Review of Brambles Warning Against the Scots Discipline, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
The Preſbytery is hurtfull to no order of men.
PRaelaticall malice is exorbitant beyond the bounds of all shew of moderation: The Warners outrage againſt the Presbyterywas it not enough to have calumniat the Presbytery to Kings, Princes and Soveraignes, to Parliaments and all Courts of Juſtice, to people and all particular perſons, but yet a new chapter muſt be made to shew in it the hurtfullnes of Presbytery to all orders of men: wee muſt have patience to ſtand a little in the unſavoury aire of this vomite alſo.The Praelats were conſtant oppreſſors: of the Nobility and gentry.
Unto the nobility and gentry the Presbitery muſt be hurtfull, becauſe it ſubjecteth them to the cenſures of a raw heady novice and a few ignorant artificers. Anſ. Its good that our praelats are now turned pleaders againſt the oppreſſion of the Nobility and gentry: its not long ſince the praelatical clergy were accuſtomed to ſet their ſoule feet on the necks of the greateſt peeres of the three Kingdomes with to high a pride and preſſure; that to shake of their yock, no ſuffering, no hazard has been refuſed by the beſt of the Nobility and gentry of Britaine: but natures and principles are ſo eaſy to be changed, that no man now needs feare any more oppreſſion from the praelats, though they were ſet downe again and wel warned in their repaired throns.
But to the challenge we anſwer, The way of the Scotes Presbytery is incomparably better then that of the Engliſh Epiſcopacy.that the meaneſt Eldership of a ſmall Congregation in Scotland conſiſts of the Paſtor, and a dozen (at leaſt) of the moſt wiſe pious and learned that are to be found in the whole flock; which yet the Warner heer makes to be judges but of the common people in matters of ſmalleſt moment. But for the claſſicall Presbytery, to which he referres the Eccleſiaſticall cauſes of the Nobility and gentry, and before whom indeed every Church proceſſe of any conſiderable weight or difficulty does come, though it concerne the perſons of the meaneſt of the people, this Presbytery does conſiſt ordinarly of fifeteen Miniſters (at leaſt) and fifeteen of the moſt qualified noblemen, gentlemen and Burgeſſes, which the circuit of fifteen parishes can affoord, theſe (I hope) may make up a judicatory of a great deale more worth then any officiall court, which conſiſts but of one judge, a petty mercenary lawyer, to whoſe care alone the whole Eccleſiaſtick juriſdiction over all the Nobility and gentry of diverſe shyres is committed, and that without appeale as the Warner has told us, except it be to a Court of delegats; a miſerable releefe that all the Nobility, gentry and Commons of a Kingdome, who are oppreſſed by Epiſcopall officials, have no other remedie but to goe attende a Committee of two or three civilians at London deputed for the diſcuſſing of ſuch appeales.
The Presbyterian courſe is much more ready, ſolide and equitable: if any grievance ariſe from the ſentence of a Preſbytery, a Synode twice a yeare doth ſit in the bounds, and attends for a week, or if need be, longer, to determine all appeales, and redreſſe all grievances: now the Synode does conſiſt of all the Miniſters within the bounds, which ordinarly are of diverſe whole shyres as that of Glaſgow, of the upper and neather ward of Clidſedaile, Baerranfrow, Lennox, Kile, Carrick and Cunninghame; alſo beſide Miniſters, the conſtant members who have deciſive voice in Synodes, are the chiefe Noblemen, Gentlemen and Burgeſſes of all theſe shyres, among whom their be ſuch parts for judgment as are not to be found nor expected in any inferiour civil Court of the Kingdom, yet if it fall out ſo, that any party be grieved with the ſentence of a Synode, there is then a farther and finall appeale in a Generall aſſembly, which conſiſts of as many Burgeſſes and more Gentlemen from every shire of the Kingdome then come to any Parliament: beſide the prime Nobility and choiſeſt Miniſtry of the land; having the Kings Majeſtie in perſone, or in his abſence, his high Commiſſioner to be their praeſident. This meeting yeerly (or oftner, if need be) ſits ordinarly a month; and if they think fit, longer: the number, the wiſedome, the eminency of the members of this Court is ſo great, that beſide the unjuſtice, it were a very needleſſe labour to appeal from it to the Parliament, for (as we have ſaid) the King or his high Commiſſioner, ſits in both meetings albeit in a differēt capacity: the number and qualification of knights and Burgeſſes is ever large as great in the aſſembly as in the Parliament: only the difference is, that in the Parliament all the Nobility in the Kingdom ſit without any election and by virtue of their birth, but in the Aſſembly only who for age, wiſedome and piety are choſen by the Presbyteries as fitteſt to judge in Eccleſiaſtick affairs: but to make up this oddes of the abſence of ſome Noblemen, the Aſſembly is alwayes adorned with above ane hundred of the choifeſt Paſtors of the whole land, none whereof may ſit in Parliament: nothing that can conciliate authority to a Court, or can be found in the Nation, is wanting to the generall aſſembly; how baſely ſo ever our praelats are pleaſed to trample upon it.
