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
not the Common-wealth 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 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 thâ—â—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 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 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 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
and Kingdome as Gods undoubted truth grounded only upon his written Word The other cause was for maintaining the Kings Majesty His Person and Estate the true worship of GOD and the Kings authority being so straitly joined as that they had the same Friends and common enemies and did stand and fall together And finally being convinced in our mindes and confessing with our mouthes that the present and succeeding generations in this Land are bound to keep the foresaid nationall Oath Subscription inviolable Wee Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses Ministers Commons under subscribing considering divers times before especially at this time the danger of the true reformed Religion of the Kings honour and of the publick peace of the Kingdome By the manifold innovations and evills generally conteined and particularly mentioned in our late supplications complaints and protestations Do hereby professe and before God his Angels and the World solemnly declare That with our whole hearts we agree resolve all the dayes of our life constantly to adhere unto and to defend the foresaid true Religion and forbearing the practice of all novations already introduced in the matters of the worship of GOD or approbation of the corruptions of the publicke Government of the Kirk or civil places and power of Kirk-men till they be tryed allowed in free assemblies and in Parliaments to labour by all meanes lawful to recover the purity and liberty of the Gospel as it was stablished and professed before the foresaid Novations and because after due examination we plainely perceave and undoubtedly believe that the Innovations and evils contained in our Supplications Complaints and Protestations have no warrant of the Word of God are contrary to the Articles of the Foresaid Confessions to the intention and meaning of the blessed reformers of Religion in this Land to the above written Acts of Parliament do sensibly tend to the re-establishing of the Popish Religion and Tyranny and to the subversion and ruine of the true Reformed Religion and of our Liberties Lawes and Estates We also declare that the Foresaid Confessions are to be interpreted and ought to be understood of the Foresaid novations and evils no lesse then if every one of them had been expressed in the Foresaid confessions and that we are obliged to detest abhorre them amongst other particular heads of Papistry abjured therein And therefore from the knowledge and consciences of our duety to God to our King and Countrey without any wordly respect or inducement so farre as humane infirmity will suffer wishing a further measure of the grace of God for this effect We promise and sweare by the Great Name of the Lord our GOD to continue in the Profession and Obedience of the Foresaid Religion That we shall defend the same and resist all these contrary errours and corruptions according to our vocation and to the uttermost of that power that GOD hath put in our hands all the dayes of our life and in like manner with the same heart we declare before GOD and Men That we have no intention nor desire to attempt any thing that may turne to the dishonour of GOD or to the diminution of the Kings greatnesse and authority But on the contrary we promise and sweare that we shall to the uttermost of our power with our meanes and lives stand to the defence of our dread Soveraigne the Kings Majesty his Person and Authority in the defence and preservation of the foresaid true Religion Liberties and Lawes of the Kingdome As also to the mutual defence and assistance every one of us of another in the same cause of maintaining the true Religion and his Majesty's Authority with our best counsel our bodies meanes and whole power against all sorts of persons whatsoever So that whatsoever shall be done to the least of us for that cause shall be taken as done to us all in genearal and to every one of us in particular And that we shall neither directly nor indirectly suffer our selves to be divided or withdrawn by whatsoever suggestion allurement or terrour from this blessed loyall Conjunction nor shall cast in any let or impediment that may stay or hinder any such resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for so good ends But on the contrary shall by all lawful meanes labour to further and promove the same and if any such dangerous divisive motion be made to us by Word or Writ We and every one of us shall either suppresse it or if need be shall incontinent make the same known that it may be timeously obviated neither do we fear the foul aspersions of rebellion combination or what else our adversaries from their craft and malice would put upon us seing what we do is so well warranted and ariseth from an unfeined desire to maintaine the true worship of God the Majesty of our King and peace of the Kingdome for the common happinesse of our selves and the posterity And because we cannot look for a blessing from God upon our proceedings except with our Profession and Subscription we joine such a life conversation as beseemeth Christians who have renewed their Covenant with God We therefore faithfully promise for our selves our followers and all other under us both in publick in our particular families and personal carriage to endeavour to keep our selves within the bounds of Christian liberty and to be good examples to others of all Godlinesse Sobernesse and Righteousnesse and of every duety we owe to God and Man And that this our Union and Conjunction may be observed without violation we call the living GOD the Searcher of our Hearts to witness who knoweth this to be our sincere Desire and unfained Resolution as we shall answere to JESUS CHRIST in the great day and under the pain of Gods everlasting wrath and of infamy and losse of all honour and respect in this World Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end and to blesse our desires and proceedings with a happy successe that Religion and Righteousnesse may flourish in the Land to the glory of GOD the honour of King and peace and comfort of us all In witnesse whereof we have subscribed with our hands all the premisses c. The Article of this Covenant which was at the first Subscription referred to the determination of the General Assembly being determined and thereby the 5 Articles of Perth the Government of the Kirk by Bishops the Civill places and Power of Kirkment upon the reasons and grounds contained in the Acts of the General Assembly declared to be unlawful within this Kirk we subscribe according to the determination foresaid A Solemn League and Covenant For Reformation and Defence of Religion The Honour and Happiness of the King and the Peace and Safety of the three Kingdoms of Scotland England and Ireland WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms
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 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 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 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 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
