Enemies to the present Government and French Incendiaries or at least such a Crew as would sacriâ—ice all that is dear to us as Men and Christians to their own private Resentments 1. It is very well known and too lately transacted to be forgotten that the States of Scotland in their Claim of Right did demand the Abolition of Prelacy as contrary to the Inclination of the Generality of the People on which Condition amongst others their Majesties accepted that Crown and in pursuance of their Promise have by Act of Parliament abolished Prelacy since and established Presbytery in Scotland as most agreeable to the World of God as well as the Peoples Inclinations Then if their Majesties should be prevailed upon which blessed be God there is no cause to fear to act contrary to their solemn Oaths and the Claim of Right they must needs see that the People of Scotland would have ground enough to plead a Breach of the Original Contract nor could the Church of England for shame condemn them seeing they made use of the same Plea in their Convention and Parliament against King Iames. And in the next place let them but consider that upon the same ground this or any other King may as well break with them and invade the Constitution of their Church which by the Coronation-Oath they have bound him to maintain And whether Charles the Second after he was by them perswaded to break his Oath to the Presbyterians in Scotland made any greater Conscience of maintaining the Civil and Religious Liberties of England Iâ— appeal to themselves And therefore seeing by that excessive Power which they gave their Kings in things sacred meerly to destroy the Presbyterians they found at last that they had put a Rod in their Hands to whip themselves I think they should be cautious how they play that Game over again I do not write this as having any suspicion that their Majesties are so weak as to be prevailed upon to alter the Church-Government in Scotland but meerly to let the World see that they who sollicite them to it are their greatest Enemies and design to shake their Throne and that it is not the Church of England's Interest to countenance our Scots Prelatisâ—â— nor to importune their Majesties on that Head If what is already said be not enough I would earnestly intreat all sober Church-of England-Men to consider what were the Consequences of their meddling in our Affairs and incensing King Charles the First against the Presbyterians in favour of our Runnagate Prelates and their Hirelings And seeing like Causes may have the like Effects they would do well to beware It is not unknown that Scotland is a distinct Nation and ought to be govern'd by their own Laws and Councils and therefore it must needs be an Invasion of the Rights of Scotland for English Ministers of State and Prelates to meddle or give Counsel in Scotish Affairs when not call'd to it And I cannot but think that all reasonable Men will easily grant that the Parliament and General Assembly of the Church of Scotland are better Judges of what is expedient for that Nation than a few English Ministers of State or Prelates and that both of them have reason to reject what Directions or Injunctions come from such a Mint And I would put it to the Consciences of all judicious Church-of England-Men how they would take it if the King were in Scotland that any of the Dissenting Ministers who are really injured as those who preached at St. Hellin and Hiâ—ley Chappels in Lancashire or the whole of them because denied a Comprehension should â—ly thither and by their Interest with Scots Presbyterian Ministers of State and Preachers importune his Majesty to have the Constitution of the Church of England overturned and proâ—ure Orders to have such and such Ministers planted in Churches tho they refuse to satisfy the Law I say in such a case I appeal to their own Consciences how they would take it whether they would reckon themselves obliged to obey or if they would not complain that their Rights were invaded and demand Satisfaction of such Ministers of State c. as Incendiaries and Disâ—â—â—bers of the Harmony between King and Subjects I believe verily they would and that not without good reason tho I am sure the case is much stronger on our side still for the Dissenting Ministers of England are all of them Loyal to his Majesty willing to swear Allegiance and pray for him but so are not our Scots Prelatists And besides his Majesty is really the Head and Fountain of all Power in the Church of England who have not only their Temporal Baronies and Honours from him but are nominated to their Bishopricks by him but so it is not in Scotland where he hath divested himself of the Supremacy and neither bestows Lands nor Honours upon Church-Men Then the case being so the Golden Rule which commands us to do as we would be done by should oblige English-Men not to meddle with our Church no more than they would have us to meddle with theirs and if the Parliament of Scotland do pass over what of that Nature is already done it 's not to be supposed that the Red Rampant Lion is become so much a Calf as not to roar sometime or other and make the fattest and proudest of the Beasts in the Field to tremble as ersâ— of old but I hope and pray that God will avert both the Cause and the Effect The English Bishops did not gain so much by the the last Bellum Episcopale against us that they need to be fond of another and we doubt not to find as much Justice from the Parliament of England now as we found then and have no reason to doubt but King William would be as ready as Charles the First to deliver up his Ministers to the Law if it should be made appear against them that they have been meddling too much in our Affairs I know that our Scots Prelatists possess the Church of England that we think our selves obliged to endeavour the Extirpation of their Hierarchy and upon that account prevail with them to endeavour our Subversion But I would earnestly beg all moderate Men to weigh the following Answers 1. That the reason of entring into that solemn League and Covenant was the Fury which the English Prelates evidenced at that time against the Church of Scotland having excommunicated the same in all the Churches in England forced a Service-Book upon us more exceptionable than their own and in Conjunction with Papists enabled Charles the First to raise 30000 Men against us when the Parliament of England refus'd to concur with him insomuch that that Expedition was called the Bishops War But blessed be God his present Majesty is far from any such Attempt and the English Bishops the chief of them at least are Men of more Moderation So that there is no such cause for us to endeavour the Overthrow of their Hierarchy 2. That the
Scots Presbyterians do not at all think themselves obliged by that Covenant to endeavour a forcible extirpation of the English Prelacy but in Concurrence with the Parliament of England and therefore so long as they have not their Call to the Work the English Prelacy is in no Hazard and the best way to keep so is for the Church of England to carry modestly and neither to meddle with us nor give their own Parliament occasion to make such a Vote against them as the Parliament of Scotland made against our Bishops That they were the great and insupportable Grievance of the Nation so that they have their Safety in their own Hand But if they should be so infatuated to proceed as they began in relation to the late General Assembly of the Church of Scotland or if they be such Fools as to concur to the stiâ—ling of all Plots against his Majesty as hitherto because so many of their own Communion are concerned in them let them blame themselves for what will be the unavoidable Consequences soon or late for the Church-of England Laity are too good Protestants and English-men to be always led by the Clergy or continually hood-wink'd and not discover the Plots carried on against the State under pretence of Zeal to the Church of which me-thinks the Hot-headed Clergy should take warning seeing they may easily perceive how little Ground their Passive Obedience had gain'd when the honest Church-of England Laicks found themselves in hazard by K. Iames as to their Liberties and Religion Next I would earnestly beg that they would consider how the Faction under a pretence of Zeal for the Church and against Presbytery screw'd up the Prerogative to such a height that Englishmen had very near lost their Liberty and Property It was this mistaken Zeal that threw out the Bill of Exclusion surrendred the Charters of Corporations enabled the King to pack Parliaments pick Juries and cut off whomsoever he pleased under pretence of Law It was this mistaken Zeal that brought the late Reign and all the direful Effects of it which we have already felt or are still impending upon us It was this mistaken Zeal which delay'd his present Majesty's Access to the Throne gave the Enemies opportunity to ruin Ireland raise a Rebellion in Scotland and Plot as they do still in England And shall we never be aware of it Methinks that if the Church of England compared Things past and present She might easily perceive that this intemperate