the edge of the hill by sheep-rodes so that there was no accesse to pursue by horses but a party of foot was commanded to follow the pursute whereupon the Enemies horses were forced to quite their ground and betake themselves to other ground no lesse inaccessable by the honest party After near two houres the Enemy perceiveing that neither party could approach to other as they stood because of a precipice betwixt them came towards a plaine at the foot of the hill and drew up in battalye The honest party now seing that the Enemy was willing to offer battel and that if they should withdraw the Enemy would be encouraged and many of themselves unavoidably discouraged if they should delay till tomorrow the sun being now near setting feared that many should fainte flee away in the night time and others should be lesse able to fight thorow hunger cold seeing no way how to relieve themselves with necessaries at that exigent resolved to imbrace that occasion see what the Lord of Hosts would be pleased to do and therefore resolved after prayer to draw off the hill towards the Enemy keeping still what advantage of ground they could when thus they have approached the Enemy send forth a troup which was rancountered with another of the honest party and beate into their body somewhat as some think inconsideratly upon the part of the pursuers Thereafter the Enemies send off another party to relieve the former which was met with by another of the Honest party But with some disadvanvaâ—tage to the Honest party because they were to approach neare unto the very body of the Enemy ere they could prove a reliefe unto their â—ormer party Yet through the help of the Lord they made their made their adversare-party flee shamefully The enemy perceiving how they had been beaten three times in end in fighting by partyes and seeing how the strength of the Honest party stood in those troups which had not as yet rallied nor returned to their ground in order advanced with their whole body of horse in a full breast with a pretty gallop upon the two troupâ— as they were scattered and drave them back upon the body and thus the only wise God who doth all things after the councel of his owne will ordering it in a short time broke them all And yet it is observable that moe were killed by the countrey men in their escapeing then on the fields The Enemy stayed on the fields all night and buryed their dead who were not a few The prisoners which were taken were carryed into Edinbrough and though by these in power in humanely enough used yet by some whose labour of love both towards the dead on the fields to the prisoners the Lord will not forget tenderly provided and cared for though in a clandestine way Of these prisoners who were taken on the fields others afterward apprehended by Countery men there were Six and Thirty or thereby publickly hanged at Edinbrough Glasgow Aire and other places and their heads and other members of their members of their body are upon poles unto this day to keep the memory of this Noble exploite fresh upon the Hearts of the Godly I shall not further recapitulat what is said concerning this by Naphtali Only I would say this That though many might have been tempted to think possibly the Enemy might have imagined That now their cause was confirmed with a witnesse the honest patriots condemned by God the righteous judge yet after experience made it appeare that the honest cause was never more confirmed then by the death and sufferings of these whom they cruelly murthered as traitours and rebels The Lord so visibly owneing them to the conviction of on lookers that they were no more afrayed of death then of a quiet rest in their beds being ascertaned of the Lord 's accepting of them and their weak endeavours to restore the Kingdome however He who is wise in counsel thought it not for his glory to prospere them in their undertaking at that time And this very consideration did much help to restraine the remainder of the wrath of the adversary who were so enraiged that few thought they should ever have sisted till they had executed all who were their captives Yet the generation of the prelaticall and Malignant faction judicially hardened by this dispensation because as so many carnal sensualists if they beleeve at all that there is a God they measure him and his wayes by their owne yaird and judge of his approving or disproveing of actions by outward dispensations to whom I shall say no more but Careat successibus opto quisquis ab eventu facta not and a puter did not cease to â—ant after the determinations of the cruel bloody Council and cry out upon those Noble and worthy patriots whose memory shall be in everlasting remembrance as Traitours and Rebels justely condemned and executed Whereupon the author of Naphtaly thought himself called of God to write in justification of these innocents And because he saw it was the same Spirit of madnesse and malignnancy which had raged against the work of Reformation from the very beginning that did act those in power against these worthies and that there was no material or substantial difference betwixt the way which these late worthies took and the way which our fore-fathers in the valient maintaineing the interests of Christ and promoveing the work of Reformation in our land had followed in their generation therefore he thought it necessary and useful to make a cleare deduction of the opposition which that poor Church met with at the hands of a Popish Prelatical and Malignant faction And of the constancy valour and Zeal of the Lovers of God and of his interest in adhereing thereto and maintaineing the same against all the rage and fury of the adversary of the Lord's blessing their Noble endeavours with special and remarkable successe And all alongs did clear their innocency and vindicate them from the aspersions that wicked Enemies could lay against them and their actions from such objections as wickednesse it self did or could make against them And at length after a clear representation of the furious genius of the Malignant Apostat generation of this age by their publick and avowed acts and actings and of the sad calamities which the honest adherers to the cause and Covenant of God hath suffered did shew the rise and progresse of that loyal interprise and did fully vindicate the actors therein from the crime of Sedition or Rebellion with which they were most unjustly charged and for which cruely and tyrannically executed But the Mensworne generation of prelatical Apostats finding themselves nearly concearned in that affaire thought it of their concernment to try what could be said in defence of this tyranny exerced mostly for them and at their instigation set some on work to write against that book And therefore they published to the world The I. Part of a
