he may not execute the fiercenesse of his anger nor returne to destroy Ephraim seing he is God not man For he is a God who is gracious long suffering slow to anger of great kindenesse repenteth him of the evil who knoweth if he will returne repent leave a blessing behinde him That poor Church will be very far disappoynted of â—…et expectation if in stead of Christian sympathy pity compassion she shall meet with unbrotherly unchristian dealing at the hands of any if there shall be any such as will be ready to condemne her as suffering upon very slender inconsiderable grounds as it will be no small matter of grief sorrow unto the already sorrowfull mourning Church yea an addition unto her affliction so it will yeeld these little comfort in the day when the cup shall passe over unto them to reflect upon their unchristian thoughts sharpe censures of a poor member of Christ's body while lying under the feet of oppressours such as said to her soul bow down that we may goeover It is true the infinitly wise God hath thought fit to try that Church with more searching tryalls then he did England Irland it was the policy of her adversaries to beginne with such small things to the end they might get such as they desired drawne into their net then they weresure piece piece to get them brought alongs to countenance them in all their courses as sad experience hath proved For some who at the first resolved to goe some length for peace cause having no purpose to move one foot further to whom if it had been then said that ere all were done they would go such a length as now they have gone with Hazael they would have replyed are we dogs to do such things are now going all the length desired scrupleing at nothing which is a warning to all to beware of the beginnings of a defection And indeed for as great as the defection apostasie in that Church is at present for as great a conspiracy as is found among her prophets If the tryall had been nothing more searching then that wherewith the Neigh bour Churches were tryed there would not have been so many that would have depairted from their former principles as there are this day And therefore it was a mercy unto many in these Neighbour Churches that their sieve was not more narrow searching it is no small mercy unto particular persons when they see their enemies in their owne colours the baite is not able to cover the hook wherewith their adversaries think to catch them And it is likewise a mercy will be so found acknowledged in end unto the Church of Scotl that God hath followed such a way with her as shall prove most discovering consequently most purging by making her drosse to appear bringing to light in a short time more corruption â—…aughtinesse then in all probability would have been found out many a yeer if God had not taken this course But now let none blame those who have desired to keep their garments clean to adhere zealously constantly unto their former principles therefore have refused complyance in the least would not willingly quite with a hoof or sell a bit of the precious truth of God There is a time when such things are very momentous considerable which at other times seem not to be of much concernment Armies may yeeld more unto their enemies at another time place then when they are keeping a considerable passe the loseing of which would prove of great disadvantage unto themselves an in-let unto all the enemies forces There is a time when such things must be stood at which if abstracted from that time place would signifie little or nothing whether done or not done The giving of a book or of a piece of paper out of the hands of the martyres was at that time as so circumstantiated a maine businesse when they were upon the poynt of avouching truth for God A little matter when it becometh Casus confessionis is of great moment Mordecay's beck is no small matter Daniel's closeing of his windowes is a great businesse as it was then circumstantiated And doolfull experience in all ages hath made it appear what mischief hath followed upon yeelding unto the adversaries in small-like matters in the begining of a defection what through inadvertancy what otherwayes by little little the pope came to his throne not in one day by little little came prelats formerly to their height in that Church therefore as before so now the honest party thought themselves called of God to withstand beginnings not to cede in the smallest-like matters when they saw that the opening of never so smal a passage would be enough to occasion the drowning of all as according to the proverb the brunt child doth scar the fire so that Church cannot be blamed for keeping such a distance from that plague of prelacy which formerly had brunt up consumed all the vitals of religion the whole power of Godlinesse had made that Church to look like an harlot not like the spouse of Christ Especially after God had wrought such wonderfull deliverances unto her had graciously delivered her from that yron furnace with his out-stretched arme had brought downe all her enemies Should they againe break his commandements joyn in affinity with the people of those abhominations would not God be angry with them till he had consumed them so that there should be no remnant nor escapeing And it is very remarkable that there are none who have hitherto rued their suffering upon that account but rather they are all blessing the name of the Lord for that he hath keeped them from yeelding in the least And though their adversaries the prelats be useing barbarous inhumane let be unchristian wayes to afflict them still more more by procureing acts to be made dischargeing any Charity to be extended to them or their families who are now suffering for the cause of God Yet they have no cause to compleane God for whose sake they are suffering is provideing for them with all is comforting them with the consolations of the Holy ghost supporting their spirits keeping them from fainting encourageing them so that they resolve through his grace never to comply with these workers of iniquity lest they partake of their judgments Yea they are perswaded that if any members of the Christian Churches abroad who had the root of the matter within them were in their souls stead they would no more comply with this present course of defection then they have done or desire to do So that what ever can be looked for from men of corrupt mindes such as are enemies to the truth to the power of godlinesse Yet they are sure that such as know what it is to walk with
