IT is neither to Anſwer the Clamours of thoſe, who Rail at the Scots in General, nor to Vindicate the Church or Nation in that part of Britain, againſt the Out-Cries and Complaints of the Epiſcopal Party, that this Tract is at this time made publick.

The firſt of theſe deſerves no Anſwer, being Noiſe without Ground, and Clamour without Fact, and will, as al • ſuch Furious Inconſiſtent Eſcapes generally do, die with Time. The ſecond needs no Anſwer, that Party being fully Anſwer'd, and fairly Silenced already, partly by the Conviction of their own Conſciences, and compleatly by the late Reverend and Worthy Doctor Rule Principal of the College of Edinburgh, in his Anſwer to five Pamphlets printed in b • half of the Epiſcopal Clergy.

But this Deſign ſeems to me equally neceſſary, both to the Proteſtant Intereſt in this Iſland, and to the general Peace which every good Man wiſhes and hopes for among us, and which, by the late happy Union, ſeems nearer in i • s Approach to us: And in order to which, I thought it a very uſeful piece of Work, to ſtate the Matter of Fact between the Church of Scotland and the Diſſenters there, and enquire into ſome things, in which the World has been not a little impoſed upon.

I do confeſs, when I came firſt into Scotland, I was in nothing more ſurprized, than in the Matter of the Diſſenters▪ I had, with the Generality of People in England, always believ'd, tho I had wiſht it otherwiſe, that the Epiſcopal Clergy in Scotland were intirely depoſed and ſuppreſt, perſecuted, and not permitted to keep up any Form of a Separation in Religious Matters.

And I think my ſelf oblig'd to enter into this Caſe, not only to do the Kirk of Scotland Juſtice, and defend her againſt her Enemies, but to defend her againſt her Friends: If a Rake or a Scoundrel ill- • reat me, I think it not worth my notice, 'tis below my Concern, he does it becauſe he is a Rake and a Scoundrel, and the Slander goes but a little way; But if a Man of Virtue, a Man of Senſe, a Man of Religion, if a good man cenſures me; I am concerned at it on a Twofold Account, 1. Becauſe his Miſtake will Wound me with other Good Men, and make the Slander be believed. 2. Becauſe I am willing to undeceive him, and prevent his Expoſing himſelf in his Reproaching me, of which, when it ſhall appear I am Innocent, he will be Aſhamed, and 'tis a Friendſhip to him, to prevent his Bluſhes.

That the Church of Scotland has carryed it with great Heat, and rigid Severity (to put it now in the ſofteſt Terms I can) towards the Epiſcopal Clergy Diſſenting from them, and Depoſed by them at the Revolution, is the Charge I have always met with againſt them: A • d this is not only publiſhed in Print, with Aggravations, Exclamations, &c. by their own Party, and that in ſeveral Pamphlets, and induſtriouſly ſpread over England, and which I eſteem worſt of all, it has paſs'd too much for granted, and been too much received and believed among the beſt ſort of People in England, Friends to the Conſtitution, and Friends to the Eſtabliſhment of Religion in that Kingdom, who, tho they do not take all for granted by whole Sale, which Noiſy and Cla • orous People have publiſhed, yet having never ſeen any Auth ••• ick Vindication, or Direct Anſwer to theſe Charges, are b •• ught to believe ſo much of it, as makes them entertain ••• uſtly a too mean Opinion of their Brethren in Scotland.

To undeceive ſuch, is worth any honeſt Mans while, and tho I am perfectly a Volunteer in this Work on all ſides, I am perſwaded the Church of Scotland, or the Reverend the Miniſters of that Church, cannot think it a needleſs Undertaking, to let them right in the Judgment of thoſe, with whom they are now more nearly joyn'd, and cl • ſſer allyed than ever, and to remove, as far as poſſible, all Cauſes of Jealouſy, Coldneſs, or Want of Charity between thoſe, who are ſo nearly knit both in Religious Rel • tion, as Proteſtants, and alſo in Civil Intereſt, as to Safety, Liberty, and Right.

The Honeſt, but pr • iudiced People in England, who have been impoſed upon, by the publick Cryes of Sufferings, Perſecutions, Cruelties, and Mercileſs Uſage of the Epiſcopal Party in Scotland, will, I doubt not, be pleaſed to be undeceived, and be glad to reſtore the Church of Scotland to their entire Charity and good Opinion, and to have that Damp removed, which they had, on good Ground, as they ſuppoſed, felt on their Thoughts, when they believed, that the Exceſſes pretended to had Truth enough in them to merit real Blame, and that the Warmth of Northern Zeal had carryed the Scots beyond that Moderation, which is the Beauty and Glory of the Proteſtant Religion, and which I doubt not to make appear, the Church of Scotland has given Reaſon to believe, ſhe at this time practiſes, and from the Revolution to this time has done as much as any Church in the World.

'Tis for theſe Reaſons I write, 'tis for the ſake of theſe this Book is publiſhed, 'tis to undeceive the Friends to Truth and the Lovers of Peace, to remove the Prejudices of thoſe that wou'd be inform'd, not of thoſe that ſeek to be impoſed upon, and hunt about for Subject to Cavil and Debate: 'Tis to clear up the Reputation of the Church of Scotland among her Friends, not among her Enemies, among the Friends to Religion in England, and among the Proteſtant Churches Abroad, • his is the Reaſon of this Work, and the Author profeſſes to have no other Deſign.

Not but that it may alſo ſerve to ſtop the Mouths of ſome People, who, with an Uncharitable Zeal, have rais'd a Cloud, and caſt Dirt on the Eſtabliſht Church of Scotland on this Account, and perhaps they may here find ſome Occaſion to alter their Meaſures, and, with reſpect to their own Reputation, change their Note; For it always weakens the Reputation of either Perſon or Party, to aſſert Falſhoods, to raiſe Stories, that muſt, if Examined into, appear to be forged, and contrived only to Defame.

Slander always flyes back upon the Head of the Slanderer, and firſt or laſt the Dirt he throws at others ſticks upon himſelf, at leaſt leaves ſome of the Filth behind it, when Time, Truth, and Innocence clears up the Reputation of the o • her.

When therefore theſe Sheets are a little read and conſidered in the World, I make no Queſtion, but ſeveral ſorts of People may find Occaſion to Bluſh: And I cannot have ſo little Charity, as not to hope they will ſuffer the Convictions of Truth in Fact, ſo far to prevail upon their Reaſon and Temper, as to cauſe them to deteſt the Practices of thoſe, who having not been able, by any legal fair Proceedings, to charge the Church of Scotland with any thing unbecoming her, as a Chriſtian, a National, or a Proteſtant Church, have thought to ſupply that Defect with the Aſſiſtance of moſt abominable Slanders, depending upon the Diſtance of Place and Darkneſs of Circumſtances, as Difficulties which would obſtruct the Diſcovery, and at leaſt concluding, it would ſerve a Turn for a Time, delude the Ignorant and Uninquiring Part of the World, and in general, help to make the Reformation and Eſtabliſhment in Scotland odious and contemptible; and thereby fix a Prejudice in the People of this Iſland one againſt another, a Temper they had ſo often Occaſion to make uſe of, and was ſo conſtantly ſubſervient to their Miſchievous Deſigns, that they could not fail always to reap ſome Advantage by it; Bad is that Cauſe, that flouriſhes only in National Confuſion, and that is always beſt propagated by Miſchief and Diſſention.

Nor could the Promoters of theſe things find a better Handle in the World to take hold of, in order to defame and render contemptible the Scots Presbyterians, than the Charge of Cruelty and Perſecution—. Perſecution is a Word particularly hateful among Proteſtants, as what every Proteſtant Church in the World has, firſt or laſt, been ſuffering under, and the Churches of this Iſland in eſpecial manner.—

When therefore they had gotten hold, as they thought, of this Matter, they ſeem'd fully ſatisfied, that they had the Reputation not of the Church of Scotland only, but of Presbyterians and Diſſenters in general, under Foot—. Firſt, To prove the Diſſenters in England were of perſecuting Principles, Cruel and Tyrannical, was the ready way to ruine all the Proſpects of joyning Intereſts in England between them and the Moderate Church Men, a thing the High Party foreſaw was coming forward, and which th • y knew, if it ever come to paſs, would ruine the High-flying Intereſt. And, ſecondly, Nothing could furniſh them with a more plauſible ground of Suggeſting this upon the Diſſenters in England, than firſt to charge it upon the Church of Scotland directly.

