AN HISTORICAL RELATION Of the Late General Assembly Held at EDINBURGH From Octob. 16. to Nov. 13. In the Year 1690. IN A LETTER From a PERSON in EDINBURGH To his Friend in LONDON LICENSED April the 20th 1691. LONDON Printed for J. Hindmarsh at the Golden-Ball in Cornhill near the Royal-Exchange MDCXCI A LETTER FROM EDINBVRGH TO ONE in LONDON c. SIR I Received yours and do not think it strange that those of England are so desirous to know the Acts and Proceedings of our General Assembly in Scotland for not only Curiosity but Interest may prompt them thereto I will readily serve you in this Matter and intended though you had not required it to have given you an Account of it that you might have Occasion of gratifying your worthy Friends and Acquaintance It 's true I was not Eye-Witness of what past for you know my Circumstances would not allow that and the Brethren as they call themselves endeavoured to keep out all that were not of their own party or who might tell Tales forbidding the Keepers of the door to admit any without a leaden Ticket in the shape of a Heart which was the Pass given them which was not so easily obtain'd except for their particular Friends and if any of the Episcopal Party were discovered there was a Cry presently Conformists are here and the Officers were sent to thrust them out However notwithstanding of this strictness there were always two or three discreet and intelligent Persons of my Acquaintance present at every Session from whom I have what I write to you And I assure you that you may trust the Ingenuity and Faithfulness of the Relation But before I come to the Assembly it self there be some things previous to it which you ought to be informed of A General Assembly in Scotland you know is much of the same Nature with the Convocation in England or a National Council and of no less Authority here Nay our Presbyterians exalt the Authority of their Assemblies aboue that of King or Parliament and there be some standing Acts of their Assemblies against Acts of Parliament and which discharge Obedience to them Whereupon our Presbyterians being not content with what the Parliament had done for them nor thinking their Authority sufficient for setting up their Government they required a General Assembly by whose Authority which with them is supreme and next to that of Jesus Christ their Government might be firmly established and all their Actings and Proceedings ratified and approved by it Yet they knew that a free Assembly of the Clergy and Laity throughout the Kingdom would rather defeat than advance their Designs therefore they consider'd how they might prevent that by some Method which would exclude all who were not well affected to their Interest or zealous for the Good Old Cause In order hereunto they prevailed with the Parliament to lodge the whole Government and Management of Church Affairs in the hands of those few Old Preachers who went off when Episcopacy was reestablished An. 1661. and such as should be admitted and approved by them When these Ministers off the Episcopal Perswasion who had complied with the present Civil Government heard this they thought themselves injured and therefore addressed to the Parliament to be admitted to a share of the Government or at least not to be absolutely subjected to them who were their stated and professed Enemies This they claimed as due to them not only upon the account of their being Lawful Ministers of the Gospel but also upon the account of the publick Faith which promised them Protection upon their compliance with the Civil Government Notwithstanding which their Petition was disdainfully rejected and the Act continued as before in favour only of the above-mentioned Presbyterian Preachers By which means all the present Episcopal Clergy and such of the Laity as favoured their Interest and had complyed with them were rendred incapable of bearing any Office in the Kirk and of Sitting and Voting in their Meetings This the Episcopal Party justly complained of and said That though Episcopacy was abolished merely upon an unjust and false Pretence that that Government exercised Tyranny over the Church yet now a real Presbyterian Tyranny was established that instead of Fourteen Bishops Sixty were set up who would Lord it over their Brethren more imperiously than they either did or pretended to do and that Presbyters were subjected to them who own'd themselves to be no more than Presbyters which had no Precedent in the Catholick Church but also they who could not be denyed to be Lawful Ministers were excluded from any share of the Discipline and Government of the Church which was contrary to the very Principles and Tenets of the Presbyterians themselves who make every private Minister to be invested with the Authority of ruling as well as of teaching and who affirm it unlawful for any Minister to part with that Right and who therefore