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 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 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 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 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
though none of them were so National Universal Authoritative and Solemn as they should have been And few of them perhaps so explicite full plain and bold as the weight of the matter and other circumstances required Yea the continued fears of the Adversaries expressed in the Narratives of several of their own Acts and Proclamations and their leavying of Military Force for upholding of them and their Cause The Non-complyance of many thousands their secret and open complaints and moans because of it their daily prayers to God against it bear witness against this present Course Besides it is very observable that some who had been chief Authors and Active Promoters thereof and Complyers with the same and others who had been intimate familiars and favourers of Prelats and their Vice-curats in Sickness and at Death did so much abhorre their way and loath their Persons that they would not admit their presence but called for Non-conforming Ministers to speak to them and pray for them Yea some Gentlemen upon Death-bed did with much sorrow bemoan their own concurrence and particularly their taking of the Declaration against the Covenant and seriously warned and exhorted their old Familiars and companions in that guilt to repent thereof wishing they were able to go and make publick profession of their own Repentance and others whilst some friends offered to bring Prelatical men unto them professed that though they had sported with such men in health yet they durst not do so at Death and some Ministers who had conformed in remorse thereof forsook that way and thereafter died with convincing evidence of Repentance therefore and decâ—aration against the same And indeed as there was never any Course in the Land which so visibly had the Voluntary and Active Concurse of all and Only the Wicked and Prophane so there was never a more Universal concurrence and Wrestling together by prayer of all the Godly without Exception against any Party and Cause then now is against this for there needs no more to make any man though formerly their friend and familiar to hate their way and detest themselves but to convince him of his own Sin make him thorowly apprehensive of death and Judgment and become a sincere seeker of God and Student of holiness in his own Person And further the late Rising in Armes is an Argument above contradiction that Prelacy is â—n out-landish and Unnatural weed in Scotland It is true that it had it's immediat Rise from cruell Oppression but it is as true that all that Oppression was Authorised by the Rulers Exercised by the Souldiers and endured by the People meerly Because and upon accompt of their Faithfulness and Stedfastness in the Covenant and Cause of God in a non-complyance with Prelacy otherwise they might have lived as quyetly as others and so soon as they were in a probable Capacity by renewing of the Covenant they declared Actively for that same Cause for which they had suffered so much It is true also that the Action is condemned by some as Rebellious and the Endeavour as Indeliberate Irrational and Presumputous But referring the Reader to the following discourse for full satisfaction thereanent I shall only here hint that being altogether accidentally occasioned by an unforseen emergent difference betwixt 3 or 4 Souldiers and as many Countrey-men ariseing from horrid Oppression through unjust Lawes and cruell military execution thereof without premeditated counsel or contrivance it cannot be imagined that all the formalities which may be judged necessary in a matter of that nature and importance could have been in it And yet it is presumed that it wanted nothing but success to have made many of the same persons account the Action just and necessary and the Enterprize laudable and valorous And as for the Persons themselves it may be truly and without all vanity affirmed that these many years past there hath not been in Brittain such an other Company of men joyned in Armes for the Covenant and Cause of God for though where Armies were more numerous there might be or was the like or greater number of persons truly Godly Yet where the whole number was so small it will be very hard to parallel so many together of sound Judgement true Piety Integrity of heart fervent zeal and undaunted Resolution and Courage and with so small a mixture of persons of corrupt Mindes profane Conversations and sinistrous Ends And although we would not be prodigal of mens lives especially of Saints at this time when there is so great need and scarcity of intercessors to stand between the dead and the living yet that simple act of Renewing of the Covenant is more glory to God and a greater Testimony and Advantage