COVENANTS made in His Name though they bee but with men Verilie our hearts do tremble to think and all People in this Land haue cause to mourn before the LORD that any haue been found amongâ—t vs who haue alreadie fallen into such abhominable and fearfull defection contrarie to so Solemn Vowes Especially having so clear and wel grounded Testimonies and Warnings tymously given them both by State and Kirk to avoyd such Courses These that hitherto haue been preserved from such falling would be the more watchfull over their hearts and take heed lest they fall and be not high mynded but fear Wee do not think it necessary to insiâ—t in guarding the mynds of People agaynst the Snare of that Argument Which the Enemies take from the great success and series of providences wherewith their undertakings and course have been followed whereby they would dazle the eyes of the Ignorant and Simple this being aboundantlie dashed in former Papers and even of it self evidently absurd the Word of GOD being so clear for this and experiences in all Generations yeelding so manyfold examples thereof That often tymes in the LORDS Holy Providence wicked men in most wicked courses even agaynst GODS own People may haue much prosperitie for a tyme for the tryall and humbling of his own and the greater judgement vpon their Enemies when they haue filled vp the measure of their iniquitie Providences are not our Rules whereby to judge of the justice or injustice of a course But the Law and the Testimonie if they speak not according to this Word there is no light in them what-so-ever bee the successes of men But wee shall exhort every one and it will bee their wisdom to watch agaynst and to hee aware of the Snares of such as by subtile suggestions and whisperings labour to alienate the hearts and affections of People from these that are in publick trust in State and Kirk and to render all their Resolutions for the publick safetie suspitious and odious the hearkening where unto is indeed a step vnto Defection and may readily leade on to down right complyance with the Enemie In the next place Wee earnestly desyre all People to consider That it is not enough for them in these tymes Not to joyne or act with or for these Enemies But that they ought also according to the utter most of their power to act and improve them selves agaynst them And therefore wee do exhort every one in the Fear of GOD to giue all loyall and heartie obedience unto such necessary and lawfull Orders and Commands as are or shall be emitted by the Civill Authoritie in reference to acting agaynst the sayd Enemie If ever there was People in the world who had cause to bee a willing People to this and to bestir them selves with all their power to oppose and defend them selves agaynst an Enemie Wee certaynlie the People of this Land at this day haue cause to do so agaynst this present Enemie Whether wee consider the Enemies what they are and what is the cause of their Invading and Persecuting vs Or whether wee consider our Concernments that are in hazard of their Designs and Crueltie Or whether wee consider the Bands and Obligations whereby wee are tyed before GOD and the World to mayntayn and defend the same For the first Wee shall not need to adde any new thing to that which was holden foorth by the COMMITTIE of ESSTATES in their answer to the declaration of the pretended Parliament of England and the declaration of that armie when they first entred into this Land we shall only desire that what was said there may be now called to minde and reviewed Pag. 17.18 For the second we shall desire all ingenuous honest and godlie hearts to consider these things 1 How many of our deare brethren flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone are slain with the sword innocentlie and without cause and how manie carried into Captivitie and therein sterved with hunger or cold sent away as slaves 2. A great part of our Land subdued and lying under their feete and the LORDS people our brethren there oppressed spoyled inslaved in their bodies endangered in their soules which lye open to the poyson of their pernicious errours being destitute of the ordinances of GOD and their Ministers who might informe comfort and strengthen their hearts in the LORD whose distressed condition and sadd afflictions crye to us for help and relieff and crye to Heaven agaynst us if we shall lye by for that woe which is pronounced agaynst these that are at case in SION and remember not the affliction of Ioseph 3. What these are alreadie suffering that the same is threatned agaynst the rest of the Land and cannot be avoyded if we shall not tymouslie ryse up and seeking the LORDS help and assistance faythfullie and actively make use of that power which GOD hath mercifully in His providence left yet in our hand agaynst their violence 4. Is anie thing lesse intended and persued by these men then the destruction of our King now in Covenant