whereof She was in Possession three hundred years before there was a Christian Magistrat in the world Authorizing it And will Imprison Confine Condemn and Banish Ministers for pleading and Practising this Right as King James did not a few in and about the Year 1606. and the Present King of late by Parliament Council and Commissioner did interdict all the Lawfull Assemblies of the Church which did not derive their Power from the Abjured and Perjured Prelats and if he will not only claim the only power of indicting â—â—lemn Fasts and Thanksgivings as de Facto is done these â—or 6 years past but also institute a day to be Aniversarily â—oly for ever which no mortal man can do If I say 〈◊〉 will thus Invade the Kingdom of Christ confound it 〈◊〉 the Kingdoms of the World and equally Exerce the â—overnments of both no man needs pronounce but rather fear the Domesticall and Personall doom Executed upon Saul and Uzziah for usurping the Priests office How in â—quall dealing is it that He who clamoureth so much of other men and particularly Ministers wandering without their sphere and overstretching-meddling with Civil affairs should himself be Circumscribed and move within no Fixed sphere Is it not enough that He have a Power Objectively Ecclesiasticall about Church affaires but he must also have a Power Formally Ecclesiasticall whereby he may Exerce Acts purely Spiritual and proper to Church Officers Will it not suffice him that he have an Externall Power of providing for the Church and protecting of her from Outward Violence or Inward Disorder but he must also have an Internall power of Doctrin Government and Disciplin the several Forms Acts thereof Is is not Sufficent that he have an Imperat Power whereby He may command all his Subjects as such to do their respective duties but he must also have and Elicit power whereby he may at least materially or equivalently Exerce Spirituall Acts in his own person Will it not please him that he have a Civil Power of Punishing Church Officers as Subjects for Civil transgressions but he must also have a Spiritual Power of Censuring them for Ecclesiasticall offences Will it not content him that he have a Secundary Power of Judiciall Approbation or Condemnation of what the Church hath already found and declared to be Truth or Error but he must also have a Primary and Immediat Power of Cognition of Truth and Error Antecedent to any Judgment of the Church thereanent Will it not satisfy him that he have a Discretive Power whereby he may not Implicitely Ratify Ecclesiasticall Sentences but he must also have a Definitive Power of Authoritative Decision And in a word is it not enough that he have a Cumulative Power of Confirming and Strengthening the Power and Priviledges of the Church but he must alsâ— have a Privative Power whereby if he please he may destroy the same That the Lord hath had and to the Worlds end will have a Church none who beleeve the Authority of the Holy â—criptures can deny or question And that he hath fixed Discriminative boundaries betwen his own and the Kingdoms of the Earth that is betwen his Church and other Civil Societies and their respective Governments is no less evident For though both consist of Men and sometimes of the same Persons though both have Order and Government a Power to Exercise the same and that Derived from God and the Persons invested therewith should be qualified and in the Exercise thereof should walk Absolutely by the Rule of the Word Punishing and Censuring after clear Conviction by Confession or Probation And should Ultimatly aime at the Glory of God and Good of the People and for that effect be mutually subservient and useful one to another in these amongst other things they aggree Yet they are Formally distinct For they consist of men under distinct Notions and Relations Civil Society and Policy is founded upon the Light and Law of Nature Ecclesiasticall by Revealed Positive precept The one is Common to all men as Men the other is Peculiar to those who profess the True God The Form of the one may be Monarchical the other not The object of the one is Civil the other is Spirituall The Nature of the one and Manner of Exerceing it is Magisterial the Other Ministerial The Acts and Sentences of the one are Corporall rhe other Spiritual The Immediat Rule of Exerceing the one is the â—awes of the Land and the other the Word of God and â—cclesiastical Constitutions aggreeable thereunto The one â—s performed in the Name of the Supream Magistrat the other in the Name of Jesus Christ The Immediat End of the one is the Good of the Common-wealth the other the Good of Souls Yea though the Church and Common-wealth of the Jewes of all others that ever were did most aggree yet were they Formally distinct for they had ordinarily distinct Rulers the Priest and Levits for the one Judges and King 's for the other They had distinct Acts Sacrificing praying c. in the Church Death Banishment Confiscation Inprisonment Ezra 2 26. in the State They had distinct Objects the Matters of the Lord and the Matters of the King 2 Chron. 19.11 Distinct Lawes the Ceremoniall for the Church the Judicial for the Common-wealth and the Morall for both They had sometimes distinct Members when these of the One were not admitted to some Priviledges of the Other The Form of the State did alter from Judges to Kings but the Churches was unalterably the same And they had their distinct Periods of Duration for the Church continued though corrupt after the Civil Government was overturned by the Romans And as the Church and State of the Jewes were in these things distinct so had they their distinct Governments and Judicatories for Exerâ—â—ing the same Respectively For Exo. 24.1 there are 70. Elders who v. 14. appear to be vested with Authority and to have Aaron and Hur for their Presidents or Moderators now these 70 Elders cannot be the 70 who Numb 11. shared of the Government with Moses for these mentioned Exod. 24. were in Authority when the Israelits were at Sinai whereas the other mentioned Numb 11. were chosen after they went from Sinai neither can they be any other 70 in Civil Authority because before the Election of those Numb 11. Moses was alone in the Government Again Deut. 17. there are distinct causes viz. Blood Blood plea and plea which were Civill and Stroke and Stroke which whether it was Leprosy belonged to the Priests to Judge of Lev. 13.3 Distinct Rulers viz. the Priests the Levets and the Iudge who v. 11. are distinguished by the disjunctive particle Or Distinct Acts of telling or exponing the Sentence of the Law of telling Iudgment v. 10.11 distinct Penalties of Death and puting the Evill from Israel v 12. Further in â— Chr. 23.4 Ye will find 6000 of the Levites who were Officers and Iudges which must needs have been in Ecclesiastical affairs
