THE HISTORY OF SCOTCH-PRESBYTERY BEING AN EPITOME OF The Hind let Loose By Mr. SHIELDS With a Preface by a Presbyter of the Church of Scotland Juven Vitia ultima fictos Contemnunt scauros Castigata remordent LONDON Printed for I. Hindmarsh at the Golden-Ball in Cornhill MDCXCII The PREFACE THE following Treatise being but a short Compend of a larger Book appears at this time to give the World a just Account of the Principles Practices and Behaviour of the Scotch â—resbyterians it was written some Years ago by â—ne of that Fraternity It is sad to consider how â—uch the Spirits of Men are soured and imbitâ—ered by Faction and Interest it shuts their Eyes â—gainst the clearest light The Dictates of Humaâ—ity and the Genius of the Christian Religion â—eeten our Passions but when we are enflamed â—y the Interests of a Party we forget the exâ—ress Laws of God and if they look us broad in 〈◊〉 Face when we offer violence to our Conviâ—ions we bow and bend them by metaphysical â—ricks and Evasions to serve our Design contraâ—y to their original Bias and Sanctity and this â—as never so visible as in that turbulent and fiery â—â—ct that frequently disturbed and now at last â—ath almost over-â—un the Church of Scotland in 〈◊〉 they have Ruined and Oppressed a Learned â—rave and Orthodox Clergy especially in the â—outhern Shires They have a Systeme of Opiniâ—ns peculiar to themselves which they call Their â—rinciples for though a thing in it self is just and â—easonable yet if it be not agreeable to Their â—rinciples that 's to say the Opinions that are â—ore immediately properly and originally Calâ—ulated to serve the Designs of their Society they â—eject it with Indignation and Disdain they pity â—ll Mankind that have not the same Thoughts that â—hey have and they continue by the Authority of their Guides under the slavery of implicite Faith â—ore than any other Sett of Men in the World The Christian Religion above all things designâ—d to alienate our Thoughts and Affections from â—he Pageantry and Vain-glories of the World â—nd to moderate our Passions that they might not â—rove troublesome to Society nor extravagant in â—heir Violence nor precipitate in their Actings â—he Spirit of Faction opposes the Gospel in these great Ends for it covets nothing so much as outward Glory and Empire and it prosecutes these Desires with restless and implacable Ardours and â—ll under the Visor of Religion When our perverse Inclinations which God commanded to be â—ortified are made more head-strong by the â—otions we have of Religion then our Appetites â—ecome as wild as they are unreasonable We find this clearly exemplified in the Phariâ—ees of old Our Saviour came that he might deâ—troy the Works of the Devil and enliven the World by a reasonable Religion to turn Men from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the living God to inspire Mankind with the Principles of the best and wisest Philosophy most useful in all the Changes and Vicissitudes of this Life and that which did certainly prepare them for a better he taught his Disciples to be most assiduous in those Duties of Religion that made no Noise abroad and fell not easily under the Observation of Men that advanced solid and substantial Piety to love God and our Neighbour to approve our selves unto him that seeth in secret to despise the Censures and Applause of a perverse Generation and to live upon the invisible Supports of a good Conscience to exercise Patience and Fortitude and Magnanimity because by our Religion we were engaged to Combat with the World and with all its cross Accidents under the Banner of a crucified Saviour Yet when we read the History of the New Testament we find that the most zealous Sect of the Pharisees opposed this blessed Design of our Saviour in all its principal Branches They took great care to be seen by the People in all their odd and extraordinary Performances they were mighty forward to propagate their own Traditions the private Doctrines of their Schools were much dearer to them than the Commandments of God Mark 7. 