The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 2 · Review 4
REVIEW.
I do indeed believe, that the Author doth not intend to ſay or adviſe any thing to the prejudice or diſadvantage of godlines, or godly men; yet do I deſire him ſeriouſly, and in ſoberneſſe of minde, as before the Lord, to conſider, whether there hath been ſomething in the late Publick Reſolutions, and in the proceedings and Acts of the late Aſſembly at Dundee, to both which (if I miſtake not) he had a great acceſſion, that is prejudiciall to godlineſs and to godly men: Reſpect to theſe did exceedingly abate with the Publick Reſolutions; yea, enimity againſt theſe did exceedingly grow with theſe reſolutions; a thing ſo manifeſt, that they who did run, could not but read it; and did not the Acts at Dundee, wherein beſides the cenſures that were inflicted on ſome, all, whether Miniſters, Elders, Expectants, Schoolmaſters, Students or Profeſſors of whatſoever ſort, who ſhall not acquieſce to the Acts and Concluſions of that Aſſembly, and who after conference for their ſatisfaction, oppoſe the ſame, are appointed to be cenſured, do not (I ſay) theſe Acts import a prejudice to godlineſs and godly men, if proſecuted and executed, they would at laſt non-Office, and non-Church many Godly Church-Officers and godly Church-Members; yea, I fear the greateſt part of the Godly in the Land. His teſtimony concerning the godlineſs of many of the Authors and Abettors of this Proteſtation, I do willingly accept, as ſavouring of ingenuity, and having truth in it: I wiſh he had been as plain and poſitive in giving his judgment concerning others: Whileſt he differences them from theſe to whoſe godlineſs he bears teſtimony, and ſaith, that what ever they have been every whit, he will not take upon him to judge; it ſeems that he would render them ſuſpected, if not have them taken for perſons naughty or little worth, what ever be his meaning in it, or his judgment of theſe others, I ſhal not ſtand to enquire into it; there be none of the Authors or Abettors of that Proteſtation, to whom many of the godly in Scotland will not give an honeſt teſtimony, neither will any thing that any of them have been, contradict the ſame, if at any time they have been in a wrong way, yet have they through grace repented of, and forſaken the ſame: And it concerns the Author, who hath been a ſharer of the like precious mercy, not to upbraid them, but to acknowledge the goodneſs of the Lord both to them and to himſelf. I deny not, that there are godly men on the other ſide, and ſuch as ſuffered for the Truth and Cauſe of God; but why he ſhould ſay, that ſome of them were in Chriſt before the Proteſters, and that they were ſufferers for the truth, when others had not the honour to be deors for it, I do not well underſtand; ſundry of the Proteſters, for their being in Chriſt, and ſuffering for the Truth and Cauſe of God, are through grace, of a very old and longſtanding, and famous & honorable in all this Church. I cannot reckon the moneths or years ſince the one or the other did begin to be in Chriſt, and had the honour to ſuffer for the truth, neither do I deſire to inſiſt on the compariſon, bleſſed be the Lord for all that are in Chriſt, and for all who ſuffers for his Cauſe, I wiſh and pray, that all of them may conquer and overcome, and if any of them be turned out of the way, the Lord may again recover them, and make their laſt dayes better then their firſt. It is true, ſome of the Proteſters had not the honour to be doers for the Cauſe; yea, were oppoſers of it, when ſome of the other ſide were ſuffering for it; but what if they have obtained mercy, becauſe they did it ignorantly through unbelief: if not to be a doer for the Cauſe; yea, if to be bearers down and oppoſers of the Cauſe, when others were ſuffering for it, be a good plea againſt any of the Proteſters, I fear moſt part of the late Aſſembly muſt leave their Benches and go to the Bar. I know none that traduces theſe godly men as Apoſtates; yea, I know and am perſwaded, that the Proteſters have an high and honourable eſtimation of them for their piety and parts, and for the great things whereof the Lord hath made ſundry of them inſtrumentall in his Houſe; and though they cannot but teſtifie, unleſſe they would be unfaithfull, that the courſe which theſe men have followed this while paſt in the matter of the Publick Reſolutions, is a courſe of defection and back-ſliding, yet do they not uſe to call them back-ſliders, much leſſe Apoſtates, and if any others do it, they are not therein approven or allowed by them. I joyn with the Author in his advice, that men ſhould take heed that they make not a ſnare of the opinion; yea, or the reall conviction of the godlineſſe they have of any perſons by approving, taking up, or following their ſayings, opinions or practices, without due examination and tryall upon this accompt becauſe they are godly perſons, from whom ſuch things proceeds, as being an advice wholeſome and profitable in it ſelf, and as having ground to think, that the eſtimation of ſome mens perſons and judgements the laſt year, had influence upon ſome, to gain them to the Publick Reſolutions, and to the proceedings of the Aſſembly. I do alſo joyn with him in the ſubſtance of the two things which he adds for ſtrengthning of this preſent caution, only deſiring him to be impartial in the application of the firſt, and to look homeward aſwell as abroad, and to guard well both in the firſt and laſt, that in diſcovering the errors or weakneſs of ſome who are truly godly, or the hypocriſie of others who pretend it, the hands of the prophane, and ſuch as hate and mock at godlineſs, and inſult over the infirmities and blemiſhes of the Saints be not ſtrengthened, nor godlineſs nor godly men brought in contempt.
VINDICATION.