were wont to exclaim against Bishops because they seemed to usurp it wholly to themselves All the Excuse made for this was That they could no otherwise make their Government sure and that the Episcopal Party deserved to be thus treated for their Apostacy in betraying and renouncing the true Rights and Interests of the Church by complying with Episcopacy Hence it was inferr'd that Presbyterians do juggle both with God and Man For whereas they would have the World believe that their Model of Government and Forms of Discipline are so much of Divine Right that they can submit to no Terms of Composition with Men about them so when it makes for their Interest they can without any scruple introduce essential Alterations thereof For Parity which they make the Institution of Christ was now taken away and out of the pretended exigence of the Church nine hundred Ministers were suspended from one half of that Power given them by Christ which at other times is said to be so essential to them that they cannot be Ministers of the Gospel without it Shortly after the passing that Act of Parliament for setting up the Presbyterian Government and committing the Care and Management thereof to these few surviving Presbyterian Ministers who had not complied with Episcopacy there was a Meeting at Edinburgh of Presbyterian Ministers and Lay-Elders to advise about the Affairs of the Kirk and to lay down Methods how a General Assembly should be call'd and constituted because as I have observed one could not be had according to their minds after the old manner and standing Rules of General Assemblies By Virtue of the Act of Parliament none had the Right to meddle with the Government and Affairs of the Church but such Ministers as had been removed by the restoration of Episcopacy and certainly these men were greatly overseen when they parted with that Privilege and admitted others to share with them before they had setled the Church according to their minds For by these means they were overpower'd and outvoted and forced to yield to
same should not be granted to him as if every one of them had had a Decisive Voice and which is without Example in any Judicatory for any of the Judges to interrupt the Defenders speaking and to cry out their Opinion or rather Sentence before the Defender be removed and which openly discovers their Prejudice Design and Resolution of proceeding against the said Mr. Alexander altho' without just cause 6thly The Prejudice and design of the Synods proceeding against the said Mr. Alexander on the said lame weak and null probation is evident in so far as several Members of their Number did speak and deal with him to demit or that otherways they would depose him And there is nothing more certain than that they would never have Dealt with him to demit if the Probation against him had been good Their malice to the Regular Clergy being such as that they would rather Depose them for Immoralities and Errors in Doctrine to expose them than suffer them to Demit and get off without stain when they are guilty of the same But Mr. Alexander being Conscious of his own Innocency refused to Demit but rather to suffer their Extremity from which he hoped GOD in his good time would Vindicate him And therefore it being evident from the Grounds foresaid that the Synod has behaved themselves most partially and against all Law and Form The said Mr. Alexander does therefore Protest against the Synods further Proceeding in the said Matter and appeals from them and from any sentence they shall give therein to the next lawful General Assemblie And to their MAJESTIES Protection for Justice and Relief in the mean time And Protests That the said Libels and Witnesses Depositions taken thereupon may be preserved and not put out of the way That so the â—â—me and not Copies thereof may be produced to the next General Assembly Or to any their Majesties shall be pleased out of their Royal Authority to appoint to consider the same And that as the said Mr. Alexander will publish and disperse his Appeal and his Answers to the first Libel Which he only did see for his own Vindication from any sentence that shall follow hereupon So he expects and earnestly Desires that the said Synod may Print both the Libels against him and Depositions taken thereupon for vindication of their Justice if they can conceive they have done right But which Mr. Alexander hopes will rather vindicate his Innocency And further Mr. Alexander Craves and Protests That this his Appeal may be insert in the Books of the Synod Notwithstanding of the Appeals foresaid the Synod proceeded and Deposed the said Mr. Alexander from his Ministry and thereupon the Eldership of the Parish was invaded and some few severals of them scarce worth to be noticed as Residenters have usurped the power of electing Elders and have elected many moe than the number formerly used purposely as they think