out of zeal against the Sectarians the Executioners of that extraordinary Act of Justice yet it was more for the Manner than for the matter and more for the Motives and Ends of it than for the Grounds of it that they opposed themselves to it and resented it For they acknowledged and remonstrated to himself the Truth of all these things upon which that Sentence and Execution of Justice was founded And when the unlawful Engagement was on foot to Rescue him they opposed it with all their might Shewing in their Answers to the Estates that Year 1648 and Declarations and Remonstrances the sinfulness and destructiveness of that Engagement that it was a breach of the Commandments of God and of all the Articles of the Covenant Declaring with all Iuly ult they would never consent to the King's Restitution to the exercise of his Power till security should be had By Solemn Oath under his Hand and Seal that he shall for himself and Successors give his assent to all Acts and Bills for enjoyning Presbyterial Government and never make opposition to it nor endeavour any change thereof July ult 1648. Sess. 21. By which it appears they were not so stupidly loyal as some would make them Yet there was too much of this Plague of the Kings-evil even among good Men For after the Death of Charles the First in the Year 1649. they began to think of joyning once more with the Malignants and taking into their Bosoms these Serpents which had formerly stung them to Death There was indeed at that time a Party faithful for God who considering the many Breaches of the Solemn League and Covenant and particularly by the late Engagement against England did so Travel that they procured the Covenant to be renewed with the Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties which was universally Subscribed and sworn through all the Land wherein also they regret this tampering with Malignants Whereupon they subdued their Adversaries at Sterling and in the North they did also give Warning concerning the Young King that notwithstanding of the Lords Hand against his Father yet he hearkens to the Councils of those who were Authors of these Miseries to his Father by which it hath coâ—e to pass that he hath hitherto refused to grant the just and necessary desires of the Church and Kingdom for securing of Religion and Liberty And it is much to be feared that these wicked Counsellors may so far prevail upon him as to engage him in a War for overturning the Work of God and bearing down all those in the three Kingdoms that adhere thereto Which if he shall do cannot but bring great Wrath from the Lord upon himself and Thâ—one and must be the cause of many new and great Miseries and Calamities to these Lands And whereas many would have admitted his Majesty to the Exercise of his Royal Power upon any Terms whatsoever the Assembly declares That in the League and Covenant the duty of defending and preserving the King is subordinate to the duty of preserving Religion and Liberty And therefore he standing in opposition to the publick desires of the People for their security it were a manifest breach of Covenant and a preferring the Kings Interest to the Interest of Iesus Christ to bring him to the Exercise of his Power And therefore if his Majesty or any having or pretending Power and Commission from him shall invade this Kingdom upon pretext of establishing him in the Exercise of his Royal Power as it will be an high Provocation against God to be accessary or assisting thereto so it will be a necessary Duty to resist and oppose the same July 27. 1649. Sess. 27. And when the bringing home of the King came to be voted in the Assembly there was one faithful Witness Mr. Adam Kae Minister in Gallaway protested against it But notwithstanding of these Convictions Warning yea and Discoveries of the Kings Malignancy They sent Commissioners and concluded a Treaty with him at Breda During which Treaty the Commissions which he had sent to Montrose and his Complices were brought to the Committee of Estates discovering what sort of King they were treating with Whereupon the Estates concluded to break off the Treaty and recal their Commissioners To which intent they sent an Express with Letters to Breda which falling into the hands of Libbertone was by him without the knowledge of the other Commissioners delivered unto the King Who then sound it his interest to dissemble And so sending for the Commissioners he made â— flattering Speech to them shewing that now after serious deliberation he was resolved to comply with all their Proposals Whereupon the Commissioners dispatch the Post back with Letters full of praise and joy for the satisfaction they had received The Estates being over-swayed more with respect to their own Credit which they thought should be impeached if they should retract their own Plenipotentiary Instructions to conclude the Treaty upon the Kings assent to their Conditions than to their reclamant Consciences they resolved to bring home the King Yet they thought to mend the matter by binding him with all Cords and putting him to all most explicite Engagements before he should receive the Imperial Crown Well upon these Terms home he comes And before he set his Foot on British Ground he takes the Covenant And the Commission of the General Assembly precluded his Admittance to the Crown if he should refuse the then required satisfaction before his Coronation by their Act at the West-Kirk Aug. 13. 