The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 2 · Review 8
REVIEW.
THe matter of moſt publick and greateſt concernment which he alleadges, they take upon them to determine was, the excluſion of the Kings intereſt out of the quarrell of the defenſiue War, before any advice or ſentence given thereupon, or once ſought from any publick Judicatory; but they did not determine the excluſion of the Kings intereſt out of the quarrell of the defenſive war, otherwiſe then it had been before that time determined, both by Church and State, by their joynt Declarations at the Weſt Church of the date 13. of Aug. 1650. which at the time of the contriving of the Remonſtrance, was ſtanding unrepealed, and to which there was the more reaſon then to adhere, becauſe the King had deſerted the Publick Counſels of the Kingdom, and joyned himſelf to the Malignant party. I know there are two things here alledged: 1. That that Declaration at the Weſt Church was repealed, by the Kings ſubſcriving the Declaration emitted by him at Dumfermeling, a litle thereafter. 2. That the Remonſtrance goes a greater length in excluding the Kings Intereſt, then that Declaration at the Weſt Chutch. To the firſt of theſe I anſwer, that the Kings emitting of his Declaration did not in the Judgement of the Committee of Eſtates, and Commiſſion of the Church, repeal the other; and therefore the other Declaration had been ſent unto the Engliſh Army, before the King did emit his Declaration; ſo after that, upon the emitting and ſending thereof to the Generall of the Engliſh Forces, he did make a return, importing their ſenſe thereupon. The other Declaration at the Weſt Kirk, with a Letter, was ſent back, intimating, that we did ſtill adhere unto, and intend to fight upon that ſtate of quarrell contained therin; to the other it was often offered by theſe who came from the Weſt; that if there was any thing in the Remonſtrance that ſeemed to go a greater length in that particular then the Declaration at the Weſt Church had done, they were willing to explain it, and to fight on that ſtate of the quarrell that was contained in that Declaration, without adding altering, or diminiſhing, but that was not accepted of, and order was given a litle thereafter to Colonell Robert Mountgomery to deſire or force them in the Weſt to joyn under him, and fight for the Kings intereſt in all his Dominions, as afterwards the Meeting at Dundee did ratifie all the proceedings of the former Commiſſion excepting that Declaration of the 13. of Auguſt, which as it did inſinuate a tacite condemning thereof, and of that ſtate of our quarrell and cauſe, upon which we have fought theſe 13. years paſt, ſo did it inſinuate a new ſtate of quarrell in order to the Kings intereſt.
VINDICATION.
FIfthly, emitting cauſes of a Publick faſt, and ſending them abroad to all the Presbyteries and Congregations of the Kingdom, being but private men, and not having Authority, nor being a Publick Judicatory, witneſſe the Faſt appointed, and Cauſes thereof emitted from Striveling the 1. September 1650. wherein take theſe things to conſideration, 1. The Meeting that emitted theſe Cauſes were no Publick Judicatorie, but ſome members of the Presbytery of the Army, and ſome of the Commiſsioners. 2. That ſundry godly and underſtanding men in that Meeting earneſtly endeavoured that condeſcending upon Publick Cauſes of the wrath of God manifeſted in that defate at Dumbar, as Cauſes of a Faſt might be delayed untill the week next following, that there might be a full Meeting of the Commiſſion conveened together, to go about that purpoſe with Authority, and more deliberation, but were born down by the vehemency and head-ſtrong forwardneſſe of ſome who are chief men in this Proteſtation, profeſſing ſo much reſpect to the eſtabliſhed Government of this Kirk. 3. That there was no neceſſity of haſte in emitting particular Cauſes (there was rather much danger in doing it upon ſo ſhort deliberation) ſeing the publick calamity, and known publick ſins was cauſes evident enough to all, of humiliation for the preſent, and within leſſe then eight dayes, a Meeting of the Commiſsion might have been conveened (as it was de facto conveened, within that ſpace) to condeſcend upon particulars; all theſe things being conſidered, was it not uſurpation and contempt of lawfull Authority, and the Government eſtabliſhed in this Kirk; to ſay, that the Commiſsion at their Meeting which followed, did approve of the cauſes emitted by them, it doth not avail to clear them from uſurpation and contempt of the Government, for to ſay nothing of that that the Commiſsion did both alter ſomethings in them, and adde to them, about recommending prayer for the King (as well as mourning for his ſins) in the humiliation, which was ſeemed to have been purpoſely left out, as appeared by the debate made about it, when it was mentioned and deſired in the Commiſsion for the ſpace of half an hour at leaſt, by Mr. James Guthrie, and the Regiſter, to ſay nothing of this, that which the Commiſsion approved was the matter of theſe cauſes, and not the way of emiſsion, wherewith many of the Commiſsion ſhewed themſelves exceedingly diſ-ſatisfied, as a practise without example, and a preparative tending to the overthrow of the Authority of Government, but did forbear to challenge it at that time for peace ſake.