to that buried Covenant and Cause then we hope the loss of so many men as are faln shall import of dammage thereunto But above all take notice of the many Sufferings and Sufferers hereafter mentioned whose Blood under the altar and some of whese Heads and Hands standing betwixt Heaven Earth doth not only cry for Vengeance but night and day bear open Witness against this Adulterous Geaeration These mens Testimony should have the more weight and Credite with all because of the Persons the Matter and Manner thereof which was not by Wishing Words-speaking or Doing without danger which is the height of too many men's atchievment in these dayes but by BLOOD whereunto they resisted striving against Sin and thereby being neither affrayed to Act nor ashamed to Suffer for their Lord and Master have left behind them a fair Example of both to all and a Reproof to many whose greater Prudence then Zeall hath taught them to Save themselves by couching betwixt the burdens That a great Prince and yet not so Great as Good an Eminent and more then ordinarly Useful and never to be forgotten Instrument of the Work of Reformation and Patron of the Church and a True Seeing Prophet did fall in Scotland when Argile Wariston and Mr Guthrey for no other cause but their Good deeds and particularly for Loving of our Nation and building of our Synagogue were led like Innocent sheep to the Slaughter nothing but Ignorance Malice Wickedness or Partiality can deny for they wanted nothing to make them Beloved as they were esteemed and Feared by their Enemies but that they neither did nor would because for Love and awe of God they durst not with others make Shipwrack of Faith and a Good conscience Of these three Mighty men and Others who by Suffering since have obtained the Crown though some of them being but Countrey-Yeomen had mean Education and little other Learning thâ—n what they learned in the Gospel of Him who is meek and Lowly and whom the Zeall of his Fathers house did eat up it is below their due Commendation when it is affirmed That never any men of the greatest Spirits Piety and Learning did Suffer and Die with more Meekness and Patience toward their Enemies with more Humility and Confidence toward
yoke of PRELACY which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear which is Destructive to all our true Interests Religious and Civill As ye would not involve your selves in the guilt and plagues of Perjury and Breach of Covenant And as you tender the good of your own Names Persons Estates Families and Liberties as well as of your immortal Souls And as ye would partake of the good of God's chosen and of our joyes when ye come so near Eternity as we are We shall say no more but as we were not afraid to take our lives in our hands so we are not afraid to lay them down in this Cause And as we are not ashamed of Christ because of His cross so we would not have you offended in Christ nor discouraged because of us For we bear you record that we would not exchange lots with our Adversaries nor redeem our Lives Liberties and Fortunes at the price of Perjury and breach of Covenant And further we are assured though this be the daâ— of Iacob's trouble that yet the Lord when He hath accomplished the Triall of His own and filled up the cup of His Adversaries He will awake for judgement plead His own Cause avenge the quarrel of His Covenant make inquiry for blood vindicate His People break the arm of the wicked and establish the just For to Him belongeth judgement and vengeance And though our eyes shall not see it yet we believe that the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing under His wings that He will revive His Work repair the breaches build the old wastes and raise up the desolations Yea the Lord will judge His people repent Himself for His servants when their power is gone and there is none shut up or left And therefore Rejoyce O ye Nations with His People For He will avenge the blood of His servants and will render vengeance to His adversaries and He will be merciful to His Land and People So let thy Enemies perish O Lord but let them that love Him be as the Sun when He goeth forth in His might Sic subscribitur Iohn MeCulloch of Barholm And. Arnot Iohn Gordon of Knockbrex Robert Gordon his Brother Iohn Ross Iohn Schields Iames Hamilton Iohn Parker in Bosby Christopher Strang. Gawin Hamilton Another Testimony which was also left by such of the Former ten Persons as were in the same Chamber with Thomas Paterson Merchant in Glasgow who being in like manner Indited but dying of his Wounds before Sentence did communicate the same to his friends with his Assent thereunto MEn and Brethren being condemned by our Rulers as Traitors lest we should seem to many to suffer as evill doers In the first place we bless and praise the Lord our God who hath made us the unworthiest of all men Worthy to be faithfull to Him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and in