Cromwell said he would draw his sword against them; also, against the Assembly of Divines; and has threatened to make an army of Sectaries to extort by force, both from King and Parliament, what conditions they thought meet. This fire was long under the embers; now it is broken out, we trust, in a good time. It is like, for the interest of our nation, we must crave reason of that darling of the Sectaries; and in obtaining of his removal from the army, which himself by his own rashness has procured, to break the power of that potent faction. This is our present difficult exercise. We had need of your prayers."

To Spang, December 6th: "This week after many sharp debates we have agreed, and sent up to the Houses, our Directory for marriage and days of thanksgiving; also we have, with much difficulty, passed a proposition for abolishing their ceremonies at burial: but our difference about funeral sermons seems irreconcileable, as it has been here and everywhere preached. It is nothing but an abuse of preaching, to serve the humours only of rich people for a reward... It is here a good part of the ministers' livelihood; therefore they will not quit it. After three days' debate, we cannot find yet a way of agreeance. If this were passed, there is no more in our Directory, but fasting and holidays, wherein we apprehend no difference. Upon these, with our votes of Government already passed, and our answers to the Independents' Reasons,' the next week, I think, will be spent. The Letter of your Classis before Apollonius's book was read the other day, and a printed copy of his book given to every member of the Assembly. It was not only very well taken, but also, which is singular and so far as I remember absque exemplo, it was ordered, nemine contradicente, to write a Letter of thanks to Apollonius. Surely he has done a piece of good service to God and his churches here. I have not yet had leisure to read it all [!] but I approve what I have read.

This matter of Cromwell, has been a high and mighty plot of the Independent party to have gotten an army for themselves under Cromwell, with the ruin and shamefully unjust crushing of Manchester's person, of dissolving the union of the nations, of abolishing the House of Lords, of dividing the House of Commons, of filling the city and most of the Commons with intestine wars, of setting up themselves upon the ruins of all: but God, who has drawn us out of many desperate dangers, is like to turn this dangerous mischief on the heads of the contrivers. I hope it shall break the far more supposed than real strength of that party, and unite us more strongly; but we are yet wrestling with them."b

A "Public Letter," December 26th, states as follows: "The thing which now is spoken of here, is the sudden and unexpected work of yesterday the House of Commons in one hour has ended all the quarrels which were betwixt Manchester and Cromwell; all the obloquies against the General; the grumblings against the proceedings of many in their House: they have taken all Office from all the members of both Houses! This done on a sudden, in one session, with great unanimity, is still more and more admired by some as a most wise, necessary, and heroic action; by the other, as the most rash, hazardous, Let. 86, p. 74-76. Let. 87, p. 76, 77.

and unjust action as ever Parliament did. Much may be said on both hands, but as yet it seems a dream, and the bottom of it is not understood. We pray God it may have a good success.

"We daily now make good progress in the Assembly. We have sent up our Directory for marriage and thanksgiving; we have also got through burial. We have some little things to say of fasting and visiting of the sick; and so our long-looked-for Directory will be closed. It is exceedingly liked by all who see it. Every piece of it passes the Houses as fast as we send it. Our Answers' to the Independents' 'Reasons' are now ready, and I hope this week may be sent up to the House. We have also put together all our votes of Government, and will send them up to-morrow to both Houses. The Independents have entered their dissent only to three propositions: That in Ephesus, was a classical presbytery: That there is a subordination in assemblies: That a single congregation has not all and sole power of ordination.' Their Reasons' against these three propositions we expect to-morrow. Against the end of next week we hope our committees will have answers ready to all they will say; and after all is sent up to the House, by God's help we expect shortly an erection of presbyteries and synods here; for there appears a good forwardness to expede all things of that kind, in both Houses, since the taking of Newcastle. If the Directory and Government were once out of our hands, as a few days will put them, then we will fall on our great question of Excommunication, the Catechism, and Confession. There is here matter to hold us long enough if the wrangling humour which long predominated in many here, did continue; but thanks to God, that is much abated, and all incline towards a conclusion. We have drawn up a Directory for church-censures and excommunication; wherein we keep the practice of our church, but decline speculative questions. This we hope will please all who are not Independents; yea, I think even they needed not differ with us here: but it yet appears they will to separation, and are not so careful to accommodate as conscience would command peaceable men to be. However, we hope to get the debates of these things we most feared either eschewed or shortened. We have near also agreed in private, on a draught of Catechism; whereupon, when it comes in public, we expect little debate. I think we must either pass the Confession to another season, or, if God will help us, the heads of it being distribute among so many able hands, it may in a short time be so drawn up as the debates of it may cost little time... I trust this shall be the last which I shall write from this; for Mr. Gillespie and I being appointed to attend the General Assembly, purpose, if God will, shortly to take journey. We hope, this day, to close in the Assembly the remainder of our Directory, and to send it up to-morrow to the Houses; so the next week we expect an Ordinance of Parliament for the whole Directory. We have transmitted our Answers' to the Independents' 'Reasons' against our Presbytery. They are well taken, and now upon the press."

