The Hierarchical Bishops Claim Tried at the Scripture-Bar, Preface
The PREFACE.
WHAT the Israel of GOD had to Complain of, many times from my Youth have they Afflicted me, hath been the Lot of the Gospel Church from its Infancy, and of GOD's Church in this Nation in special, since the Rising Light of Reformation (that day-spring from on High) hath Shined upon her; And as the Gospel Church, so Ours in special, hath been Entitled to that Ancient Ground of Boasting in GOD, That they have not prevailed against her, though the Gates of Hell, in order to this prevalency, hath taken Crafty Counsel, and Satan hath Acted, both as the Old Serpent, and Roaring Lyon; Intermixing, in his Agents and Instruments, Policy and Barbarous Violence, Craft and Cruelty, to Compass this Design of her Ruine. Her true Gospel-Government, as well as her Doctrin and Worship, have been frequently assaulted: But the First, as the Hedge of the other, hath been, in a peculiar way, the Eye sore of the Ungodly and Licentious; and in various and subtile Methods opposed, both in the Principles and Practice thereof; and notwithstanding that other Reformed Churches have shared with her, in this piece of Trial (this Point of Church Government having for a Considerable time exercised the Pens of Contending Parties) yet, as our Church hath beyond several others, arrived at Gospel Simplicity and Purity herein, and tasted of the Sweet Fruits of this Government, in preservation both of Unity and Purity, in Point of Doctrin and Worship; so the Maintaining and Contending for this Point of Truth, appears to have been the work and Testimony, in His Infinitly wise Providence, in a singular way Assigned to her, by her Head and Lord, that Faithful Witness and great Testator: Which is a Testimony so much the more Honourable, because of its special affinity with his own, singularly attested in his Death and Sufferings, whose Confession of his Kingly Office, and consequently his being the Political Head and Governour of his Church visible, was his special Martyr-Witness, Sealed with his Blood, the ground of his Accusation and Sentence, whereof his Triumphing Cross bore the Honourable Title and Superscription.
And as all Truths have in all Ages, gained by Opposition, the apparent bruising of them by Debates causing the Savour, like that of Sweet Spices, to be the more Fragrant, so the true Frame of GOD's Tabernacle, in Point of Government, the Principles and Rights of a True Gospel Ministry, have from the Lively Oracles of GOD's Word Shined more Clearly in the solid Defences thereof, exhibit by many Godly and Learned Divines, against opposers on all hands, as is very well known to such as have sincerely inquired into this Controversy.
What Reproaches our Churches Government and Reformation hath been Loaded with since the late erection of Prelacy, and particularly, since the Representatives of our Nation, wearied of this heavy and Bloody Yoke, shoke it off, Restoring and Asserting, together with our National, this our Spiritual and Church Liberty, is Apparent to all Observers: So that the LORD's Servants, in their Endeavours to Advance this Building and Restoration of our Churches True Government, have been called, as the Builders of Jerusalems Walls, to hold the Weapon and the Tool; yet (for which He that Inhabits Israels Praises, is to be for ever Blessed) the Defence hath been attended with such Glorious Success, that, in the Iudgment of the truely knowing and impartial, the Adversaries have found that they have been in this opposition, Kicking against the Pricks, and that the Truth and Cause of God, which we own, is such a Burdensome Stone, as hath quite born down and broken their Strength. I do not mean it, as if every one of that Parties lying Pamphlets hath had a particular Return; this were an unsuitable and endless Work, and but too much to Honour these empty Squibs and Crackets (as a Learned Man called such Writings) but sure I am, whatever in the Writings of our Antagonists, and of our late Scots Episcopalians in Special, hath any shew of Argument against our Cause and Principles, either from Scripture, from Divine Reason, or History, hath had a full and Evident Confutation.
That I have thus appeared, while many of our Church are in this Respect silent, of whom, in Point of Ability, it may be truely said, that their Gleaning is beyond my Vintage, hath proceeded from no such Disposition and Inclination this way, as influences some to shew themselves, but as from a sincere Love to Truth, and the Cause of GOD; So by the influence of such a preventing Series of Providential Excitments, as have some way cleared my Call, and Issued in this Appearance.