other from the Lord Redeemer Head and King of his Church nor yet are they of the same but different Natures as is said before Again if it were properly Subordinat to the civil Power then the Magistrat himself might Exerce all Ecclesiasticall Acts in the Administration of Word and Sacraments as well as of Jurisdiction for as nor ason can be adduced why He may Institute or Alter Church Government or Officers or Exerce the External Regulation thereof which will not by parity of strength infer his Exercing Acts of Order So every Superior Power including all the Inferior He may as well Exerce all Ecclesiastical Power as civil if the One be Subordinat to the Other And further the Magistrat himself as a Christian is but a Member of the Church and Subject to Church-Government and Discipline though it should not be practised except for most weighty Causes in great necessity and with singular Prudence and all due Respect and Reverence to Civil Authority and the Person therewith vestâ—d and accordingly many Magistrats have been censured Yea in some cases as if the Magistrat should unjustly forbid to Preach Baptise Ordain Deprive Excommunicat c. the Church may Exerce Church Power without and against His consent which She could not do if it were Subordinat to him I know there are many clamours of the Absurdity and Inconsistency of two Collateral and Co-Ordinat Supream Powers and Governments in one Kingdom And indeed that Absurdity and Inconsistency may hold true of two Supream Collaterall and Co-Ordinat Powers ejusdem Generis but not in this case where they are diversi generis Yea of their own Natures they are so far from being hurtful that being rightly mannaged they are singularly helpfull to one another Neither can these two Powers and Governments in a Land import now under the New Testament greater absurdity and Inconsistancy then under the Old when the Jewes had their Ecclesiastical Sanedrin as well as civil Courts for the affairs of the Commoun-wealth Hence also it followeth that as Ecclesiastical Power is not Subject to the civil So in matters Ecclesiastical there should be no Appellation from the Church to the civil Magistrat For though when Church Judicatories without their sphere meddle in civil Causes as such or for Ecclesiastical offences inflict civil Punishments they may be Declined as Judges Incompetent in the one case complaint of an unjust or Heterogeneous Sentence is lawful in the other though the Magistrat before He adde his Ratification may require a Reason of Ecclesiasticall proceedings or in case of an injust Sentence may desire the Church to consider the matter again the Church iâ— bound thus to give a Reason or Consider the matter especially in a degenerat or declining time of the Church when more is permitted to the Faithful Magistrat then otherwise Yet there can be no Appellation from the Church to the Magistrat in Ecclesiastical Causes Sentences Not only because all Appellations are from the Inferior to the Superior in Eodem genere but the Church and State are not such as is cleared before but also because the Church is indued with Compleat Power of Cognoscing Final determining Ecclesiastical affairs without dependance upon the State and these Determinations being Just the Lord hath promised to Ratify Mat. 18 18. And the Magistrat having no Formal Church Power cannot pronounce Ecclesiastical Sentence or make Redress by Himself so the Appellation is in vain Pauls Appealing to Caesar Act. 25 11. will not help this weak cause For He did not appeal in an Ecclesiastical cause from an Ecclesiastical Court to a Court of another Nature but in a matter of alleaged Sedition from Festus an Inferior Magistrat to Caesar the Supream Neither is the Instance of Ieremy stronger then the former Ier. 26 8.9 c for there is no mention of His appealing from the Priests to the Magistrat but of his Apology before the Princes who came to hear the matter and their Voluntary delivering him from the Uniust persecution of the Priests and Prophets who were not competent Judges of Life and Death Neither is the Exception of the Difference betwixt a Heathen and Christian Magistrat more Valid in this matter for besids all that is before said in the old Testament the Government of the Church was Committed to Church-Officers even when the Magistrat was Religious and why not in the New The Government of the Church is not committed to them because the Magistrat is Heathen or upon Temporary but upon other Moral and Immutable grounds therefore should not be taken from them when he becometh Christian It is sure that the Church had power given unto Her to Govern Herself when the Magistrat was Heathen now when and where is that Power Repealed If Church-Govenment belong to the Christian Magistrat then it is either as Magistrat or as Christian if as Magistrat or as Christian then according to the known maxime it belongeth to Every Magistrat and so to the Heathen and to Every Christian both which are false Was the Magistrat no Magistrat or Incompleat when being Heathen he did not meddle with Church Government or did the Church Usurp and Rob the Heathen Magistrat of that Power in the Apostles dayes and 2 or 300 years after Shall the Church by the promise of Nursing Fathers have less Power and Priviledge or be in worse Condition by a Christian then Heathen Magistrat And how vain iâ— the Distinction of Outward Regulation of the Church and Inward for that must be the other terme for the Inward Regulation thereof belongs incontrovertibly to Jesus Christ and if the Magistrat hath the Outward what is left to the Church These things which had they been formally digested would have been more clear and convincing are only thus confusedly and abruptly hiâ—ted nor should I have said so much if besids the Erastian Spirit which more then ever doth now rage some Parliamentary and Council-Expressions and aggreeable practices had not given occasion Whether it be Primitive or not let the Reader Judge but sure I am the Kings Government of the Church and State Charles c. Supream Governor in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as Civil The Bishops serving the King in the Church is neither Scriptural nor Safe Dialect Him they may serve and Whether or How Time will tell but well know I whom they do not serâ—e in the Church and indeed it is proper that they who are there only by the Will of Man should only serve Man His Commissioners they are and accordingly Sharp hath deposed some Ministers by Vertue of the Power which he hath from his Majesty and therefore they can expect no greater Assistance Blessing or Reward then he can give But yet there is a greatâ—r to whom they must give an Accompt Having beyond my first intention detained Thee longer then perhaps was Necessary or will be Profitable or Pleasant Thow may'st now speak with the Deduction which is of age able to
consequents thereof are very observable which were thus Mr Sharp having formerly been intimately familiar with Mr Wood came to visite him under his Sickness whereunto Sharps Apostacy had no small accession thereafter did falsely spread a report by word writ that Mr Wood had reseiled from Presbyterial Government Whereof when Mr Wood was informed he was of new grievously affected and afflicted and thereupon for his own Vindication left this Testimony behind him But Mr Sharp finding himself thereby made a publlck lyar making lyes still his refuge pursueth Mr Wood being dead as well as alive with a new slander alleaging his Testimony to be Fictitious or Extorted from him when through distemper of his sickness he knew not what he did and thereupon caused summond the Witnesses the Writter and some other persons before the High Commission But the contrary of this was and is most Evident not only because this Testimony was written and subscribed a considerable number of dayes before his Death dureing which intervall as before he was so composed that he spake many gracious words about his own soul Ordered his Civil affairs and a famous Physician was not without hopes of his Recovery But also because hearing that some of his faithful Brethren Co-Presbyters were in the town he sent once again for them and before them and some other Ministers at other times purged himself of that unjust Imputation and did bear witness for Presbyterial Government more fully freely then is in the written Testimony some time thereafter of his own accord did call for the Writter there being none other present