Thus the Charge upon the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, of being Tyrannical, of a perſecuting Spirit, and the •• ke, ſerv'd the High Church Cauſe in England a great many ways; And if we were to en • er into the ſecret Hiſtory of it, we ſhould find, that moſt of this Scandal was both formed in England, and calculated for purpoſes particular to that part of Britain: The ſeveral Pamphlets printed on that Subject were all printed in England, induſtriouſly ſpread ther •• and with as much Induſtry endeavour'd to be concealed in Scotland, the Service they were to do was in England, and they could in no wiſe be directly contradicted but from Scotland.

'Tis with Regret I am oblig'd to acknowledge this Arti • ic • ▪ of the Party has had but too much Succeſs, Firſt, To impoſe upon the eaſy and credulous People of their own Party, and poſſeſs them with a Belief of all the pretended Cruelti •• and Violences practiſed by the Presbyterian Church in Scotland upon the Epiſcopal Miniſters, &c.—And by conſequence fill them with prejudice againſt the Diſſenters in their own Country, as of the ſame Principle, and only wanting the ſame • ower to Exerciſe it.

Secondly, But this is not all, nor, had it been all, had this Piece been ever wrote, ſince the Miſchief had been but of ſmall conſequence, and among themſelves. But I cannot help obſerving, in the ſeveral Occaſions the World has had of late to ſpeak of Scotland more than uſual; this has taken too much root among even the Diſſenters in England, and theſe of them who have been the beſt Friends to Scotland, that they have been made to believe, there has been at leaſt too much Truth in the General Charge, and that really the Epiſcopal Party have been perſecuted and ſeverely treated.

Nothing has been more common, than, in talking of theſe things, to have the Honeſt People ſpeak with concern about it, and bring it out with an, I wiſh the Scots would uſe the Epiſcopal Party more gently, and the like, when they have been told it is otherwiſe, they would ſhake their Heads doubting▪ and return, I am afraid there is ſome Truth in it: And to this day, I believe I may ſpeak it without any Heſitation, the greateſt part even of the Diſſenters in England are of this Opinion▪ that the Presbyterian Church of Scotland to really cruſh, oppreſs, perſecute, and uſe hardly the Miniſters of the Epiſcopal Party.

And indeed, if we conſider the • tile of the ſeveral Pamphlets written on this Subject, the Aſſurance of the Authors, how poſitively they have aſſerted things; their ſtrange, yet frequent deſcending to particulars, which nevertheleſs were falſe in Fact, and how ſtrangely they have impoſed upon the World—And withal, that not any Man, in England at leaſt, has ever formally taken up this Cauſe, it is no wonder, that both Friend and Enemy have received Impreſſions, to the prejudice of the Church of Scotland, and have taken up an Opinion of the Truth of theſe things, as moſt certain, and not to be denyed.

Before I enter into the Matter of Fact, as it now ſtands in Scotland, I think it is very proper to quote a few of the particulars, which the People, of whom I have been ſpeaking, charge upon the Church of Scotland, and which they call Perſecution, which, firſt of all, cannot • e called Perſecution, if true: And, ſecondly, If they were to be called Perſecution, can, by no means, be lay'd to the Charge of the Church.

As, firſt, the Violences of the common People upon the Revolution.

2dly, The Depoſing the Miniſters.

As to the Violences of the Mob, I would, by no means, have Engliſh Men call that Perſecution, becauſe the Rabbles, in the Affair of the Revolution, were equally Violent in England, a • in Scotland, and promiſcuous in the perſons, both Church of England Rabble and Presbyterian Rabble, none of which can be accuſed by one another, nor were ever, that I remember, juſtifyed by either—But no Church Man ought to Exclaim againſt a Presbyterian Rabble, leſt the Papiſt double it upon him, with a Hiſtory of the Church Rabbles upon them, and they ſhould be diſtinguiſh'd by this unhappy Circumſtance, that, in Scotland, the Rabbles uſed Violence with thoſe, who had Murther'd their Fathers, Mothers, and near Relations, who had dipped their Hands in Blood, and had prompted and appear'd in the greateſt Barbarities, that any Age or Nation can parallel, and had thereby provoked them to the higheſt Degree; Whereas, in England, the Rabbles rifled, plundered, and inſulted the Houſes, Parks, and Lands of peaceable Gentlemen, who had been perfectly unconcerned in any of King James's Malverſations, and againſt whom they had no manner of Objection, but that they were Roman Catholicks, or as they call'd it in others, Diſaffected.

For this Reaſon, I would Adviſe the Gentlemen, that talk of this as part of the Perſecutions they complain of, to leave it out of the Liſt—and let it ly as an Accident of the Revolution, and an effect of the 〈…〉 a pr ••• ked People, in which Religion had no 〈…〉 • ut that power being given by the Circumſtance of the Time, theſe ſhewe • them the Reſentment of their Bloody Treatment, in a manner, however violent and unjuſtifyable, yet much ſhort of what they had really deſerved; and ſtill more ſhort of what they might reaſonably have expected.

Let all the Exceſſes of the Multitude therefore ly buried under the ſame Charity, Gentlemen, that covers your former Barbarous Treatment: And if they did not Piſtol in cold Blood; If they did not Ty the Women to Stakes in the Sea, and let the Tide Flow over them; If they did not Drag you out of your Houſes, and Shoot you, without giving you Time to Commend your Souls to GOD's Mercy; If theſe Things were not done, you ought to believe, none of the Poſterity of theſe poor Innocents, that ſo Suffered, were Alive to Revenge them; or that you had more Mercy from their Hands, than you had Reaſon to expect.

Theſe things therefore cannot be called Perſecution, and the Violences of the Rabbles of the Revolution ſhould be raz'd out of the Catalogue—. An Engliſh High-Church-Man ſhould not call it Perſecution, becauſe, at their Revolution, it was practiſed by them at Home: A Scots Epiſcopal-Man ſhould not, becauſe of the juſt Provocation his Party had given the Poor People to Treat them more Violently.

Again, if, by nice Diſtinctions, they ſhould chance to ſay, they have proved this to be Perſecution—. What's this to the Church? It might be done by Presbyterians of the Church; but it can never be ſaid, it was done • y THE PRESBYTERIANS as a Church: It was done by no Act of the Church, no, nor of the Government; nor did either the Church or the Government ever Approve, Juſtify, or Employ any of the Perſons—. 'Tis true, there was no publick puniſhing the Actors; neither did the Government in England puniſh, neither was it a time to puniſh thoſe Exceſſes: And particularly the Government in England thought fit, by Parliament, ſo far to bear with them, as to ſtop all Proceſs againſt Treſpaſſes, &c.

There is alſo another unhappy Circumſtance, that ſo • ffectually clears the Church of this Charge, that I cannot but wonder, the Party could ever make uſe of it as an Argument, or bring this Matter of Rabbling into the Charge: And that is, That theſe Tumults, Plunderings, and Driving away the Epiſcopal Miniſters, were all done and over, before there was any ſuch thing as a Presbyterian Church, I mean, eſtabliſh'd, or in any Power to Act as a Judicatory, or as a Body; So that, to charge the Church with this, is like Indicting a Man for a Murder committed before he was born.

I ſhall therefore take up none of my time here, to Vindicate the Church of Scotland from any part of this • harge; being what can, with no colour of Reaſon, put the leaſt Reflection upon her; and if it could, can, by no means, obtain the Name of Perſecution.

2. Depoſing the Miniſters—. This I think will hardly come under the Name of Perſecution, nor take up much of my time—. What little I ſhall ſay, will be perfectly new to what has been ſaid before, viz. If this Debate be entered upon, it will ſeem to me to depend upon the Original Conſtitution of the Church of Scotland from the Reformation, and ſo it will only remain to inquire, whether Epiſcopacy in Scotland was not an Uſurpation, and a Perſecution upon the Rightful Eſtabliſhment: And the Depoſing it only a Reſtoring the Presbyterian Church to its proper undoubted poſſeſſion: And this being a Point remote to my preſent Debate, I wave it here, not but that I ſhall readily enter upon that Queſtion too, as Occaſion may preſent, or when ever thoſe complaining Gentlemen pleaſe to require it.

