AFter all these great & glorious things, which the Lord in his Love, Mer­cy and Faithfulness hath wrought for this Land, and in his Holiness and Righteousness hath declared amongst us; these clear and powerfull Mani­festations of his blessed Truth, which have so brightly shined forth, to the Glory, Beauty and Praise of this whole Nation: After these many sacred and most solemn Engagements, whereby, in the evidence and power of the same Truth, all Ranks and degrees, from the King even to the meanest, be­came, [Page] [...] [Page 1] [...] [Page 2] and are still bound and devoted to the Most High and Holy, Our Covenanted God, and to our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, (who alone is King in Zion and of all Saints, and whose are all the Kings and Kingdomes of the Earth,) for the advancement of his Glory and King­dome, and for the owning and maintaining of his glo­rious Work and precious Truth, which is all our Fe­licity and Joy: And after all this horrid Apostacy and Rebellion, whereby the same wretched Nation, in the same Generation, and almost in the same Persons, neither from the conviction of any pretended Reason or Con­science, nor from any solid persuasion of the very Ad­vantage designed▪ but in the manifest Spirit of Wicked­ness and violence, have forgotten, despised and blas­phemed the former power and Glory; Rebelled against God, by breaking the Holy Covenant; Rejected our Lord and Saviour; Overturned the Work of his own blessed Spirit and Arme; Abrogated and rescinded all these righteous Lawes and Ordinances, whereby it was established; And by most Unjust, Arbitrary and Cru­el Lawes and Practises, have endeavoured the rebuild­ing and promoving of the Kingdome of Darkness and Antichrist, and precipitating of all men, either into the same condemnation with themselves, or utter ruine and Extermination; After, we say, all these things, which the Lord hath thus wrought and permitted in the midst of us, neither the Discouragement and Fainting of some, nor the Unsuccesfulness of the more honest and Zealous endeavours of others, nor yet our Silence hithertil, is greatly to be wondered at. For, whose eyes can behold all these things, without Dim­nes and affecting of the heart? And whose heart can consider them, without Astonishment and Horrour, if not Stupefaction or Discouragement? How little [Page 3] wonder is it, that every visage (suppose of the fairest Nazarit) be blacker then a coale? That every eye run down with waters? & that the souls of many refuse to be comforted, & neither do, nor dare rejoice as other people? When not only, by their going a whoreing from the Lord, their dayly bread, is become the bread or Adversity and the waters of Affliction, and when their famine of the Word of the Lord is such, that though they wander from sea to sea seeking it, they cannot find it; Bot also the Comforter that should releeve their souls is far from them, and either covereth Himself with a cloud, that their prayers cannot pass through▪ or then answereth them, only by terrible things in Righteousness; How can they, who by their Vanities have moved the Holy God to Jealousy, and thereby have provoked their Rock to fell them, stand before their Enemies, or chase a thousand & put ten thousand to flight? & al [...]hough that we should plead with our Mother, with our Rulers, & with all other ranks of persons within the Land, that they would put away their whoredomes out of their sight, & their Adul­teries from betwen their breasts; yet what hope is there, that Words shall prevaill, where the Power and Glory of the most High is contemned? Or that Reason shall be heard, where the Counsell of God is re­jected?

Here indeed is matter of Wonder and Praise, even the Longsuffering of the Lord, (which is Salvation) and the Mercy and faithfulness of our God, who hath not only hithertil preserved a Remnant, even a holy seed, which shal be the substance of our Land; But (after this late suddain and astonishing stroak of his holy Indignation, which seemed to presage no less, then the woful overturning of this sinking Church, into the depth of all darkness, and the dreadful overthrow of [Page 4] this whole Land and Nation, in the consummation of his fierce anger, to have been poured out in our desola­tion) hath made Light and Salvation to arise, and Glory and Praise to spring forth, in making his grace more manifest and commending and asserting His Work and Covenant, more in the Sufferings and Death of His faithfull Servants and Witnesses, then in all the prosperity and Victories, which formerly he vouchsaved upon us. O! blessed and exalted be his most Holy Name and aboundant Grace, who for the wicked and momen­tany rejoycing of our adversaries, hath given to his People, such sweet consolations and Exuberant Praise; and from the depths of our present distresses, and amidst the feares of so imminent and great judgments, hath, in stead of an Apology before the world▪ put a song of Salvation in our Mouth, that, as well to Testify for the Lord against the backsliders, as for the comfort and consolation of all who love and wait for his Salvation, we may call the Heavens to hear and the Earth to give ear, that we may publish the Name of the Lord, and ascrib Greatness to our God, whose work is perfect, and all his wayes Iudgment; A God of Truth, and without Iniquity, Just and Right is He. We have corrupted ourselves, our spot is not the spot of his Children, we are a perverse and crooked generation: Do we thus requit the Lord, O foolish people and un­wise? Yet is not He our Father that hath bought us? Hath not He made us and established us? Let us then remember the dayes of old, when the most High did visit us, and the Lord became Our God, and we be­came His People and Inheritance. This is the Testi­mony of his dying withnesses, this is the voice of his present Dispensations. We will therefore call to mind the Years of the right hand of the Most High, and [Page 5] the wondrous works of the Lord, which He al­one did work in our Land: We will also declare our manifold Engagements, and our most selemn and sacred Covenants, with and to Our God; that the Lord's Loving Kindness may be made known; that the Innocency, Strength and Joy of his Servants may appear; that the glory of all his Righteous Judg­ments, which are either already come upon us, or which we have reason to fear, may be made manifest; that wickedness may stop it's mouth; and that all the Enemies of the Lord may be confounded.

It is not here intended to resume these debates, which, as the Adversaries have formerly moved, and pertinaciously maintained against the Work of God, and almost against every passage and transaction thereof; so have the Lovers and Owners of it, abundantly satis­fied, and the Lord Himself determined with that pow­er and Evidence, that, the Conversion of some and Conviction of almost all, and even of it's most de­sperat opposers, is not the smalest part of it's Glory: But seing the party that now prevaileth, hath disdained that method, and only by plain force and Violence, in the most gross and desperat Rebellion, Blasphemy and Perfidy against God and his Cause, and the highest and most determined contempt and misreguard of all good Conscience, and sacred Oathes, that ever the sun beheld, hath carried on and advanced this present Apostacy and defection, under which all the Godly do mourn, and the Land perisheth: We shall only here endeavour, the sincere and candid Representation of these things, which, as they were once the Glory of the Lord, and joy of his people in this poor Nation, so are they now the Testimony and Triumph of his witnesses, and the Patience and Hope of all his [Page 6] Sufferers, and may be the full Satisfaction of all, who shall hear of these late and present troubles, where­with the Lord doth Exercise us, and will undoubted­ly in the end prove, etiher the Exaltation and Praise, or the Desolation and perpetuall Confusion of BACK­SLIDEN SCOTLAND.

When Scotland▪ through the usurpation of the Roman Antichrist, and the contagion of his abominations, and through the Prid, Lust and Tyranny of Prelacy, (the very root and strength of that Kingdom of wic­kedness) had fallen into that gross and black darkness of Ignorance and Superstition, and into these strong Delu­sions, (wherewith the Lord as he hath threatned, so hath he ever infallibly plagued that Antichristian course) and for many hundreth Years had lien involved therein; It pleased the Lord in his wonderful mercy and free love, to cause the glorious Light of the everlasting Gospell again to arise and shine forth amongst us: Which, as it is ever best witnessed by its own Power and Purity; So through the Power and Wisdome of God alone, even by the Weakness of very mean instru­ments, in the midst of the flames of fiery persecutions, and against the rage and fury of the Devil▪ and of all the powers of Hell, was this Work advanced and effec­tuated: As the recordes of these times from 1494. until about the Year 1560. do plainly discover. Dure­ing which period of time, these things are very obser­vable.

First That where and when ever the Light and Truth of God did discover & testify against the Corrup­tions, Errors, Idolatry, and Superstitions of Popery in the same manner it testified and declared, that the Popes usurped Tyranny, and the Prid, Idleness and Domi­nation [Page 7] of the wicked Prelates, were cheefly the Authors and Maintainers thereof.

Secondly. That such as the Lord did from time to time call to, and send forth for the work of the Ministry, did walk therein, with the same Painfulness▪ Poverty, Simplicity, Humility, and Equality which the Holy command and practises of our blessed Lord and his A­postles, do so constantly commend: Hence it is, that, in so far as this point could fall under the enquiry of these times, it is clearly held out, that they acknow­ledged no Officer in God's House, Superior to a Preach­ing Minister and according to the standard of this Of­fice, did they try, reject and crave the Reformation of exorbitant Prelacy. As the examinations and testimonies of the faithfull in these dayes do witness.

Thirdly. That as the love of God and his blessed Truth, and the Precepts, Promise and Presence of our Lord Jesus Chirst, did enable unto all Patience with joy, such as, by the call of a clear and necessary provi­dence, the Lord sett forth to be his witnesses; (who, for the love and Testimony of Jesus, cheerfully embraced the fire and faggott) so when the Lord did multiply the faithful to a Reasonable Capacity, they were so far from resigning themselves, and abandoning that First, and most just Priviledge of Self-defence ▪ to the arbitriment even of the lawful Powers, and of that Authority which they did acknowledge, that they not only owned it and stood to it; but did account themselves so much the more obliged to their own Preservation and esteemed the same so much the more endeared to them, that the se [...]ing forth of the Glory of God, in the maintainance of the blessed Gospel and the propagation and continuance thereof, seemed so necessarily to depend thereon: which endea­vours, they did also further extend, in the bowels and [Page 8] bonds of brotherly affection in Christ Jesus, unto the same duty of defence & Assistence to all his members. And in effect, if their Principles and Practices be well con­sidered, it will appear, that, as when God called them to suffering, they loved not their lives unto Death that they might witness a good confession; so when they at­tained to any Probability of Acting, they thought them­selves indispensibly obliged, upon their uttermost hazard to defend the Gospel which they had receaved, and to suppress all Superstition and Idolatry contrary therto, although the motive of Self-defence had not been conjoined: And it will also appear, that the Necessity of Convocations and Combinations (though not only with­out but even against Authority; Yet being in order to such necessary and just Ends) did suffiriently warrand them befor God and all men, from the breach of any Law or Act then standing against the same, wherewith they might have been charged. For verification here­of, though the whole course of our Reformation be an unquestionable evidence, yet let the instance of their first Appearance be observed, wherein both the Mo­tives, Actors and all other circumstances, do more clearly and beyond all cavillation hold out, that only the Love and Zeal of God, in the same Spirit in which they had so constantly suffered, did stir them up, from the pure and vive sense of their indispensible duty and certaine Priviledge, against all opposition whatsomever, to own and set themselves for the Defence of the Gospel and the true Ministers thereof. The passage is thus.

In or about the Year 1555 the Queen by the in­stigation of the Prelats, (perceaving the increase of the Protestants, and fearing some inward distraction, during the wars then with England, if Shee should [Page 9] fall upon a more rigorous and general course,) did cause all the Preachers to be summoned: whereupon the body and generality of the whole Protestants, resol­ved to keep the Dyet. But the Bishops apprehend­ing the hazard, did procure that they should be com­manded instantly to the borders: Nevertheless God had so provided▪ that upon the same day the West-land Quarter returned from it; which consisting of many faithful men▪ so soon as they understood the matter, they repaired to the Queen, and plainly in the hearing of the Prelates did charge them, with the cruel device intended, and certified Her' of their resolution, both to oppose it, and defend their Brethren to their utter­most; and ceased not, until that She was moved to discharge the citation.

Thereafter in the Year 1557. they entered into a Co­venant of constant mutual Defence of the Gospel, their Ministers, and themselves, against all their adversaries, in these words, VVe perceiving how Sathan in his mem­bers, the Antichrists of our time, cruelly do rage, seeking to overthrow and destroy the Gospel of Christ, and his Congregation, ought, according to our bounden duty, to strive in our Masters Cause, even unto the death, being certaine of the Victorie in him: The which our duty being well considered, VVe do promise before the Majesty of God, and his Congregation, That we (by his grace) shal with all diligence continually ap­ply our whole power, substance, and our very lives, to maintain, set forward, and establish the most bles­sed VVord of God, and his Congregation: And shall labour according to our power, to have faithfull Mini­sters, [Page 10] truly and purely to minister Christs Gospel and Sacraments to his people. VVe shal maintain them, nou­rish them, and defend them; the whole Congregation of Christ, and every Member thereof according to our whole powers, and waging of our lives, against Sathan and all wicked power that doth intend Tyrranny or trouble against the foresaid Congregation. Vnto the which holy VVord, and Congregation, we de joyne us; and so do forsake and renounce the Congregation of Sa­than with all the superstitious abomination and idolatry thereof. And moreover, shall declare our selves ma­nifest enemies therto, by this our faithful promise before God testified to this Congregation, by our Subscription at these Presents. At Edinburgh the third Day of De­cember, Anno 1557. God called to witness.

Like as in the Year 1559. being again necessitated to assemble for, and stand to the defence of the Gospel and themselves, at Perth, they renewed and enlarged the same engagement, according to the good hand and Spirit of God upon his Servants, in these words, At Perth the last day of May, the Year of God 1559. Yeares, the Congregations of the VVest Countrey, with the Congregations of Fife, Perth, Dundie, Angus, Merns and Monross, being conveened in the town of Perth, in the Name of Iesus Christ, for setting forth of his glory, understanding nothing more necessary for the same, then to keep a constant amity, unity, and fellowship together, according as they are commanded by God, are confederate, and become bounden and [Page 11] obliged in the presence of God, to concurre & assist together in doing all things required of God in his Scripture, that may be to his glory; And at their whole powers to de­stroy and put away all things that doth dishonour to his name, so that God may be truly and purely worshipped. And in case that any trouble be intended aganst the said Congregation, or any part or member thereof, the whole Congregation shall concurre, assist, and conveen toge­ther, to the defence of the same Congregation or per­son troubled: And shall not spare Labours, goods, Sub­stance, Bodies and Lives, in maintaining the liberty of the whole Congregation, and every member thereof, against whatsoever person shall intend the said trouble for cause of Religion, or any other cause depending thereupon, or lay to their charge under pretence thereof, although it happen to be coloured with any other outward cause.

And again in the Moneth of August, the same Year, after having sustained and valiantly resisted a second assault, both of the wicked Prelats and of their other violent adversaries; by a third band & Oath they added a further caution to their former engagements, to the effect that in so just and holy a cause, they might never by force or fraud be thereafter fainted or divided.

And lastly in April Anno 15 [...]0. they ingaged them­selves in a fourth bond in these words, VVe whose names are underwritten, have promised and oblidged our selves faithfully in the presence of God, and by these presents do promise, that we together in Generall, and every one of us in special by himself, with our bodies, [Page 12] goods and friends, and all that we can doe, shall set for­ward the Reformation of Religion, according to Gods VVord, and procure by all means possible, that the Truth of Gods VVord, my haue free passage within this realme, with due administration of Sacraments, and all things depending upon the said VVord—that we shall each one with another, all of us, effectually con­curre, joine in one, take & hold one plain part for the, — and recovery of our ancient freedome, Liberties.—that we way be ruled by the Lawes and Custome of the Countrey.—Again that we shall tender the com­mon Cause, as if it were the Cause of every one of us in particular; And that the Causes of every one of us now joyned together, being lawfull and honest, shall be all our Cause in Generall; And that he that is enemy to the Cause foresaid, shall be Enemy to us all in so far.—Wee have superadded these instances (as wee might have done two or three more) to the first proposed, because of their great resemblance, since there can be nothing more manifest, then that the same Provocations the same Spirit, the same Principles, and the same De­sign, did most uniformly influence all these Trans­actions. Now seeing that both the Occasion, Actors, Aime, and End of the first Action, and especially the observable Providence of God, that without all contrivance of man did over-rule it, do clearly purge it of any intended Rebellion or other wickedness; Cer­tainly to affirm that all these things were nevertheless acted in, & by a Rebellious Spirit, must be a sinn, at least next unto that of high despit and Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and Spirit of grace, by whose power [Page 13] alone, this blessed work was effectuated: Neither durst the Arch-Prelat himself though our Arch-Adver­sary in this our present cause, and though he knew that the same doth infallibly, either stand or fall upon the same principles and grounds with these cases now un­der consideration, proceed any further in his censure of these courses and practices; then to disprove them as Violent and Disorderly. There is one thing further, which is also before touched, that the instances above adduced especially the first, both for the Meanness of it's Actors the unpremeditated plainness of its Manner, and the singlness and purity of its End, doth most evidently make out, viz: that as these men of God, by their small and improbable appearance, did as much witness their unfained love of the Truth and zeal of his Glory, in the manifest contempt and hazard of their lives and fortuns, As when under the dispensation and call of another providence, they did patiently and cheerfully upon the same motives, lay down their lives, and suffer the loss of all things; So the end of their un­dertaking, was not only their own just and necessary Defence, which in such an apparent danger, might rather seem to be abandoned then intended, but above all things, the Maintainance & Defence of that blessed Evangel, which was dearer to them, then all other interests whatsoever. Wee know our great adversaries, who for the gain and pleasours of this life (what then would they not do for the preservation of life it self?) have often renounced, and would again renounce all Conscience, Alleagance and Truth; and who by their detestable Flatterv, in denying the lawfulness of Self-defence, (although in effect Self be their only Idol) & pretending a fained affection, & illimited submission without reserve, do only court the Powers, for the [Page 14] advanceing of these interests, which they seem to re­linquish; as the revolutions of the World, have fre­quently declared their practises in prejudice of both Religion and Royalty, and have often resolved both their practises and principles, into that one Devilish position, the first yea only fixed rule of their Religion Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will be give for his life; These, we say, are not curious to enquire in this di­stinction; Yet, seeing they leave nothing unessayed whereby to promote their design, and therefore, do often cavil from such advantages as the work of God afterwards obtained, and particularly the Concurrence of the Peers and Primores Regni, and from the defect thereof in the first appearances, would infer the unlaw­fulness of rhe same, especially in order to the design of Reformation; Therefore wee further add with these noble worthies, that as it cannot be denied, 1. That the right & Priviledge of Self-defence is not only founded in, but is the very first instinct of pure Nature, and spring of all motion and action. 2. That it was competent to, and exercised by every individual, before that either Society or Government were known. 3. That it was so far from being surrendred or suppressed by the erect­ing of these, that it was & is the great End & motive, for which all voluntary Societies and Policies were in­troduced and are continued. 4. That it is a princi­pal rule of Righteousness, whereunto that great com­mand of love to our neightbour, by the Law of God & by our Lord himself is resolved, & whereby it is inter­preted; so it doth infallibly follow, that the same right and Priviledge is yet competent to all men, whither Separatly or Jointly; and needeth no other prerequisit, but that of intollerable and inevitable injury; (which for a man to suffer under pretext of the good of the Com­mon-wealth, [Page 15] would be, for the delusion of an emptie name, only for the lust of others, really to deprive himself of his whole share and interest therein) and is compleated for exercise by such a Probable Capacity, as may encourage the Asse [...]ters thereof to undertake it.

And as for that other, and more noble design of the Maintainance and Reformation of Religion, waving the question and Debate. Whether the same can or ought to be by force maintained? Which may appear sufficiently determined to rationall men, by the very contrary Practises of it's adversaries, who not only by force do fight aginst it, but most irreligiously usurpe and detort it's own weapons viz: the precepts of our Lord, for patience and meeknes under a dispensation of suffering, to the persuasion of a stupid submission, and casting away the opportunity of Desence and Acting; that without controll they may work it's overthrow; And supposing with all men, that force is not a proper argument of persuasion, and that Religion neither can nor ought to be thereby propagated; Yet are we in conscience persuaded, that the grounds follouwing, evidently held out in the records of these times, are beyond contradiction.

1. That Religion (the highest concernment of Gods glory and of mans happiness both temporall and eter­nall) is the most important, dear and precious of all interests.

2. That to be violented in this (which cannot be without an unjust force either or mens Persons or Goods) is the most wicked and insupportable of all in­juries.

3. That the propelling by force of such injuries▪ was the justest cause and quarrell, that men in their Primaeve Liberty could be engaged in.

[Page 16]4. That, as for the security of this Interest, and no wayes to make an absolut surrender thereof to the arbitriment of any, men were mostly induced to the appointing of Governours, so the glory of God, which is the end of all things, but herein is most especially concerned was by the erecting of Rule and Govern­ment for the security of Religion, more particularly and eminently intended.

5. That the Powers appoin [...]ed for Preservation, cannot warrantably endeavour Subversion.

6. That, as every man is bound to obey God rather then man; so such Violence, and intollerable and inevi [...]able injury offered by he Powers on this account, as to the person injured, destroyeth bo [...]h the Common-welath of he people, & more specially, the Glory of God which are the only ends of Governments, maketh both the End, the Means of Government and Autho­rity, and the injured person's Obligation thereunto, to cease.

7. As the persons, one or more, reduced to this estate and condition▪ if by a real or apparent incapacity of Acting, they conceave them selves called to a Testi­mony by Suffering ought herein with all patience, to give unto God the Glory; so having the opportunity of, and being called▪ whither to their own Defence, or the Assi [...]ing of their Brethren in so just a cause, they ought therein valiantly to acquit themselves, for the Glory of God, the mantainance of his Truth, and the mutuall preservation one of another.

8. As the Combination of more persons, whom the same common cause of just and necessary Defence doth join together▪ is founded upon and doth most native­ly arise from that Primaeve Right and Priviledge, which at first gave Being and Rise to all Societies, and where­unto, [Page 17] the force of extream Necessity, through the per­version of that Mean of Government, appointed for their Preservation, doth ultimatly reduce them; so the duty of mutual Assistance, is not only warranted by that prin­ciple of Humanity and common Stipulation, which is the Motive and Bond of mens entering into Society, the immediat and subordinat End of all Rule, and the most effective Mean, whereby that superior end of the Good and Safety of every Individuall therein included, can be best secured: But also, first, by that more endear­ing principle of Christian and brotherly Affection in the Lord; upon the indispensible force and obligation whereof, the very glory and righteousness of the great and last judgement seemeth to be founded, Math. 25:31. to the end. And, secondly, by that supream & chief con­cernment of God's Glory, to which the interests of all Powers & Common-wealth's must certainly stoop and cede. And how is it possible, that any scruple anent this can remain with any considerat or conscientious person? if we consider that whole Cities, Kingdomes▪ & Em­pires, for the violation of this duty, in not releeving & delivering of Innocents from the unjust Tyranny, even of lawful Powers, have been involved in the Guilt of the violence and cruelty, which had been only acted by one or a few persons, and have been overtaken therefore, by fearfull effects and Iudgments, to their utter ruine and Subversion. As is most evidently confirmed by that clear intimation thereof made by Ieremiah, to the Jewes, Chap. 26..15. Know ye for a certain that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, & upon THIS CITY, and upon THE INHABITANTS thereof.

9. As the Power & exercise of Reformation hath been grosly calumniated by the adversaries, as if thereby were meant and had been practised manifest force and [Page 18] violence upon Consciences and Persuasions; so on the other hand, open Idolatry, Blasphemy, Perjury, Venting and Spreading of Heresy, and such like abo­minations, (being most dishonorable to God, and pernicious to all Common-wealths) ought without doubt, by all means to be suppressed, restrained and severely punished Now, that this Vindicative and (in case of backsliding) Reforming Power is commit­ted to the Magistrat, and that he is thereto mainly ap­pointed, none will question; But what if not only the supreame Magistrat, but with him all the Nobles and Primores of the Realme shall turn the principal perver­ters, and chief Patrons of these abominations? As we have already cleared, that, in case either the People or any part of them, be violented to a sinful com­plyance, or be wickedly persecuted for adhering to God in the profession and practise of the contrary du­ties; they may lawfully Defend themselves, and are mutually bound to assist and deliver one another: So it now comes to be considered, that, seing the maintenance of Truth and the true Worship of God, were and are the principal ends and motives of contracting of Socie­ties and erecting of Governments, whereunto both the People and Rulers, are not only separatly every one for himself, but jointly oblidged for the publick ad­vancement & establishment thereof; & that God doth therefore equally exact and avenge the sin of the Rulers only, or of the People only, or of any part of the People only, upon the whole body of the Rulers and People, for their simple Tollerance and connivance, without their active complyance with the transgressors; of ne­cessity, both from the principles deduced, and from the most visible judgments of God agreeable thereto, there must be a Superior and Antecedent obligation to [Page 19] that of Submission, incumbent upon all both jointly and separatly, for the maintenance, vindication and Reformation of Religion, in order to the promoting of these great ends of the publick profession of Truth and true Worship, which the Lord doth indispensibly re­quire. And though this position be indeed more evi­dent, where express Covenants betwixt God and the whole People, betwixt Rulers and their Subjects, and betwixt the People and subjects amongst themselves in order to these Holy Duties can be produced; ye [...] seing all Constitutions of Societies and Governments, do virtually suppose and imply the same, and are found­ed thereon, the Assertion doth with equal certainty firmly hold: But that all contradiction may stop it's mouth, let the import and true meaning of the Scrip­tures, and instances following be impartially weighed. Deut. 13: ver. 12, 13, 14, 15. The Lord saith, If thou shalt hear that in one of thy cities, certain men amongst yow have with-drawn the inhabitants of their city, to serve other Gods, and if after deligent search [...]s the thing be found a truth, thou shal smite and destroy that city utterly. Jos. 22: ver. 17, 18, 19. Phin [...]has saith to the two Tribes and the half, upon their supposed defection, If yee rebel to day against the Lord, to morrow he will be wroth with the whole Congrega­tion of Israel: And Judges 22. throughout, in the case of Israel against Benjamin and Gibeah. All the places, as they clearly hold out the command and practise most consonant to our position; so to think that the same may be evaded, by astricting the places to the Hypothesis contained in the letter viz: of more or all the cities a­gainst one apostatizing, and that either an equal division of the cities, (the one half faithful, the other back­slidden) should bring the matter to an accommodation; or that the greater part backsliden (who certainly had [Page 20] the casting voice in that Democratick constitution, should oblige the fewer remaining stedfast, to a sinful acqui­escence, is to elude all Scripture, and mock the Holy Ghost by whom it is given. Now, whither these places and what is premised, do warrand an just exten­tion thereof in favours of the People, against back­sliden Rulers both supream and subordinat, or even in favours of a part of the People (with the caution sub­joyned) against the greater part wickedly backsliden, let the World judge. Oh! did the wrath of God, for the hidden and secret sin of one poor acursed Achan, sud­denly and fearfully overtake the whole People, and ALL THE CONGREGATION of Israel, so that, that man perished not ALONE in his iniquity? and had not our Reformers great reason to fear and tremble, least the Manifest Tolleration of proud, cruel, and flatter­ing Prelats, who had perverted the lawful Powers into bloody Persecuters; and of Idolatours Priests, whose wickedness and Idolatry had corrupted the whole Land, might involve, not only themselves but the whole Nation, in destroying and overflowing in­dignation.

We are not ignorant of the no less wicked then ground less cavils of some, as if we would make or have every man to be a Phinehas: And what then? Would God (if wishes, yea prayers and teares could make it) that all his Servants were as Phinehas, and that he would pour upon every one of them, the same Spirit of Holy Zeall which was in him, that by re­movall of the cause, his fierce anger against this poor consuming Land might cease. But as for that Act of Phinehas, the termes following being generall and ambigous, admitting of severall distinctions and sub­distinctions, as it is not easy without distinguishing, [Page 21] in thesi to define an Action and Call Extraordinary, and an Action and Call thereunto, only Heroicall; and to state the true specificall Difference and just limits be­twen an Action and Call Extraordinary, and an Action and Call Heroicall, as they are strickly taken and contradistinguished; and clearly and convincingly to demonstrat, what and how much more is required in an Extraordinary Call to an Extraordinary Action, then is required in a sufficient Call unto an Heroicall Action? and whether an eminent measure of Holy Zeal, Magnanimity and Fortitude do constitut a suffi­cient Call unto an Heroicall Action; or do only Dis­pose and fit the person for the right and better perfor­mance thereof, as a Call unto the Action, and the Fitness of the Person for doing of the same are contra­dictinguished; or may not both Dispose and fit the person for performance of the Action, and also include and give a Call unto the Action it self: So when the matter is fully considered, it will be more difficult then perhaps is apprehended, to prove that the Act of Phinehas was Extraordinary, strickly taken and in contradistinction to that which is only Heroical; or that his Call thereunto was Extraordinary, in contradistinc­tion to that which is a sufficient Call unto an Heroicall Action; and more difficult to determine, otherwise then by naked assertion, what that Extraordinary Call was? Wherein it did consist? Wherein it did differ from, Exceed or Excell a Call unto an Heroick Action? And therefore, it will be also hard con­vincingly to demonstrat, that it might not have been lawfully done by another of the Children of Israel, whom the Lord had animated thereunto, by the same Holy Zeall and Resolution. And this is the more considerable, because, as we very rarely, (if at all) [Page 22] find the Lord commending and rewarding persons for Extraordinary Actions, whereunto they had Ex­traordinary Calls, so much and so highly, as here He Commendeth and Rewardeth Phinehas: So the Text it self Numb. 25. doth lay the great, if not the only weight and ground of his Commendation and Reward, upon his ZEALL, and not upon any Extraordinary Call, whereof there is not the least hint or insinuation; For vers 11. the Lord saith, He turned my wrath away from the Children of [...]srael, while he was ZEALOUS for my sake among them; and therefore vers 12, 13. pro­miseth him, His Covenant of peace. a seed after him, and the Covenant of an Everlasting Priesthood, BECAUS, he was ZEALOUS for his God. And if any shall, as it is like some will alleadge, that Heroicall Actions, are not more Imitable then these which are Extraordi­nary; It is humbly offered to be considered, anent He­roicall Actions in generall, Whether, when the mat­ter of an Action is not only Ordinary, that is, neither Preternaturall nor Supernaturall, though not very Fre­quent; but also Just and Lawfull, yea, and Neces­sary, both by Divine Precept, & as a Mean to a good and Necessary End; and when either, there is not, or doth not appear any other to do the work, whe­ther, I say, in that case, a Spirit of Holy Zeall, Magnanimity and Courage, wrought and excited by the Lord in his Servants and People, moe or fewer, being otherwise in a Rationall and probable Capacity, be not for that time a sufficient Call, unto the per­formance of these Actions which are commonly called Heroicall; and especially when and where, the Action is not unnecessarily, irrationally, nor in vanity attempted, but may be and is performed, not only without prejudice of the True, Necessary and Chief [Page 23] Good of the Church and Common-wealth, or of any particular person's just Right and security; but also in the case of the Magistrat, and others, their wilfull and perverse neglecting of their duty, is necessarly undertaken, and is not only formally intended by the Actor, but also natively and really doth conduce to the Glory of God, the Good of Religion, the pre­servation and establishment of Church and Common­wealth, and of every particular person's Just Rights and Security, by suppressing of Impiety, promoving of Truth and Holiness, doing of Justice, Turning away of wrath and removing of present and prevent­ing of future Jugdments. And as for the particular instance of Phinehas, if the Lord did not only raise him up to that particular Act of Justice, but also warrant and accept him therein, and reward him therefore, upon the accompt of his Zeall, when there was a Godly and Zealous Magistrat, able, & whom we cannot without breach of charity presume, but also willing to Execute Justice; How much more may it be pleaded, that the Lord, who is the same, yesterday, to day and for ever, will, not only pour out of that same Spirit upon others, but also when he gives it, both Allow them though they be but private persons, and also Call them being otherwise in a Physical and probable Capacity, to do these things in an Extremely necessitous, and otherwise irrecoverable State of the Church, to which in a more intire condition thereof, he doth not Call them; and particularly when there is not only the like or worse provocations, the like Necessity of the Execution of justice and of Reformation, for the turning away of Wrath and Removall of Judgments, that was in Phinehas case; but also when the Supreme [Page 24] Civil Magistrat, the Primores Regni and other inferior Rulers, are not only unwilling to do their duty, but so far corrupted and perverted, that they are become the Authors and patronizers of these abominations. Which is also the more considerable, because, if upon the fear or suspicion of the Accidental hazard of Private mens usurping of the Office, or doing of the duty of Publick persons, every vertue and vertous Action, which may be so abused, shall be utterly neglected, Impiety shall quickly gain an Universall Empire, to the extermination of all Goodness. It is true, that the God of Order hath assigned to every man his Station and Calling, within the bounds whereof he should keep, without transgressing by Defect or Ex­cess; and therein wait and act, in such a measure of the Spirit as He is pleased to comunicate: And we do not hold such instances for Regulare & ordinary precedents for all times and persons universally; which while some have fancyed, and heeding more the glory and fame of the Action, then the sound and solid Rule of the Holy Scriptures, they have been tempted and carried to fearfull Extravagancies: Neither are insolent or disorderly much less Wicked attempts, which sometimes have covered and yet may mask themselves with a pretence of Zeal, upon this or any other ground to be licenced or approved; But on the other hand, as these instances hold forth, for the conviction and reproof of our stupidity and indiffe­rency, what an high pitch of Holy Zeall and Courage, the Servants of the Lord have sometimes attained, and do further demonstrat, that He doth sometimes war­rant even Private persons, in their doing of these things in an Extream Necessity and collapsed state of the Church, to which at other times He doth not [Page 25] call them: So when the Lord, with whom is the residue of the Spirit, doth breath upon his people more or fewer, to the exciting of more then Ordi­nary Zeal, Courage and Resolution, for the Re­forming of an Apostat Church, for the Execution of justice upon the Adversaries, and for the ad­vancing and establishing of Truth and Holiness in the Earth, wee should rather ascribe glory and praise to Him, whose hand is not shortened, but many times choiseth the Weak and Foolish things of the World to confound the Mighty and the Wise, then condemn His Instruments for Rebels and Usurpers, as it is like Phin [...]has would have been, had he lived in this generarion, if the same Lord, who by his Spirit had Acted him, had not also by his own hand rescued him.

