constituting and giving Laws to all in general and to each in particular under his Dominion To which agrees that Church-Government Hierarchy composed of Arch-Bishops Bishops c. And of such two Governments was constitute the Roman Empire in the time of Constantine Aristocracy is the Government of a few of the greatest power and conform to it is Superintendency Which is a Church-Government where a parcel of Members are all equal in power and by the same are distinguished from the rest of the Clergy Democracy is a Government in which the whole Body of the People hath some share and to this is consonant Presbytrie Which is a Church-Government where all the Clergy are equally concerned To none of the above-mentioned kinds of Civil Government doth the Civil Governments of Scotland and England belong which being both of the same Nature I shall call them by one Name a Limited Monarchical Government Which is a Government that 's manag'd by one Man according to the Laws of the Society where he reigns which Laws are made by him in Conjunction with his People So that he hath his Prerogatives and they their Properties and such a Government hath the Advantage of all others which can degenerat into Tyrannies The Government of Scotland and England being a limited Monarchy quite opposit to an absolute one It follows that some other kind of Church-Government must be more agreeable to it than Hierarchy which agrees only with an absolute Monarchy Because the People having lodged so many Prerogatives with their King as the power of declaring War of making Peace of sending Ambassadors of making Leagues and Treaties and of Levying of Men and Arms by Sea and Land if this King is ill-inclined what wants he more but Money to change the very foundamental Laws of his Government and to make Parliaments altogether useless which cannot be raised from the Subject without their consent or which is all one without the consent of Parliament Therefore the People ought to take particular care in chooseing Men to be their Representatives in Parliament that they be Men of Honour and Probity whom the Monarch can noways influence to betray the Liberties of their Countrey And surely it must succeed the better with it the fewer Members of Parliament depend upon the King What power the Kings of Great Britain have had to Cajol Bishops being constant Members of the Parliament into a Complyance with their designs the History of Past-times must declare Constantine as he was the first Christian Emperor so had he a great respect for the professors of that Religion We read in his life That he would not only regal its Teachers at his own Table but that he never went a Journey without ome of them along with him that at the Council of Nice so great was his Complaisance for Church-men that he refused to sit down in their presence The Clergy on the other hand being sensible of the Emperours Kindness continue with him the old Title of Pontifex Maximus by virtue of which he had Right of Ecclesiastical Function reserving for themselves all the Ministerial Offices So Constantine was Rex idem hominum Phoebique Sacer dos A mutual good understanding was so cultivated amongst the succeeding Emperours and the Clergy that they had several Laws made in their savour as may be seen in the Titles of the Codex de sacrosanctis Eccles de Episc Cler till the Bishops of Rome taking the opportunity of the Division of the Roman Empire being over-run by Barbarous Nations and of the Ignorance of the times did set up for it themselves under the Specious Title of Christs Vicar And how far they carried their Authoriy with Temporal Princes for some Ages is evident by the Insolence of Hildebrand who rebelled against his lawful Emperor Henry the fourth depriving him of all that respect which was due unto him from a Bishop of Rome It hath been the Policy of the Papal Court to keep the Clergy of every Common-wealth in a certain Hierarchy That it might the more conveniently challenge a Supremacy over them and to the end that they might depend absolutely upon their Interest for to oppose all Temporal Princes who durst do any thing in prejudice of the Holy See by Excommunicating and depriving them of the Allegiance of their Subjects In such a Condition was both the Clergy of England and Scotland in the time of King Henry the Eight of England Who being a wise Prince and disobliged by the Pope in the Marriage of Anna Bullen took the occasion of a Critical Minut to throw off the Popes Supremacy over his Clergy and to assert it for himself according to the Practice of the Kings of England And finding that his Clergy was satisfied with the change he continued the Antient Popish Hierarchy making the Bishops of his Kingdom capable of the greatest Civil Employments in it If the Reformation had begun in Scotland with publick Authority as it did in England I doubt not but Episcopacy had been continued there in place of that Church Government introduced by Knox and others after the Geneva Model Because Supream Civil Powers know how much it is their Interest to be of the Clergies side And that it is easier to have a few Church Men to manage than a Multitude Of this King James is an Example who was not only a great Favourer of the Clergy but thought it his Interest so soon as he was sole Monarch of this whole Island to establish Episcopacy in Scotland according to that Maxim No Bishop No King Now let us see what great Feats Bishops have done in the Management of the British Affairs and accordingly we should make our Judgment concerning the Agreeableness of Episcopacy and our Government which is a Limited Monarchy In the Reign of King James the