and taking ungodly and unlawful Oaths and Bonds whereby the Consciences of many have been polluted and seared and many ruined and oppressed for refusing and not taking them There hath also been a great neglect of the Worship of God too much in publick but especially in Families and in secret The wonted care of Religious sanctifying the Lord's Day is gone and in many places the Sabbath hath been and is shamefully prophaned The Land also hath been full of bloody Crimes and Cities full of Violence and much innocent Blood shed so that Blood touched Blood yea Sodoms sins have abounded amongst us Pride fullness of Bread Idleness Vanities of Apparel and shameful sensuality filled the Land And alas how great hath been the Cry of Oppression and Unrighteousness Iniquity hath been established by a Law there hath been a great perverting of Justice by making and executing unrighteous Statutes and Acts and sad persecutions of many for their Conscience towards God It is also matter of Lamentation that under this great Defection there hath been too general a fainting not only amongst professors of the Gospel but also amongst Ministers yea even amongst such who in the main things did endeavour to maintain their Integrity in not giving seasonable and necessary Testimony against the Defectons and Evils of the Time and keeping a due distance from them and some on the other hand managed their Zeal with too little Discretion and Meekness It is also matter of Humiliation that when Differences fell out amongst these who did owne Truth and bear witness against the Course of Defection they were not managed with due Charity and Love but with too much heat and bitterness injurious Reflections used against pious and worthy men on all hands and scandalous Divisions occasioned and the success of the Gospel greatly obstructed thereby and some dangerous Principles drunk in And after all this there were shameful advances towards Popery the Abomination of the Mass was set up in many places and Popish Schools erected and severals fell to Idolatry And though the Lord hath put a stop to the Course of Defection and of his great mercy given us some reviving from our Bondage yet we have sad cause to regrate and bemoan that few have a due sense of our mercy or walk answerable thereto few are turned to the Lord in truth but the wicked go on to do wickedly and there is found amongst us to this day shameful ingratitude for our mercies Horrid impenitency under our sins yea even amongst those who stand most up for the Defence of the Truth and amongst many in our Armies there is woful Prophaneness and Debauchery And though we profess to acknowledge there can be no pardon of Sins no Peace and Reconciliation with God but by the Blood of Jesus Christ yet few know Him or see the Necessity and Excellency of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ few see their need of Him or esteem desire or receive Him as he is offered in the Gospel few are acquainted with Faith in Jesus Christ and living by Faith on Him as made of the Father unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and few walk as becometh the Gospel and imitate our Holy Lord in Humility Meekness Self-denial Heavenly-mindedness Zeal for GOD and Charity towards Men But as there is even until now a great contempt of the Gospel a great Barrenness under it so a deep Security under our Sin and Danger a great want of Piety toward God and Love towards Men with a woful Selfishness every one seeking their own things few the things of Christ or the publick Good or one anothers welfare And finally the most part more ready to censure the sins of others than to repent of their own Our Iniquities are increased over our heads and our Trespasses are grown up into the Heavens they are many in number and hainous in their nature and grievously aggravated as having been contrair to great Light and Love under signal Mercies and Judgments after Confession and Supplication and notwithstanding of our Profession Promises and solemn Vowing and Covenanting with God to the contrair Have we not then sad cause of deep Sorrow and Humiliation And may we not fear if we do not repent and turn from the evil of our ways and return to the Lord with all our hearts that He return to do us evil after he hath done us good and be angry with us until He hath consumed us Let us therefore humble our selves by Fasting and Praying let us search out our sins and consider our ways and confess these and other our sins with Sorrow and Detestation Let us turn unto the Lord with Fasting and weeping and with mourning Let us firmly Resolve and sincerely Engage to amend our ways and doings and return unto the Lord our God with all our heart and earnestly pray that for the blood of the Lamb of God our sins may be forgiven and our back-slidings healed and we may yet become a righteous Nation keeping the Truth that Religion and Righteousness may flourish and Love and Charity abound and all the Lord's People may be of one mind in the Lord and in order to all these that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified and that the Preaching of the Word and Dispensing of the Sacraments may be accompanied with the wonted presence Power and Blessing of the Spirit of the Lord That the Lord would preserve and bless our gracious King and Queen William and Mary and establish their Throne by Righteousness and Religion and grant to these Nations Peace and Truth together and for that End bless and prosper His Majesties Councils and Forces by Sea and Land and those of the Princes and States his Allies for God and his Truth that Inferior Rulers may rule in the fear of God and Judges be clothed with Righteousness and that many faithful Labourers may be sent out into the Lord's Vineyard and they who are sent may find mercy to be faithful and be blest with Success that Families may be as little Churches of Christ and that the Lord would pour out His Spirit on all Ranks of People that they may be holy in all manner of Conversation and God may delight to dwell amongst us and to do us good And while we pray for our selves let us not forget our Brethren in Forreign Churches with whom alas we had too little Sympathy Nay let us pray that all the ends of the Earth may see the Salvation of God and that He would bring his antient people of the Jews to the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ and that he would hasten the ruine of Romish Babylon and advance the Reformation in Christendome and preserve and bless the Reformed Churches That he would pity His oppressed People the French Protestants and gather them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day and that he would be the Defence Strength and Salvation of any of his