with GOD and his people the utter overturning of our governement under which we have lived subsisted for so many generations and the enthralling us and this ancient Kingdom in bondage and slaverie unto them as without all which they conceive they cannot promise securitie to them selves in their violent and wicked unparallelled usurpations at home in their native countrey 5. Is not Religion also and the cause of IESUS CHRIST which ought to be deare and more precious unto us nor any thing or interest worldlie under heaven and for defence of which our lyves ought not to be deare to us in danger of utter subversion and ruine by these mens crueltie and impietie What they have done in their owne countrey in the matters of Religion by continuall obstructing the work of reformation by crafetie under myninges whill it was carrying on and then at last breaking it in peices when they had gotten power in their hands by avowing all sorts of impious and blasphemous errours and setting up ane abhominable toleration thereof and now at last of poperie by oppressing persecuteing and casting out honest and faithfull Ministers of CHRIST for preaching and speaking against their errours injustice and usurpation refusing to approve their usurped power Is now so manifest befor the world that none can be ignorant thereof And albeit in their invadeing of us they pretend only to be acting civill matters as they say their libertie safetie yet certainely because they cannot promise themselfs securitie in their errours confusions and impieties in England so long as Religion stands inteer in this kingdome especiallie so long as presbyteriall governement which is the hedge of trueth and a terrour to heresies and Hereticks is keiped up and our religious League and Covenant which binds to the maintainance of Religion is avowed by any of these nations their crueltie and violence will have no rest if they gett way untill they have
over-whelmed us with the same confusions in Religion which they have effectuated on the neighbour kingdome and when Religion is overthrowne and destroyed these kingdomes which GOD avert and we hope he shall for his own glorie and Names sake is it not endangered in all Orthodox protestant kirks abroad round about us Who this day are looking at the standing or falling of it in these kingdomes as the apparent means of the standing or falling of it amongst themselfs also By this brief narration may be seen that which we doubt not but every sensible man doeth see by him self That what so ever can be deare and precious to any people in the world are all to us now lying at the stake and that therefore every one amongst us as we would not render our selves reproachfull to all nations round about us and willinglie involve our selves in the greatest miseries that a people can be brought unto ought to take their lyfe in their hand and according to their stations places and power to be forth-coming to the defence of these things against vnjust violence And now in the third place Let every one of us adde to these things the consideration of the bonds and obligations that lye vpon us to this duetie by the Law of GOD the law of nature our Nationall Covenant and Solemne League and Covenant and the paines therein contained whereunto we have devoted our selves if we shall desert or faill in performing that duetie and we think every sensible heart may tremble to intertayne any thought of lying back from or slacking in the duetie being called thereunto by lawfull authoritie We doubt not but sundrie things may be and are alreadie suggested to the people of GOD in this Land to weaken their hands and to discowrage their hearts in doing their duetie and to obstruct necessary raising and levying of forces at this tyme against which we-desyre all in the feare of GOD to arme and guarde them selves that they hearken not thereunto as they would not bring upon them selves the guilt of al that the Land hath already suffered all that it may yet suffer in Religion Liberties Governement the lyves and estates of people from that enemie if they be not with-stood Certainlie we know nothing which ought to move any to lye back or to slacken their hands in any wyse As to what is suggested by some for treating with the enemie rather than hazard the effusion of more blood wee confesse that blood especially the blood of GODS People should be very precious and rather than the effusion of it be hazarded very much damnage in our matters should be sustained and borne with yea much in outward things quitt and renounced And we confesse that we should seeke peace with all men as farre as is possible and follow after it And if there might be a Treatie with these enemies even after all the wrongs they have done in this Land without wronging Religion in these kingdomes united in Covenant for mutuall defence and maintainance of Religion without making our selves accessorie to all the violence done