But fuppofing the Commiffion have acted a wrong part, and if you please let us allow for argument's fake, that (as the brethren infinuate) they intended to give up to the civil magiftrate the power belonging to the church; yet I cannot agree with them in thinking, that there has been any finful combination between church and state; for this reafon, Because the King has taken no notice of the Commiffion's application, but ordered his royal proclamation quite independent of their act, and, if I am well informed, had refolved upon a national fast before it was laid before him. But whatever be in this, their having applied to him in a wrong way, or, if you will, complimented him with their powers, can never make void his antecedent right. On the contrary, if fuch applications are an evidence of the church's being on the decline, and neglectful of her own intereft, the neceffity of his appointing a faft becomes the more reasonable, and our obedience thould be the more chearful and thankful, bleffing God who has put into the heart of our most gracious fovereign, not to accept of the fuppofed power offered him, but in an inoffenfive way and manner to call and excite his fubjects to this neceffary duty. On the whole, I think that prefbytery did right in appointing a faft on Wednesday next, and I refolve to join with them in it; but must likewife fay, if they do. not obferve the day appointed by his Majefty, they muft either deny the power of the civil magiftrate to call his fubjects to fafting and humiliation, or maintain that this is not the proper feafon for fo good a work. A CONFERENCE between a Laird and a Farmer, going to church, concerning Presentations. F. ༈ ས “་ Ood-day to your Honour. L., Good-day, John. How far go you this way? F. To kirk, an't pleafe your Honour. L. It is hard, John, for country-folk, who are toiled all the week, to go fo far to a kirk on the Sunday, especially in winter-weather. F. It is fo, Sir; but as we have no Minister in our own kirk just now, we must go feek preaching in anotherL. What! John, have you never preaching in your own kirk? F. Yes, an't like your Honour, we have sometimes preaching in our kirk. L. Have you not fermon every other Sunday, John, as the custom is in vacant kirks? F. They fay, Sir, that we should have fermon every other Sunday; but if it is not a good day, our Minifters cannot venture abroad. L. Say you so, John? That is a lofs to you. F. An't like your Honour it is a lofs to us more ways than one; for we have not only to go farther to seek fermon, but we alfo want the collection at home for our poor. L. You are to get a Minister of your own now, John, which will put an end to all thefe inconveniences. F.Iam glad to hear of it, Sir. L. Then, John, I hope you will readily concur in calling him. F. Calling him, an't please your Honour, if the parishioners had got liberty to call a Minifter, we should not have wanted one fo long. L. John, you cannot call a Minister, you know, before he gets a prefentation from the patron, and the prefbytery upon that moderates a call for him, which the parifhioners are to fign. F. But, if it like. your Honour, fhould that man who gets the prefentation not be the parishioners choice, they will not concur; and what then becomes of the presentation? L. You must know, John, that, whether the parishioners fign a call for the prefentee or not, the presentation is good in law, and gives him a right to the fipend, &c. F. It may be fo, Sir; and I wish the right to the ftipend may not. be the prefentee's chief care. L. Be not uncharitable, John. But he who has got the prefentation, must be your Minifter. F. An't please your Honour, what need is there then for the parishioners to call the prefentee; feeing, whether we concur or not, he put be our Minifter? L. The call is ides, your John, which is fometimes difpe and enmities and overlook'd where it cangrcing prefenbut the presentation is law, on't regard the be obeyed. F. This cattled. You fee is a piece of mockery to the ho value their fpi ritual 1 And you feemed to think me uncharitable for wishing that the right to the ftipend might not be the prefentee's chief care; but now I am afraid that your prefentees, who come into kirks without the call, nay against the confent, of the parishioners, mock not the parishioners only, but one who will not be mocked. L. What do you mean, John ? do you prétend to be wiser than your teachers and governors F. I beg your Honour's pardon for being fo forward, but I fay no more than the truth, which every one of common fenfe and honefty may eafily perceive upon comparing the ufual practices in obtain ing fettlements with the oaths which the Minifters take at their ordination. L. Thefe things are none of our bufnefs, John; the law muft be obeyed, and he who gets the prefentation muft have the kirk. F. You will not fay, Sir, that all the laws are infallibly good and right? and if there be laws, fuch as this of presentations, made in Popish times, which bear hard upon people's natural rights and liberties, ought they not to be let fall, or be repealed? No good man, would, methinks, take advantage of his neighbours by fuch laws; and if a patron should, yet a Minifter who expects to do good in a parifh fhould not. L. Confider a little, John; is it not reasonable that a patron, whofe ancestors built a kirk and gave the ftipend, fhould have the power to prefent what Minifter he pleafes to it? F. May it please your Honour to allow me to afk you another queftion before I can well anfwer yours? L. You are very welcome, John. F. For what end, Sir, did thefe patrons build kirks and give ftipends? L. For the glory of God, and the good of fouls, no doubt, John F. May I prefume to afk again, Sir, For the good of whofe fouts? L. For the good of thefe fouls who were the paribig certainly. F. If the good of the