never be justified And as for the Rebellions he charges us with under King Charles the First let any body peruse Rushworth's Collections or even Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle and tho all the Truth be not written there it will be easy to perceive that the Innovations made upon the Church of Scotland and the Invasions on the Liberties of England were the cause of that Prince's Misfortunes who was misled by a Popish Wife and misinformed by Popish and Prelatical Ministers to his Ruine That unfortunate King put one Affront on our Nation mentioned by Sir Richard Baker that was enough of it self to have made them shake off his Government viz. the demanding of the Crown of Scotland to be brought hither for him to be crowned with which argued such a Degeneracy of Spirit and so much of an alienated Mind from his Native Country that 〈◊〉 a wonder how ever Scots-Men should have own'd him afterwards the greatest Monarch that ever sat upon the English Throne would have gone as far as Scoon and thank'd us too to have had the Honour of it and for a Scots-Man so far to undervalue his native Country as to demand the poor and almost the only remaining Badg of their Honour Antiquity and Independency to be brought into another Nation Quis talia fando temperet a Ne quid aspersus dicam Certainly nothing but an exuberant Loyalty and Esteem for their natural Prince whom doubtless they considered as over-ruled by pernicious Counsel could ever have made that Kingdom put up the Affront And therefore when he persisted to oppress and persecute them upon the account of their Consciences it was no wonder that they re-assum'd the Spirit of their Ancestors and let him know that the Kings of Scotland were never allowed an Arbitrary Power nor did ever any of them usurp it but it prov'd fatal to them or theirs Nor never was the Nation so much degenerate but since the Reign of our Protestant Prelacy who were the Creatures and Supporters of Tyranny for in the times of Popery we had more Grandees than we have now that could tell how to put the Bell about the Cat 's Neck on occasion as Archbald Douglas Earl of Angus did to King Iames the Third but since the Union of the Crowns the fall of our Grandees and the Combination of the English and Scots Mitres Scots-Men durst never say their Head was their own but when they had the Sword in their Hand except it be under this present Government And therefore the Nation of Scotland is mightily obliged to Prelacy Ibid. He charges the Presbyterians with Enthusiasm Our Prelatâ—sts are of late become as fond of this Expression as is the Cuckow of his known Note and I can imagine no other reason why than because they are so accustomed to swallow their Liquor that as the Lecher pleases himself with Baudy Stories so do they with the very word Enthusiasm which is but a Greek Term signiâ—ying pouring in and in this sense I 'll maintain it that it 's more proper to be applied to our Drunken Prelatists than in any manner to us I always understood Enthusiasts to be a sort of Persons who pretended to other Revelations than the written Word for their Rule such as our Quakers and the old German Anabaptists or absit verbo invidia our Prelatists who build more upon the uncertain and superstitious Writings ascribed to some of the Fathers than on the Writings of the Apostles who are the Grandfathers or on the Rationale of a Durandus or the Poetical Whims of any Church Devoto for their unscriptural Ceremonies than on Diviâ—e Revelation which orders us to worship God as he commands and not as we think good in our own Eyes Then seeing the Presbytérians do plead for a strict Conformity to the Scripture as the Rule of Faith and Manners and that our Prelatists admit of By-Rules for which no Reason can be assigned but the Capricio of some fanciful Bigot or corrupted Father let the World judg which Party is most chargeable with Enthusiasm Ibid. He says That the Acts of our General Assemblies do sufficiently vindicate Charles the Second and his Ministers of State from any shadow of Rigour or Cruelty It were easy to answer the Doctor in his own Coin that the knavish Address of the Scots Bishops against the Prince of Orange their opposing him in Parliament and the Barbarities committed upon the Presbyterians by the Prelatists as above related are sufficient to vindicate us from any shadow of Rigour or Cruelty which must by all Men who have not forfeited Sense and Reason be allowed more than a sufficient Answer But further the Doctor would have done well to have cited those Acts and then a more particular Answer could have been given However I 'le guess at his meaning and suppose them to be such as declared against imploying Malignants in Places of Power and Trust which was the Opinion of those called Remonstrators And if so pray good Doctor why is this more culpable than your Church-of England Test which excludes all Dissenters from Places of Power and Trust and that also against his Majesty's Desire in his Speech to the Parliament wherein he did rationally insinuate that the taking off of the same would unite