A Fair and Impartial Testimony...Against the Backslidings, Corruptions, Divisions, and Prevail- ing Evils... Author(s): Willison, John (1680-1750) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: In the mid-18th century, the Church of Scotland faced some considerable upheaval. The Church's General Assembly, despite opposition from a great number of its congregations, ratified a significant shift in the Church's policies for electing and placing ministers. As a result, some of the dissenting congregations chose to secede from the Church of Scotland, forming the United Secession Church in 1733. A decade later, John Willison, as well as merely documenting the event, wrote A Fair and Impartial Testimony as a call for the dissent- ing congregations to make peace and return to the Church of Scotland. Kathleen O'Bannon CCEL Staff Subjects: Christian Denominations Protestantism Post-Reformation Other Protestant denominations Presbyterianism. Calvinistic Methodism i Contents Title Page 1 Prefatory Statement by the Transcriber 3 The Preface 5 Testimony 17 Advertisement 117 Adherence 118 Postscript 119 Postscript 130 Subscriber’s Names 131 Appendix 142 Indexes 150 Index of Scripture References 151 Latin Words and Phrases 153 Index of Pages of the Print Edition 154 ii This PDF file is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org. The mission of the CCEL is to make classic Christian books available to the world. • This book is available in PDF, HTML, and other formats. See http://www.ccel.org/ccel/willison/testimony.html. • Discuss this book online at http://www.ccel.org/node/3017. The CCEL makes CDs of classic Christian literature available around the world through the Web and through CDs. We have distributed thousands of such CDs free in developing countries. If you are in a developing country and would like to receive a free CD, please send a request by email to [email protected]. The Christian Classics Ethereal Library is a self supporting non-profit organization at Calvin College. If you wish to give of your time or money to support the CCEL, please visit http://www.ccel.org/give. This PDF file is copyrighted by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. It may be freely copied for non-commercial purposes as long as it is not modified. All other rights are re- served. Written permission is required for commercial use. iii Title Page Title Page A FAIR AND IMPARTIAL TESTIMONY Essayed In Name Of A Number of Ministers, Elders, and Christian People Of THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND Unto The Laudable PRINCIPLES, WRESTLINGS & ATTAINMENTS OF THAT CHURCH; and Against the Backslidings, Corruptions, Divisions, and Prevailing Evils, Both Of FORMER & PRESENT TIMES And Namely THE DEFECTIONS OF THE Established Church; Of The Nobility, Gentry, Commons, Seceders, Episcopalians, Etc. Containing A BRIEF HISTORICAL DEDUCTION OF THE chief occurrences in this church from her beginning to the year 1744, WITH REMARKS; and humble pleadings with our mother church, to exert herself to stop defection, and promote reformation. attested & adhered unto by sundry ministers. By the Rev. JOHN WILLISON, Minister of the Gospel at Dundee, Scotland, Psal. ci 3. I hate the work of them that turn aside, it shall not cleave to me. Isa. xliii. 10. Ye are my Witnesses saith the Lord. Ezek. xliii. 11. Shew them the form of the house, and write it in their sight. Isa. lviii. 1. Shew the house of Jacob their sins. 1 Title Page PITTSBURGH: published by zadok cramer and sold at his bookstore, market street. from the press of cramer and spear—1808 2 Prefatory Statement by the Transcriber Prefatory Statement by the Transcriber Willison’s Testimony: Prefatory Statement by the Transcriber The original title of Mr. Willison’s Testimony is transcribed below following this preface in its entirety. The title states that the Testimony is a “Fair and Impartial Testimony.” As such, Mr. Willison presents an account of the events that took place in the history of the Church of Scotland. Not only does he write of the events that took place between the men involved, he also inserts proclamations of praise to God and alludes to the Lord’s providential care over His Church. Mr. Willison demonstrates a highly practical understanding of God’s providence as he demonstrates the infallibility of God’s word in connection with history. He applies the eternal truths of the Holy Writ to the events that took place in a most appro- priate manner. Also, as Mr. Willison recounts the sins of the Church, he not only exposes those who promoted error, but also demonstrates that those who stood for truth had a tendency to sin in a way peculiar to individuals who strive to maintain purity in doctrine. The reader may note that the parallels between the Church of Scotland then and the Reformed and Presbyterian Churches of today seem strikingly similar. There is nothing new under the sun. Concerning the transcribed version certain