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Likewife, in the forefaid oath and covenant, there are fome things ambiguous, obfcure and doubtful, which great numbers of the takers know not the meaning of, and fo cannot fwear them "in judgment and righteoufpefs;" as, for instance, when they abjure Independency and Latitudinarian Tenets, thefe are words very general, dark and dubious, to which the impofers may affix any meaning they think proper. Now, seeing it is commonly granted that the words of an oath ought to be very clear and plain, and these which are dubious may be refused; what a cruel thing must it be to excommunicate all these fincere Chriftians and tender confciences who may fcruple to fwear either to or against what they know not! I am fure there are many valuable minifters of Jefus Chrift, and precious fons of Zion, whom Chrift doth honour and admit to near communion with himself, who will not adventure to fwear fuch an oath; and will our brethren, notwithstanding, take it on them to reject them as earthen pitchers, and refuse all communion with them? Oh, where have they their Masters warrant to act so, or to exclude his redeemed ones from his table, and the food he hath provided for them, for refusing an oath of their framing, containing fo many things false, uncharitable and dark? when in the mean time thefe excluded perJons appear evidently to be the Friends of Chrift, whom he himself invites moft heartily, faying to them, Cant. v. I.“ Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.”

I acknowledge that our brethren appear and declare for many things valuable and excelicat, for which I wish there were a true univerfal zeal throughout the land; but, when they mix fo many other things choking with thefe in their Teftimonies and Covenants, how can they expect that people of tender confciences should swallow them? Nay, by this way they give occafion to many to flight and speak evil of the precious things they fand up for. My reverend brethren may believe (if they picafe) that I write not these things with any ill-will against them, but out of love to them and ethers, to prevent more fin in the land, and to

bring them, if poffible, to a more moderate, charitable and Christ-like temper, that they may be willing to break down these partition walls they are fetting up be tween themselves and others of Christ's minifters and people. O how lamentable a thing is it, that orthodox and zealous preachers of Chrift fhould be carried away to fuch extravagant heights, by the intemperate zeal and headstrong humours of others who join with them! that they should go about in this manner to divide and distract the flock of Christ, and to rend and tear the members of his body one from another; yea, and to rear up partition-walls in the midst of his church fo high, that these upon one fide cannot get over them to hold communion with the other! Is this good service to the Lord Jefus Chrift! Is this the way to promote his cause and interest in the world? Is this the way to heal breaches and promote union among the true friends and lovers of Chrift, which he makes the duty of all faithful gofpel minifters? Is not our glorious Mafter "the Prince of peace? Hath he not faid, "Bleffed are the peace-makers?" Was it not he that prayed for the union and peace of his church? Was it not he that recommended peace to us, and injoined us to "pray for the peace of Jerufalem?" Let none mistake me, as if I were for peace on any terms; for they may fee by the foregoing Teflimony I am for truth as well as peace, and defire through grace to be zealous for both.

Some, who have seen this Teftimony, object, That it is not impartial with refpect to Mr Whitefield's fuccefs while he was in Scotland. The plain truth is, feveral things were faid relative to it, where he is mentioned, which were dropped to gratify fome of the fubfcribers, who were not then fatisfied as to the facts narrated. But, fince that time I am well informed of the lafting good effects of his miniftry upon not a few in and about Edinburgh and elfe where, who once were careless and profane, but now are wonderfully changed and reformed, and ftill living as becometh Chriftians, perfevering in the ways of the Lord; though at the fame time I know no reaVOL. IV.

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fon to make him the inftrument of that extraordinary work at Cambuslang, Kilfyth and other places, but to ascribe it, under God, to the miniftry of their own worthy paftors, whom God made inftrumental both to begin and carry on that work a good time before Mr Whitefield came to preach at any of thefe places. But feeing God had honoured Mr Whitefield's miniftry in other nations and countries (though ordained a minifter of the church of England) and alfo had opened his eyes fo far, as to become Calvinift and found in the doctrine of grace, and to witness against several corruptions of the English church, for which he was perfecuted and under procefs; and feeing he had conformed to us in doctrine and worship, profeffed to lye open to inftruction as to our conftitution and government, and was come at length to affert openly "Christ to be the King and Head of his church, and that the church of Scotland was the best constitute national church in the world ;" and also had wrote and said some other things that gave ground to hope that his eyes might foon be opened to fee the evil of Prelacy; and in the mean time he was moft indefatigable in preaching Christ to finners, and remarkably owned of God in his ministry: To have refused a kind reception to a ftranger and perfecuted man, in'fuch circumftances, when he came among us, had neither been charitable nor generous. Now, for the brethren to make this reception fuch a fin, that none can be admitted to baptism or the Lord's fupper without condemning it by a folemn oath, is moft furprifing; efpecially confidering they were the first themfelves who recommended him to the people of Scotland, and that in very strong terms! Surely it becomes us to be filent, and adore the fovereignty of the great God, in employing whom he will to promote his intereft and kingdom in the world. If God think fit to make use of Mr Whitefield or other Methodists, to turn finners from their evil ways, to feek after a Saviour, and God through him, we fhould not oppose it, but let them alone, left haply we be found fighting against God We must not limit an Agent, that is infinitely wife and fovereign, in his glory from what churches and

