THE SOBER CONFORMISTS ANSWER TO A RIGID CONFORMISTS REASONS Why in this Juncture no Alteration should be made in the GOVERNMENT of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND Prov. 26.4 Answer not a Fool according to his folly lest thou also be like unto him Verse 5. Answer a Fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own Conceit M. D. Dickson Papists hate nothing in Prelacy but what is Presbyterian and Presbyterians hate nothing in it but what it Popish M. R. Blair The Bishops of England are like the Kings of Judah some good some bad The Bishops of Scotland are like the Kings of Israel not a good one amongst them all Published by a Lover of Peace and Truth Printed in the Year MDCLXXXIX REASONS Why in this Juncture no Alteration should be made in the GOVERNMENT Of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND Reason I. BEcause Episcopal Government has not only the Advantage of Apostolick Constitution and Natural Reception by all Christian Churches from CHRIST to Calvin but also is found by Experience to be the best Adapted for preservation of Order Peace and Vnity Rea. 2. Because the most of the Gentry and Burgesses have taken the Test and therefore can never without perjury vote for the Introduction of Presbytry or chuse such a Commissioner as may be suspected to favour that way Rea 3. If Presbytry be voted then returns upon you the Solemn League and Covenant as is evident not only from the present proceedings of the Presbyterian Preachers but also from the Natural Exigence of the thing it not being possible to conceive a Foundation for parity without it and if the Covenant return then beside the many impieties of that Oath it must make the most considerable of the Nation either perjured or miserable And no Man can have any publick place either in Church or State but such as shall do pennance for taking the Test and not only so but a great part of the Laity of the Nation must be reduced to great straits both in reference to Conscience and Interest and the present Regular Clergy be turned out which will reduce the Church to such Amazing Hardships that the Gos pel shall not be preached in three parts of the Kingdom there not being an hundred qualified Presbyterians in the Kingdom Rea 4. Because if presbytry shall not be thus established in its integrity but all that Alteration turn to a Non-Episcopacy and the present Presbyters continue in their Offices then our deplorable Schisms and Divisions will continue without a remedy or else the Magistrate will take the Government of the Church upon him and we must have downright Erastianism Rea 5 Because the establishment of Presbytry will have a most pernicious influence upon the Protestant Religion in this Island if ever Popery set up its head For the Churches of England and Scotland must stand on different bottoms so will be obliged to justifie themselves by different Arguments which will prove very hard for Scotland seing Presbytry will divid it from England which opens a door to the re-entry of Popery which cannot but aleniate the Affections of the Church of England from us which considering our own weakness will expose us a prey to the common Enemy Rea. 6. To be for Presbytry in this Juncture will exceedingly disoblige the Princess of Orange whose principles are known to all Europe in this matter and the Prince also who has no inclination for the Alteration of the Government of the Church as he hath now abundantly declared Rea. 7 Let all thinking Men but reflect upon the Natural Tempter of Presbytry and view it in its Tyrannical pragmatick Medling and Domineering effects which many good Men yet living of all Qualities have severely felt Let them likewise consider the Hypocrisie immorality and Antichristian genius of that party and then let them vote for it if they think fit Rea 8 If the Church of England continue as it is as undoubtedly is will and Scotland be reduced to Presbytry then considering the boundless and restless spirit of Presbytry Scotland will impose sicut ante an uniformity in Doctrine and Discipline upon that Nation which will commence a new Civil War the thoughts of which cannot but breed horrour in all reasonable Men. SIR IF the wounds of a Friend be better than the kisses of an Enemy they should be far more acceptable then the wounds of an Enemy And therefore I expect ye will not be displeased with my Freedom in this line designed for preventing your more severe and shameful Treatment by our Adversaries to whom ye have given great advantage by some Reasons ye have writen why in this Juncture there s hould be no Alteration of the Government of the Church of Scotland of baffling our cause so unseasonably and weakly defended by you For albeit there are many sober Presbyterians whose generous compassion of our present staggering condition would not allow them to give you such an humbling Repartee as ye give too large ground for yet as we deserve it not at their hand who have been so cruel to them in their low condition so we cannot expect it from every one of them especially when they are at once encouraged by the many Disadvantages of our pre sent circumstances and irritated by your extreme bitterness against them and therefore I advise you would recal all the copies of it which I am hopeful have not yet spread far for in genuously they are so weak that few of our perswasion will be at the pains to transcribe them and I think they will be more careful of our Reputation then to suffer them to come to the hands of any Presbyterian as through time they may if you prevent it not But lest your vanity make you confidently contemn my counsel I shall take a little pains to abate your confidence by shewing you how easily and advantagiously our Adversaries with whom I have frequent converse can answer you But I must first express my Dissatisfaction with the title ye give your paper so lyable to the most perplexing Exceptions can be made against us I doubt not but ye have heard I have heard it so often how lamentably Arch-Bishop P was baffled of late by Mr. Roger at Glasgow upon the like occasion given him Weare too conscious to our selves that the sole support of our interest is but Civil Laws though the Bishops were at the making them and that all Ecclesiastick Authority is on their side And therefore ye would be inextricably puzled if they put the Question to you Which of the two is the Government of the Church of Scotland that which is only introduced by Civil Laws without any Eeclesiastick Authority contrary to the standing Laws of the Church never yet repealed by any Church Judicature or that which is established by many National Assemblies of the Church though contrar to posteriour Acts of Parliament made without any consequent far les s Antecedent Determination of any Church Judicatory They may likewise give you an