Dr. Scots Writings upon this Head, which I understand to be much Current and Esteemed by disaffected Persons, and those of most considerable note in this Corner of the Nation, having been brought to my Hands; I was moved by the desires of some, to offer Animadversions upon the same, which I Judged might have their own use and advantage with such Persons; and while Writing them, I had put into my hand two other later Pieces; the one bearing the Title of The Fundamental Charter of Presbytrie Examined and disproved ▪ The other written by A. M. D. D. and bearing the Tittle of An inquiry into the New Opinions Chiefly propated by the Presbyterians in Scotland. The first I found to be merely Historical, with a long and bitter Preface against the Reverend Principal of the Colledge of Edinburgh; the Authors Choller, it seems, being awakened by the smart of the many Baffles which that Party have had from his Pen. The other of a more Arguing Strain, but of such a virulent tincture and Popish Composure, that the Author might seem rather a Person in some of the Popish Orders, than any bearing the Character of a Protestant Minister, if the General Designation of A. M. D. D. had not led the common, and (as far as I could Learn) the right Conjecture, to fix upon Dr. Monro, Sometime Principal of the Colledge of Edinburgh. This Piece I found to be directed against the same Reverend Persons Writings, but in such a superficial and trivial Method that there seemed little or nothing of weight in it, but that which the Wise Man tells us, is weightier than the Sand, the Fools Anger. However, I found, because of the connection of Purposes, some ground to bestow a few spare times in examining his Scripture Arguings in Point of Episcopacy, which after the Finishing my Animadversions upon Dr. Scott, I set about; not knowing at that time, of any other so employed (though I much desired it) but shortly after, came out Mr. Rules Iudicious and full Confutation of this Piece; as also a little before, of the Preface of the other Pamphlet intituled The Fundamental Charter &c. And about the same time, Mr. Jamison's Learned and Elaborate Piece entitaled Nazianzeni Querela, &c. containing a Review and Confutation of what is considerable in both Pamphlets; so, that what I might further attempt upon any of these Pieces appeared Fruitless, and but actum agere; yet considering, that according to the Principal's Compendious way of Writing, he touched that Authors Scripture Arguments, in Point of Episcopacy, more briefly, I resolved the more to enlarge my Review of what he had thus presented. After these Sheets had for some time lyen by me, and a motion was made to make them publick, having also seen the Second part of the Survey of Naphtali, I resolved, because of the Connection of Purposes, and that this Author appears to have more closely argued this Point, than several other Episcopalians, to add to the other two, a Consideration of his attempt upon Presbyterian Government, which the haste of the Press, together with other urgent duties, obliged me to perform more briefly, yet I hope, with some Satisfaction to the Intelligent.
That these Authors are presented in such an Order, viz. the Later before the more Ancient, hath proceeded from the Connection of References from the one to the other, and the Method wherein Providence directed the Writing of these Replys. For the Point of Antiquity (critically Scanned on both sides in this Debate) I found no neeessity here to dip in it; that being performed as to A. M. D. D. already; and for the third Author, he doth not medle with it, and so much the better, only I have touched it a little with Dr. Scott; there being no particular Reply, for what I know, to his Writings on this Head, though all that he hath Offered this way, hath been upon the Matter, fully Answered by Presbyterian Writers. The Truth is, I have always judged, that this Debate might arrive at a more satisfying and speedy Issue i… upon clear stating of the Questions and Points Controverted, the Dispute were managed by a clear formal Arguing upon Scripture Testimonies allennarly.
One thing I must not omit to advertise the Reader of. I found after this was written, reports passing of A. M. D. D. his Death, which I understood to be afterwards called in Question; but since it is now Confirmed, the Reader will excuse those Passages that do more directly address him as alive, as indeed he was, in the time that this was Written, and some thought I had that this might probably come to his hand.
I shall detain the Reader no longer from the perusal of these Sheets: Adding only my serious Prayer, that the GOD of Truth may by his Holy Spirit, lead his People into all Truth, advance, and more and more revive His Work, and by the light of his Glorious▪ Gospel dispel▪ Antichristian darkness, refresh his suffering Churche… abroad, now in the Furnace, excite his people to a due Sympathy with Sufferers, and quicken their Zeal against the great Whore, the Beast, drunk with the Blood of Saints, imprint upon his Churches in these Islands, a due Sense of their Solemn Vows and Engagements for Reformation in Doctrin, Worship▪ Discipline and Government, that being ashamed for all our backslidings and breaches, and looking to Him whom we have peirced, with a Mourning Eye, we may see his Pattern of the House, in all its Ordinances, and his Tabernacle being reared up among us accordingly, the Lord may be one, and his Name one, he may own the Lands, and dwell in them as Married Lands, his Sanctuary being in the midst of us for ever more.