the corruptions both of Kirk and State And that it was for restraint of this and for their own just defence against tyranny and unjust violence which ordinarily is the fruit and effect of such a power that the Lords People did joyn in Covenant and have been at the expences of so much blood travels and pains these years past Fifthly That the King being averse from the Work of Reformation and the Instruments thereof and compassed about with Malignant and dis-affected men whom he hearkens to as his most faithfull Counsellours and looks upon as his most loyall and faithfull Subjects being admitted to the exercise of his power before satisfaction given would by these counsels endeavour an over-turning of these things which the Lord hath wrought amongst us and labour to draw Publick Administrations concerning Religion and the Liberty of the Subject into that course and Channel in which they did run under Prelacie before the Work of Reformation Which we had the more cause to fear because his Royall Father did often declare That he conceived himself bound to imploy all the power that God had put in his hands to the utmost for these ends and that he adhered to his Fathers principles and walked in his way and had made a peace with the Irish Rebels by which is granted to them the full liberty of Popery From these Principles the Generall Assembly did then infer That it would be the wisedome of every one who dwells in this Land to take heed to such a temptation and snare that they be not accessory to any such designes and endeavours of bringing or admitting the King to the exercise of his Power without satisfaction given concerning the security of Religion and Liberty of the Subjects as they would not bring upon themselves and on their Families the guilt of all the detriment that would undoubtedly follow thereupon to Religion and the Covenant and of all the miseries and calamities that it would bring on his Majesties Person and Throne and on these Kingdoms Such a thing say they would in all appearance be the under-minding and shaking off if not the over-throwing and destroying the Work of Reformation and that therefore whosoever attempts the same do oppose themselves to the Cause of GOD and will at last dash against the rock of the Lords Power which hath broken in pieces many high and losty ones since the beginning of this Work in these Kingdomes From all which it dotli appear upon good grounds that it was an high provocation to admit the King to the exercise of his Power or to intrust him with the Cause and People of GOD whilst he was continuing in his former disaffection to and eninity against the same with which sin the Lord hath been so displeased that he Hath in a great measure verified the same things on the Land which are holden forth by the Generall Assembly and which would be the consequents thereof We know that it will be objected by many That the King did desist from and abandon that course of enmity against the Work and People of God before the close of the Treaty and that he did give satisfaction concerning the security of Religion and Liberty of the Subjects by condescending to and subscribing these demands which were sent to him from the Parliament of this Kingdom and the Commission of the Generall Assembly To which we reply First that these demands were desicient at least not so plain and positive and expresse in the main and necessary thing to wit a reall abandoning of former malignant courses and principles and a reall and cordiall cleaving to the Work and people of God without which there could not be a reall security it was not a shadow of security for Religion and Liberty or a paper and verball security onely but a reall security which we were bound before the Lord to have evdeavoured and obtained before the close of a Treaty with the King for intrusting him with the Government and to authorize Commissioners to settle with him upon such paper-securities and accordingly to intrust him was but to mock God and to deceive the World and to betray and destroy our selves by giving up all the precious Interests of Religion and Liberty into the hands of one who was in a course of enmity to these Secondly it is certain if men will not deny clear and evident truths that the King had not only before the authorizing of these Commissioners to close a Treaty with him upon his condescending to these Demands given evidence of his emnity to the Work and people of God but also was continuing in the same during the time of the Treaty and that he had not abandoned these Principles and courses at the close of the Treaty And when he did swear and subscribe the Nationall Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant Nay the whole tenour of his carriage did then and afterward convincingly enough to intelligent men demonstrate him to be the same he was before We shall not need bring many instances therefore passing over these things which he did before this Kingdome began to treat with him such as the Declaration emitted by him when he was Prince against the Cause and People of God and his Printed Declaration at Iersey as King against all who had been in opposition to his Father in these troubles We shall mention only a few particulars that fell out thereafter to wit these first he did not only countenance and entertain the most Capital and known Enemies of this Kingdom such as Iames Grahame and others who had shed much of the bloud thereof but also did give Commission to the said Iames Grahame to make war upon and invade the Inhabitants thereof as Traitors and Rebels Secondly in the whole progresâ—e of the Treaty as he did communicate and take counsell with known dis-affected and malignant men in