of the first Act continues to have a Supremacy over all Esâ—…ates Ecclesiastical as well Civil and over all Peâ—…sons and Causes thereto relating and thâ—… Clergy of Sâ—…otland arâ—… as much bound to own this Supremacy as those of 〈◊〉 â—…ere I cannot but observe how visibly the Disloyalty and 〈◊〉 of this Paâ—…ty to all Civil Government does appear Thâ—…y endeavour under pretence of lodging all Ecclesiastical 〈◊〉 in tâ—… Church to divest the King of that Power in the externâ—…l ordâ—…ing of Church Matters which does duly belong to him as being the supreme Governor within his oâ—…n Dominions and yet they aâ—…e so sar from settling the whole Ecclesiasâ—…ical Jurisdiction in tâ—…e hands of Spiritual Persons as they pretend that they have not so much as one Judicatory but what does consist of at least 〈◊〉 as many Laicks as those who pretend to be Ecclesiasticks They 〈◊〉 not allow the King so much Power as to Convocate the Clergy soâ—… the 〈◊〉 of Matters about Religion when he thinks fit or to â—…ommand them faithfully to discharge their Duties and Functions which he may lawfully do by virtue of his Civil Power over their Persons as his Subjects and yet they allow the Lay-Elders in their General Assemblies to share with them in the Authority of inâ—…licting Spiritual Censures which properly belongs to none but Spiritual Persons and their indulging the Laity this Power in spiritual matters is more than what they can well account â—…or according to the first Institution of thâ—… Ministry In their General Assemblies there is no Minister dâ—…prived of hiâ—… function no Sentence of â—…xcommunication passed no â—…eretick condemned nor any thing of moment transacted but what thâ—…ir Lay-Elders share in as much as their Teachers and yet is the King should 〈◊〉 any such Power in their Meetiâ—…gs they would be apt to â—…ly in his Face as an Oppressor and Persecutor of the Cause of God but methinks they might at least indulge him the 〈◊〉 of being one of their Ruling Elders That the Church has Power of calling her Assemblies and exercising â—…er Discipline in some extraordinary Cases even contrary to the Command of the Civil Magistrate is what we do not deny as this Author is pleasâ—…d to alledge The Apostles and Primitive Christians did in a direct opposition to the Roman Emperours and Jewish Sanhedrim frequently meet together to perform the Religious Exercises of Devotion and determine such Controversies as then happened to arise among their Bâ—…ethren and this they did without thinking that they encroached in the least upon the just Rights of the lawful Powers then in being And what was lawful for them to do is still lawful for the prâ—…sent Châ—…rch in the same Circumstances for the Magistrates being now Christian can Intitle him to no grâ—…ter Power in Church 〈◊〉 by Virtue of his Civil Authority than what did bâ—…ong to the Heathen Magistrates The Church may indeed upon prudent Moâ—…ives indulge the Christian Magiâ—…trate a greater Power of 〈◊〉 in Ecclesiastical matters than whâ—…t had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or â—…afe to intrust the Heathen Emperours wiâ—…h but this Power which the Church Grants to the Magistrate does no ways belong to him by 〈◊〉 of â—…is Civil Authority it is only Indulged â—…im by the Church in prospect of his Temporal Protection and thereâ—…ore 〈◊〉 he instead of a Nursing Faâ—…her to her shall turn an oppressing 〈◊〉 or when the Church shall see it any way necessary sor the well being and safety of Religion she may recal it again at her pleasure But as we allow the Church to have the sole Power and Authority in matters purely Spiritual so we deny that any such 〈◊〉 Jurisdiction belongs to her as to exâ—…mpt the Bodies of the Clâ—…gy from Subjection to the Civil Powers They owe their Sovereign the same Duty and Obedience with the rest of his Subjects are as much under the Jurisdiction of his Civil Courts as liable to the Temporal punishments which he inflicts as the persons of the Laiâ—…y sor otherwise the Civil Magistrate could have no security for hiâ—… Government We do not allow the Clergy to be Judges of every thing done by themselves in the first instance which is the height of the Popish Usurpation and Supremacy and makes Church-men no Subjects And herein it is that we differ from the Presbyterians in asserting the Jurisdiction of the Church they together with the Papists carry it to such a height as to claim an exemption for the Clergy of their not being answerable to the Civil Courts of the Nation but only cognizable by themselves they deny the secular Magistrate any Power to punish the persons of the Clergy for Rebellion and Treason preached openly from their Pulpits or any other Crime till they once be Convicted of the Crime and Condemned therefore by a sentence of an Ecclesiastick Judicatory That this is or at least was always wont to be the constant Principle of the Presbyterian Party is so Notorious that I admire this Author should ever attempt to conceal it Was it not their proceeding to practice upon these principles which gave the first Rise to that Act of Parliament in K. James VI's Reign ratifying the King's Supremacy For one Mr. And. Melvil a Presbyterian Minister having declaimed â—…requently against the King for which being called before the Council he boldly declined the King and Council as Judges in prima instantia of what is Preach'd in the Pulpit even tho' it were High Treason and so he fled into England Whereupon the Nation Assembled in Parliament in the year 1584 in a just Resentment of thâ—…se Seditious Doctrines and Practices did pass the abovementioned Act of Supremacy and it was by Vertue of that very Act that Mr Ja. Guthrie a Presbyterian Minister was anno 1661 hanged for declining the King's Authority The Presbyterian Ministers declaimed against and reproached this Act of Parliament and in opposition thereto one of their Number Mr. Dav. Black having Railed against K. James and Queen Elizabeth from the Pulpit as Enemies to God being called before the King's Council he not â—…nly declined the King's Power of judging him until he was first Condemned by his Brethren but United most of the Ministers of Sâ—…tland most tumultuously in his Defence and some of them who were then residing at Edinburgh stirred up the multitude to such a Rage and Fury upon this occasion that they presently leapâ—… to Arms and came to the Street in great Numbers crying The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon it shall either be theirs or ours And taking their March streight to the Session-House where the King and his Counsellors were then met would in all probability have forced the Doors which upon the Noise of the Tumult were shut and done no small mischief were it not that by the Providence of God a Loyal party drawn together by the Deacon Conveener of the Trades kept them back for a while till their Fury cooled a little and in