The ſecond alledged hurt which the Nobility have from the Presbytery, All queſtions about patronages in Scotland are now ended.is the loſſe of their patronages by congregations electing their Paſtors. Anſ. Howſoever the judgment of our Church about patronages is no other then that of the Reformed divines abroad, yet have our Presbyteries alwayes with patience endured patrons to preſent unto vacant Churches, till the Parliament now at laſt hath taken away that grievance.
The Nobilities laſt hurt by the Presbytry is their loſſe of all their impropriations and Abey-lands. The poſſeſſors of Church lands were ever feared for Bishops, but never for the Presbytery.Anſ. How Sycophantick an accuſation is this? for who knowes not, how farre the whole generation of the praelaticke faction doe exceed the higheſt of the Presbyterians in zeale againſt that which they call Sacriledge? never any of the Presbyterians did attempt either by violence, or a courſe of Law, to put out any of the Nobility or gentry from their poſſeſſions of the Church-lands, but very lately the threats and vigorous activity of the praelats, and their followers were ſo vehement in this kinde, that all the Nobility and gentry who had any intereſt, were wackned (to purpoſe) to take heed of their rights. In the laſt Parliament of Scotland when the power of the Church was as great as they expect to ſee it againe, though they obtained the abolition of patronages, yet were the poſſeſſors of the Church-lands and tythes ſo little harmed that their rights therto were more cleerly and ſtrongly confirmed, then by any praeceding Parliament.
The fourth hurt is that every ordinary Presbyter wil make himſelfe a Noblemans fellow. Anſ. No where in the World does gracious Miniſters (though meane borne men) receive more reſpect from the Nobility then in Scotland: neither any where does the Nobility and gentry receive more duely their honour then from the Miniſters there. That inſolent ſpeach fathered on Mr. Robert Bruce is demonſtrat to be a fabulous calumny in the hiſtoricall vindication.
However the Warner may know that in all Europe where Bishops have place, it hes ever, (at leaſt theſe 800 yeares) been their nature to trample under foot the higheſt of the Nobility. As the Pope muſt be above the Emperour, ſo a little Cardinal Bellarmin can tell to King Iames, that hee may well be counted a companion of any Ilander King: were the Bishops in Scotland ever content, till they got in Parliament the right hand and the neareſt ſeates to the throne, and the doore of the greateſt Earles, Marqueſſes and duks? was it not Epiſcopacy, that did advance poore and capricious pedants to ſtrive for the whyte ſtaves & great Seales of both Kingdomes, with the prime Nobility; and often overcome them in that ſtrife? In Scotland I know, and the Warner will aſſure for England and Ireland, that the baſeſt borne of his brethren hes ruff led it in the ſecreet counſel, in the royall Exchequer, in the higheſt courts of juſtice, with the greateſt Lords of the Land: its not ſo long, that yet it can be forgotten, The praelats continue to annull the being of al the reformed Churches for their want of Epiſcopacy.ſince a Bishop of Galloway had the modeſty to give unto a Marquiſe of Argile, tanta mont to a broadly in his face at the counſel table. The Warner shall doe well to reckon no more with Presbyters for braving of Noblemen.