10. As the Right of Self-Defence, mutual Assistance and Reformation, is properly and only derivable from the grounds adduced; so the Concurse of the Nobles and Primores Regni, is no wayes of absolute neces­sity, though indeed singularly conducible for the carry­ing on thereof. Unto which Concurrence, as they are doubly obliged, according to that, unto whom much is given, of the same much shall be required; so, if they shall convert their Power to the strengthning of the hands of the wicked, they do thereby not only aggra­vat their own condemnation, but by their endeavour­ing to wreath & fasten more strongly the yoke of wick­edness and oppression, they do the rather and more justify the cause and plea of all the Asserters of Truth and Righteousness.

These are a part of the grounds, whereupon these Noble Worrhies, raised up by God & eminently by him inspired, did singly act for His own glory: which as they [Page 26] have left upon record for their own perpetual vindica­tion, so thereby they did clearly purge themselves from all imputation of Rebellion. Nor were their proceed­ings and practises ever by any so much as termed disor­derly, except by such who being altogether indifferent in the Work of God, endeavour by all means to ca­lumniat and shame them, from being made precedents to their own prejudice.

Fourthly. It is observable, that though the practises of these first times were Extraordinary, and to many may appear Disorderly, Yet the faithful men whom the Lord honoured both to Suffer & to Do for His name, did constantly and boldly charge both the Rise and pro­gress of these disorders, upon the Persons then in Power & Authority, who, being ordained & entrusted by God, for the defence & maintenance of Truth and Righteousness, (as the only true foundations and solid grounds of the Peoples felicity whither temporal or eternal; and including all the ends, for which either the Power or Persons of Governours are appointed; and conse­quently, the principal bonds of all obedience and sub­jection, for which all these engadgements are intend­ed, and to which they do ultimatly refer) by resiel­ing and starting out from this most sacred and fixed line of subordination; As they could not claim Obedience to their unjust commands, so, far-less could they oblidge the people, to that more then slavish and brutish subjection, in the submitting of their souls, bo­dies & goods to the arbitriment of their cruel Tyranny, directly contrary unto, and destructive of all these holy & great Ends, both of Gods Glory, and the Peoples spiritual and temporal Good, for which they were constituted Governours.

That this was the source and fountain of all disorders [Page 27] in these times, and that it was so reputed to be, by these valiant Worthies who then opposed them, the Hi­story thereof doth plainly verify. Wee are not forgetful, how vehemently the Powers on earth, which set themselves against the Lord, and their creaturs and flat­terers, have in all times decryed such assertions: The noise, belshings, & thundering, of Treason, Treason, wherewith the very mentioning of such positions, useth at once to be attended and condemned, do already sound in our ears: Let such as are thereby alarmed, read the debats and controversies, both of former & later times; Especially these two Martyrs against Ty­ranny, Lex Rex, and the Apologetical Narration upon this subject. This is our peace and establishment be­fore the Lord and all men; that wee with our Noble Reformers do acknowledge and honour Authority as the great Ordinance of God, for the uphold and maintainance of Truth and Righteousness; and the Persons therewith vested, not only as eminently thereby dignified, but also as most signally impressed, by a very sacred and illustrious Character of the glorious Majesty of the Most High, who hath ap­poynted them: But on the orher hand, wee cannot but wish, that these same persons would constantly re­member, that not only they are the Ministers of God, and to Him accountable; but also his Ministers to the People for their Good, whom they neither ought to Tyrannize over at their own Pleasure, nor Rule only for their own Profit. O! that these sacred Boundaries had ever been observed, & that both Ty­ranny and Rebellion with all their Antidots and reme­dies, had been perpetually unknown. But shall Tyranny, unto which, Power, both in it's self is so easily corrupted, and by the flattery of others more [Page 28] frequently abused, be not only shrouded under the priviledge and impunity of a Divine Exemption; but thereby, in effect be more intollerably licenced, to the acting of all wickedness and violence, and the perverting and overturning of all the ends of Govern­ment? And in the mean time, shall the Peoples most just & necessary Defence of themselves, (whereunto they are seldome and very hardly provocked, even by the most extream necessity) & of all their most pre­cious concernments, the very ends for which the Powers are ordained, be continually at the Arbitri­ment of any Court-Creature or flatterer, proscrib­ed and persecuted under these odious names of Trea­son and Rebellion? Certainly, neither the All-wise Providence of God; not yet the frame of nature can endure such a Solecisme. For our part, as wee are per­swaded, that none pleadeth for this Absolut Submis­sion in the People and Exemption of the Prince but such as for advancing of their own interest, have first prostrated their Consciences to the Princes arbitri­ment, in a blind & Absolut Obedience; whereby they know themselves sufficiently secured from all smart & inconvenience, of that more Brutall then Rationall sub­mission contended for: So are wee confident, that seing Subjection is principally enjoyned, for and in order to Obedience, whatsoever Reason or Authority can be adduced to perswad an absolut & indispensible Subjection, will far more rationally and plausibly infer an illimited and Absolut Obedience; and that to plead for a priviledge in the point of Obedience, & to disclam it in the point of subjection, is only the flattety of such, as having renounced with Conscience all dis­tinction of Obedience, would devest others of all Pri­viledges, that they may exercise their Tyranny without [Page 29] without controll. But He who hath called Rulers, Gods; Doth notwithstanding Himself remain the Most High God over all the Earth; & from his Obe­dience, neither the Commands nor Violence of Kings of Clay ought in the least to remove us. And as these inferior Princes do often forget their Subordination to the Most High, in their unjust commands; & would usurpe His Throne, by an uncontrollable Soverain­ty; so the Lord, by the warrand of his Word, and approbation of his Providence, and also of the People, (when by them oppressed, but by Himself animated & strengthned) hath declared & made void this their pretended exemption and impunity, and removed the carcases of such Kings and broken their Scepter. Amongst which precedents, the instance of these times, whereof we now speak, is worthily recorded, and deserveth better to be remembred.

Seing therefore, that neither the Ordinance and Commission of God, nor yet the Surrender of the People, though into ane absolut slavery (which yet no presumption less then their own most Express Con­sent can possibly infer) can from any certain and ra­tional ground and warrant, be either produced or plead­ed for vesting the Prince with that arbitrary and irresi­stible Power and Dominion, necessary and requisit to oblidge the Subject to a stupid and brutish submission, to all possible injuries and outrages; and that it is im­possible for any rational man, to concede that Privil­edge of exemption and impunity to wickedness and fury, for murthering both the Souls & Bodies of poor Subjects, which our very adversaries deny to Weakness or Folly in case of Alienation of the Kingdome or any part thereof, or any such gross act of Mal-versation, [Page 30] & lastly seing the great inconvenience, of opening a door to Rebellion & all disorder, mainly urged by the Adversaries, against the permitting of the People any judgment or reflection upon the Princes Actings, doth more rationally plead for Implicit & blind Obe­dience, which they themselves disprove, then mili­tat against necessary Defence and resistance in case of persecution for lawfull non-obedience; And that the great and true Salvo of all these inconveniences, and the main establishment of the Throne, is only true judgement and Righteousness, No sober and im­partial person can condemn their position, who deny­ing that a Tyrannous Magistrat was the Minister of God to them for their Good, did plainly assert the lawfulness of Self-Defence, and holy Reforma­tion, without the violation of the Ordinance of God.

But if all these things do not satisfy, Let, 1. the rea­son of Gods delivering of the Kingdom to the Peo­ple and not to the King, with the Law it self, Deut 27. ver. 14. (which the maner of the Kingdom and in effect of Tyranny, foretold by the Lord and Samuel 1 Sam. 10. v. 10. by way of dissuasive, did no wayes repeal) 2. The import of the Contract and Cove­nant betwixt Prince & Subject, with the unquestion­able interpretation and execution thereof, extant in the records of all Times and Nations; 3. The deed of the People in opposing Saul in favours of Ionathan ▪ 1 Sam. 14. v. 45. and of the ten Tribes in rejecting of Rehoboam, 1 King cap. 12. (which though v. 19. i [...] be termed Rebellion, yet is it no more thereby condemn­ed, then good Hezekiah, who is said 2 King 18. ver. 7. to have rebelled against the King of Assyria) and o [...] Libna in revolting from under Iehoram, 2 Cron. 21. 10▪ [Page 31] 4. The Prophecies, Manner, & Practise of the most part of the late blessed Reformations. And lastly let the peculiar Right and Constution of this Kingdome by King and Parliament be considered and solidly answer­ed; And then will wee also subscribe to the condemna­tion of our Reformers and crave pardon for this digres­sion.

Upon these grounds and principles did our Noble Ancestours vigorously bestir themselves, and proceed in the Work of God. And as the Lord was ever with them while they were with Him, and did mind his work steadfastly in sincerity and uprightness of heart; so notwithstanding all the fals-hood and faintings which many discovered, yet the Lord himself did gloriously own it, and ceased not, until by the fair product of his own glory, in the clear manifesta­tion of his blessed Evangil, he had without the least prejudice of the fundamental constitution and rights of Government, to the eternal confutation of all calum­nies and reproaches, put on the Copestone with these joyous, and never to be forgotten acclamations of Grace, Grace.

Thus in the Year 1560. the Land is enlightned, the blessed Gospel of our Lord again revealed and restored; in so much, that both by the first General Assembly of this Church then conveening, and the Parliament then holden, A large Confession of the true Faith is framed▪ approved and published.

O! that men would remember, seriously consider and fix in their hearts, the greatness and excellency of this Work of Grace and Glory, bringing Salvation, Peace and Goodwil towards men; And manifesting the praise and Glory of God in the highest; that in the just estimation thereof, they might also duly and truly [Page 32] ponder discern, approve or reject all things conducing, either to it's advantage or prejudice. But here is the root of all our sinn and misery, that though this Light, be only our Life; and the Salvation and Redemption thereby revealed, be no less then the project of God's eternall love, and the subject of His eternall delight; and was more dear and glorious to our Lord Jesus, then the bosome of the Father, & all the glory of Hea­ven; yet men, so greatly and highly therein con­cerned, do at best but rejoyce therein for a season, and soon relapse, first into Indifferency and Formality, and then into Error, Superstition and all Ignorance. This the Devil, the author of all wickness, know­ing and improving to the uttermost, for the advance­ment of his own Kingdom, doth quickly take advan­tage of, for setting on work and promoving of that Mystery of iniquity. Which (springing up in that bitter root of Pride, and working in the Spiritual power and subtilty thereof) as it began to work very early in the Christian Church, even amongst the Disciples themselves, in presence of their and our Lord, (as ap­peareth by their contention, who should be greatest) And notwithstanding all the Grace, Power, and Pre­sence of the Lord, which appeared in the times that fol­lowed, & all the long & violent persecution, wherewith the Church of God was then exercised; yet continu­ing it's motion, did still advance, until attaining it's maturity in the revelation of the Man of Sin, it filled and overwhelmed the Christian World, with these strong delusions of Superstition, Idolatry, and all darkness that so long prevailed therein: So it is the main and only Engine whereby Sathan, as in all other Churches, so in this of Our's▪ hath so actively bestired himself, and attempted the overthrow of their later Reformations.

[Page 33]These are the causes, why, notwithstanding of that great and glorious Light which the Lord made to shine amongst us, the true Government and Disci­pline of the Church of Christ▪ (though his own great Ordinance, instituted both for Fencing and securing of Truth in Purity, and for promoving of the same in Power; and though by the Light of that same Truth, clearly discovered and Manifested) through long op­position and many difficulties, did scarce in these day­es attain it's establishment.

Yet the Lord, who of his own free Mercy and Grace, did visit us with the day-spring of his blessed Gospel from on high; did also by his own Power and Presence, in and with his faithful Servants, at length also compleat his work, and establish his Kingdome over us and his Government amongst us: And so the Kingdome became the Lord's; even the first fruits of the Kingdomes of the Earth, unto our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Progress and Period of this work, was from the Year 1560. unto the Year 1592. dureing which space, these things are very observable.

1. So soon as this Church attained to freedome from persecution and contrary violence, they Assembled in their first National Synod in the Year 1560. by vertue of that Intrinsick Power and Priviledg granted by our Lord unto his Church, and exercised by his Apostles and their followers; and that without any question or control: Nor did they so much as petition for the li­cence of the then Authority, though the same might have been more easily obtained, then the warrant at that time impetrated for conveening of the Parlia­ment.

[Page 34]2. As they first Assembled, and by vertue of the same warrant, did set on foot and continue a con­stant series of their Courts and meetings; (except in so far as by plain force and violence they were restrained) so they held the same in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ only, and in his sole Authority, by Direction of his Word and Spirit, concluded all their Counsels, Votes and Acts. It's true, that they much and long wished for, and thereafter heartily accepted the countenance and concurrence of the Powers for the time; and that, not only for Decency, but also as the gracious performance of that promise, Isa. 49. ver. 23. of the favour and assistance of Kings and Queens to the Church in the later dayes: But as they were persuaded, that the Lord Jesus (perfect in all his house) when invested at his exaltation with all Power in Heaven and in Earth, did make a full grant and Commission of all Gifts and Offices requi­sit in his Church, 1 Cor. 12. ver. 28. Ephes. 4. v. 8. & 11. (Wherein neither King nor Prince is mentioned) and that there was no Authority wanting to these first De­crees made at Ierusalem, though emitted upon that simple warrant, Ast. 15. ver. 28. It seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and unto us, (wherein neither King nor Prince was included,) so did they account it a gross u­surpation, for the Kings on Earth, in place of their promised Patrociny (to which they are oblidged,) to claim and invade an Over-ruling Arbitriment in the matters of God and his Church; & beleev that He who established the distinction and confirmed their Right, by separating Caesar's things from the things of God, doth also exact the same on their part.

3. The Brethren conveening in these Assemblies, did meet in perfect Parity and Equality; against which▪, [Page 35] the Extraordinary employments and Commissions delegated to some, upon the account of the particular exigence of these times, did grant no Priviledge or Pre­heminence.

From these three observations, without mention­ing the first Book of Discipline, containing the true grounds and frame of Presbyterial Government, which was compiled in the Year 8560. and then ap­proved by the whole Church, and subscribed to by a great many Lords and Counsellors, it is evident that Presbyterial Government was from the beginning of the Reformation constantly intended, and it's founda­tion really laid. We need not mention that the Pope's Authority and all Jurisdiction flowing there­from, was by Law in the same Year 1560, expres­ly abrogated and discharged; nor that in these first Assemblies, greater Benefices were craved to be dis­solved, and Prelacy reputed to be only an Humane Device; nor is it necessary for us to clear, how that Ex­traordinary employment of Superintendency, used for a few Years in the beginning, was both only designed for an Interim, and in it self wholly different from Prela­cy, and was at length rejected as burthensome. All these things are sufficiently cleared by the late Large Apology.

4. It is observable, that as the Avarice and Power of some, who possessed and grasped after the Churches Revenues, did, by the procurement of a few packed Commissioners, in the Year 1671, introduce these Mock-Bishops (called Tulchan) for the better securing of their own gain, which in the Assemblies immediatly succeeding, were first protested against, then quarrell­ed, and lastly restrained and subjected thereunto; So the Lord used the same as a warning, to awaken and [Page 36] animat his Servants to a more vigorous prosecution of the establishment of His House in it's due Govern­ment: In pursuance whereof, the Assemblies with the King's concurrence, from the Year 1575 until the Year 1581. did with much Prayer, Fasting and Pain­fulness intend the work, until by perfecting of the Se­cond Book of Discipline, and reducing of the Bis­hops to a simple Dimission, and condemning their Office as unwarrantable, they c [...]mpleated their work in the exact model of Presbyterial Government, in all it's Courts and Officers.

5. During this space in March 1581. (as we now reckon) and after the Assembly had condemned the Office of Bishops as unwarrantable, the King, his Court and Council did swear and subscribe to the Na­tional Covenant; By which both the Pope's usurped Authority over the Church in one Article, and his wicked Hierarchy in another, are abjured: And the swearers did join themselves unto this true Reformed Church, in Doctrine, Faith, Religion and Disci­pline; promising by the Great Name of the Lord our God, to continue in the Obedience of the Doctrine and Discipline thereof all the dayes of their lives. Which Discipline, as the foregoing Assertions do clearly discover, to have been from the beginning fundamentally Presbyterial; so the Model of Presbytery being now compleated, and any shaddow of power that the Mock-Bishops had lately usurped, being now fully abrogated, it is sufficiently clear, that both Prelacy is by this Covenant abjured, and Presbytery own­ed and sworn to. And really if it be further consider­ed, that the Assemblies both 1581. and 1590, while most intent and forward in the erecting of Presbyte­ries, did enjoyn and require the same to be subscribed [Page 37] by all ranks of People in the Land, and that these Acts were both seconded and enforced by Ordinances of King and Council, it may be justly doubted, whether the impudence of the succeeding Prelats in denying of the Obligation, or Perjury in breaking of it be great­er. This is the Great Oath, into which, as the Lord God did bring us by the Power of his own Spirit and Truth, in opposition to that Bloody Bond, called the Holy League, wherein Antichrist and his followers, had at that time conjured themselves against the true Church of God; So the Kingdom thereby became the Lords, and we his peculiar people, as-well by the people's subjecting of themselves and their Al­leageance, as by the King's submitting Himself and his Scepter, in a due Subordination unto God and our Lord Jesus Christ, for the maintenance and defence of his Church and Gospell, the Liberties of the Land and Ministration of Justice. And this Oath and the Ordinances enjoyning it, notwithstanding the many fearful violations thereof that have ensued, do yet stand to this day unrepealed and declared against, to the unanswerable conviction and condemnation, even in their own Courts and Consciences, of all it's wick­ed Transgressors.

6. As the Tulchan Bishops were the effect and pro­duct of the Avarice of these Lords that favoured them; So the same principle of Avarice and Wickedness did again resist the Work of God, when almost brought to Perfection, by stirring up certain of the Nobles to re-induce Bishops, for the better inhaunsing of their Benefices, and the devouring of the Churches patri­mony: And not only for their better establishment, that what they want of Divine Right and Warrant, might be supplyed by the accession of the Kings power [Page 38] and Command; but also that by their meanes, the growing wickedness of these times might abound without restraint or control, the Devil inciteth others of the more prophane, licentious and violent Cour­tiers, such as the Earle of Arran and his complices, to move and instigat the King, contrary both to the Word and Oath of God, to usurp the Prerogative of Jesus Christ, who is alone King in Zion, and to in­vade His Churches Priviledges, purchased for Her with His own Blood, by assuming to Himself in the first and immediat Instance, the cognition of Her Doctrine and Censures: Which though the Church did constantly and valiantly oppose, both by Petitions and Protestations; yet this Wickedness did so impetously proceed, that all at once in a Parliament summarily called in the Year 1582. the Prerogative of Our Lord is trans­lated upon the King, and his Jurisdiction and Empire exalted over all persons and Causes, the Estate of Bis­hops & their power and dignity confirmed, & the pow­er of the General Assemblies of the Church put in the King's hand. We mention not these things with any purpose to debate these questions, which have been moved on this Subject; Only we are confident, that how extensive soever the King's power may be in the case of Reformation (which, Alas! for the most part cometh short of it's reach) yet where a Church is Regularly constituted, and so acting, and by Him sworn to be maintained, no King or Prince ought so far to intrude Himself into Her Power and Priviledg­es, unto which he is neither called nor gifted, as to assume to Himself a Soveraign & immediat power of judging and discerning upon Doctrine, and her most spirituall Rights and Censures, and thereby in effect not only to constitut Himself a Proper and direct [Page 39] Church-Officer, without our Lords appointment; but in stead of Papacy so justly abrogated and so solemn­ly abjured, to erect and revive the same in Himself (a Secular Person) far more absurdly and intollera­bly. We know that other formalities and notions are pretended, as these of Treason, Sedition, and Disorder, to palliat and colour this Usurpation; but seing nothing spoken or acted by warrant of the Word of God, can fall under the definition or pain of these crimes, and that all Ministers and Ecclesiastick Courts are known, allowed and presumed, both to speak and act according to that only warrant, and Lastly, seing both the warrant is to them committed, and the Church is priviledged and permitted to have it's own proper power and cognition thereanent, as it followeth by clear consequence, that the things questi­oned, must and ought to be first subjected to her tryal and cognition; so none do deny the Magistrat's just right and power, over both these things and persons, they being once lawfully found to be destitut of the warrant pretended. But seing both Scripture and Rea­son doth testify against this Usurpation, as most un­lawful in it self and injurious to our Lord Jesus, and that all experiences have proven it to be most pernicious to His Church & Kingdom, & therefore many of his faithful Servants have worthily and valiantly resisted it, not only to bonds and banishment, but even to blood for the Testimony of their Lord & Master; We return to the purpose of this observation, which is to vindicat the honour of the Lord's Work, and the memory of his faithful Servants, in the discovery of the old malice and subtilty of the great Enemy of the Church of God, working in the wicked Prelats & their abettors; who to the effect they may enjoy their carnall designes, and [Page 40] prosecute their wicked lusts without controll, endea­vour mainly by an absolute surrender of all things, powers, persons and interests, to flatter and exalt the King unto an illimited Soveraignty, and pretended Omnipotency, thereby both to oblidge and enable him the more to such acts, deeds, and grants as are requisite for the satisfying of their vain Ambition, insatiable Covetousness and wicked lusts: Which Flattery and Usurpation, being not more agreeable to the vain heart of man, then contrary to the Kingdom of our Lord, and the Power and Purity of His blessed Gospel, what wonder if his faithful Servants (who can neither deny His Name, nor dissobey His commands, by complying with the wicked practices, and the blasphemous flattery of these vile Apostats) be not only hated of all men; but with their Lord and Master become the continual object of the reproaches, violence and cruelty of the wicked, as enemies and rebells to lawful Authority? Now that the World may perceav the wicked intent and design of this Prerogative, that it is none other then that of the De­vil (as to conciliat and endear the Powers to Prelats, who while they creat the King's Prerogative, pre­tend themselves to be the King's only Creatures; so to arm and animat the same Powers against our Lord and His followers.) Let it's Rise and Effects both first and last be marked and observed, and the search will declare, that wicked men lusting to Tyranny and licentiousness, are checked and galled by the freedom and power of faithful Ministers in the application of the Holy Word and Spiritual Censures. What reme­dy? This freedom is found Treasonable, and pre­judiciall to the King's service and Interest, and the plain Zeall of God is therefore taxed as Sedition and [Page 41] Treason; and under these formalities, the Priviledg­es of the Church are infringed, and all the asserters thereof lashed with the same calumny: whereupon and to perfect the cure, the King must be declared IN ALL and OVER ALL; And by vertue of his fained Omnipotency, and for recovery of that Unity and Order, which only the coming of our Lord, His blessed Gospel, and Powerful Ministry is pre­tended to have disturbed, the Ancient Policy or the Church must be restored; and the greatest flatterers made the Archest Prelats, who by inhaunsing and by destroying the Power, may compesce the (pre­tended) insolency of the Ministry; and by the con­tinual pretending of Dissatisfaction and Disloyalty, may terrify men out of all Conscience, until by the introducing of Will-worship and vain Superstitions, they may extinguish all Light, and thereby reduce that Golden Age of Order into stupid Flattery, and of Unity into Implicit Obedience. And if these be not the kind caresses, and most native issues of Pre­rogative and Prelacy, and the very restoring and re­establishing of the Kingdom of Antichrist, he who cannot find it in this Period, will find all supplyed by the next.

7. Though we love not to reflect on Events, and know that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him, yet seing thereby the Lord's Judgments are made manifest, men ought both to observe and fear. The dissastrous ends of all the promoters of Prelats in these dayes, ( viz: of the Earle of Morton beheaded; Mr Iohn Douglass Arch­bishop of St Andrews dying in the pulpit; the Earle of Arran, after disgrace, privately killed: Mr Patrick Adamson Arch-bishop of St Andrews, after recantation [Page 42] and disgrace, dying in extream poverty) may justly cause their course the rather to be shunned and detested: But that which we love rather to observe, is, that as the promoters and advancers of Prelacy, were alwayes known to be men of no Principles, and for the most part of very flagitious practices; so the resisters there­of and favourers of Presbytery, especially the Lord's faithful Ministers in these dayes, were not only very eminent in Knowledg, Piety and Holiness, but a­bove all had that great Testimony and confirmation, which our Lord Himself maketh use of, Iohn 7.18. that they sought not their own glory, and therefore neither spoke nor did of themselves, but sought His Glory that sent them, and therefore were true and no unrighteousness was in them. As both their slighting of Court favours, by which they were much tempted, and their obstinat refusall of Bishopricks, (whereof King Iames himself bare them witness,) doth Testi­fy.

8. The Lord, whose Work is perfect, and who when He beginneth will also make an end, hereafter in the Year 1586. shineth through the cloud, dissipateth the darkness, and after the storm blesseth us with a great calm; wherein, the Assemblies re-assuming their just power, and the matter by the King being brought to a treaty and Conference, the Bishops are first Re­strained, & then Reduced. Thereafter the order of Pres­byteries being set down & perfected in the Year 1590. both the Nationall Covenant is renewed and subscribed, by Order of the Secret Council at the Assemblies desire; and all the power that remained either in Bishops or Commissioners, by the Assembly is devolved upon the new erected Presbyteries. And thus the Work of the Lord, in the Parl. 12. Iam. 6. bv the 114. Act. [Page 43] thereof, ratifying Presbyterial Government in all it's Assemblies, Courts and Officers, qualifying and re­stricting the former Act. 1584. anent the King's Pre­rogative, and abrogating all Acts contrary thereto or inconsistent therewith, and by other Acts there record­ed, receaveth it's last and full accomplishment with Power and Beauty, added to the former Grace and Glory.

9. That, as only the malice of Sathan and wick­edness of men, have in all Ages opposed the establish­ment of Presbytery; so the Lord, whose great Work and Ordinance it is, doth no less evidently commend it, by making, as on the one hand, it's sincere and holy severity powerfully to coerce and restrain all vice and profanity; so on the other hand, the harmo­nious and orderly Subordination of it's Courts and Assemblies, most efficaciously to prevent and suppress all Schisme and Heresy: Which both the experience of these and all succeeding times do most clearly con­firm.

But though the Lord had shewed us all these great and manifold temptations and troubles, and termi­nated them all in such an wonderful and blessed deliver­ance, that we might for ever fear His great Name, love His precious Truth, and keep His holy Co­venant; and though in the short Sun-shine of that day of Salvation, He caused both King and People to taste and see the Order, Beauty and Power of that Establishment; Yet, O! how soon did we forget the Works of the Lord? We keeped not His Co­venant. O Lord, the People of thine Inheritance enjoyed it but a litle.

It is not necessary for our design, that we should trace and recount all these sad steps and degrees, by [Page 44] which the Holy and Wise God thought fit, to bring back his Church in this Land unto that great distress that hereafter ensued, and caused her to wander long in a Wilderness of great Desertion; nor what were the causes and beginnings of that so horrid Defection, (which the Histories of the most partial pens, what­ever provocations they pretend to be in the Lord's faithful Ministers, cannot purge nor palliat from a mere design of carnal Policy,) carryed on by manifest Di [...]simulation and palpable fraud. It is enough for us, (let the true Histories of these proceedings be examined, and it will appear without the help of our obsevation,) that, as the beginnings of that Defec­tion were no other then the Unfaithfulness of Man, and the inconsistence of the Wisdom of God with the carnal wisdom of this World, and that old opposition and rooted prejudice of the Kings and Powers of the Earth, who have for the far greatest part set them­selves, and taken counsel against the Lord and against His Anointed; so for the unquestionable confirmation of all that hath been said, either as to the wicked Rise or woful Effects of Prelacy in this Church, the De­vil's part therein was visibly to promote his own King­dom, by re-acting the most palpable and gross Myste­ry of Iniquity that can possibly be described: In so far as this Apostacy arising from small beginnings, by fair and smooth pretensions, crafty insinuations, Court-flatteries, false calumnies and suggestions, op­en and gross perjuries, and violent dissorders, ac­cording to the working of Sathan; After great and long opposition by Conferences, Warnings & petitions, & faithful and constant Testimonies and sufferings of the Zealous Witnesses of our Lord, both unto bonds, banishment, & Sentences of Death, against the again [Page 45] aspiring Prerogative and usurping Prelacy under it's shaddow, did in the secret and holy Judgement of God, chang the Glory of God and of our Lord Jesus into the Similitude and Image of the Roman Beast, turning the Power of Godliness unto Formality, his faithful Ministers into corrupt Hirelings, the Power and Life of Preaching into Flattery and Vanity, the Substance of Religion into empty and ridiculous Ceremonies, the Beauty and Purity of the Ordinances into Superstitious Inventions of Kneeling, Crossing, Holy Dayes and the like, the Beautiful and Powerful Government of Gods House for the Edification of Souls, to a Lordly Dominion over Consciences and violent Persecution of mens persons; And in a word, the great End of the Glorious Gospel and it's Blessed Ministry, even the salvation of poor sinners, which is the pleasure of the Lord, the fruit of the travel of His Soul, the Joy of Heaven, the Crown and Glory of the blessed Apostles, and the End of all things, and of the se­cond Appearance of the Great God, into an Empty Title, and specious pretext for the fulfilling of mens lusts and pleasures, the establishing of their Power and Tyranny, and the ruine and exterminion of all such as opposed, and mourned for all these Abomina­tions.

Thus, this Work and Kingdom of Darkness did advance apace, and had almost attained unto it's full maturity, of hurrying this poor Land and Nation head­long, into that Gulf of Confusion, Error and Supersti­tion, whereinto Popery did formerly involve us, when it pleased the Lord, according to His Great Mercy and faithfulness, to remember His Covenant though we had fearfully forgotten it; and in the midst of that growing darkness and those manifold Confusions to [Page 46] cause His Spirit to move, and Light to arise upon this Land, about the middle of the Year 1637. Which ap­pearing in the former Power and Glory, did from a very small and improbable beginning, even the oppo­sition of a few weak Women to the introducing and reading of that Carcase of formality, the Service-Book, then ready to be imposed, proceed in such an Univer [...]al, Vigorous, Regular and Powerful method through the whole Land, without the least mixture and ingredient of force and Violence, but only by these most warrantable and inquestionable meanes of Petitioning, Remonstrating, Protesting, and renew­ing their Covenant with God and amongst themselves, that before the end of the Year 1638. the Work of God was revived with more Glory and Splendor, then ever formerly it had attained. We know that not on­ly the Renewing of the Covenant, especially with the enlargement explaining the same, in order to the No­vations in Worship and Corruptions in Government, whereunto this Church had Apostatized, and the bond of Mutual Defence thereto added; but also their Pro­testings & joynt Petitionings have been condemned as Seditious & Rebellious: But seing the same, both from the clear Word of God, the pure Light of Nature, the Zealous and Valiant Practices of our first Reformers, and the Lawes and Constitutions of the Realme are clearly warranted; And by the Power and Pre­sence of God were signally approved; and by the supervenient Acts of the King, Parliament, and Generall Assembly so fully established and confirmed; And seing that they only were and are condemned by such, as either being the Children of the Devil, filled with all subtilty and mischief, and enemies of all Righteousness, cease not to pervert the right [Page 47] Wayes of the Lord; or by such who for advancement of their own Interests, have sacrificed all Conscience and Reason to Ambition and Covetousnes; or by such who in base and open flattery of the King and of the Powers, and neither knowing nor regarding any o­ther Interest or Concernment, then that which de­pendeth on their Pleasure, do set and serve the same in place of the most High; Or lastly, by such who never did nor do concern themselves in such enquiryes, but affect a pretended Gallantry in Gallio's Indiffe­rency, therefore, remitting such as are further desirous of satisfaction, unto the debats & Papers of these Tim­es, and especially unto the late large Apology, we shall only mention the steps and progress of the Lords Work, and our Engagements therein, according to our first purpose.

In the beginning of the Year 1638. great multi­tudes of people consisting of all Ranks, being awaked by the Arbitrary imposing of a Service-Book, more corrupt in some things then that of England, and the Book of Canons, and the erecting and violent exercing of the High Commission-Court, to the perverting of the Pure Worship of God, the utter subverting of all regular Government, and the confounding of all things Divine and Humane, and the destroying of our Civil Liberties; and conceaving the true cause of all the a­bounding Sin, & imminent calamities of these Times, to be the violation of the National Covenant, former­ly thrice sworn in the Land, they again most Solemn­ly, with a very wonderful & gracious mixture of Tears and joy, renew the same almost in all parts of the Land, with the addition above mentioned, to forbear the practice and approbation of all Innovations in Wor­ship, or Corruptions in Government, until the same [Page 48] should be lawfully determined, and that other of Mu­tual Defence and Assistance, in the prosecution of the ends of that Covenant, against all sorts of persons what­soever. And in November the same Year, the Gene­rall Assembly at Glasgow determined anent the foresaid novations and corruptions, disproving and rejecting under these heads, the five Articles of Perth, the Go­vernment of the Church by Bishops, the erecting of Prelacy therein, and all the Corruptions flowing there­from, whereby the Oath of the Covenant is clearly ex­plained and purifyed.