SOME REMARKS Upon a late Pamphlet Entituled AN ANSWER TO THE Scots Presbyterian Eloquence WHEREIN The Innocency of the Episcopal Clergy is Vindicated and the Constitution and Government of out Church of Scotland Defended against the Lies and Calumnies of the Presbyterian Pamphleters Deut. XXXIII 29. Thine Enemies shall be found Liars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their High Places Psal. V. 9. For there is no Faithfulness in their Mouth their Inward Part is very Wickedness IMPRIMATUR Dec. 20. 1693. Guil. Lancaster LONDON Printed for Joseph Hindmarsh at the Golden-Ball over-against the Royal-Exchange in Cornhil 1694. TO THE Most Reverend Father in God JOHN Lord Arch-Bishop of Glasgow May it please Your Grace HOW soon I entertained any thoughts Publishing a Discourse of this Natur in Vindication of our Church and Cle gy I was easily determined to send abroad under Your Lordships Protection You haâ—… been such an Eminent Sufferer and Confessor those woful Calamities of our Church and Nation have been Persecuted to such a height both in Person and Reputation meerly for the Defence of our common Principles that you may justly challenge the Patronage of such a Treatise as your due Your Merit having justly Advanced you to such a Dignity in the Church as to be a Father of the Clergy I therefore presume you will not decline to Espouse any thing that is Writ in a just Defence of their Innocency The most of those Persons whose Vindication I have here undertaken have sometimes lived in Your Graces Diocese are personally known to you and you have had frequent occasions to search into the whole course of their Life and Conversation so that I dare the more boldly Appeal to your Lordships Impartial Judgment if what I have said here in their Vindication be any more than is Just and Reasonable and what the severest Judge will readily acknowledge to be their due While the Enemies of the Church are at Work to Calumniate and Accuse the Clergy your Grace being placed in such an Eminent Station could not well expect to escape the Censure of their Malice The Office you bear in the Church and the Sacred Character you have stamped upon you expose you more Remarkably to the Malice of such Vermin as despise Religion and trample upon all that 's Sacred But your Lordships Character and Merit is so Universally known that whatever Malicious Reports are Raised upon you by the Enemies of our Church and Religion deserve noâ—… a particular Confutation However your Grace has been pleased to grâ—…tisie your Enemies so far as to take some Notice of their Calumnies and has Annexed to this Treatise such an irreâ—…ragable Assertion of your own Innocency as cannot fail henceforward to sâ—…op the Mouths of your most inverterate Enemies My Lord I don't question but you are alwayâ—… ready under your Troubles to practise that Christian Doctrine of Patience you have so often Recommended to others and I hope God in his own good time will puâ—… an end to these Nationaâ—… Judgments and recal your Lordship srom youâ—… Exile to be again an Ornament to our Church and to assist in the Rebuilding of the Second Temple and making it more Glorious and Beautisul than the former that to the Excellent Constitution of our Church-Discipline we may have added a set Form of Prayer and Devotion and then our Church shall again Flourish as a Palm-Tree and forever after be immoveable as a Rock So begging your Lordships Paternal Benediction I am with all Duty MY LORD Your Graces most Obsequious and Faithful Servant W. S. TO THE READER THE most effectual way of Undermining Religion is to bring those who propagate it into disgrace and contempt If once we Receive bad Impressions concerning the Lives and Morals of our Teachers we will not readily hearken to their Exhortations of Piety and Morality The Authority of our Spiritual Guides is at an End if we fancy them to be addicted to those very Sins and Vices which they so vehemently Preach and Exclaim against and denounce woful Judgmenâ—…s against all that practise them we easily believe that they are not in earnest with what they profess and we are Tempted from hence to conclude Religion to be a meer Cheat and Imposture This Method of subverting Religion has been always thought so successful that if we look back into the History of former Ages we shall find that since the first Plantation of Christianity it has been the constant practice of all its Enemies to Slander and Revile those that did promulgate it to accusâ—… them of the grossest Immoralities they could imagine thinking by this mâ—…ans to give such a fatal stroke to the Christian Religion as to prevent its Conquest over Judaism and the Pagan Worship Was not the Author of our Râ—…ligion himsâ—…lf the Holy and Blessed Jesus Reproached with the Title of a Glutton and a Wine-bibber Were not all his Followers evâ—…n in the first and purest Ages of Christianity chargâ—…d with Atheism for contemning the Worship of the Heathen Idols with incestuous Mixtures and with eating Childrens Flesh in their Holy and Sacred Mysteries This Heathâ—…nish and Abominable Practice of calumniating our Adversaries seems to have been copied by most of the Sectaries of the Christian Religion but