Beſides, I think it is not ſo much the Depoſing the Miniſters, or E • ecting Presbytery in Scotland, which is the preſent Caſe in Debate, or which they complain of in the Word Perſecution; as the manner of doing it, and the Uſage of the Epiſcopal • lergy ſubſequent to it—. And that brings me directly to Matter of Fact.—

In purſuing which, I ſhall not ſo much deſcend to the particular Stories Affirmed in Print, the Falſhood of moſt of which are evidently detected by Doctor Rule, as aforeſaid: And in ſpeaking to which, I muſt be obliged to blacken a Party of Men, whoſe Infirmities and ill Conduct, I do not covet to expoſe to the World, unleſs otherwiſe forced to it.—

Nor would it be to the purpoſe here, to trouble the Reader with proving of Negatives, and Detecting the particular •• lſities of the All •• ations, which in Print have been put upon the World: And which will meet with their compleat Anſwer in the Method I have now choſen, and muſt require farther Documents or Vouchers to confirm them, than the Authorities which yet have been produced.

My Method therefore ſhall be, to give an Impartial Account of the general Proceedings of the Church of Scotland, in the Matter of Eſtabliſhing the Presbyterian Diſcipline, and Depoſing Epiſcopacy, together with their Behaviour to the Epiſcopal Clergy, thro' the whole Courſe of the preſent Eſtabliſhment; And tho the whole can be but an Abſtract or Abridgment, I mean as to Caſes; yet I make no doubt, it 〈◊〉 fully, and to all Impartial Obſervers of things, intirely vindicate the Church of Scotland from all the Aſperſions of her Enemies; and prove, that the Circumſtances conſidered, her Sufferings before the Revolution, and the Behaviour of the Epiſcopal Diſſenters ſince, being put all into the Account, the Conſequence will ſhow the Church of Scotland the moſt Moderate, the fartheſt from Perſecution, and the moſt Forbearing of any Eſtabliſh'd church in the World.

It could not be expected, but that, upon the Revolution, the Prelatic Tyranny would fall with the Regal; And, were it worth Examining into, it would be eaſy to prove, there was an Inevitable Neceſſity it ſhould do ſo, they being ſo effectually ſupported one by another, that they could not but ſtand and fall together.

That the conjunct Tyranny of both Church and State had Treated the Presbyterians with ſuch an Impolitic Fury, as muſt imply, they had not the l • aſt Apprehenſion of being ever pull'd down again by them, would be very evident, if I ſhould enter here upon a particular of all that Treatment, of all the Sufferings and Oppreſſions that People underwent; The exact Hiſtory of which, tho it be very much wanted in the World, yet I cannot think of entring upon it here, unleſs forced to it, in the juſt Defence of what is but hinted at in theſe Papers.—

Indeed the remote Idea's I had of theſe things, were ſufficient to have given me a Notion, that they had been h • rdly uſed; but I confeſs my ſelf amazed and ſurprized, when at my enquiring into Particulars, I find all the Exceſſes of Rapine, Violence, Blood, Cruelty, Torture and Barbarity, that any Age can ſhow for ſeveral hundred years paſt in the World, till at laſt it came to down-right Maſſacre; and the Souldiers had power given them, and frankly Executed it, to drag innocent people in time of full Peace, out of their Houſes, and murder them at their diſcretion; terrible Inſtances of which are to be given in ſeveral parts of the Kingdom.

If any man was to read the diſmal Stories of that Time, and making the Caſe his own, reflect upon what he ſhould have done in like caſe, when the Revolution put thoſe very people, into the power of ſuch, whoſe Blood they had dipt their Hands in, let him cenſure the enraged people if he can; in all their Rabbles, they only drove their Curats away, and perhaps plundered ſome of them; and was it not rather to be expected, when gotten together in a Tumultuary way, they ſhould have torn them to pieces, and ſacrificed them lege talione, to the Ghoſts of their murdered Relations?

However therefore I avoid entring into the Hiſtory of the Perſecutions and Butcheries, exerciſed by the people we are ſpeaking of, I cannot help ſaying here, that they are in their general View, a moſt direct Teſtimony of the moderation of the Presbyterians in Scotland; that when Eſtabliſhed, they contented themſelves with a bare Depoſing the thing, without bringing to Juſtice the perſons; among whom many of the Clergy would have been found Principals, nay, an • even in ſome places Actors, in a moſt unuſual and unaccountable manner.

But to come to particulars, I mean, as to Church Conduct, let us go back to the Revolution.

The Biſhops being Depoſed, and the Presbyterian Government of the Church being Reſtored and Eſtabliſhed in Scotland, one of the firſt things which the Aſſembly did, was to conſider of the planting Miniſters in the Church; and in order to this it was Debated,

1. Who were the people to be put out. And

2. Who to be put in.

As to the laſt, it is no part of the Subject here, nor at 〈◊〉 to the purpoſe: But as to the firſt, the Miniſters to be put ou • were of two ſorts.

1. Scandalous, Ignorant, and Immoral perſons.

2. Unqualified perſons.

As to the Scandalous and Immoral, I hope no body will call it Perſecution, that the Church of Scotland thought it her Duty to have them removed; and that her Aſſemblies diligently applyed themſelves to the Doing it; and yet even in the doing this moſt neceſſary piece of Juſtice to the Church, the Lenity, the ſpace given for Reformation, the paſſing by a great many, that in ſtrict Juſtice might have been Depoſed; theſe are ſufficient Teſtimonies that it was not a Spirit of Perſecution, Cruelty, or Severity, which acted the Aſſemblies, or which acted the Commiſſioners deputed by them, to Inſpect the Churches at that time; but a neceſſary Juſtice, a Debt due to the Churches Safety, and to the work of Reformation, and which they could with no tollerable Reaſon, either in Duty or Polity, have omitted.

If in the Depoſing of Miniſters who appeared Scandalous or Ignorant, the Party think fit to complain of Injuſtice and Oppreſſion, Partiality and Perſecution; and think fit to deſire me to Exhibit to the World, a Liſt of the Names and Circumſtances of the ſeveral Miniſters Depoſed, and the Charges againſt them; together with the Form how proved, and how in moſt places confeſſed; I am content, and ſhall on their firſt notice let the World ſee, who, and how many Miniſters have been Depoſed by the Church, and for what; & the Article of Perſecution, ſhall with all my heart turn upon the Merits of it; but if they would take my Advice, it ſhould be to let this be one of the laſt things they do, leſt it give the World too plain a Demonſtration of the abſolute Neceſſity the church was under to Reform the Miniſtry, and tell a little too plainly, what a ſort of Clergy they had to deal with.

The Depoſing Scandalous, Ignorant or Immoral perſons, therefore I believe will not be called Perſecution.

The whole Queſtion then muſt depend upon the ſecond Head, viz. Depoſing Miniſters for not qualifying themſelves according to Law; and tho' this is a direct Act of the State, and is the ſame in England, now practiſed by the very ſame High Church-Men that make this complaint; and I could be very merry with our High-flying Jacobit • Clergy, who have Qualified themſelves in England, and yet retain their Anti-Revolution-Principles—yet I wave that Advantage, and I am content to call it, ſo far as the Church was the immediate Inſtrument, I ſay I am content to call it the Act and Deed of the Church; becauſe giving them all the Latitude in their own way of arguing, however unfair, their confutation will be with the greater force, and the more Fatal to them.

The Government was no ſooner Eſtabliſht by the Revolution, & the Kirk Reſtor'd to her Judicatorial Authority, but her ſeveral Courts, as Seſſion, Presbytery, Synod, and Aſſembly took their courſes, and began to Act.