3. As for Simplicity of Intention Innocence and the Love of God they thought such Vertues not so convenient for them who were in the Government and thought it necessary to have the People blindly to obey their Dictates That Religion that penetrates to the Center of our Spirits and changes the whole Bias of our Souls crosses the Desires of our degenerate Nature and leads every Thought captive to the Obedience of Christ and is supported by the Faith of distant and invisible Rewards they thought such a Religion yielded no nourishment for Vain-glory and therefore they despised it and ordered the matter â—o that amidst all their long Prayers disfigured Faces and theatrical Fasts they might leave their insatiable Passions of Pride Vain-glory Covetousness Malice and Revenge untouched and unsubdued Hence it is that they were very careful in little things Mat. 23 24 whatâ—ever drew after it the applause of the People who always admired the most empty and the most transient things Their Batâ—ologies were mistaken for Zeal and Devotion and their outward Austerities for true Mortificâ—tion They did all things to be seen of Men Mat. 23. 5. and if the Law of God did expresly contradict their beloved Scheme the Law it self must needs bow to their Principle There is nothing in Humane Nature that we feel more tenderly nor is there any thing more deeply engraven on our Souls than the Gratitude we owe to our Parents when their Infirmities and Disasters require our Assistance yet by their Doâ—â—rine of the Corban they evacuated this Fundamental Piety Justice Compassion and Natural Affection were in their Eyes but mean and despicable things they only understood the abstruse Mysteries of Religion and nothing provoked their indignation so much as to be thought ignorant wherefore they so huffingly tell the poor Man restored to his sight by our Saviour dost thou teach us Ioh. 9. 34. tho by the most evident Arguments he had just before exposed both their shameful Ignorance and Vanity and when St. Paul himself was tinctur'd with this leaven his brisk and generous Spirit was sadly employed in persecuting the Church There is nothing more opposite to the pure and undefiled Religion than Pharisaical Pride and Hypocrisy nor no kind of Pharisees persecute with greater Violence and Spite than that sullen and demure Tribe that affect Domination and Tyranny by a counterfeit and disguised Humility The sad Effects of such an insolent Humor are too sadly felt by the Clergy of Scotland The Presbyterian Courts and Judicatories are as void of the common Forms of Justice as of Tenderness and Humanity the late Erection of it being in its Frame more properly Calculated to advance Tyranny and tho their Agents propagate many Stories to lessen and extenuate and sometimes to excuse their unaccountable Proceedings yet as long as they confess the shameful rabbling of the Clergy they acknowledge
writes for Presbâ—â—tery with greater Zeal and Vigour and 〈…〉 Principles are inconsistent with Civil Goverâ—â—ment and Christianity yet his Superstructure builds upon them is consequential and theâ—â—â—fore I heartily invite all Men who at any time think of the things of this Nature to read the following Abridgment of his Book and next let me â—ntreat them to use their Reason exactly and impartially and then tell me whether a Civil Government of what ever Form or Denomination â—an subsist where such Principles are heartily entertained by a considerable number of the Subâ—ects and whether the Severity of Laws against â—uch Enthusiasts â—e not the most Christian comâ—assion towards the State rather than Cruelty Tyranny or Oppression with which those restless Incendiaries did asperse the Government of â—h 2. Our Nobility who understood the Government and Constitution of our Nation did â—aâ—ely demonstrate that our Scotch Presbytery â—ad nothing to match it all over the World whether you consider the Novelty of their Preâ—ences their restless Clashings with the Civil Auâ—hority or their shameful Confusions and Diviâ—â—ons among themselves and this needs no other â—roof than to read their own Books The Acts of â—heir Assemblies and their most Authentick Papers we know what Morals they are taught by their Guides when we remember their tumultuous â—â—bbling of the Clergy in the West of Scotland â—rom their Houses Livings and Preferments we â—eed not rake into that Puddle any more In â—he beginning of the late Revolution those Furies â—â—oke loose upon the House of God and barbaâ—ously drove from it the immediate Servants of â—he Sanctuary It is not the Guildings and Palliaâ—â—ons of their Vindicators can wash off the blemâ—â—sh of this shameful Tragedy if the Foundations be destroyed What can the Righteous do â—et in the following Epitome such violent Proceedings are justified nay the Murther of the Archbishop of St Andrews and such like religious â—eats of their Zeal Therefore let me once again â—ntreat the Reader to read over this little Book â—arefully since Mr. Shields was at the pains to gaâ—her together and justifie in one Book the Histoâ—y of his Party their Strugglings against Authoâ—â—ty their Declarations and Testimonies against â—he State and all their Commotions from their â—â—rst beginning in Scotland till the Year 1687. And â—â—cause the Book it self is not easily got Two Objections I foresee will be managed by 〈◊〉 Agents against this Book the first is that â— is not owned by the whole Party but written 〈◊〉 a single Minister To this I answer that Mr. 