we say that this Faith can never be without the Works of Holiness If he deny Justification by Faith alone in this sense we judge him erroneous and as many of his Clergy likewise as are of the same Sentiment But I am far from thinking that all the Clergy are of his Opinion in this § 27. His next flash is to free the Clergy from Persecution Which he manageth with a confidence in asserting falshoods and denying known truths beyond any degree that any sort of Men except Jesuits have arrived at He is bold to affirm the Persecutions under Presbyterie in former times and now to be beyond what was under Episcopacie Let him tell us who hath been imprisoned fined to the impoverishing of such as were Rich banishing for not Preaching against the light of their Consciences or for hearing the Word Preached Who hath been pistoled by the high way and while about their Lawful imployments for refusing to declare their Opinion in matters controverted and yet this was frequent under Episcopacy And it was not for rising in Arms alone tho' that was from the force of necessity caused by Persecution that men suffered So that it is the highest of affrontedness to ask dare any men say than Presbyterians suffered any thing for Conscience sake these 27 Years That the Clergy did as little toward the Execution of these Laws as they could and did no more but inform what the Law obliged them too is most false The Bishops concurred in making these persecuting Laws And many not all of the Inferior Clergy did officiously and maliciously instigate Magistrates and Souldiers and did assist them in the Persecution The instance of Sir John Riddle of Riddel's carriage towards Mr. Chisholm is false Sir John neither said any such thâ—ng to Mr. Chisholm nor had ground to make such acknowledgement of favour received from Mr. Chisholm Which I have good ground to aver pag. 50. He maketh a ridiculous Recapitulation of his former defences for the Clergy and asketh some impertinent Questions which could be answered if they could be understood and pag. 51. He is at his predictions again That the Church will not be so well planted nor the Gospel so well Preached That the State shall not be in peace nor our King sit securley which King he meaneth we are less to guess on His Throne nor have his due That the Church of England shall not want a Thorn in her Side that there shall never be Peace nor Union while there Dagon Presbyterie standeth in the Temple and all this he foretelleth on no less hazard then his being deceived by experience and mistaking of his measures What security the Reader hath by these Pledges he may judge He concludeth his Letter that he hath omitted a hundred things proper to have been inserted And I conclude my Observations upon his Letter affirming that he hath inserted several hundreds of things which might have been spared without derogating from the Honesty and Veracity of the Letter Third Letter THis Letter is from the same hand with the former for he beginneth with supplying the things that he said were omitted and might have been inserted in the former Letter 1. Several Ministers who were Injuriously dealt with by the Council His first instance is Mr. Pitcairn of Logie who was deprived tho' he had eight or ten years been disabled from the Pulpit through Age and Infirmity and hat been obliged to maintain an Assistant Ans. It was reasonable that he should be put out of Capacity to keep a man in that Charge who did defy the Government for the man whom he imployed Mr. David Balfour refused to Read or Pray Another instance is Mr. Johnkine at Abernethie who came that day tho' he appeared not at the hour appointed Of this man I find nothing in the Records of Council and therefore Judge that the Epistler doth mistake in this But if it were true the Council cannot be blamed seeing their Citations are to a peremptory time which ought to be observed It could not be expected that they should wait his time which they were uncertain of Mr. Falconar at Dyck in Murray is his next Instance Who read not the Proclamation on the day appointed because the Viscount of Dundie with his Forces were his Hearers that day Ans. He continued in his disobedience even tho' protected by Macky's Forces in the vicinity And Dundie was removed and seeing he had so long been disobedient The Council thought it not fit to try his Obedience any further For Mr. Moncrieft at Heriot his next Instance he doth not say that he was deprived by the Council but his Church is planted by a Presbyterian Minister may be it is by the former Incumbent who hath right to it by the late Act of Parliament If the Author had given a more distinct account of the case he might have expected a more positive Answer He telleth us likewise of turning Ministers out of their Houses as Mr. Galbraith at Jedburgh Mr. Millar at Musleburgh and many others Answ. When they are for Disobedience to the Law turned out of their Churches it is but reason that they should be removed from the Houses that should be occupied by them who succeed them These Houses belonging properly to the Ministers of the Parishes Neither was this done suddenly They had sufficient time allowed to provide other Habitations and to remove For the many others I judge if he had ground to alledge that many others were so turned out he would not have spared to tell us of them Tho' it had been but upon report or his being told so But this he loveth to make as fair an appearance as he can with what he hath a mind to charge us with with or without ground for it is much at one with him He affirmeth also that the Rabbling work is begun again in the West and that they will not suffer them who were thrust out a year ago to live in that Country If he could we think he would have given Instances of this We hear nothing of it from other hands and therefore judge his imagination tinctured with ill will against us hath thus represented things to him What followeth is absurd above measure He telleth us of a design and that on his usual ground of Assurance he was told it to Banish all that live in Drumfries and in Glasgow this design no man knoweth but himself And now his Book hath been out more than a year and yet no such thing put in Execution Which I hope will help the Reader how to judge of this mans Veracity § 2. His Invention is very fertile of Arguments against Presbytery One of them page 53 is the Magistrates of Edinburgh being Presbyterians called for the Utencils of some of the Churches from the Church Treasurer who had the keeping of them and the Lords of Session suspended their proceeding against him What is this to the cause did never Episcopal Magistrates mistake in one step or if they
