Daniel M’Ronald

“ I would not trust a Synod of Angels with that Charge; but to shew that Daniel means nothing by that Quotation, he has taken it on the Word of the Composers; for there is not a Passage in all the New Testament which says any such thing. Solomon says, If thou be wise, thou shall be wise for thyself; but if thou scornest, thou alone shall bear it—and Paul says, Have thou Faith, have it for thyself before God—There is not one Word of a Synod determining what any Man believe. ”

“ If it is not true before it be believed, then the Evidence of Faith comes after believing, i.e. the Effect goes before the Cause, or a Sinner believes a Falshood, and presently it becomes a Truth. This is the very Soul and Scope of the Marrow Doctrine which Mr Boston and the Seceders have been at Pains to trim up and render fit for the Fashion. It appears wondrous strange, that if all the Hearers of the Gospel are obliged to believe that Christ died for them, that his Atonement does not save them from the Sin of Unbelief as well as every other Iniquity. ”

“ Arminus was a perfect Child for contriving a self-righteous Plan of Happiness to Mr Boston. According to Mr Boston every Sinner is born an Heir of eternal Life, and has a Right to Claim the Inheritance. Arminus says a Sinner must Work for Heaven: Mr Boston says they must demand it, and Claim it because it is theirs. Arminus's Sinner can only approach God with Confidence when his Work is done, which never happens;—but Mr Boston's Sinner comes upon his Maker with peremptory Demands as a privileged Heir. ”

“ It is however a Mercy that all the People in Dunse did not see Things in the same Light with Mr Frazer, otherwise Mr Monteith would have been in a bad enough Situation. Such Geniuses as Frazer have very strange Perceptions, and often see Things which are invisible to Persons of ordinary Capacities. But how has this same Frazer found out the Secret that Mr Murray is no Presbyterian? The Seceders especially the Burgers have a wonderful Sagacity, at finding out Matters of Reproach concerning other people. Mr Frazer is just as certain that Mr Murray is no Presbyterian. ”

“ If according to Mr Boston's Scheme all Sinners of Adam's Race are included in Christ's last Will, and Christ is the Executor of his own Testament, what is the Reason that all Men are not saved; for it only depends upon the Executor doing, what he is bound by Office to do, namely to save them all. Thus the Ruin of Sinners is laid at the Saviour's Door, and he is represented as unfaithful in not applying all the Legacies which he himself hath left to Sinners of Mankind as such. ”

“ To a number of Christian Converts whom Peter was the Instrument of converting by proving the Facts concerning the Death and Resurection of Christ. And does the Presbytery really believe that these Christians were all unconverted Sinners? There is no Question; that Christ is made to Believer’s Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption; and offers himself and all his Benefits to his Church, who are Heirs of the Promise: But is there no difference between the Grant made to the Heirs of Mercy, and the Privileges of Unbelievers who are Enemies to God, and Children of Wrath? ”

“ The Kinsman Redeemer, could fulfil this Office to none but such as were comprehended within the Law of Redemption, which was well known among the Jews. If our Saviour fulfilled this Office as a Kinsman who was hereby tipified and pointed out, he could never be a Kinsman Redeemer to all Mankind without redeeming them all; for he cannot bear his Office in vain. Whether it an Object of Laughter or of Sorrow to find Men's Works and Characters set in opposition to the dictate of the Holy Ghost, I shall leave to to Mr Frazer and the Seceders to consider ”

“ But the Presbytery cannot find a Method to get Sinners condemned for not believing the Gospel without contriving this Gift and Grant, and and the universal Offer in consequence thereof. But one would think their was no Difficulty here. Every rational Creature is justly condemned for making God a Liar, by rejecting the Record he hath given concerning his Son. The Gospel affords Arguments and Proof that Christ fulfilled all Righteousness Sake; but Sinners reject the Proof and give their Maker the Lie. ”

“ It is no where recorded in the Gospel, that Christ died for all the Hearers thereof, distinct from the rest of Mankind, nor does the Scope of it teach us any Thing more or less concerning the objects of his Atonement, than that he laid down his Life for his Sheep. ”

“ It would have been better if the Associate Presbytery had read their New Testament a little more carefully before they had attempted to correct the General Assembly; for through their Zeal to correct the Assembly they have exposed themto every intelligent Reader of the Scriptures, to be the wildest Arminians that ever existed: And at the same time, that they deny the Fact, and want to fix it on others, use every Subtlety they are Masters of, to maintain the very Thing they find Fault with. ”

“ This is not a question which relates to the Goodness or Badness of Men; the Mercy of the Lord is free to the most Worthless; and it is no Reflection on Mr Boston's Character, to say, he was saved like other poor Sinners by the free Mercy of God, and not in the Character of a popular Preacher, or a Writer of popular Books. Mr Frazer, and those who proceed on the Plan of the ancient Pharisees, are not disposed to receive the Truths of the Bible till once they can find the Name of some Rabbi prefixed to them ”

“ But to describe Daniel Frazer's Hobby-horse more particularly, let us look to Page 25 of his Discovery. 1st. He says the Conscience is corrupted, and will not direct Men right. 2dly, It is blinded, and cannot direct them right. 3dly, To follow the Dictates of Conscience, is to deprive the Church of God of a Government. All this, says Daniel, is to loose Men from all Laws human and divine. Now what sort of a Church must this good Man have, when there is not a Conscience in it all. The Matter of fact is, Mr Frazer has not the smallest Idea of a New Testament Church ”

“ But Mr Monteith did not behave wisely— He ought to have consulted Daniel Frazer, and not proceed without his Advice. There are some Members of Congregations, who can do little Good when they are pleased, that can do Mischief enough when they angry—Mr Frazer seems to be one of these. But though Mr Frazer has not proved Mr Monteith guilty of speaking a Falshood, I can undertake to prove that honeft Daniel has printed one. He seems to whisper in the 9th Page of his Discovery, that Somebody, and another Somebody, made so free with the Holy Ministry, as to license a Cobler. ”

“ Suppose a Burger Minister should affirm, that the true Religion presently professed and authorized by the Laws of the Land, means a Religion professed 160 Years ago, and another affirms that it means the Religion professed in this present Year, how shall they settle this point without their Consciences? ”

“ Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the Wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my Wife, to raise up the Name of the Dead upon his Inheritance: That the Name of the Dead be not cut off from among his Brethren, and from the Gate of his Place ”