to the generality of them did then and do at this day agree in this That the publick Resolutions are not agreeable to former principles and proceedings There was cause of stumbling given also to the Godly in regard of the Commissioners their maner of proceeding because a Quorum very few moe of the Commission did lay the foundation of these resolutions not only without the rest of their number but also without advertising a great many of them And so many being absent and not advertised they did in a day or two determine that most grave case which had often before that time been determined in the negative and sent abroad their Determinations to Presbyteries requiring obedience and upon mens offering the grounds of their dis-satisfaction and professing their adherence thereto till satisfaction should be given did issue such Warnings and Acts as we have formerly spoken of I appeal the Author himself whether at the time of the giving of the Answer to the Quaere it was not known to the Commission that many godly and faithfull Ministers and Professors in the Land were averse from employing these men in the Army and had great scruples about it and that many Members of the Commission who were not to be despised had often profest their dislike of it albeit the matter had been lawful surely there was great precipitancy and rashness in the first Resolution which is acknowledged by sober men even of the same judgment but such was the zeal and forwardness of the Court and of some Parliament men on the one hand and the readiness of sundry of the Commission who had before that time declared themselves for that way on the other hand to hearken unto them and the faintness of any that were present to oppose it that hold was taken of the opportunity to do it quovis modo whereby real offence was given to the godly in the Land Si quid importuna levitate aut lascivia aut temeritate non ordine nec suo loco facias quo imperiti imbecillesque offendantur scandalum abs te datum dicetur quoniam tua culpa factum fuit ut ejusmodi offensio suscitaretur ac omnino scandalum in re aliqua datum dicitur cujus culpa ab Autore rei ipsus profecta est are the words of a great Divine speaking of scandals very applicable to this case Next he doth a wrong in making them so ignorant simple and facile as in these things to be led away with the mis-representations and mis-informations of others Many of the most judicious decerning Christians in the Land were stumbled at the Commissions proceedings upon the first hearing of them before the Protesters did make either right or wrong Representations of them I will not say but they were confirmed in the dislike of these proceedings by conference with the Protesters other Ministers of that judgment as they also were mutually edified and confirmed by them but that all the stumbling and dislike did arise from the suggestions and practisings of some or all of the same persons whom the Author calls the Alleadgers and Accusers is not true yea I dare say that albeit all the Protesters and all the Ministers in Scotland had been of one mind with the Commission in the matter the Publick Resolutions yet many of the godly in Scotland would have stumbled thereat It would have been in this case as in the business of the Treaty wherwith many of the godly in Scotland were dissatisfied notwithstanding that there seemed to be a harmony and consent amongst the Ministry there anent That there were more Testimonies for the Commissioners from Presbeteries and Synods then were against them is no great wonder multitudes commonly inclining to the worst side in the day of tentation and they being but few who keep their garments pure yet did not the strength of the Testimonies upon the one hand or on the other ly in the number of the Witnesses but upon the truth and clearness of their Evidence what was testified by the opposers of the Commission was confirmed by clear Evidence from the constant Doctrine of this Church grounded upon the Word of God and set down in the Covenant and Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties and Publick Warnings Declarations Remonstrances c. but not so much as a tittle of these for Evidence on the other side It is acknowledged by the Author himself That the Publick Resolutions was a case not formerly determined by any Publick Judgement of this Kirk and if so there could no evidence be brought from the Doctrine of this Church for clearing and confirming of these Resolutions The Author is pleased to call the Testimonies given against the Publick Resolutions really and in themselves Scandals tending most evidently to the exposing of the Kingdom and of the Cause to the power of the Invaders He was pleased a little above to call them Slanders and so all the godly in Scotland who speak against these Resolutions are upon his accompt Slanderers But these Testimonies were neither Slanders nor Scandals they did contain real Truths and were Duties to which the givers of them were obliged in a backsliding time for delivering of their own souls and preserving the Cause of God from being overborn with a spate of defection and though in many things they acknowledge themselves to be amongst the most sinful yet in this they were so far from exposing of the Kingdom Cause to the power of the Invaders that they hold themselves bound to bless the Lord while they live who gave them mercy to be kept free from that carnal sinful course that did provoke the Lord to give so great a stroak to the Kingdom and the Cause in those dreadful Rods wherewith he hath smitten us since these Resolutions What was the sense that the Invaders themselves had of this I do not well know but this it 's like enough they rejoyced in our Divisions But it was not the opposing of the Publick Resolutions wherein they did directly rejoyce Nothing from us-ward would have been matter of so great terror to them as to have seen us unanimous in separating from and opposing of all Malignant Interests As it was upon the other hand the matter of their confidence and joy that their former quarrel seemed to be justified by the Publick Resolutions which did so much strengthen and promove Malignant Interests if we may beleeve their own Expressions and Letters written from some of the Chief of them to the Higher Powers in England He tels us That for that cause some of the Testimonies were sooner put into their hands then communicated to the Commissioners and they in thankfulness were very thankful to cause print them This is a crimination of no smal consequence to the Name and Fame of these of whom the Author speaks and therfore if he had dealt candidly and spoken truth upon perswasion and evidence he should have told us of what Testimonies he meaned and who
men in that Meeting earnestly endeavoured that condescending upon Publick Causes of the wrath of God manifested in that defate at Dumbar as Causes of a Fast might be delayed untill the week next following that there might be a full Meeting of the Commission conveened together to go about that purpose with Authority and more deliberation but were born down by the vehemency and head-strong forwardnesse of some who are chief men in this Protestation professing so much respect to the established Government of this Kirk 3. That there was no necessity of haste in emitting particular Causes there was rather much danger in doing it upon so short deliberation seing the publick calamity and known publick sins was causes evident enough to all of humiliation for the present and within lesse then eight dayes a Meeting of the Commission might have been conveened as it was de facto conveened within that space to condescend upon particulars all these things being considered was it not usurpation and contempt of lawfull Authority and the Government established in this Kirk to say that the Commission at their Meeting which followed did approve of the causes emitted by them it doth not avail to clear them from usurpation and contempt of the Government for to say nothing of that that the Commission did both alter somethings in them and adde to them about recommending prayer for the King as well as mourning for his sins in the humiliation which was seemed to have been purposely left out as appeared by the debate made about it when it was mentioned and desired in the Commission for the space of half an hour at least by Mr. James Guthrie and the Register to say nothing of this that which the Commission approved was the matter of these causes and not the way of emission wherewith many of the Commission shewed themselves exceedingly dis-satisfied as a practise without example and a preparative tending to the overthrow of the Authority of Government but did forbear to challenge it at that time for peace sake REVIEW THere is a great deal adoe here for little or nothing which saith that there must be some mystery in the bottom before I come to discover it I shall make answer to the particulars alledged First by a narration of the History as it was in matter of fact and then by taking off the things which are challenged by the Author Our Army being defeat at Dumbar upon the Tuesday morning and some of the scattered Forces having retired towards Striveling in the end of that week a considerable number of the members of the Commission and Presbytery with the Army did meet there to take in consideration what was fit for them to do in that juncture of time affairs and after mutuall debate and advice finding that in all appearance they might be driven from thence and scattered one from another very suddenly the Town then not being fenced nor any furniture or provision in it nor we having any bodie of standing Forces in the fields to interpose betwixt the Town and the Enemy and the hand of God laying heavy and sore upon the Army and upon the whole Land by that dreadfull stroak at Dumbar they thought it expedient that there being one or two wanting to make a Quorum of the Commission and these of the Commission who were present being also members of the Presbytery of the Army and sundry other Ministers who were also members of that Presbytery being present that they should set down the heads of these things for which as they conceived the Lord had smitten us send them abroad to the Presbyteries throughout the land with a Letter written from the Presbytery of the Army not injoining them as causes of a humiliation to be keeped by any Authority but humbly representing them as their thoughts â—n so sad a time and desiring their brethren to join in a publick Fast and humiliation thereupon What usurpation or contempt of lawfull Authority and the government established in this Church was here As to the things challenged by the Author they did not assume to themselves any authority but onely write their humble advice as their Letter did humbly shew and this they might do yea it was expedient for them to do it as things then stood neither were they so private as the Author insinuates the Author speaks a little diminutively of them when he cals them some members of the Commission and some members of the Presbytery of the Army there wanted but one or two of a Quorum of the Commission and the Presbytery of the Army was numerous and well conveened as many certainly as gave them power to Act in any thing that was fit for the Presbytery to meddle with These sundry godly and understanding men of whoâ— he speaks who were for a delay were but a few and when the rest of their Brethren did not finde it expedient they did not eâ—ter any dissent which belike they would have done if they had thought it a busines of any such consequence as the Author would â—ow make it when he sayeth they were born down by the head strong forwardnesse of some professing so much respect to the established government of this Church He doth but shew himself like the man who wanting better weapons did throw feathers at his adversary which did manifest a great deal of desire to reach blows but drew no bloud all the Protesters who were then present were two or three at most and they had no more voices but their own but it seems that in some mens judgement where ever any Protesters are they must bear the blame of all the things that are conceived to be done amisse As to the next there was a necessity because there was no appearance that they would get leave to stay together for to meet with any conveniency for a long time thereafter let be that the Commission might meet within eight dayes as the Author asserts It will be acknowledged by such as knew the truth that if the English had at any time within eight dayes after Dumbar either advanced with their whole Army or sent any considerable part thereof to Striveling they had in all appearance gained that place and so made an easie passe for themselves to overrun the whole Land and was it not every bodies fear that they should so have done at that time yea did not all of us many time blesse God that they did it not And what could be the danger of emitting these causes by way of humble desire and brotherly representation seing they did medle with nothing but that which was palpable and manifest yea which for the matter had been condescended upon by the Commission before that time and was as the Author himself acknowledgeth such as the Commission did at their next Meeting approve the onely thing that had any shadow of newness in it was that of the crooked and precipitant wayes that had been taken for carrying on the Treaty with the King
speaks of I write not these things for lesning the crediâ—e and reputation of that person or bearing upon him more then upon others any particular guilt in the matter of the Treaty but for the truthes sake and that he may be exhorted to consider yet again whether the zeal of his own credite which many times byasses the spirits even of good men have not too too much ingaged him in the defence of that businesse and in exaggerating and challenging every thing that seems in the least measure to reflect on the same which he hath the more reason to do not onely because it is ingraven on the hearts of the generality of the godly in the Land as with a pen of iron and with the point of a Diamond that this Land and especially the Rulers and Minsters thereof have sinned a great sin in that matter of the Treaty with the King but also because sundry of the precious and godly men who were with him imployed in that matter do bear such a conviction of the guiltinesse thereof upon their spirits that they are not like to forget it whilst they live and some of those who were most active and forward in the businesse being now taken out of the land of the living did upon their death bed confesse their guiltinesse in this thing and sadly bemoaned it before the Lord in the hearing of faithfull witnesses who do bear record of it I know that these things are no rule to him but they may and I hope shall provoke him to search this thing and himself therein again and again VINDICATION SIxthly Suffering some in their publick Meeting at Edinburgh contrary to solemn Declaration and oath made both in our Nationall Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant by writ to represent this as a main cause of wrath upon the Land that we had bound and engaged our selves to Presbyteriall Government without any censure passed upon the said Paper or testimony given against it to this day though now it be going abroad in Print REVIEW THe Meeting at Edinburgh did not omit any thing that was in their power for the hindering of the giving in of that Paper such of them as heard of it before it came in shewed a great dislike of it and dealt as seriously as they could with the Gentlemen who gave it in to forbear it and when it came in the Meeting shew their dislike of it and did appoint some of their number to confer with him about it who did accordingly confer with him and endeavour to inform him of the errors contained therein and in the Causes of the Lords wrath which were condescended upon by the Meeting at the same time they did give a testimony against the matter of the errors contained in that Paper though they did not expresse the particular words and articles thereof conceiving it not fit so to do seeing the Paper was not then publick that it afterwards came in publick was contrary to their desires and endeavors also to the knowledge intention of him who gave it in if we may trust his own testimony which I believe the Author wil not question in matters of fact But the Author stumbles at this that we have given no testimony against it to this day If he hath read the testimonies which we have since that time given against all things in that kind that may import any prejudice to Presbyteriall Government or to any part of the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of the Church of Scotland he doth us wrong to write so if he hath not read them then he shall be pleased to do it I hope in this he shal receive satisfaction It becometh us not to boast of any thing that we do it is through grace and not of our selves but when groundless imputations are born upon us to render the integrity of our Profession suspected indifferent men will bear with us a little in our folly if we say that in this day of temptation we have not been behind the greatest Zealots for the Publick Resolutions in bearing testimony for the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of the Church of Scotland and for all things relating to our Religion and Liberty and yet not we but the grace of God in us VINDICATION SEventhly taking upon them judicially to determine a Generall Assembly conveened continued and closed to be an unlawfull constitute Assembly and judicially to condemne the Acts thereof which no power on earth could do inferiour to another Gen. Assembly and to assume unto themselves the authority of a Publick Judicatory in the Kirk as having Commission from another prior Assembly before it was examined and determined by a judge competent whether the interveening Assembly whose meeting if lawfull did extinguish all Commission from a prior Assembly was lawfull constitute or not all the world shal not be able to clear this from usurpation I shal adde no more instances to this purpose though I might aâ—de not a few and as for these I have brought the Reader may perceive that they do not belong directly and formally to the matter of the questions in controversie between the Protesting Brethren and the late Judicatories of the Kirk but that they are such at suppose the late Judicatories had gone wrong in some of these matters in controversie yet they can never be cleared from contempt and wronging of the established Government of this Kirk which in their carriage to the General Assembly did appear which was not straight and according to their Profession and the established government I leave it to be judged by what followeth in the examination of the Reasons they alleadge for what they did REVIEW I Shall not debate with the Author whether they have taken upon them judicially to determine the nullity of the Assembly at St. Andrews and Dundee and judicially to condemne the Acts thereof though he take it for granted it may be that he have some difficulty to prove it from any deed of theirs but the hinge of this whole businesse in reference to that Assembly and the Acts thereof and the setting up and proceeding of the Commission of the Prior Assembly of the year 1650. is in this whether that Meeting at St. Andrews was a lawfull free Generall Assembly for if it was not so then was it null ab initio and the Commission of the prior Assembly are full in power and therefore are not guilty of usurpation or of the assuming of any authority which is not competent for them but do only exercise that which was given them whereof they have still the just possession and the case being thus as I hope it shall be made to appear notwithstanding of any thing the Author hath said to the contrary might not the Commission being clearly convinced upon good grounds of the unlawfulnesse unfreedome and corruptnesse of that Meeting and the Acts thereof with the advice of diverse Ministers from severall parts of the Land agree upon this as one