to Papists But as Instrumental in advancing Popish designs partly by the Ignorance Profanity and Arminianism aboundoning under it Disposing and preparing the Nation for Popery and partly by its Severity and cruelty towards dissenting Protestants to the manifest weakning of the Protestant Interest And even Envy it self cannot but acknowledge the Presbyterian Government hath been abundantly both severe and successful against Popery and nothing blunted and slackned in its Zeal and Watchfulness against Papists amits all its severities against Episcopals whereas the Penal Laws against Papists were brought to such a Des uetude by us that the most threatning dangers from Popery could not awaken us to the Execution of them least we should have diverted from persecuting Presbyterians by a rigorous Execution of the Laws made in our Favours against them which did so intirely take up the Government that not only both Profanity and Popery have been connived at but encouraged in so far as they were assisting to us in opposing and oppressing Presbyterians so that it will never be believed that Presbyterian Government hath any pernicious Influence upon the Protestant Religion but rather that it hath a powerful Influence for securing it against Popery far more vigorous and Zealous yea and effectual and successful then ever the Episcopal had at least in Scotland And it is evident that the Presbyterian Interest is every way at present more directly opposite to the Popish Interests then the Episcopal is which I am affraid shall yet further appear by the carriage and conduct of our party in the Convention that so manifestly as to highten the Nations prejudices against Episcopacy more then ever and make all sober Protestants conclude that we must of necessity have either Presbytry or Potery and truly I cannot otherwise Judge of it then as an Infatuation presaging the ruine of our Interest if the Bishops and the Nobility Gentry and Burgesses of our Perswasion shall join Issue with a Popish party against the Prince of Orange his Interest which is so inseparably Interwoven with the Reformed Interest in Europe and especially in Britain That by adhering to the Interest of King James the 7th in opposition to his they will unavoidably either give provocation to the Prince of Orange to abrogate Episcopacy in Scotland in order to the advancing and establishing the Reformed Religion or else give occasion or advantage to King James the 7th to Redintegrate his Popish designs with more violence and success than ever before to the ruine of all profest Protestants and especially of us Episcopals because we have the Laws upon our side without any more regard to their Zeal and Activity for him in his Extreamities then the King of France had for the Protestants who kept the Crown on his Head or Queen Mary of England to the Counties of Suffolk and Northfolk who advanced her to the Crown or to come home then King Charles the 2 d. had to the Presbyterians who in his greatest extreamities brought him home to Scotland and spent their blood for him at Worcester And its certain that our refusing to follow Englands Example of Gratitude to the Prince of Orange will necessitate this Church and Kingdom to stand upon a bottom more different from Yea opposite unto that of England than if presbytry were Established and will oblige us to secure our selves from Popery by methods as different from the wise Conduct of the English As the binding of Samson with Cords was from the shaving the Locks of his Head or to come nearer as there was betwixt Englands and Scotlands carriage towards the Duke of York and at the best will be very hard for Scotland s o that your fears least the establishment of presbytry necess itate the Churches of Scotland and England to s tand upon different Costomes which will be hard for Scotland are but feigned and groundless neither savouring of a politick Wit not an Ingenuous Spirit For Church Government is Extrinsick to the Foundation of the Reformed Religion and Protestants were at a loss if their Arguments against Popery were principally founded upon this Topick or could not be deduced from any other Presbyterians will tell you That ouly the Scriptures are the Foundation of the Reformed Religion and the common bottom on which all the Reformed Churches are founded But also that the greater part of the Episcopal Champions and Clergy acknowledge Episcopacy to have no other Warrand than an Ecclesia stick constitution which is a foundation common to all the popish corruptions And whereas ye repeat That presbytrie will divide Scotland from England which will open a door to the re-entry of popery Are they not united in one common Protestant interest Except in so far as the Clergy of England are generally Arminians excepting some few Learned Men which I confess will oblidge them to justifie themselves by different Arguments not only from Scotish presbyterians but all the other Reformed Churches which will be harder for England than Scotland But that presbytrie will open a door to the re-entry of popery will never be believed s eing presbyterians at first ejected it