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MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHAST 
 
 (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 7) 
 
 A >1PPLIED Ifvt^GE 
 
 1653 EosI Main Street 
 
 Rochester. New York 14609 USA 
 
 (716) 482 - 0300 - Phon. 
 
 (716) 288-5989 - Kok 
 

 laEMARKS 
 
 ON 
 
 Dr. BURNS's view 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PRlNCli?LES AND FORMS 
 
 tfS THE 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN tlRK; AS BY LAW ESTABLISHED '. 
 
 IN 
 
 SCOTLAND. 
 
 '. i ' .. ■- »\.', it ,'. <: J :: ■'> 
 
 ilY THE 
 
 t,REV. 1A3MES MIIitsrE, A. M. 
 
 ritSDEKIOTON, NEW-BBUNSWICX. 
 
 '■■ •...',•3 t.,! 
 
 ..!» «l,.*-v-',? 
 
 '. -^ .. r,^i 
 
 jlr/ /Jbu ft master of Israel, and icnmoest not these thing»f—'St. John, 3;'Ia« 
 f/ the blind ieadih» bUndf b&Oi ^udLftdl intqtke ditclu-^St. fiDkt. 15, IQ. 
 Thus saitk the Lord, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the eld 
 
 paths, where is the good way, atkl i»>tUkth«rem,avd 'yeyiiUjmt^rttt 
 
 Jor your souZs.— Jeremiah 6, 16. . ^ 
 
 SAINT JOHN: 
 
 ^mNf^ftt William purant, prince wnxuM-s'^SEf* 
 1818. 
 
TO lilS EXCElLEXOt 
 
 AfAJOR-GENERAL SMYTH, 
 
 LlEUTENANT-GovEUNon o/ His MAjE8Tv'a Province />/N£vr-BuuN3WrK* 
 
 ^c. ^x. ^c. ' 
 
 SIR, 
 
 EVERY Clergyman, at his ordination, solemnly engaget to » U rea- 
 dy with all diligenu to banish and drive aimy all erroneous ani 
 slrange doctrines contrary to G<id's word." Your Excellency, tJicre- 
 forei I trust, will not he surprised at the following attempt to repel 
 an attack on our National Church, which, although iceak in itself, 
 is yet by the boldness of its viawier calculated to make on the minds 
 of the unlearned and unstuhh impressions unfavdrdble to her. / 
 can say, with truth, before Ilim wlio knows all things, that I liave 
 no wish to feed the flame of Religious controversy so inconsiderately 
 kindled. My sole object is to icarn tlie. Members of the Church of 
 tJie arts of seduction which are practised against us. Wliat I have 
 writUn with thU intention, and for this purpose, I beg leave to 
 inscribe to your Excellency, as the Constitutional Guardian of tlie 
 Es}ablisli£d Church in this Province; accounting mijseJf Iiappy m 
 having this opportunity of expressing the sentiments of high esteem 
 4w<ft which I liave tht lumor to.be, 
 
 Sir, - , 
 
 Your Excellena/s 
 obliged, and 
 
 ■ faithful servant, 
 * • JAMES A^LNE. 
 
 '^mmmmmm 
 
 F 
 
 e^ Jim 
 
 Ta^o 7, 
 Pajr.- 8, 
 Vw^o 1 1 
 Page. I G 
 T'age 24 
 
 Pa;re 34 
 
 Pa<rp 3.) 
 believ 
 
 spirits, will 
 for the f'ai 
 and avoid l 
 trary to th 
 come any u 
 Ilim God s; 
 partaker of 
 
 The obli 
 View, &c. 
 cnte of rel 
 considpring 
 
BnuNswiOK^ 
 
 ■*«i^^«BH 
 
 to « he rea- 
 oneous and 
 enaj, tlicrc' 
 pt to repel 
 ': in itself, 
 I the minds 
 'o her. I 
 hat I Iiave 
 nsidtratcltj 
 Church of 
 iot I have 
 »■ leave to 
 »n of the 
 Jutppy in 
 gh esteem 
 
 [LNE, 
 
 
 REMARKS, &c. 
 
 F 
 
 r^ tk- -ake of truth itself, and on account of the 
 
 — --"•V-T 
 
 V . y o,. • . , * ERRATA. 
 
 t^a?:'^ 8, I oih line, for « part' read ♦ parts.' 
 
 PhS i' 2 Jl Mnl %' 'r^T^'V^' '•^^^ ' comprehem'...' 
 1 H^ft. lu. ^.j(.| line, lor < rt,j^> read < oh^.' 
 
 I a^re 24, l5th lino, »br ' were' read < are ' 
 
 Pa£ ?t ^i'i'h p''' '':•" ' ^'i'^.l^yt^f' r^ad « Presbyter!.-^ 
 
 Mit^'ehim.''"' ''' 'aheiatobebelievedf'read 'if.vea«to 
 
 spirits, whether they be of God ; to contend earnesriyr 
 for the faith once delivered unto the saints; to mark 
 and avoid them which cause divisions and ofTcnccs con-* 
 trary to the doctrine learned by christians ; and, if there 
 come any unto us, and bring no't this doctrine, not to bid 
 him God speed ; he that biddeth him God speed, being 
 partaker of his evil deeds. % 
 
 The oblig-ation of this great duty. Dr. Burns, in his 
 View, &c. appears to admit by his' admitting the exist- 
 ent e of religious error, and the importance and utility of 
 considprino its rise, tracing its progrcs.s, and contemplate 
 
 ing 
 
 ^ 
 
"to lilS EXCElLEXOir 
 
 AlAJOR-GENERAL SMYTH, 
 
 LlEOTENANT-GovEiiNon of His MAJE8Ty'a Province rt/NEW-BnuN3WlCK< 
 
 ^c. ^c. ^c. 
 SIR, 
 
 Every clergyman, at his ordination, solemnly engages to « U reo' 
 ay with all diligence to banish and drive auMy all errdntous ani 
 strange doctrines contranj to God's uord." Your Exr'^lvicu. 'lure- 
 
 ■*«!■ 
 
 'mmm 
 
 xnex^iiut, 10 your iLXceuency, as the Constitutional Guardian of tho 
 EstahlisltAd Church in this Province; accounting myself Imppy irt 
 having this opportunity of expressing the sentiments of high esteem 
 toiWt which 2 have tht Iwnor to, be, 
 
 Sir, • ^ 
 
 Your Exullenafs 
 obliged, and 
 
 ■ faithful servant, 
 *' JAMES a^LNE. 
 
 F 
 
 OR the 
 influence c 
 think right 
 important 5 
 comprehen 
 of Piety a I 
 of Grace t( 
 stitiitcd anc 
 Church, fh( 
 tures, at th 
 vhen men 
 part from tl 
 having itch 
 and draw a 
 admonished 
 spirits^ whc 
 for the fai 
 and avoid t 
 trary to the 
 come any u 
 him God sj 
 partaker of 
 
 The obli^ 
 View, &c. 
 cnte of reli 
 considering 
 
Ik* 
 
 I | | J..IJ._I ' X ,IL 
 
 JaUNSWXOK/ 
 
 ntous ani 
 nov. 'ficrc 
 
 REMARKS, &c. 
 
 n of tha 
 happy in 
 
 F. 
 
 LNE. 
 
 OR the sake of truth itself, and on account of the 
 influence of opinion on pinctice, it is of consequence to 
 think lightly on all subjects, but especially on the most 
 important subject of religion. That the religion of Jesus 
 comprehends doctrines of Faith to be believed, precepts 
 of Piety and Virtue to be excmpliiied, and Ordinances 
 of Grace to be frequented, in union with a divinely in- 
 stituted and regularly organized socic ty denominated the 
 Church, the Scriptures unequivocally declare. The Scrip- 
 tures, at the same time, foretel, that a time would come, 
 when men would not endure sound doctrine; \\ould de-^ 
 part from the faith ; would heap up to themselves teachers^ 
 having itching ears ; would speak evil of the way of truth, 
 and draw away disciples after them. Wc arc, thereforc> 
 admonished not to believe every spirit, but to try the 
 spirits, whether they be of God ; to contend earnestly, 
 for the faith once delivered unto the saints ; to mark 
 and avoid them which cause divisions and offences coil's 
 Irary to the doctrine learned bv christians ; and, if there 
 come any unto us, and bring n . nis doctrine, not to bid 
 him God speed ; he that biddeth him God speed, being 
 partaker of his evil deeds. 
 
 The obligation of this great duty. Dr. Burns, in his 
 View, &c. appears to admit by his admitting the exist- 
 ence of religious error, and the importance and utility of 
 considering its rise, ti-acing its progress, and contemplate 
 
 ing 
 
( 4 } 
 
 ing Its conKequcnccs. He Is. thororore, to cxprct la 
 find people as earnest to inculcate, :ind as zealous to 
 defend what they regard, as he is to inculcate and defenfi 
 what he regards, as the (ruth in Jesus. 
 
 I do sincerely wish that Dr. Burns had confined himself 
 to what he states in |us advertisement to be the object of 
 his View, &c.— an explanation of " the Constitutioi> 
 of the Church of Scotland, with a particular reference to 
 the design and duties of the Eldership." In doing \h\n, 
 hf would have remained in his own proper place, and have 
 given no offence. IJut he has been pleased to take a wider 
 range, and to introduce Into the discussion of his prgjipsetj 
 subject, matter not only foreign to it, but also derogatory 
 to the Church of I-ngland. He does, indeed, deprecate 
 controversy, and disavow intention to " detract from any 
 Christian denomination." But in deprecating contro- 
 versy, and disavowing intention to " detract from any 
 Christian denomination," he clearly betrays conaciousnessj 
 of his having written something which may be considered 
 as detracting from s^omc Chi istian denomination, and wo-, 
 voking controversy. Indeed, his language in his udver-r 
 tiseracnt, and his assertions throughout his View, may not 
 unfitly be compared to the conduct of a man who, without 
 any act of aggression on the part of a quiet and inoIFch-, 
 sive neighbour, gives him a violent blow on the head, and 
 tells him, that he is an usurper of rights originally belong- 
 Hig to him, but that he does not wish to detract from him» 
 or to quarrel with him. I beg leave, therefore, to sub^* 
 rnit to the members of the Church of England within this 
 Trovinpe, the following Kemarks on Dr. I^urns' View, &c. 
 
 The impressions of education, the associations of vouth, 
 the charities of affection, and the feelings awakened "by the 
 recollection of scenes connected with such impressions, 
 associations and charities, supply topics of persuasion 
 which may be turned against the truth, as well as employed 
 
 for it. Th 
 principles ; 
 application 
 regard then- 
 are to embi 
 reject as c( 
 power of r< 
 suspicion, t 
 vinco th'-.ir 
 purpose by 
 But this is t 
 towards the 
 disclaim, saj 
 within this 
 f^n'ngs; hok 
 
 To all pei 
 
 granted. B 
 
 ragement, as 
 
 does \iv. Bu 
 
 gregation t< 
 
 connectetl w 
 
 division of t 
 
 rejoice that 
 
 '' that profei 
 
 they lived ai 
 
 and by admo 
 
 every feeling 
 
 worshippers 
 
 importance, 
 
 Congregatio 
 
 suffer shame 
 
 affection tow 
 
 indeed, they 
 
 lead, and pn 
 
 respect, will 
 
 others, and \ 
 
 T 
 
expect IQ 
 ruloiis to 
 
 d himself 
 
 object ol" 
 
 nstituiioi) 
 
 eroncc to 
 oing I Mil, 
 
 nnd have 
 c a wt4er 
 
 ■ rogatory 
 
 iVom any 
 : contror 
 Vom any 
 
 )nsidered 
 and jjrof 
 lis adver-f 
 
 may not 
 . without 
 
 iuoffeh-. 
 ifad, and 
 ' bclpng- 
 rom him,; 
 , to suIh 
 ithin this 
 icw, &c. 
 
 ^ryoufh, 
 ?d by (he 
 >rcssions, 
 Msuaslon 
 mployed 
 for 
 
 ( * ) 
 
 for if. They, fhcrefore, who would not be misled by 
 principles amiable in themselves, but fallacious in the 
 application, ought, in all iheir religious enquiries, to dis- 
 regard them, mid to make evidence alone drcide what they 
 arc to embrace as agreeable to the mind of Christ, or lo 
 reject as contrary to it. All who yield to the leading 
 power of reason, and do this, will v'iew with a degree oT 
 !»uspicion, the man who, when he should labour to con- 
 vince thtir judgment, endeavors lo subdue them > > hig 
 purpoac by an appeal to the tenderness of their heart. 
 But this is the very thing which Dr. J3urns has attempted 
 towards the conclusion of his View, ike. but which I utterly 
 disclaim, saying to the members of the Church of Kngland 
 within this Province in the words of St. Paul, Prove all 
 things; Iw/djayt that -^chich is good . 
 
 To all persons in this Colony is liberty of conscience 
 granted. V,\\x the Presbyterians of St. John have encou- 
 ragement, as well as liberty of conscience. W hat, then, 
 does Dr. Burns mean bv wishing the members of his Con- 
 gregation to " feel" their " importance and safety as 
 conncctetl with the ecclesiastical constitution of one great 
 division of the United Kingdom;" by exhorting them to 
 rejoice that they are counted worthy to siifler shame for 
 'Mhat profession which " their" fathers maintaiiutl while 
 they hved and in which they triumphed when they died ;" 
 and by admonishing them to " banish from" their " mnds 
 every feeling of disaifection towards other forms and other 
 worshippers I" Has any attempt been made to lessen the 
 importance, and to shake the security of Dr. Burns and his 
 t^orgre^gation ? By whom have they been exposed to 
 Slitter shame ? What has occurred to make them feel dis- 
 allecfion towards other forms and other worshippers ? if, 
 indeed, they have aspired to an influence, tried to take 9 
 Jeati, and practised an interference, inconsistent, in any 
 respect, with the established and recognised ri/rht of 
 others, and have, on this account, been resisted and with- 
 stood, 
 
( <^ ) 
 
 stood, they have been treated juR ns they deserve ; and, 
 instead of complaining, they should determine to redeem 
 il'. errors of the past by a more modest and unassuming 
 deportment in future. 
 