provocations which are great and many they would by this also have been accessory to what the Nation smarts under this day as the righteous reward of such revolting from God and therefore if ye have no more to instance but this it doth not prove but that they may all of them be still called faithfull and honest men Secondly he sayeth Be it so that some were wont to be chosen Commissioners who were not now chosen yet this is litle to the point that Elections was carryed by influence of the Commissions Letter and Act. But granting that Presbyteries did upon that Letter and Act leave their wonted way these years past in thâ—ir Election it is to the point in hand because it is praesumptio juris de jure that this change flowed from the influence that the Letter and Act had upon them the Author seeing somewhat of this intimates another cause that moved that change to wit that the whole Kirk was growing sensible of this thing as dangerous whereby the whole power of Publick Government was near become settled in the persons of some particular men and these but a few as constant Commissioners in which he thinks there will be need to pre-limite Presbyteries that they make not an use of it If the Lord shall be pleased again to grant the Liberty of an Assembly But to say nothing that this was the language which was wont to be spoken by dis-affected men these years past especially dis-affected Ministers who fell under the censures of the Church whose pretences and alleadgeances in this particular have strength added unto them by the Authors asserting the same thing It is non causa pro causa as will appear by these two things First there were a good many of these who were for the Publick Resolutions who had wont to be Commissioners these years past and who had a great some of them a greater swey in Government than the other and yet most if not all of these were chosen also the last year Now if that was the cause which the Author speaks of why did it not bring forth the like effect in regard of both seeing both were alike lyable to that exception Next if the whole Church was so grown in the sense of that evill why did they not provide the remedy at the last Assembly it being in their power so to have done and the Commissioners as the Authors assertion will import having such an impression of the same upon their spirits If the Author will speak his Conscience I think he will not deny but if these men whom he saith to have been excluded upon that ground have been for the Publick Resolutions even these amongst them whom that ground might have been conceived to reach most would have been chosen and admâ—tted Commissioners as well as others If the whole Church was growing sensible of this thing surely the Meeting at St. Andrews did litle regard or expresse it when they choosed one to be their Moderator who not onely had been Moderator of the former Commission whose proceedings were then in question and to be examined but also in many preceding Commissions and Aâ—len biâ—es and who had been a chief Aâ—tor all that while in all these things that concern Publick Government which I speak not to bear any paâ—ticular blame upon him or upon his carriage but to let see that either the whole Church was not growing sensible of this as the Author insinuates or else that hâ—r sense of it in her Representative was let out or holden in upon men according to their judgment and carriage in the Publick Resolutions and so was not the cause of the Presbyteries not choosing such as they were wont to choose Thirdly Thaâ— few opposers were chosen he thinks it is no wonder because they are but few in comparison of the rest of the Ministery of the Land How few soever they were in comparison of thâ— rest of the Ministery in the Land yet these of them who were formerly wont to be chosen Commissioners were not few in respect of the rest of the Commissioners neither yet were they so few as the Author reckons them when he sayeth that four parts of five of the Presbyteries had in them at that time no opposers to the Publick Resolutions nay they were and are still a very considerable number and whensoever an exact calculation shall be made by a particular list of the whole Ministery in the Land and of these who were against the Publick Resolutions at the time of the Elections and of the whole Commissioners of the Assembly at S. Andrews and Dundee I believe it shall be found that the number of Commissioners who were chosen from among these who were against the Publick Resolutions waâ— no way in proportion answerable to the number of the other That some unsatisfied were chosen without another Election and without Protestation even when neither whole Societies were unanimous against the Resolutions not yet the plurality were opposers he doth affirm it but doth not prove it for the instances which he gives of the Commissioners both of the Presbyteâ—y and University of Aberdeen prove nothing lesse For the University the Letter and Act came not to it at least were not read in it and the plurality there were opposers of the Publick Resolutions And for the Presbytery by his own grant there was a Protestation against the opposing Brother who was chosen which was taken up again with much difficulty and by earnest dealing of some of the Brethren opposite to the Publick Resolutions whose desire was condescended unto with condition that their should be a third Commissioner it being in the mean while suggested in private that he who had first appeared in the Protestation against the opposers might be the man which I relate not upon hear-say but upon the subscribed testimony of these who were witnesses to the matter of fact So I hope that nothing against the truth hath been asserted by the Writer in this part of his Answer The Author sayeth in a Parenthesis that dissenting in the enumeration is idlely reckoned up Why he should say so I do not conjecture unlesse that it be he thinks dissenting and protesting the same thing which they are not as appears clearly from an Act of the Assembly 1644. concerning dissent and Protestations in Presbyteries He seems unsatisfied with the Writer that whilst he makes enumeration of elections of Presbyteries divided in judgment some doubted some dissented from or protested against some both wayes that he gives no particular instances of all these sorts but only two and he tells his Reader that he suspects he can give no more or very few But he is suspicious without cause moe can be given and are given by the Writer in that very Paper that the Author is replying to and moe then all these can yet be given if need be And though they were but few this is no great wonder because there was but few Presbyteries did choose
case in the year 48. the elections being past in most places before it was done and might be justly presumed to have been past in all as shall afterwards be more fully cleared but it was not so in the 51. what was then done being previous to the elections Next I give clear answer by denying the minor because the Commission did not require such a thing the most that they did was to recommend it which is far from requiring and therefore by the writers grounds the Author hath proven nothing at all To the second consideration that the Letter and Act of the Commission 48. was not writen untill most part or all elections in Presbyteries was past he makes answer that so were many of the elections of Presbyteries before the Letter and Act of the Commission 51. came unto them But that is not true if we take the Authors own ground to wit that few Presbyteries except it be such as are farthest distant chooseth their Commissioners 20. or 25. dayes before the Assembly and allowing 8. dayes for dispatch to Presbyteries and take withall the date of the Letter and Act of the Commission 1651. which is the 28. day of May and compare it with the day of the down sitting of the Assembly which was the 16. day of July the untruth of this will appear because between the date of the Act and the diet of the Assembly are 48. dayes of which deducing 8. for the dispatch there do remain 40. dayes till the Assembly which do far exceed the time spoken of by the Author for the other part of it that most part of the elections 48. were past before the Letter and Act of the Commission came unto them I do appeal to the Presbytery Books There is little or no weight in the presumptions that the Author gives to the contrary 1. He takes upon him to prove that some Presbyteries did upon that Letter and Act refer and cite some of their members to the Generall Assembly some Presbytery dayes before they began to think upon the election of Commissioners but he hath named none and comprises them under the word some haply lest it should be known how few there were probably but one that is St. Andrews in the matter of one of their university men who was also a Minister Next he makes a supputation but of 8. dayes for the dispatch of the Letter to Presbyteries and that to the most part of Presbyteries it might have soon come and but of 20. or 25. dayes interveening betwixt the diet of the Assembly and the elections in most parts of Presbyteries If the custome of dispatch had been by pasts hired and dispatched to severall parts immediatly after the writing of the Letter and making of the Act it might have come to the most part of Presbyteries in 8. dayes but so it was not neither in the 48. nor 51. but by occasionall bearers and therefore would take more time and I think it is said gratis that few Presbyteries do make their elections 20. or 25. dayes before the Assembly but there is no sure way of determining these differences about circumstances of time when neither the one nor the other Letter came to Presbyteries but from the Presbytery books and therefore to these I do appeal to stand or fal in this matter at their sentence only remembering this that it is clear that the date of the Letter and Act of the Commission 48. is but five weeks before the Assembly whereas the date of the other is 7. weeks before the Assembly VINDICATION THe third Consideration presented by the writer of this Paper is that before the writing of that Letter by the Commission 48. the whole Kirk of Scotland almost in all the Presbyteries and Synods thereof had declared themselvs in conscience unsatisfied with the engagement excepting a very few Ministers scattered here and there in Presbyteries which few were also known to be opposites to the work of God or neutralls and indifferent therein from the beginning Answer 1. If by the Kirk of Scotland be here understood the collective Kirk I cannot see how it is true that is said here that the whole Kirk of Scotland for the most part except a few Ministers had declared themselves unsatisfied with the engagement certain it is and too certain that very many in the Kirk of Scotland in this sense of all ranks in all quarters almost were too evidently too active for it as the censure civill and Ecclesiasticall which thereupon followed do witnesse if the Ministeriall Kirk be understood it is true that the far greater part were dis-satisfied but yet they were not so few Ministers that were of a contrary minde they were too many and in some places the greater part of whole Presbyteries It may well be remembred what a summe they were like to have accompted to at the time of the Generall Assembly and it seems to me too much that all of them were either opposers of the work whether hereby be understood the outward work of Reformation or the power of Religion or neutrals or indifferent from the beginning the contrary is known of some of them and I would not say so much of all them that were censured though I acknowledge their censure was just 2. A great part of the Kirk of Scotland before the writing of the late Commissions Letter had declared themselves satisfied with the Commissions Resolutions and dissatisfied with the course of the opposers thereof and count when the writer will he shall find that the dissenters from the Commission 48. were not fewer yea not so few as the dissenters from the Commission 51. we know that the number of these amounted to at their greatest Meeting at _____ of late and howsoever moe of these then of the first be godly men and had been more faithfull in the Cause formerly yet their present course at that time being not faithfulnes to the Cause but prejudiciall to it and the whole Kirk and Country both they might justly have been referred and called before the Gen. Assembly to give an accompt of their way as wel as the former were though they be more tenderly dealt with as to themselves was evidently seen in the whole progress with them and was also really apparent in the very Act and Letter of the Commission REVIEW I Think the Author did well enough know that in setting down of the third Difference the Writer did not mean of the Collective but of the Ministeriall Church of which not only the greater part but almost all had declared themselves unsatisfied in Conscience with the Engagement excepting a few Ministers scattered here and there in Presbyteries who were known either to be opposers of the Work of God or neutrall and indifferent therein from the beginning it is true they were too many in regard of the evill course they were engaged into yet were they but few in number who did not at that time in some outward way at least give some