out of Scotland And all their time secured the Nation from it more than ever since without the Assistance of England which if ever Scotish presbyterians shall need they may expect it much more from the P of Orange when he shal be their King as well as Englands Then even when Queen Elizabeth found her self oblidged to give it by the Tye of the common interest of Religion without any Relation to them as her Subjects And as for your Tautolagick repetition again that presbytry cannot but alienate the Affections of the Church of England from us which considering our weakness will expose us as a prey to the common Enemy it is altogether vain and foolish For the Church of England can never be more aleniated in their Affections to presbyterians than at this present towards our Bishops and as their joyning issue with papists against the prince of Orange hath exceedingly discommended them to it so the presbyterians joyning issue with him by their Zeal against Popery will as much commend them to it And how ever ye may be-assured that the interest of England will oblidge them to assist Scotland in case of Danger from popery more effectually than their difference from Scotland in point of Church Government can alienate them for ye know the Maxim Tune tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet But many are of Opinion that if Episcopacy be continued it will perpetuate such irreconcilable intestine Divisions and Animosities in Scotland as will weaken and expose us a prey to Popery more then any Assistance from England can strengthen and secure us from it whereas the establishment of Presbytery would bring us to such an intire and firm Union that Scotland could secure it self from all danger of Popery without any Assistance from England Yea and put us in Capacity to Assist England in case of danger from Popi
charged on the whole party and for less on their principles which have a quite contrary tendancy And ingenuously by Presbytry will be judged by few to have such a tendency to Tyrranny over the Church Pragmatick meddling with the State as Episcopacy as its constitute in Scotland hath And they will desire all Judicious men to cons ider whether Idleness Ambition and Avarice in the Clergy Ignorance Worldly mindedness and Profanity among People Be not the effects of Episcopacy and indeed so manifestly have these abounded under Episcopal Government that the most part will decide the question in their Favours against us But I cannot wonder enough what could move you to think much more deliberately to write of the Hypocrisie immortality and Antiâ—…ristian genus of the Presbyterian party seeing thes e things may not only be retorted with great Advantage but cannot justly and ingenuosly be charged on the Generality of presbyterians you may assure your self this will tempt them to draw up a Black Lybel against the Bishops and Generality of our Clergy as alas they have too large grounds for recent in the remembrance of the Nation and they will think it enough to tell you calmly and soberly that if persons unsutableness to their profession be Hypocrisie if the grossest of scandals and open profanity be immoralitie And finally if violent persecution be the Effect and Evidence of an Antichristian genius All these things are more applicable to Episcopals then presbyterians So that all these Reffections directed against them will rebound on our selves And I am afraid they will stick faster to us then to them because they not only agree to the general Sentiments of all Ranks of people but their Observations and Experience of them is late and recent Whereas the mos t part of old Malignants who were formerly carried away with prejudices against presbytry under the pretences of Loyalty have turned Fanaticks since and as persons convinced of their mistakes both of the presbyterian cause Interest which they opposed and the Episcopal which they owned have thought it their duty so to do though to the exposing themselves to the Reproaches and other Persecutions of the Episcopal party in their greatest power And it is indeed very observable that those who intertain prejudices against the presbyterian Government are either Young Men who never saw it in its integrity and living under a Government contrary to it have not heard any other account of it then of the failings and exorbitancies of some of that Profession which are not the native product of their Principles but such excesses as the Biass of the Age and Circumstances they lived in drove them into or else old Turncoats and violent Persecutors who to justifie their change of their Profession and their Persecution of these who adhere to it make it their work to fix an Odium on Presbytery and by their frequent impudence in reproaching it have at last deluded themselves into an obstinate belief of their own invented Calumnies Your last Reason is That if the Church of England continue as it is as undoubtedly it will and Scotland be reduced to presbytery then considering the boundless and restless spirit of presbytery Scotland will impose sicut ante an Vniformity on England in Doctrine and Discipline which will commence a new Civil War the thoughts of which cannot but breed horror in all reasonable Men. Sir The only Foundation of these your Apprehensions is the Solemn League tho you mention it not which altho it be a touchy point yet presbyterians can abundantly vindicate the same s o as to prevent the fears of all Judicious Men whom they will desire to consider that it obliges the members of the Church of Scotland to no other thing in reference to England then what is Antecedently their duty towards it and all other Reformed Churches by virtue of the Sympathy and Communion that every part of the Catholick Visible Church ought to have with any other part of it That its Obligation is to be measured by the general rules of Judgement Truth and Righteousness that it is chiefly obligding to oppose Popery and to endeavour the peace and happiness of