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CibrarjD of t1\e Cheolojical ^eminarjp

PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY

PRESENTED BY

Dr. Charles G-. Osgood

sec

\y

-lllllliilliMHIIIilUMIilMyMli^il

, /i/: Jiuu (?/ t/hit, U(//'/'o?m (^ /vn'

7jf/ u//o/h7//'c 7J/<?7t.'ii a fir/ /Cnor/i^i; ^nd think. Tt^/ihioTt fi^tu (nt^nt^en

Hudibras.

ScqtchPreshyterian Eloquence^

D I S P L A Y ' D : OR, THE

Folly of theirTeaching

DISCOVER' D,

FROM THEIR

Books, Sermons, and Prayers:

And fome REMARKS on Mr. Rules late Vindication of the Kirky

Interfpcri'd with

Some genuine Adventures, in Love, &c.

.: 4

Thty are generally deluded by Perfons that have but ajpecteus Pretence to Godlinefs. And fuch is the Force that a loud Voice, and ivhining Tene^ in broken and /mothered, Words^ have upon the Animal Spirits of the Presbyterian RabbUy That they look not upon a Man as endued with the Spirit of God J without fuch canting and Deformity of Helinefs. A Perfon that hath the Dtxterity of Whini-ng, may make a great Congregation of them weep with an Ode of Horzce, or an Eclogue of V\r%\\y efpecially if he can but drivel a lit-- tie, either at Mouth or Eyes, when he repeats them. And fuch a Perfon maypafsfor a Soul-ravijhing S' ' '■'" /', if he can but fet off his Nonfenfe with a wry M. ■ . with

them is call'd, A Grace-pouring- down Countenance. 27;/ Snuffling and Twang of the Nofe pajjes for the GofpeU Sound; and the Throwingi ef the Face ftr the Motions ef the Spirit, &c. Page 7.

Printed for J. Johnson in Rotterdam, and Sold by

J, Cooper, in Fleet-Street, London. 1738, Price lew'd in Blue-paper Two Shillings, bound Half aCrown^

To the R. H. P. and P. of the K. the moft G. and very G. P. of the pre- fent P. of the C. in Scotlaiid^ E C,

My Lor d,

AS there was never any Book and Patron mors fuited to one another^ than this Book is to your Lor d/hip; fo there were never anyReafons more fatisfying than thofe that have induced me to this Dedication : For firji, if in this incredulous Age^fome Men fhoidd charge the following Relations of any Faljhoods •, it were anlnjufice done to your LordJJoip ta -pretend, that any Man is fo capable to vindicate them as yourLordfhip^who, atnidfl the 'Throng of fo much ec- cleftaflical and civil Bi'finefs at Court (from which yon are now fain to retire for Eafe and Refrejhynent to your wonted Solitude in the Country) have been very conjlant and clofe in the Study of thofe extraordinary Books cited in this Pamphlet ; and fo unwearied an Hearer of thofe wonderful Preachers of whom I now treat, that you have every Day heard them with Joy for many Hours together •, and never failed, with your own Hand, to write thofe learned and elaborate Dif- courfes I have here publifhed, and many more of the like Nature % in which Zeal (to your Glory and to the Shame of other Profejfors be it fpoken) you had no £- qual, but one Reverend Ruling- Elder, a Bonnet- maker in Leithwind.

So that, my Lord, this Dedication is hut o?tly the of^ fering to you fome few of the rare Sayings, end com- prehefiftve Sentences, which grace and adorn thofe Pa- pers that yourLordJhip has been atfuch Pains to colleEl,

A 2 and

The DEDICATION.

and are ftill fo careful to preferve ; and "jchich you jajtly value more than all the Rights and Charters of yoitrvery opulent and fourijhing Fortune. My Lord^ the eafy Accefs 'which thefe high and mighty Preachers have ever allozDed your Lor df/jip to their Company, joined to that vafl Experience ijohich you have noiv acquired in the Stile of the Curates, by your alloiving them fo fairly and fully to make their Defences at the Council- Board, gives you fuch a Title to judge of the Works of //6^ Contending Parties, as none but yoiirfelj can pre- tend to. Tour LordfJnp kno'ws well, "'tis hnpoffible for 'the ableji Curate or Prelate a7?iongf them all, to imi- tate the precious, powerful, Soul- ravi filing, Heart- fearching Eloquence of thofc Sons of Thunder, Kir- ton, Rule, Sheilds, Arefls:ine, Chreighron, Dick- Ibn, i^c. and that there is fuch a real Difference be- tzoixt their Sermons and that of the Prclalical Party ^ that if the fir jl be G of pel, as your Lordfloip is fully per - fuaded, then it mufl be received by all Men, for an nnqucftionable 'Truth, that the Gofpel was never preached in Scotland, when Prelacy prevailed in it, as your Lordjljip^ and the godly Party you patronize^ have often affirmed: And though this were not evident to all that compare the Works of the prefent Profeffbrs with thofe of their Oppofttes, yet your Lor dfhip^s fimple Word -would pafs in the World for a fuffcient Proof of it ; Lying, Slandering, or the leajl known Palfhood^ being infinitely below fuch a true Gentleman: Nay, there is noheroickVirtue more confpiciwus in your Lor dfhip than your Veracity, which hath fo filled the Minds and Mouths of 0,11 who intiinately know you^ that it mufi needs one Day make a cojif^derable Figure in the Ac-^ CGiinl of your Lordfihifs Life, which cannot mifs to fee the Light in a fhort 'Time, being, that for thefe three Tears lafi pajl, you have fo fucceffidly laboured to furniffj Plenty of Memoirs and Authors for fuch a Work,

But

The D 1. D I C A T I O N.