〈◊〉 Book is rather the History of their proâ—â—edings than a private Systeme of his own Oâ—nions and since it is supported by their publick 〈◊〉 Declarations and Testimonies of their Society â— is rather the common Apology than the Sentiâ—ents of one of their Number And therefore I challenge any Man to let me see any one Article wherein he is inconsequential either to himself or to the received Doctrine of the Party for as long as the Solemn League and Covenant is the original Standard of their Sect the Dictates of Natural Reason and Texts of Scripture must be interpreted as they may best promote the ends of the Covenant and therefore unless you let me see something in the Book not allowed by the Covenant it is very impertinent to say that it contains not the Presbyterians Doctrine for I know nothing distinguishes the Presbyterians of Scotland from other Dissenters but the bloody Principles of the Covenant by which they over-turned the ancient Monarchy Sacrificed the best of Kings and changed a prosperous Nation into a field of Blood The next thing I foresee their Agents will propagate is that tho they were guilty of many extravagant Tricks formerly yet now that they are re-established they will act with great Modesty for the future But can the Aethiopian change his Skin or the Leopard his Spots Must not they assert their Classical Authority and Discipline Will they so shamefully desert their Colours Must they not give their Testimony as their Predecessours have done Don't we see that they have Male-versed more in three Years time than can well be repaired for twenty Will their Agents oblige their Meetings and Assemblies to declare against this Systeme solemnly and judicially No they 'll keep those Opinions and practice them upon all Occasions for they are obliged to do all they can to support the Covenant when they may coâ—veniently Nay I durst say that the late pretended Assembly would justifie the Murder of the Arch Bishop of St. Andrews without ten contradicting Votes nor is there any thing asserted in this Book that is peculiar to Mr. Shields read The Apologetical relation of the Church of Scotland Naphthali jus popuâ—i vindicatum The Cup of cold Water The Banders disbanded and several other little Pamphlets whose Titles I have forgot and you shall find that this is the common Strain by which they are distinguished from the Presbyterians abroad as well as from all other Christian Churches If Episcopacy had been a grievance to the Nation as was tumultuously alledged it had been enough to remove those venerable Persons from the Helâ—n of Ecclesiastical Government and then the Affairs of the Church by the acknowledged Principles of Presbytery should be managed Communi Presbyterorum consilio All the Presbyters by their Delegates from all Corners of the Nation had an equal Right in this Government But instead of this we have a new Model set up and the â—cclestastic Government is lodged in the hands of a few Peevish and Tyrannical Persons who never sleep quietly until all the Clergy be extirpate who do not hold their Mission from the Conventicle When this is objected as an extraordinary Solecism in Justice as well as in Government they answer That tho every Presbyter has a right to govern which he cannot part with yet pro praesenti ecclesiae statu the Government should be thus modell'd and this in plain Scotch is no more than that the Heads of the Faction judged it convenient that none should be allowed any share in the Government but the sworn Iâ—nizaries of the Covenant and therefore tho the Presbyters all over the National Church had an equal right to govern yet they should be restrained from the Exercise of Government until the Faction got intirely uppermost But let me ask peaceably and calmly By whom are they are restrained Either by the remainders of the Presbyterian Preachers or by the Secular Power If the first how can threescore Suspend a thousand Ministers from the Exercise of Government Before whom are they cited By what Authority is this done Is this done by the acknowledged Principles of Presbytery But if this be done by the Secular Power then it seems the Presbyterians now think and teach that the Secular Power can intrust some few Ministers with the Ecclesiastical Government when others are restrained and which is still more absurd they allow them in the Exercise of the more Spiritual part of their
