objections of adverfaries, he hath adopted fome hypothefes different from what are commonly ufed among orthodox divines, that are not evidently founded on Scripture, and tend to atribute too much to natural reafon, and the power of corrupt nature; which undue advancement of reafon and nature is always to the dif paragement of revelation and efficacious free grace. The General Affembly, for the reasons above-mentioned, prohibits and difcharges the faid Mr John Simfon to ufe fuch expreffions, or to teach, preach, or otherwise vent fuch opinions, propofitions, or hypothefes as forefaid." But, as a juft rebuke upon the Affembly for their lenity, Mr Simfon perfifted in his unfound doctrine, contemned their sentence, and ftill went on in a course of error, till in a few years he is arraigned before the Affembly for Arianifm. About this time there arofe debates and great noife, as if some ministers were bringing in a new scheme of doctrine, because in their fermons they difused and cenfured feveral old approven words and phrases as too legal, and affected fome new modes of fpeaking; and because they recommended to their people an old book called the "Marrow of modern Divinity." This book was laid before the Affembly 1720, as containing grofs Antinomian errors; and, feveral paffages and propofitions being excerpted from it by a committee, the Af fembly proceeded in a hurry to pafs a commendatory act against them all in in cumulo; and, among the reft, they condemned as erroneous two propofitions, viz. "That believers are altogether fet free from the law as a covenant of works; And that they are fet free both from the commanding and condemning power of the covenant of works." Which two are furely found and orthodox propofitions in themselves. Likewise that fame Affembly, by another act, recommended to ministers to infift in preaching feveral doctrines, and, among cthers," the neceffity of a holy life in order to the obtaining of everlafting happiness." This certainly was very ill worded, however found their meaning was. Although there were several stumbling and unjustifi. able expreffions in that book called the Marrow, &c. yet yet, before the Affembly had proceeded to pass their acts concerning them, it had been their wifdom, to have firft remitted them (as in other cases) to the confideration of Prefbyteries; which happy step would have prevented the overfights or miftakes of the Affembly aforementioned, and confequently the Twelve brethrens reprefentation against the forefaid act, given in to the Affembly 1721, which was once likely to have landed in a fchifm. But it must be owned, that, when the Affembly 1722 came to review and explain these hafty acts paft in 1720, they did juftice to truth, and declared their minds, concerning the acts and propofitions quarrelled, in very found and orthodox terms. And particularly, as to "the neceffity of holinefs for obtaining everlasting happiness," they declare the expreffion is meant of obtaining the enjoyment and poffeffion of everlasting happiness," but not of "the right and title to it," which (they fay) all juftified perfons have already attained, viz. thro' the imputation of the righteousness of Jefus Christ. Thus peace and truth were preserved in the church at that time. No doubt it had been much for the intereft of truth, as well as the honour of our Affemblies, that they had manifefted as much zeal against other erroneous books which have been published or recommended before or fince that time by other minifters of this church, and fome of them far more dangerous than the Marrow, fuch as Dr Whitchcot's fermons, &c. Oh that our antient and true zeal for truth and purity, and against all kind of error and corrupt.on, were again happily revived in the land! But, alas! how little ground have. we in an ordinary way to expect any national reviving or reformation in the church and land, while the flood, gates of error and corruption are still kept wide open by the laws for the Toleration and Patronages? In confeqence of applications to the king by the church, some amendments were made upon thefe laws by the parliament in 1719; As, 1. They difcharged any perfon to preach or pray in any Epifcopal meeting houfe in Scotland, that did not pray for king George, and take the abjuration oath, under the pain of fix months 3 Q2 imprisonment imprisonment, and having the meeting houfe fhut up. This act, had it been execute, would have put a stop to many of the erroneous Jacobite preachers; but not being execute against them, they ftill went on in diffeminating many Popish errors through the land. 2. The Parliament enacted, That prefentations given by patrons to vacant churches fhall be of no effect, if the perfon prefented do not accept or declare his willingness to accept of the prefentation given him. By which act the parliament put it (as it were) in the church's power, to eafe herself of the great grievance of patronage; which was ground of joy to many: for, at that time, it was generally thought that this limitation was equivalent to plain repealing of the patronage act, and that no Prefbyterian would ever exprefsly declare his accepting of a prefentation, or go fo far to approve or comply with patronage, which Prefbyterians had always declared a heavy yoke and burden on the church of God. And accordingly there was no man that prefumed to take, accept, or make ufe of, a presentation to a church for