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focieties he pleafes, and fometimes glorifies his free grace the more by bringing them from thofe airths it could have been leaft expected. And frequently God doth honour and employ fome to awaken, convince, convert and reclaim finners from their evil ways, who yet remain unenlightned all their days as to several points of truth themselves: witnefs Luther and many of our reformers. To confine an infinitely fovereign Lord to our ways and means of working in advancing his kingdom, is a fin moft grieving and provoking unto God. He makes it one of his greateft quarrels with his profeffing people in the wilderness, that "they tempted God, and limited the holy One of Ifrael," Pfal. lxxviii. 41. It is fit then that we lay our hands upon our mouths, and adore him that, "doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: And none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doft thou ?" Dan. iv. 35.

I doubt not but fome may quarrel me and this Teftimony, for making too free with the Affociate Brethren: but they may fee I have been as plain and free with others, and even with the established church, relating to things I judge wrong; and this feemed to be necef sary to render the Teftimony the more impartial. But, after all, when I look inward, and view the fins of my own heart, and the fad corruption of my nature, befides outward defects; I have reason to blush and be ashamed to take notice of the fins and failings of others; and even to ly in the duft, and cry, Unclean, unclean; and with much felf abhorence to look to towards the blood of Jefus, that cleanseth us from all fin. May the holy Spirit apply it to me and the whole land!

I fhall now conclude with my earnest wishes and prayers, that the Lord may excite a praying remnant, to wreftle and be importunate with him for fparing mercy to thefe guilty nations; and that he would revive a covenanted work of reformation through Britain and Ireland, and the dominions thereto belonging, from which thefe lands have wofully departed; and uphold and encourage all who breathe after reformation, and the com. ing of Chrift's kingdom in the world; and even counte

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nance more and more thofe inftruments who, according to the light given them, labour with earnestnefs to awaken perifhing finners from their loft natural eftate, to flee to a crucified Jefus for fafety from fin and wrath; and, wherein any of them remain unenlightned, that the Lord would fend out his light and truth, to lead them, and graciously deliver them from all mistakes, errors and corruptions whatsoever: That what they fee not, the Father of lights may teach them, that fo they may be honoured more and more to bring multitudes from following finful courfes, to the ways of true religion and gofpel holinefs; and from refting on their own righteoufnefs, or a form of godliness, to come and embrace him who is the Lord our righteousness, and follow him whitherfoever he goeth."

And particularly, "That the Lord would come and revive his work in Scotland, that once was famous through all the churches, and efteemed one of the moft bright and fhining Candlesticks of Chrift in the world, but now under a lamentable decay of zeal for pure religion and reformation; and that he would caufe us remember with godly forrow from whence we have fallen, repent, and do our first works. That he would pity thofe who, Gallio like, are indifferent and unconcerned about our defections, and the grounds of the Lord's controversy which he is pleading with the land, and awaken those who are at safe in Zion, in fuch a time, and would fain fit down, Iffachar-like, and couch under the burden. That he would come fuddenly to his temple, even in a national way, and fit as a Refiner and Purifier of filver, and purify the fons of Levi, and caft out buyers and fellers out of his house. That he would in mercy shut that door whereby a corrupt ministry enters into the church, and raise up a faithful, zealous and reforming miniftry through the land, and make all ranks among us concerned to attain to the reforming spirits and difpofitions of our fathers. Oh! when thall we come their length in reformation!

"That the Lord would help us to blefs him for his aftonishing kindness to this land, in fuch a backfliding, withering and decaying time, in vouchfafing to water

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