Heat against Presbytery doth naturally issue in Popery and Slavery and that she has much more reason to unite for Defence of the Protestant Interest and her own Doctrinal Articles with the Church of Scotland than by espousing the Cause of a few proâ—â—igate or traiterous Clergy-men because Episcopal run her self into unavoidable Dangers Is it possible that a Harmony in Discipline should have more Power to unite distinct Interests than a Harmony in Doctrine and Agreement under one Civil Head hath to cement those who drive the same Interest It cannot be unknown to the Church of England if she believes either their Majesties Proclamations or considers the procedure of his Parliament and other Courts in Scotland that the Prelatical Party there drive at a Design to restore K. Iames. And with she yet entertain such Vipers in her Bosom as their outed Clergy and not only so but for their sakes entertain Suspicions of his Majesty and sollicite him against the Church of Scotland Can she say that we have ever made any Address to him against the Church of England and why should they be more zealous against us than we against them Does she not know that Arch-bishop Vsher and some of the greatest of her Fathers thought Episcopacy and Presbytery reconcileable and the other things in Controversy indifferent How is it then that she thinks her Differences with King Iames and the Church of Rome more reconcileable as she must needs do if she fall in with her own high-flown Tantivees and our Scots Prelatists But I hope if no Religious Considerations will prevail that the danger of their running the same Risk with us may they seeing both they and we have the same Security viz. the King 's accepting of the Crown on such and such Conditions and consenting to Acts of Parliament accordingly if he should break to one he may do the same to both and though they may think that he will not overthrow their Hierarchy because the Bishops depending on him may be useâ—ul to him in the Parliament-House yet at the same time he may as Charles the Second did invade their Civil Liberties and then their Religion nor nothing else can ever be secure I must again beg the Reader not to mistake meâ— as designing to create any Suspicion of his Majesty following such an unhallowed Pattern but meerly to set this as a Beacon before the Church of England that they may beware of being Shipwrack'd twice upon the same Rock which will be unavoidable if they should prevail wiâ—h any of their Kings to break the Original Contracts or call in K. Iames or set up any other Pretender against his present Majesty and prosper which blessed be God there 's no probability that ever they will for never was King better beloved by Subjects and let them try it when they please they 'll â—ind he has in Scotland Twenty to One firm in his Interest And whatever Noise they make to blind their own Designs of our hazard from a Republican Faction if they will assure the Nation of such Governours as are now at Helm those whom they call Republicans will as cordially submit to them as any But I foresee an Objection as to Scots Affairs That they only sollicit his Majesty to dissolve the present Parliament and call another which will restore Episcopacy and recognize his Title Answ. 1. His Majesty hath had too many Proofs of the Loyalty of Presbyterians and the Treachery of Episcopalians to venture such an Experiment or if he should and they happen to recognize his Title he can never think that they submit from Affection but meerly from Interest when they see they can do no better And in truth whatever Pretences of Loyalty they make it 's demonstrable enough that as the Country-man when the London â—Drawers baul'd out Welcome Sir laid his Hand on his Pob and said I thank you my Friend so may his Majesty when our Scots Prelatists pretend Loyalty put his Hand to his Side and say I thank you my Sword for no longer will they be his Friend than he is able to cudgel them Whereas it 's very well known that the Scots Presbyterians declared for him before Providence had determined their Crown in his Favour and have beat into the Prelatists whatever Loyalty they pretend to have Nor is it to be thought a Prince so Good and Generous as his present Majesty will ever be so ungrateful to his Friends or act so much contrary to Reason and his own
others the Military Power of the City was lodg'd in those who had surrendred her Charter and dipp'd their Hands in the Blood of my Lord Russel Colonel Sidney Alderman Cornish c. and contributed to the Arbitrary Methods of the late Reigns And because this is but one half of the Parliament let 's look into the higher House and there you will find that according to the opinion of none of the least Church-of England-Men when the Act pass'd for depriving the Nonjurant Bishops it was look'd upon as a fatal Blow to the Church of England So that in plain terms the Jacobite Party is what that Faction means by the Church of England And as a Commentary upon the Text let 's but consider the main Engine which they have made use of to quash the Discovery of all Plots against the Government and we shall find that it was by giving out those Discoveries as the Efforts of Republicans and Dislenters against the Church of England and if we look nearer home and consider how it comes to pass that such Men are advanced to the highest Places in the Scots Government who were the Contrivers Enacters and bloody Executioners of those Laws which your August Assembly hath declared to be impious we shall find it to be done by the Interest of that Party in the Church of England If we consider further whence it is that those who betray'd our Army murder'd our People and plotted the Destruction of your Convention escape unpunish'd you will fin'd it to be by the Procurement of the aforesaid Party Now all these things being considered it will easily appear whether it be your Interest to oblige this Church or not Or if we take her according to the general Acceptation of Bishops and Ceremonies the Vote of your August Assembly concerning Prelacy your Act establishing Presbytery as most agreeable to the Word of God and the Opposition made to the Ceremonies by our Country in Charles the First 's time will speedily determine the case And it will yet appear less reasonable to oblige that Church so taken if we consider that those of her own Communion and the best of them too look upon both Bishops and Ceremonies to be indifferent and not of Divine Institution as may be seen by the Writings of Mr. Hickeringil Counsellor Stephens and Stillingfleet's Irenicum So that in effect the best of the Church-of England-Communion are embark'd in the same Bottom with your selves and the common Enemies of both call them Presbyterians as well as you and treated them accordingly in the late Reigns So that from that worthy part of the Church of England who are Men of good Lives and keep firm to the Doctrine of their Church you need fear no Opposition for to do them Justice they are as zealous for the Protestant Religion as any and never join'd in persecuting their Brethren of a different Opinion To what they pretend of supplying the vacant Churches may speedily be replied The Assembly hath declared their Willingness to employ such of them as are Godly and Orthodox And as for others the good old way of our Church in the Reformation when Ministers were scarcer than now of appointing Men to preach by turns to those vacant Congregations till they can be otherwise supplied is the much safer and better Expedient than to entrust such Men with the Charge of other Peoples Souls who have discovered so little care of their own and whom in your Wisdom you objected against as the great and insupportable Grievance of the Nation Nor have you any such Encouragement from their former Success to imploy them again and if it shall seem good in your Eyes to go on as you begun and encourage a Reformation such of our Country-men as are abroad will be the sooner prevail'd with to come home and others to prosecute their Studies to adapt them for the Ministry and fill up the Vacancies for it cannot be hid from your Illustrious Assembly that the intrusting the chief Enemies of the Presbyterians in the Government is a great Discouragement to all that wish well to our Church or Countryâ— and administers but too just cause of Suspicion that we must either be imbroil'd in a Civil War or return to our former Bondage which nothing but your Care with his Majesty's Assistance and God's Blessing is able to prevent Your Honours may perhaps be inclin'd to think that there is too much Gall in my Pen against our Prelatical Clergy but such of your Number as have been lately at London cannot but know what an Odium they have endeavoured to bring upon the Country in general and your August Assembly in particular insinuating That you are neither the True nor full Representatives of the Nation and but a meer surreptitious Faction got together by the Opportunity of tumâ—ltuous Times and that you neither acted from a Principle of Honour nor Conscience but did only what you thought would be pleasing to the Prince of Orange And hence they have used their utmost