People who are in War or Danger by Infidel or Popish adversaries in Europe or America And in particular that the Lord would be Gracious to Ireland and sanctifie to his People there both their distress and deliverance and perfect what concerneth them that he would convert the Natives there to the Truth and reduce that Land to Peace and appoint Salvation for Walls and Bullwarks to Brittain For all these Causes and Reasons The General Assembly hath appointed the Second Thursday of January next to be Observed in all the Congregations of the Church and Nation as a day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation and Prayer Beseeching and Obtesting all both Pastors and People of all Ranks to be sincere and serious in Humilitation and Supplication and universal Reformation as they would wish to find mercy of the Lord and have deserved wrath averted and would obtain the Blessing of the Lord upon themselves and Posterity after them and that the Lord may delight in us and our Land may be as Married to him And Ordains all Ministers either in Kirks or Meeting houses to read this present Act publickly from the Pulpit a Sabbath or two before the said Day of Humiliation and that the several Presbyteries take care that it be carefully Observed in their respective bounds And where in regard of Vacancies the Day hereby appointed cannot be observed the Assembly appoints the said Humiliation to be kept some other Day with the first convenient opportunity And appoints the Commission for Visitation to apply to the Council for their Civil Sanction to the Observation thereof Extracted out of the Records of Assembly by JO. SPALLING Cls. Syn. National A PROCLAMATION Anent a Solemn National Fast and Humiliation WILLIAM and MARY by the Grace of God King and Queen of Great Britain France and Ireland Defenders of the Faith To Macers of our Privy Council or Messengers at Arms our Sheriffs in that part Conjunctly and severally specially constitute Greeting Forasmuch as the General Assembly of this Church by their Act of the date the twelfth day of November instant hath appointed a Solemn National Fast and Humiliation to be Observed in all the Kirks and meeting-Meeting-Houses of this Our Antient Kingdom and appointed their Commission for Visitation to apply to the Lords of Our Privy Council for Our Civil Sanction to be interposed thereto And they having Applyed accordingly Therefore We with Advice of the Lords of our Privy Council Do hereby Command and Enjoyn That the said Solemn Fast and Humiliation be Religiously observed by all Persons throughout this Kingdom both in Kirks and meeting-Meeting-Houses at the Dyets and in the manner as by the above-mentioned Act of Assembly hereto prefixed is appointed And that the same be read by all the Ministers in manner therein mentioned And to the end that so Pious and necessary a Duty may be punctually performed and Our Pleasure in the Premisses fully known Our Will is herefore and We Charge you straitly and Command that incontinent these Our Letters seen ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh and the remanent Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the several Shires and Stewartries within this Kingdom and in Our Name and Authority make Publication of the Premises that none may pretend ignorance And we do Ordain Our Solicitor to dispatch Copies hereof to the Sheriffs of the several Shires and Stewarts of the Stewartries or their Deputs or Clerks to be by them Published at the Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs upon receipt thereof and immediately sent to the several Ministers both in Kirks and Meeting-Houses to the effect they may read and intimat the same from their Pulpits and may seriously exhort all Persons to a sincere and devout observance thereof as they Regard the Favour and Blessings of the Almighty God the Safety and Preservation of both Church and State and would avoid the Wrath of God upon themselves and their Posterity and as they will be answerable at their peril And Ordains these Presents to be Printed with the said Act of Assembly and these Presents to be Published in manner foresaid Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh the twenty first day of November And of Our Reign the second year 1690. Per actum Dominorum Sti. Concilii GILB ELIOT Cls. Sti. Concilii God save King WILLIAM and Queen MARY Edinburgh Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson Printer to the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties 1690. FINIS * Except the Contributions of the Sisters which were something to one who knew no other ways how to live * At thâ— end of this Leâ—ter vidâ— Informâ—tion givâ— in by Mâ— Heriot â—â— the Privâ— Council * This Exposition of the Fathers Words you may find in the 169 p. of his pretended Answer to Dr. Stillingfleet's Vnreasonableness of Separation †Coliness * Ten or Twelve of which are said in a Morning one after another * That is to turn all the Episcopal Clergy out of the Church Vide the first Paper ‖ Vid. second Paper Vide the last Paper
other things than what they first intended but they were not sensible of this their Errour till it was past remedy First the remnant of the Remonstrator Party who had been actually deposed in the time of Presbytery and some of them for scandalous and gross Crimes came to sit in this Meeting they were very active and useful and therefore it was thought fit to receive them but some being sensible of the Irregularity of admitting Persons lying under the sentence of Deposition by their own Kirk it was therefore moved that the Sentence of Deposition might be first taken off But the Debate was laid aside and supprest because these men urg'd and pressed that their Sentence of Deposition might be declared void and null being done Clave errante by a Factious party wherewith some of the old Publick Resolutioners were pricked and therefore proceeded to defend themselves and particularly one Mr. Alexander Pitcarne protested against their Proceedings and threatned to print his Protestation and to declare their Meeting unlawful while such incapacitated Members were allowed to sit in it But such early Heats being unseasonable and prejudicial they prevail'd with him to take up his Protestation and to forbear the Publishing it Into this Assembly also were received all these younger Brethren who had