Master Clark Defended: Or, a Vindication of two particular Passages in the Historical Relation of the late Presbyterian General Assembly.  
Courteous Reader,  
SOme few days ago I happened to see a Book, called, A second Vindication of the Church of Scotland, where, among other Papers bound together, I found a Vindication of the late Assembly, from the Lies and Calumnious Aspersions of a pitiful Pamphlet, called, An Historical relation of the late Presbyterian General Assembly; In the which Vindication, as I was glancing through several Passages, there occurred something anent Mr. Clark, or rather nothing anent Mr. Clark, with respect to his Vindication (saving that the Author says, Mr. Clark is able to defend himself) though he comes under the lash of the railing Relator, as much as many others, whose Patronage and Defense, the Reverend and Learned Author undertakes, upon which when I made a pause, and considered that my Friend Mr. Clark alone is refused the benefit of the foresaid Vindication, I forced my Pen to drop these following Lines of Supplement thereto. There is moreover another particular, that my mind prompts me to Vindicat, viz. The silly feckless Fetch that the witty Relator makes to disparage Presbyterial Government, because, as he gives out, the Trade of Book-selling is fallen since it had force and footing, and the reason why I take upon me to touch this Point is, in regard I have had perhaps more occasion to know the mystery of the Trade of Books than the Relator, as will easily appear by what follows; and I choose to say somewhat hereanent, ere I meddle further with Mr. Clark's Concern. That I may then the more clearly acquit myself herein, I will set down the Relator's own Words, and then offer a Reflection upon them; Pag: 49. says he▪ The Trade of Books is fallen so low, since the Presbyterian Reign was set up, that our Stationers are thinking, either to quite their Employments, or to go and live else where, for they have not made the Rent of their Shops these two years; the Episcopal are not in Circumstances for buying, and the other crave no other Books, than Durham on the Canticles and Revelation, Dickson and Hutcheson, Dyer and Grace, these are their Classical Authors, and the standard of their Learning; Now as to this Alledgance of the decay of the Trade of Books, one Cause that our Relator mentions is, the Episcopal are not in Circumstances for buying, and I will add another Cause, both as good and true, viz. Though the Episcopal are not in Circumstances for buying, yet I know, they are in Circumstances for selling; so that the Stationers may justly blame them for the decay of their Trade, by taking their Trade over their head, for that some of them are selling off their Books, I assuredly know, having in my own Library not a few, which I bought from them; and here I cannot pass, that as of late, I was bargaining with one of that Brotherhood, for a parcel of his Books, but not agreeing, it seems he would needs have some of my Money, for when I happened to offer him two pence for the Westminster's Assemblies Confession of Faith in Quarto stitched, besides my expectation he took me at my word, for I was really resolved to give more for it, if he had made more words; but what could move the Man to sell his Confession of Faith so cheap, I cannot conjecture, if he has not been very week in Purse, or strong in Resolution to part with it at any rate, lest he should be suspected for too much Presbyterian, in harbouring such a Guest; Another Consideration here is, it may be these Stationers of the Relator's acquaintance that he means of, are chief furnished with such Books as peculiarly suit the Episcopal Gust and Genius, such as High flowen-holy-days-Sermons, composed and fitted for Pasch, Yule, and such high-times; and it is well known that the Presbyterians are not very fond of observing Apocryphal holidays, and so have not much need to buy these Writers; and I am also apt to believe, it must be only some Killicranky Stationers (to use the new fashioned word) that the Relator means, with whom haply Presbyterians has not much converse or commerce; he cannot surely mean all Stationers, and the ground of my guess is, he himself tells us, Pag. 60, That George Mosman the (Presbyterian) Stationer has so good a Trade, that hereby he is become fat every way; and I dare say, he means by one sort of fatness, that he is grown rich, which is a very Native result and product of a good Trade; I will not multiply here, but only close with this one Reason more, why I think there may be some ground for Stationers to complain of the decay of their Trade, and that is, because of the new way of vending Books by Auctioning, so that certainly Book-shopes will get the less to do, when there are so many Book-houses. The other Cause that the Relator gives of the decay of the Stationer's Trade, is, Presbyterians crave no other Books than Durham, Dickson, Hutcheson, Dyer, Grace, which is so bairnly a conceit, that it deserves not any serious consideration, but I wonder if this rattling Relator, has seen all Presbyterians Libraries, or if ever he saw any one Ministers Library made up of no other Books than these he speaks of, for my part I have had as much occasion perhaps, to see both Episcopals and Presbyterians Libraries, as some of my Neighbours, and I have seen as considerable on the one hand, as on the other, either for quality or quantity; and I have also seen both of them having Durham, Dickson, Hutcheson, Dyer and Grace; and both better and wiser men than he or I either, will say, that as to the Subjects they respectively handle, no man can be Master of better Books, whatever this Sciolist prat.  
