-7n~~~ h THE ZZ'J 
 
 HUMMBLE THOUGHTS, 
 
 O F 
 
 Some fober and judicious Christians, 
 CONCERNING 
 The Affair of the Reverend 
 
 Mr. Jo H N G L ASS, 
 
 Miniftcr of the Gofpel at T e a 1 1 n g, 
 
 To be before the venerable ASSEMBLY, to meet at 
 Edinburgh, May xd 3 1728. 
 
 Printed in the Year MDCCXXVIII. 
 
 mmtmmm 
 
 Price Twopence, 
 
^c^ 
 
 *%^ 
 
C 3 ) Z2$ 
 
 The humble "Thoughts of fome foher and 
 judicious Chriftians, concerning the Jf- 
 fair of the Reverend Mr. John Glafs, (jc. 
 
 E reckon it is the Duty of 
 all Chriftians, to give Ac- 
 count of their Thoughts fo- 
 berly and feriouily to their 
 Teachers, on Matters of great 
 Moment, wherein the Inte- 
 reft of real Religion is deeply concerned, 
 that all may be helpful one to another * fo 
 as no Steps be made to the Detriment of 
 real Godlinefs, nor crofs to the true 
 .Means for fupporting and advancing it. 
 Therefore have prefiimed to lay before 
 the World, what we reckon juft, and are 
 well and furely informed of in this Cafe. 
 We are then fure, that Mr. Glafs did 
 always, fince he had a Charge, apply hit 
 Work in the Minifiry laboriously and 
 confcientiouily, relating to private Souls * 
 and that of late efpecially,he has been fig- 
 nally ufeful in preaching, and advanced 
 the greateft and belt Matter for Edificati- 
 on 5 That God profperedhim more than his 
 Neighbours in his Congregation, as is no- 
 A z tourly 
 
tourly known ; ngnally own'd him and his j 
 People the very teft Sacrament difpenfed 1 
 by him this Seafon ; and that he has gain- J 
 e<i the Hearts and Affections of many fe- ] 
 rious Chriftians dearly. 1 
 
 We know he was in Concert with Ik 
 thers for a Marrow Settlement in the Pa- 
 rilh of Liffi but it feems fuch Manage* 
 ments, when he was Jet into the Secret 
 of them, were not pleafing to his Confci- 
 ence: Upon which a Difcord took Place 
 betwixt him and the Ringleader in that 
 Management, who isnotourly known too 
 much to affeft Popularity, and by Means 
 Mr. Glafs could not approve of, nor we ; 
 to wit, by his indulging the People in an 
 ignorant Regard to publick Covenants, 
 without knowing what theyfaid, or where- 
 of they affirmed, yet were they good , 
 Chriftians,with this Ringleader and others, 
 for fo doing; and the Speat of the igno- 
 rant Populace was driven fo high by him 
 and others, that thofe who differed from 
 them, in Synod or Presbytery, were re- 
 proached, as having no Zeal or Regard to 
 Truth, becaufe they would not fupport 
 the ignorant Humours of the People, 
 they had fo raifed and tuned up, without 
 Evidence on their People's Side, of their 
 being knowing, tender or ferious ; yet 
 
 were 
 
C 5 J -^' 
 
 were they courted and careffed, and to 
 
 pleafe them all were publickly excommu- 
 nicate, who would not be for all former 
 ' publick Covenants in this Land * where- 
 las, tho' we are all for adhering to all p.u- 
 nRick Engagements, to all Articles, Heads, 
 Tenor andTerms of the Covenant of Grace, 
 \ehich we are fure is the only Everlafling 
 Covenant, in a Way of Obligation of Du- 
 j ty on us, yet we tremble at the Thoughts 
 • of excommunicating all Independents from 
 Chriftian Communion ; nor dare we ap- 
 prove of excommunicating all Church of 
 England Men, by whofe Books we have 
 been much inftru&ed and edified, and 
 our Minifters find them great Helps to 
 preach the true Gofpel: Therefore fuch 
 Excommunications, by a few in tb?t Cor- 
 ner, and in too many other Places, were 
 grievous to us, which Mnnagement wear, 
 tribute to too great Regard to Credit, Cul- 
 tom, Want of due Thought, and Tender- 
 nefs of Confcience, yet has been too much 
 in Vogue, which we hope the venerable 
 Aflembly will confider of, in Order to 
 prevent Offence abroad and at Home, 
 among the more thoughtful and ferious. 
 It was heavy to us for many Years, to 
 fee and hear the Way or communicating 
 in too many Places in Angus, where Per- 
 fons of no Appearance^ even of Morali- 
 ty, 
 