terms As to that in the year 1582. it is grosly mistaken because it is no waies anent declining of unlawful Assemblies but against appealing from lawful Assemblies to the Civil Magistrate in Ecclesiastick causes for stopping Ecclesiastick Discipline against the persons appealers as is further evident by the occasion thereof Mr. Robert Montgomery Bishop of Glasgow his producing Letters of Horning from the King Counsel charging the Assembly to desist from his Process and suspending their Sentence in the mean time till the King and Counsel consider the same against which the Kirk entred a Protestation From these things it may appear how unwarantably the Meeting at Dundee did upon alleadgance of this Act fall upon debate of the summar Excommunication of these who had protested A VINDICATION OF THE Freedom and Lawfulnesse and so of the Authority of the late GENERALL ASSEMBLY Begun at St. Andrews and continued at Dundee in Answer to the Reasons alleadged against the same in the Protestation and Declinator given in by some Brethren at St. Andrews and in another Paper lately contrived by some c. 1651. Together with a Review of the said Vindication plainly holding forth the Nullity and unlawfulnesse of that pretended Generall Assembly In which the aspersions cast upon the Protesters in that Vindication are taken off And the Answers brought unto the Reasons contained in the Protestation against the freedome and lawfulnesse of that Meeting and in the Paper afterwards penned for clearing and confirming thereof are discussed and the strength of these reasons established to be a Null Assembly By a Friend of the Protesters cause Gal 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage 2. Cor. 10.8 Our authority which the Lord hath given us for edification and not for your destruction For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth Printed Anno Dom. 1652. The Inscription of the Vindication A Vindication of the freedom and lawfulnesse and so of the authority of the late Generall Assembly begun at S. Andrews and continued at Dundee in Answer to the Reasons alleadged against the same in the Protestation and Declinator given in by some Brethren at S. Andrews and in another Paper lately contrived by some practizing to foment divisions and to fix a Schisme in this Kirk and for that effect spread abroad onely into the hands of such as they conceive wil be inclinable to follow their way but keeped up from all others The Review of the Inscription IN this Title some things are insinuated and others are asserted It is insinuated that the Protestation was given in but by a few for he calls them some Brethren I acknowledge that the multitude and greater number are upon the other side yet that is not a thing wherein they have cause to boast or the Protesters need to be ashamed it seldome falls out especially in declining times that the followers of the truth are the most numerous yet were these even for their number many moe then by the Law are accounted witnesses sufficient to attest a truth and many there be throughout the Land who put to their seal to their Testimony as true Ministers Elders and Professors yea the Generality of the Generation of the Righteous and such as know GOD and live godly in the Land It is asserted first That the other Paper was lately contrived that is a litle while before the writing of this Vindication But if the Vindication was not written many moneths before it came abroad the Author thereof is mistaken in this because this Paper was contrived within a very few weeks three or four at most after the Protestation it self it may be that it came but lately to his hand but it was abroad long before his Vindication was heard of 2. It is asserted that this Paper was contrived by some practizing to foment divisions and to fix a Schisme in this Kirk But their hearts bear them record that the fomenting or fixing of division or schisme justly so called as it never was nor is their purpose so hath it been far from their practice either in that or any other particular This indeed they do acknowledge that they are unwilling to suffer themselves to be divided from the truth formerly received and professed by the Church of Scotland and that they conceive themselves bound in their stations and Callings to bear testimony against the course of back-sliding carried on in the Land of which they judge the common Constitution and Acts of that Assembly to be no small part and though to foment divisions and fix a Schisme in the Church be a heavy imputation yet being conscious to themselves of their own innocencie they are not much moved with it remembring that it is the common Topick whence decliners in all the Ages of the Church have argued against these who would not be consenting unto or did testifie against their defection Peace and unity hath been their plea and sedition division and schisme their charge against their opposers upon this accompt doth the Lord Jesus and his Apostles by the Scribes and Pharisees and Elders of the Jewes Luther and Calvin and our first Reformers by the Pope and his Clergy Nonformists by the Prelats and their adherents stand recorded in the Catalogue of these who practized to foment divisions and fix a schisme in the Church 3. It is asserted That this Paper was spread abroad onely into the hands of such as they conceive will be inclineable to follow their way but keeped up from all others If they had directly sent Copies to these of a contrary judgment it might haply been thought a piece of vanity and presumption and if the Author of this Vindication thought such a thing incumbent to them why did he not send a Copy of his Answer to the contrivers of these Papers whom as he afterwards bears us in hand he doth very wel know or hath he spoken with or received evidence from all others who were not inclinable to follow that way that he doth so confidently assert that Paper to have been kept up from all of them I will assure him it was not so as he affirmes As the contrivers did not vainly nor boastingly spread it to the provoking of any so did they not purposely keep it up from any of whatsoever judgment but were willing and desirous that it should go abroad for edifying of as many as the Lord should be pleased to blesse it unto And therefore did they not onely give Copies to such as did desire them but also did use some means to have gotten it Printed and could get none to undertake it VINDICATION Before I fal upon the Examination of the Reasons brought against and the discovery of the false Aspersions cast upon the Assembly by these Papers mentioned I do obtest the Reader whosoever he be into whose hands this Vindication shall come in the fear of God and as thou
there be any who deserve the name of the prime contrivers and sticklers in the matter of the Protestation it is some of these who had no hand in these high courses which he mentions and who upon his accompt are among the simple ones These crimes which he doth so positively and without hesitation charge upon some especially being so hainous and great It would seem that both charity and and justice would have required that he had brought some good evidence of them least haply his Reader trust not his naked Assertion in that which doth not onely reach the reputation but also the life and being of others And if he would have men to believe their tenets to be contrary to the minde and practice of all Orthodox Churches and to the Faith he would do well to prove them to be so untill he do it he will I hope allow charity to these who deny it Some of the greatest Divines of this Church and of this age whose praise is in all the Reformed Churches do affirm and have proved the contrary and if the Authors Assertion be true I fear not to say that the minde and practice of this Church these years past hath not been Orthodox nor agreeable to the faith in order to these tenets because they have been clearly taught and practised by this Church these years past and a man but slenderly seen in the Doctrine thereof may bring forth these tenets asserted by this Church in the same letters and sillabes and may give clear instances of her practices a-agreeing with the same It hath been done already by some in a more convincing way then the sharpest opposers of these tenets have as yet satisfyingly answered I would fain know what ground the Author had to say that the prime contrivers and sticklers found it safest for them rather altogether to disclaim the Authority of the Assembly then to hazard upon a fair and orderly trial of their matters Their consciences do bear them record that it was not upon any jealousie or suspition they had of their Cause as not being able to endure the light reason may perswade indifferent men to think that they did not look upon protesting against the Assembly as the safest course otherwise then in order to their duty for if we take safety as it might concern their persons they could hardly have done any thing that could have more endangered these It was a speedy way to expose them to the censures both of Church and State as did appear in the sequel some of them because of their Protesting being deposed by that Assembly and others of them confined by the civil Magistrate and there is ground to presume that they would have been proceeded against with further censures both civil and Ecclesiastick if the Lord had not stopt the current of these things If this was their safest way why do men of his own judgment so frequently say that if the Protestation had been forborn the Assembly would not have censured any no not in the case of their adhering to their judgment and dissenting from the judgment of the Assembly in the matters of the Publick Resolutions If we shal take safety in order to the cause they could not be so dull as to think that their Protesting against the Assembly would keep the Assembly from trying and judging of their cause or other indifferent men from searching into the same and if before the Protestation it could not abide the triall it did but put them in a much worse condition to Protest upon an unwarrantable ground it being worse to defend two evill causes then one And therefore it doth not appear from these things that self-interest was the spring from whence these Actings did flow yea the contrary if any thing is manifest because by such a way they could expect nothing but the hightning of all former reproaches cast on them the exposing of themselvs to the censures both of Church and State if men that in all their precious interests must be sufferers because of their doing of such things be led to act therein upon a principle of selfish interest we leave it to judicious and indifferent men to consider and give their judgement whether it be very apparent yea or not It is true that some two or three did partly by the perswasion and partly by the threatning of some at Dundee resile a little from the Testimony which they had given at St Andrews in the matter of the Protestation which within a short time thereafter they did repent of and again adhered to their former Testimony not upon any selfish-interest or eye to credite or advantage as the Author affirmes there being no appearance first or last that by adhering to the Protestation they could gain any of these things but on the checks of their own consciences and the voice they heard behind them saying this is the way walk ye in it when they had turned aside some of them are since that time taken out of the land of the living and I trust are now in glory and I can assure the Author and all others and if it be doubted I wil get it attested under the hands of famous witnesses that after their resiling from that testimony they had no peace nor quietnes in their spirits for a long time but went down mourning to their graves because they had so done and upon their death beds did often and sadly bemoan it that they had missed the opportunity to give some publick Testimony and Declaration with others of their sorrow for the same and of their purpose and resolution to adhere to the Protestation It had been no losse to the Author nor his cause to have spared such sharp let me not say bitter and personal reflections upon conscientious and godly men as he many times needlesly useth he and all others whose eyes God hath opened to see their way cannot but be conscious to themselves of their own wandrings and how much they owe to the exceeding riches of the mercy and free grace of God that hath recovered them out of snares VINDICATION SEcondly estimation of the persons the Authors or Abbettors of this Protestation God forbid I should think say or advise any thing to the prejudice or disadvantage of godlinesse or godly persons neither shall I question their godlinesse my judgement concerning some yea many of them is very positive having by experience and acquaintance seen I must say much of the image of JESUS CHRIST in them as for others what ever they have been every whit I take not on me to judge them nor yet think I it pertinent or fit so to do That there are godly men not a few on the other side too is manifest some that were in Christ before them and men that hath suffered for the Truth and Cause of God when others had not the honor to be doers for it and are ready to suffer if he shal call them to it though some uncharitably
the Committee of Estates were about the condemning of the Remonstrance they having it in Commission from these that sent them and thinking it incumbent to them in duty to desire an answer and in such an exigent to professe their adherence thereto did make application to the Committee of Estates for that effect after which the Committee of Estates did pass severall Votes condemning the Remonstrance to the great grief of sundry of their own number who did dissent from it and protest against the same and the sentence of the Committee being communicated to the Commission of the Church and they also desired by them to give their judgement of the Remonstrance These who were sent from the West did earnestly supplicate the Commission before they should give any sentence upon the Remonstrance that they would be pleased to allow them some time till they might return and communicate with these who had sent them hoping that all of them would give such an explication or their meaning in the things which were stumbled at as would satisfie the Commission Which desire seemed so reasonable in it self and necessary at that time for preventing of differences and the grieving of the spirits of many gracious and godly men who had been faithfull and zealous in the Cause from the beginning that many Members of the Commission did earnestly presse that it might be granted especially seeing they had met with so great disappointment in the carriage of the Committee of Estates in order to that business yet notwithstanding hereof it was refused and the Commission did proceed also to condemne the Remonstrance and refer the further sentencing of it to the General Assembly sundry of these who were at Sterlin being now gone and some others come from places more Northward which gave occasion to sundry at that time to apprehend that which is now plainly profest by some considerable Members of the Committee of Estates who were eager in condemning the Remonstrance that if they had not been put upon it by some Members of the Commission they would not have done â—t from this vote of the Commission a considerable number of their Members about sixteen or seventeen as I remember did dissent and the persons interessed in the Remonstrance did protest and I fear not to say that this peremptory precipitant and needlesse haste of the plurality of the Commission in that particular was a great occasion of all the division and rent that followed thereafter In the mean while the Malignants who had risen in Arms were agreed with and an Act of Indempnity was past to them and Colonell Montgomerie was sent against the Western Forces with directions to force them if they would not willingly agree to the States demands and it was no great wonder if after so many dayes staying at Sterlin and Perth they thought fit to return home when not only the edge of the censures of Church and State but of the Civill Sword which was just now imployed against the Malignants that rose in Arms without any warrand is on a sudden turned against the Western Forces which were raised by their special Warrant and encouragement exprest in diverse Acts and frequent Letters VINDICATION FOurthly Taking upon them to determine matters of most publick and greatest concernment antecedent unto and without so much as once speaking or waiting for the judgment of the Publick Judicatories to which the determination of such matters do belong and private men and inferiour Judicatories ought to have their recourse to before they take upon them to eâ—it any determination thereanent witnesse the Western Remonstrance determining the exclusion of the Kings Interest out of the quarrell of the Defensive War before any advice or sentence given thereupon or once sought from any Publick Judicatory REVIEW THe matter of most publick and greatest concernment which he alleadges they take upon them to determine was the exclusion of the Kings interest out of the quarrell of the defensiue War before any advice or sentence given thereupon or once sought from any publick Judicatory but they did not determine the exclusion of the Kings interest out of the quarrell of the defensive war otherwise then it had been before that time determined both by Church and State by their joynt Declarations at the West Church of the date 13. of Aug. 1650. which at the time of the contriving of the Remonstrance was standing unrepealed and to which there was the more reason then to adhere because the King had deserted the Publick Counsels of the Kingdom and joyned himself to the Malignant party I know there are two things here alledged 1. That that Declaration at the West Church was repealed by the Kings subscriving the Declaration emitted by him at Dumfermeling a litle thereafter 2. That the Remonstrance goes a greater length in excluding the Kings Interest then that Declaration at the West Chutch To the first of these I answer that the Kings emitting of his Declaration did not in the Judgement of the Committee of Estates and Commission of the Church repeal the other and therefore the other Declaration had been sent unto the English Army before the King did emit his Declaration so after that upon the emitting and sending thereof to the Generall of the English Forces he did make a return importing their sense thereupon The other Declaration at the West Kirk with a Letter was sent back intimating that we did still adhere unto and intend to fight upon that state of quarrell contained therin to the other it was often offered by these who came from the West that if there was any thing in the Remonstrance that seemed to go a greater length in that particular then the Declaration at the West Church had done they were willing to explain it and to fight on that state of the quarrell that was contained in that Declaration without adding altering or diminishing but that was not accepted of and order was given a litle thereafter to Colonell Robert Mountgomery to desire or force them in the West to joyn under him and fight for the Kings interest in all his Dominions as afterwards the Meeting at Dundee did ratifie all the proceedings of the former Commission excepting that Declaration of the 13. of August which as it did insinuate a tacite condemning thereof and of that state of our quarrell and cause upon which we have fought these 13. years past so did it insinuate a new state of quarrell in order to the Kings interest VINDICATION FIfthly emitting causes of a Publick fast and sending them abroad to all the Presbyteries and Congregations of the Kingdom being but private men and not having Authority nor being a Publick Judicatory witnesse the Fast appointed and Causes thereof emitted from Striveling the 1. September 1650. wherein take these things to consideration 1. The Meeting that emitted these Causes were no Publick Judicatorie but some members of the Presbytery of the Army and some of the Commissioners 2. That sundry godly and understanding
