because they were not of his way Which is a Specimen of his Temper and Inclination He telleth a Story of one Ferguson a Souldier who with some others discharged several Ministers to Preach And inlargeth in some Circumstances not worth our Transcribing of the truth or falshood of this I have no Information Nor what sort of man this Ferguson was I easily believe tho not on the Credit of this Author that there might be a man capable to do such things But are the Body of the Presbyterians Countable for every thing that a Person did whom they know not and whose Actions they approve not The same is to be said concerning the Irish Preacher mentioned page 10. Whom we know not nor can we enquire into the truth of the Story nor into the Circumstances of the Person He not being named For what followeth from page 11. to page 18. All the Information that I can find is that the incensed Rabble did indeed turn out these men and discharged them to Preach Which irregular practices we do no ways approve but this is not imputeable to the Persbyterians but to some who had suffered intolerable Injuries from these Men and whom oppression had driven out of the Limits of patience and soberness Neither have we any ground to believe these aggravating Circumstances which he mentioneth to beâ—…ue lying and mis-representation being so Familiar to this Author If the things mentioned be true we disown and abhor them as Barbarous Villanies The Story about Mr. Sommervel at Leswalt being persecuted by the instigation of the Sheriff of the County is disowned by Mr. Sommervel himself and is incredible to every one who knoweth the Gentleman who is thus blamed The account he gives of several in the Presbytery of Stranrawer if all were true is not strange tho yet we are far from approving of what was done for there it was that the most horrid Barbarities were practised on that poor People by means of these Ministers There one might see Bodies hanging on Trees by the way side Heads Arms and Legs of the poor People who had been Murthered without due course of Law set up on Poles in many places And is it strange that people should be enraged to see such sad spectacles of their Relations or that disorderly passions and from them disorderly actions should be the consequent of such moving Objects But whether what is alledged be true or not I cannot tell not having got information from that part of the Country § 5. He concludeth his particular Instances of this Persecution page 18. With the account of Mr. Ramsays sufferings who was Minister at Stranrawer Two things he complaineth of The first is that Mr. Miller the Presbyterian Minister there Hounded out the Rabble to Trouble and expel Mr. Ramsay that himself might get the Tithe Herrings This is denied as an impudent Forgery And Mr. Millar challengeth Mr. Ramsey or any else to adduce one credible Person who will Affirm that he had any hand directly or indirectly in the trouble that Mr. Ramsay met with The second is Mr. Maxwel who had been in Ireland some time when he returned home Mr. Ramsay also and others could not get their Stipend Yea the Sheriff incouraged all those to whom they owed any thing to sue them Where as
stand before their Arguments And I am sure he hath given no proof of either Sense or Learning in his Book but many Demonstrations of Spite and Railing He saith they have lost their Interest in the Nation are deserted That men are ashamed of them they are Dreaded as the plague of Mankind What may be expected from a Tongue set on fire of Hell They are not so lookt on by any but such as he is whose kind respects to any man were indeed a reproach to him Or by a debauched crew whom his faction indulged in their Immoralities to which Presbyterial Discipline is a terrour He saith p. 15. That the most bigotted and hot-headed were chosen for the Assembly And instanceth in two learned men who were not chosen But it was evident to all beholders who were capable to judge and even to the conviction of some of his own Party who had not abandoned all Reason and good Nature as this man hath done That the Assembly was made up of many Grave Learned and Sober men And their Actings will prove it in despight of his reproaches and obloquy against them The two whom he mentioneth are learned and worthy men But all could not be chosen And I know some very fit Persons out of an excess of Modesty shunned it and got others chosen That it was concluded that Mr. George Campbel should be shuffled out of the Assembly is an Assertion Demonstrative of a Brazen Forehead in the Asserter By whom was this concluded Yea or wished For my part I know them not Nor never heard of any such motion His going so near to be chosen Moderator which this Pamphlet taketh notice of sheweth how acceptable he was to most of the Ministers But there is a sort of men who should have good Memories which our Author here wanted His base Reflections on some others that were chosen do shew his own Character viz. Irreconcileable spite against all that bear the name of Presbyterians We could tell of hundreds of his party for one of ours guilty of gross immoralities And even some who were in highest places in their Church of whose repentance we have not heard much But that we should not have mentioned if it had not been in defence of the Interest that he setteth himself to disparage Nothing can escape the Lash of this Authors virulent pen P. 16. He most unmannerly taketh upon him to discourse of the Kings Choice of a Commissioner to represent his Royal Person in the Assembly