Review of the Seditious Pamphlet by Dr Bramble, 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 Presbytery was it not enough to have calumniate the Presbytery to Kings, Princes and Soveraignes, to Parliamen…s and all Courts of Juſtice, to people and all particular perſons? but yet a new chapter muſt be made to ſhew in it the hurtfulneſſe of Presbytery to all orders of men: we muſt have patience to ſtand a little in the unſavoury aire of this vomit alſo.
Unto the nobility and gentry the Presbytery muſt be hurtfull,The Praelates were conſtant oppreſſors of the Nobility and gentry. 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 foule feet on the necks of the greateſt peeres of the three Kingdomes, with ſo high a pride and preſſure; that to ſhake of their yoks, no ſuffering, no hazard has beene 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 praelates, though they were ſet downe againe and well warmed in their repaired thrones.
The way of the Scotes Presbytery is incomparably better then that of the Engliſh Epiſcopacy.But to the challenge we anſwer, 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 here 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 concern the perſons of the meaneſt of the people, this Presbytery does conſiſt ordinarily of fifeteene Miniſters (at leaſt) and fifeteen of the moſt qualified noblemen, gen… lemen and Burgeſſes, which the circuit of fifteen pariſhes can afford; 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 p…tty mercenary lawyer, to whoſe care alone the whole Eccleſiaſtick jurisdiction over all the Nobility and gentry of divers ſhires is committed, and that without appeale as the Warner has told us, except it be to a Court of delegates; a miſerable reliefe that all the Nobility, Gentry, and Commons of a Kingdome, who are oppreſſed by Epiſcopall officials, have no other remedy but to goe attend 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 weeke, 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 ordinarily are of diverſe whole ſhires, as that of Glaſgow, of the upper and nearer ward of Clidſedaile, Baerranfrow, Lennox, Kile, Carrick and Cunninghame; alſo beſide Miniſters, the conſtant Members who have deciſive voyce in Synodes, are the chiefe Noblemen, Gentlemen and Burgeſſes of all theſe ſhires, among whom their be ſuch parts for judgement as are not to be found nor expected in any inferiour civill Court of the Kingdome; 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 to a Generall aſſembly, which conſiſt of as many Burgeſſes and more Gentlemen from every shire of the Kingdome, then come to any Parliament: Beſides the prime Nobility and choiſeſt Miniſtry of the land; having the Kings Majeſtie in perſon, or in his abſence, his high Commiſſioner to be their praeſident. This meeting yeerly (or oftner; if need be) ſits ordinarily a month; and if they thinke 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 different capacity: the number and qualification of Knights and Burgeſſes is ever large, as great in the aſſembly, as in Parliament: onelyonly the difference is, that in Parliament all the Nobility in the Kingdome ſit without any election, and by vertue of their birth, but in the Aſſembly onelyonly who for age, wiſedome and pie…y are choſen by the Presbyteries as fitteſt to judge in Eccleſiaſtick affaires, but to make up this odds of the abſence of ſome Noblemen, the aſſembly is alwaies adorned with above an hundred of the choiſeſt Paſtors of the whole land, none whereof may ſit in Parliament: nothing that can conciliate authority to a Court, which 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 alleadged hurt,All queſtions about pattronages in Scotland are now ended. which the Nobility have from the Presbytery, is the loſſe of their partonages by congregations electing their Paſtors. Anſw. However the judgement of our Church about pat…onages, is no other then that of the Reformed divines abroad, yet have our Presbyteries alw…ies with patience, endured patrons to preſent unto vacant Churches, till the Parliament now at laſt hath taken away that grievance.
The poſſeſſors of Church-l…nds were ever feared for Biſhops, but never for the Presby…ery.The Nobilities next hurt by the Presbytery, is their loſſe of all their impropriations and Abey-lands, Anſ. How Sycophant…ck 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 N…bility or Gentry from their poſſeſſions of the Chu ch-lands, but very lately the threats and vigorous activity of the p aelats, 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 again, though they obtained the abolition of patronages, yet were the poſſeſſors of the Church-lands and tythes ſo little harmed, that their rights thereto were more cleerly and ſtrongly conformed, then by any praeceding Parliament.