but neither was that new because the Commission at Edinburgh before the Kings home comming had in a very large Letter to the Commissioners at Holland holden forth their great dis-satisfaction with the Proceedings of that Treaty in many particulars and the Commission at Leith before the defeat at Dumbar had also holden forth the Malignant design that was then carryed on and had given it in as a publick cause of humiliation to the Committee of Estates It is true that the Commission was de facto conveened within eight dayes but as we have already said It was not propable at the time or emitting these cause that it should so have been and I pray the Author or any rationall men soberly to think what motive but the sense of duety and the pressing expediencie of the thing should have induced these Protesters of whom he speaks to be so headstrong and forward to anticipate the Meeting of the Commission seing they had ground to think that the Commission at their Meeting were like to condescend on these things as causes of Gods wrath which was verified thereafter by the approving thereof but the Author tels us that the Commission did both alter somewhat of which I shall afterwards speak and adde some thing to wit a Postscript recommending prayer for the King aswell as mourning for his sins which by the debate that was made against it by Mr. James Guthrie and the Register for the space of half an hour as he sayeth seemed to have been purposely left out and that which the Commission approved was the matter of these causes and not the way of emission wherewith many of the Commission shewed themselves dis-satisfied as a practice without example and a preparative tending to the overthrow of the Government The Commission did indeed adde that postscript concerning prayer for the King against the expediency of which addition to be made at that time Mr. James Guthrie and the Register did for a little debate how the Author should know so exactly the measure of the time I leave it for himself to answer the ground of their so doing was not that which he alledgeth the Register hath many living witnesses that he was no adversary to praying for the King and Mr. James Guthrie having keeped that humiliation publickly in the Congregation at Striveling before the Commission did meet or make any such addition did pray for the King and why should they have opposed that which was their own practice the Author is a little beyond due bounds when he sayeth it seems to have been left out of purpose their debating against the adding of it was because at first they did not conceive that there was any necessity to make an expresse and distinct Article of that more thâ—n of many other things which we were no lesse bound to pray for it being a thing so obvious common and ordinary and that now to adde it was to minister occasion without ground to make others conceive that it had been indeed formerly left out of purpose and so to raise needlâ—â—â—e jealousies and supitions of some as being disaffected to the King Next because they took it to be included in the causes formerly emitted though not expresly yet so as might be memorandum enough for decerning men not to omit it he that mourneth rightly for the Kings sins will also be an intercessor to God for him to bestow upon him the contrary graces and vertues I shall not debate with the Author whether the Commission did approve only the matter or also the way of emission of these causes sure I am they did not condemn the way of emission and if he shall be pleased to look upon the tenour of the Letter that at that time was written by the Commission to the severall Presbyteries wherein these causes are mentioned he will finde something that looks towards an approving of the way of emission as well as of the matter it is true that some of the Commission shewed themselves exceedingly dis-satisfied yea more exceedingly then was fit and beseeming their place and parts or the gravity of such a meeting but they were but some and not many if it was a practice without example it had also a ground without example but if the Author shall be pleased to peruse the Registers of the Church I believe that he shall finde examples of particular Presbyteries sending their advice abroad concerning causes of a publick humiliation and that the members of the Commission in things that were clear and unquestionable and could not admit of a delay have sometimes when they wanted one or two of their Quorum done some things of publick concernment let him look upon the Registers of the Presbyterie of Edinburgh and of the Commission and he will find ir so That it was a preparative tending to the overthrow of government I cannot see when I look upon it as impartially as I can I know that he formerly called it an usurpation and if it had been so there were some ground for this new charge but I trust I have sufficiently vindicated it from usurpation and therefore there is nothing brought that can bear the weight of this But for the discovering of the mistery of all this businesse upon which so great a stresse is laid I desire the Reader to be informed that when these causes of humiliation were first sent abroad one of the Commissioners of the Church who had been imployed in Holland in the matter of the Treaty with the King conceiving that his carriage in that imployment was reflected upon in that article which speaks of the crooked and precipitant wayes that were taken for carrying on the Treaty with the King as one of the causes for which the Land ought to be humbled he did take it so impatiently that not only did he declare that he could not read these causes as they were first emitted and that if they should be read in the Congregation wherein he had charge he behoved to make some Protestation or bear some testimony against them but also when he came te the Commission did sharply chalenge the way of emiting of them the want of an article relating to prayer for the King and that Article concerning the treaty as reflecting upon the carriage of the Commissioners of the Church imployed in Holland in that businesse because the Article as it was first emitted did mention the crooked and precipitant wayes that were taken by sundry for carrying on of the Treaty without restricting the same to our Statesmen therefore for peace sake and to give him satisfaction a Postscript was added to the Letter which was at that time written by the Commission and sent to Prebyteries concerning prayer for the King and the Article concerning the Treaty with the King was some what altered by restricting the sundry that are spoken therein to sundry of our statesmen whereas before it was indefinite and without any such restriction and these are the additions and alterations that he
because such as were chosen were unsatisfied with the Commissions proceedings The Synod of Pearth meeting a little after and receiving the Act and Letter of the Commission did thereupon sustain the dissent and Protestation of that man in their number and did appoint the Presbytery of Dunkel to choose the Commissioners new again Ans This is the onely Instance alleadged with some colour to evidence some influence of the Commissions Letter and Act but yet when it is discussed there will be litle to the purpose found in it but let it be so that the Synod sustained the Protestation on that ground and appointed a new Election yet it is known that the Presbytery in the second Election still did choose Brethren dis-satisfied with the Resolutions and as I believe these same whom they had chosen before who were admitted in the Assembly without any question and reasoned and voted therein according to their minde without any restraint or hindrance so that if there was any fault here it might be well in the Synods Act but not in the Presbytery which was the onely Act about this businesse capable of chargeable with the fault of pre-limitation but this was done with freedom This much to the one part of the Assumption wherby it may appear that whatever prelimitations were or might be in the Commissions Act or Letter yet the Elections were free because Presbyteries therein were not passively pre-limited but choosed freely according to their own minde Were there no more to be said this much may make the Protesters bethink themselves better in their second thoughts of their rash adventuring upon so high an Act as a Protestation and Declinature of a Generall Assembly as unfree and unlawful and may make others advise better ere they adjoyn themselves to it by approbation REVIEW ALbeit this Instance seem to the Author to be alleadged with some colour to evidence some influence of the Commissions Letter and Act yet he thinks when it is discussed there will be found litle to the purpose in it and his reason is because it is known that the Presbytery at the second Election still did choose Brethren dis-satisfied with the Resolutions and as he believes these same whom they had chosen before c. But notwithstanding of all the Author says there is very much to the purpose in it First there is this in it to the purpose that the judgments and voices of some of the Members of the Presbytery viz. of these who did dissent from the first election were pre-limited by the Letter and Act of the Commission they giving these onely for the reason of their dissent Secondly there is this in it to the purpose that the judgment of the whole Synod which doth include five Presbyteries except a few who did dissent from and Protest against the Synod sustaining the dissent of these in Dunkel from the Election upon that ground was by the same Letter and Act pre-limited to the declaring of that Election void and null meerly upon this reason that they had procâ—eded contrary to the Letter and Act of the Commission Thirdly there is this to the purpose in it that the whole Presbyterie was so pre-limited by an Act of the Synod founded on the other Act and Letter as to be necessitate to passe from the first Election which was lawfully made and against which no exception was made but the Letter and Act and to make a new Election that they did again choose persons opposite to the Publick Resolutions was from the over-bearing Conscience of their duty That they were admitted in the Assembly without any question is not true their admittence was questioned by a Member of the Commission then a Member of the Assembly a man zealous for the Publick Resolutions and the Moderator perceiving that others opposite to the Publick Resolutions were like to take advantage by it he did handsomely wave it Now these things being examined which the Author sayeth to the first part of the Assumption I leave it to be judged whether he had cause to say that whatever pre-limitations were in the Commissions Act and Letter yet the Elections were free because Presbyteries therein were not passively pre-limited but chosen freely according to their own minde and whether he had cause to draw so strong insulting lines as he subjoyns thereto If there be no more to say then he hath yet said I professe ingenuously I see no cause why the Protesters should bethink themselves better in their second thoughts of their adventuring on such a high Act as to protest against and decline from that Meeting at St. Andrews and Dundee as not being a lawfull free Generall Assembly or why others should have advised better ere they had joyned themselves to 〈◊〉 by approbation it seems a little beyond the bounds of modesty for men to drive and vent such conclusions upon their own reasonings though haply they might bear them It being fit to leave these things to the judicious and unbyassed Readers to give judgement as they find cause VINDICATION IT is true that for proof of the unlawfulness of these pretended Assemblies condemned by the Assembly at Glasgow 38. amongst other reasons the want of freedome in the matter of election of Commissioners is alleadged as a main and principal one but there the matter was not meerly alledged but clearly evidenced that the Commissioners sent to these Meetings were not indeed elected by Presbyteries but nominated by the Kings Letters See Session 12. Reas against the pretended Assembly at Lithgow 1606. and at Glasgow 1610. REVIEW THe Author for taking off of this prejudice and reason which stood in the way of the Assembly at Glasgow 38. who prove the unlawfulnesse of these pretended Assemblies by the want of freedome in the matter of election of Commissioners saith that their matter was not meerly alleadged but clearly evidenced that the Commissioners sent to these Meetings were not indeed elected by Presbyteries but nominate by the Kings Letters if he mean that they were not freely elected by Presbyteries proceeding meerly ex proprio motu It is true because the King and the Bishops Letters had influence upon them to pre-limite their elections but if he mean that they were not all elected by Presbyteries nor had any Commission from them but came meerly upon the Kings Letters it is not true because albeit the reason against the pretended Assembly at Lithgow 1606. seems to favour this yet that against the pretended Assembly at Glasgow 1610. intimateteth that they were chosen and had Commissions because it saith First that the elections were not free an election then there was but not a free election if there had been no election the Assembly 38. would no question have so expressed it as importing a reason of nullity more clear and strong Next that the Bishop of St. Andrews required them to send such Commissioners as the King had nominate assuring them that no other would be accepted If the Presbyteries did send them
must not choose any to be Commissioners to a General Assembly that teaches Doctrine contrary to the word of God and Constitution of the Kirk agreeable thereunto and therefore if a Commission of the Gen. Assembly or any other Kirk Judicatory according to their interest perceiving Ministers throughout the Kirk teaching contrary to the truth or practising to the prejudice of the true Religion should writ to Presbyteries desiring them not to choose any such Commissioners to a Generall Assembly this were no undue pre-limitation or prejudging their Liberty in election but a necessary and lawfull warning puttting them in minde of and stirring them to a duty whereunto they were bound though no such direction were sent to them This laid down in generall as to that Act and Letter of the late Commission sent to Presbyteries we say first That the Commission did nothing therein but that which other Kirk-Meetings and Commissions had done before them in the same matter in relation to the election of Commissioners to the Generall Assembly all which must fall unto the ground as null unfree and unlall if the late Generall Assembly be unfree and unlawfull in its constitutions Vpon this accompt We must look back to the Generall Assembly at Glasgow 38. it self what directions were sent from the Tables then at Edinburgh in relation to electing Commissioners thereunto Next we must refer also to the Letters sent to Presbyteries by the Kirk Commission annis 1639. 40. 