First of Great-Britain there were Bishops no doubt who complyed with him in every Counsel that was for the Dishonour of his Crowns For we find the Bishop of Lincoln then Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England in his Sermon at King James his Funeral either to flatter his Successor or to impose upon the World making a paralel betwixt him and King Solomon his Text being 1 King 11.41 42 43. Now either that Bishop was perswaded of the Verity of what he preached or not If he was perswaded that King James was the Solomon of his Age then surely he could not refuse to go along with him in all his Counsels And if he preached contrary to what was his Opinion then he was capable at Command to be an Haickny Courtier In King Charles the First 's time it was Bishop Laud and others that occasioned all the Misfortunes that befel that Prince both unhappy in his Council and in his Opiniatritie In King Charles the Second's Reign we never heard of any of his Ecclesiastical Counsellors that e're Discourted themselves for disswading him from his Effeminat Way of Living or from following too much French Counsel On the
contrary we know that nothing was more preached up than Passive Obedience founded on the Prerogatives of the Kings of Israel as if the Laws of Moses had been calculat for our Kings And That nothing was more tickling to the Bishops than the Oppression of their Fellow Subjects of the Presbyterian Perswasion In the time of the late King James It is true there were some Bishops in England who stood for their Religion in Opposition of Popery yet the World knows how well natur'd the Bishops of Scotland were upon that Point And in this present Reign we all know how that Bishops of England did concur to ratifie Proclamations issued out against the Scots in the West-Indies which were of a Nature both below the Meekness of Christianity and the Generosity of the English Nation Wise Governments have always had a very mean Opinion of Church-Mens Politicks as particularly that of Venice for whenever any thing occurs of great Moment there to be debated in the Senat before any Suffrage passeth they cause Proclamation to be made for all Priests to retire It is likewise remarkable That he who is called the Divine of the State is chosen commonly such an one who is more Politician than Bigot in Religion And of such a Character was Father Pedro Paulo who wrote the History of the Council of Trent Too much Learning or Wisdom seldom agree together because for the most part too Learned Men are meer Schollars such were most of the Bishops of England which of all Men are the most dangerous when they espouse a Party For both their Learning and Zeal can concur together to make Black seem White or White Black and to impose what Opinions they please upon the well meaning People Now when such Men are perpetual Members of Parliament who have Dependence upon a Limited Monarch by virtue of a Conge d'es Lire the Laick Subjects cannot be circumspect enough about their Liberties It s known that in the time of Popery the Pride and Ambition of the Clergy was a Curse to that Civil Government where they had any medling carrying themselves always Arbitrarly and Tyrannically and committing the greatest Solecisms in Politicks And we may observe for the most part that the Clergy of our Religion who have concerned themselves with Worldly Affairs have been the greatest Promoters of Civil Distempers that have shaken the Foundations either of Church or State And the very Trumpets which have sounded to Popular Furies Martial Alarms and never better will befal Church-Men when they act without their own Sphere What should move the English to carress Church-Men for Counsellors and Members of Parliament I cannot comprehend for were their Bishops educat as the Cardinals are who are better acquainted with this World than that to come we might hope for as great an Essay of their Wit in State-Affairs as ever Cardinal Richelieu or Cardinal Mazarine did shew to the World But on the contrary they know more of the World to come and are educat altogether according their Characters of Church-Men Nor do I understand what is the Reason that there 's so just a Proportion betwixt the Living of a Nobleman and a Peasant among the English Laicks And so great a Disproportion betwixt a Bishop and a Twenty Pound Curat among their Ecclesiasticks For surely it is unjust that the Curat should be preaching the Gospel and starving at the same time Whilst his Bishop is driving to Court with a Coach and six Horses to make an handsome Leg to his Temporal Lord. I 'll now protest That the Liberty I take of writing after this manner may not give Offence to the Clergy of any Church nor that I may meet with the common Fate of Reconcilers to have Blows for my Pains being I 'm of no Party but a Lover of that Church Government which sympathizes best with the Civil Government it is joyn'd with So that if I were Subject to an Absolute Monarch I should esteem Episcopacy as most agreeable to his Government But whilst I live in Scotland or England I must love that Church Government which is least dangerous to the Peoples Liberties I leave it therefore to the Judgment of every Unbyassed Laick to determine if Presbytrie or Superintendency be not more convenient for the People of a Limited Monarchy than Episcopacy as it 's now established in England and less capable to comply with an Ambitious Prince for the undermining the Fundamental Laws of his Kingdom after the Example of the Danish Clergy which were the Instruments of making their Kings Absolute to the utter Ruine of all their Ancient Nobility I conclude with this following