been admitted to the Ministry clandestinely in the time of the last Reign or avowedly and openly since the receiving their Indulgence from King James These were hurried on with more Fierceness and Zeal than the former who indeed wanted not sincerity and concernment enough for the Cause Gelidus tardante Senectâ Sanguis hebet frigentque effoetae in corpore Vires The Old Men thought that they ought to rule and bear the greatest Sway because of their Age and Experience and that the Act of Parliament was especially in their favours but the younger Brethren would not be impos'd upon seeing Parity was the Constitution of their Government And it was said that one Mr. Webster told Mr. Gilbert Rule very bluntly that tho he was a younger Man he merited more than he having taken the Ministry upon him in the time of Persecution when no temporal Interest did encourage him to it whereas the other entred into it in the time of Peace and deserted it in time of Trouble Mr. Gabriel Cunningham was chosen Moderator of this Meeting which was extraordinary as to its Nature neither was there a proper Name for it For it was neither Session Presbytery Provincial nor Diocesan Synod nor General Assembly nor Commission of the Kirk which are all the Church Judicatures ever have been since the Reformation but ever since it bears the Name of the General Meeting Here they appointed Ministers for the several Corners of the Country divided them into Presbyteries prescrib'd the Rules of trying Episcopal Ministers and ordained that where the Presbytery consisted but of four or fewer the next Presbytery should be joyned to it which yet in many places made not a competent number for so weighty a business as the examining and censuring Ministers for their Doctrine and Manner For the two Presbyteries of Hidingtoun and Dumbar where you know there be near thirty Parishes consisted but of five Presbyterian Ministers There was the like number in the Presbyteries of Dunse and Churnside where there were about as many Parishes In the Presbytery of Aughterarder there was but one Presbiterian Minister and when the next was joyn'd to it they made but three so that when it was debated in the Assembly whether one of them to wit Mr. William Spence of whom you will hear more afterward should go for Angus they pleaded against his going because that without him they could not have a Quorum in the Country where he then lived and at the same time Sir Colin Campbell and Ardbruchill stood up and said in the face of the Assembly that for twenty Miles Westward of Perth there were but two or three Ministers meaning these of the Presbyterian Perswasion which shews how little agreeable either their Persons or Government are to the People Here also they laid down the Method and Manner of constit uting the next Assembly which was to sit in October viz. That where a Presbytery consisted of eight Ministers they should send four Ministers and three ruling Elders to the Assembly where they were under eight and above four three Ministers and two ruling Elders four should send two Ministers and one ruling Elder and where there was but one that one and a ruling Elder should come By which you see that the old Method of constituting General Assemblies was quite alter'd and that as many Parts of the Kingdom were not allowed Representatives in that Assembly so others were not represented equally nor could they bear a sutable Proportion therein but the smalness of their number was admitted as a defence for this Irregularity At this Meeting they appointed a General Fast before the sitting down of the Assembly to be kept on Sunday the 5th of October which was the third Fast had been observed on Sundays within the space of a Year which is neither agreeable to the Nature of the day nor the Practice of the Primitive Times but our Presbyterians are above these things they have more regard to the Practice of their own Predecessors than either to Reason or Antiquity and you know it was the Custom of the old Presbyterians to keep all their Fasts on the Lords day At this time also we had another instance whereby they shewed themselves the true Sons of their Fathers who did not confine themselves to Matters purely Ecclesiastical but who also were always catching at the Power of the Magistrate whose Priviledg it is in this Kingdom to license Books and in their Licences to grant the Monopoly of them This Privilege was assumed by the General Meeting For they order'd an old Treatise of ruling Elders to be reprinted by the Heirs of Andrew Anderson and discharged any other to meddle therewith This is the Form of their Licence word for word The General Meeting of Ministers and Elders of this Church have appointed this Treatise of Ruling Elders and Deacons to be Printed by the Heirs of Andrew Anderson and none other Extracted by JOHN SPALDING Clerk This was a small Beginning however the Privy Council thought fit to take notice thereof and to give a check to these Encroachments on the Civil Power and therefore order'd the Copies to be call'd in and the Licence to be torn away so that after the first day all the Copies were sold without the Imprimatur and two Friends of mine who otherwise cared not for the Book were forced to pay a triple rate for one with the forementioned Licence which was a new Proof of the Presbyterian Usurpation After the Meeting the Brethren went home and fell to their work with all their might according to the Instructions given them in their General Meeting It was expected that they would first have planted the Churches made vacant by the