both Nations and finally that it obligeth no Man to any thing but what is proper to him in his station and therefore all your fears of a Civil War betwixt England and Scotland from this ground are but Melancholick Apprehensions if so be that the Prince of Orange shall be King of Britain and so long as he and the English Parliament think it inexpedient to seek and he and the Scots Parliament think it inexpedient to give assistance for the alteration of the English Church Government from Episcopacy to Presbytry But many fear upon more solid Grounds that the house of Commons in England clip your Bishops wings by degrees as either to rid the Nation of them at length without the assistance of Scotland or else bring them to such a tollerable Mediocrity as will render them more acceptable to all the English Nation then a Civil War can be suppos ed will be to any English Presbyterians who are so ballanced betwixt the opposition of these of the Episcopal perswasion in the one hand and of the Independent on the other that there is no party in England either more moderate or Cautions when they are Thus you see how weak a Defence of our cause these your Reasons now appear to be after they are considered tho with more calmness and tenderness then you can expect from a Presbyterian who se answer to them to your disgrace and our disadvantage I wish may be prevented by this Friendly freedom of mine with you and I would advise you to wait a little longer till there be some better product of the Labours of your Brethren who are studying this Controversie harder then ever in order to a learned and elaborate Vindication of Episcopacy and Refutation of Presbytry to which if this paper can any way be subservient I allow you to communicate it to your Brethren that they may be the more sober cautious in mannaging the controversie but I pray you let it not come to the sight of any Presbyterian least they print it to the publick Affront of our cause and I disswade you as your Friend from the Resolution that I hear you are upon of printing your Reasons whatever emendations you make in them for it is an old Maxime in crist non movendum and the Presbyterians modest silence amidst the present Advantages they have will be more commended then any thing we can writ for our vindication in the dangerous circumstances that we are in at present And Sir I am hopeful that you will not think your self disoblidged by this friendly Duty from Sir Your Real Friend and Humble Servant FINIS
unanswerable challenge of monor polizing the specious name of the Church of Scotland to us excluding them because we have receded from old standing Ecclesiastick Laws without any other warrand then new Civil Laws contrary to them and upon that account charge us with Schism unwarrantable separation from them having no Evasion left us but that we are the more numerous part of the Clergy which scarce makes our Separation tolerable far less justifiable But that which is as unbecoming us as unacceptable to them is your pleading no Alteration which will stumble your Readers with prejudice in the very entry For how ever difficult it be to prove the necessity of such an intire Alteration as Presbyterians desire yet they can easily pitch upon many things which we cannot ingenuously deny should be altered And the book entituled the Reformed Bishop writen by one of our Clergy opens a wide door to them Yea we are all of us too sensible that our interest has been scrued up to so dangerous heights by the Laws that there is no stable Basis left to establish it in the Consciences of those who own it And we have Reason to fear lest those odious superstructures of the Magistrates unbounded Supremacy over the Church such rigorous impositions on the Consciences of Subjects and so cruel persecution of all Dissenters which by an excess of Zeal we have erected to be the securities of our cause may so much discommend the whole Fabrick of our Government as to endanger the total ruine thereof And I have alwayes thought it a great flaw in the Episcopal Government in Scotland that as it hath been built upon no other Foundation and advanced by no other Methods then Civil Laws rigorously executed so these are framed in such an Arbitrary and persecuting stile that the least turn of Affairs will render them as odious as before they were grievous to all moderate and judicious Men of both parties And finally it surpasseth my imagination what hath incouraged you to add in this Juncture It s evident that the whole present Juncture of Affairs hath a bad Aspect on us and we can expect little Favour from such as duely consider the same What hath infatuated you to such an unaccountable confidence Alace your Reasons can never cancel these unhappy Addresses to the King so fresh in the remembrance of all Men That of the Primat sent to King in name of the Clergy to thank him for the Liberty granted to the Papists so full of base sycophantry and abject flattery that even the Popish King was ashamed of it which I fear be printed at Fdinburgh before the Convention though ye tempt them not to the remembrance of it and that other most unseasonable Testimony of our Loyalty expressing our Detestation of the P. of Orange his coming to England as an unjus t and unnatural Invasion signed by the Bps to their eternal s hame Neither will ever this Paper of yours counterpoise the P. of Orange His Declaration in reference to Scotland wherein we are represented as the grievance of the Nation and the necessity of an Alteration insinuated as clearly as could be done without directly reflecting on our Laws which though he doth not approve yet he Judgeth unseasonable as yet to condemn Nor Finally can all ye say for our vindication outcry the loud voice of the Rigorous Persecution and violent Oppression and innumerable Grievances which may be too justly charged on our party and the Presbyterians are too apt to represent and aggredge so as to extort pity and compassion even from the hardest