Presbyterians and whom the Presbyterians are ready to receive when occasion shall be given And those of the best qualified that are among them That there were so few Meeting-houses in the North tho' yet they far exceeded the number mentioned by him was caused by the opposition some great Men made to it and not through want of inclination in the People to it He sayeth even he saith Tay the third Man was not concerned in the Schisme Ans. We know no Schisme but what was made by his Party But that the plurality did not suffer under the horrid Porsecution raised by the Bishops doth not prove that they were not inclined to Presbytery But either that many Presbyterians had freedom to hear Episcopal Ministers or that all were not resolâ—â—â— enough to â—offeâ— for their Principle so that this is no rational way of judging of the Peoples inclinations His next Argument is that Phanaticism thus he is pleased to use reproaches instead of Arguments tho' it prevail most in Towns yet in many Towns the Plurality are against Presbytery And he bringeth instances in Perth c. Ans. 1 st That Presbyterianism or serious Religion either prevaileth most in Towns in Scotland is no well grounded Observation The contrary is often seen and it is no wonder if we consider what sort of Magistrates and Ministers have been set up in Towns under the late Reigns when Magistrates were forced in on the People and they chused Ministers of their own Stamp Religion is more ordinary among our Gentry and Commonality in the Country then in many of our Corporations tho' through the Mercy of God it is not wanting in them For the instances that he giveth of Towns inclined to Episcopacy Perth is known to be almost generally addicted to King James and gave proof of it when they had occasion by the Highland Army being in their Vicinity What he saith of Couper and of St. Andrews both are certainly false Tho' we deny not but that the late Constitution of the University in the latter had much alienated many from the best things Sterling is little better then Perth tho' not wholly so bad Bruntisland is hot of that Temper that he ascribeth to it Musleburgh hath many Presbyterians tho' may be some more be for the way that alloweth them more Liberty for their Lusts. Dumfermling hath very Sober Ministers who Conformed which made many cleave to them Dysert hath a Meeting-house well frequented of Weems he is in a great Mistake the whole Parish goeth to hear the Presbyterian Minister after the example of the Noble and Religious Countess and her Family it is so also with Leith Kelso and Jeaburgh have many Jacobites yet the former did unanimously call an eminent Presbyterian Minister tho' they did not obtain him and the latter did the like and after missing one they called another whom they now enjoy Nothing can be further from Truth then what he saith of Edinburgh For tho' one Church there while it was possessed by an Episcopal Minister was as throng as some of the Presbyterian Meetings yet the other two were far from being so and one of them was shamefully unfrequent while the Meeting-house in that Parish was Crowded and the daily Collection in the Meeting-house was five or six times greater then that in the Church Neither is it to be wondered at that in so populous a City and where the worst as well as the best of all places in the Nation do resort one Church should be throng with Persons of that way That the greater number of Citizens of Glasgow of the best Quality are of Episcopal Principles is so false as nothing can be more so and yet this he is told From all this we may infer what horrid Lies some do either Invent or are willing to receive and propagate when they may serve their Design § 6. He will have us believe in the next place that the Peoples Inclinations toward Presbytery is diminished from what it was a Year or two agoe by a third part and that People now observe their Principles and Practices are inconsistent with the common Rules of Nature and of Christianity This is a bold Assertion and a heavy charge Of which full clear and uncontrolable proofs might be expected Instead of which we have only these two The one is that an Ingenuous Gentleman told him at second hand from another Gentleman of good Quality and good Abilities that he had heard the Presbyterian Preachers I observe he will never own them as Ministers I suppose because they want Episcopal Ordination and he censureth them that he never heard one Criticism with the explication of a Text nor a Citation out of a Father Poet or Philosopher or of Civil Church or History And but little sense And mockingly calleth all their Preaching pure Scripture and clean Gospel Answ. If the inartificial Argument of the Testimony of Ingenuous Gentlemen and Gentlemen of Quality and Ability might carry the cause especially when the report passeth through so many hands and heads who may practise upon what is talked to improve it and if we could abandon Conscience and say what ever might contribute to our design