Endeavours to have you Dissolv'd by the Interest of the high-slown Prelatical English Courtiers to whom they represent you in the blackest Colours which their Malice or Wit can invent And not only so but they make use of your Name as the Turkish Slaves do those of their Barbarous Masters from whom they have escaped to move those of the Church-of England-Communion to open their Purses pretending that you have turn'd them out in a barbarous and illegal manner or that they have had such and such Indignities and Affronts put upon them And thus they beg from one Clergy-man to another and spend what they get at Taverns and Ale-houses or sitting up whole Nights at Cards particularly at Mills in Westminster or Hutchinsons in the Hay-Market and when their Stock is spent renew the begging Trade or else troop about the Country and with their stol'n Sermons or railing Invectives against the Government of Scotland both in Church and State insinuate themselves into the Adorers of Bishops and Ceremonies for the latter of which though they exclaim'd against them at Home they profess themselves to be mighty Zealots Abroad and thus they disseminate their Poison in our Neighbouring Nation by their lying Tongues and blasphemous Pamphlets So that hence your August Assembly may have a sufficient view whether it be safe to reintroduce such Men into the Church who have given up themselves to all manner of Villanies and are become Devotoes to those unscriptural Ceremonies which occasion'd the fatal War in Charleâ—â— the First 's Time and have moreover evidenced such Levity and Unsted fastness both in imbracing rejecting them at Home since the Revolution that it 's visible they are not acted by Principle but Interest and that their Interest has been always contrary to what your August Assembly hath now espoused both as to Policy and Religion is so evident that whoever casts but an Eye upon the History ever since they were obtruded upon the Nation may soon
be convinc'd of it Or by a shorter view if they please but to read the Grievances which you desired to be redressed by their present Majesties of which the Bishops and Clergy were for the most part Contriâ—ers Promoters and Actors And we may the better be satisfied what those Men who now sollicite for a Share in the Government of the Church do chiefly aim at both as to that and the State if we do but consider that their principal Converse is with the Jacobites in England and that the chiefest of their Friends are none of the best Williamites in Scotland It 's not unlike that your Honours may be accosted with this amongst other Arguments that admitting those Men to a share of Church-Government will gratify the King to whom you are so much obliged which of it self is an impeachment of your Wisdom for none can so well know the Interest of Scotland as a free chosen Parliament who are consequently fittest to give the King Advice And seeing the Interest of all good Kings and their People is one and the same that ought to be most grateful to the King which is so to the People and what that is you have already declared It is obvious to those that know our History that ever since the Reformation the Church of Scotland hath claim'd a Right of Calling and Adjourning her own Assemblies pro re nata and what dismal Consequences the Invasion of that Privilege hath been attended with to those Kings and Grandees who have attempted it is so well known that it cannot easily be forgot And whether King Iames the Sixth's Curse hath not taken place upon those of his Successors who invaded the Church the Revolutions of the Crown have sufficiently witnessed and if the Hand of God hath not been remarkably seen in punishing those Great Ones who were their Tools let the Ruin of their Families from time to time declare Nor hath the Nation escap'd punishment for the Treachery of their Representatives God having been justly provok'd to give them and their Liberties to be swallowed up by those very Men whom they would needs set upon his Throne and into whose Hands they betray'd the Liberties of the Church of which your own Claim of Right is a speaking Monument and seeing there is no doubt but your August Assembly had valuable Reasons for abolishing the Supremacy it 's an Affront to your Authority to demand its Restitution It s being possess'd by the Church can bring no Damage to the Crown for Presbyterians are known to have as good if not a better Opinion of his present Majesty than any other of his Subjects and all Men of Sense must needs take it for a Proof of it that they sollicite for such good Laws in his Reign as may secure them from the danger of others And seeing our Church-men are subject to the Laws and never did refuse to assemble at the Call of their Kings and to give an Account of their Affairs it 's but equal to leave them in the Possession of that Liberty of calling Assemblies concerning their own Matters which the Church was possessed of before ever there was a Christian Magistrate if the 15th of the Acts be the Word of God And certainly he who promised that Kings should be Nursing-Fathers did never intend that they should be Step-Fathers to rob the Children of what is their due As for the Calumnies of your Church of England-Enemies it is easy to stop their Mouth with Argumentum ad Hominem their Carriage to K. Iames the Seventh proclaims their unshaken Loyalty And for your own Episcopal Party all the World knows that they and their Kings together did so tyrannize over your Bodies and Souls that you durst scarcely plead a Property in either And if the Church of England must be pleased which is the Achillean Argument used by the Party we can justly answer the peevish Lady as the young Crab did the old One I prae Mater ego sequar Let 's see how careful she will be to testify her Gratitude to his Majesty in taking off the Test and taking in Dissenters to the Church which will but just make them even with us and then and time enough then because we are the oldest Nation we may think which way to make the next Advance for as we have got the Precedency it 's but reasonable we should keep it for I know so much by my self that Scotsmen love to go but neither to be driven nor dragg'd I cannot but acquaint your Honours that since the writing of what is above the Jacobites here are mightily elevated and big with hopes of seeing you all in Confusion and the Nation in a Flame by the Designs which they give out to be on foot amongst you of lodging the Power of Calling and Dissolving Church-Assemblies in the Magistrate alone and depriving the People of the Right of chusing Ministers by which means they are so bold as to say That they hope not only to see Prelacy gradually reintroduced but their late Monarch reinthroned And that they may accomplish these Designs will insinuate themselves into both Parties and are very confident that the Result will answer their Expectation for a speedy Reestablishment of Prelacy at least these Measures as they give out being concerted with English Prelats who have form'd a Party among you for their Designs But as they have hitherto reproach'd your Proceedings there 's no doubt but this is a Calumny from the same Forge by which they would Ridicule your Authority and represent you to the World as Men of no Principle nor Solidity but such as will make your self Transgressors in building again what you have already destroy'd But may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ direct your Counsels so as to issue in the Comfort of his Church Peace of the Nation and Confusion of those your black-mouth'd Enemies who are engaged in an Interest not only distinct from but altogether destructive of yours Of which there 's no room to doubt if we consider the following Address of the Representatives of their Church which they have endeavour'd to perform on all Occasions and as they have never yet revok'd it we need not doubt but that the Party are still of the same mind The Address of the Archbishops and Bishops of Scotland to the late K. Iames upon the News of the Prince of Orange's Undertaking November the 10th 1688. Vid. Gazette Numb 2398. May it please your most Sacred Majesty WE prostrate our selves to pay our most Devote Thanks and Adoration to the Soveraign Majesty of Heaven and Earth for preserving Your Sacred Life and Person so frequently exposed to the greatest Hazards and as often delivered and You miraculously prospered with Glory and Victory in Defence of the Rights and Honour of Your Majesty's August Brother and of these Kingdoms and that by his Merciful Goodness the Ragings of the Sea and Madness of Vnreasonable Mâ—â— have been stilled and calmed And Your Majesty
