are made upon the holy Scriptures and the Chriftian res ligion. 2. That a free toleration is given to all kinds of error, Arminian, Socinian, Arian, Popifh, Deiftical, &c. which are spreading more and more. 3. That fundry of the clergy are fufpected of, and changed more than for merly, not only with loofeness and immoralities in their lives, but also with laxnefs and unfoundness in their principles and fome of these are allowed to poffefs eminent pofts in colleges, and even, to teach divinity, and train up young men for the holy miniftry. 4. That many of thefe have no regard to act 7th affembly 1736, with respect to evangelical preaching, but take up with legal doctrine, and a fort of heathenifh morality, instead of preaching Chrift to finners, which ought to be the main bufinefs of every gospel minister. 5. That many of them give great encouragement to patronage, that woful ufurpation over the church of God, when they are under no neceffity from the law to do it. 6. That grofs intrufions are continued upon Chriftian congregations, who are thereby fpoiled of their right to call their own pastors, contrary to the word of God and our known principles. 7. That there are now moft unreasonable divifions, il grounded and unfcrip. tural separations, among found and godly Prefbyterians; Contrary to Chrift's royal law of love, and precepts of keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 8. That there are ftrange liberties taken by many (of whom better things might have been expected) in reproaching the work of God's holy Spirit, in awakening, convincing, and bringing loft finners home to himself. 9. That the Episcopal clergy are forfaking the Protestant caufe, licking up old Popish errors and fuperftitions which their fathers caft out, and fliding gradually back a gain to Rome. Now, if these things be true (as many al ledge with too much ground) Chrift's witneffes have a plain call from him to stand up against these defections by faithful teftimonies, and to give free warning of the evil and danger of them before it be too late. IV. A written fubfcribed teftimony feems neceffary in obedience to the Ninth Commandment, for preserving and clearing the names and characters of honeft minifters and elders, in times of defection, and for vindicating them from the common charge of the corruptions and wrong fteps of the focieties whereof they are members. As they are often loaded unjustly with thefe evils, fo their giving a fubfcribed Tt 2 fubfcribed teflimony against them is a proper way to wipe off afperfions from their names while they live, to prevent blackning of their memories when dead, and alfo to yield them much inward peace when dying. Wherefore, in my humble opinion, the call feems to be pretty clear to them who defire to keep their garments unfpo:ted, and to hate the work of them that turn afide, that it may not cleave to them, and who would embalm their names to pofterity as witneffes for God in an evil time, to declare their minds, by joining in fuch a teftimony as this, and thereby exoner their confciences with refpect to the backfliding and defections under which they have been long groaning. And whatsoever their hand finds to do in this matter, it is fit they do it without lofs of time, feeing their standing is fo flippery every day upon the brink of the grave.. V. Emitting teftimonies in time of defection hath been the approven practice of God's worthies in former times. They judged their giving written teftimonies againft growing errors and corruptions, to be the lifting up a banner for truth, and the proper means to ftop the current of defec tion, and to excite and plead with their Mother to use her beft endeavours for that effect. We have ftill extant fuch faithful teftimonies given by fundry ministers in the years 1658 and 1659, when a toleration was granted by law to the fetaries and errors which then prevailed; and namely; that famous teftimony drawn up against these errors, and to the doctrine, worship, difcipline, and government of this church, fubfcribed by Mr Samuel Rutherford, Mr James Wedderburn, Mr James Guthrie, Mr Alexander Moncrieff, Mr Thomas Lundie, and many others. Likewife a teftimony against toleration by the prefbytery of Edinburgh, 5th October 1659. One by the ministers of Lancashire, 3d March 1648. One by Mr. George Gillefpie, two days before his death. One by the ministers of London, 14th December 1647. One by Mr Rutherford on his death bed, February 1661. One by Dr Horneck against ftage-plays, &c. Aud, laftly, What are all the dying fpeeches which our martyrs have left written behind them, but fo many teftimonies to the truths and ways of God, and against the errors and corruptions of their times? And thefe teftimonies, however much defpifed by the world, God hath bleffed as means for continuing truth and gofpel purity among us to this day. And who knows but the Teftimony now effayed, in imi tation of the forefaid worthies, may likewife be of use for preferving truth, and exciting reformation, when many of the prefent backfliding generation are laid in the duft? A new turn of affairs, and general revival, may yet come: (The Lord himself haften it !) Now it will be highly ufeful at fuch a time, for the generation to know fome. thing of the fentiments and practices of ancient wrefflers against corruption. Were there no teftimonies of this kind, both the knowledge of truth, and the fenfe of duty and of fin, in fundry cafes, would be loft to the rifing ages, howards whom we of the prefent age are indifpenfibly bound to act a kind and faithful part, viz. to give them just information. Object. It may be alleged, "That the diffents and contendings of honeft minitters, recorded in the books of fynods and prefbyteries, and other judicatories, are futh. cient to inform after ages." Anf. Thefe teftimonies commonly ly dormant in churchrecords, and are little known in the world and frequently thefe regifters are quite loft, by their going from hand to hand, or by the death of their keepers; which indeed is a very great lofs to after ages. Were all the teftimonies of minifters and