simplicity and godly Sincerity singly to mind his glory and who also maketh the cross of Christ though by men superscribed with Treason our sweet consolation and his own joy our strength 2. We declare in the presence of the same God before whom we are now ready to appear that we did not intend to Rebell against the King and his just Authority Whom as we acknowledg for our Lawful Soveraign so we do earnestly pray in his behalf that God would open his eyes and Convert his heart that he may remember his Vowes made unto God relieve this oppressed Kirk and long reign and flourish in righteousness 3. We declare that perceaving the Holy Covenants of our God broken the Work of the Lord overturned the Gospel and Kingdome of Jesus Christ despised and trampled upon his pure Ordinances corrupted his faithful and our soul-refreshing Ministers cast out and the Land filled with Perjury and Profanity and like to be hurried back to that gulf of Ignorance Superstition and Confusion whence the Lord did so gloriously deliver us And finding our selves not only Spoiled of our most precious blessings and most dear enjoyments but urged and compelled by cruel Violence and Barbarous Persecution to wicked Apostacy from our Holy Covenants and to Rebellion against our God And all this done by no other hand then the wicked and perjured Prelats And for no other ends whatever they may pretend then the satisfying of their own vile lusts and establishing their so often abjured Antichristian Tyranny over both Souls and Bodies of Men And lastly finding former Petitions condemned as Seditious and our private complaints when but muttered insolently rejected We did in the fear and Zeal of our God and by the warrant of his Holy Word according to the first and most Innocent instinct of pure Nature and the Practice of all People and Persons in the like case And after the Example of all the oppressed Kirks of Jesus Christ and of our Noble Ancestors take the Sword of Necessary Self-defence from the rage and fury of these wicked violent Men until we might make our heavy Grievances known to his Majesty and obtain from his Justice a satisfying remedy We will not now mention our particular Sufferings nor the sighes and groans of poor wasted Galloway which though very heavy from the hand of man are all to light for Jesus Christ Nor are we willing to reflect upon these grievous and bitter Lawes and Edicts by which they seem to be warranted Only we know that God is Righteous whose Lawes and judgments are Superior and above all the Lawes and Actions of men And to him who will judge righteously We intirly Commit our Cause which is none other then the Reviving of the Work of God and Renewing of his Covenant Which though it pleased the Holy and Wise God not to favour with Success in the field and though by men it be made our Condemnation yet it is our Righteousness Innocency and Confidence in his sight And all praise and thanks be unto our God who not only kept us stedfast in his Covenant and made us Willing and Ready to adventure our Lives for His Name but hath also accepted and dignifyed our Offer with this publick Appearance Where in his own glorious presence before whom we shall instantly appear and before our often Sworn and once Zealous and tender Brethren in the same Cause and in midst of Thee O Edinburgh once famous for the Glory and Zeal of God and of this Covenant we may give and Seal this our Testimony with our blood We therefore the unworthiest of all the Faithful do in the Spirit of God and Glory Testify and Seal with our Blood and Lives that both the National Covenant and Solemne League and Covenant are in Themselves Holy Just and True and perpetually Binding containing no other thing then our Indispensable Obligations to all Duties of Religion and Righteousness according to the revealed Will of God which no Authority nor Power of Man is or ever shall be able to disannul And that our blessed Reformations both from Popery
answere for itself if according to the Patience Learning Justice of many thow do not Refute and condemn before thow know it or brandish big words as he who upon a Coronation-day offereth duell to all who question the Kings Right when he knoweth that for Major Vis none dare appear in the contrary But in the passing take a word of the National Covenant the Solemn League and Covenant and Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement unto Duties that at one view thow may'st see Scotlands Engagements and Breaches the Faithfulness of many flood of Sin and Suffering that hath overflowed the Land Here is the Terminus a Quo and ad Quem of our Backsliding whereof though the most skilled Artist cannot pourtray to the life the whole body the form is so monstruous Complexion so strange he may well darkly represent some Lineaments of fingers and toes that the reader may know Ex ungue leonâ—m yet the Author hath nervously asserted the Truth and drawn matters of Fact with such True