ty, were admitted to the Lord's Supper in 
 great Numbers, efpecially at St. Vigeons, \ 
 where there would be fifteen Tables, 
 and about feventy at each Table, ma- 
 ny of whom were grofs Swearers, and o-i 
 therwife profane, and few, if any, prayin!^ 
 Families, or that kept the Form of it ; and 
 fome found drinking drunk openly on 4 
 the Munday, and not attending the Work 
 of the Thanksgiving Day, when th$ Mi- 
 nifies from Montro/e^nicuhvly the wor- 
 thy Mr. 7hzi//,was in hisWay through that 
 Parifh to the Synod at "Dundee. Moft of 
 the Inhabitants of the Town of Aber- 
 brothwick did communicate, and how few 
 had the Appearance of Serioufhefs there,or 
 in Ardbirlat, or in any Parifb of that Pref- 
 bytery, 4 \vas, and is to be feen, yea, or in - 
 mod Congregations in Angus j where large 
 Numbers are admitted. But Kerrimuir 
 went beyond all, where at the firft Sa- 
 crament'adminiftrate by a Presbyterian 
 Minifter there, the Men and Women aroie 
 from the Table, fo foon as they had re- 
 ceived the Bread and Wine, without 
 waiting for a decent Off-going together. 
 And this thofe trom other Places faw, and 
 Neighbours attested to us, that of many 
 Hundreds at thefe Tables, few were free 
 for ordinary of curfing and fwearing, 
 
 which 
 
( 7 ) *•** 
 
 which 'tis Matter of Wonder, thatfuch a 
 zealous Synod againft Mr. Glafs, for ftridt 
 communincating according to the Joweft 
 and weakeft Appearance of Serioufnefs 
 **m Communicants, did not take Notice 
 of, and of the dreadful Noife there is of 
 the Admiflion of the Profane, and who 
 are openly fo in too many Congregations, 
 in Forfar Presbytery, and in not a few o- 
 thers over the Corner. 
 
 The afflifting Way of admitting to the 
 Lord's Table in the Presbytery of Aber- 
 trotbwickj was feveral Times taken Notice 
 of at the Synod of Angus, by the open 
 Reprefentation of the worthy Mr. Trail/, 
 who for his true and faithful Zeal againft 
 Profanity, and againft the Abufers of pu- 
 ■blik Covenants, and againft Marrow and 
 Antinomian Managements, was treated 
 barbaroufly, and fufFerred at Montrofe in 
 a Way moft afflicting to us, and not with- 
 out the fpecial Aid of fome of Mr. Glafs 
 his moft violent Antagonifts at Dundee ; 
 which we reckon, is no final! Reflection 
 on this Church, that fuch dealing was 
 neither impeached nor cenfured, who,af- 
 ter all the Treatment he met with, was 
 the Minifter of moft Succefs, for the ap- 
 parent Well of Souls in the Corner, and 
 was the Instrument of raifingtbegreateft 
 
 . Ap- 
 
yy* ( 8 ) 
 
 Appearance of Religion at Montrofe ; af- 
 ter which, his own Children were by Arr, 
 turned to be his Enemies, and were made 
 life of to mine him ; fo that we fear, thefe i 
 who have real Succefs in that Corner, && 
 envyed and hated by them, who have it 
 not,; but do all to gain the People to them- 
 felves, without Evidence or Appearance, 
 that they are gained to Chrift, wjiich has 
 been the notour Pra&ice of too many in 
 others Corners, and is a Grief of Heart 
 to us, That under a pure Eftabliftiment, 
 as grofs a Corruption on this Head, as 
 under Trelacy, fhould take Place. 
 
 We own Tresbyterian Government by 
 fuperior and inferior Judicatures to be 
 of Divine Right $ but we are forry to fee 
 fuch a Management in too many Places; 
 Men to exalt themfelves, framing Parties 
 and Fa&ions in a moil carnal Way, to 
 carry on their own Ends in Judicatures, 
 and bearing inveterate Prejudice againft 
 them who oppofe them, or will not joyn 
 them $ fo that too carnal and violent Ma- 
 nagements are too openly feen in inferi- 
 or Courts, fo as there is no Place for rea- 
 foning againft what the made Party de- 
 figns ; nor any calm, pbriftian* or tender 
 Dealing with thofe who differ from them; 
 yea, nothing but framing fcandalous Sto- 
 ries 
 
If 9 ) ^J? 
 
 es againft, and Libelling the Man, or 
 len, who moft oppofe them in Matters 
 of Error, or bad Management, and ftig- 
 matizing him with all opprobrious Cha- 
 ^fiaflers ; for which they want not Tools 
 of flandering, lying treacherous Perfons, 
 with whom fome Minifters have be^n in 
 Concert, in the Way of deepeft Policy, 
 at Montrofe, to call Mr, Trail 2l Drun- 
 kard, &c. 
 
