Duties For the Poverty of this Nation and the smalness of Trade doth occasion That Land-Estates are frequently shifted from hand to hand the present Masters making all they can so long as they keep Possession of them And are sure to rack every Tenent in his Duty when they are disposed to sell them for drawing the greater Price from the Buyers Who so soon as they are Masters of their new Purchases are not at the Pains to consider the Nature of their Soils whether they are capable to produce both their Duties and a Livelyhood to the Husband-men but go on after such a manner that in few Years nothing will answer their Tenents Arrears but the seizing of all they have and turning them a begging with a numerous Family Which is an Injury not only done to the poor Tenents but to the People who must provide for their Sustenance by Charity As Husbandry is the greatest Riches of this State so it ought to contribute with all its power to maintain it and provide that all Laws made for it's improvement be put to due Execution It is therefore requisit that there were appointed by Act of Parliament some Judicious Gentlemen of every County to be chosen annually by Land-Proprietars of 40 Pounds Sterlin a Year and above who should have power to decide all Controversies arising betwixt Master and Tenent for it is not just that the Master should be both Judge and Party as it often happens in Baron-Courts and to inquire into the Rental of every Heritor That so they may provide that no Farms be over-valued according to the Caprice of the Master when he gives new Leases And such an Inquisition would be no Imposition on Gentlemen because they would be only hindered from abusing their own to the prejudice of the Publick According to that Maxim of Law Reipublicoe interest ne quis re sua male utatur And it would be the Advantage of the Master not only to set reasonable Duties on his Farms whereby the Husbandman may be both able and encouraged to improve his Estate by all kinds of Inclosure but likewise to parcel out his Estate into as few Farms as he can conveniently For if a Farm that pays 20 Pounds Sterlin a Year hath as great a Family to entertain as a Farm that pays 40 Pounds Sterlin surely he that payeth the 20 Pounds can never be in so good a Case either to pay his Master or to cultivar his Farm as he that payeth the 40 Pounds who hath not only double his Profit but likewise as small a Family to entertain A Gentleman then that would take reasonable Methods to improve his Land-Estate ought never to heighten his Tenents but proportionably to the mprovement of their Farms Which in a few Years could be so improv'd that the Rental of his Estate can be doubled without Hazard of making any Beggers SECTION III. Of the Clergy THe first Foundation of the Happiness of a State is the Establishment of the Reign of God to whose immediat Servants who are the Clegy we owe all the Honour and Respect the Love of Religion can inspire into us provided they are distinguishable from other People by the Character of their Office which is composed of Christian Virtues Such as Innocence of Life Soundness of Doctrine in things essential to Salvation and Love and Charity to all Men. And by these Virtues it was that the first Preachers of the Gospel did gain Credit to the Christian Religion from the most obstinat Heathen Philosophers The most of the Clergy of Scotland are Men of mean Extraction and owe to their Education their Opiniatritie in things indifferent For what must be expected from Men that never read any Authors but those that make for that Party their Fathers or Friends have design'd them to follow but that they will Dispute for it so long as conveniently they can And when ever Reason fails them they 'll protect it with all the Passions and Impertinencies imaginable And hence is the Reason that most part of the Divines that are educat in the Northern Universities amongst the Northern Gentry are inclined to the Episcopal Government Whilst many of those that are educat in the Southern Universities are inclined to the Presbyterian It 's strange that Men have been so extravagant and made such Stirs in this World about the things of another that instead of making us happy here as well as hereafter by following the Fundamental Rule of Christian Religion to Love the Lord our God with all our Hearts and our Neighbours as our Selves We have only practised a Rule much contrary to hate and destroy our Neighbour for Zeal to God's Worship Which no doubt hath given Occasion to Unthinking Men frequently to let pass for good Coin this Saying Fallere vis Plebem Finge Deum Was it not sufficient That by the Reformation most of the People of this Kingdom have ben brought to the true Knowledge of the Christian Religion What then hath occasioned the one half of the Reformed so to separat from the other in the mutual Duty of Love and Charity which both the same Countrey and Religion obliged them to observe Or why hath this Disease of Church-Government so affected this Kingdom as to destroy its natural Force to ruine all Prospect of Trade to