in the chamber at the beginning did indite and cause him writ the same as it now is without any Alteration as also in a Letter written some considerable time before inviting Mr Carstairs to come and visite him he had made mention of the Backsliding Tryalls and Sufferings of the times and expressed his desire to Live that he might give a more free Testimony to the Truth Notwithstanding all which Mr Sharp obstructing the reading of a Letter written by Mr Carstairs to the Chancelor containing and clearing the matter of fact persisted with great Attestations before the High Commission in his former false alleagance and Slandering both of the Dead and the Living and caused imprison the Writer and one of the witnesses and forced the other whom for his eminent Parts Holiness and Faithfulness he most pursued to a Retirement for his own safety What shall be given to Thee O Sharp Or what shall be done to Thee O false Tongue Sharp arrows of the Mighty and Coals of Juniper The Nationall Covenant OR The Confession of Faith of the Kirk of Scotland subscribed at first by the Kings Majesty and his Houshold in the yeare 1580. Thereafter by Persons of all rankes in the yeare 1581 By ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Councill and Acts of the general Assembly Subscribed againe by all sorts of Persons in the Yeare 1590 By a new Ordinance of Council at the desire of the General Assembly With a General Band for maintenance of the true Religion the Kings Person And now subscribed in the Year 1638. By Us Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses Ministers and Commons then under-subscribing Together with our resolution and promises for the causes after specified To maintaine the said true Religion and the Kings Majesty according to the Confession foresaid and Acts of Parliament And now upon the Supplication of the General Assembly to His Majesty's high Commissioner and the Lords of his Majesty's Honorable Privy Council subscribed again in the Year 1639. by Ordinance of Council and Act of General Assembly The Tenor whereof here followeth WE All and every one of Us underwritten Protest that after long and due Examination of our owne Consciences in matters of true false Religion We are now throughly resolved of the Truth by the Word and Spirit of God and therefore we believe with our hearts confess with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the whole Word that this onely is the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing Salvation to man which now is by the mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangel and receaved believed and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks and Realmes but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Majesty and three estates of this Realme as Gods eternall Truth and onely ground of our Salvation as more particularly is expressed in the Confession of our Faith stablished and publickly confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliament and now of a long time hath beene openly professed by the Kings Majesty and whole body of this Realme both in Burgh and Land To the which Confession and forme of Religion wee willingly agree in our consciences in all points as unto Gods undoubted Truth and Verity grounded onely upon his written Word And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrary Religion and Doctrine But chiefly all kinde of Papistry in generall and particular heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God and Kirk of Scotland but in special we detest and refuse the usurped authority of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Kirk the civill Magistrate and conscience of men All his tyrannous lawes made upon indifferent things against our Christian liberty His erronious Doctrine against the sufficiency of the written Word the perfection of the Law the office of Christ and his blessed Evangel His corrupted Doctrine concerning originall sinne our naturall inability and rebellion to Gods Law our Justification by faith only our imperfect Sanctification and obedience to the Law the nature number and use of the Holy Sacraments His five bastard Sacraments with all his Rites Ceremonies and false Doctrine added to the ministration of the true Sacraments without the Word of God His cruell judgement against Infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessity of Baptisme his blasphemous opinion of Transubstantiation or reall presence of Christs body in the Elements and receiving of the same by the wicked or bodies of men His dispensations with solemne Oathes Perjuries and degrees of Mariage forbidden in the Word his cruelty against the innocent divorced his divellish Masse his blasphemous Priesthood his profane Sacrifice for the sinnes of the dead and the quick his Canonization of men calling upon Angels or Saints departed worshipping of Imagery Relicts and Crosses dedicating of Kirks Altars Dayes Vowes to creatures his Purgatory Prayers for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language with his Processions and blasphemous Letany and multitude of Advocates or Mediators his manifold Orders Auricular Confession his desperate and uncertaine Repentance his general and doubtsome Faith his satisfactions of men for their sinnes his Justification by works opus operatum works of Supererogation Merits Pardons Peregrinations and Stations his holy water baptising of Bells conjuring of Spirits crossing saning
of Scotland England and Ireland by the providence of GOD living under one King and being of one reformed Religion Having before our eyes the glory of GOD and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the Honour and Happinesse of the Kings Majesty and his Posterity and the true publick Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included And calling to minde the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the Enemies of GOD against the true Religion and Professours thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestation and Suffering for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and the example of GODS People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and solemn League and Covenant Wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high GOD do Swear 1. That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of GOD endeavour in our several places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Chuch of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of GOD and the example of the best Reformed Churches And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of GOD in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and Uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us 2. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the Extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-government by Arch-bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresy Schism Prophanesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness Lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues And that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms 3. We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our severall vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms And to preserve and defend the Kings Majesty's Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms That the world may bear witnesse with our consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesty's just power and greatnesse 4. We shall also with all faithfulnesse endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil instruments by hindering the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdoms from another or making any faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League and Covenant That they may be broughr to publick triall and receive condigne punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or the supream Judicatories of both Kingdomes respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient 5. And whereas the happinesse of a blessed Peace between these Kingdoms denyed in former times to our Progenitors is by the good Providence of GOD granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and settled by both Parliaments We shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firme Peace and Union to all Posterity And that Justice may be done upon the willfull Opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Article 6. We shall also according to our places and callings in this Common cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof And shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terrour to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Union and conjunction whither to make defection to the contrary part or to give ourselves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much concerneth the Glory of GOD the good of the Kingdoms and honour of the King But shall all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all Lets and Impediments whatsoever And what we are not able our selves to suppresse or overcome we shall reveale and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall do as in the sight of GOD. And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against GOD and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof We professe and declare before GOD and the world unfained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not as we ought valued the inesteemable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our lives wich are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst us And our true and unfained purpose desire and endeavour for ourselves and all others under our power and charge both in publick and in private in all dutyes we owe to GOD and man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a real Reformation That the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in truth and Peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty GOD the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to peform the same As we shall answer at that great Day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this end and to blesse our desires and proceedings with such successe as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian Churches
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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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
out her hands saying VVoe is me now for my soul is weary because of Murtherers 5. As we have observed the Tyranny and Illegaliâ—â— 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 Porteâ—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 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 â—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 theÌ„selves 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 KingdoÌ„ 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 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 â—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 exâ—ension not printed but though some copies thereof in write were spread abroad with power to stigmatize and banish yet 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 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 Anâ—rum had been in former times under the
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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
upon his royall Posterity and to give unto them good and faithfull Counsellors holy and wise Counsels and prosperous successes to God's Glory and to the good and interest of His people and to Their own Honour and Happiness 11. I do here now submit and commit my Soul and Body Wife and Children and Childrens Children from generation to generation for ever with all others his Friends and Followers all His Doing and Suffering Witnessing and Sympathizing ones in the present and subsequent Generations unto the Lord's choice Mercies Graces Favours Services Employments Impowerments Enjoyments Improvements and Inheritments on Earth and in Heaven in Time and Eternity All which suits with all others which He hath at any time by His Spirit moved and assisted me to make and put up according to His will I leave before and upon the Father's Mercifull Bowels and the Son's Mediating Merits and the Holy Spirit 's Compassionate Groans for now and evermore Amen The Joint Testimony of these who died together in Edinburgh Dec 7. 1666. subscribed by them in prison the same day of their death Men and Brethren THis is a great and important work both for us who are now to render up our spirits to Him that gave them And for yow who are not a litle concerned in the Cause and in our blood by justifying or condemning our sentence And therefore as we speak to yow as Dying men who dare not dissemble with God or man nor flatter our selves So ye should not be idle curious or unconcerned Spectators We are condemned by men and esteemed by many as Rebels against the King whose Authority we acknowledge But this is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that we suffer not as Evill doers but for Righteousness for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ And particularly for our renewing the Covenant and in pursuance thereof for Preserving and Defending of our selves by Armes against the Usurpation and insupportable Tyranny of the Prelats And against the most unchristian and inhumane Oppression and Persecution that ever was enjoyned and practised by just Rulers upon Free Innocent and Peaceable Subjects The Covenant and Cause being so just in themselves and the duties of Self-preservation and mutual Defence in maintenance thereof being to Judicious and unbyassed men so clear we need to say the less for vindication of our Practice Only the Lawes establishing Prelacy and the Acts Orders and Proclamations made for Complyance therewith being executed against us by Military Force and Violence And we with others for our simple Forbearance being Fined Confined Imprisoned Exiled Scourged Stigmatized Beaten Bound as beasts and Driven unto the mountains for our lives And thereby hundreds of Families being beggared several Parishes and some whole Country-sides exceedingly impoverished And all this either Arbitrarily and without any Law or respect had to guilt or innocency Or Unjustly contrary to all Conscience Justice and Reason though under the Pretence of iniquous Laws and without regard had to the penalty specifyed in the Law And all Remonstrating of Grievances were they never so just and many and Petitions for Redress being restrained by Laws condemning all former Remonstrances and Petitions in the like cases There was no other remedy left to us but that last of necessary Self-preservation and Defence And this being one of the greatest Principles of Nature warranted by the Law or God Scriptural Instances and the consent and Practices of all Reformed Churches and Christian States abroad and of our own famous Predecessors at home It cannot in reason or Justice be reputed a Crime nor condemned as Rebellion by any humane Authority Though we be not the first that have suffered for the Cause or God within the Land yet we are among the