The fourth hurt is that every ordinary Presbyter will make himſelfe a Noblemans fellow. Anſ. No where in the World doe 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 ſpeech 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 has ever (at leaſt theſe 800 yeares) beene their nature to trample under foot, the h…gheſt of the Nobility. As the Pope muſt be above the Emperour, ſo a little Cardinal Bellarmin can tell to King James, that he may well he 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 Dukes? was it not Epiſcopacy, that did advance poore and capricious Pedants to ſtrive for the white ſtaves and 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 has ruffled it in the ſecret councell, 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, ſince a Biſhop of Galloway had the modeſty to give unto a Marqueſſe o… A…gile, tantum non a broad lye in his face at the Councell table. The Warner ſhall do well to reckon no more with Presbyters for braving of Noblemen.
The nixt hee will have to be wronged by the Presbytery are the Orthodox Clergy.The Prelat… continue to annull the being of all the Reformed Churches for their want of Epiſcopacy. 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 minde, they l…ſe (ſaith hee) the comfortable aſſurance of undoubted ſucceſſion by Epiſcopall ordination: what ſence can be made of theſe words, but that all Miniſters who are not ordained by Biſhop…, muſt lie under the comfortleſſe 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 onelyonly the power of miſſion and ordination to the Miniſtry were committed by Chriſt? becauſe of this defect the Presbyterian Miniſters muſt not onelyonly want the comfort of an aſſured and undoubted calling to the Miniſtery, but may very well know and bee aſſured that their calling and Miniſtery is null. The words immediatly following are ſcraped out after their Printing: for what cauſe the Author beſt knoweth: but the purpoſe in hand makes it probable, that the deletted words did expreſſe more of his minde, 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 ot onelyonly annull the calling of all the Miniſters of France, Holland, Zwit-zerland, and Germany, but alſo did hinder all theſe Societies to bee true Churches: for that popular Sophiſme of the Jeſuits our Prelats did greedily ſwallow; where are no true Sacrament, 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 in 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 annull the Miniſtry, yea the very being of all the Reformed Churches at one ſtrock, is it any marvell, that all of them do concurre together for their own preſervation, to aboliſh this inſolent abaddon and deſtroyer? and notwithſtanding all its ruine have yet no diſcomfort at all, nor any the leaſt doubt of their moſt lawfull ordination by the hands of the Presbytery.
The Prelats are ſo baſely injurious to all the Reformed Churches that their ſelfes are aſhamed of itAfter all this was written, as here it ſtands, another copy of the Warners book was brought to my hand, wherin I found the deleted line ſtand Printed in theſe diſtinct termes, and put it to a dangerous queſtion whether 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 do 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 d…ngerous queſtion: for it ſtricks at the root of all. If the Warner out of remorſe of conſcience had blotted out of his booke that errour, the Repentance had beene commendable: But hee has 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 here at this unſeaſonable time, ſeemes to have been the cauſe of deleting theſe too cleare expreſſions of the prelaticall tenent againſt the very being and ſubſiſtence of all the Proteſtant Churches which want Epiſcopacy, where theſe men doe ſtill ſtand upon the extreme pinacle of impudency and arrogance, denying the Reformed to be true Churches, and without ſcruple averring Rome as ſhee ſtands this day, under the councell of Trent, to be a Church moſt true, wherin there is an eaſy way of ſalvation, from which all ſeparaion 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 ſa… a full liberty of Religion to the bloudy 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 next Parliament of England, theſe men can heare with all moderation and patience: but behold their fu ious 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 miſchiefes of the World doe lurke in that miſerable Covenant, that de…th and any misfortune, that the ruine of all the Kingdomes ought much rather to be imbraced by His Majeſty, then that prodigious Monſter, that very hell of the Covenant, becauſe for ſooth it doth oblige in plaine termes the taker to endeavour (in his ſtation) the abolition of their great Goddeſſe, Prelacy.
