that professed Reformed Protestants should stand in so litle aw of a solemn Oath and Name of the great and living God But I exhort and obtest you all that so much the more as others have made void His Covenant you would esteem it the more precious and closely follow the Reformation vowed in every Article thereof upon all occasions given you of the Lord And that you abhor detest and refuse any engagement whatsoever that may wrong your Oath in the Covenant directly or indirectly as ye would escape the wrath of God that is coming on such breaking of Covenant but rather choise the greatest extremity of affliction then the least sin of this sort as Moses did who refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter but chused rather to suffer reproach for Christ And be not afraid of suffering for Christ as though it were an evill thing neither scar ye at His cross for the Lord Himself saith My yoke is easy and My burthen light Yea it is lighter to us then to many that stand by Believe Faith maketh all burthens light to the believing Sufferer And now I beseech you believers in Christ abide in Him and bring forth fruit unto Holiness and study tenderness in all manner of conversation and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord And let not this profane and mocking Generation have any thing to reproach you with but that whereof you would not be ashamed that when you suffer ye may not suffer as evill doers that whereas they speak evill of you they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ It is not knowledge nor a bare Profession that glorifieth God but Tenderness Holiness and Righteousness that do commend Religion and His Cause to all men and shall convince your Adversaries of their Wickedness in wronging you and make them the more inexcusable in that day when they shall be judged Yea what know ye but ye may win others by your tender and good conversation I recommend to you that ye would be much and fervent in the use of that precious duty of Prayer wherein most near Communion with God upon earth is to be found Be much in prayer with and for others Forsake not the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is I wish they may see the evill of it who neglect it but exhort one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching Earnestness and diligence will hasten the Lord's coming with relief unto you and to the Lords born-down Work and your slackness in this may make the wheels of His chariot to move the more slowly For the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much with God It will do more then Armies of men and weapons of War for your defence and deliverance I beseech you also my dear Friends that you acquaint yourselves with the Word of God in the Holy Scripture that ye may have acquaintance with Jesus Christ who is clearly set forth therein that ye may know Him in His excellency and come to love and believe in Him whom ye know that ye may be acquainted with His revealed will therein and may know what is truth and cleave fast thereto from a sure persuasion that it hath the warrant of His Word and may be guarded against every error of the wicked and that ye may fully know what is good and what is evill And that ye may suffer with confidence when ye are brought forth thereto as I am Finally my dear Friends be ye perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you JOHN WODROW The Copy of JOHN WODROW His Letter to His Wife dated Decemb 22. 1666. which was the Day on which He suffered My Heart REverence the good Providence of the Lord our God who can do nothing wrong For whatsoever He doth is well-done and my Soul faith Amen I had not a will of my own my Heart since that day wherein Yow and I parted My Lord and my God captivated it brought it to a submission unto His will I bless Him for evermore for it that I was never left to my own will Praise O praise Him all ye living And O thou my soul praise the Lord for it I bless the Lord for evermore that ever He visited my Fathers Family that ever He condescended to come unto my Fathers Family and to give a visit to the like of me He visited me there and set his Love upon me and hath chosen me for this very end to be a witness for his covenanted Reformation For this my Soul is glad and my Glory rejoyceth for this Honour wherewith He hath honoured me And that though I be condemned to die by men on earth yet am I justifyed of God through the blood of my Saviour Jesus Christ who standeth in our nature in Heaven and hath made me free through his imputed Righteousness made over unto me in which I stand for ever And within a few hours I shall see Him in peace as I am seen of Him and behold and wonder and wonder behold for evermore even that most glorious excellency which is in Him All that which is spoken of Him is but litle O my Heart my dear Love come and see I beseech yow I thought I had known something of my dearest Lord before that I had some love from and to Him before But never was it so with me as it hath been with me since I came within the doors of this Prison many a precious visit hath his gracious Majesty given unto me He is without all comparison O love love Him 0 come to Him O taste and see and that shall resolve the question best The thing I suffer for is the Covenanted Reformation I bless God and all that is within me doth bless and magnify His Holy Name for this tnat Scotland did ever enter into a Covenant with the Lord into a sworn Covenant with the hand lifted up to the Lord And I have now sworn and renued this Covenant again for my self you and my four Children in all the parts and points thereof And I pray God help you to abide in the Covenant for ever And now I give you and my four Children unto the Lord and commit you ro Him as your Covenanted God and Husband my Childrens Covenanted Father I say no more but either study to be indeed a sincere Christian a seeker of His face in sincerity or else you will be nothing at all I recommend you and your young-ones to Him who is God All-sufficient and aboundeth in Mercy and Love to them that Love Him and keep his Covenant The blessing of the Covenant be upon you so fare you well So saith Your loving and dying Husband JOHN WODROW The Testimony of RALPH SHIELDS An English-man who died in Edinburgh Decemb. 22. 1666. My Friends I Am come here to die and I thank God it
answere for itself if according to the Patience Learning Justice of many thow do not Refute and condemn before thow know it or brandish big words as he who upon a Coronation-day offereth duell to all who question the Kings Right when he knoweth that for Major Vis none dare appear in the contrary But in the passing take a word of the National Covenant the Solemn League and Covenant and Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement unto Duties that at one view thow may'st see Scotlands Engagements and Breaches the Faithfulness of many flood of Sin and Suffering that hath overflowed the Land Here is the Terminus a Quo and ad Quem of our Backsliding whereof though the most skilled Artist cannot pourtray to the life the whole body the form is so monstruous Complexion so strange he may well darkly represent some Lineaments of fingers and toes that the reader may know Ex ungue leonâ—m yet the Author hath nervously asserted the Truth and drawn matters of Fact with such True Collours that he can only be accused for a Picture fairer then the live-face of many Persons Actions To winde up all be not discouraged upon the one hand nor insult upon the other by the Death of many Mighty men of God Co-workers and Eye witnesses of his Work within these few years past and the stripling-stature of many survivers who have not attained unto the dayes of the years of the life of their Fathers and being but of yesterday can know little of the Lords ancient kindness to the Land except what thâ—ir Fathers have told them For as he hath reserved a numerous remnant of Holy Learned and Faithful men a rich cluster wherein there is a blessing and we have reason to bless Him who gave not our Church dry breasts a miscarrying womb so he can make the barren bear seven become a Joyful mother of many Children and as he hath work for them will raise up both Shepherds and Principal men It is true alas there is grown up a most degenerat Off-spring of all Qualities some whereof and not the meanest being as profane as Machiavel who teacheth Rulers to keep promise and Oath no longer then with pretended advantage they can break and that it is a prejudice to be Really Religious but not so honest as He who notwithstanding affirmeth a Necessity of Seeming to be Religious which they are not accompt no man to be a Man who by Whoring Swearing Drinking Spending all or more then they have do not class themselves into their new Profane Orders become as Cartesian in their Religion by Atheistical doubtings disputings about God the Holy Scripturs Heaven Hell c. as others are in their Philosophy But here is an Advantage that by Discovery and distinguishing betwixt the precious and the vile the Lord hath made this Defection contribut more to the Facility as well as Necessity of a future Purgation of the Church then all her Judicatures could ever effectuat without it And further as he hath frustrated many chief Authors and Promotters thereof of their Hopes and Designs and called Nobles