The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 2 · Review 44
REVIEW.
BEfore the Author come to anſwer the next ground of the Proteſtation; he takes notice of ſomethings, and but of ſomethings, (paſſing by many others) ſpoken of by the Writer in his anſwer concerning the Commiſſioners, their ſtedfaſtneſſe and falling off from it. To which I reply, that though it may be true that ſome of them have been ſtedfaſt in the Truth & Cauſe of God, when others whom he calls their accuſers knew it not, that will neither juſtifie the one nor condemn the other; In the things of God it doth ſometimes fall out, that the firſt are laſt, and the laſt firſt; though yet if he make an impartiall reckoning, I believe that neither he nor his party have reaſon to prefer themſelves before the Proteſters for men of integrity, and old ſtanding in the Cauſe of God, nor yet to boaſt themſelves, as though there were none among them who had but lately come to know the Cauſe of God; I hope no Proteſter doth, or ſhall envy ſome of theſe mens giving teſtimony of their ſtedfaſtneſſe for the time to come in their ſufferings. The Lord fit them & all his people ſo to do: But it is not enough for the Author to ſpeak thus promiſingly of them, unles upon his may bees he do alſo prognoſticat evil of others: He tels us, that when ſome of theſe accuſers it may be wil be found tampering, or already are tampering about or deviſing gloſſes how they may with ſome colour ſhufle themſelvs looſe from Articles of the Covenant, ſome of them wil give teſtimony of their ſtedfaſtnes in it. This meaſure wherewith the Author repayeth the Proteſters, is more then an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; they did not except againſt the Commiſſioners upon may bees, but upon things really and already done, and to his may be, I ſay: That though this be a hour of temptation, wherein many turn aſide both to the left hand and to the right; yet I hope that by the Lords grace, the generality of thoſe who have born teſtimony againſt the Publick Reſolutions, ſhal be found among the moſt ſtedfaſt in the Land in the Covenant and Cauſe of God: What if I ſhould tell him that it may be when oppoſers of Publick Reſolutions are keeping their integrity, and cleaving to the Covenant, ſome men of no ſmall note who have been, and ſtill are zealous for theſe Reſolutions, will be licking up the vomite of Malignancy and Prelacy, or if that be to fiſh too far before the net; I am content to appeal to himſelf who are the greateſt tamperers of this time, whether the followers of the Publick Reſolutions or the oppoſers of them. I do not reſolve to deny an honourable teſtimony to not a few of theſe who are for the Publick Reſolutions, in their love unto, and ſtedfaſtnes in, and zeal for the truth in other things, nor yet to juſtifie the turnings aſide of others who have been oppoſers of the Publick Reſolutions; yet I think it will not be queſtioned that the generality of theſe who have given up the Intereſts both of Church & State into the hands of ſtrangers, are ſuch as were affectionatly zealous for the publick reſolutions, which is too probable an evidence that their profeſſions of Repentance the laſt year, and of zeal for the Covenant and work of Reformation, and of love to the King, and of deſire to preſerve our Liberties were not ſtraight and upright; and that the Commiſſion of the Church who after ſo many experiences of their turning aſide, did truſt them, and were inſtrumentall to imploy them in defence of the Cauſe and Kingdom, hath cauſe to think that they were a little too credulous. I ſhal not inſiſt upon what the Author ſaith of the Writers never being able to prove what he aſſerts anent the Commiſſioners their making defection; This as to the matter of the Publick Reſolutions, hath been ſufficiently proven either by him or others, and needs not here to be repeated; Therefore I come to what he brings in anſwer to theſe things which are brought by the … that there was not liberty of free voting in the Aſſembly. The Writer for proving this, alleadges, that the Commiſsion had ſtirred up the civill Magiſtrate againſt ſuch as did differ from them in the Publick Reſolutions in their Warnings and Remonſtrances; This the Author denyes as being contrary to truth and calls for proof of it out of theſe Warnings and Remonſtrances; Theſe Warnings and Remonſtrances being Publick and common, I conceive that the Writer thought it not needful to cite the places, nor to inſiſt much upon proof of the buſineſs other ways then in inſtancing the reall effects of it; but becauſe he deſires evidence from theſe Papers he ſhall have it: 1. The Commiſſion in their ſhort exhortation to the Miniſters and Profeſſors of this Kirk, March 20. 