first that have been Legally condemned and put to Death Expresly for taking the Covenant And we are so far from being ashamed thereof that we account it our honour to be reckoned worthy to suffer for such a Cause And cannot but bless the Lord that we have such a cloud of Witnesses in this and other Reformed Churches going before us in the same duty for Substance and in Suffering therefore We cannot but regret if we could with tears oâ— blood the Nationall and Authorized Backsliding of the Land by Perjury and breach of Covenant The overturning of the Work of Reformation The great Desolation of the House of the Lord by smiting of the Shepherds and scattering of the Flocks The Intrusion of so many mercenary Hirelings into the Ministry who because of Apostacy Perjury Ignorance and Profanness can neither be acknowledged as God's mouth to the People in Preaching nor employed as their mouth to Him in Prayer The abounding of Popery Superstition and Profanness by unheard-of Oaths Blasphemies Uncleannesss and Drinking even in some whose Office and Place requireth them to be more Examplary And the shedding of the Blood of the Saints by the rage of Persecution And therefore we cannot but disown all these abominable Laws Courses Practices declare our abhorrence of the same dissent therefrom Protesting before Angels and Men that we be not interpreted as consenters thereto and beseeching the Hearer of prayer that we be not involved in the guilt thereof nor partake of the plagues which follow thereupon As this Land was happy above all Nations for the purity and plenty of the Gospel and for a Form of Church Government more conform to the Patern in the Scriptures then in others of the Reformed Churches So we acknowledge His great goodness to us in speciall that gave us our lines in such pleasant places For we have such full perswasion of the Truth of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland And have felt so much of the Power and Sweetness thereof that we do here declare our firm belief and perswasion of and adherence to the same in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Nationall Covenant the Solemn League and Covenant the Confession of Faith Catechisms Directory of worship and Propositions for Government Accounting it our honor and happiness to have been born in it to have lived in Communion with it and now to die through Grace Members Witnesses and Asserters thereof And further as Christians and as Members of the same Church and Common-wealth in the Fear and zeal of our God in Love to our Brethren in desire of the Perservation of Church and Kingdom and for our own Exoneration now when we take our leave of the World We do seriously and in the bowels of Christ Supplicate Warn Exhort and Obtest yow all the Inhabitants of the Kingdom from the King to the meanest of the Subjects according to your old Principles Professions Promises Declarations Oaths and Covenants faithfully to Own Maintain preserve and Defend the said Religion And after the example of our Noble and Renowned Ancestors to quit your selves like Men Christians in endeavouring by all just Means according to your Places and Powers to shake off this heavy
and Prelacy and all that was done or ensued in the sincere and upright prosecution thereof was and is the Work of God which though Men fight against yet shall they never be able to prevail And as this is our Faith so it is our Hope to all that wait for the Salvation of God that Our God will surely appear for his own Glory and vindicate his Cause and persecuted People and render vengeance to his Adversaries even the vengeance of his Holy Temple and broken Covenent O be not then moved with our Sufferings with are but Light and Momentany for they Work for us a far more execeding and Eternal weight of Glory and for you also a strong Confirmation and abounding Consolation against the like trial that possibly may befal you O then save your selves from this Wicked and Apostat Generation and be ye stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the Work and Cause of the Lord Waiting for the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ which in his Times he shall shew who only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no man can approach whom no man hath seen or can see to whom be honour and Power everlasting AMEN The Testimony of CAPT. ANDREW ARNOT one of the former ten who died Decem. 7. DEar Friends and Spectators I am brought by the good providence of God to this publick place of execution which is no dishonour for points of Treason as is alleadged but God knoweth who knoweth the secrets of hearts whether in Rebellion or not I cam forth He is my witness wil be my Judge And whoever they be that any way have been instrumentall or incensed against me to procure this Sentence against me God forgive them I forgive them I am not now purposed to disput the matter of my being in company with these worthy Christians who are now defeat and broken their blood shed and they despitfully mocked by many I acknowledge and declare that I was with them As to the cause of my being with them whither in Rebellion or not God knoweth and all Israel shall know And for me I say the Cause is the Lords who made the Heaven and the Earth though now it be hated And I desire to bear witness with the rest of the worthy witnesses who are gone before and are now staged to that glorious Work of Reformation in Britain and Ireland and to Gospel-Ordinances in their Purity as they have been taught and administrated these 30 Years last by past And I adhere to the Presbyterial way of Doctrin Worship Discipline and Government by General Assemblies Synods Presbyteries and Sessions according to the Patern of the holy Scriptures Jesus Christ himself being the head Corner-stone the Confession of faith Cathechismes Shorter and Larger Directory for Worship National Covenant Solemne League Covenant every Paper tending to the good of the true Religion And this I think fit to Testify Declare under my hand not knowing if I shall have any Liberty to speak intend God willing to Seal with my Blood shortly I confess that unexpectedly I am come to this place though some times I have had some small thoughts of it And I do account my self highly honoured to be reckoned amongst the witnesses of Jesus Christ to suffer for his Name Truth and Cause and this day I esteem it my Glory Garland Crown royall dignity to fill up a part of His sufferings And now I take my leave of you all my dear and worthy Friends and acquaintances The Blessings of the Eternall God be multiplied upon yow and your seed and upon all the suffering Friends of Christ this day upon my dear and loving Wife who hath been a faithful sympathizer with me and upon my dear Children The work of God is now at under but Christ shall carry the Day Blessed is he that believeth and seeth not for there shall be a performance Now the Eternall God who brought again the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead the great sheepherd of the flock strengthen and establish you and all the Lord's people So pray ye and so prayeth your Friend ANDREW ARNOT The Testimony of JOHN SHIELDS Yeoman one of the former ten who died at Edinburgh the 7 day of Decemb. 