declar'd he had heard him say so but that he only deliver'd as the Opinion of another and yet upon this the Article was look'd upon as proved When the Witnesses cleared the Minister or asserted his Innocence they were dismiss'd as knowing nothing of the Matter but such were greatly encouraged and cherished as shewed themselves earnest and forward to divest him of the Character of a faithful pious and upright Pastor And when they passed the Sentence of Suspension or Deposition against any at the intimation of it from the Pulpit in his own Church the whole Libel was read though several of the Articles were so frivolous and trivial as not censurable by Law and others of them that contained Matter of Scandal were no way proved As for the Episcopal Clergy some of them disown'd their Authority and would not appear Others appeared and gave in their Defences and some perceiving the Partiality of the particular Presbyteries appeal'd to the next General Assembly hoping to meet with greater Moderation there or at least that before that time the Civil Government would put a stop to these rigid and unreasonable proceedings Thus matters went till the sitting of the Assembly and by these proceedings the Presbyterians not only encreas'd the prejudices of those who differed from them but they also disgusted many of their Friends The Presbyterians you know were much inferiour to the Episcopal Party in number quality learning or good Sense and I assure you that now they have lost much even of that Interest which they had in this Nation many who thought well of them while they were kept under are now ashamed of them and have deserted them I am told that many even in the West abominate them It is most certain that in other places of the Kingdom they are fear'd and dreaded as a Plague to Mankind just as the Jesuits are When the time of the Assembly drew near the several Presbyteries set about the chusing Commissioners for it and things were so laid that the most bigotted and hot-headed were generally chosen and those of a more moderate Temper put by If there had been any respect to the qualifications of Men none in that part of the Country he lived in would have been preferr'd to Honest Dr. Hardy but because heretofore he had kept correspondence with the Episcopal Party and still prest Moderation towards them he was excluded In like manner Mr. Alexander Pitcairn of Dron was put by because of his carriage at the last General Meeting though he is said to have more Learning than the most of them and there were but three others in the Presbytery with him and none of them of these old men to whom the Government of the Church was entrusted by the late Act of Parliament He indeed came to the Assembly sat in it and interposed his Judgment but was no Member of it and so consequently had no Vote When these Measures were perceived it was concluded That Mr. George Campbel should be also shuffled out of the Assembly but that would have made their designs too apparent there being none of his Presbytery whom they could bring in Competition with him as also they had not much reason to fear any Opposition from him because of his modesty and quietness which makes him averse to Contests and Jangling He hath indeed the Character of a learned good and discreet Man and by his Moderation at first he did very much displease his Brethren which as I am informed but am loth to believe hath obliged him for removing their Jealousies to express himself of late more severly against the Episcopal Party than he us'd to do formerly As for Lay-Commissioners such were pick'd out as either were most bygottedly affected to their Interests or whom they desir'd and design'd to make fast Friends to their Party In the Presbytery of Churnside the Laird of was chosen and in Dunse the Competition lay betwixt the Laird of Lanton and M. the last was like to have carried it but some one suggested to the Moderator that it would very much reflect upon them to have both the Commissioners for the Merse stain'd with the Scandal of Adultery upon which the Commission was giv'n to Lanton and the other was put by whom yet they would fain have obliged he being one who has at present a considerable place in the Kingdom The King you know ought to have a Commissioner at every Assembly to see that Affairs of State be not medled with by the Brethren who indeed still retain the strong Inclinations which they as well as the Church of Rome have always shewed to meddle with them pretending they only do this in ordine ad spiritualia Every one look'd that the Earl of Crawford should have been the person whom the King should have honoured with that Employment and his Lordship himself rejoyced in expectation of it But to the surprizal of all some few days before the Assembly sat a Commission came down for My Lord Carmichael which made the zealous Brethren hang down their Ears And My Lord Crawford gave an Indication of his secret Grudg at the disappointment by his entertaining every body who came to see him with Protestations that he did not desire it and with Reasons and Excuses why he would not have accepted of it if it had been offered to him But we may justly suspect that his Lordship would not have refused it seeing he frequented the Assembly and officiously meddled in all the Concerns of it even before he was made a Member and upon Carmichael's advancement there were Letters immediately dispatched to procure a Commission for his Lordship from some Burgh or other because a Commission from a Presbytery had been neglected upon an expectation that his Lordship should have represented the King himself in the Assembly His Lordship was so humble that having miss'd of the highest Station he would rather serve in the meanest than not have an hand in advancing the good Cause or be deprived of the occasion of perfecting what he had so zealously begun He had indeed merited the highest Honour in the Kirk but all except the very Bygots of that side approved the King's Choice as best and wisest for himself and the Interest of the State For My Lord Carmichael was look'd upon as a Man of good Sense and he had lately giv'n proofs of his Discretion and moderate Temper at the Visitation of the Colledg of Glasgow whereas My Lord Crawford kept within no bounds of Moderation at the Visitation of the University of S. Andrews and was much taken notice of for his rough Usage of the Masters particularly the Reverend old Dr. Weemse Dean of S. Andrewes and Principle of S. Leonard's College who had been a Master in the said University for the space of 45 years under whom My Lord Crawford studied Philosophy and to whom he was then particularly obliged the Dr. had also been a zealous Assertor of the Protestant Religion and design'd to have made the University