1650. Which is this The Commission of the General Assembly considering that there may be just Ground of stumbling from the Kings Majesties refusing to subscribe and excite the Declaration offered to him by the Committee of Estates and the Commission of the General Assembly concerning his former Carriage and Resolutions for the future in Reference to the Cause of God and the Enemies and Friends thereof doth therefore declare That this Kirk and Kingdom doth not own or espouse any Malignant Party or Quarrel or Interest but that they fight meerly upon their former Grounds and Principles and in the defence of the Cause of God and of the Kingdom as they have done these twelve Years past And therefore as they disclaim all the Sin and Guilt of the King and of his House so they will not own him not his Interest otherwise than with a Subordination to God and so far as he owns and Prosecutes the Cause of God and disclaims his and his Fathers Opposition to the Work of God and to the Covenant and likewise all the Enemies thereofâ— And that they will with convenient speed take into Consideration the Papers lately sent unto them by Oliver Cromwell and vindicate themselves from all the falshoods contained therein especially in these things wherein the quarrel betwixt us and that Party is mis-stated as if we owned the late Kings Proceedings and were resolved to Prosecute and Maintain His Present Majesties Interest before and without
the Book of God and ordained all that brooked the Office to demit Simpliciter and to desist and cease from Preaching while they received de novo admission from the General Assembly under the Pain of Excommunication In pursuance whereof the Assemblies from that time until the Year 1681. did with much painfulness and faithfulness attend the work until by perfecting of the second Book of Discipline they compleated their work in the exact Model of Presbyterial Government Which was confirmed and covenanted to be kept inviolate in the National Covenant Subscribed that Year by the King his Court and Council and afterwards by all Ranks of People in the Land Whence it may be doubted whether the Impudence of the succeeding Prelates that denyed this or their Perjury in breaking of it be greater This was but the first brush A brisker Assault follows Wherein for the better establishment of Prelacy and not only Diocesan but also Erastian Prelacy might be set up the Earl of Arran and his wicked Complices move the King contrary both to the Word and Oath of God to usurp the Prerogative of Jesus Christ and assume to himself a Blasphemous Monster of Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil But this also the Faithful Servants of God did worthily and valiantly resist And at the very first appearance of it gave in a Grievance to the King Anno 1582. That he had taken upon him a Spiritual Power which properly belongs to Christ as only King and Head of the Church the Ministry and Execution whereof is only given to such as bear Office in the Ecclesiastical Government in the same So that in the King's Person some Men press to erect a new Popedome as though he would not be full King of this Common-wealth unless as well the Spiritual as Temporal Sword be put in his hand unless Christ be rest of his Authority and the two Iurisdictions confounded which God hath divided which directly tendeth to the Wrack of all true Religion Which being presented by the Commissioners of the General Assembly the Earl of Arran asked with a Frowning Countenance who dare Subscribe these Treasonable Articles Mr. Andrew Melvil answered we dare and will Subscribe and render our Lives in the Cause And afterward that same Assembly presented Articles shewing that seeing the Spiritual Iurisdiction of the Church is granted by Christ and given only to them that by Preaching Teaching and Overseeing bear Office within the same to be exercised not by the Injunctions of Men but by the only Rule of God's Word hereafter no other of whatsoever degree or under whatsoever pretence have any colour to ascribe or to take upon them any part thereof either in placing or displacing of Ministers without the Churches admission or in stopping the Mouths of Preachers or putting them to silence or take upon them the Iudgement of Tryal of Doctrine c. But in contempt and Contradiction to this and to Prosecute and Exert this new usurped Power Mr. Andrew Melvil was sommoned before the Secret Council for a Sermon of his applying his Doctrine to the Times Corruptions Whereupon he gave in his Declinature against them as incompetent Judges and told them They were too bold in a Constitute Christian Church to pass by the Pastors Prophets and Doctors and to take upon them to judge the Doctrine and to controul the Ambassadours of a greater than was there which they neither ought nor can do There are saith he loosing a little Hebrew Bible from his Girdle my Instructions