 ]'( is pcrfertly evident that, where there is one particular 
 Churrh established by Law, all who do not conform to 
 this Church, are to be considered Dissentcm. On this 
 principle, iho Primate of all, England, upon crossing the 
 Tweed and going inff) Scotland, and the Moderator of the 
 Kirk of Scotland, upon crossing that river and going into 
 Kngland, wonid, undoubtedly, be dissenters. On the same 
 Jirincipie, as the Church of England, and not the Kiik of 
 Scotland, is the (Church by law established in this Province, 
 .'I mcnUicr ol the Kirk, by crossing the Atlantic, ddes be- 
 come, and actually h, a dissenter, until he have the happi- 
 ness to see, that ihcJrticks of the Church of Englaiid 
 nre beftcr than the Tenets of the JFestnunster Confession 
 of Fqilh ; that the Liturgy of the Church of England is 
 more conducive to devotion than the cflusions of extem- 
 porary prayer; and that the Episcopacy of the Church of 
 England, and not the Presbytery of the Kirk of Scotlantl, 
 is the regular and legitimate form of church govcrnnWjit.' 
 I^v the laws of this Province, nccordingly, all who do n6t 
 conform to \\\e Church of England, are called dissenters, 
 and their places of worship meeting-houses. If, there- 
 fore, we are to eKpre.<;R onrgelves as these laws require, we 
 inust say, that Dr. Hums is Minister of the Presbyterian 
 meeting-house at Saint John, and as such a dissenting 
 teacher. On what other ground of reasoning he can call 
 the Episcopalians in ^Scotland dissenters, I do not see 
 But, in the mean time, it warrants the conclusion fhat, 
 ^v'herv^'ver the Chnich of England is by law established, 
 the Kiik of Scotland is not co-ordninte with her, but siihor 
 thnale \o hex ; and, also, justifies me in making, in the 
 title of Dr. P>urns' View. Lc. an alteration which removes 
 an iniiidi(.U6 ambiguity. 
 
 Dr. 
 
 i)r. Burn 
 Scotland '' 
 '' pure in pi 
 and con^rrai 
 made for th 
 as that of E 
 indeed, dcsc 
 Prcsbyteria! 
 tion which I 
 justified } , 
 accounts the 
 less, and, the 
 abettors of s 
 vour to keei 
 Do they lab 
 inay, as he ; 
 suiieritigs, b( 
 him ? '^C-'vp 
 I^Josed topn 
 octrinal poi 
 not avail to 
 Dei legem n 
 veriiatem n^ 
 opinion also 
 observes, t\v, 
 not invent sc 
 •ation iVom ti 
 fingir hajresi 
 And his gre; 
 light to hav( 
 ^'oid it as m 
 hcrishing of 
 annot be em 
 antum dcbe 
 iemper quoad 
 lomenti vob 
 icclesia schisr 
 jH«m sine hori 
 
serve ; and, 
 ' to redeem 
 iinassumin<r 
 
 ( 
 
 ) 
 
 e particular 
 :oi)fovm to 
 s. On this 
 rossing the 
 ratorof the 
 
 going into 
 )n the same 
 the Kirk of 
 sProvmce, 
 c, ddes be- 
 
 the happi- 
 )l' England 
 
 Confession 
 England is 
 ; o( extem- 
 
 Churrh of 
 r Scotland, 
 )vcriinrrt|iV.= 
 vho do n6t 
 
 dissenters, 
 
 If, thef^- 
 equire, we 
 resbyterian 
 
 dissenting 
 he can call 
 o not see. 
 iision that/ 
 ?stablished 
 
 but suhor- 
 njr, in the 
 .;h r,e moves 
 
 Dr. 
 
 bv. r>iirns calls the Church of Enj^iand and the Kirk of 
 Scotland '^ sister churches,' allows the former to be .u 
 '' pure in principle and cOicicnt in operation"' as the latter 
 and congratulates these Colonies on having -- provisioil 
 made lor the support of such an ecclesiastical constitu«ioii 
 as that ol England." But, if the Church of England does 
 indeed, deserve to be so highly thought of bv the dissentin*^ 
 I resbyterian Teacher of St. John, what ;vay is the separat 
 tjon which has there taken place from that Church, to be 
 justified } Separation from such a Church as Dr. Burns 
 accounts the Church of England, is, without doubt, cause- 
 less, and, therefore, schismatical. ' And are the authors and 
 abettors ot schismatical separation christians who endea- 
 vour to keep the unity of the spirit in tne bond of peace ^ 
 Do they labour that all who bclievr ^^ tjl,c Son ol'God 
 may. as he prayed before he entereu on the scene of his 
 sulfeniigs, be one as He is in the Father, and the l<ather in 
 turn . Cyprian, to whose opinion Dr. Burns appears dis- 
 posed to pny regard, aflirms, that even an agreement in 
 <toctrinal points, where there is schismatical practice will 
 not avail to salvation. Hanc unitatem qui non t'enet 
 Dci legem non tenet ; non tenet Patris et Filii (idem et 
 veritatem non tenet ad salulem. Jerome, to wl^se 
 opinion also Dr. Burns appears disposed to pay re<'ard 
 observes, that there never yet was any schism, thaT did 
 not invent some false doctrine, in order to luslify its sena- 
 ration rom the Church. Nullum schisma nun sibi aliquam 
 bngir hasresim. ut recte ab Ecclcsia recessissc videatur 
 inl.r f •'^'-'^ P'-"2J^"''o;^ Calvin, says, .that Christians: 
 ■>U8ht to have such an abhorrence of schism, as always to 
 pvoid ,t as much as possible, and that the creating and 
 'annnt K^ of schismsand sccf.s. is not a li^ht matteV, and.' 
 annot be endured by any christian mind without horror 
 ^antum debere inter Christianos esse odium schismatis ut' 
 'emper quoad libet, refugiant. Neque porro iUud levis^ 
 
 Imn^^sl'nehr"''' '"'"'T' *^""^^ »"'iun^ pectus Christia.^ 
 I'lini sine norrore ptinm l.r>Mvi../> .-.^i^..* ^. 
 
 n 
 
( i ) 
 
 The circumstance, that Presbyterianism is established iri 
 iScotiancI, is of itself no proof, that the Church ofEnglanci 
 and the Kirk of Scotland form one Church. For, is not 
 the Church of Rome, as well an the Church ifltf England, 
 established in the Cahadas ? But are the Churches of 
 England and of Rome to be, for this reason, regarded as 
 foi-lning/one Church ? If Dr. Burns, ivhen he represents 
 the Church of England and theKirk of Scotland as forming 
 one Church, on account of their being associated under 
 One head, does not mean by this one head the King, h6 
 Says nothing to the purpose. But the Lord Jesus Christ is 
 acknowledged to be the 6'o/e head of the Kirk. 
 
 Canon 55 of the Church of England, which comriiahds 
 her clergy to pray for the Churches of England, Scntlatitl; 
 and Ireland, as part of Christ's holy Catholic Church which 
 is dispersed throughout the world, is no such recognition 
 of the Kirk as Dr, Burns fancies, i'resbyterian parity was 
 introduced into Scotland, and established in that kingdom, 
 as the scriptural and primitive form of church government, 
 in opposition to episcopacy, which was declared to be anti- 
 christian and unlawful. But would the Church of England, 
 m Canon 55, recognise persons /zo/f//>?^ such opimorisand 
 acting on them, as a part of Christ's holy Catholic Church 
 which is dispersed throughout the world, when, in Canon 
 t, she orders them to be excommunicated ipso facto, and 
 So continue '' until" they " repent, and publicly revoke 
 such" their " wicked errors ?" The reason of a child must 
 perceive, that the answer ought to be in the negative. 
 'Jthe truth is, that, when the Canon in question was framed, 
 King James was seated on the throne of Elizabeth; and, 
 as before his accession to that ihrone, he had revived the 
 name and office of Bishop in Scotland, he wa§ now pur 
 suing the measures deemed prudent for the introduction 
 and establishment of a true and regular episcopacy, "not," 
 says Bishop Guthry, " without the consent ana furtherance 
 of many of the wisest among the ministry," In this 
 '- ' - Canon. 
 
 fcanori, the 
 tvith the in 
 doctrine, ; 
 cognising I 
 peculiar tCi 
 
 Our nej 
 Church of 
 sion of Fai 
 sense, and 
 subscribe 1 
 the Confesi 
 Wards disst 
 to these en 
 nnisl know 
 subject of 
 Trinity, i 
 of Faith s: 
 nifestation 
 tinated to 
 evevlastino 
 tinated am 
 ably desig 
 definite, th 
 On the do 
 says, that ' 
 Persons, o 
 Father, Gt 
 Father is o 
 Son is eter 
 eternally p 
 1 defy Dr. I 
 guage, to J 
 anti-Calvin 
 then; that 
 in that seni 
 andsimplii 
 
rablisheti iri 
 ofEngland 
 For, is not 
 if England, 
 Churches of 
 regarded as 
 : represents 
 as forming 
 ated under 
 le King, ht 
 sus Christ is 
 
 comrriands 
 d, Scntlattd; 
 lurch which 
 recognition 
 1 parity was 
 It kingdom, 
 overnment, 
 Jlobeanti- 
 ofEngland, 
 pinidhsand 
 alic Church 
 J, in Canori 
 facto, and 
 licly revoke| 
 t child musti 
 e riegative.l 
 was framed, j 
 tbeth; and J 
 revived thcl 
 g now pur-j 
 itroductionl 
 acy, "not,"j 
 furtherance! 
 " In this 
 Canoi 
 
 & ) , 
 
 Canbri, theVefore, the Cluirch ofEngland is notcha rgeable 
 tvith the inconsistency and folly of contradicting her own 
 doctrine, and undermining her own constitution, by re- 
 cognising the Presbyterian parity of Scotland, or any thing 
 peculiai* to it, and characteristic of it. 
 
 Onr hext enquiries are, whether the Articles of the 
 Church of Scotland contained in the IVestwinster Confes' 
 sion of Faith have, as Dr. Burns affirms, an anti-Calvinistic 
 sense, and whether a man can, with a good conscience, 
 subscribe them in this acceptation, or attach his name to 
 the Confession of Faith, and justify his conduct in after- 
 Wards disseminating the doctrines of Socinus. To obtain 
 ttt these enquiries an answer which shall be satisfactory, we 
 must know what the Confession of Faith delivers on the 
 subject of Predestination, and on the doctrine of the 
 Trinity. On the subject of Predestination, the Confession 
 of Faith says, that " by the decree of God, for the ma- 
 nifestation of his glofy, some men and angels are predes- 
 tinated to everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to 
 evevlasting death ; that these men and angels, thus predes- 
 tinated and fore-ordained, are particularly and unchange- 
 ably designed, and that their number is .so certain and 
 definite, that it cannot be (either increased or diminished." 
 On the doctrine of the Trinity, The Confession oj Faith 
 says, that " in the unity of the Godhead there be Three 
 Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity j God the 
 Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The 
 Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding ; the 
 Son is eternally begotten of the Father, the Holy Ghost 
 eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son." Now, 
 1 defy Dr. Burns, by all the iniquitous arts of torturing lan- 
 guage, to give to these articles even the semblance of an 
 anti-Calvinistic and an anti-Trinitarian sense. Is he, 
 then; that subscribes them, or attaches his name to them 
 in that sense, to be considered a man of godly sincerity 
 and simplicity ? Can he be said to hold faith and a good 
 - ■'- i B conscience? 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 tdnscieWce ? On what principles which ins|)ire the loVg 
 f>f truth, and give man confidence in man, is he able ta 
 jiistily his conduct ? 
 
 Dr. Burns rippcars to lay some stress on the remark of 
 Professor Dugald Stewart of the University of Edinburgh, 
 his " hue much esteemed instructor, and an Elder of ?he 
 • Church, that the General Assembly resembles the popular 
 deliberative assembly of the ancients more than any Court 
 which now exists in the world." Had the resemblance 
 be^ii drawn from the Sanhedrim of the ancient people of 
 God, or from any Assembly or Council of Christians, and 
 ^ot from an Assembly of Heathens, I should have thought 
 it tauch more to the credit of the General Assembly. But 
 fhis point, in whatever way settled, is far inferior in mo- 
 ftient to'lhe information, that a " great body predominates 
 in that most august tribunal against the advocates for the 
 ahcient doctrine.-? and the faith once delivered to the 
 saints." Yet, this defection, deplorable as it is, cannot 
 be liitJtter of wonder, if, according to Dr. Burns' represent 
 ration, ti.c young Scottish Divines, full of the spirit of 
 Worldly ambition and worldly gain, " are too much bent 
 oti other pursuits to the neglect of theology," and by their* 
 application to the study of medicine in particular render 
 it " not unusual to see M. D. affixed to the name which/ 
 J^^rreml precedes." But how the acknowledged irife- 
 hohry of the Divines of t're Kirk of Scotland to the,Divines 
 fof the Church of England in theological attainments, can 
 " jjrove that jircsbyterian principles tend rather toJlkraUse 
 ih^n to contract the mind/' does not appear, unless by 
 liberalising the mind Dr. Burns means setting it free from 
 the restraints of faith, and suffering it to spoil itself 
 through philosophy and vain deceit. In this way, how- 
 ever, the mind of a Presbyterian of Scotland cannot be 
 iiberalised but by departing from his principles ; their 
 direct tendency, as thej- are rigid/ij Cahinistic, being to 
 coiitract the mind into the narrow circle which compre- 
 hend 
 
 hend the 5 
 cruel pa^i 
 destinatio 
 
 In thed 
 fess and a 
 men of su] 
 time to ti 
 midst of tl 
 unrivalled 
 That, ther 
 ment of lit 
 and in ou: 
 but it cci 
 exclusive 
 expres.ses 1 
 is content 
 stitution o; 
 hostile to 1 
 elegant pu 
 any conne( 
 byterian p 
 enemy in 
 what exert! 
 to what do 
 
 Some ki 
 be useful t 
 ture in g-en 
 which is tc 
 relative to 
 said, Ye sh 
 prophets w 
 wardly the^ 
 literature v 
 has by St. 1 
 its proved 
 
re the loVe 
 s he able ta 
 
 2 remark of 
 Edinburgh, 
 Iiler of the 
 he popular 
 
 any Court 
 ^semblance 
 
 people of 
 stians, and 
 ve thought 
 ibly. But 
 ior in mo- 
 doininates 
 ttesfor the 
 ed to the, 
 is, cannot 
 * represen- 
 e spirit of 
 nur.h bent 
 id by their 
 lar render 
 trae which' 
 Iged infe- 
 ie,Divines 
 lents, can 
 
 unless by 
 free from 
 poil itself 
 'ay, how- 
 annot be 
 Js ; their 
 being to 
 compre- 
 hend 
 
 ( 11 ) , 
 
 hend the suppose 1 elect, and to produce all the wcik and 
 cruel partialities on wkich the pretended decree of Pre- 
 destination is founded. 
 