Collours that he can only be accused for a Picture fairer then the live-face of many Persons Actions To winde up all be not discouraged upon the one hand nor insult upon the other by the Death of many Mighty men of God Co-workers and Eye witnesses of his Work within these few years past and the stripling-stature of many survivers who have not attained unto the dayes of the years of the life of their Fathers and being but of yesterday can know little of the Lords ancient kindness to the Land except what thâ—ir Fathers have told them For as he hath reserved a numerous remnant of Holy Learned and Faithful men a rich cluster wherein there is a blessing and we have reason to bless Him who gave not our Church dry breasts a miscarrying womb so he can make the barren bear seven become a Joyful mother of many Children and as he hath work for them will raise up both Shepherds and Principal men It is true alas there is grown up a most degenerat Off-spring of all Qualities some whereof and not the meanest being as profane as Machiavel who teacheth Rulers to keep promise and Oath no longer then with pretended advantage they can break and that it is a prejudice to be Really Religious but not so honest as He who notwithstanding affirmeth a Necessity of Seeming to be Religious which they are not accompt no man to be a Man who by Whoring Swearing Drinking Spending all or more then they have do not class themselves into their new Profane Orders become as Cartesian in their Religion by Atheistical doubtings disputings about God the Holy Scripturs Heaven Hell c. as others are in their Philosophy But here is an Advantage that by Discovery and distinguishing betwixt the precious and the vile the Lord hath made this Defection contribut more to the Facility as well as Necessity of a future Purgation of the Church then all her Judicatures could ever effectuat without it And further as he hath frustrated many chief Authors and Promotters thereof of their Hopes and Designs and called Nobles Prelats and others to an accompt before they well tasted the expected sweetness or were warm in their Places or Promotions So though Herod Pilat may aggrie against the Innocent yet where men are like Samsons foxes only tied together by the tail of common Corrupt Principles whilst their heads of Self Interest and designs look different wayes what such a Position Conjunction and Aspect prognosticateth let Scripture Reason and Experience be consulted and they will tell Let us not in the meantime mistake Gods Work Wayes Doings nor Intentions neither be envyous at evil doers nor yet be Curious nor Anxious about futuritions much less limit the Holy one to Means Method or Time but bear the Indignation of the Lord because we have sinned till he plead our cause waiting upon him who is a God of Judgment and waiteth that he may be gracious and in patience possess our souls for though we do not he knoweth his own thoughts toward us it may be they are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give an expected end and that when he hath ripen'd Deliverance he will bring us forth to the Light we shall behold his Righteousness It is a crime of the highest nature with our Rulers to complain or supplicat for redress Others are either of deaf ears or feeble hands and cannot help and seeing we can do no more for the Cause and Covenant of God for our Mother-Church the Land Ourselves Our Brethren Posterity let us open our cause to him who tryeth the Righteous O Lord Hear O Lord Forgive O Lord hearken and do Defer not for thine own sake O my God For thy City and thy People are called by thy Name AMEN The Testimony of M R JAMES WOOD Minister of the Gospel and Professor of Theology in the University of S. Andrewes for Presbyterial Government I MR JAMES WOOD being now shortly by appearance to render up my Spirit to the Lord find my self obliged to leave a word behind me for my just Vindication before the World It hath been said of me that I have in word at least reseiled from my wonted Zeal for Presbyterial Government expressing my self concerning it as if it were a matter not to be accounted of that no man should trouble himself in the matter practice thereof It is true being under sicknes I have some times said I was taken up with weightier matters then any external ordinance and what wonder I said so being under such wrestling anâ—nt my interest in Iesus Christ which is a matter of for greater concernment Surely any Christian in this Church that knows me will judge there is a wrong done to me For since the day that the Lord convinced my heart which was by a strong hand that it was the Ordinance of God appointed by Iesus Christ for governing ordering his visible Church I never had the least change of thoughts concerning the necessity of it nor of the necessity of the use of it And now I declare before God the World that I account so of it still And that however there be some more precious ordinances yet that this is so precious that a true Christian is obliged to lay down his life for the profession thereof if the Lord shall see it meet to put him to the tryal And for my self if I were to live I would account it my glory to seal this word of my testimony with my blood Of this my declaration I take God Angels and Men to be my witnesses and have subscribed thiâ— presents with my hand the 2 of March 1664. about 7 hours afternoon before Mr William Tullidaf and Mr John Carstairs my Brother in Law and John Pitcarn writer hereof M R JAMES WOOD. AS the Matter of this Testimony is very considerable especially from so Great a man as Mr Wood was So the occasion