and Warrant see if any of you can controul me that I have past my Injunctions For this he was decerned to be warded in the Castle of Edinburgh But he conveyed himself secretly out of the Countrey When as also a Convention in Faulkand was consulting to call home the Papist Lords Mr. Andrew Melvil went thither uncalled and when found fault with by the King for his Boldness he answered Sir I have a Call to come here from Christ and his Church who have special Interest in this Turn and against whom this Convention is Assembled directly I charge you and your Estates in the Name of Christ and his Church that ye favour not his Enemies whom he hateth nor go about to call home nor make Citizens of these c. And further challenged them of Treason against Christ his Church and Countrey in that purpose they were about About the same time in a private Conference with the King he called the King Gods silly Vassal and taking him by the Sleeve told him Sir I must tell you there are two Kings and two Kingdoms There is Christ and his Kingdom whose Subject King James the 6th is and of whose Kingdom he is not a King nor a Head nor a Lord but a Member And they whom Christ hath called to Watch over and Govern his Church have sufficient Authority and Power from him which no Christian King should controul but assist otherwise they are not Faithful Subjects to Christ. Sir when you were in your Swadling-Clouts Christ Reigned freely in this Land in spight of all his Enemies but now the Wisdom of your Council is Devilish and Pernicious c. To the like effect Mr. Robert Bruce in a Sermon upon Psal. 51. gives faithful warning of the Danger of the Times It is not we sayes he that are Partie in this Cause no the Quarrel is betwixt a greater Prince and them What are we but silly Men Yet it has pleased him to set us in this Office that we should oppone to the manifest Vsurpations that is made upon his Spiritual Kingdom Is there a more forcible means to draw down the Wrath of God than to let Barrabas that nobilitate Malefactour pass free and to begin the War against Christ and his Ministry It putteth on the Copestone that so many of our Brethren should not be so faithful as their calling and this Cause craveth Fie upon false Brethren to see them dumb so faint hearted when it comes to the Chock not only are they as ashamed to speak the thing they think which is a shame in a Pastor but speak directly against their former Doctrine They will speak the Truth a while till they be put at but incontinent they will turn and make their Gifts Weapons to fight against Christ c. Hereafter when the Parliament 1584. had Enacted this Supremacy and Submission to Prelacy to be Subscribed by all Ministers the faithful first directed Mr. David Lindsay to the King desiring that nothing be done in Parliament prejudicial to the Churches Liberty Who got the Prison of Blackness for his pains And then when they could not get access for shut doors to Protest before the Parliament yet when the Acts were Proclaimed at the Cross of Edinburgh they took publick Documents in name of the Church of Scotland tho' they were but two that they protested against the said Acts And fled to England leaving behind them Reasons that moved them to do
so And Mr Iames Melvil wrote against the Subscribers at that time proving That they had not only set up a new Pope and so become Traitours to Christ and condescended to that chief Error of Papistry whereupon all the rest depend but further in so doing they had granted more to the King than ever the Popes of Rome peaceably obtained c. After this it is known what bickerings the faithful Witnesses of Christ had in their Conflicts with this Supremacy upon the account of Mr. David Blacks Declinature which they both advised him to and approved when he gave it in against the King and Council as Judges of his Doctrine And the Commissioners of the General Assembly ordained all to deal mightily with the power of the Word against the Councils Excroachments For which they were charged to depart forth of Edinburgh After which he added a second Declinature Declaring There are two Iurisdictions in this Realm the one Spiritual the other Civil the one respecting the Conscience the other Externals Therefore in so far as he was one of the Spiritual Office-bearers and had discharged his Spiritual calling in some measure of Grace and Sincerity should not nor could not be Lawfully judged for Preaching and applying the Word by any Civil Power he being an Ambassadour and Messenger of the Lord Iesus having his Commission from the King of Kings and all his Instructions set down and limited in the Book of God that cannot be extended abridged or altered by any mortal Wight King or Emperor And seeing he was sent to all sorts his Commission and Discharge of it should not nor cannot be Lawfully judged by them to whom he was sent they being Sheep and not Pastours to be judged by the Word and not to be judges thereof in a judicial way The Interloquutor being past against him for this the Brethren thought it Duty that the Doctrine of the Preachers should be directed against the said Interloquutor as against a strong hold set up against the