hearted of our Grandies without such an irritating remembrance as you are But to come to your Reasons Presbyterians will think them weak enough though ye had not wronged them by such a vain Title I wish ye had forborn the first which is too Theologick and so not only discovers the Author to be of the Clergy who are little regarded when pleading for their own Interest but doth also give our Adversaries too large a Field wherein they are best acquainted and most expert Ye might have satisfied your self only with Politick Arguments which are the most proper and suitable to our cause and would seem to be the Sentiments of some Judicious Pers on of another Quality agenting it and so be a great deal more acceptable and considered with the less prejudice But I see no kind of reason in your Paper which Presbyterians cannot answer without any difficulty and with great advantage Your first Reason hath three things in it which though it be sufficient simply to deny because meerly asserted yet our Adversaries will not pass them so bluntly they give too fair an occasion to them of giving the sharpest and sorest wounds to our cause that it can meet with and of prepossessing mens Cons ciences with such evident Convictions in their favour as will render all your other Reasons ineffectual for perswading them to favour us The I. thing in it is That Episcopacy hath the advantage of Apostolick Constitution a very fair Plea and plausible Pretence which ye would exceedingly oblige the greater and better part of your Beethren by making good But how can we expect this of you when the Learned Hamond who excells all that ever took that Plea in hand for him notwithstanding all his wrested Criticisms of Scripture and stretched Allegations from Antiquity hath not fully satisfied us in this point so that all the Sober and Learned among us except a very few Judge Church Government a point of Indifferency not peremptorly determined by Christ or His Apostles and that Episcopacy is preferable only for its Conveniency And whether the Report be true that Dr. Burnet hath acknowledged its Inconveniency for Scotland I know not But I have heard some of the most Judicious of our Clergy ingenuously confess that though to a People unbiassed with prejudices as in England that were to chose their Church Government Episcopacy is preferable to Presbytery yet to the People of Scotland who are possessed with such invincible prejudices in favours of Presbytry as the Church Government which commenced with their Reformation from Popery and has been establi shed by so many full and free Church Judicatories and Ratified by the Civil Sanction of three Successive Parliaments wherein three Kings Successively were Personally present and with no less In s uperable prejudices against Episcopacy as a Relict of Popery which amongst other corruptions they were Reformed from and as an Innovation Introduced Advanced and. Established by Arbitrary and Violent Methods not only without but against the Consent of the Ministry and finally as an incouragement of Ignorance Profanity and Error to the paving the way for Popery to such a prejudiced and byassed People Episcopacy is both inconvenient and intolerable And Presbyterians do so well know that the sentiments of many of your Brethren differ from yours in this point that they will not only redicule you as Ignorant of the Scriptures wherein the Names
are much talken of yet judicious Persons will impute them rather to the want of Presbyterian Government in the full and free exercise of its Authority then to the weakness of the Government in it self and I am informed that lately both Parties are endeavourting an Union and resolve to Act Unitly against us and when the Moderation of the One and the Zeal of the Other party are Joined and Tempered together They will make a more Formidable Figure both as to Counsel Action then if they had never been divided And though likewise the former Divisions betwixt the Remonstrators and Publick Resolvers are not forgotten and serve to highten the prejudices of such as are not acquaint with the mysterious Intrigues of these times Yet they who knew how cunningly they were fomented under Boord by the Kings Courtiers on the one hand and that wylie Fox Croniwel on the other will not Impute them to the Presbyterian Government as its native Effects especially seeing that the chief Motive that induced the Vsurper to rob them of the priviledges of free General Assemblies was the fear of their Union which he knew could eas ily be affected by it last and surest remedie that amidst their Intestin Divisions he might the more easily setle hims elf in his Usurped power without any opposition from them of whose Conscientious Loyalty he had greatest Jealousies and fear But alace what can we say for our vindication if they charge us that while we boast of Unity we have not kept the Unity of the Faith. For they know well enough that as some of our Clergy are Socinian the vilest of Hereticks so also that the Generality of the Learned amongst us are gross Arminians who were condemned as Hereticks by that Famons Synod of Dort to which our Famous K James the 6th Sent Representatives from the Churches in Britain And thus they represent our pretended Unity under Bishops so unconcerned with the Purity of Doctrine to be rather Odious and Detestable then Harmonious and Commendable whereas the Commendation of this Church for its Unitie under Presbyterian Government is so great in all the Reformed Churches And was so frequently upbraided to the English Bishops by K. James the 6th from the displeasure he had at the Scots Heresies and Schisms abounding in England that Presbyterians will scarce think thems elves oblidged to an Apology for any Divisions that were or Schism that is among them Sir I have stayed the longer upon your first Reason because it is the Basis of all the Controversie And as it is unbecoming the Wisdom and Piety of the Ensuing Convention to be Acted meerly by