convince us of the manifold willfull renewed breaches of that Article which concerneth the discovery and punishment of Malignants whose crimes have not onely been connived at but dispensed with and pardoned and themselves received unto intimate fellowship with our selves and entrusted with our Counsels admitted unto our Parliaments and put in places of Power and Authority for managing the publick affaires of the Kingdome Whereby in Gods justice they got at last into their hands the whole power and strength of the Kingdome both in judicatories and Armies And did imploy the same unto the enacting and prosecuting an unlawful Engagement in warre against the Kingdome of England Notwithstanding of the dissent of many considerable members of Parliament who had given constant proof of their integrity in the cause from the beginning of many faithful testimonies and free warnings of the servants of God of the Supplications of many Synods Presbyteries and Shyres and of the Declarations of the Generall Assembly and their Commissioners to the contrary Which ingagement as it hath been the cause of much sinne so also of much misery and calamity unto this Land and holds forth to us the grievousnesse of our sinne of complying with Malignants in the greatnesse of our judgement that we may be taught never to split again upon the same rock upon which the Lord hath set so remarkable a Beacon And after all that is come to passe unto us because of this our trespasse and after that grace hath been shewed unto us from the Lord our God by breaking these mens yoke from of our necks and putting us again into a capacity to act for the good of Religion our own safety and the Peace and safety of this Kingdowe should we again-break his Commandment and Covenant by joyning once more with the people of these abominations and taking into our bosome those Serpents which had formerly stung us almost unto death This as it would argue great madnesse and folly upon our part So no doubt if it be not avoided will provoke the Lord against us to consume us untill there be no remnant nor escaping in the Land And albeit the Peace and Union betwivt the Kingdoms be a great blessing of God unto both and a Bond which we are obliged to preserve unviolated And to endeavour that justice may be done upon the opposers thereof Yet some in this Land who have come under the Bond of the Covenant have made it their great study how to dissolve this Union and few or no endeavours have been used by any of us for punishing of such We have suffered many of our Brethren in severall parts of the Land to be oppressed of the common Enemy without compassion or relief There hath been great murmuring and repining because of expense of means and pains in doing of our duty Many by perswasion or terror have suffered themselves to be divided and withdrawn to make defection to the contrary part Many have turned off to a detestable indifferency and neutrality in this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God and the good of these Kingdoms Nay many have made it their study to walk so as they might comply with all times and all the revolutions thereof It hath not been our care to countenance encourage intrust and employ such onely as from their hearts did affect and mind Gods Work But the hearts of such many times have been discouraged and their hands weakened their sufferings neglected and themselves slighted and many who were once open enemies and alwayes secret underminers contenanced and employed Nay even those who had been looked upon as Incendiaries and upon whom the Lord had set marks of desperate Malignancy falshood deceat were brought in as fit to manage publick affaires Many have been the lets and Impediments that have been cast in the way to retard and obstruct the Lords work and some have keeped secret what of themselves they were not able to suppresse and overcome Besides these and many other breaches of the Articles of the Covenant in the matter thereof which it concerneth every one of us to search out and acknowledge before the Lord as we would wish his wrath to be turned away from us So have many of us failed exceedingly in the manner of our following and pursuing the duties contained therein not onely seeking great things for our selves and mixing of private