right or wrong we could tell as many tales and more of them with truth of the manner of Preaching on their side but we affect not such Recriminations I wish both they and we might Preach more edifying than we do For his â—sâ— Gentleman being Ingenious he might invent or heighten what is said and the other seemeth to have been a prophane mocker as many are who are persons of Quality and Abilities But it is evident to any who know the Presbyterians and can speak truth of them that they preach good Sense and useful Doctrine 2. That our Sermons are not bespangled with Latin and Greek Sentences out of Fathers and History for Poets and Philosophers we think that however their sayings might be Argumenta ad Hominum against Heathens The Gospel and the Salvation of men are little concerned in their Sentiments It is not because we cannot but because we think it not fit to use such means to convince the Consciences of Sinners We know the Gospel revealed in the Scripture is the power of God to Salvation But that either writings of Fathers or History deserve that Character we are not convinced We read these and take their help in our studies And if any thing occurre in them that hath some peculiar Emphasis or usefulness we use that in Sermons But the use of them we neither affect nor make our dayly Practice 3. His Gentleman of Quality is either a stranger to our preaching or some what that is worse if he say that we use no Criticisms in explaining the Text tho' we think some others exceed in seeking after them where they do not occur and are more curious than edifying in the use of them 4. To mock at preaching Pure Scripture and Clean Gospel is able to give such a Character of this Author and
I plead for The Pamphlets here Answered are I. An Account of the present Peâ—â—â—â—utions of the Church of Scotland in several Letters II. The Case of the afflicted Clergy in Scotland truly represented III. A late Letter concerning the Sufferings of the Episcopal Clergy in Scotland IV. A Memorial for his Highness the Prince of Orange in relation to the Affairs of Scotland c. V. An Historical Relation of the late General Assembly held at Edinburgh from October 16 to Novemb. 13. Anno 1690. A VINDICATION OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND c. PART I. THough it be no pleasant Task to draw the Saw of Debate in Mattes wherein Religion is concerned especially with such as own the same Religion with us and who with us should be engaged against the common Enemy of the Reformation Yet it is some Satisfaction when we are attacked only with the force of Argument with plain Scripture or rational Deductions from it but to be exposed to the dint of Malice Lies and Railing and the foulest and falsest Mis-representations that the minds of Man can suggest to them when they are enraged by being deprived of the occasion they once had to Persecute their Neighbours and being denuded of these Lucrative Places that they improved to such Ends this I say is and must be grievous to an ingenuous Soul Now this is our Lot Self-defence yea the Defence of the Institutions of Christ which should be more precious to us than any thing that we can call ours maketh it necessary thus to enter the Lists in confident hope of his assistance whose Cause we Plead I am far from either widening or keeping up the Difference that hath been between us who own Presbyterian Government and the Episcopal Party in Scotland Our Church now established by Law through the Mercy of God and the Zeal of Their Majesties and of the worthy Patriots assembled in Parliament hath declared and doth practise accordingly that none of those Men shall be removed from their Office or Benefice but such as are found on sufficient Trial in an orderly way to be Insufficient Scandalous Erroneous or supinely Negligent and that we will receive into a share of the Church-Government with us such of them as beside their freedom from the Evils mentioned will own the Doctrine of this Church contained in the Confession of Faith and will submit to and concur with and will be faithful to the Government of the Church now Established And we challenge our Adversaries to shew that any stretches have been made in expounding of these Qualifications or that any thing hath been imputed to any of them as Scandal Errour c. But what is commonly judged Scandal by Mankind and Errour by most of the Reformed Churches or that we have censured any for their Opinion about Church-Government or for their complyance with Episcopacy when it was here set up or that we have refused to admit any to Ministerial Communion with us who made application for that Favour and was qualified as above exprest § 2. Notwithstanding of this Moderation a course diametrically opposite to the dealing that we met with from them when their Way was uppermost we have two things to complain of against them who make such Outcries against us One is That even the Soberest and best of them are so far from endeavouring Peace and Union that they stand aloof from the most easie Terms abovementioned and think little of so great Condescendence made on our part For let any unbyassed Man judge what we could do more for Peace unless we should have been so cruel to the Souls of People as to have intrusted the Conduct of them to such as could not but ruine them or that we should put the Government of the Church into the Hands of such as had been its declared Enemies and would give no rational Security that they should not overturn it for the future This their Aversion from coming among us hath this Evidence for it that now when the Government hath been settled by Law near a year and long before that they might have been Received if they had pleased only three of them in all the Nation hath hitherto made Application to the Judicatories of the Church expressing their Desire to