Covenant to close and comply therewith were at least to desert the Lords cause by casting away the word of his patience in this hour of temptationâ— and to give our selves to that detestable indifferency and neutrality which we have by Oath so enixly renounced Ninthly The embracing of this pretended coalition but real suppression of Presbyterian Governmentâ— would not only be a total surrender of that interest unto the will of its adversaries but ingage us into snares contests offences and temptations that may be better foreseen then they can be numbred let be prevented The Authors propone peace as the scope of their overture and yet they know nay do expresly provide a liberty for the differences and protestations that must necessarily ensue What a strange method have we here of composing strife neither by removing the grounds nor separating the parties but plainly by joyning them in their declared opposition and sworne contrary endeavours of the one to mantain and the other to extirpat to exasperate the feuds And is not this one reflection sufficient to redargue the insincerity of this whole project and to informe all men that it is not union but the very extinction of Presbytery that is thereby designed I shall not here note that the Brethren being once brought in to these meetings where there will be infallibly no less discord then inequality it is not to be doubted but the hatred envie and jealousies of the stronger against the weaker would in this juncture so fertile of occasions soon procure the latter to be deposed and ejected And that by a power which they could not so well disowne But this I am sure would in that event fall out so acceptablie to the patient that I shall not at presentâ— reckon it as an inconvenience The evills more to be considered are that as no conscientious man can rationally hold out the smallest benefite or use of edification that can arise to the Church of Christ by this so heterogenious distracted and unequal association so what can be thence expected except either the temptation of continual heats sorrowes and offences or rather according to the present too visible decay the cooling of zeal the declining to luke warmness the ensnaring of consciences conâ—iving at corrupt Acts and practices the partaking of other mens sins and the evill example stumbling and grief that will thereon redound to all the fearers of God and lovers of his righteous cause I do not here make mention of the offence of the people as some do who use it as an argument yea their main one that this Accommodation being displeasing by provoking them to withdraw from such as close with it would defeat its own design No if the thing be righteous and otherwise expedient to indulge to humors is indeed a vain popularitie And I am heartily sorry that good men in so good a cause should have bewrayed so great weakness as by insinuating a false charge of humor against the people to have not only discovered their own pusillanimitie but furnished the adversarie with so faire and plausible an advantage But leaving them in this point to G. B' s correction and him also to his vain illusion as if herein he had overcome a great part of our strength The offence that I fear prognostick from a compliance with this Accommodation is quite of another nature viz. that now in this baksliding time such a bad and influencing example may be of dangerous consequence to remove them from their stedfastness And how tender of the soul concernment of the Brethren and fearful of that wo which even he who is the blessing of all Nations hath denounced against them by whom offences come every sincere Christ an ought in this point to be I hope all interested will seriouâ—ly consider But now it is full time to conclude And therefore I say that â—eeing the termes of this Accommodation are ambiguous defective and sinâ—ul its designe and tendency most pernicious to the true Government of Gods House and the Kingdom of Iesus Christ and its whole fabrick and frame to the conviction of all discerning men only forged out by necessity and Policy and smoothed by delusion and hypocrisy on purpose to catch a small remnant of the Lords faithful Ministers witnesses against the present backslidings thereby if possible for ever to suppresse the restoring of the work of God in the Land I judge it ought to be rejected as a vain ensnaring invention So that although the hatchers should be thereby wrathfully irritat this cockatrice egg should break out into a viper yet better it be crushed for our suffering then sinfully eaten to our death destruction The reproches of ungovernable and unpeacable may indeed be bitter unto ingenuous spirits let be sincere lovers of the Prince of peace and the persecution of men may possibly proceed to afflict and vexe But seing that through Sathan and the world their known enmity against the Lord and all his followers these things are in place of the opprobry become rather the badge of truth Only let our conversation be as becometh the Gospel and let us stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the pure ordinances of Gods house