for his Liberty and Toleration to Papists Quakers and all other Sects of which they were hindred before by the Episcopal Clergy their procurement and they no doubt had reason to thank the late King or any for the Liberty it self having by it received a glimps of the Gospel by their freedom to Preach it though they desponded of its long continuance but expected a greater Persecution thereafter which they Preached to their Hearers and no doubt their Prophetick Sentences had been fulfilled had not God in his Mercy prevented it by preparing a fit and glorious Instrument to preserve his People from the designed overflowing deluge of Popery and Slavery And what good Protestant would not thank a Turk or Pagan nay the Pope himself for Life Liberty and Freedom of the Reformed Religion much more a Native Prince especially considering what is before related about a 26 Years Oppression or Persecution from those called the Regular Clergy then and by their instigation for from that Clergy they could expect no good Tidings for some of them had the Impudence to say in Pulpit That Rome should have it e're Jack Presbyter should have it this is a Matter of Fact for who would not rather receive a favour in the acceptance innocent from a professed Enemy than be oppressed or cruelly used by a counterfeit false Friend or unnatural Relation judge ye And whether these Proceedings against those poor Protestants does not too much imitate the Romish Clergy and Missionaries imposition on Magistrates and Governors to be their Executioners let any indifferent man judge So that any impartial unbyassed person indued with common Sense and Reason considering what is said which is but a Specimen of a System that could be written on this unpleasant Subject to any good Protestant were it not to vindicate the generality of the Nation unjustly aspersed of purpose to make the Government unfavourable to Strangers who know no better may conclude that this persecuted People as well as the generality of the Scotch Nation have reason not to continue the Order of Bishops there for if the practices of particular Bishops in Scotland were rendred publick none would tax or reproach that Kingdom with violence inhumanity persecution or rashness in their present management of Church Affairs especially considering how great Instruments most of the Episcopal Clergy have been of late by their connivance forwardness or contrivance to encourage the Ministers of the late Government to encroach so much upon the Religion Laws Liberties and Properties of the Protestant Subjects we shall only instance two So ex ungue Leonem The first is of their Behaviour in the Parliament 1686. when there was no less Design than to rescind the Penal Laws fram'd and enacted against Papists Seminary Priests and Jesuits Hearers and Sayers of Mass ad terrorem to hinder the Growth of Popery in that Nation which was the only legal Bulwark and Security of the Protestant Religion these all the Bishops excepting three concurred to remove by removing of which Laws all persons lax in their Principles or Evil-designing Men would be left loose and at their full liberty to act in the Matters of Religion as they pleased and in which case a prevailing Party might easily impose whatever they pleased the Power being in their hand and the Prerogatives screwed up above the highest Note in the Scale of Musick But God who did not design to destroy that Nation meerly by his Providence as the Execution of his Eternal Decrees wonderfully prevented all those Hellish Designs beyond Humane Expectation and disappointed the Actors The next was that when all rational foreseeing Men had a jealousie of a Popish Contrivance to impose a Prince of Wales to deprive the lawful Heirs of their rightful Succession and Men having searched more narrowly into the Affair they were fully convinc'd in their Minds of a Popish imposture the whole Bishops of Scotland when in the mean time they could see no less than the Persecution of their honest Brethren in England for Religious Matters they some of them no doubt for worldly Interest whither that would drive them God knows and others in Compliance for fear of Suspension from or loss of their Offices and Benefices did make the most solemn though the most unreasonable unchristian Address and disagreeable to the pretended Character that ever was upon the Birth of a supposed Prince of Wales and what Expressions are in that Address so generally known cannot but be nauseous to any good Protestant to rehearse in which they called that Prince The Darling of Heaven c. But to come in the next place to the late Procedure of the Convention their Committees during their Adjournments and the Parliament now sitting in relation to Church Affairs I shall give an impartial Account of the particulars so much as is needful And first When the Nobility and Gentry of Scotland that were here in January last 1689. did give their Advice to the then Prince of Orange now