Character which I wish every Church-Man might merit One who is delivered of the Prepossessions and Prejudices of Complexion Education and Implicit Authority knowing that all Mankind are puzled even in the Search of the most obvious things One who can distinguish between the true Articles of Faith and the pitiful senseless Triffles of Swiming Brains One who knows That the Love of God is not Fondness nor his Justice Cruelty and that God acts not by meer Arbitrary Will but by the Perfections of his own Nature One who not forgetting to do Good Works endeavours to go to Heaven only by the Merits of Christ One whose Zeal never exceeds his Reason One who abounds with Charity Humility and Meekness One who purges Religion from all Fantastick and Unintelligible Muming and reduces it to its Native Plainness and Simplicity One who understands himself when he Prays or Preaches And lastly One who followeth in Living as near as possible the Practice of the Apostles Most happy would that People be who lived with a Church-Government composed of Members of the foresaid Character For surely Vice and Atheism would be banished nor could Priest-Crast or Knavery have any place amongst them AN ESSAY Concerning The VNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND Into one MONARCHY OF Old this Island of Great Brittain was divided into several distinct Governments amongst which there have been many bloody and fatal struglings in Defence of their respective Interests and Liberties And no doubt but untill this Day it had continued a Theater of Cruelty and Barbarity if all its Inhabitants had not been United in Subjection by the happy Succession of King James the Sixth of Scotland to the Crown of England in the year 1603. King James who did not always prefer the Interests of his Kingdoms to his own privat ends never gave a greater Testimony of his Affection to them than in the year 1604 when he proposed to the English Parliament an Union of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England Which Motion was at first embraced with the general applause of both People as the only Mean to extinguish the Memory of all former Animosities To bring that Union to a good issue the Parliaments of both Nations at his Majesties desire did nominat Commissioners to meet at Westminster which accordingly they did and agreed on several Articles to be presented to King
Alteration Lastly The French will oppose any Union betwixt England and Scotland and rather than it should succeed will follow Cardinal Richelieu's Practice in corrupting Leading Men in both Nations to foment Jealousies between them or in hireing some Mercenary English Poet or Historian to represent Scotland with all the Rancour that ill Nature and Ignorance can inspire in them The French for many years have baulked nothing that could raise their Monarchy above the Powers of their Neighbours and nothing hath been more formidable to their Designs than the Joint Force of the Island of Great-Britain when England alone had broke their Measures long e're now and brought them to Reason if it had not had Diversion at Home occasioned so often by French Counsel It 's long since Philip de Comenes said That in his time all the King of England's Ministers and great Persons had Pensions of France and gave their Acquittances upon every Receipt which were to be seen in the Chamber of Paris I shall now end this short Essay having no other Design by it than the Prosperity of Great-Britain and hopes that some Judicious Unbyassed Persons as the Learned Doctor Davenam who hath writ so many good Books for the Service of his Countrey will be at the Pains to handle this Subject in all its Particulars That all Doubts being removed from the People of both Nations there remain nothing to be done but the Action of Uniting And till they be convinced of the absolute Necessity of it my Wish is That England be out-witted in its Politicks by all its Neighbours and cheated by its States-Men into a fond Belief of its own Abilities And that Scotland continue an oppressed Nation by Courtiers and Publicans and never have a State-Council but of Mock-Politicians and Enemies to their Countrey Vis Vnita Fortior AN ESSAY UPON THE PRESENT STATE OF SCOTLAND IT 's observable that there 's a great Variety in Men both as to their Bodies and Souls conform to the different Situation of the Countries they inhabit upon which account it is that they differ so much in their Dispositions to Courage Justice Temperance Wit and Goodness And their Souls are yet more various than their Bodies that there appears sometimes a greater difference betwixt some Men and others than betwixt some Men and Beasts And as there 's a great Variety betwixt Men of different Clim's in respect of their Souls and Bodies so is there a great Disparity amongst Apprehehensions and Understandings of the People of the same Countrey proportionable to their Education which is the Reason that their Thoughts of things are not all of the same Reach and Justness There 's no Society without its Members amongst whom as there is a Sub-Ordination of Understandings so there 's a Sub-Ordination of Power and Command proportionable to the different Stations they hold in that Society whereof they are Members And hence it is That there are in every Kingdom as it is a Society People of all Characters which taken all together make up the Body Politick Being then I 'm to writ this Essay of the present State of Scotland I will give a short View both of its People and of their Affairs in the sollowing Sections SECTION I. Of the Education of Youth AS the strongest Bodies owe their Vigour in a great Measure to the first