to make the greater Figure altho' but of the most inconsiderable of the Parish and of Design to Call Impose and Obtrude a Minister upon the Rest against their will contrary to the Laws of Charity Practices of Christian Churches and profession of Presbyterians Notwithstanding that the said Mr. Alexander Heriot his Appeal does in Law preserve his Right and keeps all in statu quo the time of the Appeal while it be discust Whereupon not only the said Mr. Alexander Heriott but likewise the Heritors and Parishioners of Dalkeith have given in a Petition to the Lords of their Majesties most Honourable Privy Council That they may be pleased to forbid the Calling of a Minister until the Appeal be discust And that in the mean time he may be restored to the Exercise of his Ministrie And that the Presbytery of Dalkeith And others who had the Libels given in against him and Depositions of the Witnesses may make the same known to him as Law appoints That he may know what is libelled or may seem to be proved to the effect he may the better clear himself of the same which is nothing but false lies and calumnies And whereof several of the Presbyterian Ministers who have seen the Libels and Depositions Affirm that there is nothing pretended to be proved But the dancing about the Bon-Fire which is not only clearly redargued to be false as said is there being no Bonfires either on the foresaid day nor for several months either before or after But likewise if the persons who have deponed it were known and re-examined it will be found they have deponed falsly And that they have been dealt with so to Depone And that this Falshood may not be discovered not only are the Depositions kept up contrary to express Law and Acts of Parliament But likewise no notice can be gotten who were the persons who have deponed it that they may be insisted against Whereas it is pretended That the Lords of their Majesties Privy Council are not Judges competent to the sentences of Ecclesiastick Courts and that as they cannot put in Ministers in Churches so they cannot meddle with sentences of Depositions It is answered That by the 1. Act 8 Parl. Ja. 6. It is Statute and Ordained That his Majestie and Council shall be Judges competent To all Persons Spiritual and Temporal in all matters And to pretend that the Council is not Judge competent to sentences of Ecclesiastick Courts is no other them to affirm That these Courts have an Arbitrary power and may do wrong at their pleasure without Remeed or Control For it is evident That Mr. Herriott is most unjustly pursued and Deposed And it is also evident that if it be not Redressed by the Council he will never be Restored by those Ministers who have dealt so unjustly with him And whereas it is alleaged That as the Council cannot put in Ministers so they cannot meddle with sentences of Deposition It is answered That the Council has not the power of Admission and Ordination of Ministers But if a Minister having a lawful Call the Presbyterie should refuse to admit and Ordain him albeit they have nothing to object against him upon Application to the Council or Session Letters will be directed to Charge the Presbyterie to Admit and Ordain him but multo magis in this case where a Minister is Deposed from his Ministrie as likewise from his Benefice which is his Livelyhood and Maintenance and yet most unjustly and without Ground or Reason The Council is most proper Judges for Restoring him against the foresaid Oppression Injurie and Unjust Sentence And for a further evidence of this unjust Sentence it is Humbly desired that the Lords of Their Majesties Privy Council will be pleased to take notice That in the first Libel there are many Articles which are not to be admitted in Law And it is said that there is none of them proved but the Dancing about the Bonfire And yet the Presbytery by their Sentence found the Libel Relevant and Proved which must be understood as to 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
seeing there was so much babble in their printed consequently more deliberate discourses An acquaintance of yours hath made a rare Collection of notes of their Sermons both printed and unprinted To which I refer you for instances to prove the truth of what I have been saying The last Sermon that was published came forth the first week of the Ass The Author is one Mr. James Clark who preached in the meeting house at Dumbar It was a Sermon ad Clerum preached as was said at the deposing of the Parson of Old-Hamstocks which being an extraordinary occasion something better then ordinary was expected but there never appeared a more silly and empty discourse nor is it possible that you can conceive so meanly of it as it deserves It was even far below Mr. Andrew Gray's Sermons The very Presbyterians whose gust craves no fine things were ashamed of it My Lord Czawford to excuse it laid the blame on the