In the Year 1639. the Prelats being routed, run to Court, [...] up the King, England and Irland with all their Friends and Popish partakers in Scotland, a­gainst the faithful Covenanters, as Rebellious and Se­ditious Persons: But they having prepared for their own just Defence, the Lord by His outstretched Arm and Power, dispelling all these menacing clouds and imminent storms, doth by a Pacification concluded, reduce a fair calm; The King therein aggreeing that an Assembly and Parliament shall be held, and that all matters respectively shall be therein deter­mined. The Assembly sitting in August thereafter, the Kings Commissioner being present and assenting, doth ratify the conclusions of the last Assembly at Glasgow, and the Commissioner and Secret Council sub­scribe the Covenant, as it was then explained; and at the Petition of the Assembly, it is enacted to be again subscribed for the Fifth time, by the Body of the whole Land. But no Faith, Honesty, nor Honor binding the Prelats and a Court by them over-ruled; in the Year 1640. the King and Prelats vigorously arm again, and prepare for a new war: But this intended War is composed by a new Pacification, and in the [Page 49] mean time, the Parliament (formerly adjourned un­til Iune 1640) doth conveen at the time appointed, and by their fourth, fifth and sixth Acts fully esta­blish Presbyterial Government; ratify the Covenant, with the Addition and Explanation of the Assembly, and all Acts made thereanent; & abrogat the Estate of Bishops, and all Acts whatsoever made in their favours.

Thereafter, in the Treaty ensuing the Pacification, it is agreed that the Acts past in the last Parliament, with these to be made in the next Session thereof, shall be published in the King's Name, and have the strength of Laws in all time coming: Which Treaty being closed, and the last Session of the above-men­tioned Parliament sitting in the Moneth of Iune 1641. the King in person being present among them, and the Oath of Parliament (for maintenance of Religion in purity as then established, and of the King's Autho­rity, and the Peoples Liberties according to the Co­venant; and for endeavouring by all just and humble meanes, of Union and Peace betwixt the three King­domes) appointed to be taken by that, & all succeed­ing Parliaments, being taken; by the second Act thereof, superscribed by the King and subscribed by the President, the foresaid Treaty is amply and per­petually confirmed, and the whole Articles thereof are ratifyed and recorded.

Thus, by all the Security, that either Sacred Oaths; or Acts of Lawful & Authorized Assemblies; Ordinanc­es of King and Council; doubled and re-iterated Paci­fications and Treaties; Acts of Parliament Enacted & Re-enacted; the Kings Authority and Consent being often and solemnly interposed, both by promise and hand-writ; And all that either Religion, Truth, [Page 50] Faith, Honour or Honesty could devise or grant, these Wicked Prelats are cast out of this Church and King­dom, Presbyterial Government fully established, the pure Worship of God, with His pure and powerful Ordinances and Ministry restored, and in the main­tenance and pursuance of all these great Blessings, the whole Land, by many Oaths & most Solemn tyes, en­gaged unto the Lord for ever.

By all which Blessings, and the restoring of the Lord's own Ordinances amongst us, as the Work of the Gospel and the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus, in the Conversion of many thousands, were greatly advanced, and the Glory of God, in the abounding of true Piety and flourishing of Righteousness, did eminently shine amongst us; (as the memory of these times in all such as fear God and love our Lord Jesus Christ doth sweetly testify) so all these great things were transacted, to the perpetual shame and confusion of all our calum­nious Adversaries, without any diminution of his Ma­jesty's just Authority and Greatness.

As the Power and Glory of the Lord was great in this Land; so the splendor and fame thereof reaching unto other Nations, it pleased the Lord thereby to provoke His People in England, at that time grievously groaning under the Tyrannous yoke of Prelacy, and justly alarmed by the imminent fears of prevailing Po­pery, to set about and intend the like blessed Refor­mation.

It doth not concern us, to reflect on the Causes and beginnings of that War betwixt the King and Par­liament there, nor what were the transactions betwixt the two Kingdoms in order to that Aid and Assistance given by Scotland, and how the same was mannaged: But this is certain, that, upon the Representation of [Page 51] the most just and important grounds, of the mainte­nance of Religion and Liberty, against the prevailing power of Popery, Prelacy and Tyranny in that King­dom of England; and their most instant and earnest desires for our help and Assistance; and rhe most ra­tional & clear motives of our own Security, (the haz­ard and loss whereof had undoubtedly been the conse­quence of the Prelats Victory there) this Kingdom was induced in the Year 1643. to enter into that Sacred Bond of the Solemne League and Covenant, never to be forgotten, containing no other Articles then every one's Sincere and constant endeavours, in their several places & callings, for the preservation of the Reformed Religion in this Church, in Doctrine, VVorship, Discipline and Government; the Reformation of the same in Eng­land and Ireland, according to the VVord of God, and the example of the best Reformed Churches; and the nearest Conjunction and Vniformity of all the three in Truth, Faith, and Love; the extirpation of Popery, Prela­cy, Error and Profanity; the preservation of the rights and Liberties of the People, and of the Kings person and Authority in defence of the true Religion, and the Kingdom's Liberties; the Discovery and the punish­ment of Incendiaries; the retaining of the Peace and Vnion of the Kingdomes; the mutual assistance and de­fence of all entering into this League; and the perform­ing of all duties we owe to God, in the amendment of our lives, and in walking exemplarly one before another: And all these in order to no other end, then the Glory of God, the advancement of the Kingdom of [Page 52] Iesus Christ; the Honor and Happiness of the King and his Posterity; and the true Liberty, Safety and Peace of the Kingdom.

This is that Covenant, which in all the controver­sies it hath occasioned, did never receave a greater confirmation, then from the malice and opposition of it's adversaries; who in the same Spirit & with the same Spite, have alwayes persecuted and reproached it, with the same Calumnies of Rebellion, Sedition and Blood, which from the beginning, the Devill hath ever been most active to raise and stir up against the Lord Jesus, his Gospel, Kingdom and Followers. But seing such only as are blessed, do evite the offence of Truth; and all who truely seek Gods Glory or Love the Lord Jesus, did and still do heartily approve and embrace this Covenant: though it had brought the Sword not only into Britain, but with the Truth into all the Earth; though it were reproached as un­friend not only to our King, but with our Lord Jesus to Caesar and all the Kings of the Earth; though it had divided and disturbed not only Realms and States, but with the Gospel, families and nearest relations; and had with Paul moved Sedition throughout the whole World, we ought not thereby to be either shaken or offended. We know also, that all the subtilty and ma­lice of Hell have been set on work, and spared no ca­lumny or cavillation, by which either it's Words, Matter or Manner might be impugned: But these are so often and fully answered, and, without the assistance of any man's Patrociny, by the obvious plainness of it's Phrase, the Holiness & Importance of it's Purpose, and the Justice and Necessity of it's way and Manner, so clearly confuted, that nothing can be added. Only [Page 53] seing the Constancy of Truth, ought not to cede to the Confidence of prevailing Powers, as we have asserted and do hold, the subject matter of this League and Cove­nant to be in it self Holy, Just and True; so we can­not but disprove the dangerous Method of some, who the better to enforce the obligation of the Oath of God, do suppose the Matter thereof, especially as to that article against Prelacy, to be antecedently Indifferent, and not determined either by the Word of God or any other Moral Precept: Justly apprehending how easily in this light and backsliding time, such suppositions may become positions; and that the obligation of the Oath of God, now so much violated and little regard­ed, may be found too weak to secure mens stedfastness. As we are therefore persuaded, and would have all to consider and fix it in their hearts, that this wicked Prelacy and it's Hierarchy, are not only contrary to the Word of God, to the Practice of the Holy Apostles, to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness; (under which express consideration we are also sworn to en­deavour it's extirpation,) but by the sad experience of all Ages in the Christian Church, especially in these our later times, had been found most perni­cious to all Truth and Righteousness, and the main Engine and Device, whereby the Devil hath alwayes laboured, to advance his Kingdom of Darkness; and therefore hath been the great butt and aime, for the o­verthrow whereof, the great Work of God in this Land, hath been so Powerfully and Gloriously manifest­ed: so do we most constantly hold, that as wel this Article against Prelacy, as all the rest contained in this Holy Covenant, were and are antecedently oblidging both to King and People, without the supervention of either Oath or Promise; and that the rooting out of [Page 54] Prelacy, & the wicked Hierarchy therein so obviously described, is the main duty, in the endeavour where­of, (as most advantageous unto all these great and holy Ends proposed by the Covenant) all the Zeal of the faithful ought to be concentred.

As for such profane Jugglers, who neither consider­ing this Oath and Covenant as a special Ordinance and blessing of God, whereby we are more effectually stirred up and enabled, to the performance of all the duties of Religion and Righteousness therein contained; nor knowing that this Covenant made with God, and accepted by Him, is also the Lords Covenant with us, for the securing and establishing unto us, all the great Blessings and Priviledges therein expressed, & that, as we therein do avouch the Lord to be our God, so doth He avouch us to be His People, Do from the Righteousness and Necessity of it's matter, vainly ar­gue the superfluity of any accessory Obligation, and would thence infer, that the same may be the more easily dispensed with or renounced: We de only remit them to that Solemn Covenant Deut. 29.10. &c. made there betwixt the Lord and His People, and thereafter so often renewed, only for their greater Engagement to the most necessary duties of God's express com­mands.

We come in the next place, unto the Manner and Form of this League and Covenant; wherein, not purposing to resume the many debates that have been raised anent it, we shall only take notice, that these old Acts and Laws viz. Act. 43. Parl. 6. of Mary 1555. and Act. 12. Parl. 10. Iam. 6.1585. made against Leagues and Bands contracted without the Kings con­sent, are now obtruded with the force and lustre of a new Act. cap. 4. of the last Parliament, to condemn the [Page 55] Covenant, as from the beginning Unlawfull and Re­bellious: But as these old Acts, at the time of the entering into this League and Covenant, did then stand explained by the 29. Act. Parl. 2. Charl. 1. ratifyed and authorized by the King himself, in a sense most consistent with the Covenant, and could no wayes render the same from the beginning unlawful, much less could the revival thereof in their greatest rigour, or the superveniency of any other Act thereanent, dissolve the Sacred Obligation of this Oath once lawfully con­tracted; so the reason of the former answer made ro this objection, and the Justice and Equity of that Act. 29. P. 2. C. 1. whereby the same was declared, remaineth in ful force, viz. that no League nor Bond made by the Subjects for maintenance of Religion, Liberty, and the Publick good of Church or State, was or can be understood, to be prohibited by these old Acts and Laws objected. Because, as the makers of such Bonds, cannot be reputed to be movers of Sedition, to the breach of the publick peace, (which is the ex­press reason and certification of these old Acts ob­jected) so both the King and his Government, being appointed for the preservation of these great ends and Interests, and He himself principally oblidged, both by the Command and Oath of God upon him, to au­thorize all such bonds. Covenants, and other means which may advance the same; It were a gross Para­dox both in Reason and Religion, that the King's ne­glect of his duty and perverting of his Office, to the overthrow of these ends for which he is ordained, should therefore oblige the People to a sinful Com­plyance and stupid connivance, to the high Dishonour of the Great God and King of Kings, and the utter [Page 56] ruine of the souls, bodies, and fortuns of themselves and their Posterity. It's true, it may be and is re­plyed, that this answer and reasoning, doth proceed from an unjust jealousy of Kings, and is founded up­on an intollerable presumption in the Subject to censure and judge their actings: But seeing the en­tering into this Covenant, and into all others which we allow, was so far from proceeding upon an un­just jealousy, that on the contrary, it was in a man­ner extorted, by the force of the most palpable and ra­tional necessity that can be imagined; and seeing the feeling and discerning thereof, is so far from that cri­minal presumption alleadged, that to disprove it, is in effect to deny both sense and reason, unless our adversaries can prove that notwithstanding there­of, the King is by God the Lord, vested with such an uncontrollable Dominion and Soveraignty, that whatever Violence, Outrage, or Cruelty he com­mit, the People are obliged by a patience, or rather stupidity greater then that of Beasts, to endure with­out gain saying, it is impossible for them to esta­blish the Tyranny that they contend for. But that the World may see, that such objections are only the wicked flattery of selfish men, and how little they do therein either use or regard Reason, in the late Act a­bovementioned made against Leagues and Conven­tions, it is declared, that the explication contained in the Act 1640. viz. That such Leagues and Conventions as are made by Subjects, for the preservation of the King, Religion and the Laws, are not prohibited by these old Acts, is false and disloyall, and contrary to the true and genuine meaning thereof: which Decla­ration is not only a naked Assertion, and contrary to the express reason and certification of these old Acts, [Page 57] which is before sett down; but so blind and irrational, that in case of an Interregnum, or the incapacity of the King to give His consent to any Bond, Meeting or Convention, which in such a case may be absolutely ne­cessary, it leaves no issue or expedient.

It is not needful here to clear the necessity and ad­vantages, which may induce Subjects to the making of Leagues and Conventions in certain cases, without the consent of the Prince; nor the exigence of these Times for the Covenant we plead for: These things are cleared by undenyable Records, which, all the Wars, Blood and Confusions that thereafter ensued, (flowing either from the perverse and obstinate opposition, violence, and Persecution of the enemies of Truth, or being the effect of Gods Righteous Judgement upon such whose hearts were false, and proved unstedfast in His Covenant,) notwithstanding all the present in­sulting of the Adversaries, doth nothing disprove. Neither do we here resume the above mentioned prac­tices of our first Reformers, for justifying the case in hand, and the explication of these old Acts here ob­truded; who, by all their necessary Leagues, Bands and Conventions, never conceaved the same to be con­traveened: Only we cannot but regret, that, as the Act made in the last Parliament against Conventions and Bonds, was a fearful step of the present great Aposta­cy, and directly levelled against the same Covenant, by which the Authors of the Acts themselves were and are indissolubly obliged; so that old Act Parliament 10. Ja. 6. cap. 12. 1585. which is thereby ratifyed and re­vived, was also one of the woful Acts and effects of the wickedness that then prevailed in the Land, and doth relate to and is expresly founded upon the 43. Act. Queen Mary, Parliament 6. 1555. which, under the co­lour [Page 58] of discharging Bonds of Man-rent, was by the Queen Regent, then raging in Persecution against the Professors of the Truth, directly intended for the over­throw of the Gospel and Congregation.

We have hitherto only justifyed the lawfulness, or rather the necessity of the Covenant; as a League amongst Subjects without the Princes consent, and have not spoken thereto as a League with England, and the Subjects of an other Kingdom: Because, as the first point is mainly denied by the Adversary; so the same being proven, upon in the same grounds (first, of Just & Necessary Defence of our Selves, Religion and Libertyes; Secondly, of the assistance that we owe and do expect in case of Persecution for Truth, from all Christians in the bowels of Jesus Christ, the obe­dience of his new and speciall command of Love, and the remembrance of that great and last Judge­ment, wherein by this Law, all men shall be judged, without respect to the difference of Nations and King­doms; and thirdly, upon the ground of the Glory of God, which is the great end of all things, and to which all inferiour duties of Submission and Obedience ought to cede) the Justice and Necessity of the Co­venant and League with England may be certainly con­cluded. O! that men, who weighing all things in the ballance of their own selfish Interests and designes, do make the vain & airy enjoyment of Court-favour, and the evanishing possession of such advantages, as may be acquired thereby, preponderate and cast the scales, in prejudice of these great and important concern­ments of the Glory of God, and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus, Might yet be awak­ened by the terror of that dreadful and glorious Judge­ment of the last day, to an impartial consideration [Page 59] of that duty, which we owe to all these that suffer and are persecuted for Truth. Surely if not visiting, not relieving and supporting (when it is in our pow­er,) of the afflicted members of Jesus Christ, shall then be the condemnation of the Reprobat, (against which the exception of a contrary command of any King or Prince, or that the afflicted were by men for Truths sake declared Rebells and Traitors, or were of an other Kingdome, shall furnish no defence) Can we in conscience think, that the refusal of Assistance to the persecuted for Christ's sake, when instantly thereto required, shall be, upon any of these pretended grounds, excused in that day?

We do not here mention the supervenient consent and Authority of the King, by which the alleaged defects, to the acknowledgement of all our adversa­ries, were clearly purged: because (though the same will afterwards fall in, as a great accession to the conviction of all Apostats, yet) we bless the Lord who hath bottomed our Faith and Consciences upon more sure and fixed foundations; and who gave His People more evident and gracious testimonies of His Favour, Pow­er and Presence, while they sincerely walked conform to the grounds mentioned, before the King's assent was obtained, then ever since.

The entering into and taking of this Covenant, was so much the more necessary and Praise-worthy in us in Scotland, for several reasons, 1. because it contains no other then the same Duties and obligations, which were before by us so solemnly Covenanted to, in our Nationall Covenant: neither is the restriction of our Alleageance, supposed to be made therein, any other then the true and righteous qualification of all such engagements, most consonant unto and approven [Page 60] by our first Large Confession of Faith Chap. 25. Anent the Civil Magistrate; the Kings Coronation-Oath re­corded, Ia. 6. p. 1. cap. 8. and the Nationall Covenant, as it was taken and subscribed both first and last: And though our Adversaries have insulted upon the later Confession of Faith, as if both our former prin­ciples and practises were thereby disproved; yet let the words be considered. Viz. Infidelity or difference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrat's Iust and Legal Authority, nor free the People from due obedience, And we are confident, that no sober man will think the acknowledgement of just and legal Authority and due obedience, a rational ground, to infer that Tyran­ny over either Consciences or Persons, is thereby either allowed or priviledged; which is all that by us is con­tended for.

2. Because the same National Covenant did power­fully oblige us thereunto: not only upon the account of that obstinate opposition, which the perfidious Prelats in England, both by raising Wars and breach of Pacification, had plainly testifyed; the revival whereof, in case of any probable Capacity, we had just reason to apprehend, and by a posterior League, (at that time, a most necessary and probable remedy,) in pursuance of our former engagement, to provide a­gainst; but also in respect of that express ground of op­position to the bloody bond of Trent, and of the detes­tation of all the enemies of Gods Church, who thereby conjured themselves against it, contained in the Natio­nal Covenant: which could not but be a very fair persua­sion and strong inductive, to engage in that sacred Bond of the solemn League & Covenant, against that same ac­cursed conjuratiō, which at that time appeared so active

3. Because the Oath of Parliament, first taken in [Page 61] the Parliament 1641. the King being present, obliging us to endeavour the preservation of the Peace and Vnion of the three Kingdoms, did indispensibly oblige us to enter in this Covenant, as a most necessary expedient there­to.

Having thus summarily reviewed, both the Matter and Manner of this Solemn and important League and Covenant, we cannot but wonder at the poor Sophis­t [...]y of such, (especially that more Temporizing then Seasonable Casuist,) who delude themselves in so great matters unto such an Indifferency, as to assert, that this Covenant doth as necessarily depend upon the King's consent for it's establishment, as the private vow of a Daughter in her Father's house, or of an Wife under her Husband's power, in things free and arbitrary, though not absolutely in their own disposal, did accord­ing to the Judicial Law of the Jewes, fall under the Father and Husband's power of ratifying or annulling: But the simple proposal of these cases, doth hold out such a disparity both as to the Persons, (being only wo­men under power,) the Things in themselves, being free, but at another's disposal, and many other Circum­stances tedious to insist on, and even as to Law it self by which the case is determined, being meerly Judicial, that none who fear the Lord, or mind His Glory in any measure of Sobriety, will daigne it with an answer. And such indeed are the rest of the Cavils and Calum­nies, wherewith the Adversaries of Truth have endea­voured to impugn and asperse this Holy Covenant; and are so fully and often answered already, that to account them worthy the resuming and refuting, were in some sort after Vowes to make inquiry.

There is one thing that our Adversaries have fre­quently objected, which we cannot ommit, viz. that [Page 62] the Covenants, both National and Solemn League were urged and pressed, both by Church Censures and Civill Sanctions, of loss of goods, sequestration and other arbitrary pains, which hath been heavily complained of, as a great violence done to Conscience: But as it was then too evident,▪ that this Priviledge of Conscience, was for the most part only pretended by such, as had litle or no feeling thereof; so the Practice of the present times, doth now fully discover, that what is now so insolently retorted, was never before really scrupled at. But the lawfullness of the course and practice then used, and the iniquity of this retor­tion will easily be cleared, if it be considered, 1. that the Nationall Covenant, being a standing, & binding Oath upon the whole Land, and in the Year 1638. only renewed with such an agreeable explanation, as none could or did quarrel, but such as thereby in­tended, to palliate and persist in their proceeding ma­nifest violations, was according to the example of good Josiah, (who brought back the People, and CAUSED them stand to the Covenant of their Fathers, 2 Chron. 34.32.) most justly commanded, and under the pains due to the breach therof, ordained to be re-taken. 2. That the solemn League and Covenant, containing no other obligements, then what the Na­tional doth import, and being a most conducible ex­pedient, both for the securing and prosecuting the ends thereof, and whereunto, the National Covenant upon this ground did clearly oblige, The pressing of the same League, is warranted not only by the former ground; but from the very bond of the Na­tional, became an indispensible Duty: By which rea­sons, as the former proceedings are clearly justifyed, so the present practice, (as being a direct and violent [Page 63] ranversing of these things, which were once so righte­ously and rationally established) is the more con­demned. But whatever be the disparity of these cases in the point of Reason, we are sure that light and dark­ness do not more differ, then the Lenity of these former times, from the Rigour and violence now practized; & that where one then suffered for obstinacy against the Covenant, hundreths do now suffer for their stedfast­ness therein.

As for these Wars and great commotions, that en­sued upon this great Transaction of the Solemn League, we will not thereon insist: Only we are confident, that nothwitstanding all the Calumnious constructions of our Adversaries, al such as seek out and have plea­sure in the Works of the Lord, will applaud unto the Glory and Righteousness thereof; who, as by the sword of Apostats in the Years 1644, and 1645. He did punish in his Justice, the Hypocrisy and Self-seeking of such in this Land, whose hearts were not upright in His Covenant, and thereafter in the Year 1648. did by a prevailing Sectarian Party, restrain and crush the gross and Generall Apostasy then intended, under an Hypocritical pretext of pursuing the ends of the Covenant, at that time so palpably perverted and abused; so, for the manifestation of his own Glory, and of His Mercy to them that fear him and did not forget his Covenant, He did intermix several gracious Intervals of His aboundant Compassion; and at length did give unto His Work and People, a full and abso­lute Victory over that malignant Spirit and Party, that had so long prevailed in the Land, and caused the wick­edness of the wicked to cease, and all iniquity to stop it's mouth.

Thus in the Years 1649, and 1650. & thereafter, the [Page 64] Lord was with us while we were with Him, and while we sought Him, He was found of us; but as we did forsake Him, so did He also forsake us: by which position, all the mixture and varieties, both of our Act­ings and Gods Providences in these times, may clear­ly be resolved.

There was indeed at that time in the Land, not only a party Faithful unto God, and zealous for His Name; but also a great Zeal of God, from clear knowledge and sad experience, generally and solemnly professed before God and all men in our Publick Ac­knowledgement Anno 1649: In consequence whereof, the League and Covenant was also by the whole King­dom renewed that same Year. And in answer thereunto, the Lord did mightily both save and defend us from all our Adversaries: and as He soon subdued our Ene­mies at Stirling, and turned His Hand against our Ad­versaries in the North, and caused the haters of the Lord faign submission unto Him; so, for His own Glory, the establishment of His People, and the utter confusion of His Adversaries, He did highly advance His blessed Work, by the accession of all these Advan­tages, with the Defect whereof, it had been formerly calumniated.

The Advantages we here mention are (besides that Publick Acknowledgement then made, and in the deep sense thereof, the League and Covenant solemn­ly again renewed and taken, whereby our Engage­ments were not only doubled, but strongly con­firmed) 1. These many necessary and righteous Lawes enacted in the then Parliaments, both for the ratifying the later large Confession of faith, and the larger and shorther Catechisms, agreed unto by both Kingdoms, and for the restraining and coercing of Im­piety [Page 65] and Blasphemy, the encouragement of the Mi­nistry, and for the promoving of Godliness. Amongst which Acts, that abolishing Patronages, deserveth a more special and commendable remembrance: Not only because of the many woful Effects & Abuses of Patronage, as it then was (& now is) exercised, where­by frequently, Godly men and in some measure quali­fied for the Work of the Ministry were (& are) un­justly restrained from labouring therein; Many Con­gregations needlesly continued desolate, without a­fixed Ministry; Many Naughty men and utterly in­sufficient, at the sole arbitrement of Patrons, violent­ly obtruded upon the People, without and against their own consent; Presbyteries constrained (contra­ry to the Rule of the Holy Scriptures) to ordaine men, whom the People neither choised, nor could cheerful­ly receave; Foundations of prejudice & strife, be­twixt Pastor and People laid, whereby the one can­not preach nor the other hear with profit; Symoniacal Pactions often basely made betwixt Patrons & the person presented, to the disgrace of the Holy Calling as-wel as to the sin and shame of the Persons; And the Ministry of too many, in dispencing of Word, Sa­craments & Censures, made to depend too much upon the Will and pleasure of Man: But also because, it hath no Precept in the Word of God, nor Example in the old Jewish, nor new primitive and pure Christian Church, to warrant it; because, Intentionally and Natively it spoileth the People of that Right and Priviledge, in Electing their own Pastors, which Scripture and Reason alloweth; And because, being the Patron's (pretended) Heritage, and therefore, by him vendible to whom he pleaseth, the whole and sole Power of Presenting of Ministers, Planting of [Page 66] Churches, Preaching of the Gospel, & settling Mainte­nance, may be turned over unto, & put in the hands of men, not only Profa [...]e & Strangers to both Church & Common-wealth, but also pro [...]es [...]ed Enemies of the Truth, yea, even Papists or Pagans. And therefore, (being in itself a grievous and unwarrantable Burthen; destructive of the Church and Peoples Liberties; ob­structive of the free course of the Gospel; the Freedom, Power & Plainness of the Ministry; and occasional of much base Flattery & Partiality, under which, from the very times of Superstition which introduced it, the Church did heavily groan) it must needs be so much the greater Blessing to be delivered from it.

The second Advantage which the Lord's work re­ceaved, was by that great and long Transaction with the King in order to His return, and Admission to the Government; which at length, after repeated Addresses, many Treaties, and the interposing of Forraign States and Princes, produced the King's Ap­probation and Allowance of the Nationall and Solemn League and Covenant: Which both by his great Oath unto the Most High God, and his hand-writ and Subscription, he most amply assured, promising in the same manner to advance & prosecute their Ends, and to seek and procure the establishment thereof, and of Presbyterial Government, and of the whole work of God in all his Dominions. We know our Adver­saries, persisting in their old malice, disown and exclaim upon this Transaction as most disloyal and in­solent, for Subjects (whose part is only to surrender & submit,) to require and enter into Treaties with their Prince: But 1. as these reproaches are from the same wicked Spirit, false grounds, and base and carnall ends, which from the very times of popery, have resist­ed, [Page 67] and been objected against the Work of Reforma­tion in this Land; so do wee thereto oppose, (in full assurance before God and all the World,) these solid and evident reasons and warrants, whereby not only these Treaties and Transactions with the late King, but all these old Contracts and Agreements betwixt the then Powers and People, (which in some sort, are the very foundation of the Protestant Religion in this Realm) are justifyed and approven: wherein if there be any disparity, the difference of a King upon His Throne actually Exercing, from a Prince only ascend­ing thereto, must cast the advantage on our side. 2. Seing there is no Voluntary Kingdom, which is not both erected, sustained, and continued by a Funda­mental Contract, and no Right thereto so good (though even that of Divid himself and His Posterity, who held the Kingdom, both by inmediate grant, and interposed Oath of the Most High,) which is not setled and confirmed by this agreement, 2 Sam. 5.3. 2 Kings. 11.17. can any rationall man disprove or condemn Treaties so naturally antecedent and previous thereto. 3. The reason and necessity of this Treaty is so dependent upon the preceeding War with the last King, in which (as-well as in his Kingdomes) this King did succeed him, that, seing it can have no op­posers, but such as therein were enemies, we willing­ly refer hoth the cases to the determinations of the same reasons. And as for such who asserting the Cove­nant, and the Justice of the long Parliaments War, do nevertheless disprove our procedure in this Treaty, as their mis-information doth not prejudge the Truth; so neither are we answerable for their inconsequence.

The third Advantage which the Lord gave His Work, was by what the King did after his arrival in [Page 68] Scotland, both before and at his Coronation, for the greater confirmation of the Covenant and Work of God, and the more strong engaging of himself and this whole Land unto the Lord. Before his Corona­tion, he emitteth that Declaration at Dumfermling suffi­ciently known by this designation, wherein Professing, and appearing in the full persuasion and love of the Truth, he repenteth (as having to do with & in the sight of God) His Fathers opposition to the Covenant and VVork, of God, and his own reluctancies against the same, hoping for mercy through the blood of Iesus Christ, and obtesting the Prayers of the faithful to God, for his stedfastness: and then protesteth his truth and sincerity in entering into the Oath of God, resolving to prosecute the ends of the Covenant to his utmost, and to have with it the same common friends and enemies, ex­horting all to lay down their enmity against the Cause of God, and not to prefer Man's Interest to God's, which will prove an Idole of Iealousy to provoke the Lord, and he himself accounteth to be but selfish flattery, & so-forth proceedeth in the most cordial, sincere & assuring terms, to testify his love and zealous resolu­tions for God, his People and Covenant, and on the other hand his great dislike and detestation of all Per­sons, courses and Interests contrary thereto. A De­claration, so full of heart-professions, and high attest­ations of the Great God, that none seriously consi­dering the present times, can reflect thereon without horror and trembling from the Holy Jealousy of the Lord, either for the then deep Dissimulation, or the present unparalelled Apostacy. However seeing the [Page 69] same is so assertive, that no words could adde to it's assurance, nor no argument less then the present Apo­stacy, render it to any neutral person suspect of the least dissimulation; sure we are, that the generality of the Kingdom, did thereby obtain all the warrant of the King's most full and clear assent to, and allowance of the Covenant, that either Law or Reason could re­quire. Thereafter at his Coronation, how the King did again confirm the Covenant, and both He and his People thereby again engage themselves unto the Lord, the order thereof printed and published to the World doth fully declare. In which, these passages are very observable. 1. That the King is desired in Name of the People, jointly to accept the Crown and maintain Religion ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL & SO­LEMN LEAGUE & COVENANT, to which he declar­eth his cordial assent, wishing no longer to live, then he might see Religion & this Kingdō flourish in all happiness. 2. After a Sermon most pertinently, plainly and powerfully preached upon that 2 Kings 11. v. 12, & 17. (wherein amongst other things, the binding power & force of the Oath of God, and the hazards of the breach thereof are fully represented) the Action com­menceth with the King's most Solemn Renewing of the National and Solemn League and Covenant, which was in this manner. The King kneeling and lifting up his right hand before the three Estats of the Kingdom, the Commissioners of the General Assembly, and the whole People and Congregation, by his great Oath in presence of the Almighty God, the Searcher of hearts, he assureth & declareth his allowance of the NATIONAL COVENANT, & SOLENN LEAGUE & COVENANT, pro­mising [Page 70] faithfully to prosecute the Ends thereof, and to establish the same with the Presbyterial Government and the whole VVork of God, in all his Dominions. 3. That, having thus taken the Covenants, the King is presented to the People, and their willingness, to have him for their King, demanded; which they ac­cordingly declare. 4. That he did also swear and take the Coronation-Oath appointed and recorded Parl. 1. Iac. 6. cap. 8. to which both the Covenants are most consonant, Promising by the Eternal & Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth for ever, to observe and keep the same. 5. That when he Sword was put in his hand, he is desired to receave the same For the De­fence of the Faith of Iesus Christ, & of the true Religion ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL & SOLEMN LEAGUE & COVENANT, & for the Ministration of Iustice; which he accordingly accepteth. 6. After the Crown is set upon his head, the Peoples Obligatory Oath is proclaimed, whereby they all swear by the Eter­nal & Almighty God who liveth & reigneth for ever, to be true & faithful to the King, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL & SOLEMN LEAGUE & COVENANT. 7. Being installed and set upon the Throne, he is exhort­ed by the Minister to remember, That his Throne is the Lord's Throne, 1 Chron. 29. ver. 23. And being a Co­venanted King set thereon, he ought under God to rule for God, and especially to beware that he made not the Lord's Throne, a Throne of Iniquity, to frame mis­chief by a Law, even such mischievous Laws as have been enacted by his Predecessors, destructive to Religion, [Page 71] and grievous to the Lord's People. 8. The Nobles of the Land▪ being called one by one, and kneeling be­fore the King on the Throne, and holding their hands betwixt his hands, did Swear by the Eternal and Al­mighty God who liveth and reigneth for ever, to be true and faithful to the King, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL AND SOLEMN LEAGUE AND CO­VENANT. 9. The action is closed by a most solid and weighty exhortation, both to King and People to keep the Covenant, and beware of the breach of it; which is enforced by these fearful threatenings and instances recorded in the Scriptures of Truth, against Covenant-breakers, particularly these, Nehem. 5. ver. 13. where Nehemiah did shake his lap. saying, So God shake out every man from his house, & from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out and emptied, and all the Congregation said, Amen. Ier. 34. v. 18, 19, 20, & 21. And 2 Chron. 24.23, 24, & 25. With this Pathetick application, That if they should break the Covenant, God would shake off the King's Crown, and turn him from the Throne; that he would shake the Nobles out of their possessions, and empty them of their Glory; and would deliver both to the hands of their enemies who seek their life; That breach of Covenant and Rebellion against God was an old and continued Sin in the King's house, which God had al­ready severely punished: if therefore the King should not acknowledge Iesus Christ King of Zion, who is above him, but break this Covenant, God's controversy a­gainst the King's Family would be carried on unto the [Page 72] weakning if not the overthrow of it. And lastly, both the King and Nobles are certifyed, that if the King and they who are engaged to support his Crown, shall conspire together against the Kingdom of Iesus Christ, both the supporters and the supported will fall together. This is that great Action, wherein almost all the So­lemnities are so twisted with that sacred Bond, that the World must acknowledge, that never King and People under the Sun, became so expresly and strict­ly obliged both unto God, one to another, & amongst themselves, as we were and are by these most Sacred Oaths of the Holy Covenants, most indissolubly en­gaged.

