declar'd he had heard him say so but that he only deliver'd as the Opinion of another and yet upon this the Article was look'd upon as proved When the Witnesses cleared the Minister or asserted his Innocence they were dismiss'd as knowing nothing of the Matter but such were greatly encouraged and cherished as shewed themselves earnest and forward to divest him of the Character of a faithful pious and upright Pastor And when they passed the Sentence of Suspension or Deposition against any at the intimation of it from the Pulpit in his own Church the whole Libel was read though several of the Articles were so frivolous and trivial as not censurable by Law and others of them that contained Matter of Scandal were no way proved As for the Episcopal Clergy some of them disown'd their Authority and would not appear Others appeared and gave in their Defences and some perceiving the Partiality of the particular Presbyteries appeal'd to the next General Assembly hoping to meet with greater Moderation there or at least that before that time the Civil Government would put a stop to these rigid and unreasonable proceedings Thus matters went till the sitting of the Assembly and by these proceedings the Presbyterians not only encreas'd the prejudices of those who differed from them but they also disgusted many of their Friends The Presbyterians you know were much inferiour to the Episcopal Party in number quality learning or good Sense and I assure you that now they have lost much even of that Interest which they had in this Nation many who thought well of them while they were kept under are now ashamed of them and have deserted them I am told that many even in the West abominate them It is most certain that in other places of the Kingdom they are fear'd and dreaded as a Plague to Mankind just as the Jesuits are When the time of the Assembly drew near the several Presbyteries set about the chusing Commissioners for it and things were so laid that the most bigotted and hot-headed were generally chosen and those of a more moderate Temper put by If there had been any respect to the qualifications of Men none in that part of the Country he lived in would have been preferr'd to Honest Dr. Hardy but because heretofore he had kept correspondence with the Episcopal Party and still prest Moderation towards them he was excluded In like manner Mr. Alexander Pitcairn of Dron was put by because of his carriage at the last General Meeting though he is said to have more Learning than the most of them and there were but three others in the Presbytery with him and none of them of these old men to whom the Government of the Church was entrusted by the late Act of Parliament He indeed came to the Assembly sat in it and interposed his Judgment but was no Member of it and so consequently had no Vote When these Measures were perceived it was concluded That Mr. George Campbel should be also shuffled out of the Assembly but that would have made their designs too apparent there being none of his Presbytery whom they could bring in Competition with him as also they had not much reason to fear any Opposition from him because of his modesty and quietness which makes him averse to Contests and Jangling He hath indeed the Character of a learned good and discreet Man and by his Moderation at first he did very much displease his Brethren which as I am informed but am loth to believe hath obliged him for removing their Jealousies to express himself of late more severly against the Episcopal Party than he us'd to do formerly As for Lay-Commissioners such were pick'd out as either were most bygottedly affected to their Interests or whom they desir'd and design'd to make fast Friends to their Party In the Presbytery of Churnside the Laird of was chosen and in Dunse the Competition lay betwixt the Laird of Lanton and M. the last was like to have carried it but some one suggested to the Moderator that it would very much reflect upon them to have both the Commissioners for the Merse stain'd with the Scandal of Adultery upon which the Commission was giv'n to Lanton and the other was put by whom yet they would fain have obliged he being one who has at present a considerable place in the Kingdom The King you know ought to have a Commissioner at every Assembly to see that Affairs of State be not medled with by the Brethren who indeed still retain the strong Inclinations which they as well as the Church of Rome have always shewed to meddle with them pretending they only do this in ordine ad spiritualia Every one look'd that the Earl of Crawford should have been the person whom the King should have honoured with that Employment and his Lordship himself rejoyced in expectation of it But to the surprizal of all some few days before the Assembly sat a Commission came down for My Lord Carmichael which made the zealous Brethren hang down their Ears And My Lord Crawford gave an Indication of his secret Grudg at the disappointment by his entertaining every body who came to see him with Protestations that he did not desire it and with Reasons and Excuses why he would not have accepted of it if it had been offered to him But we may justly suspect that his Lordship would not have refused it seeing he frequented the Assembly and officiously meddled in all the Concerns of it even before he was made a Member and upon Carmichael's advancement there were Letters immediately dispatched to procure a Commission for his Lordship from some Burgh or other because a Commission from a Presbytery had been neglected upon an expectation that his Lordship should have represented the King himself in the Assembly His Lordship was so humble that having miss'd