Lord Jesus and the freedom of the Gospel and Praised God for the Force and Unity of the Spirit that was among themselves And being charged to depart out of Town they leave a faithful Declaration at large shewing how the Liberties of the Church were invaded and robbed And when the Ministers were troubled upon Mr. Blacks business and there was an intention to pull them out of their Pulpits the General Assembly advised them to stand to the Discharge of their Calling if their Flocks would save them from Violence and yet this Violence was expected from the King and his Emissaries And when Mr. Black had a Remission offered to him refus'd it altogether lest so doing he should condemn himself and approve the Courts Proceedings And the Brethren conferring with the Counsellors craving that some penalty should be condescended unto for satisfying his Majesty in his Honour would not condescend to any how light soever lest thereby they should seem to approve the Judicatory and their proceeding The imprisoned Ministers for declining the Council had it in their offer that if they would without any confession of offence only submit themselves to his Majesty pro scandalo accepto non dato they should be restored to their places But they could not do it without betraying the Cause of Christ. The Ministers of Edinburgh were committed to Ward for refusing to pray for the Queen before her Execution in Fothringam Castle 1586. they refused not simply to pray for her but for the Preservation of her Life as if she had been innocent of the Crimes laid to her charge which had imported a Condemnation of the Proceedings against her Afterwards in the Year 1600. the Ministers of Edinburgh would not Praise God for the Delivery of the King from a Conspiracy of the Earl of Gowrie at that time of which they had no Credit nor assurance and would not crave Pardon for it neither For this Mr. Robert Bruce was deprived of the Exercise of his Ministry and never obtained it again at Edinburgh But all this was nothing in Comparison of their wrestlings for the Royalties of their Princely Master and Priviledges of his Kingdome against that Tyrants Insolencies after he obtained the Crown of England For then he would not suffer the Church to indict her own Assemblies And when the faithful thought themselves obliged to counteract his Encroachments and therefore convened in an Assembly at Aberdeen Anno 1605. they were forced to dissolve And thereafter the most eminent of the Ministers there Assembled were Transported Prisoners to Blackness Whence being cited before the Council they decline their Judicatory And one of their Brethren Mr. Robert Youngson who had formerly succumbed being mov'd in Conscience returned And when the rest were standing before the Council desired to be heard and acknowledged his Fault and Subscribed the Declinature with the rest And for this they were Arraigned and Condemned as Guilty of Treason and Banished Before the Execution of which Sentence Mr. Welsh wrote to the Lady Fleeming to this effect What am I that he should first have called me and then Constituted me a Minister of glad things of the Gospel of Salvation these fifteen Years already and now last of all to be a sufferer for his Cause and Kingdom To witness that good Confession that Iesus Christ is the King of Saints and that his Church is a most free Kingdom yea as free as any Kingdom under Heaven not only to Convocate Hold and keep her Meetings Conventions and Assemblies But also to judge of all her Affairs in all her Meetings and Conventions among his Members and Subjects These two points 1 That Christ is the Head of his Church 2 That she is free in her Government from all other Iurisdiction except Christ's are the special Cause of our Imprisonment being now convict as Traytors for maintaining thereof We have now been waiting with joyfulness to give the last Testimony of our Blood in Confirmation thereof If it would please our God to be so favourable as to Honour us with that Dignity After this the King resolving by Parliament to advance the Estate of Bishops again as in the time of Popery without Cautions as before and further to establish not only that Antichristian Hierarchy but an Erastian Supremacy The faithful Ministers of Christ thought themselves bound in Conscience to protest And accordingly they offered a faithful Protestation to the Parliament Iuly 1606. obtesting That they would reserve into the Lords own hands that Glory which he will communicate neither with Man nor Angel to wit to prescribe from his Holy Mountain a lively Pattern according to which his own Tabernacle should be formed Remembring always that there is no absolute and undoubted Authority in this World except the Soveraign Authority of Christ the King to whom it belongeth as properly to rule the Church according to the good Pleasure of his own Will as it belongeth to save his Church by the Merit of his own Sufferings