Prelats and others to an accompt before they well tasted the expected sweetness or were warm in their Places or Promotions So though Herod Pilat may aggrie against the Innocent yet where men are like Samsons foxes only tied together by the tail of common Corrupt Principles whilst their heads of Self Interest and designs look different wayes what such a Position Conjunction and Aspect prognosticateth let Scripture Reason and Experience be consulted and they will tell Let us not in the meantime mistake Gods Work Wayes Doings nor Intentions neither be envyous at evil doers nor yet be Curious nor Anxious about futuritions much less limit the Holy one to Means Method or Time but bear the Indignation of the Lord because we have sinned till he plead our cause waiting upon him who is a God of Judgment and waiteth that he may be gracious and in patience possess our souls for though we do not he knoweth his own thoughts toward us it may be they are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give an expected end and that when he hath ripen'd Deliverance he will bring us forth to the Light we shall behold his Righteousness It is a crime of the highest nature with our Rulers to complain or supplicat for redress Others are either of deaf ears or feeble hands and cannot help and seeing we can do no more for the Cause and Covenant of God for our Mother-Church the Land Ourselves Our Brethren Posterity let us open our cause to him who tryeth the Righteous O Lord Hear O Lord Forgive O Lord hearken and do Defer not for thine own sake O my God For thy City and thy People are called by thy Name AMEN The Testimony of M R JAMES WOOD Minister of the Gospel and Professor of Theology in the University of S. Andrewes for Presbyterial Government I MR JAMES WOOD being now shortly by appearance to render up my Spirit to the Lord find my self obliged to leave a word behind me for my just Vindication before the World It hath been said of me that I have in word at least reseiled from my wonted Zeal for Presbyterial Government expressing my self concerning it as if it were a matter not to be accounted of that no man should trouble himself in the matter practice thereof It is true being under sicknes I have some times said I was taken up with weightier matters then any external ordinance and what wonder I said so being under such wrestling anâ—nt my interest in Iesus Christ which is a matter of for greater concernment Surely any Christian in this Church that knows me will judge there is a wrong done to me For since the day that the Lord convinced my heart which was by a strong hand that it was the Ordinance of God appointed by Iesus Christ for governing ordering his visible Church I never had the least change of thoughts concerning the necessity of it nor of the necessity of the use of it And now I declare before God the World that I account so of it still And that however there be some more precious ordinances yet that this is so precious that a true Christian is obliged to lay down his life for the profession thereof if the Lord shall see it meet to put him to the tryal And for my self if I were to live I would account it my glory to seal this word of my testimony with my blood Of this my declaration I take God Angels and Men to be my witnesses and have subscribed thiâ— presents with my hand the 2 of March 1664. about 7 hours afternoon before Mr William Tullidaf and Mr John Carstairs my Brother in Law and John Pitcarn writer hereof M R JAMES WOOD. AS the Matter of this Testimony is very considerable especially from so Great a man as Mr Wood was So the occasion
because 1 Chron. 28 1. there were Princes of Tribs Captains of Thousands Hundreds Stewarts and Officers for Civil affairs And 2 Chron. 19 8 c. there are Church Officers Priests Levits chief of the Fathers there are distinct Matters the Matters of the Lord and the Matters of the King Ver. 11. There are distinct Acts or Sentences for Warning not to trespass is more proper to Ecclesiastical then Civil Persons And there are distinct Moderators or Presidents Amariah is over you for the Mattâ—rs of the Lord and Zebadiah for the Matters of the King Now what should all this mean viz. Distinct causes and Persons set over them to Judge them respectively and what meaneth these distinct Acts Sentences and Penalties if not to hold out the Distinction of Government and of Judicaâ—ories respectively exercing the same Yea â—hat was in the Old Testament we may know by what we read in the New for Matth. 21 ver 23. and 27 ver 1. and 26 v. 3 57 59. Act. 4 v. 5 6 15. and 5 v. 21 27. there are Assemblies Councils which must needs be Ecclesiastical not only because they consisted of Ecclesiastical persons the High Priest Cheef Priests and Elders of the People Cognosced of Ecclesiastical Causes the life Doctrin and Authority of Christ and his Apostles And past Ecclesiastical Sentences about preching in the Name of Christ Act. 4 and 5. But also because the Jewes being subdued the Supreme civil Government was taken out of their hands and little left them but the Ecclesiastical And if at any time in the Old Testament the same persons were members of both Judicatories it was under distinct Notions and considerations as Ecclesiastical in the one and Civil in the Other As now the Ruling Elder under several Considerations and Capacities may be a member of an Ecclesiastical and Civil Iudicatory It is true that the High Priests and some Kings had great hand in both Civil Ecclesiastical affairs but Extraordinary and may be Typicall instances are not an Ordinary and Universal Rule And it may be also that in the New Testament these Councils meddled in Civil Affairs for Matth. 27 ver 1. they take counsel against Iesus to put him to death but that was by Corrupt Abuse of their Power which crept in in the declining State of the Church and when the Civil Government was taken from them by strangers or when wanting a Magistrat they took more upon them then at another time for it was not so from the beginning and was by the like Corrupt and Extravagant Abuse as now the High Commission if it be an Ecclesiastical Courr doth Scourge Stigmatize Fine and Banish or the Prelats now as Members of Parliament Council and Session make themselves Judges of Blood Pleas c. And as this was the Manner Difference of the Jewish Church and State under the Old Testament so under the New Testament there is by Divine Institution a Formal and Specifical Difference between the Government of the Church and Common-wealth For ye will not only find Office-bearers Given unto and Set in the Church Rom. 12 ver 8. 1 Cor. 12 ver 28. Ephes 4 ver 11. Which are as wel Distinct from Office-bearers of the State as from the People for neither Magistrat nor People were ever called Apostles Prophets Evangelists c. especially in the Apostles sense But also RULERS distinct from the Rulers of the Common-wealth who 1 Thess 5 ver 12. are Over the People and Hebr. 13 ver 17. Rule over them Now these Rulers cannot be the Magistrat for in none of the places doth the Apostle Intend or Mention him Besids at that time there was not a Christian Magistrat to Rule the State and how should the Rule of the Church be committed to a Pagan And 1 Tim. 5 ver 17. He that Labours in Word and Doctrin seemeth to have more Honour then He who Ruleth which if either Magistrat or Prelate be the Ruler how they will Relish that the poor preaching Presbyter should be more Honoured then they let any man Iudge Here then are Ecclesiastical Rulers distinct from these of the Common-wealth To these Rulers belongeth the Cognition of Ecclesiastical Offences in Contradistinction to Civil Causes and Iudges Matth. 18. Tell the Church Now the Civil Magistrat cannot be this Church where is He ever so termed Or how will He being himself a Heathen accompt another man so Here then is a Church distinct from the Common-wealth here are Church-Offences distinct from Breaches of Civil or Municipall Lawes here is Church-Delation or Complaint distinct from any complaint to the Magistrat tell the Church and consequently here is a Church-power of Cognition of these Offences distinct from that which resids in the Magistrat else it were in vain to tell the Church and as good or better to tell the Magistrat And here is a Church-Sentence Let him be unto thee as a Heathen which the Magistrat being then Heathen himself would never pronounce against or inflict as a Punishment upon another man To these Church-Rulers also is committed not only the Power of Order or Pastorall Administration of Word and Sacraments but also the Power of Jurisdiction whether Dogmatical Diatacticall Critical or Exusiastical and not to the Civil Magistrat And accordingly Jesus Christ giveth the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to Peter and not to Cesar Mat. 16.19 Ye will find Church-Assemblies distinct from Parliaments Convention of Estâ—ts Senats c. yea when the Magistrat was an Enemy determining questioned Matters of Faith and Practice Act. 15 The Apostle Paul enjoineth the Church of Corinth and not the Magistrat both to Excommunicat and Absolve the Incestuous man 1 Cor. 5.4.5 and 2 Cor. 2.7.8 The same Apostle leaveth Titus and not the Magistrat to Ordain Elders in Every City Tit. 1. v. 5 and accordingly it is performed by the Presbytery and not by the Magistrat 1 Tim. 4.14 The Apostle Iohn thereateneth by Himself and not by the civil Magistrat to Censure Diotrephes 3. Iohn 10. And as the Power it self and the several Acts thereof are Committed to Church-Officers So to them and not to the Civil Magistrat are all the Directions given for Regulation of the Exercise thereof distinct from the Directions given to the Magistat for Regulation of the affairs of the Common-wealth and so in the case of Offence there must be private rebuke before Publick delation Mat. 18 15 16 17. In the case of Publick Scandal there must be a Rebuking before all 1 Tim. 5 20 In the case of Publick Censure there must be Notoriety of the Fault 1 Cor. 5.1 or sufficient conviction of the Person by Confession or Probation Mat. 18.15 In the case of Excommunication it must be when the Church is gathered together 1 Cor. 5.4 and not after the Prelatical fashion in a corner In the case of Absolution there must be sufficient evidence of Repentance 2 Cor. 2.7 In the case of Ordination of Ministers there must be the