By the firſt Act of Parliament for ſettling theſe Matters, paſt June 7. 1690, Intituled, Act Ratifying the Confeſſion of Faith, and Settling Presbyterian Church Government, It is Ordained, That the General Aſſembly the Miniſters and Elders, ſhould have Power to try and purge out all Inſufficient, Scandalous, and Erroneo • s Miniſters, by due Courſe of Eccleſiaſtick Proceſs and Cenſures; But this Act no where Impower'd them to Cenſure any who were not Inſufficient, Scandalous, or Erroneous, tho they would not take the Oaths to the Government—. So that, by this Law, the Church could not be capable of Perſecution.

It may be objected here, That to be Epiſcopal, might be adjudged Erroneous by this Judicatory, and ſo come under the Church Cenſure, by Authority of this Act.

To this 'tis Replyed—. Firſt, In Fact, No Man was ever ſince the Revolution, Depoſed by the Church, meerly for being Epiſcopal, nor was any Proceſs ever commenc'd againſt any Man on that Foundation.

And here by the way, if this be true, as I can challenge the World to contradict it, I would humbly recommend it to thoſe Gentlemen, who are now in England raiſing Charities, and obtaining Contributions, pretending it is for the Relief of the poor Diſtreſſed Epiſcopal Clergy in Scotland, who are ſuffering Perſecution, to tell the World, what it is they are perſecuted for.

〈◊〉 the Gentlemen who beſtow their Charity, would do 〈…〉 require ſome Documents or Certificates of them, to 〈◊〉 ▪ the particulars; And eſpecially one exceeding buſy 〈◊〉 for thoſe Charities, and who ſtiles himſelf a perſecuted Epiſcopal Miniſter, whoſe Name may in time be made more publick, would do well to tell them, whether he was Deprived, which he calls Perſecution, for his Conſcience, or his Vice; for his Religion, or for his Morals; for Epiſcopacy, or • or Relapſe Fornication.

But, ſecondly, To put this out of Queſtion, it was particularly Declared by the Firſt General Aſſembly after the Revolution, viz. in the Sixth Seſſion in the Year 1690, That this Aſſembly will Depoſe no Incu • bents ſimply for their Judgment anent the Government of the Church, nor Urge Re-ordination upon them. Vid. Index of the Unprinted Acts of the Aſſembly, Seſſ. 6. 1690.

In the ſame Aſſembly, in their Inſtructions given to their Commiſſion, which was to ſit during their Receſs, we have theſe Words,

That they be very Cautious of receiving Informations againſt the late Conformiſts; And that they proceed in the Matter of Cenſure very Deliberately, ſo as none may have Juſt Cauſe to Complain of their Rigidity; And that they ſhall not proceed to Cenſure, but upon Relevant Libels and Sufficient Probation, Act 15th. Seſſ. 26th, Aſſembly 1690.

Again, leſt the Presbyteries ſhould be Raſh or Severe, the Commiſſion is Impowered as follows, That if they ſhall be inform'd of any precipitant Procedure of the Presbyteries in ſuch Proceſses, to Reſtrain them. Vid. the ſame Act as above.

If then they were thus Moderate even in Scandalous Things, and Declared againſt proceeding in Caſes meerly Epiſcopal, where ſhall we find the Article of Perſecution?

'Tis true, That, in the Year 1693, an Act of Parliament was made to Deprive all ſuch Miniſters, as would not both Swear to the Government, and Acknowledge the Church Government alſo, and the Confeſſion of Faith—. But the Occaſion of this Act is Viſible to all that know the Affai • s of that Time—, that it was paſt to ſatisfy the Minds of the People, who were exceedingly Diſturb'd▪ at the Churches having been Inſulted in the Aſſembly 1692, by a general Formula procured by the Epiſcopal Clergy, together with their Appeal to the King on a Refuſal: And the Aſſembly being abruptly Diſſolved, or Diſmiſſed ſine die, which put the Nation into a very great Fermentation.

Yet, upon this Act, I may challenge the Epiſcopal Clergy to ſhow me one Miniſter, that ever was Depoſed for not acknowledging the Church, if at the ſame time he offered to acknowledge the Government, and take the Oaths, and they have been often challenged on this Head.

And to confirm this Lenity of Practice by a Law, that Famous Act of Parliament was made in the Year 1695▪ wherein taking the Oaths to the Government is made the Onely and Fully Sufficient Qualification, and all Miniſters that would ſo Qualifie themſelves are continued. As may be ſeen at large by the Act, Intituled, Act Concerning the Church, Anno 1695.

This very Act of Parliament, if I were to go no further, effectually clears the Church of Scotland from the charge of Perſecution; ſince 'tis plain there was no religious Tenet in diſpute, but a civil Queſtion of owning or not owning the Government.

It was by this Act of Parliament taken quite out of the power of the Church, to Depoſe any Man meerly for being Epiſcopal in principle, or for refuſing to owne the Presbyterian Church; nay the Epiſcopal Clergy who, by virtue of this Act, remain in their Livings, many of them to this day, refuſe to acknowledge the Church, to ſubmit to any of her Judicatories, or to joyn, either in Diſcipline or Worſhip; and yet in all their Affronts of the Eſtablish'd Church, they continue in their Paroches, preaching and uſing all their Formalities; however, contrary to the inclinations and deſires of the people, who in ſome places are fain to ſet up Meeting-Houſes in their Paroches, and be at the charge of Entertaining a Presbyterian Miniſter as a Diſſenter, to preach to them, becauſe they cannot bear the Fopperies and Oppoſition of their paroch Miniſter.

I would fain have thoſe people that cry out of the perſecution of the Epiſcopal Clergy, go to ſome of theſe Paroches, and ſee this uncouth Jeſt, where the perſecuting eſtabliſh'd Church is fain to ſubmit to a Meeting-houſe, and the perſecuted Epiſcopal Clergy-man inſults them from the pariſh-Church, and keeps both the Pulpit and the Stipend, in ſpight of them all.—Here is the eſtabliſh'd Church turn'd Diſſenter, and the Diſſenter made the Incumbent; the Perſecutor become the perſecuted, and per contra the perſecuted made the perſecutor. But of this more preſently.

The Churches power to perſecute, being thus limited by Act of Parliament, it remains to Examine, in what manner ſhe has Exerciſed that Power ſhe had; for in this Article muſt ly the Matter of this Charge, or they muſt have more than a ſpirit of Divination that can find it out.

In order to this, I muſt enquire what this Power they had was, and that is a very ſhort Queſtion—Their Power, 'tis plain, was only againſt ſuch Miniſters who were Scandalous, &c. as before, or would not take the Oaths to the Government, nor pray for King William and Queen Mary.

Whether they were, or were not abſolutely bound up to Cenſure all ſuch as would not thus qualifie themſelves, is a Queſtion I ſhall ſpeak to hereafter.

It follows to Examine how the Church has Executed this Power; and whether Lenity or Severity has been her Temper in the caſe; and to ſtate this, as clearly as poſſible, I muſt make the Gentlemen one fair propoſal.

Before I entred upon this Work, I have not only ſearched into all the publick Records of this Matter, which I could have Acceſs to, but have made as ſtrict Enquiry, as poſſibly I could, of the moſt Impartial and Unbyaſs'd Perſons, for any particular Caſe, wherein any Excurſion might have been beyond this Power, or wherein the Charge of Perſecution might ly—. And having done this with the utmoſt Impartiality, and not being able to find any thing; and having not the Honour to be Acquai • ted with any of the Depoſed Clergy, who might have furniſh'd me with ſome of the particulars; I cannot but earneſtly intreat ſome of theſe Reverend Gentlemen, who have ſuffered under theſe ſevere Perſecutions, to tell the World what they are, and wherein the Church of Scotland has, either exceeded her Limited Power, or indeed fully exerted it in any Caſe, ſo, as to deſerve the black Charge of Perſecution; Aſſuring them, that if I could, by all my Search and Inquiry, tho now upon the Spot, have found out but one Inſtance, in which the Church had thus perſecuted them, or any of them, I would never have wrote one Line in her Defence.

Perhaps, it may be alledged here, That Impoſing Oaths upon the Miniſters, who, thinking themſelves bound by former Oath • to their late King, could not in Conſcience comply with them, is Perſecution; eſpecially when it is conſidered, that this Impoſing the ſaid Oaths was enforced, on pain of Deprivation; And the Scruples of theſe Oaths, in many, who could otherwiſe have complyed, being meerly conſcientious, to deprive them on that Account, is Perſecution in the Abſtract, being Perſecution purely for Conſcience ſake.

