be not ordained and preferred of God that he should be a judge of Matters and Causes Spiritual of which there is a controversie in the Church yet he is questionless judge of his own Civil Act about spiritual things namely of defending them in his own Dominions and of approving or tollerating the same And if in this business he judge and determine according to the Wisdome of the Flesh and not according to the Wisdome which is from above he is to render an account thereof before the Supream Tribunal But to what purpose is all this waste of Words Doth he or any man think that we deny to the Magistrate a judgment of his own Civil Act or that we suppose that Mr H. and others have betrayed the Cause because they granted to the Magistrate a Power Objectively Ecclesiastical so far as to judge thus of his own Civil Act of Tolerating such a way within his Dominions No that is not the ground we go upon But this we say that if Mr H. or others do inferre from this power of judging in reference to his own Act competent to the Magistrate that the Magistrate may Impose Rules and Injunctions to regulat Ministers in the exercise of their Ministrie then they have betrayed the Cause And either they must inferre this therefrom or they speak nothing to the purpose And himself lately told us as much as all this Now let him or any man show me where any Anti-Erastian Divine reasoneth thus or draweth such an Inference from this Power Objectively Ecclesiastical Yea I much questione if Vedelius or Maccovius his Collegue did ever so argue And sure I am the Author of the CXI Propositions Propos. 45. c. cleareth up that Difference betwixt these two Powers which is taken from the Object and Matter about which And Prop. 54. he showeth that those things wherein the Ecclesiastical Power is exercised are preaching of the Word c. And Prop. 55. That though the Civil Magistrate is occupied about the same things yet it is but so far as concerneth the outward disposing of Divine things in this or that Dominion Nay I must say that I cannot see how this will follow That Magistrates may prescribe such Rules unto Ministers to regulate them in the exercise of their Ministrie because of a Power granted to them to judge of their own Civil Act about spiritual things more than that every Church-Member may do the like for in that Prop. as the Words cited do clear the Author giveth that same Power to every Member of the Church respectively and how can it be denied to them or to any rational man Nay let me say more Have not Ministers and every private man this power of judging of his own Act about things Civil and in this respect also an Objectivly Civil Power Will it therefore follow that they can prescribe Rules to regulate Magistrats in the exercise of their functioâ— And if a Magistrat should come to the Prelates or Pop's Bar and take a Paper from him containing such Instructions and give this onely as his Apologie that he acknowledged a Power Objectivly Civil competent unto the Pope or Prelate because they had power to judge of their own acts about civil things would not others have cause to judge that that Magistrate had denied the Co-ordination of the Poâ—ers had professed his Subordination as Magistrate to Pope or Prelate Now Verte Tabulas and see how the parallel runneth in our case and then judge From the foregoing discourse and particularly from that cited out of the CXI Propositions our Informer now a Disputer Inferreth That he hopeth no man in reason can alledge Mr H's recedeing from the Principles of this Church in the matter But for my part though I will not judge of the Thoughts or Intentions of Mr H. or of any other of his Brethren yet considering the work it self as this Informer hath represented it unto me in its circumstances I cannot but say that in the thing and as to the Intentio operis there was a recedeing not onely from the Principles of the Church of Scotland but also from the Zeal of our former Worthies who ventured all to transmit the truth pure from Erastianisme and Caesario-Papal Invasions Encroachments And from the strick Obligations lying on us all to stand to the Truth and to the Defence of the Power and Privileges of the Church against the Usurpation and Encroachments of the Magistrates seeking alwayes to inhaunce all Church-power into their own hands not out of love to promove the Glory of God and the real good of souls but out of a desire to have the Ministrie and the outward Administrations of grace enslaved unto their wills Is it not certaine out of what ground this Indulgence did grow and how the Act of Supremacy which no Conscientious Minister or Christian can owne or acknowledge as it was occasioned and necessitated by the Indulgence so it became the Charter thereof and gave legal life and being unto all that followed And was it not as certaine