41. concerning Commissions to Brethren to these Generall Assemblies all which are yet extant in Presbytery Books but we shall content our selves to hold near hand the late Commission did nothing but what the Commission did in the year 48. wherein the chief Protesters had a chief hand and yet maintain the lawfulnesse of that deed and the freedome and lawfulnesse of the constitution of that Assembly that followed thereupon To this the writer of the large Paper replyeth sundry things in answer to Objection 1. But nothing to take away the force thereof First he hints at two differences between the one and the other as he would have the reader think he might make use of but passeth by as having to say beside To say nothing saith he of the difference of reference and citation neither yet of the difference of a Letter and Act importing that there is a considerable difference between these things and that the Commission 48. appointed persons dissentient from them onely to be referred and did send a letter onely whereas the Commission 50. made an Act also and appointed Persons also to be cited to the Generall Assembly to which we oppone first the difference between a citation and a reference when the reference of a person to be tryed and judged on a fault and the person is present at the reference is just nothing see Assembly 1643. Session 2. Aug. 3. Overtures anent Bils c. And I desire the Writer to say if it was not the purpose of the Commission 48. when they did require Presbyteries to refer such to the Gen. Assembly that there should be laid on them an obligation legal to compear personally before the Gen. Assembly for tryal and sentence upon them and what else is the end of a citation and summonds nor yet is the more difference betwixt the Act of the Commission and persons to be referred or cited by Presbyteries and a Letter requiring it to be done for is there not an Act for such a Letter and the matter of it and hath the Letter it self the force of an Act would not the refusing of what is desired be counted disobedience to the Commission But it seemeth the Writers memory hath failed here behold an Act in terminis as it stands registrate in the Commission book the 5. of June 1648. The Commission of the Generall Assembly recommends earnestly to Presbyteries to take speciall notice of every Brothers carriage in the Publict business that if any be found that do not declare themselves a-against the present Malignant course nor joyn with their Brethren in the Common Resolutions thereof they be referred to the next Generall Assembly and if any of them have already declared for it that they be presently censured fic sub Andrew Ker. This may make us doubt the more of alledgances of this kinde afterwards in matters of fact when we see not clear and circumstantiat testimonies of Registers brought forth REVIEW IN answer to what is here said by the Author I acknowledge that the elections of Commissioners in Presbyteries ought not to be such as is bounded with no limitations and that if any Commission of a Generall Assembly or any other Church Judicatory according to their interest perceiving Ministers throughout the Church teachâ—ng contrary or practising to the prejudice of the Truth should write to Presbyteries desiâ—ing not to choose any such Commissioners to a Generall Assembly this were no undue pre-limitation or prejudging their liberty in election I believe that none of the Protesters will differ from the Author in this That Presbyteries ought not to choose any to be Commissioners that teaches doctrine contrary to the word of God and Constitutions of the Kirk agreeable thereto and if the Commission in their Letter and Act had terminated themselves within these bounds no Protester would have controverted with them about it and I think neither will he controvert with them in this that if a Commission or any other Kirk Judicatory teach doctrine contrary to the word of God and to the constitution of the Church agreeable thereunto and write to Presbyteries to choose none to be Commissioners to the General Assembly who doth oppose such doctrine that this is a pre-limiting and prejudging of Presbyteries in the liberty of their elections according to these condescentions The Commission in the 51. having sent to Presbyteries a Letter and Act before their elections relating thereto It seems unavoidably to follow that some limitation and direction there was in that Letter and Act concerning the elections But all the question is whether it was a limitation warrantable or unwarrantable Now if so why hath the Author so cautiously and so much wrastled to deny that that letter and Act had any influence upon the elections in Presbyteries if it was nothing but a necessary lawful warning putting them in mind of and stirring them up to a duty whereto they were bound though no such direction had been sent unto them then there was no cause to be affraid of the loosing of any ground by acknowledging of its influence the Authors long wrangling about that doth either seem to say that he is suspicious of the limitation contained therein as not being warrantable or else that he hath too great goodwil to dispute seing this would have been a short and satisfying answer The Commission in their Letter and Act did put no bonds on Presbyteries in the election of Commissioners but such as are well warranted by the word of God and Acts and Constitutions of this
Presbytery giving his judgment anent the listing of another but when it is all granted it yeelds a great part of the cause to wit That these persons could not sit in the Assembly as Judges in that particular And if I be not mistaken in my conjecture about the persons I think I may say if that judicious and pious man who rejected that motion had been in any fear that these persons would be chosen belike he would have holden his peace and sufferred the motion to passe uncontrolled But the Author if this please not the writer desires him to answer what he will for clearing of the Order of the Commission 48. and it will serve aswell the Order of the Commission 51. as to any illegality relating to the Constitution of the Assembly because saith he upon the form both clearly were alike excepting what will make for the advantage of the latter and as for the matter in both it was alike as to the General Assemblies Judgment at the time of the Protestation and also in reipsa as he takes upon him to make good It seems that it doth not please the Author himself very wel and I think it wil please the Writer much worse because of the things which I have mentioned and other things as weighty which may occur to him as to that of the 48. I have already given clear answers for the writer or rather vindicated his own that there was a vast difference both in the form as also in the matter and that both as the Assemblies judgement at the time of the Protestation unless they were not to admit the judgment of former Assemblies in these particulars as also in reipsa and he shall but lose his labor and not be able to make good what he undertakes VINDICATION THat which may seem to say somewhat against the other Particular viz. That no mans Commission was rejected nor any man chosen to be a Commissioner was refused to have vote in the Assembly upon that accompt that he was unsatisfied with the Resolutions is in the Answer to the 3. Objection Branch 4. First beside somthing that hath been answered already he saith Policie taught the Assembly so to do The votes of so few a number not being likely to prove so great disadvantage to the businesse as the professed denying to them a vote would have done Answer If the Writer had used so much modesty and respect to the Assembly as to have said That possibly Policy might have taught them to do this or it may be probably thought it was thus it had been somewhat tolerable But I must say it is too much boldnesse thus to have said positively That Policy did teach them it Good Sir did you see into the hearts of men in the Assembly to see this political design moving them to do this Or can you bring a demonstration from any evidence without that their doing of it did arise from no other principle or motive but this But if it be so that they did it upon a political motive and end yet if it was so really as none was rejected or refused to have vote upon the accompt of dissatisfaction that exception is to no purpose to the point We are upon the freedom of the Assembly which is to be measured by the acts done about the Constitution and managing of it considered according to the Matter of them and not according to the Intentions and Moral Motives whereupon men does them But the Writer does add two things further for Answer 1. That the discussing and judging of the Commissions of these in Glasgow and Sterling who were unsatisfied with the publick resolutions were laid aside because Mr. Rob Ramsay his Protestation against the Election taken from their Dissatisfaction could not be discussed until these Resolutions were either condemned or approven which was in effect to exclude them from voting because of not approving the Publick Resolutions and this is so much the stronger considering that it was refused to lay aside the Commissions of these that carried on the Resolutions until their proceedings should be tryed and approven Answ 1. Besides that Mr. R. Ramsay his Protestation was not against these of Sterling at all so that it is impertinent to say that their Commission was laid aside becaus of that Protestation And besides that the Commissions of others controverting with them and pretending by as probable reasons their Commission as these was laid aside also It followeth not hence that they were simply excluded from voting but suspended from voting for a time and had not vote in that particular which might well had been without imputation of pre-limitation on the Assembly as hath been shewen before 2. The Consideration added for confirmation is very inconsiderable because the Commissions of these of Glasgow and Sterling were controverted in the very Election and therfore their Commission could not but be laid aside untill the grounds of the Controversie should be discussed that it might be seen whether they were orderly elected or not but these others had their Commission by Elections orderly and uncontroverted in the Presbyteries that sent them yet neither were they to have vote in the matter of the Resolutions What is said from the Exception made against their Admission to vote at all given in to the Assembly shall be answered afterwards Secondly saith he it is to be considered That the Assembly did sustain approve the Letter and Act of the Commission for citing such as were unsatisfied which was a real excluding of all these upon their dissatisfaction at least from being Judges in that particular Answ 1. The Writer doth here as all along this Paper bear his Reader in hand that the Commission hath given order for citing such as were unsatisfied indefinitly which is contrary to the truth for only such as all means used do continue in opposing were to be cited as is evident by the Act and Letter 2 It is true after tryal and examination of the Commissions proceedings they did approve that Act and Letter But did not the Assembly 48. do the same in relation to the Letter and Act of the then Commission of the like nature But yet further Did not all Commissioners from Presbyteries who were unsatisfied excepting such only whose Commissions were controverted in the very Election were yet undiscussed and were pleased to stay in the Assembly sit and vote in that same very particular I mean the Resolutions of the Commission how then could they be really excluded from being Judges in that particular wherein they really did sit Judges or were any of them excluded after the Act and Letter was approven If it be said That the approving of that Act and Letter did import that they ought in the judgment of the Assembly to have been excluded I answer 1. Yet though this may say somewhat that the Assemblies determination in this point de jure did not agree wel with that pre-ceding fact in admitting such Members to judge in
That this consequence will follow especially where the exceptions do concern many and leading menare is of a more common and universall influence appears because if these persons be admitted to sit as members after the proponing of these exceptions before tryall of them there can be no regress to the removing of them afterwards upon that ground unless we say that the Assembly may afterwards undoe that which formerly they did approve in forâ— contradictorio and that those that were once found members notwithstanding of these exceptions yet afterwards by the same exceptions may be found no members that the one consequence doth more probably follow then the other appears not onely from this that it is not ordinary for men of common sense and reason not almost for the most perverse and irrationall men to offer that to a Judicatory against their constituent members which they have no probable hope to verifie but also from the doolfull experience of this Church When did it ever fall out in the Church of Scotland that a Generall Assembly was disappointed by perverse and bold men offering to prove exceptions relevant in Law but fals in fact against the constituent members thereof who can give any instance thereof unless men will bring the Assembly 51. which is to bring the thing in question for an instance But upon the other hand the admitting of men to sit against whom such exceptions were or might have been proponed hath been one of the main causes of corruptions of Assemblies and defection in this Church as is known in the time of the Prelates and it is the duty of wise men to provide most against that which ut plurimum is their danger But as I do not see how the last consequence by the Authors way can be prevented so I do not see how the first consequence doth follow because these perverse bold persons who propones the exceptions offers to verifie them instantly doth not suppose that all the Meeting to whom they offer the exceptions are guilty for if they did suppose that they could not propone any exceptions to be tryed by them but behoved primo instanti to decline them all as judges reserving the verification of their alleadgances to a judge competent Now if they do thus the Assembly is not disappointed by perverse and bold persons offering to verifie exceptions because in this case they do not make any offer of verification of any exception before that Meeting upon the other hand if they do acknowledge a part of them as persons competent and fitly qualified to try and discuss these exceptions which they offer to verifie then the persons against whom they except being removed and the exceptions taken in and cognosced upon according to the verification offered they are found either true or false if they be found false the Assembly is not disappointed but may proceed to its Constitution having found their members blamelesse and having stopped these mens mouths If the exceptions be found true of such a number without whom the rest cannot make an Assembly there is a great advantage in stead of a feared disadvantage that is the prevention of a corrupt Meeting constituting themselves in an Assembly if but a fewer number the corrupt are removed and the blamelesse are admitted and the Assembly goes on Besides all this it may by way of Commission without any disadvantage to the Protesters cause be yeelded to the Author that it is to be looked to that the Persons offering to verifie these exceptions be not perverse persons but men of a good report and such as are known to walk honestly and not to act upon a Principle of malice or il-will against the persons whom the exceptions do concern all which was true in the Protesters casâ— they being sundry of them members of that Meeting to whom it was incumbent ex officio to propone any exception consisting in their knowledge and allowed to sit as Members of the Assembly a priviledge not belonging to pervers men and all of them men of good report of a blameless conversation and such as are known to be so far from malinging the Commissioners against whom they did except that they then had and stil have them in estimation and do love them as brethren The Author yeelds that the Assembly being constitute the exception and grounds thereof are to be tryed with all convenient diligence and expedition and alleadges that this was offered to the Protesters in the present case and debate That such an offer was made I shall not contradict I believe it was so but to pass by that even this which he himself thinks reasonable though offered yet was not well performed because most of the time that the Assembly sate was past before that exception and the grounds thereof were tryed these men all the while and for a good many dayes sitting and voycing in all things that past in the Assembly even in these things that did concern the proponers of the exception The Protesters could not accept of this offer not onely because it did suppose their sitting in the Assembly as members before the trying of the exception but also because the exception was not an exception against one or some few particular persons in the case of some particular or personal scandals but an exception of common concernment to many in things relating to the discharge of their trust in the Cause VINDICATION BVt saith the writer in hand both these were clear in the present case to wit the exception made against the late Commissioners it was relevant in jure if there be any relevancie why a man should not sit in the Generall Assembly this certainly is one that he hath betrayed his former trust hath made defection from the Covenant and Cause and being instrumentall to carry on a course of defection throughout the Kirk and Kingdom and as to the truth of the fact in reference against whom the exception was made all these did concur a flagrant scandall pregnant presumptions and persons in the Judicatory offering to instruct and verifie what was alleadged by this the Writer believes that he hath cleared as with a Sun beam and gained his point but we hope it shall be made to appear that he hath left the matter yet in the mist and gained never a white It s true indeed that for Commissioners to betray their trust to make defection from the Covenant and Cause c. is in jure a relevant cause to exclude any man from sitting in the Generall Assembly as a member and deserves more as I doubt not but the Writer and some others intended the challenge of it against the Commissioners for more but that the Commissioners for the matter of fact had betrayed their trust c. There might have been and was indeed by some spread a flagrant scandall but there was no flagrant scandall these same who afterwards accused them in the Assembly I mean presumptions objective by any thing they did