But 2d]y, Some of the Malignants^ ivho have na "Tajle for fiich fpiritiial Sayings^ as daily drop from the Pens and Tongues of the Covenanted Brethren^ may acciife the Books and Sermons here cited of Non- fcnle •, huty as ill-natured as the World is grozvn^ they mil ft oim^ that your Lor dJJoip has been v£ry long ^ and very intimately acquainted zvith the truefl and heft Nonienfe \ fo that being a Compleat Mafler of it your felf, it mufl be allo'-^ed that you are alfo a very good Judge. Be/ides, my Lord,^ the Curates themfelves cannot deny., but that your LordJIAp is fully qualified to judge of the JVorh of filch Learned Men as are /poke of in this Treatife.^ if they confider your zvonderful Knowledge of and great Concern for the Mother Univerjity at St. Andrew's, ivhich had the Happinefs to be nearefi to your Lordfloip, and to be your particular Charge ; and the Kingdom is not iinfenfible Jjow you reformed and purgW it throughly .^ ivith fuch tmfpeakable J uft ice and Impartiality., that even Aged Gentlemen^ Doctors of Divinity.^ and Heads of Col- leges, fome who had been your LordfJoifs own Maf- ters^ and one your Kinftnan, had not the leaft P^egard nor Refp Col from you, becaufe of their wanting Co- venant Grace, without which no Man is valua- ble in your Lordjhifs Eyes : Let Men but confider with what Deliberation and For efight you did proceed, and what prudent and learned Advice you did follow in providing for the Education of the rifing Generation in that Society, and then they can never doubt of your being wonderfully qualififd both to be a Patron mid a Judge of this Book.

Thefie Confiiderationsy joined to that ofiyour Lord- jhifs unexpreffible Merit {for which I want a Corn- par ifon, naturally led me to beg you would take the following Flowers of Presbyterian Eloquence into your Protection, as cordially as you do the Authors of them : If your Lordfmp^s unknown Modtfiy would allow ity I could tell the JForld^ in a few JVords^fiome

"I

The DEDICATION.

of their unnatural and acquired Endowments : To your Courage andConducl, which are equals you have added fuch a Succefs as to raife the Church and State of Scotland to he the Wonder and Amazement of the World: Such burning and unquenchable Zeal, fuch Jl range and unaccountable Prudence, and unpa- ralled Piety, have appeared in all your publick Ac- tions, that if others had but wrought together with your LordJJjip in any i?ieafure, then, I dare fay (as your Lordfhip excellently words it, in your Pious Printed Speech to the Parliament) A greater Dif- patch had been made of the Prelatiils, and many honeft Suffering Minifters ere now, had been deli- ver'd out of their Pinches ; and theEnemies of theKirk and Covenant had evanifly'd as they did lately from Court, when your Lordfloip condefcended to appear in Perfon at it : It is to you that the Nation owes her miraculous Deliverance from the Idolatries of the Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Gloria Patri ; It's your Lordfhip that hath refcucdus from the Superfiitions of o^?ri;i;7^ Chriftmas, Eafter, and Whit-Sunday, and from all the PopifJj Fopperies of Caffocks, clofe'feev'd Gowns and Girdles : It's your Lordfhip that enrich'' d Their ALajefties Treafure with the Revenues of fourteen Pat Bifhops, and with admirable Expedition have voi- ded more than half of the Churches of the Kingdom ; and advanced fuch a Set of Preachers, as, it is cer- tain, never flourifhed in any Period of the Church of Scotland under any of their Majeflies Predecefjors ; and now thatfome malignant Lords have been brought into theCouncil again, your Lordfhip hath retir* d from it, bravely fcorning to fit at the fame Board with the Oppofers of the Caufe.