Printer and complained of him at the Councill Table for offering to publish it without a License alledging also that it was without the Authors consent and that the Copy was an imperfect uncorrect one which some ignorant or malicious person had taken from the Authors Mouth But when the Printer was examined he produced an Authentick copy from the Author himself and declared that he revised the sheets as they came from the Press so the Printer was free of the faults that were in it and they could be only charged on Mr. Clark who it 's believed shew'd all the learning and eloquence he was Master of But it is fit now we return to the Ass and give you an account of what acts they pass'd for regulating the discipline of the Church for the future The first of this kinde and the first also of any other that passed in the Ass was an Act against marriages without publick proclamations as also against the private administration of the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Mr. Gilbert Rule press'd that the Sacrament of Baptisme might not at all be administred but in publick and after Sermon and called the private administration not only Superstitious but also Sorcerie and Charming and said further that the same was contrary to Scripture and Antiquity Mr Kirkton took him up briskly and said that was disputable that he could buckle him or any man upon that point but would not debate it now He added that by their rigorous imposition of indifferent things he had lost five men of considerable note the last week And concluded tho there were a thousand acts against it he would rather Baptize in private then suffer the Children to go to the Curates Some Highland Ministers crayed that they might not be lyable to that act because it was impossible to bring all the Children of their parishes to the Kirks by reason of the vast distance some of their people lived at from them but whether they intend to give a dispensation was not expressed The Moderator to excuse their own practises heretofore said there was a distinction both of times and places for said he in times of Persecution I think an honest Minister riding on the way may go into a mans house Baptize a Bairn and come out and take his horse again Tho' while they were under restraint they made no Scruple of baptizing privately the children of those of their own perswasion yet now they refuse to baptize any except in publick nor will they do it but when there is a Sermon and they are so strict upon the point that they suffer the children to dye rather then slacken their rigour In the Country the benefit of Baptisme can be only had on Sundays because then only there is preaching and if Children cannot live so long they must take their hazard of departing without that sign and Seal of their Salvation I know a Parish where two or three persons importuned the Minister to baptize their Children publickly or privately as he pleased but he peremptorily refused to do it on a week-day tho' they who intended to have been present at the baptisme would have made a competent number for an ordinary Country Sermon and before Sunday two of the Children dyed we had lately in this City a more notable instance of the stiffness of their humour in this particular A Certain Citizen designed to have his child baptized on a week day at the ordinary time of Sermon he with the Gossips came in time enough to the Church but because the child was brought in about the close of the Sermon neither Mr. Kennedy who preached nor Mr. Erskine the Minister of the parish could be prevailed with to administer the Sacrament to the Infant but they caused it to be carried home again without baptism The people generally take this very ill and are very much displeased with the Presbyterian Ministers on this account Wherefore to Justify themselves they frequently preach against the necessity of Baptism and to talk of it as if it were an ordinance neither necessary nor much to be regarded and do account the esteem and value which is ordinarily put upon it and earnest desires the people have after it to be the dregs and reliques of Popery among us When a child was brought to Mr. Kirkton he took occasion to shew the Superstition of that Ceremony and said to the People you think it necessary to have your Children Baptized but I tell you said he I know a good Godly Minister who lived till he was fourscore that was never Baptized all his life time In the next place they renewed an Act of a Generall Assembly appointing Pedagogues Chaplains Preachers and Students to take and subscribe the Confession of faith and further they Commissionated some to draw up a list of all these acts of Assemblies which were fit to to be observed and put in use wherein they acted very cunningly for tho' it be well known that they receive all the acts of Assemblies as if they were Scripture and pay no less regard to them yet because