our Gracious King what Methods to take in relation to the Settlement of the Scotch Nation then in great Confusion having no Government by reason of the late King's desertion of the Government The King did follow their Advice and albeit that some alledged a general Proclamation to be published in ordinary times and accustomary places for calling the ensuing general Meeting of the Estates would be the best Method to call them together for Reasons neither fit nor necessary to be inserted here yet His Majesty to a general Satisfaction did take very knowing Mens Advice to dispatch his Circular Letters which he did by vertue of the Trust they reposed in Him and the Advice given by the Gentry and Nobility of Scotland to such as had right to represent the Nation in a general Meeting not omitting the then Bishops their Order being as then Established by a standing Law which His Majesty would not Transgress And when those Representatives of the Nation did meet freely frequently and fully in a general Meeting by virtue of our now Gracious King's Warrant before explained had the Bisshops then behaved themselves as became persons of their Profession pretended Honour Character if they thought not the Call sufficiently warrantable they ought either not to present themselves at that general Meeting or when they did appear by vertue of that general Warrant they might have Protested and deserted the Meeting as in their Opinion not legal before it were constituted so by the general Meeting it self Otherwise to have complyed fully upon their Meeting and not only to have acknowledged their Faults Errors and Mismanagements in the late Government but also to have gone on honestly and vigorously with the other Estates in Prosecution of the good Designs of their meeting First By concurring to heal the Breaches made in the Hedges of Religion and removing the Encroachments made upon its Laws Secondly By restoring the wholsom Laws Liberties Properties of the Estates their Fellow-Subjects so much
to an evil designing Party who are always like the Salamander in the Fire and love to fish in muddy Waters acting both in different Elements for the same Ends or Discouragement to the good Party whose different Opinions about Circumstances ought not to divide them in the main I shall first state it as my Hypothesis as many Learned moderate Divines under both Governments do that Church Government whether it be this or that is a Matter indifferent There being no Platform of Government left in the Church either by Christ or his Apostles or their Disciples further than appointing Bishops in every Church which word in the common acceptation in the Originals and Translations by both Parties is understood to be Overseers without mentioning any Preheminence to them over their Brethren these being Presbyters and their Deacons and Elders So that Church Government in this case would seem to be left indifferent and every Nation or People link'd together in one Body or Society in their own Civil Government whether Monarchical Democratical Aristocratal c. have it left in their Option being free from Engagements either to the one or the other to settle that Church Government which the major part of that People or Society judges most suitable to the Word of God and the general Inclination and Genius of the People This being granted in the general In the next place let us consider That when that Nation in particular as generally all Europe were enslaved to the Romish Bondage there was no other and could no other Government be but Prelacy suitable to that of their Universal Bishops whose Vassals they as well as all other Prelats were as they called them who assume to themselves always the Title of Head of the Church and Christ's Vicars upon Earth which all those of the reformed Protestant Religion Episcopal or Presbyterial look upon as Blasphemous And therefore the Pope is called by them all Antichrist and no doubt he is But when that Peoples Eyes came to be opened to see clearly the Fundamental Errors which that Church maintained for several Ages and the many Cheats Villanies and Wickedness committed by that Clergy in general They began to be reformed in their Lives and Manners by the indefatigable pains and labour of some few Presbyters who suffered several kinds of Martyrdoms and other Cruelties therefore by the Popish Clergy And the Romish Clergies barbarous Cruelties in those times towards those valiant Champions in Christ's Cause did at last animate the People to prosecute a General Reformation in that Nation and their Reformation being by Presbyters It seems gave the rise there to that denomination of Presbyterian And the Romish Clergies Cheatry and wickedness in their Lives and Conversation and Cruelty towards those Reformers and those of the Reformed Religion occasioned the Peoples general hatred at the very Order of Bishops And besides that the bulk of the Scots Clergies Opinion being That a well Constitute