My Lord, thd the Tiines have been reeling and dan- gerous, yet your LordfJjip has, by extraordinary Management, put your felf beyond the greatejl Reach and Malice of Fortune ; for you have, indeed, deferved well of all Parties j King James is obliged to thank you,

for

The DEDICATION.

for the real Service you have done hbn ; and King M^'iWiim for your good IVill to ferve his Majefly : The Presbyterian Clergy owe their good Livings to you \ and the Epifcopal Divines are hound to you^ for ad- vancing them to the Honour of being Confejjors. The flubborn Highlanders owe all their Compofitim-money to your Lord/hip^ and //j^ Weft- Country Rabble were highly enrich' d by your Lor dfhif s Countenance andPro- teHion : Toufcorn that malignant I fay of making your Palace a Cook's-Shop forStr angers ; but tho' yourCom- mons be fhort, yet it's well known^ that yourGraces are long •, at leafl after Dinner^ the full Length of a Cu- rate's Sermon, and that is three quarters of an Hour : %here is one thing more that your Lordfloip is moft re- markable for, and that is, your daily Pratlice of Fa- mily Duty ; it's well known, that there have been, viore new Creatures begotten in your Lord/hip's Fa?nily\ than in any other we have yet heard of \ and in this Matter, fiich is your great Goodnefs and Humility, that you condefcend often to allow tofome of your Servants, the Paternal Honour that's known to be due to your LordJJnp.

To fay nothing. My Lord, of thofe Supernatural Gifts and Graces that you are pleas' d to value your felf upon ; even in your mofl familiar Words and Profefjions, 7iothingis more frequent in your Lorddoip's mouth, than the taking of God folemnly to witnefs upon all Oc- cafions, that you never make one ftep without the fpecial Diredion and Affiftance of the Holy Ghoft. Now thefe Confiderations being duly weighed, to whom fJjould thefe Papers fly for San^uary, in this hackjliding Generation, but to the Celebrated Patron, both of the Matter, and of the Men, that are here in, quejiion ? To whom JJjoidd 1 rather dedicate this in' comprehenfible Rhapfody of Humane Eloquence, this Ireafury of Holy Aphorifms, and Senten- tious Raptures, than to the Oracle of this Mvjh'rious ivay of Pulpit Rhetorick, and the unqueflionable

Witnefs

The DEDICATION.

Witnefs to the 'Truth of every Syllable that is here dcB* vered ? Meaning your Learned Self, my Lord. And 1 befeechyou to accept of this Prefent^ (which I hope Jhall not he the lajl neither) as a Tribute from the Hand of ^

Your Lordlhip's mofl: Obedient,

and molt Obliged Servant,

Jacob Curate.

P. S. To the Reader.

TH E Reader muit be here given to under- ftand, that in expofmg this Gallimaufry of Enthufiafiick Zeal^ Farce, and Nonfenfe, the Pub- liilier hiid no Defign upon the lafhing either of Per- sons or Opinions, any farther, then to fhew the World the Folly^ the Mifery, and the Danger of Dilfe Prophets^ and Blind Guides : In which Cafe, there needs no other Argument, then the very Hjf- fory of the Age we live in. The Reader fhould do well to have a care too, not to make a Sport and Merriment of fo Tragical a Judgment, as ought rather to move Men to the Solemnity of a Repen- tance in Tears and SLickcloth •, for the Fooliflmefs of this Liberty, is no Excufe for the Wicked nefs of it. Under thefe Precautions the Reader will be fo wife, as not to laugh where he Ihould cry.

SECT,

t«]

SECT. I.

^he true CharaSfer of the Presbyterian Pajiors and People in Scotland.

OU R blelTed Saviour, in his Sermon on the Mount, bids us beware of falfe Teachers ; and tells us, That by their Fruits we may know them : Such Fruits are not open and publick Scandals, for then the fimple Multitude (that mea- fure Religion by the Sound and not by the Senfe) could not fo eafily be deluded by them. It muft be acknowledged, that the End of Preaching, fhould be the Edification of the Hearers ; the De- fign of it being to perfwade Men to Piety towards God, and Charity towards one another^ and to draw the Iniage of God upon the Souls of Men. But it will appear from what follows, That the Scotch Presbyterians Sc^rmons have no fuch Ten- dency ; for the Preachers themfelves (who would have the World believe, that they only are the Powerful and Soul-refrefhing Gofpellers) have not; been induflrious to draw the Likenefs of God upon the Hearts of their Hearers, but merely to imprefs their own Image there •, that is, they labour'd not to make good Chriftians, but rigid Presbyterians.

That I may not be thought to aiTert this without Ground, (for I would not (lander the Devil) I ihall firfb give you the true Charadler of the Presbyterian Pallors and People. 2. I fhall lay before you, fome remarkable Paffages taken out of their own printed Books, to confirm this Charadter. 3. Some

B fpecial

fpccial Notes (written from their own Mouths) as they preached them under the happy Reign of King Charles II. and fmce the late Revolution. Lnfily^ I Ihall give you fome Tafte of that Extem- porary Gibberifli which they ufe jnftead of Prayer, and for which they have juftled out, not only all the Liturgies of the Pure and Primitiye Church, but even the Lord's Prayer itfclf, becaufe it is an evident Argument and Pattern for Chriflians praying in a fet Form. And in all this I fliall fay nothing but what I know to be true, and what I am ready to make appear to be fo, upon a fair and free Trial, if that inay be had where Presbyterians rule.