Rebellion against God that ever could be recorded in any Age or Generation Nay attended with greater and grosser Aggravations than ever any could be capable of before us who have had the greatest Priviledges that ever any Church had since the National Church of the Iews the greatest light the greatest effects of matchless magnified Love the greatest Convictions of Sin the greatest Resolutions and Solemn Engagements against it and the greatest Reformation from it that ever any had to abuse and affront O Heavens Be Astonished at this and Horribly afraid For Scotland hath changed her Glory and the Crown hath faln from off her Head by an unparallelled Apostacy a free and voluntary wilful and deliberate Apostacy an avowed and declared and authorized Apostacy a most universal and every way unprecedented Apostacy These Enemies of God having once got footing again with the favour and fawnings of the Foolish Nation went on fervently to further and promote their foolish Design And meeting with no opposition at first did encourage themselves to begin boldly Wherefore hearing of some Ministers peaceably Assembled to draw up a Monitory Letter to the King minding him of his Covenant Engagements and Promises which was tho' weak yet the first Witness and Warning against that Heaven-daring Wickedness then begun they Cruelly incarcerate them Having hereby much daunted the Ministry from their Duty in that day for fear of the like unusual and outragious usage The Parliament convenes Ian. 1. 1661. without so much as a Protestation for Religion and Liberty given in to them And there in the first place they frame and take the Oath of Supremacy Examtorating Christ and investing his usurping Enemy with the spoils of his robbed Prerogative acknowledging the King only Supreme Governour over all Persons and in all Causes and that his Power and Iurisdiction must not be declined Whereby under all Persons and Causes all Church-concerns of Christ are comprehended And if the King shall take upon him to judge their Doctrine Worship Discipline or Government he must not be declined as an Incompetent Judge Which laid the Foundation for all this Bable they have built since and of all this War that hath been waged against the Son of God and did introduce all this Tyranny and absolute Power which hath been since carried to its Complement and made the Kings Throne the Foundation of all the succeeding Perjury and Apostacy Yet tho' then our Synods and Presbyteries were not discharged but might have had access in some Concurrence to witness against this horrid Invasion upon Christs Prerogative and the Churches Priviledge no joinâ— Testimony was given against it except that some were found Witnessing against it in their Singular Capacity by themselves As faithful Mr. Iames Gushire who had been Honoured of God to be zealous and singularly faithful in carrying on the Work of Reformation and for declining this usurped Authority in prejudice of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus and asserting the Kingly Authority of Christ in opposition to the Erastian Supremacy encroaching thereupon suffered Death and got the Martyrs Crown upon his Head which being placed upon one of the Ports of Edinburgh Preacheth not only against the Enemies Rebellion against God but against the defection of many Ministers since who have Practically denyed that great Truth for which he suffered viz. His Testimony against the Supremacy and for declining the usurped Authority of him who Arrogated it And some others for refusing that Oath Arbiâ—rarily imposed were Banished or Confin'd At the same time there was a Proclamation which they caused to be Read at all the Church-Doors discharging Ministers to speak against them or their Proceedings whereby Prophane and Malicious Persons were encouraged to witness against their Ministers By which means tho' many were in no hazard thinking it commendable Prudence commended indeed by the World but hateful Unfaithfulness before God to be silent at such a time some faithful Ministers giving faithful and free warning and Protesting against the present Defection were condemned of Treason and Banished out of the three Dominions Others were Sentenced with Banishment and furder were compelled to Subscribe a Bond under pain of Death to remove out of all the Dominions betwixt that and such a day This was the Lot and also the Blot of these Famous and Faithful Ministers Mr. Iohn Eivingstoun Mâ— Robert Machward Mr. Iohn Brown c. who spent the rest of their days in Holland When they had gained this Bulwark of Christs Kingdom then they waxed more insolent and set up their Ensigns for Signs and broke down the Carved Work of Reformation with Axes and Hammers In this Parliament 1661. they pass'd an Act Rescissory whereby they annulled and declared void the National Covenant the Solemn League and Covenant Presbyterial Government and all Laws made in favour of the work of Reformation since the Year 1638. O horrid Wickedness To condemn and rescind what God did so signally Seal as his own Work to the Conviction of the World But O Holy and Astonishing Justice thus to Recompence our way upon our own Head to suffer this work and cause to be ruined under our unhappy hands who suffered this Destroyer to come in before it was so effectually secured as it should not have been in the power of his hand whatever had been in his Heart swelled with enmity against