some of these incroach upon the power of the Civil Magistrate Therefore to prevent the Jealousies of the King they would not make a generall Act ratifying and approving them in Cumulo nor yet would they condemn or censure any of them But they enforced such as were proper and suitable to the present state of affairs and waved the declaration of their sentiments concerning the rest Fourthly because the Ass could not sit so long as was necessary to determine all particulars and to give rules and measures for the setling of the Church in this juncture nor was it sit it should do it Therefore they resolved to chuse a Committee who might sit after the dissolution of the Ass who should have full and Supream Power to Act in all things that related to the Church It 's said that this overture was first made by the Moderate men who thought by this means to reduce affairs to a better temper then the
Ass was like to do by reason of the many rigid and indiscreet men who were in it Therefore six were proposed to be a part of this Committee and to name the other Persons of whom the Committee should consist Four of these six went under the Character of Moderate men the other two were of another temper and were joyned to them on purpose to prevent suspition But the High flown Brethren soon smell'd out the design and therefore they first Voted two more of their own side and because that only put them in aequilibrio they again got four more to be added so that they were double the number of the other and by this means the Committee consisted most part of the strictest and most rigid Presbyterians Their Names are as follow For the South Ministers John Veith Gab. Simple Gilbert Rule M. James Kirkton John Spalding Michael Bruce Gab. Cuninghame William Erskine William Weir Alex. Pitcairn M. Richard Howison James Veitch Patrick Simpson Mathew Crawford George Campbell James Laurce Archibald Hamilton M. Patrick Peacock Rob. Duncauson John Balandine William Ker Patrick Venier M. John Hutchison William Eccles Neil Gitless M. Andrew Morton Thomas Forrester William Violin M. David Blair Samuel Nairn Elders Earle of Crawford Earle Sutherland Visc of Arburthnet La. Halleraig Laird of Ormestone Sir John Hall Sir James Riddel Balife Muir Lairds Balife Macklurg George Stirling Coltness Glanderston Lammington Air John Muir provost of Hamilton of Grange For the North. Ministers John Law Hugh Kennedy M. Will. Crighton John Anderson Alex. Forbes William Legget Robert Rule M. James Frazer Goe Meldrum Edward Jenuson James Rymer Thomas Ramsay M. Robert Young William Mack Andrew Buey Elders Ia. Ardbruchill Green know Naughton Meggins Lewchatt Afterwards it being represented that the Visitors for the North were too few there were added these following Ministers James Stewart James Vrquhart M. Alex. Dumbar Alex. Frazer Thomas Hog Hugh Anderson William Machay M. Walter Denune Geo. Meldrum at Glasse Arthur Mitchel William Ramsay M. Francis Melvil John Maccullork Elders Brodie Grant Grange Dumber Eight Colloden Dalfolly Parkhay Sir John Monro Sir George Monro Embo Sir David Frazer M. John Campbell of Moye This Committee was appointed to keep quarterly Sessions viz. on the third Wednesday of January and the third Wednesday of April and to appoint afterwards their meetings as often as they shall think fit That a Quorum should be ten Ministers and five ruling-Elders and they were allowed to choose their own Moderator and Clerk The Instructions prepared for them by the Committee for overtures were first read and debated on Thursday before the Ass rose but they were not agreed to till the Tuesday thereafter On Munday they were read with some alterations but Mr. Kirkton and a great many more adhered to the exceptions which they made at the first Reading and said that the Alterations were not considerable He alledged also that what was then read was not a true Copy of that which the Committee had agreed to and offered to the Moderator a true double of it but the Moderator refused it saying he knew nothing of the matter and because the Ass was not like to come to an agreement at that time therefore the matter was referred back again to the Committee and all who had any thing to say about it were appointed to attend them The next day it was brought back again to the Ass and concluded Mr. Kirkton and some others who press'd alterations being absent To satisfy your and my own curiosity I used means to procure a Copy of the instructions and got them with some difficulty which I here set down Instructions for the Committee or Commission of the Kirk First they are to take into their Cognizance all references and appeals not discuss'd in the Assembly and such matters as have been stated before the Ass and referred to them and to discuss and determine the famine Secondly they are to give their advice to all Synods and Presbyteries when required and tho' not required