The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 2 · Review 2
REVIEW.
I ſhall not contend with the Author about the truth of that General Aſſertion: That things extrinſecal to a Cauſe may have influence upon mens judgements, to byaſſe them againſt the weight of reaſon; It doth indeed oft-times fall out ſo to be, eſpecially in things that relate to Religion, neither ſhall I make any application to himſelf, or to the owners and fallowers of the Cauſe which he defends. I wiſh that all of us, on all hands may from the reall ſenſe of the great blindneſſe that is in our underſtandings, and many byaſſes that are in our hearts, with much trembling and fear, make humble, ſerious and frequent addreſſes unto God, that he would give us rightly to know, and in ſingleneſſe of heart to judge of the truth in theſe things, without laying weight on any thing that will not bear weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary. But haply indifferent men would have accounted it fairer dealing, if not more prudence if he had left the Cauſe ſimply to be determined by the weight of his Anſwers and Reaſons; and had not ſo operouſly and induſtriouſly laboured to bring the Reader in diſlike with the Proteſters, by charging ſome of them with high crimes, and endeavouring to weaken the Reputation of all of them, by a long deduction, and many farre fetched Inſtances of things on the by; If his Anſwers be ſtrong enough for a batterie, what needed theſe undermindings? But its fit to take ſome View of theſe miſleading Principles, wherewith he chargeth the Proteſters, and their adherents, and of which he deſires others to beware leaſt they be thereby alſo inſnared; onelyonly this advertiſement I give, that his charge in all theſe things runneth onelyonly upon the Principles and Practiſes of ſome of the Proteſters; Now upon ſuppoſall that all his allegeance were true, what a poor way of arguing would theſe that are for the Publick Reſolutions, and for the Aſſembly at St. Andrews and Dundee account it, to tell them over ſome few of the many groſſe Principles, and Practices holden and acted by ſome of their party, and from thence to conclude againſt their profeſſions, and to the prejudice of their Cauſe.
VINDICATION.
Firſt ſelfiſh Intereſt, it is far from my thoughts to charge this upon all who have concurred in Proteſting againſt, and declining this Aſſembly as the motive that led them thereupon; I am perſwaded of many of them that they followed that courſe in the ſimplicity of their hearts; yet I leave it to all judicious indifferent men to conſider & give their judgment, if it be not very apparent that ſomewhat of this kind was the ſpring that moved ſome, the prime contrivers and ſticklers in this buſineſſe, who having adventured upon ſuch high courſes and attempts, tending to the violation of the Nationall Faith, renting and ruining the Kingdom, trampling upon Authority, and carrying with them tenents, contrary to the minde and Practice of all Orthodox Kirks, and to the Faith, and not being able to abide triall in theſe things by an Aſſembly, who in themſelves was not able to bear the ſway, and carry things to their minde, and finding others in ſimplicity of heart with them diſliking ſome Publick Reſolutions and Actings, and ſo apt to be led on with them upon any courſe that could be preſented with the colour of a Teſtimony againſt theſe Reſolutions and Actings, found it ſafeſt; for they rather altogether do diſclaim the authority of the Aſſembly, then to hazard upon a fair and orderly tryall of their matters; yea, have we not ſeen ſome already ſhip in, and land out of, and ſhip in again in that Proteſtation, according as they conceived the winde of affairs then in the time to blow with, or againſt it, to credit, or diſcredit, advantage or diſadvantage; conſcientious men would beware now that this ſame motive or intereſt, do not prevail over them, to neglect due Examination of the grounds of that Proteſtation, or to cloſe their eye againſt ſuch light as might haply be holden forth in this matter, to the diſcovery of the lightneſſe and non-relevancy of theſe grounds and reaſons; Therefore put reputation and diſ-reputation in the eſtimation of men, advantage, or diſ-advantage worldly to thee and thy condition, put off thy ſight for a while, untill thou haſt pondered and compared reaſon with reaſon.