In the firft Place then, I am to give you the true Character of Presbyterian Paftors and People. I fhall begin with the People, for they are truly the Guides, and their Paftors muft follow them, whom they pretend to conduft. For the Preachers of the New Gofpel, knowing that their Trade hath no old nor fure Foundation, they are forced to flee to this new and anaccountable Notion, that the calling and.conftituting of Minifters is in the Power of the Mob : Now the World knows by too long and fad Experience, that their Mobile is not led by Reafon, nor Religion, but by Fancy and Imagination -, fo that we may be fure when the Eleflion of Minifters is put in their Hands, they will chufe none but fuch as will readily footh and mdulge them in their moft extravagant and mad Humours : What Minifters can be expefled from the Choice of a People void of common Senfe, and guided by irregular PalTions, ^.\vlio torture the Scripture, makiig it fpeak the Language of their deluded Imaginations. They will tell you, that you ought to fight the Battles of the Lord, becaufe the Scripture fays in the Epiftle to the Hebrews^ JVithoiit Jhedding of Blood there is 710 Remiffion. They are generally covetous and de- ceitful ; and the Preaching they gre bred with, hath . no

t 3j

no Tendency to work them into the contrary Vir* tues. They call Peace, Love, Charity, and Ju- fticte, not Gofpel, but dry Morality only. I had once very great Difficulty to convince one of them, that it was a Sin for him to cheat and impofe upon his Neighbour in Matters of Trade, by concealing the Faults of his Goods from the Buyer. He ask'd my Reafon : I told him, becaufe he would not wifh one to deal fo with himfelf. That is (faid he again) hut Morality ; for if I Jhall believe in Chrifi^ I Jhall be faved. I visk'd him. Was not this Chrift's Saying, Whatfoever ye would that others JJoould do unto you, that do you unto others ? Tes, he faid, that was good, but that Chrifi, becaufe of the Hard- nefs of the Jews Hearts, fpake very much Morality with his Gofpel. The poor Man fpoke as he was taught and bred in the Conventicles ; for it will be very long e're they hear a Sermon upon juft Deal- ing, or Reftitution of ill-gotten Goods -, and who knows not that defpifing of Dominions, fpeaking evil of Dignities, and rifing in Arms againft the Lord's Anointed, is with them but fighting the Battles of the Lord. One George Flint, in the Pa- rifh of Smalbohn, in the Shire of Teviotdale, was look'd upon as a very great Saint among them ; and yet out of Zeal againfl the Government, he kept a Dog whom he named Charles, after the King -, and a Cat which he named Katherine, after the Queen • and another Dog whom he named Gideon, after the Minifter of the Parifh. They are a People that will not fwear in common Difcourfe for a World, yet they never fcruple before a Judge, any Perjury that may feem to advance the Caufe, nor ftand in their ordinary Dealings to cheat for a Penny 5 nay, Murther icfelf becomes a Virtue when the Work of the Covenant feems to require it : And the new Gofpel which they profefs, is fo far from condemning Lying, Cheating, Murther, and

B 2 Rebel-

[ 4 ] Rebellion, when committed to fulfil the Ends of chtr folemn League, that many ot thofe whom they rec- kon Martyrs, have at their Execution gloried in thefe Crimes, as the fure Evidences of their Salvation^

Morality being thus difcoiintenanced by the Ge- nerality of that Party, the poor People are thereby lock'd up in a Cell of Ignorance. This did clearly appear, when the Laws, in the fornier Govern- ment, difcharged Conventicles, the People being brought thereby home to the Churches : When the Minifters began to catechife them in the Principles of the Chriftirn Religion, they found them grofly ignorant ; for when they were defired to repeat the Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Ten Commandments, they told them they were above thefe childifhOrdinances ; for if they believed in Chrift, they were certainly well : And yet thefe Ignorants would adventure to pray Extempore, and in their Families to ledlure up- on the moft myfterious Chapters o^ Ezekiel, Daniel^ or the Revelation. A grave and good Minifter told me, that upon a certain Occafion he defired a very zealous She-Saint to repeat the Creed : And that fhe returned this Anfwer, I know not what you. mean by the Creed. Did not your Father (fays the Minifter) promife to bring you up in that Faith ? In- deed did he not, (faid fhe :) for, I thank my Saviour, that Superftition was not in my Father's Time. What then was in your Father* s Time? (faid the Minifter.) // was (faid fhe) the holy Covenant, which you have put away. Whether was it the Covenant of Works or Grace? (faid the Minifter.) Covenant of Works I (faid fhe, J That is Handy-labour : It was the Covenant of Grace, which was made zvith Adam, and which all of you have put away. At Night fhe went home, and a Number of the fighing Fraternity flocked after, pre- tending to hear her pray •, theirFamily-Exercife being ended, fhe told them the Conference that pafTed be- twixt the Curate and her j and they all concluded fhe

had

[5]

had the better, and that fhe was certainly more than a Match for the ableft Curate in that Country.

Generally their Conventicles produced very many Baftards, and the Excufes they made for that, was. Where Sin abounds^ the Grace of God fiiperahounds : There is no Condemnation to them that are in Chrifi, Sometimes this, The Lambs of Chrijl may fport to- gether : To the Pure all Things are pire. Nay, generally they are of Opinion, that a Man is never a true Saint, till he have a found Fall, fuch as that G^ David's with Bathjheba. The following Narra- tion of a well known Truth Ihall ferve for inftance.