'a

The next day Baillie wrote thus, to Spang, under the signature of "Jamesone :" "We have ended, this day, the Directory in the Assema Let. 88, p. 78-80.

bly. The Houses are through the most of it already. Before we go, they will pass all. What remains of the Government, concerning the hard questions of Excommunication, Mr. Henderson has drawn it up by way of a practical directory, so calmly, that we trust to get it all past the Assembly next week, without much debate. The men whom most we feared profess their satisfaction with that draught. It is certainly true of what you wrote, of the impossibility ever to have gotten England reformed by human means as things here stood, without their brethren's help. The learnedest and most considerable part of them were fully Episcopal of these who joined with the Parliament, the greatest and most countenanced part were much Episcopal. Independents had brought the people to such a confusion that was insuperable by all the wit and strength which was here; but God has so guided it, that all has contributed for the main work. The wickedness of the Popish and Prelatical faction still continuing and increasing; the horrible extravagancies of the Sectaries; the unreasonable obstinacy of the Independents; the strange confusions of this long anarchy; and, most of all, God's good hand on us here in the Assembly, and on our armies in the fields, has contribute to dispose this land to a very fair reformation above all their hopes."

The

By what is called a "Memorandum to Mr. Buchanan," some insight has been obtained of what preceded the two next Letters found in numerical succession, and, like the "Memorandum," without dates. The first of these is headed" For Mr. Buchanan, at Paris," and it is another proof of the difficulty which the intriguers met with to obtain satisfaction in the prosecution of their "canny" devices. "Monsigneur, -At my first sight of your papers, if I mistake not the sense, I remark sundry passages which I conceive would much prejudice our cause [!] if the writ went abroad without some alterations... The Divine right of the whole Congregation to give voice and suffrage in matters of government, is avowed. This is one of the greatest grounds of the Independents. What the Word of God grants to the People we may not deny them, and no posterior canon of the church can take from them. Of all that here is said against the Independents there is very little to the point; for they will grant it all, and deny they maintain any such independency as here is impugned. They avow a dependency, and that by Divine command, on all the neighbour-churches; only deny a superiority of jurisdiction of any church or synod over another church. In my judgment, these and such-like grounds, give much more advantage to the Prelatical and Independent party against us than we can get of all the rest of the writ against them... I have conferred with Mr. Henderson. We are both in opinion that you, in your way, the best you can, would [should] essay to get your friends so informed that they, in forenamed points, would write according to the mind of our church [!] or if this cannot be obtained, with all thankfulness to themselves for their hearty affection to our cause, you will so guide it that they may be silent [!] till they see what it may be the will of God to do with these poor distressed churches."c

The second," To Mr. Buchanan," tells this "Monsieur" that the Jet 89 n. 81. 82. b See back, p. 431, Let. 55. © Let. 90, p. 83, 84.

Independents "profess to regard nothing at all what all the Reformed, or all the world, say, if their sayings be not backed with convincing Scriptures or reason. All human testimonies they declaim against as a Popish argument. So far as yet we perceive, they will separate from all the Reformed, and will essay, by all they can either do or suffer, to have their new way advanced. The sooner all the Reformed declare against them, it will be the better."

At this place in the volume is preserved "My Assembly-Speech, without a date, but delivered January 23rd, 1644-5, when Baillie had returned with Gillespie professedly to communicate what progress they and their fellow-commissioners had made in the general church and state affairs for which they had been deputed: chiefly "for the furthering and advancement in that uniformity in Divine worship and churchgovernment which both nations have sworn in their Solemn League and Covenant.”