it and after they had got this Assurance once they were not satisâ—ied but dunn'd his Majesty as if he had been their Debtor for a Repetition of his Promises till he took notice of it and told them he was very willing to lay hold on every opportunity of renewing his Assurance to maintain the Church of England or words to that Effect So that it is evident beyond Exception that Prelacy is afraid when they see Popery touch'd and that they are jealous that our Dread Soveraign whom God has raised to break the Horns of the Antichristian Carpenters should also prove the Bane of the Pope's Journey-men the Prelates and hence it is that they behold his Majesty's glorious Success with Jealousy which all the rest of the Protestant World looks upon with Joy So that their Convocation when assembled were very loth to give his Majesty Thanks and when they did could hardly be brought to thank him for what he had done for the Protestant Interest in general but only for playing the Bugbear to frighten away K. Iames who began to bring in their elder Brethren the Papists to be sharers of the Fat with themselves and lest we should doubt what this Church of England is which they are so mightily tender of they informed us in an Address of Thanks to the King for the Care he had taken of the Church of England in the Alteration which was then made in the Lieutenancy of London and that was for putting in some of the Bloody Juries and those who had betrayed the Charter of the City and were the Tools to promote Tyranny Now this being matter of Fact and undeniable the moderate Church-of England-Men see what they must expect if that Faction get the Ascendant once more it 's not their Agreement in Government and Ceremonies that will give them a true Title to be Sons of the Church Gibellins they are and as Gibellins they must die The Murder of my Lord Russel Alderman Cornish and many others are sad Proofs of what I assert and seeing the moderate Church-of England-Men and the Presbyterians of Scotland were fellow-Sufferers in the late Reigns now that we have Men advanced to the highest Dignity of the Church whose Repute for Moderation did not a little contribute towards it methinks it is but what their Brethren in Scotland might expect that they should be so far from countenancing our runnagate Episcopal Clergy in their malicious Clamours at Court that they ought to oppose them especially considering that they were such Implements as the late Reigns found very subservient to their Designs of bringing Slavery upon us under which they themselves smarted either in Person or Sympathy And now that I am upon it I cannot but take notice with regret that notwithstanding of the almost indispensable necâ—ssity of it the sober Church-of England-Men in their Ecclesiastical Capacity have never given any publick conjunct Testimony against the Tyranny of the last Reigns nor those of their Communion who were Abettors of it and at this day labour to re-introduce it Let them think what they will their Silence in this Affair is no small incouragement to the Jacobite Party who have hitherto baffled the discovery of all their Plots under a pretence of Zeal for the Church which together with the ill Example of the Nonjurant Bishops and Clergy hath been of more use to the French King than an Army of 60000 Men From this Source it is that his Majesty's Affairs meet with so many Rubs his Friends are so far from being rewarded that they are endangered and discouraged and yet our moderate Ecclesiasticks have never made open and conjunct Protestation against it It was the Saying of the God of Truth That the Children of this Generation are wiser than the Children of Light and our Times furnish us with many sad Instances of its undeniable Verity Did not the Pulpits in the late Reigns thunder against all Attempts of recovering our Liberties either in the Parliament or in the Field Did not the Church concur with her Excommunications to render Dissenters uncapable of so much as chusing or giving Votes for a sober Church-of England-Man who would stand by the Liberties of his Country to represent them in Parliament Did not some of their Bishops press the Execution of their Penal Laws against Dissenters to keep them under Hatches for that very reason And did not the Clergy spend their consecrated Lungs in bellowing out Presbyterian Plots to drown the Popish ones And yet now they don't excommunicate their Jacobites notwithstanding of their Conventicles and distinct Form of Worship their clubbing to chuse Enemies to the Government to represent them in Parliament even those who were violent Enemies to the Abdication as Sir R. S. c. who was chosen by by the University of C ge Nor do the Pulpits now sound with Jacobite Plots in this Reign as they did with Presbyterian and Whiggish Plots in the late Reigns which together with the tenderness that hath been shewed towards their Nonjurant Bishops and Clergy and the Opposition they make to abjuring the late K. Iames are sufficient Evidences that it is his Majesty's Interest to keep up the Presbyterians in Scotland as a Ballance lest the Scale turn on the side of K. Iames or his pretended Son And as for our Scots Episcopalians their Loyalty was sufficiently discovered after the Defeat of the French by Sea for none were so industrious as they to lessen our Victory when God had given it us Nor was their Carriage less remarkable for disaffection upon the taking of Namur the first News from Steenkirk and when the Intelligence came that Charleroy was besieged which so elevated the Spirits of Dr. M the Apologist and Sheelds the Jacobite Parson lately in Newgate for a Conventicle that they were overheard to salute one another in the Park with no less Titles than that of My Lord Bishop of such and such a Place so big were they with hopes of the French Conquests Pag. 86. Our Author not having time enough to recover himself â—rom the Undecencies of his Passion continues his Nonsense and tells you very gravely That if the Presbyterian Delusions did not upon all Turns prompt them to overturn the Government they might live in Scotland in all Peace as other Dissenters did I suppose our Author to be speaking of the Time past and if so then he should have said might have lived And whether this Blunder of Grammar in his own Mother-Tongue be not as unpardonable in him as are the Blunders in Latin which he falsly chargeth upon Mr. Rule let any Man judg and that he meant of the Time past needs no other Demonstration than to consider that the Presbyterians do and can live at Peace in Scotland now without being obliged to the Prelatists But Nonsense is one of our Author's least Indecencies of Passion for they who know him inform me that in his Heat he cannot forbear Swearing notwithstanding of his Doctoral Scarf And it can
be proved on him that when talking to a certain Minister about the Church of Scotland one of the good-natur'd Doctor 's commendable Expressions were That if the Episcopal Party had it not he car'd not if the Devil had it Well but to proceed the Doctor acknowledges that other Dissenters liv'd peaceably in Scotland Now other Dissenters we had none but Quakers and Papists and that they liv'd peaceably we very well knew and used to ask why they persecuted us more than them seeing their Difference in Principles was much greater if our Episcopalians had been as they pretended to be good Protestants Now I think every one knows the Principles and Practices of the Papists to be dangerous in all Protestant Governments and that Quakerism has too great affinity with Popery so that their kind Treatment while we were barbarously persecuted is none of the best Arguments to prove our Episcopalians good Protestants And pray let our Author in his next give us an account Why Popish Recusants for denying the King 's Ecclesiaslical Supremacy were not dragoon'd to come to Church plundred hunted and hanged as we were But seeing I know he will not tell the Truth I 'le venture to tell it for him in Bishop Carnerosse's words The Papists were their necessary Friends A King of their Religion was dropping ripe to fall into the Throne and every one knows that under Popery Bishops may grow Cardinals and Popes but under Presbytery they cannot exist and this is the Rope which draws the Inclinations of our Hierarchical Men so much towards Rome instead of drawing Rome so much to them If I be mistaken let the Advances which the Church of Rome made upon us and the Interest they obtain'd in Court and else-where under the warm Wings of Prelacy in the Reigns of both the Charles's and the last of the Iames's bear witness Nay our good-natur'd Doctor was even so kind to Mother-Church as to impose on his Scholars an Oath in K. Iames's Time to maintain the blank Christian Religion and to hinder the publishing of Mr. Iamison's Book against Quakerism yet his Rancor against Presbytery was so great though the Malice of the Court seem'd to be asswaged that when the Presbyterians desired they might have the Common Hall of the College of which he was then Principal to meet in he answered like a scurrilous and spightful Villain That his Hall should never be a groping Office Indeed Doctor I am very well satisfied that if any such things had been practis'd at our Meetings the Episcopal Clergy would never have been their Enemies for very sure I am that the greatest Swearers Drunkards and Whoremasters of the Parish were generally the greatest Friends to the Curats And Arch-bishop Paterson whose Champion you are may for ever stop your Mouth seeing Megg Patterson with whom he had been base own'd it before the Court upon Examination And your other good Friend Mr. Hamilton