And to tell who was the fittest Person Where he taketh occasion to Calumniate the Earl of Crawford by telling several gross Lies about his Lordship As that he rejoyced in the expectation of being Commissioner And shewed a grudge at the disappointment Such malapart abusing of any man by judging his inward thoughts for I am sure nothing of that kind ever appeared in his Lordships words or behaviour but much to the contrary but especially to deal so by so noble a Peer of the Nation and who is so deservedly honoured by all good men this I say deserveth a more severe Reprimand than my pen can give His Lordship did what in him lay to shun that difficult Post As also the Noble Lord on whom it was cast was far from designing it That the Earl sat in the Assembly house before he was a Member doth not prove what is intended by it For so did many others both Noblemen and of inferiour quality Some out of Satisfaction they had to see the Church again setled on her ancient foundations others out of Curiosity That his Lordship did officiously meddle in all the concerns of the Assemblies before he was a Member is as remote from truth as East is from West The contrary appeared in his Lordships often refusing to give advice when the Moderator desired it That letters were written to procure a Commission to my Lord is likewise false It was voluntarily sent to him from the Town of St. Andrews He being Lord Provost of that Corporatin We have a further false Imputation upon that Noble Earl That at the Visitation of the Vniversity at St. Andrews he used the Masters Roughly particularly refused to suffer Mr. Weems Infirm through age to lean on the step of a Stair Ans That Noble Earl dealt no otherwise with such as appeared before the Commission than did become his Character His Lordship and the rest of the Commission sat there by Authority of King and Parliament And therefore disrespect to them could not but reflect on the Authority which they represented When Mr. Weems complained that he could not stand he was allowed to remove that he might refresh himself § 11. He cometh now at last p. 17. to his purpose to give account of the Assembly And beginneth with the Sermons that were Preached at the opening of it He quarrelleth that there were two Sermons Saying the Presbyterians can never have their full of Preaching But the Reader may know that it hath been Customary in the Church of Scotland and none but such mockers will reproach them for it to make the first Day of the Assembly a Day of Fasting and Prayer and two Sermons were no superfluity in that case The Sermons he also findeth fault with Mr. Cunningham's Sermon that it was borrowed from Mr. Oliver Bowlis being a Sermon that he Preached Anno. 1643. The reverend and worthy Mr. Cunningham being now at his rest cannot answer for himself nor tell us what to say for him in this particular But this I can say in general and will be believed by all that knew him and are capable to judge that few Ministers of the Gospel did outstrip him in Ministerial Qualifications And he needed be beholding to no Man for a Sermon The other Sermon by Mr. Patrick Symson he saith was course Presbyterian stuff but as Wise Men as he thought it a Solid Pertinent and Useful Discourse to be preferred to hundreds of the Jingling Py-bald Orations that many of his party do spend the short Glass with What Supremacy or Authority he ascribed to the Assembly our Author would fain tell us but sheweth by his Expressions that either his Ignorant Informers did not understand what was spoken or he did not comprehend what they told him What was said on that Head I do not remember but we ascribe no absolute power to the General Assembly That their power is immediately from Christ that is that no Man giveth it we own He falleth p. 18. on the chusing of the Moderator Where he taketh occasion to spit all his Venom against the four Ministers who were put on the List out of which the Moderator was to be chosen All this I might pass over for my business is not to vindicate persons but things And all who have read thus far in this Book will be convinced that his Tongue is no slander and the credit of those Brethren is such as he will not be able to Ruine by his Lies and Reproaches Wherefore I shall touch
Bishops Reformed as Dr. Gordon of Galloway and Adam Bishop of Orkney he bringeth no proof for the former but for the latter he was Excommunicated for Marrying the Queen to the Earl of Bothwel which had been Incongruous if he had not been of the Protestant Communion Answ 1. That two who had been Bishops joyned in the Reformation is but a small evidence that the Reformation was not managed by Presbyters but by Bishops 2. That the one of these complyed with the Reformation he barely asserteth and his proof for the other is insufficient Such things have been done Protestants have Excommunicated Papists as Papists daily Excommunicate Protestants How congruous this is I need not now debate 3. If these Bishops had any hand in the Reformation it is nothing to his purpose unless he can prove that they exercised Episcopal Jurisdiction in the Protestant Church which no History can Countenance if they Acted as Church-men at all they Acted as Presbyters for it is certain that in the beginning of our Reformation none exercised any Jurisdiction among the Reformed above that of Presbyter He saith That where there had been Popish Bishops there Protestant â—ishops were appointed in their places under the Name of Superintendents Here is a double mistake One that the Super