all things relating to the same and not moving a step but according to their advice so did he procrastinat and delay to grant what was desired untill all other means of help had failed and his own estate and condition was now become desperat and what he did grant was not all at once and cheerfully as if it had been a duty but by little and little and by a kind of coaction and merchandise as if it had been a bargain of buying and selling Thirdly after the Treaty was brought to some close he did before his coming to Sea receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper from one of the Prelatical Chaplains and according to the Serviâ—e-Book notwithstanding the Commissioners of the Kirk did represent the evill thereof to him and did earnestly deal with him to the contrary Fourthly he brought to Sea and into Scotland with him almost the whole Train of Malignant and dis-affected men who had followed him in his former evill courses and fled from the Justice of both Kingdoms and these he did more familiarly intirely converse with then with others Fiâ—thly he was neaâ—
CAUSES Of the LORDS WRATH against SCOTLAND Manifested in his sad late dispensations Whereunto is added a PAPER particularly holding forth the Sins of the MINISTERY Printed in the year 1653. Some General Heads of the Causes why the LORD contends with the Land agreed upon after seeking of the LORD by the Commission of the GENERALL ASSEMBLY 1650. with the advice of diverse Ministers from severall parts of the Kingdom met at Edinburgh October 1651. so far as for the present they could attain light therein which they offer and advise to be made use of by all the LORDS People in the Land leaving place to adde as the Lord shall make further discoveries hereafter of the guiltinesse of the Land and intending more fully and particularly to enlarge this Paper 1. Article THe grosse Atheisme and ignorance of God and of his Word and Works that is in a great part of the Inhabitants of the Land which is such that neither Law nor Gospel nor the most common and necessary points of truth are understood or known by many thousands 2. Article Horrible loosnesse and prophanity of Conversation in all sorts against the Commandments both of the first and second table which hath so abounded and encreased that scarce hath any of the Nations exceeded us therein 3. Article The despising and slighting of JESUS CHRIST offered in the Gospel which we look on as the chief and mother sin of this Nation and the not valuing and improving the Gospel and precious Ordinances of CHRIST unto the establishing and building up of our selves in the lively faith of CHRIST and power of godlinesse but either neglecting and despising these things altogether or else resting upon and idolizing outward and bare forms without studying to know in our selves or to promove in others the Kingdom of God which is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost whereby it hath come to passe that persons not rightly qualified have been admitted unto and continued in the Work of the Ministery and Elderships and that publick repentance and Kirk-censures have been grosâ—ely slighted and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper fearfully polluted by the promiscuous admitting of many ignorant and scandalous persons thereto and many wilfully ignorant and openly and continuedly prophane have been keeped in the fellowship of this Kirk contrary to the Word of GOD and Constitutions of this Kirk and that many other sad and fearfull consequences have followed unto the prophaning of all the Ordinances of GOD and rendering them for the most part barren and fruitlesse to us 4 Art Not only the exercise of godlines in families much slighted great men being unwilling and ashamed to call on the name of the LORD in their Family which guilt is exceedingly heightned by the continuing of many of these in the same after solemn Publick confessing thereof and engaging to the contrary duty in the year 1648. and others much neglecting the same But also the loathing and hating of the power and life of Religion and godlinesse and bearing down such as make conscience thereof or aime at any perfection therein which hath come to such an height that the Godly are every-where reproached reviled oppressed and persecuted throughout the Land by sundry of all ranks yea by sundry Magistrates and Ministers and the ungodly and prophane countenanced encouraged and imployed 5. Article The base love of the world and Covetousnesse which hath made not onely the Body of the People but many Ministers more to minde their own things then the things of JESUS CHRIST and many Masters Rulers Magistrates Officers and Souldiers in Armies exceedingly to abuse their power unto the exercising of intollerable oppression of all kindes on the poor to the grinding of their faces and making their lives bitter to them Which fountain of Covetousnesse did also produce the great insolencies and oppressions in our Armies in England and Ireland and the fearfull perjuries in the Land in the matter of valuation and Excise 6. Article The abusing and prostituting the Publick Faith of the Kingdom in the way of borrowing of Money and otherwise unto the dishonouring of GOD mocking of Men and reproach of the Nation 7. Article In pursuing of necessary Duties of renewing the Nationall Covenant and entring into and renewing the solemn League and Covenant the way of many mens taking these Covenants was without the knowledge of the necessary things contained therein and without reality and sincerity of heart in order to the performance thereof some being induced thereto by example some by fear and not a few by principles of policy following