Presbyterian Government is both more agreeable to the Word of God and general Inclination and Genius of the People than any other And though Superintendants were appointed there at the beginning of the Reformation the generality of the People not being as yet well Reformed the Reformers that they might prevail the more readily in moderation with the generality of the People especially considering the nearer they came to the last Settlement being Governed in Civil Matters by a Popish King Regent and Queen in the Infancy of their Reformation the easier the work appeared to be yet the Presbyterian was the first Established Government being fully settled in the Year 1592. by a general Meeting of the Estates and Confirmed by Parliament and continued so till the Year 1606. after that King James came to the Imperial Crown of England when he endeavoured to make an Union between the two Nations setled an Episcopal Government there though contrary to the Inclinations of the People and Clergy in general Expecting thereby to Unite them as well in Trade as in Church Government And the hopes of an Union in Trade and other things beneficial to Scotland moved many of those who were Presbyterially inclined to go beyond their Inclinations and Opinion alongst with that Settlement for present But that Settlement by Bishops in Scotland being all it seems that the then English Clergy and others designed and in which Settlement many Eminent Men of that Kingdom were too precipitant to their regret afterwards when they could not help it that being done the Union was blown up though I am of opinion as are many Eminent Men of both Nations and Well-wishers to the present Government That neither England or Scotland can ever be truly Happy till there be an Union in Parliaments as well as in Trade For though England be more opulent and powerful by Sea and otherwise by reason of their Trade yet when England has a Powerful Enemy in the Front Scotland might prove as dangerous if not a fatal Back-door to England and it 's not to be doubted if there were an Union but the Product and Export of Scotland to other Foreign Countries at present might be of equal Gain to England to what Scotland might expect by an Union in Trade from England which could be made appear to a demonstration But this not being hujus loci I hope to be excused for this Digression from the thing proposed there being some sympathy between the one and others Interest and to come to the point in hand when there is any Revolution in the State of that Kingdom as of late and they are so happy as to have a King and Governours that design nothing more than the Tranquillity and Happiness of the People the People eagerly in their Reformation desire to Establish that Church Government which their Clergy and People in general are of Opinion is most consonant to the Word of God and their own Inclination And to make it clear that the first Reformers were not at all for establishing the Order of Bishops Mr. Knox being in Exile in England by reason of the Clergies great Persecution in King James the Fifth's time in Scotland King Edward the Sixth having a great esteem for Mr. Knox he proffer'd him a Bishoprick in England but he thanked that good King heartily and refused it And a long time after that Kingdom was turned to the Christian Faith they had no Bishops nor does any of our own or Foreign Historians assert that there was any that had the title of Bishop in that Church before Paladius in the fifth Century nor was this Paladius either a Diocesian or Provincial Bishop Adrian in the ninth Century being the first Diocesian nor was there any Archbishop Primate or Metropolitan to consecrate Diocesian Bishops till the Year 1436. That Patrick Graham was made Archbishop of St. Andrews and yet 1200 years before this there was a Church in Scotland ruled by Monks and Presbyters and not to mention many other Eminent Men that treat upon that subject
Committee they at their next meeting brought it in as their opinion That the Bishops were one of the greatest Grievances of the Nation which opinion the whole Meeting after serious Consideration approved of and voted them out of Doors After which all the Bishops withdrew themselves in Cabals with several disaffected people called several of their inferior Clergy together prompting them to Disobedience in the present Juncture which Principles many of the Episcopal Clergy did then vent too much in their Preachings and publick Prayers The Estates having emitted a Proclamation proclaiming William and Mary then King and Queen of England King and Queen of Scotland without a contradictory Vote and only one Non liquet And another Proclamation enjoyning the Clergy after the Proclamation to Read the Declaration and to pray for King William and Queen Mary and in doing of which many did comply but several refused yet all even those of the Episcopal Clergy though not complying with this who would live peaceably and regularly