APOLOGY For the USE of the • AND WORSHIP Against the CAVILS and EXCEPTIONS Of the Presbyterians in North - Britain: IN A 4 LETTER' то Mr. FRANCIS MELVIL, One of the PRESBYTERIAN Teachers in Aberdeen. To which are added, Some CONSIDERATIONS concerning Set Forms of PRAYER, Epifcopacy, Schifm, and other Matters relating to Church-Communion. By a Citizen of Aberdeen. Jer. vi. 16. Thus faith the Lord, Stand ye in the Ways and fee, and ask for the old Paths, where is the good Way, and walk therein, and ye shall find reft for your Souls. Tit. i. 10, 11. For there are many unruly and vain Walkers and Deceivers whofe Mouths must be stopped, who fubvert whole Houses, teaching Things which they ought not for filthy Lucres fake. LONDON: Printed by H. P. for J. BETTENHAM, at the Crown in Pater-Nofter-Row. 1718. Price One Shilling and Six-pence. THE PREFACE HE following little Treatife is written by a Lay-Man who lives in that Northern Part of this Ifland, where Presbytery received an Establishment at the REVOLUTION, and was founded upon the INCLINATIONS of the People, which yet were at least, even at that Time, Two to One against it; nor is there the least mention made in the Act which introduced it, of its being Jure Divino, of Divine Right, and yet all the Teachers of that Sect do affert it to be the Original and only Government of the Chriftian Church which is acceptable to GOD, altho they have been as often confuted in that, and all other their Novel Notions, as they have adventured to appear Advocates for them: And therefore they look upon all Chriftians, of whatever Denomination, who differ from them, as fo many Hereticks and Schifmaticks, as Enemies to GOD, and as anfit to live upon the Earth And accordingly are, by Principle, PERSECUTORS of all who to differ from them. And whenever they have POWER, they fhew, too demonftrably, that they A 2 are are the genuine Product of their Parents the Old COVENANTERS: For I think I may fafely affert it as Fact, that fince their Eftablishment, they have not let any one Opportunity flip, of Difturbing, Infulting, Scandalizing, Robbing, and Ruining all thofe of Epifcopal Principles, efpecially the Clergy, whom they could by any manner of way come at: Per Fas aut Nefas, by fair Means or foul. They pretend a great Averfion to Popery, and yet have incorporated into their Scheme of Politicks, the very worst Principles of the worst Papifts, fuch as KING-KILLING, PERSECUTION, and if not Fire and Faggot, yet Halters and Gibbets, and have turned the Laws which were made in King Charles II's Reign to fupprefs and prevent their frequent REBELLIONS, now against the peaceable People of the Epifcopal Communion, who have ever declared their Abhorrence of all Rebellion. SO foon as they were Eftablished, they employ'd all their Invention to raife Scandals upon the Clergy, who were turned out, and harraffed them from Court to Court, imprison'd them, fin'd them, and banish'd them, after having first mobb'd many of them, wounding fome, and beating others, even to Death; and turning their Wives and Children out of their Houfes, ftript of their Cloaths, without any regard to the Image of GOD, the Laws of Nature, or of CHRISTIANITY, even in Winter. Full Accounts of all which barbarous Ufages were printed and published in London foon" after. AND altho' they pretend their Presbyterial Government is of Divine Right, yet when it was offered them to bave it declared to be fo by Parlia-: ment, they declined it, and feem'd then contented to have |