give so often Temptation to our Kings to enchroach upon our Liberties and to fill the Learned World with many useless Volumes and hundreds of ridiculous Pamphlets In Scotland the Religion before the Reformation was that of Rome the Care and Pains of whose Priests were spent in inlarging their Wealth and Authority and not in informing the Minds of the People in Piety and Honesty That Religion was so adorned with Gaudy Ceremonies that the Splendor and Pomp of them served only to amuse the Minds of the Common People who like Men in an Amazement or Wonder could never recollect themselves for examining which was the true Religion Its Priests did challenge the Remission of Sins and took the Liberty both to number and to tax them so that if the Party Confessing was Rich Paradise did go at a great rate And if the Party was Poor the Priests did exercise their Authority with the greater Severity It hath been a great Advantage to the Romish Clergy that they had the Wit to invent the Mass for who can forbear the paying a profound respect to them that by a Whisper can produce so Venerable a Victime The number of the Sacraments was invented for Priests to squeeze the Pockets of the Laicks and Good Works to be a Spur to excite their Ambitious Piety to enrich the Church Purgatory was invented to make separat Souls a Merchandable Commoditie and the Invocation of Saints to increase the Authority of the Clergy who by their Suffrage could advance any Body they pleased to the Court of Heaven But at present to give the Romish Hierarchy its due since the Heat and Defection of the first Reformers was over it hath so
THE INTEREST OF SCOTLAND IN THREE ESSAYS VIZ. I. Of the true Original and Indifferency of Church-Government II. Of the Union of Scotland and England into one Monarchy III. Of the present State of Scotland Conamur tenues Grandia Printed in the Year 1700. TO THE Nobility and Gentry OF SCOTLAND My Lords and Gentlemen A Man who maketh the Publick Concern his own and an Author that Dedicats his Works to any Society of People the one must resolve to have the Sense of his Duty for a reward And the other Men of all Characters for his Patrons But Men that live together in a regular Society are very much deceived when they think it sufficient for their Happiness to scrape together plentiful Estates without concerning themselves how the publick Business of their Country is managed For how can they be secure either in their Enjoyment if the Laws don't protect them Or how can they Hope for Good Laws if they don't concern themselves with that Assembly which hath the Legislative power Rome owes not her Greatness to her Founders who were a parcel of People Born and Nurs'd up in Murders and Plunderings and trained in all sort of Villanies but to their Successors who became Wise Frugal Just and passionatly studious of Virtue and Glory till at last they overtop'd in power all their Neighbours Nor could any thing have put a stop to their Empire till privat Men did prefer their own gain to the Interest of the Publick Then was it that in the time of the Emperor Tiberius all ran headlong into Slavery The Consuls the Senat the Gentry And the Nobler the Person was the greater hast he made to ruine his Country My Lords You are Hereditary Members of Parliament so that both your Titles of Honour and your privat Interests oblige your Lordships to be the Pillars and Supporters of your Country By managing all it's Concerns without the least byass from that true Virtue which inspired some of your Forefathers to appear Heroes for this Nation And you Gentlemen who are Members of Parliament both your Duty to your Countrey to your Friends and to your selves will stare you in the Face if you do any thing against the Interest of any of them And you that are not Members of Parliament how necessary is it for the Security of your Lives Liberties and Properties that good Laws be made and every thing removed that may endanger them Be therefore diligent in putting the Members of Parliament in mind of their Duty and let the most sensible of you who have Families and Estates to care for endeavour to fill the Places of the Representatives of Parliament when any are vacant that by your Honesty and Wisdom every Misfortune may be avoided that hath threatned this Nation from Members that have neither Fortune nor Reputation to preserve Whilst the Parliament contains Men of Courage and Publick Spirit who can neither be bought nor frighted Matters cannot long proceed amiss And 't is hardly conceivable what Esteem is payed to Men of steddy Principles even by their Enemies their very Words and Actions are admired and followed so long as they live Whereas busy Intriguers after Places and Pensions are contemptible to the very Men of whom they are the wretched Instruments to enslave their Countrey Therefore My Lords and Gentlemen If these Essays can demonstrat any way the Interest of this Nation I will have my Design both in Writing and Dedicating of them to you on whom dependeth the greatest part of the Happiness of your Countrey My Lords and Gentlemen