so doing did so far transgress the bounds of their Commission c. Ergo what the Author will here answer I do not well know But I would faine have him to tel a reason why the Commission dealt so sharply with many godly men as to issue such Declarations and Warnings against them and to appoint them to be censured and cited and to stir up the Civil Magistrate against them because of their opposing of Publick Resolutions whilest by his own acknowledgment there was as yet no determination of the Church in favours of these Resolutions or against the opposers of them I thought it had been his mind that the Commission could not censure any or ordain any to be censured for opposing Resolutions of their own not yet determined nor approven in a General Assembly and I would have him to give a reason why he accompts it against all equity that when the imputation of scandal against the Commissioners depends upon a particular hypothesis which at least is questionable and the very point of controversie betwixt them and their accusers as he calls them though unjustly because they as Members of the Assemblie were doing of that duty which is common and competent to every Member of the Assembly that is to object what they know of scandal against any other Member that the Assembly might be constituted of persons rightly qualified they should be holden to be under a presumption of scandal until that hypothesis be discussed and cleared and why it should be agreeable to equity and reason that upon such a particular hypothesis which at the least is questionable and the very point in controversie betwixt the Commission and many faithful men and some Synods and not a few Presbyteries in the Land should be holden not only to be under a presumption of scandal but also such as did deserve to be publickly declared against as Malignant and unfaithful and appointed to be censured and cited It seems that whilst the Author reasons thus about his hypothesis that what he gains one way he loseth another I see not how by his questionable hypothesis he can defend the equity of the Commissions proceedings in their Warnings Remonstrances and Acts against these who were unsatisfied with and did oppose the Publick Resolutions and when he shall do it I hope his own grounds shall help the Protesters to prove the equity and reason of removing Commissioners even upon supposal that it was but a questionable hypothesis 4. I desire to know of the Author by what power or in what capacity the Commission did look upon them to determine this questionable hypothesis as a Commission they could not do it because there is no clause in their Commission that gives them power or warrant to determine any point of Doctrine not formerly determined by the Church of Scotland but their Commission ties them in all things to walk according to former Determinations Acts and Constitutions of General Assemblies and I think he will not say that by vertue of any other power or capacity they either did it or could do it The Author hath by his own confession and ground brought the Commission a greater length in the exercise of their power then ever the Gen. Assembly did give to them or for any thing I know did mean to give unto them that is To determine points of Doctrine of great importance and consequence as to the security of Religion and of the Cause and Covenant not formerly determined by this Church in any of her Gen. Assemblies upon these Determinations to declare such as are unsatisfied with and do oppose the same not only to be censurable but also appoint them to be censured I thought if any thing had been the proper work of a Gen. Assembly this had been it But more directly to the point I do affirm that this Hypothesis the Publick Resolutions determined by the Commission of the General Assembly 1650. and issued to this Kirk in their Publick Warnings Letters Remonstrances c. do contain and involve a course of defection was at the time of the Protestation clearly determined in former General Assemblies because the General Assemblies of this Kirk had often before that time determined an association in Councel and Armes with the Malignant partie even in the caâ—e of the defence of the Kingdom against forraign invasion to be sinful and unlawful as will appear to any who shall be pleased to read the Declarations Warnings and causes of Humiliations and Publick Papers of this Church these years past and particularly the Solemn Publick Confession of Sins and Engagement to Duties and the Declarations and Warnings issued by the General Assembly 1650 upon the English invading of this Land But these Resolution did involve such a Conjunction because they did involve a Conjunction with all the Subjects in the Land excepting these few included in the Exceptions contained in the Answer to the Quaere but amongst these was the very body and bulk of the Malignant party who are by these Resolutions allowed to be taken in and employed in the defence of the Kingdom without any repentance or forsaking of their malignant waies as a thing necessarily previous to the employing of them and without which they could not be employed These were the things which the Protesters alleadged and offered to verifie not only the general that the Commissioners had made defection from the Cause and Covenant but that these particular Resolutions concluded and carried on by them did involve a defection from the Cause and Covenant this I say they offered to instruct from former Acts of Assemblies speaking clearly and positively there anent which yet were refused to be heard by the Meeting until they first should constitute themselves in an Assembly including these Members against which the Exception was propounded a greater imputation upon their freedom then they will easily wipe off VINDICATION IT is known that the Belgick Remonstrance in the Protestation against the Synod of Dort alleadged a matter of Scandal against the most part of the Members thereof viz. That they had made a Schism and were Schismatick The point de jure in thesi That Schism was a foul scandal and such as made them unfit to sit in that Judicatory as Members I suppose was cleer and the Remonstrants brought many plausible Presumptions that they were guilty of it more plausible a great deal then this Writer alleadges against the late Commissioners they bring Particular instances of Facts as keeping separated Congregations and Presbyteries from the Remonstrant refusing to joyn in Prayers or Sacraments with them whereas our Writer alleadges nothing but Generals offence of many godly pregnant presumptions men undertaking to instruct c. But here was a Question in Hypothesi Whether it be a schism to keep separated Congregations and Presbytries from and to refuse to joyn in Prayers and Sacraments with men that had departed in their doctrin from such and such Articles of the Doctrin of that Reformed Kirk
it was that put them into their hands that these men might have been noted known I doubt not but if he could have done it he would have done it seeing he spares not to put Imputations upon men by Name and Sirname when he conceives himself to have any ground for it and that it will bring any advantage to his cause But whilest he would fain render some of the opposers of the Publick Resolutions odious and yet hath not ground upon which he can confidently do it He speaks so indefinitly some of the Testimonies were put c. neither telling us what Testimonies nor by whom they were put in their hands that if he be challenged for it he may have a shift to make his retreit But I doubt that this way of defaming his neighbors will be found straight before God If I may conjecture of what Testimonies he speaks it seems to be the Letter of the Presbytery of Sterling for that so far as I know was the only Testimony printed by the English and if he mean of that he speaks untruly when he saith that it was sooner put into their hands then sent unto the Commissioners I can confidently assure him and all others that it was sent unto the Commissioners before any copy of it was given or sent to any who were not Members of the Presbytery and I can as confidently say That none of these had any hand directly or indirectly in conveying that Letter to the English The man amongst them who was most slandered hath given me warrant to say and I trust that he will abide by it That his conscience doth bear him record that he was inocent of that as of all things of that kind and that to this day he knows not how that Letter was put into their hands unless it was by occasion of intercepting the Copie thereof by the English with Mr. Andrew Ker the Clerk of the Commission his Servant who was sent over the Water to some of his friends unto Edinburgh from Perth immediately after that Meeting of the Commission to which the Letter of the Presbytery of Sterling was sent That the English did print these Testimonies is no great wonder it is very like that they would print any thing that did hold forth our defection and owning of the Malignant Interest The Third Particular is in the Authors Judgment a poor mans Argument But poor men through mercy oft-times obtains more sollid discoveries of Divine Truths in a day of tentation then the Learned and the Rich do Neither is it yet a begging of the principal Question because what was offerred in this was offered to be instructed out of the Registers and they who made the offer were Members of the Assembly who in conscience and duty and by the Acts of the Assembly which relate to the Constitution thereof as we have already shown were bound to declare their conscience touching others who were called to be Constituent Members thereof in their Doctrine Life and execution of their Office and for the point of that Interest it is the same thing that was objected by the Remonstrants against the Anti-remonstrants at the Synod of Dort and by the Prelats in their Declinator 1638. To which we return no other Answer but that of the Brittane Divines at Dort Veritas communis Ecclesiae Thesaurus est nec potest ullo pacto fieri peculium singularum personarum Dei Ecclesiae Publica causa est non sua cujusque quae in Synodis agitur In the close of this discourse as all along he speaks of these who moved this Exception as of the Commissioners Accusers and cites that of Julian Si accusasse sufficiat quis inocens erit But that they weee not Accusers neither yet to be called so I have already shewed Why should they be esteemed or called Accusers more then others propounding Exceptions against Constituent Members of the Assembly neither was it ever desired that the propounding of the Exception should be taken for a verification of it or to speak in the Authors language That the accusing of them should be the holding of them for guilty but only that the Commissioners should be removed from sitting as Members in the Assembly till the Exception were tried and therfore that of Julian can have no place in this case VINDICATION IT is alleadged by the Writer That the same Assembly at St. Andrews upon the like exception and objection others were removed from sitting as Members as Blacketer and others because the scandal of their accession to the unlawful Engagement was not sufficiently purged c. and he would have any man in the world give a reason why these were excluded and not others against whom were as relevant yea more revelant exception Answer I think any man in the world that hath common sense informed of both Cases may give a reason and may perceive that the Writer hath been rash when he hath wrote these words upon the like Exception and as relevant yea more relevant Exception For Blacketer and others 1. Their scandal was cleer in the Law 2. They had been convicted of the fact yea 3. They had been actually censured and were yet lying under the Censure 4. A part of their censure was exclusion from being members of Kirk Judicatories 5. There was one expresse Act of a Gen. Assembly That they should not be liberat from that censure nor be capable to be members of any inferior Kirk-Judicature until their satisfaction should be first notified unto and approven by a Gen. Assembly Now let any man in the world tell me if the exception against the one and the other was alike or if there was more relevancy in the exception against the Commissioners then in the exception against these for their Exclusion from being Members the matter of Exception might haply considered in abstracto be of greater importance but we speak now of the exception in relation to Persons and Circumstances as it is to have effect or not to have effect upon the Judge for Censuring and Noting or not Censuring and Noting the Persons REVIEW THe Author in Answering the Instance concerning Blacketer seems to himself to have gotten a great advantage of the Writer his rashness but though his advantage were as great as he takes it to be in that particular it would not better his Cause because multitudes of Instances can be given from time to time in the Gen. Assembly of this Church of removing persons upon exceptions of scandal before any conviction of the Fact or censure for the same yea in the same Assembly 1651 several persons were laid aside upon exceptions before any legal conviction or sentence past upon the Fact as the Commissioners of some Presbyteries who were protested against because of opposing publick Resolutions And the Commissioners of the presbytery of Dunse whose Case was not cleer in Law neither yet legally found true as to the matter of Fact But let us see what it is that he hath
chosen by express vote and consent of some of the Protesters themselves as Mr. Robert Blaire in the Presbytery of St. Andrews Mr. James Wood in the University of St. Andrews by Mr. Sam. Rutherford it may be true Mr. Sam. Rutherford his desire of Peace and testifying of respect to these men being such as it is together with the hopes that he had of their being instrumental to accommodate things in a right way at the Assembly but that hinders not why the Protesters might not warrantably propound the Exception at the Assembly Another branch is That the Assembly had not as yet chosen their Moderator and was not yet constitute and therefore could not discuss that question c. But not to repeat that they did discuss the relevancy of other Exceptions yea of that same that was propounded against the Commissioners as to their sitting or not sitting till the matter should be further tried It is to be considered that if controverted Commissions and Members upon Exceptions propounded against them be laid aside till trial which hath alwaies been the custom of the Assemblies of this Church It is not so very material whether the ful discussing of the Exception be before the chusing of the Moderator or after it there are practises and instances of both wayes some Assemblies first discussing the controverted Commissions and Members and then chusing the Moderator others laying aside these things til the Moderator be first chosen and then immediatly before the doing of any thing else falling upon the discussing of them though it seems the most regular way that the controverted Commissions and Members be laid aside the uncontroverted ones being a competent number should proceed to the choice of a Moderator and thereafter before the doing of any thing else put that to a point which concerns the rest of their constituent Members In the case now in question both were desired either to discuss the Exception as to the truth or falshood of the alleadgance before the chusing of a Moderator or else to lay aside the Commissioners and to do it immediatly thereafter but both were refused which was the more considerable because the Exception propounded against them was but meerly personal or upon personal or particular scandals but of more common concernment and in things relating to the Cause as breach of Publick Trust defection from the Cause and Covenant which did require consideration before the admitting these persons I would ask the Author this one Question Upon supposal that the Assembly after the Commissioners sitting and voting therein many dayes yea even in the condemning of the Protestation and citing of the Protesters should have found their proceedings to involve a course of defection from the Cause and Covenant and therupon have removed and censured them Could Beholders have looked upon this as a handsom way of proceeding that they would not take into consideration an Exception deserving such things when it was first propounded unto them and offered to be instructed but would judge the Exception irrelevant censure others for protesting because of refusing to accept of it admit the Cōmissioners to be fellow-Judges in condemning that Protestation after al this find these Cōmissioners guilty of the thing alleadged in that same very Exception when ffrst proponed remove censure them upon it Are things handsom or do they wel cohere or can a tender eye look upon them without offence How much fairer had it been first to remove them and presently or immediately after the choice of the Moderator to discuss the Exception There is more danger to the Cause offence to God his People in rash admiting such as are guilty then in cautious delaying even of innocent persons when legally challenged If innocent they may afterwards be admitted with more honour and respect but if guilty either they shal be continued Members with much detriment to the cause or else shal be casten out with more shame both to themselvs and to the Assembly who at first refused to lay them aside till they were tryed Because the Author saw that an objection might be moved against what he hath said from the Assemblies removing of other Members who were excepted against before the choice of the Moderator therefore for preventing of it he tells us that there was a wide difference because the exceptions against them were as to their relevancie for their removing in cases every way clear and determined before in so far as was requisite for that to wit Protestations in Presbyteries against their election standing censures excluding them from all Church-Judicatories unrepealed To which I return these particulars First Some even before the choice of the Moderator were removed upon exceptions against whose elections there was no Protestation and who were under no standing censure either of one kinde or another to wit Mr. Robert Canden Commissioner from the Presbytery of Dunce who was removed upon this exception that that Presbytery could not choose Commissioners being so few in number as they were here was no Protestation the man under no censure yea nor the ground of the exception clear and unquestionable in Law as to any act of any former Assembly onely primâ fronte it seemed relevant that two or three could not choose therefore was be thereupon removed though afterwards if my information hold he was again as seems upon not finding the exception not relevant admitted Secondly Neither was a Protestation against the election sufficient to make it clear upon the Authors grounds I suppose that it had been alleadged that the ground of the Protestation was not clear but questionable as to the relevancy of it by his ground such a Protestation against the election would not have been enough to lay the Commissioners aside till the matter had been tryed To come nearer the case let us suppose that some of the opposers of Publick Resolutions had in the Presbyterie or in the Universite of St. Andrews protested against the election of the Commissioners there upon this ground that these who were elected were instrumentall in the Publick Resolutions will the Author say this had been sufficient to lay these Commissioners aside from sitting as Members of the Assembly till the matter had been tryed If so why then was not the proponing of that exception in the Assembly against all these who were Members of the Commission and had hand in these Resolutions sufficient to lay them aside Os if that be denyed I would desire to know a reason of the difference if it be said that all the Commissions which were laid aside because of Protestations against them were such as were protested against upon clear unquestionable grounds I answer that it was not so as appears by the instance already given to which I adde another to let see what partiality of proceeding there was in these things even upon the Authors own grounds Did not the Assembly lay aside the Commission of these who were first chosen by the Presbytery of