As for Mr. Clark's Sermon, that this Invidious Relator speaks so diminutively, and contemptuously of, the story of it is to be seen, Pag. 50. where he tells us, it was a Sermon ad Clerum, but on what ground this learned Clerk gives Mr. Clark's Sermon this witty Motto, I cannot Divine, for it was not preached, either before a Synod, or Presbytery, or any kind of Convocation of the Clergy, except it may be some of the Episcopal Scouts in disguise, were present when it was preached, who after the Popish Dialect, stick not to appropriate to themselves the peculiar Title of the Clergy, but who knows but there is here an error Typographi, by omitting (versus) a part of a word, for what if the Authentic Copy had, a Sermon adversus Clerum, the tenderhearted Relator sympathising so far with the Deposition of his dear Godly Brother as thereby to be stricken into a panic fear, lest this kind of Treatment, was but a frightful forerunner of more of the like Adversus Clerum. Ibid. He tells us, That this Sermon was preached at the deposing of the Parson of Auldhamstocks, where the Historian fails in the truth of his Relation, for the above designed Parson that he means by, some days before the preaching of the said Sermon, had the Sentence of Deposition, actually and judicially passed upon him by the Presbytry, and the occasion of Mr. Clark's preaching, was only to make intimation to the Paroch of Auldhamstocks, of the said Presbyterial Sentence, he being ordered by the Presbytry so to do; next he comes to give his wont beggarly Epithets to the said Sermon, telling, There never appeared a more silly and empty Discourse, but I hope these vain words will have small weight, for disparaging Mr. Clark, or rendering his Sermon contemptible, or suspicious of Gild this way, for it is evident throughout his Narrative, that with the same common stile, he also lashes others, of known undoubted Reputation, for Learning, Sense and Eloquence. Hence pag: 19 He calls Doctor Rule's Representation of the Principles and Practices of Presbyterians, a weak empty Paper, full of contradictions, wherein Scripture is grossly wrested, etc. And pag: 18. He calls Mr. Simsons Sermon Presbyterian stuff course enough; But not to instance more particulars, there is, pag: 34. A general Passage of all the Sermons preached before the Commissioner, They were, says he, very nauseating to all rational persons, miserably flat and dull; Yea and further, pag: 50. Lest any should think there was some that did not Preach before the Commissioner, as good at the Trade as they who did, he tells, Nothing can be expected from any of them, whatever Church they preach in, but noise and nonsense, much babble and, it seems the Printer has thought shame to make his Types tell the rest, for there is some ill-favoured word or another omitted; but that it may appear how Nonsensical, Light and Lose this Relator is, in what he vomits up so lavishly, I think it not unworthy of observance, that from his own mouth it is clear, his foulmouthed Epithets and Nicknames, are rather maliciously invented, than judiciously applied, for though this rattling Relator takes upon him with Thrasonick Confidence enough to speak so much ill of Mr. Clark's Sermon, yet it seems he had not seen the said Sermon, which he studies so much to defame, for he tells it was a Sermon ad Clerum, as was said; Said! By whom? not by Mr. Clark, not by Mr. Clark's Sermon: So if he miscalls and reproaches Sermons, only upon what others say, without his own reading or hearing, I think no sober Judicious Man will readily regard what such a lose raving Writer says; and hereby further, the same thing is evident, for he tells, It was a Sermon preached, as was said, at the Deposition of the Parson of Auldhamstocks; What needs him say, it was said so? When the very Title-Page of the said Sermon (if he had but seen it) reads expressly in these words, Preached on the occasion of the Intimation of a Sentence of Deposition, etc. And seeing he writes so loosely anent Mr. Clark's Sermon, it may be warrantably supposed, that he is but a raving Romantic Scribbler in other things too, which he groundlessly and falsely Relates; Another thing he says to the disgracing of Mr. Clark's Sermon (as he misconceives) is by telling, It was even far below Mr. Andrew Gray's Sermons; whereby I think indeed Mr. Clark is more obliged to the Relator than he is ware, for I dare say, there is no godly, exercised, or discerning Christian, that ever perused Mr. Gray's Sermons, but will readily give their Verdict of them, to be Excellent, Spiritual and Savory, so that though Mr. Clark's