Yours c. This Book being printed in haste these Errors have escaped the Correction of the Press which the Reader is desired to mend with his Pen. Page 8. line 8. for was read were p. 32. l. 8. f. Pedro. r. Pietro p. 44. l. 28. f. Unite r. Act. p. 54. l. 17. f. have r. hath p. 100. l. 9. f. part r. Party The Contents of the Essay upon the present State of Scotland The Introduction Page 65 Section I. Of the Education of Youth Page 67 Sect. II. Of the Commons Page 73 Sect. III. Of the Clergy Page 81 Sect. IV. Of the Nobility and Gentry Page 86 Sect. V. Of the King and Parliament Page 89 Sect. VI. That a mixt Government cannot increase in Wealth and Power but by the Honesty and Wisdom of it's Members of Parliament Page 95 Sect. VII What Measures this present Parliament ought to take for recovering the Abuses of former Reigns and putting this Nation into a constant Course of Thriving Page 103 AN ESSAY CONCERNING The true Original and Indifferency OF Church Government ALL Christians are taught by Divine Revelation that they are the Off-spring of one Man and one Woman for whose sin being condemned to Ignorance they are prone to Vice and subject to unruly Passions which hurries them on in the Commission of Evil and causes Rapine and Violence to triumph in the World It was only a few of the first Ages that retained any knowledg of God and of His Worship all the rest being left to the Dictats of Nature to provide what they should find convenient for themselves Till mutual fear of being oppressed one by another did oblige them to unite into Communities Then arose Command and Obedience which ever have been the support of all humane Affairs the Bond of all Society and the Spirit of every Body Politick which inables all it's Members to live in Unity So long as the World was divided into petty Governments equal in strength amongst themselves the greatest Ambition of each Mortal was the Interest of that Society whereof he was a Member so that Self-preservation had the same force to keep him to his duty that Religion hath almost upon us at present But so soon as some of those Communities did contract a Friendship and Assurance amongst themselves perhaps some particular Member whose ill Nature and Ambition over-reached the Wit of his Fellows did engage them to league together and to assault their Neighbouring Governments compelling them one after another to submit and trudge for their Maintainance whilst they loitered at home in ease and plenty and from such oppressive means we may suppose did spring the Assyrian Empire which is the first made mention of in History the Founder of which was Nimrod who had the Art to cheat his Companions into a Compliance with himself for oppressing their Neighbours and to get himself chosen their Captain that he might at last be able to buble them of their Liberties and to become their absolute Monarch So Self-preservation that great Motive which kept his Fore-fathers in aw being no longer in use to preserve in order that new moudled Empire there was a necessity of some Model of Civil Government to make all its Members live regularly and to follow the different professions assigned them that Corporations Colledges and every Civil Community might have their use and that the distinction of Absolute and Subordinate Powers might come in fashion
and Parliaments for their Ratification But in the year 1608 the English Parliament would approve only the Article for abolishing all Hostile Laws that had been in use against either Nation before King James his Arrival in England The Reason I suppose made England neglect that opportunity of Uniting with Scotland was That either it was not sensible of the Advantages it might gain by such an Union tho the judicious Lord Verulam did endeavour to demonstrat them by his Grave Speech or That the Parliament of England did suspect their new Monarch of having some other design than the Interests of his Kingdoms by that Union of which he was the first proposer King Charles the first who was brave Magnificent and but too constant in adhering to ill Counsel was most of his life so harrassed by his own Subjects that he never had time to think upon that Union which his Father could not finish And Cromwel who after but chering of him usurped his Power never thought any further of the Interest of Britain but to gratifie his own Ambition King Charles the Second after his Restoration to his Kingdoms had all the opportunity possible that Ease and plenty could afford him to promot their mutual Happiness did therefore propose an Union betwixt Scotland and England in the Year 1670 and did nominat for that end several Commissioners under his great Seal but all to no purpose because such an Union could not sympathize with the Politicks of these days which were to divide after such manner the People of the whole Island in Religion and Interest that by continually playing one party against another His Majesty might be in a Condition to sway the Scepter in Peace and to introduce into his Kingdoms any Religion suited best with his Humour And for King James he