 Thefe Tools did proceed firft upon 
 Non-jurancy, and next for the Marrow* 
 which was artificially brought in, to fup- 
 port the dying Caufe of Non-jurancy ; 
 and laft of all, upon the Covenants, to 
 ilander all who were not for all Cove- 
 nants and Managements in former Days, 
 as Enemies to Religion, and as having 
 the cloven Foot : Tho'in private, the Ma- 
 nagements of force in Matters of Reli- 
 gion are not pretended to be vindicate 
 by themfelves, nor the profecuting and 
 advancing of Religion by Arms, nor the 
 Privileges of Parliaments, as they now 
 ftand, ingroffing fo many Prelates : We 
 are for the Reformation-Covenant, ma- 
 king G O D's Word to be the Rule, 
 taking the Help of the beft reformed 
 Churches for Patterns, as GOD gives 
 them more Light into his Word, than to 
 B Us, 
 
( io ) 
 Us, to clear the Truths, Duties, folic! 
 Senfe, and all true Defigns thereof, and 
 againft all Errors^ Idolatries, Superftitions 
 and evil Things of Popery, renounced, J 
 abjured, and difclaimed by the Reformat 
 tion-Covenant ; yea againft all Prelacy 
 of Men in the Presbyterian Church, as 
 well as the great Train of it, in the So-- 
 lenm League $ and againft all carnal Po- 
 licy, fecret, unfair, partial, blind, or ma- 
 licious Management by Minifters or Peo- 
 ple, againft one another, in private or 
 publick Managements or Judicatures, and 
 especially againft all Branches of Diffi- 
 muJation and Hypocrify, when Minifters 
 or People, in lefs or more, contradict 
 their Profeffion by their Practice and Ma- 
 nagements, wilfully and knowingly, and 
 cannot maintain it, but by the Force of Par- 
 ty of Minifters, or violent, ignorant or at 
 leaft unvvife,and unjuft Profeflbrs: And tho' 
 we be for Presbyterian Government, not 
 only as of this Church, as a Branch of 
 the Catholick Church, but which is alfo 
 by its Judicatures and Officers, the only 
 Rightful Government of the Catholick 
 vifible Church, by Divine Appointment; 
 all others being human, and the Devices of 
 Men, as to publick Government ; yet 
 tve cannot but lament the Abufe of it, by 
 
 the 
 
( II ) >^7 
 
 the Influence Parties, carnal and felfift 
 Considerations, have on fome Minifters, 
 while they labour in carnal Policy, as much 
 as under Prelacy, and People "too vifib- 
 Uy and openly feek the Credit or Name, 
 more than the Life or Power of Religion, 
 or true Confcience thereof, in Conformi- 
 ty to the whole of GOD's Wordj for Mi- 
 nifters tamper with Elders and People, 
 efpecially with thofe who are Patrons, to 
 get in tlieir own Creatures to Corners, 
 to make up the Club of their Gang and 
 Way, yet cry out againft Patronages*, 
 and People are taught to cry out againft 
 all, but thofe who are for the Marrow* 
 and to cry them up, however mean, to 
 the Skies, and thofe who blindly cry up 
 the publick Covenants, without explain- 
 ing them to their People ; tho' this' be 
 done to ferve a Turn for a Congregati- 
 on, or for Credit when in it, for fear of 
 loffng the People, who muft be kept and 
 pleafed, whatever they fay or do: So that 
 the moft naughty and ignorant, are like 
 to become the Rulers of our Faith and 
 Management. 
 
 This was what raifed the firft Schifm 
 in Angus: For fome from the South, who 
 found the Noife, not the Knowledge, of 
 their Country ,for the Marrow and public!* 
 
 B z Co. 
 
( n ) 
 
 Covenants, raifcd themfelves by both, ex- 
 claimed againft all others, and the Gene- 
 rality being dull and ignorant, let them 
 go on; and one of Mr. Glafs his greateft 
 Antagonifts was the firft who brought the* 
 Marrow to T)undee y and the other the 
 Noife about the Covenants, before the 
 People came to underftand what belong- 
 ed to their own Souls. 'Tis true, Mr. Glafs 
 was fufpe&ed at firft, of going into the too 
 formal and groundlefly comfortable Way 
 of Marrow Preachers, but took Offence 
 at their lax Way of Communicating in 
 all Corners, where in too many Places, 
 they received the Marrow Teople from 
 Edinburgh and other Corners to Com- 
 municate at Dumfermling&t Portmosrk and 
 Orwell* without Lines from their own 
 Minifters, and the fame Way in other 
 Places about the Covenants. This gave a 
 Difguft to Mr. Glafs his Confcience; and 
 be began to Reform, as to the Way of 
 Communicating, at Home, and to vent his 
 Thoughts Abroad, which gave great Ir- 
 ritation, in as far as it condemned the 
 Practices and Managements of others, li- 
 pon which too free Perfonal Reflexions 
 followed.And then he was threatned by one 
 of his great and violent Antagonifts,that all 
 the Profeflbrs would feparatefrom him at 
 
