An Humble Attempt in Defence of Reformation Principles; Particularly on the Head of the Civil Magistrate.

WHEREIN

The gross Falsehoods, Calumnies, and imposed Senses, palmed, by Mr. JOHN GOODLET, upon the TESTIMONY emitted by the REFORMED PRESBYTERY, are exposed and confuted, and said Testimony vindicated.

AS ALSO,

The seceding Scheme of political Principles more fully detected;—and discovered to be inconsistent with the Law of Nature, Light of divine Revelation, and covenanted Testimony of the Church of Scotland.

By JOHN FAIRLY, Minister of the Gospel.

Isa. v. 20. Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.

John iii. 19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Col. ii. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

EDINBURGH:

Printed by DAVID PATERSON.

MDCCLXX.

[Price One Shilling.]

---

[Preface, p. iii]

PREFACE.

---

As the book is by far too long, the preface must be but very short. An answer to Mr. Goodlet’s Vindication of the Associate Synod, against the Testimony emitted by the Reformed Presbytery, has been long expected and desired by some, after hearing that there was one designed; whilst others, as I have heard, boasted, that it would never see the light: his book (it seems) in their opinion being irrefutable (tho’ wholly made up of captious and false reasoning, built upon a manifest and palpable perversion of the true state of the covenanted testimony of the church of Scotland.) Whether the following sheets contain an answer to his performance or not, must be submitted to the judgment of the impartial and intelligent, who read them.

It may perhaps be judged very unseasonable to appear in print against it so late; and some may possibly want to know the reasons why the publishing of this answer has been so long delayed? To this, it is hoped, a simple reply may be satisfactory to the candid reader.—It can never be out of season to plead for, and vindicate truth; to this purpose and with this intent, an answer was prepared within a twelvemonth, or thereabout, after Mr. Goodlet’s book appeared in public; but both the printing and publishing of it was necessarily postponed for sundry reasons, which for the reader’s information may be offered as I have them, without adding any further or better apology.—It was certainly judged very unnecessary by many I am connected with, to frame any answer to such wersh [tasteless], insipid, and evidently perverse reasoning; so many invidious insinuations, unjust and uncharitable censures, joined with so much cruel calumny and foul abuse, as, upon reading his performance, they found it filled with; in regard, they thought such unsavoury stuff,—such carnal weapons as these, could no way sensibly affect the Testimony emitted by the presbytery, or the truths maintained therein. I confess, I thought so also myself; which retarded my design of printing not a little, tho’ the manuscript was still by me.

Another reason was this; our separating brethren having about that time made some motion for agreement on the head of difference between them and the presbytery, in consequence of which we had several meetings with them to that purpose. This being the case, I was rather inclinable to

[Preface, p. iv]

wait the issue of these conferences, and of some other means that have been since tried, in order to an agreement: In regard, that it was judged if union took place, it would be necessary that something should be published, in an unite capacity, to manifest our harmony in judgment; and any thing expedient for the defence of the Testimony, might then also be done by the consent of all. This was undoubtedly the chief reason that has retarded the publication for years past.

But this proposed coalescence proceeding so very slowly, or rather seeming likely to turn out to nothing in the issue, I was determined at length to proceed.—As Mr. Goodlet had twitted the presbytery, that, in the drawing up, &c. of their Testimony, they had written before they had read; I have therefore, in their defence, produced the sentiments of a variety of approved authors. Some of them I have used are such as are now reckoned very old, because I have generally found that the older an author of orthodox sentiments is, the commonly speaks out more of the truth. As to what I have offered in defence of the truth pleaded for, I shall only desire the reader to follow the laudable example of the noble Bereans, Acts xvii. 11. To search the scriptures, whether these things are so. The reader is also requested to turn up and read those scripture texts which are referred to, but for brevity not inserted: What deserves rejection and condemnation, let it be so from the light of the word. The author craves no approbation to any part of it that stands condemned there.—If it be so, by the Holy Ghost, let it be so to you also.

---

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

---

Chapter I.—Introduction. Some of the odious characters Mr. Goodlet assigns to the Reformed Presbytery.—Reasons of undertaking and publishing this reply.                                                               1.

Chapter II.—Some general remarks.—An enquiry into the justness of Mr. Goodlet’s notions of the law of nature.—His vague account of it exposed and confuted.                                                                      9.

Chapter III.—The true Law of Nature described and illustrated.—Objections answered.               26.

Chapter IV.—An enquiry into the foundation of magistracy,—whether in any sense founded in scripture.—The sentiments of the Reformed Presbytery thereanent, represented and vindicated.—Mr. Goodlet’s sentiments and sense about this matter examined into.—Proven against Mr. Goodlet, that magistracy, as a divine institution, is founded on the preceptive will of God in scripture.                                    39.

Chapter V.—Enquired,—whether (as Mr. Goodlet teaches) the light of nature, and reason, exclusive of the light of scripture, be the standard-measure and rule of the magistrate’s office and duties?—And of the conduct and duty of civil society, in the erection of civil government and rulers?—Whether this ordinance and these duties may be called scriptural.—The dangerousness and unsoundness of Mr. Goodlet’s doctrine on these heads discovered.—His objections against the ordinances and duties of magistracy being called scriptural, largely answered and discuss’d.                                                                         66.

Chapter VI.—Animadversions on Mr. Goodlet’s doctrine anent the Heathen magistrate, (or magistracy among the Heathens.)—His comparison of the Heathen magistrate to an heath, or barren-mountain, considered.—The bad tendency of his vague pleadings on this head detected.—His state of the question in debate examined and rejected.—The question rightly stated, &c.                                                         90.

Chapter VII.—The truth of the second, third, and fourth articles of charge against Seceders proven.—The Presbytery’s explication of Luke xx. 25. and of Rom. xiii. 1. 2. 3. vindicated;—and the unsoundness of those of the Associate Presbytery evinced.—Their unnatural and absurd doctrine anent the qualifications of magistrates more fully disclosed and confuted, &c.                                                                  121.

Chapter VIII.—Of the duty of praying for kings.—The Presbytery’s testimony against Seceders, on account of their corrupt and inconsistent form of prayer for the king, &c. vindicated from Mr. Goodlet’s cavils.—His exposition of 1 Tim. ii. 1. 2. 3. considered, and discovered to be forced, and contrary to the real scope and sense of the apostle.—His arguments in defence of the Associate Synod, in this particular, alleged from the practice of the primitive Christians, and of our reformers, confuted.—Some cursory observations.                                                                                                                                                          177.

Chapter IX.—Mr. Goodlet’s further instances in vindication of Seceders, alleged from the practice of our reformers,—and testimonies of the martyrs under Charles II. and James VII. examined.——Proven, that the sufferers and martyrs under Charles II. rejected his authority, not so much on account of his civil, as on account of his spiritual usurpation and tyranny.—The Rev. Mr. Cargill’s testimony rescued from Mr. Goodlet’s perversion and abuse of it.—The civil magistrate’s power circa sacra vindicated, &c.  241.