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
due administration of Sacraments and all things depending upon the said VVord that we shall each one with another all of us effectually concurre joine in one take hold one plain part for the and recovery of our ancient freedome Liberties that we way be ruled by the Lawes and Custome of the Countrey Again that we shall tender the common Cause as if it were the Cause of every one of us in particular And that the Causes of every one of us now joyned together being lawfull and honest shall be all our Cause in Generall And that he that is enemy to the Cause foresaid shall be Enemy to us all in so far Wee have superadded these instances as wee might have done two or three more to the first proposed because of their great resemblance since there can be nothing more manifest then that the same Provocations the same Spirit the same Principles and the same Design did most uniformly influence all these Transactions Now seeing that both the Occasion Actors Aime and End of the first Action and especially the observable Providence of God that without all contrivance of man did over-rule it do clearly purge it of any intended Rebellion or other wickedness Certainly to affirm that all these things were nevertheless acted in by a Rebellious Spirit must be a sinn at least next unto that of high despit and Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and Spirit of grace by whose power alone this blessed work was effectuated Neither durst the Arch-Prelat himself though our Arch-Adversary in this our present cause and though he knew that the same doth infallibly either stand or fall upon the same principles and grounds with these cases now under consideration proceed any further in his censure of these courses and practices then to disprove them as Violent and Disorderly There is one thing further which is also before touched that the instances above adduced especially the first both for the Meanness of it's Actors the unpremeditated plainness of its Manner and the singlness and purity of its End doth most evidently make out viz that as these men of God by their small and improbable appearance did as much witness their unfained love of the Truth and zeal of his Glory in the manifest contempt and hazard of their lives and fortuns As when under the dispensation and call of another providence they did patiently and cheerfully upon the same motives lay down their lives and suffer the loss of all things So the end of their undertaking was not only their own just and necessary Defence which in such an apparent danger might rather seem to be abandoned then intended but above all things the Maintainance Defence of that blessed Evangel which was dearer to them then all other interests whatsoever Wee know our great adversaries who for the gain and pleasours of this life what then would they not do for the preservation of life it self have often renounced and would again renounce all Conscience Alleagance and Truth and who by their detestable Flatterv in denying the lawfulness of Self-defence although in effect Self be their only Idol pretending a fained affection illimited submission without reserve do only court the Powers for the advanceing of these interests which they seem to relinquish as the revolutions of the World have frequently declared their practises in prejudice of both Religion and Royalty and have often resolved both their practises and principles into that one Devilish position the first yea only fixed rule of their Religion Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will be give for his life These we say are not curious to enquire in this distinction Yet seeing they leave nothing unessayed whereby to promote their design and therefore do often cavil from such advantages as the work of God afterwards obtained and particularly the Concurrence of the Peers and Primores Regni and from the defect thereof in the first appearances would infer the unlawfulness of rhe same especially in order to the design of Reformation Therefore wee further add with these noble worthies that as it cannot be denied 1. That the right Priviledge of Self-defence is not only founded in but is the very first instinct of pure Nature and spring of all motion and action 2. That it was competent to and exercised by every individual before that either Society or Government were known 3. That it was so far from being surrendred or suppressed by the erecting of these that it was is the great End motive for which all voluntary Societies and Policies were introduced and are continued 4. That it is a principal rule of Righteousness whereunto that great command of love to our neightbour by the Law of God by our Lord himself is resolved whereby it is interpreted so it doth infallibly follow that the same right and Priviledge is yet competent to all men whither Separatly or Jointly and needeth no other prerequisit but that of intollerable and inevitable injury which for a man to suffer under pretext of the good of the Common-wealth would be for the delusion of an emptie name only for the lust of others really to deprive himself of his whole share and interest therein and is compleated for exercise by such a Probable Capacity as may encourage the Asseâ—ters thereof to undertake it And as for that other and more noble design of the Maintainance and Reformation of Religion waving the question and Debate Whether the same can or ought to be by force maintained Which may appear sufficiently determined to rationall men by the very contrary Practises of it's adversaries who not only by force do fight aginst it but most irreligiously usurpe and detort it 's own weapons viz the precepts of our Lord for patience and meeknes under a dispensation of suffering to the persuasion of a stupid submission and casting away the opportunity of Desence and Acting that without controll they may work it's overthrow And supposing with all men that force is not a proper argument of persuasion and that Religion neither can nor ought to be thereby propagated Yet are we in conscience persuaded that the grounds follouwing evidently held out in the records of these times are beyond contradiction 1. That Religion the highest concernment of Gods glory and of mans happiness both temporall and eternall is the most important dear and precious of all interests 2. That to be violented in this which cannot be without an unjust force either or mens Persons or Goods is the most wicked and insupportable of all injuries 3. That the propelling by force of such injuries was the justest cause and quarrell that men in their Primaeve Liberty could be engaged in 4. That as for the security of this Interest and no wayes to make an absolut surrender thereof to the arbitriment of any men were mostly induced to the appointing of Governours so the glory of God which is the end of all things but herein is most especially concerned was