 Strath- 
 
( is ) ^ 
 
 Strathmartin Sacrament, Anno 1726. in 
 Cafe he fhould there tell the Thoughts 
 of his Heart freely, asr to thefe Matters. 
 Which Threatning he look'd on as a hu- 
 *Wne Device, to make him quit his Light 
 without Information, and therefore did 
 vent bimfelf too forvvardly. After which, 
 two or three Minifters brought it into the 
 Committee of Overtures at a Synod ; 
 which, if others more wife had been pre- 
 fcnt, had not been done, as wc are told 
 by themfelves $ bin being once marked, 
 could not be recalled. Upon this, tbofe 
 who never before ihew'd Zeal for pub- 
 lick Covenants, thought that a proper 
 Seafon to be about with Mr. Glafs, for 
 condemning their Practice about Com- 
 municating, and other Parochial andPres- 
 byterial Managements, and fo a Speat of 
 Concert and Driving arofe againft him, 
 till it came from the Synod to the Presby- 
 tery of Dundee, with Correfpondents ( tho' 
 regularly the Affair ought to have been 
 firit tabled in that Presbytery.) They trea- 
 ted him indeed upon the main civilly, 
 Chriftianly, and kindly; but for fome per- 
 fonal and club Irritations, provoked bim ' 
 unaccountably todifown the Divine Right 
 of the Government of the Church, efpe- 
 cially the too evident one of the Commit- 
 tee, 
 
( -14 > 
 tee, who were appointed to draw up an 
 
 Abftra& of bis Procefs, to belaid before 
 the Commiflion of Affembly, in March 
 1728, and did infert therein, the\dnti- 
 nomianifm, which was turned out of tha 
 rectified Copy of the Extraft of thatfarge 
 Procefs, for which filly Piece of Art, that 
 Committee could not account. And af- 
 ter all, we do not fee, that feveral Pro- 
 pofitions in the rectified Charge, as they 
 ]y abfolutely, without being otherways 
 
 ?ualified, can be Ground of Charge for 
 ribel or Cenfure ; Which, it would feem, 
 the Synod who met in April 1728, fore- 
 feeing, proceeded to put Queries to him, 
 without any Warrant from the General 
 Affembly, that Power being given only 
 Jnno 1726, to the Committee of Affembly, 
 for the Purity of Doctrine, and to the Com- 
 mittee on Profeffor Simpfon\ Affair, who 
 had the AffemblyYfull Powers as to ex- 
 pifcating, ufque ad "fententiam. And how 
 a Committee of the Commiffion, or even 
 the Commiffion it felf, could ad vife, with- 
 out Authority from the Affembly, to re- 
 quire his Adherence to, and Re-fubfcrip- 
 on of the ConfeJJion of Faith and formula* 
 without a new A£t of Affembly, we can- 
 not underftand ; efpecially after the Af- 
 fembly 1722, fucha Motion being made 
 
 .0 
 
< ij ) ^r' 
 
 to the Committee of Overtures, it was re- 
 jetted, and refufed to be tranfmitted to 
 the Affembly. And we much lefs under- 
 hand, how the Synod came to propofe to 
 Mr. G/q/s Twenty feven Queries ( and 
 fome of tfcem on Things whereof a fama 
 could not fo much as be pretended ) to 
 which he was required to anfwer injlan- 
 ter, or next Day at Ten of the Clock 
 Forenoon precifely, without Authori- 
 ty from the Affembly, Precognition ta- 
 ken, or a Libel framed. All th*fe, and 
 the Precipitancy of a Sentence of Sufpen- 
 fion, againft him, and Mr. Archibald, in 
 one and the fame Night, and on much 
 alike Grounds, are Surprifes, and very 
 ihocking to us; tho' we condemn his Pe- 
 culiarities, for we would have all to get 
 fair Play, to avoid Injuftice andOffence ; 
 and if any have that, according to the 
 publick Rules of the Church, and juft 
 Meafures, he mull reft fatisfied as to the 
 publick Conftitution ; but the Minds of 
 many, who wifh well to the Church, can*- 
 not be fatisfied without this. 
 