A Party ot King Charles the Second's Guards being fent to apprehend Mr. David Williamfon (one of the moft eminent of their Minifters now in Edinburg) tor the frequent Rebellion and Treafon he preached then at Sield-Meetings j and the Party having furrounded the Houfe where he was, a zea- lous Lady, Miflrefs of the Houfe, being very fol- licitous to conceal him, rofe in all Hafte from her Bed, where Ihe left her Daughter of about iS Years of Age ; and having drelfed up the Holy Man's Head with fome of her own Night-Cloaths, flie wittily advifed him to take her Place in the warm Bed, with her Girl j to which he modeilly and rea- dily confented ; and knowing well how to employ his Time, efpecially upon fuch an extrordinary Call, to propagate the Image of the Party, while the Mother, to divert the Troopers Enquiry, was treating them with ftrong Drink in the Pajlour, he, to exprefs his Gratitude, applies himfelf with extraordinary Kindnefs to the Daughter •, who finding him like to prove a very ufeful Man in his Generation, told her Mother fhe would have hini for her Husband ; To which the Mother, though otherwife unwilling, yet, for concealing the Scan-; dal, out of Love to the Caufe, confented, when the Myflery of the Iniquity was wholly difclofed

B q to

[ 6 ] to her. This whole Story is as well known in Scot- land, as that the Covenant was begun, and carried on by Rebellion and Oppreflion.

Nor was the Adlor*, who is at this Day one of the chief Props of the Caufe, more admir'd for his extraordinary Diligence and Courage in this Matter, than for his excellent Invention in finding a PalTage of St. Paul's, to prove, that the Scandal of this was very confiilent with the State of a Perfon truly Regenerate: Verily I do not, fiid he, deny, but that ivith St. Paul, 7 ha'oe a Law in my Members^ warring againji the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into Captivity unto the Law of Sin, which is in my Meinbers. Now according to the Glofs which that whole Party puts upon this Scripture, faying that St. Paul here fpeaks of himfelf, and does not perfo- rate an unregenerate Man, this Dckncc of fFilliam- fon's muft be allov/ed to be good ; as alfo, that the Height of Carnality is confident with the greateft Grace. Even fo tlie Heret'icks in St. Petefs Days wrefted fome Things hard to be underftood, in St. Paulas Epiftles, to their own Deftrudlion.

There was among them a marry'd Woman near Edinhurg, \v\\o had pay'd feveral Fines for not going to Church, yet fcrupled not to commit Adul- tery with one of the Earl ot Marr\ Regiment, and the Fellow himfelf that was guilty, told, out of Detefi:ation to their damnable Hypocrify, that the vile Woman had the Confidence, in the Time of her Abomination, to fay to him, O you that are in Marr'j Regiment ! But you be pretty able Men, but yet ye are great Covenant-breakers : Alcis ! few or none of you are godly.

There are very many Inftances of this Nature, but I fliall only add one more, which was told me by a Gentleman of good Reputation and Credit,

* He was but laft Year fent to agent their Affairs at Court.

who

[7 1

who himfelf confefsM to me with Regret, that irj the Heat of his Youth he had been guilty of the Sin of Fornication with a Gentlewoman of that holy Se6l : He fays, that being with her in a Gar- ret, and fhe hearing Somebody come up Stairs, file faid to him, Ah^ here*s my Aunt ^ I mujl devife a Trick to divert her. Upon which, flie fell a whining, and howling aloud, as thefe People ufe to do at their moft private Devotions ; 0/6, to believe^ to believe ! Oh, to have Experience I faid fhe. And by that Means fhe diverted her Aunt's farther ap- proaching, who inftantly retir'd, commending her Niece's Zeal and Devotion. The Gentleman con- ceals the Woman's Name, out of regard to her Honour and his own, begs Pardon for the Sin, and tells it only for to difcover the abominable Nature of their Hypocrify.

They are generally deluded by Perfons that have but a fpecious Pretence to Godlinefs. And fuch is the Force that a loud Voice, and whining Tone, in broken and fmother'd Words, have upon the Animal Spirits of the Presbyterian Rabble, that they look not upon a Man as endued with the Spi- rit of God, without fuch Canting, and Deformity of Holinefs. A Perfon that hath the Dexterity of Whining, may make a great Congregation of them weep with an Ode of Horace, or Eclogue of Vir- gil, efpecially if he can but drivel a little, either at Mouth or Eyes, when he repeats them. And fuch a Perfon may pafs for a Soul-ravifliing Spiritualift, if he can but fet off his Nonfenfe with a wry Mouth, which with them is call'd, A Grace-pouring down Countenance. The Snuffling and Twang of the Nofe, pafTes for the Gofpel-lbund •, and the Throw- ings of tljie Face for the Motions of the Spirit. They are more concern'd at the reading the Speeches of their Covenant Martyrs, yea fuch Martyrs as dy'd for Rebeliion and Murder, than in reading

B 4 the

[8 ]

the Martyrdom of St. Stephen^ or of any of his Followers. A Sermon of mere Railing and Non- fenfe will ancct them more riLn Chrifl's Sermon on the Mount ; and no Wonder, for all f'u.y do is to affcft the Paffions, and not tlie Judgment.