changes have been made. These changes are minor and were made primarily for ease of reading. They are as follows. In the original text, references made to a king such as Charles I would have a period after the “I.” (ie. king Charles I. did so and so…) . The period has been eliminated after such references so that the text reads “king Charles I did so and so…” in order to prevent the appearance of a sen- tence ending in mid sentence. Also, all hyphenations placed in hyphenated words have been eliminated and the words kept in tact. Another change was made with quoted data. The original text placed quoted data with quotation marks at the beginning of each line. If a quote was longer than one line, each line would begin with a “ mark. These multiple quotation marks have been removed and modern methods for quoting data have been used in their place. In addition, archaic spellings have not been changed so there are words that appear misspelled according to modern spellings. Finally, when archaic words or words peculiar to Scottish language are used, definitions in brackets often follow. These definitions were derived from Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd ed., (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1983). The scanned transcribed version of the text below may still have errors. The overall layout of the book is as it was originally printed. In chronological order, the reader will find the Title Page, Preface, Testimony, Advertisement, Adherence, Postscript, Contents, Postscript and a list of Subscribers Names. In addition, the transcriber has added a Subject Index in the Appendix. The reader will please note that the Contents and Subject 3 Prefatory Statement by the Transcriber Index in the Appendix are found at the end of the book. Page numbers for the Contents of the book, Preface, Testimony etc., can be found listed in the Subject Index. Ron Creech, Transcriber. 4 The Preface The Preface THE PREFACE. THOUGH I be far less fit for framing a Testimony to the principles, wrestlings and at- tainments of this church, and against the corruptions, defections and evils of the times, than many of my brethren; yet being encouraged by some whom I highly valued to undertake it, and finding none else inclined to it, I have essayed it through Divine strength, hoping to see a witnessing Body appear within this Church, as well as without it, at least some who would desire to testify against the evils of the day with just zeal, impartiality and meekness. No sooner I set my face to it, but I saw it to be a matter of great difficulty to steer a straight course, without swerving to the right or left hand, in these reeling and shaking times, when such different opinions are vented, provocations are given, calumnies are spread, and men’s passions are stirred on each side, so that even the meekest and wisest are ready to stagger: I found also the difficulty increase, from the divided sentiment of godly ministers with respect to some particular occurrences, and the strong inclination of many live at ease, enjoy quiet, and even to sit down Issacar like and couch under the burden, when hopes of relief does not appear. These things greatly discouraged me to proceed in the design. But when I daily weighed and considered the growing dangers of the church, the back- sliding disposition that still prevailed, and the unsuccessfulness of all other methods to re- cover her from it such as Dissents, Protests, Instructions, Representations, Petitions, Separa- tions, Secessions, &c.g and that the only mean now left to be tried for giving check to corrup- tion and exciting reformation, seemed to be that of an honest Testimony of some within iv the church: I determined at length to go on through all difficulties and discouragements, to prepare and publish the following Essay, with a sincere intention to preserve my Mother church, and promote her interests: looking to Heaven for a blessing on it, that it may be of use to excite judicatories to put a stop to some evils, and reform some things amiss: And though it should have little effect on the present backsliding age, yet hoping it may be useful to, the rising generation when God shall send a general revival of true Christianity in the land; at such a time the subscribers of this testimony will continue, when dead, thus to speak, to the glory of the ever living Redeemer. I considered also within myself, that our old suffering ministers were all gone off the stage, and many other worthy brethren were going time to time, and that I myself get frequent warnings to prepare for going: and at the same time, that numbers of eminent good men drop into the silent grave, without leaving any testimony behind them; so that in a short time it may be called in question what their mind was concerning the principles and attain- ments of our fathers, and the corruptions of present and former times; and if I continued to linger a little longer, this would be my own fate also.