 In thediffi'rcnt communions into which they who pro* 
 fess and call themselves Christians, arc unhappily divided, 
 men of superior parts and shining acquirements have from 
 time to time appeared. N.iy, Greece and Home, in the 
 midst of the thickest spiritual darkness, can boast names of 
 unrivalled excellence in some departments of literaturci 
 That, therefore, <' men eminent in almost every depart- 
 ment of literature" have appeared in " the Scottish Church 
 and in our own age," is a matter of high congratulation ; 
 but it confers no peculiar distinction, and entitles to no 
 exclusive praise. Aware, perhaps of this, Dr, Burns 
 expresses himself on the subject in negative language, and 
 is content to say, that " there is nothing cither in the con- 
 stitution or principles^ of the" presbyteriau " establishment 
 hostile to the cause of literature, or \ih\cU frmcns on the 
 elegant pui-suits of sciences and arts," But, can there be 
 any connection between the cause of literature and pres^ 
 byterian polity and principles, because the former has no 
 enemy in the latter? Can existence be ascribed to 
 what exerts no active energy ? Can prosperity be ascribed 
 to what does nothing ta raise ? 
 
 Some kinds of learning are necessary, and all kinds may 
 be useful to a Christian Minister ; but eminence in litcra-f 
 ture in general, is not proposed in scripture as the test by 
 which is to be tried the practical tendency of any, thing 
 relative to the doctrine and church of Christ. When He 
 said, Ye shall know them hy their fruits, he spoke of false 
 prophets which come to us in sheep's clothing, but in-f 
 wardly they are ravening wolves. Indeed, of much of that 
 literature which Dr. Burns particularizes, thes])iiit of God 
 has by St. Paul pronounced, that it is folly, on account of 
 its proved insufiicicncy to enlighten the mind with the 
 
 knowledge 
 
I^ ) 
 
 knowledge of divine ihinjjs. .Afnv we, therefore, enter 
 into the feelings, and comprehend the words of Jesus at 
 that time, when He answered and said. 1 tlwrik thee, Q 
 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou haat hid 
 these things from the ivise and prudent, and hast revealed 
 them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed sood in 
 thy sight. ^ . 
 
 In Scotland, the Reformation began to dawn in 1527 
 and received a legal establishment in 15 60 ; but a truea^cl 
 regular episcopacy was not introduced till 16 10.; .IJuf, 
 the first who stood up for presbyterian parity in opposition 
 to episcopal superiority, and begun the struggle, whether 
 the Church should be framed according to the Episcopal 
 or Presbyterian model, was Andrew Melvil, about fifteen 
 jears after the legal establishment of the Reformation. 
 The reasons for considering him and his partisans as 
 strictly speaking, the Fathers of the Kirk, are ^atisfactojilv 
 detailed by the Right Rev. author of The Fundmnentk 
 Uiarter-oJ Fr.esbytehj F x am ined and Disproved. While, 
 therefore, I refer to that performance, 1 presume none will 
 reluse to admit, that praise is due to pvesbyterianisin for 
 nothing, except what, in its genuine operation, it led 
 Presbyterians to do. But the admission of this, in conse^ 
 quence of the evidence adduced by Bishop Sage in the 
 ^vork just mentioned, separates the first Reformers of 
 Scotland and allihey did before Andrew Melvil camebn 
 the stage, from tlje cause of presbvterian parity, the spirit 
 displayed m its defence, the means" used to render it trium- 
 phant, and the pcculiaritiefj in worship attached to it. 
 
 ■ It is observable, that Dr. Burns has not attempted to 
 impose on the easy belief of his Conga-egation, bv repre- 
 senting the Ftr.stBoofc 0/ I)iscip/ine, dr^v^n up W John 
 Knox and others, as the platform of their ecclesiastical 
 eonstitution. This honour he justly assigns to the cond 
 poo/c oj Discipline, compiled by Andrew Melvil and otl^rs, 
 
 and 
 
 and con'-i 
 ments wei 
 Discip/im 
 name imp 
 cordingly 
 has shewn 
 vii>diction 
 
 That at 
 of, appeal 
 which est; 
 the verv 
 the Bislio] 
 Gordon, \ 
 ted, that "■ 
 Mearns, a 
 estly pieai 
 episcopacy 
 Superinte 
 a Bishop i 
 in the Jew 
 ^id warnii 
 It is true, 
 »iade Gha 
 benefice i 
 latter Dr. '. 
 oflfice toi 
 exercise ii 
 ecclesiastii 
 to his fath 
 son for hi! 
 to you, thi 
 at it, that 
 to refuse, 
 those that 
 offered b) 
 oflisnces } 
 
 f 
 
'for«, entev 
 of Jesus at 
 nik't/iee, O 
 m /last hid 
 ast nvea/ed 
 'nedgood in 
 
 n III. 1527, 
 a triMjnnd 
 610.. ,13ur, 
 opj)ositi<)n 
 e, whether 
 ' Kpisccpal 
 DirJ fif'teeii 
 rormation. 
 jrtisans as, 
 tisfactoriJy 
 mdvmental 
 i. While, 
 ;none will 
 ianisiKi for 
 on, it led 
 in conse- 
 ;agein the 
 ormers of 
 1 came ion 
 . the spirit 
 r it trium^ 
 to if. 
 
 mpted to 
 by vepre- 
 3 by John 
 lesiastical 
 he Qoml 
 ndotMlys^ 
 and 
 
 { 13 ) 
 
 anc! Gonvidere the Chmch fi///i/ ofganized. when its enact-, 
 ments were carried into elliect. Indeed, the First Book oj 
 Discipline appoinied siiperintcndants, who, as the very 
 nanne implies, were overseers of the other clergy. Ac- 
 cordingly, Bishop Saoe, in The Fundamental Charter, Sec. 
 has shewn, that they had, in thirty instances, episcopal ju- 
 visdiction over them. 
 
 That at this time presbyterian parity was not dreamed 
 of, appears, also, from the conduct of the Convention, 
 which established the Keformed religion, in decreeing in 
 the very act which abolished the Pope's authoritj% That 
 the Bishopric of Galloway should be adjudged to Bishop 
 Gordon, without the Pope's Bulls. Nor is it to be omit- 
 ted, that f' Erskine of Dun, Superintendant of Angus and 
 Mearns, and one of Knox's most intimate friends, earn- 
 estly pleads, in a letter to the Regent Mar, the cause of 
 episcopacy a^ being of apasto/ival institution ; considers the 
 Superintendants as Bishops ; and compares the ofBce of 
 a Bishop in the Christian Church.to that of the High Priest 
 in the Jewish— expressly calling the High Priest a Btshop, 
 ^Vd warning the Regent not to incur the guilt of Uzziah." 
 It is true, that John Knox, being in Priests' orders, was 
 made Chaplain to KJBg Edward VI. and was offered first a 
 benefice in Loinlbij? and afterwards a bishopric. The 
 latter Dr. Burns says f he rejected, declaring the episcopal 
 office to, be destitute of di^iine authority in itself, and its 
 exercise in the EngHaJti church to be inconsistent with the 
 ecclesiastical canons." Knox himself, however, in a letter 
 to his father-in-law, Mr. Bowes, gives a very different rea- 
 son for his conduct. " How oft," says he," " have I said 
 to you, that Hooked daily for trouble, and tUVl wondered 
 at It, that so long I should escape it ! What moved me 
 to refuse, and that with displeasure of all men, even of 
 those that best loved me, those high promotions that were 
 offered by him whom God hath taken froM us for our 
 offences .? Asisuredly the foresight of trouble to come. 
 
 How 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 How oft have I snid to you, that the time would not bd 
 lon^ that England would give me bread ! Advise with 
 the last letter that I wrote unto your brother-in-law, and 
 consider what is therein contained." But, although Knox 
 Irom well-grounded dread of what actually took place' 
 ^hen popish Mary ascended the throne of EdwaM Vl' 
 refused to accept a fixed charge i„ the Church of England, 
 he accepred the office of an itinerant preacher, with a 
 salary ol L.40 per annum. And could he, with honesty 
 and consistency, have done this, if he had regarded the 
 i^hurch of England as constituted according to principles 
 at variance with the divine authority and the ecclesiastical 
 canons ? The same reasoning is applicable to his conduct 
 in preaching at the installation of Mr. John Douglas into 
 flie Archbishopric of St. Andrews. In fine, he so far ap. 
 proved of the Assembly's proceedings at Leith, by which 
 the titles of Archbishop and Bishop were restored, as, in 
 his farewell letter to the Church, dated St. Andrews, the 
 5th ot August 1572, to give directions respecting the> 
 disposal Qfi?«/io;,ric5 and other benefices. \ 
 
 ^ Here, the question is not concerning the merits of th«: 
 
 K^tormersin general, but concerning the particular merits 
 
 or Andrew Melvil and his brethren of the presbyteriaif 
 
 reforming party. If Dr. Burns can make it appear, that 
 
 they were men of a refined taste, who addicted themselves 
 
 to the elegant pursuits of sciencies and arts," I shall be 
 
 very well, pleased. But, mean while, I venture, on the 
 
 Jaith ol histoi7, to say, that whatever they were in som© 
 
 respects, they were in others, turbulent, disloyal, bigotted 
 
 fanatic^, whose glory it was to rail at their superiors in 
 
 Church and State, and who, while they taught the people' 
 
 to boxv down The head as a bulrush, did themselves, .with 
 
 JO littic grimace, affect to walk mournfully before the 
 
 Lord If good has, in anyway, arisen from the tenets 
 
 which they laboured to dimise,' and the works in which 
 
 they delighted to be occupied, it is to be ascribed to Him 
 
 whq 
 
 Vvho make 
 remainder 
 
 Theguil 
 of Covena 
 time, how( 
 he can. J 
 they " can 
 yet," says 
 exhibits ai 
 which has ( 
 nected witl 
 exhibiting 
 in reality, 
 and siich k 
 the sinful 
 pretension 
 of a claim 
 of Satan, ( 
 principle i 
 believed. 
 
 But, the 
 of the cour 
 ance of pr 
 inspii-e ind^ 
 subordinatii 
 pies inconsi 
 christian pi 
 thrown int( 
 ^ith unchi 
 subordinati( 
 Faith teach< 
 glory, unch 
 pass in tim 
 give up the 
 nantei-s, I la 
 tQ do wicket 
 
iild nof bd 
 dvise with 
 )-Iaw^ and 
 Jgh Knox, 
 )ok place, 
 dward VI. 
 r England, 
 ?r, with a 
 h honesty 
 arded the 
 principles 
 lesiasticat 
 s conduct 
 Liglas into 
 5o far ap-' 
 by which 
 ed, as, in 
 rews, the 
 :ting th© 
 
 its of the 
 
 ar merits 
 
 ibyterian 
 
 ear, that 
 
 emselves 
 
 shall be 
 
 on the 
 
 in somifi^ 
 
 bigotted 
 
 triors in 
 
 J people 
 
 /es,.with 
 
 'ore the 
 
 3 tenets 
 
 n which 
 
 to Hin* 
 
 whq 
 
 ( 15 ) 
 
 Vi-ho makes tlie Wrath of man praise him, and restrains thfe' 
 remainder of wrath. 
 
 The guilty excesses of the Presbyter inns, under the name 
 of Covenantei-s, Dr. Burns acknowledges. At the same 
 time, however, he offers as good an apology for them aa 
 he can. But, what is that apology ? Notwithstanding 
 they " cannot be justified in every part of their conduct ; 
 yet," says Dr J3urns, " the firmness which they displayed 
 exhibits an energy of character and a force of principle 
 which has (have) never been surpassed." Firmness con- 
 nected with a conduct in some parts unjustifiable, and 
 exhibiting energy of character and force of principle, is, 
 in reality, obstinacy in evil. Such energy of character 
 and siich force of principle, therefore, must be referred to 
 the sinful cause from which they proceed. But every 
 pretension ,o superiority in the case, whatever may be said 
 of aclaim to equality, is inadmissible, while the firmness 
 of Satan, exhibiting energy of character and force of 
 principle in his way, is^ on the testimony of scripture,, 
 believed. 
 