once given unto us nothing terrefied by our adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to us of salvation and that of God for unto the faiâ—hful it is given in the behalfe of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake There is I confesse one temptation which doth more speciously insinuate and that is the losse of the liberty of the Gospel which men may possibly in their displeasure abridge or totally take from us But as this solicitude is not more praise worthy when devolved on our Lord and master then subtilly deceitful when its application is spare thy self So let none of these things move us Neither let us reckon our lives dear unto our selves so that we may finish our course with joy and the Ministry which we have received of the Lord Iesus Let therefore truth simplicity and godly sincerity be our main study and faith entire submission our only establishment knowing and on this resting that not only his peace here shall be our portion and the end everlasting life But that God can as easily of our ashes raise up Ministers to himselfe as of stones Children to Abraham And that he who hath glorified his name will glorifie it again AMEN FINIS The Copy of two LETTERS Commonly repute to have been written by the Bishop of DUMBLANE at least by him communicat to several Friends The first Letter SIR in the late Conference I had with your Friend the sum of what I said was this 1. That Episcopal-Government managed in conjunction with Presbyters in Presbyteries and Synods is not contrary either to the rule of Scripture or the example of the primitive Church but most agreeable to both 2. Yea it is not contrary to
the present Presbyteries and Synods I clearly state the Question thus Whether a constant Moderator or fixed Proeslos for terme of life in Church-meetings be a thing in it self lawful And how far it is by us admissible And what complyance we may have â—or it And because there are some papers gone abroad from the Bishop of Glasgow as is supposed upon this subject and that the current of the speeches at Pasely wereof the same strain I conceive for rendering of the debate more certain it will not be amisse that I bring them to a particular and exact review And in the beginning of these Papers we find it asserted That Episcopal Government managed in conjunction with Presbyters in Presbyteries and Synods is not contrary either to the rule of Scripture or the example of the primitive Church but agreeable to both That this position doth hold forth no more then the lawfulness of an Episcopus Praeses that upon negative grounds giving the asserter the easier part of defence is obvious to the first observation To have affirmed an obligation to this model though the Author's choise had not been convenient the thing which hath been it is that which shall be and an agreeablenesse to Scripture and antiquitie is for the time a very colourable pretension and all that the Author dare adventure to affirme But that as much may be said for a Presbyterian paritie exclusive of this presidencie I think our adversaries themselves will not deny And it is very evident that it is the thing they have no inclination to redargue Which advantage lying equally and fairly on our side and being confirmed by possession strengthned by an Oath and to the present conviction of all mostly arising from the contrary effects of Episcopacie sealed with the seal of good Gospel fruits one of the great evidences produced by Paul for his Apostelship how much it doth impugne the late change and justifie the aversion and non-compliance of all good men therewith all rational men may discerne But seeing our cause is not as theirs leaning only to negative probalities and the power wherewith it is supported to deal clearly in this matter though we do not pretend to a positive expresse and particular Scripture-precept as well against the presidencie as for the parity pleaded yet that we have an equivalent divine warrant more pregnant then what in other particulars is acknowledged for such even by our Opposites The following heads do plainly evince And first That Iesus Christ King in Zion sitting and ruling upon His Throne to whom all Power is given and who is the Head of the Body when He ascended on high sent forth His Apostles to gather feed and rule His Church promising to be with them to the end of the World and thereby hath appointed a Government in His house suitable to these holy ends for which it is designed is not more evidently founded upon the Scripture-grounds insinuat then firme in its connexion and inference 2. As the Apostles and their Successors were the only perpetual Pastors ordained by our Lord for as for the mission of the Seventy what ever allusions after Ages according to their then model did draw from it without all peradventure accòrding to is own tenour it did expire before our Lords suffering so they were by him constitute in an exact paritie as Brethren and because of this equality and the nature of their Ministrie our Lord forbids among them all distinction of authoritative Superioritie the very name of Rabbi and Master