unto that Laodicean luke-warmness more desperate and incurable then coldness and death it self 3. The faithful Ministers being outed and the hedge of Presbyterian Government removed as prophanity and wickedness doth yet more abound so there came out of this smoak Locusts upon our Church even a crue of Curates for Insufficiency Vanity Lies and Prophanity the very Scorn of Reformation Scandal of Religion We need not here adduce particular instances there is none who in the least observe their doctrine and maner of conversation but will easily acknowledge it And the certainty of what we here affirm is so obvious unto all that a particular condescendence would either prove an infinite labour or too much abridge the extent of so sad a truth It s true there are some who being convinced and others who supposing the truth of what is here alleadged do either doubt or deny these things to be the proper effects of Prelacy but rather of the licentiousness of men and such accidents which may be incident to the best constitutions But if it be considered 1. That that thing which inseparably and infallibly attends another may with more then ordinary probability be concluded to depend thereon by a certain influence 2. That that which is no Ordinance of Jesus Christ but the visible product of the Devils malice and mens pride and lust can never be effectual for the establishing of Truth or promoting of Holiness 3. That such who not only discover in themselves the foresaid evils but by open and most notorious Perjury do usurp and invade and hold the Offices they pretend to must of necessity hate the light because their deeds are evil it will be very easily granted that Prelacy Prelates and their dependants to whom all these things are clearly applicable are not only the proper causes and authors of all the Prophanity and Wickedness under which this poor Land now perisheth but most naturally introductive unto all these Superstitions and Abominations wherein the Devill by the same means did and hath involved the Christian World under the Roman Papacy 4. The Prelates and Curates being thus established from the ground and warrant of the Acts mentioned several Proclamations and Edicts for the more effectual execution thereof and pressing conformity thereunto for the suppressing conscientious adherence to or so much as is possible the very remembrance of our former Engagements and Covenants and the holy Ministry and Government therein contained are emitted and published We have already mentioned that at Glasgow and these others to the same purpose which did ensue upon it The first what we here note is that the Prelates conceaving that their persecutions already practized and to be practized might excite the compassion of some to a charitable supply of the afflicted more to express their cruel malice then really to hinder that which at best is not worth the noticing under the pretext of Disâ—rder they procure a discharge of charitable Collections And now let it be here observed once for all that such is the cruelty not only of the malice but of the very Acts procured by the Prelates against conscientious Non-conformists that if they were followed with a sutable compleat execution there should remain no comfort to any abiding stedfast other then that of Arcadius mercy to the children of Traitors that life should be their grief and death their relief There was another Proclamation emitted at the time of the first planting of the Curates that all persons should keep their own Parish Churches and should not repair to any other except in case of vacancy under pain of twenty Shillings Scots totiâ—s quoâ—ies to the effect that such as could not in conscience attend the Curats Conventicles might be also deprived of any mean of edification which the opportunity and neighbourhood of a faithful Ministry might afford Then thereafter there is another Edict published against unwarrantable Preaching Praying or Hearing whereby even such Exercises without which the Communion of Saints can hardly be intertained are restrained discharged in so much that if a faithful outed Minister should repair to any private family or two or three moe then the Domesticks of one House be found together though only imployed in the most Christian edifying Exercises of Praying Lecturing or Godly Conference their meeting is declared an unlawfull Conventicle and all such as are accessory punishable accordingly By a fourth Proclamation men are required to be assistent to and concur with the Curates in the exercise of Discipline as they shall be thereto called though they be not told either by what warrant or in what capacity they are to meddle in the Matters of God for our Adversaries do both disown Elders allow Deacons no rule There is a fifth Proclamation discharging all Conventions meetings whatsoever under the pretence of Religion which are not allowed by Authority certifying all persons accessory that they shall be looked upon and punished by pecuniary and corporall pains as seditions persons at the arbitrement of the Council and especially that the Ministers exercising therein and their resetters or countenancers in any sort shall be liable unto the highest pains due to seditious Persons And lastly there is a sixt commanding all Masters of Families to cause their Servants and all their dependents and all Heritors and Landlords to cause their Tennants and Tax-men to obey all Acts of Parliament or Council enjoyning Conformity and particularly to frequent their Parish Churches and to submit and conform to the Curates their Ministry or else to remove them summarly from their service and eject them out of their Possessions And also that Heritors take bond and security of their intrant Tennants in time coming that they and their Cottars and Servants shall give obedience as said is and lastly that all Magistrates of Burghs cause their Inhabitants give Bond for the like obedience for which effects these Heritors and Magistrates are warranded to charge them under the pain of Rebellion And whosoever shall contraveen this Edict is certified and declared lyable to the same pains due to the Non-conformists themselves for whom he hereby is made answerable This is the last Act Proclamation for Conformity not only in course but even in the utmost of extremity and rigor whereby as many persons having a freedom as to their own practise are further urged contrare to all the rules of charity and moderation to compel others towards whom they may rather desire a Christian Forbearance and Indulgence to be used so the generality of the Land without any exception whatsoever are reached and obliged to all the Complyance with and Conformity to this wicked Apostasy and accursed and abjured Prelacy whereof they are capable and that under such Pains as if generally incur'd and execute should infallibly reduce the Land to utter Desolation and confusion But the Lord heareth and regardeth and Oh that men would also hear the voice of this poor Church that bewaileth her self and spreadeth
certain Faithfull Ministers persuaded and brought out in the full assurance of most certain Victory and that their Cause was such that upon the Event they could venture their salvation yet the contrary is most certainly known that they came out for the most part most voluntarly and of their own accord thinking it their duty as one of them in his Testimony doth declare to appear for and help the Lord against the mighty And that though they had and still retain a most firm persuasion of the justice of the Lord's Cause and Covenant and a very confident assurance that the Lord will arise and own it to the utter confusion of His adversaries Yet knowing that Times and Seasons are in the Lord's hand and that the time hath already been when such who had indignation and whose heart was against the holy Covenant did prosper and by Arms pollute the Sanctuary of strength and place the Abomination that maketh desolate wherein though the people that did know their God were strong and did exploits yet did they fall by the sword and by flame and by captivity and by spoil many dayes These men did neither limit the Holy One nor ballance their resolution upon the assurance of future Events Yea the fear and apprehension of these many visible signs attending this Action whereby the Lord 's standing controversie and continuing displeasure against the Land for fearfull breach of Covenant and the many horrible sins that have ensued which then more then ever were discovered both in the actuall opposition of many and faint withdrawing of others of whom better things were looked for did justly make them conceave that as the Lord who hath ever glorified His own Name would also now glorify it both in their active and passive Testimony a seal which His Work and Cause hath not hitherto so visibly had And that they were rather thereto called then to be the Lands Deliverers for which all that fear the Lord may think with trembling greater judgments are yet ordained 5. That amongst the many observable providences of God whereby he brought this Action to it's period their turning from Lanerk towards Edinburgh and leaving the West specially these parts where many faithful men were preparing for a Conjunction doth bear the very eminent characters of the Lord's Work and Purpose which he hath since made manifest and was the occasion of the proscribing of several both Ministers and Gentlemen as we shall hereafter mention 6. That as the Louthian-men were very active in appearing against this faithfull company so after the Conflict they were very vigilant and inhumane to take and spoil all such flyers as they rencountred A sin which no doubt by reason of it's greater aggravations the Lord will require with greater severity then that of Edom Obad. 12. c. who rejoyced over the children of Iudah in the day of their destruction and laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity who stood in the cross way to cut off such as did escape and delivered up these that did remain in the day of distress and therefore he is threatened by the Lord that for his violence against his brother shame should cover him and he should be cut off for ever Thus we have seen the indignation of the Lord in the most dreadful and astonishing of all judgements even his suffering and causing the righteous to fall before the wicked in delivering the soul of his turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked His Name unto reproach and blasphemy His Strength into captivity and His Glory into the enemies hands A providence that may justly move our astonishment to a greater height then that of Iosuah chap 7. v. 9. Oh Lord what wilt thou do unto thy great Name And how terrible are the charge