I must not omit Mr. Gabr. Cunninghame presiding one day in the absence of the ordinary Moderator he asked the Commissioner what should be the next time of their Meeting but whether it was out of Forgetfulness that he did so or not he corrected himself in his Prayer For he began with an acknowledgment of Christ Jesus being supreme Head and Governour of the Church and then said these Words Thou knowest O Lord that when we own any other it is only for Decency sake The next day they met and only heard the King's Letter read and appointed some Persons to draw up an Answer We expected to have seen both in Print as is usual but neither of them has been as yet published because as is supposed there was something in the King's Letter a little checking which they would not have every one to know viz. That he favoured their Government because he was made to understand it was most agreeable to the Inclinations of the People that he would have them very moderate in their Proceedings and do nothing which might displease their neighbour Church This last did not go down well with them for it troubled them to be made in any ways accountable to a Church which in all their Discourses they exclaimed against as superstitious and idolatrous and into which they are designing to introduce their glorious Reformation Neither was the first very acceptable for if the Inclinations of the People were the Motive of setting up Presbyterian Government when it should as it very easily might be represented that the Inclinations of the People were against Presbytery and the Spirit and ractice P of the present Presbyterians his Majesty might be moved to remove this and set up another Government Therefore in their Answer they asserted that their Government was not only suteable to the Inclinations of the People but also most agreeable to the Word of God and that this might not be looked upon merely as the Flourish of an Epistle they design'd to back it with the Authority of an Act which should declare their Government both of Divine Right and also the true Legal Government of this Church which they pretended had never suffered any Alteration except in time of Usurpation Tyranny and great Oppression But the Commissioner apprehending the Consequences of such an Act thought it not fit to let the same pass without Advice from Court and therefore desired a Copy of it to send to the King his Master who it seems did not approve of it For it never more appeared here at which the Brethren have not a little murmured And if it had passed as it would not have contributed much to the Establishment of their Government it being the Act of so inconsiderable an Assembly so it would only have discovered their Ignorance Falshood and Impudence For it is clear from our Histories as was declared in a late Discourse that Presbytery heretofore was never setled but in times of Rebellion and what Enemies our Scottish Presbyterians have been always to Kings and how much they were wont to encourage Rebellion King James VI. has from his Experience fully and plainly declared in his Basilicon Doron where he cautions his Son against them as the most barbarous treacherous and perfidious sort of People who are less to be trusted than the thieving Borderers or the wildest uncivilized Highlanders The Argument also which Sir James Montgomery of Skelmorly used for Presbytery in the Parliament shews how much it favours Monarchy and Kingly Power which was this That it was the Peoples only Security against the Encroachment of Kings and a proper Curb to restrain their Insolence and Extravagancy And indeed when they are encouraged they so restrain them as to make them signify nothing as appears by their Behaviour to King James VI. before he went to England and what they did to King Charles I. whom they persecuted and pursued to Death As to the Moderation which his Majesty required of them they promised with a solemn Attestation that they would shew all the Moderation that his Majesty could expect which when considered was not a very great Obligation on them for if the King understand them aright his Expectation will be very small Moderation being very rarely to be found among Presbyterians It being an old Custom of general Assemblies to ease the Ministers of the Place where they meet from preaching they ordered this day who should preach the following Sunday and when they were appointing Preachers for the rest of the Churches and Meeting-Houses in Edinburgh one stood up and said It was fit to send Ministers to the Conformists Kirks too But the Moderator perceiving the Commissioner displeased at the Proposal replyed That they sought none of their Help and they should get as little The first that preached in the High Church before the Commissioner was Mr. Geo. Meldrum whose Text was Philip. 4. Ver. 5. The Sermon was framed to please the various Humours of Men and to recommend himself to Persons of different Tempers for the general Drift of it seemed to be for Moderation which both the Court and all good discreet People called for yet he caution'd it with such Restrictions and Exceptions as that he might justifie himself with the more rigid and prevent their jealousies and suspicions of him He who preached the Sunday following if my Memory fail not was one Hamilton who was somewhat singular in his reckoning the Years during which we of this Nation have been deprived of the Gospel for whereas the rest of the Presbyterians reckon but 28. viz. from the Restauration of the Royal Family and Episcopacy he ran ten Years farther backward and made it 38. leaving People to guess his reason and when the Matter was enquired into it was found that he dated the want of the Gospel from the Year 1652. because since that time they never had a General Assembly and then too they were not suffered to sit for the English Governor here raised them because they had no Warrant from Cromwel and carried them out surrounded with Guards to Bruntsfield-Links where he dismissed them with a severe threatening if any three of them should be found together It would be tedious to give you a particular account of all the Sermons which were preached here in the time of the Assembly but in general I assure you they were very nauseating to all rational Persons for except one or two preached by Mr. Carstairs and Mr. Robert Wyllie they were either miserably flat and dull or else full of bitter Zeal against the Episcopal Party Instead of the Doctrins and Duties of Christianity the excellency and divine Institution of their Government was the subject of their Discourses and when they happened on any necessary or weighty Point of Religion they treated them in such a manner as if they had design'd to burlesque Religion and render it ridiculous which gave a great advantage to atheistical and profane Men So it is observed that Religion doth