 As to Mr. Glajs hisrefufingtheF<;r#ftf- 
 \Ja 1711, wc cannot approve of him, as to 
 [>be only true publick Management; tut 
 \ we hope, it will never be ftretched to 
 : Chriftiau Communion, fo as he, who is 
 
 0)3 ce 
 
i ** . ( 16 ) 
 
 once in the Church, and has not Light t 
 continue, ihould be firft depofed from th 
 ho]y Miniftry, as if he were not longe 
 a Minifier of Chrift $ for wfc take Inde 
 pendents, yea, and Church of Englan 
 Men to be real Minifiers, when^duly qm 
 lifted with Grace, Gifts, and found DoQ. 
 rine : And if upon Mr. Glafs his Obfti 
 nacy, or want of Peace to forbear preach 
 ing the Gofpel, Depofition or Excommu 
 nication Ihould follow, we could nor bi 
 fatisfied to excommunicate a good wor 
 thy Man, for his not having Light intc 
 the true Government of the Church, whicl 
 we take to be Presbyterian, by Judicative! 
 of divine Appointment: Yet can not thinl 
 Catholicks fhould go to Extremes, bu 
 Ihould follow the Pattern of the Pri 
 mitive Church, with Refpeft to the Do- 
 natifis and others, who were not pleafed 
 with the Catholick Management, Conft : - 
 tution and Judicatories, an uKoimvYitrfa 
 Repudiation or Rejection from the Ma- 
 nagement, and ordinary Communion, and 
 to be pleafed with their own Communi- 
 on, which was far from difowning them 
 to be Minifters or Chriflians, but that 
 they could not yield the publick Manage- 
 ment in their Way to them, nor we 
 to him, much lefscan we own all Church 
 J Go- 
 
( i 7 y ^3 
 
 Government of Judicatories 'to be a hu- 
 mane Eftablifhment ,• yet we deffire to 
 be render of thofe who, differ from us, 
 efpecially .of him, tho' through Irritati- 
 on and partial Views he loft the Light he 
 once had ; yet his chief and main Light 
 remains as to all neceffary Articles of 
 Faith, except as to the Divine Government 
 of die Church, which we reckon neceffa- 
 ry for the publick Management, tho' not 
 for all private Souls, or Minifters emi- 
 nent and worthy. And 'tis notour, many 
 little worth own this laft, but with no 
 Knowledge or Confcience, but for Cre- 
 dit and Intereft, which is worfe. to Mi- 
 nifters and People, when they want the 
 Knowledge and true Management, for 
 the Well of their own Souls,and thofe of o- 
 thers, than his Lofs as to the Govern- 
 ment, when he is in iuch Cafe to be ufe- 
 ful to Souls ; whereas a legal Eftablifhment 
 never fails to have many in it, of no Spi- 
 ritual Ufe ; yet we thank GOD for the 
 legal Eftabliihmenr, but wifh, thofe violent 
 agairift Mr. Glafs> would examine their 
 own true Light,Confciences and Manage- 
 ments, for the weli and real Salvation of 
 their People, which too many negleft, and 
 glory in" their Regard to the publick 
 Church, which we have the greateft Re- 
 C gard 
 
( 18 } 
 gard to ; bub we cannot think, this will, of 
 it felf,fatisfy the Conferences of Minifters 
 or People, and reckon fome may want 
 Light, as to the publick Church, who may 
 be fafely allowed to be godly Minifiers 
 and People, tho' their Way, as wanting 
 Light, ought not to be the publick Rule. 
 Upon the Whole, we think it hard, to de- 
 clare Mr. Glafs to be qo Minifter of 
 Chrifl, or to continue the Sufpenfion laid 
 on fo precipitantly, till 3 full Procefs be 
 carried on againft him, and finifhed, that 
 all true Grounds anent him may be fair- 
 ly and clearly feen proven, as vented to 
 publick Hurt ; feeing Sentiments of no 
 bad Influence remaining in the Mind, are 
 not liable to Cenfure, nor thefe extorted, 
 as his were,at the Synod, and the* Presby- 
 tery and Correfpondents calling for his 
 declaring Adherence, without due Autho- 
 rity from the Aflembly. A Precognition 
 or regular Procefs, and an dwiv<wyi<rfa 
 would do well in the MTue, without more. 
 'Tis true, the legal Eftablifhment does 
 not admit of this laft, as a fufficient Ground 
 to deprive of the Benefice $ but then, if 
 there be Depofition of a Man not fcan- 
 dalous, but greatly furnifhed and ufeful, 
 it muft be only a civil and legal De- 
 pofition, notfpiritual, according to GOD r s 
 
 Word, 
 
, 19 ) *«* 
 
 Word, Yet fuch a well furnilhed Mini- 
 fter, fodepofed, has aftual Right to preach, 
 adminifter Sacraments, and to occafional 
 Communion, as a Mimfler and Chriftian, 
 which the Ministers of this Church allow'd 
 to Dodor Owen, and the Reverend Mr. 
 Samuel Rutherford, to Bifhop VJber 9 to 
 preach for, and with him. 
 