The fourth and last Advantage, was that plenary and last Complement of all Securities whatsoever a­mongst men, viz. the Ratification of all these preceed­ing Treaties, Transactions, Engagements and Acti­ons, concluded and enacted by the King, then having attained the Age of 21 Years compleat, and the Par­liament fully and freely conveened in the Moneth of Iune 1651. whereby the same did pass into a perpetual Law: And this Covenant which from the beginning was and is the most firm and Indispensible Oath of God, became at length the very Fundamental Law of the Kingdom, whereon all the Rights and Priviledges either of King or People, are principally bottomed and secured.

This is the fair side of the Transactions and pro­vidences of thesse times, and the effects of the Lord's favourable presence, and the consequence of that Zeal which we have mentioned. O! that we had sin­cerely minded and walked agreeably to all these En­gagements, surely our times should have endured for [Page 73] ever: but seing both our own backslidings, and the Lord's withdrawing from us do evidently testify against us, let us ascribe Righteousness unto our God, that in the remembrance of all these Judgements where­with he hath punished us less then our inquities de­serve, we may not only take unto our selves shame and Confusion of face, because we have sinned against Him, and thereby stop the mouth of all these blasphemies and boastings of the Adversaries of the Lord, and His Holy Covenant, which our Backslidings have so widely opened; but in the thoughts of His faithfulness be encouraged to hope in His Mercy, and for the return of our Departed Glory, although we have re­belled against Him.

The Principal Step of our Defection, and the only Rise and Cause of all our Sin and Calamity, we ac­knowledge to have been no other, then that which is the condemnation of the World, that Light indeed came unto us, but we loved Darkness better then Light, because our deeds were evil. For the Lord did cause His Gospel to shine amongst us, in as great Power and Purity as ever any Nation enjoyed, and by the Advantages of his own Holy Ministry and Go­vernment, & the accession of our many fold Covenants and Engadgements, did beautify and secure the same unto us; And though that after a long continuance of all these blessings, the Lord by the Ascendent Power of His own Spirit and Glorious Presence, did bring the whole Land under these great convictions, men­tioned in the conclusion of the League and Covenant, of our not valueing the inestimable Benefit of the Gospel, nor endeauouring to receave Christ in our hearts, and walk worthy of Him in our lives, the only. Duty and [Page 74] end of all our Covenants and Engagements, which is in effect God's greatest Delight and Glory in the World, and all our Felicity; And unto these unfained resolutions there annexed, of Repentance and Amend­ment; And lastly though the Lord from Heaven had both plagued us for, and purged us from these fear­ful Apostacies and Defections, whereby men of cor­rupt minds, not holding the Head and End of all things, even our Lord Jesus Christ, were both in the Years 1645. and 1648. soon turned aside from their stedfastness in the Covenant, and became Enemies unto God's own Work and Cause, and had therefore stirred us up to the Renewing of our Covenant with God in the Year 1648, with and after a most Solemn Acknowledgement both of the Causes and Evills of these Defections, and a most serious detestation of, and resolution against both; Notwithstanding, we say, of all these things, Yet the great Sin and Evil of not valueing, receaving, and walking worthy of our Lord Jesus. and the not directing and improving the great Blessings of His Gospel, Ordinances, Co­venants, Victories, and all other Benefits and Enjoy­ments bestowed on us for the promoving of the Plea­sure of our Lord, and the Establishing of His King­dom, for the Salvation of Sinners, did still remain. Thence was it, that the generall and great Zeall which then appeared, was so suddenly contracted to a very few, and much remitted in all: And that mens corruptions, turning former Professions into feigned pretensions, and causing many, (in place of the great and only end proposed) to minde Selfish Designes, and Worldly advantages, the Lord was provoked to give up some to the prosecution of these base desires, [...] which they had so quickly backsliden; And to [Page 75] abandon others to the delusion of an over-credulous Charity: which two Evills did so far prevail in all the Transactions of these Times, that though the Over-rul­ing Providence of the Most High, did bring forth thereof the Advantages which we have al-ready, men­tioned; yet were Men thereby acted to pursue Trea­ties, over the belly of most signal Warnings and most pregnant Disswasives to the contrary, and to conclude Agreements, and accept of Securities in the great Matters of God, and of His Work so long contended for, and far advanced, which no rational man not pre­ferring airy words and professions, and Ink-subscrip­tions, to plain refusal, visible reluctancies, manifest resilings, open counter-actings, and strong and con­tinued prejudices, would be satisfyed with, in his own private matters of almost the meanest concernment. But though the Lord from heaven did at Dumbar, testify against both this evil and sinful course, and the great Sin and wickedness that had procured it, and there­after by many of His faithful Servants did give express Testimony & Warning against the same▪ yet it is stil per­sisted in: And notwithstanding that by a new disco­very, after all the assurance contained in the Declaration at Dumfermling that could be imagined, the Lord did make it evident at Clova, that all these condescensions were only the constraints of Policy, the Backsliding and Delusion of these times did proceed, until, that under a pretence of Necessity, preferring the Arm of Flesh to the Almighty Power and Favour of the Most High, and through the perswasion of a Mock-Repen­tance, only agreable unto that Mock-Treaty whereon it depended, we were induced again, to break the Lord's Commandement and our own Engagement, in joyning with the People of these Abominations; to [Page 76] provoke the Lord to be angry, until He should con­sume us utterly without a remnant or escaping; and by partaking of their Sins, became apt and ready to partake of their judgements, which the Lord, by the hand of the TREACHEROUS, did suddenly inflict upon us for all our treachery: And thereby, according to His Righteousness and Great Faithfulness, as he had brought upon us the blessing; so He also brought upon us the curse of His Holy Covenant, and the fears of our own Acknowledgement.

These were our Forsakings & Backslidings, which provoked the Lord also to forsake us, and at length to give us over unto, and leave us in the hands of our enemies; and to lay on our necks that long and heavy yoke of forraign Usurpation, under which, from the Year 1651. unto the Year 1660. we did so grevous­ly groan. The remembrance of which things, doth necessarily oblidge us to the Declaration of these things.

1. That as we desire heartily to resume these pro­fessions of unfeigned Humiliation (for the undervalu­ing of the Precious Gospel and slighting of our Lord Jesus Christ) contained in our Holy Covenant, where­in all the Land without exception are and were so deep­ly concerned; so (although in the Narration of the procedure of our sinful and Wofull Defection, the particular passages of Self-seeking and Over-credulous Delusion, may import a narrower restricton, Yet) the Lord is our witness, that the pure motive of His Glory, and the Honor and Truth of His Work and Covenant, without prejudice to the persons of any, far less of such, whom we are perswaded the Lord both did, and yet doth honor, to be instrumental in His Work, and faithfull in His Covenant, (though neither in the former practice, or this present per­swasion, [Page 77] we do agree) have induced us to this reflec­tion: which we earnestly obtest, may be looked upon by all, rather as the matter of our mourning then of our censure.

2. That whatever love and sincere respect we retain for such of the Faithful, who (through the Holy and Wise Permission of the Soveraign Lord, by the in­fluence of particular temptations, or of that general and powerful snare of an Evil Time) were carried on to a Sinful Complyance with the Evil Courses thereof: Yet we are perswaded, that the remitting of that Zeal, sincerity and stedfastness, whereunto, in our Solemn Acknowledgement, upon the most powerful motives, we had then lately so seriously engaged our selves; and the more Politick then Pious management of these Treaties and Transactions; (wherein the advance­ment of the Work of God, and prosecution of the Ends of the Covenant so highly pretended, could not sincerely and zealously be intended, by any imaginary security or sinful assistance thereby obtained) but espe­cially the relapsing unto that most sinful Conjunction with the People of these Abominations, so solemnly and lately repented for, and resolved against, (which, in stead of being salved, was, by the Constrained, Politick, Dissembled, and Formall Repentance then used, to the mocking of the God of Truth, and scorn of all our Holy Engagements, on all hands mostly aggravated and exaggerated) these evils, we say, were the very foundations of this present Apostacy, and the grounds of the Lords controversy, which hath so long, and yet doth so greivously pursue this Poor Church and Nation. O! that all men would yet at length, after all the evils and warnings which God hath sent amongst us, seriously consider their [Page 78] wayes, take unto themselves shame, and give unto God the Glory, before the decree bring forth our utter destruction and desolation. Who knoweth but the Lord would repent Himself for His servants, when He seeth our power is gone, and return on high for His own Glory, and the Congregation of the poor that compass Him about, and render vengeance unto all his adversaries?

3. That neither failing nor backsliding of many of the faithful, nor the wicked Hypocrisy and Dissimu­lation practized on the other hand, in the carrying on, and concluding of these Treaties, whereby the King was brought under the bond of the Holy Covenant, doth lessen or annul His Obligation thereto; far less the Security, which the People, especially such who know not these depths of Sathan, did obtain thereby, for their warrant and confirmation: Surely the great­est Aggravation of Perjury, cannot annul the Sacred Obligation of an Oath; nor an intended Falshood, loose the bond of Truth; nor will vile Dissimulation, and the most fearful mocking of God and the whole World, deliver from His Holy Justice and Jealousy, who is a terrible and swift witness against, and avenger of all such abominations. Did the wicked dissimu­lation and rebellious heart of the Children of Israel, wherewith they entered in Covenant with the Lord, Deu. 29.10. to 28. liberate them from the sin of Apostacy, and all these fearful plagues threatened against it? Did not that Dissimulate promise and engagement of the remnant of the Jewes, made to Ieremiah chap. 42.20. rather hasten and aggravat the punishment of their disobedience, v. 21, and 22? All who love Truth or fear an Oath, do no doubt abhor such wickedness. But the main objection is, that all these condescensions [Page 79] were extorted by Force and Fear, which doth excuse the Dissimulation, and annul the Oath. We shall not here insist to clear and refute this cavillation, which others have so fully answered: For as to the position, that neither force nor fear, do cause to cease the obli­gation of an Oath in a matter meerly Indifferent; much less, Holy, Righteous and true (as the matter of the Covenant is) all yeeld. But that neither Force, Fear, nor any other indirect way can be alleadged for the annulling of these engagements, both the preceed­ing Treaties, the just and necessary Reasons, and all other cicumstances do most evidently confirm; So that the whole World may justly wonder, that these men, who both in profession and practice, do plainly evidence their profane Indifferency, and regardless violation of all Oaths, wherein Interest doth not con­curre, should by the manifest Patronizing of all Perfidy (whereof no instance can be adduced in the breach of any treaty, wherein the stronger & weaker did ever com­pose any matter of Right, which is not more justify­able) & the shamefull disgracing of the King himself, (whom neither Conscience, Honor, Honesty, nor the example of his Father could teach the constancy of the most mean and abject of his Subjects,) should plead & pretend to rational pretext for the present Apostacy, and not rather content themselves, to say with the King in one of his Declarations, emitted shortly after his return to England, that it is well known by what abusive meanes His Majesty was adduced to make and publish that Declaration at Dumfermling, without any more special condescendence, which is impossible. But oh! that the World did also know and consider all the re-iterated Oaths and Subscriptions, High and [Page 80] Solemn Attestations, Free and unrequired Professions, Fearfull Execrations, made before God, Angels and Men, both in Publick, upon the Throne, under the Crown, in plain Parliament, and also in Private Con­ferences, which many yet alive can sufficiently attest; by which this poor Church and Nation was insnared, and precipitated into all the Sin and Misery, that since the Year 1650. unto this day, hath afflicted us. How­ever the Lord, who seeth and heareth, doth also con­sider, to require it, and the violence done to Himself in many of his suffering members, who partly even in the conscience of the very things, which they that are mostly therein concerned, do mockat, dare not pro­stitute their Consciences in an ambulatory Complyance, with the wicked Apostacy in these times.

4. We cannot but observe, that after the prevail­ing, and during the time of the English usurpation, these only, for the most part, remained mindful of, and faithful to the King, who were faithful and stedfast in the Covenant; when as these, who formerly did, and at present do pretend so highly, for the King, in prejudice both of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Cove­nant, did in their slavish complyance, abandon all Al­leagance and Honesty, to complement the then Pow­ers, for the promoving of their own selfish designes, which is the only bond of all their Engagements, and rule and aim of all their Actions. And though many of them do now pretend to have been sufferers, yet it is well known, that if they had had the half of these temptations, which the Faithful upon the account of their alleageance did constantly resist, the Kings In­terest for their part, had been for ever forgotten, as it was by many of them openly renounced and abjured; And that the main reason of their then seeming and pre­tended [Page 81] Loyalty, was the improbability of credit with, and acceptance from the Usurpers, because of their known Naughtiness.

Having thus declared the Lords great Work and Glorious Presence amongst us, in all these Mercies and Judgements which he shewed upon us, and these strange Vicissitudes & Alternations, sometimes of His Grace & Power, engageing us with heart & hand unto Himself, sometimes of our own hearts Wickedness and Unstedfastness, again causing us to apostatize and backslide from His Holy Command and Covenant, which, daring the space of an hundred years from the Year 1560, have in the Holy and Wise Providence of God passed over us; that by all these great Tempta­tions, which our eyes have seen, and the Signs and wonders which he hath wrought, we might know, that the Lord is our God, and Jesus Christ our King; and that by all these things, He only went about to establish us for a peculiar People unto Himself, in the Glorious Light of His Truth, and Beauty of His Holiness, far exalted above many other Nations. We are now come to the Year 1660, wherein though the Lord was pleased according to His Glorious So­veraignity, by His own immediate hand, to break the yoke of our Oppressors, restore our Covenanted King, Lawes and Liberties, and to make all Factions, Par­ties and Interests, not only to cede unto, but unani­mously to conspire for this Blessed Restitution; yet how evidently hath it since appeared, that the Lord had not given unto us an heart to perceave, eyes to see, nor ears to hear, unto that very day.

We need not here resume the King's most Solemn and Indissoluble Engagements, which we have so lately mentioned, nor add that after Worcester fight, [Page 82] and from beyond Sea, he did confirm by private letters to persons of unquestionable credit, that he was, and through the Grace of God would continue, the same man that he had declared Himself to be in Scotland; nor that it was the conscience of that clause of the Covenant, relating to the maintenance of His Person and Authority, which during the times of Usurpation, did retain the sence and love of his In­terest, so fresh and deeply rooted in mens hearts; Nor that the publick owning, publishing and reprint­ing thereof by the then Parliament in England in March 1660. was the first Public Act that durst or did appear in his favours; Nor lastly need we remember that Letter written and directed by the King, after his return to the Presbytery of Edinburgh and this whole Church, wherein he declares Himself resolued, by the Grace of God to protect and preserve the Govern­ment of the Church of Scotland as it is setled by Law without violation; Seing that though according to it's then State and posture, such a Solemn and Publick Assurance might have been reputed a perpetual Securi­ty; yet the whole strain of the Letter, is such as tendeth only to divide the whole Ministery, and to abuse the greater part of them: And particularly, the altering and suppressing of that most fixed and certain ground of his Engagement, even the Word of God and the Holy Covenant, for that of Law, which is but frail and moveable, did even then discover to ma­ny, that latent Dissimulation and Instability, where­by others were either weakly or willingly deluded. The thing we observe is, that both King and Peoples Obligations were not then greater, then the oportu­nity appeared to be most happy, for the accomplishing [Page 83] of the Lord's Work, the making of his Name Great & One in all these Nations, & the Nations happy & high above all Nations in Name & in Praise, & the establish­ing of the King and his posterity upon the Throne in Glory & prosperity, & that the owning of, & adhering unto the Solemn League and Covenant, our Magna Charta of Religion and Righteousness, had both in the perswasion of all sober men, and even in the convic­tion of the greatest part of our Adversaries, infallibly produced, and effectuated all these blessings.

But Oh! how suddenly and strangely was this blessed appearance overclouded, the expectation of all the Godly disappointed, the joy and peace of all corrupted and marred, and this Land reduced unto this present so woful desolation and sore distress, which though the groans, tears, and the Blood of the Per­secuted, the cry of Violence and Oppression, the De­solation and Profanation of Gods Sanctuary, the reigning power of Darkness, the Pride, Rage and Blasphemy of Perjury and all Profanity, which hath filled the Land, and the dreadful Wrath of the most Holy and Great God, which both burneth round about, and hangeth over it, do sufficiently make ma­nifest, yet for our greater upstirring to consider and lay to heart, that all these evils are come upon us be­cause our God is not amongst us, and what the heat of this great Anger meaneth, & also for the clearing of the Innocency & Testimony of the Lords sufferers, we do shortly exhibite the violent course of this preci­pitant Defection.

The King being returned and re-established in May 1660. the Antichristian Spirit of Prelacy, ever enemy to the Gospel and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus, [Page 84] and the Holy Covenant whereby the same are promot­ed, taking occasion from these many troubles and con­fusions, which the opposition and false-heartedness of many in the same Covenant, did principally pro­voke the Lord to inflict upon thir Lands, and advan­tage from the proneness of mens Power to decline unto Tyranny, and their corruptions to all licentiousness, did first most falsely and atrociously slander the Cove­nant as the Bond of all Iniquity, Rebellion and Con­fusion, which prejudice being enforced which many apparent advantages that then did attend it, did so suddenly and strongly spread and root it self in the hearts of our Nobles, Rulers, and the generality of the Land, that, without so much as seriously reflecting upon their former so Solemn Engagements, Sacred Oaths, Publick Professions, Vigorous Actings and Appearances for the Cause and Covenant of the Lord, with any consideration of Conscience, Honesty, or Honor, which so great and sudden a mutation from their former wayes, though they had been as wicked, as in effect they are true and righteous, did certainly call for in sober and earnest Repentance, they with the concurrence of such vile Sycophants and treacherous persons in the Church and Ministry, as the worldly wealth and Power of Prelacy had wickedly debauch­ed, set themselves in a most determined and resolute Fury, whereinto all their former zeal for God is by the malice of Satan suddenly corrupted, by the plain force of Power, and colour of Authority, where­unto they had now attained, to deface and overturn the whole Work of God, raze it's fundations, annul His Covenants, repeal all Acts made in their favors, incapacitate and persecute all opposers, and lastly to efface and dissolve all sense and bond of Conscience, [Page 85] by which this fearful course of Apostacy, might be in the least, checked or controlled.

We shall not here premise any thing, for clea­ring of the Unlawfulness of the succeeding Acts and Deeds, whereby this Apostacy was carried on, and for the loosing and freeing of us from all obligation of Obedience thereto, or Complyance therewith: Any who can but suppose, that not only a whole Parlia­ment but also all men are, and have often been found liars, and compare impartially the things present with the things that are past, must necessarily conclude, that all these Acts and Deeds of Defection were and are Gross Perjury and Wickedness, and that so long as that maxim shal hold, that we ought rather to obey God then Man, they can never be binding either in Conscience or Reason.

Seing therefore that the only Rule of these Counter­actings and overturnings, was to destroy that which the Lord had so gloriously planted, and to loose that whereunto we were and are indissolubly obliged, re­ferring our selves to what is already said, for vindicat­ing the Lords Work and our Holy Covenants, we pro­ceed to lay forth the Sinfulness and Wofulness of this Defection, as follows.

1. In July 1660. by immediate clandestine war­rants, without any cause signifyed or citation given, the Lord Marquess of Argile and some other Gentle­men, (who were conceaved to have been instru­mental in the former Work of God, and that they might be of influence for obstructing of the then de­signed overthrow thereof) were attached and com­mitted close Prisoners.

2. In August 1660. the Committee of Estates ap­pointed by the Parliament 1651. being again set down, [Page 86] the very first day of their meeting, do violently seise upon several faithful Ministers, peaceably and quietly assembled together, and imployed in the drawing up of a monitory Letter to the King, in the most rational and dutiful manner, and for the most important and necessary Ends, of Gods Glory, and the Kings ser­vice, that can be imagined, as the Letter it self set down at large in the Apologetick Narration doth testify. And though this duty and employment was no other, then what the meanest subject in the most private capa­city might, and all were indispensibly obliged to have done; yet those Ministers and one Gentleman with them, are therefore, instantly without hearing, com­mitted Prisoners.

3. This Committee proceeding to prepare for the succeeding Parliament, (which was all it's work and design) the Parliament siteth down the 1 day of Janua­ry. Where, having taken the Oath of Supremacy, without respect to it's due limitation contained in the 114. Act. Ia. 6. Parl. 12. 1592. then standing unrepeal­ed; and exalting the Kings prerogative, upon the alleaged Warrand of the VVord of God and Laws of the Land (but in effect directly contrary to both) above all Offices, Parliaments, Laws, Leagues, Conven­tions, Peace and War; and likwise upon meer asser­tions & alleageances in place of declaring upon known and certain grounds (which is all that any Parliament can lawfully do) directly Innovating the Fundament­al Law & Constitution of the Kingdom, & thereby mak­ing the Kings Throne, the foundation of all the suc­ceeding Perjury and Apostacy; They spoil and divest, first, the Solemn League and Covenant, and then the National Covenant, Presbyterial Government, & [Page 87] the whole Work of God, of all legal warrand and Au­thority; Declaring all Acts and Practises made and standing in favours thereof, to be void and null: And by the same great Act rescissory, they revive and reinforce all the corruptions and Superstitions of Crossing, Kneeling and the like, introduced by any Parliament since the Reformation. As the Acts of the first Session of the last Parliament do clearly tes­tify.

Although that these Acts have been and are, both in themselves & in their effects, just cause of great asto­nishment and mourning to all the Faithful in the Land; yet when we remember that height of Wickedness and Profanity that then abounded, and the false, flatter­ing, & perjurious Sermons & practises, by which the Parliament was thereunto instigated, but most of all that Act that then passed for an Anniversary▪ Thanksgiv­ing; wherein, as if we had been delivered to commit all this great Wickedness, the Spirit and Work of the Lord are heinously blasphemed and calumniated, as the only Author and Cause of all the Blood, Bondage, Usurpation, Rebellion, Rapine, Violence and other Evils, that either the malice and wickedness of men had caused, or God in his Righteous Judgement had therefore permitted or inflicted; and the Ranversing of our Blessed Reformation, Holy Covenants, and the Righteous Laws whereby they were established, accounted the Restitution of Religion, Righteous­ness, and Liberties; And the 29 of May, as most Auspicious, appointed for the yearly solemn comme­moration thereof. (A day, the profane Institution whereof cannot be better demonstrated, then by it's more profane observance and celebration ever since [Page 88] practised) These things, we say, being considered, do justly adde horror to our astonishment & trembling unto our mourning. But that their practise might be also consonant to their Acts and Statutes, and, by cutting off or laying aside it's most eminent Opposers, the return of Prelacy might be more effectually pro­moted, in the same Session of Parliament, not only was that Innocent and Faithful one, Mr Cut [...]ry, (singled out and signally honoured by God, to bear testimony to the Kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ, His Cause and Covenant, (for no other fault then his faithfulness therein, and his Declining the King's usurped Autho­rity in prejudice of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus, and the priviledges of His Church, clearly warranded by 114 Act Parl. 12. la. 6. then standing unrepeal'd, and by a great cloud of faithful Witnesses, who in like manner did testify against this Usurpation) cruelly slain and put to death; But also, under the colour of certain Epidemick crimes, wherein the Soveraignity of Divine Providence, more then any man's malice, had involved the whole Land, others who had been emi­nent in the Work of God, particularly the Marquess of Argyle, were condemned to death, and forfeited: and several other Faithful Ministers, besides these who were at first imprisoned by the Committee of Esta­tes, were without any cause signifyed, imprisoned, confined, or otherwise vexed and incapacitated.

4. The rise and re-establishment of this Antichristian Prelacy being thus prepared, in the interval after this first Session of Parliament, the King nominat­eth and presenteth Bishops; and four of them being called to Court, are there Re-ordained and Conse­crated: and that in such a manner as doth clearly infer their disowning and renouncing their former Minstery, [Page 89] and their Warrand & Mission thereunto. In consequence whereof, all the Ordinary meetings of Presbyteries and Synods are discharged, until they should of new be licenced & Authorized thereto by the Bishops now nominated and appointed, and, to the effect that mat­ters might the better succeed, several of our Faithful Mi­nisters, upon groundless suspitions, and for refusing of the Oath of Supremacy arbitrarly and rigorously imposed, without so much as admitting such qualifi­cations, as no Christian ought or can deny, are some of them Banished and others confined.

5. The second Session of this last Parliament sitting in May 1662. by their first Act, they restore and re­establish Prelacy in all it's pretended Rights, Digni­ties and Priviledges, but in effect, in it's real Usur­pations and Corruptions. And for the better set­ling thereof, and evident declaring to the World, how Erastian and Antichristian this Woful Govern­ment is, both in it's Rise, Designs and Effects, as by this Act, the Restitution thereof is expresly found­ed upon the King's Supremacy, as being an inherent Right in the Crown for the disposal of the external Government of the Church, So it is also declared, that whatever the King shall determine with advice of the Bishops and such of the Clergy as he shall nominate, in the externall Government of the Church, shall be valid and effectual, without any other Proviso then that the same be consistent with the Laws of the Realm. But the Absolute Complement of all Wickedness and the Hight of Usurpation, above all that ever the Papacy it self aspired unto, is that which followeth, where­by the King and Parliament, for clearing all scruples [Page 90] which may occurre from former Acts and Practices, do rescind all former Acts, by which, the sole and only power of Jurisdiction within this Church, doth stand in the Church, and in the Meetings and Assem­blies thereof; and all Acts of Parliament and Council, which may be interpreted to have given any Church-power, Jurisdiction, or Government to the Office-bearers of the Church, their respective meetings, other then that which acknowledgeth a dependence upon, and subordination to the Soveraign Power of the King as supream, and is to be regulated and authorized in the exercise thereof by the Bishops, who are to put order to Ecclesiastick matters, and to be accountable to the King for their Administration; And the fore­said 114 Act Parl. 12. la. 6. whereby the Priviledges, Power and other essentiall Censures given by God to the spirituall Office-bearers in His Church, and war­randed by His Word are ratifyed, is even in so far and totally cassed and rescinded. And that the World may know how presumptuous and absurd this Usur­pation is, which cannot be justly conceaved without an instance of it's effects, we here subjoyn that 4 Act. Sess. 3. of the same Parliament for the constitution of a National Synod, wherein the King is made soveraign­ly and properly to constitute this Assembly, both as to the Appointment of it's Members Constituent, and of it's constant President; the absolute regulation of things there to be proposed (which are declared to be only such as He shall please to signify,) the determina­tion and limitation of it's Decisions, which are to be agreed to by the President as well as the major part, and providing that they be not contrary to the Prerogative or the Laws of the Realm, And lastly, as to the ne­cessity [Page 91] of the King's presence in person or by his Com­missioner, and of his Ratification and Approbation, without which no Act or Deed is to be of any force. Now let the World consider, what he could have done more in the constitution and regulation of his own Court of Exchequer: And if he hath not done all, as to the constitution of this Court, (immediatly depend­ing upon our Lord Jesus Christ and his sole Authority) which He Himself hath done or possibly could do; by what warrand or rule, He who is King of Kings will require. We shal not here stand to examine these Acts according to former Laws, Oaths and Engage­ments, hereby most fearfully violated and contemned; This is a strain of wickedness above all that former times could imagine. O! that God would speak to the Authors, but not in his wrath, and as he hath set His only Son upon his holy Hill of Zicn; so he would cause them to fear His displeasure, that they may yet be wise and instructed to kiss the Son, left he be angry, and they perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a litle. Surely to define, that the sole Power and Jurisdiction of this Church, doth not stand within the same, but in some thing without be­side our Lord Jesus; and that the same is fountain'd in, and derived from the King; and that all Church-Of­ficers in all Church matters, are accountable to him, who is neither thereto Gifted nor Called, is to set the King upon our Lord Jesus his Throne, and a high de­rogation from, and reflection upon him, who hes builded the Temple of the Lord & bears the Glory, & sits and rules both as King & Priest upon His Throne; Who, more worthy then Moses, was faithful and per­fect as a Son over His own House; and therefore did [Page 92] not leave His Church destitute, of any such necessary and proper Officer or Assister, when neither King nor Prince was so much as members thereof; And lastly, it's a plain Perversion in stead of Performance of that Promise made to the Church, Isai. 49. ver. 23. That Kings should be it's Nursing Fathers, where in place of Dominion, there Submission is expresly injoyned, they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the Earth. We know that this empty Notion of External Policy, is vainly pretended to colour the matter: But seeing whatsoever can be meaned by external Po­licy, even as to outward decency and Order, is either particularly determined by our Lord Himself and His blessed Apostles, or under the definition of General and Evident Rules left unto the Churches arbitriment, whereby the King (being no Church-Officer) upon a double account is clearly excluded; and seing that under the pretence of this External Policy, the greatest & most superstitious Novations in the pure Worship of God, and the greatest Corruptions and Abuses both by the appointment of new Officers in the Church of Christ without His own warrand, and the usurping and perverting of the Power of Spiritual Censures in the Government of Gods House, may be and have been introduced, we doubt not, but all rational men do see the delusions of such vain pretences. And cer­tainly since the Act it self doth proceed, to grant the King all the Power in & over both Ecclesiastick Causes & Persons that can be imagined, it would be but or­dinary ingenuity in our Adversaries, plainly to assert, that the King is the Great Apostle and Vicegerent of our Lord Jesus Christ, in and over His House: Al­though they should not only appear herein destitute of [Page 93] any better warrand, then this present Act of Parlia­ment; But most plainly to justify al the Usurpation, that ever the Pope or Antichrist, can be charged with.

6. Bishops being thus restored and admitted to sit and give voice in Parliament, this Mixture and the Power of their Antichristian Spirit doth quick­ly exert it self: And without regard to the nature of Parliamentary and all Civil Powers (which are no wayes conversant about things and perswasions only Internal, and meerly appertaining to con­science or to the Word of God, which is the ground and warrant, upon which all Power whatsoever being only Declarative, in matters of this kind, ought certainly and expresly to proceed,) They pro­cure a Dogmatick Act declaring these Positions, That it is lawful to Subjects for Reformation or necessa­ry Self-defence to enter into Leagues, or take up Arms against the King, and such like, to be Rebellious and treasonable; and particularly that the National Covenant as it was explained in the Year 1638, and the Solemn League and Covenant were, and are in THEMSELVES UNLAWFUL OATHS, and were taken by, and imposed upon the Subjects of this Kingdom, against the Fundamental Law and Liber­ties thereof. (Which neither they nor all the inven­tion of Hell, is able to condescend upon or instruct) And therefore, out of the plenitude of their power, (as much as ever any Pope pretended to) they loose the Obligation of Conscience, and free the Subjects of their Engagements: And further, to compleat this their Wickedness, they appoint a Declaration of this [Page 94] High Impiety, to be signed by all in Publick Trust, that none may be admitted to, or exerce the same, ex­cept they receave in their right hand or in their fore­heads this their accursed mark. O! Lord our God, thow art of purer eyes then to behold Evil, and canst not look on Iniquity: VVherefore lookst thou on them that deal treacherously, and holds thy tongue when the wicked devour the man that is more righteous then he? Yet surely O Lord thou hast ordained them for judge­ment, and O mighty God, thou hast estabished them for correction. Can the World beleeve, that a whole Nation in it's most National Capacity, includ­ing King, Parliament and the body of the People, should after most clear and evident convictions, and signal Manifestations of the Glory and presence of God, in the most important and holy Concernments of all Truth and Righteousness, most solemnly (as it were) to day engage themselves by Oath unto the Lord, and to morrow, without so much as seriously remembring Gods Holiness and terrible Jealousy, either against these that break His Holy Covenant, or wickedly profane His Name by taking it in vain, at once without any reason or probable motive rendered therefore, despise, contemn and trample the same Holy and Great Engagements under foot, and urge others to the like Wickedness and Impiety? If this tend unto, or shall prove effectuall for the preserva­tion of his Majesty's Person, Authority & Government, as this Act and statute is entituled, then surely he may break the Covenant and prosper. But this is not all, for these men supposing by this Act, that the Work of God was utterly subverted and overthrown, they [Page 95] provide also against the fears of it's revival, by declar­ing all such Gatherings and Petitions that were used in the beginning of the late Troubles, though the same be no other then that common priviledge of all men, which Slavery it self (much less Subjection) doth not take away, to be unlawful and seditious: And furder do statute and enact that no person by VVriting, Printing, Praying, Preaching, or malicious and ad­vised speaking, express or publish any words or sen­tences to stirre up the People to the dislike of the Kings Prerogative and Supremacy, or of the Government of the Church by Bishops, or justify any of the deeds, Actings or things declared against by this present Act. By all which, not only the Security of Religion and the Liberty of the Subject is utterly subverted, by pro­hibiting of the lawful, most necessary and only means of asserting thereof, in case the same should be in­vaded; but we are also denyed and prohibited the li­cense, so much as to mourn and pour out our prayer unto God, either apart or one with another, for all this Horrid Apostacy, or our heavy persecutions for non-complyance therewith; So that the most inno­cent of all remedies, Petitioning and Prayer, and al­so the meanest and last of all comforts, even the Tears and Complaints of the afflicted, (which God and Nature hath hitherto placed beyond the reach of all cruelty) are now severely forbidden.