interests and ends concerning our selves and friends and followers with those things which concern the publick good but many times preferring such to the Honour of God and good of his cause and retarding Gods work until we might carry alongs with us our own interests and designes It hath been our way to trust in the means and to rely upon the arm of flesh for successe Albeit the Lord hath many times made us meet with dispointment therein and stained the pride of all our Glory by blasting every carnall confidence unto us We have followed for the most part the counsels of flesh and blood and walked more by the rules of policy then Piety and have hearkened more unto men then unto God Albeit we made solemn publick profession before the World of our unfained desires to be humbled before the Lord for our own sinnes and the sinnes of these Kingdoms especially for our undervaluing of the inestimable benefit of the Gospel and that we have not laboured for the power thereof and received Christ into our hearts and walked worthy of him in our lives and of our true and unfained purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all other under our power and charge both in publick and private in all dutyes which we owe to God and man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a reall Reformation that the Lord might turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Kirks and Kingdoms in truth and peace Yet we have refused to be reformed and have walked proudly and obstinatly against the Lord not vâ—lueing his Gospel nor submitting our selves unto the obedience thereof not seeking after Christ nor studying to honour him in the excellency of his person nor employ him in the vertue of his offices not making conscience of publick Ordinances nor private nor secret duties nor studying to edify one another in love The ignorance of God and of his Son Jesus Christ prevailes exceedingly in the Land The greatest part of Masters of families amongst Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses and Commons neglect to seek God in their families and to endeavour the the Reformation thereof And albeit it hath been much pressed yet few of our Nobles and great ones ever to his day could be perswaded to perform family duties themselves and in their own persons which makes so necessary and useful a duty to be misregarded by others of inferior rank Nay many of the Nobility Gentry and Burrows who should have been examples of Godlinesse and sober walking unto others have been ring-leaders of excesse and rioting
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 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 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 Cutâ—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 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 re-establish 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 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
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 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 Bathgaâ—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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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
Adversary to reproach and blaspheme and did withall not a litle obscure and darken the beauty of severall former Actings about His blessed and glorious Work of Reformation happily begun and far advanced in these Lands wherein He was graciously pleased to Employ and by Employing to Honour me to be an Instrument though the least and unworthiest of many whereof I am not ashamed this day but account it my Glory how ever that Work be now cried down opposed laid in the dust and trod upon And my turning aside to comply with these men was the more aggravated in my person that I had so frequently and seriously made profession of my Aversness from and Abhorrence of that way and had shown much Dissatisfaction with these that had not gone so great a length for which as I seek God's mercy in Christ Jesus so I desire that all the Lord's People from my example may be more stirred up to watch and pray that they enter not into temptation 2. I do not deny on the other hand but must Testify in the second place to the Glory of His Free-grace that the Lord my God hath often shewed and engraven upon my Conscience the Testimony of His Reconciling and Reconciled Mercy through the Merits of Jesus Christ pardoning all my iniquities and assuring me that He would deliver me also by the graces of His Holy Spirit from the spait tyranny and dominion thereof And hath often drawn out my spirit to the exercise of Repentance and Faith and after engraven upon my heart in legible characters His merciful pardon and gracious begun cure thereof to be perfected thereafter to the Glory of His Name the Salvation of my Soul and Edification of His Church 3. I am pressed in conscience to leave here at my death my true honest Testimony in the