 As to Mr. Glcifs his Notions about pub- 
 lick Covenanting, we think he does not 
 refufe publick Church Covenanting ; but, 
 as fome reprefent it, a Deed of the State. 
 Nor ckn we fee, with what Confcience 
 fome Miniflers blefs GOD, as if we were 
 a covenanted Land, as made up of ^1! 
 the ignorant and profane in it, yea, the 
 prejudiced ; for we think in Gofpel Days, 
 it was never fo defigned, as Chriftians to 
 a Profeffion are gathered out of all Na- 
 tions, and were fo from the Beginning. 
 Nor are the Returners to Heathenifm % 
 barbarity, Atheifm, T>eifm^ Socinianifm y 
 Arianifm, or Ignorance, to be fuftained 
 as Chriftians, as is notoudy feen. There- 
 fore there muff be fome, at leaft the low* 
 eft Appearance of Serioufnefs for publick 
 Covenanting, as well as for the Sacraments 
 of the hordes Supper and*Baptifm> as thoie 
 who fram'd the Reformation Covenant^ in- 
 timate in its Boforn ; and if it were o- 
 C 3 therways y 
 
( 20 ; 
 therways, it would be a profaning of the 
 Name of Chrift, we mean, taking publick 
 Covenants by the openly profane allow- 
 ing them, and much more forcing them. 
 We cannot understand, how the Com- 
 mittee of the Commiffion, could, without 
 Warrant of the Affembly, give Power to 
 fufpend, upon his refuting the Formula, 
 or how the Synod could do if, efpecial- 
 ly after the Affembly 1722, fhewed fo 
 much Tendernefs to the Reprefenters, 
 who are much groffer in Principles ruin- 
 ing to Souls than he, even tho 7 they a- 
 vowed of thefe in Face of Affembly, and 
 protefled againft the Affembly's Aft, yet 
 there were none of them fufpended or 
 depofed ,• nor was Profeffor Simpfon, An- 
 no 1716, tho'he reclaimed againft thelaft 
 Aft ot that Affembly •, yea, tho' he was, 
 and flill is very grofsin his Principles, yet 
 there were neither Queries put to him, 
 nor he fufpended, till a Precognition was 
 taken, fome Articles found proven, and a 
 Committee was ordered to proceed. The 
 Reprefenters felt no Evil, tho" their Prede- 
 ceffors the Non-jurers and they, have 
 made horrid Schifms at Sacraments, and 
 thereby difowned the Divinity of the Go- 
 vernment of the Church* in effeft, tho* 
 fp cunning, as to diffemble Regard to it; 
 
 yet 
 
I 21 ) z^7 
 
 yet the Nonjurers and Reprefenters, did 
 fly openly in the Face of A&s of Affem- 
 bly i7i2,and 1722, and remain untouched, 
 and that in Favours of-more dangerous 
 Practices and Principles ; yea, giving an 
 drnvwyvtey or Repudiation from their Sa- 
 craments to the beft of their Brethren* 
 Nor are they lefs plain againft all pubJick 
 Covenanting, than Mr. Gla/s; only they' 
 can fallow Contradictions; For, imo> 
 They openly preach the Covenants of Re- 
 demption and Grace to be all one, or their 
 Identity i fo that if we engage to the Co- 
 venant of Grace, wje mull engage at the 
 fame Time to the Covenant of Redemp- 
 tion, or in it, as Parties, which can bear 
 no lefs, than to put our felves in ChrifTs 
 Room and Place. 2J0, They reckon the 
 Elett Members of Chrift their Head from 
 all Eternity, fo that he engaged to the 
 Covenant of Redemption, or in ir,as Head, 
 and they as Members. %tio, They fay, 
 the Covenant of Grace was tianfacted with 
 Chrift from all Eternity, and what need 
 have we to engage in Time I 4^,. They 
 fay, Believers in Chrift are Bankrupt, anH 
 can not be in Cafe to keep Faith, and 
 what need then to engage ? $ta, They 
 fay, there are no Duties in the Covenant 
 of Grace, and to what then fhould we 
 
 engage I 
 
- - ( 22 ) 
 