his Subjects in his Service against the Common Enemy If the Copy was bad why does the Church of England follow it Or do you not think that we had as much reason to keep out Prelatists from Places of Power and Trust as you have to keep out Presbyterians Nay I do verily believe there is no true English-man or Protestant who does not see the Mischief which happens daily by the continuance of this Test which obliges his Majesty to make use of such as do betray him continually And whether the Scots Presbyterians were mistaken in their Conjectures that our Prelatists when admitted into Trust would betray our Religion and Liberties let the late Revolution and the Causes of it testify Or if there was any such Act made or intended by any Assembly of the Church of Scotland as disown'd Charles Stuart the Head of the Malignants because of his breach of Covenant and designs to enslave the Nation it must 〈◊〉 be own'd that they were too clear-sighted and that the Church of England do the same in relation to K. Iames who had as good a Right to the Crown according to the Prelatical Principles as ever his Brother had and if Passive Obedience be a true Doctrine ought as little to have been opposed as he Then supposing it true that the Remonstrators were against owning of him on the Accounts aforesaid yet seeing they were not the majority of the Presbyterians and were willing to submit to his Legal Administration swear Allegiance and live peaceably under his Governmâ—nt neither Reason nor Conscience will justify his Proceedings against the Presbyterians in general on that Account or the making of Laws on purpose to fret their Consciences and press the execution of
Scots Presbyterians do not at all think themselves obliged by that Covenant to endeavour a forcible extirpation of the English Prelacy but in Concurrence with the Parliament of England and therefore so long as they have not their Call to the Work the English Prelacy is in no Hazard and the best way to keep so is for the Church of England to carry modestly and neither to meddle with us nor give their own Parliament occasion to make such a Vote against them as the Parliament of Scotland made against our Bishops That they were the great and insupportable Grievance of the Nation so that they have their Safety in their own Hand But if they should be so infatuated to proceed as they began in relation to the late General Assembly of the Church of Scotland or if they be such Fools as to concur to the stiâ—ling of all Plots against his Majesty as hitherto because so many of their own Communion are concerned in them let them blame themselves for what will be the unavoidable Consequences soon or late for the Church-of England Laity are too good Protestants and English-men to be always led by the Clergy or continually hood-wink'd and not discover the Plots carried on against the State under pretence of Zeal to the Church of which me-thinks the Hot-headed Clergy should take warning seeing they may easily perceive how little Ground their Passive Obedience had gain'd when the honest Church-of England Laicks found themselves in hazard by K. Iames as to their Liberties and Religion Next I would earnestly beg that they would consider how the Faction under a pretence of Zeal for the Church and against Presbytery screw'd up the Prerogative to such a height that Englishmen had very near lost their Liberty and Property It was this mistaken Zeal that threw out the Bill of Exclusion surrendred the Charters of Corporations enabled the King to pack Parliaments pick Juries and cut off whomsoever he pleased under pretence of Law It was this mistaken Zeal that brought the late Reign and all the direful Effects of it which we have already felt or are still impending upon us It was this mistaken Zeal which delay'd his present Majesty's Access to the Throne gave the Enemies opportunity to ruin Ireland raise a Rebellion in Scotland and Plot as they do still in England And shall we never be aware of it Methinks that if the Church of England compared Things past and present She might easily perceive that this intemperate Heat against Presbytery doth naturally issue in Popery and Slavery and that she has much more reason to unite for Defence of the Protestant Interest and her own Doctrinal Articles with the Church of Scotland than by espousing the Cause of a few proâ—â—igate or traiterous Clergy-men because Episcopal run her self into unavoidable Dangers Is it possible that a Harmony in Discipline should have more Power to unite distinct Interests than a Harmony in Doctrine and Agreement under one Civil Head hath to cement those who drive the same Interest It cannot be unknown to the Church of England if she believes either their Majesties Proclamations or considers the procedure of his Parliament and other Courts in Scotland that the Prelatical Party there drive at a Design to restore K. Iames. And with she yet entertain such Vipers in her Bosom as their outed Clergy and not only so but for their sakes entertain Suspicions of his Majesty and sollicite him against the Church of Scotland Can she say