judicatories, relating to patronages and accepting of prefentations, published, they might be of very great ufe; and particularly the acts of fynods thereanent, mentioned p. 54. of the Teftimony. The fynods of Aberdeen, Rofs, Angus, Perth, Fife, &c. they made acts of that kind, feverals of which I have feen, which well deferve to be published. The fubftance of them being comprehended in the act of the fynod of Fife, I fhall infert it here. "At Coupar, April 2d 1735. The fynod of Fife taking into their ferious confideration, that patronages, with power of prefenting men to take the oversight of fouls, is a manifest encroachment upon the rights and liberties of the church of Chrift, which the judicatories and faithful members of this church from its reformation have always complained of, and ftruggled againit, as what deprives Chriftian congregations of that interest they ought to have in calling their own paftors, and which is claimed and afferted by the affemblies of this church: And further confidering, that fome do accept of prefentations before any call from the vacant congregations, and without the advice and confent of the prefbytery of the bounds, and fometimes fometimes even before the parishioners have occafion to hear them, or shew their inclinations to them; and adhere to their prefentations, notwithstanding the averfion of the congregations, and thereby give great offence, in fhewing fo little regard to the weighty ends of a gofpel miniftry, the glory of the great and chief Shepherd, and the edification of his flock, and in affording too much occafion to people to look on them as feeking more a living to themfelves than to ferve the Lord Jefus Chrift. Therefore the fynod of Fife do hereby give warning to all minifters and preachers of the gofpel within their bounds, of the evil and danger of fuch undue acceptance of prefentations; earneftly exhorting and admonishing to beware thereof, as they would not mar the edification of Christ's flock, and continue this heavy grievance upon this church, and expofe themselves to the juft cenfure of its judicatories. And, to the intent this admonition may be the more regarded, the fynod appoints a copy thereof to be recorded in all the prefbytery-books within that bounds; and that the prefbyteries, at their first meeting after the minutes of the fynod come to their hands, cause read the fame judicially, and alfo give copies thereof to all the minifters and preach. ers within their bounds, and likewife fuch ftudents of divinity as may be prefently under their trials, or hereafter may be taken on trials by them; and that hereafter, before they enter any upon trials, either for preaching the gofpel, or for the holy miniftry, they endeavour to underftand their fentiments anent prefentations being a griev ance to this church, and their refolution to obferve the recommendation of this act.' But it must be told, with deep regret, that thefe acts of fynods, not being fupported by fuperior judicatories, came foon to be difregarded, and fo the door of patronage is ftill kept open, whereby a corrupt miniftry enters into the church: May the Lord in mercy fhut that door! Alas, how fad and mournful a thing is it, that minifters and preachers have no pity upon this once famous church, which is already defaced, and corrupted, and likely to be corrupted more and more, by patronage and prefentations; when it is plainly in their power to deliver their Mother-church from this woful corruption and bondage! Oh what hard and cruel hearts muft many minifters and preachers now have! There is one thing to be lamented, which tends to bring in a fet of clergy, who have no fcruple to encourage pa tronage, tronage, intrufions, error and loofenefs; namely, the planting of our univerfities with matters, who are either fufpect ed as to their principles or morals, or who have little zeal for orthodoxy or piety. When fuch men are appointed to be heads of colleges, profeffors of fciences, languages, or divinity, for training up of young men for the ministry what is to be expected from the ftudents under their care, but that many of them will be leavened with bad principles and inclinations? And how can better makters in colleges or profeffors of divinity be looked for, while thefe are chofen by statefmen, magiftrates, or regents, feverals of whom have no real concern for Chriftianity, but may even be tinctured with error or infidelity? Alas! whilft matters ftand thus with us, if private measures be not taken by friends of the church to get found and pious men to teach divinity, befides thofe in colleges, this church may foon be overrun with corruption, loofenefs and error of all forts; which I pray the Lord in mercy to prevent. Some may object, Why do ye infift fo much against patronage, feeing this was in the church in former times of prefbytery, and now accepting of prefentations is become common and fashionable, and the judicatories connive at it ?? Anf. 1. Our circumstances now differ vaftly from theirs in former times. Why? In former times the law laid. them under a neceffity of entering to churches by the patron's leave, there being no other way of entry; but now we are under no fuch neceffity, there being a gofpel-door ftill left open to us. In former times they were never delivered from patronage, nor fenfible of the happiness of freedom from it: but we have been fet at liberty, and known the happinefs of it. They did not voluntarily fubmit to patronage after they were freed from it; but this, alas, is what we are doing: we have chofen this bondage, and fubjected ourselves to it, without any neceflity from the law; fo that our compliers with patronage are far more inexcufeable than thofe in former times: our misery now is undeniably from ourselves, we are plainly self-deftroyers. O that our help may come from God in Christ, who even pities them who destroy themselves! 2. However common the accepting of prefentations be at this time, the accepter's fin is not leffened thereby, nor is he the fafer from the wrath of God. A juft God hath common punishments for common finners: witness the flood 1 |