One Mr. Daniel Douglafs, an old Presbyterian Preacher in the Mers^ a fimple Man as to the "World, yet of more Learning, Ingenuity, and Good-nature than moft of them ; he was not long ago preaching before the Meeting of his Brethren, and annalyfing a Text logically, and very rem.ote from vulgar Capacities, yet fo powerful and mcliing was his Tone and Acftions, that in the Congrega- tion he fpies a Woman weeping, and pointing to- wards her, he cries out, fVife^ What makes you weep ? I am fure thou ujiderjtandeft nvt what I am fay'uig ; my Difc'ourfe is direcfed to the Breth}-en^ anA mt to the like of you -, nay^ I quejlion whether the Brethren them/elves underjtand this that I am /peak- ing.

Several Inftances can be given of their flrong Delufions ; this is none of the leaft, that they take it for a fure Evidence upon their Death-Beds, that it is well with th^m, becaufe they never heard a Cu- rate in their Life-time. For an indulged Presbyte- rian^ who is the Author of the Re-Jirjo of the Hi- jflory of the Indulgence^ tells us tluis much, Pag. 527. aqd Pag. 528, That fo-me of the leading People among the Presbyterians izere of Opinion^ that Bap- tifm by Epifcopod Minijiers is the Mark of the Beafl ; a,nd the hearing of them as unlaijuful as Fornication, Jididtery^ or the ivorfmpping the Calves of Dan and Bethel : And I think that a Curate can tell no worfe Tale of them, than this, vi\\\c\\7i Presbyterian him- felf ov/ns and declares to the World in Print.

I cannot here pafs by what happened a few Years ago, in the PariOi of T/V/c/nc?;/, in the South- Weft • a Perfort that v/as executed for Bealliality

there.

[9]

there, in his Prayers blefs'd God, that for a long Time he had heard no Curate preach -, at which the Henrts of feme Preibyteriqn Saints began to warm with Affection to him, and expreft fo much Chari*:/, that upon that Account they doubted not but that li.; might be fived ; and were forry that he was not allowed to live, becaufe of the Good that fuch a zealous Man might have done.

It is a well-knownTrurh in the Parifh o^Tevioldale, that two or three fighing Sifters, coming to a Man in Prifon, the Night before he was burnt tbrBeaftiali'- ty ; the wholcfomeft Advice they gave him was this, O jindrew, Andrew, Andrew,, all the Sins that ever you committed, are nothing to your hearing the cur fed Curates ; if you get Pardon for that Sin^ Andrew, all is right with you.

A young Woman in Fife, Daughter to a Pref hyterian Preacher there, reading that of St. Petcr^ thrift the Bifhop of our Souls, blotted out the Word {Bifhop) and in the Place thereof, inferted PreC- hyterian of our Souls.

And by the fame Spirit of Bigotry, one of her zealous Sifters in the fame Family, tore every where out of her Bible the Word Lord ; becaufe., faid ftie, it is polluted by being applied to the prof aiig Prelates.

Inftances of their Madncfs and Delufions might fwell into a huge Volume, but I fliall only mention two or three which are commonly known. What greater Inftance of Delufion, than that feven or eight Thoufand People ftiould be raifed to Rebel- lion at Bothwell-Bridge, from labouring their Ground, and keeping their Sheep ; and that by Sermons afluring them, that the very Windle- ftraws, the Grafs in the Field, and Stars in Heaven would fight for them : And that after the Vidtory they fhouid pofiefs the Kingdom themfelves, O iCs jhe promifed Landj aiulyou Ifraelitcs ihall inherit it -,

bur

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but in this they found their Preachers to prove falfe Prophets. After their Defeat, a Gentleman told me, that going to view the Field, where the Battle was fought, he faw one in the Agony of Deaths crying out, Ah, cheated out of Life and Soul : The Gentleman inquired what he meant by that Expref- fion, Aby (faid he) our Preachers, our Preachers^ ihey made us believe, that as fiire as the Bible was the Word of God, we Jhould gain the Day^ for that the Windle-flraws Jhould fight for us»