that a Designe to procure a Requiem to themselves in all their Usurpations and intolerable Invasions of Church-Power and overturning of â—he whole Work of God and withall to make way for the further Enslaving of the Church and of all Church-Power to their â—usts did midwife this Bastard-Child into the World And could it be uncertaine to rational observing Persons what was the Designe of King and Councel in-giving these Instructions First and Last Yea was not the whole Business so carried on from First to Last as half an eye might have discovered a wicked Designe therein And was not the Explicatory Act of the Supremacie a more than sufficient proof of an Erastian Spirit that led and acted them in some things beyond what the Anti-Christian Spirit could for shame prompt the Pope to arrogate to himself And when from these things and many others such like yea from the whole Procedour of King Parliament and Council in their Actings since this last Revolution began it is more than sufficiently clear what they did and do Intend will any say it was not their Duty while so Providentially called to witness to the Truth to give a more Plain Full Ministerial and Christian Testimony to the Truth which our Predecessours maintained with so much Hazard Expence of bloud Loss of Liberty Tossings Imprisonments Confinements Condemnation to Death and Banishments c. and which we were so solemnely sworne to stand to And will any Ingenuous Christian say that all circumstances being considered the Testimony given was such as became men standing in the Fields for the Truth of Christ and engaged in point of Conscience and Christian Valour Honour and Crediâ—e to cover the ground they stood on with their dead Bodies rather than cede to such a manifest Encroaching and Invading Enemie Will any who readeth the carriage of our valiant and renowned Worthies in opposing the Encroachments of King Iames who yet never did nor for
of fine gold unto an obedient eare And for my confidence in commending it as a word in season unto the Reader I render these reasons First If men consider the hainousnesse of guilt which the Author hath clearly demonstrat to be wrapped up in and inseparably connected with this Indulgence they will rather say Alas he hath been too long in comeing to make a discoverie of its iniquitie than complain as if he had come to soon Secondly If men take it up in its true nature and tendency and consider impartially the qualitie of its defection according as it is here held forth if they speake their soul they must say That a standing Testimony against this evil is of more value and worth than all of us are when sold out of the ground Thirdly It will not fall under the Censure of unseasonablenesse by any except such as doe either down-right plead for the Indulgence and defend it or else connive at it as an aliquid nihil not to be regarded and it is to me and I hope will be so to many in regard of such that the one may be cured of their Confidence and the other of their Indifferency and detastable Neutralitie a word in season Fourthly Let this silence the clamour about its unseasonablenesse and satisfie yea plead the indispensible necessitie of it at this time That the Indulged Brethren have of late been more hot and high than formerly even to the threatning of men into a silence at its defection by boasting us with a Vindication of the Lawfulnesse of their Acceptance and therefore as to them it ought to be justly reckoned seasonable Fiftly Because somewhat hath been of late done even by the Non-Indulged not onely to the strengthening of the hands of the Indulged and giving them new confidence in their course in obliquo by covering all and carrying towards them as if they had done nothing amisse But upon the matter for it is beyond my shallow capacitie otherwise to interpret or understand the deed by a direct homologating of that Indulgence for now silence as to all speaking against this evil is made the very Door and Porch thorow which all the Intrants to the Ministery must passe I hope they will not alleage that this is misinformation for now we have it under their own hand and the breach of this engagement is brought and laid down as a ground upon which a Young man is challenged And therefore it s now simply necessate yea more then high time to discover and detect the blacknesse of its defection when the Church is thus brought in bondage by it Sixtly The severe insulting over some of the poor remnant who cannot forbeare to witnesse their abhorrence at it and dare not dissemble their hatred of it constrained the Author to give the world this account to convince them how little reason the one Partie hath to insult thus over their poor Brethren and how litle cause the other have to be ashamed of witnessing their dislike Seventhly Because it hath been