 engage? 6to 9 That publick Covenants, 
 and the Covenant of Grace are not all 
 one ,• and where can be the Obligation, 
 or perpetual Obligation of publick Cove- 
 nants, if that's the Cafe £ qmo, That the 
 Sinai Covenant, and fo all Old Tejlament 
 Covenants, afe Covenants of Works ; and 
 how can we then argue for publick Alew 
 Tejlament Covenanting by any moral Rea- 
 fon from thefe I 8vo, They mention a 
 Covenant of Duties, different from the Co- 
 venants of Grace, Redemption, and 
 Works, what it can be -we know not. 
 From all which, they really mine all pub- 
 lick and private Covenanting ; and why 
 Mr. Qlafs fliould fuffer, and they be fpa- 
 red, or allowed to be his Perfecutors, we 
 know not. Plain, open, and confident 
 Truth tells always belt, better want Light, 
 than to have inconfiftent Lights. 
 As for the Confeffion of Faith, Mr. Glafs 
 refufes only the Judicatories, and one Ar- 
 ticle of the 23d Chapter, left he fhould 
 own the civil Magiftrate. as a Church- 
 Officer,which none of as do; yet have all 
 due Refpect to the Civil Magiftrate, and 
 prefent Eftablifhment. We own the Judi- 
 catories, yet would not have them abfo- 
 lute as Popifh Councils^ but to have a 
 declarative Authority, to give out the true 
 
 Senfe 
 
i 23 j <*-<rQ 
 
 Senfeand Meaning of God's Word; noir 
 are thefe Denials of Mr. Glafs of fuch 
 Moment* as thefe of the Irijh Diffenters, 
 who are not fufpended or depofed, tho 7 
 they be very far in the Wrong: So are the 
 Marrow People, who own the Confeffion 
 of Faith in Woidj, but difown its Senfe 
 in all their peculiar Principles, and ne- 
 glect, preaching Duties and explai- 
 ning the moral Law ; yet are not 
 touched, becaufe they own in Words, 
 what,ifingenuous,they could not. Whence 
 we fee that none of them are truly 
 Presbyterian, for Mr. Glafs has renounc- 
 ed Presbyterian Government as of Divine 
 Inftitution,but they moredifingenuoufly, 
 while their Doftrines, Divifions and Ma- 
 nagements are agaiqft the folid Unity of 
 the Church, and the true publick Rule 
 thereof: He is againft the Covenants, as 
 a State-Management, they for them fo, 
 and for Confiscation of the Goods of all 
 the Profane and .Ignorant, who will not- 
 take them, as appears by the Ordinance 
 12 of Otlober 1.643. infert in their Editi- 
 on of the Confeffion of Faith : He is for 
 the publick covenanting of all the Godly, 
 which the Reformation Covenant bears; 
 They for all the profane, fa far as ap- 
 pears to be received and forced. They 
 
 cry 
 
cry out againft the legal Eftablifhment, 
 when State warrantable Orders fbic not 
 their Notions and their Humour for 
 Divifion:He for the legal Eftablifhmenr; 
 but fo as to give the publick Govern- 
 ment of the Church wholly to the Ru- 
 lers of this World, which is one main In- 
 confiftency in him, he is for the Sinai, 
 and Old Teftament Covenants, as Types, 
 but cannot find out the Antetype in the 
 New Teftament Days. They deftroy the 
 Type, and yet argue from it, for publick 
 covenanting in New Teftament Days; and 
 after all, by their Eight Aphorifms above 
 narrated, deftroy all publick and private 
 Covenanting, as Dr. Wake by his Nine 
 Aphorifms deftroys allDivine Church Go- 
 vernment: Their only Duty is Faith, but 
 Mr. Glafs allows of Repentance, and pref- 
 fes Love, whereas they raife Hatred and 
 Animofity every where: He is for the 
 Truth openly,* fo far as he knows, and 
 owns freely his Want of Light, wherein 
 he does not reach it : They pretend to 
 know all, judge of all, and condemn all 
 others,as if none rightly knew the Gofpel 
 but themfelves ; and yet they meddle only 
 with four Generals of it, without giving 
 a full Account of the Contrivance and 
 
 Order 
 
C .5 ) W 
 
 Order of Salvation, carried out to all 
 
 particular Duties, and rhe Way and Man- 
 ner of them, and they. do not take a Me- 
 thod of preaching to difcover particular 
 Sins, all which he does. 
 
 We ivifli Time may be allowed him, 
 as has been long given to them, withoir. 
 any *\ppearance of direSt orfignal Repen- 
 tance on their Part ; and we hope G , 
 who engages him to be more and more 
 ferious and tender, might bring him in 
 yet to true and juft Thoughts of the Go- 
 vernment of the Church, and that he might 
 be an ufeful Member of this Church $ for 
 he has not been ufelefs till the Sufpenfi- 
 on, and our fervent Prayers ftiall be for 
 him and the venerable Aifembiy. 
 