About the fame Time a Perfon of Quality re- turning from the Wefiy with fome of the Ring's Forces, being neceflitated to lodge in a Country- Houfe, where there was but one Woman, and fhe with Child ; fOr the Men, and all that were able to run, had fled out of the Way •, the Nobleman encouraged the poor Woman, defiring her not to be afraid ; fent one upon his own Horfe for a Mid- wife, and other Women to attend her. The poor Woman, furprifed and encourag'd with his unex- pedled Kindnefs, began to talk more freely, and faid, 6Vr, J fee you ihat are King's-men are not fo til as we heard ye were ; for we have heard that it was ordinary for you to rip up Women with Child ; but pray will you tell me. Sir, what fort of Men are' your Bifijops? Tljey are, (faid he,) very good Men , and they are chofen out from the Clergy to over fee the rejt of the Mlnifters. But are they, fays fhe, fhapen like other Men ? Why ask you that ? faid he. Becauje. our Preachers made us believe, the Bijhops were all Cloven-footed. There is fcarce one of an hundred among the Presbyterian Vulgar, that will be either jreafon'd or laugh'd out of the flrange Opinions they have of Bifhops ; as particularly, that they will not fuffer Witches to be Burnt, becaufe (as- they alledge) every Bifhop lofes five hundred Marks Scots, for every Witch that is burnt in his Diocefe.v Nay, the generality of the ^resbyt,erim Rabble in^

the

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the PFefi., will not believe that Bifhops have any Shadows, as an Earned of the Subilance, for their oppofing of Covenant-work in the Land.

I fhall add but one Inilance more of the Sillinefs of the Presbyterian People, and that is or a certain Perfon well known both in the ISlartb and South of Scotland^ for being not a Degree and a Half from an Idiot, and to be a Man that can fcarcely read am EngViJh Book. This Perfon takes on him to be a Preacher, and among Presbyterian People has pro- cured a great Efteem to himfelf for a wonderful and rare Gofpeller ; for having not the leaft Degree either of natural and acquir'd Parts, they therefore conclude him to have a large Stock of Grace, and to be a mofl heavenly Man. He came lately to the Mers, where he was never known before, and lodging on 2i.Satiirdaf^ Night in a Country-Town, he caus'd to call in the good People in the Town to Prayers. Immediately the Houfe was tili'd with a Crowd, then he ledlures to them on the firft of Ezekiel, and he told them, that the Wheel fpoken of in the fixteenth Verfc, was the Antichrijly and the Wheel in the Middle, was the Bifliops and the Curates ; For (fays he) here''s a Wheel within a Wheels jujl fo the Curates are within the EiJIoops^ and both of them within Antichrill. I'hen the JVheels are ffays my Text) liften up ; even fo Beloved^ the Bifhops and Curates are lifted up ; lifted up upon, Coaches with four Wheels^ jufi as Satan lifted up Chrifi to the Pinacle of the 'T'emple \ but God will take the Hammer of the Covenant in his own Hand^ and knock down thefe proud Prelates^ and break all their Coaches and their Wheels to pieces^ Beloved^ and lay the Curates on their Backs, fo that they fhall never rife again ; for the Prophet fays here, that when they went, they went upon their four Sides, and they re- turned not when they went. Beloved : 'That you may fee is very plain and clear -, for though they may go

out

cut and perfecute God^s ozvn covenanted People, yet they pall return falling upon their Broad-Sides, and get fuch a Fall that they jhall never he able to fiand or return to perfecute the Godly, fo long as they go itpon their four Sides, and are lifted up upon four Wheels. The People faid, they never heard fuch a fweet Tongue in a gracious Man's Head. He fpoke much againft thofe that took c^n Indulgence from King James. The next Day he told them that the Epifcopal Minifter in the Parifh was his Coufin, therefore he would go to Church, and hear how he could preach. 'Truly, Sir, (Tays the People) we Jhall go along with you wherever you go, albeit it be our ordinary to go to the Meeting- Houfe in the Pa- rifh. And that fame very Day he brought all the Diflenters in the Parifh to the Church. The Peo- ple intreated him to deal with the Minifter to turn Presbyterian, and promis'd to defert the Meeting- Houfe Preacher, whom they ordinarily heard, and to hear the Epifcopal Minifter upon his Converfion. He promis'd to deal very ferioufly with him : For that Purpofe, the next Day he came to the Mini- ller's Houfe, and after a few Sighs and affeded Groans, he expoftulates thus. Dear Coufin, what makes you own perjur'd Epifcopacy ? What have you to fay againft that Office F replies the Minifter. I have many Argument s^ faid he, and one I am Jure you can never anfwer \ and you will find it in Plalm xlv. Verfe i. My Pleart inditeth a good Thing. Now is not this, fays he, a plain Argument againft Bifhops ? For when will they indite good Tljings ? The People wonder'd that the Minifter could not be perfwaded by fo clear an Argument, and faid, Poor Soul, his Heart is hardened, he has not Grace enough to believe and be converted. This Account is proved before very many famous Wit- neffes in the City of Edinburgh. All I have told pf them is Truth, but the liundfedth-part is not

told,

told. You may judge of the Tree by thefe Fruits j and what a delicate Set of Reformers we have at this Time in the jVeJl and Souih of Scotland.

I come in the next Place, to give you a true Character of their Preachers. And truly, to be plain, they are a proud, four^ inconverfibk Tr'tbe^ looking perfectly like the Pharifees, having Faces like their horrid Decree of Reprobation. They are with- out Humanity, void of common Civility, as well as Catholick Charity ; fo wholly enflaved to the Humours of their People, that they give no other Reafon why they converfe not with Men of a dif- ferent Opinion, but only that their People would take it very ill if they fhould. However, I fear there is fomething in it more, and that is, left their Ignorance fhould be difcover*d ; for it's certain, they have as little Learning as Good-nature ; and we have both felt and feen, that That is next Neigh- bour to none at all.