of the highest Station he would rather serve in the meanest than not have an hand in advancing the good Cause or be deprived of the occasion of perfecting what he had so zealously begun He had indeed merited the highest Honour in the Kirk but all except the very Bygots of that side approved the King's Choice as best and wisest for himself and the Interest of the State For My Lord Carmichael was look'd upon as a Man of good Sense and he had lately giv'n proofs of his Discretion and moderate Temper at the Visitation of the Colledg of Glasgow whereas My Lord Crawford kept within no bounds of Moderation at the Visitation of the University of S. Andrews and was much taken notice of for his rough Usage of the Masters particularly the Reverend old Dr. Weemse Dean of S. Andrewes and Principle of S. Leonard's College who had been a Master in the said University for the space of 45 years under whom My Lord Crawford studied Philosophy and to whom he was then particularly obliged the Dr. had also been a zealous Assertor of the Protestant Religion and design'd to have made the University
AN HISTORICAL RELATION Of the Late General Assembly Held at EDINBURGH From Octob. 16. to Nov. 13. In the Year 1690. IN A LETTER From a PERSON in EDINBURGH To his Friend in LONDON LICENSED April the 20th 1691. LONDON Printed for J. Hindmarsh at the Golden-Ball in Cornhill near the Royal-Exchange MDCXCI A LETTER FROM EDINBVRGH TO ONE in LONDON c. SIR I Received yours and do not think it strange that those of England are so desirous to know the Acts and Proceedings of our General Assembly in Scotland for not only Curiosity but Interest may prompt them thereto I will readily serve you in this Matter and intended though you had not required it to have given you an Account of it that you might have Occasion of gratifying your worthy Friends and Acquaintance It 's true I was not Eye-Witness of what past for you know my Circumstances would not allow that and the Brethren as they call themselves endeavoured to keep out all that were not of their own party or who might tell Tales forbidding the Keepers of the door to admit any without a leaden Ticket in the shape of a Heart which was the Pass given them which was not so easily obtain'd except for their particular Friends and if any of the Episcopal Party were discovered there was a Cry presently Conformists are here and the Officers were sent to thrust them out However notwithstanding of this strictness there were always two or three discreet and intelligent Persons of my Acquaintance present at every Session from whom I have what I write to you And I assure you that you may trust the Ingenuity and Faithfulness of the Relation But before I come to the Assembly it self there be some things previous to it which you ought to be informed of A General Assembly in Scotland you know is much of the same Nature with the Convocation in England or a National Council and of no less Authority here Nay our Presbyterians exalt the Authority of their Assemblies aboue that of King or Parliament and there be some standing Acts of their Assemblies against Acts of Parliament and which discharge Obedience to them Whereupon our Presbyterians being not content with what the Parliament had done for them nor thinking their Authority sufficient for setting up their Government they required a General Assembly by whose Authority which with them is supreme and next to that of Jesus Christ their Government might be firmly established and all their Actings and Proceedings ratified and approved by it Yet they knew that a free Assembly of the Clergy and Laity throughout the Kingdom would rather defeat than advance their Designs therefore they consider'd how they might prevent that by some Method which would exclude all who were not well affected to their Interest or zealous for the Good Old Cause In order hereunto they prevailed with the Parliament to lodge the whole Government and Management of Church Affairs in the hands of those few Old Preachers who went off when Episcopacy was reestablished An. 1661. and such as should be admitted and approved by them When these Ministers off the Episcopal Perswasion who had complied with the present Civil Government heard this they thought themselves injured and therefore addressed to the Parliament to be admitted to a share of the Government or at least not to be absolutely subjected to them who were their stated and professed Enemies This they claimed as due to them not only upon the account of their being Lawful Ministers of the Gospel but also upon the account of the publick Faith which promised them Protection upon their compliance with the Civil Government Notwithstanding which their Petition was disdainfully rejected and the Act continued as before in favour only of the above-mentioned Presbyterian Preachers By which means all the present Episcopal Clergy and such of the Laity as favoured their Interest and had complyed with them were rendred incapable of bearing any Office in the Kirk and of Sitting and Voting in their Meetings This the Episcopal Party justly complained of and said That though Episcopacy was abolished merely upon an unjust and false Pretence that that Government exercised Tyranny over the Church yet now a real Presbyterian Tyranny was established that instead of Fourteen Bishops Sixty were set up who would Lord it over their Brethren more imperiously than they either did or pretended to do and that Presbyters were subjected to them who own'd themselves to be no more than Presbyters which had no Precedent in the Catholick Church but also they who could not be denyed to be Lawful Ministers were excluded from any share of the