then abused and all ambition affectation of these or any other elating dignities and titles but they are only commanded to outstripe and exceed on another in that diligence and humilitie recommended to them in that common service whereunto they were destined 3. According to this command given so they conversed and behaved in the Church of God without the least vestige of imparity either in power or presidencie Nay on the contrary with a manifest equality except it be in some notes of apparent preheminence in these by men esteemed inferior expresly as it seems recorded to counter-ballance the vanity of ambition of after Ages who in favour of others might imagine a Superiority And such are the principal resort made to Iames his moderating rather then Peters in the meeting at Ierusalem Pauls resistance to Peter and the right hand of fellowship given to him by Iames Cephas and Iohn and the like 4. The pastors appointed by the Appostles being their successors both in their ordinarie power and blessing whatever might be the inequalitie betwixt them and the Appostles either from the immediacy and extent of the Apostles their mission their infallible assistance and greater eminency of gifts or by reason that the Apostles were the Lords chosen witnesses and authors of conversion to most of them whom they ordained yet as to the perpetual and ordinary power given to and transmitted by them in the Church it is evident from Scripture that in that they neither claimed nor exercised either superiority or presidencie over other Ministers Hence it is that as they call and account them their brethren partners fellow-labourers and themselves fellow-elders with them so we finde that what in on place Paul ascribes to the laying on of his own hands in another he attributes to the laying on of the hands of the Presbyterie And the same Paul who was not a whit behind the very chiefest Appostles receiving a solemn mission from a Presbyterie not consisting of Fellow-apostles but of other Prophets and Teachers Gifts there fore were indeed diverse and unequal and imploiments also were various in the dayes of the Apostles according to the then exigence of a growing spreading Church but that either among the Apostles themselves or them and the Pastors by them ordained or among the Pastors themselves there was the least imparity in respect of that ordinarie and standing power continued in the Church as the passages mentioned do plainly confirme the negative so there can no instance be adduced from Scripture in the contrary We know Timothie Titus the Angels of the Churches are much talked of as the first superior Bishops and to this it is as easily reponed 1. That there is nothing enjoyned or recommended in Pauls Epistles to Timothie which is not proper for every Pastor unlesse what is evidently referable to his office of an Evangelist there expressed 2. The command given to Titus to ordain Elders was by way of expresse commission and not in the least exclusive of the concurrence of other Elders where they might be found in the place 3 That it is in these very Epistles more then any where els in Scripture that both the names of Bishops and Elders are promiscuously used and the thing and office thereby signified held forth to be the same And lastly that the known use elegancie of the singular number for the plural with the figurative speech and tenor of the seven Epistles in the Revelation do no
invasions made by the Prelats upon the rights and privileges of these Assemblies were bâ— the same Authority ratified and approven but as by the latter Act their being was not totally dissolved so it is not unto the former that they do owe their fundamental establishment 3. All that can be probably gathered from what is promised is that possibly to some such apparent mixture of Episcopacy and Presbytery now to be formed as did result from tâ—e intrusion of Prelats upon Presbyteries before the 1638. the civil sâ—nction may be interposed But since now the case is vastly altered and that in effect at present there is not so much as any kinde of true Ecclesiastick-government or meeting to be found among the Prelats and their Dependents nay that all we are to expect is some hodge podge device of Supremacy accommodat to its desires and directly and absolutely subjected to its pretended omnipotency it is clear and certain that this mistaken project can affâ—rd us no clearing If any man judge me uncharitable how glad would I be to be found really in â—he wrong But seing it is evident that the Supremacy is rather more and more ascendent and that there is not the least probability either of its mitigation or of the rescission of the Act for Restitution c. Anno 1662. and yet far lesse the retreating of the Proclamation Ianuary 1662. dissolving Presbyteries and of their and their true members reestablishment all requisite to give the Lord Commissioner's offer if any such was made a genuine and satisfactory meaning why should we preserve an illusive charity to plain and solid ingenuity But if any man will still contend the comparing together of the first and second part