Politick Considerations in so weighty a Concern Wherein the Glory of God and the Souls and Consciences of all in the Nation are so deeply Interessed So that if your Adversaries by a fair and full answer not only enervate this Reason but turn the edge of it upon us they may so prepossess the Consciences of the Members in their Favours that all your other Reasons will avail little though they were better then they are But that I may proceed Your Second Reason is That the most part of the Gentry and Burgesses have taken the Test and therefore can never without Perjury Vote for the Introduction of Presbyters or choose such Commissioners as are suspected to Favour that way Sir the Presbyterians will not fail to tell you that you loss your 1st Reason by this 2d For if the Test be Obligatory to every point then also to maintain the Kings Prerogative whereof this is a chief one by Law that he may alter or dispose of the External Government of the Church according to his pleasure which whosoever is sworn to he can no longer for shame plead for Episcopacy upon such grounds as you propose in your former Reason unless he renounce that Oath in part as not Obligatory and as to some parts of it presbyterians themselves will approve it so far as concerns the maintaining of the Protestant Religion and the Renounciation of popery And I have heard them Applaud the Faithfulness of the last parliament in keeping this part of their Oath For they know that the chief thing designed in the first overture of it was only the Security of the protestant Religion though there were such Additions made to what was intended for that end as might weaken break or ensnare that party in parliament that first motioned it being lookt upon as too Jealous of and Zealous against popery and as for these Additions no wonder they except again st the Obligation of them seeing that even we our selves did express s o much of our Aversion thereat at first so long as we expected by our General clamours against it to procure an Exemption from the Imposition thereof And as our fear of Loosing our Benefices rather then our Inclinations determined us and the fair Colour of the Explication given by the Council though alace what signifies the Explication of an Oath that must needs be taken in the Genuin Sense of the Words encouraged us to swear it so doubtless the rest of the Nation swore it with great Reluctancy rather from a regard of their Places and Interests then GOD and their Consciences which generally at first accused them of Perjury that took it as being obviously contradictory in it self and in many things contradictory to their Light until the Generality and frequency of the Guilt abated the sense of it and therefore cannot be expected will be very precise in adhering to it to whatever confidence many have arrived for justifying it in their Discourse to which length as is every part of it few have come yet the remorse of their Consciences for it is not totally extinguished at least is not turned to a sense of its Obligation in every point and to be plain with you there must be an Alteration less or more This is both designed and desired by all Ranks of Persons They all agree in this tho they disagree in the measure of it And next to the settling the Prince of Orange in the Throne it is one of the chief designs of the Convention so that your Arguing from the Obligation of the Test is altogether vain especially seeing it is so unhappily framed that if it bind up from any it equally binds up from all endeavours of any Alteration whatsoever any manner of way of the established Government either in Church or State and when upon this account its Obligations will and must be trampled upon It cannot but be very unacceptable to plead no Alteration for fear of Perjury but truly understand not how every Alteration can be accounted Perjury in reference to any Article in the Test for that part of it which strikes most directly against any Alteration is meerly Assertory not promissory neither does it peremptorly assert that there should be no Alteration but only that there is no Obligation by the Covenants to endeavour it and it can hardly be expected that those
who have taken the Test will be determined by any sense of the Obligation of the Covenants to endeavour an Alteration nor is it necessary seeing Scripture Reason and Policy do all of them together loudly and evidently call for it in this present Juncture which is a threefold Cord more strongly binding then the Test can pretend to be at least in this point So that you see how little weight is in your Argument from the Test and what it amounts to when duely pondered I nothing doubt but the Gentry and Burgesses will laugh at you for proposing that for determining their Consciences which all know was mainly imposed for debauching their Consciences Your 3. Reason contains several things in it huddled together as if ye would compense weight by number wherein ye seem rather to design the insnaring the Presbyterians to declare their Sentiments unseasonably about some difficult points then to prove any thing against them But they are neither stated in such difficult Circumstances nor so void of prudence but that they can answer you both confidently and cautiously to their great Advantage by removing the prejudices of many against Presbytry because of the inconveniencies they apprehend must attend it The first thing ye alledge is That if presbytry be voted then returns upon you the Solemn League and Covenant as is not only evident from their Gen Ass c. Sir ye so manifestly betray your ignorance of the difference betwixt the National Covenant and Solemn League that those who are better acquaint with the Principles and History of presbytry in Scotland will account you an Ignorant Scribler against things ye understand not As for the s olemn League I know not what ye understand by the Natural Exigence of it but sure presbyterian Government might have continued in Scotland a thousand