7. By the third Act of the same Session of Parliament, under the pretence that Patronages, being the just & proper right of these concerned, were unjustly abolish­ed in the Year 1649. notwithstanding that the same [Page 96] were only, in so far as they were burthensome to the Church of God, and obstructive to the Work of the Gospel, then abrogated; and in lieu thereof the civil Interest and benefit of Patrons more amply extended and secured; yet on purpose that they might cast out and remove such faithful Ministers, as notwithstand­ing all the wicked Acts and Practises then made for the overthrow of the Work of God and Presbyterial Go­vernment, might have by their stedfastness (at least) put some demur to this impetuous Defection, they statute and ordain, that all Ministers who entered to the Cure of any Parish, in or since the Year 1649. have no right unto, nor shall possess any benefice or stipend for that same current Year 1662. or any Year follow­ing, but decern their Kirks and Benefices Ipso Jure vacant: And then under pretext of favour, they clearly discover the design and snare intended, in de­claring that every such Minister who shall obtain the Patron's Presentation and Bishop's Collation, betwixt and the twenty of September then nixt following, shall have right to his Church and Benefice, as if at his entry he had been lawfully presented, otherwise the Act to stand in force against him. By which means this same Parliament in their first Session having enacted, that no Patron should present, or Minister Presented have right, except they should first take the Oath of Su­premacy, the very body and strength of the Ministry of this Church were reduced to this sore Dilemma, ei­ther to take that Oath of Supremacy, which both by express Acts and clear Practises, was now declared and interpreted to be the very height of Papacy, and root of Prelacy, and by accepting of Collation, to [Page 97] acknowledge these perfidious and usurping Prelates, or to lose and be cast out of the Ministry, likeas, de facto 300. and upwards of the faithful Ministers, were by vertue of this Act shortly thereafter outed and vio­lented from the Exercise of their Ministry.

8. The Prelates not having attained their full in­tent by this last Act, do further prosecut their design of casting out, and incapacitating all such as either re­mained or might rise up to oppose their wickedness, and therefore they procure, 1. an Act of Parliament without either Citation or Reason alleaged or rendered, against the faithful Ministers of Edinburgh, (who, being eminent lights, were also from the advantage of the place apprehended as more eminent opposers,) discharging them of their, Ministry, and ordaining them to remove themselves and families out of the Ci­ty, after the 8 of September then next to come. 2. By the fourth Act of the same second Session of Parlia­ment, to the effect that not one faithful Minister might remain to witness against their Defection, they statut and enact, that all Ministers, for Testifying their ac­knowledgement of, and complyance with the present Government by Prelates, keep and observe the Bishops Visitations and Diocesian Assemblies, and be assistant to them in all Acts of Church Discipline as they shall be required, under the pain for the first fault of Suspension from Office and Benefice, and of Deposition if they should not amend. We are not here to redargue such lukewarm Newters, as, by the subtilty of a vain di­stinction deceaving & being deceaved, under the pre­tence of innocent submission, do actually Assist, Par­take, [Page 98] and Comply with that wicked Prelacy, which they are sworn to Extirpat; and at best, can only pre­tend to keep the Covenant by that detestable Neutrality, which, they have therein abjured; Their growing Backsliding will quickly declare and free them of this imputation of Neutrality. Our regrate is for the faith­full, who are thus by the Perjury and violence of such who of all men ought most to patronize them, not on­ly outed of the Ministry by Deprivation from Bene­fice or stipend, but declared by a Parliament, a Civil Court, deposable from their Spiritual Office, as in­consistently and absurdly as if the same Secular per­sons, who were authors thereof, had by the same Act stept into their pulpits. 3. By the same last Act, in imitation of Julian the Apostat, who found not a more effectual and Devillish invention for suppressing & destroying Christianity then the shutting up of their Schools and Colledges for learning, they ordain for the poysoning of all the springs and fountains thereof, that none teach or rule in an University or Colledge, except they both take the Oath of Supremacy, and sub­mit to, & own the Government of Prelacy, & that none be permitted to teach any School, or to be a Paedagogue to Children without the Prelates licence. 4. By the same Act, they not only prohibit any to Preach in publick or in families without the Prelats licence; but advancing & pursuing their malice & persecution unto these very San­ctuaries of rest & refuge, which even in former times, (when the proud were called happy, & such as wrought wickedness were set up, yea they that tempted God. were delivered,) the Lord did provide and reserve for his Own, wherein they that feared him, and thought upon his Name, spoke often one to another, and [Page 99] the Lord hearkened and heard it; they under the pre­tence, lest the People should thereby be alienat from their Lawful Pastors (as they call them) who in effect are Wolves and Thieves, discharge all Private Meet­ings in houses for Religious Exercises, which might tend to the prejudice of the publick Worship in Churches: Under which qualification, all Christian Fellowship and Society, amongst such who cannot o­vercome their just aversion from these Churches and publick Meetings, which these Apostat Prelats have prophaned and polluted, and whereunto they have wickedly intruded, are prohibited and reproach­ed.

9. By a Proclamation emitted this second Session of Parliament, they again enjoin the observance of that Anniversary Holy Day, the 29 of May, even the Moneth and Day which they had devised of their own heart for a feast unto the People: And to the effect they might the more infallibly attain their purpose of Outing all faithfull Ministers, they subjoin the certi­fication of Deprivation of Benefice, or Stipend, against all such who should not, (because in conscience could not) observe it, like as de facto, severalls, who could not in conscience satisfy themselves either as to the Authority or Reason of the appointment, are there­fore without Citation or hearing, Outed of their Benefices and Stipends for that Year; and the same either immediatly ingathered by the common Colle­ctor, or gifted to some other.

10. In the same Session of Parliament, pretending that the whole Land, (a few only excepted,) were notourly and heinously involved in the crimes of Trea­son and Lese-Majesty, through no other cause nor oc­casion, [Page 100] then our most Necessary, Righteous, and Lawful entering into the Solemn League & Covenant, and prosecuting the holy ends theirof, once so signally owned and countenanced by the Lord, and so fully Authorized by all the Law & Security that can be ima­gined (for, as for the English Usurpation, few were guilty of Complyance therewith, who were not also most forward in this Apostacy, and the very vilest and worst of such had been declared an honest man by an express and particular Act of the same Parliament) they appoint a packed close Committee, wherein the generality of the faithfull to the number of about 800, (not adding a hundred more who by private resentment or upon some other prejudice were listed in this roll) without citation or any cause signifyed, or any manner of tryal taken, were most arbitrarily Fined, and for the most part in such pecuniary mulcts and summs as it pleased the malicious suggestions of the delators to impose, and in many particulars so absurdly, the some­times the same person was found twice fined under divers stiles in diverse Shires, and others were left blanck either in the Name or Surname, who might be filled up either for one person or another, as the best conjecture should determine; and others were fined, who were dead long before, or were Infants, and Mi­nors under age, and others who to this day could never be found. If this be the righteous judgement which the Lord doth require, let the world declare. Surely this Act is such as hath no precedent nor fellow, ex­cept that other Act of Billeting, whereof, as the Pow­er and Interest of some persons against whom it was intended have by an after Act sufficiently discovered it's Irregularity and absurdity; so until the like disco­very as to other Acts may be obtained, it may evident­ly [Page 101] enough declare what manner of Power and Reason did over-rule this Parliament: But these two Acts being past, the Parliament proceed to declare by their Act of Indemnity the Kings special Grace and Goodness, in pardoning such whom only the Parliaments own Apostacy, and unparalelled Rebellion against the God or Heaven, made criminal, excepting for the most part only such who were most Innocent.

11. This Session of Parliament being ended, the Council go about the execution of the Acts therein concluded, especially against the Ministers not ob­taining Presentations, and by their Act and Proclama­tion at [...]lasgow emitted, the 1. day of October 1662. they command all such Ministers to remove themselves forth of their respective Parishes, betwixt and the — day of November then nixt ensueing, discharging them thereafter to exercise any part of their Ministerial Fun­ction within the same: what and how great the iniqui­ty and rigor of this Act is, we will not stand to declare. Certainly, he who commanded his Apostles to pray that their flight might not be in the Winter, did regard and doth remember the great distress which many poor fa­milies then sustained, who, being deprived of lively­hood, turned out of doors, indigent and very nu­merous, might according to the cruelty of their ad­versaries have starved and perished. We need not here insist upon the particular steps, whereby the rest­less jealousies of these wicked Prelats, did urge for­ward and advance this Presecution, by their impe­trating of reiterate Acts and Proclamations, until they obtained that last Act and Proclamation, concluding and adjudging all these Ministers unto such a nice and impossible Confinement, which not only the necessi­ty [Page 102] of humane frailty, and it's dependance upon many indispensible conveniences, do render more rigid & in­tollerable, then the most strict imprisonment, and the most barbarous banishment; but also the most curious skill of the most exact Geographer can scarce make practicable: It is enough for us to note, that having, by a posterior Proclamation, extended the same pains unto all Ministers outed upon whatsoever ground of non conformity to this present course of Apostacy, (in which condition all the faithfull Ministers in Scot­land a very few excepted, are included,) there were ne­ver so many Innocent and Faithful Ministers, in any Christian Church at once and for such a cause reduced to such hardships, fears, and uncertainties, and that by such persons, who not only are as deeply & solemn­ly sworn and engaged as they are, in the same Cause and Covenant, for which they suffer, but by such who once (some of them at least) appeared to have had the zeal of God, so that if it had been possible they would have pluckt out their own eyes, and have given them to such, whose Enemies they now are, only be­cause they tell them the truth: Such is the fearful snare & prevailing Power of Apostacy; but God seeth & telleth their wanderings, and putteth all their tears into his bottle. Having, because of the necessary connection of these things, thus represented them together, we return to the third Session of the same Parliament, and its Acts, Where

12. By the first Act thereof, they ratify the former Act anent Ministers, who entered in, and since the year 1649, and such who keep not the Diocesian meetings, and do recommend to the privy Council the effectual execution theirof, and to call all such Mi­nisters, who dare to preach in contempt of that Act to be [Page 103] punished as Seditious persons, and also to be careful to remove and dispossess such who should be Suspended or Deprived for non-conforming, declaring that if they thereafter presume to exercise their Ministry, they should be punished as Seditious persons. Thus, in the height of Perfidy and Violence, men under the pre­text of abused and perverted Authority, proceed to dare and presume against God, their own Conscienc [...] & all their Sacred & Indissoluble Oaths and Engage­ments, and to persecut such for preaching, who, standing stedfast therein, and having a dispensation of the Gospel committed unto them, by him who is King in Zion & higher then the Kings of the Earth, may & out to contemn the menaces of vain Man, in regard of that heavy and severe woe sounding in their ears, if they preach not the Gospel; But the Act doth furder proceed, to require of all, a due Acknowledgement of, and hearty Complyance with the Kings Govern­ment Ecclesiastical and Civil, and therefore to ordain and declare, that who ever shal ordinarily and wilfully withdraw and absent themselves, from the ordinary Meetings for divine VVorship in their own Churches on the Lords day, whether upon the account of Popery or other dissaffection, shall incurre, each Heritor the loss of a fourth of that years rent, each Yeoman the loss of a fourth (or under) of his moveables, each Burgess the loss of his Liberty and Burgeship with the fourth of his moveables, and concludes with a reference to the Council for further punishment, & more effectual exe­cution, likeas in order hereunto the Council by several [Page 104] Proclamations since, have so much intended the se­verity of this Act, that every Parish in stead of having a Lawfull Pastor, is now inslaved to a Graceless, Violent Hireling as it's Lord and Master, and to the extortion of Souldiours appointed for his Executioners and Exactors.

We shall not here debate the Lawfulness or Unlaw­fulness of the Obedience here required, only for the vindication of many thousands of the Faithful, who by their sufferings have born Testimony against this Act; we add, 1. that waving the ordinary & captious maner of proposing the question in the terms of Hearing or nor Hearing, which strickly taken, are not the subject there­of, we are assured that none seriously pondering the obli­gation of the Oath of God, sincerely, really & constant­ly all the dayes of our life to endeavour the extirpation of Prelats and their dependants, but they will acknow­ledge, that the owning of, and submitting to the Apostat Curats according to this Act as our Ministers, is most diametrally opposit thereto: Can we Lawfully Own such whom we are bound to abhorre? Or Sub­mit to such whom we are bound to extirpate? Surely this were to rebuild what we have destroyed. 2. That though some nimble Sophisters, who fear not after vowes to make inquiry, can and have swallowed both Owning and Submitting as not repugnant to the duty of Extirpation, yet, seing the direct contrary there­of, is by the terms themselves very significantly im­ported, and that these terms were for this express cause and design particularly elected and made choice of by the Parliament, for ranversing of the Obliga­tion of the holy Covenant, no sober man will be tempt­ed by their delusion to think, either that Owning and [Page 105] Submitting signify no more then Simple Submitting, or that that Active Assenting and Complying Submis­sion here mean'd, is no more then that Stil and Passive Submission, unto which men by the force of inevitable necessity, and against their wills are oftentimes con­strained. 3. That whoever pretending to enter into the Ministery, doth presumptuously contemn and despise the sacred Rule and Order of Entry appointed by the great Shepherd, cannot be reputed to enter by the Door, nor to be so much as Externally by him Sent or Called: But such as do enter by gross and pal­pable Perjury and wicked Violence and Intrusion, do without question contemn the sacred Rule and Order of Gods Word, so that to admit such to be so much as Externally Called were to make the God of Order the Author of Confusion, and him who is the Truth, the favourer of Perjury. We know that this notion of an External Call is conceited by many, to be no other thing, then the performance of such Rites and Solemnities, as are prescribed to the Admission of a Minister, done by such a Person or Persons, on whom the like hath been performed; but seing that by many instances of gross Disorder and Violence, (which are obvious for any man to suppose,) many absurdities might be hence inferred, and that to be Externally Called ac­cording both to the meaning of Truth, and the import of the words is, to have such a Visible Evidence of the Call of Iesus Christ, as in Reason and Charity doth ob­lige all men to receave the person so called, as truely sent; Certainly if any Person force his own Entry into the Ministry by open and profane Contempt of the Rule and Order given by our Lord Jesus, he doth in like maner as palpably disprove any Evidence of a Lawful [Page 106] Call, which he can pretend to, & no man is obliged either to Beleeve him to be Called or to Receave him as Sent. Which things are so evident in themselves, that whoever denyeth them, is obliged by the same consequence to affirm, that if Simon Magus had in his horrid wickedness purchased the Apostleship by mo­ney, the Christian World had been bound to Receave him as an Apostle. 4. Though we are not to lanch out into these depths, how the Soveraignity of Divine Pro­vidence hath suffered Churches to fall away into Apos­tacy, and again recovered them, and if during these times of Apostacy a standing Ministry still continued, or how long it did; if not, what way it was revived and raised up, in which cases true Faith in Jesus Christ which is the substance of all, and a conscientious walking according to the measure of the times, doth certainly purge and sustain many things otherwise chargeable with Informality; Yet of this weare con­fident, that it hath alwayes been both the sin and mi­sery of all Apostatizing Churches, that they have not resisted the beginnings of Defection, and when the Authors theirof did prove incorrigible, though for­merly Ministers, that they did not separate from them, and account them as Heathens and Publicans, which course, if duely and zealously observed, had undoubtedly put a great stop and hinderance to the rise and wicked Usurpation of Antichrist, all whose ma­lice and violence without the delusion and complyance of such who ought to have resisted them, had never proven so effectual. 5. That a man may be a Mi­nister, and yet not a Minister unto all, so as to oblige them to receave him as sent to them, which may be intuitively understood beyond the light and power of any demonstration, if we but suppose the case of a [Page 107] particular Congregation, living under, and acknow­ledging their own lawful Pastor, & that amongst such, a few violent persons arising, bring in another Minister by plain force, and cast out their lawful Pastor, and if it be sincerely resolved what the faithful in that Church are then obliged to do, surely none will think that they ought instantly to relinquish their true Pastor, & own & submit to this Intruder, but on the contrare all must grant that they ought to adhere to their lawful Mi­nister & not only discountenance & withdraw from the Usurper, but by all lawful means endeavour his Ejec­tion; which case, if but translated to the present con­dition of this oppressed Church under usurping Pre­lates, will with the same evidence resolve the question. 6. That whatever construction or interpretation many to whom it is given to believe but not to suffer, may put upon their hearing of the Curates, as to the inferring or not inferring their owning of, and submission to their Ministry, yet this is certain, that as it is the most probable argument and presumption of owning that can be alleadged, so is it that which this Act requires for to testify both a due acknowledgement of, and hearty complyance with the present Government by Prelates, and as an undoubted evidence of the peoples giving their cheerful Concurrence, Countenance and Assistance to the Curates. 7. That seing hearing of the Curates by the acknowledgement of all the more ingenuous is not a duty to which they are moved by conscience, but rather used by them as a thing though lawful yet arbi­trary, for the eviting a greater inconvenience, & seing that this Act and every article theirof is undoubtedly gross and wicked Perfidy against God and his holy Covenant, commanding the disowning and relin­quishing the Lords Ministry whom we are bound to [Page 108] maintain, and the owning and encouraging by hear­ing such vile Intruders as we are bound to extirpate, thereby designing expresly to involve all as much as is possible in the same Perfidy, and to loose the former obligation of the Oath of God; whatever may be said in the case abstractly considered, yet we are perswaded that being thus stated, not hearing becomes a case of Testimony, and an indispensible duty. 8. That as it is the sin and misery of all declining times that the zeall of God is at the best rather wished for as a Bless­ing, then minded as a Duty; so we are confident that the true and right zeall of God should, and would not only inspire all with an unanimous Aversion against the the profane intruding Curates, but animate us as one man to drive away these Wolves and Thieves, and to eradicate these plants which our heavenly Father never planted. 9. That though the Curates could instruct and justify their External Call, yet such are their lies & lightness by which they cause the people to erre, & the visible truth of their vile Perjury and Prophanity, which they preach and practise, that all serious ob­servers may easily discover them to be inwardly raven­ing Wolves under the sheeps cloathing of an pretended external call, of whom in conscience of our Lords command all ought and should beware. 10. That what­ever may be the difference in these things even amongst the faithful, yet all must aggree and acknowledge that the violent pressing of such to hear, who upon such pro­bable grounds from a tender sense of conscience do only plead that Christian, innocent, & most safe priviledge of a peaceable forbearance, is not only contrare to that ample promise of Indulgence to tender consciences made and declared by the King from Breda before his re­turn 1660. but is in effect to violent all conscience, and [Page 109] the hight of oppression and rigor. 11. That as the grounds laid down may and do sufficiently answer all objections, so therefrom may be shortly cleared, first, that common and ordinary Sophism, that hea­ring and observing the Ordinances is an indispensible Duty from which neither the wickedness nor frailty of the Minister doth loose: But as it may be easily an­swered, that this when acknowledged doth rather suppose then inferre the complexed lawfulness of hea­ring Curates as Ministers, and that their Ministry is the Lords Ordinance, which is plainly denyed; so we are also to consider, that such duties and per­formances are only acceptable unto the Lord, spe­cially in the matters of his Worship which are in­tirely sound and wholly agreeable unto his will, truely done, in spirit, and altogether performed in truth, Nam bo [...]um est ex omni causa, hence it is that the pro­phanity and wickedness even of the Lords lawful Priests, let be the Perjury and Profanity of wicked In­truders, have not only caused the People to abhorre the offering of the Lord to the Priests heavy charge, but evē the Lord himselfe to abhorre his sanctuary, & to account incense an abomination, so that he cannot away with the calling of assemblies, it is iniquity even the solemn meeting; shall it then be accounted iniquity for to hate that which the Lord hates, and withdraw from that which he hath forsaken? Ought we not rather to distinguish a holy abhorring from a profane con­tempt, though both of them proceed from the Cu­rats sin, and in the sense thereof rather wish for, and withdraw with Jeremiah unto a cottage in the wilder­ness, that there we may mourn for all these abomina­tions; surely were there no more in this matter but that Holines becomes the house of God for ever, and [Page 110] men of clean hands and a pure lip ought to draw near and turn unto him, it were sufficient to justify the Lords People, who in drawing near to God, cannot in conscience either regard or make use of the mouths and hands of these Apostates which are continually filled with lyes and violence, as either sent by the Lord to them-ward, or to be imployed by them to God-ward, 2. From these grounds may be cleared that grand objection from our Lords command to the People of the Jewes, Matth. 23. ver. 2, 3. saying, The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat, therefore whatsoever they bid yow observe, that observe and do. Whence some inferre that even such as without a title do usurp the office of teachers ought notwithstanding to be both heard and observed; but it is answered, 1. That it neither appeareth from the words nor yet from any other Record, that the Scribes and Pharisees did by in­trusion possess themselves of Moses chair, but on the con­trare, as by Moses chair is only understood the Office of teaching, resolving and judging according to Moses law, to which although the Levites were appropriate, yet is there is no such determination thereanent in the Word of God, as can by any manner of inference reject the Scribes & Pharisees as intruders, so it is more presuma­ble (that, seeing our Lord in that long Legend of evils & woes pronounced against them, doth not in the least charge them with Intrusion, but rather acknowledge their Vocation by calling them the Builders) they had thereto lawfully attained. 2. As our Lords Words bear no command for the People to hear, but only to observe and do what they heard, rather supposing then allowing that, which though for the time he endeavoured to im­prove to the best advantage, yet afterwards he intended not only to reform but utterly to abolish, & therefore [Page 111] cannot in reason infer a command & duty to hear the Curates; so neither our Lords tolerance in this case can so much as infer it's lawfulness, except the cases were duely stated & compared, which if any will rationally do, by first supposing that the Scribes and Pharisees had then lately by gross Perjury and Violence thrust out the Lords Teachers & intruded themselves into the Office, we are bold to affirm that our greatest adversaries dare not in this case assert, that our Lord would so much as in the like words here used have insinuat a simple toleratiō

13. Hitherto we have only observed the progress of these Acts that directly tend to the overthrow of Pres­bytery, and the erecting of Prelacy, but as by the vilest of Flatteries and most presumptuous of Usurpa­tions, Soveraignity is puffed up and exalted to that Supremacy, which is the necessary & only foundation of Prelacy; So it is no wonder if both in the righteous Judgement of God, and through the influence of this wicked Prelacy, the stay of lawful Authority become a yoke of Tyranny, and that these Prelates, who make an absolute surrender of Religion, Conscience & all Sacred Concernments, for the gratifying, and to the arbitriment of these Powers whose Creatures they have often Atheistically acknowledged themselves to be, do with the same and greater profusion subject both Laws, Liberties and the Fortunes of others, to the lust of the same Powers, which they may so easily pervert unto their own establishment and advance­ment: And this indeed is and hath alwayes been that great aggravation of our later Prelacy, rendring the same worse and more intolerable: then the Romish Hierarchy, which being wholly dependent upon the Pope, another and distinct head, and not upon the Civil Power, whose interests are oftentimes not only [Page 112] distinct but directly opposite, it hath neither that ac­cess, nor influence to abuse Princes; Whereas our Prelates deriving all their Power and Being from the Kings Supremacy by endeavouring for their own bet­ter establishment to render him incontrollably absolute over and in all things, they being otherwise mean and abject persons, having the least and almost no share nor interest in the Commonwealth, and by reason of their ill Right and worse Conscience in what they do possess, being alwayes cruelly jealous, have by sad experience ever inclined the Government unto Tyran­ny; and as in this late and worst Catastrophe they have more prevailed then ever formerly they did, so the following instances do more clearly demonstrate this assertion.

We shall not here repeat these Acts whereby for the better and more easy establishment of Prelacy then designed, this Parliament for it's first work under pretence of vindicating & declaring the Kings Just Right and Prerogative, did in effect wholly corrupt and in­novate the well tempered and firm constitution of our Ancient Government, which both all our Ancient Histories and Records, the only evidence whereby fundamental Laws are verifiable, do sufficiently de­clare, and the long continuance and endurance thereof, excellently commend. The first thing that thereafter occurs, is that Act and offer of fourty thousand pounds Sterling to the King yearly during his life, whereby in place of that relaxation from these burdens which the iniquity of Usurpers had only from time to time im­posed, a lasting and perpetual Imposition, by it's con­tinuance fully exequating the excess of the former, is entaild upon us, and that for no other end then the complementing of a few Favourites of Prelacy, and [Page 113] the maintaining of a Military Force over us, for their & the Prelates security, & the persecution & slavery of the body of the people opposite thereto. The 2. thing is that rigid, irregular & exorbitant Fining which we have already mentioned, clearly & unquestionably carried on & executed, by the same Authors & for the same De­sign. The 3. thing is that humble tender made to the King of our duty and loyalty, wherby in recognizance of the Kings prerogative, and in a further acknowledgement of our duty, the Parliament by the 25. Act, Session 3. do subject the Persons, Fortunes and whole strength of the Kingdom to the Kings pleasure and arbitre­ment, in that humble (indeed, but also blind and in­considerat) offer of 20000 foot Men, and 2000 Horsmen sufficiently armed with 40 dayes Provision, to be ready upon the Kings call to march to any part of his Dominions for opposing whatsoever Invasion or Insurrection or for any other service: Which offer, though possibly many do account it but a voluntary and cheerful expression of that readiness, which our Ancestors have often witnessed for the defence of King and Country; yet in effect, if duely considered as concluded under the force of a Statute & Act of Parliament, in place of that willingness and readiness alleadged, whereunto our Ancestors were from time to time determined, by these visible and appa­rent exigencies of the common concernment which did require it, it will be found no other thing, then an im­plicite and slavish Emancipation of our lives and liber­tyes, to the arbitrement of the Powers, coloured with the pretext of loyall devotion to lawful Authority. But whatever is herein exorbitant, is without question the proper effect and product of the jealousy of these Apostate Prelates, whom the inward disquiet of an evill conscience, causeth to apprehend terror round [Page 114] about. The 4. thing, wherein this wicked prelacy hath perverted the Ancient and well constitute Govern­ment of this Realm, is their procuring, erecting, and exercing the High Commission Court, (without so much as the approbation of that Parliament wherein nothing would have been refused them, wherein not only Ecclesiastick and Civil Jurisdiction are absurdly confounded, in impowering secular persons to suspend and depose, and pretended Church-men and Ministers to fine, confine and incarcerate, but the Act. 131. Parl. 8. Iac. 6. discharging all New Courts not appro­ven in Parliament, directly thereby contraveened; nei­ther will the Catholicon of the Kings omnipotent Pre­rogative salve this breach, in respect the same Prero­gative, now in so great vigour, was by the 129 Act of this same 8 Parl Iae. 6. and almost immediatly pre­ceeding the Act alleadged, then also recently enacted. But who can consider the Arbitrary form of Inquisition and summar procedour without any shaddow of Legal Process, used in the same Commission, it's tyranny and unwarrantable exacting of Oaths and subscriptions, with it's new invented, insolent and affronting punish­ments more cruell to ingenuous Spirits then death it self, and not be convinced of the gross and wicked corruption of this State-novelty, or rather monster? The 5. thing which offers, is the accumulation and in effect the suppression of the ordinary Offices of State (the very stay and props of regular Government, and the conduits and channells whereby it's refreshing in­fluences are diffused) with, and by an extraordinar and superlative power and Office in the single person of the Kings Commissioner. Certainly as in the multitude of Councellers there is safety, so on the other hand no King on earth can rule by such an deputation, who may not as [Page 115] lawfully alienate his Crown: Which devices are all the inventions of these wicked Prelates, who knowing that if the King should either hear, see or act, but by such ears, eyes, & hands as they do assigne unto him, their affairs could not long prosper, do by such exorbitancies endeavour the establishment of their own Tyranny. The 6. thing that occurs is not only the keeping up of a Military Force to the intolerable burden and slavery of this free Nation, in so far as the ordinary and civil manner of Legal Execution, specially for Fines and Ecclesiastical Delinquencies is now committed to, and managed by Military Force and Violence, and thereby the manner of exacting often times rendered more hard and insupportable then the exaction it self; but also that for satisfying the restless jealousies and endless fears of the evil consciences of these Apostate Prelates, more and greater forces under the vain pre­tence of Forraign fears, which both the then condi­tion and posture of these Wars, the dis-proportion of the Forces themselves, and the disposal of such as be­fore were leavyed did clearly redargue, have been lea­vyed, and are kept on foot, for maintaining whereof the Publick Revenues are mis-applyed, the Fines, when by the Kings favour long delayed, at length ex­acted and expended, new Taxations imposed, far exceeding the quantity of any formerly required, and at length the old Assessment the great grievance of the late Usurpation of new superadded, and the poor Country and body of the Land in it's greatest poverty subjected unto, oppressed and harrassed by more inju­rious extortions then ever the Conquering sword of an Forraign Enemy did heretofore, or can probably li­cense: And all these things clearly intended and carryed on for no other end then the support of this wicked [Page 116] Prelacy, and it's cruel Bondage and Spiritual Tyran­ny. We need not mention for an aggravation of these violences, that these Forces were leavyed by the imme­diate procurement of the Perfidious Prelates, without the advice of the King's Council, (ever from the begin­ning, what ever may be the present exaltation of Prerogative, reputed to be one with the King, and who both by Place and Interest are therein indispen­sibly concerned) seing it is not the least of the iniqui­ties and calamities of these times, that the poor Na­tion and it's greatest Concernments are by them so base­ly abandoned. But this we must take notice of, that though our Adversaries, by reason of the disastrous Events that lately have happened, do now boast of a most special Providence and fore-sight in all these op­pressions; yet it would be more just and rational on their part, to acknowledge that as oppression doth even make a wise man mad, so to see a free Nation, by the Perfidy and Insolent Domineering of a few up-start Prelates, and the violence of their wicked and slavish Favourites, reduced to the condition of a most insup­portable and unnatural Conquest, both was, is, and ever will be a most just cause and provocation to all ingenuous Spirits and true Patriots, to undertake the asserting of their own Liberty, upon the greatest hazard.

Having thus truly and fully represented the exalta­tion of Prerogative and Prelacy, over and above all things Divine and Humane, Sacred or Profane, we shall briefly adde the bitter and cruel fruits and effects of this sinful and woful Conspiracy.

1. As the Laws above mentioned, enacted for the overthrow of Presbytery and the Restauration of this accursed Prelacy, specially in so far as concerns the [Page 117] Ministry, were and are such as did inevitably infer, either a sinfull complyance with that Perjury and Apos­tacy whereby they were framed, or the endurance of the pains and sufferings thereto subjoyned; so almost the whole faithful Ministers, are thereby first and last not only deprived of their benefices and livelyhood, ejected out of their respective Parishes, and by immi­nent & visible force incapacitated from the exercise of their Ministry, but some of them are Banished, others Confined, and the remnant reduced to such straits, fears and uncertainties as we have before represented. Then might we have seen the shepherds smitten, and their flocks scattered, our teachers removed into cor­ners, and the Lords Vineyard and Sanctuary laid most desolate: so that in some whole Countreyes and Pro­vinces no preaching was to be heard; nor could the Lords day be otherwise known, then by the sorrowfull remembrance of these blessed enjoyments whereof now we are deprived. Oh! though we had not the zeal & courage of our Ancestors, to have set our selves for the defence of the Gospel, and the maintenance of the Lords Ministers and Ordinances, of which we were so perfidiously and violently spoiled, yet that at least we had remembered, by Prayer and Supplication to God, in the dayes of our afflictions and of our mise­ries, all the pleasant things that we had in the dayes of old.

2. As this Antichristian spirit did at the first disco­ver it selfe, in that height and rage of Prophanity and all Excess, which suddenly overspread the Land, and did very powerfully and evidently usher in the Restitu­tion of Prelats; so the same hath been ever since by them not only tolerated, but greatly countenanced and encouraged. We do not here mention their gross and [Page 118] wicked Toleration of Popery, whereby in thir few years it hath increased to a greater hight then ever it at­tained at any time in this Land since the Reformation, & that though it hath, & doth appear in that daring confidence, as in its avowed idolatrous Masses and seminary Priests amongst us, to contemn and despise these ancient and standing Laws whereby such things are often and severely prohibited under the pain of death, yet to this day never one hath been publickly questioned and charged upon that account. The thing mostly to be noticed is, that the only grievance and eyesore of Prelates is Conscience and any measure of Tenderness therein; Thence is it that the most inno­cent and peaceable Forbearance in not bearing Curates and the like, have been persecute with all rigor, where­as Adulteries, Blasphemies, Swearing and Drunken­ness are so far from being punished or restrained, that the Committers thereof are now only the persons most in fashion and favour; yea it hath been known and can be instanced that persons conveened, and que­stioned, as disaffected, have either upon the discovery or information of their Profanity and dissoluteness, been instantly and freely dismissed. Oh that men and Chri­stians do so litle remember our Lords own rule to judge and discern false prophets by their fruits, whereby he hath expresly said that we shall know them, and that men are so far blinded and bewitched, as not to see the mighty working of Sathan in this Mystery of Ini­quity, endeavouring under a meer shaddow and pre­tence of Formality, to root out the Power and Life of Religion and Conscience, and to reduce this poor Church unto that Laodicean luke-warmness more desperate and incurable then coldness and death it self.