Discipline and Government of the Church which was contrary to the very Principles and Tenets of the Presbyterians themselves who make every private Minister to be invested with the Authority of ruling as well as of teaching and who affirm it unlawful for any Minister to part with that Right and who therefore were wont to exclaim against Bishops because they seemed to usurp it wholly to themselves All the Excuse made for this was That they could no otherwise make their Government sure and that the Episcopal Party deserved to be thus treated for their Apostacy in betraying and renouncing the true Rights and Interests of the Church by complying with Episcopacy Hence it was inferr'd that Presbyterians do juggle both with God and Man For whereas they would have the World believe that their Model of Government and Forms of Discipline are so much of Divine Right that they can submit to no Terms of Composition with Men about them so when it makes for their Interest they can without any scruple introduce essential Alterations thereof For Parity which they make the Institution of Christ was now taken away and out of the pretended exigence of the Church nine hundred Ministers were suspended from one half of that Power given them by Christ which at other times is said to be so essential to them that they cannot be Ministers of the Gospel without it Shortly after the passing that Act of Parliament for setting up the Presbyterian Government and committing the Care and Management thereof to these few surviving Presbyterian Ministers who had not complied with Episcopacy there was a Meeting at Edinburgh of Presbyterian Ministers and Lay-Elders to advise about the Affairs of the Kirk and to lay down Methods how a General Assembly should be call'd and constituted because as I have observed one could not be had according to their minds after the old manner and standing Rules of General Assemblies By Virtue of the Act of Parliament none had the Right to meddle with the Government and Affairs of the Church but such Ministers as had been removed by the restoration of Episcopacy and certainly these men were greatly overseen when they parted with that Privilege and admitted others to share with them before they had setled the Church according to their minds For by these means they were overpower'd and outvoted and forced to yield to
Lists of such as were thought fit to be called to the Ministry And indeed they may come to have enough of them by the Measures and Methods which they lay down and follow but they are not like to have many learned and knowing men for they set light of Learning and Knowledg and do often run it down Zeal for the Good Cause is the chief Qualification and serves instead of Learning and other Accomplishments The Episcopal Candidates are thought as dangerous as those who are actually in Office Therefore instead of these who have been several years fitting themselves for the holy Ministry by proper and useful Studies they are putting others upon the Design who never studied at all neither have any competent measure of Learning for it Brewers and illiterate Tradesmen are setting up to be Ministers Not to trouble you with other Instances one Russel a Coalgrieve in Fife is made Minister at Kennaway What Talent of Learning he has you may easily guess when you may understand that he is altogether ignorant of the Latine When he was passing his Tryals before the Presbytery they according to their Custom prescribed him a Latine Exercise in some Head of Divinity which he earnestly declined and when they would needs keep up the Formality he complained for obliging him to pray and preach in an unknown Tongue Having miserably bungled through the Discourse when it came to the Disputes Mr. Mitchel at Leslie proposed an Argument by way of Enthymema and he denyed the Major having been at pains to conn the Terms Major and Minor before he came there and his Instructer having forgot to tell him the different ways of Argumentation Then Mr. Mitchel putting his Terms in the ordinary form of an Hypothetick Syllogism fancying he might understand that When the Syllogism was repeated he said to the Proponent explica terminos Minoris which was Sed verum prius Having gotten this Specimen of his Learning the Presbytery acknowledged that he indeed wanted Gifts but he had Grace and that was sufficient and therefore they approved of him and received him into the Ministry Mr. Russel hearing that he was so much upbraided with Ignorance to wipe off that Stain he offered to make some Ostentation of Learning in a Sermon by the Repetition of a Latine Verse The Verse he chose was this common one Regis ad Exemplum c. But alass the Way he took to save his Reputation ruined it for ever for he blundered it thus Regos ad Exemplas totis componitur orbos And as their Clergy are at present without Learning so it cannot be expected that their Successors if they shall have any will be any whit better for they have laid our Colleges wast driven away our learned men and have not qualified Persons of their own party to put in their places The University of S. Andrew is altogether laid wast there is neither Principal nor Regent there and those who have succeeded to the Vacancies in the Colleges of Glascow and Edinburgh are known to be Persons neither skilled in Books nor any part of good and useful Learning So that they are not capable of directing the Studies of the Youth which resort thither nor is it to be supposed the Youth will much regard their Advices when 't is evident that the chief of them have need to be put back to learn their Grammar The Narrowness of the Presbyterian Spirit is an Enemy to Knowledg and will obstruct