by them against Religion and Governement in England without falsifying our vowes made to GOD our Declarations and Treaties made and emitted before the world to maintain the Kings person just right and authoritie by all lawfull and necessarie means according to the Covenant In a word without quyting the Covenant and running into the same guiltinesse of perfidiousnesse and perjurie that they haue runne into we should not be against it but we leave it unto all honest and judicious hearts to think if that can be But the maine and principall thing which we perceave may be represented vnto and may breed scruple in the myndes of honest people in the Land as to acting at this tyme in the way and course agreed upon and appointed in the publict resolutions is Because of the admission of such to act against the enemie as have been formerlie excluded For removing this scruple from the myndes of these that are honest and godlie who we acknowledge ought to be had in tender respect we doe desyre first That the course resolved upon and the necessitie requyring the same may be looked upon and seriouslie considered The resolution is this That all sensible persons be raised and permitted to act against the publict enemie for defence of the kingdome excepting such as are excommunicated or forefaulted or knoweâ—â—â—e profane and flagitious or have been from the beginning or continue still or are at this present tyme obstinate enemies to the Cause and Covenant And provyding that no person get such power put into their hands as may be prejudiciall to the Cause of GOD The necessitie of this course is so great and evident that no man can but see it Considering the necessarie duetie of just defence against an enemie intending by violence to destroy our Liberties and Governement and to force us to quyte and renounce our Covenant sworne to the most High GOD And considering That our former forces being ruined a great part of the kingdome being absolutelie under the power of the enemie It is not possible to rayse a competent power in warrantable prudence to oppose the enemie unlesse there by a more generall calling footth of people in parts that are yet free then have been before Now the case being thus can the calling of such as are subjects of the kingdome limited with such exceptions and provisions be a sinfull course or sould any truelie godlie and honest subjects withdraw their necessarie concurrence for the just defence of the kingdome For first It hath been through all generations and is the universall uncontroverted practise of all Christian kingdomes and States approved by the judgement of the soundest Protestant Divynes in case of just and necessarie defence against forraigne invasion to imploy all such as are acknowledged subjects and citizens in such a way as is not evidentlie destructive to Religion and particularlie the practise of our owne first reformers of this Kirk who did receive and admitt unto communion of Counsells and acting against the Queene Regent and her faction of Frenches and others sundrie of the subjects who had been before upon her part opposing the Professours of the true Religion then called the Congregation when as they came to acknowledge the errour of their former course and were willing to joyne with the Congregation in the Cause of GOD. Secondlie As the law of nature doeth bynd and obliedge every one that is a member of the politick bodie of a kingdome or State to endevour to the uttermost of their power the preservation of the whole and of the fellow members in a just quarrell and cause against unjust violence which if they refuse to doe they are guiltie of murther and treacherie agaynst the Common-wealth So this same law of nature alloweth the bodie and layeth an obligation upon such as are Rulers to call for the help and assistance of every member as necessitie requyreth for defence and
provocation to put trust and confidence in multitudes or in the strength of meanes so also it is a great sinne to be misbelieving when GOD in His Providence redacteth us to scarcetie of secundarie meanes yet this is no ground for us to neglect the use of lawfull necessarie and competent meanes when GOD doeth afford them such as He hath left blessed be His Name to us in this Land yet in some measure But how a competent meanes can be had no man of understanding can see without such a calling foorth of the people in these parts of the Land that are yet free from the oppression of the enemie as is held foorth in the publick resolution which course being not sinfull in it selfe and being necessarie in the present case and condition of the kingdome if anie shall stumble thereat the scandal is not GIVEN but taken And if they doe refuse to concurre therein according to the duetie whereunto they are bound by the law of nature and the Covenant they cannot but highlie sinne agaynst GOD Yea suppose the civill Magistrate should imploy some instruments