intendent were Bishops Another that they were put into the Places and Revenues of the Popish Bishops The falshood of both which I have shewed in my Former Vindication upon Query 1. page 10. That the Revenues of the Popish Bishops were setled on the Superintendents is an Assertion that proveth either that this Author is a Stranger to our History or that he regardeth not the truth or falshood of what he affirmeth What followeth page 29. Of the late bringing in of Presbytery into the Reformed Church of Scotland I have fully disproved in the place last cited page 3. After the most spiteful Venom spued out that could lodge in a humane Breast against the Presbyteriaâ—… which it is fit to despise rather than Answer he concludeth his Letter with an Assertion no less false than the rest of his Allegations are viz. That his party suffer neither for Breach of Divine nor Humane Laws but only for Episcopacy If any honesty remain with him it would oblige him to give some instance or proof that the Presbyterian Church of Scotland for he ascribeth their sufferings to their opposition to the Fanaticks of the Kirk did ever trouble any of them either for their Opinion about Church Government or meerly for their compliance with Episcopacy when it had the Law on its side on the contrary we can shew to the conviction of all unbyassed Men that such as have suffered by the State did suffer for their Breach of the Law of the Nation in not owning the King and Queen as the Law required And that such as were Censured by the Church except two or three whose Sentences were taken off by Superior Judicatories of the Church suffered for the Breach of Divine Laws viz. For gross Immortalities One Instance I shall give Ex re praesenti out of the Presbytery of Stranrawer about which his whole Letter is Conversant Mr. Ramsay late Minister at Stranrawer was by the Synod of Wigtoun put from his place on these Grounds Frequent Drunkenness on the Sabbath day proved by the Oaths of Baily Vause and Andrew Mackennel Beating his Wife on the Sabbath before he went to preach sworn by Andrew Mackennel and Robert Gordon the said Robert Gordon's Wife deponed that she saw at that time Mrs. Ramsay Bleeding Frequent Swearing proved by the Oaths of Provost Row Baily Vause and Robert Gordon I should not thus have exposed Men who once bare the Character of Ministers but the Impudent Accusations of this Scribler and the obligation that lyeth on Persons and Churches to necessary self defence do constrain me ANIMADVERSIONS On a PAMPHLET called A Memorial for His Highness the Prince of Orange in Relation to the Affairs of Scotland HAving proceeded thus far in contributing my poor Mite for Vindicating the Presbyterian Church of Scotland and meeting with this Print of the same strain with these others above-answered that is full of bitter and unreasonable invectives against Presbyterial Government I could not shun making some Observations on it whereby Truth and Innocence may be vindicated against Lies and Railing The design of this Print is manifest to be to dispose His Majesty to preserve Episcopacy in Scotland and to hinder the Setling of Presbytery And it is a real and effectual refutation that our Wise and Gracious King hath not found such weight of reason in it as to be moved by it but hath acted quite contrary to the malicious Insinuations of this Author This Paper is nothing short of the rest for most gross Falsehoods in matters of Fact and most injurious Mis-representations of our Way and Principles It is said to be done by two Persons of Quality One Wit might by a little labour have brought forth a more perfect Birth What is the Quality of the Author or Authors for worldly Dignity I enquire not but his or their Moral Qualities may by the Book be seen to be none of the best We have First a parcel of False and Malicious History as ever was written in so few Lines Next some Counsels to his Highness 3. He refuteth a Paper that he falsly calleth An Address from the Presbyterians to the Prince of Orange And then concludeth as he began with Lies and Railing § 2. The first passage in his Historical Account is a foul mistake to call it no worse viz. That the rise of our Animosities and why they are Warmer here than in England is England was Reformed by the Royal Authority and therefore their Church was suted to the Monarchy But Scotland was Reformed by Force and Violence and some of the Reformers coming from Geneva and Switzerland inspired many of their Converts with an Aversion to Monarchy A Man who taketh Liberty to slander at this rate of Impudence deserveth rather Chastisement than an Answer For 1. With what Brow can he say that our Reformers were averse from Monarchy or that the Antimonarchical Principle did ever get much footing in Scotland as we know it did in England for all their being Reformed by Royal Authority Did ever Scotland set up a Commonwealth as England once did It is known what they Adventured and Suffered for the Monarchy when England abjured it And what yielding there was in Scotland to the Antimonarchical way was by Force from England And it is known to all who lived in those days that the Presbyterians did cleave more firmly to their banished King and prayed for him with more Constancy and Resolution than that party did who after appeared for Episcopacy 2. That Scotland was Reformed by Force and Violence is false it was by the States of the Nation and at last confirmed by King and Parliament The chief difference as to the Original of the two Reformations lay in this