The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 2 · Review 5 – Review 6
REVIEW.
I Shall ſay nothing of the charity he alloweth many, and of the perſwaſion that he hath of ſome, that they are far from doing any thing intentionally, or formally and directly intending to overthrow or wrong any of the Ordinances of JESUS CHRIST, ſetled in this Church, or the peace thereof; he hath reaſon to allow them that and ſomewhat more, but this allowance of his to ſome, doth leave others under a hard conſtruction, not onelyonly in regard of their work, but alſo in reſpect of that which is their formall and direct intention, another years proof of them, may haply force better thoughts both of their intentions & actions, in the hearts of ſome who now for along time have miſtaken them, becauſe they could not join in the Publick Reſolutions, which to them was to be found in the way of Egypt, and to drink the waters of Sihor; in the mean while they are comforted in this, that their own hearts doth not condemn them, neither in their intentions or actions, what he ſaith of a zeal, not according to knowledge and of miſtakes about midſes and of a good intention, that it is not enough to make a mans actions good or imitable by others; but that is to be conſidered, what good ground or reaſon they have for their courſe, and of the applying of common principles which are better known then made uſe of. In all theſe things I do agree with him, and wiſhes, that they may be bleſſed of God unto his Readers and all others. But let us come to examine the things whereby he endeavours to render the Profeſſions of the Proteſters ſuſpected, as not agreeing with ſome of their principles and actions; for making out of which, he deſires the Reader to compare the profeſſions made in the Narrative of the Proteſtation, with ſome late principle▪ of ſome that had hand therein, and theſe not of the loweſt note. Fir…, (ſaith he) they profeſſe, that while they live, &c. I acknowledge, that I have no great skill of School tearms; but I conceive, that when in this place he ſpeaks of the Ordinances in concreto, and as they are in actu exercito, actually exiſting, and as they are exerciſed in Judicatories conſtitute accordingly, he means not of every kinde of concretion and exerciſe of Ordinance quovis modo; for they may have an honeſt and honourable eſtimation of Ordinances, who bear teſtimony againſt the corruptions and mal-adminiſtrations of the abuſers of them; otherwayes theſe who have been moſt zealous and ſtraight-hearted for the Ordinances in all Ages, ſhould be found among the deſpiſers of Ordinances, and none more then many of the gracious Worthies of this Land, who were ready to lay down their lives for the Ordinances, and yet did bear publick teſtimony both againſt the corrupt conſtitution and corrupt Acts of Aſſemblies, and all male-adminiſtrations that were of any importance to the prejudice of the Kirk, or any of the Ordinances of Chriſt therein, which was ſo far from rendering their profeſſions ſuſpected, that it was a reall evidence of the truth and ſincerity thereof. But I think he means of ſuch a concretion and exerciſe of Ordinances, (though it had been fit to expreſſe it more clearly) as is agreeable to the rule of Gods Word, for ſo he ſeems to hint, when he ſayeth, as they are Judicatories conſtitute accordingly; and in this ſenſe the carriage of the Proteſters doth well ſtand with their Profeſſiors, in reference to the Ordinances. Having laid down this ground and diſtinction of Ordinances, not onelyonly in the abſtract and dogmate, but alſo in concreto, and as they are in actu exercito; he comes in the next place to give ſome inſtances of ſome practices of ſome of the Proteſters, in ſetting down of which he hath been very induſtrious, to gather and put together a bundle of ſuch things as he thinks may bring their Profeſſions in ſuſpicion and contempt; I ſhall not meet him with the like meaſure; if it were Chriſtian and ſeaſonable work, more haply might be holden forth of the practices, not of ſome only, but of many ſticklers for the Publick Reſolutions, that goes croſs their Profeſſion to the Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government of the Church of Scotland, then the Author can or will anſwer; but becauſe to recriminate, is not to anſwer, I come to the particular inſtances which he gives: The firſt is, their condemning Acts and Conſtitutions