knitting of their Joynts and the most stately Trees are beholding to the hand that first planted them in an agreeable Soil So do Men owe whatever Esteem they acquire in this World to their Education The Impressions of which are strong grow up with them from their Cradle and accompany them to their very Graves Hence is it That the most wise and understanding Law-givers of different Nations thought it their noblest Work to prescribe Rules for the early Institution of Youth The Number of Schools and Universities in Scotland is enough to impose upon the World that there are used in them all the reasonable Means for instructing of young People in Languages Arts and Sciences But when one comes to examine the Methods and Formalities of Masters in Teaching he will soon be undeceived To look into a Grammar-School one will find an Assembly of Boys of different Capacities smuttering of Latin one who hath spent four Years at School another three and a third more or less yet there shall not be one of fourty who hath made the Proficiency in the Latin that another Boy will do in any Modern Language with half a Years teaching Surely there must be some Reason for this that either proceeds from the Difficulty of that Language or from some other Cause But that the Latin is attainable in a short time we have the Example of many young People and likewise of Accursius the Famous Lawyer who was fourty Years old when he first studied Latin Nevertheless he hath left some Volumes to the World in that Language The Causes therefore of Childrens slow Progress in the Latin to me seem to be First The Formality and Affectedness of Parents putting their Children too young to School before they have the Sense or Patience to apply themselves or without considering whether they design them for Employments that require no Knowledge of Latin Secondly The wrong and pedantick Method Schoolmasters take in teaching their Scholars For how absurd is it that they should teach them Latin in the same Tongue they do not understand and after a very tedious manner charge their Memories with Rules and Precepts which they no sooner learn than they forget Next To examine the way of Teaching in our Colledges we will find that young Students bestow only half a year upon the Greek which is so useful a Language to the Learned and allow three years to learn Errour and Nonsence For in place of Euclid's Elements and a good System of Experimental Philosophy they study large Volumes of Logicks and Metaphyficks which are fit only to subtilize their Brains being the true Cobweb-learning of this World soon wrought and soon forgot Seing that the Education of Youth contributes so much to the making Men capable either to serve themselves or their Country The Commissioners appointed to visit Schools Colledges ought to take special Care both to oblige Masters to practise good Methods in Teaching and to encourage most the learning of Mathematicks and parts of Experimental Philosophy Because it s from them we have our Learned Physitians Mechanicks Sea-men Engineers which are of more value to the Publick than thinking Men that are Learned only in Triffles and who chuse the study of General Physicks and Metaphysicks for Disput's sake It were for the Advantage of this Nation That no Boys be put to learn Latin that are designed by their Parents or Friends to be Merchants Mechanicks or Husband-men For how ridiculous is it that they should consume so many years in learning a Language which is forgot in one year if not practised and neglect the study of their own Language and other Modern
Members of Parliament been wheedled into a Complyance with their former Kings to destroy their Constituents Liberties if they had not had the true Representation of the Affairs of the Nation laid down before them by some honest sensible Men Which did serve as a Polestare to steer their Course by and to excite them to Diligence in their Duty Secondly A Habeas Corpus will prevent Poples being punished above the Merit of their Crimes and of this Injustice the Emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius were sensible when in their Constitutions l. 5. Cod. de Custod Rerum it is ordained that those who were shut up in Prison be either convicted and punished in due time if Guilty or Absolved if Innocent The Words of the Text are De his quos tenet carcer inclusos id aperta definitione sanximus ut aut convictos velox paena subdueat aut liberandos Custodia diuturna non maceret Thirdly That there be an Act establishing a Council of Trade the Nature of which I have touched a little in the Section of the Commons For Trade is of so great Moment to any Nation which wishes to make a Figure amongst its Neighbours That in a word either it must understand it in all its Mazes or must resolve to follow the Old Patriarchs way of living which is to confine it self only to what Nature requires For which reason it is requisit that there be a Council of Trade whose Business it should be to lay down good and rational Measures for managing it and for Curbing all the little tricks which discourage People to Traffick Fourthly That the Army be reduced to as few as are only necessary for puting the Laws in Execution and for preserving Peace at home Because every wise Nation that hath its freedom and a power to observe the fundamental Laws of its Constitution never keeps more Soldiers in time of Peace than are sufficient to protect the Execution of of Justice I am sorry therefore That we have neither Money to mantain so many brave Men that are in our Troops nor at present any advantageous service to employ them in which might make them useful to this Kingdom