The next hurt of Miniſters from the Presbytry, is,The generality of Epiſcopall Clergy have ever been covered with ignorance, beggery, and contempt. that by it they are brought to ignorance, contempt and beggery. Anſ. Whither Epiſcopacy or Presbytry is the fitteſt inſtrumen to avert theſe evills, let reaſon or experience teach men to judge. The P…esbyteriall 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 Presbytery exacts of every Miniſter after his ordination all the dayes of his life: for experience, let the French, Dutch and Scots divines who have beene or yet are, be compared with the ordinary Generation of the Engliſh Clergy, and it will be found, that the Prelates have not great reaſon ſo ſuperciliouſly to looke 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 have not wanted good ſtore of learning, but the moſt of them (I believe) will be content to leave of boaſting in this ſubject; what does the Warner ſpeak to us of ignorance, contempt and Beggery? does not all the World know, that albeit ſome few, ſcarce one of twenty, did brooke good benefices, yea plurality of them whereby to live in ſplendor at Court, or where they liſted in their non-reſidency, nevertheleſſe it hath bin much complained, that the greateſt part of the Prieſts, who have the cure of the ſoules thorow all the Kingdome of England, were incomparably the moſt ignorant, beggerly and contemptible Clergy, that ever have bin ſeen in any of the reformed Churches? neither did we ever heare of any great ſtudy in the Prelats to remedy theſe evills, albeit ſome of them be provider t enough for their owne Families. Doctor Bramble knowes who had the skill before they had ſitten ſeven yeare in their chaire to purchaſe above fifteen hundred pounds a year for themſelves and their heirs what ſomeever.
The Prelats continue to hate preaching and prayer but to idolize a popiſh ſervice.The third evill which the Presbytery brings upon Miniſters, is, that it makes them prate, and pray nonſence everlaſtingly. Anſ. It is indeed a great heartbreake 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 th…t all indifferently ingenuous men had long agoe bin put from ſuch impudence. It was the late labour of the Prelats by all their skill to diſgrace Preaching and Praying without booke, to cry up the Liturgy at 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 years adviſement Mr Bailie his pararell of the Service Booke with the Miſſall and Breviary, before he preſent the world with new paralells of the Engliſh liturgy, with the directories of the Rerormed Churches. It is ſo indeed, that all Preaching and Praying without Booke 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 affi mations 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 D…vine ordinances; for we may ſee here their tenet to remaine what it w…s, and themſelves ready enough, when their ſea…on 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, that Sermons on week dayes and Sundayes afternoon muſt all be laid aſide,Vide ladenſium. cap. 7. that on the Sabbath before noone Sermon is needleſſe, and from the mouths of the moſt Preachers very noxious; that when ſo …e lea…ned Schollars are pleaſed on ſo…e feſtivall dayes to have an Oration, it wo…ld be ſhort and according to the Court paterne, without all Sp…rit and life for edification; but by all meanes it muſt be 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 deſi es of his heart to God in privat or publick in any words of his o…n framing, he is a groſſe Puritan, who is bold to offe to God his own nonſence rather then the ancient, and well adviſed prayers of the holy Church.
The Wa…ner is here alſo miſtaken in his beliefe, that ever the Church of Scotland had any Liturgy; they had and have ſtill ſome formes for helpe and direction, but notice e…er in any of them by Law or practiſe: they do not condemne the uſe of ſet formes for Rules, ye… n…t for uſe in …ee n…e…s, who are thereby endeavouring to attaine a readineſſe to pray in their family our of their own heart in the words which Gods Spirit dytes to them; but for Miniſters to ſuppreſſe their moſt comfortable and uſefull gift of prayer by tying their mouth unto ſuch formes which themſelves or others have compoſed we count it a wrong to the giver, and to him who has received the gift, and to the Church for whoſe uſe that was beſtowed.