I think by none more exactly than our Presbyterian Dissenters who have never failed to lay out all their Industâ—…y and Wit in contriving Forgerieâ—… and Calumnies against both Clergy and Laity of the Orthodox Communion In our late Civil Wars when the Presbyterian Schism prevailed over this whole Island when the Churches both of Scotland and England were quite overturned and the Clergy Persecuted and Exposed to the greatest Hardships of Poverty and Want their Persecutors to justifie this their Cruel and Barbarous Usage of them did industriously represent them to the credulous people as ignorant of their Profession and highly scandalous in their Lives loading them with the most Villanous and Immoral Crimâ—…s they could think of Thus were the whole Body of the English Clergy at that time maliciously assaulted and accused of all the Crimes their Enemies could invent against them as appears from the Centuries of Sâ—…andalous Ministers complained of to the Parliament Anno 1646. So likâ—…wise in their present Persecution against the Church of Scotland they revived their Old practice of Slandering those whom they had most unjustly Persecuted When they had Rabblâ—…d thâ—… Clergy from their Churches and Acted such Villanies and Indignities upon their Persons and Families as the most Savage Barbarians would have been ashamed of the Noise of this Persecution spreading abroad they found it convenient to Publish and Divulgâ—… all the Lies and Calumnies they could invent against our Clergy lest they should seem to have 〈◊〉 them without any ground and thinking likewise by this Stratagem to exasperate and raisâ—… the Indignation of all good Christians against them upon account of those heinous Villaniâ—…s with which they maliciously charged them Such Usage as this could not fail
after the Reformation The Synod is a Convocation of the whole Clergy of a Diocese with their Bishop who meet twice every Year to consult about Matters relating to their own particular Province National Synods commonly called General Assâ—…mblies consisting of all the Bishops and their Deans together with the Moderators of the several Presbyteries in their respective Dioceses and one Commissioner from each Presbytery joyned with the Moderator are called by the King Pro re natâ to Deliberate concerning the Affairs of the whole National Church In the Provincial Synods the Bishop takes care to examine iâ—… the several Presbyteries be diligent in their Duty of Punishing Offenders and if â—…ny of the Clergy be obnoxious to Censure hâ—…e they are Prosecuted â—…or their Misdemeanors Now â—…ese Judicatories are so far â—…rom being prejudicial to the Biâ—…hops Powâ—…r that they are rather a great Assistance to them for promoting â—…he Discipline of the Church and upon that account weâ—…e â—…irst Erected with the Consent and Allowance of the Bishops â—…hemselves they judging it very proper and convenient not to do any thing of great consequence to Religion without asking the Advice of their Clergy how they should behave themselves in a Matter of so great Importance And these Courts could not be look'd upon as any Encroachment upon the Episcopal Power since they so entirely depended on the Bishops Authority that without his Consent no Act of theirs could be valid But I think truly the Discipline of our Church is none of the things most to be blamed for we have some remains of the Primitive Discipline as yet among us which are to be found but in few National Churches at this day as appears from the Vestige we have of that Ancient custom of Communicatory Letters among the Bishops of the Primitive Church And as there is some Resemblance of it amongst our Bishops by dimissory Letters so it was still in force among the Inferior Clergy who were obliged to receive none into their Congregations till they first brought â—…ertificates from the Minister in whose Parish they formerly Lived testifying that during their residence among his Flock they had behaved themselves Christianly and Soberly and that â—…e knew nothing against them why they might not be admitted into any Christian Congregation without this they were never allowed to have the benefit of the Sacraments Had not â—…he Presbyterians by their Tumults and Commotions envied us the happiness of having the English Liturgy settled among us the Conâ—…titution and Discipline of our Church was such as made us inferiour to few National Churches And here I cannot but wonder at the Impudence of that Party that although they refused to joyn in Communion upon any Terms with the Episcopal Church as by Law Established yet they would take upon them to hinder them from settling among the Members of their own Commâ—…nion such a Form of Worship as they thought most agreeable to the Word of God and consonant to the practice of the Primitive Church Our Authors transient Reflexions upon the Clergy are dressed up in such Scurrilous and Obscene Language as must needs make any Man of a Virâ—…uous Education blush to Read them and therefore lest I should offend the Ears of the modest Reader by Repeating them I shall pass them over in silence till I come to consider his Third Part and aâ—… present only take Notice of those things in the Book which relate either to matter of Argument or matter of Fact And here I cannot omit his great protestations of his Ingenuâ—…us and fair Dâ—…aling in this Work whereby he thinks the more easily to captivate unthinking Readers into a belief of his Liâ—…s and Calumnies He pretends â—…o have inserted nothing but what he has Received from Credible Hands but he thinks it not fit to gratifie his Reader with an Account of the Names of those Câ—…edible Persons whose Authority he avouches for the Truth of his Aspersions Had he given us the Names of the persons with attested Declarations under their hands asserting the Truth of these things alledged against some of our Clergy we could have then known of what Credit and Authority the Testimony of those Persons ought to be had and it had been an easie matter to convince the World of the Falsehood and Forgery