and succeeding Judgements which these things do denounce But the Lord who in wrath remembers mercy maketh both judgement and mercy his peoples song and it is to his enemies alone that a cup without mixture is poured out as the things which follow will declare The Arcbishop of St. Andrews having caused celebrat the report of this Victory with almost as many Guns from the Castle as there were men slain in the fields and as if the 40 had been 40000 Infidels the prisoners are brought in and secured We cannot but here mention the ready and charitable relief which many good people in Edinburgh did then extend to them certainly it is gone up for a Memorial before God and shall have a return But who can express the malice of that Antichristian spirit raging both in the Arch-Prelate and his dependents which misery it self doth not satiate and therefore they do so exclaim against this poor expression of humanity as preposterous and savouring of disaffection that even some of their own Complices did condemn them for it The Councill falling immediately to the examination of the Prisoners they remitt first 10 thereafter 14 to the Iustices to be arraigned or rather condemned as Traitors they having first determined and prescribed the very maner of their execution and about the same time the Commissioner going West with some others impowered for that effect do likewise at Air and Glasgow condemn other sixteen These things we join together because both their Indictments maner of Tryall Doom and Execution were the same except in so far as shall be noted The Indictment and Charge of Treason exhibited against all consisted of two heads and crimes deduced from old and late Acts of Parliament and aggravated by many circumstances viz. rising and gathering in Arms and renewing the Covenant without and against the Kings Authority and consent Every one 's particular accession was libelled from and proven by his own confession before the Council This place might require a large digression for answering the crimes objected and clearing the innocency of the Lord's Witnesses but seing the preceeding Narration doth not only furnish all arguments thereto requisite but warranteth them by Precedents beyond contradiction it shall suffice now to observe 1. That God the Fountain of all Power and Author of all Right as wherever he hath granted to any creature a Being he hath also armed it with a love and power of Self-preservation sutable to it's capacity so much more where unto a Being He hath superadded a Right as in all rationall creatures which cannot be violated but both by Force and Injury hath He granted both the Power and Right of Self-defence which is really one and the same thing with it and in effect nothing else but that divine Impress and rational Instinct whereby the very course of Nature is upholden so inseparable from the Being and Right of the creature that it never ceaseth except where by the Soveraign Will and Law of God the Right is first annulled and the Being may be destroyed Which position being the clear and true foundation of all Rule and Righteousness and even of the Being of all things it may justly be wondered
Engagements whereby this whole Nation is perpetually joyned unto the Lord and also ever animat yow to Do or Suffer for the Lords great Name and these precious important concernments as He requireth lest if ye either faint in your mindes or give up your selves to the delusion of some carnal distinction quiting the founder for the safer part against the explicit Testimony or implicit inclination of your own Consciences which later if sincerely aiming at the glory of God and in nothing repugnant to His holy Word is no otherwise to be regarded in times of temptation then as that promised secret leading of the blind in the way they know not you not only lose your Crown but provoke the Lord to cause all the Churches know by your plagues that He it is who searcheth the reins hearts But unto these few names in Scotland that have appeared zealous for God have not forgotten His Covenant in these declining times all these who favour their Righteous Cause The Lord who liveth was dead and is alive for evermore Amen knoweth your works tribulation poverty but yow are rich and also the blasphemy of them which say they are Christians are not but are the synagogue of Antichrist Fear none of these things which yow do or shall suffer your afflictions are but for Triall and may be Short be Faithful unto the death and ye shall have the Crown of life And as ye love God the Father of our Lord Jesus who gave His only and eternall delight unto the death for us Sinners as ye love our Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood as ye love the Holy Spirit of Grace who breatheth all this love into our hearts and comforteth and sealeth us unto the day of redemption as ye love the blessed Gospel in the light whereof all this love is revealed and God therein mainly glorified as ye love the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood as ye love for your own souls and for your posterity eternal life as ye love poor Scotland and it's deliverance from the dreadful and imminent wrath of God and as you love the preservation of all Interests either Spiritual Temporal or Eternal Adhere stedfastly to the holy Covenants that Sacred and Firm Bond and Engagement unto all duties of Religion and Righteousness our blessed sealed Charter of all the Lord's blessings and ordinances especially of that great Ordinance of the Ministry and Government of the Lord's house which He himself hath appointed the hedge of all other Ordinances and the great and most effectual mean of the Gospel's establishment and advancement For as it is only the holy zeal of God inspired and animated by the fervent love of our Lord Jesus and the fear of the Lord 's great Name and the regard of His sacred Oath that can make you of quick understanding in these perillous times for the discovering of both duties and dangers and strengthen you with all might either for Doing or Suffering that you may endure unto the end so you may be assured that if the Lord's thoughts toward Scotland be thoughts of peace and not of evil to give us an expected end as we have great ground and perswasion of hope it shall be upon the broken plank of this despised Covenant that this tossed and ship-wrackt Church shall be preserved in midst of all these fluctuations and at length attain to it's desired haven of Peace and Truth Yea though this Apostacy and persecution should prevail to wear out the saints of the most High and the Lord because of the overspreading of abomination should determine and bring upon us utter desolation yet shall this your faithfulness be your Peace joy and Victory Let all therefore that desire to be found faithful look unto Jesus and his joy that with Him enduring the cross and despising the shame we may neither faint nor be weary but in end be partakers of his Victory Throne and Crown Thus we have seen and declared the great Work of God in this Land from the first times of our Reformation unto this day we have also teen our manifold provocations whereby we have often Turned Tempted and Provoked the most High and all these judgements Temptations and Discoveries wherewith by the space of now more then an Hundred years he hath corrected and exercised us and we are at length arrived unto and have considered the present state and posture of our affairs Wherein though 1. the extremity of Apostacy exceeding all that any age can parallel and aggreageable by all the circumstances of most clear and glorious Manifestations most solemn and sacred Engagements most sudden and causeless backsliding and most national daring and violent defection that any Church can be charged with 2. The extremity of Persecution and Violence which considering either the Actors once ring-leaders now Apostats from the same Holy Covenant which they persecut or the Manner by Hostile and Military Force without so much as regarding their own Lawes which they pretend for warrant or the cruelty and excess whereby mens lives are imbittered making them prefer Death to the slaveries and insolencies which they sustain Are not to be instanced in any Christian Church 3. The extremity of Sin and profanity and of the enemies boasting and blasphemy whose mouths are set against the Heavens and all the spite of their tongues and indignation of their hearts against the holy Covenant and tenderness of conscience over which and all their followers they wickedly insult and rejoyce And 4. the extremity of mens fainting and deserting so Good a Cause Which in their hearts they secretly own and approve but dare not avow yea are ready to deny for fear of the Adversaries Though we say these extremities undenyably apparent in our present condition do sadly denounce unto this Land the worst and most woful of all extremities even utter forsaking and desolation and that the End is come yet notwithstanding all these hopeless and desperat appearances it is the Lord who causeth light to shine out of darkness and saith in the evening it shall be light who saith unto dry bones live and calleth his People out of their graves who even calleth things that are not as though they were in whom all the seekers of His face ought to rejoyce and joy in the God of their salvation Therefore although that over and above all these menacing evils the power and pride of the Enemy should yet more prevail even many degrees above all the appearances of Human Hope or Help all Neighbouring Nations should not only give them the leisure and conveniency but with all their might conspire and concurre with our enemies to intend their persecution strengthen their Apostacy yet are the Lord 's Faithful not only partakers of that River the streams whereof make glad the City of God though surrounded with the siege of of Nations Batteries of mountains and