Christ to have raised and ruined that work as now he most wickedly did and drew so many in to the Guilt of the same deed that almost the whole Land not only consented unto it but Applauded it by approving and countenancing another wicked Act framed at the same time by that same perâ—idious Parliament for an Anniversary Thanksgiving commemorating every 29 th of May that Blasphemy against the Spirit and Work of God and celebrating thaâ— unhappy Restauration of the Rescinder of the Reformation which had not only the Concurrence of the Universality of the Nation but alas for shame that it should be told in Gath c. even of some Ministers who afterwards accepted the Indulgence one of which a Pillar among them was seen scandalously dancing about the Bonfires And others who should have allarmed the whole Nation Quasi pro Aris Focis to rise for Religion and Liberty to resist such Wickedness did wink at it Yet albeit neither in this day when the Covenant was not only broken but Cassed and declared of no Obligation nor afterward when it was Burnt for which Turks and Pagans would have been ashamed and afraid at such a terrible sight and for which the Lords Anger is burning against these bold Burners and against them who suffered it and did not witness against it was there any publick Testimony by Protestation or Remonstrance or any publick Witness Tho' the Lord had some then and some who came out afterwards with the Trumpet at their Mouth whose Heart then sorrowed at the sight And some suffered for the Sense they shewed of that Anniversary Abomination for not keeping which
retreating from the pursuit they judged it most safe in that extremity for some time not to separate Which resolution coming abroad to the Ears of others of their Brethren determined them incontinently to come to their assistance considering their own liableness to the same common danger upon the account of their endeavours of that nature to defend themselves bâ—ing of the same judgment for maintaining of the same Cause to which they were bound by the same Covenants This was the Rise and Occasion of that appearance at Bothwel-Bridge which the Lord did in his Holy Soveraignty confound for former Defections by the means of Division which broke that little Army among themselves before they were broken by the Enemy They continued together in amiable and amicable Peace for the space of 8 or 9 days while they endeavoured to put out and keep out every wicked thing from amongst them and adhered to the Rutherglen Testimony and that short Declaration at Glascow confirming it Representing their present Purposes and Endeavours were only in vindication and defence of the Reformed Religion as they stood obliged thereto by the National and Solemn League and Covenant and the Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties declaring against Popery Prelacy Erastianism and all things depending thereupon Intending hereby to comprehend the Defection of the Indulgence to witness against which all unanimously agreed Until the Army encreasing the Defenders and Daubers of that Defection some Ministers and others came in who broke all The occasion of the Breach was first when an Overture was offered to set times apart for Humiliation for the Publick Sins of the Land and accordingly the complying with abjured Erastianism by the acceptance of the ensnaring Indulgence was condescended upon among the rest of the grounds of Fasting and Humiliation The Sticklers for the Indulgence refused the Overture upon Politick Considerations for fear of offending the Indulged Ministers and Gentlemen and provoking them to withdraw their Assistance And next whereas the Cause was stated before according to the Covenants in the Rutherglen Testimony and Glascow Declaration wherein the King's Interest was waved These Dividers drew up another large Paper called the Hamiltown Declaration wherein they assert the Kings Interest according to the Third Article of the Solemn League and Covenant Against which the best affected contended and protested they could not in Conscience put in his interest into the state of the quarrel being now in stated opposition to Christ's Interests and inconsistent with the meaning of the Covenant and the Practices of the Covenanters and their own Testimonies while now he could not be declared for as being in the defence of Religion and Liberty when he had so palpably overturned and ruined the work of Reformation and oppressed such as adhered thereunto and had burnt the Covenant c. Whereby he had loosed the People from all obligation to him from it Yet that contrary Faction prevailed so far as to get it published in the name of all whereby the Cause was perverted and betrayed And so in the Holy All-over-ruling Providence of God that poor handful was signally discountenanced of God deprived of all Conduct divested of all Protection and laid open to the Raging Sword the just punishment of all such tamperings with the Enemies of God and espousing their Interest About 300 were killed in the Fields and 1000 and upwards taken Prisoners stripped and carried to Edinburgh and there sentenced with Banishment and sent away for America and by