join with us One of which is Received and the other two were but delayed for want of time then to consider their Case Is it not strange then that such Outcries are made that they are excluded from that part of the exercise of their Ministry while none but themselves are to blame for it The other thing that we have to complain of is That the greatest number of that Party do not only stand off from us and with all possible Industry hinder such as would comply with the established Government but do vent the greatest Malice against us and spread the most horrid Lies and Reproaches of us that they are capable to utter and do what in them lies to make us odious to the World and to bring us under dislike with our Rulers And that where there is no Cause given on our part The Books that I have now under Consideration are a full proof of this as also are the lying Reports that the Ears of People at Home and yet more Abroad are filled with which I hope will appear in the following Examination of them § 3. I do not here undertake to Vindicate all Presbyterians from all blame in their Carriage toward them that differ from them We never thought that all of our way are so Good and so Wise and so Sober as they should be but I am confident to say that the Excesses that any among us can be charged with are not to be compared with the Barbarous Severities that they of late suffered when they who now complain were in the Ascendent That which I now undertake is to clear the Presbyterians from these Calumnies that are cast on them in general And especially to vindicate the Actings of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland from what her Haters do brand her with either in her Principles or in her Practice Five Pamphlets stuffed with such Reproaches I have seen to answer two of them I was injoined to wit The two first mentioned in the Title Page the three which lately came to hand I shall cast in as an Auctarium I shall consider them separately yet joining them when coincidencies occur to avoid repetition It is easie for an unbyassed Reader to observe the scope of these Pieces to be not so much the refutation of our Opinion about Church-Government and the asserting of their own for little that looketh like Argument to that purpose is to be found in them or to set Matters of Fact in their true Light for the Candor requisite to that is evidently wanting As it is partly to make all Presbyterians as hateful to others as they are hated by them And partly to beg Alms of the Church of England which to be their Intention they do not
Nation and there is the strength of the Highland-Army Yet in the Counties of Sutherland and Strathnaver in Ross and Murray there might be and have been a Force raised to defend the Settlement of State and Church which was a Terrour to its Enemies And many there are in other Counties of the North who are of contrary Inclinations to his Church Yea it is found that many of the Northern Ministers who had gone along with Episcopacy and these the Men of best Parts and most Soberness among them are willing to joyn with the Presbyterians who on their part are ready to receive them that are so qualified Another Proof of his Assertion I cannot forbear to smile at being an Instance of the Vanity of his Mind He had preached to the Satisfaction of the Auditors it seems others have been wanting to praise his Gifts and therefore he must even do it himself and read Service and the Gentry caressed him and the People shewed him Respect when they met him They did not abhor him nor his way of Religion His Conclusion falleth short of the thing that was to be proved for there are many Men and may be not a few in Scotland who have little Abhorrence of any false way in Religion and as little Zeal for the right way I doubt not that many Protestants did lately carry civilly toward Popish Priests Must they therefore like that way Neither can what he alledgeth infer his Conclusion for in our Country the Gentry are Men of Breeding and use a great deal of Civility to Strangers even when they do not like all their Principles and Practices If Men of our way thought fit to use this Topick they could prove most of England to be Presbyterians where they have often preached and had a greater Following than ever he had in Scotland and have been civilly treated among the Gentry who yet were not of their Principles in the matter of Church-Government But such silly stuff is not fit to blot Paper with The History that he addeth about the Magistrates of Perth proveth no more but that they are Enemies both to the Civil State and the Church which every one knoweth Yet they did soon after receive a Presbyterian Minister no Cameronian into their Pulpit § 8. A most gross Mis-representation followeth viz. That at Edinburgh the Faction he meaneth the Presbyterians was so weak that they were forced to send privately into the West for Assistance The truth of this matter is About the time that the Convention of Estates was to sit down a Design was discovered framed by the Viscount of Dundee and others to surprize and seize the Convention and for this End had secretly got together of King James's disbanded Souldiers and others about 2000 Strangers in Edinburgh which occasioned those in the West to gather as many into Edinburgh to oppose them and secure the Convention It is true the Colledge of Justice many of them but not all did Arm and it is no wonder for they were King James's Creatures and their Places depended on him But they were soon made to lay down their Arms which is no argument of the weakness of the opposite Party He giveth also a false Account of Glasgow when he saith That the most Considerable and of best Quality are well Affected i.e. in his Dialect Episcopal Some such there are from whose Quality we will not derogate but in the Town they are very