as Subjects the Estates took into their particular protection putting forth another Proclamation prohibiting all or any of the Subjects whatsoever to trouble or molest any of them in their Lives or Estates And none will be so Impudent as to alledge in publick that any either of the Bishops or their inferiour Clergy whether complying or not were ever troubled in their Persons or Estates since the said Prohibition and few even before by the unruly Rabble unless it be those whose Deportment no good Men can vindicate and those moderate Men of untainted Lives and Conversations of the Episcopal Communion who have chearfully complyed with the Estates and present Government will declare how they were caressed by the Presbyterian party in this Juncture and others who might be nice and scrupulous in some points christianly exhorted and invited to joyn with them without Engagements further than Reading the Declaration and Praying for King William and Queen Mary and I have reason to think that the present wise Parliament will impose nothing capable to trouble their Consciences in their complyance with the present Government And truly it would seem to be no small reproach to the Scotch Bishopsto hear those who were lately their inferior Clergy now declare in the Pulpit and elsewhere how these many years by-past they themselves have groaned under their Bishops Tyranny and Oppression of several kinds But after the Bishops were declared a Grievance to the Nation for many undeniable good pregnant Reasons and now voted out of Doors the Estates took many calm Methods by Exhortations c. with their Clergy to have their Deportment suitable to their profession in the present Juncture but several of them continued so obstinate and endeavoured to seduce others to the defaming of the Government in publick and private so that they were necessitated to deprive some of them though they indulged some eminent Men till they advised better and ordered Presbyterian Ministers to Preach in their Churches And sure I am notwithstanding the frequent Complaints given in to the Estates of the Episcopal Clergy's and their Parties meeting in Cabals with Papists and other disaffected People to the contempt of the present Government yet that they were so tender of their Character as Ministers of the Gospel that none of them were once prosecuted by the Estates their Committees the Privy Council or the present Parliament since their Deprivation except one Minister who was accused to have spoken some Treasonable Words and how tenderly they dealt with him in his Misbehaviour and Infirmities for fear of bringing a reproach upon any that Preached the Gospel whether6 of one Order or another is well known And it is too Publick how one of those deserting Ministers Wives and others of that perswasion who converse with Papists as the Effects of their Cabals were apprehended endeavouring to get into the Castle of Edenburgh with fresh Meat and other Provisions when it was block'd up and declared Treason to converse with or assist any therein and yet how tenderly they were proceeded against is generally known there are many others of their Evil Practices in the late Conjuncture might be spoken of too tedious to the Reader but to conclude with the Episcopal Clergy's Behaviour in Scotland of late Who have been more Active or like to be found more guilty in a Correspondence with and assisting the Lord Dundee and his Party now in Rebellion and committing most inhumane Actions than several of those who are called the Regular Clergy which must be publick to their shame besides that the late Bishop of Galloway is certainly concluded to be with the late King James in person in Ireland And as a further Evidence of the Estates the present Parliament the Council and other People of Scotland their favourable Deportment and Lenity towards the Episcopal Clergy there it 's undeniable that both the Bishops and their inferiour Clergy who by their ill Deportment and late Obstinacy deprived themselves of their Benefices do Walk and Travel in Town and Country on Foot in Coach and upon Horseback at their pleasure and live peaceably in their Houses without any Trouble or Molestation whatsoever And it will be found unquestionably true that neither the Episcopal Clergy nor any other who have been grievous and great Persecutors and Invaders of the Religion and Encroachers upon the Laws Liberties and Properties of their fellow Subjects in the late Government were in the least fear of their Lives or Estates in that Kingdom since the first general Meeting of the Estates Notwithstanding of the great Clamours and false Aspersions of purpose and industriously invented and spread abroad by some persons for their own ends being either afraid to abide the Test of the Law by way of moderate Justice or being uneasie to themselves and troublesom to others under any Government were it never so good and easie but where they have a power to gratifie their Lusts and