of his Calumnies and to purge those innocent persons from the Slanders cast upon them out of meer Malice and Envy But as â—…or our Authors Ingenuity in his Collection he has scraped together a great many Stoâ—…ies many of which are most notoriously False and have not the least shadow of Truth in them as I shall aâ—…terwards make appear and for the proof of some of them he Appeals to Records where no such thing is extant or to be seen as I have had particular occasion to enquire Some of his Accusations â—…re against such of the Clergy as were either Suspended or Deposed by the Church for their Immoralities and yet this Author imputes the Faults of these Men to the whole Society and is so disingenuous as not to acquaint his Reader with the Censures passed upon them by the Church Others again are Passages related of some Clergy-men who â—…ived under the Presbyterian Government duâ—…ing the times of its last Usurpation in that Kingdom which this Author is pleased to charge upon the present Episcopal Church and whether this be Fair and Ingenuous Dealing I appeal to any unbyassed Reader This Author insists much upon the Address presented to their General Assembly by some of the Episcopal Clergy desiring to be admitted into a share of their Church Government This he urges as a sufficient Vindication of the Lives and Morals of the Presbyterians or at least as an Argument that these Episcopal Addressers were no Honest Men themselves who desired to be associated with such Knaves as they 〈◊〉 the Presbytâ—…rians out for This Address was opâ—…osed by a great part of the Church of Scotland most of them looking upon it as unlawful and altogether inconsistent with the Prinples of Christian Communion to joyn any ways in Communion with thosâ—… whom they owned to be notorious Schismaticks as long as they persisted in their Schism so that it was but a few of the Clergy that were concerned therein and this they urge in their own Defence That notwithstanding the Nation was in a distracted â—…tate and Condition yet it concerned every individual Christian especially Clergy-men to lend their Assistance for the punishing of â—…candalous and Vicious Persons and therefore that although the Presbyterians had Usurped the Government of the Church yet the Episcopal Clergy who still retained possession of their Churches might consistently enough with their Principles joyn â—…ith them in â—…he puâ—…ishing of contumacious Offenders â—…specially since they were not obliged by this Act of Union to concur with them in their Presbyterian Ordinations or to own their Authority in matters purely Spiritual but only to Unite with them as a Company of Laicks
his Church as a Society and invested it with peculiar Priviledges belonging thereto he must be allowed to have settled and established a distinct Order of Persons for the governing it and for admitting Members to a right to all those Priviledges which he has appropriated to the Members of the Society And if he has separated a certain Order of Persons for this Office and impowered them and them alone to seal his Covenants in his Name it must needs be Sacriledge in the highest degree for any to usurp that Office without a due and legal Call from those whom God has appointed to conveigh his Authority And God can never be obliged by the acts of those Persons whom he never authorized to represent him no more than a King can be said to be under any obligation to ratiâ—…ie the acts of any one that usurps his Authority and falsly pretends to be his Ambassador So that to alter the Government of the Church from what it was at first constituted by our Saviour is nothing less than to underminâ—… the whole ground of our Salvation since we can have no Title to the Benefits of the Gospel but as we are Members of Christ's Church here on Earth and we cannot pretend to be Members unless we bâ—… admitted into the Society by those Persons whom God has delegated to that Office and intrusted with that Power But notwithstanding the impertinence and weakness of this Argument in Vindication of the Church-Government yet since our Author insults so mightily upon it I shall comply with him so fâ—…r as to consider the grounds of his Assertion only I would caution the Reader never to lay stress on such kind of Arguments as are altogether incompetent and of no force to prove the Truth of any Principle of Religion For there is no Doctrine which is in it self false that can be justified by never so general a reception of it and therefore it can be no Argument of the lawfulness of any form of Church Government that it is the most agreeable to the Inclinations of the People All his Evidences to prove that Presbytery is more popular in Scotland than Episcopacy amount to no more than this that the Presbyterians have made more Insurrections in behalf of their Government than the Episcopal Church ever thought fit to do And that this is not sufficient evidence enough to prove their point will easily appear from hence The Principles of our Presbyterians with respect to Monarchy are of a very large extent they make the Supreme Power of the Nation accountable to his Subjects and allow he may be resisted and Dethroned for his Male-Administration So that if the Sovereign shall at any time think sit to mâ—…ke such Alterations either in Church or State as do not exactly quadrate with the Wild Humours and Fancies of that Party then they instantly betake themselves to Arms and resolve to involve the Nation into Blood and Confusion rather than fail of having their unaccountable Humours gratified But the Episcopal Church of that Kingdom have greater restraints upon them they own in Consormity to the Laws of the Reaâ—… and to the Laws of God in his â—…irst Institution of Government that the Supreme Power is irresistable and cannot for any Male Administration be Dethroned by his Subjects that if he be guilty of any Illegal or Unjustifiable Actions in his Government he is accountable to none for them but to God alone And therefore although the Sovereign should chance to â—…stablish such Constitutions