for defence of the Land whom they ought not to employ which we hope they will not doe and if they should we would not fayle to testifie agaynst them yet this will be no just ground nor give warrand to any godly in the Land to desert or lye back from performance of that necessarie duetie which they owe to their native countrey in a just cause but their part were to goe about this with all diligence mourning for the sinne of the Magistrate Therefore we doe againe in the Name of the LORD informe and exhort all the people of GOD in this Kirk and kingdome that in obedience to the lawfull command of Civill Authoritie they shall readilie honestlie and chearfullie goe about all the dueties that relate to our owne just defence That none in such an exigent either through base mynding their owne ease and personall safetie more than the publick safetie of the Land and Cause of GOD lye aback or by the suggestions or whisperings of any slandering the publick resolution of Kirk and State obstruct or retarde the present necessarie Levies for the Defence of the kingdome and Cause or suffer them selves to be hindered from their duetie But that everie one in his station lay out him selfe to the outmost and neither spare his person nor paines nor meanes for the acquyting of him selfe and encowraging of others Our cause is righteous what-so-ever it hath pleased the LORD in His Holie Iust and Wyse Providence to bring upon us for our sinnes agaynst His MAJESTIE especiallie our great misprysing and contempt of the glorious Gospell and of His Sonne IESUS CHRIST We stand for the Defence of our Religion Lyves Liberties Families Estates Countrey Governement our lawfull King and his just Authority in the Defence of Religion and everie thing that is or can be deare vnto anie people all which are in hazard to be destroyed and ruined by our wicked and perfidious enemies if so be we shall not in the LORDS Strength activelie bestirre our selves for our just Defence And now also the sadd and desolate condition of the Citie of our solemnities and the oppressions of all our deare Brethren under the feete of the enemie cry alowd to us who are bound by nature and Covenant to account the injuries done to them as if they were done to our selves who knoweth but the LORD who heretofore hath not gone out with our Armies agaynst this enemie will now returne and haue mercie on His people and show foorth His displeasure agaynst these who are helping forward the affliction Certaynlie the measure of their iniquitie is filling up and their feete shall slyde in due tyme for the day of vengeance is in the LORDS heart and the yeare of recompense for Zions contraversie He will not alwayes contend nor be angrie for ever with His people nor suffer the rod of the wicked to rest upon their lot lest they put foorth their hands to wickednesse Let us aryse and doe our duetie trusting IN HIS NAME and believing the words of His Prophets And that our sinnes may not stand up to separate betwixt us and our GOD let all of us King Nobles Pastours and people of all rankes labour more seriouslie and sincerelie to search out our provocations agaynst GOD and to be more deeplie humbled for the same to apply the LORD IESUS by fayth for our peace and reconciliation with GOD and to powre out our soules before Him that He may haue mercie vpon us through IESUS CHRIST and save us for His owne Names sake AMEN Perth 14 December 1650. Act for censuring such as act or comply with the Sectarian Armie now infesting this Kingdome THE Commission of the Generall Assemblie considering how greevous sinne agaynst GOD and scandall to Religion it were for anie of this Kirk and kingdome to joyne or comply with the Sectarian enemie who having most injustlie and perfidiouslie invaded this kingdome have shed so much of the blood of GODS people are destroying the Land and are so wicked enemies to the Trueth of GOD and work of Reformation And having heard that some alreadie have fallen into these sinnes Therefore the Commission for removing so greevous scandall Ordayne that all such as have or shall joyne in Armes or counsell with the foresayd enemie upon the cleare notice and evidence thereof shall be excommunicate and all such as shall be found to have procured protections from the sayd enemie execute anie orders from them or given them intelligence or have spoken favourablie of them and to the advantage of their cause And all such as shall be found in anie other way to comply with them shall be censured according to the degrees of their compliance as others have been censured who have complyed with other enemies of the Covenant and Cause of GOD and the Peace of this Kirk and kingdome And to the effect all persones may be warned to guard and keepe themselves from being misled or carried away by anie inducement or tentation into such course It is appoynted that this Act be read publicklie in all the Congregations of this Kirk A. Ker.