voracious Appetite and to do Mischief to others And as for that Allegeance that the Bishops whose Order is abolished in Scotland and their inferiour Clergy who have deserted their Charge out of an ill Principle for the most part have not a livelyhood or subsistence it must be very gross and ridiculous for it 's well known that both the Bishops and those of their Clergy who have deserted their Charges had opulent Benefices and are rich though not to satisfaction or might have been so in a cheap Country where with the least management the half or third part of their yearly Benefices might maintain them and their Families very well for it 's known generally there that several Ministers with lesser Benefices than any that quit their Charge now have made good Fortunes for their Children And it 's hardly known that ever their Charity or Pious Acts was the occasion of their Poverty though they have had Examples enough from many of their good English Brethren Clergy-men and if they lived too sumptuously Sibi imputent And
of Arbitrary Penalties and contriving Penal and Sanguinary Laws equivalent to that which was made against Papists Seminary Priests and Jesuits ad terrorem 2 Act. Sess 3. Parl. 1 st Ch. 2 d. c. Acts 5. and 7. Par. 2 d. Sess 2 d. Acts 9. and 17. Par. 2 d. Sess 3 d. but several more severe Acts were made in Parliaments 1685. and 1686. and though none of those Laws were once put in Execution against Papists Priests Jesuits c. yet how violently were they put in Execution against those poor Ministers their Flocks and Families for the one's Preaching and the other's Hearing of the Word of God without mixture or the least grains of Schism or disloyalty Which oppression meerly for the difference of Opinion tended to so great a Persecution which verified that old Saying That Oppression makes a wise man Mad that it put the People in such a terrible consternation that this Persecution or Oppression call it what you will forced the People in the Year 1666. to gather together and rise in Arms in defence of their Preacher's Religion and Liberty against those persecuting Clergymen who not only contrived but forced the Statesmen and the King's Privy-Council to stretch these Penal and Sanguinary Laws against both their Religion and Liberty in which they were Educated and what Devastation Forfaultures Cruelties and Bloodshed followed thereupon in that poor Kingdom for several Years is so generally known that it 's needless to relate it here and the late King Charles who had nothing of violence in his Nature considering the common Evil their Divisions occasioned with the concurrence and by a representation of some Honest Men then in the Civil Government did give a little respite by a Toleration to some Ministers to Preach in several Congregations but the regular Clergy were so exasperated against this Indulgence that they themselves made terrible Clamours and Complaints to the King and Clergy of England who were not so immoderate nor so immoral in their Actions against Dissenters nor so vitious and scandalous in their Lives and Conversations and to the Officers of State and the Privy Council in Scotland not only against those poor People but also against any that favour'd or pitied them alledging it was a Schism in the Church that the Ministers Preached Rebellion which the Council found frequently upon Tryal to be false and that those that gave any dissent to their violence against these People were disloyal And many that were vitious and the most scandalous of their inferior Clergy not agreeing with the abstemious lives and the singular Examples of those godly Ministers made it their business to harrass and malign them and the People to the Government till they got their point wrought so far as to remove this Liberty which the King graciously granted and procured an Army of Wild Highlanders to be sent to those Countries in Anno 1677. Which Army committed the greatest Barbarities and Unnatural things that ever was heard tell of in a Christian Nation by their Oppressions Robberies Plunders Rapines c. making no distinction of Persons or Sexes This being with great difficulty represented again to the King he out of his wonted Clemency caused Remove his Army and those poor People though left in a manner desolate having got the least Respite their Religion and Profession being dearer to them than their Lives they frequenting those Meetings again without Tumult or Uproar where they thought they had the Word of God truly and more purely Preached to them The Episcopal Clergy being again allarm'd made the greatest clamour that could be and made their Interest at Court to send Arms again as they alledged to suppress them upon which violent Persons did get Commissions when other moderate Men that had Commissions laid them down and others refused them upon such cruel Expeditions and raised Regiments of Foot Horse and Dragoons and many of them who having neither Principles of Religion nor