The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 2 · Review 14
REVIEW.
THe firſt thing which the Author challenges in that paſſage of the Narrative of the Proteſtation is, the Grammar and Logick of it in relation to antecedence and conſ…quence, concerning which he thinks that too great forwardnes to let out indirectly a blow at honeſt men, is made, the Proteſters ſomewhat to over ſee themſelves, but he ſpares the clearing of it, and not being worth the while till it b… c…e…ed, theſe who ſee it cannot take with it. In the next place, albeit he profeſſes himſelf not to be given to be jealous, yet It is too great jealouſie and prejudice that raiſes ſo great a ſtir about ſo innocent and harmleſſe an expreſſion as this. That the fa…thfall Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt in former times brought the Work of Reformation in Scotland to a great perfection and near conformity to the Word of God; What myſtery is here? have not the like expreſſions been uſed heretofore in the Papers and Books of the Relaters and Aſſerters of Reformation and Government of this Church; but (ſaith the Author) great and near are here diminiſhing terms, and imports yet ſomthing to be wanting to perfection and conformity to the patern; and therefore he thinks the Brethren would do wel to tel, & that it were wiſdom for every honeſt profeſſor to enquire what that is that is yet wanting The brethren do tel. & all honeſt Profeſſors may be perſwaded to believe, that they had no wil before them that expreſſion, and that they do willingly ſubſcribe to the teſtimony of a worthy man in this Church, whoſe love unto, and eſtimation of the Work of Reformation, is above all exception, to wit, that the Church of Scotland, after the Reformation, did by degrees attain to as great perfection both in Doctrine and Diſcipline, as any other R…formed Church in Europe: But it may be this will not ſatisfie the Author, becauſe his Logick teaches him that by ſaying great perfection and near conformity; they have ſaid leſſe then if they had ſaid ſimply, it is come to perfection and conformity. To ſay nothing, that the Work of Reformation is capable of a greater grouth in the practicall uſe of the things that are known and profeſt, and of a diſcovery of further degrees of light and perſwaſion in theſe things. Will the Author ſay, that nothing at all, no not the leaſt pin or circumſtance of perfection & conformity with the firſt patern, was then wanting to the work of reformation in Scotland, if ſo we deſire him to tell us, what kind of power it is that is exerciſed by the Magiſtrates and Councels of Burghs then they chooſe Commiſſioners to the Generall Aſſembly, and what is the extent of the Doctors Office? I ask not theſe things to caſt any blemiſh on the Work of Reformation, which I do willingly acknowledge to be ſuch as may compare with any of the Reformed Churches, and in ſome reſpect (ſo far as I know) hath the pre-eminence, but to ſatisfie the Authors needleſſe curioſity, theſe things being conſidered, makes it to appear, that theſe words even when ſtreached upon the tenter-hooks of the Authors nicety, do yet bear a convenient and true meaning, and that none needs thence to fear a ſerpent lurking in the buſh. I acknowledge that it hath been the way of ſome in theſe Lands ſince the Work of Reformation began in them, to ſay, that the Work of Reformation in Scotland, was a good way on, but that there are yet further attainments then it was brought unto; but it was apparent from others of their expreſſions, and from the whole tenor of their carriage, that they had therein a bad meaning, to wit, that we ſhould not hold faſt the things which we have already, nor walk by the ſame rule, but that we ſhould make an alteration and change thereof; and therefore there is reaſon to be jealous over ſuch; but to be jealous over theſe whoſe expreſsiſions & carriage gives no ground for it, is but to torment our ſelves with needleſſe fears, and to wrong others. I have already given ſome accompt of the Paper preſented to the Meeting at Edinburgh, (which the Author doth here repeat again) and ſhall now adde theſe few things in anſwer to ſome circumſtances of his diſcourſe. Firſt, that Paper was not preſented to a Meeting that either really was or did pretend to be the Commiſsion of the Church, but onelyonly to a Meeting of Miniſters and Profeſſors, acting not in the capacity of any Judicatory reall or pretended. Secondly, that