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
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
their obligation in the Covenant for mutual defence and assistance in the common cause of Religion and Liberty to joyn with them for their help Neither should I have adventured to insert these instances if besids the diligent care that was used in collecting of them making them credible the notoriety thereof whereby they were unquestioned in that part of the Countrey and many such-like things whereunto all that is mentioned is but like a preface committed since Novemb. 1666 especially in the Western parts rendering them probable they were not the native product of this Prelatical course betwixt which and them there is such connexion as is betwixt the natural cause and the effect and if the committers thereof had not had command example and encouragement for many of them from the Prelats whom they resemble as much as face answereth to face in water It is true the Prelats should no more bear all the blame then Sathan who restraineth none but tempteth to all should be charged with all the Sin of man and they were and are first and chief in the transgression who were their Authors and are their upholders and abettors and in retaliation of their flattery of the Powers and connivance at profanness in all and in subserviency to their interest and designe have perpetrated and permitted so much wickedness and oppression Yea the Peoples walking willingly after the commandement will never Excuse those who by Law Force Example make Israel to Sin yet it is above contradiction that Prelacy is the chief though not the only Interest in subserviency to which all these things are done and the Prelats themselves are a conjunct if not the Principal cause thereof These men having put off their former vizards no man needeth further to unmask them Let these who employed and maintained Sharp to agent their cause and others who promoted him to the Prelacy declare their own Experience of his continued series of ungrate deceaving and undermining of them and their Interests under Trust and professions to the contrary as all men know that he hath Impiously and Perfidiously betrayed the Church and Cause of God if they will not Let his own many letters written unto them be produced as in reason and for Vindication they should and they will evince him to be the Archest Traitor that ever Scotland bred And how can it otherwise be will he who is false to God be true to any man If that man escape some stupenduous and disgracefull remark by the hand of God or Man I will not say that Others need neither fear the One nor regard the other but sure I am that many more Experienced in the observation of divine Providence and forseâ—ing then I am are much mistaken Let the City of Glasglow and persons of all Qualities especially in that countrey-side ingenuously say whether that fiery Zelot for the height of English Hierarchy and Ceremonies and otherwise insignificant man Master Burnet prelate there doth nor in Just recompence of too many their enslaving their own light and conscience in flattery of him and complying with that course most insolently domineer over them as his slaves with as much Prid Ambition and Contempt as the most absolute Prince doth over his vassals Let these of the Synod of Glasgow remember with what deep dissimulation Mr Hamilton prelat of Galloway did by Express suffrage declare before the last Synod there against the same Prelacy which at that same instant of time he was clandestinly corresponding with the Rulers to establish This man of all others hath been the chief Cause of all the Oppression and persecution in that countrey and thereby the Occasion of the late riseing in Armes blood that hath followed thereupon One instance of Mr Honeyman prelate of Orkney I cannot ommit that in the year 1661 when Mr Sharp had discovered himself walking in his own garden he said to a famous person who can bear witness thereof Just as Balaam spake truth whether he would or not That Mr Sharp was as false as Iudas and I would gladly know to whom this Casuist who since hath embraced a Bishoprick will Compare himself for fals-hood except to him who entered into Iudas with the sop I need tell no man who knoweth the Persons of the brutish Sensuality of Mr Wallace P. of the Isles who studieth more the filling of his belly then he was ever fit for feeding of a flock nor of the hatred of Godliness and good men in Mr Guthrey P. of Dunkel who while he was Minister at Sterlin was an old persecuter of both nor the scandalous drinking of Mr Sraughan P. of Brechen let those who visite him in his own house declare how liberally he useth to entertain them with Wine there upon their own Expence It is true indeed that Mr Lighton prelate of Dumblan under a Jesuitial-like vizard of Pretended Holiness humility crucifixion to the world hath studied to seem to Creep upon the ground but alwayes up the hill toward promotion places of more ease honor Wealth as there is none of them all hath with a Kiss so betrayed the Cause and smiten Religion under the fifth rib and hath been such an offence to the godly so there is none who by his way practice and Expressions giveth greater suspicion of a popish affection inclination and design If these men had not put off their own vaile no pencil of the most skilled artist could have drawn them to the life but now by shewing of themselves they have saved others a labour or at least made it more easy And therefore I shall rake no more into this unpleasant dung-hil of the vilest vice which they and their Brethren in Iniquity whom not nameing here doth not Except from their part of the charg of Ambition Prid Sensuality Idleness Covetousness Oppression Persecution Dissimulation Perjury Treacheiy and Hatred of Godliness and Good men have heaped together in their own Persons and transsused to others over all the Land O the Immense long suffering and unsearchable Wisedome of God! who hearing the cry of these things stirreth not the Zeal of all to Execute his just Judgment upon these men but it may be that he is ripening and reserving them for a more God-like strok then any would be acknowledged to be wherein man were Instrumental Neither are their Mercenaries whom they hire as Postillions to ride upon the fore-horse of all their Wickedness less skilled but more foreward that way then their drivers It were as far above the faith of any who have not heard and seen to beleeve and might render any pen suspected of the want of truth or tenderness to write the Hundreth part as it it easy to instance incredibly much but endless to relate all that is true of the Ignorance Lightness Profaness of these men When I have told that several lying in known and acknowledged fornication without removall of the scandal have been admitted to the Ministry by the Prelats who knew it
blessing of Mr John Lâ—vingsâ—on his Ministry who being banished the Kingdom for no other cause then his eminency and stedfastness in the Work of God and refusing the Oath of Supremacy there is obtruded by the Bishop upon them in his place one Scot an old excommunicate â—urate continuing under that sentence and in his wickedness that procured the same for which cause mainly he is now complemented and rewarded with the accession of this Kirk and Benefice to two others which he still brooks enjoyes though very far distant from this place This man coming amongst them such as feared the Lord and remembered his Work and Covenant are stirred up in the Zeal of God to testify against his Intrusion whom being a Person excommunicate entering by gross Perjury without their consent and only seeking after the fleece and Benefice all that love our Lord Jesus and the prospering of his pleasure were bound to abhor and detest We do not justify any excess of human passion that might here have been admixed with the sincere zeal of God which we are certain in it's worst appearance all men ought rather to excuse then therefore condemn that duty to which not only the People of that Parish but the whole Church of Scotland were and are in a higher measure indispensibly obliged in opposition to the present course of Apostacy and for extirpation of the Apostat Prelates However four men of the Parish are conveened before the High Commission where being examined they acknowledge that Mr Scot being to preach at Ancrum as their Minister they found themselves pressed in conscience to declare to him their dis-satisfaction with his entry and that they were present with the rest of the People which were there at that time This the Commission contrary the opinion of the more sober most knowing amongst them take for a confession of guilt and immediatly proceed to sentence them as câ—ntemners of the Ordinances to be scourged