years without any such League if England had not given an Occasion of it And it is so far from being the only conceivable foundation for its parity that it is but a late thing which was not so much as thought upon either at the first planting of Presbyterian Government in Scotland after the Reformation nor for several years after it was re-established again so that it is the National Covenant which ye would be at And as for the other I shall shew you what presbyterians can say for preventing your Feats when I come to your last Reason to which it properly belpngs It s true the National Covenant is almost as Ancient as the Legal Establishment of the Reformed Religion and presbyterian Government in Scotland it being about an hundred years since it was taken by all in the Nation at the appointment of King James the sixth And as it was then conceived cannot be excepted against in any point by any sound Protestant being an Obligation against poperie and all its corruptions in Doctrine Worship and Government so that if ye will have it even then to be the foundation of paritie ye do exceedingly wrong our Cause and do in effect justifie the Explication annexed to it thereafter shewing Episcopacie be included in the popi sh Hierarchie abjured therein which presbyterians will tell you was not only approven in parliament 39 but also solemnly Ratified by King Charles the First his own hand writing when he was personally present in Parliament 41. And they will ask you how it comes to pass that ye who was just now so fearful of perjury in reference to the Test Should he be so fearful for the remembrance of a poor Obligation upon the Church and Nation For as to any other Return of it upon us presbyterians will not impose it again without the appointment of King and parliament and the general consent of all Ranks in the Nation for they have seen the disadvantage we have been at in pressing Conformitie to the Episcopal Government without pains taken to prepare the Nation for it And have learned to be cautious by our precipitancy Nor do the present proceedings of the presbyterian preachers give any ground to expect the renewing of the Covenant albeit they aggredge the guilt of Complyance with prelacy from the obligation of the Covenant as to these who own it as contemning nothing but what they are Antecedently obliged unto by the Word of GOD. And this Antecedent obligation to every thing in the National Covenant is so common confirmed an Opinion among all Presbyterians that they will defy you to shew any one of these manifold impieties in that Oath which ye speak of in General And ingenuously except its Abjuration of prelacy I know nothing in it that any Episcopal will condemn who hath read it and as for that point if ever it be ordered to be renewed by appointment of King and Parliament I know none of the most considerable in the Nation who seeing such understand both their Duty and Interest will either fear Perjury by taking of it or choose Misery by refusing it And I hope the refusing it shall never be judged a sufficient crime to provoke the Government to reduce any ranks of Persons far less the most considerable in the Nation to misery And I find the Presbyterians to be Generally of such a cautious Temper and moderate Disposition especially the leading Men amongst them that I nothing doubt but they will carefully avoid all such practices as they find do give any ground of prejudices against their Predecessors whom they do not deny to have been over swayed in somethings to an Extreme by the Biass and Torrent of the time they lived in Next you alledge That if the Covenant return no man can have publick place either in Church or State but such as shall do Penance for taking the Test what Lax Reasoning is this that if Presbytery be Voted the Covenant returns as if there could not be a Voting for Presbytry without voting also for renewing the Covenant and if the Covenant return no man can have publick Place without Pennance for the Test As if there were no other way of removing the Scandal of a General and National Guilt but by particular Satisfaction from every Person guilty I have heard some of the Sober and Learned amongst them say that the Generality of guilt renders a particular Satisfaction neither Seasonable nor Practicable-Necessary nor Suitable and that Cordial Joining in publick Humiliation and a Zealous owning of their Interest will remove the Scandal and Satisfie them You say further that A great part of the Laity of the Nation must be reduced to sad Straits both in reference to Conscience and Interest I know none need to fear that but these who undergoes Episcopal Government have been habituated to such an Licentious prophanity that the restraining them within the just bounds of sobriety may prove hard and uneasie to their Lax Consciences which is no great Inconveniencie or these who have had all their lively hood by their dependance on the Episcopal Government and have been undeservedly advanced to places of Benefit Trust or Service
sh Attempts which that Church and Kingdom by the policy of some other laud may too readily be brought into which I wish heartily GOD may prevent So that ye see how far ye are out in this Reason Your 6th Reason is so weak that you need no more then sure Information from England and impartial consideration how the interest of the Prince and Princess of Orange is stated to abate your Confidence in it You say That to be for presbytery in this Juncture will exceedingly disoblige 〈◊〉 Princess of Orange whose principles are known to all Europe in this matter Sir ye are greatly mistaken for I have seen a Letter from a person who knows her sentiments shewing that she is not only willing to give Dissenters all satisfaction and if Episcopacy be continued in England to her mind that the Prince be gratified by the Revival of Presbytrie in Scotland But also that she hath a particular Resentment of the severities and cruelties exercised towards the Presbyterians