The nixt hee will have to bee wronged by the Presbytery are the orthodoxe clergy. Anſ. All the Presbyterians to him (it ſeemes) are heterodoxe; Epiſcopacy is ſo neceſſary a truth that who denies it, muſt be ſtamped as for a grievous errour with the character of heterodox. The following words cleere this to be his mind, they loſſe (ſaith hee) the confortable aſſurance of undoubted ſucceſſion by Epiſcopall ordination: what ſence can be made of theſe words, but that all Miniſters who are not ordained by Bishops, muſt lie under the confortleſſe uncertainty of any lawfull ſucceſſion in their miniſteriall charge, for want of this ſucceſſion through the lineall deſcent of Bishops from the Apoſtles; at leaſt for want of ordination by the hands of Bishops, as if unto them only the power of miſſion and ordination to the Miniſtry were committed by Chriſt: becauſe of this defect the Presbyterian Miniſters muſt not only want the confort of an aſſured and undoubted calling to the Miniſtry, but may very well know and be aſſured that their calling and Miniſtry is null. The words immediatly following are ſcraped out after their printing: for what cauſe the author leſt knoweth: but the purpoſe in hand makes it probable, that the deletted words did expreſſe more of his mind, then it was ſafe in this time and place to ſpeake out: it was the late doctrine of Doctor Brambles prime friends, that the want of Epiſcopall ordination did not only annull the calling of all the Miniſters of France, Holland, Zwit-zerland, and Germany, but alſo did hinder all theſe ſocieties to be true Churches: for that popular Sophiſme of the Jeſuits our praelats did greedily ſwallow; where are no true Sacraments, there is no true Church; and where is no true Miniſtry, there are no true Sacraments; and where no true ordination, there is no true miniſtry; and where no Bishops, there is no true ordination: and ſo in no reformed country but in England and Ireland where were true Bishops, is any true Church. When Epiſcopacy comes to this height of elevation, that the want of it muſt annuall the Miniſtry, yea null the Church and all the Reformed at one ſtrock, is it any mervaill, that all of them doe concurre together for their own preſervation, to abolish this inſolent abaddon and deſtroyer? and notwithſtanding all its ruine have yet no diſconfort at all, nor any the leaſt doubt of their moſt lawfull ordination by the hands of the Presbytry.
After all this was writen, is heer it ſtands, The Praelats are ſo baſelie injurious to all the reformed Churches that their ſelfes are aſhamed of it.another copie of the Warners book was brought to my hand wherin I found the deleted line ſtand printed in theſe diſtinct tearmes, and put it to a dangerous queſtion whither it be within the payle of the Church, the deciphering of theſe words puts it beyond all peradventure that what I did conjecture of the Warner and his Brethrens minde, of the ſtate of all the reformed Churches, was no mis-take, but that they doe truely judge the want of Epiſcopall ordination to exclude all the Miniſters of other Reformed Churches, and their flocks alſo from the lines of the true Church. This indeed is a moſt dangerous queſtion: for it ſtricks at the root of all. If the Warner out of remorſe of conſcience had blotted out of his book that errour, the repentance had been commendable: But he hes left ſo much yet behind unſcraped out, as does shew his minde to continue what it was, ſo that feare alone to provoke the reformed heere at this unſeaſonable time, ſeemes to have been the cauſe of deleting theſe too cleare expreſſions of the praelaticall tenet againſt the very being and ſubſiſtence of all the Proteſtant Churches, which want Epiſcopacy, when theſe mē doe ſtill ſtand upon the extreame pinacle of impudency and arrogance, denying the Reformed to be true Churches, and without ſcuple averring Rome as shee ſtands this day, under the counſel of Trent, to be a Church moſt true, wherin there is an eaſy way of ſalvation, from which all ſeparation is needleſſe, and with which a re-union were much to be deſired? That gracious faction this day is willing enough to perſwade, or at leaſt to reſt content without any oppoſition that the King should of himſelfe without and before a Parliament, (though contrary to many ſtanding Lawes) grant under his hand and ſeale a full liberty of Religion to the bloody Irish, and to put in their hands, both armes, Caſtles and prime Places of truſt in the State; that the King should give aſſurance of his endeavour, to get all theſe ratified in the nixt Parliament of England, theſe men can heare with all moderation and patience: but behold their furious impatience, their whole art and induſtry is wakned, when they heare of any appearance of the Kings inclination towards covenanting Proteſtants: night and day they beate in his Majeſties head, that all the miſchieves of the world does lurke in that miſerable covenant, that death and any misfortune, that the ruine of all the Kingdomes ought much rather to bee imbraced by his Majeſtie, then that prodigious Monſter, that very hell of the Covenant, becauſe forſooth it doth oblige in plane tearmes the taker to endeavour (in his ſtation) the abolition of their great Goddeſſe, praelacy.