through the Town sugmatized with the â—â—tter T at the Cross of Edinburgh and thereafter imprisoned and with the first Ship to be carried to the Barbâ—â—oes Islands All which was accordingly performed upon them Thus judgement is turned into gail and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock But God who sustained his servants with that constancy courage that neither the shame nor pain of scourging and burning hindered them openly and audibly to rejoice in the Lord who counted them woâ—thy to suffer for his Name beholdeth also mischief and spite to requite it with his hand For the same alleaged crime shortly thereafter they sentence two Brothers married men to be carried to Barbadoes and their sisteâ— a young woman to be scourged through the Town of Jedburgh As for alleaged conventiâ—ling there is one Mr Smitâ— a Minister seised upon and imprisoned for no other câ—ime then preaching to and praying with a few secretly assembled for fear of the Pâ—elates in the Name of the Lord without the least offence objected from any thing there spoken who being brought before the Commission and in his examination and answers to the Bishop of St Andrewes calling him only Sir without Lord or Grace he is therefore taxed by the Commissioner to whom he answered very respectfully giving him his accustomed titles that he knew he was speaking to Mr James Sharp once a Minister as he himself is Whereupon there is so great offence conceaved that the Commissioner did immediatly ordain him to be carried by the Town-Hangman to the Thieves Hole and there laid in the Irons in company with a Fuâ—ious Fatuous person who was there loose An Indignity so great unusual and insolent that although He had behaved himself not only rudely in his demeanor which is the worst that his Adversaries can charge him with but had been most flagitious in his life yet nothing but that Spirit of Spite and Rebellion that rageth Apostats could prompt Christians to inflict upon one who had ever carried so much as the Title of a Minister But because the open Iron-grate whereby this Hole is shut gave too great access to the charity and compassion of many persons who came to visit him he is therefore upon the third day thereafter carried up to the Iron-house within the Tâ—lbooth continued in his irons and fetters and thereafter in close Prison until by sentence of the same Commission he was banished and confined to Shetland the coldest and wildest of all the Scots Islands where he was to expect no other comfort then the company of some other faithful men who for not owning and submitting to the Curats had been carried there by sentence of the same Court. And as they did thus sentence a Minister for Exercising so the same Court having conveened before them an honest private man ... Black for being present at an alleaged Conventicle but in effect at the meeting of a few Christians for praying and hearing the Lord's Word without so much as any other offence pretended because according to the example and warrant of the Primitive Christians he refused to give His Oath thereupon to delate the names of such as he knew to have been present and because he was not liberall in giving St Andrewes his titles the Commissioner ordaineth him to be scourged thorow the Town although it was well known to the Court that his information could give very small evidence and they were convinced that his refusal did not flow from contempt of the King's Authority but meerly and purely from scruple of Conscience These are a few instances of many particulars of this kind which might be alleaged whereof there is no corner in the whole Countrey nor Parish almost in the West which cannot give evidence and therefore we do remitt any more ample confirmation of these things until we have noted a few moe particulars for clearing thereof 7. As we have observed the Wickedness of these Ecclesiastick Laws and the iniquity and irregularity of the Act of Fining and the introducing of Execution by Military Force a servitude unheard of and intolerable in any free Nation so the evils and oppressions thereof can scarcely be numbered For 1. Upon pretence of that Proclamation commanding People to keep their Parish-Churches and prohibiting the repairing to any other except in case of vacancy under the pain of 20 shillings Scots toties quoties the souldiours being disposed upon to such places which are known to be most averse from this course of Apostacy lying at catch for their own advantage have often taken the opportunity where there was but one Church in the bounds still enjoying a faithfull Minister and many vacancies about to go and beset that Church in the time of Divine Worship to the profane disturbance thereof And thereafter either to cause call some old roll of the Parishioners and exact the Fine of twenty shillings Scots of all others without exception or respect even to the licence contained in the Proclamation it self in case of vacancy or to require an Oath of
every person to know to what Parish they belong and that at the Church door without permitting them to come forth until they either give their Oath or pay the Fine not only with such cursing swearing and confusion as would make Infidels amazed to see the Lords day so profaned by Christians professing the same common Faith but with such rigor by taking by force the Bibles or garments from some poor persons who have not wherewith to pay and insolent beating and wounding of others to the effusion of blood as may justify the greatest Barbarity We need not instance particulars in a truth so universally known We proceed to another kind of this same violence practised in other places where Curates are planted who to force and compel the people to that complyance with their Ministry which in conscience they are bound to abhor cause form lists or rolls of such as keep not the Church and calling them after sermon both Men and Women by Name and Surname they amerciate the absents in such summs and Fines as they please for the most part far exceeding the pains contained in the Act of Parliament whereupon the Souldiours are immediatly warranted to go and exact the same by quartering Which Practice is not more unjust in it's illegal and summar procedor then rigid and exorbitant both as to the quantity and the maner of exacting it by reason of their riding and quartering money which is therewith exacted and the other inconveniences which inseparably attend the rapine and violence of profane souldiours 3. In many places not contented thus to Fine and Exact the souldiours on the Lords day go to private houses and by plain force compel and drive to the Church all such as they find and oftentimes do insolently beat and abuse persons who by reason of infirmity or sickness are really unable A practise so cruel and absurd that some of themselves have said it was our Lord's way to drive buyers and sellers out of the Temple but not to drive them into it 4. As to the exacting and levying of the Parliaments Fines the same was done by a reference of the Councill to the Commissioner and his orders thereon in such an oppressive and exorbitant manner as cannot be paralelled For 1. Parties of horse being directed to several Shires when a party arrived in any Shire they direct their order to all the persons therein Fined intimating to them and every one of them to pay their respective Fines with three shillings sterling per diem for every horse-man in the party from the day and date of their Order until the Fine be payed and the payment signified to the commander of the Party By which extortions many have been compelled to pay more for Quartering then the summe and quantity of their Fine and during the time of these oppressions many have computed that the Sherifdoms of Air Reâ—frew were compelled to pay upon the accompt of Quarterings over and above the Fines betwixt two and three thousand merks Scots per diem 2. There was no defence nor exemption allowed against these Quarterings for whether the person fined did liberat himself by taking the Declaration or that it was alleaged that he was Minor or an Infant or never Charged or that his Predecessor charged was since Deceased or that his predecessor was never Charged yea Died before he was fined or that the person quartered on was only Relict of the person fined a poor Widow living upon a mean Joincture or that the person quartered on had no Relation to the person fined save that he lived in the house and place which once pertained to him and which this person lawfully Purchased even before the other was fined Yet all was repelled and no complaint of this rigor and violence could be heard or receaved but on the contrary the complainer especially if he refused to take the Declaration was rejected with most insolent reproaches and menaces 3. That both in the up-lifting of the Fine and exacting of the Qwarterings the extremity of rigor was used by dragging some to prison who either were known altogether indigent and insolvent or did offer to renounce the Benefit of the Act of Indemnity the forfaulture whereof was the alternative and utmost certification for not payment of the Fine contained in the Act of Fining or by Plundering Beating and Spoiling others without possibility of redress We need not adduce Particular Instances for the verification of these things seing