the Book of God and ordained all that brooked the Office to demit Simpliciter and to desist and cease from Preaching while they received de novo admission from the General Assembly under the Pain of Excommunication In pursuance whereof the Assemblies from that time until the Year 1681. did with much painfulness and faithfulness attend the work until by perfecting of the second Book of Discipline they compleated their work in the exact Model of Presbyterial Government Which was confirmed and covenanted to be kept inviolate in the National Covenant Subscribed that Year by the King his Court and Council and afterwards by all Ranks of People in the Land Whence it may be doubted whether the Impudence of the succeeding Prelates that denyed this or their Perjury in breaking of it be greater This was but the first brush A brisker Assault follows Wherein for the better establishment of Prelacy and not only Diocesan but also Erastian Prelacy might be set up the Earl of Arran and his wicked Complices move the King contrary both to the Word and Oath of God to usurp the Prerogative of Jesus Christ and assume to himself a Blasphemous Monster of Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil But this also the Faithful Servants of God did worthily and valiantly resist And at the very first appearance of it gave in a Grievance to the King Anno 1582. That he had taken upon him a Spiritual Power which properly belongs to Christ as only King and Head of the Church the Ministry and Execution whereof is only given to such as bear Office in the Ecclesiastical Government in the same So that in the King's Person some Men press to erect a new Popedome as though he would not be full King of this Common-wealth unless as well the Spiritual as Temporal Sword be put in his hand unless Christ be rest of his Authority and the two Iurisdictions confounded which God hath divided which directly tendeth to the Wrack of all true Religion Which being presented by the Commissioners of the General Assembly the Earl of Arran asked with a Frowning Countenance who dare Subscribe these Treasonable Articles Mr. Andrew Melvil answered we dare and will Subscribe and render our Lives in the Cause And afterward that same Assembly presented Articles shewing that seeing the Spiritual Iurisdiction of the Church is granted by Christ and given only to them that by Preaching Teaching and Overseeing bear Office within the same to be exercised not by the Injunctions of Men but by the only Rule of God's Word hereafter no other of whatsoever degree or under whatsoever pretence have any colour to ascribe or to take upon them any part thereof either in placing or displacing of Ministers without the Churches admission or in stopping the Mouths of Preachers or putting them to silence or take upon them the Iudgement of Tryal of Doctrine c. But in contempt and Contradiction to this and to Prosecute and Exert this new usurped Power Mr. Andrew Melvil was sommoned before the Secret Council for a Sermon of his applying his Doctrine to the Times Corruptions Whereupon he gave in his Declinature against them as incompetent Judges and told them They were too bold in a Constitute Christian Church to pass by the Pastors Prophets and Doctors and to take upon them to judge the Doctrine and to controul the Ambassadours of a greater than was there which they neither ought nor can do There are saith he loosing a little Hebrew Bible from his Girdle my Instructions and Warrant see if any of you can controul me that I have past my Injunctions For this he was decerned to be warded in the Castle of Edinburgh But he conveyed himself secretly out of the Countrey When as also a Convention in Faulkand was consulting to call home the Papist Lords Mr. Andrew Melvil went thither uncalled and when found fault with by the King for his Boldness he answered Sir I have a Call to come here from Christ and his Church who have special Interest in this Turn and against whom this Convention is Assembled directly I charge you and your Estates in the Name of Christ and his Church that ye favour not his Enemies whom he hateth nor go about to call home nor make Citizens of these c. And further challenged them of Treason against Christ his Church and Countrey in that purpose they were about About the same time in a private Conference with