The nixt hurt of Miniſters from the Presbytry, The generality of the Epiſcopal clergy have ever been covered with ignorance, beggery, and contempt.is, that by it they are brought to ignorance, contempt and beggery. Anſ. Whither Epiſcopacy or Presbytry is the fitteſt inſtrument to avert theſe evills, let reaſon or experience teach men to judge. The Presbyteriall diſcipline doth oblige to a great deale of ſeverer tryalls in all ſort of learning requiſite in a divine before ordination then doth the Epiſcopall: let either the rule or practiſe of Presbyterian and Epiſcopall ordination be compared or the weekly Exerciſes and monthly diſputations in Latine upon the controverted heads be looked upon which the Presbytry exacts of every Miniſter after his ordination all the dayes of his life: for experience let the French, Dutch and Scots divines who have been or yet are, be compared with the ordinary generation of the English Clergie, and it will be found, that the praelats have not great reaſon ſo ſuperciliouſly to look downe with contempt upon their Brethrens learning. I hope, Cartwright, Whitaker, Perkins, Reynolds, Parker, Ames, and other Presbyterian English were inferior in learning to none of their oppoſits: ſome of the English Bishops has not wanted good ſtore of learning, but the moſt of them (I beleeve) wilbe content to leave of boaſting in this ſubject, what does the Warner ſpeake to us of ignorance, contempt and Beggery? does not all the world know, that albeit ſome few, ſcarce one of twenty, did brook good benefices, yea plurality of them whereby to live in ſplendor at Court, or where they liſted in their non-reſidency, nevertheleſſe it hath been much complained, that the greateſt parte of the prieſts, who had the cure of ſoules thorow all the Kingdome of England, were incomparably the moſt ignorant, beggerly and contemptible clergy, that ever have been ſeen in any of the reformed Churches? neither did we ever heare of any great ſtudy in the Praelats to remeed theſe evils, albeit ſome of them be provident enough for their owne families. Doctor Bramble knowes who had the skill before they had ſitten ſeven yeare in their charge to purchaſe above fifeteen hundred pounds a yeare for themſelves and their heirs what ſomever.
The third evil which the Ptesbytery brings upon Miniſters is that it makes them prat and pray nonſence everlaſtingly. Anſ. The Praelats continue to hate preaching and prayer but to idolize a popish ſervice.It is indeed a great heartbrake unto ignorant, lazy and unconſciencious Miniſters to be put to the paines of preaching and prayer, when a read ſervice was wont to be all their exerciſe: but we thought that all indifferently ingenuous men had long agoe been put from ſuch impudence. It was the late labour of the praelats by all their skill to diſgrace preaching and praying without booke, to duplicate page duplicate page cry up the Liturgy as the only ſervice of God, and to idolize it as a moſt heavenly and divine peece of write, which yet is nought but a tranſcript of the ſuperſtitious breviary and idolatrous miſſall of Rome. The Warner would doe well to conſider and anſwer after ſeven yeares adviſement Mr. Bailie his pararell of the ſervice with the miſſall and Breviarie, before hee preſente the world with new paralels of the English liturgy, with the directories of the Reformed Churches. Is it ſo indeed, that all preaching and praying without book is but a pratting of non-ſence everlaſtingly, why then continues the King and many well minded men to be deceived by our Doctors, while they affirme that they are as much for preaching in their practiſe and opinion as the Presbyterians, and for prayer without book alſo, before and after ſermon, and in many other occaſions? it ſeemes theſe affirmations are nothing but groſſe diſſimulation in this time of their lowneſſe and affliction, to decline the envy of people againſt them for their profane contempt of divine ordinances; for wee may ſee heere their tenet to remaine what it was, and themſelves ready enough, when their ſeaſon shall be fitter, to ring it out loud in the eares of the World, that for divine ſervice people needs no more but the reading of the liturgy, Vide la…ium. cap. 7.that ſermons on week dayes and Sundayes afternoon muſt all be laid aſide, that on the Sabbath before noone Sermon is needleſſe, and from the mouths of the moſt Preachers very noxious; that when ſome learned Schollars are pleaſed on ſome feſtivall dayes to have an oration, it would be short and and according to the Court paterne, without all Spirit and life for edification; but by all meanes it muſt bee provided, that no word of prayer either before or after be ſpoken, except only a bidding to pray, for many things even for the welfare of the ſoules departed; and all this alone in the words of the Lords prayer. If any shall dare to expreſſe the deſires of his heart to God in privat or publick in any words of his own framing hee is a groſſe Puritan, who is bold to offer to God his own nonſence rather then the auncient; and well adviſed prayers of the holy Church.