few and in the Country about much fewer most of the Gentry being such as he will call ill Affected Persons § 9. He objecteth to himself that if the Presbyterians were so weak how came they to prevail so much in the Parliament the cause of this he maketh to be that the Episcopal Party having deep impressions of their Allegiance to King James did not appear in the Election of Members of the Convention and Parliament Ans. 1. Here is some Ingenuity with a Confession that their opposition to the present Establishment of the State and the Church go together 2. If their concern for King James were so great and they so strong why did they not concern themselves in the Elections for his defence It seems they love him and the Bishops but will venture little for either 3. It is well known that they made all the Essays they were capable of about the Elections and carried them in some few places but were overborn by the number of Voters in far the most Counties and Burghs But this Gentleman will say what he thinketh doth make for him whether true or false He doth in what followeth most unjustly reproach the Convention of Estates That they chused a Committee for Elections where no Episcopal Man could carry it tho the number of Electors were never so unequal nothing can be more unjustly averred and it is the highest of Impudence and Sauciness for a stranger thus to reproach the Representative of a Nation where he was so civilly treated as himself confesseth Another of his reproaches is that many were allowed to sit in the Convention contrary to Law and particularly some who were not inâ—eft in their Estates If he had given instance it could have been the more easily answered but seâ—ing he thought not fit to do so our denial is a sufficient answer to his Affirmation I never heard that any such sat in the Convention unless he mean of one or two who had been most unjustly forfeited in the late Reign and the Convention thought is not fit to debarre any Man of his just Right that had been unjustly taken from him On this he saith most of the Nobility withdrew from the Convention and Parliament Ans. It is false that most withdrew though some did and they who did so withdraw were found to be on the Plot which was after discovered for over-turning the Government So that it is evident that this Gentleman all along his discourse pleadeth more for over-turning the Throne than the present Government of the Church This is confirmed by what followeth viz. That if Dundee had lived no doubt but that he had changed the whole State of Affairs in this Nation Hac Ithacus velit magno mercentur Atridae nothing but overturning of the State and Church will please him and his Complices And it is reckoned by them a cross Providence that he was taken out of the way who was like to be the chief Actor in that Scene But for all this confidence it might have fallen out that Dundee might have lived and yet the present Establishment continued our confidence is built on a better foundation than such as Dundee was § 10. Having mentioned the Viscount of Dundee he telleth us in the Vindication of his Rebellion an ill made Story it is that there was a design on foot to assassinate him of which he complained to the Convention and no notice was taken of it though he repeated his Complaints and offered to prove the Attempt And being thus in hazard and not protected he went to
though of a different Religion from them and though they had Jealousies of Designs on foot to ruin their Religion and them While his Royal Authority was not taken away by the Nation they as private Men ought not to question it That nothing was spolen in Meeting-houses against Popery is most false The Preachers there I confess neither then did nor now do make Controversies the constant Subject of their Sermons yet are at pains both in Sermons and Catechising to clear the Truth against all the Errors of Popery But their main Word is to deal with the Souls of the People about those things that do most nearly concern their Eternal Interest to make them know themselves and God in Christ and Salvation through him For they consider that the surest way to preserve from Error is not only to make them know the difference between it and Truth but to get them to be truly concerned about their Souls and seriously Religious To the Falshood of what he affirmeth he addeth Spite in enumerating the Causes to which he is pleased to impute their supposed Silence against Popery Not one of them all hath Truth or Reality in them Their Respect to Papists their Influence from the Court are Reflections which I will not brand with their due Name Their Ignorance of these Controversies is an Allegation so impudent that no Man that is not blinded with Rage and Malice could be guilty of The Can◠that is the Word when such Men as he would ridicule whatever looketh like serious Religion which he saith they use against Prelacy and Malignancy and about King Jesus and the Gospel being banished is asserted not because it is so but because it is a fine Device to defame Nothing is more rare in our Pulpits than medling with the late Controversies which now we would have to be buried and when they fall in they are discoursed Argumentatively and if any at any time do otherwise that is not to be charged on all There is no Party among whom some Indiscretion doth not appear in the Conduct of some Men. § 5. His next effort is a Satyre against the Prince of Orange's Declaration for Scotland and he fixeth the Original of their Persecutions that he complaineth of on it He Characterizeth it as Downe right Presbyterian He taxeth the Presbyterian Nobility and Gentry's going to London to wait on his Highness And confesseth them to be the chief Persons who upon his Majesties retirement so he termeth that which the Parliament called K. James's Abdicating the Government