either virtually or expresly approved and the worthy actors praised and highly commended as indeed they did deserve 9. None ever condemned these actions as treasonable and rebellious but such as were knowne to be real and heart-enemies to the work it felf no tongues were ever loosed against them except the imbittered tongues of sworne adversaries ingrained Malignants Enemies to God and godlinesse haters of the power of it These and none but these who are of their father the devil durst condemne the same And many hollow hearted professours among whom this Surveyer deserveth to be rekoned were forced against their hearts to approve of the same joyne in with the favourers maintainers of that noble cause so forceable was the light and the power of that Sprit that acted the worthies in these dayes who now have turned open Apostates from that truth and cause have adjoyned themselves unto that ever accursed Popish Prelatical and Malignant faction Yea remarkeable it is that God did so overpower the pen of that Arch-Enemy Spotswood that though he would have said all which Hell it self could have prompted him unto yet durst say no more of these first courses and practices but that they were Violent and disorderly And this Rabshaketh the Surveyer who in the end of his book having reserved the dregs of what he had to exscreate against the work of God and his worthyes until then Pag. 118. c. would out-stripe his predecessours and spevv out his venome like another adder of the same spavvne yet the overruleing providence of God hath so curbed him that he gote not liberty to run the full length he vvould and therefore he sayes We cannot justify all courses that were used then for carrying on the work of reformation and againe if some instruments thereof were guilty of sedition or sacrilege or self seeking and againe if sinful courses were then used by men and againe Pag. 119. Let us not stand superstitiously upon the justifying of all their deeds Who sees not this wicked mans Mouth bridled by the restraineing power of God so that he cannot he dar not plainely and expresly call these courses seditious or rebellious but cometh on with his Ifs and if some instruments and all their courses cannot be justified as if in the most laudable work to which men might have a most cleare call some accidental or circumstantial actions might not abide the test and as if among a company some might not have by-ends while a good work was laudably and lawfully as to the maine carryed on Ay but this good man you will say is mighly in love with the work of reformation and blesseth God for it Pag. 118. 119. True we finde him say so in words but God knoweth his heart But is it not strange that fince he sayeth he approveth the work he will be more blinde then was that poor man in the gospel whom he mentioneth who had his eyes opened Ioh. 9. for that blinde man did see a divine power in the work wrought and said v. 33. If this man were not of God he could do nothing and will not only not see the mighty hand of God in the instruments but tells us he is not much concerned to enquire But what needeth him much doubt of a divine call considering the work it self it 's end the direct tendency of the meanes unto this end the real christian intentions of the instruments which he will not see in the instances he bringeth viz. of the wicked hands crucifying Christ of prophane and unfaithful Ministers preaching of a leprous hand soweing seed of acts of fornication and adultery Why then doth he adduce such Instances so impertinent Wil he proclame himself a fool of the first magnitude in so doing Ay but he would have us following the practices of the primitive christians who never used any undutyful resistence to or violence upon the Magistrats rather then the precedents in these dregs of time But why will he not follow their practices himself Was it their practice to abjure a lawful Covenant sworne for the maintainance of the Truth Was it their practice to renunce their former profession and turne Apostates from the truth which once they avowed Was it their practice to turne their back on Christ and his interest for the will of creatures and for a mease of pottage Was it their practice to change their Religion with the court Concerning the practice of the primitive christians in this poynt and how imitable we shall speak afterward If these were the dregs of time wherein there was so much faithfulnesse Zeal constancy piety singlenesse of heart contempt of the world what dregs of dregs of time are we novv fallen in vvherein there is so much infidelity atheisme perjury falshood lukwarmnesse inconstancy imbraceing of this present vvorld and all sort of wickednesse and prophanity But sayes he Pag. 119. let it be so that much of the way of these who were at first instrumentall in the reformation in this Land were justifiable upon the account of purging the Church from the horrid grossnesse of idolatry corruption of doctrine tyranny and usurpation over poor soulls wherewith the man of sin had for many ages defiled and burdened the poor Church and upon the account of the open hostility to the truth wherein Magistrats then stood together with the inbringing of forraigne furious forces upon us even to the heart of our Land How unlike was the case then to what it is now and how unable is the case now to beare the burthen of a conclusion for such practices as then were used Answ But truely wise judicious Men will not see the case then so far different from what it is now as that the case now shall not be so able to beare the burthen of a conclusion for the same practices Seing there is this day as much horrid grossnesse of idolatry in the Land as hath been at any time these hundereth yeers And as for corruption of doctrine alas Who doth not heare it and see it that heareth these locust-curates preach downe all piety and godlinesse and harden people in defection and apostasy from God It is as great a corruption in doctrine as needs to be to pervert therein the right wayes of the Lord to lead people into the broad way which leadeth unto destruction againe what greater tyranny and usurpation over poor souls would he have then is now exercised since the perjured Prelates the kindely brood of the Man of sinne have defiled and burthened our poor Church The Apology and Naphtaly have abundantly manifested and dayly experience confirmeth it That the tyranny and usurpation is insupportable and as grievous as it was them Moreover is not the open hostility to the truth as manifest in the Magistrats this day as legible by such as run on all their acts and actings as it was then who seeth not this but he who can not see the wood for trees And as for
