A Vindication of the Church of Scotland, Part · Answer 3
Fourth Letter.
IN this Letter, I find a Repetition of many things said in the former Letters, and already refuted, which I shall pass over in silence. It is not Inferiour to any of the rest in abominable Lies, and Reproaches: Such as, That no History can parallel the Tragical Disasters the Clergy hath met with: That their Judges plainly and openly avow, that they do not intend their Obedience, but their ruine. The most bitter Invectives can be invented fill up his few pages: Such as, That the Protestant Religion is now no more than every mans Fantastick humour, new Models of Governments, and a Liberty to pull down the things that are most Ancient, and most Sacred. These things are not to be refuted, more than the words of a mad man, or of one raving in a Feaver. He saith, Some were deprived meerly for not reading the Proclamation for the Fast: Which is an abominable falshood: Tho' such disobedience to the State deserved a check. It is as false, that any such Reflection as he mentioneth, was cast on the Episcopal Clergy, by the Narrative of the Proclamation, as any who readeth it may see. And the Nonsense imputed to it, is most falsely, and most wickedly asserted; and yet without cunning malice: For it doth not tell what it was. In a word, this Letter holdeth all in general; and so is unexaminable (except one passage, of which anon) and is full of virulent Reproaches, and so void of any thing that is Argumentative, that it is impossible for any man to answer it; except his Talent for Railing, and his Conscience to say what he will, true or false, be equal to that of this Gentlemans. Wherefore, I shall pass it with a few Remarks. I might refute all that he saith, as it deserveth to be treated, by writing on the Margine of every Page Lies and Calumnies, He telleth us page 65. That the Presbyterian Party are not considerable: And will prove it by daring the West Country people to reduce the Highlanders. He may know what one Regiment of them did toward it at Dunkell: And many wish that they were Authorized to attempt it. He talketh idly when he speaketh of The Supremacy of the Kirk: They never pretended to any Power but what God hath given them, to Govern their own Members, in things that belong to the Soul, and by means that reach the Conscience, not the Bodies, or Purses of Men. His further …ailing on this Head I pass, finding nothing that hath so much as the shaddow of Truth, or Argument. He calumniateth, us when he saith, that we have hired Scriblers to defame them: The Pamphlet he speaketh of, called Plain Dealing, I never saw, nor heard of before; and therefore can say nothing of it. His Defence of the Clergies Morallty, I have above-answered, in the former Letter. That the Council received Libels against them, containing Immoralities; is no blame. They must hear the Complaints of all the Leiges: That they did not try them, is as little blame, for their work was only to judge whether they Read and Prayed, as was enjoyned them. He in the midst of this Discourse, telleth us of the Persecution of the Clergy as unparalelled: But one instance must be suffieicnt to vouch for this full mouthed Calumny. It is of Mr. Mowbray Minister of Strathbrock, Tho' he complyed to the full, yet he was Rabbled, his Gown Torn, his Life Threaned, his Daughter beaten, his Wife frightned to Death, and His Church door shut against him, by my Lord Cardross. The falshood and disingenuity of this Story is manifest to all who know our Affairs; for several things are here eyed together, that were acted at different times, and had very differencing Circumstances. My Lord Cardross had been out of Scotland for many years; being persecuted for his Conscience: Nor had his Lordship been in the Parish of Strathbrock till several Months after the time when Mr. Mowbray was put out by the Rabble: But Mr. Mowbray being one of them who were excluded from re-entring their Churches, having been outed before April 23. 1689. Yet in August, or September 1689. did re-enter his Church: Whereupon my Lord, being both Patron, and Heretor of the Parish▪ seeing to him desiring him to forbear, seeing he had no Legal Title. And his re-entry could give him no Title. When he would not be prevailed with, my Lord caused shut the Doors, desiring Mr. Mowbray to apply to them who had Power in that matter, which he never did; but signed a Dimission; and after that lived peaceably with the Presbyterian Minister, who was setled in that place. For what is said of the Actings of the Rabble against him, it was before my Lord came to that place, and deserveth no Credit; considering what disingenuity appeareth in the general Narration. He saith, That all that was acted against Mr. Mowbray, was only because he had Episcopal Ordination. This is false, for he was Ordained by a Presbytery, when there was no Bishop in Scotland: For he was Minister at Strathbrock in the year 58, or 59. His Defence of the Clergies Learning I have examined in the former Letter. Only a new Topick I cannot let pass: They are favoured by the College of Justice: And these are all Learned men. Ans. Non sequitur. His Calumnies about the Education of young Men for the Ministry among Presbyterians, are not worthy to be noticed; they are so manifestly false. He telleth a ridiculous Story, of one of them which I never heard of, nor have ground to believe: But the Truth of it cannot be examined, because we know neither the Person, nor any Circumstances to guide us in enquiry about it. I conclude my Remarks on the first of the Pamphlets, with an Appeal to the Judicious and Unbyassed Reader, whether the noise they make about their Persecutions be proportioned to what they have suffered? Whether the Presbyterians in general be chargeable with what hath been done against any of them. Whether such a strain of Writing do tend to Union, and Peace in the Church? Whither they shew a Christian Spirit in dealing thus with others, when they take it so ill, when they imagine themselves to be injured in Word … Deed?
FINIS.
End of the text · Gilbert Rule, A Vindication of the Church of Scotland (1691)