not fainedly O that they were wise would speedily prevent this deadly blow by repentance by serious considering how they have fallen from their first love have forgotten their first workes O that they would think of returning to the most high with fasting weeping mourning renting their hearts not their garments of turning unto the Lord their God who is gracious mercifull slow to anger of great Kindness repenteth him of the evill However his people are called to minde that word Isa. 26 20 22. Come my people enter thou into thy chamber shut thy doores about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be over past for behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity The earth also shall disclose her bloâ—…d shall no more cover her slain In these following sheets there is some account given thee of the sad deplorable condition of the Church of Christ in Scotland It is wonderfull to see how variously Satan doth assault the Churches of God some one way some another That crasty cunning adversary doth suite his baits snares to the severall complexions of people Churches against which he opposeth himselfe Some have the tryall of cruel mockings scourgings others meet with bonds imprisonment and others with triall of some other Kinde Against some Satan doth raise cruel bloody persecutions others he endeavoureth to draw away from their stedfastness zeale by ensnareing allurements a third sort he invadeth with all his troupes forces at once And thus is the lately glorious Church of Scotland tried this day Upon the one hand he raiseth up against her men of corrupt mindes destitute of the truth who make sharpe their tounges like a Serpent under whose lips is the poison of adders These have vented doe vent most bitter slanders reproaches against her the way of reformation which the hand of God wrought in her On the other hand he hath raised within her a most cruel persecution by a popish prelaticall malignant party setting them on with rage against all who desire to keepe themselves unspotted free of the contagions of this evill time forceing some by cruel sore persecution ensnareing others that are more simple deceiving drawing them into their nâ—…t thereby causing many to comply with them in their wicked wayes to run with them unto the same excesse of sin wickednes Yet hithertill for which the name of the Lord is alone to be Magnified the designes devices of these Matchiavellian Ahitophels bloody persecuters have not taken such effect as they either wished or expected It is true many Alas too too many have been carried away with the streame and willingly walked after the commandement to the great dishonour of God amazement of nations about rejoycing of the heart of the ungodly to the great stumbling grief of the truely tender godly in that land so as the defection of that Church may be matter of astonishment to the present after generations Yet it is her mercy that there are not a few in her whom conscience Christian tenderness in their walke hath exposed to sad sufferings who therow grace have resolved to keep their garments cleane to preferre the peace of a good conscience to all the treasures of Egypt holding faith a good conscience of which many make shipwrack in the Lord their master's strength to hold fast their integrity to maintaine their ground though bonds afflictions should abide them The justification defence of such is the intended scope of this following treatise Which how well managed is left to thy discretion to Judge It is like such a worthy noble cause may suffer prejudice through the weakness of him who here doth appeare in its defence wherefore it is wished that some more able pen be engadged in this worke for clearing to the world the present sad case of that Church And vindicating her from aspersions calumnies which her adversaries laboure to fasten upon her To speak in the justification of such a mother would well become the most eminent of her Children It would be so far from being below them a disparagement that they might justly account it their glory to lay out themselves in the out most of their strength parts for the defence of such a cause when so few doe avow openly declare their owning of adherence to it But untill the Lord shall be pleased to stir up set on worke some more able to prompt them with a spirit of zeale courage for such an undertaking thou must rest satisfied with this poor essay for the time Only thou mayest give charity to the author that it was not his intention to wronge in the least so glorious a cause But seeing none else did undertake or appeare in it for any thing known to him He desired in a few words that something though it should prove little better then nothing might be said in for it to make it known how worthy it were the thoughts paines of a more able head hand to deale in Many It is like will be the exceptions taken at this piece moe then can now either be thought upon or obviated such as are most obvious wee shall endeavour to remove by briefly touching answering them Some may think it strange that a piece of this nature intended as appeareth from its straine for satisfaction of Churches abroad cometh not forth in a latine-dresse It is true it was intended at first so moulded drawn up as it might be published to the world in latine for the satisfying of strangers Churches abroad But upon second thoughts When the case of the suffering people in that Church Kingdome was considered It was thought expedient that it should first be published in English That such as had hithertil valiantly resisted to the losse of their meanes liberty might be strengthened confirmed in their resolution And the more encouraged to endure afflictions when they should see that they did suffer for righteousness sake that they were called thereto of God that others might be quickened to fol low their footsteps who had so cheerfully gone before them in the way Having hereby their doubts cleared scruples removed their judgements convinced in the point of duety this was found even necessary at such a time when their temptations did abound their faintings were like to grow when such as were able to give advice in difficult cases to encourage the weak were thrust away So the consulting of their present necessity did hasten it forth in this dresse Besides that many both in England Ireland may receive information edification hereby of which they should have been deprived if it had been published in latine Afterward if it be thought