to asperse then credit the constant integrity of whose conversation will easily stop his foule lying mouth in the Consciences of God's people who know them If these persons get no other Orator to set forth their praises then this man who is a black raven of the same nest I feare their conversation shall never stop all mens mouthes For my part I shall and I suppose that author will be content to referre the determination of this to the consciences of all God's people who know them And let such judge whether they be men of integrity or men of constant integrity we could tell storyes of some but we shall for beare it may be a volum will be made of their prophane practices when such as know them best and observe their wayes shall help us to a legend of their wayes courses And when the world seeth this It will judge of the integrity of their conversation but enough of this trash here 9. In the follovving paragraph beginning Pag. 10. he is at some demurre not knovving vvell vvhat course to take vvith that book which this true Cretian calleth a bundle of impudent lyes and falshoods grosse slanders and revileings not one of which hath he as yet discovered But where lay the difficulty Upon the one hand sayes he it was thought best to neglect the rage of this man if one that hath so much renunced humanity as he is here seen to do may be so tearmed lest by being noticed he might think himself some what A very hard censure to make a supposition if one who speaketh with so much weight of reason as transcendeth the reach of this animal may be tearmed a man If the supposer were not known to be no acute judge being animal amphibion bipes a double face'd gentle man vvho hath turned his coat his tongue too But why would he grudge poor Naphtali this Or doth he think that his taking notice of him will make him esteem the more highly of himself Not one white a stout man will never think himfelf the more valiant 〈◊〉 a foolish childe set upon him with a straw Was there no other reason Especially sayes he lest People who as they affect are ordinarily opinionated might have too much matter 〈◊〉 â—eed their humour to fournish their light discourses 〈◊〉 to ensnare their souls by representing to them the matters of this libel worthy to be buried in oblivion they being too apt whatever Salvo might be added to receive the poison without the antidote according to their prejudices This was a good consideration and if the Man had been as tender as he pretendeth to be hes hould not have digged up what deserved to be buried especially since he might have known he was not able to prepare a sufficient antidote But thought he that his silence would have hindered any to have pondered that book I beleeve indeed his silence had done more good to the King and his cause then all his hote work is like to do and he hath done more to insnare souls if it be to insnare them then Naphtaly did I do not meane by representing some other things to the consideration of people but by his adding so weak and inconsiderable a Salvo that he fixed what Naphtaly said more deeply in their hearts if judicious Readers did not account it unanswerable before they did see his weak non-answereing Reply What further It seemed also Sayes he a matter full of tediousnesse to a well composed heart to enter into a fire of endlesse strife and continual reciprocation of altercations wherein a Man is not likely to finde more truth then he hath already truth in the most important matters in the book having been of old fully vindicated by learned hands and nothing now opposed but old songs chanted over and over againe although like enough to lose much of that charity and calme and composed temper of heart which he had before Then it seemeth his heart was not a well composed heart for it did not seem tedious unto him to enter into this fire of endlesse strife and continual reciprocation of altercation and to spend so much time and paper and paines in vaine And we must pity his case now who hath lost much of that charity and calme and composed temper of heart which he had formetly Sed qui nihil habet nihil amittit a little stok is soon wasted By whom to this day was Lex Rex answered And doth not himself say that Naphtaly out stripes his Masters even as to the most important matters of the book Hovv is it then that he sayes there is nothing but old songs chanted over and over againe This Man is sui similis As yet as inconsistent with himself in his words as in his walk But seing he had the help of so many old Vindicators hovv comes it that he hath acted his part so childishly and vindicated the King's cause worse then any Man that ever put pen to paper as is shewed Why did not this pigmay set himself upon their shoulders that he might have seemed something What was there more on this hand What Man is he sayes he that knowing how much more important work he hath upon his hand for his owne salvation and honouring God in his station in the World would willingly engadge in endlesse contests with persons whose idlenesse gives them too great opportunity of evil doing and who having cast by the Lord's work in building his Church are too much set to do Satan's vvork in dissipating the same Then this Man thinketh it is inconsistent vvith one to minde the vvork of his vvne salvation and to defend the King's cause vvhich is very true Let the King and his party notice this But it is strange that seing he thought the vvork of his opposers Satan's he should not think it incumbent to a tender soul to do vvhat he can to destroy the vvorks of the Devil vve see also that the love of money is the root of all evil and hath caused him run greedily after the error of Balaam for revvard for to purchase the hire he hath cast by the important vvork of his salvation and laid aside the honouring of God in his station This is the Man 's constant integrity As for those Men whose idlenesse he talkes of if he meane Ministers he knoweth who hindereth them from doing the work of the Lord in building his Church and they will ansvvere for it and he also for his share in that and for this vvork of Satan vvhich a little money hath prompted him to and vvhen they are vvrestling and pleading for Zion and the cause of her King God vvill not account them idle nor evil doers nor setters up of Satans work What further It seemed honourable enough sayes he to decline this contention and strife which is like the letting out of watters in expectation that either Mansconscience if it be not infinitly corrupted may the confute him in most of his assertions and