of the ſupream Judicatories of this Church. which he aggravates by many circumſtances. Firſt, that theſe Acts were moſt unanimouſly concluded. Secondly, that themſelvs were preſent, and did not contradict. Thirdly, that they were poſitively conſenting thereto by their Votes. Fourthly, that they condemned theſe Acts, not in a private way, but in a Remonſtrance, publickly emitted to the World, and preſented to the State. Fifthly, that all this was done, without having ſo much reſpect to theſe Judicatories, as firſt to have recourſe to them by ſupplication, and deſire to re-examine, or take to conſideration again theſe Acts and Conſtitutions. yea, refuſing to apply themſelves to them in ſuch a way, when adviſed and earneſtly preſſed thereto, as orderly, by ſome to whom they had communicated the deſign of the Remonſtrance. To all which I return, that the Argument taken in its ſtrength, doth not ſeem to conclude much for evacuating the Profeſſions of the Proteſters to the Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government of this Church, unleſſe we lay this for a ground, that whoſoever repreſents and remonſtrates his judgment againſt any one of the Acts of the Aſſembly of this Church, belyes the Profeſſion which he makes of reſpect to the Doctrine, Worſhip, Government and Diſcipline thereof. Secondly, the Aſſembly was not ſufficiently informed concerning theſe tranſactions with the King, but ſeverall important particulars which would have contributed much for clearing of the buſineſſe, were keeped up from, and not reported to the Aſſembly; to wit, the firſt invitation given to the King, the Act appointing him to be reſtored to the exerciſe of his power, the Kings Letters to James Graham, the Kings taking the Sacrament after the order of the Service Book kneeling, from an Epiſcopall Doctor, and an Iriſh Biſhop, notwithſtanding that he had ſigned the Treaty, and that interceſſions were made to him both by word and write, to forbear the bringing to ſea with the King all the Engliſh and Scots Malignants that were with him at Breda after the Commiſſioners had received the Letters and Acts both of Church and State, diſapproving the Treaty at Breda: The way how the King was induced to ſubſcribe the Covenant, and how immediatly before his taking it, being ready to land in Scotland, he was about to have made a Proteſtation, but that ſome of the Commiſſioners would not tender him the Covenant upon theſe terms. How lame the accompt was that was given to the Generall Aſſembly of that buſineſſe; ſome of the Commiſſioners confeſſion before the Commiſſion of the Church at Striveling after Dunbar doth bear witneſſe; it may be remembered that the Moderator then regrated, that the plain buſineſſe was not made known to the Generall Aſſembly, and that moſt of what was ſpoken in that debate at Striveling tended rather to clear the Gen. Aſſembly then to juſtifie the Treaty; and indeed theſe after diſcoverie; of hidden and ſinfully concealed truths, may plead for a fair conſtruction of what the Aſſembly did in approving their Commiſſioners proceedings, which belike they would not have approven if they had known all the truth: And do afford ſufficient ground for the Remonſtrators afterward to Remonſtrate them, without reflecting upon the Aſſembly or upon their own profeſſions of reſpect to the Doctrine and Government of this Church. Secondly, theſe acts were not ſo moſt unanimouſly concluded as the Author affirmes: It is true, that there was no Proteſtation nor open and plain diſſent by any member of the Aſſembly againſt them, but ſeverall members who had profeſt their diſ-ſatisfaction with that matter in private, when it came to be voted in Publick, they did ſo qualifie their Vote, that it did relate onelyonly to the approving of the diligence of the Commiſſioners, inſinuating that they were not clear to approve of the mater; I acknowledge that it was a weakneſſe that they did not plainly declare their minde (which ſome of them were requeſted to forbear) but this ſhews that there was not ſo great unanimity in that matter as he ſpeaks of: He is not ignorant that as that buſineſſe was from the firſt to the laſt raſhly tranſacted, and againſt the inclinations of the generality of the Godly in the land, whilſt they yet did ſee the King continuing in his oppoſition to the work of God, ſo alſo againſt the inclination of many in the Aſſembly, who yet could