all Learning for they not only count it Impiety to call their commonly received Principles into Question but also they reckon a free and rational Inquiry into the Grounds and Reasons of them to be very dangerous They are no less friends to implicite Faith than the Church of Rome and do not regard the Advice of S. Peter which is That we should be ready always to give an Answer to every man that asketh a Reason of the Hope that is in us You may easily guess how squeamish they are about Points of Divinity when they make the Cartesian and other Systems of new Philosophy to be gross and damnable Heresies So that if Presbyterianism prevail all freedom of Spirit all improvements of reason and knowledge will be banish'd and the world must be condemned again to hear both in Schools and Pulpits impertinent chat a Clutter Clutter of words and canting phrases which cannot be understood They are great enemies to Mr. Gregory the Learned Professor of Mathematicks in this place they seek by all means to turn him out and say that these Sciences are not only useless but dangerous and indeed they have reason for they are no friends to ignorance and nonsence their peculiar properties But the want of kindness to Mr Gregory and the Mathematicks is somewhat more excusable in them but that they should slight the knowledge of the Hebrew and other orientall tongues is a little strange and cannot be justified seeing the right understanding of the Scripture does so much depend thereupon They have thrust out Mr. Alexander Douglass the professor of these languages here who as he was a person of a most peaceable disposition so he was an ornament to the Society he lived in by his skill and knowledge in these matters he cannot have a true Successor here for he hath scarce his equall in this Kingdom nor Perhaps are there many in other places who do exceed him in the thing he professeth But perhaps the Jewish Synagogue would have been found so favourable for Episcopacie and therefore it is fit and wisely done to keep both Clergy Laity in ignorance of it Their kindness for the dead is as smal as for the living they encourage learned books as little as learned men The trade of books is fallen so low since the Presbyterian reign was set up that our Stationers are thinking either to quit their employments or to go and live elsewhere for they have not made the rent of their shops these two years The Episcopall are not in circumstances for buying and the other crave no other books then Durham on the Canticles and Revelation Dickson and Hutcheson Dyar and Gray These are their Classicall Authors and the standard of their learning and 't is from those that they take the heads of their Sermons and the instructions which they tender the people But tho' learning be not the talent of a Presbyterian yet they have arrogated to themselves the gift of preaching they have the name of Powerfull Soul-searching-Preachers whereas the Episcopall Ministers are only named dry moral Lecturers and under this name slouted and abused both in Sermons and prayâ—rs So vain were they of this gift of preaching that for some time we had a new Sermon published by them every week they thinking thereby to gain and proselite the whole nation But the Stratageme failed them nay it prov'd to their prejudice for thereby peoples curiosity was diverted from hearing them in the Churches where they could not expect other than noise and nonsense
whole Articles of the Libel complexlie than which there is nothing more false as will appear by the Libels and Depositions if they were produced And yet thereupon Mr. Heriott is first suspended by the Presbytery and referred by them to the General Assembly for further Censure as if great Immoralities in Life and Errors in Doctrine had been proved against him And the Synod to which the Assembly remitted him following the steps of the Presbytery deposed him Now when Presbytery and Synod have acted thus contrary to express Law and have done open and manifest Unjustice and whereof all that heard of it are convinced and sensible And having stated themselves Parties against him there can be no Remedy expected from the said Unjustice Injury and Oppression unless the Lords of Their Majesties Privy Council interpose their Authority If it be alleaged That the late Act of Parliament The Act of Supremacy in Church matters is Repealed It is answered That the Act of Parliament 1669 is Rescinded which extended the Supremacy to the Ordering and Disposal of the External Government and Policy of the Church and to the Enacting of Constitutions Acts and Orders in the Church But the foresaid Act of K. Ja. 6. his 8 Parliament is not Rescinded which is only as to the Judging of Ecclesiastick Persons in matters complained upon and which power is inherent in the Crown otherways there should be Regnum in Regno and Church Judicatories should have arbitrary Power without Redress or Control as said is In Regard whereof The Lords of Their MAJESTIES Privy Council are Judges Competent to this Injurie Vnjustice and Oppression And the Desire of the Petitions ought to be Granted ACT of the General Assembly anent a Solemn National Fast and Humiliation with the Causes thereof At Edinburgh November 12. 