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A25589 An Answer to the declaration of the pretended assembly at Dundee and to a printed paper intituled The protestation given in by the dissenting brethren to the General Assembly, July 21, 1652, reviewed and refuted &c., in which answer are set down ten steps of their defection who follow the way of publick resolutions : together with observations upon some of the acts of the p. assemblies at Dundee and Edinburgh and some papers concerning the endeavors of the protesters for union with their brethren who differ from them in judgement. 1653 (1653) Wing A3405; ESTC R34190 125,882 174

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conscience comply with these Overtures though they be men eminent for gifts and graces and have been very useful and profitable servants in the Lords Vinyard and differ in nothing in judgment with their Brethren in the Confession of Faith Directory for Worship and Government yet they must be cast forth as unsavory salt because they cannot agree to a Novation which never was heard of before in this Church and which themselves in their Vindication grant to be indeterminati juris The same severity is enacted against expectants to the Ministry and they must be debarred for this sole cause though they were never so wel qualified If this be not Usurpation and Tyranny the Prelats are very excusable for their carriage 6. Observe how their Answer to us and Letter to the Presbyteries is stufled with carnal policy and very far from that simplicity and candor which becometh Ministers of the Gospel They say they are desirous to have the memory of our differences and distractions buried yet with the same breath they give out sentence That we have not only been agents but active agents and vigorously active and affirm this to be conspicuous not only to some but to all who have been looking on the matter But were it so what need was there to tell it If they would have these things buried why did they assemble so frequently this Summer to dig them out of their grave Were it not greater ingenuity to tell the truth as some of their number do that these Publick Resolutions must stand as the Authority and Warrant for the Body of the People to rise all in Arms without making distinction of Friends and Enemies to the Lord his Work and People and associate among themselves and with Forreigners when they shall land with the King They say they will not question whether we did from a desire of removing differences forbear to act in the capacity of Commissioners from the General Assembly 1650. yet in the very next words they do expresly question it and say It seemeth not to consist well with our Answer to the Synod of Lothian This is but a seeming inconsistency grounded on a real mistake for the Overture mentioned by us is not the same with that proposed by the Synod of Lothian neither for the Matter Persons Propounders or the time of making thereof It was a more equal Overture then that from the Brethren of Lothian for it did not condemn the Authority of the Commission 1650. more then that of 1651. as that from Lathian did and it was propounded at a Conference with some of the Brethren of the Presbyterie of St. Andrews and that diverse moneths after the Overture made by the Brethren in Lothian If our Brethren had been well advised they had spared this reflection They say they absteined from meeting so much as to adjourn the Commission and that to prevent the heightning of differences til the time of the Assembly did approach that they behoved to meet I will not say as our Brethren do That I will not question if it was for that end they did abstein and then follow it with a contradiction I do plainly and ingenuously profess That I think it was another reason which made them abstein It was a clear case to all who conversed with them at that time That fear of interruption by the English and drawing prejudices on their persons made them abstein until the Malignant party their penitents and correspondents began to have power and favour and procured some under-hand assurances for their security And it may be well remembred that their Meeting at that time in May before their Assembly was coloured with specious pretences of using endeavors for union with the Dissenters from the Publick Resolutions yet here they plainly tell us that the express end was To determine the place of the ensuing Assembly to which I do readily give credit for they slighted the sending advertisement to us and would not delay one fourthight at the earnest desire of some few of our number that were present at that Meeting They say they could not delay to constitute themselves into a General Assembly without unfaithfulness notwithstanding they know that it was agreeable unto the practice of diverse Gen-Assemblies to adjourn without constitution and no prejudice at all to their Liberties as was represented to them at the same time They say that it hath been constantly holden in this Church That a lawful General Assembly such as this was is the most soveragin mean to heal ruptures distractions in the Church If they take out these words such as this was which they have foisted in to destroy the Text their own consciences will bear witness to us that we are of the same judgment But to say That a pretended Assembly made up of such as have brought in Novations and carried on a course of Defection continuing therein without Repentance is a Soveraign mean to heal ruptures and distractions is so far contrary to all reason and experience as it hath proved to be a main cause of the evils and troubles of this Church as is declared by the General Assembly 1639. in their Act of the 17 of _____ They do without cause resent That the Narrative of our Overture doth cast upon them reflections and aspersions and yet all along their Answer they make it their study under the covert of Albeits Althoughs and Parentheses to abuse us with Calumnies They declare That they shall not at this Meeting nor hereafter until the third Wednesday of February Act in prosecution of Censures already pronounced or which may be incurred by their Brethren and that they will interpose with Synods and Presbyterie for the like But what Sophistry is there here to delude the wo●l● o● rather to mock their Brethren For first They act what they had a mind to act in reference to matters in difference and then after their Meeting is dissolved and no sooner they declare to us they will act no more at that Meeting nor hereafter till the third Wednesday of Febr. and that is the time of their next Quarterly-Meeting 2ly This seeming forbearence to act during that time is not general but limitted to the matter of censures 3ly That 's clog'd with another limitation for say they We must leave Synods Presbyteries to that prudence and discretion which the exigence of their condition shall require for putting in execution the Acts for debarring Elders from Voting in these Judicatories and Expectants from the Ministry which themselves the last year did accompt to be no small Censure in the debarring Malignants from trust but how much more in this case which hath great influence to corrupt the Ministrie and Judicatories 4ly Their expressions which they chose in their Letter to the Presbyteries and Synods are such as do rather incite to Censures then prohibit for they insinuate a dislike of their former moderation in Censures which they say is well known to them and to all men