1666. I Am a man unlearned and not accustomed to speak in publick yet being now called to witness and suffer for the Lord in publick I cannot be altogether silent of that which Religion and Reason hath taught me anent the cause of my suffering I bless the Lord I suffer not as an evil doer especially not for any Rebellion against his Majesties lawful Authority I attest him who is the searcher of hearts that was never my intention in the least and it is as litle the nature and intention of what I have done But for renewing of the Covenant with the Lord and following the ends thereof as to the suppressing of abjured Prelats and Intruders upon the Lords flock and the restoring of the Government of the House of God by Presbyteries as He himself hath appointed in his Word with a faithful Godly Called and Sent Ministery And together with pure Ordinances the Power of Godliness For this I am condemned and to suffer this day This I acknowledged freely before our Judges This I still acknowledg and am persuaded that herein I witness a faithful Confession This Cause and Covenant I commend to all the Lord's People It is not free for you to forsake if You are inviolably ingaged in it It is not safe to desert it because of the Curse of the perjurer and false swearer There is unspeakable blessedness in the pursuance of it whereof I can bear witness to the Lord by my rich Experience since we began to Do and Suffer at this time for him Whereupon I cheerfully lay doun my Life for this his Cause He it is who Justifieth it what man or Authority under heaven can condemn it Arise O Lord let not man prevaill against Thee plead and Iudg this Cause which is thine own for thine own names sake The Testimony of another of the former ten Persons left subscribed with a Friend I designed no Rebellion against lawful Authority but the suppressing of Prelacy and of Profanity and advancing of Holiness in Gods World In a Word I adhere to all the Articles of the good Covenant and did intend the restoring of our good and Soul-refreshing Ministers and the casting out of the dumb greedy Dogs that cannot bark In this Cause I was a free Voluntier pressed by none thinking it my duty to appear for helping the Lord against the Mighty This I testify under my hand from the Tolbooth of Edinburgh the 6 of December 1666. The Testimony of M R ALEXANDER ROBERTSON Preacher of the Gospel and Probationer for the Ministry who died at Edinburgh Decemb. 14. 1666. FEaring that after the example of others I should not be permitted to speak openly to the People I thought fit beside my adherence to what my brethren who have
the Love of Jesus Christ This will be tender of any thing that may have the least reflexion upon him His Words or Works and will prompt the soul to Zealous appearing for Him at the greatest hazard and to as much willingness to die for Him as to Live that they may Glorify Him And for the encouragement of yow all in this matter I do declare that ever since the day of my coming into prison God hath keeped my soul free from all Amazement or fear of death that since my inditement and sentence God hath so manifested Himself at several times that he hath lifted up my soul above Prelats Principalities PowerS Death Hell to rejoice be glad in His Salvation and from my soul to account him Worthy for whom in this his Cause I should undergo the greatest shame or Paine And to assured hopes of Eternal Communion with Him in Heaven And that nothing hath more brangled my peace then shifting an open and free testimony before my Examinators to the work that I was ingaged in I do freely pardon all that have accession to my blood and wish that it be not laid to the charg of this sinful Land but that God would grant Repentance to our Rulers that they may obtaine the same reconciliation with Him whereof I myself do partake Truely I beleeve many of them if not instigated by the cruel Prelats at whose door our blood doth principally lie would have used more mitigation But that reluctancy of mind to shed blood will be so far from Vindicating of them that upon the contrary it will be a witness against them in the Day of the Lord. I heartily submit my self to Death as that which God hath appointed to all men because of Sin and to this particular way of it as deserved by my particular Sins I praise God for this Fatherly chastisement whereby he hath made me in part and will make me perfectly partaker of his Holiness I glorify Him that called me forth to suffer for His Name and Ordinances and the solemne engagements of the Land to Him and that he hath taken this way to take me away from the evill to come The Lord bless all His Poor Afflicted groaning People that are behind Hereafter I will not talk with flesh and blood nor think on the Worlds consolations Farewel all my Friends whose company hath been refreshful to me in my Pilgrimage I have done with the Light of the Sun and Moon Welcome Eternal Life Everlasting Love Everlasting Praise Everlasting Glory Praise to Him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever Though I have not been so with Thee as I ought to have been in the House of my Pilgrimage yet thow hast made with me an Everlasting Covenant Ordered in all things and Sure And this is all my Salvation and all my desire Bless the Lord O my Soul that hath pardoned all my Iniquities in the Blood of His Son and healed all my Deseases Bless Him O all ye his Angels that excel in strength ye Ministers that do his pleasure Bless the Lord O my Soul Halelujah Edinburgh Tolbooth December 22. 1666. Sic subscribitur HEW M c KAIL. I have heard that some of the Prisoners are willing to save their lives by taking the Declaration That is by abjuring that Work and Cause for which they adventured their Lives Which if they do our blood shall bear witness against them in the great Day of God And God shall so punish some of them in this Life that they shall curse the day that ever they shifted to dy on a scaffold HEW M c KAIL. The Testimony of JOHN WODROW Merchant in Glasgow who died in Edinburgh Decemb. 22. 1666. Dear Friends I Am condemned to die I shall say little concerning men who have judged and condemned me they are to answer to God for it But I bless the Lord who hath counted me worthy to die for so good and honourable a cause And that I be not mistaken after I am gone hence I have thought fit to testify that in singleness and sincerity of heart I came into the service not constrained but from conscience of my being engaged by Covenant to God and with a full purpose to perform my vows made in that Covenant unto the Lord in the strength of Jesus Christ And that I might endeavour to restore again the precious Ordinances to their former purity power and to recover the fair Church in this Land which our blessed Lord hath purchased to Himself and bought at so dear a rate to her former Beauty which is now defaced And particularly to bring down that Antichristian Prelacy and that perjured crue of Prelats who have so perfidiously wronged the Interests of our blessed Lord and Master Jesus Christ This is the only Cause for which I undertook this service and joyned with others my dear and Covenanted brethren And that I had no intention to wrong the King's person or Authority but to seek his real good according to my duty in the Word of God and also as I sware in the same Covenant wherein I did swear against Prelacy And notwithstanding I be condemned of men as a Rebel yet I am justifyed of God my God and Father in and through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who giveth me sweet peace of conscience and joy of heart I grant it is not enough to justify me before Him that I had a just Cause unless likewise I had therewith the acceptation of my person through Faith in the Merits of Jesus Christ who standeth in our nature in heaven which I dare declare this day as a dying man that I have obtained for I am confident that through His righteousness