either in Church or State as are contrary both to the Laws of God and the particular Laws of the Realm yet by reason of their strict Obligations to absolute submission they are not at Liberty to Rise in Arms and assert their Rights that are thus encroached upon They may indeed veâ—…y lawfully refuse their actual concurrence and compliance with these sinful Constitutions but to resist or Dethrone their Sovereign upon that Account is what they are not able to Justifie either by the Laws of God or the Laws of the Nation This is and has been the constant Principle and Doctrine of our Church and if any of its Members have Acted contrary thereto they have in so far deserted the Principles of their Church and slighted their Sacred Vows and Obligations and therefore ought in Conscience speedily to return to their Duty The Reason why the Episcopal Church Act more submissively to the Lawful Powers than the Presbyterians is not that there lie stricter Obligations to Obedience upon the one Party than the other no they are both subject to the same Laws are obliged to own the same Prince and are under the same Obligations and Ties of Conscience to submit and adhere to him But the difference lies here that the Episcopal Church make some Conscience of performing their Duty and of Walking answerably â—…o their Vows and Obligations and resolve in Conformity to their â—…imitive Ancestors rather to suffer Peâ—…secution than be guilty of Rebellion On the contrary the Presbyterians sacrificâ—… aâ—…l Duties to the Interest of their Party and where that is concerned make light of all Obligations So that whoever considers the different Principles of both these Parties will never conclude from hence that Presbytery is more popular in Scotland than Episcopacy meerly because there have been more popular Insurrections for it than for the other since the Presbyterians think it lawful to Rebel upon that account and the Episcopal Church look upon it as altogether unjustiâ—…iable to resist the lawful Powers upon any account even of Religion it self As for what our Author urges concerning the great Party that appeared for the Presbyterian Government in this last Convention which Abolished Episcopacy and Established Presbytery I shall plainly make it appear that this can be no Argument that they have the Majority of the Nation on their side At the time when this Convention was called in Scotland the Affairs of our Nation were in such a distracted condition as made the Event altogether uncertain and upon this account many of the Episcopal Gentlemen who were wont formerly to be Members of Parliament thought it safer to keep out of publick business and therefore refused to be Elected by those Shires and Burroughs whom they used always to represent in Parliament Nay some of them were so averse from being Elected themselves that they would not so much as be present to Vote at the Election of othâ—…rs thinking it to be a direct breach of their Ties and Oaths to the Government and particularly that of the Test to meet or consult about the Aâ—…airs of the Nation without the consent of the King So that at many of the Elections one third part of the Members concerned therein refused to be present and the Episcopal Gentlemen declining to be Elected there was no opposition made to any that would stand and this was certainly the Reason why more Presbyterian Members â—…rept into this Convention than ever durst appear in the like
towards the Royal Martyr K. 〈◊〉 I. how they acted against his Majesties Interest in a direct opâ—…sition to the whâ—…le â—…ody of the Nation When the whole â—…ingdom 〈◊〉 tâ—…ose who had formerly been deluded by the rest of the 〈◊〉 with the â—…alse and Hypocritical pretences of Reformation did unanimously embrace the King's Interest the Presbyteâ—…ians were so far from being sâ—…nsible of their Sin and Folly that they â—…ted aâ—…ainst him with the utmost Rigour of Malice and Enâ—… And yeâ—… tâ—…ese Men â—…ave now the Considence to protest They 〈◊〉 no hand 〈◊〉 â—…inging him to his Death as if the History of these â—…es were quiâ—… 〈◊〉 and no publick Monuments of their Treaâ—…nable and Rebâ—…llious Actings against that Prince remaining to 〈◊〉 â—…ternal 〈◊〉 and Reproach But this is not all the countenance and encouragement these Barbarous Parâ—…icides Received from our Presbyterians For when the â—…ws came to Scotland of a Treaty begun betwixt the King and Parliament of England Mr. Rob. Blair and Sir John Cheesly were â—…sently dispatched away by Order of the Presbyterian Ministers to joyn with Cromwel in obstructing the Treaty And upon their Arrival there wiâ—…h two other Commissioners Viz. The Earl of Lothian and Will. Glendinning froâ—… the Committee of Estates Cromwel began to shew himself for crushing the Treaty he drew up his Army towards London and sent in a Remonstrance to the Parliament shewing his disallowance of the Treaty and craved Justice as he call'd it to be done on the King Now these Presbyterian Commissioners not only concurred with Cromwel in this Remonstrance against the King but likewise remained at London during the whole time of the King's Tryal and Execution and never offered to Remonstrate against the Unjust and Unnatural proceedings against his Majesty They did indeed send down to Scotlanâ—… for Instructions relating to the King's Tryal and they were Ordered to endeavour the procuring a delay but in the mâ—…an timâ—… to be cautious not to offend the prevailing Party in â—…gland I know the Presbyterians will here pretend that the Guilt of this Act cannot be charged upon them solely since their 〈◊〉 from the Kirk Acted nothing in reference hereto but in conjunction with the Commissioners from the Committee of Estates But here we must consider that the Committee of Estates did now wholly consist of the Presbyterian Party the rest of the Members not daring to appear by Reason of their known Affection and Loyalâ—…y to their Prince For when the Scots Army was Defeated by Croâ—… at Preston many of our Noblemen and Gentlemen were 〈◊〉 killed in the Action others