them out that by Mr. Gabriel's care twelve Parishes were well provided which could not be so well done by any ordinary Man That he had been twenty four Years among them which was sufficient to found a Pastoral Relation Mr. Gilbert Rule seconded this Address and pleaded for those of Northumberland that they might have the benefit of Mr. Gabriel alledging that it was Charity to plant the Gospel in England and he declar'd thaet he knew not only twelve Parishes but that for fifty Miles they wanted the Word of God For said he betwixt Berwick and New-Castle there was less practice of Piety than amongst Papists or Heathens and therefore it was fit to send Ministers among them he concluded his Discourse thus That as we ought to plant the Gospel where-ever we can so the Presbyterians of England having now a Liberty granted them by King and Parliament they might very well call back such as had been driven in amongst them in time of Persecution To this last the Moderator reply'd Mr. Gilbert What if they should call you And when he answer'd that perhaps he would then go he said to him Mr. Gilbert I do not think you so great a Fool. But as to Mr. Gabriel the Moderator and the generality of the Assembly were for calling him back to Scotland alledging that Charity began at home when they had reason'd a long while upon the Matter too and again Mr. Kirkton stood up and said What needs this ado For he had heard that Mr. Gabriel durst not return to Northumberland there being an Order from several Justices of Peace to apprehend him which Mr. Gabriel confess'd to be true This decided the matter as to Northumberland and shewed that Mr. Gabriel would have had his forc'd return coloured with a Solemn invitation and when it came to be consider'd whither Jedburgh or Killpatrick should have him he discovered his own Inclinations before it came to a Vote telling that Kirkpatrick had no Manse for him neither could he maintain a Horse at it when the Votes were a stating Mr. Gabriel Cunningham desired the Moderator to pray for drowning the noise of the Assembly But Mr. Kirktoun answered What needs all this fool Praying it was not the Custom to pray at every thing so they past immediately to voting and the Votes carried it for Jebburgh which no doubt was according to Mr. Gabriel 's own desire The next great Affair was the removing Mr. George Campbel from being Minister at Drumfries to be Professor of Divinity at Edinburgh which was made vacant by the Visitation of the College for that Dr. Strachan could not comply with the Terms requir'd in the Act of Parliament The Magistrates of Edinburgh being Patrons of the place gave a Call to Mr. Campbel which was backed by the earnest invitation of some others about the Town He indeed deserves the place better than any of that Party having qualifications of Learning and Modesty beyond what is usual to be found amongst them But as the People of Drumfries were not willing to part with him so neither was he willing of himself to settle at Edinburgh in his old decaying Years especially when he perceived such strong prejudices against the Presbyterian Party to encrease The matter was referr'd to the Assembly where it was long and hotly debated The necessity and importance of training up Youth was alledged for his coming to Edinburgh but he on the other hand said he was more capable of doing good at Drumfries and had stronger ties and obligations to that place and at last added that he not only had not the inward call to accept of the Profession of Divinity but did find in himself an inward aversion and backwardness thereto which he thought should not be slighted for there was in it not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which occasion'd the matter of the inward call to be considered and debated Mr. Rule said That it consisted in the internal Qualifications for the place and the outward harmonious Call of the Church and that as they were Judges of the first so the last would be known by putting it to a Vote adding That the Spirit of God was a harmonious Spirit and that the Spirit of the Prophets was subject to the Prophets Mr. Campbel reply'd That he put a wrong Gloss on the Place but however he would not debate it now It was referred back to the Committee and considered again in a full Assembly and at last th◠matter was put to a Vote having before they collected th◠Votes prayed for direction therein By the Votes it was carried that he should come to Edinburgh tho it was observed that the more judicious part were against his coming being prevail'd upon by the weight of his own Arguments However after they had resolved upon his coming they allowed him till Lammas following to remove himself and his Family as some say as others would have that he might in this time bring his mind to close with the Call of the Assembly because he had said he would leave the Kingdom rather than obey A day or two after the Decision of this business concerning Mr. Campbel there came a Commission from the Town of S. Andrews to My Lord Crawford to represent them in the Assembly The Moderator usher'd it in with a great Commendation of his Lordship and the manifold Obligations which they had to him and regreted he had not been a Member of their Assembly sooner and that he had not his Commission from a Presbytery for which he said the Presbytery of Couper particularly should be rebuked in that they had neglected him But the reason was as I told you before that it was expected he should have been Commissioner for the King When this Commission was read My Lord Crawford whose Joy for which was to be seen in his Countenance stood up and made a Discourse about the Weight and Importance of that Trust and of his Unworthiness to be a Member of that Venerable Assembly and desired that they might allow him the favour which they had granted to Mr. George Campbel which was to have till Lammas next to advise on it His Lordship not knowing well what to say but thinking he was obliged to say something fell on this Impertinence which moved the Spleen of the Assembly and made them spoil the gravity of their Meeting And indeed who could forbear laughing to hear one make a scruple of acting by Commission when he had made none to act without one officiously attending the several Sessions of the Assembly and particular Committees and giving his Opinion in all the Matters that came before them And what a ridiculous thing was it to ask Nine Months time to advise whether he should be a Member of a Meeting which was to be intirely dissolved within a fortnight After they had sat ten or twelve days they received a Petition from two Persons the one was called Smith the other Grieve in name of the