that we have ever made any Address to him against the Church of England and why should they be more zealous against us than we against them Does she not know that Arch-bishop Vsher and some of the greatest of her Fathers thought Episcopacy and Presbytery reconcileable and the other things in Controversy indifferent How is it then that she thinks her Differences with King Iames and the Church of Rome more reconcileable as she must needs do if she fall in with her own high-flown Tantivees and our Scots Prelatists But I hope if no Religious Considerations will prevail that the danger of their running the same Risk with us may they seeing both they and we have the same Security viz. the King 's accepting of the Crown on such and such Conditions and consenting to Acts of Parliament accordingly if he should break to one he may do the same to both and though they may think that he will not overthrow their Hierarchy because the Bishops depending on him may be useâ—ul to him in the Parliament-House yet at the same time he may as Charles the Second did invade their Civil Liberties and then their Religion nor nothing else can ever be secure I must again beg the Reader not to mistake meâ— as designing to create any Suspicion of his Majesty following such an unhallowed Pattern but meerly to set this as a Beacon before the Church of England that they may beware of being Shipwrack'd twice upon the same Rock which will be unavoidable if they should prevail wiâ—h any of their Kings to break the Original Contracts or call in K. Iames or set up any other Pretender against his present Majesty and prosper which blessed be God there 's no probability that ever they will for never was King better beloved by Subjects and let them try it when they please they 'll â—ind he has in Scotland Twenty to One firm in his Interest And whatever Noise they make to blind their own Designs of our hazard from a Republican Faction if they will assure the Nation of such Governours as are now at Helm those whom they call Republicans will as cordially submit to them as any But I foresee an Objection as to Scots Affairs That they only sollicit his Majesty to dissolve the present Parliament and call another which will restore Episcopacy and recognize his Title Answ. 1. His Majesty hath had too many Proofs of the Loyalty of Presbyterians and the Treachery of Episcopalians to venture such an Experiment or if he should and they happen to recognize his Title he can never think that they submit from Affection but meerly from Interest when they see they can do no better And in truth whatever Pretences of Loyalty they make it 's demonstrable enough that as the Country-man when the London â—Drawers baul'd out Welcome Sir laid his Hand on his Pob and said I thank you my Friend so may his Majesty when our Scots Prelatists pretend Loyalty put his Hand to his Side and say I thank you my Sword for no longer will they be his Friend than he is able to cudgel them Whereas it 's very well known that the Scots Presbyterians declared for him before Providence had determined their Crown in his Favour and have beat into the Prelatists whatever Loyalty they pretend to have Nor is it to be thought a Prince so Good and Generous as his present Majesty will ever be so ungrateful to his Friends or act so much contrary to Reason and his own
obliged to comply with and if they should have done it could neither have been answerable to God nor your Honours for it to pull down with their own Hands that Hedg which he in his Providence by your Act hath set about the Church in lodging the Government upon themselves which no doubt the Wisdom of your August Assembly judged to be the best Expedient to secure the Peace of the Church and yet for noncompliance how did they procure the Dissolution and Reproach of that Assembly to the manifest violation of your Authority and that by the Advice of some English Courtiers and Prelats as if they had a mind to homologate the Ancient Pretensions of that Crown and Church over yours and in the view of the World declare our Parliament and General Assembly not able to give Advice in our own Affairs but fit to be over-ruled by a pack'd Club of another Nation and shall they act thus impune to affront a Parliament which Malice it self cannot say as their Party did formerly of the English Parliament That it is but a superfluous Tumour or Wen for all who know our History are sensible of the share which the Scots Parliaments have from the first Constitution of our Government been possest of not only in the Legislative but the Executive Power and if our Historians may be believed laid the Foundation and have often-times since regulated and limited the Power of our Monarchy and to the eternal Confusion of all those who would insinuate the danger thereof to Kingly Government have notwithstanding preserved our Monarchy in a longer and more uninterrupted Succession than any Nation of Europe It is not unknown to your August Assembly what Convulsions the Prelatical Party have thrown the Kingdom into since the first Intrusion of their Prelacy and how near the Ruine