often and still is objected to us that we have made a hideous hue and cry after it as a theefe but neither would nor could render a reason or prove it to be a coming-in not by the right door but a climbing up by another way And therefore the Interest of truth constrained the Author to give them and the world such a Plain and Publick Account of the reasons of his just dissatisfaction as may abide ad futuram rei memoriam And Lastly Because there is a may be of hope that as some at least of these Godly men Indulged may be hereby taken off and all of them made more sober and lesse violent so it is much more to be hoped that the Non-Indulged will hence-forth more seriously consider what way to deliver the Church from this evil their Brethren out of the snare and how to keep themselves free from the transgression of giving this evil any interpretative countenance for if God put it upon their heart to apply it the Plaister is in their hand to wit a just discountenanceing of this as a defection And withal that they will henceforth appeare more friendly towards the real Lovers of them and the cause and holders fast of their integritie and lesse severe against such who ought to be countenanced cherished and encouraged for their uprightnesse in hateing the Supremacy as the spring and all the streames that flow from that corrupt and cursed fountain and hereby shall they have better accesse when real affection and tendernesse upon these accounts is witnessed to curbe or cure these excesses which are not inseparable from yea incident to the zeal of the best of Saints out of heaven for it is there that our fire will want smoak Deare Brethren I shall detain you no longer from Peruseing this History And that you may in calmenesse and without Prejudice consider what is said and that the Lord God himself may as in all things so in this thing also give you Light is for you the soul-desire of Your poor afflicted Brother and welwisher THE HISTORY OF THE INDULGENCE AFter the unexpected Alteration which proved indeed a Convulsion falling-out so suddenly that came upon the Church after the Kings restauration when beside many other sad passages and too many here to be commemorated the memorie of which may make tears trickle down from our eyes so many of the able painful faithful and succesful labourers in the Vineyard of the Lord were by one Act of Councel at Glasgow Anno 1662. put from their work and by violence thrust out of the Vineyard where the Lord had set them to labour even to the number of Three hundered and above Nor was it enough to the Rulers to banish all those by an Act from their own Parishes but to make this banishment yet more grievous and the life of those faithful Servants of Christ yet more bitter and less vital they thereafter did command them to remove from their own Paroches twentie miles six miles from a Cathedral Church and three miles from a Brugh After I say this surprizing and astonishing blow tending so directly to the overthrow of the Lords Ministrie in that Church and the Introduction afterward of abjured Prelacie whereby the Church became suddainly filled with aswarme of locusts and the many Acts made to enforce a compliance among the people with this defection and actual conformity thereunto and that so violently and rigorously as even simple withdrawing was made seditious and criminal and severely punished the ejected Ministers began to think with themselves that this tyrannical ejection did not nor could not unminister them or make them no more Ministers of Christ so as they might not preach the Gospel wherever they were as Ambassadours of Christ but on the contrary they saw that they lay under the wrath and displeasure of God if they should not preach Christ and that a necessity was laid upon them yea and wo was unto them if
of the Gospel though not in a pubâ—ick Parish Church as that I judge the narrative of the first act to go near to involve my acceptance of this Indulgence being an interpretative condemning of the saids meetings 3. There is a standing relation betwixt me another Flock overwhich I was set by the appointment of Jesus Christ in his word which tye câ—n never reallie be dissolved by any other Power than that which at first did make it up and give it a being And after that I had Ten years during the English Usurpation wrestled in opposition to Quakers Independants in the place where the first breach had been made upon the Church of Scotland I was without any Ecclesiastick sentence thrust from the publick exerciâ—e oâ— my Ministrie in that place where there will be 1200. examinable Persons whereof thâ—re were never 50. Persons yet to this day who have subjected themselves to him who is called the Regular Incumbent And that even when I was living 30. miâ—es distant from the place Now what a door is hereby by my