[Page 119]3. The faithful Ministers being outed, and the hedge of Presbyterian Government removed, as pro­phanity and wickedness doth yet more abound, so there came out of this smoak, Locusts upon our Church, even a crue of Curates for Insufficiency, Vanity, Lies, and Prophanity, the very Scorn of Re­formation & Scandal of Religion. We need not here adduce particular instances, there is none who in the least observe their doctrine and maner of conversation but will easily acknowledge it: And the certainty of what we here affirm is so obvious unto all, that a par­ticular condescendence would either prove an infinite labour, or too much abridge the extent of so sad a truth. Its true there are some who being convinced, and others who supposing the truth of what is here al­leadged, do either doubt or deny these; things to be the proper effects of Prelacy, but rather of the licentious­ness of men, and such accidents which may be incident to the best constitutions: But if it be considered, 1. That that thing which inseparably and infallibly attends ano­ther, may with more then ordinary probability be con­cluded to depend thereon by a certain influence: 2. That that which is no Ordinance of Jesus Christ, but the visible product of the Devils malice and mens pride and lust, can never be effectual for the establish­ing of Truth, or promoting of Holiness. 3. That such who not only discover in themselves the foresaid evils, but by open and most notorious Perjury do u­surp and invade and hold the Offices they pretend to, must of necessity hate the light because their deeds are evil; it will be very easily granted that Prelacy, Pre­lates, and their dependants, to whom all these things are clearly applicable, are not only the proper causes and authors of all the Prophanity and Wickedness under [Page 120] which this poor Land now perisheth; but most natu­rally introductive unto all these Superstitions and Abo­minations, wherein the Devill by the same means did, and hath involved the Christian World under the Ro­man Papacy.

4. The Prelates and Curates being thus established, from the ground and warrant of the Acts mentioned, several Proclamations and Edicts, for the more effectual execution thereof and pressing conformity thereunto, & for the suppressing conscientious adherence to, or (so much as is possible) the very remembrance of our for­mer Engagements and Covenants, and the holy Ministry and Government therein contained, are emitted and published. We have already mentioned that at Glasgow, and these others to the same purpose which did ensue upon it. The first what we here note is, that the Prelates conceaving that their perse­cutions already practized and to be practized, might excite the compassion of some to a charitable sup­ply of the afflicted; more to express their cruel malice then really to hinder that, which at best is not worth the noticing, under the pretext of Dis [...]rder, they procure a discharge of charitable Collections. And now let it be here observed once for all, that such is the cruelty, not only of the malice but of the very Acts, procured by the Prelates against conscientious Non-conformists, that if they were followed with a suta­ble & compleat execution, there should remain no com­fort to any abiding stedfast, other then that of Arca­dius mercy to the children of Traitors, that life should be their grief, and death their relief. There was ano­ther Proclamation emitted, at the time of the first plant­ing of the Curates, that all persons should keep their own Parish Churches, and should not repair to any other ex­cept [Page 121] in case of vacancy, under pain of twenty Shillings Scots toti [...]s quo [...]ies, to the effect that such as could not in conscience attend the Curats Conventicles, might be also deprived of any mean of edification, which the opportunity and neighbourhood of a faithful Ministry might afford. Then thereafter there is another Edict published against unwarrantable Preaching, Praying, or Hearing, whereby even such Exercises, without which the Communion of Saints can hardly be inter­tained, are restrained & discharged; in so much, that if a faithful outed Minister should repair to any private fa­mily, or two or three moe then the Domesticks of one House be found together, though only imployed in the most Christian & edifying Exercises of Praying, Lec­turing or Godly Conference, their meeting is declared an unlawfull Conventicle, and all such as are accessory, punishable accordingly. By a fourth Proclamation, men are required to be assistent to, and concur with the Curates in the exercise of Discipline, as they shall be thereto called, though they be not told either by what warrant, or in what capacity they are to meddle in the Matters of God; for our Adversaries do both disown Elders, & allow Deacons no rule. There is a fifth Procla­mation discharging all Conventions & meetings whatsoe­ver under the pretence of Religion, which are not allowed by Authority, certifying all persons accessory, that they shall be looked upon and punished by pecuniary and corporall pains, as seditions persons, at the arbitre­ment of the Council, and especially that the Ministers ex­ercising therein, and their resetters or countenancers in any sort, shall be liable unto the highest pains due to seditious Persons. And lastly, there is a sixt, com­manding [Page 122] all Masters of Families to cause their Ser­vants and all their dependents, and all Heritors and Landlords to cause their Tennants and Tax-men to obey all Acts of Parliament or Council enjoyning Con­formity, and particularly to frequent their Parish Churches, and to submit and conform to the Curates their Ministry, or else to remove them summarly from their service, and eject them out of their Possessions: And also that Heritors take bond and security of their intrant Tennants in time coming, that they and their Cottars and Servants, shall give obedience as said is; and lastly, that all Magistrates of Burghs cause their Inhabitants give Bond for the like obedience; for which effects, these Heritors and Magistrates are warranded to charge them under the pain of Rebellion: And who­soever shall contraveen this Edict is certified and de­clared lyable to the same pains due to the Non-confor­mists themselves, for whom he hereby is made answe­rable. This is the last Act & Proclamation for Con­formity not only in course, but even in the utmost of extremity and rigor, whereby, as many persons ha­ving a freedom as to their own practise, are further urged, contrare to all the rules of charity and modera­tion, to compel others towards whom they may ra­ther desire a Christian Forbearance and Indulgence to be used; so the generality of the Land without any ex­ception whatsoever, are reached, and obliged to all the Complyance with, and Conformity to this wicked Apostasy, and accursed and abjured Prelacy, where­of they are capable, and that under such Pains, as if [Page 123] generally incur'd and execute, should infallibly reduce the Land to utter Desolation and confusion. But the Lord heareth and regardeth, and Oh that men would also hear the voice of this poor Church, that bewail­eth her self and spreadeth out her hands, saying, VVoe is me now, for my soul is weary because of Mur­therers.

5. As we have observed the Tyranny and Illegali [...] of the High Commission granted for executing these Ec­clesiastick Acts and Edicts, both in it's Constitution and Procedor, so we do furder observe that whatever Novelties and Extravagancies the Commssion it self contain, yet the Practises of the Court, having no other Precedent in the Christian World, save that of the Spanish Inquisition, do far exceed them. For 1. as persons are brought before them, either by Seisure or summar Citation without any cause signified, but to answer super inquirendis, contrary to an express stand­ing Law Iac. 6. Parl. 10. cap. 13. 1585. which was also enacted when the Kings Prerogative was fresh and in full vigor; so at their Compearance, they have neither Libel nor Accuser, but are constrained instantly to make answer to whatsoever question the arbitriment of the Archprelat pleaseth to demand. 2. As there is no time for advice permitted, so neither are lawful De­fences receaved or admitted; but if any person do of­fer to propone any matter of that kind, he is required first to take the Oath of Supremacy, or some such En­gagement or Subscription which they are assured he wil refuse. Thus a Gentleman of the Name of Porte [...]field, being conveened before them, and questioned for not owning the Curate, he answers, that his not hearing the Curate, could import no disaffection, nor bring [Page 124] him under the compass of the Law, because the Cu­rate had calumniated him by such vile opprobries & re­proaches, as were both scandalous in a Minister, and just ground of resentment to any ingenuous Spirit, as he was able to prove by sufficient witnesses: This the Court having sustained as relevant, and the Gentle­man having adduced his witnesses, and one of them being examined and clearly proving, all further pro­cedor is stopped, and he required to take the Oath of Supremacy, which he having refused, they sentence him in a great Pecuniary Fine, and confine his person far North, to the Town of [...]lgin. 3. If any person conveened do clearly answer all their Questions & De­mands, so that he cannot be in that manner reached, then they require him in a most Arbitrary way. either to take the Oath of Supremacy or some other subscrip­tion for obedience to Ecclesiastick Lawes, or any other bond or security they please to require: In which their Tyranny they are so inconsequent, that they neither remember that Lawes are made to be Obeyed and not subscribed, and that Obedience is secured by their own sanction, and not by the Peoples handwriting, nor that the main objection by which they thēselves do impugn the Covenant, & whereon the Declaration against it, is expresly founded, is that the same was taken by, & im­posed upon the Subjects of this Kingdō against the sun­damental laws & liberties of the same which is not more fals if applied to these holy Covenants, (which were expresly founded, both upon the Word of God, & the free consent of the body of the People, & most necessar­ly intended for the glory of God & the defence of Reli­gion & Liberty, which are the foundations of all founda­mentals, besides the accession of both Law & Authority by which they were warranted) then true and evident in [Page 125] order to the case in hand, it being most certain, that whatever may be the extent of the Peoples Surren­der under any Constitution; for the enforcing of their Obedience or Submission, yet the liberty of Per­suasion is so undoubtedly understood to be reserved, that it cannot be abridged by any imposed Oath or Sub­scription, without their own consent. We know the Council hath both the power, and is in use to take Bond for keeping the Peace, but this is a practice so clearly warranted by Law, and so antecedently sound­ed in reason and humanity, upon just and probable pre­sumptions, to secure the Peace by bond, which they might do by the persons imprisonment, that the parity is alleaged with as litle reason, as the pra­ctice controverted is voyd of equity: Notwithstand­ing of all which, there is but one course before that Commission-Court, without mitigation either to Ba­nish, or Fine, or Confine (or both) the persons re­fusing. 4. If any do in his answers or demeanor of­fend, or be discovered thereby in the least to be guil­ty, they proceed to sentence without any breathing or intermission, wherein they so litle observe the War­rant of their Power and Commission, that they of­tentimes exceed all the proportion either of Law or Reason: For verifying whereof, let but the instances subjoined be considered, where we shall find persons 1. Stigmatized and Banished for not conforming, which neither their first nor second Commission, bearing only Power to [...]ine, Confine and Imprison, nor the Laws whereupon they could proceed, give warrant to do. We know the first Commission that was printed, was afterwards renewed with some ex [...]ension & not printed, but though some copies thereof in write were spread abroad with power to stigmatize and banish, yet [Page 126] neither doth the Principal contain any such warrant, nor can the extension therein made, infer the same in any sort, without admitting that the same Court con­sisting of many members constituent of the Secret Coun­cil, might Proteus-like transfigure themselves into this form in a moment. 2. We shal find men sentenced not only to Banishment, but to Deportation and Sla­very, viz. to be carried to Barbadoes, where, being poor men and not able to redeem their Liberty, they must undoubtedly be sold; a punishment, which not only the disproportion of their delinquencies, but the whole tenor of our Laws, and the undoubted Privi­ledge of Christianity, doth reprobate and condemn. These things duely considered and compared, it will be more then evident, that our Oppressions and Grie­vances by reason of this Court alone, do far exceed all the pressures and injuries of that Spanish Inquisition, whereupon the United Provinces have justified and ap­proved their revolt from under the King of Spain, to all Protestant States and Churches.

6. As these Acts and Proclamations are very Wic­kedness; so their Execution hath been only Rigor and Cruelty, It were endless to enumerate all the distresses that have hereupon ensued upon particular persons and Families, unto the imprisonment of many, confine­ment of some, deportation of others to remote Islands, chasing of others to sore and anxious wanderings, & scattering of Families unto beggery. Any who can conceave the Wickedness and Violence that did prompt the Prelats to the making of these Acts and Statutes, the arbitrary Power of the High Commission by which they were enforced, and the rage, violence and ra­pine that attends Military Force by which they were and are executed, may possibly conceave some part of [Page 127] these evils; which, lest the strangeness thereof do render altogether improbable to men unacquainted, we shall here subjoin a few instances of many, of the Procedors of the High Commission Court, leaving these of Military Force unto a more proper place. The Parish of An [...]rum had been in former times under the blessing of Mr John L [...]vings [...]on his Ministry, who being banished the Kingdom for no other cause then his emi­nency and stedfastness in the Work of God, and re­fusing the Oath of Supremacy, there is obtruded by the Bishop upon them in his place, one Scot, an old excommunicate [...]urate, continuing under that sen­tence and in his wickedness that procured the same, for which cause mainly, he is now complemented and rewarded with the accession of this Kirk and Benefice, to two others, which he still brooks & enjoyes, though very far distant from this place. This man coming a­mongst them, such as feared the Lord, and remem­bered his Work and Covenant, are stirred up in the Zeal of God to testify against his Intrusion, whom, being a Person excommunicate, entering by gross Perjury, without their consent, and only seeking af­ter the fleece and Benefice, all that love our Lord Jesus and the prospering of his pleasure, were bound to abhor and detest: We do not justify any excess of human pas­sion that might here have been admixed with the sin­cere zeal of God, which we are certain in it's worst appearance all men ought rather to excuse, then there­fore condemn that duty, to which not only the People of that Parish, but the whole Church of Scotland were and are in a higher measure indispensibly obliged in opposition to the present course of Apostacy, and for extirpation of the Apostat Prelates. However four men of the Parish are conveened before the High [Page 128] Commission, where being examined they acknow­ledge, that Mr Scot being to preach at Ancrum as their Minister, they found themselves pressed in conscience to declare to him their dis-satisfaction with his entry, and that they were present with the rest of the People which were there at that time. This the Commission, contrary the opinion of the more sober & most knowing amongst them, take for a confession of guilt, and im­mediatly proceed to sentence them, as c [...]ntemners of the Ordinances, to be scourged through the Town, sug­matized with the [...]tter T at the Cross of Edinburgh, and thereafter imprisoned, and with the first Ship to be carried to the Barb [...]oes Islands. All which was accordingly performed upon them. Thus judgement is turned in­to gail, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock. But God who sustained his servants with that constan­cy & courage, that neither the shame nor pain of scourg­ing and burning, hindered them openly and audibly to rejoice in the Lord, who counted them wo [...]thy to suffer for his Name, beholdeth also mischief and spite to requite it with his hand. For the same alleaged crime, shortly thereafter they sentence two Brothers, married men, to be carried to Barbadoes, and their siste [...], a young woman, to be scourged through the Town of Jedburgh. As for alleaged conventi [...]ling, there is one Mr Smit [...], a Minister seised upon and imprisoned, for no other c [...]ime then preaching to, and praying with a few secretly assembled for fear of the P [...]elates, in the Name of the Lord, without the least offence objected from any thing there spoken; who being brought be­fore the Commission, and in his examination and an­swers to the Bishop of St Andrewes, calling him only Sir, without Lord or Grace, he is therefore taxed by the Com­missioner, to whom he answered very respectfully, [Page 129] (giving him his accustomed titles) that he knew he was speaking to Mr James Sharp once a Minister as he himself is. Whereupon there is so great offence con­ceaved, that the Commissioner did immediatly ordain him to be carried by the Town-Hangman to the Thieves Hole and there laid in the Irons, in company with a Fu [...]ious Fatuous person, who was there loose: An In­dignity so great, unusual and insolent, that although He had behaved himself not only rudely in his demeanor, (which is the worst that his Adversaries can charge him with) but had been most flagitious in his life; yet no­thing but that Spirit of Spite and Rebellion that rageth Apostats, could prompt Christians to inflict upon one, who had ever carried so much as the Title of a Minister. But because the open Iron-grate, whereby this Hole is shut, gave too great access to the charity and com­passion of many persons who came to visit him, he is therefore upon the third day thereafter carried up to the Iron-house within the T [...]lbooth, & continued in his irons and fetters, and thereafter in close Prison, until by sentence of the same Commission, he was banished and confined to Shetland, the coldest and wildest of all the Scots Islands; where he was to expect no other com­fort, then the company of some other faithful men, who for not owning and submitting to the Curats, had been carried there by sentence of the same Court. And as they did thus sentence a Minister for Exer­cising, so the same Court having conveened before them an honest private man . . . Black, for being pre­sent at an alleaged Conventicle, but in effect, at the meeting of a few Christians for praying and hearing the Lord's Word, without so much as any other offence pretended; because, according to the example and warrant of the Primitive Christians, he refused to [Page 130] give His Oath, & thereupon to delate the names of such as he knew to have been present, and because he was not liberall in giving St Andrewes his titles, the Commissio­ner ordaineth him to be scourged thorow the Town; although it was well known to the Court, that his in­formation could give very small evidence, and they were convinced, that his refusal did not flow from contempt of the King's Authority, but meerly and purely from scruple of Conscience. These are a few instances of many particulars of this kind which might be alleaged, whereof there is no corner in the whole Countrey, nor Parish almost in the West, which cannot give evidence; and therefore we do remitt any more ample confirmation of these things, until we have noted a few moe particulars for clearing thereof.

7. As we have observed the Wickedness of these Ecclesiastick Laws, and the iniquity and irregularity of the Act of Fining, and the introducing of Execu­tion by Military Force; (a servitude unheard of and in­tolerable in any free Nation) so the evils and oppres­sions thereof can scarcely be numbered. For 1. Upon pretence of that Proclamation, commanding People to keep their Parish-Churches, and prohibiting the re­pairing to any other, except in case of vacancy under the pain of 20 shillings Scots toties quoties, the soul­diours being disposed upon, to such places which are known to be most averse from this course of Apostacy, lying at catch for their own advantage, have often taken the opportunity, where there was but one Church in the bounds still enjoying a faithfull Minister, and ma­ny vacancies about, to go and beset that Church in the time of Divine Worship to the profane disturbance thereof: And thereafter either to cause call some old roll of the Parishioners, and exact the Fine of twenty [Page 131] shillings Scots of all others without exception, or respect even to the licence contained in the Proclama­tion it self in case of vacancy, or to require an Oath of every person to know to what Parish they belong, and that at the Church door without permitting them to come forth, until they either give their Oath or pay the Fine, not only with such cursing, swearing and confu­sion, as would make Infidels amazed to see the Lords day so profaned, by Christians professing the same com­mon Faith; but with such rigor, by taking by force the Bibles or garments from some poor persons, who have not wherewith to pay, and insolent beating and wounding of others to the effusion of blood, as may justify the greatest Barbarity. We need not instance particulars in a truth so universally known. We pro­ceed to another kind of this same violence, practised in other places where Curates are planted; who, to force and compel the people to that complyance with their Ministry, which in conscience they are bound to abhor, cause form lists or rolls of such as keep not the Church, and calling them after sermon, both Men and Women by Name and Surname, they amerciate the absents in such summs and Fines as they please, & for the most part, far exceeding the pains contained in the Act of Parliament; whereupon the Souldiours are im­mediatly warranted to go and exact the same by quar­tering. Which Practice is not more unjust in it's illegal and summar procedor, then rigid and exorbitant; both as to the quantity and the maner of exacting it, by rea­son of their riding and quartering - money (which is therewith exacted) and the other inconveniences which inseparably attend the rapine and violence of profane souldiours. 3. In many places, not contented thus to Fine and Exact, the souldiours, on the Lords day, go to [Page 132] private houses, and by plain force compel and drive to the Church all such as they find, and oftentimes do insolently beat and abuse persons who by reason of in­firmity or sickness are really unable: A practise so cru­el and absurd, that some of themselves have said, it was our Lord's way to drive buyers and sellers out of the Temple, but not to drive them into it. 4. As to the exacting and levying of the Parliaments Fines, the same was done (by a reference of the Councill to the Com­missioner, and his orders thereon) in such an oppres­sive and exorbitant manner as cannot be paralelled. For 1. Parties of horse being directed to several Shires, when a party arrived in any Shire, they direct their order to all the persons therein Fined, intimating to them and every one of them to pay their respective Fines, with three shillings sterling per diem for every horse-man in the party, from the day and date of their Order until the Fine be payed, and the payment signi­fied to the commander of the Party: By which extor­tions, many have been compelled to pay more for Quartering then the summe and quantity of their Fine; and during the time of these oppressions, many have computed that the Sherifdoms of Air & Re [...]frew, were compelled to pay upon the accompt of Quarterings, over and above the Fines, betwixt two and three thou­sand merks Scots per diem. 2. There was no defence nor exemption allowed against these Quarterings; for whether the person fined did liberat himself by taking the Declaration, or that it was alleaged that he was Mi­nor, or an Infant, or never Charged, or that his Pre­decessor charged was since Deceased, or that his pre­decessor was never Charged, yea Died before he was fined, or that the person quartered on was only Relict of the person fined (a poor Widow living upon a mean [Page 133] Joincture) or that the person quartered on had no Re­lation to the person fined, save that he lived in the house and place which once pertained to him, and which this person lawfully Purchased, even before the other was fined; Yet all was repelled, and no complaint of this rigor and violence could be heard or receaved; but on the contrary the complainer (especially if he re­fused to take the Declaration) was rejected with most insolent reproaches and menaces. 3. That both in the up-lifting of the Fine and exacting of the Qwarter­ings, the extremity of rigor was used, by dragging some to prison, who either were known altogether indigent and insolvent, or did offer to renounce the Benefit of the Act of Indemnity (the forfaulture where­of was the alternative and utmost certification for not payment of the Fine, contained in the Act of Fin­ing) or by Plundering, Beating, and Spoiling others without possibility of redress. We need not adduce Particular Instances for the verification of these things, seing they were not done in a corner: But the cry of this violence as it filled the whole Land; so no doubt it also reached unto the very Heavens, and is entered in to the ears of Him who hateth violence and loveth righteousness, who saith unto Princes, remove vio­lence and spoil, and execute judgement and justice, take away your exactions from my people. One thing mainly to be considered is, that as Prelacy is the great cause of all the Sin and Misery that afflicteth us; so was it by the instigation of the same wicked Apostats, that these Fines so long delayed were thus at length rigo­rously exacted: And that for no other purpose, then the leavying of moe Forces for their security and support, and the better strengthening of their Tyranny. Cer­tainly were it not of the Lord, who, because of our [Page 134] contempt of his glorious Gospel, and blessed Mini­stry, hath plagued us with stupidity, and smitten us with madness, blindness and astonishment of heart, to give unto us the reward of our own hands, and to cause us to eat the fruit of our doings, it were impos­sible that rational men after the feeling of so sore griev­ances, and the teaching of so many and sad experienc­es, should still couch under the burthen and submitt themselves to the yoke of a few insignificant Apostate Upstarts, and not rather acquit themselves like men, by pulling off these vizards of Religion, under which they mask their villanies, and plucking them out of that Sanctuary and great refuge of Loyalty, which they do not more pretend then profane by all their hor­rid Rebellion against God, and their cruell Persecu­tions of His faithfull Servants and the Kings true Sub­jects, which they palliat under this pretext; to the effect that in the righteous and deserved Punishment of these wicked men, both the sin and Backsliding of the Land might be sisted, and the fierce anger of the Lord averted.

This is the wickedness and violence of accursed Pre­lacy, which though it hath diffused it self over the whole Land, and left no corner thereof untouched, yet as the West hath been more grievously thereby op­pressed and afflicted, so poor Galloway in a manner hath been the point in which all it's malice and Tyranny hath been concentred. We need not here search after Par­ticulars, or be curious for the verification thereof; the cries and groans of that afflicted Countrey have filled all mens ears, and the desolations thereof are obvious to every ones eyes: Nor need we insist to purge their innocency or clear the causes of their sufferings, which were no other then their adherence to their faithfull [Page 135] Ministers (though casten out and rejected by men, yet continuing through the grace of God, to preach amongst them) and their detestation of a crue of un­worthy Curates (scatterers and devourers, not Pa­stors of the flock) thrust in amongst them more vio­lently then upon any other part of the Countrey. The thing we have here to observe is, that the manner of their persecution was first and last by plain Hostile In­vasion. After which maner Sir Iames Turner with his Forces (having twice before been amongst them) in March 1666, with greater power and fury then ever formerly, marcheth against them: where being arrived, what exactions, oppressions and insolencies, he and his forces committed by arbitrary fining, plundering, quartering, imprisoning, beating, wounding, bind­ing men like beasts, chasing to moors and mountains, and by harassing and laying both Parishes and Coun­trey-sides almost wholly desolate; the ruine and beg­gery of several hundreds of families, and the impove­verishing and great distress of many others do abun­dantly testify: And yet after all these atrocious inju­ries, by the contrivance and authority of the Bishop of Galloway, (who sometimes appeared so zealous for the Covenant and Work of God, that, frequently in his ad­ministration of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to the People of his own Parish, while he was a private Minister, when they were sett at Table and ready to Participate, he caused them to renew the Oath of the Covenant, subjoining thereto both that solemnity and these words used by Nehemia, Chap. 5.13. when in the like case he did shake his lap, and said, so God shake out every man from his house and from his labor, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shak­en [Page 136] out and emptied) by the prescription, we say, of the same Bishop and his Synod, these poor oppressed people, after all these exactions, are urged and com­pelled to subscribe an acknowledgement that Sir Iames had used them civilly and discreetly; whereby they were forced not only to deny common sense, and lay aside their just resentments, but by this their Sub­scription (which might be opposed to all their com­plaints) they were virtually excluded from all hope of redress. All which things are not only confirmed by the notoriety of the matter of fact, but are also by that grievous and mournfull Paper of their sufferings, most amply cleared and instructed. To which though Sir Iames hath made an answer for his own vindica­tion, yet seeing the same doth for the most part re­solve in a simple denyall (which it was easy for him to make, having neither accuser nor contradicter) and he at most giveth only an account of, & vindicateth his orders, without so much as denying the excess, that might have ensued in that military way of execution, (expressly waving to answer the extortions of these par­ties, which were commissionated for civill Fines) any further reply were superfluous.

This poor people having continued and lyen under all these miseries, for the space of seven moneths and upward after Sir Iames his third Invasion, and thereby witnessed not only their very firm & Christian Patience towards God; but also given a greater testimony of their loyally and submission to the King's commands, then all the flattering and flaunting professions of these their adversaries (who rather then to suffer the hun­dred part of these hardships, would curse both God and their King) will amount to: And knowing by sad [Page 137] experience, that both Separat Petitioning had been by Sir Iames insolently rejected, & that Joint Petitioning was by Act of Parliament condemned, and conse­quently all hope this way being cut off, upon an very Accidental & Indeliberat Occasion, they were stirred up and gave the rise to the actions and commotions following; which was thus.

Sir Iames still breathing forth persecutions, upon the 13 of November last, ordereth four souldiours, from Dumfreis to the Parish of Dalray in Galloway, to poind a poor old man's goods; and in case they should find none, to seise and apprehend his person, and bring him prisoner to Dumfries. The souldiours in prosecution of this order, apprehending the old innocent man, bind him hand and foot like a beast, and lay him bound upon the ground, ready to be carried along. When two or three of his neighbours, commoyed with so great an indignity, come and desire the souldiours to loose him, they, in stead of satisfying their desire, sudden­ly assault the Countrey-men with their swords drawn, and necessitat them to their own defence: Whereupon one of the souldiours being wounded, the other three throw down their Arms, and the poor man is relieved, The Countreymen, having thus accquited themselves against these first aggressors, in prosecution of their own necessary defence, against the violence of 10 or 12 more souldiours, who were oppressing in the same Parish, (whom now they had greater cause to fear then before) upon the morrow thereafter, with the assist­ance of 6 or 7 whom they joined to themselves, they quietly seise upon and secure them, all of them render­ing their Arms, except one who was killed in his re­sistance. After this, the Countrey being a little hereby alarmed, but most of all determined by their [Page 138] former sad experience, that Sir James would certain­ly avenge himself of this affront, upon the whole Countrey without distinction of free and unfree, and that in fury and rage, as far exceeding his former per­secutions, as the cause was different, they gather to the number 54 Horsemen with some few Footmen, and instantly resolving upon it, they march towards Dumfreis; where upon the 15 of November they take Sir James prisoner, and disarm the Souldiours that were with him without harm or violence to any, ex­cept the wounding of one man who made more ob­stinate resistance. Being thus by the over-ruling hand of Divine Providence, and the force of irresistible necessity, more then by any human contrivance, en­gaged in a business of this importance beyond all hope of retreat; and considering how many in the West and els-where, did groan under the yoke of this wicked Prelacy, and did suffer by their Tyranny, whom the just apprehension of that rigour and cruelty, to which the report of what had hapned would enrage the adver­saries against all without distinction, might persuade yea necessitat to a conjunction, they from Dumfreis move towards the West. In the mean time, the re­port being brought to the Council, the Arch-bishop Pre­siding and over-ruling in it, Lieut. General Dalzel is immediatly ordered to march with all the Forces to­ward Glasgow; which accordingly was done, with more hast, rage and fury, then if 10000 Infidels had with fire and sword invaded the Land: And a Procla­mation is emitted against the Rebels (as they called them) risen in Arms in Galloway, Air, and other Pla­ces of the West, (when as at this time there were not 40 Men in the Sherifdom of Air, who had joyned with [Page 139] them) declaring this Insurrection to be manifest and horrid Rebellion, and therefore charging the persons accessary, to lay down Arms within 24 hours after pu­blication, without any assurance of Indemnity offered, and lastly, commanding the whole Subjects to be assist­ing to the Lieutenant General, and being requir­ed by him or others in Authority, to rise in Arms, and assist with all their Power, under the Pain of Re­bellion. A Proclamation so full of fury and madness, not only rendering such as were in Arms desperate without hope, except in the cruel mercy of the wick­ed Prelates; But also engaging all without distinction, either Actively to concur to the destroying of these poor, innocent and afflicted People, or els to prepare themselves for suffering the same pains and punish­ment, that it may justly be wondered at, that even the single motive of this Proclamation, did not procure, to these Galloway-men, a greater concourse. But that poor hand-full being come towards the West, and some hundreds there, (whom partly the like pressures and fears of worse, but most of all, the sense and re­membrance of the indispensible obligation of the Holy Covenant, for mutual sympathy and defence, and our uttermost endeavours all the dayes of our lives to prosecute the great and blessed Ends therof, did there­to determine) having, in the sincerity and simplicity of their hearts, joined themselves to that company, most harmlesly and inoffensively, without the least vio­lence or exaction done to any, they march through the Countrey until they come to Lanerk. Where, upon the consideration of the Lord's wrath, imminent upon the whole Land by reason of breach of Covenant, [Page 140] and the many horrid Sins thereon ensuing, and the ap­prehension of His holy displeasure yet continuing, (whereof, by many visible and afflicting signs and tok­ens, they were most sadly convinced) as men reduc­ed to the last extremity and in great distress (after the example of Nehemiah and the Iewes, Neh. chap. 9, & 10. in the like case) they resolve and do renew the Solemn League and Covenant: That (at least) by this Action they might bear Testimony both to the oppressed Cause and Truth of God and their own in­nocency. From Lanerk upon the 26 of November they march to Bathga [...]e, and the morrow thereafter to Colington, a place about two miles distant from Edin­burgh. That same night Lieut. Gen. Dalzel coming to Calder, there is a Cessation agreed to betwixt them for that night, and until, upon the morrow, their grievances and Petition might be presented to the Council; which they for that effect send to Dal­zel to be by him transmitted. But as, notwith­standing of this Cessation, (and though the same was timously signified to the Bishop as President of the Coun­cil, yet) the Countrey-troops leavyed about Edin­burgh, were not restrained from making an in-fall upon their Quarters, where they rested securely upon the trust of the Cessation; so upon the morrow, be­fore almost they were aware, and without giving up the Cessation agreed to, Dalzel finding a nearer way doth almost surprize them: Whereupon they endea­vour to march off, but finding the Enemy so near, they are constrained to stand to & prepare for that Con­flict upon the South of Pentland-hils: Wherein the Lient General's forces and theirs being engaged, the very time and hour that the Gentle-man sent by Dalzel to the Council, was presenting his letters and the [Page 141] West-land mens Grievances, these poor men not ex­ceeding eight or nine hundreds, and extremly weak­ened and spent by sore travail and watching, and mostly by their fasting and great abstinence, are (ac­cording to the Holy, Wise and determinate Counsel of God) a litle after sun-set routed and dissipated. The number of the slain on both sides were reckoned, about 40 and upwards of the Westland men, and 4 or 5 of the Generals Forces. The number of the prison­ers was greater, amounting in all to 130 and up­ward: But, because the threed of this story hath precipitated our Narration to this fatal period, the observations following will supply what is om­mitted.

1. That these men who rose in the West, were not only (for the most part) persons of known and very exemplar integrity, piety and zeal for God▪ and all of them (severally and jointly) so far from base and turbulent designes, that they cannot be supponed by any who know them, to have been Am­bitious of either Rule or Riches▪ but also did with the same straightness and sincerity, in all parts declare, that their only Motives were the rigor of extreme Ne­cessity, which constrained them to the defence of Religion and Liberty, and the Conscience of that in­dispensible duty, vve all owe to God & one to another, in the bond of the Holy Covenant; and in the inno­cency of a most harmless deportment, did fully con­form themselves to these professions: so that it may truly be affirmed, that a company of more sin­cere, upright and harmless men, did never in any age appear in such a posture. Which as it doth emi­nently appear, in their sparing and civil usage of Sir Iames Turner, and their great abstinence and [Page 142] moderation in all places, not only from Plunder and such insolencies, but even from the necessary means of Subsistence; so it is a truth so certain, that all their ene­mies (save a few profane Curates, who spare no lies whereby they may vent their malice) must and do ac­knowledge it.

2. That as in many places, there were many found who joined themselves to the Lieut. General's Forces, to assist against and suppress that faithfull afflicted company; so the Militia of Edinburgh (by order from the Secret Council to the Town-Council, and from the Town-Council to the several Captains, who did admi­nistrate it to their respective Companies) did, in oppo­sition to the same persons, take the following Oath, viz. I shal be true and faithfull to the King, and shall de­fend his Authority and maintain the same, against this Insurrection and Rebellion, and any other that shall happen, with the hazard of my life and fortune; And the two Shires of Middle and East Lauthians did arm very readily against them: But whether this Insur­rection was in Rebellion against the King, or whether this Conjuration and these Practices, were not a mani­fest Conspiracy and horrid Rebellion against the great God, a few reflections on what we have premised shall hereafter clear.