the way a few excepted perished in Shipwreck and two faithful and painful Ministers and Witnesses of Christ Mr. Iohn Kidd and Mr. Iohn King received the Crown of Martyrdom sealing their Testimony with their Blood and many others after them for the same Cause After this fearful and fatal stroak at Bothwell the Universality of the Children of the Church of Scotland which before espoused her Testimony was partly drawn by Craft and partly by Cruelty from a Conjunction with their Brethren in prosecuting the same either into an open defection to the contrary side or into a detestable indifferency and neutrality in the Cause of God For first of all the Duke of Monmouth procured the emission of a pretended Indemnity attended with a Bond of Peace for its Companion wherein that Insurrection was acknowledged to be Rebellion and ane Obligation never to rise in Arms against the King or any Commissionate by him and to live peaceably c. Which were dreadful Snars fairded over with curious words and cozening names of living peaceably c. This course of defection carried away many at that time And from that time since the taking that Bond of peaceable living there hath been an Universal preferring of Peace to Truth and Ease to Duty And the Generality have been left to swallow all Oaths and Bonds imposed since many Ministers refusing to give their advice when required and requested thereunto and some not being ashamed to perswade the People to take them But then they not only raised more Forces to exhaust the strength and substance of the already wasted Country and laid on and continued from one Term to another that wicked Exaction and cruel Oppression of the Cess for the same declared ends of suppressing and banishing what remained of the Gospel and imposed Localites for maintaining the Souldiers imployed in those Designs for refusing which many Families were Pillaged Plundered and quite Impoverished besides the beating and abusing them But also they went on unweariedly with pressing the Bonds of Peace and dragging them like Dogs to the Prisons that would not subscribe them and for taking up in their Porteous Rolls the Names of all that were suspected to have been at Bothwell Insurrection which they gathered by the Informations of Sycophants and reputed them Convict if being summoned they did not appear and forced others to Swear Super Inquirendis and delate upon Oath whom they did either see or heard that they were in Arms or went to Meetings and such as refused suffered Bonds of Banishment Yea having made it Criminal to reset harbour correspond or converse with those whom they declared Rebels they thereupon imprisoned fined and ruined vast numbers for having seen or spoken with some of them or because they did not discover or apprehend them when they fancied they might for which many Gentlemen and others were Indicted and imprisoned and some Arraigned and Condemned to Death For these Causes the Country was Harrassed and destroyed by four extraordinary Circuit Courts successively going about with their numerous Train whereby many were grievously oppressed and with their Oppressions tempted with many Impositions of Conscience-debauching Oaths and Bonds to compear when called and to keep the Church and to refrain from going to Meetings c. and by these tentations involved in Complyances and Defections And not only were they Condemned to Death for being actually in Arms or any overt Act of Transgressing their wicked Laws but even for their extorted
Watch-Tower are laid aside from all opposition to the invasions of the Enemy and lulled asleep by this bewitching Charm and intoxicating Opium Ministers and Professours are generally settling on their Lees and languishing in a fatal security Considering the Extent of it they cannot class themselves among the number of them that are Indulged thereby Whereby the Professours of Christ come in as Partners in the same Bargain with Antichrists Vassals and the Lords Ark hath a place with Dagon and its Priests and Followers consent to it and the Builders of Babel and Ierusalem are made to build together under the same Protection and a Sluce is opened to let the Enemy come in like a Flood which to oppose the Accepters cannot stand in a Gap nor lift up a Standard against them All which is contrary to the Confession of Faith Ch. 20. § 4. And therefore to accept of this Toleration is inconsistent with the Principles of the Church of Scotland with the National and Solemn League and Covenant and Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties in all which we are bound to extirpate Popery With the whole Tract of Contendings between the years 1638 and 1660. and particularly by the Testimony of the Synod of Fife and other Brethren in the Ministry against Cromwels vast Toleration and Liberty of Conscience above related For it is plain if it be not to be suffered then it is not to be accepted Considering the Terms wherein it is offered they cannot make such a shameful bargain For by it the Matter of Preaching is so restricted and limited that nothing must be Preached or Taught which may any way tend to alienate the Hearts of the People from him or his Government