1651. expreſſe themſelves thus in order to theſe who are unſatisfied with, or do oppoſe the Publick Reſolutions; The Conſcience of our duty (according to the truſt committed to us, and the carriage of ſome who either oppreſt with a lethargy ly ſtil or ſeaſed upon by a benumming coldnes move ſlowly, or carried about with the winde of ſtrange Doctrine, as children are toſſed to & fro & move contrarily) doth conſtrain us to lift up our voices, & from the watch tower whereon we are ſet to give Warning to the Profeſſors & Miniſters throughout the Land, & to wacken them up to their duty, as they would avoid the diſpleaſure of the Almighty, and eſcape the deſerved puniſhments and cenſures which may be inflicted by Judicatories Civill and Eccleſiaſtick reſpective upon dificients in, and Delinquents againſt duty, according to the degree of their offence, and again in the ſame Warning, having applied the charecter of Malignants to ſuch as through diſſatisfaction with Publick Reſolutions, were ſilent or did oppoſe; they uſe theſe words, we wiſh it may be the care of all to ſhun the ways that may bring them under theſe foul charecters, and wherby they may run themſelves under the hazard of the diſpleaſure of God, and the cenſures of the Church, and no doubt of civil puniſhments alſo to be inflicted by the State; From theſe paſſages theſe two things are manifeſt: 1. That in the judgement of the Commiſsion, deficiency in the Publick Reſolutions, by not moving at all, or ſlow moving, or contrary moving, was deſervably lyable to puniſhment by the Civill Magiſtrate. 2. That they did make no doubt but that civill puniſhment would be inflicted by the State: To theſe two things adde, That this exhortation and Warning is directed to all the Miniſters and Profeſſors of this Kirk, and ſo to the civil Magiſtrat among others in their place & ſtation; yea, no doubt before the emitting thereof, it was by way of correſpondencie, according to the conſtant cuſtome kept in theſe things communicated unto the State; let any indifferent man then judge whether this be not a ſtirring up of the Civill Magiſtrate againſt them, when it is declared to the Civill Magiſtrate in a publick exhortation and Warning to duty, that puniſhment from the Civill Magiſtrat is by theſe men deſerved, and that the State will no doubt inflict that civil puniſhment in anſwering the inſtances of the Civil Magiſtrate his Proceeding accordingly: The one of them, to wit, their making of Lawes and Acts of Parliament, appointing ſuch to be proceeded againſt as enemies to Religion, and to the Kingdom, he doth not ſo much as once touch, and the other concerning the confining the Miniſters of Sterline, he doth in many things mince and pervert, therefore for informing of the Readers, and juſtifying of what is ſaid by the Writer in this particular; I ſhal ſhortly and truly ſet down the matter of fact ſo far as is needfull, and make ſome remarks upon what the Author ſaith in this buſin…ſſe; Firſt to the matter of fact, it was thus: After that the Miniſters of Sterline did return to their ſtations from the Conference with the Commiſſion at St. Andrews, the Committee of Eſtates being informed by the Commiſsion of the reſult of that Conference, and hearing that the Miniſters of Sterline did continue to Preach againſt the Publick Reſolutions, did reſolve upon a Letter containing a citation, to come to Perth to be written from the Committee to theſe Miniſters, which being paſt and approven in the Committee, was immediatly thereafter by ſome of their number communicated to the Commiſsion of the Kirk, to whom it was publickly read, without ſo much as the leaſt ſignification made by them of their diſlike thereof, which did clearly enough import their approbation of the ſame, becauſe it was the cuſtome of the Commiſsion theſe years paſt, when any thing was communicated unto them by the Parliament or Committee of Eſtates, with which they were not ſatisfied, either to repreſent their diſſatisfaction in a humble way by Writing, or elſe to deſire a Conference thereupon, and when they were ſilent, it was always exponed to import their ſatisfaction; This Letter being diſpatched from Perth where the Committee of Eſtates then ſate, to the Miniſters of Sterline, it came not to their hands before the Tueſday at night, notwithſtanding that it had been writen a good many dayes before, and that it did require them to compear before the Committee the next day after recept thereof: The one of the Miniſters being ſomewhat ſickly, anſwer was returned from both to the Lord Chancelor Preſident of the