being keeped from my Charge opened to Error Atheisme and Profanness may be easily conjâ—ctured by those who hear of the deplorable case of that people And what a gâ—ief must it be to them to have their owne Lawful Pastor shut up in a Corner whereby we are both put out of a capacitie to receive any moâ—e Spiritual comfort flowing from that Relation which is yet in force betwixâ— us Or how is it to be imagined that any new supervenient relation can result betwixt another Flock and me by vertue of an Act only of a meer Civil Judicatorie Beside that the people in whom I have present Interest are utterlie rendered hopeless by a clause in the end of the first Act viz. That the Indulgence is not hereafter to be extended in favours of any other Congregation than these mentioned in the Act wheâ—eof they in that Parish are none 4. That I will not offer to debate the Magistrat's sentence of Confinement let be his Power to doe the same yet I shall soberly say there are so many things attending the present application thereof to my Person that it cannot be expected I should give that Obedience hereto which might inferre my owne Consent or Approbation for 1. Though this Confinement be called a gentle remedie of the great evils of the Church in the narrative of the first Act yet it is found to be a verie sharp punishment as it is circumstantiaâ— 2. All punishments inflicted by Magistrats on Subjects ought to relate to some Cause or Crime and cannot be done arbitrarilie without oppression which truth is ingraven on the light of nature For Festus a heathen Man Acts 25 27. could say It seemeth to me unreasonable to send a Prisoner and not withal to signifie the crime laid against him yet am I sentenced and sent in fetters to a Congregation without so much as being charged with any crime And all the world are left to collect the reason of this Censure 3. If my Confinement relate not to any crime it must needs relate to a designe which designe is obvious to Common sense viz. thâ—t I should preach and exercise the Office of my Ministrie whollie at the appointment disposal of the Civil Magistrat and a sentence of Confinement is less obvious to debate and dispute by the Subjects and will more easily goe downe with any simple man than an express command to preach grounded on his Maj. Royal Prerogative and Supremacie and cannot readily be refused by any unless a man make himself to be constructed a squimish wild Phanatick and expose himself to great sufferings so this Confinment which hath both his Maj. Prerogative and Supremacie in Ecclesiastick matters in it comes to me in roome and that directly of the Peoples Call and Presbyteries Authoritie and other Ecclesiastick Appointment Now this designe however closely covered I dare not in Conscience yea I cannot with the preservation of my Judgment and Principles concurre with or be consentient thereto 4. By the Confinment I am put to an open shame before the world and particularly in that place where I am permitted to preach the Gospel For what weight can my preaching or ministerial Acts of Discipline and Government have while I my self am handled and dealt with as a Malefactour and Transgressour a Rebel or Traitour to my Prince Nation Or how can I preach the word of the Lord freely and boldly against the â—innes of the time as against Profanness Errour Injustice and Oppression as Ministers ought impartially to do while I am kept under a perpetual check of the sword of the Magistrat at my throat This to me is not preaching but an over-awed discourse Morover I become a prey for any malicious prejudicat hearer who shall happen to accuse and informe against me Can I be answerable to God who sent me to render up my self willingly to be a servant of men Were not this to cut-out my owne tongue with my owne hands 5. This Confinment is not simplie or mainly of my Person which sentence if it were so I should most willingly undergo but it is of the Office it self the imprisonment of which ought to be sadder to me than any personal suffering whatsoever while 1. It is not of me alone but of all the Presbyterian Ministers in Scotland a very few only excepted 2. While the propagation of the Gospel by the personal restraint of us all is manifestly obstructed 3. We are cut off from the discharge of many necessary duties which we owe to the Nation and Church and specially at such a time while she is in hazard to be swallowed up with a swarm of Iesuits Quakers and other damnable Subverters of the Truth and which is yet more while three parts of the Kingdom are groaning under â—he want of the Word faithfully preached and some few Shirs only here in the West are made as it were the Common Goal of all the Ministers that are permitted to preach 4. By this Confinment I lose an essential part of my Ministerie which is the exercise