both of our Religious and Civil Liberties were effected by their Concurrence with the Tyranny of the late Reigns represented in your Claim of Right and therefore the World cannot but justify your Conduct in depriving them of any share of the Government of the Church which they only seek that they may undermine and tho they should comply with the Terms required in Law yet their former Perjuries and contradictory Tests are but too shrew'd Causes to suspect their future Levity which together with the Disaffectedness they have generally evidenced to the present Government demonstrates how dangerous it is to entrust them with the Conduct of Peoples Consciences And what may justly render them hateful to all honest Scots-men is the Obloquy and Reproach they have thrown here upon the whole Nation and their under-hand dealing with the high-flown Church-of England-Party who have a Heart-hatred at our Country and Religion and have treated you with so much Contempt that tho you mov'd for an Union and his Majesty was graciously pleased to back it they disdain'd to give him any Answer as thinking you unworthy of a Politick or Temporal Union and yet they would be at forcing you to an Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Union which if they could effectuate the World must allow that they ought in the next place to beg us for Fools who could believe that they have a Kindness for our Souls who have â—one for our Bodies Yet this is the Party that our Prelatical Country-men do so much court and make Application to while they slight Scots-men who are authoriz'd to represent our Affairs So much have they divested themselves of all natural Respect to their Country that if their Prelacy live they care not tho the Name and Fame of Scotland die and that they may effectuate their Designs there 's no doubt but they will be forming Parties in your August Assembly and make many fair Pretences of desiring Liberty only to exercise what belongs to their pretended indelible Character of Pastors and promise to undertake nothing to the Disturbance of the publick Tranquillity But their worming themselves in by degrees in King Iames the VIth's time under fair Pretences and then overturning all when they had opportunity is a sufficient Caveat to beware of them as inwardly ravening Wolves tho outwardly they appear in Sheeps Cloathing Your August Assembly cannot so soon have forgot that the Nation was almost totally ruined your Counties invaded by savage Highlanders your Tenants murdered and Families impoverish'd your Houses plundered your Wives Daughters and Relations ravish'd your selves and tender Infants exposed to Wandring Hunger Nakedness and Cold and all the Miseries and Oppressions which you groan'd under in the late Reigns both as to Soul and Body I say your Honours cannot certainly have forgot these things so far as to be prevail'd upon by any Insinuations whatever again to deliver up your bleeding Church and Country into the Hands of that Faction lest the latter end be worse than the first There 's no cause to fear a Rupture with England on that account The good Church-of England-Laity and not a few of their Clergy have incurred danger enough from their high-flown Tantivies and have smarted sufficiently under their Doctrine of Passive Obedience to make them cautious and willing to secure themselves from their Fury so far will they be from concurring with them against you The chief Arguments used here for re-admitting the Prelatical Clergy are That it will contribute to his Majesty's Interest and please the Church of England and supply the vacant Congregations As to the first How it can promote his Majesty's Interest to disoblige the greatest part of Scotland and all the Dissenters in England and Ireland is beyond the reach of Mankind to determine 2. How it can be supposed that a Party who have hitherto witnessed so much Rancour against his Majesty's Person Family and Government as the Scots Episcopal Clergy have done is only to be answered by those who can swear contradictory Oaths as our Curats did in their infamous Tests c. As to the second That it will please the Church of England it may easily be answered that we do not owâ— them so much Kindness and if we did we must first know what that Church of England is that we must oblige for hitherto she hath been an individuum Vagum that no body knows where to find it being as difficult to define her as to make a Coat for the Moon Her Doctrinal Articles are own'd by us and all good Protestants but that is not the Characteristick of the Church of England for in the late Reigns Passive Obedience and Nonresistance were her Shibboleth but now she hath renounced those Doctrines by acting diametrically opposite to them And for a Character of the Church of England in this Reign we cannot certainly have it better than from a Vote of the last House of Commons who resolved on an Address of Thanks to his Majesty for the Care he had taken of the Church of England in the Alteration which was then made in the Lieutenancy of London and that was because by the ill Advice of a certain Prelate and