Committee, that by reaſon of his weakneſſe, they could not well keep the Diet mentioned in the Letter, but that in the caſe of his being able to travell, both of them ſhould be at Perth that week, or that if he could not travell, the other ſhould come without fail, and intreating the Lord Chancelor to make their excuſe to the Committee, and that it might not be interpreted as any ſign of diſ-reſpect, or diſobedience, that they did not come inſtantly upon the recept of the Letter, ſeing the one of them was not at that time able to travell: This Letter being communicated by the Lord Chancelor to the Committee upon the Thurſday, they were pleaſed notwithſtanding thereof, and before the comming or hearing of theſe Miniſters, to order another Letter to be ſent unto them, ordaining them to come to Perth before the next Saturnday at night, and to ſtay there, or at Dundee til the Kings return from Aberdeen, whether he was then going; before this ſecond Letter came to their hands, theſe Miniſters came to Perth upon the Friday at night upon the firſt Letter, and making application to the Committee of Eſtates on the Saturday morning, did (after Proteſtation that they did not acknowledge them as judges in the matter of their doctrine) profeſt themſelves willing and ready to hear and to anſwer what the Committee of Eſtates had to challenge them of, upon which the Committee did intimate unto them the order contained in their ſecond Letter, and cauſed the Clerk deliver the ſame unto them; the Miniſters of Sterlin after hearing the order contained therein, did earneſtly beſeech the Committee of Eſtates that (upon ſurety to compear when they ſhould be called for) they might have liberty to return to their Charges, which being denyed, they did in the next place deſire, that ſeing they had no purpoſe to go unto Dundee, they might be permitted to go 3. or 4. miles without Perth for refreſhing of themſelves, which favour was at firſt granted, and within a little ſpace thereafter, they being gone to their lodgings, was recalled, and they were ſent for to come back to the Committee of Eſtates; and when they came it was intimated unto them, that the Committee could not take it upon them to allow them that liberty; therefore were they conſtrained either to be tranſgreſſors of the Committees order, or elſe to abide within the Town of Pearth, which they did for ſome weeks, untill the King and others of the Committee, having returned from Aberdeen upon the Friday afternoon, and a report being made in the Committee of Eſtates what had paſt concerning the Miniſters or Sterline, they did that ſame night appoint another order to be ſent unto them, ordaining them to ſtay in the Town till the Commiſſion of the Church ſhould meet, and that it might be thought upon, what courſe was to be taken in theſe things, which was accordingly done, and the Parliament meeting at Perth the next week thereafter, they did ſend unto theſe Miniſters two Maſſers, commanding them to ſtay that week; which being expired, they ſent unto them another perſon, commanding them to ſtay their further order. During this time the Commiſsion of the Church met at Pearth, to whom all that had paſt betwixt the Committee of Eſtates and theſe Miniſters, was communicated firſt by theſe Miniſters themſelves, and afterwards by the Parliament, who deſired to know the Commiſsions judgment of two Proteſtations given in to the Committee of Eſtates by theſe Miniſters, the ſum whereof was, that their compearing before them to anſwer in theſe things that did relate to their Doctrine and diſcharge of their Miniſteriall function, might not import that they did acknowledge them to be competent Judges thereof; and that incroachment was made upon the due liberty of the Subject, by a ſentence of Confinement paſt upon them, without hearing them after they were called to be heard; Which Proteſtations being taken in conſideration by the Commiſsion, they did give their judgment thereof in a large Paper condemning the ſame, without ſo much as calling theſe Miniſters, to ask a reaſon of their judgement anent the things contained therein, notwithſtanding that they were in Town, and had communicated the ſame unto them, and all that paſt betwixt the Committee of Eſtates and them, by this narration, which can be verified from the Regiſters and Papers themſelves, as to the ſubſtance and moſt of the Circumſtances of it, and (which cannot be juſtly contradicted in any circumſtance thereof, for if it ſhould, can be atteſted by witneſſes) it appears that there was a legall ſentence of Confinement paſt, and often renewed upon theſe Miniſters, before hearing of the Party, and that this Confinement was for a Moneths time, and that with was done therein (as to the ſubſtance of it) was done with the knowledge and connivance, if not direct approbation and allowance of the Commiſsion. The Author in his Relation firſt carps at the word of Confinement. But I would know of him what was here wanting of a Confinement, properly ſo called, was there not a Judicial Sentence, tying thoſe Miniſters to ſuch a place, for ſuch a time and, reſtraining them in the uſe of their liberty from going to their own homes and ſtations, or to any place elſe, except theſe places mentioned in the Order of the Committee of Eſtates. 