 But, the situation of the Covenanters, " while deprived 
 of the countenance of law, and left entirely to thp g.uid^ 
 ance of private conscience, was necessarily such, as to 
 inspiire independent principles inconsistent with legiriar 
 subordination and discipline." Are independent princi-* 
 pies inconsistent with regular subordination anddisciplinev 
 christian principles ?— No. Can men, then ever be 
 thrown into a situation which /tecesaari/y inspires them- 
 ^ith unchristian principles inconsistent with regulafr 
 subordination and discipline ? If, as the Confession of 
 Faith teaches, '' God has, from all eternity, for his own- 
 glory, unchangeably fore-Ordained whatsoever comes, to 
 pass in time, especially concerning angels and men," I, 
 give up the point, and, instead of condenming the Cove-r 
 nanters, I lament the fatal necessity which compiled them: 
 tp do wicJcedly. But 
 
( IG ) . 
 
 rejoin'; D^ili.f,^ "T^^^I^^ " ""' '" be " ft„.«o..„,. 
 
 ins. that thevdcserved to s ,m.,^- .V " "l""!? '"" ■"'- 
 and crimes 'and Vh,, """T' '"i" i^ei.- uir,-hnjii;,blenoss 
 
 'l.en, ? T have „„Iv •„ n l'*'"'*'",' "'''■>' 'I"' '"«e.- f-r 
 
 .he Cove nntor, „?f, rthl ^r'' ' u"' *•■ ""■ '•""''"« ■"• 
 
 Church of Scothnd ih n . l"'" '^^ P'"™' ^'^"SY and 
 
 defend -haf^Sn^^le » Jc'^'rr '" ^'P'*"^'^"'' 
 flTOCopalian naHv Jf, l,^? • ' 'neasures ol the 
 
 -ot an"; Trther -air", t the .!' ™'"'f^,l? "• J*''''>- ''o 
 Church that, thev Choi! , ''P'^™P"' ^'efgy .tnrf their 
 ..njustifiaWe „ eas'^^t '1,„ ", Z'''''^"™ '"t deread.thce 
 
 ■■i' a, tha are advocat'f '■ fl""^' ^""^""'' »'*4Arae- 
 
 .r .here -N, t°r„r/hTh;T :^;7h:"''tf "I'T' 
 co°:ti!!,';™^?;f:j<:!r=f *' = p^""-"-"' r-. or ,he 
 
 r«le and do nLi u '• " ^PP<"n"nent of Eldmwho 
 
 un£rS;^^^r„k'Th:t,xsr^?j=:- 
 
 1^ he means E Mers who labour in word and docfrLTfW 
 co-operat.on ni the government of the Church ?.^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 ior ,n the Reformed Episcopal Churches the co-opS„* 
 
 of persof 
 appellati 
 of the CI 
 t'radistinc 
 byterians 
 because ( 
 appointee 
 not dy lii 
 
 Dr. Bq; 
 
 Quotes in 
 
 preachinjg 
 
 passage, t 
 
 totes prest 
 
 especially 
 
 fairly 'in fei 
 
 Vvho presic 
 
 But are the 
 
 to preside i 
 
 "«Veil as pre 
 
 horioi*, or 
 
 adopted fr 
 
 Ruling Eld 
 
 of all Chris 
 
 Calvin, diep 
 
 the beginh 
 
 however, as 
 
 tlie Kirk, t ( 
 
 what I exp 
 
 their duties: 
 
 this part of 
 
 ■Elders consi 
 
 ihPredchiK 
 ^Preaching E 
 
 Thattheri 
 undeniable.' 
 
yiil for their 
 his hiif sav- 
 lantahlencss 
 I suffer for 
 tiondiict oi* 
 Clergy and 
 pji^rovc and 
 iH»s of the 
 ji^sHfy, do 
 ^^ their 
 /end. those 
 ' R'^ihrmc'd 
 > arf^'Ame- 
 
 >** of the 
 Iclers who 
 Whether 
 sajis, that 
 i»s6 they 
 imfetit of 
 rtiguage, 
 M've that, 
 ne, their 
 is not a 
 jf'theni^ 
 perafion 
 
 C ^7 ) 
 
 tof personsr, de.jving from a valid 0.-aination a right to the 
 
 dP^thirr'^K ^'f'^'T.' '^ ^^^""-^^ in the government 
 of he Church. But. if he means Elddrs who rule in con- 
 ^a distinction to Elders who preach, I reply, that the Pres- 
 byterians are not so denominated for this reason, but 
 aoS. '^^'J^''" ''^'^ governmcht of the Church 
 nor;lL';f ^^"^"^--^ ^- ^e^V Presbyters and 
 
 Br. Burns is more clear, ana easily linde^stood. wheh hd 
 ,:..?• '" fM?P°'' of the clistinclion between ruling and 
 
 b sf e"f h ^'\' ^'^' 1' ^ '• ^^^' ''^' St. Paul in that 
 passage, the presbyters who preside well, oi kalos proes^ 
 totes presbuteroi be accounted worthy of double honor, 
 especially they Who labour in wofd jnd doctrine. It is 
 fai.Iy inferrible from these words, that some presbyters 
 ^vho presided well did also labouHn word and doctrine. 
 
 tm P ™S "^'"u^^ ^"'•"S ^'''^•'^ '" ^^«K'»-k. ordained 
 topres.de? M^y they labour in word and doctrine, as 
 
 hoinf P''^'^^.^, ^r ^^^y accounted worthy of double 
 IZltx^'u ' '^'c' "^^'"t^"^"<^e ? That the Apostles 
 nXlvu"^ *^ Synagogue nO arrangement respecting 
 ar^\\%^^T' '''?' confident ft-omthfc profound silenc? 
 cllv n^" " antiquity on the subject. But, that John 
 ijalvm, departing from the commandment which was from 
 the beginning, did so, I will not dispute. Important, 
 
 the Kill'' r '^' "^r'^ °^ ^"^'"^ E'^^*^ i« ^«"^'de'-ed iri 
 iTrfoiT ' fcannot find any where in Dr. Burns' View, &c. 
 
 t^^j! i f'^P^'^^ti ^'^"^ ^*' advertisement, a statement of 
 iSlLT% .^^' u-"" ^^ concluded from his silence oti 
 
 fh. P T'* '.", ?°'"^ "°''^'"g' ^^^^Pf spying Yes, wheH 
 
 A.^^'^pg^'^''^ ^''^^Y^^' and saying nI, when the 
 ^rffflcA/;3g- Llders say No ? ^ " ' 
 
 uJ^t!''^^^^^'^'^'^^'''^ presbytery is, indeed, 
 undeniable. But, is there scriptural warrant for presby* 
 
 - C lery 
 
'I 
 
 ( 18 > 
 
 'V considertMl as embodied an(\ del. ng not ohiy withotif 
 ct*.«scopal authority, but in tldiance of it ? Dr Hums 
 Agsumin^ the tone of conHrlcnce, and, at the same time! 
 pretending much liberality and candour, boldly answers 
 in the neg.l.ve. To make what I have to say in return 
 bear on every tjvng ^vanccd by him deserving notice, I 
 ahail begin with statin^, that, on the subject of church 
 government, the Church of England has expressed hefself 
 uithe most explicit and positive terms. In the Preface 
 to the Ordination and Consecration Services, she says. 
 
 It 13 evident unto all men diligently reading Holy Srrin- 
 Uire, and ancient authors, that from the Apostles' time 
 there have been these ordei-s of Ministers in Christ's 
 Vhurch--Bishops, Priests, and Deaco4is. And, tlierefore, 
 ^o the intent that these orders may be continued, and 
 reverently used and esteemed in the Church of England 
 ^o man shall be accounted or taken to be, a lawful Bishop! 
 I nest, or Deacon in the Church of England, or suffered 
 to execute any of the said functions, except he be calletL 
 tried, examined, and admitted thereunto, according to the 
 iorm hereafter following, or hath had fo;merlv episcopal 
 consecration or ordination." In perfect agreement with 
 the trutljs here declared, ^nd-invariably adhered to in prac-. 
 tice, are composed the prayers whjch the Church of Eng- 
 Jand putsimo our mouths, when prostrated at the throne 
 9^ grace before Him unto whom all hearts qre open, we 
 say,, that God of his - diving providence has appointed 
 divers orders jnV his " Church," and beseech Him to 
 , Illuminate alj Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true 
 knowledge and understanding of his woijd," . . . ' 
 
 . . ,. _' ' ' ' T'/rif 
 
 ^ow. with Dr. Burns the opinionof Divles dfthe Kirk 
 who attach their names to \he .Confessm i^' Kufh^'m 
 afterwards teach the doctrines of Armii -J ,cUn^ 
 may have weight ; but withrae.thq opinion of Divines 
 Of the Church of England, when hazarded in opposition 
 to her doctrine, has no weight at all. Tten thou£nd such, 
 
 if 
 
 if they CO 
 the bread 
 her. No 
 to enrol i 
 satisfied tl 
 the matt( 
 would be 
 
 But, w 
 
 catcj fcr ] 
 
 for pure 
 
 n" .ncn us 
 
 with all VI 
 
 vows to G 
 
 in this fiel< 
 
 appealed 
 
 pf Englan( 
 
 origittnl 1) 
 
 lished in n 
 
 Lordship ; 
 
 ^vhcn he a 
 
 not statr i 
 
 History t i 
 
 refute him 
 
 is not acqi 
 
 •aflure him 
 
 one, and to 
 
 point of e 
 
 ient ho fo 
 
 fancy the r 
 
 *' the mod< 
 
 that of the 
 
 Roman era 
 
 ' hurch, pri 
 
 fuggefting ; 
 
 terian pariti 
 
 Archdeacon 
 
( 10 
 
 >Iy vvifhoiit 
 Dr. Biirn$, 
 same (ime, 
 lly an.a.wers 
 ' in return 
 Ef notice, I 
 of church 
 sed hefseir 
 he Preface 
 , she says, 
 lo\y Scrip- 
 sties' time 
 in Christ's 
 llierefore, 
 nued, and 
 f England, 
 ul Bishop, 
 )r suffered 
 be called, 
 ing to the 
 episcopal 
 mcnt with 
 to in prac* 
 h of Eng- 
 he throne 
 open, we 
 ippointed 
 1 Hin\ to 
 with true 
 
 [the Kirk 
 
 icinms, 
 
 f Qivines 
 
 pposition 
 
 and such, 
 
 if 
 
 f they could be produced, I .should consider men who ate 
 the bread of the .'hurch, and lil,cd up the heel against 
 her. Nor should I ever call i/, ouestion Or Burns'^rilh 
 to enrol thcr names in the list of his great men; befn^ 
 
 at.sfied that, unless infallibility could be daimed for the^^ 
 the matter in dispute, notwithstanding fheir opinion^' 
 would be where it was. l^u'iuu, 
 
 •; ' •■_ .hi ■^/.,,,.\ 
 
 But when Dr. Burns cited Episcopal Divines as advol 
 catcs fc r IVchyterian panfy, why did he not condescerti 
 t« i pvvn candour's sake, to make some mention of the 
 n-morr us ones, who enriched with all learning, adorned 
 ^.th all virtue, and faithful in the performance of theH- 
 
 in this field of controversy ? Why, in particular, when ht 
 appealed to the book of Sir Peter King, Lord CbancelloJ 
 Pf England, did he say nothing of a Work entitled, Ji 
 ong.nalDraught of the Prhmtive ChurcK ^vhich was pub- 
 iished ,n answer to it. and which is said to have made his 
 Lord5h,p a convert to the truth. Whv, in i)arlicular 
 ^vhen he adverted to the opinion of Dr. Mosheim, did he 
 not statr that, ,n the last edition of his Ecclesiastical 
 ^i'story, IS published an appendix which professes to 
 refute h,m? If Dr. Burns hL^.ot seen thisldi iorand 
 is not acquainted with this appendix, I crave leave to 
 •affure htm of botlyand, likewile, to advife him to get the 
 one, and to perufe the other, that he may obtain, on fome 
 f.nT K°V' ''";'"^''^'' erudition, the light which at pre- 
 fincv tL 7.'^' r"^' f ^° Sive lo thp creaturei of 
 
 thToTitri wF^'^'T^ government" as copied from 
 that of the Chnlhau church, when " eflabliflied in the 
 Rpman empire," and « the fituafion of the Primitive 
 _^tiurch, prior to its e/lablifhrnent bv civil authority " a's 
 "SgeOing the idea and furniihiug the model of pre(l)v- 
 tenan parity. Why, alfo, in partfcular. wheu he q foted 
 Archdeacon Paley .nd BiHiop Tomlin;, did he not f^ 
 
 • ' iha( 
 
( JO } 
 
 I ,ii »#-.*-, 
 
 
 that Archdeacon Daubeny has not fuffercd theiivopiiuon^ 
 to pafs without anirn^dvcvfion ? But, as Dr. Burns, 
 throughout his View, &c. holds up the fcheme pf prefby- 
 terian parity aa the apoflolical and primitive, form of 
 church goveniment, where is. the pertinency of his quota- 
 tions from thefe two Divines, if it be not his driiyn td 
 fhovf that, ahhou;;h they had apoflatized from the'doc-. 
 trine oX their own Chineh, they did not embrace the 
 doflriueof bis onthat fubjcct. ! ', ^rr''* 
 
 ; Indeed, I dare be bojd to affirm, that the other WritVr| 
 pr the Church of England, whom Pr. Burns has Turn mojietj 
 ,lo bear witnefs in his c^ufe, cannot be proved to have held 
 .on the fiibjea of church government fuch opinion as 
 |hat great man Apdrew Mehil and his worthy fellow^ 
 .helpers co^tel.lded fpr. Nay, if they are clofely interro^ 
 il;itcd, fome of t-hem will be found to h^ve held opiuioht 
 diametricaljy opppfile to theijj. 
 
 The fonndeft churchmen a<!mit, that there isno difline- 
 lion of order among Elders, although they inHfl, thaf 
 there is a d.i/l/fi8iofi of order between Bijliops and Elders. 
 Iience, Dr. Burns' quotation from Bi(hop Croft's Naked 
 Truth, is as much to his purpofe as would be a random 
 quotation from Pon Quixotte. But, if it will pleafe him, 
 I have no objeaipi^ that/;ea»d 7//5f/(/er5 beconfidered of 
 the same order, ' 
 
 Dr. Burn* fiipuld have explained in fyll detail, whatkinc^ 
 of Prefbytevian government Archbifhop Ufher " had pro- 
 jeaed a fcheme for introducing;" and it would have ap- 
 peared, that it did not feek the abolition of the Epifcopal 
 order, and require the e|labli/hment of Prefbyterian parity. 
 
 Bifliop Bilfo.n, in his book on the Perj)€tual Government 
 of Christ's Church, fays, " I much mufe with what face 
 pren, who have any tafle of learning, can deny that the 
 
 vocation 
 
 vocation 
 fucceffior 
 be likewi 
 and Evan 
 bly be pr 
 ferve to I 
 
 Whafc 
 ofthc7?f) 
 of his pap 
 that Epifc 
 of God,,ai 
 the vScripi 
 Jhemfelve 
 cular perf 
 for ordain 
 cerning C 
 Prefbyters 
 tirbes beei 
 Chrifl." 
 
 I will g( 
 
 fuppofed f 
 
 the Clergy 
 
 God in the 
 
 order. Y« 
 
 above a D< 
 
 Prcfbvter a 
 
 all equal as 
 
 to their de 
 
 official poM 
 
 grees, we h? 
 
 not the fche 
 
 That the 
 nien, is nni 
 not. Indee 
 
\' 
 
 lA.,. . 
 
 ieiropiaion^ 
 > Dr. Burns, 
 le pf prefby- 
 ive form of 
 3 r h.is quota- 
 is driiijn fo 
 )ni the doc-. 
 
 embrace the 
 
 '}}•,;/ ,1; .' '■ 
 
 "*T -H^ •-,,. , 
 
 ihcr Wfit^r^ 
 5 riirumojicd 
 to have held 
 oulnions as 
 thy fellow- 
 ely intevro- 
 Id opiuiohi 
 
 ino diflinct 
 infift, tha{ 
 and Elders. 
 oft's Naked 
 f a random 
 pleafe him, 
 niidered of 
 
 ', wjiat kin4 
 " had pro- 
 d have ap- 
 ; Epifcopal 
 rian parity. 
 