yet upon information of any irregularity or precipitancy of proceedings in Presbyteries they are to interpose their advice for sisting processes till the next Synod or Ass When this 2d Article was read some asked if the Commission had power to call before themselves any business and to take the same out of the hands of Presbyteries To which the Moderator answered no but they are only to give their advice and said he I think no Presbytery will refuse it which if they do it must be Cum periculo and the Church of Scotland will be free from any imputation of their actings Thirdly they are to have power to visit all Ministers in Presbyteries as well Presbyterian as others Fourthly they are to purge out of the Church all who upon due tryall shall be found insufficient Scandalous Erroneous or supinely negligent It was moved that the words supinely negligent might be left out but the same was refused Fifthly they are to be carefull that none be admitted by them to Ministerial Communion or to a share in the Government but such as upon due tryall for which the visitors shall take a competent time shall be found to be Orthodox in their doctrine of competent abilities having a pious Godly and peaceable Conversation as becometh a Minister of the Gospel of an edifying gift and whom the Commission shall have ground to believe will be faithfull to God and the Government and diligent in the discharge of their Ministerial duty and that all who shall be admitted to the Ministry or shall be received into a share of the â—overnment shall be obliged to own and subscribe the Confession of Faith and to profess their submission and willingness to joyn and concur with the Presbyterian Church-Government At first it was Presbyterian communion and only faithful to the Government Mr. Kirkton said that this Article was a matter of very great consequence and desired it might be well considered for in hoc vertitur fortuna Scotia and complained that there was not one word of the Scandal of conforming which he said was the greatest of all Scandals Mr. Frazer of Brae proposed that the clause of repentance might be inserted The Moderator answered that in effect it was there already if they look't upon the Commissioners as discreet and Judicious men for so said he they will admit none without repentance for without that they cannot have ground to believe that ever they will be faithfull to the Government Mr. Kirkton replyed that they could never be sure of Episcopall Ministers for many of them says he has changed three or four times already and they will do it at every turn Mr. William Weir moved that they might be obliged to declare that they should neither by advice nor any other way endeavour the alteration of the Presbyterian Government Sixthly that they be very Cautious in receiving in Informations and forming Libels against the late Conformists and present Incumbents and that they
whole Articles of the Libel complexlie than which there is nothing more false as will appear by the Libels and Depositions if they were produced And yet thereupon Mr. Heriott is first suspended by the Presbytery and referred by them to the General Assembly for further Censure as if great Immoralities in Life and Errors in Doctrine had been proved against him And the Synod to which the Assembly remitted him following the steps of the Presbytery deposed him Now when Presbytery and Synod have acted thus contrary to express Law and have done open and manifest Unjustice and whereof all that heard of it are convinced and sensible And having stated themselves Parties against him there can be no Remedy expected from the said Unjustice Injury and Oppression unless the Lords of Their Majesties Privy Council interpose their Authority If it be alleaged That the late Act of Parliament The Act of Supremacy in Church matters is Repealed It is answered That the Act of Parliament 1669 is Rescinded which extended the Supremacy to the Ordering and Disposal of the External Government and Policy of the Church and to the Enacting of Constitutions Acts and Orders in the Church But the foresaid Act of K. Ja. 6. his 8 Parliament is not Rescinded which is only as to the Judging of Ecclesiastick Persons in matters complained upon and which power is inherent in the Crown otherways there should be Regnum in Regno and Church Judicatories should have arbitrary Power without Redress or Control as said is In Regard whereof The Lords of Their MAJESTIES Privy Council are Judges Competent to this Injurie Vnjustice and Oppression And the Desire of the Petitions ought to be Granted ACT of the General Assembly anent a Solemn National Fast and Humiliation with the Causes thereof At Edinburgh November 12. 