their own carnall and corrupt ends 8. Article The Following the work of God and pursuing the ends of the Covenant not in a Spirituall holy way setting the LORD alwayes before our eyes and acknowledging him in all our paths but in a carnall politick way abusing GODS Interest for our own interest and ends as if it had been the Work of men and not the Work of GOD which made us walk more in the counsels of our own hearts then in the Counsel of GOD and to trust more in the arm of flesh then in the Arm of the Lord. 9. Article Backslyding and defection from the Covenant and from our solemn Vows and Engagements the guilt whereof is exceedingly heightned by the aggravating circumstances of our renewed Oaths and of the LORDS Mercies and Engagements and of our frequent relapses into the same sins whereof we once seemed to have repented and which we condemned in others Of this Defection there be these speciall heads and Steps 1. Step. A soul falling from that honesty of heart and purity of conversation and from the singlenesse and integrity of heart and from the fervency zeal for GOD that appeared to be in many at the first entry to the Covenant and declining into loose walking and self interest and neutrality and indifferency from which haue issued many sad consequences especially the great scandall and stumbling of many godly in the Land at us and the Work of God in our hand 2 Step. The sitting up of many Professors in the Land under the Gospel and becoming formall and remisse not entertaining tenderness spirituall life and soberness of minde which as it hath been amongst the provoking Causes of the LORDS wrath and hath rendered some obnoxious to snares on both hands so may it if it be not mourned for and amended draw on more wrath and expose to the hazard of errour and disaffection to the Work of GOD. 3. Step. The secret falling off of some and open falling away of many unto the opposite party after their entering in Covenant especially that defection carried on by Iames Graham his party and that which was afterward carried on by the Authors and Abettors of the unlawfull Engagement 1648. 4. Step. The neglecting obstructing and condemning the purging of the Judicatories and Army 1649. and afterward from scandalous and disaffected men and of the constituting the same of men of known integrity
knowledge of the things contained in the Covenants The Lord requires of al those that take an oath That they do it in judgment Jer. 4. 2. And thâ—u shalt swear The Lord liveth in truth in righteousness and in judgment and the Nations shall bless themselves in him That is That they take it with such a measure of discretion judgment and understanding as is needful for men in their station in order to the Duty which by their Oath they tie themselves to But it is beyond question that many in the Land do swear these Covenants without the knowledge and understanding of the heads thereof so far as was needful for them in their station who when they were catechised on the particulars do know little or nothing thereof Which no doubt is one cause why they have so little minded and followed and do so little mind and follow the duties contained therein Jer. 5. 4. And I said Surely these are poor they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgment of their God The other is The taking of these Covenants without reality and sincerity in order to the performance thereof Which was to swear not in truth as the Lord requireth Jer. 4. 2. And thou shalt swear The Lord liveth c. not falsly Hos. 10. 4. They have spoken words swearing falsly making a Covenant thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field And with an heart that was not right therfore have they not been stedfast in the Covenant Psal 78. 36 37. Nevertheless thâ—y did flutter him with their mouth and did lye to him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant The judgments therefore mentioned to have been in some example in others fear and in not a few principles of policy for attaining their own ends Other bad principles certainly there were in sundry persons be side these but these are mentioned as the most common and which haâ—â—â—way with most of these who were guilty either of ignorance or of hypocrisie in the entering into these Covenants Many did take the National Covenant in example of others it being counted praise-worthy and commendable after such a defection as was then in the Land to engage in such a duty and to be reckoned amongst the repairers of the breach Many did take the solemn League and Covenant for fear because the refusing to take it was attended both with Ecclesiastical and Civil Censures and therefore did they rather choose to hazard on the OATH of GOD then to run these hazards amongst Men which doth not yet condemn the injoyning the taking of these Covenants upon a good and warrantable principle It is lawfull for the Judicatories of a Kirk and State to injoyn to men cohabitation with their wives and to children obedience to their Parents to subjects obedience to their Magistrates and suchlike under such respective relations Yet as these persons sin against God if they give obedience only from a principle of carnal fear neither doth the influence that these relations have on them make the commanding of these things under those relations to be a sin because they are in themselves duties which are commanded of God the neglect whereof may in regard of scandall be censured by the Kirk and in regard of the prejudice that redounds to the honour of God and good of our neighbour be punished by the civil Magistrate In taking of both Covenants though there were many whom a principle of the fear and love of God did move yet there were not a few whom after-discoveries have made manifest who were acted thereto by carnall wisedome and policie for attaining their own base and corrupt ends such as riches places of preferment and lively hood and ease and hence mainly hath issued that sin which followes in the next Article The eighth Article The following of the Work of God pursuing the ends of the Covenant not in a holy and spirituall way setting the Lord alwayes before our eyes and acknowledging him in all our paths according to the direction given us of God which hath the promise of the Blessing Psalm 37. 