Epiſcopall Warrants for clandeſtin marriages, rob Parents of their childdren.In the next place the Warner makes the Presbytry injurious to parents, by marying their children contrary to their conſent, and forcing them to give to the d ſobedient as large a portion as to any other of their obedient children, and than it is no marvail 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 Presbyte…y lodges muſt be charged on the back of the Presbytery. 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 prelaticall faction to courſes deſtructive to himſelfe and all his people; after their ſhedding of much bloud, before the exerciſe of all parts of his Royall government, they onelyonly required for all ſatisfaction and ſecurity to Religion and Liberties, the grant of ſome few moſt equitable demands. The unhappy Prelats 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 Majeſty 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 Scots contin…e to ſupplicate and to offer not onelyonly their Kingdome, but their lives and eſtates and all they have for His M…je …es ſe…vice upon the grant of their few and eaſy demands, but no miſery e…ther of King or people can overcome the deſperate obſtinacy of Prelaticall hearts.
As for parents co…ſe…t to the mariage of their childre…, how tenderly it is provided for in England, 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 ſpoyled 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 Magiſtrates and Miniſters may be intreated by the grieved childe to deale with the unjuſt parent or tutor, that by their meditation 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 hear of any childe 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 hath any ſuch cannon or practiſe, its an impudent lye; 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 Magiſtrate 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 furio…ſly againſt the Authors and lovers of ſo ſevere a diſcipline.
The Presbyteries next injury is done to the Lawyers; Synods, and other Eccleſiaſtick Courts revoke their Sentences. Anſ. No ſuch matter ever was attempted in Scotland; frequent prohibitions have beene obtained by curtiſan Biſhops againſt the higheſt civill judicatories in England; but that ever a Presbytery or Synode in Scotland did ſo much as aſſay to impede or repeale the proceedings of any the meaneſt civill Court, I did never heare it ſo much as alledged by our adverſaries.Serious catechiſing is no Epiſcpall crime…
The next injurie is againſt all Maſters, and …iſtreſſes of families, whom the Presbytery will have to be perſonally examined in their knowledge once a yeare, and to be excommunicate, if groſly and willfully ignorant. Anſw. If it be a crime for a Miniſter to call together parcels of his congregation 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 be 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 imput…tion: for they had ſomewhat elſe to doe, then to be at the paines 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 keepe off from the holy table, whom we finde groſly and wilfully ignorant: but that ever any for ſimple ignorance was excommunicate in Scotland,Church ſeſſions are not high commiſſiones none who knowes us will affirme it.
The laſt whom he will have to be wronged by the Presbyte y are the common people, who muſt groane under a high commiſſion in every pariſh, where ignorant governors rule all without Law, medling even in domeſticall jarres betwixt man and wife, Maſter and Servant. Anſw. 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 Kingdomes, and would never give over that their inſolent domineering court, till the King and Parliaments of both Kingdomes did agree to throw it downe about their eares. The thing he je…es at, is the congregationall Elderſhip, a j…dicatory which all the Reformed doen joy to their great comfort as much as S…otland. They are farre from all arbitrary judications; their Lawes are the holy Scripture and acts of ſuperior Church j…dicatories, which rule ſo clearely the caſes of their c…gniſance, that rarely any difficulty remaines therein: or if it doe, immediately by ref…rence or appeale it is tranſmitted to the Claſſes or Synode. The judges in the loweſt Elderſ… (as we have ſaid before) are a dozen at leaſt, of the moſt able and pious who can be had in a whole congregation to joyne 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 fine, the Biſhops officiall will ſummon before his own learned and conſcientious wiſedome, who ever within the whole dioces have fallen into ſuch a fault as he pleaſeth to take notice of: as for domiſtick infirmities, Presbyterians are moſt tender to meddle 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 iniuries 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 Angell 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.