the commendation that is given him Why then should it be carped at if the things that are said of him be true as they are they do indeed make the Argument more bulksome the Author doth once and again undervalue the light held forth by him and pith of his Papers I shall not deny the Author the testimony of Learning and ability and wishes that the Lord may more more increase and more more sanctifie it unto him that it may be improven for the Edification of many But there is much of a Thrasonick spirit that as a vein runs through all this Vindication the man whose light and pith he doth set so low hath by the Grace of God been instrumentall to hold forth very much light to the Kirk of God in Scotland in things relating to the work of Reformation and his pith by the power of the Lord hath been acknowledged in both Nations The Writer in relating of the businesse of the smothering of Sir Archibald Johnstons Letter is challenged by the Author of much want of ingenuity and speaking nothing of the truth But let us see how this great challenge is made out 1. He saith the Assembly never refused to have it read but was it ever read Was not the Assembly often desired to cause read it Was there not often much debate about the reading of it And was it not for a long time waved from diet to diet at last buried I fear not but this in the accompt of ingenuous men wil amount to a refusal But saith the Author most part of the whole Assembly were earnestly desirous to have it read if it was so then were there some few who did carry it otherwise notwithstanding of the earnest desires of the most part of the Assemblie and it argues no great freedome when the earnest desires of the most part cannot prevail to gain the reading of a Letter because of the opposition of some few who are otherwise minded He doth withall intimate unto us That none were more desirous to have it read then the most part of these whom the Writer would insiâ—uae to be Readers unacquainted with the businesse to have been opposers of the Reading of it I would ask him who were the opposers of the reading of it men for the Publick Resolutions or men against them I believe he will not deny but all the opposers of the Publick Resolutions who were in the Assembly did earnestly seek to have it read and that all the men who opposed the reading of it were such as were for the Publick Resolutions and some of them such as did belong to the Commission and had hand in the contriving and carrying on these Resolutions this seems not to be denyed but for taking off the weight off it he comes to tell us that which he calls the truth which he doubts not but the Writer knew in his Conscience had he been so ingenuous as to tell it But I can answer him by warrant from the Writer that he concealed nothing concerning which he had any perswasion in his Conscience as to the truth of it in that which the Author speaks of The matter alleadged by him is that all this was from tendernesse and respect to Sir Archibald Johnston by some of his friends in the Assembly who did perceive by looking on his Papers sundry high reflexions against the Supream powers of the Kingdom both King and Estates which could not but have brought him in present trouble This necessitates the telling more of the truth which the Writer formerly spared to his own disadvantage The Letter was delivered to the Moderator Publickly in the face of the Assembly in the forenoon a little after the sitting down of the Assembly upon the delivery thereof the Moderator promised that it should be read and brack it open being open in the hand of him that was Clerk to the Publick Resolutions and was now Clerk to the Assembly opportunity was given to him and sundry of these who were for the Publick Resolutions and were the men who opposed the reading of it in the Assembly to read it in private after which it was pressed to be read with much earnestnesse and importunity at severall Diets of the Assembly and much debate there was to and fro at severall occasions about the reading of it but the result was alwayes carried to a delay untill at last the Protesters leaving the Assembly there was little or no more heard of it That this was done out of meer kindnesse and respect to my Lord Wariston from whom the Letter came is not likely 1. Because not onely did he himself in the very bosome of it earnestly beseech yea obtest and adjure in the Name of Christ that what he wrote to the Assembly might be read and considered but the nearest and most intimate friends he hath in the world who were like to be tender of his danger if any did presse the reading of it I mean not onely these in the Assembly who were of his intimate acquaintance and intimatly engaged with him in the defence of the same Cause but also his own wife who came to St. Andrews of purpose with that Letter and that notwithstanding she was dealt with by sundry of these who were for the Publick Resolutions to take it up and not to presse the reading of it that there might be some handsome shift for the not reading of it refused to do it and Women are known to be as tender of their husbands dangers as others 2. The Lord Waristons Judgement and expressions in all these things were well enough known before that time to the King and to the Committee of Estates and the reading might well have been a confirmation of the same thing but would have furnished little or no new matter of ditty 3. There were no reflections in that Letter against the King Committee of Estats but in order to a conjunction with the Malignant party and if the reading of these in the Assembly would have brought him present trouble then surely it was not free nor safe for men who were of that opinion that the Publick Resolutions did involve such a conjunction to speak their judgement freely in the Assembly upon these Resolutions seeing his freedome of writing in these things would by the Authors own concession have brought him to present trouble 4. This was not the way to keep off the danger but rather to fetch it on because it was the way to fil the Country with the noise of the Lord Waristons writing such a Letter to the Assembly which some that loved him after the delivery thereof Publickly did smother and keep back from being read notwithstanding it was earnestly prest by most part of the Assembly which report comming to the King and to the Commissioners would in all appearance have occasioned them to call for the letter which could not have been denyed nor put out of the way being now publickly delivered and so much debate
Committee of Estates The Assembly continues until the morn at ten hours that Examination of the Proceedings of the Commission of the late Assembly and do appoint that time for Hearing any New Exceptions the Committee of Estates hath to give in against the Proceedings of the said Commission PAPER sent into the ASSEMBLY WHereas it hath been the constant Care and Endeavor of the Parliament and Committee of Estates To use all means for removing and setling the Differences betwixt the Church and the State and in pursuance of that good way The Committee did yesterday give in some new Desires and Offers to the Gen. Assembly That some might be appointed to meet and confer with such as should be appointed by the Committee therupon But since instead of imbracing and laying hold of this opportunity of composing Differences The Gen. Assembly doth proceed toward an approbation of the proceedings of the Commissioners of the Assembly wherby we conceive all hopes of making up the Breaches will be removed and the prejudices will be great that will thereby ensue to this cause and Kingdom For preventing whereof we hold our selves obliged again to desire you as you tender the furtherance of the work of Reformation the Good Peace union of the Kingdoms and the composing of all Differences and Jealousies that you would apply your selves to these our Desires and appoint some of your Number to confer with us therupon for the Exceptions we have against the proceedings of the Commissioners of the Gen. Assembly We have confidence a Conference may preveen the same and are more willing not to give them in at all or at least only to give them in to those you shall appoint to confer with us that if it be possible Differences may yet be removed Then that we be necessitate to appear in publick amongst them And that this and our former Paper may remain as a testimony of our Desires for Unitie and Peace we desire that they may be Recorded in the Books of the General Assembly The Assembly do give this humble return to the Papers sent this day from the Hon. Committee of Estates That they are most willing to appoint a conference with any of their Lordsh number but that according to the Order and Acts of former Gen. Asemblies they conceive themselves obliged first to examine the proceedings of the Commission of the late Gen. Assembly and thereafter shall be willing to confer being also now ready as of before to hear Exceptions if there be any against the proceedings of the said Commission Subscrib A. Ker. The Committee of Estates understanding that the Gen. Assembly is to proceed to the examination of the proceedings of the Commissioners of the late Gen. Assembly in order to an approbation before they agree to a Conference and the Committee being to give in their just exceptions against the proceedings of the said Commissioners do desire the Gen. Assembly to allow some few dayes delay to the Committee to prepare their Exceptions before the Assembly proceed in the Business The Assembly continues the examination of the Proceedings of the late Gen. Assembly until four afternoon and appoints that time for Hearing any new Exceptions the Honorable Committee of Estates have to give in against the Proceedings of the said Commission Subscrib A. Ker. The Committee of Estates finding it impossible in so short a time to prepare their Objections against such of the proceedings of the Commissioners of the General Assembly as relates to their Engagement and yet being most willing to essay all fair means for procuring an happy Understanding betwixt Kirk and State are content to appoint some of their Number to meet with such as shall be appointed by the General Assembly for Composing of Differences betwixt the Church and State without prejudice to them to use all their just Objections against the proceedings of the Commissioners of the late General Assembly if the Conference shall not produce these happy Effects they earnestly wish The General Assembly unto the Motion sent this afternoon from the Honorable Committee of Estates Do return humbly this Answer That they yeeld to their Lordships Desires of a Conference and for this end appoints M rs David Calderwood David Dickson Robert Douglass Andrew Cant John Moncreif John Smith and John Mac Clelland Ministers and the Earl of Cassilles the Earl of Louthian Lord Balmernio the Lairds of Moncreif and Freeland with the Moderator to confer with any appointed by the Honorable Committee of Estates at such time and place as shall be appointed by their Lordships upon the present Dangers to Religion and the cause of God the great prejudices done to the Liberties of the Kirk and the best remedies thereof And to Report the Result of their Conference from time to time And they have also Power to receive any Offers or Papers from the Honorable Committee of Estates and to present the same to the Assembly Declaring that the proceedings of the Commission of the late Assembly being new exactly tryed and unanimously approven there is no place left for any Objections against the same Subscrib A. Ker. Reasons why these who dis-approved the Publick Resolutions and Acts at Dundee Ratifying the same and ordaining censures to passe upon the opposers and unsatisfied cannot keep the Assembly now indicted nor be consenting unto the Election of Commissioners for that effect THe chief cause of many evils which have befallen this Church in time of defection under Prelacie being clearly determined by the Gen Assembly at Edinburgh 1639. to have been the keeping and authorizing corrupt Generall Assemblies it is of high concernment that we take heed that we be not consenting nor concurring to the keeping and authorizing such Assemblies in this declining time amongst which the Assembly indicted by the Commissioners of the pretended Assembly at St. Andrews and Dundee is to be reckoned and consequently ought not to be keeped by any who have protested against or are in their consciences unsatisfied with the Publick resolutions and Acts of the Assembly at Dundee establishing the same as involving defection and backsliding from the Cause of God and Covenant To speak nothing of the indiction of the ensuing Assembly which can neither be acknowledged by any who have protested against or by any who doubts of the freedomâ— lawfulness and constitution of the Assembly at Dundee but allanerly of the constitution thereof in so far as it depends upon the Acts of that Assembly These reasons seem to warrand and require the forbearance and non-concurrence of all these who disallow of the Acts of the pretended Assembly at Dundee in the election of Commissioners unto a keeping the diet of the Assembly now indicted 1. No man ought to be consenting unto the authorizing of Commissioners to keep an Assembly which is constitute by a corrupt rule But in the judgment of such as approve not the Acts of the Assembly of Dundee the ensuing Assembly is constitute by a corrupt rule Ergo The major