5. Commit thy way to the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe Prov. 3. 5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thy own understanding in all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shal direct thy paths But in a carnall politick way abusing Gods Interest for our own interest and ends is a fearfull transgression howsoever it is often palliated with specious pretences as Iehu his zeal against the house of Ahab 2 Kings 10. 16. Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD so they made him ride in his chariot Yet the Lord doth not suffer it to go unpunished Hos. 1. 4. And the LORD said unto him Call his Name Iesreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the bloud of Jesreel on the house of Jehu and will cause to cease the Kingdom of the hous of Israel v. 5. And it shall come to passe in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jesreel 1. Consequent Two Consequents of this carnal way are mentioned the one is the walking in the way of our own hearts more then in the Counsel of God For when mens hearts are not single and streight in reference to the glory of God they love not to walk according to the simplicity of the Word of God but turns aside to their crooked ways to chuse such carnal midses as seem most plausible to their carnal hearts for compassing their corrupt ends a siu that was confessed in the publick solemn Confession of sins in the year 1648. And yet never have these crooked paths been more troden in and these counsels of flesh and blood been more hearkened to then since that time which is one of the causes why the sword doth abide in our cities and consume our branches and devours For this the Prophet threatens against Israel because of their own counsels The other Trusting more in the arm of flesh then in the arm of the Lord which hath been a constant and continued sin in this Nation these years past in doting on multitudes skill and abilities of men and numbers and strength of horses whence have issued the corrupt mixtures in our Armies and the imploying of all ranks of persons how malignant and prophane soever what wonder then though our Armies have not prospered but have oftentimes met with a curse in stead of a blessing Jer. 17. 5 6. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord for he shall be like the heath in the desart and shall not see when good cometh but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness in a salt Land and not inhabited From this same fountain hath proceeded needless alienation of
and affection to the Cause and of a blameless and Christian Câ—nversation notwithstanding of the solemn publick Confession of these sins and Engaging unto these duties a little before that time 5. Step. The Authorizing of Commissioners to close a Treaty with the King for the investing him with the Government upon his subscribing such Demands as were sent to him after he had given many clear evidences of his disaffection and enmity to the work and people of God and was continuing in the same And the admitting of him to the full exercise of his power and Crowning him notwithstanding of new discoveries of his adhering to his former principles and way and of many warnings to the contrary 6. Step. The Rejecting of Discoveries of guiltiness and causes of the Lords contending with us and of our duty in reference therto such as the cause of humiliation offered by the Commission of the General Assembly to the Committee of Estates at Leith before the defeat at Dumbar The causes of humiliation condescended on at Sterlin immediately after the defeat at Dumbar The Remonstrance of the Gentlemen Ministers and Forces in the West and many other testimonies of Presbyteries and Synods together neglecting the means tending to peace and to the preventing the effusion of more blood from pride and bitterness of spirit against those who had invaded us 7. Step. The Publick Resolutions of Kirk and State for bringing in the Malignant party first to the Army and then to the Judicatories and to the actual intrusting of them with the power of the Kingdom both Military and Civil whereby the state of our cause is not only turned up side down by subordinating the interest of God to the interest of men but the work and people of God have been entrusted to the enemies thereof 8. Step. The joyning of many engaged in the Covenant and Cause of God in Arms with the Forces of the Kingdom after that by the Publick Resolutions there was a prevailing party of Malignants brought into the Army who had the sway of Counsels and Actings therein and were carrying on a malignant interest 9. Step. The pre-limiting and corrupting of the Gen. Assembly in regard of the free lawful and right constitution thereof excluding such as were faithful and constant in the Cause and making it up for the most part of those who had been active and instrumental in carrying on a course of Defection or were consenting thereto whereby it came to pass that that Meeting did ratifie and approve the Defection it self and did not only censure sundry for protesting against them but also