 Government 
 
 what face 
 
 ly that the 
 
 vocation 
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
 vocjltion of Bifhops came ftom the Apoftles. For if their 
 fuccefnon be ApoRolic, their fun^ion cannot choofe but 
 be likewife ApoUoJic; and that they fucceed the Apoftles 
 and Evangel.fisin their churches and chairs, may inevita- 
 bly be proved ,f any Chritiian perfons, or churches, de^ 
 ferve to be credited." 
 
 Uhat convia.on Archbifliop Ufher operated ih the mind 
 of the Royal Martyr, the following words, taken from one 
 of h.s papers at the Treaty of Mwpnrt, fhow : « I conceive 
 that itpifcopal Government is moll confonant to the word 
 01 God^^and of an Apoftolical Inftitution, as it appears by 
 he Scriptures ^to have been praaifed by the Apoftles 
 Jhemfelves, and by them committed and derived to parti- 
 cular perlons as their fubllitutcs or fucceflbrs therein (as 
 for ordaining Prefbyters and Deacons, giving rules con- 
 cernmg Chnll.an DiTciplme, and exerciling cenfures over 
 Prefbyt^rs and Deacons) and hath ever (ince to thefe laft 
 C\m '^^^^ ^""^'^^^^^ ^7 ^^'^ops in all the Churches of 
 
 r ^ ""j)'/".^^ [^•* f E)r. Burns can dellre with fome of his 
 fuppofed friends of the Church of England, and grant, that 
 the Clergy confidered as a body devoted to theferviceof 
 
 T^Jl n • ^^" ^^'? °"*' °'^^^ ^ Prelbyter is of a des:ree 
 
 Prefbyter and a Deacon, it does not foflow, that they arc 
 all equal as to pfficial powei-s, but differ in thefe accordino- 
 to their degrees But, if they are not all equal as tS 
 official powers but differ in them according to their de- 
 
 latXTr K "^ ^T 'H P'"" of epifcopal government, and 
 not the fcheme of prelbyterian parity. 
 
 That the Englilh Reformers were upright and fincere 
 
 Zt' rnH^T'"'""''*^- ^"^«"'»^'^' h'ow'ever they wer^ 
 not. Indeed, it ,s not to be diflembled, that they brought 
 
 with 
 
,'3 
 
 ( 
 
 ) 
 
 ivlth >hp^ from the Church of Rome, fevcral error?, 
 But it Is^ aj the lame tim«, to be remembered, that they 
 abantlored t^ofe errqrs, If, for inftance, any of thciii 
 were ofopipipn, that Bifliops and Priens are of th^ f^me 
 pr^er, tbey, in (he year 1549, condemned this opinion by 
 the authoritative declaration, ah-eady quoted from the 
 Reformed Ordinal. Jn this view, the quotations and afler- 
 tionsof Dk.Uiu^s in page ]5, prove only, that Qranmer 
 and others, were once involved in the darknefs of error, 
 ^nd that tbe wore afterwards brought to the light of 
 iruth. Biit, as Pr. Burns is here the echo of Dr. M'Qrie^ 
 and I have not at prefent the means of examining one by 
 one his quotations and aflertions, I refer to what has been 
 offered on the moft plaufible of ihem in the 4 2d vol, of 
 2fie British Critic, and leave common fenfe to pronounce 
 concerning, the I'mpartiality and candour of thefe twc 
 ^entlcm^iH. 
 
 That the firft Reformers of Scotland were not for prcs^. 
 byterian parity^ is fhewn by Bifhop Sage in the wqrfc 
 already mentioned. That the Churches reformed by 
 JLuthpr aie in general epifcopal, is well known. And that 
 Calviji pronounced thofe who would not fubmit to fiiph 
 an'epifcopa<;yasthatofthe Church of Engjand^ worthy o/ 
 .cv9^y aBathema, nullo np^janachemate dignps, isalfo well 
 Jcnown. It is his followers^, however, /yvbp for tbe mpft 
 part have thrown off the order of Bi(hops. Yet, the con- 
 tinental prefljyteriamfm of Europe is not to be confounded 
 with the prefljyterianifm of Scotland. Continental prps- 
 byterianifm, for e,\ample, its advocates tell us, orig,inated 
 in the net^fllty of unhappy qircumftsnces ; butScpttiQi 
 prelbyterianifm t<jok its rife from hoftility to epifcopal 
 iijperiority. Continental! proibyterianifjp never declared 
 war againft epifcopacy ;' but Scottifh prefbyterianifm 
 bound ilfelfin a SjohnnLeagnc^VHlCove/isnitpendea- 
 your its extirpation. Continental prefbyferijinifm/did 
 not reje^l liiurgjcai devotion; a«d the celebraticm of festi- 
 vals 
 
 Vats fn cot 
 for our fo 
 former as 
 gifts in'pr 
 rant in th 
 at no time 
 upon the 
 confider tl 
 heard with 
 of worfliip 
 
 Some of 
 ledges in tl 
 27th when 
 into the chi 
 no. doubt, 1 
 the Kirk, - 
 Scot's chur 
 
 In this pi 
 
 to mention 
 
 Liceffant ca 
 
 fter, the fpi 
 
 cular fpecie 
 
 Npr can I d 
 
 JSfew-York 
 
 Of id Lite rar I 
 
 happy refu! 
 
 from the efl 
 
 s^ppointmeli 
 
 %s. '' The 
 
 »>iotiPn of tl 
 
 tions of the 
 
 members ini 
 
 let the purii 
 
 of life and ii 
 
 ties in the i 
 
ivcral errors, 
 ed, that they 
 any of them 
 ; of th^ [^^[\Q 
 is opiniQn bv 
 cd from th€ 
 )ns and afler- 
 hat CraiiHier 
 lefs of error, 
 the light of 
 Dr. M'Crie, 
 ining one by 
 hgt has beeo 
 J 4 2d vol, of 
 pronounce 
 if thefe two 
 
 lot for prcs- 
 in the wqrk 
 eformed by 
 And (hat 
 >mit to fiipb 
 dj worthy of 
 i, is alfo well 
 or tbe naoft 
 etf tjje con- 
 confoun^ed 
 riehtal pres- 
 \, originpfed 
 butScQttjni 
 epifco(|{^l 
 ver declared 
 fbyterianifni 
 7/ tpendea- 
 irifinifm/did 
 ion of festi- 
 vals 
 
 i 
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
 Vals in commemoration of the things done by the Saviour 
 or our fouls ; but Scottifh prefbyterianifm p«t away the 
 former as an hmdranCe to the attainment and exerci'fe of 
 gMts irr prayer, and abolifhed the latter as hav in «^ no war-' 
 rant m the word of God. Continental prefby^'terianifm 
 at no time fhowed any difinclltiation to praife the Lord 
 upon the organ; but Scottifh prefbyterianifm did not 
 contider the found of that infirument as worthy to be 
 
 of woiS ^^^ ''''"'^^ ""^ ^^^ ^""^^^^ ''^""^ ^""'^^^^ '" '^^""^ ^^* 
 
 Some of thefe points of difTerence, Dr. Bums acknow- 
 ledges in the 20th page of his View, &c. and, al'fo, in the 
 57th where he fays, " In flru mental mufic is not admitted, 
 into the churches of Scotland, but,"dreadful lorehte/and* 
 nodoubt, ^vith inexprefnblefcandaltoall the true fons.of 
 
 Zl^ u " ? ¥^ ^." °'*San has been introduced into the 
 scot s church of Calcutta." - 
 
 In this place it will be neither impertinent nor ufelefs 
 o menl|on a flrange coincidence of conduft which, amidft 
 Lncef^nt can t about liberality, marks, in the ftrong^ft mZ 
 fter, the fpirit of the Preachers bdonging to the -pafe 
 cular fpeaes of religion" called Scottifh Wfbyterianinn'' 
 Npr can I do this better than in the words .pf a writer jni 
 WYork Publication, entitled The ChLJTuZ^ 
 and Literary Register. Speaking, in vol. 1, No. 1 of the 
 
 fi-om the eflabhfhment of the Church in the Eaft by iC 
 ff l?lr/ ^f ^A^'d^^-^^" to the See of Ca)c«Z W 
 Imo i^n r i^'^^'l^'^Py ^^"^ *« beexpeaed is the pro! 
 
 member, •/r'''''*^ Chriaianity, is the divifion dfits' 
 men^bers ,nto fo various and contradiaory formsof faith. 
 Le the punty of the Gol>el once fhine forth in innoc^ce 
 
 ties m the way of converfion will be removed. It is, 
 
 **"^:"'^ ^-t Vi Va 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 therefore, with unfeigned regret that we have read a moi! 
 ihieiTjperate and infulting harangue of Doflor Brice, the 
 reprefentative of the Scotch Church, againfl Epifcopacy. 
 *this perfon was fent out at the fame time with the Biftiop, 
 for the fake of the many Scotch who were fettled in India. 
 All the.fe, before the arrival of Dr. Brice, were in harmo- 
 ny with the Church of England, arid willingly united in all 
 its forms of public vvorfhip. The firft effefl therefore, of 
 this iheafure was, to create a fchifni were it found none, 
 and in the perfon of Dr. Bride not only to create, but to 
 foment divifion. It was not fufficient to tear open the 
 wound and to feparate the parts which had clofed in chris- 
 tian union, but to aflail, with little fliev/ of reafon, and lefs 
 of temperance, the unoffending Church and its venerable 
 Ilead. Such were the triumphs of liberality." 
 
 I Let It be granted, that ihe Scripture does give the titles 
 of Bifhop and Prefbyter indifferently to the fame perfon. 
 is this intercommunity of titles a proof of famenefs of 
 i-ankand office ? In l Peter, 5, ij St. Peter calls bimfelf 
 a Prefbyter, and in Ephes* 3, 7, St. Paul calls himfelf a 
 Deacon. But are we to conclude from this, that St. Peter 
 wlk no. .more than a modern Prefbyter, and that St. Paul 
 was no more than a modern Deacon ? 
 
 If we drop difputation about names, and have regard tgi 
 fa6ls, it is apparent, that the commifTion which our Saviour 
 ^ave to his apoflles, implies the perpetuity of their office, 
 and that the powers conferred on Timothy, and Titus, and 
 the angels of the Afiatic churches, indicate their elevation 
 to that office for the tranfmiffion of it, in uninterr^gpted 
 lucceffion, to the end of the world. And in this conctm 
 the teflimony of air ecclefiaflical antiquity, as is Well 
 known to thofe who really have perufed the writings of 
 the Fathers, and particularly the writings of Eufebius, 
 JBishop of Cagfarea. That Prelate, who, Mofheim fays» 
 is *' iuflly famous for his profound knowledge Qfeccle- 
 ' • fiaaical 
 
 laftical hifl 
 alifl of the 
 the Roman 
 nine, that i; 
 Jerome, wl 
 favourable 
 succeirots i 
 funt. 
 
 ThatBlfi 
 poifefs the 
 Century b\ 
 upon his b 
 tian. Bu 
 Bifhbp of S 
 that his 0| 
 modern tin 
 different cs 
 the Prefby 
 enemy to i 
 he let up 
 was fvei' h 
 fo clear, th 
 to point oi 
 antecedent! 
 and not by 
 
 In Scotia 
 form of chi 
 light in thai 
 Bifhops wei 
 to know th 
 gefs, &c. ; 
 Ireland, ar 
 that Palladi 
 Scotia majc 
 amoa 
 
 gion 
 
 .1 
 
read a moil 
 r Brice, the 
 Epifcopacy. 
 
 the Bifliop, 
 led in India, 
 c in harnio- 
 Linited in all 
 :herefore, of 
 found none, 
 eate, but to 
 ar open the 
 led in chriii- 
 fon, and lei's 
 ts venerable 
 
 iv? the titles 
 ime perfon. 
 fa men el's of 
 calls himfelf 
 Us himfelf a 
 bat St. Peter 
 that St. Paul 
 
 ve regard tgi 
 
 our Saviour 
 
 their ofl&cc, 
 
 d Titus, and 
 
 ;ir elevation 
 
 iinterr,upted 
 
 this concUK 
 
 as is Veil 
 
 J writings of 
 
 >f Eufebius, 
 
 jflieim fays* 
 
 ge of e<?cie- 
 
 ftallical 
 
 ( ^M 
 
 aftical hiilory/' has given its, in his EcclefiafticaUIinory, 
 ^« lift of the Bilhops who prefided in the principal cities of 
 the Roman Empire, from the Apoftles down to his own 
 (ime, that is, to the early part of the fourth century. Evei> 
 Jerome, who has fo often been difingenuoufly quoted as 
 favourable to prelbyterian parity, fays, that all Bifhops arq 
 succelfoj-s of the ApolUes, omncs Apoltolorum fuccefforep 
 funt. 
 
 » ■ 
 
 That BifiiopS ani Prefbyters are of the fame order, and 
 .poflefs the Car e power, was firft afferted in the Fourth 
 Century by one Aerius. a Prelby ter of Sebaftian in Pontus, 
 upon his being difappbin ted of Wie Bilhoprick of Sebas- 
 tian. But we learn from Epiphanius, who was made 
 Bifhbp of Salamis in thp jaand of Cyprus in the year 303, 
 that his opinion was branded as /o//^^ and maUness. In 
 modern times, it has been adopted and defended, from 
 different caufes, and for different ends, by the Jefuits and 
 the Prefbyterians. John Calvin, although no profefled 
 enemy to epifcopacy, a6^ed on it, when, in the year 1541, 
 he fet up at. Geneva, the firrt Prelbyterian Church that 
 was pvei- beard -of in the world. Of this, the evidence is 
 fo clear, that, with Hooker, we challenge our adverfaries 
 to point out, in any part of the world, one church which, 
 antecedently to that date, was Ordered by their difcipline, 
 and not by oui-s. 
 
 in Scotland, fays Dr. Burns, " Prelbytevianifm was the 
 form of church government from the firfi; dawn ofchriftiati 
 light inthat country till the Fifth Century, when Diocefan 
 Bifhops were introduced by Palladjus." Dr. Burns ought 
 to know that authors of no lefs name than Ufher, Bur- 
 gefs, &c. make a diftin6lion between Scotia major, or 
 Ireland, and Scotia minor, or Scotland, and contend, 
 that Palladius was fen t by Celeftine, biftiop of Rome, inio 
 Scotia major, or Ire-and, to propagate the Chrifiiarn reli- 
 gion among the inhabitonte of that ifland. When Dr. 
 
