ferts, "That ecclefiaftical perfons are not exempt"ed from their jurifdiction."

If we pass from the government of the ftate to that of the church, a very odious idea is given of us, as if, by being oppofers of the hierarchy, we overturned the facred privileges of the gofpel-miniftry, or cut the finews of ecclefiaftical authority; and because our conftitution was not framed upon the fame model with that of our neighbouring church, we are pronounced a factious and licentious fect, enemies to order, promoters of confufion and an unrestrained liberty, and zealous for levelling principles in the church and the state.

Thefe, together with the other calumnies whereby we are blackened on this occafion, will appear in many respects false and injurious, and without any colouring afforded them by our real principles; fince, from a confideration of the 25th, 30th, and 31ft chapters of our Confeffion, with the Directory, &c. it will be evident, that, how little foever our opinions footh and flatter the pride and vanity of earthly minds, though they be not calculated for the afpiring fchemes of ambition, and muft lay their account to be vilified and condemned by thofe who adore worldly greatness, and thirst after a power over the confciences of mankind, or grafp at a dominion above their brethren, fuch as the lords of the Gentiles exercife, and in all other refpects they promife as little of the pomp and authority of earthly rulers; yet our church, far from patronifing confufion and diforder, maintains it as a fixed principle, "That "the Lord Jefus, as king and head of his church, "hath therein appointed a government, in the hand "of church-officers, diftinct from the civil magi"ftrate;" and attributes to thefe church-officers all the power that is neceffary for the facred ends of their appointment, or need be wifhed for by fuch

fuch as have no fecret defign of being lords over God's heritage, but can content themfelves with being helpers of their joy; fuch a power as is fufficient to keep the miniftry pure and uncorrupted, by admitting none into that number who appear unworthy of fo holy a character, and turning out any who may have unawares crept in, and become, by their ignorance, lazinefs, or diffolute lives, a fcandal to their office, and of no ufe to the purpofes of Chriftianity.

Nor does our church in any respect enervate the vigour of difcipline, or the force of cenfures, against profane and vicious members, who ufurp the Chriftian name, which they make themselves unworthy of. Such fhe allows her fpiritual rulers to exclude from the fociety of vifible Chriftians, or to admonish and rebuke with all authority. And however fenfible we are of numerous defects, and fhall eafily acknowledge, that in many inftances we ftand in need of further reformation; yet we believe we may with fome measure of confidence be allowed to glory in it, that there is no church, which, in the exercife of difcipline, comes nearer to the primitive model, and the example of those better times, when all the parts of difcipline were levelled at the reclaiming of offenders, the difcouraging of vice, and the maintaining the purity of the Chriftian fociety; when no cenfure, and much lefs the laft and folemneft act of ecclefiaftical power, was proftituted to mean and unworthy purposes, and thereby expofed to a gene ral contempt; when the ftrength and force of difcipline confifted in its influence upon the reafon and confciences of mankind, and excommunication itfelf had only a fpiritual efficacy, and was dreaded by Chriftians as the greatest punishment, from the terrors wherewith it filled guilty minds, and the power it gained in the hearts and breasts

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of finners, and ftood in no need of temporal penalties to enforce it, nor was attended by fines and imprisonments; arguments entirely foreign to the fpiritual genius of that ecclefiaftical government and difcipline which was embraced by the purest ages, and maintained by none now in a greater degree than by the church of Scotland.

An impartial inquiry into our Confeffion may have the fame good effects with regard to the more refined and abftracted controverfies of religion. It is known to all who have any acquaintance with divinity, with what undue heat and uncharitablenefs the difputes betwixt the Calvinifts and Arminians have been managed, and what odious reprefentations have been given of the opinions of different parties. The church of Scotland, which hath ever zealously efpoufed the doctrines of the great Calvin, or rather of the inspired apoftle Paul, hath on that account received her large fhare of ill ufage; and the harfheft notions have been given of all those who came under the common denomination of Calvinists; and that not only by paffionate little writers, but by men of diftinguished reputation, and acknowledged temper and abilities.

It is ufual enough, because of our doctrines concerning faith, juftification, and grace, to exclaim against us as perfons who weaken the authority of the divine law, and deny the neceffity of good works; who encourage our members to a lazy recumbency upon the righteoufnefs of another, and tempt them to the neglect of holiness in their own life; that our principles are fo many pillows for flothful fouls to reft upon, and opiates to lull them afleep in fin and fecurity: and thus we are expofed as an hateful and abominable fect, that have little regard to morality and holiness.

Now, would fuch have recourse to our Confeffion,

Ifeffion, they would foon be convinced how great an injury is done to us; fince, though we own it as our glory, that we entertain exalted thoughts of the grace of the gospel, and abhor every notion that incroaches upon its fovereignty, or leffens its freedom; that we maintain juftification by faith, and not by works; and would not willingly rob God of any part of the glory and honour of our falvation, by afcribing a fhare of it to ourfelves, and attributing to our unworthy performances what is wholly owing to the obedience and fatisfaction of our Saviour: yet no church, in more exprefs terms, affirms the perpetual obligation of the moral law, which is no way diffolved by the gofpel; the abfolute neceffity of holiness in order to falvation; the vanity of that faith which is not accompanied with all the other graces of the Christian life, and with good works, which are its genuine fruits and evidences, when true and lively; or is more fenfible of the fatal mistake of fuch who fancy, that Chriftian liberty gives the leaft encouragement to the indulgence of any luft. Al which is evident from the whole ftrain of our Confeffion.

It will appear as hard and unjust treatment, when we are charged with representing the bleffed God as a fevere and cruel being, the object only of fears and terrors, because of the doctrine we maintain concerning reprobation; or as a defpotic and arbitrary monarch, that is not governed by the meafures of wisdom and goodnefs, but punishes fin, whereof we make himself the author, because of our opinions about the abfoluteness of his decrees, the freedom of his electing love, and the fovereignty of his grace and providence; fince, how little foever they may approve of our fentiments in these matters; they will perceive, that, in as plain and pofitive terms, we own the infinite

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purity of the divine nature, and the juftice of his procedure; remove as far from him the smallest poffibility of evil, and attribute the origin of fin wholly to the creature; and endeavour to give as lovely and amiable notions of the Father of mercies, and to celebrate with as loud and fervent praifes his unbounded compaffions, and incomprehenfible goodness and patience, as our adversaries themfelves do.

We know it may be alledged, That, how pofitively however we difclaim all thefe monstrous errors, yet they are the neceffary confequences of the other doctrines which we avowedly profefs; fo that were the one certain, the other would naturally be established. But were it true, that fuch blafphemies could be inferred from our doctrine of abfolute decrees, or any other of the opinions of Calvin; yet it would be contrary to the plainest rules of juftice and charity, to afcribe thofe abfurd and impious notions unto us; fince we, in the loudeft manner, difavow them, and profefs, that we are not able to difcern, that our doctrines have the fmalleft tendency towards thofe unworthy thoughts of the infinitely holy and merciful God, which we abhor and deteft as much as they themfelves can do; but believe all our principles consistent with these amiable excellencies of the divine nature.

They may, according to their own way of thinking, accufe us of weaknefs and ignorance, and fancy that our eyes are dim and fhort-fighted, when we can difcern none of those abfurd confequences which appear fo clearly to them; but as long as we remain in this condition, deny the fup: pofed confequences, and give no reason to fufpect the fincerity of our profeffions, it is evidently injurious ftill to load us with them, as if they were our real fentiments; which is indeed to charge up

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