the King he called the King Gods silly Vassal and taking him by the Sleeve told him Sir I must tell you there are two Kings and two Kingdoms There is Christ and his Kingdom whose Subject King James the 6th is and of whose Kingdom he is not a King nor a Head nor a Lord but a Member And they whom Christ hath called to Watch over and Govern his Church have sufficient Authority and Power from him which no Christian King should controul but assist otherwise they are not Faithful Subjects to Christ. Sir when you were in your Swadling-Clouts Christ Reigned freely in this Land in spight of all his Enemies but now the Wisdom of your Council is Devilish and Pernicious c. To the like effect Mr. Robert Bruce in a Sermon upon Psal. 51. gives faithful warning of the Danger of the Times It is not we sayes he that are Partie in this Cause no the Quarrel is betwixt a greater Prince and them What are we but silly Men Yet it has pleased him to set us in this Office that we should oppone to the manifest Vsurpations that is made upon his Spiritual Kingdom Is there a more forcible means to draw down the Wrath of God than to let Barrabas that nobilitate Malefactour pass free and to begin the War against Christ and his Ministry It putteth on the Copestone that so many of our Brethren should not be so faithful as their calling and this Cause craveth Fie upon false Brethren to see them dumb so faint hearted when it comes to the Chock not only are they as ashamed to speak the thing they think which is a shame in a Pastor but speak directly against their former Doctrine They will speak the Truth a while till they be put at but incontinent they will turn and make their Gifts Weapons to fight against Christ c. Hereafter when the Parliament 1584. had Enacted this Supremacy and Submission to Prelacy to be Subscribed by all Ministers the faithful first directed Mr. David Lindsay to the King desiring that nothing be done in Parliament prejudicial to the Churches Liberty Who got the Prison of Blackness for his pains And then when they could not get access for shut doors to Protest before the Parliament yet when the Acts were Proclaimed at the Cross of Edinburgh they took publick Documents in name of the Church of Scotland tho' they were but two that they protested against the said Acts And fled to England leaving behind them Reasons that moved them to do
to burlesque the holy Scriptures to lampoon Revelation and to ridicule the most grave and serious things Mankind indeed is liable to many Vanities and Follies and yet no Follies debase Humane Nature so much as those that put on the Garb of Religion 'T is lamentable when Men avouch the Authority of God for their own Dreams and plead a Divine Right for all their new and fancied Opinions The first Presbyterians thought it enough to say that their Model was allowable and therefore they levelled their Arguments to prove such a Scheme of Government was not altogether forbidden and it was never heard that the Foreign Presbyterians would have refused the Communion of the Church because the ancient Government of Episcopacy was retained in it So we see all the French Protestants who have fled to Germany or England serve in either Church as Ministers according to the Rites and Ecclesiastical Canons of the place where they live It is only the Covenanted Presbyteriaus for any thing I know plead a Divine Right for their new Model and their latter Disciples are forward and daring on this Head Their Government must be founded on the express Institution of our Saviour and therefore the Exercise of their Discipline must be nothing less than the Administrations of his Kingdom and Royal Scepâ—re To contradict or despise them is an Affront to God himself and to be sure the Baggage of their Lay-Elders and Commissioners from Burghs are all of them by Divine Right And yet all this is not so bold or ridiculous as when they endeavour to prove their Scheme by particular Texts of Scripture There is one that calls himself the Vindicator of their Kiâ—k he wrote a Book some Years ago to prove that Presbytery was the only Government instituted by our Saviour and all he brings for it over all his Book which I had the patience to read over is Mat. 20. 25. compared with Luk. 22. 