They have their Souls caft into a different Mould from all Chriftians in the World. There is no Church but they differ from, both in Worfhip and Pradice : They have quite baniflied the Ufe of the I^ord's Prayer, and what ridiculous Stuff they have foifted in for it, fhall be told in its proper Place. The fmoot-heft Reafon that they alledge for their forbearing it, is. That the Ufe thereof is inconve- nient. This is Dr. Rule*s own Reafon in that pre- tended Anfwer he has publilh'd to the Ten Qufi- ftlons concerning Epifcopal and Prebyterian Go- vernment in Scotland. Their famous Preacher James Kirktown, when one of the Magiftrates of Edinburgh enquired why they did forbear the pub- lick Ufe of the Lord's Prayer ? told him downright, becaufe it was the Badge oi^ the Epifcopal Worlhip. I doubt not but many ivive heard long eVe now of a Conference that paft betv/ixt my Lord B — and a ruling Elder in the North, la fhort, it is this :

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Five Presbyterian Preachers laft Year, appointed ihemfelves Judges, to purge two or three Diocefes in the North. They took to aflift, or to accom- pany them, fome whom they call Ruling-Elders, •one of whom entreated my Lord B — to further with his Help the happy and blefled Pveform.ation, particularly by giving in Complaints againil igno- rant, fcandalous, and erroneous Minifters, that the Church of God might be repleniihed with the Faithful : Truly then (faith my Lord) there is one 'inborn I can frove to he very Atheiftical^ Ignorant, 4B^d Scandalous. At which the ruling Elder began to prick up his Ears ; And pray you. Sir, (fays he) Who -is the Man ? Indeed ffays my Lord) I will he free with you, it is Mr. James Urquhart, one of your- own Preachers, who is come with you now to fit as a fudge upon others \ and by Witneffcs of unque- Jiionahle Ho7ieJly I can make it appear that he faidy if ever Chrijl was drunk upon Earth, it was when he made the Lord's Prayer. And I appeal to your felf,- who are a Ruling- Elder, whether or not this he .3lafphemy ? Some other Thifigs of fcandalous Nature .J can prove againfi him. O hut (fays he) we are not tmne here to judge our brethren, our Bufnefs is . ^ith the Curates.

-.V.-'lt is ordinary to hear the People fay, that if Chrift were on Earth again, he would think Shame of that Form, that they could make better themfelves, and that he was but young when he compos'd it. Ail which Blaiphemies muft needs be the Effe<51:s or Confequenceof what they hear from their Preachers. And as for the Apoftles Creed, it is not fo much as once mentioned at the baptizing of Infants j for all that they require at Baptifm, is, That the Father promjfe to breed up the Child in the Belief of the Wepninfier ConfefTion of Faith, and that he fhall

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adhere to all the national Engagements laying on them to be Presbyterians *

Here I cannot forget what Mr. John Dickfon, Preacher in the Meeting- Houfe at Kelfo^ faid once in a Sermon •, jisk (faid he) an old dying Wife^ if Jhe hath any Evidence of Salvation^ Jhe will tell you I hope fo -, for I believe the Apoflles Creed, I am taken with the hordes Prayer, and know I my Duty to be the T'en Commandments. But I tell you, Sirs^ ihefe are but old rotten Wheel-barrows, to carry Souls to Hell, Thefe are Idols that the falfe Prelates and Curates have fet up, to obfiru5l the Covenant and the Work of God in the Land.

For reading the Scripture in Churches, they have abolifhed that with the reft ; and in place thereof, - he that raifes the Pfalm, reads the Sermon that was preached the Sabbath before : And for the Gofpel- Hymn, call'd the Doxology^ or Gloria Patri, they rejefb that as a fuperftitious prelatical Addition to the Word of God. A certain Maid being lately catechifed by one of thefe Preachers, the firft Que- fhion he propofed to her was, Maggy, novj what think you are the Saints doing in Heaven ? I know not. Sir. O Maggy, that is a very eafy ^leftion^ ■anfzver it, Maggy, / think then (fays fhe) they are doing that in Heaven which ye will not let us do on Earth. What is that Maggy ? fays he. ^hey are jinging Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghofi^ Sir. Now that is your Mijlake, Maggy, (lliid he) for there's no fuch malignant Songs fung there -, you have been quite wrong taught, Maggy, the Curates have deceived you, Maggy.

* Though Mr. Ruky who defends the New Go'pellers Ly denying their Prints, and by palpable Untruths, fef ras to dil'- own this in his Second Vindication of hi?: Kirk ; yet much honefter Presbyterians affirm it, and glory in it. Vid. Cove- nants with Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Du- ties, renewed at Lefmahngo. 1688, Et Hind let loofe.

The/