laid a foundation for censuring all such Ministers and for keeping all such out of the Ministry who did not approve of their Constitution and Acts and did issue Warnings and Declarations reflecting exceedingly upon and contradicting and condemning former pious and warrantable proceedings and the instruments thereof 10. Article Deep security impenitency obstinacy and incorrigibleness under all these and under all the dreadful stroaks of God and tokens of his indignation against us because of the same so that whilest he continues to smite we are so far from humbling our selves and turning to Him that we wax worse and worse and sin more and more Having at our last Meeting intended and promised to enlarge more fully and particularly these Generall Heads of the LORDS Controversie with the Land then condescended on We shall now prosecute and perform the same so far as we conceive is needfull and may be helpfull to others for the better understanding thereof IT were superfluous to speak any thing to the 1. Article which relates to the grosse ignorance of many thousands in the Land the truth of the thing being unquestionably acknowledged and bemoaned by all the faithfull and godly Ministers in the Land and that a great many come to age are grosly ignorant of the first Principles of Christian Religion which sin of ignorance although it be extenuated and slightly looked on by many yet it is holden forth by the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures as the fountain of the estrangement of souls from the life of God Ephes. 4. 18. through the blindnes that is in them having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnes of their heart of all their disobedience and living in their lusts 1. Pet. 1. 14. as obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance And as that which makes them lyable to the wrath of God in the day of Christs appearance 2. Thess. 1. 8. When the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them who know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord-Iesus Christ. The guilt of this sin is much aggravated by these Circumstances 1. It is willfull under the light of the Gospel and the means of knowledge 2. In regard of long continuing therein many have lived under it for so many years together even till their old age 3. From the grossnesse of it being such in many as they know almost nothing of the very Letter of the Scriptures either of their sin and misery or of the mercy and remedy that is holden forth through Jesus Christ or of the dutie which they owe to God and their Neighbour nothing almost either of Law or Gospel of the Covenant of Grace or of the Covenant of Works of Commandments Threatnings or Promises except in such a generall and confused way as is altogether uselesse unto them and fruitless in them 4. In regard of the multitudes of these who lye under it which is very great in all the corners of the Land especially in the Highlands 5. In regard of the quality of persons who are not onely servants and Commons but Masters of Families and persons of some note in Burghs and in the Countrey yea not a few who have the place of Magistrates and Elders The Article doth also mention ignorance of the Works of God by which is meant not only the Works of Creation wherein the Eternall Power and Godhead are clearly seen Rom. â— 20. For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternall Power and Godhead but also the ignorance of the Works of Providence which are great and marvellous Rev. 15. 3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints And albeit these should be sought out of all these that take pleasure therein Psal. 111. 2. and the right understanding and observation of them hath a large promise made thereunto Psal. 107. 43. Who is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnes off the Lord. Yet doth the ignorance thereof exceedingly abound
7 8. Speak unto the Children of Israel when a man or a woman shall commit any sin that men commit to do a trespass against the Lord and that person be guilty then they shall confess their sin which they have done and he shal recompence his trespass with the principal thereof and add unto it the fifth part thereof and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed But if the man have no kinsman to recompence the trespass unto let the trespass be recompenced unto the Lord. even unto the Priest beside the Ram of atonement whereby an atonement shal be made for him It is appointed that offenders who have wronged others and were to be admitted to the trespass offering should not only make confession of their sins but also make satisfaction to the party to whom the wrong was done which satisfaction is a fruit of righteousnesse to which agrees that of Iesus Christ. Mat. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee vers 24. leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift In that publick penitentiall confession that is mentioned Ezra 10 10 11. Ye have transgressed and taken strange wives and increased the trespass of Israel now therefore make confession to the LORD GOD of your fathers and do his pleasure and separate your selves from the people of the land and from the strange wives There it not only a confession of the sin but a doing of the LORDS pleasure and a separating of themselves from the people of the land and from the strange wives Psal. 51. which was penned to be a testimony of Davids Publick Repentance for the scandalous sins of murder and adultery committed by him and was therefore committed to the chief Musician to be Published in the Sanctuary and Temple doth contain many not able Evidences of Repentance and Reformation And we see the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 2. 