25 He tells us in another Book of himself that his Way is Argumentative that is to say he writes nothing but pure Reason and Demonstration Now let us calmly examine what Foundation there is for Presbytery in the Texts lately mentioned for our Saviour supposes Degrees of Subâ—ordination amongst his Disciples as well as in all other Societies and therefore he directs such as would climb to the highest Places to take other Methods than those that are most usual in Worldly Preferments 〈◊〉 he that deserved Preferment in the Church was to be the Servant of all and â—e that would be great among his Brethren should in the first place appear full of Humility Condescention and Charity And this Tâ—xt refers to the Method of their Promotion not to the Extirpation of their Iu isdiction He supposes one would be great among them and the true way to attain â—hat Greatness was not to aspire to it ambitiously by Force and Violence as the Lords of the Gentiles did but by all the Acts of Modesty Humility and Self-denial But let me ask whether the Apostles understood this Precept of our Saviour in the Sense of the Presbyterians or not If they did how came they to exercise Jurisdiction over all inferior Ecclesiasticks during all their Life-time in all the Churches they had planted Did they who could not but understand his meaning go quite cross to the Institution of our Saviour The plain Truth is there is no Text in the Scripture can be alledged more absurdly for the Presbyterian Parity than this Text since our Saviour tells them He did that himself amongst them which they were to do to one another and therefore the doing of it towards one another could not infer Parity amongst them unless they blasphemously infer that Christ and his Apostles are equal for our Saviour recommends what he enjoyns from his own Practice that he who was their Lord was their Servant and therefore the greatest among them were to be modest calm and humble towards all their subordinate Brethren and this qualified them for Ecclesiastical Promotions Is it not very unlucky that a Man shall write a Book to prove the Divine Right of Presbytery and yet bring no other Proof for it than this Text which if understood in the Presbyterian Sense degrades our blessed Saviour to the Degree of one of his Disciples for what he commanded the Apostles he practised among them himself And this is the strong Motive to engage their Obedience that they should not exercise their Jurisdiction as the Lords of the Gentiles by a Spirit of Pride Vanâ—ty and Domination â— but by the more amiable aâ—d enraging Behaviour of Modesty Meekness Charity and Humility â— for he that was to be the greatest among them was to be their Servant And certainly the Bishops of the Church by their Character Dignity and Station by their publick Cares Fears and daily Labour feel that they are more Servants than Masters When one was promoted among the Iews to higher Dignities there was another appointed to tell him that upon that Day he began to serve And did not St. Paul think so of himself though in nothing behind the chiefest Apostles when the Care of all the Churches lay upon him And all the Fathers of the Church from the first Plantations of Christianity had this Notion of their Dignity that they were the Servants of all Now when this one Text is answered I think his Book is answered nor had this part of that Pamphlet been touched here if it had not been commonly insisted on by others as well as by â—his Author Now if I should yield that there was any foundation for Ecclesiastical Parity in this Text it cannot be stretched so far as to prove the National and Classical Presbytery it rather favours the Congregrational Model which always appeared to me much more innocent and allowable than this new and unaccountable Platform of Presbytery If this Author would be entreated to single out of all his Scriblings an â—rgument one or two that he himself judges most proper to advance Presbytery we would thank him and return ouâ— Answer very easily and speedily and this Overture is so much the more reasonable in that 〈◊〉 may be done in a sheet or two but to go througâ— all his Shufflings and childish Tergiversationâ— and unmanly Calumnies with 〈◊〉 his defamatoâ—ry Libels are stuffed is as unpleasant as it is unâ—â—difying and the Publick is not at all concerned 〈◊〉 read such particular Stories yet something muâ—â— hereafter be said to convince him of his idâ—eneâ—â— were it no more than to let him see his Books deâ—serve no particular Answer I have no more to trouble the Reader with but to give him a short account of the followinâ— Epitome It is the true Compend of Mr Aleâ—â—ander Shields Book entituled The Hind 〈…〉 He is the most accurate and diligent of alâ— theâ— Writers there is none among them 〈…〉 understands the Genius of Presbytery 〈…〉 none more consequential to their Principles anâ— must acknowledge that none