1690. Postmeridiem Sess 25. THE General Assembly Having taken into their most serious Consideration the late great and general Defection of this Church and Kingdom have thought fit to Appoint a Day of Solemn Humiliation and Fasting for Confession of Sins and making Supplication to our Gracious God to forgive and remove the guilt thereof In order whereunto they have Ordained the Confession of Sins and Causes of Fasting following to be duly Intimat and Published Recommending it most earnestly to all persons both Ministers and others That every one of us may not only search and try our own hearts and ways and stir up our selves to seek the Lord But also in our Stations and as we have access Deal with one another in all love and tenderness to prepare for so great and necessary a Duty that we may find mercy in God's sight and He may be graciously reconciled to our Land in our Lord Jesus and take delight to dwell among us Although our gracious God hath of late for his own Names sake wrought great and wonderful things for Britain and Ireland and for this Church and Nation in particular Yet the Inhabitants thereof have cause to remember their own evil ways and to loath themselves in their own sight for their Iniquities Alas We and our Fathers our Princes our Pastors and People of all Ranks have sinned and have been under great Transgression to this day For though our gracious God shewed early kindness to this Land in sending the Gospel amongst us and afterward in our Reformation from Popish Superstition and Idolatry and it had the Honour beyond many Nations of being after our first Reformation solemnly devoted unto God both Prince and People yet we have dealt treacherously with the Lord and been unstedfast in his Covenant and have not walked suitably to our Mercies received from him nor obligations to him Through the mercy of God this Church had attained to a great purity of Doctrine Worship and Government but this was not accompanied with suitable personal Reformation neither was our Fruit answerable to the pains taken on us by Word and Work We had much Gospel-preaching but too little Gospel-practice too many went on in open wickedness and some had but a form of Godliness denying the power thereof many also who had the Grace of God in truth fell from their first love and fell under sad languishings and decays and when for our sins the anger of the Lord had divided us and we were brought under the feet of strangers and many of our Brethren killed others taken Captive and sold as slaves yet we sinned still and after we were freed from the yoke of strangers instead of returning to the Lord and being led to Repentance by his goodness the Land made open Defection from the good ways of the Lord many behaved as if they had been delivered to work abomination the flood-gates of Impiety were opended and a deluge of wickedness did over-spread the Land Who can without grief and shame remember the shameful debauchery and drunkenness that then was And this accompanied with horrid and hellish cursing and swearing and followed with frequent Filthiness Adulteries and other Abominations and the Reprover was hated and he that departed from Iniquity made himself a reproach or prey And when by these and such like corrupt practices mens Consciences were debauched they proceeded to sacrifice the Interest of the Lord Jesus Christ and Priviledges of his Church to the lusts and will of men The Supremacy was advanced in such a way and to such an height as never any Christian Church acknowledged the Government of the Church was altered and Prelacy which hath been always grievous to this Nation introduced without the Churches consent and contrair to the standing Acts of our National Assemblies both which the present Parliament hath blessed be God lately found And yet nevertheless of the then standing Ministry of Scotland many did suddenly and readily comply with that alteration of the Government some out of Pride and Covetousness or Man-pleasing some through infirmity or weakness or fear of Man and want of Courage and Zeal for God many faithful Ministers were thereupon cast out and many Insufficient and Scandalous men thrust in on their Charges and many Families ruined because they would not own them as their Pastors And alas It is undenyable there hath been under the late Prelacie a great decay of Piety so that it was enough to make a man be nicknam'd a Phanatick if he did not run to the same excess of riot with others And should it not be lamented for it cannot be denyed there hath been in some a dreadful Atheistical Boldness against God some have disputed the Being of God and his Providence the Divine Authority of the Scriptures the Life to come and Immortality of the Soul yea and scoffed at these things There hath been also an horrid Prophanation of the Holy and Dreadful Name of God by Cursing and Swearing Ah! there hath been so much Swearing and Forswearing amongst us that no Nation under Heaven have been more guilty in this than we some by swearing rashly or ignorantly some falsly by breaking their Oaths and imposing
and taking ungodly and unlawful Oaths and Bonds whereby the Consciences of many have been polluted and seared and many ruined and oppressed for refusing and not taking them There hath also been a great neglect of the Worship of God too much in publick but especially in Families and in secret The wonted care of Religious sanctifying the Lord's Day is gone and in many places the Sabbath hath been and is shamefully prophaned The Land also hath been full of bloody Crimes and Cities full of Violence and much innocent Blood shed so that Blood touched Blood yea Sodoms sins have abounded amongst us Pride fullness of Bread Idleness Vanities of Apparel and shameful sensuality filled the Land And alas how great hath been the Cry of Oppression and Unrighteousness Iniquity hath been established by a Law there hath been a great perverting of Justice by making and executing unrighteous Statutes and Acts and sad persecutions of many for their Conscience towards God It is also matter of Lamentation that under this great Defection there hath been too