 We cannot conclude, without teftifying 
 to the World that we are for the Doctrine 
 of free Grace, and againft all Legalifm, fo- 
 properly called, or leaning'to any Righte- 
 oufnefs of our own, for the Divine Right 
 of Presbyterian Government, and for all 
 that has divine Warrant in all publick 
 Covenants for true Catholick Communi- 
 on, and againft all Antinomianifm and 
 Marrow Principles Way of preaching and 
 Management; and our Souls abhor the 
 horrid Attempt of Profeffor Simp/on, 
 
 D agairit 
 
againft the Supremacy, Independency, 
 Self-Exiftence, and neceffary Exigence 
 of our Lord Jefus Cbrift, as the fecond 
 Perfon of the fame individual Effence 
 with the Father ; for if he bad nor all 
 tbefe Properties, he could not give a 
 true and proper Satisfa&ion for the 
 Sins of the Ele&Jbecaufe no inferior God 
 can be, nor any inferior Being to the 
 Supreme, who is dependent, can give 
 any Thing of his own, but what he re- 
 ceives i and fo no proper or adequate, or 
 juft Price. We look upon Arrians, So- 
 cinians and Arminians, as attempting to 
 rob us of the precious Comfort, Stay and 
 Support of Chrtjl\ Righteoufhefs; and u- 
 pon Mr. Simp/on as advancing the Height 
 of the Arminian Do&rine, anent the In- 
 feYiority of Chrift the fecond Perfon, to 
 fhun and fhift a proper Satisfa&ion, 
 Righteoufnefs and Purcbafe. We fear he 
 is Arrianizing, in his afferting three Be- 
 ings in the Godhead, and that his refaf- 
 ing to anfwer the Reverend Mr. Craig 
 dire&ly, as to the Son's being asneceffari- 
 ly begot of the Father, as the Father is 
 neceflarily of none, is a fad Difcovery, be 
 would make our Lord a Being that 
 might not be. And thus we fear he and 
 others are paving a Way for Return to 
 
 
Heathenifm and Popery, for we reckon 
 it was the Abufe and Ignorance of the 
 glorious Trinity, conveyed by Tradiri- 
 on, but not undertf ood, made poor blind 
 Heathens fet up for a Plurality of Gods, 
 which the Arrians revived, and Fapifis 
 brought to a Height, wherefore may de- 
 ferve truly to be reckoned Anticbriftian. 
 The worthy Mr. Jamefon of Glafgow has 
 (hown the Harmony of Papifts and So- 
 cman* in moft Points, and Arrians and 
 they muft concentre at laft; yea Armi- 
 titans ferve not their Caufe a little in their 
 Advances for the natural Ability, efpe- 
 cially in their Denial of the four above 
 Attributes of the glorious Son of God, to 
 eftablifli Merit and a Plurality of woriflrip- 
 ful Obje&s; But Mr. Simpfon s who holds 
 all to be in the fame divine Nature, mull 
 own fomethingfuperfluous in it,and fome- 
 thing it may want; yea by Three Being* 
 he robs it of Unity, and holds what can- 
 not go with Reafon, much lefs is agree- 
 able to Revelation. 
 
 Yet we wi(h all the fairelt and cleared 
 Dealing with him, fo as he nor his A- 
 bettors in England^ may not have Reafon 
 to complain for trying him by any A£i of 
 Affembly finally, for all fhould be at Jail 
 tryed by God's Word as to every Proposi- 
 tion, 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 don, for fanftifyed Reafon is in Cafe to 
 confound all carnal Reafonings. And if 
 there has been Co much Patience towards 
 him, and a Bearing without Date with o- 
 thers, whofe Principles are of the worft 
 Influence again*? practical Religion, what 
 may not Mr. Glafs expeft i Not any Ap- 
 probation of any Error or Miftake, but 
 long fuftering Patience, till the ontmoft 
 be feen, and Chriftian Charity, fo long as 
 he appears a worthy Minifler and Chrifti- 
 an, with^ due Caution that he fall not in 
 with the independent Notion anent Exter- 
 nal Communion, as to the abfolute Ne«- 
 ceffity of fureEvidences ot fan&ifying and 
 faving Grace, in Order to admit out- 
 wardly, which no humane Reach can 
 infallibly determine; as alfo that he do 
 not pretend to make the Mangements of 
 
 External Communion in a private Congregation, to be 
 independent of a juft Account of thefe to fuperior Judica- 
 tories, in the Divine Constitution of the Church, left 
 be fall in with the Inconveniences of former Days, 
 which were too evident, when Independency prevail 
 and that fuch Inconveniencies can hardly mils upon 
 fuch Pretences, is, what the Reverend Profeflbr Wood 
 has made evident againft Lockicr > as Mr. Hill Re&or 
 of Kilmmgton has demonftrate the Intrinfik Call and 
 Authority of Church-Judicatories to atft under Chrift 
 immediately, independently of the' Civil Magiftrate, and 
 yet with all due Regard to the Magistrate, again!* Doctor 
 Wake's Aphorifms j all which, if digefted by Mr. Glafs, 
 we would hops to have a comfortable Account of 
 fcim.