In Anſwering this, which is the moſt material thing can be ſaid, I muſt make ſeveral Remarks.

I. Really Gentlemen, ſpeaking to the Complainers in the South; thoſe of the Clergy in Scotland, who are perſecuted at all, are only perſecuted on this Account: And therein two things will follow:

1. That all the Diſſenting Clergy in Scotland are Jacobites, and ſuffer only for refuſing to take the Oaths to the Government.

2. That really the—Jacobite Clergy in the North of Britain, are much Honeſter Men than their Brethren in the South; ſince thoſe univerſally have ſuffered Deprivation and Loſs of their Livings for their Principle: But, in the South, Hundreds retaining, in their Equivocating Way, their Loyalty in Principle to their Abdicated King, have Loaded themſelves with Oaths, Abjurations, and every thing the Government has thought fit to lay upon them; And yet, on all Occaſions, Act againſt that very Government they Swear to—Publickly Pray for King William and Queen Mary; and now for Queen Anne—And Privately for King James, both Father and Son: Drink Queen Ann's Health and King James the VIIIth's Alternately, or Occaſionally, as ſuites their Company: Theſe are a ſort of Hypocrites equally Deteſted by both Parties, and equally Dangerous to both. But of this by the way.

II. If the putting theſe Gentlemen out of their Livings be a Perſecution, then the Church and Government in England have been as guilty of Perſecution, as the Church and Government in Scotland; ſince all the Clergy in one, as well as in the other, were depoſed, and turned out, who would not take the Oaths: And the High Church-Men, who have joyn'd themſelves to the Church of England, and conſequently made themſelves Parties to that kind of Perſecution, ought, by no means, to call it ſo in Scotland, unleſs they are content to ſhare the Scandal.

III. The Diſſenters in England, even under all the Advantages of Tolleration, are as much perſecuted as the Epiſcopal Clergy in Scotland; ſince not one of their Miniſters can Preach, (the Quakers excepted) without taking the ſame Oaths; And not only ſo, but ſigning the Confeſſion of Faith of the Eſtabliſh'd Church, a few ſmall Proviſo's for their particular Principles only excepted.

Laſtly, All this Perſecution, if it can be called by that Name, is the Act and Deed of the State; 'Tis a Debt to the publick Peace, 'tis the neceſſary Conſequence of the Revolution, and of the Aboliſhing Epiſcopacy, things wholly National, Antecedent to the Church Settlement, and not at all the Act or Concern of the Church of Scotland, nor can it be brought as part of a Charge againſt them.

I come now to Examine, how the Church has Extended and Exerted the real Power ſhe has, and how far ſhe has proceeded in the very Execution of the Law; And if I do prove here, That ſhe has been ſo far from enforcing theſe Laws, or putting forth her Power in Extremities or Severities, that ſhe has rather neglected her own Safety, ſuffered her ſelf to be imperfectly ſettled, her Power contemned, her Miniſters inſulted, her Acts of Aſſembly ſlighted, and her Diſcipline diſregarded▪ And this only, becauſe ſhe was loth to puſh things to Extremities, loth to make Examples, loth to uſe Severities, and willing, as much as could conſiſt with Government and Safety, to ſpare, bear with, and deal gently with thoſe, who, in their Power, ſhew'd her no Favour▪ and even, under this Treatment, ſhew her no manner of Reſpect—, If▪ I ſay, I prove this, I think I ſhall effectually clear her of the Slander, ſo induſtriouſly ſpread abroad, and ſo poſitively aſſerted, of her being of perſecuting Principles: And if I do not prove this, I do nothing.

I confeſs, this will drive me to the Neceſſity of Expoſing ſome of the Names of theſe Gentlemen, who, by this Connivance and Lenity of the Church, peaceably enjoy, tho I cannot ſay they gratefully acknowledge it, thoſe Benefices and Livings which they had, by their other Circumſtance, Forfeited to the Laws; But the neceſſary Defence of Truth obliging me to it, thoſe Gentlemen muſt blame their Friends, who have made this unhappy Neceſſity, not me, who, I aſſure them, have no perſonal Grudge either at them, or at the Connivance granted them, and only wiſh they would, in a more peaceable and reſpectful manner, enjoy it.

The Liſt of Names contains two Ranks or ſorts of People, and either of them are Teſtimonies of the publick Moderation, one of the Government, and one of the Church in particular; and both of them will ſerve to make the Complaint of Perſecution and Severities look very odly.

The Liſts are twofold, and not to interrupt the Thread of Diſcourſe, I have plac'd one of them by way of Appendix at the end of this Book; I have forborn abundance of Reflections, and juſt Remarks on the • ircumſtances, and particular Conduct of the Gentlemen named there: Not that I am ignorant of the particulars, and ſhall, at any time gratify them with neceſſary Comments upon them, if they deſire it—, But to let them ſee, that even, in this Account, I forbear to expoſe them farther, than the neceſſary Defence of the Caſe before me calls for; and I am very ſorry they have done any thing to bring this upon them.

By the firſt Liſt which I have not printed, but in the publick Regiſters any one may ſee it, it will appear, that there are now Preaching, and poſſeſſing their reſpective Pariſh Churches, above threeſcore Miniſters, who were profeſtly and openly Epiſcopal; but, on their ſubmitting to, and acknowledging the Presbyterian Eſtabliſhment, were received to Miniſterial Communion, and many of them are now worthy Members of the preſent Church; by which one thing will be unanſwerably proved.

viz. That not one Epiſcopal Miniſter, in the whole Kingdom of Scotland, has been Depoſed for his Principle; That is, not for his being Epiſcopal, or for his Non-conformity to the eſtabliſh'd Presbyterian Church, but meerly for Jacobitiſm, for his refuſing to own the Government, and acknowledge the Queen; ſince, would he have taken the Oaths, and prayed for the Sovereign, it was not in the Power of the General • ſſembly, which is the Repreſentative of the Church, to depoſe or perſecute them at all.

I know this will be a ſurprizing thing to abundance of Honeſt People in England, who hitherto have had other Notions; and I cannot but deſire them to conſider,

1. How impoſſible it is to be true, that the Church of Scotland ſhould perſecute the Epiſcopal Clergy for their Non-conformity, when, by Act of Parliament, it was not in their Power to moleſt or depoſe any Miniſter, however Epiſcopal in his • rinciple or • ractice, if he would but take the Oaths to the Government, and pray for the King or Queen; and when it was in their Power, they reponed all thoſe that would come in.

2. This clears the • ivil Government alſo, from being any way cruel, ſevere, or perſecuting to the Epiſcopal Clergy; ſince all they required, was only Conformity to the Civil Magiſtrate, and Complying with the Laws of the Land—. And in this Caſe, it would be worth notice alſo, how different the Terms of this Conformity were in this Government, from the like Terms of Conformity in the Times of Epiſcopal Government —. In this the Penalty of Refuſing was only Deprivation of their Benefices in the • lergy, and in the Laity nothing at all; in thoſe Days, Baniſhment, Impriſonment, and Death at the Mercy of every Soldier, was the Lot not of the Clergy only, but of every Perſon, and many have been murdered in cold Blood, without Mercy, for refuſing not only to ſwear to the King, but only for refuſing to ſay, GOD Save the King.

I know the poor People are branded here with Weakneſs and Obſtinacy—. But two things ſeem to be a preſent Anſwer to that,

1. Theſe were but a few, and thoſe of the meaneſt and weakeſt of the People.

2. The weaker the People, the more cruel and barbarous the Severity of thoſe times, that ſhould put them to Death for ſuch Trifles, taking them by the Handle of their miſtaken Nicety.

3. It is evident, it was only taking Advantage of the Zeal of a People, which run beyond the Bounds of Reaſon—. Since, if they had not had that Handle, they would have ſought ſome other: And it was plain, that where they found the People complying with thoſe Demands, they 'ſcap'd not the better, but they always found Pretences to murder them.