in Scotland and has frequently declared that seing Presbytrie commenced with the Reformation of this Kingdom has been solemnly sworn to and established by the National Ass emblies of the Church and the Sanction of the Civil Laws She judgeth it neither Equitable nor convenient that any other Government should be pressed on that People And we need not doubt but as the Calamities of Presbyterians hath begot a compassion in her heart towards them So the Bishops Loyal Address to the King hath much cooled her Affection for us and I wish their after Carriage do not heighten her prejudice against them And how ever she is certainly a Princess of that Wisdom and Zeal for the Reformed Religion that nothing will displease or disoblidge her that is most necessary and convenient for the Advancement and Establishment of the Protestant Intere st in Scotland for which Presbyterians can too easily shew the Re-establishment of Presbytrie to be the most propet and effectual Method which one of them hath done already by some Reasons which I have seen why in this Juncture Episcopacy should be abrogated and Presbytrie Re-established Moreover she is a Princess of such moderate Inclinations that nothing can more dis oblidge her then the persecution of Protestants by Protestants And she is not so ignorant of our Affairs but that she knows that unless the Episcopal Clergy can alwayes patiently indure a general contempt or be secured from ever having any influence on the Government Episcopacy and persecution in Scotland are inseparable And for the Prince I know not what Ground ye have for your confidence to say That to be for Presbytry will disoblidge him also who has no inclination for the Realteration of the Government of the Church as he has now aboundantly declared You seem to be equally destitute of Policy and good Intelligence For as it is known to all the World that he is Presbyterian so his Declaration for Scotland hath insinuated his inclinations to favour Presbyterians as clearly as was convenient for the Time. And though his Wisdom and Moderation be s uch in expressing himself that nothing can be certainly concluded from any thing that hath dropt from him yet it is evident that he will Judge the Presbyterian Party more worthy of his confidence more suiable objects of his favour than the Episcopal for he will doubtless expect that these will be more firm and faithful to his Interest whose respect to him is established by their conscientious zeal for the Reformed Religion again st popery and who shall be chiefly oblidged to him for restoring their Former Priviledges then these who are Acted Generally by their Interests and have been so deeply engaged in Interests opposite to his and who must be in some measure disoblidged of necessity by Moderating and Ballancing their Exorbitant power and rescinding the cruel Laws made in their Favours And I am afraid that the Presbyterians will be more Active and Zealous in advancing him to the Crown of Scotland then these of our perswasion and thereby oblige him to favour them as his best and surest Friends albeit that the prerogatives which we annex to the Crown be a great Tentation to one that designs Arbitrary Government yet it avails little with a Prince of such a Wise and Moderate Temper who has seen his Predecessors either endangered or ruined by their Attempting and Exercising it and who knows that Kings Soveraignty and a Peoples Liberties are most firmly secured when most equally established as notwithstanding of the prejudices of some against Presbytry as inconsistent with Monarchy I confess they have been in the peaceable times of the Presbyterian Government when King James the 6th and his Son King Charles 1 st were personally pre sent in their Parliaments had greater advantages for understanding their own and their Peoples Interest then can be had at a distance and only by Information from subtile self seeking Courtiers So that you see how far ye are decieved in your expectations from the Prince and Princess of Orange who will doubtless Endeavour to Redress the Grievances in Church and State which ye cannot conceive possible without some Alteration and that greater then ye seem to apprehend Your seventh Reason is a Reference of several things to the consideration of all thinking men as sufficient to determine them to an aversion at Presbytry wherein ye go so far beyond the bounds of Sobriety and give so great suspicion of Calumny that Presbyterians will represent you as a Machiavilan throwing much dirt upon them only of design that some of it may stick let all thinking men reflect say ye upon the natural temper of presbytry and veiw it in its Tyranical Pragmatick meddling and Domineering effects which many good men yet living of all qualities have severely felt Sir I know not well what ye mean by natural temper more then by your natural Reception and Exigence but Presbyterians will refer their principles to the consideration of all Impartial Mâ—n whither they be no more agreeable to Divine Institution in the Scripture then Episcopacy though they be not so agreeable to the Natural Tempers of Men which they grant to be no better in presbyterians then in others yea to have been so very Episcopal in some of them as to carry them tâ— practices Dissonant to their principles and upon that account more hateful then worse practices of Bishops because suitable or at least uns utable to their principles for that which would be accounted Gravity Dexterity Actively and Zeal in a Bishop is accompted Tyrannical Pragmatical meddling and Domineering in a Presbyter But these are not the proper and native Effects of Presbytry rather imitations of Episcopacie proceeding from Mens natural Infirmitives and the peculiar circumstances and torrent of the times they have lived in contrary to their principles So that in effect all that is quarrelled in Presbyterians is the Episcopal practice in some of them under a Presbyterian profession which cannot be justly