 ...I D BujDs 
 
% 
 
 ( fin ) 
 
 Burns is pleafed to (how, that he was fent into Scotid 
 minor, or Scotland, that he found the people there all 
 I'rcfb) terians, and that by his labours among them he maiie 
 them all Epilcopalians, he will have the mefit of a disco, 
 very entitled to attention. But, while this discovery 
 remains unpublifhed to the world, let it be believed, that 
 the Church of Scotland, from the firft dawn of Chriftiaa 
 Light in that country till the days of Palladius, was not 
 conflitutcd according to the fcheme of prefbyterian paritv. 
 
 It has been obferved, that the Greek word, prefbuteriou 
 in 1 Tim. 4, 14, fignifies the office and Itation, as well as 
 a college or number^ of Prelbyters. In thisfenfe it is 
 underftood by foiiie of the Fathers, and by Calvin, whofe 
 words are, " Paulus ipfe alibi fe, non complures alios, 
 TimotheomanUs impofuifTe cotniiiemorat. Admoneavte,' 
 inquif, ut gratiam fufciies, qusc in te eft, per impofitionem 
 manuum mearum. Nam quod in altera epiflola de iit^ 
 sitiotie niammm Frejhyterii dicitur, non ita accipio. quafi 
 • Paulus De SanaorUni Collegio loquatur-, fed hoc nomine 
 ordinationem ipfam intelligo, quafi diceret : Fac ut gra- 
 tiam, quam per manuum impofitionem, cum te Prefbyte 
 rem crearem, recepifti, non fit irrita. 
 
 ' But, if it is underflood in the fenfe of a college or 
 number of Prcfbyters, it will not be hard for a man to we/l 
 sicqua'wted \s\t\\ the writings of the Fathers as Dr. Burns, 
 to recollect, that Ignatius denominates the Apoilles the 
 Pre%tery of the Church, and that ChryfoHom faya, the 
 ApofHe fpeaks not here of Prelbyters, but of Bi'fhops; 
 becaufe Prelbyters do not ordain. Nor muft it be omit- 
 ted, that, in the place where Jerome endeavours to raife 
 Prefbyters to as near an equality with Bifhops as he can, 
 he admits that they have not the power to ordain. Quid] 
 enim, excepta ordinatione, facit Epifcopus, qpod non 
 facit Prefbytcr ? What, exc.-pt ordination, does a Bifhop 
 which a Prelbyter does not do ? 
 
 Indee 
 
 Indeed, 
 ficiently d< 
 doubt, kn( 
 Mcletius, ; 
 ters, while 
 huh us, a Pi 
 9s a lay ma 
 
 But, her 
 gaged in c( 
 nate Mona 
 Bifhops, an 
 ters of Ale: 
 from the d 
 alfo, flates 
 of Bifhops 
 fact, that it 
 reflored in 
 conform, \\ 
 fecrated a; 
 Irom this 
 principle" 
 by ters, in 
 have been 
 
 Accordir 
 Evangclif^ 
 the Prefbyt 
 chofen out 
 gree." Na 
 Heraclam 
 unum **x 
 Epifcopum 
 of a cufloir 
 what was \\ 
 the Church 
 It WAS, tha 
 
It into Scdtid 
 ople there all 
 them he made 
 jHt ofadisco- 
 hia discovery 
 believed, that 
 i of Chriftiaa 
 dins, ^vas not 
 'terian paritv 
 
 . prefbuterioii 
 on, as well as 
 lis fen fe it is 
 I^alvin, whofe 
 ipliires alios, 
 Admoneate, 
 impofitionem 
 tlola de i/f^ji»' 
 accipio, qiiafi 
 i hoc noinine 
 Fac lit gra 
 » te Preibyte-i 
 
 a college or 
 a man sozccll 
 as Dr. Burns, 
 Apoilles the 
 om fays, the 
 of Bifliops; 
 it it be omit- 
 ?ours to raife 
 >ps as he can, 
 rdain. Quid 
 5, qviiod non 
 loes a Bifhop, 
 
 Indeed 
 
 ( 27 ) 
 
 Indeed, the judgment of the Primitive Church was fuf- 
 ficiently declared on this head, \vh<'n, as Dr. Iknas^ no 
 doubt, knows perfectly well, the Prcfli} tt rs ordained by 
 Mcletius, a fchifniatical Bifliop, were rc(;ci^ cd as Prclby- 
 ters, while Ifchyrus, who had been ordained by one Col- 
 hithus, a Prelbyter, prctcndiDg to be a Bifliop, was treated 
 its a layman. 
 
 But, here. Dr. Burns introduces Archbi/hop Uflicr en- 
 gaged in convcrfation with Chariei I. telling that unfortu- 
 nate Monarch, that Prefbyters alone futccfnvely ordained 
 Bilhops, and producing, as an inflance of this, (he Prefby- 
 ters of Alexandria choofjng and making their own Bifliops, 
 from the days of Mark, till Heracles and Dionyfiiis. He, 
 alfo, dates as " a fufficient acknowledgment of the identity 
 of Bifliops and Prefbyters, in point of order, the fimple 
 fact, that in the reign of Charles II. when I'pifcopacy was 
 reflorcd in Scotland, the Prefliyterian Clergy who would 
 conform, were liberally received, and many of them con- 
 fecrated as Bifliops without Episcopal ardi nation," and 
 irom this " Ample fact" infers, that '* on any other 
 principle" than that of the identity of Bifliops and Pres- 
 byters, in point of order, " a fpurious fuccelTion muft 
 have been introduced." 
 
 According to Jerome, " At Alexandria, from the 
 Evangelilt Mark to the Bifliops Heracles and Dionyfiits, 
 the PreflDyters called by the name ef Bifliop, are alwavs 
 chofen out of their own body, and placed in a higher de-^ 
 gree." Nam et Alexandria; a Marco Evangelifto usque ad 
 Heraclam et Dionyflum Epifcopos, Picfbyteri fenijier 
 UHum ''x fe eleflum, in excelfiori gradu collocatum, 
 Kpifcopum nominabant. It is true, Jerome fpeaks here 
 of a cuflom peculiar to the Church of Alexandria. But, 
 what was this peculiarity ? Was it, that the Preibyters of 
 the Church of Alexandria consecrated their Bifliop ? No : 
 It w^s, that their Bifliop was one always chofen out of 
 
 their 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 Ihcirown body fivxn the EVangelin; Marie to thfi Bifhdps 
 Heracles and Dionyfuis, that h, to the middle ol" the Third 
 Centi.iy. The peculiarity in qiicflion, therefore, intlead 
 of proving the point for which it is brought forward, is an 
 Evidence ofthc Epifcopacy of the Primitive Church ; for 
 I pielirme Dr, Burns v/ould not fay of the Moderator of 
 the General Adcmbly ol the Kirk, that he was collocalus 
 in exceh'iori gradu, unlefs by gradiis he chofe to mean tho 
 chair in which he fat, or the lleos by which he. afcdnded to 
 that fhort-lived pre-eminence. 
 
 The Scottifl) preachers, Mr. John Spotswood, Mr. An^ 
 drew Lamb, and Mr. Gavin Hamilton, were conlecrated 
 Bifhops, on the 3 1st O^oher, \(i\ o> in the chgpel of Lon- 
 don-Hoiifc, by the Biffiops of London. Ely, and Bath, 
 ivirhotit being pr^vioufly onkined cither Deacons or 
 JPrefliytcrs. This wa3 done on the principle, that the 
 fnperior order of the Epifcopafe rveceffarily comprehend.s, 
 toocther with its own aj)propriate powers, the powers of 
 the two inferior orden of the Deaconate and the Prefby- 
 teratc. But, from fuch a principle it never can be fhown, 
 that Bifhops and Prefbytersare the fame in point of order, 
 as i)r. Burns appears to. imderftand the word order. The 
 reverfe, indeed, is the inference which muft be drawn from 
 it^ In the prefeiit cafe, ho^^ever, there is no neceflity ot 
 having rcfourfe to it. 
 
 For, on the reftoration ofEpifcopacy in Scotland in the 
 )ei<in of Charles II. Dr. Sharp, Mr. Andrew Fairfowl, Mr. 
 Kobert I.eighton, and Mr. James Hamilton, whom His 
 Majefty had felected for the Scottifli Epifcopate, being 
 convinced of the invalidity of their former ordination, 
 were firft ordained Deacons and Priefts, and then, according 
 .to Mr. Adam in his Religious World Displayed, were con- 
 fecrated in St. Peters Church, Weliminfter, on the isrh 
 -.of December, leci, bv four of the Englifli Bifliops. That 
 thei'e Prelates afterwards acknowledged the validity of 
 
 Presbyterian 
 
 Preflbyte 
 without! 
 por true 
 
 Ofthc 
 
 the fake 
 
 dcred, an 
 
 with " 
 
 Burns co 
 
 that whic 
 
 TheEpif( 
 
 were of i 
 
 flot be c£ 
 
 form to 
 
 recufante 
 
 incumber 
 
 hours. J 
 
 do, indcc 
 
 doftrine, 
 
 think the 
 
 appear to 
 
 reafons f 
 
 from, the • 
 
 onewill € 
 
 and bigot: 
 
 the prefut 
 
 pf mifrepi 
 
 r > 
 
 '• Iti fayir 
 Scotland, 
 is perfect] 
 no revenu 
 ambition/ 
 correft. , 
 that the ' 
 North of S 
 there are 
 
) the Bifhdps 
 5 ©rthe Third 
 ?rorc, inHeatl 
 ibrward, is an 
 Church ; for 
 Moderator of 
 as collocalus 
 ; to mean the 
 ;. alcdnded to 
 
 ad, Mr. An- 
 
 conlJecratrd 
 
 qpel of Lon- 
 
 f, and Bath, 
 
 Deacons ov 
 
 )le, that the 
 
 omprehends, 
 
 le powers of 
 
 I the Pfelby- 
 
 in be fhown, 
 
 tint of order, 
 
 order. The 
 
 drawn from 
 
 > iieceflity ot 
 
 ttland in the 
 airfowl, Mr. 
 
 whom His 
 »pate, being 
 
 ordination^ 
 n, according 
 I, were con- 
 on the I5rh 
 iop,s. That 
 
 validity of 
 'resbyterian 
 
 ( «9 ) 
 
 Preftyteria'n ol-dfnati6n/and COnfecrated mwff Biffwp^ 
 without Epifcopal Ordination, is a thing not liUly in itl'elf 
 por true in fact. * 
 
 Of the Church, in ^hich thefe Bilhops preAded, and for 
 the fake of which one of them was most barbaromfij mur^ 
 dered, and which, no doubt, has a very clofe connexion 
 with " the defign and duties of the Elderfliip," Dr. 
 Burns communicates! information not much better than 
 that which he dilcovers with regard to fomtf other matters. 
 TheEpifcopalians in Scotland, confidered as a body, never 
 were of the prefent Prelbyterian Eftablifliment, and can^ 
 Jot be called DiOenters byt as they are recufants to con- 
 form^ to that Eftablininient. But in their charaaer of 
 recufanta to conform to it, thev violate no duty which if 
 incumbent oirthem as faithful fubjeas, and good neigh- 
 bours. The reafons by which they juftify their conduft, 
 ^%.^^' impb'* <hat the Prefbyterians are neither in 
 dotlnne, nor in wor/hip, nor in government what ther 
 think they ought to be. Dr. Burns, however, does not 
 appear to be the man who is qualified to invalidate their 
 reafons for keeping themfelves in a state of feparatioij 
 *ram,the Presbyterian Eftablifhment. This, certainly no 
 one will ever do by indifcriminate charges of illiberality 
 and bigotry, preferred in thefpirit of animofity, and with 
 the prefumption of uncharitablenefs, and the difin<^enuity 
 pf mifrepresentation. 
 
 ^ Iti faying that the Bifliops of the Epifcopal Church in 
 fccotland, have no " temporal jurifdiaion." Dr. B' ns 
 IS perfectly correct. And if he had faid, that they .lavc 
 no revenues which - might operate as lures to youthful 
 ambition," he would, in this alfo, have been perfeaiv 
 correa. But the whole truth is not told, when he fays 
 that the - Epifcopalian Diffenters are numerous in the 
 I^orth of Scotland." In moft of the towns in the South 
 there are refpeaable congregations of them. I think' 
 
 that 
 
Kf! 
 
 ( 30 ) 
 
 !hat in E(linbiir«Ii and Lcith will be found fix. if not (even. 
 And although in thele congregations cannot be cnume-^ 
 rated all the wise men after the flesh, all the mighty, and 
 all the noble, yet to them belong fomc of the first families 
 of the Nobility and Gentry in vScotland. But it is not 
 true, that one of their Bifliops is ftiled Primate. Indeed, 
 the tiflo, regarded as fynonymous with Archbifhop, and 
 cxprcffive of civil rank and pre-eminence, was, foon after 
 the Revolution, dropped, and that of Prnrim adopted in 
 its place. This change, which was made when the Epis-. 
 copal Church became a focicty no longer connected with 
 the State by a legal cflablifhment, was defigncd to remove 
 a ground for fufpicion, that her Bilhops kept up a claimi 
 to civil diftin6Uon and temporal jurisdi61ion. \n Dr. 
 Burns' View, &c. \ difcover nothing which can \y\',i\e mo 
 be of opinion, that his Kirk, in fimilar circumtlances, 
 would have been fo unpretending, and, at the fame time, 
 fo refpe61able. In fine. If Dr. Burns, by exhibiting the 
 Episcopalians in Scotland asDiflenters, whofe Bifhops are 
 ^' not recognised in law," and •' have neither revenues no» 
 temporal jurisdi6lion," intended to make them be 
 meanly thought of, and by this to rait'; a prejudice againft 
 ihem, he would be guilty of calling reproach on the 
 Primitive Church, of disgracing his own with thofe who 
 know and confider her original, and of making the glory 
 of a Church confift, not in fouml doctrine, pure worfhip, 
 and fcriptural order, but in diItin61ions of lecular powei 
 and wealth derived from the state. But, much mitlaken 
 as Dr. Burns is in many things, I perfuado myfclf, that,' in 
 giving " A View, &c. of the Church of Scotland, as by 
 Law Eftablifhed," he has not fo far lofl view of the nature 
 of Chrill's Church, as a kingdom not of this world, as to 
 intend and do a thing fo unbecoming the chara6ler of a 
 Doctor of Divinity, and lb injurious to our common 
 Chriltianily. 
 