of Jurisdiction and Church Government which yet Mr Baxter a very favourable non-conformist asserts to be as essential to the Office of a Minister as Preaching of the word The staff being as needful to the shepherd as either the pigg or the horne is so sayes the Scripture of preaching Elders Acts. 20.28 The Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers or Bishops no less then Teachers a principal parâ— of which Government is Ordination of Ministers for preservation of a succession of faithful men in the Church whereof by the Act of Confinment as also is expresly provided by the last câ—ause of the last Act we are intentionally deprived for ever while it is in force In loseing of which one branch of our Government we undo our own cause with our owne hands I remember the first thing the ambitious Romane Clergie invaded and usurped was the Jurisdiction and
Ministers Person as his Hat Books and Cloathes and the like The Latter as they partake more of the Nature of Ecclesiastical Rules being more formally and more neerly related unto the exercise of the Ministrie but yet only in so far as they belong to publick Actions so it is a question if Magistrates may either solely or in Prima Instantia prescribe such Rules unto Ministers However this being at best but dubious and the other so clearly Political and it being to me at least very uncertaine what Rules these are which may be called Externally and Materially Ecclesiastical c. I could have wished that some Instances hereof had been given that so not only it might have been known what Rules were not Formally and Intrinsecally Ecclesiastick but also it might have been better understood what Ecclesiastical Rules were Formally and Intrinsecally such 2. The other part of the discourse concerning the Magistrats power objectively Ecclesiastical is as useless for any thing I can perceive either for clearing of Mr B. or of his discourse for 1. There was nothing in Mr B's discourse giving the least hint of his denying that power to the Magistrate which all Orthodox Anti-Erastian Divines grant For the denying to the Magistrate a power of giving Instructions for regulating of Ministers in the exercise of their Ministrie hath no affinitie with this as all know who know any thing of these Controversies Nor 2. doth this piece of the discourse in any manner of way clear in what sense Magistrates may give Instructions to Ministers to regulate them in the exercise of their Ministrie and Ministers may receive them and in what sense not These two questions are so far distinct that I cannot imagine to what purpose this discourse was brought in or what it was that gave the least occasion thereunto But as to this maine Business I would further enquire whether the Brethren do judge the matter of giving these Instructions about which the debate did arise did belong to the first part of the discourse and so to be Intrinsecally Formally Ecclesiastical or to the later part and so belong to that power of the Magistrate which is Objectively Ecclesiastical whereby they judge of the matters of Religion in order to their own Act whether they will Approve or Discountenance such a way This question must be judged necessary unless that whole discourse be accounted Unnecessary and Impertinent If the former be said then why was any troubled at Mr B 's refusing to receive these Instructions Why were not those condemned who had received them Why did not such as had received them cast them back againe How came it that all of them did not unanimously agree in this Testimonie Or how came it that their Common Mouth did not speak what was the Common opinion of all Why was it not more distinctly and in fewer words said That they could not receive these Instructions as being Rules Intrinsecally and Formally Ecclesiastical regulating them who were the servants of Christ in these matters If the Latter be said Then was not only Mr B 's both Practice and Discourse condemned but the whole cause was basely betrayed because under the pretext of the Magistrates power Objectively Ecclesiastical that which is as Intrinsecally and Formally Ecclesiastical as many other at least are was granted to the Magistrate Will the Magistrat's power to act as a Man and not as a Brute in his Magistratical work about an Ecclesiastical Object that is his power to judge by the judgment of discretion which is Common to all the members of the Church yea to all men as Men which Papists deny unto Magistrates allowing them only to see with the Churches eyes but Protestants grant unto them Will I say this power warrand him to give Instructions and set down Rules for regulating the exercise of the Ministrie Yea or will his Authoritative Judgment in matters of Religion that is his sentence of Approving or not Approving of Tolerating or not Tolerating in his