4. The poor People are not ſo much to be blam'd, ſince they underſtood, GOD Save the King, was, to pray GOD to proſper the King in the Perſecution of their Brethren.

'Tis farther confirm'd, That the Civil Government has not perſecuted, or been cruel or ſevere to theſe Gentlemen; ſince not only they continued all the Miniſters, that would give but the Security of their Oaths for their peaceable Behaviour, a thing no Government in the World would diſpenſe with: But, ſince that, the Treatment of thoſe that have been Depoſed has been ſuch, ſo Gentle, ſo Tender, and ſo Forbearing, as I believe, all Circumſtances conſidered, no Nation in the World can parallel; Of which, and their Behaviour to the Government, under that Lenity, I may ſpeak by it ſelf.

And I cannot but recommend the Gentlemen, Who are Complainers here, to Her Majeſties Anſwer to the Depoſed clergy, who Addreſſed, in the Beginning of Her Reign, for their Liberty, viz. To behave themſelves peaceably, and ſubject themſelves to the Government; Which, however ſome of them were willing to conſtrue as a Declaration of Liberty, and to uſe it in a different way from Her Majeſties Intention, they might have found more Reaſon, had they Judged Impartially, to have taken for a Reproof of their unpeaceable Behaviour, and ungrateful Temper to the Government, which had ſo Gently Treated them.

Again I obſerve, as this effectually clears the Government of Scotland from the Charge of Perſecution; So the Second Liſt will, with much more Reaſon, and no doubt, to the Aſtoniſhment of a great part of the Engliſh Nation, who ſhall read it, abundantly clear up the Reputation of the Church of Scotland, from the Horrid Slander of Perſecution▪ being an Account of 165 Epiſcopal Miniſters, muſt of whom have neither complyed with the Church nor with the Government; have neither ſubmitted to the Presbyterian Eſtabliſhment in Diſcipline or Church Government, nor qualified themſelves as by Act of Parliament is required, that owne neither Civil Government nor Eccleſiaſtick; that neither pray for the Queen, nor Swear to the Queen, nor acknowledge either Queen or Church; and yet by the meer forbearance of the Church, are now peaceably enjoying their Benefices, Stipends, and Appurtenances, preach publickly to the people, and live in the open profeſſion of the moſt oppoſite Principles to the Eſtabliſhment.

Would any Man that knew all this, have the face to ſay, this is a Perſecuting Church? would any Church in the World that had a legal and National Eſtabliſhment, ſuffer, in defyance of her Authority, and in contempt of her Eſtabliſhment, what this Church ſuffers, and what in meer backwardne • s to perſecution ſhe bears with?

Perhaps it may be ask'd here, What is it ſhe bears with? and I know great Noiſe is made, that the Episcopal people here are not ſo different as in England from the Preſbyterians, having no Service-Book, Habits, or Ceremonies; and therefore the things they bear with are but Trifles, and the Moderation the leſs to be inſiſted on.

But this is not ſo eaſie to make good as to ſay, for 'tis not the meer Articles of Ceremony & Habits that make the wei • ht of the Difference in England, any more than here; and if the Difference is but a Trifle, the Argument is ſtronger againſt thoſe who for Trifles divide from the eſtabliſh'd Church, than againſt the eſtabliſh'd Church who expect their Conformity.

But 'tis evident, let the differences in Religion be what they will, the difference here lyes chiefly in Civil Matters▪ all their Qualifications depending upon Swearing to the Government; ſo that it is not ſo much Presbytery and Epiſcopacy which is the Diſpute, as it is Liberty and Tyrrany. King William and the Revolution, or King James and Arbitrary power, Queen Anne and the Proteſtant Succeſſion, or an abdicated Race, and French Tyranny.

And yet be ſides this, theſe unqualified Miniſters with whom the Church thus behaves, and with whoſe Inſolency ſhe bears in ſo many Articles—Differ in many Things, which no eſtabliſhed Church in the World that I have ever read of, would allow or connive at.

And to deſcend a little to particulars, it may be obſerved, that they, I mean generally ſpeaking, in all, or moſt part of the following particulars are conſtantly omitting.

I do not ſay every one of them are guilty of all theſe Omiſſions—. But all are guilty of ſome of them; ſome of all of them; and others of more than theſe—. And to this may be added, that they are univerſally declar'd Jacobites, and profeſſed Enemies to the Proteſtant Succeſſion.

Would any Man now imagine, that this hot, furious, perſecuting Church of Scotland, under whom ſuch cruel Sufferings and barbarous things are complain'd of, ſhould bear with Miniſters, and continue them in their Livings, • ay and ſome of them very good Livings too, meerly in Tenderneſs, and Backwardneſs to the thing called Severity? Is this Perſecution! Bluſh, Gentlemen of the Epiſcopal Clergy, for theſe People, who have thus officiouſly expoſed you; and if you have any Honeſty, and Gratitude, any Senſe of Kindneſs upon you, do Juſtice to thoſe, who, in ſpight of all your publick owning your own Principles, and diſowning theirs, forborn to obey even their known Conſtitution, and have declined puſhing things to Extremity upon you, in hopes your Diſcretion would, one time or other, bring you to owne their Government, or at leaſt acknowledge their Civility, Charity and Compaſſion to you.

I might here give a Liſt of Miniſters, who having been Depoſed or ſuſpended by reſpective Presbyteries, or by Commiſſioners appointed to Inſpect, have yet, by the Tenderneſs of the Church in the Commiſſion of the Aſſembly, been reponed, and placed in their Livings again, only upon feigned Submiſſions, Promiſes of Conformity to Diſcipline, Lecturing before Sermon, and the like; and yet, as ſoon as re • plac'd, have renounced thoſe Submiſſions in Practice, return'd to their former Omiſſions, left off Lecturing, re-aſſumed their little Formalities, and profeſs'd themſelves openly Epiſcopal, and yet the Church has taken no Advantage againſt them.

I might, as I hinted before, give a Liſt of Miniſters, whoſe open Omiſſion of Diſcipline, Lecturing, and all manner of Church Order, together with their Slackneſs, Meanneſs, and Formalities in their Performances, are ſo perfectly diſagreeable to their People, that they are obliged to get Presbyterian Miniſters to preach in Meeting-Houſes like Diſſenters among them, and yet the Church bears with all this, rather than perſecute them—. But I omit theſe things, till I am farther neceſſitated to expoſe them; but they that queſtion the Fact may inquire about Mr. Patrick Lyon at Kinghorn, and Mr. John Anderſon late at Dyſert▪ &c. and at ſeveral other places, where they may be fully ſatisfyed of moſt of the particulars.

I come now to the Treatment thoſe really called Diſſenters, thoſe who are actually Depoſed meet with from the Church, and this will almoſt force me to enter a little into a long and black Account of the Treatment the Church meets with from them, in which I ſhall however be very tender, being unwilling to expoſe any Bodies Frailties more than meer neceſſity forces me to.

I doubt not, but if I ſhould ſay, that theſe Diſſenting, Epiſcopal Miniſters, who are thus Depoſed, do, now and then, take the Liberty very privately to preach, it would, with ſome Wonder, and more Difficulty, be believed in England, where the general Opinion is, ſo ſtrangely have People been Impoſed upon, that they are intirely ſuppreſt, that they dare not meet or exerciſe any Religious Worſhip; that they are dayly inſulted by Mobs, and purſu • d by the Seſſion and Presbyteries, meerly for ſerving GOD according to their Conſciences.

But how will theſe People behave themſelves? How will ye be amaz'd to think in what manner you have been impoſed upon? And how eaſily you have ſuffered your ſelves to be abuſed? When I ſhall aſſure you, that not one Word of all this is true; When I ſhall tell you, that the Epiſcopal Party in Scotland enjoy at this time, and have done for ſeveral Years, all the Liberty which the Diſſenters in England do now enjoy, and that with Conditions vaſtly differing.

Iſt, They have their full Liberty by the meer Lenity and Forbearance of the Government, which in England could never be obtained but in little Intervals, but by Act of Parliament.