whom you are so careful to vindicate would certainly have been a â—requenter of such groping Offices had there been any seeing he was not ashamed upon a certain Occasion to declare That he hated all words which ended in ism except Baptism and Priapism The Doctor having dropt out a feeble and a faint Lie to justify the making of the Laws against us Vices acquirit eundo and ibid. tells you boldly That the Scheme of the Presbyterian Religion wherein they differ from the Episcopalians is nothing but ungovernable Humour and Rebellion Well said good-natur'd Doctor who is a Separatist from good Nature and the Christian Church now Modest Sir I must bâ—g your pardon to say that you are either an ungovernable passionate Prelate or the King and Parliament are stark Fools and Knaves to have abolished Episcopacy in Scotland where according to you they must have establish'd nothing but ungovernable Humour and Rebellion Certainly his Majesty and the Parliament are more concerned to preserve the Soveraignty than such Fellows as you and if they had not been satisâ—ied that the Presbyterians were better Friends to it than the Prelatists they would never have establish'd them and ejected the other Pray Sir if your Eyes be not blinded with Passion look upon the Harmony of Confessions and see whether ours or yours if you know where to find your own be most agreeable to the Reform'd Christian Church and then if you please look a little further into their Discipline and if it do not provoke you to Indecency of Passion read 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 3. Acts 20. 28 29. Acts 15. Titus 1. Phil. 1. 1. and see which of us are the greatest Separatists from the Christian Church and whether those Texts be chargeable with ungovernable Humour and Rebellion and so long as those Texts make it evident that Bishop and Presbyter are the same in Name and Office not so much as Ordinatione excepta if it be ungovernable Humour and Rebellion to believe so we will be ungovernable and rebellious still As for your citing the Hindâ— lâ—t loose Ius Populi and Naphtali it 's altogether foreign to the purpose all of them contain such Arguments for the lawfulness of resisting Tâ—yrannizing Princes as your Party could never answer and for any thing particular in any of them especially the Hind let loose which was writ against Presbyterians as well as Prelatists none but one of your own Kidney can charge them upon the Presbyterians in general But further it 's mighty strange that this Principle should be so Criminal in us and yet Venial in the Church-of England-Men Wherefore do not you cite Iulian the Apostate Mr. Hickeringil or Dr. Burnet the Bishop of Salisbury's Works c. to the same purpose And pray let us know why the Presbyterians are more chargeable with Ius Populi c. than the Church of England are with those The Author will not take notice of what has been so often told him and his Party that the horrid Cruelties exercis'd upon the Presbyterians in the West as dragging them to hear the Curates per Force plundering them of all they had ravishing their Wives Daughters and Maids chasing them to the Woods and Mountains in the extremity of Winter denying the poor Children left at home any other subsistance than what was left by the surfeited Dogs the tying of Gentlemen Neck and Heels and rosting them before Fires without so much as allowing them a draught of Water to quench their insupportable Thirst forcing of Bonds from them for such and such Sums and extorting Certificates after all this under their Hands that they had been civilly used I say the Faction will not hear when we tell them that all this was done before they could charge us with any Insurrection and yet are so disingenuous as to instance our posâ—eriour Efforts for Self-defence as the Occasion of all severe Laws Than which nothing can be more unjust and by the Doctor 's own confession Pag. 87. That the King and his Ministers of State might more plausibly be accused of
Cruelty if they made severe Laws against the Consequences of the Presbyterian Opinions We have reason to charge the King and his Ministers with Cruelty for such Laws as were made before 1666 were directly against the supposed Consequences of our Opinions or nothing for we made no opposition by Arms at that time against Charles the Second Nay it is expresly own'd Pag. 5 and 6 by Sir Geo. Mackenzie That the Laws were made against the Consequences which they pretend to charge upon our Principles But to return again P. 86. he alledges That the Presbyterians declar'd open War against the King in his own Dominions preach'd to their Hearers that they ought to kill his Servants that he had no right to the Crown because he had broken the Covenant Than which nothing can be more false It was but a small number of the Presbyterians that appeared in Arms in 1666 and they were so far from declaring War against the King that they only desired a Redress of those Grievances which the Episcopal Souldiers had committed beyond Law Nor would they have done it in Arms if it had been possible to have had access to the Council otherwise For those who appeared at Bothwel-Bridg they were so far from declaring against the King that they took his Interest into their Declaration and the Party who oppos'd it were so much diâ—relish'd that Multitudes deserted because they were concerned Nay Charles the Second was so much convinc'd that Mr. Iohn Welch and the majority of the Presbyterians were so far from disputing his Title that he granted an Indulgence immediately after the suppressing of that Insurrection and to my certain knowledg offer'd a particular Licence to the said Mr. Welch to live and preach in any part of his Dominions though our Episcopalians had formerly incens'd him so much against him that Proclamations were issued offering 500 l. to any that would bring him in dead or alive So that the Doctor has no Foundation for his Charge but the Practice of a few Cameronians one of whose Preachers excommunicated the King and about twenty of the Faction declared War against him at Sanqhuar and such a little number did afterwards pretend to dethrone him which will appear to all Men but such as our Author to be contrary to Presbyterian Principles seeing we allow not so much as Excommunication of a private Person without â—udicial Probation Admonition Suspension and the Consent of the Presbytery And by the Covenant which they reproach us with as our only Rule we swear to maintain the Privilege of Parliaments and the King 's just Powerand Greatness to which nothing can be more diametrically opposite than for a few Persons without the Consent and Commission of the whole to take upon them to exauctorate Magistrates And whatsoever this Libeller may suggest it 's known that Mr. Castares sen. Mr. Blare Mr. Iamison Mr. Rule Mr. Riddel and other grave Presbyterian Ministers fell under the Obloquy of the Cameronians for protesting publickly against the Principles which they were driven unto by the furious Tyranny of the late Reigns But if the Doctor be not yet satisfied I 'll give him Argumentum ad Hominem thus The Viscount of Dundee and his Party declared War against King William and all the Bishops of Scotland oppos'd his Title to the Crown Ergo All the Episcopalians in Scotland declared War against him and that he had no right to the Crown and therefore by their own Concession the present Government would be justified to enact as severe Laws against them as the late Government did against the Presbyterians The Premisses being undeniable the Conclusion cannot be avoided if our Author's way of arguing hold good But supposing it true that all the Presbyterians in Scotland had declared King Charles the Second to have â—orfeited his Right to the Crown because he broke the Covenant it had been no more than what the Church of England have declared against King Iames because of his breaking the Original Contract and I would desire our Gentleman to look upon the Claim of Right by both Nations and he will find that most of the Infractions upon that Contract were made by King Charles so that if this be a Crime Aethiopem albus Loripidem rectus derideat But as for that malicious Lie that any of them preach'd that his Servants ought to be killed it 's so gross that none but the Author could invent it nor any but his Party believe it for tho some of them did kill A. Bp Sharp and others who were hunting for their Lives and took the same advantage of them that they did of others it will not so much as follow that any of their Ministers preach'd this as their Duty and much less that it was so to kill the King's Servants as such Well but this Methodical Doctor who would sain perswade the World that he and his Party have engrossed all Reason and Logick to themselves comes with a Hysteron Proteron and tells you of the Presbyterians Cruelty toward the Episcopalians after the Year 1637 which mark the good-natur'd calm Expression he says were unparallell'd in History as they were diabolical in their Nature This is Scots Episcopal Veracity The Doctor thinks he is dictating to his Scholars and truly I must tell his Doctorship that if he taâ—ght