did confer the Government of this Kingdom on the Prince This Paragraph is a sufficient evidence of the Temper of this Author and of those for whom he pleadeth And yet they have now the Brow to make Addresses to King William full of the highest Assertions of their Loyalty both past and present But they who knew their way don't believe any such Professions and they who read this Book will I hope be as far from giving Credit to them He now page 14◠beginneth to tell us of their Sufferings And what horrid Barbarities were used against them And is so kind to his Countrey as to be spareing in this Relation left he should thereby breed a disgust at his native Countrey This is shameful Hypocrisie twisted with Malice For I hope it will be found as we proceed that his big Expressions about their Sufferings will dwindle into Fleabits in comparison of the Bloody Lashes that others suffered not long before from Men of his Tribe Which I mention not here to excuse nor extenuate any irregular Course that some took nor to plead for retribution to his Party We had rather suffer ten Wrongs than do one It will be found that his Party did indeed expose the Nation to the Reproach of Barbarity and Persecuting their Brethren So he doth what in him lieth to bring the same upon the Nation by his horrid Lies aggravating of things and Misrepresentations Before he came to his particular Stories of that which he calleth The Persecution of the Clergy he Prefaceth three things to render these Passages more odious The first is The opportunity that was given for it by King James ' s Forces being at that time called into England to oppose the Prince of Orange who sometime before that had landed in England And the Council at that time dissolved of it self so that saith he in effect the Nation was without Government Whatever improvement he may make of this Remark it may be of some use to us For it is hence evident as it is in it self well known That it was by Force and not the Submission or Affection the Call or Approbation of the People who should have been their Charge that his Party enjoyed their Ministry or any Exercise of it And indeed an Army was for many years kept up in time of Peace to force People to come to hear them Another thing that I here infer is That King James's Interest and that of the Prelatick Clergy were Embarked together as are King William's and that of Presbyterians A third Inference is That it being an Interregnum when there was no Government Tumults and Disorders though never to be approved yet are not so much to be wondered at And indeed considering our Circumstances after to be noted it is a wonder that they had no sadder Effects There are Men in the World who being so provoked as that People was and without restraint from Government would have avenged themselves on their bloody Persecuters at another rate But as we are sorry that there were such tumultuous Actings so we bless the Lord that they had no worse Effects The 2d thing that he premiseth is The Story of a Massacre by an Irish Army said to be landed at Kirkcubright which he Fancieth to be a device of the Presbyterians and industriously spread by them to be a Colour for disarming the rest of the Country How that Story arose we are yet in the Dark I hope his imagination is not sufficient to fix it on the Presbyterians We know in such a time of Hurry Fear and Confusion with which the Minds of all sorts were then filled such reports as to rise without design or grounds If any did devise such a Tale they deserve severe punishment His three Remarks is on the day that the rabbling of Ministers was set on Foot which he saith was concerted to be on Christmas-day on which many Parties in several Corners got together about that Work And this Circumstance he tragically appeareth It being a day which brought joy to all People which was once celebrated by the Court of Heaven which the Christan Church ever since hath solemnized and let us remark a few a few things on this fine Notion on which this Author seemeth to value himself not a little 1. I doubt of the Matter of Fact in this Circumstance it is like we should have heard of it if it had been so 2. That the day was chosen or
gone which was about Eight or Nine-o-Clock at Night when she returned to her House and stayed in it for a considerable time and left it of her own accord without Compulsion I hope the Reader by comparing these two Accounts of the matter may see how a Story may be altered by the right or wrong telling of it Yet I am far from approving what they did but I am sure it is not like the French Dragooning § 8. The third Story is of Mr. Boyd at Carmanock whose Family he saith was as rudely treated And the like was done in many other places This General we cannot answer he not being pleased to mention Particulars but â—hat this Gentleman should give these for Instances of incredible Barbarities as here he is pleased to call them may help us to understand his Words and to put a softer Sense on them than they bear for it is evident that in this Cause his Words are full of monstrous Hyperbolics if not of plain Forgeries The Parish of Carmanock had their own former Pastor among them Mr. Boyd had been a cruel Persecutor of some of them by causing some to be imprisoned forcing others to flee and wander for several Months they peaceably desired his Family to remove which they did leaving only some Lumber in the House they expected several Months till that also should be taken away which not being done and finding that the Parliament had made an Act for the Old Presbyterian Ministers who had been cast out to return to their Charges they took out what remained in the Minister's House and committed it to the keeping of some of Mr. Boyd's Friends till he should send for it and this that they might repair their House for their own Minister