2. They have the ſame Liberty, tho they not only refuſe to take the Oaths, but refuſe to ſign the Doctrinal Articles of the Confeſſion of Faith, tho even the Church of England owns them to be all Orthodox, a thing the Diſſenters in England are not permitted in, no not by the Act of Tolleration.

3. They enjoy this Liberty, notwithſtanding they openly, and in their publick Aſſemblies, not only omit praying for the Queen, but ſome of them actually and diſtinctly pray for their James the VIII, and for his Reſtoration, which is not only praying for a Popiſh Prince, but praying GOD to depoſe or cut off Her preſent Majeſty, and Affront ſo horridly Impious, and ſo Offenſive to all Her Majeſties Subjects, that one would wonder the moſt Moderate Principle in the World could bear with it.

And what will you ſay now Gentlemen of the High Church in England? When I ſhall tell you, there are now fourteen or ſixteen of theſe Meeting-Houſes in the City of Edinburgh, juſt in the Face of the General Aſſembly of the Church, and in the Eyes of the Government, and that in any Town or place in the Kingdom, where they have Hearers, they have the ſame—. That in ſome of theſe, they have newly ſet up the Common Prayer Book, a thing in the Heighth of Epiſcopacy they never attempted, and which even the Epiſcopal Party in general were never reconciled to—. And that, in not one of theſe Meetings, that ever I heard of, the Queen is pray'd for by Name, but in ſome directly they pray for the King, which muſt mean their James the VIII, or worſe, and in others they pray in ambiguous Words, ſuch as THE QUEEN, or the ROYAL FAMILY, and if I am not miſinformed, in ſome for King James the eighth in ſo many Words.

'Tis true, that in theſe open Inſults both of Government and Church, they have in their Turn, met with ſome few Oppoſitions from the people who have been provoked at ſuch Indignities done to their Sovereign, and to the Government in the face of the Sun; and theſe little Rabbles they would call Perſecution—and yet even in theſe caſes the Government has carefully ſuppreſt the Tumult, and voluntarly made Reparation to private Families, for the Damnages they have pretended to have ſuſtained, and that often beyond the real Spoil, tho' at the ſame time their own Imprudent and provoking Carriage has been the principal Occaſion of theſe Damnages; and this is evident in the City of Glaſgow in particular, the only time they can talk of, where the Rabble aſſaulting a Jacobite Conventicle, or Epiſcopal Meeting, For there is very little difference between them at any time, and leſs there, than on moſt Occaſions, the City payed the Owner of the Houſe ſeveral hundred pounds ſterling, for the ſuppoſed Damnage he received; Which in all appearance ſo far exceeded his Loſs, that 'tis no breach of Charity to believe, he would be pleaſed to have his Houſe Rabbled once a Week at the ſame price.

Nor would I have any High-flying Church of England Man inſiſt upon this ſort of • erſecution, I mean the common people Rabbling the Meetings of the Jacobite Diſſenters, ſince even in this kind alſo the Diſſenters in England have ſuffered Perſecution from them, and leſt I ſhould ſend them for the particulars to Ludlow in Wales, Penſans in Cornwall, and ſeveral other places, where the Meeting-Houſes ha • e been either pulled down when built, or the perſons obliged to convert the Building and the Ground to other uſes.

Behold now, Gentlemen, in the South, the Cruelties and Severities, the Perſecutions, and furious Deaſings of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, and where is the Sufferings of the Epiſcopal Clergy now? where are the Martyrs of that number? what are the ſufferings, of which one of our Pamphleteers ſays, They exceed the Dragoonings in France.

But I am told, there is a remaining Objection yet behind, viz. That even theſe Diſſenting Miniſters that have been put out for not taking the Oaths, are perſecuted, and proſecuted for the private Exerciſe of their Function as Miniſters, and for that, have been ſeverely treated.

I am ſorry to be driven to the Neceſſity of telling ſuch unhappy Truths, which I wiſh were concealed; I mean of ſuch practices as will not reflect upon the Parties we ſpeak of only, but upon the whole Proteſtant Body of Chriſtians in the World; And therefore I entreat the Gentlemen not to oblige me to publiſh the particulars in Vindication of the Church, who would be unaccountably negligent, and even their Enemies themſelves would Reproach them with it. If ſuch things as are not fit to be Nam'd among Chriſtians, ſhould have been ſuffered to be practiſed by Miniſters of the Goſpel, and they that had a Power and Right of Judicatory, ſhould have been ſilent in it, for fear of the ſcandal of Perſecution.

And ſhould I here enter only into an Enquiry about the Inceſtuous Marriages, the frequent marrying Men to other Mens Wives, and Women to other Womens Husbands; or in ſhort, a general Joyning together perſons as Man and Wife, without either Publication in the Church, which is the general Law of the Nation, or ſufficient Information of Circumſtances, which in common prudence and Defence of their own Reputation, they might be ſuppoſed to do—. If theſe things I ſay, and the Miſchiefs that have followed, ſhould be brought on the Stage, to juſtifie the legal Proſecutions the Church has made on that account, it would make ſad work in the Characters of the perſons. The Gentlemen therefore muſt not pretend to call it Perſecution; the omiſſion of which would have been an In-let to all manner of Adulteries, a • i • enc to the moſt ſcandalous Vices, and a general Gate of Deſtruction to Families.

Excepting therefore ſuch ſcandalous Practices, which the Church of Scotland could by no means avoid purſuing, and detecting; How often have theſe Gentlemen been challeng'd to produce one Inſtance of any Miniſter, who has been perſecuted or proſecuted meerly for preaching in a Meeting, or f • r any part of his Miniſterial Office, which he has Executed, however contrary to Law, if not circumſtanced alſo with ſomethi • g ſcandalous and intollerable.

Their lawful Marriages are not at all controverted; and if due Publication be made according to Law, that Inceſts and Adulteries may be prevented, they have not been prohibited to Marry; They Baptize, and that without the Parent ſubjecting himſelf to neceſſary Examination, & yet the Church bears with it, and ſcruples none of their Baptiſms, nor Re-baptizes any.

They Marry contrary both to the Civil and Eccleſiaſtick Conſtitution, without publication of Bannes, Proteſtants to Papiſts, and Papiſts to Proteſtants in the moſt Clandeſtine manner, and ſome have been detected of thoſe Practices, and perhaps may call it Perſecution; but I ſuppoſe they would be • ath to have their Caſes brought upon the Stage, to enquire into the Circumſtances, in order to the Churches Vindication; Antidating Teſtimonials given to perſons they have Married, to cover Adulteries and Fornications of the perſous • uilty, thereby intending to keep them from Church cenſures, as by Teſtifications acknowledged by themſelves, when called before the ſeveral Presbyteries, which Teſtimo • ials I have ready to produce at their Service.

Alſo declaring in their Teſtimonials given to Perſons mar •• ed by them, they were free from Scandal, whileſt mean time they were under Cenſure for Trelapſe Fornication, and that in the Metropolitan City of Scotland.

By theſe things they have robbed ſome of the Nobleſt of the Nation of their Daughters, and made ſtrange Confuſions in families, innumerable Inſtances of which are ready to be • roduced at their Demand.

Shall we next enquire into Matters of Diſcipline, and what ſad Truths might we tell here?

How, when Perſons of Scandalous Lives, Fornicators, who refuſe to ſubmit to the • enſures of the Law, or other Perſons, who for open Vices are refuſed Admittance to the Sa • raments, come to them, they receive them, and too frequently, without Scruples or Examinations; Thus they dayly break all manner of Order and Diſcipline in the Church, invade the • udicial Authority of the Seſſion, weaken the Hands of Diſcipline in the checking and reproving Immoralities, a •• ſtand in the way of the general Reformation; and yet 〈◊〉 none of theſe things are they perſecuted or moleſted— Where then is the Perſecution they talk of?

Now they are attempting a new Project, viz. To ca •• themſelves Members of the Church of England, and for •• fecting this, they are ſetting up the Book of Common Pra ••• r in their Meetings, that the Church of England may 〈◊〉 oblig'd to own them, and concern themſelves to obtain 〈◊〉 them a Tolleration; And ſince this brings me neceſſar • to ſpeak of Tolleration particularly, as it reſpects Scotland, ſhall give my Opinion freely, by way of Recommendation to both Kirk and Diſſenters.