3. That as only the force of Necessity, from the rigor of their persecutions, and the cutting off of all liberty to Petition or hope of Redress, did compel the West-land men to this course; so upon the first appear­ance and most slender insinuation of liberty to Repre­sent Grievances to these in Authority, they very wil­ingly and readily embraced the opportunity, and signi­fied [Page 143] to the Council, that the only evill under which the Land perisheth, is the Erecting of this wicked and ty­rannous Prelacy contrary to the Holy Covenant, and the cruel oppression, both in Body & Conscience of all that desire to continue Faithfull therein: but how they were abused in this offer and Transaction, we have before related.

4. That though the wicked Prelats (for the greater exaltation of their pride and triumph, both over God and his Cause) have boldly affirmed, that these men were by certain Faithfull Ministers persuaded and brought out, in the full assurance of most certain Victo­ry, and that their Cause was such, that upon the Event they could venture their salvation; yet the contrary is most certainly known, & that they came out, for the most part, most voluntarly and of their own accord; thinking it their duty (as one of them in his Testi­mony doth declare) to appear for and help the Lord against the mighty: And that, though they had and still retain a most firm persuasion of the justice of the Lord's Cause and Covenant, and a very confident assurance that the Lord will arise and own it, to the utter confu­sion of His adversaries; Yet, knowing that Times and Seasons are in the Lord's hand, and that the time hath already been, when such who had indignation, and whose heart was against the holy Covenant did prosper, and by Arms pollute the Sanctuary of strength, and place the Abomination that maketh desolate, wherein, though the people that did know their God were strong and did exploits, yet did they fall by the sword, and by flame, and by captivity, and by spoil many dayes; These men did neither limit the Holy One, nor bal­lance [Page 144] their resolution upon the assurance of future Events: Yea the fear and apprehension of these many visible signs attending this Action, whereby the Lord's standing controversie and continuing displeasure a­gainst the Land, for fearfull breach of Covenant, and the many horrible sins that have ensued (which then more then ever were discovered, both in the actuall opposition of many, and faint withdrawing of others, of whom better things were looked for) did justly make them conceave, that as the Lord, who hath ever glorified His own Name, would also now glori­fy it, both in their active and passive Testimony (a seal which His Work and Cause, hath not hitherto so visibly had) And that they were rather thereto called, then to be the Lands Deliverers; for which, all that fear the Lord may think with trembling, greater judg­ments are yet ordained.

5. That amongst the many observable providences of God, whereby he brought this Action to it's pe­riod, their turning from Lanerk towards Edinburgh, and leaving the West, specially these parts where many faithful men were preparing for a Conjunction, doth bear the very eminent characters of the Lord's Work and Purpose, which he hath since made manifest; and was the occasion of the proscribing of several both Ministers and Gentlemen, as we shall hereafter men­tion.

6. That as the Louthian-men were very active in appearing against this faithfull company; so after the Conflict, they were very vigilant and inhumane to take and spoil all such flyers as they rencountred: A sin which no doubt, by reason of it's greater aggrava­tions, the Lord will require with greater severity, [Page 145] then that of Edom, Obad. 12. &c. who rejoyced over the children of Iudah in the day of their destruction; and laid hands on their substance in the day of their cala­mity, who stood in the cross way to cut off such as did escape, and delivered up these that did remain in the day of distress; and therefore he is threatened by the Lord, that for his violence against his brother, shame should cover him, and he should be cut off for ever.

Thus we have seen the indignation of the Lord; in the most dreadful and astonishing of all judgements, even his suffering and causing the righteous to fall be­fore the wicked, in delivering the soul of his turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked; His Name unto reproach and blasphemy, His Strength into cap­tivity, and His Glory into the enemies hands: A providence that may justly move our astonishment to a greater height then that of Iosuah chap 7. v. 9. Oh Lord, what wilt thou do unto thy great Name? And how terrible are the charge and succeeding Judge­ments which these things do denounce? But the Lord who in wrath remembers mercy, maketh both judge­ment and mercy his peoples song; and it is to his enemies alone, that a cup without mixture is poured out; as the things which follow will declare.

The Arcbishop of St. Andrews having caused celebrat the report of this Victory, with almost as many Guns from the Castle as there were men slain in the fields, and as if the 40 had been 40000 Infidels, the prisoners are brought in, and secured. We cannot but here mention the ready and charitable relief, which many good people in Edinburgh did then extend to them; [Page 146] certainly it is gone up for a Memorial before God, and shall have a return. But who can express the malice of that Antichristian spirit, raging both in the Arch-Prelate and his dependents, which misery it self doth not satiate; and therefore they do so exclaim against this poor expression of humanity, as preposterous and savouring of disaffection, that even some of their own Complices did condemn them for it.

The Councill falling immediately to the examination of the Prisoners, they remitt first 10, thereafter 14 to the Iustices to be arraigned or rather condemned as Traitors, they having first determined and prescribed the very maner of their execution: and about the same time the Commissioner going West, with some others impowered for that effect, do likewise at Air and Glasgow condemn other sixteen. These things we join together, because both their Indictments, maner of Tryall, Doom and Execution were the same, except in so far as shall be noted. The Indictment and Charge of Treason exhibited against all, consisted of two heads and crimes, deduced from old and late Acts of Parlia­ment, and aggravated by many circumstances, viz. rising and gathering in Arms, and renewing the Cove­nant without and against the Kings Authority and con­sent: Every one's particular accession was libelled from, and proven by his own confession before the Council. This place might require a large digression for answering the crimes objected, and clearing the innocency of the Lord's Witnesses; but seing the pre­ceeding Narration doth not only furnish all arguments thereto requisite, but warranteth them by Prece­dents beyond contradiction, it shall suffice now to ob­serve.

[Page 147]1. That God the Fountain of all Power, and Author of all Right, as, wherever he hath granted to any creature a Being, he hath also armed it with a love and power of Self-preservation sutable to it's capacity; so much more, where, unto a Being, He hath super­added a Right, as in all rationall creatures, which cannot be violated but both by Force and Injury, hath He granted both the Power and Right of Self-defence, which is really one and the same thing with it, and in effect nothing else but that divine Impress and rational Instinct, whereby the very course of Nature is uphol­den, so inseparable from the Being and Right of the creature, that it never ceaseth, except where by the Soveraign Will and Law of God, the Right is first annulled and the Being may be destroyed. Which position, being the clear and true foundation of all Rule and Righteousness, and even of the Being of all things, it may justly be wondered, that men should be found, who deny and would subvert it in it's first, principall and most immediate effects. But if accord­ing hereunto any will subsume and prove, that either by the Lord's ordaining of powers, or mens Surren­dar and Submission thereto, (made mainly for Self-preservation,) the foresaid Right and Power was or could be revoked or renounced, we shall most willing­ly quite the plea, and prostitute our selves to all the violences that Tyranny can invent, since in that case there could be no Injury.

2. That as all Societies, Governments and Lawes are appointed in a due Subordination to God and His superior Will and Law, for His Glory and the Com­mon Good of the People, including the safety of every individual; so, if either this Subordination be noto­riously infringed, or these Ends intollerably pervert­ed, [Page 148] the common tie of both Society, Government and Law, is in so far dissolved. Hence is it that a King or Rulers commanding things directly contrary to the Law of God, may be and have been justly disobeyed, and by fury or folly destroying or alienating the King­dome, may be and have been lawfully resisted. These are conclusions which our greatest Adversaries cannot but admit, and are not deducible from any other premisses. Let us hear King Iames, whose loyalty none can doubt, in a speech to the Parliament in the year 1609. he saith, a King degenerateth into a Tyrant when he leaveth to rule by Law, much more when he beginneth to invade his Subjects persons, rights and liberties, to set up an arbitrary power, impose unlaw­ful Taxes, raise forces, make war upon his Subjects, to pillage, plunder, wast and spoil his Kingdomes. And lest his inconsequence be suspected, as if notwith­standing all this, he would have a Tyrant incontro­lable, it is upon the same grounds, that in his answer to Cardinal Perron, he justifyeth the Protestants in France their Defensive Arms; Now how a discretive judge­ment in these cases, both of unrighteous commands, and wicked violence, and specially in the later, which is (by far) the more sensible, doth necessarily remain with the People, and in what maner the same is to be determined and cautioned, so as neither to li­cense disobedience against Authority, nor create sedi­tion in the Common-wealth, is already fully clear­ed.

3. That though all Soveraign Powers, (upon the supposition of these true and great ends, and the pre­sumption of reason and charity, that the persons in­trusted do in like manner really intend them,) be con­stituted [Page 149] indefinitly and therefore in appearance univer­sally without restriction; yet according to this known rule, that such particulars, as if expressed, would not (far more if they cannot) be consented to, are not understood to be comprised under a generall con­descendence, such exceptions and limitations as are in­dispensibly implyed and could not lawfully be expresly renounced, do stand in full force. Whereupon also both the Righteousness of God's judgements, and the Lawfullness of the Peoples Resistance against mal-versing Powers, are clearly and certainly founded.

4. That not only the light of Nature and undenya­ble Reason together with the agreeable Practice of all Nations, specially of our Ancestors, do evidently clear these Principles proposed, but also our own ex­press Statutes declaring the reveal'd Word and Will of God to be the Superior Rule and Law, and repeal­ing all Acts repugnant thereto. Iac. 6. Par. 1. chap. 3, 4, & 8. and explaining such Acts as were generally made against unlawful Convocations and Leagues and Bonds among Subjects, to be understood with this due Sub­ordination and limitation Car. 1. Par. 1. c. 29. together with the King and Peoples Oaths of faithful Admini­stration and Alleadgeance: whereby the Coronation-Covenant and Contract, specially that made with this King (the very bond of the Kingdom) is established and secured, do undoubtedly infer, beyond all con­tradiction, that both our Government and Lawes are constituted and to be interpreted with subordination to the Law and Will of God, and in order to these great Ends of their establishment.

5. That though prevailing Factions have in all times endeavoured, by their most excessive and boundless flatteries, to exalt and extend the Powers to an equal [Page 150] degree of absoluteness in all Causes and over all Per­sons, meerly for their own base ends and private ad­vantages; yet if any of these persons would seriously consider, and would ingenuously declare their opinion, in a particular application of the case to themselves, what they would account lawfull for them to do either jointly or separately, in case that they were injuriously and violently invaded to the destruction of their Lives or Fortunes, or the subversion of their Families and dearest and nearest Concernments, their resolution in this point would easily justify the practises of all such, who, esteeming the Glory of God and the mainte­nance of His Gospel infinitely preferable to all other Interests whatsoever, do valiantly offer and expose themselves for the vindication thereof, to the greatest hazards.

6. That through the manifest and notorious Per­version of the great Ends of Society and Government, the Bond thereof being dissolved, the persons, one or moe thus liberated therefrom, do relapse into their primeve Liberty and Priviledge, and accordingly as the similitude of their case and exigence of their cause doth require, may upon the very same principles again join and associate for their better Defence & Preserva­tion, as they did at first enter into Societies.

7. That we being a Nation so solemnly and expresly engaged by Covenant unto God, & one with another, for the advancing and promoving of these holy and important Ends therein contained, there lyeth upon all and every one of us an indispensible duty, by all possible means to promove the same, not only in our own conscientious and exemplary walking, and serious admonition and exhortation towards others; but also in endeavouring (in case of Defection) a National [Page 151] Reformation, and valiant vindication of the Glory of God, and His Work and Cause, against all incorrigi­ble Apostates; as we would not not by conniving at their sin be partakers of their Judgement, and as we would by destroying the accursed from amongst us, avert the imminent wrath of God from the whole Land and Nation. Which position as we clearly before asser­ted, both from the Profession and Practise of our first Reformers; so, that qualification in the Covenant, of our endeavours in our places and callings, is most agreeable thereto: seeing the same doth plainly import, that as every one is to confine himself to his own place and move in his own sphere, while all in their respective capacities do harmoniously concurre in the same work and duty; so if any in higher place and imployment, do not only become remiss and forgetful of the Oath of God; but, according to the extent and influence of their power, would seduce and corrupt their inferiors unto their Apostasy, it is both their place to resist such wickedness and violence, and their calling to endea­vour either the Reformation or Removal of these who prove so contrary to, and obstructive of the ends whereunto they are ordained. Neither can this infe­rence appear unwarranted or hard unto any who will impartially consider, that though the same qualifica­tion doth in the like maner affect and define all duties whatsoever, which we owe either to God or our Countrey; yet it were most absurd thence to infer, that if these more eminently intrusted should either turn directly Apostates and enemies to the Christian Faith, or adversaries and destroyers of the Common-wealth, the people of an inferior degree might not step forward to occupy the places, and assert the In­terests, which these wicked men had so traiterously [Page 152] forfaulted and deserted. All which must necessarily be granted, if it be but rightly considered, that as Order and the Observance thereof, is only a mean sub­ordinate to, and intended for the Glory of God and the good of the people; so must all the Regulation and Determination thereof be only admitted, in so far as it is Conducible, and no wayes to render it Destruct­ive or Repugnant to these great Ends of its appoint­ment. From all which we clearly conclude that thir words in the Covenant of Places and Callings, are no more Restrictive in the cases above mentioned, then a General's command to his souldiours entering in bat­tel (being thus qualifyed) doth impede the necessity of Succession (in case of the vacancy of any charge, either through death or desertion) requisit for the obtaining of the proposed end of Victory; but that they are in effect (specially the antecedent and subjoined words sincerely, really and constantly, all the dayes of our life being considered) rather Exegetick and Ampliative.

8. That whatsoever Laws, Covenants and Engage­ments were standing and binding unto us, before this late fearful Apostacy and Defection, they are still in the sight of God, and in the Consciences of all that fear His Name and mind his Glory, the rather more strong and obligeing then in the least infringed or dis­solved: It being impossible that such Sacred Oaths (so solemnly sworn unto the most High) and such Righteous Laws by vertue thereof statuted and ena­cted, for the carrying on, and establishment of the Work of God thereby intended, should be Ambula­tory and Mutable at the pleasure of men; specially of such, who, without regard of God, Conscience, Honor or Honesty, have, in the very pride and power [Page 153] of Wickedness, not only broken the Lords bands, casten away His cords, and violently (under the pre­text of abused Authority) overturned his whole Work; but done despite against the same, both by ignomini­ous Burning and Blaspheming of the Lords holy Cove­nant. And this Position Rescissory we oppose unto their great Act Rescissory, and to all Acts and practices of the like nature antecedent thereto, or dependent thereupon. Being fully perswaded, that, though now they appear unequally ballanced, yet the Lord shall declare from heaven His Righteousness, and laugh at His enemies Acts and Devises, and have them all in derision.

9. That though we do heartily approve their [...] veneration and just esteem of lawfull Authority, (the great and excellent Ordinance of God) who to prevent all prejudice that it may incur, and inconvenience that may ensue thereon, do so far transmit this respect to the person therewith vested, as to hold for a Maxime (but indeed equally against Religion, Reason and Ex­perience) that the King doeth no wrong; And though we are perswaded, that the true rise and cause of the sin and calamity under which we lye, is from the malice, perjury, flattery and violence of that Antichristian spirit ruling in the apostat Prelates; and therefore would willingly cloath our selves, even in the sight of man, with that ample Allowance and full Authority, whereby the King did once approve the holy Cove­nant, and countenance the Lords Work, as if the same did yet stand (as it ought) not retracted or repeal'd. Yet seing our late Parliament by their second Act, Session se­cond, have reprobated and discharged all pretences of Authority in this kind, notwithstanding that the same hath been and may be most necessary in many cases, [Page 154] for the preserving of the Kingdom, & salving of State-inconveniences; we do therefore rather subsist on the former grounds, and turn our complaint and prayer unto God, who is the great King over all, looking for His appearance, and waiting for His salvation.

10. That the Glory of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Defence and Maintenance of the blessed Gospel, and it's precious Ministry and Ordinances, are Duties & Concernments infinitly more important, then the defence and preservation of our Lives, Liber­ties and the Common-wealth, against the most barbar­ous and horrid violences and injuries that can be ima­gined: Like-as, the violation and destruction of all these is so evidently designed, and wickedly practi­sed, by this late and present Apostacy, that a clearer ground and cause of Self-defence and Reformation cannot possibly be supposed; so that to condescend to answer the peevish clamours of these Neutral and careless men, who say, what needeth all this noise for the extrinsick and arbitrary forms of Government and modes of VVorship, both with and without which, Religion and Righteousness have equally flourished and prospered? where to shut our eyes from beholding the Glory and Grace of God, that in this Land hath so visibly appeared in, and been advanced by this great Ordinance of PRESBYTERY, by Himself (for that end) appointed; and also from the observing of these deludges of Profanity, Wickedness, Superstition and Violence, which the Devill, by his great engine of PRELACY, hath alwayes and in all Churches caused and procured.

11. That as such was the State, Condition and En­gagements of this Church and Kingdom, at the time [Page 155] of the King's return, and before the re-erecting of this Prelacy, that all and every one of the Nation were most strictly obliged sincerely, really and constantly to have resisted and opposed this wicked Defection to the last drop of their blood; so the sinfull complyance of many, and wofull fainting and withdrawing of others, might indeed incapacitat such as remain faithful from the best, but neither could nor can dis-engage them from their utmost endeavours.

From these grounds and what hath been formerly represented, the argument of the Indictment of Trea­son above-mentioned viz. That all Convocations and Risings in Arms, or Subjects entering in Leagues, with­out or against the Kings Authority, are treasonable: But such was the late Rising and renewing of the Cove­nant, Therefore &c. May be easily and clearly answe­red, that all such Risings and entering into Leagues, as are not warranded and commanded by the Superior Law and Authority of God (who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords) which by our own express Acts and Statutes are acknowledged, and are not founded upon the Fundamental Right, and necessarily intended for the preservation of Religion and Righteousness, the great and principal End of all Laws and Governments, according whereunto our Laws have also by posterior Statutes been expresly interpreted, are indeed treaso­nable: But such the late Rising was not; but on the contrary was more clearly approven by these grounds, then any other the like Instance which can be adduced or instructed, from the parallel of any other Age or Nation; Therefore it was altogether Lawful, Righte­ous and Necessary. Which answer, though the Lords faithful Witnesses did sufficiently insinuat and pro­pone, [Page 156] yet both the Constitution of the Court, and persons of the Judges before whom they were arraign­ed, were such, as the same was rather accounted an aggravation of their Crime and Treason.

But seeing this was not done, without the specious pretexts, not only of iniquous Laws, but also of Re­ligion and Scripture; We shall briefly consider, first, that Queree often made to them, where they had read or how they could instruct, that, under the Pretence of Religion, it is lawful for Subjects to rise in Rebellion against lawfull Authority? To which it is answered, that this Queree is a clear begging of the question, by expresly supposing that the late Rising was only in pre­tence for Religion, but really in Rebellion, which ought first to have been proved, and is in effect an arrant ca­lumny and falshood. 2. That even the Queree it self seems to imply and grant, that for Subjects to rise in Arms really for the defence of Religion, against the in­vasions of the Powers under the pretence of Lawful Authority, is both lawful and laudable: Which being the true case and cause of this late Rising, and so clearly warranted both by the Word and Covenant of God, and the practise of all Reformed Churches; we are con­tent to refer these poor mens Innocency, unto the Con­sciences and secret thoughts of their adversaries.

Secondly, we shall consider these texts of Scrip­ture which were pretended against the Innocents: and 1. it was much urged that Rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft; To which one of themselves did roundly and clearly answer, that, the place having been spoken by the Prophet to a King, because of his disobedience and contempt of the command of God, and not to Subjects, would sooner conclude his Accusers then [Page 157] himself to be a Rebell. Secondly, it answered, that Rising up against Authority it self, the Ordinance of God, and disobeying the Powers therewith vested, standing and acting in their right line of Subordination, is indeed Rebellion, and as the sin of witchcraft; but to resist and rise up against persons Abusing sacred Autho­rity and rebelling against God the Supream, is rather to adhere to God as our Liege Lord, and to vindicate both our selves and his abused Ordinance, from man's wickedness and Tyranny.

The second text objected was that, Math. 26.52. where even our Lord himself, when violently seised upon by wicked men, but who were then in Authority; did nevertheless restrain his disciples from his own de­fence and rescue, saying unto Peter, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword, shal perish with the sword; To which, as it was sufficiently answered (without any reply) by one of these Impea­ched, (whom they accounted distracted, though with­out the least appearance of impertinency) who thereto did oppone Luke 22.36. Where our Lord, speaking at the same time and to the same purpose, saith, he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one; Yet for further clearing, we say, 1. That from the place it self in all the Evangelists, it is most evident, that that command was given, and these words spoken by our Lord, only for to testify his voluntar submission unto the Fathers will, by laying down of his life for fulfil­ling of the Scripture, as is clear from the same 26. of Matth. v. 54. & Iohn. 18.11. otherwise the context being considered (that not only in Luke 22.36. cited, He, fore­warning his disciples of hazards to come, adviseth them to provide swords and weapons; and in the 26 of Matt., asserts his power to have called 12 legions of Angels [Page 158] to his assistance, which clearly implyes the lawfulness thereof) this Scripture objected doth more confirm then impugn the Lawfulness of Defensive Arms. 2. Is it possible that men should be so much demented by flattery, as to think that it was unlawful for Jesus Christ the Mighty God and Lord over all, to have de­fended himself by the assistance of his Disciples, against the horrid Wickedness and Insurrection of the vilest of His creatures, had it not been, that it was necessary that the Scriptures concerning him should be accomplished. 3. Where our Lord saith in the place objected, all they that take the sword, shal perish with the sword, as He thereby only condemneth Un­just and Offensive war; so the Saying it self, by its later part, doth tacitely imply the Lawfulness and Justice of both Defensive and Vindictive Arms, the same being otherwise justly founded.

Though these Texts were only objected, yet to help our Adversaries, who are known not to be much conversant in the Scripture, and to obviate the scru­ples that may thence arise to others, we subjoyn a third text Iohn. 18.36. where our Lord saith, if my King­dom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Iews, whence some infer, that all Arms, even in Defence of Reli­gion, are unlawfull and prohibited; But it is answer­ed, as the intent and scope of our Lord's answer, was to clear himself of that calumny objected against Him by the Iews, that he made Himself a King in opposi­tion to Caesar; so the meaning of it is plain and obvious, to wit, that our Lord's Kingdom is not of the Nature and for the Ends, for which other Kingdoms of this world were instituted; but wholly spiritual for declar­ing [Page 159] the Truth, and thereby gaining souls unto glory: Whence as our Lord would there infer that he came not to conquer to himself Disciples by outward force, and thereby to gain followers by the spoiling of Caesar and other Princes; so it is without all shaddow of con­nexion thence to conclude, that a people having recea­ved the blessing of the Gospel and Kingdom of Iesus Christ, should without Resistance suffer themselves (to the manifest dishonor of God and the hazard of the eternal damnation of themselves and their posteri­ty) to be impiously and sacriledgiously spoiled and deprived thereof, when they are in a capacity to de­fend the same. The truth whereof, together with the hypocrisy of our Adversaries, may soon be discover­ed, if the Question be but stated in the terms of one For­raign & independent Prince's invading another, meerly upon the account of the Christian Faith; and whatever solution or evasion they shall herein make, will as exactly quadrat to the case in hand, it being almost ridiculous to conceave, that the greatest aggravation of Invasions of this Kind, to wit, that it is made by a Prince upon his own Subjects (whose Profession he himself is principally bound to maintain) should im­port any speciality and difference in the cases. The last text is that of Math. 5.39. and remanent verses to the end, where our Lord saith, resist not evill, but who­soever shall smite thee &c. with the other parallel places, specially Rev. 13.10.. But it is answered, that as these places do injoyn either patience, when the clear call and dispensations of God do inevitably call unto suffer­ing, without which patience were no patience but rather stupidity; or that bounty and debonairity which our Lord would have his disciples to practise, in the remitting and dispensing with the utmost extensions [Page 160] and points of Right, for the better reproving and con­demning of the animosities and rigid contentions of men, for matters of small or no moment, and the more effectuall commending the grace and peace of the Gospel; So thence to infer that men should give way to all Violence and Sacriledge (to the subverting of Religion and Righteousness) is, after the manner of Sathan, to cheat and abuse men by the holy Scrip­tures of Truth unto wickedness and error; and grossly to exceed that signal rule mainly in these places intend­ed, to wit, that we should be perfect even as our Fa­ther which is in heaven is perfect, who, though he filleth the earth with his goodness, and extendeth his bounty unto all, causing the sun to rise upon the evill and on the good, yet doth he love righteousness, and helpeth and delivereth the oppressed; and command­eth the zeal of his own glory (wherein He himself doth often eminently appear) by the hand of His people, to take vengeance on His adversaries. Let us therefore in the consideration of what is said Rev. 13.10. he that leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword, both possess our souls in patience under all the former sufferings, and hope and rejoice in the faith of the succeeding delivery there subjoyned.

These are the Defences which these Faithful men did summarily hint at, and being often interrupted, were scarcely permitted to propone: All which being reject­ed as unworthy to be heard, what wonder, if what their Advocats did plead in their defence, upon the point of Quarter given, to some of them in the field, was also repelled? We are not to dip in matters of this kind; but certainly it much discovereth the spirit [Page 161] of malice and violence that now prevaileth, that neither the Nature and Import of Quarter, which per­taineth nothing to Grace or Pardon (whereof these men were declared incapable) but is a paction of the Law of Nations, whereby the person worsted, by quitting of his arms, (the only and oftentimes the probable means either of his safety or vengeance) doth condition for, and redeem his immunity as to life; Nor yet the honor of the Granters, Persons Commissio­nated by the King for the command of his Forces, with the common Priviledges and dignities belonging to such Offices; Nor yet the Practice of all Nations about, even in the case of Intestine War; Nor the ra­tional arguments of humanity and prudence, not to reduce men to utter despair in succeeding Insurrections (from which no Kingdom is priviledged) Nor lastly, the Paucity of these few innocents, not exceeding 5 or 6 who could have been thereby benefited (there being many other taken and not upon Quarter) could prevail against that Pedantick distinction inter bellum justum & injustum. But this being alleadged to have been bellum injustum, (as indeed it was in the justest sense) therefore no faith nor Quarter must be herein observed, quia, sc. adversus Hostes tantum est Bellum, at in Perduelles, judicium, as if from this, one should con­clude, that though in War there may be faith and Quarter, yet in Iudgement there ought neither to be Truth nor Performance.

All defences therefore being repelled, these persons accused were all condemned to be hanged to death as Traitors, and their Heads and right Hands to be cut off, to be disposed on by the Council, and their Goods and [Page 162] Estates to be forfaulted to the Kings use. And accor­dingly upon several dayes, this Sentence was executed upon thirty five of these faithful men, and by Ordi­nance of Council, the heads of many of them were affixed upon the Ports of several Burghs; and the right hands of the first ten (to the high contempt of God and His holy Covenant, and to the provocation of His jea­lousy) on the Tolbooth of Lanerk, where the Covenant was by them solemnly renewed and sworn. As for the other five, they were and are reprived; One of them, who in all his Tryall, to the conviction of all appear­ed most constant in the Covenant, and bold and per­tinent in his Testimony, upon the colour of a fit of distraction (by which he was once vexed) and through the intercession of many in his behalf; An other of them, for his vile and abject fainting to the very reproach of humanity, redeeming his life by becoming Hang-man to seven of his fellows, when two ordinary Execu­tioners in the Burghs about had plainly refused, de­claring they would have nothing to do with the blood of such Righteous men, and one of them therefore im­prisoned; The other three, partly because of their fainting and condescendence to take the Declaration, and partly through the favour and intercession of friends.

We shall not, nor cannot enter upon the particular declaration of that Grace, Constancy and Courage, by which the Lords faithful Witnesses were sustained, and did bear Testimony to the Word of his Truth, the holy Covenant, and the Cause and Work of God. Only this is certain, that the Lord did not more de­sert that vile abject person to the weakness of flesh and blood, whereby he was depressed below the very con­tempt of men, then by His Grace and Glory, evi­dently [Page 163] to manifest the power thereof, He was emi­nently present with such as He honoured to be his Wit­nesses, to cause them contemn and triumph over Prin­cipalities and Powers, hell and death, and all their ter­rours; as may be evident from these things follow­ing.

1. That the Council, pitching upon those men with­out choise, for a Test of discrimination did require several of them, by taking the Declaration, to renounce the Covenant; which they constantly refused. And so were Martyred, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

2. That Mr Hew Mackaile, a young man of 25 years of age, and an Expectant in the Ministery, being ar­raigned and accused through meer spite of the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrewes, (against whose Iudas-like Apo­stacy he had preached four years ago) for no greater accession, then that he had been some few dayes with these that rose, with a sword (having been most un­circumspectly taken, leaying them because of his in­firmity and weakness the day before the Conflict) did not only most patiently endure cruel Torture whereby he was examined, for the discovery of the contrivance of that Rising, which all men knew and saw to be In­deliberat; but, notwithstanding the promise of favour plainly made to him upon condition of ingenuity (which he sincerely used) being also condemned, did utterly reject all insinuations made unto him upon con­dition of the least Retractation; and bitterly mourning for, and repenting of his apparent fainting and relin­quishing, though; it really proceeded more from his infirmity, then fear or love of life, but rejoycing in his own folly, whereby the Lord did bring him to such a manifestation of his Grace, and declaration of His [Page 164] Glory, he, to the admiration of all, in his most con­stant and Christian suffering, by his blood sealed the Truth and glorified God.

3. That others of them, though obscure and illite­rate men, upon the Scaffold hurried and interrupted in the declaring of their Testimony, by the Prelats Or­ders, and the rudeness and inhumanity of these that executed them; yet did bear witness to the cause of God, and of that grace and assurance, whereby the Lord upheld them, to the admiration and astonishment of all the beholders.

4. That though at Glasgow and Air, where eleven of them were executed, (all mean Countrey-men, and some of them of decrepit age, and others of them very young, not exceeding 18 years) their enemies caused beat drums about the Scaffold that they might not be heard (a barbarity never practised in Scotland, and rarely heard of, except in the Duke of Alva's Martyr­ing of the Protestants in the Low-countreyes) yet were they so litle thereby amazed, that both by words of of Praise and thanksgiving to God, that had honoured such plough-men (as they termed themselves) to be His witnesses, and the constancy of their countenance and whole carriage, they did bear such testimony to the Holy Covenant, as both many were thereby con­firmed, and their Enemies ashamed.

5. That though some of them did appear weak and faint-hearted at first, yet so powerfully and abundantly was it given to them in that hour, that out of weakness they were made strong; and declared that they had seen such glimpses of the Glory of God betwixt the prison and the Scaffold, that all fear was clearly discussed; And particularly a young Countrey-boy, not much above sixteen years of age, being condemned at Aix, [Page 165] mostly because he did refuse to take the Declaration, which they told him, was the renouncing of that Co­venant which he had taken at Lanerk; & though, both through fear and ignorance of the very grounds of Christianity, he fell into great anxiety, neither daring to die, nor yet to redeem his life at the rate proposed; Yet after the Prayers and Conference of some that had access to him at Irwin two dayes before his death, on the morning that he suffered, he appeared so much changed, both from the depth of fear and perplexity unto great resolution and joy, and so much enlightened with the knowledge of God in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the hope of Salvation through His Name, that all that saw him, do bear testimony to the Grace and wonderfull Work of God, & of that joy of heart, that carried him to the Scaffold, leaping and praising God.

From all which particulars, and from the severall Testimonies and Speaches, which these left behind them in writing, we must conclude and rejoyce, that God out of the dark cloud of such a sad and astonishing providence which lately overspread us, hath brought forth so blessed and bright a cloud of Witnesses, strengthened and filled with so much grace and glory, to bear Testimony unto His Name, Covenant and Cause and for the confirmation of all that love and wait for His Salvation.

We have hitherto ommitted, to say any thing to that Oath of Conjuration taken by the Militia of Edin­burgh, and the concurrence and assistance of many others, who did either Actually rise in Arms for the suppressing of God's People and Cause, or since the Conflict did stop, apprehend, and spoil them in the cross way, and have been assisting and abetting to their deaths and persecutions, either as Guarders of Prisons, [Page 166] Courts or Scaffolds, or as Iudges, Clerks, Advocats, Assizers, or Officers in the Dooms pronounced against them. If, after all the truth, equity and reason that have been represented, and the Power and Glory which God hath declared, men will not hear and fear, nor be converted, neither the tongues of men and Angels, nor of such as should return from the dead, would be of any force or persuasion to prevail with them. Is it possible, that Edinburgh should think that the pre­tence of a new invented Oath of alleageance and fidelity to the King, and for the defence of his Authority against all Insurrections and Rebellions, wherein the Prelates and the Up hold of their wickedness, and the Subject­ing of all the Godly to their lust and tyranny, were and are clearly intended and designed, shall warrand them in the great day of the Lord (who is terrible unto the Kings of the earth) for taking part with Rebels and Apostats against the God of heaven, and for oppos­ing and oppressing of such, as, continuing stedfast in the common Cause and Covenant (for which Edinburgh was once very honourable and eminent) did only endea­vour to liberat themselves from that intolerable Bon­dage both of Bodies and Consciences (more grievous then death) under which they groaned? doth Edin­burgh thus not only condemn the practice of Our Noble Ancestors and Reformers, who accounted it neither Insurrection nor Rebellion to set themselves for the defence of the Gospel against the then Powers, who did endeavour to oppress it; but by this Oath, aban­don both Religion and Liberty, in this so perillous and backsliding a Generation, to the lust and tyranny of abused Authority, and whatsoever it shall please to impose, without control or contradiction? Do they thus remember the National Covenant and the Solemn [Page 167] League and Covenant once so powerfully sworn and owned amongst them, and the mutuall defence and assistance, wherein every one of us is thereby bound to another, to the uttermost of our Power, against all sorts of persons whatsoever, and not to suffer our selves, by whatsoever Combination, Terror or Perswasion; to be divided and withdrawn from that blessed Vnion therein contained? While on the contrary, they con­spire and conjure themselves against such whom they are not only bound to assist, but also to relieve of all the persecutions and oppressions which they suffer and sustain, only for their adherence to the same holy Cove­nants. Surely these things being duly considered, this Oath, in stead of qualifying the Declaration (in lieu whereof, being more general, plausible and insnaring it was contrived and imposed) will be found a practi­cal application of all the Wickedness and unrighteous­ness, which is therein only speculatively declared; and may in the righteous judgement of God, by reason not only of the equality, but even of the excess hereof to London's sin, bring upon Edinburgh, London's plagues and judgements. We need not here insist to testify against the rest, who in any sort concurred or assisted in the opposition and persecution above-mentioned, the meanest part of whose accession, doth far exceed Paul's keeping the clothes of such as stoned Stephen. If we consider that the suffering and not opposing, to the utmost of our power, the shedding of innocent blood, doth involve all under that certain denouncia­tion made by Ieremiah unto the Princes of Iudah; and all the People, Ier. 26, 15. saying, Know ye for cer­tain, that if ye put me to death, ye shal surely bring [Page 168] innocent blood upon your selves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitant thereof; the most innocent amongst us, will find himself more concerned to re­pent of his own, then censure others for their acces­sion. The serious thoughts whereof, may and ought justly to cause us tremble, left our Manasseh-like sin in shedding of innocent blood, provoke the Lord to wrath in such a measure as he will not pardon.