to a great Number taken Prisoners and such as had the Fortune to make their escape were â—…orced either to abscond or 〈◊〉 the Country to avoid the severities with which the Presbyterian Paâ—…ty who now had Usurped the Government of the Nation did persecute all such as were concerâ—…d in this Engagemâ—…nt for the Defence of the King's Person And by this means the Presbyterians got the whole management of the affairs of the Kingdom into tâ—…eir 〈◊〉 and acted there as they Listed so that although the Committâ—… of â—…states as well as Commission of the Kirk sent Commissioneâ—… to concur with the Kings Murderers in England yet the Guilt and shame of this Act cannot in any Reason be imputed to the generality of the Nation but only to the Presbyterian Crew whose actings have always tended to bring their Country into Disgrace and Contempt From hence I think it clearly appears that the Horrid Murder of this Royal Martyr is justly chargeable upon none of our Nation but the Presbyterian Sectaries and the like may be made evident in Relation to the Kingdom of England that the Presbyterians and other Sectaries of that Nation were the only Actors of that dismal Tragedy and did most cruelly Persecute the Church of England and its Mâ—…mbers for persevering in their Allegiance and Duty to their Sovereign But let us in the next place see what the behaviour of this Party was towards K Charles II. upon his advancement to the Throne for our Author tells us That what they suffered on his Account every body almost knowâ—… That our Presbyterians did consent to the pro â—…laiming of Charles II. King upon the News of his Fathers Murder is true but their Loyalty in this point was clogg'd with such Restâ—…ictions and Limitations as was not â—…asie for the King to comply with They forâ—…'d him before his Admission to the Crown to Sign a Dâ—…laration signifying his Penitency for the Sins of his Forefatâ—…rs in opposing the Work of God and his own in so long follâ—…wing thâ—…ir â—…ootsteps with a Resolution to accomplish and 〈◊〉 the Covenant in all its ends and purposes which also for the more 〈◊〉 they caused him to take and Swear And because his Majesty did at 〈◊〉 refuse to Sign this Declaration the 〈◊〉 of the Kirk did on the 1â—… of August 1650 Publish a 〈◊〉 commonly called the Act of the Westkirk wherein they 〈◊〉 they will not Espouse any Malignant Party or Quarrel and that they will not own the King nor his Interests otherwise than â—…ith â—… Subordination to God and so far as he owns and prosecutes the â—…ause of â—…od and disclaims his and his Fathers opposition to the Work of God and to the Covenant and likewise disowns all the â—…nemies thereof And in prosecution of this Declaration when the Kingdom had resolved to call home K. Charles II. and for that End had admitted to favour those who formerly were banished the Court and Nation as Malignants this gave the Zealous and bigotted Covenanters so great Offence that they protested aâ—…ainst all the present proceedings and declared that they had 〈◊〉 to the solemn â—…eague and its ends admitted to the Throne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who was an Enemy and Opposer of the quiet of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and â—…irk And this Rigid Party having drawn to a 〈◊〉 in the West in the year 1650 Oct. 17. they Penned and 〈◊〉 a Paper which they called a Remonstrance of the Gentlemen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ministers attâ—…ending the Forces in the West which they delivered into the Committee of Estates and from which afterwards they got the Name of Remonstrants Hence we see how this Merciful Prince was Treated by them in the very infancy of his Reign and what further disquiet and disturbance they afterward occasioned him is but too Notorious from the many Insurrections they raised against his Government and which occasioned the Enacting of those Laws the severity of which they now so grievously complain of What these Suâ—…ferings were which this Author alledges the Presbyterians met with for adhering to K. Charles II. I must confess I am altogether ignorant of unless he means that some of the more moderate of their Party were willing to own the King after he had taken the Covenant and therefore upon that account suffered in the common Calamity with the rest of the Nation when Cromwel with the English Army invaded our
Kingdom defeated our Forces and oppressed all that stood in any sort suspected of the Crime of Loyalty But it is evident from the History of these Times that the generality of the Presbyterians were so far from being forward in owning the King's Interest that at the same time when Cromwel was so successful in the South of Scâ—…tland as to have all besouth Forth under his Dominion great numbâ—…rs of them were assembled in Arms in the West and remonstrated against the Nation for owning the King's Interest And this much of the Loyalty of our Presbyterians This Author Pag. 53. to justifie the Procâ—…dings of their late General Assembly in refusing to admit some of the Episcopal Clergy into a share of their Government upon the Terms desired by K. William urges That they did noâ—…hing but what the Church of England Convocâ—…tion had done 〈◊〉 them who 〈◊〉 to admit thâ—… 〈◊〉 on the same King's dâ—…sire It were no small presumption in me to offer any Vindication of the Proceedings of those learned and worthy Meembers of the Convocation in England who at that time opposed the designed Comprehension of the Dissenters but I think I may be allowâ—…d to say that they wâ—…nt upon far better Grounds than our pretended General Assembly who refused to receive such of the Episcopal Clergy as condescended to address them upon that account I am not concerned here to enquire into the â—…awfulness of what these â—…piscopal Addressers did in desiring to be united with the Prâ—…sbyterians in the Government of the Church I shall not here so much as enter upon that Question My business at present is only to shew that the 〈◊〉 of Scotland are â—…ar more inexcusable in denying