Humanity were sent thither with those Troops and treated the People in a most barbarous manner which forc'd those poor oppressed People to Guard their Meetings with Armed men till they fell in Blood with those cruel mercenary Souldiers in the Year 1679. Which Cruelty and Persecution increased their Number the more which verifies that old Saying Cinis Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae for the more they were oppressed and persecuted the more their Number increased And were there not then some of the greatest Personages in that Kingdom in disgrace with the King by the instigation of that Clergy and some other Ministers of State not only for their Dissents to their violent Proceedings against Protestants but also for complaining of some other mismanagements in State But God has at this time been pleased to honour them so as to put them in Capacity to be most Instrumental in setling the present Government I hope upon sure and lasting Foundations But not to make a greater Digression then was the Duke of Monmouth sent Generalissimo to Scotland to Suppress those Protestants yet he was to be over-ruled by the Clergy and the King's Council who notwithstanding of his limited Commission did and for his favour shewn to those poor People who he knew suffered meerly upon the account of their Religion and stricter Lives was by the Clergy and the violent Party their Adherents put in disgrace with the King as other great Persons were and how many Families of all Ranks and Degrees were then and since destroyed by this Oppression and Clergy's persecution how many were tortured without Mercy how many were Banish'd Drown'd Beheaded Shot c. many of them without the Liberty of once calling upon God before their Death is incredible but all Europe knows it and it cannot be denied And who knowing or in the least understanding the Affairs of Scotland in those times will deny but that these cruel Proceedings against the Presbyterian Ministers and their Hearers by Banishments Imprisonments Forfaultures Intercommonings or Outlawries Deaths c. were the very things that forc'd many of the vulgar sort of Professors to fly to the Hills and Mountains where though no doubt they had opportunity to hear some good Ministers Preach yet Popish Emissaries Trafficking Priests c. being never idle and never neglecting occasions by the Divisions of those of the Reformed Religion to propagate their hellish Designs were not wanting to be there as Wolves in Sheeps clothing or Devils in Angels shapes to seduce those of meaner Capacities to imbibe some dregs of the Jesuitical Principles which brought many of those poor Innocents to end their days in Misery But that when the late King James was dealt with for Reasons best known to his Cabin Councellors to grant a general Toleration doubtless out of no respect to the Presbyterian Party They did it 's true take hold of that opportunity and freedom to Preach the Gospel and no further when in the mean time the Episcopal Clergy did give their thanks to the late King
encroached upon by Popish Emissaries and any other wickedly designing Party in any of the later Reigns but contrary to this being it seems conscious to themselves of some guilt they did all bandy together not only with those that were too active to carry on the Mischief in the later Governments but also with a new designing Party who had no Principles not only to vindicate all the Evils that were done in the late Government but also to bring the Nation under more Slavery than ever the particulars thereof are too generally known And considering their Profession by their Actions Contraria juxta se posita clariùs elucescunt I will not be too opinionative to assert That the generality of people in that Nation or the major part of this Great and Wise Council of the Nation did incline to continue the Establishment of that Hierarchy they finding it in a manner very improbable if not altogether impossible considering all that is said and much more might be said to reconcile the Ignorance Debauchery and persecuting humour of the most part of the Prelatical Party in Scotland with the singular exemplary strict and orderly lives and conversations of the Presbyterian Clergy and most of their Adherents But sure I am that Clergy's former and later Behaviour were the Reasons that induc'd that great and wise meeting of the Estates so suddenly to tender that Order of Bishops as a Grievance of the Nation to His Majesty in their Preliminaries in order to be abolished in the next Parliament now Sitting and to vindicate that Nation the general meeting of the Estates and the present Parliament from all Aspersions which are industriously spread abroad loading them with a Persecution of the Episcopal Ministry there Take this for truth of which no intelligent Man in Britain can be ignorant That the first Act the Estates made was to secure their own Sitting The second material to our purpose was their declaring themselves