not find a ground to diſſent oppenly from that concluſion, becauſe of the fair repreſentation of the matter made to them. Thirdly, before the Remonſtrance was penned, there was palpable and clear diſcoveries of the hollownes of that tranſaction in Holland; the King had given Commiſſions to the Malignants to riſe in Armes, and had himſelf deſerted the Judicatories, and gone away to join with the Malignants, and ſeverall other things of that kinde were made known, before there was any meeting about the Remonſtrance, let be any concluſion taken upon it. Fourthly, there could not be any addreſs to theſe Judicatories by way of ſupplication, or otherwiſe to deſire them to reexamine, or to take to their conſideration again theſe Acts and Conſtitutions, becauſe the Gen. Aſſ. which (only by the Authors own acknowledgement) had power ſo to do, was not then ſitting, nor to ſit for eight or nine moneths thereafter; and the Lord having ſmitten us ſo ſore, as at Dunbar, and being ſtill threatning more wrath, it was no time to delay, nor dallie the repreſenting the grounds of his controverſie. Fifthly, when that Remonſtrance paſt, the Forces of the Weſt, were encloſed between the Engliſh Forces at Glaſgow, and thoſe at Carlile, and reſolved to lay down their lives in the defence of their Religion and Country, and therefore thought themſelves bound to exoner their conſciences in a free and plain way, and to leave that Teſtimony behinde them concerning the guiltineſſe of the Land, and the Judicatories thereof. Sixthly, that Remonſtrance was not the deed of ſome of the Proteſters onelyonly, but for the ſubſtance: Firſt, the deed of one of the beſt, and moſt famous Synods of this Church, and afterwards both for ſubſtance and words, the deed of a very conſiderable number of Officers, gentlemen and Miniſters, whoſe integrity and zeal for the Publicke Cauſe from the beginning was known and approven, not onelyonly to the Judicatories of Church and State, but to all good men throughout the Land. Seventhly, that as it is true, that theſe who came with the Remonſtrance to preſent it to the Committee of Eſtates, being required if they had any power committed to them to change any thing thereof, did plainly declare, that though ſome expreſſions might be changed, yet they had no power to alter any thing in the matter; So it is no leſſe true, that theſe who did require them, if they had any ſuch power, being told, that they had power to communicate the ſame unto them, before they gave it in to the Committee, and to take their advice and aſſiſtance therein, did not after the reading and hearing thereof, profeſſe any diſlike of the matter therein contained, much leſſe did they uſe any arguments to diſwade them from giving it in, which gave juſt ground to the other to think that they did approve thereof, they being men of ſuch ripneſſe of judgement, freedome, intimacy and friendlineſſe with theſe who gave it in, that they could not but look upon their ſilence as an approving of their way. Eigthly, let it be conſidered, whether the Remonſtrators, or theſe who were hugged by the Commiſſion of the Church, and the Meeting at St. Andrews and Dundee, was their beſt friends, and moſt forward for the Publick Reſolutions, are this day moſt tender of the Liberties of Church and State; the latter conſenting to all the demands of the preſent power, and the former every where refuſing, as to that which is ſaid to be proved by Mr. John Carſtares his Letter to the Lord Regiſter, how weakly is this alledged; Mr. John Carſtares was then a priſoner at Edinburgh, the Remonſtrators were at Dumfreis: the Remonſtrance was preſented at Striveling; he knew not ſo much as either matter or forme of the Remonſtrance till it was preſented, how then could he give advice therein? Or if his Letter was intercepted, how could that advice come to their hands that they might hearken thereto? If there had been any thing in that Letter that made for his purpoſe, why did not the Author cite the words of it after the intercepting thereof? It was ſhewed to Mr. Robert Dowglas, and diverſe others, and as it did then, ſo if it were needfull to make it publick, it would now prove, that there was nothing in it of which either Mr. John, or my Lord Regiſter needs to be aſhamed; and it would abundantly confute the calumnies of ſome, and correct the miſtakes of others, particularly in the thing for which it is alledged.