Ministry A third Person brought before the Assembly was one Mr. Forseith Minister at St. Ninians he was accused for marrying a Man to his first Wives Neice which he confessed before the Assembly and also that he had been informed of the Relation and diswaded from doing it by the Episcopal Clergy amongst whom he lived All his excuse was that he was not much himself when he did it being in great confusion and consternation because of the Rabble that was then up and who continually threatned him as they had fallen upon his Neighbour Ministers And he further alledged that it was the only miscarriage he could be charged with in thirty five Years Exercise of the Ministry and therefore he desired the Assembly to pardon him and to restore him This they refused and confirmed the Sentence of his Deposition which was very just and the only justifiable Act of the Assembly from its sitting down to its rising A fourth Affair which the Assembly had before them was that of Mr. John Mekenzie at Kirkliston I suppose you have seen an account of his Process before the Presbytery of Linlithgow for he carried it up with him to London to shew it to his Friends there But in case you have not met with him nor received an account of the whole Matter take it in short thus When rabbling was practised and in fashion here he amongst many others of his Brethren had the Church Doors shut against him and by this means was hindred from the Exercise of his Ministry in that Parish but having complyed with the Civil Government he made an interest by his Friends to maintain his legal Right and Title to the said Church which vexed and gall'd the Presbyterians who by this means were kept from setling a Minister of their own Perswasion there All endeavours were used to remove him First They set him upon him to dimit voluntarily which he refusing they next threatned to force him to it upon Articles of Scandal But his Innocence and unblameable Conversation being sufficient proof against that they at last pursued him before the Presbytery of Linlithgow upon the pretence of deserting his People He appeared before them and defended himself declaring he was always ready and willing to exercise his Ministry if the Rabble would have suffered him and allowed him access to his Church and therefore the fault did not lie at his door Upon this he was blamed for speaking contemptibly of the Rabble who were said to be the necessary Preliminaries to the Government both of Church and State and from that they would have been infering his secret disaffection to both The Presbytery were forced to vindicate him from all imputation of Scandal and for a mark of their singular and extraordinary favour they said they would give him recommendatory Letters to put him in capacity of being elected Minister of another Parish but still they urg'd his quitting of that of Kirkliston and when he perceived that they had firmly resolved to declare his Church vacant to gratifie the Rabble and some few other unreasonable Persons who were dissatisfied with him he appealled from them to the King and the next lawfully called general Assembly This being the Tenor of his Appeal many of the Assembly spake against the receiving or sustaining it alledging that it was not to them he appealed for his expression did imply that this Assembly was not lawfully called seeing it was called before he appealed and yet he made no particular reference to it Besides said they it 's clear he means an Episcopal Assembly by his appealing to the King joyntly with the Assembly for these Episcopalians do make the King the Head of the Church whereas we cannot own any such thing My Lord Arbruchel desired the Assembly to be favourable to him for he knew him to be well affected to the Government and that he had served the King abroad for the space of seven Years To which one replyed That he was as well paid for it he served him for Wages and so would he have done the Turk too They were much irritated by his going to London to represent their Proceedings and to clamour against them Every Man took occasion to vent his passion and pique at him some said he was Scandalous and called him a Drunkard and Swearer some called him one thing and some another and one said he should be deposed because he was a proud stubborn and insolent Fellow The Commissioner apprehending there would be little Justice where there was so much pique and prejudice desired the Moderator to delay the Affair and to allow the young Man time to appear and answer for himself but the Moderator replied That it was best to proceed now and more for the young Man's Reputation for if he were present they would be obliged to take notice of some Crimes and Scandals which now they would pass over without inquiring into them forgetting that the Presbytery had acquitted him of all such Guilt and that he himself had given him a good Testimony when the Affair was first brought before the Assembly The Commissioner still urging that they would deal tenderly and gently with him Indeed replied the Moderator Your Grace shall find that we will use great tenderness towards the Young Man and we shall be very discreet for we shall only take his Kirk from him which they did immediately So that you have a Sample of the Presbyterian Tenderness which I think is very near a Kin to the tender Mercies of the Wicked which Solomon declareth to be cruel for when they deprive one of his Livelihood and Good-name they call it Tenderness and if it be so I pray God save us from their Cruelty Except these four I heard of no other Processes wherein the Episcopal Clergy were concerned that were revised and discussed before the Assembly there were indeed one or two more mentioned by the Interest made by the Persons concerned As the Business of Mr. Heriot in Dalkeith and Mr. Wood in Dumbar but they with the rest were referred back to particular Synods and Presbyteries All this while the Presbyterians had been intent upon the emptying of Churches now at last they began to consider how Churches should be filled and Vacancies supplied They wanted Labourers for their Harvest and therefore they first passed an Act For calling home such of their Party as were serving in other places abroad and appointed the drawing up and directing of Letters for acquainting those in Holland particularly with the Mind of the Assembly and the Necessity of the Church It happened that of these who were spoken of one was dead and another detained Prisoner in Dunkirk Wherefore one said at the reading of the Letter That the Assembly needed the Power of Miracles for bringing back the one and that they ought to address to the French King to obtain the other In the next place for the encreasing the number of the Brethren they appointed some to search out and to give in
