whose particular Disadvantage by their losing their place is the publick Advantage of the Nation And finally you inferr That the Regular Clergy will be turned out which will reduce the Church to such amazing hardships that the Gospel shall not he preached in three parts of the Kingdom there not being an hundred qualified Presbyterians in Scotland Sir It should be your desire and mine both that all the Insufficient Scandalous and Erroneous among the Clergy were turned out and their places were Vacant till able Men were provided rather then filled with such men who do far more obstruct then promove the Edification of the Church without the hope of being better supplied And alace I 'm affraid that two parts of three of our Clergy may be too justly reduced to one or other of these three Classes So that by my best Information the Presbyterian partie if ye join their Ministers Preachers and young Men Ready for the Ministry together With such also as have diverted themselves to other Imployments because of the Discouragements of the Times and are willing and ready to serve the Church if there were incouragement for the Ministry they have moe qualified men amongst them then there are Sufficient Sober and Orthodox Men amongst our Clergy so that they could within less then a year furnish the one half of the Congregations in Scotland And when from about an hundred and some more they have in a year and an halfs space accreasced and amounted to so many without the help of Universities We may easily calculate how short a time will increase them to the compleat Number But I am hopeful that they will admit any Learned Sober and Orthodox person amongst us upon very easie terms our acknowledgeing Presbyterian Government to be lawful our guilt of Separation from them and of taking the Test And I know none of us that will choose rather to be turned out by refusing then kept in their places upon accepting such favourable Terms Your 4. Reason is That if Presbytery be not 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 shall continue without a Remedy or else the Magistrate will take upon him the Government of the Church and we shall have downright Erastianism Sir The foolishness of this Argument is so obvious that I think I may spare my pains in shewing it unto you One would think it the voice of a Presbyterian proving the necessity of an entire Alteration rather than of an Episcopal pleading no Alteration at all Presbyterians will grant all you say and turn the mouth of this Cannon directly against your self by Arguing thus If Episcopacy be contained then our deplotable Schisms and Divisions shall be Remediless also we shall still have downright Erastianism and how can ye evade the force of this Argument of your own I see not For it is evident by experience that we may dispair of ever gaining the Presbyterians to a compliance with us seeing that so many years violent Persecution hath rather alienated them from us beyond all hope of either Reconciliation or Accommodation And it is as undeniable that there is not so gross Erastianism in the World as is established by Law and complicated and tuisted with the Episcopal Government in Scotland Yea they will further baffle you by reasoning with you thus If Presbytery were established in its Integrity our deplorable Division would easily be healed and we should be altogether quite of Erastianism and ye cannot shelter your self from this more then the former Argument For it is more then probable that few of us would refuse to comply with Presbytery when once established by Law and it is too much to be suspected that the present bitterness of many of our Clergy again st Presbyterians proceeds from their Consciousness to themselves of their insufficiency profanity or Heterodoxy and perhaps also Cruelty which makes them despair of Admission into the Brotherhood of the Presbyterians And it is certain that there are no Principles contrary to Erastianism more then the Presbyterian For they allow not any Ecclesiastick Power of Jurisdiction to be lodged in any single Person though Ecclesiastick much less Civil and yet they do neither exeem Church Men from their Subjection to the Magistrates power as his Subjects nor the Church from the Magistrates care as her Nursing Father Their Principles in this point are very Rational for though they deny Ministers to be as directly subjected to the Magistrate in their Ecclesiastick apacity as Ministers as in their Civil Capacity of Subjects Yet they ascribe as much power to him in reference to the Church as any Wise and Pious Magistrate will require they grant the Magistrate hath a restitutive power for reparing a broken Church though not a Constitutive of constituting the frame of its Government and building such a Fabrick of a Church as he pleases A power Convocative for calling Church Assemblies to meet for the Government of the Church though not a power Coercive of hindering them to meet at all A power Defensive of defending the true Religion and the Doctrine Worship Government and Discipline of the Church though not a power Determinative to determine concerning these things at his pleas ure a power Concursive to concur by his Civil Sanction with the Determinations of the Church and confirm their Obligation on his Subjects though not a power Coactive to force the Church to follow his Dictates in things Ecclesiastick And in a word they grant him all Power even in Ecclesiasticks that is Cumulative to the Churches Advantage though they deny him to have any Privative power to the Churches prejudice Whereas Episcopacy in Scotland has no other Basis but gross Erastianism so that you see how much you may be foild with your own Weapons And ye may expect a challenge to express the ingenuity of your fears of continued Divisions and Schisms and of downright Erastianism by quiting the Episcopal way wherein ye Act the Schismatick in receiding from the standing Laws of the Church in compliance with New Civil Laws and approve Erastianism in adhering to the Test Your fifth Reason is That the Establishment of Presbytery will have almost pernicious Influence on the Protestants Religion in this Island if ever Popery set up its head c. Sir I confess it is more proper for you to shew the Inconveniencie that will follow if Presbytry be established then if not Yet I suspect you be as unhappy in this as in the former Argument The greate st Advantage that I find in your Reasons is that you touch upon some things concerning which it is unseasonable and dangerous for Presbyterians fully to express themselves But alas you do here but touch on that which is the very Sore and Weakest Side of Episcopacy for you cannot be ignorant of the General Complaints of and prejudices at our Government As not only a shelter and covert
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