Dominions of Countenancing or not Countenancing by his civil Lawes such a Way or Profession of Religion warrand him also to set Rules to the very exercise of the Ministrie By what argument shall this consequence be proved seing 1. In the one case he judgeth of Religion only in order to his own Act but when he prescribeth Instructions Rules and Orders he judgeth of Religion or of that part of Religion concerning which the Instructions are in order to it self and the Intrinsick manner of its Administration 2. In the one his judgment is purely Political and Civil in the other case it is really Ecclesiastical 3 In the one case his judgment is Objectively onely to be called or accounted Ecclesiastical but in the other it is Formally Elecitely Ecclesiastical 4. In the one case he acteth as a Magistrate considering the outward Good Quiet and Advantage of the Commonwealth In the other he acteth as a Church-Officer or Head considering the Intrinsick Nature Spiritual Ends of that part of Religion 5. In the one he acteth in subordination to God as Supream Governour of the World but in the other he acteth as in a right line of subordination to Christ the Supream Head and Governour of his Church and Institutor of all the Administrations and Ordinances dispensed in the Church and sole Appointer of the Qualifications of the Officers and Rules of Administration Or rather if he act as a Magistrate in this last he Acts by an Architectonical power and so as an Usurper or by a power which is only proper to Christ or if he be said to Act ministerially than also as an Usurper because never impowered thereunto by Christ the Supream King and Head of the Church If we look upon this discourse of Mr. H. as a Testimonie and so it may be it was intended or as a Declaration of the Judgement of the Ministers concerning the Magistrat's jus or Right to impose Instructions or Rules on Ministers for regulating them in the exercise of their Ministrie and concerning Ministers their call and warrant to receive or refuse such Instructions I cannot but observe 1. That it is very defective and short of a faire and full Testimonie against the Practice of such who were known to have invaded the Rights of the Church yea and the Prerogatives of Christ as sole Head and King of his Church and in prosecution of this designe of invading the same more to have devised this medium of the Indulgence 2. That it is not a plaine and full Testimonie against the present Act of Usurpation whereby a power was assumed to judge in matters Ecclesiastical Intrinsecally and Formally such Yea and to performe Elicite and Formal Church-Acts either Ministerially as Ministers of Christ clothed with Ministerial Church-power from him which cannot be Instructed nor doth it compete to a Magistrat acting as such or rather Magisterially as Supream Governours in the Church and Appointers of Qualifications Rules and Manner of Administration of
the Supremacy and the Erastian Designe as hath been shown above And what a preparative this was let any judge I know the Indulged themselves will say they are free of all compacting And I shall not accuse them further than I know or have ground Yet this is certaine that the Kings Letter mentioned such and such Instructions to be given to all the Indulged it is also certaine that this Letter was not altogether unknown to them And when the Instructions which the Council in plain Expressions calleth termes on which they granted the Indulgence the samine was accepted were tendered unto and put in the hand of each of these in particular who were called before the Councel Anno 1673. I heard not of their expressing their Dissatisfaction with these Termes so as to quite the benefite or as we say to cast the bargane thereupon And if all the Ministers that shall ever hereafter be admitted to preach the Gospel in Scotland must follow this example and give but an implicite consent unto these or the like termes imposed by the Council where shall then our Gospel Liberty be And what shall then become of the Liberty of our Church And how shall the Ministers then be called the Servants of Christ and not the Servants of Men 10. By the very subjecting to the Councils Instructions to regulat them in the exercise of their Ministrie they become thereby as formally subject unto them in Matters Ecclesiastick as any inferiour Civil-Officers such as Sheriffs Justices of Peace Baylies c. who yet it may be shall as little observe all their Instructions as the Indulged haue observed theirs this subjecting of the Ministrie in its exercise unto the Magistrate is a manifest enslaving of the same to the unspeakable prejudice of the Gospel and hurt of the Church 11. What prejudice it is to the Church to want the free and full exercise of Discipline that in the lawful Courts of Christ needeth not here