2. He alleadges, that it is affirmed wrongfully and contrary to the truth, that the Commiſsioners ſtirred up the Civil Magiſtrate againſt the Miniſters of Sterline, or that they were confined upon the accompt of their differing from the publick Reſolutions. The Writer did not ſpeak of any particular inſtigation coming from the Commiſſioners to the civil Magiſtrate in the particular of theſe Miniſters, but gives one Inſtance therin of the Magiſtrates proceedings according to the general warnings of the Commiſſion wherin they do declare their Judgment of the deſert of ſuch things, and that the ſtate will no doubt inflict civil puniſhment upon them, though yet beſides any thing that is already ſpoken that the Commiſſion was acquainted with theſe things; and did in every bodies conſtruction allow therof: Somewhat more could be told him concerning ſome leading men in the Commiſſion, which I am now content to ſuppreſs. When I read the other particular, to wit, his affirming it to be contrary to truth, that they were confined upon accompt of differing from the publick Reſolutions: I did ſomewhat wonder what could make him write ſo, were they not Confined, becauſe of their publick Preaching and expreſsing their disſatisfaction in publick and private with theſe Reſolutions. The Author cals it, Their oppoſing and practiſing againſt publick Reſolutions, and their active diſpoſing of their Reſolutions to the obſtructing of the Leavies, and indangering of the Garriſon, and their refuſing to deſiſt from that Oppoſition, let him give it as many names as he will, and aggravate it by all the Circumſtances that he can, it is ſtill upon the accompt of their differing from the publick Reſolutions, doth he (when he hath ſtrained himſelf to the utmoſt) give inſtance of any other thing, or of any thing that they did in this, that was not ſutable for Miniſters to do in the diſcharge of their miniſterial Function. Upon ſuppoſal that theſe Reſolutions were wrong, they write publickly to the Commiſsion againſt the Publick Reſolutions, they Preached publickly againſt them, they gave their advice to ſuch as asked it, they refuſed to de…ſt; what was in al this that would have been blamed in a Miniſter in the unlawful Engagement in the 48. and this is all that is alleadged. As for their indangering of the Garriſon, which he is pleaſed to call the only Bulwark of the whole Land under God: I wiſh that it may be remembered, and laid to heart, That the Lord was graciouſly pleaſed (as long as theſe Miniſters were there) to preſerve that Garriſon without any appearance of danger or hazard, and that after they were driven away it was firſt abandoned by our Army, when men were among them who preached according to their heart; and afterwards, whithout any oppoſition, given up to the hands of the Engliſh by theſe who had ſlandered theſe Miniſters, as compliers with them, and had been inſtrumental upon the accompt of their oppoſing the Publick Reſolutions to drive them from their ſtations. 3. To paſs by that which he ſaith, that they found by their own acknowledgement, that they had given Reſolution to ſome perſons, ſeeking advice, that it was not lawful for them to continue in that ſervice, being in ſuch a conjunction as the Publick Reſolutions carried: I take notice of what he ſets down, that the Brethren came not to Perth at the firſt Dyet appointed to them; and afterwards the Committee required them to attend at Perth or Dundee, until the Kings return from Aberdeen that there might be a more full Meeting of the Committee, a great part of the moſt conſiderable Members of it being with him, how could they come at the firſt Dyet? the advertiſment being ſo exceedingly ſhort, from the time of their receipt of the Letter, to that time of their comperance; and the one of them being ſomewhat ſickly and not able to travel. The Committees appointment for them to ſtay at Perth, was before their coming, and before the Kings departure, when the Committee was full and numerous, though he doth inſinuate it to have been otherwaies; and there was a Quorum of the Committee of Eſtates ſtill at Perth after the Kings departure, who yet would not meddle in that buſineſs, and ſaid, They could not. The truth was, the men who were the great ſticklers in it (whom the Author calls the moſt conſiderable Members of the Committee) were abſent, and they had before their departure taken ſuch courſe that the buſineſs ſhould not be medled with, till the Kings return from Aberdeen. 