general a fainting not only amongst professors of the Gospel but also amongst Ministers yea even amongst such who in the main things did endeavour to maintain their Integrity in not giving seasonable and necessary Testimony against the Defectons and Evils of the Time and keeping a due distance from them and some on the other hand managed their Zeal with too little Discretion and Meekness It is also matter of Humiliation that when Differences fell out amongst these who did owne Truth and bear witness against the Course of Defection they were not managed with due Charity and Love but with too much heat and bitterness injurious Reflections used against pious and worthy men on all hands and scandalous Divisions occasioned and the success of the Gospel greatly obstructed thereby and some dangerous Principles drunk in And after all this there were shameful advances towards Popery the Abomination of the Mass was set up in many places and Popish Schools erected and severals fell to Idolatry And though the Lord hath put a stop to the Course of Defection and of his great mercy given us some reviving from our Bondage yet we have sad cause to regrate and bemoan that few have a due sense of our mercy or walk answerable thereto few are turned to the Lord in truth but the wicked go on to do wickedly and there is found amongst us to this day shameful ingratitude for our mercies Horrid impenitency under our sins yea even amongst those who stand most up for the Defence of the Truth and amongst many in our Armies there is woful Prophaneness and Debauchery And though we profess to acknowledge there can be no pardon of Sins no Peace and Reconciliation with God but by the Blood of Jesus Christ yet few know Him or see the Necessity and Excellency of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ few see their need of Him or esteem desire or receive Him as he is offered in the Gospel few are acquainted with Faith in Jesus Christ and living by Faith on Him as made of the Father unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and few walk as becometh the Gospel and imitate our Holy Lord in Humility Meekness Self-denial Heavenly-mindedness Zeal for GOD and Charity towards Men But as there is even until now a great contempt of the Gospel a great Barrenness under it so a deep Security under our Sin and Danger a great want of Piety toward God and Love towards Men with a woful Selfishness every one seeking their own things few the things of Christ or the publick Good or one anothers welfare And finally the most part more ready to censure the sins of others than to repent of their own Our Iniquities are increased over our heads and our Trespasses are grown up into the Heavens they are many in number and hainous in their nature and grievously aggravated as having been contrair to great Light and Love under signal Mercies and Judgments after Confession and Supplication and notwithstanding of our Profession Promises and solemn Vowing and Covenanting with God to the contrair Have we not then sad cause of deep Sorrow and Humiliation And may we not fear if we do not repent and turn from the evil of our ways and return to the Lord with all our hearts that He return to do us evil after he hath done us good and be angry with us until He hath consumed us Let us therefore humble our selves by Fasting and Praying let us search out our sins and consider our ways and confess these and other our sins with Sorrow and Detestation Let us turn unto the Lord with Fasting and weeping and with mourning Let us firmly Resolve and sincerely Engage to amend our ways and doings and return unto the Lord our God with all our heart and earnestly pray that for the blood of the Lamb of God our sins may be forgiven and our back-slidings healed and we may yet become a righteous Nation keeping the Truth that Religion and Righteousness may flourish and Love and Charity abound and all the Lord's People may be of one mind in the Lord and in order to all these that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified and that the Preaching of the Word and Dispensing of the Sacraments may be accompanied with the wonted presence Power and Blessing of the Spirit of the Lord That the Lord would preserve and bless our gracious King and Queen William and Mary and establish their Throne by Righteousness and Religion and grant to these Nations Peace and Truth together and for that End bless and prosper His Majesties Councils and Forces by Sea and Land and those of the Princes and States his Allies for God and his Truth that Inferior Rulers may rule in the fear of God and Judges be clothed with Righteousness and that many faithful Labourers may be sent out into the Lord's Vineyard and they who are sent may find mercy to be faithful and be blest with Success that Families may be as little Churches of Christ and that the Lord would pour out His Spirit on all Ranks of People that they may be holy in all manner of Conversation and God may delight to dwell amongst us and to do us good And while we pray for our selves let us not forget our Brethren in Forreign Churches with whom alas we had too little Sympathy Nay let us pray that all the ends of the Earth may see the Salvation of God and that He would bring his antient people of the Jews to the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ and that he would hasten the ruine of Romish Babylon and advance the Reformation in Christendome and preserve and bless the Reformed Churches That he would pity His oppressed People the French Protestants and gather them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day and that he would be the Defence Strength and Salvation of any of his