sight of God and Man to and for the Nationall Covenant the Solemn League Covenant the Solemn Acknowledgement of our Sins Engagement to our duties to all the grounds Causes of Fasts and humiliations of the Lords displeasure contending with the Land And to the several Testimonies given to His Interests by Generall Assemblies Commissioners of the Kirk Presbyteries and by other honest and faithful Ministers and Professors 4. I am pressed also to encourage His Doing Suffering Witnessing People and Sympathizing ones with these that suffer that they would continue in the duties of Mourning Praying Witnessing and Symparthizing with these that suffer and humbly to assure them in the Name of the Lord our God the God of His own Word and Work of His own Cause Covenant and People that He will be Seen Found and Felt in His own gracious Way and Time by His own Means Instruments for His own Glory Honor to return to His own Truths and Interests and Servants and revive His Name His Covenant His Word His Work His Sanctuary and His Saints in these Nations even in the three Covenanted Nations which were by so Solemn Bonds Covenants Subscriptions and Oaths given away and devoted unto Himself 5. I exhort all these that have been or are Enemies or unfreinds to the Lord's Name Covenant or Cause Word Work or People in Britain and Ireland to Repent and Amend before these sad judgements that are posting fast come upon them for their sinning so highly against the Lord because of any temptation of the Time on the right or left hand by Baits or Straits whatsoever and that after so many Professions and Engagements to the contrary 6. I dare not conceal from yow that are Friendly to all the Lord's Interests that the Lord to the commendation of His Grace be it humbly spoken hath severall times in the exercise of my Repentance and Faith during my trouble and after groans and tears upon these three notable chapters to wit the 9 of Ezra the 9 of Nehemiah and the 9 of Daniel with other such sutable Scriptures and in the very nick of fervent and humble Supplication to Him for the Reviving again of His Name Cause Covenant Word and Work of Reformation in these Covenanted Nations and particularly in poor Scotland which first solemnly engaged to Him to the good Example and Encouragement of His People in the other two Nations to do the same also That the Lord I say hath several times given to me good ground of hope and lively expectations of His Mercifull Gracious Powerful and Wonderful Renewing and Reviving again of His fore-mentioned great Interests in these Covenanted Nations And that in such a Way by such Means and Instruments with such Antecedents Concurrents Consequents and Effects as shall wonderfully rejoyce His Mourning Friends and astonish His Contradicting and counter-acting Enemies 7. I do earnestly recommend my poor Wife and Children and 〈◊〉 posterity to the choicest Blessings of God anâ—â—o the Prayers and Favour of all the Lord's Children anâ— Servants in their earnest dealing with God and Men â—n their behalf That they may not be ruined for â—y Cause but for the Lord my God's sake they 〈◊〉 be favoured assisted supplyed and comforted 〈◊〉 so may be fitted by the Lord for His Fellowship and Service whom God Himself hath moved me often in their own Presence and. with their own Consent to dedicate devote and resign alike and as well as I devote and resign my own Soul and Body to Him for all Time and Eternity 8. I beg the Lord to open the eyes of all the Instruments of my Trouble that are not deadly Irreconcileable Enemies to Himself and His People that they may see the wrong done by them to His Interests and People and to Me and Mine and may repent thereof and return to the Lord and may more cordially own and adhere to all His Interests in time coming The good Lord give unto them Repentance Remission and Amendement and that is the worst wish I wish them and the best wish I can wish unto them 9. I do earnestly beg the fervent prayers of all His Praying People Servants and Instruments whether absent or present wherever they be in behalf of His Name Cause and Covenant Work and People and in behalf of my Wife Children and their Posterity And that the Lord would glorify Himself edify His Church encourage His Saints further His Work accomplish His good Word by all His Doings and Dealings in Substance and Circumstance toward all His own 10. Whereas I have heard that some of my unfreinds have slandered and defamed my Name as if I had been accessary to his late Majestie 's death and to the making of the Change of the Government thereupon the great God of Heaven be witness and Judge between Me and my Accusers in this for I am free as I shall now answer before his Tribunal from any Accession by Counsel or Contrivance or any other way to his late Majestie 's death or to their making that change of Government And I pray the Lord to preserve our present King his Majesty and to pour out His best blessings