noble just much owned honoured of God There is the greater ground of hope that God will helpe such as shall undertake the defence thereof the cavils of men who may be looked upon as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in most of these particulars are tâ—…e lesse to be feared But Christian reader what entertainment so ever it shall have with these who have out lived their zeale integrity have shamefully declined in the day of tryall And have betrayed the cause interest of Christ therefore shall looke upon themselves as not a little concerned herein pinched hereby being unwilling to have their evils ript up laid open to the view of the world Let it have a Christian entertâ—…inment with thee though it come late to thy hands through the injurie of the times let it not be the lesse welcome If the Lord shall be pleased to blesse it it may be of use for thy strengthning in this growing storme upon severall accounts grounds whereof I hint but a few 1. By what is said here thou mayest see that the cause thou sufferest for is the good old cause That same Spirit which acted the Prelats other enemies of the Church of Scotland from the beginning is now raging in her present enemies The same designe is hath been endeavoured driven on all a longs How various so ever the pretexts colours have been under which they have sought to cover themselves the covering hath proved too narrow for them first prelacy then popery was intend first last It is the same cause in the defence of which Christs worthies of old did act suffer so long as they could stand in the defence whereof they were not afrayed to beare the displeasure of King court to hazard life liberty all which waâ—… dear unto them If then the same Spirit doth act worke in the enemies of the Church now which did act worke in their predecessours of old pray thou that the same Spirit of God may act thee all the faithfull of the land which did appeare in the worthy valiant Champions of old whether thou be called to act or suffer for his sake 2. Thou mayest know from what is here related that the cause for which thou art now suffering was brought very low before these times And that the adversaries thereof have often got up to a great height yet the good cause hath got above them And how Acts of Parliament one after another all the devices of the adversary to seale the grave And to make it sure could not keep this cause of Christ from a glorious resurrection Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth might the Church of Scotland then have said many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet have they not prevailed against me The plowers plowed upon my back made long their furrowes The Lord is righteous he hath cut asunder the coards of the wicked And shall it not yet hold true that all they who hate Zion shall be confounded turned back be made as the grasse upon the house topes which withereth be fore it be grown up There is no cause of despondency of spirit or of giving over the cause as lost there is hope in Israel concerning this matter his people may still hope trust in his name who hath wrought salvation of old He who did put that wicked party to shame confusion of face in former times made the name of Prelats to stink their posterity to be as cursed vagabonds wandering up down bearing the marks of god's displeasure still liveth reigneth doth no more approve of the Ungodly of this generation Nor of their more then barbarous carriage who have laboured to out strip their predecessours in perfidious treachery Then he did them who of old did set themselves against the Lord his Christ yea much lesse It is true the men of this generation think they have pins for stopping of such holes which their predecessours could not stop but he who sitteth in the heavens doth laugh at them hath them in derision He seeth that their day is coming It is easie with him to cause the sword which they have drawn to slay such as are of upright conversation enter into their own hearts to break the bowes which they have bent to cast down the poor needy Our God liveth reigneth shall reigne let Kings of clay rage as they will Therefore cast not away your confidence which hath a great recompence of reward for yee have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may receâ—…ve the promise For yet a little while he that shall come will come will not tarry 3. Thou mayestsee that this cause work against which the wicked have conspired set themselves hath been signally owned approved of by the Lord for which he hath fought 〈◊〉 his right hand done valiantly whereby he hath got himself a name among the nations And who knoweth what God will yet doe for his great name which in this day of rebuke blasphemy is greatly reproached Hath he begun will he not finish his worke It is true the provocations of his people doe keep them long in the wildernes yet he who hath frequently wrought for his names sake that it should not be blasphemed amongst the heathen will still be tender of the same sith at this day there is much blasphemy belched forth by persons of all ranks against the great glorious works of God as much if not more then at any time or in any age wherein hath been lesse light The people of God need not be hopelesse much lesse conclude That God who is jealous of his own glory will not give it to another will suffer it now to be given to the devil on whom his work is fathered But rather will certanely be avenged on those prodigiously unparallelably impious sacrilegious persons How dreadfull a thing is it to say that Christ casteth out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils 4. Thou mayest see clearly that the cause for which thou dost now suffer is the cause of Christ His enemies would pul the crown from off his head the scepter out of his hand by this meanes make him no King in over his Church consequently no mediatour For as mediatour he is a King in over his Kingdome that is his Church in which he dwelleth over which he ruleth with his scepter of righteousnesse They will not have his Kingdome a free Kingdome consequently they will not have him a free King They will not allow to him the liberty of appoynting or instituteing his own officers or to rule his Kingdome by his owne lawes courts ordinances censures Nor will they suffer Church-administrations to be performed in his name authority as in