a free Estate and a legal Meeting and declaring that they would not separate but continue to sit by frequent meetings till they had restored and secured their Religion Laws Liberties and Properties as well as that of their fellow Subjects so much encroached upon and till they had Established the Government of the Church and State. Both which Acts the Bishops Voted in and approved of And this being done with several other things establishing the Legality of the Meeting c. too tedious to rehearse here being intended but an Abbreviat Who would think that the Reverend Protestant Fathers of the Church of Scotland would have stood in the way of any proposition that might tend to the Security of the Protestant Reformed Religion restoring the wholsom Laws and securing the Liberties and Properties of the Subject Yet with the next breath they were not only for continuing profess'd Papists in chief Commands of strong Fortresses and in the Army expecting their greater Security that way as it seems they had reason considering their former Deportment and the then present circumstances of the Nation but were also for recalling home the late King which they alledged they looked upon to be the only way to secure Religion to give the standing Laws their lustre no doubt there is something understood there latuit anguis in herba and to secure the Liberty and Property of the people these were their very Expressâ—ons But as I doubt not that there is any good Christian but is heartily grieved for the Bigottry of the latâ— Kâ—ng's Religion his Evil Council and Mismanagement of Affairs in State and Church and Encroachments up â—n all that was dear unto us which brought him to his low Estate much more Brittish Inhabitants and mâ—st of alâ— tâ—e Sâ—otâ—h Proâ—eâ—â—ants who can endure no Government â—ut a Monarchical whose Love to that Governmâ—nt is such that they did always undergo great burthens and did peaceably forbear many Faults and Infirmities in several of their Kings for many Ages as unquestionable good Historians make appear Yet to give a Call to the late King in his and our present circumstances to return with a French Irish and other cruel Popish Crew were either to make him more miserable who could not but be utterly destroyed in the Attempt or the Protestants in Britain most miserable by reducing of them all to Popery and Slavery or to the French most Unchristian Cruelty and untolerable heavy yoke and our foreign Protestant Allies and their Confederates though of different Religions more uneasie if not in hazard to be destroyed by the French Ambition and Slavery which is more untolerable beyond doubt than that of the Turks and Tartars his dear Confederates but it seems our Bishops when they desired to recall a Popish King did not mind or rather did not value the verity of Claudian's Remarque in case the late King did return with the least favour of a reeling populace Componitur Orbis Regis ad exemplum And a little after Mobile mutatur semper cum principe vulgus And who doubts but that if the late King returned by force the fate of all those of the Reformed Religion if real Protestants whether Episcopal or Presbyterial would be sudden in the Execution and if invited home were his promises never so fair and specious the same fate would no doubt befall them in a short time And the Mobile is not always to be trusted for a Bulwark in every Exigence But to the next Matter of Fact. Upon the day of April the Estates having fully considered that it would be dangerous to have the Government longer unsetled and having upon good grounds too tedious to relate here resolved to declare the Crown vacant and the late King James's Right c. forfaulted the Bishops not only urged frivolous Arguments but also voted against it Notwithstanding their chearful voting affirmativè to the former Acts. And there being an Act ordaining the Clergy not to pray for the late King James c. as King and Prince their Right being forfaulted and the Crown declared vacant the Bishops all removed without any compulsion except 2 or 3 who were the most moderate and one of those being desired at the rising of the Meeting to say Prayers he that he might not omit his pretended Allegiance to King James in his Prayers omitted to say Prayer in common Form or extempore but only repeated the Lord's Prayer desiring it seems to give offence to none But a person present alledged That several persons used to conclude their Prayers with the Lord's Prayer and so did that Bishop for he suspected it should be his last Prayer in that place At the next Sitting of the Estates it was moved That Considering the Bishops behaviour in the later Governments their behaviour in that general Meeting where notwithstanding their being present and voting in several Acts Affirmativè which they contraveen'd contrary to their profession their Order should be declared a Grievance to the Nation which motion being remitted to the Consideration of the Grand