them no better Philosophy than he teaches us History they had but a poor Bargain on 't But now good Doctor did you never read of the Massacres at Paris in the Valtoline and the Duke of Alva's Butchery in the Netherlands We shall not go so high as the ten Persecutions or those against the Wicklevites Waldenses c. And tell me if what Cruelties were exercised upon you about 1637 aggravate them as much as you can do in any measure come near them and if they do as I am sure they cannot I would know whether the Modest Rational and Religious Doctor be not guilty of an Immodest Irrational and Irreligious Lie And in the next place seeing we must go back to 1637 pray what did your Party then suffer answerable to the Persecution of the Presbyterians by your High Commission-Court before that time Or did your Sufferings come any thing near the horrid Cruelty which Montross with his Highlanders and the Irish Rebels who join'd him after they had massacred the Protestants in Ireland committed upon the Country in Defence of your Prelacy But further if your Party did suffer any thing at that time as it was impossible but they should when the exasperated People had taken Arms against their Invasions both of Church and State and the Quarrel came to be decided by the Sword who was to blame for it They drew it upon themselves they would not be satisfied that they had obtruded their domineering Prelacy but they must also impose a new form of Worship for opposing of which they incensed the King to raise an Army of 30000 Men to force it upon us So that here was Precedent enough
never be justified And as for the Rebellions he charges us with under King Charles the First let any body peruse Rushworth's Collections or even Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle and tho all the Truth be not written there it will be easy to perceive that the Innovations made upon the Church of Scotland and the Invasions on the Liberties of England were the cause of that Prince's Misfortunes who was misled by a Popish Wife and misinformed by Popish and Prelatical Ministers to his Ruine That unfortunate King put one Affront on our Nation mentioned by Sir Richard Baker that was enough of it self to have made them shake off his Government viz. the demanding of the Crown of Scotland to be brought hither for him to be crowned with which argued such a Degeneracy of Spirit and so much of an alienated Mind from his Native Country that 〈◊〉 a wonder how ever Scots-Men should have own'd him afterwards the greatest Monarch that ever sat upon the English Throne would have gone as far as Scoon and thank'd us too to have had the Honour of it and for a Scots-Man so far to undervalue his native Country as to demand the poor and almost the only remaining Badg of their Honour Antiquity and Independency to be brought into another Nation Quis talia fando temperet a Ne quid aspersus dicam Certainly nothing but an exuberant Loyalty and Esteem for their natural Prince whom doubtless they considered as over-ruled by pernicious Counsel could ever have made that Kingdom put up the Affront And therefore when he persisted to oppress and persecute them upon the account of their Consciences it was no wonder that they re-assum'd the Spirit of their Ancestors and let him know that the Kings of Scotland were never allowed an Arbitrary Power nor did ever any of them usurp it but it prov'd fatal to them or theirs Nor never was the Nation so much degenerate but since the Reign of our Protestant Prelacy who were the Creatures and Supporters of Tyranny for in the times of Popery we had more Grandees than we have now that could tell how to put the Bell about the Cat 's Neck on occasion as Archbald Douglas Earl of Angus did to King Iames the Third but since the Union of the Crowns the fall of our Grandees and the Combination of the English and Scots Mitres Scots-Men durst never say their Head was their own but when they had the Sword in their Hand except it be under this present Government And therefore the Nation of Scotland is mightily obliged to Prelacy Ibid. He charges the Presbyterians with Enthusiasm Our Prelatâ—sts are of late become as fond of this Expression as is the Cuckow of his known Note and I can imagine no other reason why than because they are so accustomed to swallow their Liquor that as the Lecher pleases himself with Baudy Stories so do they with the very word Enthusiasm which is but a Greek Term signiâ—ying pouring in and in this sense I 'll maintain it that it 's more proper to be applied to our Drunken Prelatists than in any manner to us I always understood Enthusiasts to be a sort of Persons who pretended to other Revelations than the written Word for their Rule such as our Quakers and the old German Anabaptists or absit verbo invidia our Prelatists who build more upon the uncertain and superstitious Writings ascribed to some of the Fathers than on the Writings of the Apostles who are the Grandfathers or on the Rationale of a Durandus or the Poetical Whims of any Church Devoto for their unscriptural Ceremonies than on Diviâ—e Revelation which orders us to worship God as he commands and not as we think good in our own Eyes Then seeing the Presbytérians do plead for a strict Conformity to the Scripture as the Rule of Faith and Manners and that our Prelatists admit of By-Rules for which no Reason can be assigned but the Capricio of some fanciful Bigot or corrupted Father let the World judg which Party is most chargeable with Enthusiasm Ibid. He says That the Acts of our General Assemblies do sufficiently vindicate Charles the Second and his Ministers of State from any shadow of Rigour or Cruelty It were easy to answer the Doctor in his own Coin that the knavish Address of the Scots Bishops against the Prince of Orange their opposing him in Parliament and the Barbarities committed upon the Presbyterians by the Prelatists as above related are sufficient to vindicate us from any shadow of Rigour or Cruelty which must by all Men who have not forfeited Sense and Reason be allowed more than a sufficient Answer But further the Doctor would have done well to have cited those Acts and then a more particular Answer could have been given However I 'le guess at his meaning and suppose them to be such as declared against imploying Malignants in Places of Power and Trust which was the Opinion of those called Remonstrators And if so pray good Doctor why is this more culpable than your Church-of England Test which excludes all Dissenters from Places of Power and Trust and that also against his Majesty's Desire in his Speech to the Parliament wherein he did rationally insinuate that the taking off of the same would unite his Subjects in his Service against the Common Enemy If the Copy was bad why does the Church of England follow it Or do you not think that we had as much reason to keep out Prelatists from Places of Power and Trust as you have to keep out Presbyterians Nay I do verily believe there is no true English-man or Protestant who does not see the Mischief which happens daily by the continuance of this Test which obliges his Majesty to make use of such as do betray him continually And whether the Scots Presbyterians were mistaken in their Conjectures that our Prelatists when admitted into Trust would betray our Religion and Liberties let the late Revolution and the Causes of it testify Or if there was any such Act made or intended by any Assembly of the Church of Scotland as disown'd Charles Stuart the Head of the Malignants because of his breach of Covenant and designs to enslave the Nation it must 〈◊〉 be own'd that they were too clear-sighted and that the Church of England do the same in relation to K. Iames who had as good a Right to the Crown according to the Prelatical Principles as ever his Brother had and if Passive Obedience be a true Doctrine ought as little to have been opposed as he Then supposing it true that the Remonstrators were against owning of him on the Accounts aforesaid yet seeing they were not the majority of the Presbyterians and were willing to submit to his Legal Administration swear Allegiance and live peaceably under his Governmâ—nt neither Reason nor Conscience will justify his Proceedings against the Presbyterians in general on that Account or the making of Laws on purpose to fret their Consciences and press the execution of
