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

FIRST REGISTER : LETTER TO L. BROGHILL 185
shall have cause to regrat that our case is sadder than
under prelates who were by law bound to give an account
to the Generali Assemblie of their proceedings from yeir
to yeir ; whereas these men, as they have already declined
some Assemblies, so they may, as long as they please,
refuse to give an account to any judicatorie this Church
shall appoint, till they gett one wherewith they will be
pleased, and shall lead a preparative for anie pairty (even
among themselves) to sett themselves in power over all
the rest, if so be they please to pass a sentence in their
owne favours, admitting none over them to judge
them.
We are also sensible that the Ministers of this Church
are utterly ignorant of these their endeavours, who would
not faill for exoneration of their owne • consciences to
testifie against them, so that we as private men can doe
nothing as to the remedy of this sadd greevance, but
complaine to God of their bitter and implacable spirit
against their mother Church, and bear witness against
the same in our stations as a greevous burden to this Church,
both Ministers and people. Onlie we have made bold to
present our resentment thereof to your Lordship for our
owne exoneration thereof in the matter. And for removing
of all prejudices that may be suggested against the Minis-
terie of this Church or ourselves, wee doe in their and our
owne names declare, that our witness is on high, that
it is not upon any private interest or to keep or sett our¬
selves in Church power, that we doe oppose their courses,
but only to preserve inviolablie these blessed priviledges
and liberties under the want whereof the godly so much
groaned in the times of prelates, and which the Lord hath
restored unto us after so much toile and trouble, and to
have Church government running in its right channell
according to the Word of God, as it is established by law
amongst us, that the Lord’s people may under it make
progress in godlines and honesty, who are so much shaken
and tempted to atheisme, prophanity, errour, yea, and
Poperie itselfe, by reason of the insolent disorders and