the Request of these Episcopal Ministers that addressed them than those of the English Convocation who obstructed the Union with the Dissenters upon the Terms that were then proposed and my Reasons are these First The Dissenters in England never offered any Address to the Convocotion declaring their Willingness to return to the Churches Communion upon her laying aside the use of these innocent Ceremonies which they pretend they cannot in Conscience comply with Had the Presbyterians given but the least intimation of their readiness to abandon their Schism upon the making of these Alterations the Clergy perhaps to further so desirable a Work might have easily been induced to grant them some Ease as to their unreasonable Scruples about those harmless Rites used in our Worship which tho' indisferent in their Nature yet are very signiâ—…icant in their Use. But it is to no purpose ever to expect to reclaim the Presbyterians from their Schism upon such Terms since they declare against the whole Body of the Common-Prayer and the Order of Episcopacy as unlawful and therefore to make Alterations in the manner of our Woâ—…hip which could have no other esfect but to create more Enemies to our Communion was no ways consistent with the Prudence that is required in Ecclesiastical Governours Now this is what the Scâ—…ts Assembly cannot urge in their Defence since those of the Lpiscopal Clergy who had the freedom to joyn with them in the Government of the Church Petitioned them upon that account and declared their readiness to concur with them in maintaining the Discipline of the Church and punishing scandalous and contumacious Offenders which were all the Acts of Government they deâ—…ired to share with them in As for their Presbyterian Ordinations they did indeed declare positively against them and refused to joyn with them in any such Acts as they thought to be direct Encroachments upon the Episcopal Power But Secondly There is another Reason which may have influenced the â—…nglish Convocation to oppose the Alterations in the form of our Worship which K. William did then desire them to make and that is Tâ—…e Preservation and Safâ—…ty of the whole Liturgy They were â—…t that time sensible of the fatal overthrow of their Neighbouring Church of Scâ—…tland how the Order and Constitution of its Governmâ—…nt was â—…uite overturned by the Presbyterians and not only the Biâ—…hops turned out both of their Spiritual and Temporal Rights but 〈◊〉 the greatest part of the Clergy most barbarously Treated â—…nd driven from their Houses and Churches This cruel Treatment which their Brethren in 〈◊〉 received from that Dissenting Party might juâ—…tly aâ—…arm the English Clergy to expect the same Usage from the Pâ—…esbyterians here as soon as they could thrust themselves into 〈◊〉 power of doing thâ—…m any mischief And therefore considering the great Interest the Presbyterians had in that â—…irst Parliament aâ—…ter the Revolution it was no ways safe for the Convocation to consent to the Dissolving of the present Act of Uniformity lest they should meet with such Obstacles in establishing another as they were hardly able at that time to grapple with The Presbyterian Members of that Parliament were so numerous that had the present Act of Uniformity been once dissolved they would have thâ—…own in so many Stops and Hinderances against a new Establishment of the â—…urgy by Act of Parliament they would have started so many new Scruples of Conscience to be solved about it and by this means occasioned such infinite deâ—…ys therein as would have made the Re-settlement of our Liturgy a tâ—…ing almost impossible If the Parliament had offered to ratisie the Service-Book with the Alterations the Convocation should think fit to make therein before they Dissolved this present Act of Uniformity I cannot tell but many Members of that Convocation might have been prevailed with to Consent to some Alterations in those indisferent Ceremonies the Presbyterians so groundlesly exclaim against that for the future they might not have the least pretence for continuing in their notorious and wretched Schism But for the Convocation to consent to the Dissolving the present Establishment without having any security for another is what none could expect from any prudent or reasonable Society Thirdly The Convocation in England might perhaps be the more remiss in promoting an Union with the Diâ—…senters upon the Terms proposed because they saw no probability of preserving thereby the Unity of the Church as long as the Presbyterians profess to own no common Principles of Unity with us that may still oblige them to remain in the Communion of the Church Unless they acknowledge our Biâ—…hops to be the Principles of Unity and that it is necessary for every one that intends to continue a Member of the Catholick Church to be united in their Communion I say unless they own these Catholick Painciples of Unity in common with us we can have no security that they will remain ours any longer than their Interest shews them their Duty And therefore an Union with them upon any other Terms in stead of preserving the Unity of the Church would be a ready way to enable them to make a greater rent and breach in our Communion whenever they should see it their Interest again to erect Altar against Altar But our Scots