1690. Postmeridiem Sess 25. THE General Assembly Having taken into their most serious Consideration the late great and general Defection of this Church and Kingdom have thought fit to Appoint a Day of Solemn Humiliation and Fasting for Confession of Sins and making Supplication to our Gracious God to forgive and remove the guilt thereof In order whereunto they have Ordained the Confession of Sins and Causes of Fasting following to be duly Intimat and Published Recommending it most earnestly to all persons both Ministers and others That every one of us may not only search and try our own hearts and ways and stir up our selves to seek the Lord But also in our Stations and as we have access Deal with one another in all love and tenderness to prepare for so great and necessary a Duty that we may find mercy in God's sight and He may be graciously reconciled to our Land in our Lord Jesus and take delight to dwell among us Although our gracious God hath of late for his own Names sake wrought great and wonderful things for Britain and Ireland and for this Church and Nation in particular Yet the Inhabitants thereof have cause to remember their own evil ways and to loath themselves in their own sight for their Iniquities Alas We and our Fathers our Princes our Pastors and People of all Ranks have sinned and have been under great Transgression to this day For though our gracious God shewed early kindness to this Land in sending the Gospel amongst us and afterward in our Reformation from Popish Superstition and Idolatry and it had the Honour beyond many Nations of being after our first Reformation solemnly devoted unto God both Prince and People yet we have dealt treacherously with the Lord and been unstedfast in his Covenant and have not walked suitably to our Mercies received from him nor obligations to him Through the mercy of God this Church had attained to a great purity of Doctrine Worship and Government but this was not accompanied with suitable personal Reformation neither was our Fruit answerable to the pains taken on us by Word and Work We had much Gospel-preaching but too little Gospel-practice too many went on in open wickedness and some had but a form of Godliness denying the power thereof many also who had the Grace of God in truth fell from their first love and fell under sad languishings and decays and when for our sins the anger of the Lord had divided us and we were brought under the feet of strangers and many of our Brethren killed others taken Captive and sold as slaves yet we sinned still and after we were freed from the yoke of strangers instead of returning to the Lord and being led to Repentance by his goodness the Land made open Defection from the good ways of the Lord many behaved as if they had been delivered to work abomination the flood-gates of Impiety were opended and a deluge of wickedness did over-spread the Land Who can without grief and shame remember the shameful debauchery and drunkenness that then was And this accompanied with horrid and hellish cursing and swearing and followed with frequent Filthiness Adulteries and other Abominations and the Reprover was hated and he that departed from Iniquity made himself a reproach or prey And when by these and such like corrupt practices mens Consciences were debauched they proceeded to sacrifice the Interest of the Lord Jesus Christ and Priviledges of his Church to the lusts and will of men The Supremacy was advanced in such a way and to such an height as never any Christian Church acknowledged the Government of the Church was altered and Prelacy which hath been always grievous to this Nation introduced without the Churches consent and contrair to the standing Acts of our National Assemblies both which the present Parliament hath blessed be God lately found And yet nevertheless of the then standing Ministry of Scotland many did suddenly and readily comply with that alteration of the Government some out of Pride and Covetousness or Man-pleasing some through infirmity or weakness or fear of Man and want of Courage and Zeal for God many faithful Ministers were thereupon cast out and many Insufficient and Scandalous men thrust in on their Charges and many Families ruined because they would not own them as their Pastors And alas It is undenyable there hath been under the late Prelacie a great decay of Piety so that it was enough to make a man be nicknam'd a Phanatick if he did not run to the same excess of riot with others And should it not be lamented for it cannot be denyed there hath been in some a dreadful Atheistical Boldness against God some have disputed the Being of God and his Providence the Divine Authority of the Scriptures the Life to come and Immortality of the Soul yea and scoffed at these things There hath been also an horrid Prophanation of the Holy and Dreadful Name of God by Cursing and Swearing Ah! there hath been so much Swearing and Forswearing amongst us that no Nation under Heaven have been more guilty in this than we some by swearing rashly or ignorantly some falsly by breaking their Oaths and imposing