 It remains that I confider the tellimony of the Fathers 
 
 to 
 
 k) which ] 
 quelHon w 
 advanced t 
 teniions. 
 evidence o 
 ground foi 
 intereiU of 
 lowing qu( 
 
 *'U was 
 fion of the 
 lipiscopo, 
 having of j 
 it to be acl 
 
 Accordir 
 
 Chri/Uan C 
 
 the orders 
 
 " It well b 
 
 order, what 
 
 particularly 
 
 God, at th< 
 
 inmister un, 
 
 ferviccs, anc 
 
 and to the J 
 
 the Layman 
 
 manded to 
 
 Ignatius f 
 Christ ; and 
 as the Sanh< 
 Adhere to tl" 
 I>cacons. Gi 
 *o you. As 
 also with the 
 He that hon 
 But he that 
 sters unto xh 
 
of fcven. 
 
 eniime-. 
 ;hty, and 
 t families 
 It is not 
 
 Indeed, 
 >op, and 
 jon after 
 [jpted in 
 he Epis-i 
 ted with 
 
 > remova 
 
 > a claim 
 
 !n Dr. 
 nake mo 
 nilances, 
 ne time, 
 iting the 
 hops are 
 nues nof 
 hem be 
 e again ft 
 
 on the 
 lofe who 
 he glory 
 woifhip, 
 r poweif 
 millaken 
 , that,' in 
 d, as by 
 le nature 
 Id, as to 
 Ber of a 
 :ommon 
 
 ; Fathers 
 to 
 
 C 31 ) 
 
 to which Dr Diirns appeals in fupportof his HJc of the 
 quea.on vvuh as ninch eafy .llurance as ever Ilildebrand 
 advanced the mod unfounded and extravagant of his ore- 
 ten .ons. Whether that affurance is to be rela"-dedM an 
 evidence of his learning, a proof of his canloir and a 
 
 .'ntrfJ:? "'f ''"' '" ''^ "'■•'^'"^"^' where the dear 
 \rl "•^P'-e^bytenan panty are concerned, let the fol- 
 lov^ang quotationiJ decide :— 
 
 'Ml was,- fayr. Ho0ker, " the general received perfua^ 
 fion of the anuent ChriUian wodd, that Kcclesia^e i„ 
 tp.scopo the outward being of a church confilledinthe 
 
 it to be a church, which was not lubject unto a Uifliop " 
 
 |hiin,an Church ,n the language of analogical allufion to 
 
 KZn] f P^'^^^h°-^ i" the Jewifh Church, IW 
 
 It wc! behoves us to take care that we do all ih n-^s^in 
 
 Older, whatfoever our Lord has commanded us to do'and 
 
 parncu arly that we perform our offerings and fervrces"o 
 
 jmrusier unto him. For the chief Priell has his proDer 
 nH r\'"? '^-'^^ ^''^^^' '^''' P^"P^r places is appSd 
 
 t^dXr i^v^n"^^^ ^'^^'"^^^ ^-"^^ °^-h^t '^ com- 
 
 Ignatius fays, " Let all reverence the Deacons as Jef... 
 
 as the Sanhednm of God and College of the AooE 
 
 ^tllTtTr ^'^ ""^'^^ of>resbyt;rs^'°d' r. 
 lo vm. A ^^'^ ^° y^"' ^'^°P' t'^^t God mav hearkea 
 
 also w^'th t^^^V ''^ °^ ^^^' ^"d of Jesus Christ/are 
 a^so^wih their B.fhop. Do nothing without the Biflioo 
 
 But t th??""^^ '^' ^'^«P «^^» be honoured of GoS' 
 
 sts t to rhe:^-fr^ ^'^"^ ^^^^^"^ .^^^ ^"-^^^oT -'"i- 
 
 Irenseiis 
 
 * 
 

 y.i 
 
 ( >i ) 
 
 ' trenacus fays, " We can enumerate thofe whom lh<i 
 Apoftles conftifurcd Bifhops in the Churches, and their 
 hicceflTcyrs to our own time." But, becaufe he considew 
 ft too Jong, quonram valde lonsum est, to compute the 
 fucceffion of Biftiops in all (he Churches, he inllances in 
 the Church of Rome, tells m, that Linus was ordained th« 
 first Bifhop by ^t. Peter and St. Paul, and names in order 
 thofe who filled that fee after him to Eleutherius. Of th<^ 
 innovaton of his time, he observes, that the\;were " later 
 than the Bifliops, to whom the ApofJes delivered the 
 Churches." 
 
 ■ Tertuilian fars, " The chief Priefl, who is the Bffhop, 
 has the power of baptizinij, and then the Presbvters aiKl 
 Deacons, but not without the authority of the Bifliop, on 
 accoiini of the honor of the Church, which being pre- 
 fer\'ed, taeafce is preferved." At the lame time, he urges 
 figainsr Heretics theimJverfal confent of Bifhops fticc^ed- 
 jng in a direct line fi-om the Apoftles, and in this fuccelFion 
 metitions Polycarp as made Bifhop of Smyrna by St. John, 
 hnd element as made Bifhop of Ronle by St. Peter. He, 
 alfo, teaches, that by means of an Episcopal ministry \t\ 
 tminteri^pted fucceffion afcendlng up to the ApoUles, the 
 fevcral Churches confidered themfelves as havitig received 
 \\\s doi5lnnes, ordinances and privileges of (he Gofpef, 
 the feetf pKtnted by the Apoftles, to be by this Miriiflry of 
 their own inftituti'on propagated in all after ages to the 
 end of the world. 
 
 Cyprian fays, " The EptscopatI is ont and indivifible, 
 of which each Bifliop holds his imdivided portion. Epis*- 
 copatus unus est, cujas a singulis in solidum pars tenetur. 
 Our Lord, whofe precepts we ought to reverence atid obey, 
 when he was fettling the dignity of the Bifhop, and the 
 conftituticm of his Church, fays to Peter, in the Gofpel 
 ' I fav uiTto thee. Thou art Peter, &c.' From thence 
 the order of Bifhops, and the coni^itution of the Chutch, 
 • - — • • ha\'e 
 
 have defect 
 
 tho Chinch 
 
 thi.- Church 
 
 cQntrol. 1 
 
 without a ] 
 
 the Church 
 
 thpre are a 
 
 in the Chui 
 
 Church in i 
 
 the lawful J 
 
 nion of thei 
 
 separate coi 
 
 divcisa con!) 
 
 Theodore 
 
 ciently callc 
 
 of Apostle V 
 
 the name of 
 
 ctcntly calU 
 
 Apostle of 
 
 Timothy of 
 
 ilenominatio 
 
 apostle to bii 
 
 second centi 
 
 ever, " not i 
 
 centuries, b^ 
 
 mediate fuco 
 
 fur Clement, 
 
 called Apostc 
 
 is by Chrysos 
 
 and bifhop." 
 
 Jerome's n 
 roman opini 
 with certain : 
 Jeen again z 
 )acy,— but f 
 
r 
 
 whom \h4 
 and th^ii" 
 ! consul era 
 iipiite the 
 iflanccs in 
 Gained th« 
 s in order 
 i. Ofthi 
 ere " later 
 ivcred Ihe 
 
 he Birtiop, 
 bvters ami 
 Bifliop, oil 
 )eing pre- 
 , he urgd* 
 IS ftrccefed- 
 fucceifioh 
 y St. John, 
 eter. He, 
 ninistry in 
 jolUes, the 
 g received 
 he Gofpef, 
 ^irijflrv of 
 [€s to the 
 
 indivifible, 
 an. Epis'- 
 [fs tenetur. 
 ? and obey, 
 ), and the 
 he Gofpet 
 onni tltencc 
 le Chiitch, 
 
 ( " ) 
 
 have defccndcd to u , through a regular fucccflion; fo that 
 th»- Church is loumled upon the Bifliops, and every act of 
 thv Church is um'.r i heir direction and subject to their 
 cqnrrol. The sn ic lather assures us, that no Church was 
 without a liifhup, and inculcates, that " the Biihon is in 
 the Church, and the Church in the Bifhop; and that, if 
 thpre are any who are not with the BifTiop, they are not 
 in the Church." Of schismatics who set up a particular 
 Church in a particular Church, and act in opposition to 
 the lawful Bilhop, to draw away people from the commu- 
 nion of their lawful Minister, he alTirms, that they set up 
 separate conventicles for themselves, convcnticula sibi 
 diversa constitucrunt." 
 
 Theodorrt .says, " Those now called Bifliops were an- 
 ciently called Apostles; but in process of time the iiame 
 of Apostle was left to them who were truly Apostles; and 
 the name of Bifliop was restrailied to thosfe who were an- 
 ciently called Apostles. Thus Epaphroditus was the 
 Apostle of the Phillippians, Titus of ihe Cretans, and 
 Timothy of the Asiatics." That " this change of the 
 denomination of the highest order ol ecclesiastics, frt)m 
 apost/e to bishopy was made about the beginning of the 
 second century," is highly probable. It appears, how- 
 ever, " not to have been strictly attended to, for several 
 centuries, by those who had occasion to write of the im- 
 mediate fucceflbrs of the Apostles in particular Churches ; 
 fur Clement, Bifliop of Rome, is by Clement of Altxaiidria 
 called Apostolos Klemens, and Ignatius, Bifliop of Antioch, 
 IS by Chrysostom styled Apostolos kai Eniskopos, apostle 
 and bifliop." ' ^ i i > if 
 
 Jerome's mind on the subject is not to be collected 
 roman opinion, delivered in the warmth of expollulation 
 ^ith certain reprehensible pei-sons, and after all, as has 
 Jeen again and again fliown, not unfriendly to episco- 
 wcy,— but from what he has writteu in general. Now 
 
 E JcromoT 
 
ill 
 
 :h 
 
 ( 54 ) 
 
 Jerome says, " That we mav know that the apostolic irk* 
 ditions or institutions are taken from the Old Testament ; 
 what Aaron, and his Sons, and the Levites were in the 
 Temple, that the Bifhops, and the Presbyters, and the 
 Deacons claim to be in the Church." Et ut sciamus tra* 
 ditiones apostolicas sumptasde Vrteri Testamento ; quod 
 Aaron et filii ejus atque Levitas in templo fucrunt, hoc sibi 
 Episcopi et Presbyter atque Diaconi vindicent in ecdesia." 
 The safety of the Church depends on the dignity of the 
 Chief-Priest, that is, the Bifliop, to whom, if a peculiar 
 and fuperior power be not given, there will be as many 
 schisms as there are priests in the churches." Ecclesias 
 salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet, cui si non 
 exors quffidain, et ab o^n^Ibus eminens detur potestas, 
 tot in ecclesiis '^icientur schismata quot sacerdotes." 
 James, immcdia y after the Lord's ascension, being by 
 the Apostles ordained Bishop of Jerusalem, took upon him 
 the charge of that Church. Timothy was ordained by St. 
 Paul, Bifhop of the Ephesians, as was Titus of Crete. And 
 Polycarp was ordained by St. John Bifliop of Smyrna." 
 Jacobus, ab Apostolis statim post ascensionem Domini 
 Hierosolymorum Episcopus ordinatus suscepit ecclesiam 
 Hieroiolyma^. Timotheus a Paulo EphesioTum Episcopus 
 ordinatus, Titus Cretae, Polycarpus a Johanne Smyrnas 
 Episcopus ordinatus. 
 
 Chrysostom says, "Bishops and Presbyters have certain 
 offices in common, namely, preaching and presiding in 
 the church ; hiit to Bifhops is committed the power of 
 laying on of hands, and in this they are superior to Pres- 
 byters " The laying on of hands, or ordination, he makes 
 the Bifhop's prerogatives, and speaks of it as " the prin- 
 cipal of all ecclesiastical powers, and that Which chiefly 
 holds together the Christian Church." 
 
 From these Fathers, all of whom were Bishops, except 
 Tertullian and Jerome, who were Presbyters, a great deal 
 
 more 
 
 more mu 
 the extra 
 in their < 
 necessary 
 satisfy an^ 
 Dr. Burns 
 mandmcn 
 tliemselve 
 with the 
 JEpiscopac 
 
 For the 
 
 duces noti 
 
 to be beli< 
 
 proceeded 
 
 to dazzle 
 
 scheme, d 
 
 sideration 
 
 be advoca 
 
 Fathers, h 
 
 from them 
 
 he might i 
 
 of holding 
 
 divinely it 
 
 hoivmortil 
 
 have been 
 
 for examp 
 
 Bifliop blel 
 
 all the Pres 
 
 his head be 
 
 ordinatur, 
 
 caput ejus 
 
 man us suas 
 
 Now, these 
 
 Burns' purj: 
 
 a Presbyter 
 
 hold their li 
 
posto.lic irix- 
 Testament ; 
 rN'cre in the 
 :rs, and the 
 scinmus tra* 
 ento ; quod 
 unt, hoc sibi 
 in ecclesia." 
 ];nity of the 
 fa peculiar 
 be as many 
 " Ecclesia; 
 cui si non 
 ur potestas, 
 sacerdotes." 
 n, being by 
 )k upon him 
 ained by St. 
 Crete. And 
 of Smyrna." 
 em Domini 
 it ecclesiam 
 n Episcopus 
 me Smyrna; 
 
 have certain 
 presiding in 
 ic power of 
 nor to Pres- 
 )n, he makc.^ 
 " the prin- 
 fhich chiefly 
 
 ^ops, except 
 
 a great deal 
 
 more 
 
 ( 
 
 ) 
 
 more might have been quoted to the same purport. But 
 the extracts which have been made from them, and given 
 in their own very words, whenever it was deemed at all 
 necessary, are, it is presumed, abundantly sufficient to 
 satisfy any man, whose mind is open to conviflion, that 
 Dr. Burns, by a new mode of breaking the Eighth Com- 
 mandment, has made the Fathers bear false witnefs against 
 themselves, whether they be considered as men clothed 
 with the Episcopal character, or witnefTes attesting the 
 Episcopacy of ihc Church in their time. 
 