at, I doners fouls was the end of pious letter, wh. building kirks and giving ftitisfaction, as would never force the pato light, and take a Minifter who was As all true ing; for fuch could nethe church's intre nor could it be their intention that their heirs fhould act fo inconfiflent a part. Nay, if the patron's defigns were really pious, he would only name fome men who were agreeable to himfelf, and leave the choice of a teacher from among them, freely to the parifhioners themfelves; they being the best judges who edified them moft. L. The parishioners, John, were they left to their own free choice, would never all agree in calling one man ; and this would breed endless confufion. F. Suppofe they fhould not all agree to chufe one man, Sir, I do not fee that any confufion would arife from that: for, in all popular and free affemblies, the majority of voices muft abfolutely determine every cafe before them. L. John, you do not confider that the bulk of the parifhioners are the ignorant, and thofe who have no great intereft in the parifh, and fettled habitation. Is it equal, or fair, think you, that thefe fhould chufe a Minister for the other lefs, but more confiderable part for their knowledge, judgment, and interest in the parifh? F. This, Sir, can feldom or never be the cafe: for the rich and more knowing part of the parifh, if they deal reafonably and kindly with the poorer and more ignorant fort, will eafily prevail on them to follow their example and judgment. The prefbytery, your Honour knows, are judges of the learning and orthodoxy of the candidates ; and the parishioners are only judges of their gifts of edifying. This being fo, Sir, I prefume that the greater regard fhould be had to the choice of the poor and ignorant, who stand most need of inftruction, and know by whofe preaching they profit most. The rich and wifer part do not ftand in fo much need of inftruction; and if they fhould not be very much edified by the Minister of the parish, they have many more means of inftruction in their power than the vulgar have. If therefore the rich and wife are truly pious too, they will regard the choice of the poor and ignorant more than their own. A Minifter qualified to preach to, and edify learned men, may, for the fame reason, be unfit to preach to, and edify the igno rant. rant. L. But remember, John, that profit (have they not rather a chance to the poorer and more ignorant fort of be corrupted!) by the example of fuch parishioners are often changing their Minifters, who make nothing of breakparishes, which the heritors do not; ing thro' the ftrongest and most facred and therefore may go to other parifhes ties of religion, when in the way of where they will find Minifters to their their intereft, and seem to confider reliking. F. This is not always in their ligion itself merely as an engine of flate to power, Sir; nor can they remove, poor awe the vulgar? L. You infinuate hard as they are, without great loffes and in- things, John; I would advise you not conveniences. They are, perhaps, in to talk fuch things every where. F. good service, and near their friends and As your Honour has been pleafed to cuftomers, &c. Befides, if it like your hear our grievances fo far, I would fain Honour, this fhifting of parishes would speak my mind a little farther. L. You not mend the matter in the parish they may ufe your freedom with me, John, left: for ftill fuch poor labouring peo- as to thefe affairs; but talk not thus to ple, as mechanicks and fervants, muft every body. F. You are very good, Sir. be brought to the parish, who, having I thank your Honour for your advice, the like degrees of knowledge, capa- and for hearing me fo patiently hithercities and judgments, would require juft to. I was going to add fome more. fuch a teacher as the others wanted. L. Say on, John; we will come up to the L. But after all, John, the prefentee kirk by and by. F. If it like your Homay be as well qualified to inftruct the nour, I have heard it said, that the cuignorant as any other; and then the ftomhoufe oaths have done much to corparishioners will have no objections a- rupt the trading part of this nation; and gainst concurrence. F. If that be fo, the influence used upon the electors and Sir, the cafe will be a great deal better members of parliament for their votes, than when one, unfit to edify the vulgar while they are at the fame time obliged or multitude, is forced in upon them. to take oaths against such bribery, has L. A great deal better you fay, John; done very much to corrupt the landed I thought nothing more could be want- Gentlemen of the nation. It remained ed. F. With your Honour's leave, al- only to influence the Ministers or Clertho' the prefentee may be fit to teach gy, who commonly lead the vulgar, fo both the fearned and unlearned, yet his that all might be involved in corruption, behaviour in obtaining a presentation, and that an abject dependence and flavery may be fo exceptionable as to render his might be established throughout allranks minifterial work disagreeable and inef- of the nation. Accordingly, as no civil fectual in the parish. L. How fo, John? poft or place is bestowed without regard F. There are, if it please your Honour, to votes in elections, (if they may be now fome no ill-grounded fufpicions, that called elections) fo no prefentation muft fome prefentations are bought by the be bestowed by the government, or any prefentees, or their friends, as foon as patron in place, without the like confithe Minifter of a parifh dies. I have derations. If these things be fo, I think known kirks fpoken for before the Mi- that prefentations fhould be oppofed, nifter's death. And now we hear that both as they affect the cause of religion there are prefentations tranfacted for and liberty. L. We cannot be too jeavotes in elections. And yet your