I. To the Epiſcopal Diſſenters, I would ſincere •• adviſe them never to ask a Tolleration; For, if ev •• it ſhould be granted them, two things would happ •• which would be their inevitable Deſtruction.

1. It is certain, this Tolleration would be clog with the ſame Obligation to Law, and Eſtabliſhmen • as Tolleration of Diſſenters in England now is; It c •• not be imagin'd any Government would Tollerate the • who would not own that Government, & oblige the • ſelves to ſubmit to it: I cannot ſuppoſe your Friends 〈◊〉 have the Face to ask for it on any other Terms, the To •• leration in England had never been obtain'd with •• it. The Church of England, whoſe Principle is Loya •• ty, and Subjection to Authority, cannot ask it for 〈◊〉 upon any other Conditions, 'tis impoſſible they can 〈◊〉 it, they would fly in the Face of their own Practi •• and be obliged to reſtore all the Non-jurant Clergy▪ their Church, whom they have depoſed on the ve •• ſame Account.

If then the Church of England ſhould interceed ſo far 〈◊〉 your behalf, or by their Intereſt in the Parliament of Brita • obtain a Bill to be brought in for Tollerating all the Diſſe •• ters in the North call'd Scotland, and but this one Cla •• ſhould be added, Provided they ſubmit to take the Oaths to 〈◊〉 Government, what will you do Gentlemen?

1. If you refuſe, you are quite undone, all the Wo ••• Church of England, and every Body, will be againſt y •• tha • you ſhould deſire Tolleration from a Government you will not ſubmit to, and all your Cries of Perſecution will be laught at; ſince 'twill be plain, 'tis not Religion but Revolution you contend about, ſo you will no more be called Diſſenters, but Non-jurors, and be univerſally ſorted with your Brethren the Jacolites, who are ſpued out by the Government, and caſt out by the Church of England, as neither ſit to be concern • d with the one, or receiv'd into the other.

2. Well, but what if you comply? Why then you are undone too; For firſt you will break and divide among your ſelves, ſome will go one way, and ſome another, and as you are weak enough already, you will then loſe all the Figure you make in the World, and no Body will trouble themſelves about you, for all the •• neſt Jacobites will deſert you.

Beſides, in this you will act the unaccountableſt part that ever any People did, and will be fitter to go to a • Hoſpital than a Meeting-Houſe; For why ſhould you take the Oaths to Preach in a Meeting-Houſe, ſince had you taken the Oaths, you had never been put out of the Churches? and for the ſame Complyance may be ſuppoſed to get in again; this would be doing and undoing, and make you abſolutely ridiculous.

If I may therefore offer my Opinion Gentlemen, my humble Advice is, That if you will be Diſſenters, ſtand juſt where you are and be ſatisfied, for a Legal Tolleration will be your Ruine—. I would offer one thing more, if you can accept of Advice, and that is, that you would regulate your Conduct ſo as Diſſenters, and act ſo like Chriſtians and Miniſters, that your Friends in the Church of England may not be aſham'd of you, or aſham'd to interceed for you—. That you would no more be the Refuge of the Vitious, the Skreen of the Adulterer, the Protectors of Immoral and Prophane Perſons; If you would be thought Religious Diſſenters, let us ſee ſomething of Religion among you, ſomething of Diſcipline and Order, that the Sacred Ordinances of the Chriſtian Church may not be abuſed and expoſed by you—. And that the eſtabliſh'd Church may be encouraged to be eaſy with you, and may not be oblig'd, in her own Defence, and for the Support of common Converſation, to proſecute you for unſufferable Irregularities, and you be dayly complaining of thoſe Proceedings under the ſham Name of • erſecution.

I know not whether you will pleaſe to accept of this Advice or no; perhaps, be it never ſo good, you will reject it for the ſake of its diſagreeable Author, but be that as you pleaſe, I am ſure the Caution is for your Advantage, uſe it as you think fit.

If I was to turn the Diſcourſe to the Church of Scotland, it ſhould be—Have no more Concern about this Matter Gentlemen, be not afraid of the Miſchiefs of Tolleration; if the Epiſcopal Clergy, or any Body for them, complain, if they deſire a Tolleration, tell them, with all your Hearts, on the ſame Terms the Diſſenters in England have it, they ſhall have it when they pleaſe: And ſince the Tolleration of Diſſenters in England is made the great Argument for Tolleration here, they cannot have the Face to deſire better Conditions, than thoſe Diſſenters are contented with—. And fear not the Conſequences, either they will accept it thus, or they will not.

If they will accept it, from that Moment you may Date the Deſtruction of their Party, and the Aboliſhing the very Name of Diſſenting in Scotland, as before.

If they will not accept it, you are for ever clear, either of the Reproach of having denyed it to them, or of the Slander ſo much Noiſe has been made of, I mean Perſecution.

But I cannot omit one Note here, and that turns the Argument to a Third Party, viz. The Civil Magiſtrate, and here I ſhall leave it only by way of Interrogation, and let who will Anſwer the Queſtion, I ſhall wait to ſee it Debated, and may perhaps then ſay more to it.

Are you ſure the Tolleration deſir'd is conſiſtent with the Treaty of Union?—That it does not Interfere with the Poſtulata of the Union, and the Conjunction of both Kingdoms. And particularly, are you ſure, That it makes no Invaſion upon the Act of Security, upon which the Church of Scotland is now eſtabliſh'd, and which Act is made an Eſſential Indiſſolvible Branch of the Treaty—? And as this merits very well to be enquir'd into on both ſides, ſo give me leave to ſay, if it does, no Power now conſtituted in Britain can grant it.

The Words of the Act for S • curing the Presbyt • rian Church Government, and which are particularly Applicatory to this • afe, are as follows; and I wiſh they were thorowly conſidered.

—Therefore Her Majeſty, with Advice and Conſent •• the ſaid Eſtates of Parliament, Doth hereby Eſtabliſh and Con •••• the ſaid True Proteſtant Religion, and the Worſhip, Discipline, and Government of this Church, to Conti • ue without any Alteration to the People of this Land, in all Succeeding Generations.

If this be an Inviolable, Unalterable Law, and that, as i • moſt certain, even the Parliament of Britain cannot Invade it, we have nothing to do here, but to deſire theſe Gentlemen to inſtruct us, how to Anſwer this Queſtion.

Whether if, either by Act of Parliament, Royal Prerogative, or any other way, except • y the Grant and Gift of the Church of Scotland her ſelf, the Epiſcopal Party ſhould obtain a Tolleration of Worſhip, The Government of the Church of Scotland continues without any Alteration.

I do not make an Exception for the Gift and Conſent of the Church here, as if that could Qualify ſuch a Law—For even the Grant and Conſent of the Church could not now make it Lawful; the Church cannot now give away her own Rights, they are a Debt to Poſterity, and ſhe is bound equally with the Government, in all Succeeding Generations, by the Obligations of the Union.

But I grant the Church may, by their Moderation, Charity and Tenderneſs, ſuffer and permit the Epiſcopal Diſſenters to Exerciſe their ſeparate way of Worſhip, without Exerting their Power of Government to their Diſturbance, and this I hope they will continue to do: And this leads me naturally to two things, by way of Caution, to the Gentlemen on the other ſide.

1. This Lenity and Moderation is already practiſed to you, and the Church does bear with you, even to Exceſs, if that Word be ſuitable to Moderation, and it cannot be grateful in you, to puſh your Complaints to ſuch Extremities, and to force the Friends of the Church to defend themſelves and her, by ſtating the Caſe fairly in the Sight of the World; Since, in thoſe Defences, ſome things muſt neceſſarily appear to your Diſadvantage.

2. It cannot but move you to behave ſo, as to merit the Continuance of that Moderation; For if it be only in the Power of the Church, to make you eaſy, as I believe will appear at laſt, you may deſpiſe it as much as you pleaſe, but your only prudent way is to deſerve it, by a Modeſt, Peaceable, and Chriſtian Behaviour; and when you have tryed all other ways, perhaps you may be the better convinc'd of the Seaſonableneſs of ſuch Advice, and this I leave to time to open your Eyes in.