3. The pretences and big profeſſions of good, upright and zealous intentions and affections towards the Cauſe of God and welfare of the Kirk of God in this Land. I ſhall, nor dare question the uprightnes of the intentions of ſome; yea, many of them may, I am verily perſwaded of ſome of them, that they are far from doing any thing intentionally or formally and directly intending the overthrowing or wronging any of the Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt ſetled in this Kirk, or the peace thereof: and that if they be led in any courſe in the matter prejudiciall to any of theſe, it is as many w…t out with Abſolom, in the ſimplicity of their hearts. But fi…ſt it would be remembred, that many may be very zealous in their intentions for God, and yet that zeal be not according to knowledge: where there is much zeal for any end, there be alſo much miſtake about mids towards that end: and where there is much and clear knowledge in many things, there may be much miſtaking about ſome or moe particulars: a good intention is neceſſary, that a man may be approven before God in his actions; but it is not enough to make his actions good or imitable by others: And certainly this is the chief thing to be conſidered by thee, ere thou allow, follow, or comply with the courſe of any other man, not what good intention or zeal they do profeſſe, but what good ground or reaſon they have for the courſe; ay, but may ſome great knowers ſay, This is poor, who knowes not this? this is a common known principle of acting, that we ſhould not lippen to mens profeſſions, of ſtraight, honeſt and good intentions, but ſeek what warrant they have for their actions. It is true, it is a common known and plain principle; but common principles are better known, then made uſe of, and hath need to be preſsed, that they may be hated in our actings, and amongſt others, this eſpecially in theſe times, Great Profeſsions of honeſt and ſtraight purpoſes and intentions, eſpecially made by men who are preſumed to have much knowledge, and have been found in many things right, are ready to make others who are credulou… and more ſimple, oftentimes ſecure and negligent, to try and prove their actings, and ſo oftentimes ſuffer themſelves to be led out of the way. 2. Albeit (as I ſaid before) I do not queſtion the uprightnes and ſincerity of ſome profeſsion, concerning their intention and their affection, yet I ſhall deſire the Reader to compare the profeſſions made in the Narrative of the Proteſtation in hand, with ſome late practices of ſome that had hand therein, and theſe not of the low form. Firſt, they profeſſe, that while they live it ſhall be acknowledged how gracious GOD hath been, in giving to this Kirk pure Ordinances, and that they deſire mercy and grace to adhere to the Worſhip, Doctrine, Diſcipline and Government eſtabliſhed in this Land. This indeed is a good Profeſſion, but ſuppoſe that which is certain and evident, that when we ſpeak of great eſtimation of, and adhering to the Diſcipline and Government eſtabliſhed in this Kirk we muſt conceive this in relation to the Ordinances, not only in the abſtract and dogmate, but alſo in concreto, and as they are in actu exercito, actually exiſting, and as they are exerciſed in Judicatories conſtituted accordingly, let a man profeſſe what he will of ſoundnes and conſtancie in point of judgment concerning Diſcipline and Government eſtabliſhed in the Kirk, yet if he be found a contemner of the exerciſe of that Diſcipline, and of the lawfull Judicatories inveſted with the Government, no wiſe man will acknowledge that man to have a due eſtimation of, or to be a conſtant adherer to theſe ordinances, except it may be in ſo far as he holds ſomthing of them in his own hand, and that is himſelf; nay, ſuch profeſſions are but foreign, good words and fair ſpeeches to deceive the hearts of the ſimple. This laid down, let any ingenuous and indifferent men take unto conſideration but ſome practice of ſome of the Proteſters, and judge how agreeable they are to the former profeſſion, and adhering to the Diſcipline and Government ſetled in this Church; 1. Condemning Acts and Conſtitutions of the ſupream Judicatories of the Kirk moſt unanimouſly concluded, (themſelves being preſent and not contradicting, but poſitively by their votes conſenting thereunto) and that not in a private way, but in a Remonſtrance publickly emitted to the World, and preſented to the State, without having ſo much reſpect to theſe Judicatories, as (which due eſtimation of, and adhering to the eſtabliſhed Government of the Kirk did require) once to have had recourſe to them, first by ſupplication or deſire to re-examine, or to take to their conſideration again theſe Acts and Conſtitutions; yea, refuſing to apply themſelves to them in ſuch a way, as that when adviſed and earneſtly preſſed thereunto, as orderly, by ſome to whom they had communicated the deſign of the Remonſtrance: the former part of this is evident from the Weſtern Remonſtrance, condemning the Treaty with the King, and cloſing thereof, allowed, approven and ratified by the Generall Aſſembly 1650. If it be ſaid, that that Remonſtrance was communicated to the Commiſſion of the Kirk before it was preſented to the Eſtate, that is true; But beſide that, the Commiſsion had not power to judge the Acts and Conſtisutions of the Aſſembly. It was preſented unto them meerly to have had their concurrence in preſenting it to the Eſtate, if that could have been obtained; but with no deſire to adviſe and give their judgment upon the matter contained in it; yea, theſe that came with it, required, If they had any power committed to them to change any thing of it; they plainly declared, that though ſome expreſſions might be changed, yet they had no power, and were not to alter one jote of the matter; ſo determined were they of themſelves, and antecedently to the cognition of the Publick Judicatories. The latter part is evident by Mr. John Carſtaires Letters written to the Lord Regiſter, about the time of the contriving that Remonſtrance from Edinburgh, and intercepted at the Ferry of Airth, or thereabout.