pre- lous of our religious and civil rights; fentees don't fcruple to declare, before but we must not be too ready to believe God and his people, at their ordination, all that is faid about fuch encroachThat they have made no intereft, directly ments and impofitions. F. Befides, your or indirectly, to obtain fuch kirks: Nay, Honour fees what divifions and enmities and that their chief (I think the word are raifed in parifhes, by forcing prefenis rather, fole) end in coming to thofe kirks, tees upon them, who don't regard the is the glory of God and the good of fouls. people once they are fettled. You fee If this be the cafe, how can the people fome parishioners, who value their spiVOL. III. E ritual ritual benefit more than their temporal concerns, turned out of their farms, &c. for not voting on their landlords fide for a Minifter; and others are obliged to go feek fermon at very inconvenient diftances; and, forfooth, must be at the reverence too of these intruding, political, not gospel, Minifters, for teftimonials to other Minifters to have the facraments adminiftred to them, or their children which often obliges them to take up with thofe called Mountain Minifters. L. We are a little backward, John; the kirk is just ringing in. Let us trust in providence, which will make all things turn out for good, and all things go well at laft with the righteous. F. Amen. ; 'N charity I believe you fincerely repent your temporifing with the power affumed by the magiftrate in appointing the falt January 9. 1740; but I cannot poffibly affign a reafon for your neglecting the fin of the people in keeping it, unless you are pofitive your miftake will be a fufficient excufe for their fin, or that blind obedience is their neceffary duty. deal Nor can I fay it reflects a great of honour, either on the confcience or common sense of your adherents, that few or none of them publickly remonftrated against an impofition fo manifeftly repugnant to your principles. a&t For my part, as I believe you deliberately, and as I wish to arrive at fome certainty in religion, you'd do me a favour to inform me, Whether the Spirit, the Scripture, the Covenants, or your own Private Judgment, was your rule in emitting the first act? And if I may depend upon your not repenting your contrariety in the fecond? And in the mean time, tho' I do not intend to anticipate your answer, I'll venture to fay this much in your favour, That as you do well, in fuch folemn acts, to pray for light and direction from Heaven, you'll for once own you did not receive it, and fo free the divine Power of a felf-contradiction; but if you acted in confequence of the colla ted judgment of the whole prefbytery, or of a majority, or of the overbearing weight of a fingle vote, you'll never again truft to either. I am, &c. BEREAN. The WISH: Hor. i. 31. imitated. "Hat wou'd the bard, unknown to What fame, Unfkill'd to touch the tuneful lyre; What from Apollo wou'd he claim, What hope, who never felt his fire? Not claim a minifterial ftore, Heap'd by oppreffion's guileful hand; Not hope the fmiles of corrupt pow'r, And fawning fwell a fervile band. Not wish to boast extended plains Which Ifis and her Thame divide, On whofe rich banks kind plenty reigns, And gives new wealth to every tide. or note, Accept who will, the gold or note, The price for which they confcience gave, Be penfion'd for the venal vote, Or glitter an enribbon'd slave. And at their trick'd directors laugh, Nature can give a cheap content. Unknown, unenvious of the great, With heart to use my present flore, To heav'n commit the reft, nor feek, If vidory fhall crown our arms, When God fo wills, o'er ftormy feas And juftly flops fond, reflefs man's WE to fame Of tyrants bold fuccessful deeds; But greater is the godlike man, Who nobly for his country bleeds. In vain we arm the hand with feel, And cover with a field the breaft, Unless the heart be unappal'd, And in the form the foul at reft. In vain the glittring guards furround The monarch's fide with regal ftate; Virtue alone is a defence Against the power of adverfe fate. Not the bright honours of a crown Can beam pure pleasures on the foul, Unless right reafon guide the heart, To the author of the SCOTS MAGAZINE. SIR, TH Edinburgh. HE following paftoral effay being the firft of the poetical kind of a young Gentleman of this city, your indulging it a place in your Magazine, as it will be doing honour to a very early Mufe, I hope it will also oblige not a few of your readers. I am, &c. DELIA. A Pastoral. Efide a filver ftream, under the fhade That fately elms and broad-leav'd planes dif A lovely fhepherdess and am'rous fwain [play'd, In tender lays express'd their mutual pain. Still were the warbling fong flers of the grove, And filent heard their melting tale of love; The liftning flocks forgot their verdant food, The fanguine foxes ceas'd to thirst for blood, Whilft Delia thus difclos'd her tender breaft, And Daphnis thus a lover's fears expreft.· Del. Why fighs my love? what cares difturb my Does Delia now deferve thy cold difdain? [fwain? Has fome new beauty caught thy fickle mind, And has the nymph to DAPHNIS prov’d unkind? Fair Venus' rival, Cupid's fureft dart, [heart, Daph. In vain I fung, and now I figh in vain; Nor fongs nor fighs can beauteous DELIA gain. Your fire defigns rich Mopfus you should wed; His wealth proclaims him worthy of your bed. Unless auth flocks and fields his paffion's join'd. The faithful fwain can no requital find, Del. What value I the ruftick, or his gear? Can DAPHNIS ought from fuch a rival fear? The mighty GEORGE, whom three great realms oFair Albion's King, and monarch of the fea, [bey, Should offer half his empire and his throne, To make a poor low Shepherdess his own, With DAPHNIS rather I my flocks would 'tend, And with my love my life enjoy and end. E 2 Daph. |