madness and folly upon our part so no doubt if it be not avoided will provoke the Lord against us to consume us until there be no remnant nor escaping in the Land And albeit the Peace and Union betwixt the Kingdoms be a great blessing of God unto both and a Bond which we are obliged to preserve unviolated and to endeavour that justice may be done upon the opposers thereof Yet some in this Land who have come under the Bond of the Covenant have made it their great study how to dissolve this Union and few oâ— no endeavors have been used by any of us for punishing of such We have suffered many of our Brethren in severall parts of the Land to be oppressed of the common Enemy without compassion or relief There hath been great murmuring and repining because of expence of means and pains in doing of our duty Many by perswasion or terror have suffered themselves to be divided and withdrawn to make defection to the contrary part Many have turned off to a detestable indifferency and neutrality in this Cause which so much concerneth the glory of GOD and the good of these Kingdoms Nay many have made it their study to walk so as they might comply with all times and all the Revolutions thereof It hath not been our care to countenance encourage intrust and employ such onely as from their hearts did affect and minde Gods Work But the hearts of such many times have been discouraged and their hands weakened their sufferings neglected and themselves slighted and many who were once open Enemies and alwayes secret underminers countenanced and employed Nay even those who had been looked upon as Incendiaries and upon whom the Lord had set marks of desperate Malignancy Falshood and Deceit were brought in as fit to manage Publick Affairs Many have been the lets and impediments that have been cast in the way to retard and obstruct the Lords Work and some have keeped secret what of themselves they were not able to suppresse and overcome Besides these and many other breaches of the Articles of the Covenant in the matter thereof which concerneth every one of us to search out and acknowledge before the Lord as we would wish his wrath to be turned away from us So have many of us failed exceedingly in the manner of our following and pursuing the duties contained therein not onely seeking great things for our selves and mixing of private Interests and ends concerning our selves friends and followers with those things which concern the Publick Good but many times preferring such to the Honour of God and good of his Cause and retarding Gods Work untill we might carry along with us our own interests and designes It hath been our way to trust in the means and to rely upon the Arm of Flesh for successe Albeit the Lord hath many times made us meet with disappointment therein and stained the pride of all our Glory by blasting every carnall confidence unto us We have followed for the most part the counsels of flesh and blood and walked more by the rules of Policie then Piety and have hearkened more unto men then unto God Albeit we made solemn publick profession before the World of our unfained desires to be humbled before the Lord for our own sins and the sins of these Kingdoms especially for our under valuing of the inestimable benefit of the Gospel and that we have not laboured for the power thereof and received Christ into our hearts and walked worthy of him in our lives and of our true and unfained purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publick and private in all duties which we owe to God and man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a Real Reformation that the Lord might turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Kirks and Kingdoms in Truth and Peace Yet we have refused to be reformed and have walked proudly and obstinatly against the Lord not valuing his Gospel nor submitting our selves unto the obedience thereof nor seeking after Christ nor studying to honour him in the Excellencie of his Person nor employ him in the vertue of his Offices not making conscience of publick Ordinances nor private nor secret duties nor studying to edifie one another in love The ignorance of God and of his Son Jesus Christ prevailes exceedingly in the Land The greatest part of Masters of families amongst Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses and Commons neglect to seek God in their Families and to endeavour the Reformation thereof And albeit it hath been much pressed yet few of our Nobles and great ones ever to this day could be perswaded to perform Family duties themselves and in their own persons which makes so necessary and usefull a duty to be misâ—regarded by others of inferior rank Nay many of the Nobiiity Gentry and Burrows who should have been examples of Godlinesse and sober walking unto others have been ring-leaders of excesse and rioting Albeit we be the Lords people engaged to him in a solemn way yet to this day we have not made it our study that Judicatories and Armies should consist of and places of power and trust be filled with men of a blamelesse and Christian conversation and of known integrity and approven fidelity affection and zeal unto the Cause of God but not onely those who have been neutrall and indifferent but dis-affected and Malignant and others who have been prophane and scandalous have been intrusted By which it hath come to passe that Judicatories have been the seats of injustice and iniquity and many in our Armies by their mis-carriages have become our plague unto the great prejudice of the Cause of God the great scandall of the Gospel the great increase of loosness prophanity throughout al the Land It were impossible to reckon up al the abominations that are in the land but the blaspheming of the name of God swearing by the Creatures prophanation of the Lords day uncleanness drunkenness excess rioting vanity of apparrel lying deceit railing cursing arbitary uncontrolled oppression grinding of the faces of the poor by landlords others in place and power are become ordinary common sins And besides all these things there be many other transgressions whereof the land wherein we live is guilty All which we desire to acknowledge and to be humbled for that the world may bear witnes with us that rightousnes belongeth unto God and shame confusion of face unto us as appears this day And because it is needful for these who find mercy not only to confess but also to forsake their Sin therefore that the reality and sincerity of our repentance may appear We do resolve and solemnly engage our selves before the Lord carefully to avoid for the time to come all these offences whereof we have now made solemn publick Acknowledgment and all the snares and tentations which tend thereunto
and do not take the most probable and Christian-like mean for remedying the divisions The Author knowes who were in the Church of Scotland who did tread these steps not long ago Next they did conceive it to be the most probable and Christian-like mean for remedying the divisions to fall upon the root of the matter by holding ing forth that which had divided us from God and God from us and one of us from another taking this for the most genuine and sound safe Christian method of proceeding yet walking so therein as that they did onely soberly and by way of advice hold forth their judgmnts and not impose upon any and as they left an open door to others to adde what further discoveries of guiltiness the Lord should make known to them so were they as sharp and searching against themselves as against any others What dissonancie from their Profession is in all this and if it be but a mocking of God as the Author insinuats I hope and pray that the Lord will reveal it unto them seeing they did it in the simplicity of their hearts looking upon the same as a speciall and necessary point of their duty in this day of indignation and back-sliding but if it was acceptable service to God as I trust it was I hope the Lord wil countenance and follow it with a blessing from Heaven that there may be a profitable fruit thereof to his poor servants and to his poor Church I know not well who these be of whom the Author speaks who notwithstanding of all the businesse that is made upon conferences about differences c. yet if the fears of many both godly and wise may have weight have no other purpose but so far as they can to strengthen themselves in their own way and to fix the division from the most part in the Church of Scotland If any professe what he doth not intend he may abuse others but he doth but encrease his own guiltinesse I dare say that the desires of Union upon the Protesters side in the Meeting at Edinburgh whâ—ch was profest to be called in order to Union were reall and in their hearts as well as in their mouths as it was to them a matter both of grief and wonder when the Commissioners who came from the severall Synods did not only refuse to delay till Brethren of a different judgment who were absent because they had no calling or invitation to come and could not intrude themselves might be gotten conveened but also without any previous right understanding or any Overture in order thereunto did resolve upon keeping an Assembly according to the Indiction at Dundee the last year which gives just occasion of suspition to many godly and wise to conceive that the zealotes of the Publick Resolutions had more in their eye the strengthening of themselves in their own way and bearing down and censuring of their Brethren who differ from them then any union and right understanding with them the Commissions that some who came to that Meeting were cloathed with and the Letter and Articles that others of them did so much magnifie and do so closely stick to do confirm them therein and this brings forth in them this fear that as the strict adhering to the Publick Resolutions and to the Constitution and Acts of the Assembly at Dundee shall obstruct the purging of this Church from corrupt Officers and corrupt Members and bear down and drive out many precious ones who cannot be consenting unto but most bear testimony against these things so also that it shal make many of the godly in the land to stumble exceedingly at the government of our Church and from a despair ever to see this Church purged to think of separating from it in which though they may do what they ought not to do yet it doth exceedingly concern the Author and others of his way to consider of this and to take heed that they do no more offend the little ones nor tempt them above what they are able to bear VINDICATION IT should now follow that we come to the examination of the Reasons alleadged against the Assembly but that there is one passage more in the Narrative of their Protestation which cannot be passed by without some inquiry upon it it is in these words But as the faithfull servants of Jesus Christ in this Kirk in former times did by the good hand of God on them bring the Work of Reformation unto a great perfection and near conformity with the first patern some unfaithful men minding their own things more then the things of Christ usurping over their Brethren and the Lords Inheritance â—id deface the beauty thereof first by encroaching on the liberty and freedom of the Assembly afterward by taking away the very Assembly themselves therefore remember c. I shall not stay here to examine the Gramar and Logick of this passage in relation to antecedents and consequents wherein it seems whileas they have been too forward and earnest to let out indirectly a blow at honest men they have somewhat overseen themselves as might be clearly evidenced but this is not worth the while nor shall I insist upon it to enquire the mystery It may be insinuat there where they say that the faithfull Ministers of Jesus Christ in former times brought the Work of Reformation to a great perfection and to a near conformity with the first patern for these epithets of great and near cannot be looked on in this place but as termini diminuentes because perfection conformity to a rule are in themselves and their own pure signification such terms as no epithet of quantity in the meer positive degree can be added to them without diminution of the thing signified by them When you say an action is come to a great perfection and to a conformiâ—y with You say not so much as if you said simply it is come to perfection and conformity with its rule now the Work of Reformation here being meant the outward Ordinances the brethren would do well to tell and it were wisdome for every honest professor to enquire what they judge wanting of perfection and conformity to the patern in a Reformation of outward Ordinances carryed on by the good hand of God upon these his servants for my own part I am not given to be jealous yet I think it is safe now to take heed ne lateat anguis in herba the rather knowing that it hath bin the way of some of these lands since the work of Vniformity began in them to say that the Work of Reformation in Scotland was a good way on but that there are yet further attainments then it was brought to now it is begun boldly to be presented into a Meeting pretended to be the publick Commission of the Kirk that the taking of Presbyterian Government is the greatest perfection attainable in Church-government and that the maintaining lesse then positive evidences of Grace is sufficient
for constituting one a member of the visible Kirk and sundry other weighty points of the Doctrine and Government of the Church of Scotland are chief causes that have brought the present judgments on the Land which I dare say the presenter of them would never hazarded to have presented had he not known of some good liking of them in some Ministers nay I will say further though the man be understanding as to his station beyond many others yet who ever knows him best and will consider the stile contrivance conceptions in those articles now extant in Print will I doubt not say there hath been the hand of Joab another head and pen in them then his own This by the way that which I would have especially observed in this passage is to what purpose in this place are brought in these unfaithfull men the Prelats who minding their own things c. and all this made an antecedent wherupon is inferred the Protestation against the late Assembly for immediatly it followeth therfore remembring c. whereunto tendeth all this but to bear all in hand that shal happen to read this Protestation that the Brethren that have been lately are opposite to them the professors have been and are treading the steps of these unfaithfull men the Prelats and their mentioned practices a shreud suggestion to say no more against their Brethren many of them not only such as yet they dare not but professe to esteem highly of but even many others whom they despise have been honoured of God to stand constant against the Prelats usurpations for the liberry of Assemblies when few of their accusers have had the honour to have had their hand at the work yea some it may be these from whom the suggestion issued were taking unwarrantable orders from Prelats and doing more too How can honest Christian hearts admit so slanderous a suggestion against so many honest men whose faithfulness integrity honesty constancy in the truth hath been so wel known and sealed by God quis tulerit Graechos I speak not of them all de seditione loquentes if need be it will be easie to discover or rather to name for they are not hidden in the dark the Prelaticall steps that some have trod these years last by-past REVIEW THe first thing which the Author challenges in that passage of the Narrative of the Protestation is the Grammar and Logick of it in relation to antecedence and consâ—quence concerning which he thinks that too great forwardnes to let out indirectly a blow at honest men is made the Protesters somewhat to over see themselves but he spares the clearing of it and not being worth the while till it bâ— câ—eâ—ed these who see it cannot take with it In the next place albeit he professes himself not to be given to be jealous yet It is too great jealousie and prejudice that raises so great a stir about so innocent and harmlesse an expression as this That the faâ—thfall Ministers of Jesus Christ in former times brought the Work of Reformation in Scotland to a great perfection and near conformity to the Word of God What mystery is here have not the like expressions been used heretofore in the Papers and Books of the Relaters and Asserters of Reformation and Government of this Church but saith the Author great and near are here diminishing terms and imports yet somthing to be wanting to perfection and conformity to the patern and therefore he thinks the Brethren would do wel to tel that it were wisdom for every honest professor to enquire what that is that is yet wanting The brethren do tel all honest Professors may be perswaded to believe that they had no wil before them that expression and that they do willingly subscribe to the testimony of a worthy man in this Church whose love unto and estimation of the Work of Reformation is above all exception to wit that the Church of Scotland after the Reformation did by degrees attain to as great perfection both in Doctrine and Discipline as any other Râ—formed Church in Europe But it may be this will not satisfie the Author because his Logick teaches him that by saying great perfection and near conformity they have said lesse then if they had said simply it is come to perfection and conformity To say nothing that the Work of Reformation is capable of a greater grouth in the practicall use of the things that are known and profest and of a discovery of further degrees of light and perswasion in these things Will the Author say that nothing at all no not the least pin or circumstance of perfection conformity with the first patern was then wanting to the work of reformation in Scotland if so we desire him to tell us what kind of power it is that is exercised by the Magistrates and Councels of Burghs then they choose Commissioners to the Generall Assembly and what is the extent of the Doctors Office I ask not these things to cast any blemish on the Work of Reformation which I do willingly acknowledge to be such as may compare with any of the Reformed Churches and in some respect so far as I know hath the pre-eminence but to satisfie the Authors needlesse curiosity these things being considered makes it to appear that these words even when streached upon the tenter-hooks of the Authors nicety do yet bear a convenient and true meaning and that none needs thence to fear a serpent lurking in the bush I acknowledge that it hath been the way of some in these Lands since the Work of Reformation began in them to say that the Work of Reformation in Scotland was a good way on but that there are yet further attainments then it was brought unto but it was apparent from others of their expressions and from the whole tenor of their carriage that they had therein a bad meaning to wit that we should not hold fast the things which we have already nor walk by the same rule but that we should make an alteration and change thereof and therefore there is reason to be jealous over such but to be jealous over these whose expressisions carriage gives no ground for it is but to torment our selves with needlesse fears and to wrong others I have already given some accompt of the Paper presented to the Meeting at Edinburgh which the Author doth here repeat again and shall now adde these few things in answer to some circumstances of his discourse First that Paper was not presented to a Meeting that either really was or did pretend to be the Commission of the Church but onely to a Meeting of Ministers and Professors acting not in the capacity of any Judicatory reall or pretended Secondly that all the Ministers who were there did testifie their dislike of that Paper and even these whom the Author and some others do haply most suspect did seriously disswade from the in-giving of it Thirdly I know not who is the Joab he