others the Military Power of the City was lodg'd in those who had surrendred her Charter and dipp'd their Hands in the Blood of my Lord Russel Colonel Sidney Alderman Cornish c. and contributed to the Arbitrary Methods of the late Reigns And because this is but one half of the Parliament let 's look into the higher House and there you will find that according to the opinion of none of the least Church-of England-Men when the Act pass'd for depriving the Nonjurant Bishops it was look'd upon as a fatal Blow to the Church of England So that in plain terms the Jacobite Party is what that Faction means by the Church of England And as a Commentary upon the Text let 's but consider the main Engine which they have made use of to quash the Discovery of all Plots against the Government and we shall find that it was by giving out those Discoveries as the Efforts of Republicans and Dislenters against the Church of England and if we look nearer home and consider how it comes to pass that such Men are advanced to the highest Places in the Scots Government who were the Contrivers Enacters and bloody Executioners of those Laws which your August Assembly hath declared to be impious we shall find it to be done by the Interest of that Party in the Church of England If we consider further whence it is that those who betray'd our Army murder'd our People and plotted the Destruction of your Convention escape unpunish'd you will fin'd it to be by the Procurement of the aforesaid Party Now all these things being considered it will easily appear whether it be your Interest to oblige this Church or not Or if we take her according to the general Acceptation of Bishops and Ceremonies the Vote of your August Assembly concerning Prelacy your Act establishing Presbytery as most agreeable to the Word of God and the Opposition made to the Ceremonies by our Country in Charles the First 's time will speedily determine the case And it will yet appear less reasonable to oblige that Church so taken if we consider that those of her own Communion and the best of them too look upon both Bishops and Ceremonies to be indifferent and not of Divine Institution as may be seen by the Writings of Mr. Hickeringil Counsellor Stephens and Stillingfleet's Irenicum So that in effect the best of the Church-of England-Communion are embark'd in the same Bottom with your selves and the common Enemies of both call them Presbyterians as well as you and treated them accordingly in the late Reigns So that from that worthy part of the Church of England who are Men of good Lives and keep firm to the Doctrine of their Church you need fear no Opposition for to do them Justice they are as zealous for the Protestant Religion as any and never join'd in persecuting their Brethren of a different Opinion To what they pretend of supplying the vacant Churches may speedily be replied The Assembly hath declared their Willingness to employ such of them as are Godly and Orthodox And as for others the good old way of our Church in the Reformation when Ministers were scarcer than now of appointing Men to preach by turns to those vacant Congregations till they can be otherwise supplied is the much safer and better Expedient than to entrust such Men with the Charge of other Peoples Souls who have discovered so little care of their own and whom in your Wisdom you objected against as the great and insupportable Grievance of the Nation Nor have you any such Encouragement from their former Success to imploy them again and if it shall seem good in your Eyes to go on as you begun and encourage a Reformation such of our Country-men as are abroad will be the sooner prevail'd with to come home and others to prosecute their Studies to adapt them for the Ministry and fill up the Vacancies for it cannot be hid from your Illustrious Assembly that the intrusting the chief Enemies of the Presbyterians in the Government is a great Discouragement to all that wish well to our Church or Countryâ— and administers but too just cause of Suspicion that we must either be imbroil'd in a Civil War or return to our former Bondage which nothing but your Care with his Majesty's Assistance and God's Blessing is able to prevent Your Honours may perhaps be inclin'd to think that there is too much Gall in my Pen against our Prelatical Clergy but such of your Number as have been lately at London cannot but know what an Odium they have endeavoured to bring upon the Country in general and your August Assembly in particular insinuating That you are neither the True nor full Representatives of the Nation and but a meer surreptitious Faction got together by the Opportunity of tumâ—ltuous Times and that you neither acted from a Principle of Honour nor Conscience but did only what you thought would be pleasing to the Prince of Orange And hence they have used their utmost Endeavours to have you Dissolv'd by the Interest of the high-slown Prelatical English Courtiers to whom they represent you in the blackest Colours which their Malice or Wit can invent And not only so but they make use of your Name as the Turkish