7. doth not give charge to the Corinthians for the receiving the Incestuous person until he is in some appearance of hazard to be swallowed up with too much sorrow 7. verse Ye ought to forgive him and comfort him least perhaps such an one be swallowed up with over mâ—ch sorrow which doth argue that the Apostle thought a great measure of reall conviction and sorrow requisite in such an one before he ought to be received According to these Scriptures the first book of Discipline in the 7 head thereof requires that before scandalous persons be admitted to the Publick confession of their Repentance that there appear in them signes of unfeignedrepentance and the form and order of Publick repentance appointed by the Generall Assembly of the Ministers and Elders in the which they ought sharply to be examined what fear and terrour they have of Gods judgements and what hatred for sin and dolor for the same and what sense and feeling they have of Gods mercies in the which if they be ignorant they ought diligently to be instructed For it is but a mocking to present such to Publick Repentance as neither know what sin is what Repentance is what Grace is nor by whom Gods mercy and favour is purchased thereafter the offender shall be instructed in the Assembly so that he have some taste of Gods Judgements but chiefly of Gods Mercies through Jesus Christ he may be presented before the Publick Kirk And the Act of the Generall Assembly at Edinburgh 1596. March 26. That none falling in Publick scandall be received in the fellowship of the Kirk except his Minister have some appearance and warrand in his Conscience that he hath both a feeling of sin and an apprehension of mercy and for this effect that the Minister travail with him in Doctrine and private instruction to bring him thereto especially in the Doctrine of Publick Repentance which being neglected the Publick place of Repentance is turned to a mocking And the Acts of the Generall Assembly at Edinburgh 1649. provids that because many heretofore have made a shew and profession of Repentance who were not convinced of their guiltinesse nor humbled for the same but did therafter return like the dog to the vomite and with the sow to the puddle unto the mocking of God the exceeding great reproach and detriment of his Cause Therefore for the better discerning the truth sincerity of the Repentance of these who desire to be admitted to the Covenant and Communion it is appointed and ordained that none of the persons who are debarred from the Covenant and Communion shall be received and admitted thereunto but such as after tryal shall be found for some competent time either before or after the offer of their Repentance according to the discretion of the respective Judicatories to have in their ordinary conversation given reall testimony of their dislike of the late unlawfull Engagement and of all the courses and ways of Malignants and of their sorrow for their accession to the same and to live godly righteously soberly c. And reason also proves the same point for whether we take Publick Repentance in reference to the removing of scandal and offence given to the Kirk or in reference to the absolution of the party from the guilt of the same intimated to him by the Minister as the servant of Christ and in the Name of Christ on his Repentance it must alwayes be understood of such a profession of Repentance as doth evidence the reality and humility thereof in outward fruits for a real scandal cannot be removed by a bare and verbal profession without fruits neither can a minister with any perswasion of conscience make any intimation of mercy and pardon to him of the reality and sincerity of whose profession he hath no testimony in his carriage and conversation Yet notwithstanding of these things many scandalous persons of all sorts especially these who were prophane Malignants disaffected to the Work of GOD and his people this last year have been admitted to Publick Repentance on bare convictions of Repentance and sorrow without any reall evidence and fruit thereof in their carriage and conversation nay in many of them there was presumptions in the contrary which as it hath proven a snare to their souls so hath it exceedingly provoked God and stumbled the godly and rendered Kirk Censures and Publick Repentance base and contemptible The third consequence is That the Sacrament of the LORDS Supper hath been fearfully polluted and prophaned by the promiseuous admitting of many scandalous and ignorant persons thereto The truth whereof in the matter of fact as it hath been the constant burden and complaint of all the godly Ministers and people in Scotland these many years past so it hath been oft confessed in the Causes of solemn Fasts and publick Humiliation and particularly in that publick Acknowledgement of Sin that was made by the Kirk of Scotland in the year 1648. that it