feveral years after this act was paft; and fo the church was eafy, and continued to fettle vacant churches upon the call of congregations, without any moleftation from patrons. During this lucid interval, the church feemed to turn fecure, as if fhe feared no danger from the acceptance of prefentations; and therefore was at no pains to fhut or bar the door against fuch acceptances. Had this been done, the church was effectually delivered by the forefaid favourable act from the yoke of patronage. Now was the proper juncture for our Affemblies to have made a new declaration, in corroboration of what former Affemblies had done, concerning the woful corrup tion and evil confequences of patronage; and to have warned all the members of this church of the evil of encouraging or promoting the fame, and particularly all minifters and preachers, of the fin and danger of complying with this corruption, by accepting of prefentations; efpecially seeing there was no law requiring it as neceffary, but, by the late act of Parliament, an open door was left for their entering into churches in a gospel a gofpel-way, if they pleafed to chufe and accept of it. No doubt, if things had been set in fuch clear light by our General Affemblies, the authority of the church would have reftrained these wofül acceptances. But, alas while the church flept, the enemy was bufy fowing his tares, and prompting fome to devife fubtile conditional acceptances, wherein they might disapprove of patronages, and declare for Prefbyterian principles with refpect to the peoples rights; yet, in the mean time, take fuch hold of the flipend prefented to, that another could not make a legal title to it. When this was complained of to fuperior judicatories, fome leading men, alas were found to patronize thefe acceptors, till at length they proceeded to the moft open and barefaced acceptances. For these practices, indeed, fome preachers were cenfured and filenced, but they were reponed by fuperior courts; whereby at length acceptances went on without controul. So that, by fuch defections, the yoke of patronage is fafter wreathed upon the church than ever, and her condition under it more lamentable than in any former period: for in former times all honeft men groaned under patronage as a burden; and though they were prefented by patrons to churches, yet they neither faid nor wrote any thing in favours of the patron's deed, but filently fubmitted the prefbyteries proceeding to their fettlement, when they had the parishes concurring in it: but, alas! by such active written acceptances as now in ufe, the whole church fhall, in procefs of time, be involved in approving of patronages, in fuch a way as was never done by the church of Scotland fince the reformation. Wherefore we judge it the duty of all the lovers of truth and purity in the church of God, to bear open teftimony against the yoke of patronage, and the acceptance of prefentations, as we hereby defire to do, efpecially feeing they have been productive of such dreadful evils in this church of late years. It is well known, that the church of Scotland hath,. ever fince her reformation, remonftrated against patron. ages, and afferts, in her 2d book of Difcipline, chap. 12. That patronages have flowed from the pope, and the corruption corruption of the canon law; and the intruding of perfons this way into churches, hath no ground in the word of God, but is contrary thereto, &c. Likewife the Parliament 1649, in their act abolishing patronage, do fay, It is an evil and bondage under which the Lord's people and minifters have long groaned; and that it is a cuftom popifh, brought into the church in times of ignorance and fuperftition; and that it is contrary to the 2d book of Difcipline, &c. Alfo the Affemblies 1712 and 1715, give plain teftimonies against patronages to the fame purpose, and affert, That they lay a foundation for Simoniacal pactions, and many other evils. To thefe teftimonies we do adhere, and likewsse fhall add fome further reafons against patronages: 1. Patronages are neither agreeable to the rules of God's word, nor to the apoftolical practice: feeing it is evident from the word, that it was only the church herself, with her officers, that exercised the power of nominating and electing minifters and officers to the church, according to the authority derived to them from Chrift their Head and Founder, Acts i. 15-vi. 2.viii. 14-xiii. 3-xiv. 23.-xvi. 9-1 John iv. I.2 John 10. So that a patron's right of nominating the officers of the church, is nothing but a manifest usurpation over the church of God. 2. Patronage is alfo contrary to the practice of the primitive and pureft ages of the church, and was not known in the church until true religion and Christianity began to decline, and then it came in gradually with other Popifl corruptions and abuses. We find Cyprian, Athanafius, the apoftolical conftitutions, with many ancient councils and fathers, declaring in the plainest terms for the free liberty and power of the church to chute her own paftors, without any extrinfic influence whatfomever. 3. As it is difagreeable to fcripture and antiquity, fo it is contrary to reafon, and to the intereft and fafety of the church, that the power of chufing her pastors fhould at any time be lodged in the hands of heretics and profane men, as frequently the right of patronage is, being conveyed to them with their earthly inheri tances, |