The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 2 · Review 45
REVIEW.
WHat though it were true that the Commiſſion in their Act and laſt Letter to Presbytries, did reſtrain Presbytries from cenſuring any of them, yet what is that to contradict or refute what is alleadged by the Writer, That the Commiſſion did in their Warnings and Papers ſtir up Presbyteries to cenſure ſuch, and cite them to the Gen. Aſſembly: theſe are more evident truths then can be denied, and even that Act and laſt Letter doth verifie that point of the Alleadgance concerning the citing of them to the Aſſembly; which Citation as it did exclude theſe who were cited, from a Vote at leaſt in that particular; ſo was it (in the nature of it) apt to obſtruct the freedom of others in voicing. He tells us, they were but few who were cited: well then, ſome there were, yea many were cited; the Synod of Perth did at one Dyet, upon the accompt of that Letter, cite, not a few of their number who were preſent, and did direct Summons to others who were abſent; the Presbytry of Jeaburgh did cite three of their number; ſundry alſo in the Presbytery of Glaſgow, Chyrnſide and elſe-where were cited. He repeats again his diſtinction of ſuch as differed from Publick Reſolutions, and ſuch as continued to oppoſe them; the laſt whereof only, as he inſinuates, were cited. But to paſs by the diſtinction it ſelf, (which ſeems to teach men a way that doth not ſeem well to become the Miniſters of the Goſpel, h. e. to differ in ſuch things as concerns the judgement and practice of the people committed to their charge, in matters of ſpecial intereſt to the cauſe of God, and yet to be ſilent and ceaſe to give teſtimony thereof, either for their own exoneration, or information of their People (which was one of the deſires and overtures preſt upon the Miniſters of Sterling at St. Andrews) Who ſo will look upon the Commiſſions Paper March 20. will find that in reference to cenſure, it takes in, not only ſuch as continue to oppoſe and move contrarily, but alſo ſuch as move not at all or move ſlowly; as well theſe who are indifferent and neutral, as theſe who oppoſe, ſee Pag. 2. & 5. therof. That ſome of them were choſen to the Aſſembly, we have already cleared, how it was done, as alſo that which was done in the year 48. betwixt which, and that which was done in the year 51. there are many real and important differences formerly ſpoken of and cleared, and therefore doth the Writer uſe no double weights.
VINDICATION.
TO the Third Particular, concerning the Kings Letter, and the Commiſſioners Speech to the Aſſembly, there was not one word in them more or leſs for Puniſhing or Cenſuring any that Differed from the publick Reſolutions, but if any thing of that kind was deſired it was for oppoſing & weakning of the hands of the kingdom and ſtrengthning the hands of the Enemy joyned with expreſſions of earneſt deſire to endeavour by all fair means to gain all that differed, to unity: did this take away the freedom and liberty of voycing eſpecially conſidering this which was deſired was proponed by way of meer deſire, without any threatning or alurement to be byaſſed by mens voting, but that the honeſt Reader may be able the better to give his Judgment of this matter, he may reade the Commiſſioners Speech (the Coppie of the Kings Letter I have not, but both were to one purpoſe on the matter) ſet down at the end of this Paper faithfully as it was delivered, alwayes whatever was in the Letter, I dare affirm, that in that Aſſembly, there was as great freedom and liberty in Speaking and Voting about theſe Reſolutions in debate, as well as in any other, as well contra as pro, as was in any Aſſembly theſe years by-paſt, yea, more then was in ſome of them, wherein it was well known, that oftentimes to the grief of men in the Kirk, moſt eminent for Grace, Gifts, Gravity, and Experience, ſome who now unadviſedly accuſes this Aſſembly of want of freedom and liberty, have endeavoured to carry matters with a ſtrong hand, cutting down with ſharp reflections, and flouting ſuch as any wayes dared to ſpeak and vote in a different way from them, which (if report may be beleeved, ſome of them hath acknowledged in their late Confeſſions.) The Writer after the propounding of the Argument, meets with one Objection againſt it; We ſhall not ſtand upon the diſcuſſing of his Reply as it relates unto that Objection, but ſhall ſpeak one word to that which he chargeth upon the Kings Letter as inorderly and irregular. viz. That when as the Aſſembly had not yet medled with the publick Reſolutions, to condemn and reprove them, he ſhould have ſtirred up the Aſſembly to Cenſure ſuch as differed from them. Anſw. Beſides that as hath been already ſaid, the Aſſembly was not deſired to Cenſure any for differing from the publick Reſolutions ſimply. Firſt, It was not deſired that the Aſſembly ſhould cenſure them without any trying or approving of their reſolutions, nor was it deſired that the Aſſembly ſhould approve without due tryal, but the King ſuppoſing them to be right and juſt in themſelves, and that the Aſſembly upon due tryal finds them to be ſuch, deſired, that ſuch as had oppoſed them (howbeit it could not be but to the prejudice of the defence of the Cauſe and Kingdom) might be dealt with to be reclaimed, or if that could not be obtained, Cenſured. Secondly, Conſider what a caſe he was in then, he was obleidged by Treaty to follow the Advice of the Commiſſion of the Kirk in the intervals of Aſſemblies in matters Eccleſiaſtick, he had ſought and gotten then Advice in theſe matters queſtioned, and no men in Scotland were more earneſt to have that Condition in the Articles of the Treaty then they who accuſes him here: But it may be he ſhould have uſed his judgment of diſcretion upon any reſolutions given by the Commiſſion. I confeſs that is true, yet any man may perceave that the words in that Article of the Treaty are very peremtory and general in the later, for no more is ſaid, but that he ſhould follow the Advice of the Commiſſion; and it was well known when it was mentioned, that it ſhould be expreſly added, Agreeable to the Word of God, and Doctrine, and Conſtitutions of this Kirk: The Motion was oppoſed and ſtopped by ſome of the Accuſers: This I ſpeak not to ſay that he was bound to give blind obedience, but to ſhew that he was in a right tickliſh caſe here: But leaving this, the civil Magiſtrate being convinced in his Conſcience, upon good, true, and ſolid grounds of the Errour of ſome Doctrine, or Practice of ſome Miniſters which hath not been particularly determined in hypotheſi by the conſtitution of the Kirk, and of evil that they have done to the Publick in following it, may he not exhort one general Aſſembly being conveened even in the entry thereof, to Cenſure ſuch without praelimitation, or encroching upon the liberty and freedom of the Aſſembly in judging and voting upon it? I doubt if he may not, but ſuppoſe he cannot without encroaching and praelimitation active upon his part, yet ſure theſe can not prove the Aſſembly not free in Voting and Judging, unleſs there can be ſome evidence given of the impreſſion and effect of it on the Members in their Voting and Judging. A Judge may be tempted and ſollicited, and yet may be unqueſtionable, uncorrupted and free in his judging.