THE REASONABLENESS OF A TOLERATION, Enquir❜d into, Purely on CHURCH PRINCIPLES In Several Letters. by John Sage. M. A minister of Glasgon. If Iregard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not bear me, Pfal. lxvi. 18. Πασα τάσις καὶ πᾶν σχίσμα βδελυκτὸν ὑμῖν, Clem. Rom. Μηδείς χωρίς τῇ Ἐπισκόπε τὶ προσέτω 7 ανηκόν Επίσκοπος ὑπὸ Ἐπισκόπων χειροτονείπω δύο ή τριών. Tá ászaia non xera, Concil. Nicen. Can. 6. LONDON: Printed in the Year 1705. THE PREFACE. T IS neceffary that the Reader be inform❜d briefly of a few things with relation to these Letters, the Occafion of Writing them, and this Edition of them. In the Year 1703, when the Parliament of Scotland met, there was fome Discourse, especially at Edinburgh, concerning a Toleration to thofe of the Epifcopal Perfwafion in that Kingdom; This fo much Alarm'd the Presbyterians there, that they Publifh'd feveral Books, or Pamphlets, againft it, and were the Aggreffors in the Paper War that then Commenced upon that Subject. Mr. George Meldrum, a Chief Man amongst them, and Moderator of their General Affembly,Preach'd his Sermon againft Toleration before Her Majefties High Commiffioner, &c. on the 16th of May, which was forthwith Publish'd: And the Commission of the General Affembly presented their Reprè Tentation Jentation to the Parliament; of which, of the Prelatical Principles be entertain'd "6 by the Parliament. Being perfwaded, "that in the prefent Cafe and Circum"ftances of this Church and Nation, to "Enact a Toleration for these of that way (which God of his Infinite Mercy a vert) would be to Eftablish Iniquity by a "Law, and would bring upon the Promoters thereof, and upon their Families, "the dreadful Guilt of all thefe Sins, üt and pernicious Effects both to Church "and State, that may enfue thereupon, "&c. Edinburgh, ift June 1703, Sign'd in the Name, and at the Appointment of the faid Commiffion of the General Affembly, by Geo. Meldrum, Moder. It will not be foreign to this Occafion, that the Reader have fome Ac count count of this Gentleman, who now makes fuch a Figure amongst the Pref byterians, and has fo far engaged himfelf in this Controverfy. The Account thall be Brief and Fair; Mr. Meldrum was for many Years a Conformist Minifer in Aberdeen, and did Subfcribe the Paper which is hereto fubjoined; by which he obliged himself to full Con formity. Accordingly he did concur with the Bishop in Ordinations, and frequently pray'd for the Reverend and Learned Dr. Scugal, then Lord Bifhop of Abera deen, as his Ordinary: He was fometimes employ'd at Synods by that fame Bishop in his Old Age, after the fatigue of Ecclefiaftical Bufinefs, to offer up Prayers in his ftead, and after Prayers hum. bly defired his Lordship to pronounce the Bleffing; but in the Year 1681, he laid himself afide from the Exercife of his Miniftry upon account of the Test, which was then appointed by Law, and by which the Solemn League and Cowenant was Renounc'd, together with all Principles, whether Popib or Fana tical; which are contrary to the Church of Scotland's Confeffion of Faith, Com |