* Let. 91, p. 85.-As part of the proceedings of this year, the following article is taken from the Acts of the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France assembled, by permission of the King, at Charenton, December 26th, etc. "UPON what has been reported by some Deputies from the Maritime Provinces, That many coming from foreign countries, and who call themselves 'Independents,'-because they teach that each particular church ought to be governed by its own laws, without any dependence on persons and matters ecclesiastical, and without obligation to recognise the authority of Conferences [Colloques], and Synods for its government and conduct,-fixing their abode in this kingdom, and who might hereafter cause great inconveniences if there were not, in good time, care taken : The Assembly,-fearing that the contagion of this venom increasing insensibly, will spread confusion and disorder among us; and judging the said sect of the Independents not only prejudicial to the Church of God, insomuch that it endeavours to introduce confusion, opening the door to all sorts of singularities and extravagancies, and removing all means of providing the remedy for it; but so very dangerous to the State that, if it should have room, it could not but produce as many religions as there are parishes, or particular congregations ;-enjoins to every Province, and especially the Maritime, to take care that the evil do not take hold in churches of this kingdom, in order that peace and uniformity as well in religion as in discipline should be inviolably preserved, and that nothing be intro duced among us which can alter in any way the service due to God and to the King. -Garrissoles, Moderator: Basnage, Assistant: Blondel and Le Coq, Secretaries." b No. 92, p. 85.-In the course of this speech, Baillie tells the "Right Honourable, Right Reverend Fathers and Brethren,".. "The success which God, according to your prayers, hath been pleased to grant to our labour, you will better see than we can repeat, in the papers which we have brought... We can add nothing to that which from these Letters you will hear read: only, with your Reverences' permission and favour, we are bold to profess that God has done great things for poor Scotland... When the Bishops of England had put upon the neck of our church and nation the yoke first of their Episcopacy, then of their Ceremonies; the whole mass of a Service-book, and with it the body of Popery ;.. to have had Bishops, Ceremonies, Book, and State-slavery reformed, we would lately have esteemed it a mercy above all our praises. But now, beholding the progress of the Lord, how He has led us by the hand, and marched before us to the homes and holds of our injurious oppressors; how there he has made bare his holy arm, and brought the wheel of his vengeance upon the whole race and order of Prelates in England, and has plucked up the root and all the branches of Episcopacy in all the King's dominions; that an Assembly and Parliament in England unanimously, but which is their word abolished,' not only these Ceremonies which troubled us but the whole Service-book as 'a very idol,' so speak they also, and a vessel full of much mischief; that in place of Episcopacy, a Scots Presbytery should be concluded in an English Assembly, and ordained in an English Parliament, as it is

CHAP. LVIII.

THE REASONS OF THE INDEPENDENTS; OR, THE GRAND DEBATE.

IN page 457, it was seen that the Presbyterians had transmitted certain papers to the press. We know not whether they appeared publicly, before the date upon this title, "The Reasons presented by the Dissenting Brethren, against certain Propositions concerning Presbyterial Government: and the Proofs of them, voted by the Assembly of Divines sitting, by Authority of Parliament, at Westminster. Together with the Answer of the Assembly of Divines, to those Reasons of Dissent. 1648. 4to." pp. 211 [221]. That title-page was cancelled, in the year 1652, and the following substituted; all else being the same: "The Grand Debate concerning Presbytery and Independency, by the Assembly of Divines convened at Westminster, by Authority of Parliament: Containing, First, The Assembly's Propositions, with the Proof of them from Scripture, concerning the Presbyterial Government Secondly, The Dissenting Brethren's Reasons against the said Propositions: Thirdly, The Answer of the Assembly to those Reasons of Dissent.-Examined and Perused by Jer. Whitaker; Tho. Goodwin. By Order of Parliament."

The whole of the contents relating to the Independents is before the reader, who is unavoidably referred to the original volume for the "Answers" of the Presbyterians, arrogating as above, to be "The Assembly of Divines" exclusive of their Dissenting Brethren." The value of the " Reasons" may be estimated by the labour bestowed with the design of subverting them, and by their being part and parcel of the bases on which the principles of Scriptural Independency are established; time, and further scrutiny, having tested their general correctness. The "Answers" could they be given, would show a vast complication of hypotheses, with occasional instances of acuteness, and others of soreness; the latter more particularly when the argument

already ordained in the House of Commons; that the practice of the Church of Scotland, set down in a most wholesome, pious, and prudent Directory, should come in the place of a Liturgy in all the three dominions;-such stories, lately told, would have been counted fancies, dreams, mere impossibilities: yet this day we tell them as truths, and deeds done, for the great honour of our God, and we are persuaded, the joy of many a godly soul! If any will not believe our report, let them trust their own eyes; for behold here the warrant of our words, written and subscribed by the hands of the Clerks of the Parliament of England, and the Scribes of the Assembly there! We will not descend into any particulars; ..only it is our earnest desire that the mercies whereof we are speaking, may be matter of thankfulness to all; a door of hope to fainting and feeble minds, who are oft miscarried with fear what yet may be the event; a certain ground of clear despair to all the enemies of Zion, that they may give over their vain labour, and cease to oppose the work of God whether by their secret obstructions or open hostility, knowing that it will be hard for them to kick against the pricks, and that there is neither wisdom nor strength against the Lord... We all hope that the chariot of the Lord will not here stand, nor be arrested within the compass of this isle.”