Unless we had got a Right to part of of the King of Spains Testament which was lately made by the care of his Neighbours Fifthly That a good Method be fall'n on for regulating our Militia and a Fund provided for mantaining broken Officers who may be useful to Oversee them For it were hard that Gentlemen who some time or other may be capable to serve their Country should be exposed to the Inconveniencies of Poverty Sixthly That all good Laws be made for encouraging Shipping which is and ought to be both the Offensive and Defensive force of this Kingdom Seventhly That there be an Act declaring That no Pensioner shall be capable to Vote in Parliament or any body that hath his immediat Livelihood from His Majesty Because it is to be supposed that all Pensioners will prefer the Humor of their Benefactor to the Interest of their Country Eightly That a new Committee of Parliament be appointed every half year to supply the places of Privy Counsellors to his Majesty And the Advantages of such an Act are evident to every Body that knows the Practices of a Privy Council composed of Courtiers By these and such Acts the Affairs of this Kingdom can be brought to so good a State that not only it may provide for it's own Safety and Treasure but likewise be in a Condition either to separat from England or to unite with it As the Wisdom of this Nation shall find it convenient That there is a Necessity for Scotland either to unite with England or separat from it is evident by the Experience of 97 years In which time this loose and irregular Tye of the Crowns in place of an Union of Hearts Hands and Civil Interest hath only given Occasion to ill disposed Persons in both Kingdoms to foment continual Jealousies and Animosities betwixt them And to the English an Opportunity of crushing every thing that can make for the Interest of Scotland Instances of which are innumerable and some of them are but too fresh in our Memories I have already shewed the Advantages of an Union to both Kingdoms in the preceeding Essay and there is no Person more capable to bring that noble Work to a happy issue than his present Majesty who therefore ought to be Addressed for that end by the Parliaments of both Nations that they may have the Liberty to sit at the same time for adjusting all Matters that relate to that important Affair But if the English continue to neglect and delay to unite with Scotland upon reasonable Terms the Scots only Interest will be to mind their own Business for the future so that whatever War may happen to England let them ly aside preserving Peace both at Home and Abroad and making the best Advantage they can either of their Neighbours Circumstances or their own Knowing that tho' his Britannick Majesty can declare War against any of his Neighbouring Princes by virtue of his Prerogative yet he cannot oblige his Scots Subjects to furnish Money for carrying it on unless they please and find it for their Interest Which is impossible so long as there is no greater Union betwixt England and Scotland than at present For ever since our Kings Accession to the Crown of England the English have always used the Scots as the Ape did the Cat 's Clutch to pull the Chesnut out of the Fire Let us therefore apply our selves to Frugality and Honesty and to every thing that can put this Nation above the Contempt of its Neighbours Let us acknowledge King William for our Monarch so long as he liveth and till the Hour of his Death let us never so much as talk of a Successor to him nor Cabal either for the Prince of Wales or Hannover But may we for once mind our selves having already been too fond of procuring Kings to the English Throne who have only made use of us to serve their own ends At his present Majesties Death if there be no Successor which is already provided by Law and if this Kingdom be not united with England Experience will teach us how to dispose of our Government And no doubt but Scotland is as able to subsist of it self by the Industry and Wisdom of its People as well as many petty Governments in Europe I will now end putting the present Members of Parliament in Mind That seing in all probability his Majesty will not ratifie that Resolve of Parliament concerning Darien without which according to my Opinion there 's none of his Scots Subjects that did contribute for that Expedition but by Law may be pursued as Pirats or their Abettors Or must accept of a Dishonourable Remission I say then in the mean time let the Members accept of all other good Laws his Majesty will be pleased to grant and especially the Act for a Biennial Parliament without which I would not give a Farthing for a thousand good Laws because they will all be broke for want of Execution But never let them give more Taxes during his Majesties Life which are not for advancing some Publick Benefit to the Kingdom And by so doing we will testify to all the World that the Scots are not to blame for being branded with the Ignominious Crime of Piracy Having had all the Right that the Law of Nations could give them for taking Possession of such a Place Being then the Honour and Safety of this Ancient Kingdom the Advantages that may accresce to it for the future and it 's own present Happiness do in a word depend absolutely upon the steddy and honest Conduct of the Members of this Parliament Let therefore every Member who shall prefer his privat Interest to that of the Publick be an Abomination to all Honest Scotsmen Who I hope shall have no more reason to complain to Providence in the Words of Lucan Faelix Roma quidem Civesque habitura superbos Si Libertatis Superis tam Cura placeret Quam Vindicta placet FINIS