Fast is Urged out of fear of Gods wrath and after that is subjoyned the highest perils from them which some said was like the Proclamations of one Borthwiâ—k sometimes a Bayliff in this City which were wont to be under the pain of death and fourty Pound besides The mentioning of these printed Acts brings to my Memory a passage of the Printer Some in hopes of getting gain thereby Petitioned the Ass for the gift of publishing their Acts. Mrs. Anderson claim'd the priviledge by vertue of a gift from the King to print all publick Acts and Proclamations and withall she might have deserved such a savour from them having ever heretofore Favoured their Party and allowed them the use of her Press for publishing their Pamphlets and even such as durst not be well avowed But either because they would have a Printer of their own distinct from the Kings or that they would not shew kindness to her who had accession to the guilt of the late Reigns by printing their sinfull Acts and Proclamations for one or both these Reasons they denied her the Favour and bestowed it on George Mosman who represented in his Petition that he was not only always a true friend to their Interest but also a sufferer for the Cause And it 's true he was ever Whig enough but what his Sufferings were it is not well known seeing he ever lived peaceably at Edenburgh and had the freedome of a good trade whereby he is become Fat every way Other men lose by their Sufferings but they gain by theirs even in this life So Mr. Johnston died two Thousand pound Sterling rich who was not worth forty or fifty pound when he left his charge Tho' Mrs. Anderson was repulsed by the Ass yet she would not give over but next tried her Interest with the Councill that at least she might have the printing of those Acts which had the Civil Sanction added to them they being comprehended within her gift Crawford who thinks all the Acts of the Presbyterians should be like the Laws of the Medes and Persians stood up for Mosman others pleaded Mrs. Andersons right it not being in the power of the Councill far less of the Ass to take away their right and property or any part of it But one said smartly that the Case should be stated not betwixt Mrs. Anderson and Mosman but betwixt the King and the Ass whether the King should yield to the Ass or the Ass to the King My Lord Crawford thought the first no absurdity and offered to produce instances of it in former times But the rest of the Councellors thought they were obliged in Civility to prefer the King and so Mrs Anderson carried it I believe I may have wearied you with the length of my Letter I crave pardon only to add two or three particulars more and I shall close The first was their appointing an answer to be made to the printed accounts of the persecution of the Episcopal Clergy in this Kingdom At the generall meeting it was laid on Mr. Meldrum who declin'd it Then it was recommended to Mr. Alexander Pitcairine who did nothing in it He excused himself before the Ass in that he knew not the matters of fact and the true Information was not sent him The Ass ordered him again to go on in it and appointed Mr Gilbert Rule and some others to assist him in the work and required all the members to furnish them with Instructions proper for it Mr. Meldrum in a Sermon before the Ass offered to Justify the barbarities of the Rabble and the ill usage which the Episcopal Clergy met with alledging that their errors vices and scandals deserve no better at the peoples hands But what Justification defence will be made by those who are appointed to do it in name of the Ass I do not know but this I am confident that they will never prove any material circumstance in matter of fact to be false A Second particular I am to make you acquainted with is an Act for taking off the sentence of deposition which was pronounced against some Ministers especially those of the Remonstrators party anno 1660 I told you before that it had been proposed at the General meeting but was then laid aside by reason of the mistakes that were like to arise among the Brethren about it Now the Moderator who was mainly concerned in the business finding himself a little better stated made an overture of it to the Ass the day it was dissolved and to obtain it the more easily he brought it in by way of a surprize Brethren said he you may remember there were once some unhappy differences among us which some carried so high as to proceed to inflict the sentence of deposition upon some on that account now I think it sit before we part that this sentence be revoked that as we are all one mans bairns so we may be all alike stated Mr. Gilbert Rule replied that he judged it better to bury these matters in oblivion that they could not pass a generall Act for reponing these men without re-examining their processes which was no ways fit perhaps they would not be found all alike for some might be deposed for Scandall and other Crimes and not only for these unhappy heats and differences The Moderator answered him Brother there is no need of condescending or particulars and I believe they will be found all alike and that they are all very honest men that are concerned So he named Mr. Wier and some others and among the rest himself in the third person saying There is one Mr. Hugh Kennedy whom I warrant you ken all well enough To conclude the Act passed the sentence of deposition lying upon these persons was made void and they declared to be true and lawfull Ministers And herein truly the Moderators wit fail'd him for instead of righting himself which he designed he raised objections against himself which otherwise would have been forgotten and by this Act brought an indelible tash both upon his own publick Ministry these two three years and also upon the present Ass in that the Moderator and many of its members were both legally and Canonically incapable Now that they hear this they pretend that the sentence was taken off formerly and that the Ass only ratifyed and confirmed what was formerly done in these mens favour and that it was usuall to ratify in the first Generall Ass the Acts of inferiour Judicatories But as they cannot instance the time nor the meeting in which these persons were reponed so they never had any proper or avowed meeting for such a business till the Indulgence granted by King James and we never heard it so much as proposed before in any of their avowed meetings till the last general one as was already declared and either the sentence lying upon these persons was valid or not If it was not then what needed such a Solemn annulling of it by an Act of the Generall Ass