was so little inclined to promot an Union that the thoughts of another World did wholly extinguish any Concern he might have had for advancing the Interest of his Kingdoms in this His present Majesty hath done many great Actions both for the well fare of his Kingdoms and for his own Reputation yet ther 's nothing can contribute more to the Glory of his Family than Uniting the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into one Monarchy So that when he distributes Justice both their Interests being the same none of them will have reason to complain He hath already several times recommended an Union to the English Parliament but it were to be wish'd that His Majesty would be pleased to ordain effectual Means to be used for that end There 's an Union already betwixt both Nations in Language Customs Religion and in Subjection which cannot last unless both Governments be united into one Body Politick And to Consummat that there must be a great Zeal and Frankness in the Members of both Parliaments That all triffling and amusing preliminary Articles being forgot Commissioners may be deputed from them both Men of Honour and Probity no Courtiers but free of all prejudice against either Nation for the better adjusting the two following Articles The First is That the Parliaments in Name of both Kingdoms may consent to joyn together for making up one Parliament of Great Britain The Second is That for the taking away all difference about Place that may arise among the Nobility of both Kingdoms let them be Marshalled interchangeably As for Example First The Eldest Duke of England then the Eldest Duke of Scotland and so on until the Nobility of the whole Island be marked in one Catalogue as Peers of the Kingdom of Great Britain If these two Articles can be agreed to all danger of Uniting the two Kingdoms will be over and there 's no doubt but that all useful Laws can be made afterwards without the least stop that are requisit for supporting this new moulded Empire But before I proceed to shew what Laws would be useful I must remove some Objections that the learned Sir George Mackenzie hath made against the Parliament of Scotland's having power to agree to the foresaid two Articles in his Observations upon King James his Act of Parliament concerning the Union and the Answers to his Objections may prevent the like to be made against the power of the Parliament of England in the same case being both Parliaments of England and Scotland are of of the same Nature The first Argument is That the Members of the Scots Parliament for Shires and Burghs are the same with us That the Procuratores Universitatis are in the Civil Law But the Procuratores Universitatis could not alienat the Rights of their Constituents without a special Mandat for that effect l. 63. de pro Neither can the Parliament of Scotland alter the Fundamentals of their Constitution without the Consent of their Constituents It 's answered That the Members for Shires and Burroughs are not the same with the Procuratores Universitatis because by virtue of their Commissions they have absolute power to Vote for every point which they think can contribute to the safety of the Nation And they are bound only by Oath of Parliament to Act as Men of Conscience and not as Men who have particular Instructions from their Constituents And it was by that power they altered their Primitive Constitution by Voting out a Third State of Parliament in the beginning of his present Majestys Reign Much rather can they in the Name of their Constituents agree with the Parliament of England to the two foresaid Articles being they 'l contribute so much for their Advantage The second Argument is That the Commissioners for Shires Burroughs are only impowered to represent their Constituents in the Parliament of Scotland but if the Parliament of Scotland be made a part of the Parliament of Great Britain the Parliament of Scotland can be said no longer to exist and consequently the Commissions of all its Members fall till they be renewed empowering them to sit in the Parliament of Great Britain It 's Answered That by the Answer to the first Argument we see that the Parliament of Scotland hath an absolute power to agree to the foresaid Articles so that afterward they may ask new Commissions from their respective Constituents to Unite as Members of the Parliament of Great Britain And when both Nations are perswaded of the Advantages of an Union there can be no impediment to it The third Argument is That the Union of Parliaments requires the full Assent of the Members of both Parliaments So that if any Member dissent The Union of both Parliaments must stop Because the Power of making Laws and the Right to retain or resign Priviledges are two different things The one is a a Legislative Power which is regulated by a Plurality of Voices The other is founded upon Dominion and Property and is not subject to Suffrage no more than other Properties are It 's Answered to this last Argument That it 's granted the Property of any Member of a private Society cannot be taken away from