VINDICATION.
SEcondly, publick vilifying of Acts of the Generall Aſſembly, as not to be preſſed in matters of conſcience, witneſſe Mr. James Guthrie his Speach, uttered publickly in the Commiſsion at Striveling, where in conference upon the Weſtern Remonſtrance when the Moderator did once and again preſſe the Act of the Generall Aſſembly approving the cloſe of the Treaty with the King, and the Declaration of the ſame Aſſembly, emitted when the Engliſh Army entred the Land, againſt that part of the Remonſtrance, condemning the cloſe of the Treaty, he publickly anſwered, Preſſe me not with humane conſtitutions in matters of Conſcience; all that were preſent, who were many from ſeverall parts of the Kingdome, beſides Commiſsioners can well remember this.
REVIEW.
IF Mr. Ja. Guthrie be a vilifier of the Acts of the Aſſembly, he ſeems to be neither ſo ingenuous nor prudent as need were, for none hath pleaded more Acts of Aſſemblies in all theſe publick differences, and (for any thing I know) hitherto without any ſatisfying anſwer: as for that Speech of his, it was thus, in that meeting many Arguments being brought to confirm the Remonſtrance, in that point, relating to the Treaty, and ſome continuing ſtil to argue againſt the Remonſtrance in that particular; Mr. Ro. Ramſay ſummed up the arguments brought for ſtrengthening the Remonſtrance into a Sylogiſme, to which no reply was made, but the Authority of the Gen: Aſsembly was preſsed in the mean while: ſome godly and tender men, who were Commiſſioners for the Church in Holland, did publickly and with much weight of ſpirit, declare themſelves in the hearing of all the Meeting, that they by their miſtakes in that matter, did conceive themſelves acceſſory to all the miſery that was come upon Scotland, & that they deſired to repent thereof: and others having added ſomewhat concerning the ſmitings of their conſcience in that particular, it was replyed by one in the Meeting, where were all theſe tender conſciences at the Generall Aſſembly, and when he who made that Reply, and others did inſiſt in preſsing the Act of the Aſsembly, Mr. James Guthrie ſaid, you would ſtudy to ſatisfie the ſcruples of mens conſciences, otherwayes then by preſsing on them the Act of the Aſsembly: was this ſpeech thus circumſtantiate, a publick vilifying of the Acts of the Aſsembly. Let us take the words as the Author alleadges them, yet have they a very good meaning, becauſe humane Conſtitutions as ſuch do not binde the Conſcience, ne que enim cum hominibus, ſed cum uno Deo negotium eſt conſcientiis noſtris, ſaith a gteat Divine: and therefore unleſs men would ſtrain the words of their brethren further then charity or verity will allow them, there can be no weight laid upon theſe words for proving Mr. James Guthries practices to be contrary to his profeſsions: We ſhall finde the Author haply before the cloſe of this Vindication, going as great a length as this ſpeech will reach, in order to Acts of Generall Aſſemblies, and yet I believe he would think it hard meaſure to infer ſuch conſequences from his words.
VINDICATION.
THirdly, tumultuous deſerting and running out of the publick Judicatories of the Kirk, and threatning the ſame, becauſe of ſome matters carried therein contrary to their own mind, witneſſe their carriage at the Commiſſion in Perth, Novemb. 1650. where becauſe of that moderate ſenſe given them upon the Weſtern Remonſtrance, many of them did in a diſorderly way, deſert and leave the Commiſſion, never daigning to come to any meeting thereof afterwards; ſome of them as they were going out, threatning from an high place, with a loud voice and revenge flaming out of their eyes, in ſuch words as theſe, We hope well we ſhall get our day about of them yet.