the Heretable Iudges i. e. Hereditary Sheriffs refused to put the Laws in execution against Conventicles by which they became formidable Which destroys two more of his and the Faction's Assertions viz. That Presbyterianism was not popular and that none but the Rabble were their Friends for those Hereditary Sheriffs are the best and most ancient Families generally in every County So that Sir George wrongs his Cause exceedingly by that Concession seeing those Hereditary Judges living upon the Place and being acquainted with the Industry and Honesty of the persecuted Party would not abandon their Honour and Conscience to become Hangmen to their Neighbours and Tenants And therefore the Court being resolved to ruin the Country imployed bloody cut-throat Papists as the Earl of Airly and Laird of Meldrum and their barbarous Savages the Popish Highlanders But according to the natural disingenuity of his Faction he takes no notice that those Military Judges pull'd the Hereditary Sheriffs from off their Benches and would not let them proceed against the Presbyterians according to the Statute-Law because that was too mild in their Opinion One remarkable Instance thereof was at Selkirk where Meldrum pull'd Philiphaugh who is Hereditary Sheriff of the Forest now a Lord of the Session out of his Chair when holding his Court. Another of Sir George's Defences are the alledged Severity to the Cavaliers in Charles the First 's Time Which if true though there 's no reason to take his Word for Proof he could not but know the truth of that Maxim Inter Arma silent Leges and that this could not justify the Dragooning of People to Church and taking free Quarter in time of Peace But Sir George accordinâ— to his wonted disingenuity takes no notice of the Case of that Severity if any such were viz. that the Persons so treated harassed their Native Country with Fire and Sword in conjunction with those who had cut the Throats of Protestants in Ireland filled the Kingdom with bloody Murders and barbarous Villanies I have neither time nor is it consistent with my present Design to anâ—madvert any further upon his pretended unanswerable Book but I think any honest Reader will be satisfied that it needs no worse Character than to be stigmatiz'd as a flat Contradiction to their Majesties and the present Parliament of Scotland being a sophistical and unfair Relation of Matters of Fact to make the World believe that all those Grievances have been false which the Parliament complain'd of his Majesty declared against and founded the Justice of his Expedition upon their Redress So that it will issue in this either that Sir George Mackenzy is a Liar or that his Majesty and the Parliament of Scotland are such and therefore good Mr. Doctor I am not afraid to appeal to the Judgment of all disinterested Persons whether it be you or I that are most void of Generosity Honour Modesty and common Sense of all which you deprive me in the 89 th Page of your Libel So that tho the Ass may vapour a while in the Lion's Skin the Ears of the dull Brute will discover him at last And thus our Doctor has wounded his Pretences to Loyalty by defending Sir George's Book But allowing all to be true that Sir George alledges as the Cause of our Persecution by Charles the Second I say still that the Faction deserves to be more severely treated by this Government upon the very Parallel viz. thus They own Passive Obedience to be true Doctrine and were as much sworn to that as we were to the Covenant so that if they believe that Doctrine they must needs look upon their present Majesties to have no just Title and think themselves obliged to rebel Now Malice it self could never fasten any such Consequence upon the Covenant as to Charles the Second's Title Ergo Passive Obedience must be more dangerous to this than the Covenant was to that Government But the Doctor turns his back and takes no notice of this Argument only magisterially tells you that if there be no more in the case than Passive Obedience the Government needs not be afraid Tho every body but the Faction â—hose Interest it is to dissemble the Consequences of their Principles sees the contrary by Demonstration from the Practices of the Nonjurant Bishops the high Church-of England Zealots and the Scots Rebellions 2. The Episcopal Party disown the Presbyterian Ministers and won't hear them Ergo by Sir George Mackenzy's Position they should be dragoon'd to Church and with much more reason than they dragoon'd us for there 's nothing in our way of Worship but what they practis'd themselves nor can they object against our Form of Government for they had it in conjunction with their own Episcopacy Then seeing we neither do nor desire that they should be persecuted on account of their Dissent whether are they or we most moderate All the difference is that there are no Laws against their Nonconformity as there were against ours which I grant to be true and hence we can demonstrate Presbyterian Moderation that the Parliament did not make any Laws against the Consequences of Prelatical and Passive-Obedience-Principles tho the Prelatists made Laws against ours and sure I am we had much more reason to have made Laws against them who did actually oppose and rebel against his present Majesty while the Parliament was sitting and yet no such thing was â—ver moved As for his Allegation that our Moderation proceeds from the opposite Biass of the Nobility and Gentry it shows his Ingratitude but all Men of sense must needs be convinced that the Parliament who settled Presbyteriaâ— Government and that with so much care as to entrust none but the old Presbyteâ—ian Ministers thrown out by the Prâ—lates and such as they should admit with any shâ—re of the Government were not so much biass'd in â—avour of the Episcopalians as to restrain from making such Laws on that account if there were no other reason Pag. 91. He owns that the Author of the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence has perhaps been unwary as to some Stories which need Confirmation Well said Doctor perhaps unwary when I have made it evident from his own words that he contradicts himself but the Inconsistencies I charge him with you say you have no Incâ—ination to examine and truly I believe it because you know they are true And whereas you say there is not one good Consequence in my Book pray let 's hear what you can say in your next to avoid the dint of the Consequences there deduced and here repeated to prove your Party in general Liars Persecuters c. But the good-natur'd Doctor being sorry that he has done us so much faâ—our as to grant that his Friend was unwary as to some Stories retracts immediately and tells you there are multitudes of true Stories against us of that nature and believes that there was no Injury done us in publishing that Book Well argued wary Doctor you own that your Friend was unwary in
be so easily distinguished For who can tell where to find a Man that 's sometimes a Protestant sometimes a Papist turns Protestant again and from a Cadee become a Curat then Head of a College and at last leaves his Country for Schism and Disloyalty As for your Story about Spotswood you would have done well to have cited your Author for since as I told you not long ago you gave your self the Lie we have no reason to believe you Moreover it 's but very natural for a Cadee of Dunbarton's Regiment which us'd to plunder People of their Goods and make no scruple to rob Men of their good Names not to be believed For your Encomium on Arch-bishop Sharp it 's no surprizal to me his Villany was so universally known that no Man but those of his Gang will defend him and that 's no more than Whitney lately hang'd for Robbeâ—y may expect and without doubt has from his quondam Underlings As for your charging the Arch-bishop's Murder on the Presbyterian Principles 't is like your Philosophy Mr. Shields says it Ergo it's true It were a sufficient Answer to tell you another denies Ergo it's false And I tell you again and again That the Hind let loose was never the Standard of our Principles nor approved by our Party and I dare venture to say Mr. Shields will not now own every thing in it himself Nor is it his Disgrace but Honour to retract what upon second thoughts he finds will not hold And as for your Allegiance that there 's nothing worse in the Morals of the Iesuits You do well to defend your Friend but I directed you before where you might find as bad nay worse among our Scots Prelatists who gave publick Commissions to murder Men without Form of Law which is more than a sudden intemperate fit of Rage in a few Men who accidentally rencountring the Prelat who was actually pursuing them for their Liveâ— by his booted Apostles did inconsiderately deprive him of his As for what I say against the Church of England it's what many of her Sons own to be true and whether the Passive-Obedience-Men deserve any better treatment I refer to the incomparable Argument lately published by Mr. Iohnson So that if there be any Incivility to the Church of England it 's yours and not mine for I distinguish whom I mean and apply it to all in gross Pag. 101. He charges me with attaquing all our Kings since the Reformation This is unwarily argued Doctor then I perceive that according to you King William is none of our Kings for sure I am I do not attaque him But your Doctorship may please to know that I accused none of your Kings but what the Parliaments have accused before me and I think their Copy may be writ after nor do I know any reason why we should be more sparing of late than former Kings if their Male-administrations be alike and that it may be done with equal safety All Histories Sacred and Prophane abound with the wicked Lives of Kings so that this Prelatical Maxim of burying their publick Faults in Silence never yet found nor never will find encouragement from God or Man and their contrary practice flows not from Principle but Interest nor do they spare