Slaves do those of their Barbarous Masters from whom they have escaped to move those of the Church-of England-Communion to open their Purses pretending that you have turn'd them out in a barbarous and illegal manner or that they have had such and such Indignities and Affronts put upon them And thus they beg from one Clergy-man to another and spend what they get at Taverns and Ale-houses or sitting up whole Nights at Cards particularly at Mills in Westminster or Hutchinsons in the Hay-Market and when their Stock is spent renew the begging Trade or else troop about the Country and with their stol'n Sermons or railing Invectives against the Government of Scotland both in Church and State insinuate themselves into the Adorers of Bishops and Ceremonies for the latter of which though they exclaim'd against them at Home they profess themselves to be mighty Zealots Abroad and thus they disseminate their Poison in our Neighbouring Nation by their lying Tongues and blasphemous Pamphlets So that hence your August Assembly may have a sufficient view whether it be safe to reintroduce such Men into the Church who have given up themselves to all manner of Villanies and are become Devotoes to those unscriptural Ceremonies which occasion'd the fatal War in Charleâ—â— the First 's Time and have moreover evidenced such Levity and Unsted fastness both in imbracing rejecting them at Home since the Revolution that it 's visible they are not acted by Principle but Interest and that their Interest has been always contrary to what your August Assembly hath now espoused both as to Policy and Religion is so evident that whoever casts but an Eye upon the History ever since they were obtruded upon the Nation may soon
Preachers who comply'd with our Scots Episcopacy Presbyterians for by that same Argument we may still call the Doctor a Papist for such I am informed he sometimes was As to Dr. Canaries your Testimony is not of validity enough to clear him of that Accusation which I say still is upon Record And suppose it true that these Presbyterian Ministers and Judicatories declared they could make nothing of it that will not amount to prove it false every one knows that Crimes of that Nature are very difficult to prove especially when all the Parties concern'd are link'd together in Interest and think it behoves them to retract what they formerly said as I am very well assured by them whose Reputation is fairer than the Doctor 's and yours both that there is unexceptionable Evidence of the Woman's having declared the thing her self And we have a very pregnant Instance of a Person of no mean Note whose Accusation most in England are satisfied is true and yet we see nothing can be made out neither before the Judges nor the Lords As for your Appeal to Mr. Spalding that he should say nothing could be made of it it is absolutely false he only said it as to the baptizing part which yet as I have already hinted is far from proving it a Lie So that this Topick that nothing can be made appear of it that may justify the Decrees of a Court after so many Years time is not sufficient to acquit Dr. Canariâ—s But suppose the thing to be altogether false it argues a very great want of cleanly Men amongst the Episcopalians thâ—t they should chuse such a Man for Agent who lay under a flagrant Scandal The Apostle's Rule is clear that a Bishop ought to be blameless The Doctor 's next Apology is for himself and very angry he is that I said commonly called Doctor which now I hope I have made him amends for But heark you Doctor I had almost forgot to tell you of another Lie you have given your self and your Brother-Libellers the Authors of the Scotch Eloquence for you all said Nemine contradicentâ— before that the Presbyterians were a proud sowre unconversible Tribe and that there was nothing like Justice among them and now you own that the Presbyterian Privy-Council and a Presbyterian Synod treated Dr. Canaries with special Honour acquitted him and reproved his Accusers Really Doctor this is somewhat odd Can any good thing come out of Nazareth Is it possible that notwithstanding of all your Clamours that you have at last drop'd out a Commendation of their honourable Procedure Truly Doctor this is not warily done pray reconcile this with what you advanced before that we had no Injury done us in the former Book tho therein we were said to be Enemies to all good Morals But Doctor I beg your Pardon perhaps you intend our Civility to Dr. Canaries as a Proof of it for truly he was accused for no good Morals Well but what did I say of Dr. M o truly that it 's well known he rid in the Pope's Guards and the Doctor denies it and says it 's known to none but Presbyterians who can discover Plots in the Moon Doctor I wish it were as sure that there are none in your Prelatical Church But give me leave Doctor this impudent hint of denying the late Prelatical Plots against the Government shews you have need of a better Purgation from the Charge that you rode in the Pope's Guards than you own For really if that were as true as that there have been and are Plots amongst the