of the earth by clear shining after ram 2 Chr. 19. 6 7 8. And he said to the Iudges Take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts v. 9. And he charged them saying Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart and Deut. 23. 9. When the host goeth forth against thyn enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing Therfore were they unclean by Leprosie by an Issue and by the Dead to be put out of the Camp Num. 5. 2. Command the children of Israel that they put out of the Camp every Leper and every one that hath an Issue and whosoever is defiled by the dead Deut. 22. 10. Thou shalt not plow with an Oxe and an Asse together v. 11. Thou shalt not wear a garment of diver sorts as of woollen and linnen together because the Lord their God did walk in the midest of the Camp of his People to deliver them and to give up his enemies before them therefore was the Camp to be holy that he might see no unclean thing in them turn away from them Deut. 23. 14. For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp to deliver thee and give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy Camp be holy that be may see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee And because this Nation had exceedingly neglected the purging of Judicatories and Armies and constituting the same of persons rightly qualified which was the cause of many evils of sin and punishment therefore was this neglect publickly and solemnly confessed to GOD and the contrary duty engaged unto at the renewing of the Covenant toward the end of the year 1648. as is to be seen in the solemn Publick Confession of sins and engagement to duties For rendering of the which effectual the Commission of the Generall Assembly did present many Petitions Remonstrances and Warnings from time to time to the Committee of Estates and to the Parliament who did make sundry Lawes both for the purging of the Judicatories and Armies which then were and for keeping them pure for the time to come as is to be seen in their Registers and Acts Anno 1649. and 1650. And accordingly somewhat was done in that great and necessary duty by themselves and others to whom they did commit the trust but not withstanding of all these things it did appear very soon after the Confessing of that sin and engaging to that duty that many did neither mind repentance of the one or performance of the other Therefore as the Commission of the Generall Assembly were necessitated to renew their desires in that particular very often and from moneth to moneth so were not these Lawes and Committees having power to execute the same established without some wrestling and difficultie not a few labouring to obstruct and retard the same and when it came to the execution with what neglect and slowness and partiality did they proceed therein And what impediments did they who were not diligent cast in the way of others who were more diligent and faithful and zealous in following of the duty By which it came to passe that little could be gotten done in that matter and what was done was not onely loadned with imputations and reproaches but also was for most part made ineffectuall The persons appointed to be removed being either keeped still or shortly thereafter being brought again to their own or some other place or else as evill being put in their place Nay after the defeat at Dumbar these duties came not only to be neglected but what formerly had been gotten done therein was looked and cryed out upon as the cause of the ruine of the Army and therefore not only these who had been formerly purged but all others how malignant and loose soever were brought to the Judicatories and Army and what had formerly been confessed a sin was then followed and commended as a duty 5. Step. The fifth is The authorizing of Commissioners to close a Treaty with the King for the investing him with the Government upon his subscribing such demands as were sent to him after he had given many clear evidences of his dis-affection and enmity to the Work and people of GOD and was continuing in the same and the admitting of him to the full exercise of his power and Crowning him notwithstanding of new discoveries of his adhering to his former Principles and way and of many warnings to the contrary For the better understanding and more full and clear discovery of this sin we would consider these things which are set down by the Generall Assembly of this Kirk in their Declaration of the date Iuly 27 1649. to wit that as Magistrats and their power are ordained of GOD so are they in the exercise thereof not to walk according to their own will but according to the Law of equity and righteousnesse as being the Ministers of GOD for the safety of his people c. Secondly That there is a continuall obligation and stipulation betwixt the King and the People as both of them are tyed to GOD so each of them are tyed each to other for the performance of mutuall and reciprocall duties according to which it is statute and ordained in the 8. Act of the Parliament of King Iames the Sixt That all Kings Princes and Magistrats whatsomever holding their place which hereafter shall happen at any time to reign and bear rule over this Realm at the time of their Coronation the receipt of their Princely Authority make their faithfull Promise by Oath in the presence of the Eternall GOD That during the whole course of their lives they shall serve the same Eternall GOD to the utmost of their power according as he hath required in his Holy Word contained in the Old and New Testament and according to the same Word shall maintain the true Religion of JESUS CHRIST the Preaching of his most holy Word and due and right Administration of the Sacraments now received and preachd within this Realm and shall abolish and gainstand all false Religion contrary to the same and shall rule the People of GOD committed to their charge according to the will and command of GOD revealed in his Word and according to the laudable Lawes and Constitutions received within this Realm c. Thirdly That in the League and Covenant that had been so solemnly and publickly sworn and renewed by this Kingdom the duty of defending and preserving the Kings Majesties Person and Authority is joyned with and subordinate to the duty of preserving and desending the true Religion and Liberty of the Kingdoms Fourthly That an arbitrary Government and an illimited Power was the fountain of most if not of all