small engagement with Middletoun, which broke that whole matter, of which all people were grown 61 weary; for they had no prospect of success, and the low countries were so overrun with robberies on the pretence of going to assist the Highlanders, that there was an universal joy at the dispersing of that little unruly army. The state of After this the country was kept in great order: during the some castles in the Highlands had garrisons put in usurpation. them, that were so careful in their discipline, and so exact to their rules, that in no time the Highlands were kept in better order than during the usurpation. There was a considerable force of about seven or eight thousand men kept in Scotland: these were paid exactly, and strictly disciplined. The pay of the army brought so much money into the kingdom, that it continued all that while in a very flourishing state. Cromwell built three citadels, at Leith, Air, and Inverness, besides many little forts. There was good justice done, and vice was suppressed and punished; so that we always reckon those eight years of usurpation a time of great peace and prosperity k. There was also a sort of union of the three kingdoms in one parliament, where Scotland had its representative. The marquis of Argile went up one of our commissioners. among the The next scene I must open relates to the Disputes church, and the heats raised in it by the public re-covenantsolutions, and the protestation made against them. ers. New occasions of dispute arose. A general assembly was in course to meet; and sat at St. Andrew's: so the commission of the kirk wrote a circular letter to all the presbyteries, setting forth all the grounds of their resolutions, and complaining of those who had protested against them; upon which they desired : that they would choose none of those who adhered to the protestation to represent them in the next assembly. This was only an advice, and had been frequently practised in the former years: but now it was highly complained of, as a limitation on the freedom of elections, which inferred a nullity on all their proceedings: so the protestors renewed their protestation against the meeting upon a higher point, disowning that authority which hitherto they had magnified as the highest tribunal in the church, in which they thought Christ was in his throne. Upon this a great debate followed, and many books were written in a course of several years. The public men said, this was the destroying of presbytery, if the lesser number did not submit to the greater it was a sort of prelacy, if it was pretended that votes ought rather to be weighed than counted: parity was the essence of their constitution: and in this all people saw they had clearly the better of the argument. The protestors urged for themselves, that, since all protestants rejected the pretence of infallibility, the major part of the church might fall 62 into errors, in which case the lesser number could not be bound to submit to them: they complained of the many corrupt clergymen who were yet among them, who were leavened with the old leaven, and did on all occasions shew what was still at heart, notwithstanding all their outward compliance: (for the episcopal clergy, that had gone into the covenant and presbytery to hold their livings, struck in with great heat to inflame the controversy: and it appeared very visibly, that presbytery, if not held in order by the civil power, could not be long kept in quiet) if in the supreme court of judicature the majority did not conclude the matter, it was not possible to keep up their beloved parity: it was confessed that in doctrinal points the lesser number was not bound to submit to the greater: but in the matters of mere government it was impossible to maintain the presbyterian form on any other bot tom. As this debate grew hot, and they were ready to break out into censures on both sides, some were sent down from the commonwealth of England to settle Scotland: of these sir Henry Vane was one. The resolutioners were known to have been more in the king's interest: so they were not so kindly looked on as the protestors. Some of the English juncto moved, that pains should be taken to unite the two parties. But Vane opposed this with much zeal: he said, would they heal the wound that they had given themselves, which weakened them so much? The setting them at quiet could have no other effect, but to heal and unite them in their opposition to their authority: he therefore moved, that they might be left at liberty to fight out their own quarrels, and be kept in a greater dependence on the temporal authority, when both sides were forced to make their appeal to it: so it was resolved to suffer them to meet still in their presbyteries and synods, but not in general assemblies, which had a greater face of union and authority. This advice was followed: so the division went on. Both sides studied, when any church became vacant, to get a man of their own party to be chosen to succeed in the election: and upon these occasions many tumults happened: in some of them stones were thrown, and many were wounded, to the great Methods taken on scandal of religion. In all these disputes the protestors were the fiercer side: for being less in number, they studied to make that up with their fury. In one point they had the other at a great advantage, with relation to their new masters, who required them to give over praying for the king. The protestors were weary of doing it, and submitted very readily: but the others stood out longer; and 63 said, it was a duty lying on them by the covenant, so they could not let it fall. Upon that the English council set out an order, that such as should continue to pray for the king should be denied the help of law to recover their tithes, or, as they called them, their stipends. This touched them in a sensible point: but, that they might not seem to act upon the civil authority, they did enact it in their presbyteries, that since all duties did not oblige at all times, therefore considering the present juncture, in which the king could not protect them, they resolved to discontinue that piece of duty. This exposed them to much censure, since such a carnal consideration as the force of law for their benefices, (which all regard but too much, though few will own it,) seemed to be that which determined them. This great breach among them being rather enboth sides. Couraged than suppressed by those who were in power, all the methods imaginable were used by the protestors to raise their credit among the people. They preached often, and very long: and seemed to carry their devotions to a greater sublimity than others did. Their constant topic was, the sad defection and corruption of the judicatories of the church, and they often proposed several expedients for purging it. The truth was, they were more active, |