Aspersions and Calumny of a malicious and virulent Scribler who has declared himself an Enemy to all those that have ever been vested with the Authority of Christ's Ambassadors In the following Page he mentions one Mr. Bâ—…yd a West-Country Parson whom he affirms to have got his Mâ—…id with Child and to have been taken in the Act by some of his Parishioners and thereupon to have deserted his Wife and run with the Whâ—…re â—…o England In this our Author is so fâ—…r mistaken that I am credibly informed there never was an Episcopal Minister of that Name in the West of Scotland since the Year 1662 except one Mr. Robert Boyd Minister at Carmunoch who although upon some other accounts he was once Libell'd in Bishop Leighton's time and absolved nothing of the Libel being proved yet never any thing like Adultery was laid to his charge and at present he lives in 〈◊〉 with his Wife under a virtuous and commendable Character In the same Page our Libeller assaults the Reputation of Mr. Hugh Blair Minister at Rutherglen concerning whom he has these Words That he wâ—…s a câ—…mmon Drunkard and Swearer and at last got his Maid with child â—…or which he was suspended about a month by the Bishop but having bribed one Macfarland to marry the Whore and say the Child was his he was restored again to his Office though the thing was proved before the Bishop by many Witnesses who had seen them lying together and it was also proved that the Woman owned it in her Labour and that her Husband had confessed it I have chose the rather to set down our Author's Words at large because they contain a complication of as many Lies as Words That Mr. Blair is either a Drunkard or Swearer was not so much as alledged against him in all his Process which notwithstanding was caâ—…ried on with the height of Malice and Envy That he got his Maid with child is a most notorious Lie as I shall convince you by and by as it is likewise false that the Bishop ever suspended him on that or any other account That Mr. Blair briâ—…ed one Macfarlâ—…nd to marry the Whore contains no less than two maâ—…ifest Falshoods for First There was never one Mâ—…cfarland mentioned in the whole Process and Secondly The Whore lives still unmarried to this day That the thing was proved before the Bishop by many Witnesses that were examined about it is likewise a notoâ—…ious â—…ntruth â—…or of above an hundred Witnesses that were examined about it not one of them deposed that they saw him as much as speak to her after he put her out of his Service far less to haâ—…e the least scandâ—…lous carriage towaâ—…ds her That â—…he Wâ—…man â—…ned it â—…n her childbed and that her Hâ—…sband confâ—…ssed it are of the same strain with the rest of these Calumnies and have no greater shadow of Truth for when the Hussie was in Childbed she declared one Donâ—…ld Fergâ—…n to be the Father of the Child who owned â—…t as his and maintained it as long as the Child lived As to the Husband 's confessing that he was bribed to own the Child I have already told you that the Woman was never known to have a Husband and that she lives unmarried at this day But that you may be the better able to understand the whole of this Aâ—…fair concerning Mr. Blair take the History of it as â—…ollows Mr. Hugh Blâ—…ir being indebted for some money to one James Macfarland of Kiâ—…k-town his own Cousin-German and Mr. 〈◊〉 having occasion to wriâ—…e to him frequently about it sâ—…t a Seâ—…vant of his called Donald Fâ—…rguson with the Letters and thiâ—… 〈◊〉 stayâ—…ng some times all night at Mr. Blair's House had occasion to â—…ebauch Mâ—…rgaret Drew one of his Maid-servants and got her with Child â—…hich so soon as Mr. Blair was informed of he put the Hussiâ—… out of his â—…ervice Then Commissary Fleeming his Lady living in Mr. Blaiâ—…'s Parish and having had a former Grudge against him laid hold on this occasion and dealt with the Whore to father the Child on Mr. Blair And for that end she and the Fanatick Party in Glasgow gave her a sum of money to own it which can yet be proved by the Hussie's own confession and by other Witnesses that were privy to it â—…pon which she goes to a Minister in the Presbytery of Glasgow and affirmed Mr. Blair to be the Father of her Child The rumour of this coming to the Archbishop of Glasgow his ears he forthwith appointed a Visitation of the Church of Rutâ—…eglen where Mr. Blair was Minister to be in April 1663 and caused the Woman 〈◊〉 Drâ—…w to be summoned thereto She appearing before â—…he Preâ—…bytery declared That Donald Fergusoâ—… was the Father oâ—… her Child Whereâ—…pon Mr. George Milne Minister at Campsie in whose Pariâ—…h this Ferguson lived was ordered to summon him to the next Presbytery Meeting who compearing freely owned himself to be the Father of the Child and did satisfie the Discipline of thâ—… Church at Gavan for the said Scandal where both of them confessed the Child was begotten When the Child was presented to Baptism this Ferguson did the duty of the Father and did likewisâ—… maintain it as long as the Child lived Commissary Fleeming's â—…ady being disappointed of this her design against Mr. Blair set aâ—…other on foot of Libelling him and pâ—…ocured from the Archbishop a second Visitation to be kept at his Church of Rutheâ—…glen by the Presbytery where all hiâ—… Paâ—…hioners that had any thing to say agaiâ—…st his Life and Conversation were invited to come freelâ—… and declare it Yet even then his whole 〈◊〉 cleared him of all Imputations both of Doctrine and Conversation â—…ut our Presbyterian Lady's malice restâ—…d not so for she procured a third 〈◊〉 against which time she had provided one Williaâ—… Robison a Smith to his Trade and a prosligate vicious Fellow in his Morals to give in a Libel against Mr. Blâ—…ir and accuse him of several Immoralities This Fellow had been a Serjeant at the Insurrection of 〈◊〉 bridge before which time Mr. 〈◊〉 and his Kirk-Sâ—…ssion had frequently censured him for 〈◊〉 Swearing Breach of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 and Whoredom so that the Archbishop and Presbytery could not admit him as an Accusâ—… And this necessitated the Lady to set up one John Widdersponâ—… a Taylor to subscribe the Libel against hiâ—… who was a Bastard-relation of her own at that time her servant a young man not one and twenty Years of Age having no Family and not worth a Groat yet notwithstanding all these just Exceptions against him to give the Lady satisfaction he was sustained But after more than two years Process before Synods Sub-Synods Presbyteries and tâ—…e Examination of above an hundred Witnesses there was not one Titlâ—… of the Libel proved againsâ—… him even although no Witnesses were rejected but all admitted even Informers themselves and one John Stevâ—…n whom Mr. Blair proved to be a Mad-man was â—…dmitted