Prelatists it 's true enough But to satisfy your Doctorship that it 's none of my Invention I tell you truly that I can bring you twenty who heard it of you before ever your Eloquence or my Answer was publish'd and if our Friends make use of Stories now and then which want Confirmation it 's no more than what you accused your Brethren of just now then Veniam damus petimusque vicissim And indeed Doctor to be serious with you I wish that the Falshoods which have been mutually charged on one another may oblige both to be more tender of publishing Reports upon trust but seeing you are the first Aggressors blame your self for the Consequences and I think that your Doctorship particularly ought to have been a little tenderer of justifying such self-Contradictions as the Scots Presbyterian Eloquence seeing I understand that when you were your self Parson in you were your self accused of Villany with a Woman among the Corn truly or otherwise is not mine to determine But seeing you publish'd random Reports against us we cannot be blamed to answer with what we have heard concerning you and truly Doctor I am so far from being guilty of Forgery with which you charge me so often that were I to speak my last I can freely declare that I do not know one Syllable of what I write to be false tho I know a great deal of it to be true yet I never avouch'd all those Instances of the Follies and Vices of your Clergy as undeniable Truths as you and your vapouring Brethren did yours in the Scots Presbyterian Eloquence For I scarce think it possible that at such a distance so many Stories can be transmitted on such a Subject and in so great haste without Mistakes And yet I think there is no such great odds betwixt riding in the Pope's Guards and being a Cadee in Dumbarton's Reglment which guarded Popery and contributed so much to enslave Europe so that it was but an auspicious Omen of being a good Country-man much less a pious Protestant Preacher to be a Volunteer in that Regiment not that I would detract from the Honour of their gallant Colonel who tho he was so unhappy as to be a Papist yet did truly inherit the Noble Soul of his Family Nor yet would I derogate from the Valour of that Regiment but I think these Nations are pretty well satisfied how little we are obliged to them either for our Civil or Religious Liberty And I make bold to say it they are as little obliged to their Cadee The feeble Defence which in the next place you make for Gray Hendry Hannan c. deserves no Thanks from them nor Answer from me and for your abominable Charge of a prostituted Conscience lodg your Accusation nearer home and tho you have prostituted yours to Churches and Princes who drive distinct Interests I never did so with mine And to conclude with your pitiful Reserve to prove me a Liar because in the Title Page it 's said Printed by Tho. Anderson near Charing-Cross 1693. It shews your Cause was sinking when you lay hold on the first thing comes to hand but to satisfy you further I tell you 't is no Lie and charge you upon Credit to prove it one for affirmanti incumbit probatio You have not scribled so much but you must know that Booksellers often put the Date of the following Year to Books printed in
all such who shall be received into Communion with them in Church-Government be obliged to subscribe the Confession of Faith ratified in the second Session of the Parliament There it 's plain that they arrogate no more Power than what is given them by Law and it 's obvious that by this Act they neither exclude the Prelatists ab officio nor beneficio So that the Church-of England-Men have no reason to complain that their Brethren are severely treated for they have made no such steps towards a Comprehension with the English Dissenters though his Majesty desired it And yet what a racket do they keep because the Scots Episcopal Clergy are only denied a share in the Government of the Church which they designedly seek that they may undermine it and are not ashamed to own it In their Letter to his Majesty Novemb. 13. 1690. at the Close of that Assembly they acquaint him with the Instructions which they had given to those appointed for Viâ—itation concerning the Conformists viz. That none of them shall be removed from their Places but such as are either Insufficient Scandalous Erroneous or supinely negligent and that those of them be admitted to Ministerial Communion who upon due trial shall be found Orthodox Able Godly Peaceable and Loyal and that such who shall be found to have received Wrong in any Inferior Judicatory of the Church should be duly redressed Yet what Clamour what Lies what Obloquy and Reproach have the poor Presbyterians of Scotland been loaded with in blasphemous and virulent Pamphlets publish'd in London by Hindmarsh the late King's Bookseller and promoted and disseminated by that ungovernable Faction And what a clutter did the high-â—lown Courtiers keep about the Scots General-Assembly how industrious to misrepresent them to the King and how restless till they had them dissolved contrary to the Laws and at such a time as we were