The Warner is heer alſo miſtaken in his beleefe, that ever the Church of Scotland had any Liturgy, they had and have ſtill ſome formes for helpe and direction, but no ty ever in any of them by law or practiſe: they doe not condemne the uſe of ſet formes for rules, yea nor for uſe in beginners, who are thereby endeavouring to attaine a readineſſe to pray in their family out of their owne heart in the words which Gods ſpirit dytes to them; but for Miniſters to ſuppreſſe their moſt confortable and uſefull gift of prayer by tying their mouth unto ſuch formes which themſelves or others have compoſed wee count it a wrong to the giver, and to him who has received the gift, and to the gift, and to the Church for whoſe uſe that was beſtowed.
In the nixt place the Warner makes the Presbytry injurious to parents, Epiſcopall warrants for clandeſtin marriages, rob Parents of their children.by marying their children contrary to their conſent, and forcing them to give to the disobedient as large a portion as to any other of their obedient children, and that it is no mervail the Scots should doe theſe things who have ſtripped the King the father of their country of his juſt rights. Anſ. By the Warners rule all the actions of a nation where a Presbytry lodges muſt be charged on the back of the Presbytry. II. The Parliament of Scotland denyes, that they have ſtripped the King of his juſt rights; while he was ſtirred up and keeped on by the praelaticall faction to courſes deſtructive to himſelfe and all his people; after the shedding of much blood, before the exerciſe of all parts of his royall government, they only required for all ſatisfaction and ſecurity to religion and liberties, the grant of ſome few moſt equitable demands. The unhappy Praelats from the beginning of our troubles to this day finding our great demande to runne upon the abolition of their office, did ever preſſe his Majeſtie to deny us that ſatisfaction, and rather then Bishops should be laid aſide they have concluded that the King himſelfe, and all his family and all his three Kingdomes shall perish: yet with all patience the Scotes continue to ſupplicat and to offer not only their Kingdome, but their lives and eſtats and all they have for his Majeſties ſervice upon the grant of their few and eaſy demands; but no miſery either of King or people can overcome the deſperat obſtinacy of Praelaticall hearts.
As for parents conſent to the mariage of their children, how tenderly it is provided for in Scotland it may be ſeen at length in the very place cited. It was the Bishops, who by their warrants for clandeſtine mariages, and diſpenſations with mariages without warrant have ſpoiled many parents of their deare children: with ſuch abhominations the Presbytery was never acquainted; all that is alleadged out of that place of our diſcipline is, when a cruel parent or tutor abuſes their authority over their children, and againſt all reaſon for their owne evill ends perverſely will croſſe their children in their lawfull and every way honeſt deſires of mariage; that in that caſe the Magiſtrats and Miniſters may be intreated by the grieved childe to deale with the unjuſt parent or tutor, that by their mediation reaſon may be done. I beleeve this advice is ſo full of equity, that no Church nor State in the world will complaine of it: but how ever it be, this caſe is ſo rare in Scotland that I profeſſe, I never in my life did know, nor did heare of any child before my dayes, who did aſſay by the authoritative ſentence of a Magiſtrate or Miniſter to force their parents conſent to their marriage. As for the Warners addition of the Miniſters compelling parents to give portions to their children, that the Church of Scotland haths any ſuch canon or practiſe its an impudent lie, but in the place alledged is a paſſage againſt the ſparing of the life of adulterers, contrary to the Law of God: and for the excommunication of Adulterers, when by the negligence of the Magiſtrat their life is ſpared, this poſſibly may be the thorne in the ſide of ſome which makes them bite and ſpurne with the heele ſo furiouſly againſt the Authors and lovers of ſo ſevere a diſcipline.