made over unto me He hath made me free in which I shall stand for ever and that within a few hours I shall see Him in peace as I am seen of Him and behold and wonder and wonder and behold for evermore that most glorious excellency of His. And this yeeldeth to me great consolation in all my extremities were they never so great This I say is my peace and consolation this day even Christ my Righteousness who hath both accepted my Person and Cause Therefore I count it a small thing to be judged and condemned of men for my Testimony is on high and my record in heaven And now my Friends I am condemned to die for adhering to my Covenant made with God for Reformation of Religion and Conversation to which all ranks of the Land are as well bound as I though many alas too many shaking off all fear of God have despised the Oath not only by breaking the Covenant but by professing and declaring avowedly the bond thereof null and not binding either to their own or other mens consciences And this mischief is framed by a Law which doth greatly highten the Sin O! tell it not in Oath and publish it not in Askelon Oh! that this should be heard of amongst Papists and Pagans
is not for evill doing that I now suffer although I be charged with Rebellion against the Kings Authority yet 1 declare before God and you all that in all this matter I never intended to wrong his Majestie 's just Power and greatness but for conscience sake did respect Authority as the Ordinance of God appointed for the punishment of evill doers and that I wish his Ma all welfare both in this life and the world to come and that it may be his happiness to consider his Obligations to God and Perform the same that so it may be well with him and his Posterity to many generations and I pray God make him a friend to His Cause and the truly Godly who own the same though falsly called Phanaticks or turbulent persons I declare I have such persuasion of the Interest of Religion Reformed and sworn unto in the Covenant that I dare venture not only to lay down my own life but if every hair of my head were a man they should all be put to venture for this cause I would not have the world to stumble at the Cause because of my death after this manner for I rejoyce greatly in it and I desire every good Christian as they tender their own souls that they would grip fast lay hold on and cleave to Jesus Christ and His way My coming out at this time I say was not against his Majesty but for the Covenant which is now troden under foot my intention was for the Cause of Christ I take God to witness it was nothing else I came out for and for that I am free to lay down my life I bless God I am much encouraged in this and not at all afraid to die for so good and clear a Cause and I hope He will bring me thorow all my difficulties in this dark shadow of death I hope I have the peace of a good conscience and have had some glimpses from Jesus Christ of His countenance and reconciled Face since I came into this prison for which I desire to bless His Name with all my soul heart and spirit And I rejoyce that He hes made use of me to suffer for His Cause And I think it too litle not only to lay down my body but if it were possible even my very soul at the stake for that Cause and for Jesus Christ my good and kind Master who hath loved me and given Himself for me I give the Lord thanks that I had some of His Presence since I came into this condition and again I say I am much encouraged and not afraid to die and bless Him that I die not as a murtherer or evill door or Rebel to Authority but for such a cause as this O that it were the happiness of my Nation of England once to subiect themselves unto the sweet yoke of Christs Reformed Government under which this Nation of Scotland hath enjoyed so much of the Power and life of the Gospel by a faithful Ministry according to the Covenant sworn by them both And now my dear Friends in Christ and fellow-Covenanters though I be a stranger in this Land being an English-man but trifted by providence in the prosecution of my calling to have my residence for a time here in Scotland which I look upon as a singulare evidence of God's special love to me though I be a stranger I say to many of you yet I must be bold as a dying friend to beseech you by the mercy of God and by your appearance before Jesus Christ when we shall have to do with none but Him as our Judge that ye be faithfull and stedfast in the Cause of God and Covenant which ye have sworn with hands lifted up to the most high God which no Power on earth can loose you from and that ye keep you from snares unto the contrary and not suffer your selves to fall into a detestable Neutrality and Indifferency in that Cause of God And especially that ye keep your selves free of any Engagements by word or write that may wrong your Oath of the Covenant I commit my Wife and Children to His care who careth for them that put their trust in Him before the Sons of men not doubting but they shall be eyed with goodwil and favor by the Godly after I am gone And now I render up my Spirit to Him who gave it me and for whose sake I now lay down my life To this God my Covenanted God be glory blessing and praise for now and ever Amen That this is my mind and Testimony which I leave behind me I witness by my ordinary subscription R. SHIELDS The Testimony of HUMPREY COLHOUNE At his Death in Edinburgh Decemb 22. 1666. Dear Friends and Spectators I am come here this Day to this Place to die this Death for crimes for which I thank God my Conscience doth not condemn me My crime as is alleaged is for Disloyalty against the King's Majesty Yet I thank God that my appearing lately with the Lord's People was from my sense of my obligation in the Covenant and the sense of the wrongs done in the Land and the crying oppressions committed therein This was the end of my appearing for the Lord against His enemies to bear witness against the same The which obligation of the Oath of God I judge that none on earth can loose the Conscience from I bless the Lord again and again I die for this Oath and Covenant And I thank God also that I have by the great mercy of the Almighty God in Christ Jesus obtained mercy and forgiveness for all my transgressions both against the first and second Table of the Law And that through that Ocean of grace which is in the Lord Jesus Christ I believe that I am justified and sanctified and believe now to be glorified with Him by that blessed blood of His which hath purchased this Salvation to me through faith in the same made application of according to the good Covenant of grace He hath performed this out of his vvonderfull and incomparable free-grace And this is my joy and exceeding great rejoycing and consolation and all my salvation for vvhich I am Grace's debtor throughout all Eternity I die vvith this my Testimony my adherence to the National Covenant to the Solemn League and Covenant to the Work of Reformation a great length carried on and now overthrown most sinfully by ungodly Men vvho have established their Apostacy by Law which no just Power on earth could ever do Also I adhere to the Presbyterial Government the Confession of Faith Cathechisms Larger and Shorter And to the Solemn Acknovvledgement of the Church of Scotland And Publick Testimonies thereof against the sins of the time This day I rejoyce that He hath counted me vvorthy to lay dovvn my life for Him as one that beareth vvitness against the breach of all the Sacred Oaths and Ties that were established in this Land yea by the just Laws both of God and Man which never could