Here is a Price at which they are to purchase their Freedom which yet hardly can be so exactly paid but he may find a pretence for retrenching it when he pleases For if a Minister shall Preach against the Kings Religion as Idolatry and the Church of Rome as Babylon c. This shall be interpreted to be an alienation of the Peoples Hearts from the King and his Government But who can be faithful and Preach in Season and out of Season now but he must think it his Duty to endeavour thus to alienate the Hearts of the People Sure if any Preach the whole Counsel of God he must Preach against Popery And if he think that this Indulgence granted and accepted on these Terms can supersede him from this Faithfulness then he is no more the Servant of Christ but a pleaser of Men. Considering the Scandal of it they dare not so offend the Generation of the Righteous by the Acceptance and dishonour God disgrace the Protestant Profession wrong the Interest thereof and betray their Native-Country as thus to comply with the design of Antichrist And it cannot but be very stumbling to see the Ministers of Scotland whose Testimony used to be terrible to the Popish and renowned through all the Protestant-Churches purchasing a Liberty to themselves at the rate of burying and betraying the Cause into Bondage and restraint and thus to be laid by from all active and open opposition to Antichrists Designs in such a Season The World will be tempted to think they are not governed by Principles but their own Interest in this Juncture seeking their own things more than the things of Christ And that it was not the late Usurpation upon and overturning of Religion and Liberty that offended them so much as the Persecution they sustained thereby but that if Arbitrary Power had been exerted in their favours tho' with the same prejudice of the Cause of Christ they would have complyed with it as they do now Alas Sad and dolorous have been the Scandals given and taken by and from the Declining Ministers of Scotland heretofore but none so stumbling as this Lastly considering the Addresses made thereupon with such a strain of fulsom and Blasphemous Flatteries to the dishonour of God the reproach of the Cause the betraying of the Church and detriment oâ— the Nation and exposing themselves to the Contempt of all the poor Persecuted Party dare not so much as seem to incorporate with them I shall set down the first of their Addresses and let the Reader judge whether there be not Cause of standing also off from every appearance of being of their number It is Dated at Edinburgh Iuly 21 1687. Of this Tenor. To the King 's most Excellent Majesty The Humble Address of the Presyterian Ministers of his Majesties Kingdom of Scotland WE Your Majesties most Loyal Subjects the Ministers of the Presbyterian Perswasion in your Ancient Kingdom of Scotland from the due Sense we have of Your Majesties Gracious and surprising favour in not only putting a stop to our long sad Sufferings for Non-Conformity but granting the Liberty of the Publick and Peaceable Exercise of our Ministerial Function without any hazard As we bless the Great God who hath put this in your Royal Heart we do withal find our selves bound in Duty to offer our most Humble and Hearty thanks to Your Sacred Majesty the Favour bestowed being to us and all the People of our Perswasion valuable above all our Earthly comfort especially since we have ground from Your Majesty to believe that our Loyalty is not to be questioned upon the account of our being Presbyterians who as we have amidst all former tentations endeavoured so we are firmly resolved still to preserve an entire Loyalty in our Doctrin and Practice consonant to our known Principles which according to the Holy Scriptures are contained in the Confession of Faith generally owned by Presbyterians in all Your Majesties Dominions and by the help of God so to demean our selves as Your Majesty may find Cause rather to enlarge than diminish your Favours towards us throughly perswading our selves from Your Majesties Iustice and Goodness that if we shall at any time be otherwise represented Your Majesty will not give credit to such Information until you have due cognition thereof And Humbly beseeching that those who promote any Disloyal Principles and Practices as we disown them may be looked upon as none of ours whatsoever name they assume to themselves May it please Your most Excellent Majesty Gracioâ—sly to accept of this ouâ— most Humble Address as proceeding from the plainness and sincerity of Loyal and Thankful Hearts much engaged by Your Royal Favour to continue our Fervent Prayers to the King of King's for Divine Illumination and Conduct with all other Blessings Spiritual and Temporal ever to attend Your Royal Person and Government which is the greatest Duty can be rendred to Your Majesty by Your Majesties most Humble most Faithful and most Obedient Subjects Subscribed in our Names and in the Name of the rest of our Brethren of our Perswasion at theiâ— Desire The King's Letter to the Presbyterians in his Ancient Kingdom of Scotland WE Love you well and we heartily thank you for your Address We resolve to protect you