Kings more than others when they thwart that witness Heylin's Reflections upon pious K. Edward the Sixth and the Carriages of the whole Party toward K. Iames when he granted the Indulgence and to this we may add their continual Invectives and rebellious Practices against their present Majesties So that they hâ—ve forgot the somuch wrested Text which condemns speaking Evil of Dignities they being the guiltiest of all Men alive in that respect as may be demonstrated from their Clamours against all but Monarchical Government though all Powers that be are ordained of God and to which according to the Divine Command we should always chearfully submit whether to the King as Supream or other Governours Magistracy in this respect being also called the Ordinance of Man because though the Genus be determined by God yet the Species is left to the determination of Men else were it altogether unlawful for the Subjects of Republicks to own their Governours which no Man sanae mentis will affirm And herein God has evidenced his Love to Mankind that he hath bounded all sorts of Governments with one Commission which is to encourage the Good and punish Evil-doers So far may they go and no further Ibid. He says That I charge them with such as were deposed for their Immoralities as Dean Hamilton and Cockburn of St. Botâ—ens whereas I only charge them with having protected those Men from the Punishment due to their Impieties and baffling their Prosecutors So that if those Men were depos'd at last it confirms my Charge of Injustice in the Administration which punish'd Men for accusing those whose Guilt at last they themselves were forced to confess As for your Apology for Arch-bishop Paterson It is not much for your Credit to be Patron to a common Stallion whom all Scotland know to be such and Mag Paterson a common Strumpet did own before the Lords of the Session but a few Years ago that she lay both with him and his Brother and one of the greatest Ladies in Scotlaud took him in the very Act of Villany with one of the Dutchess of York's Maids of Honour upon the back-stairs of the Palace The modest Doctor pretends to be very squeamish and complains of my Obscenity alledging That none but a Devil can repeat nor none but the Author invent such Instances as are there brought against the Episcopal Cleâ—gy Good Sir to use your own Expression the paltry eruption of your Passion seems here ungovernable If he be a Devil that repeats them what is he that acts them But why must he be more a Devil that gives an account of Episcopal Debauches than he that forges prophane Stories against the Presbyterians Let any unblassed Man read the Scots Presbyteriâ—â— Eloquence and the Answer and certainly he must own That if the latter was writ by a Devil the former must be writ by a Beelzebub Your magnifying the Arch-bishop's Merit so much who was imprison'd for Disloyalty shows your disaffection to the Government Your Defence of Brown and Cant are so like a pedantick Doctor that they deserve no regard and what I write of them are so far from being my Invention oâ— as you most learnedly word it is the Exhalation of my most infectious Breath that I can bring you the Authors to avow it to their Faces Pag. 103. He says It 's pleasant to see me accuse the Church for the Sayings of the Presbyterians You own that those who preach'd such ridiculous things were guilty of Blunderings after they conformed to Episcopacy Truly Doctor if there were any greater Blunderers amongst them than your self they must have been Blunderers in Folio for I cannot think they were guilty of a more palpable Blunder than this to call
the 〈◊〉 of the Minister if the Parish disapprove him their Reasons are to be judged by the Presbytery and if the Freeholders and Elders do not apply to the Presbytery for calling and choosing a Minister in six Months the full Power to be in the Presbytery tanquam jure devoluto And the same Act orders a Compensation to the Patrons for their Right of Presentation Act 38. For securing their Majesties Government obliging all Persons who in Law are obliged to swear to own their Majesties as King and Queen de jure as well as de facto and defend their Title against King Iames c. the Refusers to be reputed disaffected deprived of their Offices and be obliged to give Security for their Good-Behaviour as the Government shall think fit providing it extend no further than Bond Caution or personal Imprisonment securing of Horse Arms or putting Garisons in their Houses There is also an Act but what Number or Session I cannot tell being where I cannot get a sight of the Acts abolishing the King's Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Affairs for which we are mightily reproached by our Enemies who do not consider what has been writ unanswerably by Mr. Gillespy in his Aaron's Rod blossoming and other Books against it I confess my self but a meeâ— Laick and not skill'd in Controversies having never made them my Study any farther than to satisfy my self that I did not give blind Obedience But the Scripture telling us that Christ is Head of his Church and that other Foundations can no Man lay than what is already laid on the Prophets and Apostles and Common Reason must needs inform me that for any Man or Party of Men to take upon them any other than a Declarative Power in Church-Matters and that according to the Word of God must needs be an invading of Christ's Prerogative And seeing he himself declar'd that his Kingdom is not of this World that it should be govern'd by Worldly Monarchs is humano capiti cervicem jungere equinam And I cannot but wonder that the Church of England â—s late Experience should not convince them of the Unreasonableness of this Doctrine For I believe they were sensible under the late King that a Popish Head was altogether inconsistent with the Safety of a Protestant Church And I am confident the Christians in Turky never dream'd that the Grand Signior was the Head of the Christian Church and this being a Demonstration that it cannot belong to the Chief Magistrate as such he can lay claim to it no other way Especially if we consider that the Church as in Acts 15. did meet and declare the Mind of God in Church-Matters without either the Call or Consent of the Heathen 〈…〉 and we have never yet had any Divine Revelation to recal it Then as for abolishing Patronages which occasions a further Clamour It 's plain that the Parliament have made a very rational Act on that Head and it 's but equal that every one who has a Soul and evidences any real Concern about it should have a Vote in choosing his Minister and not wholly rely on the Choice of a Patron who perhaps is so wicked that he takes no care of his own and is very unfit to choose a Minister for the Souls of a whole Parish And as for the other Acts they are so plain that any who will but take care to compare them with those of the late Reigns if they be not blinded as our Doctor was with the Indecencies of Passion we dare refer to them which are the most moderate or whether the Scots Prelatists be not guilty of an audacious Lie in asserting that they are more severely treated than ever we were And I would pray the Reader to take this along with him That their Laws tho barbarous to a Prodigy in themselves were yet more barbarously put in Execution beyond their Extent and that our Laws tho moderate in themselves are yet more moderately put in Execution Yea and besides those Acts of Parliament their Council took upon them a Parliamentary Power and made Acts more bloody than those of their Parliaments enabling Souldiers to examine any Man they met and to kill him without any further Trial if he did not give them satisfying Answers to their Questions of which any that pleases may be fully satisfied in my first Answer I had almost omitted taking notice of one remarkable thing which past in the Convention of States after the Revolution They declared themselves a free and lawful Meeting whatever might be contain'd in the Letter from Iames the VIIth to dissolve them or impede their Procedure in which Archbishop Paterson and six other Bishops and the Viscount of Dundee concurr'd Now if this was not a manifest disowning of K. Iames's Authority let any Man judg and yet these Men did afterwards exclaim against the Convention and Parliament as unlawfully called because wanting K. Iames's Authority and opposed K. William's coming to the Crown So that it 's evident our Scots Episcopalians are Men of the same Kidney with those Jacobite Bishops in England who join'd in sending for the Prince of Orange and yet afterwards turn'd his Enemies out of a pretended Loyalty to K. Iames. The Faction have lately drawn up and dispersed amongst their Friends a sort of Manifesto from those of the Episcopal Perswasion in the North of Scotland full of Invectives against the Government which together with other Monuments of their Rebellious Temper c. against their present Majesties may perhaps in a little 〈◊〉 see the Light FINIS a K. James's Proclamation b Act of Supremacy c Act for fâ—riot Conforâ—iâ—y d By frequent making them Garisons e Extorting your Thoughts by Torture and then hanging you for them