The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 2 · Review 20
REVIEW.
THe Author doth much miſ-repreſent the inſtance of Sterline in ſeverall important circumſtances: Firſt, he ſayeth, that the Commiſsioners in the firſt Election were choſen by plurality of votes; There were that day but thirteen Members of the whole Miniſters and Ruling Elders preſent in the Preſbytery, and but ſix of theſe voted to the choice of theſe Commiſsioners, and ſix are not the plurality of thirteen. Secondly, in that he ſayeth, That the fewer part in number, diſcontent at the Election, held a new Meeting by themſelves, without the preſent Moderator and C…e…k. There was no Election at all for which they could be diſcontented; neither were they the fewer part in number, neither did they meet by themſelves without the preſent Moderator and Clerk, but the whole Preſbytery met at the ordinary diet, with the preſent Moderator and Clerk, though a long time after the Meeting, the Clerk falling ſick, did with-draw; and whilſt the Moderator was preſent, it was found very clear in the minutes of the Presbytery, that there had been no Election at the former diet, and the Presbytery did by plurality of voices, the Moderator and all the friends of the Publick Reſolutions of their number being preſent, concluds, that they ſhould then proceed to the election of Commiſsioners, in which votes four only of the whole number did voice in the Negative; after which, the Moderator and theſe of his mind, removed upon a diſcontent; after whoſe going, the Presbytery did proceed to the election of Commiſſioners. Theſe things as to the truth of them, needs not to be queſtioned, becauſe they are agreeable to the Regiſters of the Presbytery, which are patent to any who deſires to be informed thereof. A…f…r that of Glaſgow, the Author yeelds, that the Act was a reaſon that moved ſome Brethren in that Presbytery to proteſt againſt the firſt Election, but ſayes, that it is not the only reaſon that moved them, they had ſundry other weighty motives beſides. If it was a reaſon, then certainly it had influence upon their judgments, againſt the chuſing of ſuch as were oppoſers of the Publick Reſolutions, and ſo here was a pre-limitation by the Act and Letter of the Commiſſion. That they chooſed one of theſe oppoſers to be a Commiſsioner, notwithſtanding of the Act and Letter: That doth not make it evident, that the Act and Letter had the leaſt influence on them in excluding of others; there might be, and there was another reaſon of their ſo doing. As to that perſon that made them diſpenſe with the Letter and Act of the Commiſsion: He was precious and dear to the godly who knew him in all parts of the Land for his tenderneſſe and piety, and was but lately looſed from the bonds of his captivity, and if they had rejected him, it would have been a great imputation upon them, to ſay nothing that their deſigne had been more open and manifeſt: yet the Author cannot but remember, that notwithſtanding he was choſen both by them, and alſo in the firſt election, yet was it refuſed to let him ſit in the Aſſemblie, till that reaſon ſh…uld be firſt diſcuſſed, though it was propounded and urged by a very Honourable Perſon, a Member of the Aſſembly; I cannot ſubſcribe to that which the Author thinks, that there was none at that time, who in Elections paſſed by any oppoſers, or diſſented from the Elections of any of them; but they would have paſſed by theſe ſame, and diſſented from theſe ſame, though there had not at all ſuch an Act and Letter come from the Commiſsion. If there were no more to prove, that ſuch a thought is not well bottomed, but this one thing, that ſome in the Presbytery of Dunkel, diſſented from the election of theſe who were oppoſite to the Publick Reſolutions, meerly and only upon the Letter and Act of the Commiſsion, as may be ſeen in rhe reaſons of their diſſent given unto the Synod, it is enough to do it.
VINDICATION.
THe firſt Inſtance to prove the great influence that the Letter and Act had upon elections, the Presbytery of Dunkel having choſen then Commiſsioner one of that number who was a Member of the Commiſsion; having proteſted againſt the Election, becauſe ſuch as were choſen were unſatisfied with the Commiſsions proceedings. The Synod of Pearth meeting a little after, and receiving the Act and Letter of the Commiſsion, did thereupon ſuſtain the diſſent and Proteſtation of that man in their number, and did appoint the Presbytery of Dunkel to chooſe the Commiſsioners new again. Anſ. This is the onelyonly Inſtance alleadged with ſome colour to evidence ſome influence of the Commiſsions Letter and Act; but yet when it is diſcuſſed, there will be litle to the purpoſe found in it; but let it be ſo, that the Synod ſuſtained the Proteſtation on that ground, and appointed a new Election: yet it is known that the Presbytery in the ſecond Election, ſtill did chooſe Brethren diſ-ſatisfied with the Reſolutions, and as I believe theſe ſame whom they had choſen before, who were admitted in the Aſſembly without any queſtion, and reaſoned and voted therein according to their minde, without any reſtraint or hindrance; ſo that if there was any fault here, it might be well in the Synods Act, but not in the Presbytery, which was the onelyonly Act about this buſineſſe, capable of, & chargeable with the fault of pre-limitation but this was done with freedom. This much to the one part of the Aſſumption, wherby it may appear, that whatever prelimitations were, or might be in the Commiſsions Act or Letter: yet the Elections were free, becauſe Presbyteries therein were not paſsively pre-limited, but chooſed freely according to their own minde. Were there no more to be ſaid, this much may make the Proteſters bethink themſelves better in their ſecond thoughts of their raſh adventuring upon ſo high an Act as a Proteſtation and Declinature of a Generall Aſſembly, as unfree and unlawful, and may make others adviſe better ere they adjoyn themſelves to it by approbation.