all the Miniſters who were there, did teſtifie their diſlike of that Paper, and even theſe whom the Author and ſome others do haply moſt ſuſpect, did ſeriouſly diſſwade from the in-giving of it. Thirdly, I know not who is the Joab he means of; but I do well know, that the men of that Meeting who are moſt ſlandered as the plotters and contrivers of ſuch things, had neither head, nor hand, nor heart in that Paper; and if I rightly remember, I heard it aſſerted by the Author of it, there was no other head nor pen in it but his own; theſe who know him wel, may think that he hath that much ability as to reach the ſtile, contrivance and concept…ons in theſe Articles; and therefore whileſt the Author ſpeaks theſe things by the way, he hath gone a little out of the way. That which he would have chiefly obſerved in this paſſage, is, To what purpoſe in this place are brought in theſe unfaithfull men the Prelates, who minding th…i… own things, &c. and ſuch an inference made thereupon, as tendeth to bear all in hand that ſhall happen to read the Proteſtation, that the Brethren that have been lately, and are oppoſite …o the Proteſters, have been, and are treading the ſteps of theſe unfaithfull men the Prelates, and heir mentioned practiſes and ſhrewd ſuggeſtions, as he cals them, on which he w…xeth hot in the Vindication of his Brethren, and in recriminations upon others; but I deſire him and others who read theſe things in ſoberneſſe of m…nde, to conſider firſt that the eſtimation which the Proteſters have of the ability and godlineſſe of ſundry of the Brethren, who have been and are oppoſite to them in the Publick Reſolutions, is above exception and manifeſt, I hope, to the Conſciences of theſe Brethren themſelves. 2. That this needs not, nor ought not to hinder them to give their judgement of their way in order to the Publick Reſolutions, if ſo be it be done without perſonal reflections, ſo far as is poſſible. 3. That (as the Author hath diſtinguiſhed before) there is a difference between mens intention and their work; men may be treading the ſteps of defection, as theſe unfaithfull men the Prelats did, who yet do it not with an unfaithful and prelatical mind, even as in theſe ſame very times of the courſe of defection that was carried on by the Prelats, there was ſundry able and godly men ingaged therein, without whoſe help it could not have been ſo eaſily, nor unobſervedly to many, carryed on by the multitude of carnall and corrupt men, who would have been but a ſmall credite without theſe other. 4. That if the Proteſters had had to do with theſe onelyonly whoſe faithfulneſſe, integrity, honeſty and conſtancy in the truth have been ſo wel known and ſealed by God, they had haply expreſſed themſelves ſome other way; but they had to do in this particular with all thoſe who owned the publick Reſolutions, and amongſt theſe were many; yea, not a few active leading men, members of, or aſſiſting unto the Commiſſion in theſe things, and in the Meeting at Dundee, who were deeply engaged in the Prelaticall way, as not onelyonly their ſubſcriptions in the Biſhops black Book, which is yet extant, and can be produced if need were, but alſo the tenour of their carriage for a long time did witnes; and I fear it of not a few, that though they ſeemed to forſake theſe things with the changes of the time, yet have they not repented thereof unto this day; not that I would fetch all thoſe whoſe names are in that black Book, and others the like books, and who were involved in theſe courſes under that compaſſe; I know that ſundry of them have from their very hearts repented of, and do from their ſouls abhor that way; I mean even of theſe who are for the Publick Reſolutions, but this Church hath been ſo ſ…nſible that there is cauſe to think otherwiſe, that ſhe hath ſeveral times given warning thereof in her publick Papers; and who knoweth not that throughout all the Land, theſe who had been moſt indifferent, and luke-warm in the Cauſe of God, greateſt underminers of it, moſt Prelaticall in the times of the Biſhops, moſt Malignant in James Grahams time, and in the time of the unlawfull Engagement, and moſt deſigning and active to carry on the Treaty with the King, in a wrong way, and without ſecurity to Religion; yea, and ſuch as were ſcandalous in their life and converſation were for the moſt part amongſt the moſt zealous and violent for the Publick Reſolutions, and are ſo ſtill, now the courſe it ſelf being evill▪ and envolving a foundation of defection, owned and countenanced, and zealouſly promoted, by all the lukewarm Prelaticall, and Malignant ſcandalous men in the Land; was there not doolfull experience of ſuch backſliding in the time of the Prelates, to be ſtirred up in our ſelves, and to Proteſt and teſtifie to others againſt things, though ſundry godly men were engaged therein; nay, the more need there was to ſpeak plainly, leaſt their ability and godlineſſe ſhould be a ſnare to any. 5. Whatever the Author is pleaſed to alledge, the Proteſters do not deſpiſe any of thoſe who have been honoured of God, to ſtand conſtant againſt Prelats uſurpations, and for the Liberties of Aſſemblies, they acknowledge that they owe much to ſuch, and though they cannot but teſtifie againſt the ill of the Publick Reſolutions, yet they do retain a honourable Impreſſion of theſe perſons, and of what is good in them. 6. If it were fit to compare, ſundry of the Proteſters are in nothing; yea, in none of theſe things which the Author mentioned as praiſe worthy, behinde with the very chief of theſe who have appeared for the Publick Reſolutions, but both of them are by the grace of God, that that they are. 7. That none of the Proteſteers for any thing that I know, did take unwarrantable orders from the Prelats, and do more to accept one who hath often in private, and in Publick acknowledged, and is ſtill ready to acknowledge the ſin of that way in which he was bred up from his youth, and therefore did it ignorantly through unbelief, who becauſe of the exceeding riches of the mercy of God, in recovering him out of that ſnare holds himſelf the more bound to be vigilant and zealous againſt all deſertions for the time to come; this man hath forbidden me to ſay any more to the Author, in anſwer to theſe things; but theſe words, dignus ego qui patior indignus tu qui faceres tamen, and to leave the explication to his own conſcience. 8. It had been fairer dealing in the Author, to have diſcovered or named the Prelaticall ſteps that ſome of the Proteſters have troden theſe years paſt, and not thus to have aſſerted without any proof or inſtance, which he thinks a fault in matters of leſſe moment: The ſteps that theſe men have troden theſe years paſt in their Publick Actings (for of theſe I take the Author to mean) were for the matter the ſame that were troden by himſelf, and by ſundry leading men in the Publick Reſolutions, who were alſo leading men in all theſe ſteps from the higheſt to the loweſt; and I do not think (though not a few be) he is come that length to condemn theſe things and for the manner of their Actings, they acknowledge themſelves to be men ſubject to the like paſſions with others, but knowes no cauſe why for theſe the trading of Prelaticall ſte…s ſhould be changed rather upon them th…n upon others, ſome in the following of their duty are more emiſs, and others more forward, but as long as they do ſtraitly and honeſtly own their duty, it is hard either becauſe of the one or of the other, to charge them with ſo heavy impu…ations.
VINDICATION.
WE ſhall now weigh theſe reaſons whereupon the Proteſtation is built, and which have been added lately, as batterages to hold it up; ſurely the grounds whereupon men would adventure on ſuch an Act, or others would joyn in approving of it, had need to be weighty in themſelves and relevant, and alſo clear in mens Conſciences: To Proteſt, againſt …r diſſent from ſome particular acts and conſtitutions of a Gen. Aſſembly is a thing which may be done without ſchiſme, and derogation to the Authority and being of Government; but when a Gen. A…sembly it ſelf is proteſted againſt, and declined as unlawfull, and having no authority at all; who ſees not how ſad the conſequences muſt readily be in hat Kirk, hardly can it be by any outward means, but turne to a fixed ſchiſme, which thing how have godly, orthodox chriſtian, in all ages of the Kirk, deteſted and abhorred, chooſing rather ever to tollerate great offences (which they did ſee, but could not mend) rather then to a…vide the Kirk of Chriſt, and then it would be ſeriouſly conſidered, if the reaſons and grounds of ſuch an Act be not clear and relevant, how high an attempt it againſt the Kingly Office of Chriſt, to trample under foot his Supream externall Court, in a Nationall Kirk. Come we then and ponder the Reaſons alleaged for this Proteſtation, and declinature whether they be found weighty or light, vincat veritas.