All this is attested May 12 1690. by Francis Park James Parker Archibald Park John Smith Matthew Park William Baird Mr. Robert Bell Minister at Kilmarnock is the next Instance of the Persecutions complained of Whom they kept bare-headed four or five Hours in a Frosty Day caused his own Sexton tear his Gown in pieces from his Shoulders burnt the English Liturgy which they found in his Pocket and that with much Ceremony at the Market-Cross This same Story we have at great length in the 2d Book that I have to answer called The Case of the present afflicted Clergy which I shall here consider to prevent Repetition We are told of Abuses done to Mr. Bell by a Party of the Presbyterians now in Arms in Scotland How they took him going to Riccartoun made him put off his Hat called him Rogue and Rascal said they did these things by the Rule and Law of the Solemn League and Covenant and other such Speeches they used That they carried him Prisoner to Kilmarnock that the Laird of Bridge-house by the way reproved them for their illegal Acting willed them to leave these Men to the Parliament now to be assembled by the Prince of Orange That they answered they would not adhere to the Prince of Orange nor the Law of the Kingdom farther than the Solemn League and Covenant was fullfilled and prosecuted by both That when they came near the Town they made the Minister pluck off his Hat threatned to throw him into the Rivir That they met the Body of their Party who at the Market-Cross had discharged the Minister to preach any more That they reproached the Church of England carried him to his House where they got from him a Common-Prayer-Book then carried him to the Market-place where after some opprobcious Speeches against him and the Churches of England and Scotland they burnt the Book holding it upon the point of a Pike while it was burning They asked if he were an Episcopal Prelate's Man and of the Communion of the Church of England and Scotland which he owned Then they tore his Gown required him not to preach any more which he would not promise This is all that is material in that long Narration and his signed at Glasgow January 8. 1689. Robert Bell. In Answer to all this I shall give the Reader a Breviate which is attested by many Persons in that Parish of Worth and Credit whose Names shall be subjoyned They observe his flattering Insinuations on the Church of England and his most dis-ingenious Imputations as if these things had been done by the Presbyterians whereas his own Conscience hath extorted from him in private Discourse a Clearing of that Party from such Principles or Practices They take notice of his small Proficiancy at the College of Glasgow witnessed by his Master and several Students That being some time at Oxford at his Return he was suspected at London and elsewhere by all good Protestants who shunned his Converse Yet by the means of the Archbishop of Glasgow he was planted at Kilwining where he preached but one Lord's Day then got into Kilmarnock by Siâ—â—â—iacal Dealings with the Patron his Father giving a Bond for Two Thousand Marks and he making Exchange of the Glebe During his being Minister there he preached seldom residing mostly at Glasgow sixteen Miles distant spending his Time in Whistling Singing Carding Drinking and the like About this time a Liberty being granted to Presbyterians the Parish had recalled their old Minister Mr. James Rowat and called to his Assistance Mr. James Osburn and built a Meeting-house where the whole Parish frequented So that never above Twelve of that Parish consisting of Two Thousand Five Hundred Persons of Age to be Catechised did hear Mr. Bell. They shew farther that among that whole Party who so treated Mr. Bell there was not one Person that belonged to the Parish of Kilmarnock save one poor young Man but that some of the Parish who never owned Mr. Bell as their Minister yet did deal earnestly with the Party that molested him to desist from their Course but they were in no Case to hinder them by force both because they were surprized by this Tumult and because they had been frequently disarmed through the Jealousies of the former Government and the Party consisted of Two Hundred well armed and resolute Men. They affirm farther that the armed Party were as much Enemies to the Presbyterian Ministers in the Meeting-houses as to the Episcopalians calling them Apostates and Preachers of the Duke of York's Gospel with many other unsavoury Expressions And that they had divers Consultations about the doing the same Indignities to them that they did to the Episcopal Clergy and that particularly they did threaten Mr. Osburn if he did not depart thence At the same time they fixed a Paper on the Meeting-house at Irwin threatning to burn it Farther Though they cannot evince the Falshhood of all that is here alledged yet they can prove some things where they were Ear and Eye-witnesses that they are false from which the Credibility of what they saw not nor heard may be guessed at As that the Service-Book was lifted up on the end of a Pike there was not a Pike among all that Rabble That it