The Presbyteries nixt injury is done to the Lawyers, Synodes & other Eccleſiaſtick Courts revoke their Sentences. Anſ. No ſuch matter ever was attempted in Scotland; frequent prohibitions have been obtained by curtiſan Bishops, againſt the higheſt civil judicatories in England, but that ever a Presbitry or Synode in Scotland did ſo much as aſſay to impede or repeale the proceedings of any the meaneſt civil court, I did never heare it ſo much as alleaged by our adverſaries.
The nixt injury is againſt all Maſters, Serious catechiſing is no Epiſcopal crime.and Miſtreſſes of families, whom the Presbytery will have to be perſonally examined in their knowledge once a yeare, and to be excommunicat, if groſly and wilfully ignorant. Anſ. If it bee a crime for a Miniſter to call together parcels of his congre gation to be inſtructed in the grounds of Religion, that ſervants and children and (where ignorance is ſuſpected,) others alſo may be tryed in their knowledge of the Catechiſme; or if it bee a crime that in family-viſitations oftener then once a yeare the converſation of every member of the Church may be looked upon; we confeſſe the Miniſters of Scotland were guilty thereof, and ſo farre as we know the generality of the Epiſcopall faction may purge themſelves by oath of any ſuch imputation: for they had ſomewhat elſe to doe, then to be at the pains of inſtructing or trying the Spirituall State of every sheep in their flocks: we confeſſe likewiſe, that it is both our order and practiſe to keep off from the holy table, whom wee find groſlly and wilfully ignorant: but that ever any for ſimple ignorance was excommunicat in Scotland, none who knowes us will affirme it.
The laſt whom he will have to be wronged by the Presbytery are the common people, Church feſſions are not high commiſſiones.who muſt groane under a high commiſſion in every parish, where ignorant governors rule all without Law, medling even in domeſticall jarres be twixt man and wife, Maſter and Servant. Anſ. This is but a gybe of revenge for the overthrow of their Tyrannous high Commiſſion-Court, where they were wont to play the Rex at their pleaſure above the higheſt ſubjects of the three Kingdoms, and would never give over that their inſolent domeneering court, till the King and Parliaments of both Kingdomes did agree to throw it down about their eares. The thing he jeares at, is the congregation all Eldership, a judicatory which all the Reformed doe enjoy to their great confort as much as Scotland. They are farre from all arbitrary judications; their Lawes are the holy Scripture and acts of ſuperior Church-judicatories, which rule ſo clearly the caſes of their cogniſance, that rarely any difficulty remaines therein: or if it doe, immediatly by reference or appeal it is tranſmitted to the Claſſes or Synode. The judges in the loweſt Eldership (as wee have ſaid before) are a doſzen at leaſt, of the moſt able and pious who can bee hade in a whole congregation to joine with the Paſtors one or more as they fall to be: but the Epiſcopall way is to have no diſcipline at all in any congregation: only where there is hope of a fyne, the Bishops officiall will ſummon before his owne learned and conſcientious wiſedome, who ever within the whole dioces have fallen into ſuch a fault as hee pleaſeth to take notice of: as for domeſtick infirmities, Presbyterians are moſt tender to medle therein; they come never before any judicatory, but both where the fault is great, and the ſcandal thereof flagrant, and broken out beyond the wals of the family.
Theſe are the great injuries and hurts which the Church diſcipline has procured to all orders of men in the whole reformed world, when Epiſcopacy has been ſuch an innocent lambe, or rather ſo holy an angel upon earth, that no harme at all has ever come by it to any mortall creature: a misbeleeving Jew will nothing misdoubt this ſo evident a truth.