Sermon may be below Mr. Gray's (which I believe he will easily grant himself) yet if in any tolerable degree it comes near to be like them, I think, pro tanto, it is to be prized and worthy of acceptation. In the next place he tells us, the very Presbyterians were ashamed of it, I believe I have had as much occasion to Converse among Presbyterians as the Relator, and also have accidentally heard some vent their Sentiments anent the said Sermon, yet I never heard or observed any of them express in the least, what imported a shadow of semblance to what is said, (by this time I understand this man's Tongue is no Slander) but whether or not there be any thing in Mr. Clark's Sermon, that either he, or any concerned in him needs to be ashamed of, res ipsa loquatur, his Sermon is extant in Print, let it speak for itself, and let judicious sober men speak for or against the same as they find Cause; but I dare say, if there had been any thing in the said Sermon that might be Carped at or justly Censured, the Relator would not have neglected to set off the same with a noise and thunder of insulting triumphal Reflections, but for all the evil he speaks of Mr. Clark's Sermon, he Quotes not one eull thing out of it, or the least Passage that can be quarrelled, by which unfair, disingenuous, and injurious Dealing, he is certainly a matter of Reproach to his Party, whoever he be, but it seems though he is so foolish as groundlessly and openly to Reproach others yet herein he is so far Witty, as to conceal his Name, and so prevent his own Shame; for who knows but he may be an infamous person, lying under a public Stigma for notorious Villainies; but though he were guilty of no more but the false Calumnies and Forgeries, where with his ridiculous Pamphlet is stuffed full, 'tis enough to make him infamous and odious among judicious and honest Men; and therefore he hath industriously Printed and Dispersed his Fables and Romances among Strangers, wholly not in the way of being undeceived of his clandestine Misrepresentations; but we use to say, Veritas non petit angulos, and I am sorry (for I own that I am very much obliged to the English) that this Relator has given occasion to say, Falsitas petit Anglos, for our Scots Lies-Mongers pack them to England to Vend their Sophisticat Wares, but to this sort of Chapmen as our Peddling Relator is, I recommend to read what is said, Isa. 5.20, 21, 22, 23. woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, etc. As to what this Historian says of my Lord Crafurd and the Printer, I perfectly know Mr. Clark's knowledge herein, who has had the honour to be with my Lord Crafurd, and also occasion to be with the Printer several times since the said Sermon came to light, and yet he never heard a word from either of them, of any such Bussel before the Council, as the Relator pretends there was. He concludes at length, (for it seems he hath designedly and industriously enlarged against Mr. Clark) 'tis believed he shown all the Learning and Eloquence he was master of in this Sermon; but I believe that godly Ministers who project the Conversion of Souls to Christ, are not much studious or perplexed, to make an Ostentation of Humane Learning, or Busk their Discourses with the Gauderies of Rhetoric or Romantic Strains, but rather according to the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ, humbly and plainly preach Christ to the poor and ignorant, so as best to suit and accommodate their Capacities. But to our Point again, it's no wonder he speaks diminutively of Mr. Clark's Learning and Eloquence, when he dares perfricta front, to tell us of the learned Dr. Rule, the things he hath published discover no small Ignorance, and that it appears his Learning is not great, Pag. 19 yea, and he tells us in general of all Presbyterians, Pag. 49. that Learning is not the Talon of a Presbyterian. As for what Learning this Anonymous Relator himself is Master of, I know not, for he will not let himself be known, but this I may confidently aver of him, that he declares himself sufficiently guilty of that piece of Diabolical Learning that Jeremiah speaks of, Cap. 9 ver. 5.— They will not speak the truth, they have taught their tongue to speak lies—. I add no more, but a Prayer for this Tongue-Persecutor and Accuser of the Brethren, The Lord rebuke thee, Satan. Thus much an Assured Wellwisher of Mr. Clark.  
At Innerweck, Dec. 11. 1691.   

If any pleases to have Mr. Clark Sermon, or this Defence of it, they may Call at James Wardlaw Stationer his Shop, on the North-side of the Street, opposite to the middle of the Lucken-Booths.