4. I take notice of that which he ſaith, That when the Committee of Eſtates did require the Commiſſions advice what ſhould be done with theſe Brethren, in relation to the ſecuring of the Garriſon of Sterling, That as to this they could not take on them to determine the matter, being meerly Civil; but that they deſired & expected that the Committee would deal with them in tenderneſs, as being Miniſters of the Goſpel, was the buſineſs, as to the intereſt of their carriage in it, and the ground upon which they were cited, meerly Civil; Was it any other thing then the diſcharge of their conſciences in their Miniſterial functions, as Miniſters of the Congregation of Sterling? It is true, that there was ſuch a deſire of tenderneſs in the cloſe of the Commiſſions Paper, but there was ſo much ſaid in the body of it for exaggerating their carriage, that a greater puniſhment then a continued confinement might have been thought tender dealing to ſuch men. That Paper was of ſuch a nature, that not a few of theſe to whom it was given in, who were none of the greateſt friends to the Miniſters of Sterling, were not well ſatisfied therewith, if it may be beleeved what was then confidently reported to theſe Miniſters at Perth, by ſome who did profeſs to know it. 5. I take notice of that which he ſpeaks upon their dimiſſion, what dealing there was by ſome of their intimate friends with Mr. Rob. Douglas and Mr. James Wood, to intercede with the Parliament, to paſs from calling them further. I do not know unleſs he mean of Mr. James Durham (who had from the begining been againſt ſuch away of proceeding with them) his dealing with theſe two, that the Parliament might not meddle further with theſe Miniſters, but ſuffer them to go to their Charges; and though they do willingly own him as a friend, yet what he did in that particular, was not only out of reſpect to them, but alſo from reſpect to the Commiſſion, and to the Parliament, conceiving it not to be for their advantage to meddle with theſe Miniſters in ſuch a way; and though theſe Miniſters did not affect to come to a Publick Hearing before the Parl. yet would they have chuſed that and more too, rather then to wrong their conſciences in the thing whereof they were challenged: and as at their firſt appearing before the Committee of Eſtates they ſhewed themſelves ready and willing to give an accompt of their Doctrin and carriage in that particular, ſo (the Lord aſſiſting them) they would have been neither aſhamed nor afraid to have done it before the Parliament, if they had been called thereunto. That Mr. Robert Douglas and Mr. James Wood did ſo readily obtain their deſire, it was a token that they had power in that particular. That one of theſe Brethren came and acknowledged to theſe two kindneſs done in their behalf, is more then that Brother doth take with. He ſaith, that he came indeed to Mr. Rob. Douglas and ſaid to him, that he hoped to have no cauſe to repent of what he had done: but what, ſuppoſe both of them had come to both and done ſo? That which is leſs then juſtice and equity, to wit, a breaking off of oppreſſion and iniquity may be acknowledged by the oppreſſed for courteſie and kindneſs without hypocriſie and diſſimulation, and it makes no bad requital nor ſlander afterwards to tell the truth how far men were acceſſory to the oppreſſing and afflicting of them.
VINDICATION.
TO the Second particular, the Commiſſion in their Act and laſt Letter to Presbyteries, did reſtrain Presbyteries from Cenſuring any of them; they did not ſo much as deſire any of them to be refered or cited to the General Aſſembly for differing from them in their Reſolutions, but only ſuch as continued to oppoſe, Presbyteries cited but few, and ſome of them as will be found by the Regiſters of the Aſſembly, were choſen Commiſſioners to the Aſſembly, but was there not far more done in 48. did not the Commiſſion ſtir up all Presbyteries to cite all that were in the meaneſt degree of differing from them: Such viz. as were only guilty for ſilence and not ſpeaking with them, and to cenſure forthwith all that oppoſed: will the Writer therfore ſay that voycing in theſe matters was not free in that Aſſembly; if not, why then doth he uſe double weights?