did will this ruin Episcopacy But there are several Misrepresentations in this Narrative as that the Church Treasurer is chosen by the Sessions He is chosen by the Magistrates and therefore they might call him to an account of what was entrusted to him Next it is false that the Magistrates are no more concerned in them than in a private Mans Furniture For some of them were bought out of the publick Stock and tho' others of them were Dedicated by private Persons yet it was to a publick use and therefore are under the Magistrates Care as the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church Again that Sir John Hall consulted the Earl of Crawford in this matter What moved him to affirm But he is resolved that that Noble Lord shall bear the blame of all that he thinketh to be evil But why do I imitate him in blotting Paper with such stuff When he hath no more to say he must ad pompam conclude the History of the Troubles of the Clergy which exceed the French Dragooning on which he hitherto hath infilted with telling of Innumerable things that he hath to say but we are no wiser for this while not one of them is told us Instead of these he accuseth us of Printing and Publishing Pamphlets at London not known here full of lying Aspersions against the Clergy And addeth that Lying hath ever been one of our chief Artifices for carrying on of our Purposes What these Pamphlets should be I know not I never heard of any such either here or while at London since the late Revolution But his imputing Habitual Lying to Presbyterians is an Allegation so impudent and false that we challenge him and all his Party to give the least evidence for what he saith I shall not I need not recriminate the way of his Party is so well known among us even in that particular I need go no further for Instance than this his Book out of which I have observed so many gross untruths already and it is like may meet with more One Presbyterian lye he is pleased to insist upon p. 55. Concerning the Excommunication of A. B. Spoteswood of St. Andrews 1638. It is like he thought the Falshood of this Story could not after so long time be traced But the Reader may know that the slander is built on no better ground than this He had it from Persons of great Integrity but none shall know who they are left some Body ask them about it and they had it from an ear Witness so that a story at Second hand from nameless Persons must be enough to defame Presbyterians But I can on better grounds disprove his History as a Forgery viz. From the Acts of the Assembly at Glasgow where the Sentence of Excommunication against that Ar. B. is set down as it was pronounced by the Moderator and not one word of any of the Crimes that he mentioneth nor any other save Usurpation over the Church and declining the Authority of the Assembly And he with others are charged with refusing to underly the tryal of Scandals lybelled against them Let any now judge whether he or Presbyterians be more chargeable with telling Lies The contradicting of the Accounts of his Party sent to London of the Persecution of the Western Clergy I have above Vindicated the Malicious aggravations of this which he letteth his Pen loose unto I do not notice further than to observe that very temper in himself which he would fain charge others with What followeth about the false news that have been spread could not be observed with such concern by any Person but one of his Temper while spite prompteth him to say all the evil that can be devised against Presbyterians Was there ever a time when all the News in Coffee-Houses and elsewhere were true can he make it appear that the news that fly about are invented by the Presbyterians Yea it is more then probable that many of them were the Inventions of his own Party to make the Intelligence that seemed to make for us Ridiculous and Incredible What he further addeth of our forging of Lies if turned upon him and his Complices would have a more certain and compleat verification Mutato nomine de te If the Author of this Letter be the Person whom I guess I could convince the Reader of his most absurd and habitual lying known to most in the Nation even to a Proverb These Presbyterian Lyes he attempteth further to prove by a strange Argument viz. That the Council deprived the best and spared the worst of the Clergy And a large Comment on this he giveth us as his conjecture of the design of it This last we may justly neglect as that which no reason but purely his design to defame the Council could suggest to him The former if true hath a plain reason for it The Council considered no Ministerial qualifications in such as came before them only whether they Read and Prayed And it may be some of the best might scruple this and some of the worst might comply with it yet I know that some very Immoral men were put out by the Council And it is like if we also may make conjecture that they thought this the more creditable way of being turned out then to be deposed for Scandal which they might justly expect from Church Judicatories § 3. That which in the next place page â—7â— he is pleased to propose as the subject of the debate is the Inclination of the People That expression being put in the Claim of Right as one of the grounds of putting away Prelacy because the Inclinations of the People were against it On this head he screweth his wit to its outmost extent to disprove this And I shall premise to what I have to answer to what he saith That Presbyterians wished and endeavoured that that Phrase might not have been used as it was not that we call in question the truth of it But because we know People to be changeable and often most Inclinable to what is bad And we think the Government of the Church is Christs appointment as in General so in the particular Species of it And therefore ought to have been setled on a more firm Basis yet it satisfieth us that the States mentioning that foundation of it did not derogate from what is more Divine and unalterable He excuseth his not speaking on this Subject in his former Letter because he was not willing to fall foul on the State If it had been indeed so his modesty were to be commended but it is so far from that that the Strain of his Letter as was before observed was most petulantly to expose the actings of the State both in the Convention and in the Council But it seemeth this pretended modesty is now to be laid aside and he wil fall as foul on them as his Power Parts and Malice can reach 1. Then he telleth us this is an Inconsequential Argument Episcopacy must be