of this Article I am certain will prove sufficient to convince the most inflexible opiniaster In the first part It is not doubted but the King's Commissioner will make good his offer viz. to set up Presbyteries as before 1638 In the second it is hoped that he will procure due security to the Brethren in the free declaration of their judgment But if true Presbyteries be rightly restored this security is clearly superfluous and if they shall not be restored in that integrity but by vertue of the Supremacy on which they depend reduced to the figure of the then model by authorizing the above mentioned mixture it is evident that in place of resolution we have only an arbitrary politick alteration a compliance wherewith no declaration protestation can in any wise purge as I have already fully proven And this is indeed one of the reasons why I termed the Bishops trust ridiculous But yet I confesse there are other causes that do more provoke me to this character the one is that it should be imagined that Governours will give an antecedent licence to transgresse lawes which neverthelesse in all probability they have not the least intention to repeal the other is that the Bishop should suppose that a testimony requisite upon the account of duty may be either forborn or suspended for want of an assured immunity whereas it is most certain that whereever faithfulnesse to God doth require our appearance though in the things that are least the fear of man that bringeth a snare is not to be regarded much lesse to be therewith ballanced I acknowledge indeed that the faint and pusillanimous dealing of some of the Brethren who conferred in making this their scruple seems to have drawn from the Bishop this insinuat sollution and I should verily have taken it for a scornful indulgence if he had not to his hope adjoyned the promise of his humble and earnest intercession But seing it is to be by all regreted we hope shall be by the decliners themselves bitterly mourned for that being in so just and so good a cause not only called but in effect openly provoked and bafled to give an answere whith reasons to the demand made unto them they did not so sanctify the Lord God in their hearts and with their tongues as to shew a readinesse thereto with meeknesse and fear let be to give a testimony for God in such an important exigence it is evident that this pitiful caveat with the promise annexed are at best but the effects of a carnal condescendence unto a sinful fear If the Lord call for our confession who ever heard that that which is its special grace even the obvious apprehension of hazard should be its hinderance Nay who is man in that case of whom we should be afraid But and if the Lord require it not this is certainly a foolish antidote to a vain solicitude And thus we are arrived at the sixth last Article That no Intrant shall be ingaged to any canonical oath or subscription unto the Bishop and that his opinion anent thaâ— government shall not prejudge him in this but it shall be free for him to declare And this is truly the only fair condescendence that of them all hath any thing of a just ease But seing it is very inadequat to the main difficulty and for an apparent liberty of opinion doth certainly tend according to the late morality of these times to involve us in many sinful and inconsistent practices I shall not further urge it And now having finished the examination of these six Articles therein amongst many other empty pretensions and inextricable ambiguities rencountered a most cunning viperous invective against the League and Covenant consisting of the like number as if it were a meer politick complication of doubts and snares for the more clear redargution of the Authors presumption and malice I cannot but desire my Reader impartially to consider both and what and with what successe boht of us have objected and I am confident that though an al most infinite over proportion of matter for importance aswel as variety the greatest diversity of humors interests opinions nay and almost of Nations that ever concurred in one treaty with the no lesse disproportion of parts and abilities in us the two Antagonists do every way increase and accumulat the disadvantages on my part yet it will appeare that such is the power and vertue of a righteous cause that where in the attacquing the Covenant the Authour hath carried back nothing but his own shame and our scorne the truth not I hath on the other side dissipated and routed his Articles with an entire victory which if he or any man account vain or a preposterous triumph it is only truths confidence and I do hereby confirm it with a no lesse resolute defiance Hitherto I have examined this overture of Accommodation according to its terms contained in the above-written Articles As for the exceptions that may be made against it from its contrivance tendency and circumstances the inconveniencies that would ensue upon it and other more remote arguments they are so easily deduceable from the preceeding grounds that it were superfluous to prosecute them by any more distinct proposal That we may