Series 3 > Register of the consultations of the ministers of Edinburgh and some other brethren of the ministry > Volume 1

184 THE REGISTER OF CONSULTATIONS
were once als unsavoury to them as we are now, the
House of the Lord would sooner be rid of such as doe
not deserve a place therein.
A Letter to the L. Broghill, President of the Councill
Right Honourable,—Being informed that some
Ministers and others are endeavouring by secret sugges¬
tions and insinuations with the Councill, to obtain a power
or liberty for erecting some Commissions, and particularly
that for publict affairs which they pretend to have from
the Generali Assembly 1650, though they be long since
expired. As we thinke it not strange that they should
use all means to trample upon this Church, who have
now for so long a tyme engaged themselves in courses
of schisme (formerly unheard of amongst us) for advancing
themselves into power over their Brethren, so we hope
it will be friendly considered that what they desire is
destructive to all church government and order, and
openeth a doore to all confusion, for hereby, not only doe
they usurp a negative judgement over the Generali As¬
semblies which have mett according to former appoint¬
ments since the expyreing of that Commission, and over
the generalitie of the Presbytries who have owned these
Assemblies by delegating their Commissioners thereunto,
but over that same Commission itself, the members whereof
(excepting a few of their way) did at the Assembly 1651
deliver up the Commission, and give an account of their
proceedings in prosecution thereof. Not to say, that
some of these members themselves did for a tyme sitt
and voice and act in that Assembly till they saw it for
their interest to decline it. And if now, after so many
yeeres’ intermission of the exercise of that power, for any¬
thing scene or knowne to the Church) they sail sett it
up over all the judicatories, Ministers, and Professors of
this Church, when yet they have no authentick coppie
of their Commission, and so can neither know their members
or quorum, or what power is intrusted to them. Wee