they were not done in a corner But the cry of this violence as it filled the whole Land so no doubt it also reached unto the very Heavens and is entered in to the ears of Him who hateth violence and loveth righteousness who saith unto Princes remove violence and spoil and execute judgement and justice take away your exactions from my people One thing mainly to be considered is that as Prelacy is the great cause of all the Sin and Misery that afflicteth us so was it by the instigation of the same wicked Apostats that these Fines so long delayed were thus at length rigorously exacted And that for no other purpose then the leavying of moe Forces for their security and support and the better strengthening of their Tyranny Certainly were it not of the Lord who because of our contempt of his glorious Gospel and blessed Ministry hath plagued us with stupidity and smitten us with madness blindness and astonishment of heart to give unto us the reward of our own hands and to cause us to eat the fruit of our doings it were impossible that rational men after the feeling of so sore grievances and the teaching of so many and sad experiences should still couch under the burthen and submitt themselves to the yoke of a few insignificant Apostate Upstarts and not rather acquit themselves like men by pulling off these vizards of Religion under which they mask their villanies and plucking them out of that Sanctuary and great refuge of Loyalty which they do not more pretend then profane by all their horrid Rebellion against God and their cruell Persecutions of His faithfull Servants and the Kings true Subjects which they palliat under this pretext to the effect that in the righteous and deserved Punishment of these wicked men both the sin and Backsliding of the Land might be sisted and the fierce anger of the Lord averted This is the wickedness and violence of accursed Prelacy which though it hath diffused it self over the whole Land and left no corner thereof untouched yet as the West hath been more grievously thereby oppressed and afflicted so poor Galloway in a manner hath been the point in which all it's malice and Tyranny hath been concentred We need not here search after Particulars or be curious for the verification thereof the cries and groans of that afflicted Countrey have filled all mens ears and the desolations thereof are obvious to every ones eyes Nor need we insist to purge their innocency or clear the causes of
after publication without any assurance of Indemnity offered and lastly commanding the whole Subjects to be assisting to the Lieutenant General and being required by him or others in Authority to rise in Arms and assist with all their Power under the Pain of Rebellion A Proclamation so full of fury and madness not only rendering such as were in Arms desperate without hope except in the cruel mercy of the wicked Prelates But also engaging all without distinction either Actively to concur to the destroying of these poor innocent and afflicted People or els to prepare themselves for suffering the same pains and punishment that it may justly be wondered at that even the single motive of this Proclamation did not procure to these Galloway-men a greater concourse But that poor hand-full being come towards the West and some hundreds there whom partly the like pressures and fears of worse but most of all the sense and remembrance of the indispensible obligation of the Holy Covenant for mutual sympathy and defence and our uttermost endeavours all the dayes of our lives to prosecute the great and blessed Ends therof did thereto determine having in the sincerity and simplicity of their hearts joined themselves to that company most harmlesly and inoffensively without the least violence or exaction done to any they march through the Countrey until they come to Lanerk Where upon the consideration of the Lord's wrath imminent upon the whole Land by reason of breach of Covenant and the many horrid Sins thereon ensuing and the apprehension of His holy displeasure yet continuing whereof by many visible and afflicting signs and tokens they were most sadly convinced as men reduced to the last extremity and in great distress after the example of Nehemiah and the Iewes Neh. chap. 9 10. in the like case they resolve and do renew the Solemn League and Covenant That at least by this Action they might bear Testimony both to the oppressed Cause and Truth of God and their own innocency From Lanerk upon the 26 of November they march to Bathgaâ—e and the morrow thereafter to Colington a place about two miles distant from Edinburgh That same night Lieut. Gen. Dalzel coming to Calder there is a Cessation agreed to betwixt them for that night and until upon the morrow their grievances and Petition might be presented to the Council which they for that effect send to Dalzel to be by him transmitted But as notwithstanding of this Cessation and though the same was timously signified to the Bishop as President of the Council yet the Countrey-troops leavyed about Edinburgh were not restrained from making an in-fall upon their Quarters where they rested securely upon the trust of the Cessation so upon the morrow before almost they were aware and without giving up the Cessation agreed to Dalzel finding a nearer way doth almost surprize them Whereupon they endeavour to march off but finding the Enemy so near they are constrained to stand to prepare for that Conflict upon the South of Pentland-hils Wherein the Lient General 's forces and theirs being engaged the very time and hour that the Gentle-man sent by Dalzel to the Council was presenting his letters and the West-land mens Grievances these poor men not exceeding eight or nine hundreds and extremly weakened and spent by sore travail and watching and mostly by their fasting and great abstinence are according to the Holy Wise and determinate Counsel of God a litle after sun-set routed and dissipated The number of the slain on both sides were reckoned about 40 and upwards of the Westland men and 4 or 5 of the Generals Forces The number of the prisoners was greater amounting in all to 130 and upward But because the threed of this story hath precipitated our Narration to this fatal period the observations following will supply what is ommitted 1. That these men who rose in the West were not only for the most part persons of known and very exemplar integrity piety and zeal for God and all of them severally and jointly so far from base and turbulent designes that they cannot be supponed by any who know them to have been Ambitious of either Rule or Riches but also did with the same straightness and sincerity in all parts declare that their only Motives were the rigor of extreme Necessity which constrained them to the defence of Religion and Liberty and the Conscience of that indispensible duty vve all owe to God one to another in the bond of the Holy Covenant and in the innocency of a most harmless deportment did fully conform themselves to these professions so that it may truly be affirmed that a company of more sincere upright and harmless men did never in any age appear in such a posture Which as it doth eminently appear in their sparing and civil usage of Sir Iames Turner and their great abstinence and moderation in all places not only from Plunder and such insolencies but even from the necessary means of Subsistence so it is a truth so certain that all their enemies save a few profane Curates who spare no lies whereby they may vent their malice must and do acknowledge it 2. That as in many places there were many found who joined themselves to the Lieut. General 's Forces to assist against and suppress that faithfull afflicted company so the Militia of Edinburgh by order from the Secret Council to the Town-Council and from the Town-Council to the several Captains who did administrate it to their respective Companies did in opposition to the same persons take the following Oath viz. I shal be true and faithfull to the King and shall defend his Authority and maintain the same against this Insurrection and Rebellion and any other that shall happen with the hazard of my life and fortune And the two Shires of Middle and East Lauthians did arm very readily against them But whether this Insurrection was in Rebellion against the King or whether this Conjuration and these Practices were not a manifest Conspiracy and horrid Rebellion against the great God a few reflections on what we have premised shall hereafter clear 3. That as only the force of Necessity from the rigor of their persecutions and the cutting off of all liberty to Petition or hope of Redress did compel the West-land men to this course so upon the first appearance and most slender insinuation of liberty to Represent Grievances to these in Authority they very wilingly and readily embraced the opportunity and signified to the Council that the only evill under which the Land perisheth is the Erecting of this wicked and tyrannous Prelacy contrary to the Holy Covenant and the cruel oppression both in Body Conscience of all that desire to continue Faithfull therein but how they were abused in this offer and Transaction we have before related 4. That though the wicked Prelats for the greater exaltation of their pride and triumph both over God and his Cause have boldly affirmed that these men were by