 For the fcheme of Presbyterian paritv, Dr. Burns pro- 
 duces nothing from Councils, although they also, if he is 
 to be believed, are all for it. If this reser\c, on his part, 
 proceeded from delicacy of feeling, which made him loath 
 to dazzle us with cxcefs of evidence in sup])ort of that 
 scheme, due credit must be given him for such kind con- 
 sideration of our unhappy ca^e. But, since his cause mny 
 be advocated against us from Councils as well as jroiii 
 Fathers, he might have favored us with a few quotations 
 from them, that by the accumulation of proof upon proof, 
 he might fliame us out of the very glaring and absurd error 
 of holding Episcopacy, and not Presbytery, to be the 
 divinely instituted form of Church Government. And 
 hoiv mortifying so ever this might have been to us. it would 
 have been perfe6Hy easy for him. A Council of Carthage, 
 for example fays, " When a Presbyter is ordained, the ■ 
 Bilhop bleffing him, and holding his hand above his head, 
 oil the Presbyters who are present, hold their hands above 
 his head beside the hand of the Bifliop." Presbyter cum 
 ordinatur, Episcopo eum benedicc^'e, et maniim super 
 caput ejus tenente, omnesPresbvten, qui prassentessunt, 
 manus suas juxta manum Episcopi super caput ejus tenent! 
 Now, these w'ords of the Council would have "served Dr. 
 Burns' purpose very well, by being thus quoted ; " Wheii 
 a Presbyter is ordaincdt all the Presbyters who are present 
 hold their hands above his head." Presbyter cum ordina- 
 tur. 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 tiir, omnesPrcsbyfcri,qni pVesentes sunt, manusstiassupci« 
 caput ejus tenenf. And after so clear and undoubted a 
 testimony from the Fourth Council of Carthage, to deny, 
 that there is any warrant for t^rdinntion by Presbyters in 
 the records of Councils, is the same as to deny, " after 
 reading the works of Thucydides and Livy, that in them 
 mention is made of any facts relative to the histories of 
 Greece and Rome." 
 
 The fact is,jhaf, in the Primitive Church, wns held no 
 Council, the Canons of which do not imply or afTort the 
 universal prevalence of Episcopacy as the form of Govern- 
 ment srivcn by Christ throu«ih the Apostles to the Church. 
 The Jpostn/ica/ Canonn, " wh.ch,"says Mosheim, "contain 
 a view of the church oovernment and discipline received 
 among the Greek and Oriental Christians in the second 
 and third centuries," exprefs, in the fullest manner, the 
 superiority of Bifhops, as alone having the power to ordain; 
 and -"nact, that a Bishop fliall be ordained by two or three 
 Btihops ; and Preshjjters and Deacons by one Bishop, 
 
 No where, indeed, in X^^t first ages of Christianity, were 
 there Chijrches without Bifliops,. The opinion then enter- 
 tained, in all places, of the necefTity of Episcopacy, was so 
 strong, that, " if some turbulent and ambitious spirit r^n 
 into a schism, it was never to the destruction of the Epis, 
 copal authority ; the very schismatics glorying in it, that 
 they had a Bishop upon whom they depended." 
 
 It is evident, then, from every document which has come 
 down to us of ecclesiastical affairs, that Episcopacy was 
 the form of government in all the Churches in the second 
 century, iiut, when we consider the situation of Christians 
 during that century, as a people who were persecuted by 
 the Rulers of the world ; when we contemplate their fide- 
 lity as believers, who were conscientiously obedient to the 
 precepts of Christ ; when we regard their integrity as men, 
 
 who 
 
 V»'ho siuc 
 
 probable 
 
 would yi 
 
 concur v 
 
 left by tl 
 
 nounced 
 
 of any op 
 
 tan find 
 
 it ? " \\ 
 
 tantistn, \ 
 
 the Mctan 
 
 fiiall see 
 
 and fleep, 
 
 lo believe 
 
 in the Chu 
 
 after, agai 
 
 Christ, be 
 
 (ransforme 
 
 " Wher 
 not fear tc 
 thing in \h 
 of Bifhops 
 Ghost was 
 
 To those 
 
 niftry as a \ 
 
 ?ofitive inf 
 
 Jthe indulgei 
 
 jof mere mc 
 
 [Episcopacy 
 
 [perfonsoftl 
 
 [attentive anc 
 
 Bishop H 
 
 le fhows, th 
 
 )ofedofthe 
 
 is a pofitive ] 
 
Wh 
 
 lO Sii 
 
 ( 37 ) 
 cerely respected the rights of everv omp • ;= ;* 
 
 Tih,^ '"„''',!:'■:!"!."'!'" '» ^/fl-op^. -o thus 
 
 would 
 
 conc^ur with them in the overthrow of the 
 
 ie.tby the Apostles in the Church 
 nomced probable, wh 
 
 government. 
 If this can be pro- 
 
 Zm : ^ ■ ^'^'"'".'?^'0'-^h, - I fhall see Lll the fablesTn 
 
 til se;""'; :'?,"^^^^ •''"^ P^'°-^ ^-- stories /t:;i 
 and flcen 1 ^f "\"^"^'^« «"d Ariftocracies lie down 
 ana iieep, and awake into Monarchies • thpn w.li t u ■ 
 
 [Cihost was the author of it." / ^°v 
 
 To those who have never con«5ifIpr#.r1 ♦!,« r-u /i- ,,. 
 
 pofed of he ,h4e„^'""'•''?^''""'■^ '=""«<'"ed as com, 
 
 ^po.iveit:7az;^-i:a^- 
 
 the 
 
!1 
 
 ! 
 
 I 
 
 it 
 
 
 1^^ 
 
 ( 38 ) 
 
 fhe pofTibiiity of continuing it in any way but tliat ap- 
 pointed for the purpofc ; that Episcopacy is the way 
 appointed for continuing it ; and that, therefore, lv])isco- 
 pi>cy is unalterable, and cannot be laid aside without 
 ^elimying the Chrillian Miniftry. 
 
 Error, and the confcqucncca of error, viewed as extend- 
 ing to the foul in a future flate, are two things of feparate 
 confidcfation. We, indeed, cannot, in the fpirit of modern 
 latitude and indifference, make charity which rejoiceth in 
 ihe truth, take up arms and fight against faith in which 
 'We arc commanded to fland fast. Nor can wc, of courfe/ 
 beftow on all profeffing Chridians, withoi.t diUinction, 
 equal commendation, as if there was no criterion of reli- 
 gious truth, and Chriftianity might be made whatever men 
 J)leafed, either to fuit their preconceived opinions, or to 
 ipromofe \\\e\r particular views. For this reafon, however, 
 we are not bigottcd, nor illiberal, nor uncharitable. For, 
 jnftead of dealing damnation round the land, we leave 
 judgment to Jlim who alone knows the hearts of all the 
 children of men ; and in our " common fupplications," 
 which are as Superior to the extemporary effnftons of 
 presbyterian declaimers as the glorious light of the sun in 
 his meridian brightnefs, is to the unfteady glimmering of 
 a taper, pray, that " all who profefs and call themfelves 
 Ghriftians may be led into the way of truth," that " all 
 {fUch as have erred and are deceived may be brought into 
 -the way of truth ;" that " they who fall may be raifed up ;" 
 that " all ignorance, hardnefs of heart, and contempt of 
 God's word may be taken from all Je\frs, Turks, Infidels, 
 and Hereticks ;" and " thai it may pleale" our " good 
 Lord to have mercy upon all men." 
 
 fallacy of Ic 
 The Archdc.icon of Sarom, in the .Second Letter of his reprefentati 
 appendix To tlic Guide to the Church, observes, that ignorance 
 " Presbyterians may be convinced and convi6led, but on efsandund 
 the subject of church matters they are not to be fiknced. ti convi6lio 
 
 Thejfatisfaaion, 
 
 •fheyjiav 
 
 They hai 
 
 Vestigia 
 
 have beei 
 
 ward aga 
 
 v/ill find tl 
 
 that a (to 
 
 dit with f( 
 
 fore, not 
 
 impruden 
 
 communif 
 
 suite red tc 
 
 in the fot 
 
 case, I mi 
 
 because I 
 
 accomplifl 
 
 of misrepi 
 
 Nation ; bi 
 
 which has 
 
 lihhop Sr, 
 
 Bt /son's Pi 
 
 iishop Poti 
 
 Holmrt's A 
 
 ieny's Guit 
 
 Parochial ( 
 
 of the Con 
 
 Analysis oj 
 
 While r < 
 the Mem be 
 vince, that 
 
but that ap- 
 ' is the way 
 tore, I'^jisco- 
 iside without 
 
 ed as extend- 
 ys of fcparate 
 irit of modern 
 1 rejoice th in 
 aith in uhich 
 vc, of courfCj, 
 t dillinction, 
 eri&n of reli^ 
 vhatever men 
 unions, or to 
 on, however, 
 •i table. For, 
 ncl, we leave 
 rts of all the 
 ipplications," 
 r effufions of 
 of the sun in 
 limmeiing of 
 ill ihemfelves 
 >," that " all 
 brought into 
 era! fed up ;" 
 contempt of 
 urks. Infidels, 
 our " good 
 
 Letter of his 
 
 bservcs, that 
 
 i6led. but on 
 
 o be fiJcnced 
 
 They 
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 they have a cause to defend which itiuft not be given d« 
 They have ccmm.tted themfe.lves and muft "p oceed 
 In'X'.:""'- ''"r"""- ^^8^'"^-^ts, therefore^ which 
 
 !!•! r f u ^''P''«^'e them as often as you please von 
 ha ?i'^'"'.'' °^^'" ''^'^'"^ ^ ^" thislaiowS pr ncipL 
 
 i t w t "?:L r'T '"■'"•"'^' '" ''^''' gainssLeTrlr: 
 m With lome people every time it is told.'' It is there- 
 fore, not unlikely, that Dr. Burns, vvhofe forwird and 
 imprudent zeal has led him to diftirb the peace of ^^ 
 
 n the fohn of '^"' f^ ''?^^^°'^ '^'"^^''^^ fomethin^ 
 
 Sc4se rrn-fn*^"^ ™'^'"t any rejoinder, not merely 
 oecause I fhould have to deal with a man who divertinali 
 accomphlhes his " anxious wifh to remove eve t " ol J 
 
 tai^n f:r'''r°":' byfurfeitinguswith misLp eTn! 
 tat on, but becaule he can write on the fubject nothin<^ 
 ^h h has not been fairly fiated and ably refme "S 
 ^' hop Safe's Pnnnj^Ies of the Cyprianic J^e Bshl 
 
 AIaL) T"T '^^ P""^^^ Government; BkL 
 fojHrU Apologij for Apostolic Order ; Archdeacon Dnu 
 iemjs Guide to the Church • Rev Mr \ih^'llY 
 
 Wthe ComtUiaion of the Cnristmn cLcT nAM^ 
 Analysis oj Sacred Chronology, Part IX, 
 
 vince h^' h^v ^^"''^ of England within this Pro- 
 faL; of fonhSirTl'^ "l"'"^' be prepared to deteft that 
 repreLmJrnM ^^ r^^^^^ ^^'^ deceit of artful mif- 
 Kance r \"^''''' ^°">^ °^ ««'"™'"S ^"^ coniidenV 
 S und^V^''^ ""l "'•" ""^^'^'^ ^'•^•^ fo "'any quar. 
 
 Church 
 
 n 
 
 iK-r^-y*-~ 
 
C 40 ) 
 
 i 
 
 J"!;; 
 
 ■il 
 
 Church of the State in the Britifli Empire, appears among 
 the Churches ot God with pre-eminent s'^'T- ^" ^^^^' 
 Communion, we have the faith once delivered to the faints, 
 purged from all the corruptions of latter ages, in her 
 Communion, we have a form of worfliij), coinpoi'cd after 
 the models in ufe in the days of pure and primitive Chris- 
 tianity, and teaching us in the prayers we otl'er up to the 
 throne of grace, the grounds of our hope, the terms of 
 our acceptance, and the duties of our profefllon. In her 
 Communion, we have the furc cIFion of the chrillian mini- 
 llry, and, confequently, perlonsduly authorized to mini- 
 fter before the Ltjfd to his people in holy things. But the 
 Church of England is no lefs dillinguiflicd for the work 
 of faith, the labour of love, and the patience ofhojie, than 
 for sound doctrine, edifying worfiiip, and apodolical order. 
 "What Church has afferted, in the mod It riptiiral and ra- 
 tional way, the principles of liberty civil and cccleliadical ? 
 The Church of England. To what Church are we indebted 
 i(or our admirable tranflktion of the Holy Scriptures ? To 
 the Church of England. From what Church have come 
 the best and most powerful defences of Divine Revela- 
 tion ? From, the Church of England. By what Church 
 have the feveral truths of the Gofpel been most ably main- 
 tained against corrupters of the Faith ? By the Church 
 of England. In what Church has Reformed Chrillianity 
 l^eeii fealed with the blood of men who expired at the 
 ilake with the invincible fortitude, the unruffled mecknefc, 
 and the divine charity of the Priaiitive Martyrs ? In the 
 Church of England. ^ 
 
 ■ O pray for the peace of Jerufalem : they ihall profper 
 that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and plenteous- ^ 
 iiefs within thy palaces. For my brethren and compa- 
 nions' fakes, I will wi(h thee profperity. Yea, becaufe of 
 the houfe of the Lord our God, 1 will feek to do thee good. 
 
 Now, To the holy, bleiTed, and glorious Trinity, three! 
 Pcilbns, and one God, be afcribed, in all the Churches, alt] 
 honor and giyry, world without cud. Amsu.