to be told And yet in this Indulgence there was an accepting of the exercise of the Ministrie without the full exercise of Discipline save what was to be had in a sinful way by compliance with Prelacie and so a tacite at least consent given unto this want It will not be of advantage here to say that the Field-Preachers or Non-indulged Ministers have no Discipline yet preach For all their preaching is sub cruâ—e not having so much as frâ—edome to exerce any part of their Ministrie and so are allowed of God to do all they can when they cannot do all they would and beside it is alledged without ground for with no lesse signal countenance they exercise some Acts of Discipline such as receiving of penitents than they preach and in both are countenanced as His â—mbassadours But the indulged are under the lee sheet of the Supremacie having full peace countenance and protection as much as in our best times and when our Church was most flourishing and yet dispense calmely with the want of Church-Discipline in Presbyteries and Synods and how some of their Sessions guide and are constitute is none of our Glory 12. Nor needeth it be told what prejudice will inevitably follow upon the want of Ordination whereby a Succession of the Ministrie is keeped up and the word committed to faithful men according to Christs Appointment who may serve the Lord in the Work of the Gospel in their Generation How quickly upon the want of this a faithful Ministriâ— shall of necessitie cease every one may see And yet the Indulged have accepted of the exercise of their Ministrie on such termes or in such a way as doth utterly incapacitate them for going about the Necessary Work of Ordination Their Transgressing their Bounds and violating the Injunctions upon their peril if so be they do so that they may ordaine some in order to the keeping up of this Ordinance is in so far commendable but is not sufficient to expiat the guilt of accepting the Indulgence which was thus clogged as their whole relinquishing of the Indulgence betaking themselves to the Fields with the rest of their Brethren would prove a commendable after-wit but would not say that there was no evil in their accepting of the Indulgence but the contrary rather VII How hereby our Cause and Ground of Suffering is vvronged THE Lords good hand of Providence having so ordered it that once a considerable Company were willing to endure Hardshipe Want Tribulation for the Truths sake and therefore choosed suffering rather than sin which howbeit it was upon some accounts sad and afflicting yet upon the account that the Cause of Christ was owned the Work of Reformation not condemned but accounted still the Work of the Lord was no small matter of Joy Though it might have been expected that few or none of all the Ministers that had seen the great Works of the Lord should have so relinquished the Interest of Christ and embraced what once they had abjured yet we ought to bless the Lord that so many abode steadfast in the day of Temptation But how joyful so ever it was to see such a goodly Company adhering to their Principles and fully following the Lord it cannot but be as sad and afflicting upon the other hand to see this goodly Bulk wretchedly broken and to see men stepping off and that such Men and so many such and that after such a way as cannot but be accounted a falling off from formerly received Principles and from the Cause and Ground of our Sufferings Now that the Embracers of this Indulgence are justly chargable herewith may appear from these Particulars 1. It was a part of the Reformation which through the special goodness of God our Church at length after long wrestling attained to that the people should be restored to their Right and Privilege of Calling and making a free Choise of their own Pastors according to the example of the pure and primitive Church And it was because they would not renounce this way of entrie that so many Ministers were thrust out from their Congregations by the Act of Councel at Glalgow But in the Indulgence there was an entering into the Pastoral Charge of a people upon the Act and Call or Order of Council without this Free and Full Election of the people The Nominal Call that was precariously had thereafter as to some was but a mock-call and no foundation of their Relation unto these places as hath been seen And how the Councils Act and Order was exclusive thereof is manifest and confirmed by the Instance of Mr Weer's Process Sure as the Election here was null there being none to choose upon and the Call prelimited because the Councils Order did set such an indulged Man over them whether they would or not so the making a shew of seeking or of getting a Call from the people after the Ground of the Relation was already laid was the exposeing of that Order of Christs to ludibrie 2.