But when we do reflect upon the rage, cruelty and barbarity that have ensued, the things that we have mentioned, may justly appear to be but the Beginnings of evills. For first, immediatly after the Conflict, the Arch-prelat procureth a proclamation to be emitted Prohibiting the resett and concealment of, or correspon­dence with any of these poor men that had escaped, or had been accessary unto the late Rising, and ordaining all to pursue them as the worst of Traitors under the pain of being accounted guilty of the same Rebellion. In which Proclamation, after the Arch-Bishop had im­pudently and absurdly laboured, that several persons, against whom, not so much as any delation or ground of suspicion could be alleaged, should, contrary to all reason, be insert, he at length prevailed that about 57 Gentlemen, Ministers and others, alleaged more eminently guilty, should be therein by Name expressed. Certainly if it be considered, that neither Reason nor Prudence do advise to seek Security only in Revenge, but rather by an attemperation of Clemency, in cases of this nature, to bring things to a compo­sure, we must conclude, that such courses are only the product of blind prelatick-fury. 2. After the first executions at Edinbugh, the Commissioner and Lieutenant [Page 169] General march unto the West, and there having con­demned and executed several persons, as we have be­fore mentioned, the Lieutenant General staying behind, taketh up his Quarter at Kilmarnock; and there, and from thence doth practise and issue forth such orders of cruelty, as the barbarity thereof may very probably render the Narration suspected.

For. 1. The Countrey is burthened with such Lo­calities of Corn and Straw for Troop-horses, (more then double the number of these that were amongst them) that to redeem themselves from the drudgery, they not only are content to quite the prices which the troopers ought to pay, but also to pay in to them such summs of Money, as upon computation will equalize the valued rent of the Shire.

2. Notwithstanding of all the Excise, Fines and Taxations imposed and leavyed for the maintenance of these Forces; yet upon pretence of want of moneys and Pay, the souldiours are shortly thereafter permitted to take free Quarter; and consequently are licensed to all the abuses, that either rapine or cruelty may suggest.

3. Dalzel, at and by his own hand, hath privately in his own chamber and Quarters, not only by words menaced such, as after publick examination upon the account of Intelligence, had been acquitted; but also really (by fire and sword, threatening to kill out-right, or rost and burn alive, such who being groundlessly questioned, had upon the first examination declared all they knew) examined men by tortures.

4. Such persons as he happeneth to apprehend, whether upon the suspicion of their having been with these that rose in Arms, or having reset such after the Conflict, are there-upon ordinarly stript naked to their [Page 170] shirts and breeches; and thrust into Prisons, in cold, hunger. nakedness, and sometimes in extreme strait­ness; As in Kilmarnock into dark and obscure little holes, which being destined for one man or two, and not capacious of more (though standing upright) then ten or twelve, they are so pinched, that not one of them can possibly so much as relieve himself of the continual pain of standing, by suffering his body to sink unto the ground; and unto all the former miseries have that of their own dung and excrements superadded: so that the poor men would often chuse death rather then life. Amongst which cruelties and rigors, that practised upon a petty Heritor in or about the Parish of Vchilery, deserveth to be remembered: Who, being ap­prehended upon a groundless suspition of reset of Trai­tors (as they tearm them) was brought to Kilmarnock-Tolbooth; where, being an old man full of obstructi­ons, he was so suffocated with the smoak, there oc­casioned by a coal-fire, wanting a chimney-vent, that often-times a day the souldiours have in derision carried him out as dead, and after a litle recovery by reason of the free Aire, with cruell scorn ignomini­ously returned him unto his prison. Which Barbarity they still continued, until by extremity of such usage, he is reduced to such weakness as there is litle hope of life.

5. There is one Act, so far beyond, and without all shew and pretence of Humanity and Justice, as scarce any preface or Testimony is sufficient to perswade the belief of it; which is thus. Dalzel having ordered a party to Newmills to seise and apprehend one Finlaw, living peacably in his own house, and they about the time of Dalzel's return from Air, returning and bring­ng with them the prisoner, he instantly calleth him to [Page 171] his chamber, and examineth him privately (without so much as any one witness present) whether or not he was with the Rebels at Lanerk; the man in answer de­clareth, that he was there when they came to the place, but upon the account of his own private affairs. The General asketh in the nixt place, whom he knew to have been there amongst them, and because the man (by declaring his ignorance) appeared unwilling to disco­ver any, he instantly calleth the Lieutenant of the Guard, and giveth orders to carry the poor man to the Gallows and there to shoot him dead. The man being thus hurryed away, when he is brought to the place of exe­cution, questioneth the Lieutenant, if the General was serious in what he had ordered: whereunto the Lieute­nant replyeth that he knew nothing to the contrary; the poor man declaring his innocency, obtesteth him▪ both upon the grounds of Humanity and Christianity, that he would at least obtain him a reprival for that night, that he might prepare for Death and Eternity, and with some importunity prevaileth to move him to return to Dalzel for a grant of the licence desired: but the Lieut. General, in place of relenting, doth most severely threaten the Lieutenant himself, telling him that he would teach him to obey his orders precisely without pleading for mitigation; whereupon the Lieu­tenant returning to the place, immediately ordereth the poor man to be shot, who was instantly stript naked and left dead upon the ground. A fact so Barbarous and Cruell, and in effect so plain a Murder, being destitute of the least shaddow of either Ordinary or Martial Law to colour it, that the horror thereof may justly render it incredible.

6. As this last Act is such as barbarity it self would condemn, so its well known that this man Dalzel [Page 172] was therefore brought from Musco, where it was sup­posed he had learned to comply with that Arbitrary Tyranny, and to exercise that Barbarous Cruelty, which there more then in any part of the Christan World, is wickedly practised, as the only proper Executioner, agreeably & accurately to serve the rigor and violence of this, accursed Prelacy. Which ex­pectation he hath not at all frustrated: For both he and the Arch-Prelate of St Andrews, are so wickedly acted by the same spirit of spite, rage and wicked­ness, that they have often grieved and openly com­plained, that such whom they have supposed, and would have instantly and utterly destroyed as crimi­nals (according to the excess of their own lust and ma­lice, without respect to any measure or proportion of Justice) should either be proceeded against, or pu­nished acording to the tenor of Law; accounting and impudently declaring, that these Formalities (as they are pleased to tearm the very substantials of Law, and the great security of all mens lives and fortunes) were, and are in their opinions mostly obstructive to the King's service. It were endless to enumerat all the evils, extortions, cruelties and exactions that this Mus­covia-beast hath acted and doth practise upon that poor countrey of the West, where retaining some of his for­ces, both Horse and Foot, the most slender suspi­cions, or the smallest surmises, though never so false, are accounted crimes and convictions; and imme­diatly punished with such rigorous imprisonment as we have already described; or by oppressive Quar­tering, not only on the person suspected, but also on the whole bounds about: in which Quartering, the souldiours do behave themselves with such insolency and rapine, that not only many hundreds of families [Page 173] are reduced to beggery, but in several Parishes, the countrey almost laid waste and desolate; So that now it is the common report and perswasion of all, that the West is appointed for ruine and destruc­tion.

7. Seing this is the case of almost that whole Coun­trey, without respect to guilt or innocency, how hard and lamentable is the condition of such who were in the late Rising, and have hithertil escaped? it is im­possible fully to represent all their sore distress and great perplexity which they sustain, wandering and hiding themselves in woods, mountains and caves of the earth, afflicted with all the pain and misery, that the extremity of cold, nakedness and hunger, with the continual uncertainty of their Lives, can lay upon them, and hunted more then Partridges, by the vigi­lant and cruell malice of their adversaries. We know that some of our profane Apostate Preachers (who not only think the fiery tryall a strange thing, and are offended at the cross of Christ, but preferring this worlds ease to their everlasting rest, do neither hear­ken to the warning, nor believe the promised and often experienced consolation of suffering) have wickedly judged these poor men and their cause by the event, and affirmed that curse sa. 8.21. to be on them accomplished: but as both the sin of Sorce­ry and the sting of this threatning, imbittered frett­ing to the cursing of God, the very worm of the damn­ed here recorded, do clearly discover and confute this calumny; so are these Apostate calumniators plainly and directly therein concerned, who, having such evident tokens of perdition, as are their vile Apo­stacy and cruell persecution and reproach, may and ought to tremble in the pre-apprehensions thereof, [Page 174] which, without serious repentance, they cannot e­scape, when the righteous God who upholdeth his own with strength and joy in tribulation, shall hereafter give unto all of them, though now troubled, rest with all saints.

But not only time, but heart and tongue would fail any Christian, to relate all the violences, plunderings, extortions and insolencies, that from the beginning of this Apostacy until this day have been and are commit­ted by Military Force among us, first upon Galloway, then upon both Galloway and Nithisdale, and now upon the whole West: which as they have been Extended in bounds, so are they continually Intended in cruelty. Only this we shall say, if stobbing, wounding, beat­ing, stripping and imprisoning mens persons, violent breaking of their houses both by day and night, and beating and wounding of wives and children, ravish­ing and deflowring of women, forcing wives and other persons by fired matches and other tortures to discover their husbands and nearst relations, although it be not within the compass of their knowledge, and driving and spoiling all their goods that can be carried away, without respect to guilt or innocency, in as cruell a manner as ever Scotland saw exerced amongst them by a forrain enemy (as can be instanced from every corner of that Countrey) May represent our pre­sent slavery & bondage; certainly the same is so much the more miserable and insupportable, in that all this wickedness is most unnaturally perpetrated, both by our own Countrey-men and Sworn brethren, and so much the rather to be laid to heart by al, that, as al these things are only acted and allowed by the wicked malice and blind fury of this prevailing Prelatick party, and for satisfying their insatiable hatred and revenge against [Page 175] all their opposers, so is the whole Kingdom thereby disabled, and most obviously in these most dangerous times, exposed to the Invasion, of any Forrainer; As may be very evident from these considerations. 1. The West, the strength and better part of the Kingdom, is already disabled, not only by the above-mentioned oppressions, but by generall disarming, and taking of serviceable horses, and likely very shortly to be to­tally wasted and ruined. 2. The North and High-Lands have been of late so much neglected and connived at, through the prevailing wickedness of the times, that they are wholly in disorder, and all places about infest­ed by most insolent rapines and murthers: but since the Actors are void both of Religion & Conscience, they cannot now be guilty of either Rebellion or Sedition, and since they are rather favourers of then enemies to Prelates, it is no matter how great enemies they be to Righteousness. 3. The whole Kingdom is so ex­hausted by exactions and impositions, so vexed by generall oppression and disorder, from which the wickedness of Prelatick Rulers, suffer no place to be exempted; & so disgusted with the violence and inhu­manity they see done to their brethren (their own flesh) for such slight and unworthy causes and occasions, as the worst of men not interested, do justly apprehend Prelacy and Conformity to be; that all are either disa­bled, disheartened, or disobleiged from the service of King and Countrey. 4. There remaineth no strength nor force amongst us, but these two regiments of foot and nine troops of horses, which even with the addi­tion of the five more intended, will not in all exceed 2000 foot and 1000 horse, and yet are they all and more then the Countrey can wel bear, and these so de­bauched by licentiousness, cruelty and rapine, that [Page 176] neither can their hearts endure, nor their hands be strong against an enemy. These are the fruits of our departing from the Lord, and again erecting and admit­ting this accursed Prelacy. O! that God would cause us to know how evill and bitter they are; but the Pre­lats who fear not God, regard not the Common­wealth, let the Covenant & Conscience be rooted out, then come on us what will: these are the only enemies of their usurpations & wicked lusts, and therefore must be accounted so both to King and Countrey; against these are our forces leavyed and maintained, and unto this design their numbers must be modelled and our exactions proportioned: The arraying of the Coun­trey and establishing of the Militia conform to our an­cient Laws and Liberties may possibly arm the Prelats enemies; surely that course would not so violently press Conformity, and execute their cruelty, nor so largely gratify a few Nobles, who by the command of the troops must be made sharers of the spoil and booty, and so engaged for these vile Prelates against the poor Countrey. O blinded Nobles! are not the wealth and peace of the Countrey your riches and stability? O abject Scotland! how art thou abondoned?

This being the design, rage and jealousy of the tyran­nizing Prelats, in order thereunto there must be five troops more added to these already leavyed, and the Countrey yet more oppressed for the securing and establishing of their wickedness. 2, They are endea­vouring by all means to have the Declaration against the Covenant generally pressed, that either by violent straining they may destroy all conscience thereof, or may more fully discover, and more effectually reach all the faithful in the Land, whom by the test of a refusal they purpose to stage and severely punish as enemies to [Page 177] Authority. We shall not offer here to adde any thing against this Declaration. If all that the Lord hath done in this Land now by the space of near an 100 years, all that his servants have formerly declared and testifyed, and now of late have witnessed and sealed with th [...]r blood, and all the tenor and purpose of this discourse avail not to justify our holy Covenants, and condemn this horrid Apostacy and wicked Declaration, nothing certainly will be able to perswade, and the mighty power of God can only convert. Only we have rea­son to fear that the same spirit of deceat, which, under the colour of due obedience to lawful Authority, en­snared wretched Edinburgh to a combination and con­spiracy against the Lord and his Anointed, may renew the same practise upon the whole Land, for the more easy involving of such in this Apostacy, whom possibly the gross and palpable wickedness of the Declaration might deterre: And to such we give this warning, that as all Powers are subordinat to the most High, and appointed and limited by His holy will and command­ment, for his own glory and the Peoples good; and as our Alleagiance was, and standeth perpetually and expresly thus qualifyed, viz. in defence of Religion and Liberty, according to our first and second Covenants; and lastly, seing all Alleagiance and obedience to any created Power whatsoever, (though in the construction of charity apparently indefinite, yet) of it's own nature is indispensibly thus restricted; To renew the same, or take any the like Oath of Alleagiance purely and simply, purposely omitting the former and due Restriction, especially where the Powers are in most manifest and notorious Rebellion against the Lord, and opposition to his Cause and Covenant, is in effect equivalent to to an express rejecting and dis-owning of the same Li­mitation, [Page 178] and of the Soveraign Prerogative of the Great God and King over all, which is thereby reserv­ed; & as much as in plain terms to affirm, that what­ever abused Authority shall command or do, either as to the overturning of the VVork of God, subverting of Reli­gion, destroying of Rights & Liberties, or persecuting of all the Faithful to the utmost extremity, we shall not only stupidly endure it, but actively concur with & assist in all this Tyranny. And if this be not more, yea double wickdness above all that the Declaration doth import, let all men consider. O! all ye who desire to behold the good that God will do for His People, beware of this High Rebellion against Him.

3. As all restraints of either Conscience or Law are now wickedly taken off, and only a convenient oppurtunity waited for, to re-introduce that dead car­case of Formality, the Service-book, and the whole bulk of these corrupt Ceremonies and pernicious Super­stitions, that have been formerly, and alwayes found so destructive to the light & power of the Gospell, & are so vain and ridiculous in themselves, that nothing but the very, spirit of darkness and judiciall delusion from the Lord, can induce men to such fopperies; so may we certainly expect the re-imposing of this heavy yoke, and all the Sin, Superstition, Persecution and Wrath which necessarily do attend it, except we abide stedfast in the Lord's Cause and Covenant, instantly in­treating and patiently waiting for His Salvation, and glorious appearance again in this Land.

Thus we have represented in part both the Sin, Sufferings and Distresses that ly upon the whole Land; which though they be most heavy and greivous in [Page 179] themselves, yet are they in their Tendency & Presage more to be regarded. Can any man seriously look upon the hatred and scorn of that Light and Truth? wherein once we gloried, the spite against the Holy Covenant and all Conscience, the Blaphemy and sin against God, and the violence and persecution against all such as fear His Name, whereby the enemy rageth and their tu­mult continually increaseth, and not be astonished? Is there any who believeth that God is, and that His Words are Truths and all His Wayes judgements, His Threatnings sure and certain, His jealousy as a con­suming fire, His wrath so dreadful and His indignation so terrible, that only the same Omnipotency which inflicteth the strokes, can sustain poor passive wretches from evanishing at it's smallest rebukes, and yet shall sustain them eternally, and not tremble because of the provocation of all these Abominations? O! that such whom the Love of Christ hath not constrained, nor the tears and weeping of a departing Saviour moved, might be yet perswaded by the Terror of the Lord, & that the dread of God might make their hearts soft. Surely abounding sin is the greatest Woe, and prevail­ing transgression the greatest cause of mourning; but above all sins and transgressions, Christ despised in His Gospell and Ordinances, and persecuted in His mem­bers, is the most mournful and fearful: Which as it scattered and destroyed the Lord's peculiar People and Nation, dear to Him above all Nations, and hath overturned and ruined the fairest part of the Christian World, either in Barbarity or gross Darkness; so is it the great condemnation of the whole World. This is the work and wickedness of accursed Prelacy, most Perjurious in it's Rise and ever Antichristian in it's De­signes and Effects, as all who have hearts to understand [Page 180] what we have here declared, and eyes to see the pre­sent state and condition of matters, must and will ac­knowledge. This is thy Sin, O Scotland, and, if mercy prevent it not, shall be thy ruine. This is the Voice, Testimony and Warning of all the sufferings of the Lord's people; who though continually afflicted and persecuted in their bodies, & though their souls be ex­ceedingly filled with the contempt of the proud; yet have not nor dare not deny the Lord, His Work, nor His holy Covenant: whom though the Lord hath caused to turn back from the enemy, and given for a spoil to them that hate them, yea given them as sheep for meat, and made them a reproach, a scorn and a derision; yet have they nor forgotten the Lord nor dealt falsly in His Covenant. O! that men would! consider this Grace of God, whereby as he conforteth and sustaineth his servants in all their afflictions; so he warneth backsliders to return, and all to flee from the wrath that is to come, and to save themselves from this wicked generation: Which Grace, as it allayeth to, the Faithful the smart, so ought it to remove from all the scandal of our Lord's cross, and is indeed that strength and presence of the Captain of our salvation (who was made perfect by suffering) with all His suf­ferers, giving for the present joy and peace, and after­wards assured victory.

Now, seing it is the Lord who hath so visibly brought upon us these sore Trialls, that such as are ap­proved may be made manifest, and so graciously de­livereth them from the temptation thereof, yea there­by refineth, purifyeth and maketh many white, that they may be more abundant Partakers both of His Holiness and of His Glory, and also eminently bear­eth witness to the Truth, Grace and Power of His [Page 181] great Work, His holy Covenant, and precious Or­dinances and Ministry amongst us, clearing them by His own Testimony of all these calumnies, wherewith either through the invention of some men's malice, or the occasion of other mens weakness and sin, they were formerly aspersed, we shall shut up this discourse with this one word of exhortation.

Great hath been the Sin of this Land in not believing and obeying the glorious Gospell, in not receaving the Lord Jesus in our hearts, and witnessing His Light and Grace and Glory in our lives and conversations, but in resting on the outward forms and appearances of the true Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Govern­ment, without labouring after the power of Reform­ation, and beauty of holiness (the only grace and blessing of all these enjoyments) and in perverting and mannaging the possession and profession of all these things unto selfish ends and worldly advantages, O foolish people and unwise, have we thus requited the Lord for all these mercies of His Gospell, pure Ordi­nances and Holy Covenants, to corrupt and deprave them from that great end of the Glory of His grace and mercy in our salvation, unto the base designs of serving and satifying our own lusts to His dishonour? And therefore is it that the Lord, having often in his mer­cy corrected and warned us, hath now at length given us over unto this horrid Apostacy and Defection; where­by, as the latent malice and hypocrisy of many, and the great fainting and want of zeal in all, have been manifestly discovered; so the Lord is feeding the wicked with their own delusions, and putting the zeal and constancy of all to the Test, and in effect ripening this whole Land, either for a glorious deliverance from that perverse spirit and generation of Antichrist, that [Page 182] hath been long mingled in the midst of us, and even from the dayes of our first Reformation, hath retained and continued the old enmity against the Lord Jesus and His blessed Gospell and Kingdom; or else for a totall and final overthrow in utter darkness and desolation. And therefore O Scotland, because the Lord loved thy Fathers, and delighteth not in thy destruction, hath He, after all our fearful backsliding and sinful fainting and departing which testify against us, neither left Himself nor us without a witness; but raised up a­mongst us His own faithful Servants and our bre­thren, with whom we are all equally and indissolubly engaged in the same righteous Cause and Covenant, & by the mighty power of His grace, from the pure zeal of His Glory, enabled them first to venture and then to lay down their lives for the Testimony of His Work and Covenant, that we may yet at length consider and understand, that these were no more the labour and de­vices of carnal designs, then that corruption and weak­ness of flesh & blood could triumph both over it self & death & hell the chief of terrors. O! that men would therefore lay to heart their bonds & Engagements unto the Lord, repent of their backslidings, and cease from their opposition to His Cause & Covenant; at least that such whom the Lord hath not abandoned unto that depth of Apostacy, whereunto others have made de­fection, would yet be wise & instructed, repent of their fainting & Neutrality in the cause of God, & their conni­vance or complyance with the declared enemies there­of, & beware of that wicked Declaration against the Co­venant, or any other Oath and Subscription likely to be the snare and temptation of these times, which either under the pretext of Peace and Order, or of due Obedience unto lawful Authority may be wicked­ly invented and imposed, really for the suppressing of [Page 182] Truth, and advancing of this Rebellion against the most High God, and the establishing of this An­tichristian Prelatick- Tyranny. We have already fully detected the mask and design of such impostures; He who hath given Authority and Power unto Kings and Princes, and rendered the same Sacred by His holy Sanction and Command, as he hath often punished their Ingratitude and Usurpation against His own So­veraignity; so will He not hold that people guiltless, who, being both His Creatures and sworn Subjects, either connive at, or comply with such Rebellious Princes in their wickedness. Shall both the Law of God, and the very Propension of the heart and blood to the love and obedience of Parents, cede to the obe­dience of Kings and Rulers, for the good and preser­vation of the Common-wealth, and shall not far more all Alleagiance & obedience to the same Kings & Rulers, cede and give place to our Obedience to the Most High our only Soveraign Lord, and the conscience of His holy Oath and Commandments, for advancement of his glory, the great and only end of all things? Fix it therefore in your hearts, first to love and fear the Lord our God, and then to honour and obey the King; and let the sincere and inward love of our Lord Jesus Christ, the dear esteem of his precious Gospel, and the remem­brance of our most sacred and solemn Oaths and Co­venants, and of that beauty, power and glory of His pure Ordinances, Ministry and Government which we once enjoyed, alwayes dwell in your hearts, and ever determine and establish you to resist and disown all wicked Usurpations against the Lord and His Anoint­ed, all Invasions against His Crown and Prerogative, all Corruptions and Humane Inventions in His pure Worship and Ordinances, all perversion of the true [Page 184] Government and comely Order in His house, and al [...] violations of these indispensible & holy Engagements, whereby this whole Nation is perpetually joyned unto the Lord; and also ever animat yow to Do or Suffer for the Lords great Name and these precious & important concernments, as He requireth; lest if ye either faint in your mindes, or give up your selves to the delusion of some carnal distinction, quiting the founder for the safer part, against the explicit Testimo­ny, or implicit inclination of your own Consciences (which later, if sincerely aiming at the glory of God, and in nothing repugnant to His holy Word, is no otherwise to be regarded in times of temptation, then as that promised secret leading of the blind in the way they know not) you not only lose your Crown, but pro­voke the Lord to cause all the Churches know by your plagues, that He it is who searcheth the reins & hearts.

But unto these few names in Scotland that have ap­peared zealous for God, & have not forgotten His Co­venant in these declining times, & all these who favour their Righteous Cause; The Lord (who liveth & was dead, and is alive for evermore, Amen,) knoweth your works, tribulation & poverty (but yow are rich) and also the blasphemy of them which say they are Christians & are not, but are the synagogue of Anti­christ, Fear none of these things which yow do or shall suffer, your afflictions are but for Triall, and may be Short: be Faithful unto the death and ye shall have the Crown of life. And as ye love God & the Father of our Lord Jesus, who gave His only and eternall de­light unto the death for us Sinners; as ye love our Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood; as ye love the Holy Spirit of Grace who breatheth all this love into our hearts, and [Page 185] comforteth and sealeth us unto the day of redemption; as ye love the blessed Gospel, in the light whereof all this love is revealed, and God therein mainly glo­rified; as ye love the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood; as ye love (for your own souls and for your posterity) eternal life; as ye love poor Scotland and it's deliverance from the dreadful and imminent wrath of God; and as you love the preservation of all Interests either Spiritual, Temporal or Eternal, Adhere stedfastly to the holy Covenants that Sacred and Firm Bond and Engage­ment unto all duties of Religion and Righteousness, our blessed sealed Charter of all the Lord's blessings and ordinances, especially of that great Ordinance of the Ministry and Government of the Lord's house, which He himself hath appointed the hedge of all other Ordinances, and the great and most effectual mean of the Gospel's establishment and advancement. For, as it is only the holy zeal of God inspired and animated by the fervent love of our Lord Jesus, and the fear of the Lord's great Name, and the regard of His sacred Oath, that can make you of quick under­standing in these perillous times, for the discovering of both duties and dangers, and strengthen you with all might, either for Doing or Suffering, that you may endure unto the end; so you may be assured, that if the Lord's thoughts toward Scotland be thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give us an expected end (as we have great ground and perswasion of hope) it shall be upon the broken plank of this despised Cove­nant, that this tossed and ship-wrackt Church shall be preserved, in midst of all these fluctuations, and at length attain to it's desired haven of Peace and Truth. Yea though this Apostacy and persecution should pre­vail [Page 186] to wear out the saints of the most High, and the Lord (because of the overspreading of abomination) should determine and bring upon us utter desolation; yet shall this your faithfulness be your Peace, joy and Victory. Let all therefore that desire to be found faithful, look unto Jesus and his joy; that with Him enduring the cross and despising the shame, we may neither faint nor be weary, but in end be partakers of his Victory, Throne and Crown.

Thus we have seen and declared the great Work of God in this Land, from the first times of our Reforma­tion unto this day; we have also teen our manifold provocations, whereby we have often Turned, Tempt­ed and Provoked the most High; and all these judge­ments, Temptations and Discoveries, wherewith, by the space of now more then an Hundred years, he hath corrected and exercised us; and we are at length arrived unto, and have considered the present state and posture of our affairs: Wherein though 1. the extremity of Apostacy, exceeding all that any age can parallel, and aggreageable by all the circumstances of most clear and glorious Manifestations, most solemn and sacred En­gagements, most sudden and causeless backsliding, and most national daring and violent defection that any Church can be charged with. 2. The extremity of Persecution and Violence, which, considering either the Actors; (once ring-leaders, now Apostats from the same Holy Covenant which they persecut) or the Manner, by Hostile and Military Force, without so much as regarding their own Lawes which they pre­tend for warrant; or the cruelty and excess, whereby mens lives are imbittered, making them prefer Death to the slaveries and insolencies which they, sustain, Are [Page 187] not to be instanced in any Christian Church. 3. The extremity of Sin and profanity, and of the enemies boasting and blasphemy, whose mouths are set against the Heavens, and all the spite of their tongues and in­dignation of their hearts, against the holy Covenant and tenderness of conscience, over which and all their followers, they wickedly insult and rejoyce. And 4. the extremity of mens fainting and deserting so Good a Cause; Which in their hearts they secretly own and approve, but dare not avow, yea are ready to deny for fear of the Adversaries, Though, we say, these extremities (undenyably apparent in our present condition) do sadly denounce unto this Land, the worst and most woful of all extremities, even utter for­saking and desolation, and that the End is come; yet notwithstanding all these hopeless and desperat appear­ances, it is the Lord who causeth light to shine out of darkness, and saith in the evening it shall be light, who saith unto dry bones, live, and calleth his Peo­ple out of their graves, who even calleth things that are not as though they were, in whom all the seekers of His face ought to rejoyce, and joy in the God of their salvation. Therefore, although that over and above all these menacing evils, the power and pride of the Enemy should yet more prevail, even many degrees above all the appearances of Human Hope or Help, & all Neighbouring Nations should not only give them the leisure and conveniency, but with all their might conspire and concurre with our enemies, to intend their persecution & strengthen their Apostacy; yet are the Lord's Faithful, not only par­takers of that River, the streams whereof make glad the City of God, though surrounded with the siege of of Nations, Batteries of mountains, and insurrections [Page 188] of the Universe against it, and are built on that rock against which the very gates of hell cannot prevail, and do also know that their God whom they fear is able to deliver them from this fiery Triall, and He will de­liver them from their persecuters; and if not, that nothing save the design of greater glory to this own Name, in a greater mercy and salvation to His People shall impede it: but all that love the Lord's Salvation have also fair ground of hope, that the Lord, as he will pour out His wrath upon his adversaries, so will He remember for Scotland his Covenant; awake and give a shout against His enemies; and that, now when He seeth their wrath, how they behave themselves strange­ly, and say our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this, the Lord will bring forth for His rem­nant (even that holy seed which shall be the substance of this Land) that Deliverance which is laid up in store with Him, and sealed up amongst His treasures. For unto God belongeth vengeance and recompense, even the vengeance of His broken Covenant, of His dear Saints blood, and of His polluted Sanctuary. The adversaries foot shal slide in due time, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them, make haste. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that our power is gone, and there is none shut up or left: And the Lord shall say, see now that I, even I am He, and there is no God with me: I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand; for I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. if I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on [Page 189] judgement, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood (and my sword shall devour flesh) and that with the blood of the slain and the cap­tives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Rejoyce, O ye Nations, with his people, for He will avenge the blood of His Servants, and will render ven­geance to His adversaries, and will be mercifull unto His Land and to His People. This is the Song which God hath taught us, and therewith we shut up and seal the FAITH AND PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS.

AND now, having finished the Narration in­tended of the Work of God, and having seen and being persuaded that all the degrees and Passages of its Progress and Advancement, were the very vestiges of the Lords ascendent Power and Glory, which He hath also sealed by the Salvation of many thousands for our assured con­firmation, that as this Work is of God, so shall it not come to nought; But that these An­tichristian [...] who oppose it, though in the same Spirit and Power of Darkness, which hath mainly caused and procured all the sin, tempta­tion and ruine that hath befallen any Gospel-Church, [...] the blessed coming of our Lord JESUS in the fle [...]h, they should arise unto, yea [Page 190] surmount the very height of the Papacy and Anti­christ himself, in their Persecutions & Tyranny; They shall nevertheless in the end, be found even to fight against God, and perish for ever in their gain-saying. As we do therefore desire to remain stedfast, immoveable, and always abounding in the Work of the Lord, and every point and circumstance thereof, without faint­ing or wearying even unto the Death. in and over which the Lord hath caused His faithful wit­nesses so gloriously to Triumph; so we do only here subjoyn, for the clear and unanswerable conviction and condemnation of the perfidy and wickedness of these accursed Prelates, both be­fore the World and even in their own conscienc­es, if any sense thereof do yet remain: That though we had never seen any of these great and glorious things, whereby the Lord since the Year 1637. did revive, confirm and magnify His Work amongst us, and that the National Covenant had net been since retaken much less explain­ed and established, nor the League and Covenant ensued it; Yet since the same doth still stand in the plain and simple terms, wherein it was con­ceaved, and in that sense and meaning, wherein both it's express Words and all the circumstanc­es which we have before observed do plainly evince that it was at first taken; as this Cove­nant [Page 191] doth remain unto this Day (notwithstand­ing all the Prelats wickedness, perjury and violence) unrepeal'd or condemned, and by no contrary explanation or gloss, either is or can be detorted, from being an undenyable abju­ration of accursed Prelacy and all it's corrup­tions; so is it a certain, fixed and immoveable foundation for all the Work of God that hath ensued, and a very sure ground of confidence to all who seriously perpend, and firmly adhere to it, that the Lord who loved us of old, and chosed our Fathers, shall yet again by his mighty Spirit and Power, turn the hearts of the Chil­dren unto the Fathers, and bring us back unto the Lord God of our Fathers, and upon this same Foundation, yet repair our breaches, build up the old wastes, & raise & rear up His Glory.