threatned with a Rebellion at Home and an Invasion from Abroad that so his Majesty having disobliged his only Friends in Scotland might be totally deprived of any Assistance from thence but blessed be God who disappointed their Designs And I hope that moderate and truly Religious Church-of England-Men will henceforth be more cautious in listening to the Calumnies of our Episcopal Clergy when they consider the Moderation of the above-mentioned Acts of the Presbyterian General-Assembly which they have no reason to think of such dangerous Consequence as our Pamphleteers would have them believe and as D M ro in his Papers lately seized by Authority would have further insinuated And that they may have yet a further proof of their Moderation I would pray them to read the seventh Instruction given by the said Assembly to the Commissioners appointed for Visitation viz. That they be very cautious of receiving Informations against the late Conformists and that they proceed in the matter of Censure very deliberately so as none may have just cause to complain of their Rigidity yet so as to omit no means of Information and that they shall not proceed to Censure but upon sufficient Probation And that the World may be farther satisfied in their Impartiality in the fourth Instruction they declared that the Power of the Visiters shall reach Presbyterians as well as others and in the second Instruction they gave them Power to stop the precipitant or unwarrantable Procedure of Presbyteries in Processes If any Proceedings can be more mild or regular let the World judg So that whether Dr. M â— and his Fellow Libellers who impudently assert that there is nothing like Order Moderation or Justice among the Presbyterians be Liars or not let these Acts determine And if there were no other thing to stop the Mouths of all Cavillars the Assembly's Declaration That they would depose no Incumbents simply for their Iudgment concerning Church-Government nor yet urge Reordination upon them were sufficient and if there be any Ingenuity in the Church-of England-Men it may for ever silence them as to their Complaints against our Administration seeing those of their Communion have been and continue still to be so much guilty of a contrary Practice towards Dissenters And further this Assembly whom they branded as void of all Moderation or Humanity made an Act in favour of Mr. Couper Curat of Humby and recommended Mr. Cameron one of the late Conformists to the Privy-Council for Charity which is more than ever was done by any Episcopal Assembly in favour of Presbyterian Ministers Having proved the Falshood of the Episcopal Calumnies against our Church as void of Moderation it remains that I do the same as to the State and tho it be already sufficiently done in my first Answer it will not be amiss to insist on it in this And because contraria juxta se posita magis â—lucescunt I shall exhibit a short Epitome of their Acts of Parliament against us in the two last Reigns and of ours against them in this that the World may see on whose side Justice and Moderation lies Acts of Parliament by Charles the Second and James the Seventh against the Presbyterian Government and Prebyterians in Scotland PArl. 1. Session 1. Car. II. They enacted the Oath of Allegiance asserting the King to be the only Supream Governour over all Persons and in all Causes and obliging the Takers to the utmost of their Power to defend assist and maintain his Majesty's said Jurisdiction against all Persons whatsoever and that they should never decline his Power and Jurisdiction Parl. 1. Sess. 1. Act 2 3 4 5 11. An Acknowledgment of the King 's vast and unlimited-Prerogative was enjoin'd to be subscribed by all in publick Trust over and above the Oath of Allegiance Octob. 1662. The Council not Parliament turn'd out 300 Ministers without Citation or Hearing Parl. 1. Sess. 1. Act 7. Sess. 2. Act 2. They enacted That the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant should have no Obligation and ordered them to be burnt by the Hand of the Hangman Sess. 2. Act 3. They restored Patronages Sess. 1. Act 4. Enacted That none be Masters in any University except they take the Oath of Allegiance and own Prelacy and none should be School-master Tutor or Pedagogue to Children without a Prelate's Licence Sess. 2. Act 5. and Sess. 2. Act 3. Enacted That all in publick Trust or Office renounce and abjure the Covenant on pain of losing their Places and Privilege of Trading Sess. 2. Act 2. Enacted That all Petitions Writing Printing Remonstrating Praying or Preaching shewing any dislike of the King 's absolute Prerogative and Supremacy in Causes Ecclesiastick or Episcopacy be punished as seditious And that no Meetings be kept in private Houses Sess. 3. Act 2. Enacted That all Non-conformed Ministers that presume to exercise their Ministry shall be punish'd as seditious Persons And that all Persons in acknowledgment of his Majesty's Government Ecclesiastical attend the Sermons of the Curats Noblemen and Gentlemen refusing to lose a fourth of their Rents Burgesses their Freedom and a fourth part